The Highveld Spring and Summer feature season will soon be in top gear and all roads will lead to the Sansui Summer Cup which will be celebrating its 130^th anniversary this year.

The late racing doyen Jean Jaffee’s book They Raced To Win relates that the first race meeting in Johannesburg was held in the same year as the city’s founding 1886. The following year the Johannesburg Turf Club (JTC) was formed and a crowd of 3000 attended their first meeting in June 1887 with the main race being the £250 Johannesburg Turf Club Handicap, which is known today as the Summer Cup. The meeting took place over three days on a two mile course and the finishing post was where Commissioner and Eloff Street today intersect. The winner of the Inaugural Johannesburg Turf Club Handicap was AT Allison’s five-year-old Second.

In the early days, the Johannesburg Handicap was run every time there was a JTC meeting. Therefore, its second running was in December 1887 on a one-and-a-half mile horseshoe shaped course near the “Natal Camp.”

Louis The King (JC Phototography)

By 1994 there were four JTC meetings a year and the big race became known as the Johannesburg Autumn, Winter, Spring or Summer Handicap.

The big race was not run in 1900, due to the Boer War, but in 1901 it was run no fewer than ten times and in 1902 seven times.

It then reverted to its four-times a year tradition in 1903.

In 1950 it was run only once a year as the Johannesburg Summer Handicap.

Since then it has also been known as the Holiday Inns, the Sun International, the Administrator’s Champion Stakes, the Administrator’s Cup, the Premier’s Cup, the Champions Stakes and it was finally called the Summer Cup in 2001.

The race was originally run over a mile and it has been run over 2000m since the December 1949 running of the Johannesburg Summer Handicap.

The December 1889 renewal of the big race was held at the third and final home of the Johannesburg Turf Club, a farm called Turffontein, originally leased for £300 a year from a farmer called Rass. It has been run at Turffontein every year since,

The inaugural Turffontein meeting saw the introduction of the “Tote machine”, brought out from England by William Grey Rattray.

Due to the many runnings per year in the early days, the records of the Summer Cup are skewed. However, a horse called Malgo owned by Messrs Chauncy and Stayt won it five times between 1897 and 1902. The same pair of owners had won big race with Plum in December 1892 and this horse went on to win The Met among 28 career wins.

Another “great” horse to win the big race in its early years was the British-bred Stockwell, not to be confused with the great 1849-born British horse of the same name.

Stockwell owned by AC Harris travelled all over the country and won The Met in 1891 and the Queen’s Plate in 1892. Earlier in 1892 he had won the Johannesburg Winter Handicap and another big race, the Goldfields Handicap, two days later. He won the Johannesburg Spring Handicap in 1894. He was trained by Harry Croon, an English-born jockey who also rode him.

The 1897 Johannesburg Autumn Handicap was significant as two horses, the Abe Bailey-owned Quickmarch and the Solly Joel-owned Lord Ullin dead-heated for first, half-a-length clear of Campanajo, who won the inaugural running of today’s premier South African race, the Vodacom Durban July, three months later.

Master Sabina

Mining magnates Bailey and Joel dominated Johannesburg racing in the 1890s. Bailey had won six Johannesburg Handicaps by 1897. He left for England in 1898, but returned as a volunteer for British forces in the Boer War. He went on to win “at least twice as many” Johannesburg Handicaps as any other owner and became a major breeder through his stud farm in Colesberg as well as a steward of the SA Jockey Club for 30 years. Sir Abe also owned horses in England and one of them, the globally influential sire Dark Ronald, who rested on Bailey’s farm at Colesberg for two years as a youngster, later became the five times champion sire of Germany. Dark Ronald not surprisingly features a number of times in the current SA Champion sire Silvano’s pedigree. The German-bred Silvano produced two successive Summer Cup winners, Aslan and Flirtation, in 2009 and 2010.

The most famous winner of the Summer Cup is undoubtedly the George Azzie-trained and Dennis and Peggy Mosenthal-owned Elevation, who won it three times in succession from 1972-1974. He went on to become only the second ever SA-bred horse to become SA Champion stallion.

However, the most famous win of the Summer Cup is likely the Jean Heming-trained Pedometer’s victory in 1987 as he won by an incredible 14 lengths under Jeff Lloyd.

Heming later won it two years in a row in 1990 and 1991 with the filly Roland’s Song and the following year it was won by the great filly Empress Club, who was trained by Tony Millard.

The Summer Cup gave Mike de Kock his first Grade 1 win in 1989 with Evening Mist and the great trainer has gone on to win it a further eight times.

However, Geoff Woodruff has dominated the race for the last four years and has won it six times in all. Woodruff had the first three past the post in 2013, the first two past the post in both 2014 and 2015 and the first and third last year. Master Sabina will be attempting to emulate Elevation and Java this year by winning it three years in a row, but he has moved yards to Joe Soma.

Other greats to win the Summer Cup have been Pamphlet (twice July winner), Polystome (eleven-times SA champion sire), Flash On (Summer Cup-July double as a three-year-old), Java (won it three times in a row), Numeral (Summer Cup-July double), Hengist, Caradoc, Home Guard, Furious, Spanish Pool, Enchanted Garden, National Emblem, El Picha, Wolf Whistle, Yorker and Louis The King.

By David Thiselton

With summer approaching and the prospect of torrential rain or heavy thunder storms disrupting racemeetings has always been the bane of the track managers. The laying of a synthetic poly track at Greyville went some way to easing these fears as, barring a monsoon, the poly track should always be raceable. However, there were teething problems, one of which was at the pull-up past the winning post where the poly track met the turf surface. Any heavy downpours resulted in localised flooding and unsafe underfoot conditions for horses easing up out of their races and on occasion resulting in the jockey’s refusing to continue riding

Hopefully this is now a problem of the past as the poly track has been extended by a further 100m past where the original poly track ended and additional drainage included – the work having recently being completed.

Grass and Poly (Warren Lenferna)

The work was carried out while the turf track was under-going it’s spring treatment and Greyville hosts the first of its regular Friday night poly track meetings of the season this coming Friday, September 22.

By Andrew Harrison

Turffontein Standside has an eight race meeting tomorrow and owing to the many first-timers appearing there is a situation where the suggested Pick 6 costs less than the suggested Jackpot.

The first and last legs of the Pick 6 both look to have potential bankers.

Gavin Lerena

The first of these, Carmalita, is a less confident banker because another horse in this 1000m Maiden Plate for three-year-old fillies, Kutamba, has some useful form and now wears cheek pieces for the first time. Carmalita, is an Australian-bred by Commands, whose progeny tend to improve with age, so she should build on her good debut when a narrow second to the promising Mohallela. Last week the higher draws tended to be favourable down the straight, although The Thinker proved it was possible to win from a low draw. Carmalita has a fair draw of eight in the 13 horse field, but Kutamba has a more attractive draw of ten. Carmalita moved up on debut from a favourable draw over 1200m on the Vaal Inside draw to strike the front close to home and looked the winner. However, Mohallela then came back at her to get up and this suggests Carmalita could appreciate the 1000m trip here at this stage of her career. Kutamba tends to show good pace, but then doesn’t go through with it so is an interesting runner with the headgear on and it could be worth halving the percentage of the Pick 6 taken to include her. Ilha Da Var is held by Kutamba on their last two meetings, but could still improve, so is an outside threat from a nice high draw with Gavin Lerena now taking the ride.

In the last leg of the Pick 6 Great Shaka is a solid sort who showed fine pace over 1000m on the Inside track last time before being run out of it late. She has an attractive draw of 15 and doesn’t have a lot to beat among the raced horses.

The seventh race is the highest rated race on the card and Cathedral County is a banker consideration as he looks to be going places. However, beyond him it is open and All Night Flight, Magic, Moshav, Manx Park and Fidelio are all capable of picking up the pieces.

In the second leg of the Pick 6 there are three raced horses worth including, but for the Jackpot there are two first-timers who warrant inclusion too. Of course the first-timer rule only applies to the Pick 6. King Of The Delta did not have the best of passages last time out over this 1160m trip but after working his way to the outside rail he stayed on nicely for second to the promising first-timer Yamoto. This time he jumps from a lower draw so it is going to be tough, but on form he is the one to beat. Flying Winger caught the eye running in in the same race and should improve, but he has the potentially tough number one draw. Torio Lake showed some pace on debut on the Greyville poly and Gavin Lerena is now up from a fair draw of six. Torio Lake is well bred being by Oratorio out of the twice Grade 3-winning sprinter Purple Lake, who is by the sprinter Lake Coniston.

Sean Tarry

However, Purple Lake has only produced a moderate 1000m winner to date, although that was her first runner. The two-first-timers who make appeal are Come The Day and Cyrus. Come The Day has the standside draw of ten in the ten horse field. He is by Await The Dawn and is a half-brother to the Grade 3-winning and Grade 1 Mercury Sprint third-placed sprinter Showmetheway. Cyrus is by Right Approach out of an unplaced Model Man mare who is a half-sister to the Grade 1-placed Infinite Spirit. None of Sean Tarry’s first call jockeys are aboard here, but it is never wise to ignore a Tarry yard first-timer.

The fifth race is an important event as there will be a few horses out to qualify for the Grand Heritage. Starret City looks like a fair sort and can put his disappointing last run, where the saddle slipped, behind him from a plum draw of two over the suitable 1600m trip. Pilou is progressive and Nephrite has become consistent, so both will also be players over an ideal trip. Mambo Symphony showed he is up to his high merit rating last time, but has been raised a further two points and has to overcome a wide draw. Querari Viking has dropped to a competitive merit rating and can’t be ignored, while bigger budgets can include the like of National Key and Shogun.

In the sixth race Chapati’s form has worked out well, while Penny From Heaven looks to have potential but does have to overcome a merit rating of 83 in her first handicap start in just her third career outing. Fish River Canyon looks like an under achiever who has a chance with a light weight and Braxton and Polar Secret can also be considered.

By David Thiselton

Dennis Drier, pipped at the post for last season’s KZN trainer’s championship, has made a flying start to the new season and celebrated his birthday with a five-timer at Scottsville yesterday along with a large bowl of ice cream and chocolate sauce courtesy of long-time friend Bill Lambert.

However, it was not so much the number of winners that were satisfying, but also that one of his best horses found his better form after a lengthy spell out of the winner’s enclosure and also having two winners for China-based businessman Hui Guo who has invested heavily in South African Bloodstock.

Three of Drier’s winners came for Mayfair Speculators, all three ridden by Mayfair’s retained jockey Anton Marcus.

Seventh Plain

All the money came for Sacred Fame in the first who made short work of the opposition even though Marcus cut right across the field to finish on the outside rail.

After the race, training colleague Dennis Bosch’s eyes lit up like a cat who had found the cream as Sacred Flame franked the form of Cape Town-headed Billy Silver who had beaten him by five lengths when making his debut.

Billy Silver is eligible for the lucrative CTS sales races in January and will be headed for Cape Town shortly where he will be stabled at Geoff Woodruff’s Milnerton satellite yard.

Former Gr1 Tsogo Sun and Golden Horseshoe winner Seventh Plain has been dogged by ill-health but three seasons later added a fifth win to his CV as he got the better of Summer Sky in a tight finish to the fourth, Marcus and Mayfair Speculators to the fore again and Drier sitting in his ‘lucky chair’. “I thought we got beat,” he said a relieved Drier after the slow-mo replayed showed Seventh Plain a nose ahead of Summer Sky and Redcarpet Captain.

Peter Gibson has made his trips to mainland China with the South African trade delegations count and Chinses businessman and trader Hui Guo has invested heavily in South African racing and bloodstock.

He was rewarded with a double as the well-supported Salimah led her field a merry dance in the third and the photo showing Constantine getting the better of She’s A Fortress and Freddie Flint in the sixth.

Guo trades in South Africa under Hartley SA (Pty) Ltd with Peter Gibson as nominee. “The first horse he bought was Tipo Tinto but he now has 65 horses in South Africa, including 25 broodmares and shares in stallions. He is the main partner in (Scott Bros-based) Eightfold Path,” said Gibson.

Constantine denied Corrine Bestel and Derryl Daniels double as earlier Rose Of Peru put one over males, hanging on gamely to out-point favourite Amritsar who arrived on the scene a fraction too late.

A cornel collar, designed to keep the airways open, appears to have done the tricky for Lloyd’s Legacy who kept finding to win a smart race in the fifth although there was some debate in the winner’s circle. “I don’t think he needs it,” said Marcus. “I think he does,” retorted Drier.

After five winners on the day – we stay with the trainer!

By Andrew Harrison

The highest rated race on Turffontein Inside track’s nine race meeting tomorrow is a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1450m in which the imported Hat Putano makes his long awaited South African debut.

This Argentinian-bred is weighted to win the race and is unbeaten in three starts on turf, including a 16 length maiden win over 1400m and two Grade 1 wins over a mile. However, he has not run for over a year. Amazing Strike is thus chosen to win the race as the third best weighted horse who has had a recent run and is fairly well drawn here over a suitable trip. The second best in at the weights is Irish Pride. He is classy and might well appreciate the step down to 1400m, although his two below par runs over 1600m at Greyville are a concern.

Hat Putano

Count Tassilo is ideally distance suited and has proved in his last couple of runs he can come from off the pace, so his wide draw is not a major concern. Shukamisa has been in good form and is another who could be staying on strongly, although he likes to be handy so his number ten draw is tricky. Tandava won a good race over 1400m on the Standside during the week and has to carry 1,5kg more than carded here, but he has twice upset the applecart since arriving from Zimbabwe. Romany Prince and Cashin from the Ormond Ferraris yard are both capable of going close here, but this looks likely to be a pipe opener for the season.

Donny G has a lot of pace, so the wide draw is not ideal, but he has won over this trip before and the current fast ground will suit him. Toro Rosso has his third run after a year long layoff and is drawn in pole over a suitable trip, but he has made breathing noises in both of his moderate comeback efforts. The selection is Amazing Strike to beat Count Tassilo with Hat Puntano, Shukamisa and Tandava next best.

The first race sees the reappearance of a potential classic contender in Captain My Captain, who caught the eye on Sun Met day running with long strides from an impossible draw over 1200m. The form of that race has turned out to be very strong and he should enjoy this trip as his second dam is a half-sister to a Kentucky Oaks winner.

The hard knocking Serendipity should get it right in the second race with not a lot to beat and Piere Strydom significantly keeping the ride.

The next two races are staying events which are often tricky affairs. Graf Spree and Save The Rhino are the obvious picks but it might pay to go as wide as possible.

In the fifth Tundra Taita is well regarded and Lucky Houdalakis horses often come on slowly but surely, so she can follow up on her maiden win. Anthony Delpech has significantly kept the ride.

In the sixth race Silver Thursday is likely to be all the rage, but it has been seen time and time again that young three-year-olds, no matter how good they are destined to become, battle to win handicaps in the early season off high merit ratings and hers is up at 89. The preferences for the bipot are My Friend Lee and Pool Party who are both distance suited and decent types.

The eighth is one of the trickiest races on the card, but presents a good opportunity for King And Empire, who has won twice over the 1450m course and distance and is well drawn off a competitive merit rating.

Ali Bon Dubai has his first run out of the maidens in the last race, but although he took nine races to win his maiden he has struck as a fair sort and can follow up off a mere 63 merit rating.

By David Thiselton

Ivan van Wyk saddled his first winner as a fully-fledged trainer when Putchini won at Scottsville last Sunday. Van Wyk, who was handed the reins by Chris Erasmus and trains out of Yellow Star Stud in the KZN Midlands, can follow up at the same venue this Sunday when another yard stalwart, Panza, lines up in the fifth.

Putchini (Candiese Marnewick

If Van Wyk has learnt one thing from Erasmus, it is that horses that stay in their boxes don’t earn and Panza is just two shy of a half-century of racecourse appearances with four wins to his credit.

Panza has had three outings since returning from a lay-off and should strip at his peak on Sunday over what looks to be his optimum trip.

Last time out he was possibly a little disappointing when fading late behind the useful Wynkelder but prior to that ran the speedy grey Isca to within a length over course and distance. He is down in class from that effort and with a handy galloping weight should be a strong contender in what is a competitive handicap.

The two most likely to head the betting are Lloyd’s Legacy and Amazon King but Panza gets a fair amount of pudding from both and he could hold on to the line.

A set of blinkers appear to have settled the talented but often difficult Techno Captain and Paul Gadsby’s runner has a strong chance of recording a double in the seventh.

The gelding showed up well first run in blinkers when little more than two lengths back to Saint Marco over a mile. He was then stepped up to 2400m and put in a sustained finish to get the better of the visiting Icy Avalanche.

The six-horse opposition is headed by Paul Lafferty’s Double Clutch who has a lot going for him, being down in class, up in trip and down in the ratings to where could again be competitive.

Icy Avalanche has been a soldier for Tony Nassif, the Port Elizabeth ‘chuck-out’ winning twice and running a number of places for Nassif, including a close-up second to Techno Captain last time out.

Double Clutch (Nkosi Hlophe)

Nassif has taken the seemingly easier route on Sunday, avoiding the MR 86 in favour of the MR 68, however he does take a corresponding rise in the weights.

He was only caught in the last couple of strides by Techno Captain and with Anthony Delpech engaged for the ride the inference is obvious.

The giant Haddington has come into his own since being sent over ground, finishing runner-up to the smart Brighteyebushytail before winning in commanding fashion next time out. Louis Goosen expressed a couple of reservations, not entirely sure that the gelding would see out the trip or whether apprentice Eric Ngwane could keep him together long enough over the extended trip as he is not an easy horse to settle. However, he only has a postage stamp on his back which will be a big plus.

Silent Obsession and Ideal Winter were involved in a ding-dong tussle over course and distance a fortnight back with Ideal Winter having to survive an objection, the luckless Silent Obsession losing out in the boardroom for the second time. The gelding only has one eye but he stays well and Keagan de Melo should be able to keep him out of trouble.

Silent Obsession has an each-way chance for Duncan Howells but two better propositions from the yard could come in the form of Chicago Beat in the sixth and Chica Musica in the last.

Chicago Beat has the more difficult task as he is not particularly well weighted in this Pinnacle Stakes event, but he seldom gives less than his best and the drop to 1400m could prove beneficial.

Redcarpet Captain (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Dazzler made a stunning start for James Goodman, beating a field of winners on debut in dazzling fashion – pun intended. He was unplaced on the poly in feature company next time out but back on turf was a close-up second over course and distance. He takes on stronger here but has a light weight and jumps from the inside gate which adds to his appeal.

Also in the mix is Redcarpet Captain who makes his debut for Mark Dixon after owner Brian Burnard recently decided to spread his horses among various trainers. Ironically Redcarpet Captain finished runner-up behind the Dixon-trained London Call last time out but after showing a glimpse of his best form he could go one better.

The Howells-trained Chica Musica made good improvement at her second outing and although she has a tricky draw she looks set to make good improvement in the ninth. Stable rider De Melo will in all likelihood have had the choice with Victory Cross in the same colours also in the race.

By Andrew Harrison

The National Horseracing Authority has noted that there have been a number of specimens taken from horses which have tested in excess of the screening limit for caffeine.  Accordingly, the NHA is obligated to notify the relevant trainers of this occurrence and afford them options as envisaged in terms of the rules.

The NHA has undertaken an investigation in order to identify whether any commonality exists between the specimens of the affected horses being above the screening limit for caffeine.  In this regard, the NHA has requested that the affected trainers provide the NHA with information, which would allow for a more complete view of the circumstances surrounding these results, prior to any potential inquiry proceedings.

This year’s Emperors Ready To Run Sale will take place at the School Of Excellence, Summerhill Stud, on Wednesday, 25 October, 10 days before the 12th renewal of the R2.5million Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup.

Some thirty years ago, the southern hemisphere’s first concept of a Ready To Run sale was born of a collaboration between Summerhill Stud and a relic of the auction trade, Chris Smith Bloodstock.

Summerhill Stud (www.summerhill.co.za)

Selling racehorses at the gallop directly off the farm was pioneered by horsemen in Florida, USA, and the Ready To Run sale as we know it today was a collective embellishment by South Africans on the same theme.  The inaugural sale was held at Summerhill in 1987, where its attendees, all twenty of them, included an august audience of Gary Player, famous cricketing all-rounders Mike Proctor and Johnny Watkins and former Miss World, Penny Coelen and her husband Johnny Rey.

While the idea soon took root in various parts of the world, South Africa remained at the forefront of its innovation, and by the late 1990s the local version was already attracting an international audience, with a buying bench especially well populated by Hong Kong, Singapore and the Middle East.  Through the first decade of the new century, it was one of the fastest growing sales in the world, its stature as a producer of champions and millionaires matching the best, pound-for-pound.

The withdrawal recently of Cape Thoroughbred Sales from the Gauteng auction scene left the Ready To Run without a Jo’burg champion, though followers of the Stellenbosch-based sales company’s website will recall a statement earlier in the year to the effect that the Ready To Run would be reverting to its spiritual home, Summerhill.

British three-year-old sprint sensation Harry Angel will head to Ascot next month to attempt an historic sprint treble and this will be vindication for the European Pattern Committee (EPC).

This Irish-bred colt’s success provides a current example of how important national race programming can be in the making of a horse.

The South African program lacks sprint opportunities for three-year-olds, although the Var Syndicate addressed this issue in the 2010/2011 season and the big sales races are also playing a role in filling this gap.

However, the SA programming committee could take heed of the Harry Angel success story.

The Godolphin-owned Harry Angel showed he is something special last Saturday when free-wheeling in front in the Group 1 Sprint Cup Stakes over six furlongs before kicking clear to win full of running by four lengths despite the ground officially being “heavy”.

Rivarine (Nkosi Hlophe)

Last month the Clive Cox-trained Dark Angel colt won the Group 1 Darley July Cup Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket on good to firm ground.

Next month he will go for the Group 1 British Champions Sprint at Ascot and attempt to become the first horse to land this particular treble.

Three years ago in August 2014, the EPC sat down to address the lack of opportunities for high-class three-year-old sprinters and to improve the overall standard of Group sprint races in Europe.

They noted, “For horses performing at every distance other than sprinting, the European Pattern provides a three-year-old only programme until mid-summer, when the Classic generation is considered ready to take on the older horses. The Committee believes it is no coincidence that when it comes to milers and middle distance horses, Europe can genuinely lay claim to having the best in the world, however, there is a definite lack of top class European three-year-old sprinters.”

The EPC firstly introduced a limited number of Pattern races restricted to three-year-olds in the first half of the European season, culminating in a new Group 1 race at Royal Ascot, and secondly, they sought to deliver a more balanced overall sprint programme, providing better opportunities and greater incentives to run high class sprinters in Europe. This included the upgrade of a number of races, including the British Champions Sprint on QIPCO British Champions Day to Group 1, and the Flying Five on Irish Champions Weekend to Group 2.

Harry Angel has thus been able to build his confidence and could well be the best three-year-old sprinter seen in the U.K. and Ireland for some time.

The brilliant colt is able to go in any ground and this season has won on both firm and heavy ground.

As a two-year-old Harry Angel showed his class by winning the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes over six furlongs at Newbury in just his second start.

He was then rested until making his reappearance on May 3 at Ascot in the Pavilion Stakes over six furlongs, where he finished second, and on May 27 he won the Sandy Lane Stakes over six furlongs at Haydock. Both of those races are limited to three-year-olds and both were identified in the European Pattern Committee meeting in 2014 as races which needed upgrading. Hence the former race acquired Group 3 status in 2015 and the latter was upgraded from Listed to Group 2 status in 2015.

Var

Harry Angel then took part in the new three-year-old Group 1 Royal Ascot event, the Commonwealth Cup over six furlongs. The EPC introduced this in 2015 at the expense of the Buckingham Palace Stakes, a seven furlong handicap. The Commonwealth Cup is the only Group 1 limited to three-year-olds in Great Britain in which geldings are allowed to compete and is the first age restricted Group 1 open to geldings in Europe.

Harry Angel was beaten 0,75 lengths by the Aiden O’Brien-trained Caravaggio in the Commonwealth Cup, but exacted revenge next time out in the July Cup.

In South Africa the forward thinking Pippa Mickelburgh of Avontuur Stud attempted to address the lack of opportunity for three-year-old sprinters by introducing the Need For Speed Sprint Series in the 2010/2011 season, sponsored by the Var syndicate. The series included one race in each of the Western Cape, Gauteng and KZN. Mickelburgh said at the time,  “For nearly 20 years, South Africa was without a significant speed sire which slowly eroded the number of races catering for that category. We now sit with an opportunity in the racing calendar for sprint races for three-year-olds. This series hopes to fill that gap.”

Avontuur’s brilliant stallion Var is just one of a number of top class speed stallions currently standing in South Africa.

Currently the chief target for a three-year-old sprinter in South Africa is the Non-Black Type $500,000 CTS 1200 run on Sun Met day. It thus clashes with the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championships and is also limited to horses sold at CTS Sales. There is only one Graded sprint limited to three-year-olds in the country, the R250,000 Grade 3 Man O’ War Sprint over 1100m, run at Turffontein in the first week of April. The three three-year-old sprints introduced by the Var Syndicate remain NBT events for R150,000 each. Besides those there is the Listed R150,000 Sophomore Sprint at Kenilworth in the second week of January, the R135,000 NBT WSB Sophomore 1000 at the Vaal in September, the R150,000 Listed Swallow Stakes for three-year-old fillies at Turffontein in January and the R120,000 NBT Ethekwini Sprint on Vodacom Durban July day.

It is plain to see there are not many confidence building opportunities for three-year-old sprinters in South Africa the like of which Harry Angel has benefitted from.

By David Thiselton

Punters have another competitive eight race meeting to look forward to at Turffontein Standside tomorrow.

They could get off to a good start with Annie The Great, who caught the eye over 1000m on the Inside track when running on powerfully. Lucky Houdalakis-trained horses improve with a run and she stands out among the raced horses in this 1160m event. Flying Falcon showed good gate speed over 1000m last time and was staying on at the finish. However, the form of that race has proved suspect. Therfore, the Sean Tarry-trained first-timer New Zealand could be the biggest threat. She is by former champion sire Trippi out of the Elliodor mare Zeigler, who has produced the Listed winner Red Disa and the Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas runner up Tick Tock. Another well-bred first-timer here is the Mike de Kock-trained Rasheeka. She is by Vodacom Durban July winner Bold Silvano out of the classy Al Mufti mare Gilded Minaret, who won the Grade 1 Golden Slipper, was runner up in both the Cape Fillies Guineas and the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes and she also won the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet. However, Gilded Minaret’s only runner to date, by Kahal, did not manage a place in a few starts. Furthermore, De Kock’s normal first call rider Callan Murray will be aboard Satin Rock, who made a poor debut and now has his first run for the Brian Wiid yard.

Lucky Houdalakis (Nkosi Hlophe)

The second race, a MR 92 three-year-old Handicap over 1400m, Sir David Baird is by Dynasty and went from last to first on debut over 1200m on the Inside track to win impressively by 2,25 lengths. He is given the vote as he will be receiving 4,5kg from Surcharge and also has a better draw. Surhcarge overcame a tricky low draw on the Vaal Outside track last time over 1400m, but drew away with big strides in the closing stages to win the Novice Handicap off a merit rating of 88. Snow Boarding’s 1400m form has worked out well and he showed his class by winning a good race over 1160m yesterday, so he has to be included too. Christofle was transformed by blinkers last time and Darkest Hour won a weak maiden effortlessly when stepped up to 1400m last time, so this pair are upset material.

The third race, the first leg of the Pick6, sees The Puma stepping up to 1400m and this long-striding son of Mogok looks hard to beat, despite it being his second run after a layoff and gelding. He had traffic problems last time over 1160m, but when seeing daylight finished like a train. The first-timer Visigoth by Visionaire is a full-brother to the Grade 1 Allan Robertson third-placed Visuality and comimg from the Sean Tarry yard, who have an incredible strike rate with first-timers, will be dangerous, although he has a tough draw of eight.

The fourth race is a MR 67 Handicap over 2000m for fillies and mares. Noceur is a good looking sort, but this is her first run out the maidens and her first try at 2000m, so could well be an exploratory run. She could still be in the first three, but the preferences to fight out the win are September Bloom and Gold Medal Girl. The former is a progressive sort who goes for middle distance hattrick and is only three points higher than her last win and the latter loved blinkers last time and won easily over this trip.

The fifth is a tricky fillies and mares handicap over 1160m. An outsider who could surprise is Elusive Strike as the form of her last attempt at a sprint, when beaten 7,55 lengths over 1000m by Effortless Reward, has worked out very well and she has dropped a whopping 16 points in the merit ratings since then. Last Girl Standing is holding form and comfortably holds Melinda’s Garden and Burundi Bush on last week’s race over course and distance. Tamany Hall won a workrider’s maiden impressively over 1200m second time out and could be anything, but an 85 merit rating and topweight is never easy for a young horse first time out the maidens. The Port Elizabeth raider Kungfoofighting goes for a hattrick and can’t be ignored.

The sixth could be won by the topweight Shivering Sea who has a fine record over course and distance. Mohalela and Twelve Oaks both have ability and can improve further. Mrs O might well enjoy the step down in trip and has a featherweight, while Outlander has ability but has had a busy campaign.

The seventh over 1000m is the highest rated race and on Grade 1 Computaform Sprint form there is little between Wrecking Ball and Talktothestars with Rivarine not far behind. However, Wrecking Ball did not campaign in KZN, unlike the other pair, and is given the vote.

The last race is a tricky fillies and mares handicap over 1400m and the ones who make most appeal are Shine Bright, Open Road, Nkolo, Ntoma and Wrap It Up.

By David Thiselton