Category Archives: Racing News

Count on Cot Campbell

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Cot Campbell looks the biggest certainty on today’s Kenilworth card but the bookmakers are already acknowledging the fact and have priced him accordingly.

The R3.3 million purchase – by Trippi out of triple Grade 1 winner Ebony Flyer – opened at 9-10 with World Sports Betting on Sunday but he was as short as 9-20 by lunchtime yesterday.

Andre Nel and Aldo Domeyer (Supplied)

Andre Nel and Aldo Domeyer (Supplied)

On the form book he is home and hosed after two really good runs. His reputation preceded him first time out in April and he started odds-on only to lose six lengths at the off. Snaith Racing were more cautious about him when he reappeared four weeks ago – he was short of a gallop – and were only predicting a place.

He duly achieved that despite there being a big field and him being drawn on the wrong side of the course. But Bernard Fayd’Herbe was repeatedly baulked for a clear run, despite switching one way and then another, and might well have won with a clear passage. The stipes even had him in to explain his tactics!

This time he is drawn four, the going is slightly faster on this side and there are no fitness fears. “The horse is fine and he is ready,” reports Chris Snaith. “If he is good enough he will win.”

Good enough he certainly is and his form is far superior to those that have run. If there is a danger it is much more likely to come from one of the newcomers and the prime candidate is Crome Yellow, another by Trippi.

Andre Nel was complaining on Saturday that the bookies are pricing his two-year-olds too short. Possibly significantly, Aldo Domeyer’s mount has drifted from 33-10 to 5-1. “He is a nice big horse that needs ground,” says Nel who explains that, with his horses’ long-term future in mind, he is not revving them up to go in on debut – “I am trying to get them to place first time rather than win. I would like to give them a couple of runs in maidens before going on with them.”

Everything else in the race is in double figures, with the Snaith second string Magnificent Seven drifting from 8-1 to 11-1 and Greg Cheyne’s mount The Sun Also Rises similarly going out from 8-1 to 12-1.

Ma Forte looks another for the Snaiths in the first after putting up a cracking debut earlier in the month and Brandon May keeps the ride. It’s bit disturbing to see money coming for unraced stable companion Dynamic Diana (backed from 5-1 to 7-2) with Fayd’Herbe in the irons but experience may swing the balance Ma Forte’s way.

There has also been support for the stable’s newcomer Do It Again (16-10 to 12-10) in race two whereas Nel’s newcomer Hemingway has eased from 18-10 to 5-2. At this stage it’s a coin-toss but any further tightening would suggest that Do It Again is the one to be on.

By Michael Clower

Silvan Star (Liesl King)

Silvan Star shines

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Silvan Star looks set to stay in training to go for bigger and better things next season after the way she won the Final Fling Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday.

This was even more impressive than the Ladies Mile with Richard Fourie striking for home two furlongs out and afterwards confirming that he never had a moment’s doubt.

He added: “She’s got stronger and stronger, and she has a very good kick. She might not be much to look at but when you get on her you know she’s got substance.”

This was Fourie’s first Final Fling but the fourth in 16 years for Glen Kotzen and the way the Ascot-bred Silvano filly did it filled part-owner Peter de Beyer with big time optimism.

Silvan Star (Liesl King)

Silvan Star (Liesl King)

“You could say that she has now done enough to go to stud but I think it would be worth keeping her in training for another year,” he reasoned. “It certainly would be if she could win a Group 1 or a Group 2, and she is improving all the time.

“I reckon she has come on another 5lb here. In the Ladies Mile some of the others had excuses but she definitely put them all to bed this time. I will speak to Georgina Jaffee when she returns from overseas.”

Connections of those put to bed had varying reports. Chris Snaith (A Time To Dream, beaten two and a half lengths into second) said: “It was just too far for our filly. She doesn’t get the 1 800m.”

Grant van Niekerk, half a length further back on 13-10 favourite Ngaga, added: “Mine doesn’t turn it on instantly and she would enjoy the longer straight.”

Mike Robinson, trainer of 8-1 chance Goodtime Gal who came from last to finish fourth, said: “She ran on nicely but she got too far back and had too much to do.”

It was shortly after he returned from the Dubai Carnival that Bernard Fayd’Herbe and Snaith Racing agreed that he should become the stable’s first jockey once more. There is no retainer involved, just an agreement, in Chris Snaith’s words, that: “Bernard has first call on us and we have first call on him.”

The latest renewal of the old firm partnership had its most prolific day yet with four of the first six winners, and surely the most intriguing of the quartet was Turbulent Air – not because he gave weight all round in the mile handicap but because of what might have been.

“We had him planned for the July with a light weight and in the Winter Series I thought he would beat African Night Sky,” Snaith snr revealed. “However we then found that he had a kissing spine where the saddle goes. When the weight is on, and at a gallop, two of the bones touch and that hurts.”

One solution would have been to operate but, as is so often the case with human back surgery, such operations have a tendency to be only partially successful – and a racehorse has to be able to function at 100% capacity to be any good – “So what we are doing is playing around with different saddles to take the weight off that part of his back.”

Greg Ennion is also under the weather – fortunately in his case the problem is nothing more serious than ‘flu – and the back-in-form Anthony Andrews provided a better tonic than anything the doctors could prescribe by leading from halfway on Samsara in the Racing Association Maiden.

By Michael Clower

Last Winter (Nkosi Hlophe)

Last Winter just too hot

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Last Winter may have missed almost all of this winter and Champions Season but Dean Kannemeyer has another live-wire in his care.

“He’s got the looks, pedigree and most importantly, a patient owner. I hope Lady Laidlaw was watching,” added Kannemeyer after his colt had stormed to a comfortable victory in the Racing.It’s A Rush Handicap at Scottsville yesterday.

Last Winter (Nkosi Hlophe)

Last Winter (Nkosi Hlophe)

With Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Kaya Stables having dug deep into their pockets it would have been a surprise if ‘looks and pedigree’ had not come with the R3.7 million price tag. However, ability does not always come in expensive packages but Last Winter appears to have it all, looks, pedigree and ability.

“He’s hardly raced and will be a nice four-year-old,” said Kannemeyer. “He’s been a late developer but he’s a beautifully balanced horse and I’m excited. I’m looking forward to the summer.”

“I just hope the handicappers don’t get too carried away.”

Last Winter was rated 83 after his first start and leaped to a 91 for yesterday’s race. But the son of Western Winter took the jump in his stride and put a useful field to bed comfortably. It may be wishful thinking to hope that the handicappers were asleep.

The hard-knocking Isingamoya seldom ever puts a foot wrong for Mark Dixon and the daughter of Muhtafal notched the fifth win of her career to land the Itsarush.co.za Pinnacles Stakes ahead of a useful field.

Isingamoya (Candiese Marnewick)

Isingamoya (Candiese Marnewick)

Surprisingly top weight Final Judgement, more at home over seven furlongs and upwards, was the tote favourite but Isingamoya, having her third run after a lay-off, motored home ahead of Elusivenchantment who came up empty over the final 100m. “She’s been working with London Call so we were pretty confident today,” said Hailey Dixon.

Duncan Howells all but nailed down the KZN trainer’s championship, winning the first two races on the card to go nine ahead of defending champion Dennis Drier. Drier seemingly can’t buy a winner, his runners finishing second in the first three races.

With just three meetings left it will take a monumental effort from Drier to retain the championship but Howells is still cautious. “Dennis is a great trainer and he doesn’t give in. I won’t rest easy until the last race is run next Sunday.”

The Howells / De Melo combination has also proved lucrative for the young rider who is having his best season ever. He cracked his century of winners for the season on Girl In Gold for Howells in the first and followed up for the stable on Up In Smoke in the second although all the money was on Emma’s Oracle.

By Andrew Harrison

Captain America (Nkosi Hlophe)

Expect huge Pick 6 pools

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The country is bracing itself with increasing anticipation for the Gold Cup Festival of Racing weekend and the Pick 6 will be a bet many will take on both days, because it has a guaranteed pool of R3,5 million on day one with an expected pool of R4 million, and a guaranteed pool of R5,5 million on day two with an expected pool of R6 million.

On day one on Saturday, the pivotal Pick 6 leg will be the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m. Three horses stand out, Captain America, Marinaresco and Bela-Bela, but others have to be considered in a race which has produced upsets before.

Bela-Bela VDJ day 2017 (Nkosi Hlophe)

Bela-Bela VDJ 2017 (Nkosi Hlophe)`

Captain America finished third in an ultra strong Grade 1 Sun Met over 2000m, where he beat Marinaresco by 2,55 lengths. He will have the advantage of running fresh, but Marinaresco, who is defending his crown, will now be 1,5kg better off. The latter come off his win in the Vodacom Durban July, where he proved again his love of Greyville. He beat Captain America in the Drill Hall over 1400m and his run in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge, where comfortably beaten by Captain America, can be ignored as he was too handy in a fast run race. His wide draw of 12 will not be a problem as he will be dropped out before employing his exceptional turn of foot. A draw of ten will not be ideal for the more handy Captain America, but he overcame that identical draw in the Gold Challenge. Bela-Bela will make her swansong here. She has to reverse a 1,5 length beating by Captain America in the Gold Challenge, but she had to be steadied at the top of the straight that day and could have got closer. Two of her three Grade 1 wins have been over 1800m and 2000m respectively, but her ideal trip is a mile. Sail South came from last in the Gold Challenge and was only beaten 2,5 lengths. He is now 2kg better off, runs fresh and will be hoping for a faster pace. However, he is a horse who seldom settles and the trip will stretch him. Judicial finished second in this race last year, and his trainer Tyrone Zackey’s charges can never be written off in big races. He hasn’t run since November, but has won a Grade 2 running fresh before and has a fair draw.  Table Bay comes in relatively fresh and has a good draw. He is highly regarded and his mile form, which at one stage looked disappointing, now looks very strong. He does have to prove he stays further than a mile though. Ten Gun Salute looked to be beaten already when a horse crossed him in the VDJ, but he looks likely to appreciate the drop to this trip, having won the Betting World 1900 in exceptional style. He does have a tough task at the weights and is likely hoping for soft ground. Deo Juvente beat the like Of Legal Eagle when winning the Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m and now runs relatively fresh. However, he does have a tricky draw. It’s My Turn was beaten 1,4 lengths in the July and is now 4,5kg worse off with Marinaresco. However, a lot of use was made of him in the July from a wide draw and he was also given only one preparation outing going into it. With more conservative tactics from a plum draw, he could be a threat. Matador Man showed how good his turn of foot when winning the KZN Breeders Mile and his relaxed style might enable him to see out this trip, over which he is unexposed. Black Arthur ran wide in the July, but did have cover and other than having to be switched outward he had a trouble free run, so has a tough task at the weights. Brazuca also has a tough task on paper, but was caught wide in the July and might well enjoy the step down in trip. However, he does have a tricky draw.

Marinaresco (Nkosi Hlophe)

Marinaresco (Nkosi Hlophe)

The final fields for all of the other legs still have to be announced.

In the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m on day the Silvano filly Nightingale is the stand out horse over an ideal course and distance. Girl On The Run, Bella Sonata, Star Express, Premier Dance and Epona also have chances and amazingly are also all by Silvano. The non-Silvano challengers will be led by the unexposed Wukkin Up, Fort Ember, Captain Gambler, Witchcraft and Intergalactic.

The first leg of the Pick 6 on day one is a MR 82 Handicap over 1000m on the poly. Paul Gadsby’s trio Vision To Kill, Miss Varlicious and Gunner have all landed fair draws and are among the eye-catchers.

There should be a good pace in this race. with speedy sorts Swakopomund, Gee Whizz and Rocky Valley among the entries. Classy two-year-old Touch Of Magic is a fascinating entry.

The next race is the Listed Umgeni Handicap over 1000m on the poly. The Louis Goosen pair of fillies Effortless Reward and Hashtag Strat are immediate eye catchers from good draws among a big entry list and the up and coming Lloyd’s Legacy could be anything.

The Listed Darley Arabian over 1600m on the poly has also attracted a lot of entries and among the eye catchers are last year’s winner MacDuff, the twice winner of this race, Night Trip as well as Table Bay, Irish Pride, Celtic Captain, Copper Pot, No Worries and Gingerbread Man.

The last leg is a maiden over 1800m on the turf and Texas Sky and Turf Conqueror are two who catch the eye among a huge entry list.

By David Thiselton

Marinaresco (Nkosi Hlophe)

Marinaresco on target for Champions Cup

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Durban July hero Marinaresco, so far a seemingly rock-solid favourite to repeat last year’s win in the World Sports Betting Champions Cup, is reported very much on target for Saturday’s Greyville Grade 1.

Candice Bass-Robinson said: “He was on easy work for two weeks or so after the July. He doesn’t take a lot but he worked last week and will do so again this week. He is fit and well, and ready to go.”

The Vodacom showpiece, although completed in fast time, was marked by a moderate early gallop and Mrs Robinson said: “I think the race could be run differently this time with different tactics but it all depends on what they do with Captain America and on whether he goes to the front. It would suit us to have a pace.”

Marinaresco is 18-10 favourite with the sponsors while Captain America shares second spot with Bela-Bela on 9-2. Other prices are 8-1 It’s My Turn, 10-1 Table Bay, 12-1 Black Arthur, 16-1 Deo Juvente, Brazuca, Ten Gun Salute, 20-1 Sail South, 25-1 Judicial, Matador Man.

Betting World goes fractionally shorter about the favourite at 17-10 with Captain America on 9-2 and Bela-Bela on 5-1.

By Michael Clower

Gold Cup Day Juvenile Races

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South Africa’s thoroughbred studs are producing world-class racehorses and many of them will be clashing over 1 600m in the two final juvenile feature events of the season at Greyville in Durban on Sunday, July 30, the second day of the Gold Cup Festival of Racing Weekend.

Captain And Master (Nkosi Hlophe)

Captain And Master (Nkosi Hlophe)

The meeting, that is headed by the R1.25-million, eLan Gold Cup, is the grand finale to South Africa’s Champions Season 2017 and the 2016-2017 South African racing season and results of the major races on the day could have an important influence on the annual Equus Awards in August.

The juvenile programme in KwaZulu-Natal is run at Scottsville and Greyville during South Africa’s Champions Season and starts with the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion and the Allan Robertson Championship over 1 200m at Scottsville before the 1 400m clashes in the Durban Golden Horseshoe and Gold Circle Golden Slipper at Greyville on Vodacom Durban July Day to the Premier’s Champion Stakes and Thekwini Stakes that close off the programme over 1 600m on eLan Gold Cup Day at the end of July.

A tribute to South African breeders is that only one of the 31 horses carded for the two races this year was not bred in this country so the likely major players in both races will be locally-bred horses.

In the R750 000, Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes champion trainer Sean Tarry holds a strong hand, saddling three runners that include the winner and third-placed horses from the Durban Golden Horseshoe, Purple Diamond and Captain And Master with Warrior’s Rest completing the team.

Desert Rythym (Nkosi Hlophe)

Desert Rythym (Nkosi Hlophe)

However, as strong as the Tarry team appears to be, they could be upstaged on this occasion by the Joey Ramsden-trained Oratorio colt Ancestry that was just a head behind Purple Diamond in second place at the line.

Tarry will also be strongly fancied to win both juvenile races on the day as he did on Vodacom Durban July day, with his Mambo In Seattle filly Desert Rhythm that won the Gold Circle Golden Slipper, looking to have a chance of completing the double by winning the Thekwini Stakes.

Let It Flow, that ran second to her that day by a length, is not in the race with her closest rival from that encounter, stable companion Rockin Russian, having to make up two lengths to turn the tables.

But, there is another special filly in the race and she is the Dennis Drier-trained daughter of Dynasty, Lady In Black. She is unbeaten in two starts and all the talk has been about her being something special and a filly with a bright future.

She has yet to meet this level of competition but she is likely to be one of the shorter-priced runners in the race and will command the greatest respect as a major challenger to Desert Rhythm.

By Richard McMillan

Weiho Marwing (Nkosi Hlophe)

Stayers triple crown

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Highveld trainer Weiho Marwing will bid to win the unofficial “stayers triple crown” when he saddles his four-year-old Ideal World gelding Hermoso Mundo for the R1.25-million, eLan Gold Cup over 3 200m at Greyville in Durban on Sunday, July 30.

The gelding has won the 3 200m Gold Bowl at Turffontein and the Grade 3 SABC Gold Vase over 3 000m at Greyville in his last two starts and will confirm his status as the country’s champion stayer if he can lift the ultimate marathon challenge title on the second day of the Gold Cup Festival of Racing Weekend at the Theatre of Champions at the end of the month.

Weiho Marwing (Nkosi Hlophe)

Weiho Marwing (Nkosi Hlophe)

Marwing has proved time and again that he is one of the best conditioners of long distance runners and with brother Weichong in the saddle for this important encounter, Hermoso Mundo has a good chance of completing the treble. The record shows that the further they go the more he loves it and in winning the Gold Bowl he humiliated his opposition in winning by 5.25 lengths.

Completing the treble may not be that easy in the eLAN Gold Cup where he will meet, among other top stayers, the four-year-old Captain Al gelding from the Justin Snaith stable, Captain Splendid, that beat Hermoso Mundo by about a head only to be denied victory in the steward’s boardroom after an objection in the SABC Gold Vase. Piere Strydom, a master at judging pace, retains the ride on Captain Splendid and this time his mount will be 2kg better off in the weights with the Marwing runner.

Hermoso Mundo received a six-point penalty for his win in the SABC Gold Vase while Captain Splendid escaped a penalty and the difference could well have its effect over the extra 200m of this race.

But both could be upstaged by the Mike de Kock-trained Australian-bred gelding Kinaan, the four-year-old son of one of the world’s leading sires Galileo, that finished third in the SABC Gold Vase just 1.55 lengths behind the other two. He is again set to carry the low weight of 52.5kg which will be in his favour over this longer trip with top rider Callan Murray, back from a stint in Hong Kong, in the irons.

Others that could feature in the finish are Krambambuli, Mr Winsome, Trophy Wife, Banner Hill and Zante but it is the top three finishers in the SABC Gold Vase that could hold the aces in what should be a great race to bring the curtain down on South Africa’s Champions Season 2017.

By Richard McMillan

Captain America (Nkosi Hlophe)

World Sports Betting Champions Cup

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The R1-million, Grade 1 World Sports Betting Champions Cup at Greyville on Saturday, July 29 has the hallmarks of a race that could go down as one of the greatest thoroughbred clashes in South African racing history.

Captain America (Nkosi Hlophe)

Captain America (Nkosi Hlophe)

Run over 1 800m at the Theatre of Champions on the first day of the two-day Gold Cup Festival of Racing Weekend that also features the R1.25-million eLan Gold Cup, the race has brought together a group of the best horses in the country including four Grade 1 winners that could all make their mark on the international stage.

The World Sports Betting Champions Cup heads the nine-race card on the Saturday and will be followed on the Sunday by a 10-race programme that, in addition to the eLan Gold Cup over 3 200m, also features the final races in the season’s juvenile programme, the R750 000, Grade 1 Premiers Champion Stakes and the R750 000, Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes for fillies with both races being contested over 1 600m.

Heading the 12-horse field for the World Sports Betting Champions Cup are two of the top horses from the Cape, Captain America from the Brett Crawford stable that thrashed the opposition in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and Marinaresco from the Candice Bass-Robinson stable that defied his top weight to win Africa’s Greatest horserace, the R4.25-million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July and will be bidding to complete the Champions Cup double.

Bela-Bela VDJ day 2017 (Nkosi Hlophe)

Bela-Bela VDJ 2017 (Nkosi Hlophe)`

Capable of upsetting all her opponents and also from the Cape is the brilliant Dynasty filly Bela-Bela from the Justin Snaith stable that demolished her opposition in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes and is likely to be retired to stud after the meeting. Her impressive record includes victory in the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth at the beginning of the year.

Also in the field is the winner of the Grade 1 President’s Champion Challenge at Turffontein, Deo Juvente from the Geoff Woodruff stable, that had to be withdrawn from the Vodacom Durban July due to a set-back in training. The Woodruff yard is renowned for producing winners of big races and this Trippi gelding will be a major contender in this race.

The surprise winner of the Grade 2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville earlier in the season, Ten Gun Salute from the Duncan Howells yard, is also among the runners and his disappointing unplaced run in the Vodacom Durban July is best ignored as he suffered major interference in the running.

With the other well-performed runners like It’s My Turn, Sail South, Judicial, Matador Man and Black Arthur also in the field, this race could be the highlight of the weekend and the season as they fight out what should be a thrilling finish.

By Richard McMillan

gallops marinaresco

Double betting Bonanza

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South Africa’s racing supporters have another massive betting bonanza to look forward to when the Gold Cup Festival of Racing Weekend takes place over two days at Greyville in Durban at the end of the month.

Racing enthusiasts saw mind-blowing pools for the exotic bets at the Vodacom Durban July meeting at the beginning of the month and while not expected to reach quiet the same heights at the duel meetings on July 29 and 30, they will attract country wide interest where just for the Pick 6 bets on the two days, the pools are expected to total about R10-million.

The National Totalisator has announced that for the Pick 6 on the Saturday which features the R1-million, World Sports Betting Champions Cup, they will start the pool off with a R1-million carryover and guarantee a pool of R3.5-million with the expectation  that it will reach R4-million plus.

For the Sunday meeting where the R1.25-million, eLan Gold Cup, the country’s premier marathon event over 3 200m, will take centre stage, they will start the pool with a R1.75-million carryover and will guarantee a pool of R5-million which they expect to reach at least R6-million.

The tote has also introduced a new bet for the weekend called the “Festival Cup Double” which they will start off with an injection of R100 000. In this bet punters will have to select the winner of the World Sports Betting Champions Cup on the Saturday and the winner of the eLan Gold Cup on the Sunday and 70% of the eventual pool will be shared by those that get it right.

They are also offering a consolation double where 30% of the pool will go to punters whose selection finish 1st and 2nd or 2nd and 1st in the respective Cup races. Betting on this double opens on Tuesday, 25 July and will close at 16:10 on Saturday and a minimum bet of R10 is required. Those using the betmark cards are required to mark the cards “SPQ” as the venue.

With the traditional great interest in the meeting, the pools on all bets for the two days are expected to be well above the normal weekend levels.

By Richard McMillan

Goodtime Gal (Liesl King)

Goodtime Gal up for a fling

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Goodtime Gal and Greg Cheyne can come home at a good price in the Final Fling Stakes at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The Mike Robinson filly was a 6-1 chance in the TAB sheet forecast and, while the bookmakers may not be so generous, her last two runs should ensure a certain leniency on the part of both the layers and the Tote.

Four of tomorrow’s rivals finished in front of her in the Ladies Mile and she was only sixth in the Prix du Cap before that. But she wore blinkers that day and she made it clear that she didn’t like them while her most recent run was her first for four months.

Goodtime Gal (Liesl King)

Goodtime Gal (Liesl King)

“She’d had a break before it but she has come on a hell of a lot since,” says Robinson’s wife Luella. “She is very well again and back to herself.”

It is the Victress winner’s run in the Majorca – beaten less than three-quarters of a length when third to Nightingale – that marks her out as the most likely winner tomorrow.

Justin Snaith is bidding for his fourth Final Fling in five seasons and he is keen on A Time To Dream who was third in the Ladies Mile despite losing a lot of ground at the start by rearing as the pens opened.

“She is difficult in the pens but I don’t know if the guy holding her let her go in time,’’ says Snaith. “Anyway it was just one of those unfortunate incidents and she went straight up, losing six to eight lengths.

“She has done well since and, if we don’t have problems in the starting stalls, you’ve got to give her a huge chance on that last run. The way she made up the ground was like something out of a movie. It was unbelievable to watch.”

But she is not the only one with a hard luck story. Grant van Niekerk believes he would have won the Ladies Mile on Ngaga with a clear run – “the gap was tight, the horse on my inside moved out and I had to wait for a couple of strides.”

Silvan Star won that race, and won it with some authority. She will be one of the favourites and Glen Kotzen has won this three times in the past 15 seasons.

Harlem Shake and Heavelon van der Hoven sprang a 12-1 surprise a year ago and, while the pair will probably start at a similar price, it could be worth bearing in mind that Glen Puller’s horses are running well at the moment.

By Michael Clower