Andre Nel has a 20% strike rate at Kenilworth this season  – only Shane Humby, with six winners from just 30 runners, can match that – and Sabine Plattner’s private trainer can strike with Kampala Campari in the Racing.Its A Rush Handicap tomorrow.

This colt won first time out on New Year’s Eve and was beaten only half a length when pitched into handicap company three weeks later.  True, the assessors hit him with a 2kg rise for that but the extra two furlongs here may swing the balance.

Richard Fourie (Liesl King)

Punters are beginning to take a jaundiced view of Kapteinspandiseile after two successive defeats, both times starting hot favourite, but the Mike Robinson runner should be a better price in the mile maiden (race four).

On the day after last time’s disappointing fifth at 6-10 the trainer reported to the stipes that the horse returned with a distended off-fore fetlock.

“He was trotting sound but his joint was slightly swollen,” the trainer explains. “But he is a big-striding horse and he fought for his head in the race. I feel he would have done better had he been allowed to stride on. You will see a different horse on Saturday.”

Richard Fourie, who had the mount on the last two occasions, has preferred to partner what he hopes is the aptly-named Perfect Choice who finished a fifth of a length the better last time but the Kaptein is taken to score for Donovan Dillon.

Herodus, third to subsequent Kuda Sprint winner Bold Respect, is the only raced runner in the opening Juvenile Maiden. That form should be good enough despite Victorious Captain (fifth) failing to frank it last Saturday. However R500 000 buy Valedictorian gets the vote.

The Fillies Maiden 35 minutes later looks wide open and it could be worth taking a chance with newcomer Straat-Kind to give Nel his 38^th winner of the campaign.

By Michael Clower

If you’ve been following the handful of Tony Nassif runners campaigned in KZN this season, especially on the Greyville polytrack, you’ve probably been handsomely rewarded. Highveld-based Nassif has saddled just five runners on the Greyville polytrack this term for two wins and a second, and he saddles Tales Of Mambo who has strong claims on best form in the fourth on the Greyville poly tonight.

Tales Of Mambo has been struggling a bit for form this season but this has resulted in her merit rating taking a nose dive [74 > 53] and the return to KZN – where she’s earned the majority of her stakes to date – could see her bounce back to best. In fact, her last win was on the Greyville poly over 2000m and she seems equally effective over tonight’s shorter mile trip.

Tales Of Mambo (Nkosi Hlophe)

The four-year-old filly looks extremely well in off a current mark of 53 and when you factor in the additional 4kg claim of apprentice Mpumelelo Mjoka, as well as Nassif’s impressive strike rate at this track, Tales Of Mambo appeals as a solid eachway play at opening odds of 13/2.

Exotic players would be justified in playing wide in this apprentice handicap and course and distance specialist Gavea Girl is one that warrants inclusion in all perms. Like Tales Of Mambo, her merit rating has been dropping – albeit less dramatically – and the removal of the blinkers suggests that her poor last effort over this track and trip can be forgiven.

Roy’s Dollar beat a few of these home, including Gavea Girl, four starts back over this track and trip and warrants respect with the blinkers fitted following a few one-paced efforts.

The exciting and innovative 20/20 format limits Anthony Delpech to just four rides this evening but he could get the ball rolling early with Fashion Talk in the opener. Delpech has been somewhat selective with his rides since his recent return from injury but he upped his average mounts per meeting with seven rides at Greyville on Sunday and scored with three of them. Fashion Talk loves the poly and was a fluent winner at this track two starts back. A solid follow-up effort suggests that she’s still competitive off her revised mark and Fashion Silk is another that looks value at opening odds of 9/2.

The Dennis Drier yard raised a few eyebrows midweek with a big-priced double and can score again with Sazerac in the third. The Philanthropist filly over-raced last time out and appears at her best when held up for a run. She produced a strong finish from off the pace two starts back and a repeat of that effort could prove enough to score in this lineup.

By Brendan Pather

The Allez France Stakes over 2000m for fillies and mares heads a nine race meeting on the Turffontein Inside track tomorrow. Silver Stripe is selected to win the race, despite being 4kg under sufferance with Patchit Up Baby on official merit ratings.

She is a four-year-old by Silvano, so will be coming into her own. In her penultimate start over 2450m Silver Stripe was relaxed in the running and cruised in to win easing up by 4,75 lengths. She was duly given the maximum eight point raise.

Raymond Danielson

Her next race over 2000m, in which Allez France contender Cidada beat her comfortably, can be ignored as she was caught wide the whole way. She now has pole position. Raymond Danielson has a fine pair of hands, so should be able to settle her quickly and find the necessary cover. If all goes according to plan she should quicken off the elbow and stay on resolutely.

Patchit Up Baby is officially the best weighted horse. She settles well in the running, usually at the back, and under Gavin Lerena will almost certainly produce her usual resolute finish. On this tight track she might run out of time to catch Silver Stripe.

However, she will likely go close and has to be included in all the exotics. Cidada is also officially 4kg under sufferance, but this Galileo filly has always struck as one who would improve as she matured. She won well over 2000m last time and should love this trip, so can earn from a good draw of two.

Tiger Flame is 3kg under sufferance with Patchit Up Baby on official merit ratings and can earn, although her best run recently has been on the Standside track, and she has a tricky draw of seven. Inaninstant is the second best in at the weights and is officially only 1,5kg under sufferance with Patchit Up Baby. However, she has lacked lustre in her last couple of starts and will have to bounce back. They are selected in the order mentioned.

The best bet on the card is given to the Weiho Marwing-trained Geosphere in the third race over 2200m. Last time she was drawn wide over 2000m in a workrider’s maiden and over raced until finding cover, but she still managed to stay on well. This time she has a better draw and the experienced Weichong Marwing is aboard. The pace will be on in this race which will also suit. The Marwing yard are renowned for their expertise with stayers and the A. P. Arrow filly does not have a lot to beat.

By David Thiselton

Klawervlei Majorca third Goodtime Gal will wear blinkers for the first time when she runs in the Vasco Prix Du Cap at Kenilworth on Saturday week.

Mike Robinson said: “I thought she was going to win the Majorca when she hit the front but she got lazy with nothing to pull her through to the line. That was the second time that she has done this so I am going to try her with a pair of blinkers.”

Goodtime Gal (Liesl King)

Silver Mountain, a length and a half further back fifth when starting favourite, will renew rivalry on Saturday week despite being 2kg worse. She had a terrible draw in the Majorca but will start from midfield this time. Goodtime Gal, though, is drawn 23 out of 30.

Nightingale, who won the Majorca, is again Durban-bound. “She is having a break at the moment and has been in a paddock for the past fortnight,” reported Candice Bass-Robinson.

Captain’s Flame, who failed to run up to her best when only seventh in the Majorca, will try again in the 1 400m Grade 3. “I think she is coming back to herself now,” said Andre Nel.

Bela-Bela, although beaten less than four and a half lengths when seventh in the Sun Met, apparently also did not give all that she is capable of.

Justin Snaith said: “Things didn’t go her way. She hung badly and we still don’t know why but Anthony Delpech couldn’t ride her out in the last 200m. It might have been the pressure because it was a hard race for a filly at almost level weights with the winner. Nothing has been confirmed yet but I suppose she will go to Durban again.”

Quick Brown Fox, who hasn’t been seen since her rough passage in the Cape Fillies Guineas, is on the easy list. She started second favourite but met with serious interference and finished with only one behind her.

Ridgemont manager Craig Carey said: “She was lame after the race and she has had a muscle problem in her wither ever since. We are in no hurry with her because she will be special and we believe she will win something big in the next Cape season.”

By Michael Clower

The Markus Jooste-owned pair Legal Eagle and The Conglomerate will no longer be going overseas at the end of this month “barring a miracle” and the latter will therefore likely be on his way to Durban to defend his Vodacom Durban July crown.

Jooste’s Mayfair Speculators racing manager Derek Brugman added Legal Eagle would likely defend his Gr 1 President’s Champions Challenge crown at Turffontein on May 6 and a decision on the rest of his program for the season would be taken thereafter.

The pair’s intended flight to the USA at the end of this month looks likely to have fallen through due to a lack of equine passengers to share the cost.

The Conglomerate (Nkosi Hlophe)

Legal Eagle found one better in the Sun Met for the second year in succession, while The Conglomerate’s unplaced run proved he was more suited to Gr 1s run under handicap-like conditions, such as the July.

Meanwhile, another star horse in the Mayfair Speculators fold, Table Bay, has the connections “flummoxed”. He finished a lacklustre sixth in the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby over 2000m on Met day.

Brugman said it would be “ludicrous” to cite a lack of stamina as the simple explanation for his last three disappointing performances, particularly as the Derby was run at a crawl, although he did admittedly over race a bit. Soundness is also not an issue. There has not been a lack of effort to get to the bottom of his below par sequence and if a potential solution is agreed upon he will head for the SA Champions Season.

The Gr 1 WSB Grand Parade Cape Guineas-winner Just Sensual finished a disappointing 6,85 length eleventh in the US$5 million CTS Mile on Met day, but Brugman confirmed the plan had definitely not been to take her to the front, as she had been by Frankie Dettori. She will be going to Durban and the Gr 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas and the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m will likely be her chief targets.

Lady Of The House will be joining her in Durban. She was a touch disappointing in the Gr 1 Majorca, but the connections had always believed she would be a better filly later on. The Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 will likely be her chief aim.

Dettori did ride a brilliant race on Edict Of Nantes to win the Cape Derby. A decision on where this horse goes will be decided after running him in the Winter Guineas at Kenilworth on April 23.

The future of William Longsword, winner of both the Grand Parade Cape Guineas and CTS 1600m, has not yet been finalised. Being retired to stud as a natural successor to his champion father Captain Al is a strong possibility.

Meanwhile, Gr 1 Mercury Sprint winner Red Ray, who finished an excellent third in the Gr 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship, has been granted deserved retirement from racing. He will take up stud duties at the beginning of next season, although it has not yet been finalised where he will stand.

By David Thiselton

“We have two nice runners in a strong race,” Mike de Kock said about South African breds, Light The Lights (Bernard Fayd’Herbe) and Noah From Goa (Christophe Soumillon), leading contenders in Thursday’s Gr2 Zabeel Mile over 1600m on turf in Dubai.

“Both ours have enjoyed good preparations, they both have chances but there is a case to be made for every runner in this small field.  I think Championship is the horse to beat.”

“Noah From Goa has done everything right, it’s his second run back and he’s got 4.25-lengths to find with Championship on their encounter in the District One Trophy. I said after that race that Noa would improve by the distance he was beaten and I’ll stick to that. There is no weight swing in Noah From Goa’s favour but he has made the desired progress to get significantly closer this time.

“Light The Lights is going for the Jebel Hatta in a fortnight, this is slightly short for him, he drops in distance but he is very fresh and this race will be to his benefit.”

Alareef and Sanshaawes are two other Blue Stable runners to face the starter at the meeting.

Alareef goes back up in trip to 1400m on the dirt in Race 1, where Jim Crowley faces a stiff task from a wide draw. “Alareef received a penalty for his win last time out, but his draw is worse than the penalty. He will need a miracle to win from there,” De Kock said.

The consistent Sanshaawes (Pat Cosgrave) takes on a talented field in Race 7, the Gr3 Dubai Millennium Stakes over 2000m on turf. “There are two top horses here against us in Zarak and Promising Run.  We’d be delighted with a third or a fourth place,” De Kock concluded.

Mikedekockracing.com

The move to the Greyville polytrack, from Scottsville, will affect assessments of many runners today and a number of scratchings can be expected due to the change of venue. Amazon King was withdrawn from the eighth race shortly after the change in venue was announced and this opens the door for Humidor who has proven form on the poly.

Tony Rivalland’s runner does have his fair share if niggles and has only had 10 runs in a career spanning three seasons but he has won five of those outings. His connections have recently been tempted by some lucrative prize money and Humidor has been pushed beyond what looks to be his optimum trip.

Humidor (Nkosi Hlophe)

There were signs of a form return last time out where, in spite of starting a short priced favourite, he was just over a length back to Panza over today’s distance.

Panza, also in today’s race, has been fairly consistent since, but disappointed last time out on the Greyville polytrack. Humidor won making all on the Greyville poly three starts back and with the blinkers back on he can turn the tables with Panza.

Anton Marcus was aboard Humidor for the gelding’s last outing but contractual obligations see him aboard Dance On Air for Charles Laird and Mayfair Speculators. The gelding has not been out since winning on the Greyville poly in early December and the form of that race has worked out well. He seems equally effective over this shorter trip and must be in with a chance.

The change in distance to 2000m, from 2400m, will add to the complexity surrounding today’s sixth race but a number of early scratchings does help the chances of the Gavin Van Zyl-trained Calabash who was just over a length adrift of Sabre Charge and Forbidden Duel at his last start. With the latter two withdrawn, the lightly raced Calabash appears a solid option especially considering his proven form on the poly.

Silver Rose and Olympic Power have consistently good form on the poly and one can expect decent efforts from both runners today. The lurker could be Rio De La Plata who has been steadily dropping in the ratings (89 > 75) but showed a return to form last time out. Anthony Delpech gets back on board Rio De La Plata today and it’s worth noting that he has partnered the four-year-old gelding to all three of his career wins.

By Andrew Harrison

The two three-year-old features, run in officially “very soft” going, at Turffontein’s Inside Track on Saturday served as interesting pointers to the Highveld Autumn classics.

In the Gr 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over 1450m, the Mike de Kock-trained Australian-bred More Than Ready filly Ektifaa beat the boys to remain unbeaten in four starts this season. The Sean Tarry-trained favourite Matador Man was slotted in behind the other six runners after his usual slow start but, was within 2,5 lengths of the filly as the field fanned off the elbow. However, Ektifaa’s superior turn of foot saw her stealing another length and she then staved off Matador Man’s strong finish to win by 0,6 lengths.

Sean Tarry (Nkosi Hlophe)

There has always been a question mark about Ektifaa’s stamina, but her time was almost two seconds faster than the Three Troikas winner’s time and this fact has given the De Kock yard the confidence to run her in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas.

Matador Man will relish the step up in trip in the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas and will also enjoy the long straight of the Standside track. He was receiving 3kg from the 98 merit rated Doosra on Saturday and gave him a 2,9 length beating, so probably ran to a merit rating of around 100.

This puts Ektifaa’s performance into perspective as she was giving Matador Man 1,5kg.

All Fahad, beaten ten lengths into fifth, was disappointing again and will now be gelded and prepared for the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m.

Well beaten fourth-placed Chili Con Carne was also a touch disappointing, finding little from the front.

The Three Troikas for fillies over 1450m saw the Roy Magner-trained Anna Pavlova bursting into the Gauteng Fillies Guineas picture as she gave the Gr 1-placed Visuality 2kg and just got up to beat her.

The St. Petersburg filly has impressive hindquarters and an effortless turn of foot. The slower time does not detract from her chances of beating Ektifaa in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas as she was over racing a bit behind a slow pace. She also actually had to be eased at one stage in the straight.

The unplaced Babbling Brooke had little luck in the running and will appreciate a step up in trip as well as the long straight of the Standside track.

By David Thiselton

Rings And Things can make her experience tell against smart newcomer Snowdance in the opening maiden juvenile at Kenilworth today.

Snowdance made a big impact at the National Yearling Sale when knocked down for R2 million after some spirited bidding – and little wonder. The daughter of Captain Al is out of the Fillies Nursery winner Spring Lilac, a half-sister to All Is Secret, Secret Of Victoria and Rabiya.

“She will run well and she is going to be in the firing line,” says Justin Snaith before adding the proviso. “But there have been no racecourse gallops although, that said, we are all in the same boat.”

Justin Snaith (Nkosi Hlophe)

But not the two that have already run, and Rings And Things showed plenty of promise on Christmas Eve.  She played up in the pens but ran on well to take fourth and finish less than half a length behind fellow newcomer Call To Account who went on to win the Listed race on Met day.

Ostinato, the other who has the benefit of a run, ran well first time but beat only three home in that Met day Listed race. However she opened quite short at 9-2 with World Sports Betting which recorded significant support for Snowdance yesterday morning when she was cut from 28-10 to 13-10.

Rings And Things was eased to 28-10 while the Joey Ramsden R450 000 newcomer Made In Hollywood is on 11-2 with Remember This, by far the shortest-priced of Vaughan Marshall’s three, on 6-1.

Prince Alfred is even money for race two after his promising debut second five weeks ago but the form took a serious knock on Saturday when Tweak The Wind (third) and Pop The Question (fourth) managed only seventh and fifth behind Perovskia.

Andre Nel’s newcomer Dalibhunga makes more appeal at 5-2, given the stable’s good record with first-timers and the pedigree of this one. He is by Var out of the top class Joie De Grise who twice won the SA Fillies Sprint.

Of The Moon can prove rewarding in the Racing Association Maiden if yesterday’s 8-1 stays on offer. She disappointed when starting favourite last time but there were valid reasons. She lost a fair bit of ground at the start and was returned not striding out. On her previous run, only her second, she is good enough to win this.

The well bred Dance At Dawn is favourite at 7-2 and has finished second on her last two but this is her 14^th attempt. On adjusted merit ratings she comes out equal top with stable companion Moonsaballoon (5-1) and Of The Moon.

Seemingly only her bad draw can stop Sister Soozie in the Summer Of Champions Maiden. The 19-10 favourite ran a cracker on debut and holds Lady Vogue and Gypsy Beauty. Elegancia (4-1) looks the one for the forecast.

By Michael Clower

Trainer Colin Scott, the nephew of the late “Uncle George” Scott and the brother of Tellytrack CEO Rob Scott, died on Sunday night after a protracted battle against cancer.

The 52-year-old had held a trainer’s license since 1999 and was one of the most popular racing industryman in the country due to his ever friendly and down-to-earth demeanour.

His father Tom was formerly involved in the breeding industry and held his racing colours for decades. Colin spent his holidays as a schoolboy assisting his father, as well as the local trainers, in his hometown of Bloemfontein.  He was willing to assist Uncle George, who was the leading trainer in Bloemfontein, whenever possible.

After schooling he worked as a dealer on the Johannesburg stock exchange before becoming an assistant trainer to Uncle George and, later on, to Brian Wiid. Uncle George was one of the wisest trainers in the country and it was he and Wiid who most influenced Colin’s training methods.

Colin Scott

Colin then took out his own license and, from a small yard in Alberton close to the now defunct Newmarket racecourse, he made a good start in this toughest of professions. He moved to Turffontein when council bylaws put an end to horses being trained out of residential areas. In his training days on the Highveld he trained the like of Hale Sapieha (a seven-time winning sprinter who won a Gr 3), Cool Prospect (an eleven-time winning sprinter, who ran third in the Gr 1 Merchants). Another Ace (an eight-time winner) and Gravity (a nine-time winning sprinter, who won five-in-a-row in 2005).

In 2007, Colin moved his training operation from Turffontein down to Summerveld and cited the “nicer lifestyle” in Durban as the reason. His wife Gill was transferred at the same time and daughter Claire began attending St. Mary’s, a top private school in Kloof, where she matriculated in 2011. Colin’s father Tom also made the move down to KZN and initially acted as his assistant. He was a regular at the yard up until Colin’s passing.

Colin arrived in KZN with a string of 40 horses, 25 of whom were owned in various partnerships by brother Rob.

The move soon began paying dividends as he trained over 20 winners in a season a number of times, including a high of 27 winners in the 2010/2011 season.

Colin’s first big Summerveld-trained horse was the sprinter Extinct, who finished third in the 2009 Gr 1 Mercury Sprint in Rob’s familiar black and white checked colours.

This horse was unsound yet still won seven races, a testament to Colin’s training and horsecare skills, as well as his patience.

Colin, renowned as a hard worker, prided himself on buying inexpensive horses and training them into profitable racehorses for their owners. His good eye was partly behind his ability to achieve this goal.

Brother Rob had the same gift and this was illustrated when he bought a three-year-old by Dynasty called Sage Throne at the Graham Beck Dispersal sale in 2011. In his only two Cape starts this horse had been beaten 14,95 lengths and 8,15 lengths.

However, he was backed from 25/1 to 5/1 in his first start for Colin and won in impressive style over 1600m at Scottsville. Sage Throne won next time out too and then crossed the line first in the Gr 2 Gold Circle Derby over 2400m at Clairwood, only to be demoted after an objection. In 2012 Sage Throne gave both Colin and Rob their first respective runner in the Vodacom Durban July.

The brotherly partnership also did well out of Summerveld with another Dynasty gelding, Fourth Estate, a classy miler who won eight races, including the Gr 3 Christmas Handicap.

Another of their stalwarts has been the evergreen grey Stolen Destiny, an eight-time winner who is still competitive off a 90 merit rating at the age of nine. Colin’s final winner was the Australian-bred Mackdesi, who was backed from 28/1 to 15/1 at Greyville last Friday night and stormed to his fifth career victory. Fittingly he is owned outright by Rob.

Colin’s passing will come as a double blow to his family who have recently had to endure the death in tragic circumstances of his sister Janet.

Colin will be sorely missed by everyone in the racing industry and by all others who met him.

By David Thiselton