Favourite Cirillo didn’t do punters any favours last Wednesday as he blew out of the back door and punters will be looking for better from stable companion Putontheredlight in the card opener at the Vaal tomorrow who is also likely to start favourite.

Sean Tarry dominates with four runners in a seven-horse field but stable elect is something of a puzzle. Putontheredlight showed last season that he had top class potential but his last run is cause for concern. He was pulled out of the race by seasoned rider Piere Strydom and the course vet found nothing to report. Strydom has been switched to Pure State but needless to say, if Putontheredlight brings his best, he does rate the horse to beat. Track & Ball are not taking any chances and have priced him up 15-10 favourite ahead of stable runners Rock The Globe and Cordillera with Pure State, the outsider of the Tarry runners – according to the books.

Pure State won well at second time of asking and Strydom stays with the ride. He is unexposed but does appear to have some scope.

Mr Greenlight was well thought of by the Howells yard before moving to De Kock and had a few pressured races for Howells to get him into some of the bigger features. Mr Greenlight has his first start for his new stable, one that is firing, and the 7-2 on offer may be good value. He has had two runs since being gelded and if anywhere near racing fit, he should have the measure of this field. Veteran Finchatton seldom runs a bad race and although he has a big weight he should be right there again along with Nordic Rebel, the two fighting it out at the top of the boards.

Apprentice Philasande Mxoli is no stranger to the winner’s enclosure, albeit in the rural former Transkei where he was a champion in their local ‘bush races’ winning over 90 races. The opposition in those races may not have been much to write home about but on the flip side he is not short of racing experience.

Mxoli has a chance to get off the mark as a professional rider when he partners Galactic Warrior in the seventh. Mxoli’s relative inexperience at this level will account for the 16-1 mark-up, but Galactic Warrior is back over his best trip and now tries blinkers. He looks worth a small punt and is not one to leave out of your exotics.

Aristachus has been priced up as luke-warm 22-10 favourite and although never far off them the alumites are back on and he may prove a worthy favourite although sentiment will lie with stable companion and old soldier Talktothestars who takes a major drop in class.

The Mike de Kock entry Riqaaby will likely start favourite in the last, given the stable form at present, but she was a well-beaten second at her last outing and it may be worth backing up with By Chance that has improved with each outing and should enjoy the extra. Hear The Tempest was running on nicely at her first start over ground and can do better and is a must inclusion as she should be a threat while Miss Cap Mala, although she has had plenty of chances, is never far back and a change of pilot could make a difference.

Results have not been kind to exotic bet punters in recent weeks with some real bombers putting paid to all tickets. Again, this is not an easy card and one needs to structure exotics, going light in some legs and filling up in others, and hopefully getting through to a big pay-out – the choice is yours.

By Andrew Harrison

The R2.4 million paid by Sean Tarry for the top lot at the CTS Ready To Run on Friday evening was the highest price paid at this sale since Brutal Force was bought in by Mayfair Speculators at R4.5 million six years ago.

The Tarry purchase was Track Commander, a colt by Gimmethegreenlight consigned from Soetendal Estate and out of a half-sister to Tibouchina winner Red Dor and Red Peril who won the 2017 Settlers Trophy at Durbanville for Billy Prestage.

Both the average and the median were down on last year although this was to be expected with a 46% increase in the size of the catalogue.

By Michael Clower

Only twice in the last ten years has the winner of the Concorde Cup, and its Selangor predecessor, gone on to land the Cape Guineas but both first and second showed a classic-winning turn of foot at Kenilworth on Saturday.

First Sachdev and then, decisively, King Of Gems accelerated as if they had been fitted with turbochargers and they flew home like Pegasus with Drakenstein’s son of the ill-fated Kingsbarns snatching victory almost on the line to become the longest-priced winner of the race this century.

The 55-1 shot was last of all turning into the short straight but Aldo Domeyer reported: “I was always going well. He picked it up like a good horse should but then Richard Fourie hit the front. This was a concern because Richard doesn’t normally stop when he does but then, though, my horse dug down deep and found an amazing gear.”

Fourie confirmed: “I thought I was going to get up – my mount has a serious turn of foot – but when I was getting there close home the other horse came and got me.”

The margin was only a neck and Justin Snaith reckons the gap is more than bridgeable – “I had to back right off Sachdev after the Cape Classic when his blood wasn’t right and as a result he was not as fit as I would have liked. But I think I will have him right for the Guineas.”

Brett Crawford seemed almost as impressed with third-placed Macthief as he was with the winner, saying: “He had a lot of things against him and in the back straight he clipped heels and pecked. They will both go for the Guineas and after Wednesday I hope to have a third runner (Kilindini).”

Corne Orffer, who rode Macthief, added: “He is not a horse who is going to quicken like the first two did but he keeps finding and he ran right to the line.”

Viva Rio, less than half a length further back fourth, will again be in the line-up on December 21 and Morne Winnaar said: “He will be better on the new course – he only got going late here.”

The principal negatives about the race – from the point of view of its bearing on the Guineas –  are that there was less than two lengths covering the first five, Domeyer’s comment “I can’t wait for ten furlongs” (it takes an exceptional horse to win the Guineas if he is not a specialist miler) and the eclipse of the Kannemeyer horses.

The Milnerton trainer was struggling to understand this in the immediate aftermath and said: “African Warrior (ninth) ran below his rating and he just didn’t quicken – and it’s the first time he hasn’t, while Seventh Gear (fifth) stayed on as if he is looking for ground.”

Vets Kate Meiring and Juan Batt provided the answers: African Warrior was not striding out on his left fore while Seventh Gear was blowing unnaturally hard.

Cane Lime ‘n Soda ran on into sixth and part-owner Robert Bloomberg said: “I think he is a Derby horse but we will take our chance in the Guineas.”

Snow Report (seventh) led until weakening just inside the final furlong and so gave his connections hope for the future. Apparently the Langerman winner has not thrived in recent months.

The stable promptly collected the Cape Merchants with the Domeyer-ridden Russet Air who came up the stands side to book his ticket for the season’s big sprints, much to the delight of Marsh Shirtliff and the Bass and Finch families.

“He gives you the impression that he is looking for a bit further but he is best up the straight,” said Candice.

“I am looking for a horse to take the place of Oh Susanna in the Group 1s,” said Snaith after Myabi Gold had come home in front in the conditions plate, “but I didn’t think I had this mare that fit – she had only had one gallop.” As part-owner Nic Jonsson pointed out, she was only beaten just over two lengths in last year’s Vodacom Durban July.

Andre Nel has Sun Met ambitions for Capoeira who completed Domeyer’s treble in the last – but the real lesson from the finale is just what Roi Querari and the rest of the home team are up against when the CTS Ready To Run finally does take place on Saturday fortnight. Invidia was giving the winner a kilo (and 7kg more than weight-for-age) and yet he was only beaten a neck. Little wonder that Ashley Fortune brought him down early!

By Michael Clower

Feature race form is ignored at your peril, especially when the trainer thinks that it’s worth the effort to travel and take on the best.

Lady Legend got the worst of the draw in sticky going when taking on most of the best fillies on the Highveld in the Starling Stakes but that did not deter Wayne Badenhorst. Although not returning with a cheque, Lady Legend did give an indication that she belonged in that company and the 10-1 on offer at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday was something of a steal.

An outside draw may have been a concern but Gareth Wright quickly had his mount up handy and Lady Legend kept running to hold the attentions of race favourite Mitra Music who was unable to peg her rival back over the final furlong.

Lady Legend was the first leg of a Badenhorst double, although Bordeaux was a lot harder to find – the colt paying R97 for a win on the tote.

The improvement on a modest debut was attributed to the addition of blinkers. “He was a hard ride,” confirmed Wright which was clear to all as the rider was forced to keep his mount hard to his task.

All the money was for Trip To Africa in the second and it proved on the mark. Duncan Howells had always thought highly of the gelding but who had plenty of issues as a young horse. “He was a tall, immature horse who needed to grow into himself.”

Anton Marcus had no hesitation in taking Trip To Africa up with the lead and they kept firing all the way to the line to win rather comfortably. It was the second winner for the owners who had cashed in with High Voltage last Wednesday.

In the first, the money came in spades for Lady Of Lutetia but things didn’t work out as planned as she took a knock out of the gate and arrived too late as odds-on favourite Ode was hard-pressed to hold off the attentions of Lady Charlotte.

Seasoned trainer Pat Lunn, one of KZN’s greats with the likes of Model Man and Northern Princess among many other truly smart horses, is now KZN assistant to Johan Janse van Vuuren. Not the soundest of fillies, Ode was in good hands and put her soundness issues behind her.

Warren Kennedy is well on his way to his first National Jockey Championship with a 17% winning strike rate from over 500 mounts, and all though his expected century did not materialise with Lady Of Lutetia in the first, he did not have much longer to wait as 10-1 chance Skollie buried a few more exotic bet tickets in the fourth.

Drawn up Marriott Road on debut, he made the necessary improvement with a fine win. “I thought he would need a mile, plus,” commented Kennedy confirmed by Gareth van Zyl. “I had him in a mile but he drew badly so took the better option of a good draw over 1400m.”

It proved an inspired decision.

Pearl Of Asia, off the track for 270 days after landing something of a coup on debut, followed up with a smart victory in the sixth. It was a competitive field and Mr Fitz looked to have the race at his mercy before Pearl Of Asia slipped through on the inside rail to snatch the decision giving Gareth Wright his third of the afternoon riding for Robbie and Shannon Hill.

Calvary was an inspired gamble in the seventh and apprentice Jabu Jacobs made all, in the process keeping out of trouble.

Second-placed Socrates ducked badly under pressure and before Donovan Dillon was able to straighten him up, Hey Boy and Winter Blues were compromised.

Gary Rich, who has a small string of less than 20 horses at his Ashburton yard, is way under rated as a trainer.  He has a 15% strike rate from just 27 starts and Clouds Of Witness gave him his fifth win of the season and can put him well and truly on the map.

Billy Jacobson set a modest early gallop, made his move just before the turn, and kept the gelding rolling to the line. Clouds Of Witness was challenged from all sides but refused to submit.

The son of Master Of My Fate has filled out and matured and barring accidents, should not stop here.

By Andrew Harrison

Gin Fizz is well named. The daughter of Soft Falling Rain has not been the easiest to get to the racetrack but when she is in the mood, she has stamped herself as one of the better sophomore fillies to have stepped out on the Highveld this season.

The Cape Summer Season and Cape Fillies Guineas may be high on her agenda but given her temperament, Mike de Kock, who is blessed with a plethora of smart horses this season, may keep her under wraps for the Highveld Autumn season where she does not have to travel.

That’s all speculation of course, but just how she fares in The Citizen Fillies Mile (Gr3) at Turffontein tomorrow could give an indication as to where she is headed for the balance of the season.

Gin Fizz has been competing at the highest level and has not been out of the money in seven outings, her last three over the Turffontein Inside track where she finally cracked a win in a Graduation Plate after two runner-up berths.

Given that at her previous outing she had finished a close-up second to the smart older filly Vistula in the Jo’Burg Spring Challenge, that win was hardly unexpected.

She takes on her own age group tomorrow but there could be a few IED surprises in store.

Marco van Rensburg has a good mouth on him and after two indifferent rides on Spiritofthegroove, Sean ‘two strikes and you’re out’ Tarry was ready to give him the bullet.

Van Rensburg’s mouth kept him aboard and it was third time lucky, as he rode a cracker in the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Stakes, weaving his way through from a difficult draw to land the lucrative first prize.

The opposition is a lot stronger tomorrow, but Van Rensburg should now know what is required and Spiritofthegroove, fourth behind Vistula and Gin Fizz in the Spring Challenge, could prove more of a threat this time around.

The De Kock-trained Mill Queen is garnering a reputation as one of the better fillies around. She got home from an almost hopeless position to win the Starling Stakes but rank outsider Kayla’s Champ was only a length off her at the line with the Van Rensburg-ridden Wisteria Walk beaten a neck in second.

One can pick holes in Mill Queen’s form but the fact stands that she has not finished out of the first two in five starts, including a close-up second to Gabor in the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes, which puts some perspective on Kayla’s Champ’s performance.

Of the balance, Summer Pudding is unbeaten in two outings and the last run of the De Kock-trained Tallinn is best ignored and cannot be discounted lightly.

By Andrew Harrison

African Warrior can boost his Cape Guineas claims by landing the Concorde Cup at Kenilworth tomorrow although there are serious doubts about whether he is as superior to the opposition as the official ratings would suggest.

Assessments based on two-year-old running in Durban at two can sometimes fail to stand up simply because many trainers, and particularly those in Cape Town, prefer not to test their juveniles to the full as they believe a more patient approach will pay dividends in the long term.

However African Warrior, rated 112 after winning the Umkhomazi Stakes, was reassessed at 115 after his first Cape Town start when he took a 2 ¼ length fifth to One World in the Matchem from a poor draw.

“That was his best performance so far,” says Dean Kannemeyer who is bidding for his seventh win in this race. “He has to give a kilo to the whole field and it’s his first time at a mile. I think he should get it and all has gone well with him.”

Stable companion Seventh Gear is rated 7.5kg behind him but their trainer does not accept this as a true reading of their comparative ability and says: “African Warrior has earned his stripes and his rating but I think a lot of Seventh Gear.”

African Warrior is 13-10 favourite and the market leader has won four of the last ten runnings. Seventh Gear is second best at 9-2 with 6-1 about Viva Rio (who has won his last three) and Sachdev who flopped in the Cape Classic.

“I am hoping you will see a very different horse on Saturday,” says Justin Snaith. “We were disappointed with Sachdev’s run in the Cape Classic and we took his blood afterwards – I would like to have seen it better.”

Glen Kotzen, who brought off a 28-1 shock with Gold Standard three years ago, says: “I have rated Viva Rio from day one and after we gelded him he came good. He is a very smart horse.”

In the Racing Association Stakes over this trip at Fairview four weeks ago Viva Rio beat the smart Cane Lime ‘n Soda (an 8-1 chance here) by more than three lengths but part owner Robert Bloomberg reckons there were valid excuses – “They went slow and our horse was caught flat-footed. I think he can reverse the form.”

Macthief, third in the ratings, is on offer at as much as 11-1, largely because he only managed fifth in the Cape Classic but seemingly not too much notice should be taken of this. “He was giving 2kg to those who finished in front of him, he was not well drawn and he was last away. I thought he ran well,” argues Brett Crawford, “and I think he will run a big race.”

The rest are longshots but, if you fancy any of them, don’t let their price put you off. Twice in the last three years there has been a major upset with Rocket Countdown at 36-1 following on from Gold Standard.

The Cape Merchants is a difficult race to assess but it is worth noting that four-year-olds have won three of the last four runnings and that no winner has carried more than 58kg since the Stan Elley-trained Kapil humped 60kg ten years ago. A repeat of this statistic would rule out 7-2 favourite Pleasedtomeetyou.

Elusive Trader (16-1) might well get into the shake-up but the vote goes to 10-1 shot What A Winner who was beaten half a length by stable companion Russet Air (9-2) last time and is now 2.5kg better.

By Michael Clower 

TAB will operate a second Jackpot pool on one South African race meeting daily from today’s race meeting at Fairview.

The second Jackpot will start on the race after the first leg of the normal Jackpot at race meetings comprising eight or nine races.

So, at an eight-race meeting, Jackpot ONE will be on races 4 to 7 as normal and Jackpot TWO on races 5 to 8.

In the case of a nine-race meeting, Jackpot ONE will be on races 5 to 8 and Jackpot TWO on races 6 to 9.

TAB customers must note that in order to play Jackpot TWO in Phumelela regions they must mark venue oval number 9 and the first-leg race number of Jackpot TWO.

TABGOLD customers in KwaZulu-Natal totes must mark the SPQ oval.

This is in order to ensure that will pays for both Jackpot pools on a meeting can be displayed correctly. If there are two South African meetings on a day, Jackpot TWO will be offered on the race meeting likely to attract the biggest pool.

Paul Gadsby was caught off guard when the course commentator announced that La Duchesse would be ridden ‘cold’ not having given any instruction to her jockey. In any event, La Duchesse was ridden from off the pace and arrived on the scene too late, snapping a string of placed runs.

Making excuses for beaten horses is bad punting policy but Warren Kennedy is back in the irons for the first at Hollywoodbets Greyville tomorrow evening and La Duchesse may be worth another chance in spite of being labelled a bookies favourite.

Her latest defeat was particularly painful for those that had banked her in their exotics as the field looked ripe for the taking. Tonight, she faces a more competitive line-up. Masters Beauty was much improved last run but may have found the 2000m a touch too far when trying to make all. Lightly raced, she appears to have come to hand and this shorter trip should suit. Imperial Seal comes from an in form stable and has been close up at recent starts while Storm Tune has come to hand and goes well over course and distance and is a must for all bets.

Keeping up with an ever-changing programming can be a testing exercise and for the first time in KZN we have Progress and Graduation Handicaps. The first of these comes in the second, a Progress Handicap (maximum three-time winners capped at MR90) for fillies and mares. Wendy Whitehead has been amongst the winners of late and she saddles Liquid Irish in an exceptionally difficult race with all 11 runners in with some sort of chance. Liquid Irish has only once been out of the money and was a game winner of her last start beating the useful Statute. She is equally at home on the poly and the turf and should be thereabouts. The lightly raced Star Vega won well from a wide draw on her poly debut and may still have more to come. She should start at long odds as should Just One More looks held on current form, but this is her third run after a break and improvement is expected off her light weight. This trio could be the pick in a tough race.

Head Boy is the obvious choice in the third given his consistent form over the trip and the modest opposition but Paddy’s Legacy is the highest rated runner who was badly in need of his last start. He makes his poly debut and had shown some fair Highveld form early in his career. Royal Pursuit showed improvement first time out for his new stable and on the poly. He may be worth following.

Backing horses first up in handicap company is a risky business but Silva Magic finally got it right when coming from a long way back to shed her maiden and second-placed Magic Mountain has franked that form. Silva Magic does face stronger here but is lightly raced and can go in again. Zagara is on her favourite surface and found good market support last outing while Silver Prancer improved last run and her two best recent efforts have been on the poly. Chatty Cathy finally had some luck last run for a well deserved win and is definitely not out of the reckoning.

By the way, JG Guthrie is not a new trainer – Julie Dittmer married Gordon Guthrie last month. All the best Jules.

By Andrew Harrison

The National Horseracing Authority confirms that an Appeal was held in Johannesburg on 15 November 2019, against the finding and the penalty relating to a contravention of Rule 72.1.11 imposed by an Inquiry Board on 8 August 2019.

BACKGROUND:

At an Inquiry held at its offices in Turffontein on 8 August 2019, Jockey M Yeni was charged with a contravention of Rule 72.1.11, in that whilst riding the horse MR GREENLIGHT, he intimidated and interfered with Jockey L Hewitson, when he took his hand off his left side rein and placed it on Jockey Hewitson’s arm, in the second race at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse on 27 July 2019.

Mr Yeni pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Inquiry Board found Mr Yeni guilty of the charge.

In determining a suitable penalty, the Inquiry Board balanced Mr Yeni’s factors in mitigation with the need to protect the integrity of horseracing, the public’s perception regarding racing control and from circumstances which have the potential to cause danger to both horse and rider. Accordingly, the Inquiry Board imposed a suspension from riding in races for a period of 90 (ninety) days.

Mr Yeni was afforded the right of Appeal against the finding and the penalty imposed.

The National Horseracing Authority and Mr Yeni were legally represented at the Appeal hearing.

The Appeal Board found as follows:

The Appeal Board dismissed the Appeal in respect of the guilty finding by the Inquiry Board as well as the penalty imposed by the Inquiry Board.

The Appeal Board noted that because of the seriousness of the contravention by Mr Yeni, if appropriate evidence in respect of aggravation of penalty had been led on behalf of The National Horseracing Authority, the Appeal Board would have been prepared to consider interfering with the penalty imposed, by increasing same.  However, the Appeal Board elected not to interfere with the penalty imposed by the Inquiry Board of a suspension from riding in races for a period of 90 (ninety) days.

The Appeal Board ordered that the prescribed fee be forfeited in terms of rule 85.5.8. The decision of the Appeal Board was unanimous.

– NHA

Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets are pleased to announce that in an exciting change, beginning 1 December 2019 and on a trial basis for 3 months, the carded horse number will reflect the barrier draw of the horse for all races in KwaZulu-Natal. In a change from the traditional top-weight-down, or alphabetical order, horses will now be carded according to barrier positions, regardless of the allocated weights.

Whilst this breaks with the traditional system used to allocate card numbers in South African racing, it will serve the purpose of making it easier for newcomers and racing fans in general to follow their selections from the saddle cloth number and standardised saddle cloth colour, through to the starting stalls where the number and colour will be clearly displayed.

Reserve runners will no longer be allocated a barrier draw, but should there be a scratching, the reserve will automatically take up the barrier of the scratched horse that it replaces.

“This move aligns our racing with international standards currently used in the USA and South America, and will make our KZN product more attractive to international racing punters, which in turn will increase turnovers in commingled pools”, said Raf Sheik, Racing Executive of Gold Circle.

Brand and Communications Manager for Hollywoodbets, Devin Heffer, added “As partners with Gold Circle, this is another joint initiative to differentiate KZN Racing, to generate interest and provide something new to our current racegoers, and make racing brighter, easier to follow and more appealing to newcomers to our wonderful sport. This trial period will run in conjunction with the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge, details of which will be released soon.