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Fairview Poly Friday 17 May 2024 – Comments by Devonne Govender

PUBLISHED: May 16, 2024

Fairview 17/05/2024 Race By Race previews by Devonne Govender Race 1 (5) Project Runway (7) Serendipitous (4) Natural Wonder (1) Deco Var (5) Project Runway has been racing consistently and should get it right here. (7) Serendipitous has experience under the belt and will be right there in the finish. (4) Natural Wonder is making […]

Fairview 17/05/2024 Race By Race previews by Devonne Govender

Race 1

(5) Project Runway (7) Serendipitous (4) Natural Wonder (1) Deco Var

(5) Project Runway has been racing consistently and should get it right here. (7) Serendipitous has experience under the belt and will be right there in the finish. (4) Natural Wonder is making progress and will get much closer. (1) Deco Var can round up the quartets. Market support on unraced runners should be respected. ( Devonne Govender 5-7-4-1)

Race 2

(3) Golden Link (2) First Lord (5) Nikes Ray Of Light (7) Walt Whitman

(3) Golden Link is improving with every start and looks the right horse on paper. (2) First Lord is capable of much better and can make a bold showing if building on that debut run however it must be noted the last run was disappointing. (5) Nikes Ray Of Light is improving with every start and will have a big say in the finish, he comes from a top yard and has an in-form rider up. (7) Walt Whitman must be respected as he comes from a yard who generally get them ready on debut, the plus factor is Richard Fourie is aboard. ( Devonne Govender 3-2-5-7)

Race 3

(1) William’s Legacy (6) Imhotep (2) Electric Storm (4) Regazzo Grande

(1) William’s Legacy is overdue to crack that maiden win and may have found the right race to do just that. He get a reasonable enough draw and will be a serious contender for top honours based on overall form. (6) Imhotep has been fancied in many starts and won’t be far. (2) Electric Storm steps up in trip and we could see him running a much better race. (4) Regazzo Grande ran well enough in the last start and can make the placings from a tough draw. (Devonne Govender 1-6-2-4)

Race 4

(2) Puerto Plata (5) Harold The Duke (8) Slainte Mhath (6) Give Us A Smile

(2) Puerto Plata is holding top form and will have a huge winning chance. (5) Harold The Duke was very gutsy in the last start and can challenge strongly. (8) Slainte Mhath ran extremely well at big odds in the lasts start and can build on that good performance. (6) Give Us A Smile is capable on running into the money and could be some value for the placings. ( Devonne Govender 2-5-8-6)

Race 5

(1) Meetatthewindsor (6) Head Gardener (2) Launch Code (3) Irontail

(1) Meetatthewindsor ran extremely well in the last start and can go one better with a decent enough draw however will have to do it carrying top weight. (6) Head Gardener is holding consistent form and can make the frame here. (2) Launch Code is capable on his day and can pop up. (3) Irontail steps up in trip compared to recent runs and will be flying late. ( Devonne Govender 1-6-2-3)

Race 6

(6) Arturo (7) Duke Of Orange (4) Charlie Malone (2) Notorix

(6) Arturo ran a decent race in the last start and can go one better. He has a top rider up and looks set to deliver. (7) Duke Of Orange is holding form well and can run a big race here. (4) Charlie Malone is always game and another honest run can be expected. (2) Notorix is capable of running into the money on best form so include in larger perms. ( Devonne Govender 6-7-4-2)

Race 7

(6) Back For More (4) Easy Living (8) Mary Lamb (7) Chroniclesofnania

(6) Back For More has decent form lines and looks to have a huge winning chance. (4) Easy Living is very capable and must be respected here. (8) Mary Lamb won a gutsy race in the last start however does meet stronger. (7) Chroniclesofnania has plenty ability and can get involved on best form. ( Devonne Govender 6-4-8-7)

Race 8

(3) Iqembulabesifazane (1) Concerto (4) Time For Glory (2) Allende

(3) Iqembulabesifazane is very speedy and could get an easy lead and go all the way. (1) Concerto is never far back and should be right there. (4) Time For Glory can get into the placings on best form. (2) Allende wasn’t far in the last start and can get much closer. ( Devonne Govender 3-1-4-2)

Countess is a touch of royalty

PUBLISHED: May 15, 2024

Andrew Harrison When you have nearly every horse in the province stabled and working in close proximity, it is difficult for trainer’s to keep anything ‘secret’. The Summerveld dogs were barking early that Dean Kannemeyer had a smart filly in his yard in Gimmie’s Countess and she will have them barking even louder after she […]

Andrew Harrison

When you have nearly every horse in the province stabled and working in close proximity, it is difficult for trainer’s to keep anything ‘secret’. The Summerveld dogs were barking early that Dean Kannemeyer had a smart filly in his yard in Gimmie’s Countess and she will have them barking even louder after she put daylight over her rivals in the card opener on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

A magnificent specimen and bred in the purple, stable rider Craig Zackey wasted no time in bustling his mount to the head of affairs and was up-sides the blinkered Mother India turning for home. Richard Fourie had Spirit Of Levana tracking the favourite but once Zackey turned his filly loose, it was always going to be a matter of how far. Spirit Of Levana tried gamely to make a race of it but was four lengths adrift at the line and Fourie knew a long way out that he was chasing shadows.

The expected Kannemeyer double didn’t materialize in the second as favourite Mc Dazzler was run out of it by the frustrating Run To Rio who finally got his act together for Stuart Ferrie. Placed in six of his 10 outings that included a run of three runner-up berths, Run To Rio finished strongly up the outside of his rivals to catch Mc Dazzler on the line with pacemaker Captain Marsala hanging on for third.

Kannemeyer intimated in his first-race interview that win-lose-or-draw the vet was on call for Mc Dazzler which is a bit of a shame as he is a magnificent son of Rafeef but not too genuine at this stage. Stable companion French Flame came from well off the pace to take fourth and is one for the notebook.

First time blinkers don’t always have the desired effect of getting a horse to improve on his form as sometimes they have a detrimental effect. No so with Ibiza Night who went one better after two seconds with Garth Puller’s gelding leading the field a merry dance, Jabu Jacobs letting his mount stride from the jump. The chestnut was not for the catching in the straight and was chased home by Noble Warrior and Ubukhwebezana.

Reckless Love was having her 52^nd start for Wendy Whitehead yesterday and the mare rewarded her with her sixth win, holding off late challenges from Light Of Day, the lessor fancied of the Barend Botes runners – in the betting anyway – and the under sufferance Roy’s Rocker.

Calvin Habib has ridden Reckless Love in most of her recent starts so is well acquainted with her does and don’ts. Not a mare with a turn of foot, Habib made an early move on the turn as the pace slowed up and Reckless Love galloped all the way to the line.

Glen Kotzen round off his day as Lady Heist gave weight and a hiding to the lads. Hanging on gamely she held off the challenges from Pas De Nom and favourite Sundance Kid in the fifth. It was a quick double for Habib who slipped his filly through a gap up the inside rail, stealing a march on her rivals. Pas De Nom came from almost last to range up along side but was unable to get past, so too Sundance Kid who was given every chance but also had no answers as the filly kept rolling courageously.

Not too many will get the drop on any of Mike Miller’s runners as they step out in the dead of night. Miller and assistant Craig Eudey are back in bed before many have heard the cock crow. With the pace on from the jump stable rider Tristan Godden sat in just off the leaders on the six-year-old mare Hereinafter and peddeled for home when it counted. The mare was going back-to-back and again having the wood on Rugger Lover who finished with a late rattle but too late.

The late addition of blinkers saw Zinikele back in the winner’s enclosure as Gareth van Zyl’s filly kept rolling hard under Gavin Lerena. A little unlucky when touched off at her last start, she made amends with a sterling effort to hold off the challenges from a late-finishing Wonderful and Richard Fourie was a fisherman confronted with a blank day.

But a fisherman’s day is never over until the last cast and Fourie remedied a potential blank as he punched out One Irish Rover to a comfortable winner of the last. The former outstanding jockey and now trainer MJ Odendaal may have some unconventional training methods according to his Summerveld colleagues but they work for him and One Irish Rover bares testament.

‘Agent’ can bring the gold

PUBLISHED: May 15, 2024

David Thiselton The Vaal straight course has an intriguing eight race meeting today and high draws should be favoured down the straight with the outside rail at zero. The obvious horse in the first race, Gold Agent, will give the Okapi Ladies International champion Savanna Valjalo an opportunity to make it two wins from two […]

David Thiselton

The Vaal straight course has an intriguing eight race meeting today and high draws should be favoured down the straight with the outside rail at zero.

The obvious horse in the first race, Gold Agent, will give the Okapi Ladies International champion Savanna Valjalo an opportunity to make it two wins from two career race rides. However, she does have to contend with the number one draw, which is on the wrong side by trends. The Navy Lark is thus preferred as she put in a decent effort last time from draw nine of nine over 1200m on the classic track and now has a favourable draw of seven under experienced Chamu Mabaya. Trip To States is drawn three out of eight and in his last two starts has shown signs of a form return. He had some decent early form at the Vaal, before losing his way in his first three runs this calendar year. His last two runs have been fair efforts and he should be staying on over this trip. .

In the second race over 1000m Valieva has a tricky draw of three and on form should finish together with Rodeo Drive. The latter is less exposed too and not only has good pace, but has a favourable high draw, so she is preferred. Jilted ran a fair fifth on debut in a decent field and can build on that from a favourable high draw.

In the third race over 1000m Wolf Mountain has a tricky low draw of three out of eight, but he is a stand out on form and should still go in under Piere Strydom. French Bolt was not disgraced on debut against the speedy Chocolate Soldier when likely drawn on the wrong side and he could be a threat here from the standside draw. Zafar was only 1,25 lengths behind French Bolt in that race and also has a nice high draw.

In the fourth race over 1000m two-year-old Green Lightning finished 2,50 lengths in third behind Kindred Heart over 1000m and the latter was subsequently close up behind the SA Fillies Nursery winner Little Ballerina. However, she has a tricky draw of five out of 14. Just The Two Of Us has had two good runs over 1000m but has an even worse draw odds of one. Dragon Dragon has run three fair races and from draw six with Gavin Lerena up should be in the shake up. Golden Argo can earn if reproducing her penultimate start. Scarlet is drawn on the right side and was not disgraced last time, but overall she appears to be moderate. Centrefold has some pace and has a 4kg claimer up and a high draw.

In the fifth race over 1000m Munchkin looks should be a much higher merit rating if it went on his homework, but he has found his right trip and can follow off a three point higher mark. Nkandla Gold has improved and has a definite chance on recent form with a 4kg claimer up, but he does have a low draw. Lulu’s Boy is 3,5kg better off with Nkandla Gold for a mere 0,75 length beating, but that is only if the 4kg claim is ignored. Prized Platinum beat Lulu’s Boy in his penultimate start before running below par last time. In The Ether is capable of a flying finish and has a high draw.

In the sixth race over 2400m To The Rescue has always struck as one who needs a bit of time and ground and has a chance here, although under the Classified conditions he is 3,5kg under sufferance with the best rated pair. Vesuvio looks to be one who will enjoy the step up in trip being an Erupt gelding who stayed on nicely over 1800m last time. He is 2,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted. Leeson is also 2,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted but has done well in both starts. Ideal Future is a long-striding sort who stays the trip and is joint best in. She does have to overcome a wide draw though. Mount Etna, joint best in, needs to bounce back. All of One Religion, Royal Mazarin, Nuclear Force, Dungeons and Angel’s Wish can also be considered for the Pick 6.

In the seventh over 1800m Volte Face is on the up and is drawn well over a trip which should suit. Fushimi Inari has been knocking on the door for a long time and his best recent run was over this trip. Flag Bearer has ability but can be unsettled in the running. However, if he finds cover from a fair draw he will be a contender. Carnelo has the form to be right there too. Dark Silver has the form to be involved. Romeo’s Magic has come down to a competitive mark and has a good draw.

In the last race over 1400m Redcherry Lane is well bred being by Vercingetorix out of a Gr 1 Garden Province winner by Western Winter. She caught the eye last time winning a workriders maiden under a rider who was having his first race ride. She is drawn on the right side over what should be an ideal trip. Zenobia’s Gold ran well first time out the maidens and is drawn on the right side. Cityscape has always been thereabouts in sprints in Cape Town and on the Highveld and now tries a step up in trip but draw one makes it tough. Grape Shot won out of the blue last time and the progeny of Fire Away appear to improve continually and she should get this trip too. Whorly Whorly only has to overcome a two point raise for his win last time and Piere Strydom keeps the ride. He is drawn on the right side too.

SOCCER & RUGBY CARRYOVERS AND ADD-INS – 17, 18 & 19 MAY 2024

PUBLISHED: May 14, 2024

Soccer 10 on Friday, 17 May 2024, ADD-IN R150 000, Pool Closes at 20h30, Sport 12 and Pool 1, Estimated Pool: 2 Million RUGBY 8 WIN MARGIN on Saturday, 18 May 2024, C/Over R71 845. Pool Closes at 14h00 Sport 65 Soccer 4 on Saturday, 18 May 2024, C/Over R25 000, Pool Closes at 15h00, […]

The cream of the crop

PUBLISHED: May 13, 2024

Recent Gr2 WSB Guineas winner and ruling ante-post favourite for the R5million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, Green With Envy heads the list of a dozen high class nominations for the Gr1 Daily News 2000. Dean Kannemeyer’s colt has impressed with every race as he has matured winning the Gr1 Splashout Cape Derby and showing a […]