Seasoned trainer Pat Lunn knows his way around a thoroughbred but competitive horses were hard to come by in the latter part of his career forcing him to hand in his trainer’s brief. Leading Highveld trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren was quick to recognise a good horse when he saw one and Lunn is now his KZN assistant.

Model Man and Northern Princess – who could ever forget the match race between Northern Princess and Senor Santa that attracted a massive crowd – were two of Lunn’s best horses but he also had a way with sprinters and his expertise was to the fore when Robberg Express won at Scottsville back in December last year.

A bleeder with dodgy engineering up front, Lunn did a superb job in getting the gelding to the races. “He’s a bad bleeder and does not have the best of legs,” Lunn confided after that win. “I did not do a lot with him before this race, hoping that he would run fresh. He’s a good horse.”

Rider Keagan de Melo echoed those sentiments and said his mount had strengthened up and was good enough to win a few more races.

Robberg Express gets his chance at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday where he takes on a useful field of sprinters in the sixth. That last win came in yielding going and with some precipitation predicted for the weekend, give in the ground and a light weight can see Robberg Express home.

Clinton Binda is becoming something of a regular to KZN and on a tricky card he could get Pick 6 punters off to a winning start in the third with the lightly raced filly Afriel. She does not face the strongest of maiden fields and was narrowly beaten in her second start at the Vaal. Anton Marcus gets the leg up. Of the balance Chanel allure started at long odds last outing but made marked improvement in blinkers and a repeat could see her finish in front of Noble Freedom again who has shown recent improvement. Upset material could come in the form of True Jewel who found strong market support at her last start on the Highveld and although finishing down the field may be worth including in the exotics.

The balance of the card looks decidedly tricky.

In the fourth, Popova has been showing signs of returning to form for her new stable and with a light weight and a good draw must have a big chance. Bint El Malak regained her position at the top of the log for the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge when finishing third on Wednesday after gaining entry via the reserve bench at Scottsville yesterday. Paul Lafferty has every intention of letting her line up again on Sunday, “depending on how she pulls up,” he said. She has been doing well from poor draws.

Itsapleasure is lightly raced but has shown promise while Suzie Woo has a tough draw to overcome but her form has been franked and she has been showing good work at home.

Louise Goosen saddles Gravitation in the fifth and the signs point to a good run.  He has only had three outings for Goosen, the first a disaster when dislodging his work rider, but he has since put up two good sprints. The son of Rock Of Gibraltar is bred for this trip and with a light weight and a good draw he makes plenty of appeal and Goosen is hopeful of a big effort.

Marcus has stuck with the luckless but always consistent Roy’s Physco but it has been a long wait between drinks. He looks the biggest threat to Gravitation as he is never far back and a second win is long overdue.

By Andrew Harrison

Eric Sands, who had to wait until the last before gaining Rainbow Bridge compensation on Sun Met day, has his horses in fine form and Still Tappin looks good for the Tabonline.co.za Maiden at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The Ridgemont filly with the North American pedigree has been placed on all four starts and, despite being drawn widest of all, she was only caught inside the last 100m when beaten by the smart-looking Voice Of Reason over this trip last time.

Admittedly she again has a poor draw but Anton Marcus can be almost guaranteed to make light of that. The selection is going to be a warm favourite – she was priced up at even money yesterday – but she has the best form and is rated 3.5kg better than the other six who have been given a mark.

Marcus may also win the Cape Town Prawn Festival Maiden on Al’s My Daddy for nephew Adam 40 minutes later. All the colt’s three runs have been good and he is 1.5kg top-rated. The main danger is probably Half And Half. The Justin Snaith runner was two and a half lengths further back sixth last time but Richard Fourie had to ease when suffering interference in the closing stages.

Water Spirit, 7-2 favourite for the Racing Association Handicap, is Marcus’s only other ride and comes here after running in the Pinnacle won by stable companion Front And Centre. This is obviously a considerable drop in class but she has been done no favours by the draw and it could pay to look elsewhere. The Greg Cheyne-ridden Gimme Gimme Gimme is a tentative selection and is attractively priced at 11-2.

Musical Glitch is the most experienced horse in the opening two-year-old race and, possibly significantly, the Glen Kotzen filly has been backed from 6-1 to 7-2.

Delta Queen, on the other hand, opened 5-2 favourite and has eased to 3-1 but it still might be worth taking a chance with the Dean Kannemeyer newcomer. By Var, Keagan de Melo’s mount is out of River Jetez who won the Met and a Group 2 in Dubai, and was a sister to Pocket Power. She cost R2 million and Dean Kannemeyer would not be running her so early in the season unless she was good enough to at least go close. Of those that have run Trickster makes most appeal.

Purple Cloud opened favourite for the other two-year-old race and the Candice Bass-Robinson newcomer has been firm in the market. The R800 000 purchase is by Soft Falling Rain out of a mare who won eight sprints. Aldo Domeyer’s mount gets the vote but watch out for fellow first-timer Soft Day.

By Michael Clower

The Highveld classic season begins tomorrow and the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas form the respective first legs of the SA Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara. 

The field lining up in the Gauteng Guineas shows just how strong the current crop of three-year-old males are around the country. Ikigai had shown touches of class before his last start in the Tony Ruffel Stakes and he then showed true class when destroying the field by 4,50 lengths. On pedigree he will enjoy the step up in trip and he has a fair draw. Shango looked immature in his races before the Dingaans where he then won impressively, so he has a fine chance too as he should have improved again since then. Green Laser is the dark horse having improved to win the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m where he showed a good turn of foot. He has a good draw here.

Riverstown is another progressive and classy type and he should enjoy the step up to this trip, although he does have a tricky draw. Frosted Gold is a classy and courageous type but he looks held by Shango on the Dingaans form. This mile looks to be the top of his stamina range, but he does have a plum draw. Youcanthurrylove is a progressive sort who has won his last two handicap starts over 1800m with ease. His 1600m form doesn’t read as well but he has likely improved since last running over this trip and he will enjoy the standside track with its long straight. Eden Roc was a top class two-year-old who possessed a terrific turn of foot. However, he lacked scoped and has duly disappointed this term to date. However, he is drawn in pole over an ideal trip and can’t be written off just yet, particularly as he has “super sub” Raymond Danielson aboard. Leopold is well regarded and could earn a cheque.

In the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas Summer Pudding is unbeaten and although her form has not worked out particularly well she is by Silvano so can up her game here again. Furthermore, she is drawn in pole over this ideal course and distance. Magic School has always struck as a classy sort and has proved it with a one length second to the classy Frosted Gold in the Graham Beck takes over 1400m and a close third last time in the Three Troikas Stakes over 1400m. She should relish this course and distance as one who can turn it on before staying on resolutely. On pedigree, being by Philanthropist out of a Right Approach mare who won over a mile, she should also love the trip, but on the downside she has a tough draw and the blinkers are on for the first time.

Mill Queen only just failed in the Grade 1 Thekwini over this trip ate the end of last season and in her only start this season she won the Starling Stakes over 1400m. She needed that run and showed how big her heart is by fighting off a challenger. She has not had an ideal preparation but her class coupled with her courage could pull her through from a good draw. Snow Palace has fine form if her last start is ignored. That was over 1800m in soft ground and she led, so can perhaps be forgiven, although there is some rain forecast. She is an effective front-runner at her best and her draw of two is ideal for her style.

Keep Smiling faces Summer Pudding on the same terms as when losing to her by 0,30 lengths in the Fillies Mile over course and distance so can’t be written off. Risk Taker packs a strong finish and is interesting stepped up in trip. Spiritofthegroove is well drawn and was only narrowly beaten in the Three Troikas, although she was well beaten in the Fillies Mile. Victoria Paige is progressive but has a very wide draw. 

By David Thiselton

Vaughan Marshall and the owners of Sun Met hero One World will meet next week to decide whether the four-year-old should race on or be retired to stud.

Ken Truter, who owns the colt in partnership with his wife Jane, Etienne Braun and Braam van Huyssteen, said yesterday: “We have already received offers but we have said that we just want to enjoy the moment for now and let the emotion die down before we decide anything.

“We will meet with Vaughan probably next week and have a chat about what’s best for the horse, whether he goes to Durban or goes to stud.”

Marshall did not send horses to Durban last year but he is going to this time. Obvious targets for One World would include the Rising Sun Gold Challenge on June 13 and the WSB Champions Cup on July 25.

But the financially prudent course of action would be to retire the horse while his reputation is sky high. If bookmakers were betting on next week’s decision that option would be odds-on as would Klawervlei as the choice of stud.  John Koster’s big Bonnievale operation bred One World and stood his sire Captain Al. It already stands two stallions by Captain Al – William Longsword, the Marshall-trained winner of the 2016 Cape Guineas, and Captain Of All who won  three Grade 1s for Dennis Drier – but seemingly this is a sire line that you can’t have too much of.

Domeyer

Aldo Domeyer has been given a ten-day suspension for causing interference to Hudoo Magic when winning the last on 4-1 favourite Fabian at Kenilworth last Saturday week. Hudoo Magic was knocked off balance, Corne Orffer was forced to check and his mount finished last.

No date has been set for the suspension. Domeyer will obviously want to be free to ride at the big Prawn Festival Cape Derby meeting on February 22 but he will also want to have the ban out of the way before he returns to Hong Kong.

Two pars to add on the betting for Kenilworth Saturday (around 3.30pm)

He was in devastating form on Sun Met day and he rides in six of the eight races at Kenilworth on Saturday. The early betting would suggest that his best chance is on the Candice Bass-Robinson newcomer Purple Cloud in the second of the two juvenile races. The grey colt heads the market at 33-10.

Met winner M.J. Byleveld has seven rides, notably Fynbos who has opened 2-1 favourite to take the Betting World Handicap for Marshall. But, as so often this season, it is Anton Marcus who punters can be expected to concentrate on. The four-time champion flies down for just three rides and all head the market. Still Tappin (Eric Sands) and Water Spirit (Brett Crawford) carry the Ridgemont colours while Al’s My Daddy is for his nephew Adam.

By Michael Clower

The future of the Klawervlei Stud-bred Sun Met winner One World will be decided after the connections have sat down and discussed it next week.

Trainer Vaughan Marshall described the win on Saturday as “very special”.

The Milnerton-based trainer’s third Met victory fell 21 years after he had won a Juvenile Plate race at this same meeting with a two-year-old colt called Captain Al and it fell 34 years to the day after his first big career win with Sea Warrior in the Grade 1 Richelieu (Cape) Guineas.

His success with Sea Warrior inadvertently helped him acquire Captain Al, who ultimately had a massive impact on his career.

Marshall has now trained two Met winners by Captain Al, Hill Fifty Four in 2014 and One World this year. (His first Met victory was in 1996 with the Lustra gelding La Fabulous).

Captain Al, born in 1996, was the result of a chance mating.

John Koster had become firm friends with “Uncle Mannie” Dos Santos, who stood his mares on the Koster Brothers’ Klawervlei farm near Bonnievale. The mares were registered in Dos Santos’s name for their first two breeding seasons and thereafter became the official property of the stud.

Hence, Koster Brothers officially owned the former Dos Dantos mare Off To War when she was sent to the sought after sire Al Mufti in 1995.

John Koster recalled, “It was impossible to get a booking to Al Mufti in those days but we made an agreement with Wayne Veitch, a syndicate shareholder in Al Mufti, whereby if the foal was a filly he would get a third of her.”

However, the resulting foal, Captain Al, was a colt so was fully owned by the Kosters and Dos Santos in partnership.

Sadly Uncle Mannie passed away before Captain Al was born.

His son Gary took over the management of his bloodstock.

On John Koster’s advice Gary decided to race Captain Al together with his late brother Anthony.

Gary consequently bought Koster brothers out of the partnership.

Gary sought a new trainer and John Koster recommended the relatively young trainer Vaughan Marshall.

Koster recalled, “Vaughan was the first trainer I became close friends with. My father had imported the stallion Complete Warrior and Vaughan trained Sea Warrior, who was from Complete Warrior’s first crop, to win the Richelieu Guineas.”

Captain Al’s dam, Off To War, was also by Complete Warrior, so, all in all, it made sense to send Captain Al to Vaughan Marshall.

Marshall was a Natal trainer at the time Sea Warrior won the Guineas at Milnerton on February 1, 1986, but later set up a satellite yard at Milnerton before moving there permanently.

Koster said about Captain Al, “He was quite dumpy as a weanling but then suddenly grew and gained a bit of scope.”

Captain Al made his debut on January 23, 1999, over 1000m at Kenilworth and Marshall was confident. He was backed into 15/10 favourite and won by 4,50 lengths under Jeff Lloyd despite jumping a patch at the 850m mark.

He consequently went off as 4/10 favourite on Met day February 6 and won by two lengths under Robbie Fradd.

Captain Al went on to win the Grade 3 Matchem Stakes over 1400m, the Grade 1 Cape Guineas, the Grade 2 Merchants over 1200m and the Grade 2 Diadem over 1200m.

Koster recalled Jeff Lloyd not being at all worried by Captain Al’s wide draw in the Cape Guineas.

“He said that draw allows you to stay out of trouble. Likewise, Hill Fifty Four won the Met from a wide draw, One World won it from a wide draw too and William Longsword won the Cape Guineas from a wide draw.”

He continued, “I thought it was a very brave ride by MJ, especially considering some believed there was a slight stamina doubt.”

He added, “The influence of Giant’s Causeway can be seen in One World. Giant’s Causeway was called the iron horse and used to love to eyeball his opposition. One World also loves a dog fight.”

One World’s British-bred dam Aquilonia is by Giant’s Causeway.

Koster said, “Anthony Stroud bought Aquilonia for Bernard Kantor to send to Count Dubois. Later when Bernard joined Klawervlei she became part of our broodmare band. Aquilonia had earlier produced a filly by Galileo who won the Krasnador Oaks and the Krasnador Derby in Russia as well as the Russian 1000 Guineas, so I believed One World would get the Met trip on pedigree.”

Early on Met day Erik The Red gave Captain Al his 99th stakes win when winning the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes.

One World’s Sun Met victory hence, most fittingly, gave the late great stallion his 100th stakes victory.

Captain Al, who was champion sire of two-year-olds many times, was SA Champion Sire in the 2014/2015 season.

Many of Marshall’s Grade 1 victories have been with progeny of Captain Al.

The great stallion’s influence will live on and Marshall has already bought two of William Longsword’s progeny at the Sales.

William Longsword is the first of Captain Al’s classic-winning sons to stand at stud and he averaged more than R400,000 at the CTS Cape Premier Yearling Sale last month with his first sales draft.

Koster referred to the statue of Captain Al which stands at Klawervlei Stud to sum up his greatness.

He said, “If you look at that statue it is his incredible balance which stands out.”

He continued, “One World looks just like his father.”

He added, “Both One World and William Longsword have heads which are almost exact replicas of Captain Al’s. All three of them have massive jowels, the sign of a man, and they are nice and broad between the eyes. They have good, strong, bold heads.”

He concluded, “One World has a particularly magnificent eye.”

Racegoers will be hoping to see One World in KZN for the SA Champions Season this winter, while breeders might be planning covers for their mares.

However, they will have to wait until next week to find out the route his career will be taking. 

By David Thiselton