Hawwaam looks like starting one of the shortest priced favourites for Saturday’s Premier Trophy since subsequent Met winner Angus came home in front at 4-10 in 2003 – and he might even go off shorter than that. The latest Mike de Kock star is quoted at 1-3 with some bookmakers and Matthew de Kock reported yesterday that all went smoothly with the four-year-old’s introduction to the left-handed Kenilworth course.

The triple Group 1 winner worked over 1 200m with a companion and took to it “100 per cent.” De Kock jnr added: “This (the Premier) wasn’t part of our plans but, considering the hand we have been dealt, things have gone well so far.”

Rider Anton Marcus won this race on Pick Six for Charles Laird in 2007 and the ex-Joey Ramsden-trained Twist Of Fate has his first run for Marcus’s in-form nephew Adam. Craig Zackey’s mount is 8-1 third favourite with the Glen Kotzen-trained Eyes Wide Open (Morne Winnaar) a fraction shorter at 15-2.

Cape Classic winner Silver Operator (Vaughan Marshall-Anton Marcus) is as short as 28-10 for the Cape Guineas despite being drawn 14. African Warrior and Justin Snaith’s Concorde runner-up Sachdev are next on 13-2, Snaith’s Cape Classic second Captain Tatters on 15-2 with Eden Roc heading the Sean Tarry four on 10-1. A little surprisingly the Brett Crawford-trained King Of Gems, who beat Sachdev a neck in the Concorde, is as big as 16-1.

Ready To Win

Want to win the CTS Ready To Run and its big stake? Maybe you should ask the sales boss for advice on which horses to buy.  Wehann Smith backs his firm’s sale with his own money and his record is truly remarkable.

In addition to being part-owner of last Saturday’s winner Pure State, he also had a significant stake in the 2016 winner Safe Harbour and a share in Majestic Mozart who was second last year.

“I buy a few out of this sale every year,” he says, “and after the 2018 sale I went to Chris van Niekerk and asked him if I could buy a leg in Pure State. I own 25%.”

A False Start

Some punters have questioned the wisdom of calling a false start when a horse begins to rear as the starter presses the button, as happened in race two at Kenilworth last Saturday. A couple of the other horses were upset about being asked to load a second time and the eventual start – at least ten minutes after the first one – was a lot more ragged than the original one. The aggrieved punters maintained that it was a clear case of the transgressor benefitting and the innocent suffering – and that those who had their money on well-behaved horses lost out through no fault of theirs or of the horses they backed.

Senior stipendiary steward Ernie Rodrigues said: “There are no specific guidelines on this except the aim is that every horse should get a fair start. The decision lies with the starter and he has only a split second to decide whether or not to call a false start.

“Basically it’s a no-win situation and in some overseas countries the practice is to let them go (in similar situations) because they take the view that, if a horse’s bad behaviour was responsible for him being slowly away, he should not benefit.”

Perhaps consideration should be given to adopting this practice in South Africa.

By Michael Clower

With 28 runners in the line-up, the WSB Grand Heritage very much represents the charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava in the 1854 Crimean War, sans the cannons and bullets.

That said, the jockeys will be out to dodge any bullets in the run down the Vaal 1475m straight and it will be every man for himself come the final 400m.

Sean Tarry has eight runners in the race, 10 if you add the reserves, but his best bet of a victory could come with Social Order. Tarry has an enviable record in feature events and always has long-term plans for his runners. Social Order put in a cracking effort behind stable companion Tierra Del Fuego in a strong Pinnacle Stakes last time out and although he carries joint top weight, he has earned it.

Glen Kotzen saddles the mare Elusive Heart who has shown that she was not far off the best of her generation last season. There is not much of that stature in tomorrow’s contest although this is a handicap with a big field to boot.

She put in a tremendous effort first crack out of the box this term when second to accomplished sprinter Sunset Eyes in receipt of only 4kg. She has shown that she is effective up to a mile so if Stuart Randolph can track the pace and find a clear run to the line, she must be a big runner.

Another KZN raider is Desolate Road and Tony Rivalland has his gelding primed for this. Desolate Road made steady progress into his recent victory where he made most of the running to hold off The Master. He has drawn on the extreme outside of the field giving Mark Khan a box-seat view of the runners on his inside.

Both KZN runners are among the 33-1 supposed no-hopers.

Paul Peter and Warren Kennedy could team up with the stable cat and win this and Riverstown is the early favourite, although 6-1 odds in this line-up look decidedly skinny. Lightly raced, he has not finished out of the money in four starts. He was doing his best work late when beaten by Ikigai in a Graduation Plate last time out but not far behind him that day was Russian Beat who was giving him 2kg. They meet at level weights here and Russian Beat is double the odds.

Runners from the De Kock yard can never be discounted and Fired Up, second call at 7-1, will be looking to build on his last two wins but given recent trends, his inside draw, two off the paint, could prove a disadvantage with jockeys generally heading for the outside going at recent meetings.

By Andrew Harrison

Umkhomazi Stakes winner African Warrior heads the 16 declared for the Cape Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday – and Dean Kannmeyer is convinced that Keagan de Melo’s mount is fully recovered from the muscle problem that was found to be responsible for his flop when starting favourite in last month’s Concorde Cup.

Kannemeyer, who will be bidding for his sixth success in this Kenilworth classic, said yesterday: “He tweaked a muscle in his hindquarters and as a result he was slightly short behind but, after two or three sessions with the physio, he was 100% again. It never set him back in his fitness – he was only off for about five days – and he is back in tiptop shape. He had a good workout on the cinders on Monday and he is ready for his race on Saturday.”

African Warrior is the highest rated horse in the race but the one slight doubt the trainer has is whether he will get the trip. “On pedigree (by Vercingetorix out of a Jet Master mare) there is no reason why he shouldn’t but whether he will really get a genuine mile is a question mark at the back of my mind. He has a hell of a turn of foot.”

The gelding’s chance has been boosted by Sean Tarry’s decision not to run Dingaans winner Shango (the original favourite) and by Mike de Kock not declaring Frosted Gold who won the Graham Beck Stakes. De Kock has won the Cape Guineas five times but he will have no runner in Saturday’s race.

However Tarry, who has yet to win it, runs four headed by Durban Golden Horseshoe winner Eden Roc (Gavin Lerena) and including last Saturday’s CTS Ready To Run winner Pure State who has been raised 17 points for that valuable win. He will be ridden by jockey-of-the-moment Craig Zackey.

Brett Crawford, successful with Elusive Gold six years ago, has declared three including Concorde Cup winner King Of Gems (Aldo Domeyer) plus the two reserves. Justin Snaith, who won with Solo Traveller in 2010, also has three starters with Richard Fourie opting for Sachdev and Bernard Fayd’Herbe, hoping for Guineas victory number four, on Wild Coast.

Vaughan Marshall, whose five wins include two of the last three runnings, is represented by both Cape Classic winner Silver Operator (Anton Marcus) and Cane Lime ‘n Soda (M.J. Byleveld).

Glen Kotzen put Green Point fourth Pack Leader into the Sun Met at yesterday’s R9 900 (plus VAT) supplementary entry stage while Snaith has already declared Do It Again (Fourie) and Bunker Hunt (Fayd’Herbe) for the February 1 showpiece

Pack Leader was one of the few Green Point runners whose rating has been changed by the handicappers. He went up two points to 116, Undercover Agent (fifth) was dropped three points to 127 while Head Honcho (seventh) came down by the same amount to 126. The winner Vardy was left unchanged on 128. Stable companion Missisippi Burning was raised 19 to a new mark of 116 for her triumph in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas.

By Michael Clower

The Dennis Drier-trained Croisette, who made such a big impression when winning on debut, may be good enough to defy the first-time-out-of-the-maidens bogey in the 1 000m handicap at Kenilworth today.

She may not have beaten much on Guy Fawkes day – to many in racing better known as Lester Piggott’s birthday – but she won like a good horse, coming away in the final two furlongs to win in a canter.

“I rate her highly, I think she is very special and very classy,” enthused Sean Veale while Drier, never a man to confuse his geese for swans, added: “I think she could be something special.”

The handicappers have put this well bred filly – by Var, she is a half-sister to the SA Fillies Classic and SA Oaks winner Juxtapose – on a mark of 86, maybe a fraction higher than warranted by the bare form but not unreasonable considering the way she won.

Queen’s Club, for instance, was introduced to handicap company on a rating of 88 while Mon Cherie was rated 82 after winning her maiden. That said, My Wicked Ways and Yucatan were both put in on 76.

The bookmakers are taking no chances and have cut the selection from 12-10 to 17-20 but they are shrewd judges of form – they wouldn’t last long if they weren’t – and they also listen to the post-race comments.

Queen’s Club (6-1) and My Wicked Ways (7-1) look the main dangers. The former has top weight and started favourite last time but was seriously interfered with while the Glen Kotzen filly has gone up a hefty eight points for last time’s 30-1 shock success.

Cape Town two-year-old races have been difficult to call so far this season and it’s worth noting that Richard Fourie rode Stuck On You last time and now switches to newcomer Erik The Red in the first. However Pray For Rain has been backed from 3-1 to 17-10 and the Drier colt gets the vote.

Over The Way (3-1) has some strong form claims in the 1 400m maiden 35 minutes later but, as  she has already run 23 times without success, logic suggests we look elsewhere. Springisintheair (2-1) is a tentative choice to beat 22-10 second favourite The Vow and the reason for not going stronger is because she is drawn widest of all.

A handicap for maidens is something of a rarity. Peter Paul Rubens is favourite at 13-10 for race three and gets the vote to confirm last time’s placings with stable companion. Brooklyn’s Choice. The selection finished two lengths in front of Brooklyn’s Choice that day and is half a kilo better. Not surprisingly Fourie switches to him.

By Michael Clower

Vardy’s Sun Met price has been slashed from 16-1 to 5-1 third favourite in the wake of last Saturday’s World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes victory. Hawwaam still heads the market at 17-10 but Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge have eased to 4-1 and 13-2.

But, while there is no denying Vardy’s claims, there was so much bumping and barging that the Green Point would not have been out of place at the rugby stadium down the road at Newlands and in the weighing room afterwards there were more hard luck stories than in the bankruptcy courts.

Some of the trainers were particularly aggrieved at seeing weeks of carefully planned preparation sacrificed on an altar of interference. “It was a rough race, not what we wanted at all,” said Justin Snaith. “Do It Again was bumped round the turn and it bothered him so much that he didn’t want to run on and then he was checked again.”

Brett Crawford added: “Undercover Agent suffered bad interference at the 1 000m mark and was nearly put over the fence.”

The jockeys, too, were complaining – “The winner ran right across me,” said Gavin Lerena who was squeezed so badly when Vardy hung in that he had to stop riding Rainbow Bridge for several strides. Had he finished second rather than third he might well have had grounds for an objection. His mount came back with an abrasion behind his left fore fetlock

The all-seeing replays in the boardroom showed Rainbow Bridge pulling hard early and Lerena tucking him in to get cover, causing Richard Fourie to ride Do It Again to hold his position. Undercover Agent, on the rails, also suffered. The stipes are to hold a further inquiry into this part of the race.

Vardy, when mounting his challenge, hung in badly just as he had done earlier in the year but this time the stipes were satisfied that Craig Zackey had done all he reasonably could to keep his mount on a straight course. However Adam Marcus was advised to “ensure that this horse does not behave similarly in future.” Easier said than done.

Marcus was convinced that the winner was nowhere near ready – and presumably his printed comments had a lot to do with the Var gelding drifting from 4-1 to 7-1. “To cruise past July, Queen’s Plate and Met winners was unbelievable,” he said. “The last two of those races are now the target but our over-riding priority is to ensure that he remains sound.”

The priorities for Mario Ferreira’s Missisippi Burning have yet to be decided. “She is very small and the way she won was incredible but we will now sit down and look at the programme,” said Marcus after the Rathmor-bred Captain Al filly had given the 30-year-old his first Grade 1 in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas.

Zackey shone, securing a beautiful run mostly up the rails to hit the front 150m out on the 22-1 shot. However 2-1 favourite Kelpie managed only sixth and seemingly we over-estimated her ability. “Look at her rating (99) and bear in mind that is equivalent to the old 89,” said Anton Marcus. “I was happy with the run but she is very progressive and she will be better in time.”

Eric Sands’ view that Driving Miss Daisy and Larentina were unlucky in the Western Cape Fillies was borne out by them finishing second and fourth with Third Runway (winner of that race) third. There should be another day for all three.

Sean Tarry has six in Saturday’s Cape Guineas including Pure State who beat main home hope Rio Querari half a length in the CTS Ready To Run, fourth-placed Rock The Globe and Invisible (fifth).

The champion trainer, winning the race in Chris van Niekerk’s colours for the third time in four years, said: “It’s not my style to run horses in races only a week apart but they are in Cape Town and I’m certainly going to run one or two. I will see how they pull up.”

Piere Strydom, who made much of the running on the 16-1 winner, said that he needed to “fill up the bank account after all the meetings we’ve lost in Jo’burg.” Nine per cent of R1.25 million should help.

Run Fox Run, who impressively extended her unbeaten stretch to five in the WSB Southern Cross, seems likely to go straight for the Cape Flying Championship rather than take in the Cartier Sceptre three weeks earlier.

Brett Crawford said: “I have put a lot of thought into this. The Sceptre is only a Group 2 and she doesn’t need a race in between. Also it doesn’t make a lot of sense to go up to 1 200m and then come back to 1 000m. I will discuss it with the owners.”

Fellow Ridgemont star Front And Centre, who readily won the Pinnacle, goes for the Paddock Stakes and the Majorca. Seemingly her Durban form was all wrong – “She got into the habit of hanging there and it cost her the Woolavington while In the Garden Province she never raised a gallop,” said Crawford.

Winter Derby winner Dharma, who just held Crome Yellow in the Cape Summer Stayers despite Anthony Andrews’ slipping saddle, is being aimed at the Western Cape Stayers on Met day. Owned and bred by the jockey’s parents, the four-year-old is trained on behalf of her father by Lucinda Woodruff who is the girlfriend of Adam Marcus. Seemingly a match made, if not in heaven, at least in Milnerton!

By Michael Clower