Dancing Feather was caught one-paced when not able to catch pacemaker Liquid Irish over the Hollywoodbets Greyville 1400m turf early last month where she started 7-10 favourite.

Gavin van Zyl sends her back over a mile, probably a more suitable trip, at the same venue this evening, although racing takes place on the poly.

Dancing Feather has a pedigree that suggests that anything short of a mile would be a test and her record – although only spanning four races – would suggest that. Both defeats have come over 1400m and she does boast a comfortable maiden victory over tonight’s course and distance.

Dancing Feather, 18-10 in early betting, could well be a contender for the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 come South Africa’s Champion Season, but she will first have to past today’s test.

Warren Kennedy is charging hard for the national title and although his loyalty is to the Van Zyl yard where he is first call, he is unlikely to be held to stable obligations should he find a stronger ride.

Kennedy will know what he is up against as he partnered second favourite Electric Surge to a narrow loss to the progressive Mary O and Robbie and Shannon Hill have picked up the services of Anton Marcus on a filly that has hardly put a foot wrong in six outings. She shed her maiden over course and distance three runs back and has shown up strongly in handicap company so it could be a close call.

Marcus and the Hill’s team up in the first with Quant Master that was narrowly beaten last time out back over what, at this stage, looks to be his optimum trip. Just how he fares could rest with just how far along Chief Officer is in his preparation for this race. Alyson Wright’s charge returns from an eight-month break but did show that he is a horse with some potential, taking on African Warrior at his last start. Early exchanges have Quant Master even money favourite with Chief Officer 3-1.

Apprentice Denis Schwarz has been well schooled by Gary and Dean Alexander who took him under their wing early in his career and it has paid dividends for the 22-year-old who recorded his first Gr1 victory in last Saturday’s Gr1 Summer Cup, making all the running.

Visiting trainer Clinton Binda teams up with the Cup winning apprentice with Kings Road in the second. Starting at lengthy odds on debut, Kings Road caught the eye with a close-up finish and is currently joint 28-10 favourite with Pafuri, that made sudden improvement first up in KZN. Maldives, blinkered and tongue-tie for the first time, could prove another threat.

Mount Anderson (12-10) and Bold Phoenix (2-1) dominate the betting for the third with the balance 9-1 and better. Dean Kannemeyer’s runner made good improvement on his debut effort and looks a worthy favourite after finishing in front of Bold Phoenix last time out. However, Bold Phoenix has more experience and the synthetic surface could suit after being ‘run over’ in two starts in soft going on the turf.

In the fourth, Lundy’s Lad gives Kannemeyer a strong chance of a quick double although the lightly raced Master Of Destiny could extend his rival’s run of second places to four.

By Andrew Harrison

Hawwaam, the early favourite, will need to prove himself better than his current rating if he is to beat last season’s winner Rainbow Bridge and dual Vodacom Durban July hero Do It Again in the Sun Met.

The triple Grade 1 winner is rated 131 compared with Do It Again’s 136 and the 134 of Rainbow Bridge. Indeed even the favourite’s stable companion Soqrat is rated higher – on 133.

These four stars head the 25 who were yesterday nominated for the first February Met since the Vaughan Marshall-trained Hill Fifty Four came home at 15-1 under Hawwaam’s regular partner Anton Marcus in 2014. There were 29 nominated at the corresponding first entry stage last season while there 31 for the 2018 race (the first year that it was run on pure weight-for-age terms) and 27 the year before.

Mike de Kock, who will be bidding for his fourth Met, has confined himself to just two entries as has Brett Crawford, the only other current trainer to have won the great race three times. The Crawford pair are last season’s fourth Undercover Agent and Charles.

Andre Nel has the biggest entry with five headed by Head Honcho who ran such a great race to take third last term. Sean Tarry, successful with 50-1 shot Alastor in 2005, is the only trainer to enter three-year-olds this time (Shango, Putontheredlight and On My Mind) and Candice Bass-Robinson is the only other trainer with more than two entries – Majestic Mozart, More Magic and Sovereign Spirit.

Although the conditions remain essentially the same as last year – there will be a slight difference in the relative weights of the three and four-year-olds because the weight-for-age scale changes from January to February –  the race’s financial complexion has altered dramatically.

While the total stake comes down from R5 million to R3 million, with the winner’s share dropping from R 2 850 000 to R 1 710 000, the pre-VAT cost of the initial entry has gone up from R 5 000 to R6 000. However it costs much less to supplement – R9 900 on December 17 as against R16 492 last year and R19 800 on January 13 compared with R32 984.

Entries Sun Met (Grade 1) 2 000m  Kenilworth  1 February 2020

0	Bunker Hunt	Justin Snaith	120
0	Capoeira	Andre Nel	115
0	Charles	Brett Crawford	113
0	Do It Again	Justin Snaith	136
0	Eyes Wide Open	Glen Kotzen	119
0	Hawwaam	Mike de Kock	131
0	Head Honcho	Andre Nel	129
0	Kampala Campari	Andre Nel	119
0	Majestic Mozart	Candice Bass-Robinson	107
0	More Magic	Candice Bass-Robinson	99
0	On My Mind	Sean Tarry	89
0	One World	Vaughan Marshall	127
0	Putontheredlight	Sean Tarry	110
0	Rainbow Bridge	Eric Sands	134
0	Roy Had Enough (AUS)	Frank Robinson	115
0	Run Red	Andre Nel	104
0	Shango	Sean Tarry	120
0	Soqrat (AUS)	Mike de Kock	133
0	Sovereign Spirit	Candice Bass-Robinson	95
0	Tap O’ Noth	Vaughan Marshall	119
0	The Sultans Bazaar	Dean Kannemeyer	100
0	Twist Of Fate	Adam Marcus	127
0	Undercover Agent	Brett Crawford	130
0	Vardy	Adam Marcus	128
0	Vikram	Andre Nel	100

By Michael Clower

Reigning Equus Horse Of The Year Do It Again had a “nice easy” gallop on his own at Kenilworth yesterday ahead of his seasonal reappearance in the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes over 1600m on December 14.

His eagerly anticipated campaign will include the defence of his L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate crown and a chance to make amends for his Sun Met defeat and it will culminate in an attempt to win the country’s premier race, the Vodacom Durban July, for a history-making third time in succession.

Trainer Justin Snaith said, “I’m sure he will pull up well from the gallop and will be ready for a nice start to the season. There have been very few races for him so this is still a preparation race and he will come on quite a lot for it. The July is going to be major this year as it will be all changing but it a long way away and we are not even thinking about it yet, the concentration is completely on winning the Queen’s Plate and the Met.”

A mile was considered to be on the sharp side for Do It Again at this time last year but in the Green Point he went within a whisker of becoming the first horse to ever defeat Legal Eagle over that trip, finishing a head third with Undercover Agent splitting the pair in a famous blanket finish which saw fourth-placed Rainbow Bridge beaten only a neck.

However, Do It Again later proved himself the country’s best miler by winning both the Grade 1 weight for age (wfa) L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Grade 1 wfa Rising Sun Gold Challenge.

Snaith said a lot more thought had been put into the Cape Summer Season this year as there were some Cape representatives on the programming panel. He is very happy with the season’s layout.

There is four weeks between the Green Point and the Queen’s Plate and three weeks between the latter race and the Met. However, in the best change to of all the Grade 1 Cape Derby has been moved out to February 22, meaning three-year-old classic horses have the option of the Grade 1 Cape Guineas on December 21, the R500,000 CTS 1600 or the Grade 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m on Sun Met day and then the Cape Derby. 

Snaith has an exciting string of three-year-old Derby prospects and mentioned Sachdev, Captain Tatters, Bayberry, Silver Host and Double The Fun as being among them. For the Guineas he mentioned the first two of that list and added Wild Coast, who is Beach Beauty’s first foal to race. 

Snaith said he was a bit thin on the classic fillies side at present but believed one or two would “come alive” in time for the SA Champions Season.  

He lamented the lack of preparation opportunities for his top older horses with a good example being Equus Champion Sprinter Kasimir, who was going to have to wait until Queen’s Plate day to get a run. 

By David Thiselton

The Equine Group have announced that long serving director, Gary Grant will be withdrawing from Group with effect from the end of the financial year in February 2020.

Grant quipped “I’ve been doing this for twenty six years, had a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding time and met so many good people, with many clients and fellow staff members having become great friends too.  It is time for change though, I’m going to kick back and spend some time with my children and then I have a few business opportunities that I plan to investigate next year.”

Grant’s withdrawal from The Equine Group, also coincides with his withdrawal from Bloodstock South Africa.

Chris Haynes of The Equine Group and Bloodstock South Africa said “I am sad to see Gary leave after all these years.  He is a good friend and has been an amazing business partner. I thank him for his contribution, and I wish him well in his future endeavours. This has been in the offing for a while, accordingly for both The Equine Group and Bloodstock South Africa, it will be business as usual.”

The Turffontein Standside track eight race meeting tomorrow has a ready-made banker as Hawwaam shouldn’t raise a sweat winning the fifth race, a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1600m.

This will be the superstar’s last preparation race before the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and Sun Met and with Anton Marcus aboard he should doddle it, being 4kg better off with the second best weighted horse Hero’s Honour. Tierra Del Fuego goes in off a hattrick and this progressive sort looks to be the biggest danger. Lake Kinnaret was well beaten by Tierra Del Fuego in yielding going over 1400m but he had a shoe attended to at the start and it was likely not his race. He has the ability to be runner up here too over a suitable trip, although the forecast rain might suit Tierra Del Fuego better. 

The best bet on the card looks to be Spanish Boy in the eighth race over 1160m. He lost a lot of ground at the start on debut over 1200m but stormed home to win by half-a-length full of running. Last time out he faced a classy field over 1450m and was well beaten but he will appreciate the step back to this trip and looks to be leniently merit rated on 82, if the ten point across the board raise in August is taken into account. Winter Twilight could represent good place value in this race as this long-striding sort showed improvement last time out and on the formlines of that race he comes out well against a number of the other contestants here. He also has a high draw which appears to be an advantage presently. The Sands also has a nice high draw and on his day this Visionaire gelding could earn.

The first leg of the PA is an 800m contest for juveniles. The Johan Janse van Vuuren pair Galactico and Emerald Floe make appeal in that order. The former is speedily and precociously bred being by Kingsbarns, a Group 1 winner as a two-year-old, out of Solskjaer mare Winter Star, who was twice an impressive winner as a two-year-old in sprints and later won the Ready To Run Cup. Emerald Floe is by Oratorio out of Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Emerald Beauty, who has produced a number of multiple winners. Ashley Fortune’s Tsitsikamma Girl is speedily bred being by champion sprinter Captain Of All out of Var mare Maties Wildekat, who won on debut over 1000m at Kenilworth in the October of her three-year-old year and she was later runner up in a Listed race over 1000m at Fairview.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Tilmeeth is still immature so has plenty of scope for improvement and after running on well over 1400m last time out for second he should relish this step up in trip. Anton Marcus rides. Tobefair has run well in his last two races over this trip, including when leading last time. He is well drawn so could lead again and as one who really digs his toe in he will appreciate rain softened ground. Banha Ridge has run two fair races and from a good draw with Gavin Lerena up he is also worth including.

In the second leg of the Pick 6 Nimitz, a Captain Al gelding who is a half-brother to Soft Falling Rain, could beat an uninspiring field. He is nowhere near as good as his half-brother but is well drawn with Anton Marcus up and should be running on as usual. General Jackson has not made the frame in two starts but faced fair sorts and he could earn. Lynty’s Legacy has also shown enough ability to be able to win this race.

The sixth race over 1400m is a tricky handicap and could be an exotics stumbling block. Private Ruler is the selection as one who has won over course and distance and is capable of a strong finish. Lasair showed signs of improvement last time and is interesting with cheekpieces on over a shorter trip. Movie Magic is distance suited and has eyecatching form but he has a wide draw to overcome. Prix Eclips has shown glimpses of ability but he is 1kg under sufferance here. Street Flyer is an eight-year-old but is still competitive.

In the seventh over 1160m State Trooper make plenty of appeal. He has a win and a third over this course and distance and has proved to be competitively handicapped at present. Purple Diamond is enigmatic but has been quite consistent lately and he certainly has the ability to win over this course and distance. Old Man Tyme is 1,5kg better off with State Trooper for a 1,75 length beating and last time over 1450m he ran well with first-time blinkers on, so they could make all the difference here and he has Piere Strydom aboard.   

By David Thiselton