Current national champion trainer Sean Tarry broke the stranglehold Geoff Woodruff had on the Gauteng Chris Gerber Summer Cup three years ago but is now dominating the race himself as he recorded his third win in succession of Johannesburg’s biggest race on Saturday and his fourth overall.

Leading apprentice Dennis Schwarz has shown himself in the past couple of seasons to have an outstanding racing mind coupled with good riding skills and he produced another ride out of the top drawer to lead from start to finish on Zillzaal, hence landing his first Grade 1 victory. 

Zillzaal had drifted off the boards to 28/1 and Tarry said, “He did what he had to do, it was a very good and very confident ride by the apprentice and it sort of went as we had planned. People have short memories as Zillzaal started favourite for the Charity Mile. But it is also hindsight for us as we had also lost confidence. However, the tell-tale sign that he wasn’t going to give his best in the Charity Mile was that he began sweating badly at the start, so something was amiss, although we are not sure what it was. His first run after gelding had been very good and on Saturday he went down very maturely and there was no sign of sweat so he once again looked like a horse who had come back from gelding. I had also said in the panel discussion that two of my previous Summer Cup winners had come in off quiet runs. I had respect for Mike de Kock’s runners in the build-up, he seemed to have the goods, but I didn’t think we were prayerless at the weights on some of the formlines and I thought we may just get a blow in. Al Mutawakel was the one I was probably most confident in based on his Victory Moon run and although at the weights the pundits were academically correct in saying he had a tough task I knew he would come on from that run. He is a big strong horse and I knew he would get close to Soqrat.”

Al Mutawakel, a relatively lightly race four-year-old who is a full-brother to the Grade 1 SA Derby winner Al Sahem, duly finished a 0,60 length third, just a neck behind runner up Soqrat. De Kock filled the fourth and fifth places with Queen Supreme and Atyaab.

Topweight Soqrat was caught wide in the running the whole way and considering he was giving all of the other placed horses 8kg he put up an outstanding performance in defeat. There is now no doubt he will stay the easier Kenilworth 2000m of the Sun Met and is sure to make his presence felt there in what is gearing up to be a race of epic proportions.

There is a current ban on normal travel down to Cape Town from Johannesburg due to a recent African Horse Sickness case within a 30km radius of Randjesfontein, but it is hoped this ban will be lifted on the tenth of this month. 

However, Tarry pointed out that only genuine weight for age horses are worth sending down to Cape Town, so he questioned whether the like of Zillzaal and Mutawakel would be worth sending down, although a final decision has not yet been made.

Both Zillzaal and A Mutawakel are by the champion sire Silvano. 

Tarry also ousted De Kock in the main supporting feature, the Grade 2 TAB/Betting World Dingaans. His Captain Of All colt Shango was jostled early and found himself near the back, but this long-striding sort stormed home under Gavin Lerena to win going away by 2,75 lengths despite odds of 36/1. De Kock’s Frosted Gold was second ahead of the filly Cockney Pride and Battle Of Alesia. The more fancied of Tarry’s two runners, Eden Roc, over raced for the second time over a mile and finished fifth. The De Kock-trained favourite Marshall, unbeaten in two previous starts, finished second last but looks the part and can’t yet be written off as an over-hyped horse. 

Tarry said, “The tell-tale sign of Shango being this class was his close second on Gold Cup day to one of the best horses of the crop (Alibi Guy). I also nominated him for the Ready To Run race (14 December Kenilworth) and he could easily have run there but he drew badly so I ran him here. He needed his comeback run quite badly and I thought he might still need this one based on his homework. But the pace was on and it suited him.”

Tarry said he might nominate him for the Grade 1 Cape Guineas but is not sure yet. He reckoned Shango would definitely stay further and said he could well be a Triple Crown prospect.

Tarry also won the Grade 2 New Turf Carriers Merchants over 1160m with the five-year-old Oratorio gelding Mardi Gras, who was having his first run for him. The grey returned from a 189 day layoff but looked a picture in the preliminaries and off a merit rating of 116 he won easily by 2,25 lengths under Lerena from his big stable companion Warrior’s Rest.

Tarry said his rating might now put him in the bracket of a weight for age horse but he questioned whether he was a five furlong horse so travelling to Cape Town for the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship was still up in the air. 

By David Thiselton

Hawwaam has been installed 18-10 favourite by the sponsors to beat dual Vodacom Durban July winner Do It Again and Sun Met hero Rainbow Bridge in the World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday week.

Do It Again is 3-1 second favourite and Rainbow Bridge next on 9-2 in this clash of the titans. One World (15-2) and his Winter Classic conqueror Vardy (9-1) are the only others of the 12-strong entry in single figures.

The betting on the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas on the same card is rather more open with the Glen Kotzen Western Cape Fillies Championship winner Third Runway heading the market at 5-1, one point shorter than Pretty Young Thing who was beaten a length and three-quarters from a bad draw that day. Kelpie, like Pretty Young Thing trained by Brett Crawford for Ridgemont, is also on 6-1 with the Sean Tarry-trained Sidonie a 7-1 chance and the Candice Bass-Robinson runner Roll In The Hay on 17-2.

By Michael Clower

Aldo Domeyer, forced to cry off his rides at Kenilworth last Wednesday, will also miss this Wednesday’s Cape Town meeting after managing just two rides there on Saturday.

He was second on both of them and, after seeing the racecourse doctor, he explained: “I am strained. I had a physio session on Friday and I thought that would put me right but when I woke up this morning the problem was back to what it was. I then thought that riding would make me OK but it hasn’t.

“I won’t be riding this Wednesday because I want to get myself right for the Cape season. I also need to find the right medication – my body is reacting to what I am taking at the moment.”

Piet Botha is aiming Captain’s Flo at the Listed race on Sun Met day after his R30 000 buy convincingly accounted for odds-on shot Thomas Henry in the first two-year-old race of the Cape season.

He said: “I knew she would run well – she is so forward and has been for quite a while. I have eight other babies, including some nice ones, but this is the only forward one amongst them.”

If Phumelela was able to bottle and sell the enthusiasm of owners like David Curran it wouldn’t have to worry about financial results while trainers and bloodstock agents would have customers queuing up.

“I am as nervous as hell when any of mine run but I can’t explain how exciting it is to have a winner,” said the Cape Town owner despite – or perhaps because of – having owned horses for a quarter of a century. And it’s not because his money is down. “I never have a cent on any of mine. I only gamble on other people’s horses which I know sounds ridiculous.”

Curran’s nerve ends were visibly tingling, and his face went from white to red, as he and Mike Stewart shouted home Richard Fourie and 12-1 shot Icon Princess in the Snaith Racing Handicap.

Ever wonder why so few Cape horses run in the Emperors Palace Ready To Run? Justin Snaith gave the answer after the Fourie-ridden Hurricane Harry made much of the running in Nic Jonsson’s colours in the Freemanstallions Handicap. “It’s such a trip up there with the altitude and then it’s three months recovery. It’s just not worth it,” he said. “Now this horse can have the whole Durban season.”

Snaith was also on the mark with the Robert Khathi- ridden Fleeced in the last and, ironically, this 6-1 chance missed her engagement in the CTS Ready To Run by ripping off a sizeable piece of skin as she was about to get into the float. She has now won three out of six for Veronica Foulkes.

Flame Tree will take her chance in Saturday week’s WSB Cape Fillies Guineas after justifying 5-4 favouritism under Corne Orffer in the Pamela Isdell Handicap – Craig Carey: “It might be a bit sharp for her but you only get a run in that race once in a lifetime.”

Ridgemont were also on the mark with the Sean Veale-ridden Silver Plains in the Vaughan Marshall Racing Maiden despite the gelding’s seven-month absence. “He had a wind op before he started racing and earlier this year he had chips in his joints,” explained Eric Sands.

According to Glen Kotzen the Dillon-partnered Celtic Voyager was the 80^th success for Green Street Bloodstock while the way Caribbean Sunset increased her advantage in the final furlong of the Wilgerbosdrift Stud Maiden suggested she has improved. However Paddy Kruyer believes appearances could be deceptive and reasoned: “I think her previous races were stronger but, that said, the difference this time was also that she relaxed in front.”

By Michael Clower

There is no rainfall predicted for tomorrow’s big meeting at Turffontein and in likely perfect racing conditions punters can look forward to an exciting day of top class racing.

Mike de Kock can land his tenth Gauteng Summer Cup which is raced this year in honour of the popular late owner and breeder Chris Gerber.

De Kock’s charge Soqrat can be switched on and off and will likely find a satisfactory position in the running under Anton Marcus. His task of carrying topweight is made easier by the fact that half of the twenty runners are officially under sufferance and his class can pull him through.

His stablemate Barahin won easily with second time blinkers on last time in the Charity Mile and he should appreciate the step up in trip. He has a fair draw of eight. Divine Odyssey has enjoyed a fine preparation and this long-striding sort will relish the course and distance.

Marchingontogether has class and has improved with gelding. He has been prepared for this race and will relish the course and distance. Roy Had Enough will also be cherry ripe over an ideal course and distance.

Cascapedia went close last year and is now effectively two points lower in the merit ratings.

Al Mutakawel has unlikely showed his best yet, so with a light weight and a good draw he must be respected.

The progressive Queen Supreme could be anything, so is a must include.

The best bet on the card is chosen as True To Life in the first leg of the Pick 6, the Grade 3 Magnolia Handicap over 1160m. She has always had class and showed exceptional natural speed last time over 1200m before fending off the challenge of the well regarded colt Ikigai to whom she gave half-a-kilogram. She is drawn on the right side and looks likely to rise above her current merit rating of 107.

The Grade 2 Betting World Dingaans over 1600m has a potential PA banker in the impressive Frosted Gold. This powerful grey is bred to go this trip and he certainly has a winning attitude. Promiseofamaster is a different type, being rangy, but is equally magnificent and he will be attempting to mow them down late. Astrix also has class and must be included in all bets.

The second leg of the Pick 6 is the Grade 2 Merchants. Gimme A Wave is full of ability and sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight, but he does tend to over race unless striding freely so he can’t be a banker. Warrior’s Rest is huge and admirable as he is tough to overtake once in the front or handy and he proved last time he is effective over sprints. Prince Of Kahal goes for five in a row. The classy Van Halen runs well fresh. William The Silent just failed after a year’s long rest last time, although the ground will not be as forgiving this time. Mardi Gras, who returns from a 189 day layoff, has speed and class and is drawn on the right side.

The penultimate leg of the Pick 6 is the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Stakes. Mill Queen won the Starling Stakes despite an interrupted preparation and this big-hearted filly can continue to progress. In The Dance has a fine turn of foot and the often under-estimated Roy’s Riviera will relish the course and distance. Vistula, Ronnie’s Candy and Wisteria Walk have to be included too. In the Listed RA Handicap Ali Bon Dubai is the one to beat from pole position if reproducing his Gold Cup run, but Noble Secret, Factor Fifty, Flichity by Farr, Bindiblu and Tirzan also have to be included. 

By David Thiselton

Thomas Henry should be the answer to the Interbet Maiden Juvenile, the first two-year-old race of the Cape season, at Kenilworth tomorrow – and not just because he cost more than all the other runners put together.

Glen Kotzen bought the half-brother to Dutch Philip for Hugo Hattingh for R580 000 at the CTS Cape Premier Sale and won this race with Gold Image three years ago.

The Woodhill trainer has his horses in fine form and he said yesterday that Thomas Henry is a speedy sort, adding: “He is a nice sensible colt – he will jump out and do what he has to do – but he hasn’t been tried to win first time out or anything like that. I galloped him with a maiden and he went the better. I will be disappointed if he doesn’t run well and I hope he wins.”

Justin Snaith, successful with The Black Rose in 2011 and with Var Ahead four years ago, has supplied the favourite in each of the last four seasons. Stuck On You, who cost R100 000 at the National Yearling Sale, was 22-10 second favourite yesterday morning with Thomas Henry heading the market at 12-10.

The dual champion trainer said: “She is a speedy sort by What A Winter and I am expecting a good run. But she has only been on the grass once and, if there is a hottie in the race, maybe you should go with that.”

Lady Catherine is third favourite after being backed from 6-1 to 9-2. She cost R100 000 at the Cape Premier and, like 8-1 stable companion Star Captain (also bought for R100 000 but at the Cape Yearling Sale), is by Captain Of All.

Greg Ennion said: “Lady Catherine is a lovely big filly who has got a lot of pace. She shows enough to be competitive and would be the quicker of my two. Star Captain might want a little bit further.”

Glen Puller won this race with Harlem Shake five years ago and is two-handed with 12-1 shot Legitimise and 15-1 outsider Broken Promises. They were bought for R40 000 and R35 000 at the Cape Yearling Sale.

Assistant trainer Riaan van Reenen said: “They are both forward, full of potential and are well prepared but they are not really 900m horses and so there are no great expectations.”

Piet Botha, on the mark with Warrior Tiger here on Wednesday, is expecting a good run from R30 000 Cape Yearling Sale purchase Captain’s Flo, yet another by Captain Of All. She is an 11-1 shot.

Botha said: “I haven’t galloped her but she has got quite a bit of pace. I think she will be a sprinter and I expect her to run well.”

Aldo Domeyer, who rides Thomas Henry, can complete a quick double on Diva’s Express in the Wilgerbosdrift Stud Maiden while Kotzen’s Imperial Rage (5-2) may get the better of 13-10 favourite Flowerscape in the Vaughan Marshall Racing Maiden 35 minutes later.

By Michael Clower