One World and Front And Centre stole the headlines at Durbanville last Saturday but another horse who can be taken out of the meeting with equal optimism by punters is the the three-year-old African Warrior.

The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Vercingetorix gelding was facing the like of Undercover Agent, in the Grade 3 Matchem Stakes over 1400m, on 8kg worse terms than he would have in a handicap and was unlucky to not get closer than his 2,25 length fifth.

He was the only three-year-old in the field and was dropped out to last by Keagan de Melo from a wide draw.

De Melo elected to go down the inside rail in the straight.

African Warrior once again displayed his devastating turn of foot but had to weave out and in to get around the struggling Bishops Bounty.

It is an ultra tough race for a young three-year-old and to have suffered the traffic problems and still get within 0,60 lengths of the former Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and Grade 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes-winner Undercover Agent was a fine feat.

Kannemeyer chose a conservative route with African Warrior last season after he had won the Grade 3 Godolphin Barb over 1100m and finished an unlucky fifth in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion.

He avoided both the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m and the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m in favour of the KZN Yearling Sales Million and the Grade 2 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m respectively. He won both of the latter races to be named KZN Champion three-year-old colt.

Kannemeyer has an enviable record in the Cape Summer Season classics and this horse looks up to bringing him more silverware.

He is quite temperamental but this is not apparent during a race as he relaxes beautifully in the running and it appears he can be switched on and off easily. This and the fine turn of foot he possesses are two normal credentials of top racehorses.

He will likely go for the Grade 3 Cape Classic over 1400m next before facing the country’s best three-year-olds in the Grade 1 Cape Guineas.

By David Thiselton

Front And Centre, who made a winning return in last Saturday’s Diana Stakes, has a Paddock-Majorca Stakes double as her ultimate target this season.

Brett Crawford, in fine form with three winners yesterday, said: “It’s a question of picking the right races for her before then. We will sit down and work it out.”

Stable companion Bwana has opened 5-1 joint favourite with the Greg Ennion-trained Elusive Trader for the Tellytrack.com Pinnacle Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday.

Green Jacket, trained by the in-form Justin Snaith, is next in the market at 11-2.

Snaith was at the country course yesterday to upset hot favourites in the first two races and, despite being on crutches, nipped up and down the staircase a good deal quicker than most people manage – “Certainly I can still move faster than the three-quarters of the trainers!”

 Duchess Of State was backed down to 3-4 for the opening maiden and Callan Murray’s mount was travelling like a winner pretty well everywhere except where it mattered and she went down by a neck and a short head to 10-1 shot On The Scent in the Team Valor colours.

Murray reported: “My filly led and led comfortably – and I felt that there was nothing to say that she wasn’t going to win – but she didn’t produce much of a kick.

“It was disappointing.”

Snaith, though, revealed that he had had his fair share of disappointment with the Richard Fourie-ridden winner: “We had been quite bullish first time out but she needed the penny to drop.

“She will come on again from this.”

Many punters expected to get their money back on Track Attack in the next and backed the Dynasty colt from 2-1 to 5-4 accordingly. Keagan de Melo rode a waiting race and early in the straight it looked all over when the gaps opened up like the Red Sea. Sadly, this particular Moses was unable to take full advantage.

He got to the front alright but he couldn’t quicken clear and he was run out of it by the Snaith 14-1 second string Anderson, enterprisingly handled by Robert Khathi.

Dean Kannemeyer, disappointed but quick to see the positives (what else can you do when you train racehorses for a living?), said: “I would like to have won the race but I was pleased with the way he switched off and the way he quickened. “In fact I thought he had it won but, don’t forget, his game is going to be 2 000m.”

Rio Querari was most impressive under Fourie in the last and the owners, somewhat understandably, now have Ready To Run ambitions.

By Michael Clower

The Roy Magner-trained Prince Of Kahal caused a 15/1 shock in Saturday’s Grade 2 Jo’burg Spring Challenge over 1450m at the Turffontein Inside track on Saturday and he is now the highest earning horse in the country this season having won all three starts including two features.

Magner is undecided yet what Prince Of Kahal’s program will now be, not surprisingly, as he was looking held by the best sprinters in the land towards the end of last season, but took well to the step up in trip on Saturday and the question now is whether he can even step up to a mile.

Prince Of Kahal was bred by Clifton Stud and was brought up an orphan after his dam, Vogue, passed away from colic two weeks after he was born.

Vogue was by Model Man and was a half-sister to Grade 1-winning sprinter Warm White Night and to Grade 1 stayer Highland Night.

Trained by David Ferraris, she was a useful racehorse herself and finished second in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint before an injury caused her early retirement as a young four-year-old.

Peter Blyth of Clifton Stud bordered her before later buying her from the owner. She became a stalwart broodmare for take KZN Midlands farm, producing the Grade 2 and Grade 3-winning middle distance horse Fort Vogue as well as the Grade 3 winner Whatalady.

She did not generally produce big foals, although Fort Vogue was big due to the influence of Fort Wood.

Blyth remembered Prince Of Kahal, who had to be fed substitute milk, as a small but lovely looking youngster.

Vogue’s passing was untimely but her legacy does continue at Clifton through her three-time winning daughter Fashion Talk and Prince Of Kahal’s unplaced full-sister Velvet Glove. The latter is being sent to the boom sire Vercingetorix, while Fashion Talk has a foal at foot by Mater Of My Fate and will now be covered by Clifton’s resident sire Mambo In Seattle.

Fort Vogue’s full sister Vogue’s Wood was unfortunately also a victim of colic while in foal.

On Saturday Prince Of Kahal’s 15/1 price was generous in retrospect and those who remembered his previous start beyond sprints, in the Grade 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m at Greyville in May 2018, would have been licking their lips. In that start he was baulked in the straight, causing him to be switched twice, yet he still stayed on well for sixth against some of the best horses in the country.

On Saturday the small but nuggety chestnut pulled hard early from a draw of six out of thirteen, but the fine young rider Denis Schwarz managed to hold him together until he had found cover and settled.

He turned for home handy and Schwarz then made the race winning move when easing him before switching him wide. This allowed him to get around Chimichuri Run as he would otherwise have been stuck behind the one-paced Ehsaan.

Prince Of Kahal then showed a fine turn of foot and ran on well all the way to the line to emerge in front in a blanket finish. However, it must be said that the fourth-placed horse Infamous Fox was most unlucky and would likely have won had he not been continually balked for a run by the hanging Zouaves as well as being accidentally struck twice on the face by Marco van Rensburg’s whip. The subsequent objections by both Infamous Fox and third-placed Chijmes against Zouaves were both upheld.   

The Drill Hall run had shown Prince Of Kahal to be reasonably well handicapped off a mark of 95. Two subsequent below par runs saw him dropping to an 87. He was then gelded before last season so was looking potentially very well handicapped. This proved to be the case and he finished the season on 103, which included three wins and a second in the Grade 2 Senor Santa Handicap.

He was given a layoff after running a 2,35 length ninth in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m and won his seasonal reappearance in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1000m on Turffontein Standside by three lengths.

He followed that up by winning the Grade 3 Spring Spree Stakes over 1200m on Turffontein Inside in a dead-heat with Angel’s Power, thus gaining bold black type.

His merit rating now, which includes the ten point across the board raise at the beginning of the season, is 118.

The five-year-old chestnut gelding has earned R1,073,788, having been bought by Hong Kong resident Robert Chung for a bargain R120, 000. Prince Of Kahal has amassed R403,125 so far this season.

By David Thiselton

The Vaal Classic track has an eight race meeting tomorrow and there are some opportunities for punters amid generally competitive racing.

Major Return is chosen as the exotics banker in race six over 2000m. He ran on well from a handy position last time in a Pinnacle Stakes race over 1800m which was stronger than the field he faces tomorrow. He has a fair draw with S’Manga Khumalo up and will relish stepping back up to the trip of his last win. Top Shot could be the main danger despite having been kept to further lately as he has a good record over this distance and has dropped to a competitive mark.

The meeting starts off with a 1000m maiden and Orchid Express could be the one to beat. She was slow away on debut over this trip but caught the eye running on strongly late. She is by Oratorio, whose progeny tend to improve continuously, and being from the Johan Janse van Vuuren yard she should come on considerably from that debut run. Madame Patrice will likely lead and will make a bold bid to stay in front all the way to the line having been run out if it in her last two starts. Samoa likely needed her last start after a layoff of over a year and could earn.

In the second race over 1000m the first-timer Rock The Kazvar makes appeal. He is a Team Valor homebred by Var out of the decent Western Winter mare My Kazzie, who won a Listed race having finished second in both the Grade 1 Golden Slipper over 1400m and the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m as a two-year-old. The one concern is that this colt’s full-sister failed to place in seven starts, although she was My Kazzie’s first foal. Golden Duke will be improving being by Duke Of Marmalade and can build on his debut when leading over 1200m round the turn before being swamped and finishing about ten lengths back. Live By Night is an improving sort who has been right there in his last three starts and he will make a bold bid from the front. All three will have to be included in the PA in this tricky opening leg.

In the next leg over 1200m In The Dance is easily the best weighted horse and has the class to win in her seasonal reappearance. This Gimmethegreenlight filly is a half-sister to Capetown Noir and possesses a similarly superb turn of foot. She also has natural speed and in the three sprint starts she has contested she has won two and finished a narrow second in the other. Ouro is a decent sprinter who is well drawn and she showed signs of a form return last time when 3,75 lengths behind the useful Sarah. The Fifth Wave has ability and should make her presence felt from pole position. 

The fourth race is a Pinnacle Stakes event over 2400m and Ali Bon Dubai makes plenty of appeal. He showed in his last two starts of last season in the Grade 3 Betting World 2200 and the eLan Gold Cup he had improved into a useful horse capable of mixing it with the best over middle distance and staying distances. He confirmed that with a good comeback run over 1800m. Nathan Klink stays aboard and his 1,5kg claim will alleviate Ali Bon Dubai’s weight disadvantage in which he is officially 3,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted horses, Seville Orange and Sunshine Silk. Dawn Assault won well over 2600m after a layoff last time and is the best weighted male in the race, being 2kg under sufferance with the two best in fillies. He is a courageous horse and with Warren Kennedy in the irons should be given every chance, so is rated the chief threat. Sunshine Silk was a revelation when stepped up to staying trips last time and beat her stable companion Ali Bon Dubai over the too sharp 1800m trip last time in her seasonal reappearance. They face each other on the same terms and she should relish this step up in trip, so will not be a surprise winner.

The fifth race over 2400m is wide open. Master And Man is drawn in pole and has Kennedy aboard so should give a good account of himself coming off a third place finish in a decent field over 2600m. Slay The Dragon also has a good draw and the last time he tried this course and distance he failed by a neck despite casting a shoe. In his only subsequent start he was charging late over 2000m and just failed so off a two point higher mark he should be in the shake up again. Dickens has always struck as one with ability and having won easily in the maidens last time when stepped up to 2000m he is interesting stepped up again and running off a reasonable opening handicap mark. However, a case can be made for just about every horse in this race so it is advisable to go as wide as possible in the exotics. 

In the seventh race over 2000m Port Key goes for a hattrick and as it is his third run after a long layoff he should be cherry ripe and can overcome a three point raise for his last win. However, he does have a tough draw to overcome. Nimcha in in fine form and won the only start he had over this course and distance. He also has a tricky draw and as a handy type will need some luck in running. Matloob was a touch disappointing last time when starting hot favourite over 1800m. He was found to be coughing and as a typically progressive son of Silvano can bounce back from a fair draw. Jagesa Jagesa goes for a hattrick over this distance so can’t be ignored. If he is included then Rocky Path also comes into the equation as he is together with the former on a combination of form and weight. Corrido is drawn in pole and is another one to consider.  

The meeting ends with a Maiden for three-year-old fillies over 1450m and Aztec looks the one to beat. She made a decent debut over 1200m considering she was difficult to load and she will appreciate the step up in trip being by What A Winter out of a Jet Master mare who won three on the trot from 1600m to 1800m. Smiley River has run well in two races from 1400m to 1600m and as she runs on well the high draw should not be too much of a concern. Get Set was not disgraced behind some good sorts in her first three starts as a two-year-old from 1000m to 1200m and could provide some value for a place in this race over a likely suitable trip from a wide draw. 

By David Thiselton

Callan Murray, Warren Kennedy, S’Manga Khumalo and Keagan de Melo all fly in this morning to do battle with the Cape Town jockeys at Durbanville and Murray can start the ball rolling on Duchess Of State in the 1.35pm opener.

This is one of five rides he has for Candice Bass-Robinson who asked him to come down and the filly is odds-on to make up for two close seconds at Kenilworth. She has the considerable advantage of being drawn on the inside.

“I’m not sure that Durbanville is the ideal course for Duchess Of State and she would prefer further,” qualifies the Milnerton trainer. “But she will have a good chance and she stands out.”

The fact that last time the filly’s jockey (De Melo) reported that she changed stride continually is a concern but Mrs Bass-Robinson explains: “She is a big long-striding filly and she can get unbalanced. The going that day was heavy and she is still a bit weak.”

At the time of writing none of the others is priced below 10-1 but Over The Way and At Your Request are two to bear in mind.

Track Attack, a R5.2 million Dynasty half-brother to Summer Cup winner Yorker, impressed in a barrier trial in Durban and was fancied to make a winning racecourse debut here last month – only for it all to go pear-shaped when Morne Winnaar on Hubble stole a march on the rest of the field.

The Dean Kannemeyer hope was beaten nine lengths but he should gain compensation in the mile maiden. He opened favourite at 19-10 with Kennedy’s mount Captain Flinders next on 15-4 on the strength of a succession of good runs. Significantly the Captain is the highest rated horse in the field and this time he races without the blinkers he has been wearing.

“He does need blinkers but he also needs 2 000m and he is a bit too keen when he races with the blinds on,” explains Eric Sands and so seemingly the horse could be vulnerable. Captain Turk is a big price at 13-2 and may well get into the shake-up.

As a general rule it pays to bet against four-year-olds in maidens even though they are much better treated than on the weight-for-age scale – the reason is that the younger horses tend to have more improvement in them – and the Snaith-trained Double Crown is taken to confirm last time’s form with the older Khopesh in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden (race three). The pair opened joint favourites at 28-10.

Black Knap ran away with things over a furlong less in that race last month and the rest finished out with the washing but Richard Fourie’s mount makes more appeal than his rival.

However Maningi Indaba may fly the flag for the older generation in the Betting World Maiden. Greg Cheyne’s mount has strong form claims and looks value at 4-1 despite not being well drawn.

By Michael Clower