Buffalo Bill Cody went into the Gr1 Champions Cup at the end of last season preceded by a huge reputation but he fluffed his lines and it was back to the drawing boards for trainer Mike de Kock. Prior to the Champions Cup, Buffalo Bill Cody had suffered only a single reverse, that being on debut when a distant fourth to Rebel’s Champ who has since established himself as a top sprinter.

The Australian-bred horse makes his seasonal debut in the Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m at Turffontein tomorrow and bookmakers have not taken any chances with Buffalo Bill Cody as short as 12-10 in the early exchanges.

However, a lay-off and a wide draw over the tight Turffontein inner circuit will not make his comeback a walk in the park but outside of his Champions Cup disappointment, Buffalo Bill Cody had solid form, putting daylight between himself and any rivals.

The Spring Challenge marks the start of the two-month Highveld spring season that culminates with the Gauteng Summer Cup on November 30 where Buffalo Bill Cody is a nomination along with the cream of the De Kock yard and although he does look a cut above some useful opposition, caution may be the operative word when it comes to the exotics.

Zouaves has not won since the Hawaii Stakes last season but goes very well over this course and distance where he boasts an unbeaten record. In his favour is that Geoff Woodruff has got a race into his charge in preparation for this event in what was a smart seasonal debut over a distance short of his best. He also has the best of the draw at gate two so victory will not come as a surprise.

Of the balance, Infamous Fox is never far back while the Sean Tarry pair of Chimichuri Run and Putontheredlight are both smart horses but could possibly be short of a run, not having been out since July.

The Gr2 Spring Challenge for fillies and mares is another intriguing puzzle. Form horse is Vistula who made short work of the opposition for Paul Peter and jockey Warren Kennedy last month. Vistula has an exceptional record and must rate the filly to beat.

However, she does have a tricky draw to overcome and faces three younger rivals who should make a race of it. De Kock saddles Gin Fizz who was possibly just in need of her last run when caught in the dying strides. That was a hard race and second run after a break may come into play but the step up in trip should suit. Sidonie hacked up on debut for Sean Tarry and could be anything as she has a top pedigree and a good draw to boot.

Stable companion Spiritofthegoove should enjoy the step up in trip and has been beaten less than a length in three starts since shedding her maiden on debut. She has drawn on the wrong side of mid-field but does like to come from off the pace so the draw may not be a factor.

Vistula is top of the ante-post boards on offer at 22-10 with Gin Fizz and Sidonie bracketed on 5-1.

By Andrew Harrison

No horse has ever covered the Durbanville 1 400m in a time faster than One World did at this meeting 12 months ago and the Vaughan Marshall colt may beat Undercover Agent in tomorrow’s Matchem Stakes.

On paper at least the race should be a straight fight between the pair because on adjusted ratings they are 4kg (worth three and a half lengths over this trip) better than anything else in the race.

Undercover Agent has been off for four months but he won first time out last season and he beat Rainbow Bridge in the Drill Hall after an absence of three months. He has an exceptional draw and the stable is on song.

But he has eased to 15-10 as the money has come for One World who had shortened from 5-2 to 14-10 favourite with some layers by yesterday morning. He has only been beaten twice in nine starts – third in the Cape Guineas and by Vardy in a Winter Classic that came at the end of a tough season – and he outstayed Kasimir when he won here a year ago.

The main negative is that the Matchem has so often proved disastrous for favourites – 11 of the last 14 have been beaten. But it’s rare for this race to go to a longshot – indeed Our Mate Art at 10-1 two years ago was the longest-priced winner since the turn of the century.

Search Party’s form figures – five consecutive noughts in front of his name – might not give encouragement for the Brett Crawford second string – but they don’t do justice to Donovan Dillon’s mount and the 33-1 shot is third best on adjusted ratings.

African Warrior had smart form last season and is a 15-2 chance but no three-year-old has won since Variety Club (good enough to win in Hong Kong and Dubai) eight years ago and he has the sort of draw that trainers have nightmares about.

Front And Centre is hard to oppose in the Diana even though this is her first race for three months. She is a Fillies Guineas winner and she is drawn on the fence. Maybe 7-10 slightly overstates her case but favourites have won four of the last six runnings.

Freedom Charter comes out only 2kg behind her on adjusted ratings but the Candice Bass-Robinson mare has not raced since May. Dynamic Diana (15-2) would be an appropriately-named winner and her trainer is bidding for his fourth win in this race.

Maybe, though, Helen’s Ideal (17-2) could pose the biggest threat to the favourite. She returns fresh after a working holiday by the sea and she is well drawn.

By Michael Clower

With Champions Season and the winter chill but behind us, night racing returns to Hollywoodbets Greyville in its usual Friday evening slot and it could prove a profitable meeting for punters with a couple of standout bets in the early exchanges that can help boost the bankroll for the exotics.

The first sees a number of first timers in the line-up and Johan Janse van Vuuren’s debutante Different Light has been priced up an early ante-post favourite ahead of the exposed Bling A Ding. Kom Naidoo’s filly has gone close in her last two starts but the betting suggests that she may have to play second fiddle again this evening.

Goliath Heron, Hey Boy and Hampton Court are bracketed on 33-10 for the second but Hey Boy is taken to turn the tables on Goliath Heron, a neck separating the pair last time out at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. The switch to the poly and a plum draw could give Hey Boy the edge this time around. Hampton Court has turned in two smart efforts for his new yard and gets lumps of weight from his rivals but it has been some time since his only win.

Gimmethenight and Francisco look the principal contenders for the opening leg of the Pick 6. Weiho Marwing has seen an opportunity and makes the trip from his Turffontein base. Gimmethenight makes his poly debut but has steady Highveld form and is well in at these weights. The Dennis Drier yard is a little cold at present but Francisco looked badly in need of his last run but was not far back. He should come on lengths from that effort but was off the track for close on a year before that which is a concern.

In the fourth, Do Or Dare can go one better after being touched off in a battle with the well fancied Straight Up at Scottsville. The two pulled well clear of the opposition and Do Or Dare could prove difficult to beat with the Dean Kannemeyer yard in full cry. Galway made a smart return for Tony Rivalland after a lengthy break and is lightly raced. His two best efforts have come on the poly and he looks the main threat to the chances of Do Or Dare.

The sixth looks more tricky. What A Thrill is the early market leader after her easy maiden victory but had good form before that and she appeared to bring her A game to the poly. The extra should also suit and she can follow up. There were excuses for both Blue Flower and La Valette at their most recent outings. Blue Flower has a good draw and a light weight while La Valette was caught out of her ground last run but finishing well. She could now prefer this trip.

The sixth looks wide open although Swagger Jagger was a fluent maiden winner when blinkered for the first time. He meets a modest field and has a light weight so can go in again. Peter Piper is a veteran but his current form is consistent and he was decidedly unlucky in his last race on the poly.

Spring Breeze has been disappointing but has come down in the ratings and could be the right one in the seventh, but the advice for exotic bet punters is to load up in this leg. Early favourite is the easy recent maiden winner Fire Faerie at 4-1 but seven horses are quoted at under 7-1.

The last is another difficult race. Amber Belle has taken time to come to hand but her last two since a break have been promising. She meets a weak field and Lowan Denysschen has hit form. Alabama Slide, Cersei, Tarocco and Dancing Princess all warrant consideration.

By Andrew Harrison

People have been asking where is Dan Katz, he doesn’t seem to have had a runner for ages?

The answer, sadly, is that he has turned his back on the racecourse and is now more likely to be found at one of the five Jewish cemeteries in the Cape Peninsula.

Katz, 54, said yesterday: “I ended my job as private trainer to Hassen Adams in May and I now work for the Jewish Community organisation dealing with cemetery maintenance, burials etc. I don’t go racing anymore because I have tried to get away from it to follow this new path in my life.”

It is not the first time that he has done this. He was the youngest trainer in South Africa (too young, he later concluded) when he first took out a licence to train at Philippi in 1989. But, despite nearly 30 winners in two and a half years, he packed it in to sell cars and operate a spa before emmigrating to Israel where he ran a restaurant.

Two years ago he took over the Adams horses from Darryl Hodgson and he had his biggest success when Let It Rain won the Heineken Cape Stayers on Sun Met day last year. But the owner’s decision to cut back the numbers, at least in Cape Town, hit him hard. “Every good horse that went through my hands was either sold or moved to other trainers. In the end it was too much for me – I just couldn’t do it anymore.”

Front And Centre remains a short-priced 7-10 to become the third odds-on Diana Stakes winner in six years at Durbanville on Saturday and Undercover Agent is a firm 14-10 for the Matchem.

Justin Snaith, five winners at the course on the last two Saturdays, has three favourites in the supporting races: Sovereign Secret, Evening Song and Peaceful Day.

By Michael Clower 

European soccer champions Liverpool currently head the BPL log but Jurgen Klopp will need a change of tyres if they are to stay there after a dodgy display against Sheffield United at the weekend.

But all those Liverpool supporters – and there are a lot of them who like a tickle on the ponies – went home happy from Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday after the bravely-named Liverpool Champ had put in a game performance in the Track & Ball Gaming Handicap.

Liverpool Champ hooked up with the seasoned Techno Captain two furlongs out and they had the battle to themselves with the balance out with the washing.

But it was the Gavin van Zyl-trained Liverpool Champ who finally prevailed under log leading rider Warren Kennedy, scoring in the last few jumps.

Kennedy and Van Zyl landed a quick touch as Lady Caroline Lamb finally had some luck in running to win the Gold Circle Podcast Handicap half-an-hour earlier. Starting favourite at her last start, she found a heap of trouble in the running but there were no mistakes yesterday.

Backed in from 6-1 and starting 2-1, the daughter of Duke Of Marmalade took up the running a long way out and in spite of looking to hang in, won rather comfortably.

Ashburton trainers were to the fore, winning three of the eight races. Diamondsandpearls looked the ‘right’ one in the card opener but given her history and the fact that she had only had four outings before yesterday, it was Miss Charlotte who started favourite. Miss Charlotte failed to pitch and Donovan Dillon punched Shane Humby’s filly clear to a fluent win over Kildonan Bay.

Coldhardcash was an expensive yearling purchase who showed top potential on the home gallops early in his career. However, he developed breathing problems and has not run up to early expectations.

That said, Duncan Howells has got to the bottom of the problem and Coldhardcash followed up on his last win with another smart effort in the Greyville Convention Centre Handicap. Apprentice Jason Gates getting the gelding away quickly and making all the running.

It was reward for Howells and apprentice Thabiso Gumede who were a little unlucky in the previous event. With the field bunching on the outside strip, Gumede found himself boxed in and forced to switch Accidental Tourist in for a clear passage, but too late as Georgina Rose followed up on her maiden win to keep her clean sheet for Garth Puller.

Kom Naidoo has persevered with the mare Skyfire, now seven years old, as she seldom puts in anything but her best. Tried from on the pace last run in a much stronger field than yesterday, Raymond Danielson had her closer to last at the top of the straight. There was a mighty rush for the line with little separating the first five home, but Skyfire motored up the outside fence to win going away.

The judges denied Kennedy and Van Zyl a third winner on the day as Keagan de Melo rounded off the meeting with a double for Dean Kannemeyer, Gimme Peace skating home in the seventh and favourite Arrabiata scraping home ahead of Down To Earth in the last.

By Andrew Harrison