Pace, and the judgement thereof, is going to play a major role at the Vaal tomorrow where four of the eight races are over ground. To complicate matters even further, the starter is faced with small fields so identifying a possible pacemaker will be tricky especially as some of the fields are dominated by horses from the same stable.

This is amply illustrated in the fifth, a maiden over 2400m, where Garry Alexander saddles four of the seven runners. Given the riding arrangements, Tuscan Light with apprentice Denis Schwarz would appear to be the stable principal given that he would have had first choice of rides but both Ritchi and The Jocelyn Tree cannot be ruled out.

Log-leading rider Warren Kennedy is aboard Ritchi who looks the most likely to set the gallop after trying to make all over course and distance last time out, only to come up short behind Therecanonlybeone in a work rider’s race. Kennedy will probably give the filly a more circumspect ride but they may all have to get past Weiho Marwing’s charge, Laconia. On exposed form, Ritchi has her measure, having finished nearly four lengths clear of her rival in the race won by Therecanonlybeone. However, Laconia’s previous form over the trip has been more consistent and with Muzi Yeni back on board, the tables could be turned. But Laconia could have more to fear from Tuscan Light who goes this trip for the first time. She has steady form over shorter and her last outing is best ignored.

In the sixth, Geoff Woodruff saddles the mare Insignis who takes on males. However, she has some useful form in top company to commend her and although she comes off a break she could have too much class for her male rivals, best of whom could be Sean Tarry’s  striking grey Lord Silverio. Lightly raced, he has won three of his eight starts and found some inspired betting support when making his return to the track over a distance well short of his best.

Although down the field behind Double ‘O Eight he will much prefer tomorrow’s trip and gets lumps of weight from the mare.

Of the balance, Bize has won three out of six starts and was possibly a touch unlucky last outing which adds to his appeal while Lake Kinneret cruised in last run for the fifth victory of his career.

An evenly matched field faces the starter in the seventh with many of the runners having met recently without any solid form to commend them. It may pay to load up in the exotics in this leg.

Top weight Always Red should enjoy the extra 400m and has gone close at her last two. She has made steady recent improvement and with Alec Laird removing the blinkers she can go one better over the extra two furlongs. Perfect Light is lightly raced and stays the trip while Cranberry Crush stays well and has been close-up in recent outings. She should feature prominently along with stable Il Mondo companion who finished in front of Cranberry Crush when last they met.

The last is another wide open affair but Desert Sunset will just have needed his last run over a distance short of his best. He stays well and has a light weight which ticks some of the boxes. Skiminac steps up to this trip for the first time but finished strongly over shorter last start and the extra could suit.  Before Noon has come good over ground and could prove the pick of the Tarry runners with Chariot Of Gold also a contender in a difficult race.

By Andrew Harrison

There is one certainty at Hollywoodbets Greyville today! If you catch any of the exotics you are sure to make a decent profit on a card that is not for the fainthearted. A mixture of Maidens and lowly handicaps is a recipe for good returns for those that do their homework but there will be plenty of casualties on the way.

There is not a single stand-out in any of the eight races, all on the synthetic track, a point illustrated in the second race, opening leg of the Place Accumulator, where Computaform has marked all nine runners as possible winners.

However, Accidental Tourist is showing signs of life again after being tried in cheek pieces and although the mare is carded to carry the steadier of 63kg, Duncan Howells has booked 4kg claiming apprentice Thabiso Gumede and the mare is on her favourite surface. Georgina Rose surprised on debut but won well enough to suggest that she is capable of further improvement and may be a threat while Raymond Danielson is down to ride for Alyson Wright so Someone Exciting, who was not too far back against much stronger last start, can also finish prominently.

Howells could be in line for a quick double as he saddles Coldhardcash in the third. Talented but with issues the gelding is quick and can follow up on his recent victory when just holding on over course and distance. Royal Rustler has his peak run after returning from a lengthy break and his two runs back have been promising. Into the Future has shown promise and makes his seasonal debut and does appear to have some scope. One to watch is recent maiden winner Dispicable who landed a nice touch on debut. Although a late starter, making his debut as a four-year-old, he made it look easy and from a plum draw, he could be anything and again is one to watch in the market.

In the fourth, Andre Nel sends out Crimea who makes her local debut. She comes with some promising Cape form and may be the one to beat. She takes on some modest company where Preferential could prove the pick. Wright’s filly was a beaten favourite last run but takes to the poly for the first time and the extra furlong should suit.

The fifth is another wide open handicap but Gibraltar Green has been barking at the door for some time now and it could open today. He was narrowly beaten at his last three and goes well over course and distance. He is due a change of fortune. Deposition has been in two tough races since his maiden win and the form of the last was franked on Sunday with Favour winning again. Techno Captain is never far back of late and stays the trip while Liverpool Champ was a recent maiden winner but does look to have some scope and his supporters will be hoping that he can emulate the soccer team he was named after.

The sixth is another lowly fillies and mares handicap but Sheza Rockstar was not far back when stepped up in trip last outing and from a good draw can go one better. Lowan Denysschen is having a run and Such A Rush could prove the pick of his two runners as she is back over her preferred distance and the stable has hit form.

What A Blast is back on what looks to be his preferred surface and will have his supporters in the eighth. He has been in good form since shedding his maiden and took on stronger last time out. Legend has a big weight but is overdue another win after showing consistent recent form while Gimme A Cohiba, Nicklaus and Gimme Peace are all big runners in another difficult handicap.

Dean Kannemeyer comes off a four-timer on Sunday and Arrabiata came round off the meeting with Marry In Haste, having her first run for Nathan Kotzen, Miss Missourie and Sacred Blues all threats.

By Andrew Harrison

Mike de kock has nominated his best runners for the R2-million Gauteng Summer Cup at Turffontein on Saturday 30 November and they occupy the first four spots on the log.

There were 45 entries when the first entries closed last week.

There is no first entry fee and as a result Mike de Kock has entered all of his top runners, including Hawwaam, Buffalo Bill Cody, Soqrat and Barahin which gives him and all trainers until 4 November, the date of second entries, to make a decision on whether they want to go further.

The handicappers will publish a weekly log of which runners are in contention to make the final field, although Phumelela Gaming & Leisure reserves the right to have an input into the compilation of the logs & in determining the final field.

Second entries close on 4 November and the weights will be published on the same day. Final entries close at 11am on Monday 18 November with declarations by 11am on Tuesday 19 November. Draws will be announced with the final field on Wednesday 20 November.

Entries for the R2-million Gauteng Summer (Grade 1) over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday 30 November

AL MUTAWAKEL (S G Tarry);
ALI BON DUBAI (G V Woodruff);
AMERICAN INDIAN (S T Pettigrew);
APACHE TOO (M F De Kock);
APPROACH CONTROL (C Dawson);
ATYAAB (M F De Kock);
BARAHIN (M F De Kock);
BUFFALO BILL CODY (M F De Kock);
CAMPHORATUS (R/S Hill);
CASCAPEDIA (M F De Kock);
CASH TIME (A B Fortune);
COME THE DAY (C E Erasmus);
D’ ARRIVEE (C Dawson);
DARK MOON RISING (P V Lafferty);
DIAMOND DANCER (P A Peter);
DIVINE ODYSSEY (J J van Vuuren);
DOOSRA (J J van Vuuren);
GREEN HAZE (A G Laird);
HAWWAAM (M F De Kock);
HORACE (A B Fortune);
INFAMOUS FOX (C Dawson);
INSIGNIS (G V Woodruff);
LAST OF THE LEGEND (S G Tarry);
LIKE A PANTHER (M F De Kock);
LORD SILVERIO (S G Tarry);
MARCHINGONTOGETHER (G H Van Zyl);
NOBLE SECRET (M F De Kock);
PALACE GREEN (S G Tarry);
ROY HAD ENOUGH (F Robinson);
ROY’S RIVIERA (F Robinson);
RUSSIAN BEAT (S G Tarry);
SEATTLE FORCE (S T Pettigrew);
SEATTLE SKYLINE (S Von Willingh Smit);
SECOND REQUEST (S G Tarry);
SECRET POTION (G V Woodruff);
SEVILLE ORANGE (M N Houdalakis);
SHENANIGANS (S G Tarry);
SILVER GOD (S G Tarry);
SILVER SPECTRUM (S G Tarry);
SOQRAT (M F De Kock);
SUNSHINE SILK (G V Woodruff);
THANKSGIVING (M F De Kock);
TILBURY FORT (S G Tarry);
WONDEROUS CLIMBER (S G Tarry);
ZILLZAAL (S G Tarry).

Undercover Agent heads the 11 declared for the Matchem Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday and last year’s Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner is 14-10 favourite to give Brett Crawford his second Matchem win in four seasons. But Corne Orffer’s mount, the biggest money earner in the line-up with R5 million to his name, has to give weight all round.

One World, who beat Kasimir in a progress plate at this meeting last year en route to victory in the Concorde Cup and a CTS R5 million sales race, is second in the betting at 5-2. The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Umkhomazi winner African Warrior, drawn on the wide outside and quoted at 11-2, is the only other priced at less than 12-1. Keagan de Melo’s mount bids to become the first three-year-old to take the Matchem since the mighty Variety Club eight years ago.

There has not been a bigger field for this race since Joshua’s Dream accounted for 12 others back in 2007 but Twist Of Fate and Tap O’Noth are notable absentees.

Front And Centre is odds-on at 7-10 to initiate a notable Grade 3 double for the in-form Crawford stable in the Diana Stakes and, although she also has to shoulder 60kg, recent history is on her side as favourites have won four of the last six runnings.

Dynamic Diana is the shortest priced of the other nine at 7-1 to give Richard Fourie his first Diana victory and Justin Snaith his fourth.

Quintay, who has cost punters dear in his last two starts, tries again in the opening maiden with Greg Cheyne riding for the first time – and Adam Marcus is optimistic that the grey will return to the form he showed when a close second on his first two outings.

Marcus explained: “The ground was very heavy on his third run (August 13 when he was odds-on) and Warren Kennedy said the horse wasn’t happy on it, even going down to the start. Last time (September 4 with Kennedy again in the irons) he was drawn wide and couldn’t get cover.”

Incidentally Marcus reports that Brave Move – winner of six consecutive races last year including the Ladies Mile and the Final Fling – has been retired to James Armitage’s Sandown Stud where she was bred and will be covered by What A Winter.

The jockeys race, such a popular feature in recent years, will again be run over 50m after the last on Saturday and local jockeys chairman M.J. Byleveld is confident that there will be no repeat of the rule-breaking that turned the event into a farce both last year and the year before.

Although pointing out that he has little involvement in the organisation this time, he indicated that Richard Fourie and Anthony Andrews are two likely to take advantage of the absence of Aldo Domeyer who was unbeatable in this event and recently took the Hong Kong equivalent.

The Barn Market, missing from recent Durbanville meetings, will be back on Saturday with around 100 stalls including five devoted to food.

Going back to last Saturday, Kannemeyer’s hopes for Seventh Gear remain high even though the R4.75 million purchase was beaten into third behind Path Of Choice – admittedly giving the winner 4.5kg.

Kannemeyer said: “Things didn’t really go his way up the straight on Saturday and he didn’t get a clear run but he is a big brute of a horse and this will have tightened him up and brought him on. I don’t want to make excuses but I would love to have got another gallop into him because he was blowing a bit afterwards. He is a horse of potential.”

By Michael Clower

Planning programmes for individual horses between all the compulsory vaccinations is not one of a trainer’s favourite occupations but in the end it’s a case of ‘crack on’.

With the Highveld spring season fast approaching Sean Tarry will be turning the screws a little tighter in anticipation and Mythical Bolt could be one of his principal flag-bearers this season.

Mythical Bolt promised much last season but never really lived up to expectations, scoring a single victory in just nine outings, while knocking at the door.

After running Van Halen to a neck in a feature on Vodacom Durban July day, the vet was called in three weeks later and Mythical Bolt steps out at the Vaal tomorrow two stone lighter and the ante-post market suggests that he could be the one to beat. The lay-off is something of a concern but he does show a touch of class and gelding could make all the difference.

Capetown Affair also races as a gelding for the first time and with apprentice Jeff Syster giving 4kg relief in the saddle from a good draw in a small field, Ashley Fortune’s gelding could prove the biggest threat to the 12-10 favourite.

Mythical Bolt could provide Pick 6 punters with a possible banker on what is another tricky mid-week card but PA punters should have their perms cut to six legs with Machali a firm favourite in the opening leg. Candice Dawson’s filly has not been out since July but has shown enough to suggest that if not winning, she should definitely be in the first three.

In the third, the five-year-old mare Piccadilly Square is a weak market leader but Brett Webber’s mare has been consistent and was narrowly beaten last outing. She has a plum draw and but could have most to fear from the lightly raced Rachel. Paul Peter’s filly returns from a fair break but does have some scope and could be worth following.

The fourth is a tricky handicap. Irrevocable Dream has yet to finish out of the first two and appears to have some scope. Lucky Houdalakis gave him a break after winning second time out and his colt made a promising seasonal debut when going down late after making most of the running. Second run after a lay-off could come into play but he has a good draw which will help his chances.

The eight-year-old Hidden Agenda has been ultra consistent of late and with a 4kg claimer up he will be very dangerous while the Mike de Kock pair of Fired Up and Ashbaal will have their supporters.

In the fifth, the 5-1 about Ancient Spirit in the ante-post market looks tempting. Johan Janse van Vuuren’s mare won well on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly last run and that form has been well franked with the runner up, Wildly In Love, having won twice since. Early 22-10 favourite is Florida Quays who has not been out of the first two since joining Paul Peter after the untimely death of Stanley Ferreira but it will get harder now although she has a strong chance of a hat-trick. Abelie is another with consistent recent form and made all to win last her last start.

It will be all hands on deck for the final two races on the card but in the seventh, El ‘Zara made a winning debut for her new stable and had useful KZN form before that and could be the right one here. Try Charm shed her maiden in Kimberley but was not far back in feature company last time out while Fly Away showed promise in her first two starts but was reported not striding out in the SA Fillies Nursery. That was back in early May so the lay-off is a concern but she does appear to have a touch of class.

The last is a punter’s nightmare, with past form having little more than a length separating many of the fancied runners and if you are still running in the exotics, I hope that you have loaded up.

Claremorris, Phillydelphia, Queen Of War and Celestial Fire are al must inclusions although the list of possible winners does not stop there.

By Andrew Harrison