Crome Yellow could be the answer to a complicated-looking Settlers Trophy at Durbanville tomorrow. The Andre Nel-trained five-year-old has won his last two, is suited by the trip, was only raised 2kg for his last success and has one of the best jockeys in the business. His present 9-2 price looks attractive.

The obvious danger is early favourite Belgarion because he possesses a touch of class and just might be better than his present handicap mark. Third in the Politician in January, he was reported by his rider to have choked in the Cape Derby but he shrugged aside a seven month absence to score over a mile only three weeks ago.

The gelding was raised 4kg for that but he is favoured by many of the statistics – four-year-olds have won four of the last five runnings, Justin Snaith has won three of the last four and Richard Fourie is bidding for his fourth Settlers. As against that favourites have a shocking record – Magnificent Seven 12 months ago was the first to win for ten years.

However what has happened in the past may not prove quite so relevant this time because of the curious decision to chop two furlongs off the race’s traditional 2 400m. It’s not as if it had not been attracting enough runners – the field size averaged ten over the last five seasons and that is one more than tomorrow’s line-up.

The shorter trip is all against the Winter Derby winner Dharma (15-2) even though he has been laid out for this. He appeared to need 2 400m to bring out the best in him.

Elusive Silva, third in last year’s Durban July, has to give weight all round and no winner has carried more than 58kg since Just Like Al successfully shouldered 59kg nine years ago. Fellow Snaith-trained 9-1 shot Platinum Prince is 2kg better with Crome Yellow for nearly three lengths and it is worth noting that he lost a fair bit of ground at the start that day.

Gyre, though, could pose a real threat. The 17-2 shot was only beaten three-quarters of a length by the selection in that last race and – in theory at any rate – he should reverse the placings on a kilo and a half better terms. American Landing (6-1) was fifth of six that day but is weighted to get into the shake-up but Cape Derby third Herodotus (11-1) has been off for three months.

Computaform Sprint winner Pacific Trader is a warm favourite for the Interbet.co.za Pinnacle but this is his first race since and it won’t be easy to overcome an eight draw over such a short trip. Celestial Storm looks a better bet at 5-1.

By Michael Clower

Like a raiding Viking chief, Mike de Kock has orchestrated a ‘hit’ on Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday and by the fourth race could be headed home with a sack-full of spoils.

De Kock’s first strike comes in the second and although there are many first timers to keep an eye on Perfectly Putt makes the long trip from the Highveld to race on the poly. He has drawn well and should feature prominently in what has stacked up into a modest field. His biggest threat could come in the form of Arianos Spinner who takes on males but was much improved at her second start. With a 4kg claimer up she only has 50kg to shoulder.

Arnica Montana is the second of the De Kock raiders and should get the Pick 6 off to a solid start. The gelding has failed narrowly in his first two starts and should be a solid bet in this line-up although you are not going to get rich at likely cramped odds.

Of the balance, Rasputin’s Remedy has not been far back in two sprints and should much prefer this trip while Dutch Alley has put in one good effort so far and is re-united with Stuart Randolph. A repeat of that run should see him competitive.

Given the betting, Al Ragnar was not a typical De Kock runner, drifting from an opening call of 14-1 to 33-1 after finishing with just two behind him on debut.

But the addition of blinkers brought out the best in him and the line came a stride too soon as Gimme The Fire clung onto his lead. There should be no mistakes here. Charlie Mccreevy has been disappointing since a plunge three runs back where he was decidedly unlucky, the victim of a mid-straight traffic jam. Lezeanne Forbes’s runner has held form since and should feature in the money. Ice Baron and Querari’s Cowboy both step up in trip and could prove dangerous.

The fifth is a wide-open handicap but top weight Room At The Top was narrowly beaten in his third local start by Favour. He has the best of the draw and is 1kg better off with his rival this time around. Al Jackman comes from a very much in form stable and was a close-up second last outing and Viento is also 1kg better off with Favour and is seldom too far back of late.

The handicappers have taken the plunge and dropped Arianos Shadow five pounds since her last run on the poly and although she carries top weight in the Jonsson Workwear Handicap she looks more competitive off her new mark. Frank Robinson saddled the filly in a strong Pinnacle Stakes field last run and the extra 400m this time around should be to her benefit.

The dangers! Escape Club appeared to be badly in need of her last start after returning from a lengthy break. Her form before that was excellent and from a good draw, she will have a big chance if near her best. Petra is useful on her day and has been consistent but also gets a three-point drop in ratings and her best recent effort has been over course and distance.

By Andrew Harrison

Hollywoodbets have extended their original R10 million three-year sponsorship of Gold Circle by a further R1.5 million per year with the announcement of some innovative changes that will come into effect on October 1, 2019.

Gold Circle and Hollywood bets will be in a R1 million joint partnership, each contributing R500k towards rewarding the grooms of winning horses with R1000 for every winner at KZN race meetings.

Tokens to the value of R1000 will be presented to the winning groom of every race in KZN. This is in addition to the 1% of stake money that the grooms already receive.

“Getting involved in joint CSI projects was always high on the agenda when Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets first met regarding sponsorship initiatives,” said Gold Circle’s Senior Marketing and Events Manager, Stephen Marshall. “This additional grooms’ incentive demonstrates the commitment of both parties to all stakeholders in the horse racing industry. We recognise the critical and integral role that grooms play and we are always looking at ways to illustrate that recognition. Going forward, grooms’ names will also be included in the official race card.”

Hollywoodbets Brand and Communications Manager, Devin Heffer, added; “Hollywoodbets is proud to be partnering with Gold Circle on the grooms initiative. Rewarding the winning groom with R1000 for every race at Hollywoodbets Greyville and Hollywoodbets Scottsville is important to us as a brand, and we relish the opportunity to play a tangible part in the empowering of this important sector of horse racing in KZN.”

In a further initiative, which will add colour and make horseracing more fun and attractive to a younger audience, Hollywoodbets will sponsor colour-coded saddles cloths, each saddlecloth number corresponding to a specific colour. Recently, this only applied to the last race on the card, but from October 1, it will apply to all races in KZN, excluding certain sponsored race days.

“Horse racing is steeped in tradition. However, respect for tradition should not be a barrier to innovation and stimulation. We believe that each small innovation will refresh our product and will go some way in differentiating the KZN offering from horse racing in other parts of the country – which in turn, will hopefully increase the interest, participation and betting on our product,” said Marshall. “The Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets marketing teams will continue to collaborate and introduce new initiatives wherever we can to improve the customer experience on course and on TV.”

“This practice currently exists in the USA and South America,” said Heffer. “It is an initiative that allows people who may not follow form, to possibly follow their favourite number, or favourite colour. The consistency with this is that the numbers and colours will always be the same. For example, Number 1 will always be red with a white number. Number 7 will always be orange with a black seven, etc.”

“Our goal will be to make these colours as visible and informative as possible, and to simplify the sport of horse racing to the wider viewing public,” said Heffer.

All these innovations will come into effect on Tuesday, October 1.

Not an easy programme of nine races awaits us at Turffontein tomorrow where they will be on the inside track. Some punters say that the easier the card looks the harder it is to win and the tougher the card looks, the easier to pick winners and that is what is so good about differing opinions.

The Work riders open the meeting at 12.35pm where there are a few first timers so I suggest you keep a close eye on the betting. Of the ones that have raced, Secret Dream looks the one they all have to beat. What makes me that much more confident is that the Lucky Houdalakis yard has come good recently.

In the second, which opens the Bipot, the top selection is Precious Stone who debuted 35 days ago and caught the eye. He kicked on well to finish just four lengths off Marshall whose all-round form line is starting to take shape. With natural improvement, Precious Stone could prove a hard horse to peg back. G I Joe looks the main danger and the interesting runner in the race is Zaahed. He returns from a long rest but has shown nothing in his two races thus far. He could be the huge improver!

In the next race, Mike De Kock sends a beautifully bred, expensive son of Captain Al to the start called Tilmeeth. He gets the services of Callan Murray and they are going the mile on debut. He could be absolutely anything and another good one for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum.

The first leg of the Pick 6 does not look easy although Flagship Fund makes her stable debut and could be the right one. Tulip Way improved in her second run but has not been seen for 149 days. She can go close to winning if not in need of this outing. Invisible from the Tarry yard is another returning from a rest but can improve on her bad second start. Her debut was hugely encouraging!

The fifth race, I am fairly bullish about Category Four’s chances as he was really running on well last time. He just ran out of race track nine days ago and would be deserving to record another career win. Stunning from the Robbie Sage yard in the sixth may to be hard to beat simply because she probably has the most scope to improve out of the field of eight. Miss Cap Mala and Irish Dame could be value selections for your exactas.

Ikigai takes his place in the seventh and could remain unbeaten. He was heavily backed on debut and his supporters were never in doubt as he won easily. Dangers could be Astrix and Mawsool. The last two races on the card look tough so I suggest you try and include as many in the exotics as your budget will allow.

By Warren Lenferna

Image: Raymond Danielson rides OVER THE LIMIT for Sean Tarry in the eighth at Turffontein tomorrow. (Candiese Marnewick)

Sun Met winner Rainbow Bridge, who began last season’s campaign with a win in the Matchem, will this time wait until the WSB Green Point Stakes at Kenilworth on December 14. The subsequent WSB Champions Cup winner and Vodacom Durban July runner-up was beaten only millimetres when fourth in that famous four-way photo for last year’s Green Point.

Eric Sands said: “He is a lot stronger horse this year and he has been back in for a few weeks now. When he was on the farm he trotted in the mornings, and I just cantered him to begin with when he returned, but he is now doing pace work.”

Three Two Charlie, comfortable winner of the 1 200m Sophomore Sprint, will step up a furlong in the Cape Classic at Kenilworth on October 26. Candice Bass-Robinson, asked if this indicated that the What A Winter gelding is not considered purely a sprinter, answered: “That we don’t know – he could be – but we will find out in the Classic.”

Wild Coast, Beach Beauty’s son who scored convincingly at Durbanville 12 days ago, is one of those Justin Snaith is considering for the R150 000 Listed Racing Association Stakes over a mile at Fairview on October 25. “He won his maiden nicely but he is still very immature. I will gallop him and see how he goes,” said the trainer.

Computaform Sprint winner Pacific Trader, despite a near five month-absence and a difficult draw, has opened 18-10 favourite for the Interbet.co.za Pinnacle Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday. Recent course and distance winner Celestial Storm disputes second favouritism with Pacific Trader’s stable companion Traces at 5-1.

Belgarion, who returned to win over a mile at Kenilworth earlier this month, is 13-10 favourite to give Justin Snaith a sixth Settlers Trophy and Richard Fourie his fourth. The hat-trick seeking Crome Yellow is next on 9-2 with the Geoff Woodruff-trained Winter Derby winner Dharma on 13-2.

By Michael Clower