Breaking the ice with Captain Garett at Kenilworth 11 days ago seems to have given a kick-start to Peter Wrensch’s training career. Certainly it has brought him to the attention of people who were only vaguely aware of the new kid on the block – albeit new being something of a relative term. Wrensch is 60!

“Since having that winner a number of people have said to me that they will look at having a horse with me come the New Year and the sales,” reports Wrensch who celebrates his birthday on the anniversary of the day St Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland (March 17) and who became fully engaged in racing only six years ago.

“I was brought up in Durbanville and used to play on the racecourse with my friend Paul, son of the course manager Bill de Klerk,” Wrensch recalls. “I was always keen on horses but my father (sales director of a brick company) wanted me to become a chartered accountant and so, after doing my National Service in the Navy (I was a radar operator on a frigate), I went to UCT to study for a B.Com. But I soon discovered that I didn’t want to be an accountant at all and I dropped out after a year.”

“Instead I went into civil engineering, selling earth-moving equipment and PVC piping, but my passion was racing and I would ride work at Milnerton from 5.30am to 7.30am each day. I started riding at the Cape Hunt meetings in 1977, won the riders’ championship in 1989 and rode 20 winners in all.”

It was only in 2013 that he finally gave up the day job. “Ronnie Sheehan and Alan Higgins were sharing the same facility at the time and they asked me to give them a helping hand.” Higgins died the following year and Sheehan had no more than 18 horses. By the time he passed away last October they were only six left for his assistant to take over.

Wrensch now has ten plus two two-year-olds waiting in the wings. “Ideally you need 15 to 20 but you can survive on ten,” he says, assessing the economics of a small trainer’s operation. “I have no wife or kids to support – just horses. I have three staff and 12 boxes for which I pay R500-odd per stable per month – and at Milnerton there are a lot of empty boxes should I get those extra horses.

“I want to train 20 and at the moment my main patrons are Mauritian. We divide the horses into three categories – if they are decent enough to be competitive in Cape Town we keep them, if the handicapper gets to them we export them to Mauritius and if they are no good we dump them.”

In his assistant trainer days Wrensch had a reputation for entertaining the TV audience in winner’s box interviews (and for giving the presenters nightmares!) with his blunt no-holds-barred opinions. The Captain Garett one was tame by comparison – but expect a reversal to type in the future and Nevil Mu is one that the trainer confidently expects to put him in front of the cameras despite two recent flops.

“He ran very well on debut but the second time he was drawn on the rails and he spooked when he saw so many others coming over onto him in search of the better ground. He was stone last in no time. At Durbanville last week Muzi Yeni rode him but he was drawn 11 out of 12 and things didn’t go right at all.”

After so many years race-riding Wrensch tends to be critical of jockeys’ performances – and not for nothing was he known as Lester. But how did the nickname come about, I wondered? Was it because he rode so short or because he was so good?

Wrensch roars with laughter. “Neither. One day I was cantering down to the start when someone in the crowd along the rails took one look at me and shouted out: “Hey Lester. You will never ride a winner.”

By Michael Clower  

Brett Crawford’s satellite yard at Summerveld has been quiet since the end of Champions Season but with AHS vaccinations due and many horses on R&R this is not surprising.

But Crawford’s KZN assistant, Peter Muscutt, is starting to warm them up and the yard had two promising runners engaged on the Hollywoodbets Greyville turf this afternoon.

However, Baby Shooz in the card opener was injured in training leaving Ultra Magnus to lead the charge in the fourth.

Ultra Magnus was super impressive when disposing of the more than useful Cumulus over the Hollywoodbets Scottsville 1200m last time out but he takes a major rise in class when he lines up in the Track & Ball Progress Plate. However, his star appears to be on the rise after having only four starts for two wins.

Although this is a conditions race with set weights, Buffalo Soldier has been dropping in the ratings and is back over what appears to be his preferred course and distance.

Another serious rival is likely to be Desolate Road. Tony Rivalland’s charge was close-up in two features during Champions Season behind the smart speedster Van Halen and that form is good enough to make him a big runner in this line-up.

Recently turned three-year-olds take on older rivals in Gold Circle Podcast Graduation Plate, the card’s top-liner, and it could be a defining moment in the season.

In the first few months of any new season, it is often difficult for sophomores against older opposition, but as the season wears on, progressive three-year-old’s tend to get the better of their more exposed rivals.

Padre Pio, Tree Tambo and Justfortheepenny all look progressive and they will need to be a touch above run-of-the-mill if they are to feature against the likes of White Lightning, What A Blast and Pollard.

Padre Pio was a comfortable winner of a strong handicap at only his fourth start but Dennis Bosch’s charge did get lumbered with a six-point merit increase.

Tree Tambo makes his seasonal debut after showing promise last season, last time out touched off by the useful-looking Alibi Guy at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. He has not been out since then so the lay-off may be a factor for Sean Tarry’s runner. These two dominate the early market, joint favourites at 33-10, but Justforthepenny was not friendless in the market according to his connections when making his Hollywoodbets Scottsville debut. Nathan Kotzen’s runner came from a seemingly hopeless position at the top of the straight to get the better of Liverpool Champ who has since franked that form.

The shorter Hollywoodbets Greyville straight may be an issue but with that experience under the girth and only 53kg to shoulder, Justfortheepenny could prove juicy odds of 15-1.

Jacqueline has seen her connections collect a cheque in all of her six starts and she may be the one to beat in the Durban View Restaurant Handicap. She was narrowly beaten by Irish Wonder Girl at Hollywoodbets Scottsville last time out, that her first start in three months. She has run two crackers since being put over ground by Dennis Drier and she is already odds-on in the ante-post market.

Jacqueline is in receipt of 2kg from the six-time winner High Altar and although Duncan Howells’s mare does seem to prefer Hollywoodbets Scottsville, she was not far back in useful company last time out and could be the biggest threat to the favourite.

By Andrew Harrison

Keagan de Melo is relatively well after a nasty fall at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday and this news will bring relief to many round the country who had cause to be anxious after viewing the incident live on Tellytrack. .

He said, “I am very sore but nothing is broken or fractured. However, I still have pain in my right shoulder so am going to get a second opinion.”

He is also undergoing concussion tests.

After the initial diagnosis he expected to be back after two weeks but this now depends on the outcome of further tests.

His Mount Silent Crusade appeared to falter and jump for no apparent reason, throwing the talented young rider out the side door.

De Melo fell heavily on his right shoulder and back and was then run over by another horse, although fortunately he was not trodden on.

He remained conscious throughout the incident and afterwards.

He had been in good form and his ten winners for the season have come at a strike rate of 11,76%.

Keagan’s ride on African Warrior in the Umkhomazi Stakes on Gold Cup day was voted the ride of the Champions Season by the racing public. 

By David Thiselton

Turffontein-based Paul Peter puts his climb to the top of the national trainers log chiefly down to a new member of his team, the legendary Ormond Ferraris, whom he hero worshipped as a racing-mad youngster.

He also heaped praise on his first call rider Warren Kennedy. 

On his chances of staying at the top he reckoned he would be able to match the “big guns” in the three-year-old division.

He also has high hopes for his four-year-old filly Vistula.

He said, “Moving to Turffontein put me closer to home and I have also been given a lot of input from Mr Ormonde Ferraris. He has become part of the team and his knowledge is priceless. He has taught me how to get horses supremely fit. His horses were always known for their fitness and I can now see why. I have latched on to his work patterns and his work ethic. He used to run his yard like a military base. I got all of his grooms too. We also have a treadmill and a walker and everyone’s happy. It’s a very happy team and we have a lovely bunch of owners.”

Peter scored a five-timer at Turffontein Standside on Saturday, three of them ridden by Kennedy and two by 4kg claimer Cole Dicken.

He said, “I have a top jockey in Warren Kennedy. He has such good hands and settles a horse so well and is a good judge of pace. I don’t give him instructions. He analyses the horses and studies the form and a horse he has ridden just once he will know backwards. He is a major, major asset,”

He continued, “Cole Dicken has a future, he has a good head, has good balance and punches them out nicely. He is definitely worth his 4kg claim.”

He added, “Matthew Thackeray rides a lot of work for me and is my second choice rider most of the time. He is a good, underrated jockey with a lovely attitude and deserves more chances so I am going to give him more rides.”

Peter finished sixth on the national log last season on earnings in unrestricted races of R11,227,938.

This season he tops the log on earnings of R1,912,875,  213,737.50 clear of second-placed Alan Greeff. 

Justin Snaith is in third place, R300,475 off the lead, and the reigning national champion trainer Sean Tarry is next best, R616,100 behind Peter.

Peter said, “The big guns have powerful strings but I have a very good crop of three-year-olds.”

Peter was most impressed with his older filly Vistula’s seasonal reappearance in which she easily won a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1400m on the Turffontein Standside course by 2,25 lengths. 

He said, “She was only about 70% fit. I threw her out for a whole month after the Garden Province. They don’t like to give us grass at Turffontein, I don’t blame them because there’s so much racing, so she had just done a little bit of half pace work after her rest.”

The four-year-old Ideal World filly is being targeted at the Grade 2 Jo’Burg Spring Fillies and Mares Challenge over 1450m on October 5 on the Turffontein Inside track. Peter said if she landed a good draw she would be a “massive” runner.

Peter has 160 horses at present and among them are many promising unraced three-year-olds.

Of those three-year-olds to have raced he named Summer Pudding, Pax Romana (“a good stayer”), Astrix, Arapaho, Atomic Blonde, Riverstown, Sarah, Lighthearted and Heartstwings as his best.

The latter pair are running today on the Turffontein Inside track. 

He said, “Lighthearted’s participation depends on a pending sale to Mauritius but if he does run he is my best on the day and will have a big, big winning chance.”

He rates the progressive Heartstwings too, although he added she wouldn’t quite be 100%.

He has lost a few of his older horses to Mauritius but mentioned Rebel’s Champ, Winter Storm and Operetta as among those he had high hopes for. He said Winter Storm had run a bit below par in his last two races last season as he had needed a bit of a break and he regarded Operetta as unlucky on Saturday as she had been badly interfered with.

Peter grew up three kilometres from Turffontein racetrack and was from a family who were crazy about the game through all generations. He himself loved the horses more than the punting side. He was regularly kicked off the course as a youngster in an era when under eighteens weren’t allowed, but would always be back for the next meeting. Fortunately, he looked eighteen as a fifteen-year-old. He recalls, ironically, being a particular fan of the Ormond Ferraris yard horses.

Peter learned the training ropes from James Maree, whom he was with for many years.

He said, “He is a proper horseman and many of my workriders today come from his school.” 

Peter recently admitted he did not run a punting stable. He is consequently one of the most transparent trainers in the country and this is much appreciated by the racing public. 

His twenty winners this season have come at a strike rate of 16,26% and his place strike rate of 54,47% is the highest among the top twenty on the log.

By David Thiselton

The eight race meeting on the Turffontein Inside course should provide plenty of interest as there are some decent prospects turning out.

In the first race Date Palm was dropped out from the widest draw of all on debut over course and distance and ran on well for fifth, 4,25 lengths behind the promising Port Key. He is the only one of the first six in that race to have not run since and every one of the other five won next time out, so the form has been franked over and over again. Warren Kennedy is up and the horse should have improved so if he manages to drop him out again he should run on again and go close. 

Arnica Montana looks to have ability having gone close from a wide draw over 1450m on debut. S’Manga Khumalo is one of the best jockeys in the country and keeps the ride from a slightly better draw, nine out of 14 instead of nine out of ten. This three-year-old gelding’s sire Flower Alley fathered a Kentucky Derby winner so he should enjoy the step up in trip and will be staying on strongly again. Those two can get punters through the Bipot.

In the second race over 2600m Il Mondo is officially 2,5kg under sufferance but carries a featherweight and caught the eye as a stayer with some ability when staying on strongly to win her penultimate start over 2400m. She now has the accomplished Marco van Rensburg up and has a shout. Factor Fifth has topweight but has shown good form over staying trips and should come into her own this season being a daughter of Marchfield, so she looks to be the other one to include in the PA and Bipot.

The third over 1200m sees an intriguing clash between Wisteria Walk and Balletto. The former won over this trip by ten lengths and the latter by a cosy three lengths on their respective debuts. Looking at collateral form, Wisteria Walk beat a horse called Kisimu by eleven lengths and Balleto beat that same horse by six, so even with Wisteria Walk having to give Balletto 1,5kg she comes out ahead. However, Balletto is drawn in pole and as a smaller, athletic sort should be suited to this tight track, while the bigger, more scopey Wisteria Walk might have to rely on a strong finish to overhaul Balletto after jumping from a draw of four. Balletto gets the vote albeit narrowly. 

In the next race the Paul Peter and Warren Kennedy combination are in fine form at present and the progressive Lighthearted looks capable of overcoming a four point raise for his last win over this suitable 1450m trip. African Rock has gone close over this 1450m course and distance before and from pole position can use his front-running style to full advantage. Lazarus Tree has always struck as one with plenty of ability but his record of three wins and only one place is reflective of his inconsistency. He has to be included in case he has an on day.

In the fifth race Heartstwings has struck as one with plenty of scope from day one so he should continually improve this season. She looks to be off a reasonable handicap mark and it depends whether Kennedy can overcome a draw of eleven, because if he is able to she should stay on strongly. Viscountess Vivien won well over this trip last time and this Duke Of Marmalade filly’s breeding suggests she will now start coming into her own so she can progress from here. The Sash is unbeaten in two starts over this trip so has a chance from a fair draw, although she does have to bounce back from two below par runs over shorter and has been given zero relief by the handicapper for those efforts. 

In the sixth race over 2600m American Indian is developing into a useful sort and in his previous attempt at a staying trip he ran on well and just failed to beat the smart stayer Horace despite giving the latter 2kg. That form should be too good for this field. The back up could be Indy Ice as he has always struck as promising and a good win over 2400m last time when running on strongly suggests he could be coming into his own and  will also enjoy the step up in trip. Fact can’t be ignored either as a progressive stayer from the yard of Weiho Marwing, renowned for his expertise with stayers. 

In the seventh race over 2000m Jagesa Jagesa is drawn in pole and after losing two lengths at the start and running on for third over 1800m last time he looks cherry ripe to succeed over this trip as long as he jumps on terms. Prince Of Promise had not had much luck before his last start and proved it by winning that 1800m contest at healthy odds of 15/2. S’Manga Khumalo stays aboard from a middle draw and he could earn again off a four point higher mark. Flattley shouldn’t be far behind Prince Of Promise on paper and is now off a competitive mark.

In the last race over 1800m Matloob came out of a strong maiden race over 1600m to win going away over that same 1600m trip and off an attractive merit rating can follow up from a plum draw over a step up in trip which should suit him down to the ground being by Silvano out of a Giant’s Causeway mare. He is made the best bet on the card as he should be able to find the box seat behind what looks to be a good paced race. 

By David Thiselton