Warren Kennedy decided towards the end of last season to chase the South African Jockey’s championship this term and he has made a fine start in this quest.

Kennedy said it was a mixture of improved riding and better support which had enabled him to climb the ladder.

He added, “Getting rides in bigger races gives you more responsibility and if you ride well you get better support.”

This snowball effect has elevated many a jockey from journeymen into the top echelon and is the reason why it is so crucial to seize the opportunities which come your way.

Kennedy did just that last season and made the breakthrough.  

He now has the continued support of Gareth and Gavin van Zyl and others in KZN, of the increasingly prominent yard of Paul Peter and others in Gauteng, and of a number of trainers in Cape Town.

His other advantage is his light weight. His official riding weight is 51kg.

By the close of play on Tuesday he was in second place on the national log on 23 winners at a strike rate of 13,21, five winners behind leader Muzi Yeni.   

When a jockey’s first name is dropped by the racing media and public it is often the sign of making it into the big time.

Latterly both reporters and punters have been saying “Kennedy is up” as it is now taken for granted that this is a bonus.

This is as opposed to such statements in the past as “Warren Kennedy, who has been in good form, is aboard.”

Kennedy can be expected nowadays to get the best out of a horse and fully deserves his prominent position.

It is all about knowing your opposition in a race and accordingly finding a good position in the running for your mount.

He has become an expert in this regard.

The public pay most attention to the finish but the horse will often do this for a jockey if positioned well throughout the earlier part of the race.

Kennedy’s statistics have also risen dramatically.

One had to go to the second page of the NHRA’s national jockeys log to find his name in 28th place in the 2014/2015 season with 39 winners at a strike rate of 6,2%.

In the 2015/2016 season he rode 67 winners at a strike rate of 8,8% for 17th place on the log.

In the 2016/2017 season he rode 84 winners at a strike rate of 11,9% for 17th place.

In the 2017/2018 season he rode 79 winners at a strike rate of 10,6% for 14th pace.

Last season he broke through the 100 barrier mark, riding 139 winners at a strike rate of 12,2% and finished 7th on the log. Furthermore, he scored his first Grade 1 win, riding the Gavin van Zyl-trained Gabor to victory in the Thekwini Stakes over 1600m at Greyville on eLan Gold Cup day. He also had three Grade 2 successes, including a classic race triumph on the Mike de Kock-trained Nafaayes in the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineeas, as well as a Grade 3 win and three Non-Black Type feature race victories. He also had a momentous day at the Vaal on July 4, riding six winners in a meeting which had only eight races available to professional jockeys. 

Kennedy’s fortunes began swinging upward when joining the Gavin van Zyl operation at Summerveld a few years ago.

He was the sixth stable jockey used by Gavin but is the longest standing. He also automatically became stable jockey to Gareth van Zyl when the latter branched out on his own a couple of years ago.

Gavin said, “When Warren joined us he was prepared to work with me in becoming what I was looking for in a jockey. We were going to start from a point and make it a work in progress and iron out certain aspects. One of Warren’s strongest points is he doesn’t get offended even with criticism or on the occasions I have had to jock him off. He has never sulked and has been prepared to stick it out for the long haul and we have thus been able to build together. He has always had the talent. He was silverware but just needed polishing. It has been rewarding to see him grow in confidence as a rider.”

Kennedy’s daughter Jamie was born to wife Barbara on May 30 and this was undoubtedly the biggest highlight of a memorable year for the couple.

Warren concluded by saying he was thus seizing the opportunity to chase the championship now before Jamie was walking and talking and noticing his absence.

By David Thiselton  

The Snaith powerhouse goes into battle with the favourite or joint favourite in four of the five maidens at Kenilworth today – but it could pay punters to be discerning rather than blindly following the lead of the bookmakers.

Peaceful Day has everything going for him in the first. A Drakenstein-bred Captain Al, he had the third six lengths back when making all except the last 100m to take a half-length second to Call Me Al on debut and the performance was even better than it looked because he lost a front shoe. He is bound to have come on from that and gets the vote but he has drifted from 22-10 to 7-2 as the money has come for Quintay.

The Adam Marcus runner, backed from 6-1 to 7-2, is the form horse on his first two runs but he was most disappointing when odds-on and upped a furlong last time. It is significant that he is dropped back in trip and he rates a massive danger. Alaskan Night had a very promising first run and should also come into calculations.

The Justin Snaith-Richard Fourie combination can follow up in race two with Phil’s Dancer, a 50-1 shot when fourth to Calypso Beat on debut but 18-10 favourite here. Stable companion Cyber Blossom is the pick on form but Fourie has not got where he is today by going for the wrong one.

Veratrum has already been backed to make it three in a row for the huge stable in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden but Lasata is preferred despite the no-no warning signs – she is drawn wide (normally a disaster over this 1 400m) and she has had too many chances already.

But her talented in-form rider is good value for his 1.5kg, her running is consistently good and at 33-10 there is a bit of value about her. That said, Veratrum did not have a clear run last time so his form is better than it looks. His stable companion Imperial Rage also has claims despite being off since mid-May.

The Brett Crawford-trained Khopesh opened favourite for the 1 800m maiden (race four) but weight of money has taken Black Knap to the head of the market and this colt can give Vaughan Marshall a quick double. M.J. Byleveld’s mount lost a fair bit of ground at the start on debut in what looked a good maiden and he will know more about it this time.

Snaith’s Halliberry is a worthy favourite in the finale – her last two runs are probably better than any of the others have achieved – but Mayfern’s most recent outing is better than it might appear and she is taken to win.

By Michael Clower 

Image: RED EIGHT at the Vaughan Marshall yard all set for race six at Kenilworth today.

Image Credit: Vaughan Marshall

The Turffontein Inside track stages an eight race meeting tomorrow where there look to be one or two opportunities for punters.

The best bet could be Therecanbeonlyone in the third race, a MR 70 Handicap over 2600m, although there are some negatives to her chances. On official merit ratings she is 2,5kg under sufferance which is reduced to 1,5kg by having claiming apprentice Kabelo Matsunyane aboard. The latter has a 1,5kg claim but rides at 0,5kg overweight. The Twice Over filly would also prefer a more galloping track as she does take a while to get going. On the plus side she has plenty of scope, being a filly of some substance, and she looks to be an out and out stayer. She also has a featherweight of 51kg to carry. Perfect Light could be a threat as she is a year older and looks likely to relish the step up in trip being by Jam Alley out of Sadler’s Wells mare Painter’s Dream, who won over this course and distance. 

The meeting starts off with a MR 68 Handicap over 1000m and Snow In Seattle is selected to follow up on his last win. He is drawn widest of all but it is a small eight horse field so he can be dropped out and make up the ground. Last time he finished powerfully over 1160m to win and although he is three points higher in the merit ratings he doesn’t face an inspiring field. Hot August is drawn well in two and is 1,5kg better off with Snow In Seattle for a 0,75 length beating so has a fine chance with Chase Maujean staying aboard. Lithuanian’s Dream is capable of blitzing a field so will be dangerous if bouncing out and getting to the front on this tight track. 

In the first leg of the PA over 1600m two fillies who have improved with blinkers, Seneca Falls and Full Force, face each other and there shouldn’t be much in it. Seneca Falls has more handicap experience and a better draw so gets the vote. Full Force had caught the eye as one with scope for improvement early on in her career. She went to the front over this trip last time with the first time blinkers on and has a similarly wide draw here. She won easily that day so has a shout of following up if able to get to the front again.

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 2600m Snorting Bull has always struck as a useful stayer in the making. Last time he produced his usual strong finish but it came a touch too late and he just failed, although the winner Indy Ice was finishing just as strongly and was a deserved winner. He does have a good turn of foot so this track might be ideal because in long straights he can hit the front too soon. He usually loses ground at the start but in this small field will not have a lot of ground to make up in the straight. Before Noon has plenty of resolve and will be a tough nut to crack. He goes for a hattrick and is drawn in pole over a trip he should relish. However, he has been racing in KZN so there is the change in altitude to consider and Johannesburg racing is also a touch stronger. Fact looks to be a useful stayer and comes from the Weiho Marwing yard, who are particularly good with stayers. He is drawn well in two and has scope for further improvement, especially considering he is out of a Silvano mare. 

In the second leg of the Jackpot over 1450m the Mike de Kock-trained Vercingetorix filly Tallinn could be well handicapped off an 83 considering the recent across the board ten point raise for all horses. Under the old figures she would have been running off a 73, which would have been a particularly low mark for an August debut-winning three-year-old to have. She won well on debut over 1200m and should relish the step up in trip. Kapama just failed last time from a wide draw over 1400m and now has a plum draw of three. She was 0,50 lengths behind No More Words in that race and is now half-a-kilogram better off. No More Words has another wide draw to overcome, but was flying at the finish in that last race. Similar hold up tactics will see her going close, although on the Inside track it is going to be tougher to make up the leeway. 

In the sixth race over 1450m, Western Oasis could follow up on his easy maiden win over 1400m as he does not face an inspiring field. However, he does have a tricky draw so it won’t be easy. Armstrong could be a big threat if able to overcome his wide draw of eleven. He will be ridden by Chase Maujean who is particularly good when hold up tactics are employed, as they should be here. This horse moved up well over 1400m last time from a similarly wide draw. Of the well drawn horses, Melchizedek is starting to show some of the potential he always looked to have and this distances looks ideal.

The last leg of the Jackpot is an uninspiring race and the seemingly moderate Wijdaan could be good enough to win it from a fair draw over a suitable trip. Midnight Lights has useful 1000m form in the context of this race but as she is by Gimmethegreenlight out of a Captain Al sprinter the wide draw over a step up in trip to 1450m is a concern. Notquitethereyet had her best run over this course and distance and has a plum draw of two so has a chance too.

In the last race the hard-knocking Segontium gets a good opportunity over an ideal trip although it will depend on whether he can overcome his wide draw. He will likely go to the front, which he has proven capable of doing before. The biggest threat looks to be The Riddler, who was a touch unlucky over 1600m last time, and is now well drawn over an equally suitable trip.   

By David Thiselton

Brett Crawford has never won the Sophomore Sprint but he would appear to have a big chance of filling this gap in his CV at Kenilworth on Saturday as he has the two highest-rated runners in the 1 200m Listed race.

Stable jockey Corne Orffer sticks with Finding Camelot (a son of triple classic winner Camelot) on whom he finished a close third in the Langeman while Donovan Dillon gets the call for King Of Gems who was a length away fourth in that 1 500m Grade 3.

As expected, Dean Kannemeyer has decided against running the Umkhomazi winner African Warrior and Keagan De Melo, who rode the gelding to victory in that Grade 2, instead partners the third-highest-rated Constable for Candice Bass-Robinson who will also be represented by Three Two Charlie (Greg Cheyne). The last-named had a pipe-opener under Warren Kennedy at Durbanville a week ago.

Justin Snaith, bidding for Sophomore number five, relies on Captain Tatters (Richard Fourie) who has not raced since beating all except the Hong Kong-bound Armando in the Somerset 1200 four months ago.

The race has attracted a double figure field for only the fifth time in the last 17 years. Attempts to boost its attraction by switching it to January didn’t work – there were just six runners in 2017. Running it at Durbanville last year didn’t have the desired effect either as Pleasedtomeetyou beat only five home.

Vaughan Marshall, bidding for his third win in the race this century, will be represented by the Somerset third Ground Control (M.J. Byleveld) who is also out for his third Sophomore victory. But there will be even more interest in stable companion Silver Operator who takes on older horses in the Perpetua House Handicap. This Silvano colt was immensely impressive on debut and was only beaten a short head in the Langerman.

By Michael Clower

Aldo Domeyer is joint leader of the Hong Kong Championship after grabbing a double on the opening day of the season on Sunday at Sha Tin and although his winning rides were 95% superb, the one mistake he made landed him in hot water and he copped an 11 day ban.

Meanwhile, Douglas Whyte took just two races to get off the mark as a trainer.

Domeyer said at this time last year, “They say you need 10,000 hours before you start understanding your craft. I have been listening to my father (Andrew Fortune) for a long time and had been kind of getting it but also kind of not and last season everything just clicked. I think a lot of it is just trusting your instincts and listening to yourself. The last thing you want to be doing is questioning yourself. So now I am no longer thinking of the big names I’m riding against, I’m just riding against myself. It is all coming together and I know what I am doing.”

This showed yesterday in the first of his wins when bouncing his mount, California Gungho, out from a draw of eleven in the 1200m event and outpacing those on his inside before settling him one wide and one back. The rider of Bingo helped him by coming across to provide cover. He drove California Gungho into the lead and only drew the stick about 100m from home by which stage he had the race in safekeeping. The horse started at odds of 8,5/1.

In the next race over 1400m Domeyer was on the weak 5,6/1 favourite Sunshine Warrior and once again had him beautifully positioned, this time in about sixth place with cover and with enough room to stride out. Realising the pace had not been hot he peeled his mount out rounding the turn and charged for the line. Domeyer was driving his mount with a right hand whip and making some progress, but it was not fast enough, and he then pulled off a whip-hand change of incredible deftness. The horse duly changed legs and found another gear and powered to a three-quarters of a length win. Domeyer did make one mistake though. In putting his head down and driving for the line, he forgot to look where he was going and did not realise his mount was hanging in until it was too late. His mount interfered with the second and third-placed horses. It didn’t affect the result but he was charged with careless riding and will miss four meetings.

Both of Domeyer’s wins were for top trainer Tony Cruz, who about two decades ago put Felix Coetzee on the map in Hong Kong through some good horses including the legendary Silent Witness. 

Douglas Whyte, started off his training career with a fourth place finish in the first race and won the second with 6,7/1 chance Adonis, who was ridden by young Australian jockey Regan Bayliss.

South African champion jockey Lyle Hewitson had five rides and his best finishes were 3rd on a 25/1 shot and 4th on a 12/1 chance. 

By David Thiselton