The Justin Snaith-Richard Fourie combination have a strong hand at Kenilworth on Saturday with the favourite or joint favourite in half the eight races while the dual champion trainer is responsible for a quarter or the total runners.

Adam Marcus, who runs only four horses on the day, sends out two favourites – Missisippi Burning (Greg Cheyne) in the Bellryck Financial Group Maiden and Hello Winter Hello (M.J. Byleveld) in the Carnarvon Lodge Maiden

Callan Murray is going to have to make the most of his considerable talents if he is to go home with a winner. None of his six mounts is less than 7-1 in the early betting and two of them are rank outsiders quoted at 25-1 and 30-1.

By Michael Clower

Jockey Ian Sturgeon was booked off permanently from riding in April this year due to a hip problem but is already thriving in various business ventures.

Sturgeon was found to have a labrum tear as well as tears in the joint capsule and joint ligament.  

He was operated on three times without success and still experiences some pain and discomfort just from walking around.

However, this has not stopped him playing golf at least once a week.

He and his girlfriend Clare Steele have started a pre-training centre in Hammarsdale.

They are building a new track and hope to increase their clientele, which to date has included Robbie and Shannon Hill and Kevin and Alyson Wright.

Sturgeon has also started a paving business whose headquarters will shortly be moving to Hillcrest.

During his jockey years he completed his qualifications in pest control and has taken over some of the business his father started in this industry.

He said, “It is a tough economic climate but, like jockeyship or anything else, if you have the right attitude you will be alright.”

By David Thiselton

Top jockey Craig Zackey is out injured at present and will shortly be spending a week at South Africa’s champion stud farm, Mauritzfontein, where he hopes to be present to see his beloved Nother Russia foaling down.

Zackey had to have a double hip operation but the good news is this is not due to the hip wearing away, so he can still look forward to a long career.

He was found to have “massive cam lesions”. This refers to an abnormally shaped femoral head, which comes into abnormal contact with the edge of the hip socket, thus limiting the range of movement in the hip.

His femoral heads were duly shaved so they could sit in the sockets correctly.

However, it was subsequently discovered he had a labral tear in the cartilage of his right hip joint and had to have two pins inserted.

He had a bilateral hip arthroscopy on both hips and has been out for two weeks so far.

He expects to be out for at least another four weeks, although his comeback date will depend on the prognosis of the doctor.

Being on the sidelines has been particularly frustrating as he felt this season would have been the right one to “make a break and go for gold.” There are a number of jockeys on the sidelines and others have left for Hong Kong, so the national championship is there for the taking.

It is now going to be difficult, but his goal is still a top five finish.

The 24-year-old said, “I am still young so there will be a lot more opportunities. I have already ridden five Grade 1 winners and multiple Grade 2s and 3s, but the championship would be the cherry on the cake.”

Zackey’s five Grade 1 wins included two aboard Nother Russia and one each on Arabian Beat, Van Halen and Will Pays.

Nother Russia surpassed Slumdogmillionaire as the best he had ever ridden and he doubts there will ever be another horse closer to his heart.

He recounted, “She was temperamental and before she started racing nobody liked her, particularly as she was mad in the gates. I started working with Malan du Toit on her issues and something just told me to stick with her, so I was even prepared to go on Sundays to school her at the pens. When her owner and breeder Jessica Slack heard I had been working with her and showing her a lot of love she told me ‘This is your filly until the end of her career’ and there was no looking back after those inspiring words.”

The De Kock yard are also known for their loyalty to riders and Zackey duly rode her in all eighteen of her starts. She twice won the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes over 1600m and also won the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Stakes and the Grade 3 Acacia Handicap over that same Turffontein Standside course and distance. She ran four Grade 1 places too from 1600m to 2000m, three of them against the boys.

Nother Russia was the only foal of the late four-time Grade 1-winning stalwart Mother Russia. Zackey hopes to see the continuation of this legacy during his visit to Mauritzfontein as she is in foal to Querari and is due to foal down soon.

Zackey was a good soccer player at school. In Grade 7 he received an invitation to attend the Academy Of Excellence in Gauteng and at the age of 14 he was offered a trial at Orlando Pirates. 

He was aware of horseracing as his father and late grandfather always followed the sport and it soon became evident he was always going to be small in stature. 

When he went for an interview at Turffontein for the South African Jockeys Academy he learnt a lot about the sport and was now clear on what he wanted to do.

However, he did not realise just how focused he would be on this career path until arriving at The Academy.

“I loved every bit of it,” he said. “The Academy was like a dream come true.”  

Zackey was the National Champion Apprentice in the 2014/2015 season, riding 58 winners.

He blossomed from there and broke through the 100 mark the following season, riding 101 winners.

The following season in 2016/2017 he rode 138 winners for sixth on the national log and that remains his best season to date.

However, before his injury he was being supported by the like of Adam and Basil Marcus in Cape Town, Duncan Howells, Dennis Drier, Wendy Whitehead and Doug Campbell in his new home base of KZN and some top yards in Gauteng, so he is itching to get back.

By David Thiselton

Young three-year-olds held sway over their older rivals at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday and won three of the first five races and were a touch unlucky in another.

The Dennis Drier-trained Piemonte Stud-bred three-year old Toreador gelding Ninotto looked the form choice in the opener, a Maiden over 1000m, and he chased down the well supported pair Valiente and Captain Of Colour to win by a cosy 1,40 lengths under Sean Veale. Vinodh’s Boy and Double Espresso ran on well for second and third respectively.

Garth Puller had a double on Sunday and added to this by winning yesterday’s second, a Graduation Plate for fillies and mares over 1000m, with the promising three-year-old Varsfontein-bred Gimmethegreenlight filly Travelling Light, who wore down older filly Candy Galore to win by 0,25 lengths under Sereno Moodley.

In the next, a fillies and mares Maiden over 1200m, three-year-old Hot Money had to switch way inward for a run so was perhaps a tad unlucky to be touched off by the Sean Tarry-trained four-year-old AL Adyaat home-bred Silvano filly Azeeza, who was ridden by Ashton Arries.

Eric Ngwane rode a fine front-running race to win the next over 1600m on the Dennis Bosch-trained four-year-old Highlands-bred Pathfork filly Jamie’s Joy.

However, the three-year-olds Dancing Feather and Royal Kitty dominated the finish of the fifth over 1600m. The former, a Gavin van Zyl-trained Maine Chance-bred Duke Of Marmalade filly won comfortably under Warren Kennedy.

Bosch scored a double when the four-year-old Summerhill-bred Visionaire gelding What A Blast stormed home under Stuart Randolph to take the sixth, a MR68 handicap over 1600m, despite carrying top weight first time out the maidens.

In the seventh over 2000m the Sabine Platter homebred five-year-old Lateral mare Everdene converted favoritism with a strong finish to just get up and put the Andre Nel-Gareth Wright combination on the board.

Apprentice Jabu Jacobs is improving all the while under Garth Puller’s tutelage and he used his 4kg claim to full effect in the last over 1400m on the Brett Crawford-trained Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein five-year-old Tiger Ridge mare Oloye. He led and had done his homework as the going in the straight was even on the day so he took the shortest way home down the inside rail and held on by a whisker from fast-finishing three-year-old Mary O.

By David Thiselton

The Vaal Classic track a stages nine race meeting tomorrow and it is a typically low key but competitive August card.

Punters could get off to a good start with the Sean Tarry-trained Therecanbeonlyone. This horse was outpaced in the finish over 2000m last time but stayed on and although just a young three-year-old looks to be crying out for the trip already. She has plenty of substance so should be improving all the time and being by Twice Over out of a Captain Al mare who won up to 1950m her pedigree also suggests she should get the trip. Weiho Marwing is an expert with stayers and the Lateral filly Laconia has earned a cheque in her last five starts over staying trips. She is starting to threaten a win and with top work rider Sam Mosia now aboard from pole position she will be a threat to Therecanbeonlyone, Shezahotti has had bad luck with draws and it continues here as she is drawn six out of six. She is bred for this trip being by SA Derby winner Irish Flame out of an Among Men mare who is out of a Rakeen mare and she could earn. 

In the second race Serendipity can be forgiven her last start as she attained a speedy cut during the race. She is now drawn two over a favourable trip of 1500m and faces an uninspiring field so if recapturing her previous form off an effective two-point lower merit rating she is the one to beat. Passion Peach has been quite frustrating to follow over sprints as she finishes well but usually does it too late. She has failed in two attempts at this distance category but is by Ideal World so might be able to stay it now as a five-year-old. She has a fair draw with Muzi Yeni up. Empress Rock is never far off them and now has a 4kg claimer up so could also be in the shake-up.

In the third over 1200m both Brigtnumberten and Golden Lion will have to carry a fair amount of deadweight and therefore Pidgeon Rock is preferred. This four-year-old won well in the maidens last time over this 1200m trip and Dennis Schwarz stays aboard. His opening handicap mark looks manageable. Brigtnumberten has plenty of pace and has a fair draw. In the current fast conditions he can kick on. Golden Lion’s big weight of 63kg will be alleviated by the 4kg claimer of apprentice Syster. He won from a wide draw over the Turffontein Inside track over this trip in his penultimate start and is now drawn in pole off just an effective two-point higher mark, so will be a big threat.

In the fourth over 1600m Stop For Nothing is the form choice. He was four lengths back over 1400m last time and on pedigree should enjoy this step up in trip, although a concern is the breathing noise he made. The Riddler steps up from 1200m and should enjoy it on pedigree so can be involved from draw two. Tiki Taka has also shown signs of ability. However, this race could produce an upset as the first three choices don’t inspire confidence.

In the fifth over 1600m Smiley River moved up well on debut over 1400m after a slow start but did not find the necessary extra. She should improve and does not have a lot to beat. Readysetglo is usually thereabouts but is quite exposed. However, she is drawn in pole and should enjoy the step up to this trip being by Traffic Guard. The one who could upset the applecart is Anagram. She stayed on well over this course and distance last time from the same good draw of two and that was only her third start so she can improve.

In the sixth over 1600m Waqaas drops back to the course and distance of his best run and he is drawn in pole in an uninspiring field. Grindelwald has finished fourth in his last two starts over this trip and has been dropped a further three points so could get closer. Pelican Bay’s merit rating has been dropped another two points and he had excuses last time so could earn from a good draw.

In the seventh Perfect Light won well over this trip last time and off a lenient merit rating and jumping from pole she can follow up. Tombola has failed twice over middle distances before but having made a good start to her career in a Highveld yard she can be given another chance. This is particularly in light of her being by stamina influence Irish Flame and also the manner in which she won going away over 1600m last time. Destiny’s Game won well when stepped up to 1800m last time and looks likely to enjoy the further step up in trip, so she has a chance despite having to carry topweight off an effective six-point higher mark.

In the eighth over 1000m Before The Dawn starts off handicapping on a reasonable mark having won easily with first time blinkers on over this trip last time and with a 2,5kg claimer up could follow up. Phillydelphia is none too consistent but carrying a featherweight she could be in the shake up if producing her best, although she is 1,5kg worse off than she could be as she is half-a-kilogram under sufferance and the 4kg claimer Syster carries 1kg overweight. Queen Of War, Claremorris and Ottawa are also capable of winning this race.

In the last race over 1000m Mr Hugo has not been disgraced in two starts won by useful sorts. He has pace and can improve. Touch Of Fate has ability and can be involved if starting better than usual. Sunburst is having his 17th start but could earn here and Pure Wisdom and Anatolio can’t be ignored either.

By David Thiselton

Image: Ryan Munger rides Serendipity in the second race at the Vaal racecourse tomorrow.