Callan Murray rides at Kenilworth for the first time since May last year on Saturday and he could well become a regular visitor to the two Cape Town courses.

The rising star, keen to re-establish himself after his stints in Hong Kong and Singapore, said yesterday: “I am very glad to be back at Kenilworth and, with the Cape season coming up, I would be willing to travel more often. It’s no secret that they are looking for jockeys there and I am hungry and willing.”

He rides in the last six of the eight races and has two mounts for both Glen Kotzen and Candice Bass-Robinson as well as one apiece for Piet Steyn and Geoff Woodruff.

By Michael Clower

Maidens and lowly handicaps make up most of the field’s country-wide in this time between feature seasons and punters have had to do plenty of homework to get through the exotic bets unscathed.

However, with only seven runners in the first leg of the PA on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville today, Golden Chance should oblige with at least a first-three finish. It is a competitive field for a Graduation Plate but Golden Chance ticks most of the boxes and if anywhere near her best should be difficult to beat.

If there is a chink in her armour, it could be that she may prefer it a touch further but to compensate, she is rated 5kg better than her nearest rival in the handicap ratings.

She is up against some useful opposition, best of which could be the Garth Puller-trained three-year-old Travelling Light. She was touched off over course and distance last time out and is progressive. Candy Galore comes from an inform stable while Wildly In Love has made dramatic improvement with a tongue-tie and is back on the poly where she has won before.

SA Derby winner Irish Flame has been responsible for more sprinters than stayers and sired a brace of winners last Sunday. Miss Charlotte should have a bright chance for giving him a third winner within a week when she lines up in the opening leg of the Pick 6.

It’s not an easy race but Puller has been firing of late and Miss Charlotte took a bad knock in her last race losing momentum when it mattered. Hot Money caught the eye on debut and should come on for the experience while Cersei galloped well at Ashburton last week and is in good order.

Paul Gadsby has signed up Warren Kennedy for the ride on La Duchesse in the fourth and her consistency should be rewarded. She goes well over course and distance and has the best of the draw.

If there is to be an upset it could come in the form of Camelots Beauty. Paul Lafferty’s runner is showing signs of coming to hand and with apprentice Jabu Jacobs, successful on Boeing City last Sunday, taking 4kg off her back she could surprise.

Dancing Feather caught the eye on debut and should make further improvement in the fifth although Royal Kitty and Miss Missouri have also shown up well at recent outings.

The sixth is a wide open affair but Such A Rush can put one over her male rivals. She was narrowly beaten in her last two starts over course and distance and the stable is in form. Of the others, Sovereign Soldier has shown up well at his last two and should feature prominently along with Northern Route who came back well after a lengthy break. Second run after a lay-off may be a problem.

Purple And Gold is likely to be among the longer priced runner in the eighth but there was plenty of money for Julie Dittmer’s runner last time out and she was a touch unlucky to find traffic on the turn, losing position. She finished with a rattle and was just over a length back to the winner Thru’ The Trees who she meets on 1kg better terms today. The dangers are many, including Thru’ The Trees, Live As One and Everdene.

It’s tough for three-year-olds against older horses at this time of the year but Mary O was close-up in a strong feature last start and could have too much class for some seasoned opposition and it helps that Mark Khan and Lezeanne Forbes are in form. Top weight Miss Calypso was just short of a run last time out at Scottsville and this 1400m trip from draw two looks tailor made for a big effort.

By Andrew Harrison

The Bloodstock South Africa National 2YO Sale that concluded at Germiston last week saw the market show some welcome resilience in difficult trading conditions.

In total 316 of the 392 catalogued lots sold, at an average of R103,085, 14% up on last year’s figure of R89,802.

The aggregate of R32,575,000 was also significantly up on the R29,455,000 of a year ago.

The late Soft Falling Rain was leading sire, with his 14 lots fetching R2,740,000.  

Newly crowned champion breeders Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein swiftly got into the swing of things on Thursday.

Early sales topper was Soft Falling Rain colt Herecomestherain. Sent down by Wilgerbosdrift, he was snapped up for R600,000 by Jehan Malherbe’s Form Bloodstock organisation.

And Mauritzfontein also got into the action when their Bold Silvano colt Sun Lark went to Louis Goosen for R350,000.

Later on, Silvano colt Silver Stardust made the highest price of R800,000. He was consigned by Klipdrif Stud (as agent) and snapped up by Lynton Ryan.

Silvano was last week crowned South Africa’s Champion Sire for a fourth time.

Also making R800,000 was the unnamed lot 267, a Cheveley Stud-bred Dynasty colt from Mystic Spring. He is a grey full-brother to past graduate and Equus champion Bela-Bela and the champion male, Rabiya, and was bought by Kestorm Investments.

Bass Racing purchased the top-priced filly in the form of Tenacity (Lot 38). The latter, who was consigned by Varsfontein Stud, was knocked down for R450 000, with the filly being a daughter of Varsfontein Stud’s rising sire star Master Of My Fate, and a half-sister to Listed Swallow Stakes winner All At Once.

Skhwelemthini Investments were leading buyers at the 2019 National 2YO Sale, purchasing five two-year-olds for R2.365 million. Their tally included the Dynasty colt Victor Emmanuel (Lot 385) – a R700 000 buy from Wilgerbosdrift.

Klipdrif Stud, as agent, ended up as the leading vendors, with the Robertson-based farm selling 15 of their 20 lots offered for a gross amount of R3.655 million.

Soft Falling Rain was the top sire at the sale, with all of his 14 lots on offer selling for R2.74 million. His top lot was the Wilgerbosdrift consigned colt named Herecomestherain (Lot 46) who made R600 000.

Bloodstock South Africa’s Gary Grant was understandably upbeat after the sale, commenting, “I think it is safe to say that this sale was a resounding success. It gave vendors some hope in what can best be described as uncertain times in this industry. One of the most pleasing aspects of the sale was the significant part played by several newcomers to the racing industry.”

– Bloodstock SA

Seventh Gear, the R4.75 million Captain Al colt out of Triple Tiara winner Cherry On The Top and so impressive at Hollywoodbets Scottsville last month, is among a dozen choice horses that Dean Kannemeyer has transferred from Summerveld to Milnerton to be prepared for the top prizes in the Cape season.

He said yesterday: “These horses arrived in Cape Town at the beginning of last week. I have changed things around a bit this time – normally I would vaccinate them in Durban and leave them there to get the warm sun on their backs – but those that arrived last week have now been vaccinated here.

“Seventh Gear is a horse that has tremendous potential and if he proves good enough he will be aimed at the Cape Guineas. His first start was over 1 200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville and on his second, over 1 400m, he absolutely annihilated them. I have trained a few classic winners in my time and I think that this one could be falling into that category.”

Kannemeyer, who has won the Cape Guineas five times, also mentioned the Umkhomazi winner African Warrior and Premiers Champion runner-up Liberty Hall as being among the 12 to have arrived from Durban.

He said: “Liberty Hall won first time out and was unlucky to be beaten (a neck into third) next time before running second in the Group 1. I don’t yet know what African Warrior’s right distance is but he has a hell of a turn of foot. As we go into the season I will expose him over more ground and with his high rating (112) I will possibly start him off in something like the Matchem.”

But not all the Kannemeyer equine traffic is going to be one way – “There is a lot more racing, and more money, for the lower division horses in Durban so I may well send a few of those category horses up there.

”Last year was a difficult one for me but we came back well at the end of the season and I believe I have a stronger three-year-old string this time.”

By Michael Clower

Joe Soma won the Grade 1 SA Classic last year with Lobo’s Legend and this rich classic event will likely be one of the targets for his Equus Champion two-year-old colt from last season Got The Greenlight.

The Gimmethegreenlight colt went back into training this week but Soma has no set plans for him yet.

He has a huge stride and impressed all and sundry when powering home in effortless fashion from the rear of the field in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on eLan Gold Cup day.

He looks likely to enjoy middle distances and if he does line up in the SA Classic will probably start at a shorter price than Lobo’s Legend, who was sent off a 36-1 longshot.

Lobo’s Legend is currently racing in Hong Kong but has been taking a while to acclimatise and is yet to place in six starts. 

By David Thiselton