Jockeys are supremely fit athletes and anyone who doubts the skills required in getting the best out of a racehorse would do well to watch replays of the two ‘non-professional’ races run at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday.

Aron Xabendlini is a seasoned work rider and is vastly more experience than his fellow participants in the KZN work rider’s series. That experience held him in good stead as he wrapped up all three legs in a tight finish on Dennis Drier’s charge Liquidity. But he was a tad lucky as the inexperience and lack of racing fitness took its toll on Tristan Mustard who went down by the narrowest of margins on Kom Naidoo’s runner Juniper Lane.

As the line loomed, Xabendlini kept the favourite together while Mustard tried to get there before his mount, losing rhythm as his condition gave out and becoming unbalanced. It was valuable experience for the grandson of ex-jockey Leslie Mustard, successful on the Dessie Rich-trained Lightning Shot in the 1977 July.

It was a no-sticks-allowed contest as was the Qatar National Stud Apprentice Cup. The SA Jockey Academy is currently hosting a number of Qatari apprentices who have been riding out in the mornings although many trainers have been reluctant to use their services, mainly due to a language barrier.

But they have been well schooled in other areas at the academy and the Apprentice Cup was the culmination of their South African venture.

Favourite Celebration Rock was possibly an unlucky loser but his rider Salah Salem made a full tour of the Scottsville straight, his piece de resistance left for last as he cannoned into eventual winner Harmonica. Riding to instructions from Duncan Howells, Abdulla Rashid kept his head down and pushed all the way to the line to record an indelible memory, his first race ride being a winner.

It was something of a rat-race behind these two with no quarter asked and there were a few heated exchanges amongst colleagues back in the weighing room and a stern talking to by the stipendiary stewards.

By Andrew Harrison

Winter Is Over looks nailed on for the Betting World Maiden at Kenilworth tomorrow even though the price is unlikely to do a great deal for your finances.

This grey gelding – as short as 15-20 yesterday – looked a certain future winner when, despite showing understandable signs of greenness, he ran on strongly to be beaten less than a neck by the more experienced Ashbury Park on debut last month. Significantly the ground that day was soft.

Winning Ways singled out the Justin Snaith runner as one to follow and Luke Ferraris’s mount, odds-on yesterday, should have few problems confirming the form with Brother Louis who was over a length behind and has far less scope for improvement.

Grant van Niekerk was a talented jockey long before he went to Hong Kong – horses really run for him – and it will be interesting to see how a season in that pressure cauldron has improved him but I think the bookmakers are going overboard if they expect him to justify favouritism in four races out of six.

Most of his supposed best chances need to find a bit but Doppio Oro can start his ball rolling in the first despite being drawn one from the outside. The going on the sprint course last Saturday was significantly faster on the inside than in the middle or the outside.

The Candice Bass-Robinson runner has marginally the best form although it is a concern that we have no idea how he will handle the soft. Watch out for newcomer Bag Of Tricks. This is a Ridgemont runner, he has already been nibbled at and Brett Crawford won with a few first-timers last term.

In race two Van Niekerk’s mount Larentina ran well in the soft on debut but Calypso Beat, although untested in this going, also showed plenty of promise first time. She is a slightly better price and at the odds may prove a better bet. Missisippi Burning also has claims but 13 out of 14 means Craig Zackey is going to have to get across.

Snaith is responsible for 19 of the 74 runners (25%) and in the 1 000m Tabonline.co.za Maiden he has four out of seven but original favourite Tambora has been scratched. The Joey Ramsden runner Celtic Voyager accounted for all except the show-stopping Yorktown in the soft over a furlong further a fortnight ago and looks the one they have to beat.

BLOB Michael Clower’s winning run faltered when the ground changed and the profit on his tips to a R10 level stake in the last six months of the season dropped from a high of R307.40 to R195.40.

By Michael Clower

The drop in class from Champions Season fields to bread-and-butter fare is dramatic but there are always a few nuggets to be mined no matter what.

Coldhardcash rounded off what for him was a disappointing season at Hollywoodbets Greyville last Wednesday, but Duncan Howells can turn the page for the new season as he saddles a few with definite chances at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.

Best of these could come in the last race of the day where stable companions Candy Apple and Rocket Fire could have the race to themselves.

Howells rated Candy Apple as one of his better two-year-olds last season but the colt ran way below expectations in the Gr1 Gold Medallion. He had shown promise before that and races in first time blinkers which could bring out the best in him. Stable companion Rocket Fire was not far back first start out of the maidens, his first run in nearly six months. The spectre of the ‘second-run-after-a-lay-off’ syndrome looms large but he looks a likely threat.

Bravo Zulu was second best behind Coldhardcash on Wednesday but trainer Louis Goosen is confident of another forward showing. “The stable has turned,” he said yesterday, “and Bravo Zulu is my little ATM.”

Bedazzled Joker is another that should be in the firing line as he is holding form well.

Howells saddles the mare High Altar in the sixth where she faces half-a-dozen opponents. She loves this course and distance and was running on well last start over a trip arguably short of her best. Andre Nel saddles the consistent Agenteus who seldom runs a bad race. But she has been off the track since February and if it comes to a tight finish she may just be found wanting.

Of the balance, Classic Guard is lightly raced but has steady form over shorter while Roy’s Pony was only run out of it late by Jamaica Bay on Wednesday. She has a handy galloping weight and can turn the tables on Irish Wonder Girl who got up late to touch her off when tried in blinkers for the first time.

Dennis Drier is the perennial master in KZN and finished on top of the pile for the third season running with his 61 local winners.

So his charge, The Master, is well named and has good form over Sunday’s 1600m trip and has yet to run a bad race. From the best draw he should be right there again although he will face stiff opposition from Farland who has run two promising races over course and distance and his stable is finding form while Noble Joshua, who was an easy winner last start, can go in again.

Howells holds another strong hand in the seventh with his two fillies Wildly In Love and Starlight. Wildly In Love was much improved when tried in a tongue-tie last time out and was only caught late for second, finishing ahead of stable companion and favourite Marsanne. A repeat will see her go close. Miss Calypso has been in good form since returning from a lay-off and was a comfortable winner over the Greyville 1400m on the poly last time out. She showed good pace that afternoon so this 1000m should not be a factor against her.

Of the balance, French Legend found good market support at her last start and has been consistent while Starlight has been in good form since her maiden win and has a light weight.

There are two novel races on the day, the first a work riders plate where Aron Xabendlini will be looking to make it a hat-trick of work rider wins and the second for Drier where he partners Liquidity. The gelding gets first time blinkers and a tongue-tie and he could prove a little too quick for Dancing Princess and Class Of Eight.

The SA Jockey Academy is currently hosting a party of apprentices from Qatar and they get a chance to display there skills in the tenth race, although it will be run between the fourth and fifth races and is not included in any of the exotic bets.

Abdulla Saleh won this race two years back for Paul Lafferty and he will be aboard Lafferty’s runner Mokoko on Sunday but Krishnies Jet and Great Dictator look better propositions.

By Andrew Harrison

Lyle Hewitson has retained his national jockeys championship although nearest rival Muzi Yeni fought until the last.

Going into the last meeting of the season at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday Hewitson was on 216 winners, two clear of Yeni.

He went four clear with a double in the first and third races.

The first of these was aboard the well backed Garth Puller-trained favourite Wishful Girl Linn, who pulled clear of the Yeni-ridden second favourite Cersei.

The second of the winners was the Gary Alexander-trained Marula and Hewitson showed why he is a champion here, getting this horse to dig down deep in a thrilling tussle with the favourite Ninotto.

Yeni had tried gallantly in the second race on Minister Without to overhaul the favourite Wolfgang but had to settle for his second runner up finish in succession.

However, he kept his hopes alive by winning the fourth aboard the Duncan Howells-trained 7/1 shot Coldhardcash.

However, when both riders went winnerless in races five and six it was all over.

Fittingly Hewitson was wearing the colours of the season’s champion owner Chris van Niekerk when Gold Circle’s Graeme Hawkins officially congratulated him on winning the title. Van Niekerk’s colours are associated with Hewitson’s guv’nor Sean Tarry, who secured his fourth national trainers title on Saturday.

Hewitson ended on 219 winners for the season when winning the eighth race on the Dennis Bosch-trained Padre Pio.

Yeni finished on 215 and Anton Marcus was third on 189.

By David Thiselton

Yeni calls foul

Two strikes and you’re out! In a ruthless display of riding, Lyle Hewitson put the jockey championship to bed within the first three races at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday and the championship was done and dusted after the sixth with Yeni three behind and out of ammunition.

To seal it, Hewitson added one more to his tally as the Dennis Bosch-trained Padre Pio stretch his lead to four in the eighth.

However, an upset Yeni, who is already facing an inquiry into his conduct in the steward’s room last Saturday, claimed foul and made his views clear after winning on Coldhardcash.

Speaking post-race; “Yes, I was giving it my all. I just find it very much injustice in the whole system in the jockey’s championship. Lyle was served a two-week suspension in April and they prolonged it until the end of the season when he can take it and I thought that is was very unfair to me.

They call it the rainbow nation but there is no fairness. I was forced to stand down when I was 12 winners ahead while Lyle was riding so to call it a fair contest? Everyone is coming here to support the championship but then they must make it clear. How come he can ride?

Interviewer Sheldon Peters tried to defuse the situation but Yeni was adamant in his views although he would have been well advised to check the suspension rules before sounding off.

“I can’t talk anymore because obviously I’m not allowed the playing field to talk, but I’m saying this is all in the media why someone is in front and why someone is not so. Obviously if I am not allowed to voice my concerns. Why some people are allowed to ride and some people are not allowed to ride. If I was good enough to serve out my suspension why not be allowed to ride out the season.”

 In what must have been one of the most exhausting championship battles ever, Yeni fought all the way to the line. 1819 rides is no mean feat in itself and Hewitson’s 1554 had him chasing hard after starting 40 behind after a two-month injury break at the start of the season.

Hewitson, Hong Kong-bound in the next fortnight, is confident in his abilities which will stand him in good stead in one of the world’s toughest racing jurisdictions.

“Ten days ago (when he was six winners clear on the log) I did not have the best book of rides but I realised that I was riding well. But Muzi did a fantastic job coming back.”

Hewitson started the last day of the season two winners ahead of Yeni but had stretched that to four by the third race with wins on Wishful Girl Linn in the first for a former champion jockey Garth Puller, and Marula in the third for visiting trainer Gary Alexander.

 Yeni picked up a ride on Cersei for Kom Naidoo in the first but had to be content with a well-beaten second as Wishful Girl Linn skated home three lengths clear.

Yeni made a fist of it in the second as he gave his all aboard on the Tobie Spies runner Minister Without but favourite Wolfgang proved more than a match. Spies has been one of Yeni’s biggest supporters this season and a win would not have been out of turn.

Duncan Howells is another Yeni supporter and Hewitson’s lead was cut to three after Coldhardcash made all the running under Yeni to hold off Louis Goosen’s runner Bravo Zulu with the balance in another race. It was a fine training feat by Howells as Coldhardcash is not clean winded and races with a cornel collar.

It pays to follow in form stables and yards that tend to come to form at certain times of the year. Richmond-based Doug Campbell is always one to keep an eye on once Champions Season has run its course. With few runners that can compete with Champion Season raiders, Campbell keeps his powder dry for this time of the year and although Jamaica Bay did have two races during the season, she was primed for the fifth yesterday as she and Craig Zackey out-gunned Such A Rush and luckless apprentice Xola Jacobs.

Lowan Denysschen had a hard taskmaster in his father Paul who was a supreme horseman and although winner’s have been hard to come by this term, Denysschen came within an ace of a double yesterday. Such A Rush had to bend her knee to a faster finishing Jamaica Bay but Thru’ The Trees did the business for the stable as Mark Khan got him going to get the better of pacemaker Roy’s Pony in the sixth.

Hewitson ended the season on 219 winners, Yeni on 215 and Anton Marcus third on 189.

By Andrew Harrison