Equus Champion two-year-old elect Eden Roc will attempt to remain unbeaten in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.

The Var colt appears to be looking for this trip and although not big is well put together and has a fine turn of foot.

He is more mature than his stablemate Putontheredlight who was caught late by Eden Roc last time out in the Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m. This time Putontheredlight has a wide draw but should be running on again.

Got The Greenlight is long-striding and classy and after likely being dropped out from a wide draw he will be finishing strongly too. 

Wave seemed to be lost under the lights in the KZN Yearling Sale Million and was going nowhere when he suddenly got going and finished strongly for a length second to the promising African Warrior. He is another high drawn horse who should be staying on. 

Loosen Your Tie finished fourth in the Golden Horseshoe, quickening from a handy position and staying on and over a suitable step up in trip he will be looking for a repeat. 

Double Alliance makes his KZN debut and will be a big runner. He moved up dangerously in the Langerman last time out over 1500m ay Kenilworth but was squeezed out badly. He ran on again for fifth but might otherwise have won. 

Kaydens Pride has run on well in his last two over shorter, including winning the Gatecrasher over 1400m, so has a chance here. 

Fools Gold is a rangy type who waltzed away with a Maiden Juvenile Plate when stepped up to 1400m last time, so he is something of an unknown quantity.

Master Of Illusion is rated by the Dennis Drier yard and was too far back in the Golden Horseshoe but was the fastest finisher. 

Rock The Globe was well beaten in the Golden Horseshoe but was staying on so is another who will enjoy the trip.

Special Blend had to be driven for much of the way when a 2,45 length fifth to Kaydens Pride in the Gatecrasher Stakes and with the experience he could improve over a trip which should suit.

Enjoy The View is a classy type who should relish this trip and he is a dark horse.

Promiseofamaster stayed on to beaten 1,10 lengths by Got The Greenlight over 1400m last time and should enjoy the trip but is 2kg worse off with the latter.

Liberty Hall was just touched off over this trip at Scottsville last time but looks to have plenty of scope.

By David Thiselton

Visiting trainers Paul Peter and Paul Matchett are launching a concerted raid at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today, Peter in particular who sends out six runners three of which are favourites on the nine-race card.

Point Of Sale in the first looked the obvious choice to bolster finances before the start of the exotic bets, but she has a date in the Gr2 Gagasi FM Debutante on Saturday and the stipes have given permission to scratch from today’s race.

This leaves a choice between Katie’s Treasure and Talia Al Ghul, the former possible the pick after her smart showing at just her second start.

Matchett has only one runner on the day and Doublethink will have a host of supporters in the second. He has useful Highveld sprint form but could prefer this trip. From a good draw he should feature. Liverpool Champ looks a likely threat.  He was a well a beaten fourth on debut but that form has worked out quite well and the experience should count.

Arizona Silk was not too far behind the promising Alibi Guy last time out and the addition of blinkers and Anton Marcus could see him convert favouritism in the third. However, Stolen Paradise was in need of his last outing and looks fair value at 10-1 for Duncan Howells and a very much in form Donovan Dillon.

Top weight Johnny Black is likely to start top of the boards for the apprentice handicap. The gelding has his second start for Alyson Wright and takes a drop in class here. It shouldn’t be that easy though with Great Stohvanen and Blaze Of Silk likely to push him all the way.

The first of the Peter favourites come up in the fifth where Nazareth will be a popular choice having gone close in two recent starts over the distance and from a good draw should feature again. Hope For Millions and Little Sparrow, stable companion to Nazareth, both have chances while Blanket Of Snow found good market support last run and was not far back. She can do better here.

Justin Snaith is packing up and heading south with VDJ winner Do It Again already on his way, but Snaith still has a few more fish to fry. Ladder Man was close-up in useful company last outing and has his third run after a break. Legend is not the easiest but has been knocking at the door for some time now and is due a change of fortune and could prove the biggest threat although another Paul Peter runner, Tripple Z, is current ante-post favourite.

A smart field of sprinters line up in the seventh where all of Cumulus, Woodstock Festival, Ultra Magnus and ante-post favourite Big Blue Marble are in with chances.

Marsanne goes into the eighth unbeaten in two and the stable hold her in high regard. But she takes to the turf for the first time over a shorter trip which could leave the door open for Linear who ran a cracking race first up out of the maidens.

Before Noon can close off the meeting. Sean Tarry’s runner won well last start and although he meets second placed Viento on 2kg worse terms he looks capable of going in again. The Peter’s-trained Corrido has some fair Highveld form, is distance suited and looks pick of the balance.

By Andrew Harrison

A lunch over a couple of bottles of wine has turned into a dream come true for Durban racing enthusiast Michael Heron and friends who are looking forward to their charge Wealthy running in the eLan Gold Cup on Saturday.

Peter Gibson put the syndicate together and said, “This horse has effectively been given a second chance in life by his very sporting owner Robert Chung and the willingness of the current owners to take a chance.”

Michael was hosting a lunch at his house when Peter mentioned the opportunity of taking over the running costs of a well-bred horse who had talent but had a breathing issue which meant a wind operation was necessary.

Michael decided to take a ten percent share despite another of the lunch attendees being advised by his veterinarian brother to not take the risk.

Wealthy, now a six-year-old, has always been rated by trainer Dennis Drier. As a three-year-old the Silvano gelding was sent down to Cape Town with the aim of running in the big stayers race on Sun Met day and from there the plan was to send him to Mike de Kock’s yard in Dubai.

Unfortunately for Chung, the handsome bay developed a breathing issue while in Cape Town.

Chung, in his experience of owning over fifty horses, did not wish to persevere but hoped Wealthy would find a good home.

Instead a successful wind operation was performed by Dr Johnny Cave of Baker and McVeigh Equine Hospital.

Peter said, “When you watch him gallop you cannot hear a thing he is now so clean winded.”

As Peter put the partnership together Michael’s hopes were buoyed when Tony Dickinson took a share.

He said, “Tony has a reputation for being a very lucky man.”

He recounted a quote from well-known KZN racing owner Grant Cornwall, who said, “If Tony was forced to use a long drop he would emerge with a rolex.”

Previous Gold Cup-winning owner Sean Singleton also joined the partnership, so if Wealthy does win on Saturday a rendition of the “woer-woer masjien” warcry, made famous by Hermoso Mundo’s win two years ago, will ring out from the winner’s enclosure.

The syndicate was completed when shares were taken by Marcus Nel, Dean Hayman and Gill Drier.

Wealthy was reported well by Peter and Michael who watched him working at Summerveld yesterday.

He booked his place in the Gold Cup through an impressive performance in the DSTv Gold Vase over 3000m on Vodacom Durban July day, charging through from last in the running for a 1,90 length fourth, and but for a couple of traffic problems he might have finished closer.

Michael’s awareness of racing began at school when two of his best friends, in an accountancy project, chose horseracing as their “business”.

“It went bankrupt!” he recalled.

Michael was a useful left arm spinner and after school played club cricket in KZN’s first league which had a culture of horseracing lovers.

He remembered always being put on the boundary when not bowling as he was a “bad fielder” but in afternoon sessions he was often replaced for an over or two by teammates who wished to listen to racing commentaries.

His interest in the Sport Of Kings blossomed while based in London on a year of travel. 

On Epsom Derby day one of his travelling companions wandered over to the local bookmaker and patriotically put two pounds eachway on Michael Roberts’ mount Terimon. To this day Terimon remains the highest priced horse, at 500/1 odds, to ever place in the Derby, so the usually skint travellers were able to attend Royal Ascot a couple of weeks later.

Michael said, “I remember Warning winning (the Queen Anne Stakes) and it was regarded as the best performance over a mile since 1948.”

A couple of weeks later they caught the train to Sandown and watched Derby winner Nashwan winning the Coral Eclipse.

Back in South Africa Michael never missed a July or Gold Cup meeting and with a runner in this year’s premier staying event has been pinching himself this week. 

Peter, like many racing purists, also loves the Gold Cup meeting, particularly as it brings back the memory of the David Payne-trained 1991 winner Icona. This USA-bred import, formerly trained by Sir Michael Stoute, had won a Listed race over a mile and two furlongs on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket and Peter preached it for weeks in the build up to the Gold Cup, despite the naysayers believing he could not win with topweight. A party to remember followed one of Peter’s biggest ever punting successes.

Wealthy has a habit of winning when the stakes are at their biggest. His three wins for the current owners include two Chapter Challenge finals and the Listed Michael Roberts Handicap.

He is currently quoted at 33/1 by Track and Ball but and carrying a nice galloping weight of 54kg and as one who clearly relished the distance last time he is one of the race’s dark horses. He gets on well with stable jockey Sean Veale and victory will spark a celebration of epic proportions up in the grandstand suites.

By David Thiselton

Gabor is a worthy favourite for the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m on eLan Gold Cup day at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.

This Gavin van Zyl-trained filly was drawn wide in the Grade 2 Golden Slipper over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day and was then caught wide in the running. Yet she still managed to stay on well for third. She has substance and the perfect pedigree for this event being by Kingsbarns, who won the Grade 1 Racing Post Trophy over a mile as a two-year-old in the UK, out of a Trippi half-sister to the Thekwini winner Roxanne (Western Winter).

Warren Kennedy said before her last race that if had not been for her wide draw he would confidently predict she would finish in the first three. She managed to achieve that feat anyway and now has a plum draw of two.

However, she won’t have it all her own way as the winner of the Golden Slipper, Cockney Pride, looked a picture in the preliminaries that day and then showed her class by settling well on the rail in midfield and then using her long stride to run on strongly. She looks to have scope for further improvement. She does have a wide draw now of 12 but does look capable of making up plenty of ground so might well be dropped out.

Those two look to be the principles in this intriguing race but the bookmakers are siding with Gabor, who is around 17/10, while Cockney Pride is only third favourite at 6,25/1.

True To Life is the second favourite at around 5/1 but is under a cloud as she moved up well in the straight in the Golden Slipper before finding little extra and finishing fourth. On pedigree this long-striding Duke Of Marmalade filly will relish the step up to 1600m, as her dam by Medaglia D’Oro won up to 2000m, so that might have just been an off day.

By David Thiselton

Kasimir will be crowned Equus Champion sprinter if converting 19/10 favouritism in the Grade 1 weight for age Mercury Sprint over 1200m at the eLan Gold Cup meeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.

However, Chimchuri Run or Celtcic Sea could wrest it from his grasp if they win the R1 million event. 

Kasimir stamped himself as the best sprinter in the country when winning the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship over 1000m at Kenilworth in impressive fashion. He has a magnificent action and proved his courage next time out in the Grade 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes over 1200m when seeing off some late challenges despite having been used up to overcome an unfavourable draw. He will have come on considerably from his last start in the Post Merchants and will be hard to beat from a fair draw of eight. 

Celtic Sea displayed her terrific turn of foot when sitting behind the leading line and then taking off in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. She then showed her versatility by winning the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m. She has always had a liking for Hollywoodbets Greyville and from a favourable draw of five will be running on strongly. 

Chimichuri Run proved how good his turn of foot is when winning the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over this trip. From his wide draw on Saturday he will likely have to be dropped out so will have to rely on his acceleration again.  

The pace is going to be of importance and it could be provided by Snowdance, whose best career runs have been when allowed to use her big action throughout. From a high draw of 13 Anton Marcus might have no option but to go to the front. She made a bold bid to lead from start to finish in the SA Fillies Sprint when losing by 1,70 lengths to Celtic Sea. However, that was her first run for four months and she be in fine shape coming off a third place finish to Celtic Sea in the Garden Province. Her finishing kick is likely more effective over a bit further, but she can’t be written off.

Bold Respect led from pillar to post when winning the Tsogo Sun Sprint last year so is another possible pacemaker from draw eleven. He has placed in good company in all his starts this season but does have issues and has been a touch disappointing. He has a tough task reversing from with the like of Kasimir but should be thereabouts again.

The most interesting entry is the two-year-old Frosted Gold. He was unlucky in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m when having to be switched to the outside for a run and only failing by 0,60 lengths. If his innate ability is as good as the like of Kasimir’s he will have just as much chance of winning because he will receive 7,5kg in accordance with the weight for age system which has been tried and tested over one-and-a-half centuries. In fact one of Britain’s top weight for age sprints, The Nunthorpe Stakes, has been won twice by two-year-olds in the last 30 years.  

Alyaasaat showed a good turn of foot when beating a good field over 1400m in his penultimate start. He likely used his last start over 1160m as a preparation for this event. He is six points lower than Kasimir in the merit ratings but has been running over further so is unknown over this trip and is a dark horse.

Van Halen will also be a dark horse. He looked to be top class when winning the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion last year, but then disappointed in Cape Town this season. However, he has looked like his old self recently and has also learned to settle in the running. He has consequently reeled off two wins in succession at Hollywoodbets Greyville, using his fine turn of foot from off the pace. He is worthy of his 110 rating, which gives him a hard task with Kasimir, but he is proven Grade 1 class.

Last year’s winner Will Pays is another dark horse as this is the first time since that win that he will be dropping back to this trip. He is drawn in pole so will dive down the inside like he did last year. However, it looks to be a stronger field.     

Africa Rising has a big heart and a good turn of foot but has a tricky draw and on Tsogo Sun Sprint form is 1,5kg worse off with Chimichuri Run despite being beaten by 0,95 lengths. The latter as a three-year-old would have made weight for age improvement since then too.

Palace Chapel has pace and a good kick but was beaten 1,65 lengths by Chimichuri Run in the Tsogo Sun Sprint and is now 2kg worse off.

Search Party won the Post Merchants over course and distance two years ago and finished third in the Cape Flying this year but is an unlikely winner here from a wide draw.

Vision To Kill ran on strongly from off the pace for third in the SA Fillies Sprint and will be hoping for a good pace, but she does have 3,80 lengths to find on Celtic Sea. 

La Bella Mia won the Post Merchants in good style but she was well weighted in that race and is officially by far the worst weighted horse here.

By David Thiselton