The KZN Falcons won yesterday’s Rider Cup and one of their members, Keagan de Melo, was crowned Victor Ladorum.

The favourites, the Highveld Hawks, got off to a good start when Muzi Yeni won the opener on the Sean Tarry-trained Highveld raider Over The Limit. De Melo was just touched off on Duchess Lane and that was a boost to the Falcons chances. However, S’Manga Khumalo and Lyle Hewitson finished third and fourth in this race and Ryan Munger sixth, to give the Hawks a tally of 54 after the first with the Falcons on 32 and the Cape Eagles on 26.

In the second race there was another ding-dong tussle down the straight and it was Sean Veale on the Mike Miller-trained Stormbourne Thunder who got the better of Bernard Fayd’Herbe on Spam Alert. Eden Garden Glitz with Munger up finished third. The Hawks collected 28 points to remain in the lead on 82 points but the Eagles and Falcons collected 45 and 39 points respectively to close the gap and were both on 71 points.

The third leg saw another thriller and it was De Melo who exacted a strong finish out of the Paul Gadsby-trained Isla Morada to deny Greg Cheyne on Such A Rush and Muzi Yeni on Bronnie. The Falcons scored 44 points this leg to the Hawks’ 24 and they thus swooped into the lead with a tally of 115 to 106. The Eagles scored 33 points in this leg and now trailed on 104 points.

Anton Marcus brought the favourite Gimmie A Cohiba home in the last to an easy victory from De Melo on Gibraltar Green and Hewitson on Techno Captain.

The Falcons had thus wrapped it up comfortably.

Their tally of 46 points in the last leg took them to a total for the competition of 161 points. The Eagles scored 31 points in the last leg to finish second on 135 points and the Hawks 24 points relegated them to last place on 130 points.     

De Melo collected an impressive 59 points to Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s 47. Yeni was third on 44 points.

By David Thiselton

Image Caption: The KZN Falcons claimed the New Turf Carriers Rider Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville in convincing fashion yesterday. Led by captain Anton Marcus, their tally of 46 points in the last leg took them to a total of 161 points for the competition.

The Cape Eagles scored 31 points in the last leg to finish second on 135 points and the Highveld Hawks 24 points relegating them to last place on 130 points.     

De Melo collected 59 individual points to Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s 47. Yeni was third on 44 points.         

The Highveld Hawks were bidding for their third straight win in the annual competition.

KZN riders won three of the four legs, De Melo, Veal and Marcus obliging with Muzi Yeni claiming the first leg on the Sean Tarry-trained Over The Limit. From left: Michael Sham from New Turf Carriers, Victor Ladorum Keagan de Melo, Falcons captain Anton Marcus, Warren Kenney, Sean Veal and Matthew Sham of New Turf. (Image Credit: Candiese Marnewick)

The Grade 1 weight for age Champions Cup, to be run on eLan Gold Cup day this Saturday, is always an intriguing race as it attracts a top class field but often the fresher horses perform better than those who have taken part in the Vodacom Durban July, which is not only the country’s premier race but also one of the roughest and toughest.

Joint-favourite Buffalo Bill Cody has always been regarded by Mike de Kock as “a little better” than Hawwaam. He has won six out of seven and has won all four of his mile starts with ease. He has never run in a feature before but last time out slammed the Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut and Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge runner up Cirillo by 3,25 lengths and probably needed that run too. De Kock has a fine record with sons of the top shuttle sire Redoute’s Choice and this colt looks capable of becoming another of this stallion’s champions. He will be coming into his own now being an Irish-bred four-year-old who is six months younger than his contemporaries and he should relish the step up to 1800m considering his running style. On pedigree his dam by Sri Pekan was a sprinter, but she produced a horse who came third in a Group 1 over a mile and two furlongs (2000m). Buffalo Bill Cody has a plum draw of three and will be ridden by Gavin Lerena.   

His stablemate Soqrat has not raced since finishing fourth in the Gold Challenge, so will be relatively fresh. He is able to relax well in the running and then has a good turn of foot and a sustained finish so he should enjoy this step up in trip. A wide draw was his undoing in the KRA Guineas and he has another wide draw here but over 1800m it should be easier to overcome.

Cirillo had to be dropped out the day he was well beaten by Buffalo Bill Cody but he now has pole position and will be able to take up his favourite front-running role. He will be dangerous although he will likely have to keep up a good momentum as Undercover Agent does not like to hang around.  

The other deserved joint-favourite is Rainbow Bridge, who is drawn in pole and will enjoy the 1800m trip. He has settled well in his last few starts and has an electric turn of foot. However, he peaked for the July and that took place only three weeks before this race, so there has not been a lot of time to freshen him up. There is no doubt he will give it his all though as he has proven courage.

Undercover Agent finished second in this race last year and will once again come in fresh having avoided the July after running fifth in the defence of his Gold Challenge crown. He has a middle draw and should be right there, although this field is considerably stronger than last year’s.

Twist Of Fate is a courageous sort who was able to overcome a wide draw in the July and still run third. He will have to overcome another wide draw here. He looks to be a tough horse so can be involved in the finish despite his July exertions.

Eyes Wide Open was the unlucky horse in the July where he was well weighted, He rallied again after being squeezed out and finished a fine fourth. He now has a much tougher task at the weights.

Matador Man is an enigmatic sort who usually loses ground at the start. He is best over a mile but has a devastating turn of foot and running fresh here he could make a bold bid to repeat his third place finish of two years ago, although this is a much stronger field.  

Infamous Fox loves Greyville and proved his class last time when waltzing home in the WSB 2200. However, he faces a much stronger field this time.

Kampala Kampari is the joint lowest rated horse along with Eyes Wide Open but he showed his liking for this course and distance when beating the latter to win the Grade 3 Cup Trial. He comes in fresh but is now 1kg worse off with Eyes Wide Open for a head beating and this field is also a lot stronger.  

By David Thiselton

Nastergal will continue to be campaigned over shorter distances after Greg Cheyne combined bluntness with enterprise to make most of the running in the 1 200m Champagne Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Candice Bass-Robinson, winning the race for the second year running, said: “We have been playing around with distances for this filly,  and jockeys were coming back in saying she feels as if she wants 1 800m. But Greg said to me beforehand ‘Are you going to moan if I end up in front?’  When she comes back in the springtime we will keep her to the shorter trips, maximum a mile.”

The Duke Of Marmalade filly carries the same Ridgemont-Kieswetter colours that Run Fox Run would have borne had the ante-post odds-on shot not been withdrawn on account of the soft ground. The unbeaten A$420 000 (R4.1 million) buy will be aimed at a higher level next term.

“Run Fox Run has done everything so well and so easily, and I will keep her in sprints until she gets beaten,” said Brett Crawford who mentioned the Cape Flying Championship in the same breath. He told the Racegoer page earlier in the week that he would not run her on Saturday if the ground turned soft but one Kenilworth regular complained to me that the scratching did not appear on the sahorseracing.co.za website by the time of the 8.30am deadline, something he considered unfair on punters. But apparently procedures are not as straightforward as generally supposed.

“The rule is that you can scratch before 8.30am and after that you have to contact the stipes,” Crawford explained. “I walked the course on Friday but I knew there was a gallop at Kenilworth at 9.00am on Saturday and that Greg Cheyne (who had won on Run Fox Run last time) was riding in it. I wanted to get his feedback. When I did, I got on to the stipes to scratch her.”

Even then he had to make his case, citing penetrometer readings and explaining: “She is too valuable to risk.” The stipendiary board ruled that the request was “reasonable and acceptable” and Ernie Rodrigues informed the National Racing Bureau of the scratching at 9.52am.

Less satisfactory was that the Champagne and the Final Fling ended up with a combined total of only 13 runners and just three trainers – Bass-Robinson (five runners), Glen Kotzen and Justin Snaith (four each) – competing for R500 000 and black type. Nobody seemed able to come up with a realistic reason although Snaith said he should have had an extra runner in the Final Fling. “Instead I sent Red Ginger to PE for black type on Friday, they switched the race to the poly and she finished last. I made a mistake sending her there.”

He won the Final Fling for the fifth time, and the fourth in the last seven seasons, when Richard Fourie easily completed a treble on 7-20 shot Platinum Class to leave the Drakenstein team debating whether she should stay in training for a further season.

Yorktown, though, put up the performance of the day to come right away in the final furlong for a four-length win in the 1 200m maiden juvenile. The Ridgemont-Highlands Dynasty homebred is out of dual Grade 1 winner Overarching.

“He has the genes and that’s half the battle,” said Crawford. “He is still immature and a big baby but Anton Marcus said he did everything right.”

The phrase ‘gift of the gab’ could have been coined with Riaan van Reenen in mind and the former trainer remains an interviewer’s dream in his new role as assistant to Glen Puller, as he demonstrated to Grant Knowles after Miss D’Aray landed the last. But his non-stop prose can make life complicated for jockeys and Ryan Munger reported: “He gave me a whole book of instructions!”

By Michael Clower

The Turffontein Inside track stages a nine race meeting on Saturday and playing the exotics looks the way to approach it.

In the first leg of the PA Machali will dwarf the likely favourite Risk Taker here and also has the advantage of a slightly better draw and a 3kg lighter weight. She caught the eye on debut staying on well over 1200m and should relish the step up in trip. Gavin Lerena significantly stays aboard. Risk Taker was outpaced for much of the way over 1200m on debut before taking off in the final 200m and getting up. She should relish the step up to this 1600m trip and although she is not the biggest of fillies and has a wide draw she does not face a strong field here. Those two should fight it out.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1450m Perfectly Putt was dropped out from a wide draw over this trip on debut and made up good ground in the straight. He gets 3kg from the winners but will likely have to run on again from behind as he is widely drawn again. One-time winner Johnny Hero was not disgraced against stronger last time and if settling from pole position should enjoy this trip. Arapaho, also a one-time winner, has been facing stronger and was staying on over 1100m last time. He is by Elusive Fort so should enjoy the trip although he has made a breathing noise before. 

In the first leg of the Jackpot American Indian is doing well for the Pettigrew yard and although he has to overcome a four point merit rated raise he could follow up on his last win, which was over this trip on the Greyville poly. Jet Start is talented and is interesting over a suitable trip in her first start for the flying Paul Peter yard. Gift For The Gap has always struck as one with plenty of scope and this trip should suit.

In the sixth race Prince Jordan showed what he is capable over 1600m last time and although having to overcome a maximum eight point raise he looks to have turned the corner and this 1200m trip is equally suitable. Master Boulder enjoys this course and distance and looks the main danger.

In the seventh over 1450m Gimmethenight finished just two lengths behind the decent Running Brave over 1400m last time when receiving just 2kg and is drawn in pole, so is the one to beat. Lake Kinneret should enjoy the step down in trip but has a tricky draw. The filly Gimme Hope Johanna has a form chance here over her favourite course and distance from a good draw. 

In the eighth race over 1450m Mighty Storm has shown some ability and is drawn well over a suitable 1450m trip so is the selection in an uninspiring field. Dogliotti doesn’t have much form but ran a fair race last time over 1600m and now in his first run after gelding has a good draw and Gavin Lerena is up. African Adventure was the fastest from the 400m to the finish on debut and can be involved if closer to the pace this time, but he has another wide draw to overcome. Blanco has been disappointing but has a chance here. Cross From Goa can also be included.

In the last the well bred Princess Penelope should be improving and gets a good opportunity. The Jocelyn Tree and the first-timer Forever Flame could be the dangers. 

By David Thiselton

It might sound sacrilege to say so but the unbeaten Run Fox Run could be worth opposing in the Champagne Stakes at Kenilworth tomorrow.

Brett Crawford warned earlier in the week that he would not risk the rising star if yesterday’s rain turns the ground soft but, even if it is not enough to keep her away, she could be vulnerable – and at yesterday’s 4-10 it makes sense to look elsewhere.

Lesedi La Rona may not be the most obvious on adjusted merit ratings – she comes out 5kg behind both Dynamic Diana and Canukeepitsecret – but she showed signs of fulfilling her two-year-old promise with a smooth win in a pinnacle last time and, highly relevantly, she made light of the good to soft ground. “She is back to her best,” confirms Candice Bass-Robinson. Her current 15-2 looks attractive.

Furthermore, while the favourite has won three of the last six runnings, the last three years have seen a succession of upsets with the winners being returned at 11-1, 25-1 and 8-1.

Glen Kotzen is the most successful trainer in this race with four winners and he is represented by the double-figure priced pair Too Phat To Fly and Ostinato. The latter has won twice when the word soft has appeared in the going description.

Only once in the past 15 years has the Champagne seen a smaller field than tomorrow’s nine but the six in the Final Fling is the smallest this century with Justin Snaith responsible for half the runners and Glen Kotzen (two) and Mrs Bass-Robinson the only other trainers represented.

Platinum Class is well-nigh unbackable at 2-7 but Richard Fourie’s mount is hard to oppose despite three of the last four favourites getting beaten. She comes out over three lengths better than the next highest-rated (stable companion Miss Katalin) and she has won in the soft. She was third in the Prix du Cap and the Olympic Duel and in the Ladies Mile last time she had Pearl Jam over a length back third and here she is 8kg better. Miss Katalin and Libra are also well held on that run.

If you are looking for a long shot then Coral Bay, the rank outsider at 22-1, just might be worth an interest. She appears to have completely lost her form but she is a Listed winner, she goes in the ground and Kotzen has won this race four times before.

BLOB The Durbanville meeting on Tuesday, July 30 has been switched to Kenilworth.

By Michael Clower

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