The price paid for a yearling at auction goes more to conformation and pedigree in the hope that it has some ability. As Dean Kannemeyer pointed out before his R4.5 million yearling buy, Seventh Gear, won the second at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday, “there are plenty of million-rand duds around. I think that it’s a bit unfair to put pressure on the trainer just because the horse was bought for a lot of money.”

But Seventh Gear is no dud although he has some way to go before he recoups his purchase price on the track – but the signs are good. A magnificent physical specimen, the colt still looked a little underdone in the paddock but finished off his race smartly as he and the luckless High Voltage fought out the finish with the balance of the field in another race.

Seventh Gear is unlikely to be seen out again this term, Kannemeyer intimating that the colt would be put away and prepped for the Cape summer with the Gr1 Cape Guineas and Gr1 Cape Derby on the radar.

Tobie Spies is a wizard with juveniles and the money arrived in spades for the grey filly Snow Palace in the third and it was money on the mark.

Craig Zackey sat patiently in the pack until two furlongs out with the fuse burning. Once the flame hit the powder, Snow Palace sped clear to win as she liked.

Pace, or a lack of it, can upset even the best laid plans and Shane Humby was chewing on his hat as the field dawdled around the back stretch in the fourth setting up the race for a sprint home. Donovan Dillon was wise to the pace and sent favourite Winter Retreat about her business at the top of the straight, poaching a break on the opposition. It proved a timely move as Winter Retreat held on just long enough to hold the late challenge from Miss Jagger. “I was a bit worried as they crawled down the back straight. Filly is an out-and-out stayer and a sprint home did not suit her.”

Muzi Yeni is not going down without a fight in the national title race although his chances of catching log leader Lyle Hewitson look remote, Yeni 12 behind with a little over two weeks to the end of the season. Nathan Kotzen ensured that there was hanging around for his more fancied runner Paybackthemoney in the fifth as apprentice Gabriel Pieterse stretched the field from the jump on stable companion Kheelan Dynasty. Paybackthemoney returned the compliment with a comfortable win.

Kotzen and Dillon were back to collect the cheque in the sixth as Master Keys put in a storming run up the inside to get the better of Karatage and Bon Bon with favourite Perfect Air under pressure a long way out.

By Andrew Harrison

King Of The Corn and Sister Soozie can both take advantage of significant drops in rating accompanied by a drop in class when they line up for the fifth at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday. The staying ranks generally populated by moderate horses but King Of The Corn has five wins to his credit so is obviously capable.

His form since moving to join Garth Puller in KZN is hardly inspiring, finishing closer to last than first, but all three runs have been on the poly, the last two in MR90 Handicaps. On Sunday he is down two divisions and five pounds in the handicap.

Prior to his move north he had been showing consistent Cape Town form. Being an older horse, first time blinkers could sharpen him up and if he can run to anywhere near his best he will at least be competitive.

Sister Soozie’s two starts in KZN for Andre Nel have been better efforts but similarly she is down a division and four pounds in the handicap. She is further complimented by apprentice Jason Gates claiming another 1.5kg.

Although she has only win two races, Sister Soozie was good enough to finish third in the Settlers Trophy behind Magnificent Seven so is proven over Sunday’s 2400m trip.

Of the balance, Impact Zone was close-up in a hugely competitive Winter Challenge handicap behind the progressive The Sultans Bazaar while the lightly raced Spring Fling made a useful handicap debut behind Don Pierro and seems to be getting better the further he goes.

The first is the second of the workriders races and only for the needy and the greedy. However, Mac ‘N Scar, with accomplished rider Aron Xabendlini in the irons, has his third run after a break and has been up against useful fields of late. Petra is a smart filly and showed good improvement in blinkers last run and rider Callum Dixon finished runner-up in the first of the workrider races. Drunken Sailor and La Ferrari could also feature in an open race.

Marco van Rensburg was spitting mad after bearing the brunt of some careless riding in the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion, High Voltage being ‘cleaned up’ at a crucial stage of the race. Prior to that Duncan Howells’s runner had pressed Saturdays KZN Million winner African Warrior to within a length in the Godolphin Barb Stakes. A repeat of that performance could see him hard to beat in the second although there look to be a number of improvers in the race.

Shane Humby has a couple of promising runners on the day, first up being Diamonds And Pearls in the opening leg of the Pick 6. The filly is lightly raced but has improved with each outing. She came from a long way back when runner-up to Tango Time and judged on that the extra furlong should well suit.

An obvious danger is Saucy Broad who has shown up well in her last two starts. Now fitted with a tongue-tie she can do even better. A further threat could be Snow Palace. The Tobie Spies yard has been in deadly form, especially with juveniles, and the grey filly was touched off over the distance at Turffontein last time out.

The second of Humby’s chances could come in the very next race with Winter Retreat. She found good market support last start and failed narrowly and should have no trouble with the extra ground. Isikhwami Sami and La Duchesse could be the biggest dangers.

On a difficult card, a likely banker could come in the form of Perfect Air. Dennis Drier’s filly ran a cracker in a feature last time out. She is in good form and rates the one to beat. Dangers are Pumpkin Queen in spite of her big weight and a wide draw as was in need of her last start and is very capable in this company. Of the balance, Master Keys was a beaten favourite last outing and has the best of the draw while Connect Me is as game as they come. She got up narrowly at her last two and could do even better over this trip.

The seventh is another tricky handicap but Gimme Peace makes her local debut off some fair Cape form while Letaba showed up well first time out of the maidens and is lightly raced.

Finally, Cosmic Cutter is better than his last effort. He has shown some promise and is in a weak field. Forest Jump improved nicely at his second outing after a promising debut and should be at his peak while stable companion Alma Mater showed up smartly in his barrier trial so obviously has some ability.

By Andrew Harrison

The Turffontein Inside track stages a nine race meeting tomorrow and the exotics look the way to play it.

In the first leg of the PA over 1450m Readysetglo was staying on well over 1500m last time for an improved performance and she has another plum draw. She is by the under rated sire Traffic Guard whose progeny improve over time so she should be coming into her own. Gallic Princess stayed on well over 1400m on the standside course last time when jumping from a tricky draw and is now well drawn in her third career start. She can improve further and those two should get punters through.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 2000m Maroon Bells is knocking on the door and just failed when charging late over 1800m last time. He does have a wide draw to overcome now and hasn’t raced for 93 days, but he should relish this trip and can run on again. Dry Your Eyes looks to be ideally distance suited and is well drawn so has a chance and Gold Griffin can go close if reproducing his last run over this trip, although he has a tough draw. Vetri Vel was beaten three lengths by Maroon Bells the last time they met over 1800m but he comes off a good race over 2400m and looks to be improving. Byron Bay is well drawn and enjoys this trip.

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 1200m Starlighttemptress can be just as effective over this trip as she was last time when winning over 1450m as long as she can get to the front from her good draw. Walnut Dash comes out strongly on formlines and Hartleyfive is interesting over this step up in trip, which could stretch her, as she has pole position and Gavin Lerena has stayed aboard.

In the sixth over 1200m Captain’s Alpha goes for a course and distance hattrick and can do it from a good draw as she has turned the corner with blinkers, is well drawn and is only two points higher in the merit ratings. Purple Diamond won a Grade2 over this trip as a two-year-old and off just a 73 merit rating can go close from a good draw. Brigtnumberten might lead from his wide draw and has a form chance.

In the seventh over 1800m, The Makwakkers stayed on well over 1450m last time and will relish this trip on pedigree. March To Glory is doing well for his new yard and should enjoy this trip. Chevron looks progressive, Electromagnetic should be involved from a plum draw and Theravada has a shout in a weaker field than last time.

In the eighth over 2000m, Vijeta has ability but usually loses ground at the start. If jumping on terms she is the one to beat but Pomander, Extravert and Await The Sunset can also be included. Long-time maiden Favourite Model also has a shout from a good draw.          

The last race over 2000m can be fought out by Elusive Butterfly, Hareer, Angelic Appeal, Rabia The Rebel, Pilgrim’s Progress and Illuminate as all have form to recommend them.

By David Thiselton

The thrill of Africa’s greatest racing event, the Vodacom Durban July, at Hollywoodbets Greyville in Durban last Saturday is over for this year but racing enthusiasts have another equally exciting feast of racing to look forward to at the end of the month with the country’s premier race for speedsters, the R1-million, Grade 1 Mercury Sprint, being one of the main graded races on Champions Day at the Theatre of Champions on July 27.

The meeting, also featuring the R1-million, Grade 1 World Sports Betting Champions Cup and the R1.25-million, Grade 3 eLAN Gold Cup, brings the curtain down on South Africa’s world-renowned three-month Champion’s Season and attracts thousands to the Durban venue where eight highly important graded races will take place on the 12-race card.

The Mercury Sprint, the longest running media-sponsored race in the country, is South Africa’s premier race for sprinters with the country’s fastest horses clashing over 1 200m under weight-for-age conditions which for the purists determines the real champion sprinter of the land. The result is likely to determine South Africa’s Champion Sprinter of the Year at the annual Equus Awards in August.

This year 27 horses have been nominated for the Mercury Sprint including the winners of three of the country’s top sprint races – the Grade 1 Cape Flying Champions, the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint and the Grade 1 South African Fillies Sprint.

For the first time in many years a two-year-old colt has been nominated to take on the older and stronger horses. Frosted Gold, from the Mike de Kock stable, is a New Zealand-bred son of All Too Hard that won the SA Nursery at Turffontein then ran second to the unbeaten Var colt Eden Roc in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion at Scottsville. Eden Roc followed that up on Saturday when he won the Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1 400m on July Day being the exotic bet banker for most punters.  The Sean Tarry-trained colt has been entered for the R750 000, Grade 1 Premiers Champion Stakes over 1 600m.

Among the 27 entries for the Mercury Sprint are the SA Fillies Sprint winner Celtic Sea that on Saturday beat Oh Susanna and Snowdance in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over a mile and the winner of both the Cape Flying Championships and the Diadem Stakes Kasimir. The winner of the Tsogo Sun Sprint, Chimichuri Run, is among the entries as is Snowdance that was second to Celtic Sea in the Scottsville Grade 1 for fillies and mares.

As the grand finale to Champions Season, eLan Gold Cup day is the second biggest meeting in the country and the Mercury Sprint is a leading feature on the day.

By Richard McMillan

All of Sean Tarry’s Vodacom Durban July day runners were prepared in Johannesburg with the exception of Silver God but for the Gold Cup meeting all of the participants who ran on July day will be prepared at Summerveld.

He said Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province winner Celtic Sea and Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe winner Eden Roc were both likely to run in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint and the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes respectively.

The only niggling doubt for Tarry about their participation was that a bad run for either could affect their probable positions as Equus Award champions elect.

The Golden Horseshoe runner up Putontheredlight is also expected to line up in the Premier’s. Tarry has also nominated Shango, who won at Scottsville yesterday, as well as Rock The Globe, who finished a 4,65 length ninth to Eden Roc on Saturday.

However, Tarry will have to think about his Grade 1-winning sprinter Chimichuri Run’s participation in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m as he drew 27 out of 27. Celtic Sea drew well in barrier position eight for the Mercury, Trip To Heaven drew eleven and Africa Rising drew 15.

He has two entries in the day’s headliner, the Grade 3 eLan Gold Cup. Liege, who won the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, and Shenanigans, who won the Betting World 2200, drew 16 and 7 respectively out of 26 nominations.

Tarry has plum draws in the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m, one and two for Cirillo and Matador Man respectively and Captain And Master drew five.

He also has three nominations in the Grade 1 Thekwini, the promising Victoria Paige as well as one-time winners Keep Smiling and Escape To Victory. Victoria Paige finished a 4,90 length eighth on Saturday in the Grade 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m from a wide but will much prefer this trip and should have a better barrier position having drawn 14 out of 26 nominations.

Eden Roc showed an exceptional turn of foot to get up on Saturday in the Golden Horsehoe over 1400m. Tarry rates him highly and felt he would enjoy the 1600m trip. He said, “I think he is very good. He is progressive, is a good mover and covers ground. He ticks all the boxes. He is by Var but is out of a family who have done well for me over 2000m in the past and his style of running will also help him get the trip.”

He also rates Putontheredlight and said, “I think he is a top horse. His female line doesn’t suggest he will get much further but if he takes after his father Pomodoro there will be no stamina doubts.”

He concluded about this pair, “It would be foolhardy for me to make predictions on what will happen next year but both have potential.”

Tarry had earned stakes of R24,636,825 at the time of writing, R2,057,362 clear of Justin Snaith and R2,292,762 clear of Mike de Kock.

However, Snaith has no entries in either the Champions Cup or Thekwini.

He does have a good hand in the Gold Cup with Strathdon, Made To Conquer, Elusive Silva and Doublemint. His Grade 1 winning sprinter Kasimir is the favourite to win the Mercury.

Mike de Kock has a good hand in the Champions Cup with the top class Buffalo Bill Cody and the three-time Grade 1 winner Soqrat, although the latter did draw wide.

He has interestingly entered the two-year-old Frosted Gold in both the Mercury Sprint and the Premier’s Champions Stakes. He also has Alyaasaat in the Mercury and Alibi Guy and Var And Away in the Premier’s.

His pair Palace Of Dreams and Lady Defiance have both drawn wide in the Thekwini and he has no entries in the Gold Cup.

The feature races on Gold Cup day include the R1,25 million eLan Gold Cup, the R1 million WSB Champions Cup, the R1 million Mercury Sprint, the R750,000 Premier’s Champions Stakes, the R750,000 Thekwini Stakes, the R400,000 Gold Bracelet, the R300,000 Umkhomazi Stakes, the R300,000 The Debutante as well as two R150,000 Listed races, so there are opportunities for both Snaith and De Kock to catch up.

However, the bookmakers make Tarry the hot favourite to win his fourth championship. He is at 2,5/10 and both Snaith and De Kock are 3,65/1.

Tarry said the decision to keep the July day participants at Summerveld had nothing to do with the theory that horses can travel down to KZN twice in a season but not three times. He pointed out that Celtic Sea had travelled down to KZN for all three of her SA Champions Season starts and that hadn’t stopped her winning the Garden Province on Saturday.

Tarry said the decision was made due to the short three week gap between the July and the Gold Cup meetings and this would put the participation of any horse who did not travel well back to Johannesburg in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, Legal Eagle, who finished second last in the July on Saturday will remain in training.

Tarry said, “We normally avoid Durban but tried it this year and it didn’t work. We will give him the same break as he has always had and then follow the same Cape Town-Johannesburg campaign that has worked so well. If he shows any signs of being lacklustre he will be retired.” 

By David Thiselton