Frank Robinson will nominate Listed East Coast Cup winner Roy’s Riviera for the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1800m at Greyville on June 8.

His other Vodacom Durban July entry Roy Had Enough will be entered in the same event but has other qualifying options too.

Robinson had no doubt Roy’s Riviera would stay the 2000m trip on Saturday and said in retrospect she had been the form choice. She had finished on top of Matador Man in her previous start in the King’s Cup and the latter came out and beat July livewire Head Honcho in a Pinnacle event on Saturday.

Roy’s Riviera’s performance was all the more impressive on Saturday because she did not have the best luck in running. She was caught three wide for much of the race. Yet she still found plenty in the straight and held off a strong challenge from topweight Miyabi Gold, who was eventually beaten into second by lightweight outsider Perfect Air.

Roy’s Riviera carried 60kg and was receiving 1,5kg from Miyabi Gold, whom she beat by 0,65 lengths.

Miyabi Gold was ranked 18^th on the first July log.

Robinson said the Australian-bred All Too Hard filly had pulled up well and had hardly even appeared to have been in a race.

He said if she failed to qualify for the July she would go for the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes instead.

She has clearly come into her own as a four-year-old and will be a force to be reckoned with for the rest of the season.

Robinson said Roy Had Enough was in even better shape at present.

He said, “Last season he had a few unsoundness issues and aches and pains but is a different animal this season and I hope he can get in the July.”

Robinson said Bernard Fayd’Herbe had got off after riding Roy Had Enough to second place in the Sledgehammer and called him the best horse in Durban.

The well bred Pierro colt has plenty of stamina in his classy pedigree so Robinson also has the option of running him in the Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m on July 1 instead of the Cup Trial a week later.

Another option would be the Grade 1 wfa Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m on June 8, although he would have to take on the best in the country if running there.

Roy Had Enough avoided the WSB 1900 after drawing 28 of 28. 

Meanwhile, Robinson has acquired two horses from the Ormond Ferraris yard, Dame Kelly and Shogun. They are both owned by the recently retired legend. Both are merit rated in the mid 80s and still have racing in them.

By David Thiselton

General Franco is to be given a lengthy rest following his flop when long odds-on at Kenilworth last Saturday but tests and follow-up inspections have so far proved inconclusive.

Justin Snaith said yesterday: “He has pulled up a little bit shin-sore but bar that we cannot find anything. Whether it is enough for him to have run such a bad race I just don’t know but I am hoping it is the reason. He will now be put away for a while.”

The champion trainer, bidding for his fifth Winter Classic, runs only 30-1 outsider Clouded Hill in Saturday’s R250 000 Kenilworth feature. The six-strong field will be the smallest since Naughty Prince beat only four home in 2007. The Vaughan Marshall third string Blackbeard was the only one of the original entries to drop out at yesterday’s declaration stage. Stable companion One World, whose only defeat in eight starts came in the Cape Guineas, remains odds-on at 17-20.

Donovan Dillon, successful on Kheelan Dynasty at Scottsville on his second day back last week, regains the plum ride on Helen’s Ideal in the Stormsvlei Mile. He rode the Paul Reeves filly in her first six races.

There will be a lot of punter interest in Run Fox Run in the Olympic Duel Stakes.  The Australian-bred has comfortably won all her three starts and she steps up to Listed company for the first time. Greg Cheyne takes over from Anton Marcus.

By Michael Clower

Paul Lafferty’s Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint contender Sniper Shot put up an outstanding gallop on the beach sand at Summerveld on Sunday and his big race jockey Mark Khan returned impressed and excited about his chances.

Lafferty spoke about the plans for some of his other Champions Season feature race campaigners too.

Sniper Shot last ran in the Grade 2 IOS Drill Halls Stakes over 1400m but went into that race on the back of treatment with anti-biotics for loose bowels. He was likely not himself but was still not disgraced against some of the best in the country, finishing 4,70 lengths back in eighth.  

He will carry 53kg off a 106 merit rating on Saturday.

The yard’s promising Australian-bred two-year-old Share Holder was scratched from the Grade 1 Gold Medallion due to a clipped heel.

The injury has healed well but the yard did not want to take a chance with such a good prospect.

He will now be put in to a Juvenile Plate race over 1200m before targeting the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day and the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m on Gold Cup day.

This Zoffany colt, who won easily over 1000m at Scottsville on debut in early February, was bought by Lafferty at a Magic Millions Sale in Australia.

A Zoffany colt called Zodiac Ruler, who Lafferty also bought in Australia, won the Golden Horseshoe in just his second start for Justin Snaith three years ago.

Meanwhile, Lafferty and his assistant trainer Roy Waugh disagreed with jockey Warren Kennedy’s analysis that Dark Moon Rising had not quickened as well as usual when running fifth in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge but were rather of the opinion that dead going towards the outside had cost their charge a place.

Lafferty had hoped for a top three finish in the Premier’s Champions Challenge for Dark Moon Rising, as that is often enough to secure a berth in the Vodacom Durban July.

The five-year-old Ideal World gelding Dark Moon Rising will now be relying on the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1800m at Greyville on June 8 to earn a July place.

Lafferty rates the three-time winner The Bayou and this 83 merit rated Mogok gelding will be aimed at the KZN Breeder’s Million Mile.  

The yard have acquired Top Classman, a good looking four time-winning middle distance to staying type by Mogok.

He is going to be aimed at a KZN Chapter Challenge 2000 final and then go for the Grade 3 Track And Ball Derby at Scottsville on June 22.

By David Thiselton

Owners and trainers will be on tenterhooks today as they await the final field announcement of the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint to be run as the last leg of the Jackpot of Grade 1 1200m sprints at Scottsville on Saturday. 

This race has often been won by top class sorts carrying big weights but in a non-vintage year for sprinters the lower weights will be right in the reckoning so there are sure to be some hard luck stories when the field is announced.

The ante-post second favourite Mardi Gras should be a big runner carrying just 53kg as he has a lot of class and has clearly being aimed at this race. He avoided the Computaform Sprint, where a placed run could have landed him a big merit rating raise. He has plenty of pace coupled with the ability to kick on and he has won over 1450m before so the relatively tough Scottsville 1200 should not phase this good looking grey.

The ante-post favourite Chimichuri Run is standing his ground at present despite Sean Tarry having said a couple of weeks ago that he felt the Grade 1 wfa Mercury Sprint would be the right race for him  due to his high merit rating. Tarry has likely been swung by the 120 merit rated Undercover Agent having still been among the entries at the time of the setting of the weights a week ago. This means three-year-old Chimichuri Run only has to carry 54,5kg. He placed in both the Diadem over this trip and the Computaform Sprint and will be a big runner.

Undercover Agent will also be a big runner if he lines up as he is packed with class and always shows good pace.

Last year’s winner Bold Respect has been a touch disappointing this season despite having finished second in the Cape Flying and fourth in the Diadem as he did strike as one who could develop into a champion sprinter. He has issues, although if any yard can get him right for the day it will be the Brett Crawford yard and he does also enjoy KZN.

The enigmatic Attenborough carries a light weight of 53kg and if he has an on day he will be flying at them in the finish.

His Joey Ramsden-trained stablemate Speedpoint showed he is capable too when flying at the finish and just failing in the Diadem.

Trip To Heaven will hopefully be loaded later than he was in the Computaform and he is capable of a flying finish from off the pace so has to be respected carrying 55kg.

Russian Prince had to be scratched at the start of the Computaform but looks to be upset material as he has scope for a lot of improvement. However, if Undercover Agent stands his ground he will be 2,5kg under sufferance.

Van Halen won the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion last year in fine style and if he produces his best will have a chance, although he is not one to rely on.

Africa Rising is an admirable sort who is capable of a strong finish from off the pace and he should be cherry ripe so has a shout carrying just 53,5kg.

The athletic Sniper Shot also has a chance carrying just 53kg.

The eyecatching Tribal Fusion can’t be ignored also carrying 53kg as things stand.

Prince Of Kahal and Sunset Eyes are tough handicappers who could earn and as things stand they are only half-a-kilogram under sufferance. 

Palace Chapel is a three-year-old with class and scope for further improvement.

Sand And Sea is a former Gold Medallion winner whose latent ability is out of the top drawer but he has become unreliable since suffering from breathing problems and since having a successful wind operation. However, he will be a threat carrying bottom weight and being just half-a-kilogram under sufferance.

Dutch Philip had lost his way a bit before his last run and sneaking into the handicap with 52kg can’t be ignored.

Search Party has made a habit of slipping under the radar but his third place in the Cape Flying and close up sixth in the Computaform make him a contender. 

The connections of Alyaasaat, New Caledonia, Down To Zero, Red Chesnut Road, Social Order, Wynkelder, Captain And Master, Hard To Play, On That Boulevard, Valbonne, Ishnanna and Silver Maple will also believe their charges deserve a berth in the starting line up. 

By David Thiselton

What went wrong with General Franco? The R4 million supposed future superstar served up one of the shocks of the season when trailing in last at odds of 7-20 in the Suburban Spares Juvenile Plate at a stunned Kenilworth on Saturday – and seemingly everybody is still scratching their heads.

The Frankel colt took a strong hold early as Greg Cheyne settled him towards the rear but when the button was pressed he was as empty as an overdrawn bank account and his shocked rider reported: “It was a very slow run race, he came out well and I let him run into the bridle but I was beaten at the 600m mark. I thought he might find his feet late on but he didn’t.  His work leading up to the race was no problem and he definitely didn’t run like he worked.”

The stipes immediately ordered a veterinary examination but the colt trotted out sound and showed no sign of anything wrong so Ernie Rodrigues had a specimen taken for analysis – not, he said, because he suspected foul play (he didn’t) but because he wanted to cover every eventuality and he asked Chris Snaith to report back on the colt’s condition at home.

“We will get him checked out by our vets on Monday morning,” said Jono Snaith. “It was a slow run race but he was never in it. He was the let-down of the day and he was hugely disappointing.”

The bright chestnut with the three white socks certainly looked fine beforehand and he walked calmly round the parade ring with that curious flexing of his front legs that was one of the characteristics of last month’s sensational debut.

After the race there were more theories among punters than parties in the general election. One of the most interesting came from a knowledgeable racegoer, the son of a former trainer, who pointed out that Tom Queally always allowed Frankel to pull his way to the front and run the opposition ragged.

This racegoer said that the famous horse’s son could have felt disappointed by being restrained and have gained the impression that he was not there to race but to settle at the back. He (the theorist) felt that things would have been very different had the General been allowed to stride on from the start. True, the favourite came from behind on debut but that was before he knew what racing was all about. If the vets can find nothing there could well be something in this.

But for the connections of Fearless Warrior, who came home in front under MJ Byleveld at the huge odds of 18-1, it was vindication of their faith after the colt had finished with only two behind him when second favourite for the Somerset.

Vaughan Marshall explained that things did not go according to his plans that day, adding: “I was bitterly disappointed and this has confirmed that the run was all wrong. This is a good horse but the Cape Nursery (June 8) might come too soon as he has now had two quick races.”

Cheyne, four winners at Fairview on Friday, landed three more here including two of the Snaith quartet but perhaps the most important was Boomps A Daisy in the Burchwood Hotel Handicap. The Ridgemont filly had run two cracking races under Anton Marcus here but disappointed both times Cheyne rode her at Durbanville.

She comfortably reverted to her previous Kenilworth form and Brett Crawford said: “I think it is that she is not yet mature enough to go round the turn – but I will try to keep her at Kenilworth for now.”

Morne Winnaar is making the most of the improved opportunities he has received in recent weeks and he added two more to his tally on the Glen Kotzen-trained Rock Spirit and 18-1 longshot Black Belt for Eric Sands.

The whip issue continues to raise its ugly head and Corne Orffer was fined R1 000 for hitting Wallis Simpson – runner-up in the Chris Gerber Memorial – more than the maximum permitted 12 times and Anthony Andrews on second-placed Crimea in race two was fined the same. This was his second offence since the rule was introduced ten days ago.

By Michael Clower