Dennis Drier has won six of the last nine renewals of the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m and he has a shout at ending this decade with an incredible seven wins of this prestigious two-year-old event as he has two livewires in Cartel Captain and Master of Illusion. 

Drier also won the race way back in 1990.

The Gold Medallion forms the second leg of Saturday’s Jackpot of Grade 1s at Scottsville’s big Festival Of Speed meeting.

Cartel Captain is a son of Drier’s 2013 Medallion winner Captain of All. He won a good race over course and distance on debut. He is an impressive specimen who found a strong finish from off the pace in that race.

He is 12/1 with Track And Ball, which looks good value.

Master Of Illusion won on debut over 1200m at Greyville and followed up by finishing a short-head second in the Grade 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1100m at Greyville on May 3.

This gelding is also by a Drier-trained horse, Master Of My Fate, whose racing career was cut short by injury before he was able to fulfil his huge potential. Master Of Illusion is out of Captain Al mare Victorian Secret and is thus from the family of the like of All Is Secret and The Secret Is Out, who both won the Grade 1 Allan Robertson at the Festival Of Speed meeting. 

Master Of Illusion is a 14/1 shot with Track And Ball. 

Drier’s assistant trainer Stuart Ferrie said it was hard to call between the pair. He said on pure ability he would probably side with Cartel Captain and this colt’s work had also been very good at home. However, he added Master Illusion had more experience, which counted for a lot at this age.

The Johannesburg challenge will be strong in this year’s Medallion.

Frosted Gold is priced up as the 5/2 favourite. This New Zealand-bred won the Grade 2 SA Nursery from the usually tough number one draw. He has all the credentials of a horse who will enjoy Scottsville i.e enough pace to stay in touch as they hurtle down the hill in the early part and he is a resolute galloper who will relish the tough climb to the finish line from the 500m mark onward. He has the advantage of Anton Marcus aboard.

Second favourite  Got The Greenlight used his long stride to run on for second in the Nursery and will be finishing strongly again on Saturday.

Alramz is a solidly built colt by former SA Nursery winner Soft Falling Rain and he led from start to finish when winning over this trip on debut on the Turffontein Inside track. He was extending at the line so he should also be climbing up the hill strongly.

African Warrior is an eyecatching sort who showed resolve when winning the Godolphin Barb, his second win in a row in just his third start.

Spring Break is the only filly in the race. She is by Trippi out of the speedster Miss October and after being backed and winning on debut over this trip at the Vaal the form was franked when runner up Solar Flare came out and won yesterday.

Her Sean Tarry-trained stablemate Eden Roc beat winners on debut over 1400m so this might be sharper than ideal but the tough nature of the track will suit him. 

Candy Apple is an improving sort who was beaten by Master Of Illusion on debut but won well third time out.

Emerald Band bring strong Cape Town form, which is always to be feared.

High Voltage was half-a-length behind an extending Cartel Captain when they met over this course and distance and he followed up with a close up third in the Godolphin Barb.

Master Jay is interesting as he beat High Voltage easily over 1100m at Scottsville, although he had a 1,5kg claimer up that day.

Special Blend won going away over course and distance on debut and could be anything. Wave won easily over 1100m at Scottsville on debut and then finished a close fourth in the Godolphin Barb.

Guantanamo Bay looks held on Johannesburg form. Loosen Your Tie is a maiden who will need plenty of improvement.

It is a bit early in the week to make a call but it is going to be a humdinger of a race, possibly the day’s classiest event.

By David Thiselton

To take a bet go to www.tabgold.co.za or www.trackandball.co.za

Suspensions – as opposed to fines – for exceeding the 12-strike whip limit could be on the way but it looks as if thoughts of including the use of the whip in the backhand positon in the 12 permitted will be dropped.

When the whip rule was introduced on May 10 the initial stipes reports stated that “The general use of the crop will be monitored until 31 May. Until this time the limit of 12 crop strikes will apply.”

Senior racing control executive Arnold Hyde explained yesterday: “The monitoring of crop use really pertains to the use of the crop in the backhand position with the hands on the reins, and to see if the 12 strikes should include the backhand but it looks as if the backhand is not being abused at all. It’s possibly a bit early to say this but at the moment 12 strikes is where we want to be bearing in mind that we only introduced a number on May 10.”

So far fines have usually been the order of the day, even for repeat offenders (Serino Moodley last week was a notable exception), but more suspensions are on the horizon. Hyde said: “We are still in the initial stages of our rule but in other jurisdictions there are harsher penalties and the way the world of racing is going we definitely have to consider that angle.”

In France, for instance, jockeys are limited to five strikes as they are in Germany where the five includes slaps down the shoulder. German jockeys also face a mandatory 14-day suspension, even for the first offence, and the loss of their share of the stakes. Sliding scale suspensions apply to jockeys in France who use the whip more than ten times – 11 days for 11 strokes, 12 days for 12 strokes etc.

In Australia the rules have recently been changed to allow objections to be made against a jockey who exceeds the limit, and that could also come here.

Hyde said: “There is a view that if a jockey contravenes the rule he is gaining an advantage over the rest who are keeping within the rule, so we would have to look very seriously at this. There needs to be a level playing field for all and, if someone breaking the rules gains an advantage, there should be a penalty that is appropriate.”

By Michael Clower

Clinton Binda has found a happy hunting ground amongst the lower divisions in KZN of late and Pearl Of Siberia can add to his tally in the Inanda FM88.4 Handicap over 1000m on the Greyville poly today. The gelding took an age to shed his maiden, scoring at his 24^th attempt, but to his credit he has been ultra consistent this year, not once further back than third in seven races.

Stretched an extra furlong at Scottsville last time out, Binda removed the blinkers and it nearly paid dividends as Pearl Of Siberia ran the much improved Fives Wild to a neck.

Its back to his preferred trip of 1000m today with the blinkers back on and a handy draw in his favour.

Pearl Of Siberia is currently 5-1 along with Bravo Zulu who was down the field in the race won by Fives Wild, but it was a performance way below his best. He is back over his best course and distance and with Bernard Fayd’Herbe to help him along he should be a big runner. Great Dictator, with Anton Marcus aboard, is 33-10 favourite but Hondo and Panza, who steps out for the 81^st time, are also not out of it.

Roy’s Novice has come into her own since reverting to the synthetic surface, winning three on the trot. Last time out she accounted for Arizona Sunset who paid tribute to that form with victory, albeit a narrow one, last Saturday.

Alyson Wright’s Aussie-bred steps up in trip in the sixth but appears to be a late developer and can go in again with Lyle Hewitson aboard.

Julie Dittmer will have other ideas when she saddles Chatty Cathy who has come to hand on the poly and was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out. These two head the market, 33-10 and 4-1 respectively.

Dennis Drier holds a strong card in the card opener with Land Of Mystery and Liquidity, the latter possibly the pick with stable rider Sean Veale in the irons. The Querari gelding has two sprints to his credit, most recently being out-paced late over 1200m. Given his pedigree, this extended trip looks right up his street and 9-2 looks a juicy price at current odds. Dean Kannemeyer’s runner Capera is at the top of the boards at 28-10. He was narrowly beaten when casting a shoe on his return to KZN and a repeat could see him justify favouritism.

Marcus looks to have landed a plum ride in the opening leg of the PA where he partners Chesney van Zyl’s filly Itsapleasure who caught the eye with a strong finish when second on debut and is understandably 11-10 favourite.

The opening leg of the Pick 6 looks to be a far more difficult affair. Anuchke’s Wings is favourite as she makes her poly debut, bookmakers possibly wary of the Marcus, Glen Kotzen combination, as the form is hardly striking.

Frank Robinson is enjoying a good run with Roy’s Riviera putting up a smart showing last Saturday and Isikhwami Sami will have her supporters. The daughter of Golden Sword steps up to what should be a more suitable trip and Fayd’Herbe, who did the honours aboard Roy’s Riviera, has the ride.

In the fourth, High Green is way overdue after a string of placed runs and given that Lowan Denysschen’s gelding is at the bottom of the handicap he should have a strong chance of finally recording his third win. 7-2 looks a fair price with top weight Blackball (5-2) having to give the consistent High Green 9kg.

Fillies Handicaps are notoriously tricky as reflected in the ante-post market with three horses bracketed on 5-1. Lady Abigail bids for a hat-trick while Josephine Baker will be aiming to go in again along with visiting filly Giglio from the Johan Janse van Vuuren yard.

By Andrew Harrison

To take a bet go to www.tabgold.co.za or www.trackandball.co.za

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