The final leg of the work rider series is always accompanied by much excitement so there is sure to be some intriguing battles in the eight race meeting at Turffontein tomorrow.

Former champion work rider Chamu Mabaya looks to have a fair book of rides and Joe Gwingwizha and Charles Ndlovu should also have good days.

In the first race over 1000m Kindavar, ridden by Mabaya, has a lot of zip and could get a tow from the speedy Desert Kitten before pouncing and attempting to win at the 22^nd attempt. However, she could be upstaged by Miss Samurai, who showed pace in her penultimate start over this trip and finished a 5,75 length second to subsequent Grade 3 Strelitzia Stakes winner Singforafa. Miss Samurai will be ridden by inexperienced workrider Kelly Fisher. Two-year-old Winter Haze has shown ability in two starts and displayed good pace last time. She was overtaken by a promising sort and pipped by another fair horse but being by What A Winter should be improving. She is now up against older horses which will make it tough despite the field being uninspiring.

Former champion Sam Mosia could win the next over 1000m on Bold Matador who looked the winner last time over this trip before being caught by a flying Hartleyfour. Charles Ndlovu has a good ride here on Country Squire, who hit the front in the aforementioned race before fading and he was reported to have made a respiratory noise. He can do better and should be improving being by Duke Of Marmalade. Gwingwizha rides Pidgeon Rock, who showed promises second time out but hasn’t run since last July.

In the third over 1160m Ndlovu rides The Russian Sailor who went close over 1200m last time despite losing two lengths. Written In Stone caught the eye in the preliminaries and in the race on Tuesday when second from a wide draw over 1200m at the Vaal Classic track and he is sure to be involved. Maldives should be running on well.

In the fourth over 1600m Mabaya can earn his riding fee by taking Kayla’s Eagle to the front and settling her. If he does accomplish those two tasks she can beat this uninspiring field. Caftan under Ndlovu beat Kaylá’s Eagle last time down the straight over this trip, but the latter raced too strongly behind horses. First-timer Ligogo by Golden Sword out of Listed Banayana winner Sapphire Ring makes some appeal under reigning champion work rider Goodman Dadamasi.

In the fifth over 1600m Ndlovu could win on Category Four, who proved suited to this trip when finishing third over 1700m on Wednesday. Flapjack under Mabaya and Royal Pursuit under Mosia are the dangers.

In the sixth over 2000m Gwingwizha could win on Slay The Dragon who has a tricky draw but has fair form, is unexposed and stays the trip. Byron Bay under Dadamasi ran well in his previous start over this trip and should be right there and Three Dog Night showed improvement with gelding last time so can also be a threat under Mosia.

Mabaya can win the seventh over 2000m on the hard-knocking Irish Flame filly Shezahotti, who can run on after being dropped out from a tricky draw. Merengue and Laconia are both improving and are the dangers.

The last over 1160m could go to Themba Muchansa on the promising Varquera who has not had much luck to date but has caught the eye. Brittania Queen and Destiny’s Game look the dangers.

By David Thiselton

Class could be the deciding factor when Hoodoo Magic takes on some salted opposition in the Dormehl Phalane Property Group Handicap that heads the card at Scottsville on Sunday.

Brett Crawford’s Australian import has been up against the cream so far this season and given that this season’s crop of sophomore males is widely regarded as being above average, that form is likely to hold up.

Last Friday’s G2 KRA Guineas winner Twist Of Fate and Gr1 Cape Derby winner Atyaab are both close-up in Hoodoo Magic’s formline and he is sure to improve on his Byerley Turk effort behind Tristful in his KZN debut.

It was his first outing in over three months and Crawford’s runners are starting to click into top gear.

But he does face a hard-knocker in Sea Urchin. The seven-year-old’s form is not the stuff of feature races but Garth Puller has nursed him through his career and the gelding has come into his own of late with five of his nine wins coming this term, more significantly those wins came in his last seven starts.

Sea Urchin goes particularly well for apprentice Jason Gates who is full value for his 2.5kg claim and from an inside gate, Corne Orffer will need to be wary of a few prickles.

Fellow three-year-old Mastergambit is drawn on the paint inside of Sea Urchin, and although his form does not match that of Hoodoo Magic, he comes from a yard that is firing winning salvos and Mastagambit can make amends for his recent defeat when sent out favourite on the Greyville poly.

Silva’s Bullet did his supporters no favours when down the field in The Sledgehammer (Listed) on the Greyville poly, a race moved from Scottsville because of a sodden track, but Dean Kannemeyer’s runner did not travel well to the start and looked equally uncomfortable on the way home on the synthetic surface.

He is Kannemeyer’s sole entry for this year’s Vodacom Durban July and if he doesn’t feature in this conditions race where he has the weights in his favour, then any thoughts of participation in the VDJ would probably be out of the window.

An interesting runner is Dyno Man, Garth Puller looking to win the race that he is sponsoring. The grey has his third run after a break and pressed the progressive Mr Fitz to half-a-length last time out. The winner is well regarded although Shane Humby has shunned the Classics stating that his charge needs time to mature.

Be that as it may, it was a sterling effort from Dyno Man and he should strip at his peak come Sunday.

Dennis Drier has an enviable client base and the results show as he is well on his way to a consecutive KZN Champion Trainer title. He has another strong hand come Sunday although Ideal Duel may be a little down the list of his possible winners on the day.

The mare has steadily come to hand at recent outings and although all that form has been on the poly, the switch to turf should not trouble her in the Khayelihle Funeral Services Handicap.

It’s a difficult race to call with any certainty but Ideal Duel was running at them hard behind favourite Moon In June last time out but it would be foolish to ignore the chances of top weights Kilmokea and Philae.

Kilmokea was all at sea in the Scottsville mud in The Scarlet Lady (Listed) but her previous form was solid albeit against more measured opposition. Her recent form shows smart efforts behind Heart Of A Legend and stable companion and subsequent Gr1 Empress Club winner Camphoratus in the Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes so she has earned her weight.

Philae’s form line is not quite as impressive given the opposition but Andre Nel’s mare has been close-up in her last five and the extended trip from a good draw should see her contest the finish.

By Andrew Harrison

Racecard for Sunday’s Scottsville meeting on May 12 embedded below.

12 May – Scottsville

Cedar Man has been installed 22-10 favourite with the sponsors for the World Sports Betting East Cape Derby at Fairview on Saturday and Greg Ennion has booked former champion Gavin Lerena for the mount.

The gelding, second over 2 000m at Durbanville last time, showed that stamina is his game by going close is the Kenilworth Cup in February and finishing fourth to Magnificent Seven in the New Turf Carriers Stayers on Met day.

The favourite has won seven of the last eight runnings of the Port Elizabeth showpiece. Cedar Man and 7-2 second favourite St Valdimir dominate the 14-strong field on merit ratings, being assessed 4.5kg better than the next best.

WSB also bets 15-2 In a Perfect World, 17-2 Drop Kick, Sailing Lizard, Swift Surprise, 12-1 Mercurana, 14-1 Wildcat, Just Chaos, 22-1 and upwards others. Cape Town trainers have traditionally dominated this 2 400m Listed race and have won all the last nine runnings. They field only five of the 14 runners this time but their quintet are five of the eight highest rated.

By Michael Clower

The Vaal straight course stages a nine race meeting today where there are a few opportunities for punters.

In the first race over 1200m Secret Palace is an athletic type who stayed on well over this trip around the turn on debut in yielding going. She can win this with expected improvement, although it is never easy against the boys even if she is getting a 2,5kg gender allowance. The two dangers could be the well-bred first-timers Bold Over and Indy Go. Bold Over is by Twice Over and is a half-sister to the Grade 2 Golden Slipper winner Desert Rhythm and Indy Go is a R325,000 gelding by Captain Of All out of Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Go Indigo.

In the second race Virtuosa caught the eye on debut running on strongly from way back and she does not face an inspiring field here. Spring Break is well bred being by Trippi out of the speedy mare Miss October and this R1,8 million filly could be the biggest threat. Allmyloving has some speed and can stay on and both Capetown Dream and Get Set have shown some ability.

In the third race over 1400m Therevada caught the eye in a workrider’s maiden on debut when staying on with long strides and Gavin Lerena now rides. He is made a PA banker.

The first leg of the Pick 6 sees Captain Of Tortuga and Rockin Russian renewing rivalry. The former won comfortably when they last met but the latter likely needed it badly that day as she was coming off a long break. There shouldn’t be much in it this time as Rockin Russian is now having her third run after a layoff. Fired Up caught the eye on debut as one who should be progressive but ran wide and over raced second time out over 1600m. Back to this trip he could make his presence felt again.

In the first leg of the Jackpot Virginia has always been held in good regard and she benefited from a layoff recently which allowed her to do some maturing. She should have come on from that good comeback run and her class can enable her to carry topweight here over a suitable 1600m trip. She can be made a PA banker, although Walnut Dash and Quebec Queen are decent sorts who can be included in the Pick 6.

In the next race over 1200m, a MR 104 Handicap, Danza is proving suited to this distance and is knocking hard so he is the one to beat. Clever Guy beat Danza by 0,70 lengths last time and is now 1kg worse off so there should not be much in it. He only finished 5,30 lengths back in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint on Saturday. The switch from blinkers to cheek pieces helped in his penultimate start when beating Danza and the cheek pieces are back on. Africa Rising is an admirable sort with some class and a nice turn of foot and as one who stays further than this trip he should run a good race fresh here. Those three could get punters through.

In the seventh over 1100m the consistent Mademoiselle is off a nice merit rating and with a galloping weight of 55kg over a trip she should enjoy she is the one to beat. Pool Party has run three fine sprints against decent sorts in her last three starts, one of them a win and with a 4kg claimer up she will be a big runner here. Miss Pinkerton has been disappointing lately but she is capable and can also be included.

In the eighth over 1000m the two promising sprinting stablemates Winter Storm and American Hustle should fight it out, despite carrying topweight of 61kg. They are going paces and the big horse Winter Storm is preferred.

In the ninth over 1000m Farraranga has pace and can do better than last time. Generous Notion has done well against decent sorts in her last three starts over 1200m and now has blinkers on over 1000m so should be right there. Geographe Bay returns from a short layoff and is now running off a competitive merit rating. Reserve runner Claremorris is knocking on the door and must be included if getting in. Illegal has plummeted in the merit ratings and should now start being competitive. However, this is a wide open race and it would be wise to choose as many horses as possible for the Pick 6.   

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith has six runners included in the initial log for the R4.25 million Gr1 Vodacom Durban July released earlier today. Last year’s winner Do It Again heads the log while stable companion and second last year, Made To Conquer is 15^th on the initial list of the 18 preferred entries.

The Eric Sands-trained Rainbow Bridge, winner of the Gr1 Sun Met and a fast-finishing second in the Gr2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes last Friday evening, is second on the log followed by last Saturday’s Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes winner Hawwaam.

Mike de Kock has cautioned that Hawwaam is not certain to take his place in the race but also has Gr1 Cape Derby winner Atyaab in fifth place and another smart three-year-old Barahin (15^th).

Sean Tarry has three entries in the top 18 headed by the crack filly Return Flight (4^th) backed up Legal Eagle (10^th) and Tilbury Fort (11^th).

Last Friday night’s Gr2 KRA Guineas winner Twist Of Fate is 7^th on the log.

Other Snaith runners are Oh Susanna, Doublemint, Magnificent Seven and Miyabi Gold.

With just under 60 days to the country’s biggest race, there is still much water to flow under the bridge but the log gives trainers a guide as to where they stand as far as getting a run in the race is concerned.

First declarations are due on Monday, May 13, with first supplementary entries due the following day.

The logs are compiled in consultation with the handicappers and reflect all the horses, in order of preference, as to the make-up of the final field at the time of the log’s publication.

An updated VDJ log will be issued on Wednesday, May 22, following the running of the WSB 1900 on Saturday, May 18, at Greyville.

Journalist: Andrew Harrison