High Green has been frustrating for Lowan Denysschen and jockey Anton Marcus and both trainer and jockey will be determined to snap a string of runner-up berths on the Greyville poly tomorrow. Five seconds on the trot helps pay the bills but a visit to the winner’s enclosure would be a welcome change.

High Green just doesn’t quite get there on time but Marcus should know the gelding well by now, having ridden him in his last three outings.

Legend finished a well beaten third behind Collabro and High Green when last they met and subsequently disappointed when seemingly well handicapped last time out. Handicappers gave him a further two-points relief and with Duncan Howells stepping him up to 2000m, that could be the key that opens the door.

Tommy Grand could also prove a threat. Nathan Kotzen’s gelding is at home on the synthetic surface as he showed when a close-up fourth to Last Of The Legend at his penultimate start and the form has panned out well. But he does give weight to both High Green and Legend which could prove his undoing.

High Green can further boost Collabro’s form when Marcus takes over the reins on Dennis Bosch’s charge in the fourth. The gelding has hardly put a foot wrong this year and after trying ten furlongs last time out, reverts to what looks to be a trip more in his comfort zone.

Red Shift ran way below form last time out and will be a threat given his previous form while Mastergambit somehow landed an 89 MR after his maiden win and could find this tough going.

Mary Liley is one of KZN’s stalwart owners and she and trainer Tony Rivalland are enjoying a great run at present. The Liley-owned Tristful looks good enough to contest the Champions Season Classics and she should get an idea in the fifth of how far Clara has progressed after her recent maiden win when the filly lines up in the sixth.

There were some bookmakers shedding tears into their satchels after Clara was supported in from 33-1 to 11-1 in her maiden win and she showed enough that day to suggest that she can go in again tomorrow.

However, she will first have to get past Shane Humby’s filly Suzi Woo. She too was well supported when starting favourite last time out but her saddled slipped badly at the jump and she was never in the hunt after that.

By Andrew Harrison

First entries for the R4.25 million Gr1 Vodacom Durban July to be run over 2200m at Greyville racecourse on Saturday, July 6

Gary	Alexander	HERO’S HONOUR	107
Brett	Crawford	CHARLES	104
Mike	de Kock	HAWWAAM	121
Mike	de Kock	BARAHIN	108
Mike	de Kock	ALYAASAAT (AUS)	105
Mike	de Kock	ATYAAB (AUS)	105
Mike	de Kock	NOBLE SECRET	105
Mike	de Kock	THE DAZZLER	99
Mike	de Kock	PROTEA PARADISE	92
Dennis	Drier	LADY IN BLACK	117
St	Gray	DAWN ASSAULT	106
R A / S R	Hill	CAMPHORATUS	105
R A / S R	Hill	RED CHESNUT ROAD	101
Duncan	Howells	FIORELLA	100
Duncan	Howells	THANKSGIVING	97
J A	Janse van Vuuren	DIVINE ODYSSEY	105
J A	Janse van Vuuren	DOOSRA	104
Dean	Kannemeyer	SILVA’S BULLET	91
Glen	Kotzen	EYES WIDE OPEN	111
Glen	Kotzen	HERODOTUS	101
Paul	Lafferty	DARK MOON RISING	105
Weiho	Marwing	SAMURAI WARRIOR	105
Andre	Nel	HEAD HONCHO	122
Andre	Nel	RUN RED	94
Joey	Ramsden	TWIST OF FATE	115
Joey	Ramsden	FRESNAYE	108
Frank	Robinson	ROY HAD ENOUGH (AU	109
Frank	Robinson	ROY’S RIVIERA (AUS	95
Frank	Robinson	ARIANOS SHADOW	93
Frank	Robinson	TOP CLASSMAN	85
Eric	Sands	RAINBOW BRIDGE	124
Justin	Snaith	DO IT AGAIN	125
Justin	Snaith	OH SUSANNA (AUS)	118
Justin	Snaith	MADE TO CONQUER	108
Justin	Snaith	MIYABI GOLD	105
Justin	Snaith	DOUBLEMINT	104
Justin	Snaith	MAGNIFICENT SEVEN	104
Justin	Snaith	ELUSIVE SILVA	103
Justin	Snaith	BUNKER HUNT	100
Justin	Snaith	PLATINUM PRINCE	97
Sean	Tarry	LEGAL EAGLE	118
Sean	Tarry	TILBURY FORT	110
Sean	Tarry	RETURN FLIGHT	106
Sean	Tarry	ZILLZAAL	105
Sean	Tarry	SHENANIGANS	89
Sean	Tarry	SILVER GOD	87
Geoff	Woodruff	SECRET POTION	102
Geoff	Woodruff	BANNER HILL	99
Alyson	Wright	FLICHITY BY FARR	94

The Vaal straight course stages an eight race meeting and the exotics look the best way to play it.   

In the first over 1200m Arabian Sniper is a Bipot must-include having been left too far out of his ground on debut over this course and distance before running on in eyecatching style with long strides. With the experience under the belt he should be closer to the action and can run on to win. Potjie does not have a long stride but has been thereabouts a few times and over this distance last time finished a fair second with second-time blinkers on. Lion King showed good pace throughout last time over course and distance when finishing one-and-a-half lengths clear of Arabian Sniper. However, he now has a potentially unfavourable number one draw. Apache Too is a chip off his sire The Apache and won a barrier trial in a slow time on the Greyville poly over 1000m back in November.

However, he accelerated smartly in the straight. One Of Our Own is drawn on the right side by trends and ran a fair second last time over course and distance with first-time blinkers on when caught late, but the form is suspect. Succession is a two-year-old gelding debutant trained by Sean Tarry. He is by Captain Al out of an unraced USA-bred Dynaformer mare whose mother won the Group 1 Prix de Moulin over 1600m at Longchamp and she also finished second in the Group 1 Juddmonte International. However, she did not produce much at stud.  The other two-year-old Land Of The Brave is by What A Winter and is a half-brother to Grade 3 winner Croc Valley and Listed winner Galileo’s Night. He made a fair debut when drawn on the wrong side in a good field, finishing seven lengths behind Look To The Sky. The two-year-olds are receiving only 3kg from the three-year-olds but in a weight for age race would receive 8.5kg so they have tough tasks.

In the second race over 1400m, the first leg of the PA, My Elusive is the choice. She has substance and was too strong in the running last time when handy over 2000m, yet still managed to stay on. So despite her form suggesting this will be too sharp, it might be just what she is looking for and she is drawn on the right side too. Notquitethereyet also gets a good high draw and this is a suitable trip. He showed good pace to get handy from a tricky draw on his Highveld debut on the Turffontein Inside track and then showed a good turn of foot before being overtaken late.  

In the third race over 1400m Alyaasaat beat Soqrat the last time he ran over this trip and he has a favourable high draw. He is hard to oppose at the weights. Reach For The Line is well regarded and on debut was beaten just a length by Hawwaam over this trip, so he can be considered for Pick 6 inclusion receiving 3kg from Alyaasaat.

In the fourth race over 1600m Steady Way is a progressive daughter of Dynasty who will relish this step up in trip. Serendipity is 5,5kg better off with Samarra, if apprentice claims are included, for a one length beating over this trip. She moved up well last time over 1800m before finding no extra so should relish the step back to this trip and has a nice high draw. Walnut Dash just failed from a tough low draw the last time she tried this trip. She is by Crusade, who won a Group 1 over six furlongs but who appears to get them to stay further, and she is out of a Fort Wood mare who won over 1400m. However, she does have a low draw. Samarra is in fine form at present and this front-runner to handy type will likely try and steal a march from the number one draw. Elusive Coral has won her only start over course and distance and from a nice high draw with a 4kg claimer up is hard to ignore. 

The fifth over 1200m is a competitive sprint handicap and Danza is the choice. He beat the classy Mardi Gras easily the last time he went this course and distance. That race was in soft going. He then only just failed to beat the promising Old Man Tyme over 1100m. He has gone up in the weights as a result but dropping back to this trip will suit. Palace Chapel is progressive and has to handle a four point raise for his last win. Silver God is the dark horse from a nice high draw of ten as he likely needed his last run when making up ground late over this course and distance. Clever Guy, Torre Del Oro and Angel’s Power also warrant consideration. Raasmaal’s betting should be monitored as he is useful but returns from a rest of over a year.

In the next over 1200m Certifiable is the choice as one who loves this course and distance, although he has to handle a three point raise. Bold Coast was a revelation with blinkers and must be included alongside Life Is Good. Tarsus is hard to ignore and the talented Sugoi, who has been effective over 1000m, has another crack at 1200m.

In the seventh over 1000m Mademoiselle is admirably consistent and is drawn on the right side. Dalai’s Promise should be right alongside her on form but has a low draw. The speedy Miss Khalifa can’t be ignored off a plummeting merit rating.

The last over 1000m is a competitive Apprentice Handicap and Rebel Renegade is the form choice. Brigtnumberten has a chance although he does not enjoy the soft. Hear The Trumpet won well last time when under sufferance so could follow up. However, as many as possible should be included.

By David Thiselton

Frankel is going to leave his mark on South Africa and General Franco’s impressive debut at Kenilworth yesterday indicated that he is going to be one of those to do it.

Miss Frankel has won a Listed race but, with all due respect to her, the CTS sale-topper looks as if he is going to be in a different league. A chestnut, with three long white socks, he started favourite for the opening Maiden Juvenile Plate and accelerated like a machine to lead 200m out to romp away and win easily. When Richard Fourie glanced left there was nothing there. The official margin over second-placed Three Two Charlie was three and a half lengths but even that hardly did justice to the impression he created.

Fourie said: “He wasn’t giving me any sort of feel early on and I thought to myself ‘He is probably going to need it.’ Going through the 400 he saw daylight and then he was a completely different horse. He wanted to be in front and he picked it up so quickly that he carved through the field and ran all the way to the line. He caught me by surprise but he is a quality horse and he is going places.”

He was meant to be doing that in the Listed race on Met day and he was favourite when sore shins forced his withdrawal. He was bought as a yearling for R4 million by John Freeman for Jack Mitchell and his daughter Nancy Hossack. Mitchell is in America being treated for serious illness and, as Freeman said, this performance will be a massive tonic.

“We are not comfortable paying that sort of money for horses, especially with the current stakes, but he has now proved that he was a good buy,” said Jono Snaith. “He is a horse we would like to earmark for the Cape Guineas and if he continues like this he could be a stallion one day. We might now put him away for a bit. Certainly we won’t go for all the juvenile features. He might run in one of them but that would be all.”

The stable failed to follow up with the much vaunted Amy Johnson in the fillies equivalent. She seemed to have trouble going the pace but ran a highly promising third. “She is lovely,” said Fourie. “She is not a five furlong horse but I was impressed that she was able to keep up.”

The race was won by the Fosters’ well supported Mirage, a R500 000 Captain Al confidently handled by M.J. Byleveld. “She is special and I think she has a really bright future,” said Vaughan Marshall. “She will go a mile so we are in no hurry with her.”

S’Manga Khumalo took a crashing fall when Ibra fell – for no obvious reason – in second place 100m out. He lay on the ground for quite some time and was taken by ambulance to Rondebosch Hospital reporting of a headache and a sore neck plus a possible left thumb injury.

By Michael Clower

El’ Zara could become the first two-year-old to win in open company in KZN when she lines up in the first at Greyville this evening.

Louis Goosen’s filly takes on what is a fairly modest field of maidens after putting in two promising sprints against her own age group and bookmakers have her in the red.

Both starts were on the turf at Scottsville and she showed good pace before being run out f it late. The switch to the poly should be beneficial and she can get the better of She’s A Crusade and Variety Concert.

Belther, beaten a nostril by stable companion Popova last time out is at the top of the boards along with Ruby Slippers setting Lyle Hewitson up against Anton Marcus. Alistair Gordon’s came from well back when beaten by Popova and Ruby Slippers has been knocking at the door for Doug Campbell.

Better value could be the 6-1 about La Duchesse. Paul Gadsby filly has improved since racing in blinkers although her last run is best ignored as she was run into from behind and eased out of the race. She has the best of the draw and goes well on the poly.

Caliente is a weak favourite for the fourth and makes a return to home turf in the fourth after a largely disappointing spell in Cape Town. However, he was up against stronger when fourth behind Grand Silvano and he will have his supporters.

Hewitson teams up with the Duncan Howells runner Jet Stream who is having his second run after a break and looks fair value at 7-1 in the market. He made most of the running before behind run down late over the Scottsville 1950m and a switch to the poly over a shorter trip should make him a big runner.

The fifth is something of a punter’s nightmare with any number of runners in with winning chances. However, Philae is long overdue another visit to the winner’s enclosure after running up a string of places, mostly against stronger opposition than what she meets tonight. The handicappers have been reluctant to drop her in the ratings because of her consistency but she has plenty in her favour here. Marcus has stuck with Nattie Kotzen’s filly Master Keys after her convincing win last time out and the stable is in form with Cumulus carrying the same colours to victory at Scottsville on Sunday.

Wayne Badenhorst is quietly making a name for himself and Isovar steps out under is care for the first time in the sixth, the filly acquired off the Chris Gerber dispersal and previously trained by Alec Laird. She has some patchy form but two of her most recent outings have been in Assessment Plates where anything can happen.

Candice Bass will be looking to Hopeful to open her winter season account after a smart last outing at Durbanville but she does appear to be a better proposition over a mile and further.

The last two races look nigh impossible to peg down with any confidence but Mambo Lyric was a close-up second to the well-fancied Mocha Rose last time out and could fit the bill in the seventh while Louis Goosen has three runners in the last with Yaas and Bravo Zulu the likely pick but with bookmakers offering 9-2 the field, punters should know what they are up against.

By Andrew Harrison