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

The 90-winner rural racing hero Philisande Mxoli was accepted into the South African Jockeys Academy (SAJA) at the beginning of the year and is already making an impact riding work.

Philisande, now 20-years-old, started riding in rural races in the Eastern Cape at the age of thirteen. 

Unlike KZN rural racing, in which the racing gait is limited to trotting, the Eastern Cape has races in both galloping and trotting gaits.

Therefore, Philisande arrived at the Academy with experience in riding “short” (short stirrup straps and thus high in the saddle) at a flat out gallop.

Furthermore, he clearly has BMT as he has won the “Berlin November” twice. The latter is the equivalent of the Vodacom Durban July in Eastern Cape rural racing. His winning mounts in the Berlin November were Remember and Final Judgement (not to be confused with the former Glen Kotzen-trained filly of that name).

The rural races take place on fields, as opposed to the racecourses of professional racing, and the distances Philisande was racing over were 1000m, 1200m and 1400m.

Philisande has taken well to the Academy and is enjoying himself.

Lopez Mogongo and his team look for Academy candidates around the country every year and do the assessments. Philisande was one of two picked from the rural racing organisation. He was accepted as he had the right physical attributes, he did well in the fitness tests, he had natural balance and his experience counted in his favour as he already had good hands.

He has been the first of this latest in-take to make it to track and has been riding at Ashburton for the like of Duncan Howells and Belinda Impey and also for private trainer Doug Campbell.

He has impressed a number of watchers and has already been given the responsibility of galloping horses on the grass.

Philisande spoke of his appreciation for this opportunity and said he had been working with the riding masters on adapting his style.

Riding Master Laurence O’Donoghue said, “He is doing very well. He has nice hands and is a good horsemen and is a quiet well mannered and respectful young man. We like him a lot.”

Philisande said he was expecting to have his first race ride next year.

Meanwhile, Joshua Solomons had his first race ride on Sunday at Scottsville, finishing unplaced on the Michael Roberts-trained Master Of Fire over 1200m in a Maiden Plate.

O’Donoghue said this Capetonian now had promise, having overcome some early trials and tribulations as one who had never sat on a horse before arriving at the Academy.     

On Thursday Gabriel Pieterse will be making his debut on the Grant Maroun-trained Singaswewin in an Apprentice Handicap over 1000m at the Vaal. Gabriel hails from Lusaka in Zambia. He was a Zambian champion motocross rider and also played polocrosse, so arrived with riding experience.

Two apprentices, Cole Dickens and Tyrell Maharaj, are presently in the UK. They are there for four weeks to complete the International Apprentice Course at the British Racing School campus in Newmarket.

SAJA has partnered with the British Racing School (BRS), through funding from The Childwick Trust, which enables two of its Apprentices to have such an opportunity annually. Cole and Tyrell are the fourth set of South African Apprentice Jockeys selected.

The pair will be based in Johannesburg after arriving home and will start riding in races immediately.

By David Thiselton

With a feature race stakes pot of some R30-million for owners and another R17-million also available to them for supporting events during the three-month feast of high-class thoroughbred racing from May to July, South Africa’s Champions Season in KwaZulu-Natal is ready and set to blast off at Greyville in Durban at the end of next week.

The Independent On Saturday evening race meeting at the Theatre of Champions on Friday, May 3, will open the feast of 51 feature events that will attract the best horses from the leading stables in the country, promising racegoers, general racing fans and the average public plenty of excitement and entertainment throughout the three-month programme.

Champions Season, one of the biggest and most comprehensive festivals of racing in the world that attracts international interest, includes feature race involvement of all categories of racing from the exciting juveniles to the mature stars over distances from 1 000m to 3 200m with Africa’s greatest racing event, the world famous R4.25-million, Vodacom Durban July, standing out as the iconic centerpiece of the festival and the 13 Grade 1 races to be run.

A total of 34 graded races will be staged with the R600 000, Grade 2 KRA Guineas, R500 000, Grade 2 KRA Fillies Guineas and the R500 000, Grade 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes getting the festival action under way.

Traditionally, the R500 000, Grade 2 World Sports Betting 1900 at Greyville on May 18 is where the preparation for the Vodacom Durban July begins “on site” and over the years a number of runners that have won the tough 1 900m race have gone on to win the premier event.

There are five “super” days during the season, the first being the unique Tsogo Sun Sprint meeting at Scottsville in Pietermaritzburg on May 25 where four Grade 1 sprints over 1 200m will be run. The best speed horses in South Africa gather at the venue for the R1-million Tsogo Sun Sprint, the R750 000 South African Fillies Sprint and the first two Grade 1 events for juveniles, the R750 000 Gold Medallion and the R750 000 Allan Robertson Championship for fillies.

The country’s top three-year-olds take centre stage a week later on June 1 in the R2-million, Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and the R1-million, Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville. It is from the three-year-old ranks that the champions of the future emerge and a number of winners at this meeting have gone on to win the Vodacom Durban July, other major events and international success.

The battle for a place in the final 18-horse field for the Vodacom Durban July will close on June 8 with the running of the R1-million, Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and the Grade 3 Cup Trial with the meeting also featuring the Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes and six other exciting feature events.

With the feature programme continuing at pace over the following weeks the Grade 2 Post Merchants will provide a “sprint breather” before the Track & Ball “Derby” and Track & Ball “Oaks” at Scottsville with the KZN Breeders Club adding excitement to the festival with the eight-race programme for horses qualifying under the terms of the KZN Breeders Series headed by the R1-million KZN Breeders Million Mile.

Vodacom Durban July day dawns on Saturday, July 6, when some 50 000 excited fans will fill the Greyville racecourse for the 12-race feast headed by the R4.25-million, iconic Grade 1 “July” over 2 200m. With an exciting entertainment programme, fashion shows and parties raging in the massive marquee village, racing goes through to the evening including the R1-million, Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes and the two Grade 2 Juvenile clashes over 1 400m, the Durban Golden Horseshoe and the Golden Slipper.

The racing action continues through July and includes the New Turf Carriers Rider Cup where provincial teams will do battle before Champions Season comes to a dramatic close with the grand finale on Saturday, July 27, featuring the famous R1.25-million, eLAN Gold Cup over 3 200m, the R1-million World Sports Betting Champions Cup over 1 800m, the R1-million Grade 1 Mercury Sprint, the Grade 1 Premiers Champion Stakes and the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes, both worth R750 000.

Ends