The Turffontein meeting on Saturday has seven Graded and one Listed event and it includes the Grade 1 SA Derby over 2450m and the Grade 1 weight for age HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m.

Hawwaam is the most exciting horse in South Africa and the only concern in the Derby is a tendency he had developed to over race, especially as he is drawn 15 out of 15. However, the past tense was used in the previous sentence as he settled well in the SA Classic last time with a customised bit and Matthew de Kock also said during the week, when discussing his “attitude”, “We seem to be winning the battle.” His rider Gavin Lerena is riding at the top of his game too. Mike de Kock clearly thinks very highly of this horse and twenty years on from Horse Chestnut’s exhilarating Derby win some will be anticipating the same.

Gift For The Gap has scope for plenty of improvement and ran on well to win the Derby Trial so could be the one to pick up the pieces, although on official merit ratings he does has a lot to do. Zillzaal looks tailor made for this race as he stays on resolutely so from a good draw he with a first time tongue tie on he should earn. Marchingontogether has come class and is well drawn and being out of a Montjeu mare he should stay. Last Of The Legend is a good looking sort who should stay and he has plenty of scope for improvement. Cape Derby winner Atyaab can also earn with blinkers on as he is capable of staying on well and should get the trip.

In the Horse Chestnut Stakes Legal Eagle usually runs well fresh and could put his flat L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate run behind him. He ran a cracker from off the pace in the Sun Met and is well drawn in his bid to win this trace for the fourth time in succession. Soqrat showed when winning the Cape Guineas and losing narrowly in the Queen’s Plate he has all the assets of a top racehorse from good temperament, good turn of foot and resolve and he is a worthy favourite. He got the run of the race in the Queen’s Plate when beating Legal Eagle by 3,75 lengths and has a fair draw again but not as good a draw as Legal Eagle’s. Cascapedia is coming into her own and this is probably her best course and distance so she can make her presence felt from pole position. Tilbury Fort could still be improving having won four out of seven starts since gelding and he showed last time when flying up over 1400m that he will be effective over this course and distance. Cirillo was beaten 3,50 lengths by Soqrat in the Cape Guineas which on paper puts him up with Legal Eagle and he can improve.

Return Flight should relish the 2450m course and distance of the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks. Her sire Pomodoro won the SA Derby and she appears to be taking more after him that her dam, who was by Special Preview and won from 1000m to 1400m. Blossom ran on well from off the pace in the SA Classic, despite a steady pace set by Return Flight, so looks likely to relish the course and distance and should be right there. She will be attempting to emulate her mother Cherry On The Top, who won this race when completing the Triple Tiara. Bize impressed when winning the Oaks Trial as she was caught wide throughout yet still managed to find extra effortlessly and won easily. She is unbeaten and could still be anything so is the dark horse. Chitengo is by SA Derby winner Elusive Fort out of Montjeu mare Gorongosa out of Grade 2 Gold Bowl (3200m) winner Gorongosa, so she will relish the trip. Seville Orange has shown signs of class and is improving all the time so she is contender to being by Duke Of Marmalade out of a Galileo mare. Fariha and Second Request also have claims on a race which is more open than the merit ratings suggest.    

Fly Away impressed on debut and comes out well on formlines in the Grade 3 Pretty Polly Stakes over 1100m, the first leg of the PA.

In the next race the Grade Protea Stakes over 1100m Frosted Gold and the filly Cavivar are classy types and could fight it out. 

By David Thiselton

The Pick 6 is always an attractive bet on the big race days and a big pool is expected again tomorrow.

In the first leg Frosted Gold stayed on courageously from an unfavourable draw over 1000m in the Storm Bird Stakes to share. He has a 5kg penalty in total for two wins but now has a plum Standside draw and will appreciate the extra 100m. The horse he shared with, Twilight Moon, had a favourable draw of nine out of ten in the Storm Bird and is now drawn five so can be excluded. Cavivar disappointed last time but now wears a tongue tie and jumps from a favourable draw of eight. She is 2kg better off with Frosted Gold for a 1,80 length beating and is the other one to include.

In the Grade 3 Man O’ War Sprint over 1100m the Grade 1 Allan Robertson winner Mighty High has trained on as a three-year-old and her draw of seven over this suitable trip is manageable. She is 1kg well in with Chimichuri Run according to official merit ratings. Chimichuri Run has to carry topweight but off his 112 merit rating is 3,5kg better off than any of the male runners. However, he might be better down the straight and he also has an unfavourable low draw of three, so others have to be considered. The filly All At Once is officially 2,5kg under sufferance with Mighty High. She beat Mighty High by a short-head last time over 1160m but is now 4kg worse off. However, she has beaten Mighty High twice and is relatively unexposed, so can be included from a plum Standside draw. Russian Prince is second best in of the male runners. He has speed and class and scope for plenty of improvement so from a nice high draw of eleven can be included. If Russian Prince is included then Topmast and Old Man Thyme have to be considered too on formlines. However, only Topmast need be included of the pair due to their respective draws.

The next race is the Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and three horses can be included, the Cape Guineas winner Soqrat, pole position drawn Cascapedia, who has come into her own, and Legal Eagle, who is better than his flat run in the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate.

The Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks is next and the favourite Blossom must be included in her attempt to emulate her mother Cherry On The Top. However, this is a more open race than the merit ratings suggest and all of Return Flight, Bize, Second Request, Fariha, Seville Orange and Chitengo can be included over a trip unknown to any of the nine contestants.

Hawwaam has been priced up at 1/6 for the SA Derby. He settled well in the SA Classic after his bit had been tailored to suit him and if doing the same here is impossible to oppose. However, he is drawn 15 of 15 and in case he does over race then all of Zillzaal, Gift For The Gap, Marchingontogether and Last Of The Legend can be included as horses who have either caught the eye or who will relish the trip.

At this stage the perm is costing R1050 already if all the suggested horses have been included and there’s a tough stayers race to come.

Topweight Noble Secret looks to have the assets of a top class stayer, Wonderous Climber is progressive, and the pole position-drawn Sunshine Silk is distance proven and coming into her own, so they are the suggestions to get players through this last leg. However, it does have the potential for an upset so some would prefer to thin out the earlier legs and load up here.

By David Thiselton

Last year’s Met winner Oh Susanna has been installed 17-10 favourite by World Sports Betting for the Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday fortnight but seemingly punters should hold fire until such time as she is confirmed a runner.

Jono Snaith said yesterday: “There is nothing definite yet. We are still in discussions with Drakenstein.”

Second favourite at 3-1 is Cascapedia who finished down the field in last year’s race after over-racing and clipping heels. She is trained by Mike de Kock who also has the next in the betting, 11-2 shot Nafaayes, and has won seven of the last 13 runnings. The favourites has won three times in the last four seasons.

Aldo Domeyer has the strongest hand at Durbanville on Saturday according to the early betting. Three of his seven mounts are favourites and three are second favourites, with his strongest chances being for Andre Nel in the final two races. Last month’s Kenilworth winner Run Red is 12-10 for the Interbet.co.za Handicap and the hat-trick seeking Crome Yellow is 17-10 in the last.

By Michael Clower

When Al Jackman stepped into the paddock for his first barrier trial at Scottsville, big, black and imposing, he attracted immediate attention. ‘Big, scopey colt who towered above his rivals in what was a smart looking field. Jumped slow and very green. Could take time to come to hand,’ was the comment on his trial as he trailed in way behind the pack.

Nearly six months down the line and gelded in the interim, he stepped out at Greyville yesterday with a row of duck eggs in his formline.

But Wendy Whitehead has persevered and with the aid of ‘horse whisper’ Glyn Redgrave, Al Jackman has slowly found his feet.

Although still green and forcing Stuart Randolph to earn his riding fee, he stuck to his guns to edge out Cassius Colt in a desperate finish.

“He’s got it this horse,” said Whitehead. “It’s his temperament. He gets to the races perfect but when he gets to the back he drips with sweat.

“He’s just very immature but he has found a character. He has matured and is coming out of his shell.”

It was not the strongest maiden fields but the step up to 1900m and according to Randolph, “the penny has not quite dropped yet,” there is still a future for owners Geoff Perkins, Mark Christensen and Michael Sinnema.

Third-placed Charlie McCreevy gave Mark Khan a torrid time, clipping heels and then running around like a drunk on his way home from the pub. That he managed third was something of a miracle.

It has taken some time for the penny to drop with apprentice Jason Gates but he appears to have finally cottoned on to the fact that his is not the only horse in the race.

Gates has a ton of ability and Louis Goosen, who takes no prisoners, is one trainer who has taken him under his wing. The partnership is bearing fruit as Gates rode a smart finish on the big gelding Di Mazzio in the second. Tracking the pace, Gates produce his mount with a perfectly time run and kept him hard at it to the line as he was challenged by a fast-closing So Var and Kingsmead, who certainly knew he had been in a race!

There is a wave of opposition to barrier trials, the general consensus being that they are a waste of time and money, but they do give some insight, especially to those who know what they are watching – and its generally not the ‘winner’.

A ‘solid quality filly. Went well without a push. One to follow,’ was the comment on Naoshima’s trial at Scottsville and it proved on the mark yesterday as Dennis Drier’s filly won well under Sean Veale.

Eric Buhr has been around for longer than he would probably care to remember but his orange and purple silks are a familiar part of KZN racing and Naoshima’s success marked his ninetieth winner.

In partnership with Buhr is the Wild Child Racing Syndicate many of whom were having their first winner after a disastrous start to their racehorse ownership, their first horse having got loose at Summerveld before her first outing, never to see a racecourse.

Drier appears to have high hopes for their replacement as the daughter of the once Drier-trained Master Of My Fate kicked clear in the first to win well.

Given Drier’s record with juveniles, it would not come as a surprise to see Naoshima’s name appear among the nominations for the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship at Scottsville, May 25, come Champions Season.

Lyle Hewitson is making steady inroads into Anton Marcus’s lead in the jockey championship and edged another winner closer as he steered the diminutive Jamaican Bay to a decisive victory in the fourth for Doug Campbell.

Hewitson has been penciled in behind the name of Legal Eagle in the Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday with Marcus watching from Dubai where he is due to partner Majestic Mambo in the Gr1 Jebel Hatta over 1800m on the Meydan turf.

By Andrew Harrison

The Vaal has a nine race meeting tomorrow and on paper Perfect Tigress stands out as a Pick 6 and Jackpot banker in the eighth race but a closer look shows that Chariot Of Gold and perhaps Crystal Stream should also be included. 

The Where’s That Tiger filly has always been well regarded and is starting to fulfil her potential. She ran on strongly in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic over this trip to finish a 2,75 length fifth. According to official merit ratings she is 5,5kg better off than any other horse under the conditions of this race and she is drawn well in two. The one concern is that she did take a while to get going, so a slow pace will be against her, but she should be improving all the time. Chariot Of Gold is second best in at the weights and will be dangerous as she will likely be the one dictating the pace. She has run some decent races including finishing just four lengths behind Horse Of The Year Oh Susanna at level weighs when sixth in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000. Crystal Stream is one with improvement in her and is another one to consider. She is drawn ideally in pole position for her front-running style and last time was looking for company in the straight. When a horse did pass her she picked up again and won going away, suggesting she is better than her bare form. However, she is 8,5kg under sufferance with Perfect Tigress.

In the first leg of the PA over 1200m Country Squire only just failed last time when handy throughout over 1000m. The impressive part of the run was that he jumped from the usually unfavourable draw of one down the Vaal straight. He nearly led from start to finish over this trip before that from this same number 12 draw and this field looks less inspiring. However, Tequila Man ran on well after a slow start over 1160m last time and could do the same from a high draw here, so he can also be included.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m Boundless Deep had good form in the stronger centre of Cape Town over 1400m and is the one to beat having also run some fair sprints in KZN. However, this is his first run for the Botes yard and he returns from an 89 day layoff. He is also wearing a first-time tongue tie, so there are some negatives and he can’t be bankered. Varquera caught the eye on debut but then had to overcome draw ten out of ten on the Turffontein Inside course last time over this trip. He wasn’t disgraced and Gavin Lerena is now up. Catch A Glimpse has some fair recent form over course and distance and can also be included.

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 1200m Palace Chapel has a touch of class and looks capable of rising above his 95 merit rating. He has Lerena up but does have a low draw, so others have to be included. Life Is Good represents the flying Magner yard and looks to be off an attractive merit rating. Topweight Clever Guy has not been disgraced against some top horses lately and can also be included.

In the sixth race over 2600m Lerena is aboard Highlander who can always be relied on to finish strongly and stays the trip well. Master And Man disappointed last time but did not find cover the whole way and with better luck in running can go close. The Honey Badger is an improving sort who stays and he is the type who needs a good draw. He gets a good draw here and looks to be off a reasonable merit rating. Indy Ice was not disgraced last time in the Derby Trial and is interesting stepped up in trip as one who has stayed on over trips from 2000m to 2400m. Earth Sky is better than his last run and if bouncing back has a shout and Kings Cup has to be included in the Pick 6 and Jackpot.

In the seventh race over 2000m the R1,2 million Twice Over colt Palace Green won his maiden well and starts off on a reasonable mark with Lerena up from draw two. Pole position drawn Powered Beauty looks to be the one capable of upsetting him.

In the last race over 1700m I Am Batman caught the eye finishing with long strides over 1400m and should relish the step up in trip from a good draw. Culture Trip is also a longs-striding sort who should enjoy the trip from a good draw. Tarry horses make most appeal. Toastmaster is going the right way and is distance suited but has a wide draw to overcome. Wild Fire improved dramatically with blinkers and has to be considered and Manhattan Cocktail ran on well over 1400m last time so could also be thereabouts.

By David Thiselton