With only two meetings left before Scottsville undergoes treatment to prepare for Champions Season, it should be all systems go for Sunday’s meeting. However, there are more thunder storms predicted for the weekend so a switch to the Greyville poly track is a possibility.

With only two meetings left before Scottsville undergoes treatment to prepare for Champions Season, it should be all systems go for Sunday’s meeting. However, there are more thunder storms predicted for the weekend so a switch to the Greyville poly track is a possibility.

Sunday’s card is headed by the umThombothi Stakes (Non-Black Type) over 1950m where weights are allocated according to number of wins which sees Legend at the top of the handicap.

On official merit ratings, Legend will have his work cut out in this company in spite of two recent forward showings, especially as he is up against a quartet of progressive three-year-olds.

Chesney van Zyl, who is looking to relocate to Summerveld from Gauteng, raids from the Highveld and saddles top-rated Marchingontogether and Stream Ahead while his father Gavin also holds a competitive hand in Affranchi and the year older Blackball. Add to this the progressive Duke Of Spin and the smart filly Flichity By Farr and up have the ingredients for a good contest.

Marchingontogether and Stream Ahead both took their chances in the Gauteng Guineas, both finishing down the field. The race was run in yielding going but Van Zyl Snr confirmed that those runs were way below par. Speaking on behalf of his son he said the blinkers come off Marchingontogether and the tongue-tie comes off Stream Ahead and both were in a good space as was Affranchie.

“He’s coming on nicely and I think we have finally got to the bottom of him,” confirmed Van Zyl. Affranchi has not run up to expectations since switching to the Van Zyl yard but he has been showing signs of life at recent outings.

“Blackball raced wide with no cover last start so I’m expecting a better showing from him as well,” said Van Zyl. “I can’t single out any one of our runners but I think the winner will come from one of them.:

Duke Of Spin, the lowest rated of the three-year-olds was palpably in need of his last run and his efforts were not helped by stable companion Legend giving him a rough passage. He looks like a smart colt and a win would not be unexpected.

Best weighted is Alyson Wright’s filly, Flichity By Far. However, she has not been out since October last year where she proved to be more than useful over marathon trips so this race, her first in over three months over a trip short of her best, does look like a warm-up although she will probably race fresh.

The White Horse Function Room Handicap is a competitive sprint but it may be worth following Anton Marcus who stays with the Nathan Kotzen-trained Cumulus. The gelding has shown flashes of ability, having run recent eight-time winner Ronnie Rocket to within a length and his last two efforts have signalled a change in fortune.

A change of tactics could also be in order and Cumulus is likely to be running at them late. Given all the recent thunder storms, his name could be an omen.

Of the balance, Buffalo Soldier is smart on his day while the grey Isca hacked up in a weak four-horse barrier trial but did show his well-being and he loves this course.

Finally, Darryl Moore looks to have a potential star in the making in Woodstock Festival and a win in this company will set him on the road to bigger things.

By Andrew Harrison

Tomorrow’s Kenilworth two-year-old race is like a jigsaw with the most important pieces missing. Not one of the nine runners has raced and few of the trainers are expressing any great confidence.

World Sports Betting went by the trainer form book when pricing up the race on Wednesday and made the Vaughan Marshall runner favourite at 21-20. No surprise there -the colt is guaranteed to know his job and be ready.

Joie De Vivre is out of a three-parts sister to Captain Al and, although he was put in the CTS Premier, he did not sell. More to the point for our purposes, he is by Silvano so this 1 000m could be on the short side – “He is a very nice horse but I think he might just need it,” was his trainer’s verdict yesterday.

Second favourite at 5-2 is Roi Querari, a R625 000 half-brother to Captainofthesea and whose dam is a full sister to the Cape Flying runner-up Rushing Wind. Richard Fourie rides him rather than 12-1 stable companion Kamadeva, a R225 000 Capetown Noir.

“There is not a lot between them and I wouldn’t like to say which would beat the other,” said Justin Snaith pointing out that he hasn’t had a lot of joy with first time two-year-olds. “Roi Querari is a nice type, a very strong horse and I’m expecting a good run while Kamadeva shows a lot of pace at home and he puts a lot of effort into his work.”

Do Or Dare (13-2) is the most expensive of the nine at R750 000 and is by Dynasty out of a half-sister to July winner Hunting Tower. “This may be a little bit sharp for him but he is showing lots of natural speed,” said Dean Kannemeyer. “He will be doing his best work at the finish.”

The Visionaire colt Minnesota Dream (11-1) cost R400 000 but will he be ready enough? “I don’t know,” answered Joey Ramsden. “He is a big horse and he wants further but he does go very well.”

Hidden Strings is the only filly in the race, she cost just R50 000 despite being out of a Captain Al mare but she is a 20-1 shot. “She has a lot of pace and has galloped very well but I wouldn’t count on it first time out against the colts,” said Greg Ennion.

There is nil confidence behind R70 000 20-1 shot Optimum even though he is by Oratorio. “He has done enough to run but physically and mentally he is not really ready,” said Piet Botha.

Paul Reeves has already had a two-year-old winner this season but Captain Yolo is the 25-1 outsider of the party and Fighter a 16-1 shot. Maybe those prices are a little over-generous because Reeves said: “Both show good speed although they may need the run. Fighter is slightly ahead of the other one.”

Personally, I am taking the easy way out and going with Joie De Vivre. Salt can win the next and Round The Horn race three. Everything went wrong for Var Express when hot favourite last time and, with Anton Marcus on board, he looks the bet of the day at 9-2 in race four.

By Michael Clower

Rebel’s Champ and Prince Of Kahal clash again in the Grade 3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap over 1000m at Turffontein and it should be a thriller weather permitting.

Last time Rebel’s Champ came out on top over the course and distance by 0,3 lengths and is only half-a-kilogram worse off. This progressive horse also enjoys the sting out of the ground and is drawn on the stand side which is often the right side, especially in wet conditions. He travelled all the way down to Cape Town for the Cape Flying Championship, but if he had not taken the journey well he would not be lining up here so he should be fine. Prince Of Kahal is an honest sort with speed and a touch of class and there will be nothing in it. Red Chesnut Road is an interesting raider from KZN. He looked something special as a youngster before problems set him back but he has become a hard-knocking sprint-miler off his current 102 merit rating. He should enjoy the conditions having won twice in wet going and the blinkers come back on after he stayed on well for second to Dark Moon Rising over 1600m last time. Rivarine was only 1,3 lengths behind Rebel’s Champ last time and is now 2kg better off so he is also in the hunt, especially as he has the highest draw of all. Exquisite Touch is 2,5kg better off with Rebel’s Champ for a 1,50 length beating so there is not much in it. Chantyman is an improving gelding by Oratorio who is also an interesting raider from KZN but on a previous meeting over 1200m he has a tough task with Red Chesnut Road.

In the last leg of the Pick Colonel Caramel was too far back over 1450m last Saturday and was found to be coughing. However, from a good draw over 1600m here and on the long straight of the Standside track he could make amends and is chosen as the value bet of the day.

In the previous race over 2000m, an Assessment Plate, Protea Paradise is the best weighted horse according to official merit ratings and has proved himself over the course and distance before, finishing a head behind Atyaab at level weights and the latter went on to win the Grade 1 Cape Derby. Joint topweights Senor Lizard and Saints Alive look to be the only threats.

In the first leg of the PA Varquera made a good debut and should have come on from it being by Oratorio. Atrevete stayed on well on debut and will go close with a repeat. Captain’s Love should be staying on strongly too. Second reserve Trip To Nantes is by Trippi and is a half-brother to Edict Of Nantes so can go close if getting a run. Hartleyfive disappointed last time and was found to be making a breathing noise. He can’t be ignored as he has the ability to go close.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1160m Lazarus Tree is good on his day and from a high draw might pull it off. Purple Diamond disappointed last time but has the ability to go close. Oravar has plenty of speed and this fast track should suit him. If the low draws prove to not be a disadvantage on the day then Old Man Tyme must be included. Tarsus won well last time and can also be considered.

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 1400m Infamous Fox has class and with first time blinkers on will relish this course and distance, Tilbury Fort has the speed to go close and Captain And Master, who wears first time blinkers, is ideally distance suited but has a tricky draw.  

In the sixth race over 1400m Regal Graduation beat Gimme Hope Johanna easily by 1,8 lengths last time and is now 2kg worse off  but better drawn. Gimme Hope Johanna is course and distance suited and is improving, although he has a tricky draw. Mar Del Sur has dropped to an attractive merit rating and is distance suited. Invincible Lady is interesting dropped in trip. Mazari has the ability to go close if bouncing back from a good draw.

By David Thiselton

Thistlecrack and Kemboy look to be the best value in the ante-post odds for the world’s most prestigious chase, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which is to be run on March 15.

Thistlecrack was a top class staying hurdler and noted for the size of his engine. He looked to be on his way to greatness when hacking up in his first four chases in 2016 including an ultra-impressive win in the prestigious King George Chase at Kempton Park, run annually on Boxing Day. He was touched off in a subsequent preparation at Cheltenham and then, alas, he had to be scratched as favourite for the Gold Cup after suffering a slight tendon tear. Last year he had to be scratched from the big one again after the discovery of a stress fracture in a leg.

However, in this season’s King George he looked back to himself despite now being a ten-year-old. He came off second best in a stirring duel to the line. However, it could be a different story in the climb up the Cheltenham hill where his obviously high VO2 Max will be at its most advantageous. He is now an eleven-year-old and trainer Colin Tizzard said last month, “Given his history of injuries and how he has picked them up, our best chance is going there without a run. He’s a lovely horse as we’ve always known and given the problems he’s had over the past season or two we just want to get him to the Gold Cup.”

Irish trainer Willie Mullins is the most successful Cheltenham Festival trainer in history but the Gold Cup has always eluded him. Ireland’s twelve-time champion trainer has entered three, Kemboy, Bellshill and Al Boum Photo. Kemboy looks to be his best chance. This rangy French-bred seven-year-old is Ireland’s most progressive chaser and comes off an emphatic victory in the Grade 1 Savills Chase over three miles at Leopardstown on December 28. He was unconsidered before that but had always been an eyecatching sort who just needed maturing. He has run twice at the Cheltenham Festival, finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Neptune Novices Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs in 2017 and fourth in the Grade 1 JLT Novice’s Chase over two miles and four furlongs last year.

The ruling Gold Cup favourite is Ireland’s Patrick Kelly-trained Presenting Percy, who is unbeaten in two starts at the Cheltenham Festival, winning the Listed Pertemps Network Final handicap hurdle over three miles in 2017 with second top weight and winning the Grade 1 RSA Insurances Novice Chase over three miles and half-a-furlong last year. Interestingly he beat Monalee by seven lengths in the latter race, the same horse which Kemboy beat by seven-and-a-half lengths in the Savills Chase. Presenting Percy has only raced once this season, defending his title in the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle over three miles at Gowran Park on 24 January. Last season he used that and a run in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase over two miles and four furlongs as his build up to Cheltenham, although he had also had three runs before Christmas.

Presenting Percy is at a best price 3/1, Kemboy is at 10/1 and Thistlecrack 16/1.

By David Thiselton

Candice Bass-Robinson runs three horses at Fairview tomorrow following last week’s successful foray when she won with two of her four Port Elizabeth raiders, and seemingly this is going to be a regular thing.

She said: “I will go on sending horses to PE every week for the next two months because there is less racing in Cape Town. At one time we used to race twice a week there and now it’s often only once a week.”

An analysis on the SA Horseracing website shows that the total number of scheduled racemeetings in South Africa will drop from last year’s 432 to 427 this year with the Eastern Cape losing three (72 to 69) and the Western Cape dropping from 77 to 75. Some of this is due to the way the calendar falls but it is particularly noticeable in Cape Town at the moment with only four meetings this month. Last year there were just five in February but a fixture was inserted at Durbanville on the Saturday after the Sun Met, so preventing this time’s blank fortnight.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, who won on odds-on shot Big Fish for the stable last Friday, rides two of the three raiders – 4-1 chance Profound in the 1 300m maiden (race three) and Celestial Prince who is 16-10 favourite for the 1 900m maiden (race five). Lyle Hewitson partners 15-2 stable companion Master Design in the latter race.

The betting on the big two in the trainers’ championship is now closer than it has been all season. Justin Snaith, bidding for his third title and with stakes of nearly R11.4 million, is favourite at 11-10 with World Sports Betting but three-time champion Sean Tarry is only R600 000 behind him and is on 12-10. Mike de Kock, champion eight times and on 7-1, has stakes of nearly R9 million and is the only other quoted.

Anton Marcus is beginning to look generous at 15-10 to become champion jockey for the fifth time. He went into last night’s Greyville meeting on 122 winners, nine clear of 28-10 second favourite Muzi Yeni with former champion Gavin Lerena (82) on 33-10, the same price as the current champion Lyle Hewitson (93).

Marcus has five rides at Kenilworth on Saturday but only one is favourite, Red Rascal, a rare ride for nephew Adam in the 1 000m handicap. The four-year-old, who won his last start, heads the market at 4-1. S’Manga Khumalo rides at Kenilworth for the second Saturday in succession and he will be in action in every race except the last. Five of his seven mounts are for Joey Ramsden and the betting would suggest that his best chance is on 7-1 shot Apollo Ace in the 1 000m handicap.  

BLOB Paul Reeves is calling for the present 8.15am official scratching of reserves to be put back to 9.00am, the deadline for declaring blinkers, tongue ties etc, saying: “Sometimes runners are scratched between the two deadlines. Extending the time would give that much more chance of reserves getting a run and so filling the fields. Punters want runners and so do owners.”

However National Racing Bureau boss Aveen Sewpersad is unimpressed and said: “The 8.15 am time is linked to racehorse transport because horses start leaving stables for the racecourse around 8.30am.”

By Michael Clower