Last year’s Vodacom Durban July winner Do It Again now has Durban on his agenda for a second time following his three-quarter length defeat in the Sun Met but at the moment he looks unlikely to attempt to win South Africa’s most famous race for a second time.

Jono Snaith said: “We are discussing it with the owners (Nic Jonsson, Bernard Kantor and Jack Mitchell) but he will most likely not run in the July because of the handicap. He will instead go for the Rising Sun Gold Challenge and the Champions Cup.”

No horse has won the July in successive years since El Picha at the turn of the century and as things stand at the moment Do It Again could be expected to be given top weight. Since Pocket Power dead-heated with the Justin Snaith-trained Dancer’s Daughter in 2008 only Marinaresco (2017) has won with top weight.

A week ago the handicappers put Do It Again one point above his Met conqueror Rainbow Bridge. Little went right for the favourite in the Met. He lost significant ground at the start and was shuffled back to second last. Three furlongs out he was last of all and, although he then made good progress, he hung badly right away from the whip and did so again when Richard Fourie changed his stick to his right hand. There now appears to be a jinx on favourites in the Met – Do It Again was the seventh in a row to meet with defeat.

Jono Snaith said: “We thought he was unlucky but that’s racing and, in any case, I wouldn’t want to take anything away from the winner.”

By Michael Clower 

Torrential rain and lightning that affected the outside broadcast was not enough to stop racing at Greyville yesterday. Bucketing rain flooded the poly track but after a lengthy delay, tractors squelching through the puddles and a track inspection, racing went ahead.

The Ashburton stable of Louis Goosen was in the doldrums for a few months towards the end of last year, but the wheel has turned in the past few weeks and he took his season’s tally to 15 as Bravo Zulu, showing no ill effects from his narrow loss last Wednesday, backed up with a solid victory in the first.

Goosen had lodged an objection on Wednesday which was over-ruled, which in the light of yesterday’s win, was probably a blessing.

“It was probably 50/50,” commented Goosen on the objection. “But you know it was 90/10 with the emotion taking over.”

The storm hit shortly after the running of the first and it was over an hour before Getaway got to strut her stuff for Wendy Whitehead. The temperamental Diamondsandpearls was sent out favourite but came under pressure early in the straight as Getaway lived up to her name.

“She’s a really nice filly, very quick,” said Whitehead. Getaway finished fourth behind winners in a KZN Breeders race but pulled a back muscle which took time to heal, hence the lengthy break.

Diego de Gouveia had a rocky start to his riding career, in and out of the Jockey Academy and riding in work rider races for a time, but his perseverance has paid off. More importantly he has caught the eye of some of the bigger yards in Gauteng and made the most of his ride on Atyaab to win the Gr1 Cape Derby for Mike de Kock on Sun Met day.

De Gouveia was only three weeks out of his time as an apprentice before winning the Derby and he showed yesterday why he has been given chances at the highest level as he steered Moshav home in the third for Stuart Pettigrew.

Well off the pace turning for home, De Gouveia steered the favourite through gap after gap to get the favourite home when at one stage he was staring at defeat.

Ivan van Wyk is one of the quiet men of racing training off the farm at Yellow Star Stud in the KZN midlands and he is mostly left with the lessor lights. But he has kept the seven-year-od Putchini on the boil and he scored the eighth win of his career in 83 starts when landing the fourth. “He is never unsound,” said Van Wyk of his charge who had four starts last month.

Anton Marcus has plum rides nearly every meeting and he makes the most of them as he rarely goes home without at least one scalp on his belt. His winning strike rate is nearly one in every three rides – 31.5% currently.

 He scored a double yesterday, driving Wordbuster home for Garth Puller in the fifth to deny championship rival Muzi Yeni on Whiskey Road and he went two clear of Yeni with another polished ride on Sir Bernadini for Dennis Bosch in the seventh with Yeni, who did not get the best of passages, third on Legend.

Serino Moodley is another rider just out of his time and he caused something of an exotic bet boil-over as he got Frank Robinson’s 20-1 chance Komeshans Flight home ahead of Heart Of A Legend.

Keagan de Melo deputised for De Gouveia on the Pettigrew-trained Bel Canto Chorus in the last, as De Gouveia was forced to leave early or miss his flight back to Johannesburg. It proved something of an arm-chair ride for De Melo as Bel Canto Chorus sprinted clear and won as she liked.

By Andrew Harrison

Greyville has two polytrack meetings this weekend and it looks as competitive as usual.

In tonight’s fifth race over 1400m Red Shift is a typically progressive Silvano gelding with a lovely action and can make it three wins from four starts on the poly. However, Edge Of The Sun is the one to beat on paper. They had the identical respective draws of tonight when last meeting and Edge Of The Sun not only beat Red Shift by 0,3 lengths but he is also 2,5kg better off. However, Red Shift is chosen though as he appeared to run a bit of a flat race that time.

In the sixth race tonight Paybackthemoney looks to be a fair sort and can go close first time out the maidens from draw three off a reasonable 76 merit rating. However, topweight Noble Joshua is also on the up and Siberian Husky has some decent Cape Town form and now has Anton Marcus up so is also a must include.

The meeting on Sunday could start with a deserved win for Kingsmead, who has run two good seconds in succession over this 1000m trip. However, Wendylle will be a big runner as he at last has a low draw form which his front-running style will be at its most effective. 

In the third race over 1200m Bridal Veil has had the cheek pieces removed and this might spark a return to form. She has been dropped in trip to 1200m and has a decent draw of six for a change. She looked to be going places at one stage and now runs off a merit rating which has plummeted to 54.

Luke Ferraris rides her and could then score a quick 1200m double as he is drawn in pole in the next on the improved hattrick-seeking Play The Knight who looks capable of overcoming a five point merit rated raise after his commanding win over 1400m last time.

By David Thiselton

The Gauteng Guineas meeting follows fast on the heels of a Sun Met so punters can look forward to another day of top class racing at Turffontein Standside tomorrow.

Hawwaam is unbeaten in three starts and looks set to join his stable companion Soqrat as a Triple Crown contender. The Triple Crown has two first legs, the Grade 1 Cape Guineas or tomorrow’s Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas. Hawwaam showed his class second time out in the Dingaans over tomorrow’s course and distance when displaying a devastating turn of foot and winning by 3,40 lengths. The form has not worked out well, with second-placed Thanksgiving running disappointingly in a below par renewal of the Grade 1 Cape Derby and third-placed Green Haze finishing only fifth in the Listed Sea Cottages Stakes over 1800m.

However, Hawwaam showed his class in his next start in the Grade 3 Tony Ruffel over 1400m when the muddling pace did him no favours at all, yet he still managed to find the necessary extra to win over a trip which was too sharp.  He has class stamped all over him and is 16/10 with WSB to remain unbeaten. National Park was an easy winner of the Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m before being beaten 7,40 lengths into fourth in the Dingaans. It was the second time in two starts he had failed to reproduce his best over this trip.

There was a valid excuse the first time and the second time could have been due to the altitude. Horses hitting a flat spot after being up at altitude for roundabout three weeks has been noticed by more than one horseman and the Dingaans was run three weeks after the Graham Beck, The big Gimmethegreenlight gelding had to do the donkey work in the Dingaans too, whereas he is better coming from off the pace. He has pole position tomorrow and might be dangerous as he is also full of class and still appears to be learning.

Barahin proved himself top class in the Golden Horseshoe when beating Soqrat, who went on to win the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes, the Cape Guineas and then finish second in the Queen’s Plate. This is his first run of the season and he has a tough draw, but Anton Marcus is aboard. Against The Grain is well drawn and has struck as one with plenty of ability and he should stay the trip. Chijmes was the winner of the Sea Cottage and on paper he is not far off Hawwaam on a line through Green Haze.

He is also well drawn in two, especially considering his front-running style. Vontreo will love the step up in trip judging by his strong finish in the Tony Ruffel to be beaten just a length although he does have a tricky draw and is 2kg worse off with Hawwaam for a length beating. Owlinthetree could earn too, although he would prefer further. There is little between Marchingontogether and Chijmes, so the former is interesting with first-time blinkers on, albeit from a tough draw. They are selected in the order mentioned.

In the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas the Silvano filly Blossom will attempt to emulate her Triple Tiara-winning mother Cherry On The Top. She has class but still has a lot to prove and has landed a wide draw. Nafaayes could be the one to beat. She does not have the biggest action but it is effective and she beat a good sort in Al Danza when winning the Ipi Tombe over this course and distance last time out. Ronnie’s Candy would likely be the choice if better drawn. She showed in the Starling Stakes over 1400m she was top class when running on strongly to win easily, beating Nafaayes by 2,20 lengths.

However, she then over-raced in two further features when widely drawn over 1600m and 1400m respectively. However, last time, when running in a preparation race over 1400m down the Vaal straight she wore a tongue tie and settled beautifully so that augurs well for her tomorrow. Blossom and the promising Chitengo both have the ability to go close for sponsors Wilgerbosdrift Stud so must be included. Cordillera won the Listed Secretariat well over 1400m and is looking for this trip. The risk averse can also include Storm Destiny, Running Brave and Dagmar.

By David Thiselton

The main race at Scottsville yesterday, a MR 86 Handicap over 1200m, saw a cosy win for the promising Mark Dixon-trained Silent Crusade. .

This three-year-old Crusade filly looked capable of improving on a 78 merit rating as she is a half-sister to her useful stablemate Silver Fantasy who reached a merit rating of 92. Carrying just 52,5kg she sat just off the pace and moved through smoothly under Keagan de Melo to beat topweight Essenceoflife by 1,90 lengths.  

The meeting began with a win for the talented but problematic Duncan Howells-trained Rocket Fire in a Maiden over 1000m. This Klawervlei Stud-bred gelding is by Rock Of Gibraltar out of a placed Irish-bred mare who is a half-sister to twice Group 2 winner Bankable, who stood at stud in South Africa. His temperament has cost him as he gets worked up and then tends to over race. However, yesterday he was allowed to stride out at the head of affairs under Mark Khan and stayed on well to beat Krishnies Jet and convert 2/1 favouritism.

The second race was a Maiden over 2400m and once again the horse who was bred to win did so. The Frank Robinson-trained Cruise Cruz is by Vodacom Durban July winner Bold Silvano out of a half-sister to the SA Derby winner Seal and after sitting third in the running he stayed on well in the straight and won cosily in the end under Serino Moodley. This colt has a rangy action and could win more races over staying trips.

Moodley and Robinson then clinched a quick double with the Gimmethegreenlight filly Watchmego in a Maiden for fillies and mares over 1200m. The rank outsider benefitted from a tactic change as she shot out of the starting gates straight into the lead and managed to gallop all the way to the line for a one length victory over the fancied By The Way.

In the next race, a Maiden over 1400m, Last Of A Legends was settled near the back from a tricky draw of eight and Luke Ferraris then switched the Sean Tarry-trained three-year-old Horse Chestnut colt to the outside in the straight. He ran on full of running to win by 1,75 lengths from outsider Mr Fitz, who caught the eye with a strong finish on debut.

In the fifth, a Maiden for Fillies and Mares over 1400m, the Tony Rivalland-trained Oratorio filly Star Vega is a good looking sort with plenty of substance and after running on resolutely from midfield down the inside of horses she found another gear in impressive style to win by 1,60 lengths under Stuart Randolph from the rank outsider Class Of Eight with the favourite Winter Retreat third.

The sixth race was a MR 72 Handicap over 1200m and Lyle Hewitson took the Garth Puller-trained Toreador gelding Sentido straight to the front. He was full of gallop on the day and won easily by 3,25 lengths from the second favourite Tristful.  

The last race over 1000m saw the Darryl Moore-trained Querari gelding Woodstock Festival just getting up under Jarred Samuel to deny Bravo Zulu.  

By David Thiselton