A succession of maidens and lowly handicaps all with big fields, will not make life easy for punters at the Vaal today. That said, if one manages to successful negotiate the maze, it should prove a profitable afternoon

All the races are down the straight barring the Sonal Jackpot Special, sixth race on the card, An MR 66 Handicap over 2200m.

After starting his career on a winning note, Mutrib looked to be something special and given his blue-blood pedigree there were no doubt thoughts of a stud career for the son of Street Cry.

But after a succession of disappointing performance, Mike de Kock resorted to the vet and Mutrib was gelded after his three-year-old career.

Mutrib (JC Photographics)

He has had two outings this term, where he showed good pace before fading late but should be cherry-ripe for this event although, like all the races on the card, the list of possible winners is a long one.

Wonderous Climber was an expensive yearly buy but a long way from recouping his sales price. However, Sean Tarry’s gelding has shown improved form since returning from a break and looks a likely threat along with Cardiff Castle who make marked improvement when tried in blinkers and who also boasts some useful form over ground.

In the opening leg of the Pick 6, Favourite Model has been struggling to shed her maiden but has never been far back. Piere Strydom stays with Paul Matchett’s filly after coming from the clouds to run second last time out and a win should not be long in coming.

Johan Janse van Vuuren has been cleaning up in KZN and What A Thrill, much improved at her second outing over course and distance, could prove the main threat.

Janse van Vuuren also saddles Torio Lake in the fifth. The gelding had patchy form last season but after a lengthy break appears to be finding his feet. This will be his third start this term and he improved nicely second up from the break. He is well suited to this trip and Gavin Lerena stays aboard.

Roman Flight lost his way after shedding his maiden but made sudden improvement at long odds last start. The Azzie team may now have got to the bottom of his problems and along with Sovereign Rein and Judd’s Rocket should be worth including in all exotic bets.

In the seventh, there were a number of runners that were in action last Thursday so it would be advisable to check the card changes before structuring your bets. Seventh Rule was one who was a beaten favourite last Thursday, finishing close-up to The Tin Man but he has been knocking at the door for some time now. Quattro was another narrowly beaten on Thursday and is never far back. He too should be right there again. After winning his penultimate start, Pius Oil disappointed with the blinkers removed when five lengths behind The Tin Man. The blinkers are back on here and he can make amends. The filly Promise has improved at recent outings and was a touch unlucky last run at Greyville. If she can repeat that effort, she too is in with a shout.

The numbers will have been stacking up before the eight but Elusive Butterfly and Hafla could help to cut costs in the eighth.

Lucky Houdalakis has been relatively quiet in recent months but Elusive Butterfly won her first two before returning from a break in an assessment plate where she caught the eye behind the smart Redberry Lane. She should make good improvement on that showing. Hafla is down in class and has been showing good form in stronger company while the lightly raced Western Dance, like Elusive Butterfly, warmed up in the same assessment plate and she too shows some promise.

In the final leg of the Pick 6 there should not be much between Fortuna Doro, Gold Scent and Durban Bourbon who all met last time out. Fortuna Doro showed good pace in that race and was only caught late. Gold Scent is improving all the while, while Durban Bourbon is lightly raced and was possibly in need of her last outing. Another to consider is Shezahotti who has been consistent and Strydom stays with the ride.

It’s a seriously difficult card but the rewards will be sweet.

By Andrew Harrison

There are to be further experimental no-whip races following last Saturday’s well-received trial at Turffontein and, while it may be quite some months down the road, there seems little doubt that whip use in South African racing is going to be restricted to a greater degree than it is at the moment.

Acting NHA chief executive Arnold Hyde said yesterday: “There is a likelihood of there being more of these races and there will be one in Central Province in the next couple of months. A date has to be decided and we also need to consider the restrictions relating to these cropless races, eg are we going to have an identical sort of race (to the one at Turffontein), are we going to allow jockeys to carry a crop but not use it, etc.”

Apparently the Charity Mile day no-whip race, the first of its kind in South Africa, was rather more than just an experiment to see whether racehorses would run, and keep straight, without the threat of a stick.

Hyde explained: “The race was a statement that needed to be made because our industry is under pressure – we need to attract a new audience – and there is a perception that this (whip use) is an area of racing that may be seen in a negative light by people outside the industry. Therefore we wanted to press home the need for the stakeholders to seriously consider the road that we have to adopt regarding the future of crop use.”

The race made an impact far beyond the relatively narrow confines of this country. Stipes in Australia, despite their recent days being dominated by events in Melbourne, took time out to contact Hyde and congratulate him. The Turffontein race, and the lessons to be learnt from it, will now be discussed at next month’s meeting of the NHA’s Harmonisation of the Racing Rules Committee.

Phumelela boss Clyde Basel also sees long term implications from Saturday and said: “It was very well received and proved a great idea. Who knows what could happen with it? There might be a series of races that could be considered. It is something we would like to take forward into the future although obviously it is all guided through the NHA.”

Training legend Mike de Kock, who trained the winner – first-timer Hawwaam, seemed much in favour when interviewed by Deez Dyanand and said: “They are better off without sticks. More of them get beaten with them than they would without them.

“A horse like this one never had a stick at home and there was no point in him having a stick here. When the horse shifted in Randall Simons (if carrying his whip in right hand) would have hit him. The horse would have then shifted out so Randall would have changed his stick and hit him again.”

By coincidence Hawwaam is owned by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum who for many years sponsored a series of apprentice races in Ireland in which the riders were not allowed to carry whips.

In tabonline’s pre-race strawpoll of the jockeys taking part only Raymond Danielson of the five questioned came out in favour of riding without a whip – “I’m all for it. I don’t really use the stick that much in races anyway. I find I’m a better rider with the hands.”

Nobody asked the horses but you don’t have to be an equine psychologist to conclude that they would no more vote in favour of the whip than turkeys would vote for Christmas. Seemingly, though, the pressure of public opinion is going to come to their assistance.

By Michael Clower

Sunday’s Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale proved a solid success, with prices remaining competitive throughout the one day auction.

Five lots made R500 000 plus on Sunday, with the superbly bred Trippi colt Hurricane Harry (Lot 85) making the top price, when knocked down to prominent owner Nick Jonnsson. Consigned by Summerhill Sales (Agent), Hurricane Harry made a very healthy R2 300 000, which was a most encouraging result for all concerned –especially given the tenuous start of the current market.

Lot 85 Hurricane Harry (Candiese Marnewick)

Sunday’s sales’ topper was produced by the winning Fard mare Jordie, with Hurricane Harry’s three winning siblings include new Summerhill Stud stallion Rabada, whose victories include the 2015 Premiers Champion Stakes and 2016 Daily News 2000. Jordie is also dam of the very useful Glider Pilot and River Tyne, a stakes placed winner of four who ran third in the Listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes.

Star filly Takingthepeace’s Duke Of Marmalade half-brother, The Sandwich Man (Lot 91), was sold to Fortune Racing for a R1 000 000, with the Captain Al colt Captain Carmel (Lot 101) also making a million when knocked down to the bid of Form Bloodstock’s Jehan Malherbe.

Top priced filly was the beautifully bred Dynasty daughter Tel Aviv (Lot 21), who was consigned by Patterson Racing (Agent). That filly, who made R550 000, is from the same family as international G1 winning half-brothers Ectot and Most Improved, and she was snapped up by Form Bloodstock.

The now Lammerskraal Stud based Visionaire was the Leading Sire by Aggregate, with the G1 winning son of Grand Slam responsible for 30 lots who grossed R4.15 million.
Summerhill Sales, once again, lead the Vendors List, selling 59 juveniles for a gross total of R11.23 million, while Nick Jonsson topped the Leading Buyers List, acquiring four lots for R3.1 million.

Overall, 89 of the 104 lots to come forward (seven were withdrawn) were sold for an aggregate of R16 715 000, with the Ready To Run Sale achieving the respectable average of R187 809. Pleasingly just 15 lots failed to find a home, with the clearance rate standing up to similar results achieved at BSA sales this year.

Bloodstock South Africa’s Gary Grant said off the sale, “It was a resounding success whose performance exceeded our expectations by some way. Thank you yet again to our vendors for their support of BSA and to all buyers for the resilience and custom. We are also seeing a trend of increased participation from foreign buyers which is heartwarming for both our vendors and BSA.”

A full list of prices for the 2018 Ready To Run Sale can be viewed live at www.bsa.co.za

Images: Sales topper Lot 85 Hurricane Harry

Dan Katz has issued a heart-felt plea to the authorities to change the terms of some of the staying races in the Cape summer season.

He said: “There are three races in Cape Town for stayers leading up to the big one, the Western Cape Stayers on Met day, yet all three – Woolavington, Cape Summer Stayers and Chairman’s Cup – are handicaps.

“The best horses should be running in these features and the public want to see them but you can’t continually pitch your good horses into them with huge weights, and nor should they be weighted out like this.

“The handicapper has given Let It Rain 64.5kg in the Woolavington on Sunday but I have to run the horse because I need to get races into him and, in any case, the next staying race is also handicap. They should seriously think about adjusting the conditions along the lines of a Pinnacle and then the best horses might not have to give away quite so much.”

Katz had his biggest success so far when Let It Rain won the Grade 2 Heineken Cape Stayers in January. Since then the six-year-old has travelled the country. He went to Ashley Fortune to win the second of his three races in Johannesburg before going to Durban for the Gold Vase and the Gold Cup. He returned to Katz at the beginning of August.

Greg Cheyne rides this time but no horse has won the race with more than 62kg this century. Dean Kannemeyer has the best record and relies upon Meryl (Keagan de Melo) as he bids for his eighth Woolavington.

By Michael Clower

Mushi Sterek went straight onto the Fillies Guineas shortlist of many Kenilworth punters when she burst onto the racing scene like a certain future star in Saturday’s Royal Horse Maiden. But seemingly we are all going to have wait a good 12 months before the Australian-bred gets the chance to unleash her real potential.

Brett Crawford

Brett Crawford explained: “She has a very soft mouth, it is difficult to restrain her and putting her round the turn is going to be difficult. It has taken a lot of time to get this far. Obviously she has a lot of scope but we need to plan carefully and go slowly with her. At this stage we have to look after her rather than chase the better races. I think we will get her there eventually but it will be next season rather than this one.”

Anton Marcus rode her with kid gloves. For much of the 1 200m he sat with his hands resting on the filly’s withers, and with the lightest possible hold on her mouth, as she cruised along in the lead. Approaching the furlong marker he asked her to stretch and it was if he had pressed the turbocharger. She produced the sort of acceleration that most jockeys (and trainers) usually only see in their dreams. Even the official five-length margin considerably understates her superiority.

Marcus said: “I have probably never in my life ridden a horse with such a sensitive mouth but I’d been on her back twice before so I knew she had some kind of ability. She is not the easiest to work with but she is really exciting.”

The winner looks well bought by the Kieswetters’ Ridgemont operation at A$180,000 (R1.85 million at current exchange rates) at last year’s Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale but also make a note of Vardy who made a winning debut under Aldo Domeyer 40 minutes later. The Var gelding started at a little-considered 11-1 but he was impressive.

“He had shown us a lot of ability at home –whatever I worked him with he simply cruised next to them. But he was all legs and what he showed here was just raw ability,” said Adam Marcus who, typically, intends taking it slowly via the easiest possible route.

Remarkably, and unusually, the third maiden was also won by a first-timer, the Fosters’ homebred Belgarion and the Snaith team followed up with Captainofthesea in the last.

Mike Robinson celebrated his 47^th birthday by winning with his only runner- the Donovan Dillon-ridden Hemero – while the connections of Mr Lover Boy saw their seemingly endless patience rewarded when Shadley Fortune got up 30m out in the Drillco Handicap. It was only the six-year-old’s second win in 51 starts. Little wonder that he started almost unbacked at 28-1.

By Michael Clower