The final field for the Grade 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile to be run on Turffontein Standside on November 3 was announced yesterday.

Meanwhile, the ante-post betting for the supporting features on the day has been out and the race of the day might well be the Princess Charlene Starling Stakes over 1400m as it has attracted what looks to be an exceptionally strong field.

The Charity Mile is always a difficult race to assess as some use it as a preparation event for the GBets Summer Cup.

Hat Puntano (JC Photographics)

Hat Puntano carried 61kg to victory last year and has the same weight this season. He comes in off the back of one moderate outing, as he did last year. Noble Secret is the favourite and this big, progressive sort will be capable of carrying 55kg but the Summer Cup, where he is also favourite, is likely his chief goal. Matador Man will have a huge shout carrying 56kg as he has proved his class as a miler and this is likely his chief Johannesburg mission. New Predator was beaten just 1,65 lengths last year carrying 61kg and now carries 55,5kg due to a below par sequence of runs. The joint topweight is Coral Fever who can always be relied on for a good performance, although the mile is on the sharp side for him. Near the bottom of the weights Arctica carrying 53kg makes some appeal at long odds.

In the Starling Stakes one of the talking horses of the season, the Mike de Kock-trained Isle de France, has been allowed to open at 14/1 by World Sports Betting despite landing a nice draw of eight in a field which has 37 entries still standing. This Var filly is out of the SA Oaks winner Ilha Bela, a daughter of the top class Ilha da Vitoria. On debut over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track she found herself out of her ground but Gavin Lerena was not concerned as De Kock had told him that all members of this family loved to accelerate. Like other members of the family she is also not at all big, but has a big heart and a big action and she duly made up the ground in a matter of strides before ricocheting away to win by 4,10 lengths. However, it was not a great maiden field and next Saturday’s race is a big step up in class.

The deserved 5/1 favourite is the unbeaten Mighty High, who drew 14. The form of her Assessment Plate win over 1200m recently has been franked by the runner up Big Mistake winning a minor feature. The only concern is how well she will settle over 1400m as this Grade 1 Allan Robertson winner has plenty of pace. On pedigree she should love the 1400m as her sire won a Group 1 over that trip and her dam Bold Nimph (Shamardal) is a half-sister to Bluroute (Dubai Destination), who finished a close second in the Starling Stakes and later won over a mile.

Celtic Sea, 11/2 second favourite, did not have the run of the race in the Grade 2 Golden Slipper over this trip at Greyville but still won, although she has not raced since.

Ghaalla, 17/2 third favourite, ran a cracker over 1450m in the Joburg Spring Fillies and mares challenge when finishing  0,6 lengths behind one of the Summer Cup favourites Cascapedia on weight for age terms. She has pace and has drawn well in five.

Nafaayes and Firdoas have done little wrong and are 13/1 and 15/1 drawn in pole and 18 respectively.

In The Dance by Gimmethegreenlight is a half-sister to Capetown Noir and the 18/1 is tempting as she put in an exceptional winning debut, but she did draw 22.

There will be a lot of others with supporters in a classy line up.

By David Thiselton

The Vaal Inside track stages a ten race meeting tomorrow and the exotics look the best way to play it as the racing will generally be competitive.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is the highest rated race on the card, a MR80 Handicap over 1400m.

S’Manga Khumalo (Nkosi Hlophe)

It is a tricky race but Lone Survivor has won two of his four starts and looks to have talent. He can rise above his current 71 merit rating and S’Manga Khumalo keeps the ride over a step up in trip he should enjoy as he was staying on over 1200m in both of his last two starts. He has a low draw which is usually favourable at this track. Shortstop is distance suited and has dropped down to a competitive merit rating. He has a fair draw of seven and Dennis Schwarz knows him well. Chapel Jive doesn’t have a great record over this trip to date but has been seen to stay on well over shorter before so must be considered. Only To Win has been disappointing in her last two starts but ran some crackers before that. She has been lowered in the merit ratings to a competitive mark and has to be considered despite being up against the boys and having to jump from a potentially tricky draw. Blue Diamond Road is a consistent sort who has a good record over this trip and he has also been dropped two points from his last race so has a chance as long as the high draws are not too disadvantageous on the day. Cutting Edge is a talented individual but has his problems and he has plummeted from a merit rating in the 90s down to a 74 so he is interesting having his first run for a new yard over an ideal trip. William Nicol is better over 1200m but has run second three times over this trip so is another to consider from a nice low draw off a competitive merit rating.

In the first leg of the Jackpot Combat Muster could be the one to beat. He has had tough tasks in his last two starts in Assessment Plates and has not been disgraced. Back in a handicap here over a trip he stays from a nice low draw he can go close. Trip To Paradise lost one length over this trip last time and ran on well to be beaten just 1,95 lengths and with Strydom now up from a nice draw of seven he can go close off a one point lowered merit rating. Evolver is a talented individual who has been kept to further trips but he should be finishing strongly. Streetwear is back to his best trip and is only three points higher than his last win. Sovereign Rein has plenty of ability and is distance suited but has a tricky draw. The reserve runner Volcanic Sunset has always struck as one with some ability and from a plum draw over an ideal trip must be included if he gets into the field.

In the sixth race over 1600m Wine Festival brings Cape Town handicap form and horses from that stronger centre often have suppressed merit ratings so she is the one to beat from a good draw. Elegancia has a good draw for a change and is over her correct trip so can bounce back to form as she has undoubted ability. Bell Tower has shown ability and should be coming into her own being by Ideal World.

In the seventh race over 2400m Psychic went close in his only start over this trip and has a fair draw. Desert Sunset, Brand New Cadillac and Mighty And Magic have ability over this trip and have to be included too.

In the eight race over 2400m Glamarous Scandal is back in a handicap so should go close having had a tough task at the weights last time in an Assessment Plate. Goede Hoop also has to be included.

In the last leg of the Pick 6 over 1800m Ossetra is a progressive sort who is the one to beat and Itsmydarlin and Excalibur’s Return are the dangers over a trip which will suit. The risk averse can include New Zealand who has landed yet another tough draw but does wear first time blinkers, which can help her get to the front easier perhaps, and It’s Not Over is also worth considering from a good draw.

The first leg of the PA is a tricky 1400m maiden but Esemess caught the eye last time over this trip and the improving sorts Tidal Tussle and Ice Mint can also be included.

By David Thiselton

Duncan Howells is well acquainted with second box this season. 23 times the Ashburton-based trainer has visited but will be looking to swop to the winner’s box at Greyville today where he has a host of strong contenders.

One of those is Fiorella, last season’s Daisy Fillies Guineas winner. She warms up for a tilt at the Gr2 Ipi Tombe Stakes on Summer Cup day at the end of November when she contests the Gold Circle Podcast Pinnacle Stakes.

Fiorella started Champions Season a little under the radar in spite of finishing fourth behind Takingthepiece in the SA Fillies Classic but ran a superb race to beat hot favourite Snowdance in the Fillies Guineas at Greyville.

To prove that the win was no flash in the pan, she gave Sun Met winner and Equus Horse of the Year Oh Susanna a fright when only capitulating in the final strides in the Gr1 Woolavington 2000.

Fiorella made her seasonal debut in a top division sprint at Scottsville last month, turning in another cracking effort behind accomplished sprinter Wynkelder.

Mela Stregata (Candiese Marnewick)

Today’s 1400m trip will be much more to her liking and even though she gives lumps of weight to the opposition she should still prove difficult to beat.

Mela Stregata is responsible for two of the Howells 23 second placings but can put that right in the opening leg of the Pick 6. Touched off on debut, she was widely expected to make amends next time out. However, Cape Bluebell was supported in the market as if the result was already known, and so it proved, as she out-pointed the favourite with the balance of the field strung out behind.

Given Mela Stregata’s pedigree, today’s 1800m should be much more to her liking but she is up against a few others who will also enjoy the extra including Sweet Preserve who has shown promise, as have Green Caviar, Noble Approach and Oratorina.

Jet Stream is another Howells runner with claims to the winner’s enclosure after finishing runner-up at his last outing. He takes on a small field in the fourth where he should enjoy the extra and go one better.

Alyson Wright holds a strong hand in the Racing.It’s A Rush Pinnacle Stakes, her trio of runners include Flichity By Farr, second in the Gold Vase behind It’s My Turn, Cat’s Legacy who tries for a third win on the bounce and the lightly weighted Root Beer.

Best of the three could be the filly Flichity By Farr. She has not been out since early July when second behind Equus Stayer of the Year It’s My Turn in the Gold Vase and she boasted solid staying form prior to that. If anything, she takes a drop in class here and with master craftsman Anton Marcus booked for the ride off a handy galloping weight she should at least be competitive.

Top weight Crowd Pleaser is seldom far off and has done well at Greyville. However, he has to concede 5.5kg to the filly which may be beyond him.

Cat’s Legacy has finally found his best trip and landed two on the bounce. However, Crime Victim was a winner two jumps after the line when last they met. They are both at the bottom of the handicap which will make them dangerous as they stay the trip well but Crime Victim could prove to be the better this time around.

The seventh is a tricky handicap but Sarabi has been consistent and goes well over course and distance. She comes from a very much in form Paul Gadsby yard and could prove the pick. Of the balance, Tuulikki has been holding form and does best on the turf while Fancifilly is lightly raced and if ridden more patiently than when tearing off to the front last time out will be a threat. This is her third run after a break and she should strip close to her peak.

The last race on the day is another wide-open handicap but Real Vision has shown up nicely since returning from a long break. He takes a major drop in class here and has also come down in the ratings. An outside threat could come in the form of Mutawaary. Dennis Bosch has been trying him over further but her showed in his barrier trial behind the speedy but now retired Doing It For Dan that he has enough speed to trouble this field.

By Andrew Harrison

Cape Town trainer Ronnie Sheehan died on Sunday evening after a long battle with emphysema. He was 82.

The son of a trainer in Bulawayo, he rode over 200 winners in what was then Rhodesia before increasing weight forced him to call it a day.

Ronnie Sheehan (hamishNIVENPhotography)

He was already developing the colourful character that made him such a favourite with almost everyone he met and he was to recall: “I was taking off 12lb in a week and soon I was a good advert for Belsen. But one day, despite walking seven miles, I found I could take off nothing so I told my father I couldn’t carry on riding.”

He took over the stables the next day but his career was nomadic to say the least. When Zambia started racing in 1963 he was invited to move there and he enjoyed considerable success. He returned to Bulawayo in 1967 but he and his wife weren’t happy there in the war years – “every time you went anywhere you had to drive in convoys with machine guns behind you.”

He didn’t like Johannesburg either when he moved south in 1975 and he switched to Port Elizabeth for a decade – “I won everything there but we were only racing for two grand a race.” In 1986 he moved to Cape Town before deciding to try Zimbabwe once more. “I trained there for seven years but they started to go mad pinching farms and, when I had to pay 1.3 trillion dollars for a beer, I knew it was time to get out.”

That was when he set up shop at Milnerton. His last big race winner was Captain Chaos in the 2015 Cape Nursery but the one who captured punters’ hearts was Isidingo, a horse with blistering speed who could never quite last home at Kenilworth but was almost unbeatable at Durbanville.

By Michael Clower

A grossly unfair consequence emanating from a false start being called at the Greyville meeting on Sunday would not have happened had the British racing rule pertaining to false starts been in place and the National Horseracing Authority (NHA) should look into either instituting this rule or having a rethink on what constitutes a false start.

On the other hand, the worst case scenario unravelled on Sunday. In another circumstance the horse that reared could have been the odds-on favourite and many would then have been aggrieved had a false start NOT been called, presuming the horse had then run unplaced.

However, if put to the vote, rules which lead to less false starts would likely be the winner because false starts invariably lead to false results. The relevant British Horseracing Authorities (BHA) rules, outlined later in this article, lead to a virtual absence of false starts in the UK.

In the sixth race on Sunday over 1000m Good Emperor reared as the starter pressed the button and the starter deemed it thus to have not had a fair start. A false start was duly called and the red flag was waved. However, being sprinters three of the horses were unable to be restrained and had to be scratched after running the full distance of the race. The connections of this trio, one of whom had travelled all the way from Johannesburg, thus lost out on potential prize money through no fault of their own horses. Good Emperor also had to be scratched as he was injured when rearing. The punters later felt aggrieved because among the horses who bolted was the original favourite That’s Life and in the five-runner re-start the new favourite Panza finished last and thus knocked many out of the Pick 6, PA and Jackpot.

In the NHA set of rules, rule 61.5.10.1 states: Should the starter consider that through any faulty action of the starting gates or from any other cause, a fair start has not been effected, he may declare a “no start”.

There is no further addendum defining what “any other cause” is allowed to be. It is simply left to the discretion of the starter.

Anywhere in the world the starter should not press the button if a horse is up on its feet. However, a problem occurs when the horse rears a split second before the starter presses the button. In South Africa the starter has the power to rectify this mistake by immediately declaring a false start.

The starter does not have this power in Britain.

In the British Horseracing Authorities (BHA) rule book there is a special rule, rule 38, headed “False starts.”

The first part of this rule states:

38.1 The Starter may declare a false start

38.1.1 if he considers that through any faulty action of a starting gate or a starting stall a fair start has not been effected,
38.1.2 when a horse has broken away before the race has been declared Off, or
38.1.3 if, for safety reasons, the Starter releases the tape of the starting gate but does not intend to start the race. 

Thus in Britain a horse rearing at the last moment is treated the same as a horse dwelling or mis-timing the break; it is its own fault and there is no sympathy.

In South Africa, in the event of a false start not being called, there is provision in the current NHA rules to deal with horses who have been later adjudged to have suffered unfair starts. These horses are then declared non-runners provided they do not run in the first four. However, this rule itself is controversial and can never please all parties concerned.

In Sunday’s scenario the British rule would have worked well and prevented the calamity that ensued, because the only horse who would have lost out would have been Good Emperor. He had to be scratched before the re-start anyway and might have been declared a non-runner as the starter should in theory not have pressed the button when the horse was up on its feet. Furthermore, he was an outsider, so not many punters would have even noticed his non-participation.

However, there are other circumstances where the British rule would not have worked well. For example, the day Variety Club backed out of his stall as the starter pressed the button in the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate. There would have been pandemonium that day had a false start not been called.

Whichever way it is looked at, the rules pertaining to starts can never please everybody in every scenario and they are always going to one of the most controversial aspects of racing. It should also be remembered that the NHA have to take into account the general culture of the game’s fan base. In Britain many fans simply have a love of the horse and the sport of racing whereas in South Africa betting is the dominant culture. This could be the reason the starter is given more power out here i.e. to protect the punter, but it could be argued that these powers have become counter-productive as there appear to be too many false starts. The NHA could at least take a harsher stance against horses whose quirks cause their own downfall. They could also perhaps take the distance of the race into account when allowing the starter the leeway. In 1000m races a false start will almost certainly lead to several scratchings. However, in middle distance races the horses are a lot easier to stop. The incorporation of the British rule, or a variation of it, should also at least be put on the table for discussion.

By David Thiselton