Dennis Drier had a disappointing season last term, despite being crowned KZN Champion trainer for the 8^th time this millennium, but is currently in the middle of a purple patch.

By the close of play on Sunday he had won thirteen races this season at a strike rate of 24,53%, which is the top strike rate in the top 20 trainers on the national log and second only to Ashley Fortune’s 25% in the top 30.

He said during the SA Champions Season earlier this year, “I have the strongest string of two-year-olds I have ever had” and this bold statement is now proving accurate as a number of these now three-year-old horses have not only won but won well.

He confirmed the concentration of his strength this season would be among the three-year-olds and has already earmarked some of them for his annual Cape Town campaign.

Dennis Drier (Nkosi Hlophe)

He believed his two best three-year-old fillies were Golden Chance by Dynasty and In The Stars by Master Of My Fate.

It is not surprising Drier had the Steven and Jessica Jell-owned Golden Chance sent to him as she is a three-parts sister to the great Drier-trained Dynasty filly Beach Beauty. Golden Chance showed a lot of speed when winning by seven lengths over 1200m at Scottsville on debut in a good time of 69,69 seconds, but her pedigree suggests she is a classic prospect. Her Goldkeeper dam Free Gold’s two wins were over 1400m and 1800m, while Beach Beauty had plenty of speed but was at her best over a mile and stayed 2000m. Beach Beauty was famous for her terrific turn of foot. Golden Chance was bred by James Armitage, the nephew of Beach Beauty’s late breeder Trevor Armitage.

Some had begun to ask questions of Master Of My Fate, whose first crop’s fortunes had tailed off a bit after the fine start they had made. However, Drier had not lost faith and his sentiments were vindicated when In The Stars won in fine style on debut at Scottsville. In her barrier trial at Greyville she lost about 50 metres and at Scottsville the official stipendiary report said she lost three lengths and “thereafter was slow into stride.” However, she was soon on the tail of the others. In the last 400m, with still about five lengths to make up, she showed a fine turn of foot and burst through to win easing up by three-quarters of a length.

Drier mentioned Star In The Sky as one of his best staying three-year-old fillies. She is by Silvano out of the Listed-winning Galileo mare Dance To The Stars. She won her maiden by six lengths full of running when stepped up to 1900m on the Greyville poly on Sunday and Drier described her as “above average.”

Golden Chance was bought for R400,000 at the National Yearling Sales, while In The Stars is a Varsfontein home-bred, so neither qualifies for either of the CTS half-a-million dollar races.

One of Drier’s promising males who does qualify for the lucrative CTS sales races is the R500,000 Pathfork gelding Priceless Ruler, who won his only start over 1200m last June. He is a half-brother to Grade 1 second-placed sprinter Snowdon and is duly a strongly built horse who showed fine finishing speed.

Drier mentioned Driven Force, a gelding by Sail From Seattle, as another to keep an eye on.

He described Hardcore, the speedily-bred Silvano gelding who provided him with his 2000^th career win, as a “nice little horse”.

However, there are plenty of others who will likely come to the party, including Blackburn Roc, who won easily last Wednesday, and the like of Goliath Heron and Fransisco.

By David Thiselton

The Justin Snaith-Richard Fourie team has been dubbed “a machine”, so regularly has it churned out winners in recent weeks. And at Durbanville today the well-tuned engine looks set to keep purring along.

The trainer and jockey combo have strong chances in two races and could be dangerous in a couple more.

Despite what Mark Twain said about statistics being akin to lies and damned lies in the hands of politicians, current racing stats can’t be denied and tell a compelling story.

Justin Snaith

Snaith has a winning strike rate of nearly 19% over the six weeks of the current season – and about 23% at Durbanville racecourse. His horses place more than 40% of the time.

Fourie’s numbers are hotter: a win rate of over 33% and a place rate of 45%, with an even better record at the country course. If you’d stuck a R1 win on every Fourie mount since 1 August, you’d be about R13 richer.

Following these winners, with a bit of judgment thrown in, is a profitable formula no sensible punter can ignore.

Snaith and Fourie are responsible for the best bet on today’s card, the appropriately named Rip It Up in the sixth, a MR 74 Handicap over 1250m around the left-hand turn.

This three-year-old colt started as favourite on his debut last month – indicating the stable’s regard. He could only manage third place that day, but put things right when winning three weeks later. A step up in trip from the minimum distance will suit him, while an inside draw adds further weight to his case.

The main threat to Rip It Up comes from Vaughan Marshall-trained Jardin, who had a sparkling two-year-old campaign over the KwaZulu-Natal winter season. He won his first three races on the spin before an unhappy experience in a feature, hurting his mouth and bumping the precocious Chimichuri Run.

Rip It Up and Jardin look a decent couple for Swingers and Exactas.

The card opener, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares, could also go the way of the “machine”. Here the equine moving part is Mumtaz, a three-year-old filly by Visionaire having her third start.

She has been a little wide-eyed and bewildered thus far, but the expert guidance of Fourie will get her mind on the job, while tackling more ground should also be of benefit.

There are several first-timers in this race, so an eye must be kept on the betting as Trifectas and Quartets are composed.

Queen Nitocris, from Candice Bass-Robinson’s stable, was a R2.2-million yearling purchase and connections will be eager to see money start coming back pronto.

An interesting Snaith-Fourie runner is Ernesto in race two, a Maiden Plate over 1250m. This son of Captain Al hasn’t shaped in three runs so far, but steps out here having been gelded and had blinkers fitted, two tactics that can bring about dramatic improvement in horses.

Also intriguing is Silver Maple in the fourth, a MR 88 Handicap and the highest-rated event on the card. This R1-million purchase won his first two races on the Highveld as a three-year-old for Geoff Woodruff and looked headed for the top.

However, he’s obviously had problems since then. A move to Snaith’s yard at the coast, along with gelding, might see him get back on track. The son of Silvano might not be ready to win after nearly a year off racing, but his performance will be closely watched.

– TAB news

Early in Saturday’s meeting at Turffontein the Sean Tarry-trained four-year-old Mambo In Seattle filly Desert Rhythm had her first victory since winning the Grade 2 Golden Slipper as a juvenile. She was ridden in the MR89 fillies and mares handicap over 1450m by S’Manga Khumalo, who was subsequently booked off after banging a knee in the starting stalls. This knee had previously been operated on and Khumalo went for checks but he could not be reached yesterday for further news.

Desert Rhythm ran on well to beat the progressive Gimme Hope Johanna. The promising three-year-old Vivir was third, but over raced for the second time in succession. She did win over 1400m last time but was better drawn then and found cover and settled earlier in the running that day.

By David Thiselton

The Mike de Kock-trained Pietro Mascagni sounded a warning to all GBets Summer Cup hopefuls when making a fine comeback over 1450m on Saturday on the Turffontein Inside track.

The day also featured a few eyecatching preparation runs for the Grand Heritage, to be run over 1475m at the Vaal on September 30.

Pietro Mascagni will come into his own this season being a four-year-old by Silvano who was gelded during his winter layoff. He should relish the tough Turffontein 2000m of the Summer Cup as he is out of a Western Winter mare who is a full-sister to both Ice Cube, who won from 1000-1800m including two Grade 1s as a juvenile, and Jagged Ice, who was a Grade 2 winner who finished second in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and third in the Vodacom Durban July.

Pietro Mascagni (JC Photographics)

The gelding has been at the centre of controversy before. The connections appealed against the low merit of 79 rating he was given after his impressive debut on October 31 last year. They thus gave an inkling of how highly they regard him. Clearly this was not a horse they wanted to win through the divisions with, but rather they saw him as a classic contender.

They lost the appeal but Pietro Mascagni did still run in the Dingaans but disappointed. He put that behind him by winning a handicap well next time out over 1500m. He subsequently finished a 3,7 length fourth to the top class Surcharge in the Tony Ruffel over 1400m, although he was receiving 4kg. In his final start he was beaten 7,3 lengths into sixth in the Gauteng Guineas but was only 1,8 lengths behind Surcharge.

He will have strengthened during his layoff and the best will likely be seen of him when he steps up to middle distances. The Grade 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile on November 3 would be the obvious stepping stone into the Summer Cup, which is to be run on December 1. However, having won off just a 93 merit rating on Saturday, it will be touch and go whether he gets into the Charity Mile so the yard might think of getting another run in before then to book his place. Otherwise he could go for the Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m on November 9.

On Saturday Pietro Mascagni settled nicely in midfield under Randall Simons after jumping from draw six of the twelve runners. He then used his nice stride to make up about seven lengths in the straight. He hit the front with 100m to go and held on gamely by a quarter of a length from no slouch in D’Arrivee, to whom he was giving 9kg.

It was a fine effort considering Matthew de Kock had said he would need the run and he had to carry 61kg. Pietro Mascagni landed odds of 71-10.

There were a number of Grand Heritage entries running. The Alec Laird-trained 88 merit rated Chepardo put in a fine preparation as he was caught wide for a short time from his tricky draw of eight but still managed to run on strongly for a one length third carrying 59kg. It was the first start since March 31 for this seven-year-old Trippi gelding and he is a 22/1 shot for the Grand Heritage. His 78 merit rated stablemate Danza ran a fair two length fourth in Saturday’s race and is a 40/1 chance for the Grand Heritage. Bockscar was just a short-head further back and was finishing liker a train. He was racing off just a 75 merit rating and remains a 50/1 shot for the Grand Heritage, but if he is one of the horses who gets in on the lower merit rated tier he will be an interesting contender. The 86 merit rated Daffiq put in an eyecatching preparation as he was finishing strongly for sixth and on September 30 will be having his third run after a layoff over an ideal trip so he could be fair value at 28/1. Dan The Lad was a touch disappointing and is 40/1 for the Heritage. Count Tassilo stayed on nicely and will come on from the run. He is 25/1. Pilou went too fast in front carrying 59,5kg and the run can probably be ignored. He is a 45/1 shot.

In the previous race Joey Ramsden got his Highveld campaign rolling with a good win for Rose In Bloom, who was comfortably the best weighted horse in an Assessment Plate over 1450m but was allowed to go off at 61-20 as it was her first start since June. This four-year-old Gimmethegreenlight filly ran unplaced in two starts in KZN but had shown her class during the Cape Summer, finishing a 1,8 length third to Snowdance in the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes over 1600m and a two length second to Magical Wonderland in the Grade 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes over 1200m. She followed that up by finishing runner up in both the Grade 3 Prix du Cap and Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes, both over 1400m.

On Saturday she jumped from a plum draw of two under Piere Strydom. She broke well and Strydom was able to settle her in midfield on the rail. The tall filly showed a fine turn of foot in the straight plus an extra gear in the final stages, without being put under pressure and won cosily by half-a-length from the US$500,000 CTS Mile third-placed Rings And Things. The De Kock-trained three-year-old Var filly Ghaalla probably has high expectations this season and made a fair comeback, finishing 2,5 lengths back in fifth from a wide draw.

Rings And Things, formerly trained by Candice Bass-Robinson and now trained by Ashley Fortune, is a 25/1 shot for the Grand Heritage.

By David Thiselton

After a short drought, well by his standards anyway, Anton Marcus was back on track at Scottsville yesterday with a four-timer. He doubled up for Shane Humby, winning on Socrates and then having to work harder to get Tribal Fusion home after looking to be in trouble two furlongs out.

It was also an Ashburton double for Duncan Howells and Muzi Yeni. La Villette made nearly all the running in the second and Edge Of The Sun was pushed all the way to the line by Captain Von Trapp to deny Marcus another winner.

Tribal Fusion (Anneke Kitching)

Dean Kannemeyer had his second winner of the new season as Keagan de Melo had something of an armchair ride on Pumpkin Queen.

Cat’s Legacy appears to have finally found his niche as he made short work of the opposition in the Pinnacle Stakes over 2400m. Marcus was sitting with a double handful at the top of the straight and Cat’s Legacy responded with a six-length victory over Brighteyebushytail.

Lyle Hewitson, at only his second meeting back from injury, took a heavy fall as his mount Gratuity came down in the fourth with Pathway To Glory, who was hot on her tail, also falling. Both riders escaped serious injury. Hewitson with a sore knee while Stuart Randolph has a possible concussion and will go for observation. “They both left on their own steam. They were not ambulanced out of here,” said Chief Stipendiary Steward, Shaun Parker.

By Andrew Harrison