It’s been a long time between drinks but Gunner finally got his connections to raise their glasses once again when winning the fourth at Greyville yesterday. Paul Gadsby’s gelding was the first Gr1 winner for the now prolific sire Gimmethegreenlight when victorious in the Premiers Champion Stakes some two year’s back but he has since struggled to add to that tally.

But Gadsby has been nothing but patient and persistent and Gunner repaid him yesterday. Apprentice Eric Ngwane, who comes out of his time at the end of the year, had him perfectly placed throughout and when asked to kick, Gunner fired to get home comfortably from Gat Henshaw and Legend who fought a head-to-head duel for the minor placings.

Palace Rose was widely regarded as a possible Pick 6 banker in the opening leg of the exotic bet but Kom Naidoo’s filly again found one too good for her and those that had faith were tearing up their tickets a long way out.

Gunner (Candiese Marnewick)

Gareth Wright, who had earlier guided Andre Nel’s filly Playlist to a well-deserved win in the previous race, rode a supremely confident race on Face Of An Angel to give Nel and assistant Byron Forster a quick double.

The writing was on the wall a long way out for Palace Rose as Wright sat his filly in behind and shadowed her every move. In the straight, Anton Marcus tried hard to shut all the doors but Wright had more than enough horse under him and Face Of An Angel sailed by with plenty to spare, the balance of the field strung out behind.

Dennis Drier, crown KZN Champion trainer and recording the 2000^th winner of his career, has got his new season off to a strong start with a treble last Sunday and adding another when Illuminate ran out a comfortable winner of the fifth.

Stable rider Sean Veale, fresh back from a week’s suspension, took the shortest way home for the joint top weight and the result was pretty much in the frame a long way out with Vallanaut coming on late to touch of Red Al for second.

Apprentice Khanya Sakayi continues to impress and rode another cracking finish on Essenceoflife for Glen Kotzen in the sixth, getting the better of luke-warm favourite Accidental Tourist in a driving finish. Sakayi allowed his mount to drift off a straight course under pressure but he always had the measure of Accidental Tourist who was quickly running out of room on the outside rail.

Apprentice Ashton Arries is a man of few words and had to be collared as he tried to duck his acceptance speech as KZN’s Champion apprentice at last weeks KZN Racing awards.

He was fully deserving of his award as he showed aboard Gorgeous Guest for Alyson Wright. Arries made the pace and then let the chasing pack move on past. Just when it looked as if he would finish out of the back door, the stepped on the gas and Gorgeous Guest rocketed away to win as she liked.

Julie Dittmer and staunch owner Carol Kingham go back a long way together and they pick up their second win in a fortnight when Winter Wolf, a reserve runner, came from the clouds to snatch victory from favourite Trust In Gold. A chance ride for Jarred Samuel, Trust In Gold and Anton Marcus appeared to have the race sewn up before the 55-1 outsider snuffed them out on the line.

By Andrew Harrison

The Pick 6 for the eight race Vaal Classic track meeting tomorrow looks tough but will likely return a healthy dividend.

It starts off with a tricky MR68 Handicap over 2400m. These low class staying handicaps can yield shock results and this race looks particularly tough. Tern Unstoned is tipped as a gelding who has done well over staying trips before and he gets a good draw for a change and runs off a merit rating which has dropped to a competitive mark. Cheat The Cheaters, Highlander, Desert Sunset, Brand New Cadillac, Evolver, Kings Cup and Excalibur’s Return should also be included and the whole field should be considered.

King’s Cup (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 1800m the imposing galloper by Captain Al, Invincible Lady, is looking for this trip but unfortunately has a tough draw which diminishes  confidence. However, she does not face as good a field as last time and having just her sixth career start as a four-year-old she still has scope for improvement so is still the selection to win. Waity Katie is a talented sort who should have benefitted from her last start. She is drawn well and has done well over this trip before. Braxton won well last time over 2000m and must be included despite a four point raise and Mambo Model and Littlewood have to be included too.

In the next race over 1600m Come The Day, Aurora Australis and Front Rank should get punters through. Come The Day is a progressive colt by Await The Dawn who was given just a two point raise for his win over this trip last time, He doesn’t have the advantage of a 1,5kg claimer up this time but he is strengthening and can come on from that last win. Aurora Australis is a four-year-old by Judpot having only his seventh start and is having his third run after a layoff. He looked promising after winning his debut over 1400m as a two-year-old easily despite a slow start and being cut into. He was disappointing when coming back in the September of hi three-year-old but last time out over 1400m, with his merit rating having dropped to 68 he came from last to run off for third in eyecatching style. He should relish the step up in trip and has dropped a further two points in the merit ratings. Front Rank is 5,5kg better off with Come The Day, if apprentice claims are included, for a 3,75 length beating and from a good draw he should maintain his recent good form off his current competitive mark.

The sixth race is the highest rated race of the day and the enigmatic Secret Captain has drawn well over a suitable trip of 1600m having finally notched up his third career win last time over 1800m. He beat the classy Lord Silverio in that last race and in form Muzi Yeni stays aboard. Now that the grey has recorded his first win for Mike de Kock he can follow up off a three point higher merit rating. His stablemate Puget Sound looks to be coming into his own and is the danger, although he does have a two point higher merit rating to contend with after going close over this trip last time. Soldier On is another one who is coming into his own and he is drawn in pole over an ideal trip so can go close again despite being given a five point raise for his last win.

De Kock could also dominate the next race over 1450m. Gimme Hope Johanna looks to be a promising sort with further scope for improvement although she was given a four point raise for her close second last time over 1450m and also has a wide draw now to overcome. Stablemate Only To Win ran a good race against the boys over 1600m on the weekend and looks to be well handicapped at present. This looks to be her ideal trip and he is well drawn. Those two could be enough to get punters through although the risk averse can include Comme-Ci-Comme-Ca, who is interesting with first-time blinkers on, La Roquette, a R1,1 million horse who did well in her recent comeback from a layoff over the too sharp 1000m, and Last Girl Standing, who might now be looking for this trip.

De Kock could also win the last with Elbi, who does have pace but being by Philanthropist and one with plenty of scope she might well be looking for this 1450m trip. She is well drawn too. Quebec Queen ran well against the boys last time and enjoys this trip so can be a factor too despite a wide draw. Others to include are the improved Kick Butt, Samarra, who is proving competitive off her current lowered merit rating and Bell Tower, who is by Ideal World looks and looks to be coming into her own.

By David Thiselton

Dennis Drier clinched the 2000^th winner of his career when the three-year-old Silvano gelding Hard Core passed the post first on debut in the first race at Greyville on Sunday and by the end of the day the maestro Summerveld-based trainer had treble cause for celebration.

Two nights earlier he had been crowned the KZN Champion trainer for the umpteenth time and the treble he landed at Sunday’s meeting put an end to a relatively dry spell.

Dennis Drier (Nkosi Hlophe)

Drier started out as assistant trainer to his late-great Uncle Syd Laird in the late 1960s and took out his own license in August 1977.

He had been associated with many great horses while with Laird and learnt a lot about preparing horses for big races.

He won the country’s biggest race, the Durban July, with Spanish Galliard in 1992 and at around the same time was training the good sprinter Polished Silver and the classy sprint-miler Spook And Diesel. Polished Silver won seven races, including the 1992 Grade 1 Computaform Sprint. In 1990 Spook And Diesel gave Drier the first of his wins in a race he was to later dominate, the Grade 1 Gold Medallion, which is a race for two-year-olds over 1200m run at Scottsville’s big Festival Of Speed Meeting.

Like a fine wine, Drier has had the best spell of his career this decade. He has won at least 17 Grade 1 races from 2010 onward.

He has won six of the last nine runnings of the Gold Medallion and has also trained two great fillies this decade.

Val De Ra, a sprinter, won eleven of her thirteen starts and her three Grade 1 wins included both the Computaform Sprint and the Cape Flying Championships on weight for age terms against the boys. Beach Beauty was a miler to middle distance filly who despite her tiny stature won five Grade 1s and she never let punters down on the numerous occasions in which she was regarded as “the meeting banker.”

Drier won his ninth Scottsville Grade 1 this decade and his tenth overall when Sommerlied won the SA Fillies Sprint in May this year and she was named KZN Champion Sprinter and Champion Older Female.

In his speech on Friday night Drier owed a lot of his success to the owners who support him, the stalwart team of people around him at Summerveld and to his wife Jill, who is the daughter of the trainer John Breval and is a fine horsewoman in her own right.

By David Thiselton

Anton Marcus, who has got this season off to a rollicking start, doesn’t need the help of an agent. He can pick his own plums and the looks to have plucked a ripe fruit in the third on the Greyville poly today.

He partners the Kom Naidoo-trained Palace Rose and although the filly can be difficult she looks to be head-and-shoulders above her rivals in spite of stepping up to 1600m for the first time.

Palace Rose has gone close on a number of occasions, including last time out when beaten under a length on the poly and of her rivals, only Face Of An Angel has finished within two lengths of the winner.

Palace Rose looks to have this field at her mercy, but three that could be worth taking note of are Paradise Song, Cosmology and Counter Fate.

Legend (Candiese Marnewick)

Palace Rose was priced up at around a seemingly generous even money yesterday with Paradise Song the only market mover. Glen Kotzen’s filly was in from an opening call of 11-1 to around 8-1 so it may be worth taking note as she too stretches to a mile for the first time. The Sean Tarry-trained Cosmology made no show in her barrier trial but is bred to stay today’s trip and further so any market support should not be ignored, similarly Counter Fate. Dennis Drier, recently crowned KZN’s champion trainer, has kept his filly to sprints but she did make marked improvement last time out. The extra should suit so is another to warrant serious consideration is you do not fancy the ante-post favourite.

Former Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes winner Gunner is taking ages to record a third victory but has been knocking at the door of late and today could be his day when he lines up in the fourth. However, he does take on a more than useful field and exotic bet punters may be advised to added a few for insurance.

Legend took on feature company last time out but has shown consistent form since his last win and the drop in class could just bring out the best in him. Royal Armour and Seattle Skyline are others that stand out.

Bold Beauty was a recent maiden winner but has had her problems and is lightly raced. She may well prove much better than her current rating and can follow up in the fifth but again she is no betting proposition. Red Al found some strong market support in Gr1 company last time out and although not featuring, today’s opposition is way below the quality field of that run. Espresso Martini, Illuminate and Peggy’s Dream look pick of the balance.

The sixth is another open affair where Via Sacra is a weak 7-2 ante-post favourite but she comes from a stable that has hit the new season running. She is lightly raced but has never finished far back and the step up in trip, first up with a tongue-tie and a 2.5kg claimer up makes her a must for all bets.

She faces the year older poly specialist Accidental Tourist who is proven over course and distance and the Howells stable is also coming to form.

Royal Kaitrina was a beaten favourite first run back from a successful Kimberley raid but she should prove more effective over today’s trip. Marcus appears to think so two and she must have a decent chance in the seventh, although again, not a betting proposition.

A qualified maiden rounds off the afternoon where Leslies Pathtofame and Trust In Gold are the obvious contenders while Lucara and Command Respect are others to consider.

By Andrew Harrison

Ryan Munger has been appointed first jockey to Glen Kotzen and he will move from Johannesburg to Cape Town by the beginning of October.

Kotzen said: “We had been watching Ryan last season and we were quite impressed. We had a meeting with him and he accepted our offer.

Ryan Munger

“Obviously he has a lot to learn so far as the tracks and weather conditions in the Cape are concerned but this will come with time. He already has a good rapport with our owners and the horses and what is nice is that he is a natural lightweight.”

Last season Richard Fourie was retained by some of the stable’s main patrons but this term he has elected to ride freelance.

Munger,22,  was one of the busiest jockeys in the country last season with over 1 300 rides. He finished up in the top ten on the national log with 107 winners.

He said: “I’ve got plenty of winners on my CV. What I need now are feature-race winners.”

Munger only really started riding In Cape Town on anything like a regular basis towards the end of last season and was making just his third visit to the course when riding his first Kenilworth winner on the Andre Nel-trained Room At The Top in June.

He won for Kotzen on Lanza at the end of last month and on Strawberry Wine last Saturday. He has five rides for the stable at Kenilworth on Saturday plus two for Candice Bass-Robinson for whom he has a good record.

By Michael Clower