All the recent rain in Cape Town is frustrating Eric Sands as he prepares his unbeaten Winter Guineas and Winter Classic winner Rainbow Bridge for a return to the fray.

The Milnerton trainer said yesterday: “The horse is doing well and I think giving him the break was one of the best things we have ever done for him. He was supposed to gallop at Durbanville on Thursday but the gallops have been cancelled because of the rain.

“He may go in the 1 200m (Pinnacle) at Durbanville on Saturday week but I don’t want to race him in that if they are going to run him off his feet, and I don’t want to gallop him too close to the race.”

Sands has long had the Matchem at Durbanville on October 6 as the first feature target of the season for the four-year-old whose objectives, all going well, will be the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met.

Stable companion Silver Plains, the mount of Anton Marcus, has been opened at 6-1 for his debut in the Perpetua House Maiden at Kenilworth on Saturday. World Sports Betting makes the Candice Bass-Robinson newcomer Sovereign Spirit a warm favourite at 2-1. Master Of Spain, 18-10 in the finale, is the only favourite among Marcus’s six mounts.

By Michael Clower

One of history’s greatest racehorses, Man O’ War, was bought this month 100 years ago for US$5000 and it is interesting to note that the current South African champion sire Silvano descends directly from a mare who was bred to the same cross as Man O’ War.

It is said that some modern breeders design matings to concentrate the influence of Man o’ War through deep inbreeding. For example, he appears at least 22 times in the bloodline of American Pharoah, who in 2015 became the first US Triple Crown winner in 37 years.

Fittingly, American Pharoah had two yearlings from his first crop sold for over a million dollars earlier this month at the same Fasig-Tipton August sale at Saratoga where Man O’ War was sold 100 years ago.

Silvano has Man O’ War only twice in his pedigree.

However, his ninth dam, Etoile Filante, is by Fair Play out of a Rock Sand mare, which is the exact same sire and damsire cross which produced Man O’ War.

The similarities go further. Man O’ War won the second leg of the Triple Crown, The Preakness, on his three-year-old debut, and Silvano’s eighth dam Astrolobe, by Sir Gallahad III out of Etoile Filante, is a full sister to the Preakness winner High Quest.

It is interesting to note that Man O’ War was the runner up on the leading American Broodmare sire list 12 times and in eight of those years (1943-1950), he was runner-up to none other than Sir Gallahad III, who was the twelve-time leading broodmare sire.

Furthermore, Man O’ War was an American champion two-year-old male of 1919 and Etoile Filante produced the 1926 champion two-year-old filly Fair Star (Wrack).

Etoile Filante was a full-sister to the American champion sire Chatterton, but she has had a far greater influence on the American thoroughbred breed.

Her other stakes winner, Evening Tide by Bulldog, not surprisingly produced a stakes winner when crossed with Man O’ War’s triple crown-winning son War Admiral.

Etoile Filante foaled no fewer than seven stakes-producing daughters.

Man O’ War’s influence is particularly remarkable in that he was limited to just 25 mares a year by his owner Samuel D. Riddle. As a broodmare sire he typically had 40-50 less daughters in production than Sir Gallahad III.

As a racehorse Man O’ War won twenty races and was highly unlucky in his only defeat. He established three world records, two American records, seven track records and equalled another track standard. He was a sporting hero and attracted massive crowds to the racecourse.

According to Jockey Club records, he sired 219 winners (57.4%) and 62 stakes winners (16.3%) from 381 named foals. He led the American general sire list in 1926 and was runner-up in 1928, 1929, and 1937. He was also fifth in 1925, seventh in 1927 and 1938, and ninth in 1936. While he never led the American broodmare sire list, he ranked among the top 10 maternal grandsires no fewer than 22 times.

Man o’ War stood 16.2½ hands at maturity. He was a powerful chestnut with a slight Roman nose, prominent withers, excellent bone, virtually flawless legs and feet, and a deep girth. He was sometimes faulted as being coarse and having a slightly dipped back that deepened with age; according to Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form, he stood 17 hands at the highest point of his hips, an inch and half higher than his withers. He also had an unusually wide chest, though his action showed none of the paddling often associated with such conformation. His action was high and bounding but with a huge stride.

Courageous and willing on the track, Man o’ War showed some of the high-strung temperament of his dam Mahubah and maternal grandsire Rock Sand around the barn, sometimes chewing on his own hoofs in the manner of a nervous human’s chewing of fingernails. Those who knew him well considered him highly intelligent but wilful; he could be handled by persuasion but not by force. He was deeply attached to his almost equally famous stud groom, Will Harbut, and was also fond of John Loftus, the jockey who rode him throughout his juvenile season.

Will Harbut summed up Man O’ War in his famous phrase, “He was the mostest hoss there ever was.”

Man o’ War died on Kentucky’s Faraway Farm in 1947 of a heart attack, less than a month after Harbut passed away. They say the unbeatable horse died of a broken heart.

Man o’ War’s most successful sons at stud were War Admiral and War Relic, and War Relic’s branch of the male line survives today. Tiznow, Tourist, Da’ Tara, In Reality, Desert Vixen, Honour and Glory, Bal a Bali, Skywalker and Bertrando are all sire-line descendants of Man o’ War.

Female line descendants from Man o’ War include Eight Thirty, Stymie, Nijinsky, Sword Dancer, Pavot, Riverman, Jim French, Sir Ivor and Kelso.

War Admiral was also a leading broodmare sire, especially when crossed with the influential mare La Troienne and his name can be found in many modern pedigrees through such horses as Seattle Slew, Buckpasser and Dr. Fager. American Flag also contributed to Man o’ War’s modern influence as he was the sire of the second dam of Raise A Native, who is an almost “omnipresent name in American pedigrees”.

Such is the in-bred nature of the thoroughbred breed, it is always easy to find links between horses, but there can be no doubt that Silvano, upon a closer look at his pedigree, descends from a high quality female line. Closer up, his dam, Spirit Of Eagles by Beau’s Eagle, has also produced the multiple Grade 1-winner Sabiango. Silvano himself won three Group 1s in three different countries and was the Germany Horse Of The Year in 2001. This year was the third time he had won the SA National Sire’s championships.

By David Thiselton

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.

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.

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.

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