Whisky Baron put up a sensational performance on his first run for William Haggas to take a close second in the Ladbrokes Celebration Mile at Goodwood on Saturday.

This Group 2 was the 2017 Met winner’s first run since it all went pear-shaped in the Jebel Hatta in Dubai in March and he was almost totally ignored in the betting at 20-1.

Dane O’Neill settled him at the back until starting to ride him three furlongs out. The Australian-bred stayed on really well in the final furlong to take a half-length second to the 11-8 favourite Beat The Bank.

Craig Carey, racing manager for Ridgemont and the Kieswetter family, said yesterday: “The horse ran a cracker. He looked almost outpaced early but he really kicked on at the end for a good second. It was a fantastic effort to come back like that.”

Andrew Balding intends stepping the winner up to Group 1 for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot and said: “We will also look at Hong Kong in December. The owner is keen to go there.”

Plans for Whisky Baron have yet to be finalised and Carey said: “William says that the horse needs further. He wanted to see how he came through this prep run but I am sure he will now be studying the programmes over the next few days.”

Majestic Mozart may not have been one of the most impressive winners at Kenilworth on Saturday but seemingly his is a name it could pay to remember.

Candice Bass-Robinson, not one to mistake her geese for swans, told Fee Ramsden: “He is one of the better horses in the yard and I think he is a really smart colt. He will keep improving.”

Jonathan Snaith similarly spelt out the future strengths of Rip It Up after Richard Fourie’s mount had led from two furlongs out to justify 15-10 favouritism in the Sons Of Hygiene Maiden. He told Stan Elley: “This five furlongs was far too short. The horse has a bright future, particularly when he gets up to 1 400m and a mile.

The winner carries the increasingly successful colours of Nick Jonsson that were also carried to victory on Konkola in the Jockey Club Stakes at Fairview on Friday, giving  Snaith Racing its third successive victory in this Listed race.

The winner was backed from 11-1 to 113-20. Fourie, who secured a dream run up the inner, reported: “The pace was quite stagnant early and our other horse (Esteemal) ended up taking the lead. She made it a real pace and from there on I found myself looking at the dangers – and I was going so much better than them.”

Donovan Dillon, who rode a first and last race double on Saturday on the Paul Reeves-trained Pippielangkous and Durty Nelly for Mike Robinson, has been suspended for a week (August 30-September 5) for going too slowly!

The stipes took a poor view of the way he steadied the pace on Margot Fonteyn after taking it up after 300m in the 2 000m handicap at Kenilworth on August 11. Some of those behind were hampered as a result.

Falsely run races are the bane of punters’ lives and are a prime cause of form upsets at Kenilworth where the south-easter – or rather sheltering from it – is so often a determining factor in the strength of the gallop.

But attempting to legislate against them is akin to trying to roll a boulder up the side of a mountain. The majority of Cape Town trainers don’t like to see anything but proven front-running specialists making the running, whether the south-easter is blowing or not.

The trainers believe that most horses do better coming from behind. In addition there is a real risk that a front-runner will win by too far and shoot up the handicap as a result.

Jockeys have to please their employers if they want to stay in business, and – somewhat understandably – they view the consequences of displeasing them as far more serious than a week’s enforced holiday.

* Michael Clower did not attend Kenilworth on Saturday following an eye operation during the week.

By Michael Clower

With the classy live entertainment getting a major nod of approval from an enthusiastic audience, KZN racing honoured their star achievers at a glittering function held at the Greyville Convention Centre on Friday evening.

The winners:

2yo Filly

• Inverroche

2yo Colt

• Cue the Music

3yo Filly

• Fiorella

3yo Colt

• Monks Hood

Sprinter

• Sommerlied

Older Male

• It’s My Turn

Older Filly

• Sommerlied 

Middle Distance

• Fiorella

Stayer

• It’s My Turn

Horse Of The Year

• Do It Again

Groom Of The Year

• Isaac Mwalese

Owner Of The Year

• Mario Ferreira

Jockey Of The Year

• Anton Marcus

Apprentice Of The Year

• Ashton Arries

Breeder Of The Year

• Summerhill

Trainer Of The Year

• Dennis Drier

KZN Personality Of The Year

• Phillip Fourie

Ride Of The Season

• Lyle Hewitson

(Redberry Lane – Garden Province Stakes)

Anita Akal Award

• Garth Puller

In the first, a workrider’s maiden for fillies and mares over 1000m, De Kock runs the Gimmethegeenlight filly Green Pastures, who will be ridden by Thomas Ncume, whose mounts finished in the money five times in just eight rides last season and he had one winner. Greener Pastures showed good pace on debut over 1160m and stayed on well for a five length third to the exciting prospect In The Dance, who is a half-sister to Capetown Noir. The form looks strong and she faces an uninspiring field so will be hard to beat.

In the last race, a maiden for three-year-old fillies over 1600m, De Kock runs the Mambo In Seattle filly Noble Princess, who is a half-sister to the classy twice Grade 1-placed Noble Secret. On debut she was slow away over this trip but then stayed on well for a close second. She was green in the straight and was flying at the finish so has plenty of scope and should be too good here. The only slight concern is her low draw as high draws were favourable the last time this course was used, although over the last year the draw bias has been variable here so the earlier races should be monitored.

Another good bet on the card looks to be Rock A Roll Dancer in the fourth race over 1200m. She has caught the eye in two starts over 1000m and 1160m respectively when second to Nafaayes, who followed up, and the exciting In The Dance. The concern with her is also the low draw. Truth Or Dare is a first-timer by Var and is a half-sister to the classy Control Freak, so she could be the main danger. From a nice draw. Dashuri is also interesting as she ran a good barrier trial over 1000m and made a fair debut over that same trip but has then tended to over race over 1450m to a mile since and will likely appreciate the step down in trip.

The fifth race is an interesting Assessment Plate over 1200m. The best weighted horse on official merit ratings is Bien Venue and his class should carry him to victory. He ran on strongly to win cosily on debut over this trip in May and followed that with two third place finishes to the champion two-year-old colt of last season Soqrat. However, Gunston, who was beaten 3,5 lengths by Bien Venue over this course and distance on debut, showed dramatic improvement with blinkers last time and will be a threat. He showed exceptional natural pace in the latter race over this course and distance and cruised in without being put under pressure. He has a more favourable draw than Bien Venue if the last meeting at this course is anything to go by and must be included in all bets. The older horses always have to be respected against early season three-year-olds and the honest Chapel Jive should make his presence felt. He is 5kg under sufferance with Bien Venue on official merit ratings but the purpose of these assessment plates is to make it easier for the handicappers to assess horses that win their maidens in their first five starts as there is always a risk of overrating them.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m Patrol Officer looks hard to beat. He showed good pace over 1160m last time and stayed on for a close second despite odds of 100/1. The form was franked on Saturday when Viking Trail, whom he beat by 4,25 lengths, came out and won. He has a nice high draw too. The main dangers could be the Sean Tarry-trained pair of first-timers. Wild Path is a R300,000 gelding by Pathfork out of a USA-bred half-sister to a Listed winner and is a half-brother to a Listed placed middle distance sort. S’Manga Khumalo rides him. Palace Green is a R1,2 million colt by Twice Over out of three-time Grade 3 winner Queen’s Bay. Craig Zackey rides and this will likely be too sharp for him but he could have the class to earn.

In the first leg of the PA Queen Rachel has a lot of pace and will likely attempt to make all. She nearly went start to finish over 1200m in her last run in early June and will likely appreciate this step down in trip. However, she might be gasping for air late and Sunburst and Crassus, who both ran improved races last time, can be included.

The sixth race is an Assessment Plate and Tsitsikama Dance could be another former Cape Town-based horse who runs well for the Fortunes in his Highveld debut over a suitable 1400m trip. He was only 3,1 lengths behind Rainbow Ridge in the Winter Guineas and looks the one to beat. Strawberry Pavlova is an honest sort who found it a touch sharp when staying on over 1200m last time and will be a big threat being the officially best weighted horse and running over an ideal trip. Daffiq and Silver Coin both have some class and are  distance suited but do appear to have their problems and Lake Kinnaret should enjoy the trip having stayed on over shorter in his last two starts.

Electromagnetic is the one to beat in the seventh over 1600m as he is improving and stayed on well over this trip last time for a close third and the form was then franked. However, Indy Ice could be a big threat. He was caught wide on debut over 1400m but still managed to stay on quite well, so with improvement over a step up n trip he will appreciate he can reverse form with Captain Hook and should be right there.

By David Thiselton

The Greyville turf eight race meeting yesterday was kicked off by a quick double by recently crowned KZN champion trainer Dennis Drier and he later made it a treble.

Drier usurped the title from his arch rival Duncan Howells and received the trophy at a classy function put on by Gold Circle on Friday night in the Greyville Convention Centre. However, he was still disappointed with his season. He believes he will do better this season due to his promising crop of young horses.

One of the latter is the R550,000 Silvano gelding Hard Core, who is out of the Irish-bred Pivotal mare Headstrong, a nine-time winner from 1200-1450m, who won the Grade 3 Poinsettia Stakes over 1200m and finished second in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint to the great Drier-trained Val De Ra. Hard Core ran a decent barrier trial and started 61-20 yesterday on his debut, drawn two in a 1200m maiden with 2,5kg claimer Luke Ferraris aboard. Ferraris gave him a peach of a ride, finding the box seat and in the straight he quickened well and ran all the way to the line to beat the rank outsider, the Alistair Gordon-trained Good Rhythm by two lengths. The latter is by Eightfold Path and from a good draw showed fine improvement from his barrier trial. The favourite Zigi Zagi Zugi was next best.

Hard Core runs in the colours of Nick Jonsson, who received the trophy for his KZN Horse Of The Year Do It Again on Friday night.

Drier and stable jockey Sean Veale then combined to win over 1400m with the Sail From Seattle gelding Driven Force, who loved the step up in trip from 1000m to 1400m and stayed on well to touch off Peacock Alley and the 8/10 favourite Canadian Bolt.

Drier’s treble came in the seventh when Veale won on Perfect Air.

The highest rated race of the day was a Pinnacle Stakes event for fillies and mares over 1600m and this was won in good style by the Robbie Hill-rained Byword filly Camphoratus.

Osprey set the pace from a wide draw and was followed by the topweight Final Judgement, while Serino Moodley bided his time at the back of the six-horse field on Camphoratus.

Osprey faded in the straight. Final Judgement battled on under the welter burden of 61kg.

However, Camphoratus swept past her to win cosily from Raes Dyna Jet, who ran on well. Final Judgement was third and was followed by the favourite Sorceress and Queen’s Plain.

In the third race over 1600m Anton Marcus had the promising Paul Lafferty-trained Noble Tune colt White Lightning more handy than in his previous two starts and it was a wise move as he took a while to get going in the straight. When he did reach top gear he pulled away to win by two lengths and he should win more races.

Gareth van Zyl and Warren Kennedy teamed up to win the fifth over 1000m with Toreador filly Kateecador, who has now win her last three starts over this trip.

After a drought of over two years, Sylvester The Cat got his first win in the care of Glen Kotzen in the sixth.

Wendy Whitehead and Jarred Samuel won the last with 10/1 chance Dom Seguidor.
By David Thiselton

 

The grey Misty Birnam, second in the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe and third to Gunner in the 2016 Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes was a winner at Redcard in England on Saturday.

Backed at long odds and wearing cheek pieces for the first time, he obliged in a big 19-horse field to land something of a coup.

Bred by Anton Procter by Toreador, Misty Birnam raced in Procter’s colours along with Mike de Kock before the gelding was sold.

“Mike said he was going to Dubai but I don’t know the whole story,” said Procter. “He was very naughty as a two-year-old and pulled his bridle off before the Premier’s. He came from last to finish third.”

Misty Birnam’s UK form had not been inspiring before yesterday’s race but he was returning from a break and raced with cheek-pieces.

He is now owned by UK businessman Paul Wildes and trained by Ian Williams. On Saturday he was a 14-1 shot and ridden by PJ MacDonald.

Wildes is a late-comer to racing, having been introduced to the sport by friend and successful owner Dr Marwan Koukash in 2013.

“He took me to the May Festival at Chester – where he had a very good meeting,” said Wildes, whose business interests range from hairdressers to hotels.

By Andrew Harrison