Joey Ramsden, whose horses have been under a post-vaccination cloud for the past fortnight, intends to break cover with two runners at Kenilworth on Saturday – Made In Hollywood (Liam Tarentaal) in the Protea Toyota Bellville Conditions Plate and Fours A Crowd (Francois Herholdt) in the 1 000m fillies handicap.

He ran nothing at last Saturday’s Kenilworth meeting and he scratched all his remaining runners the previous Saturday after Bountiful Strength had finished several  lengths last in the first, saying that his horses had not been right since they were vaccinated.

Ramsden said yesterday that Made In Hollywood’s race “looked too good to miss” and, asked if his vets had come up with an explanation for the horses running below form, he said: “I didn’t really bother investigating because you could look to the ends of the earth and still not find anything.

“Instead I took the advice of William Haggas who said ‘Walk them for a week and make sure you are somewhere else at the time so you don’t sit there looking miserable!’

“I am not saying that it is a virus – I hate that word – but the horses are just not right.”

The only Cape Town-based one he has raced since Kenilworth on August 18 is Fresnaye who drifted from odds-on to 14-10 when starting favourite for the Jockey Club Stakes at Fairview last Friday.

She finished third but ran quite some way below the form she showed when third in both the Cape Fillies Guineas and the Paddock Stakes.

Ramsden hit out at the officialdom that trainers have to go through with African Horse Sickness vaccinations, saying: “What makes it worse is the whole export protocol.

“They just can’t handle the volume of people wanting to vaccinate. I try to get it out of the way in one hit but I spent over two weeks with my applications in and sometimes they don’t even answer the phone.”

Anton Marcus, 34% strike rate so far this season, will be back in Cape Town on Saturday for four Ridgemont rides (Depeche, Marion Belle, Engage And Beware for Brett Crawford plus Silver Plains for Eric Sands).

He also partners Goodtime Gal and Master Of Spain for Mike Robinson.

By Michael Clower

Apprentice jockey Mpumelelo Mjoka is expected to be out of action for a very lengthy period following his fall during training at Randjesfontein last week.

Mjoka came off his mount at Randjesfontein on Wednesday morning and hit the barrier rail which is made of steel.

He was taken to the Sunninghill Hospital where he was diagnosed to not only have dislocated his knee but there was also quite a lot of nerve damage as a result. The 21-year-old had to have two operations to correct the problem and at one stage there was a thought that this injury could be career threatening.

However, after a second operation the doctors were able to save his leg and it looks as if we will see Mjoka back in the irons but he could be out for as long as two years.

Mjoka often rides for Mike de Kock’s stable and on his website, mikedekockracing.com, the former champion trainer called for the rails at Randjesfontein to be replaced with plastic ones.

Speaking about the injury De Kock added: “Mpume is a positive young man, which will help with his recovery, but he’ll be out for a long time and it’s a blow to his career.”

– TAB News

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