A total of 58 horses have been entered for the R750,000 World Sports Betting Grand Heritage (Non-Black Type) – the event with the biggest field in South African racing – to be run over 1475m at the Vaal on Saturday, September 29.

There will be 28 starters for what has become known as “the cavalry charge”.

Former national champion trainer Sean Tarry has no fewer than eight nominations, including Africa Rising, Count Tassilo and London Secret.

Mike de Kock has entered just two, but they are quality individuals: Triple Crown performer Noble Secret and highly rated Australian import Dhabyaan.

Winner of the inaugural Grand Heritage in 2016, Irish Pride, from the Johan Janse van Vuuren stable, is among the hopefuls.

Others to catch the eye are veteran campaigner Killua Castle, from Geoff Woodruff’s yard, and a raider from KwaZulu-Natal in the shape of Shane Humby-trained Socrates.

The Grand Heritage is open to all horses and the final field is by way of invitation from racing operator Phumelela.

To be considered for inclusion in the final field, every horse nominated must have had at least a minimum of ONE run from the time of first entry up to and including the time of the final supplementary entry.

Base weights are determined by the handicapper prior to consideration of additional weights for Graded and Listed races. Additional penalties for highest Graded/Listed win in the last 18 months are: Grade 1 3kg, Grade 2 2kg, Grade 3 1kg, Listed 0.5kg. Thereafter, where applicable, amended weights for runs between first and final supplementary entries will be published on a weekly basis until final weights are published. There is no sex allowance and no apprentice allowance.

Stakes are payable up to 15th position, provided 28 runners + 2 reserve runners are declared, with the first prize being R406,250.

Entries for the R750,000 WSB Grand Heritage (Non-Black Type) (Open) over 1475m at the Vaal on Saturday 29 September:

18 AFRICA RISING (S G Tarry) 0.0,

37 AFRICAN RULER (P A Peter) 0.0,

15 BOCKSCAR (S G Tarry) 0.0,

13 BOLD COAST (S M Ferreira) 0.0

20 BRONX BOMBER (A G Laird) 0.0

16 CERTIFIABLE (S J Gray) 0.0

25 CHAPEL JIVE (S J Gray) 0.0

43 CHEPARDO (A G Laird) 0.0

33 CLASSIFY (D Sham) 0.0

53 CLEVER GUY (S Moffatt) 0.0

52 COMBAT MUSTER (S J Gray) 0.0

41 COUNT TASSILO (S G Tarry) 0.0

57 DAFFIQ (G Terzi) 0.0

47 DAN THE LAD (P F Matchett) 0.0

11 DANZA (A G Laird) 0.0

56 DHABYAAN (M F de Kock) 0.0

44 DIVINE CONNECTION (A G Laird) 0.0

10 DIVINE ODYSSEY (J J van Vuuren) 0.0

31 FINCHATTON (G Terzi) 0.0

35 FLYING WINGER (A G Laird) 0.0

32 FULL OF ATTITUDE (J A Soma) 0.0

2 GALACTIC WARRIOR (M N Houdalakis) 0.0

46 HUYSSTEEN (M N Houdalakis) 0.0

3 IMAGE AWARD (S G Tarry) 0.0

23 IRISH PRIDE (J J van Vuuren) 0.0

8 JUBILEE LINE (F P Habib) 0.0

7 JUST ASK ME (C J Lensley) 0.0

42 KILLUA CASTLE (G V Woodruff) 0.0

24 KINGS ARCHER (S T Pettigrew) 0.0

12 LAKE KINNERET (S J Gray) 0.0

21 LONDON SECRET (S G Tarry) 0.0

50 MARDI GRAS (J J van Vuuren) 0.0

26 MOUNT KEITH (A B Fortune) 0.0

19 NOBLE SECRET (M F de Kock) 0.0

49 PILOU (S G Tarry) 0.0

29 PURPLE DIAMOND (S G Tarry) 0.0

6 REBUKED (S Moffatt) 0.0

34 RINGS AND THINGS (A B Fortune) 0.0

4 ROUGE ALLURE (S Moffatt) 0.0

27 SAIL FOR JOY (F P Habib) 0.0

28 SEVENTH OF JUNE (P A Peter) 0.0

17 SILVER COIN (G Terzi) 0.0

38 SILVER PEG (G M Alexander) 0.0

1 SOCRATES (S W Humby) 0.0

58 SOLDIER ON (S T Pettigrew) 0.0

22 SOVEREIGN REIGN (D Nieuwenhuizen) 0.0

14 STRAWBERRY PAVLOVA (S J Gray) 0.0

45 STREET FLYER (P F Matchett) 0.0

55 TALKTOTHESTARS (F C de Beer) 0.0

9 TANDAVA (G Terzi) 0.0

54 TOP SHOT (G M Alexander) 0.0

40 TORIO LAKE (J J van Vuuren) 0.0

5 TSITSIKAMMA DANCE (A B Fortune) 0.0

30 UNAGI (G M Alexander) 0.0

48 WILD CURVE (F P Habib) 0.0

51 WILLIAM NICOL (S J Gray) 0.0

39 YAMOTO (S G Tarry) 0.0

36 ZOUAVES (G V Woodruff) 0.0

From Saturday, August 11 to the end of November, any horse winning a Maiden Plate in its first five starts will have to run twice in an Assessment Plate before being allowed to compete in a handicap race on the Highveld.

These Assessment Plates are being introduced at Turffontein and Vaal racecourses on a trial basis from August through November at the request of a group of Highveld trainers and many other industry players nationally led by Mike de Kock.

“We believe in trying something different. These plate races can only assist the handicappers in making more informed decisions in arriving at merit ratings for horses who win within their first few starts. This way we can have less debate,” said De Kock.

Trainers were requested to attend the meeting at which the Assessment Plate proposal was put forward and discussed. Phumelela representatives, the senior handicapper and De Kock were joined by trainers Sean Tarry, Geoff and Tim Woodruff, Mike and Adam Azzie, Grant Maroun, Joe Soma, Clinton Binda, Ormond Ferraris, Paul and Tony Peter, David Niewenhuizen and Johan Janse van Vuuren. Cape-based Brett Crawford and Durban trainer Tony Rivalland participated via video conference.

Senior handicapper Roger Smith indicated that he was willing to trial Assessment Plates.

Full details of Assessment Plates are as follows:

* For maidens and one and two-time winners. Maidens carry 54kg, one-time winners 57kg and two-time winners 60 kg with a 2.5kg sex allowance. A 0.5kg allowance will be applied for each unplaced start since a horse was placed (first four) up to a maximum of 3kg. Graded and Listed-race starts do not qualify for allowances. The current weight allowance applied in all plate races will apply.

* The winner of a maiden race within five starts must have two compulsory runs in an Assessment Plate before participating in a handicap.

* Any horse taking more than five starts to win a maiden race is not required to run in an Assessment Plate before running in a handicap.

* A maiden with two runs in an Assessment Plate can run in a handicap after a minimum of three starts.

* Any Graded, Listed and non-black type feature race will be counted as an assessment run. In other words a maiden winner who then competes in a Listed feature twice can then run in a handicap.

* Horses may participate in any number of Assessment Plates subject to the race conditions and elimination procedure.

* Handicappers shall adjust merit ratings at their own discretion for horses required to run in Assessment Plates. In the case of horses not required to run in Assessment Plates, penalties are optional at the request of the trainer.

* Elimination details will be published in the programme book.

* Prize money for an Assessment Plate will be R108,000 of which R2,000 is for finishing sixth, R1,500 for seventh and R1,000 for eighth.

The Vaal Outside track stages a nine race meeting tomorrow and punters should take note of any draw bias in the early events as it has been unpredictable at this venue recently.

The best bet comes in the second race where the R4 million filly Frankly by Frankel faces an uninspiring field over 1200m. She made a good debut behind the subsequent Grade 2 Golden Slipper runner up Mazari. She then disappointed in two features but now has her first run for the in-form grandfather-grandson combination of Ormond and Luke Ferraris. Vega Vox could be the chief threat. She lost a length on debut over 1000m and was then green but was doing her best work late. Being by Noble Tune she will relish the step up in trip and can reverse form with Seneca Falls, who was just ahead of her in that last race but had a clearer passage and was being caught late.

The first leg of the PA over 1000m is the highest rated race and should be fought out by Winter’s Forge and Queen Laurie, who are the best in at the weights in this fillies and mares Conditions Plate. Winter’s Forge is more reliable so can be made a PA banker. Queen Laurie has more ability but is a quirky sort who costs herself sometimes at the start and needs to settle behind cover to show her best.

Casual Wear is chosen as a banker in the first leg of the Pick 6, but this is only because the Pick 6 has many difficult legs and a banker has to be chosen somewhere. It is always risky to select a filly having her first run out of the maidens in a handicap, especially a young three-year-old merit rated above 80. However, the form of some of her maiden runs, such as a 2,1 length second to subsequent Grade 1 Allan Robertson winner Mighty High, is good and the form of her maiden win has worked out very well indeed. Ideally Ilha Da Var and the first-time blinkered Queen Of War should also be included in the Pick 6 but this will cut the percentages a lot.

Mount Keith is a potential banker in the first leg of the Jackpot considering the ease with which he won last time. However, he was scratched from his last intended start on July 26 with an abnormal temperature and does face a six point merit rated raise so there are a couple of concerns. Beyond him it is wide open and just about the whole field has to be included.

In the sixth race Seventh Rule is a most interesting runner with a 4kg claimer up. He has a lot of pace and kept going recently in his maiden over 1400m to hold on. He now has a 4kg claimer up and will likely attempt to gallop them into the ground, but it is debatable whether he will see out the trip. Darkest Hour will be a big threat as he showed a return to form last week when going close over 1400m and his close up finish in the Dingaans is the stand out bit of form in this race. Punters should consider going wider than those two though.

The seventh is another tough race. Big Myth, an easy winner of a weak maiden last time, has scope for further improvement and is taken to beat Sovereign Reign, who has always been well regarded and is in fine form but he has to prove he stays the trip. Others like Front Rank, Colonel Bogey and Wildlife Safari will have to be considered too,

The eighth over 1600m looks to be a straight fight between two horses who should enjoy the step up in trip, Royal Future and Hot Chocolate.

The last leg of the Pick 6 is tough despite being a maiden. Tripple Z and Peapack should both do well. The one with the best form is Proud Dynasty, who is another Cape Town horse to join the Ashley Fortune yard. However, he has reportedly bled twice and returns from a layoff. Therefore Power Of Place, Ready To Strike and possibly others will also have to be included in the exotics.

By David Thiselton

Sean “Woer-woer Masjien” Singleton” and Neil Patrick Smith have been “living a dream” with their stalwart stayer Hermoso Mundo and are grabbing “a once in a lifetime opportunity” with both hands and sending the gelding to race in Dubai.

The other part-owners of the six-year-old Ideal World gelding are NC Smith, GD Cahn, G Morris and W Volschenk.  

Current trainer Weiho Marwing will hand over the reins to Mike de Kock but the former will be on hand for consultation and will remain very much involved.

Hermoso Mundo’s chief target will be the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup run over 3200m on turf at the World Cup meeting on March 30, 2019, at Meydan racecourse.

The prize money for this race has been raised to US$ 1.5 million for its 2019 renewal.

Hermoso Mundo made history in the 2016/2017 season when landing the unofficial stayer’s triple crown, winning the Gold Bowl, the Gold Vase and the Gold Cup, and he was duly crowned Equus Champion Stayer.

Singleton’s colourful victory war cry, which ends with the words “jou woer-woer-woer masjien!” became a much-looked forward to aside during last year’s SA Champions Season. Furthermore, the story of Smith, his opponent and an umpire huddled together on a tennis court in Germany watching the Gold Vase on a laptop, after the former had requested a break in play in a tennis tournament match, was one of the most heart-warming tales of the season.

Hermoso Mundo was a gallant runner up nine days ago in the defence of his Gold Cup crown.

“It was heartbreaking to come second after he had come from so far back,” reflected Singleton and Smith, “but It’s My Turn was a deserving winner. Based on that run we have decided to send him overseas. He is an out and out stayer and there is nothing really for him here. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we have to do it. We believe he will do very well there and Mike thinks he will do ok. We are very happy to be going with Mike as he is an absolute champion trainer. It’s very exciting. He is by Ideal World so can still run for a few years and can race in other countries. If he does well we can expand and wouldn’t mind going to Australia for the Melbourne Cup. There are lot of other races for him in Australia too. There are some beautiful turf tracks with long straights overseas. Whatever happens we are going to have some fun. It’s a dream.”

Hermoso Mundo was on his way to Cape Town last Thursday. The Kenilworth quarantine station is the first leg of an arduous five month journey to Dubai, which goes via Mauritius and Europe.

By David Thiselton

Aldo Domeyer, forced to give up his rides at Durbanville on Saturday, aims to be back this week after picking up an infection following his hectic 18-winner 11-day Cape championship chase.

He said on Saturday: “I think all that travelling caught up with me. I am on antibiotics and I am trying to get some rest.”

Rest is what Champions Cup winners Captain America and Sail South will have from now on. Both have been retired.

Brett Crawford said: “Sail South has gone to his owners (Nigel and Jenny Pott plus Gill Dempsey) in Plettenberg Bay while Captain America will go to the Steenberg Golf Estate.”

There has been surprise in some quarters that Captain America, so clearly at the top of his game, has not been kept in training for a further season.

Crawford said: “He won so well that he could have done but personally I think it is fantastic that he has gone out at the top. He has won three Group 1s and he has had the weight of the stable on his shoulders for four of the last six years.”

Stable companion Lady Of The House, winner of last year’s Woolavington, is apparently destined for a new career as a broodmare. She was due to be sold by Mayfair Speculators at the recent Central Route Trading Sale but was withdrawn beforehand. According to sales boss Grant Knowles, she was purchased by Ridgemont.

By Michael Clower