Richard Fourie intends going for the championship if he is within striking distance of the leaders in the last few months of the season.

He rode a four-timer at Durbanville on Saturday to add to his double at the country course last Wednesday and said: “My target is 200 winners and the championship depends on the support I get. I am riding freelance – I am not retained by the Chrigor Stud (still his sponsor) this season – but, if I need to give it a little bit extra at the end, I will.”

With Grant van Niekerk on his way to Hong Kong, Fourie is much in demand from Snaith Racing which has supplied all his six winners so far and Chris Snaith remarked: “Richard is always worth a length or two.”

The most significant, and certainly the shortest-priced, of Saturday’s four was Frank Lloyd Wright who weakened from a prohibitive 1-5 to 1-3 for the TAB Telebet Maiden. The Captain Al colt made most of the running in the distinctive Qatar Racing colours with his rider doing little more in the final furlong than twice looking back for what proved to be non-existent dangers.

“He has a good future,” said Fourie. “He is a couple of lengths behind the best but he had the experience and he won like it. He gave me a good feel.”

But punters and racegoers alike are apparently going to have to wait a bit. “We have raced him a little more than we would have liked so we will now ease up on him and put him away for the Cape summer season,” said Jonathan Snaith.

“He is a class horse and hopefully the best is still to come. He is possibly a Guineas horse and he qualifies for the R5 million CTS Mile. But his performance here tells you how impressive the Langerman winner One World was. He gave us a galloping lesson and I think he is definitely the Guineas favourite at the moment.”

The Vaughan Marshall colt gave Frank Lloyd Wright 4kg in the Langerman and beat him by more than five lengths. On the other hand Black Indy, beaten seven and a half lengths into fourth, did little for the form when managing only three lengths-plus third to More Magic in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden 40 minutes later.

What is more the Candice Bass-Robinson winner had had five previous attempts, admittedly from a series of wide draws. The colt was ridden by Stuart Randolph who flew in to substitute for the sidelined Aldo Domeyer and recalled that on his only previous visit in the last five years racing had been washed out.

Liam Tarentaal, 20, signalled his arrival in Cape Town by springing a 50-1 shock on the Eric Sands newcomer Bellingham Bay in the first. The 2.5kg claimer has moved from Durban, had four rides here last Wednesday and this was the 21^st success of his career.

Greg Ennion proved, not for the first time, that winners can still be bought cheaply when the Donovan Dillon-ridden Parisian Gold got up inside the last 100m of the 2 400m maiden.

“I bought him with the only bid of ten grand at the Ready To Run,” Ennion related. “He was a huge backward horse and his sire Biarritz was not fashionable but I liked him. He has taken for ever to come to hand but I think he will now go on from this and I have turned down an offer of R130 000 for him.”

By Michael Clower

The folly of backing first timers, especially three-year-olds against older horses this early in the season, was driven home at Scottsville yesterday as hot favourite Mela Stregata came up a nose short in the opening maiden.

A year older and racing in blinkers for the first time, Tuulikki was the first of a quick hat-trick for Garth Puller as Mandla Ntuli kept his mount going just long enough to hold off the favourite.

“She has been disappointing,” said Puller of Tuulikki. Blinkers, declared after the publication of the official form guides, appeared to have done the trick.

Anton Marcus, who got home in the next two races for Puller, was nonplussed. “I got beaten on my best ride,” he said after winning comfortably aboard the first timer, but four-year-old Mashari in the third.

“She was green and hanging in,” said beaten trainer Duncan Howells of Mela Stregata. “She will also need further.”

Marcus was made to work just as hard on the odds-on favourite Dyno Man. The grey looked a beaten horse 50m out as Merlin From Berlin tried for a bit of magic, but Marcus pulled out all the stops and Dyno Man rallied gamely for the win. He’s a horse that looks as if he will go a trip as this was only his second outing and he only got into gear late.

Mashari, coming of two barrier trials, was also send out odds-on for the third but was hard-pressed at the death to hold off the attentions of Wildly In Love, the runner-up a little unlucky as she took a knock out of the pens and then the scenic route home.

It’s been nearly a year between drinks for World Mission but Keagan De Melo got the better of his wayward tendencies in the Sikalele Projects Handicap although he was all over the place in the drive for the wire. “He’s not the easiest,” said De Melo of Dean Kannemeyer’s gelding. “He’s looking for a trip but doesn’t settle.”

“He has ability but hasn’t brought it all to the racecourse yet.”

De Melo eased punters pain when getting favourite Ronnie Rocket home for Pat Lunn in the Just Property Handicap after 25-1 shot Komeshans Flight under apprentice Eric Ngwane for Yogas Govender lead to a boil-over in the exotics.

Warren Kennedy, successful for Kom Naidoo in Kimberley on Saturday, has got his season off to a cracking start, successful on Bangkok in the fifth who Gavin van Zyl feels “still has a lot to learn”, and then riding a driving finish on Just Vogue to get the better of Gratuity in the Wayne’s Scrap Metal Handicap for a stable double.

Mark Khan is becoming a regular visitor in KZN of late and rounded off the day by getting Shadow Hunter home with a late effort for Lezeanne Forbes.

By Andrew Harrison

Frank Lloyd Wright is an almost unbackable price for the TAB Telebet Maiden at Durbanville tomorrow but he will be many punters’ idea of a banker for multiple bets.

The Captain Al colt has finished second in four of his five races and this will be the third time that he has started odds-on but his Langerman performance – beaten only by One World – marks him apart from this opposition even if he was receiving all the allowances.

Richard Fourie’s mount, incidentally, is named after the American architect who developed the cantilever roof used on many of the most impressive racecourse stands around the world.

World Sports Betting opened him at 2-9 with the only others in single figures being the wide-drawn unraced Windcheater and Consul Of War who has been off for over ten months.

Snaith Racing, three winners here on Wednesday, are expecting another good day and they field the favourite in four of the eight races. All of them are ridden by Fourie and all may win.

Black Indy (17-10) has 19-20 shot More Magic to beat in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden. The latter has a decent draw for once whereas the selection will start widest of all. He does, however, hold More Magic by just over a length on their running a month ago and we have seen many times how a quick start here can make light of a bad draw whereas “giving the horse a chance” is usually the kiss of death.

Magnificent Seven is odds-on for the Betting World Handicap – unfortunately down to only four runners – and he may just be able to account for the Brett Crawford-trained Gimme One Night who has been running well over further.

But watch out for Red Peril. The top weight is the 10-1 outsider of the party but this is just the sort of race in which the wily Bill Prestage instructs his jockey to try and slip the field – and so often those tactics work on this course.

The Boston Rose has become a punter-reliable and those she has rewarded in the past are unlikely to desert her in the Supabets Handicap even though she has been off for three months and has gone up three points after only just holding on in her last race.

Adam Marcus has had a high strike rate in recent months and Red Rascal can further boost the averages in the Interbet Handicap at the principal expense of top weight Silver Master.

By Michael Clower

Kimberly’s premier race meetings takes place tomorrow. This annual race day features three non-black type races that include the RA Diamond Stayers race, RA Flamingo Mile and the Betting World Sprint on the testing sand track.

The feature races on the day will start from races six through to eight and judging from the pools on previous year’s punters have taken a liking to the pick three bet specifically for these features.

Trainer Tinie Prinsloo said he is extremely excited for the day and is expecting decent runs from most of his runners. He saddles Portman Square in the sixth which runs in the RA Diamond Stayers non-black type. “He is a difficult horse to assess as he needs things to go his way, but he will most probably go to the front as that’s his favourite position. His work has been excellent and he looks well so I’m hoping for the best.

The stable companion Sea Bean is coming into form at the right time. “She has been putting in decent work of late and my stable jockey Shadlee Fortune has opted to ride her. If she settles well in the running she will be involved in the finish,” he said.

“Silver Swift in race three should be included in quartets, if reproducing her work she should be running on strongly.

“Nice Chap in race four has been consistent and his form speaks for itself and is a must include in all bets however does have a tricky draw,” concluded Prinsloo.

KZN based trainer Kumaran Naidoo usually makes the trip up every year and takes a string of 19 runners this time.

Royal Katrina in race five looks to be one of the better bets on the card based on current form and jumps from a reasonable draw of five and is currently trading at 4-1.

If you are one to believe in omens the nine-year-old Tuscan runs in race nine and jumps from draw eight with Serino Moodley aboard. The game son of Easing Along won the ninth race in Flamingo Park last year with Lyle Hewitson aboard.

Overall this meeting always produces decent pay-outs and punters will need to asses form thoroughly and especially take note of trainer comments as these meetings are never easy from a punting perspective.

The race day is also beginning to grow rapidly in importance since its inception. There will be a host of entertainment for the whole family including a playground area for the kids and huge crowds are expected. The meeting has a mouth-watering betting menu for racing enthusiasts with the Pick 6 pool estimated to reach in excess of R1.6 million.

By Devonne Govender

The numbers for the Savages Football Club Maiden, card opener at Scottsville on Sunday, are a little thin given that many trainers are desperate for a straight six furlongs on the grass.

But as one trainer commented, “If barrier trials hold any water, this should win by a street.”

He was referring to the Scat Daddy filly Mela Stregata who simply smoked home in her barrier trial in spite of her rider’s efforts to restrain her.

Bought out of the Mayfair Speculators dispersal, Mela Stregata has shown exceptional work at home and although Duncan Howells was stressing at possibilities when quizzed at Ashburton yesterday, the filly should not have any trouble seeing off the opposition and is likely to start deep in the red.

Howells will be hoping that she can half emulate US Triple Crown winner Justify, also by

Dyno Man is one of the ‘old boys’ in the Savages FC Old Boys Maiden but although a late starter for Garth Puller he caught the eye with a cracking debut over the Scottsville 1200m, finishing close-up behind the well fancied Autumn Rain. The gelding is bred to stay this trip and from pole position draw and Anton Marcus in the irons, he should take some beating.

If there is a danger it could come from Merlin From Belin. Ivan van Wyks’s gelding was a little disappointing last run even though he was taking on winners, but on debut had run Marchingontogether to two lengths. That form has worked out quite well.

Marcus and Puller team up with Mashari in the third with the four-year-old making his debut after two barrier trials. Puller, a master horseman and superb jockey, makes full use of the opportunity to tune up his horses in trials and Mashari has indicated in his two trials that he is good enough to win on debut.

His biggest threat could come in the form of Wildly In Love. The filly takes on males and older horses but was in a competitive maiden last time out and will prefer this trip.

Another to keep an eye on is Al Jackson. Wendy Whitehead’s colt had tongues wagging in the paddock for his barrier trial. He dwarfed most of his rivals in the paddock and is an exceptionally good-looking colt. However, he was carrying heaps of condition so his poor trial showing is probably best ignored.

He should strip a lot fitter on Sunday and should improve but his indifferent trial is a concern.

Burra Boy has been a loyal servant for owners Cathy and Blake Richard and he is definitely a horse for a course, the Scottsville 1400m right up his alley.

He has been unfortunate enough to meet up with two of Shane Humby’s well fancied runners in Waywood, a winner again next time out, and Moon Bird, but can finally score the fifth win of his career for Mark Dixon in the opening leg of the Pick 6.

Howells will be hoping for at least a double with Ninjinsky’s Son in the fifth.

Runner-up at his last two, he is at his best on the turf and was running on well enough over the mile last time out to suggest that he will have no difficulty seeing out Sunday’s trip, even though he has pulled an outside draw.

The sixth is difficult with the form behind Kilmokea likely to prove decisive but Queen’s Plain was a touch unlucky that day and can get the better of Star Evolution and Roy’s Stingray. Not a race to go light in for the exotics.

Bonnie Dawn is quick and can get the better of her male rivals in the seventh. Louis Goosen’s filly put in some good work at Ashburton on Thursday and looks primed for this.

The Goosen-trained Gratuity also showed good work and should have a good chance in the eighth while young apprentice Xola Jacobs takes 4kgs off the back of Love Theme and she could prove the biggest threat to the selection.

The last is another mine-field for punters and Lilibet, even from her wide draw, is a tentative selection from Indian Rain while Little Audrey is likely to make big improvement over this trip.

By Andrew Harrison