The New Turf Carriers Rider Cup has become a looked forward to meeting of the SA Champions Season and will take place on Sunday at Greyville.

The KZN Falcons team consists of Keagan de Melo (captain), Warren Kennedy, Sean Veale and Brandon Lerena.

The Highveld Hawks team will led by National Champion Jockey elect Lyle Hewitson and also includes Muzi Yeni, Craig Zackey and Ryan Munger.

Keagan De Melo

The Cape Eagles will be represented by Aldo Domeyer (captain), Bernard Fayd’Herbe, Greg Cheyne and Richard Fourie.

The competition will be contested over four races and the points allocated will be 20 for first, 16 for second, 14 for third, 12 for fourth, ten for fifth, eight for sixth, six points for seventh and a one point decrease from five down to one for the remaining five positions.

The inaugural Rider Cup in 2015 was won by the KZN Falcons and the Highveld Hawks won in 2016. New Turf Carriers came on board as sponsors last year and in an exciting contest at Scottsville the Highveld Hawks, represented by Gavin Lerena (captain), Hewitson, Zackey and Marco van Rensburg beat the KZN Falcons by five points, although Anton Marcus was the victor ladorum on his home turf with 60 points.

The first leg on Sunday is a handicap for fillies and mares over 1400m and the Hawks look to have a good chance of taking the lead as Munger on pole position-drawn Queenie and Hewitson on the course and distance-suited Summer In The City have good rides.

The second leg is a handicap over 1400m and Fourie will be aboard the one who could start favourite, Aldo’s Chase. Beyond him it is wide open.

The third leg is a fillies and mares handicap over 1900m and De Melo on Expresso Martini and Munger on Pumpkin Queen look to hold the trump cards.

The last leg is a maiden over 1800m and Veale, Zackey and Fourie look to have the best mounts in this uninspiring event on Sunny Girl, Call Me Tonight and Summer Day.

All eight races on the day will be on the polytrack including the headliner, the Listed Off To Stud Stakes over 1600m.

By David Thiselton

Spargo returned to Australia last year after a career that was highlighted by his tenure as the chief broadcaster in Dubai for 17 years.

His first Gold Coast call was back in April of 1976, before he was made the full-time caller at the course in mid-1977. He held the post until August 1993, when Terry Bailey took over.

Spargo has lived on the Gold Coast since returning home and said it was a straight forward decision to accept the offer to return to his old role.

“I grabbed it with both hands,” he said.

“I live just a few minutes from the track, if I wasn’t working I’ve been there every Saturday as a punter.

“It was a great place to me when I kicked off, when I was the number three coming through and it certainly helped me get to where I did internationally and I’m very chuffed to be back,” he said at the time.

By David Thiselton

It was not an afternoon for the faint-hearted punter at Scottsville yesterday with long-shots making for big exotic bet pay-outs.

But that would not have bothered the husband and wife combination of Greg and Karen Anthony. They are not high on the totem pole when it comes to statistics but do well enough from a small string and racked up a quick double in yesterday’s opening exchanges.

In the card opener, Francisco, a smart looking son of champion sire Fort Wood’s last crop, was all the rage after an eye-catching barrier trial, but there is no substitute for experience.

Kilmokea (Candiese Marnewick)

It took time for Francisco’s penny to drop but by the time it did it was all over bar the shouting as Eastbrook, under champion jockey elect Lyle Hewitson who had kept faith with the ride, skated home leaving Francisco to battle it out for second ahead of rank outsider Flying George.

The Anthony’s were back in the winner’s circle a half-hour later as late starter Double ‘O’ Eight, was on the mark.

The daughter of Eightfold Path had put up an eye-catching trial, finishing ahead of the speedy Khetiwe, and carried that form through to a convincing victory over Jaydene’s Shreya and favourite Boundless Deep.

A third consecutive winner for the stable was on the cards when Prince Charming was sent out favourite for the opening leg of the Pick 6 but was denied in a tight finish. Keagan de Melo squeezed the best out of Bravo for Dean Kannemeyer’s charge to edge out a fast-finishing White Lightning with Prince Charming and Internet Kid in close attendance, a neck covering the first four past the post.

With two scratchings, the fourth race field was cut to just five runners with Rock Of Africa the ruling favourite. But Hewitson was on the mark again as he got Joey Ramsden’s gelding Macduff home ahead of the lightly weighted Gratuity with Rock Of Africa having every chance in third.

The sixth was a nightmare handicap for fillies and mares and so it proved with little more than a piece of paper separating the first three past the post, Just Vogue narrowly holding off the attentions of a game Rani with Geographe Bay also concerned in the judge’s photo.

The real exotic bet rot started in the sixth where 12-1 shot Impact Zone got the better of a tight tussle with The Money Man, three wide for most of the race, but Doug Campbell’s runner finding another gear under Donovan Dillon.

Dillon repeated the dose for beleaguered punters with a polished ride on Robbie Hill’s runner Kilmokea in the seventh who made light of her 15 draw to keep a fast-finishing Roy’s Stingray at bay.

The highly strung High Altar is not the easiest to handle at home but she did the honours for Duncan Howells in the last as Muzi Yeni tracked to the outside to win well from Regent Seven and Secret Success. Howells is reigning KZN champion trainer but is six winners behind perennial rival Dennis Drier with a handful of meetings left to the end of the current season.

By Andrew Harrison

The Vaal Classic track stages a low key eight race meeting tomorrow and the Pick 6 looks catchable.

In the first leg over 1000m Lion King is the one to beat with Saint Michael and Ragnarok the dangers. Lion King has plenty of pace and it was costly last time when he jumped left over this trip on Turffontein Inside. He was rushed to the front and finished only 1,5 lengths back so with a better start and as a relatively unexposed sort he could make amends. Saint Michael is a scopey sort who has plenty of pace too. He hasn’t raced since being caught late over this course and distance with first-time blinkers on in February and finishing a 2,25 length second.

Hungry Heart

He should have matured in the interim and can get away with the layoff over this sprint trip. Ragnarok has shown pace in his last two over 1200m and now drops in trip with first-time blinkers on so is an interesting runner.  First-timer Mischievous Green is by Gimmethegreenlight out of a Black Minnaloushe maiden who is a half-sister to two Listed winners and Strydom is an eyecatching booking. The other first-timer Split is by Potala Palace out of an unplaced Var mare whose dam has not produced any winners but Hewitson is aboard.

In the next leg over 1000m Carmalita showed a lot of natural speed when returning from a short layoff over this trip and held on comfortably. Strydom stays aboard and this rangy sort should have come on from that last run so can handle a three point raise. Memphis Belle must be included as she is consistent and has won once and finished second twice in three starts over the course and distance. Modjaji can never be ignored in these 1000m fillies and mares handicaps although she is 1kg worse off with Memphis Belle for a short-head beating. Elusive Strike is in hard-knocking form and should be included. Celestina has not run since February but has the ability to win.

In the third leg over 1450m Hungry Heart is a progressive sort who won in eyecatching style last time and with Strydom keeping the ride off a four point higher mark she can follow up. Lady Negra was 3,25 lengths behind Hungry Heart last time but is 2,5kg better off, well drawn with Hewitson up and now has blinkers on. Fragrant Miss has been a touch disappointing overall but hold up tactics over this trip worked well last time as she ran on well. She was given a harsh six point raise for that win, but must be considered. Picture Me also warrants consideration as the form of his easy maiden win over 1200m has been franked and first time out the maidens over this trip he had a terrible draw so can be forgiven that run.

In the fourth leg over 1600m Jika is the one to beat from pole position. He was beaten in his last two starts over this trip by Infamous Fox and the latter went on to win on July day so this handy to front-running sort is going to be hard to beat from pole position. Soldier On is suggested as the only other inclusion in the Pick 6. He beat Infamous Fox in the Egoli Mile at Turffontein Standside in March and last time out was only 0,4 lengths behind Jika when staying on from a wide draw. He has another high draw to overcome but will be dangerous if it pans out well for him.

The next leg is a maiden over 1600m and there is not much form to go on at first glance. However, the unexposed trio Oojooba, Oona and Dance Dance all have scope for improvement and should get punters through.

In the last leg of the Pick 6 Empress Valley could make it four on the trot. Last time over course and distance she over raced behind a slow pace and yet still won comfortably so she can overcome a three point raise. However, Beautiful Shay is the likely pacemaker again and might slow it down again so others must be included. Itsmydarlin only lost to Empress Valley by a head when charging home from a wide draw on the Vaal Inside track on June 12. She is drawn wide again but is 1,5kg better off so has a big shout. September Bloom has a definite form chance too from a good draw over an ideal trip. Those three could be enough but for wider Gold Shades, Glamorous Scandal and My Cherry can be included.

By David Thiselton

The closure of the N3 highway on Sunday accompanied by some welcome winter rain were probably a blessing in disguise for the Scottsville turf that has since endured its worst frost in many a year.

In the days of yore, reams of nappy liner were spread across the track in an effort to ensure a green surface for the Gilbey’s Stakes, now the Tsogo Sun Sprint, then run the weekend before the Vodacom Durban July.

This drastic measure in an effort to ensure aesthetics has not been necessary in recent years with mostly mild winters and the Tsogo Sun Sprint day run earlier in the season.

But some forward thinking has resulted in Sunday’s meeting moved to today and today’s scheduled Greyville poly meeting moved to Friday night.

Rock Of Africa

Handicaps are always tricky races but one of the pointers that can often lead to a winner is taking note of which horses have recently come down in the merit ratings. Another is when a horse drops in class. Combine the two and you have a fair chance of finding a winner, often at a decent price because at face value, the current form doesn’t look all that impressive until one drills down a little.

Two horses that fall into the above categories at Scottsville today are Rock Of Africa in the fourth and Cat’s Legacy in the sixth. Rock Of Africa has taken a rating drop while Cat’s Legacy has a rating drop and also takes a significant drop in class.

Rock Of Africa has been competing in top company since arriving in KZN for Champions Season and has paid his way with a couple of placed efforts in useful company. Most recently he was just under five lengths back to Sniper Shot in the Post Merchants.

That form has obviously not impressed the handicappers as he has been dropped four points in the handicap, the equivalent of 2kg. On Sunday he lines up in a handicap lacking in big names and he can round of his Champions Season with a win.

The diminutive Hashtag Strat is one casualty of the moved meeting so stable companion Gratuity with apprentice Khanya Sakayi claiming 4kg will do service for Louis Goosen and with her light weight will make this small field pick up its feet.

Cat’s Legacy lines up in the sixth, with an injured Luke Ferraris scheduled to ride, but Alyson Wright is sure to looked for a similar four-claiming apprentice. Cat’s Legacy has dropped from a career high of 87 in the merit ratings to Sunday’s 73. If Wright stays with a four-claimer, that will be another 8 pounds off his back. Cat’s Legacy has been a touch disappointing after showing some promise early in his career against stronger than what he meets on Sunday so he could prove to be a solid bet on the day.

Internet Kid will be a popular banker in the opening leg of the Pick 6. The fifth race looks to be a difficult affair where punters would do well to load up in the exotics but Je Suis Silver and Geographe Bay could prove the pick.

Duncan Howells hit form at Scottsville last Wednesday with a brace of winners and his pair of Barinois and Queen’s Plain could see you through in the seventh.

Copper Pot and Stand By Me should be right there in a competitive last race but beware of Don Pierro. The gelding has a hot temperament but is talented and he looks to be over his right course and distance.

By Andrew Harrison