The strict liability rule that holds a trainer responsible for almost anything that happens in their yard, or in some cases even out of it, is a major bone of contention worldwide.

Paul Gadsby

The rule most often applies to horses testing positive for prohibitive substances, and trainers presumed guilty no matter protestations of innocence.

Ashburton-based trainer Paul Gadsby fell foul of this draconian rule when he was found to be responsible and found guilty after his groom was caught kicking one of his horses in the belly in the wash bay at Greyville after a race.

According to the original charge sheet, the groom in his employ was caught kicking the horse Patroculus in the belly region, which horse was in his care and under his control as the trainer of that horse, thus mistreating the horse in question.

The Inquiry Board imposed a penalty of a fine of R40 000, of which R20 000 was suspended for a period of 12 months, provided that he is not found guilty of a contravention of Rule 10.5.1, or a similar offence involving the abuse and/or ill-treatment of any horse during that period.

Gadsby lodged an appeal against both the finding and the penalty imposed and after considering all the evidence the appeal board ruled that strict liability was not applicable in Gadsby’s case.

The appeal board accordingly upheld the appeal, set aside the finding and the penalty imposed and refunded Gadsby’s appeal deposit fee.

Lyle Hewitson, now virtually certain to join the select few who have become champion jockey while still an apprentice, rides at Durbanville for the first time for six months tomorrow.

“Adam Marcus rang me, said he had three nice rides and there is no racing in Durban that day,” says Hewitson, explaining his presence at the country course. It is this type of ‘have saddle, will travel’ approach to life that has played a big part in his path to the top.

Lyle Hewitson

The three Marcus rides are in three of the last four races and Marcus sees them more as place chances than banker bets. “We haven’t been able to do much of a preparation with Gyre (8-1 and off for nearly five months) but he did put up a good gallop at Kenilworth two weeks ago and he has done sufficient to run a nice race. The soft ground is not too much of a worry with him and he is a horse with a big heart.

“Red Rascal (9-2) has been doing well since his last run but has a wide draw to overcome so he will be tucked in and running on at the finish. Elusive Touch (9-2) ran a good race in the soft last time. She takes very little work and is in great form. Her winning chance is slim -she is drawn 12 out of 13 – but with luck in running she can run into the money.”

Hewitson’s other rides include longshots Princess Kika and Burano for Geoff Woodruff and 4-1 second favourite Chatuchak for Andre Nel in race seven, the Interbet.co.za Handicap. This one won over a furlong less in May but has yet to be tested in the soft.

He also has a chance on Sailor Sam (9-2) in the first but preference is for Greg Ennion’s other runner Rock Of Asia (7-2) who made much of the running when winning over the trip last time. Favourite at 15-10 is Tarsus who was not disgraced when pitched in against older horses in a handicap a month ago.

Star Angel impressed when scoring at Kenilworth on her last start nearly two months ago – she led and was soon three or four lengths clear, showing the sort of speed which helps tremendously on this course – and the 7-2 chance can defy a 3kg penalty in the TAB Telebet Juvenile Fillies. Vodka Lime (also 7-2) looks a big danger but 33-10 favourite Be Yourself is returning after a six-month absence.

Sparkeling Fire can recoup last time’s losses in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden Juvenile Fillies and Black Indy’s good draw may enable Grant van Niekerk’s mount to beat More Magic in the Betting World Maiden Juvenile.

By Michael Clower

Stalwart Cape trainer Vaughan Marshall lamented the tough draws he had landed on Vodacom Durban July day but said all of his charges were in fine shape.

He has a strong hand on the day and when asked which his best runner was, replied, “I am not prepared to put my head on the block from those draws.”

MJ Byleveld

Captain Al filly Canukeepitsecret jumps from draw 12 of 14 in the Grade 2 Samsung Golden Slipper over 1400m under MJ Byleveld. The small but tenacious two-year-old moved up well from a probably unfavourable high draw last time in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson over 1200m at Scottsville and stayed on well for a 3,75 length fourth. Her full sister All Is Secret won the Allan Robertson in 2012 but then failed in the Gold Slipper when going handy from a wide draw. However, she then came back and won the Grade 1 Thekwini over 1600m from a good draw. Marshall and Byleveld might have those two results in mind when planning Saturday’s race.

Another full sister of Canukeepitsecret’s, The Secret Is Out, will attempt to go a mile for the first time in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m but has to jump from a draw of 13 under Byleveld. Last time out she used her speed to go handy from a plum draw of two in the Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m and stayed on well to beat July runner Star Express by a quarter of a length at level weights. The blinkers remain on so Byleveld will have a tough task reserving enough for a final surge over this step up in trip. There looks to be plenty of pace in this race so he might have a problem trying to find a handy position. Dropping her out won’t be easy either as she has plenty of speed.

In the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m Marshall runs Provocateur from a draw of 11 out of 14. Byleveld took this Var colt handy from a draw of 8 out of 12 in early May over course and distance. He showed a fine turn of foot in the straight and ran all the way to the line. He faces the impressive winner of that race, Confessional, on the same terms for a one length beating, but the latter now has a much tougher draw to overcome. This race is full of class with the like of Cue The Music, Barahin and Soqrat also lining up but Provacateur could be the dark horse as he settled nicely despite having no cover in that aforementioned race and followed up by winning a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1400m on the poly by four lengths with first-time blinkers on. The blinkers are back on.

Marshall has two runners in the Compendium Insurance Brokers eThekwini Sprint over 1200m on the poly, Woljayrine jumping from draw nine under Byleveld and Magic Sailor jumping from draw seven under Craig Bantam. Woljayrine won well over 1100m on the Greyville turf last time and is second best in at the weights here. Dutch Phillip, who is top class, is the one to beat.

In the last race, the Listed Greyville Convention Centre Handicap over 1600m on the turf, Marshall runs Lord Balmoral from a draw of ten. This horse likes to be handy over shorter so will not be a surprise pacemaker in his first attempt at this trip. However, he jumps slowly so Byleveld faces another tough task especially with the like of Eyes Wide Open in the field.

By David Thiselton

Jeff Lloyd hopes he has chosen the right horse in the Vodacom Durban July in which he will be aboard the Justin Snaith-trained four-year-old colt Made To Conquer.

Lloyd, a six-time South African champion jockey, has always been a particularly good rider of Greyville, where the uphill section from the 1000m mark up to the 450m long straight has found out many a lesser rider.

Jeff Lloyd (Supplied)

However, the July has always eluded him, although he has often gone close, finishing third on no fewer than eight occasions.

Made To Conquer has the pedigree to win the July.

He is by Dynasty, who won the big race in 2003 and produced the July winner of 2014, Legislate.

Dynasty’s progeny have a noticeable liking for the tight Greyville track due to their inherited ability to accelerate off the mark.

Made To Conquer is out of the Casey Tibbs mare Festive Occasion, who won the Grade 2 SA Oaks. Amomg Festive Occasion’s three Grade 1 placed efforts was a third place finish in the Woolavington 2200 over the July course and distance. Furthermore, she produced the Silvano filly Do You Remember, who won the Woolavington 2000 and followed up by finishing third in the July in 2013.

Lloyd was due to be in South Africa anyway in order to see how his son Jaden had been doing at the South African Jockeys Academy. He was given a few options for the July but plumped for Made To Conquer.

He said the bay colt had given him a good feel in the July gallops last Thursday and he was also pleased to discover the type of temperament he had.

He said, “He’s a good mover, he has a good temperament, but he’s not a horse who does more than he has to do. He is very laid back. I’ve ridden many horses who wait for the racecourse to do their best and I think he is one of them.”

Lloyd had admitted on the day of the gallops that he believed Made To Conquer would probably be at his very best in six months time. However, the veteran jockey certainly looks to have a fine chance of getting across the line first in his likely final bid to win the July.

He is due to retire soon but at the age of 56 is still at the top of his game. He broke the Queensland Metropolitan and State records for the number of winners in the 2016/2017 Australian racing season and is well clear in those championships again this season.

Made To Conquer is currently the 9/1 joint-third favourite with Betting World.

Lloyd will be hoping to make it a 95^th Group 1 winner and will jump from a fair draw of 11 if the reserve runners come out.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith, odds-on to win a third Vodacom Durban July with one of his five runners in the great race, has the favourite in a third of the 12 races at Greyville on Saturday.

In addition to African Night Sky (2-1 in the big one), Betting World makes Sergeant Hardy 5-2 for the tabGold Pinnacle, Platinum Prince 7-2 in the Betting Word 2200 and Snowdance a prohibitive 1-2 for the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province.

Interestingly two of those who didn’t make the cut for the July’s final field head the market in their respective consolation races. The Dean Kannemeyer-trained It’s My Turn is 4-1 favourite for the DStv Gold Vase and Perovskia is 5-1 joint favourite with Cape Derby winner Eyes Wide Open in the concluding Greyville Convention Centre Handicap. Jeff Lloyd will have his final South African ride on Harold Crawford’s Drill Hall winner.

Perovskia (Candiese Marnewick)

World Sports Betting, which has Snaith at 11-20 to win the July, quotes Sean Tarry next best at 15-2 and goes 10-1 Brett Crawford, 11-1 Paul Peter, 12-1 Mike and Adam Azzie,22-1 Paul Lafferty, 25-1 Mike de Kock, 33-1 and upwards others.

WSB is even betting on which horse finishes last. Secret Potion and the Snaith-trained Star Express share an unenviable favouritism at 9-2 while other leading contenders are the 11-2 shots Gold Standard, Liege, Fiorella and Rocket Countdown.

The threat by the Public Servants Association union to stage a protest at the meeting over Markus Jooste’s possible involvement has proved to be an empty one.

Last Friday the PSA issued a press release stating that it had written to both the National Horseracing Authority and Vodacom stating that horses linked to Jooste should not be allowed to run, with general manager Ivan Fredericks saying: “Vodacom, as an international brand, has a responsibility to society not to be associated with, or perceived to be purporting, the unethical behaviour that Mr Jooste is known for.”

However there is not one horse in the 12 races owned or part-owned either by Jooste or his Mayfair Speculators racing company.

Most of the PSA’s 240,000-plus members belong to the Government Employees Pension Fund which invested heavily in Steinhoff International and which has seen its investment virtually wiped out by the collapse in share price since Jooste’s shock resignation as CEO last December.

Last Friday the company published its results for the first time since Jooste’s departure. These show a total loss for the six months to March 31 of R9.6 billion. It was also revealed that the total value of overstated assets, coupled with the reversal of non arms-length transactions, was R98 billion. Even in international terms (€6.1 billion) this is a staggering figure.

BLOB Smart Call won for the first time since her triumph in the 2016 Met when scoring at Newcastle on Friday evening. The ten furlong Stobbart Energy Hoppings Fillies Stakes was her ninth race since leaving South Africa and was only a Group 3, and on the all-weather at that, but she quickened well when looking boxed in to lead inside the final furlong and justify 7-4 favouritism. She was ridden by Jim Crowley for Sir Michael Stoute.

By Michael Clower