Turffontein Standside stages a nine race meeting tomorrow and purists will not want to miss either the first race or the main race on the card, an MR 102 Handicap over 1000m.

The first race features the maiden with the best form in the country, two-year-old Pomodoro colt Cirillo, but he might not have things all his own way as three-year-old gelding Seventh Rule could be dangerous. Cirillo has finished narrow seconds in three features to date, including the Kuda Sprint, the Grade 3 Protea Stakes and the Grade 2 SA Nursery. He was one of the shortest priced horses in the Grade 1 Gold Medallion but was severely hampered so a line can be drawn through that run. He has a high draw which is favourable by trends and should get off the mark.

Seven Lives (JC Photographics)

Seventh Rule has not run for eight months and makes his Highveld debut for new trainer Ashley Fortune, who gets plenty of help in the yard from her legendary jockey husband Andrew. Interestingly, Andrew’s son Aldo Domeyer makes the journey from Cape Town for the meeting and rides Seventh Rule. This horse had decent form in Cape Town including finishing close quite close up over 1000m to the like of Kasimir and Steel Rose. He can get away with it running fresh over a sprint, although his low draw might be against it.

However, Domeyer’s best ride on the day is likely for Fortune’s contender in the last race over 1160m, Mount Keith. He came from Cape Town with some fair sprint form and should have come on from his first two starts on the Highveld which yielded second and third place finishes over 1200m, both times behind the ever improving Snow In Seattle.

In the main race Seven Lives is an improving three-year-old gelding by Seventh Rock and his late charge last time caught the eye. In a smaller field he should not have as much ground to make up if held up. Brigtnumberten is consistent and 4kg better off with Seven Lives for a 2,2 length beating in April so there should not be much in it, although as they are drawn next to each other Seven Lives might get a tow from him and then pounce late. Queen Laurie is the most talented horse in the field as she proved in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint where she finished a fine fourth. She often costs herself with tardy starts but if she jumps reasonably well and then finds cover from a tricky number one draw she could mow them down late.

Torre Del Oro is an honest sprinter who is drawn on the right side by trends and with Lyle Hewitson up he should be thereabouts. Wrecking Ball is talented and has a lot of speed. If there were races over 900m she would just about be a champion because she often fades in the final stages. Angel’s Power had some good form but his loss of form coincides with him making breathing noises. Greasepaint is an admirable seven-year-old who is still competitive. He is 4kg better off with Seven Lives for a 2,25 length beating in April, but as the latter is a three-year-old he would have improved since. African Ruler appears to have lost his way but has come down the merit ratings as a result.

The best bet on the card could be Santa Vittoria in race three over 2000m. She stayed on well last time to the promising sort Silvez and as she is by Commands out of a Galileo mare will relish the step up in trip.

Another fair bet could be Hungry Heart in race five over 1400m. This Irish Flame filly is improving and has a good draw over an ideal trip with Piere Strydom aboard.

The seventh and eighth races are tricky sprint handicaps and going wide is the advice. In the first of them Rebel’s Champ does have the form to win though and has a 4kg claimer up.

By David Thiselton

Harold Crawford is involved in a race against time to get Perovskia ready for the Vodacom Durban July after the Drill Hall winner was injured in last Saturday’s Cup Trial.

The four-year-old dropped out in the straight and finished last but one, nearly seven lengths behind African Night Sky, and the veterinary examination ordered by the stipes showed a severe cut in the gelding’s left fore.

Crawford said yesterday: “As he turned into the straight I saw him change his legs as another horse gave him a bit of a bump. He wobbled a bit and then didn’t carry on.

“Any horse will stop when he is hit on the fetlock joint like that and he came back with a nasty wound on his left one. He is not lame or sore on it but he is feeling it. I don’t yet know whether or not I will get him ready in time but I will see how he improves this week.”

By Michael Clower

Gunner has not managed to find the winner’s enclosure since he won the Gr1 Premier’s Champions Stakes two season’s back where he became the first Gr1 winner for his sire Gimmethegreenlight.

Paul Gadsby has had a frustrating time since that win but it could all change at Greyville today where Gunner runs in the Delago Delux Handicap. The handicappers have been slow to give him any relief, probably with his Gr1 victory in mind, but the gelding has dropped to his lowest rating today and has given notice at recent outings that he is coming back to his peak.

Gadsby has stretched him to 1400m at his last two with apprentice Khanya Sakayi aboard and he has shown improvement in both races.

Gunner

He was a length off the useful Legend two runs back which saw his merit rating bounce back to 80 and although Sakhayi dropped his stick last time out, he was under three lengths back to the promising Anthony Hotspur and was dropped to a 77 MR.

Top rider Bernhard Fayd’Herbe takes over in the saddle and Gunner looks primed for this event.

Today’s race meeting honours training legend Charles Laird and the races have been named after the horses that have made an impact on his career and also Summerhill Stud who bred many of his top horses. Summerhill also stood top sire National Emblem who was the first feature race winner for Laird on his first day as a fully fledged trainer.

Duncan Howells has been chasing hard for his third KZN trainer’s title but his efforts have been hampered by a virus that affected the yard for over a month and saw many of his horses run below their best form. One was Girl In Gold who runs in the Summerhill Stud Handicap. She is way better than her last start when racing wide throughout and can do much better here.

Top weight Kahula has been racing in feature company and has not been far back. She has a fair weight to shoulder but has red-hot apprentice and Champion Jockey elect, apprentice Lyle Hewitson aboard which is a big plus.

Arizona Sunset has only been out of the money once for Ashburton-based Kom Naidoo and daughter of Mogok is well suited to the 1800m trip and with apprentice Serino Moodley taking 1.5kg off her back, she looks well in with only 53kg to shoulder.

Of the balance, Star Evolution and Pumpkin Queen are others to consider.

Apprentice Luke Ferraris has been making the most of his opportunities and has a fine chance in the card opener where he partners Glen Kotzen’s filly Majestica. She was a close-up second when taking on winners at Scottsville recently and from a good draw has a lot going for her.

The second appears to be a more difficult proposition although a set of blinkers could bring out the best in Vaughan Marshall’s runner Provocateur. He has shown some promise but has twice been run out of it in the finish and blinkers could do the trick.

Out side of Provocateur, Farland and Rumbleinthejungle look to be obvious threats.

Sharpe’s Eagle was given two barrier trials by Andre Nel before making his debut proper and the lightly raced colt has improved with each outing. He started at long odds when staying on well on debut and once can expect further improvement.

In the opening leg of the jackpot, Fieldmarshal Fenix takes a drop in class after showing up well against stronger last time out. He has a big weight to shoulder but should be competitive. Good To Give was a close-up second when tried in blinkers and is seldom far back. Open Court is lightly raced and has taken to the poly track. He also made a smart handicap debut and a repeat should see him in the firing line along with Royal Rustler who has recorded both of his wins over course and distance and has been consistent and is a must for all exotic bets.

By Andrew Harrison

Vodacom Durban July favourite African Night Sky has been raised four points by the handicapper to 112 after his impressive win in the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1800m on Saturday.

Gold Standard (Liesl King)

Handicapper Matthew Lips said Platinum Prince, who finished a 0,9 lengths third, was chosen as the line horse. On paper that equated to just a two point raise for African Night Sky but another two points were added due to the circumstances of the win i.e he came from a long way back, suffered some interference (which caused him to switch) and yet still won easily. As things stand African Night Sky will carry 57kg in the July. Betting World currently make him 16/10, World Sports Betting have him at 17/10 and Track and Ball offer 19/10.

Platinum Prince and second-placed Crowd Pleaser remain on their same merit ratings of 101 and 102 respectively.

Meanwhile, the Grade 3 Jubilee Handicap winner Yakeen has been raised four points to 103 and the narrow runner up Tilbury Fort went up three points also to 103. Yakeen’s best July ante-post price is now 22/1 and Tilbury Fort’s is 25/1.

The merit ratings of July contenders Gold Standard and Roy Had Enough, beaten into 5^th and 6^th in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge, remain unaltered on 117 and 110 respectively.

By David Thiselton

Fifteen horses will face the starter on Friday night at Greyville in one of the SA Champions Season’s most exciting races, the Grade 2 Post Merchants, which usually culminates in a cavalry charge for the line.

Black Cat Back’s five wins have been over 1400m but he has done well in sprints in his last two starts. In February in the Fever Tree Handicap over 1400m at Scottsville he set a good pace but was mowed down by Sniper Shot, who has since gone on to prove his class. The yard then fitted blinkers to Black Cat Back and ran him in a Pinnacle event over 1200m at Greyville. He wasn’t quickly away and came around them from behind into the straight. He still managed to stay on for a 1,25 length third to his useful stablemate Sunset Eyes. The form was then franked by the runner up Tribal Fusion. Interestingly the blinkers were removed for Black Cat Back’s next start in the Listed In Full Flight Stakes over 1100m at Scottsville and he was a touch outpaced before running on strongly for  a 2,25 length third to Bold Respect, with Sunset Eyes in second. Bold Respect went on to win the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint. The blinkers remain off Black Cat Back on Friday night and he has a plum draw of four. His 103 merit rating is near the top of the 100 to 104 band.

Sunset Eyes (Candiese Marnewick)

There is not much between Sun Set Eyes and Black Cat Back as the former beat the latter by 1,75kg in the In Full Flight but is now 2,5kg worse off.

Three-year-old Sniper Shot was scratched for the Tsogo Sun due to a minor back strain. The last time he ran over this trip was at Scottsville and he received only 0,5kg from Sunset Eyes and ran him to 0,75 lengths. He was a touch unlucky too and had the rest of the field well beaten, including beating Tribal Fusion by close to ten lengths. He has a tricky draw of eight and is now at level weights with Sunset Eyes, but if weight for age changes are taken into account he is 1,5kg better off.

Attenborough is an enigmatic sort but proved his ability when winning the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint, albeit in a below par Grade 1 field. He was dropped out in the Tsogo Sun and ran on well for fifth. His Computaform Sprint rider Richard Fourie is back aboard and he should be staying on strongly.

Too Phat To Fly is the best weighted horse in the race on official merit ratings due to her female allowance. She was not disgraced in the SA Fillies Sprint, running on after a slow start but it is always tough against the boys and she has the widest draw of all.

Legislate is a former Equus Horse of the Year and finished third in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over this course and distance two years ago, He hasn’t raced for over two years and will likely need it despite putting up a good barrier trial.

Bishop’s Bounty showed his class when winning the Diadem with a blistering finishing effort. The tough Kenilworth track suited him. He is likely to be dropped out from a wide draw in this race and it is going to be tough to make up the ground but he will be running on strongly.

Our Mate Art will have to improve considerably on his Tsogo Sun Sprint run, which he likely needed. He won the Matchem over 1400m this season, showing he has the speed and should be running on.

Pure Blonde was beaten three lengths by Black Cat Back in the In Full Flight and is only 0,5kg better off, so has a tough task on that form. He finished second from a tough draw in the Grade 2 Senor Santa over 1160m, although the form of that race is open to question.

Three-year-old Wonderwall showed he can mix it with good sprinters when fourth in the Grade 2 Senor Santa, beaten 0,8 lengths by Pure Blonde. He faces the latter on the same terms, although if weight for age changes are taken into account he is effectively 1,5kg better off.

Wynkelder just failed to beat Hack Green and Sergeant Hardy over 1100m here in April but on In Full Flight Stakes form is 1,5kg worse off with Black Cat Back despite being beaten 1,5 lengths by him.

My Pal Al needed his last two starts but has the ability, although his best form has been on the poly.

Rock Of Africa looks held by Wynkelder on Greyville form and by the like of Black Cat Back on Scottsville form.

Hoist The Mast has a tough task at the weights against the other female Too Phat To Fly on official merit ratings, but she did once beat the like of Sommerlied at level weights when just failing to win the Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m so has the ability to upset.

Mombela is a talented sort with problems, so is lightly raced as a six-year-old and this is his first attempt at a feature race.

By David Thiselton