The Duncan Howells-trained Fiorella downed the Justin Snaith-trained big gun Snowdance in the Grade 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas and she will now be attempting a giant-killing double when she takes on the Snaith-trained Sun Met winner Oh Susanna in Saturday’s Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville.

Fiorella (Candiese Marewick)

Fiorella galloped under Muzi Yeni this week and Howells said the jockey had returned saying it was an exceptional work out.

Yeni is replacing injured Anton Marcus.

Howells said the Captain Al filly had come on from the Daisy Fillies Guineas and was very well indeed at present.

She will relish the step up in trip, being out of Caesour mare Arcola, who won the SA Oaks as well as the Grade 3 Caradoc Gold Cup over 2850m.

In her only previous attempt at beyond a mile she finished a 1,55 length fourth in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic over 1800m at Turffontein. However, Howells said she had still needed that run as a yard virus had interrupted her preparation and she had consequently been scratched from her intended build up race. He otherwise reckoned she would have won the SA Fillies Classic.

Howells mentioned Australian-bred Big Brown gelding Who Says as the best of his others on the day.  He said this three-year-old would relish the step up in trip to 2000m and he gave him an each-way chance.

By David Thiselton

Vaughan Marshall is keen on the chances of Cape Guineas winner Tap O’Noth in the Daily News at Greyville on Saturday even though the colt has over two lengths to find with Do It Again on Daisy Guineas running and is as big as 17-2 in the betting.

Marshall said: “He is doing exceptionally well at the moment and I think he is a very big runner. You will see a vastly different performance this time.”

Tap O’Noth (Liesl King)

In the Daisy Guineas M.J. Byleveld’s mount seemed uncharacteristically sluggish in the early stages and had to be pushed along. Some observers put this down to unfamiliarity with the lights.

But Marshall said: “He was drawn towards the inside, came up the worst going and got sand in his face – the next day both his eyes were closed. But I was happy with the way he finished in that race.”

Do It Again is 5-2 favourite with World Sports Betting which goes 15-4 Surcharge, 13-2 Pack Leader, 7-1 Majestic Mambo, 15-2 White River, 17-2 Tap O’Noth, 14-1 Like A Panther, 20-1 and upwards others.

Bold Respect has been raised seven points to a new merit rating of 118 for his win in last Saturday’s Tsogo Sun Sprint. This puts him above everything else that ran in the race even though he was receiving weight from five of them.

Brett Crawford said: “He could possibly go for the Mercury Sprint on July 28 but there is nothing for him in the meantime.”

Magical Wonderland, put up a point to 111 for finishing second to Sommerlied (up six to 114) in the South African Fillies Sprint, is to stay on in KZN for the time being but may not race.

Candice Bass-Robinson explained: “I can’t bring her back to Cape Town at the moment because of the quarantine regulations. I will play it by ear but the Mercury Sprint would be a big ask for a three-year-old filly.”

By Michael Clower

The Grade 1 Daily News 2000 is the main drawcard at Greyville on Saturday and should be spectacular to watch.

The strapping Twice Over gelding Do It Again showed a fine turn of foot to go from last to first in a matter of strides when winning the Grade 2 Daisy Guineas and he is now drawn in pole over a trip which is even more suitable, considering he stayed on strongly when runner up in the Grade 1 Cape Derby.

The Grade 1 Cape Guineas winner Tap O’ Noth stayed on in the Daisy Guineas for a 2,25 length third. The yard said a line could be drawn through his Cape Derby run when he was clearly not himself. He is by Captain Al but is a half-brother to the Graded-winning stayer Strathdon and they are adamant that this lanky colt will get the trip. Having the rail in the Daisy Guineas did not really suit him, being a rangy type. MJ Byleveld will have options from a draw of three.

Do It Again (Candiese Marnewick)

Highveld raider Majestic Mambo has a magnificent turn of foot and would have gone close to winning the Grade 1 SA Classic if he had not been badly hampered, as he looked set to scythe through the field. The shocking accident led to leading jockey Anthony Delpech being sidelined. Callan Murray now takes over. Majestic Mambo quickened well from the back in the SA Derby last time under Keagan de Melo but did not see much daylight and was unplaced behind the front-running winner Hero’s Honour. If he gets a better pace and some luck when running on this time he will be a definite contender.

Surcharge, who is full of class, has had shocking luck with draws this season and now has his best draw for a while of five. If his efforts to overcome draws when second in all three legs of the Triple Crown have not taken their toll he will also be a big runner as he relaxes beautifully in the running and stays on powerfully. His regular pilot Piere Strydom is unfortunately sidelined and Gunther Wrogemann takes over.

Pack Leader was considered “unstoppable” going into the Grade 2 WSB 1900 but had to be scratched after showing signs of a slight colic attack on course. This Cape Derby third-placed horse has come on a lot from his runner up spot in the Sledgehammer and the yard have made this race his season’s mission. He is another one who could get into the mix, considering how well he plugged on in the Cape Derby, although Do It Again did fly past him in the closing stages that day, and Pack Leader might prefer a more galloping track or further.

Roy Had Enough loves Greyville and ran a flat race when a decent fifth in the SA Classic, so he is the dark horse of the race as on pedigree he should enjoy the trip and he has a fine turn of foot. He will likely be dropped out from a wide draw.

White River looked like a middle distance type when staying on strongly for a half-a-length second in the Cape Guineas but he has been a touch disappointing since so is interesting having his first run as a gelding.

Like A Panther always looked to be a Derby sort so was disappointing in the SA Derby and he has a bit to find with Do It Again and Pack Leader on Cape Derby form too.

Steel Rose made a bold bid to steal the Cape Derby and should have come on from his last run when slowing dramatically in the WSB 1900, so he could have an outside chance of stealing a place from the front.

Warrior’s Rest is a giant son of champion sprinter What A Winter but he is out of a Badger Land mare who won a Listed race over 2000m. He finished a narrow third in the Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m at Greyville as a two-year-old but has had an interrupted season and comes in having also missed one of his intended preparation races. The yard reckoned he was fit enough and with his big action he runs as if he would stay the trip.

Sunny Bull Du-Toy is officially the lowest rated horse but this big rangy son of former Daily News winner Irish Flame has caught the eye recently, especially in his last start over this trip on the poly when caught wide and still powering away from them. It’s a giant leap in class but he could sneak into the money.

Alssakhra has the same connections as Majestic Mambo Mambo and it will be interesting to see whether he is there to set a decent pace as he is otherwise a hopeful entry.

Toltec is a big, rangy son of Jay Peg and has no chance on paper, but the good pace a Grade 1 usually offers might bring out the best in him over a likely suitable trip.

By David Thiselton

Glen Kotzen said the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 third favourite Pack Leader had been “flying” at home and this race had through circumstances beyond his control now become his chief SA Champions Season mission.

Pack Leader followed his excellent Grade 1 Cape Derby third place with a short-head second in the Listed Sledgehammer over 1800m at  Greyville after which he was comfortably in the top 18 on the first July log.

However, on the day of his intended next race in the Grade 2 WSB 1900 he cramped on the course and a minor colic attack was suspected.

Kotzen decided to scratch him as a precaution.

They had believed him to have been unstoppable that day

Pack Leader

He was treated and responded so well he was fresh and bucking the next day on the track.

However, Kotzen had wanted him to run in 1900 for more reasons than one. It would have brought him to his peak for the Vodacom Durban July and by avoiding the three-year-olds it would also have ensured he came into the big race well weighted.

The Daily News 2000 was the best race now available to the Philanthropist colt and as it is a Grade 1 classic it could see his merit rating jumping considerably if he wins, although it does depend on whom he beats. The yard have thus decided to make it his main mission for the season and are now viewing the July as a bonus.

Kotzen said, “He put up a super gallop last Thursday on the grass around the bend at Summerveld and is in a good space, he is on track.”

He is drawn ten but this has been a lucky draw for Kotzen in the past with Big City Life winning both the Daily News and the July from that draw.

Kotzen runs Elusive Heart and Luna Child in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.

He said about Elusive Heart, “She is one of the few horses to have beaten Snowdance and I think if ridden differently she will get the ten furlongs.” She is by SA Derby and Daily News 2000 winner Elusive Fort, but has a speedy female line and showed her speed when winning the Grade 3 Vasco Prix du Cap comfortably. She also beat Snowdance in a handicap over 1400m. In her last run she finished a 1,35 length third in the Grade 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas when staying on from second in the running.

Luna Child opened up a big lead last time out in the Scarlet Lady over 1800m at Greyville before coming back to them early in the straight but she then stayed on again to run a gallant fourth. Kotzen said, “We have changed the bit and put a tongue tie on and will ride her softly and see if it makes a difference.”

Richard Fourie rides Pack Leader and Elusive Heart, who is drawn two, and Gunther Wrogemann rides Luna Child who is drawn in pole.

Gone Baby Gone is their other runner on the day and he was said to be working like a “steam train” but the trip is too short and it is being viewed as a preparation run.

By David Thiselton

One World, despite running as green as the grass he was racing on, confirmed that he is something special with a brave, front-running display in the Play Soccer Juvenile Plate in uncharacteristically testing ground at Kenilworth yesterday.

Dan Katz (SportingPost)

MJ Byleveld decided to make it “because this is a big striding horse” but he had more than a few anxious moments, notably when the 21-10 chance decided to head straight into the rails. His mount looked beaten when Carnage came at him in the final furlong but, despite not keeping entirely straight, he kept answering his rider’s every call to prevail by a hard-fought fifth of a length.

His rider reported: “I probably went a bit slower than I wanted but he was green and at the junction he nearly went off the track. That said, he is a really nice horse.”

Vaughan Marshall, watching from Durban, said: “He is a big baby, still green, but a very good horse. We will see how he pulls up but we’ve got to go the Langerman route. That’s why I left him in Cape Town rather than take him to Durban.”

Arabian Air, who started favourite at 21-20, was beaten over four lengths into fourth but there were excuses. A veterinary examination showed him to be not striding out and Donovan Dillon said: “After he broke though the pens before the off he wasn’t himself and I was outpaced at the 800m mark which wasn’t him.”

Dan Katz is predicting a bright future for Hassen Adams’ Var filly Bouvier who made a winning debut at 14-1 under Louis Burke in the opening maiden juvenile fillies.

He said: “She is very small – I wish she was a hand higher – but she can run and she is good. I am expecting big things from her.”

The Betting World Juvenile Plate, already an exclusive match between Joey Ramsden and Candice Bass-Robinson, was decimated when three of Ramsden’s four runners were scratched ‘off-feed’ at 8.45am. But the opposition’s Cruise Along and Aldo Domeyer were made to fight for every metre by Dillon on Ramsden’s Sparkeling Fire.

Piet Botha, who took that horrible fall from Steel Rose in the Solid Speed Pinnacle at Greyville 11 days ago, sees his doctor today and is optimistic that he will be given clearance to resume next week.

BLOB Rocket Countdown is reported to have come out of his fine Winter Classic run in good shape. Deez Dayanand apparently has other trainers keen to have Jeff Lloyd in the irons in the Vodacom Durban July. He stresses that he will make the booking and that nothing has yet been confirmed.

By Michael Clower