Brett Crawford and the owners of Whisky Baron have abandoned rich Hong Kong ambitions for last year’s Sun Met winner and the five-year-old may now join William Haggas at Newmarket.

Crawford said yesterday: “Whisky Baron wasn’t doing well so I didn’t see much point in sending him to Hong Kong (for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup on April 29). He is now in quarantine in Dubai – he has to do three weeks there – and then he goes back to Newmarket where he may join William Haggas to race there.

“I’m obviously disappointed but it’s not easy for him travelling all the time and we want to do what is best for the horse.”

Whisky Baron (Liesl King)

Haggas, whose wife is a daughter of the legendary Lester Piggott, has become one of the most fashionable and sought-after trainers in England in recent years. He is also a regular visitor to South Africa during the Cape season.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, who won the Fillies Guineas on Snowdance at Kenilworth in December but was replaced by Grant van Nierkerk when he couldn’t do the weight in the Klawervlei Majorca, will be back on her in the Daisy Fillies Guineas at Greyville on May 4.

Snaith Racing has also declared Sun Met winner Oh Susanna for the Daisy Fillies as well as for the Daisy Guineas on the same card but apparently she is far from certain to run.

Jonathan Snaith said yesterday: “If she does run that day it will be against the colts but we might not run her at all.”

The stable would like to give her an outing before the Woolavington on June 2 but there is no suitable preliminary (Jonathan: “That’s the problem”).  Callan Murray has been booked for the Clinton Binda-trained Premier Show in the Daisy Guineas and Raymond Danielson for Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Mardi Gras while Fayd’Herbe rides Cape Derby runner-up Do It Again for the Snaiths. Van Niekerk will partner stable companion Copper Force – beaten less than half a length by Legal Eagle in the Queen’s Plate – in the Independent on Saturday Drill Hall Stakes.

Brave Move will step up to feature-race company after making it four in a row with a gutsy performance in the TAB Telebet Handicap at Durbanville yesterday despite some spirited opposition. First Sandile Mbhele tried to slip the field on lightweight Philae and then Van Niekerk launched second favourite Intothelimelight with a determined final furlong bid. Brave Move’s response was simply to quicken again.

Aldo Domeyer was understandably impressed, saying: “She had every opportunity to get beat but when the other filly came at me she found more.”

Adam Marcus was even more thrilled and said: “This horse has the X factor. Giving away the weight she did to all except Epona and then being able to kick away was special. She will only have two more runs during the winter – the Ladies Mile and the Final Fling.”

Mike Stewart – “It’s not easy with a small string and I only have 35 horses” – doubled up with Silver Streamer and all-the-way scorer Count Rosberg who earned more than enough to have an apparently badly-needed wind operation.

By Michael Clower

Washed out a fortnight ago and postponed again after the first race at Scottsville on Sunday because of a patch of uneven going due to inclement weather, the KwaZulu-Natal Stakes (Listed) meeting appears jinxed.

The balance of Sunday’s nine-race card was rescheduled to Scottsville Wednesday, April 18, but after a track inspection yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, April 17, a decision was taken to move the meeting to the Greyville poly track. The Greyville meeting scheduled for Wednesday has been moved to Friday night.

Gold Circle Racing Executive, Raf Sheik, said the Scottsville track had not dried out sufficiently. “The panel decided that rather than do irreparable damage to the turf on the eve of Champions Season, it was agreed by the majority of the inspection panel that the meeting should be moved to the poly track.”

Punters should take note of the change of surface that will result in many scratchings as the poly track can only accommodate 12 runners. There are also revised starting times, the first race off at 12.50pm. The exotic bets remain as carded but because of the change of surface, all bets struck on Sunday’s Scottsville meeting will be refunded.

At the time of writing, not all trainers had been informed of the switch of surface so some runners mentioned in this article may be withdrawn.

Statute will make her poly debut if Michael Roberts lets her take her chances but the switch of surface and the 1000m my be on the sharp side for the younger sister of Vodacom Durban July winner Legislate and although Statute appears to be a sprinter at this stage of her career, both of her defeats have come around the Greyville turn .

Anyway, Michael Roberts will know exactly where he stands with the filly come evening.

Statute is up against some seriously quick opposition that includes Captain’s Girl, Jo’s Bond and Neptune’s Rain amongst others.

Louis Goosen saddles three quick fillies in Captain’s Girl, Effortless Reward and Hashtag Strat. Best of the trio could prove to be Captain’s Girl in spite of finishing behind Effortless Reward last time out. She has had one outing on the poly over the distance and was only run out if it late, so she should handle the switch of surface. In her race behind Effortless Reward, she was the stable elect but blew her chances when getting upset at the start.

She put up a smart piece of work at Ashburton on Monday so certainly looks competitive.

Neptune’s Rain is the highest rated filly in the race but this five furlongs may be on the sharp side given that she makes her poly debut as confirmed by Duncan Howells. “She is not well weighted and she would prefer 1200m.”

Stable companion Lunar Rush seldom runs a bad race but would also prefer an extra furlong or two although the poly holds no fears for her.

Last year’s winner Jo’s Bond may prove to be a better proposition. Justin Snaith’s filly has been winless since that victory but has been up against some smart opposition. She is quick and from her inside draw is a must inclusion in all bets.

Vision To Kill spiked a temperature so has been scratched but others in with winning chances are Effortless Reward, who found her best form last time out but would probably have prefered the soft ground at Scottsville, while Sommerlied is far better than her recent Cape form. The diminutive Hashtag Strat is lightning quick and although drawn wide she will be a factor on the poly.

After winning his first two in facile fashion, Billy Silver was sent to the Cape to take his chances in the CTS $500 000 but he never made the field after finishing down the field in the Cape Classic.

Both Cape starts were well below what was expected but he trialled well on the poly, beating home My Pal Al on his return, and should make a bold bid in the sixth. He was doing his best work late behind the rejuvenated Hack Green last Sunday week and that run should have brought him along. The progressive Majestic Glory could give him a go.

“He’s a smart horse and working very well at home,” said Paul Lafferty. “He’s improving all the time.”

Tottenham Hotspur got a bloody nose from Manchester City on Sunday but avid Spurs supporter Lafferty sends out Coys in the eighth. “We are a little worse off with the Kannemeyer horse (Pure Logic) because we have won since, so it will be a tough ask but he is in a good space.”

By Andrew Harrison

Majestic Mambo has come out of the nasty incident in the SA Classic on April 7 “100 percent” and is back in full work, but the Paul Peter yard are not sure yet whether he will line up in the SA Derby or the Premier’s Champions Challenge on May 5 at Turffontein.

The incident led to a horrific fall for SA Champion Jockey Anthony Delpech, who is recuperating in hospital after surgery to his neck.

Majestic Mambo would have had a good chance of winning the race, such was the manner in which he was scything between runners from last before almost being brought down when a gap closed at about the 350m mark.

However, the Peter yard were philosophical.

They said, “It wasn’t meant to be. But, he is a big strong horse and is 100 percent.”

The next step for the Mambo In Seattle colt is under discussion with the owners, the Hyperpaint Syndicate, but they are still “in two minds.”

By David Thiselton

Featured Image: Paul Peter (JC Photographics)

Grade 1 SA Classic winner Lobo’s Legend’s chief target is likely to be the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 on June 2 at Greyville.

Trainer Joe Soma said the Trippi colt had come out of his race “very, very nicely.”

The big horse’s formline looked strange going into the Classic over 1800m as he had never run beyond a sprint before.

Lobo’s Legend (JC Photographics)

However, Soma explained that he had missed his intended preparation race three weeks earlier over 1700m as the meeting had been rained out.

He always felt Lobo’s Legend would see out the trip based on his pedigree and conformation and the way he worked.

He did have a few anxious moments when the horse threw his head up in the early stages of the big race.

He said, “He can take hold of the bit, so the key is to settle him.”

Soma spoke about the colt’s tremendous turn of foot and felt having proved himself over the tough Turffontein 1800m he shouldn’t have a problem staying 2000m at Greyville.

He said, “He never stopped. Muzi said he was green at first and was waiting for other horses to join him. But then he went on his own.”

His future as a horse who has only officially raced six times looks bright and Soma said, “It was a win full of merit and hopefully he can improve and learn, so he could be anything.”

Soma will also nominate him for the Vodacom Durban July, but said they would likely see how he went in the Daily News before deciding the next step.

He added, “The biggest headache is the travelling, so it’s a hard decision. He has a long career head of him and we don’t want to be greedy and gulp everything at once.”

Soma is not yet sure whether Lobo’s Legend will take in another race before the Daily News.

Soma will also nominate the Silvano filly Wind Chill for the July. This SA Oaks winner is small but courageous and is coming off a two length fourth in the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m. She was 2kg under sufferance with the winner Coral Fever in that race so it was a good performance.

Soma has cut his string down to 40 horses after one of his chief owners Mayfair Speculators was forced to disperse their horses.

He believes that will be a good number as racing enters a tough period.

By David Thiselton

The remarkable Brave Move bids to make it four in a row in the TAB Telebet Handicap at Durbanville today and she is well-nigh impossible to oppose.

She won very comfortably over this course and distance last time, leading a furlong from home and was far from all out. Indeed Ado Domeyer was patting her down the shoulder as he crossed the line.

The just under two-length margin flattered those behind and the handicappers have been generous in only raising her five points. Early punters have taken advantage, backing her from evens to 9-10.

Aldo-Domeyer

“She is in very good form although the only thing is that she has gone up in the handicap very quickly,” comments Adam Marcus. “It is no secret what we think of her and after this she steps up in class for the Ladies Mile and the Final Fling.”

Domeyer sticks with her even though his own stable runs Intothelimelight who has been raised six points for her narrow win over two furlongs further three months ago. “My filly has had a break but she is doing well,” says Candice Bass-Robinson. “55.5kg is a bit too light for Aldo and she is better over further. I’m not sure that she can beat Brave Move over a mile.”

Intothelimelight will be ridden for the first time by Grant van Niekerk and has been nibbled at from 3-1 to 5-2 second favourite with World Sports Betting.

Philae has eased from 28-10 to 7-2 but it’s worth bearing in mind that many of those Andre Nel horses that ran when the stable was under the weather have probably dropped to a slightly lower rating than their real ability warrants.  This one made the running when just over three lengths third to Brave Move last time, is 3.5kg better and her useful rider claims a further 4kg. She looks the danger.

The probably still improving Samsara (13-2) has been upped five points for her win over 1 400m at Kenilworth and, significantly, Greg Ennion says: “I don’t think the handicappers have caught up with her yet and I’m not worried about the mile.”

Top weight Epona completes the line-up and is the outsider of the party at 8-1. She has been dropped three points for her unplaced run over two furlongs further in January. “We discovered a couple of little things – really just bad habits – that we are working on and she has been at Lammerskraal, the new owners,” says Joey Ramsden.  “Sally has done a great job with her but she needs much further and I think she will also need the run.”

Two-year-old Dancing For Rain has drifted from evens to 21-20 in the first and preference is for 33-10 chance Vase while Giant Flag may beat 5-2 favourite Magnificent Seven in race three. Rhustar Dow (33-10) is a course specialist but the shorter trip is a concern in race six.

The talented Made In Hollywood, not seen since starting favourite and finishing second in the Strelitzia Stakes nearly 12 months ago, will be back in action at Kenilworth on Saturday week.

Joey Ramsden has put her in both the Highlands Stud Winter Guineas and Sweet Chestnut Stakes and said: “She went wrong after running at Scottsville but she is doing exceptionally well at the moment and she could run in either race.”

Candice Bass-Robinson has the biggest hand in the Winter Guineas with a quarter of the 16 entries – Selangor winner Rocket Countdown, Ben-Hur, What A Summer and What A Joker.

She said: “Most of them are drawn in the bush but at this stage they will all probably run.”

By Michael Clower