Bernard Fayd’Herbe, in Dubai since Met day, can score on his first ride back at Durbanville tomorrow when European Roller has a favourite’s chance of giving Justin Snaith a belated first Cape Town two-year-old winner of the season.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe (Liesl King)

Snaith used to go for it from the start with his juveniles – he won the Listed race on the day of the Met five years in succession – but high handicap marks convinced him that it was in the long term interest of his horses to adopt a more patient approach. Snowdance did not race until mid-February and it was April before Oh Susanna saw a racecourse in earnest.

This season the patience has been even more pronounced but European Roller has two runs under her belt and, after running green first time, she beat all except future stars Nous Voila and Canukeepitsecret. She is 19-10 favourite for the Fillies Maiden Juvenile, is well drawn and looks the one they all have to beat.

Fayd’Herbe’s mount holds 22-1 shots Talk The Tiger and Ducky Fuzz. Second favourite Yolta (15-4) was beaten seven lengths when third to stable companion Carioca but it’s the newcomers who may prove the biggest dangers. Million Rand purchase Santa Clara is the most expensive of these and it’s worth noting that three of Candice Bass-Robinson’s four two-year-old winners this term have been with first timers.

Grant van Niekerk rides 6-1 stable companion Lesedi La Rona – he is retained by Drakenstein – and Greg Cheyne is on R275 000 buy Marmalade Sky as the filly is part-owned by Ridgemont. With Vaughan Marshall’s juveniles on fire it is surprising, and possibly significant, that Dancing For Rain (by Rock Of Gibraltar) has drifted from 3-1 to 5-1 but they all have it to do to beat European Roller.

The log leader may also win the next with 33-10 chance Master’s Spirit who failed on Met day but on his previous start is 2.5kg better with Phelan Lucky for a length and a quarter. That should be enough to turn the tables.  Phelan Lucky is 5-2 favourite with World Sports Betting. Vincente (33-10) second favourite, has been raised three points for his win earlier in the month while stable companion Olympian (7-2) has been off for almost four months.

In the Tabonline Maiden Miss Smarty Pants is very short at 8-10 for a horse who has been a beaten favourite on her last two starts but main market rival Strawberry Fire has not raced for four months. The latter’s stable companion Love Of My Life should beat Oloye and Blue Flower in race seven.

By Michael Clower

The Vaal Classic track stages a low key nine race meeting tomorrow ahead of the fireworks in two weeks time at Turffontein’s Classic meeting.

The highlight will be the fourth race, a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1450m, in which some good horses appear as a likely preparation event for the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes over 1600m next month. Nother Russia has speed and class and from a good draw looks the one to beat. She is certainly weighted to win, being 3kg better off than any other horse according to official merit ratings. Silvan Star has always struck as one with class and has not had much luck in her career. However, being by Silvano she will be as good as ever as a five-year-old and will make her presence felt over a suitable trip from pole position.

Nother Russia (JC Photographics)

Secret Star has speed and a fine turn of foot and will also be a threat. The last time she met Nother Russia over this trip was also in a Pinnacle event at level weights and she finished just 0,7 lengths behind her. Gimme Six finished just behind Sylvan Star in the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes when running on well from a high draw and should be right there with Strydom up. Kilauea has a tough task at the weights but has done well against the boys twice over this trip recently so can’t be written off with Lerena up, although a wide draw doesn’t help her cause.

The best bet on a tricky card could be Nightwatchman in the eighth over 2000m. He won his maiden over 1600m in workmanlike fashion and will relish this step up in trip. He is drawn well and Gunther Wrogemann will know him well by now. He doesn’t face a strong field, although Yer-Maan, winner of the Grade 1 Castle Tankard three years ago, has proved recently he has dropped to a competitive merit rating and he and the disappointing Inn A Million could be the main dangers.

The value bet could be Cape Infanta in the sixth race over 1600m. She has ability and usually goes close if things go her way. They should go her way here as she has a good draw and with the like of Shelly in the line up there should be some pace. She can then run on in the final stages. The consistent Flowing Gown will be a danger. The last time they met Flowing Gown beat Cape Infanta by three lengths over 1600m, but she is now 5kg worse off, so there is not much in it on paper. Fish River Canyon should also bounce back from a poor run as she is reunited with Lyle Hewitson. She is drawn well and her last win was at this course over 1500m.

The Tin Man in race five has plenty of ability but unfortunately has breathing issues. Over this 1200m trip he can get away with and has a plum draw with Gavin Lerena is up.

Lerena could also win the second race over 1450m on Leslies Pathtofame as she has faced some fair types over this sort of trip without being disgraced and now faces an uninspiring field. She has some pace too and from pole position should be able to dictate.

The last leg of the Pick 6 is a tricky fillies and mares handicap over 2000m, but Lyle Hewitson is an interesting booking for A P Chanel, whose last win was over this trip and she is now effectively one point lower in the merit ratings and well drawn.

By David Thiselton

This year marks the tenth anniversary of one of the Vodacom Durban July’s most celebrated renewals and two of the big race’s finest rides.

In 2008 the great Pocket Power and the gallant filly Dancer’s Daughter dead-heated in an epic tussle, which had the crowd delirious with excitement.

Marinaresco

Five-year-old Jet Master gelding Pocket Power had arrived in KZN with his name already stamped in history, having just defended his crowns in both the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and the J&B Met.

However, he was yet to win a Grade 1 outside of Cape Town.

In 2007, he had been desperately unlucky to have lost the Grade 1 Gold Challenge by a whisker. He had been continually baulked in the straight before producing a devastating finish. Legendary trainer Mike Bass had found that result particularly hard to bear, as he had done wonders to have the big bay so fit. Pocket Power had missed his intended preparation when scratched at the start of the Drill Hall Stakes, a scenario which could have been avoided had Bass been on course to offer advice about the gelding’s perennial foot problem. To cap it all his 2007 July preparation had then been interrupted not only by his bothersome foot but also by unseasonable rain. He still ran a great race, though, finishing a 0,45 length dead-heat fourth carrying topweight of 58kg.

So, 2008 was going to be the year Pocket Power made amends.

One horse with the ability to stand in his way was the robust four-year-old British-bred grey filly Dancer’s Daughter, who was coming off a Grade 1 double in the Paddock Stakes over 1800m and the Majorca Stakes over 1600m.  However, after being backed from 5/1 into 2/1 for her Champions Season opener in the SA Fillies Sprint, she didn’t raise a gallop and finished a well beaten eleventh.

Trainer Justin Snaith could see she was not herself. Dancer’s Daughter, like many top fillies, was often unfriendly, but there were two beings in the world she doted on, her stablemate Crimson Blossom and her groom Cyprian Mkhonowana. She had a grate between her and Crimsom Blossom at her Champions Season stable at Clairwood so she could see her. Justin’s mother Sue suggested she was missing Cyprian and consequently the Snaiths flew the filly’s regular groom in from Cape Town.

Sue Snaith recalled at the time, “When she saw him coming she began neighing her head off and kicking the door, she was so happy to see him.” The turnaround in the powerful grey was immediate. However, the public had written her off and she started 10/1 for the Gold Challenge, with Pocket Power 8/10 favourite. Dancer’s Daughter’s run was opposite to her one at Scottsville. She tore off, pulling Weichong Marwing’s arms off, and running three wide. Yet, incredibly, she still found extra in the straight and won by a comfortable 0,75 lengths from Imbongi. Pocket Power was possibly given an overconfident ride and was left with too much to do. He was a fast finishing 1,5 length fourth.

The Conglomerate

Marwing jumped off Dancer’s Daughter for the July, not surprisingly considering how strongly she had raced in the Gold Challenge. She had also over raced when winning the Paddock Stakes and Justin Snaith pointed out what a “serious horse she must be” to have won two Grade 1s in such fashion. Snaith had no doubt she would stay, having ridden her in work himself. He maintained she would drag him twice around Clairwood if she could such was her love of galloping. Ironically, he used to regularly ask Pocket Power’s jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe to workride her, knowing he was strong enough to hold her. Snaith’s only concern was about her settling and he needed the right jockey. He found the perfect one in Kevin Shea, who had two of the best pair of hands in the business.

And so the big day dawned with an age old family rivalry set to do battle again. Mike Bass and Justin Snaith’s father Chris had shared a house as students and had started their training careers together in the Cape Hunt amateur ranks. Chris was the first to take out his professional license and Mike was his assistant for a year. They were each other’s best men and their children grew up as close friends. Justin was assistant to Mike at one stage too, while Bernard Fayd’herbe, Pocket Power’s jockey, and Justin are great friends.

Pocket Power started 28/10 favourite and Dancer’s Daughter, receiving 5kg, was 8/1 second favourite. The gates opened and Dancer’s Daughter was slowly away from a draw of 13, surely by design, as Shea then tucked her in behind runners. The ultra-tough filly was unphased by the jostling she received before the first turn. Meanwhile Pocket Power had jumped beautifully from draw three, but also experienced some rough and tumble before the turn. Dancer’s Daughter raced two wide most of the way, but had cover, and coming up the hill Shea had managed to get her one wide and between horses.  Pocket Power was travelling well in midfield on the rail. Both horses were poised to strike. Fayd’Herbe bided his time in the straight as he had a wall of horses in front of him, but upon switching outward at the 300m mark the big bay showed an explosive turn of foot.

However, the filly had crept up and was on his flank. Pocket Power’s huge stride carried him past the horses inside of him, but Dancer’s Daughter was galloping resolutely, her nose bobbing up and down with determination, and was gaining inch by inch. She put her head down on the line and after an agonising wait the second ever July dead-heat was announced. The photo finish showed Pocket Power’s hoof across the line, an illustration of his enormous stride. The pair had another titanic clash in the 2009 Met, but on weight for age terms this time Pocket Power won by a quarter of a length.

By David Thiselton

Last week it was Glen Kotzen, today it’s Vaughan Marshall and tomorrow Justin Snaith. The annual racehorse migration to Durban is on in earnest and in the vast majority of cases the man organising the great trek is Peter Choice.

Choice (“the best in the business,” according to Marshall) is a 62-year-old Australian who once trained a Group 1 winner and who has been in South Africa since 1994. His Choice Carriers firm has eight trucks (he doesn’t use the word float) each specially built for horse transport.

Taking anything as highly strung as a racehorse on the open road can be fraught with danger and few in the industry have forgotten that dark day in 1989 when ten of the legendary Terrance Millard’s best horses were injured in an accident on the N1 and July winner Right Prerogative was among those killed.

Pack Leader (Candiese Marnewick)

Choice, somewhat understandably, places particular importance on his drivers and on ensuring they avoid fatigue. “Anyone can drive a truck,” he says. “But with racehorses the driver has to be special. He is carrying a very valuable cargo, he mustn’t brake too suddenly and he has to know how to load horses.”

The principal driver and his co-driver split the journey into two hour-plus shifts and aim to leave Cape Town by 7.00am. The trucks take 16 horses, each in a partitioned stall, but the normal load to Durban is restricted to between ten and 13 to allow for all their accompanying baggage.

The horses are given roughage such as oat hay, but no concentrates, and are watered in Laingsburg, Beaufort West and Colesberg. Depending on roadworks Choice expects them to make the 1 000k to the Bloemfontein stopover between 7.00pm and 8.00pm.

“They go into five star accommodation there and stay for two hours minimum and possibly longer, depending on how they have travelled.”

The remaining 600k to Summerveld is done through the night and, as it is so much cooler, usually only one stop for water is required. They arrive at dawn, importantly before the heavy N3 traffic begins in earnest.

The cost to the owner – there are no subsidies – is between R4 000 and R 5 000 per horse and the same again when they return to Cape Town at the end of the Durban season.

Choice, who has been doing this for the past 15 years, has been planning his loads for weeks. “Vaughan has 19 or 20 horses going and so we split the load because we try not to have colts and fillies on the same truck.

“When that’s not possible we put them on different levels – each truck has three levels as transporting racehorses is such a specialised thing.”

By Michael Clower

Yesterday’s Greyville meeting ended on a farcical note as a false start resulted in the favourite Fire Song galloping 800m and being scratched at the insistence of jockey Anton Marcus along with offender, Sandcastle, who broke through his gate moments before the starter sent the field on its way.

After a lengthy delay, the situation was compounded by a second false start, this time not called by the starter, resulting in the ‘winner’ and favourite Lord Of Glencoe being declared a non-runner after a review of the start by the stipendiary stewards, Lord Of Glencoe charging his gate which opened fractionally ahead of the rest.

The race eventually went to the Ivan van Wyk-trained Sherman.

Pure Logic (Candiese Marnewick)

The meeting started with a double for Doug Campbell. The card opener always looked to be a match between Campbell’s Rose Hill and the luckless Esstoora and it went according to script with Rose Hill getting the upper hand in the two-horse contest, although it got a bit sweaty for Rose Hill supporters at the top of the straight.

In the box seat on the fence turning for home, pacemaker Bhavani dropped back suddenly and Anthony Delpech was force to check Rose Hill only to find himself hemmed in on his outside by Esstoora and forced to drop back even further to get around.

“The kid in front of me stopped and Anton tried to keep me in but that’s race riding,” reasoned Delpech. “I would have done the same. It just showed that my filly was a bit better than his.”

The ‘Del Mar’ show kicked off early with Delpech winning the first and Marcus the next two with a pair of straight forward rides.

Tracking the pace deep into the straight, Marcus extracted Pathway To Glory out from behind a tiring Grizzard before setting sail for home for a bloodless victory in the second.

Seattle Silva finally got her maiden out of the way much to the relief of Peter Muscutt who runs Brett Crawford’s satellite yard at Summerveld. “Mission accomplished Lance!” said Muscutt, referring to owner Lance Sherrell. “She’s been frustrating,” he said of the filly who had run into the money six times in her dozen starts.

The ‘Del Mar’ show came to an abrupt end in the opening leg of the jackpot with favourite Moon Bird disappointing as much improved apprentice Khanya Sakayi accounted for the first upset of the afternoon on the 30-1 chance Royal Rustler for Dennis Bosch.

“The kid rode a good race,” summed up Bosch who was also a little taken aback by the win. “He’s a weird horse. He likes to run up alongside a horse and hang in there for a while and then taker off. That’s how he won his maiden. But the kid rode an ‘un-panicked’ race.”

Sakayi took advantage of the strong tail wind as he went clear in the straight to win unchallenged for the tenth victory of his short career.

The poly track is not every trainer’s cup of tea but there is little doubt that horses with miles on the clock generally take to the surface.

A case in point is Tuscan who notched the ninth win of his career at eight years old and his fifth win on the synthetic surface. With apprentice Julius Mphanya, second on Tuscan at his previous two starts, back in Port Elizabeth, Diego de Gouveia took over in the saddle for Kom Naidoo and the pair took command inside the final furlong to win well.

Marcus’s talents were back on display in the sixth, booting home his third winner of the afternoon on the Duncan Howells-trained Sitia. Taking the filly to the lead shortly after the start, they looked to be in trouble with a furlong to run as the chasing pack, led by Expresso Martini, looked set to swamp the pair. But Marcus extracted extra from his mount and they eventually drew off to win quite comfortably.

The ‘Del Mar’ express was back on track as Delpech drove hard in a tight finish to get Dean Kannemeyer’s runner Pure Logic home in the second last to make amends for his recent defeat when favourite.

By Andrew Harrison