Super Performer advertised his prospects for Thursday’s CRT Horses In Training Sale (in the Kenilworth parade ring) by making most of the running for an emphatic win in the seven furlong maiden at Durbanville on Saturday.

Corne Orffer and Brett Crawford decided to fit ear muffs and change tactics on the 15-1 shot and this certainly worked.  “He had been over-racing but here he was doing it comfortably in front,” said Crawford. “He is a typical Dynasty in that he just needs to strengthen up and find his feet.”

The gelding might not make much of a contribution to the Absa bank debt but there are more races to be won with him and he could easily fetch more than the R225 000 Mayfair Speculators paid for him as a yearling.

Corne Orffer

Canukeepitsecret leaves for Durban on Thursday with the rest of Vaughan Marshall’s KZN team after comfortably landing prohibitive 1-4 odds in the TAB Telebet Maiden Juvenile Fillies but seemingly she is a different type to her Allan Robertson-winning full sisters All Is Secret and The Secret Is Out.

M.J. Byleveld remarked that she is a bit smaller and Marshall added: “The others that I’ve had from this family were out-and-out sprinters but I think this one will go a mile.”

Marshall and his stable jockey followed up with Symphony in the Betting World Maiden but even this double hardly compensated them for the death of star two-year-old Zinedine from a pulmonary haemorrhage last weekend.

Richard Fourie, who dominated the rest of the card with a four-timer, got Jackson off the mark as a sire when making much of the running on Bountiful Strength in the opener and seemingly the Joey Ramsden-trained winner is better than the half-length verdict would suggest.

Fourie reported: “He seemed to be stuck in third gear because he didn’t like it in front and he was looking for company” while assistant trainer Ricardo Sobotker added: “He has natural speed – and shows a lot of it at home – as well as a lovely action and a nice turn of foot.”

However stable companion Carnage had a horrible time of things 35 minutes later. She took fright in the pens and burst through the gate, inflicting several wounds in her head and knocking out a tooth. She had to be scratched. Aldo Domeyer then sprang a 13-1 surprise on Sacred Arrow but, as he waited for his turn in the Tellytrack interview box, it was his boots that attracted all the attention.

They were reminiscent of those open-toe affairs that Fareed Anthony insisted on using because he found them lucky. Domeyer’s are not quite so bad but most of his rivals wouldn’t be seen dead in them.

Nor, apparently, are they ‘lucky’ boots. “I’m over that sort of thing,” he said. “But they are comfortable. I will get them repaired.”

They certainly didn’t stop him from completing a double for Candice Bass-Robinson on Queen Moira in the last.

Braam van Huyssteen’ colours were well to the fore and Fourie won on both Paddington for Ramsden and Royal Marine for Greg Ennion while the Paul Reeves-trained Dayonaut has now won three after just holding on under his unstoppable rider in the Supabets Handicap. Top weight Rommel, eased down from almost two furlongs out, was found to be lame.

By Michael Clower

Glen Kotzen’s smart string of SA Champions Season fillies arrived safely at last Wednesday and travelled well.

Among them are the like of Elusive Heart, Franking, Princess Vicky, Luna Child, Princess Peach, and Final Judgement.

Glen Kotzen

Elusive Heart is the only horse to have ever beaten the brilliant dual Grade 1-winner Snowdance. This three-year-old Elusive Fort filly proved that 1400m handicap victory over Snowdance was no fluke when romping home in the Grade 3 Vasco Prix du Cap over 1400m in her last start. She will have two Greyville turf features over 1400m in her sights, the Grade 3 Umzimkhulu Stakes on April 8 and the Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes on June 2. She is also being aimed at the Grade 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas on May 4.

Franking is a merit rated 86 King Of Kings filly, whom Kotzen rates. She has won twice over 1600m and 2000 respectively.

He also rates Princess Vicky, who is the first foal of the four-time Grade 1-winner he trained, Princess Victoria. He said this three-year-old Silvano filly had plenty of speed, but stays a mile, and he would start her in sprints. He believed she would “go through the divisions” and hoped she could pick up a feature.

Three-year-old Ideal World filly Luna Child has won her last three races including the Listed Breeders Guineas and the Daisy Fillies Guineas is an obvious target.

Three-year-old Captain Al filly Princess Peach, who won the Grade 3 The Sunlife Vitamins Debutante over 1200m at Greyville last season and finished third in the Grade 2 Cartier Sceptre over 1200m at Kenilworth, will be aimed at sprint events.

Four-year-old Judpot filly Final Judgement, who won the Grade 2 Gold Circle Golden Slipper as a two-year-old, was a bit disappointing during the Cape Summer. However, “she loves Durban” according to Kotzen and this was outlined by her two feature seconds last Champions Season in the Umzimkhulu Stakes and the Daisy Fillies Guineas.

Most of Kotzen’s colts and geldings arrived over the weekend, but his two big guns Eyes Wide Open and Gold Standard will only travel next month. Eyes Wide Open has the Daisy Guineas and Daily News 2000 in his sights, and Kotzen will play his Vodacom Durban July participation by ear as he is one of the highest merit rated three-year-olds in the country and might be asked to carry a big weight. Gold Standard, who did not like the fast going during the Cape Summer, is being targeted at the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and the July.

By David Thiselton

Sir Bernadini stamped himself as a three-year-old with a future with a hard-fought but game victory in the Itsarush.co.za Handicap at Greyville yesterday. This was the gelding’s third win from just four outings and with Monks Hood on his way to Hong Kong, Dennis Bosch could be left flying the local sophomore flag during Champions Season.

“He’s still a weak horse,” comment Bosch. “If he was mine I would put him away to mature but with the three-year-old season ahead of us, we will just have to see how he gets on. I think we will see the best of him when he matures and strengthens up.”

Sir Bernadini faced a useful field of handicappers in his first start on the turf and was not keen to enter his stall. Eventually coaxed in, he jumped well enough but was pushed all the way to the line by top weight Amazon King who relished the switch of surfaces.

Sir Bernardini (Candiese Marnewick)

On straight form, Sir Bernadini looked held by Fieldmarshal Fenix who had finished over two lengths ahead of him when last they met but, “that was his first run back after a two-and-a-half month break and there was no pace on,” explained Bosch. “Brandon (Lerena) had no option but to take him to the front.”

Lerena confirmed. “There was no pace on. The others ran past him but he came again. He was a green horse and still running around.”

“But there was a good pace on today and it just shows that when the pace is genuine the best horses arrive.”

Talking about green horses, both winning favourites, Sand Path and Roy’s Stingray did it the hard way but both won well enough.

The Bosch-trained Sand Path was taken down to the start by a lead pony which may have given a small clue as to his temperament. In the race, Anton Marcus had a difficult time getting him settled but once in the straight he gave him daylight and looked set for an easy win. However, Sand Path took the scenic route, ducking sharply to the outside fence but fortunately still had enough in hand to see off the outsider Dot Coza.

Roy’s Stingray, having her first outing for Alyson Wright, gave Anthony Delpech a torrid ride and the champion jockey certainly earned his riding fee.

Difficult at the gate, she refused to settle in the running and even when finally getting cover was still tugging for her head.

Delpech took the opposition on early in the straight and kept bullying her to the line. She is obviously a filly with some talent and if Wright can keep a lid on her temperament she may well prove to be more than useful.

Rocky Coast found some good market support in the ante-post market and Muzi Yeni produced Frank Robinson’s gelding with a perfectly timed run to nail long-time leader Podcast on the line in the card opener. Favourite Eastbrook was given every chance but folded tamely over the final furlong.

Drawn wide, the cards fell nearly into place for Rocky Coast. “I was fortune that they were chasing for position, this being a five furlong,” said Yeni. “They went a bit fast.”

Robbie Hill looks to have a smart filly in the making in Petra who came home smartly in the All To Come Maiden Plate in spite of going every which way but straight on debut. “She improved on her barrier trial in work and I think she will go a little further,” said Hill. “She’s shown a lot of ability and some speed. If they don’t show speed at this stage then mostly they are not too good,” quipped Hill, a former top rider himself.

By Andrew Harrison

The Listed Drum Star Handicap over 1800m heads the nine race meeting at Turffontein Standside on Saturday and Shenanigans, who took Lyle Hewitson to a record number of wins as an apprentice last week, can follow up.

The four-year-old colt is improving in the typical style of a son of Dynasty and having won that last race going away over 1700m he can handle an effective three point raise and the slight step up in trip will suit. His tricky draw of six in an eleven horse field should be of no bother as he can come from off the pace. Secret Captain is full of ability but is an enigmatic type who had former trainer Duncan Howells tearing his hair out. He moved yards on Howell’s suggestion and produced a flying finish in his second run for Mike de Kock over 1600m. On that evidence he should relish the step up to 1800m and if h puts it in will be a big runner from pole position under Anthony Delpech.

Girl On The Run (Candiese Marnewick)

Dawn Assault has become consistent in middle distance and staying events and lost by a long-head to a Grade 1-winning filly, Orchid Island, last time despite giving her 2kg. On that performance he will be a big runner here.  Go Direct is by Go Deputy so will likely be at his peak as a five-year-old and he has produced a fine win over this course and distance before. He has a plum draw of two under Gavin Lerena and should be running on strongly. Arctica is a horse who often appears to find extra when it counts and under Piere Strydom he can’t be discounted, although he would probably prefer 1600m. Fareeq beat Secret Captain last time and is only half-a-kilogram worse off but he has to prove he can stay beyond a mile and has a wide draw too.

The best bet could be Fort Ember in race six. She takes quite a keen hold usually so needs a good draw and has landed one here. She can therefore reverse from with Orchid Island and Girl On The Run, who beat her over this 1800m course and distance last time easily. She is 3kg better off with them and likely needed that last run. Her Sansui Summer Cup runner up finish proved what she can do when well drawn.

The value bet is in the previous race over 2850m. Ali Bon Dubai has landed a good draw and the last time he was well drawn was in a 3000m event where he only just failed. He has a strong finish and Gavin Lerena, who was the last rider to win on him, is back aboard.

The second race over 1160m will be full of intrigue as the R5 million filly Ghaala makes her debut. She is beautifully bred being by Var out of a Captain Al half-sister to Master Of My Fate. She is drawn on the right side by trends. She faces mainly unraced runners, including Celtic Sea, a R325,000 filly by Captain Al who is a half-sister to the Grade 3 Fillies Mile third-placed Cashel Palace.

The first race is also for two-year-olds and on form Affranchi is the one to beat, having gone close to the impressive Bold Eagle first time out and then winning his second start easily.

The last race over 1160m sees a clash between Penny Royal and Inyanga and from another good draw the former is taken to reverse the form of their last meeting as she should be improving rapidly.

By David Thiselton