David Thiselton 

THE Equus Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding continued her dominance of the Highveld on Saturday when beating two of her stable companions and three of the usual suspects with ease in the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m. The Paul Peter-trained Silvano filly’s racing style is ideally suited to the Standside track at Turffontein as she is able to relax in the running and has a high cruising speed and she can then pick off her rivals one by one in the long straight with her powerful and resolute finish.

However, it is unlikely that the Rainbow Bridges and Line Backers of South Africa are going to travel up to Johannesburg to take her on in her own backyard so the question remains whether she can perform to as high a level at away centres which all have tighter tracks. On current evidence a change in tactics is going to have to be employed if she is going to entrench her place among the greats by winning the  Vodacom Durban July.

She has only run away from home twice, winning the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville and finishing unplaced in the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m. In the former race she looked in trouble at the top of the straight due to her lack of instant acceleration but after eventually finding topgear she hauled in her rivals in her normal resolute manner and won going away. In the Paddock Stakes she had a nice position in midfield behind a good pace but could only stay on at one pace while the horse she had sat behind in the running, Queen Supreme, accelerated away to a cosy victory.

That was undoubtedly the best field Summer Pudding has faced and she was beaten 4,95 lengths but there was also little doubt that she was not her usual self. She was duly found to have a nasal discharge and there was a lot of mucous in her airways. The horse she beat in the Woolavington by 0,90 lengths, Driving Miss Daisy, finished 2,75 lengths behind her in the Paddock Stakes which creates some leverage for her detractors.

However, Driving Miss Daisy was beaten 4,90 lengths by Running Brave over the same course and distance as the Woolavington when receiving 1,5kg from the latter in the subsequent Gold Bracelet and Summer Pudding gave Running Brave 2kg and a 2,50 length thrashing in the Summer Cup over the Turffontein Standside 2000m.

Anyway, Summer Pudding will be able to prove how good she is in her ideal conditions in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m on Turffontein Standside on May 1 as she looks likely to face the Vodacom Durban July runner up and Equus Champion three-year-old male from last season Got The Greenlight.     Unlike her Got The Greenlight is ideally suited to tighter tracks like Hollywoodbets Greyville as he has superb acceleration and he then tends to idle after hitting the front, so the Champions Challenge is going to be an intriguing tactical affair.

That pair might also have to face the top class three-year-old Malmoos in that race, which will add to the intrigue. Summer Pudding’s worth as an Equus Horse Of The Year is not in doubt.

Her nine run unbeaten streak was the best such sequence since Bush Telegraph made it nine from nine when winning the 1987 Durban July and she was never in doubt of winning any of those starts.  However, the question is whether Summer Pudding will be viewed in history as a Turffontein specialist?  The seed of hope that might enable to do just as well at Hollywoodbets Greyville can be found in her comeback run this season,  when sitting in second place behind a genuine pace in a 1600m event at Turffontein Standside. There was no sign of her usual flat spot and she instead quickened well and had soon put the race to bed.  So, she is likely going to have to be in the lead or close to the pace to have a chance in the Vodacom Durban July, if that race is her ultimate target.

It just seems likely from current evidence that she will run out of straight in the July if she sits in midfield and then attempts to overhaul the like of Got The Greenlight, Malmoos and the big guns from the Cape in the short Hollywoodbets Greyville run in, especially considering she is going to be asked, as things stand, to carry 57.5kg.    

David Thiselton

EQUUS HORSE OF THE YEAR Summer Pudding makes her comeback at Turffontein Standside tomorrow and having previously proven she runs well after a layoff she should win the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m. 

Trainer Paul Peter said the four-year-old Silvano filly had enjoyed her break in Cape Town after running below par in the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes and was currently “exceptionally well.”

She has the whole field held on previous form with the exception of Portico whom she has never faced before but the latter is 8.5kg out at the weights with her so is unlikely to trouble her.

Zillzaal is a former Summer Cup winner over this course and distance and went way to fast in this year’s renewal when beaten 37 lengths by Summer Pudding. He signaled a returned to his best last time when running on strongly to win over the too sharp 1400m in a Progress Plate. He is usually in front or up with the pace and in this small field he will be dangerous as he might be able to dictate. However, under the conditions he has to give 2,5kg to Summer Pudding which makes him officially 8kg under sufferance with her.

Youcanthurrylove is distance suited and in good form and he could make up the trifecta.

Earlier the Grade 3 Protea Stakes over 1100m for two-year-olds should be an intriguing contest.

It is quite easy to predict how the race will pan out for the chief protagonists Under Your Spell and Heavens Girl who are drawn ten and eleven respectively in the eleven horse field. 

Heavens Girl led last time and was mowed down late by Under Your Spell over 1000m so she should be in the lead on the Standside rail with Under Your Spell sitting in her slipstream.

Heavens Girl has proven she stays 1200m before and is now 2kg better off with Under Your Spell for a 1,25 length beating. 

However, Under Your Spell should appreciate this step up in trip and is likely to mow her down late again.

They look to be the exacta pair.

Under Your Spell’s stable companion Social Image bumped a good one in Sheela last time over 1000m but before that she was a commanding winner over 1000m and should stay the extra 100m. Formlines also point to her as the most likely of the rest to chase the leading pair home.

The best of the day could be the up and coming sprinter Mind Reader who gets better and better as she strengthens. She runs in the fifth race, a MR91 Handicap over 1000m for fillies and mares. She started the season rated 69 and after four wins two seconds and two thirds is now rated 90. However, her transformation in the looks department suggests she is still ahead of the handicapper as she has become a powerhouse of a filly she has a big heart to match. All Of Me and Muleta look to be the chief dangers.

In the last race over 2000m Senescence makes appeal. Lyle Hewitson rode her last time and came into the straight over this trip on the tight Inside track with a double handful but could not find an immediate way through and after diving for the inside two others had stolen a march. Senescence was unable to catch them but it should be a different story on this galloping course with its long straight and she can make amends.

Last Song should also be hard to beat in the first race. She pulled a lot on debut over 1450m yet still stayed on well and only just got touched off. She looks to have a big engine and speed to burn so the 1160m trip should suit at this stage. 

AFTER launching their “Best Dressed Groom” campaign during the Cape Summer Season, Jonsson Workwear have committed to extending this initiative to Champions Season and will reward the best dressed groom of each race in KwaZulu Natal from 4 April to 31 July with a R500 Jonsson Workwear voucher.

“Our aim is to reward grooms and encourage them to take pride in how they dress and the work that they do. We believe when you feel good at work, you perform at your best”, said Nick Jonsson, CEO of Jonsson Workwear.

Covering 35 KZN race meetings over the period, this campaign will inject approximately R150 000 into uplifting grooms in the province. In addition to this, Jonsson Workwear will also reward the trainer, jockey and groom of the horse that wins the 2021 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes, run on Vodacom Durban July day, with a R5000 voucher each.

“We are very fortunate to have passionate stakeholders like Mr. Jonsson who look at new ways to support the industry during these very challenging times”, said Steve Marshall, Events & Marketing Executive of Gold Circle. “We will be announcing each winner on course where they will be presented with their R500 voucher and pictures will be published of all the winning grooms on Gold Circle’s social media platforms.

David Thiselton

THE highlight of the nine race meeting at the Vaal straight course tomorrow will be the second, a Progress Plate over 1000m, as Mount Pleasant will attempt to redeem himself after three disappointing runs.

This Australian-bred was the highest rated three-year-old in the country after winning his first three races from 1100m to 1450m including beating decent older horses in the Grade 2 Jo’burg Spring Challenge. However, he has finished unplaced in all three subsequent starts, which were all Grade 2 events. Two of them were over 1600m so it could be argued that he did not stay. He then faded again over 1160m but he did have first-time blinkers on and had taken a strong hold from the off. The blinkers have been removed and he drops further down in trip.  This long-strider, who has now dropped to a 114 rating, certainly has a lot of pace and this will be his last chance to prove that he is not following in the footsteps of his sire Vancouver, who was unbeaten in five starts as a two-year-old, including the Group 1 Golden Slipper, but never got going as a three-year-old and was soon retired. Another concern for Mount Pleasant’s Chances is that his talented jockey Callan Murray has been going through a rough patch and has not had a single winner this month. Slalom Queen is a zippy filly and she has two wins and a second in three starts over this course and distance, although she is officially 2,5kg under sufferance with Mount Pleasant. Visiway has a winning chance too. He is speedy and is capable of blitzing a field but the concern is the respiratory noises he has been reported to make and it seemed to manifest last time when not able to find extra in the closing stages. However, that was against MK’s Pride and Tropic Sun et al and it was over 1200m so back down to 1000m he has a definite shout. The officially best weighted horse is Vaseem, who used to be a stablemate of Mount Pleasant’s in the Mike de Kock yard, but he has not run for close to six months and has his first outing for Roy Magner. The yard said, “He is fit and well but will need the run.” Battleoftrafalgar disappointed last time when drawn quite low at Turffontein Standside but he enjoys the Vaal and can do better although he has a tough task at the weights, being 8kg under sufferance with Vaseem. Garden Party is 6,5kg under sufferance with Mount Pleasant so this quirky but speedy sort will also have it tough and South East, who also has a tough task at the weights, doesn’t appear to enjoy soft going and there is plenty of rain around. 

In the first race over 1000m Sonny Quinn is the form choice from Just As Rich, although Night King looks the part and blinkers could ignite him after his moderate debut around the turn. 

In the third over 1000m I Dream Of Genie is superbly bred, being by Gimmethegreenlight out of Judpot mare Little Genie, who once defeated the champion sprinter Carry On Alice in a Listed event over 1000m when receiving just 1,5kg. She has not surprisingly been priced up as favourite. The form choice among those to have run is undoubtedly Zodiac Princess who gets the blinkers back on dropping back to 1000m.  

In the fourth over 1400m Spanish Song caught the eye staying on strongly over 1200m on debut after dwelling at the break. She has substance and has a shout with improvement. Lucy Belle had to be dropped out to last in her last start over this trip and had too much ground to make up but ran on well and she will appreciate going down the straight here as she can run on from closer to the pace. Ancestral Prayer is a big and classy looking filly by Ideal World out of Grade 2 KRA Fillies Guineas winner Maybe Yes and she should improve on her debut over 1200m when backed before being outpaced and green.  The two early weak favourites were Dynamic Lass, who is by Dynasty out of five-time winning Grade 3-placed Ellie’s Wish, and Just Judy, who finished second in an uninspiring contest over 1600m last time where she was caught late.   

The fifth is a competitive Maiden Handicap over 1400m. Light Warrior has a nice big action and a good turn of foot and he will appreciate the step down in trip after being caught behind a slow pace over 1600m last time.  

The sixth over 1800m sees the return of the much touted Reunion, a ten length winner on debut. He simply went too fast in front over 1600m last time and can be forgiven that run. He is by Flower Alley out of Ilha Bela so should love this trip but he dos have topweight and hasn’t run since late December so preference is for the consistent and progressive Kay Tee Perry, who strikes as one who will enjoy this step up in trip.  

In the seventh over 1000m Upcloseandpersonal will have come on from her last start and could be the one to side with although it is another competitive race.

In the eighth over 1200m Midnight Gem did not beat much on debut but created a good impression and can follow up. Hear The Trumpet and Java House have the ability to be involved too. Fantasy Flower has come into her own and can’t be ignored and Incognito and Ramchandani Road could also be in the shake up.

Lucy In The Sky was still green when winning easily on debut and could follow up in the ninth although Speechmaker and Ramsay have to be respected too.  

Andrew Harrison

THERE is a story behind every winner and every race and it all got off to an interesting start at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

Supporters of the odds-on favourite Greenhill had their hearts in their mouths from the jump as Paul Peter’s filly did a two-step to the left out of the gate but won well enough to land the odds.

But as Peter alluded to post-race, if a horse is just a little bit better than the opposition, they can overcome slight mishaps of that nature.

Lyle Hewitson was well aware of his mounts antics at the start after being warned by Warren Kennedy, but even he was caught off guard by just how quickly it all happened. But Hewitson always had the race in hand and although Greenhill was still green, she won well enough in his experienced hands.

Gary Rich has a small string of horses at his Ashburton yard but he does get the best out of them and has his fair share of winners with the quality of horse that he has to work with.

It was back to the drawing boards with Princess Phee who caused a boil-over in the second. Given her staying pedigree, Rich was of the opinion that she would follow type.

Not so. “I didn’t realise that she had so much speed,” he admitted post-race. “She has been frustrating so I put on the blinkers and it worked out.”

The start was a disaster for supporters of Varvacious who fly-jumped out of the gate, dislodging Calvin Habib. She is obviously a bit of a handful fitted with a compression mask and earmuffs.

Favourite Sabrina Fairchild was beaten early in the straight and it was left to Indigo Moon to chase a tiring but game Princess Phee home, the line coming just too soon for Peter Muscutt’s runner.

Muscutt had better fortune in the next as the money was piled onto Soller and the money banked two furlongs out. Hewitson had the favourite out and rolling from the jump with Global Appeal matching strides in the early exchanges. But there were tell-tale signs early as Ant Mgudlwa’s elbows started pumping on Global Appeal before the turn. Soller strolled clear in the straight and although Diamonds And Toads made a belated challenge the race was all over as a contest.

Mary Liley has been a staunch supporter of racing and her colours of vieux rose and cream sleeves have been carried by some tremendous gallopers over the past four decades. Her mare In Jest is not going to emulate the feats of Bold Monarch, possibly her best horse she raced in partnership with her late husband John, but Tony Rivalland’s mare built on her last win to score with a flying finish in the fourth.

Matadora’s Parade and Aalsmeer looked dead and buried at the top of the straight as they came under pressure, but the pair gallantly fought off all challenges until Stuart Randolph produced In Jest, racing in cheek pieces for the first time, with a telling late run to win going away.

Rivalland intimated that this was a prep run for a race that he had earmarked in a fortnight’s time so she is one for a punter’s notebook.

Veteran trainer Tony Nassif is one of the characters of the sport and is a regular raider from the Highveld. He often comes with horses that have no obvious form, but you leave them out of calculations at your peril.

Suntrax arrived with nothing to suggest that she had a chance in the fifth but she took to the synthetic track under leading apprentice Kyle Strydom and produced a telling late run. Favourite Rock Flight was caught three wide all the way but although moving up to win, had no answers when challenged.

Candice Dawson has been around the block from the Vaal, Randjesfontein, Mauritius and back but she does know her way around a racehorse.

Psycho King rallied under replacement rider Keagan de Melo and Luke Ferraris produced Saviour with a smashing late effort to snaffle the opposition in the seventh.

If you had called a winner 100 m out in the last you would not have even considered the Duncan Howells filly Beat It. She was not in the picture but finished with a tremendous turn of foot under replacement rider Stuart Randolph to round of a patchy meeting for punters with some bombs landing and the odds-on chances arriving.