The Vaal Classic track stages a ten race meeting tomorrow and an MR 86 Handicap over 1800m is the most interesting race.

Missouri was staying on in the Grade 2 Investec Dingaans over 1600m last time and looks likely to relish the step up in trip so is tipped to win under Piere Strydom, despite having to jump from draw nine. Royal Crusade is by Silvano out of Grade 1 Thekwini winner Royal Fantasy and won his maiden well over 1600m. In his handicap debut he likely needed it after a six month layoff and he lost ground at the start. He should improve a lot on that run and should be involved in the finish, although he also has to overcome a wide draw. His stablemate Wheel Of Time also returned from a layoff last time when over racing in a 1600m handicap. He had good maiden form from 1600m to 1700m before that and under Summer Cup-winning jockey Raymond Danielson this Tapit colt should settle better and can be involved. Double Mink has a nice stride and should enjoy this trip, but he was due to run on Thursday so is not sure to line up. Alssakhra beat the fair sort King’s County in his maiden over 1600m and the latter went on to win easily next time out over the same trip before later finishing third in the Listed Secretariat Stakes. Alssakhra ran well below par in the Ready To Run Cup and finished distressed. However, if he bounces back to his best he will be a runner here from a good draw under Lerena off an 81 merit rating.

Race two over 1000m sees the Mike de Kock-trained Kildonan gelding Highland Hero reappearing after failing narrowly over this trip on debut eleven days ago. He is a good looking sort who possesses a touch of class and will be hard to beat. Fearless Fred had some decent form last season and this tall sort should be cherry ripe so could return an attractive dividend for a place.

The first leg of the PA over 1800m is tricky. Tango Man was left with too much to do over this trip last time and initially stayed on well before running out of steam late. From a better draw he should be closer to the pace and this will also now be his third run after gelding. Short And Sweet and Dancing Rebel make most appeal of the rest.

In the seventh race over 2000m Ali Bon Dubai has a nice turn of foot and should relish the long straight here over his ideal trip. Gavin Lerena should get the best out of him and he can go close if not losing too much ground at the start.

The following race is an interesting MR 87 handicap over 1000m. Cathedral County has speed and class, although he does tend to start a bit slowly. He has also been found to be coughing occasionally so is not a banker proposition. However, he can progress beyond his current 85 merit rating and is tipped to win. Marmook is an excellent back up as he really caught the eye in his last start over this trip and that was his first run as a gelding. He bounded away from the opposition to win by 1,5 lengths and this Australian-bred by Medaglia D’Oro can handle a four point merit-rated raise. It would be no surprise to see him win his third race in just his fifth start.

By David Thiselton

…when the filly lines up in the Fastway Couriers Handicap at Greyville tonight.

The daughter of Captain Al has given the impression that she is way better than her form suggests and should be better than just a one-time winner. Not that she hasn’t tried, finishing close-up on a number of occasions but she has a lot going for her here from a good draw and useful apprentice ‘Phumie’ Mjoka aboard.

On a card that looks decidedly tricky, Captains Moll may be one of the more attractive bets although Goodman’s television co-host on Winning Ways, Paul Lafferty, may have other ideas as he says Zinzara is fit and well and over her optimum trip although her 13 draw is of concern.

There are also four apprentice only races card and after his four jackpot-winning rides on Wednesday, Denis Schwarz will be full of confidence going into the first of these when he partners Georgina for Alyson Wright in the second. However, Schwarz may have to take a back seat to Ashton Arries who can go one better on Symphony Sin Seven for Dennis Bosch while Dusty Button is way better than her last showing when eased up in the running and has a strong chance judged on her penultimate showing.

Midnight Messenger and Mighty Mississippi look the pick in the opening leg of the Pick 6 as the form of the balance of the field is very shallow.

Anton Marcus is back aboard Scrabble for Tony Rivalland in the Discovery Adventures Handicap, this combination running out easy winners of their maiden over course and distance before taking on much stronger in the Guineas Trial. Should Scrabble not run up to expectations then Majestic Moon and Rocket Master fit the bill as possible threats.

The mare La Suerte De Matar has finished runner-up in her only two outings in the poly and can go one better this time around in the Eagle Fire Control Handicap. She was only run out of it late behind Roy Is Second when jumping from the worst of the draw and should feature prominently.

Master Sam is the ante-post favourite and is another that has taken to the poly track after bolting in by five lengths over course and distance last time out. The Mark Dixon stable is in good form of late and Master Sam is quite capable of a repeat performance.

Doug Campbell landed a double at Greyville on Wednesday and Pathway To Glory looks capable of adding to that tally. He has his third run after a break in Tiger Moodley Handicap and should improve on his recent effort when finding traffic.

Lafferty is confident of a good showing from Zadora in the final race of the evening. “She is fit and sound and should be right there,” he said.

By Andrew Harrison

The Grade 2 Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m is the second of the Cape Summer Of Champions sprint series for fillies and mares and the Dennis Drier-trained Sommerlied looks set to confirm her progressiveness, although the current overall form of the Drier Cape string is a concern.

The Var filly has flown under the radar in much the same way as the former Drier-trained champion Val De Ra did until late in her four-year-old season.

Dennis Drier said, “I wouldn’t rate her in the same class as Val De Ra, but she is a really good filly. She has come on from her last run. We have taken her to Kenilworth since then and I was very happy with her gallop and think she is the horse to beat.”

Sommerlied has only been defeated once in six starts and is unbeaten in two starts this season. She created a new Scottsville course record for 1000m on August 5 this year. Her next start was four months later on November 11 at Kenilworth in the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes over 1100m, yet she still managed to win carrying 60kg under handicap conditions off a 101 merit rating. As Drier pointed out, a horse had to have class to be able to do that and she had come on a lot for the run too.

She is 2kg under sufferance with the best weighted horse, Jo’s Bond, but is relatively unexposed.

On the downside, a few in the Drier string have been running inexplicably badly having looked well and worked well beforehand. After the race these cases have been found to have had muck in their trachea.

Drier said some of the bloods taken of his string were fine, others not so good, but it seemed clear there was “something going around”.

Justin Snaith was unable to find a suitable race for 109 merit rated Jo’s Bond, so this is her first outing since finishing fourth in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville on May 27. Her career record suggests she is even better at 1000m and she is in fact defending her crown here. She beat last season’s Equus Champion Sprinter, Carry On Alice, last year, when receiving only 2kg. Snaith has put plenty of work into her, including two racecourse gallops at Kenilworth, although she did run on her own in both of them.

He said, “She is very well and I think ‘she’s done enough to give them a go. She’s a very good sprinting filly, is as tough as nails and will be in the firing line.”

Snaith said his other three runners had been doing very well and added, “Casual Diamond will give them a run for their money and Angel’s Trumpet has had bad luck in her races this season. Nordic Breeze would prefer a bit of cut in the ground. Jo’s Bond is the stable elect, but there is not much in it and the others could still possibly raise their game.”

The classiest contender in the race is the Cape Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual. Her best trip is 1400m and she finished a fine third in the SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m. Kenilworth has the toughest 1000m course in the country, which will suit her and she will be finishing strongly in her first run since July.

Live Life beat Carry On Alice in last year’s Sceptre Stakes and won the US$5 million CTS 1200. She was right up with the pace in her seasonal reappearance when giving Sommerlied 2kg, but prefers coming from off the pace.

Candice Bass-Robinson said, “Live Life choked up last time and we have put a new bit on so she can be switched off.” She said she had responded well to the bit in training and had been working well. Her stablemate Scandola has also been working well, but is officially 13kg under sufferance with Jo’s Bond.

Wrecking Ball is very quick and has class, although the toughness of this 1000m might just get to her in the last few metres. The same could be said of Queen Laurie.

Green Plains is the SA Fillies Nursery winner and should have come on from her last run, but is officially 3,5kg out with Jo’s Bond.

Bottom weight Shufoog has only had one run, an easy 1160m victory, but is superbly bred and could be anything.

The selection is Sommerlied to beat Just Sensual with Jo’s Bond, Live Life and Wrecking Ball next best.

By David Thiselton

Edict Of Nantes is now joint favourite with Legal Eagle with Betting World. South Africa’s biggest bookmaker has opened its book on the great Kenilworth race and the pair head the market at 5-2 with Durban July hero Marinaresco next on 17-2. All three are due to clash in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate on 6 January.

Mike de Kock’s Empress Club winner Nother Russia is a 9-1 chance and the Justin Snaith Winter Series winner  African Night Sky on 10-1 with 14-1 and upwards the others.

Rival firm World Sports Betting has Legal Eagle clear favourite at 5-2 with Edict Of Nantes shortening all the time and now 28-10. Marinaresco is 9-1  and Nother Russia on 10-1.

By Michael Clower

Gold Circle have issued guidelines as to what steps will be taken should racemeetings be affected by adverse weather conditions, especially lightning.

Persistent lightning in and around the race course during a race meeting can result in lengthy delays and tremendous frustration for both horseracing’s stake holders and fans alike.

Clearly the safety of horse and rider is paramount and no risks will be taken with lightning in the vicinity. On the flip side of the coin, Gold Circle fully appreciates abandoning races must be a last resort and every effort must therefore be made to avoid such a situation.

An added concern with night meetings is the welfare of grooms and their charges. Racing too late results in horses getting back to their training yards at unacceptable times and Gold Circle therefore wishes to advise that it will henceforth adopt the following guidelines:-

1. Greyville night meetings will not continue past 22:30.The Company reserves the right to abandon all remaining races after this time but will make every effort to stage as many races as possible.  From time to time it may be necessary to prioritise which races are run, i.e. in the case of a feature race etc.
2. Greyville day meetings will be extended into the evening in order to give any lightning-delayed meeting every chance of being completed.
3. Decisions regarding Scottsville race meetings will be made based on sunset times.

Implementing the above could mean that a lengthy delay will be accommodated in order for as many races as possible to be completed at lightning affected race meetings, or any other unforeseen circumstances.