Durban July winner Marinaresco will gallop at Kenilworth on Wednesday and he begins his campaign over 1 200m in Saturday week’s WSB Cape Merchants instead of the expected Green Point Stakes over a mile.

Candice Bass-Robinson said: “We are changing his programme this season. Rather than have two runs over a mile he will run six furlongs, a mile in the Queen’s Plate and then 2 000m in the Sun Met.  He needs to be fresh for a mile and he possibly had a race too many over that trip last season.”

Marinaresco

Marinaresco has top weight of 62kg in the Merchants while Legal Eagle, who beat Marinaresco less than half a length in last year’s Green Point, heads the 13 nominations for the Grade 2 and is expected to run. The big names likely to take him on include Captain America, Edict Of Nantes and Gold Standard.

MJ Byleveld had the first five-timer of his career at Fairview on Friday. Three of the five were for boss Vaughan Marshall but Piet Botha has been given a week’s suspension for causing “bunching and interference” when five of the 11 runners in the concluding mile handicap at Kenilworth nine days ago were hindered.

A number of horses are understood to have tested positive for caffeine in Kwazulu Natal, including some normally based In Cape Town. Caffeine is a stimulant and therefore prohibited. However its use this time is believed to be wholly innocent. Contaminated feedstuffs are the most likely cause.

NHA Racing Control boss Arnold Hyde said at the weekend: “We are carrying out investigations but it is quite sensitive. We will put out a press release when we have all our ducks in a row.”

By Michael Clower

…following the 19-1 shot’s fast-finishing short head win in the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run on Saturday.

But Snaith deflected all the credit to the Trippi filly’s racing manager Kevin Sommerville, saying: “Miss Katalin is very mouthy and throws her head around. Kevin rang me about this during the week and as a result we changed the equipment to make her more comfortable.”

But the filly had a rough passage early on and Grant van Niekerk found himself even more effectively hemmed in than Robert Mugabe. His mount was then bounced from one warring faction into another. But her rider quickly found his way into an on-the-rails comfort zone and he made up almost three lengths in the final furlong.

Broadway Trip (Candiese Marnewick)

Van Niekerk is riding out of his skin at the moment – he rode an equally fine race on 28-1 shot Power Grid in the Progress Plate – but he is now focussed on getting the interference demons off his back – “I will get this right,” he insisted. “I need to – it’s costing me.”

Indeed it is. He is in demand countrywide yet this season he has ended up with more holidays than a schoolteacher and he was given another 14 days on Friday for an incident at Turffontein on the day he won the Charity Mile.

But spare a thought for Corne Orffer. On Bold Respect he rode one of the best races in defeat that he, or any other jockey for that matter, has ever ridden. He overcame his coffin-box draw by getting his mount to leave the gates faster than Usain Bolt and he was on the rails going the shortest way round in less time than it takes to read this.

When free-running stable companion Phelan Lucky came at him, Orffer wisely let him go past until taking it up again over a furlong out. Had he not had the misfortune to come up against a jockey riding like a man inspired the short head verdict – and the big prize – would have been his.

Rocket Countdown, at 36-1 the longest-priced Selangor Cup winner this century, also earned a Guineas ticket as well as some surprise from his trainer.

Candice Bass-Robinson said: “We always rated him and his work at home has been outstanding but I didn’t think he was that class over a mile.”

Second-placed White River wore ear muffs but perhaps he should also have been fitted with a muzzle. He tried to bite the winner’s backside 50m out and Greg Cheyne had to straighten him to stop the teeth sinking in. But he was still only beaten half a length and will renew rivalry in the Guineas.

More fancied stable companion Undercover Agent was beaten a length and half into fifth. “He was hanging and I’ve got to find out what that was about,” said Brett Crawford.

Broadway Trip started 33-10 favourite but weakened into fourth after looking the winner over a furlong out and Randall Simons said: “He got the trip but he pulled a bit – lack of cover.”

Alec Laird added: “I’m disappointed he didn’t win but he is good enough to take his chance in the Guineas. It was his first time over a mile and he needed to relax more.”

Top weight Eyes Wide Open managed only ninth and Glen Kotzen commented: “He was never travelling well. It was a flat run but it wasn’t the end of the world. I will freshen him up for the Guineas.”

Kinaan, a second successive Kenilworth Cup win for Mike de Kock and Callan Murray, will stay in Cape Town for the Cape Summer Stayers on 16 December.

By Michael Clower

The International team were comfortable winners of the tenth renewal of the Air Mauritius International Jockey’s Challenge at Turffontein yesterday and it was only the third time they had emerged victorious.

Ireland’s PJ McDonald produced a late rattle out of the second favourite, Secret Potion (22/10), in the first of the Challenge races over 1600m to snare the favourite Tigerlace (2/1), ridden by Craig Zackey, on the line. Lyle Hewitson was third on Diva Faustina (7/1) and Australia’s Cory Brown and France’s Thierry Thulliez were next best on Truth Of Beauty (9/1) and Pokemon Shuffle (100/1) respectively.

Lyle Hewitson

The next race over 1800m was dominated by the international team. The Paul Peter-trained first-timer Majestic Mambo (11/1) looked as if he had been dropped into the race at the 200m mark and coasted to a 5,5 length victory under Thulliez. Brown on Royal Resolution (7/2) and Ireland’s Seamie Heffernan on Harrington Port (28/1) were next best. Gavin Lerena in fourth place on the fancied Flexible Fugitive (9/2) was the first South African home and PJ McDonald was in fifth place on Soldat (12/1). The favourite Finding Troy with South African captain Anthony Delpech up faded from a handy position and finished well beaten.

The internationals were even more dominant in the next race over 3000m where they read the pace well. In a thrilling three-way finish Ireland’s Pat Smullen got up on Dromedaris (9/1) ahead of Martin Dwyer on the 4/1 favourite Ali Bon Dubai and Brown on Sess (11/2). Heffernan was fourth on King’s Drive (19/1) and Lyle Hewitson was the first South African home on fifth-placed Stunned (11/2).

The internationals had built a huge lead and were on 200 points to 107.

The South Africans fought back in the next race over 1600m as Gavin Lerena burst through on Snowdonia (13/1) to give Paul Peter a double and S’Manga Khumalo was second on Costa Da Sol (9/1). Brown, Greg Cheyne and Thulliez were the next three in on Sea Bean (12/1), Pennington Sands (22/1) and Seattle Tango (28/1).

PJ McDonald scored a double in the next over 1600m as Monarch Air (8/1) kept going well to hold off Hewitson on Rose Water (9/2) and Cheyne on Sammi Moosa (12/1). In fourth and fifth were Delpech on Flowing Gown (7/1) and Thulliez on Subtle Force (22/1) respectively.

Going into the last of the Challenge’s races The International team were going to be hard to peg back being on 281 points to South Africa’s 226.

Lyle Hewitson won the 1450m race from start to finish on Bubbly Reply (19/1), but The Internationals ensured victory as Dwyer finished second on the 41/10 favourite Captain Chips and McDonald came from last to finish third on the slowly away Shortstop (12/1). Cheyne and Smullen were next best on Highway Eightyfive (19/1) and Mambo Symphony (15/2) respectively.

The Internationals won by 331 points to 290 and McDonald was a comfortable winner of the victor ludorum prize on 86 points.

By David Thiselton

Sir David Baird ran out a commanding winner of the Listed Guineas Trial at Greyville on Saturday and in doing so booked his place in the Gr1 Cape Guineas to be run at Kenilworth next month.

“He’s found his trip,” said a well satisfied Mike de Kock who has a plethora of smart sophomores in his care this season. “1400m is a nothing race,” he said, commenting on Sir David Baird’s two recent defeats over the distance. “It’s not a sprint and it’s not a mile but this horse shows a lot of speed and if he had got beat today I would have put him back over a sprint. I also liked the way he saddled up. Usually he kicks and plays up but today he stood like a professional.”

But Sir David Baird will not be going back to a sprint as Gavin Lerena swept to the front from the start, winning unchallenged.

Sir David Baird (Candiese Marnewick)

“We didn’t go very fast but I knew that Puller’s horse (Ryker) pulled very hard so I was not going to play into his hands. This was his right trip,” said Lerena.

“He’s so fast at home but I liked the way he quickened today,” added De Kock as Sir David Baird, a half-brother to Gr1 winning sire Argonaut, put four lengths between him and second-placed Ryker. “It’s just a pity that Mr Rattray was not here to watch, he’s only back Tuesday,” De Kock concluded. “He’s put so much into the game, he deserves this.”

Summerveld-based, Mark Dixon had an afternoon to remember as he sent out three winners. His run started in the third when Asian Star finally got his act together in a competitive maiden and veteran Celtic Captain upsetting a strong field in the fourth where the filly Dawn Calling went off favourite. A disappointed Duncan Howells commented later after Neptune’s Rain had broken the stable duck, that Dawn Calling had pulled up distressed after the race and may have been affected by the heat.

Dixon’s well fancied Fantasy Lady found one too good for her in the fifth as Parabola gave Brett Crawford his first winner from his recently established stallelite yard overseen by salted veteran and top trainer in his own right, Peter Muscutt.

Dixon was not done and rounded off his afternoon as apprentice Ashton Aries scored his second win of the day aboard Admiral’s Guest who had a more than useful field over three lengths behind at the line.

De Kock bolted from the winning interview just in time to see Kinaan score comfortably in the Lanzerac Le General Kenilworth Cup but it was a day of upsets down south.

Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion winner Sand And Sea fluffed his lines on his seasonal debut behind 20-1 shot Power Grid while the filly Miss Katalin upstaged a few Cape Guineas hopefuls in the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes, getting up close home to edge out a tremendously game Bold Respect who jumped from the worst of the draw.

The upsets didn’t stop there as Rocket Countdown blasted into the Cape Guineas picture in the Gr2 Selangor Cup, beating home another outsider White River with Do It Again and favourite Broadway Trip both losing their unbeaten records finishing third and fourth respectively.

By Andrew Harrison

The annual Air Mauritius International Jockeys Challenge is always an exciting meeting and South Africa will be looking to extend their record to eight wins in the tenth renewal of the contest.

The official eleventh race on the card allows Tote players to bet on the jockeys themselves. R12,000 has been added to both the win and place pools for this race and R6,000 to the quartet pool.

The jockeys are awarded 30 points for a win and 15, 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4 from second down to ninth respectively. Eleventh and twelfth earn 0 points and a jockey without a ride earns 7.

The six Jockeys International races comprise the six legs of the Pick 6.

Costa Da Sol

The first international race is an uninspiring maiden for fillies and mares over 1600m. First-timer Flaming Hot is a four-year-old Australian-bred by Flying Spur out of a half-sister to Summer Cup winner Delta Form and Irishman Seamie Heffernan is aboard from pole position. First-timer All Abuzz is a four-year-old by Bezrin and is a half-sister to eleven-time winning Listed winner Formation. Gavin Lerena is aboard from a tricky draw of ten. Secret Potion by Elusive Fort stayed on nicely on debut over 1160m and has a good draw of five under high-flying Irishman PJ McDonald. The concern will be how the filly handles her first start around the turn, considering she was slow away and green on debut. Tigerlace has been knocking on the door and ran on in her penultimate over this course and distance. Craig Zackey rides from draw nine. Truth Of Beauty could earn under Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Corey Brown.

The second international is a Maiden over 1800m. Finding Troy should be improving all the time being by Go Deputy and having gone close over 1700m last time should be right there from pole position under SA captain Anthony Delpech. Hard-kocking Flexible Fugitive’s sire Wanted is a Grade 1-winning sprinter, but her dam is by middle distance sort Giant’s Causeway and is a half-sister to a USA champion filly who won up to 2000m. However, Gavin Lerena has a tough draw of ten to overcome. Soldat has a tough draw under McDonald, but has the form to earn.

In the third International event, a MR73 handicap over 3000m, Ali Bon Dubai lost three lengths at the start last time but on his going away wins over 2000m before that makes appeal. England’s Martin Dwyer rides from draw three. Stunned finished strongly over 2400m in his penultimate and has Lyle Hewitson up. Out-and-out stayer Fortune Fella enjoys this course and has pole position under Lerena.

In the next, a MR 86 for fillies and mares over 1600m, Sabina’s Dynasty could be on a capped merit rating having won easily last time over this trip. Delpech rides from a fair draw of six. Noceur is promising and can be forgiven her last run, but Heffernan has to overcome a wide draw. Costa Da Sol should enjoy the trip and is drawn two under S’Manga Khumalo.

In the fifth of the internationals, a MR 65 for fillies and mares, Wrap It Up was due to run on Thursday but if she takes her place has a shout from a good draw under Dwyer. Monarch Air won well last time but has a six-point merit rated raise to overcome. McDonald rides. Flowing Gown can do better than her last run and has Delpech up.

In the finale over 1450m Captain Chips (Dwyer) is distance suited and jumps from pole position. Sabre Dance (Heffernan) and Private Ruler (Khumalo) make most appeal of the rest.

By David Thiselton