Winning first time out of the maidens is always difficult but given a modicum of talent at this time of the year in KZN it is a little easier as She’s A Dream showed at Greyville on Wednesday.

Mark Dixon’s filly does look a cut above the average but Oligarch does not have to be anything super special to register his second win when he lines up in the Klinger Mzansi Handicap at the same venue tonight where all the races are on the poly.

Oligarch (Candiese Marnewick)

Oligarch, a son of Kahal whose progeny take well to the poly track, had come unstuck in a few of his early starts but blinkers and the poly track appear to have brought out his true ability. After an improved effort behind Tommy Grand, he followed up with a comfortable maiden victory. The only three-year-old in the race, he takes on some seasoned opposition, but the Dean Kannemeyer stable is currently in mustard form with three winners at Greyville on Wednesday, all from tricky draws, and the extra furlong should also suit Oligarch.

Alyson Wright’s filly Green Ice has similar credentials to those of Oligarch, possibly even stronger. After showing good form in feature company as a maiden, she made short work of her opposition when back in maiden company, beating Flamenco Dancer. She too takes on older opposition but was good enough to finish just over three lengths back to subsequent Gr1 winner Lady In Black in her first start on the poly and a repeat of that effort should be good enough to see her home where the dangers are Miss Suey and Jingle Belle who makes her local debut after a much improved effort at Kenilworth last time out.

The Greta Schoeman Memorial Handicap has a wide open look about it and the list of possible winners is a long one. As mentioned earlier, the Kannemeyer yard has hit form with a vengeance and Orelia can follow up on her recent victory. The draw is not in her favour but she only picked up a two-pound penalty for her win and although she takes a jump in class, her form is nothing if not consistent.

Magic Memory is another that rises in class but was touched off in her first run back from a break by the width of an onion skin in second behind Art Attack. She shed her maiden over course and distance before following up in easy fashion. But she has drawn one gate inside of Orelia so they both start at a slight disadvantage. Rae’s Dyna Jet, Onsie and Leisure Trip are all in with chances while Mark My Card has been up against males at her last two outings and victory would not come as a major surprise.

By Andrew Harrison

The R2,5 million Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup is the first of the big sales races this season and it is fitting that Summerhill Stud, who brought this popular concept to South Africa, have a strong hand in Saturday’s race over 1400m on the Turffontein Standside track.

Await The Dawn’s untimely passing after siring just two crops was a big loss and this is illustrated by the Summerhill-bred R240,000 purchase Big Bear as well as the Summerhill-bred filly Tammany Hall, who are both in Saturday’s race. Big Bear has won two of three starts and had the field spread out like the washing over 1450m on the Inside track last time out in a Novice Handicap, although he was carrying bottom weight. Await The Dawn won a Group 1 over a mile-and-a-half and Big Bear is big and strong and a resolute galloper, so will not only be constantly improving, but will relish the Standside track with its long straight.

Big Bear (Candiese Marnewick)

Tammany Hall has also won two out of three and kept on gamely last time to beat older horses in a handicap over 1450m off a merit rating of 85. She has a plum draw and has a chance over a likely ideal course and distance.

First reserve runner Ekuseni is also by Await The Dawn and is also a galloping type.

The former Summerhill-based sire Visionaire has a chance with the promising filly Takingthepeace, a R280,000 Summerhill-bred purchase. Takingthepeace showed a fine turn of foot last time out to win a MR68 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m by a comfortable 2,4 lengths off an 83 merit rating. Her dam finished third in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes over 1600m, so Takingthepeace should comfortably get this 1400m trip. Anthony Delpech might drop her out from a draw of eleven.

Brave Tin Soldier produced a runner up in this race two years ago in Rabada and has Riding Shotgun in Saturday’s event. This horse is the favourite to be pacemaker as he has fine form from 1000-1400m when allowed to lead. However, from a wide draw of 14 it is going to be tough for this R80,000 purchase.

Grade 1 winner Brave Mary, a daughter of Brave Tin Soldier, was born at Summerhill. She is an unknown factor over this trip, although her draw of four will allow her to use her plentiful speed to her advantage.

The Summerhill-breds will likely be looking at Wonderwall, Purple Diamond and Surcharge as the horses to beat.

By David Thiselton

The world of social media and the multitude of Apps available on smart phones is making it easier and easier to keep track of what is current and TABgold.co.za have introduced a new feature to their on-line racecard called ‘Follow Me’.

Blatant advertising aside, it is a feature that dispenses with the old ‘Black Book’ that one often forgets to consult, resulting in many a missed opportunity.

So if you had clicked on Dunzie and She’s A Dream as horses to follow, you would have been in the pound seats at Greyville yesterday as both obliged in a fashion that suggests that you click on ‘Follow Me’ for at least their next few outings.

Dunzie was all over her rivals when making her debut at Scottsville but being something of a tricky customer at home, the stable was wary of what to expect first up.

“She gets herself into a bit of a state,” admitted Duncan Howells post-race. “That’s why she goes down with a lead pony.”

Bred and owned by long-time supporter of the sport, Knut Haug, Dunzie is obviously a quick learner as very little went her way in the race. Drawn wide, stable rider Keagan de Melo, hunted for the inside rail without success and eventually cornered three wide. “I didn’t want to be there but I had to accept my fate.”

But even from the draw, Dunzie quickened and pulled away to win as she liked from Alistair Gordon’s filly Prosecco, definitely a candidate for ‘Follow Me’.

Mark Dixon is never one to rush his charges, letting them find their feet before putting them to the ultimate test, but those that took note of She’s A Dream’s maiden win could not have been other than impressed and hopefully a few rand richer after yesterday’s performance. All went wrong on debut, slow out and banged about like a mini in a Durban taxi jam, she still prevailed, so the modest field she took on in the fifth yesterday was easy meat. Sat mid-field by blossoming apprentice Ashton Arries, She’s a Dream scythed through the opposition to win as she liked.

On the down side, it was a performance that will not go un-noticed by the handicappers.

“She’s progressive and will get further,” said Dixon. “But for the time being I’ll keep her to what we know.”

Plans? “No plans. We will decide tomorrow.”

Louis Goosen’s colt Zen Arcade is a runner in the Gr2 Graham Beck at Turffontein on Saturday where the Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile is feature, and his form got a timely boost when Ryker ran out a smart winner of the sixth. Ryker ran Zen Arcade to within a length over 1400m when last they met but showed a smart turn of foot over the Greyville short-cut to put a useful handicap field to bed in a matter of strides.

Given his turn of speed and pedigree, Garth Puller looks to have a useful colt on his hands. Possibly another for ‘Follow Me’.

By Andrew Harrison

Anton Marcus will not be able to take part in the Air Mauritius International Jockeys’ Challenge at Turffontein on Sunday 19 November and talented apprentice Lyle Hewitson has been chosen as a replacement.

Hewitson, who only started his apprenticeship in March last year after 23 wins in work riders’ races, has made an outstanding success to the start of his career as a jockey. His total tally of wins to date is 236. He is currently leading the South African jockeys’ premiership with 39 wins, the biggest coming in the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge on Wonderwall.

Anton Marcus (Liesl King)

According to a press release from the Racing Association, the panel who selected Hewitson to replace Marcus “feel, although he’s still an apprentice, he is able to make a great contribution to the team this year”.

The South African team now comprises Anthony Delpech, Greg Cheyne, Gavin Lerena, S’manga Khumalo, Craig Zackey and Hewitson. The internationals are Ireland’s Pat Smullen, PJ McDonald and Seamie Heffernan, Australia’s Corey Brown, England’s Martin Dwyer and France’s Thierry Thulliez.

The International Jockeys’ Challenge will comprise just one meeting this year but the jockeys will compete in six races rather than four, as has been the case previously.

The runners will be seeded beforehand and a ballot will be held for mounts in each of the races to try and ensure both teams have roughly the same calibre of rides overall.

Points are awarded as follows: first – 30; second – 15; third – 12; fourth – 10; fifth – 8; sixth – 7; seventh – 6; eighth – 5; ninth – 4; 10th – 3; 11th – 0; 12th – 0. If a jockey does not ride in a race, he gets seven points. The team that scores the most points wins the Challenge and there are awards for the top rider in each leg and the top rider overall.

The International Jockeys’ Challenge has been held for the last nine years and South Africa has won it seven times.

Riaan van Reenen will run Tuesday’s Kenilworth winner Midnight Moonlight in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas on 2 December if she makes the cut but the Philippi trainer is worried she might not.

Mambo Mime

The daughter of Jay Peg has finished in the first two in all four starts but she went into the Interbet Handicap with a rating of only 85 and, as she only won by a length and a quarter, she is unlikely to be rated much higher than 90.

Van Reenen said: “I don’t want to run her again before the Fillies Guineas because that would mean her having three runs inside five weeks. What messed up my plans was the switching of two Kenilworth meetings to Durbanville and I didn’t want to run her there.”

Dean Kannemeyer, on the other hand, is looking for the easiest race possible for Mambo Mime’s next start. The five-year-old twice came close to death earlier in the year, first with a thrombosis and then with an attack of colic so bad that he had to have an operation to survive.

Kannemeyer said: “He has been to hell and back but he is a tough bastard and he has pulled up sound in his two races since. He ran well in Last Winter’s race at Durbanville and I now want to go the softer route. I need to find an easy race that he can win to get his confidence back, maybe a Pinnacle although everybody seems to have the same idea about those races at the moment.”

Mambo Mime has some good form to his credit including third in the Daily News and the Canon Guineas. He was considered good enough to run in last year’s Durban July and this year’s Sun Met.

By Michael Clower