The difficult – some would say nightmare – scenario of Cape Town trainers having no grass gallops worth the name is over.

This week everything reverts to normal with raceday gallops resuming at Kenilworth on Saturday and the weekly club gallops at Durbanville starting again on Thursday for horses based at Philippi and the following Thursday for those stabled at Milnerton.

Trainers wanting to gallop at Kenilworth are limited by a quota system – they can do so each season up to a limit of only 6.5% of the average number of their runners in the previous one or two seasons – but there is no such restriction on gallops at Durbanville.

The latter were suspended for 12 months while the surface was being improved and relaid while for the last month there were also no Kenilworth gallops permitted in order to give the turf its customary spring scarifying treatment.

For the most part trainers have accepted the situation, reasoning it is for the long-term good, but Joey Ramsden has been critical of the no-gallops period, saying: “It has all been hugely disappointing and what they have done at Durbanville is make the course ride even faster than it did before.”

However others have expressed satisfaction at the elimination of the Durbanville ridge-and-furrow surface, which because of the risk of sore shins and leg damage, meant they were unwilling to risk their good horses.

Justin Snaith said: “No-one has run more horses than me at Durbanville since the course was reopened and not one of them has finished lame. Indeed they have all pulled up incredibly well.”

The jockeys, who put their lives as well as their livelihoods at risk on every raceday, have also enthused about the surface.

In other news Vaughan Marshall confirms that there is no appeal against The Secret Is Out’s six-month ban for bursting a blood vessel earlier this month. It seems harsh that the relevant rule does not permit the owners an opportunity to at least submit a case for leniency.

Snaith is to expand his Port Elizabeth operation, saying: “We are only half full with 20 horses and we are going to try and fill it up. We are doing well there after changing our approach. We now send  horses there earlier than we used to, show them the poly and get them more prepared.”

By Michael Clower

Run Rhino Run’s startling display in the sixth race at Greyville on Sunday has had tongues wagging the world over after he opened up a steeple chase margin on the opposition in the 3000m handicap and kept rolling to win by an official 21-length margin.

“Sometimes you get lucky,” said trainer Kom Naidoo. “99 percent of the time by the time a runaway like that hits the straight it’s already dead.”

That doesn’t quite tell the whole story. Formally with Lezeanne Forbes, Run Rhino Run showed talent from the start of his career but was always a difficult customer.

“I got the horse from Lezeanne a couple of weeks ago. He’s always been difficult. He’s got rocks in his head and he’s been tried with pacifiers and all sort of other things to try and get him to settle. But he fights everything that you put on him and the harder you fight the harder he fights.”

“Eventually I thought, ‘you know what, take everything off him and use just a normal ring-bit and let him do what he wants’”.

Well he took apprentice Serino Moodley via the scenic route, heading for the outside fence after taking the first turn and from there on, it was Run Rhino Run in control.

“He’s such a difficult horse,” said Moodley post-race. “I knew he was going to be a difficult ride so I just let him do what he wanted to do.”

At one stage commentator Sheldon Peters called Run Rhino Run 300 m ahead and he still had 200m on his rivals turning for home.

The race was run 9 seconds slower than track record, equivalent to around 40 lengths or more, and with the balance of the field still 21 lengths adrift at the line their pace must be called into question.

Indeed, the stipendiary stewards have opened an inquiry. “We took evidence from all the riders, excepting Serino Moodley … what were their instructions and tactics,” said senior stipe Derek Anderson.

“We still have to sit down and analyse their responses. It’s an enquiry in progress,” he said.

In other news, Dennis Bosch is in Cape Town this week fine-tuning Billy Silver for the CTS Lanzerac Read-To-Run Stakes.

“He’s doing exceptionally well down here in Cape Town. I can’t be happier with him,” said Bosch. “He’s been with Geoff Woodruff and I have been up and down checking on him. I will be down again in the last week of his prep.”

The R2.5 million race over 1400m will be run on Saturday, November 18. “(Anthony) Delpech says 1400m is his game and he can’t speak highly enough of the horse,” concluded Bosch.

Billy Silver, unbeaten in two starts, does not feature in the current log as he does not have an official merit rating after just two starts.

By Andrew Harrison

Dennis Drier returned from Cape Town last season empty handed in feature races, but looks likely to put that disappointment behind him as his string of 23 this season is full of young talent.

Heading the list are his two unbeaten Grade 1 two-year-old winners from last season Sand And Sea and Lady In Black.

Twice Over colt Sand And Sea ran on strongly from off the pace to win the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion. The form of that race cannot be faulted to date and this big bay’s target will now be the Grade 1 Cape Guineas on December 16. His dam by Spectrum, Sea Point, won on debut over 1000m at Kenilworth, but is a half-sister to brilliant Cape Guineas winner Pointing North (Joshua Dancer). Twice Over’s influence will also help Sand And Sea stay, being a five-times middle distance Group 1 winner. Sand And Sea is avoiding Saturday’s Grade 3 Cape Classic over 1400m in favour of a Progress Plate over 1200m on November 18. The reason is the connections do not want to bring him down to the 1200m before going up in trip again to 1600m.

Lady In Black is entered in the Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championships over 1400m on Saturday. This Dynasty filly had no right to win the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes in her third start, having been caught wide the whole way and then taking a big bump at the top of the straight. Unfortunately, she has landed another wide draw for Saturday, 14 out of 16.

Joining Lady In Black as entries in the Western Cape Fillies Championships are Tssessebe and Champenois. Philanthropist filly Tsessebe finished third in the Grade 2 Golden Slipper over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day. Visionaire filly Champenois bumped three good ‘uns in Luna Child, Flichity By Farr and Dinner Date, whom she finished second to, before getting off the mark in a Scottsville 1200m fillies and mares maiden in September, which she won by 3,5 lengths. She is a half-sister to the Grade 1 SA Classic winner Pierre Jourdan, so should enjoy Saturday’s step up in trip. Furthermore, she has drawn pole position. Tsessebe is drawn 16 out of 16.

Drier does have two entries in the Cape Classic, Silvano colt Tower Of Wisdom and Philanthropist colt Tom Collins. Tower Of Wisdom was taken handy from a wide draw second time out over 1400m at Scottsville and ran on well to win by 1,25 lengths. The horse who was beaten 2,5 lengths into third, African Pharoah, came out and won on Sunday. Tom Collins took four runs to win his maiden, a 1600m event, and was then beaten 1,3 lengths into fourth in a handicap over 1750m off a merit rating of 82, so has his work cut out on Saturday from the widest draw of 13 acceptors. Tower Of Wisdom, merit rated 83, is drawn seven.

Another three-year-old filly entered for Saturday’s racing is impressive 1200m debut winner, Via Sacra. This Pathfork filly lost two lengths at the start in her only career start, but was soon tracking the leaders and showed a fine turn of foot to win by a head without being hard pressed. She is entered in a MR 68 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m on Saturday and will race off a merit rating of 82, which she is surely destined to be better than, but it does mean she has to carry 61,5kg.

A top filly sprinter in the string is the four-year-old by Var, Sommerlied, who has won four out of five and smashed the Scottsville 1000m course record last time out. She has the good fillies feature sprint program to look forward to and will then no doubt attempt to follow in the footsteps of another Drier-trained Var filly, Val De Ra, who won the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championships over 1000m.

The four-year-old Count Dubois filly Anime is also good enough to contest the fillies sprint features, while four-year-old Horse Chestnut gelding Horse Guards will likely be aimed at sprint feature handicaps.

The yard also have high hopes for the three-year-old daughter of Val De Ra, Miss Frankel, who is by the legendary Frankel. After a disappointing debut she proved she wasn’t just an over-hyped sort by winning a Scottsville 1000m fillies and mares maiden by 4,5 lengths.

A promising three-year-old filly in the string is Salimah by Trippi. She won her 1000m debut by 3,75 lengths. She is a half-sister to UAE 2000 Guineas second-placed Zanzamar, who also finished third in the Dubai Gold Cup, so she will appreciate further and looks to be a Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas hopeful.

Respective three-year-old Western Winter and Oratorio fillies, Dame Commander and Sacred Flame, both won comfortably in their third starts over 1200m at Scottsville.

Another Western Winter filly Forehand ran a good third over 1000m on debut.

Three-year-old Curved Ball gelding Bad Attitude won well second time out over 1200m at Scottsville. He is a half-brother to the out-and-out sprinter Mr Whatever.

Premier Dance might be aimed at feature handicaps.

Heir Line and Colour Your Dreams will likely start off in lesser handicaps.

The High Life loved Cape Town last season, so can bounce back to form.

Four-year-old Nauticus is a hard knocking maiden and Dynasty filly Perfect Air and Trippi gelding Robyn-Jack-Twigg are yet to race.

By David Thiselton

Aidan O’Brien collected his sixth British trainers’ title on Saturday, the Ballydoyle-based trainer having enjoyed a fabulous season which saw him today equal Bobby Frankel’s world record of Group 1 races won in a season at 25.

He won four of the five domestic Classics this year, and 12 races on the QIPCO British Champion Series, and today was victorious in the QIPCO British Champion Fillies and Mares with Hydrangea.

“It’s a big team effort, and everyone works so hard, there are many links to the chain,” he said. “And we’re very grateful to the lads at the top who put the team together and send us the horses.”

Asked if he thinks he will break the record for Group 1 winners in a season, O’Brien said:

“We hopefully will have runners in the Racing Post Trophy and in two races in France.”

And, of course, there is the Breeders’ Cup meeting ahead, and after Highland Reel’s third in the QIPCO Champion Stakes today, O’Brien confirmed that the son of Galileo will be heading stateside.

O’Brien was presented the award today following the QICPO Champion Stakes by former champion trainer John Gosden, who finished runner-up in the title chase this year. It is the second year in succession that O’Brien and Gosden have filled the first two placings.

Godolphin received the Champion Owner Award, with chief executive Joe Osborne accepting the award.

Despite being out of luck on QIPCO British Champions Day, Osborne reflected on an excellent season for the operation, which included six Royal Ascot winners.

He said: “It’s been a great season for us and it’s a credit to our trainers and horses for us to be Champion Owner; it means a lot to us.

“Today is a huge day – it’s freshest in people’s minds towards the end of the season and we’re delighted to be a part of it.”

Silvestre De Sousa received a rousing reception into the parade ring after being crowned with his second Stobart Flat Jockeys’ Championship.

De Sousa, who racked up 155 wins this season – 44 ahead of his nearest rival and 2016 champion jockey Jim Crowley – received the traditional guard of honour from his weighing room colleagues before being presented with the trophy from Olympic athletes Adam Gemili and Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

“It’s been a really great season and I appreciate everyone who has put me up this year – it’s been very successful,” said Brazilian-born De Sousa, 36.

– racenews@racenewsonline.com

The Vaal stages an eight race meeting and some promising sorts will be turned out, so there is a lot to look forward to.

The highest rated race is a MR 84 Handicap over 2000m and the choice is the Summer Cup entry Hidden Agenda. Last time he finished strongly from behind over 1800m, but in the process hung in badly and took out most of the field. He was beaten in the end anyway by The Elmo Effect. This time he has a draw of three in a seven horse field and is off the same merit rating, so Gunther Wrogemann will be trying to ensure he is on the rail in the straight. Amsterdam, also a Summer Cup entry, looked beaten when Hidden Agenda swept past him last time, but he was plugging on at the time and was then sandwiched out of the race. The losing margin was thus flattering to Hidden Agenda. Furthermore, a lot of use had been made of Amsterdam in that race to overcome a wide draw, so it would be no great surprise if he reverses the form over an even more suitable trip from pole position under Piere Strydom. The Mike de Kock-trained three-year-old Like A Panther will enjoy the step up in trip based on his easy win over 1600m and he would not be a surprising winner either. However, it is never easy first time out of the maidens for a young horse, especially one who has been merit rated 89. Those three should get punters through the exotics.

There are two other De Kock-trained three-year-olds running first time out of the maidens, who have been tipped to win. In the fourth race over 1700m, the Australian-bred Teofilo colt Yakeen won comfortably on debut over 1400m and will clearly relish the step up to this trip. He has a plum draw of three and does not face an inspiring field. It is open beyond Yakeen. Pachuco found extra last time over 1600m and this improved sort will enjoy this trip, so he should be running on after likely being dropped out from a wide draw. King’s King ran a fine race over this trip back in June, although he also has a wide draw to overcome. Defy Gravity finished strongly over 1800m last time from way back and he now has a good draw. Swing Vote has been accorded a fair merit rating of 65 after his front-running maiden win over 1600 and could make a bold bid from a wide draw under Piere Strydom. Grasshopper could sit behind Swing Vote and has an outside chance.

In the seventh race over 1000m, the De Kock-trained Australian-bred colt by Star Witness, Mujaafy, was most impressive on debut over 1160m, when cruising in by 4,2 lengths. Off an 84 merit rating and from a reasonable draw of seven he could follow up. A horse who could give him a run is the talented Cathederal County, who carries topweight and lost his race at the start last time when losing a length.

In the first race, an uninspiring event over 1500m, Go Green looks the right one on form having comfortably beaten another contender, Middle Path, when they met over 1200m. However, is should be borne in mind Lucky Houdalakis-trained horses are brought on continuously, so it would be no great surprise if Middle Path reversed the form, especially as he stayed on well in a subsequent start over 1400m. Bosphorus did well to finish second to the well regarded Galactic Warrior on debut, so he is a contender, but he had a good draw that day and now has a wide draw to overcome.

The second is a typically difficult fillies and mares MR 74 Handicap over 1700m. Parisienne Chic has dropped to an attractive merit rating and is drawn well so is the choice. The distance suited and in form Angelic Appeal and the ultra consistent September Bloom make most appeal of the rest.

The third is an uninspiring maiden and Maneater has only been chosen due to the lack of good form in this race. She will certainly relish the step up in trip, having been hard ridden in a workrider’s sprint race where she finished third. However, she was by no means eyecatching. Angelic and Wings Of Charne have shown ability and look to be the main dangers.

The sixth race over 2000m looks to be a boat race between the progressive Inn A Million, who has won three of his last five, and Arabian World. Inn A Million won cosily last time and can overcome a six point raise from a good draw. However, it is interesting to note Gavin Lerena rode him in that race, but has stuck with Arabian World. The latter has always struck as a horse with ability. He at last produced his potential last time when scooting in by 2,5 lengths over this trip at Turffontein Inside. That was Arabian World’s first run for the flying Paul Peter yard and he is now drawn in pole, so should have a strong chance. Sheet Weaver, like Arabian World, is by Ideal World and the last time he tried this trip he ran a fine race. However, the formlines put him marginally behind the first two choices.

In the last race over 1200m Alex The Great has been chosen as one who has caught the eye before and is now having his first run as a gelding. Wottahottie and Cedrus Libani both caught the eye last time in the same 1400m race and will enjoy this trip. However, the promising Torio Lake has been chosen as the main danger, despite having to carry topweight from a wide draw, and the pole position draw Cannes can also be considered having dropped to a competitive merit rating.

By David Thiselton