Donovan Dillon, one of those under consideration for the Plattner Racing stable jockey position, has an important meeting with Andre Nel and Sabine Plattner tomorrow.

Dillon, 23, reckons he has benefitted from his recent two-month stint in Mauritius where he rode six winners from 51 mounts, saying: “I gained plenty of experience and I learned a lot.”

Donovan Dillon

Some press reports have indicated that trainer Gilbert Rousset cut short his contract but in fact it was the other way round.

Dillon explained: “They wanted me to stay a bit longer but the Cape season is getting going now and I needed to be back. Also things aren’t looking good for jockeys in Mauritius at the moment and I have too much going for me in South Africa to risk something stupid.”

He was referring to the recent headline-making incidents in which Muzi Yeni, Brandon Lerena and Raymond Danielson were accused of associating with people the Mauritius Jockey Club did not believe they should. All three were exonerated of any wrongdoing but decided to return home.

Sun Met winner Whisky Baron is reported to have come out of Friday’s encouraging run in the Shadwell Joel Stakes in good shape. He finished sixth of eight behind runaway winner Beat The Bank but was going as well as anything before his eight-month absence began to take its toll just inside the final furlong.

Ridgemont manager Craig Carey said: “Whisky Baron pulled up well although he lost 10kg in the race which showed how much he needed it.

“Brett (Crawford) is talking of the possibility of another Group 2 in a fortnight’s time. If not, the horse will go straight for the Hong Kong race, assuming he gets invited.”

Crawford, who won last year’s Matchem Stakes with Captain America, has both Nebula and Black Cat Back in Saturday’s WSB Durbanville feature.

Brett Crawford

Assistant trainer Barry Donnelly said: “At this stage Black Cat Back is the only definite runner as he had a 1 000m prep for the race last Wednesday.”

Glen Puller, who has won four of the last 15 runnings, has declared Silicone Valley (Piet Botha) while Justin Snaith has booked Grant van Niekerk for Copper Force.

Gold Standard remains favourite with the sponsors but Glen Kotzen warns that he has not been able to get as much work into the Met fourth as he would have liked because of the limited amount of racecourse gallops.

Avontuur stallion Oratorio has developed laminitis and his bookings for the rest of the season have been cancelled with some of the mares being diverted to the stud’s other sire Var.

General manager Pippa Mickleburgh said: ““It is a horrible experience for all of us at the farm to see him in pain, especially as his progeny are starting to show their class on a regular basis in South Africa with another wonderful win for him with Orakal at Durbanville last Wednesday.

“We hope to have him back to full strength by next year at the latest and, as he is reacting so well to the medical regime at the moment, we could even hope for an earlier recovery with a bit of luck. He is a really relaxed horse with a laid back personality so he is an easy patient.”

Laminitis a particularly painful complaint in which the tissues that bond the hoof wall to the pedal bone become inflamed. It can cripple horses and prove fatal.

By Michael Clower

There were a few trainers bemoaning the switch to the Greyville poly track yesterday after Friday’s monsoon but Louis Goosen was not one. “If they switch to the poly then Varallo will be in trouble,” he predicted after homework at Ashburton on Thursday.

Zen Arcade (Candiese Marnewick)

Charles Laird’s runner looked to be one of the better bets on the afternoon with a lot in his favour, but although he put up a sterling performance, Goosen’s assessment was spot on as Di Mazzio took to the surface an exploited Varallo’s three-month holiday although it was a close-run thing.

The two hooked up a furlong from home and it was down to a neck at the line.

Third-placed Monks Hood had everything go wrong at the start, getting a back leg hooked up in the gate and then cannoning into the outside rail in the straight. Alistair Gordon’s gelding was an eye-catching third and definitely one for the notebook.

Goosen was not much enamoured by the handicap mark given Zen Arcade but the handicappers may have got their sums just about right as Zen Arcade followed up on his maiden win, getting the better of a bruising battle with Ryker and Perfect Jay.

Not only was it a red-letter day for Goosen, but also prolific owner Mario Ferreira and jockey Gunter Wrogemann who landed a treble. Wrogemann, Ferreira and Gratuity led home a Goosen 1-2-3 in the sixth with the daughter of Dynasty out-duelling stable companion Captain’s Girl with Yaas filling the shallow end of the purse.

Mark Dixon looks to have a useful filly in She’s A Dream, a smart winner of the second. Given that she was closely related to the Dixon stable star London Call, she was always on the Dixon shopping list when coming up for auction at the National Yearling Sales. “I went out back to bid and was surprise when she only made R70k. Bruce le Roux breeds a good horse so we are very happy.”

By Andrew Harrison

Aldo Domeyer, second only to Gavin Lerena on the national log, has a strike rate of 21% at the moment and his relentless determination may be enough to get the frustrating Bernie home in front in the Tabonline Maiden at Durbanville tomorrow.

The Candice Bass-Robinson colt has made the frame in five of his seven starts and has losses to recover after being beaten at 14-10 last time. He drops back a furlong and is well drawn.

He probably has most to fear from the well bred Love Happens (by Silvano out of the 2010 Majorca dead-heater Love Is In The Air) who overcame a slow start and being squeezed to take a hugely promising third on debut three weeks ago.

Candice Robinson (hamish NIVEN Photography)

“He is a very nice horse but that was a bit of a surprise – I thought he would take a few runs to get to that level,” says Justin Snaith who cautions: “This is another big jump for him and he has yet to go round the turn.”

Bernie better fits the profile of a typical Cape Town maiden winner – consistent placing rather than obvious first or second time talent – and gets the vote.

Domeyer may also win the Betting World Maiden 40 minutes later on stable companion Intothelimelight even though this Australian-bred filly comes into the promising debut category. She ran really well to go close against Still I Rise and Bid Before Sunset whose previous run would appear to underline the strength of the form. Dragonair, also a Bass-Robinson runner, and Silver Streamer look the dangers.

Valentine’s Girl stands out in the first, or at least she would do but for her terrible draw. The jockeys have been almost unanimous in saying that winners here can now come from anywhere but the fact that remains that a bad draw in a sprint on this course remains a bad draw.

Furthermore Richard Fourie’s mount lost a lot of ground at the start on debut and punters are going to have to rely on the effectiveness of her subsequent home tuition. Runaway Rebel and Secret Name will take advantage if she fluffs her lines.

Secret Rebel, although a five-year-old and beaten 21 times, showed significantly improved form nine days ago and Harold Crawford says: “She should run better on this course because she doesn’t really get 1 000m and this is an easy 1 000.”

Race two, the TAB Telebet Maiden, is much trickier with a case to be made for many of the 14 runners. Domeyer’s mount Johnny Black has a big chance but a tentative vote goes to Red Eight who was second to Rommel after making the running in a race run at a decent pace. The decision to drop him back a furlong can pay dividends.

By Michael Clower

Top jockeys don’t necessary make top trainers but Garth Puller was and is both. He is also in a rich vein of form at present and can add to his tally when he saddles Saint Marco in the KZN Breeders Club Handicap on the Greyville poly this evening.

Garth Puller

The gelding makes his debut over the 1900m, having never gone further than a mile, but now that he is older the extra 300m may well be what the five-year-old is looking for. He very seldom runs a bad race and last time out was touched off by the strongly fancied Wild Wicket over the Scottsville 1600m. It was an excellent run, and one that also impressed the handicappers who promptly bumped him up four pounds for his efforts.

In a small field there is always the danger of a false pace but there are a number of runners in this event that do like to race handy. Saint Marco was up with the pace set by stable companion Main Player in the race won by Wild Wicket and he races off the same mark with apprentice Craig Bantam again taking 2.5kg off his back.

At the bottom of the weights, Roy Had Enough could be contesting favouritism with top weight Warfare, both winners of their last starts.

Roy Had Enough makes his seasonal debut for Frank Robinson and led all the way when following up on his maiden win over tonight’s course and distance. He is up in class here but with only 52kg to shoulder he will have many supporters.

Warfare is also at home over course and distance and with Serino Moodley claiming 2.5kg he too will have his supporters.

The more one dissects the form the trickier it starts to look but Saint Marco is taken to come into his own over the trip and is selected ahead of Warfare and Roy Had Enough.

Draugluin has twice let his supporters down and has been expensive to follow. However, he makes his poly debut with blinkers in the card opener from pole position draw and Dennis Drier’s runner can make amends. Alistair Gordon saddles Mambo Rock who was a neck behind Draugluin when last they met jumping from a wide draw. If Draugluin does not make the expected improvement in blinkers then Mambo Rock should be right there to pick up the pieces. Dean Kannemeyer is enjoying an island break but assistant Barbara Bardenhorst does a sterling job and Slightly Scottish was running on well on debut behind heavily supported Zen Arcade and can do better at his second visit to the racecourse.

Zen Arcade (Candiese Marnewick)

Shane Humby is back in his home province after an extended spell in the Western Cape and the Ashburton-based trainer saddles two runners who should be included in all calculations in their respective races.

Dusty Button is lightly raced but is showing signs of finding her best form. She was not far back on her local debut after returning from a six-month break and followed up with a cracking effort on the Greyville poly next time out. This being her third run after a break she looks pretty much primed.

Also returning from a break is Green Ice who showed excellent promise last season. Her last two outings were against winners and she was three lengths back to subsequent Gr1 winner Lady In Black last time out. Alyson Wright’s filly may be short of a run after a three-month break but her class could carry her through.

Humby saddles Stunning Seed in the opening leg of the PA and she looks overdue a maiden win after three smart efforts in blinkers. However, she does face a couple of form runners in Meet The Logans and Continuum while Excellistic makes her poly debut for Charles Laird who has her third run after a break and with her American pedigree she should enjoy the poly first up.

By Andrew Harrison

Being parochial can prove a costly exercise when it comes to horse racing. On the other hand, it could also prove profitable and Ashburton-based Duncan Howells has seen fit to send a raiding party to the Vaal for tomorrow’s Grand Heritage raceday, including last season’s Gr2 Daisy Guineas runner-up Secret Captain.

Howells has long had this race in mind for the grey who wrapped up his preparation with a good piece of work on Tuesday morning. “It may be that he’s not good enough,” commented Howells, “but he will definitely be fit.”

Secret Captain

The gelding has been something of an enigma, having flattered to deceive on many an occasion, leaving Howells in a quandary as to his optimum trip. He was a surprise winner on debut in a performance that stamped him as a horse with a future but he has since been up and down the scale without further success although he has turned in some smart performances, including runner-up in the Daisy Guineas.

After a particularly lack lustre effort in the Thukela Handicap towards the back end of last season, the vet was called in and Secret Captain made his seasonal debut as a gelding. It was a smart effort behind top sprinter London Call and with a handy galloping weight and a run under his girth, Secret Captain does look good enough to make his mark tomorrow.

One can never under estimate runners from the Mike de Kock and Sean Tarry yards on occasions such as this and both are likely to fancy their chances.

Elevated had some excellent early Cape form for the trainer combination of Carl Burger and Riaan van Reenen before being found out a little when up against the best of his generation during the Cape summer into the Winter Series. Sent to the Highveld, Elevated made a winning debut for his new stable and looks ideally suited to tomorrow’s event.

Tarry inevitably has a host of runners but of his five runners, Count Tassilo with S’Manga Khumalo aboard, could be the stable elect. The five-year-old has hardly missed a beat in his career, having earned in 16 of his 18 starts including victories over course and distance. He caught the eye at his seasonal debut when jumping from the widest draw in a Pinnacle Stakes event on the Turffontein inside track in one of his rare misses. He should be all the better for that outing an is sure to be among the fancied runners.

Geoff Woodruff saddles a trio of runners, all three of which are in with a shout. Zouaves is lightly raced but has yet to miss out in five career starts and looks ideally course and distance suited with a light weight to boot. Also among the bottom weights is Starrett City who has his third run after a break and was not far back to Tommy Waterdevill over the Turffontein mile last time out. He has done most of his racing over further but also looks primed for a crack at the lucrative first prize.

With 28 runners in the line-up it will be every man for himself come the final 200m but Secret Captain gets a tentative vote ahead of Elevated and Count Tassilo.

By Andrew Harrison