With 19 runners to saddle, Duncan Howells will be a busy man at Scottsville tomorrow and it will be a surprise if he does not make it into the winner’s circle at least once in the afternoon. But the pressure will be on. It’s one of those days where he could be the toast of the town or heading home wondering what went wrong.

Howells holds a strong hand in the Fillies and Mares Pinnacle Stakes that heads the card with three top class runners but was far from bullish about any of them.

Neptune’s Rain

“They are not well weighted and this is a tough field. I don’t know if I can win it,” he said on Thursday morning.

Howells added that he had given stable rider Keagan de Melo the pick of the rides for owner Dave MacLean and he had decided on Neptune’s Rain who Howells thinks has a bright future. However, he felt that Dawn Calling was the more forward of the pair at this stage and although looking for further had a strong chance if racing fresh.

That said, Howells was of the opinion that Lunar Rush was the fittest of the three and “has a chance if she’s good enough.” But even with Anton Marcus, Anthony Delpech and De Melo riding for him he was not overly confident.

Paul Gadsby’s runner Vision To Kill has the benefit of a 2.5kg claimer aboard in Serino Moodley and comes of a cracking last win when fitted with a tongue-tie while Isingamoya is a classy mare who enjoyed just rewards last time out and Mark Dixon’s runner is also in with a winning chance.

The first, if any, of Howells’s winners could be Bear Hug in the third. The gelded son of Ideal World was all at sea on debut, also losing a shoe in the process. He showed good improvement at his second start where in spite of a tardy start he was running on nicely behind the heavily backed Silva’s Bullet.

The step up in trip should be in his favour and he could finish ahead of the consistent Toltec.

Lezeanne Forbe’s runner was reported to have been making a respiratory noise when fading late at his last start but it may also have been that the 1950m was a little out of his compass after finishing close-up in his two previous starts over 1600m. These two look the principal contenders.

Howells saddles Mirwa in the opening leg of the Pick 6 along with three other runners and he will be looking for major improvement from the daughter of Fort Wood. Mirwa was never in the hunt behind Silva’s Bullet but was all over the course. She will definitely prefer tomorrow’s trip and gets the services of stable rider Keagan de Melo who has picked her ahead of stable companions Pharoah’s Tiger, Rippling Music and Roy’s Vogue.

Crime Victim

Queen’s Plain made a winning debut for Howells and can follow up in the fifth although she is up against some seasoned handicappers, most notably top weight Flying Silver. Garth Puller’s mare is hardly ever out of the money and was a game second to Master Of Mischief last time out. The step up in trip should not be a worry although she does have to give the progressive Queen’s Plain 8kg which may prove beyond her.

It was written somewhere that your first winner as a racehorse owner is up there with war and sex. I don’t think either was on the mind of Lady Colleen Glaeser as she dropped the lead rope like a hot potato after Amor Ardiente entered the winner’s circle at Scottsville earlier this month and not necessary out of excitement. “I’m terrified of horses!” she exclaimed.

Belinda Impey’s 25-1 shot was met by a few mutterings from punters but visiting rider Gunter Wrogemann was impressed. “He’ll easily get eight to 10 furlongs,” he surmised.

Amor Ardiente certainly enjoyed going around the turn for the first time and Wrogemann will be in the irons again to back up his claim in the All To Come Handicap.

Of the balance, Crime Victim, another Howells runner, has dropped a further four pounds in the handicap and now looks competitive.

The Soccer 6 Fillies Handicap is a tough race with plenty in with chances. Howells again holds a strong hand with Miziara who was close on stable companion Fiorella’s heels when the two met and is better off at the weights here. With Marcus up she’s a big runner. Fiorella was a close-up second first crack out of the maidens and will much prefer this trip from a good draw while a very much in form Dennis Drier saddles the progressive Tsessebe who has done most of her racing at Greyville and could well improve on some good form over this longer straight.

By Andrew Harrison

The newly laid Durbanville track will be given a searching test when racing resumes at the country course tomorrow. There are races from 1000m to the 2400m Settlers Trophy so every aspect of the newly laid turf will be tested.

All who took part in a series of trial gallops earlier this month were full of praise for the new surface but it was decided to delay a return to the track for a further fortnight to ensure that the racing surface was in tip-top shape.

That said, it won’t make finding winners any easier as punters are faced with a tricky card, no less the Settlers Trophy.

Durbanville race track

Although it is still early days, Justin Snaith is well ahead on the national trainer’s log as far as the number of winners goes and he has set his sights on a second national trainer’s championship. Snaith has three runners in the line-up, best of which may be One Direction, the mount of Richard Fourie. The Silvano gelding has some excellent form to his credit and did not contest Champions Season during the winter, rather taking his chances in his home town. With a string of second placings to his credit it was it was probably a worthwhile exercise but he really came into his own when stretched to 2400m last time out. He made all the running under Fourie and never looked like losing.

He faces a tougher task this time around but appears to have found his optimum trip and can follow up.

Our Emperor was a late starter to his career but has come into his own at recent outings, shedding his maiden and following up with a cracking victory in his first start in handicap company. He has a handy weight and he should handle the extra ground.

The mare Forbidden Duel has her first outing for Glen Kotzen after a consistent career under Duncan Howells in KZN. With few races over ground for fillies, she most often found herself up against males. She finds herself in a similar predicament again tomorrow but she does have a light weight and definitely stays the trip.

Snaith appears to have another good chance of adding to this season’s CV with Overshadow in the Play Soccer handicap where he again has three runners in contention. Bernard Fayd’Herbe does duty in the saddle and the five-year-old has his third run after a break and looks primed for this event after finishing a close-up third to Catkin last time out.

Snaith has a second arrow in his quiver with Star Chestnut who does not know how to run a bad race. It has been over a year since his last win and although the handicappers have been reluctant to drop his merit rating by any significant margin in a hurry he has come down a further kilo since his last race and should be competitive off his new mark.

By Andrew Harrison

The two headliners for the nine race meeting on the Turffontein Inside track tomorrow are both Novice Handicaps where there is the hard task of separating classy young three-year-olds with high merit ratings from toughened lowly merit rated older horses.

In the first of these events over 1200m Wellspring took eleven runs to win his Maiden Plate, but he faced some good sorts like So Var and Snow Boarding and finished close to them. He is the selection as he has been accorded a reasonable merit rating after his maiden win and this is a suitable course and distance. He has a fair draw and has had a couple of runs this season so should be race fit. Flying Free proved his class in the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m. He was bumped at the top of the straight in that race which caused him to lose his good position but he then lived up to his name by running on strongly for a 1,35 length fourth.

Sean Tarry

However, he has not raced since and has been accorded a merit rating of 96, meaning he has to carry 62,5kg and give Wellspring 9,5kg. He has won easily over course and distance before and is drawn in pole, so his class could still pull him through, but history does show that young three-year-olds with merit ratings this high do battle in early season handicaps against older horses, no matter how good they are destined to become. Cedrus Libani is an older horse who has won well over the course and distance before and he makes most appeal of the rest although he will have to bounce back to best after a disappointing run over course and distance last time, where the jockey did not persevere.

In the second of the Novice Handicaps over 1600m the three-year-olds are sided with. The Sean Tarry-trained Yamoto made a sparkling debut when showing pace under the hands over 1160m and then kicking clear when challenged. This Dynasty colt looks full of class and from running style and pedigree he will relish the step up to 1600m. He is drawn two and Anthony Delpech is aboard. His stablemate Aurora Australis also won impressively on debut, over 1400m, but has not raced since that race in March and has a tricky draw here. The older horse who makes most appeal is Boling Point as he has plenty of ability, but appears to have a few problems. From a plum draw over a suitable trip he could surprise running fresh.

The best bet could be Diva Faustina in race three over 1450m. She is an effective front-running to handy sort and from a good draw can get it right if ridden more conservatively than she was the last time she attempted this sort of trip. On that occasion she opened up a big lead and tired late, whereas she stayed on well in her only subsequent event when held up off the pace over 1600m.

The value bet is awarded to Noceur in the last race. She represents the very much in form Alec Laird yard and won easily when stepped up to 2000m first time out the maidens. She has always struck as a solid horse with ability and as one who would improve as she got older, so she can follow up despite being accorded a maximum eight point raise.

In the first race over 1200m the first-timer Silver Maple will be of much interest as he is a full-brother to the dual Guineas winner Janoobi and jumps from pole position. If he has the same amount of pace and resolve as his courageous brother he will be hard to beat, although Over Easy and Combat Muster could give some cheek.

Another Alec Laird-trained horse who could win is Captain Chips in the seventh. He runs over an ideal 1450m course and distance and is well drawn, so as one who has become ultra consistent he could prove hard to peg back. Edisson, unlucky last time over 1800m, could appreciate the step back to his winning distance and looks the main danger along with Walker, who has plenty of ability and returns from a layoff with Delpech up from a good draw over an ideal trip.

By David Thiselton

Dennis Drier has hit the ground running this season with last Sunday’s five winners at Scottsville taking his winning tally to 15 for the season at a 19% winning strike rate. Only Justin Snaith is ahead of him in the winner’s column with 21.

Dennis Drier

After an absence of nearly two months while the pull-up area was extended by 100m, Friday night racing on the Greyville poly track returns this evening and Drier can start where he left off – with another winner.

The gelding Taranaki, after catching the eye on debut, was well fancied to win his next start over the Scottsville 1200m where he started favourite. However, he was caught flat-footed over the final 200 m and did well to finish in the money behind debutant Cumulus that gave Nathan Kotzen the first winner of his career as a fully licensed trainer.

Given that run, it is not surprising that Taranaki has been stepped up to 1600m and just to make sure the gelding’s mind stays on the job, he races in blinkers for the first time.

Drier has a chance of an early double as Al’s Bells will start among the fancied runners for the second, a fillies and mares maiden over 1600m. Al’s Bells made her debut on the poly track and then turned in two useful efforts on the Scottsville turf, the last over 1400m where she found Girl In Gold a touch too smart.

Drier has also stepped her up in trip from a good draw and with Mauritzfontein retained rider and reigning champion jockey Anthony Delpech in the irons, she has a lot going for her.

In opposition, Delpech will also know exactly what his is up against in Roy’s Riviera after piloting Frank Robinson’s Australian-bred filly into a close-up third behind Colour Your Dreams. She has no stamina doubts and has also drawn well but in an ironic twist, Drier’s stable jockey, Sean Veale, will be aboard Roy’s Riviera.

Dean Kannemeyer

The third has a tricky look about it with Dean Kannemeyer back in action with Lady Lisha and Miss Milanna. Most of the Kannemeyer runners are returning from a break after their compulsory African Horse Sickness vaccinations so one needs to be a little cautious in this regard.

Miss Milanna, ridden by Delpech, made the better debut but Delpech has switched to Lady Lisha which may be a story in its self. Song Of Mitu and Just One More have the best current form so it may prove prudent to keep a close eye on the betting.

What A Moon is another Kannemeyer runner that is likely to start near the top of the boards in the fourth after two promising efforts on the poly. However, he is another back from a break and with Drier in such mustard form and Captain Moss, much improved after gelding, having his second start after a lengthy break, one needs to be cautious.

Captains Moll takes on males in the Durban View Restaurant Handicap but is overdue her second win. James Goodman’s yard has come to hand of late and although the filly takes on a competitive field she was a close-up second last time out and looks good enough to have the measure of the likes of Kali’s Champ, Keep Your Light On and Rock Master.

By Andrew Harrison

Barrier trials – a burr under the saddle of many – is about to become a reality in KwaZulu-Natal. Sanctioned by racing operator Gold Circle, the trials are likely to start as soon as the first week of November this year.  The trials will be held at both Greyville and Scottsville, but mainly on the Greyville poly track, prior to the start of race meetings.

Paul Lafferty, Chairman of the KZN Trainers Association and a Gold Circle board director, was instrumental in seeing it through. “This has been my pet project. We need transparency in racing. We need to get punters to trust us.”

“We have tried getting first timer comments published but although the majority of trainers do not had a problem giving out info, there are the few that are unwilling to co-operate.”

Paul Lafferty

“We had an AGM yesterday (Tuesday) and barrier trials were approved by Gold Circle CEO Michel Nairac. It was also unanimously supported by the trainers.”

“I think it’s a very good idea. I just hope that it can be carried out effectively,” said KZN Champion trainer Duncan Howells.

The trials will be held in six-horse heats over 1000m on the racetracks proper (at weight-for-age in case of mixed ages), with full control from stipendiary stewards, and with official race videos produced for every trial. All unraced horses from outside of the province but destined to make their debuts in KZN will also be subject to the trials in their racing silks before they can compete in a race.

Trial runners are expected to be fully punched out under hands-and-heels. All trial results with run-ons and times will be made available so that punters can have access to all the information they require. Barrier trials will also apply to horses that have been off the track for three months or more.

“There are many advantages to barrier trials and the most important of all is that it will go a long way to restoring public confidence in racing,” said Lafferty. “There is a perception that racing is crooked. Certain trainers refuse to talk about their unraced runners and when they win, punters believe they were placed at a disadvantage, that wool was pulled over their eyes or that vital info was withheld on purpose.”

“Perception is reality. We want to eliminate the perception of unfairness so that the people who wager money on races can be assured that they are on an equal footing, they have all the necessary information at hand before they put their cash down.”

“There are trainers who withhold information on their runners to plan so-called ‘betting coups’. This is tantamount to insider trading. It’s illegal on the stock exchange so why should it be allowed in horseracing? I said to them yesterday, ‘How many coups have any of you actually pulled off? I don’t see any helicopters parked at your stables. Forget the betting coups, those days are over. We need new owners in the game!

An added advantage is that young horses will be given experience such as going into a float and experiencing a race on a raceday. It is also an opportunity for trainers to have their horses pitted against other trainer’s horses, something not allowed under current National Horse Racing rules.

Lafferty conceded that there would be teething problems. “There will be incidents where actual race results won’t reflect the results of the trials, but the trials will establish form patterns for stables which punters will be able to follow with reliable results. They will be able to see which stables bring their horses to hand faster or slower compared to others, and so on.  The main issue, however, remains the aspect of public confidence. The betting public wishes to see that the operator is doing everything it can to help them win!”

By Andrew Harrison