With summer approaching and the prospect of torrential rain or heavy thunder storms disrupting racemeetings has always been the bane of the track managers. The laying of a synthetic poly track at Greyville went some way to easing these fears as, barring a monsoon, the poly track should always be raceable. However, there were teething problems, one of which was at the pull-up past the winning post where the poly track met the turf surface. Any heavy downpours resulted in localised flooding and unsafe underfoot conditions for horses easing up out of their races and on occasion resulting in the jockey’s refusing to continue riding

Hopefully this is now a problem of the past as the poly track has been extended by a further 100m past where the original poly track ended and additional drainage included – the work having recently being completed.

The work was carried out while the turf track was under-going it’s spring treatment and Greyville hosts the first of its regular Friday night poly track meetings of the season this coming Friday, September 22.

By Andrew Harrison

Turffontein Standside has an eight race meeting tomorrow and owing to the many first-timers appearing there is a situation where the suggested Pick 6 costs less than the suggested Jackpot.

The first and last legs of the Pick 6 both look to have potential bankers.

The first of these, Carmalita, is a less confident banker because another horse in this 1000m Maiden Plate for three-year-old fillies, Kutamba, has some useful form and now wears cheek pieces for the first time. Carmalita, is an Australian-bred by Commands, whose progeny tend to improve with age, so she should build on her good debut when a narrow second to the promising Mohallela. Last week the higher draws tended to be favourable down the straight, although The Thinker proved it was possible to win from a low draw. Carmalita has a fair draw of eight in the 13 horse field, but Kutamba has a more attractive draw of ten. Carmalita moved up on debut from a favourable draw over 1200m on the Vaal Inside draw to strike the front close to home and looked the winner. However, Mohallela then came back at her to get up and this suggests Carmalita could appreciate the 1000m trip here at this stage of her career. Kutamba tends to show good pace, but then doesn’t go through with it so is an interesting runner with the headgear on and it could be worth halving the percentage of the Pick 6 taken to include her. Ilha Da Var is held by Kutamba on their last two meetings, but could still improve, so is an outside threat from a nice high draw with Gavin Lerena now taking the ride.

In the last leg of the Pick 6 Great Shaka is a solid sort who showed fine pace over 1000m on the Inside track last time before being run out of it late. She has an attractive draw of 15 and doesn’t have a lot to beat among the raced horses.

The seventh race is the highest rated race on the card and Cathedral County is a banker consideration as he looks to be going places. However, beyond him it is open and All Night Flight, Magic, Moshav, Manx Park and Fidelio are all capable of picking up the pieces.

In the second leg of the Pick 6 there are three raced horses worth including, but for the Jackpot there are two first-timers who warrant inclusion too. Of course the first-timer rule only applies to the Pick 6. King Of The Delta did not have the best of passages last time out over this 1160m trip but after working his way to the outside rail he stayed on nicely for second to the promising first-timer Yamoto. This time he jumps from a lower draw so it is going to be tough, but on form he is the one to beat. Flying Winger caught the eye running in in the same race and should improve, but he has the potentially tough number one draw. Torio Lake showed some pace on debut on the Greyville poly and Gavin Lerena is now up from a fair draw of six. Torio Lake is well bred being by Oratorio out of the twice Grade 3-winning sprinter Purple Lake, who is by the sprinter Lake Coniston.

However, Purple Lake has only produced a moderate 1000m winner to date, although that was her first runner. The two-first-timers who make appeal are Come The Day and Cyrus. Come The Day has the standside draw of ten in the ten horse field. He is by Await The Dawn and is a half-brother to the Grade 3-winning and Grade 1 Mercury Sprint third-placed sprinter Showmetheway. Cyrus is by Right Approach out of an unplaced Model Man mare who is a half-sister to the Grade 1-placed Infinite Spirit. None of Sean Tarry’s first call jockeys are aboard here, but it is never wise to ignore a Tarry yard first-timer.

The fifth race is an important event as there will be a few horses out to qualify for the Grand Heritage. Starret City looks like a fair sort and can put his disappointing last run, where the saddle slipped, behind him from a plum draw of two over the suitable 1600m trip. Pilou is progressive and Nephrite has become consistent, so both will also be players over an ideal trip. Mambo Symphony showed he is up to his high merit rating last time, but has been raised a further two points and has to overcome a wide draw. Querari Viking has dropped to a competitive merit rating and can’t be ignored, while bigger budgets can include the like of National Key and Shogun.

In the sixth race Chapati’s form has worked out well, while Penny From Heaven looks to have potential but does have to overcome a merit rating of 83 in her first handicap start in just her third career outing. Fish River Canyon looks like an under achiever who has a chance with a light weight and Braxton and Polar Secret can also be considered.

By David Thiselton

Dennis Drier, pipped at the post for last season’s KZN trainer’s championship, has made a flying start to the new season and celebrated his birthday with a five-timer at Scottsville yesterday along with a large bowl of ice cream and chocolate sauce courtesy of long-time friend Bill Lambert.

However, it was not so much the number of winners that were satisfying, but also that one of his best horses found his better form after a lengthy spell out of the winner’s enclosure and also having two winners for China-based businessman Hui Guo who has invested heavily in South African Bloodstock.

Three of Drier’s winners came for Mayfair Speculators, all three ridden by Mayfair’s retained jockey Anton Marcus.

All the money came for Sacred Fame in the first who made short work of the opposition even though Marcus cut right across the field to finish on the outside rail.

After the race, training colleague Dennis Bosch’s eyes lit up like a cat who had found the cream as Sacred Flame franked the form of Cape Town-headed Billy Silver who had beaten him by five lengths when making his debut.

Billy Silver is eligible for the lucrative CTS sales races in January and will be headed for Cape Town shortly where he will be stabled at Geoff Woodruff’s Milnerton satellite yard.

Former Gr1 Tsogo Sun and Golden Horseshoe winner Seventh Plain has been dogged by ill-health but three seasons later added a fifth win to his CV as he got the better of Summer Sky in a tight finish to the fourth, Marcus and Mayfair Speculators to the fore again and Drier sitting in his ‘lucky chair’. “I thought we got beat,” he said a relieved Drier after the slow-mo replayed showed Seventh Plain a nose ahead of Summer Sky and Redcarpet Captain.

Peter Gibson has made his trips to mainland China with the South African trade delegations count and Chinses businessman and trader Hui Guo has invested heavily in South African racing and bloodstock.

He was rewarded with a double as the well-supported Salimah led her field a merry dance in the third and the photo showing Constantine getting the better of She’s A Fortress and Freddie Flint in the sixth.

Guo trades in South Africa under Hartley SA (Pty) Ltd with Peter Gibson as nominee. “The first horse he bought was Tipo Tinto but he now has 65 horses in South Africa, including 25 broodmares and shares in stallions. He is the main partner in (Scott Bros-based) Eightfold Path,” said Gibson.

Constantine denied Corrine Bestel and Derryl Daniels double as earlier Rose Of Peru put one over males, hanging on gamely to out-point favourite Amritsar who arrived on the scene a fraction too late.

A cornel collar, designed to keep the airways open, appears to have done the tricky for Lloyd’s Legacy who kept finding to win a smart race in the fifth although there was some debate in the winner’s circle. “I don’t think he needs it,” said Marcus. “I think he does,” retorted Drier.

After five winners on the day – we stay with the trainer!

 

By Andrew Harrison

The highest rated race on Turffontein Inside track’s nine race meeting tomorrow is a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1450m in which the imported Hat Putano makes his long awaited South African debut.

This Argentinian-bred is weighted to win the race and is unbeaten in three starts on turf, including a 16 length maiden win over 1400m and two Grade 1 wins over a mile. However, he has not run for over a year. Amazing Strike is thus chosen to win the race as the third best weighted horse who has had a recent run and is fairly well drawn here over a suitable trip. The second best in at the weights is Irish Pride. He is classy and might well appreciate the step down to 1400m, although his two below par runs over 1600m at Greyville are a concern.

Count Tassilo is ideally distance suited and has proved in his last couple of runs he can come from off the pace, so his wide draw is not a major concern. Shukamisa has been in good form and is another who could be staying on strongly, although he likes to be handy so his number ten draw is tricky. Tandava won a good race over 1400m on the Standside during the week and has to carry 1,5kg more than carded here, but he has twice upset the applecart since arriving from Zimbabwe. Romany Prince and Cashin from the Ormond Ferraris yard are both capable of going close here, but this looks likely to be a pipe opener for the season.

Donny G has a lot of pace, so the wide draw is not ideal, but he has won over this trip before and the current fast ground will suit him. Toro Rosso has his third run after a year long layoff and is drawn in pole over a suitable trip, but he has made breathing noises in both of his moderate comeback efforts. The selection is Amazing Strike to beat Count Tassilo with Hat Puntano, Shukamisa and Tandava next best.

The first race sees the reappearance of a potential classic contender in Captain My Captain, who caught the eye on Sun Met day running with long strides from an impossible draw over 1200m. The form of that race has turned out to be very strong and he should enjoy this trip as his second dam is a half-sister to a Kentucky Oaks winner.

The hard knocking Serendipity should get it right in the second race with not a lot to beat and Piere Strydom significantly keeping the ride.

The next two races are staying events which are often tricky affairs. Graf Spree and Save The Rhino are the obvious picks but it might pay to go as wide as possible.

In the fifth Tundra Taita is well regarded and Lucky Houdalakis horses often come on slowly but surely, so she can follow up on her maiden win. Anthony Delpech has significantly kept the ride.

In the sixth race Silver Thursday is likely to be all the rage, but it has been seen time and time again that young three-year-olds, no matter how good they are destined to become, battle to win handicaps in the early season off high merit ratings and hers is up at 89. The preferences for the bipot are My Friend Lee and Pool Party who are both distance suited and decent types.

The eighth is one of the trickiest races on the card, but presents a good opportunity for King And Empire, who has won twice over the 1450m course and distance and is well drawn off a competitive merit rating.

Ali Bon Dubai has his first run out of the maidens in the last race, but although he took nine races to win his maiden he has struck as a fair sort and can follow up off a mere 63 merit rating.

By David Thiselton

Ivan van Wyk saddled his first winner as a fully-fledged trainer when Putchini won at Scottsville last Sunday. Van Wyk, who was handed the reins by Chris Erasmus and trains out of Yellow Star Stud in the KZN Midlands, can follow up at the same venue this Sunday when another yard stalwart, Panza, lines up in the fifth.

If Van Wyk has learnt one thing from Erasmus, it is that horses that stay in their boxes don’t earn and Panza is just two shy of a half-century of racecourse appearances with four wins to his credit.

Panza has had three outings since returning from a lay-off and should strip at his peak on Sunday over what looks to be his optimum trip.

Last time out he was possibly a little disappointing when fading late behind the useful Wynkelder but prior to that ran the speedy grey Isca to within a length over course and distance. He is down in class from that effort and with a handy galloping weight should be a strong contender in what is a competitive handicap.

The two most likely to head the betting are Lloyd’s Legacy and Amazon King but Panza gets a fair amount of pudding from both and he could hold on to the line.

A set of blinkers appear to have settled the talented but often difficult Techno Captain and Paul Gadsby’s runner has a strong chance of recording a double in the seventh.

The gelding showed up well first run in blinkers when little more than two lengths back to Saint Marco over a mile. He was then stepped up to 2400m and put in a sustained finish to get the better of the visiting Icy Avalanche.

The six-horse opposition is headed by Paul Lafferty’s Double Clutch who has a lot going for him, being down in class, up in trip and down in the ratings to where could again be competitive.

Icy Avalanche has been a soldier for Tony Nassif, the Port Elizabeth ‘chuck-out’ winning twice and running a number of places for Nassif, including a close-up second to Techno Captain last time out.

Nassif has taken the seemingly easier route on Sunday, avoiding the MR 86 in favour of the MR 68, however he does take a corresponding rise in the weights.

He was only caught in the last couple of strides by Techno Captain and with Anthony Delpech engaged for the ride the inference is obvious.

The giant Haddington has come into his own since being sent over ground, finishing runner-up to the smart Brighteyebushytail before winning in commanding fashion next time out. Louis Goosen expressed a couple of reservations, not entirely sure that the gelding would see out the trip or whether apprentice Eric Ngwane could keep him together long enough over the extended trip as he is not an easy horse to settle. However, he only has a postage stamp on his back which will be a big plus.

Silent Obsession and Ideal Winter were involved in a ding-dong tussle over course and distance a fortnight back with Ideal Winter having to survive an objection, the luckless Silent Obsession losing out in the boardroom for the second time. The gelding only has one eye but he stays well and Keagan de Melo should be able to keep him out of trouble.

Silent Obsession has an each-way chance for Duncan Howells but two better propositions from the yard could come in the form of Chicago Beat in the sixth and Chica Musica in the last.

Chicago Beat has the more difficult task as he is not particularly well weighted in this Pinnacle Stakes event, but he seldom gives less than his best and the drop to 1400m could prove beneficial.

The Dazzler made a stunning start for James Goodman, beating a field of winners on debut in dazzling fashion – pun intended. He was unplaced on the poly in feature company next time out but back on turf was a close-up second over course and distance. He takes on stronger here but has a light weight and jumps from the inside gate which adds to his appeal.

Also in the mix is Redcarpet Captain who makes his debut for Mark Dixon after owner Brian Burnard recently decided to spread his horses among various trainers. Ironically Redcarpet Captain finished runner-up behind the Dixon-trained London Call last time out but after showing a glimpse of his best form he could go one better.

The Howells-trained Chica Musica made good improvement at her second outing and although she has a tricky draw she looks set to make good improvement in the ninth. Stable rider De Melo will in all likelihood have had the choice with Victory Cross in the same colours also in the race.

By Andrew Harrison