Glorious Goodwood may have been hit by the worst weather in its history this week, but by Friday order was restored. The sun came out; the gale force winds died down and Al Jazi (IRE) under Frankie Dettori defended her Group 3 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Stakes (1400m) crown in style. The race is part of a twinning agreement between Goodwood and the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.

Frankie Dettori (Liesl King)

It was the third straight victory for French trainer Francois Rohaut and Goodwood Festival sponsors Al Shaqab, who won also won the race in 2015 with Amy Eria (IRE). By Canford Cliffs (IRE), who will join the Highlands Stud stallion band in 2018, Al Jazi is a 1400m specialist and with Dettori in the saddle the mare started as 9/4 favourite.

Despite a dash for the line Eternally (GB), Tomyris (GB) and even former South African runner Same Jurisdiction (SAF), the result was never in any doubt. With just over 400m left to go Dettori sent Al Jazi into the lead and the mare extended away from her rivals to win by 1.25 lengths with Eternally in second and Tomyris in third, a further head back.

It was the first victory of the week for crowd favourite Dettori and the roar as the popular jockey entered the winner’s circle was deafening. Dettori did not disappoint and despite his recent troubles with a persistent shoulder injury, he flew skywards in style, followed by a happy dance once safely back on the ground.

Harry Herbert, racing manager for Al Shaqab, was equally delighted with the victory: “She’s a specialist at this trip and at this racecourse, coming back to win this for the second year running. It is Frankie’s first win of the week so far. It’s great, the reaction he gets from the racing public is so unique and so special and of course he feeds off that, and those scenes in the unsaddling enclosure is what it is all about. It’s good for Frankie, he’s a superstar. Gregory Benoist would have ridden the filly, but he’s hurt his neck and has been off for a few months.”

Herbert confirmed that Al Jazi would be returning to top level competition, with the Group 1 Prix de la Forêt over 1400m on Arc weekend the most likely target.

By Liesl King

South African jockeys Raymond Danielson and Brandon Lerena have arrived back in South Africa after their ordeal in Mauritius and Muzi Yeni has also been cleared to leave the island and will be on a flight this morning (Sunday).

Brandon Lerena (supplied)

It is well documented Lerena, Danielson and Yeni went on a catamaran trip on a sunny day in June and one of the other people on the boat, unbeknown to them, turned out to be a licensed bookmaker.

Lerena and Danielson were found to be in breach of a Mauritian Turf Club (MTC) rule regarding associations between licensed jockeys and licensed bookmakers and were charged.

However, an appeal against the subsequent guilty verdict and the three month riding suspension handed to them was heard internally on the MTC premises on Tuesday and was upheld.

They were subsequently cleared to leave the island

Yeni was not charged with the same breach and was in fact never charged with any breach of Mauritian law whatsoever.

However, for reasons which have still not been explained by anybody an “objection to departure” was placed upon him and an application he brought to the supreme court regarding the matter was adjourned until about August 18.

However, he was suddenly given notice of an intent to clear him for departure on Thursday and was then cleared to leave the island.

By David Thiselton

Brett Crawford, six Grade 1s last season, has tremendous strength in depth and he can strike with Captain Ram in the Racing Association Maiden at Kenilworth on Sunday.

This colt was pipped on the post on his first attempt over this 1 400m and, while he looked as if he might not have quite seen out the trip that day, he had enough ability to run in the Somerset 1200 and Corne Orffer can be relied upon to nurse him home.

Brett Crawford (Nkosi Hlophe)

Tripple Explosion is second favourite and looks a big danger after finishing second in his last three starts but, as a four-year-old, he may not have as much scope for improvement as his younger rival.

Crawford, incidentally, was only narrowly beaten by Justin Snaith for the top Western Cape trainer award and had a strike rate of 13% at Kenilworth last season. Joey Ramsden also recorded 13% while Snaith and Mike Robinson fared next best with 12%. Andre Nel (20%) did better than anybody apart from Shane Humby (25%) who moved his string to KZN in search of more opportunities.

With the exception of Anton Marcus who clocked up an incredible 33%, Aldo Domeyer and Bernard Fayd’Herbe had the best Kenilworth riding strike rates with 19%. Western Cape champion Richard Fourie recorded 18% and Grant van Niekerk 15%.

The Crawford-trained Greenstreet Tractor, a R260 000 Captain Al newcomer, was the early favourite for the opening maiden but the originally booked Greg Cheyne is now sitting out a suspension. Orffer partners stable companion Undercover Agent, also a Captain Al first-timer.

However Streetfighting Man still makes more appeal. His previous run gives him an advantage and it is worth noting that he was considered useful enough to start joint favourite – and that he would have finished a fair bit closer had not his inexperience cost him valuable ground at the start.

Wine Festival looks the bet of the day in race three. This Ramsden filly has had two good runs – the second of them over this trip – and she has a good draw which is important over 1 400m. Daring Miss and Le Claire may follow her home.

Hithimagainchuck is favourite to defy top weight in the Place Your Bets Handicap (race seven) but the Snaith gelding faces a stiff task for a horse only just turned three and preference is for Western Storm who ran well over a furlong further last time.

By Michael Clower

The horse transport companies will be busy over the next week or two ferrying the visiting horses back to home base, but there are still a few with unfinished business, one being Johan Janse van Vuuren.

Many of his horses have already left Ashburton and returned to the cold and dusty Vaal, but others like Hardball in the first and Till Dawn in the second look to have bright chances on the Greyville poly tomorrow.

Anton Marcus (Liesl King)

Hard Ball makes his local debut but has shown promise on the Highveld in spite of being lightly raced. Van Vuuren has stepped him up to 2000m tomorrow but his Australian pedigree suggests that this is what he has been looking for all along. If he stays he rates the one to beat in what otherwise stacks up into a weak maiden. If there is a danger the threat will in all likelihood come from the consistent Air Salute who has been consistent and stays the trip. The form of his last poly race has worked out well so he must rate a serious threat.

The draw on the Greyville poly track does not appear to be a major factor so Till Dawn’s wide gate should not be too much of a hindrance. The gelding made good improvement at his second outing when racing in a tongue-tie and winner that day Borya, contested a Gr1 feature at his next start. Charles Laird had a quite Champions Season by his standards but steps out a host of runners tomorrow and Mighty Mercury could get him off the mark for the season. Laird’s runner has a plum draw and should enjoy the extra.

Of the balance, Q Behind Me returns from a break but has shown some ability while Lions Den has his third run after a break and tries blinkers. He is one to watch.

The third is something of a minefield but Roy’s Barbel has improved with each outing and now looks ready although the long-suffering Pomona is long overdue and should be thereabouts again. Another to consider is One Dimension who has had a single sprint and should much prefer the extra. He is one to watch in the market.

Laird is two-handed in the fourth with Yankeedoodledandy and The Carpenter, both in with strong chances. Anton Marcus presumably had the pick of rides of the two Mayfair Speculator-owned horses so the consistent Yankeedoodledandy may be the right one. He has some consistent form to stronger and with a fair draw he should be competitive. Stable companion The Carpenter was not too far back in useful company at his last two and has won over course and distance. The Des Egdes-trained Asyouplease showed up well first up in handicap company from a difficult draw over the Scottsville mile and must come into the reckoning.

Laird has another strong hand in the fifth where the stable elect could well be Dance On Air. He ran a good second to Cutting Edge last time and looks ready to go one better. Stable companion Waltzed Home is seldom far off the action and loves the surface. He should make a race of it.

The sixth is another lowly handicap and decidedly tricky Roy’s Rolls Royce is a bit of a poly specialist and has the form to be very competitive. Toa Nui shed his maiden last time out but that form has been franked and he must come into the reckoning in a field of this calibre. Selvan’s Jet, Master Shogun, Emperor Niarchos and the lightly weighted Discourse all rate winning chances.

The Lion Guard has a wide draw to overcome in the seventh but has the form to be competitive. His last run to Roy Royale was particularly good. He can go one better. Veteran Eddie Sweat is running well and is seldom far off the action. He gets the services of an astute judge of form in Anton Marcus and the veteran gelding can break a long winning drought.

If the two in the first two races do not fire for Janse van Vuuren he could end off the meeting on a winning note with the lightly raced mare Clifton Road. She has her third run after a break and could prove too strong for the likes of Kutlwanoslove and Mermaid Siren.

By Andrew Harrison

Turffontein’s first weekend meeting of the new season is on Sunday on the Standside track and punters look to have some fair chances in the eight races.

Maximizer (Nkosi Hlophe)

The highest rated race is the sixth, a MR 88 handicap over 1400m. National Key is an eight-year-old who has won his first start of the season on three different occasions and he could do so again here, although his wide draw is a concern. In his penultimate start over 1600m, having dropped to his lowest ever merit rating of 81, he was narrowly beaten but was more than five lengths clear of Maximizer, who won a Listed race on the Greyville poly over 1600m next time out. In his next start over 1400m National Key pecked at the start and was never in it, so that run can likely be ignored. He is still off an 81 and is the selection to win. Yankee Captain has to bounce back from a poor run last time when something felt amiss over 1600m and he finished eleven lengths behind National Key.

However, his course and distance record here is hard to ignore, as he has won twice and placed second once in four attempts, and furthermore he is drawn in pole position. Kings Archer also has a decent course and distance record and if he repeats his last run here he will go close as he was under sufferance in that Pinnacle Stakes event over course and distance yet charged home to be beaten only half-a-length by the useful Will Pays. Quinlan looks to have scope and also looks likely to stay this trip. He has had a busy campaign and if his trip to Durban, where he finished fourth in a Grade 3 over 1200m, did not take too much out of him he can be involved. Danza has dropped to a competitive merit rating and has a fair draw over an ideal trip so should make his presence felt. Vulcan has been knocking on the door over this trip, but does have a wide draw to overcome so will likely have to be used up to some extent to get to the front where he likes to be.

The first race, a Maiden over 1160m, is interesting as the form horse The Puma is returning from a six month layoff. However, he looks to be a cut above the rest and can beat home Midnight Messenger, who should improve from his fair debut, and the speedy Wellspring. Alwahsh and Piaget Prince are first-timers to take note of.

In the second over 1000m, The Thinker is a solid sort who won the last time he ran over course and distance and he can defy topweight off a four point higher merit rating. He is lightly raced and won the last time he returned from a three month layoff. However, it is an open race and the like of the speedy but inconsistent Isphan and the consistent All Night Flight also have chances.

Will Pays (Nkosi Hlophe)

The third over 1600m is an uninspiring maiden, but Imperial Ounce, Dancing Rebel and Skiminac should be enough to get punters through the exotics.

In the fourth over 1600m Teenage Dream could surprise as she will relish the step up in trip from 1400m last time and has dropped to a competitive merit rating. She has a fair draw and the Lucky Houdalakis yard are in good form. However, Sim-Alley Bank will be a good back up as she has proved competitive off her current merit rating and has a good draw with Gavin Lerena up.

In the fifth B Twenty One looks a fair bet to continue her winning ways over staying trips as she could well still be ahead of the handicapper, although Arabian World has always struck as a staying type and will likely give plenty of cheek.

The progressive High Seas Beauty, the well drawn and distance suited Rouge Allure and the promising Dame Kelly can fight out the seventh over 1400m as they are all nicely drawn, although End Game is also a capable sort and Jo Mambo and Comme-Ci-Comme-Ca can’t be ignored.

In the last race over 1600m Spring Indeed is the form horse and should be cherry ripe to deliver as she is having her third run after a layoff, although she doesn’t have an easy draw. Iridium Silver has excellent course and distance form so looks the main danger.

By David Thiselton