The Place Accumulator, Pick 6 and Jackpot will be popular exotic bets at the Mercury Sprint racemeeting at Greyville on Saturday, which is the first big SA Champions Season event since the Vodacom Durban July, and those who do their homework on a competitive card should reap healthy dividends.

Bull Valley (Nkosi Hlophe)

The first leg of the PA is a tricky fillies and mares handicap over 1600m on the turf. Premier Dance is a typically progressive daughter of Silvano and the form of her last run over this trip has worked out very well. This half-sister to the brilliant miler Capetown Noir could make it four wins from just six starts, although she does have to carry joint topweight of 61,5kg off her 93 merit rating and this is also her second run after a six month layoff. Captain Gambler stayed on quite well from last in the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and has the Anton Marcus factor with her. She also comes out well on formlines with Well In Flight and Tanami on a line through Louisiana. Persian Rug won a Listed handicap over 1600m on the tight Turffontein Inside track in May last year off a merit rating of 93 and now runs off a 91. She has shown a liking for Greyville and in her only recent start there over shorter than 1950m she over raced with blinkers. The blinkers are now off and she is drawn in pole which will give her a good chance to get into her preferred handy position. She stands a chance of giving Nathan Kotzen his first win as a licensed trainer, so should be included in the Pick 6. Well In Flight is drawn well and can do better than last time when a bit short of room in the straight in a race run at a crawl over this course and distance on the poly. Being two points lower in the merit ratings will also help this nice type. Tanami won well the last time she tried this distance on the poly and there is little between her and Well In Flight on formlines.

The second leg is also a tricky fillies and mares sprint handicap over 1200m. If Only has been transformed with blinkers and from a plum draw over an ideal course and distance looks capable of making it a hattrick. Victory Takeover can never be ignored over her favourite course and distance. Timeous is a nice type and is still off an attractive merit rating after being given just a two point raise for her last win, so can go close from a reasonable draw over a suitable course and distance. Wandie’s reeled off a hattrick at this time last year and has enough pace to make a successful step down in trip off a competitive merit rating. The pacey Gunship ran on well to win over 1000m on the poly in January, but hasn’t run since. From a good draw she has to be included running for a yard who always have them fit. Accidental Tourist can be in the picture if starting on terms.

Anton Marcus

In the third leg of the PA and first leg of the Jackpot, a MR 66 Handicap over 1200m, the one who makes the most appeal is Y’retheone. This Rebel King gelding has a nice long-striding action and some ability. He has run well fresh before, so warrants banker consideration on a tough card like this. He does have a tendency to over race, so will need a good pace and some cover and there is hope of getting both with the pacey Hold The Line drawn out wide. The latter could hold on for a place and the talented and versatile Black Jaguar could be one to include from pole position returning from a rest, as he has dropped to an attractive merit rating and S’Manga Khumalo is an eye catching booking. Almost Human might get the run of the race from a plum draw and Yorkshire Dales and Zinzara can’t be ignored.

The sixth race is a MR 86 handicap over 1000m and the topweight Rockey Valley makes appeal despite being six points higher than his last win. The latter victory was over 1200, but he was quite keen there and gave the impression he would enjoy 1000m. Furthermore, he is drawn in pole position. However, Lil Red Rooster and Varbration are in good form and are course and distance suited too, so are hard to ignore.

The seventh is the Listed Off To Stud over 1600m and Wukkin’ Up is drawn in pole and is having her third run after a layoff over an ideal trip. She looks likely to enjoy the poly and Anton Marcus is aboard. However, it is also a tricky event and her three stablemates Strategic News, Heaps Of Fun and In Other Words can’t be ignored and neither can the classy Frosty Friday, who should be cherry ripe over an ideal trip.

The next race is the Mercury Sprint and Bull Valley is selected to be a PA banker from a plum draw. Trip To Heaven has to included in the Pick 6 and Jackpot, because if he does not start too slowly his exceptional turn of foot can carry him to victory. Sergeant Hardy also makes appeal from a good draw as one with good pace and the ability to stay on. New Predator, Talktothestars and Kangaroo Jack are the others who look capable of winning.

The last is a MR 62 handicap on the poly. Kali’s Champ is an improving sort and can go close if reproducing his decent effort last time out in the KZN Breeders 1600. However, he has a wide draw and the consistent poly horse Russian Speed has to be included from a good draw off a competitive merit rating. Saber’s Beads, Hannah’s Answer and Roy’s Sailor also have to be considered.

By David Thiselton

Brett Crawford, looking for the first Mercury Sprint success of his career, is concerned about Post Merchants winner Search Party’s wide draw (14 out of 15) in Saturday’s Greyville feature.

Search Party (Liesl King)

He said: “It is going to make things very tough for us. Search Party can be a fast starter but the poor draw is unfortunate. A lot is going to depend on the conditions on the day as to what we try to do about it.”

Corne Orffer’s mount opened 6-1 third favourite with World Sports Betting which has the Sean Tarry-trained Trip To Heaven heading the market at 3-1 with stable companion Bull Valley next on 4-1.

Crawford has decided against running Investec Cape Derby and Daily News winner Edict Of Nantes again this season and intends putting him away with the ultimate objective being a third Sun Met win in four years for the stable.

He explained: “It would be silly to run him in the WSB Champions Cup at the weights. He is rated 107 yet he would only be getting a kilo and a half from the older horses. He is going to have a break before we start getting him ready for the summer.

“His mission in Durban was always the Daily News and he achieved that. He put up a great performance in the July but he never got the run of the race. I thought he ran really well.”

By Michael Clower

Anthony Delpech is freewheeling to his third National Jockey’s Championship. He booted home a double for old boss Mike de Kock at the Vaal on Tuesday and tightened up with two more at Greyville yesterday to edge 39 ahead of closest rival, Gavin Lerena.

With little more than two weeks of the current season to run, the tux will be out of mothballs and ready for the Equus Awards taking place early next month.

Anthony Delpech (Liesl King)

Delpech kicked off his double as Honorary made amends for Dennis Bosch in the third. The daughter of Mogok finally getting it right at her fourth attempt having been placed in all three of her previous starts.

Delpech’s next was an armchair affair as Roy Had Enough finally had some luck and ran out an easy winner of the fourth. The smart-looking Australian import has had a few hard luck stories in the past but was ridden with confidence by Delpech and won as he liked.

“It was pretty simple really. We weren’t going a great pace and I knew I was on the best horse in the race so I went early.”

Roy Moodley and some punters had ‘had enough’ after expecting more in earlier starts but Frank Robinson explained. “He’s still a baby and was a winner without a penalty. He was unlucky at his previous start and did well to finish a close-up second. He’s a Derby type horse that will go through the divisions,” said Robinson.

Gavin Lerena, off to the UK next week to fulfil his contract that still has another month to run, is making the most of his time at home. He had a winner at the Vaal on Tuesday and rode a driving finish on Doosa to deny favourite Macduff and Waltzed Home in a tight finish to the seventh.

Doosra had run into all sorts of trouble when heavily supported on July day and although close, this win was just reward.

Johan Janse van Vuuren has had a good run form from his Champions Season base at Ashburton and scored a double on the day with Virga confirming that Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Brave Mary has a bright future as she sauntered home under Anton Marcus. Virga had finished some six lengths back to Brave Mary at her previous outing.

Duncan Howells stretched his lead to five over closest rival Dennis Drier in the race for the KZN Trainer’s Championship when Anton Marcus barged his way to victory in the Track & Ball Gaming Handicap. Switched out from a closing gap at the top of the straight, Marcus made sure that once his mount’s nose was into another closing gap she kept pressing on until it opened. Once clear Crystal Ball rolled to the front but was challenge hard on her inside by Star Of Caesour.

Drier will have been frustrated in his chase for the title by a string of paced runners in the past fortnight but has a host of runners come Saturday and the gap is likely to close in what could be a thrilling finish to the title race.

By Andrew Harrison

Sean Tarry’s coupling of Trip To Heaven and Bull Valley have been priced up at 7-2 and 4-1 respectively to win Saturday’s Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Greyville.

Trip To Heaven, arguably the best performer not to have a Grade 1 victory in his CV, looks a worthy favourite as he is by far the best handicapped runner, 2.5kg better weighted than stable companion Bull Valley. He has run four times at Greyville, twice over 1600m in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge, and twice in this race. Trip To Heaven was first past the post in the 2016 Gold Challenge but was relegated to second in the boardroom for causing interference to Mac De Lago. This year he ran on well to run a 1.50-length second behind Captain America.

His two 1200m races have resulted in his finishing unplaced but according to Tarry there were excuses. “Two years he got a very poor ride and should have finished a lot closer. Last year, as far as I remember, it was a slow-run race and I was happy with the run,” said Tarry yesterday.

It was also his first run after having been gelded but, as Tarry points out, Trip To Heaven has done little wrong since he was gelded.

Trip to Heaven (JC Photographics)

He’s drawn at No 7 but that is not a concern for Tarry. “He loses ground at the start so it’s really irrelevant where he’s drawn. Obviously, the faster they go the better. We know the weights are never his problem, just the gates.

“I really believe this horse deserves a Grade 1 win.”

S’manga Khumalo takes the ride on Trip To Heaven while Karl Zechner rides Bull Valley.

Bull Valley will be looking for his second successive Grade 1 win after coming out on top in the Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville in May. “It was a big win,” said Tarry. “He was primed for that race and he stole it from a long way out.”

Third favourite at 6-1 is Search Party, who finished a 1.50-length second to Bull Valley at Scottsville and then won the Post Merchants over this course and distance in June. In that race he beat Talktothestars (at 9-1 along with Kangaroo Jack) by a neck but the pair will have to overcome draws No 14 and No 13 respectively.

Opening betting on the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Greyville on Saturday:
7-2 Trip To Heaven; 4-1 Bull Valley; 6-1 Search Party; 9-1 Talktothestars, Kangaroo Jack; 10-1 New Predator; 11-1 Brutal Force; 12-1 Attenborough; 14-1 London Call, Sergeant Hardy; 16-1 Champagne Haze, Rivarine; 20-1 Victorious Jay, Gulf Storm

– TABNews

The weight for age Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m features all of the top sprinters in the country still in training and is a particularly exciting race as it is around the bend at Greyville and the charge for home off the false rail is a spectacle to behold.

Bull Valley showed in the Tsogo Sun Sprint he has fine cruising speed and a tremendous kick, so he is going to be hard to beat from pole position. However, interestingly, Sean Tarry’s regular stable jockey S’manga Khumalo will be aboard Trip To Heaven and is replaced by Karl Zechner on Bull Valley.

Trip To Heaven is deservedly the highest merit rated horse in the field on 120, but the question will be how much ground he will lose at the start. This horse has a phenomenal turn of foot and his run here last year can be ignored as he lost plenty of ground as usual and was then rushed up and caught wide. He is sure to be given a better ride this year. The false rail is set to be five metres , so the front runners and inside drawn horses will not have as much advantage as they had in the recent Grade 2 Post Merchants, where there was virtually no false rail at all over this same course and distance. However, with the course running fast at present it will still not be easy for Trip To Heaven to make up the leeway.

Trip to Heaven (JC Photographics)

Sergeant Hardy could be a big runner from draw two as he has good pace and can stay on and he showed his liking for Greyville last time out when caught wide and coming from a long way back for second over 1100m. New Predator showed in the IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m he has some pace and his turn of foot and long-striding finish make him one of the dark horses over a trip too sharp, especially if the pace is fast.

Reigning Equus Champion Sprinter Talktothestars was dropped out last year from a wide draw and had too much ground to make up. In the recent Post merchants he was handy and stormed home for a 0,25 lengths second despite giving the winner Search Party 2kg. July-winning heavyweight jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe will be aboard, so there will be little or no dead weight to carry, but unfortunately Talktothestars has another very wide draw to overcome so will need more luck than he had last year.

London Call has 3,15 lengths to make up on Bull Valley from the Tsogo Sun and is only 1kg better off. However, he was right up at the front in the latter race until the closing stages and he has a good kick, so from a good draw of three here he could possibly last long enough to stay in the placings. He might be the pacemaker. Kangaroo Jack showed how good he was in last year’s Post Merchants over course and distance, where his devastating turn of foot was seen at its best, and after a recent preparation he will be a contender if reproducing that Post Merchants performance. His wide draw is not a great disadvantage for one of his hold up style.

Gulf Storm showed his class in the Tsogo Sun with a 2,55 length fourth, but he is worse off with Bull Valley now and will do well to repeat his fourth place of last year from a tricky draw of eight. Victorious Jay showed pace and a good kick from a good draw when a narrow second in the Drill Hall so could be dangerous here from a fair draw of seven.

Attenborough is an enigmatic sort with a lot of talent and over his ideal trip he could earn, but on paper he is well held on Tsogo Sun form by Bull Valley, Talktothestars, Gulf Storm and London Call. Champagne Haze is a dark horse considering the fine turn of foot he showed when winning the Gr 2 Senor Santa over 1160m, but it will be tough from the widest draw of all.

Rivarine has fine pace and possesses a kick, but will need to use his low draw to good effect to be able to reverse Computaform Sprint form with Talktothestars. Search Party is 2kg worse off with Talktothestars and has the widest draw of all to overcome in the 14 horse field, which will make it tough for him to repeat his start to finish Post Merchants win where he jumped from draw six. However, he has been progressive this season and can’t be ignored.

Anton Marcus did his homework in his usual professional manner to win comfortably on Red Ray last year and now rides his full brother Brutal Force. The latter ran a good fourth in the Computaform Sprint but was then tailed off in the Tsogo Sun when reportedly being hit in the eye by something and also found to be not striding out. However, he now has to overcome a wide draw of 12 and is not quite as talented as Red Ray, who overcame draw nine last year with his early pace and then still found a strong kick.

By David Thiselton