The next Ryder Cup will take place in France next year, the South African Rider Cup will be staged at Scottsville on Sunday where three teams of four of the country’s top jockeys will compete against each other, each team represented by the leading jockeys in the three main racing jurisdictions.

Given the number of single crosses marked in each of the four competition races in the Computaform, the competition is wide open and indeed, every race on the card is a potential minefield.

The Global Logistics Handicap is the card headliner and does not form part of the competition but Anton Marcus, who rode a treble at Scottsville on Wednesday, teams up with Brett Crawford and The Great One who will be looking to defy top weight. In spite of some criticism, the handicappers got it spot on in last Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July with eight horses finishing within a length of the winner Marinaresco, so one is a little hesitant to take them on here.

To my superstitious mind it is tempting fate to give horses names that most will be hard-pressed to live up to and The Great One may be a misnomer. However, the Australian import is still a relatively young horse that has been lightly raced and he may still live up to his name.

The Great One had not been out since January when making his local debut at Scottsville back in May where he was denied in the last jump by Last Winter after making all the running.

He was not far off Safe Harbour and Horizon in previous outings and with a run under his girth he does rate the horse to beat in spite of his burden.

The opposition will not go down without a fight and The Great One will need to be as good as his name suggest. The Slade has a similar profile to The Great One, having been rested since finishing a head back to The Great One in the Gr3 Politician Stakes won by Horizon.

Dean Kannemeyer has since gelded his charge and he made a winning debut when ‘two stones’ lighter beating Ever Dear on Sunday’s course.

He is 2kg worse off with The Great One when judged on their Politician Stakes run but the gelding could make up for the difference in weights.

The two are drawn alongside one another which could lead to another Marcus / Anthony Delpech tactical battle.

Adam Marcus saddles the consistent Gyre who has had two outings in KZN this winter. He has not been quite at his best but with no rain forecast and the going likely to be on top come Sunday he could up his game.

Duncan Howells saddles to tough competitors in Chicago Beat and Baltic Amber, both capable on their day. With stable rider Keagan de Melo suspended, Gavin Lerena will be aboard Chicago Beat who narrowly got the better of stable companion Wild Wicket last time out. Baltic Amber is an honest from runner. Apprentice Ashton Arries is quickly making a name for himself and is full value for his 2.5kg allowance.

Also in the scrum is Copper Pot. One leaves a Sean Tarry runner out of exotics at your peril and although Copper Pot’s recent form is not all that inspiring, it could prove deceptive.

He was tossed in at the deep end in the Gr2 Greyville 1900 in an effort to make the Vodacom July field but the soft going and a wide draw saw him run no sort of a race.

He races in blinkers and a tongue-tie for the first time and the improvement could prove spectacular.

The Great One and The Slade are taken to fight this one out with Copper Pot the dark horse.

By Andrew Harrison

Jannie Bekker bridged a nine-year gap when booting home 14-10 favourite Apollo Star for Joey Ramsden at Kenilworth yesterday.

This was the 45-year-old’s first winner since one for George Scott at Turffontein shortly before constant, and increasingly-agonising, pain forced him out of racing and into the computer business.

He said: “I had a lot of problems with my back. I’d had the pain to some extent since I was a kid but it got worse and worse and eventually I had to stop riding.

“But some three years ago the doctors discovered the cause. They found that my muscle structure was not strong enough to support the skeletal structure. I went to a biokineticist who said he could cure me.

“A year ago I resumed riding work and a few weeks back I began race-riding. To ride a winner again is a magic feeling. I got the best posie (position) in the race on Apollo Star and he kicked when he was supposed to.”

Bekker, who rode for two years in Dubai and had spells in Mauritius and Zimbabwe (where he finished second in the championship), has been riding for Ramsden since his comeback but is expected to pick up mounts for other trainers now that he has broken the ice.

By Michael Clower

Chantyman, a touch unlucky on debut after a tardy start and wide throughout, was an emphatic winner of the first at Scottsville yesterday. “It wasn’t Alec’s fault, it was just one of those things,” opined Dennis Bosch but the son of first season sire Oratorio certainly stamped himself as a horse with a future after his seven-length romp.

Joey Ramsden has had numerous winners at Scottsville but he revealed surprisingly that he had never had a winner when on course.

That change when Anton Marcus booted home hot favourite Rock My Soul, giving him the first of his treble. Rock My Soul is by leading first season stallion Twice Over. “I think he’s a serious sire,” said Ramsden. Rocky My Soul, a rig before being gelded ahead of his season opener, battled hard for victory but speaking to Ramsden post-race Marcus said, “I he’s a fighter. He’s got plenty of guts. I don’t think he will stop here.”

A string of winning favourites had bookmakers shedding tears and they took further punishment when Miziara landed the odds for Duncan Howells in the fourth. “She’s still green and all over the course,” said Keagan de Melo demonstrating with his hands.

Stretched to a more suitable trip, the daughter of Kahal was always travelling comfortably and inched Howells into a two-winners lead in the battling for the KZN trainer’s championship over perennial rival Dennis Drier.

In spite of fighting off the symptoms of a heavy cold, De Melo was also successful on the well supported Marsala for Michael Roberts in the second, getting the better of another debutante, the Andre Nel-trained Parade’s End.

Love Lyric brought some relief for the bookies as Yogas Govender’s 10-1 shot denied Roberts a double in a tight duel with Wonder Worker.

The relief was short-lived however, as New Fort under Marcus kept up his exception form for Glen Kotzen, winning his fourth race from five starts for his new stable and Marcus added further salt to the bookmakers dwindling profits when riding an inspired finish on hot favourite Clifton Sunset to finally snap a sequence of runner-up placings although she was hard pressed to collar long-time leader Rainbowinthesky.

By Andrew Harrison

The Rider Cup interprovincial jockeys competition takes centre stage this weekend at Scottsville.

The KZN Falcons team of Anthony Delpech, Anton Marcus, Alec Forbes and Warren Kennedy look to hold the trump cards, so they could make it two out of two having won the inaugural event last year.

The first leg is a Maiden over 1200m and KZN look particularly strong here.

Biometric jumped awkwardly and was then green on debut when beaten six lengths on the Greyville poly over this trip and the form has worked out quite well to date. He is by Judpot and is a half-brother to useful sorts like Control Freak and Greys Inn Control. He should show considerable improvement and could be the one to beat under Forbes if jumping on terms.

Asian Star should also go close under Marcus. The form of his penultimate start over course and distance has worked out well and last time, also over course and distance, he showed good pace and when switched out from behind runners ran on well. The form of that race looks fair in the context of this event.

His Mark Dixon-trained stablemate Edge Of Glory was not disgraced in his penultimate start over 1000m at Kenilworth and his KZN debut over 1000m at Scottsville confirmed he would probably enjoy the step up to 1200m as he stayed on without being punished. He is a full-brother to a horse who won five times from 1200-1600m and he should be right there under MJ Byleveld (Cape Eagles) in this uninspiring field.

Strong ‘N Brave showed good pace with first time blinkers on over this trip on the poly and finished fifth. He beat Luckdragon by seven lengths and the latter, who is a battling maiden, had earlier finished second to the promising Leslie Shadowliner when leading and staying on over 1200m on the Greyville turf. Therefore, Strong ‘N Brave must have a chance under Delpech in a race of this quality.

First Mate showed good pace second time out over 1000m before being outgunned in the final stages and finishing fifth. However, on pedigree he should enjoy the step up in trip and has possibilities under Kennedy.

Luckdragon, who is ridden by Gavin Lerena (Highveld Hawks), might appreciate being back on a turf surface and can’t be ignored.

Ku Du Tu, a Jay Peg gelding, is an interesting two-year-old debutant as he is a half-brother to a Windrush colt who won on debut over this trip and reached a merit rating of 90 after further placed runs behind good horses. He will be ridden by Greg Cheyne (Cape).

The other first-timer Hard To Play is a two-year-old colt by Curved Ball out of a Kahal mare who has produced two moderate winners and will be ridden by Craig Zackey (Highveld).

Bluemoonrising, ridden by Marco van Rensburg (Highveld), made a fair debut and is another to consider.

Marcus also has a good ride in the second leg on the two-year-old Dynasty colt Eyes Wide Open, who was caught wide on debut over 1400m at Scottsville but still stayed on for third. He will appreciate the step up in trip to 1600m in this maiden event and has a fair draw of six. However, he could be given a good run by another two-year-old, Visionaire colt Volcanic Sunset, who has some decent 1200m form and on pedigree will appreciate the step up in trip. Richard Fourie(Cape) rides him from a plum draw of two.

River Garden has finished second in all three of his starts to date, all at Scottsville from 1200m to 1600m , and will have a chance here from draw eight under Corne Orffer (Cape).

Lucky At Last was green on debut from a wide draw on the poly over 1400m but stayed on well and looks to have scope, so he has a chance under Delpech over a step up in trip he will enjoy.

Time Travel made a fair KZN debut on the poly and could also earn here under Forbes.

St. Peters Bay has run a fair race over course and distance before and could also earn points under Zackey.

The third leg is a 1200m MR 82 Handicap and once again KZN look to have a good hand. Rock Of Africa (Marcus) and Roy’s Air Force (Delpech) should be right there. However, the Shane Humby pair Midnight Vision (Zackey) and Waywood (S’Manga Khumalo (Highveld) bring some fine Kenilworth form and off mere 72 merit ratings they have fine chances returning from layoffs over trips short of their best. Out My Way (Fourie) and Bengal Boy (Van Rensburg) could also earn points.

In the last leg Marcus has another good ride on the talented Princess Analia in the MR 66 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m. Online (Van Rensburg) has a good chance too and others who make most appeal are Russian Girl (Zackey), Storm Kitten (Cheyne), Le Suerte De Matar (Byleveld) and Royal Kaitrina (Fourie).

The points earned for each race are 1^st 20, 2^nd 16, 3^rd 14, 4^th 12, 5^th 10 and 6th 8.

By David Thiselton

The teams competing for the 2017 Rider Cup are:

Cape Eagles: Greg Cheyne, Richard Fourie, MJ Byleveld, Corne Offer

Highveld Hawks: Gavin Lerena, S’Manga Khumalo, Craig Zackey, Marco van Rensberg

KZN Eagles: Anthony Delpech, Anton Marcus, Alec Forbes, Warren Kennedy

South Africa’s top racehorses have been the focus of attention throughout Champions Season but at Scottsville in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday it will be the “little guys” on top that take centre stage in the 2017 New Turf Carriers Rider Cup Interprovincial Jockey’s Challenge.

Teams of riders from KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Western Cape will compete for top honours in a series of races on the day with their mounts being allocated by ballot.

The top three riders in each province at the end of May, based on the National jockey logs, will automatically be included in each team with the fourth rider being the “captain’s pick”.

Gold Circle’s Marketing Executive Graeme Hawkins explained that there could be riders with the talent to be competitive that, due to unforeseen circumstances, had not ridden enough winners to qualify. The new system of rider selection would enable the team captain to extend an invitation to that rider to join the team for the competition.

While some riders may be selected to ride horses they were familiar with, for most they could find themselves in the saddle of a runner they know nothing about which adds more spice to the competition.

The Highveld Hawks representing Gauteng are the defending champions and will be out to retain their status but will be up against top riders from the other teams. The KZN Falcons won the first challenge in 2015 with the Cape Eagles having finished second in both challenges and will be out to go one better and lift the provincial title.

The riders will contest four races with points being allocated as follows:

20 for 1^st

16 for 2^nd

14 for 3^rd

12 for 4^th

10 for 5^th

8 for 6^th

With a ONE point decrease from seventh to one point for last.

Seven points will be allocated for a scratched ride.

The teams competing for the 2017 Rider Cup are:

Cape Eagles: Greg Cheyne, Richard Fourie, MJ Byleveld, Corne Offer

Highveld Hawks: Gavin Lerena, S’Manga Khumalo, Craig Zackey, Marco van Rensberg

KZN Eagles: Anthony Delpech, Anton Marcus, Alec Forbes, Warren Kennedy

By Richard McMillan