There are a number of potential pitfalls facing punters in the Racing.It’s A Rush Allowance Plate that heads the card at Scottsville today. There are a host of three-year-olds that have obvious claims and there are a couple that have the potential but have been off form in recent months.

Add to that a number of older horses who, if they produce their best form on the day, could put a spanner in the works. In short, it’s not an easy race to predict an outcome in spite of it being a set-weights event.

Justin Snaith and Anthony Delpech were denied in a tight finish to the Gr1 Woolavinton 2000 on Saturday but they team up with Bishop’s Bounty here and the smart son of Western Winter looks primed.

He was tested in the lucrative Lanzerace Ready To Run and the Gr1 Cape Guineas but both races seemed to be beyond his compass when judged on his previous sprint form.

Bishop’s Bounty has had one outing over course and distance in the soft when going down narrowly to Purple Tractor and although he gives weight to most and not the best in under the conditions, he should be a serious contender.

The filly Our Destiny is the best weighted runner in the race and her last outing in the Poinsettia Stakes is probably best ignored as she did not get the best of passages. Glen Kotzen’s runner has been up there with the best of her generation as far as the fillies are concerned and off a handy weight should at least be competitive.

Charles Laird sends Buffalo Soldier over what looks to be his best course and distance after trying further at his last two. He showed good pace before folding behind Horizon in a sophomore Allowance Plate over 1400m last time out and the declaration of blinkers could sharpen him up enough for victory.

Runners from the Dennis Drier yard have started to hit form and Horse Guards will have a host of supporters after he finished under two lengths back to Attenborough in his first run back since gelding. The form of that race has panned out quite well.

Stable companion Hack Green has lost form since beating the smart filly Green Pepper over course and distance last August. With stable jockey Sean Veal preferring the chances of Horse Guards the inference is obvious but an upset by Hack Green would not be beyond the realms of possibility.

But the list of possible winners is a long one. Sylvester The Cat drops to a sprint and if he decides to let loose he cannot be discounted. Isingamoya, Rodney and Bold Respect are others to consider in a wide-open affair.

The Scottsville 2400m has become something of a specialist distance since the closure of Clairwood and the paucity of races over the distance on the Greyville turf.  The Blinkers Bar Handicap is a prime example but that still does not make things any easier.

Top weight One Man Show was possibly just in need of his last outing over course and distance although he did find traffic at a crucial stage of the race and is likely to do better here.

Main Player ran an excellent race on the Greyville poly when beaten by Crowd Pleaser and Edict Of Nantes last time out but prior to that, in his first outing in a handicap, was touched off a piece-of-paper by the well regarded Techno Captain. Garth Puller’s runner goes this trip for the first time but on the strength of that run should have no trouble with the extra and rates a big runner.

Sheriff Hood and Burnt Cherry look pick of the balance.

By Andrew Harrison

They filled the next three places behind surprise winner Bull Valley in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint at Scottsville a week ago and they will go to battle again in the R400 000, Grade 2 Post Merchants over 1 200m at Greyville on Friday, June 16.

Two of them, Search Party and Gulf Storm, that finished second and fourth respectively, are from the stable of top Cape trainer Brett Crawford who triumphantly won both the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and the Woolavington 2000 at Greyville last weekend and will be on a high with strong hopes of snatching the honours in this top sprint event also.

Separating them at the line in the Tsogo Sun Sprint is the Dennis Drier-trained gelding Barbosa that showed a return to form in the Scottsville race with the promise of potential further improvement when he steps out on the polytrack for this race.

A full field of 14 runners will face the starter, with three reserves, with the Overlord gelding Talktothestars from the Coenie De Beer stable topping the weights and nicely drawn at three. While he disappointed in the Tsogo Sun Sprint, his previous effort when second to superstar Rafeef in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint was confirmation that he had not lost the enthusiasm for racing and at the weights he has a 1.5kg advantage over his rivals on merit.

Search Party could be the Crawford stable elect with Corne Orffer in the irons and with steady improvement in each of his recent races he could be one of the strongest contenders in the race. Stable companion Gulf Storm, however, will have a major task ahead of him from the widest draw but cannot be discounted.

The Drier stable is in top form and in addition to the success in the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion at Scottsville, the five-year-old Seventh Rock gelding Guiness gave his opposition a hiding in a MR 95 handicap over 1 000m at Greyville at the weekend confirming the form of the stable.

Gareth van Zyl fields the Captain Al gelding Redcarpet Captain that has won his last two starts over 1 200m on the Poly and the Alec Laird-trained Amazing Strike, winner of his last two starts, will be out to strike again.

Professor Brian from the Joey Ramsden yard has won his last three starts, the most recent over the course and distance in comfortable fashion and in a good time and with a light weight to shoulder again could put the cat among the pigeons in what has the makings of a thrilling speed encounter.

By Richard McMillan

When Piere Strydom landed at Durban’s King Shaka Airport last Saturday and heard his mount in Race 4 at Greyville had been scratched, he began questioning his decision to fly down for the race meeting.

“When I [initially] looked at my rides I thought that [Race 4] was my only chance for a winner. Now it was scratched,” Strydom said. But by the time he had left Greyville Racecourse to return to the airport that evening he had ridden two Graded stakes winners, Lady Of The House in the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 and Captain Splendid in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup.

Strydom’s two winners would not have delighted too many punters as Lady Of The House went off unfancied at around 20-1 and you get close to 10-1 on Captain Splendid. But riding fans would have worn out the replay button.

 

Strydom had to overcome draw 15 with Lady Of The House and wasted little time getting his mount into the lead in what looked a sedate pace. “They didn’t go that slow but the track was fast,” said Strydom. “I was told I could use her early on because she stays and is super fit.”

What punters did not know is that his saddle slipped shortly after the start. “That was a concern to me because when she started to hang in late in the race I wasn’t really able to ride her too vigorously.”

As a result, she hung in late and came together with 33-10 shot Gimme Six but stayed on to win by a head. Anthony Delpech lodged an objection against Lady Of The House but it was overruled.

 

As far as the Lonsdale was concerned, Strydom says he was told that Captain Splendid’s work had improved tremendously since his last run. “He was held on form so that must have made the difference,” he added.

Strydom is back at Greyville on Saturday, June 10, for the big Rising Sun racemeeting where he is carded to ride Janoobi in the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and Silver Mountain in the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes. For final fields visit http://www.goldcircle.co.za/champions-season-2/rising-sun-gold-challenge/

TABNews

 

Brett Crawford scored his second Grade 1 double of the season at Greyville on Saturday courtesy of Edict Of Nantes and Lady Of The House and stands a fine chance of becoming the first trainer since 2001 to do the Met-Vodacom Durban July double in the same season with two different horses.

Mike Bass achieved the feat with Bunter Barlow and Trademark in 2001 and also did the double with Pocket Power in 2008.

The Mayfair Speculators-owned Count Dubois colt Edict Of Nantes was an impressive winner of the Daily News 2000 under Anton Marcus.

His supporters will be waiting on tenterhooks to see how the handicapper views the race, but they need not be too anxious.

He beat the 106 merit rated SA Derby winner Al Sahem by 0,5 lengths and confirmed Investec Cape Derby form virtually exactly with Horizon.

The only other horse in the top five with form over a distance beyond a mile was the 81 merit rated Glider Pilot.

Therefore, Edict Of Nantes looks likely to be raised about five points to 107 and not much more.

It might have been a different story if the 101 merit rated SA Derby runner up Pagoda had finished fifth instead of sixth, as he could then have been used as a line horse.

As things stand Edict Of Nantes looks likely to have a nice galloping weight of somewhere from 54kg to 55kg in the July.

Betting World reacted by installing him the new 5/1 favourite. Al Sahem is at 11/2 and previous favourite Marinaresco is now 6/1.

Crawford won the Daily News in 2012 with Jackson. However, Jackson appeared to became a more and more difficult customer the older he got as an entire. He duly over raced in the July.

In contrast Edict Of Nantes looks to be an easy ride. He has it all, the gatespeed and early pace to help the jockey position him and the ability to be switched on and off at will. He has shown himself capable of quickening superbly off both a slow or a fast pace. He is going to be a hard horse to beat in the July as he looks likely to relish the 2200m trip and should come on from Saturday’s race.

On Saturday Al Sahem was unable to overcome a wide draw of eleven as easily as Edict Of Nantes had overcome his number nine draw. Edict Of Nantes ended up tracking Al Sahem and quickened past him despite being forced out wide. He then held Al Sahem at bay probably more comfortably than the winning margin suggests. However, in the latter’s defence he will relish the 200m further of the July and was coming off a hard Highveld season.

The front pair were clearly superior to third-placed Horizon.

The fourth-placed Glider Pilot is an A P Arrow gelding and is a half-brother to last year’s Daily News winner Rabada. He ran on well from second last to finish five lengths back in just his third career start and it will be will be interesting to see whether trainer Tyrone Zackey supplements him.

In a 5,5 length fifth was Copper Force. This year’s Cape Derby was thought to have been a below par race due to the US$500,000 CTS Mile being run on the same day, yet Copper Force, runner up in the CTS Mile, was comfortably beaten by two Cape Derby contestants on Saturday, the Cape Derby winner Edict Of Nantes and the Cape Derby fifth-placed Horizon. However, Copper Force was ahead of the Cape Derby runner up Zodiac Ruler and Cape Derby third-placed Captain Gambler, so has put his hand up for a July berth.

Zodiac Ruler stayed on from a good position for a 6,75 length seventh. He did take a bump at the start, which might have affected him. However, he was a borderline horse in 19^th on the first July log and might come under pressure for a place. However, the July scratchings of both Deo Juvente and Heavenly Blue, both near the top of the first log, will boost his chances.

Pagoda finished fast to beat Zodiac Ruler by 0,25 lengths, which might have been important as he was in 16^th place on the first July log.

It will be interesting to see whether Mayfair Speculators supplement their Woolavington 2000 winner Lady Of The House. Strydom overcame draw 18 of 18 to win last year’s July on the Mayfair Speculators-owned The Conglomerate and produced a virtual carbon copy race on Lady Of The House on Saturday. He was given confidence by Mayfair Speculators Racing manager Derek Brugman, who advised him she was looking for the trip. Strydom eased her to the front at the halfway mark. The rangy filly quickened at the top of the straight and stayed on resolutely. She hung inward in the latter stages, but she always looked likely to hold the narrow runner up Gimme Six at bay and the subsequent objection was overruled.

Safe Harbour beat SA Fillies Classic winner Orchid Island into third and boosted her chances of a July berth as Orchid Island was in fifth place on the July log. Smiling Blue Eyes did her chances of getting into the July no good by finishing unplaced.

Captain Splendid was a fluent winner of the  Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m, but Banner Hill did his chances of getting into the July no favours by finishing seventh.

Later, the former Gr 1 -winning sprinter Guiness made it a day for Mayfair Speculators to remember.  The cherry on the top was when Markus Jooste, owner of Mayfair Speculators, was able to watch his colours out in front for much of the way in the Epsom Derby, where his part-owned horse Douglas Macarthur finished a gallant seventh.

By David Thiselton

Weichong Marwing aims to be in action again at Kenilworth on Saturday as he battles to get his season back on track.

Marwing, champion in 1996/97 and the man who famously rode Horse Chestnut, has only had 15 winners and less than 170 rides in the past ten months and his uncharacteristic lack of activity is driving him on like a horse under the whip.

“I hurt my back and, once I got that right, I strained a tendon in my elbow. It’s been a nemesis,” he said feelingly as he rubbed the damaged area after winning last Saturday’s Soccer 13 Handicap on Second Nature in the famous Mauritzfontein colours that he wore  to some of his greatest triumphs. “I’m doing a lot of physio and rehab but I’m still riding with the elbow bandaged. But,” he grinned. “I mustn’t complain – I’ve been lucky with injuries almost throughout my career.”

Second Nature has had problems of her own. “She had a lot of sinus issues but we managed to work our way through them,” explained Mike Robinson, “and recently she has come on a lot.”
Queen Of Alamo earned her own place in the record books – for this season at any rate – by becoming the first two-year-old to beat the older horses in Cape Town this term when making all in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden although Grant van Niekerk seemed surprised that he had “a bit of a battle to get the ride.”

Apparently Glen Kotzen had decided to put up an apprentice and only relented when he heard from his assistant how keen Van Niekerk was to get the mount.

Blind Spot, who drifted from 6-1 to a remarkable 20-1 for the Racing Association Maiden, was winner number 11 for the Riaan van Reenen-Carl Burger partnership and was bought for a mere R10 000.

“I bought four at the two-year-old sale in Jo’burg when nobody was there,” recalled Burger with evident relish. “I got Flying Gitano for ten grand, Soaring Past for twenty and On The Right Path for thirty.”

Joey Ramsden is more associated with horses costing millions but Blow In The Box, who got up on the line in the first, was bought for a mere R20 000. Ramsden and Donovan Dillon doubled up with Newlands in the mile handicap.

Miss D’Aray, though, proved another R10 000 winner when coming away under Ossie Noach in the last two furlongs of the 1 800m maiden. This filly has been Noach’s ride in recent outings but Piet Botha has been doing a lot of work on her. He was under suspension on Saturday but was sufficiently interested to go to the races and confessed that he is relishing his decision to come out of retirement.

Trainer Glen Puller said: “Miss D’Aray had already  earned a lot more than she cost and blinkers made the difference this time  – she got on with the job and concentrated a bit more.”

Big Mistake, bought for R425 000 at last year’s Lanzerac Ready To Run but absent since running in the Kuda Sprint on Met day, came away in the final furlong of the juvenile maiden to win quite comfortably under Greg Cheyne.

“He came back sore from his last run so we sent him to the farm,” explained Candice Bass-Robinson. “He shows a lot of speed but runs on adrenaline. He is a quite a nervous horse and needs to settle down.”

Maybe stable companion Fool Proof, who drifted from 10-1 to 30-1 but kept on well to dead-heat for second, is more one for the notebook. “He has done very little and I wasn’t sure what to expect but he is quite a nice horse,” commented his trainer.

Craig Bantam, who rode Blind Spot, recorded his second double in as many meetings when making all on 16-1 shot Secretariat’s Girl for Vaughan Marshall in fast time while Brett Crawford made it 90 for the season when Corne Orffer and Nasty Harry came again to get up close home in the last.

By Michael Clower