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

Edict Of Nantes was yesterday cut from 8-1 to 5-1 favourite with Betting World for the Vodacom Durban July following Saturday’s Daily News triumph. Second-placed Al Sahem has also been shortened (from 13-2 to 11-2).

Previous favourite Marinaresco, who runs in the Rising Sun Gold Challenge at Greyville on Saturday, remains on 6-1. Stable companion Horizon, third in the Daily News, has been marked out from 20-1 to 28-1.

World Sports Betting has Edict Of Nantes at 9-2 with Al Sahem on 11-2 and Marinaresco on 13-2. Horizon is a 28-1 chance.

Brett Crawford, fresh from Saturday’s notable Grade 1 double, is planning more assaults on top prizes and Search Party and Gulf Storm, second and fourth to Bull Valley in the Tsogo Sun Sprint, both go for the Post Merchants at Greyville on Friday week.

Crawford said: “Gulf Storm is not drawn well and Search Party is also a bit wide but they will both run while Al Mariachi (third to Sand And Sea in the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion) goes for the KZN Yearling Sale Million on Met day.”

Live Life, who disappointed in the South African Fillies Sprint, could seek compensation in the Mercury Sprint on July 15.

Candice Bass-Robinson said: “She jumped upwards rather than forwards leaving the pens and was immediately at the back but she will stay in Durban and I will nominate her for the Mercury. However she will come home if she doesn’t draw well.”

By Michael Clower

The Gr1 Daily News 2000 turned into a battle of the Derby heroes as Gr1 Investec Cape Derby winner Edict Of Nantes and Al Sahem, triumphant in the Gr1 SA Derby, came together at the top of the Greyville straight. In a bruising battle that had the balance of the field chasing shadows, Edict Of Nantes gave Brett Crawford and Mayfair Speculators a Gr1 double after Lady Of The House out-gunned favourite Gimme Six in a controversial finish to the Gr1 Woolavington 2000.

The betting also indicated a two-horse race with the eventual winner starting a marginal favourite at 22-10 and Al Sahem 26-10 with the balance 8-1 and better.

Earlier, Anton Marcus, first call rider for Mayfair Speculators, was on the ‘wrong’ one in the Woolavington but he picked right this time around. He also got it wrong in the Cape Derby where he put his faith in the Australian-bred Table Bay, only to be upstaged by Frankie Dettori who caught most napping on Edict Of Nantes for his first Gr1 victory in South Africa.

For that reason, many viewed the Cape Derby form as slightly suspect but in hindsight it has proven solid.

“What was meant to be was meant to be. I sat on his back in Cape Town and he is a totally different horse now,” said Marcus. “I think you will only see the best of him as he gets older.”

“I’m glad I could do it for Brett. I always seem to have found the second box for him. It was as if someone had put a piece of pork in the first box,” quipped Marcus, he of Jewish faith.

Marcus always had Al Sahem in his sights. Gingerbread Man, tracked by stable companion Secret Captain, set the early fractions with the two favourites racing off the rail in mid-field. The pair swept wide into the straight with Edict Of Nantes quickening just a little better and going past his market rival crossing the subway.

Al Sahem was far from done, sticking to Edict Of Nantes, but Marcus’s decision to go just a fraction earlier than Anthony Delpech proved the master stroke as Edict Of Nantes kept finding to the line, the pair separated by a half-a-length with Horizon three lengths back in third. Both the winner and runner-up are already short-priced for next month’s Vodacom Durban July and the return battle is eagerly awaited while for the balance of yesterday’s field, all will be on tenterhooks.

It was not Delpech’s day as he also had to settle for second on favourite Gimme Six in the Gr1 Woolavington 2000. But he was not a happy camper after being pushed across the course by eventual winner Lady Of The House, lodging a protest against the winner on the grounds of interference in the latter stages.

There was little doubt that Piere Strydom allowed his mount to shift ground under pressure to the point that exchanges got tight as Delpech, who was coming from behind his rival, found himself cramped to the extent that he had difficulty using his stick.

The stipendiary stewards ruled that Gimme Six would not have beaten the winner and the result stood.

Strydom’s tactics in the finish were questionable but he again proved himself a master judge of pace.

Much as he did in last year’s Vodacom Durban July where The Conglomerate had the worst of the draw but sent to the front by Strydom, he gambled early and took decisive action. With some sedate early fractions, Strydom went for broke coming up the hill at the 600 m mark and pinched a few lengths on his rivals which proved to be the master stroke. Lady Of The House stuck gamely to her task to hold Gimme Six albeit in rather controversial circumstances.

In her warm-up for the Woolavington, Lady Of The House had finished a close-up third behind second-placed Edict f Nantes in an Allowance Plate although she was in receipt of 8.5kg from the Derby winner.

By Andrew Harrison

Turffontein inside track stages a low key eight race meeting on Sunday in which a Graduation Plate over 1450m is the highlight.

She’s A Giver has speed and the ability to kick on and this distance appears to be her optimum. She will be hard to beat on paper as she is comfortably the best weighted horse, but she won’t have it all her own way. Shukamisa is officially 9kg under sufferance with She’s A Giver, but last Sunday he was even worse off at the weights with the classy filly Bella Sonata over 1400 metres on the Standside track and ran her to 0,25 lengths. From a draw of three on Sunday, he must have big chance. Daffiq is the second best in at the weights and is distance suited, but has not raced since January and has a tough draw. Machismo is a typically progressive son of Silvano, who should enjoy this step up in trip and he could be the surprise package here from a fair draw. Duke Nukem is a talented horse, who also tries a step up in trip from pole position and being by Bankable he should be coming into his own. However, he is also returning from a layoff.

Orpheus is an impressive specimen who could get punters off to a good start in race one over 1450 metres, where he is drawn in pole. Mujallad and Flying Free are the dangers.

Star Profile has been consistent against some of the best of her age group and is the one to beat in race two over a step up in trip she should enjoy. She has a tricky draw to overcome and the back up is Silver Thursday, who beat Star Profile on debut when receiving 3kg, before losing to her in the SA Fillies Nursery. Silver Thursday should also enjoy the step up in trip.

Race three is a tricky leg of the P6 and PA and Varimax, the first-timer Duffield and Knysna Jet are the three which make most appeal, although more horses should be considered for the Pick 6.

The best bet comes in the fourth. Serene Countess was dropped out on debut over 1200 and ran on well. She should relish the step up to 1800m here and has little to beat.

The fifth is tricky and the three who make most appeal are Sucesfilly, Pied Piperess (if she lines up as she was due to run on Thursday) and the talented two-year-old Winter Watch, who has to lug topweight from a tough draw.

The seventh is a good class MR 90 Handicap over 1600m and Bonnie Prince makes appeal from a good draw as he has mixed it with some good horses and has a nice galloping weight and a good draw, although the concern is his consistency. Cashin and Unagi at the top of the weights make most appeal of the rest.

The last race should be fought out by Military Award and Pilou, who have both shown good ability and are well drawn over an ideal trip.

By David Thiselton