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.

Brett Crawford and Anton Marcus (Nkosi Hlophe)

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.

Edict Of Nantes (Nkosi Hlophe)

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 (Nkosi Hlophe)

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

Weichong Marwing flies in for five rides at Kenilworth tomorrow in a bid to add to his Cape Town tally this term after landing the valuable Lanzerac Ready to Run on Safe Harbour from 16 summer season mounts.

Weichong Marwing

Punters should note that tomorrow’s rides are the result of calls from his agent rather than local trainers’ booking him (and paying his airfare) for fancied mounts. Indeed two of the three for Justin Snaith look more like stable second strings.

But the former champion has a big chance on Mike Robinson’s pair – Second Nature (race six) and Sun At Midnight two races later – as both are in sparkling form.

“Second Nature is working like a bomb and has come on since her last run,” reports the Philippi trainer. “Sun At Midnight is also working very well and I think both fillies will just about win.”

Sun At Midnight is on a hat-trick and has gone up 3kg for her last win. She could have most to fear from Trip The Willow and once-raced winner Ahoy Me Matey. It’s first time out of the maidens for Second Nature and she is drawn badly but her trainer’s confidence is infectious. Riverboat Queen looks the danger.

Punters have been waiting six weeks to get their money back on Blow In The Box after Bernard Fayd’Herbe famously reported “he blew it in the box.” The slow starting colt should get off on terms in the first but Captain Ram’s form reads better – Brett Crawford thought enough of him to put him in the Somerset – and he gets the vote.

Marwing rides the Snaith newcomer Floating On Water in the next but preference is for stable companion Varside who has repeatedly gone close. Big Mistake is the form horse here although he has been off since Met day when he finished over a length in front of Varside in the Kuda Sprint.
Grant van Niekerk, who rides Varside, may also win the next on Queen Of Alamo even though the two-year-olds are finding it tough to beat the older horses so far this season. What A Winner has superior form but didn’t seem to be able to handle the firm ground last time so Shadow Warrior could be the one for the forecast.

Things start to look difficult from race four onwards but Hero Quest keeps running well and the Crawford runner gets a tentative vote.

By Michael Clower

How do you sort out a dog-fight – an understandably repulsive ‘sport’ but possibly an appropriate analogy for the Gr1 Daily News 2000 and the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville tomorrow?

The ‘fight’ centres around struggles for places in the Vodacom Durban July and with Africa’s greatest horserace just a month away, competition for places in the 18-horse field is now intense.

Safe Harbour (Liesl King)

Tomorrow should sort out a pecking order as far as the three-year-old hopefuls are concerned. The Gr1 Daily News 2000 and the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 have attracted the cream of the crop but in many cases, July hopefuls that fall outside the preferred 18 on the log. At this stage of proceedings, they will need forward showings to come under consideration by the selection panel.

In the Woolavington, Safe Harbour, Orchid Island and Smiling Blue Eyes are all July entries. Safe Harbour ran Bela-Bela to within a length in the Gr1 Paddock Stakes over 1800m at Kenilworth back in January and more recently was beaten the same distance by Orchid Island in the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic. She has yet to race beyond 1800m and stable first call rider S’Manga Khumalo will be aboard stable companion Smiling Blues Eyes with Sean Tarry declaring Muzi Yeni on Safe Harbour which could prove telling.

With still two months of the season to run, Tarry is a shoo-in to top R30 million in stakes. His current tally sitting at R29 239 000.

Anthony Delpech is contracted to ride for Wilgerbosdrift and has been aboard Orchid Island in her last four starts. However, he has jumped ship to partner the Sanith-trained Gimme Six, not a July entry but still a possible with the final supplementary stage on Monday, June 12.

Two early fancies in the July ante-post market, Gr1 SA Derby winner Al Sahem and Gr1 Investec Cape Derby winner Edict Of Nantes, are both due to line up in the Daily News 2000.

After interrupted preparations for both the Gr2 Gauteng Guineas and Gr1 SA Classic, Al Sahem was spot on for the Derby and won as he liked. The SA Derby has always been a useful pointer for the July and runner-up and Derby Trial winner Pagoda, 15th on the current July log, must also come into the reckoning. Geoff Woodruff’s runner has come into his own since he started racing in blinkers but has been a little under the radar.

Edict Of Nantes (Liesl King)

Brett Crawford’s runner Edict Of Nantes goes into the Daily News off an excellent effort in an Allowance Plate where he gave the winner, Crowd Pleaser, 6kg. The race was switched to the poly track and he was making up ground quickly over the final furlong which augurs well for tomorrow.

Both Al Sahem and Edict Of Nantes are certain of a July spot and Pagoda is also in contention. Others on the fringes include Africa Rising, Zodiac Ruler, Horizon and Copper Force. Africa Rising steps up to ten furlongs for the first time but his pedigree suggests that he should have no trouble seeing it out. However, his Daisy Guineas effort behind Janoobi does raise a few question marks. The three others mentioned are all in the same boat. Zodiac Ruler did the best of them in the Guineas and his second place in the Investec Derby will count in his favour. Horizon started odds-on for the Investec Derby but was beaten nearly four lengths. He opened his KZN campaign with a promising win over 1400m but disappointed in the Guineas again when starting favourite. The Daily News trip should be more to his liking and he may be worth another chance.

Copper Force is another borderline case but will probably need a seriously big effort tomorrow if he is to make the July field. Although he has not finished out of the money in eight starts he has finished behind Africa Rising and Zodiac Ruler in recent outings.

Two other July hopefuls in action at Greyville are Rocketball and Banner Hill who take their chances in the Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup. Rocketball will have to up his game substantially to have any chance of making the July field while Banner Hill finished four lengths off Ten Gun Salute in the Gr2 Betting World 1900 which may have compromised his chances. Glen Kotzen said Banner Hill’s original target for the winter season had been the Gr3 Gold Cup but decided to nominated for the July after a fluent Champions Season opener. Victory on Saturday will definitely put him back into the reckoning.

By Andrew Harrison

Geoff Woodruff’s Grade 1 Daily News 2000 runner Pagoda and Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 pair Bi Pot and Al Danza arrived at Summerveld on Wednesday night and all looked to have travelled well.

The five-times champion trainer lamented his bad luck with draws in Durban this season and this trio were the latest to be “drawn out in the bush”.

Geoff Woodruff (Nkosi Hlophe)

However, he thought all three had the form to be contenders in their respective races.

Mogok gelding Pagoda is currently in 15^th place on the Vodacom Durban July log and Woodruff aims to “pop him into the July” with a low weight.

He clarified, “The Daily News is always a tough race for the Johannesburg horses because they have just come off a long, hard season and it is more a race to keep the horses going for the July and also to show them the course.”

He reckoned Pagoda was a July type of a horse and the big race had always been his target. He said, “He is small and neat and has a nice turn of foot. If you have a three-year-old coming into the July with 53kg or 54kg you know you are in the hunt.”

Pagoda would, as things currently stand, have to carry 53kg. However, off his 101 merit rating he would be 2kg under sufferance.

Last time out in the Grade 1 SA Derby over 2450m on the tough Turffontein Standside track, Pagoda was running close up to the eventual winner Al Sahem midway through the race when an incident caused him to be shuffled right to the back.

Woodruff said, “That was not the plan at all, but Gavin (Lerena) had him on the rail and he became caught in a box behind a slowing horse.”

Pagoda then ran on strongly from last to finish a 1,75 length second. Woodruff said realistically Pagoda might have finished closer, but doubted he could have won the race. He also felt realistically Pagoda would not be able to reverse form on Saturday with Al Sahem facing him at level weights again.

As things stand, Pagoda will receive 0,5kg from Al Sahem in the July. However, if the latter converts favouritism on Saturday the weight differential might change significantly.

Keagan De Melo (Nkosi Hlophe)

In his penultimate start Pagoda was reminiscent of one of the best Mogok’s, The Apache, in that he crept up steadily in the straight until the 300m mark and then when Lerena pressed the button he kicked impressively and went away from the field to win by 3,3 lengths. Chase Maujean replaces the now England-based Lerena and will have to negotiate a number ten draw in a twelve horse field.

Woodruff said the Judpot filly Bi Pot had not been “over raced” this season and she was “fit and well.”

He added, “She ran a very good race in the SA Fillies Classic and I think she is Gr 1 class, but I would have been much more confident if she had landed a better draw.”

This filly has a lovely, long stride and she turned it on impressively in the SA Fillies Classic to hit the front. She was only caught late, so should be suited to the tight Greyville track. She subsequently ran fourth in the SA Oaks over 2450m, reversing form with SA Fillies Classic winner Orchid Island. So, she should relish this 2000m trip and looks to be a massive runner despite having to jump from draw 12. Maujean will ride her for the fifth time in succession.

Woodruff admitted the Captain Al filly Al Danza had a stamina question mark. The Gr 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas is the longest race she has run in to date. Woodruff revealed she had been cut into from behind in that race, so she did well to stay on from a box seat for a 3,75 length fourth. It also gave reason to hope she could stay Saturday’s 2000m trip. Keagan de Melo rides from draw 13 in the 15 horse field.

By David Thiselton