Ashburton trainer Paul Gadsby has two runners in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint, Vision To Kill and Miss Varlicious, and said both were very well but admitted Carry On Alice would be “a hard nut to crack”.

However, Gadsby was concerned the three-and-a-half metre strip on the inside which was protected at the last meeting would now “be like gold” and everybody would be trying to dive on to it.

Vision To Kill (Nkosi Hlophe)

Gadsby confirmed the Kildonan three-year-old Vision To Kill would be the elect of his two but added, “Miss Varlicious can never be written off, she is an old campaigner and could run into the money.”

Gadsby felt Vision To Kill was a touch unlucky last time over course and distance in the Gr 3 Poinsettia when flying late and being beaten 0,5 lengths by The Secret Is Out.

“I felt the winner had a clear run the whole way and we did not,” he said.

However, Vision To Kill will now be 3kg worse off, as The Secret Is Out was carrying a Gr 1 penalty in that race. Vision To Kill will also be 2kg worse off with Live Life, whom she beat by a short-head.

One factor favouring Vision To Kill is she clearly loved the step up to 1200m and jockey Muzi Yeni will now know that, whilst he went into the last race unclear whether she would enjoy the step up from 1000m.

Vision To Kill has a low draw of two. However, Gadsby said if the going on the inside does prove on the day “to be gold” he was not sure whether this would work for or against Vision To Kill as she might in that case have to be used up early to hold her position.

Miss Varlicious, who is usually handy, is drawn out in eight and has Alec Forbes up.

By David Thiselton

Paul Lafferty has two good chances of winning the Gr 1 Allan Robertson at Scottsville on Saturday and whilst he rated Touch Of Magic the better filly he said Crymeariver had enjoyed a better preparation.

Touch Of Magic is an imposing Australian-bred by Sepoy and was very impressive when winning her debut over 1000m at Scottsville on March 1 under Diego de Gouveia, who claimed 2,5kg at the time.

Touch Of Magic (Nkosi Hlophe)

Lafferty said, “She is very talented and had it not been for a recent hiccup I would have rated her tough to beat. A lot of Summerveld horses have had elevated temperatures lately and she was one of them, so she has had a bit of an interrupted preparation. Her temperature is normal now and I will take a blood close to the race as a final precaution.”

Apprentice De Gouveia keeps the ride, but will not be able to claim his current 1,5kg.

Crymeariver by Elusive Fort made her debut on March 26 at Scottsville over 1200m, where she faced winners, and she burst through in eye-catching style to win full of running. She was receiving 3kg from the 1,5 lengths runner up, Neptune’s Rain, and also had a 4kg claimer up which meant she was receiving 7kg in all. However, if the claim is ignored it should just about put them together in Saturday’s race, considering the manner in which Crymeariver won and the improvement she is entitled to. The bookmakers rate them equal at around 7/1 the pair.

Lafferty said it had always been the plan to send Crymeariver straight into the Allan Robertson and he added, “I am very happy with her, she has been working very well at home.” He said she would get a mile even now, so it is not surprising he is sending her in fresh and another strong finish can be expected.

Touch Of Magic is a juicy 14/1 and this might be due to the jockey bookings as Anthony Delpech rides Crymeariver. However, Lafferty pointed out De Gouveia was one of his stable’s regular apprentices and it would have been “tough” to have taken him off Touch Of Magic.

Lafferty did not believe his pair’s high draws would be disadvantageous on the day.

Lafferty runs Sniper Shot in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion. He had to be scratched due to a temperature recently but is over it and put up good work on the grass the other day. Lafferty said, “It is a very tough race, I am not confident of him winning it, I will be happy if he places.”

By David Thiselton

There were a few worried faces come last Friday night after the running of the Gr2 Betting World 1900 as a host of Vodacom Durban July hopefuls failed to deliver on expectations, the one beaming face in the crowd that of Duncan Howells after Ten Gun Salute’s scintillating performance to cement his place in the July field.

There were excuses aplenty, many labelling the soft ground as the main culprit for some below par performances, but it was a race of contrasts.

As expected, the front-running Serissa did the donkey work but hardly set the track alight. On his tail and in the box seat throughout was stable companion Tilbury Fort. When Serissa fell away in the straight, Tilbury Fort was left with a clear run to the wire but stayed on for second rather than quicken. Last year’s Investec Derby winner and fourth in the July, It’s My Turn, ran a similar race but there looks to be plenty of meat left on that bone.

In stark contrast was the performance of Ten Gun Salute. He raced wide throughout and only had Mr Winsome behind him at the top of the straight. But when the button was pushed he quickened instantly past favourite Elusive Silva and swallowed up the rest of the opposition in a matter of strides.

Mr Winsome was also doing his best work late and Dean Kannemeyer must now be in two minds whether to take advantage of the final supplementary stage for the July.

Ten Gun Salute and Mr Winsome obviously revelled in the going but it was a particularly good effort from the winner who had been in a race against time to get ready for the race after pulling a back muscle when trailing in last in the Drill Hall Stakes two weeks prior.

Ten Gun Salute was one of the fancied runners in last year’s July and now a year older and assured of a place in the field, his current odds of 18-1 look fairly generous in spite of being cut from 25-1 after this victory.

Of the balance, Elusive Silva was running on well enough to suggest that he cannot be written off come July 1. This was his second outing after a lengthy break and he may just have come up flat on the night. Banner Hill, Prince Of Wales, Macduff, Master Switch, Copper Pot and Rocket Ball all have work to do.

Thirty minutes later Investec Cape Derby winner Edict Of Nates ran a cracking July warm-up in an Allowance Plate. Winner, Crowd Pleaser, is smart in his own right and led all the way but Edict Of Nantes, giving the winner 6kg, was closing the gap quickly and did his July chances no harm at all. The race was switched to the poly surface and favourite Secret Captain found himself out-paced at the business end. He ran a similar race in the Daisy Guineas where he stayed on for second. He gets another bite at the cherry in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 but gives the impression that he is still immature and will be a better horse next season.

Last year’s winner, The Conglomerate, and Algoa Cup winner Nebula were up next in a Pinnacle Stakes, the latter showing his well-being after taking a heavy fall at his previous start. He will go the 2200m trip of the July for the first time come July 1 but on last Friday’s evidence he should see out the trip comfortably.

The Conglomerate was not asked many questions and has been relatively lightly raced this season. He raced handy throughout but was never in the hunt for the winner’s cheque as Anton Marcus nursed him home under a few back-handers. An each-way nibble at 33-1 may not be a sign of madness.

On Saturday at Turffontein, The Elmo Effect failed to feature in a Pinnacle Stakes event and his chances of making the July line-up look slim.

By Andrew Harrison

2017 Vodacom Durban July ante-post betting guide [as at 2:51pm May 29]:

11/2 Marinaresco; 6/1 Al Sahem; 8/1 Edict Of Nantes; 10/1 Black Arthur; 11/1 Elusive Silva; 12/1 Its My Turn; 16/1 Nebula, Ten Gun Salute; 18/1 Horizon; 20/1 Saratoga Dancer, The Conglomerate; 25/1 Krambambuli, Captain America; 28/1 Master Switch, Copper Force, Pagoda, Zodiac Ruler; 30/1 Brazuca; 33/1 Orchid Island, Africa Rising, Master Sabina, Bela-Bela, French Navy; 35/1 Tilbury Fort, Nightingale; 50/1 Liege; 80/1 Smiling Blue Eyes; 100/1 Girl On The Run, Safe Harbour, Silver Mountain, Witchcraft, Banner Hill, Trophy Wife; 150/1 Royal Badge; 200/1 Macduff; 300/1 The Elmo Effect;

Odds courtesy of www.trackandball.co.za and subject to change

Runners from the Joey Ramsden stable dominate the betting for the R1-million Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday.

All four Grade 1 races will be run over 1200m and form a Jackpot of Grade 1s attracting the best sprinters in the country.

Joey Ramsden (Nkosi Hlophe)

Ramsden sends out three runners in the Tsogo Sun Sprint and all of them have top jockeys booked. Attenborough, to be ridden by Anton Marcus, is a weak 5-1 favourite while Brutal Force, with Piere Strydom in the irons, is at 7-1. Table Bay is the mount of Anthony Delpech and is quoted at 9-1.

Local hopeful London Call, from the Mark Dixon yard, has opened at 7-1, and there is 8-1 available about dual Guineas-winner Janoobi and Brett Crawford’s Search Party.

Strydom won the race last year on Talktothestars and Coenie de Beer’s runner is quoted at 12-1 to defend his crown. Chase Maujean takes the ride.

The four Grade 1’s also form part of a carryover-boosted Pick 6 pool at Scottsville on Saturday that is expected to top R3million.

Betting on the four Grade 1 Sprint races at Scottsville on Saturday:

Tsogo Sun Sprint: 5-1 Attenborough; 7-1 Brutal Force, London Call, 8-1 Janoobi, Search Party, 9-1 Table Bay; 10-1 Bull Valley, 11-1 Sergeant Hardy; 12-1 Talktothestars; 14-1 and upwards others.

SA Fillies Sprint: 22-10 Carry On Alice; 9-2 Live Life; 11-2 Just Sensual; 6-1 The Secret Is Out; 8-1 Real Princess; 10-1 Vision To Kill, Bela-Bela1; 11-1 Joan Ranger; 12-1 Jo’s Bond, Sail; 16-1 Elusivenchantment; 40-1 Miss Varlicious

Gold Medallion: 16-10 Naafer; 9-2 Sand And Sea; 7-1 Keanan’s Rock; 8-1 Al Mariachi; 10-1 Sir Frenchie, Woljayrine; 11-1 Varallo; 12-1 and upwards others.

Allan Robertson: 7-2 Green Plains; 5-1 Daring Diva; 6-1 Call To Account; 7-1 Crymeariver, Neptune’s Rain; 10-1 Gold Image; 14-1 and upwards others.

TABNews

Trainer Coenie de Beer surprised the racing world when he saddled his four-year-old gelding Talktothestars, unshod, to win the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville’s Sprint Festival last year. Ridden by Piere Strydom, he romped home ahead of African Ruler and Exelero. He faces Exelero again in the Tsogo Sun Sprint on Saturday, giving the bottom weight an extra kilo.

Talktothestars (Nkosi Hlophe)

Racing unshod is not uncommon, but racing unshod in a Gr1 is unusual to say the least but De Beer commented after the race last year: “There shouldn’t be such a fuss about a horse racing without shoes. Traditionally this is the way they raced, unshod or at times fitted with steel shoes.  In the days before shoe declarations I’d say the majority of trainers raced their runners in steel shoes, then some smarty-pants and a few bored punters came up with inventive stories around alumites and they changed people’s perceptions.

“There are racing fans who believe horses are only capable of winning when they are declared to race with alumites. This is nonsense, they can also win in steels or without shoes altogether. Trainers have exploited this situation at times, but for me it’s about getting a horse fit and ready to win. I don’t consider shoes a factor, even less so recently.”

However, De Beer has returned to the norm. Talktothestars has raced in alumites at his last two starts and has been declared to run in them again on Saturday where he is out to defend his crown.

After last year’s victory he was rated the top horse in the country and was deservedly voted Equus Champion Sprinter. Not all has gone his way this term and many have written him off; so to the handicappers who have dropped him 10 pounds in the ratings from 123 to Saturday’s 113.

No matter the rating drop, he still heads the handicap on Saturday but there were signs that he is returning to his best form as he rattled home to run hot favourite Carry On Alice out of second place behind Rafeef in the recent Gr1 Computaform Sprint. He finished second to Carry On Alice in that same race last year before winning at Scottsville and those that believe that a horse’s form is cyclical will be having a dab come Saturday.

“He’s a horse that doesn’t take a lot of work,” said De Beer. He knows what to do and he does it, he conditions himself.” This time he won’t be ‘barefoot’.

By Andrew Harrison