Frank Robinson caused a 55/1 upset in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson in 2010 with Chocolicious and he has two decent fillies, Under The Stars and Zarnitsa, in this year’s renewal at Scottsville on Saturday.

Under The Stars (Nkosi Hlophe)

Under The Stars, an impressively rangy daughter of Antonius Pius, made an eyecatching debut on March 31 from draw eleven on the Greyville poly over 1000m. She came from off the pace under Muzi Yeni and won going away by 1,75 lengths. She beat Victory Trip by 5,25 lengths in that race and the latter is considered good enough to line up in the Allan Robertson.

In her second start Under The Stars was beaten 8,85 lengths over 1100m at Scottsville by the fancied Allan Robertson contender Neptune’s Rain.

However, Frank Robinson said a line could be drawn through the run, “She jumped very well but it was then declared a false start and she went the furthest of all the horses. That can have an effect on a horse.”

In the re-start Under The Stars did not jump as well and did well under the circumstances to stay on for sixth.

Interestingly, the horse she lost to by a head in that race, Awesomeness, had earlier beaten Zarnitsa by 0,25 lengths over 1000m at Scottsville when both were making their debuts in February.

Frank Robinson (Nkosi Hlophe)

Zarnitsa showed a lot of pace in her debut and was only caught late.

In her fourth career start Zarnitsa slammed a maiden fillies and mares field over 1000m on the Greyville poly by 6,25 lengths and interestingly she beat Tweed Valley by seven lengths, as the latter had earlier finished a close second to Under The Stars.

Robinson believed the more forgiving surface had helped Zarnitsa, so he was hoping for a bit of rain.

However, the weather forecast only predicts a little bit of rain after the races on Saturday.

He said Zarnitsa had been working well and believed she would stay the trip. The Querari filly was not stopping at the line last time out and before that was touched off 0,75 lengths by Allan Robertson contender Light On Her Toes over 1200m on the Greyville turf.

Under The Stars will easily get the 1200m trip and further.

Robinson said it was difficult to say whether either filly was as good as Chocolicious and concluded, “They are up to this class and won’t be disgraced.”

Muzi Yeni is the regular rider of both horses and will be aboard Zarnitsa from draw nine, while Marco van Rensburg rides Under The Stars from draw six.

Meanwhile, Chocolicious’ Allan Robertson victory earned her the privilege of a cover by the living legend Frankel and the resulting foal is up to date impressing the Mike de Kock yard.

By David Thiselton

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