Royal Air Force gelding Copper Force could land the Gr 2 Daisy Guineas on the SA Champions Season opening day at Greyville on Sunday.

One clue which points to him is the booking of Anthony Delpech at the expense of his Justin Snaith-trained stablemate Zodiac Ruler as well as the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Summer Sky.

Copper Force needed his KZN debut in the Gr 3 Byerley Turk over 1400m where he finished a 0,75 length second to the Visionaire colt Africa Rising. The latter pair are drawn well again, but Copper Force could reverse the form, considering he should have come on plenty for that run and he also beat Africa Rising by 3,9 lengths over this trip in the CTS Mile when finishing runner up.

Africa Rising has a fine turn of foot, but this race will be the acid test to prove whether he is as affective over 1600m as he is over 1400m.

Zodiac Ruler, winner of the Gr 2 Golden Horseshoe and runner up in the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby, had his first run as a gelding recently over 1400m and was unable to catch Horizon. However, he went down by just a head, and will relish the step up in trip. He has a good draw of five and world class jockey Richard Fourie is aboard.

Horizon should also appreciate the step up in trip as the winner of the Gr 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m. He has a fine turn of foot and is suited to Greyville, as one would expect of a son of Dynasty out of a full-sister to Silvano.

Summer Sky had his first run as a gelding in a handicap against older horses at Scottsville over 1400m and quickened exceptionally well to win by five lengths. He was racing off just an 82 merit rating, but looked the part and a Listed winner has come out of the form. He is drawn in two and Gavin Lerena is aboard is another bonus.

Janoobi has the ideal pole position from which to attempt a repeat of his start to finish win of the Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas. Master of pace judgement Piere Strydom will give him a good chance of doing so.

Matador Man has class and couples a relaxed running style with a fine turn of foot, so should enjoy Greyville. A wide draw is not of much concern as he usually loses a length or two at the start.

Gunner won the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over course and distance, when showing a fine turn of foot, but on this season’s form has plenty to find with a few of these.

Secret Captain is merit rated only 84 and has to prove he enjoys this trip. However, he is a dark horse as a well regarded sort who might not have showed his best yet.

Gimme The Stars has won his last four in PE including an easy win in the Listed East Cape Guineas when making up five lengths in the final 200m and winning easily. However, this will be tougher.

Gingerbread Man has won five of his last eight starts, but his last six starts have been on the poly where the standard is generally a touch weaker.

Mess ran above his 70 merit rating when second is a Graduation Plate over this trip last time, but still needs a considerable step up.

By David Thiselton

Craig du Plooy, sidelined for over half last month and at least the rest of this month, had cortisone injected into his spine yesterday.

He said: “I have been battling with a problem in my back since I returned from my last injury three months ago. It’s basically the result of wear and tear over the years – I have broken a lot of bones in the past including fracturing my spine.

“This problem is not really getting any better so I had the facet blocks done again. I have a slight tear in the disc between the L4 and L5. The cortisone goes into the facet joint under local anaesthetic and I’d already had it done on the L4. This time it was the L5. It’s not a solution but purely for pain relief.

“Apparently you have got to let the back heal – you can’t work your way through it – and so I’ve had to take it easy. I find that hard and I’m hoping that it is not going to take more than a few months otherwise they may have to operate.”

Du Plooy’s resurgence under the Snaith Racing banner, with the help of coaching from Felix Coetzee, was painfully interrupted when he broke bones in his hand at the beginning of November. He was out of action until early February.

He plays an important role in the Snaith operation, riding work every day as well as being second jockey, and the stable has engaged Brandon May to help fill the gap.

But Du Plooy’s injury has not prevented him continuing in his part-time job as tutor of the Cape Town work riders and he plans to be at Kenilworth on Saturday to watch his pupils in action in the opening race.

By Michael Clower

Dennis Drier took the wraps off a smart juvenile in Sand And Sea in the All To Come Juvenile Plate at Scottsville yesterday and the son of first season sire Twice Over did it in a fashion that says, “plenty more to come but …!”

Al Mariachi, a winner second time of asking at Kenilworth, found plenty of support on course but Sand And Sea was not friendless, the word out that he was smart, and indeed started tote favourite.

He is a magnificent specimen of a thoroughbred and pranced around the paddock like he owned the place.

But backing juveniles first time out, especially against more seasoned runners, is a risky business at the best of times and those that plunged on Sand And Sea will have been reaching for the blood pressure pills a long way out.

The colt was all over the race course with Anton Marcus every time he was let off the bit. However, it was a measure of his ability that once pulled away from the opposition and racing on his own, he picked up smartly to beat Al Mariachi. Had Sand And Sea got beaten there would have been plenty of valid excuses.

Drier is attending the National Yearling Sales and when assistant Stuart Ferrie was quizzed on when the vet would be called in, his answer was a grin.

The mare Bump ‘N Grind has been a gold mine for owner/breeder Andre Hauptfleisch with champion Via Africa putting her on the map. Her three subsequent foals have all been winners including Al Wahed, Elusive Enchantment and yesterday’s first race winner, Swift Dancer.

Elusive Enchantment will be out to go one better than Via Africa and win Saturday’s Computaform Sprint while Al Wahed will be lining up at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Swift Dancer gave notice of her ability with two promising efforts in soft ground so was well suited to the firmer going yesterday. Stable rider Keagan de Melo had her up with the pace from the jump but just when she looked to have the race in the bag she came under pressure from the first timer Tsessebe and had to grind it out to the line.

“She’s still immature and weak,” said Duncan Howells, an opinion confirmed by De Melo. “She needs to strengthen up. I will put her away now. She will be a much better filly come next season.”

Howells was not impressed by the stipendiary steward’s decision to take the race away from favourite Silent Obsession in the Racing.It’s A Rush Maiden Plate, giving it to second-placed Enticer in the boardroom.

The winning margin of a short head is what probably swayed the panel in favour of jockey Warren Kennedy’s protest but to most it was a 50/50 call.

This was the fourth time that Howells has been on the wrong side of an objection in the past few months.

By Andrew Harrison

Judpot filly Final Judgement could land her second Grade 2 at Greyville on Sunday in the Gr 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas from a good draw of six.

The Gr 2 Golden Slipper winner showed a fine turn of foot from a handy position to hit the front last time out in the Gr 3 Umzimkhulu Stakes over 1400m. She finished a 0,75 length second but will now be 2kg better off with the winner Gimme Six. The one concern is the 1600m trip and it all depends on how well she settles as she tugged at the bit early on when finishing a 1,95 length fourth in the Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m.

Gimme Six was quite forward when running on strongly in the Umzimkhulu after being dropped out early from a wide draw. She has another tricky draw, but being by Gimmethegreenlight should still be improving.

Philanthropist filly Sail has always struck as one who could get better as she matured, so was a touch disappointing when once again finding two too good for her in the Umzimkhulu. However, she will now be 2kg better off with Gimme Six for a 1,25 length beating and she does have another good draw of two.

Her stablemate The High Life gave the winner 4kg in the Umzimkhulu and finished fastest of all for a 3,75 length sixth. She will relish the step up in trip, although she would ideally prefer even further and has another wide draw. Dennis Drier’s stable jockey Sean Veale sticks with Sail and Ian Sturgeon retains the ride on The High Life.

Trippi filly Dawn Calling has always been highly regarded and should have come on plenty from her 2,75 length fourth in the Umzimkhulu. She showed she needed that run by being a little bit keen early after being dropped out from a wide draw. Unfortunately, she has drawn wide again and she will also be 2kg worse off with Final Judgement and Sail and 4kg worse off with The High Life.

Her stablemate, the Var filly A Women’s Way, was having her first run beyond 1200m in the Umzimkhulu and after being dropped out to last from the widest draw of all she ran on well for a 3,5 length fifth, giving the winner 2kg. She relaxed well in the running, suggesting she will get the mile, and Piere Strydom now rides from pole position.

Lady Of The House ran on well for fifth in the Cape Fillies Guineas, beaten a short-head by Sail, but then over raced last time out in the Majorca Stakes with blinkers on. The blinkers are duly off, so she should be running on well again and being by Dynasty should be improving all the time.

Ektifaa is the highest merit rated horse in the field on 103, but there is a stamina doubt. She went up handy from a wide draw in the Gr 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas and was only found out in the final 100-150m, so she can’t be written off over this easier 1600m.

Captain Al filly Al Danza improved when stepped up to 1450m in a Graduation Plate last time and led from start to finish to beat Visuality. She has a fair draw but this is a big step up in class.

Visuality has been disappointing this season and would be a surprise winner.

Philae is the lowest merit rated contender. However, she moved up well in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Classic over 1800m last time out before becoming a bit cramped, so was far from disgraced in finishing a 5,85 length ninth. She should be improving all the time being by Silvano and, over what should be an ideal trip, has a plum draw.

By David Thiselton

Assistant trainer Mathew de Kock is upbeat about lightly weighted Nother Russia’s chance in the R4-million Premier’s Champions Challenge (Grade 1) over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday.

The race is the biggest of nine features on Champions Day, which also include three other Grade 1s – the SA Derby, the Computaform Sprint and the SA Nursery.

De Kock believes Nother Russia has improvement still to come following her first win at the highest level, the Empress Club Stakes over 1600m on 22 April.

“Obviously she’s got Legal Eagle to beat,” he said, “but she is the third best-weighted horse in the field (behind Legal Eagle and French Navy) and must have a big chance.”

The Champions Challenge comes hard on the heels of her victory over Bella Sonata in the Empress Club Stakes, but De Kock said: “Everything’s been good in between and she’s taken the race well.

“We took the view that it’s more than likely she will not run during the Durban season, so she might as well take her chances here and then have another rest.”

The Mike de Kock stable will be pinning its SA Derby hopes on Heavenly Blue, the top-rated runner in the R2-million race over 2450m. “He’s just got to stay,” confirmed De Kock. “But every horse high in the betting is in the same boat, so we’re all in the dark. On his last run he is obviously the one to beat.”

Heavenly Blue was impressive in winning the SA Classic over 1800m, slicing past Al Sahem to win going away by 2.90 lengths.

“Everything’s gone well in between and we’re happy with him,” De Kock confirmed.

On paper the R1-million Computaform Sprint over 1000m is their weakest Grade 1 race but De Kock cautioned punters not to discard Rafeef, who is only the seventh best-weighted runner in the race.

This will be his first start over 1000m, with his form over further yielding five wins and three places from only nine starts. He was last seen out in the 1600m Horse Chestnut Stakes in which he finished fourth behind Legal Eagle. The stable will fit blinkers this time in a bid to sharpen him up.

“He is very well,” said De Kock. “We tried to stretch him to a ‘mile’, but have decided to pull him right back. He definitely shows enough speed at home and I wouldn’t leave him out of anything.”

De Kock hinted the stable thought Rafeef would probably do better than their other Computaform Sprint runner, Moofeed, who finished third behind Brutal Force following a layoff last month but meets his conqueror on 1.5kg worse terms, the equivalent of about 0.75 lengths.

“I thought that was a very nice race but will be very happy if he can sneak into the places.”

He said he thought the stable was “very lucky to have two very smart colts” in the 1160m SA Nursery – Mustaaqeem and Naafer. “I can’t split them on their work and in my opinion they should both go very close.”

Mustaaqeem has run only once and that 1160m race yielded a 7.50-length success over reopposing Coastal Torrent, while his stablemate ran second in his debut, 4.75 lengths behind Wonderwall, before winning over 1200m at the Vaal next time, downing Phllydelphia by 5.25 lengths.

The De Kock stable has runners in three of the four Grade 2 races on the card, including Belle Rose and Orchid Island in the R1-million SA Oaks over 2450m.

Orchid Island won the SA Fillies Classic last time out, beating Safe Harbour by a neck, with Bi Pot third and Belle Rose fourth. The first five horses home finished within 0.75 lengths of each other and De Kock is understandably cautious.

“It’s hard to tell who will make most improvement over the distance,” he said. “But our two are well and fit. I’m happy with the way their preparations have gone, they will both enjoy the distance and run big races.”

Fish River and Silver Thursday will represent the stable in the R400,000 SA Fillies Nursery. Silver Thursday won her debut, beating her stablemate by 2.50 lengths over 1200m at the Vaal, and De Kock said she had improved with the experience. However, he added: “Fish River needed that run and I can’t split them. I’m happy with their preparations but can only hope for the best in a competitive race.”

Both Al Hawraa and The Centenary ran in the Empress Club Stakes and renew rivalry in the R400,000 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes over 2000m. Al Hawraa did best in finishing only 4.30 lengths behind Nother Russia in eighth place. “She ran a good race from the widest draw,” De Kock mused. “She ran on all the way to the line and should enjoy the 2000m of Saturday’s race.”

He believes The Centenary should run a better race this time and gives both fillies place chances.

Their only other runner at the meeting is disappointing Smart Mart in the R500,000 Gold Bowl (Grade 3) over 3200m. He finished fourth in this race last year. “We’ve tried doing one or two things differently because he went off the boil and hopefully they’ll bring him back to his best – if he does get back to his old form he must be a factor.”

– TABNews