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

Derek Brugman, racing manager of Mayfair Speculators, said their Sean Tarry-trained Equus Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle had been “doing fine and his work had been good” ahead of this Saturday’s Gr 1 R4 million Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m on Turffontein Standside.

Legal Eagle will attempt to become the first South African horse for 50 years to successfully defend three Gr 1 crowns in one season. The immortal Sea Cottage was the last horse to achieve this feat in 1967. Legal Eagle has already defended his L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes crowns.

Legal Eagle is merit rated 123, which is 10 points higher than the second highest rated horse in the race, his stablemate French Navy, who finished runner up to him last year.

Of the opposition the Mike de Kock-trained three-year-old filly Nother Russia is the most unexposed. This is a big step up, but she improves every time she races and was an impressive winner of the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes over 1600m last time out. She should get the trip on pedigree, being the daughter of the twice J&B Met runner up Mother Russia.

Mayfair Speculators Deo Juvente looks to have enjoyed a good preparation and both he and dual Gr 1 Sansui Summer Cup winner Master Sabina carry the never to be under-estimated Geoff Woodruff factor.

Mayfair Speculators have the Tarry-trained Trip To Heaven and the Joey Ramsden-trained Brutal Force in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m. Their retained jockey Anton Marcus has chosen to ride Trip To Heaven and Piere Strydom will be aboard Brutal Force.

Brugman said, “Trip To Heaven is not the easiest to keep sound, but Sean knows him well and what to do. If he is sound and jumps on terms he is the horse to beat. Brutal Force has tightened up after his last win, which was his third run after a lengthy break, and will be spot on.”

Trip To Heaven put up an incredible display in the Gr 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship over 1000m last time out when losing a number of lengths at the start and only just failing to catch his stablemate Carry On Alice. Brutal Force has won his last two starts, including over the Computaform course and distance last time out. His unplaced run in the Cape Flying followed a year’s layoff.

High draws are often favourable in the Computaform Sprint and in that case Brutal Force’s draw of four could be a concern. Trip To Heaven usually starts slowly so can be dropped out from his draw of seven before producing his devastating turn of foot.

Brugman is expecting a good run in the Gr 2 SA Oaks from the Joe Soma-trained Silvano filly Wind Chill.

He said, “I thought she was a bit unlucky when runner up in the Oaks Trial as she raced three wide. We are expecting a very good run. It is a step up in class and trip but we think she will get the trip.”

Brugman’s one slight concern for their runners on Saturday was the Equine Herpes virus which had been doing the rounds on the Highveld, especially as affected horses had generally not been showing signs of the virus until after their races.

“Our form on the Highveld has been a bit hit and miss,” he admitted.

Brugman also spoke about Mayfair Speculators’ SA Champions Season campaign. He said the plans for their KZN string were still “fluid” and horses would be placed according to well-being, merit rating and track suitability.

The Ramsden-trained Attenborough has been in KZN for a while and impressed on Sunday in his first run as a gelding when swooping from off the pace to win the Listed In Full Flight Handicap over 1100m.

“We always thought gelding was what he needed,” said Brugman. However, he said the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint was not necessarily on his agenda as Mayfair Speculators had many other possible candidates for the race and it would all depend on the handicappers assessment of their recent performances, their well-being and their suitability to the predicted track condition.

Other horses he mentioned as possible Tsogo Sun contenders were Excelero, Night Trip and Elusive Path (3^rd, 8^th and 11^th in the In Full Flight), Graduation Day (whose soundness issues have seen him have only nine starts despite being a six-year-old) and Seventh Plain (a Scottsville Gr 1 winner who caught the eye in his last start). He said another of their Scottsville Gr 1 winner, Guinness, was unlikely to run in the Tsogo Sun as they considered him a 1000m horse these days.

Mayfair Speculators have a phenomenal record in Scottsville Gr 1s.

Brugman explained Table Bay and Just Sensual’s surprise scratchings from Sunday’s Gr 2 Daisy Guineas and Daisy Fillies Guineas respectively. “They had good spells on the farm after the Cape Summer and the Guineas meeting came too soon as we did not want to start them fresh in a mile. We will bring them back over shorter, but there are no firm plans. They are galloping this week and we will see how they go in their races before deciding their routes.”

Meanwhile, the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby winner Edict Of Nantes suffered a “small niggle” after arriving at Summerveld, which was why he would be missing Sunday’s Guineas meeting. Brugman said the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 would now be the target, but if that did not work out they could bring him back to a mile later (he was a narrow runner up in Gr 2 Selangor Cup over 1600m).

By David Thiselton

Joey Ramsden will be two-handed in his bid to win the Somerset 1200 for the fifth successive year at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Ramsden, who has won the two-year-old Listed race with horses of the calibre of Red Ray in the past, runs both last month’s first time out maiden winner Morning Catch (Donovan Dillon) and Speedpoint (Grant van Niekerk) who followed up his win in March by running Dutch Philip to half a length in a winners’ race in the middle of last month and will now be 2kg better.

Dutch Philip (Aldo Domeyer) has to give weight all round and as much as 4kg to the three maidens in the race. These include Greg Cheyne’s mount Kasimir who represents Snaith Racing whose most recent Somerset success came with the subsequent L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Gimmethegreenlight in 2011.

Jonathan Snaith said: “Kasimir has been second twice and we are looking for a good run. He has a good chance at the weights.”

The Philippi stable’s Angel’s Trumpet is the only non-winner among the eight declared for the fillies equivalent, the Perfect Promise Sprint, and Bernard Fayd’Herbe rides. He won last year’s race on The Merry Widow for the Snaiths as well as the 2012 running on Hammie’s Hooker.

By Michael Clower