The Vaal Outside Track hosts a competitive eight race meeting tomorrow. High draws by trends are favourable in all races, but some of the best form horses on the day have low draws. An example is the three-year-old Toreador gelding Refuge, who runs in the highest merit rated race of the day, an MR 88 handicap over 1200m.

Refuge has three wins, two seconds and a third in eight career starts and has acquitted himself well against some useful sorts.

Piere Strydom has won on him twice and was aboard last time on his return from a three-and-a-half month layoff. On that occasion Strydom was forced to switch him inward for a run and he still managed to do some excellent work late to get up for third. He should have benefitted from that run and can win this time, but unfortunately the low draw of two is a concern.

Refuge’s Scott Kenny-trained stablemate Hidden Agenda is a fascinating runner in this race. This five-year-old Brave Tin Soldier gelding has won over 2000m before, yet his 1200m form makes good reading and includes a victory over the classy Rafeef.

The admirable Golden Man earns a cheque virtually every time he races and is effective over this trip so should run on into the money from a fair draw under his regular pilot Ryan Munger.

Al Azraq can’t be ignored as he has talent and has dropped to a competitive merit rating. He is drawn on the right side and his penultimate start can be ignored as he missed the break. However, it has to be said he had every chance last time at Turffontein over 1160m and failed to kick on, although he was found to be coughing afterwards.

Dennis The Menace is capable of a strong finish and has a good record over this course and distance, so can’t be ignored.

Morpheus, Kapitan and Machismo are also tough to ignore in a typically competitive sprint handicap.

The previous race, the sixth, is a fillies and mares MR 84 handicap over 1200m and Silver Class makes a lot of appeal. She was campaigned in strong plate races and feature races until last time when she was finally put back in a handicap off her lowered merit rating. She proved she was better than an 82 by running a good second in the 1450m event. She was duly raised three points, but still looks well handicapped and has a fair draw over her probable optimum trip.

The best bet on the day could be Playing Games in race three, a Maiden for fillies and mares over 1200m. She fought for her head early on over 1200m last time, but was still doing good work late to finish second. She should have benefitted from the experience and should be more settled this time. She is thus preferred to Martha’s Vineyard, a well-bred filly who made a good debut, but who is bred to Northern Hemisphere time so is six months younger than her contemporaries and she also has the tough number one draw to overcome.

By David Thiselton

Three horses stand out in this Saturday’s HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes (Grade 1) over 1600m at Turffontein – top-rated Safe Harbour, Fort Ember and Cape raider Star Express.

Ultra-classy Safe Harbour is one of five runners from the Sean Tarry stable and her trainer admits she must be the stable elect. The three-year-old was beaten only a neck by Orchid Island in the SA Fillies Classic over 1800m. She is drawn at No 7 in the 16-horse field and will carry 2.5kg less than her two main rivals.

Fort Ember is a five-time winner who finished fifth behind Legal Eagle in the recent Horse Chestnut Stakes (Grade 1) over 1600m. Trainer Paul Peter believes the horse to beat in the race is Safe Harbour, but added: “Fort Ember is exceptionally well, has a great draw (No 1) and a top jockey (Anton Marcus). She’ll run an excellent race. I’m quietly confident.”

Cape-based Justin Snaith, who has a string of horses at Summerveld in KwaZulu-Natal until the end of winter, intends to bring Majorca Stakes runner-up Star Express to the Highveld on Friday to take part in the weight-for-age race, but said: “I’ll see how the week goes – I won’t bring her unless she’s got a chance. I liked the look of the race meeting and will always do my best to play a part when it counts.

“Star Express is a lovely filly who gets every bit of 1600m easily and she’s doing very well at home. I’m not happy with her wide draw – it’s a long way to come for that draw – but Anthony Delpech will give her a bit of a chance in the race so we still have a filly afterwards.”

Lightly raced Juxtapose, last year’s SA Fillies Classic and SA Oaks winner who made a promising comeback from a rest last time out, is the next highest-rated runner in the field. Her trainer Stanley Ferreira cautioned: “This is on the sharp side for her and she’s got entries in the Champions Challenge, Gerald Rosenberg and Gold Bowl – I think she’ll stay every metre of that 3200m because she’s a proper galloping lass – as well as the Vodacom Durban July.

“She’s a tiny filly but has a huge heart. She’s a little darling!”

Three horses are rated 101, Bella Sonata, Intergalactic and Trophy Wife.

Trainer Gavin van Zyl said he is “upbeat that Bella Sonata will run a good race even though she is drawn wide. Her form has turned around in her two runs since she had a wind op, she’s just got better and better, and I expect her to be in the first three.”

Tarry trains both Intergalactic and Trophy Wife.

“Intergalactic had a good prep and has been competitive in this type of company, so must have a chance. (Stablemate) Tahini did beat Intergalactic last time but was the fitter horse and there is a turnaround at the weights.”

He said he wouldn’t be surprised to see Trophy Wife in the mix. “She had a bit of a rushed prep but her comeback from a rest (when second to stable companion Carry On Alice over an inadequate 1100m recently) was very good.”

His other runner is Heaps Of Fun. “She’s had a good preparation but her form’s not been there in her last few runs. She will, however, bounce back soon and I don’t think she’s out of it.”

Polyphonic came back to best to win the Jacaranda Handicap from a wide draw recently and Alec Laird has booked jockey Piere Strydom for the filly again.

Laird was unavailable for comment, but Strydom said he was hoping for “luck from a bad draw against horses who are better weighted under the conditions”.

The Mike de Kock stable will field three horses – Nother Russia, Al Hawraa and The Centenary and assistant trainer Mathew de Kock said it would probably be close between the first two.

“The Centenary is coming off a long layoff and, although she enjoys running fresh, she’ll probably be better over 2000m. Nother Russia is consistent and always gives her best. She has a good draw, which is always a big help. Al Hawraa is best at 1600m – the 1800m of the SA Fillies Classic was a touch too far. She hit the front with 400m to go and got run out of it late. But she has got a horrible draw so will need a lot of luck.”

Johan Janse van Vuuren’s grey filly Negroamaro will always have her supporters, even though she is a chronic bleeder. He would only say, “She’s very well but is in a very strong race.”

Roy Magner, asked about Anna Pavlova, said yesterday: “She worked hard this morning and did nicely. She’s in a good place and, although she is not well drawn, I’m expecting a good run.”

Kilauea is another runner with a wide draw. She had an interrupted preparation, but David Nieuwenhuizen said: “She’s got a lot of guts and must have a chance, although it’s a strong field.”

TABNews

Justin Snaith is taking a leaf out of the Mike Bass book by raiding from Summerveld with Star Express in a bid to beat the altitude in Saturday’s HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes.

He said: “I have tried doing it every other way and they haven’t worked but I have seen it work from Summerveld. You are almost halfway there with the altitude and so she travels to Johannesburg on Friday afternoon.

“She has been doing very well and a lot of effort has gone into the day so it will be nice to be part of it.”

Summerveld is 700m above sea level and Turffontein around 1750m. Bass sent Inara from Summerveld similarly close to the race when she won last year’s Empress Club.

Last season’s Gold Medallion winner Always In Charge is involved in a race against time after being forced to miss his prep for the Tsogo Sun Sprint (May 27) at Scottsville last Sunday.

Vaughan Marshall said: “He pulled a muscle behind. We are trying to get him back as quickly as possible but we are not holding out much hope.”

By Michael Clower

A strong field of runners from all over the country will line up for the R1-million HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday.

Cape Town-based trainer Justin Snaith has opted to bring Star Express, second behind Nightingale in the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes at Kenilworth in January, to Joburg for this Grade 1 race on the Standside track.  Bella Sonata, although based on the Highveld with Chesney van Zyl, represents the KwaZulu-Natal-based Gavin van Zyl yard.

The running of this year’s race will be a royal affair as HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco will be at the Joburg track on Saturday. Her support of the raceday means a number of charities are set to benefit among those the Red Cross, Highveld Horse Care Unit and Gugu Lesizwe Primary School.

“I look forward to once again attending a racemeeting at the historic Turffontein Racecourse and of course continuing the support of a number of worthy causes,” Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene said of her involvement on the day.

“To have the horseracing community rally behind this will be amazing and being able to play a part in restoring some of the glamour back into the sport is also special.”

Princess Charlene was a special guest at the same venue back in 2012 when featuring at the Charity Mile meeting which is held annually every November.

In keeping with her passion to fight for the underdog, Princess Charlene will also sponsor two Maiden Plates over 1400m. They will each carry prize money of R250,000.

Three horses stand out in Empress Club Stakes – top-rated Safe Harbour, Fort Ember and Cape raider Star Express. Safe Harbour is one of five runners who hail from the Sean Tarry stable and her trainer admits she must be the stable elect.

The three-year-old was beaten only a neck by Orchid Island in the SA Fillies Classic over 1800m. She is drawn at No 7 in the 16-horse field and will carry 2.5kg less than her two main rivals.

Fort Ember is a five-time winner who finished fifth behind Legal Eagle in the recent Horse Chestnut Stakes (Grade 1) over 1600m. Trainer Paul Peter believes the horse to beat in the race is Safe Harbour, but added: “Fort Ember is exceptionally well, has a great draw (No 1) and a top jockey (Anton Marcus). She’ll run an excellent race. I’m quietly confident.”

Snaith, who has a string of horses based at Summerveld in KwaZulu-Natal, intends to bring Star Express to the Highveld on Friday but is concerned about her wide draw.

BY: Phumelela Gaming and Leisure Ltd

Final field for the R1-million HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes (Grade 1) over 1600m

1	1	Fort Ember		60	104	CA	A Marcus	Paul Peter
2	11	Star Express		60	104	A	A Delpech	Justin Snaith
3	8	Juxtapose		60	102	A	C Maujean	Stanley Ferreira
4	16	Bella Sonata		60	101	T A	G Lerena	Gavin van Zyl
5	7	Intergalactic		60	101	T A	J P v’d Merwe	Sean Tarry
6	10	Trophy Wife		60	101	A	*L Hewitson	Sean Tarry
7	12	Polyphonic		60	100	A	P Strydom	Alec Laird
8	5	Tahini		60	99	A	R Danielson	Sean Tarry
9	14	The Centenary (NZ)		60	99	A	M Yeni	Mike de Kock
10	4	Heaps Of Fun		60	98	T A	M V’Rensburg	Sean Tarry
11	3	Nother Russia		60	96	A	C Zackey	Mike de Kock
12	13	Kilauea		60	95	BA	A Fortune	David Nieuwenhuizen
13	9	Negroamaro		60	87	BA	W Marwing	Johan Janse van Vuuren
14	6	Safe Harbour		57.5	106	T A	S Khumalo	Sean Tarry
15	17	Al Hawraa (AUS)		57.5	96	A	C Murray	Mike de Kock
16	15	Anna Pavlova		57.5	93	A	R Simons	Roy Magner
17	2	Al Danza		57.5	89	A	Reserve 1	Geoff Woodruff
Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote
(5,6,8,10,14) (9,11,15)

The Blinkers Bar Handicap could provide one of the keys to unlocking some of the form behind the big staying races come Champions Season. The race has attracted a competitive field of mostly young horses on a seven-race card at Scottsville this afternoon.

Banner Hill was among the 57 first entries for the Vodacom Durban July and he did his chances of making the final field no harm when winning an excellent race at Greyville a fortnight back.

It was a race run at a solid gallop, a rare phenomenon these days, and the three-year-old Warfarer kept fighting doggedly to stay on for third after being handy throughout.

Warfarer gave the impression that today’s 2400m would be right up his alley and a corresponding drop in class for Lezeanne Forbes’s runner should see him right there in spite of having to lump top weight.

Certain to see out the trip is Vaughan Marshall’s gelding Omaha Tribe. He has some steady Cape form over the trip and comes off some good recent form over ground which makes him a must inclusion in all exotic bets.

Paul Gadsby has high hopes for Techno Captain but the gelding’s temperament often gets the better of him and consequently he’s not the easiest horse to train. However, Sean Veale is back aboard and the pair are unbeaten in two starts together and he too should enjoy the step up in trip.

The Irish-bred Cape Fling was a late starter and lightly raced which suggests that Dean Kannemeyer has had to sort out a few ‘issues’. But he has won three of his four starts in the space of eight months and the form of his last start, when holding on narrowly from the progressive Chicago Beat, has been franked and he can go in again in the Itsarush.co.za Middle Stakes.

But it will not be easy as he faces a tough handicap field.

Heir Line is also lightly raced but Dennis Drier’s runner followed up on his maiden win and second-placed Mr O’Neill has also paid tribute to that form. Heir Line looks to have plenty of scope and won well on his handicap debut, making all the running.

Of the balance, Roman Emperor still races very green and has cost himself on more than one occasion but the drop in class could see him put in a better effort while Lonelyarethebrave has shown up well in two recent starts over course and distance.

In the Racing It’s A Rush Divided Handicap, Dress For Success took on much stronger last start and was running on late. Her last three wins have been over course and distance. Adorada has some useful Cape form who looks more comfortable over this trip after trying further at her last start. Another possible is Hot Toddy who drifted in the market on debut but was a runaway winner. It was soft ground that day but on that showing she looks capable of following up.

In the opening leg of the jackpot Seattle Spell has shown some promise and was in need of his last run, his first since gelding. He meets a weak field in the All To Come Maiden Plate and could prove difficult to beat. Turf Conqueror has improved since joining his new stable having come on with each run. He looks ready now.

By Andrew Harrison