Stipendiary steward Tarquin Norval, a former handicapper and racing journalist, bows out tomorrow after spending his entire working life involved in racing.

Norval, 61, said yesterday: “I am going a year or two earlier than I would have wanted but I opted for this. There are retrenchments at the NHA and they gave me a package.

“I am now going to have to get used to the idea of not working and I know this is something that will be completely foreign to me.”

His first job, starting in September 1977, was with the Natal Mercury and he was assistant racing editor with the Daily News before being transferred to the Cape Argus.

In 1984 he switched direction to become an assistant handicapper with the two Western Province Racing Clubs before being appointed a stipe some 20 years ago.

He said: “I am proud of being part of South African racing in its golden years. In those days racing was huge and racecourses were packed whereas today, sadly, the interest seems to be lacking.”

Norval intends keeping up his endurance activities with mountain running. He is a veteran of 15 Two Oceans half-marathons and 18 Cape Argus cycle races.

Also retiring tomorrow is fellow official Steve Naude, 62, who has been an investigating officer for the past 30 years.

By Michael Clower

Jockey Raymond Danielson believes he is on the horse to beat in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Classic over 1800m on Saturday, Smiling Blue Eyes, but he is concerned about the filly’s Sean Tarry-trained stable companion Safe Harbour.

He said about his own mount, “She is doing well and is herself. We are looking forward to it, but she is the right horse in the race, so there is a bit of pressure.”

Smiling Blue Eyes has won the Gr 3 Fillies Mile and Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas in her last two starts, despite them being three months apart. She is by Dynasty out of a Badger Land mare, so will stay the 1800m trip on pedigree. In fact she has already proved she stays it by winning her maiden over 2000m by 5,75 lengths from an older filly Cidada, who went on to win two of her next three starts. In the Gauteng Fillies Guineas Smiling Blue Eyes had to jump from draw 16 of 16 and ran in the three lane, but she did have cover the whole way. She showed a fine turn of foot before staying on resolutely. This time she is drawn in six.

Raymond Danielson

Danielson named the Gauteng Fillies Guineas runner up, Al Hawraa, as a danger along with Safe Harbour.

He said, “Al Hawraa found trouble in the Guineas.” This Australian-bred by New Approach was making a telling forward move when her stablemate Ektifaa drifted across her just before the 300m mark, forcing her to switch. She then had to bide her time before a gap opened and by the time it had the bird had flown. However, she was 2,6 lengths back at the line and would likely not have caught Smiling Blue Eyes anyway as the latter won comfortably and was being eased down at the line. Al Hawraa is by the Epsom Derby winner New Approach out of a Redoute’s Choice mare and gave the impression in that last start she would enjoy this trip.

Danielson revealed Smiling Blue Eyes and Safe Harbour had worked together last week. Based on that work together with Safe Harbour’s best form, he rated her a danger. He said Safe Harbour appeared to be back to herself.

Safe Harbour, a long-striding daughter of Elusive Fort, had a tough campaign in Cape Town. She won the R2,5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m, was a narrow runner up in both the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and the Gr 1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes over 1800m, before finishing fifth to the boys in the US$500,000 CTS Mile and was the first filly home. In the Gauteng Fillies Guineas she jumped from a wide draw and her 8,55 length tenth was clearly below par. Safe Harbour is by Elusive Fort out of an unplaced Rakeen mare, who is a half-sister to a five times-winning Listed victor, whose wins were from 1800-2000m. Furthermore, her full-brother won over 2400m, albeit in a maiden race in Port Elizabeth. So on pedigree she should enjoy the tough Turffontein 1800m. Indeed, in the Paddock Stakes over the easier Kenilworth 1800m she burst through well and was only caught on the line.

Safe Harbour has a tough draw of eleven to overcome in the 13 horse field on Saturday and champion jockey S’Manga Khumalo replaces her regular pilot Weichong Marwing.

Danielson rides the Tarry-trained Tilbury Fort in the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m. He believes this Horse Chestnut colt is looking for this ground and will ride him with confidence. He rode him in his last two starts, to a 2,8 length fourth in the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas and a 0,5 length second in a MR 84 Handicap over 1600m last time out. However, he was only running off an 84 merit rating in that last start. Therefore, there must be a question whether he is up to Gr 1 class, although on the other hand it was likely a preparation outing. Danielson pointed out that in his belief the three that beat him in the Gauteng Guineas, Janoobi, Al Sahem and Heavenly Blue, would all enjoy the step up in trip to 1800m, so he will have a tough task to reverse the form.

Danielson has always been a good big race rider, being cool, calm and collected as well as an astute tactician. He does particularly well on those he has ridden before as one with both a good affinity for horses who quickly learns their ins and outs.

by David Thiselton

Piere Strydom said there would have to be a concern about Janoobi staying the 1800m trip of the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m on Saturday.

He said, “He has some speed and the two dangers, Heavenly Blue and Al Sahem, will both enjoy the step up in trip.” He added the wide draw of eight in the nine horse field was also a worry, “particularly for the type of horse he is.”

Piere Strydom

Strydom took Janoobi to the front from draw six in the Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas and the gallant bay ran on well in the straight before holding on in a thriller to beat Al Sahem by 0,2 lengths. Heavenly Blue stayed on strongly for a 1,5 length third. At first sight the pedigree of Janoobi, Silvano out of a Rakeen mare, suggests he will easily get the 1800m trip. However, there is a lot of speed in the female line, with one of the chief influences being his second dam Scented Royal, who won the Strelitzia Stakes and was second in the SA Fillies Sprint.

Strydom has no worries about his Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic mount Babbling Brooke staying the 1800m trip. She was staying on in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas for fourth from a draw of eight. Furthermore, she now has a plum draw of three. However, Strydom reckoned it would be hard to reverse form with the impressive Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Smiling Blue Eyes.

Strydom said his probable best ride on the day would be Kings Archer, who is topweight in the 12^th and last race, a MR 93 handicap over 1600m. Strydom rated this horse with a good chance if he ran to his recent form. He is drawn well in three.

Strydom rides the talented filly Polyphonic in the Gr 3 Jacaranda Handicap over 1800m. He said it wouldn’t be easy with topweight, but she had run an improved race last time to finish fourth in the Gr 3 Acacia handicap over 1600m. That was the first time he had ridden her and he had her settled and covered in a handy position on the rail. In some of her races before that she had apparently been reported by riders to be a bit headstrong, so a draw of eleven on Saturday cold be a concern.

Strydom rides Whorly Whorly in the Gr 3 Protea Stakes over 1100m and simply said two-year-old events are unpredictable.

He rides Spring Breeze in the Gr 3 Pretty Polly Stakes over 1100m, also a two-year-old event, and said although she had only won a weak maiden juvenile plate, her work at home had reportedly been good.

He rides Iridium Silver in the eleventh race and said, “She wouldn’t have been my first choice.”

By David Thiselton

The newly introduced “Levelling the Playing Fields” series of races kicks off with Round 1 at Scottsville on Sunday 2 April. The KZN Breeders Club came up with the concept, which has the full support of Gold Circle, in terms of which each trainer was invited to nominate one KZN Bred horse with a rating of 78 and below to compete in Round 1 over 1200 metres, Round 2 over 1400 metres and Round 3 over 1600 metres, with four weeks between each round.

Roy’s Taxi (Nkosi Hlophe)

“The idea was for each trainer to identify a KZN-bred horse in their yard with the durability and versatility to compete in each round over varying distances with the top 14 point scorers competing in a final over 1400 metres on 25 June at the KZN Breeders’ Raceday,” says Gold Circle’s Racing Executive Raf Sheik. “Disappointingly only 23 horses have stood their ground but, with the Grand Prix type formula whereby they will each earn points depending on where they finish in rounds 1, 2 and 3, it will be interesting to follow the runners’ progress through to the final,” he added.

The 23 horses have been ballotted into two heats to be run over 1200 metres on Sunday and they will be re-ballotted for each of the ensuing two rounds. In keeping with the theme of “Levelling the Playing Fields”, jockeys have been allocated to each of the runners by ballot for Sunday’s races and they too will be re-ballotted for each of the remaining two rounds. Thus, jockeys are not associated with a particular horse for the duration of the Series. The ballot for jockeys was undertaken by KZN Stipendiary Steward Tim Nhlapo under the watchful eye of the NHA Vet, Rouaan Sutherland.

Apart from the stake money on offer for each race (R100 000) and the R200 000 final on Sunday 25 June, a prize of R50 000 each is on the table for the Owner, Trainer, Jockey and Breeder who accumulates the most points over the Series, including the final. Points will be earned as follows:- 1st – 20; 2nd 17; 3rd – 15 ; 4th – 13; 5th 11 and then reducing by one point for each following position.

-KZN Breeders

Lily Theresa is a big price at 5-1 for the opening Maiden Juvenile Fillies at Kenilworth tomorrow considering the way Joey Ramsden has been dominating the Cape Town two-year-old races.

True, she was beaten over six lengths when only sixth on debut but 12 ran that day and this R1.2 million purchase (she is by Var out of a half-sister to the Golden Horse Casino winner Contador) seems sure to have improved.

Strictly on the book Regal Ruby has her measure – she finished three and a half lengths in front of her in that January race which is still best remembered for the eclipse of the much-touted Miss Frankel – but it was her second run so she does not have the same scope for improvement.

Glen Kotzen

World Sports Betting makes Regal Ruby favourite at 3-1 and has the Justin Snaith newcomer Angel’s Trumpet sharing 5-1 second spot with the Ramsden filly while the Glen Kotzen first-timer Heart Of Legend is next on 6-1.

All but two of the 16 runners are appearing for the first time and it is worth noting, particularly in the absence of any market move of note, that all the last nine two-year-old races at Kenilworth have been won by a horse who has already had a run.

Seven of the 13 in race two are newcomers and Ramsden is responsible for two of them – Bayeto (an Oratorio half-brother to Nocturnal Affair who won the Byerley Turk and also the Portland Handicap at Doncaster in Britain) and True Words, a R2 million Byword colt whose dam was second in the SA Fillies Classic.

“They are two really nice horses but I couldn’t prefer one above the other,” says Ramsden. “Their chances depend on what else is in the race but it is hard to win over six furlongs first time at Kenilworth.”

Why Wouldn’t Yew, fourth to Al Mariachi and Kasimir on the second of his two starts, has the best form and opened joint favourite at 7-2 with Brett Crawford’s newcomer Captain Ram and Justin Snaith’s debutant Fritz Nobis. True Words is on 11-2 and Bayeto on 7-1.

However the one that makes the most appeal is Strategic Power. This 8-1 chance carries the Mayfair colours and started third favourite when ridden by Anton Marcus on debut in January. He managed only 11^th of 15 but the reason soon materialised – “he pulled up very shin-sore,” explains Vaughan Marshall.

Emerald Gal, 4-1 for the Racing Association Maiden, wears blinkers for the first time and this should enable her to finally get her head in front. Bookmaker prices suggest she should not beat Lindleys Lane (5-2) or Le Claire (28-10) who was a head in front of her last month but the Darryl Hodgson filly makes real appeal.

Race Four, the 1 400m maiden, is wide open and you can find valid reasons why each of the seven runners should not win. Strikeitlikeamatch was far from disgraced in the Sophomore and, with Aldo Domeyer on board, he gets a wholly tentative vote.

By Michael Clower