The pace, or possibly a lack of it, could prove a major headache for punters searching for the winner of the Open Handicap (F&M) that heads the card at Scottsville this afternoon.

Only seven runners are due to face the starter over 1 950m and tactics are likely to play a major role in the outcome.

Anthony Delpech, most often aboard a runner from the Dean Kannemeyer yard, will in all likelihood have had the choice of either Little Chapel or Playboy Buddy for Kannemeyer but has instead opted for the Mike de Kock-trained Persian Rug.

The strapping daughter of Ideal World was possibly unlucky not to have won the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes as a two-year-old after pecking badly 50m out, just when a likely win was on the cards.

That juvenile crop has subsequently proven little more than average and Persian Rug’s form since then has borne that out with a victory in the Listed Syringa Handicap her only subsequent victory in a string of unplaced runs on the Highveld.

She has recently moved back to De Kock’s Summerveld yard and her form has improved markedly.

Her fourth career win came in a modest handicap on the Greyville poly but last time out she was a close-up second to Celtic Captain in a useful field of males in the UmThombothi Handicap on the Greyville turf over 2 000m.

Persian Rug looks ideally suited to today’s event although a slow pace could prove detrimental to her chances.

That said, Dress For Success comes into the race with only 49.5kg to shoulder and apprentice Ashton Arries could make use of his weight advantage on Paul Lafferty’s runner and set the pace.

The filly took a steep rise in class over a trip short of her optimum when taking on males over the Scottsville mile at her last start, coming off two wins on the bounce.

She meets some useful fillies here but the extra two furlongs and a light weight puts her in with a strong chance.

Persian Rug looks to have the wood on both Little Chapel and Killer Woman given their last meeting but they won’t be far behind while Playboy Buddy is also back over a more suitable trip and will also be dangerous.

Top weight Princess Varunya gets 1.5kg relief courtesy of apprentice Eric Ngwane but she has not quite fulfilled her early promise and has been off the boil at recent outings. In all, a false pace is a distinct possibility making a competitive handicap even more tricky but Delpech is a master of his trade and Persian Rug gets the nod ahead of Dress For Success.

Duncan Howells can round off the meeting with a double with Wild Wicket in the sixth and Roy’s Hollyhock in the last.

Wild Wicket is a lightly raced three-year-old that has shown some potential. He ran an excellent third on the Greyville poly first up out of the maidens behind What A Poet and that form was franked last Friday when Breakfast Club, four lengths back to Wild Wicket in that race, followed up with a win.

The switch to turf should also be in Wild Wicket’s favour.

Howells has a second string to his bow in bottom weight Mambo. The gelding is much improved since being fitted with a tongue-tie and was touched off a piece-of-paper over the course and distance last time out. He is in receipt of 8kg from his stable companion and must come into the picture. Roy’s Hollyhock was a beaten odds-on chance at her last start after two close-up seconds.

However, after the race she was found to have ‘tweaked’ a back muscle so it is best to draw a line through that run.

The stable is in good form and Roy’s Hollyhock is likely to bloom this afternoon. Her biggest threat could come in the form of Space Needle.

Andre Nel’s filly has shown up nicely in two sprints and should much prefer this trip. The stable is in red-hot form in Cape Town and that could feed through to their Summerveld satellite yard under Byron Forster.

By Andrew Harrison

The equine President Trump, was gelded at Snaith Racing’s stables at Philippi, Cape Town yesterday after proving difficult to train. “He was unruly and unmanageable,’’ said Justin Snaith. “All he wanted to do was jump all the fillies.’’

The son of Philanthropist was bought by Etienne Braun for R200 000 at the Emperors Palace Select Yearling Sale in April  last year. Continued Snaith: “President Trump was also very vocal and would just not focus on his work. I considered blinkers and a tongue-tie but he was so unmanageable that we had little option but to geld him.’’ Snaith, a Champion South Africa trainer and World Record holder of 8 winners on a day, mentioned that the colt had tons of ability but had a bad attitude and was a nightmare to work with.

Picture: Courtesy of Snaith Horseracing.

By Michael Clower

Thabo Mhlongo, who has risen from a gardener into a prominent businessman, had a dream start to racehorse ownership last Wednesday at Scottsville when his part-owned Al Miqdaam colt Ishnana won on debut for the Garth Puller yard.

To add to the fairytale the horse acquired its name by combining the first names of Thabo’s children Ishmael and Nana.

Ishnana is an eye-catchingly robust two-year-old and has a lovely, resolute action, which creates the impression he is enjoying himself. After a bit of a tardy start and being forced sideways for a stride or two, he quickly made up the ground and was in the leading line. The handsome bay’s big white blaze and white socks makes him easy to pick out in the running. It soon became evident his ability matches his good looks.

He has a big stride and good cruising speed and he produced a good turn of foot when asked the question by Mandla Ntuli. He then wore the favourite Blackball down and won by half-a-length with the rest of the field spread out like the washing, which always suggests good form. He was not stopping at the line and Puller believes he is looking for further. On pedigree, he should do so as his dam Bird Strike, who is by Northern Guest, won over 1600m.

The story begins with the acquisition of the Australian-bred Al Miqdaam by KZN Midlands breeder Robert Smith in 2008.

Al Miqdaam, born in 2002, is bred in the purple being by the immortal Danehill out of St. Clemens Belle, who won a Gr 1 in Australia over a mile. St. Clemens Belle is by Don’t Say Halo, a son of the twice champion North American sire Halo.

Al Miqdaam was purchased at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for Aus$716,430 by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum in 2004. He ran in a number of barrier trials before leaving to be trained by Mike de Kock in South Africa.

Nathan Kotzen, De Kock’s Summerveld assistant, remembers Al Miqdaam as a very strong horse who was very quick too. He used to produce good work at home. On his South Africa debut as a five-year-old in September 2007 over 1000m at Scottsville, he finished a 2,25 length second at odds of 7/1.

However, he didn’t improve much on that effort in four further starts over trips from 1000-1600m. He needed gelding, but the yard were reluctant to do so as he was so well bred. A deal was then struck by KZN trainer Lennie Taylor, who purchased him as a stallion on behalf of Robert Smith.

Al Miqdaam is still owned by Smith, but currently stands on Roy Moodley’s farm in the Midlands. Moodley has sent many of his own mares to Al Miqdaam. Smith owned and trained Bird Strike, who ran 27 times for a win over 1600m and nine places. Garth Puller actually rode Bird Strike to second place in a maiden back in 2005.

In recent times Smith sold his main breeding farm to well-known KZN racing couple Avison and Mary Carlisle. However, the Carlisles allowed Smith’s mares to stay on. Bird Strike’s first foal Shikra, a filly by Al Miqdaam, won one race for Lola Crawford over 1600m on the poly and her second foal by Atso only managed one place in many starts.

However, both Smith and the Carlisles said Ishnana, who was originally named Blue Swallow, had been a striking colt from day one. Smith had always liked him and had as big hopes for him as the other one he bred that season, Queensberry Rules, who is a full-brother to the useful Al Miqdaam gelding Al Ciberano.

However, to Smith’s chagrin, Ishnana was rejected by the selectors for the Sibaya KZN Yearling Sale. Smith subsequently invited Thabo Mhlongo to come and have a look at a few horses on the farm. There were about four in the paddock when the latter arrived.

However, the colt with the big white blaze jumped out at Mhlongo immediately. He had made his mind up in seconds and nothing would budge him from that decision. Mhlongo has apparently had shares in a sheep farm before and Smith believed perhaps this experience had taught him a good eye for bloodstock.

Whatever the reason, Ishnana has proved to be an intuitive purchase by Mhlongo. Unfortunately, Ishnana will be Bird Strike’s final runner as she was found to have cancer on her neck. However, her legacy looks likely to live on for a while, considering the manner in which Ishnana won after shortening from 20/1 to 15/1.

Mhlongo was clearly elated by the victory last week and the bug is likely to have bitten. KZN racing have welcomed another passionate owner into their midst.

By David Thiselton

Adam Marcus will send a team to Durban this year for the first time since his first season in 2012/13.

He said: “At that time I was training a few for Mrs Oppenheimer. This time I have been allotted ten boxes and I will take between five and ten horses, depending on some whose merit rating still needs to go up.

“It may be a small string but it’s an exciting one and the main hope is the Cape Summer Stayers winner Royal Badge who has the Gold Cup as his objective.”

Zodiac Jack, 8-10 favourite when collared by Sir Frenchie inside the last half furlong of the Kenilworth Juvenile Plate a week ago, has been found to be suffering from pharyngitis.

Greg Ennion said: “Richard Fourie told me that the colt was going along at his normal speed but, when he asked him to quicken, he choked up. I found that most of my babies have got the same thing. I scoped five of them and four had the infection.”

Gerrit Schlechter, previously reluctant to say that he was retiring – partly because of insurance company requirements – has now done so.

He made a rare visit to Kenilworth on Saturday and said: “I am now officially retired – the doctors said there was no chance of riding again – but I don’t yet know what I will do. I will have to see what happens but I am still young (52).”

Schlechter’s big race victories include the 2006 Durban July on Eyeofthetiger and the 2011 Met on Past Master. He has not ridden since September 2015 when he was diagnosed with a prolapsed disc compounded by osteoporosis and arthritis.

Plattner Racing is advertising for an assistant to trainer Andre Nel but applicants need to act quickly. The deadline for submission of CVs is on Friday.

By Michael Clower

The opening races at the Turffontein Inside track today probably provide punters with their best opportunities, although the exotics will provide more attractive pools and are certainly worth a crack.

In the first race, a Workrider’s Maiden over 1450m, Light Indigo’s pole position draw will suit her front-running style. She will be getting 3kg from the boys and has very little to beat. She has a good rider up too. The main danger will be the gelding Play Misty For Me, who should enjoy the further step up in trip, but Light Indigo’s form looks a touch stronger.

In the second race the classy Negroamara could be vulnerable despite it being an ideal 1800m trip, as this is likely to be a preparation after a close to three month layoff. The chief threat is Pagoda, who is a progressive son of Mogok and is drawn in pole over a trip he should enjoy. Amsterdam might have benefitted from his decent effort last week over the too sharp 1400m and can also be considered.

In the third, Unchained Melody showed early pace and hit the front over 1160m last time before finding no extra, so should enjoy the step down to 1000m from a plum draw of two. Seattle Seahawk over raced over 1200m last time and will relish this step down in trip too.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is a tricky maiden for fillies and mares over 1600m. Trumpets Calling will enjoy the step up in trip, but her slow starting habits are a bit of a concern. Sheema could attempt to gallop them into the ground from her nice low draw over a suitable trip, so Trumpets Calling will need to get after her early in the straight.

In the next, a Maiden over 2000m, the hard knocking Aristocrat should enjoy the trip on the evidence of his last start and so will the unexposed Student Grant. They could get punters through the exotics.

In the sixth, a Maiden for fillies and mares over 2200m, Prada Princess stayed on over 1800m last time so should stay. However, it’s an open race and Just A Jet, Hot Talent, Island Bliss and Eversilver have to be considered.

In the seventh over 1600m, Bold Viking could fulfill the regard he is held in over this step up in trip. Top Shot and High Drama have performed well against decent sorts. Life Is Good looks to have ability and Fareeq ran a cracker last time.

In the eighth over 1600m, Patric should be improving being by Silvano and his only win was over this course and distance from a similar low draw.

William Nichol is back to his last winning mark and could win the last leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m.

By David Thiselton