It’s business as usual for Dean Kannemeyer’s Milnerton string after battling a low-grade virus that put the yard out of commission for nearly a month.

Dean Kannemeyer (Nkosi Hlophe)

In early February Kannemeyer shut down his Milnerton operation after discovering that many of his horses were infected with a low-grade virus. Yesterday, Kannemeyer said that things had returned to normal with his horses jumping out of their skin and training in full swing.

Kannemeyer said that in hindsight, quick and assertive action had been the saving grace.

“It has been a trying time for our team. A racing yard not racing and spending hours with slow long canters and medicating and tending ill horses is not the happiest place to be – but things have turned for the better and the spirit and vibe is back.”

He said that he had stepped up the training routine and expected to send out his first runners in Cape Town in the next ten days.

Kannemeyer added that given the firmness of the going in the Cape that the break may have come as a blessing in disguise.

“As we always do in the first two weeks of March, preparations will soon be under way for the movement of our SA Champions Season contenders to KZN for the winter feature season there.”

By Andrew Harrison

Heavenly Blue and Furiosa are vying for favouritism at the top of the sponsor’s boards for the R1-million Betting World Gauteng Guineas (Grade 2) over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday.

The Gauteng Guineas is the joint first leg of the SA Triple Crown, which is worth R2 million to a horse who can win the Cape Guineas or Gauteng Guineas, the SA Classic over 1800m a month later and the SA Derby another four weeks later.

Heavenly Blue, one of three runners from the Mike de Kock stable, is currently board topper at 7-2. The Australian-bred grey is the joint top-rated runner in the 10-horse field alongside stablemate Janoobi but has drawn widest of all.

Another Australian-bred runner, Furiosa is to be ridden by the Sean Tarry stable’s first choice S’manga Khumalo. He was always in control last time out, when beating Amsterdam by two lengths over 1800m on the Inside track last time out.

His stable companion, unbeaten Al Sahem, is third favourite. He has not raced for 79 days but is an unknown factor in this class of field and must have lots of room for improvement.

De Kock and Tarry also saddle the fourth and fifth favourites, Janoobi and Matador Man respectively.

Betting World Gauteng Guineas betting: 7-2 Heavenly Blue, 15-4 Furiosa, 4-1 Al Sahem, 9-2 Janoobi, 5-1 Matador Man, 8-1 Doosra, Unagi, 10-1 Chili Con Carne, 25-1 Daffiq, Tilbury Fort.

– TABNews

The Roy Magner-trained three-year-old filly Anna Pavlova has become the latest South African-bred horse to be bought by renowned American bloodstock agent, owner and breeder, Barry Irwin.

She will be seen in the familiar red and green colours of Team Valor International on Saturday at Turffontein in the Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas.

Barry Irwin

The original owners, Courtney and Megan Soal, have retained a share in the Summerhill-bred daughter of St Petersburg.  Magner remains the trainer, at least for the time being, as there are also overseas aspirations for her.

Anna Pavlova was originally brought for just R45,000 at the Summerhill Farm Sale, despite a classy pedigree. St Petersburg is an unfashionable sire, but Anna Pavlova’s British-bred dam Shatrang is by Royal Applause out of a full-sister to the successful KZN-based sire Kahal.

Irwin said about the well-named filly, “My main reason for the purchase is that filly’s incredible turn of foot. She also has a very powerful body.”

Irwin continued, “The filly was bought to race a few more times in South Africa, with the Gauteng Fillies Guineas first and probably the Gr1 Empress Club on April 15 next. The Gr1 SA Fillies Classic is possible, but I think she is a miler and will have to show us she wants to run further. We plan to send her to Europe by way of Mauritius. We will decide in the fall if we want to give her to Mike de Kock to go to Dubai, or leave her in France to be trained by Andre Fabre.”

Anna Pavlova burst into the classic picture when winning the Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes over 1450m at Turffontein Inside track under JP van der Merwe in her last start on February 11. The slow pace did not suit her that day and she also had to be eased at one stage in the straight.

However, she then displayed an effortless turn of foot and beat the Gr 1-placed Visuality by a head, despite giving her 2kg.

Magner said yesterday (Monday) that she had come out of the Three Troikas fine and had been “doing well” at home. He believed she would get the mile as long as she was “ridden cold”, which is her normal strategy and from her wide draw she would have little other option anyway.

Anna Pavlova (JC Photographics)

Magner was also confident they would go “a proper gallop” on Saturday owing to the prestige of the event which constitutes the joint first leg of the SA Triple Tiara.

In Anna Pavlova’s only meeting with Saturday’s likely favourite, Ektifaa, last October, she received 3,5kg and was beaten two lengths over 1450m.  She has improved since then, but reversing the form is going to be a tough ask. Ektifaa does have a wide draw at least.

The Three Troikas was Anna Pavlova’s third win in succession and her fourth overall in ten career starts. She started at healthy odds of 9/1 and this was probably due to her having taken five starts to win her maiden.

However, Magner knew from day one she would go places. “She was very green in her early starts and used to duck around a lot, otherwise would have won her maiden earlier. It is really her turn of foot near the finish which makes her special,” he said.

She won on the first occasion she was stepped up beyond 1200m. Her wins have all been between 1400m and 1450m and she is yet to attempt further.

JP van der Merwe retains the ride on Saturday.

By David Thiselton

Greg Cheyne has cancelled his four booked rides at Kenilworth today following his crashing fall on Nebula at the Cape Town course last Saturday.

He said yesterday: “I am taking a few days off for treatment but I have accepted rides for Friday and Saturday. Luckily there were no breaks, just a few aches and pains to sort out.”

By Michael Clower

Starflash can defy top weight in the Racing.It’s A Rush Handicap at Kenilworth today because he has around 2kg in hand judged on his running in last month’s CTS Sprint.

He was a 100-1 supposed no-hoper that day but he finished a creditable sixth of 20 behind Live Life and he races off the same mark. He was 5-2 favourite with World Sports Betting yesterday with Ovar and Caballo Blanco next best at 33-10 and Le Harve a 7-2 shot.

Aldo Domeyer (Nkosi Hlophe)

Aldo Domeyer reported that he felt something wrong with Ovar when he disappointed last time and, although nothing showed up when the racecourse vet examined him, it did at home. “He had knocked at sesamoid. He tends to do that but on this occasion he knocked it open and he was sore,” says Andre Nel who, however, cautions: “I think the ground is too firm for him at the moment.”

Zodiac Jack looks the one in the opener after destroying the opposition 17 days ago and Greg Ennion is understandably bullish, saying: “He has woken up now and I think he has improved.”

Richard Fourie’s mount is 14-10 favourite with Sir Frenchie, also shouldering a 3kg penalty for his win in December, on 2-1. “I give him only a small chance because Greg Ennion’s looks hard to beat,” says Justin Snaith who expects the speedily-bred R400 000 newcomer Mochavar (5-1) to need the outing. Vaughan Marshall says much the same about fellow first-timer Nutcracker Prince (7-2) and adds that the colt will need further.

The market for the 1 200m maiden (race two) is dominated by Junta and Shrewdy who were separated by only half a length when sixth and seventh behind Dance At Dawn over the trip a fortnight ago. As that was Shrewdy’s first outing and Junta’s third, the Nel runner should reverse the placings. He is favourite at 15-10.

But don’t ignore 5-1 shot Oakley Court just because she disappointed last time. Her previous run puts her in with a chance and Ennion says: “The race proved to be too soon after the previous one (only 15 days) and she ran a bit flat as a result.”

It’s hard to choose between 11-10 favourite Pop The Question and Birds Eye View at 22-10 in the Summer Of Champions Maiden, particularly as Paul Reeves has struck a rich vein of form with four winners at the last three meetings. The handicappers make Corne Orffer’s mount just half a kilo better although the sahorseracing computer has him winning by two lengths. He gets only marginal preference.

By Michael Clower