If you’ve been following the handful of Tony Nassif runners campaigned in KZN this season, especially on the Greyville polytrack, you’ve probably been handsomely rewarded. Highveld-based Nassif has saddled just five runners on the Greyville polytrack this term for two wins and a second, and he saddles Tales Of Mambo who has strong claims on best form in the fourth on the Greyville poly tonight.

Tales Of Mambo has been struggling a bit for form this season but this has resulted in her merit rating taking a nose dive [74 > 53] and the return to KZN – where she’s earned the majority of her stakes to date – could see her bounce back to best. In fact, her last win was on the Greyville poly over 2000m and she seems equally effective over tonight’s shorter mile trip.

Tales Of Mambo (Nkosi Hlophe)

The four-year-old filly looks extremely well in off a current mark of 53 and when you factor in the additional 4kg claim of apprentice Mpumelelo Mjoka, as well as Nassif’s impressive strike rate at this track, Tales Of Mambo appeals as a solid eachway play at opening odds of 13/2.

Exotic players would be justified in playing wide in this apprentice handicap and course and distance specialist Gavea Girl is one that warrants inclusion in all perms. Like Tales Of Mambo, her merit rating has been dropping – albeit less dramatically – and the removal of the blinkers suggests that her poor last effort over this track and trip can be forgiven.

Roy’s Dollar beat a few of these home, including Gavea Girl, four starts back over this track and trip and warrants respect with the blinkers fitted following a few one-paced efforts.

The exciting and innovative 20/20 format limits Anthony Delpech to just four rides this evening but he could get the ball rolling early with Fashion Talk in the opener. Delpech has been somewhat selective with his rides since his recent return from injury but he upped his average mounts per meeting with seven rides at Greyville on Sunday and scored with three of them. Fashion Talk loves the poly and was a fluent winner at this track two starts back. A solid follow-up effort suggests that she’s still competitive off her revised mark and Fashion Silk is another that looks value at opening odds of 9/2.

The Dennis Drier yard raised a few eyebrows midweek with a big-priced double and can score again with Sazerac in the third. The Philanthropist filly over-raced last time out and appears at her best when held up for a run. She produced a strong finish from off the pace two starts back and a repeat of that effort could prove enough to score in this lineup.

By Brendan Pather

The Allez France Stakes over 2000m for fillies and mares heads a nine race meeting on the Turffontein Inside track tomorrow. Silver Stripe is selected to win the race, despite being 4kg under sufferance with Patchit Up Baby on official merit ratings.

She is a four-year-old by Silvano, so will be coming into her own. In her penultimate start over 2450m Silver Stripe was relaxed in the running and cruised in to win easing up by 4,75 lengths. She was duly given the maximum eight point raise.

Raymond Danielson

Her next race over 2000m, in which Allez France contender Cidada beat her comfortably, can be ignored as she was caught wide the whole way. She now has pole position. Raymond Danielson has a fine pair of hands, so should be able to settle her quickly and find the necessary cover. If all goes according to plan she should quicken off the elbow and stay on resolutely.

Patchit Up Baby is officially the best weighted horse. She settles well in the running, usually at the back, and under Gavin Lerena will almost certainly produce her usual resolute finish. On this tight track she might run out of time to catch Silver Stripe.

However, she will likely go close and has to be included in all the exotics. Cidada is also officially 4kg under sufferance, but this Galileo filly has always struck as one who would improve as she matured. She won well over 2000m last time and should love this trip, so can earn from a good draw of two.

Tiger Flame is 3kg under sufferance with Patchit Up Baby on official merit ratings and can earn, although her best run recently has been on the Standside track, and she has a tricky draw of seven. Inaninstant is the second best in at the weights and is officially only 1,5kg under sufferance with Patchit Up Baby. However, she has lacked lustre in her last couple of starts and will have to bounce back. They are selected in the order mentioned.

The best bet on the card is given to the Weiho Marwing-trained Geosphere in the third race over 2200m. Last time she was drawn wide over 2000m in a workrider’s maiden and over raced until finding cover, but she still managed to stay on well. This time she has a better draw and the experienced Weichong Marwing is aboard. The pace will be on in this race which will also suit. The Marwing yard are renowned for their expertise with stayers and the A. P. Arrow filly does not have a lot to beat.

By David Thiselton

Klawervlei Majorca third Goodtime Gal will wear blinkers for the first time when she runs in the Vasco Prix Du Cap at Kenilworth on Saturday week.

Mike Robinson said: “I thought she was going to win the Majorca when she hit the front but she got lazy with nothing to pull her through to the line. That was the second time that she has done this so I am going to try her with a pair of blinkers.”

Goodtime Gal (Liesl King)

Silver Mountain, a length and a half further back fifth when starting favourite, will renew rivalry on Saturday week despite being 2kg worse. She had a terrible draw in the Majorca but will start from midfield this time. Goodtime Gal, though, is drawn 23 out of 30.

Nightingale, who won the Majorca, is again Durban-bound. “She is having a break at the moment and has been in a paddock for the past fortnight,” reported Candice Bass-Robinson.

Captain’s Flame, who failed to run up to her best when only seventh in the Majorca, will try again in the 1 400m Grade 3. “I think she is coming back to herself now,” said Andre Nel.

Bela-Bela, although beaten less than four and a half lengths when seventh in the Sun Met, apparently also did not give all that she is capable of.

Justin Snaith said: “Things didn’t go her way. She hung badly and we still don’t know why but Anthony Delpech couldn’t ride her out in the last 200m. It might have been the pressure because it was a hard race for a filly at almost level weights with the winner. Nothing has been confirmed yet but I suppose she will go to Durban again.”

Quick Brown Fox, who hasn’t been seen since her rough passage in the Cape Fillies Guineas, is on the easy list. She started second favourite but met with serious interference and finished with only one behind her.

Ridgemont manager Craig Carey said: “She was lame after the race and she has had a muscle problem in her wither ever since. We are in no hurry with her because she will be special and we believe she will win something big in the next Cape season.”

By Michael Clower

The Markus Jooste-owned pair Legal Eagle and The Conglomerate will no longer be going overseas at the end of this month “barring a miracle” and the latter will therefore likely be on his way to Durban to defend his Vodacom Durban July crown.

Jooste’s Mayfair Speculators racing manager Derek Brugman added Legal Eagle would likely defend his Gr 1 President’s Champions Challenge crown at Turffontein on May 6 and a decision on the rest of his program for the season would be taken thereafter.

The pair’s intended flight to the USA at the end of this month looks likely to have fallen through due to a lack of equine passengers to share the cost.

The Conglomerate (Nkosi Hlophe)

Legal Eagle found one better in the Sun Met for the second year in succession, while The Conglomerate’s unplaced run proved he was more suited to Gr 1s run under handicap-like conditions, such as the July.

Meanwhile, another star horse in the Mayfair Speculators fold, Table Bay, has the connections “flummoxed”. He finished a lacklustre sixth in the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby over 2000m on Met day.

Brugman said it would be “ludicrous” to cite a lack of stamina as the simple explanation for his last three disappointing performances, particularly as the Derby was run at a crawl, although he did admittedly over race a bit. Soundness is also not an issue. There has not been a lack of effort to get to the bottom of his below par sequence and if a potential solution is agreed upon he will head for the SA Champions Season.

The Gr 1 WSB Grand Parade Cape Guineas-winner Just Sensual finished a disappointing 6,85 length eleventh in the US$5 million CTS Mile on Met day, but Brugman confirmed the plan had definitely not been to take her to the front, as she had been by Frankie Dettori. She will be going to Durban and the Gr 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas and the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m will likely be her chief targets.

Lady Of The House will be joining her in Durban. She was a touch disappointing in the Gr 1 Majorca, but the connections had always believed she would be a better filly later on. The Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 will likely be her chief aim.

Dettori did ride a brilliant race on Edict Of Nantes to win the Cape Derby. A decision on where this horse goes will be decided after running him in the Winter Guineas at Kenilworth on April 23.

The future of William Longsword, winner of both the Grand Parade Cape Guineas and CTS 1600m, has not yet been finalised. Being retired to stud as a natural successor to his champion father Captain Al is a strong possibility.

Meanwhile, Gr 1 Mercury Sprint winner Red Ray, who finished an excellent third in the Gr 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship, has been granted deserved retirement from racing. He will take up stud duties at the beginning of next season, although it has not yet been finalised where he will stand.

By David Thiselton

“We have two nice runners in a strong race,” Mike de Kock said about South African breds, Light The Lights (Bernard Fayd’Herbe) and Noah From Goa (Christophe Soumillon), leading contenders in Thursday’s Gr2 Zabeel Mile over 1600m on turf in Dubai.

“Both ours have enjoyed good preparations, they both have chances but there is a case to be made for every runner in this small field.  I think Championship is the horse to beat.”

“Noah From Goa has done everything right, it’s his second run back and he’s got 4.25-lengths to find with Championship on their encounter in the District One Trophy. I said after that race that Noa would improve by the distance he was beaten and I’ll stick to that. There is no weight swing in Noah From Goa’s favour but he has made the desired progress to get significantly closer this time.

“Light The Lights is going for the Jebel Hatta in a fortnight, this is slightly short for him, he drops in distance but he is very fresh and this race will be to his benefit.”

Alareef and Sanshaawes are two other Blue Stable runners to face the starter at the meeting.

Alareef goes back up in trip to 1400m on the dirt in Race 1, where Jim Crowley faces a stiff task from a wide draw. “Alareef received a penalty for his win last time out, but his draw is worse than the penalty. He will need a miracle to win from there,” De Kock said.

The consistent Sanshaawes (Pat Cosgrave) takes on a talented field in Race 7, the Gr3 Dubai Millennium Stakes over 2000m on turf. “There are two top horses here against us in Zarak and Promising Run.  We’d be delighted with a third or a fourth place,” De Kock concluded.

Mikedekockracing.com