David Thiselton

THE Vaal straight course has an eight race meeting today and there look to be a few opportunities for punters.

In the first race over 1200m Supreme Dance made a good debut when running on strongly for second behind the promising Sea Virescent who was entered in a Listed feature next time out. This Futura colt should come on from the run and on a line through Marrakech has the beating of chief market rival Eyes On Tiger by one-and-a-half lengths. Eyes On Tiger has improved and runs for an in-form combination of Paul Matchett and Muzi Yeni and he looks to be the only danger.  

In the second race over 1200m Right Choice was unlucky last time over 1100m at Turffontein Standside as she was slowly away and then had to be switched to the Inside before running on for a 0,30 length second to stablemate Dunyaa with the rest six lengths back. She should appreciate the extra 100 metres being by Global View who won a Grade 2 over 1700m out of a Lecture mare who won over 1200m. However, preference is for the well bred first-timer Ancestral Prayer, who is by Ideal World out of the Grade 2 KRA Fillies Guineas winner Maybe Yes who has to date produced the 91 rated Spero Optima. The Lucky Houdalakis yard usually bring them on slowly but surely but have had two first-timer winners this season and one of them, Castle Durrow, was ridden Craig Zackey, who is aboard Ancestral Prayer today. Furthermore, Ancestral Prayer would not need to be a superstar to win this race. Incognito can fill a trifecta position if reproducing her best. 

In the third race over 1600m Rosaprima is the choice. This Diane Stenger-trained Marchfield mare was handy over 1400m last time and then hit a flat spot halfway down the Turffontein Standside straight. However, she then suddenly got going again and was finishing strongly for a 2,50 length second. The winner, Perfect Angel, then ran a decent third first time out the maidens over the same trip off an 84 merit rating. Rosaprima should also relish the step up in trip being by Marchfield out of an Australian-bred mare who won up to 1800m. Mode has been in hard-knocking form and has a fine chance too. Last time she was a bit short of room late over 1700m but was doing good late work for third and two winners and a second have come out of that race from seven subsequent runners. Masaaken should also be in the shake up as she was making eyecatching progress over 1160m on debut and on pedigree she will relish the step up in trip being out of European Champion two-year-old Teofilio, whose two Group 1 wins were over seven furlongs, out of a Stratun mare who won up to 1800m.

The fourth is an interesting MR 93 Handicap over 1600m. Spice Market has raced quite strongly in front in her last two starts over this trip bit as entitled to as she had to be rushed to the front to overcome wide respective draws. She was still stretching clear at the line last time to win her maiden by 5,25 lengths with another 3,25 lengths back to the third placed horse. An interesting formline is that in a previous maiden over this trip she lost by a quarter of a length to Ululate and would have been receiving 3,5kg from the latter has she not been scratched. Chloris showed a fine turn of foot when winning her maiden over 1400m and being by Flower Alley will be a big runner too over a step up in trip she should enjoy. Her stablemate Sparkling Water has plenty of scope and came from last to run a good second in just her second career start last time over 1400m having won on debut over 1450m. This big filly will relish the step up in trip and makes appeal too. 

The rest of the races, consisting of two fillies and mares handicaps and two Classified Stakes races, are more difficult.

In the first of the handicaps over 1600m Un Deux Trois form is an enigma as she finished unplaced in a handicap over 1400m in her penultimate start but then ran a cracker over this in a Graduation Plate where she faced the classy 112 rated Marygold and was beaten just four lengths. She beat the 92 rated Elusive Woman and the 106 rated Gee For Go so if reproducing that run off a 77 rating she is the one to beat. The hard-knocking Tartan Dancer is chosen to fight it out. However, Kayla’s Dream. Fleur Du Cap and Phoenix must be considered too.

In the second of the handicaps over 2000m The Sash makes plenty of appeal despite being double figure odds. The Azzie yard are in fair form and this Brave Tin Soldier mare cracks her first good draw since jumping from pole and finishing a 2,25 length fourth to the decent sort Kokeshi over this course and distance. Furthermore, she is now two points lower in the merit ratings. Fire Flower relished the step up to 1800m last time and won well and a further step up to 2000m from pole position could see her able to overcome a six point raise for that win.

The Classified Stakes races are based on merit rated bands and females are given an allowance too, so some horses are at a weight advantage over others.

In the first of the Classified races over 1000m Alex The Great is distance suited and is the form choice. However, Touch Of fate has developed into a fair sort and over this ideal trip it would be no surprise to see him follow up on his win last time. He lost to Alex The Great on these same terms the last time they met but fly-jumped badly that day and was then rushed before fading. Florence, Capitiana and Lagertha make most appeal of the rest.

The last race, a Classified over 1400m, is wide open. Dogliotti is coming into his own and should enjoy this trip. Master Uletide has substance and should enjoy the step up in trip. Heart Of A Legend makes most appeal of the female runners.     

DAVID THISELTON

IF Supreme Dance pulls off a win in today’s first race at The Vaal it will be a meaningful win for trainer Brett Warren. 

Warren’s biggest ever sales purchase was when he bought the damsire of Futura, Badger’s Drift, for R500,000. 

Unfortunately Badger’s Drift, who went on to win three Grade 1 classics in succession, the SA Classic, SA Derby and Daily News 2000, was moved from his yard before he raced. 

However, Warren deliberately looked for a suitable progeny of his to buy at the sales and thus purchased Scribblin’ The Cat.

The latter won only won one race, although she only had four starts, and she went on to become dam of Equus Horse Of The Year Futura. 

Warren then went looking for progeny of Futura at the Sales.

Futura’s son Supreme Dance can thus finally bring Warren just reward for his good judgement.

ANDREW HARRISON

DONOVAN DILLON has had to weigh up his options regarding the current lock-down with jockeys restricted to a single province as from yesterday.

It will have been a tough decision given that the he will miss the ride on Golden Ducat in both the Gr1 Queen’s Plate on Saturday and the Gr1 Met. However, he pointed out that he has to make a living and staying in KZN he was more likely to keep food on the table.

Dillon got his afternoon off to a good start at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday as he steered Wendy Whitehead’s filly Reckless Love to a comfortable victory. It was a more than satisfying success as Whitehead revealed that the daughter of Marchfield had been close to death, suffering from a bad colic.

“The vets couldn’t do anything so we finally decided to leave her out in the paddock overnight and what would be would be. Next morning, she was looking for her food,” she said.

After a lengthy quiet spell and the covid virus putting some owners under pressure and deserting, Duncan Howells is now one of the biggest owners in his yard. However, those runners now sporting his colours are paying their way.

By Howells’s own admission, Straight Up has been a touch disappointing and stands accused of not being the bravest but that opinion may have to be reassessed after apprentice Thabiso Gumede punched him through the tightest of gaps before going on to win comfortably with second-placed Fever giving Raymond Danielson a difficult ride as he looked to shift in under pressure.

Howells has been giving the laid-back Gumede plenty of chances and the young apprentice is repaying the faith shown in him.

Wave Crest in the next was another runner sporting the Howells silks and managed a third-pace cheque under Gumede but proved no match for hot favourite It Must Be Love. It was something of an armchair ride for Antandiwe Mgudlwa as Gareth van Zyl’s filly powered home under the hands with Indigo Moon getting up late to touch off Wave Crest.

Arctic Princess is unbeaten in two starts since Ashburton-based Gary Rich took her over and has won well on both occasions. The addition of blinkers may have a lot to do with it but her manner of victory suggests that she will not stop with this win. A furlong out, almost the entire field was spread across the track and the race was there for the taking. However, Stuart Randolph, having navigated from a wide draw, got his mount going up the outside fence and Arctic Princess popped clear like a cork out of a champagne bottle.

Foxy Lady, drawn widest of all fought clear for second with the luckless Colour Of Light being edge out of third by outsider Satara.

It’s has been a long time between drinks for Rocket Fire, another sporting the Howells silks with Gumede aboard, and the gelding was given no time to think as he came wide into the straight with Gumede rousting him along. For once Rocket Fire lived up to his name as he put it all together. The mare Noemi came out of the pack for second with Justaguything staying on for the shallow end of the purse.

One rider who will be spending the next month in Cape Town is Keagan de Melo. As stable rider to Dean Kannemeyer he will have opportunity in the big races. Making the most of his absence is Raymond Danielson who has chosen KZN over Gauteng and he got his month off to a winning start. After a close-up second on Fever he was on the mark with the Kannemeyer-trained To The Max but it was a close call. Sean Veale, has forsaken Cape Town and boss Dennis Drier, to stayed home and help out Drier’s stable assistant Stuart Ferrie. But it was aboard Paul and Beth Gadsby’s runner Capriccio that he came up a nose short of To The Max in a desperate finish.

Global Ash won on debut in PE and had put in two solid performances in his local starts for Carl Hewiston. He put it all together yesterday and cruised to a comfortable win in the seventh.

Lasata looked to have the last wrapped up 50m from home as Randolph produced him with what looked to be a winning run but apprentice Jabu Jacobs got Miss Charlotte going strongly in the closing stages to run Lasata down in the dying strides.

DAVID THISELTON

SEAN TARRY is still undecided whether Celtic Sea will have another tilt at the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes on Cape Town Met day or take on the boys in the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship.

Meanwhile, Cirillo is on track for the Met and Tarry is lining up his troops for the Johannesburg Autumn season.

Tarry said, “I will nominate Celtic Sea for both races and then have a look at the opposition and the draws before deciding.”

The twice Equus award-winning Captain Al mare has won two Grade 1s over 1200m in her career and one over 1600m.

However, in her last start she ran over 1000m for the first time in the Grade 2 Southern Cross Stakes and she gave the Cape’s best sprinting filly, and the race’s defending champion, Run Fox Run 1kg and a length beating. It was her first start of the season which gave the victory even more merit.

If she runs in the Majorca she will face the Cape’s best female miler Clouds Unfold on 1kg terms than in a handicap. However, Clouds Unfold did beat her by 0,30 lengths in this weight for age event last season. She might also be up against the Equus Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding in The Majorca if the connections decide to avoid the Met.

If Celtic Sea runs in the Cape Flying, also a weight for age event, she will receive a 2,5kg female allowance. The 126 merit-rated filly will thus face 128 rated Kasimir on 1,5kg better terms than she would in a handicap and she would be 3kg well in with the defending champion and Equus Champion Sprinter Russet Air and she will be 2kg well in with Run Fox Run.

The first entries for both races are on January 6.

Cirillo has been doing “very well” and is quoted at 20/1 for The Met. This five-year-old has consistently proved to be just behind the best and has achieved six Grade 1 places from 1600m to 1800m. 

However, Tarry pointed that Cirillo is one of the few older stalwarts in the country who was still an entire. 

Tarry said he would like to think Cirillo had a future at stud and added, “There is a lot to be said for an honest, solid and sound horse. Such types are worth their weight in gold at stud. Our breeders are always looking overseas to improve our bloodlines but they often overlook what we have locally.”

Tarry is well aware that winning a Grade 1 is of paramount importance as far as support at stud goes but he would be able to point to the like of Skitt Skizzle as an ordinary performer on the track who has become a decent stallion. This Tarry-trained son of Jet Master won his first start by ten lengths but was never able to fulfill his potential because as an entire he just became too big and he ended his career without a black type win. However, at stud his first crop consisting of a handful of foals from moderate mares included the like of Tierra Del Fuego, Cordillera and River Jordan.

Cirillo will continue a Tarry legacy if he does go to stud. His sire Pomodoro gave Tarry his first Vodacom Durban July victory and Pomodoro’s dam Golden Apple, bred by Sean’s brother Mark, provided him with his first Graded winner.

So, it is no surprise that one of Tarry’s best three-year-olds, the Gimmethegreenlight gelding Paisley Park, is from the family of Pomodoro. Paisley Park’s second dam is a half-sister to the dam of Golden Apple.

Paisley Park’s debut win provided one of the best form maidens of the season on the Highveld and he followed up by winning the Listed Secretariat Stakes over 1400m despite still being green. He beat the promising Copper Mountain in the latter race by half-a-length, although he was receiving 4.5kg. 

Tarry said, “He was immature as a youngster and has scope. I can’t get too excited yet but he is on the up and is one of the horses on my shortlist for the Autumn classics.”

Others on the shortlist are Eagle Alley, Silver Tycoon and Flying Carpet.

Eagle Alley also unbeaten in two starts, is by Silvano out of a full-sister to the legendary four-times Ascot Gold Cup winner Yeats so has a Derby pedigree. Tarry said, “He has  done well over less ground to date and has a bright future. If the SA Derby does become a target he will have a reliable pedigree for it.”

Silver Tycoon, by Silvano out of the Grade 1-winning Jet Master mare Soft Landing, was beaten 10,25 lengths into second on debut over 1400m by the ultra promising Reunion but followed up with a 6,25 length win over 1400m.

Tarry said, “He had strengthened up a bit and was very impressive.”

Flying Carpet finished a close third in the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup as a maiden but then failed in the Dingaans. He then came out and won his maiden impressively this week over 1400m. Tarry confirmed about the 103 rated Judpot colt, “He ran below par in the Dingaans.”

Chimichuri Run, Eden Roc and Warrior’s rest will be having Johannesburg and KZN campaigns. 

The former pair, by Trippi and Var respectively, are both still entries and Tarry also has stud careers in mind for them. 

DAVID THISELTON

THE Paul Matchett-trained War Of Athena laid claim to being the best three-year-old in the country on Saturday when downing her arch rival, the previously unbeaten Stuart Pettigrew-trained Anything Goes, by 1,75 lengths under Muzi Yeni in the Grade 3 Three Troikas Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein Standside.

Later, the Paul Peter-trained Dingaans winner Catch Twentytwo made a similar claim when winning the Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over the same course and distance under Gavin Lerena.

War Of Athena had been beaten twice before by Anything Goes. The latter ran as if she needed the run yesterday after a three month layoff and she also had to give War Of Athena 1kg. Furthermore her saddle slipped back in the running.

The pair’s rivalry will be one of the features of the season and their next clash will likely be in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas on February 6.

However, of the pair, War Of Athena looks more likely on pedigree and running style to handle the step up to the 1800m of the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic.

War Of Athena, who was bred by Summerhill Stud and is by Act Of War out of Requiem maiden Qaphela, cost a mere R30,000 but has it all as a racehorse. She has good gatespeed and early pace and can be switched off in the running. At the business end she possesses an electrifying turn of foot and has a heart as big as the great outdoors. Lastly, she is sound and consistent. Saturday’s race was her eleventh career start and her fifth victory. She has not been out of the first two this season and her only run out of the first three was on debut when fifth.  

The feeling last season was that the two-year-old fillies were superior to the colts and geldings and it was proven on Saturday  when the filly that won the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes against the boys, Sentbydestiny, was beaten six lengths by War Of Athena despite receiving 3kg.

This season the male three-year-olds made an early impact and there were predictions of it being a special crop. However, they begun fluffing their lines in the Dingaans when the previously unbeaten Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes winner Mount Pleasant ran unplaced. The Grade 1 Cape Guineas then produced a 100/1 shock winner in Russian Rock, who had won only one of his previous four career starts.  

However, among the fillies there is no doubting the class of Anything Goes and War Of Athena, whose form has also been franked by Princess Calla down in Cape Town. The latter, beaten 3,30 lengths and three lengths respectively by Anything Goes and War Of Athena in the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m last season, won the Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship over 1400m and then finished a 2,25 length second in the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guines to the smart Captain’s Ransom.  

Catch Twentytwo is one of the male sophomores’ who could still save his crop’s dwindling reputation as this rangy Narrow Creek Stud-bred Elusive Fort gelding proved he is progressive when beating stablemate MK’S Pride by half-a-length at level weights. The interesting formline here is MK’S Pride’s short-head victory over War Of Athena in the Peermont Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup over 1400m in which the latter received a 2.5kg female allowance, although it has to be said that not much went right for the filly in that race.

The other interesting formline from the Tony Ruffel is Copper Mountain being beaten two lengths into third at level weights. Copper Mountain  was an easy winner in the only defeat to date suffered by the promising Second Base and later he gave another promising sort in Paisley Park 4.5kg  when losing by just half-a-length.

Catch Twentytwo and War Of Athena were both rated 116 going into yesterday’s respective races, but the latter beat the 120 rated Anything Goes whereas the former’s runner up MK’S Pride was rated only 112.  

Mount Pleasant remains the highest rated three-year-old on 127 based on his cosy victory over the top class older pair Cirillo and Chimichuri Run in the Hawaai.

The other feature on Saturday’s card was the London News Stakes over 1800m and it saw Muzi Yeni converting a Grade 3 double on the Fanie Bronkhorst owned-and-trained Running Brave. She began over-racing a touch when not getting to the front from a wide draw but Zillzaal did her a favour by setting a good pace. This allowed Yeni to skilfully ease past Chijmes and slot in behind Zillzaal.  Running Brave showed just how courageous she is when taking the lead at the 500m mark and fending off the classy ExpressFromTheUS to win by three-quarters-of-a-length. However, she was well in at the weights with most and ran at level weights with the runner-up, to whom she would have had to give 3kg in a handicap. Running Brave, a Summerhill Stud-bred five-year-old mare by Brave Tin Soldier, has now won eight times and this was her third Graded victory. She has substance and can go on to win more features. A Grade 1 win this season would not be completely out of the question either.