The heavily backed Whisky Baron is beginning to remind Brett Crawford of his 2003 Met winner Angus.

Futura, his winner of two years ago, might seem a more logical comparison – like Whisky Baron, he was a constantly improving four-year-old – but Crawford said: “No, they are two different types of horse and Futura had already proved himself as a three-year-old when he was third in the July.

“But Whisky Baron and Angus have come much the same route even though Angus won the Premier rather than the Peninsula.”

The handicappers raised Whisky Baron seven points to 110 for his impressive two-length win in the Peninsula – ten points was the maximum permitted under the handicapping rules. Sun Met favourite Legal Eagle (123) has to concede 2.5kg of which half a kilo is weight-for-age.

“Whisky Baron started the Cape season off 96 and we still have to improve him another eight points to have a chance of beating Legal Eagle,” said the Philippi trainer. “But he is still improving and, although it’s going to be difficult, I don’t think it’s impossible.”

Whisky Baron, named after Ridgemont Stud owner Wayne Kieswetter who has substantially increased his bloodstock interests by purchasing Highlands, is the main Crawford runner but Queen’s Plate runner-up Captain America was only a length behind Legal Eagle when third in last year’s Met.

“He ran a great race that day – he never stopped,” recalled Crawford. “He has come out of the Queen’s Plate exceptionally well but his best performances have been at a mile.”

BLOB Miss Frankel, so far the only horse in training in South Africa by the undefeated wonder horse, will make her much-awaited debut at Kenilworth on Saturday.

By Michael Clower

Trip To Heaven fairly romped away with the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday but the good news for those left trailing almost four lengths and more in his wake is that he is far from certain to return for the Betting World Cape Flying Championship on Saturday week.

The 3-1 joint favourite has an alarming tendency to lose lengths at the start but S’Manga Khumalo made light of this and bided his time until inside the final furlong. His mount promptly put daylight between himself and the rest despite not even being shown the whip.

Khumalo said: “The plan was to ride him as confidently as possible, all went well and the gaps opened when I wanted them.”

Sean Tarry, calculating that this was his 100^th winner of the season, added: “From day one Trip To Heaven has shown us blistering talent and speed but unfortunately he has issues. I don’t want to detract from the horse by going into them. We’ll see about running in the Cape Flying – it’s not definite.”

Second-placed Tevez had the heavily backed Search Party a short head back third with Red Ray (3-1), racing for the first time for six months, less than half a length away fourth. All are due to renew rivalry in the Cape Flying.

Red Ray’s trainer Joey Ramsden said: “For me it was perhaps a little disappointing but Anton Marcus (“I thought it was a grand run”) was happy and he is the man that counts. He felt he could have been second had he sat closer.”

Lord Balmoral took the Fairview Wines Sophomore Sprint in the manner of a horse that could go close in next year’s Cape Flying when completing a treble for Vaughan Marshall with the Milnerton trainer declaring: “He is a serious horse with massive cruising speed and I think he breaks the others’ hearts.”

Rider MJ Byleveld even rued the absence of Grade 1 winner Cloth Of Cloud (she waits for Met day), saying: “I would love to have taken her on with this one.”

Marcus followed up Friday evening’s Greyville treble with two more winners including the Power King Maiden for Eric Sands who was so confident that he texted the four-time champion to book him for Choir Of Angels the day the entries came out.

Geese tend to become swans when they win – at least in the eyes of those closest to them – but nobody had a good word to say about the apparently inappropriately-named Saint Janine after she came home at 4-1 in the Solid Speed Maiden.

“She’s a real cow,” declared Derek Brugman and he was polite compared with members of the Candice Bass-Robinson team. Seemingly the little madam has a mind of her own and leaves the farriers in no doubt that she won’t have shoes on her hind feet. She takes a similarly violent view about tongue ties and injections. Only assistant trainer Mel Arnold can get near her.

Bold Respect showed his rivals a more conventional pair of heels under Corne Orffer to collect R50 000 for Delma Sherrell in opening Cape Speed Maiden and on Saturday week the Brett Crawford-trained colt will compete for R1 million in the Kuda Sprint.

By Michael Clower

Fairview Monday [Jan 16] tips by INForm

Selections:

Race 1. (11) WHAT A WINNER  (10) RUN FOR YOUR LIFE  (3) BRAVE ENDEAVOUR

Race 2. (9) LET HER FLY  (2) IN YOUR FACE  (10) QUINELIA

Race 3. (1) WARREN PLACE  (3) TRACK-KING  (8) TOUGH HARRY

Race 4. (2) ONE AWAY  (8) RUSH IN  (3) SEATTLE SWING

Race 5. (6) OCHONCAR  (2) TRUE MASTER  (3) GOGETTHESHERIFF

Race 6. (2) BEATABOUTTHEBUSH  (4) TREIZE  (3) SILVAN JAZZ

Race 7. (1) PACIFIC SPIRIT  (5) IN FULL REGALIA  (6) IMPERIAL GUARD

Race 8. (1) SWEETCHILD O MINE  (2) THORNBIRD  (3) ACROSS THE LAKE

Place Accumulator: (R48)

Leg 1: 2

Leg 2: 1,3

Leg 3: 2

Leg 4: 6,2

Leg 5: 2

Leg 6: 1,5,6

Leg 7: 1,2,3,7

Pick 6: (R405)

Leg 1: 1,3,8

Leg 2: 2,8,3

Leg 3: 6,2,1

Leg 4: 2

Leg 5: 1,5,6

Leg 6: 1,2,3,7,15

Jackpot: (R36)

Leg 1: 2,8,3

Leg 2: 6,2,1

Leg 3: 2

Leg 4: 1,5,6,8

 

 

The remarkable Talktothestars can make it third time lucky by gaining his revenge on Turffontein rival Trip To Heaven in the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes at Kenilworth tomorrow.

Piere Strydom’s mount races barefoot but that didn’t stop him giving weight all round in the Tsogo Sun Sprint – when Red Ray, Gulf Storm, Captain Alfredo and Exelero – were among those behind. However on his two most recent starts he has been beaten by Trip To Heaven who opened 7-2 favourite with World Sports Betting.

“Those last two runs were a disaster,” says Coenie de Beer who brought the horse down last week and settled him into the box at Harold Crawford’s yard that he occupied when he came for last year’s Cape Flying Championship. On that occasion he did wear shoes but managed only fifth. “It didn’t plan out for him,” De Beer recalls. “They came to the outside and he was bumped although he flew the final 300m.”

Trip To Heaven’s Achilles heel is his tendency to lose ground at the start – two lengths in each of his last two races and four in the Mercury Sprint before that. However on his most recent outing he quickly recovered the ground and had a trouble-free run thereafter whereas Talktothestars was squeezed out when making his move and, by the time he got going again, it was all too late. He is 1.5kg better and is a big price at 7-1.

Nine of the 13 runners are in the Cape Flying, notably Gulf Storm and 4-1 second favourite Red Ray who is running for the first time since landing the Mercury Sprint in July and who has proved his ability to run well when fresh.

“We haven’t quite the facilities that we do in Durban to sharpen him up -hills etc,” says Joey Ramsden. “But he is doing well and he looks a million dollars. He is pretty ready.”

Gulf Storm (7-1) won last year’s Betting World-sponsored Grade 1 and his disappointing run in the Southeaster on Christmas Eve is best forgiven and forgotten. Apart from anything else he was giving weight all round.

“He didn’t get much luck in running that day even though he was only beaten just over three lengths but he is well-weighted here,” says Brett Crawford whose other runner Search Party is on a hat-trick but looks short enough at 9-2. “It’s a big task for him but he has done nothing wrong in his last two and he has room for improvement in him.”

Tevez (7-1) seldom runs a bad race and Aldo Domeyer’s confidence is sky-high after last Wednesday’s incredible six-timer. He is the oldest horse in the field but he should go close.

“It’s all about the pace with him,” says Candice Bass-Robinson whose father won three of the last five runnings. “They didn’t go hard when he won the Southeaster – he likes it faster – but he sat closer than he normally does.”

It’s hard to give any of the others a real chance and you have to go back to Thunder Key (33-1) in 2009 to find the winner starting longer than 15-2.

By Michael Clower

The Listed Michael Roberts Handicap over 1750m heads a nine race card at Scottsville on Sunday and it looks to be as competitive as ever.

Rikitikitana proved he prefers turf when winning the Gr 3 Christmas Handicap over 1600m at Greyville in fluent style. He has been seen to run on over 1800m before, so should enjoy this trip. He does have to handle a four point merit rated raise, but has a fair draw.

Mr Winsome is a typically progressive son of Silvano and from a good draw of two will be a big runner over a probably ideal trip. Caribbean Day is 2kg under sufferance on official merit ratings, but was unlucky last time in the KZN Summer Challenge 1600 final, so is the dark horse here over a trip he should enjoy.

Stormy Eclipse’s five wins have all been on the poly, but he was staying on in the Christmas Handicap and is 1,5kg better off for a three length beating by Rikitikitana. Furthermore, he is drawn in pole position.

Run Rhino Run is a talented sort, but can be headstrong so the step up in trip is a concern, especially from his tricky draw. He will need a good pace and this could perhaps be provided by Sylvester The Cat. The latter is an enigmatic sort who does possess plenty of ability and he reserves his best for Scottsville, so could be a big runner here as he is likely to be at his peak. Kitty’s Destiny returns from a seven month layoff over a trip short of his best and this talented, long strider can’t be ignored from a good draw.

Princess Varunya would prefer further, but is a classy sort and from a good draw can’t be ignored. Ashton Park showed in the Michaelmas, when running on for second, he can go further than a mile and is another interesting runner, although he has the widest draw of all to contend with like he did when staying on in the Christmas Handicap.

Double Clutch is effective over this trip and better than his last run as he did not act in the soft on that occasion. However, he has a tough draw to overcome and is high enough in the merit ratings. Open Heir sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight, but has a tough draw and is nine points higher than when winning over course and distance in September. They are selected in the order mentioned.

In the fifth race over 1200m, the second leg of the Pick 6, the course record holder Humidor returns from a three-and-half month layoff and will be hard to beat under Anton Marcus as he is likely better than his 86 merit rating suggests.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is a weak maiden over 1200m and Intercept and Spiritofadventure should get punters through.

The third leg of the Pick 6 is a competitive 1000m handicap for fillies and mares, but the three who stand out are Just Vogue, Mygirldownunder and Vision To Kill.

In the next leg of the Pick 6 over 2400m, Delirious Nomad is interesting despite being by the sprinter Rebel King as he was staying on well over 1950m last time, and Calabash, Dunham, Smart World, Sabre Charge and Shirley Valentine can also be included.

In the last leg of the Pick 6, a maiden for fillies and mares over 1600m, On That Note looks the one to beat, but Baobab should improve over this trip, Liberty Market has a chance, Pippin must be included and Movinglikeawinner should improve over the trip.

By David Thiselton