In spite of extensive lobbying, quarantine regulations have scuppered any chances of Mauritian champion Parachute Man competing in the Gr1 Sun Met at Kenilworth on 28 January.

In a notice to the horse’s owners, trainer Ricky Maingard said that, “it is with regret that we have had to call off Parachute Man’s participation in the forthcoming Sun Met.

This is due mainly to the South African Directorate of Animal Health refusing to consider the use of the Kenilworth quarantine (officially approved as an outgoing quarantine station) for our use on arrival in the RSA where Parachute Man and his travelling companion could be trained each day preceding the race.”

There were hopes of the Gauteng autumn season after the Met but those plans have also fallen through.

“The next opportunity for Parachute Man to fly out to South Africa is only in March and quarantine in Johannesburg (30 days with no training facility), is far too late.”

There were also plans for Champions Season in KZN. “But he would be an unfit horse leaving quarantine mid-April, with only two and a half months to get him to his peak which is very tight, even assuming that nothing goes wrong with his preparation,” summed up Maingard.

“After the July season, there would of course be the Gauteng Autumn carnival in October/November followed by a crack at the Met in January 2018 if all went well.

“The drawback is the fact that Parachute Man will then be a year older and most probably past his very best,” he concluded.

The owners of Parachute Man will meet early in the New Year to discuss the various options but for the immediate future, the horse will come out of isolation, put out of work and given a well-earned rest at Floreal.

By Andrew Harrison

A number of South African’s feature in the latest TRC Global Rankings and with the Western Cape season in full swing there is a chance of Ingrid and Markus Jooste moving up the leading owner table along with retained jockey Anton Marcus.

The Jooste’s, who now race under the Mayfair Speculator’s banner, are currently 11th in the world rankings.

The only other South African’s to feature in the top 100 are Drakenstein Stud owned by Gaynor and Johan Rupert who are this week ranked in 87th place, up four places from 91.

Not surprisingly Ireland-based Coolmore Partners, consisting of John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor, are way ahead on that table followed by Godolphin and Al Shaqab Racing.

Coolmore partners are spearheaded bytheir trainer, Aiden O’Brien.

The master of Ballydoyle has notched an incredible 51 Group 1 winners in the period under review.

His closest rivals as far as Group 1 success are concerned are Australia’s leading trainer, Chris Waller with 34, and Americans Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher tied on 31 each. Another American, Chad C Brown is second behind O’Brien on the trainer’s log ahead of Waller and Baffert.

The only South African trainer to feature in the world’stop 100 is champion trainer Sean Tarry who, like Drakenstein Stud, has moved up from 91st to 87th on the table.

Ryan Moore, recently officially crowned the world’s best jockey, is not surprisingly at the top of the riders table followed by Hugh Bowman of Australia and Frank Dettori, the UK-based Italian.

Anton Marcus is rated 19th on the global log, up from 23rd position last week.

The only other South African rider to feature is Piere Strydom who currently sits in 87th place on the table.

With the Jooste-owned and Marcus ridden Legal Eagle out to defend his Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate title and hopefully for his connections, go one better in the Gr1 Sun Met, there is opportunity for both owners and jockey to move up the rankings.

The TRC Global rankings work in a similar fashion to the world golf and tennis rankings where points are award according to the status of races won and the tables are updated weekly.

By Andrew Harrison

The Turffontein Standside track stages an eight race meeting tomorrow which features the Gr 3 Lebelo Sprint over 1000m and there are also some quality horses turning out in an eight race meeting at the same venue on Monday.

Rivarine went down to the top class sprinter Green Pepper last time out over this trip at the Vaal by just a head despite giving her 7,5kg, so looks hard to beat in the Lebelo Sprint, despite the presence of the older Gr 1-performing sprinter African Ruler. Swinging it in Rivarine’s favour firstly is his high draw, which tends to be favourable on this straight course. Secondly the race is run under handicap conditions. Rivarine is capable of rising above his current merit rating of 98 and this is especially in light of Green Pepper now being rated 106. Rivarine has in form Lyle Hewitson up. African Ruler can’t be written off especially as he has the magician Andrew Fortune aboard. Captain’s Causeway and Wrecking Ball could earn as the form of their last clash over 1160m has been franked. The speedy Seattle Singer will appreciate the step down to 1000m, so could be dangerous having snuck into the handicap with the minimum weight.

The value bet of the day is Anna Pavlova in the fourth race, as she has impressed in her wins and looks capable of going places, although she does have a tough draw here.

On Monday the classy Being Fabulous returns in a MR 76 Handicap over 1600m after running third in the Gr 3 Fillies Mile in just her third career start. She looks capable of rising above her merit rating of 83 and will be hard to beat from a draw of six under regular pilot Gavin Lerena.

The sixth is an intriguing Graduation Plate over 1400m. The long-striding Doosra looks likely to appreciate the step down to this trip at this stage of his career and is the one to beat under Lerena, despite a wide draw. Furiosa looks to have some class and could be a threat receiving 3kg from Doosra, while Daffiq is a classy sort who looks ideally distance suited and he should be fit enough despite returning from a six month layoff as he comes from the Mike de Kock yard.

The seventh is an intriguing Graduation Plate over 1160m for fillies and mares. French Legend is a classy sort who looks capable of going places and her best effort to date has come over this trip. Arissa has ability and Queenie was bought into the Mike Azzie yard after her impressive last run, but is back with Tony Nassiff after a dispersal sale and is returning from a nine month layoff.

By David Thiselton

African Night Sky and Ngaga can finish the year in style at Kenilworth tomorrow. Both are unbeaten in two starts and look the goods.

The former was described by the sidelined Craig du Plooy as “something special and he turns it on like you can’t believe” after his win in October when he came with a strong run to get up 50m and win convincingly. Justin Snaith thought him good enough to run in the Selangor only for the horse to meet with a setback.

“He had an accident at the track,” recalls the trainer who is now eyeing one of the two CTS $500 000 races in four weeks’ time. “It was nothing serious but he had to be scratched and there have been no suitable races since.”

Richard Fourie takes over in the 1 400m handicap and, despite a five-point rise for his last win, his mount should complete a hat-trick.

Ngaga, an AUS$250 000 half-sister to Met winner Igugu, has legs like your dining room table but that doesn’t stop her galloping and Andre Nel reckons that the step up to a mile in the Summer Of Champions Handicap is much in her favour.

Glen Kotzen runs three here and Fourie, who rode all of them last time, provides the key – although not in the way you might think. “He wanted to stick with Party Crasher,” says Kotzen. “But he is retained by Peter de Beyer and Hugo Hattingh so he rides White Rose.”

Mike de Kock has yet to win a Cape Town two-year-old race this term but Captain My Captain should be hard to beat in the opener after accounting for all except Gold Image early last month. He had Henry Tudor (expected to be scratched) 3.5 lengths behind with the slow-starting Why Wouldn’t Yew in fourth.

However it just might be worth taking a chance – at a much bigger price – with the topically-named State Capture who met all sorts of interference when still travelling well first time. “He was just about to hit the front when he was turned sideways,” recalls Darryl Hodgson. “Thank God he didn’t get injured.”

The horse was promptly bumped twice more. Little wonder that he only managed seventh of eight.

Nel’s newcomers have been doing well but the trainer reckons that Q Tibb “needs a lot further” than the 1 400m of race three. However Kampala Campari is expected to go well in the next. He could be worth a few rands.

By Michael Clower

Devonne Govender Selections

Race 1
(1) Captain My Captain (5) Henry Tudor (13) Varside

Race 2
(2) African Night Sky (6) Rinjani (1) Boldly Respectable

Race 3
(1) Wicked Kiss (2) Moonsaballoon (3) So Enchanting

Race 4
(12) Waitingfortonight (1) Cossack Guard (6) Baffert

Race 5
(1) Sun At Midnight (3) Pink Rock (8) Queen At War

Race 6
(7) Ngaga (5) Seattle Gold (6) Party Crasher

Race 7
(1) Gyre (4) Jabu (6) Top Of The Rock

Race 8
(12) Seattle Oak (2) Light Charger (1) Gypsy Beauty

Devonne Govender perms

PA (R128)

Leg 1: 2 x 6

Leg 2: 1 x 2

Leg 3: 12 x 1

Leg 4: 1 x 3

Leg 5: 7 x 5

Leg 6: 1 x 4

Leg 7: 12 x 2

PICK 6 (R810)

Leg 1: 1 x 2 x3

Leg 2: 12 x 1 x 6

Leg 3: 1 x 3 x 8

Leg 4: 7 x 5

Leg 5: 1 x 4 x 6 x 3 x 2

Leg 6: 12 x 2 x 1

JACKPOT (R90)

Leg 1: 12 x 1 x 6

Leg 2: 1 x 3 x 8

Leg 3: 7 x 5

Leg 4: 1 x 4 x 6 x 3 x 2

BEST BET

Race 6: 7

VALUE BET

Race 4: 12