The Frank Robinson-trained Olma defends her crown in the Gr 3 Flamboyant Stakes over 1600m at Greyville on New Year’s Day and her trainer boldly said, “If she is herself she will win this race.”

Robinson expects her to be around her best, although he is concerned by her draw of eleven in a thirteen horse field.

Last year she won comfortably from a draw of four.

She went into the race last year off the back of two preparation races at Greyville over 1900m on the poly and 1800m on the turf respectively in which she finished second and first respectively.

This year she goes in off just one preparation race, an unplaced run over 1600m at Scottsville on December 4.

Robinson said, “I gave her a break after her run in Johannesburg in August, so she needed the run at Scottsville. It was a preparation race for the Flamboyant and the ground was also a bit hard for her. She likes a bit of sting out of the ground and Greyville is in good condition at present. We have also worked on her joints since that last race and she has turned the corner. She has been working well and moving very well.”

Furthermore, the five-year-old Dynasty mare has been unplaced in all three of her runs at Scottsville, but loves Greyville.

Olma had tended to pull early in her career, but the application of a tongue tie was a key move as she then settled well, enabling her to use her superb turn of foot.

She proved in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes on Vodacom Durban July day she can settle even from a wide draw. She was dropped out in that race from a draw of ten in a fourteen horse field and ran on strongly to finish second to the champion Inara.

Marco van Rensburg, an accomplished jockey whose professionalism is now receiving just rewards, rides her for the first time in the Flamboyant.

Under the conditions of the race Olma is 2,5kg well in with Lala on official merit ratings and 3kg well in with Heaps Of Fun, the latter pair being the next best weighted horses.

In last year’s race Olma beat Lala by a cosy two lengths and the latter is once again draw two barrier positions outside of her.

Heaps Of Fun has a nice draw of six with Anton Marcus up. She won last season’s Gr 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas at Turffontein from the same draw. She looks to have enjoyed an excellent preparation. In her seasonal reappearance on Sansui Summer Cup day she ran a 6,75 length fifth in the Gr 3 Daily Sun Magnolia Handicap over 1160m at Turffontein, not a bad comeback effort considering she had a tricky low draw and was conceding 8kg to the top class three-year-old winner Green Pepper. Then two weeks later on December 10 she ran a 2,75 length second at level weights to her classy contemporary Joan Ranger in a Progress Plate over 1200m at the Vaal, where she was staying on with long strides at the line.

Last season she was beaten 2,15 lengths in the Garden Province by Olma, but was caught wide the whole way without cover, whilst Olma had cover throughout further back.

Heaps Of Fun, considering her preparation, will be a tough nut to crack.

The three-year-old Dawn Calling can’t be ignored either. She is highly regarded and suffered rotten luck last time in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas. She now has the pole position draw with Eric Ngwane up.

The like of Impala Lily, Fort Ember and Well In Flight will also provide threats in what will be an intriguing contest.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith has supplemented Jet Master Stakes winner Fifty Cents, bred by Drakenstein and part-owned by Caroline Rupert, for Saturday week’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.

He said yesterday: “There is not going to be a big field and we thought it would be nice for the owners. I know that Caroline would love to have a runner in the family’s race.”

But stable companion Zodiac Ruler looks like missing the Politician Stakes thanks to a combination of top weight and a wide draw – “the weights are against a horse like him,” said the trainer. “I will freshen him up for the Investec Cape Derby (Jan 28).”

Henry Tudor, on paper the main danger to probable favourite Captain My Captain in Saturday’s Kenilworth two-year-old race, is also on the absentee list after giving a couple of coughs. Snaith now plans to wait until Met day.

Gold Standard, who beat all except William Longsword in the Grand Parade Cape Guineas, was yesterday reported in “top shape” by Glen Kotzen whose horses continue in the sort of form the Woodhill trainer normally only sees in his dreams – he and Richard Fourie had three more yesterday. “We are keeping an open mind about whether to go for the Derby or the Sun Met.”

Elevated, two places further back in the Guineas, is under consideration for the Derby. “He came out of the Guineas fine and we are doing final checks tomorrow (Thursday) so that we will know by Friday whether we nominate him,” said Riaan van Reenen.

Assuming he runs in the Investec race the gelding will again race on bare feet. “I now run all my horses without shoes,” said the Philippi trainer. “I have found that horses’ feet break up when you are continually putting on and taking off alumites. You can spend six months [in a horse’s career] repairing them and the advantage of alumites is only a metre or two.”

Edict Of Nantes, who came from last turning for home to finish fifth in the Guineas, is in the Politician but is another who seems more likely to wait.

Brett Crawford said: “I still have to discuss it with Derek Brugman so I am not sure yet but I think he will probably wait for the Derby.”

Diana Stakes winner Captain’s Flame was a surprise absentee from the nominations for Saturday week’s Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes. The race had long been on her agenda but Andre Nel said: “She would have run a place in the Jet Master last time but interference killed her chance. I didn’t want to go into the Paddock with a run like that beforehand and I will now freshen her up for the Klawervlei Majorca.”

Mike Stewart has been freshening himself up after several weeks on the sidelines with three slipped discs (wife Ingrid: “He looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame”) and on Tuesday he resumed riding work on the Noordhoek sands. He felt even better after Icon King won race two at Kenilworth yesterday under Aldo Domeyer. He bought the gelding for just R 5 000 and secured nine months’ credit into the bargain.

By Michael Clower

The Vaal Inside track has a tricky nine race card tomorrow and by trends low draws are favourable on this track.

The highest rated race on the card is a MR 87 handicap over 2000m and the Weiho Marwing-trained Let It Rain looks the one to beat. He proved last time he is coming into his own as a four-year-old, which is the case with many progeny of his sire Dynasty. On that occasion in a 2000m event he benefitted from hold up tactics, as opposed to his usual handy tactics, and swept through to win by three lengths from the promising Bush Pilot. He is seven points higher in the merit ratings but can build again.

Furthermore, he has a plum draw this time and the form of that last run has worked out well as Revelation, who was a 3,75 length third, has come out and won since over 1800m. Revelation beat Scotland in the latter race and Scotland now takes on Let It Rain. Scotland has come into his own too this season and has been thereabouts in two starts off a one point lower mark than his current merit rating, so should be involved in the finish again. Kingmambo’s Legacy, Trip To Rio and Go Direct can also be dangerous over this suitable trip.

It would be unusual to extract a card best bet out of a low grade fillies and mares handicap, but in race seven, a MR 61 Handicap for females over 2000m, the Gavin van Zyl-trained Mogok filly Costa Da Sol has everything in her favour. She stayed on well over 1600m in her penultimate start and then did well over a probable too far 2400m last time. The 2000m trip should be ideal and she has the bonus of both a plum draw of two as well as Gavin Lerena aboard.

The value bet comes out of race 6, a MR 70 Handicap over 2000m. The four-year-old Lateral colt Rain Shadow proved last time over 1600m, when looking likely to be swamped over 1600m but then fighting back to finish third, she is crying out for this trip and should go close despite a tricky draw.

The question in race 3 over 1600m is whether Rouge Allure will stay the trip as she will be a banker if she does. Om pedigree she should stay the trip comfortably, but she does possess speed, as well as a good turn of foot.

In race 8 over 1200m there will be a lot of interest in the Dynasty filly Always A Lady as she was not disgraced in a level weights Gr 3 for three-year-olds over 1400m last time and runs off a mere 79 merit rating here, while she did show some speed on debut.

In race 9 over 1300m Ebony Knight might also still be ahead of the handicapper, although King And Empire and Racethegreenlight could be go close too.

By David Thiselton

 

The Gr 3 Christmas Handicap run over 1600m at Greyville on Monday saw the Sean Tarry-trained Rikitikitana proving he preferred the turf, although the runner up Celtic Captain has to be considered a touch unlucky.

Meanwhile, in the UK the Colin Tizzard-trained Thistlecrack proved himself another superstar in a golden era of jumps racing.

Rikitikitana, a four-year-old Toreador gelding bred by The Alchemy, ran on strongly from behind down the inside to win the Christmas Handicap by 0,5 lengths from a wide draw under leading apprentice Lyle Hewitson.

The runner up Celtic Captain jumped from a plum draw of two, but was trapped one wide without cover the whole way and was a little strong in the running. With cover he could well have won the race and as he gave the winner 8,5kg this was a fine effort. He looks to be a decent miler and can be followed. Rikitikitana had scraped into the handicap with the minimum weight of 52kg. Celtic Captain’s Gareth van Zyl-trained stablemate Budapest confirmed himself back in form by finishing third.

Tarry and Hewitson had a double at the meeting, as did Alistair Gordon and Anton Marcus. Prolific owner Roy Moodley added another two winners to a fine run he has had in December.

At Kempton Park the novice chaser Thistlecrack, an eight-year-old gelding, destroyed a small but top class field in the prestigious King George VI three miles. Greatness is sometimes described as those who make top opposition look ordinary and last year’s winner Cue Card looked just that.

Cue Card was dropped on the turn like a ball out of a motorcar having ranged up to challenge his powerful stablemate down the back straight. Thistlecrack could afford to measure the last jump and was being eased down at the line to win by a 3,25 length margin which flattered the opposition.

Last season he showed himself to have an incredible engine when annihilating all before him in staying hurdles races. He is now unbeaten in four chases and that engine is in evidence one again as he seems to run strongly throughout but still has a ton in hand at the finish. His jumping had been a concern, but he proved just how bold and clever a leaper he is when on two occasions standing almost outside the wings of an open ditch yet still sailing over easily. He was able to correct himself on those two and other occasions.

Jockey Tom Scudamore summed it up when saying afterwards, “”He’s on his own. Between myself, my father and grandfather we’ve had about 3,000 winners and he’s the best one of the lot.””

Thistlecrack is a legend in the making and although jumps racing does not have a big following in South Africa it should be well worth tuning in whenever he runs.

By David Thiselton

Red Ray will have his first start since his Mercury Sprint win in July in the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes at Kenilworth on January 14. Joey Ramsden reports that he will then go for the Betting World Cape Flying Championship a fortnight later.

The same two races are planned for both last season’s Cape Flying winner Gulf Storm and fourth-placed Tevez who justified 3-1 favouritism in last Saturday’s Southeaster Sprint.

Candice Bass-Robinson, who was landing her first treble, said: “The problem is that these races all come on top of each other but Tevez will probably run in both those two.”

Gulf Storm ran far better than Saturday’s eighth place would suggest. He was beaten less than three and a half lengths, despite giving lumps of weight all round and being baulked just inside the final furlong.

Brett Crawford said: “It was only his second run back and it was very hard for him at the weights. It will be much nearer levels in the Diadem and that should make a big difference.”

Suggestions that Sergeant Hardy should also take his chance in the Cape Flying after the way he blitzed the opposition in the Need For Speed Sprint were dismissed by Justin Snaith who made it clear that he has more valuable fish to fry.

The former champion trainer, sending out his 90^th winner of the season, said: “He goes for the CTS $500 000 1 200m race on the same card. He is an unbelievable horse, completely gone in the wind but so tough.”

Cape Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual is the most notable absentee from the 18 entries for the Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes, particularly as half them are three-year-olds, and Ramsden said: “She will go for either the Klawervlei  Majorca (Jan 28) or one of the two CTS $500 000 races that day.”

Interestingly Ramsden added that Table Bay will step up to 2 000m for his next run, the Investec Cape Derby, after being beaten into third when starting favourite for the Cape Guineas.

Mrs Bass-Robinson will run Nightingale as well as Silver Mountain in the Paddock despiteher doubts about the 1 800m trip for last year’s Cape Fillies Guineas winner – “On pedigree she should get it but her performances are better over shorter. Mind you, I don’t think Inara really stayed the Paddock distance but she got away with it.”

Seemingly the Milnerton trainer was hardly surprised that Marinaresco should be landed with a bad draw (14) in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate on Saturday week. “What’s new?” she said. “He and The Conglomerate are always having to start on the back foot.”

The pair were drawn widest of all when first and second in the Durban July, Marinaresco was drawn two off the outside when winning the Champions Cup and The Conglomerate 14 out of 19 when he was second in the Sansui Summer Cup.

Even so, World Sports Betting has installed Marinaresco as favourite at 11-10 and make last season’s winner Legal Eagle next best at 13-10. Other prices are 12-1 Whisky Baron, 14-1 The Conglomerate, 20-1 Captain America, French Navy, It’s My Turn, 25-1 St Tropez, 33-1 and upwards others.

By Michael Clower