Gingerbread Man, unbeaten over course and distance, will be looking to keep that record in tact when he runs in the KZN Breeders Club Handicap over 1400m on the Greyville poly this evening.

Dean Kannemeyer (Nkosi Hlophe)

Gingerbread Man has taken to the poly and can go in again for his hat-trick even though he takes a rise in class as confirmed by Duncan Howells. “He’s a nice horse and is very well,” said Howells. “He does step up in class but should be right there.” However, the Ashburton trainer added a word of caution. “He’s no good thing!”

Newyorkstateofmind seems to be continually on the upgrade and is likely to be in the scrum again come the line. Sean Tarry’s runner came from well back to win again last time out and although he too takes on stronger he does have a claiming apprentice up. Charles Laird’s runner Dance On Air was a beaten favourite last start but did take on much stronger. He has also won over course and distance and is in with a definite chance. Bizjet most recent win was over course and distance beating Newyorkstateofmind and was narrowly beaten next time out so is another for the shortlist.

Howells has a second string to his bow and should Gingerbread Man disappoint, Roman Carnival could pick up the pieces. “He is well and very fit,” said Howells. “He has a decent draw and is over his best trip.”

In all the race looks wide open, as does the Synergy Marketing Partners Apprentice Handicap that precedes.

Des Egdes, with a winner on Wednesday in Dynamite Lady, saddles Just Rap under Julius Mphanya. “The draw is a bit of a concern especially in a race like this with all the apprentices. You never know what kamikazes will be out there. But she’s well and I think she has a decent chance,” he concluded.

Just Rap faced a good field last time out and prior to that was a close-up second over course and distance. Given some luck in running she should be right there. Stockade has consistent form over course and distance and from a good draw should also be there as Egdes intimated. A question mark hangs over Laird’s runner African Sunbird. She was given a stiff task first run out of the maidens and meets weaker here. She is back on the poly on which she shed her maiden. She may be worth another chance. Icy Spirit has been in good form since her maiden win and with a smart four-claimer in Denis Schwarz up she can go in again.

Gingerbread Man (Nkosi Hlophe)

Anton Marcus teams up with the Dennis Drier gelding Smart World in the CMH Kempster Ford Handicap that looks to be another tricky race. Smart World has shown his best form on the poly and a drop in class should at least make him competitive. Top weight Selvan’s Jet has taken to the poly and was up against stronger at his last two. He has a fair weight but will have a host of supporters. Tony Nassif arrives in town with Triple Beat who has improved since the blinkers were removed.

Nassif is one of the game’s eternal optimists but when he makes the journey from the Highveld it is worth taking note. Sambora let the side down in his six-week stint on the Highveld and has left Howells frustrated. “He doesn’t put in a lot of effort but has the ability. It’s a case of which Sambora arrives on the day.”

Place Accumulator punters can hopefully get through the opening leg with the Laird-trained Matresse. She was sent out an odds-on favourite on debut for her new stable debut but lacked extra late. The blinkers are back on over a shorter trip and she may be the one to beat although Gusheshe is much improved on the poly and was close-up from a wide draw last time out. The Kannemeyer yard has been on mustard form of late and the Australian import should prove the biggest threat. Arctic Swift has improved with each outing and found good market support last start. Marcus is off and rides Matresse but the blinkers are on.

By Andrew Harrison

Apprentice Callan Murray is off to Melbourne to spend the next seven weeks riding for Australian Hall-Of-Fame trainer David Hayes.

Murray secured this opportunity through former jockey and current riding master at the Australia Jockey Academy Matt Pumpa.

“I first met him two years ago when he came to South Africa with the Australian apprentices riding in the Asian Young Guns event. Then he came over to South Africa a couple of months ago, we spoke about it and he managed to organise the whole venture for me,” said Murray.

Callan Murray

“Of course, I’m very excited. I have only ridden in South Africa and Zimbabwe so the whole experience will be amazing.”

This is not the first time a South African apprentice will be riding for Hayes as Chad Schofield was also aligned to his stable.

“Obviously, I’m looking for riding experience and international exposure,” said Murray. I will try to pick up new things which I can use to my advantage.

“It will be interesting to be riding at tracks with different conditions, different horses and against other jockeys. They also have no false rail at their courses. “I know their stipes are very strict so I’m will need to be on my best behaviour.

“The last thing I want to do is get a suspension at my first meeting.”

In 2008, Hayes was the youngest trainer to be inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame, following in the footsteps of his late father Colin, who was an inaugural inductee seven years earlier.

Hayes made an immediate impact in 1991, taking out the Cox Plate and Japan Cup with Better Loosen Up and training a world-record six Group winners on Derby Day. Five years later Hayes accepted an invitation to train in Hong Kong which is still regarded as the most competitive racing jurisdiction in the world.

He again had immediate success, winning two trainers’ titles and finishing top four in each of his nine seasons. He trained more than 450 winners and multiple Group 1 winners before returning to Australia in 2005 to resume training there.

He has won all “Big Four” races in Australia, the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup (twice), Cox Plate (twice) and Golden Slipper.

Piere Strydom had some dealings with Hayes and was very complimentary about the Australian.

“I rode quite a bit for him when I was in Hong Kong. He’s a top-class guy to work for.

“This is a great opportunity for Callan and I’m sure he will learn a lot from the experience.”

-TABnews

Western Cape champion trainer Justin Snaith runs the pacey Victoria Lavelle in the Gr 2 Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m at Kenilworth on Saturday.

In the meantime tests are being done on Black Arthur and the yard are “under pressure” to have him ready in time for the Sun Met.

The Southern Cross Stakes looks to be a two horse race on paper and will see the Sean Tarry-trained Carry On Alice attempting to exact revenge on the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Real Princess, who beat the former when they last met in the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint over 1200m back in June.

Black Arthur (Nkosi Hlophe)

However, Carry On Alice looks to be the proverbial penalty kick as she has natural speed and has proven in the past to be as suited to 1000m as she is to 1200m, while Real Princess looks much better suited to 1200m. Carry On Alice was beaten in her comeback run last season over 1000m at Turffontein, but her rider might have been caught napping a touch as she had quickened and joined the lightning fast Little Genie in front and nobody, including the rider, would have expected the latter to then find another gear as she did.

Victoria Lavelle, who returns from a layoff since running fifth in the Gr 3 Champagne Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth on July 30, is the “blitz” horse in the Southern Cross field who could potentially pull off a similar surprise. The 1000m is the Captain Al filly’s best trip, as she has speed to burn, but she hasn’t raced over this distance since winning a Novice Plate by 3,25 lengths in September last year. However, Snaith said although she had been doing well at home, he believed “something would need to go wrong” with both Carry On Alice and Real Princess for any of the other runners to win this race.

Black Arthur was eased out of the Green Point Stakes by Piere Strydom last weekend in order to protect him, as he felt something was amiss.

Snaith said he believed it might be a case of excessive haemo-concentrating.

A decision will be made within a week whether to geld the talented son of Silvano or not. Snaith added the yard in any event would be “under pressure” to have him ready for the Met.

However, Snaith is gearing up to have a big day at the Cape Guineas meeting on December 17, which will coincide with both the yard’s form return and a strong team of runners.

By David Thiselton

The Greyville turf is looking in magnificent shape at present and there are innovations afoot which aim to have it in as good condition during the winter months from now onward.

The city course’s turf track copped plenty of criticism during the last SA Champions Season, which takes place in the depth of winter in May, June and July.

Raf Sheik (Nkosi Hlophe)

Gold Circle’s new Racing Executive Raf Sheik revealed the full “spring treatment” given to Greyville every year would from next season onward take place in January and February. He pointed out currently the treatment takes place nine months ahead of KZN’s main season, meaning the track is already worn by the time this world class three month festival of racing begins. Furthermore, there are changing seasonal patterns all over the globe, including in Durban. January and February are now probably Durban’s two best months of the year for growth, as the climate during this period combines warmth with moisture.

In future there will also be plenty of turf racing at Greyville after the SA Champions Season. Depending on the condition of the track, it will either be rested in August for up to five weeks, or turf racing will continue unabated at Greyville right through until the end of the year.

Meanwhile, there is a plan from next season onward to have two separate “spring treatments” for Scottsville. The aim is to have either the Inside or the Outside track open at any given time. This will ensure there is turf racing in KZN throughout the year.

When the Scottsville Ïnside track is being treated, there will only be racing down the straight at Scottsville on the Outside track.

In order to achieve the two separate Scottsville Spring Treatments, their pull-up areas will have to be separated. Plans are in motion to achieve this.

The Scottsville Spring Treatments will take place in and around the month of October every year.

Sheik said the secret to the current top class condition of the Greyville turf track included bringing in expert advice during the Spring Treatment. Furthermore, torrential rain caused the cancellation of the earliest intended turf meeting, and this allowed the track an extra month of unhindered growth.

Early next year there will be full turf meetings at Greyville on January 1, January 22 and February 19.

Thereafter the track will be closed for six weeks in order to give it a “light treatment.” This should ensure it is in good shape for the 2017 SA Champions Season.

By David Thiselton

Woolavington winner Bela-Bela begins her Cape campaign in earnest at Kenilworth on Saturday week. She is in both the Jet Master and the Victress Stakes but also has the option of a 1 400m fillies conditions plate where she could come against Silver Mountain.

“We have been waiting for this day for a long time,” says Justin Snaith who complained earlier in the season that there were no suitable races for the star filly. “She is doing well.”

The Joey Ramsden-trained pair A New Dawn and I Travel Light were yesterday supplemented for Saturday week’s Grand Parade Cape Guineas as was Tuesday’s Vaughan Marshall-winner William Longsword. Bernard Fayd’Herbe returns from Mauritius and will partner Craven for Brett Crawford.

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

Last Saturday’s Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual has been raised 17 points (8.5kg) to a new merit rating of 109 while runner-up Safe Harbour has gone up 11 to 108, but third-placed Querari Falcon has been left on 104.

A little surprisingly Green Point winner Legal Eagle has been upped three to 123 – many observers felt the Horse of the Year simply ran up to somewhere near his best. But Marinaresco, beaten less than half a length, is only on 115 after going up five points. This is because five is the maximum the handicappers were allowed to give him. However Abashiri (fifth) has been dropped 2kg to 113 despite his well-documented travel problems.

Crawford is going to aim Cape Merchants gamble Search Party (upped seven to 103) at the Betting World Cape Flying Championship on January 28. He said: “I will also nominate him for the Diadem on January 14 but I am not sure that he will run.”

Grant van Niekerk has worked out what to do with his three separate seven-day interference suspensions – precisely nothing. Because of the holiday period the Review Board is not due to sit again until February and so, if the jockey does not appeal or state when he wants to take the bans, the Board will rubber stamp the suspensions at a time when all the big Cape races are over.

But Van Niekerk is aggrieved that the suspensions, three in eight days, have been given such prominent treatment in some sections of the media. “When I am riding at a meeting I am in almost every race, and I am often riding animals that can’t keep straight, so I am bound to get suspended from time to time,” he said. “It’s part and parcel of the job.”

In-form Richard Fourie rode the 1 000^th winner of his career when scoring on Step Out for Glen Kotzen at Kenilworth on Tuesday.

BLOB The decision to increase the stakes for the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate by 50% will be widely welcomed. The minimum value of any Grade 1 is now R1 million (a sum, incidentally, that is dwarfed by many sales races) and it is only right that the country’s premier mile event should stand apart.

By Michael Clower