The second and final leg of the Air Mauritius International Jockeys Challenge got off to a dream start at Turffontein yesterday when legendary jockey Frankie Dettori rode his first winner on South African soil and the crowds were treated to his trademark “flying dismount”.

The appreciative crowd enjoyed a double dose as Dettori was in the winner’s enclosure again two races later.The brilliant jockey was aboard the promising Joe Soma-trained three-year-old Trippi filly Turn Back Time in yesterday’s first Challenge event. He extracted a strong finish to convert favouritism in the MR 62 Handicap over 1800m to win by 0,25 lengths.

Dettori was thrilled to have won a race in South Africa, in his third riding visit, and to have put his team back in contention.

The charismatic Italian spoke of the wonderful hospitality the visitors had received.“We are having a ball”, he said. He concluded the winner’s enclosure interview with typical humour by shouting, “Shot!”, a well-known South Africanism.

Soma said having the famous jockey riding a winner for him would be a memory which would last a lifetime.

In yesterday’s third Challenge race, a MR 87 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m, Dettori led from start to finish on the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Seattle Lady. However, by that stage the bird had already flown as far as the team competition was concerned. The South Africans had brought a commanding 226 to 174 lead from Friday’s first leg at Fairview.

In yesterday’s first Challenge race South Africans S’Manga Khumalo, Anthony Delpech and Gavin Lerena, had filled the next three places behind Detorri and the Internationals only scored 53 points to 47, meaning they had closed the gap to 46.

In the next race, a MR 66 Handicap over 1600m, S’Manga Khumalo produced a strong finish to win on the Geoff Woodruff-trained Duzi Moon and South Africans Delpech and Yeni finished second and fourth respectively.

The South Africans had now increased the lead to a virtually unassailable 69.

Dettori’s next win helped the internationals close the gap to 57, but from that position they would still have required a miracle to overhaul the South Africans. However, there was still a lot to play for in the individual competitions.

Over the two legs Dettori was on 79 points to Gavin Lerena’s 77, and Friday’s victor Ladorum Muzi Yeni was on 73. In yesterday’s individual standings Dettori was on 64 to Khumalo’s 52. Unfortunately, lightning in the vicinity prevented the last race from being run. The South Africans had therefore won the Challenge for the seventh time in the ninth clash since it had begun.

Dettori capped yet another wonderful year in his illustrious career by going home as both yesterday’s and the overall victor ladorum.

By David Thiselton

Picture courtesy of Racing. It’s A Rush 

Discussing that evening’s Greyville card with the group of apprentices stranded between strings at Ashburton on Friday morning, Eric Ngwane admitted rather sheepishly that Marshall That had run away with him when down the field behind Roy’s Magic.

“I took a bump and he just ran away with me. I couldn’t hold him,” he admitted candidly before adding, “He’s a nice horse, I think he will run a good race.”

Ngwane was on the mark but serving out a suspension, Alistair Gordon approached Warren Kennedy as replacement and he got the colt home in a driving finish to the PMB Community Chest 3-Year-Old Handicap ahead of favourite Palladium.

The field was reduced to six runners with Gordon opting to scratch My Pal Al who has a date in the Gr2 Dingaans next Saturday.

“First this race was washed out, then the next meeting was abandoned so I was not sure if he would get into the Dingaans field and opted to run here. But he did get in so I got permission to scratch,” Gordon explained.

The Mike and Norma Rattray-owned Marshall That was all over the course with Kennedy and obviously green. “We were disappointed in his last race but he took a bump early. I think he got a fright and he ran away with Eric. It was not his fault and he couldn’t ride tonight because he was suspended,” said Gordon.

Gordon concluded, “He is a nice horse and won’t stop here.”

Anton Marcus had a super book of rides and after winning the first three races things looked ominous for his weighing room colleagues after favourite Master Runner. However, as is so often the case in racing, the winners suddenly dried up and his evening was done.

Master Runner was pushed all the way to the line by young apprentice Ashton Arries aboard the Sean Tarry-trained Media Circus, but the boot was on the other foot come the Royal Security Handicap a race later.

Marcus was again on the favourite Air Chief Marshal but the gelding came up empty as Arries drove the Tarry-trained Lucky Luciano through a gap and kept him hard to his task to hold off Reactive and Magical Bet.

Late colleague Ron Phillips, once of Radio Port Natal fame, made a public on-course gaff when announcing that, “it appears the noseband has slipped;” the horse in the canter past sporting a sheepskin browband. A change of equipment can often work miracles and the woolly browband has done much to calm the temperamental and often difficult Zilla who came good in the Royal Alarms Security Handicap. “She’s got talent but is her own worst enemy,” explained Lowan Denysschen.

By Andrew Harrison

“Disappointed?  Yes. But bothered?  No.” This is Joey Ramsden’s reaction to Saturday’s seismic Selangor shock when odds-on Table Bay’s third to 28-1 chance Gold Standard measured at least eight on racing’s Richter scale.

“Pace is important but you have got to be in the right place,” Ramsden reasoned, pointing out that the first two were stone last turning for home. “The others just went too fast.”

His rivals will point out that it was he who provided the pacemaker but punters and pundits alike were left stunned. However rider Anton Marcus seemed to be singing from much the same hymn sheet as Ramsden, saying: “I think he was too prominent in running – I can’t think of anything else. Table Bay is a smart horse but going through the 900m mark he was under pressure and I knew I was in trouble.”

Maybe – just maybe – the Cape Classic flattered Table Bay. The time that day was more than two seconds outside the course record but Saturday’s race was fast, less than a second outside the 2014 Green Point when Legislate smashed the mile record.

The Cape Guineas on December 17 will provide the answer but for those, like the writer, burning to find out now that is both stating the obvious and far too late. Certainly the majestic manner in which Table Bay strode home under 60kg remains a well-nigh unshakeable memory.

Glen Kotzen, though, can hardly wait for his chance to do it again. The Hattinghs’ Trippi colt had won his last two and Richard Fourie, completing a treble of his own, said: “He was travelling like a winner all the way and, when I saw Table Bay not pulling it through, I knew he could do it. He fought all the way to the line.”

Kotzen added: “This was no surprise to me because Gold Standard is getting better and better. He is more of a Derby sort and I thought the short run-in might find him out so I changed his work to doing short, sharp bits.”

Runner-up Edict Of Nantes looked like winning a furlong out and Brett Crawford is, somewhat understandably, also dreaming of Guineas glory – “I’m praying for a draw and then we will have a real chance.”

The much fancied Al Fahad, though, ran even worse than the favourite. There was more money for him than Table Bay in the two hours before the race – he shortened from 7-2 to 5-2 while the favourite drifted from 5-10 to 7-10– but he was in trouble coming out of the final turn and a beaten horse soon afterwards.

Safe Harbour is to stay in Cape Town for Saturday week’s WSB Fillies Guineas after finishing faster than anything to shoot through a rapidly-closing gap in the Lanzerac Ready To Run. The Elusive Fort filly, bred by Jim Antrobus, earned R1.25 million for CTS chairman Chris van Niekerk and the big-spending Wehann Smith who for this one forked out a mere R180 000.

Sean Tarry said: “She is drawn two and, if she pulls up well, we will take our chance. After that we will regroup.”

But it wasn’t all plain sailing in the irons with Weichong Marwing reporting: “There was some scrimmaging in the back straight. Anton on Always In Charge had to check in front of something and I had to pull off his heels, putting my filly off her stride.”

Marcus had what looked a dangerously difficult ride on the 15-10 favourite. He was badly hampered early on by Purple Tractor (“I went right down”) and was hindered by the same horse a furlong out. With a clear run he would have been in the shake-up at the very least.

But it was a case of close-home heartbreak for Anthony Delpech on the front-running Sergeant Hardy whose wind-restricted stamina exceeded all expectations. “I thought I was going to hold on,” he reported ruefully. “But at the end my horse dived to the left and, had I let him go over, I would have lost it (in the boardroom) anyway.”

The gelding’s trainer Justin Snaith, who also sent out fourth-placed Bishop’s Bounty, said that Zodiac Ruler will run in the Cape Guineas despite managing only ninth – “The course is riding very fast and he couldn’t get into it on the short run-in.”

Quick Brown Fox earned a crack at the Fillies Guineas after comfortably following up her debut win under Greg Cheyne in the 1 200m fillies handicap with Crawford pointing out: “It is a big plus that she is drawn one.”

Matthew de Kock has already earmarked the Summer Stayers (Dec 17) and the Chairmans Cup (Jan 7) for the Callan Murray-ridden Smart Mart who got up close home in the Kenilworth Cup.

Michael Clower

 

 

 

Rain conspired to cut short the final meeting of the Air Mauritius International Jockeys’ Challenge but those in attendance at Turffontein Racecourse were treated to the famous Frankie Dettori flying dismount, not once but twice.

And those in attendance didn’t have to wait long either as the captain of the international team delivered with his first ride of the day, aboard the Joe Soma trained Turn Back Time, as his side tried to peg back the deficit.

“The race was easy for me. It’s great for the public and for me that the fight is back on and were catching up,” Dettori said after his win in the opener.

“Shot!” he added, using one of South African racing’s more popular expressions.

Heading into the meeting each of the respective captains were rooted to the bottom of the rider’s standings but that changed very quickly in Johannesburg as S’manga Khumalo delivered aboard Duzi Moon in the sixth race.

The double was completed for Dettori after the seventh as he got Seattle Lady home for an easy victory and in turn sealed up the Victor Ludorum prize, not only for the day, but for the overall competition.

For that particular winning interview, Dettori recalled how a bird had provided some lucky inspiration earlier on that morning.

“I was standing under the tree and a bird pooped on my suit. The boys said it was lucky and it turned out that way,” the legendary Italian said.

But any hopes that Dettori had of his team catching the South African team were dashed in spite of his personal heroics given that the local riders consistently found the placings and ended up taking the honours once again. It is the seventh time the South African side have come out tops in this annual event. The internationals have managed to claim two victories.

His personal haul on the day of 72,5, each jockey was awarded 8.5 points for the abandoned race, was enough to push his persona tally up to 87,5 for the two-legged series and ensured he edged out Gavin Lerena by a slim two point margin.

Muzi Yeni had earned the Victor Ludorum prize in Fairview but he couldn’t sustain the effort at Turffontein with his best finish being a fourth in the sixth race although he did add consistently add to the team cause.

“It’s been brilliant. From the minute we set foot in this country everybody’s been so great and hospitable. We really enjoyed ourselves, we had a great team, good craic,” Dettori said after receiving his respective awards.

The awards ceremony was also used as an opportunity to raise money for Freddie Tylicki, paralysed in a recent fall, with Dettori’s silks from the day autographed by both teams and auctioned off.

Racing. It’s A Rush!

Picture: JC Photos

The picture around the Gr1 Cape Guineas should become a lot clearer over the next week with two important build-up races. Today at Kenilworth the much-touted Table Bay will in most likelihood start a short priced favourite for the Gr 2 Selangor Cup and next Saturday, the Gr2 Dingaans on Sansui Summer Cup day is the Highveld equivalent.

Mike de Kock has left Heavenly Blue to take his chances in the Dingaans but will be looking to pop the Table Bay bubble this afternoon.

On rating’s Joey Ramsden’s runner has his field stone-cold. According to the handicappers, Table Bay is seven lengths better than anything else in the field as he garnered a 10-point penalty for his four-length romp in the Cape Classic.

On that showing is likely to start at cramped odds but an unbeaten De Kock runner always sews doubt in the minds of the opposition.

Al Fahad got the better of the much touted Doosra on debut and Johan Janse van Vuuren’s charge has since beaten the De Kock-trained Heavenly Blue, albeit by a short head.

Al Fahad followed up in more convincing fashion when beating Act of Loyalty and the fact that the colt has been shipped to Cape Town suggests that he is a Cape Guineas contender. Just how much of a contender should be revealed this afternoon.

William Longsword, most impressive a fortnight ago, has won his last four but Vaughan Marshall is cautious and also looking for a feeler for the Guineas. “It’s very competitive and hard to give him a chance but we want to see if he would be competitive in the Cape Guineas.”

Piere Strydom’s mount African Night Sky is two from two with much talk about what he could be capable of but he takes a steep rise in class so should be fully exposed after this race.

The Lanzerac Ready To Run eclipses the Selangor in stakes value and Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion winner Always In Charge looks the obvious choice. Mayfair Speculators boast nearly half the field so Marcus’s booking is significant even in light of the fact that Marshall’s runner is rated a couple of lengths superior to the balance of the field.

Sergeant Hardy get his fifth different rider in just six starts and is almost certain to set the pace as the only time he has been headed in a race he has lost. The extra furlong from a wide draw will test Anthony Delpech’s skills but a strong pace will play into the hands of stable companion Zodiac Ruler.

The Champion Season form of the three-year-old males has proven to be suspect but the G2 Golden Horseshoe winner made a cracking return to the track, beaten under two lengths in a Pinnacle Stakes sprint, and a head behind Marinaresco.

Zodiac Ruler is a magnificent specimen of a racehorse who will much prefer today’s longer trip and could prove a serious threat to the favourite.

The second leg of the Mauritius Airlines International Jockeys’ Challenge takes centre stage at Turffontein tomorrow, the first leg took place in Port Elizabeth yesterday.

A modest MR62 handicap gets the ball rolling as could Frankie Dettori who partners Joey Soma’s runner Turn Back Time. Lightly raced, she was doing her best work late in a competitive handicap over 1450m last time out. The rise in trip should hold no fears and under Dettori’s expertise she should be a big runner.

Hayley Turner could make it a one-two for the visitors as she gets a leg up on the Chris Erasmus-trained Cranberry Crush. She has shown consistent pace over further and the slightly shorter trip could be in her favour.

In the second leg Let’s Go West made a cracking start to his Highveld career when failing narrowly behind Roaring Tiger over the Vaal 1400m. He had consistently good form in KZN and could finally have his consistency rewarded and give Grant van Niekerk a winner for the locals.

Dettori won’t make is easy aboard Lisnoble for Erico Verdonese. The six-year-old has hardly been out of the money since being fitted with blinkers and was a cracking good third over course and distance last time out.

Aurelian Lemaitre can score for the visitors in the third leg where he partners Samarra. She doesn’t have an easy draw of seven but has some good form and was a close-up second last time out.

Seattle Lady looks another plum ride for Dettori. The mare took on a fair field last time out and should enjoy the drop in class. Inyanga under Robert Havlin could make it a clean sweep for the Internationals.

French Legend can pull on back for the locals in the final leg under Aldo Domeyer. Sean Tarry’s runner won her maiden at second time of asking and followed up with a good fourth in tough Graduation company against males. She has a fair weight to shoulder but does look promising.

By Andrew Harrison