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

The second and final leg of the Air Mauritius International Jockeys Challenge will take place at Turffontein on Sunday and as ever the four races involved are not easy to assess.

The first of the races is a MR 62 handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m and Frankie Dettori looks to be the man to side with. On pedigree his mount Turn Back Time, should enjoy the step up in trip. She is by Trippi out of a Jet Master mare who won four times from 1000-1600m. She did not settle perfectly last time over 1450m, so from that point of view the step up in trip might be a concern. Furthermore, she has a tricky draw of seven in the 12 horse field. However, Dettori is a master of settling a horse. Turn Back Time’s ability is thus tipped to pull her through. She showed plenty ability when staying on well in her last start, a MR 91 handicap for three-year-old fillies over 1450m race, where she bumped some promising sorts including the winner Dame Eleanor. Barcelona Babe hasn’t been disgraced in her first two starts on the Highveld and might show some improvement here, so is the choice for second under S’Manga Khumalo. Flying Dream with Anthony Delpech up, Cool Fantasy with Pat Cosgrave up and Tales Of Mambo with Fergus Sweeney aboard are the most fancied of the rest.

The second leg is a MR 66 Handicap over 1600m. Fangia, who will be ridden by Aurelian Lemaitre, has at last landed a decent draw. He jumps from pole position. He won his only previous start over course and distance off a three point lower merit rating, but that was from a wide draw. Captain Chips ran well over this trip last time in his comeback from a four month rest and he is well drawn again. Fergus Sweeney rides. Let’s Go West ran a cracker on his Highveld debut when having to overcome an unfavourable high draw on the Vaal Inside track over 1400m and just failing. He now has a fair draw and Grant van Niekerk is up. Lisnoble has been going close to a third career win lately and has Dettori up from a tricky draw. Roaring Tiger is 1,5kg worse off with Let’s Go West for a head beating but is well drawn over what should be a suitable trip. Aldo Domeyer rides.

The third leg is a MR87 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m and Samarra under Aurelian Lemaitre is the selection to win. She doesn’t have an easy draw of seven but has some good form and proved last time when stepped down to 1160m she enjoys this sort of trip. Paree has struck this season as one with some class and if dropped out by Aldo Domeyer over a suitable trip and settling well, she could go close by running on strongly. Monarch Air is drawn in pole over a suitable trip and S’Manga Khumalo has gone close on her before, so they could earn some points for the South African team.

The fourth leg is a MR 73 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m and the promising French Legend could be the one, having won her maiden in facile fashion and then running a decent fourth on Thursday to the top class Brazuca. Aldo Domeyer is aboard from a good draw and the Cape jockey should have a good day on his international debut. Dettori has an interesting mount in Open Road, who has been highly tried so must be held in some regard. She has dropped in the merit ratings and might enjoy the drop in trip too, although the high draw makes it tough. Queen’s Jet beat Samarra last time, so the latter’s performance must be monitored in the previous race. Fergus Sweeney rides, albeit from a tricky draw. Chartwell has always struck as one with ability and has been doing well for a new yard, so she could be thereabouts from a fair draw under Robert Havlin. Honolua Bay under Grant van Niekerk should do well from a good draw too.

The outsider choice to win the official race 10 on the card, in which punters can bet on who will be leading jockey on the day, is Aurelian Lemaitre followed by Aldo Domeyer and Frankie Dettori.

The best bet on the card could be in race 4 in the form of Devadip. He caught the eye running on strongly over 1400m last time and should relish the step up to 1800m, although he might have a bit to do under Gavin Lerena as he will probably be dropped out from a wide draw.

The first race sees an intriguing clash between two eye catchers, Military Award and Pilou, but the former has been given the nod as one with experience around the turn and a slightly better draw.

Bondiblu could be worth a look at in race three too, as she is drawn in pole and her recent form has been good from 1800-2000m.

By David Thiselton

Only Mike de Kock stands between Table Bay and a fifth Selangor in six years for Joey Ramsden at Kenilworth tomorrow.

Anton Marcus’s mount has the proverbial stone in hand. Indeed, according to the handicappers, he is seven lengths better than anything else in the field and in truth on the way he won the Cape Classic he should be as short as 1-3.

But the spectre of an unbeaten De Kock runner, coming from Joburg especially for the race, is enough to give any Cape Town trainer the heebie jeebies and Al Fahad could be anything. The Hamdan Al Maktoum Australian homebred went to the front two furlongs out in a Turffontein three-year-old handicap last time and came home ears pricked. He wouldn’t have troubled Table Bay on that run but it’s the amount of improvement he obviously has in him that makes him a threat.

“Mike’s record down here is exemplary,” says Joey Ramsden, all too aware of the danger. “I’ve also got to be impressed with the way William Longsword won last time but all is good with Table Bay and he breezed a mile on the course last Saturday.”

William Longsword, most impressive a fortnight ago, is on a four-timer but Vaughan Marshall is cautious – “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.”

Edict Of Nantes did not get a clear run when over five lengths-third in the Cape Classic but he is now a kilo worse and is drawn wide. “He has come on since then and he worked well over 1 300m when I brought him to the course last Thursday,” says Brett Crawford who is in unstoppable form. “We will definitely get closer and I think we will be in the money.”

Things didn’t go well for Our Mate Art when starting favourite in the Classic – he was never really able to switch off – and he is a whopping 5kg worse with Table Bay but the extra 200m is what he wants. Candice Bass-Robinson cautions that he is “going through a growing stage at the moment.”

Longshot A New Dawn impressed Ramsden in his Kenilworth gallop last Saturday while Piere Strydom’s mount African Night Sky is two from two with much talk about what he could be capabale of. “This is quite a jump and he has it all to do,” says Justin Snaith. “But he is a nice horse and we don’t know how good he is.”

For those betting against the favourite, three of the last five have been beaten and Cape Classic winners have a poor record in tomorrow’s race. Since Jay Peg ten years ago only one of them has won this. But, even with the  Al Fahad threat, Table Bay looks a racing certainty.

The Lanzerac Ready To Run eclipses the Selangor in stakes value even if not in class but Grade 1 winner Always In Charge is rated 2k clear, is in form, has a good draw and gives Marcus an outstanding chance of initiating a notable double.  “He is very well and we are very hopeful,” says Marshall for whom victory would be some compensation for Thursday’s dreadful setback.

But watch out for Zodiac Ruler. “I thought his comeback run, only a head behind Marinaresco, was one of the best of any of the three-year-olds,” says Justin Snaith who adds that Sergeant Hardy despite a 12 draw, will set the pace – “He only knows how to run from the front.”

By Michael Clower

Wet weather and flooded tracks have put paid to many a well laid plan and Duncan Howells has been having a difficult time getting a race under the girth of his crack filly Dawn Calling. But all going well she looks the star bet on tonight’s Greyville card when she runs in the SANCO Conditions Plate.

Ideally Howells was looking to stretch the filly past 1200m with the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas in mind but his only other option was against the colts in a handicap.

Given her high merit rating Dawn Calling was set to shoulder over 60kg and giving weight to all including Gr2 Dingaans entries Palladium and My Pal Al who in previously scheduled but washed out conditions races, would have been giving the filly weight.

But Howells’s tribulations should benefit punters as Dawn Calling looks a blinder in a field that sees the return of a number of useful fillies, all of whom may be in need of the run and a touch further.

One of these is the Sean Tarry-trained In Other Words. She has excellent poly form but does seem better over further. In her favour is that she has won over the course and distance and as she has not been out since July she could race fresh.

Ashburton-based Paul Gadsby is at logger heads with the handicappers over their assessment of his filly Miss Varlicious. She has come down from a career high 103 to 97 but that counts for naught in this conditions race where she is set to give Dawn Calling 6kg. Anton Marcus, who has been aboard Dawn Calling in all of her last two starts, is aboard Miss Varlicious, so will have a good idea of what his mount is up against.

Time Marches On won over course and distance two runs back and although never a threat at her last outing over 1400m, she could prove a better proposition over tonight’s trip.

Alistair Gordon and Charles Laird have had similar problems in trying to prepare My Pal Al and Palladium for next Saturdays Gr2 Dingaans and they come up against each other in the PMB Community Chest 3-Year-Old Handicap. Along with Dawn Calling this will be their third attempt at getting a race under their belts and a week between races is not ideal. My Pal Al shed his maiden on the poly and followed up with a cracking effort in a strong field behind highly rated Roy’s Magic who incidentally also holds a place in the Dingaans field. He has a big chance from a good draw but Gordon is sure to be hoping that the race does not turn into a dogfight for the line.

So too Laird. Palladium was a short head behind My Pal Al in the race won by Roy’s Magic and on that showing there is also not likely to be much between them again.

Marshall That, stable companion to My Pa Al, was down the field in the Roy’s Magic race but he was bounced to the front in an attempt to overcome a wide draw and he faded out come the business end of the race.

Prior to that he shed his maiden, putting five lengths between himself and Newyorkstateofmind, the later still a model of consistency. Warren Kennedy replaces his apprentice rider and one can expect a better showing this time around.

The King Of Random has yet to finish out of the money and Michael Roberts’s charge has a light weight and a good draw to help his cause. He was only two lengths back in the Roy’s Magic race and was doing is best work late. He steps up to a mile here and if he does not get too far out of his ground early then he too must rate a winning chance.

The first leg of the Air Mauritius International Jockeys’ Challenge gets under way at Fairview this afternoon where the international team, led by the inimitable Frankie Dettori takes on a South African team lead by champion S’Manga Khumalo.

Race tactics could play a crucial role here with teams trying to outsmart each other so it should make for fascinating viewing.

The first of the four challenge races is off at 2.15.

The challenge extends to Turffontein on Sunday for the final four legs of the eight-race challenge.

By Andrew Harrison

 

 

 

 

 

History-making jockeys Frankie Dettori and S’Manga Khumalo will clash this weekend as respective captains of the two teams competing in the Air Mauritius International Jockeys Challenge.

Both can look back on a single pivotal day in their respective careers.

Dettori became an international sporting icon on September 28, 1996, when winning all seven races of the Champions Day meeting at Ascot. He was already adored at the time, not only for his skill in the saddle, but also for his eccentric personality and his trademark “flying dismounts”.

The final winner of the “Magnificent Seven” was Fujiyama Crest, who had been available at 12-1 in the morning. Alarm bells were ringing loudly for Off Course bookmakers after Frankie had won the first six races. However, on probably the darkest days in UK bookmaking history, the usual mechanics of the bookmaking system then suddenly broke down, as explained by writer Chris McGrath of the UK Independent newspaper. “Mug money” was pouring on to Fujiyama Crest on course. Bookmakers in the ring could not believe their luck. They could lay 2-1 against a horse whose chances in reality were closer to 12-1.

They felt it was imperative to seize the opportunity. Instead of meekly lowering the odds they continued to lay the horse at 2-1 for everything they had. The Off Course Starting Price (SP) is dictated to in the UK by the On Course market. Thus, the stand the bookmakers in the ring were taking was immeasurably raising the stakes on Fujiyama Crest off course too. One On Course bookmaker Barry Dennis laid the horse to lose £23,000. Even watching the race, he remained convinced he had done the right thing. He recalled, “Reality … Frankie’s done it. I stood on my stool, staring, not hearing a thing, in a trance.” He went home to his wife and collapsed into a chair, sobbing. The losses to the bookmaking industry were about £30million, with Hills over £8m down and Ladbrokes even more. One North London betting shop still has its clock stopped on the exact time Fujiyama Crest crossed the line.

On Course bookmaker Gary Wiltshire was the biggest individual loser. He had been on his way to a Worcester jumps meeting when a motorway pile up forced him to change his plan and head for Ascot. The decision cost him £1 million. Frankie had started the day saying, “I could have an each-way chance in the first, and I may win the third.” It was the day the mug punters finally had their revenge. One Mary Bolton’s Ladbrokes £5 accumulator on Frankie’s seven mounts netted her £500,000. Dettori later bought Fujiyama Crest as a pet and the gallant horse happily lived out his retirement on the Dettori family small holding.

Dettori was born in Milan on 15 December 1970. His father Gianfranco was a champion jockey in Italy and his mother a professional circus performer. At age 14 Frankie left home to work for trainer Luca Cumani at Newmarket. In 1989 he was made Cumani’s stable jockey after becoming Champion apprentice. In 1990 he rode 100 winners in a season, the first teenager to achieve the feat since Lester Piggot. In 1994 he joined Godolphin. He won his and Godolphin’s first English classic on Balanchine the same year in the Epsom Oaks. He was UK Champion jockey in 1994, 1995 and 2004. In 18 years with Godolphin he rode 943 winners from 3,430 rides. A phenomenal 110 of those winners were at Gr 1 level. Dettori has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races, including 16 English Classics. Dettori split with Godolphin in 2012. However, the flow of winners has not stopped. This year he rode 23 graded stakes winners, including four Gr 1s.

This will be Frankie’s third appearance in the SA Jockeys International Challenge and his first since 2009. He recently achieved his 300th winner in Britain, but is yet to ride a winner in South Africa.

S’Manga Khumalo grew up in the poverty stricken township of Kwa-Mashu. He joined the South African Jockeys Academy in 2000 and was immediately commended for his “natural seat.” He was initially scared of horses. However, he went on to ride 104 winners as an apprentice. He rode over 60 winners in each of his first three seasons out of the Academy. Trainer Joe Soma recognised him as a champion in the making and said in 2008, “He has a natural talent and a lovely affinity with horses. He is always laughing and joking but when I see him get on a horse he goes into his own world.”

Khumalo big break happened in  2011 when St. John Gray put him on the filly Dancewiththedevil in the Gr 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes. She thrashed the boys and two weeks later he rode her to another emphatic victory in the Gr 1 Laurie Jaffee Empress Club Stakes.

Sandwiched in between those two big wins, Khumalo won the Kenya Derby on a South African-bred horse.

Alas, a terrible fall at Turffontein in June that year saw him laid off until November. In his comeback the injuries continued to plague him and in March 2012 he even considered hanging up his boots. However, he was talked out of it and later that year rode the Soma-trained Wagner to victory in the Gr 1 Sansui Summer Cup. Later that season he won the Gr 1 President’s Champions Challenge on the Sean Tarry-trained Heavy Metal. Then came the pivotal day when becoming the first black jockey to win the Vodacom Durban July, partnering Heavy Metal to victory on July 6, 2013.

His confidence soared and he became a major force virtually overnight. Two weeks after the July, he rode the first five legs of the Pick 6 at Turffontein.

He won the National Jockeys Championships in the 2013/2014 season and established himself as first call rider to current national champion trainer Sean Tarry. Khumalo won the championships again last season and has developed into the consummate professional.

By David Thiselton