Another leg of the KZN 3YO Series takes centre stage at Greyville today. Raced over 1600m in the memory of Angelina Paul, the race has attracted a small but quality field where the filly Dawn Calling could put one over the colts.

The race was originally scheduled for the Greyville turf, but as the grass has not fully recovered from its spring treatment the event was switched to the poly track. Duncan Howells then made the decision to send Roy’s Magic to contest the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes instead leaving Dawn Calling to take her chances as she has already shown an affinity for the synthetic surface.

Dawn Calling recently made her seasonal debut in a 1200m sprint against some useful older fillies where she was not well in at the weights and over a trip that already appears to be well short of her optimum. However, she was all over a winner except at the line as Impala Lily got up to deny her victory.

Although taking on some smart males Dawn Calling is nicely in at these weights and will much prefer today’s trip. With the G1 Cape Fillies Guineas on the agenda, just how she fares will give some indication of her chances should she take her place in that race come early December.

Howells will have a line on most of the field with Palladium, Highway Eightyfive, My Pal Al and The King Of Random all behind the Howells-trained Roy’s Magic at Scottsville last month.

It was a desperately close finish but Roy’s Magic came from off them to nail My Pal Al and Palladium on the line. On that showing there should be very little between My Pal Al and Palladium again today but both could find the filly too hot to handle.

Something of an unknown quantity is the Frank Robinson-trained Winter Is Coming. The colt took time to come to hand but once stepped out on the poly his form improved dramatically. His last run was super impressive as he put a maiden field to the sword, winning by eight lengths easing up. The handicappers were also impressed and he earned a 94 rating. Whether that rating is justified, we will know by this evening.

Olympic gold medallist Chad le Clos has been cleaning up at the World Champs and will be hoping that the horse named after him and which he also owns in partnership can do the same. Unbelievable Chad started his career in promising fashion but has since been disappointing. He has his third run after gelding in the seventh and with the stable in good form, Unbelievable Chad could get back on the winning trail.

Andrew Harrison

Mike de Kock’s comments for Chartity Mile race day Nov 5:

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN CUP (1400m)

I think Act Of Loyalty is a very nice horse and I’m expecting him to run well. We have a lot to do at the ratings but I feel he is relatively unexposed. Coyote probably needs gelding. I thought he was a fair sort but he had a disappointing last run. It would be unrealistic to expect a place.

GRAHAM BECK STAKES 1400m 

Heavenly Blue is a smart sort. This is his minimum trip, he definitely wants further. This is a test in a way because I would like to see how he runs against his peers. He has won well, although he beat very little. He’s more of a Classic kind of horse. He’s had plenty work at home and he is a horse with a good attitude – very straightforward – but he needs to rise to the occasion. I would expect him to be in the top three.

HSH PRINCESS CHARLENE OF MONACO STARLING STAKES 1400m

Al Hawraa ran a cracker in a handicap last time and was probably a bit unlucky not to win. I expect her to run very well. If things go her way she should do well. Intriguing Lady ran well last time but she is going to have a tough time from No 16 draw. Red Pomegranate is a nice filly and she won a handicap very well against older fillies. If she was drawn well I would give her a big chance. If Callan (Murray) can get lucky from the draw she can run a big race.

YELLOWWOOD HANDICAP  1800m

Persian Rug has been disappointing. The form suggests she is not any better than she is showing and form doesn’t lie. We will try different tactics with her this time. We’ll sit her at the back and let her run on.

Race 2: HSH PRINCESS CHARLENE OF MONACO MAIDEN PLATE 1600m

Al Hamd is very well but probably wants further. He’s quite a nice little horse who will win his share of races.

RACE 4: JAVA HANDICAP 2450m

Whatever you for say for Kinaan you can say for the other two. He’s had two runs and he’s fairly fit. We’ve taken the blinkers off because he tended to over-race with them on. Kingmambo’s Legacy ran a cracker last time and I’m expecting a similar run. Piere Strydom called for the ride so I’m hoping having a man in the saddle who wants the ride, can make a difference. Smart Mart had a good prep run last time.

RACE 10: MR 91 HANDICAP 1600m

I thought Janoobi ran quite well last time. That 1450m was too short. I think this is more what he wants and even further. I expect him to run well. He’s still learning and will leave it up to Strydom. I won’t be giving him any instructions. Master’s Spirit is a bit of a frustrating horse. He’s definitely better than his form. I’ve been running him in sprints but on breeding he should go further so this is the first time we’re trying him over this distance.

Mikedekockracing.com

The Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile meeting is one of the highlights of the Highveld racing season and combines top class racing with a festive social occasion in which the public can rub shoulders with celebrities.

The Charity Mile is never an easy race to analyse, because some horses use it as a preparation for the Sansui Summer Cup.

New Predator loves the Turffontein Standside mile and from a probably ideal draw of six under Gavin Lerena has a big chance. He ran an excellent preparation race when staying on strongly for third in the Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m. Champagne Haze will be going all out, as the mile is probably the limit of his range, and he will be attempting to emulate his half-brother Pierre Jourdan, who won this race on Guy Fawkes day five years ago.

Champagne Haze is an easy ride, so can be switched off from his tricky draw of eight, and if he finds decent cover his superb turn of foot will take him close. Leading apprentice Lyle Hewitson rates him one of the best he has sat on and he and trainer Gary Alexander have been pleased with his preparation.

New Predator (Nkosi Hlophe)

Mogok Master had a year off, not due to any physical issues, but due to a rules enforcement on another matter. This could only have done him good and he proved it when winning impressively first time out for his new yard. The mile at this stage should be right down his alley and he should have improved from that first comeback run. The Standside track suits him as he has a good turn of foot and a sustained finishing run. Anthony Delpech has duly stayed aboard. His draw of ten is a bit tricky but he is a relaxed type who should be able to find cover.

Mac De Lago is probably the best miler in the country. He returned from a layoff last year to finish strongly for fourth in this race and can repeat the effort despite being ten points higher in the merit ratings and having to carry 62kg. Rabada is also top class over a mile and loves the Standside course. However, he does have a tough draw.

Saratoga Dancer began catching the eye in no uncertain terms last year and this long striding sort always struck as one who would get better with age. He missed the cut when strongly fancied for this race last year and has a chance to make amends from a plum draw. His preparation run on the Greyville poly should have ideally been better than it was, but he was found to be coughing and that was seven weeks ago. He has reportedly been doing well at Turffontein, where the Duncan Howells runners have been prepared for the last six weeks.

Bulleting Home has a good draw and the best has likely not been seen of him yet, so he has a chance under Piere Strydom. Deo Juvente has talent and although he would prefer a touch further he can’t be written off from a plum draw. The veteran No Worries proved in the KZN Million Mile he still has it in him to be competitive in a race like this. He has a plum draw. St. Tropez would prefer further, but loves a galloping track like this one and also has a fair draw. These are the ones most fancied and they are selected in the order mentioned.

The most anticipated clash of the day could well be the one in the Gr 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m between Doosra and Heavenly Blue. Both look full of class. Doosra is drawn in pole and is race fit. The course and distance should be ideal. It will be a thrill to see him unwinding down the long straight into that enormous stride of his. Heavenly Blue is drawn seven and has been just as impressive. However, this will be his first run of the season, so Doosra is given the nod.

The R2,5 million Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup could see national champion trainer Sean Tarry filling a few of the placings. Africa Rising could be the one to side with having struck as a classy sort. He won well from a wide draw over 1450m on the Inside track last time, so can overcome another tough draw. Safe Harbour is a long striding sort who over raced early last time in the Gr 2 Joburg Spring Challenge against some of the best older males in the country, yet she was still staying on well at the end. Her wide draw is the drawback.

Unagi has proven class, but his last below par run leaves a bit of a cloud over his head especially as tests could not find anything wrong. He also had to overcome a wide draw. If producing his best he has a winning chance. Visuality was staying on strongly last time in the Gr 2 Joburg Spring Fillies and Mares challenge and finished a decent 0,7 length third considering she was the only three-year-old in the field. She has a fair draw of nine and has a winning chance. The rest of the field all have tough tasks according to the official merit ratings.

However, Act Of Loyalty caught the eye last time as one with a nice action and scope for improvement, so he could upset the applecart. Double Appeal tried this trip once as a juvenile and ran a good third, beaten 4,75 lengths by the useful Jiffy, especially considering he had a wide draw and was bumped a few times while making his run down the outside rail. He could be a threat from a nice draw of six.

By David Thiselton

Dennis Drier has had a winner at each of the last three Kenilworth meetings and his Mayfair Speculators runner Lloyd’s Legacy looks worth waiting for in the last at tomorrow’s Cape Town meeting.

This Australian-bred was Drier’s first runner of the Cape season a fortnight ago and, starting second favourite, he raced prominently to take third to the much more experienced Glorious Goodwood. He is sure to have come on a fair bit from that. He was reported by the course vet to have made an “abnormal respiratory noise” (often meaning a wind problem) that day but it didn’t stop him and it  is unlikely to this time either.

Donovan Dillon (Nkosi Hlophe)

Donovan Dillon again has the mount while Sean Veale, who has ridden all three of the Drier Kenilworth winners, has been snapped up by Justin Snaith for obvious danger Gstaad who has similar once-raced credentials.

But he raced green and came from a long way back to take third to favourite Moonbird over this trip at Durbanville a month ago. Another to note here is Loadshedder who would have finished closer than fourth on his debut had he not been bumped leaving the pens.

The sahorseracing computer has Lloyd’s Legacy running out a comfortable winner with Gstaad second and Loadshedder third while it expects Broder Control to take the opening 1 400m maiden. Brett Crawford’s runner is the obvious chance on form and there seems no logical reason why he should not confirm the placings with My Word My Bond and Whitelight Warrior. They had experience in their favour last time but that does not apply now and Corne Orffer’s mount should be able to cope with his seven draw.

Oh Behave has claims, or rather he would have had he not such a wide draw. Mini Loushe, drawn on the fence, showed significant improvement at Durbanville last time despite getting worked up in the pens.

William The Brave has had four decent runs and looks a cut above the opposition in the Racing Association Maiden. Dillon’s mount probably has most to fear from his own stable companion Paddington whose third to Royal Ginger over 400m less at Durbanville suggested there are better things to come.

Whispering Light is the forecast favourite in the preceding 1 400m maiden but Big Bang Theory has more scope for improvement and looks another for the in-form Crawford team.

BLOB Michael Clower’s last four selections have produced three winners including Horizon (4-1) and Table Bay (3-1). The fourth tip was second.

By Michael Clower