Leading apprentice Lyle Hewitson was on 99 winners in the professional ranks going into today’s meeting at the Vaal.

If he clinches the milestone 100^th it will likely be in record breaking time.

He only had his first professional ride eight months ago on March 6.

He regards Persian Approval in race 5 and Water Lily Lake in race 2 as his best rides today.

Regarding Water Lily Lake he said, “We only have the stable companion (Rebel To The Fore) to beat.”

By David Thiselton

When it comes to most sports there is no substitute for class and that is especially true in horseracing when it comes to horses and jockeys. There was plenty in evidence at Greyville yesterday as Lala outclassed her rivals in the Open Handicap while top riders Anton Marcus and Anthony Delpech showed their mastery of the Greyville poly track.

Lala (Nkosi Hlophe)

Lala has always been well regarded by her stable and she confirmed Doug Campbell’s opinion with a solid victory in the opening leg of the jackpot. Well handled by apprentice Denis Schwarz, he always had Lala in the firing line as Seattle Belle made the early running and making full use of his 4kg claim he got the daughter of Visionaire to quicken away from her rivals to win rather comfortably with Playboy Buddy and Mamasita chasing her home.

Marcus and Delpech generally have free range when it comes to booking rides but in the end, they still have to get them home.

Delpech pounced late on Icy Spirit for Alyson Wright to undo favourite La Di Var two jumps from the line in the second but had to be content with runner-up berths on Dean Kannemeyer’s runners Playboy Buddy and favourite Tanjiro who found a fast-finishing Olympic Power too much to handle in the Track & Ball Gaming Handicap. Delpech made amends for Kannemeyer in the sixth, keeping favourite Soldier’s Code hard to his task to hold off the attentions of Golden Fort and Breakfast Club.

Marcus opened his account with a comfortable win in the card opener on Malhama, the Mike de Kock-trained Australian bred daughter of Commands finishing like a train, and followed up two races later with a superbly timed finish on One O Won. Marcus had Garth Puller’s runner last turning for home but as is his want, he switched his mount towards to the outside rail and One O Won responded with a telling stretch run to win going away from Newyorkstateofmind and Aramouse.

In spite of apprentice Eric Ngwane’s best efforts, Nicklaus gave him a torrid ride in the seventh. Hanging out under pressure he never left Thirtytwo Squadron and Tristan Godden alone for a furlong and the resulting objection and reversal of the result was no surprise.

There was some relief for punters in the last as the well fancied Arctic Teon responded to a driving ride from Keagan de Melo to finally shed his maiden.

By Andrew Harrison

The Vaal has a low key nine race meeting on Thursday but punters will be looking to “fill their wallies” before Saturday’s much anticipated Peermont Emporor’s Palace Charity Mile meeting.

The highest class race on the day is the second, a Graduation Plate for fillies and mares over 1000m.

It is an intriguing race because the best weighted horse, Rebel To The Fore, faces the year younger Gr 1 runner up Seattle Singer. Rebel To The Fore was last seen in action at Greyville in July last year in the Gr 2 Debutante Stakes and caught the eye with a powerful finish after being dropped out to last from a high draw. She failed by just 0,5 lengths to catch the useful Cosmic Light and was two lengths clear of the rest, which included the like of Lala. She will likely be fit enough coming from the yard of champion trainer Sean Tarry. She is 4,5kg better off with Seattle Singer on official merit ratings. She showed enough speed to win over 1000m on debut and can do well over the trip again running fresh.

The low draws are favourable on this course by trends, so her draw of four in a six horse field is tricky but she will likely be dropped in behind them. Seattle Singer is ultra-consistent and showed her class when finishing runner up, beaten three lengths, in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m against the boys. In her last start she was undone by a low draw on Grand Heritage day. She has speed, as she showed in that last start when only caught late, and has the plum draw of one here. She is the selection to win despite having a hard task on paper as she will be the more race fit of the two main protagonists.

Water Lily Lake hasn’t run since this year’s Debutante Stakes at Greyville. She was dropped out from a wide draw and stayed on fairly well to be beaten 4,45 lengths. She might appreciate the step down in trip, but doesn’t look to have quite the same class as her stablemate Rebel To The Fore. She is officially 6kg under sufferance with the latter, but should fill the last trifecta position as the other three runners are all hopelessly out at the weights.

The best bet on the card comes in the last race, a Maiden for fillies and mares over 1400m. The Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Australian-bred High Chaparral filly Being Fabulous looked full of class when making her debut over 1200m on the Turffontein Inside track from a high draw. She was caught a bit out of her ground, but her long stride caught the eye in the run in and it would be no surprise to see her contesting the classics this season. She has a fair draw of seven and will relish this step up in trip. Gavin Lerena has stayed aboard.

The hard knocking Rouge Allure looks to be the main danger, but on visual appearances does not look as classy as the selection. The Mike de Kock-trained Western Winter filly Oh My Darling could also prove to be a classy sort in time. On debut over this trip on the Turffontein Inside track she was caught flat footed in the straight before staying on well for third against a decent field. That was not surprising as she is out of the Fort Wood filly Sweetie Pie, who won the Gr 2 Gold Circle Oaks over 2400m. She is likely to find this a touch sharp again, although she should be finishing strongly and could be a threat running fresh.

The seventh, a MR80 handicap over 1800m, is an intriguing MR 80 Handicap over 1800m. Analyse This ran in the Grand Heritage and the 1475m trip there always appeared to be too sharp. It was thus a surprise to see him hitting the front 400m out. However, he was run out of it. On pedigree he should actually be a speedster, but it is his action which suggests he will enjoy this trip. It will be interesting to see if he does get it and from a plum draw of two with Gavin Lerena up he is the selection to beat Bold Rex and Trip To Troy.

Bold Rex won last time out over 1600m in his second run after gelding. The Bold Silvano youngster won extending at the line so should love this rip, but a four points raise has taken him to an 89 merit rating, which is never easy for a young three-year-old to win off against older horses, even if the weight for age scale gives them due compensation. Trip To Troy was also given a four point raise for a running on win over 1600m and Strydom has remained aboard. However, it will be tough from a wide draw.

In the following race over 1400m Strydom has remained aboard Refuge, who is an up and coming sort with a touch of class. He gets a good draw, unlike last time. He is selected to carry topweight to victory, despite being a three-year-old against older horses, as he looks to be capable of progressing further.

The first race is an interesting one and Osculation, who ran well on Grand Heritage day, is selected to upset Claremorris, who had the run of the race from a good draw last time and now has a tricky draw.

The third is also a tough one, but the interesting horse is Grand Heritage winner Irish Pride’s half-sister Cathedral Country. This Trippi filly has the plum number one draw in the 1200m contest with Anthony Delpech up, so it would be no surprise to see getting off to a winning start.

David Thiselton

Horizon, the R5.2 million colt who smashed the South Africa auction record as a yearling, came good at the second time of asking in the mile maiden at Kenilworth yesterday.

This was a very different performance from his disappointing debut nine weeks ago and, backed from 15-2 to 4-1, he made smooth progress to lead 200m out before drawing away under hands and heels to beat odds-on favourite Crompton Court by a comfortable two and a half lengths.

Grant van Niekerk said: “We got a lot of negative comments after his first run but I know exactly how good this horse is and it will pay to follow him. He is going to go places.”

Candice Bass-Robinson added: “There was a lot of pressure when he ran first time but he is a Dynasty out of a full sister to Silvano so he was never going to be an early horse.

“He has got his own mind and is not all that keen on doing his work at home but over the last month or so he has put things together and I think he is going to be a really decent horse.”

Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion winner Always In Charge made a most satisfactory return in the Racing Association Graduation Plate. Vaughan Marshall had warned that the colt was only 80% and the 11-10 favourite looked beaten a furlong out when Attenborough seemed to be travelling by far the better.

But he found another gear when Anton Marcus gave him a couple of taps and surged clear 20m out to get the better of Orion Quest by three-quarters of a length with a weakening Attenborough a neck away third.

Michael Clower

Some apprentices never ride out their claim in the five years of their apprenticeship but trainers are quick to cotton on to those that are full value for their allowance.

Lyle Hewitson is an example, riding out his claim in record time, but he was more the exception than the rule given his background in the work rider series. Denis Schwarz has a more conventional grounding but in the space of a couple of months has notched 13 winners and is full value for his 4kg claim as his almost full card of rides at Greyville this afternoon bares testimony.

He partners the Doug Campbell-trained Lala in the fourth and although the four-year-old daughter of Visionaire faces a tough task, Schwarz’s claim coupled with a pole position draw could be enough to see her score her fifth career victory.

Schwarz was aboard when Lala made her seasonal debut over the Scottsville mile and racing handy, she kept on gamely to finish third behind Fantasy Lady giving the winner 3kg.

There is the spectre of the second run after a lay-off hanging over her for those that believe but she has a lot going for her this afternoon.

Duncan Howells is at Turffontein overseeing the preparation of Saratoga Dancer and Ten Gun Salute, both runners in the Charity Mile on Saturday, so assistant James Rich will be saddling Crackpot who looks a likely threat to Lala. She has a fair bit of pudding to shoulder but she is in cracking form, winning her last start comfortable over the Scottsville 1950m. She is ideally suited to today’s trip and can go in again under Brandon Lerena.

But this is far from a two-horse race. Mamasita was only run out of it late by Crackpot at her penultimate outing and although she didn’t feature in the Michaelmas Handicap last Friday, this will be her third run after a break so she should strip super fit.

Playboy Buddy won over course and distance last time out but could be held by Crackpot while Anton Marcus take a rare mount for Belinda Impey. Music World doesn’t know how to run a bad race and loves the poly on which surface Marcus is a master.

Punters generally face another difficult card but Newyorkstateofmind could get them through the opening leg of the Pick 6. Sean Tarry’s runner took an age to shed his maiden but he continues to improve and is hunting his third success. He got a small penalty for his last win and has not finished further back than third in five starts on the poly. He has another good draw and can go in again.

Victory Team has shown some promise and caught the eye last time when returning from a break. He has a tricky draw but should be in the shake-up. Aramouse has yet to run a bad race since arriving in KZN and has won over course and distance. He has a difficult draw but must be a runner while Fire The Rocket has a big weight but loves this course.

It often pays to follow the combination of Anthony Delpech and Dean Kannemeyer and Tanjiro will be many pundit’s idea of a Pick 6 banker when he lines up in the Track & Ball Gaming Handicap over 2000m. He was a beaten favourite over course and distance last time out, taking a bump at a crucial stage of the race, and going down a nod-of-the-heads behind Jama. With Born To Rule and possibly Classe Mondiale likely to set a brisk early pace, expect Delpech to pounce over the final furlong.

Andrew Harrison