St Tropez is expected to do better than his hot-shot stablemate The Conglomerate in this Saturday’s R400,000 Joburg Spring Challenge (Grade 2) at Turffontein.

The race, on the Inside track, is run at weight-for-age plus penalties for Grade 1 and 2 wins.

Alson Ndzilana, assistant trainer to Joey Ramsden, believes The Conglomerate will need a sharpener in his first run since scoring his historic win from the widest draw in the Vodacom Durban July.

Ndzilana says: “The 1450m of the Spring Challenge is sharp for him but this is a prep run – he’s going for the Emperors Palace Charity Mile early next month and his main aim is the SANSUI Summer Cup at the end of November.”

The Conglomerate has also not drawn well over a course and distance where many regard a low-number draw as essential. “I am concerned about the draw, but we’ll drop him out and I’m hoping to see him run on strongly at the end,” said the assistant trainer. “He should run a pretty good race.”

Donovan Dillon will be in the saddle instead of jockey Piere Strydom, who rode The Conglomerate in Durban July and who does not have a mount in the feature.

“Joey only likes using Piere when we’re expecting to do well,” explained Ndzilana.

Anton Marcus, who is in tip-top form since a three-week hiatus with five wins and six places from as many mounts in the last week, is the jockey booked for St Tropez.

The five-year-old Silvano gelding ran a fair race over this course and distance last month, when fourth behind Bulleting Home in a Pinnacle Stakes. He will sport blinkers for the first time “to sharpen him up a little bit because 1450m is not his trip”.

Added Ndzilana: “He’s also in Johannesburg to run in the Charity Mile and the Summer Cup and his prep is going nicely. He has a good draw on Saturday. I’m hoping for luck in running.”

Goodhope Racing’s third runner is Tabreek in a 1450m MR 80 Handicap. Take the hint – Strydom is riding him!

He won well over 1600m on the Inside track last time out and Ndzilana is hoping an eight-point hike in his merit rating will not impact too much on his future.

He also drew wide but with only nine runners in the field that should not be too much of an issue.

“He’ll run a very nice race,” said Ndzilana.

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Kangaroo Jack is the highest-rated runner in the R400,000 Joburg Spring Challenge (Grade 2) over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside this Saturday and trainer Gary Alexander is “expecting a nice run from him”.

The final field for the race, to be run at weight-for-age plus penalties for Grade 1 and Grade 2 wins, will only be announced today, but Alexander-trained four-year-olds Kangaroo Jack and Champagne Haze are both certain to make the cut.

Kangaroo Jack, a Grade 2 winner last season, is well drawn at No 6, but received a punitive hike in the merit ratings after winning the Grade 3 Spring Spree Stakes over 1200m in his seasonal debut. Now rated 113, the handicappers reckon he is 0.50 lengths better than seven-year-old Night Trip and three lengths superior to the next highest-rated runner New Predator.

Johan Janse van Vuuren’s charge New Predator, who is also a Grade 2 winner, is probably underrated at 107, but drew at No 23 of the 26 entries in a race where many experts believe a good draw is crucial, while Night Trip fared only one better.

Alexander said: “Kangaroo Jack has prepped very nicely for this and his work has been good.”

Last year’s CTS Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup winner Champagne Haze, who will be making his return from his winter break and being gelded, is another top sort. He drew at No 2 and will probably be ridden by Lyle Hewitson.

“We are preparing him for the Emperors Palace Charity Mile so he will be in need of the run,” said the Turffontein-based trainer. “He’s a good horse, a nice type, and is doing well in his home work. I’ll be over the moon if he runs into the places.”

Kangaroo Jack is unlikely to join Champagne Haze in the lineup for the Charity Mile at Turffontein on Saturday 5 November because of his high merit rating.

“We’ll decide where to go after the Spring Challenge,” said Alexander. “If Andrew Fortune hops off and says he’ll get a mile (1600m), we might target the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes next year. If he says no, we’ll restrict him to sprints, like the Computaform Sprint.”

Alexander also has a chance in the R400,000 Joburg Spring F&M Challenge (Grade 2) over 1450m. He will saddle six-year-old mare Crown Of Roses, a late entry who also pulled No 2 draw. Alexander has booked Craig Zackey for the ride.

“She was due to run in the WSB Heritage 1200 Fillies and Mares at the Vaal last weekend but was given a huge weight of 67kg,” said Alexander. “With a lighter weight, that would have been the right race for her. She’s very consistent in this class and from a nice draw, must have a place shout in what looks likely to be a top field.”

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Follow Fortune – but not blindly. That’s the advice for Durbanville today when the 2008/09 champion rides in six of the eight races.

Andrew Fortune may be only seven months short of his 50^th birthday but he is riding out of his skin at the moment and he started the week 20 winners clear of his nearest pursuers, Richard Fourie and Anthony Delpech.

Four of his six mounts are favourites and he kicks off with Count Henry who gave away an almost impossible amount of ground at the off on debut here last month but showed immense promise by running on to take third of 13 in the manner of a certain future winner.

But don’t be tempted by too short a price – he opened at 17-10 with World Sports Betting on Monday and was a fraction tighter yesterday –  because there are others in the race with superior form, notably Zeb, Oh Behave and Pillar Of Hercules despite the latter’s disappointing second run when he started second favourite. “The only excuse we can offer is that the ground was very wet that day,” says Joey Ramsden’s assistant Ricardo Sobotker. “But he is working well.”

King Of The Rally in race three looks the weakest of the sextet and here 18-10 shot Icon King should make the most of stepping up to a mile with 11-10 favourite Gold Standard the obvious danger.

Craven 40 minutes later is the Fortune banker even though his 7-20 price is prohibitive. The money poured on him when he beat all except stable companion The Great One on debut last month. “The owner (Y.H. Yue) wanted Andrew that day too but he wasn’t available,” recalls Brett Crawford whose three-year-old maiden strength-in-depth is formidable, “and Craven is in good form.”

Carbon Offset won his maiden with Fortune in the irons here three weeks ago and the colt heads the market at 2-1 in the Itsarush.co.za Handicap over the same mile. But this is first time out of the maidens and, although he was not given a hard race to win, he didn’t exactly have a ton in hand and there is no real reason to think that the handicappers have underestimated him with a rating of 81. If you still want to back him, don’t go overboard.

The form book says that Ntombe could struggle to reverse the placings with Colour Magic and My Emblem in race seven but the Manna Fortune magic may be enough, particularly as Geoff Woodruff’s daughter Lucy has the Cape Town string in good form and 7-1 looks appealing.

Amazingly has everything going for her in the last except a dreadful draw. The question is whether the 28-10 favourite will be quick enough to overcome it. “I think so, yes,” answers Adam Marcus. “She has a lot of natural speed and she should enjoy Durbanville where Andrew is particularly good.”

A further plus is that Fortune rang for the ride. He has nothing in the first where Crawford’s 5-2 chance Scriptwriter may beat fellow once-raced Moon Bird who was favourite at 15-10 yesterday. Both were slowly away here last month.

Michael Clower

DURBANVILLE WEDNESDAY 5 OCTOBER 2016 COMMENTS BY WARREN LENFERNA:

1

Preview: MOON BIRD made a pleasing debut making progress after being slow out the starting stalls. He ran on well to finish fourth – with natural progression, he looks hard to beat today. TIGER WARRIOR proved a difficult ride last time but the form of that race has been franked – value for the places. GSTAAD could find a first four finish on debut – watch the betting. (Warren Lenferna 7-2-5)

2

Preview: ZEB returns from a rest but did nearly make a winning debut before that. If he is not in too much need of this run he will be a hard horse to beat. OH BEHAVE has recently changes trainers and is returning from a rest. If running fresh and having adapted to the new training techniques, he could go very close. GO MARTY GO will have a big place chance if reproducing his penultimate effort. (Warren Lenferna 9-1-2)

3

Preview: ICON KING was my strong fancy last time and he let me and his followers down. He is trying the trip for the first time but I am giving him one more chance and am selecting him with confidence to go one better today. POP THE QUESTION comes from a stable that continually churns out winners and this horse is seldom far off the action. His winning turn looks imminent. GOLD STANDARD ran on last time from well off the pace and if a bit closer to the action today could go a lot closer than he did last time. (Warren Lenferna 1-2-6)

4

Preview: CRAVEN has been selected as the best bet on today’s card. Short and simple – based on his excellent debut, he should win! PERGOLA is starting to get the hang of things and learn what racing is all about. He is never far off and can go much closer now. ICE RIDGE put in a late but determined effort last time and has to be included in the quartet but they will all have to run some to beat Craven! (Warren Lenferna 9-3-1)

5

Preview: GYRE has held his own in two starts since winning his maiden in fine style. He was staying on steadily last time suggesting that his second career win is not far away – strong each way claims here. TIN SOLDIER (NOT by Brave Tin Soldier) made a good come back last time and should be a much fitter and tighter horse today – big, big runner. CARBON OFFSET won last time and one gets the feeling that he has much more to offer – respect! (Warren Lenferna 2-1-3)

6

Preview: NORTHERN BALLET has been running very consistently recently and looks the livewire here. She should be right there at the finish. LADY REDOUTE has not won for a long time but she is making threats of doing so soon. She ran fourth in a feature last time and based on that her winning chances look bright. PUT THE BERRIES couldn’t catch Miss Hyde last time but no doubt has a strong chance and it would be silly to not include her in the quartet. (Warren Lenferna 2-3-6)

7

Preview: A tough handicap where all of the following have to be considered for the win position: COLOUR MAGIC (good form), MY EMBLEM (penultimate run was good) and NTOMBE (Andrew Fortune rides for the first time). (Warren Lenferna 5-6-3)

8

Preview: AMAZINGLY is knocking hard at the door and now looks cherry ripe to score! She is the firm first choice despite her being drawn in the vineyards! ESSENCEOFLIFE showed encouraging improvement from run one to run two and is a must for swingers and similar bets. PRETTY WOMAN raced green when making a fair debut and can improve to earn her first stake cheque. (Warren Lenferna 5-8-10)

Brett Crawford dominates both the Matchem and Diana Stakes at Durbanville on Sunday when Captain America (Corne Orffer) begins his preparation for the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met.  The gelding was fourth and third in these two races last season.

Captain America is rated five points clear of the next highest horse in the Matchem, his stable companion Sail South, but he has to concede 3kg and give weight all round.  Crawford  has the top-rated runner in the Diana with Tibouchina winner Alexis who also has to shoulder top weight.

There are no three-year-olds in either race. Joey Ramsden had five in the Matchem but Table Bay and Attenborough have run in the last week as have Captain Gambler and Silver Captain from his four in the Diana.

Sunday also sees the Jockeys Chase, a race without horses in which Aldo Domeyer has totally outclassed all opposition in each of the last three years. He has been assessing his prospects of completing a four-timer.

“They say they are going to roll me this time and I gather Callan Murray and Lyle Hewitson are coming down to take me on – it won’t be easy giving weight to those youngsters. I also hear that they are stretching the race to 400m and that is Richard Fourie’s distance,” he added, doubtless recalling that Fourie was second in the inaugural running, “but I am not just a sprinter.”

Michael Clower