The KZN pair running in the R750,000 World Sports Betting Grand Heritage over 1475m at the Vaal on Saturday, the Tony Rivalland-trained Humidor and the Gavin van Zyl-trained Celtic Captain, have both been doing well since running first and second in a MR 100 Handicap over 1400m on the Greyville polytrack.

The pair are drawn in 19 and 26 respectively in the 28 runner event, although they will each come in two positions if both reserve runners are scratched.

Rivalland said Humidor had done well in his last serious workout at Summerveld on Tuesday and was in good shape. He added, “If the right Humidor turns up on Saturday, I think he is the horse to beat.”

Rivalland’s chief concern is the mere 13 day gap the horse will have had between his last run, which followed a two-and-a-half month break, and this one. “It is not ideal from a training perspective. If he had had his intended run at Scottsville on September 7, instead of rearing up and having to be scratched, that would have been ideal. But we can’t control these sort of things and they happen.”

Rivalland had said earlier in the week. ”A 1475m big field event down the straight is a tough race, but I think he will handle it.” He referred to Humidor’s fourth place finish in the KZN Breeders Million Mile as evidence he would stay the trip, before concluding, “He has natural cruising speed, but a lot will be down to jockeyship in a race like this. If you go too early it will kill your chances. Those coming from off the pace will be favoured in a race like this and that’s the only thing against him, because he likes to do his own thing out in front.”

The Backworth Stud-bred four-year-old Miesque’s Approval gelding, who is owned by KZN stalwart racing personality Mary Liley among others, holds the Scottsville 1200m course record, lowering the time, previously held by Kildonan, to 66,98 seconds. He led from start to finish in that last 1400m start and was not stopping at the line. Top jockey Muzi Yeni rode him for the first time in that race and remains aboard.

Humidor has been backed in to 12/1. As a lightly raced five-year-old he is still relatively unexposed. He also seems a progressive sort, so he could be well handicapped off his current 86 merit rating.

Celtic Captain is a classy son of Captain Al, bred by Patricia Devine investments and owned by Brian “Buffalo Bill” Burnard. He chased Humidor throughout the aforementioned 1400m race on the poly, but was still 0,75 lengths shy at the line. However, he will now be 1kg better off at the weights which will bring them together on paper. Celtic Captain also likes to race handy, but possesses a noteworthy kick and is deserving of his 99 merit rating.

Gareth van Zyl actually trains the Burnard-owned horses in the yard and said, “I am happy with his preparation, he has done well since his last run and will run well.”

Humidor and Celtic Captain will travel up to Johannesburg on Friday morning together with the James Goodman-trained Aldric, who runs in the WSB Heritage 1200.

David Thiselton

Three of the best of last season’s Cape Town two-year-olds reappear against older horses at Durbanville tomorrow and the Racing.It’s A Rush Handicap looks by far the most significant race on the card.

Sergeant Hardy beat Attenborough and Our Mate Art in the Cape Of Good Hope Nursery over this trip at Kenilworth in May  – with recent winner Bishop’s Bounty fourth – and in the Langerman next time Our Mate Art, a close second, had Attenborough two lengths back.

But it’s the Joey Ramsden horse that should come out best of the three. He started favourite for the Cape Nursery but was found to have mucus in his lungs immediately after the race, and in the Langerman he failed to stay the 1 500m after over-racing early on. Also he was conceding 3kg and here he meets Grant van Niekerk’s mount at levels.

The question is whether he is fit enough after three months off. “I would hope so, yes,” is Ramsden’s answer and the July-winning trainer confirms that the colt has done a fair bit of work.

The same query, only more so, applies to Sergeant Hardy who has been off for four months. “It’s hard to say,” replies Justin Snaith. “But he has had a gallop and he will run his race.” However the trainer adds that conceding 1.5kg to Attenborough “won’t be easy.”

With Our Mate Art, who is running for the first time since the Langerman, it’s as much a matter of whether this 1 200m will be too short. “Not necessarily – and he is doing well,” says Candice Bass-Robinson who adds that this is a prep for the Cape Classic on October 29. “But I would like to see him settle better than he did last time.”

With such talent in the field – and the older horses are hard to fancy – it might sound sacrilege to name another three-year-old to beat the big three but Vaughan Marshall thinks so much of Rock Of Africa that this one gets the vote.

The gelding’s trainer is convinced that he would have won the Graduation (in which Bishop’s Bounty lowered the colours of the useful Rodney) 11 days ago had the race been run to suit the horse. MJ Byleveld’s mount receives a significant amount of weight and, although the early 5-1 has already been snapped up, the current 4-1 still appeals. Interestingly this horse is also the prediction of the sahorseracing computer.

Our Mate Art, a little surprisingly considering the shortness of the trip – particularly over this tight course, was yesterday a firm 2-1 favourite with World Sports Betting which has Attenborough next best at 28-10 with Sergeant Hardy a 3-1 chance.

The Snaith horses are fairly burning up the turf at the moment and evens favourite Over Drive in the first is taken to beat Captain’s Version despite the money for the Paddy Kruyer four-year-old who has been backed from 5-1 to 33-10.

The stable introduces  Greenflashsunset, a R700 000 half-brother to Legislate, in race three and the colt is favourite at 2-1. But this is a tricky course for newcomers and so Ramsden’s 3-1 shot Rebel Alliance is preferred to 22-10 second favourite Varational.

Michael Clower

Durbanville Wednesday Sep 28 Race Previews by Warren Lenferna

1

Preview: OVER DRIVE has run two fair races thus far and looks ready to go close to winning. He has a good draw which will help. CAPTAIN’S VERSION showed improvement last time and based on that will be concerned in the finish again. ELUSIVE SINGER is surely better than his last run and if running like he did on debut should go close again. (Warren Lenferna 10-2-5)

2

Preview: OUR MATE ART is lightly raced and looks very progressive – he has run well in Feature Company and should be a very hard horse to beat here. SERGEANT HARDY has solid form and has also done very well in Feature Company. He, too, has a very big chance. ATTENBOROUGH is consistent and another bold performance can be expected. (Warren Lenferna 5-3-4)

3

Preview: REBEL ALLIANCE is coming along the right way and was running on well last time to finish second to the favourite. He is confidently selected to go one better. VARATIONAL is coming along the right way and ran a cracker last time – based on that, he should run well here. FLOWER BLUE has a quartet chance. (Warren Lenferna 9-2-3)

4

Preview: CAVALLERIA has solid maiden form and is lightly raced. She gets a good draw today and is one of the leading lights for top position. Very strong each way claims. EMPIRE RISING showed encouraging improvement from runs one to run two. She should have more improvement to come and if this is the case then she will go very close. KATIE DUBOIS showed big improvement last time and is a must for the quartet. (Warren Lenferna 1-10-11)

5

Preview: PUT THE BERRIES is seldom far off the action and today gets the services of bang in form jockey Andrew Fortune. She is drawn well and is the firm first pick. BEAUTIFUL GIRL and BRINKLEY look set to fight out the minor money in a small and not so strong maiden field. (Warren Lenferna 3-2-1)

6

Preview: A TIME TO KILL was well beaten in second last time but the winner (Red Peril) did win easily. She can go one better this afternoon. Stable mate HAMMIE’S GAME has been knocking loudly at the door in his last two and he will be waiting in the wings to pick up the pieces if A Time To Kill does not win. The stable have a strong hand here. SAINT ROCH ran well last time and looks a solid selection for a place bet. (Warren Lenferna 3-6-5)

7

Preview: ELEVATED has good, solid form. He has run second in his last three starts and is now overdue a win – he looks very hard to beat and a recommended bet! SOLAR NIGHT is seldom far off the action and is one for the shortlist – the apprentice claim will be a huge positive. VOLATILE ENERGY won well last time and could run well again – he is the value bet on today’s card. (Warren Lenferna 2-1-7)

8

Preview: A tough race to close off proceedings at Durbanville this afternoon where all of: TRIP THE WILLOW (the first choice), WHISPERING LIGHT (better than her last run) and JACK AND JILL have to be included. Jack And Jill ran well on debut and could improve to go very close to winning. (Warren Lenferna 2-1-7)

Justin Snaith has been riding Black Arthur himself as he gears the preparation of last season’s Politician and Canon Guineas winner towards the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Met.

He said: “I don’t know when Black Arthur will start but he is doing very well. We were careful with him in Durban where he only had two starts and he was unlucky in the Vodacom Durban July – Dougie Whyte couldn’t get a run.”

Picture: Justin Snaith on Black Arthur at the beach in Cape Town. His father Chris follows on Dynamic (Snaith Racing)

The Markus Jooste part-owned Galileo colt Douglas Macarthur has taken a further walk in the 2017 Investec Epsom Derby market after managing only fifth in Saturday’s Gr 2 Royal Lodge Stakes over a mile at Newmarket.

Meanwhile, the Jooste and Bernard Kantor-owned Yorker, formerly-trained by Geoff Woodruff,  is due to run at the two day Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe meeting in France over the weekend, where the South African-owned and former Paul Lafferty-trained Harry’s Son will also be running. Piere Strydom was due to fly over to France yesterday (Monday). He will be putting the final touches to Harry’s Son’s preparation before renewing his hitherto successful partnership with him in the race on Sunday. Strydom might also ride Yorker at the meeting on Saturday.

Douglas Macarthur was the stable elect of an Aiden O’Brien-trained coupling in The Royal Lodge, but could only stay on at one pace and was beaten 2,25 lengths. None of O’Brien’s five Epsom Derby winners Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Camelot (2012), Ruler of the World (2013) and Australia (2014) lost a race in their build up to the big race, bar on debut.

Douglas Macarthur appeared to fitting into this trend when slamming his rivals in a Leopardstown maiden over a mile on 21 July by five lengths in his second career start. He had been very green when finishing last at odds of 2/5 on debut over seven furlongs. The way he powered clear of his rivals in his win impressed the bookmakers to the extent that they made him the joint 16/1 favourite for the Derby together with his stablemate Churchill.

However, he drifted out to 25/1 when only managing a 2,5 length 3^rd in his next start in the Gr 3 Champions Juvenile Stakes over a mile at Leopardstown, where he started 8/13 favourite. He has now drifted out to a best price of 50/1.

However, there is still hope a South African could present the Epsom Derby trophy to another South African next year (Bernard Kantor is Investec’s co-founder and managing director and presents the trophy to winning connections every year).

O’Brien described Douglas Macarthur as “babyish” after his only win. Jooste’s racing manager Derek Brugman received an email from O’Brien after Saturday’s Royal Lodge which confirmed this still held true. Douglas Macarthur apparently shows the great trainer an immense amount at home. However, he said he lacked pace, so definitely needed further, as well as time to mature.

Jooste owns the horse in partnership with Coolmore kingpins John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.

Meanwhile, Churchill, after losing on debut in May, has won his next four starts including a Gr 1 over seven furlongs at The Curragh by 4,25 lengths. He is now the lone favourite at 12/1 for the Derby, while Royal Lodge winner, the Godolphin-owned Best Of Days, is 33/1.

Yorker (JC Photo)

Brugman said Yorker, who has his niggles, was as sound as they could possibly have him ahead of Saturday’s race at Chantilly, where the Arc meeting will take place this year due to renovations at Longchamp. The William Haggas-trained seven-year-old Jet Master gelding will travel to France unless the ground becomes too soft. At present the weather forecast suggests the ground will remain good. Yorker made his overseas debut, after an 800 day layoff, at York on August 20 in the Gr 3 Strensall Stakes over a mile and a furlong and finished an excellent 1,25 length second under Pat Cosgrave at odds of 14/1. He then lined up as 6/4 favourite on September 14 at Sandown in the Listed Fortune Stakes over a mile and 14 yards and this time went down by only a neck. The connections were a touch disappointed, but Brugman said there were genuine excuses. “The pace was too slow and he did not have cover. He quickened well enough, but not as well as we know he can, and this could also have been due to the 2^nd run after a rest factor, considering he had been out for 800 days.”

Harry’s Son will be running in the Gr 1 Prix de la Floret over seven furlongs on Sunday.

Harry’s Son (JC Photo)

Lafferty said experienced French jockey Gerald Mosse had described him as a “very, very nice horse” after galloping him last week. He added the five-year-old Haradasun entire’s subsequent blood picture had been exactly how they had wanted it. A look at the Australian-bred’s career record shows he enjoys running fresh, so the connections have duly decided to send him straight into the race.

Harry’s Son has been trained out of Laredo in Spain by Cesar Alonso since departing Dubai. Lafferty’s assistant Roy Waugh has been in Laredo permanently to oversee his program. The Prix de la Floret is usually run over a seven furlong course at Longchamp, which according to Lafferty is known as “The Toboggan” due to its up and down nature. However, the Chantilly seven furlong course is flatter, which will suit Harry’s Son. Seven furlongs (1400m) is his ideal trip.

However, the connections were being realistic about his chances in such an international Gr 1 event and Lafferty said they would be “over the moon” with a place. If he does finish in the first three he will be invited to a US$3 million event in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Brugman also spoke of Jooste’s South African-based star Legal Eagle. He said he would likely take the same route as last year, i.e. running a preparation race at Turffontein before going to Cape Town to defend his crown in the Gr 1 L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate. He would then attempt to go one step better than his second place finish in the Met. However, rather than head back to Johannesburg after the Met, Brugman said there was a chance he might join a number of other horses who will be flown overseas after the Cape Summer Of Champions Season.

David Thiselton