The National Horseracing Authority confirms that an inquiry has been opened into the circumstances surrounding the decision taken by the Objection Board, that officiated on an incident that occurred during the running of Race 1 on Saturday, 3 September at Turffontein Racecourse.

In this regard, the Chairman of the Objection Board, Mr Thulani Khanyile, has been suspended with immediate effect, pending the outcome of the inquiry, which will be held at the Head Office at Turffontein Racecourse on Monday, 12 September 2016.

The Gold Circle sponsored Philippa Johnson-Dwyer has been flying the South African flag high at this year’s Rio Paralympics.

Jet-setting Lord Louis has left Belgium bound for Rio where he and Philippa will contest three events. The Grade III competition dates are as follows:

• Sunday, 11 September 2016 at 05:00 (SA time) – Team Test
• Tuesday, 13 September 2016 at 09:00 (SA time) – Individual Championship Test
• Friday, 16 September 2016 at 04:00 (SA time) – Individual Freestyle Test

Information on television viewing options will be disseminated as soon as they become available.

– Gold Circle

Golden Horseshoe winner Zodiac Ruler is being aimed at the Grand Parade Cape Guineas on December 17 and could be better than his 100 rating would suggest.

He started odds-on for the Premiers Champion and, although beaten half a length by 25-1 shot Gunner, Piere Strydom came back reporting that his mount did not act in the soft.

Justin Snaith, who won the 2010 Cape Guineas with Solo Traveller, believes there is more to it than just the ground and said: “What counted against him that day was that he was standing in the pens for so long (several minutes while they settled Misty Birnam) that Piere actually had to wake him up. He is a very smart horse and he will be much better suited by the longer straight at Kenilworth.”

Snaith confirmed that Jet Explorer will continue to campaign in Port Elizabeth where the eight-year-old continues to defy the horrific injuries he suffered in the 2014 Rising Sun Gold Challenge. His win in last Friday’s Founders Trophy was his fourth in six starts.

“There is nothing for him in Cape Town but there is a race for him every few weeks at Fairview,” reasoned the trainer.

Snaith Racing’s Port Elizabeth satellite is enjoying a particularly good run at Fairview – Monday’s four-timer followed a treble on Friday – and is being run by Des McLachlan who trained Ethno Centric to win the 2001 Cape Guineas but is perhaps best known for his handling of Hear The Drums.

McLachlan, together with almost everybody else in racing, believed that this prolific scorer had broken the South African record when winning for the 33^rd time at Arlington in July 2010.

It was only when Aiden Lithgow recalled reading a paragraph in Jean Jaffee’s great book They Raced To Win that it was realised that the record was set almost 90 years ago by Darius who won 42 races.

Michael Clower

Punters face a tricky card at Scottsville tomorrow and many will be banking on 1200m course record holder Humidor to get back to winning ways in the Bartab No 56 @ Overport Handicap.

The gelding was tried over1600m last time out, the stake of the KZN Breeders Million Mile an obvious carrot for Tony Rivalland and the connections, and although the “mile” proved a touch beyond his compass he was far from disgraced in fourth behind top performers No Worries and Rabada.

The blinkers are back on as is Anton Marcus who has been aboard in all four of the gelding’s victories so the omen’s are all good.

Sean Tarry saddles the top weight Kapitan that is having his third start after a break. He had an inexperienced apprentice aboard last time out and has been replaced by his more experienced weighing room colleague Lyle Hewitson. The gelding has some fair Highveld form to his credit and he should strip at his peak this afternoon.

The Chris Erasmus has hit form of late and Panza has been flying the stable flag, his last two wins coming over course and distance but he does take on a better class field.

Duncan Howells saddled 22 runners at this venue on Sunday and will be busy again today with another 10 to saddle. He can get the meeting off to a winning start in the All To Come Maiden Plate with the filly Inyati. She was the more fancied of a Howells trio last time out but after hitting the front a furlong out was swamped by Maple Story and stable companions Online and Accidental Tourist.

The winner is highly regarded and both Online and Accidental Tourist have franked that form. The shorter trip should also suit and given Inyati’s last showing she rates the filly to beat.

She does face a field that is not short of form and best of the challengers could come in the form of Captains Moll.  James Goodman’s filly was tossed in at the deep end – a maiden against winners in a Gr2 – at her last outing after two smart sprints. She finished second on debut to the smart Howells-trained Blaze Of Mystery at long odds and a repeat of that showing will make her dangerous.

Monte Christo has his second start for Charles Laird in the Racing. It’s A Rush Graduation Plate and looks primed for the event.

A winner on debut for Alistair Gordon, Monte Christo was hammered by the handicappers and came out of it with a seemingly lofty merit rating of 85. The handicappers were taking no chances when Monte Christo followed with a close-up third in his handicap debut and was shunted up another four pounds.

Rested, gelded and changed stables Monte Christo started a luke-warm favourite over the Scottsville 1000m for his new yard finishing a creditable third, beaten under a length by Swakopmund. With that run under his girth and over a more suitable trip, he is likely to be on offer at cramped odds.

Howells saddles Restless Rogue who could give Monte Christo and Anton Marcus something to think about. The three-year-old has only had three outings, winning second time out and then four lengths back in his handicap debut. He will enjoy the step up in trip and gets 3,5 kg from Monte Christo. He also has the services of Anthony Delpech which is worth an extra couple of lengths.

Unbelievable Chad, part-owned by Olympic gold medallist Chad le Clos, started favourite on debut but found Monte Christo just a little more forward and he had to settle for silver, as did Le Clos in the recent Rio Olympics.

Unbelievable Chad proved to be a handful and his post maiden form, although useful, was obviously below what was expected and Paul Lafferty eventually called in the vet.

After a four-month break, Unbelievable Chad came out in a strong Pinnacle Stakes sprint and was palpably in need of the outing, finishing seven lengths adrift of the smart London Call.

He is sure to have come on from that run and if he has his mind on the job he could have the measure of both Monte Christo and Restless Rogue. In any event all three should be included in the exotics.

Andrew Harrison

Glen Kotzen is aiming his Golden Slipper winner Final Judgement at the Choice Carriers Championship at Kenilworth on October 29 and the World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas on December 3.

Kotzen, who won both races with Princess Victoria five years ago, said: “Final Judgement is in a paddock with her mates enjoying life at the moment but we will go the usual route, the 1 400m Grade 2 and then the Fillies Guineas.”

Final Judgement (Nkosi Hlope)

Final Judgement made all the running at 20-1 in the Golden Slipper but weakened into seventh after racing prominently and taking it up over two furlongs out in the Thekwini four weeks later.

Kotzen believes that performance is best forgotten and explained: “It was very hard for her from her 12 draw and we had to use her to get there. It wasn’t her running at all.”

Yorker pulled up sound after his Strensall Stakes second at York on his British debut last month, his first race for more than two years, but there are doubts about whether he will meet his engagement in the Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 15.

Derek Brugman, racing manager for part-owner Markus Jooste, points out that a Group 1 would be a big ask for the horse’s second run after such a long lay-off and that the seven-year-old would probably need to perform well in another race in the meantime in order to have a crack at the big one.

The Jet Master gelding won the Sansui Summer Cup, HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut and President’s Champions Challenge for Geoff Woodruff and is now with William Haggas at Newmarket.

Brugman has clarified the decision to race many of the Jooste-owned horses in the name of Mayfair Speculators, the company long used for purchasing them. The reason is “streamlining” and, for the moment at least, only those horses owned solely by the Joostes will race under the Mayfair Speculators banner. Those in partnership with other people will appear in the racecard as part-owned by Mr & Mrs Jooste as before.

They also have a growing number of horses in Europe and those carrying the famous emerald green, yellow stars black sleeves and cap colours include the Aidan O’Brien-trained Douglas Macarthur who is joint favourite for next year’s Epsom Derby.

Michael Clower