David Thiselton

St. John Gray pulled off another fine breeding and training feat at Turffontein Standside on Saturday when Christopher Robin easily won the Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m.

The sponsors of the WSB Summer Cup reacted by shortening him into 25/1.

The four-year-old colt by Damage Is Done was the second worst treated at the weights on Saturday and off his 98 merit rating was 7,5kg under sufferance with the best treated horse Victoria Paige.

He beat the runner up Astrix, with whom he was 3kg under sufferance, by 2,50 lengths and beat third-placed Victoria Paige by 3,75 lengths.

The handicappers have thus, not surprisingly, raised him eleven points to 109.

A condition of the Summer Cup is that “weights may change up to the time of declarations”, so as things stand, and presuming the topweight Queen Supreme stands her ground, he will carry 53kg in the big race.  

Christopher Robin was coming in off a 4,25 length defeat to Seven Patriots over 1800m at the Vaal but Gray pointed out that the going had been fast that day and he had been interfered with on an unusually sharply constructed turn which had thrown the horses outward. Seven Patriots had got away from the field but Christopher Robin had made some late progress. 

Christopher Robin’s best previous win had been in the rain in the Derby Trial over the Turffontein Standside 2000m, so the conditions were in his favour on Saturday with plenty of rain having fallen during the week.

S’Manga Khumalo did his homework and knowing Orpheus, jumping from pole, was likely to go strongly from the off to get the lead he rushed his mount from the off and was able to slot in behind the former horse on the rail. Having found this good position he relaxed and allowed Seven Patriots to slot in ahead of him.

Christopher Robin turned for home third in line on the rail in joint fourth place with the favourite Astrix from whom he was receiving 3kg.

This pair went through the 300m together but from then onward Christopher Robin steadily drew away. Gray pointed out that had it been over 2000m he would likely have gone even further clear.

Astrix was caught wide on the turn for a short while, but not as badly as he had been in the Grade 1 SA Classic last season. With a potentially good draw in the Summer Cup (7 out of the 43 still standing) he could still prove capable of staying 2000m.

Victoria Paige stayed on steadily into third but was a touch one-paced. 

Astrix remains on a 110 merit rating, but Victoria Paige has been dropped three points to 105.

Victoria Paige was in 19th place on the final Summer Cup log a few days ago and Astrix, who was 20th, will leapfrog her and Christopher Robin, who didn’t feature on the log at all, will leapfrog both of them. 

Dance Class finished fourth, beaten 3,85 lengths, and has been raised from a 92 to a 98 but unlikely did enough to make it into the Summer Cup field.

Imperial Ruby, who was 18th on the final log, finished fifth. However, he was beaten only 0,20 lengths by Victoria Paige on 3kg worse terms than he would have faced her in a handicap, so he is unlikely to lose his position.

The next two finishers, Seven Patriots and Dark Moon Rising, unlikely did enough to impress the final field panellists. However, it should be remembered that two years ago the field cut up so dramatically at the declaration stage that there were only 19 in the final field, so there is still hope.

Christopher Robin provided the late Damage Is Done with his first stakes winner when winning the Listed Derby Trial last year and now provides him with his first Graded winner.

Gray’s Graystone Stud operation has regularly defied conventional wisdom in thoroughbred breeding as none of the stallions he has stood over the years were superstars on the racetrack.

He said about the Rakeen stallion Damage Is Done, who won four ordinary races on the Vaal sand, “He suited my mares on lines and crosses although he wasn’t very successful.”

He continued, “My favourite saying is ‘I told God my plans and he just smiled’. We think we can work it out and play God with our thoroughbred matings but how many times does it work? It is no super science.”  

However, Gray’s adherence to his philosophies has undoubtedly paid dividends and in this case Damage Is Done, despite his previous lack of success, was sent a black type mare in the Listed-winning Malhub sprinter Onehundredacrewood and Christopher Robin was the result.

Christopher Robin has a plum draw of four out of the 43 remaining entries in the Summer Cup and although his 25/1 odds reflect his chances one thing for certain is that he will be trying his heart out. Gray refers to this progressive horse as his “iron horse.”  

The National Horseracing Authority confirms that it has opened an Inquiry into alleged racist comments made on social media by Trainer Frank Robinson.

After careful consideration of the social media post and the prima facie evidence, the Chief Executive and Racing Control Executive have placed an interim suspension on Trainer Robinson in terms of the provisions of Rule 91.2.

This interim suspension prevents Trainer Robinson from entering or declaring horses under his licence until such time as the Inquiry is finalised.

In the interests of horse welfare, Mr Robinson will be permitted access to horses in his care during the period of interim suspension.

Andrew Harrison

GAVIN VAN ZYL splashed out buying the top lot at this week’s BSA 2-Year-Old Sale and ended his week on a high as he saddled a treble at Hollywoodbets Greyville today.

In the gelding Donald McDonald he looks to have a particularly promising stayer as the son of Ideal World showed plenty of resolution to land the Conditional Progress plate from Karoo Lark and Run To Denmark.

Stable rider Warren Kennedy was particularly bullish about his mount’s chances after an emphatic win aboard State Of Mind in the second, but he may have been having second thoughts halfway up the home straight as Karoo Lark refused to go away.

At one point it looked as if it would be a case of heads up and heads down but 150m out Karoo Lark snapped under pressure leaving Donald McDonald to surge clear of his rival.

This was 1800m but Kennedy’s mount stayed the trip well and he is definitely one for the notebook in any races over ground.

Frank Lloyd Wright came with a six figure price tag as a yearling, a number that he is never going to recoup on the track, but that said he has not been a complete failure as he notched the sixth win of his career with an end-to-end victory in the opening leg of the Pick 6.

Serino Moodley had no hesitation in going to the front on Justin Snaith’s runner. “There was no pace in the race and he does take a bit of a hold so I just left him where he was comfortable,” he explained. It proved to be the right tactic as Frank Lloyd Wright was never in danger of being caught. Baby Shooz, returning from a lengthy break, rattled home for second while Mount Anderson and Born To Perform were never in the hunt.

Snaith was up from Cape Town touching base with his Summerveld operation and the trip was made worth while as Sweetscentedgreen kept going long enough to hold the debutant Calulo, Michael Roberts’s filly finish like a rocket under apprentice Mfanelo Zuma.

State Of Mind, making her poly debut, simply destroyed the opposition in the second putting five lengths of daylight between herself and Backstop.

Sea Venture rounded off the Van Zyl treble as Kennedy rode a super confident race in the seventh. Content to sit well back in the early exchanges, Sea Venture had a lot of ground to make up at the top of the straight, but once Kennedy asked for an effort she responded gamely to his urgings, gradually reeling in the opposition and eventually drawing off to win comfortably.

Jabu Jacobs is one of the more promising apprentices and produced a copybook ride on the favourite Kayson for Peter Muscutt in the seventh, timing his run to perfection to win going away.

He was not so lucky in the next riding favourite Hugs Accepted. She blew the start badly, and from there on was never in the hunt. The race produced a blanket finish as Serino Moodley timed his finish to perfection, producing Glitter And Gold with a telling late run to nab the luckless Wildly In Love close home with little more than a neck separating the next four home.

Precious Love rounded off the meeting as apprentice Jeffery Syster produced the Tienie Prinsloo-trained gelding with a telling late effort to catch long-time pacemaker and favourite Iron Henry close home.

Andrew  Harrison

I must admit to having a soft spot for Mount Anderson but he has let me down more often than not. But he gets one last nod when he lines up in the fourth at Hollywoodbets Greyville tomorrow, the first leg of the Pick 6 on a nine-race card.

Dean Kannemeyer’s runner has been banging on the door of late, close-up second at his last two, and it should open for him here as he reverts to what may be his optimum trip.

Born To Perform has also been a touch disappointing of late but has a plum draw here over what may prove to be his best trip as he has been trying further in useful company without much success. Petra is a smart mare and won well for Robbie Hill last time out. She takes on males over an extra furlong but should be competitive. Dark horse is Baby Shooz. He shows heaps of promise but has not been out since February. He has a wide draw and may be one for the notebook.

In the next leg, Gavin van Zyl sends out the progressive gelding Donald Macdonald who has yet to miss a cheque in five starts. He has been lumped with fair weight to carry against stronger but still looks capable. Karoo Lark has come down steadily in the ratings but cheek pieces for the first time saw big improvement. He had shown promise early in his career and may only now be realising his potential. Sunny Bill Du-toy has been dropping in the ratings and has his first run for his new stable. He is another that showed promise early in his career and a change of scenery could bring the best out in him.  Of the balance Silver Fox Dog has a light weight and looks promising. His last start was way too short.

The sixth is a tricky fillies and mares handicap but Sea Venture has run two smart races on the poly over a similar distance and from a pole position draw should make a fist of it for her second win. Lady Lu is lightly raced but was a little disappointing last run after her smart local debut. The blinkers come off and she could prove to be the biggest threat. Guadeloupe has had two hard races over shorter. She comes from an in-form yard and the step up in trip could suit.

In the seventh, Kayson looks progressive but takes on some smart older horses. Peter Muscutt’s runner was a narrow winner last time out but has only had four starts and still improving. Letaba seldom runs a poor race and has been in good form of late as he has improved in blinkers and should be right there. So Var found something like his best form last run when switched to the poly. He is an old campaigner and the synthetic surface probably suits. The same can be said of Di Mazzio who is always dangerous but does look better over the shorter trip although one cannot discount his chances with a 4kg claimer up.

Muscutt could have a quick double as he sends of Hugs Accepted for the eighth.

She came from the clouds to shed her maiden. Donovan Dillon was impressed, “this is a proper horse” and she certainly looks smart. She jumps from a much better draw and with Jabu Jacobs claiming 2.5 kg she can go in again. Magicallee comes from a very much inform stable but has another poor draw. But she has been in good form of late and is in with a big shout along with Wildy In Love who was caught late when making good improvement last run and a repeat should see her right up there alongside Magicallee.

In the final leg of the Pick 6, Iron Henry makes his local debut after showing some fair Cape form. He is lightly raced and if he takes to the poly he could be the one to beat. Glory And Sunshine has the worst of the draw but came in for longshot betting support last start and seems set for good improvement. Darkest Dawn came in for good market support last start but made no show. He could be worth giving another chance.

David Thiselton

THE Sean Tarry-trained Captain Al filly Victoria Paige has everything in her favour in the Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m at Turffontein Standside on Saturday.

The race is run under merit rated band conditions plus penalties for Grade 1 and Grade 2 wins and females are given a 2,5kg allowance.

Victoria Paige thus comes in 2kg better off than any other horse and 2,5kg better off than any of the males in the race.

Furthermore, she was unlucky in the Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile last time out. She became very unsettled a second or so before the starter hit the button and was tardily away. In the straight she was making good resolute progress when she was squeezed out badly and this might have cost her a cheque. She now steps up to her probable optimum trip and carries just 51.5kg from a plum draw of three. Tarry confirmed that she had been doing well at home and labelled her a big runner.

His other runner Tilbury Fort is the best weighted male in the field but returns from a 112 day layoff. Tarry said this would be a preparation run for the seven-year-old ahead of the Summer Cup, which he won two years ago, but he pointed out he runs well fresh. The jockey who gets on best with him, Lyle Hewitson, is aboard, while the accomplished Chase Maujean rides Victoria Paige.

Christopher Robin is the second worst weighted horse in the field, being 7,5kg out with Victoria Paige, but he has always struck as one who was capable of further progression as a four-year-old and he now has his third run after a layoff. In his first two runs this season he finished second to the useful Category Four and second to Seven Patriots, both over this trip. He is 1kg better off with Seven Patriots for a 4,25 length beating on their last meeting. However, in their previous meeting Christopher Robin beat Seven Patriots by 0,75 lengths on the same equal weight terms as here.

The Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Seven Patriots was given an easy lead in his last run, when going on to win comfortably, but that is unlikely to happen here because firstly he has a wide draw and secondly his stablemate Orpheus is in the field. However, he did win fluently that day though and is a contender.

Orpheus is a big horse so should be cherry ripe in his third run after a layoff. From pole position and carrying a nice galloping weight of 54kg he is going to be dangerous in his favourite front-running role.

The topweight is Green Haze and he will need to step up considerably from his Charity Mile run when not making much progress from last. 

Astrix has the class to win this. In his only try at the trip he was caught wide from draw 16 of 16 in the Grade 1 SA Classic and not surprisingly faded at the business end. He has another wide draw but will now be ridden by Warren Kennedy, whose skill in placing horses is not matched by many in this country. If he does find cover the Vercingetorix gelding could stay the trip and will be a big runner despite being 4,5kg under sufferance with Victoria Paige.

Imperial Ruby is 3kg under sufferance with Victoria Paige and would prefer further. 

Glider Pilot was in good form earlier this season but has not run since March and at the beginning of the season did not do well in two runs following a layoff. 

Dark Moon Rising did not make any impression when trying to run on from last against Seven Patriots last time and finished 14 lengths back. The blinkers come on to help him bounce back but he is hard to fancy. 

Snow Palace ran a fair race in her penultimate start over 2000m and also ran a good fourth in the Gold Bracelet on Gold Cup day. However, she has a tricky draw, especially for one who likes to be handy or lead, and her lacklustre last run over 2400m puts a bit of a cloud over her. 

Dance Class is 8kg under sufferance with Victoria Paige and although she has progressed nicely this season her last two defeats off her current 92 rating suggests she might not be capable of improving by that much in just one race. 

Victoria Paige is selected to beat Christopher Robin with Orpheus next best and they could be followed home by Seven Patriots Tibury Fort and Astrix.