Trainer Justin Snaith said his Gr 1 Mercury Sprint contender Heartland had been doing very well at home since gelding and he made him the dark horse in Saturday’s weight-for-age 1200m race.

He said, “He won very well last time at Scottsville over 1400m. He is a brilliant 1400m horse so this is a bit on the sharp side. But there is a slight hill at Greyville which makes it more testing. It is certainly a lot harder than the Scottsville 1200m. He is drawn well and it was very important to have a good jockey, so we are very happy to have Weichong Marwing aboard. I think the pace will be quite fast and he will come from just off them.”

The four-year-old Dynasty gelding displayed his liking for Greyville when winning the Gr 3 Byerley Turk over 1400m at Greyville last year. He was handy in a slow run race there and won the sprint for home, which augurs well for his chances on Saturday. He then disappointed in the KRA Guineas and was laid off for the rest of the season.

He finished second to Act Of War in the Gr 3 Matchem Stakes over 1400m at Durbanville in his reappearance last October and then won the Listed Jet Master Stakes over 1600m at Kenilworth in December two runs later. However, he disappointed in both the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and Calulo Mile, so the gelding was clearly necessary. This always highly regarded sort is indeed an intriguing runner, despite having a lot to do on paper off an official merit rating of 106. He jumps from draw two.

Snaith has one other runner on the day, three-year-old Dynasty gelding Shenyang, who runs in the eighth over 1000m on the poly. He said this horse had been doing “better” at home. He pointed out the horse had “run away” down to the start last time so that run could be ignored.

Shenyang has speed and finished just 1,5 lengths behind Captain Swarovski over 1200m at Kenilworth in January with Piere Strydom up, albeit when receiving 2,5kg. Now off a four point lower merit rating, pole position draw and Strydom back aboard, he can’t be ignored despite having finished last in both of his KZN outings to date.

David Thiselton

Reigning South African champion jockey Gavin Lerena said all was well with his Gr 1 Mercury Sprint contender Talktothestars and he also revealed he will not be returning to Hong Kong next season, but will instead be chasing another SA Championship.

Trainer Coenie de Beer was travelling Talktothestars down from the Vaal to Durban yesterday (Wednesday) and the horse will have a canter around Greyville before the big race on Saturday. The four-year-old Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint winner has a tough draw to overcome, but De Beer pointed out wide draws have a good record at Greyville statistically.

Lerena only arrived back from Hong Kong on Monday, so has not been riding the Overlord gelding in work. However, he said De Beer had reported him to be fit and well. Talktothestars is a versatile type. He can use his speed to be up with them, but has a devastating turn of foot, so can also come from off the pace.

The rags-to-riches fairytale horse has been declared to run without shoes as usual and as the probable most travelled horse in the country will not have been affected by yesterday’s journey.

Lerena said about his stint in Hong Kong, “It was a fantastic experience, but it was very tough to break in. All the holes are plugged and the trainers have got their jockeys. But I would love to go back in a year or two’s time when I will know what to expect.”

Lerena said current Hong Kong champion jockey Joao Moreira was so in demand he was effectively controlling the market.

Most Hong Kong races are “class” defined and there are five classes from one to five.

Lerena said in each of these class races there were usually about four horses capable of winning and Moreira would often be offered the ride on all four. After choosing one he apparently often advises the owners of the other three of his willingness to ride their charges in forthcoming races. The owners of these three then often scratch due to this commitment. When this scenario plays out, Moreira’s mount now effectively has what would have been the fifth favourite as the main danger. The competition is thus being taken out of the racing.

Lerena clarified, “I am not saying it happens every race, but I would say about 60% of the time.”

Lerena pointed out even thirteen-times champion jockey Douglas Whyte had been battling to get good rides lately. Other jockeys who are in demand are Zac Purton and apprentice female Kei Chiong and Lerena pointed out the latter was allowed a ten pound claim, despite having previously ridden 43 winners in New Zealand.

Lerena rode five winners in his stint in Hong Kong, which began in late February, and was proud of his place strike rate of 33% considering his lack of opportunities.

He said, “You have to up your game in Hong Kong.” This is due to the level of competition and improvement in many areas is a natural consequence. He pointed out judgement of pace became almost an automatic skill for a jockey who had ridden for a period in Hong Kong.

Lerena is looking forward to partnering Master Sabina in either the eLan Gold Cup or Champions Cup. “I love riding this horse,” he admitted.

He said he had been forced to take Master Sabina back early in the Vodacom Durban July, so was considerably further back than he had wanted to be, but said the Jet Master six-year-old, on whom he landed his second career Sansui Summer Cup, had run on really well in the straight to finish a 3,35 length ninth.

Lerena will head to the UK for the Shergar Cup in August and is hoping to land a few rides in France before coming home to chase the championships.

David Thiselton

National champion trainer Sean Tarry is pleased with his Gr 1 Mercury Sprint contender Trip To Heaven at Summerveld and revealed the scratching of Carry On Alice was the result of a decision not to “gamble” from a wide draw.

Tarry said the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge had proved Trip To Heaven was probably best at 1200-1400m, but could get away with a mile at Greyville. The four-year-old Trippi gelding showed an exceptional turn of foot in the Gold Challenge, coming around them from last to hit the front in a matter of strides. However, he lost the race on objection after carrying Mac De Lago across the course.

Tarry said coming down in trip to 1200m five weeks after the Gold Challenge would not pose a problem for a horse who possessed so much speed.

He said the key obstacle would be the start, as the horse had tended to jump tardily lately. However, he was not overly concerned.

Tarry felt the horse could lead if jumping well, but if losing a length could sit off them and use that turn of foot to make up the leeway in the straight.

Last year Trip To Heaven fought for his head in a handy position, but Tarry was not at all enamoured with the ride. He said the plan had definitely not been to “break his jaw” and added the race had been gifted to Captain Of All as Trip To Heaven’s natural pace should have been used.

He is happy with the riding arrangement this year and said, “S’manga (Khumalo) knows the horse well.”

Khumalo has ridden the Highlands Farm Stud-bred speedster in eleven of his thirteen starts and has been aboard for all four of his career wins, which includes Grade 2s over 1160m and 1450m respectively. Trip To Heaven has been at Summerveld since the Gold Challenge.

Tarry said Carry On Alice was fit and well and he planned to keep her in training, although this had not been discussed yet with the connections.

He also runs five horses in the Listed Off To Stud Stakes on Saturday over 1600m. He was reluctant to single any of them out as he said all of them had things in their favour as well as question marks against them.

However, he pointed out, contrary to assumptions made in the press and by the public, Khumalo does not have an automatic choice of ride for his yard’s runners. He said rather the method was for himself to allocate rides to the jockeys and he usually did this based on the suitability of rider to horse as well as familiarity and also the success a rider had had with a horse in the past.

Tarry runs Aventurine, who won at Greyville yesterday (Wednesday), in the Non-Black Type Queen Palm Stakes. He said this horse was able to run close up after a previous run and he was “taking a chance” with her in a race where she had a tough task at the weights.

David Thiselton

The Dennis Drier yard said the respective last runs of their Gr 1 Mercury Sprint contenders, Barbosa and Triptique, could be ignored and they had both been doing well at Summerveld.

Barbosa did not raise a gallop in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint, having come off an excellent third in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint. Triptique was tried over 1600m in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and plodded in the straight, having run on well for an excellent second before that in the Gr 2 Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m.

Triptique, who won the Gr 2 Cape Merchants over this trip at Kenilworth back in November, jumps from a tricky draw of eight.  However, stable jockey Sean Veale said, “He does not have a draw to overcome, because he comes from off them.”

Drier has always held this four-year-old Trippi gelding in high regard. The Drill Hall Stakes proved his suitability to Greyville and he could be the dark horse, although he does have a tough task at the weights off an official 106 merit rating.

Assistant trainer Stuart Ferrie believed Barbosa had the turn of foot necessary to overcome a tough draw of 16. Ian Sturgeon, who rode him in the Computaform Sprint, is back aboard.

The six-year-old Captain Al gelding has four wins, a second and a third from seven races contested this season. He has clearly come into his own. He is merit rated 108 and is another dark horse.

David Thiselton
Picture: Triptique (Liesl King)

The Vaal has an eight race card tomorrow on the outside track where outside draws tend to be favourable, although punters will have to do their homework as most races are competitive.

In the first over 1000m Pippi Shortsock could score for an in form stable having shown some zip with first time blinkers on last time. Lily Love will attempt to confirm form from that race, although the draw was probably more in her favour last time. Scarlet Lady and Golden Memories make most appeal of the rest and Imperial Topaz can earn with Strydom back aboard having done well on her in her first two starts.

In the second over 1600m the well drawn Promising Prospect picked up when a horse came alongside her over 1450m last time and she ten ran on well, so she should relish the step up in trip and should have benefitted from the experience of two runs. Northern Chorus ran well from a tough draw last time and should go close here from a good draw. Tennessee Red should enjoy the step up in trip. Eversilver is course and distance suited. Capricious could earn but has a tough draw. Vul Indlela is an interesting French bred by New Approach. Goflyakite is by Royal Air Force and is a half-sister to the fair sort Moggytwoshoes.

In the third over 1600m the promising two-year-old The Last Outlaw is the one to beat from a good high draw having run on well over 1450m on debut after being slowly away. Uposeupay has been knocking on the door over 1600m, but has a low draw. Mr. Joe Black has run two fair races over 1600m and has scope for further improvement.

In the fourth over 1600m Roving Jet should be involved from a favourable draw. Mr Balboa is holding form well, but has a low  draw over this suitable trip and he does have to overcome a two point merit rated raise. Pachucho ran a fair race first time out the maidens, but also has a low draw. Klondike River will enjoy the step down in trip having pulled over 1800m last time and if settling well could be a runner here off an attractive merit rating.  Champions Cup can earn from a good draw if repeating his last run.

In the fifth over 1000m Rafa should be running on well from a probably favourable high draw and is now down to a competitive merit rating. Jade Bay could overcome his draw with his speed and off a five point lowered merit rating could go close considering he did quite well last time despite stumbling and being bumped at the start, although the breathing noises he has been making are a concern. Magic should also be right there from a plum draw. Wisaam is talented and over this trip might get away with a six month layoff. Greasepaint has come class but must overcome a tricky draw. None of the field can be ignored in an open race.

In the sixth over 1000m Night Editor is still off a mark two points lower than his last winning mark and the race should pan out well for him with a top class 1,5kg claimer up from a likely good draw. The distance suited Chief Sioux has dropped to a competitive merit rating. Turbo Tom was unlucky the last time he went this course and distance, failing by a short-head after losing three lengths so has a chance.

In the seventh over 1200m the improving Shivering Sea, who has been knocking on the door over this course and distance, looks to be drawn on the right side and Khumalo is now up. Shepard One runs off the same mark as her last win and goes well for Andrew Fortune, so should go close over a suitable course and distance. Bally Swiss is talented and is better than her last run but she might have another tricky draw here.

In the eight race La Manga has good pace and might keep them at bay under Andrew Fortune after their good performance together over course and distance last time. Riverine Forest might be favoured by a high draw according to recent trends and will appreciate the step up to 1200m. S’way is interestingly being ridden by Piere Strydom, who rode the horse who beat it last time out. Captured Quality is improving and has been accorded a reasonable merit rating so could surprise although the low draw might pose a problem. Raring To Go has a form chance and Lakahal should be thereabouts if low draws prove to not be unfavourable on the day.

David Thiselton