Vodacom Durban July-winning jockey Piere Strydom admitted he had jumped off Talktothestars for the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint, to be run this Saturday at Greyville, only because of loyalty to the connections of Trip Tease.

He said, “I have been riding for Louis (Goosen) and Mr Ferreira for so long and don’t want to mess it up for just one ride. But, if that was not the case I would have chosen to ride Talktothestars without a doubt. “

Trip Tease has only ever raced beyond 1000m once, but Strydom said the speedster had been settling a bit better lately, so was hopeful he would stay the 1200m trip. The five-year-old Trippi gelding, who has won 15 of his 25 races, has only been around the turn once on turf, and that was when winning over 1000m early in his career on the Turffontein Inside track. Strydom felt only Saturday’s race would tell how he handled the Greyville turn.

Strydom makes Talktothestars, whom he won the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint on, as well as Trip To Heaven the pair to beat on Saturday. He said the only thing in Trip Tease’s favour over that pair was his pole position draw.

Meanwhile, Trip To Heaven and Talktothestars are drawn 5 and 15 respectively. Strydom concluded, “Hopefully from the draw we have a chance.”

The Joey Ramsden-trained The Conglomerate provided Strydom with a record-equalling fourth July victory two weekends ago. The brilliant rider joined the great Harold “Tiger” Wright as well as Anton Marcus and Anthony Delpech on that mark.

Piere Strydom poster: Gold Circle Publishing

Strydom compared his first July winner London News (1996) to The Conglomerate, “London News was made for the July, he had natural gatespeed, he travelled well and he had great acceleration. But The Conglomerate didn’t have much in his favour and everything had to come right on the day.”

He had committed to ride for owner Markus Jooste after one of his many original options Black Arthur had initially been set to carry 53kg. However, he admitted asking to be released from this commitment after winning the Rising Sun Gold Challenge on Mac De Lago. The answer was no and he then still had to wait for Anton Marcus to make his choice too.

He said, “I was only on The Conglomerate at the last minute and we then drew 20. But on the day everything just worked out extremely well from the point of view of soundness, the way he behaved at the start, the way he started, then there wasn’t much pace, so he got there for nothing and then he quickened well. You don’t always get all of that.”

In the back of his mind had been the strangeness of the weight structure, with most of the field including all bar one of the three-year-olds being under sufferance.

However, in his analysis “nothing stood out” and ”form-wise there was about 2,5 lengths from first to last, everything had a small chance.” Therefore, when getting into his handy position for nothing he was confident he had a chance, especially with the going being quick on the day.

His confidence proved well founded as the four-year-old Australian-bred Lonhro gelding quickened well and had the race won before the flying Marinaresco arrived on the scene to be beaten just 0,25 lengths.

Strydom’s milestone 5000^th winner was also achieved in the Jooste colours on a Ramsden-trained horse when winning the Gr 2 Selangor Cup on November 22, 2014, on Act Of War.

The peerless jockey has already ridden three Gr 1 winners since coming back from a three-and-half-month layoff for a broken collar bone on May 24 and will be hoping to add another one on Saturday.

David Thiselton

Apprentice Lyle Hewitson lost his weight claim at The Vaal racecourse yesterday after riding his 60^th winner in the professional ranks aboard the Sean Tarry-trained A Greater Power, a two-year-old National Emblem colt who started 9/20 favourite in a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1600m.

Hewitson achieved this feat in record-breaking time, having had his first professional ride on March 6 this year, and A Greater Power was only his 460^th ride. He said, “It is all down to the support I have been given.”

However, that was a typically modest assessment. He rode 22 winners as an amateur workrider, but few would have foreseen him setting the stage alight as much has he has done since matriculating with 6 A’s at Kearsney College at the end of last year before joining the South African Jockey’s Academy (SAJA).

He already has one ride in the Vodacom Durban July under the belt, as well as a Gr 3 and a Listed victory, and has ridden at a strike rate of  just over 13%.

He is lying in second place in the national apprentice championships, despite having only ridden for a third of the season, and is only thirteen behind Callan Murray’s 74 winners.

Murray rode a winner at the meeting yesterday, but Hewitson completed a double in the last race on the Mike Azzie-trained Awesome Adam to go to 61 winners and close the gap again.

Unfortunately, there are just under two-and-a-half weeks of the season remaining so he is unlikely to catch Murray, who is also a shining beacon to the important role SAJA plays in the industry.

David Thiselton

Greyville has a nine race meeting on the polytrack tomorrow and there look to be a few opportunities for punters.

In the first over 1000m Rebel Rose has a lot of pace and is the one to beat having been unlucky last time against a good sort and having gone too fast before that also against a good field, both on the tough Scottsville track. Royal Rose is well regarded and is interesting dropped back to this trip from pole position. Aphrodeity’s Rain by Argonaut is interesting on debut for the often on the mark Wright/Delpech combination.

In the second over 1200m Soldier’s Bride was baulked late last time and can reverse course and distance form with Ichkeria from similar respective draws. The frustrating Burfi has a good draw over a suitable trip with a top class 1,5kg claimer up and the blinkers have come off.

In the third over 1400m Qeyaadah will relish the step down to this trip from pole position, having pulled over 1600m last time when just failing at Scottsville. Mr O’Neill will go close if settling better than he did last time from a wide draw over this course and distance. Without A Doubt has a good chance if able to find cover from a wide draw as the form of this talented long-striding sort’s last race has worked out well.

In the fourth over 1400m Black Hall Bar should enjoy the step down in trip and could win from start to finish under a top class 1,5kg claimer. Joy To Joy is well drawn and will be running on but strikes as one who would prefer further so might not catch Black Hall Bar like she did last time over 1600m. Film Star is by Black Minnaloushe out of a Galileo mare who won a Listed race at Fairview over 1600m and from a pole position draw must be considered.

Executive Power (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the fifth over 1400m Executive Power has a good chance if able to get to the front from a tough draw. Purple Mountains finished fourth in the Gr 3 Cape Classic over this trip and has now come down to a competitive merit rating so has a chance with Marcus up from pole position. He should have come on from his last run when a bit keen over this trip at Scottsville. Never Settle is well regarded and course and distance suited. Kiss Me Hardy is in fine form and should be running on. Sabadell was caught wide last time and with better luck could earn.

In the sixth over 1400m Arctica returns from a three month layoff, but he won well last time in his first run after gelding over this trip at the Vaal. The pole position draw will suit his handy style perfectly. Delpech is an eyecatching booking. Hyaku took well to poly last time when winning over 1600m and enjoys this trip, so should be right there despite a six point raise. Nineteen Fourteen is an honest sort who jumps from a good draw over a suitable trip with a 4kg claimer up. Tipo Tinto is better than his last run and should be running on after being dropped out from a wide draw over an ideal trip. Do Be Snappy should earn over an ideal trip if overcoming the draw.

In the seventh over 1900m Overly Impressed has always struck as one who would improve with age as well as a step up in trip. Anton Marcus remains aboard after the horse was given a mere 60 merit rating for her running on win over 1600m last time following a slow start. Lady Linda won hands and heels when sent to the front over this trip in a maiden last time. It would be no surprise to see her following up off a lenient merit rating of 64. Fashion Secret runs off a mark 28 points lower than her sand rating and strikes as one who would enjoy the step  up in trip from pole position.

The eighth over 1900m is open. Zilla got going too late last time over this sort of trip at Scottsville and the strong jockey Sean Veale should suit her down to the ground. Ruby Gem gets first time blinkers on and proved she enjoys this trip last time when baulked in the straight at Scottsville. She is a galloping type who enjoys the poly and Anthony Delpech will help her overcome the draw. Jet Turbine is the one to beat if reproducing her poly form, but has to bounce back from a poor run on the turf. Aventurine set a slow pace when running a cracker in a KZN Breeders event over this trip when way out at the weights and a will go close with a repeat, but she is now drawn wide as opposed to pole in that last race. Sword Storm is capable of a strong finish from off the pace, so is likely to be dropped out from a wide draw. Tigeress Dance is bred to appreciate this trip and has a big chance if settling better than she did last time, but the concern in that regard is the tricky draw. King’s Lady can’t be ignored as one who stayed on over 2000m here in her penultimate start.

In the ninth, a maiden over 1950m, Sambora should win if repeating his last run over course and distance when way out at the weights against winners in a KZN Breeders event. The faster pace of a non-maiden race favoured him, but such is the strength of his finish he should be able to mow this field down in the straight even behind slow fractions. His good draw will help his cause. Mighty Mississippi could pose a threat as he looks likely to relish the step up in trip and as a galloping type he could lead from pole position and stay on. For Ever is widely drawn but can do better than last time when not finding the clearest of runs in the straight over 2000m on the poly and finishing 2,5 lengths behind Sambora.

David Thiselton

Vodacom Durban July hero The Conglomerate may return to Greyville on July 30 for the Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup.

Joey Ramsden said yesterday: “He seems to be fine after the race and yes, he could run.”

The Conglomerate has again drawn wide in the 1 800m Grade 1 – 15 out of 20, compared with 18 out of 18 in the July. No horse has won the July and the Champions Cup in the same season since El Picha 16 years ago and in the last five seasons the July winner has not even run in the other race.

Ramsden has cleared up the mystery of why his better fancied runner St Tropez faded badly to finish last but one and said: “He pulled up with a sore back.”

Michael Clower

Talktothestars and Carry On Alice head the list of entries for the Mercury Sprint to be run over 1200m at Greyville on Saturday.

However, both have drawn wide so the ball will be in the court of two of the next highest rated runners in the field, Trip To Heaven, who is drawn in five out of 24 nominations, and Trip Tease, who is drawn in pole position and will be out to land a deserved first Gr 1 trophy.

Piere Strydom has jumped ship from Talktothestars on to Trip Tease, who is trained by his former brother-in-law Louis Goosen. Strydom has won three Gr 1s, including the Vodacom Durban July, since returning from a three-and-a-half month layoff for a broken collar bone on May 24. He partnered Trip Tease to a facile 3,25 length victory in a Pinnacle Stakes race over 1000m at Turffontein on June 16. This was the six-year-old Trippi gelding’s 15^th win in 25 starts and his sixth win with Strydom up. Trip Tease has won around the bend on the Turffontein Inside track before, but the bend only constitutes about 300m of a race over that course and distance whereas at Greyville it will constitute 750m of the Mercury Sprint course and distance.

Talktothestars (Nkosi Hlophe)

Furthermore, that Turffontein Inside track run remains Trip Tease’s only ever run around the turn on turf and happened in his fifth career start over two years ago. He did run around the turn on the Vaal sand once, finishing third over 1200m in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1200m, but the bend was only negotiated for 200m over that course and distance. On the bright side Trip Tease proved just how much speed he has when winning the Easter Dash over 600m, so jumping from pole position will be especially advantageous on Saturday, provided he handles the turn. However, another downside is he has only ever raced beyond 1000m once, and that was in the aforementioned defeat on the Vaal sand.

The talented and versatile Trip To Heaven, who only lost the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge in the boardroom, will also be out to land a first Gr 1 and looks to have a massive shout in a race which could pan out well for him. He showed just how exceptional his turn of foot is in the Rising Sun, coming from last to first in a matter of strides despite going around the field. He will likely be dropped out again, unlike in this race last year when handy and fighting for his head from a draw of two, which led to him falling in a hole. Another reason to drop him out is he has developed a bit of a tardy starting habit. The pace will be the key to his chances.

Carry On Alice (Nkosi Hlophe)

Three-times Gr 1-winning sprinter Carry On Alice ran on strongly for a 4,5 length second in last season’s Mercury Sprint when dropped out from a  draw of six. On the downside her wide draw (19 of 24 nominations) means she might have to be dropped out again. However, on the plus side there appears to be more pace in the race than there was last year and there are no horses quite of the calibre of Captain Of All in the field, even if Talktothestars on 121 is rated one point higher than Captain Of All was at this time last year.

The Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint-winner Talktothestars has run around the turn four times in races of 1400m and beyond and was unplaced in all of them, while his sprint record around the turn is limited to a second place over 1000m on the Turffontein Inside track in a handicap at which stage he was a lowly rated 71 three-year-old. However, the four-year-old gelding, who usually races without shoes, has clearly improved considerably since then. He proved when finishing second in the Computaform Sprint how strongly he can turn it on from off the pace and he later proved his versatility by winning from a handy position in the Tsogo Sun Sprint. The jockey is yet to be declared, but will have plenty of planning to do from the wide draw (21 among the nominations).

Real Princess, who beat a luckless Carry On Alice in the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint over this trip, has drawn quite well in eight. She has a fine turn of foot, so Greyville should suit her.

Gulf Storm, the Gr 1 Cape Flying Championship winner, is better than his Tsogo Sun unplaced effort and is the fourth highest runner in the field. His wide draw (currently 13) is a concern for one who likes to be up there.

The classy Red Ray should be cherry ripe having his third run after a long layoff and will be hoping for more luck than he had when joint-topweight in the Gr 2 Post Merchants over course and distance, although from a current draw of 12 he might not be any better drawn.

Flybynight won this race two years ago when it was it was still being run at Clairwood and bounced back to form with a second place in the City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint. However, she is drawn way out in 18 as opposed to five when finishing fourth last year.

Computaform Sprint third-placed Barbosa is better than his Tsogo Sun Sprint run, but is another with a very wide draw (23).

Redcarpet Captain is an intriguing entry in a current draw six, despite having a lot to do off a merit rating of 101, as he showed just how much gelding had benefited him on Vodacom Durban July day when winning well over 1200m on the poly.

Other intriguing entries include Night Trip and Heartland, who stay further but have a touch of class, and both are well drawn. A notable absentee from the nomination is the facile winner of the Post Merchants, Kangaroo Jack.

However, just about all of the best sprinters in the land will likely line up and it is going to be one to savour.

David Thiselton