Rain is in short supply in most of southern Africa but punters will be looking to Mike de Kock’s filly Rain In Africa to beak her drought when she runs in the seventh at Greyville this afternoon.

On a card littered with Maidens and Handicap punters will be digging deep into the form book where all races are on the poly, and all barring one with maximum fields.

Rain In Africa has her first outing in KZN after running up a string of placings on the Highveld but alarmingly in most of those races the jockeys have returned reporting respiratory noises which does not augur well. However, that has not been enough to stop her finishing in the money in all of her seven starts and the switch to poly over the minimum trip may finally get her over the line.

The balance of the runners consists of a group of fellow battlers but the danger could come in the form of two-year-old Castor Cat. Weiho Marwing’s runner has also been reported to have breathing issues but she did improve last time out and could be finding form.

Silver Sage and Smart World will be popular choices in the last and barring sudden improvement by one or two of the opposition, should fight this one out.

Silver Sage comes from the all-conquering Sean Tarry yard and has put in two smart efforts on the poly since making his debut. He was doing his best work late behind the heavily backed Starrett City late last month and is the likely favourite.

However, apprentice Lyle Hewitson will have to deal with old fox Anton Marcus aboard Dennis Drier’s charge Smart World that steps out in blinkers for the first time. He raced on the same day as Silver Sage, but over a ‘mile’, and gave the impression that he would enjoy today’s extended trip as he was running on stoutly in the finish after missing the jump.

Blinkers and Marcus could be enough to get him off the mark.

The opening leg of the Pick 6 is a nightmare race. Trinity Hall has been knocking at the door for some time now but could again leave the door open has pulled another tough draw. Drier, ahead in the KZN Trainer’s Championship, could take advantage and add another to his total with Majix. The grey found trouble at the start last time after showing steady improvement. He races in a tongue-tie for the first time.

A Divided Handicap heads the card where Executive Power can go one better after being caught late by the smart Paterfamilias on the Greyville poly. Prior to that he has some smart form in strong company and from the best of the draw can add to an already useful record.

Chestnut’s Rocket appears to have taken a liking to Scottsville where he won a feature as a three-year-old and finished runner-up to It Is Written over the course and distance when making his seasonal KZN debut back in March. He has to give a bit of pudding to the younger Executive Power and that may be what separates the pair at the line.

Sail South, Diamond King, Master James and the grey Isca, who blew the start and declared a non-runner at his last intended start, are others to consider in a difficult race.

Irish Pride and Cape Laddie look the principal contenders in the fifth but both have been compromised by wide draws. Cape Laddie has not been out since November last year but showed early in his career when making his debut on the Greyville poly that he is a horse with potential.

Dean Kannemeyer is a past master at letting his runners mature without being under pressure and Cape Laddie could prove the pick of the field in spite of the draw.

By Andrew Harrison

Ashburton trainer Duncan Howells captured the R200,000 KZN Winter Challenge 1600 on Saturday with the Brazilian-bred five-year-old gelding Nicklaus, but the chances of his classy but luckless Mambo In Seattle gelding Saratoga Dancer making the final Vodacom Durban July field were dealt a blow as he endured more bad luck in the Gr 3 Cup Trial.

Glen Kotzen and Charles Laird won the other two Winter Challenge finals, while Dean Kannemeyer walked away with a handsome cheque for winning the series.

In the Cup Trial, a handicap over 1800m, Saratoga Dancer had to jump from the widest draw of all, but Muzi Yeni was able to find cover quickly near the back of the field after dropping him out. However, the slow fractions set by eventual winner Exit Here did him no favours as he was unable to use his sizeable stride. Then just as he was winding up into that stride in the straight towards the outside, The Conglomerate switched outward around a horse and leaned on Saratoga Dancer for much of the remainder of the straight, thereby affecting his momentum at a crucial stage.

Saratoga Dancer crossed the line fourth, beaten a head by The Conglomerate and 1,35 lengths by Exit Here. It is unlikely to be enough to warrant a July berth considering he ran off a relatively low 95 merit rating. However, the stipendiaries duly awarded him third place after Howells had objected.

Howells said he would still keep Saratoga Dancer in the July mix with the slim hope of being given the nod by the panel. He otherwise might go for the consolation race, the Gr 3 Delta airlines 2200, where the horse has once again drawn wide in 40 out of 48 nominations. Howells said all things considered Saratoga Dancer had run “an absolute cracker” on Saturday. He remains an eye catching horse and is definitely still one to follow.

Howells gained consolation when the Steven Chetty-owned 78 merit-rated Nicklaus won the Winter Challenge 1600 from a pole position draw. The 12/1 shot ran on well under Yeni to beat Royal Life by a whisker. He thereby spoilt a party as the latter had been backed in to 22/10 favouritism. Cat In Command was a further short-head back in a thrilling finish.

The KZN Winter Challenge 2000 was next up and also produced an exciting finish. Kotzen had been confident of success as his three-year-old Go Deputy gelding Rap Attack had run a good third to Royal Life over 1600m in his previous start after being dropped five points to a competitive merit rating of 80.

This was his first attempt at 2000m and he built up a big lead in the straight after quickening from a handy position. He held on from a flying Live On The Moon to win by 0,25 lengths, converting odds of 6/1. Kotzen felt it to be an encouraging run by the Brian “Buffalo Bill” Burnard-owned horse, because jockey Keagan De Melo, who rode a double on the day, had not expected him to quicken so well at the top of the straight and could only have learnt from the ride.

The Charles Laird-trained and Markus and Ingrid Jooste-owned three-year-old Kahal gelding Top Form led from the off in the Winter Challenge 1200. Challengers appeared from all quarters in the straight but he was kept going in master class style by Anton Marcus, who only used the stick after passing the 200m mark and chiefly in order to keep the horse on a straight course.

Top Form, winning for only the second time despite his lofty 86 merit rating, was a former rig, and felt it. Therefore, he could now progress further and Laird believes he will be even better on the poly.

Kannemeyer earned a cheque of R28,000 as his consistent Western Winter colt Canigao accumulated the most points, 33, during the series. Greg and Karen Anthony earned the second place cheque thanks to Poivre and Fantasy Art secured the third place cheque for trainer Tony Rivalland.

Kannemeyer also had a lot to be happy about earlier in the meeting. The CTS Premier Yearling Sale R3,7 million graduate Last Winter, chosen by Kannemeyer and his trusted bloodstock agent Jehan Malherbe, overcame a wide draw to win a 1200m Maiden Juvenile Plate by two lengths under Anthony Delpech on debut. Kannemeyer described the Western Winter colt as a beautifully balanced horse with a good temperament and a lot of class.

“He is starting to fill out nicely, but I might sit on him until the spring as he will make a nice three-year-old,” he said.

David Thiselton

 

*Denotes Supplementary Entries = ONE

FINAL SUPPLEMENTARY ENTRIES & WEIGHTS (14 JUNE 2016)

HORSE               A/S WGT  M/R   TRAINER

LEGAL EAGLE        (4G) 60.0 120   Sean Tarry

FRENCH NAVY        (4G) 57.5 115   Sean Tarry

MAC DE LAGO (AUS)  (4G) 57.0 114   Weiho Marwing

ABASHIRI           (3G) 56.5 117   Mike Azzie

MASTER SABINA      (6G) 54.0 108   Geoff Woodruff

NEW PREDATOR (AUS) (3C) 53.0 107   Johan Janse van Vuuren

BLACK ARTHUR       (3C) 53.0 106   Justin Snaith

DEO JUVENTE        (4G) 53.0 106   Geoff Woodruff

OLMA               (4F) 53.0 106   Frank Robinson

RABADA             (3C) 53.0 106   Mike Azzie

SAMURAI BLADE (AUS (3C) 53.0 106   Sean Tarry

SOLID SPEED        (5G) 53.0 106 B Dean Kannemeyer

IT’S MY TURN       (3G) 53.0 105   Justin Snaith

*JUDICIAL          (5G) 53.0 105   Tyrone Zackey

PUNTA ARENAS       (7G) 53.0 105 C Dennis Drier

ROCKETBALL         (3G) 53.0 105   Gavin van Zyl

GOLD ONYX (NZ)     (8G) 53.0 103   Sean Tarry

MAMBO MIME         (3C) 53.0 103   Dean Kannemeyer

ROMANY PRINCE      (3G) 53.0 102   Ormond Ferraris

TEN GUN SALUTE (AU (3C) 53.0 102   Duncan Howells

BALANCE SHEET      (4G) 53.0 101 B Dean Kannemeyer

BANKABLE TEDDY     (3C) 53.0 101 B Brian Wiid

DISCO AL           (6G) 53.0 101   Joey Ramsden

MARINARESCO        (3G) 53.0 101 B Mike Bass

PROSPECT STRIKE    (3G) 53.0 101   Sean Tarry

THE CONGLOMERATE ( (4G) 53.0 101   Joey Ramsden

DYNAMIC            (6G) 53.0 100   Justin Snaith

MASTER’S EYE       (4G) 53.0 100   Justin Snaith

ST TROPEZ          (4G) 53.0  99   Joey Ramsden

MASTER SWITCH      (4G) 53.0  98   Geoff Woodruff

DEPUTY JUD         (4G) 53.0  97   Mike Azzie

DIESEL JET         (4C) 53.0  96   Erico Verdonese

SARATOGA DANCER    (4G) 53.0  95   Duncan Howells

RAINY DAY BLUES    (4G) 53.0  92   Joe Soma

JUBILEE LINE       (3G) 53.0  90   Mike de Kock

BELA-BELA          (3F) 52.0 107   Justin Snaith

NEGROAMARO         (3F) 52.0 102   Johan Janse van Vuuren

TROPHY WIFE        (4F) 52.0 101   Sean Tarry

THE CENTENARY (NZ) (4F) 52.0  98   Mike de Kock

Please Note:

• Final Declarations closes @ 11:00 Monday, 20 June 2016
• Final Fields will be embargoed at 11:00
• Final Field announcement will be live on Tellytrack on Tuesday, 21 June 2016 at 12:50
• Barrier Draws to be done and announced on Tellytrack on Tuesday, 21 June 2016 at 14:00

Ante-post betting (as at June 14) for the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July to be run on Saturday, 2 July 2016: 

5-1 Black Arthur; 6-1 Marinaresco; 8-1 Legal Eagle, French Navy; 9-1 Bela-Bela; 12-1 Abashiri; 13-1 Its My Turn, Mac De Lago, 14-1 Solid Speed, Rabada, 15-1 St Tropez, Mambo Mime; 28-1 Dynamic, Deo Juvente, 30-1 Rocketball; 33-1 Trophy Wife, The Conglomerate,  Ten Gun Salute, Master Sabina; 40-1 Negroamaro, 55-1 Samurai Blade, 75-1 Saratoga Dancer, Judicial, Balance Sheet; 90-1 New Predator, 125-1 Olma, Punta Arenas; 150/1 upwards the others

J&B Met-winning trainer Alec Laird believed he had landed a bargain when securing Judpot filly Maleficent for R160,000 at the Bloodstock SA Val De Vie Sale last year and she proved it at Greyville on Saturday when winning the Listed Devon Air Stakes over 1400m in fine style to give her regular rider Weichong Marwing the first leg of a feature race double.

Her value had already been made greater recently by her full-brother Rocketball, who came close to upsetting Triple Crown hero Abashiri in the Gr 1 SA Derby before finishing a decent fourth in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000.

Maleficent ran green almost throughout on Saturday, but still managed to beat the always handy Querari Falcon by 3,25 lengths, an amazing margin considering how long she took to get going.

She is unbeaten in two starts over 1400m, having lost narrowly on debut over 1200m, and has put a total of 8,75 lengths between herself and the opposition.

Laird said, “She is a strong girl.”

He added she would likely line up for the Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day and he would play it by ear from there.

Laird won the colt’s equivalent of that race, the Durban Golden Horseshoe, with another progeny of Judpot, Forest Indigo, in 2013.

Both events have been downgraded from Gr 1 to Gr 2 this year.

Maleficent, who is owned by Chris Gerber and was bred by Shirluck Stud, has landed a plum draw of two among the 28 nominations for the Golden Slipper.

By David Thiselton

Stalwart Cape trainer Brett Crawford seldom leaves KZN in the autumn without a Graded trophy in the bag and he secured his first big race victory of this year’s SA Champions Season on Saturday when the speedy four-year-old Dynasty filly Alexis proved her liking for Greyville by running on strongly under stable jockey Corne Orffer to win the Gr 2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m.

Crawford admitted 1400m was probably the small filly’s best trip. However, she gets a mile and will line up next in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m on Vodacom Durban July day.

Alexis has now won three of her four starts at Greyville, including last season’s Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas, which proved her effectiveness over a mile. The Connemara Stud-bred filly is owned by Delma Sherrell, whose former Springbok rugby-playing son Lance has become very passionate about horseracing and made a rare non-appearance on course on Saturday.

The Mike Bass-trained pair Silver Mountain and Inara ran second and fourth respectively in the Tibouchina. Assistant trainer Robert Fayd’Herbe was pleased with both runs going into the Garden Province. They were split by the ever-improving Weiho Marwing-trained Sensible Lover, whose days of being sent out in big races at long prices are over, despite her still relatively lowly merit rating of 95. She is also an entry in the Garden Province.

The front-running Duncan Howells-trained Little Black Number was swamped late but earned a cheque for a gallant fifth place finish.

The Frank Robinson-trained Olma raced wide from a high draw and finished a 2,75 length sixth. However, Piere Strydom climbed off and immediately asked Robinson for the ride in the Garden Province, which the latter obviously jumped at.

In the Garden Province Alexis has drawn 15 of the 21 nominations, Silver Mountain has drawn five, Sensible Lover eight, Inara four and Olma thirteen.

Crawford’s charges have tended to need their first runs in KZN this season, so should all be watched from now on in.

He later sent out Big Cat in the Gr 2 Cup Trial, but this horse did not appear to be himself and ran last.

Big Cat’s passionate part-owners James Drew and Mike Fullard also have shares in Punta Arenas, who ran ninth in the Cup Trial for the Dennis Drier yard.

The pair had a rare winter last year in which they had no concerns about the perennial borderline Punta Arenas qualifying for the July, as he won the Cup Trial, before going on to finish an unlucky second in the big one. However, it a reversion to finger-nail chewing time again this year.

Drew was initially disappointed in Punta Arenas run on Saturday. However, he was later shocked to see he had only finished 2,65 lengths back, so then became hopeful again as the horse had carried topweight off his 107 merit rating and in his opinion had fulfilled the criteria of “showing his well-being.”

David Thiselton