When all goes well in horseracing it is a sport without peer. When it goes wrong it is frustrating, not a human condition that many owners, trainers and or officials, for that matter, can handle without a grimace and expletive.

Scottsville patrons were treated to both yesterday as the first race resulted in a punter’s refund while Heartland realised some of his potential in the meeting’s headliner.

Heartland (Nkosi Hlophe)

It was drama in the first as Muzi Yeni was left standing in the pens when the gates sprung leaving the heavily backed Hour Glass riderless and Duncan Howells cursing. Alongside Hour Glass, Anton Marcus was quick to pull up on the favourite Pep Squad who was also being difficult in the stalls but heeding a shout of ‘false start’ by the starter. The balance of the field bolted for home.

In subsequent reports to the Stipendiary Stewards, Marcus and Yeni both admitted to hearing starter Paul Hepworth call a false start while the other riders appeared oblivious to the call and continued with the race.

Further investigation showed that the assistant starter had not raised his “all clear” flag to indicate that all was in order behind the gate as both Hour Glass and Pep Squad had not settled and in fact Yeni had removed his feet from the irons and was calling for the starter to wait.

Hepworth reported that he had not effected the start as he was waiting for the “all clear” flag and was also aware of the two horses playing up in the gate.

However, the ‘starting stalls opened prematurely and by themselves’ according to the preliminary Stipes report and the sudden opening of the gates did not give Hepworth time to sound the ‘false start’ siren. However, he did shout the instruction heard by both Marcus and Yeni.

In terms of Rule 61.5.13.1, chief stipendiary steward Shaun Parker had no option but to declare the race null and void and all bets were refunded.

Justin Snaith (Nkosi Hlophe)

There was a happier ending for Justin Snaith as Heartland, a full brother to champion Jackson, finally got his act together but apparently and frustratingly, too late to follow the plan originally mapped out for him.

Flopping first time out as a gelding late last month, Heartland had everything in his favour in the Daniels Flooring Allowance Plate and in spite of tugging his way to the start in the preliminaries he did the deed as was expected of him, winning comfortably from Beat The Retreat and pacemaker Budapest.

Snaith said of Heartland, “He’s always been a very smart horse and we just always hoped that we could get him into the right races. He could be a horse next year for the Queen’s Plate but I’ve got a bit of work to do.

“We gelded him two weeks before I came to Durban and it just set him back and the other night we were actually quite confident but the 61-and-a-half, first run back from gelding and night racing he just wasn’t too sure what was happening. You can put a line through that.

“He came back blowing heavily and I knew what I needed to do.

“We wanted to go for a few features here but we sort of missed them,” Snaith concluded ruefully.

As Damon Runyon so famously wrote; “Well – that’s horseracing.”

By Andrew Harrison

Candice Robinson, who takes over when her father Mike Bass retires at the end of next month, means business in Durban as well as Cape Town and she is opening a permanent residency in Summerveld.

She has signed a contract with Rupert Plersche’s Janet Baker Properties for 30 stables in their private Summeveld training complex.

She said yesterday: “Having two centres to work from, with alternating peak seasons, makes sense for us in a lot of ways. The Summerveld  stable is also an alternative yard for us to race horses that may not be able to cope with the stronger competition that the Cape summer season offers.

“Another major enticing factor is that it serves as a sensible geographical base from which to raid Johannesburg.”

Mrs Robinson will take out her licence with the full support of her father who will stay on in an advisory capacity, and of her brother Mark who points out that training from a private Summerveld facility means that the stable’s horses will not fall under the current minimum merit rating restrictions for horses of visiting trainers.

Meanwhile, Basil Marcus, who lost consciousness after suffering from what was believed to be an epileptic seizure a week ago, has been released from the Milnerton Mediclinic.

Son Adam said: “He was in intensive care for a few days but he was looking better as each day went by and he is delighted to be home again. He is going to rest for the next couple of weeks and then hopefully it will all be a thing of the past.”

Michael Clower

The Charles Laird-trained Ice Machine can make up for last season’s hugely disappointing on course scratching by winning Saturday’s Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and there would hardly be a soul in the house who would begrudge this gallant seven-year-old Silvano gelding the victory.

Despite his brilliance, Ice Machine is yet to win a Gr 1.

Ice Machine (Nkosi Hlophe)

Last year, after a scintillating victory in the IOS Drill Hall Stakes, connections were optimistic of him upsetting the like of Legislate and Futura in the Gold Challenge. He had never been better in the build up, but alas, upon arriving at the course he stepped on a stone and had to be scratched.

There are no Legislates or Futuras in this year’s field and furthermore, with the scratching of Legal Eagle, the man who knows him best, Anton Marcus, is available to ride him. On the downside he is one year older than last year and has yet another wide draw to contend with.

However, Laird said Ice Machine was “very, very well” and his preparation had gone “exceptionally well”. He just hoped there would be a decent pace and not the same crawl which had played into the hands of pacemaker New Predator in the Drill Hall Stakes. Ice Machine was dropped out from a tricky draw of seven in the latter race and ran on strongly for a two length third.

Exit Here (Nkosi Hlophe)

Laird has Exit Here in the Gr 2 Cup Trial over 1800m. He scratched him from the Vodacom Durban July after his disappointing run in the Gr 2 Canon Guineas. However, this will likely be in his favour as the Cup Trial is now his chief target and the yard have been able to train him up to his peak.

Laird said a line could be drawn through the Canon Guineas run as Exit Here had been asked to set ridiculously fast fractions out in front under an inexperienced rider and had not surprisingly faded in the straight.

The Jay Peg colt will appreciate the step up in trip. However, Laird felt his 103 merit rating was still harsh, despite him having been dropped two points for that last run (The Cup Trial is a handicap). He also has a wide draw of ten to contend with, but Weichong Marwing is aboard and should give him every chance.

Laird has two horses in the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes for two-year-olds over 1400m.

He said Anton Marcus rated Warm White Night colt Buffalo Soldier and had always regarded him as one who would be better from 1400m up to 1600m. He jumps from a tricky draw of nine.

He finished 3,25 lengths behind Horse Guards over 1200m at Scottsville last time out in his second start, after having run on well to win over 1000m at Scottsville on debut. Horse Guards went on to disappoint in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion, but his saddle slipped, so it was not his race.

The other Laird runner in the Gatecrasher Stakes is the well-bred Silvano colt Palladium, who is a half-brother to the like of Val De Ra and Tevez. He jumped from a tricky draw over 1200m on the Greyville turf on debut and made up a lot of ground to just get up and beat the hard-knocking Rand Hedge. On that showing he should also appreciate 1400m. Laird described him as “decent”. Keagan de Melo sticks with him and they jump from a good draw of five.

David Thiselton

Highveld-based trainer Alec Laird is having another crack at the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge with Bezanova, who finished third in this race last year.

Bezanova has been at Summerveld since May 27 and has been “doing well” ahead of the big weight for age 1600m event, which is to be run at Greyville on Saturday.

Laird pointed out the big five-year-old Bezrin gelding always did well at this time of the year and appeared to love Greyville.

Bezanova (Nkosi Hlophe)

The biggest win of his career came when winning the Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile in November 2014 as a four-year-old. However, in his seven starts in KZN he has only failed to earn a cheque once and that was when just 3,6 lengths behind Futura in the Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m two years ago as a three-year-old.

He won his debut at Clairwood over 1200m as a young three-year-old, then returned from the Highveld to finish third in the Gr 2 KRA Guineas and a narrow fifth in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000. Both races were won by the subsequently-named Equus Horse Of The Year Legilsate. He ended that Champions Season with a disappointing third in the KZN Breeders Million Mile at Clairwood, followed by his unplaced run in the Champions Cup.

Last season he only had two runs in KZN. He finished a fine third in the Gold Challenge. He raced wide for quite a while after jumping from draw ten in the eleven horse field, although he did have cover most the way, and he then found himself in a handy position off a slow pace and stayed on strongly to finish just 0,9 lengths behind Legislate at odds of 66/1. He proved it to be no fluke when winning the KZN Breeders Million Mile with 59kg on his back next time out.

This year Laird had an option to run him in a Pinnacle event over either 1450m or 1800m before transporting him to Summrveld and opted for the latter as he believed building him up from 1450m to a mile in three weeks would have not have been an easy task. He confirmed he had needed that last run on May 21 when unplaced over 1800m.

Bezanova has landed a plum draw of four in a ten horse field on Saturday. It is weaker than last year’s race. He will be ridden by Stuart Randolph for the first time.

Laird has two runners in the Listed Devon Air Stakes over 1400m, Arissa, who is drawn ten, and Maleficent, who is drawn three. Maleficent by Judpot is a full-sister to Gr 1 SA Derby runner up Rocketball and will be ridden by Weichong Marwing. Laird said she seemed better than Arissa based on their homework and she proved her promise last time out when winning a maiden over this trip at the Vaal by 5,5 lengths.

By David Thiselton

A decision on Woolavington winner Bela-Bela running in the Vodacom Durban July will not be made before the end of the week and in the meantime the stable advises punters to hold fire.

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

Jonathan Snaith said yesterday: “She is going to run on July 2 in either the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province or the July and the owners (Varsfontein Stud) want to see the Garden Province nominations which come out on Friday. They want to see how she is drawn and what sort of field she would be up against before making a decision.”

The grey filly is fourth favourite for the July at 15-2 with Betting World and 9-1 with World Sports Betting.

Snaith said: “Punters should definitely hold on until a decision is made. In any case there is no reason to back her now. Her price is quite short and I don’t see it changing much if we decide to run.”

Canon Guineas winner Black Arthur (Anthony Delpech) and Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn (Richard Fourie) are the stable’s two confirmed runners at the moment and a decision will be taken on Dynamic and Master’s Eye after they run in the Cup Trial at Greyville on Saturday.

By Michael Clower