Joey Ramsden has an intriguing hand in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 and how his four runners, The Conglomerate, King Of Pain, St Tropez and Disco Al, do will likely decide their routes through the remainder of the SA Champions Season.

The Conglomerate (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Conglomerate ran in the Gr 2 Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m last time and stayed on quite well from a handy position over a trip short of his best to finish a 5,65 length sixth, which was not a bad effort considering it was his first run since January 9 and he was caught wide early from a tricky draw of nine.

Anton Marcus said, “It was a fair run.”

He should have benefitted from the run, but Marcus added, “He doesn’t give much away at work.”

This Australian-bred son of Lonhro won last season’s KRA Guineas, where he relished the strong pace. He then had no excuses when finishing a decent third in the Daily News 2000. Then in the Vodacom Durban July he had nowhere to go on the outside rail and the jockey understandably switched him inward, although in retrospect he would have got a lot closer than five lengths had he remained patient.

The Conglomerate ran unplaced in all three of his runs in the Cape summer. His merit rating has duly dropped from a high of 108 down to 101, but unfortunately his rating is near the bottom of the 100 to 104 band pertaining to the conditions of Friday’s race, so he is officially 1kg under sufferance with the best weighted horses.

He should relish the course and distance and Marcus has retained the ride, despite facing another tricky draw of 14.

Assistant trainer Alson Ndzilana is happy with The Conglomerate, but said all three of the other runners would need their runs.

However, all of them stay further so they can’t be written off.

King Of Pain (Nkosi Hlophe)

King Of Pain beat a top class field in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge two years ago, but is not an easy horse to train and his only win since was last time out in the Gr 3 CTS Chairman’s Cup over 3200m in February. That win has opened up new doors, as he could now be an eLan Property Group Gold Cup contender, especially coming from a yard who has an excellent record with stayers. However, his Gold Challenge win followed a similar layoff to the one he is coming off now so he could be a contender on Friday night off a reasonable merit rating of 106, which means he is only 0,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted horses in the race. He also has a tricky draw of 12 and Brandon Lerena rides.

St Tropez is one of the joint best weighted horses in the race having to carry 56kg off his 99 merit rating and being by Silvano should now be coming into his own as a four-year-old. He hasn’t run since his disappointing effort in the Sansui Summer Cup. However, he is yet to fulfill his considerable potential and his fine turn of foot makes him suited to the tight Greyville track. He won the East Cape Derby impressively last season so the staying option is open to him too. He is a dark horse on Friday from a good draw of six and the astute Keagan de Melo should suit him perfectly as a rider who usually times it right when coming from off the pace.

Six-year-old Disco Al was beaten a length by St. Tropez in October over 1800m and faces him on identical terms if the weight for age scale is taken into account. In this class he would probably prefer further but is an honest sort and won’t be far back. He is drawn nicely in seven and stable jockey Donovan Dillon is aboard.

By David Thiselton

Marinaresco will face 11 rivals when he goes on trial for the Vodacom Durban July in the Winter Classic at Kenilworth on Saturday. It will be the biggest Winter Classic field in 15 years.

Grant Van Niekerk (Nkosi Hlophe)

Grant van Niekerk, suspended when the three-year-old won the Winter Guineas, regains the ride from Aldo Domeyer who will be on the Mike Bass second string Brilliant Crimson.

The Brett Crawford-trained Whisky Baron and Vilakazi, second and third in the Winter Guineas, will also have different riders with stable jockey Corne Orffer taking over from Bernard Fayd’Herbe on the runner-up and Sean Veale replacing MJ Byleveld on Vilakazi. Byleveld has been claimed by Vaughan Marshall for Paladin who won a mile handicap last month and was unlucky not to follow up in a similar race nine days ago.

The in-form Donovan Dillon has been snapped up by Greg Ennion for Cape Classic winner Eighth Wonder who was found to have a nasal discharge when disappointing in the Winter Guineas.

Ennion said: “The whole yard had it. I took him out of work for a week and he was fine again.”

By Michael Clower

The Gr 2 Betting World 1900 to be run at Greyville this Friday night has attracted a full field of 16 plus one reserve, but they hail from only seven stables, which is perhaps a reflection of the country’s decreasing ownership base.

However, well known Maine Chance Farms racing manager Justin Vermaak is working wonders in ensuring a healthy future for the Sport Of Kings.

Solid Speed (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the same way the Western Province Regional Racing Association have recognised Vermaak’s  importance by making him a board member, KZN racing could perhaps include 3A Racing’s Wesley Bowman in the decision making process in recognition of his efforts to bring young blood to the sport.

Bowman and his friends have done a lot for the game already and have always been keen to extend their influence.

Vermaak’s Greenstreet Bloodstock, whose aim is to bring young owners to the game, has about 38 syndicated horses in training in the space of just two years.

His negotiation skills have already seen positive changes made to red tape which pertained to a different era, so syndicate members can now have their names on the race card as nominees without having to spend yet more money on colours.

He has also built potentially budget-breaking veterinarian bills into the training fees as a fixed amount per month.

By David Thiselton

The Craig Eudey-trained six-year-old Var gelding Sabadell is an intriguing runner in tomorrow’s highest rated race, a MR 99 handicap over 1200m on the polytrack.

Craig Eudey (Nkosi Hlophe)

The race is intended to be his final preparation race with an aim of getting him into the Gr 3 Cup Trial.

He is better over further but did win three times from 1200-1400m as a young horse so does have some speed.

The most significant point is his four point drop down to a 99 merit rating, so he won’t have to give lumps of weight away like he did last time.

It is also the big horse’s third run after a long layoff of a year and he has been putting up “exceptional” work on the polytrack at Summerveld.

“He should get much closer this time,” said the yard.

Brandon Lerena rides from a plum draw of two.

The yard also expect a much better run from Academy Princess provided, unlike last time, she is ridden to instruction and dropped out. She will be an interesting runner, provided she can find cover early from a tricky draw of nine, as she has been dropped another 6 points down the merit ratings and over this, her probable best trip of 1400m, she is capable of producing a strong finish. Warren Kennedy rides.

By David Thiselton

The first race meeting on the new Vaal turf track will be held on Thursday (May 19) and trials on the new surface suggest that the track is going to be a winner.

The new track will be known as the Vaal Classic track and replaces the sand track. Work began last November and everything has gone according to plan. Trials were held on the new surface and senior jockey Sherman Brown is among those impressed with the track: “The track was very nice, very even all over the place. I sat behind a horse and didn’t get much kick back, pulled out to the middle of the course and the horse really enjoyed the going.”

The configuration of the new track is identical to the previous sand track. It’s a right-handed course with a 2800m circumference and a 1000m straight course. Races over 1000m are up the straight with 1200m races starting in the middle of the bend and 1450m races at the entrance of the bend.

Phumelela Horseracing Executive Clyde Basel said: “Not many turf tracks in SA have a 1000m run-in, giving every runner ample opportunity to get into a winning position. Many thanks to the track management team for working long hours to get the Classic track ready. We plan to stage about 20 racemeetings from now to the end of the year on the new track.”

   –   TABnews

Picture: Supplied