David Thiselton

Both Alec Laird and Stuart Ferrie have decided to avoid the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup with their crack horses Fire Attack and Gladatorian respectively and will take on the best in Cape Town.

Alec said about the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge winner Fire Attack, “Off his 126 rating we just think he must go for the weight for age races at this stage. In the Summer Cup there is only a 6kg spread from top to bottom, but I think it will just take it out of him. He will run his guts out carrying topweight over 2000m at Turffontein. So we are going to have to take on the best horses in the country and will have to take on two of the best (Eight On Eighteen and The Real Prince) in their hometown. It makes it a bit tougher that it’s in their hometown, but we will go for glory. If we run second or third it will be a good run and there will be no skin off our noses.”

Fire Attack faced some of the best in his last start when finishing a running on 2,35 length fourth behind Gladatorian, The Real Prince and See It Again in the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m.

However, the race did not pan out too well for him.

He had to be dropped out to last in the seven horse field and there was some time wasted before he could be committed.

Alec said, “The horse in front of him, Son Of Raj, didn’t know which way he wanted to go, left or right. I think Richard wanted to go handier, but he obviously didn’t know whether to go left or right (due to the horse in front of him not committing either way). So he was at the back of the field and eventually he went for a run down the inside. For his first time at Greyville I thought it was a decent run. He hadn’t seen the course before and he made up ground. He did have an interrupted program too. It gave us hope he could go to Cape Town. All being well he will have a proper program for his campaign in Cape Town. There is only one prep run I could find for him in Jo’Burg before he goes, it is an 1160m Pinnacle event on November 9 on Victory Moon day. He is eligible to travel to the Cape after that and will stay with Eric Sands. Eric has helped me in the past with London News and Smart Call and others. He has always been a big help.”

He continued, “There is a classic program for the horses going for the Met. It is the Green Point first and then the L’Ormarins King’s Plate. We’ll take stock after those two races. It will be the same program for Eight On Eighteen, The Real Prince and Gladatorian. May the best horse win or the one who is well at the time. When you say ‘I am not going to go because I can’t beat this one or that one’, then come the race something could happen, for example, to Eight On Eighteen, and then you are sitting here and saying, ‘Oh dear’. So we are taking our chances.”

London News was expected to win the Queen’s Plate and the Met in 1997 and started 33/10 second favourite and 16/10 favourite respectively.

However, Smart Call was backed in from 40/1 to 8/1 and beat the like of Legal Eagle, Captain America, Futura, Legislate and other Gr 1 winners to land Alec a second Met in 2016.

Meanwhile, Summer Cup reigning champion Atticus Finch has been treated and has recovered from the epistaxis he suffered in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Alec said he had been “flourishing” and will take the same route in to the Summer Cup as he did last year.

Another interesting horse in the yard is Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas winner Parisian Walkway.

Alec said, “I think we found out what was slowing him down. He had a very resistant worm we found in his stool and I think we have eventually got rid of it.”

Alec feels Parisian Walkway is too high in the handicap on 119 when looking at the rest of the Guineas’ fields merit ratings today, but he is hoping he bounces back to his Guineas form. He is running in a Graduation Plate on Saturday that he is weighted to win.

Meanwhile, Stuart Ferrie has earmarked a conditions event over either 1200m or 1400m at the beginning of November for Gladatorian to run in before going to Cape Town, where he will go for the Green Point, King’s Plate and WSB Met. He will be staying at Lucinda Woodruff’s yard.

Warren Lenferna

The stage is set at Hollywoodbets Greyville for an eight-race card this Wednesday, September 17, and there are some interesting runners.

There could be plenty of cheering after the third race if Cheerscheerscheers crosses the finish line first. He finished sixth on debut at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, only just under three lengths off the winner, Royal Sword. He was green and would surely have come on in leaps and bounds from that racing experience, and he could be hard to beat at the second time of asking.

Race 1, contested over 1,200m, gets under way at 12:35 PM, and the rapidly improving Light Of Gabriel is the firm first pick. Trained by Dean Kannemeyer and ridden by stable jockey Craig Zackey, she has learned more and more with each race. Last time out, she fought on tenaciously but simply found one better on the day. She is the one they all have to fear the most.

There are also two interesting runners in the third race: Spinmyangelspin and Celestial Diamond. Spinmyangelspin is returning from a January 15 layoff and will more than likely need the run, but her form in the Cape was promising. If she doesn’t need the comeback race too much, she can go very close and must be respected and included. Celestial Diamond is definitely not as bad as her last run shows—forget that and take note of her chances.

Go Grayson Go in Race 4 catches the attention. His recent form is solid, and his last two runs (especially his most recent) were excellent. He has not just been knocking at the door but trying to bang it down. He has a sparkling winning chance.

Race 5 is a Class 4 over 1,400m for fillies and mares. Princess Goldie showed when third to Papillon Blu last time that she is clearly on the comeback trail, and her second career win could be around the corner. An interesting runner in the lineup with Princess Goldie is Sneeuwitjie. The form of her shock maiden win has not stood up at all, but she then ran an encouraging race first up in open company. Despite the form of the maiden not sparking, she could be some value here for places and will now be ridden by a senior jockey. Keep an eye on her.

Saint Brigid, from the Candice Bass satellite barn, can make a winning local debut in the sixth race. Her last win was gutsy.

All in all, an exciting program awaits with many betting opportunities to get the adrenaline flowing for the midweek meeting.

RACE 1

4 LIGHT OF GABRIEL      2 TREASURE ISLAND      8 SUN IN MY POCKET      12 MS GALORE

Preview: LIGHT OF GABRIEL (4) is making huge inroads to the winner’s enclosure and looks ready and hard to beat today. TREASURE ISLAND (2) has placed five from five and has a huge each way chance. SUN IN MY POCKET (8) is learning what it is all about and doing well. She should win soon. MS GALORE (12) ran the best race of her career thus far last time and will be a big contender for the first four. (Warren Lenferna 4-2-8-12)

RACE 2

3 SPINMYANGELSSPIN      6 CELESTIAL DIAMOND       8 ANNIE’S SONG       1 TAKATALVI

Preview: SPINMYANGELSSPIN (3) has not run since January but she can be expected to race fresh and with first time blinkers, could win. CELESTIAL DIAMOND (6) is better than the last run and will be a huge chance. ANNIE’S SONG (8) returns from a 9^th February layoff and despite possibly needing it, can go close. TAKATALVI (1) has huge place claims. (Warren Lenferna 3-6-8-1)

RACE 3

5 CHEERSCHEERSCHEERS      8 COOL WIND      4 TWOCANTANGO       1 CALL ME WILD

Preview: CHEERSCHEERSCHEERS (5) caught the eye on debut when not far off the winner and with natural progression, will have a serious winning chance. COOL WIND (8) is improving and ran a good race last time – she can go close. TWOCANTANGO (4) is one for the shortlist and CALL ME WILD (1) cannot be ignored from any bets. (Warren Lenferna 5-8-4-1)

RACE 4

2 GO GRAYSON GO      7 PLUM PUDDING      8 TROIS TROIS QUATRE      1 ROYAL INVITATION

Preview: GO GRAYSON GO (2) ran an absolute cracker last time and is confidently selected to go one more and record his second career win. PLUM PUDDING (7) is in tremendous winning form and can continue on that way – huge runner. TROIS TROIS QUATRE (8) has each way claims and ROYAL INVITATION (1) could be the value in the race. (Warren Lenferna 2-7-8-1)

RACE 5

4 PRINCESS GOLDIE      8 UBUKHWEBEZANA      1 PROM QUEEN      6 SNEEUWITJIE

Preview: PRINCESS GOLDIE (4) ran a much improved race last time and can be expected to get a lot closer. UBUKHWEBEZANA (8) won well last time and can follow up. PROM QUEEN (1) is never far off and can pop up – respect and include. SNEEUWITJIE (6) is the value for the quartet. (Warren Lenferna 4-8-1-6)

RACE 6

10 SAINT BRIGID      5 COPACABANA      7 OH MY GUCCI GIRL      6 MY TRUE LOVE

Preview: SAINT BRIGID (10) brings Cape Town form into the race and won a gutsy race last time. COPACABANA (5) is ultra-consistent and has strong each way claims. OH MY GUCCI GIRL (7) ran a vastly improved race last time and can place again. MY TRUE LOVE (6) can boost the quartet if placing – she can. (Warren Lenferna 10-5-7-6)

RACE 7

6 MAPHAKA      7 JEANNE DARC      3 REGENERATION      2 CITY OF LOVE

Preview: MAPHAKA (6) caught the eye last time and is one of the leading contenders. JEANNE DARC (7) should come on a lot from that comeback last run and has a place chance this time. REGENERATION (3) is capable and can be expected to do way better despite the layoff. CITY OF LOVE (2) has quartet claims. (Warren Lenferna 6-7-3-2)

RACE 8

7 SOHO STAR      2 ICY BLAST      3 MILITARY COMMAND      8 KALAHARI ROLLER

Preview: SOHO STAR (7) has consistent and good form – he is the one they all have to beat. ICY BLAST (2) went close to winning last time and will have every chance to go one more. MILITARY COMMAND (3) can build on the last run – respect and include. KALAHARI ROLLER (8) is a must for trifectas and quartets. (Warren Lenferna 7-2-3-8)

David Thiselton

One Stripe had his first race overseas in the Gr 1 Woodbine Mile in Canada and ran a great race for fifth place, considering he likely needed it and suffered a terrible trip.

In other overseas news Kaidan Brewer rode a winner in Malaysia, but unfortunately took a fall in the Gr 1 Selenagor Gold Cup, although fortunately he was well enough afterwards to continue riding at the meeting.

At Sha Tin in Hong Kong Lyle Hewitson got off the mark for the season.

The Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas and L’Ormarins King’s Plate-winning One Stripe was having his first run for six months and was a bit edgy in the preliminaries.

He jumped inward as the gates opened and interfered with the favourite and eventual winner, the English 2000 Guineas winner of last year, the Dubawi colt Notable Speech.

The Drakenstein Stud-bred One World colt likely needed it as he was then a little bit keen when going into a handy position early under Hall Of Fame jockey John Velazquez.

However, the early pacemaker My Boy Prince appears to put the brakes on and One Stripe,  caught in a three wide position. was unable to get clear of the horse inside of him, because the widest horse carried another horse inward on to One Stripe. Velazquez had no option but to take a hold on the cramped One Stripe, who ends up wide and right near the back of the ten horse field.

Velazquez manages to get cover down the back straight, but only behind the biggest outsider.

Velazquez switches inward off the heels of the slow horse to get a rails run on the final turn, but had to drop back to second last to do it.

One Stripe then runs on remarkably well under the circumstances to be beaten four lengths.

Notable Speech was also cramped early but gets a rails run and with a ton in hand turning for home William Buick manages to steer the Charlie Appleby-trained Godolphin runner from midfield into clear space on the outside. The four-year-old colt then turns it on in style and mows them down to win by 1,75 lengths.

The run would have brought One Stripe on well in his preparation for the Gr 1 Breeders Cup Mile, where he will likely get another crack at Notable Speech.

The Breeders Cup Mile is on November 1 and Appleby, Buick, Godolphin and Dubwai will be attempting the Woodbine Mile/Breeders Cup Mile double for the third time having done it with Modern Games in 2022 and Master Of The Seas in 2023.

in the Gr 1 Selangor Gold Cup over 1600m at Selangor Turf Club in Malaysia the favourite Platinum Emperor was lying in the box seat on the rail in fourth place nearing the final turn when the horse outside of him comes inward and bumps him on to the rail. This caused Platinum Emperor o spook and throw the jockey off.

The loose horse then falls back out of control and badly hampered to other horses, including Brewer’s mount, the S. Dunderdale-trained Valois. Both jockeys of th hampered horses fell off.

The jockeys were apparently not seriously injured.

Brewer was reported to have just “a small headache” and was able to ride his final two mounts.

Kaidan had earlier won on the Dunderdale-trained Thunderous, despite jumping from draw 14 over 1200m. The horse had about eight lengths to make up in the straight and despite traffic problems late on Brewer finds the right gaps and just gets up in what was a fine ride and an unlikely win.

At Sha Tin In Hong Kong Lyle Hewitson had his first win since a bad fall on 25 June.

It was his third meeting this season and in his 12^th ride of the season he brought home the David Hayes-trained 16/1 shot Metro Power. He bounced the gelding out in to a clear lead in the 1000m contest down the straight and never looked like being caught, winning by a comfortable 2,75 lengths.

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