Mega Secret, one of the few maidens to run in the Investec Cape Derby in the last decade, could be worth waiting for in the last race at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The Paddy Kruyer-trained gelding  ran two good races over this mile before finishing 11^th of 15 behind It’s My Turn and Brazuca. He was beaten less than eight lengths and only the badly drawn, six-month absent Imperial Dancer is rated his superior in the Patronage Maiden.

“I think he got the 2 000m that day although he just rolled on a bit at the finish,” says Kruyer. “His best distance will probably be 1 800m but he is in good shape for this.”

Grant Behr’s mount opened at 4-1 with World Sports Betting yesterday and he has 15 up against him with Imperial Dancer (11-2) rated the biggest danger.

The first four races have an ominously straightforward look about them – usually a sign that upsets can be expected – but 14-10 favourite Attenborough stands out in the opening maiden juvenile and should certainly be able to confirm the placings with Rand Hedge (7-2) and Studiolo (14-1) as he lost valuable ground at the start on debut.

Barak Lavan showed promise first time and another to bear in mind is Rasta Rebel, who although last in the Listed race on Met day, met with some interference just inside the final furlong.

Mike Bass, with four winners, is only two behind Justin Snaith in this season’s Cape Town two-year-old log and he can add to his score in the Play The Bipot Maiden Juvenile with Whose That Girl (2-1) who finished eye-catchingly strongly when only just beaten by stable companion Wake Up Maggie on debut three weeks ago.

Ubiquitous Star and Baseema look held on that run but it’s worth noting that there is a line of form that puts 7-2 chance Colorado Rose (fourth to top-notch Cloth Of Cloud) in front of the Bass hope.

Brett Crawford’s luck deserted him at Durbanville last Saturday but his Juba (8-10) looks nailed on for the Place Your Bets Maiden (race three) after taking third to Leisure Trip last month despite losing five lengths at the start.

You might think that Helen’s Bay, the only non three-year-old in the race, has lost her chance of winning at the age of five (this is her 11^th attempt) but the year younger Ravishing Lad won at the 23^rd time of asking last month and Exclusive Knight (five) at the 36^th. Helen’s Bay (6-1 here) showed significant improvement last time and Mike Robinson says that was because he dropped her back to this 1 000m.

Crawford and Corne Orffer can double up with 2-1 favourite Tide Is Turning in the Quinte Plus Maiden 35 minutes later when Oli Miranda looks the one for the forecast.

By Michael Clower

Paddy Kruyer has ambitious plans for his Cape Fillies Guineas fourth Anglet who was badly jarred after running on odd shoes in the World Sports Betting-sponsored classic.

Kruyer said yesterday: “I am getting her ready for the season and I will be taking her to Durban a bit later on when she will have a go at the Garden Province on Vodacom Durban July day.”

The Biarritz filly won her last three starts as a juvenile including the Irridescence and beat all except shock winner Budapest in the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run.

She was doubly unlucky in the Fillies Guineas. She wore special front shoes but lost one on the way to the start and the racecourse farrier had to fit an ordinary racing plate as he did not have one to match. Then Raymond Danielson was forced to snatch her up to avoid the fallen Gareth Wright.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Patrick Kruyer (SAHorseracing.com)

Weichong Marwing’s neuro surgeon has granted permission for the top class jockey to begin physiotherapy on his back in order to strengthen it.

However, he will only be able to begin workriding again at the beginning of next month.

Marwing described the situation as “very frustrating”, but was following the best professional advice.

The debilitating back injury has forced him on to the sidelines since taking part in only one race at the January 14 meeting at the Vaal.

He consequently missed such rides as Illuminator in the CTS Million Dollar and Smart Call in the J&B Met, both of whom won.

However, he has already stated his philosophical attitude to the missed opportunities and wished respective replacement riders Heavelon van der Hoven and JP van der Merwe all the best for their big victories.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Weichong Marwing (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Paul Lafferty-trained champion Harry’s Son will attempt to guarantee his place in the $5 million Dubai Duty Free over 1800m on Dubai World Cup night by running in the  Gr 1 $US300,000 Jebel Hatta over 1800m on Super Saturday this weekend.

Meanwhile, Harry’s Son’s regular jockey Piere Strydom, who is nursing a broken collar bone, faces a race against time to be ready for the Duty Free.

Harry’s Son’s last outing in the Zabeel Mile on February 25 didn’t pan out in his favour as the slow pace saw him over racing slightly. This blunted his usual turn of foot and he could only stay on to the line for fourth place.

However, Lafferty was not concerned, especially considering the smart Australian-bred Haradasun colt will now be having his third run after a rest.

He reminded of the form of great horses like Variety Club and Jay Peg, who were both defeated in their second runs in Dubai before going on to win on World Cup night.

Harry’s Son has drawn four in Saturday’s ten horse field.

Strydom has always been of the opinion Harry’s Son’s best trip is 1400m, but Lafferty revealed the great jockey had said the same before winning the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at Greyville on him as a two-year-old. The colt had also run a fair fifth in “bottomless ground, which he hated”, in the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m.

Lafferty added Harry’s Son was “very well” and had actually put on 1kg since his last race.

Meanwhile, Harry’s Son has been invited to run in the prestigious HK$14 million Champions Mile at Sha Tin on May 1.

Strydom has been in a sling for three weeks and the recovery process is being aided by the use of a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. He has been able to remove the sling occasionally so is now at least getting some movement in the injured area.

He would normally allow the injury to heal at a natural pace, but is very keen to make it for World Cup night on March 26.

He estimated he had a 50/50 chance of doing so.

The doctor had reckoned six to seven weeks would be required, but Strydom said this had been from a cautious point of view.

Strydom would like to ride in a couple of meetings before flying out, in order to avoid ring rustiness. He would also like to be in Dubai for the build up, as he said this was probably the most enjoyable week possible for anyone of his profession.

He would therefore probably need to be ready to ride in the Turffontein meeting of March 17 and he could then also take in the Highveld meeting the following Saturday.

Strydom described the week’s build up to the Dubai Word Cup. Jockeys are treated like kings and it also provides an opportunity to rub shoulders with the best riders in the world for a few days.

He believed this week should be on every racing fan’s to-do list and recommended the tour put on by Phil Georgiou’s Let’s Go Travel company.

By David Thiselton

Ashburton Trainer Paul Gadsby always seems to make the most of his limited opportunities and the classy Var filly Miss Varlicious is the latest good horse he has taken through the ranks with aplomb, despite difficult circumstances.

Gadsby wanted her to be roundabout a five-time winner before asking her to race at the highest level, but faced a problem because the handicapper always seemed to be on top of her.

He said, “The handicapper never made her one of the line horses despite her, as far as I’m concerned, being the most consistent horse in KZN.”

She was thus already on a 91 merit rating after her second win and later gained further increases for a couple of placed runs in handicaps.

Gadsby said, “It has been a helluva battle for us to place her and we have had to keep her well for extended periods.”

However, the yard can now breathe a sigh of relief having got her the fifth win at just the right time, on 21 February over 1200m on the Greyville poly.

Her target is now the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint on June 4 over 1200m at Scottsville.

Gadsby has sent her for a deserved “mini break” to Jill Fox’s The Fort Stud, where the yard rest all of their horses.

He said, “I am no longer worried about her merit rating. I think she’s had a very nice prep as it has allowed us to fit in the break before bringing her back to prepare for the Fillies Sprint.”

This is former jockey Gadsby’s second stint as a trainer and although he is still looking for another San Carlos, whom he trained to 15 wins including a Gr 1 in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he and his wife and assistant Beth have always done well with the few decent horses they have had.

They took Black Wing from a cheap farm purchase, who had not received a bid at any Sale, to a runner in the Vodacom Durban July in just the second year of Gadsby’s second stint as a trainer. Then Candy Moon was nurtured to six wins and a Gr 3 runner up spot. In the same period Kalmia wrote a victory over Champion Stayer Hot Ticket next to his name but had many problems, while Singing River, who was even more talented than Candy Moon, was unfortunately a bleeder.

Miss Varlicious, who was bred by Boland Stud, could make up for the latter misfortunes.

Gadsby concluded about the tall, 103 merit rated four-year-old speedster, who has never finished worse than third in eleven career starts, “We have big hopes for her. She has bumped one good horse, Muscatt, and been beaten both times but that’s no disgrace and we hope there’s time for more improvement.”

Other current hopefuls in the yard from a string of 36 are Mad Pushpa and Seattle Belle, whom Gadsby thinks could be Oaks types, although he is not sure yet whether either of them are good enough.

Fans can always expect consistent performances from the Gadsby yard, as underlined by Royal Colours who won six in a row between July and November 2014, and they deserve more opportunities.

By David Thiselton