National Champion Trainer Sean Tarry clinched a double in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas on Saturday when Heaps Of Fun crossed the line first under a top class ride by S’Manga Khumalo. The yard won the race last year with Siren’s Call, who subsequently went within a stride of landing the Triple Tiara.

Tarry is not certain Heaps Of Fun, a Summerhill-bred filly from the first crop of Visionaire, will go the 2450m Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks trip.

However, he believed she would be looking for the 1800m of the Gr 1 Wilgersbodrift SA Fillies Classic.

Heaps Of Fun dictated at a slow pace on Saturday under a perfectly judged ride and was able to stave off Negroamaro throughout the length of the straight to win by 0,9 lengths.

Sean Tarry

Owner Nchakha Moloi was away in Australia and was overjoyed to be awoken by a phonecall from Tarry. Tarry was introduced to Moloi by Summerhill’s Mick Goss. Moloi’s first horse in the yard was a share in a Summerhill-owned and bred horse. Since then he has added to his interest and Tarry praised him in the winner’s enclosure as an understanding owner. Moloi reaped the rewards on Saturday and is unlikely to miss out on the Classic next month, which is the second step towards the Triple Tiara.

Tarry will still have a big runner in the SA Oaks regardless, because Witchcraft has “always been our Oaks horse.” This Kahal filly is also bred by Summerhill and won a MR 74 Handicap for fillies and mares on Saturday by an emphatic 2,6 lengths under Khumalo.

Tarry said yesterday (Sunday) Heaps Of Fun’s 4,25 length second place finish in the Gr 3 Fillies Mile on SANSUI Summer Cup day had given him hope, because she still had “strengthening” to do.

Her comeback run on January 16 over 1160m in the Listed Swallow Stakes, where she finished a head second, had then “excited” him.

The only “surprise” of her career to date was next up and this was caused by how badly she ran, finishing 7,9 lengths back in the Three Troikas Stakes over 1450m, beaten 7,7 lengths by Negroamaro.

However, there were genuine excuse because she had been widely drawn, she had got her tongue over the bit and was later scoped and found to “have mucous”.

Tarry hoped ahead of Saturday her increased strength could take her two or three lengths closer to Negroamaro, as long as it excluded the factors which had blighted her Three Troikas run.

In the pre-race discussion he had asked Khumalo to “commit” from his good draw of six and added, “Don’t panic if you find yourself in front. If she pricks her ears around the turn she’s a big runner.” The plan worked to perfection.

• Racegoer’s Brendan Pather was probably the only pundit on the ball for Saturday’s Gauteng Fillies Guineas and tipped Heaps Of Fun, who landed odds of 20/1, in the Mercury and Cape Times.

By David Thiselton

Cape Town racing has been shocked by the decision to axe tomorrow’s Durbanville meeting – handing over R620 000 in stakes to Port Elizabeth – but, more particularly, by the fear that this could be just the beginning.

The decision was taken after entries of 160 produced just 54 acceptors. The two 2 000m races had nine and ten runners but each of the other six had only between five and seven. A hastily arranged Fairview polytrack substitute produced 95 declarations.

“I think it’s a crisis,” said Tellytrack presenter and former trainer Stan Elley, echoing the view of many. “We’ve got to do something or Phumelela will cut more meetings. A lot of people’s livelihoods are at stake here.”

Kenilworth Aerial view

Elley, a member of what is effectively a local programmes committee for more than half his 41 years as a trainer, believes the problem lies with the big yards (he estimates that the top half dozen have 80-85% of the horses) often being reluctant to run their clients’ horses against each other for fear of upsetting owners.

He said: “Trainers have got to wake up. Owners have too as well and spread their horses around more while I think there should be a limit on the number of horses each trainer is allowed.

“You cannot do anything about the trainers that have their own yards but you can with the rest. It has been done in PE and I believe in Durban too.”

Last September Phumelela and Kenilworth Racing warned trainers that fixtures would be dropped and stakes reduced if the average field did not increase from ten to 12 (the minimum necessary to generate decent betting turnover). Yet this month only six of the 62 races produced 12 or more runners.

Dean Kannemeyer is one of the big trainers involved and he said: “They tell me that I am not having enough runners and they are putting me under pressure but I have moved 30 of my horses to Durban.

“I understand the need for runners but there is something wrong somewhere in Cape Town. I see meetings here with 150-160 entries but in Durban they can have as many as 700.

“What is needed is for somebody to sit down with me (and other trainers), ask how many horses I’ve got, where I want to run them and over what distances in a coming three-month period rather than being told you’ve got so many rated 70-80 etc.”

Eric Sands, a former member of the programmes committee, made the point that in February many Cape trainers want to give their horses a break after a busy summer season while most two-year-olds based here do not race until the rains come to avoid getting sore shins on the firm ground.

He added: “I am not saying that the trainers are blameless – they are not – but the programmes are drawn up only twice a year, one for five months and the other for seven, and they are done two to three months in advance which means that a horse can be running in a programme prepared ten months earlier. It should be done every three months and from a box-by-box census to make it relevant.”

Kenilworth Racing issued a press release last Friday saying, inter alia: “A number of trainers have not stepped up to the plate… the last resort is to reduce the number of racemeetings… recently a census was completed and the winter programme (April-August) is based on the latest facts.”

By Michael Clower 

Glen Kotzen issued a warning that he has two-year-old talent aplenty – both in Cape Town and for Durban  – after Donovan Dillon’s mount Corker lived up to her name when becoming the first of the Pathforks to win at Durbanville on Saturday.

Glen Kotzen

Kotzen said: “I’ve got a stable full of Pathforks and they are very nice. I’ve told owner Hugo Hattingh that this one won’t go to Durban because the plan is the nursery at Kenilworth but I’ve got others going to Durban who are really smart.”

Nobody could accuse Paul Reeves of not running his horses often enough and Sunshine Lady, fourth here last Wednesday, enjoyed an all-the-way romp in the 1 400m maiden while Brandon May initiated a quick double for the ex-jockey and owner Paul Barrett by making every metre on All Magic 35 minutes earlier.

However Reeves is narked about not being able to go again tomorrow, saying: “I am a small trainer with 30 horses and 19 of them are two-year-olds. My clients have paid training fees and they were expecting to race. I’m angry.”

Aldo Domeyer, who rode Sunshine Lady, was in treble form with 2013 Winter Derby winner Gifted For Glory winning for the first time since damaging a tendon during his Durban campaign of nearly two years ago, and Ovar making amends for Andre Nel’s Wednesday reverses.

Nel reported that Jingle Belle, never at the races when starting favourite for the 1300m maiden, “is a 2 000m horse and only got going at the end” while even warmer favourite Weskus Klong is apparently no better than his third place would suggest.

Corne Orffer had a nightmare afternoon – beaten on three favourites plus the fancied Rock On Geordies finishing only third behind Grant Behr on the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Doctorow – but he had compensation in the last when Chasing Dreams got up 100m out. The Adam Marcus winner has had two sinus operations and is owned by a syndicate run by Gold Circle’s communications guru Glenn Marcus.

It was only 16 days ago that Greg Ennion vowed to support Lucian Africa and his faith was rewarded with Roman Discent storming home in the Marsh Shirtliff colours in the 2 000m handicap. “Lucian is riding like a demon,” said Ennion in an emphatic I-told-you-so tone.

By Michael Clower

The Mike Azzie-trained Abashiri stamped himself close to the top of the class when running out a comfortable winner of the Gr2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas at Turffontein yesterday. Given a confident ride by Karl Zechner, the Go Deputy colt hit the front some two furlongs out and kept on strongly to hold a fast finishing Champagne Haze and a hard-chasing Malak El Moolook.

An emotional Azzie was all praise post-race comparing Abashiri to his past champion National Currency – high praise indeed. Abashiri has a pedigree that could carry him all the way to the Triple Crown with the SA Classic next on the agenda.

Zechner had his mount up with the pace throughout as Anthony Delpech committed early on Suyoof in an attempt to overcome his wide draw.

It proved a failed ploy as Suyoof compounded early in the straight leaving Albashiri a clear run to the wire. Malak El Moolook tried hard to stay with the winner but came up short while Champagne Haze came from well off the pace to snatch second.

A tongue-tie proved what was needed for Sean Tarry to lift consecutive Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas trophies as Heaps Of Fun kept finding under S’Manga Khumalo to out-gun favourite Negroamaro.

S’Manga Khumalo took the daughter of Visionaire to the front and slowed the pace up to suit with Anton Marcus wise to his plo, tracking him aboard Negroamaro. Both jockeys went for broke a long way from home but try as she may, Negroamaro was not able to make up the leeway as Heaps Of Fun showed brilliant courage to keep finding to the line. Frosty Friday stayed on for third ahead of She’s A Dragon.

Earlier, Bernard Fayd’Herbe rode a typically powerful finish on Captain Aldo to snatch the G2 Hawaii Stakes away from the game filly Lazer Star with favourite Ice Machine a neck back in third.

Lazer Star looked to have the race in the bag 50m out but Fayd’Herbe muscled Captain Aldo to the front one jump from the line.

Ice Machine, as is his want, came from last but the line came just too soon.

Andrew Harrison

Gold Coast Captain looks good for the Summer Of Champions Maiden at Durbanville tomorrow despite having the worst of the draw.

The Brett Crawford gelding lost at least the 3.75 lengths he was beaten when dawdling out of the pens three weeks ago but he should know more about it now – this is his third run – and the coffin box shouldn’t be too much of a hindrance with only seven runners.

He opened 12-10 favourite yesterday with World Sports Betting who had the once-raced Fort Infinity next at 22-10 – “He has come on a little bit so I think he must have a chance,” says Harold Crawford.

Sweet Surrender is a big price at 11-1 as he was forced to check last time. “He had to snatch up,” says Glen Kotzen. “He would probably have finished second otherwise so he has a big shout here.”

On the other hand Banderos, despite his strong form claims, could be too short at 28-10 as this is his first race for five months. “He had a bone injury,” reports Vaughan Marshall who believes the gelding will need the run.

Corne Orffer also has to contend with the outside draw on Rebel’s Burst, 18-10 favourite for the Juvenile Fillies Maiden, but Riaan van Reenen is optimistic that he can succeed – “This is a very speedy filly and she has the speed to overcome her draw,” he explains.

But the odds are short enough and in what looks quite an open race 7-2 chance Royal Duchess may have come on enough to win.

Mr Wise Guy has improved enormously in the last few weeks and the way he won on Met day – leading after the first furlong and staying on strongly  – suggests he may be able to cope with the extra 400m of the Play The Bipot Handicap and with the 2.5kg the handicappers raised him.

Londalozi started 3-1 favourite for her debut earlier in the month but she ran green and was beaten almost ten lengths. The Mike Bass filly again heads the market for the Racing. It’s A Rush Maiden-  she opened at 18-10 – but there is some doubt as to the source of last time’s money. “I’ve no idea why [she was backed]. It wasn’t stable money,” says assistant trainer Robert Fayd’Herbe. “She has improved a bit but she probably needs further.”

Sunshine Lady (28-10) may be good enough but Bass’s Stormy City appeals at 5-1 for the Itsarush.co.za maiden after showing significant improvement last time. Rock On Geordies (18-10) kept changing stride in the straight here last time when Doctorow (15-4), a length and a half behind, was unable to get a clear run. King Of Babylon (9-2) will have support but this is his second run after a lengthy rest.

By Michal Clower