Punters can look forward to another weekend full of racing and there look to be some fair opportunities at the Greyville, Turffontein and Scottsville meetings.

The first opportunity arises at the start of tonight’s Quickfire Twenty/20 meeting. In race 1 the improving filly by Ideal World, Grand Jury, proved she loves this 2000m trip on the turf last time when cruising in behind a wall of horses and having nowhere to go. She could well have won that race and could make amends here.

In race 2 the Overlord filly Overly Impressed defies her cheap purchase price looks-wise and would have come on from her run last Friday as she had an interrupted preparation into that race. She will also appreciate he step up in trip to 1600m. However, Ruby Gem coming from the stronger centre of Cape Town could be a big threat as she did have one or two good runs down there.

In race 3 over 1600m Velvet Wind was hampered at a crucial stage over this trip on the turf last time and was staying on well all the way to the line, so looks the one to side with.  Vogue Idea quickened well when winning last time over course and distance and could possibly handle a four point raise, while Lady Of Kildare will attempt to make it four out of four on the Greyville poly, although the handicapper is catching up with her.

The fourth over 1600m is a weak race and provides an opportunity for a horse who loves the course and distance, Royal Champion. Nuntius is the likely favourite and could still improve. An interesting runner as far as each/way value is concerned could be Ocean’s Crossing because on pedigree he will love the return to the poly.

Race 5 over 2000m looks a potential stumbling block as it is very open unless Canigao can continue upon his progressive ways. An interesting each/way chance here could be Bez-Art as this big horse has caught the eye on occasion and has finally landed a good draw.

Race 6 over 1200m is not an easy heat either at first glance, but a horse who makes plenty of appeal if Roy’s Folly. She was fancied by the yard over 1400m last time but appeared to over race when going to the front so will enjoy the step back down in trip. It all depends on whether she can overcome her tricky draw of eight.

Race 7 over 1000m is also a typically difficult sprint handicap, although Burrwood is course and distance suited and has handled wide draws like this before. All True Man is better than his last two runs and could be the main danger. Hot Chilli looks a fair type and could do well first time out the maidens and Out MY Way and Stampede can also be considered.

Race 8 over 1400m sees an interesting runner in Battle Of Seattle, who runs off a merit rating no fewer than 31 points lower than his sand merit rating. Some say the two surfaces are completely different, but evidence of horses who have raided Greyville off good handicap marks compared to their sand ratings would not back that claim up because they invariably win or go close. Pyrenees In Spain would otherwise look quite a good bet here because he loves the course and distance and is off an attractive merit rating. Son Of Orimandes is a type who can suddenly pop up and, for an in form yard off the same merit rating as his last win, the time looks ripe for him to appear on the stage late in the race as he has been known to do.

Race 9 over 1000m is full of pace and might pan out well for the consistent closer Quintella, whose last two wins have been over course and distance.

At Turffontein on Saturday Tobesuretobesure makes plenty of appeal in race one over 2000m from pole position for under-estimated trainer Heather Adamson. She lost her jockey in her penultimate start and a mathematician might be needed to work out her performance because she appeared to win riderless by about 100 metres. Last time out she ran way above her rating over the too sharp 1600m so has a fine chance back in a handicap over a suitable trip.

Some good horses appear at Scottsville on Sunday. Way Of Light was running on in the Listed Michael Roberts Handicap over 1800m last time out so should enjoy the course and distance of the Non-Black Type UmThombothi Stakes over 2000m, although Great Rumpus and Serissa should also go close.

Miss Varlicious is on the up and is officially well weighted in race 4 although African Dream will be a threat if her starting antics don’t bother her and she bounces back to her best.

In the Fever Tree Handicap over 1400m Master James has always been held in good regard and a step down in trip could well be what is required. However, the last time he tried 1400m he ruined his chances at the start, so is worth supporting again.

By David Thiselton

Jockey legend Felix Coetzee believes the time is perfect for Gavin Lerena to take on the Hong Kong Challenge and is looking forward to following his career.

Coetzee, who achieved hero status on the island nation partly through his association with the legendary racehorse Silent Witness, will be in Hong Kong himself for twelve days from tomorrow working with apprentices.

He said, “The competition in Hong Kong right now is as tough as it’s ever been, but Gavin goes there with so many positives, such as the Jockeys Championship and the International Jockeys Challenge victory, and at the age of 30 is in his prime and riding with such maturity. His arrival will also coincide I believe with the departure of Ryan Moore and Silvestre de Sousa (both due to return to the UK for the British flat season) and they have had such good support he could be settling in where they left off.”

Talking about the idiosyncrasies of Chinese culture, Coetzee said a jockey not viewed as lucky would be quickly shunned, but did not expect this to affect Lerena. On top of his own current confidence, trainers will be confident in him having seen him ride in the Challenge. Lerena would also have had his eyes open in the few days he was there so will not be subjected to a complete culture shock.

Meanwhile, Coetzee has been working with Cape Town rider Craig du Plooy and has mentored him on all aspects from tactical awareness to riding style. He has been deeply impressed with Du Plooy’s commitment, especially considering how hard it is to change habits and “muscle memory” as a forty-year-old. He has little doubt it will bring about a change of fortunes in a game which has the catch 22 situation of having the need to be rated before getting good rides and needing good rides to be rated.

Coetzee is also mentoring former champion jockey S’Manga Khumalo and is helping in his drive to win the closely contested Championships.

Coetzee, who is steeped in the methods of Monty Roberts, also “breaks-in” young horses for a number of Cape Town yards.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Sportingpost

The much-travelled Red Ray has just completed a month’s quarantine in South Africa and he has the Mercury Sprint at Greyville on July 16 as a possible target.

Racing manager Derek Brugman said yesterday: “He won’t come back down to Cape Town as he would have to stay for a fortnight in Beaufort West on the way. Instead he will stay in Johannesburg and we will send him to Mike de Kock’s place for them to look after him and we will send him to Durban when Joey Ramsden’s string arrives there.

“The Mercury Sprint could be a target but at this stage that is a long shot. He hasn’t raced for over a year and he suffered a hairline fracture of a front leg above the knee after his one run in Dubai.

“He recovered from that but we will need to do scans to check that the fracture has properly healed for us to start with him.”

Red Ray won the 2013 Cape Classic for Ramsden before going close in the Cape Guineas, Cape Flying Championship and Golden Horse Sprint. He was officially rated the best three-year-old in the country.

He joined De Kock and went via Mauritius to Dubai and Britain but ran only once when only seventh in a Group 2 seven furlong race at Meydan for which he started favourite.

Michael Clower

Picture: Red Ray (Liesl King)

Richard Fourie is to cut short his Hong Kong contract and return to South Africa. He looks set to resume his position as first jockey to Justin Snaith.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, who took over the plum job at the beginning of the season, hinted at the changes after winning the first race at Kenilworth yesterday on the Snaith-trained Bishop’s Bounty. He quipped, tongue only partly in cheek: “I’ve got the boot.”

Snaith then elaborated, saying: “The agreement with Bernard was only up until Met day. He has commitments to another yard and his weight is also a problem. My operation is too big to have that [in a stable jockey] and Richard is coming back. But Bernard will ride the odd one from now on.”

Fayd’Herbe added: “There are no hard feelings – obviously you can’t have a stable jockey who can only do 58.5kg – and I will continue to be first jockey for the Ridgemont Stud.”

Fourie has enjoyed spectacular success for Snaith, including winning the 2014 Vodacom Durban July on Legislate, but things have not gone well for him in Hong Kong this season. He has only ridden six winners and is currently out of action with ligament and muscle problems in his back, the result of schooling a horse through the pens.

He recently flew home for treatment but is now back in Hong Kong. His application to be released from his contract is due to be heard today.

By Michael Clower

South African Champion Jockey Gavin Lerena leaves for Hong Kong on Sunday where he will free lance as a Jockey Club rider.

Lerena will be up against the like of Joao “Magic” Moreira, commonly regarded as the best jockey in the world.

However, he confirmed it was every sportsman’s ultimate dream to test themselves against the best and added, “He is probably the best jockey the world has ever seen and there will never be another like him, but I am mentally and physically prepared to take him on.”

Lerena has proved his mental toughness and it is well documented how his darkest moment, when reflecting upon a Championship which had somehow slipped through his grasp, took just three years to erase. His winning of the Championship last year included an astonishing streak of form when the pressure was at its highest, including  a record-breaking 42 winners in one month.

Lerena is grateful to Felix Coetzee, a veteran of 16 seasons in Hong Kong, for the “fantastic advice” he has provided ahead of his sojourn. He has also received pointers from Weichong Marwing and Anthony Delpech.

He is thus aware not only of aspects pertaining to his profession but also of Hong Kong life in general, including the important role luck plays in Chinese Culture and of the need to conduct oneself in a manner acceptable to the Culture.

He said, “Luck is everything over there but you can also make your own luck.”

Lerena confirmed the strictness of the Hong Kong stipendiaries placed added pressure on jockeys, especially as the two racecourses were relatively tight.

He has never been short of confidence and quipped, “It’s very different over there and hard to adjust, but it took me three races to win so I think I adjusted quite well!”

He was referring to the International Jockeys Challenge he took part in last December, where he won both the third and fourth legs to emerge as overall winner.

His South Africa Championship combined with his Jockeys Challenge victory no doubt helped him secure the contract with the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Lerena has only had four rides at Happy Valley but has already grasped the ins and outs. He said, “Its much faster than South African racing and you’ve got to ride the race from the jump and find the right position and the right passage. If you make one wrong move, or just one hesitation, it will be the difference between winning or running fifth, you must have the best passage and a flowing passage. Sha Tin also has a short straight but is fairer.”

Lerena will be provided with an interpreter for the first few weeks, but will otherwise be left on his own to secure rides.

However, trainers are unlikely to be slow in offering him mounts, considering his two winning rides in the Challenge were brilliant, and on the night he downed eleven of the best jockeys from around the world, including Moreira, Ryan Moore, Douglas Whyte, Brett Prebble, Victor Espinoza, Hugh Bowman, Silvestre de Souza, Derek KC Leung, Keita Kosaki, Maxine Guyon and James McDonald.

Furthermore, South Africans have a reputation in Hong Kong which dwarves all other nations considering the dominance of the Championship by Basil Marcus (seven times champion), Robbie Fradd (one championship) and Douglas Whyte (thirteen championships) since Bartie Leisher laid the foundation by winning it in 1988. Coetzee, Delpech, Marwing, Glyn Schofield, Jeff Lloyd, Piere Strydom, Anton Marcus, Richard Fourie and Karis Teetan, a Mauritian who learnt his trade at the South African Jockeys Academy, have also all made a big impact on Hong Kong racing.

Lerena will be accompanied by wife Vicky and young son Ashton on the venture.

In Hong Kong the jockeys and trainers all live together in an apartment block near Sha Tin racecourse, another factor which adds pressure.

He said, “Living side by side with your competitors and the people you ride for is not going to be easy, but luckily we’re a quiet family.”

Ashton currently attends nursery school in Gauteng, but Gavin and Vicky will play it by ear before rushing him into a new educational institution.

Gavin concluded, “It’s a big step in life but I’m mentally and physically ready for it, although obviously we going to miss the family, we’re a very close family.”

By David Thiselton