CTS Million Dollar winner Illuminator looks like going to Durban for Champions Season although no decision has yet been taken on whether to geld the colt who has shown signs of haemo-concentrating.

Glen Puller said: “Illuminator has come out of the race well – he had a bit of a nick but it was nothing much – and I even had to give him a bit of work on Tuesday.

“The haemo-concentrating is there and it’s not going to go away but we are still deciding on that one. It looks like he could possibly go to Durban although the Daily News could be a bit tricky with his blood.”

Cape Classic winner Eighth Wonder, who returned to winning form when collaring Kemal Kavur on the line in the Graduation Plate at Kenilworth on Tuesday, will stay at home to go for the Winter Guineas, Classic and Derby.

Greg Ennion said: “He is so versatile and the Winter Series would be ideal for him. What beat him in the Cape Derby was that he was drawn 15 out of 15 and we elected to drop him out. He came into the straight last, nearly 20 lengths behind the leader, and then made up a lot of ground.

“He was pushed out when the winner came wide and Stuart Randolph said he could have finished second but for that. He needs to be covered up but he has the heart of a lion and he will fight to the death as he showed on Tuesday.”

By Michael Clower

Picture: Glen Puller 

The Grant Maroun-trained six-year-old Mullins Bay gelding Viking Hero continued his amazing transformation at Turffontein on Tuesday evening, a meeting at which national champion trainer Sean Tarry had four winners, before later admitting he would erase it if able due to one of his crack colts Zambezi River having to be euthanized.

Sean Tarry

Tarry paid tribute to the horse and also spoke about the pending aspirations of some of his other stable stars.

Viking Hero added the Gr 3 Tommy Hotspur crown to his Gr 3 Lebelo Sprint trophy, an incredible feat considering he was a 68 merit-rated battler at this time last year. He ran off a 92 merit rating on Tuesday night and was easy to back at 20/1, having disappointed over 1200m off this mark in his only start since winning the Lebelo off an 88. However, carrying 52,5kg and back to his favourite 1000m, Jarryd Penny got him home in an exciting finish from the consistent Mike Azzie-trained Splendid Garden and an ultra unlucky favourite, the Mike de Kock-trained Moofeed, who had to be eased and switched at a crucial stage. The latter will be a big runner in a race like the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint, a handicap over an ideal 1200m in which he finished ninth last year from a tough draw.

A saddened Tarry spoke fondly of the Trippi gelding Zambezi River, who counted the R2,5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes among his six career victories, and said, “He had never been to the front before but broke well so S’Manga had no option. He seemed to be cruising when he snapped both sesamoidal ligaments. He was only just coming back to form and had a lot to come so we are going to miss him. Horses like him are not easy to replace. But we have to deal with it and move on.”

Tarry started the night well when the Var filly Exquisite Touch scooted home to win a Juvenile Plate over 1000m by 3,2 lengths.

Tarry has only run three juveniles fillies this season and three have won, which augurs well for the yard’s chances in the Juvenile features, especially as the winners include the exciting Captain Al filly Cloth Of Cloud, a half-sister to Silver Mountain.

Siren’s Call (JC Photo)

Tarry won the next race over 1160m with the big and impressive Trippi colt Mombela, who was having only his second start and returning from a layoff of over a year. He said this horse has a “host of issues” but rates him so if he stays in tune he will be one to follow.

Greatfiveeight won the next and it was then the turn of Trophy Wife, who is among the leading lights of probably the best fillies crop in South African history.

Her immediate big race target is the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes over her ideal 1600m trip.

Among the best of Trophy Wife’s outstanding crop is her stablemate Siren’s Call, who went within a stride of landing last season’s Triple Tiara. However, the yard were unhappy with the way she came out of her only Cape Town run so have decided “to give her more time”.

Tarry said Legal Eagle would be unlikely to have the Vodacom Durban July among his targets, although he would join French Navy in being aimed at the R4 million President’s Champions Challenge.

He views French Navy as his current leading July hopeful, although he said there would be the usual scenario of three-year-olds emerging as contenders.

By David Thiselton

The country’s likely most sort after jockey Anton Marcus revealed he had regarded the filly Smart Call as the biggest danger to his mount Legal Eagle in the J&B Met and added her subsequent victory had been “no flash in the pan”. She has been merit rated 121 and Marcus said, “The handicappers have got it right.”

Marcus admitted he had not considered Smart Call his biggest danger upon studying her bare form. However, he had a complete about turn when riding her in her compulsory J&B Met gallop nine days before the big race. The filly had given him a very good feel in the gallop and he had then become became “wary” of her and even confided his fears to Legal Eagle’s trainer Sean Tarry. Marcus said Legal Eagle could hardly have done any better than finishing 3,5 lengths adrift of the filly in second place. He believed nobody else would have gone forward to challenge Piere Strydom on Legislate in the early stages if he had not done so.

Marcus rode another top horse in Ice Machine to victory in the Non-Black Type Marula Sprint over 1200m at Greyville recently. He revealed he had regarded this Silvano gelding as having “champion” potential a long time ago when still with the Garth Puller stable.

Puller was the brilliant miler’s first trainer and admitted he had never seen Ice Machine moving as well as he had been since his third trainer Charles Laird had taken over the reins at the beginning of last season. Puller still follows his “favourite horse” closely and will be one of many willing the luckless seven-year-old to a first Gr 1 victory this Champions Season.

By David Thiselton

Muzi Yeni said his aim this season would be to ride 200 winners and if the Jockeys Championship came with it, it would be a bonus.

The intriguing battle for the Championships at present sees Anthony Delpech out in front on 116 winners, Andrew Fortune two behind on 114, S’Manga Khumalo on 105, Yeni on 97 and Anton Marcus on 80. However, Fortune, Khumalo and Yeni are the three biggest travellers among the leaders, so they could yet reel Delpech in.

Meanwhile, Paul Lafferty was happy with Unbelievable Chad’s run on Sunday at Scottsville, pointing out the crawl which turned it into a canter and sprint. The Toreador colt still has the KRA Guineas as his initial big target. Lafferty has two other “decent three-year-olds” in Ole Gunnar (Second Empire) and Roy’s Air Force (King’s Apostle). All three of the aforementioned unfashionably bred horses were found for the yard by pedigree and conformation expert Linton Ryan.

Ole Gunnar is being targeted at the Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas and will give two part-owners, Phil Georgiou and Doug Steyn, a double in the race if he wins as they also have shares in last year’s winner Harry’s Son. Roy’s Air Force has displayed headstrong antics at the races lately and Lafferty said a new more severe bit would be tried.

Harry’s Son, having apparently been inside the previous course record when finishing second on his Dubai debut, only lost 1kg in weight during the race, despite it being his first run for ten months and is “very well” ahead of the Gr 2 Zabeel Mile on February 25.

By David Thiselton

Last season’s champion workrider Lyle Hewitson has enjoyed his first couple of months at the South African Jockeys Academy (SAJA) and is awaiting a NHRA decision to fast forward his first professional race ride.

A South African Racing rule states no apprentice may ride in a race within a six month period of arriving at the Academy, but the Academy have made a request to the NHRA to relax the ruling in Hewitson’s case due to his prior achievements in the saddle.

The Kearsney College Old Boy is the son of former jockey Carl Hewitson and had 88 rides as a workrider for 23 winners, including a four-timer in February last year. His strike rate was over 26%

Hewitson was appreciating the advice being given to him by Academy riding masters. The latter work around a rider’s natural style and Hewiston likened it to a professional golfer having his swing tweaked by a swing analyst. He added the biggest step up would be “the thinking part” and the riding masters have consequently educated him plenty into the all important strategic side of raceriding.

Hewitson should have no problem adapting to the latter aspect of the profession as he came close to achieving an academic  clean sweep when matriculating last year, achieving five distinctions and 79% for his two other subjects.

He will further his studies through a University Correspondence course during his three year indentures at the Academy. He will have time on his hands while his younger colleagues are attending school lessons.

Hewitson has already earned the respect of the senior jockeys, whom he revealed have been very helpful. He was always going to be sort after by the trainers so has been busy at track in the mornings.

By David Thiselton