The Vaal’s eight race sand meeting today represents one of the last chances for punters to reap some of the good dividends that can be found on this track as there are only three subsequent meetings before it is replaced by a turf track.

In the first race over 1450m the champion yard of Sean Tarry is kicking into top gear and Le Dominion looks to be a horse who will take well to the sand on both running style and pedigree so could win it from pole position. Seventh Apostle showed early pace over 1000m on debut and is stepped up in trip from a good draw. On pedigree he is not certain to stay the trip being by the sprinter King’s Apostle from a very fast female line which includes the like of National Colour. However, on the other hand horses that carve out a big lead on this surface are sometimes hard to catch even if plugging on at one pace.

Bullion Bay is drawn well over the trip in which he went close last time from a similarly good draw and the form of that race has not worked out too badly. Pera Hur has been knocking on the door from 1200-1450m on the sand and now has Andrew Fortune up from a fair draw. Battle Of Arcole has the form to be a contender here and has champion jockey Gavin Lerena up, but on the downside he has a terrible draw.

In the second race over 1000m Magic has gone close to some good sorts including in a feature over course and distance last time, so now has a good opportunity from a fair draw to get off the mark. Boogaloo ran a fine race over course and distance last time when showing pace throughout and the low draws have appeared to have been getting an early advantage over course and distance recently so he will be a threat. Justash has pace and a low draw with Lerena up and in second time blinkers should do better than last time when bumped at the start, so he could also be a threat as his score in meetings with Magic over course and distance is one victory and two defeats.

In the third over 1000m Supanova is a consistent sort with plenty of speed and the ability to stay on, so he could just get up with a late rally from a high draw as he looks capable of rising above his lowly merit rating. The progressive Racing Red is by the impressive sire Querari and would not be a surprise winner following his taking maiden win over course and distance as he looks to have also been awarded a lenient merit rating. Buster Posy faced a fine field on his sand debut last time and back in this class his good pace could see him finishing thereabouts under Lerena. La Tasca won well over course and distance last week, but will carry 2kg more than carded as a result. The Gobi has come down to a competitive merit rating and could earn.

In the fourth over 1000m Ballerini has been knocking on the door against some fair types over course and distance and has Lerena up from an ideal looking draw. La Strada has dropped seven points in the merit ratings despite finishing a respectable fifth in a feature last time on the sand when bumped at the start. Winter Darling comes from an in form yard and was not disgraced over course and distance last time in a feature despite losing a length at the start. Slick Deputy won impressively over course and distance last time out and being by Go Deputy should have come into her own now as a young five-year-old, so she would not be a surprise winner. Captain’s Diva should be running on strongly and can’t be ignored. Super Guppy has been facing good sorts without being disgraced and is off a competitive merit rating so has to go into the equation being from the Tarry yard who are kicking onto top gear.

In the fifth over 1200m Wishful Heart has some class and looks ideally course and distance suited, so from a good draw is the one to beat. Return To The Sun has been knocking on the door off this merit rating and has a fair draw over an ideal course and distance. Shine Tiger won in commanding fashion the last time he had this pole position draw over this course and distance, so he could be a threat back despite being six points higher in the merit ratings since that last win.

In the sixth over 1600m, Opah Latino should love the sand on both running style and pedigree and from a good draw looks to be the one to side with in an ultra competitive affair. White Christmas is running over his best trip and off a slightly lowered merit rating should be right there as he comes from some fair formlines.  Perfect Trip runs from a much better draw than he had last week when well beaten here over 1450m and he could run into the money.

In the seventh over 1800m Arabian World is an improving sort being by the classy sire Ideal World and he is drawn well over an ideal course and distance off just a four point higher merit rating than his last win. Commodore Al has a fine record over course and distance, but the handicappers are taking no chances with him and he is ten points higher in the merit ratings since his last win. Colonel Rockjaw was a facile winner over course and distance last time out and on paper could have the edge on Commodore Al, but that doesn’t take into account that Commodore Al stumbled in their first meeting and still beat him.

In the eighth over 1800m Knock Knock will appreciate the step back to this trip and could have the beating of this field with Gavin Lerena up from a good draw, especially as his recent runs over shorter are likely to have brought him on for this race. Siena’s Star is officially 3,5kg under sufferance, but won well when stepped up to this trip at Flamingo Park last time so is the dark horse, although her wide draw makes it tough. Imperial Empress is not far behind Knock Knock on the form of their last meeting over course and distance. Seattle Fairy has won over course and distance before and could earn in this weak contest. French Approval is very lowly merit rated and way out at the weights but has shown signs of ability and could possibly place from pole position.

By David Thiselton 

Picture: Gavin Lerena

Brazuca, 4kg clear top-rated of the 44 first nominations for the Magnum Cape Classic, will miss Saturday week’s Kenilworth Grade 3 test because of his 25 draw.

However Johan Janse van Vuuren said yesterday that a tilt at the Grand Parade Cape Guineas on December 19 could still be under consideration.

He said: “That was my plan originally, otherwise I wouldn’t have nominated him for the Cape Classic, but it’s draw dependent and in the Cape Classic he has got a bad draw.”

Janse van Vuuren took the unconventional step of running the Australian-bred in the Grade 1 Golden Horseshoe on July day when he was still a maiden (“because he is good”) and the colt was beaten only a short head by Seventh Plain. He has since won at the Vaal.

Act Of War, who took last year’s Cape Classic en route to victory in the Selangor and Cape Guineas, has taken his reappearance Matchem win exceptionally well.

Joey Ramsden, confirming that the Green Point on November 21 is next on the agenda, said: “Act Of War has come out of the race really well. He is a different horse now and he is like an absolute bull.”

Greg Ennion still has a lot of faith in the former Stan Elley-trained Eighth Wonder despite the gelding’s three-quarter length defeat by Victorious Jay at Durbanville last Saturday.

Ennion said: “All that beat him was last time’s four point merit rating increase and that he needed the run – he was blowing hard afterwards. He is a very well bred horse (his grandam is a half-sister to Horse Chestnut) and he is going to be good.”

By Michael Clower

Picture: Brazuca (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Dennis Drier-trained six-year-old Captain Al gelding Barbosa proved himself a 1000m sprinter to be reckoned with when missing the break in a Pinnacle Stakes race at Scottsville yesterday and still managing to win cosily under Sean Cormack. He gave 1,5kg to both the course and distance specialist Mr Whatever and the Gr 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint winner Normanz and quickened well to beat them by 1,25 lengths plus a shorthead. Cormack praised Drier’s workrider Carrie Radford because Barbosa, who was recording a hattrick of wins, has apparently come into his own since she began working with him at Summerveld.

Later the ever improving Charles Laird-trained three-year-old Oracy colt Main Submission proved himself a classic contender when finding another gear to repel  Nineteen Fourteen in a Graduation Plate over 1400m and win by 0,75 lengths under Anton Marcus. He was only receiving 1,5kg from the 84 merit-rated five-year-old runner up, so this was a decent performance. Furthermore, he was giving 3kg to his classy and fast-finishing contemporary Rikitikitana, whom he beat by a length, although he did benefit from the latter’s jockey dropping the whip.

The strength of last season’s two-year-old Gr 1s has been questionable and last season’s Gr 1 Thekwini winner Lauderdale was apparently not up to running off a merit rating of 101 in a MR 90 handicap for fillies and mares over 1400m. This was her second run after a layoff and she would likely prefer further, but that was possibly not enough to excuse a 5,5 length beating by her lightweight Duncan Howells-trained stablemate Trini’s Collateral, who was ridden by Sean Veale. Furthermore, the runner up Umoyana was 1,5kg under sufferance, but beat Lauderdale by 3,75 lengths.

A Howells horse to watch is the Australian-bred Henrythenavigator colt Ten Gun Salute, who was green before doing eyecatchng work late when finishing runner up in a Maiden over 1600m. This race was won in good style by the Robbie Hill-trained Just As Well gelding Just Like Magic to give Marcus the second leg of a treble. Marcus’s other winner was aboard the Gavin van Zyl-trained Noordhoek Flyer gelding Bagger Vance who converted his strong maiden formlines into success over 1000m.

Wendy Whitehead looks to have a fine prospect in the Ideal World filly Free State who was backed from long odds into 33/10 favouritism in a Maiden for fillies and mares over 1000m and a high draw didn’t bother her as she powered to an easy 2,25 length win under Alec Forbes. It was part-owner Dr Ralph Katzwinkel’s 50^th winner as an owner and this filly could join another one he owns, the brilliant filly Same Jurisdiction, as a feature race contender. Free State’s win completed a weekend double for the in form Whitehead stable and both winners were ridden by Forbes.

Forbes later rode the Windrush filly Velvet Wind to victory in a fillies and mares maiden over 1600m and as it was only her second start she looks to be another nice horse to look forward to for the flourishing Alistair Gordon yard.

Drier scored a double when apprentice Calvin Ngcobo rode the Toreador filly Fiery Goddess to victory in a MR 80 fillies and mares maiden over 1000m.

The meeting was rounded off by Glen Kotzen and Billy Jacobson who combined to comfortably win a MR 72 Handicap for fillies and mares with the Casey Tibbs mare Dizzy Feet.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Barbosa (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Dominic Zaki-trained three-year-old gelding Bull Valley confirmed himself a serious classic contender when powering to an impressive victory over1200m at Turffontein on Saturday and is another sophomore who will be representing the good value sire Toreador.

Meanwhile, at Greyville on Friday night the Kahal filly Witchcraft took a step closer to a berth in the R2,5 million Emperor’s Palace Ready to Run Cup to be run over 1400m on October 31.

Bull Valley won his debut over 1200m at the Vaal on May 19 in impressive style and the yard then decided to rest him and geld him. The form of that race looked increasingly stronger as the season progressed because the runner up Nephrite won next time out before going on to finish fifth in the Gr 1 Premiers Champion Stakes, while third-placed Al Azraq won next time out by 8,25 lengths. Furthermore, there have been three other winners coming out of that race including the Silvano gelding Machismo, who won the second race on Saturday, a maiden over 1450m, to give Sean Tarry and Raymond Danielson the first leg of a double together.

Bull Valley was ridden by Craig Zackey on Saturday in a Progress Plate for three-year-olds and showed more than one gear when powering to a 3,25 length victory over Al Azraq, who is also by Toreador,  and he had a classy field spread out like the washing behind him. This race was a springboard to the Gr 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m on October 31 and the Gr 2 Investec Dingaans over 1600m on November 28. He looks likely to be a leading contender for both races. Toreador will not only be represented in the Graham Beck by Bull Valley and Al Azraq, but also by the like of Bull Valley’s twice Gr 1-placed stablemate Prospect Strike, the promising Sean Tarry-trained Rikitikitana and the equally exciting Paul Lafferty-trained Unbelievable Chad. This could well be Toreador’s best crop ever.

Later on in Saturday’s meeting Zaki’s Australian-bred Leila’s Charger, who is being targeted at the Gr 3 Starling Stakes over 1400m on October 31, was all the rage in a Progress Plate for three-year-old fillies over 1200m, but only managed a disappointing 3,35 length fourth as Danielson took the race by the scruff of the neck on the speedy Tarry-trained Dynasty filly Swift Sarah and won easily by 3,1 lengths.

The exciting Mike de Kock-trained Ideal World filly Persian Rug, who was most unlucky when put off by the grandstand shadow in the Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes, made her seasonal reappearance in this race and ran on for fifth over a trip too sharp.

At Greyville Witchcraft was the most popular filly among the panellists at last year’s Summerhill Ready To Run breeze ups and lived up to her billing when running on to win a maiden over 1400m. It was not the strongest of fields but the scopey chestnut, who had made her debut only five days earlier, is heading in the right direction.

Anthony Delpech was the only jockey or trainer to score a double at the Friday night meeting.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Craig Zackey (Nkosi Hlophe)

Some tonics are more effective than anything the doctors can prescribe and Mike Bass – already promised a trip to St Andrews – now has the Avontuur Fillies Guineas to inspire him as he drives himself on, pumping iron in the gym.

He went home for the weekend, attended trackwork on Saturday morning and in the afternoon he watched on TV in delight as Silver Mountain gave weight and an impressive beating to older horses in the Lyric Consulting Handicap at Durbanville.

The Silvano filly looked a possible Guineas horse when she won her maiden but this, frankly, was more the performance of a potential classic winner. Despite a three-month absence and receiving a hefty bump from a loose horse, the 14-10 favourite swept clear just inside the final furlong to come away under hands and heels with Aldo Domeyer waving his index finger in triumph.

He said: “I think very highly of this filly, she gave me a really good feel in her first race and she got me quite excited here.”

Candice Robinson added: “She is tiny – no more than 15.2 – and she is not very robust either but from day one she has done everything right and I have always rated her. I’m hoping that she can be something special and it certainly looks that way. She will run in the Choice Carriers (Nov 7) and then the Fillies Guineas.”

Basil Marcus was also in need of a tonic. According to son Glenn, he had a nasty fall three months ago landing on his shoulder with half a ton of steel-tipped horseflesh treading on his bicep so heavily that it was detached from his arm. The resultant operation failed to ease the pain and a further scan revealed two torn ligaments.

The second operation was performed last Thursday and so the victory of Georgeous Gaby, owned by Glenn’s syndicate and trained by Adam, had Marcus senior cheering. This was the second of three winners for Sean Cormack – he also scored on Candaleeyah for Shane Humby and the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Our Icon.

But it is on Dennis Drier’s army that Cormack expects to fight his biggest battles in the next few months – “We’ve got a nice young strong team with some real quality among them including Well In Flight and Rock On Baby.”

The jockeys’ efforts to promote this meeting were rewarded with by far the biggest crowd of the Durbanville season and R40 000 cheques for both the Western Cape Equine Trust’s rehoming programme and the local Grooms School Trust.

The jockeys’ chase revealed some unsuspected talent – Donavan Mansour managed to finish within two lengths of the supposedly unbeatable Domeyer – and it was fitting that MJ Byleveld (one of the principal organisers) should win the Darkhorsewheels.com Handicap on Victorious Jay.

Vaughan Marshall has his sights on the CTS Million Dollar with this colt whose time was only a quarter of a second outside Act Of War’s recent course record. The winner was also the subject of a massive plunge, being backed at all prices from 8-1 to 5-2 favourite.

Indeed this was an extraordinary betting race. Jet Air (second last) was supported from 14-1 to 6-1, Groen Gevaarte (sixth) drifted from 9-2 to 16-1 and Tar Heel, who dropped right out in the final furlong, eased from 22-10 favourite to 7-1.

The Somerset winner was to some extent a victim of his poor draw but also, as in the Cape Nursery, of his own impetuosity with Mansour reporting: “I tried to drop him out but he was too aggressive and when he saw daylight he went.”

Mike Robinson is reading his paper this morning in a more relieved frame of mind thanks to the Grant van Niekerk-ridden Imperial Guard ending a painful ten-week winnerless spell.

“It’s been a tough time,” said Robinson. “I’ve been slated and called everything in the book. I’ve just had to keep my chin up and carry on digging.”

Andre Nel, on the other hand, is in the happy position of finding himself sitting on a pool of unexposed talent and this was brought home to him when newcomer Quine, a chance ride for Bernard Fayd’Herbe, made a winning debut despite losing valuable ground at the start.

Sabine Plattner’s new trainer said: “Quine is honest and I was confident she would run a place but she is not one of our better ones so this was nice.”

– Michael Clower

Picture: Victorious Jay ridden by MJ Byleveld (Liesl King)