Mike Bass is seriously ill in a Cape Town hospital where he is in an induced coma.

What was first diagnosed as ‘flu – he began to feel unwell at the Cape Racing & Breeding Awards Dinner ten days ago – developed into severe pneumonia and he was rushed to hospital by ambulance early last Wednesday. He was put into intensive care.

However his condition worsened during the day and he went into septic shock. The doctors put him into an induced coma.

A statement on the Mike Bass Racing website said: “At this stage the prognosis remains serious. The family and medical team are taking things hour by hour.”

Son Mark told the Sporting Post: “We are in such awe and are overwhelmed by the support from friends, family and the entire racing industry who have really come together in trying to keep us so positive through this difficult time. He is so loved. We would like to thank everyone for their amazing support.”

A spokesperson for the family said yesterday: “At the moment all that we can tell you is that Mike is still in a very critical condition but he is fighting hard and the family will try to put out something more detailed when they have more information.”

Bass, 70, has won the Durban July three times and the J & B Met five times during his near 40-year training career with four of those victories coming from the legendary Pocket Power.

By Michael Clower  

Picture: Mike Bass (Nkosi Hlophe)

Bela-Bela looks classic material after lighting up a rain-soaked Kenilworth on Saturday with an impressive performance that had potential written all over it.

Despite treating the start as if she was out for an afternoon stroll and racing as green as the grass under her feet, the newcomer was able to lead 50m from home without Bernard Fayd’Herbe having to resort to much more than hands and heels. She beat the pace-setting Sandton Rocker by a length and a quarter with the third five lengths back.

The Dynasty filly is a daughter of broodmare extraordinaire Mystic Spring, the Royal Academy mare who has already produced Rabiya, All Is Secret’s dam Secret Of Victoria and Spring Lilac. Her latest Cheveley-bred winner was bought by Varsfontein for R1.4 million at last year’s National Two-Year-Old Sale.

Justin Snaith said: “Whatever she cost, she is worth double and maybe more. I am going to bring her along nicely and wait for the right races when she is ready for them.”

Snaith, who went on to land a treble, reckons there is also more to come from Bianzino who made all under Xavier Carstens in the Giggling Gourmet Handicap.

Seemingly the reason is the bit that the member of the South African polo team put on the colt for the first time in a race – “He was fighting for his head in Durban so I rode him myself in a special polo bit that gives the horse more room for his tongue.”

Another that should prove worth following is Captain Sam who took his score to four out of six in the Betting World Handicap and Vaughan Marshall, who has now had eight winners from the last four Cape Town meetings, confirmed that there is more improvement in the gelding – “He is not a horse that will win by five or six lengths, he just does what he has to.”

Handicappers don’t like horses that keep defying them and so Captain Sam can expect rather more than the kilo that his three-quarter win would indicate. But Greg Cheyne skilfully asked for no more than necessary and that should produce a dividend that is worth backing.

That Cowboy Kid is going to be penalised even more harshly as he ran the opposition ragged under Corne Orffer in the Samara Private Game Reserve Handicap to make it three in a row even though he is fitted with blinkers and a tongue tie.

Brett Crawford explained: “He makes a bit of a noise and gets his tongue over the bit while the blinkers help him to concentrate.”

The Philippi trainer then revealed the reason for the five-year-old’s improvement: “He had soundness issues as a young horse but now he is sound again and I also think that keeping him to a mile helps.”

Crawford promptly followed up with Sea Glass – thanks in no small part to Orffer conjuring up some impossible-looking reserves from the filly to turn what looked certain defeat into last-gasp victory.

Crawford was fighting off ‘flu but had yet more reason to help his recovery when he heard that the Jay Peg filly he is to train made R360 000 when her racing career was auctioned in aid of the Sunflower Fund charity.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Justin Snaith 

The most interesting race at Scottsville yesterday was the seventh, a strongly contested Pinnacle Stakes event over 1200m, and it was the Joey Ramsden-trained Brutal Force who justified his good pedigree and expensive sales prices by getting up late to beat one of the most talked about horses of the meeting, the Dennis Drier-trained Triptique.

Brutal Force, who is by Western Winter and is a full-brother to Red Ray, is a huge horse who has benefitted from gelding and he used his early speed to overcome his high draw before being delivered with a perfectly timed challenge under Anthony Delpech.

He is likely to be a factor in the big sprint races this season, considering Captain Of All and Alboran Sea are now retired.

The first race, a Maiden Plate for three-year-olds over 1200m, provided much interest for the purist due to a plethora of well-bred first-timers taking part. The Mike Miller-trained Warm White Night colt Executive Power was backed in from 9/1 to odds-on.

He has an elastic-like action and duly won impressively under Delpech by 3,5 lengths from the Dennis Drier-trained Dynasty colt New Hampshire, who improved from debut. Another of the eyecatchers in the race was the Sean Tarry-trained Liege, a Dynasty colt who is a half-brother to the useful sons of Jet Master, Lance and Lockheed Jetstar. Liege was unplaced but was staying on nicely from a high draw and is one to follow over further.

Ian Sturgeon was the other jockey on the day to ride a double.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Brutal Force (Liesl King)

The legendary Michael Roberts was an 11-time South African Champion jockey and one of the few foreigners to ever win the British championship. He revealed his philosophies on race riding to the Racegoer a few years ago and they still hold true.

Roberts said, “What the public see as bad riding is often because of instructions. If nobody gave instructions nine out of 10 rides would be better ones.”

He went on to explain that the “pace is what it’s all about and the first 50 metres of a race are in fact the most important.” It is in this narrow window that the jockey must make the split second decision to be up near the front or to drop in behind.

Roberts has never liked stereotype jockeys who lie handy in every race, as he feels this indicates a lack of pace judgement. However, he added that some top jockeys in South Africa were being gifted races by being allowed to dictate the pace without being taken on.

“The easiest races to win are the ones from the front unless you are taken on because horses can cut each other’s throats if vying for the lead.”

He acknowledged the like of Piere Strydom as an excellent judge of pace, but rated Lester Piggott by far the best tactician of all time. Roberts continued, “I would rather drop back three lengths and get on to the fence than race three wide.”

Roberts explained that horses were able to sense a jockey’s mood and this is why some hot horses would relax under certain riders. He added that while it was easier to control a horse on a short rein, a horse would tend to be more relaxed on a long rein. A nervous rider might snatch up the rein for more control and the horse, sensing the panic, would begin fighting.

He cited the late Johnny McCreedy as an absolute master of long-rein riding together with Lester Piggott and Ireland’s Pat Eddery. Jeff Lloyd was also able to control a fighting horse on a long rein, something that would normally tire a jockey out.

Some modern jockeys have begun wrapping the rein around all four fingers, rather than the traditional stronger hold with the first three, because the more sensitive small finger then takes the weight and this gives more feel overall.

Roberts said the best analogy to use in explaining race riding was to compare it to traffic. Some drivers are prepared to sit and wait whilst others will spot a nice run down the inside lane – except that there is a bus 100m further on.

“You often have to gamble,” he says, “but the best jockeys make qualified gambles.”

His judge of a good jockey “is one who is in the right place at the right time and wins races he shouldn’t have won.”

He emphasised that bad luck in a race was often due to nothing more than the jockey having not done his/her homework.

“If you are on the favourite and sit behind a horse that is unlikely to be going forward under pressure, any jockey worth his salt will simply shut the door on you.”

Roberts explained the importance of the final blow-out on the training track. The jockey should judge how clean the horse’s breathing was in the first 50 yards and if it was not slow, deep and regular he/she should give the horse a rigorous workout in order to clear the air passages. If a horse stood dead-still without fidgeting at the end of a workout, it was a sign of extreme fitness.

Roberts considered it important to walk the course before races in Britain and Ireland, as the courses are often undulating and the irrigation methods were sometimes outdated.

He recalled winning a Gr 2 with ease on an outsider at Leopardstown after finding some superior going on the far rail, which was usually too far away to tack over too, but in the large field that day he was able to reach it from his draw of one.

Recently he spoke of his hopes that the temperature of the Greyville polytrack would be made public before meetings, as anecdotal evidence around the world has suggested this has a bearing on results. According to Roberts’s observations frontrunners appear to have more chance of winning in daytime meetings on the Greyville poly and the chances of off-the-pace runners increase at night.

The start of any race is all important and Roberts said good jockeys were often able to anticipate the gates opening as most starters go through a certain routine before pressing the button. A smack on the shoulder helped a horse get going but rousting it could be risky because the horse’s head would have been in the ‘V’ of the gates a split-second earlier and it might bounce back at you. Steve Cauthen was the best exponent of a fast start that Roberts knew. He used to grab the bars and shift the horse from side to side to wake it up before the off. However, Roberts pointed out that a slow start was sometimes advantageous, especially in a distance race, as this usually meant a horse would settle immediately. “You need to find a happy medium between a good break and settling.”

In order to miss the break by half-a-length or so a jockey should just sit very quietly or, in the case of a problematically quick starter, its head can be positioned slightly to one side.

The whip is an important part of the finish. Roberts usually gave a horse a few light taps to test the response and if it was positive he would whip more freely but would otherwise use it sparingly or not at all. Fillies often don’t take kindly to the whip.

The whip hand should be changed if a horse begins hanging or floundering. In the latter case a horse will often change legs and find another gear.

In a tight finish, the jockey should attempt to have the horse’s head down on the line, and jockeys have different styles in achieving this.

Roberts said in summing up that it should be imagined that a horse was given X amount of petrol to get from A to B and it was the jockey job’s to use it in the most economical way so there would be some left for the all-important final burst.

By David Thiselton

Scottsville has an eight-race meeting on Sunday and punters will be hoping for the good results that characterised the midweek meeting on the Greyville polytrack.

In the first race over 1200m for three-year-old maidens, Goodnight Nurse caught the eye after the penny had dropped on debut over course and distance as she ran on strongly after running all over the place. Light The Fire has gone close over course and distance before, despite starting slowly and then leading, so could be a contender if starting on terms. Variable Pitch is a speedy sort who has found no extra late over 1000m, so this trip could be a concern. New Hampshire was green on debut over course and distance and could improve.

The Duck has a bit to find. There are also some interesting first-timers. Liege is by Dynasty and is a half-brother to the like of Lance and Lockheed Jetstar. Anthony Delpech is an eye-catching booking on the first-timer Executive Power, who is by Warm White Night out of the consistent twice-winning Var sprinter Vareuse.  Roy’s Saint is by Trippi and is a half-brother to the like of Red Rake and Desert Sheik.

In the second over 1200m, Gordon’s Cungee caught the eye on debut over 1000m and needed it as she only faded late, so she could be a big runner here from a favourable draw. Cyclone Sassy was backed on debut over 1000m here and finished second to a well regarded sort, so should be right there. Madame Le Roi made a fair debut and Anton Marcus is now up. Open Your Heart ran on steadily over course and distance on debut and could improve.

Roy’s Queen was backed on debut over this course and distance but hung in badly in the running and finished well beaten. She has put in some fair efforts over further since then and is interesting back over this trip with a 4kg claimer up. Aventurine is by Brave Tin Soldier out of an unplaced Parade leader mare and Anthony Delpech is an interesting booking. Diva Dance by Greys Inn is a half-sister to the useful Louvre. Lady Linda is by Lateral out of a Silvano mare who won three times from 1400-1600m.

The third race over 1400m presents a good opportunity for Killer Woman who has done well over course and distance in two career starts and doesn’t have much to beat. Roy’s Monkey has some fair form and could give some cheek with Anton Marcus up. Switched On makes most appeal of the rest.

In the fourth, a MR 70 Handicap over 1400m, Fleetfox won his maiden with a bit in hand over course and distance and is drawn well so could win with topweight.  Delray Beach won well over course and distance last time from a similarly wide draw and is a contender. Trendy Guy can never be discounted over this course and distance and is drawn well with a 4kg claimer up.

The handy-running sort Chill should be thereabouts off a competitive merit rating with Marcus up. Class Mondiale has always been well regarded and is having her third run after a long break over a suitable course and distance. Roy’s Ambassador beat a fair sort when winning his maiden over course and distance but does have a wide draw to overcome.  Excalivar is another one to consider.

In the fifth race over 1400m, Fragrant Beauty is a lightly raced mare who has shown some ability so can’t be ignored here with a light weight from a good draw. Alina is drawn well over her optimum trip. Peace Again is course and distance suited and likes to come from off them, so the wide draw shouldn’t be much of a disadvantage, although having to carry 60,5kg is going to make it tough. Surfing Belle is 2,5kg better off with Peace Again for a 4,5 length beating over course and distance and has Marcus up so could get closer. Cool Anne stayed on well over 1200m last time and might now be ready to step up in trip, so is a runner with Delpech up. Queen’s Advance and One Way Ticket have to be considered in an open race.

In the sixth over 1000m, Tonto has a fair draw over a suitable course and distance. Silver Kavalier comes back to the course and distance of her easy maiden win, having failed in a Turffontein feature in March, and Delpech is an eyecatching booking. The consistent All True Man should be thereabouts again over a suitable course and distance.

In the seventh over 1200m the classy Saratoga Dancer is a horse to follow this season and is drawn well, although he would prefer a touch further.  Triptique should love the course and distance and might prove himself a top class sprinter in the making.  Normanz has won a Gr 1 over course and distance so should be involved. Brutal Force has benefitted from gelding and has Delpech up over a suitable trip.  The raider Talktothestars is an exciting sort who goes for five in a row. Insearchofthesun and Hunting Owl are others to consider in an intriguing contest.

In the last over 1200m Treble Tot is in fine form and could win from a favourable draw. Triple ‘O Seven is now off an attractive merit rating so should go close with Marcus up from a favourable draw. Red Moon At Night won his first start in KZN over 1400m on the poly and has a favourable draw here so is one to consider. Boomsheiktheroom enjoys this course and distance and has a 4kg claimer up. Ivanovich has the ability to be involved in the finish.

By David Thiselton