Phumelela is to replace the problematic sand track at the Vaal with a turf surface in what is strategically the first step towards the installation of a synthetic racing surface in Johannesburg.

Turf is the best racing surface in summer, but on the Highveld during winter grass tracks become hard and divot repairs cause inconsistencies.

The need for an alternative racing surface to turf on the Highveld during winter was the reason for the introduction of the Vaal sand track in 2001. Unfortunately, the sand track has been dogged by a range of opinions and criticisms, and replacing the top layer of washed river sand with unwashed river sand a few years back at the request of horsemen has exacerbated, rather than resolved, the problems.

It’s also dubious whether the Vaal sand track is environmentally or commercially sustainable into the future. The track requires copious volumes of water that are currently freely available from the Vaal River, but that may not be the case in years to come.

Taking all factors into account, plus that replacing the entire top layer of sand on the track again would not necessarily solve the problems, Phumelela management first consulted with a cross section of trainers and then recommended to the Phumelela board that the sand be replaced with turf.

The board ratified the recommendation last week and the sand track will be closed after the last of six meetings scheduled there in October.

The sand will then be lifted and stockpiled for use elsewhere. Once the sand is lifted from the 60,000 square metre track, work will begin on creating a suitable medium for grass to grow in. The new grass has already been ordered and is scheduled to be laid in January.

The configuration of the track will remain unchanged and all going well the first race meeting on the track will be held in May next year.

It’s a similar timeframe to replacing the grass on the Turffontein standside track last year, a project that was successfully completed within three months.

“An enormous amount of energy, money and time has gone into the Vaal sand track down the years, but the complaints are endless and it’s unlikely that all stakeholders will ever be satisfied. Plus the sustainability of the track is questionable,” said Phumelela Horseracing Executive Patrick Davis.

“The best long-term solution is to replace the sand with turf and once the new turf track is proven as a racing surface, the way will then be open to replace the existing inside turf surface at Turffontein with a synthetic surface like Polytrack. Such a surface will solve winter going issues on the Highveld and lessen the pressure on the turf tracks and the number of race meetings lost to rain,” Davis added.

Replacing the sand with turf will result in race meetings that would have been run on sand during the transition period having to be switched to the two existing Vaal turf tracks and the Turffontein standside and inside tracks.

The bulk of these meetings will be held on the Turffontein inside track, which will consequently not be fully reconditioned during spring this year in order to be ready for racing earlier than normal.

“It’s a real challenge but my team has spent days planning how best to deal with it and we are confident that the extra meetings can be accommodated on the turf tracks without compromising the going. And we have a bit of flexibility that the new Vaal turf track may be ready before next May if the weather is favourable,” Davis said.

Released by: Phumulela Gaming

Picture: Across The Ice (JC Photos) running on the Vaal Sand track.

Mike Bass has not enjoyed the best of Champions Seasons by his high standards but still has a chance of going home to Cape Town with a Gr 1 trophy as he contests a couple of big races at Greyville’s Super Saturday meeting this weekend.

He runs Helderberg Blue and Ashton Park in the Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m.

He said perhaps a bit too much use had been made of Helderberg Blue early in the Vodacom Durban July, but the Jet Master gelding has come out of the race well and is now well drawn. However, he does face a tough task at the weights with the like of Futura, Legislate, Ice Machine and Punta Arenas in the race, at least according to official merit ratings. Donovan Dillon rides.

The Champions Cup often sees the relatively fresh horses who have not run in the July doing well and Ashton Park fits into this category. He has not been seen out since the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m on June 6. Bass admitted there was a question mark about him staying this 1800m trip, but he could be an interesting contender if finding cover behind a slow pace, because he has a fine turn of foot and is suited to the tight Greyville circuit. His draw of seven will make it tricky to find the cover he needs. However, veteran jockey Karl Neisius rides and as a good reader of a race will give him every chance of doing so.

Bass runs the Visionaire colt Jet Air in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m. The yard rate him although Bass admitted Rabada looked hard to beat. Jet Air was stepped up to 1600m for the first time at Scottsville last time out and won well, beating the well regarded Mike de Kock-trained first-timer Mooghamir by 2,5 lengths. The colt unfortunately has a tough draw of eleven to overcome. Nevertheless, he looks be an interesting contender with Bernard Fayd’Herbe up.

The yard run the Count Dubois mare Counting Angels in the Gr 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m. She has a tough task on paper in this weight for age race plus penalties as she is only off a merit rating of 87. Furthermore, she is drawn wide in 14. However, she did over race a bit last time out in the Listed Queen Palm Stakes over 2400m and still managed to finish second, so she should love this trip. Furthermore, she should be cherry ripe. Donovan Dillon rides.

Bass’ classy Trippi gelding Night Trip defends his crown in the Listed Darley Arabian over 1600m and has a plum draw of three with Anton Marcus up. Marcus was booked off his last three rides at Scottsville yesterday (Wednesday) when not feeling well, but is likely to be rearing to go again for Saturday’s big meeting. Night Trip, like most Trippi’s, loves the poly.  He is off a 106 merit rating in this handicap event compared to a 95 last year, but has recently shown his class against the best over a mile so looks to have improved. He finished 0,2 lengths behind Futura over 1600m at Greyville when receiving only 1,5kg and then finished just 1,4 lengths behind Legislate in the weight for age Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m, a race in which Futura beat him by just a-quarter-of-a-length. Bass added Night Trip had been doing well and he expected him to run well.

He also runs the Jet Master gelding Mountain Master in the Darley Arabian and sounded quite bullish about his chances. Since his Champions Season pipe opener in the IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m the yard have tried him over trips from 1900m to 2400m. He is interesting coming back to this trip off a lowered merit rating, considering he won a good race on the Greyville turf over 1400m in May last year. Jet Master’s progeny seem to love the poly too. He could be in with a shout here with just 53kg on his back from a good draw with Richard Fourie up.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Mike Bass (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Mike de Kock-trained Wild One put in pleasing work at Summerveld on Tuesday under big race rider Anthony Delpech and remains the favourite for the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m to be run on Super Saturday at Greyville over the weekend.

Delpech said Wild One was never one to show much at home, but both he and De Kock were very pleased with his wellbeing.

De Kock also emphasised that this horse was at present very sound.

The yard were bullish about his chances.

Owner Sean Phillips bought Wild One back for R200,000 at a January dispersal sale, which speaks volumes for the regard in which he is held, considering he will turn six on Gold Cup day. The decision could well pay dividends.

The Mogok gelding jumps from a plum draw of five and is coming off two excellent second places in the Gr 2 Cup Trial over 1800m and the KZN Breeders Million Mile respectively, which were both run at Greyville. On those two runs he looks to have improved, so looks capable of handling the overall six point merit rated raise he has been given since finishing a 0,5 length second in last year’s the Gold Cup. He has clearly benefitted from the long layoff he was given after his gallant effort in that big race.

De Kock and Delpech had an early morning start on Tuesday when leaving the Wild Coast at 4:30 a.m in order to gallop Wild One at Summerveld, before returning to the coastal resort to play in the second round of the popular Gold Circle Racing Masters golf tournament.

De Kock is no slouch at the game and finished second overall off his single figure handicap.

The coveted “Green Jacket” was won by Odyar Nelson, who fought back doggedly after starting the second day with three “black outs”. He overtook overnight leader Yogesh Chetty late on the final nine and was able to hold his nerve to deny the consistent De Kock.

The Lady’s “White Jacket” was won by Sandi Burger.

The best gross score was achieved by Dean Waterston, who plays off a handicap of two.

The tournament above all emphasises the togetherness of the racing fraternity and always provides an excellent freshener before the new season, although it does usually occur after the Gold Cup, which has been postponed this year due to the inclement weather last weekend.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Wild One (Nkosi Hlophe)

Geoff Woodruff will attempt to end a hoodoo when sending out the robust Australian-bred mare Wild Ash in Saturday’s Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m at the Super Saturday meeting at Greyville.

The five-time champion trainer has finished second in the country’s premier staying race no fewer than four times.

Wild Ash had a pleasing grass gallop last Friday at Summerveld, where she has been staying in the Dennis Bosch yard.

The Gold Cup will be the culmination of a carefully laid out plan.

She needed her penultimate start when fifth in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 2400m at the Vaal and then showed her class over staying trips last time out when rallying back in the Gr 2 Gold Vase over 3000m at Greyville on Vodacom Durban July day to finish a 0,75 length second. She beat Solid Speed by a neck in the Gold Vase and will now be 3kg worse off. However, she should now be cherry ripe and that last race proved she would stay this trip.

Woodruff also pointed out that as a relatively lightly raced horse, considering she is turning five on Gold Cup day, she would not be going in “tired”.

He was also not concerned about her Gold Cup jockey Donavan Mansour having never been aboard her in a race before as he said she was “a pretty straight forward ride”. However, he admitted that her draw of 12 was a tad tricky.

Woodruff has pointed out before that he hardly considers Wild Ash to be a filly as she is a “big, strong girl” and quite masculine in countenance. She will definitely not be intimidated by her male rivals or be pushed around.

The Dylan Thomas mare has snuck into the handicap with the minimum weigh of 52kg and as a 20/1 shot with Betting World she could offer good each-way value.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Geoff Woodruff

According to the weather experts the Super Saturday eLan Property Group Gold Cup racemeeting rescheduled to 1 August will take place under excellent weather conditions.

On raceday golf will be played at Royal Durban which means that there will only be limited parking on the golf course and this parking area is now officially SOLD OUT.

In order to accommodate as many cars as possible in the limited parking that has been made available we appeal to drivers to park efficiently and to cooperate when directed by parking attendants.

For those that choose to park in the streets around Greyville Racecourse please note that there will be an added security presence in these areas. Racegoers are advised not to park illegally such as on red or yellow lines or in areas that block entrances to private properties.