All the pieces but one are in place for Wild One to complete the puzzle in today’s Gr 1 eLAN Properties Group Gold Cup. Injury, illness, bad draws and bad rides can often scupper well laid plans but Mike de Kock looks to have avoided all those pitfalls and given some luck in the running at Greyville this afternoon, Wild One will fit the final piece to the jigsaw and go one better than last year for owner Sean Phillips.

Wild One has long been the ante-post favourite after two exceptional efforts in his lead-up. Second to Wavin’ Flag last year, the gelding was not seen out until June this year where he made his seasonal debut in the Cup Trial over 1800m, a distance regarded by most pundits as way too short.

He trailed most of the field turning for home but then unleashed a powerful late run under Anthony Delpech to finish runner-up to the rejuvenated Punta Arenas. Next up was a crack at the KZN Million Mile and again he switched on the afterburners in the straight to run Gr 1 winning “miler” Bezanova to within a length.

Although racing off a six-point higher rating than last year, the handicappers have only given Wild One a single point increase for his last two showings. Given his record over ground, a plum draw at five and a handy galloping weight, only bad luck in running or an exceptional performance by one of the opposition stands in his way.

That performance could come in the form of Solid Speed. Dean Kannemeyer has had an exceptional Champions Season and while Power King provided the icing by winning the Vodacom Durban July, Solid Speed can add the cherry.

Power King carried the silks of Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables and Kannemeyer and Stuart Randolph would pull off a rare double should Solid Speed prevail for Khaya Stables.

Since arriving for Champions Season Solid Speed has landed the Highland Night Cup and the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, both over 2400m, and then went down less than a length in the 3000m Gold Vase lumping 60kg.

He was not stopping in the Vase and with 7kg off his back and an inside draw this afternoon the extra furlong should hold no fears and he looks the biggest threat to Wild One.

Bookmakers are giving very little away with the majority of the 16-horse field quoted at 16-1 and less so they are expecting a tight finish. However, Wild One and Solid Speed have everything in their favour and can inflict some financial damage on the gentleman of the crossbar.

Highlight of the meeting and a fitting end to the season – although strictly speaking a day over into the new term – will be the clash between stable companions Futura and Legislate in the Gr 1 Champions Cup; at stake the Equus Horse of the Year crown currently held by Legislate.

It has been a tumultuous year for the connections of both horses with illness and backroom discord amongst the various owners adding some intrigue. Justin Snaith has been treading on egg shells since both horses ended up in his yard and it has been a difficult juggling act trying to keep all happy and picking the right races.

After his move from Brett Crawford, Futura won his opener for Snaith rather more easily than the winning margin would suggest, but there were a few raised eyebrows when the stable companions met in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge. Legislate, dictating from the jump, kept finding while Futura, trailing for much of the race, got going too late to affect the result.

Since then the two have taken opposite routes into today’s race with Futura finishing a very creditable fourth in the VDJ under top weight while Legislate was caught for finishing speed in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint won by Captain Of All.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe is back aboard Futura and with the two drawn alongside each other and over what looks to be the optimum trip for both, we will hopefully be in for a fascinating tactical battle.

Of the balance, although Punta Arenas had two lengths to spare over Futura in the July he is now 3.5kg worse off and looks held, particularly if judged on the J&B Met form, while Ice Machine’s stamina limitations were exposed in the July and he will be much more at home over today’s trip and he is fully capable of an upset.

Best bets

Greyville

Race 2: (6) In Other Words

Greyville

Race 6: (12) Rabada

Greyville

Race 8: (1) Futura

By Andrew Harrison

The Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup is always one of the most exciting races of the year and Saturday’s running at Greyville will be no different.

Ruling favourite Wild One finished second last year and appears to have improved since being given a long rest. He has landed a good draw of five and has a nice galloping weight.

Storm Warning has benefitted from a breathing operation and bounced back to his best last time out over 3000m at Turffontein. He won’t mind a wide draw because he likes to be dropped out and has the necessary turn of foot to do well at Greyville.

Coltrane has a reasonable weight for a horse of his class and stamina capacity and has been working well since being freshened up.

Kingston Mines could set the fractions and comes in with a fair galloping weight. He didn’t appear to go on with it the last time he tried this trip on the Highveld but on the coast it could be a different story.

In form Solid Speed loves Greyville and is well drawn and nicely weighted. He gives the impression he will stay this trip and has enjoyed a similar preparation to Kannemeyer’s 2012 Gold Cup winner In Writing.

Vino Veritas appears to love her racing and gives the impression she could gallop all day, but she is quite high in the weights for a female.

Hot Ticket is the reigning Equus Champion Stayer and will be a tough nut to crack off a lowered merit rating, but the slight concern is that this is the first time he has tried this trip since a wind operation.

Gold Onyx loves Greyville and gets on well with jockey Grant Behr, but is six points higher in the merit ratings than when finishing third in this race last year.

Wild Ash was staying on when runner up in the Gr 2 SABC Gold Vase over 3000m, but will now be 3kg worse off with Solid Speed for a neck beating, although she will now be cherry ripe.

Disco Al was only accorded a one point merit rated raise for winning the Gr 2 Track And Ball Derby over 2400m at Scottsville last time out and is 1kg better off with Solid Speed for a 1,25 length beating over 2400m at Greyville before that. However, he is not a certainty to stay the full two miles.

Ash Cloud fought back to win the Gold Circle Oaks and has little to lose as this is her final start before going to stud. However, she has a big weight for a filly and is eight points higher in the merit ratings than last year when finishing sixth.

J’s Outsider won the Gold Bowl over this trip at Turffontein and should be cherry ripe. He has a light weight, but his wide draw makes it tough.

Balance Sheet was running on well in the Gr 3 tabGold 2200 and on pedigree has a good chance of staying the trip.

Kolkata is well handicapped on his second place finish in this race in 2011, but has not been in the same form this season.

Gone Baby Gone was found to be a bit anaemic after staying on fairly well in the Gold Vase for fifth and with treatment is expected to be in better shape. He went close in the Gr 3 Chairman’s Cup over 3200m at Kenilworth, but faces the winner Coltrane on 3,5kg worse terms.

Savage Wind was just 0,2 lengths behind Disco Al in the Track and Ball Derby and is now 3,5kg better off. That didn’t appear to be a true run race, but his form in Johannesburg also puts him in with an outside chance.

Wild One is selected to beat Storm Warning, with Coltrane, Kingston Mines and Solid Speed next best.

Futura and Legislate are the main protagonists in the Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m. However, Ice Machine is full of class and is tipped to mow them down under Anton Marcus.

Chestnuts N Pearls could give Dennis Drier an amazing sixth Champions Season Gr 1 win in the Thekwini Stakes over 1600m. Flying Ice and Melliflora could follow her home and Persian Rug and Old Em make most appeal of the rest.

The Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m sees the top class Rabada facing his first true test and on his first two career performances he looks hard to beat. Prospect Strike is unfortunately widely drawn but will nevertheless be a huge runner and Abashiri, Rikitikitani, Malak Al Moolook, Captain’s Causeway and Cutting Edge are others to consider.

The classy and versatile Jet Belle could retain her Gr 2 Gold Bracelet crown from Gallica Rose and Patchit Up Baby.

The Listed Darley Arabian over 1600m on the poly could see Night Trip retaining his crown as he has recently matched it with the best milers in the country.

The Listed Umgeni Handicap could see a deserved win for Al Ciberano, who has a nice galloping weight. Brutal Force, Barbosa, Moofeed, Tiger Territory and Mod Barley make most appeal of the rest.

Cape Speed impressed last time out and will relish the 1900m trip of the third, which is always one of the most interesting races on the Super Saturday card. He could beat home the well regarded Mooghamir, who was green on debut and should improve.

By David Thiselton

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)