Act Of War set out from Cape Town to Durban yesterday with Joey Ramsden confirming that the plan remains a crack at the Rising Sun Gold Challenge on June 6 – subject to a decent draw and despite a surprise entry in the Winter Classic six days earlier.

Ramsden, who has won the last three runnings of the Gold Challenge, said: “He is not running in the Winter Classic but in this country you have to splatter your entries because you don’t know where you can travel and where you can’t.”

His decision to despatch the Cape Guineas winner to Summerveld will come as a relief to the connections of Sail For Gold and Royal Dreamer, second and third in the Winter Guineas.  Their trainer Mike Bass has six entered for the Classic including Sheer Trouble on whom Grant van Niekerk initiated a 37.5-1 stable double at Kenilworth on Saturday.

However Candice Robinson said: “I am not sure whether we will run him because a mile is probably his maximum trip at this stage.”

Stan Elley is optimistic that both Friday evening’s Betting World 1900 winner Dynastic Power and third-placed  Punta Arenas will get a run in the Vodacom Durban July, a race in which he was third with Red Badge in 2003 and again 12 months later.

He said: “I would be very surprised if they didn’t put in a 1900 winner while Punta Arenas has already done enough to get in.”

Elley thinks a lot of Eighth Wonder who made all to win the opener at Kenilworth on Saturday despite veering sharply right 100m from home, giving rise to an unsuccessful objection from the trainer of third-placed Forward Drive. It happened so quickly that Aldo Domeyer, who hadn’t even picked up his whip, was powerless to stop the interference.

Elley said: “Eighth Wonder is still hopelessly green but he can only improve and his future is pretty bright.”

Andrew Fortune, 48 yesterday, was taken to hospital by ambulance after suffering a fall from Sabrina Affair when pulling up after the Maiden Juvenile Fillies won by Richard Fourie on the Snaith-trained favourite Victoria Lavelle.

Fortune, speaking when strapped to the medical room bed, said: “A horse kicked me after I fell and I am sore. I think it’s just the muscle but they want to send me for x-rays.”

He promptly missed a comfortable winner with Gareth Wright deputising on Candaleeyah for Shane Humby in the Rugby 5 Maiden.

Devin Ashby, who enjoyed an effortless success on the Dolf Maeder-trained Mayoral Decree in the Kenilworth Maiden, has been offered another job in New Caledonia. He had a successful seven-month stint in the French territory (1 200k east of Australia) last year.

He said: “This job is with a top stable and is for next year but I will see how things go here. If they go well I will stay in South Africa.”

Greg Cheyne, the 1900 victor, reached the 133 mark when scoring on Aliysa’s Prize for Glen Kotzen and finished the day just ten behind championship leader Gavin Lerena.

BLOB Jockeys wore black armbands and flags were flown at half-mast following the deaths of Billy Steele and Christopher Foulkes. The latter was a son of Normandy Stud owner Veronica Foulkes while Steele, 76, was a long-standing owner who played a considerable behind-the-scene’s role. “He was a wonderful guy and a credit to racing,” said Rodney Dunn who succeeded him as chairman of the Western Province Owners and Trainers Association.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Act Of War (Liesl King)

Masterful Summerveld trainer Dennis Drier has a fine chance of adding to his phenomenal record at Scottsville’s Festival Of Speed meeting this Saturday as he sends out five contestants in Gr 1 1200m events and most of them will be in with definite chances.

Drier has won four of the last five runnings of the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion, including the last three in succession, and he also won the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint, now known as the City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint, in 2011.

Drier has a fine chance of landing his fifth Medallion in six years with the ultra-classy Seventh Rock colt Seventh Plain and this rangy bay has landed a plum low draw.

Anton Marcus rode him in his final grass gallop last Tuesday and Drier was happy with what he saw. He added, “Anton didn’t say much so I hope he was happy, if he was happy I’m happy.”

Seventh Plain overcame a high draw of eight in the Gr 3 Godolphin Barb over 1100m at Scottsville on April 26 and won effortlessly. He will appreciate the extra 100m on Saturday and further. His only defeat in three starts was when giving the speedy sprinting type Buckinghampshire 3kg in the Listed 1000m race on J&B Met day and only losing by 1,25 lengths.

Drier’s former Medallion winner Captain Of All has the ability to join the like of J J The Jet Plane and Earl Of Surrey as horses that have carried topweight to victory in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m. He was very impressive indeed in his penultimate start over 1000m at Scottsville, so clearly enjoys this track, and in his last start in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m at Turffontein he was by no means disgraced when third, four lengths behind Alboran Sea and Carry On Alice. The latter pair of fillies put in fantastic performances that day and Captain Of All was well clear of four other Gr 1 winners in the field.

Captain Of All worked on his own in his final grass gallop under Sean Cormack at Summerveld on Friday and Drier was very happy. He said, “When they are fit they don’t need to work with other horses, the art is not to overcook them.”

Drier “couldn’t be happier” with Generalissimo, who had his final grass gallop at Summerveld last Tuesday under Keagan de Melo. De Melo was unable to commit to the ride and Warren Kennedy might be aboard. This classy sort will attempt to make it three years in succession that the Tsogo Sun Sprint has been won by three-year-old sons of the amazing stallion Var. Generalissimo broke the Kenilworth course record over 1200m last November before failing to stay the 1600m of the Selangor Cup. He then finished lame after taking a slight sideways knock over 1200m. Drier, with the support of owners Nick and Ben Jonsson, excercised caution by not running him again in Cape Town, and it paid dividends as he bounced back with an impressive win over 1200m on the Greyville poly last month.

Barbosa is another from the yard that could get into the final field after an excellent 2,25 length defeat of the useful Muscatt over the Tsogo Sun course and distance in April, despite giving the latter 5kg. He broke the class record that day despite carrying 60kg. The five-year-old Captain Al gelding was raised to a 104 merit rating and Drier said, “The way he won they can’t leave him out, especially as Muscatt won next time out in a canter. He has had a few niggles and problems but has been a real old soldier.”

Drier’s two-year-old Horse Chestnut filly Chestnuts N Pearls has landed an unfavourable draw of 17 in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson over 1200m. She has just been kept ticking over since her maiden over the course and distance. The runner up in that race Durban Blues finished second on the poly on Friday night, so the form was not greatly franked, but Drier pointed out that Chestnut N Pearls “could not have won easier.”

Drier is also hoping that Jet Aglow ca repeat her third place finish of last year in the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint over 1200m. She also worked on the grass last Tuesday and Cormack was very happy, although this is largely being seen as a preparation outing for races like the Tibouchina and Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes, which are over more suitable distances.

By David Thiselton 

Picture: Generalissimo (Liesl King)

Justin Snaith believes that a newcomer to his yard, Kingvoldt, could cause a big surprise in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday.

He said that the Western Winter colt had arrived at his Summerveld barn in very good condition and that his previous trainer Joey Ramsden already had him aimed at the Tsogo Sun Sprint. He added that he had done very well in a workout on Friday morning at Summerveld under his regular pilot Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

Kingvoldt’s three career wins have all been over 1200m. Another point that gives him a big form shout is that he finished a head behind Gulf Storm the last time he tried this distance, at Kenilworth in February, and is now 5kg better off.

A lot will now depend on how he draws tomorrow (Monday).

Snaith’s five-year-old Var mare Varikate has been kept ticking over since finishing a four length second to Jet Belle in the Gr 3 Poinsettia Stakes on April 26. The latter race is over the same 1200m course and distance as Saturday’s Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint and Snaith was hoping she could repeat her fourth place finish in the latter race, although she has unfortunately drawn high in 17 as opposed to her seven draw from last year.

By David Thiselton 

Picture: Kingvoldt (Liesl King)

The Paul Lafferty-trained Garibondy has landed a plum low draw for the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint over 1200m on Saturday and is “very, very well” at present. And the yard are pleased to have landed Championship chasing Gavin Lerena for the ride.

The speedy four-year-old Var filly raced without cover for much of the way in her last start in the Listed In Full Flight Stakes over 1100m, so did well as the only female in the field to finish 4,1 lengths back in fourth. She much prefers to be tucked in before using the kick, that daughters of Var are known for, to its maximum effect in the latter stages.

She had her final grass gallop at Summerveld on Friday on her own and Lafferty said she had put up very good work. All six of her wins have been over 1000m, but five of them have been at Scottsville, and considering her turn of foot she should get Saturday’s 1200m trip.

Alboran Sea and Carry On Alice look to be the two best sprinters in the land and the rest of the field might be chasing their shadows. However, the former drew a high starting berth, as did another Gr 1 winner in the field Fly By Night, and it will be interesting to see whether they defect to the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint where they also hold entries.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Garibondy (Nkosi Hlophe)

Cape trainer Stan Elley arrived in KZN for the Champions Season with a string of just four horses and achieved the remarkable feat of running first and third in Friday night’s Gr 2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville with the pair of 66-1 outsiders Dynastic Power and Punta Arenas, who were split by the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Power King.

This race is traditionally viewed as a Vodacom Durban July qualifier for borderline horses  and the result is unlikely to cause much of a shake up to the July betting.

Greg Cheyne was aboard Dynastic Power and felt he was fortunate to be caught wide early which meant his mount avoided the scrimmaging which happened on the first turn. Dynastic Power was able to stride freely throughout and, despite running three wide of the rail, had cover all the way until the 800m mark. Cheyne was travelling so well that he was not concerned when the cover disappeared and instead he stole a couple of lengths as they rounded the turn into the straight. The four-year-old Dynasty gelding took the lead at the 200m mark and stayed on strongly all the way to the line. Meanwhile his stablemate Punta Arenas had unwound a telling finishing effort on the outside from second last in the running and looked a possible winner. Power King was making up ground from last on the opposite side of the track and flew up late to finish within a neck of the winner. Punta Arena’s gallant effort took its toll and he tired late but still held on for third, 1,4 lengths behind the winner. Dynamic and Mountain Master stayed on well for fourth and fifth. All of the first five finishers came from double figure draws.

Local horse Bold Inspiration started favourite at 5/1, somewhat surprisingly, as the Cape horses have tended to dominate handicaps in the last couple of months in KZN.

Power King, De Kock and Jayyed started joint 6/1 second favourites. De Kock was keen on the way to the start and was handy early, but after finding little extra in the straight he was eased out of the race. Jayyed made little impression in the straight, finishing 3,9 lengths back in  ninth, and he was the latest to let down the current three-year-old males, who not being viewed as a vintage crop. Bold Inspiration was handy in the running but faded in the straight to finish 6,5 lengths back in 14^th.

Solar Star and Double Clutch were prominent in the betting before drifting to 15/2 and 10/1 respectively. Solar Star was making some good late progress but now has a mountain to climb to book his place in the July as does Double Clutch, who was unable to get the easy lead he had enjoyed in his previous three starts, and finished 4,15 lengths back in 12^th after turning for home in second place.

Elley said that the yard had never been able to get Dynastic Power “quite right” for the Cape Summer of Champions Season and they had been unable to put a finger on why. However, he had still managed to run some good races, so the connections were bullish of him having a good Champions Season. He has clearly thrived at Summerveld and at last followed up on the promise he had shown when winning the Gr 3 Winter Derby at the end of last June, a race in which he also got the better of Power King in a dual for the line.

Betting World 1900 winners are usually given a place in the July field, but Dynastic Power’s chances of Gr 1 glory might be greater in the eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m at the end of the Champions Season. Power King and Punta Arenas both had to give the winner 4kg and enhanced their chances of being included in the July field.

Part-owner John Kinsley flew in from Cape Town and was thrilled to land his first ever Gr 2 win. Elley also owns a share and other part-owners are Braam van Huyssteen, Okkie Schoeman and Butch Watson-Smith. Dynastic Power was bred by Highlands Farms Stud.

Kannemeyer can do little wrong this season and besides finishing runner up in the night’s big race, he also landed a double on the turf with two promising three-year-olds, the Dynasty colt Dynastic and the Jet Master colt Master James, who were both ridden by Anthony Delpech.

By David Thiselton 

Picture: Dynastic Power (right) wins the Gr2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville (Nkosi Hlophe)