Piere Strydom rode his 5000^th winner in South Africa aboard Allegorical at the Vaal on Thursday and the horse was fittingly from the yard of Lucky Houdalakis, who trained the horse Strydom regards as the best he has ever ridden, J J The Jet Plane.

Meanwhile, the race for the National Jockeys Championships is building into an exciting duel between incumbent champion S’Manga Khumalo and Gavin Lerena. Anthony Delpech, Greg Cheyne and Strydom are all within striking distance of the lead, but are not chasing the title all out.

At the close of play yesterday Lerena’s single winner at Turffontein had put him on 143 winners for the season and Khumalo’s treble saw him close the gap to just one.

Khumalo, at only 30 years of age, has already achieved two of his career goals, winning the Vodacom Durban July and winning the Championship.

He said, “I feel that naturally any sportsman wants to be recognised as the best in his or her chosen profession and I am no different. My goals for the last couple of months of the season will be to ride as many winners as possible and to stay away from any and all injuries”.

In 2007 Lerena broke the record for the most number of winners ridden by an apprentice while serving his indentures, 283. He entered the last day of the 2011/2012 season on top of the log, but Anton Marcus pipped him on the post with two winners at the final meeting to his blank. That was a bitter blow but Lerena said, “I intend enjoying it this time without putting any unnecessary pressure on myself.”

Lerena’s official riding weight is 57kg to Khumalo’s 52,5kg which puts the latter at an advantage.

Strydom, whose treble at the Vaal on Thursday took him to 130 winners for the season and his career tally to 5074 said, “It’s always a tremendous feeling to be in contention for the title. It’s never my intention to chase championships as such, although if I end up close enough towards the end, I will definitely put in a good effort.”

By David Thiselton 

Night In Seattle can stake his claim to better things by winning the Racing.It’s A Rush Handicap at Kenilworth tomorrow.

“I am hoping to run him in the Cape Classic at the end of the month,” says Brett Crawford, pointing out: “He has form with St Tropez in a race where we were giving him 4.5kg.”

That was in January when the subsequent effortless East Cape Derby winner beat Corne Orffer’s mount by a length and three-quarters over tomorrow’s trip. Last time Night In Seattle came from the back over 1 400m to get up on the line in a manner that suggested he will be suited by this extra furlong.

Just as much to the point, he did so after losing a front shoe and so he should be able to confirm the placings with Friendly Tibbs and Sheer Trouble despite worse terms. His biggest danger is probably Castlethorpe who is disputing 3-1 favouritism with the Crawford horse in the Betting World forecast. He ran on well in a sprint last time and is every bit as effective over a mile, as he showed when winning under top weight on Met day last year.

Gift Of Rain has an impeccable pedigree – by Galileo out of an Oasis Dream black type winner – but she couldn’t win in seven starts for Ed Dunlop in England despite being ridden by the likes of Ryan Moore and Keiren Fallon. However her hour may finally come in the last race maiden.

This is her third run in South Africa and Justin Snaith says: “She should take a lot of beating here and I expect her to then do well in the winter when the more rain the better for her.”

She is 12-10 favourite in the forecast although handicap ratings suggest there is little between the top five on the card. Highest-rated What Fun (who looks intriguing at 4-1) is probably the one to beat. Her saddle slipped early on last time when the experiment of fitting blinkers proved equally disastrous. “She over-raced with them and she didn’t enjoy it,” recalls Adam Marcus.

Whatever their fortunes with Gift Of Rain Snaith and Richard Fourie should win the Soccer 6 Maiden Juvenile Fillies with Victoria Lavelle whose third to Champery and My Emblem was rubber-stamped by the Perfect Promise result.

One to bear in mind each way at a big price is Moonblanched whose first run had potential written all over it only for her to disappoint next time. Harold Crawford blames himself for giving the wrong instructions – “I said to give her a chance but she has a good stride and maybe I should have let her run on.”

There is almost nothing to choose between Mamselle Al and Candaleeyah 35 minutes later but the former finished well last time and gets marginal preference. Similarly Eternal Love is narrowly preferred to Mayoral Decree in the Kenilworth Maiden.

By Michael Clower

The Greyville meeting tonight features the Gr 2 Betting World 1900, an important Vodacom Durban July qualifier, and it looks to be a meeting in which punters could possibly boost their Champions Season coffers. Greyville also has a mixed turf and polytrack meeting on Sunday and the Listed East Coast Cup heads the card.

In race one tonight, a maiden juvenile plate over 1200m, the in form Michael Roberts yard have a good chance with the Ashaawes filly Durban Blues despite a wide draw as she ran second on debut over 1200m at Scottsville behind a very well regarded sort and the form has worked out well.

Double Clutch (Nkosi Hlophe)

On Tuesday she worked on the beach sand with race coupling Chinese Whisper who appeared to have her measure, but Keagan de Melo aboard Durban Blues returned to say this filly is lazy at home and only does as much as asked of her.

Mandla Ntuli reported Chinese Whisper to be hanging to her left, but she could be a place consideration from a good draw. She showed pace on debut but was green and Roberts does think a little bit of her. Classy Chic beat Chinese Whisper by six lengths in that race, which was over course and distance, but that was her third outing and the form doesn’t look great. Kumaran Naidoo gave Classy Chic a chance and said only the wide draw was a concern.

Charles Laird said that his first-timer Harvest Queen was a strong filly who had ability, but having flipped over in the stalls on the day of her intended debut, one of the aims of this outing would be to just get her through that phase of the race. Greg Anthony described first-timer Var filly At Variance as a nice filly who was showing good work.

Anthony was bullish about the chances of Wild Namaqua in the second race, a maiden over 1400m on the poly, especially considering the ever professional Anton Marcus had got a feel of her by working her this week and she had worked very well. The danger Slewsgate always works well and has been kept ticking over by the Dennis Drier yard after a hard-knocking poly campaign from 1200-1400m.

The third is a MR 80 handicap over 1600m on the turf and as the merit ratings of Cape Town horses appear to be suppressed due to the class of horse down there, the result could rest between Seize The Throne and Dynastic, who both went close in their Champions Season pipe openers. Seize The Throne is well regarded and was looking a picture in his box on Wednesday, so is given the nod from a good draw as he should have also come on plenty from that last start over this trip at Scottsville.

Power King (Nkosi Hlophe)

Dynastic only just failed over 1400m on the poly after being slowly away and finishing strongly. He should appreciate the step up in trip, but has a wide draw to overcome. Sea Fever was hampered early on the turn against Dynastic last time and is now 0,5kg better off for a 0,75 length beating and the yard believe he will stay the trip. Naidoo gave Dancingwithjackson a place chance and Colin Scott was pleased with Biz-Jet’s run over course and distance last weekend and felt he could place. Entree can’t be ignored either.

The fourth is a MR 80 handicap over 1600m on the turf. Bianzino needed his last start over 1600m at Scottsville and ran a cracker, so he strikes as a good bet here from a good draw. The Drier yard rate Horse Chestnut gelding Firewood one of their two best runners on the card and regard him as “above average”. His dam was a sprinter and has produced sprinters but the yard hope he can get a mile. Master James was probably too handy behind a strong pace the last time he went this trip in the same race as Bianzino at Scottsville and he could do better with more conservative tactics here.

The Betting World 1900 is highly competitive but De Kock has come on a lot from his Champions Season pipe opener and will enjoy this trip, so looks the one to beat. Jayyed has class and should be running on strongly. Solar Star is in fine form and looks to have plenty of improvement in him. Power King is thriving in KZN and is distance suited. Jet Explorer is the joint best weighted horse and is course and distance suited. Dynamic has come on further from his good Champions Season pipe opener but has a wide draw.

It Is Written has come into his own and could continue to progress. Double Clutch has proven effective from the front in races with no pace and this could be one of them. Bold Inspiration is at his peak and is drawn in pole over a suitable trip. Killua Castle is one of the best weighted horses and will enjoy the fast going. Helderberg Blue has ability but is not well treated at the weights. Punta Arenas is good enough to win this but his draw makes it tough. Whiteline Fever has gone close in the July so should stay the trip and has had a good preparation. They are selected in the order mentioned.

Punta Arenas (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the sixth over 1400m Bee My Honey has the right breeding for the poly and can follow up on his flying finish victory over 1200m last time. It is an open race and Sutherfini, Umoyana, Dream Bay, Glorious Moment and Pula can also be considered.

In the seventh over 1400m Solar Triptych races off a mark 24 points lower than his sand rating over a suitable trip from a good draw with Marcus up so is the one to beat.

In the eighth over 1400m In Other Words, who went close on debut, is well bred for the poly and has worked on the Summerveld poly, so is tipped ahead of Queen Delta, whom the Drier yard regard as a very nice horse who can improve further but who might find this a bit on the sharp side.

The Listed East Coast Cup on Sunday could be won by former SA Oaks winner Ash Cloud, who would have come on a lot from her decent effort in the Listed Scarlet Lady. Gathering Fame and Shingwedzi make most appeal of the rest.

By David Thiselton

Mike Azzie runs the consistent Brooks-Club in the Betting World 1900 at Greyville on Friday night and another Gauteng-based horse in the field is the Sean Tarry-trained Whiteline Fever.

Brooks-Club is only 1kg under sufferance with the two best weighted horses by official merit ratings, Jet Explorer and Killua Castle, and is well drawn in barrier four. He has been at Azzie’s Summerveld Champions Season yard since Sunday.

The six-year-old Strike Smartly gelding should have no problem staying the trip having finished third in the Gr 1 SA Derby over 2450m as a three-year-old, beaten just a length by dead-heaters Pomodoro and Royal Bencher. On the downside, despite being a consistent place getter, he has only won five times in a career of 40 starts and none of these victories have been in feature races. Azzie said, “He is a hard knocker and I expect him to be right there.”

Whiteline Fever is also a six-year-old gelding who has had exactly 40 starts. He has won seven times, including the Gr 2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m twice. There is a perennial debate about his stamina capacity, as none of his wins have been beyond 1600m, although he was a touch unlucky when staying on strongly in the 2012 Vodacom Durban July. Whiteline Fever is also 1kg under sufferance with the best in and Tarry said, “He has prepped well and I am confident he will stay the distance, especially at that course.” The Right Approach gelding was due to travel down to KZN today (Thursday). Tarry would like to see Whiteline Fever being placed within striking range of the lead considering the race appears to lack pace. He was confident that Piere Strydom would be able to place him well despite a draw of nine in the sixteen horse field.

Meanwhile, Tarry’s Summerveld assistant trainer Deshone Steyn rated the yard’s three-year-old Trippi filly, In Other Words, “hard to beat” in race 8, a 1400m fillies and mares maiden on the polytrack. It will be her first time on the poly but Trippi’s progeny are known to love the surface and she has worked on the Summerveld polytrack. However, Dennis Drier rates Queen Of Thrones in this race as one of his two best runners on the night, the other being Firewood in race 4, a MR 80 Handicap over 1600m on turf.

By Dave Thiselton

Picture: Whiteline Fever (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Geoff Woodruff yard have operated on Louis The King in an attempt to not only resolve his racing issues but also to preserve his stud career.

Meanwhile, they are also happy with their Gr 2 Betting World 1900 candidate Killua Castle.

It is believed that Louis The King’s below par recent form was due to him pulling a testicle upward, which caused a lot of pain, so this testicle has now been removed.

Killua Castle will be fit from his recent runs and this big-hearted handicapper will travel down to KZN today (Thursday). He is the joint best-weighted horse in the 1900 according to official merit ratings and is drawn well in six over a suitable distance with Donavan Mansour up.

He has finished second last in both of his previous two outings at the tight Greyville circuit. However, in January he easily won the Gr 3 London News Handicap over 1800m on the tight Turffontein Inside course and that dispelled the notion that he only ever ran to his best on the galloping Turffontein Standside course. He also appears better on fast ground, so could well do better on Frday night than in his two most recent runs, which were both in soft going at Turffontein.

By Dave Thiselton

Photo: Killua Castle (JC Photo)