Summerveld trainer Frank Robinson described his top class Dynasty filly Olma as “spot on” on the eve of her departure for Johannesburg, where she will participate in the Gr 1 Laurie Jaffee Empress Club Stakes over her probable optimum distance of 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday.

Meanwhile, all is still well with the Mike Bass-trained three-time Gr 1-winner Inara, who has also been trained for the Empress Club out of Summerveld.

Excellent jockey Ian Sturgeon has formed a fine partnership with Olma and rides her from a plum draw of four in the prestigious weight for age event, which has attracted a small but classy field of nine.

Sturgeon never rides Olma in work due to the fine training track partnership the small filly has formed with workrider Enos Magaba.

Robinson said, “Enos knows what to do and gives excellent feedback. Her work has been very good, I am very happy. She has come on from her last win and is very well. She is getting better and better. I always knew she was going to mature. The tongue tie has also made a big difference.”

Robinson also admitted at the beginning of the season to have over-estimated her ability to stay.

 

She has consequently won her last three races in impressive style, a Conditions Plate over 1800m on the Greyville turf, the Gr 3 Flamboyant Stakes over 1600m on the Greyville turf and the Gr 3 Kings Cup against the boys on the Greyville poly.

Travelling to and from altitude has always posed a problem for South African trainers, but anecdotal evidence would say horses should be capable of raiding from the coast for races not further than a mile.

Five-time champion trainer Geoff Woodruff also once pointed out Summerveld is at an altitude of about 700 metres. He said, “It is already more than a third of the altitude of Johannesburg and from there a horse can get away with a run over any distance,””

Many Summerveld horses have proven him correct, including a horse trained by Robinson’s former guv’nor Herman Brown Senior called Singing Boy, who raided to win a Gr 1 over 2000m at Turffontein as well as a Gr 1 over 1600m, a Gr 3 over 2000m and another big race over 1800m.

Robinson has recently conformed to the trend of leaving on Friday at midnight and arriving on the morning of the race.

However, he has now decided to revert to the method used in the days of Singing Boy and is leaving tonight (Thursday) and arriving early tomorrow morning (Friday).

“This gives us a chance to feed her and walk her and she can have a bit of a break before the race. She can get a little worked up, but I noticed last time she travelled back she was fine, and it’s probably due to her being a bit older and more mature.

Foveros, Yamani and Rock Star were other examples of Brown-trained horses who won Gr 1s at Turffontein when arriving a day or two before the race.

Olma has run three times at Turffontein and every one of the races has been way below par, so hopefully the new travel strategy will reap dividends.

Robinson regards Inara as being “a tough nut to crack”, but pointed out her three worst runs were around a right handed turn and he also wondered whether having to first acclimatise to Summerveld, after travelling from Cape Town, and then having to acclimatise to Johanesburg, would take the edge off her.

However, the Bass camp would say her three below par runs around right-handed Greyville last season could likely be put down to the lung infection she was found to be carrying.

Assistant trainer Robert Fayd’Herbe said everything was currently “hundreds” with her. She is coming off a brilliant defence of her Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes crown, which was run on January 23.

The raiding pair are the two highest rated horses in the race on 111 and 107 respectively, but will face stiff competition from the like Of Trophy Wife, who was finished in the top three in three separate Gr 1s.

Olma’s credentials were given a boost yesterday (Wednesday) when her Michael Roberts-trained half-brother by Argonaut Caddy Master won on debut on the Greyville turf over 1200m.

By David Thiselton