The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Afrikaburn became the first colt of Trippi’s South African-bred progeny to win a Gr 1 when winning the Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1 400m last season and joining him as contemporary three-year-olds with exciting potential this season are two Sean Tarry-trained colts, Zambezi River and Trip To Heaven.

Afrikaburn has a tremendous turn of foot. In his recent reappearance in the Gr 3 Kuda Matchem Stakes over 1 400m against older horses, he took a while to get going in the straight but then took off late and this has prompted Kannemeyer to consider fitting quarter cup blinkers next time out.

Afrikaburn will avoid the Gr 3 Cape Classic on October 25, so his next big race target is likely to be the Gr 2 Selangor Cup over 1600m.

Zambezi River was slow away on his debut over 1000m at the Vaal last week, but cut through the field like a hot knife through butter late in the race and appeared to do it effortlessly.  He won easing up by 1,5 lengths, despite having drifted from 3/1 to 5/1 in the betting. Both Afrikaburn and Zambezi River were bred by Drakenstein Stud.

On Saturday the Highlands Farm Stud-bred Trip To Heaven, returning from a 125 day layoff, was very impressive when stretching further and further clear under a hands and heels ride to win a Maiden over 1 200m on the Turffontein Inside track by 7,75 lengths.

Tarry provided Trippi with his first ever South African-bred Gr 1 winner, the filly For The Lads, who won the Golden Slipper over 1 400m at Greyville but she unfortunately lost her way as a three-year-old last season.

Another promising colt from Trippi’s current three-year-old crop is Punk Rocker who won the Gr 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1100m at Clairwood last season. However, he is still being rested at present.

The Kannemeyer-trained colt Tripandie also looked promising when winning from a tough draw over 1 200m at Clairwood last season. Kanemeyer said he would take a “soft route’’ with him and he will have to win another race before he thinks about running him in three-year-old features. There are also some promising fillies among the three-year-old Trippi crop.

The Mike de Kock-trained One Fine Day finished an excellent second against the boys in the Golden Horseshoe last season to give Trippi and Drakenstein a Gr 1 one-two. She is entered in a Novice Plate over 1 000m at Turffontein this Saturday.

The Charles Laird-trained Klawervlei Stud-bred Beloved Country has won three out of five starts, including a Listed and a Non-Black Type event, and is being aimed at the R1 million Cape Yearling Sales Graduates race over 1200m next January at Kenilworth.

The speedy Justin Snaith-trained Arria is a Listed winner and she will be making her reappearance on October 26 at Fairview in a Graduation Plate.

The Snaith-trained Cotton Candy, who won two out of seven starts last season and was stakes placed, has had a successful operation to remove a fetlock chip and has been doing very well in training. Of the older Trippis, the Mike Bass-trained five-year-old mare Hammie’s Hooker should have a halcyon season now that her nemesis Beach Beauty has been retired. Bass also trains the Gr 1-placed four-year-old Trippi filly Lanner Falcon, who finished second in the Gr 3 Diana Stakes in her reappearance. She will be kept to trips from 1 200-1 600m this season. Shingwedzi is another Bass-trained four-year-old filly that should make an impact.

Geoff Woodruff has the Gr 1-placed Not Sulking, who is recovering from injury, but should be back racing in about February next year.

Bass’ useful Trippi gelding Paterfamilias is back in work after injury, but his Trippi stable companion Abercrombie is still being rested.

The lightning fast Louis Goosen-trained gelding Trip Tease has won seven out of eleven, including a Gr 3 on turf and a Listed on the sand, so he could make an impact in the big Highveld sprint races.

Of the two-year-olds the Snaiths have a colt out of the Gr 1 winner Sparkling Gem that they have high hopes for. He should be watched out for as he is likely to be racing soon and should win first time out. Justin also spoke highly of another young two-year-old Trippi colt that has just arrived. It is tough for any sire to make it as buyers are notoriously fickle and a stallion can go out of fashion virtually as quickly as it takes their progeny to complete a race.

There have been one or two detractors as it took a while for a Trippi to win a Gr 1 and most of the good ones appeared to be fillies. However, that all looks likely to change this season.

Picture: Drakenstein Stud