Ten Gun Salute, amongst the fancied runners for last year’s Vodacom Durban July but in the doldrums since, burst onto the scene for this year’s edition with a scintillating performance in the Gr2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville on Friday night. Re-united with Muzi Yeni at the insistence of owner Heinrich Kuhn, the Duncan Howells-trained Ten Gun Salute blew away a high-class field that included current July ante-post favourite Elusive Silva.

Quoted at 80-1 before Friday, Track & Ball cut him to a still fairly generous 25-1 yesterday with Elusive Silva drifting to 10-1 and Marinaresco and Al Sahem firming slightly to 13-2, pretty skinny odds with five weeks still to the big race.

But it was touch-and-go whether Ten Gun Salute took his place in Friday’s line-up. “Two weeks ago he was a doubtful starter,” said Howells. “He pulled a back muscle in the Drill Hall Stakes and didn’t work for three or four days. “I had the physio work on him – Beth Shaw did a fantastic job – and then we worked him twice a day for the last week.”

“I was still in two minds but I trotted him out yesterday (Thursday) morning and he was sound so I thought, ‘what the hell’ and we took our chances.”

It proved an inspired decision. Racing well of the pace and wide for much of the early exchanges, Ten Gun Salute had two behind him turning for home. But Yeni set him alight as the field swung for home and the response was instant. Ten Gun quickly got the measure of the opposition in spite of drifting in and won in exceptional fashion.

“We always thought he was a good horse and he showed me what he is made of,” said Yeni. “I turned for home and got there a bit quicker than I wanted to. The pace was not genuine – it was quite slow –  and I was sitting three wide at one stage. His turn of foot was amazing.”

“We always thought highly of him. At least I know how to ride him now. Last year (in the July) I had him a little too close. If he gives the same type of finish he is a massive runner.”

As expected, Serissa set the pace for stable companion Tilbury Fort and it all worked out nicely for them except that Ten Gun Salute left Tilbury Fort for dead at the top of the straight. Tilbury Fort, always handy, stayed on for second while It’s My Turn was plugging on gamely in third. Mr Winsome also ran on well from behind for third while race favourite, Elusive Silva, turned for home ahead of Ten Gun but was blown away.

The 1900 was the only race run on the turf following torrential rains the previous week with the balance of the 10-race card switched to the poly track to avoid excessive damage to the turf surface.

Johan Janse van Vuuren has a small string based at Ashburton and Crowd Pleaser made all the running to win the Allowance Plate over 1800m. He was never really pressured and got home comfortably under Warren Kennedy. Investec Derby winner Edict Of Nantes, giving the winner 6kg, was doing his best work late, in a smart warm-up for the Gr1 Daily News 2000, impressing bookmakers who cut his odds to 11-1.

Favourite Secret Captain was one-paced throughout in a disappointing showing and there must now be doubts about his ability to stay further than a “mile” at this stage of his career. Howells, his voice but a rasping whisper after Friday’s urgings, said yesterday that he did not know what to make of the run. “He was staying on but didn’t quicken. He’s still immature and I think he will be a better horse next year.”

But as far as bookmakers were concerned, Nebula put up the best performance of the evening. A record priced yearling in his day, he has some way to go before recouping his R3,75 million purchase price but quickened smartly to land the Pinnacles Stakes over 1600m. “I thought it was a good effort,” said Peter Muscutt, assistant to Brett Crawford. “He took a heavy fall at his last start and it’s good to see that he has not lost his confidence.”

On Friday morning Nebula was on offer at 66-1 in the July ante-post market and Track & Ball slashed his odds to 16-1 come midnight.

Last year’s July winner The Conglomerate, raced handy throughout but was never in the hunt for the winner’s cheque as Anton Marcus nursed him home under a few back-handers. An each-way nibble at 33-1 may not be a sign of madness.

At Scottsville on Saturday, biggest upset of the day came in the opening leg of the Place Accumulator as rank outsider The Dazzler lived up to his name for owner/trainer and Winning Ways presenter James Goodman. Paying over R50 on the tote and having his first outing, The Dazzler showed an excellent turn of foot under replacement rider Keagan de Melo, who didn’t have to raise his crop in anger.

“I thought he was decent but we were taking on a strong field,” said Goodman. “We were up against winners and I thought third or fourth would be a good effort.”

It was more than just a good effort, and with a pedigree that suggests a ‘mile and further’ The Dazzler is one for the notebook.

Andrew Harrison