The Summerveld dogs were barking Billy Silver from the rooftops before yesterday’s meeting at Scottsville and they must have been watching a few gallops. All the money came for Dennis Bosch’s runner in the Download The tabGold Information App maiden and those who plunged were standing in the pay-out que even before ‘Billy’ hit the furlong marker.
“He’s a very, very smart horse,” enthused Anthony Delpech and one who looks to be something of a bargain buy.
Billy Silver (Candiese Marnewick)
“He was passed through the ring at R450k but I liked the look of him,” said Bosch, always an astute judge. “I checked him out at the back and although he turned out a little I still liked him.”
“He’s taken time. He has flat feet and we had to fit wedges but he’s a smart horse.”
He was entered for a feature on Sunday’s eLAN Gold Cup card but this was probably a better decision to take on maidens at their own game as he cruised to a five-length victory.
Duncan Howells has been sending out winner after winner in his quest for his second KZN trainer’s championship and reigning champion Dennis Drier will have been wondering what he had to do to retain his crown.
Howells, won the card opener with rank outsider Fiorella to push his lead out to 10. “Duncan’s on fire,” commented a frustrated Drier after an umpteenth second as Sacred Flame played second fiddle to Billy Silver.
Dennis Drier(Nkosi Hlophe)
There was some relief on the horizon as Drier broke his run of second placings as Texas Sky got the better of Toltec and a well-supported Tommy Grand in the White Horse Function Room maiden. Sean Veal set a cracking pace on Texas Sky, tracked by Toltec and Tommy Grand in what looked to be a suicidal pace. But the trio kept finding. Tommy Grand was the first to cry enough but Toltec went by Texas Sky and looked to be going the better. “He let the other horse go passed him, but he came back strong,” said stable rider Sean Veale.
Owner Nic Jonsson has caught the racing bug from father Benji, a doyen of KZN and South African racing, and as Drier commented, “If you haven’t got the boys to back you, you’re history,” a bell that rings true in every racing yard.
Drier pulled another back on Howells as bottom weight Great Value landed the seventh and cut his rival’s lead to eight with two meetings to go to the end of the season but all the pressure was on in the first for the Ashburton trainer. Fiorella started at long odds but Howells feels that she has a big future. Unruly at the gate and unshipping Keagan de Melo before taking up her stall made the wait even more tense. “She’s a top filly,” said Howells. “She was ready to run four weeks ago but she has a hot temperament and I didn’t want to press her too hard.”
“She’s bred to go ten furlongs and barring accidents she should go on a long way from here.”
By Andrew Harrison
