Joey Ramsden can continue his extraordinary domination of the Somerset 1200 by taking tomorrow’s Kenilworth Listed race with the cheaply bought Morning Catch. Stable companion Speedpoint should also make the frame.

The pair were bought in successive lots at the Emperors Palace Select just over 12 months ago and R200 000 Morning Catch, despite starting at 16-1, led a furlong out on debut and increased his advantage to the line. He gave the impression that he should have no difficulty confirming the form with second-placed Captain Ram despite being 2kg worse.

Joey Ramsden (Nkosi Hlophe)

Speedpoint was only beaten half a length by Dutch Philip in a strong juvenile plate over a furlong less than this three weeks ago and he is now 2kg better. The way they both quickened suggests that Speedpoint may well reverse the placings at these weights.

However both Candice Bass-Robinson and Aldo Domeyer were adamant that their horse will be far more effective over this trip and the colt is expected to start favourite which is a positive pointer  – favourites have won three of the last six runnings.

However Speedpoint’s pedigree is also a long way from being pure speed. He might be by Var but his Grade 3-winning Casey Tibbs dam is a full sister to July winner Big City Life.

There is a line of form which suggests that Morning Catch could be slightly better than Speedpoint. Certainly he has more scope for improvement.

Zodiac Jack looked good when winning three races back and, while there were valid excuses for his odds-on defeat next time, he was well beaten in the Dutch Philip race.

However Kasimir finished in front of Dutch Philip when second in the Met day Listed race, an extraordinary performance for a newcomer. Although he then met with a shock 2-10 defeat he was shin-sore afterwards. He receives all the allowances and if he can reproduce his debut form the rest might as well stay at home.

Pen-Chan’s maiden win has not really been franked and, although it is obviously significant that Victorious Captain now runs without blinkers, it is hard to see him justifying his name in this company.

For what it’s worth the sahorseracing computer has Dutch Philip beating Morning Catch by just under half a length with Kasimir third. But was it told that Ramsden had won the last four runnings?

It predicts victory for the erroneously-named Too Phat To Fly in the Perfect Promise and that could be spot-on despite the strong claims of Rose In Bloom who ran so well in the Dutch Philip race.

By Michael Clower

Craig du Plooy, sidelined for over half last month and at least the rest of this month, had cortisone injected into his spine yesterday.

Craig Du Plooy (Nkosi Hlophe)

He said: “I have been battling with a problem in my back since I returned from my last injury three months ago. It’s basically the result of wear and tear over the years – I have broken a lot of bones in the past including fracturing my spine.

“This problem is not really getting any better so I had the facet blocks done again. I have a slight tear in the disc between the L4 and L5. The cortisone goes into the facet joint under local anaesthetic and I’d already had it done on the L4. This time it was the L5. It’s not a solution but purely for pain relief.

“Apparently you have got to let the back heal – you can’t work your way through it – and so I’ve had to take it easy. I find that hard and I’m hoping that it is not going to take more than a few months otherwise they may have to operate.”

Du Plooy’s resurgence under the Snaith Racing banner, with the help of coaching from Felix Coetzee, was painfully interrupted when he broke bones in his hand at the beginning of November. He was out of action until early February.

He plays an important role in the Snaith operation, riding work every day as well as being second jockey, and the stable has engaged Brandon May to help fill the gap.

But Du Plooy’s injury has not prevented him continuing in his part-time job as tutor of the Cape Town work riders and he plans to be at Kenilworth on Saturday to watch his pupils in action in the opening race.

By Michael Clower

Dennis Drier took the wraps off a smart juvenile in Sand And Sea in the All To Come Juvenile Plate at Scottsville yesterday and the son of first season sire Twice Over did it in a fashion that says, “plenty more to come but …!”

Sand And Sea (Nkosi Hlophe)

Al Mariachi, a winner second time of asking at Kenilworth, found plenty of support on course but Sand And Sea was not friendless, the word out that he was smart, and indeed started tote favourite.

He is a magnificent specimen of a thoroughbred and pranced around the paddock like he owned the place.

But backing juveniles first time out, especially against more seasoned runners, is a risky business at the best of times and those that plunged on Sand And Sea will have been reaching for the blood pressure pills a long way out.

The colt was all over the race course with Anton Marcus every time he was let off the bit. However, it was a measure of his ability that once pulled away from the opposition and racing on his own, he picked up smartly to beat Al Mariachi. Had Sand And Sea got beaten there would have been plenty of valid excuses.

Drier is attending the National Yearling Sales and when assistant Stuart Ferrie was quizzed on when the vet would be called in, his answer was a grin.

The mare Bump ‘N Grind has been a gold mine for owner/breeder Andre Hauptfleisch with champion Via Africa putting her on the map. Her three subsequent foals have all been winners including Al Wahed, Elusive Enchantment and yesterday’s first race winner, Swift Dancer.

Elusivenchantment (Nkosi Hlophe)

Elusive Enchantment will be out to go one better than Via Africa and win Saturday’s Computaform Sprint while Al Wahed will be lining up at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Swift Dancer gave notice of her ability with two promising efforts in soft ground so was well suited to the firmer going yesterday. Stable rider Keagan de Melo had her up with the pace from the jump but just when she looked to have the race in the bag she came under pressure from the first timer Tsessebe and had to grind it out to the line.

“She’s still immature and weak,” said Duncan Howells, an opinion confirmed by De Melo. “She needs to strengthen up. I will put her away now. She will be a much better filly come next season.”

Howells was not impressed by the stipendiary steward’s decision to take the race away from favourite Silent Obsession in the Racing.It’s A Rush Maiden Plate, giving it to second-placed Enticer in the boardroom.

The winning margin of a short head is what probably swayed the panel in favour of jockey Warren Kennedy’s protest but to most it was a 50/50 call.

This was the fourth time that Howells has been on the wrong side of an objection in the past few months.

By Andrew Harrison

Assistant trainer Mathew de Kock is upbeat about lightly weighted Nother Russia’s chance in the R4-million Premier’s Champions Challenge (Grade 1) over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday.

Nother Russia (SA Horseracing)

The race is the biggest of nine features on Champions Day, which also include three other Grade 1s – the SA Derby, the Computaform Sprint and the SA Nursery.

De Kock believes Nother Russia has improvement still to come following her first win at the highest level, the Empress Club Stakes over 1600m on 22 April.

“Obviously she’s got Legal Eagle to beat,” he said, “but she is the third best-weighted horse in the field (behind Legal Eagle and French Navy) and must have a big chance.”

The Champions Challenge comes hard on the heels of her victory over Bella Sonata in the Empress Club Stakes, but De Kock said: “Everything’s been good in between and she’s taken the race well.

“We took the view that it’s more than likely she will not run during the Durban season, so she might as well take her chances here and then have another rest.”

The Mike de Kock stable will be pinning its SA Derby hopes on Heavenly Blue, the top-rated runner in the R2-million race over 2450m. “He’s just got to stay,” confirmed De Kock. “But every horse high in the betting is in the same boat, so we’re all in the dark. On his last run he is obviously the one to beat.”

Al Sahem (JC Photographics)

Heavenly Blue was impressive in winning the SA Classic over 1800m, slicing past Al Sahem to win going away by 2.90 lengths.

“Everything’s gone well in between and we’re happy with him,” De Kock confirmed.

On paper the R1-million Computaform Sprint over 1000m is their weakest Grade 1 race but De Kock cautioned punters not to discard Rafeef, who is only the seventh best-weighted runner in the race.

This will be his first start over 1000m, with his form over further yielding five wins and three places from only nine starts. He was last seen out in the 1600m Horse Chestnut Stakes in which he finished fourth behind Legal Eagle. The stable will fit blinkers this time in a bid to sharpen him up.

“He is very well,” said De Kock. “We tried to stretch him to a ‘mile’, but have decided to pull him right back. He definitely shows enough speed at home and I wouldn’t leave him out of anything.”

De Kock hinted the stable thought Rafeef would probably do better than their other Computaform Sprint runner, Moofeed, who finished third behind Brutal Force following a layoff last month but meets his conqueror on 1.5kg worse terms, the equivalent of about 0.75 lengths.

“I thought that was a very nice race but will be very happy if he can sneak into the places.”

He said he thought the stable was “very lucky to have two very smart colts” in the 1160m SA Nursery – Mustaaqeem and Naafer. “I can’t split them on their work and in my opinion they should both go very close.”

Safe Harbour (Liesl King)

Mustaaqeem has run only once and that 1160m race yielded a 7.50-length success over reopposing Coastal Torrent, while his stablemate ran second in his debut, 4.75 lengths behind Wonderwall, before winning over 1200m at the Vaal next time, downing Phllydelphia by 5.25 lengths.

The De Kock stable has runners in three of the four Grade 2 races on the card, including Belle Rose and Orchid Island in the R1-million SA Oaks over 2450m.

Orchid Island won the SA Fillies Classic last time out, beating Safe Harbour by a neck, with Bi Pot third and Belle Rose fourth. The first five horses home finished within 0.75 lengths of each other and De Kock is understandably cautious.

“It’s hard to tell who will make most improvement over the distance,” he said. “But our two are well and fit. I’m happy with the way their preparations have gone, they will both enjoy the distance and run big races.”

Fish River and Silver Thursday will represent the stable in the R400,000 SA Fillies Nursery. Silver Thursday won her debut, beating her stablemate by 2.50 lengths over 1200m at the Vaal, and De Kock said she had improved with the experience. However, he added: “Fish River needed that run and I can’t split them. I’m happy with their preparations but can only hope for the best in a competitive race.”

Both Al Hawraa and The Centenary ran in the Empress Club Stakes and renew rivalry in the R400,000 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes over 2000m. Al Hawraa did best in finishing only 4.30 lengths behind Nother Russia in eighth place. “She ran a good race from the widest draw,” De Kock mused. “She ran on all the way to the line and should enjoy the 2000m of Saturday’s race.”

He believes The Centenary should run a better race this time and gives both fillies place chances.

Their only other runner at the meeting is disappointing Smart Mart in the R500,000 Gold Bowl (Grade 3) over 3200m. He finished fourth in this race last year. “We’ve tried doing one or two things differently because he went off the boil and hopefully they’ll bring him back to his best – if he does get back to his old form he must be a factor.”

– TABNews

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Have you just completed your 3 year diploma in Horticulture?

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Gold Circle (Pty) Ltd is recruiting Interns in the Horticultural field.

The duration of the programme is 12 months.

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Students get to learn irrigation and drainage first hand from experienced individuals, they use horticultural mechanization machinery first hand including boom sprayers, vertidrains and all types of the latest mowers used in turf industry. They practice spring treatment and learn about fertilizer programmes, mowing heights and programmes and race track preparations. Hedge-trimming, pruning, planting and designing racecourse gardens, tree felling, sod cutting, light construction work and handyman assisting are among the many techniques and practices experienced.

Interested students to email their CV and academic record to Nirvana Doodhram – Nirvanad@goldcircle.co.za by Wednesday May 17.

There exotic races at the Turffontein Inside track on Saturday are generally competitive although there are possible bankers for the brave.

In the first leg of the PA two-year-old Twice A Dancer is an impressive specimen who can build on his eye catching debut as he is a robust sort who should have come on from the run, so he looks to be a banker. Another two-year-old Pillaroftheearth made a good debut and with Gavin Lerena up from a good draw should also go close. Pretty Wendy is by Dynasty and is a half-sister to Gr 1 SA Oaks winner Pine Princess, who won her first two starts over 1200m and 1000m respectively, so she is an interesting runner. Island View found support last time over 1450m and moved up well before finding little extra, so he might have needed it and might also appreciate the step down to 1200m. Artax made a fair debut in a strong field and is well draw.

The second leg of the PA is likely to be a straight fight between Only To Win and Boudica. A-Rod has been consistent but has been racing in weak Greyville polytrack maidens.

In the third leg Front Club is three months younger than her contemporaries being Irish-bred so should be improving and on pedigree will relish the trip, being a half-sister to Gr 2 Gold Circle Oaks winner Front House. Generoso ran on well to beat Front Club last time over 1600m and is another to include alongside the consistent middle distance horse Eversilver. However, King’s Creek, Advance To Go and Musette must be considered for the Pick 6 and Jackpot.

In the next leg the well-bred Consequentially has risen through the ranks since blinkers were fitted, while Snowdonia has been acquitting herself well against stronger. For the Pick 6 and Jackpot the promising Cold Cash and the improving Russian Star can’t be ignored.

In the fifth leg of the PA Zouaves is selected to win as he produced a powerful finish from off the pace to win his maiden over course and distance and hasn’t been punished by the handicapper. However, Silver Sails is an exciting prospect and is also well drawn in his first run for the Joe Soma yard. Raasmaal, Bonnie Prince and Crazy Vision, and maybe even Tendre, have to be considered for Pick 6 and Jackpot bets too.

In the next leg the powerfully built and well bred Alileo is a banker consideration, but this is only her second start and beyond her Lumya, Easy Game, Lady Of The World, Heavy Metal and Favour’s Pride all look to have winning chances.

The last leg is tricky, but topweight Beckoning has dropped to a competitive mark and can be effective from a good draw. Ponchielli was a touch unlucky last time and so was Allora, who has dropped to an attractive merit rating. High Seas Beauty has ability but has to overcome a wide draw and Always A Lady and Queen’s Jet can also be involved.

By David Thiselton