The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Trippi three-year-old Summer Sky showed the benefit of gelding at Scottsville on Sunday and offers the hope of a SA Champions Season classic contender for the top yard.

Dean Kannemeyer (Nkosi Hlophe)

Kannemeyer said Summer Sky had become a real handful during the summer and he had battled to saddle him in his previous start on Sun Met day. He wore first-time blinkers that day and produced a late surge to win a MR 78 Handicap over 1400m by a short-head under Anthony Delpech. Kannemeyer was then granted permission by owners Drakenstein Stud to geld him.

On Sunday Summer Sky was well drawn in three and Delpech soon had him in a handy position. He galloped on resolutely in the straight and won easing up by five lengths from a field which consisted mainly of older horses, including the Listed winner Way Of Light. Summer Sky was a bit keen in the running and Kannemeyer confirmed he would improve for the outing. However, he said he would not be ready in time for the Gr 3 Byerley Turk over 1400m, which is usually used by classic contenders as a springboard into the Gr 2 Daisy Guineas.  The Byerley Turk will be run at Scottsville next Sunday and the Daisy Guineas is on May 7 at Greyville. However, Kannemeyer said he would nominate him for the Guineas and decide at the time whether it would be wise to run him. That race will represent Summer Sky’s last opportunity to run in a classic as races beyond a mile will likely stretch him.

Kannemeyer’s SA Champions Season string looks a “bit thin”, but this was also the case two years ago and he ended up winning the Vodacom Durban July with Power King.

Summer Sky (Nkosi Hlophe)

His string thus year has been weakened by one of his July runners from last year Mambo Mime having a bout of colic, which has put him out for the season.

He admitted his chances of winning the July this year, or even having a runner, looked remote but added, “You never know what can happen.”

Last year he arrived in KZN thinking his five-year-old Dynasty gelding Solid Speed would campaign in staying races. However, this classy sort ended up jumping as joint-third favourite for the July, where he unfortunately went wrong and had to be retired.

A horse with a similar profile is Kannemeyer’s four-year-old Ideal World gelding Cape Speed. Kannemeyer said he would be aimed at the big staying events and defending his Gr 3 Track And Ball Derby crown will be one of his goals. Four of Cape Speed’s five career wins have been in KZN and he is a horse to keep an eye on.

Another Kannemeyer horse who thrives in KZN is his Gr 1-winning sprinter Real Princess.

He said her last start when finishing last in the Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m on Sun Met day could be ignored as it coincided with a virus in his yard and she returned with “muck” in her lungs.

She hasn’t run since, but Kannemeyer put her on the Summerveld grass the other day and she went well. He will prepare her for the defence of her Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint crown.

Real Princess’s six career wins have all been in KZN and five of them have been at Scottsville.

By David Thiselton

Former national champion trainer Justin Snaith said recently his KZN campaign this year had panned out to be the most important period of his current season. He duly got his feature race campaign off to a good start at Scottsville yesterday when winning the Listed KwaZulu-Natal Stakes over 1000m with the speedy Captain Al filly Jo’s Bond, who was ridden by Richard Fourie.

Justin Snaith

Fourie travelled from Cape Town for just the one ride and sat just off the pace. Jo’s Bonds powerful turn of foot saw her drawing clear of the favourite Elusivenchantment to win by a length. Our Destiny and Cosmic Burst ran on well for third and fourth and Vision To Kill was next best.

Earlier, the Gavin van Zyl-trained Oratorio gelding Arianos Bagofgold produced a good finish from off the pace to win the Non-Black Type Sentinel Stakes over 1000m under Eric Saziso Ngwane. Autumn In Seattle was giving the winner 2kg and had to be switched, so did well to finish a 0,5 length second. Northern Rebel was next best.

The first round of the newly introduced KZN Breeders “Levelling the Playing Fields” series of races kicked off at yesterday’s meeting. Trainers were invited to nominate one KZN-bred horse with a rating of 78 and below to compete in three races over 1200m, 1400m and 1600m respectively.

In Round 1’s first heat the Chris Erasmus-trained outsider Putchini just got up under Billy Jacobson to deny the Tony Rivalland-trained Reactive. The Garth Puller-trained Cipher, the Greg and Karen Anthony-trained Poivre and the Paul Gadsby-trained Roy’s Power were next best. The favourite Beckedorf dwelt in the stalls and lost many lengths.

Jo’s Bond (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the second heat, the Glen Kotzen-trained three-year-old filly Royal Agree won cosily by 1,25 lengths under Athandiwe Mgudlwa from the Wendy Whitehead-trained Brave And Bold, with the Doug Campbell-trained Fire The Rocket, the Paul Lafferty-trained Tropical’s Son and the Sean Tarry-trained favourite Kahula next best.

Both Putchini and Royal Agree are effective up to 1600m at least.

Later, the Dean Kannemeyer-trained three-year-old Summer Sky won a MR 86 handicap over 1400m by five lengths under Anthony Delpech. On that showing the Trippi gelding could develop into a feature campaigner.

There were also wins at the meeting for Wendy Whitehead and Alec Forbes, Paul Gadsby and Sean Veale and Mark Dixon and Marco van Rensburg.

By David Thiselton

Anthony Delpech will be reunited with CTS Mile runner-up Copper Force in the Byerley Turk at Greyville on Sunday…

Anthony Delpech (Nkosi Hlophe)

Delpech rode the gelding for the first time in the Met day $500,000 sales race and came from a bad draw to beat all except Cape Guineas winner William Longsword. “Anthony has other commitments but he comes to ride work for me every day at Summerveld,” said Snaith.

Vaughan Marshall will gallop The Secret Is Out tomorrow before deciding whether last season’s Allan Robertson winner contests the Umzimkhulu Stakes on the same card. The filly has only raced once since an epistaxis ruled her out of the Cape Fillies Guineas and she managed only fifth of eight despite starting favourite although, to be fair, she was giving weight all round.

Marshall said: “I was quite happy with that run. She had had no gallops and she was only beaten just over two lengths.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe returns to South African action at Kenilworth tomorrow after stints in Mauritius and Dubai. He rides in all eight races with five mounts for Snaith, two for Joey Ramsden and one for Candice Bass-Robinson.

By Michael Clower

Mayfair Speculators racing manager Derek Brugman said the reigning Equus Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle, who won his sixth career Gr 1 at Turffontein on Saturday, would be “unlikely” to take part in the SA Champions Season.

Legal Eagle (Liesl King)

Meanwhile, their best three-year-old William Longsword will not race again as it has been decided to retire him to stud.

Legal Eagle’s next race will be the defence of his Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge crown at Turffontein on May 6.

Brugman said he would thereafter follow the same route as he had done this season i.e. the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met.

If Legal wins the Premier’s Champions Challenge he would have successfully defended three separate Gr 1s in one season. On Saturday he defended his HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes crown, having defended his Queen’s Plate crown in January.

Variety Club (Liesl King)

The last horse to successfully defend three Gr 1s in one season might well have been the immortal Sea Cottage, who in 1967 defended his crowns in all of the Queen’s Plate, the Newbury Stakes over 1200m at Greyville and in the Clairwood Winter Handicap over 1800m.

Legal Eagle remains unbeaten in six starts over a mile, and this includes four Gr 1 weight for age events and one Gr 2.

However, Brugman still rates the great Variety Club as Mayfair Speculators’ best ever horse and doubts whether they will ever have one as good as him again.

Variety Club was a facile winner of a Gr 1 overseas (in Hong Kong) and Brugman believes Legal Eagle could also win at the highest level overseas. However, unfortunately his efforts to get him to the Breeder’s Cup this year were thwarted by travel costs. Brugman has not given up on an overseas campaign for legal Eagle, but said the champion racehorse would never go the Mauritius route.

William Longsword’s retirement coincides with his sire Captain Al nearing the end of his stud career.

The latter did a lot to put Klawervlei Stud on the map. Markus Jooste, the owner of Mayfair Speculators, is a major shareholder in Klawervlei.

By David Thiselton

Life Life warmed up for her assault on Scottsville’s Poinsettia Stakes and South African Fillies Sprint by convincingly overcoming a rushed preparation in the Golden Bulls Allowance Plate at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Aldo Domeyer, riding the CTS Sprint winner for the first time for ten months, said: “She drops it in the first half of a race but the better she switches off the better she turns it on.”

Aldo Domeyer

Candice Bass-Robinson added: “She was classy enough to beat these even with top weight, she has a great turn of foot and she has improved tremendously. I will send her up to Durban a week to ten days before the Poinsettia. Scottsville is a tricky track but hopefully she will handle it.”

Piet du Toit’s filly will be on a four-timer in the April 30 Grade 3 and seemingly there is a possibility that she may not stay on in KZN after Scottsville’s Grade 1 meeting four weeks later as her trainer explained: “I don’t want to kill her for next season.”

Stable companion Extradite, less than a length back third, stays at home for the Sweet Chestnut on April 22.

Mike Stewart’s R5 000 bargain buy Icon King will be upped to Grade 3 in the Winter Guineas that day. He was receiving weight all round in the Bolands Promotions Pinnacle Stakes but Akshay Balloo was able to make all at 20-1.

“My stable is in shocking form and I don’t think my brother-in-law Hattie Zeppel had any faith in me,” said Mike Stewart, grinning as broadly as if he had won the Horse Chestnut. “He said ‘What are you doing, running him against a horse (Milton) who was second to the Met winner?’

“Indeed I wasn’t going to but the NRB rang me, said there were only seven in the race and asked me to put him in.”

Our Mate Art, who overcame a 19-week absence to grab second close home, will also be in the Winter Guineas line-up as will Elevated despite dropping out in the closing stages – “He needed it badly but it will be a different story next time,” said Riaan van Reenen.

MJ Byleveld

The Craig Bantam-ridden Raya Baya became the first two-year-old in Cape Town to win first time out since Valedictorian six weeks earlier when coming home at 30-1 in the opener but seemingly Tap O’Noth 35 minutes later is the one for the notebooks.

The Fosters’ homebred Captain Al newcomer was heavily backed and, although MJ Byleveld only gained the advantage in the final furlong, Vaughan Marshall left no doubt, saying: “William Longsword goes to stud this week but I am hopeful that this one will follow the same route – I think he is very special.”

Domeyer made it 60 for the season on Waitingfortonight in the OFYT Maiden to leave owner Ron Caris wistfully reflecting that the only previous horse he had with Piet Steyn was Sanshaawes who he bought for R30 000 and sold to Mike de Kock for more than R1 million. As Caris indicated, this one has a bit to go to attract the maestro!

Mind you, he was breaking his duck at only the seventh attempt and the Eric Sands-trained Cautiontothewind had 17 races before finally getting her head in front in the Lavender Blue Maiden. She is the first winner for Belinda Edmonds and her son Justin Offord and was ridden by Donovan Dillon who doubled up in the last on the Shane Humby-trained Waywood while Gyre booked his Durban ticket by coming from the back under Corne Orffer in the Glasfit Handicap.

By Michael Clower

Sean Tarry’s seven winners at Turffontein on Saturday fell one short of Justin Snaith’s world record equaling eight winners at one meeting, which he achieved at the J&B Met meeting last year.

Both Tarry and Snaith won the first six races on the card on the way to their personal best hauls.

Sean Tarry (Nkosi Hlophe)

There were 12 races on both occasions and Snaith’s 32 runners on the day constituted 21,5% of the total of 149 runners at the meeting, while Tarry’s 23 runners constituted 21,1% of the 109 runners at Saturday’s meeting.

Tarry had no fewer than five seconds on Saturday, including in three races where his horse did not win. However, one of his winners, Brave Nomad, did not cross the line first but was on the right side of an upheld objection. Tarry’s haul with his 23 runners included seven wins, five seconds, one third, two fourths and a fifth. He won four features races, one Gr 1 and three Gr 3s, and his total earnings for the day were R2,294,375.

On Snaith’s record day he scored eight wins, two thirds, two fourths and five fifths.

He won two features on the day, a Listed event and a Gr 2, and his total earnings for the day were R741,450.

Tarry had previously regarded his career best day at the races as last year’s Champions Day in which he won three Gr 1s and a Gr 2. Considering his total stakes haul on that day was R5,047,000, it might still remain his best day.

Tarry is well on his way to breaking his own record of R27,999,562 stakes earnings in a season, which he set last season.

At this time last year he had earned R14,951,912.50 in the season, whereas his earnings this season stand at R21,627,700.

By David Thiselton

The big Turffontein meeting on Saturday gives a chance for punters to fight back after a spate of rough results recently as there look to be a few stand out horses on the card.

On the other hand if these horses fail, the dividends are likely to be handsome.

Al Sahem (JC Photographics)

The Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m looks to be a two horse race between Heavenly Blue and Al Sahem, although the courageous Janoobi can’t be ignored either. The latter beat the former pair in the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas, but despite being by Silvano out of a Rakeen mare he has a stamina doubt. His second dam Scented Royal is an influential speedster and Janoobi has inherited some of this speed. He led from start to finish in the Guineas and held on bravely to beat Al Sahem by 0,2 lengths. However, it will be harder to go from pillar to post over this trip, especially from his wide draw. Furthermore, both Al Sahem and Heavenly Blue will both relish the step up in trip. Al Sahem had an interrupted preparation into the Gauteng Guineas, so will likely have come on from the run and being by Silvano is likely improving all the time. He has a good draw too and has been priced up favourite. However, Heavenly Blue has struck as one with a lot of scope and caught the eye with his powerful finish in the Gauteng Guineas. He does have quite a tough draw but has been crying out for middle distances and is selected to beat Al Sahem with Janoobi third. Tilbury Fort is an honest sort who will enjoy the step up in trip and he could earn a cheque too and so could Unagi.

Safe Harbour (Liesl King)

In the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic Smiling Blue Eyes sauntered to an impressive win in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas and looks to have a chance of landing the Triple Tiara, such is her class. She is well drawn this time, as opposed to her wide draw in the Guineas. Bi Pot impressed with a facile win last time out. She should enjoy this trip and is tipped to be the main danger as she is still unexposed. Safe Harbour could also be a danger as she went close to beating the champion filly Bela-Bela in the Gr 1 Paddock Stakes over this trip. Her last start in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas can be ignored as she did not have an ideal preparation, but she is reported to be back to herself now. Al Hawraa was unlucky in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, otherwise would have got closer than 2,6 lengths and she should enjoy the trip so also has a chance from pole position. Orchid Island will enjoy the step up in trip but has a tough task reversing form with Smiling Blue Eyes especially as the reversal in draw fortunes favours Smiling Blue Eyes. Babbling Brooke and Belle Rose could also earn over this suitable course and distance.

Legal Eagle looks hard to oppose in the Gr 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes as a horse who is unbeaten over a mile and three of those wins have been in Gr 1 weight for age events. Rafeef is full of class and is not yet fully exposed so poses the main danger, while classy four-year-old New Predator should now be ideally suited to the mile, having probably been a touch better at 1400m as a younger horse.

Green Pepper is the most exciting three-year-old female sprinter in the land and the conditions of the Gr 3 Man O’ War Sprint favour females, so she looks hard to oppose. Two other females Ektifaa and Exquisite Touch look the main dangers. Chesnut Road is much vaunted and has been ultra impressive in both his career starts down the straight. However, he won’t be quite at his peak and has topweight to carry. Pillar Of Hercules is an interesting Cape Town raider who could earn.

In the Gr 3 Protea Stakes over 1100m Silver God gets weight from the winners and caught the eye on debut, so could be a PA banker, although the speedy Barrack Street and the classy Alfolk would have to be included in the Pick 6.

The last leg of the Pick 6 is the Listed Jacaranda Handicap and Negroamara is tipped. She has dropped to a competitive merit rating and this is an ideal course and distance. The classy Patchit Up Baby will love the course and distance, so looks a big threat. The best has probably not been seen of the well regarded Redberry Lane. It is also hard to ignore Banking April, Parisienne Chic and topweight Polyphonic. Skip a Beat has a tough task as a coastal horse raiding at an altitude venue over an 1800m trip, although on pure form she has a definite chance.

By David Thiselton

Anthony Delpech has six rides at Turffontein’s big racemeeting on Saturday and the best of them looks to be Al Sahem in the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m.

Anthony Delpech (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Sean Tarry-trained Silvano colt lost his unbeaten record in his third career start in the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas when touched off 0,2 lengths by Janoobi.

Delpech said, “He had missed an intended run in the build up to the Guineas due to the rain, but still ran a great race and he will be better suited to this further distance.”

Delpech believes Saturday’s event is a two horse race between his mount and the Mike de Kock-trained Heavenly Blue, who was staying on strongly for third in the Gauteng Guineas and will relish the step up in trip.

Delpech has not been riding Al Sahem work, but the latter has likely come on from his Gauteng Guineas run and is well drawn in four.

He has been priced up as the 12/10 favourite with Heavenly Blue at 2/1.

Delpech also rides a Silvano in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, the De Kock-trained Orchid Island. She started favourite for the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, but was beaten 3,6 lengths into third by Smiling Blue Eyes.

Delpech said, “She will also enjoy the step up in trip, but I think it will be virtually impossible to reverse form because we are widely drawn  this time and Smiling Blue Eyes is now well drawn. I will have to drop her out and we can’t afford to give Smiling Blue Eyes start.”

Delpech does not know much about Desert Rhythm, whom he rides in the Gr 3 Pretty Polly Stakes over 1100m, but she must have as good a chance as any here unless Kissable bounces back after her dismal showing last time.

Al Sahem (JC Photographics)

He is aboard Raasmaal in the Gr 3 Man O’ War Sprint over 1100m.

He said, “She has good form, but is obviously not the De Kock stable choice as Callan Murray is aboard Ektifaa.”

Raasmaal is not fully exposed, but nevertheless faces a tough task at the weights against the like of Green Pepper, Ektifaa, Exquisite Touch and out-of-town horses Pillar Of Hercules and Red Chesnut Road.

Delpech said he could only hope for a place on Romany Prince in the Gr 1 weight for age HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m with the like of Legal Eagle, New Predator, Rafeef, Kangaroo Jack, Mac De Lago and French Navy in the field.

However, he believes he has a good chance on Save The Rhino in the Gr 3 Caradoc Gold Cup over 2850m. This Mogok gelding has proved in his last two starts he stays well and on formlines he is the one to beat.

By David Thiselton

The newly introduced “Levelling the Playing Fields” series of races kicks off with Round 1 at Scottsville on Sunday 2 April. The KZN Breeders Club came up with the concept, which has the full support of Gold Circle, in terms of which each trainer was invited to nominate one KZN Bred horse with a rating of 78 and below to compete in Round 1 over 1200 metres, Round 2 over 1400 metres and Round 3 over 1600 metres, with four weeks between each round.

Roy’s Taxi (Nkosi Hlophe)

“The idea was for each trainer to identify a KZN-bred horse in their yard with the durability and versatility to compete in each round over varying distances with the top 14 point scorers competing in a final over 1400 metres on 25 June at the KZN Breeders’ Raceday,” says Gold Circle’s Racing Executive Raf Sheik. “Disappointingly only 23 horses have stood their ground but, with the Grand Prix type formula whereby they will each earn points depending on where they finish in rounds 1, 2 and 3, it will be interesting to follow the runners’ progress through to the final,” he added.

The 23 horses have been ballotted into two heats to be run over 1200 metres on Sunday and they will be re-ballotted for each of the ensuing two rounds. In keeping with the theme of “Levelling the Playing Fields”, jockeys have been allocated to each of the runners by ballot for Sunday’s races and they too will be re-ballotted for each of the remaining two rounds. Thus, jockeys are not associated with a particular horse for the duration of the Series. The ballot for jockeys was undertaken by KZN Stipendiary Steward Tim Nhlapo under the watchful eye of the NHA Vet, Rouaan Sutherland.

Apart from the stake money on offer for each race (R100 000) and the R200 000 final on Sunday 25 June, a prize of R50 000 each is on the table for the Owner, Trainer, Jockey and Breeder who accumulates the most points over the Series, including the final. Points will be earned as follows:- 1st – 20; 2nd 17; 3rd – 15 ; 4th – 13; 5th 11 and then reducing by one point for each following position.

-KZN Breeders

Al Sahem, so narrowly beaten in the Betting World Gauteng Guineas over 1600m at Turffontein on March 4, has been priced up 12-10 favourite for the R2-million SA Classic (Grade 1) over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday.

Al Sahem (JC Photographics)

The Sean Tarry-trained Silvano colt still showed signs of inexperience in the Gauteng Guineas in only his third career start. He ran in snatches down the straight before getting the message in the final 100m and closed fast on start-to-finish winner Janoobi to get beaten by a long head.

Al Sahem had not enjoyed an ideal preparation going into that race and will also relish this longer distance.

Heavenly Blue, who finished third in the Gauteng Guineas, is second favourite at 2-1, with assistant trainer Mathew de Kock believing he can easily turn around the 1.50 lengths with stable companion Janoobi over the 1800m.

The SA Fillies Classic betting is dominated by Tarry-trained Smiling Blue Eyes, winner of the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas and an even-money shot for the second leg of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara.

Sean Tarry (Nkosi Hlophe)

She raced wide from a poor draw in the Fillies Guineas and still managed to win impressively with many experts still firmly believing she has the potential to become the third filly after Cherry On The Top and Igugu to win the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara.

The Triple Tiara comprises the Cape Fillies Guineas/Gauteng Fillies Guineas, the SA Fillies Classic and the SA Oaks next month, with a R1-million bonus to a horse who wins all three legs. The SA Classic is the second leg of the SA Triple Crown, which comprises the Cape Guineas/Gauteng Guineas, the SA Classic and the SA Derby with a R2-million bonus for wins in three legs.

Huge tote pools are expected at Turffontein on Saturday including a carryover Pick 6 pool that is estimated to top R5million.

– TABNews

SA Classic betting: 12-10 Al Sahem; 2-1 Heavenly Blue; 7-1 Janoobi; 10-1 Tilbury Fort; 12-1 Furiosa; 16-1 Alaadel; 20-1 Unagi, Kampala Campari; 33-1 Crowd Pleaser.

SA Fillies Classic betting: 1-1 Smiling Blue Eyes; 5-1 Orchid Island; 11-2 Safe Harbour; 7-1 Al Hawraa; 10-1 Captain Gambler; 16-1 Maleficent, Babbling Brooke, Bi Pot; 25-1 Belle Rose; 40-1 Being Fabulous, Oriental Oak; 50-1 My Friend Lee, Philae.