Bela-Bela has huge public appeal in the R5-million The Sun Met celebrated with Mumm (Grade 1) over 2000m at Kenilworth on Saturday. She’s only the 11-1 sixth favourite in the race, but this pretty-as-a-picture grey captures the imagination of many. She’s the only female in the field and she’s hugely talented.

Bela-Bela (Tracy Robertson Photography)

Her trainer Justin Snaith is happy to draw a comparison with another more famous grey filly – his one-time charge Dancer’s Daughter, who dead-heated for first with Pocket Power in the Durban July in 2008 and went on to run a neck second to him in the Met in 2009. That was one of the affable Cape trainer’s near misses in a race he has yet to win.

He said: “Our bloodstock agent John Freeman was crazy about Bela-Bela at the National Two-Year-Old Sale, and so was my dad Chris and brother Jono – the team who select my horses so well. When we lost her to the Kalmanson’s Varsfontein Stud in the bidding process John suggested we go right over and ask Susan Rowett if I could train her. Jono did and the rest is history, as they say. And Bela-Bela’s an absolute darling.”

He said he’d got the same feeling when Dancer’s Daughter came in. “They are very similar horses, two peas in a pod. In fact I’ve never seen two good fillies so similar. And I train them the same, keep them happy, give them grooms they trust and love – and grooms who love and trust them. They get put in paddocks with their mates in the afternoon and go to the beach. We treat them like the champions they are.”

Snaith is not a romantic when it comes to his horses and knows Bela-Bela has a tough task in the Met, with Legal Eagle being so much better weighted under the conditions.

However, he said: “Make no mistake, she’s a very good filly – the best filly in the country – and she can beat a good colt any day of the week. She’s doing well and I think she will be in the firing line.”

Bela-Bela, of course, is a dual Grade 1 winner, having beaten her own sex in both the Woolavington 2000 last year and the Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes this month.

She was very young the last time she found herself pitted against the best males in the Durban July last year and, under sufferance at the weights, ran a great race to finish only 2.65 lengths off winner The Conglomerate.

“Now she’s six months older and stronger. I thought she put in the best workout of the day on Thursday last week when all the Met runners had public gallops. She had no grass gallop into the Paddock Stakes and will strip a much fitter horse on Saturday.

“She’s just chilling this week and will have her final sprint-up tomorrow (Thursday) morning. She’s ready,” said Snaith.

Bela-Bela is not the only horse he will be counting on in the Met. He also sends It’s My Turn and Baritone into battle alongside their prettier stablemate.

He warned against the belief that Bela-Bela is Snaith Racing’s stable elect because “in the Met anything can happen”.

Bela-Bela (Tracy Robertson Photography)

It’s My Turn won last year’s Investec Cape Derby, which was held a week before Met Day, surprising his trainer. “He’s always surprised me, this horse,” admitted Snaith. “First in the Derby and then when I took him to Durban in the Daily News 2000, when he shouldn’t have got beaten. He then ran fourth in the Durban July when things didn’t go his way. He’s pulled up beautifully with every run and there’s no reason he shouldn’t surprise us again.

It’s My Turn has put in two nice preparatory runs in the preliminaries, placing behind Whisky Baron over 1500m and 1800m respectively.

“He’s the dark horse in the race,” said Snaith. “He had to have a fetlock operation after finishing fourth in the Durban July last year and his whole programme has been driving towards the Met.

“He only had one gallop on his own going into his first run back and no gallop at all going into the Peninsular Handicap next time and he’s getting better and better.

“He’s definitely underrated compared to some of the horses in the race and he’s got the right jockey in Piere Strydom, who knows him well.”

“He’s an uncomplicated fellow with a nice draw and will run his race. He could easily be in the shake up.

“Baritone is a hard horse to assess and has it all to prove, but if you give Captain America a chance, you’ve got to give him a chance.”

Snaith saddled a record eight winners on Met Day last year and with 38 runners at this meeting he could again have a great day. When asked if there was a possibility of a repeat, he joked: “I’d be happy with half that.”

So who does he like most of all his runners? “Ovidio is my best bet in the R400,000 The Blue Label Telecoms Cape Stayers (Grade 2) over 2800m and African Night Sky has a good eachway shout in the $500,000 CTS Mile.”

TABNews

Ken Truter has been appointed chairman of the National Horseracing Authority. Truter replaces outgoing chairman Andrew O’Connor.

Ken Truter

A prominent Cape Town businessman, Truter is currently retired and is mainly involved in property investment.

He is a UCT graduate and has been a successful horse owner and entrepreneur for many years and held numerous directorships within the business and horseracing landscapes.

He is a passionate racehorse lover and has been keenly involved in various industry initiatives.  Truter has been a racehorse owner and breeder since 1979 and in 2000 was named as the Western Cape Owner of the year.  He is currently Chairman of the Western Cape Equine Trust.

Besides enjoying ownership in a number of great horses, his highlight as a breeder, was as a shareholder of the High Season Stud that bred Champion Jay Peg.

The NHA and its Board thanked O’Connor, for successfully leading the organisation through some turbulent times over the last two years.

By Andrew Harrison

History will be made at Kenilworth’s Sun Met meeting in Cape Town on Saturday when punters will have the opportunity to participate in two Pick 6 bets.

The first will run, as normal, from Race 4 to Race 9. The carryover going forward on the first Pick 6 on Saturday at Kenilworth, Sun Met day, has been increased to R2.2 million and the pool is now expected to reach R8 million.

The second Pick 6 starts in Race 8 and will run through to Race 13. A carryover of R500,000 was announced on Monday and the pool is forecast to reach R2.2 million.

“I believe this is the best Met card ever assembled and for that reason we have decided to introduce a double Pick 6.

“We are always looking to introduce innovative betting concepts for the public and I believe having two Pick 6s on a card is an exciting prospect and will add another dimension to the day,” said Vee Moodley, Executive Director: Sports Betting for Phumelela.

“With 13 races run at a single meeting for the first time the decision to have two Pick 6 bets looks an obvious option.

“It also gives bettors the chance to be involved in Exotic bets from the start of the meeting to the finish.”

The other very popular bet on the day is the Quartet and on the Sun Met, which is Race 9 on the card, the pool will kick off with a carryover of R600,000 and is likely to rise to R5 million.

There are two other Quartet carryovers on the day. Race 7, which is the tricky Grade 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m, will start with a carryover of R100,000 and is expected to reach R700,000 while Race 13 will have an extra R50,000 in the pool which is expected to reach R450,000.

There will also be two Jackpots, the first running from Race 5 to Race 8 and the second from Race 9 to Race 12. Jackpot 2 will be boosted by a R100,000 carryover with the pool reaching around R1 million.

The BiPot kicks off in Race 2 and a R50,000 carryover is likely to produce a pool of R500,000.

By Phumelela

Only Hassen Adams, David Shawe and Markus and Ingrid Jooste can win the US$ 1 million bonus that Cape Thoroughbred Sales is paying if the same owner wins both the $500 000 CTS Sprint and the $500 000 CTS Mile at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Always In Charge (Nkosi Hlophe)

The chances are that, if the bonus is won, it will go to the Joostes because their Mayfair Speculators partnership dominates both races. It has six of the 20 runners in the Sprint including several of the highest rated and 9-2 second favourite Always In Charge. In the 18-runner Mile it has five horses headed by 12-10 favourite William Longsword.

Adams’s pair are both longshots – 66-1 chance Red Light Girl and Primrose Lane who is available at 40-1. Shawe’s Al Danza is a 25-1 shot but his Singapore Sling has been backed from 12-1 to 8-1 in the Mile.

Cape Guineas winner William Longsword is “doing extremely well” according to trainer Vaughan Marshall who advises “don’t write off Elusive Path (already backed from 12-1 to 8-1) in the Sprint.”

Sergeant Hardy is 16-10 favourite for this race with World Sports Betting which makes the long-absent Cloth Of Cloud third favourite at 11-2.

William Longsword (Liesl King)

Safe Harbour is 9-2 second favourite for the Mile and third favourite at 5-1 is the Cape Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual, yet another Mayfair Speculators horse. But Frankie Dettori is going to have his work cut out to overcome the filly’s 18 draw.

Justin Snaith, who notched up a world record-equalling eight wins at last year’s Met meeting, has 40 runners this time including at least one in each of the 13 races, Candice Bass-Robinson has 25, Sean Tarry and Joey Ramsden have 19 apiece and Brett Crawford 18.

Richard Fourie and Grant van Niekerk are the busiest of the jockeys, riding in every race. Aldo Domeyer, Greg Cheyne, Corne Orffer and Donovan Dillon each have 11 rides, S’Manga Khumalo, Gavin Lerena and Anthony Delpech have ten while Anton Marcus, Piere Strydom and MJ Byleveld each have nine. Dettori has six.

World Sports Betting is breaking new ground by quoting prices on which trainer will win the Sun Met: 16-10 Sean Tarry, 3-1 Candice Bass-Robinson, 4-1` Brett Crawford, 11-2 Justin Snaith, 8-1 Glen Kotzen, 16-1 Joey Ramsden, 45-1 Johan Janse van Vuuren, 50-1 Weiho Marwing, 60-1 Dean Kannemeyer.

By Michael Clower

Sean Tarry and Candice Bass-Robinson are the trainers responsible for the favourites in the four Grade 1 races on Sun Met day at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Legal Eagle (Liesl King)

Tarry has long had the hot favourite for the main feature of the day, the R5-million Sun Met celebrated with G. H Mumm, Legal Eagle. He also has the favourite and second favourite in the R1-million Betting World Cape Flying Championship, Carry On Alice and Trip To Heaven respectively.

Carry On Alice finished third in the Cape Flying Championship last year, when the race was won by Gulf Storm from Brutal Force, both of whom renew rivalry. However, she went on to prove that form all wrong by winning the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m at Turffontein three months later and has enjoyed a good preparation into the race this year.

Trip To Heaven, who will be ridden by Robinson’s No 1 jockey Grant van Niekerk, showed versatility to beat Mac De Lago home in the Gold Challenge over 1600m last year only to lose the race on an objection. He has won his last three starts swooping late over 1200m and might just find the race is all over before he can make his run.

Robinson trains Grade 3 Politician Stakes winner Horizon, who is 12-10 favourite for the R1-million Investec Cape Derby, and Silver Mountain, who was a bit disappointing in the Paddock Stakes last time out but who is 5-2 favourite for the R1-million Majorca Stakes.

Justin Snaith-trained Star Express is next on 9-2 with Robinson’s other runner Nightingale the 6-1 third favourite.

Tarry-trained SA Nursery winner Cloth Of Cloud is 3-1 second favourite behind talented five-time winner Sergeant Hardy (Justin Snaith) in the $500,000 CTS Sprint, while Vaughan Marshall-trained Cape Guineas winner William Longsword is a 16-10 fancy for the $500,000 CTS Mile.

Latest betting for the Sun Met celebrated with G.H. Mumm:

2-1 Legal Eagle; 3-1 Marinaresco; 11-2 Whisky Baron; 10-1 Gold Standard; 11-1 Bela-Bela; 16-1 and upwards others.

Latest betting for the Betting World Cape Flying Championship:

22-1 Carry On Alice; 33-10 Trip To Heaven; 11-2 Red Ray; 7-1 Rivarine; 10-1 Tevez, Jo’s Bond; 12-1 Brutal Force; 14-1 Search Party; 16-1 and upwards others.

Latest betting for the Investec Cape Derby:

12-10 Horizon; 33-10 Edict Of Nantes; 4-1 Table Bay; 7-1 Newlands; 10-1 Elevated; 16-1 and upwards others.

Latest betting for the R1-million Klawervlei Majorca Stakes:

5-2 Silver Mountain; 9-2 Star Express; 6-1 Nightingale; 13-2 Beach Goddess; 12-1 Real Princess, Goodtime Gal; 14-1 A Time To Dream; 16-1 and upwards others.

– TABNews

The 2017 Cape Premier Sale ended with an across the board increase in figures. With international buyers from 14 countries in attendance, it came as no surprise that the 2016 yearling record was matched when Coolmore paid R6 million for an outstanding Trippi colt.

Lot 32 ring (Liesl King)

The aggregate showed a healthy increase of 14% from R135 750 000 to R155 225 000. This was mainly due to the strength of the international buying bench, with 18 yearlings selling for R2 million or more. At the top end of the market three colts sold for R4,5 million, with all three being snapped up by international buyers, while only Lot 220, a Dynasty colt, went the way of a local buyer for R5,75 million. The top priced filly was Lot 114, an unnamed Frankel filly that was bought by American bloodstock agent Justin Casse for R4 million.

The average of R699,212 showed an increase of 17%, while the median only showed a marginal increase of 3%, from R375,000 to R387,500. The top vendor was Klawervlei Stud with 23 lots selling for an aggregate of R19,55 million, while Kuda Holdings topped the buyers list with 11 lots totalling R9,95 million. The sires’ list was dominated by Captain Al with 9 lots selling for R13,7 million.

Day One of the sale had barely begun when MV Magnier of Coolmore signed for Lot 32, a Trippi colt out of the Dynasty mare Demanding Lady, consigned by Drakenstein Stud. Magnier confirmed that the colt was their top pick of the sale. “He is a very nice horse from a stud that produces top quality horses. In our view he was the best colt on the sale.”

Gaynor Rupert, owner of Drakenstein Stud was absolutely delighted by the price achieved. “ You always hope for a good price, but I never expected to get R6 million for him. He was many people’s favourite and hence I did not put a reserve on him. I loved him and hope that one day he will follow in his father’s footsteps and become a stallion.”

Day two saw a number of high priced lots going through the ring, but it was the arrival of Lot 220, a superb colt by Dynasty consigned by Lammerskraal Stud, that the buyers had all been waiting for. A spirited bidding war ensued and for a while it seemed as if a new yearling record would be set, but with the bidding stalled at R5,75 million, the hammer finally fell to Kuda Holdings. Kuda’s Wehann Smith confirmed that a consortium of clients purchased the colt.

By Liesl King

The US$500 000 CTS Mile for three-year-olds at Kenilworth’s big Sun Met meeting will throw male vs female form together and also Cape Town vs Johannesburg form. However, the impressive William Longsword looks the one to beat and the two biggest challengers could be the fillies Just Sensual and Safe Harbour.

William Longsword (Liesl King)

William Longsword won the Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas in impressive style from a wide draw. The 0,5 length runner up in that race, Gold Standard, gives him the stamp of approval. Gold Standard had won the Gr 2 Selangor Cup in his previous start also over 1600m and had relegated the deemed unbeatable Table Bay to a 2,65 length third.

There were some excuses made for Table Bay afterwards, but the Guineas confirmed the form almost exactly, as Gold Standard beat Table Bay by 3,25 lengths. The Guineas win also confirmed William Longsword’s 4,9 length sixth in the Selangor to not be his run. The form of the Guineas is already working out well and this says a lot as the front two were dominant.

William Longsword is a rangy Captain Al colt with a big action. He also has a lovely temperament, relaxes well in the running and has a superb turn of foot. MJ Byleveld rode a fine race in the Guineas and was able to overcome a high draw of 13. Anton Marcus now takes over and William Longsword might find it easier to overcome a 12 draw this time as it is a weaker field than the Guineas.

Safe Harbour (Liesl King)

Safe Harbour can also be described as rangy and has had an outstanding summer in Cape Town. She won the R2,5 million CTS Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m and beat  four horses in that race who went on to run in the Cape Guineas. She was then touched off by Just Sensual in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and was also touched off by the champion older filly Bela-Bela in the Gr 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes over 1800m. She has a better draw than William Longsword, seven, and Weichong Marwing remains aboard.

However, Just Sensual could well confirm the Cape Fillies Guineas form, especially as she will come into the race fresher. She also has the legendary Frankie Dettori aboard. On the downside, she has to overcome a draw of 18. However, she was also drawn wide in the Cape Fillies Guineas and had to run wide into the straight. Despite that she still found the necessary extra to beat Safe Harbour, who had the advantage of a number two draw.

Anton Marcus prefers William Longsword to Just Sensual and this swings it in the colt’s favour. It could well be William Longsword’s last run before going to stud, so it will be a good race to win.

The dark horses look to be the relatively unexposed African Night Sky and the filly Epona, although the latter would probably prefer further.

By David Thiselton

Dual Grade 1-winner French Navy has been backed from 40-1 to 25-1 for Saturday’s Sun Met following Sean Tarry’s comments about the horse at last Thursday’s draw ceremony.

French Navy (Nkosi Hlophe)

The champion trainer said: “People in this game have short memories but just look at his last Grade 1 race in Jo’burg. He has come along nicely and I was very happy with his run in the Queen’s Plate. I think he is a value bet for a place.”

The place odds have also shrunk to as little as 3-1 with Betting World. The five-year-old was beaten six lengths when eighth in the Queen’s Plate but rider Weichong Marwing is convinced that he has come on since. The Turffontein Grade 1 that Tarry was referring to is the Champions Challenge when French Navy was a two-length second to Legal Eagle and he is now 2kg better with the favourite.

Tarry believes that the top end of the market reflects the strength of the opposition to Legal Eagle pretty accurately – “I think they have probably got the betting right. I have a lot of respect for those in single figures. Whisky Baron has come along the soft route but he has been very impressive and he is certainly worth respecting.”

Tarry, who won the 2005 Met with 50-1 chance Alastor, has deliberately saved the talented Cloth Of Cloud for the $500 000 CTS Sprint and he was pleased with the way last season’s SA Nursery winner went with Carry On Alice in a spin on the course last week.

Cloth Of Cloud is 7-2 second favourite with World Sports Betting which has installed Sergeant Hardy as 18-10 favourite. It has Carry On Alice heading the Betting World Cape Flying Championship market at 22-10 with stable companion Trip To Heaven second favourite at 33-10.

Silver Mountain is 22-10 favourite for the Klawervlei Majorca despite her terrible draw (20 out of 20) with the Bass-Robinson second string Nightingale (drawn almost as badly at 16) on 11-2. Star Express (drawn seven) is 9-2 second favourite.

Horizon is hot favourite for the Investec Cape Derby at 11-10 with Frankie Dettori’s mount Edict Of Nantes next best on 7-2 and Table Bay a generous-looking 4-1. Anton Marcus’s mount is officially rated 3.5kg better than anything else in the field.

The bookies are offering huge prices on some of Dettori’s other mounts – 25-1 Vortex Star(Kuda Sprint) and Seventh Plain (Cape Flying), and 50-1 French Legend in the CTS Sprint.

By Michael Clower