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Sand And Sea (Nkosi Hlophe)

Juvenile Races on eLAN Gold Cup Day

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The South African juvenile racing programme is set to come to an exciting close at Greyville in Durban on Sunday, July 30, when the country’s top two-year-old thoroughbreds compete for victory and Equus glory in the final Grade 1 races of the season.

The young horses will compete over 1 600m with the colts and geldings doing battle in the R750 000 Premiers Champion Stakes and the fillies fighting it out in the R750 000 Thekwini Stakes.

Desert Rythym (Nkosi Hlophe)

Desert Rythym (Nkosi Hlophe)

Exciting entries have been received for both races and South Africa’s champion trainer Sean Tarry will be hoping to follow up on his juvenile success on Vodacom Durban July Day when he saddled the winners of both two-year-old events, Desert Rhythm in the Gold Circle Golden Slipper and Purple Diamond in the Durban Golden Horseshoe.
Desert Rhythm, that had won the Nursery at Turffontein before her Greyville success will be strongly fancied to take the honours over the mile on eLAN Gold Cup day and Purple Diamond, that won the Durban Golden Horseshoe as a 20-1 outside, will command a lot more respect in the Premiers Champion Stakes.

Tarry has also nominated the Seventh Rock filly Rockin Russian, fourth in the Gold Circle Golden Slipper for the Thekwini Stakes and, as back-up to Purple Diamond in the Premiers Champion Stakes, the Captain Al colt Captain And Master that finished third in the Durban Golden Horseshoe. With a team like that Tarry is likely to approach the day with a lot of confidence.

Sand And Sea (Nkosi Hlophe)

Sand And Sea (Nkosi Hlophe)

However, the stable will be wary of the Twice Over colt Sand And Sea that was a comfortable winner of the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1 200m at Scottsville, Sea And Sand is from the Dennis Drier yard. The Twice Over colt had previously beaten the Great Britain colt Al Mariachi on debut and Brett Crawford’s charge had come out to win the KZN Yearling Sale Million at Greyville on Vodacom Durban July day.
But the challenge to the Tarry stable in the Premier’s Champion Stakes does not stop there. Trainer Joey Ramsden has entered his Oratorio colt Ancestry that was just touched off by Purple Diamond in the Durban Golden Horseshoe. This colt will have a better draw than those mentioned and will be a big runner.

In the Thekwini Stakes, Desert Rhythm will again face the Lucky Houdalakis-trained Let It Flow and Tsessebe from the Drier stable that finished second and third respectively to her in the Gold Circle Golden Slipper. In this case, however, Desert Rhythm will have a major draw advantage.

Neptune’s Rain from the Duncan Howells stable, third to Brave Mary in the Allan Robertson Fillies Championship at Scottsville, will be out to prove she is a lot better than her disappointing run in the Gold Circle Golden Slipper and the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Tiger Ridge filly Meryl , winner of the Devon Air Stakes, could step up to the plate and show that performance was no fluke.

These are two great races and could determine the winners of the juvenile categories at the Equus Awards in the months ahead.

By Richard McMillan

Bull Valley (Nkosi Hlophe)

Bull Valley on a high

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Recent Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint winner Bull Valley, winner of five of his nine starts to date, will be looking to end his season on a high when the takes on a top field of sprinters in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint to be run over 1200m at Greyville next Saturday.

Bull Valley (Nkosi Hlophe)

Bull Valley (Nkosi Hlophe)

Tarry holds a strong hand with Merchants winner Trip To Heaven also in the line-up. Trip To Heaven loves Greyville having twice finished second in the Rising Sun Gold Challenge, the first time after being relegated, but he also shows top sprint form having won the Grade 2 Merchants beating Bull Valley and finishing second to star stable companion Carry On Alice in the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship.

At time of writing Tarry had yet to declare riders.

Talktothestars, once the highest rated horse in the country, has found form again and after being unlucky in the Tsogo Sun Sprint where he was a fast-finishing runner up to Search Party in the Grade 2 Post Merchants. Search Party will be in opposition again but faces his rival on 2kg worse terms.

Gavin Lerena has stayed in the country to partner New Predator for Johan Janse van Vuuren before heading back to the UK for a month to finish his contract.

By Andrew Harrison

Lyle Hewitson & Craig Zackey

Hawks swoop in Rider Cup

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The Highveld Hawks snatched a short-head decision as they landed the New Turf Carriers Rider Cup at Scottsville yesterday. At the end of the four-legged contest, the Hawks scraped home by five points ahead of the KZN Falcons with the Cape Eagles a rather distant third.

The Highveld Hawks Team (Candiese Marnewick)

The Highveld Hawks Team (Candiese Marnewick)

The Falcons were seemingly cruising going into the third leg but Gavin Lerena pulled one out of the bag on outsider Sonar Active for Mike Miller and Marco van Rensburg and Lyle Hewitson, a late replacement for S’Manga Khumalo, also collecting a bag-full of points for the Hawks.

Diamond In The Sky was the only runner in the final leg not to have a cross behind her name denoting a chance in the Computaform but Kom Naidoo had her spot on in her first outing for the yard and Falcons rider Warren Kennedy drove her hard for an upset win with less than two lengths covering the first seven home.

It was too little too late for the Falcons as Lerena and Hewitson, along with Van Rensburg and Zackey earning enough points to scrape in by five.

Some consolation for the Falcons was that Anton Marcus finished Victor Ludorum, eight points clear of second-placed Hawks rider Gavin Lerena who had a lucrative afternoon, booting home a double.

Lerena is headed back to the UK shortly where he still has a month of his contract to run.

The race for title of Champion KZN Trainer is going down to the wire with the two perennial contenders Dennis Drier and Duncan Howells in a neck-and-neck tussle.

Drier is the ruling champ but after yesterday’s meeting finds himself four behind Howells who won the opener on the card with Mind Your Business and shut the door in the last with the Antonius Pius filly, Sorceress. The money came for Mind Your Business as if the result was already known and from an opening call of 10-1, started second favourite at 3-1, but the false start resulted in some frayed nerves. “Unfortunately, it was a false start,” said winning rider Gavin Lerena. “But she handled it well. We didn’t go very far.”

Lyle Hewitson & Craig Zackey (Candiese Marnewick)

Lyle Hewitson & Craig Zackey (Candiese Marnewick)

“She’s had a few niggly problems,” said Howells. “But she’s quite a smart filly and has improved a lot since her first run.”

Paul Lafferty has had some horses with startling names in his yard, Goat and Another Goat, to name but two and Freddie Flint, who triumphant in the second, was not named after Fred of the Flintstones, but rather British bloodstock agent John Kilbride. “He’s a dead ringer for Freddie Flintoff (famous English cricketer) so we had to name a horse after him.”

Freddie Flint had the most exposed form in the race and had been up against some useful runners in his short career, so his win was not entirely unexpected although he started easy to back at 16-1.

The starter had a tough afternoon after having called a false start in the first race of the day and later The Slade playing up in the gate and going to the line sans rider Anthony Delpech. Post-race he was declared a non-runner after it was judged that the starter’s assistant did not release the gelding’s head before the gates opened. The Slade is never the easiest horse at the start and one can hardly lay the blame on the starter’s assistant.

Similarly, the starter was caught between a rock and a hard place at the start of the first. Innocently Naughty played up just as the gates were sprung and the runners were called back.

There were a number of unhappy trainers but as chief stipendiary steward Shaun Parker pointed out it was a case of “damned if you do and damned if you don’t”.

“If you don’t call a false start and the favourite gets beaten, then there are calls for the race to be declared null and void. If the offender happens to run into a place then it cannot be declared a non-runner and it could quite possibly beat the favourite. Basically, the starter does not know what is going to happen at the end of the race. He has to make a split-second decision.”

By Andrew Harrison

INTERPROVINCIAL RIDER CUP

INTERPROVINCIAL RIDER CUP

 

Selecting the Rider Cup jockeys

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There have been questions asked surrounding how the various jockeys were chosen for the teams to participate in The New Turf Carriers Inter-Provincial Jockey’s challenge that will take place at Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday with what appear to be some glaring omissions.

Aldo-Domeyer

Aldo-Domeyer

The teams were initially chosen from the top riders on the National Jockey’s log with the cut-off the end of May. The first three on the log from each province were deemed automatic choices with the fourth rider being ‘captain’s choice’ – this in order for top riders, who for some reason such as injury, were not within the select band.

However, the Vodacom Durban July and other unrelated circumstances led to a revision of the selected teams. Aldo Domeyer (Cape Eagles) and Keagan de Melo (KZN Falcons) both copped suspensions on July day. Piere Strydom (Highveld Hawks) injured a knee on the same day and has opted to rest his injury. Muzi Yeni (Highveld Hawks) landed in hot water in Mauritius and is unable to make the trip home.

With these jockeys missing it was up to the captains to choose replacement riders. MJ Byleveld was Cape captain Greg Cheyne’s captain’s choice with Corne Orffer as Domeyer’s replacement. Anthony Delpech chose Alec Forbes to replace De Melo. Strydom was Lerena’s captain’s choice but when he fell away, he opted for Yeni. Yeni too could not make the team and Lerena’s final choice fell to Marco van Rensburg. All are popular and top-class replacements.

By Andrew Harrison

Miranda Frost up for hat-trick

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Miranda Frost looks good for the Racing.It’s A Rush Conditions Plate at Kenilworth tomorrow and the Joey Ramsden-trained filly should notch up the third success of her career.

She was giving weight all round when second over the trip last time, her Cape Town stable is on song with three winners here on Tuesday and only Felicity Flyer comes out better at the weights.

Felicity Flyer ran below her best when starting third favourite for the Olympic Duel last time but the Bass-Robinson stable is in the sort of form that makes anything possible. Never mind the July, it even had a winner at 25-1 on Tuesday.

Richard Fourie (Nkosi Hlope)

Richard Fourie (Nkosi Hlope)

South Side is the TAB sheet forecast favourite after winning a conditions plate over the trip at the end of April but Richard Fourie’s mount is 3kg wrong with Miranda Frost and 4kg wrong with Felicity Flyer.

Greg Cheyne, who rides the last-named, may start off on a winning note with Bendy Bullet who can be expected to step up on her first-time second to Lanark in the Juvenile Fillies Maiden. She probably has most to fear from stable companion Pumeza even though the Bass-Robinson Mainland would appear to be on the upgrade.

“Pumeza and Bendy Bullet both worked well this morning and their jockeys each fancy their chances,” said Eric Sands yesterday. “My newcomer Ladysmith is not bad either.”

Heart Of A Legend is expected to head the market in the 1 400m Racing Association Maiden Juvenile Fillies as she took third against older maidens over the trip and is well drawn. Fourie’s mount looks the one they all have to beat even though Wine Festival runs here on the strength of a good first run and Above Eleven also has form claims.

In the 1 400m maiden Cossack Guard carries a health warning both to punters and to his rivals. He is the sort of horse bookmakers dream about – he has finished second on each of his last seven starts, going off either favourite or second favourite each time. Two races back he threw in the towel when he appeared to have things at his mercy and last time most of his effort went into trying to take a piece out of the horse he was challenging.

If Corne Orffer can succeed where the likes of Bernard Fayd’Herbe, Anthony Delpech and Piere Strydom failed he will deserve a medal even though the grey is rated 1.5kg and more better than the rest. The Justin Snaith-trained Mister Colin, whose encouraging last run was his first since February, could be the answer.

By Michael Clower

‘Reward’ on song

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Vaal Trainer Louis Goosen has built up a reputation as a fine trainer of sprinters and the filly Effortless Reward is the latest of them to build up a sequence of victories.

Mike de Kock

Mike de Kock

This speedy Australian-bred has revelled in the current fast going conditions in the Highveld winter and will be hard to peg back in Saturday’s headliner at Turffontein, the Cullam’s Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m. However, she won’t have it all her own way as she faces an equally talented sprinting filly in Wrecking Ball. The latter is the best in at the weights, although just 0,5kg better off than Effortless Reward, and she is coming off an outstanding fifth place in the Grade 1 weight for age Computaform Sprint. The pair looks to be a ready-made exacta, as both are progressive three-year-olds and they are 2,5kg and 2kg better off respectively with the next best weighted horse Greasepaint, who is a six-year-old gelding. Roquebrune looks held by Effortless Reward on their previous meeting. Golden Man is close to Roquebrune on their last meeting, but the 1000m might be a touch sharp for him. The speedy Isphan has a chance if reproducing his penultimate start, but he is held by Effortless Reward on their last meeting and has become a touch inconsistent.

Punters should get off to a good start with Battle Front in the first over 1600m. On debut over 1400m when running a decent second from an unfavourable draw down the Vaal straight, this rangy sort was green and looked to be crying out for further. He has a good draw over this step up in trip. However, he will not have it all his own way as Wheel Of Time is proven over the trip already in his two good efforts to date and is also well drawn. Gambado, a big horse with plenty of scope, could also make his presence felt having run on over a sprint trip on debut. He should relish the step up in trip. Vacquero should improve over the trip too. Hello is another to consider for quartets as he has always bumped good horses and has never been far off them.

Purple Diamond (Nkosi Hlophe)

Purple Diamond (Nkosi Hlophe)

Zerodarkthirty wears second time blinkers and in the second race over the fast 1160m course and distance he could lead from start to finish as he has plenty of pace. However, Manitoba will be running at him late and Riding Shotgun should improve and should be right there too. Greenwood Drive is well bred and betting support must be respected, while a debutant by Var can never be ignored, so the betting on Cape Wildcat must be also be watched.’

The third is fascinating as it features the promising Flying Fable up against the well-bred Mike de Kock-trained first-timer Awaafy.

The next race also features a well-bred De Kock-trained first-timer in Mujaafy, while the promising Lobo’s Legend is the best representative of the raced horses.

In the fifth Skiminac is tipped as his form was boosted by Purple Diamond’s victory in the Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe on Saturday.

The speed horses will be favoured in the current fast going conditions in the seventh over 1000m, so Captain’s Girl and Levi Lady look to have fine respective chances. However, Jameson Girl is tipped to mow them down.

Daffiq has always struck as a classy sort and attempts to prove he stays further than 1400m in the eighth over 1800m. If he fails to stay Amsterdam and Stonehenge are tipped to pick up the pieces.

The last is the most difficult leg of the Pick 6, being a MR 67 handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m. Dawn Flight makes most appeal, although all of Juba, Miss Bulsara, Bright Bronte, Cape Infanta, Emerald Bay and Burning Rock have to be considered.

By David Thiselton

Anton Marcus (Nkosi Hlophe)

What’s in a name?

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The next Ryder Cup will take place in France next year, the South African Rider Cup will be staged at Scottsville on Sunday where three teams of four of the country’s top jockeys will compete against each other, each team represented by the leading jockeys in the three main racing jurisdictions.

Brett Crawford and Anton Marcus (Nkosi Hlophe)

Brett Crawford and Anton Marcus (Nkosi Hlophe)

Given the number of single crosses marked in each of the four competition races in the Computaform, the competition is wide open and indeed, every race on the card is a potential minefield.

The Global Logistics Handicap is the card headliner and does not form part of the competition but Anton Marcus, who rode a treble at Scottsville on Wednesday, teams up with Brett Crawford and The Great One who will be looking to defy top weight. In spite of some criticism, the handicappers got it spot on in last Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July with eight horses finishing within a length of the winner Marinaresco, so one is a little hesitant to take them on here.

To my superstitious mind it is tempting fate to give horses names that most will be hard-pressed to live up to and The Great One may be a misnomer. However, the Australian import is still a relatively young horse that has been lightly raced and he may still live up to his name.

The Great One had not been out since January when making his local debut at Scottsville back in May where he was denied in the last jump by Last Winter after making all the running.

He was not far off Safe Harbour and Horizon in previous outings and with a run under his girth he does rate the horse to beat in spite of his burden.

The opposition will not go down without a fight and The Great One will need to be as good as his name suggest. The Slade has a similar profile to The Great One, having been rested since finishing a head back to The Great One in the Gr3 Politician Stakes won by Horizon.

Horizon (Liesl King)

Horizon (Liesl King)

Dean Kannemeyer has since gelded his charge and he made a winning debut when ‘two stones’ lighter beating Ever Dear on Sunday’s course.

He is 2kg worse off with The Great One when judged on their Politician Stakes run but the gelding could make up for the difference in weights.

The two are drawn alongside one another which could lead to another Marcus / Anthony Delpech tactical battle.

Adam Marcus saddles the consistent Gyre who has had two outings in KZN this winter. He has not been quite at his best but with no rain forecast and the going likely to be on top come Sunday he could up his game.

Duncan Howells saddles to tough competitors in Chicago Beat and Baltic Amber, both capable on their day. With stable rider Keagan de Melo suspended, Gavin Lerena will be aboard Chicago Beat who narrowly got the better of stable companion Wild Wicket last time out. Baltic Amber is an honest from runner. Apprentice Ashton Arries is quickly making a name for himself and is full value for his 2.5kg allowance.

Also in the scrum is Copper Pot. One leaves a Sean Tarry runner out of exotics at your peril and although Copper Pot’s recent form is not all that inspiring, it could prove deceptive.

He was tossed in at the deep end in the Gr2 Greyville 1900 in an effort to make the Vodacom July field but the soft going and a wide draw saw him run no sort of a race.

He races in blinkers and a tongue-tie for the first time and the improvement could prove spectacular.

The Great One and The Slade are taken to fight this one out with Copper Pot the dark horse.

By Andrew Harrison

Bekker’s shining star

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Jannie Bekker bridged a nine-year gap when booting home 14-10 favourite Apollo Star for Joey Ramsden at Kenilworth yesterday.

This was the 45-year-old’s first winner since one for George Scott at Turffontein shortly before constant, and increasingly-agonising, pain forced him out of racing and into the computer business.

He said: “I had a lot of problems with my back. I’d had the pain to some extent since I was a kid but it got worse and worse and eventually I had to stop riding.

“But some three years ago the doctors discovered the cause. They found that my muscle structure was not strong enough to support the skeletal structure. I went to a biokineticist who said he could cure me.

“A year ago I resumed riding work and a few weeks back I began race-riding. To ride a winner again is a magic feeling. I got the best posie (position) in the race on Apollo Star and he kicked when he was supposed to.”

Bekker, who rode for two years in Dubai and had spells in Mauritius and Zimbabwe (where he finished second in the championship), has been riding for Ramsden since his comeback but is expected to pick up mounts for other trainers now that he has broken the ice.

By Michael Clower

Chantyman mans up

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Chantyman, a touch unlucky on debut after a tardy start and wide throughout, was an emphatic winner of the first at Scottsville yesterday. “It wasn’t Alec’s fault, it was just one of those things,” opined Dennis Bosch but the son of first season sire Oratorio certainly stamped himself as a horse with a future after his seven-length romp.

Joey Ramsden has had numerous winners at Scottsville but he revealed surprisingly that he had never had a winner when on course.

Joey Ramsden (Nkosi Hlophe)

Joey Ramsden (Nkosi Hlophe)

That change when Anton Marcus booted home hot favourite Rock My Soul, giving him the first of his treble. Rock My Soul is by leading first season stallion Twice Over. “I think he’s a serious sire,” said Ramsden. Rocky My Soul, a rig before being gelded ahead of his season opener, battled hard for victory but speaking to Ramsden post-race Marcus said, “I he’s a fighter. He’s got plenty of guts. I don’t think he will stop here.”

A string of winning favourites had bookmakers shedding tears and they took further punishment when Miziara landed the odds for Duncan Howells in the fourth. “She’s still green and all over the course,” said Keagan de Melo demonstrating with his hands.

Stretched to a more suitable trip, the daughter of Kahal was always travelling comfortably and inched Howells into a two-winners lead in the battling for the KZN trainer’s championship over perennial rival Dennis Drier.

In spite of fighting off the symptoms of a heavy cold, De Melo was also successful on the well supported Marsala for Michael Roberts in the second, getting the better of another debutante, the Andre Nel-trained Parade’s End.

Love Lyric brought some relief for the bookies as Yogas Govender’s 10-1 shot denied Roberts a double in a tight duel with Wonder Worker.

The relief was short-lived however, as New Fort under Marcus kept up his exception form for Glen Kotzen, winning his fourth race from five starts for his new stable and Marcus added further salt to the bookmakers dwindling profits when riding an inspired finish on hot favourite Clifton Sunset to finally snap a sequence of runner-up placings although she was hard pressed to collar long-time leader Rainbowinthesky.

By Andrew Harrison

KZN Falcons fancied in Rider Cup

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The Rider Cup interprovincial jockeys competition takes centre stage this weekend at Scottsville.

The KZN Falcons team of Anthony Delpech, Anton Marcus, Alec Forbes and Warren Kennedy look to hold the trump cards, so they could make it two out of two having won the inaugural event last year.

The first leg is a Maiden over 1200m and KZN look particularly strong here.

Anthony Delpech (Liesl King)

Anthony Delpech (Liesl King)

Biometric jumped awkwardly and was then green on debut when beaten six lengths on the Greyville poly over this trip and the form has worked out quite well to date. He is by Judpot and is a half-brother to useful sorts like Control Freak and Greys Inn Control. He should show considerable improvement and could be the one to beat under Forbes if jumping on terms.

Asian Star should also go close under Marcus. The form of his penultimate start over course and distance has worked out well and last time, also over course and distance, he showed good pace and when switched out from behind runners ran on well. The form of that race looks fair in the context of this event.

His Mark Dixon-trained stablemate Edge Of Glory was not disgraced in his penultimate start over 1000m at Kenilworth and his KZN debut over 1000m at Scottsville confirmed he would probably enjoy the step up to 1200m as he stayed on without being punished. He is a full-brother to a horse who won five times from 1200-1600m and he should be right there under MJ Byleveld (Cape Eagles) in this uninspiring field.

Strong ‘N Brave showed good pace with first time blinkers on over this trip on the poly and finished fifth. He beat Luckdragon by seven lengths and the latter, who is a battling maiden, had earlier finished second to the promising Leslie Shadowliner when leading and staying on over 1200m on the Greyville turf. Therefore, Strong ‘N Brave must have a chance under Delpech in a race of this quality.

First Mate showed good pace second time out over 1000m before being outgunned in the final stages and finishing fifth. However, on pedigree he should enjoy the step up in trip and has possibilities under Kennedy.

Luckdragon, who is ridden by Gavin Lerena (Highveld Hawks), might appreciate being back on a turf surface and can’t be ignored.

Ku Du Tu, a Jay Peg gelding, is an interesting two-year-old debutant as he is a half-brother to a Windrush colt who won on debut over this trip and reached a merit rating of 90 after further placed runs behind good horses. He will be ridden by Greg Cheyne (Cape).

Greg Cheyne (Nkosi Hlophe)

Greg Cheyne (Nkosi Hlophe)

The other first-timer Hard To Play is a two-year-old colt by Curved Ball out of a Kahal mare who has produced two moderate winners and will be ridden by Craig Zackey (Highveld).

Bluemoonrising, ridden by Marco van Rensburg (Highveld), made a fair debut and is another to consider.

Marcus also has a good ride in the second leg on the two-year-old Dynasty colt Eyes Wide Open, who was caught wide on debut over 1400m at Scottsville but still stayed on for third. He will appreciate the step up in trip to 1600m in this maiden event and has a fair draw of six. However, he could be given a good run by another two-year-old, Visionaire colt Volcanic Sunset, who has some decent 1200m form and on pedigree will appreciate the step up in trip. Richard Fourie(Cape) rides him from a plum draw of two.

River Garden has finished second in all three of his starts to date, all at Scottsville from 1200m to 1600m , and will have a chance here from draw eight under Corne Orffer (Cape).

Lucky At Last was green on debut from a wide draw on the poly over 1400m but stayed on well and looks to have scope, so he has a chance under Delpech over a step up in trip he will enjoy.

Time Travel made a fair KZN debut on the poly and could also earn here under Forbes.

St. Peters Bay has run a fair race over course and distance before and could also earn points under Zackey.

The third leg is a 1200m MR 82 Handicap and once again KZN look to have a good hand. Rock Of Africa (Marcus) and Roy’s Air Force (Delpech) should be right there. However, the Shane Humby pair Midnight Vision (Zackey) and Waywood (S’Manga Khumalo (Highveld) bring some fine Kenilworth form and off mere 72 merit ratings they have fine chances returning from layoffs over trips short of their best. Out My Way (Fourie) and Bengal Boy (Van Rensburg) could also earn points.

In the last leg Marcus has another good ride on the talented Princess Analia in the MR 66 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m. Online (Van Rensburg) has a good chance too and others who make most appeal are Russian Girl (Zackey), Storm Kitten (Cheyne), Le Suerte De Matar (Byleveld) and Royal Kaitrina (Fourie).

The points earned for each race are 1st 20, 2nd 16, 3rd 14, 4th 12, 5th 10 and 6th 8.

By David Thiselton

The teams competing for the 2017 Rider Cup are:

Cape Eagles: Greg Cheyne, Richard Fourie, MJ Byleveld, Corne Offer

Highveld Hawks: Gavin Lerena, S’Manga Khumalo, Craig Zackey, Marco van Rensberg

KZN Eagles: Anthony Delpech, Anton Marcus, Alec Forbes, Warren Kennedy