South Africa’s top racehorses have been the focus of attention throughout Champions Season but at Scottsville in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday it will be the “little guys” on top that take centre stage in the 2017 New Turf Carriers Rider Cup Interprovincial Jockey’s Challenge.

Teams of riders from KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Western Cape will compete for top honours in a series of races on the day with their mounts being allocated by ballot.

The top three riders in each province at the end of May, based on the National jockey logs, will automatically be included in each team with the fourth rider being the “captain’s pick”.

Gold Circle’s Marketing Executive Graeme Hawkins explained that there could be riders with the talent to be competitive that, due to unforeseen circumstances, had not ridden enough winners to qualify. The new system of rider selection would enable the team captain to extend an invitation to that rider to join the team for the competition.

While some riders may be selected to ride horses they were familiar with, for most they could find themselves in the saddle of a runner they know nothing about which adds more spice to the competition.

The Highveld Hawks representing Gauteng are the defending champions and will be out to retain their status but will be up against top riders from the other teams. The KZN Falcons won the first challenge in 2015 with the Cape Eagles having finished second in both challenges and will be out to go one better and lift the provincial title.

The riders will contest four races with points being allocated as follows:

20 for 1^st

16 for 2^nd

14 for 3^rd

12 for 4^th

10 for 5^th

8 for 6^th

With a ONE point decrease from seventh to one point for last.

Seven points will be allocated for a scratched ride.

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

By Richard McMillan

Marinaresco has a swollen right eye after his weight-carrying record in last Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July.

Candice Bass-Robinson said yesterday: “He must have been hit by a clod. We have put cream on it and he is fine otherwise.

“We have still to decide whether we run him in the Champions Cup (July 29) but I will nominate him for the race and then we will see. I don’t think Horizon will run in that but I will nominate Nightingale for a race at the meeting and we will see how she freshens up. She is to stay in training for a further year.”

Marinaresco (Nkosi Hlophe)

Marinaresco has been raised three points (1.5kg) for his head win to a new merit rating of 118 but that still puts him 2.5kg behind his old adversary Legal Eagle. The handicappers raised runner-up Al Sahem a point to 107, putting him on the same mark as Edict Of Nantes (third) and Krambambuli (equal fourth).

Nightingale (equal fourth) is also unchanged on 105 but punters may be interested to note that sixth-placed Horizon ran above his 100 rating. However the handicappers are only allowed to raise the first five.

That said, they are entitled to take a bow. This was one of the closest races in the long history of the July with the first five separated by less than half a length and the first eight by less than a length and a half.

“We were very proud of the result,” said Lennon Maharaj. “We came up with a competitive handicap and the three-year-olds proved to be rated in line with the older horses.”

Bela-Bela has been put up 1.5kg to 112 for her three and three-quarter length triumph in the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province. Runner-up She’s A Giver has been raised 4.5kg to 104.

By Michael Clower

National Champion trainer Sean Tarry passed the milestone of R30 million in stakes earnings with more than a month of the season to go and after another fantastic Vodacom Durban July day on Saturday there is a possibility he might even reach an incredible R40 million for the season.

Tarry scored a Grade 2 double on the day and then went within a head of landing the big one.

Sean Tarry (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the Durban Golden Horseshoe Tarry had two horses among a classy field and those who followed the superstition of backing the Chris van Niekerk red capped horse on July day were smiling. Both of Van Niekerk’s Tarry-trained July winners wore the red cap and he had three runners on both of those occasions.

Purple Diamond was an unconsidered 20/1 shot on Saturday, while Captain And Master was a fancied second favourite.

Purple Diamond, a bay colt by Var, came from some strong sprint form lines in Cape Town. In his second start in Johannesburg, when stepped up to 1450m, he won a maiden in good style. However, even at that stage, he looked like one who was looking for further.

On Saturday, he found the box seat on the rail in about fourth place under Nooresh Juglall, a former twice SA Champion apprentice, who had flown in from Singapore for the day.

Desert Rhythm’s superior stamina reserves might well have won him the race as he stayed on resolutely all the way to the line after being sent for home at the top of the straight. Earlier, the bookmakers favourite Varallo had looked the winner after showing a good turn of foot to overtake the pacemaker and Tote favourite Hakeem with 200m to go. However, Varallo, who still showed signs of greenness, began faltering in the last 100 metres and it was left to the staying on pair Purple Diamond and Ancestry to fight it out. Purple Diamond managed to just get his nose down on the line and considering the quality of the field will be a big runner if he lines up in the Premiers Champion Stakes over the more suitable 1600m trip.

Meanwhile, Captain and Master, a rangy son of Captain Al, had gone down to the start a bit strongly and then pulling hard in the early stages. Terry explain later that this this horse lacks early pace so and had to be rushed up to try and find position and this caused him to over race. S’Manga Khumalo had no option but to restrain the horse and in doing so he ended up a long way off the pace.

However, the big bay produced a fine finishing run from a hopeless position and finished third, a good feat considering the energy he had wasted early in the race. If he lines up in the Premiers Champion Stakes he will likely be left alone in the early stages. Whatever, happens this horse has a giant stride and looks to have the potential to set the world alight next season, as long as he earns to settle.

Purple Diamond and winning connections (Nkosi Hlophe)

Flying Free was bumped at the top of the straight and had to be steadied before making his run, so did well to finish fourth. Varallo and Hakeem might be ridden more conservatively if they line up in the Premier’s. Woljayrine ran on well for sixth.

However, one of the most eye catching performances was from the rangy Naafer, who stayed on for seventh and could have got closer with a bit more luck. He should be a huge runner in the Premiers.

in the Gold Circle Golden Slipper over 1400m, Tarry’s Desert Rhythm was backed to favourite and displayed a fine turn of foot before staying on resolutely to win in good style by a length under Khumalo. However, the race was run 0,83 seconds slower than the colts and geldings race. Desert Rhythm, who is by Mambo In Seattle, looks likely to enjoy 1600m, so could follow up in the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes.

Tarry also had the fourth placed horse Rockin Russian and this horse stayed on in eye catching style, so should also be a big runner in the Thekwini. The runner up, the Lucky Houdalakis-trained Let It Flow, ran on resolutely. Third-placed Tsessebe also ran on well. Neptune’s Rain, who was too far back from a wide draw, stayed on well for sixth. All three of the latter mentioned horses will have chances if running in the Thekwini.

There are three big days of the SA Champions Season left, Mercury Sprint day, Champions Cup Day and Gold Cup day. Tarry stands a chance of reaching the R40 million mark if he wins the big ones on each of those days as they carry total stakes of R1,685, R1 million and R1,25 million respectively, while the Premiers Champion Stakes and Thekwini Stakes both carry prize money of R750,000 apiece.

By David Thiselton

Weiho Marwing has established a reputation as a phenomenal trainer of stayers and his charge Hermoso Mundo looked a potential winner when passing the stand for the first time in the Grade 3 SABC Gold Vase over 3000m on Vodacom Durban July Day at Greyville on Saturday.

Hermoso Mundo (Nkosi Hlophe)

However, in the end the connections had to go through the agony of an objection inquiry before landing the result they had dreamed about for weeks.

The most relieved man on course was part-owner Sean Singleton, who then entertained the crowd to his traditional victory war cry.

Over in Germany the race had also stopped an important match on the tournament tennis circuit in which another part-owner Neil Patrick Smith had been taking part.

Sean’s war cry is well known to all of his racing friends, but this was the first time it had been shouted outside the confines of his home or a racecourse suite.

He explained yesterday the Afrikaans sequence of words, which are shouted at full volume while imitating a jockey riding and whipping a horse, were invented by him chiefly as an adrenalin reliever and had no real meaning.

“Jou lekker ding, jou lollipop, jou opgeswelde hoender haan, jou woer woer masjien!”, echoed across the racecourse and it was clear afterwards Sean had finally recovered his composure and breath.

Earlier, while waiting for the objection verdict, his girlfriend Chantal as well as his good friend Darryl Maree had become concerned. The latter poured water down his throat and Chantal ordered him to breathe deeply.

On this occasion he really did need to get rid of the adrenalin. He said, “I didn’t really have a big bet, but we just really care about this horse and it was all about the excitement of having a winner on July Day.”

Sean Singleton (Nkosi Hlophe)

Later, Sean was speaking to Neil Patrick Smith on the phone. “He was crying like a baby,” admitted Sean. “He then said, hang on, I have to get back to my tennis match!”

Neil is an outstanding tennis player and his important tournament match on Saturday was scheduled to clash with the time of the race. However, it had been agree by all involved in the match, including the umpire, they would call a halt at race time and watch the live transmission from Greyville on a computer screen at the back of the court. The objection caused quite a long delay to the match, as Neil could not leave the result hanging in the air.

Sean is a passionate fan of the sport of kings from many angles and the Pick 6 is one of his favourite bets. He did banker his horse in the Pick 6 and then landed a percentage of the healthy R253,143.70 dividend when his other banker Al Mariachi arrived in the last leg.

The connections of the Mauritzfontain Stud-bred Hermoso Mundo, who also include NC Smith, GD Cahn, G Morris and W Volschenk, are now dreaming of a Gold Cup win and the completion of a historic hattrick.

Sean said, “He won the Gold Bowl at Turffontein, which used to be a Grade 1, and he won the Gold Vase, which used to be a Grade 2. The Gold Cup used to be a Grade 1 and I don’t think any horse has ever won all three of these races in the same season.”

On Saturday Karl Zechner had the long-striding four-year-old gelding by Ideal World relaxed in a perfect position on the rail by the time they had passed the winning post for the first time.

Weiho Marwing (Nkosi Hlophe)

Hermoso Mundo had been shuffled back to about sixth from the back by the halfway mark. However, he had travelled beautifully throughout and crept closer when the field concertinaed coming up the hill towards the straight.

He was going so well in the straight Zechner was able to force his way through a virtually non-existent gap between Sun On Africa and Helderberg Blue at the 350 m mark.

The rangy bay then got into full stride and began rapidly eating away the lead, which had been established by the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup winner Captain Splendid.

However, the latter then suddenly began hanging outward away from the whip and bumped him. Hermoso Mundo had to change legs and regather himself, yet he still failed by only a whisker to get up.

In the objection inquiry Zechner pointed out the leader had been “treading water”, while his mount had been finishing strongly and was clearly on his way to victory.

Piere Strydom is a master in all aspects of his profession and countered by pointing out Hermoso Mundo had also moved inward. He added he had also been forced to stop riding in order to straighten his mount. But the stipendiary stewards were not buying it and quickly upheld the decision.

Weiho Marwing heaped praise on Zechner as well as the owners. He had a glint in his eye when saying it had been a “privilege to win a race … again … on July day.” Of course, he was on the wrong side of one of South African racing’s most infamous ever objections after Wylie Hall had crossed the line first in the July three years ago.

Ideal World’s progeny are stout and continually improve so there should be a few more “Woer woer” war cries before the end of the progressive Hermoso Mundo’s career.

By David Thiselton

Sean Tarry might have been out of luck in the July but he underlined the strength in depth of his two-year-old talent when taking both the juvenile Grade 2s.

Desert Rythym (Nkosi Hlophe)

S’Manga Khumalo went clear from over a furlong out on Desert Rhythm in the Gold Circle Golden Slipper and reported: “I thought she was going to be very hard to beat but when we came out of the pens Richard Fourie on Gee Whizz screamed for the lead and I thought ‘OK, let him go.’ Mine picked up by herself.”

But in the Durban Golden Horseshoe Khumalo on the fancied Captain And Master had to be content with third behind 20-1 stable companion Purple Diamond ridden by Nooresh Juglall.

Tarry, who felt that Captain And Master may have been a bit unlucky, said: “The cash was on offer for Purple Diamond in Cape Town but he wasn’t ready in time. He is going to be better over a mile and he will run in the Premiers Champion on July 29. Desert Rhythm could run in the Thekwini that day – we will see how she is drawn.”

But the really unlucky horse in the Golden Horseshoe was Ancestry who was beaten only a short head with Joey Ramsden explaining: “He lost his off-fore shoe and it hung away from him. I don’t know about the Premiers Champion – he has been busy in the last few weeks.”

By Michael Clower

The Justin Snaith-trained four-year-old Dynasty filly Bela-Bela stamped herself as the best classic female racehorse in the land when annihilating a classy field in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m on Vodacom Durban July day.

This victory has made the Equus older Female award interesting as she joined the brilliant sprinter Carry On Alice on two Grade 1 wins for the season. However, the latter looks to have the Equus Champion Sprinter award wrapped up and it would be no surprise to see the panellists opting for the more versatile Bela-Bela, especially when considering the dominance of Saturday’s victory.

Anthony Delpech used the brilliant grey’s early pace on Saturday to quickly secure a perfect position on the rail from a good draw of five. The writing was on the wall for the opposition when she settled into her usual head-nodding rhythm behind a reasonable pace set by Kilauea.

She’s A Giver struck the front from third position in the running, but when Bela-Bela was asked the question it was race over and she won by 3,75 lengths at odds of 21/20.

She is fast proving to be the Beach Beauty of current times as she never lets down her supporters whenever viewed as the “meeting banker”, as she was on Saturday.

Three-year-old She’s A Giver, who had gained a reputation as a 1400m horse, stayed on well to claim second place.

The classy Bella Sonata ran on well for a 4,25 length third, just pipping Bela-Bela’s stablemate Gimme Six.

Pundits would be forgiven, after Saturday’s results, if they award a final adjudgement of this season’s three-year-old female crop to be no more than average. Gimme Six was a leading representative and had no excuses from pole position. The crops other Garden Province representatives finished a well beaten 2^nd, 6^th, 10^th and 14^th respectively. Tenth-placed Just Sensual remains top class but the race probably proved she is more suited to 1400m. Another leading member of the crop, Safe Harbour, finished second last in the July, although she was ridden a bit too handy considering her usual hold up style.

Bela-Bela’s win might also earn a deserved Equus Award for the outstanding Cheveley Stud broodmare Mystic Spring, whose progeny also include Rabiya, Rafiya, Touch The Sky and Secret Captain.

However, Secret Captain did let the side down again by finishing unplaced in the Listed Daisy Business Solutions Handicap over 1600m and trainer Duncan Howells might now plan a sprint campaign for him next season, because that is where his best form lies, despite his rangy action.

Cheveley Stud have had a magnificent recent record on July day as they also bred the July winner three years ago, Legislate, as well as last year’s Garden Province runner up Olma.

By David Thiselton

Bela-Bela, only sixth when favourite for last year’s July, might yet be back next year after really turning on the style in the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes – much to the relief of Justin Snaith.

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

Anthony Delpech pressed the button just under two furlongs out and the 21-20 favourite put the race to bed in a matter of strides, storming home nearly four lengths clear of 36-1 outsider She’s A Giver.

“I didn’t enjoy that at all,” Snaith declared. “All I was hearing all day was that Bela-Bela is the banker and I thought ‘Oh no.’ Thank God everybody won their bets. I prepped her all the Durban season to show just how good she is today.”

But brother Jonathan explained that the stable believes she can be even better – “Whether she stays in training next season will be up to Varsfontein but we hope she will because she is only just coming into her own and we haven’t yet seen the best of her, and she is a typical Dynasty in that respect.”

Delpech might struggle to believe she could be even better than Saturday’s performance because he said: “She is a phenomenal filly and this was the best I have ever felt her.”

Snaith rounded off a treble in the last two races while Johan Janse van Vuuren, trainer of She’s A Giver, took two of the first three, notably the Betting World 2200 with the aptly-named Crowd Pleaser on whom Keagan de Melo made all.

Van Vuuren said: “Crowd Pleaser is not suited to the Turffontein long straights – they come and catch him there – so we will most likely leave him here and then send him to Cape Town.”

Brett Crawford had some compensation for the Edict Of Nantes disappointment when Corne Orffer on Al Mariachi narrowly but convincingly justified 17-10 favouritism in the KZN Yearling Sale Million.

“He is a bit of a speed horse and I’m not sure whether he will get a mile,” said the trainer. “But he has got a future in front of him, that’s for sure.”

By Michael Clower

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, won on Marinaresco: “I was a bit out of my ground early on but I managed to sneak up on the rail and I was in a winning position turning into the straight. I had to switch because I had horses in front of me but I had gears underneath me. It was close at the line, and I wasn’t sure I’d got up, but I still had quite a bit of horse.”

Aldo Domeyer, 4^th= on Krambambuli: “I knew he wasn’t going to outsprint them so I tried to get away a little bit and he was staying on. He did everything right for me but then they came and got me.”

Anthony Delpech, 4^th= on Nightingale: “Halfway up the straight I thought I was going to win and then the boys got to me but she ran a great race and she couldn’t have done any better.”

Richard Fourie, 6^th on Horizon: “I thought I had a chance when we opened up coming into the straight but it was still a great run.”

Grant van Niekerk, 7^th on Black Arthur: “I thought I had a perfect run but he just didn’t give it to me.”

Lyle Hewitson, 9^th on French Navy: “He lacks a bit of early speed so I ended up further back than I wanted and I had to go round them. But it was a courageous run.”

Weichong Marwing, 10th on Ten Gun Salute: “I got a little bit nudged and I couldn’t get out when I wanted to but I don’t think I would have won.”

Gavin Lerena, 12^th on Brazuca: “It was a very rough race, particularly in the first 400m.”

By Michael Clower