Racing fans will be looking forward to the popular Friday night racing series which begins this Friday on September 23 and runs all the way through to May 19 next year.

The normal popular facilities at these meetings like the Braai Zone, the Lightning Shot Bar and the Kidzone will be operational. The Durban View restaurant will be open as usual. The Gee Jays will be performing live in the Lightning Shot Bar. A new innovation is a live musician performing on the Paddock Deck situated in the grandstand concourse. At the opening meeting Seb Goldswain will be playing his guitar on The Deck.

This year marks the 20^th anniversary of night racing at Greyville. It made its debut at the city track on Friday, February 16, 1996. A large screen conveyed the activities throughout the evening and the meeting proved a great success, attracting a crowd of over 7,300.

However, it was not in fact the first night race meeting in South Africa.

Night Racing in 2002 before the Poly Track (Gold Circle)

The late great racing doyen Jean Jaffee writes in her book They Raced To Win that in the 1945/1946 racing season Joseph Dorfman formed a syndicate which established the Vereeniging Turf Club, whose main objective was to race horses both by day and night. Dorfman had previously inaugurated night greyhound racing at the Wembley Stadium near Turffontein.

Vereeniging Turf Club soon acquired majority shares in the Auckland Park Racing Club. This club had held highly popular race meetings about 60 days a year at the Auckland Park racecourse, which was on the site where the Helen Joseph Memorial Hospital now stands (the racecourse was disbanded in the early 1960s). The Vereeniging Turf Club also purchased the Germiston Sporting Club. However, their attempts to gain control of the Johannesburg Turf Club and the Clairwood Turf Club failed. Their bid to monopolise racing in the country was thus foiled. However, they did later manage to buy the Eastern Districts Sporting Club at Benoni.

In 1946 Dorfman travelled to the USA to study the methods employed in night racing and to buy the necessary equipment. Shortly thereafter, according to the publication The Centenary of the Durban Turf Club, night race meetings were held at The Vaal racecourse for a few months. The Jockey Club was opposed to the meetings and had consequently brought in a rule stating no racing under Jockey Club rules could go ahead after 7 p.m. Furthermore, any trainer or jockey participating in unauthorised racing risked having their licence withdrawn.

Nevertheless, Dorfman went ahead with his plan. The inaugural meeting was washed out by a violent hailstorm which shattered the floodlights and the next meeting was also washed out. Meetings were subsequently held but came to an end after a few months. Jean Jaffee’s book goes on to say South Africa had its first experience of the photo-finish camera at the Vaal racecourse on March 26, 1947. However, there is no reference to who brought the cameras in and whether they were a by-product of Dorfman’s trip to the USA, which if it was the case would have been a positive outcome of the country’s first foray into night racing.

The person who first put night racing on the table in Durban was the Durban Turf Club Chairman J. Arnand Bestel, who in 1970 suggested they stage midweek night meetings. However, the cost of installing floodlights seemed prohibitive. The idea was raised again in 1982 by Tony Stiebel. Stiebel and Dr. Nic Labuschagne researched the matter between 1984 and 1985. The possibility of staging it was seriously brought to the table again in 1990, but by this time the costs of installing floodlights had escalated. However, despite a further escalation in costs, it was decided in 1995 under the chairmanship of Stiebel to institute night racing at Greyville.

General manager at the time Dave Furness clearly had foresight when he said after the opening meeting in 1996, “[Night racing] has been the catalyst to revive the flagging interest in horse racing and I am confident that the attraction of new patrons through innovative projects will sustain and increase participation in our industry.”

David Thiselton            

There is an eight race meeting at the Vaal tomorrow and, as a dress rehearsal for the inaugural running of the Grand Heritage on October 1, the rail between the Inside and Outside racecourses will be removed to allow the whole track to be utilised.

Last week when this was done there was a spur on the outside from the 1600m mark to the 500m mark and low draws turned out to be favourable. However, this time there will be a five metre spur on the inside. Therefore, high drawn horses might gain an advantage by hugging the standside rail, as this strip is usually favourable on the Outside course.  However, low drawn horses will not have far to move off the spur to find the far rail, which has always been favourable on the Inside track. So there might not be any draw advantage at all, although a lot will depend on the jockeys’ perception of where the best going lies.

The highest rated race on the card is the sixth, a MR 91 Handicap over 1200m. The Mike Azzie-trained Angel’s Power, who returned from a short layoff and gelding at the beginning of this year, showed last time out he had come into his own when dropped out from a high draw in the Gr 3 Spring Spree Stakes over 1200m on the Turffontein Inside Track and running on strongly to finish 1,75 lengths behind the top class Kangaroo Jack. A significant aspect to that Handicap race was Kangaroo Jack likely ran off a capped merit rating, so Angel’s Power should be able to handle a one point merit rated raise. Third-placed Moofeed franked the form by finishing third again on Saturday in a Pinnacle Stakes event, despite being under sufferance over a 1450m trip which stretched his stamina reserves.

Angel’s Power has a high draw of eight and the powerful Azzie yard look cherry ripe to kick into top gear. The evergreen Dennis The Menace looks the main danger. He has a powerful finish, but is off a mark five points higher than his highest ever winning mark of 88, which is concerning as he is an eight-year-old. Call Kelly has also been thereabouts recently and is another threat, while Dreamuponadream has ability but can’t be relied on, while Vulcan has been competitive off his current mark.

The two best bets on the card come earlier.

In the third race, a Maiden over 1600m, Skynight is drawn on the outside fence and has Andrew Fortune up. This progressive four-year-old gelding by Argonaut has a lovely action and ran on strongly last time over 1450m. He finished just 0,5 lengths behind the winner in third and, although it wasn’t the strongest field, two winners have actually come out of the race. He will relish the step up in trip being a half-brother to the Gr 3 Betting World Algoa Cup winner Stonehenge. The danger will be Ramaas, who looks to have loads of ability but has tended to ruin his chances by pulling in the early stages, whether it be over 1950m or 1400m. If he settles he will be a huge runner, but he might need gelding.

In the next race, a fillies and mares maiden over 1000m, Lily Love might seem a surprising choice as a best bet, considering she has already had 12 runs without success. However, she looks to be packed with speed and will relish the step down in trip. Last time out she jumped slowly over 1200m but was soon in front, so if she jumps on terms in this race she will be hard to catch. Lady Of The World is the main danger having not been disgraced in a stronger race last time out after going close in a similar race to this the time before. At A Glance beat Lily Love over 1200m last time when making her debut and should improve, but over this trip Lily Love, as one with more natural pace, is preferred.

The hardest race on the card looks to be the seventh, a MR 73 Handicap over 1200m. The one to beat could be Sail For Joy, who proved himself up to this 81 merit rating last time out over this trip  when running on well after a slow start to be beaten only 0,75 lengths in a strong Novice Plate. The promising winner, British Royale, was merit rated 88 and the decent 93 merit rated four-year-old Roquebrune only managed fourth place, while and 86 merit rated three-year-old finished fifth. Sail For Joy could be a banker on paper now in a handicap, but it is never easy for a young three-year-old up against toughened older handicappers for the first time. Including the whole field might be the wisest choice for the Pick 6. William Nicol and and Gold Status are the pick of the older horses. Silver Kavalier is going the right way in his new yard, but looks held by Gold Status on paper. The three-year-old Cosmic Count beat a couple of fair sorts cosily in the maidens last time over this trip and the form has been franked. However, off an 81 merit rating first time in a handicap, it won’t be easy for this youngster.

Punters could get off to a good start in the first, a Maiden for three-year-old fillies over 1400m, with the beautifully bred Mike de Kock-trained Biblical Susan. This Australian-bred daughter of Bernadini is out of a USA-bred who won the Gr 2 Lake Placid Stakes over 1800m for fillies on the turf at Saratoga. Biblical Susan flew up for second from a tricky draw over 1000m on debut at Scottsville and will relish the step up in trip. She makes more appeal on form than My Friend Lee, another hard-knocker who will also appreciate the step up in trip.

David Thiselton

The early call to move yesterday’s scheduled Scottsville meeting to the Greyville poly proved inspirational. The rain continued to pour in the Capital yesterday that would certainly have led to an abandonment but the poly drained nicely after yesterday’s Durban monsoon even though a steady drizzle continued to make things uncomfortable.

The switch to the poly may have been a concern for the connections of Scottsville 1200m record holder Humidor making his poly debut but Tony Rivalland’s runner was never troubled as Muzi Yeni steered him to a rather comfortable victory in the White Horse Function Room Handicap.

Much better behaved at the start, he was out in a flash and was never troubled as he went to the line well clear of Celtic Captain and Ten Gun Salute.

Humidor (Nkosi Hlophe)

It was the big gelding’s fifth win from just eight starts and now that he is proven on the poly he has more options open to him.

Ten Gun Salute ran a cracker in defeat over a distance well short of his best and set himself up for the big Highveld races including the Sansui Summer Cup. Duncan Howells has nine boxes booked for Turffontein with the raiding party due to leave Ashburton on Thursday.

Blinkers are not always a magical solution into coaxing the best out of a horse but it worked in the first with apprentice Diego de Gouveia riding out his 4kg claim with his 20^th winner. It’s seldom easy for a filly to take on the colts, especially in a maiden, but Phantom Rock was always at the top of the boards and Dennis Drier’s filly led all the way. “I said to the kid that they might try and cut your throat, but he rode a good race.”

Elysian Fields finished the best of the Howells pair with Great Britain, having his first run back from a wind operation, fading late but staying on for third.

Drier was quickly back in the winner’s box as the regally-bred Premier Dance, in the colours of Mike and Norma Rattray, finished with a rattle to nail outsider Expresso Martini and the well fancied Onesie on the line. Drawn wide and having her first run she definitely looks to be a future prospect.

My Pal Al enjoyed the step up in trip to shed his maiden in the third for Alistair Gordon and owner/breeders and father/son combination of Dr Nic and Kim Labuschagne with well-backed favourite Archilles seemingly getting lost in the running and only  kicking on late for third.

Apprentice Dennis Schwartz took full advantage of his 4kg claim in the fifth, leading all the way on Pearl Emblem. Always consistent for Paul Lafferty, Pearl Emblem kept rolling and was never in trouble with Lobelia and Crackpot fighting it out for the minor places. Favourite School Run faded tamely early in the straight.

Andrew Harrison

St Tropez, fourth in the Pinnacle at Turffontein on Saturday, is to represent Joey Ramsden in the World Sports Betting Grand Heritage Handicap at the Vaal on Saturday week. Macduff, ninth after losing valuable ground at the start, may also be in the line-up. However stable companion The Stone Thrower will miss the race.

Ramsden said: “The Stone Thrower was unlucky not to win in Durban – he kept drawing wide on the polytrack – but I feel his best trip is six furlongs. I have discussed it with Derek Brugman and we have decided that he won’t run.”

The trio are part of a select group that Ramsden has sent to Johannesburg under the care of much-travelled assistant Alson and include Vodacom Durban July hero The Conglomerate who will have a still-to-be-decided prep run before going for the Sansui Summer Cup.  The others include the stayer Coltrane, Tar Heel and Tabreek.

Candice Bass-Robinson has scratched both Ashton Park and Night Trip from the Grand Heritage, saying: “Both have too much weight. We will stick to Pinnacles in Durban with Ashton Park while Night Trip goes for the Joburg Spring Challenge at Turffontein on October 8.”

Michael Clower

Bishop’s Bounty is back on track for the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run on November 19 after flooring the odds laid on Rodney in the All To Come Graduation Plate at Durbanville on Saturday.

Apparently little went right for Michael Leaf’s colt when only fourth of five behind stable companion Sergeant Hardy in the Cape Nursery but, despite drifting from 28-10 to 5-1, he responded well to Richard Fourie’s urgings to hold the favourite by a neck.

“It was a game, gutsy performance and I was surprised to win  – he has only had one gallop since the Nursery in May,” said Justin Snaith. “The Ready To Run has been his aim since the day we bought him and, although he is a full brother to Red Ray, I don’t believe he is a sprinter.”

This was the fastest of the five races run over 1 200m and significantly Vaughan Marshall rates third-placed Rock Of Africa who was receiving 3kg – “Things didn’t work out for him but, if they had, the others wouldn’t have beaten him,” said the Milnerton trainer.

Saturday was, according to those whose memories go back furthest, the first time that the country course has ever staged a ten-race card and Snaith took half of it to record his first Durbanville five-timer and boost his staggering strike rate which is running at over five winners a week this season – or 267 a year!

Fourie rode four of the stable’s winners while in the Raymond Davies Allowance Plate Donovan Dillon took over on 11-1 shot A Time To Dream who returns for the Diana Stakes on October 9. “She did it quite easily but she still needed the run,” reported the rider.

Although the appropriately-named Overshadow (who looked an absolute picture) completed the quintet in the Gillian Dempsey Handicap, the one to note from this race is surely runner-up Star Chestnut who finished like a train, making up five lengths in the final 300m, and would probably have won in another five strides.

Candice Bass-Robinson is considering the Choice Carriers Championship on October 29 for Live Life who led a furlong and a half out under Grant van Nierkerk to justify 22-10 favouritism in the Racing. It’s A Rush Handicap. The R2.5 million purchase is a half-sister to the 2014 Choice Carriers winner Cold As Ice.

“We are very excited about this filly,” said the trainer who has signed a sponsorship deal with World Sports Betting. “She has a lot of speed so I don’t know how far she is going to get. We will try 1 400m and, if she doesn’t stay, we will have to stick to sprinting.”

Glen Kotzen has already earmarked lot 95 in the CTS Ready To Run Sale on October 15 because the Philanthropist colt is a half-brother to Cape Fillies Guineas winner In The Fast Lane and his Met fourth Light The Lights as well as a full brother to Party Crasher who accelerated like a good’un when she finally got Greg Cheyne’s message in the opener.

“Party Crasher is an awesome filly with a beautiful action and a pedigree to die for,” enthused her trainer.

MJ Byleveld was, somewhat understandably, praising the benefits of modern surgery after he bounced back from last month’s knee operation to score on the Marshall-trained Kenny Trix in the Racing Association Maiden – “I was back on a horse only three weeks afterwards,” he related.

Snaith and Dennis Drier may be the two burning up the turf this term but neither can match the strike rate of Geoff Woodruff. The five-time champion is a bit further down the log but the Aldo Domeyer-partnered New Caledonia put him in double figures and kept his win-runner ratio at better than one in three.

Michael Clower

Vodacom Durban July winner The Conglomerate is one of the 47 nominations for the R2-million SANSUI Summer Cup (Grade 1) over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday 26 November.

He is one of four horses trained by Cape-based Joey Ramsden. He overcame the widest draw in the 18-horse field to beat Marinaresco in the country’s premier race in July and will only have to carry 2.5kg more, relatively speaking, if he lines up in the Summer Cup.

Ramsen’s other horses are smart stayer minor feature-race winner Macduff, Coltrane and St Tropez, a close sixth behind Marinaresco in the Champions Cup last season.

Triple Crown winner Abashiri was widely expected to win the Durban July but a tough season told at the 12^th hour and he finished unplaced. He has had a good break and trainer Mike Azzie will be keen for the Go Deputy gelding to set the record straight if he lines up in the Summer Cup.

First entries for the race were taken on Friday and trainer Azzie entered another three horses –Amsterdam, Arctica and Deputy Jud.

Deputy Jud won the 2015 Supreme Cup and more recently finished second behind Dean Kannemeyer-trained entry Cape Speed in the Track and Ball Derby at Scottsville, while Amsterdam is lightly raced five-year-old who showed great promise in finishing second to French Navy in the SA Classic last year but only ran twice as a four-year-old. Arctica has good form in much lesser company.

Champion trainer Sean Tarry has five horses entered but ruling Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle is not one of them. At this early stage his hopes of Summer Cup glory rest on Algoa Cup hero Stonehenge, Samurai Blade, who placed in both the SA Classic and SA Derby, Grade 3 Jubilee Handicap winner Liege, seven-year-old Cagiva and five-year-old Fort Meyers.

Trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren has entered both New Predator and Negroamaro, one of the leading three-year-old fillies last season. New Predator was not well ridden when third behind Legal Eagle in the Horse Chestnut Stakes last season and went on to win the Drill Hall Stakes and finish fourth in the 1600m Gold Challenge.

Two other horses from the stable, Crowd Pleaser and Irish Pride, are also on the list of entries.

Second entries close on 31 October when the weights will be announced, with final entries on Monday 14 November. Final acceptances fall due on Tuesday 15 November and the final field will be announced on Wednesday 16 November.

The entries with trainers for the SANSUI Summer Cup:

ABASHIRI (M G Azzie); AMSTERDAM (M G Azzie); ARCTICA (M G Azzie); BANKABLE TEDDY (B O Wiid); BROOKLYN BRAWLER (G H Van Zyl); CAGIVA (S G Tarry); CAPE SPEED (D Kannemeyer); COLTRANE (J Ramsden); CROWD PLEASER (J A Janse van Vuuren); DEO JUVENTE (G V Woodruff); DEPUTY JUD (M G Azzie); ENAAD (M F De Kock); FLYING ICE (O A Ferraris); FORT EMBER (P A Peter); FORT MEYERS (S G Tarry); FORTISSIMA (J A Soma); HIDDEN AGENDA (S W Kenny); HIGH DRAMA (J A Soma); IRISH PRIDE (J A Janse van Vuuren); JUDICIAL (T Zackey); JUXTAPOSE (S M Ferreira); KILLUA CASTLE (D A McKenzie); KINAAN (M F De Kock); LIEGE (S G Tarry); MAC DE LAGO (W H Marwing); MACDUFF (J Ramsden); MASTER ‘N COMMANDER (G V Woodruff); MASTER SABINA (G V Woodruff); MASTER SWITCH (G V Woodruff); MOGOK MASTER (J A Soma); NEGROAMARO (J A Janse van Vuuren); NEW PREDATOR (J A Janse van Vuuren); NO WORRIES (G H Van Zyl); OLMA (F Robinson); POLYPHONIC (A G Laird); PUNTA ARENAS (D R Drier); RABADA (B Crawford); ROCKETBALL (G H Van Zyl); ROMANY PRINCE (O A Ferraris); RUNALONG (P A Peter); SAMURAI BLADE (S G Tarry); SARATOGA DANCER (D C Howells); ST TROPEZ (J Ramsden); STONEHENGE (S G Tarry); TEN GUN SALUTE (D C Howells); THE CENTENARY (M F De Kock); THE CONGLOMERATE (J Ramsden); YER-MAAN (S J Gray)

Popular South African jockey Barend Vorster reached another major career milestone when he brought up his 700th Singapore winner aboard Mighty Glory on Friday night.

The 39-year-old has become a well-established jockey in Kranji riding ranks since he first dipped his toes in 2003 before deciding to make a more permanent move that in the blink of an eye has now stretched to 13 seasons – and counting.

That latest landmark win – that came in a $38,000 Kranji Stakes D Division 2 race over 1400m – may pale in comparison with his two most prestigious feats, landing the champion jockey title in 2004 and winning the Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint (1200m) aboard Ato in 2012, but the Singapore permanent resident was still rapt to have come that far.

“It’s lovely to get to this score. I’m first of all grateful to be here in this position in Singapore,” said Vorster who hit his last century (600 wins) with the Michael Freedman-trained Mr Armstrong two years ago on 21 February 2014.

“I’ve had great support from all the trainers here, especially Pat (Shaw) from the word go. He has always stuck with me through thick and thin.

“Hopefully, there will be more winners to come after that.”

Vorster, who had wife Nikki by his side to celebrate his milestone, said Mighty Glory ($30) benefitted from a fairly soft lead even if favourite Megusto (Vlad Duric) ranged upsides for most of the way.

“The horse went forward quite well and I was able to hold my ground even when the favourite came camping on our outside,” he said.

“He was always on the bit and kicked very well at the top of the straight. I think the blinkers had him sharper tonight.

“Fit horses win races, simple as that.”

Assistant-trainer Ricardo Le Grange paid tribute to Vorster and his contribution to the Patrick Shaw stable success at the winner’s enclosure.

“Barend never misses a day at the stable. He’s a hard worker and a great jockey and deserves every success that comes his way,” said the fellow South African.

A five-year-old by O’Reilly, Mighty Glory has now taken his record to three wins and 12 placings from 30 starts for stakes earnings past the $200,000 mark for the Tmen Stable. – Singapore Turf Club

The finer details are still to be finalised, but Duncan Howells has booked boxes at Turffontein to raid the Highveld for their spring season with the horses due to leave next Thursday.

“I have horses that I think will be competitive and there are no races for them down here,” said the Ashburton-based trainer yesterday.

So with the Charity Mile and the Sansui Summer Cup on the horizon, Howells will be revving a few engines at Scottsville on Sunday where he saddles four runners in The White Horse Function Room Handicap.

Saratoga Dancer and Ten Gun Salute are both top class but along with Crime Victim should find the seven furlongs on the sharp side leaving Sylvester The Cat the stable elect.

Talented but not always an easy ride, ‘Sylvester’ appears to be lengths better on his home turf where he has recorded all four of his wins.

There were high hopes for the gelding over Champions Season but he had shocking draws in all three of the features he contested and given that once he has a hold of the bit he is almost impossible to restrain.

However, he is a different proposition at Scottsville where he seems at home. In both recent wins on the track he has settled nicely in front and fought to the line. He takes on a smart field on Sunday but given a good draw and a strong pair of hands in Brandon Lerena he could prove the one to beat.

1200m course record holder Humidor had Sylvester The Cat (pictured) behind him when setting that record and is in receipt of 8kg, 3kg more than when last they met. But Humidor is up in trip and ‘Sylvester’ down which should even things out regardless of the weight turnover.

Tony Rivalland’s gelding blotted his copy book a week ago when playing up at the start and the field was sent on their way without him. Humidor was tried over 1600m last time out, the stake of the KZN Breeders Million Mile an obvious carrot, and although the “mile” proved a touch beyond his range he was far from disgraced in fourth behind top performers No Worries and Rabada.

That showing suggests that this trip will be well within his compass and ‘Sylvester’ will have a race on his hands.

The inclusion of Saratoga Dancer in the field for the Vodacom Durban July was widely criticised but as co-owner Chris Winter said before the race, “If Leicester can win the Premier League then we have a chance in the July.”

It didn’t quite work out for Saratoga Dancer but he ran a cracker from a tough draw finishing fifth.

It was previously thought that he was at his best over a ‘mile’ so Sunday’s trip is not beyond him although he will more than likely be short of peak fitness given bigger fish to fry on the Highveld.

Prolific owner Heinrich Kuhn has signed up Grant van Niekerk for his two runners on the day, Brave Knight in the opener and Ten Gun Salute but the former has not been out since January while the latter should find the 1400m well short of his best.

Stayers get a rare chance to spar for good money in a Pinnacle Stakes over 2400m, seventh on the card, where top weight Serissa could hold the key. With only nine runners carded there is a danger of the race turning into a “wag-‘n-bietjie’ canter and sprint for home by the front-runner Serissa could keep all honest. Sean Tarry’s runner takes a drop in class but the question is whether he can give weight to Rap Attack and Frikkie, both proven over the trip and in good form. Frikkie has improved since Weiho Marwing has decided on blinkers and he was a facile winner last time out. He does face stronger here but with apprentice Eric Ngwane claiming 1,5kg. Frikkie will be under the impression that he’s running loose under 51kg.

Andrew Harrison

Race Previews Scottsville Sunday Sep 18 by Andrew Harrison

Race 1:

15 PHANTOM ROCK   14 CAPTAINS MOLL   7 ELYSIAN FIELDS   12 ZLOTY POTOK

Preview: Open with a host of first timers. Of those that have run, PHANTOM ROCK has improved at recent starts and tries blinkers with a claiming apprentice up. She takes on males as does CAPTAINS MOLL who was a touch disappointing behind the heavily backed Sommerlied last time out. She can do better here if she can repeat her first two showings. ELYSIAN FIELDS raced green on debut. He has been rested since but looks set to improve. ZLOTY POTOK made a fair debut on the poly and should improve. (Andrew Harrison: 15-14-7-12)

Race 2:

13 RECALL DAWN   11 OYSTER POND   10 ONESIE   1 ANDERMATT

Preview: Some nicely bred fillies line up here and the betting should be a good guide. RECALL DAWN made a smart debut from a tricky draw on the poly and is sure to have come on from that showing. OYSTER POND caught the eye on debut and will prefer this trip. She also jumps from a good draw. ONESIE nearly surprised when making good improvement on a modest sprint debut but the stable jockey has sided with Recall Dawn. ANDERMATT shows some promise but has a tough draw. (Andrew Harrison: 13-11-10-1)

Race 3:

3 ARCHILLES   2 MY PAL AL   1 KING OF SCOTS   5 CHECKTHEGREENLIGHT

Preview: ARCHILLES jumped from a difficult draw on the poly when first tried in blinkers. He has a better draw here and can do better over this shorter trip back on the turf. MY PAL AL has shown some promising sprint form and should enjoy the extra here. He has a difficult draw to overcome. KING OF SCOTS has shown promising form on the poly. He goes this trip for the first time but has a plum draw and should be competitive. CHECKTHEGREENLIGHT made sudden improvement when dropped back to a sprint and Delpech rides. (Andrew Harrison: 3-2-1-5)

Race 4:

8 ON LINE   12 CATHERINEOFARAGON   4 QUEEN’S BEACH   7 LUNA SEA

Preview: ON LINE was a recent maiden winner but she jumped from a deep draw and looks to have some scope. She looks good enough to go in again. CATHERINEOFARAGON showed up well first run out of the maidens. She has a light weight and a good draw which puts her in with a strong chance. QUEEN’S BEACH improved smartly when tried in blinkers for the first time and although she has a difficult draw she must rate a chance. LUNAR SEA has improved of late and a light weight and a good draw also puts her in with a shout. (Andrew Harrison: 8-12-4-7)

Race 5:

4 SCHOOL RUN   7 REIGNING WAVE   3 CRACKPOT   1 MISS VARLICIOUS

Preview: Difficult race with many in with chances. SCHOOL RUN goes well over course and distance and is holding form well. She should feature. REIGNING WAVE ran well below form last start and had been consistent before that. She has a good draw and a light weight which puts her in with a strong chance. CRACKPOT is well named as she is a difficult filly even on a good day. She does have ability and if keeping her lid on will make a bold bid. MISS VARLICIOUS is a top filly and is down in class. The blinkers come off and the trip should not be a problem. (Andrew Harrison: 4-7-3-1-)

Race 6:

3 SYLVESTER THE CAT   10 HUMIDOR   1 SARATOGA DANCER   6 BEAT THE RETREAT

Preview: Duncan Howells holds a strong hand with four runners but two at least will find this too short. SYLVESTER THE CAT loves Scottsville. He was a narrow winner last start but can follow up. HUMIDOR was scratched from his last intended race after playing up at the start. He has a light weight and a good draw. SARATOGA DANCER has been campaigning at the top level with some success. This may be a touch short but he has enough class to pull him through. BEAT THE RETREAT is better than recent showings and can place. (Andrew Harrison: 3-1-10-6)

Race 7:

4 FRIKKIE   3 RAP ATTACK   1 SERISSA   2 QATAR SPRINGS

Preview: FRIKKIE has come good in blinkers and shown up well in his last two on the poly. He stays every yard of the trip and can follow up. RAP ATTACK goes well over course and distance and should go close in this company. SERISSA is a dangerous front runner and has been up against stronger at recent outings. He has a fair weight but is not out of it. QATAR SPRINGS goes well over course and distance and will go close on his best form. (Andrew Harrison: 4-3-1-2)

Race 8:

1 KALI’S KING   3 NAKED TRUTH   4 SHINE UP   6 HANDSOME HARVEY

Preview: KALI’S KING was touched off in a desperate finish to his last start and has improved in blinkers. A repeat showing should see him go close again. SHINE UP is lightly raced but never far back. He goes this trip for the first time and will go close if he stays the distance. NAKED TRUTH ran his best race over the course and distance and a repeat should see him close again. HANDSOME HARVEY is battling to win but is another with consistent form and must be considered. (Andrew Harrison: 1-3-4-6)

Unless you have the means and prepared to ‘buy’ money, you are unlikely to get rich backing Rodney in the All To Come Graduation Plate at Durbanville tomorrow – but you may at least add to your bank for the exotics to follow.

Although only having won twice in nine starts, the stable has pitted him against some useful opposition and given that the gelding comes from a top yard he should prove difficult to beat. Rodney started odds-on for his first outing under the new stable banner of Candice Bass-Robinson but cast a shoe in the running and emptied out over the final furlong. That was his first run since June and he should strip a much fitter horse in a race that under handicap conditions he would be giving lumps of weight.

If there is to be an upset then it could come in the form of Bishop’s Bounty although Justin Snaith’s charge could be short of a gallop or two. The country’s current leading trainer will no doubt be warming up his charge for the Cape summer after the colt showed smart juvenile form. However, he has not been out since May where he finished fourth in the Cape Nursery. Bishop’s Bounty does have scope to improve but given the conditions of tomorrow’s event it can only be class that carries him through.

Snaith is in for a busy afternoon saddling 15 runners and although things did not work out quite as expected last Wednesday where he only had a single winner from what looked to be a solid card, he can still add to his total with Overshadow in the eighth. The Trippi gelding has hardly put a foot wrong in a career spanning 10 starts including wins in his last two outings. He was given a short break after a hard-fought win over Solar Night at his penultimate outing but took a four-point rating rise in his stride, winning comfortably next time out.

He has been shunted up a further five pounds for tomorrow’s race but from a good draw looks capable of a winning hat-trick. Stable companion Star Chestnut strikes as the most likely danger but with stable first call Richard Fourie aboard Overshadow the inference is obvious.

Joey Ramsden could round off the Pick 6 with I Travel Light in the ninth but although showing promise after winning two of his first three, he has a tricky draw of 13 to overcome on the notoriously sharp Durbanville turn. Victory will stamp him as a horse for the Classic notebook.

Andrew Harrison