The Vaal has an eight race meeting on the Classic track on Thursday where races of 1200m and upward are around the turn.

The highest rated race on the card is the sixth, a MR 80 Handicap over 1600m, and the selection here is Odd Rob. This relatively lightly raced five-year-old Mambo In Seattle gelding was tried with blinkers off last time but it didn’t work as he didn’t put it in up the straight having apparently travelled comfortably up until then. The blinkers are duly back on. He has won over 2400m before but the last time he tried this trip he won from a wide draw over the Turffontein Inside track. He is nine points higher in the merit ratings now but does have a plum draw. He has been lowered two points for his last two runs and he had an excuse in his penultimate start as he was cramped for running room close to home. Top Shot represents the in-form Gary Alexander yard. He is dropped back to the trip of his last win having been a bit disappointing in three runs from 1800-2000m.

Furthermore he has been dropped to a merit rating off which he is proven effective. He lost narrowly off this mark over this distance on the Turffontein Inside track in April and he has a similarly wide draw here. Man’s Inn is a capable and consistent sort who can never be ignored over his favourite one mile trip, although he does now have to overcome a four point raise for his last win. Arpad is knocking on the door off this merit rating and a similarly wide draw over this trip on the Turffontein Inside track didn’t bother him last time, so he should be running on again after being dropped out. Raise The Red won the last time he ran over this course and distance and the form has been franked, so he could be concerned in the finish despite being four points higher.

The best bet on the card could be Lakahal, who runs in the second race, a MR 64 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m. This horse has pace coupled with a kick and Andrew Fortune remains aboard having won on her over this trip last time. She was only given a three point raise despite the cosy nature of the win and this field is as uninspiring. The danger could be Linda Honey, who will love the current fast going conditions. She has pace and showed last time she can find extra at the finish too if necessary as she produced a late effort to upset her more fancied stablemate Captain’s Girl. Angie Bee stayed on to be just a length behind Lakahal when they last met and she is now 1,5kg better off. Her last run can have a line drawn through it as she was 2,5kg under sufferance in a stronger event.

The value bet could be the Flamingo Park raider Arctic Route in the last race, a MR 64 handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m. This six-year-old Solskjaer mare was never tried beyond a mile until July this year and she duly won on the Flamingo sand over 1800m. Last time out she was tried over 2200m and ran a decent third despite being 2kg under sufferance off her 52 merit rating. She now returns to the turf off a merit rating of 60, one point lower than her last turf win, which was over 1400m at the Vaal last June. She has a fair draw of six and Randall Simons is up. Bankable’s progeny seem to improve with age and Banking April is such a horse, so she is the selection to win this race from a plum draw over a suitable trip. She is 3kg better off with the pole position drawn Shankly gates for a 2,1 length beating over this trip in July, so there won’t be much in it. Others to consider besides the aforementioned trio are Blue Sage and Indzaba. Blue Sage stayed on to finish close over 2000m last time and was lowered one point by the handicapper so should be competitive with Gavin Lerena up.  Indzaba was further back in that race but went close over this trip before that so will likely appreciate the slight step down in distance. She is off the same merit rating as that 1800m race, but on the downside has a much tougher draw.

The most interesting clash of the day is between Captain’s Girl and Levi Lady in the third, a fillies and mares maiden over 1000m. Captain’s Girl is still quite unexposed so could well make sudden improvement over an ideal distance as she has plenty of pace. However, Levi Lady now gets the draw in her favour after going close in two starts when the draw was against her. She has shown blistering speed since blinkers were applied but in both those starts from high draws she hung inward right across the course in the closing stages and this probably cost her at least one victory. She now has a low draw and the rail will help her stay straight. It will be an intriguing contest and this pair look to have the race to themselves.

The fourth race, a MR 68 Handicap over 1000m, also sees an intriguing clash. Just Africa is ultra speedy and will relish the fast going conditions. Furthermore, he has dropped to a competitive merit rating. However, Flight Zone showed good cruising speed last time and won as he liked. The form of his last two runs in the maidens over this trip has worked out well and he could well rise above his current merit rating of 78, although it is never easy for a young three-year-old first up in a handicap against older horses. Movie Show could pick up the pieces if the first two choices fluff their lines.

In the fifth race, a MR 64 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m around the turn, Miss Argentina is competitive off her current merit rating, which is nearly 20 points lower than her highest career rating and from a plum draw of two, with the same 4kg claimer aboard who went close on her last time, she could defy topweight. However, it’s a competitive event and all of Ladies Club, Riverine Forest, Beckoning and Chartwell also need to be considered.

The Northern Cape Horse Of The Year Lebeoana runs in the seventh, a MR 72 handicap over 1800m. The key to him is a galloping track, as he proved when winning on the Turffontein Standside track last time over this trip. He is unbeaten in three starts with Ryan Munger up and can follow up off just a three point higher merit rating.

David Thiselton

The National Horseracing Authority confirms that an inquiry has been opened into the circumstances surrounding the decision taken by the Objection Board, that officiated on an incident that occurred during the running of Race 1 on Saturday, 3 September at Turffontein Racecourse.

In this regard, the Chairman of the Objection Board, Mr Thulani Khanyile, has been suspended with immediate effect, pending the outcome of the inquiry, which will be held at the Head Office at Turffontein Racecourse on Monday, 12 September 2016.

The Gold Circle sponsored Philippa Johnson-Dwyer has been flying the South African flag high at this year’s Rio Paralympics.

Jet-setting Lord Louis has left Belgium bound for Rio where he and Philippa will contest three events. The Grade III competition dates are as follows:

• Sunday, 11 September 2016 at 05:00 (SA time) – Team Test
• Tuesday, 13 September 2016 at 09:00 (SA time) – Individual Championship Test
• Friday, 16 September 2016 at 04:00 (SA time) – Individual Freestyle Test

Information on television viewing options will be disseminated as soon as they become available.

– Gold Circle

Golden Horseshoe winner Zodiac Ruler is being aimed at the Grand Parade Cape Guineas on December 17 and could be better than his 100 rating would suggest.

He started odds-on for the Premiers Champion and, although beaten half a length by 25-1 shot Gunner, Piere Strydom came back reporting that his mount did not act in the soft.

Justin Snaith, who won the 2010 Cape Guineas with Solo Traveller, believes there is more to it than just the ground and said: “What counted against him that day was that he was standing in the pens for so long (several minutes while they settled Misty Birnam) that Piere actually had to wake him up. He is a very smart horse and he will be much better suited by the longer straight at Kenilworth.”

Snaith confirmed that Jet Explorer will continue to campaign in Port Elizabeth where the eight-year-old continues to defy the horrific injuries he suffered in the 2014 Rising Sun Gold Challenge. His win in last Friday’s Founders Trophy was his fourth in six starts.

“There is nothing for him in Cape Town but there is a race for him every few weeks at Fairview,” reasoned the trainer.

Snaith Racing’s Port Elizabeth satellite is enjoying a particularly good run at Fairview – Monday’s four-timer followed a treble on Friday – and is being run by Des McLachlan who trained Ethno Centric to win the 2001 Cape Guineas but is perhaps best known for his handling of Hear The Drums.

McLachlan, together with almost everybody else in racing, believed that this prolific scorer had broken the South African record when winning for the 33^rd time at Arlington in July 2010.

It was only when Aiden Lithgow recalled reading a paragraph in Jean Jaffee’s great book They Raced To Win that it was realised that the record was set almost 90 years ago by Darius who won 42 races.

Michael Clower

Punters face a tricky card at Scottsville tomorrow and many will be banking on 1200m course record holder Humidor to get back to winning ways in the Bartab No 56 @ Overport Handicap.

The gelding was tried over1600m last time out, the stake of the KZN Breeders Million Mile an obvious carrot for Tony Rivalland and the connections, and although the “mile” proved a touch beyond his compass he was far from disgraced in fourth behind top performers No Worries and Rabada.

The blinkers are back on as is Anton Marcus who has been aboard in all four of the gelding’s victories so the omen’s are all good.

Sean Tarry saddles the top weight Kapitan that is having his third start after a break. He had an inexperienced apprentice aboard last time out and has been replaced by his more experienced weighing room colleague Lyle Hewitson. The gelding has some fair Highveld form to his credit and he should strip at his peak this afternoon.

The Chris Erasmus has hit form of late and Panza has been flying the stable flag, his last two wins coming over course and distance but he does take on a better class field.

Duncan Howells saddled 22 runners at this venue on Sunday and will be busy again today with another 10 to saddle. He can get the meeting off to a winning start in the All To Come Maiden Plate with the filly Inyati. She was the more fancied of a Howells trio last time out but after hitting the front a furlong out was swamped by Maple Story and stable companions Online and Accidental Tourist.

The winner is highly regarded and both Online and Accidental Tourist have franked that form. The shorter trip should also suit and given Inyati’s last showing she rates the filly to beat.

She does face a field that is not short of form and best of the challengers could come in the form of Captains Moll.  James Goodman’s filly was tossed in at the deep end – a maiden against winners in a Gr2 – at her last outing after two smart sprints. She finished second on debut to the smart Howells-trained Blaze Of Mystery at long odds and a repeat of that showing will make her dangerous.

Monte Christo has his second start for Charles Laird in the Racing. It’s A Rush Graduation Plate and looks primed for the event.

A winner on debut for Alistair Gordon, Monte Christo was hammered by the handicappers and came out of it with a seemingly lofty merit rating of 85. The handicappers were taking no chances when Monte Christo followed with a close-up third in his handicap debut and was shunted up another four pounds.

Rested, gelded and changed stables Monte Christo started a luke-warm favourite over the Scottsville 1000m for his new yard finishing a creditable third, beaten under a length by Swakopmund. With that run under his girth and over a more suitable trip, he is likely to be on offer at cramped odds.

Howells saddles Restless Rogue who could give Monte Christo and Anton Marcus something to think about. The three-year-old has only had three outings, winning second time out and then four lengths back in his handicap debut. He will enjoy the step up in trip and gets 3,5 kg from Monte Christo. He also has the services of Anthony Delpech which is worth an extra couple of lengths.

Unbelievable Chad, part-owned by Olympic gold medallist Chad le Clos, started favourite on debut but found Monte Christo just a little more forward and he had to settle for silver, as did Le Clos in the recent Rio Olympics.

Unbelievable Chad proved to be a handful and his post maiden form, although useful, was obviously below what was expected and Paul Lafferty eventually called in the vet.

After a four-month break, Unbelievable Chad came out in a strong Pinnacle Stakes sprint and was palpably in need of the outing, finishing seven lengths adrift of the smart London Call.

He is sure to have come on from that run and if he has his mind on the job he could have the measure of both Monte Christo and Restless Rogue. In any event all three should be included in the exotics.

Andrew Harrison

Glen Kotzen is aiming his Golden Slipper winner Final Judgement at the Choice Carriers Championship at Kenilworth on October 29 and the World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas on December 3.

Kotzen, who won both races with Princess Victoria five years ago, said: “Final Judgement is in a paddock with her mates enjoying life at the moment but we will go the usual route, the 1 400m Grade 2 and then the Fillies Guineas.”

Final Judgement (Nkosi Hlope)

Final Judgement made all the running at 20-1 in the Golden Slipper but weakened into seventh after racing prominently and taking it up over two furlongs out in the Thekwini four weeks later.

Kotzen believes that performance is best forgotten and explained: “It was very hard for her from her 12 draw and we had to use her to get there. It wasn’t her running at all.”

Yorker pulled up sound after his Strensall Stakes second at York on his British debut last month, his first race for more than two years, but there are doubts about whether he will meet his engagement in the Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 15.

Derek Brugman, racing manager for part-owner Markus Jooste, points out that a Group 1 would be a big ask for the horse’s second run after such a long lay-off and that the seven-year-old would probably need to perform well in another race in the meantime in order to have a crack at the big one.

The Jet Master gelding won the Sansui Summer Cup, HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut and President’s Champions Challenge for Geoff Woodruff and is now with William Haggas at Newmarket.

Brugman has clarified the decision to race many of the Jooste-owned horses in the name of Mayfair Speculators, the company long used for purchasing them. The reason is “streamlining” and, for the moment at least, only those horses owned solely by the Joostes will race under the Mayfair Speculators banner. Those in partnership with other people will appear in the racecard as part-owned by Mr & Mrs Jooste as before.

They also have a growing number of horses in Europe and those carrying the famous emerald green, yellow stars black sleeves and cap colours include the Aidan O’Brien-trained Douglas Macarthur who is joint favourite for next year’s Epsom Derby.

Michael Clower

The Vaal has an eight race card on the Standside and as usual the draw will be a factor as the Standside going is usually favourable, or at least the jockeys tend to go to this side which often makes it tough for low drawn horses.

The most interesting horse on the card is Kostya Zu, who runs over 1200m in the sixth, a MR 72 Handicap. On Saturday he ran over 1200m on the Turffontein Inside track in the Gr v3 Spring Spree Stakes and finished 6,5 lengths behind the exciting Kangaroo Jack. He was 9kg under sufferance so on paper ran below his handicap mark in comparison to Kangaroo Jack taken that over 1200m 1kg equals half-a-length. However, the latter was running off a capped merit rating, having been awarded a maximum six points after his facile Gr 2 Post Merchants win, and proved it by winning ever so cosily. Kostya Zu also had to jump from a high draw and was reined back in the early stages. He was not persevered with in the closing stages so could have got closer. Furthermore, his form includes a 7,5 length fifth to Carry On Alice over 1100m when receiving 7,5kg. Tomorrow is his third run after a rest, he jumps from a fair draw and is in the handicap for a change. He comes from the Coenie de Beer yard of Equus Champion Sprinter Talktothestars and like the latter will run shoeless. De Beer has a small string but keeps a high strike rate, which this season is around 18% (two winners from eleven runners). The danger to Kostya Zu could be the topweight Ronin Warrior. He started awkwardly over 1000m on the Turffontein Inside track when disappointing last time. He might prefer returning to a straight course. He had shown in his previous two starts over 1200m and 1000m at the Vaal that he has good pace coupled with the ability to kick on in the final stages. He will need to use both assets in order to overcome his unfavourable number one draw. Three-year-old Master Boulder produced a fine run first time out the maidens over this course and distance when a 1,5 length third in a Novice Plate. He proved there to be up to, if not better than his 80 merit rating, considering he ran at level weights with the winner, who was merit rated eight points higher than him, and all of the second, fourth and fifth placed horses were merit rated higher than him. He is a big runner on paper, but on the downside he has a low draw and this race has more older horses involved than he faced last time.

The best bet suggestion is Jackman in the fourth race, a Maiden over 1200m. This is a nice looking horse with a long stride and he ran on strongly over 1160m at Turffontein last time to only just fail. He now has a favourable high draw and does not have much to beat, unless the Australian-bred Baudelaire, who makes his debut from a plum draw, proves above average.

The value each way bet suggestion of the day comes in probably the most open race of the day, the last, which is a MR 67 Handicap over 1400m. Intandokazi is reunited with Raymond Danielson, who remains an underrated jockey, who has an astute tactical awareness. He also has an affinity with horses and learns quickly how best to ride them. Danielson rode this big horse in his penultimate start from a similarly tricky draw over this distance on the Vaal Inside course and after holding him up he flew through for a 1,75 length third to Awesome Adam, who franked the form by winning next time out. Danielson will likely attempt to hold the horse up until he has found a favourable spot behind horses on the standside and with a similarly strong finish will have a chance.

In the second race, a maiden over 1600m, Rubybay has those to have run beaten on form and has a favourable draw. However, there is a well-bred first-timer involved, the Irish-bred Cidada, who is by none other than world leading sire Galileo and is a half-sister to the Gr 2 Premier Trophy runner up from 2009, Vision Of Grandeur. However, the record of Galileo’s Southern Hemisphere runners falls way short of his Northern Hemisphere runners and it is also concerning to see a 1,5kg claimer aboard first up, although she does have a plum draw.

In the first race over 1200m Lily Love is a form choice, but the question is whether she can overcome a low draw, but she does have champion workrider Sam Mosia aboard so is still tipped to win at the expense of the moderate Chinese Whisper, who has a plum draw and proved last time when placed second over this trip that she could win a race of this uninspiring quality.

David Thiselton

The National Horseracing Authority’s Racing Control Executive Arnold Hyde has reportedly confirmed there will be an enquiry into the objection in race 1 at Turffontein on Saturday, one of the most controversial upheld decisions in recent times.

Jockey Karl Zechner aboard Nordic Storm, who had been backed from 8/1 into 7/2,  objected against the favourite Querari Viking on the grounds of being bumped at the start and on interference in the straight. However, in a live explanation given by a stipendiary steward to Tellytrack viewers, it was divulged that the chief incident looked at by the stipes was the one in the straight.

Nordic Storm is being aimed at a narrow gap between Querari Viking and the rail at about the 300m mark but has the door closed on him. He thus switches outward and after being hard ridden is beaten 1,1 lengths. Meanwhile, Querari Viking had galloped strongly to the line. In the view of the stipendiary stewards the interference at the 300m mark had affected  Nordic Storm’s momentum and in their opinion it had cost the horse a length-and-half. Considering he had then closed the gap to about a length, which was the distance separating the horses at the time of the interference, they decided to award the race to Nordic Storm, albeit on a split decision.

However, in the view of many irate punters the switching movement had not cost Nordic Storm much, if any, momentum. In their opinion Querari Viking had simply been travelling the stronger at the time and had pulled clear before duly holding on to win comfortably.

Due to rule 69.3.1 upheld objections usually pertain to horses which are beaten narrowly, while at the same time having been cost obviously more ground than the winning margin.

Rule 69.3.1 states: a placed HORSE was interfered with by another placed HORSE and/or its RIDER during a RACE and the HORSE which was interfered with would, but for the interference, have finished ahead of the HORSE which caused the interference, in which event, the OBJECTION BOARD shall place the HORSE which caused the interference behind the HORSE which was interfered with or it may disqualify the HORSE which caused the interference.

Yesterday’s Scottsville meeting was also tinged with controversy.

In the fifth race jockey Keagan de Melo was not ready when the starter pressed the button as some equipment on his mount was still being adjusted. His mount thus left the stalls riderless. The starter, upon realising what had happened, called a false start. However, not all of the jockeys heard the call. Once a false start is called the event immediately becomes a “no race”. Therefore chief stipendiary steward Sean Parker was left with only two options, to re-run the race later or declare it null and void. He opted for the latter, it being the fairer choice on the horses. He said an enquiry would be held into the jockeys not responding to the false start call and added the current “recall” procedures would be looked into to see whether they could be improved upon.

David Thiselton

It seems that misfortunes come in pairs and following on the heels of Saturday’s controversial objection in the first race at Turffontein, the fifth at Scottsville yesterday was declared null-and-void after the riders failed to heed a call of a false start.

The race was won in a canter by odds-on favourite Magic Memory.

Explaining the start, Chairman of the Stipendiary board, Shaun Parker, said they did not have an option.

He explained that the bridle on Dundrum had come loose in the stalls and while the handlers where trying to get it back in place the start was effected. “The rider was not seated and the starter called a false start.” It would appear that not all the riders heard the call and carried on with the race. “Some said they heard the call and others said they did not,” said Parker.

He said that there would be an investigation into the start but pointed out that once the starter had declared a false start it “was just that”. The option was to re-run the race later or to declare the race null-and-void.

This is the second time within three months, also at Scottsville, where a race has continued with some jockeys declaring that they had not heard the starter’s call of a false start!

Dame Eleanor (Nkosi Hlophe)

Jockeys – and trainers for that matter – have long been critical of the Scottsville straight course, for years maintaining that you can only win from a low draw. Recent results have demolished that long held myth as Anthony Delpech confirmed when winning the first from the extreme outside draw yesterday. “We need to forget about the inside draw. The track is very even and very fair. In fact I now prefer to be drawn wide.” His view may have been coloured by the fact that he had just scored aboard the Mike de Kock first timer Dame Eleanor – a difficult customer by all accounts. “She’s a bit hot but she handled herself quite well,” remarked long-time assistant Nathan Kotzen.

If anything the following two races confirmed Delpech’s view. He was aboard favourite Sir Edmund in the MBK Agencies Maiden but after giving his mount every chance from gate 7 he was swamped by three runners drawn way on their outside. Roy’s Magic (12), Cabinda (15) and Amazon King (16) all jumped from outside gates with Roy’s Magic making it two-from-two for Australian-breds in the opening exchanges, the Life Is Good form proving reliable with the first three past the post having finished behind Alyson Wright‘s runner.

Bubka, racing in blinkers for the first time, got a peach of a ride from visiting Highveld rider Marco van Rensburg, who was carted off to the doctor after being dumped by his mount by Natatela in the sixth. Also drawn deep at 15, Van Rensburg arrived late on Pat Lunn’s gelding and although this was not the strongest of fields, blinkers appear to have extracted the best out of the lightly raced four-year-old.

The Michael Roberts-trained Seatops, a reluctant starter, put it all behind her to get up on the line in a tight finish to the KZN 3YO Series to deny favourite Anime in a tight finish.

Andrew Harrison