The record-breaking Horizon makes his long-awaited debut in the Racing Association Maiden Plate at Kenilworth today and the bookmakers are taking no chances.

This colt smashed the South African auction record when knocked down to Mike Bass and top game breeder Piet du Toit for R5.2 million at the Convention Centre in January last year. He opened 4-1 second favourite with World Sports Betting on Monday and he was still that price yesterday.

Not that many horses in South Africa win first time and Candice Bass-Robinson says: “The trip will be a bit short for him [he is by Dynasty out of a full sister to Silvano] and he will be a bit green but he could surprise.”

Favourite, and shortening from 33-10 to 28-10, is the Justin Snaith-trained Captain Marmalade who has experience and form on his side. He gets the vote although it will be fascinating to see how Grant van Niekerk’s mount performs.

You could say that 6-1 chance Icon King has the best form of all but he has been off since running so well over 200m further on debut. “He was coughing after his first run and I decided against running him again last season – if he had won in July he would have got a rating of 88,” reasons Mike Stewart. “He might just need this but he is a really nice horse.”

Justin Snaith

Snaith, keen to ditch the word former from his champion trainer tag, goes into battle today holding many of the aces and he could well have a field day. Certainly the money has been talking with Dawn Rising in the first. The Trippi newcomer has been backed from 4-1 to 28-10 and that is significant.

The Bass-Robinson stable also introduces two well bred newcomers and R275 000 purchase War Of Roses has also been backed – from 8-1 to 6-1. “I think the Trippi filly (Magic Trick) will need it but the Var (War Of Roses) could possibly be in the money,” says their trainer.

The vote goes to Dawn Rising but Secretariat’s Girl is the one with the form in the book and she looks each way value at 11-2. An outsider to bear in mind at 14-1 is Helen’s Bay even though she is six years old and still a maiden after 14 attempts. She steps up to 1 200m after five consecutive runs over 1 000m. “She doesn’t have the early speed she used to now that she is older but she is very well,” reports Mike Robinson’s wife Louella.

Cock-A-Hoop, backed from 4-1 to 28-10 yesterday, finished with only one behind him in the Langerman and on his previous start he was beaten at 1-3 but he has form smart enough to suggest he can account for Geoff Woodruff’s 7-2 shot New Caledonia in race two.

Punters nervous about getting their fingers burnt yet again by Glorious Goodwood can breathe easy. The three-year-old has been gelded and so misses race four but without his wedding tackle he could be a good thing next time. This time the Andrew Fortune-partnered Imperial Dancer makes most appeal ahead of Gold Standard, Come On Sonny and the first-time blinkered Hernando’s Promise.

Jingle Belle, disappointing over 2 400m last time, could be worth another chance over the mile of the Quinte Plus Maiden. “Possibly she didn’t stay but she suffered a lot of interference that day,” says Andre Nel. “Her game is probably 1 800- 2000m but there isn’t a race for the next month and she is doing well enough to be competitive.”

Prince Of Wales (race six) looks another for Snaith and 35 minutes later 33-10 stable companion Azarenka has Nel’s 19-10 favourite Leisure Trip to beat.

Michael Clower

Margot Steyn, daughter of Cape Town trainer Piet Steyn and niece of Andries, has her first runners at Kenilworth tomorrow. She is the third generation of her family to train.

Ms Steyn, 28, was previously assistant to her father and then Yogas Govender and Michael Miller. She has a string of 13 at her yard in the old barns at Milnerton and her main patrons are Spencer Cook and Tutti Hansen.

She said yesterday: “Little Star will run a good race if she reproduces what she does at home while Heartburn (also race one) is more of a staying type. Madiba Shuffle (race four) looks as if he might enjoy the ground.”

Michael Clower

Devin Habib, ruled out of racing for five years, is now flying from Johannesburg every week in a bid to establish himself with Cape Town’s trainers and resurrect his career.

Devin Habib

Habib,28, nephew of former top jock Donovan Habib, was flying high winning races like the Golden Slipper and the Emerald Cup when he was nearly killed in a car crash near Oliver Tambo airport in July 2010.

“I suffered severe head injuries and I was in hospital for a month while they released the pressure on my brain,” he recalls. “When I recovered I started a small tyre business because I didn’t think I would be able to return to racing. I still have the business and it helps me financially but now my main aim is racing once more.”

He returned ten months ago after getting his weight down from 70kg to 55kg – “it meant healthy eating and a whole new lifestyle” – but, although he managed  231 rides by the end of last season, he found winners hard to come by and he partnered just five. It was a far cry from the heady days of 2008/09 when he was in such demand that he had 770 rides and 57 winners.

At the beginning of last month he began commuting to Cape Town. “I had never ridden there before but I decided to look for a job , or at least a chance to ride there.”

“If I do get a job I will move down but it’s tougher coming back this time because I’m not getting the chances. I’ve had seconds and thirds at Kenilworth and Durbanville but I need a winner or two to get going – and I am going to persevere until I get there.”

Michael Clower

The Vaal eight race meeting on Tuesday is on the Outside track where high draws tend to be favourable and there could possibly be two bankers for the Pick 6 and other exotics.

Gavin Lerena (Nkosi Hlophe)

In race five, a MR 67 Handicap over 1400m, Shine Bright was very slow away last time over this trip but was doing eyecatching work late. She is a strong, long-striding sort who should be improving and is now drawn close to the right side. Gavin Lerena remains aboard. A threat could be posed by Artemisia. She won her maiden well over this trip and was given quite a lenient merit rating of 65. She is now a further two points lower on 63 having raced against the boys first time out the maidens over 1600m before staying on for a well beaten third last time over the too sharp 1160m. Back against her own gender and over her likely best trip she should run well, but she does have a tricky draw.

In the seventh race over 1600m, a MR 78 Handicap, Hidden Agenda is three points up after a resolute win over 1700m last time out, despite being slightly keen early on. He will enjoy the slight step down in trip and has a plum draw of seven in the seven horse field. Furthermore, he faces an uninspiring field, so could carry topweight to victory as he could well be a class above this field. The danger could be Lucky Luciano, who is a lightly raced six-year-old who has shown ability over this trip in the past. He now has his third run after a one year layoff. On the downside this run comes just five days after his last outing, which saw an encouraging effort over this course and distance last Thursday, and he also has a tough low draw.

The rest of the Pick 6 looks difficult. The first leg is a Maiden for three-year-olds over 1200m and the betting and pre-race preliminaries will have to be closely monitored as there is not much form to go on. The two first-timers which make most appeal are Russian Dream and Penultimate, while the one to have run who has shown the most is Fearless Fred. Aristocrat by Var is returning from a rest and gelding and should also be included.

The second leg is an open fillies and mares MR 84 Handicap over 1400m which could be entitled a “boxers vs punchers” contest. The boxers are Allegorical and Movie Award who have been shown to be capable of strong finishes over this course and distance. They are selected for the exacta as they could get a tow from the like of the puncher China Beach. The latter is a big, long-striding sort who does not turn it on quickly and will have to make an attempt to gallop them into the ground, which she could possibly do from a plum draw.

The fourth leg is a MR 100 Handicap over 1600m and the obvious choice is the topweight Pivotal Pursuit, who has class as well as a plum draw. However, he does have to overcome a six point raise from his last handicap win and this won’t be easy considering he is a seven-year-old. Liege makes his reappearance over a strip slightly short of his best and has a tricky draw, but he has class and should be coming into his own being by Dynasty. Much the same can be said about the eyecatching Tiger Ridge gelding Netflix. Halve The Deficit has run well fresh before and can’t be ignored here off an atrractive merit rating with a 4kg claimer up. Dennis The Menace is known for his flying finishes and was able to win in such a manner when stepped up to 1400m recently. If switching off well over this trip he is interesting. National Key has to be considered too because on 1400m form there is not much to separate him and Dennis The Menace.

The last leg of the Pick 6 is a weak maiden for fillies and mares over 1600m and the selection is the one of the leading trio who has the most scope for improvement, namely Light House Lady. The Red List could also improve, but does have a tricky draw and an inexperienced 4kg claimer up. Sammi Moosa, Sweet Chestnut and Bank The Bill also have to be considered.

David Thiselton

Equus Champion Marinaresco was crowned KZN Horse of the Season at the Gold Circle KZN Racing awards held at the Elangeni Hotel in Durban on Friday evening.

Second in the Vodacom Durban July and winner of the Gr1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup on the last day of the season, Marinaresco hit the headlines from the time he was pencilled in for the July, forsaking the final leg of the Cape Winter Series having already won the Tekkie Town Winter Guineas and the Winter Classic.

Marinaresco was trained by Mike Bass and provided a fitting finale to the veteran trainer’s career as he handed over his yard to daughter Candice the following day.

Ashburton-based trainers dominated the awards with Duncan Howells collecting three trophies. Dawn Calling, owned by Dave MacLean, collected the Best performance by a Two-year-old Filly where Howells had all three nominations including A Womans Way and KZN Million winner Lunar Rush.

The Howells-trained Cosmic Light was judged to have put up the best performance by a three-year-old filly for owner Hester Kuhn and Red Jack Trading while the Drakenstein Stud-owned Same Jurisdiction collected the trophy for Best performance by an Older Filly or Mare.

Weiho Marwing, now permanently based at Ashburton, was on hand to collect trophies for Best performance by an older Male and also Middle Distance for Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner Mac De Lago who races in the colours of Hassen Adams.

Best performance by a two-year-old male went to another Ashburton-based trainer Paul Gadsby and a host of owners collected the trophy for Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes winner Gunner.

Summerveld-based Dennis Drier was again KZN Champion trainer by number of winners in the province, edging Howells by seven. Drier also collected the Best performance by a Sprinter for Gr2 Cape Merchants winner Triptique who races in Braam van Huyssteen’s silks.

Equus Award winners Ingrid and Markus Jooste were also KZN’s leading owners by prizemoney and Summerhill Stud, the country’s Champion Breeders for the 10^th time, also had the honour of being leading breeders in their home province by stakes won. Roy Moodley was the leading KZN-based owner by stakes won.

Anthony Delpech was leading jockey and Eric Ngwane leading apprentice.

Paul Lafferty, racehorse trainer, television presenter and stand-up comic was a popular recipient of KZN Personality of the Year.

In a new category voted for by the racing public, Piere Strydom got Ride of the Season for his handling of The Conglomerate in the Vodacom Durban July, winning from 18 draw.

Andrew Harrison

KZN HORSE & GROOM OF THE YEAR
MARINARESCO
TANDAS MAKHOBA

CHAMPION KZN APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR
ERIC NGWANE

CHAMPION KZN JOCKEY OF THE YEAR
ANTHONY DELPECH

CHAMPION KZN TRAINER OF THE YEAR
DENNIS DRIER

CHAMPION KZN BREEDER OF THE YEAR
SUMMERHILL STUD FARM

KZNOTA OWNER OF THE YEAR
ROY MOODLEY

CHAMPION KZN OWNER OF THE YEAR
INGRID AND MARKUS JOOSTE

ANITA AKAL PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
DR NIC LABUSCHAGNE

KZN RACING PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
PAUL LAFFERTY

KZN RIDE OF THE YEAR
PIERE STRYDOM (The Conglomerate – Vodacom Durban July)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY
DAWN CALLING
Trainer:  Duncan Howells
Owner:  Mr D D MacLean
Breeder:  Mr & Mrs A W Procter

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A TWO-YEAR-OLD MALE
GUNNER
Trainer:  Paul Gadsby
Owners:   Mr N Lalla & Mrs A Lalla, Mr H Adams, Mr K T & Mrs M I Carelse & K & K Syndicate (Nom: Mrs K S Mahabeer)
Breeder:  Nadeson Park

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY
COSMIC LIGHT
Trainer:  Duncan Howells
Owners:   Mrs H Kuhn & Red Jack Trading (Pty) Ltd
Breeder:  Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A THREE-YEAR-OLD MALE
EXIT HERE
Trainer:  Charles Laird
Owners:   The Fire Racing Trust (Nom : Mr Alesh Naidoo) & Mr M J Jooste
Breeder:  Moutonshoek

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN OLDER HORSE – FEMALE
SAME JURISDICTION
Trainer:  Duncan Howells
Owners:   Drakenstein Stud (Nom : Mrs G A Rupert), Messrs D C Howells, L C Vermaak, Dr R H Katzwinkel & Mrs M A M Powell
Breeder:  Klawervlei Stud

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN OLDER HORSE – FEMALE
MAC DE LAGO
Trainer:  Weiho Marwing
Owners:   Messrs H Adams, C F Delport, D Chinsammy, Lawrence Pillay, T J Smith & O D T Visser
Breeder:  Mr G Downey, Vic, Australia

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SPRINTER
TRIPTIQUE
Trainer:  Dennis Drier
Owners:  Messrs A J van Huyssteen, William Henderson & J W Rauch
Breeder:  Moutonshoek

BEST PERFORMANCE OVER A MIDDLE DISTANCE
MAC DE LAGO
Trainer:  Weiho Marwing
Owners:   Messrs H Adams, C F Delport, D Chinsammy, Lawrence Pillay, T J Smith & O D T Visser
Breeder:  Mr G Downey, Vic, Australia

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A STAYER
ENAAD
Trainer:  Mike de Kock
Owners:   Al Adiyaat South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Breeder:  Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum

Unseasonable and almost ‘monsoon’ rains have disrupted racing in KwaZulu-Natal this past fortnight resulting in a backlog of meetings. In an effort to accommodate runners and make up the leeway, Scottsville hosts an 11-race card on Sunday and there is an added meeting to the programme scheduled for Greyville next Wednesday.

The logjam has resulted in a Scottsville card with maximum fields in all but one race and punters will again have their work cut out finding winners let along exotic bet bankers with no outstanding runners in any of the races.

A possible PA banker comes in the opening leg where Duncan Howells saddles the Trippi filly Online in the third but her promising recent form has to some extent been compromised by a coffin draw in this 1400m maiden.

In a maiden where Howells-trained runners finished second, third and fourth, the most fancied of the trio fourth, Online finished with a rattle in second place behind the highly regarded Maple Story. Howells was of the opinion that Online would prove more effective over a trip so was more than happy with her showing.

If the reserve runners don’t make the line-up, Online will come in three gates to 12 but still a disadvantage over this sharp 1400m trip. That said, Online is likely to be dropped in by Brandon Lerena and should be doing her best work late.

Anton Marcus has kept faith with Gath Puller’s runner Intercept, a beaten 3-10 chance on the poly at her second start. Her smart debut over course and distance obviously contributed to her short price and with a plum draw on Sunday she looks the biggest threat to Online.

Dennis Bosch mostly put up the shutters during Champions Season but has since opened the stable doors and has eight runners on Sunday. The Summerveld-based trainer does well at Scottsville and Iced Up in the opening leg of the Pick 6 looks to have all the right credentials. The daughter of Western Winter has improved with each outing and was a close-up fifth over the Scottsville mile last time out starting from the widest draw. She jumps from four on Sunday and the extended trip should be to her liking.

Also likely to enjoy the trip is the Howells-trained Louella. She makes her seasonal debut with Anthony Delpech aboard and the Delpech / Howells combination has been deadly since Howells dispensed with a stable jockey, relying instead on freelance riders.

Louella was caught for finishing speed in her first race beyond 1200m in a race that unfolded into a canter and a sprint for home. With a maximum field of runners there will be one or two likely to get on with racing from the jump and Louella should fare better this time around.

Juddering Angel and Wealthy look the most likely contenders to fight out the finish of the fifth although the top weights could be pressed in the finish by a few at the bottom end of the handicap. Juddering Angel has a tricky draw to negotiate but when last these two met over course and distance Juddering Angel finished two lengths to the good. Wealthy has since franked that form and is now 5.5kg worse off with Joey Ramsden’s runner so the draw may not be a deciding factor.

The lightly weighted Newton Spark and the maiden Osuna are possible ‘hares’ but both will need plenty of luck in running if they are to upset.

Delpech is off the mark for his new sponsor, squeaking home aboard hot favourite Friend Request for Mauritzfontein Stud and Dennis Drier at Greyville on Wednesday and dons the same colours for Drier aboard New Hampshire in the sixth. The gelding has only missed the money once in nine starts and is hunting a hat-trick.

At his last two wins he has had the benefit of useful four-claiming apprentice Diego de Gouveia and it was probably the claim that was the difference between winning and losing when touching off Mountain Master in a tight finish.

New Hampshire takes a rise in class so still has a handy galloping weight but he also faces a mixed bag of talent. Catkin has been close-up at his last two and has been running on stoutly to the line. Marcus gets the leg up and they will be a threat to New Hampshire.

Ole Gunnar has always been well thought of by Paul Lafferty but after a string of average performances the vet was called in. The change was immediate and Ole Gunnar put in a much better performance behind the smart Sylvester The Cat over course and distance last time out.

Run Rhino Run took the scenic route home at his last start giving Billy Jacobson a horseback view of Woodhouse Road down the back stretch but although the gelding is a tadpole short of a swamp, if he gets him mind straight he can prove very dangerous.

Andrew Harrison

The Turffontein  Inside track is often a tricky one for punters but on Saturday there should be some opportunities as one or two fancied horses are well drawn.

The highest rated race on the day is the second, a MR 86 Handicap over 1200m, and the one who makes most appeal is Miracle Bureau. This horse has won his last two attempts at this course and distance and that saw him raised to an 82 merit rating. However, he proved up to that mark when ranging up over this same trip at the Vaal despite having jumped from an unfavourable draw. He did not have the necessary extra to put his head in front, failing by a 0,5 lengths, and his next run over 1400m proved he is likely limited to sprints. Tomorrow he has a better draw than the main danger Duke Nukem, who won well from a good draw over course and distance last time out.

Andrew Fortune is still aboard and will help Duke Nukem overcome a tricky draw. An interesting runner is Mister Matchett, who has dropped from a 100 merit rating down to 86 and is now also dropped back to his best trip, having run three below par races over 1400m in his last two. In a sprint race before that he was beaten nearly 20 lengths, but that was in the Gr 2 Senor Santa Stakes where the winner was Talktothestars, who was subseqeunty named Equus Champion Sprinter. Mister Matchett is well drawn and if bouncing back to his best has a big chance.

Another relatively highly rated race is the sixth, a MR 82 Handicap over 2600m, and the field could perhaps be included in the Pick 6 because it looks wide open. The selection here is Talbec as he has run well twice over this course and distance and that includes his only win. Furthermore, he now has a tongue tie on for the first time after making breathing noises in his last three races.

Punters could get off to a good start in race 1, a fillies Maiden over 2200m, provided Vul Indlela settles from the off. Anthony Delpech is now aboard so she will have every chance of doing so. Last time out over 2000m she over raced a bit in the early stages, yet was still staying on strongest of all, so she should relish this step up in trip and looks to have more scope than Flying Myth, who settled well from a plum pole position draw last time and stayed on to finish a couple of lengths ahead of the selection.

In race three, a Maiden for fillies and mares over 1450m, Pearl Valley caught the eye last time over course and distance as she jumped from a wide draw and had to go around them into a handy position and yet stayed on well to be just over a length behind a promising sort in Public Protector. She now has a plum draw of two. However, Over Stated could be a big danger as she clearly did not enjoy being in front last time and drifted around looking for company. The blinkers might work their magic on her and she also jumps from a good draw.

In race four, a Maiden over 1450m, the tall and rangy Skynight is a most interesting runner from pole position. On debut over 1000m he clearly did not know what was going on but when the penny dropped he made some good late progress. He could represent fair value. Immortal Secret plugged on last time over 1400m on the Standside track but is now drawn wide. However, Delpech has stayed aboard and he should earn in this weak field. Zeal And Zest is a nice looking horse but the concern is he was a bit keen on debut over course and distance so will need to settle better. If he does he will be a big runner.

In race 5, Awesome Adam is going from strength to strength and won going away last time, giving the impression he could handle another four point raise. However, Belenos quickened well over 1600m last time before being run out of it late, so might enjoy the step down in trip here and he has a plum draw. Cashin goes for a hattrick and can’t be ignored, despite being five points higher.

In the seventh over 1800m, American Tiger is capable of a strong finish and is now well drawn over an ideal trip.

In the eighth over 1200m Riverine Forest ran on well last time over this trip and the Vaal and is well drawn here over a course and distance she should enjoy.

In the last over 1000m Ronin Warrior is an improving sort with plenty of speed and he looks likely to make it a hattrick.

David Thiselton

Horse-of-the-moment Power Grid goes for his third win in five weeks in the Racing.It’s A Rush Handicap at Kenilworth tomorrow and he makes a lot of appeal at his forecast 5-1.

The colt is something of a freak physically. Daytona Stud considered his legs so bad that they didn’t even bother to send him to the sales, electing to lease him instead, and trainer Andries Steyns says: “He has surprised me because he has only got one front leg that works. I don’t know how he does it but he just swings the right one.”

However he has the pedigree to perform. By Queen’s Plate winner and first season success story Gimmethegreenlight, he is a half-brother to Six Blue Notes who was third in both the Golden Slipper and the Thekwini for Glen Kotzen in 2010.

He certainly impressed on his handicap debut over a furlong less than this a fortnight ago. Although one of the last away, having to be ridden early and then kept up to his work most of the way, he really surged in the final furlong when he finished much faster than anything else. Indeed Grant van Niekerk was able to ease him before the line.

Admittedly this is a much hotter contest but he receives weight from most of the others, the handicappers have been lenient – raising him just 2kg, and the way he won over 1 000m suggests he will relish the extra.

Joey Ramsden (Nkosi Hlophe)

Saint Donan, beaten over three lengths, is unlikely to be able to bridge the gap on just 3kg better terms but the likes of Fire Master and Lord Balmoral (4-1 joint favourites in the TAB sheet forecast) look much bigger threats.

Fire Master made all in the Pinnacle over this trip two weeks ago and has been raised 2kg. He is 2.5kg worse with Northern Corner (6-1) for a length and a quarter so he will need to put his best foot forward if he is to confirm the placings.

Lord Balmoral looks a potential class act. The Australian-bred won his maiden by four lengths at 1-3, coming right away in the final 300m and winning easing up. True, he hasn’t raced for three months but that didn’t stop stable companion William Longsword last Saturday and Vaughan Marshall can be relied upon to have him at least pretty near right.

Joey Ramsden, 48 tomorrow, can celebrate with Arctic Green in race three. She doesn’t have the best of draws but likely dangers Fort Ruby, Lady Of The House and Possibly Me have fared far worse. Donovan Dillon’s mount is better than suggested by the bare  form of her last run when she was last until 300m out and then had to be switched.

Michael Clower