Anthony Delpech was left with a headache any jockey would like to have after winning the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 on Saturday aboard the Justin Snaith-trained Bela-Bela and Anton Marcus also now faces a tough decision on whom he will ride in the Vodacom Durban July after the Mike Azzie-trained Rabada’s win in the Gr 1 Daily New 2000.

Both riders would set a new mark of five July victories in the saddle were they to win the big one this year as they are currently joint-record holders with the great Harold “Tiger” Wright.

On Saturday Delpech’s narrow Daily News runner up was ironically named It’s My Turn as the top jockey was coming off five SA Champions Season Graded race victories in succession – somebody else finally had a turn.

Anton Marcus ‘flicking the reins’ at Rabada with It’s My Turn (Delpech) closing in (Nkosi Hlophe)

Marcus admitted dropping the whip shortly after turning for home on Rabada had been a worrying moment, especially aboard a horse who had always responded well to reminders. However, like a true professional he compensated by flicking the rein into Rabada’s range of vision and the robust bay duly found extra to repel Investec Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn. However, the latter would likely have been pencilled into more July note books as he has an impressive stride and was closing rapidly despite the earlier crawl they had travelled at. He failed by 0,25 lengths to give both Snaith and Delpech what could well have been a unique Guineas and 2000 double-double, the pair having won both the Daisy Fillies Guineas and Canon Guineas with Bela-Bela and Black Arthur respectively at the beginning of the month.

Delpech’s only loss in the six previous SA Champions Season Graded races this year was in the opening one aboard the now retired Legislate in the IOS Drill Stakes.

Anton Marcus, when posed the question about Rabada staying the July trip, replied, “The pace today was pedestrian.”

This played into the Summerhill Stud-bred Brave Tin Soldier colt’s hands as he found the box seat behind the leader from a good draw and his stamina reserves were not put to the true test.

“At the moment I am just happy to have won this race for Markus,” he continued,  referring to champion owner Markus Jooste, for whom he is the retained rider. Rabada’s July participation will likely be discussed by Azzie, Jooste’s racing manager Derek Brugman and jockey Marcus. Jooste’s leading July hope at present among a few contenders would likely be fast-finishing Betting World 1900 runner up St. Tropez.

Another eyecatching July Trial in Saturday’s Daily News was run by the Gavin Van Zyl-trained Rocketball, who reached top gear close to home and was finishing strongly with an impressive stride. Third-placed Mambo Mime also ran on well representing last year’s July-winning combination, Dean Kannemeyer and Stuart Randolph, and so did fifth-placed Ten Gun Salute.

However, the three-year-old males are all likely to carry the minimum allowed July weight for their age and gender of 53kg, because even the current 106 merit rating of the highest rated of them, Rabada and Black Arthur, means being 2kg under sufferance with top merit rated entry Legal Eagle (120).

Rabada might go up a point or two if Rocketball, rated 105 and beaten 1,5 lengths is used as the line horse, and It’s My Turn (101) and Mambo Mime (100) will in that case be raised too, but it will all be superfluous in the July picture unless Legal Eagle is scratched before the setting of the weights.

Black Arthur put up a gallop before the first race on Saturday and, striding out very well under Delpech, pulled away effortlessly from his companion, who had given him a lead. The work out pleased both Delpech and Snaith.

Bela-Bela with Anthony Delpech up (Nkosi Hlophe)

Cheveley Stud-bred Dynasty filly Bela-Bela might also be raised a point or two from 107 if 104-rated Heaps Of Fun, beaten 2,1 lengths, is used as the line horse, especially considering the ease of the win. This will be significant because for every point above 108 she will carry 0,5kg above the minimum allowed July weight for a three-year-old filly of 52kg.

Delpech spoke about Bela-Bela’s amazing turn of foot and described her as the second best filly he had ever ridden after 2011 July hero Igugu.

The energetic grey, like a lot of world class fillies, nods her head in the running, perhaps an indication of how much she loves her job, and she looked the winner a mile out.

Negroamara stayed on well for a 1,75 length second and Nightingale, hampered around the turn when Ruler Of The Sky broke down, was staying on even stronger for a  good third.

Negroamaro’s owner Laurence Wernars still seeks his first Gr 1 win after 25 years of owning racehorses, but this was another of a few Gr 1 seconds he has had. Drill Hall winner New Predator later disappointed in the Wernar colours in the Daily News and likely didn’t stay the trip.

Earlier, Kannemeyer and Delpech had combined to win the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m. The first time Kannemeyer put this Silvano gelding beyond 2000m he finished second in the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup and this was only his second attempt beyond that distance. He remains in the July picture. However, winning the Lonsdale off a 98 merit rating at the expense of a slightly unlucky Heldeberg Blue might not be enough to get into the big race. The Gr 2 Gold Vase and/or Gold Cup route looks more sensible anyway.

David Thiselton

Give the man half a chance and he will take your whole hand. There were many hard luck stories back in the scrum as a slow pace marred the running of the Gr1 Daily News 2000 but for Anton Marcus it was manna from heaven as he nursed favourite Rabada through to win from It’s My Turn, Mambo Mime and Rocketball.

With none of the riders willing to commit it was left to Sylvester The Cat to pull himself to the front but once there, Craig Zackey put on the brakes.

Marcus had Rabada in the box seat while Anthony Delpech, looking for a hat-trick of feature wins, was forced to track wide to avoid the scrum on his inside and the two fancied runners joined battle at the top of the straight.

With Marcus dropping his stick at the entrance to the straight it looked as if It’s My Turn had his measure but Rabada kept finding to the

Rabada edges It’s My Turn (Nkosi Hlophe)

line. “I had my doubts about him staying,” said Marcus post-race. “But we were helped by the slow pace up front.”

“I dropped my stick at the top of the straight and was just flicking the reins at him. It was a really game win.”

“I always maintained that he was a good horse,” said Michael Azzie and Rabada has repaid that faith. It was also the second Grade 1 win for Rabada a son of Summerhill-based Brave Tin Soldier.

Earlier Justin Snaith would not be drawn on whether star filly Bela-Bela would take her place in the Vodacom Durban July after landing the odds in the Gr1 Woolavington 2000. It was an impressive performance by the grey who was given another professional ride by Delpech.

“I never had any doubt that she would stay,” said Snaith but neatly side-stepped the July issue. “She’s a very good filly and we will have to make the right decision. It will be up to the owners.”

“She saddled up very quietly, and I thought ‘Oh no! not another one,’” referring to the now retired Legislate. But she carried her temperament into the race. “She seemed half asleep in the race but there are few horses that have a turn of foot like she’s got,’ said Delpech.

Bela-Bela with Anthony Delpech up (Nkosi Hlophe)

The crack rider had Bela-Bela racing one off the rail with arch rival Nightingale on his inside. He kept Grant van Niekerk tight on the rail and got first run at the top of the straight. With Delpech’s stick flicking down her neck, Bela-Bela quickened past longtime leader Negroamaro who battled gamely to hold her advantage but she was swallowed by Nightingale and Heaps Of Fun who were both running on strongly.

Balance Sheet looks on track for the eLan Gold Cup with a game win in the Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, getting home ahead of Helderberg Blue, No Worries and Crime Victim. Pressed on whether Balance Sheet would take his chances in the July, Dean Kannemeyer was hesitant. “Possibly, but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.”

“The Gold Cup was the first time he went passed 2 400m last season and he ran second. I took him back to Cape Town but I wasn’t happy with the way he was moving and threw him out.”

“The owners were patient. Marsh (Shirtliff) and Bryn (Resssell), they ran first and second today and deserve all they get.”

It was another masterful ride from Delpech who got over from a wide draw to find the perfect place on the rail. “I can’t even tell how I got there. Sometimes things just work out for you.” He moved Balance Sheet smartly up the inside rail in the chase for home and rode the finish without the whip. “I rode with the hands. He wanted to hang out and I didn’t want to cause interference.”

But it was the early shift that possibly won him the race as he shifted onto a tiring pacemaker who in turn rolled onto Helderberg Blue who got unbalanced for a couple of strides.

No Worries appears to have taken a new lease on life since being put over ground and was fighting hard at the finish while Crime Victim found traffic and may well have finished closer.

Andrew Harrison