Octogenarian Ormond Ferraris is the doyen of South African trainers. Never has he had more than 60 horses in his string yet he has a consistently good strike rate and notched the 2500^th winner of his illustrious career when Romany Prince staked his claim for the Gr1 SA Classic in the Drum Star Handicap at Turffontein yesterday.

With Anthony Delpech injured, Muzi Yeni  did the honours on the only three year old in the race. “The horses in front folded quickly so I just waited until the 200m mark before asking the question,” said Yeni. But by then Romany Prince had built up a winning lead and although Judicial finished with a rattle the race was over a long way out.

Earlier Silver Scooter took Ferraris’s career winning tally to 2499 when outpointing his field in a Pinnacle Stakes event.  Captain America was expected to open his Highveld account before defending his crown in the Gr1 WFA HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes but it started as it did last year – in defeat. Brett Crawford’s runner opened 6-10 on course but the writing was on the wall as he proved friendless and eventually jumped easy to back at 11-10.

Captain America was given every chance by Met winning jockey JP van der Merwe but he was misfiring a long way out and did well to finish third as apprentice Callan Murray eased Silver Scooter through off the false rail to win going away.

If not a record, then it must be pretty close to one. Sean Tarry’s winning streak with two-year-old fillies continued as Touching landed the odds in the second taking Tarry’s unbeaten total to seven. Touching, a daughter of Maine Chance Farms-based Querari and a half-sister to the smart Tellina, made short work of the opposition winning by over two lengths.

By Andrew Harrison

The Mike Azzie-trained Abashiri stamped himself close to the top of the class when running out a comfortable winner of the Gr2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas at Turffontein yesterday. Given a confident ride by Karl Zechner, the Go Deputy colt hit the front some two furlongs out and kept on strongly to hold a fast finishing Champagne Haze and a hard-chasing Malak El Moolook.

An emotional Azzie was all praise post-race comparing Abashiri to his past champion National Currency – high praise indeed. Abashiri has a pedigree that could carry him all the way to the Triple Crown with the SA Classic next on the agenda.

Zechner had his mount up with the pace throughout as Anthony Delpech committed early on Suyoof in an attempt to overcome his wide draw.

It proved a failed ploy as Suyoof compounded early in the straight leaving Albashiri a clear run to the wire. Malak El Moolook tried hard to stay with the winner but came up short while Champagne Haze came from well off the pace to snatch second.

A tongue-tie proved what was needed for Sean Tarry to lift consecutive Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas trophies as Heaps Of Fun kept finding under S’Manga Khumalo to out-gun favourite Negroamaro.

S’Manga Khumalo took the daughter of Visionaire to the front and slowed the pace up to suit with Anton Marcus wise to his plo, tracking him aboard Negroamaro. Both jockeys went for broke a long way from home but try as she may, Negroamaro was not able to make up the leeway as Heaps Of Fun showed brilliant courage to keep finding to the line. Frosty Friday stayed on for third ahead of She’s A Dragon.

Earlier, Bernard Fayd’Herbe rode a typically powerful finish on Captain Aldo to snatch the G2 Hawaii Stakes away from the game filly Lazer Star with favourite Ice Machine a neck back in third.

Lazer Star looked to have the race in the bag 50m out but Fayd’Herbe muscled Captain Aldo to the front one jump from the line.

Ice Machine, as is his want, came from last but the line came just too soon.

Andrew Harrison

Johan Janse van Vuuren, a young trainer who has held a licence for just over three years and has saddled 104 winners, is in the hot seat on Gauteng Guineas Day at Turffontein this Saturday.

He has the favourites for both big races – the R1-million Betting World Gauteng Guineas and the R500,000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas – with Brazuca at 28-10 for the former and stablemate Negroamaro at 15-20 for the fillies’ equivalent. And he has another fancied contender in the Gauteng Guineas in 11-2 fourth favourite New Predator.

Sadly, the 34-year-old won’t be in the country to see his stable stars run because he jets off to Australia on Wednesday night for the Inglis Yearling Sale in Melbourne. Both Brazuca (bought at that sale) and New Predator are Australian imports.

He believes Negroamaro has the easier task on Saturday because “the fillies’ race looks slightly weaker than the colts’ race.”

Although only a two-time winner, she has always had a big reputation and Madame Dubois, who has beaten her twice in the past, is not in this field.

Negroamaro is much better drawn than in her last race, when flying late and beaten only a head by Madame Dubois in the Three Troikas Stakes. And jockey Anton Marcus, who rode her in that race, will know more about the filly this time.

Neither Brazuca nor New Predator fared overly well in the ballot for starting-gate positions, drawing at Nos 10 and 11 respectively. Janse van Vuuren says he is relying heavily on his jockeys, Marcus on Brazuca and Stuart Randolph on New Predator.

Although New Predator has drifted in the betting – possibly due to an interruption in his preparation before the Tony Ruffel Stakes in which he finished fourth – the young trainer does not believe there is much between his two charges and says: “Things have gone well. They’re looking good. But it’s competitive racing, against good horses. I just hope everything goes well and we get a bit of luck in running.”

Meanwhile, Mike Azzie, trainer of Betting World Gauteng Guineas joint-second favourite Abashiri, and usually the most outspoken of people, has decided to take a different tack on this occasion.

Azzie is keeping mum on the chances of his ‘big horse’.

“I am not talking to the media or Tellytrack,” said Azzie yesterday. “Usually I’m the one who does all the talking and it lands me in trouble so this time I’m going to let the horse do the talking.”

TABnews

Saturday’s R1-million Betting World Gauteng Guineas (Grade 2) over 1600m at Turffontein has an open look about it and trainer Mike de Kock’s assistant John Buckler summed up the general view of many camps, saying: “It’s a very competitive race with competitive horses.”

Buckler will saddle Suyoof (7-1 with Betting World) and Muwaary (10-1) in the first leg of the SA Triple Crown. Buckler says he would be more confident if Suyoof had drawn well in the big race. “It’s not going to be easy for him from No 16 draw. I’d be confident if he’d drawn in the first four. But he won a good race in the Tony Ruffel Stakes last time out and has improved since that run.”

Suyoof, returning from a two-month layoff, was not that well drawn in stall 10 of 13 in the Tony Ruffel Stakes but, as Buckler said: “It was a smaller field. He jumped slowly and managed to get in. I don’t know if Anthony Delpech can slot him in again.”

Buckler believes Muwaary, the mount of Callan Murray, might not be quite at best in his first run in three months. “He hasn’t had a prep run since coming back from Cape Town and it’s hard to say if that will affect him. Horses always seem to improve after a run, especially if they’ve been to Cape Town and back. But he galloped well last Saturday and is well in himself.”

Persian Rug is the De Kock stable’s representative in the R500,000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas and Buckler believes she might find the mile a bit sharp. “We threw her out after she finished a well-beaten fourth behind Negroamaro in November and she ran a nice race on her comeback in the Three Troikas Stakes, when beaten only three lengths by Madame Dubois.

“She seems to have lost that early toe but has definitely improved since the Three Troikas Stakes.

“The 1600m might be a bit sharp for her – the 1800m of the SA Fillies Classic and 2450m of the SA Oaks will be right up her alley – so if she runs a place we’ll be happy.”

Jayyed will be trying further again in the Grade 2 1400m Hawaii Stakes after running pleasing races over 1200m in his last two starts. “He’s working well and will be competitive if he keeps rolling over the extra 200m,” said Buckler.

TABnews
Picture: Suyoof (JC photos)

Negroamaro is 14-10 favourite in early betting for the joint first leg of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara while you can write your own ticket about Crystal Glamour.

“I don’t say Crystal Glamour can beat Negroamaro. She’ll be hard to beat because she’s obviously such a smart filly. But Negroamaro might be looking for a touch further and it’ll depend on the pace. If she fluffs her lines, my filly has as big a chance as any.

“Crystal Glamour is a beautiful horse who packs a lot of class and, the way she’s been working, I think she’ll definitely finish in the first three,” said Alexander.

“Draw a line through her last run because she was drawn very wide in the Three Troikas Stakes and didn’t get cover. She over-raced three deep all the way round the turn and just ran out of steam. She’s drawn midfield this time so things will be easier.”

This two-time winner from four career starts finished 14th behind Madame Dubois in that race – her worst run yet. Alexander points to an earlier race as key to her chances. That was in the Bloodstock SA Ready To Run Cup in October when Crystal Glamour finished a neck second to Lineker over 1400m. “That was a very good run in only her second start,” said Alexander.

This will be her first race over further than 1450m but Alexander believes she will get the trip easily and, depending on how she comes out of the Fillies Guineas, will probably even enjoy the 1800m of the Wilgerbosdrift Fillies Classic in early April.

That race forms the second leg of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara, with the Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks on Champions Day as the final race in the series. “We’ll take it one step at a time,” said her trainer. “These races are hard for some of these young horses.”

Alexander has the fourth favourite in the R1-million Gauteng Guineas, Champagne Haze – a 6-1 chance behind Brazuca, Abashiri and New Predator.

This three-time winner beat top-class Rabada by three lengths in the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup in a time that equates to about three lengths faster than Lineker won the Bloodstock SA Ready To Run Cup over the same course and distance on the same day in October.

Then rested, he needed his comeback run and he did well last time out in the Tony Ruffel Stakes, finishing a 0.50-length second to Suyoof, who he meets now on 2kg better terms.

He is slightly better drawn this time, while Mike de Kock’s runner has drawn out wide at No 16, and Alexander said: “Champagne Haze has come through his preparation well. So far, so good. With a bit of luck in running he’ll also finish in the first three.”

Alexander believes 1600m might be Champagne Haze’s optimal trip, although he did suggest the other two legs of the SA Triple Crown, the SA Classic over 1800m and the SA Derby over 2450m, would not be out of the question if his charge did well in this race.

“We’ll take it one race at a time with him, too,” said the Turffontein-based trainer.

In the Acacia Handicap (Grade 3) at the same meeting, Alexander will send out Shepard One, who he thinks will be well suited to the 1600m. “She’s a runner,” he said.

He also believes his charge The Elmo Effect has a “place shout” in the Aquanaut Handicap (Listed) over 2450m.

The final fields for the Hawaii Stakes, the Acacia Handicap and the Aquanaut Stakes will be finalised tomorrow. (TABnews)

Gauteng Guineas betting: 28-10 Brazuca; 7-2 Abashiri; 5-1 New Predator; 6-1 Champagne Haze; 8-1 Muwaary; 10-1 Suyoof; 14-1 Rocketball; 16-1 Lunar Approach, Liege; 20-1 Romany Prince, Le Clos; 25-1 Celtic Captain; 33-1 Rikitikitana; 40-1 Malak El Moolook; 66-1 Ole Gunnar, Coral Fever.

Gauteng Fillies Guineas betting: 14-10 Negroamaro; 6-1 She’s A Dragon; 9-1 Princess Varunya; 10-1 Polyphonic; 12-1 Frosty Friday, Alexa; 14-1 Juxtapose; 16-1 Penny Serenade; 22-1 Heaps Of Fun; 25-1 Khonza, Bella Sonata, Christmas Carol; 28-1 Melliflora; 33-1 Persian Rug, Crystal Glamour, Jungle Mist; 40-1 Lala.

Piere Strydom lamented the timing of his fall just after the post of the Vaal’s fifth race last Thursday which has left him with a broken collar bone.

Strydom will be replaced by UAE Champion Jockey Richard Mullen aboard the Paul Lafferty-trained star Harry’s Son in the Gr 2 Zabeel Mile on February 25 in Dubai.

However, Strydom, who will only know how bad the break is after visiting a specialist this week, is considering the use of a hyperbolic oxygen tank in an attempt to speed up the healing process as he has been promised the ride on World Cup night (probably in the Dubai Duty Free) if he is fit enough.

Strydom’s fortunes had just begun to swing in the right direction after having a few interruptions to his program last year.

He won two features at Turffontein on February 6, the Listed Wolf Power 1600 on the St. John Gray-trained Captain Aldo and the Gr 3 Three Troikas Stakes on the Robbie Sage-trained Madame Dubois.

The previous weekend he had ridden four winners for Justin Snaith on J&B Met day.

The stipendiary report describes Thursday’s incident as: “WINTER BREEZE dislodged Jockey P Strydom when stumbling in the pull up area.”

However, Strydom disagreed with the description and said, “The horse went straight down without warning.”

He added jockeys had been “moaning” for a while about the grass being too long and thick and said while it was important horses were looked after by providing forgiving ground the track should be rolled “like it is everywhere else in the world so why not here?”

Strydom concluded by talking about Harry’s Son’s outstanding performance first up in Dubai when finishing second in the Gr2 Al Fahidi Fort over 1400m, inside the previous course record, “He looked outstanding and was striding out beautifully.”

By David Thiselton

Muzi Yeni said his aim this season would be to ride 200 winners and if the Jockeys Championship came with it, it would be a bonus.

The intriguing battle for the Championships at present sees Anthony Delpech out in front on 116 winners, Andrew Fortune two behind on 114, S’Manga Khumalo on 105, Yeni on 97 and Anton Marcus on 80. However, Fortune, Khumalo and Yeni are the three biggest travellers among the leaders, so they could yet reel Delpech in.

Meanwhile, Paul Lafferty was happy with Unbelievable Chad’s run on Sunday at Scottsville, pointing out the crawl which turned it into a canter and sprint. The Toreador colt still has the KRA Guineas as his initial big target. Lafferty has two other “decent three-year-olds” in Ole Gunnar (Second Empire) and Roy’s Air Force (King’s Apostle). All three of the aforementioned unfashionably bred horses were found for the yard by pedigree and conformation expert Linton Ryan.

Ole Gunnar is being targeted at the Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas and will give two part-owners, Phil Georgiou and Doug Steyn, a double in the race if he wins as they also have shares in last year’s winner Harry’s Son. Roy’s Air Force has displayed headstrong antics at the races lately and Lafferty said a new more severe bit would be tried.

Harry’s Son, having apparently been inside the previous course record when finishing second on his Dubai debut, only lost 1kg in weight during the race, despite it being his first run for ten months and is “very well” ahead of the Gr 2 Zabeel Mile on February 25.

By David Thiselton

Last season’s champion workrider Lyle Hewitson has enjoyed his first couple of months at the South African Jockeys Academy (SAJA) and is awaiting a NHRA decision to fast forward his first professional race ride.

A South African Racing rule states no apprentice may ride in a race within a six month period of arriving at the Academy, but the Academy have made a request to the NHRA to relax the ruling in Hewitson’s case due to his prior achievements in the saddle.

The Kearsney College Old Boy is the son of former jockey Carl Hewitson and had 88 rides as a workrider for 23 winners, including a four-timer in February last year. His strike rate was over 26%

Hewitson was appreciating the advice being given to him by Academy riding masters. The latter work around a rider’s natural style and Hewiston likened it to a professional golfer having his swing tweaked by a swing analyst. He added the biggest step up would be “the thinking part” and the riding masters have consequently educated him plenty into the all important strategic side of raceriding.

Hewitson should have no problem adapting to the latter aspect of the profession as he came close to achieving an academic  clean sweep when matriculating last year, achieving five distinctions and 79% for his two other subjects.

He will further his studies through a University Correspondence course during his three year indentures at the Academy. He will have time on his hands while his younger colleagues are attending school lessons.

Hewitson has already earned the respect of the senior jockeys, whom he revealed have been very helpful. He was always going to be sort after by the trainers so has been busy at track in the mornings.

By David Thiselton