Mount Anderson looks to be a bright prospect after an eye-catching win in his first handicap outing last month.

Lightly raced, Dean Kannemeyer has treaded carefully with a gelding that looks to have loads of ability and much should be revealed when he runs in the Greyville Convention Centre Handicap on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly on Sunday.

Mount Anderson struck as a horse with a future when romping home in his handicap debut while Master Of Illusion and Padre Pio are two other sophomores that have potential. Sunday should tell whether any of the trio can make the step up to Champions Season features as they take on some useful older opposition.

Dean Kannemeyer stepped Mount Anderson out in a 90 MR Handicap first run out of the maidens and looked a lost cause approaching the home turn in the seven-furlong event.

But once rousted along by Keagen de Melo, the penny half-dropped, and although still green he quickened away in the straight to win in a manner that suggested that he still has a bit to learn.

Kannemeyer obviously suspects that his charge has potential. “Dean asked if I could sweat a bit to make the weight, otherwise he wasn’t going to run him,” confessed De Melo post-race.

“1400m is a bit sharp,” said stable assistant Nicolet Roscoe, “and he probably needed the run. He doesn’t show much at home and he will probably be better as a four-year-old.”

Sunday’s race will tell.

Dennis Drier is back on his shooting stick at Summerveld after an extended spell in Cape Town and will be looking for a better showing from Master Of Illusion, although the gelding’s form is consistent. He makes his poly debut but has some smart form to some older and accomplished sprinters.

He steps out with cheek piece and a tongue-tie for the first time.

Padre Pio was deemed good enough to make the trip to Cape Town for the season but his one good outing was bracketed by two disappointing efforts. His home ground form suggests that he is far better than his Cape form shows but he has been lumbered with 60.5kg giving lumps of weight to his fellow three-year-olds.

Garth Puller has engaged confident 4kg claimer Thabiso Gumede to partner the filly Georgina Rose who won well in a useful field last time out. Puller did not come down with the last shower of rain so a forward showing can be expected.

Of the older runners, Waywood, Q The Music and the mare Oloye will provide stiff opposition so this will be a test for that the three-year-olds will need to pass if they are to have any chance in the Classics in Champions Season.

It’s not an easy card made up mostly with weak maidens and lowly handicaps.

In the fifth, Favour may just have needed his last run and should strip a lot fitter this time around but Gentleman’s Wager has been is holding form and goes very well over course and distance. He has not been out of the money in his last five starts. Wildlife Safari found form with a tongue- tie. He has been trying further but has been up against the fast improving Twice Golden while High Green is always dangerous over his best course and distance and can go in again with a 4kg claimer up.

By Andrew Harrison

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Savea, who won in good style for the Paddy Kruyer-Anton Marcus old firm at Kenilworth a fortnight ago, appeals at 9-2 in the Betting World Handicap at Durbanville tomorrow.

The four-year-old has been raised 3kg for that win but the manner of his victory – sweeping into the lead in the final furlong and drawing away – suggests there is more to come despite the task being considerably more difficult on paper.

Apollo Ace, winner of two of his last three, and the hat-trick seeking Skidoo are vying for favouritism and are obvious dangers. At the weights the Paul Reeves runner could be the bigger danger.

This is a far trickier card than usual, particularly in the first two races where all but seven of the 27 runners are newcomers. The early money in race two has been for the Glen Kotzen-trained Gayleactic Star whose price has tumbled from 14-1 to 6-1 but it might be worth taking a chance with Our World.

As her name suggests, this filly is closely related to One World- by Coup de Grace, she is out of a half-sister to the Sun Met winner. She was bought by Ken Truter for only R200 000 at the 2019 CTS Premier and runs in the same ownership as One World. Perhaps even more to the point, she is trained by Vaughan Marshall who has few equals when it comes to getting a horse ready first time. At 17-2 she is worth backing each way.

The last race is every bit as intriguing – and just as difficult because the most obvious form choices are badly drawn – and, even over a mile, the draw is important at Durbanville. Morse looked a certain future winner on his last two starts, The Second Wave has been second in his last four but both are drawn halfway to Durbanville town. The equally consistent Radiant Love (15-4) is rated only just behind them and gets the vote.

An interesting runner, albeit weak in the early market, is Marcus’s mount Private General who is by Silvano out of the high class Jet Master mare She’s On Fire. But it’s expecting a fair bit to imagine him collecting on debut against such smart maidens. One to bear in mind at a big price (16-1) is Alfred’s Legacy. Although not particularly well drawn here, he was only a length and a quarter behind Morse last time despite being denied a clear run at a crucial stage.

Meet At The George is Dean Kannmeyer’s only runner of the day and she may just be good enough in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden (race four).

By Michael Clower

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Tomorrow’s feature meeting at Turffontein Standside will see Mr Flood attempting to take one step closer to proving himself the best sprinter in the country when he runs in the Grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes and there are five other features races to look forward to.

Mr Flood was not too bothered by a potentially disadvantageous low draw of three when winning the Tommy Hotspur cosily over 1000m at this track last time so he should be able to overcome a low draw of two here. He has plenty of pace and then always seems to find more gears when challenged in the final stages. He is now attempting to make it six wins on the trot. Mardi Gras (1) always struck as one who would develop into a top class sprinter and he proved last time that he has blossomed. His draw of five is also on the low and he has to give weight to the field, including 2kg to Mr Flood, so it is not going to be easy but his class should pull him through. Warrior’s Rest is an admirable sort who always gallops all the way to the line and from a nice high draw he should be staying in when others are starting to tire. Basadi Faith is an interesting runner who is potentially top class. She is blessed with a lot of speed and should enjoy this fast course. She failed in her only previous attempt at this course and distance in the SA Fillies Nursery but that was as due to her bleeding. Rebel’s Champ makes the most appeal of the rest on lines through Mr Flood and he can get closer to Basadi Faith over this trip as she went like the clappers from  the off over 1000m on the Inside track last time and those coming from off the pace were left to far out of their ground. 

In the Listed Derby Trial Master Supreme is weighted a racing certainty as he runs off his old 85 merit rating due to the weights for this race having been published five days before his run in the SA Classic. His new rating is 100 so he is effectively carrying 7,5kg less than he should be and he is also well draw over this ideal trip. Cornish Pomodoro has plenty of scope for improvement and should enjoy this trip but he does have topweight and a tough draw to overcome. Our Man In Havana is 2kg better off with Master Supreme for a 3,75 length beating and this rangy sort looks capable of better Nebraas could represent value as he looks to be progressive and on the evidence of his last win over 1800m should enjoy this trip. Furthermore, he is drawn in pole. Set The Standard was unlucky the last time he tried this trip and could earn.

In the Listed Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial Wild Date stayed on well to win over 1600m last time and on pedigree should enjoy this trip. Smoking Hot rallied in the closing stages of her maiden over this trip to win going away and from a good draw with a low weight she should be involved. Pomander has won both of her starts over this course and is well drawn but does have to carry topweight. Tartan Dancer is the other topweight and being by Ideal World should enjoy the step up in trip. Machali can also improve over this trip.

In the Listed Bauhinia Handicap Pool Party has a plum standside draw and has a good opportunity considering Dancing Queen is drawn low. Singforafa runs well fresh and is a contender too.

In the Gold Rush Sprint Vaseem has a fine chance coming off his third place in the CTS 1200.

In the Sun Chariot Handicap Factor Fifty is progressive and can beat Flichity By Farr and Sebille Orange. 

By David Thiselton

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Leading bookmaker Hollywoodbets handed over bursaries to the value of R565 205 to seven apprentices at South African Jockey Academy (SAJA) on Tuesday. The bursaries cover training and accommodation fees, enabling these apprentices to pursue their dream of becoming top jockeys.

Graham Bailey, headmaster of SAJA, expressed his gratitude at the company’s commitment to growing the sport of horse racing. “Hollywoodbets has come on board this year, assisting us by awarding a number of bursaries to seven apprentices who are unable to meet the required training fee. If we don’t receive these fees it impacts our ability to provide the type of service we need to provide to the apprentices. Having this support just enables us to continue doing what we know we need to do in order to develop professional jockeys into the future,” said Bailey.

Apprentices receive quality academic and vocational training from the SAJA. From the age of 15 they work hard to achieve the goal of having 60 winners. In order to pursue this the apprentice’s live on site where they receive three nutritional meals a day as well as support from a multi-disciplinary team including seasoned riding masters, all ex-jockeys, a dietician, sports psychologist, sports scientist, biokineticist and medical sister.

According to Hollywoodbets Transformation Consultant Babongile Mkhize, the company was impressed with the good work being done by SAJA. “We were so excited to be in a position to help when the South African Jockey Academy approached us for support. We had just recently started collaborating with our various brand ambassadors as well as Nomzamo Mbatha’s Lighthouse Foundation where we awarded tertiary bursaries to many South Africans who needed that helping hand. It is truly an honour to now be able to offer assistance to the future stars of the horse racing industry, an industry that is such a key part of our business,” she said.   Former Champion Jockey Anthony Delpech, horse racing Brand Ambassador for Hollywoodbets, is happy to see the company come on board in support of the sport at this early stage. “This is the learning curve. This is where you start to learn about your trade and if you don’t learn how to find your style as a jockey and how to grow from an apprentice to a jockey, you will struggle. This is where you learn to become a great jockey and I don’t think it’s possible to do it without the academy. I think it’s fantastic that Hollywoodbets is part of this process by helping youngsters who can’t afford to get this opportunity otherwise and that they are giving back to racing in this way.”

Caption: Hollywoodbets Transformation Consultant Babongile Mkhize, Hollywoodbets horse racing Brand Ambassador Anthony Delpch and Graham Bailey, Headmaster of the South African Jockey Academy.

Justin Snaith, who has won four of the 15 two-year-old races run in Cape Town this season – more than any other trainer, has the favourite in both the juvenile events at Durbanville on Saturday. And both horses are newcomers by Gimmethegreenlight, ridden by Richard Fourie and carrying the colours of Nic Jonsson.

Litchfield has been priced up at 28-10 for the opening Maiden Juvenile Plate ahead of the Glen Puller-trained Unbroken Promises who went close on New Year’s Eve but is badly drawn. Wayne Agrella comes down to ride this one.

Agrella also partners 8-1 shot Soft Day for the Puller stable in the fillies equivalent 35 minutes later but Snaith’s Golly Miss Golly is favourite at 28-10  with the Glen Kotzen newcomer I’m A Lady (Sandile Mbele) second favourite at 9-2.

By Michael Clower

Summerveld trainer Mark Dixon will be targeting his useful filly Silent Crusade at the Grade 3 Poinsettia Stakes over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on April 26 and depending on how well she does there she might have a crack at the Grade 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg (SA Fillies) Sprint over the same course and distance six weeks later.

The Crusade filly won two of her three starts over 1200m early in her career.

She is out of the talented six-time winning Silvano mare Silver Fantasy, who won from 1400m to 1800m, including the Listed Scarlet Lady.

Dixon said Silent Crusade had just come back into work after being given a holiday after her good third behind Roy’s Riviera and Vistula in the Grade 3 Flamboyant Stakes over 1600m on Boxing day.

The five-time winner’s chief target for the SA Champions Season will either be the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes or the KZN Breeders Million Mile. She won’t be able to run in both as they are just a week apart.

By David Thiselton

The Robbie and Shannon Hill-trained Camphoratus could well defend her crown in the weight for age Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein on April 18 but it will depend on her draw.

The Byword mare went on last year to finish a fine 2,60 length sixth in the Vodacom Durban July and that race might once again be on her program too, although the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes on the same day is another possibility.

The Hills will give her one more run, or a gallop, before the Empress Club.

That run might be in the Listed Kings Cup over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on March 22, depending on the draw.

Robbie did not feel the athletic five-year-old’s performance had declined this season.

He said in her chief target for the first half of the season, the Grade 1 Gauteng Summer Cup over 2000m at Turffontein, she had been left “way out of her ground” from a wide draw and had only finished 3,10 lengths back.

He said she is a filly who needs to be left alone and added, “If you use her she doesn’t finish off.”

Camphoratus ran pleasingly at Hollywoodbets Greyville last Sunday.

In the 1400m Pinnacle event she ran on well from last to finish second to the exciting prospect True To Life.

Gareth Wright rode her in both the Empress Club and July last year and was back aboard on Sunday. 

Robbie said Wright would stay aboard as he clearly gets on well with her.   

The Hills also train the talented Moon In June. 

However, Robbie said this four-year-old by Twice Over was her own worst enemy due to her headstrong antics.

He said he would have to find somebody who gets on well with her to partner her regularly.

By David Thiselton

Frank Robinson is targeting his classy mare Roy’s Riviera at the Vodacom Durban July and is also looking forward to a feature campaign with his impressive debut winner Love Bomb.

Meanwhile, his versatile entire Roy Had Enough, who looked to be an Gold Cup contender this year, is likely out for the rest of the season due to a tendon injury he suffered down in Cape Town.

Robinson gave the Australian-bred All To Hard mare Roy’s Riviera a month’s break after her win in the Grade 3 Flamboyant Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Boxing day, where she showed her usual fine turn of foot to mow down some good fillies like Vistula and Silent Crusade.

He is now building her up for the SA Champions Season.  

Last year she put up some notable performances in the KZN winter, including a narrow third in the Kings Cup, winning the Listed East Coast Handicap over 2000m and fifth place finishes in both the Grade 3 Lonsdale and the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet.

In the last mentioned of those races she was caught three wide the whole way and yet was still only 1,20 lengths back at the line.

Robinson pointed out she had beaten Miyabi Gold in the East Coast Handicap (by 0,65 lengths when receiving 1,5kg) and the latter had gone on to finish fifth in the July.

He said, “She will come into the July with a light weight and I think she will be a massive runner as she stays well.”

Robinson was confident of two-year-old Love Bomb’s chances before her debut last Wednesday at Hollywoodbets Greyville. 

He pointed out she had jumped left in her barrier trial but had then made up a huge amount of ground in the straight. 

Her finishing position, a 6,45 length fourth to the useful three-year-old Dancing Feather, was no disgrace.

Nevertheless the bookmakers opened her at a generous 18/1, partly due to the presence of the Robbie Hill-trained Winter Whistle, who had done well in a barrier trial. 

In the race, over 1000m, on the poly, Love Bomb relaxed superbly at the back of the field and then took off at the top of the straight. It was soon race over and the strongly built filly crossed the line 4,30 lengths clear.

Robinson will either go the Grade 1 Allan Robertson route, which he is a bit reluctant to do as he said it was a very tough race, or he will aim her at the Grade 1 Golden Slipper over 1400m on July day and the Grade 1 Thekwini over 1600m on Gold Cup day.

Her dam Boloval, who is by Captain Al out of the Grade 3 Debutante Stakes winner Rambo’s Love, was bought for R500,000 at the National Yearling Sales in 2011 into the Herman Brown and Frank Robinson joint training operation. Robinson was left on his own in 2013 when Brown retired and after Boloval’s first three runs for a fourth, second and fifth he was able to purchase her from the original owner for R30,000 on behalf of Greg Whittaker and Gavin Wiggill.

In her first start for Greg and Gavin she won a maiden easily by 2,25 lengths over 1200m at Clairwood. 

Robinson recalled, “She won nicely and I thought she could go all the way. She was from quite a good family and was a monster, big and strong.” 

However, after one more run, she unfortunately rolled in her stable one day and fractured a hock.

Retired to stud, she was then sent to Mogok but dropped the foal mid-term. 

She was subsequently sent to Ideal World, where she once again dropped the foal.

However, she then finally had a full term pregnancy and gave birth to a filly by Oratorio.

The foal impressed Robinson from day one. 

He said, “From day one she was an absolute tank, a ball of muscle. I commented she looked like a ‘bomb’ and so we decided to call her Love Bomb.” 

In conformation she reminds Robinson of the Grade 1-winner he  helped train, Chocolicious, but her win last week reminded him of his good filly Olma, who had four wins and two seconds in six starts on the Greyville poly and was just as good on turf.

Greg Whitaker’s wife owns Love Bomb and her next start is being keenly anticipated. 

Meanwhile, Roy Had Enough will be given three months off. 

Robinson said tendon injuries were usually difficult to come back from but he pointed out on pedigree the Australian-bred by Pierro would make a good stallion as his grandam is a twice Group 1 winner, which included the Australian Oaks.  

By David Thiselton

They don’t come along often – especially in this day and age of fragile, butterball ‘pets’ bred for the sales ring. Putchini, with a no-brand pedigree soldiered through to win his 10^th race from 108 starts at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

The eight-year-old is no Graded Stakes performer but a soldier who has been kept on the boil by unsung trainer Ivan van Wyk. He has had Putchini line up nearly once a month for the past four years, a feat on its own for some would say a miserly R700k considering his record.

According to apprentice Jabu Jacobs who is currently riding the crest, “He went down like a young horse, head tucked in.”

“He’s an old man now and has his niggles so we go slow with him,” reveal Van Wyk who added, “It’s been a long drought.”

“The weather” was the heartfelt comment from one of a party of UK visitors that led in Al Jeezera who finally landed his maiden for Gavin van Zyl, the locals cursing the spell of scorching temperatures over the past few weeks.

At the door for some time, was ‘gifted’ to him according to both trainer and jockey.

“I don’t give Warren instructions. He’s the champion jockey!” said Van Zyl.

“They went hard, slowed it down and I took them at the top of the straight. They gifted him the race,” confirmed Kennedy.

Dennis Bosch is having good success for owner Mario Ferreira who has set up an operation outside of Summerveld. “It’s only been going for three months,” said Bosch, “but we need to pay the bills,” that after Noble Freedom got off the mark in the first, holding on gamely to deny a chasing horde. “He got ‘done’ out of the pens last run but this was a superb ride by Craig (Zackey).”

Perspicuous was hot favourite in the opening leg of the Pick 6 but was given every chance by Anton Marcus.  In contention halfway up the straight, Hamsa Grove motored past to win as she liked.

“We have had quite a few problems with her,” admitted Tony Rivalland who was in the stipes boardroom demanding that she be checked at the start after not being happy with her canter past. “We have had quite a few problems with her. She was cast in the box twice.”

Sean Veale was more pragmatic. “I don’t know what his problem was. She has a workmanlike action,” he said grinning.

“She cost 15 grand – that’s the way to buy them,” concluded Rivalland.

A tongue-tie did the trick for Horoscope Harry after he had reported to have ‘choked up’ at his previous outing when fading out late.

“It had never been an issue,” said Gareth van Zyl. “But thanks to Donovan (Dillon) it worked.”

Always up with the pace, Horoscope Harry won well enough to suggest that he has a future as does White Cedar that arrived on the scene late.

The memorial service for former Mercury Racing Editor Richard McMillan who died on Monday, will take place at the Hilton Christian Fellowship Church HFC (behind Hilton Life Hospital on road to Hilton College) on Wednesday 18^th March at 10.30 am.

By Andrew Harrison

Corrie Lensley ran 18 horses at Flamingo Park on Monday but at next week’s Kimberley fixture he will have only one runner –“and then that’s me finished up there. I am closing the yard completely and concentrating on Cape Town.”

It was originally expected that he would keep the Kimberley operation going. But he has had second thoughts – “If you are not there all the time you will get mistakes.”

His decision to open a yard at Milnerton – even given the uncertainty about the future of Flamingo Park – caused some surprise among the locals, not least because the standard of horses running in Cape Town is as high – some would say higher – as anywhere in the country and that in Kimberley is the lowest.

But Lensley, 56 and christened Cornelius, is under no illusions. “It’s top yards here and you have to have the stock to race against them. I have 22 horses at the moment but only 13 of them came with me. The others were already here – babies on the farms and two that we bought ready-made. I am fortunate in that I have a very good owner, Suzette Viljoen, who has bought some really nice horses.”

But why did he come? Kimberley is to stay open, is it not? Lensley, a big man with glasses, doesn’t hesitate. “You see, when it was announced last year that Kimberley was to close the guys from Kenilworth Racing were good enough to offer me stables. That decided me and, when things changed (Kimberley to stay open), I felt I couldn’t kick them in the teeth by turning round and saying I wasn’t coming.”

And his aims and ambitions? “The first thing is to train a winner in Cape Town, and after that to get as many as I can.”

It might be a mistake to underestimate his abilities. After all he has amassed a lifetime’s experience, has been champion Northern Cape trainer twice in the last four seasons and he went into last Monday’s meeting heading the log. He also sent out a big race winner at Turffontein from there – King’s Temptress who won the 2012 SA Fillies Nursery at 150-1 on debut.

By Michael Clower