RACE 1: 1 ANCIENT EPIC   7 LEOPARD LADY   8 POPPY OF BAYEAUX   11 NAMAQUA DOVE

Preview: ANCIENT EPIC (1) has run two smart races and goes well this course. LEOPARD LADY (7) was well fancied last run but found one too good in a well-supported first timer. Has had a few chances. POPPY OF BAYEAUX (8) has finished in the money in all four starts. Drops to a shorter trip and a change of tactics is on the cards. NAMAQUA DOVE (11) goes best over this trip and is not out of it. (Andrew Harrison:  1-7-8-11)

RACE 2: 8 PROUD ASTER   3 THE BRIEF   11 FOREST PHOENIX   2 MASTER MKEEKU

Preview: Many first timers in a field with thin form so keep an eye on the betting. PROUD MASTER (8) showed up well on debut on this course and with the stable hitting form any market support must be taken seriously.  THE BRIEF (3) made a good enough debut over course and distance and experience should count. FOREST PHOENIX (11) is battling but goes well this trip and soft ground should suit. MASTER KEEKU (2) disappointed last run after a close-up third over the course at his previous outing. Must have a chance on that showing. (Andrew Harrison:  8-3-11-2)

RACE 3: 2 GERONIMO   8 NAPOLEON   14 ALL THE TIME  11 LAKE COMO

Preview: Many first timers so watch the betting. GERONIMO (2) was most disappointing last run but had shown some useful form over course and distance and can do better this time around. NAPOLEON (8) is a smartly bred first timer form a strong stable. ALL THE TIME (14) raced green when not too far back on debut and should come on from that showing. LAKE COMO (11) found some market support last run and can improve. (Andrew Harrison: 2-8-14-11).

RACE 4: 3 SHAVOUT   2 WILDLIFE SAFARI   5 A WHOLE NEW WORLD   8 TIME TAKER

Preview: MJ Odendaal looks to have all the aces in this race. SHAVOUT (3) has a big weight but looks the part in this field. He looked a winner last start before being run out of it late. WILDLIFE SAFARI (2) showed signs of returning to form last start and with only 48kg to shoulder, he could go all the way. A WHOLE NEW WORLD (5) has come good in blinkers but there should not be much between him and TIME TAKER (8) who has also come good in blinkers and goes well this course and distance. The former has a light weight. (Andrew Harrison: 3-2-5-8).

RACE 5: 6 AFRICAN SKYLINE   4 COMMAND CONTROL   9 WALTON HALL   3 THE BAYOU

Preview: AFRICAN SKYLINE (6) win well first run out of the maidens. Has improved with each outing and the step up in trip should suit. COMMAND CONTROL (4) is lightly raced but is smart on his day and should make a bold bid. WALTON HALL (9) goes very well this course and distance. Consistent and should make another bold bid. THE BAYOU (3) is always capable and back on the turf can follow up on his last success. (Andrew Harrison:  6-4-9-3)

RACE 6: 7 UMKHOMAZI   5 STAR CHOICE   1 MAIDENS PRAYER    4 CAPRICCIO

  Preview: Tricky handicap. UMKHOMAZI (7) has been taking on stronger at recent outings. Has drawn a touch wide but should have a strong chance in this field with a 4kg claimer up. STAR CHOICE (5) has gone close at her last two. She switches to the turf here but must still have a big chance. MAIDENS PRAYER (1) has been a touch disappointing but the stable has hit form of late and the switch to the turf can suit. CAPRICCIO (4) is a long-time battler for her second race but looks well weighted here as she drops in ratings. (Andrew Harrison: 7-5-1-4).

RACE 7: 4 KITTEN’S ADVENTURE   10 SAV’S STAR   9 MALVERN   7 GINGERSPATHTOGLORY

Preview: KITTEN’S ADVENTURE (4) won well second time out and that form has been franked. She should make a bold bid here with her light weight. SAV’S STAR (10) has been tumbling down the ratings but showed signs of life when close-up last time out. She looks a big threat. MALVERN (9) has been rested and makes his local debut for a new stable but goes well this trip and is one to watch in the market. GINGERSPATHTOGLORY (7) enjoyed the return to turf last run and can finish in the money again. (Andrew Harrison:  4-10-9-7)

RACE 8: 10 CAMORA   4 STRAIGHT SIX   11 PURPLE AND GREEN   13 SO VAR

Preview: A difficult handicap. CAMORA (10) has taken on solid company first two out of the maidens and must have a strong chance here. STRAIGHT SIX (4) did well from a difficult draw last run but he is lightly raced and goes very well on the turf. With a 4kg claimer up he may be the one to beat.  PURPLE AND GREEN (11) returns from a lengthy break but has shown ability. The stable has found form. SO VAR (13) is an old campaigner. His best recent form has been on the ploy but not out of it here. (Andrew Harrison: 10-4-11-13)

David Thiselton

One of the highest rated events at the nine race meeting at Turffontein Inside today is the seventh, a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1450m, and Under Your Spell will be out to prove a point as a few felt she should have won the Equus Two-year-old Fillies award ahead of her stablemate Rain In Holland.

Under Your Spell is the highest rated three-year-old filly in the land and her 116 merit rating is in fact eleven points higher than Rain In Holland’s. She has only been beaten once, in the SA Fillies Nursery, and was clearly not herself that day and showed it by playing up badly at the start. She has been exemplary in all her other starts including in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship over 1200m when bursting through the centre and powering away to a 3,80 length victory. One of her victims was the third-placed and otherwise unbeaten Sheela, who is held in immensely high regard and showed why last time when cantering to victory over 1000m in a Juvenile Plate event. Under Your Spell has always given the impression she would prefer further and her pedigree suggests so too because she is by the top class miler Capetown Noir and is a half-sister to the twice Grade 3 Track And Ball Oaks winner Witchcraft although she is also a half-sister to the Visionaire gelding In Cahoots who has plenty of speed and his three wins have been from 1160m to 1475m. Under Your Spell is the joint best-weighted runner tomorrow together with Rouge Allure. The latter is versatile in running style so will make a bold bid from draw three whether dropped out or going handy. However, a bigger threat might come from Anne Boleyn who is 1.5kg under sufferance with the best weighted. She will relish the fast conditions as one with plenty of speed who gets this trip and is drawn in pole. The in-form Now You See Me also has a shout over her optimum trip  but does have a tough draw to overcome and is officially 2kg under sufferance. Ululate disappointed last time but is useful on her day and is another one to consider being just half-a-kilogram under sufferance and having a good 1.5kg claimer aboard.

In the other Pinnacle Stakes event, also over 1450, the fairytale horse MK’s Pride looks the one to beat. He stays this trip, has plenty of class and always gives of his best. He has a tricky draw of  six out of seven but is not a difficult responds well to a rider’s instructions and wherever he is in the final stages he will almost certainly find another gear when the chips are down such is the size of his heart. ExpressfromtheUS is drawn widest of all but that should be of no concern as he has a fine turn of foot so can afford to be dropped out. His class could carry him home, although he might need this outing, his first run since finishing 14th in the Vodacom Durban July. Those two should fight it out although the consistent Bingwa might have other ideas running fresh over a sharper than ideal distance and jumping from pole position.

Punters should be given a good start to the day by Verolina in he first race over 1200m. She only just failed on debut over this course and distance from a wide draw when beaten by Bon Vivant who went on to finish second first time out the maidens. Verolina now has a plum draw and can beat Back To Formontera. 

The third race over 1600m sees an intriguing clash between three promising and progressive sorts, Equillo, Wave Warrior and Motown Magic and they are selected in that order.

The next race is also intriguing and Mike’s Chick is taken to follow up his unplaced run in the BSA Sales Cup for fillies, whose form is turning out to be strong, with a win at the expense of the scopey Kizzmekia.            

David Thiselton

The Vaal Classic track has an interesting eight race meeting today and those who do their homework could reap the rewards.

In the first race the big Master Of My Fate filly Scottadito has shown herself to have plenty of natural speed in her first two starts over 1400m and 1600m respectively and she might well relish the step down to 1000m. She will be ridden by the accomplished Erin-Lee Watkinson, who has ridden two winners in just seven workrider race rides. Pick A Lily is always thereabouts and should earn her eleventh successive cheque. Puff Of Smoke is an interesting runner as she has shown some pace and is still immature so should enjoy the step down to 1000m and looks to have scope for improvement.

In the second race also over 1000m Frontline Fighter showed good pace last time and was run out of it to be beaten just 0,70 lengths over this trip last time out so he can make amends here. He is the one to beat but there are a couple of interesting first-timers who would not have to be great shakes to go close here. Last Clouds is by Soft Falling Rain out of the useful five-time-winning Listed-winning Var sprinter Easy Game so should be packed with speed. She is out at 16/1 in the betting but this might be due to there not being a top echelon jockey aboard. However, Brian Nyawo is one of the most underrated jockeys on the Highveld and brings the good ones home when he is given the opportunity. Averni Warrior is by the boom sire Vercingetorix out of a twice-winning sprinter by Captain Al who also ran for the Houdalakis yard. Vercingetorix regularly imparts precocious speed into his progeny unlike his celebrated sire Silvano. Eastern Cape raider Emerald Flame has a chance if repeating his staying on second from the front over 1000m at the Vaal in his penultimate start. Thai Treat showed pace last time out to and could also earn.

The third race over 1450m is wide open but as the experienced runners all have question marks it might fall to the first timer from the Paul Peter yard Indus Knight, who is by Flower Alley out of a five-time winning Model Man mare and he is a half-brother to two Listed placed horses. Lulu’s Boy is the obvious choice from pole position and his pace in the current fast going will make him particularly dangerous. However, on runing style he has a slight stamina doubt although on pedigree he should get it being by Byword out of a National Emblem mare who won from 1000m to 1400m. Twosidestoastory looks to have ability and scope but will need to settle from a wide draw as he showed a tendency to overrace returning from a layoff last time. On The Warpath and Leshawes look to be improving sorts who will be staying on. Master Of Law and Freezing Fast can’t be ignored either.

In the fourth over 1450m the first-timer Kiawah has Lyle Hewitson up. He is by Silvano out of a twice-winning Kahal mare and she is a half-sister to recent winner over this trip Katzenthal (Coup De Grace). Red Hot will go close if he jumps better than last time as she should be handy although she will need some luck from draw eight. The Bomb Dotcom, Ocean’s Pride and Sky View also need to be included though in this uninspiring field.

In the fifth over 1000m Kwite A Trip is progressive and can make it a fourth win in his last six starts as he looks capable of handling a five point raise. Marengo will be a threat as a quick horse who is loving the fast conditions although he needs to overcome a six point raise. Warrior Captain is 3.5kg under sufferance but should rise above his current merit rating and could prove dangerous with a light weight. Singfonico is 1kg better off with Kwite A Trip for a length beating. Irfaans Boy sneaks in to the handicap with the minimum weight but ws thrashed as a juvenile by Warrior’s Captain back in March. 

In the sixth over 2400m Manterio was a hard knocker in the maidens and having gained confidence with an easy win last time over this trip could follow up off a reasonable merit rating with Yeni up. However, under the Classified conditions he will have his work cut out beating Smiley River, who is going for a hattrick and on official merit ratings is 2kg better off with second-best weighted horses which include Manterio. 

In the seventh over 2200m the progressive Opera Glass can make it a middle distance hattrick running off a four point higher mark for his last win over 1800m. A ten point raise did not stop him last time and Khumalo stays aboard. Southern Song and Un Deux Trois look to be the dangers although including the whole field cold be a consideration here for the Jackpot and Pick 6.

In the last race over 2200m pole position drawn Mariposa is a lot better than her last start and can beat home Sophia’s First and Crusade To Royalty. Western Dance and Olympic Silk also warrant consideration.   

Andrew Harrison

NEW owners are a rare breed in South African racing, especially young ones, but you will not find a more enthusiastic bunch than the partners in Rainbow Spirit, the winner of the first at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

The meeting was switched to the poly after heavy rain on Monday and Tuesday put paid to the turf but that did not deter a late plunge on the Yogas Govender-trained gelding.

Showing plenty of pace, Rainbow Spirit kept rolling under Ashton Arries to run out a comfortable winner with stable companion Ndaka, in the same ownership barring Naidoo, filling fourth.

The four friends, Brandon Gaillard, Chad Britz, Jarrod Eady and UK-based Kyle Storkey have been racing together since the Clairwood days where pie, chips and gravy was their staple and a more passionate quartet you will be hard-pressed to find. They have horses with Govender and Shane Humby at Ashburton and this was their first winner with Gaillard, for once, lost for words.

S’Manga Khumalo is making an early run on the national championship and is currently in second place with 28 winners behind Warren Kennedy who has already opened up a considerable lead and on 47 after making all the running on the Doug Campbell-trained Siya Vuma in the third.

Khumalo is one of the strongest riders around but he needs to refrain from striking his mounts in the flank. Quizz Master, second in the fourth, will not forget yesterday’s race in a hurry.

Khumalo went forward on Quizz Master but was not able to hold the challenge from Airways Law, Andre Nel’s runner coming on lengths from his debut. It was also the first winner back for Gareth Wright who was laid off with a smashed ankle for many months.

It will have been a tough ask for Carl Hewitson to pull his grub stake in PE after the groom’s riot that prompted Yvette Bremner to throw in the towel. Hewitson was the stable assistant and with some owners staying loyal he moved to Summerveld. Understandably it took a little time for him to settle and find out where his horses fitted in but he is making inroads as Lord Minver showed as he came home lonely. Gelded, he showed improved form when sent a mile for the first time, only fading late, and that run brought him on lengths as Sean Veale put the race to bed at the top of the straight.

Giacomo Puccini looked to be one of the better bets on the card but Marcus did not have the easiest of rides trying to keep his mount straight which eventually was the difference between winning and losing as Prince Of Taranto out-gunned him. Tony Rivalland has always thought well of his charge and he did him proud under Serino Moodley.

Don’t Touch me has blossomed in his new environment and scored back-to-back wins in the last for Duncan Howells. Apprentice Thabiso Gumede bounced the gelding out of the gate, and in spite of some unwanted attention from Callmemrgreenlight who was all over the course, sat patiently until two furlongs out before making his move to hold off a charging Caesura comfortably.

Turf switched to poly

Andrew Harrison

PUNTERS will be put to the test on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville today. Two days of steady rain forced a switch from the turf so there will be some re-calculations on a tricky eight-race programme where Giacomo Puccini stands out as a possible exotic bet banker.

In line with leading KZN owner Nick Jonsson moving many of his runners to his home province, Giacomo Puccini made his local debut on the poly early last month and stayed on stoutly to finish just over two lengths back to stable companion Captain Tatters who boasts a proven track record in much stronger company than what Justin Snaith’s runner meets today.

The form behind that has also proved solid and with experience on the poly he has all the credentials.

For the doubters, Hooves Of Troy, Ramchandani Road, Spring High and Sea Sponge as a rank outsider, could spoil the party.

There is an inquiry pending as to the first race debacle at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday where the tote betting on the race closed only after the race was run. Human error or computer glitch, it was an unfortunate incident but unlikely to happen again any time soon.

Many years ago, there was a group of punters collectively known as ‘The Bag Boys’. They were reported to have made money by keeping an eye on the so-called ‘gin-strike’, horses fitted with alumites for the first time.

Times have moved on and few trainers send out their runners in steels shoes or ‘shoeless’ although Craig Ramsay, with his string of horses with limited ability, were often successful.

 A bit like former track star Zola Budd, who competed internationally running barefoot, Clinton Binda has been bucking the norm by running his horses ‘barefoot’ with two winners last Friday. “I only race my horses with shoes if they need them,” he said in a post-race interview.

Given that assurance, Soweto Rose could get backers off to a winning start in the first after being run out of it late behind fateful day. A switch of surface could also be to his benefit.

Yogas Govender trains for an enthusiastic group of youngsters, including regular Computaform tipster Brendan Galliard, and they go into the race two-handed with Ndaka and Rainbow Spirit. They have yet to have a winner but there is no doubt that they will be bellowing their runners home – Ndaka possibly the pick of the two.

Gareth van Zyl saddles Another Love in the second who has come really well at recent outings. She has won three of her last four, all from poor draws, and with a better gate here she can make light of the 62kg that she has been set to shoulder.

 Of the balance, Alfonse Baby has come good at recent outings while Eager Duchess has shown good recent form on the poly and has been ridden apprentices and now gets Marcus.

The third is a tricky first leg of the Pick 6 and it may pay keeping an eye on the betting. Siya Vuma made a smart debut at long odds on the poly and should have come on lengths from his first run. Red Sole looks the biggest threat as the stable continues with their good form. Gelding appears to have been responsible for him making marked improvement in his local debut over course and distance and he has the best of the draw.

The advice for the balance of the card is fill in as many squares on your betting slip as you can afford. In the fourth, Arumugam did well from a tough draw last start. The blinkers come off and although he has another wide draw, he looks capable of better. Whispers Of War was disappointing from a tough draw on his poly debut. That may be a concern but he is capable of better. Galabier has the worst of the draw and has not been out since December last year. But he made a smart debut and is one to watch in the market. Airways Law and the recently gelded Head Gardener are others to consider.

The fifth is a weak maiden. Coral Copy is lightly raced but has not been far back at recent starts and the stable is showing signs of life. Prince Vihaan and Grey Linngari could help see you through this leg.

The sixth is another difficult handicap. The field or a smaller percentage could be your best option but A Whole New World and Victory Twist could head the list of possible.

Michael Roberts could have got it right in the last with Hey Bill taking a big drop in class and a 4kg claimer will enhance his chances. Callmemrgreenlight looks the biggest threat although he shed his maiden in a weak field. But he is lightly raced and finished with a rattle and the extra should be even more to his liking. Living Waters has a wide draw to contend with but goes well on this surface and Don’t Touch Me was a comfortable winner of his maiden. He has improved with his new stable and the poly suits.

David Thiselton

History repeated itself when the Mark Dixon-trained Shell Seeker won on debut over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday in impressive style.

The Master Of My Fate filly was backed in from 25/4 to 10/3 second favourite in the Maiden Plate for fillies and mares.

Some of her supporters might have groaned when she lost a length or two at the start. However, this allowed jockey Keagan de Melo to choose a position where she could run on her own with daylight in front of her. He thus took her towards the inside. It is invariably best to have cover in any race, but when the connections are ultra confident with a potentially green first-timer, allowing her ample room is a sound strategy. So that move might have given an indication of just how confident they were. She was soon contesting the lead. The fancied Leopard Lady moved up threateningly at the 400m mark and hanging inward she came together with Shell Seeker, who had hung outward, at the 250m mark. However, Shell Seeker, despite having to make up the lost ground at the start, proved to still be cruising. She galloped clear effortlessly to win easing up by 4,30 lengths.

Dixon found the good looking filly at the BSA National Two-year-old Sale last year.

Breeder James Armitage of Sandown Stud liked her going into the sale and said, “It’s a commercial world we live in so although she had a very nice pedigree further down the page (she is related to the like of Hernando, the joint highest rated older horse in Europe in 1994), owners and breeders want to see a lot of black type close up.”

He elaborated by saying sales patrons would not have taken heed of any excuses, even the valid one which pertained to Shell Seeker’s now retired dam Witsand, who had a lot of bad luck in her career. For example her previous foal Tiger In The Sun (Where’s That Tiger) had finished third in two Listed races and was showing a lot of promise before “doing a tendon”.

Armitage concluded, “Shell Seeker looks to be a very exciting prospect and I would love to have still had her dam on the farm!”

Dixon’s first impressions of Shell Seeker were positive and he said, “She was beautifully good looking and was very well balanced. She had a beautiful head with a massive eye and was by a proven stallion.”

She went through the ring late in the sale as lot 389 out of 394. Dixon had tried to buy a few before her without success and upon leaving for the airport left instructions with former trainer and now BSA staff member Alistair Gordon to bid for Shell Seeker on his behalf.

Dixon was at the airport when he received a phonecall from Gordon informing him he had secured the filly for R130,000.

This was a little bit of deja vu.

In 2012 one of Dixon’s most loyal clients Clint Larsson had earmarked a Kahal colt in the catalogue of the National Yearling Sales. However, Dixon, with a limited amount left in his budget, felt he had zero chance of securing him. After all, he was a half-brother to Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas-winner Indiscreet Fantasy and to Listed-winner Silver Fantasy. So he left for the airport but upon landing in Durban he received a phonecall from Larsson, who was in London at the time. The latter had noticed on the internet the colt had gone through the ring unsold. Dixon immediately phoned vendor Bruce le Roux and made an offer. He managed to secure him for R120,000. The connections were everlastingly  grateful to Le Roux for standing by his word as another offer was apparently made five minutes later.

The connections fittingly decided to name the colt London Call and he not only won on debut by 5,50 lengths at odds of 33/1 but went on to win eleven races in total, including the Non-Black Type Marula Sprint twice, and he also finished second in the KZN Breeders Million Mile and fourth in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint.

Dixon said Shell Seeker’s “magnificent, big action” was evident from day one. He took his time with her as Master Of My Fate’s can have slightly hot tempers and she was telling him she was not yet ready. He said she was lightly framed so still had plenty of filling out to do. She thus has plenty of scope for improvement and he believed she would stay further too.

Dixon is particularly pleased she has such “great owners”, who include Larsson as well as another of his most loyal patrons, Bruce Lin, and also Mike Liontarides.

Time will tell whether she has classic potential but the connections have plenty to look forward to with this promising filly.

Dixon might think about stationing himself at the airport for future sales.

David Thiselton

VETERAN TRAINER ROY MAGNER won the Spring Spree Stakes two years ago with the five-year-old gelding Prince Of Kahal and repeated the feat at Turffontein Inside on Saturday with another five-year-old gelding Vaseem.

The race was a Grade 3 in 2019 but has been downgraded to a Listed event.

However, Magner is hoping the Klawervlei Stud-bred Vaseem can follow in the footsteps of the Clifton Stud-bred Prince Of Kahal as the latter went on to record a feature race hattrick in 2019 by winning the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m and the Listed Golden Loom Handicap over 1000m in his next two starts.

Both Prince Of Kahal and Vaseem are testimony to Magner’s training skills as it is not easy to get progression out of a five-year-old. 

Vaseem in fact recorded a hattrick of victories on Saturday having finished second and third in his first two starts for the Magner yard.

Magner spotted Vaseem on a BSA Online auction and told Durban owner Andre van Bassen they “had to get him.”

Vaseem was secured for R90,000 and Andre and his attorney daughter Teegan are now the joint-owners.

Magner was first attracted to Vaseem because he is by the boom sire Vercingetorix.

Magner was trainer of the Robert Chung-owned Vercingetorix colt One Way Or Another who annihilated the useful Flying Carpet by 5,75 lengths on debut over 1200m on October 1 last year with the rest of the field beaten 10,25 lengths and more. One Way Or Another is currently in England, one of the legs of his long and laborious journey to race for Chung in his home country of Hong Kong.

Magner continued, “Vaseem had some very good early form but obviously had a few niggles, so I thought we could take him on as a challenge to get him back on the winning trail. The thinking was he was from the yard of a very good trainer, but in such a big yard a horse can occasionally fall through the cracks. It has turned out well.”

Vaseem’s last three runs before the sale saw him beaten a combined total of 24.5 lengths but Magner got to work on the few “little niggles” he found and the horse has turned the corner in no uncertain terms. 

Magner is eyeing more features and said, “As long as his merit rating does not go too high there are some nice races for him.”

Muzi Yeni was aboard Vaseem on Saturday and his regard for former Zimbabwean champion trainers must have gone up yet another notch.

Yeni had a memorable partnership last season with War Of Athena, trained by three-times Zimbabwe champion trainer Paul Matchett.

Magner was also a three-time Zimbabwe champion trainer.

Yeni rousted Vaseem out of the stalls from a draw of eight out of eight in Saturday’s 1200m event around the turn on the tight track. A gap fortuitously opened behind the two early leaders Mr Flood and Chief Of State and he found himself on the rail just past the 1000m mark. Yeni got to work coming off the false rail at the 500m mark and Vaseem responded superbly to overtake Mr Flood by the 300m mark. The leader at that stage was Visiway, who began to fade, and Vaseem then just needed to keep Mr Flood at bay, which he did gallantly to win by 0,70 lengths. It was a good run by the runner up who off a 119 merit rating had to give 100 rated Vaseem 9.5kg.

Vaseem’s merit rating has gone up five points as he beat the line horse Visiway by 2,10 lengths.

David Thiselton 

TRAINERS AND OWNERS as well as jockeys are ultimately responsible for reversing the myth that the Hollywoodbets Greyville polytrack has a bias towards the outside rail, which might have once possibly been true but is no longer the case thanks to the efforts made by chief track manager Kurt Grunewald and his team.

There was a period when the Hollywoodbets Scottsville straight course was known for it’s noticeable bias towards the inside but the turning point came when connections were no longer convinced that it was the better going and today jockeys do not feel compelled to dive for the inside path and thus exacerbate the problem by creating a worn path.  

Grunewald said having a spur in the past had not helped matters on the polytrack and elaborated, “It is such a tight corner the spur forced them to the outside.” 

The spur has been done way with.

Another change, in order to eliminate an argument that one harrowing machine is possibly heavier than another and is causing a bias, is the harrowing machines switch positions everytime they go on to the track i.e. from the inside to the outside or to the centre and this is done both when preparing for a meeting and when smoothing it out during a racemeeting.

A related accusation has been a light vehicle on the track when false rails are put up is causing a bias but there is no logic in this as ten times heavier harrowing machines and watering machines will soon follow its appearance. 

The company which were consulted when the polytrack was first laid advised that levelling the track by hand should be done once every six months. This is to eliminate such happenings as loose material, pushed out by the machines, drifting and accumulating. Hand levelling is a time consuming task as 2000m of track have to be covered but the team have recently changed the time gap for this task from six months to four weeks and aim to keep up that rate.  

The cooler a polytrack the tighter it is so there will be more kickback on hotter days. Therefore it makes sense for those coming from behind to switch to the outside or inside in the straight to avoid the kickback. However, this has nothing to do with better going. It is unnecessary for those in the front to drift outward and it arguably constitutes unfair riding.   

Watering during meetings is done in order to keep the track cool and thus limit kickback and with the limited time available the heavy watering machine is driven on the inside around the turn, because that is where the horses race, and is driven down the centre of the straight.  On the morning of a meeting the water truck will go successively on three positions down the straight, for example  outside, centre and inside. The harrowing machines will follow.

Grunewald told the story of how when the track was first laid ten ton trucks laden with material were on the track but the heel of a shoe could still be pushed into the surface which showed just how little impact such heavy trucks have on the give in the surface.    

An analysis of the last polytrack meeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville showed that horses were able to win from anywhere, yet the belief the outside was the place to be unfairly cost at least one horse a possible win and those who backed this horse would have felt hard done by. 

The first race was won by a horse who drifted towards the outside.  

The next was on  by a horse who skipped clear before drifting to the middle outside.  

In race three Space Oddity made her run down the centre to beat Port Adelaide just inside of her by 0,40 lengths. 

In race four You Deserve drifted to the outside from the centre to win by half-a-length from Top Me Up Holly who drifted to the outside rail. Third-placed Flying First Class could well have won but after switching to the outside with ample room in front of her she found her run blocked by the overall effect of three horses drifting towards the outside rail. 

Origami and Arrow’s Mark quickly proved it was unnecessary to go to the outside and finished first and second in the next race sticking to the inside rail in the straight. 

In the next race the winner Let’s Not Linger ran down the centre and fended off Hot Money who had the so-called dream run on the “golden highway” on the outside. Both horses started at exactly the same 25/3 odds.

In the next race Birdwatcher switched outward at the top of the straight for a run and running down the middle/outside fended off the horse on the outside. 

In the last race Running Freely made his run on the inside portion of the track beating a horse who was inside of him. 

Andrew Harrison

It has been over a year since Tempting Fate won the Gr1 Gold Medallion at Hollywoodbets Scottsville but a trip to Cape Town, five races later and an operation to sort out a breathing problem, saw Dennis Drier’s charge back in top form at the same venue yesterday.

An issue that ostensibly started in Cape Town, saw Tempting Fate struggling to breath because of an entrapped epiglottis. But Drier was lavish in his praise of some delicate surgery by vets Johnny Cave and Manfred Rower that appears to have been successful as Tempting Fate landed the race and the money.

It was a competitive handicap sprint and Light The Loose gave plenty of cheek, but Tempting Fate put it all together and won well enough to suggest that he still has plenty to offer.

Pray For Rain, second to Tempting Fate in the Gold Medallion, was a winner last time out but after showing early pace, trailed in last. 

For TAB punters, the meeting got off to a rocky start. According to a terse e-mail, the TAB pools for the first race failed to close on time and some bets were struck after the race had been run. TAB payouts were suspended immediately.

After a lengthy delay, it was later announced on course that all TAB bets were to be refunded and the race, for TAB purposes, was declared null and void and all bets struck to be refunded.

However, the result of the race does stand. A spokesman for bookmakers Hollywoodbets said that as an official result was declared, they would be paying winning fixed odds bets.

The stipendiary board  have launched an inquiry into the incident.

October Song put the record straight when getting the better of a duel with Lucky Miss in the fourth. On debut, Mike Miller’s charge was rumoured ‘unbeatable’ but a lack of racing experience cost her dearly as she went under to the Gary Rich-trained Kitten’s Adventure.

Serino Moodley had things a little easier this time around although he had to survive a race revue as he crossed Lucky Miss late with Muzi Yeni having to ease off her heels.

These two were many lengths clear of the opposition  and both should pay dividends in the future.

Hasta Manana finally got his act together when winning the fifth for Gareth van Zyl. Stable supporters took time to get off the mark as the well fancied Drive By came under pressure early in the card opener and failed to get in a blow as the Mark Dixon-trained Shell Seeker, who came in for a ton of late money, landed the gamble in emphatic fashion and looks to be one for the notebook.

Indigo Fields was next up for the stable, also starting at cramped odds, but backing first timers again showed that it can be a tricky business as the more experienced and progressive Sting Ray and  Queen Mercury proved more than a match for a filly that was all at sea when it counted.

Is there rain on the way?

Andrew Harrison

Even a multiple KZN champion trainer can hit a dry spell. Retirees, horses going off form and recent intakes proving thin on ability are the fate of many yards but the best always soldier on through the troughs. Dennis Drier has had a spell in the doldrums, but the stable is showing encouraging signs of a return to form and Drier holds a strong hand in the Pinnacles Stakes that heads the Hollywoodbets Scottsville card on Sunday.

He saddles Pray For Rain and Tempting Fate, second and first respectively in the Gr1 Gold Medallion two season’s back. Pray For Rain squeaked in a win on the last day of the season when winning the Umkomazi Stakes and with Tristan Godden retaining the ride. Tempting Fate has not managed the winner’s enclosure since his Gold Medallion success and his recent form is not inspiring. But the tongue-tie is back on and you write him off at your peril. With the recent win under his girth, Pray For Rain may prove the pick of the Drier pair but only the brave will be labelling anything in a seriously competitive sprint.

Captain Tatters took full advantage of a drop in class and favourable weight conditions to finally win his second race but he has come on nicely since being fitted with blinkers. He tried further last run but does seem better over this shorter trip. The speedy Chantyman will have plenty of supporters. He is quick and the best weighted. He is way better than his last effort in the Mercury Sprint where he was in contention until the final 100m before tiring late.

The key to cutting down on expenses in the exotics is finding a banker. Gareth van Zyl’s gelding Hasta Manana ticks all the boxes in the fifth and should he fail, he will consign a large number of exotic bet tickets to the recycle bin.

Hasta Manana looked the perfect fit when pencilled in for his last intended start but he was scratched ostensibly with an abnormal blood picture. That appears to be behind him and he must surely rate the most accomplished maiden in the country after finishing close-up in the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes. That was his first run after gelding and with that run under his girth and a plum draw, it will come as a surprise should he get beaten.

If there is to be an upset, then Dean Kannemeyer’s charge Ideal Act may fit the bill. He has only had a single start on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly and is sure to benefit from the outing.

In the card opener, Drive By made marked improvement when racing in first time blinkers and looks to have more to come. She may be the one to beat although the year older Leopard Lady has run two crackers on this course and will have plenty of supporters.

In the second, Symmetry was in contention until the final furlong of her last start and can come on strongly from that effort. Queen Mercury makes her local debut and was not far back in the soft in her last Kenilworth outing. Lightly raced but meets a modest field here.

MJ Odendaal appears to have found the right race for Duquesne Whistle in the third. Anton Marcus appears to have picked a plum here and she and rates the one to beat.

The fourth could potentially end up in a duel between Lucky Miss and October Song. Lucky Miss ran a cracker in The Debutante, taking on some of the best around, finishing five lengths off Maryah. The Howells stable is in mustard form of late which adds to the filly’s attraction.

October Miss on the other hand was supported like the result was already in the frame when making her debut, but Mike Miller’s charge was all at sea behind the well-fancied Kitten’s Adventure.

She is sure to have made the required improvement and Lucky Miss will need to be on her toes.

The seventh is a wide-open handicap but the Gary Rich-trained No Name Brand took on much stronger first time out of the maidens. He’s not the easiest at the gate but will go close if he gets through the loading ordeal. We All Chomies has been in good form on the poly for Kom Naidoo and a light weight should see him make a bold bid. Hampton Court and Chief Executive are others to consider in a race where it may pay to included the field in exotics.

Rachel Venniker is no ordinary apprentice and she won well on Lady Catherine when the filly made her debut for Michael Roberts. Venniker is full value for her 4kg claim and Lady Catherine can go in again. Maquette is rated by her stable and won well second time out. She looks useful and can give plenty of cheek. Lady Legend has been taking on stronger from wide draws at recent starts while Her Royal Majesty is down in class with a 4kg claimer up and one to watch in the betting