Trainer Dean Kannemeyer, jockey Anthony Delpech and owner Lady Christine Laidlaw of Khaya Stables added a fourth Graded success to their tally this SA Champions Season when the progressive Mauritzfontein Stud-bred Cape Speed won the Gr 3 Track And Ball Derby over 2400m at Scottsville yesterday in cosy fashion.

Delpech,

Cape Speed (Nkosi Hlophe)

who has now had an amazing seven Graded winners this Champions Season, rode an enterprising race from a tricky draw, taking his mount around runners to be handy. However, the progressive Ideal World three-year-old was still easily able to repel the challenge of runner up Deputy Jud and win by 0,25 lengths.  Three Balloons, Kitty’s Destiny and Storm Warning were next best.

This was Cape Speed’s third win in three outings since gelding.

Earlier, the Sean Tarry-trained Summerhill-bred Kahal filly Witchcraft had proved a point when winning the Gr 3 Track And Ball Oaks over 2400m by 1,5 lengths under S’Manga Khumalo from the Neil Bruss pair Flying Ice and Deputy Ryder. Witchcraft dictated in front and the odds-on favourite Nightingale was too far back but managed to finish fourth. Patchit Up Baby claimed the fifth place cheque.

The Vodacom Durban July supplementary entry The Centenary finished unplaced and her chances of making the final field look to be gone. Tarry had always regarded Witchcraft as an Oaks filly but in her chief target for the season, the Gr 1 SA Oaks, the race just did not pan out well and she finished unplaced.

David Thiselton

Yesterday’s Gr 2 Track And Ball Derby over 2400m at Scottsville saw the most thrilling finish of the Champions Season as five horses drove down to the line as one and it was the deserving Joey Ramsden-trained Disco Al who prevailed under Anton Marcus.

Earlier, Justin Snaith and his stable jockey Richard had capped a fine weekend by winning the Gr 2 Gold Circle Oaks over 2400m at Scottsville with the three-year-old Black Minnaloushe filly Ash Cloud, having won the Gr 2 Post Merchants over 1200m at Greyville on Friday night with the Dynasty gelding Daring Dave.

The five-year-old Captain Al gelding Disco Al had proven class, having won the Gr 3 Algoa Cup over 2000m at Fairview two years in succession and had also shown his ability to stay yesterday’s trip when finishing second to the well handicapped Solid Speed in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup at Greyville three weeks ago. Off a merit rating of 101, he was the second best weighted horse in yesterday’s race behind the odds-on favourite Hot Ticket, who ran off a 112, and he started joint-second favourite at 9/2 with the dual Graded-winning stayer Kingston Mines.

Kingston Mines and Hot Ticket both carried 1kg penalties as winners of Gr 2 races.

Kingston Mines took up his favourite front-running role in the small eight horse field and was followed by Master James and Savage Wind, while Hot Ticket sat about six lengths off the pace in sixth place, just ahead of Disco Al.

There was a cavalry charge in the straight and Hot Ticket, running down the centre, was battling to catch Kingston Mines and Master James, while Savage Wind, who was 14,5kg under sufferance on official merit ratings, was running a blinder down the inside. However, just as Hot Ticket got his nose in front, Marcus swooped on Disco Al on his outside to snatch the verdict by a short-head. Kingston Mines and Savage Wind dead-heated for third, a neck behind the winner, and Master James was a head behind them fifth. Double Clutch and Krambambuli were next best ahead of the detached French Revolution.

Hot Ticket, Kingston Mines and Double Clutch are still in the running for a Vodacom Durban July berth, but might have had to win yesterday’s race to make sure of their places.

Disco Al was bred by Drakenstein Stud and is owned by Vanashree and Anant Singh in partnership with Markus and Ingrid Jooste.

Ash Cloud was the only horse in the Gold Circle Oaks carrying a penalty, a 2kg one for her win in last season’s Gr 1 SA Oaks when trained by Wieho Marwing, so this was a commendable victory and she will be an interesting contender in the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m at Greyville on Super Saturday. The Carl and Amanda de Vos-bred filly was bought by Drakenstein Stud earlier this season. Snaith had named her his best runner of the weekend and she duly bounced back to her best.

She broke well and going through the 1000m mark was relaxed three lengths back in third behind Saint Sophia and Gathering Fame. The Ramsden-trained favourite Gallica Rose was poised behind her on the rail, while the fancied Vino Veritas was also in a perfect position to strike. Ash Cloud burst through to the hit front half-way down the straight with Vino Veritas also challenging strongly, but  Gallica Rose then went past them, having produced a resolute finish down the inside. However, just as the latter looked to have it won, Ash Cloud fought back and got up in the last stride to win by a long-head. Vino Veritas was half-a-length further back in third and Patchit Up Baby and Gathering Fame were next best.

Lezeanne Forbes had a double on the card, both of them winning at double figure odds.

Mike de Kock and Anthony Delpech combined for a double.

Gavin Lerena rode one winner to stretch his lead over S’Manga Khumalo in the race for the National Jockey’s Championships to 12.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Disco AL (Nkosi Hlophe)

Dean Kannemeyer will send out his Equus Champion Stayer Hot Ticket to defend his Gr 2 Track and Ball Derby crown over 2400m at Scottsville on Sunday and he runs the improving three-year-old Master James in the same race.

Hot Ticket was unlucky not to win this race as a three-year-year old over 2400m at Clairwood when baulked for a run. However, he made amends in no uncertain terms last year, also at Clairwood but over 2500m, when cruising unextended to a 3,75 length win over the useful sort Tribal Dance. He went on to win the Gr 2 Nokia Gold Vase over 3000m on Vodacom Durban July day and then ran a cracking fourth with a welter 60kg in the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m at Greyville. Since then he has had to have a wind operation due to an infection. Kannemeyer revealed that the surgeon had done an outstanding job because, whereas a horse would normally still make a breathing noise after such an operation, in his case it could hardly be heard.

Kannemeyer said, “He badly needed his first Durban run this season over a mile at Greyville but ran a very good race. I then put him in another mile at Greyville, which is far too sharp for him, against Futura and he was doing nice work late. He has never been a great worker, he just goes through the motions, so he needs races to get him fit, but I now have him ready. He is an old tough campaigner, he knows what to do, and if he runs to his rating he is the horse to beat. He enjoyed Clairwood and Greyville, now we will see if he enjoys Scottsville too.”

The five-year-old Silvano gelding has actually run once over the course and distance, as a still maturing three-year-old, and finished a close up second. He will jump from draw six in the eight horse field on Sunday and his regular pilot, Karl Neisius, will ride him for the first time this season.

Master James three career wins have all been over a mile, although he did finish close to the fair sort Warcraft over 1900m on the Greyville polytrack.

Kannemeyer said, “He is coming on nicely and improving. He was a big backward Jet Master who is only now coming into himself. His mother (Park Lane by Elliodor) was a good race horse (won a Gr 2 over 1400m) but didn’t stay further than a mile. Nevertheless I have always thought that Master James would stay but only the race will tell. This Derby is now an open race and is not so easy for three-year-olds, but he has improved since coming to Durban. The penny has dropped and we will see how good he is.”

Master James will be ridden by Luyola Mxothwa, who has ridden him once before, and jumps from draw four.

He said that both horses were “fit and well.”

Kannemeyer runs the two-year-old Noordhoek Flyer colt Shap Shap over 1300m on the turf in a Juvenile Plate at Greyville on Friday night. He had always thought this horse would stay a mile, so was  disappointed when he didn’t seem to go through with it over 1400m last time having travelled well throughout, so is now in two minds and wonders whether he might be a 1200m horse. His only win was in a weak 1000m race on the Greyville polytrack and he could fare better over this slight drop in trip on Friday from a good draw under Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

On Sunday he also expects plenty of improvement from the Ideal World colt Cape Speed, who runs over a much more suitable trip of 1600m in a Maiden Juvenile Plate. He said this horse had been “hopelessly left and was then completely lost” over 1200m on the polytrack at Greyville on debut. Anthony Delpech was seen to be pushing him along throughout as he raced very green. Ideal World’s often surprise when stepped up in trip and find a place at big prices. However, Kannemeyer did conclude by saying that he was the type that might still need one more run to have him exactly where he would like him to be.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Hot Ticket (Nkosi Hlophe)