Category Archives: IOS

Legislate (Liesl KIng)

Legislate heads Drill Hall lineup

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Former Vodacom Durban July winner Legislate is likely to be the main attraction for racing enthusiasts at The Independent On Saturday night racemeeting at Greyville Racecourse next Friday evening, 6 May 2016, when he opens his South African Champions Season campaign in the R400 000 Grade 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1 400m.

The Dynasty entire, destined for stud duties later in the year, will use this race as a season “pipe opener” on his way for a shot at securing one more Grade 1 sash in either the Rising Sun Gold Challenge or the Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup. He has not been nominated for Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event, the Vodacom Durban July which he won two years ago.

Legislate (Liesl KIng)

Legislate (Liesl King)

The night racemeeting at the central Durban venue is also Guineas night and will feature the R600 000, Grade 2 Canon Guineas and the R400 000, Grade 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas which have both drawn talented fields guaranteed to produce close and exciting finishes.

Legislate, trained by Justin Snaith, has only run twice since finishing third to stable companion Futura in the Champions Cup at Greyville last season, taking second place to Legal Eagle in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and sixth behind Smart Call in the J&B Met.

Among his opponents next week is the gallant seven-year-old from the Charles Laird stable Ice Machine that flew up for second behind Futura in the Champions Cup and more recently finished third to Captain Aldo in the Hawaii Stakes at Turffontein.

The Conglomerate, a Vodacom Durban July entry from the Joey Ramsden stable that was at one time rated highly after winning the KRA Guineas and finishing third in the Daily News 2000 last season, has poor recent form but could show improvement at the Greyville track.

Also in the field is last year’s Vodacom Durban July runner-up Punta Arenas from the Dennis Drier stable who has been entered for another crack at the big race later in the season.

In the Canon Guineas, the smart Brave Tin Soldier colt Rabada from the Mike Azzie stable heads the card but could be hard-pressed by the Sean Tarry-trained Toreador gelding Prospect Strike that finished just over a length behind him at level weight in their last meeting at Turffontein. Others that could challenge for the lion’s share of the stake include the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Mambo Mine and Baritone from the Snaith stable that finished first and second in the Byerley Turk over 1 400m at Greyville three weeks ago.

Snaith also runs the winner of the Politician Stakes and Investec Cape Derby fourth Black Arthur while Malak El Moolook, third in the Gauteng Guineas, is another string to the Tarry bow in the race.

Some very smart fillies will contest the Daisy Fillies Guineas including the first three past the post in the Cape Fillies Guineas – Silver Mountain, Our Destiny and Taffety Tart – and the runner up in both the Gauteng Fillies Guineas and SA Fillies Classic, Negroamaro.

Add Bela-Bela, third to Smart Call in the Grade 1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes, to the mix along with Fromafar and Flying Ice, and you have the recipe for a brilliant clash.

legislate closeup lk site

Legislate’s last two races

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Anthony Delpech has landed the plum ride on Legislate in the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes at Greyville on May 6.

The former champion will also be on the five-year-old when the 2014 Vodacom Durban July winner runs in the Rising Sun Gold Challenge on the same course five weeks later. These two races are the only chances that racegoers will have to see the horse before he is retired to stud.

Anthony Delpech (Nkosi Hlophe)

Anthony Delpech (Nkosi Hlophe)

Jonathan Snaith said yesterday: “He is having only two runs in Durban and he won’t even be nominated for the July. His preparation for the Drill Hall has gone smoothly but it will be his first race since the J & B Met and we are not expecting fireworks. The Gold Challenge is his main mission.”

Only four jockeys have ridden Legislate in public. Girish Goomany had the mount first time and  Muzi Yeni also rode him just once before Richard Fourie took over for 14 consecutive races, winning the Cape Derby, KRA Guineas, Daily News, July, Green Point and Gold Challenge. Piere Strydom rode him in the Queen’s Plate (second) and Met (sixth).

Michael Clower

Legislate – Liesl King

Delpech on target

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If Anthony Delpech had not become a jockey he could have found employment as an assassin – figuratively that is. He may have been aboard the 7-10 favourite for the Greyville opener but his plotting the demise of the opposition was as skilled and ruthless as any professional on a roof with a silenced rifle and given yesterday’s strike rate he would have earned a ‘silver baltjie’ had he been a guest of former president PW Botha.

Miss Minver (Nkosi Hlophe)

Miss Minver (Nkosi Hlophe)

All at sea on debut, Miss Minver had learnt little from the experience and in less capable hands would have blown the odds. But Delpech kept his mount together, trapped market rival Lil Gambler on the rail, got first run and coaxed his mount home.

“She needs more ground,” opined Dean Kannemeyer, a view shared by Delpech. “This was way, way too short. She wants a mile.”

The combination was wide of the mark in the second although it was not tactics but sheer ability on the day that saw Lee’s Star home for Dennis Drier and Sean Veale. Delpech had Rand Hedge challenging hard with a furlong to run but Lee’s Star, in the familiar Braam van Huyssteen silks and here shared by Greg Bortz, kept grinding to pull clear when it mattered.

Justin Snaith, sans the spikey hair of last season, opened his winter account with a double both courtesy of Delpech. Surprisingly Brooklyn Brawler’s name was not among nominations for the Gr2 Canon Guineas but that may change come the supplementary date. “A nice surprise … but where to now I don’t know,” smiled Snaith after the gelded son of Dynasty made things difficult for himself. He always looked to have his race won, a view confirmed by Delpech. “I was going a common half-pace with the favourite in front of me,” he confided but Brooklyn Brawler took exception to the infield TV screen and a fancy to the Greyville Braai Zone.  Fortunately he was well clear of Guineas entries Celtic Captain and Ole Gunnar.

Brooklyn Brawler (Nkosi Hlophe)

Brooklyn Brawler (Nkosi Hlophe)

Secret Seven, this time favourite, completed the Snaith stable double in the seventh but not quite according to plan as Delpech found himself in front. “You ride a race according to pace. I didn’t want to be in front but I didn’t want to fight her. If I had fought her we would have got beat.”

None of the field were entries for the Gr2 Daisy Fillies Guineas but again Snaith may be tempted given that Secret Seven finished second to the top rated Nightingale in what Delpech had earlier described as a false run race.

For the past few winters Alyson Wright has hosted a few Cape raiders and she was quick off the mark with Abound West who romped home in the third for owners Lammerskraal.

Ashburton-based Belinda Impey is never one for the spotlight but given the opportunity and the horses and she can get them home like the best of them. It was a close run thing for You Bolt and Sean Veale in the fourth but they got up in the last stride to touch off Roy’s Folly.

Auction King (Nkosi Hlophe)

Auction King (Nkosi Hlophe)

 

 

South Paw looked the safest bet on the card and after a scare at the top of the straight when the meat in a closing sandwich, Delpech punched him through to win comfortably for Chris Erasmus and Yellow Star Stud.

Apprentice Lyle Hewitson is likely to ride out his 4kg claim before month end as he rounded off the meeting for Paul Lafferty aboard Auction King. Two months as a professional and 18 winners will see him in a Mercedes sooner rather than later!

 

By Andrew Harrison

legislate closeup lk of

Legislate tops Drill Hall entries

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Former Vodacom Durban July winner Legislate’s name was notable by its absence from the list of 65 first entries for this season’s event, however there is still a lot of water to flow into the sea with over two months to go before the big race. However, last season’s Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner’s name was at the top of the list of entries for the Gr 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes to be run at Greyville Racecourse on Friday, May 6. This meeting will mark the official start of South Africa’s three-month Champions Season.

Legislate, second in the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate behind Legal Eagle back in January, has not been out since finishing six lengths adrift of Smart Call in the J&B Met.

Legislate (Liesl King)

Legislate (Liesl King)

Justin Snaith’s entire is the highest rated of the 24 entries for the Drill Hall, five points superior to top ‘miler’ Act Of War who did not race in KZN last winter. Also among the nominations is veteran Ice Machine who will be out to defend his title.

With Abishiri’s sights on the SA Derby and third leg of the Triple Crown on Saturday week, Mike Azzie will be looking to Rabada to do duty for the stable in the Gr2 Canon Guineas to be run on the same day.

The son of Brave Tin Soldier has been relatively lightly raced but after a trip to Cape Town when all did not go well, he made a winning return at Turffontein last Saturday and should strip primed for the Guineas should Azzie let him take his place in the field.

Other notable entries are New Predator, Prospect Strike, Baritone, Investec Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn and the Michael Roberts-trained Natal, who now appears to be looking for more ground.

The Mike Bass-trained Silver Mountain, winner of the G1 World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas and beaten less than a length into fourth place in the Gr1 Grand Parade Guineas behind Noah From Goa, heads the list of nominations for the G2 Daisy Fillies Guineas. The diminutive daughter of Silvano rounded off her Western Cape season with a close-up second in the CTS Million Dollar behind the side-lined Illuminator.

Also nominated are the highly regarded Bela-Bela, Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Heaps Of Fun and runner-up Negroamaro.

By Andrew Harrison

ENTRIES Drill Hall

ENTRIES Daisy fillies guineas

ENTRIES canon guineas

Mambo Mime (Nkosi Hlophe)

Mambo on to Guineas

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Mambo Mime, winner of last Friday’s Byerley Turk, is set to return to Greyville for the Canon Guineas on May 6 while the fillies’ equivalent could be the target for Fromafar who sprang a 22-1 shock in the Umzimkhulu Stakes.

Mambo Mime (Nkosi Hlophe)

Mambo Mime (Nkosi Hlophe)

Dean Kannemeyer said yesterday: “The draw at Greyville is very important and hopefully Mambo Mime will draw well in the Guineas. If he draws badly I will have to discuss plans with Fieldspring Racing.

“He was in need of his previous run and I thought he would be tough to beat from his one draw on Friday but he is a big horse and I don’t believe I have him fully stripped yet.

“Fromafar won exceptionally well – I would have been thrilled if she had just finished in the first four – and I will enter her for the Canon Fillies Guineas. She and Mambo Mime are both on the up.”

The Mike Bass-trained Nightingale, ridden with exceptional confidence by Grant van Niekerk when coming from last to take the Oriental Restaurant Handicap, will be stepped up in class.

Candice Robinson said: “She will run in the Fillies Guineas and then go for the Woolavington on May 28. She is a very nice filly.”

Peninsula Handicap winner and J & B Met fourth Light The Lights, who had the Vodacom Durban July as his target, has been sold to Mike de Kock and is en route to Dubai.

The four-year-old’s former trainer Glen Kotzen said: “It was a shame in a way (to part with him) but they offered us the right money.”

By Michael Clower

One step at a time with Legislate

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Champion trainer Justin Snaith has declared Legislate a doubtful starter for this year’s Vodacom Durban July, but added that the Equus Horse Of The Year and reigning July champion had emerged from a starting stall incident at Greyville on Saturday sound and that “there is nothing wrong with him”.

He said that the incident had led to a lot being taken out of the superstar Dynasty colt and that as a consequence his Champions Season program might have to be curtailed. However, he added that Legislate would “definitely” line up for the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge on June 6 and that the rest of his program would still depend on the outcome of a discussion with the owners.

Snaith was angered by a couple of decisions made by officials at Greyville on Saturday that he believed had affected his prized horse, who was a shock late scratching in the Gr 2 Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m.

However, both the Chief Starter Paul Hepworth and Chief Stipendiary Steward Sean Parker defended the decisions that were made.

Legislate kicked out after being loaded and his near hind foot became stuck for a few seconds between the gates. He managed to free the foot before a handler coming to the rescue could reach him.

Snaith said that the course veterinarian’s decision to scratch the horse had been “100% correct.”

However, Snaith’s first gripe was that Legislate had been loaded ahead of three other horses, despite being known to kick in the pens. He also pointed out that a lot of money had been riding on him and that the public had been looking forward to seeing him run. He contrasted it to the handling of Act Of War, who was the hot favourite for the Winter Guineas in Cape Town the following day and had duly been loaded last.

Hepworth responded by saying that Legislate had come from Cape Town graded as a “kick in the pens.”. He pointed out that the loading sheet had clearly stated that Legislate would be loaded before three horses with more serious gradings. Therefore trainers and jockeys had been given ample opportunity to “come and have a chat”. Jockey Richard Fourie did in fact speak to Hepworth’s assistant at the start on Saturday and appeared to have been happy with the latter’s response, which included a reminder that Legislate had been in the same place in the loading order for last year’s July. Furthermore, Hepworth confirmed that he had now changed Legislate’s grading to reflect his antics on Saturday.

Snaith’s second gripe was that as a stallion who had been anticipating a race, it had been a poor decision to lead Legislate back to the parade ring on the same way around the circuit as the race and hence past the main grandstand.

Parker responded by saying that the horse was led in that direction in his best interests because a set of starting stalls and the machinery that is used to haul them had been on the turf track at the 1600m mark in anticipation of the next race, which was over 1900m on the polytrack. Going the other way he would also have had to cross the road near the Royal Durban entrance, which could potentially be used by cars between races.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Legislate (Liesl King)

 

 

the conglomerate kra guine

A smashing performance from The Conglomerate

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The Joey Ramsden-trained The Conglomerate burst into the Vodacom Durban July picture with his impressive win in the Gr 2 KRA Guineas at Greyville on Saturday under Anton Marcus and kept up the fine recent run of Australian-breds in South African feature races.

The bookmakers have suspended betting but are likely to shorten him from his previous price of 20/1.

Ramsden chose the colt at the Australian sales together with Markus Jooste’s racing manager Derek Brugman and said, “We are lucky we were able to buy the one we wanted, we both fell in love with him.”

Ramsden was also grateful that he was allowed to take his time with the slow maturing colt and said that after this win the plan would now definitely be the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and the July.

Ramsden had believed beforehand that the 1600m trip would be far sharper than ideal for The Conglomerate and wasn’t expecting him to win so was glad to have got the strong pace set by Riff Raff that played right into his hands.

He continued, “The KRA Guineas was not part of his plan, but there were no other races for him and we had to start him somewhere. The mile is the bare minimum trip for him.”

The Conglomerate is by the brilliant eleven-time Gr 1-winning Australian hero Lonhro, nicknamed “The Black Flash”, who won his big races from six up to ten furlongs.

Two outsiders, the Weiho Marwing-trained Mac De Lago and the Glen Kotzen-trained Light The Lights, stayed on well for second and third respectively. Light The Lights is a July entry and enhanced his chances of getting into the big race field.

– By David Thiselton

Alexis (John Lewis)

Alexis kicks off Champions Season on a high

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The Brett Crawford-trained Dynasty filly Alexis proved herself suited to a mile, despite her speed, when winning the Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas in fine fashion under Corne Orffer on Saturday and it was a second big race win in the space of five weeks for owner Delma Sherrell.

Crawford won this race last year in similar style with Maybe Yes and wasn’t tempted to go for the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 on that occasion. However, he was leaving his options open with Alexis. Considering the way she won, settling well, quickening superbly and then running all the way to the line, she could possibly get the 2000m trip.

Second-placed Inara ran well in her comeback race and will come on for the effort and Ataab stayed on gamely for third, while One Fine Day was probably the hard luck story as she was too far back in a slow-paced race after missing the break.

Delma Sherrel now owns Alexis outright and also has a share, among others, in the Crawford-trained Captain America, who won the Gr 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein on March 28.

Her son Lance, the former Springbok flyhalf who was selected for the tour to New Zealand in 1994 at the expense of subsequent World Cup hero Joel Stransky, represented her on course on Saturday and was full of smiles.

He revealed that being involved in horseracing was a continuation of a legacy left by his father, who owned the Gr 1 Cape Derby winner Impressive Style among others.

Lance spoke about the thrill of watching a family-owned horse win a big race. “It is more exhilarating than lining up a kick in a big game, it is proper goosebumps and it’s also very addictive!”

Crawford heaped praise on his assistant trainer Barry Donnelly who has being taking care of his Champions Season string at Summerveld.

– By David Thiselton

ice machine john lewis

The Meaker’s go home proud

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Roy and Gladys Meaker are two of the most loyal supporters of KZN racing and their stalwart Silvano gelding Ice Machine gave them a deserved big win on home soil when winning the Gr 2 Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m, a race he had finished second in two seasons ago behind the brilliant Beach Beauty.

Charles Laird, the third trainer to have worked with the problematic gelding, has done a fine job in bringing him back from a long layoff and this was just his second start for the yard.

Previous trainer Dean Kannemeyer also delivered a Gr 2 victory the second time he sent Ice Machine out and his win on that occasion in the Gr 2 Green Point Stakes over 1600m, beating champions like Beach Beauty and Capetown Noir, showed his true potential.

Ice Machine had virtually been forgotten when reappearing at Scottsville after a nine month break just over a month ago, but the rest and recuperation he had been given by Laird had done the trick and he ran an eye-catching second to his useful former stablemate Power King.

Ice Machine looked to have a huge chance on Saturday after the shock scratching of Legislate as he runs well fresh and the Greyville 1400m is tailor made for him because of his electric turn of foot.

The Meakers, who owned the 1977 J&B Met winner Bahadur, have been patient with Ice Machine and it paid dividends on Saturday. However, Laird’s post-race comment that he hoped the gelding would pull up sound speaks volumes of how difficult a horse he is to train and his future can’t be planned too far in advance.

– By David Thiselton

Picture: Ice Machine (John Lewis)

Alexis (Nkosi Hlophe)

Alexis rules in Fillies Guineas

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Brett Crawford has made a cracking start to his KZN season, winning two of the three races his horses have contested so far. Gulf Storm won the In Full Flight Stakes at Scottsville last Sunday and Alexis gave Crawford his second consecutive Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas – Maybe Yes last year – when she powered away from the favourite Inara, jockey Corne Orffer punching the air in triumph.

Orffer has his mount settled midfield as Ataab pulled herself to the front ahead of Cathy Specific at a reasonable gallop. “I thought she might not see out the ‘mile’ but she switched off nicely,” said Orffer. “When I asked her she gave a very good kick.”

Inara, whose coat looked a little wintery in the paddock, took off together with Alexis as the field crossed the subway, but the latter showed a superior turn of foot and went on to win by two lengths. Inara ran on to snatch second ahead of Ataab who had stayed on resolutely.

In contrast to his jockey, Crawford was never in doubt about the filly’s stamina. “I was never worried about her seeing out the trip. Her debut run in Natal was very good and she had come on well from it.”

Where to now? “I’ll tell you tomorrow! I think ten furlongs may be a bit far (The Woolavington 2000). She’s only this big,” he said, indicating waist-high.

By Andrew Harrison

Picture: Alexis winning the Gr2 KRA Fillies Guineas (Nkosi Hlophe)