Category Archives: Y-Champions Season

Silver Mountain (Liesl King)

Silver Mountain stays in KZN

Posted on by

Mike Bass’s Cape Fillies Guineas winner Silver Mountain is to stay on in Durban for the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province on Vodacom July day following her return to form in last Saturday’s Tibouchina Stakes.

Candice Robinson said yesterday: “Silver Mountain was unlucky not to win the Tibouchina. She was badly squeezed shortly after the start and nearly fell. She ended up at the back and chasing wide before the turn.”

Silver Mountain, who would have returned to Cape Town had she not run well, was beaten little more than a head by Alexis. Mrs Robinson confirmed that fourth-placed Inara will also be in the Garden Province line-up.

The stable’s July second favourite Marinaresco joined the rest of the Bass KZN string on Sunday after a 24-hour journey from Cape Town.

Michael Clower

Trip To Heaven (JC Photo)

Buckland gets his chance

Posted on by

Sean Tarry regarded Buckland as his first choice for the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint, only to see him eliminated by the selection panel, but the three-year-old Western Winter colt now gets a chance to prove his class in the Gr 2 Post Merchants over 1200m at Greyville on Friday night.

Tarry said his other contender, Trip To Heaven, who crossed the line first in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m at Greyville on Saturday before being demoted to second in the boardroom, was a “doubtful starter” due to the proximity of that previous run, although he would be monitored over the next couple of days before a final decision was made.

Trip To Heaven (JC Photo)

Trip To Heaven (JC Photo)

Tarry was also hopeful of a good run from Witchcraft on Sunday at Scottsville in the Gr 2 Track And Ball Oaks over 2400m.

The 103 merit rated Buckland will be near the bottom of the 100 to 104 merit rated band under the conditions of the race, as his net merit rating is 101, and this means he will be 2,5kg under sufferance with the officially best weighted horses in the race, the mare Fly By Night.

Tarry would still have preferred him to have taken his place in the Tsogo Sun, despite the Post Merchants being an overall weaker race, as he preferred him “down the straight.”

Buckland has gone around the turn twice before at Turffontein, but those races were over 1400m and 1600m respectively. Tarry said the colt was “well.”

He jumps from a fair draw of eight with first call jockey S’Manga Khumalo up.

Tarry is a bit annoyed the racing fraternity have taken it upon themselves to describe the few cases he has had of “bacterial infections” in his yard as a “virus”, which it is not.

The runs of Trip To Heaven, French Navy and Liege over the weekend proved the yard’s runners are arriving at the course in good shape.

Trip To Heaven will only be 0,5kg under sufferance with Fly By Night if taking his place in the Post Merchants, although he will have to lug 60kg. This sprint miler’s two Gr 2 victories have been over 1160m and 1450m respectively, so he has plenty of speed. He tends to miss the  break, so will likely be dropped out from his draw of ten. He proved on Saturday what a fine turn of foot he has, as he made up ground effortlessly and quickly from last in the running.

If Trip To Heaven is scratched his stablemate Old Em will come in as the reserve runner. This speedily-bred three-year-old Trippi filly beat the previously unbeaten Hollie Point over this trip at the Vaal last time out by a length. However, she was given a seven point raise for that effort so, despite her being officially only 0,5kg under sufferance with Fly By Night and carrying a featherweight 51,5kg, she will not have it easy in her first run in open Graded company. Her draw of six is suitable as one with plenty of natural speed.

Tarry felt Witchcraft was unlucky in the Gr 1 SA Oaks as she was caught wide without cover the whole way from a wide draw. She had then found the Greyville 2000m of the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 too sharp. He gives her a shout in the Gr 3 Track And Ball Oaks over 2400m at Scottsville on Sunday if she is able to overcome her wide draw. Khumalo will have learnt a bit more about her from the SA Oaks run and is back aboard.

Meanwhile, French Navy has pulled up well out of his eye catching third in the Gold Challenge. The remainder of his preparation for the Vodacom Durban July will be done out of Summerveld.

By David Thiselton

Legal Eagle out, weights move up

Posted on by

Topweight Legal Eagle has been scratched from the Vodacom Durban July the day after the publishing of the weights.

French Navy, who was originally set to carry 57,5kg, will become the new topweight carrying 60kg and all of the other weights will be dragged up accordingly by 2,5kg.

SA Triple Crown hero Abashiri will now carry 59kg.

However, his weight relative to other horses will not have changed and he will in fact still be the only three-year-old in the race who is not under sufferance.

The bottom weight horses will carry 54,5kg and this includes the fancied three-year-old filly Bela-Bela.

All of the three-year-old males with the exception of Abashiri will carry 55,5kg and this includes the ruling favourite Black Arthur.

David Thiselton

Captain Alfredo (Nkosi Hlophe)

Captain has the speed

Posted on by

Dean Kannemeyer said Capfain Alfredo’s run in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint was only “slightly below himself”, despite a 4,1 length beating, and he believed the four-year-old Captain Al gelding could find the frame in Friday night’s Gr 2 Post Merchants over the same 1200m trip around the turn at Greyville.

Kannemeyer was also positive about the chances of Cape Speed in the Gr 3 Track And Ball Derby over 2400m at Scottsville on Sunday.

Captain Alfredo (Nkosi Hlophe)

Captain Alfredo (Nkosi Hlophe)

He said, “I didn’t think Captain Alfredo had an easy task at Scottsville as he had been given the eight point raise. He is a very tough horse and took the race well. We have kept him fresh for this race. Greyville is not a problem for him, he as run well there before. It’s quite competitive, but if he puts his best foot forward he can finish in the first four.”

Kannemeyer mentioned only Red Ray of the other horses in the field, so must have a lot of respect for this much touted horse.

Captain Alfredo is relatively well weighted under the merit-rated bands conditions, being only 0,5kg under sufferance with the best treated horse, the mare Fly By Night.

Furthermore, he has a plum draw of three, perfect for his style in which he uses his natural speed to lie handy before kicking for home.

Anthony Delpech will attempt to make it a seventh Graded race victory of this SA Champions Season and a fourth for Kannemeyer.

Kannemeyer and Delpech combine again on Sunday in the Track and Ball Derby with the three-year-old Ideal World gelding Cape Speed.

Dean Kannemeyer

Dean Kannemeyer

This gelding looked very promising as a two-year-old, but after starting off his three-year-old season well in Cape Town he went a bit off the boil. However, he was a rig and has won both of his starts since gelding and both of them have been in KZN.

He has therefore won his last three starts in KZN, all of them at Greyville between 1800m and 1900m. However, one of his most eye catching performances was at Scottsville, when making up a tremendous amount of ground in his second career start over the too sharp 1600m and finishing just 1,25 lengths behind the decent Celtic Captain in a maiden.

Kannemeyer said, “I haven’t pushed him but he is doing very, very well. It is not an easy task as a three-year-old, but he is on the up and improving continually.”

Kannemeyer confirmed Cape Speed thrived in KZN. It is no surprise he is improving as most progeny of Ideal World do and this top class sire should also impart enough stamina in him to stay the trip.

He jumps from draw nine and off a 96 merit rating is 2,5kg under sufferance with the officially best treated horse, the three-year-old Listed Derby Trial winner Bankable Teddy.

By David Thiselton

London Call (Nkosi Hlophe)

London Call is ‘exceptionally well’

Posted on by

Summerveld trainer Mark Dixon was upset his classy sprinter London Call was not selected to run in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint at the Scottsville Festival Of Speed Meeting on the first weekend of this month, but believes the five-year-old Kahal gelding can prove a point in the Gr 2 Post Merchants over 1200m on the turf at Greyville on Friday night.

He said, “I was disappointed they reduced the size of the field for the Tsogo Sun Sprint to 14 (due to the moving of the rail inward) and then decided to ignore the handicapping and select the field on their own judgement.”

London Call (Nkosi Hlophe)

London Call (Nkosi Hlophe)

London Call did his final piece of fast work for the race on Monday upsides a companion on the Summerveld top sand track and the gallop was “very pleasing.”

Dixon continued, “He is exceptionally well and is a big runner provided he behaves himself … it is his first time running under the lights.”

Dixon felt the Bruce Le Roux-bred gelding’s draw of two was perfect as “he has plenty of pace.”

The 101 merit-rated speedster is not the soundest and cannot be raced often, but on the other hand he does not take a lot of work and it is relatively easy to get him ready for a race.

He has only had eight career starts for four wins, two seconds and a fourth and his only unplaced run was when tried over 1400m against the like of Ice Machine.

All four of his wins have been over the 1200m trip of the Post Merchants and his last win, on December 30 this season, was over the Greyville course and distance.

In that race, carrying a welter 61kg, he gave the Graded-placed three-year-old Mr Roy 7,5kg and a one length beating and an even more eyecatching bit of form was giving third-placed Executive Power, who has always been held in high regard, 9kg and a 2,5 length beating.

In London Call’s last start over 1000m at Scottsville on February 28 he was a 2,5 lengths second in the race in which Muscatt set a new course record and he was giving the latter 1,5kg.

In form Keagan de Melo knows him well and will be aboard on Friday night.

By David Thiselton

nicklaus brz

Nicklaus captures Winter Challenge mile

Posted on by

Ashburton trainer Duncan Howells captured the R200,000 KZN Winter Challenge 1600 on Saturday with the Brazilian-bred five-year-old gelding Nicklaus, but the chances of his classy but luckless Mambo In Seattle gelding Saratoga Dancer making the final Vodacom Durban July field were dealt a blow as he endured more bad luck in the Gr 3 Cup Trial.

Glen Kotzen and Charles Laird won the other two Winter Challenge finals, while Dean Kannemeyer walked away with a handsome cheque for winning the series.

In the Cup Trial, a handicap over 1800m, Saratoga Dancer had to jump from the widest draw of all, but Muzi Yeni was able to find cover quickly near the back of the field after dropping him out. However, the slow fractions set by eventual winner Exit Here did him no favours as he was unable to use his sizeable stride. Then just as he was winding up into that stride in the straight towards the outside, The Conglomerate switched outward around a horse and leaned on Saratoga Dancer for much of the remainder of the straight, thereby affecting his momentum at a crucial stage.

Saratoga Dancer crossed the line fourth, beaten a head by The Conglomerate and 1,35 lengths by Exit Here. It is unlikely to be enough to warrant a July berth considering he ran off a relatively low 95 merit rating. However, the stipendiaries duly awarded him third place after Howells had objected.

Nicklaus (Nkosi Hlophe)

Nicklaus (Nkosi Hlophe)

Howells said he would still keep Saratoga Dancer in the July mix with the slim hope of being given the nod by the panel. He otherwise might go for the consolation race, the Gr 3 Delta airlines 2200, where the horse has once again drawn wide in 40 out of 48 nominations. Howells said all things considered Saratoga Dancer had run “an absolute cracker” on Saturday. He remains an eye catching horse and is definitely still one to follow.

Howells gained consolation when the Steven Chetty-owned 78 merit-rated Nicklaus won the Winter Challenge 1600 from a pole position draw. The 12/1 shot ran on well under Yeni to beat Royal Life by a whisker. He thereby spoilt a party as the latter had been backed in to 22/10 favouritism. Cat In Command was a further short-head back in a thrilling finish.

The KZN Winter Challenge 2000 was next up and also produced an exciting finish. Kotzen had been confident of success as his three-year-old Go Deputy gelding Rap Attack had run a good third to Royal Life over 1600m in his previous start after being dropped five points to a competitive merit rating of 80.

Rap Attack (Nkosi Hlophe)

Rap Attack (Nkosi Hlophe)

This was his first attempt at 2000m and he built up a big lead in the straight after quickening from a handy position. He held on from a flying Live On The Moon to win by 0,25 lengths, converting odds of 6/1. Kotzen felt it to be an encouraging run by the Brian “Buffalo Bill” Burnard-owned horse, because jockey Keagan De Melo, who rode a double on the day, had not expected him to quicken so well at the top of the straight and could only have learnt from the ride.

The Charles Laird-trained and Markus and Ingrid Jooste-owned three-year-old Kahal gelding Top Form led from the off in the Winter Challenge 1200. Challengers appeared from all quarters in the straight but he was kept going in master class style by Anton Marcus, who only used the stick after passing the 200m mark and chiefly in order to keep the horse on a straight course.

Top Form, winning for only the second time despite his lofty 86 merit rating, was a former rig, and felt it. Therefore, he could now progress further and Laird believes he will be even better on the poly.

Kannemeyer earned a cheque of R28,000 as his consistent Western Winter colt Canigao accumulated the most points, 33, during the series. Greg and Karen Anthony earned the second place cheque thanks to Poivre and Fantasy Art secured the third place cheque for trainer Tony Rivalland.

Kannemeyer also had a lot to be happy about earlier in the meeting. The CTS Premier Yearling Sale R3,7 million graduate Last Winter, chosen by Kannemeyer and his trusted bloodstock agent Jehan Malherbe, overcame a wide draw to win a 1200m Maiden Juvenile Plate by two lengths under Anthony Delpech on debut. Kannemeyer described the Western Winter colt as a beautifully balanced horse with a good temperament and a lot of class.

“He is starting to fill out nicely, but I might sit on him until the spring as he will make a nice three-year-old,” he said.

David Thiselton

 

heavy metal

Vodacom Durban July weights and betting

Posted on by

VDJ header

*Denotes Supplementary Entries = ONE

FINAL SUPPLEMENTARY ENTRIES & WEIGHTS (14 JUNE 2016)

HORSE               A/S WGT  M/R   TRAINER

LEGAL EAGLE        (4G) 60.0 120   Sean Tarry

FRENCH NAVY        (4G) 57.5 115   Sean Tarry

MAC DE LAGO (AUS)  (4G) 57.0 114   Weiho Marwing

ABASHIRI           (3G) 56.5 117   Mike Azzie

MASTER SABINA      (6G) 54.0 108   Geoff Woodruff

NEW PREDATOR (AUS) (3C) 53.0 107   Johan Janse van Vuuren

BLACK ARTHUR       (3C) 53.0 106   Justin Snaith

DEO JUVENTE        (4G) 53.0 106   Geoff Woodruff

OLMA               (4F) 53.0 106   Frank Robinson

RABADA             (3C) 53.0 106   Mike Azzie

SAMURAI BLADE (AUS (3C) 53.0 106   Sean Tarry

SOLID SPEED        (5G) 53.0 106 B Dean Kannemeyer

IT’S MY TURN       (3G) 53.0 105   Justin Snaith

*JUDICIAL          (5G) 53.0 105   Tyrone Zackey

PUNTA ARENAS       (7G) 53.0 105 C Dennis Drier

ROCKETBALL         (3G) 53.0 105   Gavin van Zyl

GOLD ONYX (NZ)     (8G) 53.0 103   Sean Tarry

MAMBO MIME         (3C) 53.0 103   Dean Kannemeyer

ROMANY PRINCE      (3G) 53.0 102   Ormond Ferraris

TEN GUN SALUTE (AU (3C) 53.0 102   Duncan Howells

BALANCE SHEET      (4G) 53.0 101 B Dean Kannemeyer

BANKABLE TEDDY     (3C) 53.0 101 B Brian Wiid

DISCO AL           (6G) 53.0 101   Joey Ramsden

MARINARESCO        (3G) 53.0 101 B Mike Bass

PROSPECT STRIKE    (3G) 53.0 101   Sean Tarry

THE CONGLOMERATE ( (4G) 53.0 101   Joey Ramsden

DYNAMIC            (6G) 53.0 100   Justin Snaith

MASTER’S EYE       (4G) 53.0 100   Justin Snaith

ST TROPEZ          (4G) 53.0  99   Joey Ramsden

MASTER SWITCH      (4G) 53.0  98   Geoff Woodruff

DEPUTY JUD         (4G) 53.0  97   Mike Azzie

DIESEL JET         (4C) 53.0  96   Erico Verdonese

SARATOGA DANCER    (4G) 53.0  95   Duncan Howells

RAINY DAY BLUES    (4G) 53.0  92   Joe Soma

JUBILEE LINE       (3G) 53.0  90   Mike de Kock

BELA-BELA          (3F) 52.0 107   Justin Snaith

NEGROAMARO         (3F) 52.0 102   Johan Janse van Vuuren

TROPHY WIFE        (4F) 52.0 101   Sean Tarry

THE CENTENARY (NZ) (4F) 52.0  98   Mike de Kock

Please Note:

  • Final Declarations closes @ 11:00 Monday, 20 June 2016
  • Final Fields will be embargoed at 11:00
  • Final Field announcement will be live on Tellytrack on Tuesday, 21 June 2016 at 12:50
  • Barrier Draws to be done and announced on Tellytrack on Tuesday, 21 June 2016 at 14:00

Ante-post betting (as at June 14) for the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July to be run on Saturday, 2 July 2016: 

5-1 Black Arthur; 6-1 Marinaresco; 8-1 Legal Eagle, French Navy; 9-1 Bela-Bela; 12-1 Abashiri; 13-1 Its My Turn, Mac De Lago, 14-1 Solid Speed, Rabada, 15-1 St Tropez, Mambo Mime; 28-1 Dynamic, Deo Juvente, 30-1 Rocketball; 33-1 Trophy Wife, The Conglomerate,  Ten Gun Salute, Master Sabina; 40-1 Negroamaro, 55-1 Samurai Blade, 75-1 Saratoga Dancer, Judicial, Balance Sheet; 90-1 New Predator, 125-1 Olma, Punta Arenas; 150/1 upwards the others

Maleficent (Nkosi Hlophe)`

Slipper next for Maleficent

Posted on by

J&B Met-winning trainer Alec Laird believed he had landed a bargain when securing Judpot filly Maleficent for R160,000 at the Bloodstock SA Val De Vie Sale last year and she proved it at Greyville on Saturday when winning the Listed Devon Air Stakes over 1400m in fine style to give her regular rider Weichong Marwing the first leg of a feature race double.

Maleficent (Nkosi Hlophe)`

Maleficent (Nkosi Hlophe)

Her value had already been made greater recently by her full-brother Rocketball, who came close to upsetting Triple Crown hero Abashiri in the Gr 1 SA Derby before finishing a decent fourth in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000.

Maleficent ran green almost throughout on Saturday, but still managed to beat the always handy Querari Falcon by 3,25 lengths, an amazing margin considering how long she took to get going.

She is unbeaten in two starts over 1400m, having lost narrowly on debut over 1200m, and has put a total of 8,75 lengths between herself and the opposition.

Laird said, “She is a strong girl.”

He added she would likely line up for the Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day and he would play it by ear from there.

Laird won the colt’s equivalent of that race, the Durban Golden Horseshoe, with another progeny of Judpot, Forest Indigo, in 2013.

Both events have been downgraded from Gr 1 to Gr 2 this year.

Maleficent, who is owned by Chris Gerber and was bred by Shirluck Stud, has landed a plum draw of two among the 28 nominations for the Golden Slipper.

By David Thiselton

Alexis (John Lewis)

Alexis loving Greyville

Posted on by

Stalwart Cape trainer Brett Crawford seldom leaves KZN in the autumn without a Graded trophy in the bag and he secured his first big race victory of this year’s SA Champions Season on Saturday when the speedy four-year-old Dynasty filly Alexis proved her liking for Greyville by running on strongly under stable jockey Corne Orffer to win the Gr 2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m.

Crawford admitted 1400m was probably the small filly’s best trip. However, she gets a mile and will line up next in the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m on Vodacom Durban July day.

Alexis has now won three of her four starts at Greyville, including last season’s Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas, which proved her effectiveness over a mile. The Connemara Stud-bred filly is owned by Delma Sherrell, whose former Springbok rugby-playing son Lance has become very passionate about horseracing and made a rare non-appearance on course on Saturday.

The Mike Bass-trained pair Silver Mountain and Inara ran second and fourth respectively in the Tibouchina. Assistant trainer Robert Fayd’Herbe was pleased with both runs going into the Garden Province. They were split by the ever-improving Weiho Marwing-trained Sensible Lover, whose days of being sent out in big races at long prices are over, despite her still relatively lowly merit rating of 95. She is also an entry in the Garden Province.

The front-running Duncan Howells-trained Little Black Number was swamped late but earned a cheque for a gallant fifth place finish.

The Frank Robinson-trained Olma raced wide from a high draw and finished a 2,75 length sixth. However, Piere Strydom climbed off and immediately asked Robinson for the ride in the Garden Province, which the latter obviously jumped at.

In the Garden Province Alexis has drawn 15 of the 21 nominations, Silver Mountain has drawn five, Sensible Lover eight, Inara four and Olma thirteen.

Crawford’s charges have tended to need their first runs in KZN this season, so should all be watched from now on in.

He later sent out Big Cat in the Gr 2 Cup Trial, but this horse did not appear to be himself and ran last.

Big Cat’s passionate part-owners James Drew and Mike Fullard also have shares in Punta Arenas, who ran ninth in the Cup Trial for the Dennis Drier yard.

The pair had a rare winter last year in which they had no concerns about the perennial borderline Punta Arenas qualifying for the July, as he won the Cup Trial, before going on to finish an unlucky second in the big one. However, it a reversion to finger-nail chewing time again this year.

Drew was initially disappointed in Punta Arenas run on Saturday. However, he was later shocked to see he had only finished 2,65 lengths back, so then became hopeful again as the horse had carried topweight off his 107 merit rating and in his opinion had fulfilled the criteria of “showing his well-being.”

David Thiselton

Hot Ticket (Nkosi Hlophe)

Competitive lineups for Derby & Oaks

Posted on by

Highly competitive fields have been received for the two Grade 3 feature events over 2 400m on Derby Day at Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg this coming Sunday where close and exciting finishes could be the order of the day.

The Track & Ball Derby and Track & Ball Oaks, both carrying stakes of R300 000, have replaced the former “classic” events at level weights for three-year-olds and are now run as open weight-for-age events over the classic distance and will be run on the inside track at the Pietermaritzburg venue.

The Track & Ball Oaks includes many well-performed runners including the first three across the line in the East Coast Handicap – Deputy Ryder, Gathering Fame and Ma Choix – and weight differentials in Sunday’s race could see a change in their finishing positions among.

The Centenary and Patchit Up Baby, second and third in the Gerald Rosenberg at Turffontein are also among the runners as well at the winner of the Scarlet Lady, Gallica Rose, where Deputy Ryder ran a close second.

The runner that will likely draw the most attention, however, is the Silvano filly Nightingale from the Mike Bass stable than ran second to Bela-Bela in the Daisy Fillies Guineas then finished third behind her again in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.

The difficulty with the runners in the Track & Ball Derby is that few of the 14 contestants have recent inspirational form although most have shown top class ability in their careers.

The field includes the six-year-old Captain Al gelding Disco Al that set the class record for 2 400m at Scottsville when winning this race last year but his recent form is less than encouraging while an interesting development in rider selection is that Anton Marcus, regular pilot of the Joey Ramsden-trained Coltrane that has featured in the first three in his last three races, has taken the ride on Disco Al instead.

With no runner from the Sean Tarry stable in the field, S’manga Khumalo has been engaged to ride the British-bred Kingston Mines for the Mike de Kock stable. The five-year-old failed to feature in the recent Lonsdale Stirrup Cup but he had finished in the first three in his two previous feature events in the Cape.

Storm Warning from the Johan Janse van Vuuren stable never featured in the Lonsdale either but had finished third in the Gold Bowl before that while the three-year-olds Cape Speed and Kitty’s Destiny are two of those with the most consistent recent form. There good recent form was, however, established on the polytrack at Greyville over 1 800m and 1 900m.

Two very competitive races appear to be on the cards and close finishes are likely.