The battle for the KZN Champion Trainer’s title offers punters an opportunity to cash in with two trainers locked neck-and-neck for the championship.

It’s down to the wire and with just five meetings left to the end of the current season it is still touch-and-go between Duncan Howells and defending champion Dennis Drier. The title is decided by number of wins in the province and Howells currently leads on 68 with Drier a close second on 64. Third on 56 wins is Dean Kannemeyer.

With both trainers all-out to increase their winning tally punters can be assured that each of their runners will be revving at maximum for the next fortnight.

The pair saddle eight runners each at Greyville today, including a couple of reserves, which adds some needle to the afternoon’s events.

Howells does not have a runner in the card opener but the rumour mill has been grinding that Drier has a smart first timer in Bad Attitude that will be ridden by Anton Marcus for Mayfair Speculators.

However, the gelding will need to be all of what is expected as he faces a few form runners in the likes of Paul Gadsby’s colt Lucius Fox, Northern Rebel from Mark Dixon’s yard and two first timers from strong stables in Twister Vortex and Bobby Shafto from Sean Tarry and Johan Janse van Vuuren respectively.

Both have runners in the second where Drier saddles Blazing Heart who has been showing signs of coming to hand and races in pacifiers for the first time.

The Howells-trained Steve Rubell found some market support on debut but it was over a year before he made another racecourse appearance. It was a modest effort on the poly but there may be big improvement to come. He could pay to follow in the betting.

However, Kannemeyer’s colt Badawee has more obvious credentials and could upstage them both although he has drawn one outside of Steve Rubell in Marriott Road.

The Big Chill does duty for Drier in the third and Roy’s Hollyhock for Howells and with the scratching of the likely short-priced favourite, Torrey Pines (coughing), the contest between the two becomes that much more relevant.

Roy’s Zara and Victory Cross will do duty for Howells in the fourth, both in with chances as is Queens Chapel for Drier whose two best recent efforts have been on the poly.

Howells has a bye in the fifth but Drier sends out Delirious Nomad, a winner of his last start and improved in blinkers. He takes on stronger here where Master Of Mischief is over his favourite course and distance and could make it home for Wendy Whitehead in what is an open affair.

Hallowed Spring (Drier) and Mythical Magic (Howells) are a possible exacta proposition in the sixth, the two drawn alongside each other with two lengths separating them when last they met, Hallowed Spring going the better. However, Roy Is Second could upset this prediction. She is re-united with Anthony Delpech after contesting the KZN Breeders Levelling the Playing fields series and although a little up in class she goes very well over course and distance for Delpech and Alyson Wright.

Roy’s Regis rounds off the day’s contest for the two championship rivals and could add to a possible good day for owner Roy Moodley who has a number of runners in with strong winning chances. The Australian import won really well first up on the poly track and may have too much fire power for his older rivals who are a fairly average bunch. Roy’s Regis along with Torrey Pines could prove a lucrative double on the day.

Andrew Harrison

Bela-Bela will end her great racing career in the World Sports Betting Champions Cup at Greyville on Saturday week.

Bela-Bela VDJ 2017 (Nkosi Hlophe)`

Owners Varsfontein indicated in the stud’s newsletter at the end of last week that the triple Grade 1 winner will be retired to stud at the end of the season and Snaith Racing, successful with Futura two years ago, yesterday confirmed her a Champions Cup runner with Anthony Delpech again in the irons.

The four-year-old is 11-2 third favourite with the sponsors and if she wins she will be the first of her sex to land the Champions Cup in at least the last 16 runnings.

Goodtime Gal, unplaced behind Bela-Bela in the Maine Chance Paddock Stakes in January but beaten less than three-quarters of a length when third in the Klawervlei Majorca three weeks later, heads the 12 runners for the Final Fling Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday. Mike Robinson has booked Greg Cheyne for the four-year-old.

Justin Snaith, who has won three of the last four runnings of this 1 800m Grade 3, will be double-handed with A Time To Dream (Bernard Fayd’Herbe) and Harvard Crimson (Corne Orffer).

By Michael Clower

The battle for the KZN Champion Trainer’s title is down to the wire and with just five meetings left to the end of the current season it is still touch-and-go between Duncan Howells and defending champion Dennis Drier. The title is decided by number of wins in the province. Howells currently leads on 68 with Drier a close second on 64. Third on 56 wins is Dean Kannemeyer.

Dennis Drier(Nkosi Hlophe)

Leading KZN trainer by stakes won is Sean Tarry on R5.56 mllion, just over R1million ahead of Howells who is R200k ahead of Drier.

Howells had edged ahead by five going into Saturday’s Greyville meeting but Drier cut that back to two with a treble on the day before Howells came back with a double.

Drier kicked off with Lady In Black in the first, another promising filly by Dynasty and now unbeaten in two starts, and Premier Dance cut the Howells lead to three. But the Ashburton-based trainer countered with Accidental Tourist winning the fourth.

Rocky Valley defied top weight in the sixth to give Drier a treble but Howells fired back with Russian Speed holding on narrowly to win the ninth.

Howells and Drier saddle eight runners each at Greyville tomorrow which adds some needle to the afternoon’s racing as Howells goes into the final fortnight of the season with a four-win lead hoping to clinch his second title.

By Andrew Harrison

Marinaresco will attempt to become only the second horse this century to win two Champions Cups (following Futura in 2014 and 2015) at Greyville on Saturday week.

Candice Bass-Robinson confirmed the four-year-old a runner at the weekend despite his 17 out of 17 draw, saying: “The draw doesn’t really matter so much with him and [together with Captain America] he is the best horse in the race. He has only had three runs in Durban this season and he might as well take his chance.”

El Picha in 2000 is the only horse to win both the Durban July and the Champions Cup in the same season in the last 17 years but Marinaresco is 22-10 favourite with race sponsor World Sports betting which has Captain America on 9-2. It also bets 11-2 Bela-Bela, 8-1 It’s My Turn, 10-1 Black Arthur, 12-1 and upwards others.

However Majorca winner Nightingale (12-1) will miss the race to run in the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet on the same card. She is the highest rated in that 2 000m race but has to give weight all round.

Mrs Robinson will run both 16-1 chance My World and Helderberg Blue (18-1) in Sunday week’s eLan Gold Cup. Riding arrangements have still to be finalised.

Mike de Kock’s SABC Gold Vase third Kinaan has been installed 5-1 favourite with WSB, ahead of the promoted winner of that race Hermosa Mundo who is on 11-2 while the relegated Captain Splendid is a 6-1 chance, the same price as stable companion and Durban July fourth Krambambuli.

By Michael Clower

Bull Valley and Sean Tarry – they got the ear and tail in bull fighting terms – as the gelded son of Toreador threw his hat into the ring for Equus Sprinter of the Year honours with a thoroughly workmanlike victory in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint at Greyville yesterday. Tarry, having the season of his life and adding another feature race triumph to his tally, saw his charge get the better of Search Part – unable to turn the tables of the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint – and New Predator.

Winning Connections of Bull Valley (Candiese Marnewick)

The Mercury Sprint is the final Grade 1 sprint event of the season and the lightly raced Bull Valley, who does not have the best of legs and has his problems, has been patiently handled by Tarry to produce the goods and this win adds ammunition to Bull Valley’s Equus chances, ironically to the possible detriment of stable companion and star mare Carry On Alice.

“He’s had his setbacks but the Scottsville race (Tsogo Sun Sprint) was his long-term plan. I’m glad he’s come through it. But he had an abscess and I was in two minds whether to pull the plug (for this race) but he’s a brave horse,” said Tarry.

Stable companion and mount of first-call rider S’Manga Khumalo, Trip Heaven, blew his chances at the start and his first Grade 1 victory remains elusive. Trip To Heaven’s starting antics are well documented but he was particularly slow away this time around and was never in the hunt.

Search Party, second to Bull Valley in the Tsogo Sun Sprint, did well to overcome a wide draw but again proved second best and good enough to edged out New predator to snatch second.

Bull Valley (Candiese Marnewick)

Tarry-trained Trophy Wife, who came out of one of the best three-year-old crops of fillies seen in recent years, finally got her act together to run out a fine winner of the Listed Queen Palm Stakes. This was her first win of the season that comes to an end in a fortnight’s time, but it was long overdue and well deserved.

“She’s had her problems and is not the easiest,” said assistant trainer Dijon Steyn but she was well handled by apprentice Lyle Hewitson who has one of the finest pair of hands in the game.

Stable companion Witchcraft set the pace but with a furlong to run it was line-across the track. However, Hewitson coaxed the best out of his mount and went on through to hold a fast-finishing Forbidden Duel, the rank outsider of the six-horse field.

Duncan Howells and Dennis Drier are locked in a neck-and-neck duel for the KZN Trainer’s Championship that is decided by number of winners in the province rather than stakes won.

It is proving a see-saw battle. Reigning champion Drier was first out of the blocks, winning the first two on the card, but Howells pulled one back with Accidental Tourist in the fourth. Drier was back again with Rocky Valley in the in the sixth leaving Howells with a three-winner lead but Howells was not done as Russian Speed held on narrowly from a fast-finishing to score in the ninth.

With four meetings to run. It will pay punters to follow these two stables.

By Andrew Harrison

Johan Janse van Vuuren picked up a double at Greyville last Wednesday but will be looking to fry a bigger fish at the same venue tomorrow where he saddles New Predator in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint.

The Australian-bred colt has found Greyville a happy hunting ground, having won the Drill Hall Stakes last year and then finishing a close-up fourth to Marinaresco in the same race last month, beaten under a length.

New Predator (Nkosi Hlophe)

He had a coffin draw of 14 out of 14 in the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and expended most of his energy in an effort to make it into a handy position before the turn which left the tank all but dry over the final 100m.

Under the circumstances he did well to stay on to finish four lengths off Captain America.

New Predator is not short of early pace and with the addition of blinkers to his equipment tomorrow he could well put one over the more accomplished sprinters. An added arrow to his quiver is that Gavin Lerena has delayed his trip back to the UK to finish up his contract to partner New Predator.

Recent Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint winner Bull Valley, winner of five of his nine starts, will be looking to end his season on a high for champion trainer elect Sean Tarry who holds a strong hand in the race. However, stable companion Trip To Heaven looks the better proposition.

Trip To Heaven loves Greyville, having twice finished second in the Rising Sun Gold Challenge, the first time after being relegated, but he also shows top sprint form having won the Grade 2 Merchants beating Bull Valley and finishing second to star stable companion Carry On Alice in the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship.

He is generally a tardy starter but possesses a tremendous turn of foot and he will be running hard at New Predator come the final furlong.

Brutal Force (Liesl King)

Bull Valley is no slouch but Talktothestars, once the highest rated horse in the country, has found form again. He was unlucky in the Tsogo Sun Sprint where he was checked just as he was about to make his run, losing all momentum. He followed up when a fast-finishing runner-up to Search Party in the Grade 2 Post Merchants. Connie de Beer’s charge has only managed one victory this term, that in a Pinnacle Stakes in Kimberley in his seasonal opener, but he has finished close-up in both the Gr1 Computaform Sprint to Carry On Alice and was ‘flying’ when second to Search Party in the Post Merchants.

A wide draw should not be much of a concern as he is likely to be paired with Trip To Heaven towards the rear of the field in the early exchanges and it will be up to Bernard Fayd’Herbe to find a trouble-free run to the wire.

Brutal Force is way better than his Tsogo Sun effort and was a neck behind Talktothestars in the Computaform Sprint. He is drawn one inside of Talktothestars and has Anton Marcus to help him home.

These five look to be the main protagonists and New Predator is taken to get home ahead of Trip To Heaven and Talktothestars.

The Hollywood Bets Queen Palm Stakes has attracted a small but quality field where tactics are likely to prove paramount. There are a number of runners who like to race handy so a slow pace is unlikely and the cards could fall the way of Trophy Wife, even though Tarry’s first call rider, S’Manga Khumalo, has opted for Witchcraft.

Apprentice Lyle Hewitson has a fine pair of hands which will suit the mare and she is sure to be running at them when the whips are cracking.

Girl On The Run has never been out of the money for Janse van Vuuren and she was running on well behind Zante in the recent Track & Ball Oaks over the distance at Scottsville and has a master of pace in the saddle.

By Andrew Harrison

The Place Accumulator, Pick 6 and Jackpot will be popular exotic bets at the Mercury Sprint racemeeting at Greyville on Saturday, which is the first big SA Champions Season event since the Vodacom Durban July, and those who do their homework on a competitive card should reap healthy dividends.

Bull Valley (Nkosi Hlophe)

The first leg of the PA is a tricky fillies and mares handicap over 1600m on the turf. Premier Dance is a typically progressive daughter of Silvano and the form of her last run over this trip has worked out very well. This half-sister to the brilliant miler Capetown Noir could make it four wins from just six starts, although she does have to carry joint topweight of 61,5kg off her 93 merit rating and this is also her second run after a six month layoff. Captain Gambler stayed on quite well from last in the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and has the Anton Marcus factor with her. She also comes out well on formlines with Well In Flight and Tanami on a line through Louisiana. Persian Rug won a Listed handicap over 1600m on the tight Turffontein Inside track in May last year off a merit rating of 93 and now runs off a 91. She has shown a liking for Greyville and in her only recent start there over shorter than 1950m she over raced with blinkers. The blinkers are now off and she is drawn in pole which will give her a good chance to get into her preferred handy position. She stands a chance of giving Nathan Kotzen his first win as a licensed trainer, so should be included in the Pick 6. Well In Flight is drawn well and can do better than last time when a bit short of room in the straight in a race run at a crawl over this course and distance on the poly. Being two points lower in the merit ratings will also help this nice type. Tanami won well the last time she tried this distance on the poly and there is little between her and Well In Flight on formlines.

The second leg is also a tricky fillies and mares sprint handicap over 1200m. If Only has been transformed with blinkers and from a plum draw over an ideal course and distance looks capable of making it a hattrick. Victory Takeover can never be ignored over her favourite course and distance. Timeous is a nice type and is still off an attractive merit rating after being given just a two point raise for her last win, so can go close from a reasonable draw over a suitable course and distance. Wandie’s reeled off a hattrick at this time last year and has enough pace to make a successful step down in trip off a competitive merit rating. The pacey Gunship ran on well to win over 1000m on the poly in January, but hasn’t run since. From a good draw she has to be included running for a yard who always have them fit. Accidental Tourist can be in the picture if starting on terms.

Anton Marcus

In the third leg of the PA and first leg of the Jackpot, a MR 66 Handicap over 1200m, the one who makes the most appeal is Y’retheone. This Rebel King gelding has a nice long-striding action and some ability. He has run well fresh before, so warrants banker consideration on a tough card like this. He does have a tendency to over race, so will need a good pace and some cover and there is hope of getting both with the pacey Hold The Line drawn out wide. The latter could hold on for a place and the talented and versatile Black Jaguar could be one to include from pole position returning from a rest, as he has dropped to an attractive merit rating and S’Manga Khumalo is an eye catching booking. Almost Human might get the run of the race from a plum draw and Yorkshire Dales and Zinzara can’t be ignored.

The sixth race is a MR 86 handicap over 1000m and the topweight Rockey Valley makes appeal despite being six points higher than his last win. The latter victory was over 1200, but he was quite keen there and gave the impression he would enjoy 1000m. Furthermore, he is drawn in pole position. However, Lil Red Rooster and Varbration are in good form and are course and distance suited too, so are hard to ignore.

The seventh is the Listed Off To Stud over 1600m and Wukkin’ Up is drawn in pole and is having her third run after a layoff over an ideal trip. She looks likely to enjoy the poly and Anton Marcus is aboard. However, it is also a tricky event and her three stablemates Strategic News, Heaps Of Fun and In Other Words can’t be ignored and neither can the classy Frosty Friday, who should be cherry ripe over an ideal trip.

The next race is the Mercury Sprint and Bull Valley is selected to be a PA banker from a plum draw. Trip To Heaven has to included in the Pick 6 and Jackpot, because if he does not start too slowly his exceptional turn of foot can carry him to victory. Sergeant Hardy also makes appeal from a good draw as one with good pace and the ability to stay on. New Predator, Talktothestars and Kangaroo Jack are the others who look capable of winning.

The last is a MR 62 handicap on the poly. Kali’s Champ is an improving sort and can go close if reproducing his decent effort last time out in the KZN Breeders 1600. However, he has a wide draw and the consistent poly horse Russian Speed has to be included from a good draw off a competitive merit rating. Saber’s Beads, Hannah’s Answer and Roy’s Sailor also have to be considered.

By David Thiselton

Brett Crawford, looking for the first Mercury Sprint success of his career, is concerned about Post Merchants winner Search Party’s wide draw (14 out of 15) in Saturday’s Greyville feature.

Search Party (Liesl King)

He said: “It is going to make things very tough for us. Search Party can be a fast starter but the poor draw is unfortunate. A lot is going to depend on the conditions on the day as to what we try to do about it.”

Corne Orffer’s mount opened 6-1 third favourite with World Sports Betting which has the Sean Tarry-trained Trip To Heaven heading the market at 3-1 with stable companion Bull Valley next on 4-1.

Crawford has decided against running Investec Cape Derby and Daily News winner Edict Of Nantes again this season and intends putting him away with the ultimate objective being a third Sun Met win in four years for the stable.

He explained: “It would be silly to run him in the WSB Champions Cup at the weights. He is rated 107 yet he would only be getting a kilo and a half from the older horses. He is going to have a break before we start getting him ready for the summer.

“His mission in Durban was always the Daily News and he achieved that. He put up a great performance in the July but he never got the run of the race. I thought he ran really well.”

By Michael Clower

Sean Tarry’s coupling of Trip To Heaven and Bull Valley have been priced up at 7-2 and 4-1 respectively to win Saturday’s Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Greyville.

Trip To Heaven, arguably the best performer not to have a Grade 1 victory in his CV, looks a worthy favourite as he is by far the best handicapped runner, 2.5kg better weighted than stable companion Bull Valley. He has run four times at Greyville, twice over 1600m in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge, and twice in this race. Trip To Heaven was first past the post in the 2016 Gold Challenge but was relegated to second in the boardroom for causing interference to Mac De Lago. This year he ran on well to run a 1.50-length second behind Captain America.

His two 1200m races have resulted in his finishing unplaced but according to Tarry there were excuses. “Two years he got a very poor ride and should have finished a lot closer. Last year, as far as I remember, it was a slow-run race and I was happy with the run,” said Tarry yesterday.

It was also his first run after having been gelded but, as Tarry points out, Trip To Heaven has done little wrong since he was gelded.

Trip to Heaven (JC Photographics)

He’s drawn at No 7 but that is not a concern for Tarry. “He loses ground at the start so it’s really irrelevant where he’s drawn. Obviously, the faster they go the better. We know the weights are never his problem, just the gates.

“I really believe this horse deserves a Grade 1 win.”

S’manga Khumalo takes the ride on Trip To Heaven while Karl Zechner rides Bull Valley.

Bull Valley will be looking for his second successive Grade 1 win after coming out on top in the Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville in May. “It was a big win,” said Tarry. “He was primed for that race and he stole it from a long way out.”

Third favourite at 6-1 is Search Party, who finished a 1.50-length second to Bull Valley at Scottsville and then won the Post Merchants over this course and distance in June. In that race he beat Talktothestars (at 9-1 along with Kangaroo Jack) by a neck but the pair will have to overcome draws No 14 and No 13 respectively.

Opening betting on the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Greyville on Saturday:
7-2 Trip To Heaven; 4-1 Bull Valley; 6-1 Search Party; 9-1 Talktothestars, Kangaroo Jack; 10-1 New Predator; 11-1 Brutal Force; 12-1 Attenborough; 14-1 London Call, Sergeant Hardy; 16-1 Champagne Haze, Rivarine; 20-1 Victorious Jay, Gulf Storm

– TABNews

The weight for age Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m features all of the top sprinters in the country still in training and is a particularly exciting race as it is around the bend at Greyville and the charge for home off the false rail is a spectacle to behold.

Bull Valley showed in the Tsogo Sun Sprint he has fine cruising speed and a tremendous kick, so he is going to be hard to beat from pole position. However, interestingly, Sean Tarry’s regular stable jockey S’manga Khumalo will be aboard Trip To Heaven and is replaced by Karl Zechner on Bull Valley.

Trip To Heaven is deservedly the highest merit rated horse in the field on 120, but the question will be how much ground he will lose at the start. This horse has a phenomenal turn of foot and his run here last year can be ignored as he lost plenty of ground as usual and was then rushed up and caught wide. He is sure to be given a better ride this year. The false rail is set to be five metres , so the front runners and inside drawn horses will not have as much advantage as they had in the recent Grade 2 Post Merchants, where there was virtually no false rail at all over this same course and distance. However, with the course running fast at present it will still not be easy for Trip To Heaven to make up the leeway.

Trip to Heaven (JC Photographics)

Sergeant Hardy could be a big runner from draw two as he has good pace and can stay on and he showed his liking for Greyville last time out when caught wide and coming from a long way back for second over 1100m. New Predator showed in the IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m he has some pace and his turn of foot and long-striding finish make him one of the dark horses over a trip too sharp, especially if the pace is fast.

Reigning Equus Champion Sprinter Talktothestars was dropped out last year from a wide draw and had too much ground to make up. In the recent Post merchants he was handy and stormed home for a 0,25 lengths second despite giving the winner Search Party 2kg. July-winning heavyweight jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe will be aboard, so there will be little or no dead weight to carry, but unfortunately Talktothestars has another very wide draw to overcome so will need more luck than he had last year.

London Call has 3,15 lengths to make up on Bull Valley from the Tsogo Sun and is only 1kg better off. However, he was right up at the front in the latter race until the closing stages and he has a good kick, so from a good draw of three here he could possibly last long enough to stay in the placings. He might be the pacemaker. Kangaroo Jack showed how good he was in last year’s Post Merchants over course and distance, where his devastating turn of foot was seen at its best, and after a recent preparation he will be a contender if reproducing that Post Merchants performance. His wide draw is not a great disadvantage for one of his hold up style.

Gulf Storm showed his class in the Tsogo Sun with a 2,55 length fourth, but he is worse off with Bull Valley now and will do well to repeat his fourth place of last year from a tricky draw of eight. Victorious Jay showed pace and a good kick from a good draw when a narrow second in the Drill Hall so could be dangerous here from a fair draw of seven.

Attenborough is an enigmatic sort with a lot of talent and over his ideal trip he could earn, but on paper he is well held on Tsogo Sun form by Bull Valley, Talktothestars, Gulf Storm and London Call. Champagne Haze is a dark horse considering the fine turn of foot he showed when winning the Gr 2 Senor Santa over 1160m, but it will be tough from the widest draw of all.

Rivarine has fine pace and possesses a kick, but will need to use his low draw to good effect to be able to reverse Computaform Sprint form with Talktothestars. Search Party is 2kg worse off with Talktothestars and has the widest draw of all to overcome in the 14 horse field, which will make it tough for him to repeat his start to finish Post Merchants win where he jumped from draw six. However, he has been progressive this season and can’t be ignored.

Anton Marcus did his homework in his usual professional manner to win comfortably on Red Ray last year and now rides his full brother Brutal Force. The latter ran a good fourth in the Computaform Sprint but was then tailed off in the Tsogo Sun when reportedly being hit in the eye by something and also found to be not striding out. However, he now has to overcome a wide draw of 12 and is not quite as talented as Red Ray, who overcame draw nine last year with his early pace and then still found a strong kick.

By David Thiselton