Entries for the Grade 1 R1million Woolavington 2000 to be run over 2000m at Greyville racecourse on Saturday May 28:
Category Archives: Y-Champions Season
Entries & Weights – DAILY NEWS 2000
Entries for the Grade 1 R2million Daily News 2000 to be run over 2000m at Greyville racecourse on Saturday May 28:
Betting World 1900 Final Field
The competitive battle for a place in the final field for the R4.25-million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July goes into its next round at Greyville Racecourse next Friday, 20 May 2016, where 12 of the 17 runners carded for the R400 000, Grade 2 Betting World 1900 are entries for Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event taking place on Saturday, July 2.
The three-year-olds have already shown they could feature strongly in the final 18-horse field for the country’s premier event after some top performances in the Canon Guineas and Daisy Fillies Guineas and with the Daily News 2000 and Woolavington 2000 still to come at the end of the month their influence could become even greater.
St Tropez (Nkosi Hlophe)
The legendary Betting World 1900 that will be run for the 90th time on May 20 and will also mark the final TGIF regular night racemeeting at Greyville for the current season to return on a regular basis on September 23.
The race will be one of the last chances for the older horses to impress the July selection panel with only the Rising Sun Gold Challenge and Cup Trial to come and runners like Master’s Eye, Solid Speed, Dynastic Power and The Conglomerate, that are currently on the outside looking in on the Log, will need solid performances if they are to enhance their chances.
The Betting World 1900 has always been seen as one of the major pointers to the Vodacom Durban July and has produced nine horses that have gone on to win the coveted event in the same year. With a lot at stake one could see a much improved run from the Joey Ramsden-trained gelding The Conglomerate and a few others. The four-year-old displayed top-level ability as a three-year-old but he lost his way in the latter part of last year.
With this being his second run after being gelded, he could show considerable improvement on his less than spirited performance in the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes and this would certainly have the July selection panel sitting up and taking greater interest in his potential as a big race participant.
Another Ramsden runner, St Tropez, has had two races since running second to Ultimate Dollar in the tabGOLD 2200 last year but will have his first outing since running unplaced from a wide draw in the Summer Cup in November. His major bid for a Vodacom Durban July berth could be aimed at the Rising Sun Gold Challenge with this race being a “pipe-opener” after such a long break but top stables know how to get horses ready and even if needing the outing he could be very competitive.
On the other hand, Solid Speed and It Is Written from the Dean Kannemeyer stable are both in good form and could be major players in this race and make an impression for the big race. This could apply also to runners like the Justin Snaith-trained Dynastic Power that finished third in the recent Sledgehammer and Master Switch from the Geoff Woodruff yard that was third in the Drumstar in April and won a pinnacle stakes race comfortably over 2 000 at Turffontein in his last outing.
Ends
Legislate to stand at Drakenstein
Legislate, winner of the 2014 Vodacom Durban July, has been retired to stud.
Connections discussed his retirement after trainer Justin Snaith reported after last Friday’s Drill Hall Stakes that Legislate’s blood picture was not ideal. And it was agreed that Legislate be sent to Drakenstein to let down for his stud career.
Snaith was keen to have his superstar have another go at Grade 1 glory during South Africa’s Champions Season because he felt that he had got the horse back to his best.
Snaith said: “I was blessed to have ridden this superstar myself and cannot imagine that there are many thoroughbreds that glide the way he does. He floats and covers more ground than any horse I have ever seen in South Africa. He has the temperament of a champion which I am sure he will pass on to his offspring.”
Legislate was the 2014 Horse of The Year, won four Grade 1 races and earned over R5,5million in stakes.
– Freeman Stallions
New route for Baritone
Justin Snaith has scratched the Byerley Turk runner up Baritone from the Vodacom Durban July following his disappointing Canon Guineas run last Friday night, but is upbeat about his respective Canon Guineas and Daisy Guineas winners Black Arthur and Bela-Bela.
He said Baritone had pulled up a bit “jarred up” and had also “choked up” due to the pressure of the tight finish in a fast run race.
The current restrictions placed on travel back to Cape Town, due to a recent case of African Horse Sickness (AHS) in the AHS Surveillance Zone, means Baritone has no option but to stay put in KZN.
Snaith said the Trippi colt would be monitored before a new route was decided upon. He believed there would be a question mark over the Daily News 2000 trip, but would nominate him for the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and check how strong the field was before accepting.
Otherwise a race like the Listed Darley Arabian over 1600m on the poly on Super Saturday could be an option.
Black Arthur has been accorded a 106 merit rating and Bela-Bela 107.
As things stand this would see them in the July with the minimum respective weights for three-year-olds of 53kg for a male and 52kg for a filly, although Black Arthur would officially be 2kg under sufferance and Bela-Bela 0,5kg under sufferance.
Snaith said a lot of thought would have to be put into planning their SA Champions season routes from here but added, “The main thing is they have both pulled up out of their races in fantastic shape.”
By David Thiselton
Picture: Baritone (Nkosi Hlophe)
Final field and draws: BettingWorld 1900
Final Field for the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 to be run over 1900m at Greyville racecourse on Friday May 20:
SC# DR HORSE WGT M/R JOCKEY TRAINER
1 16 GOLD ONYX (NZ) 60.0 107 T A …………… Sean Tarry
2 12 KING OF PAIN 60.0 106 A …………… Joey Ramsden
3 11 HALVE THE DEFICIT 58.0 103 A M Yeni Sean Tarry
4 5 MASTER’S EYE 58.0 103 BA R Fourie Justin Snaith
5 10 SOLID SPEED 58.0 103 BA A Delpech Dean Kannemeyer
6 1 IT IS WRITTEN 58.0 102 A S Randolph Dean Kannemeyer
7 7 DISCO AL 58.0 101 A …………… Joey Ramsden
8 17 DYNASTIC POWER 58.0 101 A M Byleveld Vaughan Marsh
9 14 THE CONGLOMERATE ( 58.0 101 A …………… Joey Ramsden
10 6 ST TROPEZ 56.0 99 A …………… Joey Ramsden
11 15 DYNAMIC 56.0 98 A G van Niekerk Justin Snaith
12 4 MASTER SWITCH 56.0 98 T A *C Murray Geoff Woodruff
13 8 SERISSA 56.0 98 A K de Melo Sean Tarry
14 13 SILVER SPRING 54.0 92 A K Zechner Gavin van Zyl
15 3 GREEK LEGEND 54.0 91 BA J P v’d Merwe Mike Azzie
16 9 NIGHT SHADOW 54.0 86 CA W Kennedy Gavin van Zyl
Reserve Runners
17 2 DEPUTY JUD 56.0 95 A Reserve 1 Mike Azzie
Will Abashiri run?
Public hero Abashiri is “getting better everyday” in the aftermath of his ultra tough SA Derby run, which saw him hard driven to win narrowly, thus becoming the third horse in history to land the SA Triple Crown.
However, trainer Mike Azzie said it was still too early to say whether the Go Deputy gelding would participate in the Vodacom Durban July.
He added, “If he gets topweight I don’t think he will run.”
A condition of the July is three-year-old males being limited at the publications of the weights to carry a maximum of 57kg.
However, if the current highest rated horse among the entries, Legal Eagle, is scratched after the publications of the weights, the weights will then be dragged upward.
In that case French Navy would be dragged up from 57,5kg to 60kg and Abashiri would go from 56,5kg up to 59kg, which would be the highest weight a three-year-old has ever been asked to carry in the July.
Azzie has a good back up horse in Gr 1-winner Rabada.
He felt this Brave Tin Soldier colt was unlucky in Friday night’s Gr 2 Canon Guineas. He pointed out Rabada had to be used up to find a handy position from a wide draw and the pace up front had then been a blistering one. He added Black Arthur had consequently had the run of the race coming from a good draw. Black Arthur was soon relaxed at the back on the rail and was able to stride out throughout, due to the fast pace. In fact he had to be scrubbed along by Anthony Delpech to keep up.
Azzie said, “He only beat us by half-a-length, but I think it could be a different story in the Daily News, provided we get a good draw.”
Azzie has a high regard for the four-year-old Black Minnaloushe gelding Greek Legend, who won a good race over 1600m at Turffontein in his second run after a layoff for a suspensory injury, prevailing over the previously unbeaten Chepardo. He added Greek Legend had been doing “very, very well” at Summerveld. He has drawn well in seven among the long list of Gr 2 Betting World 1900 nominations, although off just a 91 merit rating it remains to be seen whether he will get into the race or not.
Azzie will aim former SA Derby runner up and Supreme Cup winner Deputy Jud at the Gr 3 Track And Ball Derby at Scottsville on June 19. He said his last run could have a line drawn through it, because this horse needed cover to be affective.
He reckoned his sprinter Splendid Garden, who finished a fine fifth in the Gr 1 WSB Computafirm Sprint considering he jumped from an unfavourable low draw, would be in the “shake up” in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint at Scottsville on June 4 and added he would appreciate the step up to 1200m.
Azzie also has three nice two-year-old campaigners in colts Rivarine and Aussie Austin and filly Announcing Rain.
Meanwhile, Shatoosh, who finished 7,25 lengths back in the Gr 2 Daisy Guineas on Friday night will be put away until next season as Azzie believes time given for her to mature will be beneficial.
By David Thiselton
Picture: Abashiri (Nkosi Hlophe)
Sky Grand Prix comes to Greyville
There will be exhilarating high-speed action at and above Greyville Racecourse in Durban on Saturday, May 28, with aerobatic aircraft tumbling, twisting and flashing across the heavens prior to the start of one of the country’s iconic racemeetings featuring the R2-million, Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and the R1-million, Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.
Gold Circle, the South African Aerobatic Club and the Daily News are collaborating in the two presentations with the Sky Grand Prix of Aerobatics taking place over the grassy expanse of the Royal Durban Golf Course during the morning and the horseracing getting underway in the afternoon.
Greyville Racecourse will be the perfect vantage point to view the aerobatic manoeuvres performed by five world class South African and five leading international pilots from 9am on the day with the gates to the course opening an hour earlier. The live expert commentary and big screen coverage of the Sky Grand Prix will be unique to those attending the event at Greyville Racecourse.
Entrance tickets to Greyville for the air show, at a cost of R220 per person and R50 for children under 12, can be obtained through Computicket.
The public attending both events should note, however, that due to the health and safety regulations related to air shows, there will be no parking at the Greyville in-field area and certain roads around the area will be closed.
However, from 13:00 entrance to Greyville for the Daily News 2000 racemeeting will be FREE and the main action will be on the racetrack where the focus will be on the many horses fighting to establish their authority as the best three-year-olds in the country and to secure places in the 18-horse field to face the starter in the R4.25-million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July a few weeks later.
The classic three-year-old level weights race was first run in 1961 and came under the banner of The Daily News in 1987. With runners from all parts of South Africa it is rated as the ultimate test of the young horses and in its 55-year history seven winners of the event have gone on to win the Vodacom Durban July in the same year.
Daily News 2000 raceday is a highly entertaining meeting and one of the popular features at the Theatre of Champions, as it is now known, is the Galloping Gourmet Beer & Braai Festival next to the Braai Zone area at the course. The Festival will be in action throughout the day including during the aerobatic display, and will feature live music, food stalls offering a variety of casual dishes, and popular brews. The popular Kids Zone will not be in operation on the day.
The Daily News is also running a fabulous competition for the public that offers a two night stay for four people, inclusive of breakfast, worth R64 000 in the magnificent Penthouse Suite at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort.
The Sky Grand Prix of Aerobatics will have viewers searching the skies but when the racetrack action begins they will be brought back to ground for some of the most exciting thoroughbred racing they will ever see.
Seventh Plain ‘doing well’
Dennis Drier might still have three runners in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint at Scottsville’s Festival Of Speed meeting on June 4, despite Triptique proving with his excellent running on third in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes on Friday he is more than just a sprinter.
Dual Gr 1 winner Seventh Plain was struck down by a “nasty virus” recently, but has recovered and is “doing well”. He might be back in time for the Tsogo Sun. He won the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Medallion over the same course and distance last year and the track and distance perfectly suits his style, in which he has good cruising speed and a powerful kick.
Triptique might go for both the Tsogo Sun Sprint and the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge. Jockey Sean Veale describes him as a honest horse and added, “He will easily stay a mile, he has been running like a horse who needs the mile.”
Meanwhile, Barbosa has come out of his excellent third in the Gr 1 WSB Computaform Sprint very well and should be a big runner in the Tsogo Sun, having escaped any raise to his existing 108 merit rating.
Triptique earned the maximum five point raise for his Drill Hall run, in accordance with the new handicapping guidelines for a second-placed horse in a Gr 2. He is now merit rated 106.
Seventh Plain (Nkosi Hlophe)
Seventh Plain could be well weighted in the Tsogo Sun off a 107 merit rating, having been dropped from a high of 110 due to three slightly disappointing runs in Cape Town. However, that campaign was geared around the CTS Million Dollar over 1400m and he is likely more comfortable over 1200m.
Furthermore, the last horse to do the Medallion/Tsogo Sun Sprint double was Delago Deluxe and he won the latter race off a 108 merit rating.
Both Drier and Veale confirmed Punta Arenas had needed the run in the Drill Hall, where he finished a 7,15 length eighth.
Drier will run him in the Gr 3 Cup Trial and then into the July, in which he was an unlucky runner up last year. However, his 18th position on the first July log makes him a borderline case for qualification.
Drier’s Gr 1-winning filly Chestnuts ‘N Pearls has had chips removed from her joints and reappears on 20th May in a Conditions Plate for fillies and mares over 1400m on the Greyville turf.
The useful middle distance filly Gathering Fame, who defended her Listed Jamaica Handicap crown at Kenilworth in January, also reappears on the 20th in the Listed KRA East Coast Cup over 2000m on the turf.
David Thiselton
Kennedy has tough choice
Gavin Van Zyl stable jockey Warren Kennedy faces a difficult choice of ride for the forthcoming Gr 1 Daily News 2000, an always vital Vodacom Durban July pointer which is to be run at Greyville on May 28.
Meanwhile, Anton Marcus was impressed by Rabada’s run in the Gr 2 Canon Guineas on Friday night and Geoff Woodruff revealed the respective routes his Vodacom Durban July entries Deo Juvente and Master Sabina would be taking.
Kennedy always knew the Van Zyl-trained Rocketball would stay the 2450m trip of the Gr 1 SA Derby and also knew the field would come back to him due to the furious pace up front. However, he was surprised by how easily the horse had made up the ground under a tight hold. Abashiri then went tearing past and opened up a two length lead at which point Kennedy thought he would be running for second.
However, in the end he nearly caught the Triple Crown hero. With both of their heads down all the way to the line neither jockey knew who had won and Kennedy answered Karl Zechner’s question in the pull up by saying, “I think I might have got it.” Zechner had been under enormous pressure throughout the day and his relief moments later was palpable.
However, Kennedy did question the strength of the Derby field beyond the first three finishers.
The Van Zyl-trained Celtic Captain, on the other hand, faced a strong field on Friday night in the Gr 2 Canon Guineas and finished a decent 2,3 length sixth.
Kennedy said, “He moved through beautifully and struck the front comfortably, but just as he did so he lifted his head and wanted to move outward. I think he might have seen the big TV screen.”
Stablemate Redcarpet Captain bounced back to form and stayed on well for a 2,65 length eighth. Jockey Keagan de Melo believes he will stay the 2000m trip of the Daily News. However, Kennedy felt it would not be wise to opt for Redcarpet Captain for the Daily News as a horse with a stamina question mark.
He concluded by saying he would likely be asked to ride Rocketball again, although he could not separate him from Celtic Captain, whose dam won over 2400m and who should still be improving after recent gelding.
Marcus was impressed Rabada had stayed on for second on Friday night, despite having to be used early to overcome his draw and find a handy position. He pointed out the two horses ahead of him in the running of the fast paced race had finished close to last. However, he felt Black Arthur would be tough to beat in the Daily News.
Woodruff said Deo Juvente’s only preparation race into the July would be the Gr 3 Jubilee at Turffontein on June 12, which significantly takes place after the publication of the July weights. Sansui Summer Cup winner Master Sabina will race in a Pinnacle Stakes event as his July preparation.
David Thiselton
Picture: Warren Kennedy (Nkosi Hlophe)
