Summerveld trainer Robbie Hill’s Pathfork colt Red Chesnut Road was the talk of the Scottsville meeting on Sunday after running away with a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m on his debut.

Later there was a good front-running performance from the useful Sean Tarry-trained Serissa to win the Listed Easter Handicap over 1950m under S’Manga Khumalo, while the Louis Goosen-trained Trip Tease showed how classy he is by coming from off the pace to win the innovative Easter Dash over 600m.

Red Chesnut Road (Nkosi Hlophe)

Hill, a top jockey for many years who once completed a rare Durban July/Gold Cup double, knows the game well and is not allowing himself to be carried away by Red Chesnut Road’s performance, despite the effortless win by 7,75 lengths under Brandon Lerena.

The Highlands-bred chestnut colt showed fine gatespeed and early speed, allowing him to overcome a high draw, which is usually viewed as unfavourable down the Scottsville straight. He steadily increased his lead under hands and heels.

The only possible downside to the victory was the winning time of the following race, won by the strapping Gavin van Zyl-trained two-year-old Just As Well filly Princess Analia. The latter’s time was just 0,48 seconds slower than Red Chesnut Road’s. This might bring in to question the quality of the field Red Chesnut Road beat. However, the Dennis Drier-trained Western Winter colt Lee’s Star, who was beaten 11,5 lengths into third place, was the subject of a big whisper and started 13/10 favourite, so must show a lot at home. Furthermore, Gavin van Zyl rates Princess Analia a “smart filly” and she certainly gave that impression in Sunday’s race, which followed her debut second on the poly in which she was green. Her big action took her to the front and she held on by 0,75 lengths from the Drier-trained debutant Sail, who is by Philanthropist. The 8/10 Duncan Howells-trained favourite Dawn Calling was beaten 3,5 lengths with the rest beaten ten lengths and more.

Hill liked Red Chesnut Road from the moment he saw him at the KZN Suncoast Yearling Sale and was surprised to pick him up for just R250,000. His pedigree suggests he should get a mile and more. Pathfork by Distorted Humor won a Gr 1 over seven furlongs at the Curragh in Ireland in soft going and the narrow runner up Casamento subsequently won a Gr 2 over a mile by four lengths before winning the Gr 1 Racing Post Trophy over a mile at Doncaster. Red Chesnut Road’s dam Scarlet Sky by Fort Wood won three times from 1200-1600m and his second dam Fading Light won the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes over 1600m and was third in the SA Oaks.

Princess Analia (Nkosi Hlophe)

Hill has had a high regard for Red Chesnut Road from day one, but is wisely not getting ahead of himself. The acid test will obviously be when he faces some of the best from the Highveld and the Cape. Consequently, no Gr 1 targets are being spoken about just yet.

Front-runners appear to be favoured by small fields, as they are able to dictate, and such was the case with Serissa in the Easter Handicap over 1950m. The tough six-year-old gelding by Black Minnaloushe started favourite despite having been given a six point merit rated raise to 95 for an easy win in the Non-Black Type Umthombothi Stakes over 2000m on the poly in his penultimate start. The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Solar Star, who sat second in the running, was chasing throughout the straight but was still 1,5 lengths shy at the line and second favourite No Worries finished third. Serissa is just below the best, so won’t be easy to place during the South African Champions Season. However, he has proven able to stay 2400m and has not been tried over further than that yet, so there are a range of possibilities.

Trip Tease was able to come from about two lengths off the pace under Gunther Wrogemann in the Easter Dash, despite his rivals going all out from gun to tape, and he got up in the shadow of the post to beat outsiders Piano Man and Zinnavar by 0,75 lengths.

By David Thiselton

Horses from visiting stables are rolling in with 117 boxes booked for Summerveld, 38 in Ashburton while Neil Bruss will be stabled off limits near Summerveld with 6 boxes.

The visitors are dominated by Western Cape trainers with Mike Bass, Brett Crawford, and Vaughan Marshall all allocated 20 boxes. Joey Ramsden has been allocated 15 boxes while Justin Snaith will fill 22.

The only Highveld visitor with boxes at Summerveld will be Mike Azzie with 20.

Johan Janse van Vuuren has applied for 20 boxes at Ashburton along with Louis Goosen (10) and Stanley Ferreira (8).

Sean Tarry and Dean Kannemeyer have permanent satellite yards at Summerveld while Weiho Marwing has a satellite yard at Turffontein and is now based in Ashburton.

The majority of Highveld trainers, but most notably Geoff Woodruff and Gary Alexander, will raid.

By Andrew Harrison

Picture: Louis Goosen (Nkosi Hlophe)

Psycho Syd is Durban-bound after shrugging aside a near three-month absence to give weight all round in lightning fast time in the Itsarush.co.za Handicap at Kenilworth on Saturday.

MJ Byleveld sent him to the front fully two furlongs from home and he slammed the clearly smart Orion Quest by nearly three lengths with the third another two lengths away. The time, admittedly helped by a strong wind, was only a fifth of a second outside Brutal Force’s six furlong course record.

Vaughan Marshall

Vaughan Marshall said: “We gelded him after the Sophomore and after we saw the handicappers had put him up three points for finishing fourth. He now goes to Durban.”

The Milnerton trainer introduced a smart-looking newcomer in William Longsword in the opener. The R2.2 million Captain Al colt showed real promise in the way he made up ground in the last 150m to dead-heat for third and Marshall was understandably pleased with the performance.

Greg Ennion revealed – after landing a treble with Jeremy, Chrome Blue and Chanukah – that he had taken a massive gamble a few months ago.

He said: “I’ve only got 30 horses and I explained to my owners that I can’t compete in the Cape season so I took a calculated step. I said to them ‘Give me a chance and I will show you what I can do after the season ends.’

“I promptly eased off with the horses and then brought them back – and it has worked. I can’t remember when I last had a treble.”

All three winners won with authority and in a manner that suggested there is more to come. Ennion confirmed this, adding: “Gelding has improved Chrome Blue. He had always shown potential but he is now becoming a serious horse while Jeremy has still to fill out – he looks like a coat-hanger at the moment.”

Mike Robinson showed that you don’t need to spend a fortune for a winner when Streaming – only R10 000 at the National Two-Year-Old Sale – came again to get up close home under Aldo Domeyer in the Play The Bipot Maiden Juvenile.

Robinson said: “I was the only bidder and I couldn’t fault her.”

Donovan Dillon got up on Dancer in the opening two-year-old maiden having spent more time on the road than a long-distance lorry driver. After accepting a string of rides at Fairview he found there wasn’t a flight to be had.

Many would have picked up the phone to the various trainers, apologised and thought no more about it. Not this man. He got into his car on Thursday and drove for seven hours. After eight rides and two winners, he did the same on Friday night only this time it took a lot longer because he had rain to contend with for most of the 750k. He finally arrived back in Cape Town at 1.15am.

Joey Ramsden was impressed, particularly when Dillon duly won on Dancer, and so too was retired Dusseldorf businessman Wolfgang Schmitz when he heard the background to the story of his first winner.

By Michael Clower

Sylvester The Cat showed himself to be a horse with Classic potential when turning in a smart performance at Scottsville on Sunday. The gelded son of Black Minnaloushe formed part of a Duncan Howells treble and the stable has seemingly turned the corner after a quiet spell that was attributed to a low grade virus.

Sylvester The Cat’s win came in a particularly strong Graduation Plate but it was not so much the victory as the manner in which it was achieved that had tongues wagging. Jumping from an outside gate stable jockey Muzi Yeni found himself in front and went on to make all. “He jumped well and when I looked around to see that I didn’t cut anyone off he went half a stride forward and thought he was back in a 1200. I got him to come back to me and he raced with his ears pricked.”

Sylvester The Cat (Nkosi Hlophe)

Commenting post-race Howells said his charge could have a bright future but needs to control his temperament. “He’s his own worst enemy. He’s a fighter. He will fight you with everything he’s got.”

Most impressive was the gelding’s turn of foot as Bulleting Home loomed up alongside with the line in his sights. But Sylvester The Cat quickly found another gear and sped clear to win as he liked. “He was not 100% fit but he still found more. He’s still got a lot to prove but I think he’s above average and we will go the Guineas, Daily News route if things pan out,” said Howells.

Ten Gun Salute is another promising three-year-old in the Howells yard and the Michael Roberts Handicap winner is likely to follow the same route as Sylvester The Cat after being given a short break. “He’s back in full work. I think we might go the same route as Sylvester but I’m still debating. I think Sylvester’s best distances are from a mile to 2000m but Ten Gun will stay further.” He shed his maiden over 2400m.

Also in contention for a high profile South African Champions Season is the filly Cosmic Light however, it has not all been plain sailing. “She’s doing well but I battled to get her back on song after her trip to Cape Town. I think the SA Fillies Sprint (City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint) is the right race for her but I’m still no sure at this stage.”

Former Howells inmate Same Jurisdiction leaves the Kenilworth quarantine station for Mauritius on March 27. Howells has a watching brief but said although the filly had lightened up a little – “one can expect that” – things were going well.

However, there has been a forced change of plans. “She tested positive for pyro and will not be allowed to race in America so I think her connections will be looking to race in Hong Kong,” said Howells.

By Andrew Harrison

Vodacom Durban July and Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner Legislate heads Justin Snaith’s 20-plus Champions Season team which also includes Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn and talented three-year-olds Black Arthur and Bela-Bela.

Snaith said: “I have a very strong string for Durban and I am looking forward to it. However I will take very few two-year-olds, maybe only a couple for Durban-based owners. It’s not worth taking them because they end up with very high merit ratings.”

Joey Ramsden, on the other hand, expects to be well represented on the two-year-old front, saying: “I have a nice string of juveniles for Durban although I am a bit short of three-year-olds this time as we have moved some of them on.

“I will be taking 20 horses, among them a number who went to Jo’burg and missed the summer including last year’s KRA Guineas winner The Conglomerate who had a throat infection and has been cut, St Tropez and the Track And Ball Derby winner Disco Al who is still reasonably rated.”

By Michael Clower

Picture: Justin Snaith

Mike Miller’s promising Warm White Night gelding Executive Power proved he could go 1400m last Wednesday and now has the Gr 3 Byerley Turk in his sights.

Executive Power led from the off in a small but useful Novice Plate last Wednesday under Anton Marcus. He relaxed well before running all the way to the line and staving off the fair sort Monte Christo to win by 1,25 lengths with the other two runners way back.

Executive Power (Nkosi Hlophe)

Miller does not believe he will go further than 1400m. Therefore, he will an interesting runner in the Byerley Turk, which is to be run on Friday night April 3 on the Greyville turf over 1400m.  He will be going all out, while a lot of the runners will be using it as a springboard into bigger races like the Gr 2 Canon Guineas. Executive Power will also be able to lead, having proved affective with the tactic.

Miller was also pleased with the run of Argonaut colt Rob’s Jewel in the Listed Storm Bird Stakes over 1000m at Turffontein two weekends ago.

The unfashionably bred colt won on debut over 800m at Scottsville on December 20 and was supposed to have had another run before the Storm Bird, but it had to be scrapped due to a lack of entries. He consequently just ran out of steam in the last few yards of the Storm Bird when looking threatening to finish just 1,5 lengths back in fourth.

He would have benefitted from the run and should now be cherry ripe. He is being aimed at the Sentinel Stakes over 1000m at Scottsville on April 3.

By David Thiselton

Charles Laird said the run of Exit Here in the Gr 3 Kings Cup on the polytrack on Friday night could be ignored and he will now likely go straight into the Gr 2 Canon Guineas on the opening night of the South African Champions Season on Friday May 6.

Laird also spoke about Ice Machine and his promising two-year-old winner on Sunday, Good To Give, as well as some of his other chief feature race contenders.

Charles Laird (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Kings Cup was run in the rain, and followed a torrential downpour, meaning Exit Here had to work a lot harder than usual to get into his favoured handy position from a draw of eight. He also “hated” the wet conditions. He not surprisingly found nothing in the straight and finished last. The Gr 1 Daily News 2000 is likely a trip he is looking for so is also on the agenda.

Laird also felt a line could be drawn through Stormy Eclipse’s run in the Kings Cup, despite him running on for third, as the conditions made it difficult coming from off the pace due to the water being kicked up.

Ice Machine was unlucky in the Gr 2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein last time out when a slow pace saw him flying from last place to finish a close up third. Laird thought it was a fine performance and said, “If the race was over 1402m everybody would have said it was a great run.”

Ice Machine put up a fine gallop coming up the bottom sand track at Summerveld yesterday (Monday) and is on track for the Gr 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m on Classic Day at Turffontein, April 2.

Philanthropist colt Good To Give ran on in eyecatching style on Sunday to win on debut in a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m under Anton Marcus.

He displayed a fine turn of foot and Laird really likes the Philanthropists, of which he has three. “He is a proper sire,” he said. Philanthropist was a middle distance horse, while Good To Give is a half-sister to Sweet Sanette, who finished third in the Gr 1 King’s Stand Stakes over five furlongs at Royal Ascot, so the young colt has some speed too. Laird believes Good To Give will get 1600m so has a nice quandary to be in, whether to run him in the CTS $US500,000 1200m race at Kenilworth next January or the CTS $US500,000 1600m race. Good To Give is sure to be a player in the South African Champions Season Gr 1 races before that.

Laird was very pleased with the performance of Viva La Var on Friday night. He led until close home in a MR 102 1000m handicap, a race run in dry conditions before the deluge, and was only overtaken by a good sort in Captain Alfredo. That was his first outing since last October at Turffontein and he is now going to be targeted at the innovative R100,000 Easter Dash at Scottsville on March 27. This year is to be run over only 500m, so Viva La Var’s early speed will give him a big shout.

Laird said the promising three-year-old Main Submission had benefitted tremendously from an enforced layoff. The Oracy colt was injured in the float on the way back from the R2,5 million CTS Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup over 1400m on October 31, where he ran a decent sixth. He will be at the races soon and will later likely line up in the Canon Guineas too.

By David Thiselton

Feature image: Exit Here (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint at Scottsville on June 4 – and a possible rematch with Carry On Alice – is next on the target list for Cuvee Brut who convincingly justified Brett Crawford’s stamina convictions in the Vasco Prix Du Cap at Kenilworth on Saturday.

The 18-10 favourite came within the thickness of a racecard of beating the Sean Tarry star in the Southern Cross (admittedly receiving 2kg) and here she had no difficulty in holding the strong-finishing 33-1 shot Flying Ice. But seemingly it wasn’t as straightforward as it looked.

Anton Marcus reported: “She never wanted to corner all that well and up the straight she hung out quite badly.”

However Crawford added: “She has had an outstanding season and, after having a little break on the farm, we will take her to Durban [for Champions Season]. We will campaign her first in the Gr1  SA Fillies Sprint (now City of Pietermaritzburg) and then we will see whether to go for the Gr1 Garden Province.

“We will do the same sort of thing with Alexis who missed the kick and got a bit further back than I wanted but finished her race well to take fourth.”

Crawford did even better in the Calulo Cape Mile when Big Cat led a furlong out under JP van der Merwe to spring a 25-1 surprise, beating stable companion Sail South by a length. The former Stan Elley-trained gelding spent six months with Dennis Drier before joining Crawford who said: “I am still learning about this horse so I’m not yet sure about Durban. But Sail South was a touch unlucky – he got carried out by the horse in front (Hard Day’s Night).”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe told the stipes that there was something wrong with 4-1 second favourite Heartland who finished last and the vet reported the colt not striding out in front as well as making an abnormal respiratory noise. But a similar check on 33-10 market leader Night Trip (ninth) revealed nothing.

King Of Pain opened up some intriguing distance options when given a chance to show long-suspected stamina by making all in the CTS Chairman’s Cup at 8-1.

Fayd’Herbe plotted his moves, and the expected counter ploys of the opposition, like a grand master at the World Chess Championship – “It was always my game plan to lead. The last thing I wanted was Anton Marcus (on 11-20 hotpot Coltrane) dictating it in front.

“When you swing round the corner here nobody wants to commit until after the junction. If they wanted to go round me then I knew they were probably going to kill themselves.

“I was going a decent pace. Not too fast but not slow enough to give Anton a chance of coming round me.

“When King Of Pain puts it together he is a hard horse to beat. The only problem he’s got is that in a race he thinks even more than I do!”

This was Joey Ramsden’s eighth Chairman’s Cup this century and he introduced a smart-looking newcomer in the Mauritzfontein colours in the Nima Consulting Maiden. Miranda Frost was backed from 20-1 to 11-2 and led from pen to post under Donovan Dillon.

Assistant trainer Ricardo Sobotker said: “She is very stocky and powerful, she showed natural speed from day one and she has a bright future.”

But perhaps the most significant winner for punters was Line Break. He might have only just got home in the Kepu Pinnacle Stakes – indeed Grant van Niekerk feared he was beaten – but apparently he is considerably better than his present 97 merit rating.

He lost valuable ground at the start in last month’s Betting World Cape Flying Championship and from then on his rider had to repeatedly switch this way and that looking for an opening. He covered more ground than Jan van Riebeeck and, while he finished halfway down the field, he was only beaten two and a quarter lengths.

Candice Robinson said: “He was unlucky not to win that day. He is exceptionally talented and has all the ability in the world but we have to get it out of him. He is not the easiest of horses to train, or the soundest, and he has lots of problems.

“I am not 100% sure he will go to Durban – it might not be the right place for him – but, that said, there might not be that much for him here.”

> The course’s fourth prawn festival was an even bigger success that the previous ones and attracted the best crowd outside Met day. Phumelela estimated it at 7 000 and they consumed 2.5 tonnes of prawns. That works out at over 350 grams each!

  The organisers reckon to sell three tonnes at this Saturday’s Turffontein version and, in case anyone thinks racing is single-handedly emptying the ocean, the prawns come from a special farm in India.

Michael Clower
Picture: Cuvee Brut (Liesl King)