Category Archives: KZN Yearling

The Conglomerate comes up trumps

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Few saw it coming. Even trainer Joey Ramsden was sceptical beforehand, even more so after The Conglomerate drew the extreme outside gate. But under a superb tactical ride from Piere Strydom the 20-1 shot pulled off a memorable win in yesterday’s Gr1 Vodacom Durban July.

The Conglomerate (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Conglomerate (Nkosi Hlophe)

Always handy Strydom moved his mount through smoothly under hands and heels to hit the front 200m out and had the race in the bag in a matter of strides. The diminutive Marinaresco came from the rear of the field to finish a neck second.  There was a scramble for the minor placings with Mac De Lago getting up late for third to deny It’s My Turn with rank outsider Saratoga Dancer also running on well in fifth.

Favourite, the grey filly Bela-Bela, was finishing off her race but never threatened. With the tote paying six places she did just enough to save place punters.

It was a belated birthday present for an emotional Strydom who turned 50 last month. It was also a fourth win for Strydom in the country’s richest race and his second from the widest draw after getting home narrowly aboard Pomodoro in 2012.

Ever the professional Strydom was offered the ride on Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner Mac De Lago who looked a better proposition, but he had already committed to ride for the Jooste’s and their racing manager Derek Brugman even though retained rider Anton Marcus had the pick of the rides.

Joey Ramsden (Nkosi Hlophe)

Joey Ramsden (Nkosi Hlophe)

“It was an exceptional ride,” said Ramsden, “Although he should thank his compardres in the weighing room. They let him in so easily.”

“This is always a great day. I have been coming here for 18 years and it’s always great racing.”

He had a consoling word for the owners of second-placed Marinaresco. They must be sad an heartsore. Marsh (Shirtliff) and Bryn (Ressell) are good friends of mine and great owners.”

A win for Marinaresco would have signed off on a memorable career for trainer Mike Bass who retires at the end of the month.

There are no immediate plans for the winner with the eLan Gold Cup and the Mike and Carol Bass Champion Stakes coming up at month’s end. “There’s no reason why he shouldn’t stay (the Gold Cup trip) but he will be at the top of the handicap. It’s up to Derek to decide.”

Dubai is an unlikely option. “I’m not quite sure he’s good enough,” Ramsden said.

Marinaresco must now rate as the best three-year-old in the country as he came from last at the top of the straight. He showed a tremendous turn of foot and ran past all but The Conglomerate with ease although Ramsden was never worried. “I think Piere knew he had it in the bag.”

Weiho Marwing gave Mac De Lago the thumbs up. “He ran a great race.” Brother Weichong said French Navy had every chance even though he missed the break but was not suited to the slow pace.

There were some hard luck stories. Solid Speed returned with a nosebleed while both Triple Crown hero Abashiri and St Tropez, stable companion to the winner, returned lame.

Inara (Nkosi Hlophe)

Inara (Nkosi Hlophe)

Star filly Inara finally broke her KZN hoodoo and landed her fifth Gr1 with victory in the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes.

Unplaced last year behind Same Jurisdiction, she put the record straight as she ground out a win from off a strong pace to keep Strydom at bay and a Gr1 double as Olma finished with a rattle but too late to make a difference to the result. Pacemaker Bichette stayed on for third.

“Things didn’t go right for her last year,” said Candice Robinson assistant to her father Mike Bass who hands over the reins his daughter come the end of the month.  This could well be Bass’s final Gr1 of his career and winning rider Grant van Niekerk was profuse in his praise as it was Bass who recognised his talent and gave a raw jockey, just recently out of his apprenticeship, the plum job of stable jockey.

What made the win more special is that Inara has now won in three different centres, having won the Laurie Jaffee Empress Club Stakes at Turffontein back in April and three others in her home town.

Punta Arenas (Nkosi Hlophe)

Punta Arenas (Nkosi Hlophe)

Second in the Vodacom Durban July last year when trained by now retired Stan Elley, Punta Arenas did not make this year’s final field but made up for it by winning the “July” consolation, the DELTA Air Lines 2200m. Now with Dennis Drier, Punta Arenas kept finding extra to deny the Mike de Kock pair of The Centenary and Alghadeer, the latter failing to reach his reserve when offered for auction last week.

Second and third in the DELTA Airlines, De Kock trumped that with a 1-2-3-4 in the SABC Gold Vase over 3000m.

Kingston Mines was sent out as the hare and opened a good few lengths on his rivals coming up the hill at the 800 m mark. He kept finding in the straight but was challenged by Smart Mart. These two looked to have the race to themselves before Enaad finished with a wet sail, running them both down in the shadow of the post with Kinaan finishing the best of the others to snatch fourth.

Leading all the way, Final Judgement pulled of a 25-1 surprise in the Gold Circle Golden Slipper, rallying under a strong ride from Stuart Randolph to narrowly hold off the attentions of Dawn Calling and Sail. Odds-on favourite Maleficent, prominent throughout surrendering tamely to finish unplaced.

Zodiac Ruler (Nkosi Hlophe)

Zodiac Ruler (Nkosi Hlophe)

Jumping from pole position, Randloph had no hesitation taking Final Judgement to the lead with Muzi Yeni slotting Dawn Calling perfectly into position behind the favourite.

Once in the straight Maleficent left Dawn Calling in the clear and she was left to chase home Final Judgement.

Two-year-old male form has been muddling but Zodiac Ruler put up his hand with a superb victory in the Durban Golden Horseshoe.  The imposing Justin Snaith-trained colt was again slow out of the gate and found himself at the tail end of the field.  “They went very fast. That suited me,” said rider Richard Fourie.

Duncan Howells was super confident of the chances of his filly Lunar Rush in the KZN Yearling Sale Million and so it proved. Anthony Delpech took the race by the scruff from the start and the result was never in doubt. This was the second win in the race for Howells who also scored with crack filly Same Jurisdiction two years back.

 

 

Rocketball (Left) King's Knight (Right) - Nkosi Hlophe

Rocketball’s a tough guy

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Gavin van Zyl runs three-year-old Rocketball in the Vodacom Durban July on Saturday and has a number of other runners at the meeting.

The horse the yard seem most bullish about on the day is the KZN Yearling Million contender Poster Girl, while Sunday’s KZN Million Mile winner No Worries will likely be scratched from the SABC Gold Vase.

Rocketball (Left) King's Knight (Right) - Nkosi Hlophe

Rocketball (Left) King’s Knight (Right) – Nkosi Hlophe

Jockey Warren Kennedy described Rocketball as a “very strong horse”, so was not concerned by his antics at the July gallops when keen as they set off.

He said they had gone a very slow pace, so he had not surprisingly taken a “tug”, but he added the main thing was “he did not overdo it.”

Kennedy pointed to the Judpot gelding’s recorded 22,9 second 400m to finish time at the gallops as proof he had the necessary finishing speed for the tight Greyville track.

The timing system on the day is done through a flag drop, so the accuracy has to be questioned, but Rocketball did quicken well in the Gr 1 SA Derby.

In the Gr 1 Daily News the pace had been too slow and Kennedy said, “He had too much ground to make up, but ran all the way to the line.”

He concluded, “He is in a good place, his prep has been good. I am happy with the draw (seven).”

Rocketball worked on the beach sand at Summerveld yesterday (Tuesday) and showed off his giant action. If he can come into the straight with momentum on Saturday that action could carry him close.

Kennedy’s best July finish has been third on the 100/1 shot Forest Path in 2009.

Warren Kennedy (Nkosi Hlophe)

Warren Kennedy (Nkosi Hlophe)

Kennedy said about first race contender Brown Sugar, who carries topweight of  62kg minus the 2,5kg claim of Eric Saziso Ngwane, “It’s her favourite course and distance (1400m), she won well last time, and has the claimer aboard.” The form of that last race is hard to assess, but the field were well spread out which usually indicates a good performance and the handicappers gave the four-year-old a four point raise in the merit ratings.

The yard have two runners in the Middle Stakes over 1400m and Kennedy said, “Bagger Vance (drawn 14 with Brandon Lerena up) has become consistent and is in a good space at the moment. Tipo Tinto is a funny horse, he is seven-years-old, and hard to predict.” If Tipo Tinto repeats his last run over course and distance, when most unlucky, he could earn from a draw in which he should be able to drop in as there is plenty of pace on his inside.

Gavin van Zyl said about Isca, who runs in the Compendium MR 103 handicap over 1000m on the poly, “He is quick, so this could be his right trip and he drawn next to the right horse (Harry Lime).” The grey Var gelding has been dropped three points, but is 0,5kg under sufferance. He put in a flying bit of work on the beach sand yesterday (Tuesday) and is looking in tip, top shape. He jumps from draw two under Kennedy and has a chance provided he behaves in the pens. Just Ask Me runs here too and Gavin said he had been doing nicely, but would find it too short.

Redcarpet Captain (Nkosi Hlophe)

Redcarpet Captain (Nkosi Hlophe)

Poster Girl is next up and Anton Marcus rides from a plum draw of two in the lucrative 1300m event. Kennedy emphasised, “She is doing very, very well at the moment.” He pointed out she was the only horse in the field with Gr 1 form.

Assistant trainer Gareth van Zyl said about the yard’s runners in the eleventh race, the tabGold Sprint over 1200m on the polytrack, “Budapest is doing well, it might be a bit sharp, but it’s worth a shot. Redcarpet Captain has been gelded, but it is not easy from the draw (eleven).” He said Redcarpet Captain had improved in his work since gelding. The pair worked together on the beach sand yesterday (Tuesday) and Redcarpet Captain showed a lot of speed and had to be reined in by Kennedy, but it was the reverse in their grass gallop the other day, where Budapest had the better of it.

Kennedy said Celtic Captain would be alright returning to the mile in the Listed Daisy Business Solutions Handicap on the turf and did not expect him to repeat his antic of looking at the big TV screen,   which had proved costly after he had quickened into the lead in the Gr 2 Canon Guineas. He added the horse’s run in the Daily News 2000 had not panned out well, so it was not necessarily due to him not staying the trip. Gavin Lerena will be aboard Celtic Captain from draw eight, while Kennedy will ride the honest Silver Spring from draw five. The latter has dropped back to the 90 merit rated mark off which he finished a narrow second in the Listed Michael Roberts Handicap, although he is known to have a few soundness issues.

By David Thiselton

Same Jurisdiction (Nkosi Hlophe)

Road to the KZN Yearling Sale Million

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Entries for the R1-million KZN Yearling Sale Million, which will be run over 1300m on Vodacom Durban July raceday, falls due at 11:00 on Friday, 17 June, and are restricted to all qualifying graduates from the KZN 2015 Yearling Sales, as determined by Bloodstock South Africa.

Heading the list of prospective runners is the exciting Robbie Hill-trained Pathfork colt, Red Chesnut Road. Unbeaten in two starts to date, Red Chesnut Road suffered a slight setback which kept him out of the recent Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion but hopefully he will be ready for action on 2 July.

As of today’s date the top twenty six two year olds eligible for the KZN Yearling Sale Million, based on provisional handicappers’ ratings,  are:- Red Chesnut Road, Announcing Rain, He’s A Var, Last Chirp, Tamara, Poster Girl, Dawn Assault, Pool Party, Zevenastic, Hamunaptra, Answeringenesis, Chap Trap, Lunar Rush, Fashion Blast, Lil Gambler, Ocean Drive South, Phantom Rock, South Side, Structure Reply, Hurricane Shelley, Audrie Do, Golden Ball, Just Vogue, Mia Culpa, Je Suis Silver and Scent of the Tiger.

Bloodstock SA will be hosting the 2016 KZN Yearling Sale at Sibaya Casino on the Thursday and Friday preceding the Vodacom Durban July and catalogues are now available at several offices around the country.

july c

Huge entry for July day

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With 180 entries received for the six feature races supporting the R4.25-million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July at Greyville Racecourse on July 2, one might believe there is not a single top horse from anywhere in the country that is not aimed at Africa’s Greatest Horseracing extravaganza.

With the announcement of the final field for the 2 200m blue ribbon event not due for nearly two weeks, the plans for some of the hopefuls are still in limbo resulting in the largest entry for the meeting being for the R500 000, Grade 3 Delta Airlines 2200 – the race normally targeted by horses that do not make the final cut for the premier event – and this year there are 48 of them.

The R1-million, Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1 600m has attracted 21 entries including super filly Bela-Bela as well as the likes of Inara, Silver Mountain, Entisaar and Negroamaro.

The two R600 000, Grade 2 juvenile races, the Durban Golden Horseshoe and the Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper, have both drawn large nominations with 37 entered for the colts race and 28 for the fillies.

The R500 000, Grade 3 SABC Gold Vase over 3 000m has drawn the 29 best stayers in South Africa.

It all points to another bumper Vodacom Durban July meeting where about 50 000 will cram into the Greyville course and together with punters from around the country, wager hundreds of millions of rands on the meeting.

 

Dennis Drier (Nkosi Hlophe)

Drier’s racing achievement

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Summerveld maestro Dennis Drier has won many Gr 1 races in recent seasons but was still unable to contain his emotions after managing one of the best days of his career on Vodacom Durban July day on Saturday. He won both of the two-year-old Gr 1 events on the card and later added a first and third in a Non-Black type sprint.

Dennis Drier (Nkosi Hlophe)

Dennis Drier (Nkosi Hlophe)

He said, “You dream of winning races like this and this is unbelievable.”

The veteran trainer had two Gr 1 winners on a day for the first time at Scottsville earlier this year, so only appears to be getting better.

On Saturday his filly Chestnuts N Pearls provided the great Horse Chestnut with his first South African-bred Gr 1 winner and his second Gr 1 winner overall when sweeping through to land the Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m by 1,5 lengths under Sean Cormack.

Later his top class Seventh Rock colt Seventh Plain fought back in courageous fashion to get up by a short-head in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m under Anton Marcus.

Seventh Plain will likely be named Equus two-year-old male of the year as he also won the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion and on Saturday he beat the Gr 1 SA Nursery winner Arabian Beat into third.

Chestnut N Pearls was bred by Nutfield Stud and is owned by Jaap van der Vendel’s Vendel Civils, Mark Currie and Mayseh Chetty. Currie, who was having his third Gr 1 winner, and Chetty were both on course to lead her in. Chetty has had 120 winners in his seven year ownership career, but this was his first Gr 1 success.

He said, “I’m very proud, it’s exciting to have a Gr 1 winner and on July day.” The filly was purchased at Bloodstock South Africa’s Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Sale for R240,000 last year so will have a big money sales race to look forward to next year.

Drier had initially planned to put her away after her run in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship over 1200m at Scottsville, but jockey Cormack had advised that the 1200m trip had simply been too short, and she had also had to come from an unfavourable high draw, so he recommended she run in the Slipper. His advice proved spot on. She now might even take her place in the Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m on Super Saturday.

Chestnuts N Pearls (Nkosi Hlophe)

Chestnuts N Pearls (Nkosi Hlophe)

Drier hails from a famous racing dynasty, who were once labelled “The Sob Mob” by his Uncle Russell Laird (“When we win we cry, when we lose we smile”), so it was little surprise to see him in tears in the winner’s enclosure after the filly’s fluent win.

In the Golden Horseshoe the Dominic Zaki-trained Arabian Beat overcame a wide draw to lead from the off and looked to have an apparently under pressure Seventh Plain beaten 100m out. The danger looked to be the well supported Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained maiden Brazuca, who was flying on the inside. However Seventh Plain then suddenly found his big stride and surged through the centre to beat Brazuca by a short-head with Arabian Beat a head further back. Drier said, “He’s an absolutely amazing horse. Anton said he was very green. I didn’t think he could win half way down the straight, but that is what top horses are made of and top jockeys.”

Drier believes this big colt has a very bright future, so he will likely be put away and aimed at the Cape Summer Of Champions Season, although this will depend on owner Markus Jooste’s racing manager Derek Brugman.

Seventh Rock has had a Gr 1 winner in each of his first two crops, the first of them being Guiness who was also trained by Drier. Seventh Rock was trained by Drier’s cousin Charles Laird and owned by Markus Jooste and the latter also owns both Guiness and Seventh Plain. Seventh Plain was bred by Klawervlei Stud.

Seventh Plain (Nkosi Hlophe)

Seventh Plain (Nkosi Hlophe)

Later Drier won the eThekwini Sprint over 1200m on the poly with the classy three-year-old Var colt Generalissimo and his promising Trippi gelding Triptique flew up for third. The win confirmed a change in fortunes for owner Nick Jonsson, who had won an earlier race on the day having enjoyed a luckless Champions Season up until then. One of Generalissimo’s finest assets is his gatespeed and he had missed the break in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint at Scottsville after standing in stalls for close to five minutes and later Jonsson’s three-year-old Justin Snaith-trained Jet Master gelding Ultimate Dollar had to be scratched from the start of the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 after kicking the back of the gate. Both horses won on Saturday. Generalissimo is now unbeaten in two starts on the poly and  Ultimate Dollar proved what a big runner he would have been in the Daily News by winning the Gr 3 tabGold 2200 in fine style from start to finish under S’Manga Khumalo. Jonsson owns Generalissimo in partnership with his father Benji and Ultimate Dollar in partnership with RD Hamilton’s Evanstan Investments.

Khumalo’s other winner on the day was aboard the Charles Laird-trained Resolution, who won her swansong on the poly before going to stud. Resolution’s part-owner Alesh Naidoo competed with Jonsson for owner of the day as he also owned the winner and third-placed horses in the KZN Yearling Sale Million, the Dennis Bosch-trained Clifton Stud-bred AP Answer gelding Cutting Edge and the Charles laird-trained Chosen Dash, and he also owns the Laird-trained Bold Inspiration, who finished second in a Listed event.

By David Thiselton

same jurisdiction

Where to next?

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Dean Kannemeyer is to wait until Power King recovers from his exertions in Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July before making any plans about the four-year-old’s future. He said: “Power King was a little wobbly and exhausted straight after the race so we will let him get over this and then decide where we go.”

Kannemeyer, winning the great race for the third time, explained that the horse had not been straightforward to train:  “He had a few soundness problems as a young three-year-old. Then he was haemoconcentrating and so I said to Lady Christine Laidlaw that there was only one way to deal with that and we gelded him.

“But the July is the ultimate race for a trainer in South Africa and I am over the moon to win it again.”

Lady Laidlaw raised the interest levels of the foreign media contingent by reacting positively to overseas campaign suggestions but the horse seems far more likely to stay in this country.

Stuart Randolph had to shed almost four kilos in three weeks to do 53k – “It wasn’t a strict diet but I watched it and the weight slowly came off”- and he is now facing a fortnight’s suspension.

Nothing to do with the Punta Arenas bumping match but everything to do with the way he came across Legal Eagle, Gold Onyx and Halve The Deficit as he began his run. “He cleaned up half the field,” commented a brassed-off Sean Tarry who trains all three.

This was the second successive year that the historic race has been decided in the boardroom but, even more remarkably, the first three are all by Silvano and were all bred by Maine Chance.

Duncan Howells has already mapped out Same Jurisdiction’s future and, after the way she justified 17-10 favouritism under Anton Marcus in the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province, he was talking about her in the same breath as Via Africa. He said: “You cannot believe the improvement she has made in the last two months and not even Via Africa galloped the way she did last Tuesday. She won’t run again this season and next term we will go to Cape Town for the Paddock Stakes and the Klawervlei Majorca.”

Marcus has amazing talent at both ends of a race but even he excelled himself when getting up in the last stride on 12-10 favourite Seventh Plain in the Durban Golden Horseshoe. The superlatives flowed like champagne at a wedding but owner Markus Jooste remarked tongue-in-cheek: “With what Anton costs one expects that sort of ride!”

The former champion added: “This win was a testament to the horse’s courage. He had every opportunity to spit the dummy but instead he dug down deep.”

Trainer Dennis Drier, who initiated a notable Grade 1 double with 16-1 shot Chestnuts N Pearls in the Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper, said: “You dream about Grade 1 winners but to have two in one day is unbelievable and I am blessed to have jockeys like Anton and Sean Cormack.”

Seventh Plain is to be put away for Cape Town and the Cape Guineas but the Thekwini on July 25 is a possibility for the filly. But it’s worth noting that Brazuca, beaten a short head in the Horseshoe, would almost certainly have won had he not been baulked 300m out and been switched to get a clear run.

Also with an eye to next time when the first three in the SABC Gold Vase meet again in the Gold Cup: Solid Speed, who started favourite and was beaten less than a length into third behind the Gavin van Zyl-trained Heart Of A Lion (Muzi Yeni), lost a front shoe.

Dynamic proved the July selection committee’s point when weakening close home in the TabGold 2200 won in all-the-way fashion by S’Manga Khumalo on stable companion Ultimate Dollar but Justin Snaith is still very much concerned about the pens. He said: “This trip was a little bit too far for Dynamic but we have always rated Ultimate Dollar highly. We were going to use the same tactics on him in the Daily News but he got injured at the start.

“These stalls come from Australia and there is too much of a gap between the back gates. We have complained but I feel that the guys are not taking us seriously.”

The stipes certainly took Warren Kennedy seriously when he used a few choice words to the starter – his mount Sun On Africa was injured in the pens and had to be withdrawn from this race. He was fined R1 000 for “abusive language.”

By Michael Clower

Picture: Same Jurisdiction (Nkosi Hlophe)

Same Jurisdiction (Nkosi Hlophe)

Same Jurisdiction to show her class

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The Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes has attracted an ultra-strong field headed up by Same Jurisdiction who is full of class and is course and distance suited.

She has enjoyed a good preparation and the draw is the only concern. Alexis won the KRA Fillies Guineas in fine style and has been putting in fantastic work at home. Carry On Alice has landed a good draw and has gone close in a Gr 1 over course and distance before.

Hammie’s Hooker has drawn in pole and put up a likely career best run in this race last year, so has an outstanding chance. Smart Call is the dark horse because a change to hold up tactics paid dividends in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 and she is affective over this trip too. Inara wasn’t herself in the Woolavington and probably didn’t stay, but has as good a winning chance as any of the above. Jet Belle is versatile and would not be a shock winner. Red Flame is classy and is unfortunate that her career coincides with such top female milers. Jet Aglow could earn on best form. They are selected in the order mentioned for this and all other races. The classy Seventh Plain has landed a plum draw in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m and wasn’t stopping when winning the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m. Arabian Beat relaxes well and is full of class, so will be right there if overcoming the draw.

Lineker is a classy individual suited to this trip and well drawn. Muwaary impressed over 1300m last time and being a relaxed type should help him overcome a wide draw to some extent. Redcarpet Captain has unfortunately drawn wide as he has enjoyed a better preparation than he did for the Gold Medallion and should enjoy this trip.

Main Submission should be running on well and is the dark horse. Mogok Master’s last run can be ignored as he was badly hampered. He would prefer further but has a place chance if overcoming the draw. Beat The Retreat, Hip Hop Dancer and Never Settle make most appeal of the rest. The Gr 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper does not have a vintage field and Princess Royal looks to be a good bet as one that has impressed in sprints and will relish the step up in trip. She is well drawn too. She has played up at the course before but behaved impeccably at the big Scottsville Sprint day.

Captain’s Song is unfortunately drawn wide but has class and with luck in running could be right there. Frosted Honey will relish the step up n trip and has some fair form. She has not had an ideal preparation but has been putting in exceptional work at home. Mella Maria should be running on strongly. Almashooqa ran around in the finish last time and could improve with blinkers but her formlines are suspect.

Ninefold improved in her work with pacifiers and could earn. Miracle Rising and Melliflora are improving types who could earn and Lauderdale could place too.

The tabGold 2200 could be won by the classy St. Tropez, who will enjoy the course and distance, and Ultimate Dollar, who has been working well, could follow him home. Dynamic, Mountain Master and Light The Lights could be next best. The SABC Gold Vase could be won by the big and classy staying type Wild Ash from Crime Victim, Heart Of A Lion, Solid Speed, Kolkata, J’s Outsider and Smart Mart. The Listed Canon Business Centre Handicap could be won by MLJet from Kochka, Bold Inspiration, Rampant Ice and Prince Of Orange.

The KZN Yearling Sale Million could be won by Hot August, who needed his last run and was bought and prepared especially for this race. Chosen Dash should be running on strongly. Natal was impressive on debut over 1000m, should appreciate the step up in trip and is well drawn.

Speedy Suzy has pace and from a good draw is a big runner if seeing out the trip. Royal Pleasure could overcome her draw with her gatespeed and is another who is a big runner if seeing out the trip. Var’s Dream will be running on strongly if seeing out the trip.

Master Sam, Trini’s Colateral, Shivering Sea, Cutting Edge, Just As I Said, Just Africa and Mayfair can’t be ignored in an open race.

Gumbi has some class and could win the first race from Firewood.

Resolution is primed for the second race and could beat Cathy Specific, Lertasha, Dashing Scarlet and Se Agabor. Rock Me Var could win the 10th from Bad Boy Buddy Boy, Mod Barley, Barborsa and Muscatt. Generalissimo could win the 11th from Equity Kicker, Triptique, Isphan and Belong To Me.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Same Jurisdiction (Nkosi Hlophe)

VDJ betting now open: PA Leg 1 starts in race 3  – estimated pool R 3.6 million.

Piere Strydom

Strydom boost for Nieuwenhuizen

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David Nieuwenhuizen has lively chances on Vodacom Durban July day and his confidence is enhanced by the 5000-winner jockey Piere Strydom being in the saddle for all three of his runners.

Lateral filly Sapsan runs in the Gr 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m and he said, “Piere always said she was looking for 1400m. It was a pity about her wide draw (13) but she is very, very well and I think she will give a good showing.” It does not look a vintage Golden Slipper field and having finished a 4,6 length fourth in the Gr 2 Nursery over 1160m, she only has 2,1 lengths to find with the like of Frosted Honey.

He runs Just As Well colt Just As I Said in the KZN Yearling Sale Million over 1300m from a plum draw of 3 and said, “He has always been looking for further than sprints and the only reason he hasn’t tried them is because he always drew badly. This trip will definitely be right up his alley. Although he probably had to win that last start to get into this race, it was also a prep to put him right for this race and he is now tuned up.”

He has been close up to some good horses and looks to have a shout, especially considering Strydom has stayed aboard after he found another gear to just get up over 1160m last time in a competitive juvenile plate with the rest well beaten.

Nieuwenhuizen runs the three-year-old Way West filly Green Crest in the second over 1400m on the poly and said, “She’s well having bounced back to her previous form last time. We’re not sure how she will go on the poly. She usually prefers to run on from off them and they go fast on the poly so I’ve put the blinkers on to give her some pace.”

By David Thiselton

VDJ betting now open: PA Leg 1 starts in race 3 – estimated pool R 3.6 million.

Charles Laird (Nkosi Hlophe)

Laird represents a dynasty

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Charles Laird will represent a famous dynasty in this year’s Vodacom Durban July. His charge Ice Machine put in a fine gallop under big race jockey Donovan Dillon on the top sand track at Summerveld yesterday in his final bit of work for Saturday’s prestigious event.

Ice Machine (Nkosi Hlophe)

Ice Machine (Nkosi Hlophe)

Laird said, “He’s come through his prep very well. Always the downside is that he missed his last race (the Gold Challenge). We’ve tried to make it up, I hope we have.”

Consequently, the classy six-year-old Silvano gelding put in the fastest piece of work at the July gallops and impressed all and sundry.

Ice Machine has a reputation as an unsound type but Laird confirmed that he was “very, very sound” at present and added, “He’s always been sound with me, people say he’s unsound but he was scratched that last time only because he stood on a stone at the course.”

Laird admitted there would always be a stamina doubt and said, “You’ve just got to ride him very quietly, he has a tremendous turn of foot and I said to Donovan try and ride him to place and see how we go.” Furthermore, training measures have been taken to counteract his apparent lack of stamina.

Main Submission (Nkosi Hlophe)

Main Submission (Nkosi Hlophe)

Laird said about his chief Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe (1400m) contender Main Submission, “He showed tremendous speed on debut, but I’ve always believed he is a miler plus. He’s very well, his prep’s gone good. It might be a little soon for him (this is only his second start), but I’m hoping not.” The Oracy colt has seen the Greyville turn, but only on the polytrack. He continued, “Red Hot Poker is an honest type, he’s drawn very wide and it’s not easy for him.”

Laird did not regard his Gr 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper contender Ninefold’s unplaced run in the Listed Devon Air Stakes over the 1400m course and distance as disappointing at all and said, “She’s a very green filly and she got absolutely lost around the turn. We’ve put a pair of pacifiers on her, we took her to the Greyville course proper last Wednesday and she galloped very, very well. If she doesn’t get lost early on she’s a big runner.”

“Resolution (race 2) is doing very well, she’s going to stud, we’ve prepped her, she likes the course and distance, I think she will run very well.”

Admiral's Eye (Nkosi Hlophe)

Admiral’s Eye (Nkosi Hlophe)

“Bold Inspiration (race 8), we would love a bit of rain, he’s very, very well. In his last start Stuart (Randolph) said while he was on the bit he was very, very happy, but he does feel the going, so I’ve put special shoes on him. If it’s not too hard I think he will run well.”

“Admiral’s Eye (race 9) has a very tough task and it’s her last start before going to stud.”

“Chosen Dash (12th) is very well, I don’t know if his grass performance is as good as his poly (easy winner on poly on Sunday), but at Scottsville he definitely showed that the 1000m was far too short, he’s taken the race very well, drawn a little bit wide but you can expect him to be competitive.”

Charles’ grandfather Alec got the Durban July ball rolling by riding the winner in 1911, his legendary Great Uncle Syd Garret followed up by riding two July winners and training three, his equally famous Uncle Syd holds the record of seven July winners as a trainer, his cousin Alec trained London News to victory in 1996 and Charles himself trained Hunting Tower to win the race in 2007.

Charles’ father Russell was a top trainer in his own right and once labelled the Laird’s ‘The Sob Mob’, “When we win we cry, when we lose we smile.”

Red Hot Poker (Nkosi Hlophe)

Red Hot Poker (Nkosi Hlophe)

A victory for the six-year-old Silvano gelding Ice Machine will likely be particularly emotional this year.

He is owned by one of Durban’s most passionate racing couples, Roy and Gladys Meaker. The Meaker’s became involved in racing in the 1970s through trainer Sonny Whiteford’s daughter-in-law. It wasn’t long before they tasted the adrenalin rush of big race success and in the 1976/1977 season they won the Holiday Inns with Gigantic and the J&B Met with Bahadur. Their first experience of “July Fever” was with those two horses, who ran in the big race as three-year-olds in 1976, finishing fifth and seventh respectively at odds of 7/1 and 6/1.   Gigantic ran in four July’s in total, without ever placing. The Meaker’s other July runner has been Secret Rites, who finished 10th as a 6/1shot in 1993.

Ice Machine is currently a 40/1 shot with Betting World, but if he stays he has the class to give the Meaker’s a first July place, or even a dream win. The day will coincide with their granddaughter Mia’s birthday and Roy’s birthday is on Sunday. Ice Machine’s biggest fan is likely the Meaker’s son Shawn, who is awaiting Saturday with more than just keen anticipation.

By David Thiselton

VDJ betting now open: PA Leg 1 starts in race 3  – estimated pool R 3.6 million.