Andrew Harrison

The Dennis Drier-trained Golden Chance can put her last run behind her and record the third success of her career when she lines up in the sixth at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.

She pulled up last of the 13 runners in the Pointsetia Stakes but was going along sweetly before shortening her stride and Sean Veale easing her out of the race, looking both sides for the problem.

A post-race vet check reported not striding out off-fore which accounted for the disappointing showing.

Prior to that she had matched strides with the best including a third behind Celtic Sea in the Sceptre Stakes and beaten less than two lengths by Front And Centre in her warm-up to that race. That form sees her rated way higher than her opposition, hence the steadier of 63.5 kg on her back but that has been countered by the presence of 4kg claimer Kyle Strydom in the saddle. Strydom is way more accomplished than most four-claimers and Golden Chance should get a solid ride.

Sorting out the balance is a little tricky. Georgina Rose has been trying further but her last win was over this trip and that form did hold up. A further plus is that Anton Marcus stays aboard. Jack’s Bird and Queen Of Alamo are two others to consider.

In the opening leg of the Pick 6, Stoptheclocks was well beaten by Via Salaria last time the two met but is now 2 kg better off. They are both having their second run after a break and are drawn alongside each other which could make for a match race. But there are a couple that could put a spoke in the works. One is Mark Dixon’s runner Admiral’s Guest. The gelding is under sufferance but has done well when stepped up in this company before and has a light weight. Solid Gold is smart on his day but is not always reliable while Duc D’Orange found his best form last start and is one to keep an eye on in the betting.

What A Thrill will be a popular banker for many exotic bet punters in the opening leg o the jackpot even though she has done most of her recent racing over further than the 1400m of the fifth race. However, she has hit top form since returning from a break and meets modest opposition. 

Joyful Winter had the worst of the draw last start and her form before that was consistent. From a better gate she should improve on her last effort and along with Ms Rosa Parks could provide the sternest test for What A Thrill.

Lezeanne Forbes is never afraid to toss her charges in at the deep end and after her maiden win on debut, Sofia Erin was tested in two features including the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship where she finished last but ran below the form of her previous start in the Strelitzia Stakes.

She meets a lot weaker here and given that Forbes thought enough of her to take on feature company speaks volumes. Of the balance, 

Bella Bellarina has been consistent of late and goes well this course and distance. Royal View was a close-up second over course and distance last time out and is at her peak while somewhere In Time has had one outing since a break and is likely to improve. She may be worth following in the betting.

The last two races are difficult low-rated handicaps and it could pay handsomely to load up in these two legs of the exotics.

Rite Of Passage and Hail Columbia look to dominate the opening leg of the PA. The younger Rite Of Passage made good improvement at his second start finishing a close-up third at relatively long odds for a Justin Snaith-trained charge but should strip cherry-ripe. The imported Hail Columbia is a late starter but made a smart debut and is sure to come on from that effort and looks the biggest threat to Rite Of Passage.

The card opener is a work rider’s race where at best, Drunken Sailor should be hard to beat. However, he has lost some form of late which is a concern. The filly Bindi will have her supporters as she has gone close at her last two and has an accomplished rider aboard. 

TELLYTRACK, South African horseracing’s exclusive channel on DStv, will be moving from channel 239 to channel 249 from Monday 24 August.

DStv will be streamlining their channels to sports themed channels on SuperSport as of 1 September.

Tellytrack is currently positioned after the Máximo channel and these two channels will move by several slots to allow for additional SuperSport channels.

DAVID THISELTON

PHUMELELA have conducted an inquiry into the incident in race seven at Turffontein on Sunday in which the jockeys were confused by the ambulance siren being activated shortly after the horses had jumped.

In the NHA enquiry it was discovered that seven of the eight jockeys had heard the siren and some of them had consequently stopped riding.

The race was declared null and void.

However, the ambulance company does not fall under the NHA’s jurisdiction so a further inquiry into the matter had to be done by the operator.

Medi Response consequently sent the following report to Phumelela:

1. You requested an investigation into an incident whereby the racing

ambulance’s siren was allegedly activated immediately after the starter

released the gates for Race 7 [of 10 August 2020] held at the Turffontein

Racecourse.

2. This report serves to record the findings of our investigation into the

abovementioned incident.

3. We can confirm that the siren of the racing ambulance was activated after the

gates were released during Race 7 on 10 August 2020.

4. We are further able to report the following findings to you for consideration in

the matter:

4.1 The personnel involved reported the incident to Medi Response

management on the same day as the issue arising. To this extent, a

statement was received from the driver, while the crew was also interviewed

by the undersigned writer.

4.2 Our conclusion is that the siren was activated accidentally while the

ambulance was manoeuvring around a stationary vehicle (now identified as

the veterinary vehicle) in order to follow the string of horses in-running.

4.2.1 TAKE NOTE: emergency vehicle sirens are often wired (via the

vehicle’s steering column) to the hooter on the steering wheel for

ease of activation when needing to respond to an emergency. The

vehicle deployed at Turffontein on 10 August 2020 has such a

configuration (i.e. the siren is activated through the steering wheel).

4.3 In addition to the above-mentioned stationary vehicle, there were some

pedestrians standing (and seated) on the inside track that is generally used

by the ambulance during races.

David Thiselton

THE promising Stuart Pettigrew-trained three-year-old Var filly Anything Goes has been entered for both the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes and Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes on WSB Gold Cup day August 29 and has drawn well in both.

The unbeaten Varsfontein Stud-bred filly is out of unplaced Parade Leader mare Dance Domain, who is a half-sister to Equus Champion Miler Capetown Noir, and she herself is a half-sister to the Grade 3 winner and Grade 1 SA Classic runner up Green Laser.

Anything Goes started her career over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track where she was drawn six out of 13 and jumped at odds of 11-1 after opening at 14-1. She came from a long way back and displaying a nice big action won in workmanlike style by 1,50 lengths under Diego De Gouveia. 

In her next start in a Juvenile Plate over 1400m on the Turffontein Standside track she opened at 3-1 and was backed into 19-10 favourite. This time from a draw of five De Gouveia had her more handy and after moving up under the hands he got to work at the 300m mark and she responded in fine style to fetch the decent Elusive Woman, who had a 4kg claimer aboard, and won by 1,50 lengths. The form has been franked as the 2,25 length third placed War Of Athena has since finished third in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson over 1200 with a flying finish and later won a Graduation Plate over 1400m by 5,50 lengths.

In Anything Goes’ last start she faced a decent field again, this time over 1600m on Turffontein Standside, and started at 8-10. She relaxed well near the back and after creeping up under a double handful she turned it on impressively at the 400m mark to win by a length from Shezaglo, who runs tomorrow at the Vaal. The rest were well beaten.  

Anything Goes has been priced up by Track and Ball as 33-20 favourite for the Thekwini and 8-1 for the Premier’s. 

A jockey has not been booked yet. De Gouveia has ridden on the Highveld this month so his chances of retaining the ride will be dependent on a change to the current protocols which allow jockeys one move at the beginning of the month.  

The second favourite in the Thekwini is the Sean Tarry-trained Caralluma, who was regarded as the meeting banker on Vodacom Durban July day but could only manage second in the Grade 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m, having impressed with an easy win in the Listed Devon Air Stakes over that same course and distance. This classy filly is by Pomodoro out of a Kahal mare whose two wins were over 1600m and 2000m, so she will relish the step up in trip. However, she has drawn wide in 14 out of 17 entries. 

The Golden Slipper winner, the Frank Robinson-trained Love Bomb, is third favourite for the Thekwini together with the Paul Matchett-trained War Of Athena. Jockey Sean Veale has no doubt whatsoever that Love Bomb, who is by Oratorio out of a Captain Al mare, will enjoy a mile. She certainly stayed on strongly from well back in the Golden Slipper and was not stopping at the line. She has drawn well in six.

War Of Athena is by Act Of War and has plenty of stamina in her female side, so she should have no problem with the trip. She is going to be dangerous as she hardly came off the bit last time over 1400m on Turffontein Standside when thumping Elusive Woman by 5,50 lengths. On the occasion she was beaten 2,25 lengths by Anything Goes she was finishing strongly and likely needed it because in comparison to Elusive Woman she has improved 6.25 lengths from that run.

Next in the betting is Princess Calla, who has been moved to the Adam Marcus yard.  This Flower Alley filly has plenty of substance and won going away by 3,20 lengths on debut over 1200m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly. She is out of the Grade 2-winning Captain Al filly Princess Royal, who is a half-sister to the champion filly Princess Victoria, and she certainly looks classy so has to go into the equation.  

The Glen Kotzen-trained Jasmine stayed on strongly for third in the Golden Slipper and this Futura filly, being a three-quarters sister to the decent stayer Alexander, will relish the step up in trip. However, she has landed a tough draw of 16. 

Trickster raced without cover in the Golden Slipper one out and back and stayed on well for fourth but she will have her work cut out reversing a beating of over two lengths by both Love Bomb and Caralluma.

Maledimo and Sentbydestiny, fifth and sixth in the Golden Slipper, could improve on those performances if their races pan out better but they have tricky draws of 11 and 12 respectively.

The Paul Peter-trained Cloth Of Ice could improve if ridden more handy than last time, when beaten six lengths by Anything Goes over 1600m despite receiving 2kg.   

The rest don’t make as much appeal as those mentioned. 

The field will be limited to 14 runners. The final supplementary entry stage ends at 11h00 on August 17 and declarations are due by 11h00 on August 20.  

The only declaration so far is Richard Fourie to ride Trickster. 

Pictured: The Sean Tarry-trained Caralluma.

Photo: Candiese Lenferna

Andrew Harrison

THE racing season officially ended on the last day of July but thanks to the now notorious virus lock-down, the running of the Vodacom Durban July was delayed by a month and there has been a further four-week hiatus between the July and the World Sports Betting Gold Cup meeting to be held on Saturday, August 29.

It will again be a close-shop affair with only essential staff on course and more is the pity with three Gr1 races, the Gold Cup and a host of other features making up the programme.

With the majority of the top horses already warmed up and ticking over for the big meeting, the quality of racing in the interim has tailed off but that’s not to say it does not remain interesting.

A race in point is the Soccer Any15 Handicap that heads the card at Hollywoodbets Greyville tomorrow.

It is a high merit rated handicap that has attracted some smart fillies who could well make their presence felt come the last Saturday of the month.

Diamondsandpearls takes a further step up in class and victory here and could set her up for a crack at some black type in the months to come.

She has won three of her last four starts, all on the poly, but the switch to the turf should not trouble her. At her penultimate start she was touched off by Cherry Road over seven furlongs when jumping from a wide gate but showed her true worth when trying 2000m for the first time last time out. She made most of the running under stable rider Donovan Dillon and although only getting home by a neck, she was never in danger of defeat.

She got a four-pound rise in the ratings for that effort but that may not be enough to stop her as she gets weight from many of her biggest dangers, notably stable companions Perfect Air and Escape Club.

Perfect Air in particular has a smart recent record, playing second fiddle to VDJ runner Mayabi Gold last time out and prior to that just getting the better of the useful Connect Me.

On a line through Connect Me and Rille, Perfect Air would appear to have the wood on Diamondsandpearls but the latter has a handy galloping weight and, even though a five-year-old, is lightly raced and only now hitting her straps.

Connect Me finished four lengths back to Diamondsandpearls when last they met and is 2.5kg better off. This is her third run after a break and should strip close to her peak.

Escape Club, On The Double, Rille and Star Vega are others to consider in an open but exciting contest.

Sean Tarry is in town until after Gold Cup and he saddles Magical Flight in the opening leg of the Pick 6. She showed plenty of speed when second best behind the smart Winter Smoke when taking on winners. That was a big effort and she should make a bold bid even though she goes this trip for the first time. Biggest threat could be My Lady who has been knocking at the door. She jumps from a good draw and should be thereabouts again

Dean Kannemeyer broke his season’s ice with Fade To Black at Hollywoodbets Scottsville last Wednesday and he saddles the regally bred Lion’s Head in the fourth.  The son of Dynasty has put up two smart sprints and should much prefer the extra. From a good draw he should go very close. Of the balance, Chapter And Verse was a close-up fourth from the worst of the draw last run. He has put up two smart efforts and must have a big chance along with Ibutho that came in for strong market support on debut and was not far back. He is likely to make improvement on that first effort. 

Dutch Alley and News Stream look set to fight out the fifth. Dutch Alley has cracking form over the trip but a cautionary is that most of his recent starts have been on the poly. News Stream tried further last start but has good form over this trip. He has drawn well and should at least go close. Arizona bolted in last start when taking on stronger but got a hefty shunt up the handicap for his efforts which could have put paid to his winning chances while a lurker could be Karoo Lark who is back from a break and lightly raced.

The last two legs of the Pick 6 look a lot more difficult. Divine Hugh is lightly raced back and came back strongly after a break. He looks the part in this field. Storm Ruler has a tricky draw but has shown up well in two starts for his new stable. Everdene takes on males but has been running consistently. She gets first time blinkers which could make all the difference.

It may be prudent to load up in the last leg with plenty in with winning chances. Kenneth Macarthur is lightly raced and was narrowly beaten over course and distance last start after finding strong market support. He can go one better. All Time High, Sonjador and Flying Pekan may be others to consider.

DIAMONDSANDPEARLS image by Candiese Lenferna

David Thiselton

Rainbow Bridge pulled up from the Vodacom Durban July with a slight knee niggle so will be monitored before a decision is made about him defending his Grade 1 Champions Cup crown on Gold Cup day, 29 August.

His Eric Sands-trained stablemates Golden Ducat and Driving Miss Daisy are on track for the Champions Cup and the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet respectively.

Sands said about Rainbow Bridge, “He seems fine and we will check him but I won’t risk anything.”

Sands said he had been a little disappointed with Rainbow Bridge’s sixth place finish in the July.

He elaborated, “He has always run a little below par in his second run after a layoff but he had that respiratory problem upon arriving at Summerveld so had to miss the Drill Hall.”

Sands then admitted, “I outwitted myself a little bit really…”

He explained he had anticipated the chief Snaith trio of Belgarion, Do It Again and Bunker Hunt coming across from their wide draws and believed he would thus be trapped on the rail. Consequently, he had asked the jockeys to move off the rail in the first 400m.

He continued, “The filly (Silvano’s Pride) was out in front but the real pace was just in front of us. However, that pace fell away too soon. My pair were the only two up there who stayed on the others all fell away and finished close to tailed off. So, it just did not pan out well for us. It was no fault of the jockeys though, there was nothing wrong with their efforts.”

The sectional timing data provided by statistician Jay August showed the Sands pair to have gone through the 1800m mark in the lead in a blistering time of 107.46 seconds, which was 1,57 seconds faster than the previous fastest July to that point on the new narrow track and more than four-and-a-half seconds quicker than the 2018 and 2019 Julys. Golden Ducat and Rainbow Bridge thus did extremely well to stay on for a 1,90 length fourth and 2,75 length sixth respectively. 

Rainbow Bridge finished 0,40 lengths behind Do It Again last year when receiving half-a-kilogram and this year was 1,85 lengths behind the latter when giving away half-a-kilogram, which equates to only about a quarter of a kilogram worse performance in comparison to the latter from last year.  

Sands, along with many pundits, was particularly impressed by Golden Ducat’s performance. 

The big Philanthropist gelding had not handled Hollywoodbets Greyville well in his first two SA Champions Season starts and he had consequently been fitted with a new noseband for the July Gallops. That change brought the best out of him so was retained for the July. 

In the big race Golden Ducat raced without cover from the Drill Hall onwards in a handy position behind the strong pace with his half-brother Rainbow Bridge in his slipstream. After being overtaken by the latter at the 200m mark he amazingly fought back and ran all the way to the line, finishing almost as strongly as the first three who had come from way off the pace. 

Golden Ducat’s performance, on paper, had also improved despite the race having not panned out well for him. In his previous start in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 he had finished 1,55 lengths behind the comfortable winner Got The Greenlight and in the July on the same weight terms he had finished just 1,1 lengths behind the latter despite the latter having been flat to the boards. 

Sands said, “He is on the up.”

He added that having shown speed over 2200m and staying on well he believed the classic 1800m distance of the Champions Cup would suit him.

Driving Miss Daisy has also been in fine form and will be a big runner in the Gold Bracelet over 2000m. She stayed on well in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 and looked the winner before Summer Pudding got going to beat her by 0,90 lengths. Then on July day, wearing first-time blinkers in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m, she ran on strongly from the back of the field for a fine 1,90 length fourth in a star-studded field.

Image of Rainbow Bridge by Candiese Lenferna

David Thiselton

Tributes poured in for Avison Carlisle, one of KZN’s most passionate horseracing men and long-time chairman of the board of the South African Jockeys Academy (SAJA), after he had passed away Saturday the 1 August 2020.

He and his wife Mary are testimony to the enjoyment that can be derived from owning, breeding and watching thoroughbreds and Avison cared so deeply for the health of the industry that he became involved beyond the call of duty.

The couple were introduced to racing by Scotch Ferrie, who was the assistant headmaster at their son Keyan’s school Weston Agricultural College, and three years later they bought their first horse Rebel Patriot for R75,000 at the Yearling Sales in Durban.

Duncan Howells trained this Exclusive Patriot gelding to six wins.

His success was the beginning of a love affair with the sport for the Carlisles.

In 2002 Howells notified them that Rebel Patriot’s dam, Rebel Qui, was up for sale together with her weaning at a dispersal sale at The Dargle in KZN.

They were not really interested but on the day of the sale Avison needed to escape the frustration of watching the South African cricket team losing so he and Mary decided to go and have a look.

They returned to announce to the family the purchase of Rebel Qui for a paltry R1,200 and her foal for R14,000.

Rebel Qui thus became the foundation mare of the Carlisle’s Kinmount Stud, based on their farm, which is situated between Howick and Nottingham Road.

It was the beginning of a KZN racing fairytale.

The weanling was Ravenscraig, who won three-in-a-row early in his career and was good enough to be entered in the Grade 2 KZN Guineas. He went on to win one more race.

The Carlisles sent Rebel Qui to Winter Romance and she was soon in foal.

In 2003 while holidaying in the UK and traveling on the Flying Scotsman headed for Edinburgh Avison and Mary received an SMS from their daughter Kristy to let them know Rebel Patriot was running that day.

Later, upon arrival at a quaint hotel recommended by a taxi driver, the phone beeped again and this time the SMS said simply, “He won!!”

They were standing at the time on the front mat and after a joyous celebratory outburst they looked down and read the words “The Howard.” In an instant the name of Rebel Qui’s pending foal was decided. The Howard won a 1600m race at Clairwood and later added another win at Flamingo Park. He was no great shakes but gave many people a lot of enjoyment including the owners of The Howard Hotel in Edinburgh who posted regular reports of his progress on their communications billboard. Such was the infectious enthusiasm for the sport Avison had.

Rebel Qui’s next foal was Rebellious Streak, a Deep Sleep gelding who won five races and was placed 12 times.

The next two foals were both by the disappointing stallion Requiem, one being unraced and the other unplaced.

However, the unraced one, Quinarius, produced a four-time winner and two-time winner both by Lion Tamer.

Rebel Qui then produced one time winner and seven-times placed filly Yet Again by Muhtafal. Yet Again went on to produce a twice winner by Toreador.

Then came a windfall when Rebel Qui’s next foal, Patriotic Rebel was purchased for R100,000 by Brett Crawford.

This Stronghold gelding went on to win twice and finish placed in two stakes races, including the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby, before being bought into the Mike de Kock yard, for whom he finished a narrow second in the Grade 3 Mango (Campanajo) 2200. However, he was destined to only win one more race.

At around the same time of Patriotic Rebel being sold at the Ready To Run Sale, the Carlisles bought Rebel Patriot’s full-sister, Polish Rebel, who was in foal to Silvano, for a bargain R60,000 at a Cape mare and weanling sale.

The resulting foal was Regal Eagle, who won five of her first eight starts and later finished fifth in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint.

Rebel Qui’s last filly was the three-time winner Crystal Ball and she will be covered this season by What A Winter.

Kinmount have produced an incredible fifty wins from small beginnings.

Avison was also a compassionate man and the family adopted a street child named Ronald Khumalo. This soon looked to be another fairytale story as Ronald was not only accepted into SAJA but became the first of his year to make it to track and the first to race ride. However, with a bright future beckoning Ronald’s attitude changed for the worse and the Carlisle family’s sadness was later compounded when he passed away at a young age.

Avison’s connection to SAJA had started with Ronald and in 2009 he was voted in as Chairman of the Academy Board. He vowed to stamp out the conceited attitude which had crept into the Academy students and which had led to Ronald’s decline in fortunes

.

Mary confirmed SAJA became Avison’s passion and he poured a tremendous amount of energy and love into this world renowned institution. He enjoyed a fine working relationship with headmaster Graeme Bailey and was still the Chairman upon his passing yesterday.

Avison also attempted at one stage to start an organisation which would represent the collective wishes of KZN owners, trainers and breeders, but after a year of effort it did not get off the ground.

He never missed a Scottsville racemeeting and the Carlisles enjoying the day in the members area together with the Ferries and two other veteran KZN racing families The Gibsons and the Elliotts became a familiar sight.

KZN racing will miss Avison’s presence but he leaves behind a legacy in many areas of the sport.

A celebration of the life of Avison Carlisle will have to be delayed due to COVID-19 but he has left many good memories for Mary and their children Keyan. Kristy, Duncan and Tan and for the eight grandchildren he doted on.

The Mike Miller-trained Walls Of Dubrovnik will make an audacious last gasp attempt to land a R500,000 bonus by travelling down to Port Elizabeth to run in the Listed Champion Juvenile Cup over 1400m on the Fairview turf on Friday.

When the new Hemel ‘n Aarde stallion Fencing Master arrived in South Africa in 2016 stallion manager David Allan of David Allan Bloodlines announced a R1-million bonus to be potentially distributed among the three best two-year-olds conceived by this stallion in his first covering season.

UK-based Colin Bird owns Fencing Master and Allan announced that in support of the British-bred stallion the owner, trainer and breeder of his three best black type two-year-olds conceived in 2016 would receive respective bonuses of R500,000, R300,000 and R200,000.

On first interpretation it seems the money will be split between owner, trainer and breeder.

Friday is officially the last day of the season, so the Champion Juvenile Cup has allowed the two-year-old colt an eleventh hour opportunity to land the bonus.

Walls Of Dubrovnik finished a strong-finishing third in the KZN Yearling Sale Million over 1300m at the Vodacom Durban July meeting on Saturday. Unfortunately, that race is Non-Black Type so did not qualify him for the bonus.

That was his second run in the famous Gujadhur family colours. The Gujadhurs of Mauritius own one of the oldest racing stables in the world and are viewed virtually as royalty by the island’s passionate racing public.

Walls Of Dubrovnik went within 1,4 lengths of claiming the R500,000 cheque on June 13 when finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1100m. He would have gained black type with a third-place finish.

He was subsequently sold to the Gujadhurs.

Mike Miller’s son and assistant, Sterling, said the colt had come out of his race on Saturday well.

He added, “The 1400m is a bit of a stretch but he should get it if ridden correctly. On Saturday he came from near last to run third.”

He does have a tough draw of eight out of ten to overcome and will be ridden by Shadley Fortune.

Walls Of Dubrovnik is on the float today and will be taken care of in PE by Gavin Smith.

In other Miller yard news blinkers will be tried on their good looking Oratorio colt Royal Exhibit, who was a bit detached in the running of the Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m on Saturday before running on to be beaten 4,15 lengths into ninth. His targets will be a maiden and then the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m on Gold Cup day.

By David Thiselton