Brett Crawford is hoping Undercover Agent can run as well as he did in last year’s Sun Met although he rates his best runners on the day as Run Fox Run in the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship and Front And Centre in the Grade 1 Bidvest Majorca Stakes.

Five-year-old Captain Al entire Undercover Agent features in the card changes for the day as he will be wearing a tongue tie.

Crawford said, “He is all good and seems to have been working better with the tongue tie on. It is a tough task but we have got to try and if he runs the same sort of race as last year we will be very happy.”

Stable jockey Corné Orffer rode him to a courageous 2,20 length fourth last year from draw 12 out of 13 and this year he is drawn six out of 13.

In the Cape Flying Championship Crawford’s Australian-bred four-year-old Foxwedge filly Run Fox Run attempts to keep her unbeaten record. She has won all five of her career starts from 1000m to 1200m comfortably. Her last two runs, on May 25 last year in the Listed Olympic Duel Stakes over 1200m and on December 14 in the Grade 2 WSB Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m, both at Kenilworth, were her first two attempts at black type and she won them by five lengths and 2,25 lengths respectively.

It is now a big step up to weight-for-age Grade 1 company against the boys but the manner of those wins, showing fair  cruising speed before turning it on in the last 400m, has impressed the bookmakers who make her the 2,65/1 joint favourite with Kasimir.

Crawford said, “She is in great form and looks well and has been working well. She has had a great prep and we will now see how good she is.”

He also has Pacific Trader and Bold Respect in the Cape Flying and said, “Both will run well, they always do.”

Front And Centre also features in the card changes for the days as she will be wearing blinkers.

Crawford said, “Ï hope she improves with the blinkers. I do think the mile is her better trip, I have no doubt she is more suited to that distance than the 1800m of the Paddock Stakes last time (when beaten 2,75 lengths into fifth by Queen Supreme).”

Front And Centre, who finished a 1,70 length third to Clouds Unfold last year, is drawn seven with Anton  Marcus up.

Crawford expected good runs from all three of his contenders in the Grade 3 City Of Cape Town Politician Stakes over 1800m, Super Silvano, Late At Night and Parterre.   

He said, “They are all doing well and will run good races.”

Count Jack, who runs in the CTS 1600, was the other of his many runners on the day he mentioned.

He said, “He has been working exceptionally well. It is a tough race but on his work at home he has a place chance.”

By David Thiselton

Warren Kennedy’s early treble at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday had racing historians searching through the archives as he had also won the last three races at the Vaal the previous days, which meant he had ridden the winner of six successive scheduled South African races.

Piere Strydom is the only rider to have ridden the Pick 6 in SA history but oddly enough he did not ride the winner of six successive scheduled races that day because the match race between Divine Act and Brainteaser was run in between two of the legs and he was on the defeated Brainteaser.

Aldo Domeyer rode six winners out of six rides at Kenilworth in January 2017 but they were not in six successive scheduled races.

Jeff Lloyd has ridden seven winners on a day on three occasions in SA and Garth Puller did it once and there have been many occasions of jockeys riding six in a day, but the records will have to be checked to see whether the same jockey has been aboard the winner of six successive scheduled races.

Kennedy started yesterday with a double for his guv’nor Gavin van Zyl. Greenlighttoheaven won the first, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m by a comfortable 3,75 lengths.

In the next Kennedy kept Miss Marmalade going to just beat the Mike Miller-trained Chanel Allure on the other side of the track by a quarter of a length.

Kennedy completed the treble when keeping The Paul Lafferty-trained Katie’s Treasure going to beat the Dennis Drier-trained first-timer Candyman by three-quarters of a length in the 1200m maiden.

Kennedy made it four later on when the Wayne Badenhorst-trained Mai Tai fulfilled the promise she had always shown by winning the seventh, a MR 76 handicap for filllies and mares over 1000m. The Vercingetorix three-year-old appreciated the step down in trip and has now won twice from six career starts.

Lafferty scored a treble on the day. He also won the fifth over 1750m with Dark Moon Down, ridden by Dennis Schwarz, and the last over 1950m with Rise, ridden by Calvin Habib.

The fourth over 1750m was the highest rated race on the card, a Progress Plate, and was won easily by the improving Robbie and Shannon Hill-trained Twice Over filly Moon In June. 

Andre Nel’s Washington Square won the sixth over 1000m under 4kg claimer Jabu Jacobs.

Lafferty’s fine day saw him closing the gap on Garth Puller on the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge trainers’ table.

He started the day 52 points behind Garth Puller and after collecting 49 points to the latter’s 12 he is now just 15 points behind.

Kennedy started the day nine points behind Anton Marcus on the jockeys’ table but his 80 points compared to Marcus’ 54 saw him moving into a 17 point lead.

By David Thiselton

After serving the horseracing industry directly for the past twelve years, formerly as Chairman and later as CEO of the Racing Association (RA), Larry Wainstein has taken a decision to tender his resignation from the RA as from the 31 January 2020 to focus on personal business interests. Our Board is currently in discussions with Mr Wainstein as regards his period of notice. The vacancy created will be advertised to find a suitable candidate for the position although an interim measure may be required to continue the work of the RA without disruption.

Mr Wainstein has played an extremely important role in the industry and we believe he has always acted in the best interests of all racehorse owners.

During his tenure with the RA we have recognised and acknowledge Larry’s dedicated commitment to the job at hand and, despite all the travails that one has to go through in our industry, his unquestionable industry and unerring efforts in doing the best for our owners has not gone unnoticed. His achievements have been innumerable but suffice to list the following milestones we believe are worthy of mention:

• Overseeing a regular increase in stakes every year prior to 2020 despite adverse economic conditions;

• Prudent financial management of the purse strings of the RA in doubling its cash resources since his entry into the RA;

• Improving the Race Day Experience for owners;

• Overseeing the refurbishment of the various venues – Elevation Room, Paddock Room and the Garret Bar;

• Co-ordinating and managing new race initiatives such as Princess Charlene Race Day, Monaco Million Race Day and the Jockey’s international;

• Introducing new benefits for members such RA Bonus Races, Runner Notifications and Tellytrack live racing accessibility;

• Special Achievement Awards at the RA Feature Season Awards;

• Increased take-out from Sports Betting into the stakes pot;

• Facilitating support for the Export Protocols Programme as well as the Asian Racing Conference.

On behalf of the Board I take this opportunity to thank him for his commitment and contribution to the industry and to wish him well in his future endeavours.

Glen Kotzen is very happy with both his Sun Met contenders Pack Leader and Eyes Wide Open but admitted he would be thrilled to just split the “big four” with either runner on Saturday.

The pair, who will both run in Hugo and Suzanne Hattingh’s familiar Chrigor stud colours, had a gallop at Kenilworth last Wednesday with big race rider Morne Winnaar on Pack Leader and Anthony Andrews on Warren Kennedy’s mount Eyes Wide Open.

Kotzen said, “They worked together and did good pace work on the bit. Morne was pleased with Pack Leader and Anthony, who knows Eyes Wide Open well, was happy with Eyes too. Today (Tuesday) the two horses did their last bit of hard work before the race and I am very happy.”

Eyes Wide Open, who is drawn in pole, is merit rated 118 and in the race card changes for the day the blinkers which he was declared with have been taken off. He has not worn blinkers since last year’s Met, where he ran a 5,25 length ninth from a tricky draw of nine.

Pack Leader is merit rated 116 and jumps from draw ten.

Kotzen said, “We haven’t been too hard on Pack Leader in his build up events as he was coming back from a tendon injury and was off for more than a year, so he is going to be having his peak run. Eyes Wide Open if he turns up on the day can take on the best.”

Kotzen shared his reading of the race, “Do It Again has run below par in his last two and might battle to swing his form back in time. I was more impressed with Hawwaam in the preliminaries before the Peninsula than before the Queen’s Plate so it might have been the second run after the rest syndrome and I think a line can be drawn through that Queen’s Plate run anyway as nothing went right for him beforehand or in the race. So I think he is the horse to beat, although it is another big day with a lot of people so anything can happen. Vardy has had a great prep and is progressive and should stay the trip. It would be nice to see a young trainer winning the Met instead of the usual so if I don’t win it I would like to see Vardy win it. Wherever Vardy is One World should be right there. I was talking to John Koster (Klawervlei Stud) about One World’s pedigree and he believes this Captain Al colt will have no problem with the trip being out of a Giant’s Causeway mare. Rainbow Bridge is having his third run after a layoff so should be at his peak. Twist Of Fate always seems to be just behind the best.”

He concluded, “So from my point of view I would be happy if either of mine split the big four.”

Kotzen said he gave both Thumbs Up and Thomas Henry chances in the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes over 1000m. 

He said, “Thumbs Up pinged it last time and was then in a fight in the front with another horse but still stayed on for second (beaten 5,25 lengths by Dad’s Catch). This race is often won by a two-year-old filly so she is a huge runner. Because of her race on the Friday of the LQP festival I told the jockey to take it easy at the off on Thomas Henry the next day. However, the eventual winner Erik The Red jumped fast and built up a lead and Thomas Henry failed to catch him (beaten into second by 4,75 lengths). The jockey came back and said if he had run his normal race he might have caught him. So we have been running him in blinkers at home since then and he has shown a lot of improvement with them on.”

Kotzen gives Snapscan a big chance in the Grade 2 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m.

He said, “She represents the form of many of the Majorca runners, so we will see how that form works out earlier in the day, and she will definitely have no problem with the distance. She is a huge runner.”

He also gives Third Runway a chance in the Grade 1 Bidvest Majorca over 1600m as her last race did not pan out well over 1200m and she has proved herself over this trip with a third place finish in the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas. However, she does have a wide draw of 12 to overcome.

He believed the hard-knocking Silver Tiara would have a good chance in the eleventh, a maiden for fillies and mares over 1800m. She finished just two lengths behind Namaqualand over 1600m last time. The latter is highly regarded by Sean Tarry. In the day’s equipment changes Silver Tiara also has them taken off which is an important fact to take note of. In that last race she over-raced from a wide draw with a 4kg apprentice on and eventually pulled her way to the front. She did well to stay on for third. She now has another wide draw of ten out of 12, but if settling better without the blinkers on and finding a good position in the running she will be a huge runner. 

Buffalo Bill Cody aims for Horse Chestnut Stakes

The Mike de Kock-trained Irish-bred entire Buffalo Bill Cody has not been seen since running in the Jo’Burg Spring Challenge over 1450m on October 5, where he ruined his chances by dwelling and losing three lengths at the start.

However, the five-year-old is still in training and is being aimed at the Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut, a weight for age mile to be run at Turffontein on April 4.

This year’s Vodacom Durban July is being run on American Independence day, July 4, so Buffalo Bill Cody would be a topical horse for the occasion having been named after a prominent American soldier, patriot and showman living at the time of American independence, but the De Kock yard said it was too early in the season to be thinking about the July.

By David Thiselton

The Sporting Post’s two main articles on superstar Ryan Moore replacing former South African champion Gavin Lerena on last year’s winner Rainbow Bridge in Saturday’s Sun Met attracted a staggering 85 comments.

They were split almost 50:50 between those condemning the decision (“A bad move, a low blow for Gavin”) and those applauding it with remarks like “Good on you Eric, best jockey in the world riding the most consistent Grade 1 horse in the race – what a combo.”

The man at the centre of it all, having already said that he took what he admits was a difficult decision in the best interests of the horse and its owner, is now concentrating on the international implications.

“How good is it for South African racing that we can attract a jockey of Ryan’s calibre?” is the first question Sands poses, and the second is almost a natural progression. “Assuming they sort out the protocols as planned, we could have Aidan O’Brien deciding he wants to send horses here for the Met in two or three years’ time – and who is he going to turn to tell him what a great place this is?”

But back to the horse. Sands is not happy about what happened down at the start – and after it – in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. “The long delay was a killer for both Rainbow Bridge and his half-brother Hawwaam. They were next to each other in the early part of the race and between them they pulled each other’s guts out.

“All credit to my horse, though – he stayed on into third and his number is in the frame. I’m not complaining but I thought he had an unnecessarily hard run. Also, had he been ridden differently, I think he would have been a lot closer in both the Queen’s Plate and the Green Point previously.”

There is only a three week gap between the Queen’s Plate and the Met. Is that enough to recover from the first of them and be freshened up for the second one? “For my horse, yes,” answers the trainer. “I prefer four weeks between races but the Met is there and we’ve got to take it as it comes.”

Re-runs of last year’s race show Rainbow Bridge putting in his best work when he was well into the final furlong. Despite having finished third in the Queen’s Plate, he gave every indication of relishing the extra distance. “Correct, that’s the way he runs and this is much more his trip,” says Sands for whom victory would make him the first trainer to win the race in successive years since Mike Bass won four in a row a decade ago.

By Michael Clower

Hollywoodbets Scottsville hosts an eight race meeting today and the exotics should pay rewarding dividends for those who do their homework.

In the seventh race over 1000m the Wayne Badenhorst-trained Vercingetorix filly Mai Tai has always been well regarded and having led last time over 1200m before being caught late she is interesting dropped to the minimum trip. The jockey dropped his crop at the 300m mark last time but pushed the horse out well. A more significant factor was she over-raced a touch with cheek pieces on and they are now off. She should still have enough pace to be within touching distance and this time will be able to find the necessary extra at the finish. She looks to be off an attractive mark of 82 considering she was regarded as feature class as a two-year-old and placed fourth in the Listed Devon Air Stakes over 1400m. 

The Alyson Wright-trained Soft Falling Rain filly Gail Force won well second time out over this trip on the poly and has been accorded a competitive looking merit rating of only 77. 

Garth Puller has been in fine form this season and his Seventh Rock filly First Sighting has been right there the last twice she has tried this trip so she can go close with the advantage of a 4kg claimer now up.

Louis Goosen has been on good form and his filly Song Of The Forest should be finishing strongly under a 4kg claimer. 

Puller’s Flaming Lass won well second time out over 1200m and she could also be involved despite being accorded quite a high merit rating of 85.

Soiree and Coyote Girl also warrant respect.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is a maiden over 1200m and Anton Marcus is an interesting booking on Alma Mater. This horse improved with blinkers on over 1100m last time and doesn’t face an inspiring field. 

King Cyrus made a fair debut in the strong centre of Kenilworth and wasn’t disgraced in his first run after gelding on the Greyville poly. He can improve and should be included.

In the second leg of the Pick 6, a Progress Plate over 1750m, Williams Land was beaten 4,25 lengths by G G’s Dynasty over 1600m last time. The form has been franked as the latter went on to win the Listed Michael Roberts handicap. Williams Land will relish the step back up to a similar trip as his last win although drawn six of ten won’t make it easy for Keagan de Melo. Paths Of Victory is an interesting runner as he prefers further but on this tough course he will be staying on well. He is second best in at the weights. Moon In June is third best in at the weights and is drawn five over a suitable trip, so she can make her presence felt.

In the fifth race over 1750m Silva Magic, Dark Moon Down and In Jest could fight it out. Silva Magic went close over 1800m last time off this merit rating and has a fair draw of five. Dark Moon Down comes from the Paul Lafferty yard, whose fortunes are on the up, and she was staying on over 1600m last time in her first run out the maidens. She will relish the step back to the course and distance of her maiden win and she now has a plum draw of three compared to 14 when she won her maiden. In Jest beat Silva Magic by half-a-length last time but is now half-a-kilogram worse off and has a tricky draw. 

In the sixth over 1000m Washington Square has always been well regarded and is in fine form so can go close with the same 4kg claimer up. Sarabi has won over course and distance before and has Warren Kennedy up off a slightly reduced merit rating. Candle Cove won her only start over this course and distance and has Marcus aboard.

In the last race over 1950m Wylie’s Wonder showed improvement with blinkers on last time and should relish the step to this trip. She is drawn in pole so has a chance if starting better than she did last time. Salah’s Girl was a revelation when stepped up from sprints to 2000m last time so she is an interesting contender, although she does have a tough draw to overcome. Captive Gold has fair form and with first time blinkers on has Marcus up from a good draw. Rise was staying on well over 1750m last time but also has a wide draw. Mission Beach has shown enough to be able to contest the finish.          

By David Thiselton

Eric Sands is very happy with the well-being of the defending Sun Met champion Rainbow Bridge in the week of the big race.

Some of the five-year-old Ideal World gelding’s fans have been concerned about the hard race he had in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate but Sands said, “He got caught in the front with Hawwaam and they were fighting head to head for about three furlongs so it was a great effort for him to still stay on for third. So we had to ease back on him a little after the race, but he has now come well, I am very happy with him.”

Big race jockey Ryan Moore is globe-trotting at present and Sands was not sure whether he would arrive in time to sit on Rainbow Bridge before Saturday. 

Moore was in Florida last Saturday to ride in the Pegasus World Cup, where he finished second on the Aidan O’Brien-trained Magic Wand, he then finished second yesterday on the KW Lui-trained More Than This in the Hong Kong Classic Mile at Sha Tin’s big Chinese New Year meeting, and today he will be riding work in Saudi Arabia ahead of the US$20 Million Saudi Cup on February 29.

Sands believes there will be a fair pace in the Met.

He identified Twist Of Fate as a horse who had run his best races when going strongly up with the pace and mentioned Head Honcho as another who liked to be right up there.

He added, “We are drawn outside of both of them too.”

He said he could not see either of those horses setting a very fast pace but felt there would at least be an honest pace. 

Rainbow Bridge has a fine draw of five and Twist Of fate and Head Honcho are drawn three and four respectively.

Sands clinched his first Met victory last year.

His previous best in Cape Town’s biggest race had been second with Grand Jete in 2002.

Sands only has one other runner on the day, Black Belt in the last race.

He said about this hard-knocking Black Minnaloushe gelding, “He is a five-year-old so is not improving but is very honest and it is not a killer field. In fact I think the field he ran in the other day was stronger and he is doing well.”

By David Thiselton

Adrian Todd now expects South Africa to be able to export horses direct to Europe – without having to go via Mauritius – in either September or October.

This follows the official confirmation from the European Union that its bloodstock protocol audit will take place between April 20 and May 1.

Todd, managing director of SA Equine Health & Protocols, said yesterday: “Audits in any sector seldom return flawless results and nobody ever gets a 100% clear report. There will be additional recommendations from the EU team after the audit; they will send a report and we will implement what they suggest but I am confident that the audit will be successful and I would expect that, once any additional recommendations have been implemented, we should be looking at the reinstatement of direct exports to the EU by September/October.”

By Michael Clower

Mike de Kock is very happy with the condition of Hawwaam ahead of Saturday’s Sun Met and is actually pleased he is drawn wide, although he described the betting for both the Met and the Grade 1 Bidvest Majorca Stakes as “ridiculous”.

De Kock said about the draw, “At least from draw 12 Anton Marcus will not have to think about getting away from the rail, he will already be away from it. He was obsessed about getting away from the rail in the Queen’s Plate, I struggle to think why when you are in the perfect position to take the shortest way home, but this time he won’t have to do all that thinking.”

Hawwaam over-raced in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate when caught in a head to head fight with Rainbow Bridge for about  three furlongs, so many were of the opinion he had a hard race.

However, De Kock disagreed and said, “I am not convinced he had a hard race. Once his chances were ruined and it became obvious he was not going to place he made no effort in the finish.” 

He concluded, “He has had a good prep, I couldn’t be happier with him.”

The Met has the known front-runner Head Honcho in the line up and there are others like Undercover Agent who like to get on with it.

De Kock predicted the race would be run at a “good, even tempo”.

Hawwaam is the ruling favourite at roundabout 18/10 while the Queen’s Plate and Green Point Stakes winner Vardy is only second favourite at 28/10.

De Kock said, “The Met betting is absolutely ridiculous. Even if things had gone better in the Queen’s Plate Vardy would have been very difficult to beat. When is Vardy going to be given the credit he is due? He is an absolute champion. I just don’t understand it but I think it is because of all this hype from people who seem to have no idea about form.”

De Kock is also bewildered by the betting for the Majorca, a weight for age mile for fillies and mares. 

Whilst agreeing Queen Supreme is looking to be a very good filly he said, “She doesn’t have nearly the formlines of Celtic Sea. Celtic Sea is a a multiple Grade 1 winner and the champion of her generation, yet the betting has Queen Supreme at around even money and Celtic Sea at about 7/2. There is no logic in that.”

Queen Supreme has won five of her seven starts including an easy 2,50 length victory in the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes over 1800m last time, which followed an excellent 1,60 length fourth in the Grade 1 Gauteng Summer Cup. The Exceed And Excel filly is Irish-bred and although officially a four-year-old she has not yet turned four in actual terms, so she will be improving all the time. She gets a half-a-kilogram hemisphere allowance. 

De Kock said, “She has had a very good prep. She stayed down in the Cape after the race and has blossomed. As time goes on she will get better and better as she is not even physically four yet.”

Queen Supreme is drawn nine compared to Celtic Sea’s eight.

De Kock has three horses in the CTS 1200, Vaseem, Battleoftrafalgar and Alramz.

His regular first call jockey Callan Murray is on Vaseem.

De Kock said, “Vaseem is probably the best sprinter of the three. Battleoftrafalgar had an abscess on the epiglottis after winning the Million Mile so missed a fair bit of work but he is getting there, although the Million Mile form looks ordinary. Alramz has done nothing wrong and has been better in blinkers.

The yard’s other runner on the day is Atyaab in the Grade 2 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m where he is second favourite at around 11/2.

De Kock said he was well and added, “He is exposed, what you see is what you get with him.”

The Australian-bred Dundeel gelding carries second topweight of 59,5kg and jumps from draw six under Murray. 

By David Thiselton

“Punters, follow the Snaith team on Sun Met day. I think we have our horses right at the right time, and I think we are going to have a big one.”

Justin Snaith’s interview with Grant Knowles could be heard all over the grandstand at Kenilworth on Saturday and, whether by accident or design, the volume was turned up to maximum – even on the escalators – as the Met day maestro made his bold prediction for Saturday.

With a staggering R18 million Pick Six up for grabs many punters will be turning to Snaith for their first choice selections – and with good reason. Over the past eight years his average Met day winner haul is better than four and only once during that time has he sunk below three.

“If I had to pick a horse for the day I think Kasimir is a huge runner in the Cape Flying Championship,” he told this writer. “He needed his first run back but he is doing very well and the only one in the race that I’m worried about is Run Fox Run. She hasn’t beaten much [compared with Kasimir] and this is a bigger test for her but she is the unknown.”

For a long time the Met was Snaith’s bogey race and, while he finally won it with Oh Susanna two years ago, hot favourite Do It Again was beaten 12 months ago and his well-documented post-Queen’s Plate setback has threatened to make it go pear-shaped again.

What punters are openly doubting is whether the horse can turn it on in his dual Vodacom Durban July-winning style after having an interrupted preparation. “There hasn’t been much interruption,” says his trainer who believes some members of the media (including this one) have made too much of the horse being under the weather.

“I wouldn’t say under the weather either,” Snaith responds. “It’s just that he hasn’t been at his best. It was too long between his July win and his season starting. He had become a quiet horse – too much boring work up and down the tracks in heavy sand.

“Also that 20 minute delay at the start of the Queen’s Plate didn’t help with a horse who had not been doing as well as I’d hoped because he was already at the limit of his wellbeing. He has improved a lot since.  I don’t want to say too much as to why at this stage because I feel that, with the changes I have made, he has to go and run well first for me to be able to say what might have been wrong – whether it was a slight biliary, whether it was a track issue or what. We have had problems in Philippi with the tracks, tractors breaking down etc.”

The extra two furlongs on Saturday will presumably suit him a lot better? “Without a doubt and, in any case, just look at the distance he was beaten in the Queen’s Plate (just over four lengths). It’s not like he ran ten lengths back. I’m only looking for a small bit of improvement.”

Lastly, does he still think 50-1 shot Bunker Hunt is the dark horse of the race, bearing in mind that Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount is rated between five and seven kilos inferior to the big guns? “That is against him, I agree, and probably it could cost him winning but I do think that not running on Queen’s Plate day is a huge advantage for him.”

By Michael Clower