Category Archives: Uncategorized

No Worries (Nkosi Hlophe)

Another Million? No Worries

Posted on by

Gareth Van Zyl pulled off a fine training feat at Greyville yesterday when No Worries recaptured the KZN Breeders Million Mile race he had won as a four-year-old two years ago at Clairwood.

The Summerhill-bred Kahal gelding was coming off three runs between 1950m and 2400m which had yielded a win and two thirds.

Van Zyl somehow managed to freshen the six-year-old up and he ran on strongly from midfield under regular rider Warren Kennedy, despite the race having been run at a crawl,

He overtook favourite Rabada close home before drawing clear to win by 1,5 lengths.

No Worries (Nkosi Hlophe)

No Worries (Nkosi Hlophe)

Twice Gr 1-winning three-year-old Rabada, who is in the field for next weekend’s Vodacom Durban July, carried 59,5kg, but on official merit ratings No Worries, who carried 58kg, was only 0,5kg better off with him. Furthermore, No Worries was officially 2kg under sufferance with third-placed Malak El Moolook, whom he beat by 2,25 lengths.

This confirmed No Worries’ recent good form was not only due to his stamina capacity and he is clearly enjoying a new lease of life.

July watchers might view the race as a further blow to the chances of the three-year-olds, who already have a tough task at the weights.

Van Zyl said the enormous amount of work put in by jockey Kennedy and his assistant trainer Jessica Von Niebel had turned No Worries around.

Kennedy described the chestnut as “the darling of the stable” and owner Brian Burnard called him “a soldier.”

Every one of the other eight races carried a R200,000 stake. Nine-times South African champion breeders Summerhill Stud enjoyed a day to remember.

Sean Tarry scored a treble with the JJ Snyman-owned-and-bred Strategic News filly Strategic Move (S’Manga Khumalo), the Summerhill-bred Admire Main gelding Hyaku (JP van der Merwe); and the Summerhill-bred Kahal filly Witchcraft (Khumalo).

Doug Campbell scored a double. The Mogok gelding Kingston Boy (Anthony Delpech), which he bred and part-owns, repeated his win of last year and his Summerhill-bred Visionaire filly Lala (Anton Marcus) was a deserved winner.

Other winners were St. John Gary with his home-bred Announce filly Last Chirp (Marcus), Tony Rivalland with Summerhill-bred gelding Count Von Count (Lyle Hewitson) and Alyson Wright with Yellow Star Stud-bred Daylami gelding Penhaligon (Delpech).

By David Thiselton

Marinaresco (Liesl King)

Mixed views on draws

Posted on by

Marinaresco’s 19 draw was greeted with disappointment bordering on disgust by the horse’s connections at Kenilworth yesterday.

Marinaresco (Liesl King)

Marinaresco (Liesl King)

“That’s the worst draw I could have,” said rider Grant van Niekerk while Candice Robinson greeted questions with a blunt “Don’t even ask me,” before adding: “We had bad luck – we didn’t even get a chance to choose a number. Marinaresco has to be dropped in – that’s the way he is ridden – so we are going to have to hope that there is a good pace.”

It was also a bitter disappointment for all those punters who have backed the three-year-old to give Mike Bass success with his last hurrah, making him the gamble of the race so far. Bookmakers, doubtless breathing a sigh of relief, promptly marked him out from 6-1 to as much as 15-2.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, who won from pen three on Pocket Power eight years ago, was totally unimpressed with Mac De Lago’s 16, saying: “That’s very bad.”

Surprisingly, though, Richard Fourie expressed himself delighted with his number 14 stall for It’s My Turn. It could be significant that Legislate started from only three places inside that when Fourie won on him two years ago.

He said: “That’s a beautiful draw and a good one for this particular horse. Most of those drawn low are speed horses and they are going to cut each other’s throats. I am happy that I am out of trouble, I know my horse stays and now I’m just hoping for a fair run through the race.”

By Michael Clower

candice robinson hamishnivenphotography

Bass Racing open KZN yard

Posted on by

Candice Robinson, who takes over when her father Mike Bass retires at the end of next month, means business in Durban as well as Cape Town and she is opening a permanent residency in Summerveld.

She has signed a contract with Rupert Plersche’s Janet Baker Properties for 30 stables in their private Summeveld training complex.

She said yesterday: “Having two centres to work from, with alternating peak seasons, makes sense for us in a lot of ways. The Summerveld  stable is also an alternative yard for us to race horses that may not be able to cope with the stronger competition that the Cape summer season offers.

“Another major enticing factor is that it serves as a sensible geographical base from which to raid Johannesburg.”

Mrs Robinson will take out her licence with the full support of her father who will stay on in an advisory capacity, and of her brother Mark who points out that training from a private Summerveld facility means that the stable’s horses will not fall under the current minimum merit rating restrictions for horses of visiting trainers.

Meanwhile, Basil Marcus, who lost consciousness after suffering from what was believed to be an epileptic seizure a week ago, has been released from the Milnerton Mediclinic.

Son Adam said: “He was in intensive care for a few days but he was looking better as each day went by and he is delighted to be home again. He is going to rest for the next couple of weeks and then hopefully it will all be a thing of the past.”

Michael Clower

 

Barbosa (Nkosi Hlophe)

Drier to defend crown

Posted on by

Maestro Summerveld trainer Dennis Drier has an enviable record in the Scottsville Festival Of Speed meeting Gr 1 events and, apart from winning five of the last six renewals of the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion, his yard will also be defending the Tsogo Sun Sprint crown.

Barbosa (Nkosi Hlophe)

Barbosa (Nkosi Hlophe)

Drier, like all great trainers, pays acute attention to detail and expects high standards from his staff and stable jockeys, so his Gr 1 contestants will invariably be tuned to the minute.

He said he did not have a preference between Barbosa and Guiness in the Tsogo Sun Sprint and added both had been “doing well.” Seventh Plain, on the other hand, had suffered a setback which had forced his comeback from a layoff to be put back a couple of weeks.

On May 22 he ran below his best in a Pinnacle event over 1000m at Scottsville, finishing 4,05 lengths back, but he was doing some eye-catching late work under a sympathetic ride. He should do a lot better on Saturday and, as a brilliant winner over course and distance in last year’s Gold Medallion, can’t be discounted despite the less than ideal preparation.

Assistant trainer Stuart Ferrie believes Barbosa is “better than he has ever been”. This six-year-old Captain Al gelding has certainly blossomed and, having remained on a merit rating of 108 after his excellent third in the Gr 1 weight for age Computaform Sprint, he must be a big runner. Former Gold Medallion winner Guiness has to be a runner too having scraped into the handicap with bottom weight of 52kg.

Stable jockey Sean Veale is aboard Barbosa from draw 10, while Seventh Plain has Aldo Domeyer aboard from draw 15 and Guiness is drawn 17 with Callan Murray up.

Seventh Plain (Nkosi Hlophe)

Seventh Plain (Nkosi Hlophe)

Drier said about unbeaten Gold Medallion hopeful Horse Guards, “He is doing nicely and this will be a nice test for him.”

Drier said it was hard to compare this Horse Chestnut colt to the yard’s previous Gold Medallion winners.

Punters and pundits always look out for Drier’s Gold Medallion candidates in the early part of the year and a valid contender seemed a long time in coming this time around. However, Horse Guards’ debut, a five length romp on the Greyville poly over 1000m on April 29, was actually not as close up to the Gold Medallion as Captain Of All’s debut in 2013.

Horse Guards ran over the Gold Medallion course and distance on May 22 in his second start and, after showing plenty of pace, pulled away to win impressively by 2,25 lengths.

This year’s Gold Medallion renewal has been made weaker by the scratching of the impressive Red Chesnut Road, but there are still some exciting prospects involved, such as Oomph, Always In Charge and Rivarine. However, few would bet against Drier making it six out of seven and seven in total, having also won it way back in 1990 with Spook And Diesel.

By David Thiselton

QuintePlus Dividends – 29/5/2016

Posted on by

Bonus number: 1322

All 5 Exact Order
1/5/15/3/4
With Bonus: C/Fwd
Without Bonus: R 109824.00

All 5 Any Other Order
1/5/15/3/4
With Bonus: C/Fwd
Without Bonus: R 915.20

Top 4 Any Order
1/5/15/3
With Bonus: R 1046.00
Without Bonus: R 104.60

4 out of 5 Any Order
1/5/15/4
1/5/3/4
1/15/3/4
5/15/3/4
With Bonus: R 324.00
Without Bonus: R 32.40

Top 3 Any Order
1/5/15
With Bonus: R 216.00
Without Bonus: R 2.00

COMMENTARY LINES

Posted on by

Bathurst (AUS) 031 362 1110
York (UK) 031 362 1110
Redcliffe (AUS) 031 362 1111
Lingfield (UK) 031 362 1111
Shepparton (AUS) 031 362 1107
Worcester (UK) 031 362 1107
Happy Valley (HK) 031 362 1104
Perth (UK) 031 362 1104
Bath (UK) 031 362 1101