Andrew Harrison

Maidens and lower class handicaps that generally make up Monday fields on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly are mostly difficult races to have a plunge and that’s is the case today.

The highest rated race on the card is the seventh, a MR 79 handicap over 1400m and is a case in point. The majority of runners are in with winning chances but the three that sand out are Naval Secret, Shampompo Shampezi and Flying Peter.

Naval Secret made a cracking debut for his new stable and although his best previous form was over 1200m, he should have little trouble seeing out this trip from his pole position draw. The Duncan Howells stable is also in form at present as is rider, Muzi Yeni.

Alyson Wright saddled Shampompo Shampezi in feature company last time out and was not far off the winner. He is down in class here and the longer trip should also suit. Dean Kannemeyer sends out Flying Peter who is never far off the pace and is over his best course and distance so is also in with a shout as is Galway who loves the poly and although he has good form over further he may just have needed his last run and has a 4kg claimer up.

Sea Of Tranquillity found good betting support last run but faded late after pulling hard early. The blinkers stay on for the opening leg of the PA and he has a more experienced rider aboard. Angelic Fort has come on with each outing and looks primed for this while Varvacious has her first run for a new stable. She dumped her jockey last run but had shown promise before that.

Royal Virtue and Diedi look the main protagonists in the first leg of the Pick 6. Royal Virtue made a promising debut first up for his new stable and should come on from that. Diedi has shown some recent improvement with the blinkers removed. He was head-strong last run over further and can do better over this shorter trip. Atlantic City is a well-bred first timer from a strong stable and one to watch in the betting.

The fourth is wide open. Backstop is not the easiest at the gate and her last run is best ignored but first-time blinkers could bring out the best in her. Princess Sabrina has her first outing for a new stable and she has taken to the poly which is probably the reasoning behind the change. Kinskey’s Tune and Austen are others to consider.

Panna Cotta, Slievanorra and Flying First Class look the pick of the fifth. Panna Cotta found good market support last run but was left with a lot to do. The cheek pieces go on and she may be worth another chance. Slievanorra has been knocking on the door for some time now. She has been dropping in the handicap and was close-up last run, that form having been franked. Flying First Class has shown consistent form for her new stable and the stable is in good form. She has a 4kg claimer up and can do better here.

The sixth is another tricky handicap. Quest For The Best shed his maiden in good fashion and the form of that race has panned out well. He meets modest company here and looks to have some scope. Montana Sky seldom gives less than his best and with a 4kg claimer up he should be thereabouts again along with Brandenburg who has drawn wide but is a strong front runner and can go close over this shorter trip. High Purpose has been close-up at his last two and there should be little between him and Montana Sky.

In the last, Yogas Govender saddles Red Eight who has pulled a wide draw but showed up well first time out for his new stable and can go one better. Stanton Street never runs a bad race and finished just ahead of Red Eight last start. He has a better draw here but Red Eight may have improvement to come. We All Chomies has been showing signs of coming to hand for his new stable and Hewitson rides.

WITH R16-million in feature race stakes on offer for owners during the three-month festival of high-class thoroughbred racing from May to July, South Africa’s Champions Season in KwaZulu-Natal will launch at Hollywoodbets Greyville in Durban on 2 May 2021.

Champions Season will kick off with the traditional running of the Independent On Saturday race meeting featuring the IOS Drill Hall Stakes, the World Sports Betting Guineas and the World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas at the Theatre of Champions, where we will see a number of Vodacom Durban July hopefuls stake their claim for a chance to line up in the final field on 3 July. A feast of 53 feature events will follow that attracts the best horses from the leading stables around the country, promising racegoers, general racing fans and the average public plenty of excitement and entertainment throughout the three-month programme.

Champions Season represents one of the biggest and most comprehensive festivals of racing in the world, attracting international interest and includes a feature race platform for all categories of racing from the exciting juveniles to the mature stars over distances from 1000m to 3200m. Africa’s greatest horseracing event, the world famous R2-million, Vodacom Durban July, stands out as the iconic centerpiece of the festival that includes 13 Grade 1 races and a total of 34 graded races to be contested.

For many trainers the R300 000 Grade 2 World Sports Betting 1900, scheduled to run on 16 May, will be the preferred pipe-opener for their Vodacom Durban July chargers. Over the years a number of runners that have won the tough 1900m race have gone on to win the premier event, including reigning VDJ Champion, Belgarion.

The first Gr1 races of the season will see the country’s top three-year-olds take centre stage at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 29 May in the R750 000 Daily News 2000 and the R500 000 Woolavington 2000. Not only will the victors be guaranteed a place in the Vodacom Durban July, they will also take a big step towards being crowned EQUUS Champions of their generation, such is the stature of these races.

The unique Golden Horse Sprint meeting at Hollywoodbets Scottsville in Pietermaritzburg on 5 June features four Grade 1 sprints over 1200m. The best sprinters in South Africa gather at the venue for the R500 000 Golden Horse Sprint, the R500 000 South African Fillies Sprint and the first two Grade 1 events for juveniles, the R400 000 Gold Medallion and the R400 000 Allan Robertson Championship for fillies.

The battle for a place in the final 18-horse field for the Vodacom Durban July will heat up on 12 June with the running of the R500 000 Grade 1 Gold Challenge and the Grade 3 Cup Trial with the meeting also featuring the Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes.

With the feature programme continuing at pace over the following weeks the Grade 3 Track & Ball “Derby” and Grade 2 Track & Ball “Oaks” at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, will provide a stern test for the stayers on 19 June. We return to Hollywoodbets Greyville where the Grade 2 Post Merchants will add to the quality on show for the KZN Breeders Race Day on 27 June with their eight-race programme for horses qualifying under the terms of the KZN Breeders Series headed by the R500 000 KZN Breeders Mile.

Vodacom Durban July day returns to its traditional date on the first Saturday in July, for a 10- feature race feast headed by the R2-million, iconic Grade 1 “July” over 2200m. Although we are unlikely to see the crowds on course celebrating this race day due to the ongoing regulations around the Covid-19 pandemic, supporters will be able to tune in to the broadcast coverage on Tellytrack, DSTV or via live streaming to witness the best racehorses in the country gracing the hallowed turf of Hollywoodbets Greyville on 3 July. The race day will also feature the R750 000, Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes and the two Grade 2 Juvenile clashes over 1400m, the Durban Golden Horseshoe and the Golden Slipper.

The grand finale of Champions Season takes place on Saturday, 31 July, featuring the illustrious R600 000 Gold Cup over 3200m, the R600 000 Champions Cup over 1800m, the R500 000 Grade 1 Mercury Sprint, the Grade 1 Premiers Champion Stakes and the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes, both worth R400 000. Fittingly, this high class race day will bring the curtain down on the South African racing calendar and will almost certainly play a vital role in determining the Champions of the 2020/2021 season.

David Thiselton

Dean Kannemeyer’s fine horsemanship and loyalty to the underrated jockey Grant Behr were behind the shock win of Russian Rock in Saturday’s Grade 1 Cape Guineas. It was Dean’s sixth win of the prestigious race and the yard’s ninth as his father Peter also won it three times.

Kannemeyer said about the Klawervlei Stud-bred grey colt by Pomodoro, “He is claustrophobic and had begun box walking, so when spring came around I built him a new box in the paddock which allowed him to go out and eat when he wanted to. He became a completely different horse.”

However, the other problem which needed solving was his soft mouth, which had caused him to throw his head up and get the tongue over the bit in a 1400m race at Durbanville on October 17 and he then threw his head up again over 1200m on December 2.

Kannemeyer fitted a softer bit piece and his instructions to Behr were to get the horse’s head down and settled.

Russian Rock only threw his head up for a stride or two down the back straight and he was otherwise settled although he did take a strong hold.

Kannemeyer described the pace as steady and consistent, which aided his cause.

Russian Rock has stamina in his pedigree and had proved his speed in his previous start, so when he reached the top of the straight on the back of a perfect passage in a slow run race he was suddenly an interesting proposition. His in-running odds would have been a lot shorter than his 100/1 starting odds.

It was no surprise to see the Vaughan Marshall-trained Linebacker emerge as the likely winner half way down the straight as his form should have seen him in the top three in the betting rather than the 33/1 offered by some bookmakers. He is a big rangy type who was always going to appreciate the long straight of the New Course and Donovan Dillon had managed to relax him despite being caught wide from a wide draw.

However, it would have been a surprise for most to see Russian Rock appearing on the scene full of running.

He was even able to afford to be snatched back and switched when sandwiched at the 250m mark.

The latter occurrence was due to the hanging outward antics of the pacemaker Seeking The Stars.

Malmoos was also hampered, but was not looking like a winner,  and Rascallion, who eventually rallied back for third, was also affected.

Russian Rock rallied back gamely but was tending to hang inward.

Dillon, with the benefit of hindsight, possibly cost himself the race by continuing to whip Linebacker instead of straightening him. Linebacker consequently drifted inward meaning Behr did not have to worry about straightening his hanging mount.

Russian Rock got up on the line after a late surge and was without doubt the deserved winner on the day.

Kannemeyer said, “I was thrilled for Grant Behr who has had to play second fiddle in the Kannemeyer yard for about 100 years. If he had not won it would have been a tragedy. But he did not panic and pulled him out and got up. He was very cool and I take my hat off to him. I have always said that pound for pound Grant is as strong in a finish as any other jockey in the country. He always comes and rides work and has ridden a lot of winners for us, there is no doubting his ability.”

Luyolo Mxothwa had taken a while to get to the front on the expected pacemaker Seeking The Stars but once there had restrained him rather than let him stride freely as he had done in his last two impressive wins over 1400m. The explanation would likely be the stamina doubt about the Vercingetorix colt. Nevertheless, it led to the slowest Cape Guineas since 2005.

Time will tell whether the slow pace led to a false result.

Kannemeyer admitted he had fancied his other charge Silvano’s Timer but added, “Russian Rock’s previous race had been very good. His work had been so good too and he was absolutely popping out of his skin. I had heard so many times this season about horses who were going to win the Guineas but you’ve only won the Guineas when the trophy is on the wall. Bad horses do not win the Guineas. But the result is going to have the handicapper scratching his head.”  

Kannemeyer was especially thrilled to have won a classic for one of Cape Town’s most popular and prolific owners Marsh Shirtliff, who had requested he win one for him many years ago. At the beginning of the season Kannemeyer thought he might do it for Shirtliff with Lion’s Head, but it was fitting he did it instead with a horse Shirtliff had chosen himself at the Sales. Shirtliff had asked Kannemeyer what he had thought of Russian Rock shortly before he had been due to enter the ring. Marsh had liked the colt on both conformation and pedigree and Dean had assessed him as a “nice, balanced horse”. They agreed to bid and got him for R200,000.

Kannemeyer said, “Marsh was kind to bring in his partners Ian Longmore and Bryn Ressell.”

The Cape Guineas is known as a stallion producing race and Russian Rock is still an entire.

However, Kannemeyer always looks at racing first and usually gelds when it becomes necessary. He said, “What percentage of horses are good enough to make it as sires and what percentage of those make it?”

Kannemeyer said Russian Rock’s next race would likely be the Grade 1 Cape Derby over 2000m.

SA Derby and Vodacom Durban July-winner Pomodoro will give him some stamina and Russian Rock’s half-brother Deposition (Rock Of Gibraltar) has won two races over 2200m and 1950m respectively.

Russian Rock,s dam Elisium (Procolomation) is in fact a half-sister to Hoity Toity, the grandam of European Horse Of The Year, Minding.

GOLD CIRCLE has agreed to host a trial of a proposed new racing concept call Super Six.

Gold Circle was approached by a UK-based company to trial the concept but it will in no way affect the Hollywoodbets Greyville meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, other than in six races, riders will be wearing designated colours and not the silks of the registered owners.

Other than the colour changes – where affected owners will be financially compensated –  the meeting will be as normal and called by the local commentator on duty.

The aim of the exercise is to ‘test-drive’ the new concept ultimately aimed at the emerging Chinese thoroughbred racing industry where gambling is prohibited.

The Super Six press release reads: The Super Six product is aimed at taking the sport of horse racing to consumers as a non-gambling proposition. Super Six Racing is in negotiation with distributors to put our programme in front of a global audience, particularly into territories where gambling is currently prohibited, in particular mainland China.

The purpose of the trial (at Hollywoodbets Greyville) is to produce a very high-quality broadcast package of some 40-minute duration which will be used to showcase the Super Six horse racing product to our potential sponsors and partners.

 The trial will not be broadcast live.

The only difference from a normal UK raceday would be that Super Six would require fields of exactly twelve runners, with jockeys wearing the colours of our Super Six Racing teams, rather than the owners own colours. We envisage our six races to be part of a normal eight-race card so that there would be minimal disruption to the usual racing product.

Subject to a successful trial, Super Six Racing Ltd will look to enter into formal agreements to stage its first full Super Six Live Racing Series.

The trial will inform the format of the series and discussions with our sponsors, partners and marketing teams will fine tune a developing and evolving product. Initial thoughts see a series of six meetings, typically with four weeks space between them, this allows for five qualifying events and a grand Final. Our intention will be to live stream and broadcast the Super Six series internationally and in particular into mainland China.

This very low risk proposition, with minimum disruption, offers the potential for substantial long-term benefits to the South African horse racing industry, including:

Phase One:

• An enhanced broadcast product on Super Six Raceday, showcasing South African racing to a new international audience

• A partnership with Super Six Global League, presenting a more approachable, inclusive and easy to understand horse racing offer

• A transformational offer engaging with a sector of the population, previously disinterested in horse racing, engaging, entertaining and building a sustainable new audience for the sport

Phase Two

• Super Six plans four major new racetrack facilities in China over the next ten years. Each new racetrack in China will require upwards of 600 horses and regular re-supply

• South African racing acting as a feeder or nursery for Super Six Racing, with concomitant long-term benefits. Rather than waiting for racecourses to be built over a period of years, staging Super Six in South Africa means that we can move teams seamless to the new tracks as they open, perhaps even with the teams existing bloodstock

• Strengthening of the South African breeding industry with a secure long-term demand.  Enabling improvement of the breed with increased budgets for breeding stock acquisition and collaboration in securing stallions to shuttle between the northern and southern hemispheres.

Super Six is delighted to announce team sponsors for this exciting and ground-breaking Inaugural Raceday and their colours as follows:-

Following on from the Inaugural Raceday, Super Six and Gold Circle will work towards staging the first full series of Super Six Racing.

Finally, Super Six Racing recognises Gold Circle and thanks all team sponsors for their outstanding support in such difficult and unprecedented times – without which this Inaugural Raceday would not be possible.