Graeme Hawkins

Richard Fourie has won more Feature races than he can possibly recount but seldom are his mounts ignored in the betting market and allowed to start at 16/1. But such was the case on Saturday when he partnered the Brett Crawford-trained Mon Petit Cherie to a narrow victory over Beware The Bomb (25/1) in the R450 000 Western Cape Fillies Championship (Gr2) over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. The shock outcome, coupled with a few earlier reversals, resulted in a massive Bipot dividend of more than R53 000.

Mon Petit Cherie lagged towards the rear as the field swung for home but, weaving a passage down the inside rail, Fourie timed his effort to perfection and the Ridgemont-bred 3yo daughter of Rafeef had just enough in reserve to hold out a late dive from Beware The Bomb by a whisker, with Symphony In White and race favourite Gimmie’s Countess both within half-a-length of the winner in a blanket finish.

Mon Petit Cherie is raced in partnership by Ridgemont and Hollywood’s Brand and Communications Manager, Devin Heffer, and Craig Kieswetter was on hand to greet their Grade 2 winner, whose dam by Galileo has already produced the dual Listed Stakes winner Capitana, former winner of the Laisserfaire Stakes which coincidentally was also featured on Saturday’s card. No doubt the Mon Petit Cherie team will be looking forward to the 1600m World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas (Gr1) on 7 December with great anticipation and excitement.

Beware The Bomb, a big strong well put-together daughter of Lancaster Bomber, was the standout in the preliminaries and her narrow defeat did not do her prospects of being a major force in the Guineas any harm. On the other hand, Symphony In White, who was beaten with every chance, appeared to have come to the end of her run inside the last 50m and the jury is out as to whether the Guineas trip will be within her compass.

As for Gimmie’s Countess, she was dropped out to the back of the field from her wide draw and turned for home with a mountain to climb. Whereas Fourie elected to go inwards on Mon Petit Cherie, Craig Zackey gave Gimmie’s Countess a clear path on the outside and the regally bred daughter of Gimmethegreenlight was closing hand-over-fist inside the final 200m, only to run out of real estate. Dean Kannemeyer will naturally be hoping for a kinder barrier position in the Guineas and the longer home stretch on the Summer course should also be in her favour.

Natural light-weight jockey, Josh Solomons, was seen to good advantage, getting his pace-setting fractions absolutely right and leading from pillar to post on the Justin Snaith-trained Daimyo (11/2) in the R225 000 Woolavington Stakes (Listed) over 2500m. Using his low mass of 50kgs to best advantage, Daimyo kept going resolutely in the home straight and was never in danger of defeat. Love Is A Rose and Holding Thumbs came out the chasing pack to fill the Exacta and Trifecta positions, with Call To Unite a rather one-paced fourth. The favourite and top weight Future Swing, conceding as much as 10kgs to the winner, was staying on from the back of the field without ever posing a threat. However, Future Swing remains on target for a crack at the R500 000 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers (Gr3) over 2800m at the end of January, when the highly-rated 5yo son of Futura will be much better treated by the conditions of the race.

Miss Marguerite (16/1) had not won for 506 days but she made full use of a light weight to take out the R225 000 Laisserfaire Stakes (Listed) over 1100m following a protracted battle with Asiye Phambili (25/1) over the final 300m. Well handled by Ashton Arries and trained by Piet Steyn for a partnership which includes himself and Marsh Shirtliffe, Miss Marguerite was in receipt of a massive 10,5kgs from Asiye Phambili, but the latter gamely refused to go down without a fight and was only beaten a head at the post. Summer Lily, stepping back in trip and sporting blinkers for the first time, ran on strongly to finish a close third with both Nordic Quest and Southern Skies soundly beaten.

Andrew Harrison

Cape Eagle looked to be an absolute blinder in the Remax Address Pinnacle Stakes that headed the card in a rain-soaked Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday, but the gallant warrior was undone by a horse that took off like Usain Bolt in an Olympic sprint at the top of the straight.

Racing in first time pacifiers, a pedestrian early pace played into the hands of the Gareth van Zyl-trained Natyam who finished like an express train to out-gun hot favourite Cape Eagle who was caught for finishing speed.

“They went a good pace early on but at the nine hundred they slowed it down to a walk,” said winning rider Gavin Lerena.

It was a smart win considering that Natyam was 3.5kg out at the weights with Cape Eagle on their last meeting but hindsight is always an exact science and the pace was certainly the undoing of Cape Eagle.

Rachel Venniker took no prisoners in the card opener as the Darryl Moore-trained Happy Fortune fought off favourite Woza Nawe in a close duel to the line. Gavin Lerena pushed forward on Woza Nawe from her 13 draw and was up alongside pacemaker Zena Rose as they hit the turn with Venniker in a watching brief behind the favourite.

With Zena Rose angling out for a run, Happy Fortune looked to be in a little trouble as Woza Nawe shifted out and the two coming together for a few strides. From here on it was nip-and-tuck but Happy Fortune was resolute and kept finding to hold off Woza Nawe with Zena Rose staying on for third. 

Only six runners stepped out for the second with Sun In My Pocket and Lady Of Vix the two market rivals. Sun In My Pocket was never certain to make it out of the pens on terms given her previous antics, but she got it all right and bounded out of the gate with Lady Of Vix keeping station, the two pulling clear of their rivals.

It was a case of who would blink first in the run for the line with both rides not resorting to the stick, but eventually Lady Of Vix asserted her authority and a couple of backhanders from Mathew Thackeray saw her home comfortably for Tony Rivalland with the balance of the field well beaten. 

Lerena, in prime position to challenge current champion Richard Fourie for the National Jockey title with current log leader Muzi Yeni out for at least another six weeks, added to his fast-growing total with a patient ride on Blowin’ In The Wind. who whistles through her field to build on her recent maiden win.

The fourth was left open with the scratching of Mocha Blend and the well-bred Queen Of The Air was sent out favourite. But in a race run at a pedestrian gallop, she was never in the hunt and was reported to have choked up in the running as Flying Hafla made most of the running but not able to hold off a determined challenge from Pull A Fast One who enjoyed the slow pace and first time over the extended trip.

Andrew Harrison

Summer has arrived along with the rain and Saturday’s Turffontein meeting was moved to today where the Gr3 Betway Victory Moon Stakes provides a last gasp opportunity for horses to book their place in the lucrative Gr1 Betway Summer Cup.

Main Defender is under a cloud at present but gets a chance to redeem himself over 1800m on the Turffontein Standside track, while Greeting My Master has his acid test and will attempt to retain the Victory Moon trophy for the Alec Laird yard, who won it last year with Atticus Finch.

Atticus Finch is in the line-up again and is currently 12 on the Cup log. He has been winless since this race last season but has been in good form of late and can follow up. One person who will be rooting for Atticus Finch will be Andre Nel who has Cape Eagle nominated. Cape Eagle is not among the 20 preferred Cup runners but beat Atticus Finch in the July consolation, the Splash Out 2200. Cape Eagle was due to run in a Pinnacle Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday and assistant Byron Forster, while hopeful, says there are no races on the horizon for his charge who it fit and well and so took his chance rather than stand in his box for the next few months. 

The Victory Moon will give Main Defender a chance to prove he stays a middle distance ahead of the Cup over 2000m.

David Thiselton dissected the weights.

Dual Gr 1 winner Purple Pitcher has his second run after a layoff and carries joint topweight of 62kg together with Main Defender.

However, with a benchmark of 119 plus penalties and allowances in the merit-rated band conditions event, the 129 merit rated Main Defender is officially 3kg well in with the 123-rated Purple Pitcher and he has drawn well in five.

However, Purple Pitcher finished a fine 2,40 length third in the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the last Saturday of last season when last going over this trip. He was also the winner of the Gr 1 TAB SA Classic over this course and distance, so is a definite contender from a plum draw of two under Kabelo Matsunyane. It will be the New Predator colt’s second run of the season having run unplaced over the too sharp 1450m of the Betway Jo’Burg Spring Challenge.

The official best weighted runner is the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks runner up My Soul Mate.

She is half-a-kilogram better off than Johnny Hero, whose 108 merit rating coincides with the top of the 51kg band.

Aragosta is next best in, 1kg out with My Soul Mate.

Main Defender and Future Pearl as well as last year’s Victory Moon winner Atticus Finch are all 1,5kg under sufferance with My Soul Mate according to official merit ratings.

However, probably the most interesting runner in the field is the up and coming Greeting My Master.

He is the only other horse who is as little as 1,5kg out with the best weighted My Soul Mate and carrying just 51kg he will be fancied by many, especially from a decent draw of six.

The classy Pure Predator would have come on from his sprint comeback and he is just 2,5kg under sufferance with My Soul Mate and receives 4kg from Purple Pitcher, who beat him by two lengths in the SA Classic over course and distance.

However, Pure Predator has drawn wide in 12.

Andrew Harrison

Andre Nel will have his first crack at the Gr1 Betway Summer Cup if all goes well with Cape Eagle who has his final race warm-up  in the Remax Address Pinnacle Stakes that heads up the card on the turf at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.

The seven-year-old ran a smart race behind the useful Madison Valley last time out and looks well weighted in his warm-up for the big Highveld event and should be difficult to beat. However, Cape Eagle is not among the first 20 runners on the Cup log so a lot will depend on his performance as to whether he has a chance of making the final field.

Gareth van Zyl saddles Natyam who finished a length back to Cape Eagle when last they met in the Michaelmas Handicap but given this set weights race he is now 2,5kg worse off with the likely favourite. Positive Attitude has had two outings for Dennis Bosch, winning last time out beating Royal Swan Master on the poly. His best Highveld form was over much further but he looks competitive again. Queue Wing is seldom too far back and although he looks held at these weights he can still make an impression.

Darryl Moore saddles Happy Fortune in the first who was a beaten favourite at her second outing after making a fair debut. This trip should suit and she can make amends. Greenlight Queen showed up well on debut starting at long odds. The experience and the step up in trip from a favourable draw could see the required improvement from Tony Rivalland’s filly. Fate Decreed made marked improvement on the poly last run starting at long odds. She has the best of the draw and can hopefully build on that last effort. Woza Nawe has the widest draw but showed up well first run back after a lengthy break. She looks progressive and if overcoming the draw has a strong money chance. 

Tony Rivalland is bullish about the chances over Lady Of Vix in the second after she made a smart debut over the distance and with the best of the draw and the experience she has strong claims even though taking on males. Dorset caught the eye when running on late behind Barry Du Grond. It was big improvement on his modest local debut and should make further improvement for Michael Roberts. Sun In My Pocket has been in the money in all three starts and was possibly in need of her last run as she ran out of steam late. She makes her turf debut. 

In the opening leg of the Pick 6 Robbie Hill’s filly Hot Lava was a recent maiden winner but came from the clouds to get up in the last stride to beat the consistent Blowin In The Wind who franked that form, winning next time out. Alyson Wright’s filly enjoys a 1.5kg swing in the weights but given the manner of Hot Lava’s win and an extra 100m she could confirm the placings. Aspoestertjie is never far off the winner and Carl Hewitson’s mare should be competitive again. 

Mocha Blend will be a popular exotic bet banker in the fourth as she made a smart debut for Frank Robinson, running on strongly from well off the pace. The switch to turf and this extended trip should bring out further improvement and she rates the one to beat. Possible danger is Queen Of The Air who raced green on debut and Frikkie Greyling’s well-bred filly is another that should enjoy this trip. Flying Hafla was game in defeat last time out but that was a rather weak maiden and the likes of Mocha Blend could prove too strong. 

Mr Hotstepper shed his maiden at second time of asking beating the luckless Mc Dazzler but can make the step up as he was three lengths off subsequent Gr2 winner Cats Pajamas on debut and given his pedigree, Glen Kotzen’s gelding can step up again in the fifth. French Trip will be a threat as he has been in good form for Duncan Howells since joining the yard from the Cape. He was a beaten favourite last run but may have found the 2300m trip out of his compass. High Queue has consistent Highveld form and looks another strong contender. Clinton Binda’s gelding has not been out of the money in his last five starts and should be in the mix.  Mike de Kock saddles the filly Grape Shot who was not far back in her local debut on the poly. She jumps in trip and is one to watch in the market. 

The last two races are a competitive handicaps. In the seventh Pink Diamond found sudden market support before drifting out when trying the poly last time out. Lorenzo Karriem’s filly was due to run on the turf last Wednesday before the race was switched to the poly and she was scratched in order to take her chances here. Greenlightalltheway was a neck back to Pink Diamond when last they met but is now 2kg worse off in the handicap however the form of her maiden win has been franked. Forward Motion got a two-point drop in the handicap for her last run and Paul Lafferty has booked 2.5kg claimer Brevan Plaatjies to help her chances. Sascha’s Dream came good at second time of asking when stepped up in trip. She faces more exposed runners here but can follow up. 

The last is another tricky handicap but Intrepid has been making steady improvement again and was beaten less than a length over course and distance last time out. Gavin Lerena takes over in the saddle and Alyson Wright’s gelding looks primed for this race. Trafalgar Square is another that has been improving again and goes well this course and distance. Immah is lightly raced and looks progressive. He is down in class and with Rachel Venniker’s allowance but must have a good money chance. Ndaka has patchy form but has been racing on the poly of late. He is quick and can go all the way on his day.

Please be advised that the race meeting scheduled for Turffontein on 9 November 2024 has been postponed to Monday, 11 November 2024.

The track received over 20mm of rainfall in just a few hours this morning, and light drizzle is continuing.

Although the track is currently raceable, the forecast predicts rain throughout the day, beginning at 13:00 ,with a more significant storm expected around 16:00.

Given these conditions, there is a high likelihood that racing would commence but not be completed, prompting the decision to postpone the event.

Times remain as carded.