Brett Crawford had his first winner as a breeder in nearly 30 years in racing when Corne Orffer got the best of a three-way photo on newcomer Sunset Breeze at Kenilworth on Saturday. But seemingly there is no need for the likes of Mick Goss and John Koster to lose any sleep.

The Philippi trainer said: “Somehow I don’t think I will be taking up breeding for a living. This is the third horse I’ve bred from the mare – the first one was useless and the second one died.”

Many punters assume that the trainer knows everything and only needs to put the money down to collect. Glen Kotzen explained just how wrong this can be after the Donovan Dillon-ridden Stockade finally won – at the ninth time of asking – in the Steve Phelps Memorial Maiden.

He said: “If you watched her at home you would do your money every time. She is unbelievable – not even the top division horses can work with her.

“I hope to God she goes on from this. We will tie her tongue down next time and see what happens but maybe now that she has learnt to get her head down she will be alright.”

Greg Ennion issued a public pledge to support Lucian Africa, apparently one of the unsung heroes of morning trackwork, after the rider came from well back to spring a 14-1 surprise in the Investment Data Services Handicap.

It was only his third winner of the season and Ennion said: “I can’t understand why other trainers ignore him. He is a natural lightweight, enthusiastic, as fit as a fiddle and he is there every single morning. He deserves a chance and I am going to give him one.”

The winner is part-owned by former Bloodstock South Africa boss Tom Callaghan who is now involved in converting waste plastic into diesel, seemingly a more lucrative business than selling horses although his heart remains in racing. “It’s definitely the most fun you can have with your clothes on,” he insisted as he downed the victory champagne.

However Ennion’s luck ran out 35 minutes later when Just Felicity got trapped upside down in the pens and injured a hind leg. She lashed out and inflicted much the same injury on stable companion Northern Corner in the adjoining stall.

The close circuit cameras switched to shots of the crowd when this was going on while Tellytrack chose to concentrate on betting updates, in both cases presumably to avoid upsetting public sensibilities.

But punters need to know what is going on and their vested interest entitles them to do so. Also they may want to back another horse or increase their original stake. Most racegoers know that racing can be a dangerous business and they are not going to turn away from the game because of a distant view of some poor horse’s plight.

Kenilworth had a well-documented problem with loud music on J & B Met day and something similar happened on Saturday when the White Knight Group made for a good atmosphere and more than doubled the attendance.

Eric Sands, trainer of Captain Bagg who made all under Grant Behr, said: “He got really wound up by the music which was played right behind where you are expected to saddle up, and it’s not fair on the horses.”

Racing can only benefit from groups like White Knight – indeed it can ill-afford to turn them away – and the last thing such people want is to upset anyone. On-the-day liaison should be enough to sort things out to everyone’s satisfaction on future occasions.

Joey Ramsden was out of luck with his seven runners but he bred Wake Up Maggie who provided Mike Bass with his third consecutive two-year-old winner while Vaughan Marshall  stressed that “the stronger the pace the better” for Annigoni who MJ Byleveld got up almost on the line.

The market took an extraordinary course in the Reynolds Group Maiden. Leisure Trip, the second leg of a quick Aldo Domeyer double, was just about the only horse backed. She went from 7-10 to a scarcely credible 1-5 with the bookmakers able to attract scarcely a rand for the remainder. Four of them went off at 100-1 including runner-up Helen’s Bay.

By Michael Clower