David Thiselton

The Gr 1 TAB SA Derby, to be run over 2450m at Turffontein Standside on Saturday, is of particular intrigue this season, because it pits together a number of potentially top class horses. 

They include Immediate Edge and Wild Intent, who fought out the pointer race, the Listed WSB Hawwaam Stakes over 2,000m. 

Also involved are three horses who proved their class by finishing in the money in the Grade 1 TAB SA Classic over 1800m, Legend Of Arthur, Grey Jet and Parisian Walkway.

Immediate Edge has always had Derby horse stamped all over him. He has a big stride and winds up into a resolute finish and is duly unbeaten in three starts from 1600m up to 2000m. From the evidence of his last two wins, which were both over 2000 metres, he should have no problem staying the 2,450 metre trip and his pedigree should not be a negative point as far as stamina goes, because his sire Vercingetorix is by  stamina influence Silvano and Vercingetorix himself won a Grade 1 over 2000m. His dam is by Commands, whose average runner apparently enjoy roundabout seven furlongs, but Commands has produced a Queensland Oaks winner over 2400m. Immediate Edge has the very much in-form Ryan Munger aboard and jumps from a tricky draw of 8 out of 13.

Wild Intent stayed on resolutely in the Hawwaam Stakes from a handy position and he only just failed to keep Immediate Edge at bay. However, he was giving the latter 3kg, so he has the upper hand here on paper. On pedigree he should get it because he is by Gimmethegreenlight out of a Dylan Thomas mare who won twice over this distance. Wild Intent has Gavin Lerena up and has to jump from a tricky draw of nine.

Legend of Arthur is another horse who has always had Derby Horse written all over him because he stays on well and on pedigree he is by Lancaster Bomber, whose wins included the Gr 1 Tetris Horse Gold Cup over 2,100 metres, out of a Galileo mare called Grail Maiden who won up to 2500m. Legend of Arthur has drawn very wide in 12 out of 13, but Richard Fourie knows him well and should be able to find a good position in the running. Legend of Arthur was a 4.1 length third in the SA Classic and he was just 0.4 lengths ahead of the promising Grey Jet. 

Grey Jet stayed on well in the SA Classic. He is trained by Weiho Marwing who is known for his expertise in training stamina horses. Grey Jet is by Danon Platina out of a Jet Master mare who has produced multiple- winning middle distance sorts and he jumps from a fair draw of six with Rachel Venniker staying aboard. 

Parisian Walkway was overtaken when leading in the SA Classic, but did rally late to finish fifth, beaten just five lengths. He is a front-runner by stamina influence Ideal World out of a Mastercraftsman mare who won twice over 1200m and 1400m in just four starts. He could be dangerous if able to relax in front at a sensible pace.

The only filly in the race is Olivia’s Way, who stayed on well from a handy position to finish a 4.75 length second in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic. Olivia’s Way has drawn in pole position with Muzi Yeni up . She is by Pathfork out of an Australian-bred War Pass mare who won over 2000m, so she could enjoy the trip and she is a progressive sort.

Bacchus should enjoy the step up in trip being by Master Of My Fate out of a mare by stamina influence Lateral. The mare, Bilateral, won the Gr 1 Golden Slipper over 1450m but went on to place fourth in the SA Oaks and to win over 2000m. Bacchus has a lot to do to reverse form with a few others on Gauteng Guineas and SA Classic form, but he is classy and was probably below par for those runs.

Don’t Cry For Me disappointed in the SA Classic having won impressively over the course and distance in his previous start. He is by One World out of a What A Winter mare who won from 1200m to 1400m, so the jury will be out on his stamina capacity, but Piere Strydom up means he will likely be given a conservative ride that should enable him to stay on.

Count Huhtikuu was beaten 2,55 lengths by Immediate Edge in his penultimate start and the latter was making his debut then over a 1600m trip which is too sharp. The Royal Mo gelding won well when stepped up to 1800m last time and has scope, so could be a surprise earner.

Towers Of Gold has an easy win over 2000m to his name, but his recent form would need to be improved on considerably to feature here.

Zip Code is a Global View half-brother to a horse who won over 2850m, but he would need to improve dramatically over this trip to have a chance.

Solar Sail won easily when stepped up to 2000m last time, but that was off an 80 merit rating in a handicap, so he would need to make big improvement over this trip to feature. 

Casus Belli is well held by Immediate Edge on the form of two previous clashes.

Wild Intent is selected to beat Legend Of Arthur with Immediate Edge, Olivia’s Way and Parisian Walkway next best. 

Graeme Hawkins

Following the weekend’s racing action in South Africa, defending Champion Richard Fourie (169w) edged into a slender lead over Craig Zackey (168w) and Gavin Lerena (166w) in the chase for the 2025 jockeys’ title. But Lerena reeled off a perfect hattrick over the last three races at the Vaal yesterday to eradicate Fourie’s lead and the pair are all square heading into this afternoon’s race meeting.

Fourie’s ride in the first race, a Maiden Plate over 2400m, has been scratched leaving Past and Present (JP van der Merwe) and Lerena’s mount Wood World the only two with realistic chances of victory. Past and Present is slightly preferred, but it would come as no surprise to see Lerena boot home Wood World for the Marshall stable.

Fourie should have the better of exchanges in the second race, an Open Maiden (F&M) over 1400m, riding the weak ante-post favourite, Wild Applause, for the Snaith team. On best form Wild Applause can certainly deliver for Fourie but she has chinks in her armour and Thingamabob may improve sufficiently off the back of a promising debut to score for Andre Nel and Corne Orffer, despite an awkward draw. Lerena rides Keep Happy for Lucinda Woodruff from pole position but the 3yo daughter of Trippi will need to improve to be factor.

There could be little to choose between Fourie and Lerena’s mounts in the third race, an Open Maiden over 1500m. Fourie partners Show Off for the in-form Brett & James Crawford team while Lerena does duty for Snaith aboard Gran Canaria who has his first run as a gelding. Monkey Puzzle, stable companion to Show Off, finished ahead of the less exposed Show Off last time and is not without a winning chance.

Fourie is an interesting booking for Pinot Grigio in the fourth race, a Class 4 Handicap over 1600m. Here he rides for the Ricky Maingard stable and the promising 3yo son of The United States comes off a slight break but has the form to be ultra-competitive. Lerena has been booked by Vaughan Marshall to ride Touchdown who failed narrowly over the track and trip last time when beaten a head by Okavango. The form of his penultimate start when third to Please Be True has been franked and Touchdown looks ready to deliver another bold performance. King’s Quest is the early favourite and could spoil the party while the Snaith pair of Unicorn Alert and Arbitration cannot be under-estimated.

The fifth race, a Class 5 Handicap over 1800m, looks a nightmare for punters but Summer Night City (Lerena) and All About Ronnie (Fourie) will have their supporters along with Midway who looks set to improve off a reduced mark. In the sixth race, a Cape D Stakes over 1250m, both Fourie and Lerena may need to take a back seat as Easy Money (Mxothwa) and the Adam Marcus pair, Tambourine Man (Domeyer) and True Horizon (Van der Merwe) look the principals on current form. That said Nile The Boss (Fourie) and Ischyro (Lerena) are not chanceless in this low-grade affair.

One of Lerena’s better rides comes in Race 7, a Class 4 Handicap (F&M) over 1250m, when he re-unites with Sohot Sowhat for the Lucinda Woodruff stable. Lerena has ridden Sohot Sowhat in all four starts to date and the 3yo daughter of Soqrat is holding her form very nicely. While the plum draw is an added advantage for Sohot Sowhat, the consistent Captain’s Destiny is weighted to turn the tables on Lerena’s mount, and it could be hard-fought affair. Watch out for a much better run from October Fest who has dropped down the ratings and reverts to her best track and trip.

In the final race, a Class 4 Handicap over 1250m, Lerena rides the useful Secret Passage for Justin Snaith but the 3yo son of Futura has it all to do from the worst of the draw. Fourie ia aboard My Archangel for Lucinda Woodruff and the son of Soqrat will be looking to put a sub-par performance behind him, but they may all have to go some to catch the free-running and course suited Firingonallengines. Another with a big chance is Counter Attack for the Domeyer/Bass-Robinson team who were in good form at the Country course over the past weekend.

RACE 1

1 PAST AND PRESENT has run two very good seconds in succession, the form of his last run has worked out nicely, he should love the step up in trip, he will go very close to winning. 4 WOOD WORLD ran a fair race behind Ahead Of The Facts on the 5th of February, the blinkers have been removed, if he can build on that last performance, he should be right there in the finish. 5 WAR HAWK was gelded on the 27th of February, he stayed on well behind Umfula last time, the step up in trip should help his chances, watch him closely here. 3 ARIOVISTUS will need to improve significantly to win a race like this, but he could enjoy the 2400m trip on Wednesday, watch for some improvement at a big price. (Brandon Bailey: 1 – 4 – 5 – 3)

RACE 2

7 MISS WILLIAM ran a cracker on debut behind Rahhabba, she was still very green and managed to stay on beautifully for second, she will love the step up in trip to 1400m, with natural improvement on the cards, she will go very close to winning. 11 THINGAMABOB took off late to run second behind Hoerikwaggo on debut, it was an eye catching performance in what looked to be a competitive Open Maiden, she can only improve from that run, if she gets some luck in running from a wide draw, she will be very dangerous in the finish. 8 WEHAVEASITUATION never runs a bad race, she is honest and tries hard, include her into all bet types. 6 ALEX MILLER stayed on well in her last start, she can earn on her best form. (Brandon Bailey: 7 – 11 – 8 – 6)

RACE 3

3 SHOW OFF absolutely took off late to run a cracking race behind Chasingtherainbow on the 8th of March, he was drawn wide and made up good ground behind his stable companion, there is no doubt he will go very close to winning now that he steps up in trip and he gets a good draw. 1 MONKEY PUZZLE improved dramatically to run a good second last time, that was in the same race as Show Off, if he can back that performance up on Wednesday afternoon, he would have a good winning chance. 5 SMART HORSE disappointed terribly behind Bel Canto Dream last time, he is much better than that, watch him closely for sharp improvement at a big price. 8 GRAN CANARIA has been rested and gelded, if he doesn’t need the run badly, he could earn for the connections. (Brandon Bailey: 3 – 1 – 5 – 8)

RACE 4

3 PINOT GRIGIO comes back to the races from a small break of 98 days, he didn’t quite stay the 2000m trip on the 18th of December, he will love the drop in trip to 1600m, if he doesn’t need the run badly, he will go very close to winning. 5 UNICORN ALERT stayed on well for second behind Givethatmanabells on the 15th of February, he is a tricky ride, but he currently races off a dangerous rating of 75, include him into all bets. 8 TOUCHDOWN has run two very nice races in succession, he moved up like a winner in his last start behind Okavango, if he can beat the draw and he gets a smooth run throughout the race, he will be competitive here. 7 ARBITRATION powered home to win in style on the 26th of February, he carried a big weight and still managed to win a good race, he looks progressive, watch him closely. (Brandon Bailey: 3 – 5 – 8 – 7)

RACE 5

3 SUMMER NIGHT CITY never travelled well in her last start behind Lavender Bay, she battled to stay in touch and was beaten a long way from home, she is much better than that performance, Gavin Lerena has been booked to ride her from a good draw, she could bounce back to best in what looks to be a weak race on paper. 9 MOHANDAS ran a much better race behind Red Dawn on the 5th of February, he has dropped quite a bit in the ratings, he must be respected on his best form. 4 ALL ABOUT RONNIE gets the services of top jockey Richard Fourie, he stayed on well last time from a poor draw, he should get the run of the race on Wednesday afternoon from a neat draw, include him into all bets. 2 COSMIC RHYTHM had to dig deep to win his maiden on the 1st of February, if he keeps improving from that performance, he could sneak into the places. (Brandon Bailey: 3 – 9 – 4 – 2)

RACE 6

3 TRUE HORIZON ran on nicely behind her stable companion on the 8th of March at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, she gets a nice pull in the weights for a one length beating by Tambourine Man, she is extremely honest and consistent, from a good draw, she must have a great winning chance. 4 NILE THE BOSS has dropped beautifully in the ratings, the drop in trip is no problem at all for this filly, she will be right there in the finish. 2 TAMBOURINE MAN has won two very good races in succession, he showed good pace last time and fought hard to win well, he has gone up in the ratings now and he carries a big weight on Wednesday, despite the negatives, he is in good form and must be respected. 6 ISCHYRO ran a decent race behind Arbitration last time, he will be just off the speed early and will be running on strongly late, include him into all bets. (Brandon Bailey: 3 – 4 – 2 – 6)

RACE 7

1 SOHOT SOWHAT moved up like a winner in her last start over 1400m, she is progressive with lots of ability, now that she drops in trip and gets a good draw at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, she will be hard to beat. 3 CAPTAIN’S DESTINY has run two lovely seconds in succession, she is all heart, she tries extremely hard and her form is good, she will be involved in the finish. 7 OCTOBER FEST was dropped three points in the ratings after her last run behind My Only Weakness, she will love the drop in trip, watch her closely at a decent price. 14 MIRACULOUS has unfortunately drawn poorly here for this Class 4 event, she is lightly raced and still improving with every start, if she can beat the draw, she will have a good winning chance. (Brandon Bailey: 1 – 3 – 7 – 14)

RACE 8

6 FIRINGONALLENGINES fought hard to run a good second behind Street Outlaw on the 5th of March, he is gutsy and he enjoys Hollywoodbets Durbanville, it’s a tricky race on paper, but he definitely has a good each way chance here. 2 PIROSHKA has dropped further in the ratings, he stayed on exceptionally well for fourth behind Street Outlaw on the 5th of March, from a good draw, he should run a top race. 10 STREET OUTLAW quickened up in good style to win a nice race last time, he was given two points for that victory, if the race works out for him from a tricky draw, he could trouble them in the finish. 1 COUNTER ATTACK must have a good each way chance from a good draw, he stayed on well behind Empire State last time, he should get the run of the race, include him into all bets. (Brandon Bailey: 6 – 2 – 10 – 1)

David Thiselton
Luke Ferraris failed by a hair’s breadth to win Hong Kong’s most prestigious local race, the HK26 million Hong Kong Derby over 2000m at Sha Tin yesterday.
Ferraris had to jump from the widest draw of all in the 14-horse field. He was riding the Mark Newnham-trained My Wish, who had won the Hong Kong Classic Mile and finished second in the Hong Kong Classic Cup over 1800m, which we both raced for a cheque of HK$13 million and Ferraris was aboard in both races. The Hong Kong Derby has a stake of over 60 million when converted to South African rands, meaning the winning rider scoops a cheque of about R6 million, so Ferraris was a hair’s breadth away from a massive payday aboard the small but courageous four-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, who is by the stallion Shocking.
Ferraris dropped My Wish out to last place from the wide draw and the writing seemed on the wall for him when they went a crawl up front with the pace being set by Hugh Bowman on the Casper Fownes-trained Lo Rider, who was paying HK$19 rand on the Tote.The eventual winner, Cap Ferrat, who paid HK$26 on the Tote, had the box seat in third place on the rail. 
Ferraris never panicked despite being in last place behind the slow pace and he made sure he had cover all the way around the final turn before being slung shot to the outside. 
Cap Ferrat had stolen a march down the inside and My Wish looked to have a hopeless task upon straightening. 
However, he then began low flying on the outside and from 100m out it was touch and go whether he was going to reach Cap Ferrat. 
As they flashed past the line with Ferraris extracting every bit of extra he could out of his mount it seemed as though he had done it, but this was just the illusion created by his faster finishing mount.
The slow motion replays showed that Cap Ferrat had held on by a centimetre or so.
My Wish was comfortably the best performer over the classic series though with a win and two seconds.
Ferraris would have become the ninth graduate of the South African Jockey Academy to have won the iconic race.
Douglas White won it three times, Felix Coetzee won it twice and all of Bartie Leisher, Basil Marcus, Robbie Fradd, Weichong Marwing, Anthony Delpech and Karis Teetan each won it once. 
The South African-bred Flower Alley guilding Mondial was a touch unlucky to not make it into the Derby Field as he was higher rated than a couple of horses who did get in. It was adjudged that his Hong Kong debut, when unplaced  in the Hong Kong Classic Cup, was not quite good enough to make it into the final field.This decision was vindicated, because he did run on the day and finished downfield in a race over 1800 metres. This horse is not going to have it his own way in Hong Kong as he looks to be one who needs a proper stamina test and there are no two mile races on the island. 
Meanwhile in Australia, prominent South African owner Larry Nestadt is becoming familiar with the winner’s enclosure out there.
On March 8 he had a Gr 1 and Listed win back to back with Royal Patronage and Alalcance over 1300m and 2000m respectively, both horses trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
On Saturday Alalcance stepped to 2400m in a Gr 3 and this British-bred Mastercraftsman mare looks to have Melbourne Cup credentials as she led from start to finish and waltzed in by 4,40 length.
The Drakenstein colours were also successful in Australia on Saturday with a three-year-old filly called Heat Missile. She won one from two starts when with Robbie Griffiths and Matt de Kock and won her debut on Saturday for the Waterhouse-Bott yard in a 1200m race at Kembla Grange under claimer Molly Bourke, despite being green.
This filly is by Too Darn Hot out of the Australian-bred More Than Ready mare Entisaar, who won both the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery and Gr 1 Allan Robertson when trained by Mike de Kock.
Heat Missile is owned by Mike de Kock in partnership with Drakenstein, Nestadt and Gary Barber and looks to have a lot of promise.

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