Majmu has already won the new alternate first leg of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara, the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas. It would obviously be easier for her to accomplish the Tiara by entering the fray on March 28 in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m, also at Turffontein, and that is the plan. The last leg of the Triple Tiara, the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m, is on April 25 at Turffontein.

Majmu (Liesl King)

The Duncan Howells-trained KZN contender, the Gr 1 Thekwini winner Same Jurisdiction, will almost certainly start favourite for the Fillies Guineas, despite being drawn wide in 17 among the 24 entries. She will raid for the Guineas and then stay in Johannesburg, probably in the Joey Soma yard at Turffontein, until the Classic.

Weiho Marwing is now a colleague of Howells at Ashburton and runs his Gr 1 Golden Slipper (1400m) winner Bilateral out of his now satellite yard in Johannesburg. She reared and hit her head on the pens before her last start, which was out of character, and as she was going nowhere in the race and felt amiss the jockey decided to pull her up at the 1200m mark. However, she was subsequently found to be fine. Marwing will give her a gallop close to the race and said she would be at her peak. She is drawn wide in 19, but came from last in the Golden Slipper after being dropped out from a similarly wide draw. Marwing also runs the promising Australian-bred Sensible Lover, who ended the unbeaten run of the Ormond Ferraris-trained Lazer Star over 1450m last time, although she was receiving 7,5kg and only just got up by 0,2 lengths after rallying back. She has only had three starts so will still have more improvement and she looks likely to relish the course and distance. She is drawn wide in 20.

Another KZN entrant is the Frank Robinson-trained Olma, who has become known for her brilliance on the Greyville polytrack. However, in her last raid to Johannesburg on Sansui Summer Cup day for the Gr 3 Fillies Mile, she was affected by an incident in the float in which she hurt herself. Furthermore, she impressed in her maiden win at Clairwood on turf, so she could well be just as good on this surface. She has landed a favourable draw of eight.

Robinson’s Summerveld colleague Gavin van Zyl runs Kileigh, who disappointed in the Fillies Mile, but was set a tough task by being handy, which is not her normal style. She has been based at Van Zyl’s Johannesburg satellite yard since the Spring and ran a good recent preparation over 1400m. She is drawn 10.

Bilateral (Nkosi Hlophe)

International trainer De Kock’s four entries are headed by Gr 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge runner up and Cape Fillies Guineas fourth-placed Pine Princess.

Two notable Gauteng-based entries are the Gr 1 SA Nursery winner and narrow Thekwini runner up, the Sean Tarry-trained Carry On Alice, and her stable mate Siren’s Call, who comes off a win in the R2,5 million Cape Thoroughbred Sales Book 2 Graduates Race over 1400m. The former will have a slight stamina doubt, whilst the latter will relish the step up in trip.

The Alec Laird-trained Smart Call won her last start in a competitive Graduation Plate  over 1600m on the Turffontein Inside track by 9,25 lengths and is a definite contender.

Siren’s Call is also entered and the race will tell whether it was the distance or the weight that saw her being caught late last time out over 1450m.

Last year’s winning trainer Geoff Woodruff has two entries, Big Bucks and Zrinski, but both would need dramatic improvement to feature.

The other features on this top day of racing are the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas, the Gr 2 Hawaii Stakes, the Gr 3 Acacia Handicap and the Listed Aquanaut Handicap.

The leading contenders in the Gauteng Guineas will be last season’s Equus Champion two-year-old colt, the Paul Lafferty-trained KZN colt Harry’s Son, and the horse that beat him in the Investec Dingaans over course and distance, the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Unparalleled.

Daniel’s plaster cast on his arm is coming off on February 26.

He said, “I have been squeezing squash balls to keep up the strength but will need a bit of time to build the arm up to full strength. It has been so frustrating and I don’t even want to watch racing anymore as I am burning with impatience to get back doing what I love!”

Daniels is one of the most underestimated jockeys in the country and was in the middle of a fantastic comeback after a spell in the doldrums.

He has ridden 21 winners at a strike rate of 11,73% to date this season.

However, in his last full month of riding in December he rode to a strike rate of over 17%.

17 of his winners have been at his home base of KZN, but he also travelled to Port Elizabeth twice in December and rode four winners, including a hattrick.

He was increasingly in demand and trainers and owners will be glad to see him back in the saddle.

Umgiyo (Christophe Soumillon) has tightened up and improved in the few weeks since winning a turf handicap over 1800m on 22 January and he’s expected to have a say in the finish of the top liner, the Listed Dubai Millennium Stakes over 2000m on turf.

“This is a good test for Umgiyo and we’ll see how good he is,” Mike said on Tuesday afternoon. “He goes over this trip for the first time and into a really competitive field, but the manner of his win here in January was promising and his pedigree suggests he’ll see it out.  I don’t think he’ll be found lacking when it matters.”

Umgiyo (Nkosi Hlophe)

Three-year-old Banaadeer was 4.75-lengths adrift of the winner on his own Dubai debut over 1000m on turf at the end of last month. He was fancied to make the frame that day and he’s back in a similar race with a chance to make amends, Soumillon up first time. Mike commented: “Banaadeer needed the run more than anticipated, but he’s come on a good few lengths since. I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t run into the money this time.”

Royal Ridge (Dane O’Neill), is in a full field of 16 runners set to contest the Meydan Sobha over 1600m on dirt.  He faded right out of contention on this surface in a Gr2 race here early in January but Mike wants to give it one more try in somewhat lesser company. He said: “On his pedigree Royal Ridge should be showing more interest on dirt, so we’re giving him another chance. That run to Surfer could’ve been all wrong.”

The stable fields a three-pronged challenge in the District One Handicap over 1400m on turf with Anaerobio (Soumillon), Fountain Of Youth (Luke Morris) and Whistle Stop (O’Neill) going to post.

Anaerobio has long been a regular stake-earning soldier in Dubai and Mike said: “What you see is what you get. He should run his usual honest race and has a chance.”

Fountain Of Youth moved up for a challenge in a 1200m sprint recently, improving, and he’s expected to enjoy the course and distance. “He’s starting to come to hand and should go well over the trip,” Mike said.

Whistle Stop, above himself, took off and ran away with his jock before the start of what was to be his first race in Dubai and had to be withdrawn. He’s a talented horse who enjoys plenty of support, especially back home in South Africa and Mike commented: “Whistle Stop was set for a good run when he bolted away and that was unfortunate. He’s doing very well, he’s naturally fitter for this race than he was last time so we’ll be hoping he can show his worth.”

Supplied by mikedekockracing.com

The Sales Company’s new bar-coded buyer’s cards will be in use for the first time, and all previous buyers’ cards will no longer be valid.

The system will work with the aid of tablets that will be used to scan the buyer’s card once the horse has been sold. The tablets automatically link to BSA’s IT system to confirm that cards are valid, and that buyers are within credit limits.

The vendor roll-clerk will then enter the lot number from a drop-down list, fill in the price details as well as the insurance and relevant sweepstakes or added stakes options. Buyers will sign on the tablet and immediately receive a receipt printed from a portable printer. This receipt will detail the cost of the horse, as well as all other relevant costs based on the insurance and added stakes/sweepstakes options, giving buyers an immediate total cost!

Buyers’ receipts will be proof of purchase in order to obtain the vendor release slip at the accounts office. They will also receive pro-forma invoices with the vendor release slip. A copy of the pro-forma invoice is also sent automatically to buyers e-mail addresses.

All gold card and permanent buyers in good standing will be able to collect their buyer’s card at the Val de Vie sale.

All other buyers will need to apply in advance for buyer’s cards. Do this as soon as possible, in order for BSA to perform the necessary credit checks.

Purely by collecting your buyer’s card at the Val de Vie sale (all classes of buyer’s cards), you will stand a chance to win a diamond necklace valued at R30,000! The diamond necklace has been kindly donated to BSA by eDiamond.

The Durban-based Bloodstock agent Andy Williams and Kotzen’s mother-in-law Judy Wintle have sold their shares in the speedy filly to Team Valor and the Singhs.

However, interestingly, the youthful face of KZN racing, the 3A Racing syndicate, have retained their share.

Kotzen will continue to train Royal Pleasure and said, “She is smart, out of the top drawer. She finished ever so slightly shin sore on one leg after that first start, but she will now be targeted at the Gr 1 Allan Robertson.”

Irwin part-owns the Summerhill Stud-based Visionaire and Royal Pleasure was this USA-bred Grand Slam sire’s first South African-bred winner.

Royal Pleasure was sold for a mere R30,000 at last year’s Suncoast KZN Yearling Sale.

Irwin obviously can’t keep all of his mares out here, so apart from his elite band, he often has an agreement with Summerhill Stud whereby the latter are responsible for the first cover of the mare as well as the readying of the foal for the sales, and then Irwin receives the sales amount for the foal and Summerhill keep the mare.

Royal Pleasure (Nkosi Hlophe)

Therefore, the Royal Pleasure deal is one of the few transactions in which Irwin, renowned for his outstanding record in the bloodstock industry, has to date ended on the wrong side of as Team Valor and the Singhs would have had to splash out a lot more than the original purchase price for their share in Royal Pleasure and have also lost her dam to Summerhill. Royal’s Pleasure’s dam is the King Of Kings mare Royal Purse, who ran three times for Team Valor International and the Singhs but failed to find a place.

Mick Goss of Summerhill had expected Royal Pleasure to fetch more at the sale, but pointed out that Irwin is a fair trader and does not put reserves on his sales horses, so there is always the possibility of buying a bargain from his sales draft. Royal Pleasure certainly fits into that bracket and there could not have been more deserving benefactors than 3A Racing, who have done a lot to promote the sport to KZN’s youth. The passionate syndicate, famous for their festive Box 3A at Greyville, are headed by well known Tellytrack presenter Wesley Bowman and the Sportingbet Sports Trader Andrew Harrison.

Irwin bought Visionaire to South Africa because he wanted a stallion out here that he believed would produce “straight-legged” foals and whom he could breed his mares to.

He added, “The reason I chose Visionaire is that he is tall, his front limbs are perfect, he has a lot of bone, he was fast enough to sprint with the best, yet he easily got a middle distance around turns in America. Even though he was not an accomplished runner at 2, he did have the fastest clocking in the 2-year-old breeze-up sale in Ocala, Florida. He has plenty of gas.”

Royal Pleasure therefore looks likely to stay sound and could build on her excellent start.

Visionaire has in fact made a big impression on most trainers around the country, including one of the leading spotters of class at the yearling sales, Joey Ramsden, who was behind the purchase of a Visionaire filly at the National Yearling Sales for R1,4 million.

Kotzen said about Visionaire, “He has been very well received and looks the part. He will be an interesting stallion to follow.”

Visionaire best moment on the racecourse was when winning the stallion producing Gr 1 King’s Bishop Stakes over seven furlongs on dirt. Top sires like More Than Ready (sire of Gimmethegreenlight), Elusive Quality, Distorted Humor, Hardspun (sire of Ertijaal), End Sweep (sire of Trippi), City Zip, Ghostzapper, Successful Appeal and Henny Hughes have won or been placed in the King’s Bishop. Visionaire also won the Gr 3 Gotham Stakes, a race whose winner’s list includes top stallions like Secretariat, Gone West, Seeking The Gold, Gulch and Easy Goer.