Ashton Park was nearly brought down in the Diadem Stakes last time out on December 27 and returned with a swollen joint, meaning he was only able to start working again this week.

However Bass said, “He’s not quite comfortable and although the vets will still try and sort it out, there are only a few days left so it looks dicey.”

Ashton Park’s cracking second in the Gr 2 Green Point Stakes didn’t really surprise the Bass yard as they had always felt he was a bit underrated and Bass also pointed out that he can always be relied on to earn a cheque. If he does run he jumps from draw 6 in the nine horse field and Aldo Domeyer will be reunited with him.

Bass also runs Paterfamilias, a five-year-old gelding by Trippi, who will be ridden by stable jockey Grant van Niekerk from draw 8 and he has the blinkers back on. His last run over 1800m in the Gr 2 Premier Trophy was his first run for a year due to a tendon injury and Bass said, “He’s doing well and will be running on, I wouldn’t be surprised if he placed, although it’s probably not an ideal race, it’s not one you would think he can win, and the Met will be more up his alley.”

Hammie’s Hooker, a five-year-old mare by Trippi, was rated by jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe as the horse he was most looking forward to this season and now that her nemesis Beach Beauty has retired she will have a good chance of landing a Gr 1 this season.

There has always been a question mark about her staying the 1800m trip, but she was close up to her perennial rival Jet Aglow in both the Victress Stakes and the Paddock Stakes over this trip last season and is now obviously a year older. Like last year, Jet Aglow once again has a draw advantage over her in the Paddock Stakes. However, Bernard Fayd’Herbe is reunited with Hammie’s Hooker so her draw of eight shouldn’t be a major problem.

Hammie’s Hooker has only had two 1200m sprints this season and after finishing a cracking 0,85 length third in the Gr 2 Cape Merchants when carrying 59kg, she ran a bit disappointingly in the Gr 2 weight for age Diadem Stakes.

However, Bass said, “She was too advanced for the Diadem, so was not fresh enough. She is doing well and will run well on Saturday, I have no doubt about that. I think she will make the trip and if things go her way she has a good winning chance.”

Bass also runs the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas runner up Inara as well as Shingwedzi in the Paddock Stakes.

The three-year-old Trippi filly Inara ran on very well for a 2,5 length second to the mighty Majmu in the Cape Fillies Guineas at odds of 25/1 and Van Niekerk keeps the ride. Bass said, “She has loads of ability and I think she will run a big race again. I think she might well surprise them again and is good value for the frame.”

Bass would only be concerned about Inara’s wide draw of 13 if there was a lack of pace. He felt Shingwedzi would need to run above her form to feature.

Bass’s four-year-old Jet Master gelding Helderberg Blue has a fine chance in the Gr 2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m, in which the yard also run Night Trip and River Crossing. Helderberg Blue is a temperamental sort, but after a lot of work with him Bass said that he was now “almost normal”. This is illustrated by his two wins followed by a second in the Gr 2 Premier Trophy over 1800m last time out.

Bass said, “Helderberg Blue is very well, I don’t know how much he has improved but he is steadily getting better and I think he is quite nicely weighted. The crowds, tents and noise on the big day is a bit of a concern as he can get himself hyped up, but I’m hoping it’s not a problem and if so he has a good shout.”

Helderberg Blue jumps from a fine draw of four with Van Niekerk up.

River Crossing stays further and will likely run in the Gr 2 J&B Jet Stayers over 2800m on J&B Met day, but Bass said, “He can do any trip and always runs well.” He said about Night Trip, “I just wish he would run as well as he works.”

Bass said about his other runners on the day, “Diamond (2^nd race) will need it. Hypervarlocity (3^rd race) is very temperamental, but we hope for a better run. Evening Storm (4^th race) has an each-way chance at the weights. Castlethorpe (5^th race), there are just no races for him and this 1000m trip is too sharp.

Equity Kicker (5^th race) will be competitive, this is a step up in class but he is a decent sort. Winter Reserve (11^th race) has not been quite at her best and needs another sprint to get her in form but this 1000m is a bit quick. Carousel Swing (12^th race), if she had dawn well I would have fancied her, but this 1400m is a difficult distance from a bad draw.”

There will be a full betting menu at the 12 race meeting, including two Bipots and two Jackpots, and The Pick 6 pool is expected to be around the R3,5 million mark as things stand, although it might increase if there are further carryovers.

This year’s Peninsula renewal is as competitive as ever, but a horse that makes a lot of appeal is the Dean Kannemeyer-trained four-year-old Silvano gelding Power King. In his first start as a gelding he ran on well off a slow pace to finish third in the Gr 2 Vasco Premier Trophy over the Peninsula course and distance. He will now be 1kg better off with Helderberg Blue for a 1,25 length beating.

However, the more significant factor is that he has “come on in leaps and bounds” since gelding. Kannemeyer said, “Before gelding he was becoming heavy in the neck and shoulders and his blood was thickening. His blood was still not quite right for the Peninsula, but it was a great run and he has come on tremendously. He is starting to take shape and will now be a lot fitter. Obviously, he doesn’t have a great draw. However, Karl Neisius has a lot of experience, I will leave it to him, and we will be hoping for a better pace.”

Power King is drawn in 12. The widely drawn Serissa is a likely pace setter. S’Manga Khumalo could slow it up once reaching the front, unless taken on, and that will give him a chance.

Helderberg Blue has also come into his own this season, as the professional Mike Bass yard have managed to sooth his bad temper. He will also appreciate a stronger pace. From a plum draw of four he will be a big runner as he still has the potential, despite two wins and a second in his last three starts, to rise above his 98 merit rating.

Bass’s Night Trip has jumped slowly in his last two starts and won’t be able to afford a repeat. He has a fair draw here in his third run after a layoff. He has a good turn of foot and showed his class when easily winning the Listed Darley SRabian over 1600m on the Greyville poly on Super Saturday, but he did receive a six point raise for that effort.

The other Bass runner River Crossing is quite high in the handicap and although effective over this trip will likely be more fancied in the J&B Jet Stayers over 2800m on J&B Met day.

Justin Snaith’s stable jockey Richard Fourie has switched from True Master to Arion for this race. Arion was not at all suited to the slow pace of the Premier Trophy and could only plug on from a handy position for a 2,15 length fifth. However, he is 1kg better off with Helderberg Blue for a 1,95 length beating and Snaith has always thought a lot of him, so he will be a threat despite a tricky draw of nine.

Sean Cormack was not aboard the Snaith first choice when winning both the Premier Trophy on Dynamic and the Gr 3 Calulo Victress Stakes on Jet Supreme on the same day, and he could repeat the dose on True Master. This talented gelding had a successful wind operation after the Champions Season and over raced slightly behind the slow pace in the Premier Trophy and was then kept in by Captain America for a while in the straight before sprinting on at the same pace as the rest of the field. He has a difficult draw of 13 to contend with, but Cormack is an expert in placing horses in the running.

Snaith also runs Johnny Rockets who has a fair draw and is capable of a strong finish, so he has as much chance as either of his stablemates.

Vaughan Marshall’s Chestnut’s Rocket might be stretched by the trip and also has to contend with a two point raise for winning a Non-Black Type race over 1400m on the Fairview poly, but he is well drawn and could be a contender in a slow paced race if stealing a march from near the front. Marshall’s other runner Desert Swirl will be better suited to the J&B Jet Stayers.

The Stan Elley-trained joint topweight Puntas Arenas is having his second run after a layoff and the J&B Met, in which he finished a surprise third last year, is his likely chief target.

Elley’s Dynastic Power is a classy sort, who could rise above his 93 merit rating and is drawn well. He is 2,5kg better off with Power King for a 1,5 length beating in last season’s Winter Classic over this trip, although he will need to be closer to the action turning for home than he was last time in a Gr 3 2500m event and the J&B Jet Stayers could also be his chief target.

Disco Al ran below par in the Sansui Summer Cup after winning the Betting World Algoa Cup in taking fashion. It will be tough to have him at his peak for this race but if anybody can do it, it is his trainer Joey Ramsden.

The former Selangor Cup winner De Kock, who fractured a knee about a year ago, has never been over this trip, but would likely prefer it to the sprints he has been running in. However, he has appeared a bit lacklustre in his last couple of runs.

Tiger Tiger has run well since being stepped up to 1600m and looks bred to enjoy this trip, but his wide draw makes it difficult.

Gone Baby Gone is drawn in pole and is only three points higher than his last win over this trip, so has an outside chance.

Commingling of the Saftote with France’s government-controlled betting agency, the Paris Mutuel Urbain (PMU), also saw the Tote win and place pools at last Friday night’s meeting being given a massive boost.

In its heyday, racing virtually marketed itself as it was the only form of gambling in the country and every meeting attracted huge crowds. Friday night’s crowd for an eight race meeting featuring the Gr 3 Flamboyant Stakes was reminiscent of those days and newcomers, who were initially attracted by the many activities laid on, have clearly started taking an interest in this most exciting of sports as the outside rail was lined with spectators for every race.

The horse is what it should be all about and the magnificence of the thoroughbred can only but impress anybody who has never been close up to one before, especially when they are in full flight. The atmosphere on course at Greyville recently has been brimful of excitement and enjoyment and being close up to these amazing animals is one of the reasons.

The Greyville turf has been presented in fine condition since its comeback on Boxing Day, while the polytrack continues to be a fair track as virtually every race has a true pace which, more often than not, leads to a true result.

The average win and place pool at Greyville’s well attended Boxing Day meeting was R144,175.40 and R73,409.43 respectively and the total combined amount for nine races was R1,958,263.45. These pools increased dramatically at Greyville’s meeting last Friday night due to the money wagered in France and the win and place pools averaged R1,078,277.92 and R822,034.24 respectively, while the combined total was R15,202,497.27. The total injected by France’s Parimutuel was R12,509,322.

Earlier in the day the Parimutuel injected R3,589,236 into the Fairview pools. The boost in pool money led to one or two surprising dividends for those having a flutter, including the hot favourite National Approval, who looked difficult to oppose in Greyville’s second race, paying R2,60 for a win.

De Kock’s decision to scratch Majmu comes despite the lifting of the recent movement restriction ban on horses stabled at Randjesfontein. He commented: “Under current AHS conditions it has been recommended that we move horses we intend to race in Cape Town to another centre or to Cape Town as soon as possible in case the movement ban is re-instituted, but I don’t want to prepare Majmu elsewhere.

“There are other overriding factors too. Majmu lost weight when she travelled to the Cape and back for the Fillies Guineas last December and had not put it back on after having had a month to do so. Taking another trip to Cape Town for a major race like the Met will be a bit hard on a young filly like her and could affect her Triple Tiara aspirations.

“We’d rather bide our time, the Highveld feature season is around the corner in Gauteng and it makes sense to keep Majmu stabled here in view of the Triple Tiara series. We had to make a decision whether Majmu would travel to Cape Town on Wednesday along with Pine Princess and Alboran Sea and after discussions with Sheikh Hamdan’s Racing Manager, Angus Gold, this evening we considered it to be in Majmu’s best interest to take her out of the J&B Met.”

Pine Princess has been accepted to race in the Gr1 Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday (Jan 10).  Alboran Sea will be running in the Cape Flying Championship on January 24.

www.mikedekockracing.com

Brett Crawford explained: “He had only just stopped coughing and so he wouldn’t have been ready for a racecourse gallop. I gave him a spin on the sand instead. He is a very athletic type so he doesn’t need a lot.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount has, understandably perhaps, eased slightly in the betting and is now 9-2 third favourite (from 4-1). Legislate has hardened to 1-2 with Betting World but Geoff Woodruff’s Sansui Summer Cup and Triple Crown winner Louis The King remains second favourite at 4-1.

Grand Parade Cape Guineas third Kingvoldt, the only three-year-old in the race, continues to drift and is now 12-1 after opening at 8-1.

Outsider Ashton Park (40-1) sprained a joint when nearly brought down in the Diadem Stakes nine days ago but Mike Bass, looking for a seventh Queen’s Plate triumph, is now a little more optimistic. He said: “I wasn’t hopeful of running him at the beginning of last week but I am now. The joint was swollen for most of the last week and I haven’t worked him. He has just been walking. Hopefully I will be able to this week.”

Justin Snaith, successful with Gimmethegreenlight three years ago, said at the weekend that he doesn’t fear any of the opposition, just bad luck in running. He added: “We won’t mind if the gallop is fast or slow. I just want him to have every opportunity and after that, may the best horse win. Indeed I hope they all get a fair chance so that there are no excuses afterwards.

“Legislate was very impressive in his Kenilworth gallop on Wednesday. Obviously it is hard to work out exactly how good he was as he went on his own, but I thought he was super impressive.”

The champion trainer, speaking of the Vodacom Durban July winner’s chance on Saturday, referred back to the four-year-old’s winning return in the Lanzerac Green Point Stakes and said: “He wasn’t fully tuned, just ready enough to run a good race. Yet to blow away a field like that and break the course record was scary.”

Snaith is also expecting a good show from 25-1 shot Jet Explorer and said: “He could be a dark horse for the placings. He will be given a chance and he will be running on at the end. He will do well.”

Joey Ramsden has undertaken to “let everyone know” if any change is made to the provisional plan to run Cape Guineas winner Act Of War in the Julius Baer Politician Stakes and said: “That’s still the plan but I will know more during the week.”

In the J&B Met betting Legislate has shorted from 22-10 to 18-10 and Futura has eased from 7-2 to 4-1. There has been significant support for the Bass-trained Premier Trophy runner-up Helderberg Blue who is now a 16-1 chance after being as big as 40-1 at one stage.

Meanwhile, Justin Snaith is on target to beat his own fastest century and needs just 16 winners in the next 32 days to do it. He landed a treble at Fairview on Friday and, although overshadowed by triple scorer Mike Bass at Kenilworth on Saturday, he had two more to take his total to 84. But the champion trainer is only third – behind Mike de Kock and Sean Tarry – in the trainers’ log and needs to win at least one of Saturday’s two Grade 1 races to regain his early season lead.