Betting World yesterday opened him at 18-10 with Champions Cup winner Futura 4-1 second favourite together with last Saturday’s Avontuur Cape Fillies Guineas winner Majmu who, if she runs, will be bidding to become the first three-year-old to win for 15 years.
Act Of War, sure to start favourite for Saturday week’s Grand Parade Cape Guineas, is next on 7-1 together with Triple Crown and Sansui Summer Cup hero Louis The King (pictured) who was sent down to Cape Town last week.

His trainer Geoff Woodruff was yesterday blessing his foresight, saying: “Apparently there was a case of African Horse Sickness on Tuesday and they have just closed it (for movement of horses). It was for exactly this reason that I sent Louis The King down early.
“Arcetri Pink and Tellina are with him at Harold Crawford’s yard at Milnerton but the other horses are stuck here.”
Woodruff also has Rake’s Chestnut (20-1) and Summer Cup second Killua Castle (25-1) in the Met.
He said: “We are going to see how it goes with Louis The King but, if he gets a reasonable draw in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, I would use that as a lead up to the Met. However if he happened to draw wide I would rather just gallop him.
“Tellina (40-1) has been gelded and he will probably need to run in the Queen’s Plate regardless of draw while Arcetri Pink goes for the Klawervlei Majorca.”

Legislate (Liesl King)

Meanwhile, Medallion winner Guiness faces a wind operation after going from first to fifth in little more than 100m in the Graduation Plate at Kenilworth yesterday.
Sean Cormack’s mount could hardly have been more friendless in the market had he lost his Facebook page and he drifted from odds-on to 14-10. He made the running until just over 100m out when most of the others started to sweep past.
Dennis Drier, after consulting the course vets and phoning owner Markus Jooste’s racing manager Derek Brugman, said: “You could hear the horse whistling. Derek says we must do the op.”
The race was won 15-2 shot Zinnavar, well handled by Xavier Carstens for Vaughan Marshall.

Forries waltz

Now three years old and unbeaten in South Africa, Forries Waltz has settled down at Mike de Kock’s stables in Dubai. He arrived in the UAE a few weeks ago with several other former South African-based runners and De Kock reports that they’re all well and being prepared for the 2015 Dubai International Racing Carnival.
He said about Forries Waltz: “He’s a promising horse and with racing back on dirt in Dubai we’ll be hoping he acts on the surface. He is from a Rich Man’s Gold mare which gives us confidence as his offspring generally perform well on sand.”
De Kock will be jetting off to Dubai on Wednesday as preparation for the Carnival starts in earnest.
Here is an alphabetical list of Mike’s Dubai Carnival string for the 2015 season:
Ad Idem, Ajeeb, Ajwad, Alareef, Almoonqith, Anaerobio, Atomic Rush, Banaadeer, Captain Lars, Contador, Darwin, Disa Leader, El Estruendoso, Flying The Flag, Forries Waltz, Fountain Of Youth, Full Combat, General Marshall, Johann Strauss, Journeyman, Lehaaf, Master Plan, Mastermind, Mensoora, Merhee, Mickdaam, Mubtaahu, Mujaarib, Mushreq, Pylon, Red Ray, Rock Cocktail, Royal Ridge, Sanshaawes, Shahrasal, Star Empire, Sugar Boy, Tannaaf, Toscanelli, Umgiyo, Vercingetorix, Via Africa, Whistle Stop, Yorker and Zahee.

Source:www.mikedekockracing.com

S’Manga Khumalo got his first look at Happy Valley on Tuesday ahead of the International Jockeys’ Championship. Photo: Kenneth Chan

It’s fair to say that of the 12 riders lining up in tonight’s contest, none boast such an inspirational tale as the 29-year-old’s unlikely path to stardom.

Plucked from a Durban school as a 14-year-old by a South African Jockey Academy talent scout, Khumalo rose through the ranks to become the first black jockey to win his country’s most prestigious race, the Durban July, and then again made history when crowned the first black champion jockey of South Africa this year.

Just as winning last year’s July earned Khumalo respect and opened up opportunities for the ambitious rider, he hopes success tonight can do the same here.

A model representing South Africa takes a selfie with S’Manga Khumalo.

“It was a huge breakthrough for me to win the July, and I wouldn’t be here riding against these great jockeys if it wasn’t for that win,” he said.

“That’s the race that showed people I have the talent. But there’s still a lot I want to accomplish and, ever since I was an apprentice, I wanted to come and race here in Hong Kong.

“This is definitely that same sort of chance to show what I can do. I want to show I belong and prove it on the track. I want to show the trainers and let them make the decision, and say, ‘Wow, this guy rides well’ and then want me to come back.”

Khumalo said his freelance status allowed him some flexibility if a short-term contract were to become available in the latter part of the season.

“I’m not tied to a stable and I would love the chance to ride here,” he said. “We watch the racing here closely and when I look at the jockeys I have tried to learn from and look up to like Piere Strydom, Anton Marcus and Anthony Delpech, they all spent time here and became better riders.”

A solid book of rides has Khumalo in the top half of betting in the four-race series, and while he only got his first glimpse of the unique city track yesterday, he was not intimidated.

“Hopefully, my experience at Greyville can help me,” he said. “It is a bigger track than this, but right handed as well and with very tight turns.

“It’s all about having the right horse, but at least racing at Greyville is the same sort of style.

“It’s all about getting your horses out of the gates quickly and getting them into position early.”

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Inspirational Khumalo eager for Happy Valley success

In the Victress Stakes Snaith stable jockey Richard Fourie will be aboard Acrostar, who has burst into prominence with two impressive displays over 1400m and 1600m in her last two starts.

Snaith said about the four-year-old Australian-bred by Danehill Dancer, “She is a late maturing filly who has come well. We have gelled with her and everything we are doing she is enjoying. She has come into her own and is doing well at home, so we are expecting a similar race to her last two.”

Acrostar finished second in last season’s Listed Winter Oaks over 2200m, so should have no problem with the 1800m trip. She came from last in both of her recent wins, so her draw of eight will be of no concern either. This will be her last run before the Paddock Stakes.

The five-year-old Jet Master mare Jet Supreme returned from a three month rest on November 8 in a MR 88 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1400m and ran on strongly to finish second, beaten 0,2 lengths.

Snaith said, “She is a very nice filly and that was a very impressive first run back. She was unlucky not to win as she found a bit of trouble early on. She is doing well and is consistent, so will run a good race, and Sean Cormack is the best rider for her.”

Jet Supreme (Nkosi Hlophe)

Jet Supreme beat Acrostar a short-head when winning the Gr 3 weight for age Final Fling Stakes over 1800m on August 3, so will enjoy the trip. She has a difficult draw of nine, but Cormack is skilled at placing horses in the running.

Star Jet is also a five-year-old Jet Master mare and has finished 3,5 lengths and 3 lengths respectively behind Acrostar in her last two outings, although she was giving the latter 3kg in the first of them. Snaith said, “Her runs back from a break have also been very good and she is primed for a big run on Saturday. I wouldn’t be surprised if she is the fastest finisher, especially over this distance.” She is drawn in pole position with Karl Neisius up.

Snaith summed up his Victress Stakes chances, “We are very strong and I will be disappointed if we don’t walk away with a win.”

The yard have four runners in the Premier Trophy and Fourie has surprisingly chosen to ride True Master, who is the lowest merit rated of them on 93.  The five-year-old Jet Master gelding won his second race this season in a MR 95 Handicap over 1600m and  Snaith said, “He had a successful wind operation after Durban and it has made a lot of difference, he might be better than his form suggests and he has come on from his last run.” He is drawn well in four.

Snaith’s former Investec Cape Derby runner up Dynamic, a 99 merit-rated five-year-old Dynasty gelding, returned from a break of well over a year to win both his starts this season over 1600m.

However, Snaith said, “We were very disappointed with his last start. He did win it but in that Graduation Plate race he should have won easier. He was a bit heavy and I have given him a gallop and he will strip fitter. He is a high quality horse but could be just one run short at this level. On ability he is the best of our runners, but there is a question mark over his fitness.” Dynamic is drawn six and Cormack is aboard.

True Master (Liesl King)

Snaith was bullish about the 97-merit rated four-year-old Silvano gelding Arion, who finished a 2,5 length third to Equus Horse Of The Year Legislate in last season’s Investec Cape Derby. He returned from a seven month break to run fourth on his reappearance over 1300m and was then fifth as joint-favourite in the Gr 3 Betting World Algoa Cup over 2000m at Fairview.

Snaith said, “This is one who I’m expecting a good race from and he could be the dark horse. I don’t think he was given a good ride last time and needed the run too. He will strip a lot fitter.” Arion is drawn in pole and Bernard Fayd’Herbe rides.

Snaith said about his other runner, the five-year-old Jallad gelding Johnny Rockets, who jumps from draw 8 with Greg Cheyne aboard, “He runs on strongly but is not the soundest so I am going in fresh and hoping for a good race.”

He concluded about his Premier Trophy runners, “It will take a nice horse to beat them. There is very little in it and it will just depend on which one of them is fittest and soundest on the day. Any one of them could win at their best.”

Snaith said about his other runners on the day, “(1st race) – Captain Blackwater, these workriders’ races are impossible to predict. (2^nd race -) I haven’t been hard on my two-year-olds this year, so both Carmina and Rock Jo Emma have chances but are not readied up. (3^rd race -) Carmen Silver will run a better race and is almost ready to win. (4^th race -) Cap Alright is trying 1400m, so there’s a question mark, Paulo is running fresh, which he likes, so they have each/way chances.  (5^th race -) Tell Me More is looking for the extra ground and could run a big race, he is a nice one to follow on the day.”

Kochka caused a 25/1 upset on debut over 1000m at Scottsville when beating subsequent Gr 1 winner Captain Of All. He then finished fourth in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Medallion behind Captain Of All over 1200m at Scottsville, before exacting revenge in the Gr 1 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day, where he went down by a hair’s breadth to Forest Indigo with Captain Of All a further 0,25 lengths back in third.

He then clinched the champion colt award when beating Forest Indigo by 0,75 lengths to win the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m on Gold Cup day.

All of those runs were in 2013 and he was then given a deserved rest. However, he rapped a tendon in training in March this year shortly before his comeback and the veterinarian advised a long rest as a precautionary measure.

Upon his return to Summerveld he was “hacked” for about a month and has now just begun light workouts.

The Wrights expect him to be racing again in about March next year.

The dark bay lost none of his good looks during his forced holiday and race fans will be looking forward to seeing his long stride in action again during the Champions Season.