Horses are generally understood to be able to cope with extreme heat provided there is a breeze. The problem at Durbanville on Saturday was that there was hardly a breath of air to alleviate the sweltering temperatures.

“We were concerned,” admitted senior stipe Ernie Rodrigues. “We decided we had to put the welfare of the horses first and so we had a meeting with the trainers and the vets (John Batt and Kate Meiring) before racing.”

The upshot was that horses were taken straight off to be hosed down when they returned to unsaddle – they didn’t have to wait to be inspected first – and extra pipes were laid on. Batt led by example, hosing down horses himself.

Justin Snaith was among those impressed – “We thought it could be bad today and we were worried but priority was given to the horses’ wellbeing.”

Some idea of the temperature can be gauged from the fact that at 4.00pm, when the heat should have abated, it was still 35 in the shade. By that stage punters were also hot under the collar – all eight favourites were beaten.

But it was an appropriate day for Meraki to strut his stuff because few horses have survived as much hardship as he has. “We bought him in Australia and he got travel sickness going from the sales to Blue Gum Farm,” related part-owner James Drew. “He then got laminitis and he got it again here. The other horses we’ve had with laminitis haven’t survived.”

The five-year-old was one of four winners to set new class records and his 1 min 22.38 sec in the Tabonline Handicap was only a tenth of a second outside the 1 400m course record set by One World in the Matchem last October. What is more he did it without Greg Cheyne even picking up his stick. “I didn’t need to and I didn’t pick it up last time I rode him either. He gives you all he’s got.”

Cheyne was also on the mark on the Hassen Adams hat-trick achieving Freedom Seeker in the TAB Telebet Handicap and, as Paddy Kruyer pointed out, Adams is part-owner of Got The Greenlight who won the SA Classic 20 minutes earlier.

Glen Kotzen’s instructions to Sandile Mbheli in the last were to ride Silver Tiara just as he had ridden Mercurana in the Kenilworth Cup. Fortunately he did not follow them with quite the same death-defying verve but he got both the message and the filly up to lead 50m out.

Mbhele was also on the mark in the first, making every metre on Blue Gangsta for Meraki’s trainer Candice Bass-Robinson who completed a treble with the well-backed Holy Warrior (Liam Tarentaal) in the 2 000m handicap.

First time blinkers appeared to transform Dark Mistress who comfortably landed the Racing Association Maiden under Anthony Andrews but Kotzen felt the weaker opposition played at least as big a part.

He said: “She is beautifully bred and cost a lot of money (R600 000) but her work has been a hell of a lot better than her form and I thought she would have won two races back.”

Greg Ennion paid tribute to his assistant Roderick Fredericks after On Captain’s Side led over a furlong out under Louis Mxothwa in the 1 250m handicap. “She is a nice filly but she is a bit of a head case and as mad as a hatter – and Roderick has worked all hours with her.”

Finally Snaith revealed what could be one of the secrets of his training skills after Peaceful Day answered Richard Fourie’s repeated calls to hold off Doppio Oro in the Betting World Handicap. “He has been a little bit disappointing – I thought he might have done something in one of the features,” said the former champion trainer. “But when they are disappointing like that I freshen them up and bring them back in distance.”

By Michael Clower

Blackball had plenty in his favour in the Intelligent Solutions Pinnacle Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday and he scored a bloodless victory, the eighth of his career, in spite of having to endure the tribulations of a false start.

Given that the field was almost a carbon copy of the recent UmThombothi Handicap at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and this being a set weights race, Blackball looked very much the live wire and Gavin van Zyl’s soldier did it in style.

Warren Kennedy, fresh from a successful ride on Summer Pudding in the Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks on Saturday and over a nasty bout of flu, rode the race as if he knew the result. Sitting off the pace, Kennedy threaded Blackball through a gap in the middle of the pack and drove past Silver Rose to win comfortably.

“The false start didn’t worry him,” said Kennedy. “He’s a placid horse but I think it upset our other runner. Marchingtontogether is a bit highly strung.”

“He’s really found his best form,” according to Gavin van Zyl who has a few racing during the season in mind.

True To Life, a touch disappointing in the Cape Fillies Guineas back in December where she finished mid-field behind Missisippi Burning, put the record straight with an easy win in the Conditions Plate.

Tracking the pace for much of the early exchanges, Calvin Habib released the handbrake at the top of the straight and she strode to a commanding victory with Camphoratus chasing in vain and still some four lengths adrift at the line.

With South Africa’s Champion Season on the horizon, the Gr 2 KZN Fillies Guineas and the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 must be on the cards for Johan Janse van Vuuren’s filly although assistant Pat Lunn feels that 1 400m is her game.

Time will tell!

Walls Of Dubrovnik, a son of first season sire Fencing Master, record his second straight win in the card opener. Mike Miller has not been afraid to send his juveniles early and Walls Of Dubrovnik was having his third start in a little more than two months but was delighted to see his charge win well. “I thought he was a bit out of his ground, but he just ate up the ground. He seems to be really a nice horse.” Eric Ngwane, who has been a little quiet since returning from a spell in Mauritius, scoring his first win back on the colt and hopefully this second win will see him get some better opportunities. He rode a confident race and the colt responded. “He jumped a little slow but he was comfortable where he was. I knew I had the race at the top of the straight. I didn’t panic and when I squeezed him, he took off.”

Drier

Dennis Drier is back on his shooting stick at Summerveld after an extended stay in the Western Cape and Master Of Destiny gave him a welcoming return. Master Of Destiny had let the side down on a couple of occasions but the addition of cheek piece to yesterday’s bridle did wonders.

Always up with the pace, Sean Veale sent him about his business at the top of the straight and at first he appeared to be struggling to shed his challengers. However, they soon began treading water and Master Of Destiny strode away to win as he liked with the long-time maiden Master George in vain pursuit.

By Andrew Harrison

Joey Soma is favouring the Vodacom Durban July as the chief target for Saturday’s Grade 1 SA Classic winner Got The Greenlight with the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 as the springboard, although he has not given the future of the now twice Grade 1-winning colt much thought yet and said there were many options.

He said Bernard Fayd’Herbe had got off on Saturday and said he was a top horse who had given him a really good feel and would definitely get the ground of the July.

Soma had stated last year, after Got The Greenlight had stormed home from off the pace to win the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville, that he felt he could be a July horse.

The Gimmethegreenlight colt was subsequently named Equus Champion two-year-old male.  In the excitement of landing the SA Classic for the second time in three years, Soma is yet to watch the replays and analyse the race.

However, he does already have a few questions in mind for Fayd’Herbe. Got The Greenlight had not given Soma any reason to fit a first-time tongue tie and a first-time sheepskin noseband for Saturday’s race, as he has no breathing issues and has a lovely action, but he did go in with those two new pieces of equipment.

Soma said, “He had never really settled in either of his two previous races as a three-year-old so I thought I would put the tongue tie and the sheepskin noseband on. I believe in tongue ties, 99% of my horses wear them. The sheepskin noseband helps them keep their head dropped and balanced and as horses like to see their hooves it can help them extend their stride too. But he did still throw his head around a bit. They seemed to go quickly initially and it was then slowed down. I thought it was a very good ride from Marco van Rensburg in the front on Green Laser. So before I start panicking about him getting the July trip I will be asking Bernard whether he threw his head around because the pace had slowed or was he fighting.”

Durban-born Dayalan Chinsammy is a shareholder in Got The Greenlight and would likely want to see his horse in the July.

Soma added, “Dayalan is passionate about racing, he just loves the game and makes it fun, He has bought a lot of friends and family into horseracing too, which is what the game needs. He has put a lot of money in so deserves his success but at the same time he really loves every one of his horses from the maidens to the Group 1 winners, he is a very good man.”

Chinsammy is no stranger to big race success having also owned the like of Grade 1 SA Oaks winner Ash Cloud and Grade 2 Post Merchants winner Daring Dave.

The other two partners are Soma himself and the prolific Grade 1-winning owner Hassan Adams.

Soma pulled off a fine training feat as he had just four weeks to get his star colt ready after the latter had endured a difficult preparation for the CTS 1600 at Kenilworth.

Soma said, “He had a tough two-year-old campaign and had needed to fill out, so I always had it in mind not to go hard with him as an early three-year-old. He duly didn’t look like a whole horse throughout the second half of last year, but the carrot of the R5 million CTS 1600 was dangled in front of us. He gave Ikigai 7kg and was returning from a seven month rest when beaten 6,25 lengths in the Tony Ruffel. He then had to endure 14 to 16 days of vector protected quarantine where he was only allowed out at 10 a.m. to go and work, and then after a walk in the afternoon he had to be back in his stable by 3 p.m. He hated it. After the journey to Cape Town he still looked a bit ribby, but he still stayed on well in the CTS 1600 for sixth. So those were his first two runs as a three-year-old. After the journey back we gave him a week’s break and back in his own stable he began to thrive. He responded to whatever we gave him and his work was sparkling. In the parade ring on Saturday a number of people commented on how well he looked and said they couldn’t believe how much he had matured and filled out.”

Got The Greenlight stayed on resolutely from a covered up position just ahead of midfield to beat Green Laser by three-quarters of a length with Youcanthurrylove a head further back.

The first three past the post are all by Gimmethegreenlight.

Got The Greenlight’s classiest opposition on the day had stamina and fitness question marks hanging over their heads beforehand, so it would be easy for detractors to punch holes in the form, but in fact his time for the tough 1800m contest was quicker than the winning time of Summer Pudding in the SA Fillies Classic and she is being hailed a superstar.

The HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and Premier’s Champions Challenge are two other options open to Got The Greenlight, but if he does go the Daisy Guineas, Daily News, VDJ route Soma might stable him at Summerveld.

Soma concluded, “My concern is he is at his happiest when in his own stable but on the other hand if he is at Summerveld for three months he might start thinking of it as home.”

By David Thiselton

In spite of his respiratory problems, Blackball has been an honest servant for Gavin van Zyl and his many owners and he looks set for his eighth visit to the winner’s circle when he lines up in the Intelligent Solutions Pinnacle Stakes on the turf at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.

The race is almost a re-run of the recent Umthomboti Stakes at Hollywoodbets Scottsville where Blackball ran out a convincing winner in spite of stable companion Marchingontogether starting favourite.

Raymond Danielson, who rode Blackball, said he was puzzled at first why Warren Kennedy had chosen Marchingontogether ahead of Blackball. “I was scratching my head a bit why Warren picked the other one then I saw the weight difference and he was probably on the right one.”

The boot is on the other foot come Sunday with a four length and 4.5kg turn around in favour of Blackball so all things being equal, Marchingontogether will have to start tomorrow to beat his stable companion.

Wealthy has nearly five lengths to make up on Blackball after finishing fourth but he is 4kg better off this time around which brings him well into the picture.

The filly Moon In June steps up in class but Robbie Hill’s charge was a comfortable winner last time out. She is in receipt of 9kg from Blackball which must also put her in the frame.

True To Life made a strong start to her sophomore campaign, beating Ikigai in her seasonal debut and following up in the Magnolia Handicap where she had three lengths to spare over Dancing Queen. She is up against some smart older fillies including former Gr1 Empress Club winner Camphoratus in the Silverline Panel Beating & Spray Painting Conditions Plate.

True To Life’s Highveld form was deemed good enough for her to make the trip to Kenilworth for the Cape Fillies Guineas but it was all in vain as she finished midfield behind Mississippi Burning.

That was not the strongest Guineas field on record but if the merit ratings are anything to go on, she should be right up there.

If Camphoratus, who is rated one-pound better than True To Life under Sunday’s conditions, is anywhere near her best she will give the younger filly a tough race.

She is back on home soil with Robbie Hill after a warm-up over the Turffontein Inner track mile.

Her best recent form has been over ground but she is fully effective over this trip and if not short of a gallop, will be a serious contender.

Also in opposition is Master Keys. She ran a creditable race in the Flamboyant Stakes on Boxing Day from a wide draw and had solid form leading into the race. She is over what looks to be her optimum trip and although the opposing line-up is strong, she is definitely a big runner.

The third is a difficult Fillies and Mares Handicap and it may prove prudent to load up in this the opening leg of the Pick 6. There was a piece of paper separating Mai Tai and Extravargant when last they met and the former went on to frank that form with a win next time out. Extravargant is 1kg better off this time around but the younger filly is still on the up.

Song Of The Forest held on just long enough to hold all at bay last Sunday over the Hollywoodbets Scottsville 1400m and she should appreciate this shorter trip. Love Theme, Someone Exciting and At Your Request are all live runners.

The balance of the card is made up of rats and mice maidens where any form could prove suspect.

By Andrew Harrison

Our Prized Jewel may well have the potential to beat the first-time-out-of-the-maidens bogey in the Hospitality & Venue Booking Handicap at Durbanville tomorrow.

This Brett Crawford-trained Ridgemont filly is bred to be a star – by five-time Group 1 winner Duke Of Marmalade, she is a half-sister to Cape Fillies Guineas scorer Silver Mountain and to the brilliantly fast but temperamental Cloth Of Cloud who won the SA Nursery – and her home reputation preceded her on debut. She started at odds-on, raced prominently and led two furlongs out to score by a length and three-quarters in what looked a reasonable maiden – the three immediately behind her had all been placed on their most recent starts.

“She has got ability and I like her,” enthused Anton Marcus. “She hadn’t been tuned up at home.” However he did add that she might take another run to learn what racing is all about.”

That last point could make her vulnerable against this much more experienced opposition but she has been given a chance by the handicappers. They put her in on a mark of 79 which is more or less what she ran to and makes no allowance for the amount by which she can be expected to have come on.

Greg Cheyne, also retained by Ridgemont, takes over from Marcus and his mount looks reasonably priced at 2-1. This favourite could have most to fear from the other runner in the dark green, blue sleeves, white cap colours –  Proclaimer, trained by the in-form Candice Bass-Robinson and ridden by the under-rated Anthony Andrews.

This one has put up two really good efforts in her last two starts, is well drawn and looks a big price at 7-1.

The betting, although arguably not the form book, suggests that Mon Cherie and Windsor Beat are bigger threats. Both are 9-2 chances. The former has to give weight all round and was hanging throughout the final furlong last time when Windsor Beat was three-quarters of a length behind and is now half a kilo better. Queen’s Club (6-1) was well beaten on her last three starts and there were no obvious excuses for her two most recent efforts.

But one worthy of consideration is the Andre Nel runner Academic Gold who is also first time out of the maidens. She gets in off 78 but her negative is her kiss-of-death draw.

Nippy Sweetie flopped when hot favourite on Cape Derby day and it is significant that Crawford turns her out again so soon. The hint should not be ignored in race one while Tostada looks another for Cheyne in the next.

By Michael Clower