Anton Marcus has had the privileged of riding some of the best horses to race in this country over the past three decades but few have touched his heart more than Chantyman, a gelding that keeps winning in spite of his infirmities.

Arms wrapped around his mounts neck in a mighty hug spoke volumes after the Dennis Bosch-trained gelding had edged home in a tight finish to the Pinnacle Stakes at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday.

Given his well-publicised breathing problems, it is something of a miracle that Chantyman managed his seventh win from 19 starts. “When he crossed the line, it sounded like he had emphysema,” related Marcus.

Giving weight to all in sticky, going Marcus had his mount motoring home all alone up the outside of his field and just when the commentator was calling him home the winner, stable companions Captains Girl and Winter Blues put in spirited challenges up the inside fence, but Chantyman kept running just long enough.

Tony Rivalland has mostly kept Wynkelder to sprints in his 22 previous starts but on occasion has stretched him further, notably the KZN Breeders Mile where he finished a close-up third to Morning Catch.

The odd distance of 1500m of the Fever Tree Handicap was just what the doctor ordered over a course where the gelding had recorded four of his five wins.

In a driving finish, Sean Veale extracted just that little bit extra to hold off a late-charging Noble Joshua with Born To Perform, who blew the start, running on nicely for third.

Born To Perform’s was possibly the best showing of the race in that he gave many lengths start at the top of the straight. A little more ground may now be what he’s is looking for.

The word was out early that Cool Runnings was the business in a well contested juvenile race and the money was on the mark as Dean Kannemeyer’s gelding duly obliged under stable rider Keagan de Melo. Approaching the last 200m there was a line of horses contesting the lead but once the penny dropped, Cool Runnings extended smartly to land the gamble comfortably.

Barbara Kennedy may have been looking on a little anxiously from the side lines after resigning her job as assistant to Kannemeyer to join forces with her brother Wayne Badenhorst with the Kannemeyer’s KZN string in full voice under Alistair Gordon’s ex assistant Nicolet Roscoe. Gordon handed in his trainer’s brief to take up a position with Bloodstock South Africa.

But the monkey was off her back yesterday as the brother and sister combination recorded their first winner together and then made it two for good measure.

Frankie Two Shoes, not always the easiest, finally got his act together with the blinkers back on as he raced away to an easy victory under apprentice Jason Gates.

It was a memorable race for the siblings but also for apprentice Jason Gates who notched his 60th win. His white jacket is a badge of honour but with it went his 1.5kg claim. Losing his claim is a milestone to be proud of but finding competitive rides will now become a lot more difficult.

Antigonus was always game when trained by Belinda Impey before she retired from training, and continued his good form under Badenhorst, winning his second race for the stable with Quick Star just not able to extract revenge for his defeat three runs back.

Louis Goosen has been relatively quiet since his move to Summerveld from Ashburton but things took a turn for the better yesterday. Captain’s Girl and Winter Blues almost pulled it off, “only you beat me,” he complimented Marcus as the latter puffed his way back to the weighing room.

Earlier Goosen had better fortune as Song Of The Forest scrapped home by a fast diminishing margin as Marcus loomed big on On The Double.

Billy Jacobson, who has signed up as Goosen’s stable jockey admitted “I was praying for the line.”

The combination of trainer and jockey is working well so far with Goosen commenting, “It is so much easier when you have a stable rider. You know exactly where you stand and you don’t have to go scratching for riders in the morning.”

By Andrew Harrison

There is a ten race meeting at Turffontein Inside on Saturday and there look to be some fair opportunities for punters, although this course can occasionally throw some upset results.

In the first race over 1450m Phinda Mzala was doing his best work late over 1160m last time and will relish this step up in trip so should go close. Magic Blaze was rushed up handy after a slow start over 1000m on debut before fading, but he looks the part and although by Var he is out of Grade 2 Gold Bowl winner Magic Smoke so should stay this trip. 

In the second race over 1450m Powder Puff has run decent races over sprints and should relish the step up in trip on pedigree. Mynage is an interesting first-timer being by Pomodoro out of the fair three-time winning Mullins Bay mare Tinchy Stryder.

In the first leg of the PA Wylie Wench is by the decent sire Wylie Hall and caught the eye on debut over the too sharp 1200m. She can go close here over a step up in trip she will appreciate if able to overcome a wide draw. Pucker Up and Flower Season can also be included in the PA from better draws.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m Mount Everest makes most appeal as he is improving and now over an ideal trip and from a plum draw gets the blinkers on. Doublethink has done well in all his runs except for two in which he wore blinkers, but he has a tough draw. The Pink Panther is also widely drawn but he showed promise early in his career and there were signs of a form return last time. 

In the second leg of the Pick 6 over 1600m Tyrus Express went close when running on over 1800m last time and although this might be a touch sharp he has a plum draw and should be involved. Spooky and Untamed Tiger should also be included.

In the sixth race over 1200m Oden returns to his best trip of 1200m over which he is unbeaten in three outings. He clearly did not quite stay 1400m last time and should go close here, although his wide draw makes it tough. Scoop might find this a touch sharp but he has ability and a plum draw, so will be a threat. 

In the seventh over 1200m Riverstown could outclass them and although this trip is a touch sharp he gets the blinkers on from a good draw. Spiritofthegroove will also find it a bit sharp but will be finishing strongly. 

In the eighth over 1000m La Bella Mia is particularly good around the turn, as she proved when winning the Grade 2 Post Merchants over this trip at Greyville. She is the joint best in at the weights and is well drawn. Rebel’s Champ is in fine form but does have a tricky draw to overcome. Basadi Faith will do well from pole position if benefiting from her last run and as she always had scope she can now return to her top class early form.

In the ninth race over 1800m Therevada has his peak run over an ideal distance and has a fair draw. Marshall Foch is in fine form and although the step up in trip is a touch concerning he has a good draw and Kennedy knows how to relax them. Last Of The Legend has ability and is off a competitive mark over a suitable trip. Zeal And Zest is course and distance suited. Hellofaride has shown promise before and has a fair draw over a suitable trip in his second run as a gelding.

In the last race over 1450m Full Mast is the one to beat dropping back to an ideal trip with Marco van Rensburg staying aboard.    

By David Thiselton

Strathdon can come out on top in the new-look Kenilworth Cup at the Cape Town course tomorrow.

The Justin Snaith runner is at six the oldest horse in the race but that is no disadvantage in events over as far as this two miles – and his record is a good one despite having found it hard to win at one stage in his career. His success in the Woolavington in November was his first for almost two years but, even so, he has won seven of his 29 starts.

Richard Fourie’s mount was yesterday morning an easy-to-back 22-10 joint favourite with O’Noth who finished over half a length in front of him when second to Snapscan in the New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers. But M.J. Byleveld’s mount is now 2kg worse off and that is the equivalent of four lengths over this trip.

However it’s not as straightforward as that. The first five finished in a heap in the Met day race and they were covered by less than a length. This casts serious doubts about the value of the form.

The Kenilworth Cup used to be a conditions race run in November but last season it was switched to its present February date and turned into a handicap. This has gone against Tap O’Noth who faces a massive task under 62kg but he has a touch of class (remember, he won the Cape Guineas) and he stays remarkably well for a horse who was high class over a mile.

The lurker in the pack is Dynasty’s Blossom. Despite being ridden by Ryan Moore, she found all sorts of trouble in the Western Cape Stayers and was continually held up for a clear run in the straight. Add to that the fact she pulled hard in the early and middle stages of the race and it is truly remarkable that she managed to finish as close as she did – less than three and a half lengths behind the winner.

Corne Orffer, who rode her when she was a close second in last year’s New Turf Carriers, will ensure a much clearer run. She finished a length and a quarter in front of Strathdon that day and probably rates his main danger.   She has already been backed from 9-2 to 7-2.

Cedar Man (12-1) is the only other handicapped level with the top three but, as he has been off since the WSB East Cape Derby last May, he surely cannot win.

Swift Surprise is the Snaith second string. He lost ground at the start – as well as a hind shoe -in the Met day race. He might just run into a place although, astonishingly, most of the early money has been for him and he has been slashed from 9-1 to 4-1. The remaining three are too much under sufferance to warrant consideration by the serious punter.

By Michael Clower

Mount Anderson gave hope for local participants in South Africa’s Champion Season Classics and Guru’s Pride could be added to that list after tonight’s meeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville. Gavin van Zyl’s gelding lines up in the Soccer Any 15 Handicap on the poly and although he steps up in class, he does appear to have a touch of class himself.

“He’s a very, very nice horse,” confirmed Van Zyl after his recent win. “The owners can look forward to some fun.”

“He came up on us a bit when he won over 1000m. I think the Natal (KZN) Guineas will be the ideal race for him.”

“I rode work on him on Monday and thought ‘wow this is a nice horse.’ I was very confident going into this race,” according to stand-in pilot Serino Moodley who was deputising for stable rider Warren Kennedy that day.

Guru’s Pride put to bed a fairly smart field in that race and looks capable of taking the step up in spite of the presence of the more experienced and exposed older runners Caliente, Gimme Peace and Q The Music.

If he can’t, then the swan may just be an ordinary goose.

An indication of Guru’s Pride’s chance could come early where African Sunrise, second when the two met, lines up in a Novice Plate, second race on the card.

However, Wendy Whitehead’s gelding was clearly second best behind Guru’s Pride but prior to that hacked up in his maiden. A win for African Sunrise will add plenty of gloss to Guru’s Pride’s prospects but a better proposition could come in the form of Nathan Kotzen’s runner, Arizona Silk.

He has been close-up in useful older company and a repeat of his narrow defeat to Stream Ahead three runs back will put him in with a strong chance.

The filly Electric Surge and the consistent Lundy’s Lad are others to consider.

Lowly fillies and mare’s handicaps are seldom races to plunge on and the Track & Ball Gaming Handicap poses similar problems and is not a race to cut down on expenses. But the two who could fight it out are Satin Slipper and Ms Rosa Parks. The two met last time out with Mr Rosa Parks finishing two lengths ahead of tonight’s rival who jumped from the extreme outside gate. Satin Slipper is also 2kg better off and drawn inside of Ms Rosa Parks which should bring them a lot closer together.

Brave Lass looks capable of getting off the mark in the fifth, a modest maiden field. Lightly raced, she has come into her own recently and the trip holds no fears. Duchess Of Malfi, having her first run in KZN and also making her poly debut, started favourite for Glen Kotzen but a wide draw and an unfamiliar surface may have been her undoing. Anton Marcus has picked up the ride and replaces Warren Kennedy who has switched to Brave Lass which could prove a subtle pointer. Of the balance, Sacred Blues was a little disappointing last run after a much improved previous sprint but she jumps in trip and is one to watch.

By Andrew Harrison

Halfway To Heaven’s feat of producing three Grade 1 winners with her first three foals might be a world record according to Cape Town-based racing guru Charles Faull and she needs just one more Grade 1 winner to become the most prolific Grade 1-producing mare in South Africa history.

She is owned by the current champion breeders, Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Studs, and her three runners to date are Rainbow Bridge (won the Grade 1 Sun Met and Grade 1 Champions Cup), Hawwaam (Grade 1 SA Classic, Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge, Grade 1 Daily News 2000) and Golden Ducat (Grade 1 ARC Commemorative Cape Derby). 

Faull’s Action Racing Online website named seven other South African mares who have produced three Grade 1 winners each since 1940, they being: AVE MARIA (stakes winner) (Israfeel –SA Oaks, Jelal Shah-SA Guineas, Kerason- Durban July); FIRST LISA (Stakes winner) (Divine Fashion-Garden Province, Counter Action-Champions Cup, Perfect Order-Paddock Stakes); JULIE ANDREWS (Gr1 winner) (Principal Boy –Durban July, Col Pickering-Hawaii Stakes, Grease Paint- SA Oaks); LOYAL LINDA (placed) (Gold Flier- Smirnoff, Successful Bidder- Gold Challenge, Trust Antonia- Allan Robertson); MARITIME (3 wins)  (Top Gallant- SA Guineas and Cape Derby, Sea Cottage-seven Gr1 wins. Naval Escort- Durban July);  REACTION (Stakes winner) (Nervous Tension- Cape Guineas, Hifrac-SA Derby, Response-Cape Guineas); TECLA FIELDS (winner) Circle Of Life-Garden Province, African Lion- Champions Cup, Zebra Crossing- Met).

Maritime was probably the most celebrated of the above seven, having produced the immortal Sea Cottage as well as another Durban July winner and a Durban July runner up.

One mare who can be considered unlucky to miss out was Trade Enquiry, who stood at Bruce le Roux’s Spring Valley Stud in the KZN Midlands. Her first of five foals was Grade 1 Woolavington winner Count The Money, her second foal was Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and Champions Cup winner Buy And Sell and her fourth foal was the SA Oaks winner Bedloe’s Island. However, the SA Oaks, which has periodically enjoyed Grade 1 status, was a Grade 2 at the time. 

Two famous names who are missing from the above list are Drohsky and Ethane.

1929-born Drohsky, imported from Great Britain, produced nine winners from eleven foals, including Lenin, who was widely considered the greatest racehorse South Africa had seen before the appearance of Colorado King and Sea Cottage in the 1960s. Drohsky was revered as a foundation mare of the Birch Brothers, who were SA Champion breeders more than 40 times. She is the third dam of Sea Cottage and appears in the pedigree of many Birch Brother greats.

Ethane produced the greats William Penn and Hawaii and also left a lasting influence, with an example being twice Equus Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle, who has her as his fifth dam.    

Halfway To Heaven has a full-brother and full-sister to Hawwaam (Silvano) on the ground as well as a Querari foal, so she should go on to smash more records. 

By David Thiselton