Stuart Pettigrew is not an unfamiliar face in KZN, or more accurately that of his assistants, but when he sends a raider it is mostly prudent to sit up and take notice. Seattle Force arrives at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday with exemplary Highveld form and should make a bold bid in the UmThombothi Stakes (Non-Black Type).

But the four-year-old will not have all his own way given the structure of the weights and the likes of Marchingontogether, the highest rated runner in the race, is set to get 4 kg from Seattle Force.

That said, one has consistent form, for the other, one has to look into a crystal ball.

A strong front-runner, Seattle Force has hardly been out of the money in recent outings and has been competing useful Highveld company. He was a beaten favourite behind Hero’s Honour on the Turffontein inside track last time out when weakening late but was only three lengths back. Prior to that he was caught late by the former KZN-based filly Flichity By Farr.

Going along with good recent form could be the way to go but Marchingontogether looks tossed in at these weights in spite of his rather dismal recent showings.

He made no show in the November Handicap and Summer Cup but did show a return to something like his better form when two-lengths off The Dazzler in the Christmas Handicap. That was followed by another disappointing effort when drawn wide in the Michael Roberts Handicap that was switched from Hollywoodbets Scottsville to the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly.

He was given a three-point relief in the ratings after that showing and the fact that Warren Kennedy has opted for this ride ahead of Michael Roberts fourth-placed Blackball suggests that Marchingontogether could prove the pick of the Gavin van Zyl pair.

Blackball, drawn widest of the 13 runners here, was only a length back to GG’S Dynasty in the Michael Roberts and a little over a length back to The Dazzler in the Christmas Handicap, both times finishing ahead of Marchingtontogether with Kennedy in the irons. Raymond Danielson gets the call-up on Sunday.

Stuart Ferrie has been holding the fort while Dennis Drier has been trying to pluck a few plums in Cape Town and Ferrie saddles Wealthy who has an excellent record at Scottsville where he has recorded five of his six wins. He was beaten four lengths in the Michael Roberts but prior to that went down narrowly to the much improved Merlin From Berlin in a Chapter Challenge final. He does appear to be a couple of lengths better at Scottsville and victory will not come as a surprise.

The Dazzler and Silver Rose will have supporters while Dark Moon Rising may need another outing to find form. White Lightning is always knocking at the door which could pen soon while Twice Golden and Great Warrior are in the deep end but do have scope and light weights.

Van Zyl can get Pick 6 punters off to a good start when he saddles Wave in the opening leg. It is a Graduation Plate where all the stats point in his favour but he is up against opposition that boasts some useful form.

Touched off by the poly specialist Di Mazzio last time out, this extended trip back on the turf should be a benefit.

Promising Pearl Of Asia, winner of his first two starts, ran out of gas last time out but races with a tongue-tie for the first time and could still have more improvement to come.

By Andrew Harrison

Viva Rio, second in the Cape Guineas, has been installed 17-10 favourite to give Glen Kotzen his third Cape Derby victory at Kenilworth’s Prawn Festival meeting on Saturday week. The Woodhill trainer was successful with subsequent Vodacom Durban July winner Big City Life in 2009 and with Eyes Wide Open two years ago.

The Justin Snaith Politician winner Silver Host is second favourite at 9-2 for the ARF Commemorative-backed Grade 1 with stable companion Sachdev next in the market on 11-2. Snaith has won the race three times – with Russian Sage (2008), Legislate (2014) and It’s My Turn four years ago. Final declarations are this morning.

Anton Marcus, having won on all three rides last Saturday, is again the focus of attention in the early betting for this Saturday’s Kenilworth meeting. He has four mounts and three – Hello Tomorrow, In Auro and My Wicked Ways – have opened favourite while the Eric Sands-trained Morse is 3-1 second favourite for race three.

By Michael Clower

Candice Bass-Robinson is now beginning to focus on the SA Champions Season in KZN after enjoying one of the best days of her career on Sun Met day, where she sent out two Grade 1 winners, Clouds Unfold and Russet Air.

She won the Vodacom Durban July in her first season as a licensed trainer, becoming the first female trainer in history to win the country’s premier horse race.

Sun Met day enhanced her reputation for big race preparation skills and also amplified how well she does with the progeny of former stable star What A Winter.

Both Clouds Unfold, who defended her crown in the Grade 1 Bidvest Majorca Stakes over 1600m, and Russet Air, who won the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship, are by What A Winter.

Bass-Robinson said most of her SA Champions Season campaigners would be prepared at her home base of Milnerton before their first KZN races. They would be transported to KZN shortly before the race and then stay at Summerveld until the completion of their campaigns.

This approach worked with Marinaresco in 2016, when still trained by Candice’s father Mike, as he ran in the Cape winter series before running second in the July and then winning the Grade 1 Champions Cup.

The following season he arrived in Durban shortly before winning the Drill Hall Stakes and two runs later won the July.

Last season the same approach worked with Santa Clara, who was prepared in Cape Town before running a narrow second in the Umzimkhulu Stakes on April 7 and then winning the KRA Fillies Guineas on Champions Season opening night, May 3.

Freedom Charter was prepared in the same manner and won her first race in KZN on May 3 at Greyville, the Grade 3 Poinsettia Stakes. 

Bass-Robinson said, “They are used to Milnerton and it is not easy when the training tracks are completely different.”

She has booked 15 boxes at Summerveld for the winter but is not sure yet exactly which horses will be going.   

However, Clouds Unfold will definitely be one of them. 

The star filly’s campaign will start on June 13 at Greyville in either the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m or the Grade 2 Tibouchina over 1400m. Her chief target is the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m on Vodacom Durban July day. 

Clouds Unfold was set to be one of the stars of the SA Champions Season last year but unfortunately broke loose one day at Summerveld and fell.

Bass-Robinson said, “She chipped the point of her hip. It was a serious injury and she spent three months doing nothing.”

However, the Majorca, which she won with authority, proved she has fully recovered.

Russet Air might avoid KZN and be aimed at the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint at Turffontein.

He will first take in the Grade 2 Diadem over 1200m on February 22 at Kenilworth where he will carry a 2kg Grade 1 penalty.

Bass-Robinson said, “He doesn’t really enjoy running around a turn and I think the Turffontein track will suit him.”

The horses being looked at to try and make it a fifth Bass-trained Vodacom Durban July winner overall (Mike won three and Candice has won one) are More Magic, Sovereign Spirit and Majestic Mozart. 

Bass-Robinson spoke of her success with What A Winter’s progeny.

She said, “I enjoy training them as they have good temperaments, they respond and do well and when you get a good one you get a really good one. We have bought a number because he throws nice specimens, they look like horses that will win. His best is still coming in the next two seasons because he is now not just getting numbers he is getting good quality mares too.”

Dutch Philip, Magical Wonderland and Snow Report are among the other good What A Winters that Bass-Robinson has trained. All three are Graded winners. 

What A Winter won the Cape Flying Championship twice and was an Equus Champion Sprinter twice.

However, as Clouds Unfold proves, he doesn’t only throw pure sprinters. 

Clouds Unfold is out of a Montjeu mare, which might explain it, or otherwise she has been influenced by What A Winter’s damsire Ahanoora, who like her, was a chestnut.

Ahonoora was a sprinter who progressed from handicapping as a three-year-old to Group company as a four-year-old and his biggest success was when being awarded the Group 1 William Hill Sprint Championship (The Nunthorpe) over five furlongs at York after an objection.

However, he exceeded all expectations at stud and proved capable of siring top class performers at a wide range of distances. He proved to be one of the most successful and important representatives of the Byerley Turk Line in the modern era and his best progeny include Epsom Derby winner Dr Devious, the Group 1-winning sprinter and successful sire Indian Ridge and he is damsire of the like of New Approach, Cape Cross, Azeri. Leroidesanimaux and Acclamation.  

By David Thiselton

Maybe Diva, Black Caviar and more recently Winks, have been the iron horses of modern day Australian racing. Their performances on the racetrack are legendary but the one thing that they all have in common is their age, sex and iron will.

This exalted trio raced to an age where most thoroughbred racehorses will have been retired to the breeding shed, hacking brigade or show jumping arenas. But with hardly a blemish on their form in an age where most fillies and mares – and males for that matter – will have been put out to grass and deemed past their sell-by date, they soldier on into equine immortality.

The Pat Lunn owned and trained – officially by Johan Janse van Vuuren – Ginger Biscuit hardly fits the bill as super star but in common is that she is eight years old and soldiered to her ninth career victory at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

The daughter of Admire Main, not a popular commercial stallion, was bought for R20k as a yearling and in seven seasons has clocked up 79 races and her ninth win.

Lunn is a man of few words but Keagan de Melo, successful with a top class ride on Mythos in the second for Dean Kannemeyer, expanded a little.

“Very gutsy,” he said when quizzed post-race by Paul Lafferty, one-time assistant to Lunn in the days of yore. “When she comes to the course you can always rely on her to finish in the first three. Today she won and is a bonus and she truly deserve it. She is very consistent and I just enjoy riding her.”

Serino Moodley is fast making a name for himself as a solid and reliable rider and although in the past he has fallen foul of authority for his over enthusiastic use of the stick, he still managers to get his mounts in the right place at the right time. With legendary jockey Michael Roberts in the background giving advice, it’s not surprising that he is maturing. He scored on the Roberts-trained rank outsider Forever Amber on the first but was more kind to punters in the seventh as he steered Guru’s Pride to an easy win, bursting through late to win as he liked.

 It is not often that a jockey is priced up favourite for seven out of eight races on the card – and probably eight had his mount not been scratched – but Anton Marcus is in warm demand in KZN by all trainers. Although when he calls for a ride, you can knock two or three points off the bookmaker’s odds regardless of the form.

But being favourite and winning are two different scenarios and in South Africa where conspiracy theories abound for little more reason than a punter has ‘done’ his cash, opinions can get heated.

There have been a few ugly scenes of disgruntled punters verbally abusing, trainers, officials and jockeys at the past two Hollywoodbets Greyville meetings, and while one can admire their passion, their poor behaviour cannot be condoned. There are other avenues of complaint to the stipendiary stewards – views legitimate or not.

By Andrew Harrison

L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate hero Vardy is being given a lengthy break following his tough time in the Sun Met when he was nearly brought down as he clipped the heels of Hawwaam early on.

Adam Marcus said: “He got roughed up, and he went a bit quiet on me for a few days. It’s the first time that has happened to him and he is not a straightforward horse. He has a delicate mouth for a start and things have to go his way. I put him on a soft feed, got him relaxed again and he began to freshen up once more.

“He is not going to go to a farm. He will stay with me so that I can keep an eye on him. He can be very playful and I have lovely paddocks at my yard.”

The Durban season is on the agenda and he could run in the big one despite the doubts about him getting the trip. “The Vodacom Durban July is a big option,” says the four-year-old’s trainer. “Nothing is set in stone at this stage but it is the prestige race of the season. That apart, he will go for some of the other big races.”

Stable companion Twist Of Fate, who ran his usual honest race to take fourth in the Met, was third in last year’s July for Joey Ramsden and will also be going to Durban. “He came through his race beautifully and he loves Greyville,” said his trainer who celebrates his 31^st birthday in eight days’ time. “If Twist Of Fate can go into the race with a nice weight he will be a very big runner.”

Saturday week

Justin Snaith has already declared four for Saturday week’s Kenilworth Fillies Nursery – S’Manga Khumalo rides December winner Favorita, Richard Fourie will partner Met day Listed race third Stuck On You and Bernard Fayd’Herbe has been booked for Trickster although no jockey has yet been decided on for Trippin The Stars. Met day Listed race winner Erik The Red (Fourie) has been declared for the Cape Of Good Hope Nursery.

There has been some criticism of the decision to transfer these two Grade 3 races from their traditional June slots, and the critics point to the small entry of 13 in each, but both races have often struggled to get a decent-sized field in the past. The colts’ race has had a field of only five three times in the last seven years and it has not reached double figures since 2008 while the fillies race has averaged only seven in the past eight seasons.

The races were moved because Kenilworth Racing wants to put up as impressive a show as possible for those at next week’s Asian Racing Conference. With the Prawn Festival meeting expected to attract a crowd at least equalling that of the Sun Met, the delegates’ reports home should be extremely favourable – something that can only benefit our industry in the long term.

By Michael Clower