Brett Crawford is hoping Undercover Agent can run as well as he did in last year’s Sun Met although he rates his best runners on the day as Run Fox Run in the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship and Front And Centre in the Grade 1 Bidvest Majorca Stakes.

Five-year-old Captain Al entire Undercover Agent features in the card changes for the day as he will be wearing a tongue tie.

Crawford said, “He is all good and seems to have been working better with the tongue tie on. It is a tough task but we have got to try and if he runs the same sort of race as last year we will be very happy.”

Stable jockey Corné Orffer rode him to a courageous 2,20 length fourth last year from draw 12 out of 13 and this year he is drawn six out of 13.

In the Cape Flying Championship Crawford’s Australian-bred four-year-old Foxwedge filly Run Fox Run attempts to keep her unbeaten record. She has won all five of her career starts from 1000m to 1200m comfortably. Her last two runs, on May 25 last year in the Listed Olympic Duel Stakes over 1200m and on December 14 in the Grade 2 WSB Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m, both at Kenilworth, were her first two attempts at black type and she won them by five lengths and 2,25 lengths respectively.

It is now a big step up to weight-for-age Grade 1 company against the boys but the manner of those wins, showing fair  cruising speed before turning it on in the last 400m, has impressed the bookmakers who make her the 2,65/1 joint favourite with Kasimir.

Crawford said, “She is in great form and looks well and has been working well. She has had a great prep and we will now see how good she is.”

He also has Pacific Trader and Bold Respect in the Cape Flying and said, “Both will run well, they always do.”

Front And Centre also features in the card changes for the days as she will be wearing blinkers.

Crawford said, “Ï hope she improves with the blinkers. I do think the mile is her better trip, I have no doubt she is more suited to that distance than the 1800m of the Paddock Stakes last time (when beaten 2,75 lengths into fifth by Queen Supreme).”

Front And Centre, who finished a 1,70 length third to Clouds Unfold last year, is drawn seven with Anton  Marcus up.

Crawford expected good runs from all three of his contenders in the Grade 3 City Of Cape Town Politician Stakes over 1800m, Super Silvano, Late At Night and Parterre.   

He said, “They are all doing well and will run good races.”

Count Jack, who runs in the CTS 1600, was the other of his many runners on the day he mentioned.

He said, “He has been working exceptionally well. It is a tough race but on his work at home he has a place chance.”

By David Thiselton

Warren Kennedy’s early treble at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday had racing historians searching through the archives as he had also won the last three races at the Vaal the previous days, which meant he had ridden the winner of six successive scheduled South African races.

Piere Strydom is the only rider to have ridden the Pick 6 in SA history but oddly enough he did not ride the winner of six successive scheduled races that day because the match race between Divine Act and Brainteaser was run in between two of the legs and he was on the defeated Brainteaser.

Aldo Domeyer rode six winners out of six rides at Kenilworth in January 2017 but they were not in six successive scheduled races.

Jeff Lloyd has ridden seven winners on a day on three occasions in SA and Garth Puller did it once and there have been many occasions of jockeys riding six in a day, but the records will have to be checked to see whether the same jockey has been aboard the winner of six successive scheduled races.

Kennedy started yesterday with a double for his guv’nor Gavin van Zyl. Greenlighttoheaven won the first, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m by a comfortable 3,75 lengths.

In the next Kennedy kept Miss Marmalade going to just beat the Mike Miller-trained Chanel Allure on the other side of the track by a quarter of a length.

Kennedy completed the treble when keeping The Paul Lafferty-trained Katie’s Treasure going to beat the Dennis Drier-trained first-timer Candyman by three-quarters of a length in the 1200m maiden.

Kennedy made it four later on when the Wayne Badenhorst-trained Mai Tai fulfilled the promise she had always shown by winning the seventh, a MR 76 handicap for filllies and mares over 1000m. The Vercingetorix three-year-old appreciated the step down in trip and has now won twice from six career starts.

Lafferty scored a treble on the day. He also won the fifth over 1750m with Dark Moon Down, ridden by Dennis Schwarz, and the last over 1950m with Rise, ridden by Calvin Habib.

The fourth over 1750m was the highest rated race on the card, a Progress Plate, and was won easily by the improving Robbie and Shannon Hill-trained Twice Over filly Moon In June. 

Andre Nel’s Washington Square won the sixth over 1000m under 4kg claimer Jabu Jacobs.

Lafferty’s fine day saw him closing the gap on Garth Puller on the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge trainers’ table.

He started the day 52 points behind Garth Puller and after collecting 49 points to the latter’s 12 he is now just 15 points behind.

Kennedy started the day nine points behind Anton Marcus on the jockeys’ table but his 80 points compared to Marcus’ 54 saw him moving into a 17 point lead.

By David Thiselton

After serving the horseracing industry directly for the past twelve years, formerly as Chairman and later as CEO of the Racing Association (RA), Larry Wainstein has taken a decision to tender his resignation from the RA as from the 31 January 2020 to focus on personal business interests. Our Board is currently in discussions with Mr Wainstein as regards his period of notice. The vacancy created will be advertised to find a suitable candidate for the position although an interim measure may be required to continue the work of the RA without disruption.

Mr Wainstein has played an extremely important role in the industry and we believe he has always acted in the best interests of all racehorse owners.

During his tenure with the RA we have recognised and acknowledge Larry’s dedicated commitment to the job at hand and, despite all the travails that one has to go through in our industry, his unquestionable industry and unerring efforts in doing the best for our owners has not gone unnoticed. His achievements have been innumerable but suffice to list the following milestones we believe are worthy of mention:

• Overseeing a regular increase in stakes every year prior to 2020 despite adverse economic conditions;

• Prudent financial management of the purse strings of the RA in doubling its cash resources since his entry into the RA;

• Improving the Race Day Experience for owners;

• Overseeing the refurbishment of the various venues – Elevation Room, Paddock Room and the Garret Bar;

• Co-ordinating and managing new race initiatives such as Princess Charlene Race Day, Monaco Million Race Day and the Jockey’s international;

• Introducing new benefits for members such RA Bonus Races, Runner Notifications and Tellytrack live racing accessibility;

• Special Achievement Awards at the RA Feature Season Awards;

• Increased take-out from Sports Betting into the stakes pot;

• Facilitating support for the Export Protocols Programme as well as the Asian Racing Conference.

On behalf of the Board I take this opportunity to thank him for his commitment and contribution to the industry and to wish him well in his future endeavours.

Glen Kotzen is very happy with both his Sun Met contenders Pack Leader and Eyes Wide Open but admitted he would be thrilled to just split the “big four” with either runner on Saturday.

The pair, who will both run in Hugo and Suzanne Hattingh’s familiar Chrigor stud colours, had a gallop at Kenilworth last Wednesday with big race rider Morne Winnaar on Pack Leader and Anthony Andrews on Warren Kennedy’s mount Eyes Wide Open.

Kotzen said, “They worked together and did good pace work on the bit. Morne was pleased with Pack Leader and Anthony, who knows Eyes Wide Open well, was happy with Eyes too. Today (Tuesday) the two horses did their last bit of hard work before the race and I am very happy.”

Eyes Wide Open, who is drawn in pole, is merit rated 118 and in the race card changes for the day the blinkers which he was declared with have been taken off. He has not worn blinkers since last year’s Met, where he ran a 5,25 length ninth from a tricky draw of nine.

Pack Leader is merit rated 116 and jumps from draw ten.

Kotzen said, “We haven’t been too hard on Pack Leader in his build up events as he was coming back from a tendon injury and was off for more than a year, so he is going to be having his peak run. Eyes Wide Open if he turns up on the day can take on the best.”

Kotzen shared his reading of the race, “Do It Again has run below par in his last two and might battle to swing his form back in time. I was more impressed with Hawwaam in the preliminaries before the Peninsula than before the Queen’s Plate so it might have been the second run after the rest syndrome and I think a line can be drawn through that Queen’s Plate run anyway as nothing went right for him beforehand or in the race. So I think he is the horse to beat, although it is another big day with a lot of people so anything can happen. Vardy has had a great prep and is progressive and should stay the trip. It would be nice to see a young trainer winning the Met instead of the usual so if I don’t win it I would like to see Vardy win it. Wherever Vardy is One World should be right there. I was talking to John Koster (Klawervlei Stud) about One World’s pedigree and he believes this Captain Al colt will have no problem with the trip being out of a Giant’s Causeway mare. Rainbow Bridge is having his third run after a layoff so should be at his peak. Twist Of Fate always seems to be just behind the best.”

He concluded, “So from my point of view I would be happy if either of mine split the big four.”

Kotzen said he gave both Thumbs Up and Thomas Henry chances in the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes over 1000m. 

He said, “Thumbs Up pinged it last time and was then in a fight in the front with another horse but still stayed on for second (beaten 5,25 lengths by Dad’s Catch). This race is often won by a two-year-old filly so she is a huge runner. Because of her race on the Friday of the LQP festival I told the jockey to take it easy at the off on Thomas Henry the next day. However, the eventual winner Erik The Red jumped fast and built up a lead and Thomas Henry failed to catch him (beaten into second by 4,75 lengths). The jockey came back and said if he had run his normal race he might have caught him. So we have been running him in blinkers at home since then and he has shown a lot of improvement with them on.”

Kotzen gives Snapscan a big chance in the Grade 2 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m.

He said, “She represents the form of many of the Majorca runners, so we will see how that form works out earlier in the day, and she will definitely have no problem with the distance. She is a huge runner.”

He also gives Third Runway a chance in the Grade 1 Bidvest Majorca over 1600m as her last race did not pan out well over 1200m and she has proved herself over this trip with a third place finish in the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas. However, she does have a wide draw of 12 to overcome.

He believed the hard-knocking Silver Tiara would have a good chance in the eleventh, a maiden for fillies and mares over 1800m. She finished just two lengths behind Namaqualand over 1600m last time. The latter is highly regarded by Sean Tarry. In the day’s equipment changes Silver Tiara also has them taken off which is an important fact to take note of. In that last race she over-raced from a wide draw with a 4kg apprentice on and eventually pulled her way to the front. She did well to stay on for third. She now has another wide draw of ten out of 12, but if settling better without the blinkers on and finding a good position in the running she will be a huge runner. 

Buffalo Bill Cody aims for Horse Chestnut Stakes

The Mike de Kock-trained Irish-bred entire Buffalo Bill Cody has not been seen since running in the Jo’Burg Spring Challenge over 1450m on October 5, where he ruined his chances by dwelling and losing three lengths at the start.

However, the five-year-old is still in training and is being aimed at the Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut, a weight for age mile to be run at Turffontein on April 4.

This year’s Vodacom Durban July is being run on American Independence day, July 4, so Buffalo Bill Cody would be a topical horse for the occasion having been named after a prominent American soldier, patriot and showman living at the time of American independence, but the De Kock yard said it was too early in the season to be thinking about the July.

By David Thiselton

The Sporting Post’s two main articles on superstar Ryan Moore replacing former South African champion Gavin Lerena on last year’s winner Rainbow Bridge in Saturday’s Sun Met attracted a staggering 85 comments.

They were split almost 50:50 between those condemning the decision (“A bad move, a low blow for Gavin”) and those applauding it with remarks like “Good on you Eric, best jockey in the world riding the most consistent Grade 1 horse in the race – what a combo.”

The man at the centre of it all, having already said that he took what he admits was a difficult decision in the best interests of the horse and its owner, is now concentrating on the international implications.

“How good is it for South African racing that we can attract a jockey of Ryan’s calibre?” is the first question Sands poses, and the second is almost a natural progression. “Assuming they sort out the protocols as planned, we could have Aidan O’Brien deciding he wants to send horses here for the Met in two or three years’ time – and who is he going to turn to tell him what a great place this is?”

But back to the horse. Sands is not happy about what happened down at the start – and after it – in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. “The long delay was a killer for both Rainbow Bridge and his half-brother Hawwaam. They were next to each other in the early part of the race and between them they pulled each other’s guts out.

“All credit to my horse, though – he stayed on into third and his number is in the frame. I’m not complaining but I thought he had an unnecessarily hard run. Also, had he been ridden differently, I think he would have been a lot closer in both the Queen’s Plate and the Green Point previously.”

There is only a three week gap between the Queen’s Plate and the Met. Is that enough to recover from the first of them and be freshened up for the second one? “For my horse, yes,” answers the trainer. “I prefer four weeks between races but the Met is there and we’ve got to take it as it comes.”

Re-runs of last year’s race show Rainbow Bridge putting in his best work when he was well into the final furlong. Despite having finished third in the Queen’s Plate, he gave every indication of relishing the extra distance. “Correct, that’s the way he runs and this is much more his trip,” says Sands for whom victory would make him the first trainer to win the race in successive years since Mike Bass won four in a row a decade ago.

By Michael Clower