Justin Snaith will train last Thursday’s R3 million Cape Premier Yearling Sale top price, the Silvano colt I Want It All who was purchased by Nic Jonsson and Bjorn Neilsen. Snaith trained the grandam Captain’s Lover and her half-sister Ebony Flyer to win the Cape Fillies Guineas in 2007 and 2010. This is also the family of Vardy.

However the price was R1 million less than last year’s top and only half the R6 million paid for Charles at this sale in 2017 and for the little-remembered Silver Coin the previous year.

Indeed the figures for last Thursday’s event are frightening, or at least they are at first glance. The R326 531 average was down by 25% – it has fallen in each of the last three years and is less than half what it was in 2017. Turnover has also fallen consistently over the same period and the R56.4 million aggregate was down by almost a third this time.

The fall was accentuated by pre-sale expectation. Sales boss Wehann Smith had said: “I’m quite positive. The news about a pending solution in the export side is firm enough to make an impact.”

That was also a view held by many people and some translated it into a 10% increase. “That was over-optimistic,” said Bryn Ressell’s racing manager Mark van Deventer. “People have heard this [re the exports] so often that they have become a bit cynical. They want to see it become reality.”

Brett Crawford, who trains Charles, said: “Don’t forget, three years ago we had Markus Jooste and he brought some big players with him. It was a buyer’s market last week and there were some nice horses to be had at good value.”

John Freeman listed the economy as well as the Jooste factor but he also mentioned more technical issues. “Three years ago there were yearlings by five top stallions whereas this time the market was out of kilter as far as the new rising stars are concerned. I bought horses well below their value.”

Fellow bloodstock agent Jehan Malherbe added: “The market is struggling. It’s because of the economy and the situation that racing is in with stakes coming down and expenses going up. It’s going to be a tough year for breeders”

Opinions vary about the effect of the loss of the two CTS R5 million sales races (Van Deventer: “Having a big incentive like that does attract buyers”) but Peter de Beyer believes the whole market is shrinking and that people have to adjust.

The owner-breeder is also an actuary, a former deputy managing director of Old Mutual and still on the board. “The number of foals registered each year has gone from 3 000 to 1 600 in recent years,” he said. “I worked out that 75% of horses sold at auction last year were sold at a loss.”

As he says himself: “Sometimes it’s depressing to be good at numbers!”

By Michael Clower

The Brett Crawford-trained G G’s Dynasty carried topweight to a cosy victory in yesterday’s Listed Michael Roberts Handicap over 1800m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly in a meeting which was characterised by the thrilling tussle between Paul Lafferty and Garth Puller and Anton Marcus and Warren Kennedy at the top of the respective trainers’ and jockeys’ Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge tables. 

The meeting was moved to the Greyville poly from Scottsville due to heavy rain at the latter venue overnight and a forecast of more rain yesterday and through the rest of this week.  

G G’s Dynasty, who started 49/20 favourite, sat on the rail from midfield under Anton Marcus. He moved up smoothly in the straight and repelled the challenge of Tristful to win by half-a-length. Third-placed Born To Perform, who was second favourite at 53/20, lost some ground at the start before running on strongly in the straight. Blackball was next best and was also a touch unlucky as he was squeezed out in the straight before running on well. The Dazzler was next best.

Lafferty started the meeting 18 points clear of Puller on the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge trainer’s table, whilst Marcus and Kennedy were joint-top of the Jockey’s table. 

In the first race Puller gained a point on Lafferty when Sereno Moodley kept Miss Charlotte going after taking her around horses to the front. She held on by a short-head from the Lafferty-trained favourite Lady Of Lutetia.

In the next the Puller and Lafferty pair Explosive Beauty and Blush Of Dawn fought out a thrilling dead-head under Anton Marcus and Ant Mgudlwa respectively.

Louis Goosen sent out the one-two in the next, a MR 89 handicap over 1000m, with Di Mazzio and Winter Blues ridden by Billy Jacobson and Craig Zackey respectively. 

The fourth saw another victory for Anton Marcus on the Kom Naidoo-trained Arizona Sunset.

However in the next Marcus was narrowly beaten on the favourite Baby Shooz by the Gareth van Zyl-trained longshot Skollie, ridden by Zackey.

The sixth saw a treble for Puller as 4kg claimer Thabiso Gumede kept Georgina Rose going from the front to beat the Kennedy-ridden Petra by 0,75 lengths with Marcus next best on Marsanne.

In the last race Wendy Whitehead’s Royal View found a lot of support and never looked in danger of defeat under Zackey, beating the Puller-trained closer Brunilda by 1,75 lengths.

Puller earned 51,5 points in the day to close the gap on Lafferty to five points.

Marcus’ good day would have seen him forging clear in the Jockeys table.

At the top of the horse table Explosive Beauty is now only 5.5 points behind her Lafferty-trained stable companion Bint El Malak. 

By David Thiselton

Voice Of Reason, having only her second start when beaten a neck over this course and distance on Cape Guineas day, looks the part for the Racing Association Maiden Plate at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The Gavin van Zyl filly is again ridden by Keagan de Melo and has opened favourite at 22-10. She is reasonably drawn and probably has most to fear from 9-2 shot Still Tappin who was two and a quarter lengths behind last time despite coming back with a cut on a hind leg and making an abnormal respiratory noise (not a good sign).

Foxy Lady (7-1) was three-quarters of a length further back and may again make the frame but one to bear in mind is the Hassen Adams-owned What A Flirt (9-2). She was found to be not striding out when a disappointing favourite on her most recent start but she was only beaten a short head previously and she is the highest rated of the eight who have been given a mark.

All except the first three  of the seven two-year-old races run in Cape Town this season have been won by a horse who has had the advantage of a previous run – but it could be worth taking a chance with 28-10 newcomer Bowie in the opening Maiden Juvenile Plate.

Nothing sensational about the colt’s pedigree – although the R220 000 Cape Yearling Sale purchase is By Twice Over out of a National Assembly mare who won as a two-year-old – but he is trained by Sean Tarry who did not bring him all the way from Johannesburg just to run a place. And it is surely significant that Anton Marcus has taken the mount.

The Dennis Drier-trained Pray For Rain, odds-on when only fourth of six on debut, is again favourite here. He had last Saturday’s runaway scorer Erik The Red a length and a half behind but the filly Musical Glitch (33-10) has perhaps the strongest claims on form.

Mr Fergie (22-10) is rated 1.5kg behind 12-10 favourite Pacific Rim in the 1 400m maiden (race two) but the Eric Sands gelding couldn’t get a clear run at a crucial stage on New Year’s Eve and might have finished in front of Red Rock Canyon had he done so. He gets the vote to make amends although it should be noted that Red Rock Canyon over-raced last time.

In Auro has to give weight all round in the Betting World Maiden Handicap but Marcus’s mount is favourite and looks the one they all have to beat.

By Michael Clower

Horses for courses is a well-worn phrase but does hold a lot of water and there are a few course specialists lining up for the Michael Roberts Handicap at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday. This could well apply to GG’S Dynasty as Brett Crawford’s runner has won three of his five starts at the track and finished second in another.

More pertinently was his performance last time out as he quickened away from his rivals to win as he liked. Granted, it was not the strongest of fields but it was the manner of victory that impressed and he can take it to another level when he takes on some hard-knocking handicappers. He has the best of the draw, a handy weight and Anton Marcus to help his cause but he will need a lot to go his way in a seriously competitive handicap.

Born To Perform has done very little wrong for Dennis Bosch and finished ahead of GG’S Dynasty when the two met at their penultimate start. The former has a 1kg pull in the weights to add to his appeal, that coupled with the fact that he only has 53.5kg to shoulder.

In their only previous meeting, GG’S Dynasty ran out a narrow winner over Sunday’s course and distance so there should again be very little between the two.

Another course specialist and last year’s winner is Wealthy. Dennis Drier’s charge has recorded five of his six wins on the course and gave notice of a return to form when running the much improved Merin From Berlin to a neck in a Chapter Challenge final, giving his rival 9kg. Merlin From Berlin subsequently won again to bolster Wealthy’s form.

Two other runners with solid credentials are The Dazzler and Blackball.

Few who were at Scottsville when The Dazzler shed his maiden will forget that run.  Making his debut against winners for James Goodman, he motored home from a seemingly hopeless position beating some useful performers in the process. When Goodman handed in his licence The Dazzler went to Mike de Kock where he won another three races.

The gelding has his issues but Gareth Van Zyl appears to have got on top of them and in a performance reminiscent of his maiden win, he cut down Born To Perform like he was standing still to win the Christmas Handicap.

Given his style of running, 14 draw will not be a problem but finding a way through the traffic may be!

Blackball has been in good form and although finishing out of the money in the Christmas Handicap he was little over a length behind The Dazzler and finishing off nicely. The extra furlong will also suit so he is a must inclusion in all exotics.

Punters face a generally tricky card but two that stand out as possible bankers are Baby Shooz in the fifth and Marsanne in the sixth.

Baby Shooz was unlucky last run when close-up from a wide draw and Anton Marcus losing his off-side rein for a couple of strides which may have cost him the race. Baby Shooz looks useful and can make amends. Admiral’s Guest has a tricky draw to contend with but has been close-up in his last three while Galway was a recent maiden winner but has only had two runs back after a lengthy break and looks to be on the up.

Marsanne too was a touch unlucky when touched off by course specialist Celebration Rock in a Chapter Challenge final. She looks the part but if she fails then the list of possible winners is a long one. Naoshima has her third run after a lengthy break and should strip at her peak and turn the tables on Petra who is always dangerous and only got going late last run. She can do better over the extra furlong. Purple Nkanyezi showed up well first run out of the maidens and although she takes on stronger she has a handy weight while Talia Al Ghul and Linear should also be considered although the latter is a difficult customer; more than capable but not always reliable.

By Andrew Harrison

The Turffontein meeting on Saturday is tricky and the exotics look to be the way to play.

It is difficult to identify a Pick 6 banker and Captain Hindsight is given the accolade without much confidence. He runs in the last race over 1000m. It is never easy to win first time out the maidens but he had decent maiden form and looked to have been reasonably treated by the handicappers when given an 81 merit rating. Furthermore, he has a 2,5kg claimer aboard. His form includes close seconds to the useful pair Donderweer and Battleoftrafalgar and he beat the improving Blow Me Down cosily last time out. Pearl Of Siberia has decent recent form and is better than his last start. Rebel Renegade has fallen to the mark of his last win. Both have favourable high draws and would have been included if the budget had allowed.

The earlier legs of the Pick 6 all look to be competitive.

In the first leg Waqaas is proven over this trip and is knocking on the door off his current merit rating. However, as a handy to front-running type his draw of nine makes it tough. Written In Stone has been running on too late over 1400m so is interesting stepped up to this trip, although he has a tough draw. Darkest Hour is distance suited and in good form so has a shout from pole position. The Rocketman is talented and will be dangerous if bouncing back with pacifiers on off a much reduced merit rating. Chipofftheoldblok and Jackman also warrant consideration. Lasair was the hardest to leave out and it was due to his tough draw and three point higher merit rating.

In the next leg Liberado won easily last time and is interesting stepped up in trip off a five point higher mark as he looks to have turned the corner. Western Fort won well second time out and could be going places. So Long Spring improved with blinkers last time. Seeking Gold is three points higher for his course and distance win in his penultimate start and has a fair draw. Pink has dropped to a competitive mark and Rockstar Child and Oyster King could be thereabouts if producing their best.

The next is a small field staying event and the suggestion is to include all seven runners. 

In the seventh over 1400m Saragon, Social Order and Leopold all have a touch of class and should fight it out.

In the eight race over 1400m Pop Icon is coming into his own and from pole position could make it three wins from his last four starts. Category Four has caught the eye on occasion and should be running on strongly over a suitable course and distance. Lazarus Tree is full of ability but needs things to go his way. They might do so from a good draw of three. 

By David Thiselton