David Thiselton

THE Turffontein Inside track is never easy for punters to negotiate but there look to be some fair opportunities for them in today’s nine race meeting.

In the sixth race over 1600m Ivalo’s Prince should be good value. He has always struck as one who possesses ability but has faced some good sorts since his comeback from a nine-and-a-half month layoff. Last time he was stepped up to 1600m for the first time but had a wide draw so the rider opted to drop him to last. He stayed on and was doing some fair work late. He now not only has pole position but has been dropped two points in the merit ratings and has a 2,5kg claimer up. The Noble Tune gelding should make a bold bid and has been made a PA banker. However, there is stiff opposition and in the Pick 6 August Rain can be included. This big rangy type led over this trip last time and stayed on to be beaten by two promising three-year-olds. However, he is 1,5kg worse off with Ivalo’s Prince for a length beating. Elusive Force is three points higher for his last win over this course and distance but has a 4kg claimer up and could still progress. Crank It Up is well drawn over a suitable trip and this is the easiest field he has faced for a while. Against The Grain still needs to bounce back to his best and if he does he will be a big runner. Call Me Master is 1,5kg better off with Ivalo’s Prince for a 3,25 length beating so looks held but could earn. 

In the first leg of the PA over 1800m Heart Stwings thrived in Cape Town and went close in the Grade 3 Victress Stakes to Silvano’s Pride when receiving just 2,5kg. The rest of the field were well beaten and if she is in as good shape after the journey back she is the one to beat over this ideal trip. Sidonie is drawn in pole and this half-sister to the like of Viva Maria should handle the step up in trip. Spice Market will be dangerous from the front and might enjoy the step up in trip because she is a full-sister to SA Oaks runner up Pomander. 

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1500m Kay Tee Perry is on the up and can follow up on her fluent last win over 1600m off a merit rating that has only been raised three points. Sparkling Water is a rangy and progressive sort with a good turn of foot and she can go close in just her third career start. Ululate is better than her last start and is also distance suited so can’t be ignored.

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 1600m Storm Commander ran well last time and is off a competitive merit rating despite being raised two points and he also has a plum draw. Banha Bridge has not been unduly punished for his last win and can be a threat. Waqaas, El Romiachi and Lear Jet are also worth including.    

In the seventh over 1200m Dubawi Princess has always had a touch of class and could still be ahead of the handicapper despite a win last time. Persica is distance suited and capable of turning it on so is the danger from a good draw.

In the eighth the exciting prospect Var’s Vicky faces some seasoned sorts and it will be challenging. Spring Break relishes any 1200m around the turn and comes off a good win over course ad distance. Down To Zero has mixed it with the best and is off a competitive merit rating over a suitable trip and he is well drawn.

The last race is a Classified Stakes race over 2000m and Governor’s Glory is interesting. He has caught the eye and although by Soft Falling Rain, who is a more of a speed influence, his dam is by Fort Wood and won the Grade 2 Gold Circle Oaks so he could do well off a reasonable opening merit rating of 80. Cairon has also struck as one with ability and could now show it with the yard having been in good form. Rabia The Rebel’s last win was over course and distance and she is better treated here than she was in that race. Twice The Act is the best weighted and also has a 2,5kg claimer up. In The Game has done well on the three occassions he has been tried over 1800m, so he is interesting stepped up even further. Romeo’s Magic looks held by In The Game but is drawn in pole and has a shout if bouncing back from a below par run.     

Andrew Harrison

RAIDERS have come to own today with Paul Peter, Corne Spies and Ashley Fortune all sending runners down from the Highveld.

Paul Peter and Warren Kennedy are often a deadly combination and they team up in the first three races on the Hollywoodbets Greyville card. The poly track is an obvious attraction for many out-of-province runners which gives an added dimension to the form.

The Peter-trained Space Race will have her supporters in the card opener after showing steady improvement in her three outings and she is the early 18-10 favourite with WSB.

However, this will be no push-over with the locals likely to provide plenty of opposition. Indigo Moon was narrowly beaten over course and distance at her last two starts and proven on the synthetic surface is always a tick in the right box. Umkhomazi is another that has been coming along the right way and from a good draw is sure to be in the mix.

These three would pear to be the principal contenders with Umkhomazi favoured ahead of Indigo Moon and Space Race.

Peter and Kennedy can have better luck on the second where Queen Anne’s Lace should have a bright chance. She was running on nicely over the distance in her last Turffontein outing and with a good draw she is heavily favoured by the books at 7-10.

Yogas Govender’s filly Siwa Oasis has pulled another wide marble but jumped from the same wide draw when going down narrowly over course and distance last time out. She has not been out since mid-December but fit and well she should make a bold bid.

Kennedy has another fine chance of making it into the winner’s enclosure when he partners Gavin van Zyl’s filly Rock Flight in the third, opening leg of the Pick 6. Lightly raced, she has finished in the money in all three of her resent starts, the last over course and distance when starting favourite. She can redeem herself here and is a strong fancy to get the better of the recently consistent Golden Duck who has had 17 starts with out a run on the board.

One generally ignores runners from the Spies Yard at your peril, regardless of their current form. Zernez is one of those runners whose recent form is moderate to say the least but she has been jumping from wide gates. She has a better draw this afternoon in her poly debut, a 2.5kg claimer up and the blinkers come off.

Peter and Kennedy team up with recent maiden winner Lotus who had been improving nicely with each outing before landing the odds in a work riders maiden. Peter appears to have picked the right race for her handicap debut and she should have a strong chance of following up on her maiden win.

Wendy Whitehead has been tasting success of late with the majority of her runners putting in forward showings. Monty Mariemuthoo, the principal behind Monty Racing, is a shrewd judge when it comes to buy horses in training and is also agent to Muzi Yeni who partnered the filly in her last two races.

In the fifth, Naoshima will try and make it four wins on the bounce and although useful this could be mission impossible. Both Wildly In Love and Magicallee are better off at the weights, especially Kom Naidoo’s filly Magicallee. She has been a touch disappointing since runner Naoshima to withing two lengths when last they met but is now 7kg better off. She is quick and the switch to the poly could bring out the best in her.

Wildly In Love has been dropping in the ratings but the experiment with blinkers last time out did not pay off and she was all at sea. The blinkers are off and a light weight coupled with a more experienced apprentice could pay off.

Umzinduzi has taken to the poly and Justin Snaith’s filly and take the step up in class in her stride in the sixth although she faces plenty of opposition. Ashley Fortune makes the trip from the Vaal with Raeesah, her only runner on the day, and she caught the eye when four lengths back to the winner over the Vaal short-cut. Lyle Hewitson stays aboard with a handy galloping weight.

The Spies-trained Decadent Lady is back over a sprint on the poly and must come into the reckoning as does Purple Moon Up.

The name General Franco, bought for a tidy sum given his pedigree, raised a few hackles with the inference that he was named in honour of the Spanish fascist leader. The early hype surrounding his ability has also quietened down and in 10 starts he has only managed a single victory.

However, he made a promising local debut when going down narrowly to the useful looking Spydas Corner and he could go on to pay some of his way this afternoon but is up against two hard-knockers in Good Rhythm and Coldhardcash.

Louis Goosen’s runner has been a model of consistency but lumps the grandstand in spite of apprentice Kyle Strydom giving him 2.5kg relief.

Coldhardcash had all the makings of a top sprinter before breathing problems surfaced but he loves the poly. Of concern is the 1200m-trip, which could find him wanting over the final furlong.

The last is an open handicap where iron horse Puchini steps out for the 120^th time looking for his twelfth win. He is over his best course and distance but the likes of stable companions Theravada and Gentleman’s Way could be a tad too quick for him.

David Thiselton

RAINBOW BRIDGE’S most recent victory saw him joining a 1930s great called Moonlit as the second most successful Cape Town Met horse in history behind the legendary three-time winner of the big race, Pocket Power. 

Rainbow Bridge’s Met record is virtually identical to Moonlit’s and another historical string which ties the two horses together is that the grandfather of Rainbow Bridge’s trainer Eric Sands rode in all three of the Mets won by Moonlit.

Sands reflected on Rainbow Bridge’s second Met win this week.

He said both he and respective jockeys Luke Ferraris and Warren Kennedy had been confident of the chances of Rainbow Bridge and Golden Ducat.” 

Sands added, “I felt if I supported Golden Ducat I would be betraying Rainbow Bridge and vice versa, so I wouldn’t have minded if either of them had won. It is great for the Rattrays and it is also great for breeder Mary Slack. The horses Mary breeds are like her children to her.”

Sands continued, “I said publicly before the race that the biggest danger was not Belgarion but Richard Fourie (unbeaten in four starts on Rainbow Bridge) as he knows both horses and might have known of a tactical plan (such as pace) that could have possibly affected Rainbow Bridge’s chances.”

Sands sent a message to Ferraris a day or two before the race reading, “I know I have the right jockey on Rainbow Bridge, you have convinced me.”

He said, “I meant it to and it gave him a bit of extra confidence.”

Sands had wondered before the season whether the many close fights Rainbow Bridge had been in had affected him mentally.

He had therefore told Ferraris that the Met was the aim, it was over his right distance, and that he should try and avoid getting him into a fight in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.  That might have been why Ferraris kept Rainbow Bridge on a lone path down the centre in the Queen’s Plate from where he stayed on well for second, although on the other hand Rainbow Bridge does have a tendency to hang to the right.

Sands continued, “Luke said he felt like a different horse by the time of the Met.”

Sands always tries to picture how the race is going to pan out and said, “African Night Sky had pulled when fancied in the 2018 July so I thought he was possibly going to set a suitable pace for Justin’s runners. I couldn’t imagine Running Brave leading in her first start around a left hand turn. Silver Operator was also a possible pacemaker as Mario Ferreira owns both him and Princess Calla.”

Sands’ only instruction to the two jockeys was to not cost each other the race in a situation where one of them was going nowhere.

That situation did in fact arise as Rainbow Bridge, having cruised up from last place in the straight, got stuck behind Golden Ducat and African Night Sky.

Sands was at that point focused on Golden Ducat because from his angle he he could not see Rainbow Bridge.

Ferraris coolly extracted himself from the situation by easing his mount and switching him outward.

Sands saw Golden Ducat was going nowhere so focused on Rainbow Bridge who was by now unwinding a devastating finish on the outside.

In his opinion the pace of the race had been good. He said, “The horses who came from the back came out in front.”

He added, “The fact Luke couldn’t get through when he wanted to probably worked in his favour.”

Rainbow Bridge still had plenty in the tank when finally starting his run at about the 300 metre mark, so it was going to now only be about his terrific turn of foot and he was not going to have to endure another fight like he did in the 2020 Met when going down by a neck to One World.

Sands said, “All credit to the kid. The result is in the frame and I look like a hero but all the credit must go to the horses and to that mare (Halfway To Heaven, record-breaking dam of Grade 1 winners Rainbow Bridge, Golden Ducat and Hawwaam).”

Sands felt the best explanation for Golden Ducat’s disappointing performance was that his victory in the Grade 2 Glorious Goodwood Premier Trophy had taken too much out of him as he had to fight back after being headed.  

Both horses are now resting on the farm and Sands will soon be discussing their SA Champions Season plan with owner Mike Rattray. He said he was going to try and keep them apart again until the Vodacom Durban July, as he had done last year.

In October 1936 the Syd Garrett-trained Moonlit, like Rainbow Bridge, won his first Met as a four-year-old, prevailing in the Handicap event over 1800m by 1,75 lengths carrying 111 pounds under Stanley Amos. The following year he was beaten half-a-length into second carrying 135 pounds and giving the victor Asbestos II 32 pounds. Stanley Amos ironically was aboard Asbestos II and his brother “Cookie” was aboard Moonlit. In the 1938 Met Moonlit produced one of the great weight carrying feats in SA racing history. He made light of his 145 pound (65.77kg) burden and won easily by 1,25 lengths under Cookie Amos.

Sands’ grandfather Arthur Edgar Saunders, who was to win the Met in 1940 on a horse called Ming, finished downfield in all three of Moonlit’s Met victories.  

The Australian-born Arthur Edgard later changed the surname to Sands and his son Arthur Harold also became a jockey before turning to training. Harold did not enjoy dealing with clients so passed the reins over to his son Arthur Eric at the Vaal in 1983. Eric had his first winner at Bloemfontein with his first ever runner and two years later moved to Milnerton where he has been ever since.   

RACE 1: Preview: Trainer Paul Peter is in town and will saddle SPACE RACE (8) here. This daughter of Master Of My Fate is improving and her last run was particularly very encouraging. INDIGO MOON (11) is running well and knocking at the door and seems desperate to win! Big runner! UMKHOMAZI (5) is one for the shortlist and should run into the money and AIRBUZZ (1) has a quartet chance. (Warren Lenferna 8-11-5-1) 

RACE 2: Preview: Trainer Paul Peter could have a quick double! QUEEN ANNE’S LACE (2) finished an encouraging second last time at Turffontein and might prove a hard horse to beat this time. SIWA OASIS (10) nearly caused an upset last time when showing huge improvement – the yard is in form and she should win her maiden very soon – respect. SIBERIAN SUNSET (8) and ROYAL COUTURE (6) have good enough form to be seen in the money and are musts for the trifecta and quartet. (Warren Lenferna 2-10-8-6)

RACE 3: Preview: ROCK FLIGHT (3) is improving with racing and looks the right one. She comes from an inform trainer / jockey combination and might well be a banker on the card! GOLDEN DUCK (7) has placed six times from seventeen races and should again be right there – more of a place chance than a winning one but she should win her race very soon. MAXINE DU MONDE (1) is starting to take time but is now improving – include. FLYMEFREE (9) if running here (carded to race last Sunday) is a must for most bets. (Warren Lenferna 3-7-1-9)

RACE 4: Preview: recent Highveld maiden winner LOTUS (6) beat Senescence whom has since come out and won – that form might be good enough for this Flower Alley filly to win first time in open company in this average handicap. Cheek can be expected from TOMBOLA (1) who has tons of scope to improve on her stable debut. The form of her last run has been franked – bright chance and a must for the exactas. KEEP ON DANCING (8) is never too far away from the action and has a place chance and although SANTA VITTORIA (11) is taking time to win again – should be in the mix. (Warren Lenferna 6-1-8-11)

RACE 5: Preview: CALULO (1) goes very well for apprentice Zuma and they look set to reel off the hat trick, but it is never as easy as that – it never is! Her last win was particularly gutsy and she is my narrow first choice. I say narrow as plenty of cheek is expected from NAOSHIMA (5) whom keeps winning and winning well. Sean Veale knows her like the back of his hand. HOPSKIPANDJUMP (6) can do much better than she did last time and is one for the shortlist. WILDLY IN LOVE (4) was badly affected by the start last time. Many thought it could have been a false one. A much better effort can be expected from the Howells in mate and she in fact is the value / lurker in the field. (Warren Lenferna 1-5-6-4)

RACE 6: Preview: an interesting contest and not so easy to predict the winner, never mind the first four past the post in order! UMZINDUZI (6) has won two out of his last three starts and can continue on winning ways. RAEESAH (3) is never too far off the action in Gauteng and could go very well on the surface – bright chance. PURPLE MOON’S UP (7) can serve up better than she did las time. BEAT IT (10) is taking time to win again but should be able to do so soon. (Warren Lenferna 6-3-7-10)

RACE 7: Preview: COLDHARDCASH (6) is talented but he has a few issues – on his day, he can go with the best of them and has an undeniable winning chance here. The 1200m is a small worry as recently he has been excelling over 1000m. GOOD RHYTHM (8) is a soldier of a horse – always doing of his best. His chances of winning despite the weight look bright. GENERAL FRANCO (2) bounced right back to near best last time and can go one better. SNIPER SHOT (9) is taking time to win again but has plenty of talent – respect and include in what looks a great and competitive event. (Warren Lenferna 6-8-2-9)

RACE 8: Preview: Trainer Dennis Bosch’s horses could finish one-two here! THERAVADA (2) deserves to win – knocking at the door. GENTLEMAN’S WAY (6) can pop up and must be respected. BORDEAUX (7) is never too far away from the action and is a must for the places and RUNNING FREELY (1) could be the value in the race for a place. (Warren Lenferna 2-6-7-1)

David Thiselton

The Vaal has a meeting today where there look to be some fair opportunities for punters.  The first race is a Juvenile Plate over 1000m and the only winner in the line up, Arctic Skyline, looks the one to beat of those to have run as she showed good gatespeed and pace last time over this trip and  stayed on at the end. She does have to give 3kg to all of the other fillies in the race including On Cue who also has the advantage of a 4kg claimer aboard which in real terms gives her a 7kg weight advantage.Therefore On Cue will be a threat as she was up with the pace and stayed on last time for a 3,25 length third over this trip although her time was not great. Of the first timers Voltron has been backed into favourite. She is by the Listed-winning Jet Master stallion Lance out of a one-time winning Jay Peg mare over 1200m.  In the second race over 1800m Tree Tumbo is a typically improving four-year-old gelding by Silvano who should produce his usual resolute finish. Nartje has substance and plenty of scope for improvement so has been selected to run second having caught the eye last time running second over this trip to the smart Second Base. Ballet Shoes is easily the best weighted horse officially. However, she was beaten three lengths by Tree Tumbo when they last met over 2000m and faces him on the same terms. On the other hand she will prefer this shorter trip.In the first third over 1600m Mauby was doing her best work late last time when a one length third over this trip in first-time binkers. She has scope and can now start coming into her own so is the one to beat. Aryaam does not have as much scope as Mauby but on pedigree, being by Dynasty out of an Asiatic Boy mare who won five races from 1600m to 2000m, she should relsh the step up in trip and should be included. Both of these horses have low draws so the risk averse might want to include others in their exotics in case low numbers are a disadvantage on the day. Electric Boots can earn if reproducing his second over 1700m in early November.  Winston’s Nanny is improving and can also be considered for all exotics after moving up over 1800m last time in the soft not finding exra and now dropping back to 1600m. Gypsy Magic has shown glimpses of ability too.In the first leg of the Jackpot Belle Of Belize is made the best of the day. She is a typically rangy daughter of Ideal World and was caught wide throughout last time around the turn over 1400m which blunted her finish. She now has a high draw down the straight, which is sometimes favourable, and this big filly should relish the step up in trip. Rosaprima stayed on well in her penultimate start over 1400m so was a touch disappointing when going over 1600m last time and finishing a five length fourth. However, she did have a low draw that day and perhaps her higher draw this time might see her involved in the finish as her pedigree suggests she should relish the step up from 1400m. She looks the only real threat.    In the fifth race over 2400m Sophia’s First stayed on late over 1800m last time and might enjoy this trip. She is by Noble Tune. who imparts stamina, but her dam by Doowaly was a sprinter and her only previous runner, Merengo by Flying The Flag, is also a sprinter so there are some doubts. Masaaken has always struck as a staying type and was too handy last time when  fiishing behind Sophia’s First. Attentive finished second in the soft over this trip last time but he would have been vulnerale to any horse with a finish that day as he looked to have had enough by the end. Ball Rolling and Wishionaire are worth including in the sort of race which could produce an upset. In the sixth over 1400m Rio’s Winter has class and will enjoy the step up in trip from 1200 and would also prefer being ridden more conservatively than she was last time as she packs a strong finish. Querari Ferrari is a scopey sort who could still improve. Christmas Flower does not look a straight forward horse but has some class so can’t be ignored. In the seventh over 1400m Bold Jazz drops back down to 1400m and his 2,25 length fourth to the still unbeaten Paisley Park in the Listed Secretariat Stakes reads well , especially as he was giving the latter 2kg. He was also only 1,75 lengths behind the smart Copper Mountain, from whom he received only 2,5kg.The eighth is a competitive sprint and Golden Belle is the selection as she is capable of top class performances but is none too reliable. Sarah, Risk Taker, Before The Dawn, Double “O” Eight and Pool Party are also capable of winning.