Horse Racing News | Gold Circle Horse Racing And Betting

London Call is ‘exceptionally well’

PUBLISHED: June 15, 2016

Mark Dixon believes that London Call can prove a point in the Post Merchants on Friday…

Summerveld trainer Mark Dixon was upset his classy sprinter London Call was not selected to run in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint at the Scottsville Festival Of Speed Meeting on the first weekend of this month, but believes the five-year-old Kahal gelding can prove a point in the Gr 2 Post Merchants over 1200m on the turf at Greyville on Friday night.

He said, “I was disappointed they reduced the size of the field for the Tsogo Sun Sprint to 14 (due to the moving of the rail inward) and then decided to ignore the handicapping and select the field on their own judgement.”

London Call (Nkosi Hlophe)

London Call did his final piece of fast work for the race on Monday upsides a companion on the Summerveld top sand track and the gallop was “very pleasing.”

Dixon continued, “He is exceptionally well and is a big runner provided he behaves himself … it is his first time running under the lights.”

Dixon felt the Bruce Le Roux-bred gelding’s draw of two was perfect as “he has plenty of pace.”

The 101 merit-rated speedster is not the soundest and cannot be raced often, but on the other hand he does not take a lot of work and it is relatively easy to get him ready for a race.

He has only had eight career starts for four wins, two seconds and a fourth and his only unplaced run was when tried over 1400m against the like of Ice Machine.

All four of his wins have been over the 1200m trip of the Post Merchants and his last win, on December 30 this season, was over the Greyville course and distance.

In that race, carrying a welter 61kg, he gave the Graded-placed three-year-old Mr Roy 7,5kg and a one length beating and an even more eyecatching bit of form was giving third-placed Executive Power, who has always been held in high regard, 9kg and a 2,5 length beating.

In London Call’s last start over 1000m at Scottsville on February 28 he was a 2,5 lengths second in the race in which Muscatt set a new course record and he was giving the latter 1,5kg.

In form Keagan de Melo knows him well and will be aboard on Friday night.

By David Thiselton

Could the drought be over for Rain

PUBLISHED: June 15, 2016

Rain is in short supply in most of southern Africa but punters will be looking to Mike de Kock’s filly Rain In Africa to beak her drought when she runs in the seventh at Greyville this afternoon. On a card littered with Maidens and Handicap punters will be digging deep into the form book where […]

Rain is in short supply in most of southern Africa but punters will be looking to Mike de Kock’s filly Rain In Africa to beak her drought when she runs in the seventh at Greyville this afternoon.

On a card littered with Maidens and Handicap punters will be digging deep into the form book where all races are on the poly, and all barring one with maximum fields.

Mike de Kock

Rain In Africa has her first outing in KZN after running up a string of placings on the Highveld but alarmingly in most of those races the jockeys have returned reporting respiratory noises which does not augur well. However, that has not been enough to stop her finishing in the money in all of her seven starts and the switch to poly over the minimum trip may finally get her over the line.

The balance of the runners consists of a group of fellow battlers but the danger could come in the form of two-year-old Castor Cat. Weiho Marwing’s runner has also been reported to have breathing issues but she did improve last time out and could be finding form.

Silver Sage and Smart World will be popular choices in the last and barring sudden improvement by one or two of the opposition, should fight this one out.

Silver Sage comes from the all-conquering Sean Tarry yard and has put in two smart efforts on the poly since making his debut. He was doing his best work late behind the heavily backed Starrett City late last month and is the likely favourite.

However, apprentice Lyle Hewitson will have to deal with old fox Anton Marcus aboard Dennis Drier’s charge Smart World that steps out in blinkers for the first time. He raced on the same day as Silver Sage, but over a ‘mile’, and gave the impression that he would enjoy today’s extended trip as he was running on stoutly in the finish after missing the jump.

Blinkers and Marcus could be enough to get him off the mark.

The opening leg of the Pick 6 is a nightmare race. Trinity Hall has been knocking at the door for some time now but could again leave the door open has pulled another tough draw. Drier, ahead in the KZN Trainer’s Championship, could take advantage and add another to his total with Majix. The grey found trouble at the start last time after showing steady improvement. He races in a tongue-tie for the first time.

A Divided Handicap heads the card where Executive Power can go one better after being caught late by the smart Paterfamilias on the Greyville poly. Prior to that he has some smart form in strong company and from the best of the draw can add to an already useful record.

Chestnut’s Rocket appears to have taken a liking to Scottsville where he won a feature as a three-year-old and finished runner-up to It Is Written over the course and distance when making his seasonal KZN debut back in March. He has to give a bit of pudding to the younger Executive Power and that may be what separates the pair at the line.

Sail South, Diamond King, Master James and the grey Isca, who blew the start and declared a non-runner at his last intended start, are others to consider in a difficult race.

Irish Pride and Cape Laddie look the principal contenders in the fifth but both have been compromised by wide draws. Cape Laddie has not been out since November last year but showed early in his career when making his debut on the Greyville poly that he is a horse with potential.

Dean Kannemeyer is a past master at letting his runners mature without being under pressure and Cape Laddie could prove the pick of the field in spite of the draw.

By Andrew Harrison

Nicklaus captures Winter Challenge mile

PUBLISHED: June 14, 2016

Nicklaus won the KZN Winter Challenge 1600 at Greyville on Saturday…

Ashburton trainer Duncan Howells captured the R200,000 KZN Winter Challenge 1600 on Saturday with the Brazilian-bred five-year-old gelding Nicklaus, but the chances of his classy but luckless Mambo In Seattle gelding Saratoga Dancer making the final Vodacom Durban July field were dealt a blow as he endured more bad luck in the Gr 3 Cup Trial.

Glen Kotzen and Charles Laird won the other two Winter Challenge finals, while Dean Kannemeyer walked away with a handsome cheque for winning the series.

In the Cup Trial, a handicap over 1800m, Saratoga Dancer had to jump from the widest draw of all, but Muzi Yeni was able to find cover quickly near the back of the field after dropping him out. However, the slow fractions set by eventual winner Exit Here did him no favours as he was unable to use his sizeable stride. Then just as he was winding up into that stride in the straight towards the outside, The Conglomerate switched outward around a horse and leaned on Saratoga Dancer for much of the remainder of the straight, thereby affecting his momentum at a crucial stage.

Saratoga Dancer crossed the line fourth, beaten a head by The Conglomerate and 1,35 lengths by Exit Here. It is unlikely to be enough to warrant a July berth considering he ran off a relatively low 95 merit rating. However, the stipendiaries duly awarded him third place after Howells had objected.

Nicklaus (Nkosi Hlophe)

Howells said he would still keep Saratoga Dancer in the July mix with the slim hope of being given the nod by the panel. He otherwise might go for the consolation race, the Gr 3 Delta airlines 2200, where the horse has once again drawn wide in 40 out of 48 nominations. Howells said all things considered Saratoga Dancer had run “an absolute cracker” on Saturday. He remains an eye catching horse and is definitely still one to follow.

Howells gained consolation when the Steven Chetty-owned 78 merit-rated Nicklaus won the Winter Challenge 1600 from a pole position draw. The 12/1 shot ran on well under Yeni to beat Royal Life by a whisker. He thereby spoilt a party as the latter had been backed in to 22/10 favouritism. Cat In Command was a further short-head back in a thrilling finish.

The KZN Winter Challenge 2000 was next up and also produced an exciting finish. Kotzen had been confident of success as his three-year-old Go Deputy gelding Rap Attack had run a good third to Royal Life over 1600m in his previous start after being dropped five points to a competitive merit rating of 80.

Rap Attack (Nkosi Hlophe)

This was his first attempt at 2000m and he built up a big lead in the straight after quickening from a handy position. He held on from a flying Live On The Moon to win by 0,25 lengths, converting odds of 6/1. Kotzen felt it to be an encouraging run by the Brian “Buffalo Bill” Burnard-owned horse, because jockey Keagan De Melo, who rode a double on the day, had not expected him to quicken so well at the top of the straight and could only have learnt from the ride.

The Charles Laird-trained and Markus and Ingrid Jooste-owned three-year-old Kahal gelding Top Form led from the off in the Winter Challenge 1200. Challengers appeared from all quarters in the straight but he was kept going in master class style by Anton Marcus, who only used the stick after passing the 200m mark and chiefly in order to keep the horse on a straight course.

Top Form, winning for only the second time despite his lofty 86 merit rating, was a former rig, and felt it. Therefore, he could now progress further and Laird believes he will be even better on the poly.

Kannemeyer earned a cheque of R28,000 as his consistent Western Winter colt Canigao accumulated the most points, 33, during the series. Greg and Karen Anthony earned the second place cheque thanks to Poivre and Fantasy Art secured the third place cheque for trainer Tony Rivalland.

Kannemeyer also had a lot to be happy about earlier in the meeting. The CTS Premier Yearling Sale R3,7 million graduate Last Winter, chosen by Kannemeyer and his trusted bloodstock agent Jehan Malherbe, overcame a wide draw to win a 1200m Maiden Juvenile Plate by two lengths under Anthony Delpech on debut. Kannemeyer described the Western Winter colt as a beautifully balanced horse with a good temperament and a lot of class.

“He is starting to fill out nicely, but I might sit on him until the spring as he will make a nice three-year-old,” he said.

David Thiselton