Andre Nel could be the yard to follow at Greyville’s polytrack meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) as they have chances with horses who could represent good value.

His Summerveld assistant Byron Foster spoke about all of their runners.

“French Revolution will improve immensely on his last run, which was too short, and we are building him up towards a staying feature.”

“Mehmed’s last run can be ignored, he was ridden too handy. He should improve and will appreciate the extra if he can sit off the pace and run on. We have put the blinkers on as he looks around a lot and he has worked fine in them.”

“Petite Master has run well in two mile races and this is his distance. He will need things to go his way, such as having a good pace. There should be a good pace in this race and he is definitely a quartet horse.

“The Morrigan’s last run can be ignored, she kept on having too much ground to make up from wide draws so we decided to try sending her to the front and it didn’t work. Now she is well drawn, so we can ride her a bit closer without having to use her up.”

“Silver Rose had a setback after his last run. I don’t think he is 100% fit but has shown enough to warrant a good run. I am worried about the kickback coming from off them in his first race on the poly.”

David Thiselton
Picture: The Morrigan (Nkosi Hlophe)

The ruling Vodacom Durban July favourite Black Arthur was not one of the declared runners when the field for the Gr 1 Daily News 2000, to be run this Saturday at Greyville, was finalised yesterday.

However, his Justin Snaith-trained stablemate Bela-Bela is in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 line up. She is drawn seven and with big race Anthony Delpech up will be hard to beat. The others who made the frame behind her in the Daisy Guineas, Nightingale, Negroamara and Flying Ice are drawn four, five and eight respectively, and Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Heaps Of Fun is drawn ten.

Snaith had said after Black Arthur’s Gr 2 Canon Guineas win, ““He is high quality and we want to still have a horse for next season, so must be careful which route we take with him.”

He later spoke about the July weights consideration, “When Legislate won the Daily News two years ago he then had to carry 56kg in the July and that is a big weight for a three-year-old.”

Black Arthur is currently merit rated only 106, but this could be capped as he received a maximum ten points for his Guineas win in accordance with the new handicapping guidelines pertaining to Gr 2 races.

As things stand he will carry 53kg in the July, but will officially be 2kg under sufferance.

Delpech will now ride the Snaith-trained Gr 1 Investec Derby winner It’s My Turn in the Daily News. He was a bit outpaced early in the Canon Guineas and ran wide too, so his 4,65 length tenth was not a bad effort considering it was his first outing since his Derby win on January 23.

The Derby was considered by some to have been diluted this year by the running of the CTS Million Dollar on the same day, but that no longer looks the case as It’s My Turn had the top pair on the July boards, Black Arthur and Marinaresco, as well as Brazuca, comfortably beaten.

Brazuca has been side-lined by injury and this might have played a part in trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren’s declaring of Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall winner New Predator for the Daily News. Weichong Marwing keeps the ride. New Predator has bundles of speed, so will likely be ridden cold from a good draw of five. His dam is out of the speed imparting sire Fastnet Rock. However, his sire New Approach won the Epsom Derby and his second dam won five times from 1850m to 2100m, so there is hope.

The Canon Guineas runner up Rabada is drawn eight with Anton Marcus retaining the ride. He did well to stay on for second in the Guineas considering he was handy in a race run at a blistering pace. It provided hope he would stay the 2000m trip, despite his pedigree suggesting a mile should be his optimum. Furthermore, when staying on for a 2,25 length sixth in the Gr 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m, he was giving 5kg to the winner Black Arthur and 6,5 kg to third-placed Marinaresco.

The narrow Gr 1 SA Derby winner Rocketball is drawn in pole position and Warren Kennedy keeps the ride.

His Gavin van Zyl-trained stablemate Celtic Captain quickened well to hit the front in the Canon Guineas, but then appeared to look up at the big TV screen. The experience would have helped and as his dam won over 2400m he should stay the trip. Recent gelding should also be a plus and from a good draw of six with Keagan de Melo up he is one of the dark horses.

Van Zyl has also declared Redcarpet Captain. De Melo felt after his 2,65 length eighth in the Canon Guineas he would get the 2000m trip. He has plenty of speed in performance and pedigree, but the good balance and hands of Raymond Danielson could help him get home.

Two apprentices have rides in the big race. Lyle Hewitson will be aboard Dynasty gelding Brooklyn Brawler, who quickened well to beat Celtic Captain by 2,5 lengths last time out over 1600m at Greyville. However, he will now be 3,5 kg worse off and his close relative Capetown Noir always had a slight stamina doubt beyond a mile, despite winning the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby.

Apprentice Callan Murray will be aboard Trading Profit, who upset the like of Judicial and French Navy in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1800m in February, but will need to improve on his Premier’s Champions Challenge run.

Gr 1 SA Classic and SA Derby third-placed Samurai Blade will have Sean Tarry’s first choice jockey S’Manga Khumaklo aboard, but has to jump from a wide draw of 17.

Tarry also sends out Politician Stakes third-placed Liege; as well as Prospect Strike, who performed well in the Canon Guineas considering he was too handy and also raced wide; and also the progressive Milla’s World, who disappointed in the SA Derby, but has some eyecatching form up to 1800m.

SA Derby fourth-placed Stebbins has drawn well in two, and trainer Weiho Marwing’s nephew Wesley Marwing replaces Richard Fourie. Weiho and Wesley are thus rare father-and-son participants in the same Gr 1 race.

Last year’s July-winning combination Dean Kannemeyer and Stuart Randolph are in the race with Mambo Mime, who ran on well for third in the Canon Guineas and goes beyond a mile for the first time.

Duncan Howells has two runners, Canon Guineas fourth-placed Ten Gun Salute, whose best win was over the Daily News course and distance, and the enigmatic Sylvester The Cat.

That leaves Bankable Teddy who failed in the SA Derby but before that thrashed Stebbins over the Daily News trip.

By David Thiselton

Andrew Fortune rides at Kenilworth on Saturday for the first time since Queen’s Plate day and the former champion has seven booked mounts.

He partners the maiden Copper Force for Eric Sands in the Cape Of Good Hope Nursery for which the Joey Ramsden-trained Somerset 1200 winner Attenborough (Donovan Dillon) is expected to start favourite.

Justin Snaith’s Perfect Promise scorer The Merry Widow (Bernard Fayd’Herbe), unbeaten in three starts, seems sure to head the market for the Kenilworth Fillies Nursery.

The meeting starts early, with the first race at 11.35am, to avoid a clash with the big races at Greyville.

By Michael Clower

History has been given a chance of repeating itself in more ways than one after the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Solid Speed’s win of the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 on Friday night at Greyville.

Kannemeyer arrived in KZN without a serious Vodacom Durban July horse last season and ended up winning it with Power King.

Solid Speed, thought previously to be more of a Gold Cup horse, now has a chance of repeating the dose and jockey Anthony Delpech said after the race, “He is definitely a July horse and with a chance.”

However, pressed on whether he wanted the ride, he obviously stalled.

Delpech, as a high profile jockey who has won the July a record equalling four times and has a normal riding weight of just 53,5kg, will be spoilt for choice.

The ruling 9/2 favourite with Betting World, Black Arthur, is likely first choice in his mind at present.

However, Solid Speed has shortened from 20/1 into 10/1 and is best priced of the older horses alongside initial favourite Legal Eagle, whose participation is up in the air.

Solid Speed was one of the best weighted horses under Friday night’s conditions and under the new handicapping guidelines looks likely to be raised only three points to a merit rating of 106.

That was the exact mark Power King won the July off. As things stand he will, like Power King, scrape into the handicap with the minimum weight for an older male of 53kg.

The final history-repeating fact is Solid Speed’s colours, the same as Power King’s.

Owner Lady Christine Laidlaw was not on course on Friday night, but could perhaps have been watching from Cape Town. Power King’s ears might have pricked at any celebratory cheers as he is now enjoying his retirement on Lady Laidlaw’s Goede Hoop estate in Noordhoek.

It was a fine ride by Delpech. Dynamic had been expertly slotted in by Grant van Niekerk from a wide draw, while the fast early pace had also allowed Delpech to ease inward from draw 9. He sat behind Dynamic one wide in midfield.

However, coming up the hill he switched his mount outward, due to the pace slowing “and he has such a big stride”. It might have been a race-winning move because he was able to enter the straight with plenty of momentum and steal a march on Dynamic. The latter looked to have no excuses 2,15 lengths back in third and like last year it will be touch and go whether he qualifies for the big race.

 

The runner up St Tropez ran in strongly from near the back and can be considered a touch unlucky. The stipendiaries called a review after Solid Speed had hung outward, but not surprisingly no further action was taken. However, although St. Tropez’s momentum or stride was not affected, he did have to change course slightly and was only beaten a neck.

It was a fine come back run for St Tropez, who being by Silvano will likely be coming into his own as a four-year-old. He has always had class and has duly shortened from 55/1 to 14/1 in the July betting. However, if raised the likely two points to 101 he will, as things stand, be officially 2,5kg under sufferance in the July.

The Conglomerate was also expertly ridden by Anton Marcus in the early stages which allowed him to slot in behind Solid Speed from a wide draw.

He plugged on steadily in the straight, finishing 2,2 lengths back in fourth, and looks likely to appreciate the step up in trip in the July. He was 0,5kg under sufferance with Dynamic and might possibly be given a one point raise to 102, but this will still leave him 2kg under sufferance in the July as things stand. Nevertheless, he shortened in the betting from 14/1 to 12/1.

It Is Written had every chance in finishing a 2,45 length fifth and King Of Pain also had few excuses 2,95 lengths back in sixth.

Master Switch and Greek Legend were likely ridden too handy in the overall fast-paced race to be at their most effective and were disappointing in sixth and seventh respectively.

Dynamic, meanwhile, has shortened from 125/1 into 25/1 for the July and this is the same price as an earlier impressive winner on the card, Paterfamilias.

However, Mike Bass’ assistant trainer Robert Fayd’Herbe had his doubts Paterfamilias, whose issues have been helped at Summerveld by the use of the Equi-Spa, would line up for the big race as he still had plenty of other options for this season and next. The Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge will be his chief aim this season.

Fayd’Herbe added Silver Mountain was found to have had a few niggles with her feet after her disappointing Daisy Fillies Guineas run, but had recovered well. However, he said she would likely avoid the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 in favour of the Tibouchina over 1400m, so the July looks likely to no longer be on her radar. This makes sense as Nightingale will be a huge runner in the Woolavington and is doing well at Summerveld.

The most impressive July trial of the weekend was undoubtedly by the Bass-trained Marinaresco, who won the Gr 3 Winter Classic over 1800m easing up and he has duly shortened to 8/1 second favourite.

Neil Bruss has a high regard for his filly Deputy Ryder, who won Friday night’s Listed East Cost Cup, and even entered her for the July. She looks one to follow in the staying features and will be a big runner in the Track and Ball Oaks.

The two-year-old winners on Friday night, the Mike de Kock-trained Misty Birnam and the Dennis Drier-trained Sail, caught the eye. Drier said Sail was likely to avoid Scottsville in favour of the Golden Slipper on July day.

By David Thiselton

Black Arthur, the ruling favourite for the Vodacom Durban July, will not take part in Saturday’s R2-million Grade 1 Daily News 2000 at Greyville but trainer Justin Snaith still goes into the country’s premier classic event with a strong hand

The stable will, however, be going for the local “classic” double with the Dynasty filly Bela-Bela that won the Daisy Fillies Guineas at Greyville two weeks ago and, because of the manner in which she won, is likely to start odds-on favourite for the R1-million Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.

Snaith did not accept with Black Arthur and, according to reports, took the decision with owner Alec Foster to “protect” the horse and to ensure the Silvano colt would not be penalised in the weights for the blue ribbon event.

But he has accepted with two gelded sons of Dynasty, It’s My Turn that won the Investec Cape Derby and Brooklyn Brawler that won his last race over the Greyville mile in a time almost a second faster than Black Arthur’s winning time in the Canon Guineas.

It’s My Turn did not fare well in the Canon Guineas where the Mike Azzie-trained Brave Tin Soldier colt Rabada was just snaffled on the line by Black Arthur. Rabada lines up in the Daily News 2000 but has yet to be tested over the 2 000m trip which could give It’s My Turn the edge.

Rocketball from the Gavin van Zyl stable will have his followers after a brilliant performance in the SA Derby at Turffontein where he nearly upset Abashiri’s bid for Triple Crown glory.

Champion trainer Sean Tarry goes into the race with a four-horse team headed by the Australian-bred colt Samurai Blade that finished third to Abashiri in both the SA Classic and SA Derby and Dean Kannemeyer will be looking for a special performance from Mambo Mime that won the Byerley Turk and finished third by 1.5 lengths to Black Arthur in the Canon Guineas.

Bela-Bela will be all the rage to win the Woolavington 2000 not only because of her latest performance at Greyville, but also because of her third behind Smart Call in the Grade 1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth in January.

She will, however, have to again contend with the attentions of the Mike Bass-trained Silvano filly Nightingale that flew through to finish half a length behind her in the Daisy Fillies Guineas and will most likely relish the extra 400m of this race.

Another that is likely to keep her honest is the Fort Wood filly Negroamara from the Johan Janse van Vuuren stable. She finished third in the 1 600m event and, having finished second in both the Gauteng Fillies Guineas and SA Fillies Classic before that, is another that could shine over the longer trip.

Adding to Bela-Bela’s troubles could also be the Fort Wood filly Fortissima from the Joe Soma yard. She finished second in the SA Derby and won both her starts over 2 000m before that while Tarry will not feel his Visionaire filly Heaps Of Fun is out of the picture having won the Gauteng Fillies Guineas.

The third of the graded races on Daily News 2000 day is the Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2 400m. It has drawn a full field where the Bass stable stalwart Helderburg Blue will be one of the fancied runners having shown a return to his competitive form with a third behind No Worries in the Highland Night Cup.

No Worries from the Van Zyl stable will again be one of his opponents along with Solar Star from the Kannemeyer stable that beat him half a length in the Highland Night, Storm Warning that was third in the Gold Bowl and the gutsy six-year-old Coltrane that has placed in his last three starts over marathon trips including the J&B Stayers and the Chairmans Cup in the Cape.

Smart Mart, fourth in the Gold Bowl and Kingston Mines that was third in the J&B Stayers, are two of the three runners from the Mike de Kock stable in the race.