Riaan van Reenen can put it up to the big boys with the appropriately-named Elevated in the Somerset 1200 at Kenilworth on Sunday.

Van Reenen may have struggled to get horses in recent seasons but he has a solid record of success behind him. A work-rider for Ralph Rixon and a race-rider at the Cape Hunt meetings, he spent six years as assistant to Glen Puller before starting on his own in the 2004/05 season.

He started with a bang winning the Final Fling, Winter Classic and Winter Derby with Sweet Virginia and the Settlers Trophy with Count Regal. The Cape Summer Stayers with Halo Hunter followed and in 2007 Diana’s Choice (subsequently sold to Mike de Kock to race in Dubai, Ascot and elsewhere) won both the Cape Nursery and the Fillies Nursery.

As he is one of the first to admit,finding owners can be difficult for the less fashionable trainers but Marsh Shirtliff and Bryn Ressell were among those who came to the party when he bought Elevated for R100 000 at last year’s CTS August Two-Year Old-Sale. They were rewarded with some nice bets when the horse won at 33-10 on Queen’s Plate day.

Van Reenen made no secret about his horse needing the run when he chased home Bishop’s Bounty last time but said yesterday: “He is just about right now and I think Sergeant Hardy and Attenborough look the two to beat. The Snaith horse is exposed but there is a lot of talk about Attenborough who could be anything.”

Sergeant Hardy has not raced since becoming Justin Snaith’s fifth consecutive Met-day Juvenile Listed winner but he has to give weight all round and that is obviously going to make things more difficult for him. In addition no winner of the Met-day race has gone on to win the Somerset in the past nine years.

Joey Ramsden is bidding for his fourth successive Somerset and Attenborough, who cost 20 times as much as Elevated, looked to have plenty of potential when winning at odds-on over this trip two months ago. Stable companion Dancer also has claims.

Whatever his fortunes in the Somerset Ramsden should win the Perfect Promise Sprint with Miranda Frost who has been most impressive in both her starts, moving her trainer to say “I think she is pretty special.”

Live Life looks the better of the Mike Bass pair and Chill Baby Chill should go well but the favourite probably has most to fear from her own stable companion Don’t Stop Dancing.

By Michael Clower

A race report of second best, third best and second best, does little to inspire confidence in punters when looking to have a dip. The comments conjure up an impression of a horse of modest ability or, more damning, a horse lacking in intestinal fortitude so one tends to be cautious when placing a bet.

Those comments were pencilled in behind Dawn Calling for the second at Greyville yesterday but those that took to ignore the advisories came off best. Placed in all three starts, the comments were hardly flattering but she put the record straight in a smashing victory with Muzi Yeni looking around a furlong from home for the opposition. Five-and-a-bit lengths was the official winning margin but it could well have been double that for Duncan Howells and owner David Maclean.

Dawn Calling (Nkosi Hlophe)

It was not a strong field but the manner of victory suggests that Dawn Calling may have further calling in the Allan Robertson Fillies Championship come the first Saturday of June.

Dean Kannemeyer has made spectacular use of his satellite yard in KZN mostly due to the backing of Lady Christine Laidlaw racing under the brand of Khaya Stables. Kannemeyer is in contention for Champion KZN trainer after just one season and he added two winners to his fast growing list with the Khaya Stables-owned Paperback Writer in the Greyville opener and Last Tiger in the seventh.

The dogs were barking when Paperback Writer made his debut at Scottsville but he disappointed finishing down the field. The money was on again yesterday and any losses were recouped as Anthony Delpech sent him up the inside fence to a comfortable victory over the one-eyed favourite Qeyaadah who made a beeline to the outside fence that was on his good side.

Delpech was back in the winner’s enclosure with another clinical display of riding on the Dennis Bosch-trained Dynamic Force. The race never looked more than a match between Dynamic Force and the consistent but money-draining Nuntius, both trying blinkers for the first time. Nuntius had the call coming into the straight but Dynamic Force always had his measure and got home with something to spare.

Roy’s Marciano got the better of a protracted stretch battle with Lancat in the fifth with Kom Naidoo’s runner finishing just the better. Shortly after the line Lancat broke down unshipping rider Muzi Yeni.

Brown Sugar, after showing early promise and never far back, finally snapped her run of places with a well-deserved win under Warren Kennedy for Brian Burnard in the seventh.

Delpech and Kannemeyer have formed a lethal combination since Delpech split as stable rider to the Mike de Kock yard and they were to the fore again as Last Tiger out-duelled Mike Bass’s runner Mountain Master in the seventh with Mackdesi coming from way back for a smart third.

The boot was on the other foot in the closer where Secret Waring under Anton Marcus for Charles Laird was driven home to deny favourite Tanjiro, Delpech and Kannemeyer another winner.

By Andrew Harrison

The Charles Laird-trained Ice Machine is a “happy horse” ahead of the defense of his Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes crown, which is to be run over 1400m at Greyville tomorrow night.

Ice Machine (Nkosi Hlophe)

He will have to defeat the like of former Equus Horse Of The Year Legislate, but Laird’s assistant trainer Lorenzo Kariem said the brilliant Silvano gelding was in just as good a space as last year, when winning in impressive style by three lengths.

Kariem said, “In the Horse Chestnut he missed the break and they then cantered – he needs a good pace. He’s doing well but you do need luck in this race.”

Justin Snaith said about Legislate, “It is his first run back and he might need it a little, but he is doing well and is a good horse.”

Robert Fayd’Herbe said Night Trip seemed to love a right hand turn and if repeating his KZN form of last season could be in the money.

Sean Tarry said the evergreen Gold Onyx would be using the race as a preparation event.

Dennis Drier said, “Triptique is very, very well. It will be interesting to see whether he goes the 1400m trip and if he does he could be in the money. Punta Arenas has had a lovely little break on the farm and will need the run.”

The balance of the field is made up of classy horses like The Conglomerate, Saratoga Dancer and New Predator, as well as the two likely outsiders Diamond King and Mister Matchett.

By David Thiselton

Legislate has been installed 14-10 favourite for tomorrow night’s Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes despite this being his first run since finishing sixth in the J & B Met.

World Sports Betting makes Horse Chestnut third New Predator second favourite at 2-1 with last year’s winner Ice Machine next on 11-2.

Silver Mountain will be ridden by Bernard Fayd’Herbe for the first time in the Daisy Fillies Guineas (Aldo Domeyer was on her in all her previous seven starts) and is 12-10 favourite. The Cape Fillies Guineas winner’s stable companion Nightingale, who is on a four-timer, is a 12-1 chance.

Paddock Stakes third Bela-Bela is second favourite at 4-1, half a point ahead of the SA Fillies Classic runner-up Negroamaro.

In the Canon Guineas it’s the Mike Azzie-trained Rabada who heads the market at 22-10 with Justin Snaith’s Politician scorer Black Arthur 9-2 second favourite and Prospect Strike next at 11-2. Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn is a 7-1 chance.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Legislate (Liesl King)

SA Triple Crown-winning trainer Mike Azzie felt Rabada would have been the horse to beat in tomorrow night’s Gr 2 Canon Guineas if it were not for his tough draw.

Rabada (Nkosi Hlophe)

The ball now may be in the court of Justin Snaith, who has a powerful team of three, although they also face tricky draws.

Rabada travelled down to Summerveld yesterday and Azzie said, “Rabada had a great comeback win after being hurt in Cape Town and has come on in leaps and bounds.”

Snaith runs Baritone, Black Arthur and It’s My Turn, and said, “Baritone could have won last time (narrow second Byerley Turk with topweight) but for the draw, and is widely drawn again. Black Arthur is a horse everybody has to keep an eye on. Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn needs further and hasn’t got the pace to get up there from a wide draw, so will be dropped out and we will see how he runs on.”

Dean Kannemeyer runs the Byerley winner Mambo Mime, although he is now 4kg worse off with Baritone, and said, “He had a few issues last year and is learning and improving. He has a lot of potential and lost by half-a-length to Black Arthur over this trip in Cape Town when giving away 5kg and they fancy Black Arthur. It’s a strong race but he’s doing well.”

Exit Here (Nkosi Hlophe)

Charles Laird runs Exit Here and assistant trainer Lorenzo Kariem said his last run in  sloppy conditions on the poly can be ignored. He added, “He is doing very well, but it’s always a competitive race and you need luck.”

Sean Tarry has two runners and said, “Prospect Strike is the sort of horse who would have had a chance, but from the draw I can have no confidence. He is definitely looking for a mile. We probably stretched Malak El Moolook in his last two over 1800m, he will appreciate the step back to a mile, but he also has a tough draw.”

Gareth Van Zyl said the yard are having success addressing Redcarpet Captain’s haemo-concentration issues and added, “He had excuses for his last couple with bad draws and over racing and now from a good draw and with the blinkers off I make him a big runner.”

Other eye catching entries in the race are the Duncan Howells pair Sylvester The Cat and Ten Gun Salute and the Mike de Kock-trained Muwaary and the Vaughan Marshall-trained Victorious Jay, while the Lezeanne Forbes-trained Royal Armour will be attempting to reproduce some of his good polytrack form.

By David Thiselton