The highlight of the Greyville poly meeting on Friday night was a win by the Gavin can Zyl-trained Silvano gelding Night Shadow, which proved he had well and truly turned the corner.

This horse had been quite frustrating to follow after winning his maiden in good style over 1200m on the poly and he dropped from an initial handicap mark of 79 down to a 63 after running not a single place in his next eight starts. However, he then suddenly flashed home when stepped up to 1800m, beating the promising Kitty’s Destiny. He followed up with another win over 2000m and then ran on strongly for third in the KZN Summer Chapter Challenge Final over 2000m on turf.

On Friday he proved the turnaround was likely due to him coming into his own, rather than merely being suited to middle distances, as he ran on strongly to annihilate them by three lengths over 1600m under Brandon Lerena. Gareth can Zyl, who trains the Brian Burnard-owned string for the yard, has certainly brought out the best of this four-year-old, who provides more evidence that Silvanos are like fine wines and improve with age.  It will be interesting to see how much further Night Shadow can progress.

The aforementioned Kitty’s Destiny also ran on Friday night and looked to be the chief victim in the argy-bargy down the straight in race 6 over 2000m caused by Silver Spring. The Weiho Marwing-trained Jonovich was away from the scrum and snuck down the inside to win under 2,5kg claimer Eric Ngwane.
Dennis Bosch has been in fine form and looks to have a fair sort in the well named Elusive Fort colt Elusive Wolf, who bears a striking resemblance to his famous dam sire Wolf Power. The penny is still dropping with him and with second time blinkers in his third career start he came home strongly under Anthony Delpech to beat the odds-on favourite, the well-bred Hearts ‘R Pumping, in a Maiden over 1400m by three-quarters of a length and the rest of the field were a further nine lengths back..

Delpech clinched a double in the last when the 82 merit rated three-year-old Mr Winsome ran on powerfully to beat older horses comfortably in a handicap over 2000m. This is another son of Silvano with a bright future.
The Craig Eudey-trained Blue Beach is improving in the typical fashion of a daughter of Ideal World and caught the eye running on strongly to win a fillies and mares maiden over 1400m under Warren Kennedy, particularly considering she will appreciate further.

Alistair Gordon has formed a fine partnership with Alec Forbes and they won the third over 1400m with hard-knocking Right Approach mare Donna Amata.

Andre Nel won the seventh over 2000m with Jet Master mare Jet Ntombi, ridden by 4kg claimer Calvin Ncgobo. Nel has had 18 winners countrywide at a strike rate of 12,77% since taking over Sabine Plattner’s string in September. The win clinched a first career double for Ngcobo as he had earlier ridden the Colin Scott-traine Galileo gelding Maachaan to victory in a 1600m handicap.
By David Thiselton
Picture (Nkosi Hlope): Night Shadow wins at Greyville on Friday night

Mike de Kock supplied the first overseas winner of the Dubai Carnival on its opening night last Thursday when the South African-bred nine-year-old Second Empire gelding Star Empire won a  2000m turf handicap, which carried a stake of US$150,000.

He finished fast under Sam Hitchcott, who was having his first ride for De Kock, to deny Elleval from Ireland.
“We knew he was in good shape because he had been working well,” said De Kock. “The 3200m Dubai Gold Cup is his main target on Dubai World Cup night but this win gives us a few more things to consider as he has won over such a short trip.”

De Kock also finished third and seventh in the race with the South African-breds Sanshaawes and Atomic Rush.
By David Thiselton

The L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate will reside in Johannesburg for the next year after the Sean Tarry-trained Legal Eagle proved why he is the country’s highest merit rated horse by winning the prestigious R1 million weight for age mile under a typically brilliant ride by Anton Marcus.

The four-year-old Greys Inn colt beat home the second favourite, the Justin Snaith-trained Legislate, whose more fancied stablemate Futura could only manage a disappointing fifth. The only three-year-old in the race, the Mike de Kock-trained Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas winner Noah From Goa, was third.

Earlier the Gr 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes had also gone to the small team of Highveld raiders, as it was won by the Alec Laird-trained Ideal World filly Smart Call.

Justin Snaith had some consolation for the Queen’s Plate defeat of Futura and Legislate by having a five-timer on the day.

This year’s Queen’s Plate had been the object of fascination a long time before the unveiling of the high class field and more intrigue was added this week when Anton Marcus decided to switch from the top miler Act Of War on to Legal Eagle. Marcus not only had the J&B Met in mind but yesterday it soon became clear he had another plan up his sleeve too. The pace had been one of the question marks and Marcus put this issue to bed from the off as he shot out of the stalls and took Legal Eagle straight to the front. The Alec Laird-trained Bouclette Top was then surprisingly rushed around him, as he is normally a hold up type. This suited Marcus and Legal Eagle travelled like a winner throughout.

Legal Eagle and Anton Marcus (Liesl King)

Ironically, the first horse he burned off in the straight, after quickly taking care of Bouclette Top, was Act Of War, who had managed to find third place from his high draw. Meanwhile, the two big guns, Futura and Legislate, had been well placed throughout and were poised to strike. However, they could not fetch Legal Eagle and neither could the brave little Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas winner, Noah From Goa, who came from midfield. Legal Eagle ran on well to win by 1,5 lengths and there was a further 0,4 lengths back to Noah From Goa. The fancied Captain America ran on from way back to deny Futura a quartet position.

Legal Eagle was bred by Avontuur Thorouhbred Farm and is owned by Markus and Ingrid Jooste. This was his second career Gr 1 victory. He will now attempt to repeat Futura’s feat of doing the Queen’s Plate and J&B Met double.

The Duncan Howells-trained Same Jurisdiction was all the rage in the Paddock Stakes but appeared to be slightly strong in the running and after being given every chance by Marcus in the straight, did not find the same finish she finds over shorter. It is clear now she doesn’t quite stay the 1800m trip, although she was just touched off for third by the Snaith-trained three-year-old Bela-Bela. Smart Call, who was bred and is owned by Mauritzfontein Stud, came from three lengths off the pace. Last year’s winner Inara turned for home behind her. Smart Call surged through on the inside under a strong ride by Marwing and kept going well to deny an always chasing Inara by two lengths. Bela-Bela, who also ran down the inside, was another length behind. Same Jurisdiction was 0,4 lengths further back, 0,85 lengths clear of the Gr 1 SA Oaks winner Pine Princess.

The Gr 2 Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap over 1800m saw Glen Kotzen clinching a double on the day when the Western Winter gelding Light The Lights at last fulfilled his undoubted promise. The four-year-old son of Western Winter had badly needed gelding by the end of last season and yesterday, having his third run after the operation and off a lowered merit rating too, he was backed into 10/1. He settled beautifully under Stuart Randolph, who had him covered throughout in midfield despite being caught wide from his draw of nine.

The Bill Prestage-trained Milton has been a different horse since returning from his stint in Johannesburg. He was officially 1,5kg under sufferance yesterday, but M J Byleveld used his light weight to make a bold bid from the front. Light The Lights showed a fine turn of foot and always looked likely to catch Milton, who had stolen a march, but in the end he only reached him close to home to win by 0,4 lengths. Sansui Summer Cup winner Deo Juvente ran on well for third and Helderberg Blue just got the better of Master’s Eye to repeat his fourth place finish of last year.

Later, the Justin Snaith-trained Silvano colt Black Arthur stamped himself as the new kid on the three-year-old block with a remarkable victory in the Gr 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m under Piere Strydom. The finish was being fought out by the Mike Bass-trained Marinaresco and the Tarry-trained Liege, when Black Arthur, who had come from a mile back, burst through on the inside to win going away by 0,75 lengths.

Earlier, the BMW Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m was used as a preparation by a few for the forthcoming Gr 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championships and unfortunately Highveld raider Trip Tease had to be scratched at the start. One of the fancied runners Guiness was prominent before fading and the Tote favourite Brutal Force moved up to challenge the always prominent Snaith-trained Harry Lime. However, the latter, who started 33/1 and was ridden by Anthony Delpech, won on the head bob and thus showed he had benefitted from recent gelding, as this was his first victory since easily winning the Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m at Scottsville as a two-year-old.

The sizeable Justin Snaith team were thus on the board and they made it a quick double when the fancied Captain Swarovski won the next over 1200m under Bernard Fayd’Herbe. Snaith’s other winners on the day were with Qing ridden, by Strydom, and Overshadow, ridden by Marcus.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Legal Eagle winning the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate at Kenilworth yesterday (Liesl King)

With the going at Scottsville Racecourse already soft, and with the forecast of further rain over the weekend, Gold Circle conducted a survey among trainers with carded runners for Sunday and an overwhelming 75% voted in favour of Gold Circle making an early and decisive call to move the racemeeting to the Polytrack at Greyville.

Given the outcome of the survey, Gold Circle has agreed to move Sunday’s racemeeting to the Polytrack at Greyville with no change to the advertised starting times. In terms of the NHA rules, trainers have 24 hours to scratch as a result of change of venue/surface, after which time eliminations where necessary will be made public.

“We are ready,” declares Justin Snaith as his two market leaders spearhead his 36-strong armada for tomorrow’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate meeting at Kenilworth.

“Futura has never been better for a race at a mile and certainly, if they don’t beat him here, they have no chance of doing so over 2 000m [in the J & B Met],” says the former champion. “But if Legislate rocks up they had all better watch out.”

Futura (Nkosi Hlophe)

Snaith insists that he cannot split the pair and, up to yesterday morning at any rate, nor can the market. There has been money for Legislate, enough to bring him down to 2-1 joint favouritism with his stable companion. Seemingly punters are remembering how he came back from similar lengthy lay-offs to smash the mile course record in last season’s Green Point and win the Gold Challenge.

Heartland’s role could be crucial – a poor gallop would throw the race wide open and the two favourites to the wolves. “We want a good pace but we will see what happens,” says Snaith. “I am not going to sacrifice him if he has a chance of getting a place.”

This is a good race for favourites – they have won seven of the last ten – and one of the big two should win tomorrow. Legislate is the better at a mile but Futura has a significant fitness advantage.

Captain America, nibbled at from 7-1 to 11-2, beat Futura in the Green Point with an enterprising ride but he is adaptable. “We will play it by ear because don’t have to be stereotyped on him,” says Brett Crawford. “But what I don’t want is a canter and then a sprint.”

Anton Marcus’s decision to change horses in mid-stream does not exactly inspire confidence in Act Of War who, don’t forget, made up a prodigious amount of ground in the short straight when coming from too far back in the Green Point.

He has drifted from 13-2 to 8-1 but the man who Joey Ramsden has called on to take over is perhaps the most naturally gifted of all the jockeys now riding and he is performing at the top of his game.

Noah From Goa (Liesl King)

Legal Eagle (9-1) is the highest-rated horse in the race – although it’s hard to see how he is better than Futura and in any case his rating was earned over longer trips than this.

“Anton discussed it with me and it wasn’t an easy choice to make,” says Derek Brugman, “But the main reason is that this is a prep for the Met for Legal Eagle and Anton wants to take him round Kenilworth. It will be the horse’s first time round a left-handed turn.

“We feel that the pace could be strong and that would suit Legal Eagle who went very well in his last gallop.”

Noah From Goa is the sixth three-year-old to run in six years. Gimmethegreenlight won, Variety Club was second and Ebony Flyer third. The other two were unplaced. Given that the Guineas winner is trained by Mike de Kock, 10-1 is probably a bit generous – but only a bit.

Same Jurisdiction is a justifiable 5-2 favourite for the Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes but it’s worth pointing out that this is not a good race for favourites –ten of the last 13 were beaten and, had it not been for Beach Beauty, that stat would read 11 out of 13.

Duncan Howells is concerned about the wide draw despite having the master in the irons. “A bad draw is a bad draw and it’s not in my favour,” he insists. “This is going to be a real test of her stamina but she is a classy filly and I couldn’t have asked for a better preparation.”

She could have her work cut out to confirm Garden Province placings with the on-song 3-1 shot Smart Call while 8-1 is a big price about last year’s winner Inara. “She didn’t thrive in Durban so you can’t go on her running there,” advises Candice Robinson.

By Michael Clower