The Vaal has an interesting nine race card today as some useful sorts will be seen in action.

Gavin Lerena

In the first over 1200m, Red Heart is an imposing filly by Trippi and is a full-sister to the useful Listed winner Sunset Tripp, who has won up to 1400m. With a better start than last time she could use her natural sped to overcome her high draw. Spring Dance was backed on debut in a strong maiden and had no luck throughout. Bally Swiss showed pace on debut, when finishing second, but over raced a bit in the opening stages and had no answer to the finishing run of the promising Jungle Mist. The form has worked out well. Matresse is by Silvano out of a four-time winning sprinter by Model Man. Lady Yahoo is by Jay Peg out of a one-time winner over 1200m who dam is a half-sister to the champion filly Arabian Lass.

The second is a maiden over 1600m and Flying Silver looks the one to beat having finished strongly over 1400 second time out and now drawn well. Sao Paulo is by Trippi and is a full-brother to Listed KZN Guineas Trial runner up Trip To Rio, so could improve over this trip. Gains Tax is drawn in pole and should appreciate the step up in trip and Peg O’ My Heart and Topography could also earn.

The third is a maiden over 1600m. O’Brien The Lion has done well from the front in his last two starts over 1400m and has been tried over as far 2400m, so should be suited to this trip and his formlines are relatively strong. Hermoso Mundo is by the promising sire Ideal World out of the champion mare Escoleta Fitz and should not only improve on his decent debut over 1400m but will relish the step up in trip. Koncealed was taken out at the 150m mark last time over this trip at Turffontein when staying on strongly so would have got closer and his overall form has worked out well. Kanonkop was caught late over 1400m on debut and on pedigree should enjoy the trip although the concerns are another high draw and a breathing noise made on debut. Beunos Aires was 2,35 lengths behind Kanonkop last time and could improve. Like A Master was not much further back and should enjoy the step up in trip. A P Emblem made a fair debut and could improve.

The fourth is a Graduation Plate over 1200m. Jolie Roger is third best in at the weights and could be the one to beat from a fair draw coming back down to this trip of his impressive maiden win. Buckland has good early pace and is unbeaten in two starts over course and distance but has a tough draw. African Ruler beat Buckland over 1400m and has good form over shorter. Joe Malone is the best in at the weights on official merit ratings and could be a factor despite having his second run after a suspension for epistaxis. Machismo has some eyecatching form and could also be thereabouts.

The fifth is a MR 92 Handicap over 1400m and Bulleting Home over raced last time over 1600m, yet still won easily. He looks to have come into his own and can handle an eight point raise over a step down in trip he should appreciate. Brad’s Surge could be a threat having landed a good draw for a change. Prince Jazeem returns from a layoff but is drawn n pole over an ideal trip and the Tarry yard always have them fit enough. Move Like Jagger is course and distance suited and consistent. Captain Aldo is a consistent sort but has to handle a merit rating six points higher than he’s ever run off after his recent win. Rock Me Var is talented but might be stretched by this trip. Be Mine Tonight is the only female involved and can’t be written off over this suitable trip.

African Ruler (Nkosi Hlophe)

The sixth is a MR75 Handicap over 1400m. Var Bay is in good form and went close over 1450m at Turffontein last time so looks ready to win again. There is not much between Var Bay and Wottahottie on form. Both these first two selections have tough draws which is a concern. Son Of Approval is 1,5kg under sufferance but appears best at this trip and has a good 1,5kg claimer up, so could provide good place value from a plum draw. Mann’s Inn, who also has an unfavourable high draw, narrowly beat Wottahottie last time over course and distance but is 0,5kg worse off. Angelus Belle could be a factor from a fair draw if reproducing his run in September over course and distance.

The seventh is a MR 74 handicap over 1400m where Gavin Lerena is booked to ride My Treasure who has a touch of class and should have benefitted from his last run. Rock On Rebel is well drawn and finished fast last time over course and distance. Bah, who has always been held in good regard, is running off an attractive merit rating and a suitable trip so could get closer than last time when hampered late. Nkomo loves this course and distance and will produce a strong finish, so could be thereabouts if not starting too slowly. Russian Steward goes well for jockey Munger and stayed on well over course and distance last time.

The eighth is a MR 72 Handicap over 1000m and Manx Park is in and out but from a good draw and a 4kg claimer up is the one to beat if he has a going day. Cannes could make a bold bid from the front from pole position. Clean Cut and Dream Leader should be involved if overcoming high draws and Atso Cool has to be included after an easy maiden win over course and distance.

The last is a fillies and mares MR 68 Handicap over 1000m and Shiver N’ Shake looks to be the one to side with from a good draw with Lerena up. Vanda could be a contender from a good draw over a suitable trip. Cute Lady could feature if bouncing back off a much reduced merit rating. It’sgottobeme is down to a winning mark and has a good draw over a suitable trip. Stairway to Heaven improved without blinkers last time and if repeating could go close again. Lena Laptev and Ride Of Honour have to be considered too.

By David Thiselton

Top echelon KZN jockey Sean Cormack has been booked off riding, pending further medical tests and a second medical opinion.

Cormack, who has represented South Africa in his chosen profession, is chief stable jockey to the KZN Champion trainer Dennis Drier with whom he has formed a formidable partnership over the last few seasons.

Drier’s second choice stable jockey Sean Veale will be replacing Cormack for many of the yard’s forthcoming Cape and KZN engagements.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Sean Cormack (Liesl King)

In shock news the popular Highveld conditioner Dominic Zaki has decided not to renew his trainer’s license.

Vaal-based Zaki had a good season in 2014/2015, finishing 16^th on the national log, and was in 22^nd place on the current log.

He said, “It is a very tough industry, a very expensive industry and it is hard to make money. I had 95 odd horses, a great string and great owners, but even then the business was just not financially viable and I lost my passion for it. I would like to thank my clients who stuck with me throughout. I am going to miss the game, but was forced into the decision. We will see what happens in time to come.”

Zaki will now put his energy into his family’s business.

He named the sprint-miler National Spirit as his “best memory” in racing. This National Emblem gelding, bred by KZN Midlands couple, Dr Alan and Robyn Bechard, won the Gr 2 Golden Horseshoe (now a Gr 1) as a two-year-old, then won the Gr 2 Dingaans, the Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas, the Gr 2 Drill Hall Stakes, the Gr 1 Gold Challenge and the Gr 2 Emerald Cup on sand. He was a much loved by the public due to his courage, as a front runner who refused to be overtaken, and he was named KZN Breeders Horse Of The Year in 2006.

In 2008 Zaki won the Gr 1 R3,5 million GommaGomma Challenge over 2000m, which was at that stage the richest race ever run in South Africa, with the three-year-old Model Man gelding Eddington.

His best position on the national log has been 6^th, achieved in both the 2004/2005 and 2006/2007 seasons from his own private training centre, and in the latter of those seasons he had his highest seasonal earnings of R7,213,175. He began pressing this yard record last season shortly after relocating to the Vaal and had earnings of R6,259,275, which is one of the reasons the news of his departure from the game came as such a shock as he seemed set to break into the top echelon again.

Zaki is known as a cheerful and approachable individual, so it is not only his expertise in training horses which will be much missed.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Dominic Zaki

Not many thoroughbred mares have their best seasons as seven-year-olds, but such is the case with the Paddy Lunn yard’s “ATM”, Quintella.

The mare has loved running on the poly, which is not surprising considering she is by Miesque’s Approval, and was the overall series winner of the recent KZN Summer Chapter Challenge series, accumulating 36 points. This season Quintella has run eight times for one win, three seconds, two thirds and two fourths. Her merit rating has consequently risen from 54 to 61 and having been on the edge of retirement she is now very much still in training.

Quintella (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Lunns have actually put her recent consistency not down to the poly, but down to a love of the tight Greyville track, which perfectly suits her hold up style and short run in. She has a fine turn of foot and her recent win over 1000m on the Greyville poly was only her second career victory, and was a long time in coming, having won her maiden over 1200m on the Greyville turf way back in April 2012.

The Lunns know all about preparing horses suited to Greyville Sprints as Paddy was the conditioner of one of the most loved Greyville specialists of modern times, The Barbican. This chestnut speedster by Volcanic out of Kiki Bar was virtually unbeatable over the Greyville 1000m, winning the Gr 2 Concord Stakes over that course and distance three years in succession between 1986 and 1988.

He was named ARCSA Champion Sprinter in 1987, a year after the yard scooped the ARCSA Horse Of The Year award with Model Man. The latter won four Gr 1s including the J&B Met in a glittering career, yet his possibly most talked about performance was in an A Division Handicap over the Greyville 1100m, a distance palpably too short. He gave weight to some of the best sprinters around that day and produced one of the most devastating finishing runs the course has ever witnessed from a seemingly hopeless position to get up in the last stride.

Quintella, despite her love of Greyville, will still be interesting over 1000m at Scottsville on December 23 as she has landed a plum low draw. One of the countries best up and coming riders Keagan de Melo has moulded a successful relationship with the mare and knows exactly how to bring the best out of her. Punters should not be concerned if they see her sitting well off the pace early as she is sure to be finishing strongly and De Melo has learnt exactly the best moment to deliver her telling challenge.

By David Thiselton

The Cape Guineas is one of the few big races to have eluded Mike Bass during his near 40-year training career and he has an open mind about whether hot favourite Silver Mountain can put the record straight in the Grand Parade-sponsored classic on Saturday.

He said: “I don’t really know how good she is, and I’m not sure that the press aren’t getting a little bit ahead of themselves.  I can only see what happens on the racecourse which is where it counts.

“At home she just goes along nicely like any other horse and in any case you can’t really tell how good they are at home unless you put them with something really talented and try them.”

Silver Mountain gave the 70-year-old training legend his fourth Cape Fillies Guineas win 11 days ago but he wasn’t really expecting her to win by five lengths. “I was hoping for something like that but I wasn’t sure. She was drawn badly, I thought she might get a bit far back and only get out late.

“I remember Sun Classique running from a 13 draw in 2006, coming from last and only just winning – and she was pretty good. But things went well for Silver Mountain and she won quite comfortably.”

So, how does he expect her to fare on Saturday?  “Whether she is up to beating the colts is debatable. It’s a bit of an ask,” he replied.” I think we can manage the averagely good ones but there are some who haven’t really been exposed and there are also some pretty smart proven colts, big strong horses.

“There are the obvious ones like Mike Azzie’s colt Rabada (who was scratched yesterday) and Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Brazuca while that horse of Gavin van Zyl’s (Budapest) ran a pretty smart race in the Ready To Run, getting away from them like that – although I don’t know if he will be able to do that again. Hopefully it will be a different story on Saturday.”

By Michael Clower

Picture: Mike Bass