Silver Mountain has been installed hot favourite at 1-2 with the sponsors for the World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday.

That might sound a prohibitive price but this race is no stranger to restrictive odds favourites. Mamju started at 30-100 when she won 12 months ago and in 2011 Princess Victoria won at 1-5.

The Mike Bass-trained Choice Carriers winner was reported on song by her stable at the weekend following a work-out over 1 400m on the course last Wednesday when she was partnered by big race rider Aldo Domeyer and went with Inara (Donavan Mansour) and Taffety Tart, third in the Choice Carriers but 20-1 for Saturday’s race. She was ridden by Corne Orffer as Grant van Niekerk was delayed.

“Silver Mountain worked well and she is very well in herself,” said Candice Robinson. “But she again has a difficult draw (11) to overcome and it could be more difficult to get across this time. Also there are a couple of fillies  who are better than those she met in the Choice Carriers. Aldo is going to have to shine.”

One of those Mrs Robinson has in mind is presumably 6-1 second favourite Bela-Bela for whom Justin Snaith has booked six times champion Piere Strydom. She also galloped at Kenilworth last Wednesday. “She is a very uncomplicated filly and she went well,” said Chris Snaith.

Anton Marcus will ride the stable’s other runner, 12-1 shot A Time To Dream who has won three of her four starts.

As expected Mike de Kock, who has won two of the last three runnings, has switched Choice Carriers runner-up Entisaar to the 1 000m Southern Cross Stakes on the same card. He relies on 7-1 shot Noor (Anthony Delpech) who has won both her starts, albeit in lesser company.

Entisaar will face the Sean Tarry-trained dual Grade 1 winner Carry On Alice (S’Manga Khumalo) and last year’s Mercury Sprint winner Fly By Night (Domeyer) who also won this 12 months ago.

World Sports Betting prices: 1-2 Silver Mountain, 6-1 Bela-Bela, 7-1 Noor, 12-1 A Time To Dream, 14-1 Well In Flight, 16-1 Flying Ice, 20-1 Taffety Tart, Icy Fire, 25-1 Anglet, 33-1 Our Destiny, Valediction, 50-1 Ocean’s Swell, Miss Marker.

By Michael Clower
Picture (Liesl King): Silver Mountain

Mambo Mime’s Cape Guineas prospects took a serious knock when he was beaten into fourth behind Big Cat in the Wynberg Cricket Club Handicap at Kenilworth on Saturday.

There were legitimate excuses for the 2-1 favourite – he appeared to be striding short going to the start and Grant Behr reported afterwards: “There was something not right behind and he felt uncomfortable” – but time is not on the colt’s side with the Grand Parade-sponsored classic only 19 days away.

The Vasco Premier Trophy is on Saturday week but Dennis Drier is having doubts about asking Big Cat to run even though the six-year-old answered Sean Veale’s every call to shade Henry Of York.

Drier said: “This was a very courageous win in a tough field. The horse is as honest as the day is long and always gives of his best but, while I have nominated him, I don’t think the Premier is the right race. I will discuss it with the chaps but I think it’s too strong for him.”

The chaps include James Drew and Mike Fullard who also won the Haak Fourie & Snyman Handicap with another ex-Stan Elley horse, My World. Elley recalled the gelding’s R110 000 purchase as if it was yesterday.

He said: “I bought him at the Natal sale when nobody knew much about the sire Ideal World but I thought I had to have the yearling as he is out of Sadler’s Wells mare. When they brought him out of the box I was most disappointed because he was a real ugly duckling.

“The only reason I didn’t tell the groom to put him straight back was because I didn’t want to offend the breeder (Maine Chance). Then I saw him walk and I had to have him once more.”

This was the middle leg of a treble for Mike Bass and Grant van Niekerk but the latter made it clear that he will be glad to see the return of the summer course on Saturday. He said: “The winter track is very unfair at the moment. With the going on top the horses in front are not stopping and those behind are not making up the leeway.”

Punters were left flabbergasted when Gull Rock came home at 50-1 under Corne Orffer in the Iron Lady Maiden but Brett Crawford deflected any credit to Malan du Toit, saying: “He has put a lot of time and work into this horse. The last time Gull Rock came out of the pens he left the jockey (S’Manga Khumalo) behind.”

But some inspired punters more than made up for this when stable companion Speedy Chestnut was backed from 16-1 to 15-4 to land the Lady Natasia Handicap.

Not many horses win three times inside a month but Dixie Express completed this particular treble in the Rockets Classic Handicap to delight Brandon May and surprise the stable – “She has astounded us,” declared Chris Snaith.

By Michael Clower
Picture (Liesl King): My World (right) fends off A Time To Kill

 

 

Geoff Woodruff dominated the SANSUI Summer Cup for the third year in succession as he not only saddled the winner but repeated his one-two of last year after having sent out the first three the year before.

The six-year-old Jet Master gelding Master Sabina, second two years ago and having his second run after a year’s layoff, won the day after surviving an objection from stablemate Deo Juvente, beaten 0,2 lengths. The Sean Tarry-trained favourite French Navy ran a magnificent race, running on from near the back to finish a 0,6 length third, and was a touch unlucky as he had to be switched inward at a crucial stage. Deo Juvente could also be counted unlucky as he was caught wide throughout from a high draw.

Master Sabina was backed into 13-2 second favourite, while French Navy drifted out to 6-1. Deo Juvente, who won the Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes to book his place in the race, also drifted and started 15-1. Judicial, third last year, was once again presented in fine condition by Tyrone Zackey and came from a long way back for fourth despite odds of 100-1. The Weiho Marwing-trained Mac De Lago was fifth ahead of the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Vodacom Durban July winner Power King.

Master Sabina is owned and was bred by Michael de Broglio and after a largely luckless career this was only his second stakes victory. He won the Gr 3 tabGold 2200 on July day last year.

Master Sabina came from about seven lengths off the pace which was expectedly set by Diesel Jet.

Earlier, there was bitter disappointment for swimming icon Chad le Clos when the horse he part-owns, Unbelievable Chad, was scratched from the Investec Dingaans after bolting to the start. Later the Mike de Kock-trained Tiger Ridge gelding Noah From Goa, who started favourite and was handy throughout under Anthony Delpech, just got up to deny the Johan Janse Van Vuuren-trained New Predator after a thrilling ding-dong tussle down the straight. The long-striding Mike Azzie-trained Abashiri showed smart turn of foot from last place and held on for third from Lineker. Abashiri looks to have a particularly bright future. Jubilee Line was 6,5 lengths behind the winner in fifth place.

Later, the Alec Laird-trained-trained Ideal World filly made light of a Gr 1 penalty to win the Gr 2 Bradlows/Morkels Ipi Tombe Challenge over 1600m, wearing down Bichette to win by 0,75 lengths under regular pilot Weichong Marwing. The Paul Peter-trained London finished third ahead of a disappointing Trophy Wife with Pennington Sands next best.

Earlier, the Gr 3 Joshua Doore/Russels Fillies Mile didn’t have a strong pace and Weichong Marwing dictated on the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Fort Wood filly Negroamaro, who was backed into favourite. She stole a length or two early in the straight and never looked like being caught, winning by 4,25 lengths. Sean Tarry’s 16-1 shot Heaps Of Fun ran on for second, just pipping the Stanley Ferreira-trained Juxtapose. Persian Rug ran a better race to clinch fourth ahead of Ntoma.

Joey Ramsden won the Gr 2 Merchants, now sponsored by AmTote, for the third time, on this occasion with the huge four-year-old Western Winter gelding Brutal Force, who looked well weighted on his excellent previous run. He has come into his own since being gelded and Anton Marcus hit the front 200m out and kept early leader, the Alec Laird-trained Dollar Dazzler, at bay to win by 0,4 lengths. Yvette Bremner completed a fine raid from Port Elizabeth with just three runners when eight-year-old long shot Copper Parade flew up for third and Al Don Cumarco got a cheque for fifth.

The Gr 3 Magnolia Handicap was won by the classy four-year-old Stanley Ferreira-trained Kahal filly Kwinta under Marco van Rensburg. She  just touched off the luckless Janse van Vuuren-trained Silver Class, who has been knocking on the door since being dropped to sprints. The Bremner-trained Eros’s Girl was always rated by the Justin Snaith yard and she showed, despite having won up to 2000m, that she still has plenty of speed by just getting up for third at huge odds of 75-1. Lumya and Easy Street were next best.

The Gr 3 Gauteng Racing Association Handicap over 3200m was won by the Tarry-trained Australian-bred Supertube under S’Manga Khumalo. He caught the Weiho Marwing-trained Cool Chardonnay in the run in and drew away bravely in a hard fought finish. The Dominic Zaki-trained topweight Storm Warning stayed on for third.
– David Thiselton
– Picture (The Citizen): Master Sabina (centre) holds off stable companion Deo Juvente and French Navy (farside) to win the 2015 Sansui Summer Cup

 

 

Mambo Mime warms up for the Cape Guineas by taking on older horses in the Wynberg Cricket Club Handicap at Kenilworth tomorrow and he should win if his trainer’s classic hopes are to be realised.

Dean Kannemeyer, who has a major chance with Power King 30 minutes later, says: “Mambo Mime put up a bloody good run last time. He gave Black Arthur 5kg and was only beaten half a length. He wasn’t fully stripped either because he’d had a setback before that race.”

Grant Behr’s mount missed his previous outing because he was found to be going short on his near hind but his biggest problem this time could be that the handicappers have put him up 2kg for running so well against fellow Guineas hope Black Arthur.

That stable’s Bianzino has also been raised 2kg for running on into second at Durbanville and, as Mike de Kock’s Alghadeer is having his first Cape Town run of the campaign, the biggest danger is probably Big Cat.

The ex-Stan Elley gelding was only three lengths behind subsequent Green Point winner Captain America on his Pinnacle reappearance and Dennis Drier says he should have come on from that.

Breathless Bertie, so often living up to his name by running out of steam before the end, has found a new lease of life that enables him to last home and he goes for a hat-trick in the Swartz Family Handicap.

“I got a special hood from Ireland,” explains Mike Stewart.” It has rubber earmuffs built into it and this means he can’t hear the horses behind. He is a much better horse as a result.”

However the handicappers have hit him hard with a 4kg increase and Saint Donan should be able to reverse the form. He is 5.5kg better for being beaten a length (admittedly when Breathless was racing without the magic hood) and has the 4kg benefit of Shadlee Fortune who was on the Stewart horse last time.

Saint Donan probably has most to fear from Ovar who was having his first run since February when fifth last time and is marginally better in. Furthermore the modest Andre Nel (“I’m only winning maidens”) has the Plattner horses on fire.

Nel runs the consistent Arctic Teon in the Iron Lady Maiden but, as he is not expecting any dramatic improvement (“his form is as good as he is”), the vote goes to Shall Be Free who comes out a length and a half best of all on adjusted merit ratings.

“Shall Be Free will relish the step up to 2 000m,” says Mike Robinson who adds that he also likes his other runner – “Rock Country can work with anything at home and I don’t know which I would put my money on.”

Forecast favourite Heart Of Darkness has been hit with a wide draw in the opening Cape Kidney Association Maiden and so Grant van Niekerk’s mount may not cope with Doctorow. This one’s last run would read better had he not lost valuable ground at the start and victory would augur well for Kannemeyer’s later hopes.

By Michael Clower

The Gr 1 SANSUI Summer Cup is one of the country’s big three and will have off course punters glued to their armchairs this weekend.

French Navy carries topweight but is known to become electrified the moment he enters the straight and will likely build on his sixth place in the Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Charity Mile, in which he produced  a powerful finish from behind. He is a deserving favourite and jumps from a nice draw of eight.

His Sean Tarry-trained Stablemate Halve The Deficit also caught the eye in the Charity Mile when running on strongly from last and this evergreen seven-year-old Right Approach gelding, who deserves a change of luck, is not only down to an attractive merit rating but also has a fair draw of nine.

Dean Kannemeyer has Power King as well as he had him before his Vodacom Durban July victory. He only received three points for that win and has a shout in an overall weaker race from a plum draw of five.

The Irish import Flying The Flag is one of three runners attempting to give Mike de Kock his tenth Summer Cup, but didn’t inspire much confidence in the Charity Mile when staying on steadily. He should improve on the run and rain might help his cause.

Stablemates Ahlaam and The Centenary are the only two fillies in the race and are both 0,5kg under sufferance. Ahlaam is courageous but will find it tough as a front-runner, while The Centenary will relish the course and distance and her running on style makes her one of the race’s dark horses.

Judicial disappointed in his seasonal reappearance in the Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m, but trainer Tyrone Zackey is an expert in peaking his charges and this enigmatic sort showed his class when finishing third in the Summer Cup last year.

Trainer Geoff Woodruff’s expertise in peaking them is illustrated by his yard having the first three past the post two years ago and the first two last year. He doesn’t have as strong a hand this year. Master Sabina, runner up two years ago, will be having his second run after a layoff of a year. Deo Juvente is held in high regard and qualified by winning the Victory Moon in impressive style, but Anton Marcus has chosen to rather waste to make the weight of 53kg for St. Tropez. The Captain’s Tune plugged on from a handy position in the Charity Mile for seventh and is now drawn in pole, but has a slight stamina doubt on pedigree.

The St. John Gray-trained Yer-Maan won Zimbabwe’s biggest race, the Castle Tankard over this trip, and will be hoping for a strong pace, but looks a touch high in the weights.

Mac De Lago is capable of a strong finish and, being conditioned by the astute trainer Weiho Marwing, should be cherry ripe. Weichong Marwing will give him a chance of overcoming his tough draw.

The Stuart Pettigrew-trained Easy Lover was finishing strongly for second in the Victory Moon over 1800m, suggesting he will get this trip, and his style is suited to the Standside course.

MLJet has put his disappointing three-year-old season behind him and finished a fine second in the Charity Mile. His full-brother Augusta National has won over 1800m, so he can’t be discounted from draw two.

Ultimate Dollar, one of two runners for Justin Snaith,  will likely relish the course and distance as he takes a long time to wind up into his sizeable stride and he was another who caught the eye running on strongly in the Charity Mile. If anybody can nullify his 19 draw it is Piere Strydom.

Stablemate Dynamic is the forgotten horse of the race, as he was fancied for the July before failing to make the final field. He produced a strong finish when a close second in the Gr 1 Cape Derby as a three-year-old, so will appreciate the step up to this trip after staying on steadily in the Charity Mile.

Disco Al, one of two runners for Joey Ramsden, is an honest type who is coming off a good preparation over 1800m at Turffontein and on paper he has a fair chance at the weights. He finished last a year ago but has had a better preparation this time.

Stablemate St. Tropez has a big shout despite a wide draw as he looks capable of rising above his current merit rating and will relish the tough course and distance.

The Erico Verdonese Diesel Jet won in facile fashion from the front over 1800m last time out but will unlikely be given an easy lead here and is eight points higher in the merit ratings.

The Gavin van Zyl-trained Platinum Jet is 2,5kg under sufferance, but earned his place with a good third in the Victory Moon. He has only had eight starts for three wins, so is unexposed and could surprise.

St. Tropez is the selection to beat Ultimate Dollar, French Navy, Halve The Deficit, Dynamic and The Centenary.

By David Thiselton