The promising Alistair Gordon-trained pair of three-year-olds Beat The Retreat and Bunker Bill will have a gallop at Scottsville this morning (Tuesday) ahead of their respective engagements in the Listed R150,000 KZN Guineas Trial on the Greyville turf on November 8 and the Gr 3 R250,000 Graham Back Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein on October 31.

Meanwhile, Paul Lafferty reported that Anthony Delpech had been “very impressed” with the Graham Beck-bound Unbelievable Chad’s gallop at Scottsville on Sunday, in which he was given a lead over 1400m and strode all the way to the line in eyecatching fashion. Lafferty had spoken to Piere Strydom about riding the Toreador colt in the Graham Beck a while ago but has been unable to confirm the engagement as the latter is currently on honeymoon. The pair will be attempting to retain their respective crowns in the race having combined to win it last year with Harry’s Son. Unbelievable Chad, who is part-owned by swimming legend Chad le Clos, has drawn eight out of 30 nominations and Bunker Bill, who is by Dupont and is expected to enjoy the step up in trip, has drawn pole position.

Argonaut colt Beat The Retreat found his last start over 1200m too sharp and will relish the step up to 1600m in the KZN Guineas Trial.

Unbelievable Chad and Bunker Bill will both be using the tried and tested travel routine of leaving Summerveld late on the Friday night and arriving at Turffontein on the morning of the race.

Two of a few other Summerveld horses who will be making the journey to the Johannesburg meeting on October 31 are the Dennis Drier-trained Gr 1 Golden Slipper winner Chestnuts N Pearls and the classy Gavin van Zyl-trained Redcarpet Captain, who will both be running in the R2,015,000 Bloodstock South Africa Ready To Run Cup over 1400m.

Chestnuts N Pearls by Horse Chestnut made her seasonal reappearance in a Conditions Plate for fillies and mares over 1200m on Sunday and flew late to finish a 1,5 length second to the exciting four-year-old speedster Miss Varlicious, to whom she gave 3kg if apprentice claims are included. The 100 merit-rated filly will palpably prefer the 1400m trip and, having come out of the race very well, will likely be cherry ripe on October 31. A KZN filly she will have to face in the Ready To Run Cup will be the Duncan Howells-trained Lauderdale, whom she beat in the Golden Slipper but lost to in the subsequent Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m.

The Captain Al colt Redcarpet Captain ran on well at Scottsville on Sunday in a MR 90 Handicap over 1200m in which he had to carry 60kg off his merit rating of 101 and finished a 1,15 length fifth to a horse who has developed a winning habit, Talktothestars. In his only start over 1400m Redcarpet Captain was not at all disgraced, finishing 3,8 lengths behind Seventh Plain in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe having had to jump from a very wide draw. He should be ideally suited to the 1400m distance at this stage of his career. He has come out of Sunday’s race well and the yard are hopeful of a big run in the Ready To Run Cup. He is the joint highest merit rated horse in the Cup together with Lauderdale and the Justin Snaith-trained Australian-bred Star Witness colt Lineker.

Van Zyl’s other contender in the big October 31 meeting at Turffontein will be the four-year-old Jet Master gelding M L Jet, who fought back well to win a Graduation Plate over 1600m at Turffontein last week, although he was weighted to win it. He will be running in the Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile and, having enjoyed the blinkers off and tongue tie on last time, there will be no changes to his equipment declarations. He has come out of the race well and Van Zyl hoped that the win heralded a return to form for the 101 merit-rated bay.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Beat The Retreat (Nkosi Hlophe)

Korea is to stage two rich international races next September – a US$700 000 sprint and US$ 1 million 1 800m event, both with substantial travel allowances – and has invited Mike de Kock to send horses from his British base.

The Korea Racing Association has close ties with South Africa through its sponsorship of the two Greyville Guineas races and for a time it was thought that these new international races could be the long-awaited key to opening up the protocols.

Western Province RA chapter chairman Vidrik Thurling said: “When I was in Korea in June their racing director told me they wanted to attract South African horses and I felt this could be our opportunity. However, after some discussion and deliberation, they decided that they should wait for Europe to take the lead on the protocol issue.

“I then suggested they invite Mike de Kock and I mentioned the international meeting to him. His initial reaction was positive.”

The Korea races will fill the gap left by Singapore’s decision to drop the Krisflyer International Sprint and the Singapore International Airlines Cup.

By Michael Clower

The highlight of yesterday’s meeting at Scottsville was a Conditions Plate over 1200m for fillies and mares and the lightly weighted Paul Gadsby-trained four-year-old Var filly Miss Varlicious confirmed herself a sprinter to be reckoned with when finding a strong finish to win comfortably. The course manager Sthembiso Dlamini has worked wonders with the track and the infamous sprint track draw bias, that used to palpably favour low draws, was shown in this meeting to be just about insignificant. Miss Varlicious only had to carry 48kg, if the 4kg claim of apprentice Eric Ngwane was included, and after jumping from a draw of five she didn’t appear to be doing herself any favours by drifting wide at about the 500m mark.

However, she then stormed home to beat the Gr 1-winning 22/10 favourite Chestnuts N Pearls by 1,5 lengths, with Beloved Country staying on for third. The fancied African Dream had to concede lumps of weight and likely needed the run ,being beaten 5,15 lengths into fifth just behind LittleBlacknumber. Chestnuts N Pearls finished strongly over too sharp a trip, carrying 51kg, and this was a fine preparation for the R2,015,000 Bloodstock South Africa Ready To Run Cup over 1400m at Turffontein on October 31. In the next race, a MR 90 Handicap over 1200m, apprentice Ngwane completed a quick double and weekend treble when winning aboard Kimberley-based trainer Coenie de Beer’s raider Talktothestars, an amazing four-year-old gelding by Overlord, who won off a 93 merit rating to land his sixth win in his last seven starts and seventh career victory overall. Runner up Highway Explorer from the Tony Rivalland yard ran on well for second, pipping the nine-year-old topweight Royal Zulu Warrior who had to lug 64kg even including the 2,5kg apprentice claim. The Fort Wood filly Nikki easily converted odds of 1/3 in the first race over 1200m to give Mike de Kock a weekend double and Anthony Delpech his third of his five winners over the weekend. She showed good speed throughout. The Alistair Gordon yard have a number of promising three-year-olds at present and the runner up Cause Célèbre by Argonaut is another to follow. The Mark Dixon-trained Muhtafal filly Isingamoya found some early betting support in the second over 1200m after an eyecatching debut and never looked in danger of defeat, despite a high draw.  She ran handy and kicked clear to win easily by 2,75 lengths from the favourite Seventh Moment and give Keagan de Melo a weekend double. Dixon also trained Isingamoya’s dam, Shoot The Breeze, who was a facile winner on debut over this course and distance six years ago.

In the third over 1200m Tony Rivalland landed the second leg of a weekend treble when the Miesque’s Approval gelding Humidor, who is a half-brother to the useful Caviar, returned from a layoff of nearly a year to win cosily under Anton Marcus in just her second career start. In the fourth over 1200m, the R900,000 purchase by Captain Al, the Rivalland-trained first-timer gelding Spanish Captain, won cosily under Delpech from a high draw after being backed from 5/1 Into 4/1. The first-timer by Second Empire from the Paul Lafferty yard, Neruda, is a half-brother to two speedsters Dennis The Menace and Battle Of Alma, and caught the eye running on well for second from a high draw Later, the Colin Scott-trained six-year-old Count Dubois gelding Innate Quality bounced back to his best to easily win a 2400m handicap under Muzi Yeni. The Sean Tarry-trained three-year-old colt Forest showed himself to be a promising stayer when winning the eighth, a maiden over 2400m, in good style under Delpech in just his fourth career start. The last race, a maiden over 1600m for fillies and mares, was won by the improving King’s Chapel filly Reigning Wave under Alec Forbes to give Paul Gadsby a meeting double.

By David Thiselton

The National Horseracing Authority has moved to lessen the growing rumour and speculation about the number of dope test positives by releasing the figures. It is also stepping up the testing.

But the increase in the number of samples returned positive is disturbing – 18 so far this year compared with only five in the whole of the 2013/14 season and nine the previous season.

NHA chief executive Colin Hall said: “Of the 18 specimens which were found to contain prohibited substances, 12 were specimens taken immediately after the race, two shortly before the race and four from horses which were not entered to race – ‘out of competition’ specimens as they are commonly known.

“The NHA has increased the number of out of competition and pre-race tests being conducted.”

Only six of this year’s 18 cases have got as far as a completed inquiry and the NHA will not release the details of the remainder until they reach that stage, with Hall explaining: “Due to the nature of inquiries into the presence of a prohibited substance found in a specimen, some take longer than others and it would be inappropriate to report on the incomplete inquiries at this time.”

The matter was brought out into the open when the Sporting Post published an email sent to Hall by Brett Maselle.

The advocate said: “Rumour is rife in the industry and horseracing websites that a sizeable amount of horses have been found to have prohibited substances in their systems.

“The talk is a trainer has already been fined and a horse suspended as a result of a positive in a Group race, and that a positive has been found in a horse relating to Durban’s biggest race.”

Hall has at least been able to knock the last point on the head, saying: “The NHA can confirm that all specimens taken from horses on 4 July have been tested and no prohibited substances were found by the laboratory.”

Only one of the six completed cases was the result of a pre-race test – the Leon Erasmus-trained Captain Ali who finished sixth at 25-1 at the Vaal in May. This was also the only one in which a substance was found that could be regarded as a stimulant (caffeine).

One of the five post-race positives, 4-1 winner Redcarpet Captain (Gavin van Zyl) at Turffontein in February, showed traces of the antibiotic procaine. Samples of the other four contained anti-inflammatories or pain-relievers – Cool Anne (K.G. Naidoo) 25-1 winner at Greyville in March, Gogetthesheriff (Jacques Strydom) 33-10 winner at Fairview in April, Liquid Ice (Cliffie Miller) 12-1 when last at Flamingo Park in January and Pennington Sands (Tyrone Zackey) 28-10 favourite when fourth at Turffontein in August.

In none of the six cases was there anything in the betting trends to suggest that the horse had been the subject of a gamble. The horses concerned have been disqualified and the trainers fined amounts varying from R20 000 to R60 000.

By Michael Clower

Gulf Storm,  second in last season’s Tsogo Sun Sprint, is set to have his first race of the campaign in the 1 200m Pinnacle Stakes when racing returns to Kenilworth on Saturday.

But stable companion Captain America, the highest-rated horse in the race, will wait a bit longer despite not having raced since winning the H.F. Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein over six months ago.

Brett Crawford, in double form with the Corne Orffer-partnered Winter Prince and One Away at Durbanville on Saturday, said: “There is another Pinnacle over 1 400m at Kenilworth on October 31 and it’s possible that Captain America could run in that. His mission is the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.”

Ready To Attack’s mission is the Selangor Cup on November 21 after the Langerman winner put his credentials on the table in Saturday’s mile handicap. Bernard Fayd’ Herbe had to get serious with him when his path was blocked but the Australian-bred fairly turned on the tap and came home ears pricked.

Justin Snaith said: “He is going the right way and indeed I would have waited for the Magnum Cape Classic on Saturday but he had a bad draw in that.”

Snaith reckons to run Aspara and possibly the four-time seeking Baritone in the Classic while Krambambuli and Masterly will be his representatives in the Betting World Algoa Cup at Fairview on Sunday.

He said: “I normally take a lot of horses to this Port Elizabeth meeting but I am sending just one load this time. Even so, I think I will have a good weekend.”

Mike Bass, who has won five of the last 13 Cape Classics, will run Ernie and Rodney.

Candice Robinson, after seeing Laurie’s Gold justify favouritism under a determined Grant van Niekerk, said: “We also have Marinaresco in the Cape Classic but he is drawn 45 so he may run instead in the mile handicap where he is well drawn. We run Mountain Master in the Algoa Cup.”

Aldo Domeyer is convinced that Bass would also have won the mile novice plate with Sublime Lady had Darryl Hodgson’s all-the-way neck winner kept straight instead of drifting right and carrying Domeyer’s mount with her.

He promptly lodged an objection for “intimidation by crop and by being carried out.” However this was over-ruled by the stipes who pointed out that under the rules they have to be certain that the second horse would have won had there been no interference and, unlike Domeyer, they were not convinced. The outcome was a change of luck for Chris Puller who has been beset by niggling injuries and was riding only his second winner of the season.

Sean Cormack, on the other hand, is on a Durbanville roll and took his tally to five from the last two meetings by scoring on Make The Magnet for Eric Sands and the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Captain Alfredo.

Six years ago Glen Kotzen won two Grade 1s with Lady Windermere and the mare’s daughter Fantastic Trip filled him with hopes of future glory when running on into third on her debut in the opener, particularly as he also has high hopes for Our Destiny who won the race for his old mentor Ralph Rixon.
– Michael Clower
– Pictured: Captain America (Liesl King)