Mike Azzie’s Gr 1 SA Derby runner up Deputy Jud has been gelded since returning from KZN and has been doing some fantastic short, sharp work in preparation for the Gr 2 R1 million Supreme Cup sponsored by SAP this Saturday.

Azzie makes the Judpot gelding the yard elect ahead of the Tiger Ridge gelding Isphan purely due to his better draw.

Azzie admitted the one concern about the four-year-old Deputy Jud was the 1450m trip could be too sharp but added, “I have freshened him up completely and kept him to short, sharp work and in his final workout he jumped like a sprinter. We had wanted to geld him a while ago but the races were all on top of each other so couldn’t. He is a better horse since the gelding, he is more honest, he is running straight and not running all over the place.

“He won his only start on the sand by 4,25 lengths (over 1600m in his second career start last November) and I deliberately kept him away from the surface in case he was a sand freak and would become merit rated out of it. He could be the surprise package in the race.” Deputy Jud jumps from a great draw of four and will be ridden by JP van der Merwe.

Azzie said about the four-year-old Isphan, “We’ve always wanted to send him over this sort of trip and now that we do he goes and lands a terrible draw. With a good draw he could have used his fantastic gatespeed to get there for nothing, but now it’s going to be tricky and we will have to think about how to ride him.”

Isphan’s first career win was actually over this trip on the Turffontein Inside course and he has held his own against some of the best sprinters in the land since then.

Isphan has won twice on the sand before. He will be ridden by Francois Herholdt from draw 15, which will come into 12 if the three reserve runners come out.

Azzie concluded by saying both of his contenders were “very, very well.”

Deputy Jud and Isphan are both well weighted under the conditions of the race as their respective net merit ratings of 102 and 98 coincide with the top of the 54kg merit-rated band and the 52kg merit-rated band rspectively.

Azzie contests two other features on the day, the Non-Black Type Investec Sophomore Fillies 1000, with three horses, La Strada, Mella Maria and Inyanga, and the Listed Britehouse Fillies and Mares Stakes over 1450m with Peep Show. He gives all of them chances and said if he had to side with one in the Sophomore Fillies it would be La Strada. The latter certainly has the right breeding for the sand being by Windrush and Azzie said, “She ran a cracker last time and will be right there.”

Peep Show won her last sand start over the Fillies And Mares Stakes course and distance by a facile 6,75 lengths and is another of the yard’s horses on the day whose merit rating is at the very top of one of the merit-rated bands, which makes her officially relatively well weighted. She is also drawn quite well in five and is 7kg better off with Walking On Air for a 6,8 length defeat over course and distance.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Mike Azzie (Nkosi Hlophe)

Make The Magnet, second or third in the last four of her seven starts, should finally get her head in front in the Gold Circle Maiden at Durbanville tomorrow.

She is well drawn, has experience of the course and would appear to have been handed it on a plate by the enforced scratching of Preoccupation who won on Saturday. She also wears blinkers for the first time.

“She switches off too well,” says Eric Sands, explaining why he is putting them on. “Last time we tried racing her closer but she didn’t produce the kick that she normally does.”

She has most to fear from Glen Kotzen’s pair Nakshatra and Jamaica Me Crazy. Greg Cheyne is on the latter and it is significant that he rides Skysign rather than stable companion Bruno (who is the TAB sheet forecast favourite) in the Gold Circle Novice Plate. “It was my choice although there is not much in it,” he says.

His mount would have finished closer last time had she got off on terms and is the marginal choice. Others to note in this mile race are Kemal Kavur – the horse MJ Byleveld was riding when he was kicked by Ready To Attack returning to unsaddle after the Langerman – and Do Be Snappy even though he is badly drawn. “He comes from behind so I wouldn’t worry too much about that,” says Ronnie Sheehan.

Sheehan may win the first with Kwando even though Morethanthat seems sure to start favourite after her good debut at Kenilworth last month. Her problem is the draw, nine out of 11. “She is a nice filly but it’s going to be very hard for her from there,” reasons Justin Snaith.

Kwando’s form is not as good – on a line through Brilliant Idea she has about two and a half lengths to find – but the draw is such a big factor on this course, particularly over 1 400m and shorter.

Grant van Niekerk, who rides her, also has a good chance on Imperial Guard in the Pick 6 Maiden two races later but this four-year-old is proving expensive. He has started favourite on four of his last six starts and is again sure to be one of the market leaders.

It could pay to side with Nutbush instead. The Dean Kannemeyer-trained colt is well drawn and went close here two races back.

BLOB Michael Clower’s three selections last Saturday all won, including Jets-A-Blazing at 9-2. Clower has won with 12 of his 33 selections at the last eight Cape Town meetings, giving a profit of R161 to a R10 level stake.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Grant Behr (Nkosi Hlophe)

Brett Crawford is weighing up whether to take on Inara with his KRA Fillies Guineas winner Alexis in the Diana Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday week.

He said: “Alexis could possibly start in the Diana. I will see how she is – she is doing very well at the moment – and what the race looks like.

“She is quite versatile – she can race in sprints as well as over a mile – and so there is also the Southern Cross (December 5) and the Sceptre (January 16) as she builds up towards Met day.”

Icy Fire, who made such a big impression when winning a Kenilworth maiden at the beginning of the month, may be aimed at the Choice Carriers Championship on November 7.

Joey Ramsden said: “She will take the same sort of route as Cold As Ice did last season but whether she is as good is a matter of subjectivity.”

Ramsden has sent Cape Thoroughbred Sales Stakes winner Brutal Force, Disco Al (Track And Ball Derby) and East Cape Derby victor St Tropez to campaign in Johannesburg. His Durban assistant Alson Ndzilana travels up there this week to look after them.

Irridescence winner Anglet was a notable absentee from the Diana nominations and she will wait for the Choice Carriers for her first race of the season.

Paddy Kruyer said: “I didn’t want her to have to bump four-year-olds. She hasn’t been out of work over the winter but I did let her down and took the speed out of her work.”

By Michael Clower

Picture: Alexis (John Lewis)

The R1 million Supreme Cup sponsored by SAP, formerly known as the Emerald Cup and to be run this Saturday, has become associated with speed, an asset which invariably appears to be an essential ingredient of a winner.

However, the speed ingredient is sometime beaten by pure power, which applies to those who can maintain a strong gallop throughout on the testing surface, and latterly low draws appear to have been a big factor too, considering the last four winners have not been drawn higher than barrier three.

The country’s most prestigious sand event was originally run over 1400m until being switched to 1450m in 2008.

The winner of the inaugural 2005 running, Hilti, started his career with a debut win over 1600m and followed up by winning over 1900m, so he was then not surprisingly kept over middle distance to staying events for much of his career. However, in the last nine runs of his career this powerful galloper by Fort Wood won five times between 1400-1600m, indicating that might have in fact been his optimum distance range.

National Spirit, who won the second renewal of the race in 2006 having been runner up in the inaugural running, was essentially a miler who was known for his early speed and his ability to kick from the front.

The following year’s winner Narc had a stamina question mark hanging over his head but managed to just hang on after using his early speed to build a lead.

The fairytale winner of the 2008 running, Alimony, who was a battling turf horse before becoming a revelation on sand, was capable of a devastating finish from off the pace and was a 1400-1600m specialist

Phunyuka, who won the 2009 running, was a sprint-miler who never won beyond 1450m.

The 2010 winner Iron Curtain had only ever won over 1800m before being switched to sand and he won over 1450m on his debut on this surface. Later in his Emerald Cup win, this Fort Wood gelding was able to use his power to overcome a high draw and from a handy position he maintained a good gallop throughout, enabling him to emerge from the pack and hold on from a flying Alimony.

The 2011, 2012 and 2013 winners, The Mouseketeer, Meadow Magic and In A Rush, were all from the sprint-miler mould and were able to be right up with the pace from pole position draw, barrier two and pole position draw respectively.

Last year the sprinting type Tommy Gun used his early speed to take the lead before sitting in behind Anger, who came around him. The pace shown by the front two left many of the opposition way out of their ground. Tommy Gun was able to find another gear late, having gone for home quite early, and he ran out a comfortable three length winner.

A horse that immediately stands out this year, if looking at past winners as a guide, is the pole position drawn Precursor, who is a 105 merit-rated horse with tremendous early speed and he has four sprint wins from 1000-1200m to his name. Tommy Gun had actually won over the Supreme Cup distance before his win last year, so it is a concern that Precursor has not. However, trainer Dominic Zaki has no doubt he will stay the trip and evidence of this is that he entered him in the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas last season, although he admittedly didn’t fare well.

Roman Carnival, who stands to win a R100,000 bonus, showed his speed when thrashing them in the Gr 2 August Stakes over 1200m and before that he won over 1600m, so he also looks an ideal type, but on the downside he has drawn wide in 16 (which will come into 13 if the reserve runners come out).

Willow Magic is also a classy sprint-miler and on pedigree he should love the sand, being from a Mr Prospector line sire, but he does have a tricky draw of nine and has to carry second top weight.

Isphan has a lot of speed and has won over this trip but is another with a very wide draw (15) to overcome.

Toro Rosso is in the same category, having been a facile winner on the sand over both 1200m and 1400m. However, he is another with a terrible draw (17), although he could use his fine gate speed and early pace to overcome it. His Mike de Kock-trained stablemate Mootahadee appears to take a while to come to hand, but when he is fit he is useful and was a facile winner over course and distance last time after being handy from the off. So he is clearly fit at present and has a fair draw of six.

Jade Vine is a sprinter to 1450m horse and is well drawn in five. It is his second run after a five month layoff, but the national champion trainer Sean Tarry is unlikely to be perturbed by that theory.

Solar Triptych looks to be a 1400m specialist and is not badly drawn in seven. He has a bit to do on paper but is relatively lightly raced, so could still improve. Uncle Tommy is a sprint-miler who is drawn well in three but looks too high in the weights at present.

All The Bids and Deputy Jud look to be up against it as horses who would prefer further, although Deputy Jud could indeed be termed a “powerful galloper” and is well drawn. Ultimate Dollar won exceptionally well over 2200m last time in a Gr 3 and he is also effective 1400m. He is drawn well in two but a concern is that Jet Masters generally don’t appear to enjoy the Vaal sand and he has only ever run on turf to date. He will certainly love the long straight, as one who takes time to wind up into his big stride, but although he won from the front over 2200m last time, there is a question whether he will have the early pace to be within striking distance over this trip.

Taptap Makhatini likes to run handy or from the front and is effective from 1450m to 1800m. He runs well fresh, but his wide draw of 14 makes it tough.

Lavender Landscape is effective from the front and could possibly get there from draw eight, but he would likely prefer 1600m and the handicapper coupled with the merit rated band conditions of the race haven’t made it easy for him either.
– David Thiselton

*Saturday’s Supreme Cup racemeeting at the Vaal sand track features a carryover-boosted Pick 6 pool estimated to top R4,8MILLION

The Vaal has another sand meeting today in which punters will be put to the test over eight races.

The first is a workrider’ maiden plate over 1200m and Emerald Mackay will be hard to beat from pole position over the distance of his best run because on pedigree he should take well to the sand. Pera Hur ran well over course and distance last time and is well drawn this time so could be a threat. Buddy’s Falcon should be running on from behind late.

In the second over 1000m Rain In Africa has finished second in two sprints on turf, and being by Trippi should love the surface, although she has made a respiratory noise in both of her starts to date which is a concern. Windinmyhair ran on strongly in her only start on sand over 1000m, so has a chance from a fair draw with the astute Raymond Danielson aboard. The Berry Lady has pace and is interesting with first time blinkers and Gavin Lerena aboard.

In the third over 1000m Musical Romance will love the sand being by Trippi and the form of her good last run over course and distance has worked out well so she looks hard to beat in this uninspiring field. Relampago will love this course and distance on pedigree and is improving so could pose a threat. Tripadvisor might enjoy the drop back to this trip considering her breathing issues and could also be a threat with Piere Strydom up.

In the fourth over 1600m Il Duce is drawn well with Gavin Lerena up and has run well from 1200-1800m on the Vaal sand and turf behind some promising sorts so looks the one to beat, especially considering he still has scope for improvement in just his fifth career start. Windigo has run some fair races on the turf from 1200-2000m and being by Windrush should love this surface, although he does have a wide draw. Gaggle was green on the bend over course and distance on debut when running a fair race, so with natural improvement he will go close. Bank Manager faded on debut over 1400m after being handy and should be fitter and also improve for the experience. Bridegroom Bertie had a mouth injury last time but on his previous two turf runs has a chance here. Notorious can’t be ignored either.

In the fifth over 1600m Olympic Bolt found the 1450m too sharp last time and has a shout here over his optimum course and distance. Brad’s Surge was given the maximum eight point raise after his easy win over 1450m last time and is a big runner provided he settles as that cost him the last time he went the course and distance. Nero enjoys this course and distance and should be running on into the money off a lowered merit rating.

In the sixth over 1600m King And Empire ran on well for a good third over course and distance on sand debut despite stumbling at the start and has a big shout from a good draw with Fortune remaining aboard. Tora Tora has dropped to a competitive sand merit rating and with Strydom up over a suitable course and distance should be thereabouts. Kidmambo has run well in both sand starts to date so could earn again although he has a wide draw to overcome.

In the seventh over 1600m Embrasiatic finished with a mouth injury last time and is now 2,5kg better off for a three length defeat by Polar Secret over course and distance so she looks the one to beat. Escudo has stayed on well behind two useful sorts in her last two starts and is drawn well over a suitable trip. Polar Secret is eight points higher in the merit ratings since her last win but she did it comfortably and is unbeaten in two starts over course and distance so should go close again.

In the eighth over 1000m Just Africa is well regarded and this speedy sort did well last time against a horse who came out and won impressively again in a turf sprint, so he could get it right here. La Tasca is 1,5kg better off with him for a 1,9 length beating so will be a big threat. Proud As Punch looks likely to enjoy the step down in trip and should be running on strongly with Strydom up.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Piere Strydom