A potential field for North America’s richest race, the $5 million Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, is shaping up now almost two months out from October 31.

Contenders are still chasing American Pharoah in leading into it, with the Triple Crown winner again topping the latest NTRA (National Thoroughbred Racing Association) Top Thoroughbred Poll released on Tuesday.

Mare Beholder (Pacific Classic), Honor Code (Whitney) and Liam’s Map (Woodward) follow American Pharoah off their own major Grade I wins. Others who could go in the Classic, Keen Ice and Tonalist, rank seventh and tenth, respectively, this week.

Shared Belief remains in the top 10 but continues recovering from a hip injury and isn’t expected to be ready in time for the Breeders’ Cup.

NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll (first-place votes)

1. American Pharoah (28)
2. Beholder (1)
3. Honor Code (2)
4. Liam’s Map
5. Private Zone
6. Shared Belief
7. Keen Ice
8. Lady Eli
9. Flintshire
10. Tonalist

Others receiving votes: The Pizza Man (31), California Chrome (19), Sheer Drama (17), Frosted (15), Big Blue Kitten (9), Cavorting (6), Songbird (5), Stellar Wind (5), Wicked Strong (5), Ironicus (4), Lovely Maria (4), Big John B (3), Coach Inge (2), Dortmund (2), Nyquist (2), Rachel’s Valentina (2), Rock Fall (2), Tiz Shea D (2), Catch A Flight (1), Hard Not To Like (1), Runhappy (1), Wise Dan (1).

The Courier-Journal‎.com

Picture: American Pharoah

Mubtaahij has arrived in Dubai and will spend a few days in quarantine before his return to his stable at his official “home”, Mike de Kock’s Blue Stables at Meydan.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s colt enjoyed a refreshing spell of rest at Newmarket, UK, after his exploits in the US and was shipped back to the UAE last Sunday.

De Kock commented about the yard’s Dubai World Cup prospect: “Mubtaahij is very well off for his break and after he’s settled in at Blue Stables we’ll start his preparation for the 2016 Dubai Carnival.”

Meanwhile Mubtaahij’s US form to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah continues to hold up. It was well franked again in the recent Travers Stakes (G1, 2000m at Saratoga), when Keen Ice (3/4-lengths ahead of Mubtaahij in the Kentucky Derby over 2000m and only a neck ahead of him in the Belmont Stakes over 2400m), lowered superstar American Pharoah’s colours – three-quarters in it.

American Pharoah will continue his racing career, with the Breeders’Cup Classic (G1) as his ultimate target. After his defeat to Keen Ice on 29 August, owner Ahmed Zayat talked about retiring the colt, but he tweeted a few days later, “I have decided to continue to race American Pharoah! The champ deserves another chance!”

In a subsequent statement, Zayat explained, “I have discussed all aspects of American Pharoah’s race last race and his condition since the race with our whole team, and have decide he deserves another chance, so we are pointing to the Breeders’ Cup Classic.”

          – Mikedekockracing.com – extracts from TDN

  Picture: Mubtaahij (Liesl King)

The Vaal stages an eight race meeting on the sand tomorrow (Thursday) and punters who have done their homework could once again be rewarded on a track that usually produces an upset result or two.

In the first race, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1200m, Tripadvisor and River Empress have both had breathing issues and will wear tongue ties, but have very little to beat. River Empress has done quite well in her last two starts on the sand over 1000m and 1200m and is drawn well with Piere Strydom up and the form of her last start has been franked so she is tipped to win. Tripadvisor has quite strong turf form and being by Trippi she is likely to love the sand. She is drawn in pole position from where she can use her good early pace and Gavin Lerena rides, but she did make a severe breathing noise last time, which is a concern. Narnia has tied up in her last two starts, both behind good sorts in KZN, and if her muscular problems are behind her she could surprise.

The second over 1000m is one of four interesting Pinnacle Stakes events on the day that have attracted good horses. However, this one looks to be at the mercy of Trip Tease, who is 5,5kg better off with any other horse on official merit ratings. Furthermore, in eight starts over course and distance this Trippi gelding has won seven of them. His stablemate Varbration won the Flamingo Sprint over this trip, where he showed his liking for this sort of surface, and is second best in at the weights, so could follow him home. Another stablemate Wishful Heart is a progressive sort who caught the eye when winning over course and distance last time out. Will Pays has shown glimpses of class so could be better than his merit rating suggests and he could surprise. Duty Dance is having his first start on sand but has an ideal pedigree for this surface so is another dark horse.

The third is a Pinnacle Stakes race for fillies and mares over 1000m. The Lucky Houdalakis yard are in devastating form and Drifting Dusk bounced back with a convincing win over 1160m on the turf last time out. On pedigree she should take to the sand well and Piere Strydom has kept the ride, which speaks volumes.  Twilight Tiger has a good record over course and distance and meets Drifting Dusk on the same terms as she would in a handicap. Sarve is the best in at the weights and if bouncing back from a below par run last time when cut into she will be right there over a course and distance she enjoys. Jade Vine is second best in at the weights and will have benefitted from her last run, but she would likely prefer a touch further. Miss December is an improving sort who is course and distance suited and weighted to finish level with Twilight Tiger and Drifting Dusk but the number one draw is not ideal by trends.

The fourth race is a Maiden Plate over 1800m and the Mike de Kock-trained Mooghamir will be hard to beat over a trip he will relish. Il Duce is likely to improve over this trip and could chase the selection home. Yours And Mine has shown the odd glimpse of ability and could be s surprise place earner over a course and distance he could well enjoy.

The fifth is a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1450m in which many of the R1 million Supreme Cup entries will be having preparation runs. The De Kock-trained Capricorn Ridge is under sufferance but caught the eye last time when unlucky in the Flamingo Mile and from pole position draw he could surprise.  Stablemate Alghadeer looks to be the yard elect but jumps from a wide draw and this trip could be a touch on the sharp side, although he is sure to be finishing strongly. Another stablemate Mootahadee is having his third run after a rest and will appreciate the step up in trip, so could be dangerous. Olympic Bolt could make it a De Kock quartet as he is in fine form, although he would prefer a touch further. Raise The Red is unbeaten in two starts over course and distance but returns from a long layoff for the in-form Houdalakis yard.

The sixth is a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1450m for fillies and mares and De Kock could be in the winner’s enclosure again with Ahlaam, who is interesting over this step down in trip having blitzed them over 1600m in her penultimate start. She seems to always do well against her own gender and Anthony Delpech is up from a good draw. Peep Show should be improving being by Ideal World and should be finishing strongly from a fair draw with Strydom up. Lady Of Kildare has won three in a row on the Greyville poly off her lower turf rating. However, she enjoys this course and distance too and could earn again.

The seventh is a MR68  Handicap over 1450m and Diesel Power disappointed over 1800m last time and will likely appreciate the step down in trip so he could present good value from a good draw off a lowered merit rating. Celtic King is potentially well handicapped having bounced back to form and winning twice on the turf meaning his sand rating is now eight points lower than his turf rating. He is drawn well over a suitable course and distance. Angel Gabriel did well last time when attempting to steal it over course and distance and he has the same draw and runs off the same merit rating.

The last is a MR68 Handicap for fillies and mares over 2000m and Imperial Empress could follow up on her facile recent win here over 1800m as she is now drawn at the opposite extreme in pole. Bellevue won a weak maiden easily over 1800m on the sand last time and could earn again off a merit rating of only 62. Final Score stays well and could plug on for a place.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Gavin Lerena

Red Flame, fourth in the Klawervlei Majorca, Tibouchina and Poinsettia plus runner-up in the Prix du Cap, will race in-foal for the first few months of the season.

Neill Bruss said: “She hurt herself in her last start (the Garden Province) but she is fine again now and she was covered by Duke Of Marmalade last week. As soon as we see evidence of a heartbeat in the foal she will go back into training and race on.”

It is less common for mares to race when in foal in South Africa than in many countries in Europe where they can become key players in the punters’ armoury as they often show dramatic improvement. Vets are unsure exactly why this is but usually attribute it to hormones settling down.

Meanwhile, Chris Puller, forced to give up his rides last week and go for a scan on his neck and shoulders, aims to be back on Saturday week.

He said: “There was a bit of inflammation on a disc and I was given a cortisone shot. I have to do a week or two of physio and then I will be OK again.

“There was pressure on a nerve, basically wear and tear for a jockey with falls and the position you ride in. The disc gets slightly inflamed and the inflammation pushes on the nerve sending the pain from your neck to your arm. I am happy with the outcome and my first meeting back will be Durbanville on the 19^th.”

By Michael Clower

Picture: Red Flame (Nkosi Hlophe)

Sectional timing and displayed running order technology is now in place at both Greyville and Scottsville and will be tested on a non-raceday at the former racecourse next Thursday.

The entire Greyville turf and polytrack and Scottsville Inside and Outside tracks are plotted and the big screens and TV screens will thus have a live display during the race which will depict the exact running order and positioning of the horses in relation to each. This is achieved through coloured and numbered dots, as is seen in Singapore racing coverage, which is regularly broadcast on Tellytrack on Fridays and Sundays.

The sectional timing technology will be able to provide data within any distance range on the track. However, Gold Circle plan to provide punters with accurate 400m to finish time data as well as quarter sections of each race. The maximum speed each horse achieved and the total distance it covered in the race will also be provided. Due to the latter statistic being available, the average speed of a horse that finished second, for example, could be higher than the winner’s.

The data will be available on a recently launched website called www.gallop.co.za. At present this website provides a lot of useful entries, racecard, betting, form and results information as well as stats on horses, jockeys and trainers and also barrier draw stats etc in an easy to navigate format.

There has also been a meeting to discuss incorporating the sectional timing information into some of the popular formguide publications.

The sectional timing and running order technology is actually up and running already, but Thursday’s tests will be necessary in order to make adjustments to the software in order to ensure everything is running a hundred percent smoothly and also to ensure the running order display is being correctly overlaid and sized on to the screen which is transmitted via the on course Outside Broadcast van.

Also coming soon is a new App (Tabgold Information Application) which will provide the punter with plenty of live race day information. This App is currently available for download in beta version (meaning it is still in the testing phase) from the www.goldcircle.co.za website and is also available on Android. Feedback from users is welcomed.

A new and improved www.tabgold.co.za website is also in the testing phase and will be launched soon.

Meanwhile, Gold Circle’s “SA Racing” App continues to increase in popularity. This App has it all from a live racing Fan Wall, to latest news, previews, podcasts, betting information, videos, photos, events, calendar and it also incorporates the www.gallop.co.za website.

 By David Thiselton