Mike Bass, hopefully buoyed by Saturday’s Kenilworth double, has made remarkable progress in the past seven days.

No longer is he in a coma and, while his ability to speak is severely curtailed, he has managed on different occasions to indicate that (a) he wants a cup of tea, (b) he is bored and (c) he would like to go home.

Speech is difficult because of the tracheotomy performed to help his breathing. It’s not quite the human equivalent of hobdaying but his horses will sympathise.

Of course it hasn’t all been upward progress. Seemingly the doctors have expressed concerns about the amputated leg and son Mark’s running commentary on the stable website has, somewhat inevitably, revealed almost as many bad days as good ones.

Daughter Candice said on Saturday: “He was quite good today. He is very weak and still on the dialysis but the doctors say that his kidneys will come right.”

She again stressed that recovery is going to take a long time but after less than three weeks it’s a far cry from the early prognosis that gave him no better than a five per cent chance of survival. Seemingly his dour toughness, calm temperament and fighting spirit are all helping and, while the home straight is still a long way off, he has certainly got back into it after that potentially fatal start.

Marsh Shirtliff, whose colours have been made legendary by Bass-trained horses, said after Spirit Of Hamilton got up close home that the trainer was watching on TV and added: “Mike is on the way back which is super.”

Grant van Niekerk, who hardly lets a winner go past without mentioning his boss, had words of encouragement for him after landing the opening maiden on the mammoth 537kg newcomer Moonlight ‘ N Roses.

He said: “She is very temperamental but she will carry on winning. I lost three or four lengths at the start and I had to squeeze my way through gaps to win.”

Unfortunately she also drifted sharply right in the closing stages, badly hampering fourth-placed Kryptonite, and her rider was given seven days for failing to prevent it. Craig du Plooy suffered the same penalty after runner-up Brilliant Idea forced Bridget Dubois (sixth) to ease.

Donavan Mansour got off the Cape Town mark as a jockey when odds-on Hard Day’s Night managed the remarkable feat of drifting all the way across from the faster ground on the inside to the slower going on the stands side. He still won in a common canter.

Joey Ramsden explained the drifting, saying: “He had slight sore shins about ten days ago and he was probably feeling them again but he is a smashing big horse.”

Donovan Dillon is fast establishing himself with the Snaiths and he rode two of the stable’s four winners, earning high praise from the boss for the way he grabbed the Matus Handicap by the scruff of the neck to make all Ovidio – “Donovan made his own call to go to the front. That was a good sign from a young jockey and shows that he is in Cape Town to do business.”

Ronnie Sheehan’s big race ambitions may be centred on Captain Chaos but he reckons that Mambo Fever is also going to make the news. The filly apparently worked like a dream last Tuesday and won for the second time inside three weeks under Robert Khathi – “She is going to be a top class filly later in the season,” enthused a man who has been in racing for 65 years.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Mike Bass (Nkosi Hlophe)

Ice Machine, who has come into his own since joining the Charles Laird yard, will stay in training at the age of seven this season and will be aimed at the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate.

Laird also spoke about the plans of Viva La Var, a classy sprinter, and the progressive Stormy Eclipse, whom he rates.

Ice Machine, a Silvano gelding, appeared to have the Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m won on Super Saturday but the subsequently-named Equus Horse Of The Year Futura fought back courageously to deny him on the line.

In his first run for the Laird yard in March, Ice Machine finished a 2,25 length second to subsequent Vodacom Durban July winner Power King over 1400m at Scottsville, despite it being his comeback from a nine-and-a-half month layoff and having to give the winner 1,5kg.

In his next start he powered to an impressive three length win in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes, despite having to give most of the field 1kg.

Then came his unlucky moment of the season when standing on a stone upon arrival at Greyville and having to be scratched from the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge.

“I don’t think they would have beaten us that day,” said Laird, when reflecting on the yard’s confidence of Ice Machine beating the like of Legislate and Futura over his probable optimum trip of 1600m.

In his next start Ice Machine cut through the field like a knife through butter in the Vodacom Durban July before the trip and his interrupted preparation told and he ran out of steam in the final 100m to finish seventh.

“I got excited as I thought he was going to maybe run a place,” said Laird. Rider Donovan Dillon remarked afterwards about the outstanding acceleration Ice Machine had shown that day and it was visually highly impressive too.

Ice Machine joined Laird as a 105 merit rated horse but is now rated 117, meaning the country’s biggest races will be his only option.

Laird has won a Gr 1 with an eight-year-old before as the top class sprint-miler Nhlavini landed the Cape Flying Championships at that age having won the race for the first time the previous year as a seven-year-old.

Viva La Var has only had six career outings despite now being a five-year-old. The Var gelding won his first three starts for Dennis Drier before being bought by Alesh Naidoo and he then won first time out for Laird. He then nearly fell to his knees when coming out of the stalls at Scottsville and duly lost his unbeaten record. However, he returned after a seven month layoff to run a good second in the Listed Umgeni Handicap over 1000m on the Greyville polytrack on Super Saturday. He will run in a Pinnacle Stakes event later this month (September) on the poly and his long term aim, if all goes according to plan, will be the Betting World Cape Flying Championships in January.

Laird has always believed the Dynasty gelding Stormy Eclipse would be better this season as a four-year-old and is eyeing the Gr 1 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile for him on October 31 at Turffontein. Stormy Eclipse, who has only had eight starts to date, has won four times over 1600m on the Greyville polytrack.

Laird is also sorting out programs for his younger horses, which will likely include tilts at the various lucrative sales races. He won the richest of them last year, the R3,85 million Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup over 1400m at Turffontein, with the aptly named Rich Girl. He did not mention any of his current three-year-olds by name, but his promising Jay Peg filly Exit Here, who is already merit rated 94, is an obvious sales race candidate and qualifies for the CTS Million Dollar race at Kenilworth in January, which is over a suitable trip of 1400m.

Meanwhile, Laird’s sister Therese Mitchley had an eye catching winner at Scottsville on Sunday in the form of the A P Answer filly Whatawonderfulworld. The three-year-old filly showed good cruising speed and a fine turn of foot to win a maiden over 1200m in comfortable fashion under Sean Veale. She looks likely to go further and could be one to keep an eye on.

Mitchley also mentioned a newly acquired horse in her yard, the Var gelding Avaricious, as one who could “be okay”.

Mitchley previously achieved fine results as the Summerveld assistant trainer to the Sabine

Plattner racing operation and is still in the process of building up her own string.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Ice Machine (Nkosi Hlophe)

Act Of War has the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate on January 9 as his main target for the Cape Town season. Victory for the four-year-old would give Joey Ramsden his fourth win in the mile showpiece in 12 years.

Racing manager Derek Brugman said: “He went to Durban for the winter because we wanted him to have the sun on his back. He was kept in full work but, although we nominated him for a couple of races, he was drawn in the bush each time.

“We said beforehand that we were not going to run our good horses from bad draws and we stuck to that policy. Now he will be aimed at the Queen’s Plate.”

Act Of War was hailed in much the same exalted breath as Ramsden’s previous Queen’s Plate winners, Winter Solstice and Variety Club, after impressively following up his Cape Classic and Selangor wins in the Grand Parade Cape Guineas.

Defeat at a prohibitive 1-3 in the Investec Cape Derby took some of the gloss off his reputation although he was afterwards found to be suffering from a throat infection. He bounced back to give weight all round in the Winter Guineas but he missed out in the Equus Awards and so has a point to prove.

Cold As Ice has recovered well from her marathon safari via Mauritius to Newmarket in England but she will not be asked to race again this year.

Ridgemont Stud manager Craig Carey said: “She travelled well and settled well, and she has now been with William Haggas for the past seven weeks. He is happy with her but she will wait for next season. Hopefully exciting days lie ahead.”

The four-year-old won five of her seven starts for Ramsden including the Choice Carriers, Laissezfaire and Sceptre Stakes. She was beaten a head by Inara in the Klawervlei Majorca and was second favourite for the Avontuur Cape Fillies Guineas only to burst through the pens, gallop riderless for the distance of the race and be withdrawn.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Act Of War (Liesl King)

Forward Drive bids to add another chapter to his potential rags-to-riches story in the Itsarush.co.za Handicap at Kenilworth today as owners and trainers begin to focus on the staggering pot up for grabs in the CTS Million Dollar.

South Africa has seen nothing like it. The January 23 Cape Town race is worth R13.3 million – and going up all the time as the Rand depreciates. The stake is 30% more than the combined values of the President’s Champions Challenge, Durban July and J & B Met.

What’s more it’s going to be a one-off unless a miracle happens and the African Horse Sickness restrictions are lifted, paving the way for the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate to become a rich international race. In 2017 the CTS will divide the Million Dollar, and the stakes, into two.

Forward Drive, bought for only R 100 000, was raised eight points to 93 for the way he galloped the older horses into the ground last time and he will probably need another hike to be sure of getting a tilt at the golden chalice.

That eight points (4kg) closely equates to the three-and-a-quarter length winning margin so the handicappers have not been unduly harsh on the dashing grey. “He is improving all the time,” says Paul Reeves. “He is up in class here so we will see how good he is.”

He opened at 11-10 with Betting World yesterday and Kilrain (4-1) and Albarakah (11-2) look the two he has most to fear. The latter has been raised 2.5k for his two-length win ten days ago but he appeared to have a bit in hand.

Overshadow stands out in the first and opened 15-10 favourite despite being off for three months, but Justin Snaith provides a note of caution, saying: “I would be concerned if it is soft.”

Therefore an each way bet on My Man Alex (like Overshadow also eligible for the Million Dollar) could represent better value and he was a huge price at 14-1 yesterday.

Mystical Twilight was 5-1 in the TAB sheet forecast for the All To Come Novice Plate but that was too big a price and the bookmakers opened him favourite at a more realistic 15-10. People knocked his Turffontein Grade 1 third after he managed only fourth in a Kenilworth maiden but Vaughan Marshall promptly gelded him and he fairly trotted up at Durbanville last time. He can go in again.

Winter Trade is 4-1 second favourite and debut winner Royal Badge on 5-1 but Adam Marcus voices concerns, saying: “Although he is a magnificent horse and Priceless Jewel’s half-brother, this 1 200m could be a bit testing for him. He runs because our options are limited with Durbanville coming up.”

Albarakah’s running should provide a pointer to the chance of 5-1 shot Seven Wood who was second to him last time. March On is also on 5-1. He won first time but then managed only fifth in a handicap but he could be better than that. Billy Prestage says: “I thought he ran a very good race that day. He jumped into the horse on his outside leaving the pens and was bounced into the horse on his inside. By the time he came into the straight he was six lengths behind.”

The bookies are taking no chances with Icy Fire at 8-10 in the Soccer 6 Maiden but Greg Cheyne’s mount is impossible to oppose after her eye-catching debut. She would have won had she had a clear run.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Albarakah (Nkosi Hlophe)

Maestro Summerveld trainer Dennis Drier was the star of the show at the KZN Awards ceremony at the Elangeni Hotel last Thursday night thanks chiefly to his brilliant sprinter Captain Of All, who won a number of awards including the big one, the KZN Horse Of The Year. Unfortunately, Drier and his wife Gill were away on holiday in France.

Dennis and Gill were also the joint winners of the KZN Racing Personality of the Year award, while Dennis had the most winners in KZN of any trainer so recaptured a title he is familiar with, KZN Trainer Of The Year, beating last year’s winner Duncan Howells by a comfortable margin.

The Drier yard won a phenomenal five Gr 1 races (with three different horses) during the Champions Season. Captain Of All was named KZN Horse Of The Year at the expense of the Equus Horse Of The Year Futura, who won one Gr 1 during the Champions Season, the Gr 1 Champions Cup. Futura did also win both of Cape Town’s most prestigious races, the Gr 1 L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and the Gr 1 J&B Met in Cape Town, but Captain Of All was the only horse during the season to win a Gr 1 Handicap with topweight (the Tsogo Sun Sprint) and he went on to destroy the opposition in the weight for age Gr 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m, beating Carry On Alice, who had won two Gr 1 sprints before, by close to five lengths. Furthermore, the Riverton Stud-bred Captain Al colt retired with a merit rating of 126, the joint second- highest rating in South African history, and seven points higher than Futura’s. Futura did land the KZN Champion Middle Distance horse award. His fellow Capetonian, the Joey Ramsden-trained Gr 2 Gold Bracelet winner Gallica Rose, won the Champion Older Female award, but KZN horses swept the rest of the table.

Captain Of All was also named KZN Champion Sprinter and KZN Champion Older Male and his groom Goodman Makubalo was named Groom Of The Year.

Drier’s two-year-old Seventh Rock colt Seventh Plain, who won both the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion and the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe, was the KZN Champion Two-Year-old Male. However, Drier’s Gr 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper winner Chestnuts N Pearls lost out on the Champion Two-year-old filly award to the Mike de Kock-trained Gr 1 Allan Robertson winner Entisaar, who also won the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery and the Listed Ruffian Stakes in Johannesburg.

Regarding the Driers’ Personality Of The Year award the night’s master of ceremonies Graeme Hawkins referred to them as a couple who were joined at the hip. He described the great trainer as one who had often been seen to cry in the winner’s enclosure but one who is also often seen laughing in public and also one who is not scared to voice his opinion in public. Gill, who like Dennis hails from a family steeped in racing, has always played a vital part in her husband’s success due to her vast knowledge of the thoroughbred, and she is also known for her big smile as well as her friendly, approachable nature. She is also always willing to talk about the yard’s horses, past and present, and appears to know each of them like one would know a family pet.

Hawkins walked away with an award himself, the annual Anita Akal award, and Akal described him as one who had given his life and soul to racing. Hawkins believed his wife Babette to be in Johannesburg preparing for his daughter’s wedding, so was pleasantly surprised when she appeared on stage.

The Champion Stayer award went to the De Kock-trained Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup winner Wild One. De Kock was away but owner Sean Phillips was there to receive it together with his wife Jackie and they invited winning jockey Anthony Delpech on to the stage. Delpech was later named KZN Jockey Of The Year to rapturous applause.

Callan Murray won the Apprentice Of The Year award and looks to have a bright future ahead of him.

Duncan Howells didn’t go home empty-handed as his crack three-year-old filly Same Jurisdiction, who won the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes, won the most competitive category, the Champion Three-year-old filly award, beating some top class members of a vintage crop. She runs in the Drakenstein Stud Colours and the other partners, Larry Vermaak, Marlene Powell, Dr Ralph Katzwinkel and Howells himself were all ecstatic to hear the filly’s name being announced.

The Paul Lafferty-trained Harry’s Son ironically didn’t run in KZN during the season but his stalwart performances in Johannesburg and Cape Town earned him Champion Three-year-old Male title. The connections were all there and the one whose colours he runs in, Roy Moodley, was named KZNOTA Owner of The Year as the KZN-domiciled owner who had won the most stakes money in KZN races.

The KZN Owner Of The Year was open to out of province participants too and was won once again by Markus and Ingrid Jooste. The Joostes own both Seventh Plain and Captain Of All and have a share in Klawervlei Stud, who added the KZN Breeder Of The Year award to their Equus title.

A special award was presented to racecourse judges Warren Eisle and Colin Buckham who have served the industry for 51 and 44 years respectively.

Another special award was presented to John Slade, stud manager of Maine Chance Farms, for the stud’s amazing feat of breeding the one-two-three in the Vodacom Durban July, all three of them sired by Maine Chance’s former champion stallion Silvano. Slade put it down to luck and Silvano.

Gold Circle chairman Robert Mauvis regarded everybody present as winners due to the success of the Champions Season.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Dennis Drier (Nkosi Hlophe)