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)

Piere Strydom has not yet been charged by the NHA for his error of judgement at Turffontein on Thursday which cost his mount Dublin Rebel certain victory.

There will be an enquiry into the matter this week.

Strydom believed he had the race won as he thought he had his two main dangers beaten. However, he failed to notice Top Shot sneaking through on the inside rail until it was too late and the photo-finish proved the latter had won the race by the narrowest of margins.

Strydom later apologised profusely and with genuine remorse in a statement addressed to the connections, punters and the entire racing community and called it the worst mistake of his riding career.

He went on to talk about his feeling for horses and his consequent career-long practice of never punishing his mounts unnecessarily. On this occasion he had eased his mount accordingly in the belief he had the race won.

Recently retired Kevin Shea lost a race under similar circumstances at the now defunct Newmarket racecourse in Alberton on 8 October, 2002, when dropping his hands approximately five strides before the line on Ice Lily, allowing Halloy to win the race by a short-head. Shea was handed a three month suspension. However, Shea appealed the harshness of the punishment and the appeal board wholly suspended the penalty for a period of twelve months on condition he was not found guilty of a similar offense in that period (although a fine of R30,000 was added). One of the points working in Shea’s favour in the appeal was that the three month suspension imposed on him had been dramatically more severe than the punishment he had received on a number of previous occasions for contravening the specific rule (Rule 62.2.3, failing to ride the horse out to the end) and was out of proportion to penalties previously imposed on him and other jockeys. It was therefore deemed to be unfair.

However, since then there have been some long suspensions imposed on South African jockeys.

In 2008 Apprentice Luke Coleman received a three month suspension for contravening rule 62.2.1 during his ride on Golden Dice at Kenilworth on February 9 of that year and the appeal board ruled that the penalty should stand. However, a contravention of rule 62.2.1 (“a rider of a horse shall take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout a race to ensure that his horse is given a full opportunity to win or obtain the best possible placing”) is generally regarded as a more serious offense than a contravention of rule 62.2.3.

Andrew Fortune, who like Strydom is also known for his reluctance to punish horses unnecessarily, was suspended for a month in 2010 after it was ruled that he had lost third place on 9-2 chance African Love in a maiden at Turffontein on September 4 of that year by dropping his hands three strides before the line. They also fined him R30,000. The appeal board ruled that the ban should stand, but suspended R10,000 of the fine for a period of twelve months.

S’Manga Khumalo received a 60 day suspension after being charged with contravening rule 62.2.1 for his ride on Supertube at the Vaal on November 5, 2013. Khumalo’s appeal failed. However, an application was then made to the High Court and before the court case could be adjourned the NHA received an affidavit which attempted to recant a testimony which had played a crucial role in the stipendiary stewards original decision to impose the 60 day suspension. In the end the NHA decided to change the penalty to no more than a R75,000 fine. The NHA emphasised that this matter was dealt with on its own peculiar facts and was not precedent setting.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Piere Strydom (Nkosi Hlophe)

Bob Baffert is taking nothing for granted as his Triple Crown hero American Pharoah tackles the Travers Stakes at Saratoga tonight.

The trainer has saddled just one winner of the Grade One feature, with Point Given claiming the prize after landing the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, although he missed out on the Triple Crown as he could only finish fifth in the Kentucky Derby.

American Pharoah has outstripped the achievements of Point Given in becoming the first winner of all three Classics since 1978 and subsequently added the Haskell Invitational to his tally at Monmouth, winning by just over two lengths under a very tight rein earlier this month.

Keen Ice chased him home and tries his luck again, as does the third-placed Upstart.

Frosted and Tale Of Verve finished second behind American Pharoah in the Belmont and Preakness respectively, while Frammento has finished behind him on a couple of occasions, but there are a handful of fresh challengers in this 10-furlong heat.

Baffert has identified last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile hero Texas Red as a particular threat after injury forced him to miss the Classics. He landed the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga last time out.

Baffert told www.zayatstables.com: “(Texas Red) is a very nice horse; he won the Breeders’ Cup very impressively. I think (his connections) have done a great job getting him back (to the races). (Texas Red) is going to be tough. It’s not an easy race. You’ve got Frosted in there. There are the new shooters coming up. So, we’re prepared for a tough race.”

Smart Transition, King Of New York and Mid Ocean all face American Pharoah for the first time but are long shots in the ante-post market.

A crowd estimated at around 15,000 was at Saratoga on Friday morning to watch American Pharoah go through his paces. Newmarket-based trainer Hugo Palmer, whose New Providence runs in the Ketel One Ballston Spa Stakes on the same card, was among those in attendance.

He said: “It’s just incredible. There were 15,000 people here to see a horse work. We don’t even get that for July Cup day at Newmarket! It’s just a great atmosphere and fantastic for racing. It would be great to have something like this at home, but that’s the advantage of metropolitan racing. A lot of people live in the area and they’ve come to see the horse work.

“We have a relatively small population in Newmarket and most of them work in racing, so they’re not going to come and see a horse like Golden Horn work on the track. They might do if it took place in Hyde Park.”

William Hill make American Pharoah 2-9 to maintain his winning streak, and 2-1 to win by six lengths or more. Spokesman Jon Ivan-Duke said: “Unbeatable, unstoppable, invincible. These are just some of the adjectives used to describe American Pharoah and if they are right then form an orderly queue to collect your winnings.”

–  At The Races.com

Picture: American Pharoah and trainer Bob Baffert

Scottsville stages a low key eight race meeting on Sunday but there are certainly one or two classy sorts stepping out and punters will be in for their usual roller coaster ride.

In the first over 1200m the pacey Whatawondafulworld went close over course and distance last time and is now better drawn. Cyclone Sassy has plenty of pace too which will help her overcome a tricky draw. Coastal Spell made a fair debut and Dennis Drier-trained horses often improve noticeably in their second runs.

Hannah’s Answer has an unfavorable high draw but has a nice turn of foot. Simla has shown enough to earn here. Gordon’s Cungee has only two lengths to find on Cyclone Sassy. Jollerie is a R250,000 Judpot filly out of a half-sister to the Listed-winning sprinter Silver Nun. Seventh Moment is a R375,000 Seventh Rock filly out of a Captain Al Listed-winning mare who won nine times from 1200-1600m.  Placid Sea is a R375,000 Maine Chance Farms-bred filly by the German-bred sire Sabiango.

In the second over 1400m Master Of Mischief comes from the strong Singh Is King formline and proved suited to this trip last time on the poly. Eleven drops back to the trip of his good debut so could earn in this generally weak field despite a tricky draw and returning from a nine month layoff. Spirit Of Dover made a breathing noise last time, but has the form to earn here.

Mustang Sonny made a fair debut over 1400m on the poly when slow away and running wide. Winter Axe could improve but has a wide draw. Colonel Bling wasn’t striding freely last time, but could earn if back to his best. Golden Tongue is by Oracy out of a three-time-winning Jallad mare from 1000-1600m.

The third is a weak maiden for fillies and mares over 1600m and Way Out Front is well drawn after two good runs against good sorts over 1200m and 1600m respectively. Eleven made a fair debut when staying on over 1400m. Golden Earings flew up after being dropped out from a wide draw last time over course and distance and is now well drawn. Princess Varunya can do well here from the front if able to overcome a wide draw. Thanda was running on over 1400m here last time. Queen Delta has always been thereabouts on the poly and could earn.

The fourth is a maiden over 1950m and Township Talk should relish the step up in trip, so is tipped to win from a good draw. Grey’s A Rockin’ is a handy type with some fair form but he always finds one to beat him. Desert Sunset will be suited to the course and distance but does have a tricky draw to overcome.

The fifth is a MR 80 Handicap over 1950m and Pioneer Spirit makes appeal being well drawn over a suitable course and distance and being by Go Deputy whose progeny come into their own as four-year-olds. His stablemate Down Under is also course and distance suited and is in good form.

Mambo Master is well drawn for his front-running style and is likely to make a bold bid. Baracah might appreciate a return to the turf and has a touch of class. Jet Avenger won well the last time he tried the course and distance and is drawn well off a three points higher merit rating. Night Lock also has a form chance.

The sixth is a MR 90 Handicap over 1400m and Duncan Howells said the classy Sabaha, who is a temperamental filly, would need the run. However, her class could still carry her to victory. Her stablemate Miss Argentina will appreciate the step down to 1400m and could be the one to pick up the pieces. Time Marches On can earn if repeating her last run over course and distance in June.

The seventh is a MR 68 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m and Girlfriend could be the one to side with over a course and distance that should suit her down to the ground. She returns from a layoff, but has run well fresh over this trip before and has a 4kg claimer up. Class Act has a good draw and was a facile winner of a maiden over this course and distance. She proved last time out she is worthy of her current merit rating. Lady Of Scandal is probably better than her form suggests having been backed on debut, so can’t be ignored despite a high draw.

Kadeze showed improvement with blinkers over course and distance in her penultimate and is drawn well. Preamble has won twice over course and distance and is well drawn with a 4kg claimer up. Stormy Cat is a difficult sort but has the ability to earn.

In the last over 1600m the  exciting prospect Sylvester The Cat has his final preparation before journeying to Cape Town for the Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas. However, he has a wide draw and topweight to carry off a merit rating of 87 so it won’t be easy.

Ze Tsar could be the one to pick up the pieces from a good draw over a suitable distance. Roy’s Ambassador needed his last run and can do well here if settling from a good draw. Buck Shot bounced back to form last time and is also a contender. Bold Attitude could earn if jumping on terms. Pure Valor is a fair sort and can’t be ignored.

By David Thiselton 

Picture: Pioneer Spirit (Nkosi Hlophe)