Summerveld trainer Mike Miller’s belief in Waterford Stud’s horses has paid dividends recently and the latter’ switch from quantity to quality has also paid off.

Miller picked two young horses off the farm at Waterford last year and paid for them before they could enter a sales ring. They were King Of Kings colt King’s Knight and Warm White Night colt Executive Power.

The former won the Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m at Greyville last time out by a comfortable 3,25 lengths and the latter made an impressive debut over 1200m at Scottsville, winning by 3,5 lengths after being backed in to 7/10.

King’s Knight (Nkosi Hlophe)

Miller said about King’s Knight, who gave the yard their third win in the Umkhomazi this decade (they also won it with Countless Times in 2010 and Colour Of Courage in 2013), “He has earned a cheque in every race he’s run in (two wins and seven places to date). I nearly didn’t buy him. He came around the corner while I was on the farm and thought this was a nice colt so asked who he was by. The previous King Of Kings we had couldn’t get out of his own way so that put me off. But fortunately my son Sterling was there and said to me ‘are you going to write off every King Of Kings because we happened to have one bad one’. That swung me around and we took him. Sterling then put the syndicate together and they were mainly new owners. Bill Lambert then took a share too.”

Lambert is known as KZN’s “Mr. Racing” and the colt provided him with a first ever feature race winner in a long career of ownership.

King’s Knight, who displayed a fine turn of foot in the Umkhomazi, is currently having a break and is only trotting. He will be brought back slowly next month and will race again in October. Miller believes him to be a 1200-1400m horse and doubts he will see out a mile.

Miller described Executive Power as “by far the nicest horse I have trained for a while.” He fell for him immediately when seeing him at Waterford and described him as having been a “magnificent” specimen. He also liked the “speed on speed” breeding, the sire being Warm White Night and the damsire being Var. Miller believed he would have a “speed machine” on his hands and the colt initially looked like a sprinter too. However, he then began growing and Miller changed his early predictions of what he would be completely.

He said, “I had to just leave him to grow and he ended up all legs. The Warm White Nights seem to be ending up like the Western Winters (Warm White Night, a Gr 1-winning sprinter, is by Western Winter), they are not just speed, they go a bit of ground. I think Executive Power got away with the 1200m because of his class.”

The colt certainly created a fine impression on debut. He not only looked to have a particularly good action but appeared to also have plenty left in the tank at the line.

Executive Power (Nkosi Hlophe)

Miller admitted to having not found it easy to put the syndicate for Executive Power together as most prospective owners were a bit reluctant to get involved in a Warm White Night colt, as the new season sire was an unknown quantity. However, Michel Nairac, the CEO of Gold Circle, and Robert Maingard had just sold Colour Of Courage, whom they part-owned together, so took a share in Executive Power and later two other Mauritians, ML Jean Hardy and EG Hart De Keating, took shares.

Nairac has had some good luck with Miller-trained horses as he also owned a share in the Kahal filly Smangaliso, who won the R1,25 million Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup in 2008.

Miller formed a friendship with the late Richard Sahd of Waterford Stud many years ago and not only bought many of his horses but also trained a few for him. Richard’s son Ben changed the strategy of the farm from quantity to quality and the dividends are now being reaped.

Miller has been travelling down to the Eastern Cape regularly in recent years to visit his son and daughter at Rhodes University and always stops off at Queenstown to visit Ben and have a look at the horses on the Waterford Stud farm.

Miller’s biggest racing success in recent years was when winning the Gr 1 Garden Province Stakes over 1600m on Vodacom Durban July day with the Muhtafal filly Outcome in 2008. He also trained the Jet Master colt Lizarre to third place in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 in 2010 and this horse, after being sold on, went on to have a successful career in Singapore, winning two Gr 3s and finishing a half-a-length second in a Gr 1. Miller also had a Gr 1 place last season with Sheik’s Brashee, who converted trainer confidence by running third at odds of 33/1 in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint.

Miller now has one of Outcome’s daughters in his yard, by Western Winter, and describes her as “magnificent.” Outcome is still owned by Steve Sturlese, who raced her, but she has not had much luck with her foals. She lost one to colic and had a couple of barren seasons, so she hasn’t had a runner yet, but does also have an Oratorio foal at foot.

The Miller yard look to have a lot to look forward to at present and racegoers are sure to be following their fortunes.

By David Thiselton

Turffontein stages an eight race midweek meeting today and there are some interesting runners for punters to consider.

Race 1 is a weak Maiden for fillies and mares over 1000m and Cute Lady showed some pace on debut over course and distance and looks to have plenty of scope, so she is the one to beat with Piere Strydom aboard. Sister Mary has plenty of pace and will appreciate the step back to 1000m having made a fair debut over this course and distance. Relampago finished well after being slow away over course and distance on debut and should be in the first three.

The second is a competitive maiden over 1450m and Respectable Ruler is interesting over the trip of one of his best runs to date. He is having his second run after a rest but put up a nice prep over 1000m which should have brought him on, although his wide draw is a concern. Roving Jet could be the one to pick up the pieces from a good draw with Gavin Lerena up as the form of his last turf race, which was over this course and distance, has worked out well and it also puts him ahead of one or two of the dangers on collateral form. Golden Man has Piere Strydom up and this hard knocking sort has finished second in two starts since being stepped up to this trip so will be a big runner.

The third is a maiden over 1800m and Strydom has retained faith in the improved Dublin Rebel. He is drawn well and proved last time out, when backed and finishing second over 2000m on Turffontein Standside, that this course and distance would suit. He also has a few of these beaten on the form of that last race. Top Shot was beaten half-a-length by Dublin Rebel last time out but is now drawn in pole and there won’t be much in it. Gladiatore is an improving sort who finished second over this trip in his penultimate start and he should earn again.

In the fourth over 1800m the long-striding The Centenary is 1kg better off with Pennington Sands for a 0,3 length beating over course and distance and should reverse placings. She looks to have scope for further improvement and the small field will suit as she likes to be dropped out to last. Way Of Escape is a lightly raced up-and-coming sort who will be course and distance suite and she could be a threat with a nice galloping weight. Pennington Sands will likely be running on strongly from behind again. Sisters Of Mercy is 3kg better off with Pennington Sands for a two length beating over course and distance so could also be involved. Celtic Heroine is in good form and won the last time she tried this course and distance so can’t be ignored. She’s A Looker can’t be ignored either, having won well over 1600m here last time and being raised only two points.

The fifth race is a weak MR 67 Handicap over 3000m and Ganesh could be the one to beat having done well in two competitive 2600m races this year, although he will have to bounce back from a below par run over 2450m last time out. The topweight Streak hasn’t run since May but is by the stallion Ideal World, whose progeny have both stamina and scope, and he was only beaten half-a-length by Ganesh in the aforementioned 2500m race, so could be a contender if fit enough. Bevelled Edge, Penstock and Dynamite Jim make most appeal of the rest.

The sixth race is a MR 67 handicap over 1600m and the one to beat could be Champagne Haze, who is a full-brother to the top class Piere Jourdan. He doesn’t have an easy task running off a 79 merit rating as a young three-year-old, but has a nice draw with Andrew Fortune back aboard and the form of his easy maiden win has been franked. Black Mack has a chance over a suitable course and distance from a pole position draw as he has come down to an attractive merit rating. Klondike River is course and distance suited and has been in fine form recently so could earn despite a four point raise for his win last time out on the Greyville poly.  Post Grad has come down three merit rated points since his maiden win over course and distance in which he also had a good draw like this one. Bee Keeper is course and distance suited and is well drawn with S’Manga Khumalo up.

In the seventh over 1450m, the much improved Walking On Air could go in again as he now looks quite well handicapped on his recent sand form and Gavin Lerena rides. Princess Tantan is a lot better than her last run where little went right and from a pole position draw with Andrew Fortune up over a suitable course and distance she should be right there.

This is Suedette’s best trip and she could also play a part from a nice draw.

The last is a MR 64 handicap for fillies and mares over 1450m and Antonia Major is the one to beat from pole position with Gavin Lerena up as she has come down to an attractive merit rating and runs over a suitable course and distance. Lavish Gal is a hard-knocking sort who has a fair draw over a trip that now suits. The topweight Celine has a form chance stepped up to this more suitable triple with Strydom up, despite having to overcome a wide draw. Besame Mucho ran well over course and distance last time but now has a tough draw. Raging Princess is one to consider off a lowered merit rating as she is well drawn for a change.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Piere Strydom

Yogas Govender changes yards at Summerveld next Tuesday and he believes that the move will mark a significant step forward in his new career as a public trainer.

Govender, who runs Roy’s Gold in race two at Scottsville today, said: “Things have been a bit slow so far – as I knew they would be – but I have had good support from some good owners and we have bought some nice horses.

“I now have 15 babies which we purchased at the National, Suncoast and Two-Year-Old sales and I move into a new 32-box barn on September 1. I see this as the restart of a successful career, this time on my own, and it will soon be all systems go.”

Govender, 42, parted company with Sabine Plattner in February after five and a half years as private trainer to the Yzerfontein operation. He trained over 300 winners there, most notably Martial Eagle in the 2013 J & B Met. Mrs Plattner has still to appoint a replacement.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Yogas Govender

The unbeaten Duncan Howells-trained Querari filly Cosmic Light is one of the most exciting three-year-old fillies in the country and her Ashburton-based trainer said it would take a good horse to beat her tomorrow in the sixth race over 1200m at Scottsville, despite this being a preparation event before she is taken down to Cape Town for the Cape Summer Of Champions Season. Howells has travel plans to either Cape Town or Johannesburg for a number of his best horses, including the brilliant filly Same Jurisdiction.

Regarding Cosmic Light’s run tomorrow Howells said he was repeating the successful preparation he gave to the champion sprinter Via Africa before her two successful journeys down to Cape Town. He believes Cosmic Light would be best from 1400-1600m and is aiming her at the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas. The imposing Maine Chance Farms-bred filly is out of a Silvano mare who won once over 1200m. There is a lot of speed in Cosmic Light’s pedigree and her dam Cosmic Dream is a half-sister to the useful sprinter Cosmic Tom (Black Minnaloushe) as well as to the five-time winning sprint-miler Showroom. Furthermore, her third dam Blushing Dove is by the speed influence Comic Blush and won the Gr 2 Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m.

However, Blushing Dove was effective over a mile and produced the Gr 1 J&B Met runner up Lion Tamer, who is now a sire, so there is a chance that Cosmic Light will see out the mile. In her two impressive career starts to date, she won over 1200m at Scottsville and then was hugely impressive when winning the Gr 2 Debutante over 1200m at Greyville. In the latter race she was climbing all over them around the turn after being dropped out from a wide draw, and this was a clear sign of her natural speed. However, she ran on well in the straight, an indication of her class and reason to be optimistic she will stay further.

Howells is under no illusions regarding how difficult a task it is for a young three-year-old to win off a merit rating of 92, the task which faces Cosmic Light tomorrow, and he mentioned the presence of the unbeaten Ivan Moore-trained four-year-old Mark Your Card, who has won both of her career starts over the course and distance. However, Howells added, “She hasn’t taken on the best horses yet but is well above average and if she reproduces her grass work last Tuesday it will take a good horse to beat her.”

Howells runs the decent five-year-old mare Surefire in the same race and described her as a problematic horse but “good if you can catch her right on the day.” However, even at her best he did not think she would be good enough to give Cosmic Light 5kg and match her.

Meanwhile, Howells is planning to give Same Jurisdiction a preparation run in a forthcoming Pinnacle Stakes event over 1400m and was hoping the field would stand up. She will then be taken down to Cape Town, where her big targets will be the Gr 1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes and the Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes. She proved how good she was when winning the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m at Greyville on Super Saturday, after a luckless Johannesburg campaign, and there are not many who would back against her doing the Paddcok Stakes/Majorca double, despite there being some top class fillies around, including her cotemporary Inara, who achieved that very double last season.

Howells is also intending to take a horse he thinks a lot of, the three-year-old Black Minnaloushe colt Sylvester The Cat, down to Cape Town to compete in the Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas. This horse won his second start over 1200m at Scottsville by 6,75 lengths and although Howells admitted he still had a lot to prove, he added, “He shows exceptional work and is well above average.”

Howells’ three-year-old Elusive Fort filly Lauderdale, who won the Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m on Super Saturday, will be aimed at two big sales races which she qualifies for, the R2 million Ready To Run Cup over 1400m at Turffontein on October 31 and the Cape Thoroughbred Sales Million Dollar over 1400m at Kenilworth on January 23, 2016.

The yard will be aiming their ever improving Mambo In Seattle gelding Saratoga Dancer at the Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile. He was only a length back to the useful Brutal Force over the too sharp 1200m in his seasonal reappearance at Scottsville. He is only merit rated 95 at present, so he might need to win his forthcoming preparation race in order to get into the Charity Mile, but he might well do so, because the best has not yet been seen of this horse yet.

Howells also rates the lightly raced four-year-old Dynasty filly Sabaha, who has won three out of five starts from 1200-1600m and beat a promising sort in Deputy Ryder comfortably over 1600m last time out. He said, “She is making her comeback over 1400m at Scottsville on Sunday and will need the run, but she is above average. Unfortunately, she is a temperamental filly so is difficult to work with, but she will be aimed at the weight for age Gr 2 Joburg Spring Fillies and Mares Handicap over 1450m at Turffontein on October 3.”

Howells will raid for the Johannesburg races and his Cape Town string will as usual stay at Eric Sands’ Milnerton yard.

Howells said his string was very well at present and most of them had completed their African Horse Sickness vaccine obligations. He added some horses whom the yard had sat back with during the winter would now be in a good place for the new season.

Howells failed to defend his KZN Trainer’s Championship crown last season and this was partly due to his initially relatively below par results on the Greyville polytrack. However, he believes he is now on top of that hiccup and said, “I panicked a bit when our results weren’t good on the poly and maybe started giving the horses the wrong type of work, but they are running a lot better on the surface now. Also the poly surface is being much better maintained now that it was, I think there were a few teething problems in the beginning, but now the horses are all pulling up very sound.”

Howells said he would not be targeting the KZN Trainer’s Championship and said, “If it happens it happens but I won’t be putting myself before the well-being of the horses.”

– David Thiselton

Scottsville stages an eight race meeting tomorrrow and there look to be one or two opportunities for shrewd punters.

The highlight of the day will be the seasonal reappearance of a star in the making, the unbeaten Duncan Howells-trained Querari filly Cosmic Light. She runs in the sixth, a MR 89 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m, and as she was climbing all over them around the turn when dropped out in the Gr 2 Debutante Stakes over 1200m at Greyville last time out, she looks suited to this sprint trip. She has a hard task for a young three-year-old running off a merit rating of 91, but does look up to it. Her stable companion Surefire is a decent sort and should be in the shake up. Mark My Card is unbeaten in two and runs off a merit rating of only 76 could be involved again.

In the first race, a maiden for three-year-olds over 1200m, Unbelievable Chad was unlucky on debut over course and distance and could make amends. The first-timer Ferrie is by Trippi and is a half-brother to the like of Depardieu. Eternal Ice has run two fair races down the Scottsville straight and could improve further. Monte Cristo is an interesting first-timer being by Trippi out of a Danehill Dancer mare. Oracle Kingdom makes no appeal at first glance but comes from three fair form races and could improve being a half-brother to the useful sprinter Tetelestai.

In the second, a maiden for fillies and mares over 1950m, Roy’s Gold is having her first run for a new yard and having improved over 1600m last time she could improve further over this trip.

Barcelona Babe made a fair debut from a wide draw over 1600m at Scottsville despite running green and she is now drawn well over a trip that should suit her on pedigree. Fly Away With Me has stayed on over this sort of trip before and is drawn well with a 4kg claimer up.

The third is a tough one to assess, being a fillies and mares MR 79 Handicap over 1950m.

Injaazaat has been staying on in her last three over 1600m and is now only one point higher than when winning by 2,5 lengths over this course and distance in February last year. Eva Tibbs has plenty of ability and might enjoy the return to turf. Mamasita has shown signs of class and should go close despite having to carry topweight from a tricky draw. National Chines is officially 0,5kg under sufferance but showed good improvement when stepped up to this trip on the poly and is now drawn well. Leopard Lily has ability but has a tough draw and the fact that she finished mildly distressed last time over 1600m is a tad concerning.

The fourth is a weak Maiden over 2400m. Nishac is a battler but has always struck as a staying type and has finished second over this distance before. De La Rio by the middle distance sort Lundy’s Liability has improved with blinkers and his half-brother by Fanatic Dane has won over this trip. Yearofthedragon has done well over this course and distance before. Dellavera is often backed and has placed from 1800m up to 2000m, but on pedigree there must be a question mark over this trip. Vintage Angel has bits and pieces of form and is interesting stepped up to this trip. High Profile has poor form but is having his second run for the Joey Ramsden yard who often do well with stayers.

The fifth is a MR 74 Handicap over 2400m. Go Gold has caught the eye before on the Highveld over this trip so is tipped to win at this lower altitude off a lowered merit rating. Discourse has come down to a mark just three points higher than his last win and finished a close second the last time he tried this course and distance. Al Couture was considered good enough to take his place in the Gr 1 SA Derby. Newtons Spark won his maiden well over course and distance and has been lowered two points after a fair run over the same course and distance. Consistent Battle Hammer did well in a staying race on Gold Cup day and has a nice galloping weight again. Flying Fellow gave the impression he could stay this trip when winning here over 1950m last time. Your Worship can never be ignored over course and distance.

The seventh, a fillies and mares MR 72 handicap over 1200m, could see You Bolt scoring as she could use her pace well from draw one over a trip she enjoys. Barega is a well-bred sort who might appreciate dropping back to the distance of her facile maiden win on the Greyville poly. Lady Penrhyn doesn’t have it easy off a merit rating of 80 for a young three-year-old but is well regarded. Elephant Matriarch is also an up and coming young three-year-old merit rated 80 and she should enjoy the step up in trip  after an easy win over 1000m on the poly. Umoyana would prefer further but should be running on strongly.

In race eight, a MR 70 Handicap over 1200m, Burra Boy appreciated the step down to this trip last time when showing pace and going close over course and distance from a high draw so he is the one to beat off the same mark from a more favourable draw. Rainier went well for this 4kg claimer over course and distance last time and will go close with a repeat. Risky Roscoe is off a competitive merit rating over a suitable course and distance.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Cosmic Light (Nkosi Hlophe)