Got The Greenlight will be prepared out of his home base of Turffontein for the Vodacom Durban July and incumbent national champion jockey Lyle Hewitson has been booked for the ride.

Hewitson, whose minimum riding weight is 52kg, was booked some time ago and it has worked out perfectly as Got The Greenlight looks set to carry 53kg, meaning he will hardly carry any deadweight.

Under the current lockdown protocols the Joey Soma-trained Gimmethegreenlight colt will have to stay at Summerveld until Wednesday before traveling back to the Highveld.

He becomes unsettled in any stable away from home and relaxes as soon as he is back in his own stable at Turffontein.

Furthermore, Soma only has a small string so there are not many capable of working upside him. 

Soma thus needs to improvise and he feels being on tracks the horse is familiar with will help his cause. 

Got The Greenlight sauntered to his second Grade 1 victory at Hollywoodbets Greyville and third career Grade 1 when winning the Daily News 2000 under Bernard Fayd’Herbe yesterday.

It was the coming together of the Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban three-year-old form and Johannesburg well and truly put the others in their place.

Got The Greenlight was still cantering as they turned for home, while the favourite Golden Ducat and the fancied Sachdev were already being driven.

He had to veer around Padre Pio, who had set the pace well clear of the rest of the field, but he then exerted his authority.

He might have appeared to be tiring in the latter stages as Fayd’Herbe had to drive him out but Soma pointed out he was a “very intelligent horse” who only did what he needed to and tended to idle when in front. In fact, he did the same in the Grade 1 SA Classic but when challenged by Green Laser and Youcanthurrylove he simply changed gears and found the extra to repel them.

Soma added he was hardly blowing at all after yesterday’s race and said he had come of it sound and well.

The eventual 1,50 length runner up yesterday, the Dennis Bosch-trained Vercingetorix gelding Padre Pio, had appeared to be fading coming up the hill from the 800m mark but in actual fact Craig Zackey was just giving him a breather and he stayed on well in the straight.

However, Bosch’s immediate thoughts of a next target seemed to favour the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m on Gold Cup day rather than the Vodacom Durban July. 

Philanthropist gelding Golden Ducat was attempting to earn a history-making third Grade 1 victory over the weekend for the reigning Equus Champion broodmare Halfway To Heaven, who is also dam of Hawwaam (Silvano) and Rainbow Bridge (Ideal World).

However, he took a long time to get going in the straight and was eventually beaten 1,55 lengths.

Shango was finishing fastest of all for a 3,05 length fourth in a run which was quite reminiscent of Pomodoro’s fifth pace Daily News finish in 2012. The Sean Tarry-trained Captain Of All colt runs in the same blue and red Chris van Niekerk silks carried to victory by Pomodoro and Heavy Metal in the 2012 and 2013 Julys respectively. 

Of all the preparation races, participants in the Daily News 2000 have produced the most July winners. By David Thiselton

Invincabelle can get punters off to a winning start in the opening Investing Made Easy Juvenile Plate at Kenilworth today.

This Querari colt ran against mostly fellow newcomers when scoring on debut just under three weeks ago but he made a good impression and his connections clearly hold him in good stead. “He is a very smart horse and we have always thought a lot of him,” enthused Corne Orffer while Brett Crawford confirmed: “He has always shown nice work at home.”

The ground that day was good to soft and it is going to be a lot more testing today, particularly after all that rain last week including the 80mm that put the kibosh on Saturday’s fixture – the four features (including Katak’s race) will now be run next Tuesday.

Invincabelle is understandably hot favourite but a possible danger at a decent price is 5-1 shot Tarantino who has already won on genuinely soft ground. Robert Khathi reported that day that his mount “had no speed and at one stage I wasn’t going anywhere” but his mount dug deep and is likely to do so again.

In terms of class, or potential class, this is one of the best races of the day. Matthew The King and Jet Dark, both good enough to win first time out, also pose serious threats.

Lady Warrior showed early speed when six lengths-fourth to Caya Coco on debut in good to soft 13 days ago and just might improve enough to take the Properties You’ll Fall in Love With Maiden. She has been nibbled at (from 11-2 to 9-2) but is still at a reasonable price. Spring Awakening is favourite and Aldo Domeyer’s mount has obvious claims after showing up well first time.

The Snaith newcomer Really Royal has eased from 8-10 to 11-10 in the Trade The Markets Juvenile Fillies but she will need to be good to get the better of previous winner Captain’s Flo whose third to Captain’s Ransom in the Perfect Promise was even better than it looked – she had to ease off the heels of the second horse at a crucial stage.

Sakura Trick showed promise on debut, despite hanging from the 300m, and the Brett Crawford filly looks best on form in the Don’t Call It A Dream Maiden. However don’t overlook the claims of 18-1 shot Apache Girl.

Cape Of Storms would be a topical tip for the last but he is hard to fancy after his six-month absence but Worlds Your Oyster has won three out of four and should handle the ground in the Bred In The Purple Handicap. Hammie’s Fan (race six) and Rosalie Runs (race seven) are others sure to act on the going.

SELECTIONS

Race 1: Invincabelle
Race 2: Lady Warrior
Race 3: Captain’s Flo
Race 4: Sakura Trick
Race 6: Hammie’s Fan
Race 7: Rosalie Runs
Race 8: Worlds Your Oyster

By Michael Clower

Given the rampant rise in Covid-19 infections, the chances of next month’s Vodacom Durban July being run in front of a full house are almost non-existent – such is the pity.

What the lock-down has necessitated is a revamped SA Champions Season programme and Hollywoodbets Greyville dished up a smorgasbord of potential VDJ winners today, giving students of form much to chew on before the big race.

Got The Greenlight was victorious in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 with Joey Soma issuing a warning; “Don’t forget that there is a race coming up at the end of July,” his parting shot in his post-race interview after his charge had kept his clean sheet at the course with a thoroughly deserved win.

Rainbow Bridge turned in a smashing front-running performance to land the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and in doing so set himself up for another crack at the Vodacom Durban July.

Do It Again is showing signs of finding his best form in time to defend his VDJ title and although not quickening behind Rainbow Bridge he was staying on stoutly which augurs well for the big race.

Vardy turned in a tremendous performance, turning for home last and making up lengths in the straight, and Adam Marcus will be well please with what he saw.

Eric Sands has done a marvellous job with Rainbow Bridge although it was left to Peter Muscutt to put the finishing touches to the gelding with Sands marooned in Cape Town.

Cirillo, second in this race last year was the expected pacemaker but he was never able to get to the front as Rainbow Bridge took a hold. “It wasn’t our plan to go to the front,” said Sands, “but there is no use fighting them.”

Warren Kennedy, who was an early booking for this race and the VDJ, let Rainbow Bridge stride in front and although a little keen his mount was not over-doing it. Anton Marcus kept close tabs on Rainbow Bridge and had last year’s winner Do It Again in the box seat with Vardy bringing up the rear of the seven-horse field.

“It wasn’t by design (to go to the front) but to let him come out and be happy and no one really committed,” said Kennedy.

“I thought he would come out a bit fresh not having run for a while but he came out wanting to run a bit so I let him get there in his own time and he enjoyed it.

“He needed it and it was a bit of pace work.”

Got The Greenlight came from the clouds in the Grade 1 SA Derby over the testing Turffontein 2450m, but came up empty in the last 100m, so the 2000m of the Daily News was right up his alley. With the track running fast, Bernard Fayd’herbe, just recently returned from injury, had the front runners in his sights from the jump and was quick to challenge pacemaker Pardre Pio in the chase for home. It was always a given that Got The Greenlight would make up the ground although Fayd’herbe was never going to let him forget that he was in a race.

Golden Ducat travelled wide into the straight, making his run along with Got The Greenlight but it took a little time for him to start up his engine and only got going when the race for the lead was all but over, finishing a short-head behind Padre Pio who stayed on gamely for second.

“He’s a special horse, he’s such a professional,” said Fayd’herbe of Got The Greenlight. “Going through the 1400 I was smiling to myself. I saw Warren (Golden Ducat) moving up on my outside and I knew I had the race. It panned out just the way I thought it would.”

One who will not be contesting the VDJ is Summer Pudding who is destined for a well-deserved rest. She has had a testing three-year-old campaign, unbeaten in six starts and winning all three legs of the Triple Tiara, so one would have thought that the Grade 1 Woolavington may have been a bridge too far.

Paul Peter was also in two minds whether to run the filly but was prompted by Stephen Jell to let her take her chances if she came along the right way. “I was oohing and aahing but Stephen said if she was alright, to run her.”

Summer Pudding looked under pressure a long way from home but she rallied superbly in the straight to reel in arch rival Lady Of Steel and hold a challenge from Driving Miss Daisy.

Kennedy kept niggling at his mount throughout the race and when Lady Of Steel pinched a lead at the top of the straight she looked to have the race in the bag. But Kennedy switched out for a clear run to the line and Summer Pudding responded. “She never travelled with me the whole race and she does hit a flat spot,” said Kennedy. “But she always does that. At the 400 I thought maybe Bernard’s horse (Lady Of Steel) had me.

“But in a bun fight you can bet your life on her, she won’t get beat,” commented Kennedy, fresh from victory aboard Rainbow Bridge.

“She’s a special, lovely filly. She just doesn’t know how to get beaten,” confirmed Peter.

By Andrew Harrison

Paul Peter said the darling of the South African turf, Summer Pudding, would be on her way to the farm for a deserved holiday after her thrilling victory in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday (Sunday).

Her unbeaten run looked in danger of ending when the other previously unbeaten filly Lady Of Steel shot away from her at the top of the straight.

Jockey Warren Kennedy admitted he was worried for a moment when he saw how much ground Lady Of Steel had stolen but he said as soon as Summer Pudding changed legs she took off and he then knew she would win.

As both trainer and jockey said afterwards this Silvano filly just does not know how to lose and will always give her all. 

In the end the last horse she had to fetch was Driving Miss Daisy, who had run on well from midfield.

Unfortunately, the stirring moment when Summer Pudding got to the front was witnessed only by the few who were allowed on course but the Peter yard grooms, dressed in their red Hyperpaint overalls, almost lifted off the grandstand roof on their own.

The vanquished magnanimously showered praise on Paul Peter and his team.

Meanwhile, Summer Pudding was hardly blowing out a candle such is the size of her engine. 

She has now won seven out of seven and yesterday passed one of the tests required to be great i.e. winning in another centre. 

All six of her previous wins had been at her home course of Turffontein. 

She still has a bit to do to be called great and Peter mentioned the Summer Cup as a possible next goal. 

The unbeaten record in South Africa is eleven races set by Home Guard in the late 1960s. 

That milestone will be talked about in racing circle but will certainly not sway the connections from their plans. 

By David Thiselton

Rainbow Bridge’s supporters in yesterday’s Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville could have begun counting their winnings by the time they reached the Drill Hall. 

On a day with a tailwind it seemed likely that the inside drawn horses would want to hold their positions as the leader in a small seven horse field was always going to attempt to dictate rather than set strong fractions. 

Instead Rainbow Bridge was allowed an easy lead from draw seven and when he began dictating there was no way a top horse like him was ever going to be caught. 

He duly skipped away at the top of the straight and the others could only chase in vain. 

Vardy, who had been the pick of the parade ring, ran on valiantly from last and did well to finish a 0,90 length second in a time two seconds slower than last year’s renewal which was won by Do It Again. 

Do It Again put up his best performance this season yesterday to run a 1,30 length third. 

However, it seems likely the handicappers will drop him a couple of points now and he might receive a little bit of weight from Rainbow Bridge in this year’s Vodacom Durban July, which he will be attempting to win for a record-breaking third time. 

Rainbow Bridge had a respiratory infection when first arriving at Summerveld this season so trainer Eric Sands has done a fine job getting him back to his magnificent best. 

He is never going to be a parade ring horse and a bit of sweat on him in the preliminaries, as he had yesterday, should never be of any concern. 

It is the race that counts and this now five-year-old Ideal World gelding’s career record now reads eight wins, including three Grade 1s, and eight places in 16 starts.

By David Thiselton