Mike Azzie was not bullish about the chances of his three-year-old Tiger Ridge gelding Isphan ahead of the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Greyville on Saturday.

He said, “He’s very well and in good shape but it’s a very, very strong field and I will be happy if he places.”

Isphan was caught wide early when running a decent 2,6 length fifth in the Gr 2 Post Merchants over the course and distance. However, he faces all three of the horses that finished over two lengths ahead of him, Daring Dave, Moofeed and Willow Magic, on only 0,5kg better terms, while other even classier sorts like Captain Of All and Carry On Alice are also now in play. Furthermore he is drawn wide in 9 in the 11 horse field. Last time out he was well beaten over 1200m on the poly on Vodacom Durban July day, but his regular rider Gavin Lerena is now back aboard.

A few of Azzie’s runners appeared to run a bit below par on July day, but they all returned normal.

Included among them was Frosted Honey, who now runs in the Gr 2 Debutante over 1200m on Saturday and will then go for the Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m a week later.

Azzie said, “I was a little disappointed with Frosted Honey’s run (4,8 length 12^th in the Gr 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m), I would have expected her to run better, but in saying that she did have a setback when she got to KZN and I think we were chasing the eight ball with her all the time. She has come on a lot from that run and will be in better shape for her next start.”

He said, “Deputy Jud wasn’t given the best ride, it was probably one of Corne’s (Orffer) worst rides ever, to go that pace in a July handicap is absolutely ridiculous, you can’t set those fractions and expect a horse to find, so his July run can be written off, he’s a much better horse than that and I’m sure he’s going to bounce back. He’s definitely going to run in the Champions Cup, but in saying that the weights don’t suit him, but he will be right there.”

He was very disappointed with Hot August’s run in the KZN Yearling Sales Million and said, “He might have to be gelded later on, I’m going to take him home and have a look at him and see where we are with him. That run is not what he shows us on the track.”

Rock Me Var was another disappointment on July day and will be taken home to the Highveld and given his African Horse Sickness vaccinations.

However, Azzie will have a strong hand in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m on Super Saturday (July 25) with the outstanding prospect Rabada and the exciting Abashiri, as well as  High Game, who improved to win his fourth start, over 1400m at Scottsville, by seven lengths.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Mike Azzie

There is a low key meeting at Scottsville on Wednesday and punters will be hoping for some more good form results after a generally favourable meeting at this venue on Sunday.

The first race on the card over 1200m will  attract plenty of interest for parade ring watchers around the country as swimming icon Chad Le Clos will be there to see the debut run of his Toreador colt, the Paul Lafferty-trained Unbelievable Chad, who is described as a “very nice horse who should run very well.” However, the horse who could prove hard to beat will be the Dennis Drier-trained Imperial Stride colt Swakopmund, who finished second over course and distance on debut and the form looks strong.

The Mike de Kock-trained Australian-bred first-timer Kinaan is by world leading sire Galileo, so will be of interest, and Chestnut’s Champ and Omega Onslaught are the other first-timers who make some appeal. Of those to have run Vinicio could make more improvement.

Pioneer Spirit (Nkosi Hlophe)

The highest rated race of the day is the seventh race, a MR 78 Handicap over 1950m. The three-year-old gelding Pioneer Spirit is well drawn with Anthony Delpech up and being by Go Deputy he will now be improving rapidly, so he could be the one to beat despite carrying topweight. Worship Dancer, a good looking and improving gelding by Tiger Dance, will relish the further step up in trip on pedigree, but he does have a tricky draw of six in the nine horse field. Sovereign Reign ran on from near the back over 1600m last time out and wasn’t  beaten far by the promising Saratoga Dancer, so he looks likely to enjoy this trip and could be a contender. Jet Avenger likely needed his last run but is distance suited and has won at Scottsville before. Buck Shot has been disappointing but is drawn well and should be effective over this trip so could earn if producing his best. There is not much between New Fort and Worship Dancer on their last meeting, but the former does have the widest draw to overcome.

The second race over 1200m could be won by the Drier-trained Just As Well filly Well In Flight who caught the eye staying on well over course and distance on debut. There are plenty of first-timers in this race and the one that makes most appeal is Northern Chorus, who is by Fort Wood out of the Graded-winning sprinter Headstrong.

The third race over 1200m could be won by Bunker Hill, who finished just 1,75 lengths behind Swakopmund on debut in a strong form race. Land Of Legends is one who could improve out of that same race. Apollo’s Gift ran a fair race on debut and could also improve.

First-timer African Ruler is of interest here being by Trippi out of the useful sprinter Chant De Nuit. Astral Promise is a full-brother to the dual Gr 3 winner Astro News and is another interesting first-timer.

In the fourth over 1200m the interesting runner is Blessed Release who was all the rage last time out and is worth another chance.

Aguero and Green Door beat him in that last race but the form has not worked out too well so others that will have to be considered are the hard knocking Destined For Dawn, Triptonic and Al Wahed. The last mentioned returns from a break of nearly a year but if he repeats his six length second place finish to Generalissimo last time out he will be right there.

The fifth over 1200m could see the hard-knocking Roy’s Angel beating Masked Girl and Kingsview.

The sixth over 1000m could be won by the two-year-old Just Africa, who is well regarded and being very fast will love this trip. He also has the advantage of a 4kg claimer aboard. The speedy Tonto should also be suited to this course and distance having only faded late when beaten 5,25 lengths by the promising Hunting Owl over 1200m.

The Tripster, who overtook Tonto late in that race, should be thereabouts too. Bengal Boy, All True Man, Midanswer, Burrwood and Threshhold can also be considered.

The eighth sees a good opportunity from a good draw for Princess Beach, who has struck as being better than her form suggests and the 1950m trip should be perfect. Bizjet could be the danger.

The last over 1400m could be won by the two-year-old Brooklyn Brawler, who likely needed his first outing over 1400m and looks to have scope for considerable improvement.

It’s a tough race and Noble Peer might present fair each/way value. Gurkha Chief is another one who could be in the shake up.

By David Thiselton

The Dennis Drier-trained dual Gr 1-winner Captain Of All will stake a claim to be named the best sprinter in the country at Greyville on Saturday when lining up in the weight for age Gr 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m.

The four-year-old Captain Al colt carried topweight to an impressive victory in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m last time out and worked like a bomb in his final serious preparation gallop on the top sand track at Summerveld yesterday under his big race rider Sean Cormack.

Drier said, “He’s come out of his last run like a dream. His final sprint up this morning (Tuesday) was out of the top drawer and let’s hope we can pull it off and send him off to stud on a high note. He’s an absolute gentleman, he’s an easy horse to ride and in the Gr 1 Premier’s Championship over 1400m (which he ran in as a two-year-old after winning the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m at Scottsville) he was beaten short-head, short-head in the soft, nothing wrong with that performance, so I’m sure Greyville will be no issue for him at all.”

Drier also regards his barrier position of seven in the eleven horse field as a “fantastic draw”.

The bay is quite tall and is powerfully built, a really good looking specimen, and on weight for age terms he won’t be easy to beat.

Captain Of All is competing for Equus Champion Sprinter with the two three-year-old fillies Alboran Sea and Carry On Alice. The former has been retired and the latter is running in The Mercury.

Captain of All failed by a whisker to catch Alboran Sea in the Gr 1 Cape Flying Championships over 1000m, with Carry On Alice third, and was beaten 4 lengths and 3,3 lengths respectively by the pair in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m.

His subsequent Tsogo Sun win over 1200m was a fantastic performance, but interestingly Carry On Alice’s time in the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint on the same day over the same trip, in which she beat Alboran Sea, was run in a time 0,07 seconds quicker than Captain Of All’s. Furthermore, she will now be receiving both an age and a gender allowance, which together add up to 3kg, so on paper she is the main danger.

Drier runs the four-year-old Solskjaer filly Red Label in the Listed Off To Stud Stakes over 1600m on the polytrack. She was beaten 1,75 lengths over the course and distance by Euphoria last time out and will now be 1kg worse off because the suppressed, banded merit-rating handicap conditions of this race favour the higher merit rated horses. Furthermore, she has landed a wide draw, although in her favour is that she clearly loves the poly. She is effective over this trip and stayed on well last time, although she might possibly prefer 1400m.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Captain Of All (Nkosi Hlophe)

Gold Circle will be looking into possibly reducing the width of the spur for next year’s Vodacom Durban July in order to encourage the runners to spread themselves out over the entire width of the track.

Graeme Hawkins, Gold Circle’s Racing and Marketing executive, felt that a 2m spur would probably serve the race best and discussions in this regard will shortly be taking place.

In this year’s July the horses appeared to be thrown outward by the 4m wide spur and did not make use of the inside section of the track.

There were consequently traffic problems towards the outside, although the shifting outward by the winner Power King did not help matters and appeared to be the cause of quite a few hard luck stories. Winning jockey Stuart Randolph consequently landed a two week suspension.

There is also an inquiry into third-placed jockey Johnny Geroudis’ weighing-in in excess of 1kg. On paper it appears that his mount Tellina, who finished 1,25 lengths back, would have won the July if carrying the correct weight and this is supported by the handicappers awarding him a four point merit rated raise from 108 to 112, while the winner Power King only went up three points from 106 to 109, while second-placed Punta Arenas went up two points from 109 to 111.

Meanwhile, the spur for the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m on Super Saturday, July 25, originally intended to be set at 6m, will also be subject of discussion by Gold Circle. It might be reduced in width, although the size of the field will have an influence on the decision. The final field for the Gold Cup is due to be announced at a function at 17h30 today (Tuesday) and the barrier positions will also be drawn. However, at the time of going to press only 20 horses were still standing their ground.

The spur for the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m on Saturday is due to be set at a minimum of 3m.

By David Thiselton