The Sean Tarry-trained Count Dubois gelding French Navy has been raised three points for his Gr 1 Daily News 2000 win on Saturday and will go into the Vodacom Durban July with a merit rating of 113. This means, based on July favourite Futura’s current merit rating of 120, he would have to carry 54,5kg in the big race as things stand.

The 108 merit rated third-placed The Conglomerate was used as “the line horse” in the Daily News and his merit rating will remain unchanged, so as things stand he will go into the July 1kg under sufferance carrying the minimum weight for a three-year-old male of 53kg. Second-placed Ertijaal was raised four points to 110, meaning he will scrape into the July’s handicap with 53kg, while fourth-placed Rampant Ice was raised six points to 106 and it remains to be seen whether he will be supplemented for the big race.

The Alec Laird-trained Gr 1 Woolavington winner Smart Call was raised eight points to 109, based on her 2,25 length defeat of the 103 merit-rated line horse, third-placed Trophy Wife. However, Laird has said Smart Call will likely be rested for the remainder of the season.

Second-placed Pine Princess, beaten a quarter-of-a-length, remains on a 109 merit rating so will go into the July with 52,5kg as it stands. Fourth-placed Zante was the only other horse to be affected and her merit rating was raised nine points to 101, although she is not currently a July entry. The fifth-placed favourite Inara remains on 110, but she was scratched from the July yesterday (Monday) morning and will likely be aimed at the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over the more suitable 1600m distance.

By David Thiselton

Picture: French Navy (Nkosi Hlophe)

Mikedekockracing.com report that preparations with Mubtaahij for Saturday’s Gr1 Belmont Stakes have gone smoothly and, as this picture shows, he has taken well to his new surroundings.

Picture: Mikedekockracing.com

S’Manga Khumalo, who this week will pass through the 1 000-ride marker for the season, says that it was in February that he really decided to put his foot down in earnest and go for a second successive jockeys’ championship.

He explained: “I was doing quite well for Sean Tarry at the stage and his horses were really flying. I thought ‘I’m still young and I’m still fresh. From now on I must try and travel everywhere as I did last season and hopefully it will pay off.’

“But I also said to myself that, if it goes the other way and I don’t win it, I can still be happy because at least I have won it once before.

“Going round the country, getting rides and support, has shown me that I just have to give it a try. It’s not like I’m riding just in Jo’burg, I am riding everywhere and getting the support.”

He admits that he makes a conscious effort not to worry about how Gavin Lerena and the others are doing, or get concerned when they ride a double (or worse, a treble!).

He said: “I have to try not to let any of that get to me because, if I do, it is just going to put the pressure on. I have to make sure that I enjoy what I’m doing and just carry on doing the best I can.”

Lerena, his nearest pursuer and now almost certainly his biggest danger, still bears the scars of three seasons ago when his once commanding lead was gradually whittled away. On the final day of the season he was pipped on the post by an Anton Marcus double. He was left devastated and famously declared “I am heartbroken.”

He said yesterday: “At the beginning of the season every jockey wants to go for the championship but what happened that time made be a bit scared of doing so because I didn’t want to lose again. But it also made me more determined.

“I just made up my mind to ride as many winners as I can this season and make sure that I enjoy doing so.”

By Michael Clower

Picture: S’Manga Khumalo (Liesl King)

The Brett Crawford-trained Tiger Ridge filly Maybe Yes proved her liking for Greyville last time out in a Conditions Plate for fillies and mares over 1400m when waltzing in by four lengths and she will be a big runner over the same course and distance in Saturday’s Gr 2 Tibouchina Stakes for fillies and mares.

Meanwhile, the yard’s stalwart three-year-old Dynasty filly Alexis, who impressed when winning the Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas, had a slight recent setback, so they couldn’t take a chance with her in either the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 or the Tibouchina, but she is back in full work and is on track for the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes on Vodacom Durban July day.

Crawford said about the strongly built Maybe Yes, ”She is fine, doing well and working well, we’re very happy with her. ”

Maybe Yes relaxed well after being taken to the front from a wide draw in that last race over 1400m and found just as good a kick in the straight as she did when winning the Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas last season.

She has plenty of class and a fine turn of foot and 1400m could well be her best trip, considering her tendency to want to get on with it in the early stages.

A point worth noting is that she appeared to be sweating on the way to the start last time out but that had no effect on her performance.

Champion jockey S’Manga Khumalo will ride Mabe Yes for the third time in succession.

By David Thiselton