The Weiho Marwing-trained pair Mac De Lago and Rampant Ice were the surprise packages of the Gr 2 KRA Guineas at Greyville on the opening day of Champions Season, finishing second and fifth respectively, and the never to be under-estimated Ashburton-based trainer is predicting good performances from both of them in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 at Greyville this Saturday.

He also believes his reserve runner Illuminati will run well if he gets in.

Mac De Lago was backed in from 33/1 to 20/1 in the Guineas while Rampant Ice started at 75/1, but their runs didn’t surprise Marwing, who said, “Mac De Lago is a good horse and has come on nicely, although he hasn’t got the best draw. He will stay and Illuminati and Rampant Ice will also run well.”

All three horses had previously run in the Gr 1 SA Classic. Mac De Lago finished 13^th, beaten 15,75 lengths, and Rampant Ice finished 10^th , beaten 11,5 lengths. However, that did not tell the story that they had both moved up quite well but had unfortunately been caught on the inside of horses where the going was palpably inferior than the outside strip from which the winner and all of the placed horses came. Illuminati began his run from well back on the favourable outside but had to switch to the inside to get a clear run, so he also ended in the unfavourable going. He finished 9,75 lengths back in seventh place.

Many were of the opinion that Mac De Lago’s run in the KRA Guineas was a fluke due to his merit rating of 86. However, after winning his maiden over 1160m on debut, backed in from 33/1 to 12/1, he then achieved the rare feat of beating older horses in a handicap in just his second career outing. He ran off a 78 merit rating and thrashed them by 4,25 after producing a resolute finish from the near the back of the field under Marco van Rensburg.

Among the vanquished was the twice Gr 1-placed Daily News contender Deputy Jud, whom he beat by 4,3 lengths, although he was receiving 4kg. In his next start in the Gr 3 Tony Ruffel over 1450m, Mac de Lago was backed in from 12/1 to 7/2 but was found to be striding short in both front legs after running below par. Two runs later he was actually a touch unlucky in the Guineas because, after relaxing well on the rail from a pole position draw, he had to be eased for a stride or two at the top of the straight due to the compounding pacemaker Riff Raff.

However, he still managed to run on strongly for a two length second to the comfortable winner The Conglomerate. Australian-breds have been achieving fantastic results in South Africa this season and Mac De Lago could be one of the most under-estimated members of a non-vintage three-year-old male crop. His sire Encosta Delago was a twice leading sire in Australia and has produced horses ranging from sprinters to Oaks winers, so Mac Delago should stay the 200m trip, especially when considering that his Gr 1-winning dam Macavelli Miss (won a Gr 1 over 1600m) is by stamina influence Vettori.

Rampant Ice couldn’t initially go with them in the straight in the KRA Guineas but then began to run on strongly and was doing his best work late to finish 3,15 lengths back. He is by Go Deputy so should relish the extra trip and progeny of this sire also improve noticeably as late three-year-olds. His full sister out of the KRA Fillies Guineas runner up Strawberry Ice won impressively on debut over 1400m at Scottsville on Saturday, so he is a well-bred sort.

Illuminati came from last in the KRA Guineas and followed his stablemate Mac De Lago. He kept up with him until the final few strides and finished 3,6 lengths behind the winner. He is by the miler Lateral out of a dam by Fasliyev, who was a sprinter. This dam has tended to produce sprint-milers, so on pedigree there could be a slight stamina doubt. However,  Illuminati has raced over 2000m before, in a MR 89 Handicap on Turffontein Standside in December, and he was finishing well despite being caught three wide and running off a 96 Handicap to finish four lengths behind Vodacom Durban July entry Henry Higgins, who was only running off an 86 that day.

Mac de Lago is drawn 18 out of 18 with Weichong Marwing up, Rampant Ice has drawn well in six with Bernard Fayd’Herbe aboard and Illuminati is drawn 16 and Ian Sturgeon will likely ride if he gets in. However, it should be remembered that in the recent Gr 2 Betting World 1900 at this course the first five finishers came from double figure draws.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Weiho Marwing

Mike de Kock won the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championships for the second time in succession with the Australian-bred More Than Ready filly Entisaar, who relished the tough track and won by a length under Johnny Geroudis from a somewhat unlucky Princess Royal, who had to switch to the outside for a clear run.

Entisaar is a sprinting type and will likely not run again this season. De Kock will probably be presented by yesterday’s failed favourite Shaama in the remaining Gr 1s over 1400m and 1600m respectively.

The Highveld raider Madam Dubois ran a tremendous race from a high draw and could be a big runner in the Gr 1 Golden Slipper over 1400m on July day. The pacy Speedy Suzy led and stayed on for a five length fifth while fifth-placed Royal Pleasure surprisingly didn’t employ her usual dominant tactics and could only stay on at one pace in the final stages.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Entisaar (Nkosi Hlophe)

The big Klawervlei Stud-bred colt Seventh Plain used his long stride to pull clear of the field in the latter stages of the Gold Medallion. He should get the 1400m of the Gr 1 Golden Horseshoe  on July day and that will be his next mission.

The connections of runner up Redcarpet Captain, another who flew the Captain Al flag on the day, believe he will be better over 1400m and third-placed Prospect Strikes also stayed on very well from a tough draw. Fourth-placed Muwaary faded late and jockey Anthony Delpech said that the bump he took at the start had not significantly affected him.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Seventh Plain (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Equus Champion Sprinter award might be decided by the Mercury Sprint outcome, because the Sean Tarry-trained three-year-old Captain Al filly Carry On Alice, who was third in the Cape Flying and second in the Computaform, exacted revenge on Alboran Sea in Saturday’s Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint.

The Klawervlei Stud-bred filly lifted a shoe on the way to the start, so had to be reshod, but this didn’t stop her showing her usual good cruising speed from a favourable low draw under S’Manga Khumalo. When she kicked Alboran Sea, who had come from a high draw, couldn’t go with her and the former clearly relished the extra 200m.

Fly By Night loves KZN and Scottsville and ran a fine race from a tough draw, only just failing to repeat her runner up spot from last year. David Nieuwenhuizen has done miracles to keep the R10,000 sales throw out Virgo’s Babe going for so long considering her less than perfect legs and she ran a gallant fourth from draw one ahead of Jet Aglow, who showed fine pace for a horse that prefers a mile.

Carry On Alice’s next options are either the Mercury Sprint or the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes on Vodacom Durban July day.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Carry On Alice (Nkosi Hlophe)

Masterful trainer Dennis Drier and leading owner Markus Jooste were once again to the fore at the country’s biggest sprint meeting at Scottsville on Saturday and combined for two more Gr 1s.

Klawervlei Stud, part-owned by Jooste, bred two of the day’s Gr 1 winners while their leading stallion Captain Al was sire of two Gr 1 winners and their new kid on the block Seventh Rock produced a second successive winner of the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion. Seventh Rock in 2007 became the first of six wins Jooste has had in this race and the first of five for his retained jockey Anton Marcus.

Drier has also won six Gold Medallions and has won five of the last six Renewals, including the last four in succession. The last three of those, Captain Of All, Guiness and Saturday’s winner Seventh Plain all ran in the Jooste silks and the last two were ridden by Marcus.

On Saturday Captain Of All, a strapping four-year-old Riverton Stud-bred colt by Captain Al, joined greats like J J The Jet Plane to have won the Gr 1 Tsogo Sprint over 1200m with top weight. It was Drier’s first win of this race, but Jooste was winning it for the fourth year in succession.

Jockey Cormack described Captain Of All as a clever racehorse and even when Barbosa had come alongside 800m out he had not overreacted, so he was still able to power up the hill with 60kg on his back and win comfortably at odds of 7/2.

Gulf Storm did well to finish second having been punished nine points for winning the Listed In Full Flight Stakes. Sheik’s Brashee was the unlucky horse in the In Full Flight Stakes, but consequently received no merit rated raise and duly finished a fine third at odds of 33/1. Three-year-old Bichette was the only filly in the race and ran a cracker off a 108 merit rating to clinch fourth ahead of second favourite Willow Magic.

The race was marred by a delayed start after Brutal Force had kicked the gate and been vet-checked for as a consequence many horses had to stand in their gates for a long time. Furthermore, Chekilli had to be euthanized after breaking down in the running.

The merit of Captain Of All’s victory was enhanced by him having to come from a tricky draw of nine, while the other earners were drawn favourably in the four lowest numbered barriers. Captain Of All came back bigger and better after missing most of his three-year-old season and Cormack rates him the best sprinter in the country, especially over 1200m. Over the tough Kenilworth 1000m he failed by a whisker to catch three-year-old filly Alboran and was defeated comfortably by the latter in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over the quick Turffontein 1000m.

Jooste’s racing manager Derek Brugman said Captain Of All would likely become Captain Al’s first son at stud next season, so his swansong could be in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Greyville, depending on the draw he lands.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Captain Of All (Liesl King)