Highveld trainers Mike Azzie and Paul Peter both have a couple of Gr 1 contenders at Saturday’s Festival of Speed meeting and all of them are being prepared out of Summerveld.

Azzie said he had withdrawn one of his best juveniles Frosted Honey as he didn’t want to risk her from a bad draw ahead of her chief target, the Gr 1 Golden Slipper over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day, although he admitted he now ran the risk of her being drawn badly in the latter race too.

His Allan Robertson contenders Mella Maria and La Strada have both “worked nicely” in the build up, but he revealed that the former was the better of the pair and had improved a lot from her 4,9 length fifth in the SA Fillies Nursery over 1160m. She was drawn on the wrong side that day and also in her previous start when getting within 0,5 lengths of subsequent Fillies Nursery winner Entisaar in the Gr 3 Pretty Polly Stakes over 1100m. The Australian-bred filly is by Star Witness, whose Justin Snaith-trained son Lineker was one of the most impressive two-year-old debut winners seen out this season, running on strongly to win over 1200m at Scottsville. Mella Maria will run in first time blinkers but she has unfortunately drawn unfavourably high in barrier 15. The underrated Ian Sturgeon rides. La Strada got off the mark at the third time of asking in a Workriders Maiden Juvenile Plate, so will need a lot of improvement but she is at least drawn on the right side in barrier one and has champion jockey S’Manga Khumalo aboard.

Paul Peter is hoping for a place with Miracle Rising in the Allan Robertson. This Judpot filly was a touch unlucky last time out in the Gr 3 Strelitzia Stakes over 1100m at Scottsville as she was slow away by about two lengths and was then boxed in on the rail so had to be switched to the centre. The jockey then dropped the whip five strides from home and she only went down by 0,75 lengths. However, she will now be 4kg worse off with the winner Royal Pleasure. She beat Royal Princess by 1,75 lengths that day, but the latter was unable to find a clear run and was the unluckiest horse of the race. Miracle Rising will also be 4kg worse off with Royal Princess. Miracle Rising is drawn on the right side in barrier two and Muzi Yeni will be aboard. Peter admitted she would be up against a very strong field and rated the Mike de Kock-trained Entisaar as a top horse.

Peter was also hoping for a place at best with his Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion contender Just Africa. This Just As Well colt finished four lengths behind subsequent Gr 1 SA Nursery winner Arabian Beat on debut over 1000m and then won his maiden next time out by four lengths also over 1000m. Peter said, “He has a lot of gate speed but it is his first time beyond 1000m.” His sire was a middle distance horse and his damsire Stratum won Australia’s most prestigious two-year-old race, the Gr 1 Golden Slipper over 1200m, so there might be a mixture of stamina and precocious speed. Just Africa is drawn eight in the ten horse field with Keagan de Melo aboard. Peter said both horses had been doing well.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Mike Azzie

Alistair Gordon runs the two-year-old colt Beat The Retreat in the Gold Medallion at Scottsville on Saturday.

Beat The Retreat is by the disappointing sire Argonaut but Gordon pointed out that he was a sound horse and came from “a serious family,” which includes the like of Gr 1 winners Rabiya and All Is Secret. Gordon said, “He is doing very well and his prep has been good. He had a good gallop on Saturday on the grass and it went very well, I’m very happy.”

Beat The Retreat won by 3,5 lengths on debut over 1000m and finished just 1,5 lengths behind Seventh Plain in the Godolphin Barb at level weights in his second career outing. Gordon is not concerned by his very outside draw as it is only a small field of nine and he will likely get a clear run as opposed to being boxed in on the inside by horses moving over to seek the better going.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Beat The Retreat (Nkosi Hlophe)

Brett Crawford runs Gulf Storm in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m on Saturday.

This four-year-old Sail From Seattle gelding earned bold black type for the first time in his 19^th career outing last time out when winning the Listed In Full Flight Stakes over 1100m at Scottsville, so Crawford appears justified in being stunned by the handicapper’s decision to raise him nine merit rated points. That is the equivalent of 4,5kg, meaning he will now have to carry second topweight and give two Gr 1 winners 2,5kg each.

He hoped that he would be proven wrong on Saturday. Gulf Storm appeared to relish the tough Scottsville track in that last run and Crawford said, “He is doing very well, is fresh and fit and he has a nice draw.” Crawford’s Dynasty gelding De Kock “pulled up alright” after his disappointing tailed off last finish in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 and the yard are “running bloods to try and find anything wrong, as it wasn’t his run.” However, he added that it could have just been a case of him not staying the trip.

Meanwhile, KRA Fillies Guineas winner Alexis is on track for the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 on Saturday week and impressive recent winner Maybe Yes is doing well ahead of the Tibouchina on her way to the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Gulf Storm (Nkosi Hlophe)

Cape Trainer Joey Ramsden was happy with the preparation of his Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint contender Brutal Force ahead of Saturday’s Festival Of Speed meeting at Scottsville and also revealed that his top class three-year-old colt Act Of War had travelled “exceptionally well” from Cape Town ahead of his engagement in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge on June 6.

Ramsden said that Brutal Force had already been fit from his two Kenilworth runs over 1400m and 1000m in April and early May respectively. In the first of them the three-year-old  Western Winter gelding had “travelled a bit hard from a wide draw” but still ran a good second and he then came out and won a “really nice race” over 1000m, beating the useful older horse Castlethorpe on weight for age terms by 2,25 lengths.

The big horse subsequently travelled well from Cape Town, arriving at Summerveld about two weeks ago, and has been working well at Summerveld. Brutal Force was gelded after his win in the R1 million Cape Thoroughbred Sales (CTS) Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth on January 24 as he weighed over 600kg. He touched off the promising Zambezi River in the CTS Stakes and Ramsden believes that, although he gets 1400m, the 1200m is likely his best trip.

The powerful chestnut has a tricky draw of 14 to overcome on Saturday, just one inside of the draw of 15 that his full brother Red Ray carried to second place last year. However, his 52,5kg weight is 4kg less than Red Ray was asked to carry. Greg Cheyne, fresh from his win in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900, rides. Brutal Force is sure to be fine tuned in his third run after a layoff and gelding.

By Dave Thiselton

Alyson Wright runs the promising Western Winter colt Mr Roy in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m and he looks to have a tough task on paper as he will have to make up 3,5 lengths on the classy colt Seventh Plain from their meeting in the Gr 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1100m, which was also run at Scottsville.

However, Wright said the always well regarded colt had not had a good preparation into the latter race due to a skin allergy and had consequently run “a flat race.” He was backed on debut and after disappointing was found to be full of mucous. He then came out and won well over 1000m a couple of month later on April 15. The yard are now confident that he will do better than he did third time out in the Godolphin Barb. He put in some very good work yesterday (Tuesday) and Wright said, “I am very pleased with him. He will be at his best and I think he will run a big race.”

He jumps from draw 6 in the nine horse field and Johnny Geroudis rides. Wright felt that the yard’s Vodacom Durban July entry Kochka had put in “an amazing run” on Sunday at Greyville, where he was beaten just 1,75 lengths by July favourite Futura over 1600m at level weights. The big Black Minnaloushe gelding was off with a virus for a while and only started normal work again two weeks ago, which emphasises just how fine an effort he put in on Sunday. He will be a big runner when stripping fitter next month in either the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m or the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Mr Roy (Nkosi Hlophe)