First entries for Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event to be run at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday, July 4, were revealed at a function to launch the three-month Champions Season festival of racing at Greyville today (Thursday) and include the majority of the country’s best middle distance horses.

Among the initial nominations is the brilliant grey filly Majmu, recent winner of the Gr 1 L Jaffee Empress Club Stakes, plus Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara hopeful and Gr 1 SA Fillies Classic winner Siren’s Call. In fact three-year-old fillies were prominent in the entry with seven nominations including Gr 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes and Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca stakes winner Inara, Same Jurisdiction, Trophy Wife, Tamanee and Pine Princess.

Sean Tarry, who has an enviable recent record in the race having won two of the last three running’s with Pomodoro and Heavy Metal, has nominated eleven runners while Mike de Kock has entered 8, Justin Snaith 7 and Dean Kannemeyer 5.

Included in Tarry’s strong entry along with Siren’s Call, is recent SA Derby Trial winner French Navy, the highest rated of the three-year-old males entered, and the promising Cagiva who could well make the final line-up with a handy galloping weight. The Tarry-trained Heavy Metal, winner in 2013, is back in the country after a stint in Dubai and has shown promising form since his return.

Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby winner Ertijaal, who ran below form in the Gr 1 SA Classic, is one of the leading sophomore males entered along with strong entry from Kannemeyer who has pencilled in the very promising Afrikaburn and Balance Sheet along with year-older Power King and Solar Star.

Outside of Futura and Legislate, Snaith has entered recent Byerley Turk winner Heartland, a full brother to the Gr 1 winning colt and now sire Jackson.

The full list of first entries are as follows:

He had originally expected to be sidelined for no more than four weeks but said: “It was worse than I thought.  I went to a neurosurgeon and found that I had a fracture in one of the discs in my spine.

“It is still not quite 100% but I’m nearly there and I can’t just sit around watching the other guys ride my horses. I am putting on weight!”

Domeyer has three rides on Saturday, all in the last three races – Waiting For Rain for Piet Steyn, In Limine (Greg Ennion) and the Paddy Kruyer-trained Beulah.

The 28-year-old, first choice jockey when Yogas Govender trained for Plattner Racing, will continue to ride for the stable for whom he won the 2013 J & B Met on Martial Eagle.

He said: “I am not sure who is going to take over there but they have asked me to stay on which is lovely.”

The innovative idea was the brainchild of Gold Circle’s Racing and Marketing Executive Graeme Hawkins and has generally been well received by officials, riders, trainers, owners and punters.

However, there were one or two concerns from certain quarters, while others felt a slight change to the format would be of benefit.

The racemeeting on Friday will start at 17h55. In order to accommodate the short space of time between events the odd numbered races will only have jockeys riding in them and the even numbered races will only have apprentices riding.

KZN’s chief Stipendiary Steward Sean Parker welcomed the idea and said, “It is innovative, which is good for racing, and I hope it turns out to be an exciting an enjoyable meeting.” Parker was confident that unexpected events, such as objections, could be handled in the time allowed as the jockeys involved would not have to be riding in the next race, which is usually often the case.

Paddy Wynne, a top jockey is his day who won the Durban July aboard Jamaican Rumba in 1982 and is now a riding master at the South African Jockeys Academy, said, “It is a good idea when you think what 20/20 did for cricket. It is something different and will keep the apprentices on their toes and give them more opportunities.”

Apprentice Tristan Godden will be riding in the meeting and said, “It is something different and us apprentices will obviously enjoy it as we can get more chances, which we need. It will be hectic at first but I think everybody will get used to the timings.”

One of KZN’s leading jockeys Athandiwe Mgudlwa said, “It will be a challenge as there will be quite a rush between races. It will be good for the apprentices who need experience and who can get more than one ride a meeting, but I have to say that for us jockeys it will be a loss, so we hope there are not too many of these meetings.”

Legendary jockey and now Summerveld trainer Michael Roberts was in favour of the meeting and said, “I hope it is a success. It is something new and racing needs something new. Unfortunately most of the trainers will be away at the Sales.”

Cape-based trainer Dean Kannemeyer, who now has a satellite yard at Summerveld, was also positive and said, “I am looking forward to it. I have a few runners and will be there as I am only leaving for the Sales on Saturday morning. It is something new and exciting. It will be nice to not have to sit around waiting for half-an-hour. Saddle Up and let’s go. The time often drags out at normal meetings. I think the punters would have studied their form, so canter down and let’s go. 35 minutes is too long although it is obviously necessary for the big racemeetings where there are long queues.”

Trainer Mark Dixon admitted that the meeting didn’t appeal to him and said, “I am a traditionalist, I love test cricket. But I think normal meetings should have 30 minute gaps, 35 minutes is too long.”

Trainer Karen Anthony said, “There are always positives to new ideas but also aspects that don’t suit. We had to wait a long time for our horse Big King to get a good draw and when  he finally landed one he ended up in one of the apprentice races in the 20/20 meeting. He needs a strong, experienced rider and we had to scratch him again. So, I think if they mixed the apprentices with the jockeys for every race it would be better and that should still give the apprentices a lot of chances.”

Trainer Robbie Hill said, “I think it’s a good idea, although I don’t know if it will give the punters a chance to bet in time. I think the races should also be open to all riders with the condition that they can only ride every second race. The current format does give the apprentices more chances but the bottom jockeys won’t get the chances they could have had and also I had to scratch a few of my horses because I couldn’t afford to take a chance by running them from wide draws with apprentices aboard.”

Phil Georgiou, owner of the top class Harry’s Son and an enthusiastic punter, spoke on behalf of owners and the betting fraternity. His biggest concern was the length of time it is taking these days for a result to be declared all clear to pay. He said, “Punters who are collecting will be still standing in the queue waiting for the all clear and won’t have time to go down to the parade ring and then structure their bets. I know it could be said that you can collect later, but it doesn’t work like that, punters like to see what they have in hand before betting again. So hopefully the all clears will be a lot quicker. I think it will also be important for the presenters to be better prepared and be vigilant in their analysis and tipping. They will have to shorten it and not waffle on for ten minutes about every horse.”

Georgiou also felt that the information on first-time runners should be made available before the first race of the meeting and that it should be readily available, possibly via means of a screen scroll, throughout the meeting. He added that this should be the case for all meetings, because it is only in the Pick 6 where the first-timer rule applies. From an owner’s perspective Georgiou agreed with Hill that each race should be open to all riders, with the provision that no rider can take part in successive races.

Mike de Kock said on Sunday: “We’ll be discussing Majmu’s future with Sheikh Hamdan and Angus Gold, we’ll be looking at export flight schedules, but at this stage the Durban July via the Daily News is the most likely option we’ll exercise with her.”

Majmu slammed her rivals by three lengths in a time of 97.50s, posting her second successive Gr1 victory and Mike commented: “She was beautifully prepared under pressure by Mathew and the team at Randjesfontein and I’m very proud today. Mat has done a sterling job. He’s had to take the flak and the bullets in my absence, but he has broad shoulders. Well done to all involved.”

Majmu raced handy and jockey Anthony Delpech was poised to make his move at the 400m mark when momentarily his mount appeared to feel some heat from the runners around her. But coming into the last 300m she kicked into gear to put the result beyond doubt in a matter of strides.

“Majmu wasn’t feeling pressure, I told Anthony to sit on her, not to pull the trigger too fast,” De Kock commented about her finishing effort.

Majmu (JC Photos)

The filly’s legion of supporters will be hoping to see much of the same if she were to line up in the two topline events during the KZN Champion season, the respective distances of which are likely to suit her and Mike added: “Majmu’s done everything we’ve asked of her and she’s top class but she has more to prove, more to conquer. I have read some reports in the media about her being the best filly I’ve trained but I can’t recall putting that on record.  Majmu may well turn out to be the best, but right now Ipi Tombe remains at the top of my list by virtue of what she’d achieved.”

It was a great ‘day at the office’ for the De Kock stable, Sheikh Hamdan and Delpech, who opened the meeting with an impressive 1160m win by debutante Shaama (AUS), like Majmu a daughter of Redoute’s Choice. Anjaal bounced back to winning ways in Race 5 over 1400m, storming home four lengths clear.

Mathew de Kock said about Shaama: “She’s a smart filly and she reproduced what she’d showed us at home. We’ll consider our options, there is the Fillies and Colts Nursery coming up on Champions Day and a race in Durban that suits her.”

Anjaal had placed in a number of Graded races and has always been considered one of the best of  his generation. That he’s only won at Graduation level to date is a result of his coltishness and lack of confidence, not a lack a ability and by the purposeful way he strode to the start this time it is probably safe to predict that he’s turned the corner once and for all.

De Kock said: “We changed Anjaal’s training programme and brought him back in trip. This was a super win, he had some quality runners behind him and hopefully he can go on from here. We’ll probably aim him at the KZN Guineas. He’s run well at Greyville and the Guineas could be the right target.”

The trio of Sheikh Hamdan-owned winners were all bought from the Inglis Easter Sale in Sydney and Mike reported: “I’ve just returned from Australia and we bought some super yearlings at the same sale, nine for Sheikh Hamdan and one on spec. Inglis Easter has brought us some spectacular results and I must thank Angus Gold and Jehan Malherbe for their ongoing help and expertise. We’re winning big races with wonderful horses, but to have ongoing success we have to pick them right as yearlings.”

– www.mikedekockracing.com

Bernard Fayd’Herbe tracked the pace-setting Chestnut Dancer, pushed his mount into the lead just inside the 200m mark and was able to drop his hands well before the line. The 9-20 hotpot never saw the whip and she beat Jet Supreme much more easily than the two and a quarter length verdict would suggest.

Fly BY Night (Liesl King)

Last season’s Mercury Sprint winner wore down Alboran Sea close home when Mike de Kock’s filly tried to make all (against her trainer’s wishes) in the Southern Cross in December and she had not properly recovered from a joint infection when Alboran Sea gained her revenge in the following month’s Betting World Cape Flying Championship. The pair meet again in Saturday week’s Computaform Sprint.

Fayd’Herbe, who expects to put up only half a kilo over at 57.5kg, said: “It will be harder up in Johannesburg but Fly By Night will go close. I was always travelling really well today.”

Mike Bass, who won the 2013 Computaform with What A Winter, added: “Fly By Night was fit for today and I would have gone straight for the Computaform had this race not come up. It will tighten her up that little bit more.

“She will travel by road with Tevez as I did with Hammie’s Hooker (fourth in Saturday’s L Jaffee Empress Club). She left at 9.00am on Thursday, swapped boxes at Worcester where I let them loose in the truck and arrived at Turffontein at 4.00am on Friday.

“The altitude up there is always a factor as there is less oxygen in the air but it is less of a factor doing it this way.”

Act Of War pleased Joey Ramsden in a work-out at Kenilworth yesterday morning and the Grand Parade Cape Guineas winner will run in either the KRA Guineas at Greyville on 2 May or in the Winter Guineas at Kenilworth the following day.

Tomba La Bomba (Liesl King)

Joey Ramsden, on the mark with Capstone Von Klum, said: “Andrew Fortune rode him over seven furlongs and we gave him a good pacemaker to go with him. They went a strong gallop, Act Of War went very nicely and he picked off the other horse 200m out.

“He will definitely have another gallop and then which race he goes for will depend on the draws. We will be in the fortunate position of knowing these before declaration.”

Tomba La Bomba earned his Winter Guineas ticket by collaring 13-10 favourite Brutal Force 100m out in yesterday’s itsarush.co.za Handicap. The Bass 14-1 shot was the third leg of a treble for Karl Neisius who is surely living proof that a good wine can only improve with age.

He might be less than two years off 60 but he rides like perfection personified and his famous sense of timing produced first winners for stallions Russian Sage (the Eric Sands-trained Russian Speed) and Biarritz (Anglet, trained by Paddy Kruyer) in the juvenile races.

Robert Khathi gave the domestic scene a miss to fly to Nairobi to ride in the Kenya Derby. He is fast earning a big reputation at Ngong and he rewarded his growing army of followers by bringing Happy Times with a sustained late run to get up inside the last 50m.