Andrew Harrison

CORNE SPIES is never one to back off a challenge and his mantra is ‘have a sound horse, will travel’. WILLIAM ROBERTSON,

notching the 13th win of his career in the Marula Sprint at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday, will know well the front panel of his

horse float. 62.5kg to shoulder and Ryan Munger having a weekend of his life, the six-year-old son of Rafeef was always up with

the pace before drawing away to win as he liked. Given that he was again well weighted as Spies picks his races, the gelding’s

connections aim is for a Gr1 victory. Given that the Hollywoodbets Scottsville six furlongs is a happy hunting ground, the Gr1

Golden Horse Sprint must be on the agenda.

Picture: Gold Circle/Candiese Lenferna

David Thiselton

The Guineas meeting at Turffontein Standside on Saturday saw two odds-on favourites beaten and the emergence of a new pair of horses to add to the list of potential champions.

The new darling of the SA turf, Quid Pro Quo, was beaten into third in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas to the shock of many.

However, for Mike and Matthew de Kock it was a dream start to their partnership as their Vercingetorix filly Spumante Dolce pulled off a win full of class to make it three wins from three starts.

In only their second meeting as an official partnership Spumante Dolce was their first winner and she could not have been a more fitting winner.

She is out of a mare who Mike selected overseas at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale of 2011 together with Jehan Malherbe for 130,000 Guineas on behalf of Mary Slack of Wilgersbosdrift Stud.

Espumanti not only won two Gr 2s herself, but she gave Slack her first Hollywoodbets Durban July winner as an owner with the De Kock-trained homebred Silvano filly, Sparkling Water.

Spumante Dolce is a Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein homebred herself and is raced by Slack in partnership with Bradley Ralphs.

It was most fitting that her first black type success was in a race sponsored by Wilgerbosdrift Stud.

Spumante Dolce never had cover throughout after jumping well and assuming a position in second place on the quarters of the pacemaker Vulcanite. However, Raymond Danielson had her nicely relaxed.

She powered into the lead, when the pacemaker fell away and the feeling was 7/1 shot had hit the front too soon down the long Turffontein Standside straight.

Danielson agreed later and said she had had to work hard.

Quid Pro Quo and the Gr 1-winning VJ’s Angel bore down on her in the last furlong.

However, the big filly found another gear to repel them and beat VJ’s Angel by 0,25 lengths, converting odds of 7/1,  with the 4/10 favourite Quid Pro Quo beaten half-a-length into third.

The Gauteng Fillies Guineas is the first leg of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara series and Danielson’s words afterwards, when asked about Spumante Dolce’s Triple Tiara credentials, were telling. 

Firstly, he spoke about the race having not panned out perfectly and he added, “The scary thing she is still a puppy compared to them (to VJ’s Angel and Quid Pro Quo).”

Quid Pro Quo had sat closer to the back than the front after jumping from a tricky draw of ten out of 13, but she had cover throughout.

VJ’s Angel was dropped out from an even wider draw and was one from last turning for home.

VJ’s Angel weaved her way through and was right there challenging at the line, while Quid Pro Quo had moved up like a winner, considering Spumante Dolce had been in front for a long time.

However, the big filly found another gear to repel them.

Mike de Kock said on what they had tried at home they knew Spumante Dolce was way better than her official 89 merit rating and he said it was actually “well above 110, 112.”

He viewed her as a Triple Tiara candidate as he didn’t believe she would have a problem staying 2450m. 

Later, Alec Laird admitted to having a day of “roller coaster” emotions.

On Friday night the blood reading of Fire Attack suggested he might be harbouring the prevalent virus which is going around and on Saturday morning, despite looking well and having only a slight temperature, the reading told him there was no way he could run.

Fire Attack had the best form in the TAB Gauteng Guineas on paper, so it was a big blow.

Fire Attack had beaten the yard’s TAB Gauteng Guineas second string Parisian Walkway by 4,75 lengths in the Gr 2 Betway Dingaans.

However, Alec said he had moved up in the Dingaans as if he would easily go past Greaterix, but had not gone through with it, which had been similar to his previous start. 

The connections then decided to geld him.

The gelding seemed to have done the trick as Diego Degouveia took Parisian Walkway to the front from pole position and he dictated at a good pace and with a beautiful rhythm.

Knowing that the Ideal World gelding would ideally need further, Alec was pleased to see him going at a good pace.

However, the De Kocks looked likely to have a Guineas double when the odds-on favourite Greaterix cruised past Parisian Walkway under the hands on the inside rail at the 200m mark.

Earlier, Muzi Yeni had in masterful style managed to find the rail for Greaterix in sixth position in the eleven horse field from tricky draw of nine.

Greaterix was almost a length clear at the 100m mark, but then became one-paced.

Parisian Walkway’s big stride was not faltering and he rallied to win by 0,40 lengths in the end.

Perhaps Greaterix also needs gelding or perhaps he did not stay, as he has been said by De Kock to have so much speed others can’t keep up with him at home.

Laird also landed third place with a newcomer to his yard, Aristotle, a Rafeef gelding who was coming off two win over 1250m and 1400 in Cape Town.

Aristotle was beaten 4,20 lengths and was followed home by Legend Of Arthur and Musical Score, who were thrashed by 7,30 and 8,55 lengths respectively.

Parisian Walkway gave Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein a Guineas double as breeders.

He is owned by Gary Basel, Lance Clark and Werner Volschenk and cost R450 000 at the BSA National 2yo Sale.

Parisian Walkway’s time of 98.59 seconds can be compared to Spumante Dolce’s time of 98.94 seconds and he could be a Triple Crown candidate.  

Graeme Hawkins

Callmegetrix was all heart as she rallied bravely over the final 100m to deny the well-backed Goodnessgraciousme by a head in Saturday’s R180 000 Clapham Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. Callmegetrix was allowed to drift to 7/2 in the face of strong on-course demand for Goodnessgraciousme who shortened from 33/10 into 11/10 and then did everything but win.

Callmegetrix took up the running shortly after the start and was still travelling well within herself at the top of the straight. Goodgraciousme was tracking her every move and when Richard Fourie pressed the button halfway up the stretch, the 3yo daughter of Gimmethegreenlight quickened smartly and victory seemed assured. Goodnessgraciousme moved a length clear of her market rival at the 300m pole, but Callmegetrix was not done for yet, and Candice Bass-Robinson’s 4yo daughter of Vercingetorix responded well to JP van der Merwe’s powerful urgings, rallying strongly to reclaim the advantage in the shadow of the post.

Owned and bred by Mario Ferreira, Callmegetrix registered her fourth career victory on Saturday and boosted her earnings to above the R500 000 mark. She has been a model of consistency throughout her career and from 15 racetrack appearances has yet to miss the money in any of her starts. In her post-race interview Bass-Robinson was full of praise for Callmegetrix and expressed the hope that she could yet earn some pedigree boosting black-type before being retired to the paddocks.

Having only her fifth lifetime start, Goodnessgraciousme was far from disgraced in defeat and Justin Snaith has high hopes for her going forward. She is likely to reappear in a 3yo Fillies Feature on Derby Day towards the end of this month and is one for the notebook. My Flower Fate stayed on nicely from the rear of the field to complete the Trifecta with Fun Zone making up the frame.

Saturday’s Pick 6 dividend of R3934-80 is clear evidence that punters enjoyed the better of exchanges at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, despite a rocky start. Wild Applause (1/3) was expected to take the opener in her stride under Louis Burke in the Work Riders’ Maiden Plate over 1100m, but she was always labouring and could no better than finish a remote third behind Indebe Mayibuye (20/1) and the fast-finishing Blue Ribbon Day (33/1).

Ossie Noach picked up the ride for Vaughan Marshall on the newcomer Ireland Forever in the second race, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m, and the 2yo son of Rafeef justified his position at the top of the betting boards with a fluent victory over Cliffscape. The well related Indigenous blew the start and was very green in running, but was only two lengths in arrears of the winner at the line and is likely to improve significantly with this run under his belt.

Scottish Links (14/10) was all the rage in the third race, an Open Maiden over 1400m, and under a copybook ride from Louis Mxothwa, the 3yo gelded son of What A Winter shed his maiden ticket in some style at the fifth time of asking. Dricus showed good improvement in his first start as a gelding to fill the runner-up berth and is one to keep an eye on.

After losing out on Ireland Forever in the second race, Sean Veale arrived at the course on time for his engagement in the fourth race, an Open Maiden (F&M) over 1200m. Riding Happy Wives (9/4) for Hollywood Racing, Veale immediately took the daughter of Canford Cliffs to the lead and the pair were never headed. Beneath The Clouds (9/2) chased hard over the final 200m but Happy Wives had more than a length to spare at the line. Sugarbush (5/2) had shown promise on her debut last month but failed to fire on Saturday and was beaten out of the frame.

The fifth race, a D Stakes over 1200m, produced a thrilling finish with ever consistent Electric Feels (3/1) just holding out True Horizon (7/2) by a nose. Gravity (9/4) and Lovers Lane (16/1) completed the Quartet with only half-a-length covering them at the winning post.

The Harold Crawford/Michelle Rix training team completed a quick race-to-race double when Elusive Winter (28/10) kept up a resolute gallop to take top honours in the sixth race, a Cape B Stakes over 1000m. Porque Te Vas tried to match strides with Elusive Winter from the jump but she ran out of puff close home and it was left to Blue Holly (10/1) to chase Elusive Winter home. Following the scratching of The Abdicator, Kelp Forest was sent out a warm order favourite but he never posed a threat and trailed in a distant fourth.

Race 8, a Cape D Stakes over 1600m, yielded another very exciting finish between two long-time maidens Golden Grey and Cosmic Rhythm. The pair locked horns at the 200m pole and the result was in the balance until the very last stride, but Cosmic Rhythm put his nose down where it matters most to give Ossie Noach a welcome double for the day.

Unheralded Craig Bantam gets a lovely tune out of the Adam Marcus-trained Dream Searcher (11/2) and the 4yo daughter of Erupt made it back-to-back wins in the ninth race, a Class 5 Handicap (F&M) over 1400m. From a good position turning for home, Dream Searcher took control of the race approaching the final 200m and stretched away to win full of running. Vivo Per Lei stayed on for second and she could open her account in similarly weak company in the not-too-distant future.

Andrew Harrison

William Robertson fluffed his lines when runner-up at Hollywoodbets Scottsville last month but he can get back on the winning trail when he lines up over 1200m in the Marula Sprint at the same venue today.

William Robertson has proved lethal on this track but as a result has garnered a hefty handicap rating and generally has to give weight to all and sundry.

Trainer Corne Spies has picked his charge’s battles carefully, mostly sticking to Pinnacle Stakes races where the gelding is generally well in at the weights. He was widely regarded as something of a ‘good thing’ last time out when well in but was found out as he ran out of runway in the 100m.

He was seemingly well out of his ground in the early exchanges but finished with a rattle, only to be run out of it by outsider Captain Bombshell to whom he was giving 6kg.

A little handier and 100m further should see him make amends.

Peter Muscutt’s runner Quasiforsure was game in defeat behind the progressive Cats Pajamas last run over 1400m but also goes well this course and distance and will be a threat along with Sun Blushed who has his third run after a lay-off and was on the heels of William Robertson when last they met.

Punters face a well-filled nine-race card but they are unlikely to have much joy in the first where they face a field of mostly unraced runners. Of the three that have run, Bell Of Angelus has run two good races on this course and must have a chance of going one better with that experience under her girth.

Good Living will have plenty of supporters in the first leg of the PA, third race on the programme. It is an Open Maiden so gives weight to most but should put in another bold effort. Touch Of Heaven may be a threat as she made marked improvement last run. She is lightly raced and should have more to come.

In the opening leg of the Pick 6, Princess Goldie was runner-up last run after flopping on the poly at her previous start but is still improving and may be worth another chance in a competitive contest. Jumpthegreenlight was well beaten last run but can improve on this straight course while Piere Strydom makes a rare visit and partners La Maddalena who has been trying a furlong further but not far behind.

The truth behind Strydom’s visit could come in the fifth where he partners Gareth van Zyl’s gelding Harun Al Rashid. The gelding makes his local debut and Strydom has been booked to ride no doubt at the request of his good friend Joa de Mata. Art Nouveau is way better than her last run and the step up in trip will suit even against males.

In the sixth, Ragnar The King was outpaced late last run over 1400m and the step up in trip can see him home. Green Mile is lightly raced but has been improving and should run well from a plum draw while Fern Hill made marked improvement last run and now tries blinkers.

The eighth is a wide open handicap but Lady Of Vix has placed in all three outings and looks capable of further improvement. Her last two have been in the soft. She finished behind Ayuwi Yuwi in her first run out of the maidens but the latter has shown up well in subsequent outings albeit with a 4kg claimer aboard. Littleblackgem, judged on jockey bookings, is the pick of Michael Roberts runners and she won her penultima start over this course but steps up an extra 100m.

There is no respite in the last but Twenty One May could fit the bill as he has been holding form over this trip and has a handy weight. Kalahari Roller is never far back and has a light weight while Apex Predator goes well this trip and also has a light weight. Connery’s winning streak came to an end last start but he can do better over this shorter trip.

David Thiselton

Guineas day heralds the start of Johannesburg’s chief feature season and both the Gr 2 TAB Gauteng Guineas and GR 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas are full of intrigue this year.

In the Gauteng Guineas there is a choice between pure form as opposed to visual impression and reputation. 

The Mike de Kock-trained Greaterix oozes class and has a lot of speed and a magnificent turn of foot. 

Hollywoodbets make him an even money chance.

However, he is held on paper by the Alec Laird-trained Gr 2 SA Nursery winner Fire Attack, who is around 3/1.

Fire Attack beat Greaterix by 2,50 lengths over course and distance in the Gr 2 Betway Dingaans. 

Last time out Greaterix beat Fire Attack by 0,70 lengths in the Gr 3 Got The Greenlight Stakes over 1400m but was receiving 2kg, so once again it was Fire Attack who put in the better performance. Furthermore, Fire Attack was closing fast having been dropped out to last from the widest draw of all.

The reason Greaterix is a shorter price is due to reputation plus the visual impression he creates and he also had excuses for his last two runs. In the Dingaans he was caught in front and just went too fast and finished a bit distressed. His bloods were not right upon getting home. De Kock consequently eased off him completely and said he therefore needed his run in the Got The Greenlight Stakes. Greaterix showed a terrific turn of foot when Muzi Yeni let him go early in the straight in the Got The Greenlight, which he did because not much had gone well for him in the race until then.

Muzi had been teaching him to settle in training and he had intended to put him to sleep in the race, but he firstly had horses on his heels early and the pace later stacked up. De Kock is actually not sure of Greaterix’s classic race suitability, because he possesses so much speed. He said he can’t work him with other horses, because he just leaves them behind.

Fire Attack now has pole position, meaning he will be closer to the pace.

Greaterix is drawn nine, meaning he will need some luck finding cover, especially considering his speed, although Muzi Yeni is a master at slotting in from wide draws.

However, the bookmakers look to have the prices wrong.

Fire Attack has everything in his favour and form is also usually the best guide.

It is not a two horse race, though.

Bacchus has a step up in class, but he caught the eye as one who could go places and from draw six he should turn it on in the straight over and ideal course and distance. 

Legend Of Arthur is in fact the joint highest rated runner together with Fire Attack and he should relish this tough course and distance being by Lancaster Bomber out of a Galileo mare. He is in fact a half-brother to recent Gr 3 winner over 2500m, King Pelles. It is only his second run of the season and his first run for three months, but he should go well fresh over this trip, which could end up being on the sharp side for him.

Parisian Walkway was fourth in the Dingaans and will make his presence felt.

Chestnut Bomber could stay on into the places.

Musical Score, Choisaanada and Wild At War are better than their last respective runs.

Aristotle is an interesting acquisition from the Cape for the Laird yard as he had decent form in that strong centre.

Waheed, and Diwali Rocket will need improvement, while DantonfromSandton has a stamina doubt based on his previous form.

Fire Attack is selected to beat Greaterix with Bacchus, Legend Of Arthur and Parisian Walkway next best.

The sensational Quid Pro Quo will be hard to beat in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas.

A draw of eleven will not bother her as she can be switched on and off in the running and has an exceptional turn of foot.

She could be given some cheek by Spumante Dolce, who has also struck as something special in her two runs to date and over an ideal trip this Vercingetorix half-sister to Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Sparkling Water should be running on strongly from draw three.

VJ’s Angel is in fact officially higher rated than Quid Pro Quo. She enjoys this trip and has Gavin Lerena up, albeit from a tricky draw. World Of Alice would prefer further but should be running on. Fiery Pegasus has class and can bounce back from a below par run last time.

Those five are selected in the order mentioned.

Quid Pro Quo is a banker in all bets suggestion, although the risk averse van consider including Spumante Dolce.