David Thiselton

The Hollywoodbets Scottsville meeting today is headlined by a MR90 Handicap and the progressive Nocturnal Flight could follow up on his last win.

Nocturnal Flight’s trainer Peter Muscutt is having a fine season in KZN  with 19 wins at a high strike rate of 26.76%. Nocturnal Flight won from a wide draw over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville last time and now has a plum draw of two and is only off a two point higher mark. In form Kabelo Matsunyane rides. The danger could be stablemate Bristol Hercules, who has run five times at Hollywoodbets Scottsville for two wins, a second and a third. He has not raced for over three-and-a-half months, but the booking of Gavin Lerena is a signal that this imposing horse is in with a shout. Lindbergh showed a lot of ability in the strong centre of Cape Town and he will appreciate the return to turf and the step up to 1600m. He would not be a surprise winner from a fair draw.

In race 3 My Boy Lollipop has never enjoyed much luck and he will likely have benefited from a three month layoff. He usually finds one better but faces an uninspiring field and at last has a chance to exit the maidens.

In race 7 Now I Got You was mixing it with the best early in his career before going off the boil. However, he has shown glimpses of being competitive again and has now dropped even further down the merit ratings to 65. Deryl Daniels has ridden Now I Got You four times and been in the frame three times so gets the ride. Stevie Gee went close the last time he ran over course and distance, but is now ten points higher in the merit ratings. Iron Will is off a competitive mark and although this is on the sharp side Hollywoodbets Scottsville has a tough 1200m and he should be staying on.

Race 6 is an interesting MR 88 Handicap and the talented Capsaicin is an interesting runner. He has not yet fulfilled his considerable potential and should do better stepped up in trip here. However, El Dante is highly regarded and full of ability and bounced back with a fine run last time, so looks the one to beat.

Twenty One May makes appeal in the last race. He is at his best over 1000m and his last run over course and distance reads well because he was under sufferance and was right on top of them.  

RACE 1

(5) Holds The Key is the only raced horse in this contest and his debut effort was extremely good. He will be the firm first choice. Punters are urged to listen to trainer comments and watch the market as all other runners are unraced. ( Devonne Govender 5)

RACE 2

(7) PAVED WITH GOLD made solid progress in the last start and will go very close in this contest. (1) AGRADO wasn’t beaten far on debut and will improve, lively challenger here. (8) PROMISE OF FIRE is another who will benefit from having a run under the belt and expected to be in the mix. (2) RAGNAR THE KING hasn’t been far in his last run so will get closer. (Devonne Govender 7-1-8-2)

RACE 3

(1) CATAVAR hasn’t been far in recent starts and can get much closer so must be respected in a very open looking race. (8) REAL WAR is capable of much better, he has run well at this track hence he should be in the firing line. (3) HIGHER LOVE made improvement in the last start and can build on that so can get into the placings. (5) MY BOY LOLLIPOP was disappointing in the last start and can do better, he isn’t out of this contest. Watch betting on unraced runners. ( Devonne Govender 1-8-3-5)

RACE 4

(1) SHE’S A BOMBER won extremely well in her last start and is expected to follow up on that effort with the apprentice claiming the 4kg allowance. She is on the up and will have a massive chance. (4) SASCHA’S DREAM wasn’t beaten far in the last start and looks progressive, Rachel Venniker claims the 1.5kgs which brings her right into the contest. (6) MYSTIQUE ROUGE is capable of winning here but can be reliable. (3) WEST SIDE STORY wasn’t beaten far and get into the quartets. ( Devonne Govender 1-4-6-3)

RACE 5

(12) SELUKWE is holding solid form and despite the wide draw he will have a massive chance as he’s form speaks for himself. (11) MASTER OF DESTINY has a powerful finish and has run well at the track so will be a big challenger. (6) KITCHAKAL ran a cracker in the last start and will be huge contender if repeating that. (9) SPELLING BEE is much better than his last two runs and must be included in all bets. (Devonne Govender 12-11-6-9)

RACE 6

(4) EL DANTE ran well in the last start and is very capable of winning this from a decent enough draw. (2) TYRCONNELL has been consistent and will be a huge contender in this compact field with top rider Gavin Lerena aboard. (3) TERIYAKI is never far back and must go into all bets as he will enjoy the 1400. (6) VOLDEMORT ran well in the last start and can make the frame, include in quartets. (Devonne Govender 4-2-3-6)

RACE 7

Open race. (1) STEVIE GEE is a very consistent type and another big run can expected. His last win on poly was impressive so he will be factor in the finish. (6) EL DRAQUE gets a top rider in the saddle so must be taken seriously. He is never far back and can strike here. (3) ONE IRISH ROVER loves to be on the speed and will have a chance with the apprentice taking weight of his back. (2) IRON WILL ran well enough in the last start and should be included in quartets. ( Devonne Govender 1-6-3-2)

RACE 8

(2) IMMAH looks extremely progressive and will take some beating after running a cracking second in her last start. (4) FUTURE FLO is holding top form so must be respected. (9) TWENTY ONE MAY ran extremely well in the last start and will be a challenger here. (3) NDAKA has been consistent so must be included in quartets. ( Devonne Govender 2-4-9-3)

David Thiselton

Oriental Charm has gone top of the WSB Met ante-post betting market after his eye-catching win in the Gr 2 WSB Green Point Stakes, although on paper this means he would have had to have improved considerably since his Hollywoodbets Durban July win.

Meanwhile, the leading female horse in the Met betting, the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Red Palace, comes under the hammer at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth after racing on Wednesday in order to dissolve a partnership.

Oriental Charm was 5kg better off than weight for age with the topweight See It Again when winning the July and only beat him by 1,80 lengths. 

That is not to mention that he hampered See It Again as well and the latter would have otherwise finished considerably closer.

The Met is run on weight for age terms so it means that Oriental Charm would have needed to have improved by 4kg to 5kg since the July to reverse form with See It Again.

The latter was slightly disappointing in the Betway Summer Cup in the views of most pundits, but jockey Piere Strydom did not see it that way.

He said, “He beat Royal Victory and they sort of ran to form. Always giving away weight when there are young horses coming through is not easy and is not ideal for him. Maybe he will race fresh in the King’s Plate and then go for the Met, where he will be well handicapped (he will be the highest rated horse under weight for age conditions).

See It Again had a nightmare in last year’s Met when odds on favourite.

However, he was not himself in either that race or the L’Ormarins King’s Plate.

However, he has since been gelded and the Met will provide an ideal opportunity for him to show how good he is.

Some members of the racing pubic have become a bit tired of him losing as favourite and could well abandon him.

However, they might then be doing it at the wrong time when considering his two Gr 1 victories have both been over 2000m and his only defeats over that trip have been when below par in last year’s Met and when having to give weight away in the Summer Cup.

Oriental Charm is currently a 33/10 shot for the Met and See It Again is 11/2.

The third favourite is Green With Envy, who is under a cloud after finishing tailed off last in Saturday’s WSB Green Point Stakes.

Trainer Dean Kannemeyer said, “He was coughing after the race, but pulled up sound. I had four runners on Saturday who coughed after the race and am busy now with lung washes and blood counts.”

If Green With Envy is able to bounce back he will become one of the horses to beat again in the Met considering his impressive win in last season’s Splashout Cape Derby, which he followed with good wins in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas and Gr 1 Daily News 2000.

Dave The King also has a cloud over his head following disappointing runs in his last two starts and the Met trip will stretch him.

However, his Mike de Kock-trained three-year-olds stablemates Heather’s Boy and Greaterix are both interesting Met entries. Heather’s Boy is unbeaten in three starts and as a big scopey sort should continue to improve and Greaterix is better than his last run in the Betway Dingaans when finding himself in front, which was unlikely to be ideal.

Snow Pilot has come into his own this season, but odds of 10/1 are too skinny for a horse who has stamina doubts.

Gimme A Prince has never been this far either and is a twice Gr 1 winner over sprint trips so is also a risky play at 16/1.

Red Palace is better value at 16/1 as she has class and will see out the trip. 

Frances Ethel is also a fascinating runner at 25/1 as she is definitely better than her Summer Cup effort, although she will have a harder task at the weights in the Met.

Eight On Eighteen is a highly regarded three-year-old whose 20/1 odds include a doubt he will even line up.

Silver Sanctuary did not scope well after her last place finish in the Summer Cup and could bounce back.

Rascallion can never be ignored as he proved last year when a narrow runner up.

Without Question was third last year and is capable, so his odds of 67/1 look to be fair value.

Meanwhile, Flag Man has been scratched from the Met and will be out for the season as he requires surgery to a fetlock.

David Thiselton
Sean Tarry’s season has not yet kicked into topgear but there were a couple of hints on Saturday that the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Festival Of Speed meeting that usually takes place in late May or early June is where his season will kick into overdrive again.
On Saturday Cosmic Speed made his awaited seasonal reappearance over 1160m at Turffontein Standside and fended off the decent Gr 3 winner Cymric to win by a cosy 0,60 lengths, although he did have the advantage of Trent Mayhew’s 1,5kg claim.
Tarry said 1200m to 1400m was the best trip for the three-year-old Querari gelding at present and when asked whether the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint would be his chief aim, he replied, “You know me, that meeting is normally something I focus on, so there is a reasonable possibility.”
He said about Saturday’s win, “He was idling behind them and quickened up like a good horse, he did what he needed to do. It was a good win.”
Tarry is known as The King Of Hollywoodbets Scottsville, having won a record 19 Gr 1s there.
Lucky Lad won the Golden Horse for him last season and Tarry said about the his most recent run, when a 3.05 length fifth in the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Merchants over 1160m at Turffontein on Betway Summer Cup day, “Obviously we were drawn on the wrong side and carried a hell of a weight. There’s a Pinnacle Plate coming up but I wanted to get him to Cape Town and wanted to give him one more run. We would have loved to have won, but those were two massive obstacles to overcome, so I was happy, I thought that was a good run.”.
So the Gr 1 Cape Flying Championship seems Lucky Lad’s main mission.
Proceed, the Gr 1 Gold Medallion winner last season, is yet to be seen this season. However, he would be an obvious Golden Horse Sprint candidate if getting back to his best.
Tarry said about his two-year-olds for this season, “We only really have to worry about them in February for the Scottsville meeting, so we still have a few months.”
Tarry will have a few strings to his bow among the fillies for the SA Fillies Sprint.
Rodeo Drive, runner up in last season’s Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship to the sensational Quid Pro Quo, would have seemed the main one but has not been seen this season yet. Mrs Browning, runner up in last season’s SA Fillies Sprint, was disappointing last time out and so was Winter Greeting (third in the SA Fillies Sprint), but there is also the like of Mia Moo, who could still improve, and Troppo Veloce.
Meanwhile, Tarry’s three Betway Summer Cup runners Future Pearl, Litigation and Hotarubi finished 13th , 14th  and 16th in the latter big race and he said, “I thought Future Pearl ran a reasonable race, Hotarubi from that draw things did not work out for him and you can put a line through that run, and with Litigation the run maybe came a bit soon. He was still a few kilograms overweight, he was even heavier for the Charity Mile but we got away with it over a mile, but I think he probably still needed the Summer Cup run a bit.”
Future Pearl clearly loves Durban, where his form is top drawer, and Tarry is going to take him to Cape Town and take his chances in the stayers races down there with the hope that he also loves the coastal course of Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. His long term aims will be the Hollywoodbets Durban July and World Pool Gold Cup.
Tarry is also looking forward to the Grand Heritage where he has a few entries including Champion Warrior, who seems to love the Vaal straight course.

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