Andrew Harrison

It seems unbelievable that with only four horses in a race, things can still get messy. But so it did in the Pink Drive Michaelmas Handicap on the turf at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

The early withdrawal of Golden Peace and Mexican Pete cut the field to five, and then Trois Trois Quarte did a spinner, dislodging Rachel Venniker and galloped himself out of the race.

But the drama continued. With Muzi Yeni giving Officer In Command a breather coming through the 800m marker, he had Cape Eagle fighting for his head before Gavin Lerena released the brake for an early move on salted stayer Madison Valley. Once in front, Frank Robinson’s colt kept finding stoutly to hold off hard-chasing Natyam who drifted across the course carrying Madison Valley off a straight course.

That was not the end of it. Up to that point Craig Zackey had had a good afternoon with three winners but he allowed Natyam to drift off a straight course hampering favourite Cape Eagle at a crucial stage of the race with Serino Moodley standing up in the irons. Andre Nel’s runner rallied gamely under a punishing ride from Moodley as he regather his stride and was a decidedly unlucky loser. A subsequent objection against Natyam was a foregone conclusion.

Both Madison Valley and Cape Eagle are headed for the Gr1 Betway Summer Cup in November and their preparation would appear to be on point.

The unkindest cut of all appears to have brought the best out of Paul Lafferty’s charge Dapper as he made all the running to win the first. Muzi Yeni had no hesitation in taking his mount to lead and was never threatened with Lafferty’s second runner, Top Gun, getting going late to snatch second. Lafferty was mystified on Dapper’s poor effort first up after gelding but with that problem solved, he is now faced with the question of does he sprint or does he stay a mile?

Michael Roberts’s filly Ladyofdistinction was supported off the boards in the second and although she duly landed the odds, it was ‘squeaky bum’ time for her supporters. Rachel Venniker was at her for most of the race and turning for home it looked as if the gamble had gone astray as Gavin Lerena went for broke on One Path. However, Venniker kept asking and Ladyofdistinction finally got her act together to get up two jumps from the post with the balance well beaten.

Wonderful built on her last demolition of the opposition to again make all in the third for her third win and first on the turf. The field cut up to just five runners with the grey Miss Platina taking an aversion to the stalls and being left behind but Gath Puller’s filly was always in command and won comfortably.

Three of the first four races were won from the front as Amigo made all the running under Sean Veale for Louis Goosen. It was a confident ride with the only instruction being, “the horse pulls, why do you want to fight with the him, small field so I left it to Sean.”

Favourite Freddy Slater hardly raised a gallop which could soon see him two stones lighter.

That trend continued as Craig Zackey sent Peter Muscutt’s gelding Neitherherenorther to the front from his inside draw and was not for the catching to score by the best part of five lengths in the fifth. A horse that has had plenty of issues, hence only having eleven runs in his career, persistent has paid off and he looks capable of another win or two depending on how the handicappers view this win.

Givers Grace took advantage of a merit rating drop, some kinder going and a strong pace to run out a comfortable winner of the sixth to give Zackey his third winner of the afternoon. With most of the riders in the field swinging on in a pedestrian early gallop Athandiwe Mgudlwa and Yeni released the handbrake coming through the mile and went well clear of the chasing pack. Zackey sat patiently just off the early gallop before making up ground steadily in the straight to win going away.

Shanta’s Pride rounded off the meeting with a bloodless victory as Lerena drove Muscutt’s filly home to a comfortable win, the filly named after commentator Sheldon Peter’s two daughters who dedicated the win to his hospitalized father Craig.

David Thiselton

A Pinnacle Stakes race over 1600m was the headliner at Turffontein Inside on Saturday and it was an intriguing race as many Betway Summer Cup entries were involved. 

Two four-year-old fillies by Rafeef, the Stuart Pettigrew trained Beating Wings and the Brett Crawford-trained Frances Ethel finished one-two and put in eye catching Summer Cup preparation runs.

Beating Wings was driven up from the off by Diego De Gouveia from draw three and claimed the rail in third place behind a fair pace set by River Romeo. 

Frances Ethel was drawn two and was next in line on the rail behind Beating Wings, although about three lengths behind her, where she settled well. 

Beating Wings kicked well off the false rail and put the race to bed. 

Frances Ethel gave chase and strode out well but was 0,75 lengths shy at the line. 

Beating Wings in fact beat Frances Ethel by almost the identical margin when third in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000.

Nevertheless, it is Frances Ethel who has shortened into 11/2 second favourite with Hollywoodbets for the Summer Cup while Beating Wings is out at 17/1.

The chief reason was she was giving Beating Wings 2kg on Saturday so put in the better performance. 

Furthermore, Gr 2 SA Oaks winner Frances Ethel was returning from a layoff since the Woolavington following a serious bout of colic, while Beating Wings had run in the Gr 2 Gold Bracelet on Gold Cup day and only managed a 5,55 length fifth in the latter race. 

The feeling could have been that Frances Ethel could have needed it more and yet was gaining late on the winner and, furthermore, when they met in the Oaks over 2450m Frances Ethel was a comfortable 3,75 lengths clear of Beating Wings. 

James Crawford has also been quoted saying Frances Ethel looks twice the horse this season as she was last season. 

She should be a big runner in the Summer Cup, although the value hunters might prefer to side with Beating Wings considering the gulf between their odds. 

Frances Ethel is rated 118, which will see her as things stand carrying bottom weight of 54kg in the Summer Cup, although she will be 0,5kg under sufferance. 

Beating Wings went in to Saturday’s race rated 114.

Atticus Finch, rated 112, also put in a good Summer Cup trial, running a two length third carrying the same weight as Frances Ethel. He jumped from draw six and came from a handy position. 

He is now a 20/1 shot with Hollywoodbets. 

Woolavington winner Silver Sanctuary had a wide draw and ran on well from well back for a 2,70 length fourth carrying 56kg. 

That was her first run since the Ridgemont Garden Province and this 114-rated filly will have plenty of supporters at 25/2 with Hollywoodbets.

Her enigmatic full brother Safe Passage finished just a head behind her. He was carrying 2kg less than her, but has been Summer Cup runner up in the last two renewals so will have supporters at 25/1.

Graeme Hawkins

The scratchings of All Out For Six and Bjorn Ironside reduced the field for the Progress Plate over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday to just five runners but in no way detracted from the class and significance of the race. It was always going to be a match between last season’s Cape Guineas (Gr 1) winner Snow Pilot and the Western Cape Champion juvenile of last term One Stripe, and although beaten, the latter was certainly not disgraced and is well on track for a crack at the 2024 renewal of the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas on 14 December.

Favourably treated by the conditions of the race, Richard Fourie wasted no time in taking Snow Pilot to the front and the pair set a useful gallop, extending the advantage over One Stripe to six lengths as the field cornered for home. One Stripe gradually began to eat into the lead over the final 300m, but Snow Pilot kept going resolutely and had a length to spare at the line. One Stripe was beaten by a Classic Grade 1 winner on 7,5kgs worse terms than weight-for-age and his performance in defeat was full of merit.

One Stripe’s stable companion, Talk To The Master, finished a clear third and both the Vaughan Marshall inmates should come on a ton with the benefit of their seasonal debuts now under the belt. Marshall has an outstanding Cape Guineas record and he has every reason to look forward with great optimism to the R2-million Classic in two months’ time.

Candice Bass-Robinson had a frustrating start to the 10-race programme on Saturday with Major Master (9/20), Diamond Bomber (14/10) and Masterofthedesert (17/10) all finishing second in each of the first three races. The Ricky Maingard-trained Pinot Grigio (25/1) went forward early in the opening event, a Maiden Plate over 1400m, and had enough in hand to thwart the faster finishing Major Master by under a length.

In the second race, a Maiden Plate (F&M) over 1400m, the Gareth Van Zyl-trained Two G’s showed good improvement in only her second start and proved too strong for Diamond Bomber by a comfortable margin. Make a note of debutante Sweet Conifer, who recovered well from a tardy start to finish a promising third.

In the third race, a Maiden Plate over 1400m, Masterofthedesert found a strong market rival in the form of Water Dragon who was backed in from 9/2 to 2/1 and the inspired support for the latter proved to be well founded. Water Dragon and Masterofthedesert spearheaded the field from the start, but Water Dragon kept plugging away to hold the favourite at bay by less than half-a-length. Having his first run as gelding, Express Yourself showed marked improvement to finish a close third and is one for the notebook.

Bass-Robinson enjoyed a change of fortunes in the sixth race, a Class 4 Handicap (F&M) over 1800m, as the consistent Heliotrope (4/1) responded well to the powerful urgings of Sean Veale to hold off Plum Pudding and Lady Springfield in a driving finish. The favourite Enchanting Choice (5/2) was never travelling well and failed to feature.

Gareth Van Zyl saddled his second winner when King Pelles (18/10) ran on too powerfully for his market rival Daimyo to win the fourth race, the Cape B Stakes over 2000m. Daimyo tried gamely to lead from pillar to post but found no extra when tackled by King Pelles in the closing stages. It has taken a while for the penny to drop for King Pelles but the stoutly bred 4yo son of Duke of Marmalade has scope for further improvement and could be a nice staying type in the making.

The 7yo Vercingetorix gelding Seeking The Stars returned from more than year off the track to outrun his five rivals in the last race, the Cape A Stakes over 1000m. The former Matchem Stakes (Gr3) and Green Point Stakes (Gr2) winner was having his first ever start over the minimum trip and proved too speedy for Dance Variety while race favourite Captain Arrow ran a shocker and failed to make the frame.

A hands on look at shipping horses internationally. 

The 32 horses destined for Europe, arrive at Cape Town International Airport.

They load from the trucks directly into their jet stalls, before being towed to the KLM scheduled freighter, on the apron. In the shipment is the unbeaten, 7 time winner, GIMME ANOTHER.

#hollywoodbets#goldcircle#galloptv#CapeRacing#sportingpost

With thanks to: Candice Hobday, Dr John Charles, Zachary Carroll and Dr Solomon Bhandi.

Part 1: QuarantineA hands on look at shipping horses internationally. 

We follow 32 horses from quarantine to Cape Town International Airport, where they are loaded on a KLM scheduled freighter destined for Schiphol Airport, the Netherlands.

On the shipment is the unbeaten, 7 time winner, GIMMEANOTHER.#Hollywoodbets#goldcircle#galloptv#sportingpost#CapeRacing

With thanks to: Candice Hobday, Dr John Charles, Sue Mutch, Stephanie Rogerson, Andrea Auerbach and Grant Gillies.