David Thiselton

The Frank Robinson-trained Mambo In Seattle Madison Valley’s victory in the Non-Black Type Pinkdrive Michaelmas Handicap over 1900m on Sunday has shades of déjà vu.

Last year Royal Victory won this race, beating third-placed Cape Eagle by 0,20 lengths, and this year Madison Valley’s victory by 0,25 lengths was also at the expense of Cape Eagle. 

Cape Eagle did in fact cross the line in third place once again, but he successfully objected against second-placed Natyam, who had squeezed him out when shifting in at the 300m mark.

Royal Victory was merit rated 108 when winning the Michaelmas and Madison Valley was also merit rated 108. 

In Royal Victory’s next start after his win in the Michaelmas he won the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup, despite having remained at long odds after the Michaelmas.

In fact he was still available at 80/1 with one firm even after the announcement of the final field.

Today Madison Valley is still out at 66/1 with the Summer Cup sponsor.

Another way in which history could repeat itself is Robinson does not envision Madison Valley having another run before the Summer Cup.

He believes he will get into the field considering his win in the Gr 3 DSTV Gold Vase over 3000m together with his Michaelmas win.

Royal Victory carried joint bottom weight of 54kg to victory in the Summer Cup off a merit rating of 111 and Madison Valley will also carry 54kg as things stand.

However, when Royal Victory won the Michaelmas he was carrying 61.5kg and giving Cape Eagle 3kg, whereas Madison Valley was carrying 59.5kg and receiving 2kg from Cape Eagle.

Madison Valley also had to face only three opponents.

Robinson, in retrospect, felt it had been beneficial that he had to scratch Mexican Pete with a high temperature as he had rated the latter’s chances and felt he might have got in Madison Valley’s way.

Madison Valley was given a fine ride by Gavin Lerena.

He settled him beautifully in last position, but with the pace not on Lerena produced him coming up the hill at about the 650m mark.

He used Madison Valley’s long stride to sweep around the field and entered the straight in the lead.

Lerena showed his professionalism in that move because Robinson had said to him before the race, “I don’t want to tell you how to ride him, but what I can tell you is he is a bit of a staying type and takes a bit of time to get going.”

Lerena had thus given his mount plenty of time to find top gear and timed it to perfection. 

Madison Valley’s long stride and ability to stay on strongly that make him suited to Turffontein Standside.

Another aspect of his make up that would have impressed his supporters is his dogged determination.

After hitting the front the other three were quickly on top of him and a lesser horses would have felt swamped and perhaps thrown in the towel. However, he fought off the attentions of Officer In Command on his inside and then fought off Natyam, despite being carried in significantly by the latter in the last 300m.

Robinson said Madison Valley had not been a hundred percent for the run too as he would need to have been brought on a little with the Summer Cup in mind and that was not to mention the small field, which was against him due to a likely lack of pace for a long-striding staying type who needed as strong a pace as possible.

The Clifton Stud-bred gelding looks to be good ante-post value for the Summer Cup and hopefully he will be included in the final field.

Cape Eagle was unlucky in the Michaelmas for the second season in succession. 

Last season he looked to have the race won but hung awkwardly and was somehow beaten and it actually led to a three month suspension for the jockey, which was later negated after a successful appeal.

Cape Eagle is also a Summer Cup entry and is 50/1 with the sponsor.

Meanwhile down in Cape Town the most talked about three-year-old colt of the season, the Vaughan Marshall-trained twice Gr 3 winner One Stripe, put in a fine trial run for the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas.

It was the Vercingetorix colt’s first start beyond sprints and he had to give 1kg to last season’s Cape Guineas winner, Snow Pilot, which meant he faced the latter on 7,5kg terms worse than weight for age.

Snow Pilot was taken to the lead by Richard Fourie from the widest draw and had opened up a six length lead by the top of the straight.

The Lancaster Bomber colt was running over his probable best trip and kept on strongly all the way to the line.

However, One Stripe did manage to close the gap to just one length under Gavin Lerena, which augurs well for his chances in his next race and his chances in the Cape Guineas. 

The pair could feasibly clash in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate on January 4, which is three weeks after the Cape Guineas.

RACE 1     

2 OPERA VERSE 1 ICE CAP 5 DANCING IN WINTER 7 FANTASY GIRL

Preview: 2 OPERA VERSE can go close if repeating her last start, which was her second outing in the East Cape. 1 ICE CAP has been close up in her last few and has a chance. 5 DANCING IN WINTER made a fair debut and should be in the shake up. 7 FANTASY GIRL has the form toe be a contender here. (David Thiselton 2-1-5-7)

RACE 2     

2 FLASH LIGHTNING 8 GLOBAL SCENE 6 AGAMEMNON  3 MAN OF COURAGE

Preview: 2 FLASH LIGHTNING should win this if repeating his best Cape Town form over this trip. 8 GLOBAL SCENE has a good chance here from a good draw as she has been in form and only has to carry 54kg. 6 AGAMEMNON improved when dropped down in trip to 1600m and might improve again over a further drop in trip but he does have a tricky draw. 3 MAN OF COURAGE has run two fair races and should be in the shake up. (David Thiselton 2-8-6-3)

RACE 3     

3 ELUSIVE MATA 2 ANGEL OF MY HEART 4 BEIJING BOULEVARD 5 KAROO BOKKIE

Preview: 3 ELUSIVE MATA is knocking on the door and is distance suited and has a fair draw. 2 ANGEL OF MY HEART tries a drop in trip but does have a tough draw. 4 BEIJING BOULEVARD has been thereabouts lately and has a chance here under Muzi Yeni. 5 KAROO BOKKIE showed improvement last time and is drawn in pole with Fourie up. (David Thiselton 3-2-4-5)

RACE 4     

1 NO PLACE LIKE HOME 4 JUAN CARLOS 2 CENTRAL CITY 6 STORM COMMANDER

Preview: 1 NO PLACE LIKE HOME disappointed last time off huis highest mark ever of 87 but he has pole position and is capable of better. 4 JUAN CARLOS beat No Place Like Home by 0,5 lengths last time but is now 1kg worse off. 2 CENTRAL CITY seems to be battling at present but could earn if producing his best. 6 STORM COMMANDER is drawn well over a suitable trip. (David Thiselton 1-4-2-6)

RACE 5     

4 MISS SHAIVI 8 COLD TRUTH 11 MEDITERANEANGODDES 1 BYTHELITEOFTHEMOON

Preview: 4 MISS SHAIVI has been knocking on the door and should be right there again from a fair draw. 8 COLD TRUTH seems to have better turf form and has a wide draw here but she is capable and has her third run after a layoff. 11 MEDITERANEANGODDES is capable of being involved here from pole position. 1 BYTHELITEOFTHEMOON won easily last time but now has an eight point raise to overcome. (David Thiselton 4-8-11-1)

RACE 6     

6 COOL WINTER 3 ANUSCHKA’S WORLD 7 SON OF ZEUS 1 FOREST SPY

Preview: 6 COOL WINTER will go close if repeating his last start. 3 ANUSCHKA’S WORLD won easily last time over 1000m although he was under sufferance and has copped a 16 point raise so he will need to confirm it.  7 SON OF ZEUS is in good form and distance suited and should be right there from a fair draw. 1 FOREST SPY is 5,5kg better off with Anuschka’s World for a 3,75 length beating over 1000m and he might prefer the step up to 1200m. (David Thiselton 6-3-7-1)

RACE 7     

5 ARABIAN RED 6 QUERANDI 4 LIGHT OF DAY 1 KILMONIVAIG

Preview: 5 ARABIAN RED is in fine form and now has a plum draw unlike in her last two starts. 6 QUERANDI might find this a bit sharp but could still be a factor. 4 LIGHT OF DAY could be involved if recapturing her KZN form. 1 KILMONIVAIG should be right there if repeating her last run. (David Thiselton 5-6-4-1)

RACE 8     

3 HEART STEALER 7 BRYDEN BAY 6 JAMES FITZJAMES 1 ABOUND

Preview: 3 HEART STEALER won on his East Cape debut without the blinkers which were worn when he won at Durbanville and now over the same trip the blinkers are on from a good draw, but he does have to overcome a six point raise. 7 BRYDEN BAY won his third start in the East Cape easily and his opening handicap mark of 67 looks fair enough. 6 JAMES FITZJAMES won his maiden on his East Cape debut and can do better than last time. 1 ABOUND should appreciate the step up to 1400m considering he was once a close second to Fairy Knight over 1600m. (David Thiselton 3-7-6-1)

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.