Royal Racing
Greyville 2 July: The Vodacom Durban July day was an unqualified success by all accounts. Increased tote turnovers, spectacular racing, dramatic disappointment, the usual lame excuses, and endless parties provided plenty of media material. IGUGU’s great win has been well covered in this publication and we can only say again that Mike De Kock is a genius. Good horses find him and he knows what to do with them.
Summerhill – bred PIERRE JOURDAN ran a cracker in second place in the July while ENGLISH GARDEN came out top of the three year old pile. We will still hear plenty from THE APACHE, BRAVURA and SAFWAN, while BLACK WING apparently ran with a virus and he could be back after a rest. The balance were just not up to it and one would like to see horses being allowed to do their talking on the racetrack before being hyped up and placed under pressure. Champions make their own luck.
The Right Royal Affair theme of the day played right into the hands of PRINCESS VICTORIA who took the Gr1 Durban Golden Slipper in her stride. Jumping in midfield from her poor draw, she was brought around the outside by Andrew Fortune at the 300m marker and it was race over. She is a star two year filly and one hopes that she trains on. FELIX THE CAT ran a great post-maiden race to fly for second place, and she should be a penalty kick in the Novices next time. Felix Coetzee will be lamenting the fact that he got off her to ride HIDDEN BEAUTY, who ran a disappointing fifth.
Former Zimbabwean champion jockey Ivan Moore, who only has a small string of horses, celebrated a rare Group 1 victory when his Australian – bred FIGHTING WARRIOR sliced through late down the inside to catch MUSHREQ who rallied late in the Zulu Kingdom Golden Horseshoe over 1400m. It was a superb ride by the qualified pilot Stuart Randolph and though the shenanigans at the start provided a ready made excuse for the likes of GIMMETHEGREENLIGHT and MUSHREQ, the winner looks top-class. The disappointment here was RIO CARNIVAL , who faded out to finish with just four horses behind him.
DANCEWITHTHEDEVIL failed at her first shot at Greyville when running unplaced in the Gr1 Jonsson Knitwear Garden Province Stakes. The race went to the smart HAPPY ARCHER ridden by Anton Marcus. The daughter of Dubawi trained by Sean Tarry, won a feature on the corresponding day last year and is undoubtedly talented. Dennis Drier’s Dynasty three year old BEACH BEAUTY finished with a storming effort to run second and she is a really top-class sort in the making .
Cape trainer Dean Kannemeyer only has a small string on the East Coast but he has paid his way with regular winners, including Splash Gold in the Post Merchants at this venue, and THE SHARK turned up in a vicious mood to win the penultimate event, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1200m. The Zimbabwean bred son of Kitalpha broke Extra Cover’s 26 year old track record when downing the dual Classic winner SOLO TRAVELLER with a sustained late run. He obviously loves the Greyville circuit and is a gelding who should win his way through the ranks.
Apprentice Keegan De Melo celebrated the biggest win of his short career when he steered the ever consistent TETELESTAI to a smart win in the July day opener. There was always going to be a lot of speed in this MR 102 Handicap over the 1000m and SHARE THE SILVER and VILLANDRY showed flashes of speed before De Melo shot the Howells trained son of Bezrin clear at the 200m mark to win in a fast time. AUGUST RUSH ran on well for second, while the run of the race beyond the winner came from the sand-specialist KENTUCKY EXPRESS who ran a great race from a poor draw. The former Puller hoirse, trained these days by Mike De Kock, sprints very well and had a fair grass track record before moving North. He is one for the notebook.
The Scott Brothers-bred good looker SURRUPTITIOUS, flashed down the outside late in the race, to grab top honours in the 1900m Juvenile Plate. The fancied RANSOM OF CHOICE looked a winner close home, but Anton Marcus had not reckoned on the superior finish of Ivan Moore’s horse. A first winner for the stallion Overlord, he looks the sort who could train on into a top three year old.
Trainer Mike Bass has had sleepless nights over the expensive purchase FORT VOGUE, but the five year old son of Fort Wood finally showed a hint of real ability when bouncing clear to win the Gr3 Schweppes 2200. It was admittedly not the greatest field, but it puts him sweetly on track for the Champions Cup later this month. SALUKI came back to his best to finish well for second, while the fancied ILSANPIETRO completed a fairly smart Gold Cup trial by running into fourth over a distance short of his best.
The Miller Dark Horse Gr2 Gold Vase will harbour nightmares for punters after Richard Fourie somehow managed to get the 50-1 shot GREY COSSACK home in the shadow of the post at the expense of Joey Ramsden’s PREDESTINATION. Carl Burger trains the unlikely winner who now has the Gold Cup in his sights. It was a shrewd and brave ride by the young fearless Fourie as he went around his field at the 2000m marker and after being headed two or three times down the straight, he showed superior stamina to win. Duncan Howell’s KNIGHTTOREMEMBER ran on strongly for third and has been shrewdly placed by his astute conditioner. He is one for the notebook. The list of disappointments here was long with TWO STRIKES, ATLANTIC OAK and JEPPE’S REEF being at the top of the list. Traditionally this race has not produced many Gold Cup winners, so their trainers may still be holding out some hope yet for the big one on Super Saturday.
TITBITS
Joey Ramsden’s well-performed IN LIKE FLYNN ran over a distance short of her very best in the final race, a 1100m MR 90 Handicap. She ran on well late and is very game and tough. Watch her over further.
PHANTOM FIGHTER was swept off his feet by THE SHARK in the 1200m Pinancle Stakes, but is a talented three year old , who is always worth including. He ran fourth here and is very consistent.
DANCE WITH AL was relatively unfancied in the Gr1 Garden Province Stakes, and while normally classed as a sprinter, she stayed on well to run third. She may have lost some of her early toe and if she has another run or two before going to stud, we suggest including her.
SIDESTEP won his maiden at the Vaal over 1000m at beginning of May, and ran a pearler of a race in the Gr1 Golden Horseshoe to run third, when only tiring late. Monitor him closely when he goes home to weaker company.
.
No deception!
Arlington 1 July: The month of July started on a rocky slope for punters with the formbook being thrown out of the window at high speed! The Gavin Smith-trained filly LA PERLE came in for some betting support to 33-10 in the Maiden 2400m and won the PA opener beating a moderate bunch of males. CLASSIC DESTINY was the only one to pose a threat to the Caesour filly, and it was left to the formless WAYLON JENNINGS to earn the first cheque of his career when plodding into third. The favourite JAMBEROO was allowed to stride in front by Felix Coetzee, but ran a dismal race to scrape into fourth spot. He is really limited and will need to bump the blind school to win a race.
Apprentice Anthony Andrews rode a perfect race to get the bang-in-form SAVANAH PARK home to win the day’s feature, the MR 90 Handicap over 1800m. The son of Rakeen had the advantage of the best draw but has really recaptured his prime form in PE, winning his third race on the trot. In a fancied result, the Snaith’s CLUB MONTREAL, a veritable ATM machine, ran into second late while SYMBOLIST completed the trifecta. The once promising YOUTH CLUB hardly showed and he has turned out to be a disappointment for punters – never mind his connections who must be scratching their heads in puzzlement.
The young Andrews, whose parents Terry and Annabel run a well-known stud and spelling facility in Paarl, showed his promise and perfect balance in the saddle with a great ride on yet another Gavin Smith winner in the second race, a Maiden 1400m. DECEPTIVE lived up to his name after two weak runs in Gauteng and a six month break. He held off the filly FIERY WOOD who should not be long in winning in fillies company, while CRIMSON TIDE ran his usual game race to plod into third. The Snaith-trained SACRED CITY ran a poor race to finish ten lengths off the winner.
Karis Teetan and Yvette Bremner were on the mark with the Victory Moon two year old BLAZE OF FIRE who shed his maiden in good style in the Pick Six opener over 1000m. He beat the 40-1 SUDDEN SURPRISE who improved out of all proportion, while the fancied FOREST BLADE stayed on for third.
The Teetan-Bremner combo had to settle for second in the MR 75 Handicap over 1800m when the outsider COLATERAL FORM held on narrowly top beat the fancied EXULTATION. The first two were both poorly drawn and should be followed, while SALUTE THE SKYE was close up in third and is always worth a place flutter.
TITBITS
Barend Vlooh gave WESTERN STAR an ordinary ride in the MR 75 Handicap over 1800m when allowing the Way West gedling to run too freely. He stayed on well just over two lengths off the winner and could be better over a mile next time with a more judicious ride.
KUBA CLOTH ran on very well in the MR 66 Handicap over 1000m for third place. She was a shock maiden winner previously and could be worth following in this class.
SAN REMO had a few excuses and probably had an off day when running fourth just four lengths off HALCYON in the final race of the day. Muzi Yeni rode a great race from, the front on the winner, and SAN REMO was caught napping. She warrants another chance on this run.
Both the four-time winner MIDNIGHT BET and the well-travelled FIRST IMPRESSION caught the eye in the MR 68 Handicap over 1600m. Finishing third and fifth respectively, they both stayed on well and the five year old FIRST IMPRESSION particularly was highly rated when racing for the Puller yard in KZN early on in his career. He has travelled halfway around the world to finally arrive in PE and looks to have another win in the tank.
.
Notebook
KENTUCKY EXPRESS (M De Kock, Gauteng)KNIGHTTOREMEMBER (D Howells, KZN)
PRINCESS VICTORIA (G Kotzen, W Cape)BEACH BEAUTY ( D Drier, KZN)
THE SHARK (D Kannemeyer, W Cape)
FIRST IMPRESSION (BJ Steenkamp, E Cape)
