WSB Cape Town Met favourite See It Again and the R7.5 million Gold Rush runner King Of The Gauls are both staying at Paddy Kruyer’s Milnerton yard  and are thus allowed to work together.

Both horses are domiciled at Summerveld for Michael Roberts and Tony Rivalland respectively.

It was interesting to hear an opinion on King Of The Gauls from part-owner Robert Bloomberg and the revelation of a fine recent gallop he put up.

King Of The Gauls had the dogs barking at Summerveld before his first appearance, but in a hot maiden over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville last August he was beaten into fourth place by Sovereign State, Star Performer and Beamonesque, all of whom are useful.

He made amends second time out with an easy win over that same course and distance, but it was clear after his third start, a disappointing fourth on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly, that he needed gelding.

He was gelded after travelling to Cape Town for the Summer Season and the dividends were seen immediately.

He won his first race as a gelding, leading from start to finish over the tough Hollywoodbets Kenilworth 1200m and was impressive.

He was then tried over 1400m and finished a 4,35 length sixth running off a 93 merit rating, the winner being the 82 rated four-year-old Innamorare.

However, Bloomberg has not written off his chances of staying the 1600m trip of the Gold Rush.

He said, “We actually don’t know whether he stays. He is out of a High Chaparral mare and the grandam won the South Australian Oaks. So on paper he should stay, but the problem is he has so much gatespeed and last time everything went pear shaped because the fact that he has so much gatespeed and we had such a terrible draw when he jumped out the gates Richard couldn’t drop him in. He came across at breakneck speed and then got on the fence but he had no cover. Then when Richard settled him at the top of the straight, Marvel William bumped us twice and that just fired the horse up. At one stage halfway up the straight it looked like he was going to hold them off but then the whole pack converged on him. Under the circumstances, he did really well, only got beaten 4,35 lengths, but we are none the wiser whether he stays or not.”

Robert revealed, “We galloped him over 1500m on the cinders at Milnerton, a proper gallop with See It Again. Bernard Fayd’herbe rode King Of The Gauls. He gave See It Again three or four lengths start and was told not to let the horse work beyond 80% capacity because he had his AHS injection the week before. He made up the ground effortlessly on See It Again and then went all the way with him. Bernard then eased up in the last 100m and See It Again beat us about a length-and-a-quarter. Bernard is adamant he would have stayed with See It Again, no problem. So that is how good his work is. He also dropped the bit, settled, no problem. We then galloped him left handed on the cinders over 1400m with Strathclyde. He also sat behind this work companion … it wasn’t a contest, but Strathclyde bombed in his first start in Cape Town and needed to be gelded.”

Robert added  “We then took him to Kenilworth and galloped him over 1400m , no problem at all. So based on what he has sbown us at home and provided he settles he will get the trip.  But you just don’t know what happens in a race. What was really important was that he cracked a draw so he can get cover. We got the draw (6) and I think I’ve got the correct rider (Gavin Lerena). Richard was committed to Tail Of The Comet for the season, but Gavin Lerena is a jockey who normally sits in, sometimes overly so and is too far back. He has good hands and hopefully will make the horse settle. What I thought was very professional of him was he turned up riding in Jo’Burg tomorrow (Thursday) in order to fly to Cape Town tonight (Wednesday), so that he can ride work tomorrow morning. He will also ride the US of A, who he is also running for me on Saturday.”

Robert said the talk had been that Bavarian Beauty was already past the post in the Gold Rush, but he did question the strength of her Gr 1 Douglas Whyte Thekwini win and whether her one run in November was an adequate preparation.

He said he felt overall the race was “quite thin.”

He said, “You have to respect Tail Of The Commet dropping from a Gr 1 and we know that Rapidash and Infrared will both get the mile.”

He views the race lying between those five (Bavarian Beauty, Tail Of The Comet, Rapidash, Infrared and King Of The Gauls).

In a Met podcast done with Robert, Alistair Cohen and Richard Fourie it is clear the latter has a high regard for King Of The Gauls.

Robert concluded, “You will hear in the podcast how effusive Richard is about King Of The Gauls and off the air even more so … he said to me he wants that horse back.”

Durbanite Kenneth Pillay of Kestorm Investments had the dream scenario of his own slot for the R7.5 million Gold Rush race and his own runner … that was until the most disappointing news that his Sean Tarry-trained charge Storm Brasco (Pathfork) was not allowed to travel from Randjesfontein due to an AHS outbreak.

Kenneth also owns the Tarry-trained WSB Cape Town Met runner Bless My Stars, who had also been stuck at Randjesfontein waiting for the lifting of the travel ban which had been in place.

He said the horses were actually being prepared to be put on the float when a veterinarian broke the news that they would not be able to travel.

The travel ban for a previous AHS case would have ended on Tuesday (23rd January) and the horses were going to travel that day.

However, in agonising fashion, an AHS case was reported the day before.

Three other horses, the Tarry-trained pair Proceed and Winter Greeting, and the Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Coldhardstare, were also set to run on WSB Cape Town Met day but have had to be scratched.

Kenneth said today he felt both of his Met day particpants would have been big runners.

He said, “Everything was sorted out, we had even booked our plane tickets and accommodation … everything was done and then at the last minute: ‘Hey, you guys can’t go'”

Bless My Stars was one of just five Gr 1 winners in the Met and having finished third in both Durban’s biggest race, the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, and Jo’Burg’s biggest race, the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup, she was third favourite for Cape Town’s biggest race, the WSB Cape Town Met.

Storm Brasco, a three-year-old gelding by Pathfork, won his maiden third time out by 7,75 lengths. That was his first attempt at a mile, the distance of the Gold Rush, and the form was frannked when his runner up, La Moohal, came out and won next time out.

In his first run out of the maidens, Storm Brasco, running in a strong Graduation Plate race over 1600m, produced a flying finish and failed by a shorthead to catch the unbeaten 101 merit rated colt Taegan’s Champ, although he was was receiving 3kg from the latter. Furthermore, he beat the 105 merit rated Guy Gibson, from whom he also received 3kg.

There are only three runners merit rated above 100 in the Gold Rush and Storm Brasco is a progressive type, so it would have been interesting.

The Gold Rush race is a sales race based on Australia’s lucrative Everest.

At the sales, instead of trying to buy a horse to make it into an expensive sales race, the “prospectors” buy a slot into the R7.5 million race.

A slot holder has all the rights to the prize money on offer.

However, if a slot holder ends up not having a suitable runner that he or she owns, he or she then has to either sell the slot or make a deal with the owners of a potential runner for a cut of the stakes.

What is most disappointing for Kenneth is that he bought a slot for the Gold Rush at considerable expense from slot holder Ian Levitan of IR Racing. Kenneth had a qualifier for the race in Storm Brasco, whom he felt had a big chance.

Levitan had a filly candidate whom he did not believe would stay the mile trip, so was happy to sell the slot.

After the scratching of Storm Brasco, Kenneth had to, under the rules of the race, either make a deal with the connections of any one of the three reserve runners or otherwise sell the slot to anybody willing to buy it.

He said his first choice would have been to sell the slot.

However, as stated above, there were only three horses that were potential fillers of the vacant slot i.e. the three reserve runners.

The highest rated reserve was the Vaughan Marshall-trained 86 merit rated Lancaster Bomber gelding Coastal Commander, who is a homebred of Kenneth and Jane Truter’s.

The other two reserves were the 80 merit rated Piet Botha-trained Canford Cliffs gelding Escarpment  and the Brett Crawford-trained 78 merit rated Trippi gelding Champagne Mac.

On paper, Coastal Commander had the best chance of the three.

However, any one of the reserves would have still been the lowest rated runner in the race and would also have inherited the widest draw of 16.

The prize money structure of the Gold Rush is 1st place R5 million, 2nd place R1 million, 3rd place R600,000, 4th place R500,000 and 5th place R400,000.

So, with prize money for the first five only, it was unlikely the connections of any of the reserves would have wanted to splash out the money to purchase the slot.

It was also unlikely anybody else would buy the slot, because trying to finish in the first five with the lowest rated horse from the widest draw would have been against the odds.

So the most likely scenario was for Kenneth to make a stakes-splitting deal with the connections of one of the reserves.

And so it proved.

Coastal Commander is now a runner and will be representing owners and breeders Kenneth and Jane Truter and slot holder Kenneth Pillay of Kestorm Investments.

Hollywoodbets make Coastal Commander a 25/1 shot and he is actually shorter in the betting than five contestants.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe will ride Coastal Commander. he has ridden the horse in most of his races including in his only win over 1250m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville.

Jan Mantel is a vastly experienced horseman and the force behind Millstream Farm, which is set just outside Robertson – a prime racehorse breeding region. He brings six yearlings to market, including three sought-after Vercingetorix’s – two fillies and a colt, Lots 42, 93 and 71.

Lot 42’s dam is Masked Lady, G1, placed at two in the Allan Robertson. She has produced multiple winners, Maximus and Masked Vigilante, who have won 10 races. (Picture of lot 42 above the headline).

Vercingetorix has sired 29 Stakes Winners, including 8 G1 winners from just 322 runners – a remarkable hit rate. His yearling, Lot 93 out of the Var mare Temenee, is immediate family to I am Invincible (Aus); second dam Tamaanee won up to G2 class on the Highveld.

Lot 93

Acting as an agent, Millstream sells another Vercingetorix, Lot 71, a bay colt called Freedom Fighter ex Savannah Leigh. All three of her foals to race have won, with SA Fillies Nursery heroine Green Plains (Gimmethegreenlight) the best to date. The second dam, La Deportista, was no slouch – she, too, scored in six races, including G2s. Her best foal was Eastern Cape champ Juan Pablo, winner of 13 races up to a mile. This colt can be admired in stable A21.

Lot 71

Peeking at Lot 61‘s page, an unnamed Master of my Fate filly notices the 2nd dam, La Volta, the dam of Master Archie, the G1 Computaform victor. 3rd dam, Sarabande, was a phenom – the G1 winning race mare cranked out seven individual winners – Mardi Gras and Chesalon (14 wins between them) were her standouts.

Lot 61

Lot 94, Echo Foxtrot, is by Querari ex, The Jet Girl. She’s already produced Captain of Stealth, an extremely talented racehorse who suffered a nasty injury – the four wins in his resume understate his true ability. The second dam, Chant de Nuit, won in the Grade 2 class, with a 100% strike rate of winners to runners, including 8 x winner, African Ruler.

Lot 94

Mantel unveils a Hawwaam colt at the beginning of the sale, Lot 2. Hawwaam, a Champion three-year-old colt in SA in 2018/19, is getting his career as a stallion underway – his oldest progeny are yearlings.

Lot 2

Jan Mantel’s contact details are jan@millstreamstud.co.za or cell 082 801 2499.

ENDS 

For racing queries and sales queries, contact Justin Vermaak at justin@caperacing.co.za or Janine van Blerk at janine@caperacing.co.za  

Cape Racing Sales Social Media: 

Facebook: @caperacingsales

Instagram: @caperacingsales

Twitter: @CapeRacingSales

Website: www.caperacingsales.co.za

Cape Racing Social Media:  

Facebook: @CapeRacing1

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Website: www.caperacing.co.za

The Hollywood Syndicate’s Brett Crawford-trained WSB Cape Town Met day runners were taken to Sonwabe Beach near Muizenberg today (Wednesday). From left: King Of Spin, Black Thorn, Anfields Rocket, Happy Chance, Make It Snappy (Picture Supplied). 

Hollywood have posted the comments for all their WSB Met day runners on their blog. Read then below:

The Justin Snaith-trained Call To Unite is one of Dave Mollett’s fancies for WSB Cape Town Met day (Picture: Wayne Marks)

David Mollett

When it comes to the three “Majors” – the Hollywoodbets Durban July, Betway Summer Cup and World Sports Betting Met – punters zoom in on the quartet as they know this is the bet that can put them in the money. More often than not a “roughie” finishes in the first four.

It could be the same scenario this Saturday with the pool for the quartet in the R2 million WSB Met expected to reach R4 million.

With Bless My Stars scratched, the most popular quartet combination will be See It Again to win, well-drawn Pacaya for second by the field by the field.

Pacaya – winner of last season’s Jet Master Stakes for the Snaith camp – appears to have hit form at just the right time with a close third in the Premier’s Trophy.

However, those punters who backed the gelding into 25/2 for the Hollywoodbets Durban July will remember doing their money with the son of Trippi beating only four home.

The runner who could spring a surprise is Rachel Venniker’s mount, Without Question. If the four year-old could find his Daily News 2000 form (two lengths behind See It Again) the son of the United States could find the first four.

Turftalk editor, David Thiselton, interviewed Venniker after it was announced she had got the ride. She stated she was “over the moon” and wasn’t concerned with her draw of nine out of 13 due to the long back stretch.

A plus factor for Without Question was the comment by Jonathan Snaith in the same article. He said: “He is probably better than his recent runs suggest and he will relish the 10 furlong trip.”

So a possible quartet perm is as follows: 11/the field minus 5,9,11/9/1,2,3,4,6,7,8,10,12,13 Cost R100

The next perm: 11/the field minus 5,9,11/the field minus 5,9,11/9 Cost R100
Now a look at some of the other races.

RACE 3

Call To Unite – a R900 000 son of Vercingetorix – looks worth a decent win bet.

The Snaith-trained three year-old didn’t enjoy a smooth passage last time, but given better luck this time the gelding can put his 12 rivals to the sword.

RACE 4

When I received my copy of Winning Form, I immediately paged to see what Vaughan Marshall had running. The veteran trainer is simply a master of his profession and you can guarantee he’ll have his charges spot-on for the big day.

Vaughan has three runners in the fourth race and the right one of his trio could be Captain Fontaine. The Captain Al gelding has had more trainers than actress Elizabeth Taylor has had husbands but this R1,3 million buy hasn’t won since May last year.

Then – in mid-December – a sign that the six year-old was coming back to form with a close-up fifth (beaten less than a length) by Silver Operator. He can turn the tables on his stablemate on a kilo better terms.

Richard Fourie, who importantly retains the ride on Captain Fontaine, will be aware he faces two tough rivals in At My Command and Quasiforsure. The latter will be primed for a big run by Peter Muscutt with his son, Daniel, taking the ride.

Nevertheless, at odds of 10-1, Captain Fontaine looks an attractive each-way bet.

RACE 5

With no Charles Dickens to brighten up their day, Candice Bass-Robinson and Aldo Domeyer will be out to take top honours in the Pongracz Olympic Duel Stakes with Winter Cloud. The two questions here are can Aldo get down to 56,5 kg and can the filly beat the year-older, Shantastic.

Dean Kannemeyer’s daughter of Rafeef should be cherryripe in her third start this term and the boxed exacta with Winter Cloud looks the way to go.

RACE 11

The “Get Out Stakes” is a fascinating maiden with some choicely-bred three year-olds trying to post their first win.

It’s another opportunity for a quartet bet with most of the 20-strong field with some form to their name. They include:

Peregrine Falcon – No surprise that Nic Jonsson had to go to R1,1 million to secure this son of Gimmethegreenlight as he’s out of the eight-time winner, Lanner Falcon. Already gelded, he was easy in the market when third on debut in December.

Celtic Chief: Has Corne Orffer chosen the right one in opting to partner Hoodia instead of Celtic Chief. The latter – the mount of S’manga Khumalo – has been gelded since his last start and will jump from the inside draw.

The US Of A: Family ties with this colt representing the Paddy Kruyer stable as Vicky Lerena rode him into third place in a recent ladies race. Now hubbie, Gavin, takes over and she’ll be able to divulge what to expect.

Kingsboy: Brett Crawford introduces a son of Kingman and he’s worth a market check. The trainer’s comment: “working well, place chance.”

Quartet recommendations:
Double float 1 and 8 with 5,9,10,13,14,17,18,20
Double float 1 and 17 with 5,8,9,10,13,14,18,20
Double float 8 and 17 with 1,5,9,10,13,14,18,20
The cost of each bet is R224 (for 33%).

Bon Chance!

Tony Peter’s Gr1-winning Gold Rush favourite Bavarian Beauty (Photo: Candiese Lenferna)

The pending court case between the Tony Peter yard and the NHA has captured the attention of the racing fraternity and this week the former’s Gold Rush favourite Bavarian Beauty has been at the centre of further controversy.

First the filly’s owners Playgate SA released the following statement via the Sporting Post on Monday about Bavarian beauty’s particpation in the Gold Rush,

“We would like to put the record straight that comments regarding allegations of doping, weighing in and scratching at the start etc, are nothing more than completely baseless rumours.

Playgate SA have been in close contact with Cape Racing who have been very obliging, and we have total confidence in the operator and look forward to Bavarian Beauty taking her place with no untoward incidents.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Then there was an ironic twist on Tuesday when the connections of Bavarian Beauty praised the NHA for alerting them to rule 50.8.

The Peter yard were not happpy with the some aspects of the Minerton short-stay raiding yards and were consequently transporting Bavarian Beauty to a place of alternative accommodation.

Had this been a spelling farm or a stud farm the horse would have had to be immediatley scratched upon arrival.

It was believed to have been a stud farm where she was going to stay.

An extract from a statement made by a spokesman for Playgate SA: “And here is a case where the NHA, if they were indeed as vindictive and malicious as some would believe, could simply have said nothing and then scratched our filly before the race on Saturday, based on a breach of the abovementioned rule.They stepped forward and drew our attention to the matter like gentlemen.” 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE ABOUT TUESDAY’S SAGA HERE 

However, today horseracing owner and aficionado attorney Robert Bloomberg painted a more detailed picture of what had happened.

He wrote in the Sporting Post mailbag:

Due to the continual unadulterated bilge uttered in certain quarters, and in anticipation of further disingenuous, misleading, inflammatory and self-created rumours devoid of any factual merit, that will undoubtedly flow, I believe it incumbent upon me in a private capacity to place the following on record.

1. Whilst I undoubtedly wear a Cape Racing hat, I am not aligned to the NHA in any way. It is known by all and sundry that I have been over the years, and continue to be, one of the most outspoken and harshest critics of the NHA, when merited;

2. As a colour holder we all play under the same rules and regulations and off a level playing field, with no exceptions;

3. It is common cause that there had been an outbreak of AHS and that a travel ban had been imposed on horses trained out of Randjesfontein;

4. The Peter stable had advised Cape Racing of their intention to move the “Gold Rush” contender Bavarian Beauty to the care of trainer Gareth Van Zyl and then subsequently went a step further and had asked him if the filly could be transferred into his name. Van Zyl had correctly declined as a further outbreak, which has subsequently occurred, would endanger the participation of his entire stable;

5. Cape Racing had set aside 5 separate stables for short-stay raiders, this as opposed to permanent visiting yards for the duration of the Cape season. The reason herefore was that a further positive case, or even a fatality, up North would therefore only impact those effectively quarantined horses residing in those separate stables and not the general horse population. A visiting trainer having additional horses travelling to their allocated stables for the duration of the Cape season would run the risk of only their entire operation being shutdown should they elect to go that route;
6. Henry Mansell of Playgate SA, the owners of Bavarian Beauty, had directly and through his racing manager, Rob Champion, requested their own private security. This was understandably declined for the following reasons:

• Cape Racing has spent a fortune on third party security for the entire Milnerton training

• The two best horses in the land See It Again, the 5/10 favourite for the upcoming Met, and Charles Dickens whose permanent home during his entire racing career has been Milnerton, have been stabled there with no additional security required;

• There is more than sufficient security personnel and cameras everywhere which specifically includes the raider stabling complex;

• You cannot allow multiple security companies/guards on the same premises for safety, liability and operational reasons;

• The allowing of private security would not be in the best interests of stakeholders but only in the interests of those engaging their services under whose direction and control they would be acting.

7. When advised that private security would not be allowed, Mansell apparently responded telephonically in essence stating that as the Peter’s are exceedingly private and highly successful, that they don’t want others copying their training methodologies and as such the cameras were of grave concern to them;

8. Notwithstanding the aforegoing, trainer Tony Peter was offered a lease to sign at nil rental and eventually responded in writing that “we won’t be needing a stable at the Milnerton training centre. We have found other accommodation, thank you so much for all your help.” Cape Racing was not advised as to what these alternative measures were. At that juncture, Cape Racing’s obligations ended. Peter could have had arrangements with any trainer with private training establishments such as Andre Nel, (Plattner Racing), Glen Kotzen, Mike Stewart or Andries Steyn. Irrespective, this was now outside the jurisdiction of Cape Racing;

9. It is worth noting that trainers “Lucky” Houdalakis (Dyce – Cape Flying Championship) and Lorenzo Karriem (Tamil Tigress – Gold Rush Sales race), who respectively have short-stay raiders running on Met day, had both accepted the offer of Cape Racing and signed leases;

10. On the evening of January 22, the owners of Bavarian Beauty issued a media release to allay the preposterous stories doing the arounds and distanced themselves therefrom calling them “completely baseless rumours.” Playgate SA stated therein that “Cape Racing have been very obliging and we have total confidence in the operator.”

11. I am led to believe that due to the continued outbreaks of AHS up country, and prior to departure to the Western Cape, that the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development issued an emergency travel permit for completion. This completed form bearing the name of trainer Tony Peter clearly stated that Bavarian Beauty would be moving from Turffontein to Milnerton training yard for visiting horses further stating the address of Turf Road off Koeberg Road, Milnerton. As highlighted, trainer Peter had already declined the offer of said stables at Milnerton, in writing to Cape Racing, yet nonetheless wrote on the Department of Agriculture form that the horse would be stabled at Milnerton (even though this was not the intent);

12. Early on 23 January Bavarian Beauty departed for destination unknown in the Western Cape. The NHA appear to have deduced through a process of obvious elimination that the filly was destined for Hope and Dreams Stud (formerly Arc-en-Ciel Stud). Hours later, the course vet acting on instructions of NHA Management, and at the Vaal racecourse, informed trainer Peter that he had falsified his travel permit by stating that the filly was heading for Milnerton and that he was in breach of Rule 50.8;

13. It is assumed that all trainers are acquainted with the Rules and Constitution of the NHA. Rule 50.8 is abundantly clear. “No person shall enter or start a horse for or in a race if such horse is or has been,

50.8.1 at a registered spelling farm at any time during a period of 14 days prior to a race or

50.8.2 at an unregistered spelling farm or a stud farm at any time during a period of 30 days prior to a race.” 

An arrival at Hope and Dreams would have been an unequivocal breach of the NHA Rules and would have been the end of the road for the connections resulting in her being ineligible to run.

The NHA would have had absolutely no option but to immediately scratch the horse;

14. Whilst some will correctly state that how can they be expected to know all of the NHA Rules, this specific Rule 50.8 has been around forever and a day. It is there specifically to ensure that licensed training facilities are utilized for the protection of all and to ensure that potentially inappropriate behaviour is prevented from occurring. As a part-owner of a horse in the self-same Sales race, King of the Gauls, I would be decidedly aggrieved if any competitor was allowed to be stabled on a Stud farm for 4 days prior to a race in clear breach of this Rule;

15. Accordingly, despite what the conspiracy theorists and spreaders of falsehoods have to say, neither the NHA, nor Cape Racing has acted in bad faith here. Accountability rests solely with the Peter stable and Playgate SA. The trouble with the uneducated statements of those that merely shoot from the hip is that “hulle weet nie wat ons weet nie.”

16. In finality, the question must be posed as to why, when safe and secure boxes armed with security and cameras is offered rent free, and which every other trainer is satisfied with, anyone would have turned this down in the first place and in fact go out of their way to find alternative measures to avoid this. It simply boggles the mind.

The irony of the entire saga is that Bavarian Beauty has ended up at the very facility the Peter yard had endeavoured to move heaven and earth to avoid and the saviours of their actions was the board and management of the exact entity they have sought to abuse, ridicule and attempted to overthrow.

On The Horizon is fancied to resume winning ways in the fourth race at Turffontein Standside on Thursday (JC Photos) 

Dhow Solo looks ready to finally shed her maiden tag.

Jack Milner (4Racing)

Both Mid Winter Wind and Dhow Solo have been costly to follow but on Thursday at Turffontein they could both finally get it right.

Dhow Solo, trained by Tony Peter, will be in action first up in Race 1, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1200m. This daughter of Oratorio has not only attracted the attention of the racing public, but also of the handicapper, who slapped her with a 11-point penalty after her last outing when finishing runner-up to Work Of Time.

Now rated 80 after four runs, she ticks all the boxes. The only concern is that she will be running around the turn for the first time as they race on the Inside track and has drawn gate No 7 in the field of eight, but even so, with Calvin Habib in the saddle again, this race is hers for the taking.

Sean Tarry-trained Mid Winter Wind should have no excuse in Race 2, a Maiden Plate over the same distance as the card opener. Last time out this gelding just ran out of steam when travelling 1400m.

Dropping in distance and having drawn better, he is hard to oppose. S’manga Khumalo is carded to ride the three-year-old What A Winter gelding but the jockey was stood down after Race 1 at the Vaal on Tuesday so hopefully he is fit to ride Mid Winter Wind in this event. He is beautifully drawn in gate No 2.

Later in the day, On The Horizon could well bounce back to winning ways when she lines up in Race 4, a MR 96 Handicap over 1450m. The only filly taking on a field of 11 boys, she looks a class above the rest. With three wins and two runner-up finishes from five career runs, Lucky Houdalakis’ charge has performed way above her price tag and continues to improve.

She has taken on the colts before but was caught on the post by George Handel over 1800m. However, it was the distance that caught her out that day and this drop in trip should prove ideal.

The Garth Puller-trained Ishnana is nine years old but that did not stop him winning a MR 86 handicap over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today in comfortable fashion under Athandiwe Mgudlwa. He won on debut over this course and distance on March 1, 2017, and has won eleven races in all, seven of them at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. 

Tristan Godden rode a double for Mike Miller today at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

Miller is now on 25 wins for the season and has achieved it at a strike rate of 11.26%.

Miller has forged clear in the KZN TRainers Championship.

All 25 of his wins have been in KZN this season and in second place together with Peter Muscutts is the reigning champion Garth Puller, both of them on 22, and then there is Gareth van Zyl on 21, Alyson Wright and Wendy Whitehead on 20 each and Louis Goosen and Duncan Howells on 19 apiece.

Godden goes to 29 wins at 13%.

Richard Fourie leads the KZN TRainers Championship on 44 wins, with Serino Moodley next best on 40 and Muzi Yeni on 35.

Yeni produced a ride today which deserves a vote for the Emperor’s Palace Ride of The Month.

He placed the Paul Lafferty-trained Global View gelding Rock Fall in the box seat from draw three in the marathon 2600m event and settled him well. He made his winning move before entering the straight, rounding the leader and easing him into the lead while still under the hands. He then kept the four-year-old going well to prevail by 0,30 lengths and convert odds of 17/2.

Readers, please start sending in your Emperor’s Palace Ride Of The Month suggestions

There are prizes to be won in this competition sponsored by Turf Talk’s official hotel partner, Emperor’s Palace.

Muzi Yeni’s ride described above is an example of one that can be nominated for the Emperor’s Palace Ride Of The Month.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH CHASE MAUJEAN’S GREAT RIDE ON IN THE BEGINNING

CLICK HERE FOR THE DETAILS ABOUT EMPEROR’S PALACE RIDE OF THE MONTH COMPO

Roamer was a 1925-born British-bred grey who won the Met for trainer Syd Garrett in both 1928 and 1929.

Syd Garrett had been the apprentice and jockey for the great trainer Jim Russell and won two Julys for him on Goldwing in 1919 and Pamphlet in 1920.

The below is an extract from a Robyn Louw article on Sporting Post about Syd Garrett and Roamer Lodge:

When Jim Russell decided to go back to England, Garrett exchanged his riding papers for a trainer’s licence and took over the yard. It was not long before he made his presence felt in the conditioning ranks. He was notoriously uncompromising when it came to selecting clients, famously turning down the likes of Charles Engelhard and Abe Bloomberg (his lawyer and guardian to his daughter, Glendyr). Deeming their business relationship to pose a conflict of interest, he recommended Mr Bloomberg to Terrance Millard instead. Garrett did accept the likes of Countess Labia, Warwick Bryant, Piet Louw and Sir Abe Bailey, but even these were managed with a firm hand and only allowed into the yard during very strict visiting hours! However, the regime paid dividends and Garrett landed his first Met in 1926 with Sir W Nelson’s Grand Chase.

But there was more to come, particularly after the yard relocated from Claremont to Milnerton, where the Wizard earned his nickname. The stables were named Roamer Lodge after a grey horse called Roamer. The large grey, who came with a string of unflattering descriptions, had been a bargain buy in England and sent to South Africa by Jim Russell. When he arrived, it is said that the stable lads fell about laughing at the “strange looking animal” with “a head like a Clydesdale” and “a back like a billiard table”. His splayed feet and awkward gait earned him the nickname ‘Pikkewyn’. However, Roamer had the last laugh and proving that champions come in all shapes and sizes, clocked up successive Met victories in 1928 and 1929, earning his trainer the moniker “The Wizard of Roamer Lodge’’.

After Roamer, he won the Met another 8 times. Sir Francis won in 1935, Moonlit in 1936, Asbestos in 1937, Moonlit again in 1938, there were back to back victories with Royal Chaplain in 1941 and 1942, Feltos won it in 1945 and Marion Island was his final winner in 1957.

Other remarkable training feats were winning eight of the first 10 runnings of the Cape Derby and after his race riding double, Garrett would also win three July’s as a trainer (Full Dress in 1930, Sadri II in 1941 and the 3yo Left Wing in 1960). He remains the only person to have ridden, trained and owned July winners.

Terrance Millard regards Syd Garrett as the best horseman he ever encountered. “What he did with 39 horses, today’s trainers can’t get close to with 200. I’ve never seen anyone with his precision in preparing for a race. And he was the classiest man.’’