Fourie Barometer 374 (updated after racing on 15/05/2024)

Dyce Gelded And On Track For Scottsville

Dyce powers home in the Gr 1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Horsercacing fans are notoriously fickle and a horse who has quickly been forgotten about is the Lucky Houdalakis-trained Dyce, who ran two well below par races subseqeunt to his outstanding Gr 1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship victory, where he defeated the now dual Gr 1-winning sprinter Thunderstruck.

However, trainer Lucky Houdalakis revealed that Dyce has been gelded and he is now confident of a big run at Hollywoodbets Scottsville in the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint, despite his merit rating being 130 meaning he will have to carry topweight.

Lucky said, “He was haemo-concentrating, so it was either him becoming a daddy or an athlete and there are too many daddies out there, so we dedided on athlete and gelded him.”

Lucky has won the Golden Horse with topweight before.

The legendary J J The Jet Plane won it with topweight of 60kg as a three-year-old in 2008, although it was just as good a feat when he won it again carrying 58kg two years later in his comeback from an eight month layoff following a disappointing UK campaign.

Asked on Dyce’s chances of doing it, he replied, “He’s good enough. He actually looks like he has lightened up a bit, he is not as thick and bulky as he was.”

The William Longsword five-year-old will not have another run before the Golden Horse on June 1.

Lucky said, “He is still fit, he ran just the other day (April 6).”

Dyce has been working well at home since gelding.

J J The Jet Plane went on to win the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint after both of his Scottsville Gr 1 wins and Dyce will no doubt be out to emulate that double. The first sign of Dyce being a special horse was in fact over the present day Mercury course and distance, when winning the Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m for two-year-olds by 4,30 lengths.

Lucky will also be taking Elegant Ice to Hollywoodbets Scottsville to run in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint. The three-year-old What A Winter filly showed fine early pace last time out over 1160m at Turffontein Standside to overcome the unfavourable draw of one and claim the outside rail. She was able to accelerate off that pace and win by 3,25 lengths in her first time being ridden by Raymond Danielson. The handicappers duly gave her a maximum eight point raise. Lucky said he would keep Danielson aboard.

Dyce, bred and owned by Dave Shawe, is not the only good homebred William Longsword in the Houdalakis yard.

On Saturday they won the Listed Secretariat Stakes over 1450m with Sabre Strike, a Piet van Schoor-homebred William Longsword three-year-old gelding.

Lucky said, “Piet has been with me for a long time and is one of the gentleman of the game.”

Sabre Strike won by 0,60 lengths under Raymond Danielson, despite it being only his third career start and having to carry 56kg off a 90 merit rating under the handicap conditions.

Lucky said Sabre Strike was not necessarily a late bloomer and clarified, “He is just a problem. He has a very skew leg and is a very big horse, so the knee takes all the pressure because he comes down skew on it. So after every run we have to patch him up and we start again. It is unfortunate. In not one of his three runs has he been anywhere near his best, not even close.”

And yet he won on debut by 4,75 lengths over 1200m, before running a 2,75 length second in a Graduation Plate over 1450m to the 104 merit rated Barbaresco when receiving just 3kg, and he then won a Listed event.

“It has just been pure ability what he has done. We just have to look after him and hope that one day he can learn to run like that, I’ve had horses before where you battle, you battle, you battle and eventually they come right and that is what we hope and pray for because he is a very good horse. At present he also doesn’t even know how to run, he runs all over the place, he’s like a boat without a rudder.”

Lucky is not sure how far Sabre Strike will get as he does have a lot of speed, but he said he was such a big, long-striding horse he would have the ability to put his opponents under pressure over a mile. The Egoli Mile might be an option on June 9 if he is ready enough.

Lucky felt shortly after the start of the BSA National Yearling Sale he would battle to get any horses, such were the prices, so he was pleased to end up getting six. His biggest owner Dave Shawe bought four for him and Laurence Wernars bought two.

He said, “Every now and again (at those expensive sales) something falls through the cracks.”

Tomorrow (Thursday), the yard will have a good chance with Munchkin in race 5 over 1000m. This horse should be way higher than a 75 merit rating, according to the homework he puts in. However, he looks to have found his niche over 1000m and could follow up on his last win.

His is a half-brother to the former Houdalakis-trained Egyptian Mau, who was one of the “Flying Springboks”, exported to the USA after being bought by a partnership that included Barry Irwin’s Team Valor International.

Egyptian Mau (Fire Away) and Munchkin are also half-siblings of the exciting two-year-old Vercingetorix gelding Cymric, who has already won a Gr 3 for Johan Janse van Vuuren.

Striker Keeps Ride On See It Again After 3-Race Commitment

Piere “Striker” Strydom after winning the Gr2 WSB Green Point Stakes on See It Again. (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Piere “Striker” Strydom has been confirmed by trainer Michael Roberts to be the rider for his star Nick Jonsson-owned Twice Over colt See It Again for the rest of the season.

Rumours were rife about who was going to be aboard, but Roberts said, “There was speculation but this horse you can’t jump on and off, the deciding factor was we had to have somebody who could commit to all three races.”

The three races are the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July and the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup.

Some will say Jonsson and Roberts are sticking with the best of the best.

The legendary Strydom will indeed be out to equal Anton Marcus’s record of five Durban July wins and add to his multitude of Gr 1 wins and his more than 5500 career wins.

He has already partrnered See It Again to two Gr 1 wins, three Grade 2 seconds, one Gr 2 win, one Gr 2 second, a Pinnacle Stakes win and a Gr 1 fourth in nine starts together.

He did gather a few detractors after See It Again’s narrow loss in last year’s July.

However, as Piere said in a recent interview, “Sometimes I am asked who the best jockey in the world is and my reply is always, ‘The Grandstand Jockey!'”.

He is also called “the old man” sometimes by the “keyboard warriors”.

Piere is three weeks away from his 58th birthday.

However, he said recently age was an advantage rather than a disadvantage.

He said, “It is a benefit because I know what I have to do, I know what I must do … it doesn’t always happen, but I know what I’ve got to do, so I see my age as a benefit.”

He has always been known for his ice cool temperament and as a master tactician and masterful judge of pace, with one of his chief assetts being the ability to leave something in reserve for the final drive for the line. This is particularly in the case where he is in the lead and is one of the reasons he is so difficult to overtake in the final stages.

Striker has been riding at the top of his game and this included a recent win for Jonsson on the Mike Azzie-trained Lancaster Bomber gelding BattleofBarberton, who won cosily at odds of 6/1 over 1600m at Turffontein Standside after being given a masterful ride.

He said recently he was still feeling strong and added, “My problem is the weight, I wish I could have been a little bit lighter. Also fitness every now and again if you miss a week or two you have to catch up with your fitness again. I have a good home regime and I don’t feel like I am unfit, but sometimes it is just nice to ride more often so you can get into that groove.”

He will in fact be on suspension from the 19th until the 25th of May, which will give him two weeks of riding before the Gold Challenge on June 8.

Nick Jonnson-owned Galileo Colt A Decent Fourth In York Handicap

Klondike is seen staying on in the familiar Jonsson cyclamen with spectrum green crossed sashes, white sleeves and cyclamen cap. (Racing TV)

The horse who gave prolific South African owner Nick Jonsson his first winner in the UK, on April 22 last year at Newbury, ran a decent fourth in a big handicap at York today, considering he carried topweight.

The William Haggas-trained Galileo colt Klondike has an official rating of 103 and had to carry 9 stone 12 pounds in the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap over a mile-and-a-half under Tom Marquand.

The race was won by the favourite, the Harry Eustace-trained Crystal Delight, who carried 9 stone 6 pounds under Jim Crowley.

The winner started at odds of 18/5 and collected a stakes cheque of £33,501 after making all and winning readily by 4,75 lengths.

Klondike, who started at 11/2 odds, raced wide early, but was in touch with the leaders on the outer. He was outpaced over two furlongs out, but rallied inside the final 110yds to be beaten 6,75 lengths into fourth.

He could still develop into a useful stayer.

(South African Dylan Cunha, now training out of Newmarket, later had a fifth place finish in a lesser handicap with Asgard’s Captain (Make Believe).)

Klondike was born at Luca Cumani and his wife Sara’s Fittocks Stud, which is situated in the hamlet of Upend, five miles from Newmarket.

He was the subject of a foal share agreement between Fittocks Stud and Coolmore, who owned Galileo.

The Galileo colt was signed for by John Magnier’s son at the Tattersalls October Yearling Book 1 Sale.

Nick Jonsson had had horses trained before by William Haggas and the latter alerted him to there being a share available in Klondike.

Fittocks Stud retained a share and the two others owners are the illustrious partnership of John Magnier and Michael Tabor.

The horse runs in Nick’s familiar cyclamen with spectrum green crossed sashes, white sleeves and cyclamen cap.

He holds a Royal Ascot entry in the Gr 2 Hardwicke Stakes over a mile-and-a-half on June 22.

Handicapping Ratings Update

The Andre Nel-trained Saartjie (Dynasty) wins the Listed KRA East Coast Cup (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Future Swing’s has been raised to 110 after his Gr 2 WSB 1900 win. However, despite that leaving him 5kg under sufferance in the Hollywoodbets Durban July as things stand, the yard are favouring not running him again before the big race.

The other changes after the weekend’s features are shown below:

World Sports Betting 1900 (Grade 2)

FUTURE SWING had his rating increased from 103 to 110 following his win in the Grade 2 World Sports Betting 1900 over 1900m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday. The Handicappers were unanimous in their view that IMILENZEYOKUDUMA made for the most suitable line horse here, leaving him unchanged on a rating of 105. In rating the race this way MUCHO DINERO runs to his rating of 110, effectively making him a line horse as well.

3rd Placed MASTER REDOUTE was increased to 115 from 113 while 4th placed PONTE PIETRA was increased to 106 from 103.

No other horses were given increases to their ratings here. The following horses were given drops, BARATHEON was dropped from 98 to 97, ATTICUS FINCH was dropped to 110 from 111 and SAFE PASSAGE was dropped to 109 from 112.

2nd placed Oriental Charm was omitted from the press release but appears to have been raised five points to 118.

KRA East Coast Cup (Listed)

SAARTJIE remained unchanged on a rating of 110 after finishing strongly to land the Listed KRA East Coast Cup over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday. The Handicappers felt that DONNA MO made for the most suitable line horse here and she remained unchanged on a rating of 94. In rating the race this way LUCKY MISS runs to her rating of 89, effectively making her a line horse as well.

The runner-up FUTURE GIRL was increased by 1 point from 96 to 97, while 3rd placed BALLROOM BLISS received a 4-points increase from 82 to 86.

Three horses received a drop in ratings in this event, GIVERS GRACE was dropped to 83 from 85, GRANDI ORECCHIE was dropped to 85 from 88 and DAMOSTAR was dropped to 91 from 93.

TAB East Cape Derby (Listed)

JOY AND PEACE was adjusted to 100 from 97 following her success in the Listed TAB East Cape Derby over 2400m at Fairview racecourse on Friday. The Handicappers were unanimous in their view that PUBLIC BENEFIT made for the most suitable line horse here and she remained unchanged on a mark of 90.

The front running runner-up WOMAN’S WORLD was adjusted to 93 from 79, making her 3 points higher than the 90-rated line horse PUBLIC BENEFIT, who she beat here by 2 lengths at level weights. This makes them correct on handicap terms.

There were no other changes to ratings for this event.

Secretariat Stakes (Listed)

SABRE STRIKE was increased from 90 to 93 after winning the Listed Secretariat Stakes over 1450m on the inside track at Turffontein on Sunday.

The Handicappers were of the unanimous opinion that WARHAWK BOMBER made for the most suitable line horse here and he remained unchanged on a rating of 92.

There were no other increases to ratings in this race however the following horses received drops to their ratings, MAX THE MAGICIAN was dropped to 85 from 86, COMMAND PILOT dropped from 92 to 89, EMPORIUM was dropped to 93 from 95 and LONGSWORD was dropped to 82 from 83.

Enquiries:

The Handicapping Team

Redcherry Lane Could Follow In Her Mother's Footsteps

Redcherry Lane can make it two from two in the last race (JC Photos)

The Vaal straight course has an intriguing eight race meeting on Thursday and high draws should be favoured down the straight with the outside rail at zero.

The obvious horse in the first race, Gold Agent, will give the Okapi Ladies International champion Savanna Valjalo an opportunity to make it two wins from two career race rides. However, she does have to contend with the number one draw, which is on the wrong side by trends. The Navy Lark is thus preferred as she put in a decent effort last time from draw nine of nine over 1200m on the classic track and now has a favourable draw of seven under experienced Chamu Mabaya. Trip To States is drawn three out of eight and in his last two starts has shown signs of a form return. He had some decent early form at the Vaal, before losing his way in his first three runs this calendar year. His last two runs have been fair efforts and he should be staying on over this trip. .

In the second race over 1000m Valieva has a tricky draw of three and on form should finish together with Rodeo Drive. The latter is less exposed too and not only has good pace, but has a favourable high draw, so she is preferred. Jilted ran a fair fifth on debut in a decent field and can build on that from a favourable high draw.

In the third race over 1000m Wolf Mountain has a tricky low draw of three out of eight, but he is a stand out on form and should still go in under Piere Strydom. French Bolt was not disgraced on debut against the speedy Chocolate Soldier when likely drawn on the wrong side and he could be a threat here from the standside draw. Zafar was only 1,25 lengths behind French Bolt in that race and also has a nice high draw.

In the fourth race over 1000m two-year-old Green Lightning finished 2,50 lengths in third behind Kindred Heart over 1000m and the latter was subsequently close up behind the SA Fillies Nursery winner Little Ballerina. However, she has a tricky draw of five out of 14. Just The Two Of Us has had two good runs over 1000m but has an even worse draw ofds of one. Dragon Dragon has run three fair races and from draw six with Gavin Lerena up should be in the shake up. Golden Argo can earn if reproducing her penultimate start. Scarlet is drawn on the right side and was not disgraced last time, but overall she appears to be moderate. Centrefold has some pace and has a 4kg claimer up and a high draw.

In the fifth race over 1000m Munchkin looks should be a much higher merit rating if it went on his homework, but he has found his right trip and can follow off a three point higher mark. Nkandla Gold has improved and has a definite chance on recent form with a 4kg claimer up, but he does have a low draw. Lulu’s Boy is 3,5kg better off with Nkandla Gold for a mere 0,75 length beating, but that is only if the 4kg cliam is ignored. Prized Platinum beat Lulu’s Boy in his penultimate start before running below par last time. In The Ether is capable of a flying finish and has a high draw.

In the sixth race over 2400m To The Rescue has always struck as one who needs a bit of time and ground and has a chance here, although under the Classified conditions he is 3,5kg under sufferance with the best rated pair. Vesuvio looks to be one who will enjoy the step up in trip being an Erupt gelding who stayed on nicely over 1800m last time. He is 2,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted. Leeson is also 2,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted but has done well in both starts. Ideal Future is a long-striding sort who stays the trip and is joint best in. She does have to overcome a wide draw though. Mount Etna, joint best in, needs to bounce back. All of One Religion, Royal Mazarin, Nuclear Force, Dungeons and Angel’s Wish can also be considered for the Pick 6.

In the seventh over 1800m Volte Face is on the up and is drawn well over a trip which should suit. Fushimi Inari has been knocking on the door for a long time and his best recent run was over this trip. Flag Bearer has ability but can be unsettled in the running. However, if he finds cover from a fair draw he will be a contender. Carnelo has the form to be right there too. Dark Silver has the form to be involved. Romeo’s Magic has come down to a competitive mark and chas a good draw.

In the last race over 1400m Redcherry Lane is well bred being by Vercingetorix out of a Gr 1 Garden Province winner by Western Winter. She caught the eye last time winning a workriders maiden under a rider who was having his first race ride. She is drawn on the right side over what should be an ideal trip. Zenobia’s Gold ran well first time out the maidens and is drawn on the right side. Cityscape has always been thereabouts in sprints in Cape Town and on the Highveld and now tries a step up in trip but draw one makes it tough. Grape Shot won out of the blue last time and the progeny of Fire Away appear to improve continually and she should get this trip too. Whorly Whorly only has to overcome a two point raise for his win last time and Piere Strydom keeps the ride. He is drawn on the right side too.

Luke Ferraris Ends Drought In Challenging Season

Luke Ferraris gets up on Setanta (Picture: HKJC)

Luke Ferraris snapped a 72-ride run of outs with the Mark Newnham-trained Setanta’s last-to-first triumph in the first section of the Class 4 Ciron Handicap (1650m) to take his season haul to 22 wins at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

The Australian-bred six-year-old Fastnet Rock gelding paid 6.20 on the Tote and overcame draw eight to win by a neck in the class 4 event over 1650m.

“Mark had him in superb condition and he needed to be from where he came from,” Ferraris said. “We had a bit of a sticky draw (barrier eight) and I didn’t anticipate other horses from the outside digging up as hard as they did, so they put us in an awkward spot, but they ran a tempo to suit and he picked up accordingly.”

Ferraris, 22, amassed a career-high 35 wins in 2022/23 but has found this season challenging.

“The support dropped off terribly midway through the season,” the South African said. “A few trainers I thought I would get a lot more rides for, I just haven’t had a ride for. Big thanks to Mark, he’s supported me for the whole season, it’s good to reward him.”

God's Window To Redeem Himself In The Dante

God’s Window, pictured winning on debut at Doncaster, runs in the famous Derby pointer, the Dante, at York on Thursday (16H45 SA Time) (Picture: Sky Racing)

Top-class horses always turn up in the Dante and this year’s running is no exception with Ancient Wisdom in the line-up. And who knows, perhaps another one or two will emerge from the pack.

Ancient Wisdom didn’t quite match the form of his stylish Autumn Stakes success at Newmarket when capturing the Group 1 Futurity Trophy on his final start at two, but a slower-run race at Doncaster failed to test his stamina in the same manner.

The Dubawi colt gave a good beating to outstanding Lingfield Derby Trial winner Ambiente Friendly in the Autumn and it will be interesting to see how he fares first time out over this longer trip on a faster surface. The extra distance needn’t concern punters given how well he stayed at two, although perhaps the ground is a small query.

Ancient Wisdom concedes race fitness to everyone in the Dante field bar Al Musmak, who was last seen chasing home Ghostwriter in the Royal Lodge.

The Dante is evidently an acid test for both colts, whose Royal Ascot entries consist of the St James’s Palace Stakes over a mile and the 1m4f King Edward VII. It is a surprise to see Al Musmak available at shorter initial odds than the race-fit Caviar Heights.

Since joining Karl Burke, Caviar Heights has made giant strides. He recorded the best time on the card when routing the Newmarket Stakes field 13 days ago and it is interesting Burke backs him up so quickly. The trainer initially seemed lukewarm on doing that.

The outsiders are also an interesting bunch. Aidan O’Brien’s horses are going better than when Cambridge ran fourth in the Craven. He should improve for this extra yardage, while Economics landed a Newbury maiden the William Haggas stable captured with the top-class My Prospero two seasons ago.

Progression will be forthcoming after only two starts. Do not rule out a much stronger showing from God’s Window either. The John and Thady Gosden-trained runner has two lengths to find with Ancient Wisdom on their Futurity Trophy meeting, but that was only his second run (the winner was making his fifth start) and blowing the start put him on the backfoot before he mounted his challenge away from the action.

Tardiness from the stalls was again evident from God’s Window in the Dee Stakes a week ago, his last-of-four finish probably not an effort to take at face value. If that part of his game can be ironed out, he is no 20-1 shot for a stable with a proven Dante track record.

Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Calvin Habib, Gimmethegreenlight Doubles

The Glen Kotzen-trained Lady Heist (Time Thief) stays on courageously to give Calvin Habib a double. (Gold Circle)

Calvin Habib and Gimmethegreenlight were the only double scorers at Hollywoodbets Greyville poly meeting on Wednesday.

Habib goes to 122 wins for the season and has achieved it at a strike rate of 12.30%

Gimmethegreenlight has now had 140 wins this season and although he leads the sires championship by close to R4 million his closest rival Vercingetorix has had more wins than him at 150.