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Isivunguvungu is touched off by Mr Cobbs in the Franschhoek Motor Museum Winchester Sprint Cup over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday (Wayne Marks).

Hollywood could have another Grade 1 candidate on their hands in the Peter Muscutt-trained What A Winter sprinter Isivunguvungu.

He showed huge promise last season as an out and out 1000m horse and on Saturday was snared late by the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Mr Cobbs in the Franschhoek Motor Museum Winchester Sprint Cup over 1000m to give What A Winter a one-two.
 
Mr Cobbs is no slouch and was in fact a narrow runner up to Bohica in last year’s Grade 1 Pongracz Cape Flying Championship over 1000m.
 
Isivunguvungu was not only having his first run for over five months but also had to give Mr Cobbs 4kg.
 
His rider on Saturday Christophe Soumillon was making his comeback from a two month suspension, so all in all it augurs well for four-year-old Isivunguvungu’s forthcoming bid in the Cape Flying.
 
The powerful bay gelding was well named by Springbok rugby player Odwa Ndungane as the name means storm or thunder and lightning in isiXhosa.
 
Later, star Flower Alley mare Princess Calla made it two wins in two runs for Sean Tarry, ridden both times by Gavin Lerena. The trips of those wins, 1000m and 1200m, showed she is true class i.e. a horse who is superior or at her best at a mile and more but who can beat sprinters at their own game.
 
It will be interesting to see where Tarry goes with her next, because she would have to face Captain’s Ransom if going for the Grade 1 Majorca, so a tilt at the Cape Flying might be a possibility considering the sprinting division is not strong at present.
 
The Vaughan Marshall-trained Rascallion gained deserved bold black type when winning the Grade 2 Anthonij Rupert Wyne Premier Trophy over 1800m under Corne Orffer.
 
Rascallion’s career has unfortunately coincided with stalwarts like his stablemate Linebacker as well as Jet Dark and Kommetdieding and he had gained many Graded places before this victory.
 
Marshall pulled off a fine training feat as this was his third run after a layoff of eleven months. 
 
Rascallion touched off the gallant seven-year-old Nexus on Saturday, a horse who grows an extra leg when ridden by Piere Strydom.
 
Rascallion gave a boost to Vercingetorix who had started lagging behind the former champion sire Gimmethegreenlight in the race for this season’s championship.
 
Gimmethegreenlight nevertheless holds a R1,219,012 lead over Vercingetorix. What A Winter is breathing down the latter’s neck in third place.
 
Crome Yellow later gave the Andre Nel/Sabine Plattner operation a boost in what has been a below par season by their standards. The eight-year-old Trippi gelding bounced back to his best with a fine win in the Grade 3 Merchants On Long Chairman’s Cup over 2500m, carrying 58kg at odds of 33/1 under Grant van Niekerk.
 
The Marshall-trained Senso Unico has been promising for a long time to relish staying trips and he finished second carrying 56kg at odds of 50/1. This Twice Over gelding might become a force to be reckoned with in the staying division as a rangy type who probably needed time to mature into his big frame.