Picture: Humdinger (What A Winter) makes it three on the trot in the Grade 2 Topbet Jo’burg Spring Fillies And Mares Challenge (JC Photos).

Munger Hopes For Charity Mile Humdinger

The worry for trainer Gareth van Zyl is whether his five-time winner can overcome a wide draw

David Mollett (Business Day)

The end-of-year fortunes for jockey Ryan Munger and his favourite football team, Arsenal, are similar with the former off to a good start to the new season and the London side enjoying great success in the Premier League.

Munger, educated at Dainfern College, will be delighted to have got the call from Dainfern resident Mike de Kock to partner the filly Humdinger in Saturday’s Allied Steelrode On A Mission Charity Mile at Turffontein.

When the daughter of What A Winter got beaten when favourite in two races in April and May 2021, her owners, the International Racing Club, probably doubted she would ever contest a race with a first prize of R500,000.

However, Humdinger has reeled off three wins in a row including nearly getting the better of William Robertson in the Topbet Mike O’Connor Spring Challenge. The filly was a 33-1 chance for that race but highveld bookmaker Lance Michael reports “three claims” on the De Kock inmate. Yes, the four-year-old is 2kg under sufferance, but she’s got an ideal draw of three which makes life easier for Munger.

No surprise to see De Kock’s star performer Safe Passage — winner of last season’s Daily News 2000 — top the betting boards and this writer chatted to the former champion trainer this week.

“I have gone with Grant van Niekerk, but he’s got no easy task. I don’t want Safe Passage to have a hard race ahead of the Summer Cup, but hope to take this good stake en route to that.”

Sean Tarry’s five-year-old, Pyromaniac, is second favourite in the betting but — like After The Rain — has a wide draw. Still, the gelding arrives in good form and should go well in the hands of Calvin Habib.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that this R2.3m son of Silvano ran second to Safe Passage in last season’s Gauteng Guineas over Saturday’s course and distance.

Quite amazing that De Kock’s quartet of runners have all drawn well with Safe Passage in stall three and MK’s Pride — making his debut for the stable — in stall two.

A bet which makes plenty of appeal is the swinger coupling Humdinger with Gareth van Zyl’s KwaZulu-Natal raider, After The Rain. The striking white horse is 7kg better off with Bingwa and 3.5kg better with Hoedspruit.

But — apart from two road trips to the highveld — the worry for trainer Van Zyl is whether his five-time winner can overcome a wide draw.

Trainer Brett Crawford and Grant Knowles can be forgiven if they uttered an expletive on learning seven-time Irish Tractor had drawn somewhere near the Rand Stadium. Even so, the five-year-old has clearly thrived on the highveld and he warrants inclusion in trifecta and quartet bets.

One of three charities San Michele Home (Safe Passage), Soweto Equestrian Centre (Humdinger) and St Francis Care Centre (After The Rain) are the most likely to be celebrating after the running of one of the racing calendar’s most popular events.

SELECTIONS

1st Race: (6) Black Egret (12) Munchkin (11) Marquez (16) Sylvan Theater

2nd Race: (10) Efficient Trader (3) Gregarious Gal (4) Splendid Season (9) Back To The Future

3rd Race: (2) Rain In Holland (4) Bon Vivant (1) Under Your Spell (5) Follow Me

4th Race: (9) None Other (2) Feather Boa (3) Captain Peg (6) Gimme A Shot

5th Race: (3) Royal Victory (1) Thunderstruck (4) Unzen (12) Shoemaker

6th Race: (6) Gallic Chief (10) Far Away Winter (1) Sheela (3) Vaseem

7th Race: (12) Humdinger (11) After The Rain (3) Safe Passage (13) Irish Tractor

8th Race: (7) Gilded Butterfly (1) Pink Tourmaline (2) Bold Fortune (9) Southern Song

9th Race: (3) Black Thorn (2) Imperial Ruby (4) Light Of The Moon (6) Marchingontogether

10th Race: (6) Bard Of Avon (10) Back To Black (7) Vanderbilt (9) Another Level

Allied Steelrode Charity Mile

(Betting supplied by Lance Michael)

3-1 Safe Passage

5-1 Pyromaniac

7-1 Humdinger

8-1 MK’s Pride

12-1 Astrix, Irish Tractor

14-1 After The Rain, Forever Mine, Puerto Manzano, Bingwa, Hoedspruit

20-1 Others

Picture: Representatives from all 16 beneficiary charities participated in the official draw for the Allied Steelrode On A Mission Charity Mile at Turffontein on Tuesday (Pic – JC Photos / 4Racing)

Allied Steelrode Charity Mile Day Preview By GTV

CLICK HERE TO WATCH PREVIEW SHOW

Picture: 4Racing’s Programming committee have ratified some proposed changes to stakes and the program.

4Racing Stakes And Program Changes Ratified

www.mikedekockracing.com

After recent inputs from stakeholders 4Racing considered inputs that the stakes structure could be better balanced.

The proposed changes were then considered and ratified by the Programming Committee who were extremely complimentary about the changes. These changes result in a slight increase to the committed Stakes Allocation during this period but provides a far more balanced and structured outlook to the stakes of the various divisions. The committee also felt it provided a good foundation to work with in the future.

There was consensus that the difference in Stakes from a Maiden Plate to the next Division is out of kilter and closing the gap would be healthier for the game. By reducing the Maidens and Maiden Juvenile Plates across the board by 10% (100k to
90k),we are able to increase the majority of our handicap races along with some Plate races.

The only two maidens not affected by the change are the Maiden 1160m on Summer Cup Day and The Work Riders Vs Jockeys Maiden Plate on Champions Day. There has also been an increase to a number of Fillies and Mares handicaps with a slight decrease for some of the divided handicaps, Pinnacle Plates and Graduation Plates.

In turn there will be increases in the bands for Classified and Middle Stakes and Pinnacle races.

4Racing will also be adding a further 12 MR 66 races to the program through the period at a gross stake of R75 000 for each to accommodate the lower rated horses.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE STAKES AND PROGRAM CHANGES

Picture: Royal Aussie wins comfortably for the second time in succession (Wayne Marks).

Royal Aussie And Piroshka Ready To Run Stakes Race Favourites

Cape Racing

In a busy weekend, the Cape Racing Ready to Run Sales are being staged at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, followed by a well -supported nine race card on Sunday, headlined by the R600 000 Ready to Run Stakes over 1400m. Thirteen three year olds will load into the starting stalls at 16h50.

In what promises to be a close-run thing, Royal Aussie could prove best over Piroshka and Tothemoonandback with Seeking the One and Street Outlaw next in line despite wide draws.

Royal Aussie (speed score 98) has been freshened for this, 71 days after beating Gaudis Masterpiece over this course and distance in heavy ground using stalk and pounce tactics.

The Royal Mo colt also goes strongly on a firm surface and that pace pressing style should again prove effective.

Richard Fourie rides for Justin Snaith.

Piroshka represents the oven- hot Candice Bass Robinson yard. The son of Quasillo warmed up for this when a staying on fourth to Silvano’s Dasher over the trip at Durbanville and will build on that speed figure of 95 +.

Earlier in his career he beat off Tothemoonandback (s/s 98) so is slightly preferred over that rival.

Whilst Tothemoonandback is bred for way further than a seven-furlong journey he should still go well from draw two with Grant van Niekerk’s stylish guidance.

Improving on a tough beat third to older horse Silent War over this C & D in June brings this Twice Over gelding into consideration as he has been specially laid out for this incentive race.

Street Outlaw (s/s 97) also rates right there. He prepped for this assignment when conceding weight and nearly beating older campaigner All Lit Up after a hellish trip. Bernard Fayd Herbe is back in town, and, if the experienced jockey somehow overcomes draw 11, Vaughan Marshall’s entry can challenge.

Seeking the One (s/s 95) rates a few ticks below those already mentioned and is drawn worst of all. Maybe that makes him more of a place candidate, but he did run within four lengths of the mighty Charles Dickens on debut, seems to be training on nicely and has the potential to trouble the principals in an open contest.

Picture: Commentator and racing analyst Rouvan Smit (Wayne Marks)

Commentator Smit’s selections for this weekend’s racing

Cape Racing

Including the Algoa Cup (run today, Friday), the Allied Steelrode – Onamission Charity Mile (Saturday), and The Ready To Run Stakes at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE PREVIEW

See you at the races on Sunday 30 October, 2022.

Picture: Caufield Cup winner Durston has failed a Melbourne Cup pre-race scan (Getty Images).

Two Prominent Melbourne Cup Horses Scratched After Failing Pre-Race Checkup

Second and Third Favourites Both Scratched

Connections of Caulfield Cup winner Durston have been left devastated after the horse was ruled out of the Melbourne Cup on Thursday, leaving champion jockey Damien Oliver without a ride, wrote au.sports.yahoo.com.

Durston was deemed unfit to run in the great race next Tuesday after undergoing a mandatory pre-race scan.

The scan revealed the $13 equal-third favourite for the Melbourne Cup had a “grey area” in his left hind leg.

Despite officials being unsure whether the scan results were anything to worry about, it was ruled that the safest course of action would be to scratch Durston from the race.

“The specialists cannot determine whether it is old or new, or whether it is even something to be concerned about, but we must respect this,” trainer Chris Waller said.

The Durston shock was followed by news today that second favourite Loft will also be scratched.

Racing Victoria vets found an issue with Loft at his trot up Friday morning.

Part-owner Ozzie Kheir said they found a tendon issue with Loft and “I can confirm he will not be running in the 2022 Melbourne Cup”.

“It is disappointing for all the owners.”

It leaves superstar jockey James McDonald without a ride in the Cup.

News Corp has confirmed vets were not satisfied with Friday’s trot-up of the $6.50 second pick for Tuesday’s Cup.

Loft is trained by German Marcel Weiss.

Racing Victoria on Friday afternoon confirmed 29 horses remained in contention for the Cup after passing all relevant scans and inspections.

Cup-nominated stayers in Saturday’s Archer Stakes will be reinspected after the 2500m race.

Lindsay Park import Makram has been ruled out after the CAT scan ruled the galloper at “heightened risk of injury”.

Gold Trip was checked over again on Friday, after presenting with heat in the right front on Thursday, and passed fit to contest the Cup.

Stockman passed his inspection in Sydney but will also be checked over again after running in the Rosehill Gold Cup (2000m) on Saturday.

All horses must undergo a second and final pre-race veterinary inspection on Monday.

Loft’s shock tendon setback came a day after vets ruled Caulfield Cup winner Durston out of the Melbourne Cup.

Damien Oliver had been booked to ride Durston and, with McDonald’s mount Loft out, two of Australia’s greatest jockeys could be sidelined when the Cup is run next Tuesday.

Ozzie Kheir says the owners have accepted the vets’ decision.

It is also rotten news for Kheir who also had imported galloper Le Don De Vie ruled out of the Melbourne Cup recently after failing vetting processes.

However, Kheir told News Corp he had “no blue” with the fact Loft would not be racing in the Melbourne Cup.

“I don’t want to be a sook,” Kheir said.

“I am just disappointed for the trainer and the fellow owners – and for racing – as we were very confident he would be hard to beat.

“But there has been swelling around his tendon.

“There is no blue with the (vet) process.

“It’s been a tough time because we also lost Le Don De Vie from the Cup.

“But we have had a lot of successes, so it can’t always be smooth sailing.”

Bookmakers reacted to the Loft news by making fellow international raider Deauville Legend an even more pronounced Melbourne Cup favourite, at $3.80.

Picture: David Payne’s Montefilia (Kermadec) is a four-time Group 1 winner (racenet.com.au)

David Payne’s Contender Is 6th On Melbourne Cup “Order Of Entry”

By Simon Brunsdon and Brett Graham (wwos.nine.com.au)

How Is The Melbourne Cup Field Decided?

Connections must nominate their horse for the Melbourne Cup, which – for this year’s race – could have been lodged any time before August 2, when they were closed.

This year a total of 186 horses were nominated for the 2022 Cup.

As soon as that list is completed, the handicappers will assess and assign each nominee a weight, based on their handicap rating and past performances at the time.

They will draw up an “order of entry” which ranks every horse from first to last based on how likely they are to make the final field. Generally the horses at the top of the list will be assigned the heaviest weights.

From the time it is created, the order of entry will then change when connections withdraw their horse from contention, or when a nominated horse moves up the list based on weight penalties or performance in exemption events (explained below).

When the Melbourne Cup barrier draw happens at about 5.30pm on the Saturday before the race, the top 24 ranked horses on the order of entry will form the Cup field, and each will be assigned a barrier.

See the full up-to-date 2022 order of entry below.

What Are Ballot Exemption Races?

The Melbourne Cup has five ballot-exemption races, which means the winner of each of those races can earn an automatic spot in the Cup, if connections choose to accept it.

The five exemption races are; The Andrew Ramsden Stakes (May 14, won by Point Nepean), The Bart Cummings (October 1, won by Lunar Flare), Caulfield Cup (October 15, won by Durston), Cox Plate (October 22), and Lexus Stakes, formerly known as The Hotham (October 29).

Lunar Flare and Point Nepean have risen to the top of the Melbourne Cup order of entry following their wins.

The Geelong Cup is not an exemption race for the Melbourne Cup, but the winner of that can be assigned a weight penalty that does push it up the order of entry.

The 2022 Geelong Cup was won by Emissary, which was ranked 30th in the order of entry prior to the win.

The 2010 and 2011 Melbourne Cup winners both came from winning the Geelong Cup.

2022 Melbourne Cup Order Of Entry (Correct as of 5.15pm Friday, October 28)

1 LUNAR FLARE (mare, 7yo, Grahame Begg, 51.5kg + 0.5kg penalty)

2 POINT NEPEAN (IRE) (horse, 5yo, Robert Hickmott, 51kg)

3 DEAUVILLE LEGEND (IRE) (gelding, 4yo, James Ferguson, 55kg)

4 GOLD TRIP (FRA) (horse, 6yo, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, 57.5kg)

5 DUAIS (mare, 5yo, Edward Cummings, 55.5kg)

6 MONTEFILIA (mare, 5yo, David Payne, 55.5kg)

7 HOO YA MAL (GB) (horse, 4yo, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, 53.5kg)

8 KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) (gelding, 8yo, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, 55.5kg)

9 WITHOUT A FIGHT (IRE) (gelding, 6yo, Simon and Ed Crisford, 55.5kg)

10 NUMERIAN (IRE) (gelding, 7yo, Annabel Neasham, 55.5kg)

11 CAMORRA (IRE) (gelding, 6yo, Ben and JD Hayes, 55kg)

12 ALEGRON (gelding, 4yo, James Cummings, 53kg)

13 STOCKMAN (NZ) (gelding, 6yo, Joseph Pride, 54kg)

14 YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) (gelding, 5yo, Danny O’Brien, 54kg)

15 VOW AND DECLARE (gelding, 7yo, Danny O’Brien, 54kg)

16 GRAND PROMENADE (GB) (gelding, 7yo, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, 53kg)

17 TRALEE ROSE (NZ) (mare, 6yo, Symon Wilde, 51.5kg)

18 DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (NZ) (gelding, 5yo, Phillip Stokes, 53kg)

19 ARAPAHO (FRA) (gelding, 6yo, Bjorn Baker, 52.5kg)

20 CRYSTAL PEGASUS (GB) (gelding, 6yo, Chris Waller, 52kg)

21 SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) (gelding, 6yo, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, 51.5kg + 1.5kg penalty)

22 EMISSARY (GB) (gelding, 6yo, Michael Moroney, 51kg + 0.5kg penalty)

23 REALM OF FLOWERS (mare, 6yo, Anthony and Sam Freedman, 50kg)

24 HIGH EMOCEAN (NZ) (mare, 6yo, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, 50kg)

25 INTERPRETATION (IRE) (horse, 5yo, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, 50kg)

26 KING OF THE CASTLE (IRE) (gelding, 5yo, Robert Hickmott, 50kg)

27 SERPENTINE (IRE) (gelding, 6yo, Robert Hickmott, 53.5kg)

28 CHAPADA (gelding, 7yo, Michael Moroney, 52.5kg)

29 SAN HUBERTO (IRE) (horse, 7yo, Matt Cumani, 51.5kg)

30 SCHABAU (GER) (gelding, 8yo, Robert Hickmott, 50kg)

Picture: Eastern Cape Champion Trainer Gavin Smith dressed for the theme “Over The Top” today and although denied victory in the big one, The TAB4Racing Algoa Cup, by the Glen Kotzen-trained raider Han Solo, he nevertheless had a memorable day, winninhg seven of the nine races! (Pauline Herman Photography).

Kotzen Wins Algoa Cup With Han Solo – Smith Wins Seven

Glen Kotzen’s six-year-old Master Of My Fate gelding Han Solo made up for his boardroom defeat in the Listed Hollywoodbets Settlers Trophy at Hollywoodbets Durbanville last time out by winning the Listed TAB4Racing Algoa Cup over the same 2000m trip at Fairview today.

Calvin Habib extracted a storming late finish down the inside from the raider to win by 0,75 lengths from two Gavin Smith-trained local hopes, Jaeger Moon (Capetown Noir) And Never Ending Rain (Soft Falling Rain).

Hans Solo was the 4/1 favourite and the second and third finishers were 14/1 and 5/1 respectively.

Gavin Smith neverhless had an incredible day.

He won no fewer than seven of the nine races at the meeting.