Hollywood Racing completes a four-timer as Calvin Habib on the Alyson Wright-trained Ibutho (Duke Of Marmalade) is about to just pip the Garth Puller-trained Masterbling (Siphesihle Hlengwa).
The Hollywoodbets Greyville polytrack was today praised by jockeys, who said there was not much kickback and what kickback there was was also below the chest level of the horses and they added it had a nice feel, while from both a jockey point of view and spectator point of view it was pleasing to see horses being able to win from the front or from off the pace and horses had a fair chance wherever they were in the straight i.e. today they won down the inside, down the centre and on the outside.
This was the first meeting after the rejuvenating of the polytrack, so the positive feedback from the jockeys and the fair racing was most pleasing to witness.
Hollywood Racing had a four-timer, which was fitting as Hollywoodbets are of course behind all of the changes being made, including to the poly, as they have now taken over control of KZN racing.
The results were also generally favourable for punters with only one double figure odds winner in the nine races.
Of course the acid test for the polytrack will be when it rains, because the chief reason for its construction was as an all weather track which would be able to save meetings that would otherwise have to be abandoned or postponed.
Hollywood Racing’s winners today were courtesy of the Peter Muscutt-trained filly Woza Nawe (Gimmethegreenlight), who started at 4/1 and was ridden by Sean Veale, the Mike de Kock-trained Rafeef gelding Trois Trois Quatre (Rafeef), who started at 11/2 and was also ridden by Sean Veale, the the “Bo” Ngcobo-trained Eventidor (Elusive Fort), who started at 9/4 and was ridden by apprentice Jacey Botes, and the Alyson Wright-trained Ibutho (Duke Of Marmalade), who was backed in from 25/1 to 14/1 and was ridden by Calvin Habib.
Besides Hollywood Racing’s four-timer and Veale’s double, there was also a double for Calvin Habib and a career first double for 4kg claiming apprentice Mxolisi Mbutho.
The intriging race for the KZN trainers championship sees Garth Puller on 36 wins, reigning champion Gareth van Zyl on 34 wins, Alyson Wright on 30 wins, Peter Muscutt on 29 wins and Mike Miller on 27 wins.
The KZN jockeys title chase sees Sean Veale leading on 51 wins, sidelined Rachel Venniker is on 46 wins and Craig Zackey is on 42 wins.
Andrew Harrison of Gold Circle wrote the below report on today’s meeting:
Andrew Harrison (Gold Circle)
The new poly surface at Hollywoodbets Greyville was under scrutiny yesterday but by all accounts passed with flying colours. After winning the first race run on the new surface, apprentice Mxolisi Mbuto commented that he was sat in behind runners and there was very little kick-back which was music to the ears of jockeys that had suffered the kick-back of the former aging surface, year’s past it’s sell-by date.
Looking to be one of the better bets on the programme in the card opener, the Mathew and Mike de Kock-trained Cherry Oh Baby touched 1-5 in the market but took an ominous drift in the betting just prior to the start with plenty of 11-10 available as some money came for long-time battler Longstreet.
Halfway up the straight, Longstreet supporters looked to have done their money as Andrew Fortune appeared to be sitting with a handful on the favourite.
However, apprentice Mbuto extricated Longstreet from behind horses and produced a telling late run up the outside of the field. Cherry Oh Baby rallied to Fortune’s urgings but Longstreet had the momentum and an 8kg weight advantage, getting home by a short head.
Given the market drift and Fortune’s ride, the stipendiary stewards have opened an inquiry.
When Cape Town trainers are in town for Champion Season it always pays to take note and include their horses in any plays. Glen Kotzen’s charge Master Bomber pulled the widest gate in the second but Chad Little had no hesitation as Master Bomber pinged the gate and was in front shortly after the start. He appeared to be a keen in the early exchanges with first time blinkers but once settled he had an easy lead.
Little got him to kick early in the straight and he pinched a winning break. Silver Platter was closing but was confined to the second box for the fourth time in succession. He is a horse with a huge, loping stride and a mile-and-a-half may be more to his liking.
Woza Nawe built on her comeback run behind One Smart Cookie to land the odds in the third. The judges were faced by a wall of horses approaching the final furlong but Sean Veale got his filly to kick out of the pack and hold off Faizah, this pair pulling clear. Green Valkyrie refused to jump.
The Middle Stakes over 2000m produced a thrilling finish with a short head separating the winner Trois Trois Quatre and Blackberry Malt with third placed Afropolitan a well beaten third. Crossing the subway the pair slowly pulled clear of the pack and they joined battle about a furlong out. Blackberry Malt was game in defeat with Cole Dicken hard at work but it was back-to-back wins for Hollywood Racing’s retained rider Sean Veale and Hollywood Racing after Woza Nawe.
It was three on the bounce for Hollywood Racing as Eventidor came with a telling late run to win the D Stakes over 1600m for trainer ‘Bo’ Ngcobo. It was not all easy going for the young apprentice Jacey Botes as he took the scenic route around the 1400 m mark and was in danger of running off the course. However, he managed to get it all under control and set off up the outside of the field, giving Eventidor a clear run at the line. The gelding responded with a sustained finish to win rather comfortably. Young Botes was brutally honest post-race, “I thought I had stuffed it up.” But if he ever gives up race-riding he can always get a job in a bakery as he ‘stirred’ up his mount using his reins rather than the stick.
Front running tactics on the new poly surface paid dividends yesterday as Calvin Habib followed the script taking the Wendy Whitehead-trained Sundance Kid into an early lead, kicking for home at the top of the straight and holding on to his advantage. It was a close-run thing as Muzi Yeni drove hard on Bristol Hercules up the inside fence but Sundance Kid had just enough left to hold on by a diminishing head in the sixth.
Mxolisi Mbuto is not your usual apprentice being a lot older than the usual SAJA intake. From serving tables in a restaurant to riding winners on a big stage has been a dream as he rode his second winner of the afternoon on the Darryl Moore-trained Quentasia. Sitting in just off the pace, Quentasia made use of her light weight and a balanced ride to scythe through her field to win comfortably.
Avernian Goddess has been costly to follow but she got it all together in the eighth as she got a dream run. The field bunched up the inside rail but stable rider to the Dean Kannemeyer yard picked a gap and his filly responded with a fine turn of foot to win well. With this confidence booster under her girth she can go on to win a few more. Not so lucky was stable companion Getoffofmycloud, who was the chief sufferer in the inside bunching, and is definitely a horse to follow.
Probably fitting with Hollywood having provided the means to revamp the poly track, Ibutho rounded off a fine day for Hollywood Racing with their fourth winner of the afternoon. In another close call, Alyson Wright’s veteran edged home ahead of Masterbling with Calvin Habib on the right end of another desperate finish.
