Trainers in the South African Ranks

MICHAEL CLOWER
Justin Snaith continued his domination of the Cape Town two-year-old races when Red Disa made a winning debut at Kenilworth yesterday but he revealed that his ambition to become champion trainer for the first time is being thwarted by a lack of boxes in Johannesburg.
Snaith, now on the 99-winner mark and R1.7 million clear at the top of the national log, left it to his father Chris to explain the actual details. Snaith snr said: “We are desperately searching for boxes on a permanent basis but all the authorities will give us is ten and then only for three months.
“That is not economically viable ??" we are not expecting to go there and clean up ??" and also three months is too short because it takes time for the horses to get acclimatised to the altitude.”
However a trip to Jo’burg is being considered for J&B Met hero Hill Fifty Four ahead of his preparation for the Vodacom Durban July.
Vaughan Marshall said: “Hill Fifty Four has taken the race very well and Derek Brugman is keen for him to go to Jo’burg. We are to discuss the matter but, if he did go, it would only be for two races ??" the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein on March 29 and the President’s Champion Challenge there four weeks later.”
The handicappers have raised Hill Fifty Four by a kilo to a new merit rating of 112 and second-placed Yorker, who was conceding 2kg, has gone up four points to the same mark. Jackson has been dropped 1.5kg to 115 even though there were reasons for his disappointing run.
Investec Cape Derby winner Legislate, who Justin Snaith now expects to go to Durban, has gone up 6.5kg to 103 and runner-up Captain America has been left on 106 while third-placed Arion has been upped 3.5kg to 97.