Greyville Saturday - Daily News 2000 raceday

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Daily News 2000

3 THE CONGLOMERATE 3.57

5 ERTIJAAL 5/1

1 FRENCH NAVY 5.56

16 SIREN`S CALL 5.56

4 DEPUTY JUD 6.67

6 MAC DE LAGO 12/1

2 AMSTERDAM 16.67

11 JAYYED 16.67

9 MLJET 20/1

13 ULTIMATE DOLLAR 20/1

15 DANTE`S LEGACY 25/1

8 LIGHT THE LIGHTS 25/1

7 UNPARALLELED 33.33

10 RAMPANT ICE 40/1

14 RUN RHINO RUN 40/1

12 PRINCE OF ORANGE 50/1

18 DANCINGWITHJACKSON

17 ILLUMINATI


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Woolavington 2000

1 MAJMU 6/10

2 INARA 6.67

4 TAMAANEE 8.33

3 PINE PRINCESS 17/2

5 TROPHY WIFE 12/1

6 SMART CALL 14.29

8 SENSIBLE LOVER 25/1

10 INDABA 33.33

7 OLMA 33.33

9 SILVER CLASS 33.33

11 ZANTE 33.33

12 MAMASITA 50/1

By David Thiselton

The Weiho Marwing-trained pair Mac De Lago and Rampant Ice were the surprise packages of the Gr 2 KRA Guineas at Greyville on the opening day of Champions Season, finishing second and fifth respectively, and the never to be under-estimated Ashburton-based trainer is predicting good performances from both them and his other runner Illuminati in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 at Greyville this Saturday.

Mac De Lago was backed in from 33/1 to 20/1 in the Guineas while Rampant Ice started at 75/1, but their runs didn’t surprise Marwing, who said, “Mac De Lago is a good horse and has come on nicely, although he hasn’t got the best draw. He will stay and Illuminati and Rampant Ice will also run well.”

All three horses had previously run in the Gr 1 SA Classic. Mac De Lago finished 13th, beaten 15,75 lengths, and Rampant Ice finished 10th , beaten 11,5 lengths. However, that did not tell the story that they had both moved up quite well but had unfortunately been caught on the inside of horses where the going was palpably inferior than the outside strip from which the winner and all of the placed horses came. Illuminati began his run from well back on the favourable outside but had to switch to the inside to get a clear run, so he also ended in the unfavourable going. He finished 9,75 lengths back in seventh place.

Many were of the opinion that Mac De Lago’s run in the KRA Guineas was a fluke due to his merit rating of 86. However, after winning his maiden over 1160m on debut, backed in from 33/1 to 12/1, he then achieved the rare feat of beating older horses in a handicap in just his second career outing. He ran off a 78 merit rating and thrashed them by 4,25 after producing a resolute finish from the near the back of the field under Marco van Rensburg. Among the vanquished was the twice Gr 1-placed Daily News contender Deputy Jud, whom he beat by 4,3 lengths, although he was receiving 4kg. In his next start in the Gr 3 Tony Ruffel over 1450m, Mac de Lago was backed in from 12/1 to 7/2 but was found to be striding short in both front legs after running below par. Two runs later he was actually a touch unlucky in the Guineas because, after relaxing well on the rail from a pole position draw, he had to be eased for a stride or two at the top of the straight due to the compounding pacemaker Riff Raff. However, he still managed to run on strongly for a two length second to the comfortable winner The Conglomerate.

Australian-breds have been achieving fantastic results in South Africa this season and Mac De Lago could be one of the most under-estimated members of a non-vintage three-year-old male crop. His sire Encosta Delago was a twice leading sire in Australia and has produced horses ranging from sprinters to Oaks winners, so Mac Delago should stay the 200m trip, especially when considering that his Gr 1-winning dam Macavelli Miss (won a Gr 1 over 1600m) is by stamina influence Vettori.

Rampant Ice couldn’t initially go with them in the straight in the KRA Guineas but then began to run on strongly and was doing his best work late to finish 3,15 lengths back. He is by Go Deputy so should relish the extra trip and progeny of this sire also improve noticeably as late three-year-olds. His full sister out of the KRA Fillies Guineas runner up Strawberry Ice won impressively on debut over 1400m at Scottsville on Saturday, so he is a well-bred sort.

Illuminati came from last in the KRA Guineas and followed his stablemate Mac De Lago. He kept up with him until the final few strides and finished 3,6 lengths behind the winner. He is by the miler Lateral out of a dam by Fasliyev, who was a sprinter. This dam has tended to produce sprint-milers, so on pedigree there could be a slight stamina doubt. However, Illuminati has raced over 2000m before, in a MR 89 Handicap on Turffontein Standside in December, and he was finishing well despite being caught three wide and running off a 96 Handicap to finish four lengths behind Vodacom Durban July entry Henry Higgins, who was only running off an 86 that day.

Mac de Lago is drawn 18 out of 18 with Weichong Marwing up, Rampant Ice has drawn well in six with Bernard Fayd’Herbe aboard and Illuminati is drawn 16 with Ian Sturgeon up. However, it should be remembered that in the recent Gr 2 Betting World 1900 at this course the first five finishers came from double figure draws.

By David Thiselton

Glen Kotzen is bullish about the chances of his charge Light The Lights in Saturday’s Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and champion trainer Justin Snaith expects a much better showing from his talented sort Ultimate Dollar.

“Light The Lights is doing great, I am really pleased, he is fit and well and drawn well and is going over his right trip for the first time. His grass gallop for this race was the KRA Guineas and he has come on for it. This will be his test to see whether he can make it into the July field and he will need to be in the first three to do so,” surmised Kotzen.

He was confident that the Western Winter colt could achieve the latter goal and spoke of how well this horse had filled out lately. Kotzen has always viewed him as a horse that would only come into his own in the latter part of this season and the Vodacom Durban July has been this target from a long time ago. Light The Lights has followed the identical route into the big race that Kotzen’s 2009 July winner Big City Life did, although he has a long way to go to fill the latter’s boots. The current three-year-old males are not being viewed as a vintage crop and Light The Lights’s task of making the first three on Saturday have been made more difficult by the entry of the filly Siren’s Call, who is one of the best of an outstanding three-year-old filly’s crop. Furthermore, the Gr 1 SA Classic one-two-three, French Navy, Amsterdam and Deputy Jud, as well as the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby winner Ertijaal, have all entered the fray. Light The Lights’s great sire Western Winter is usually viewed as a speed influence but his Northern Guest dam First Arrival won a Gr 3 over 2000m so he should relish the trip. He found the rail from a plum draw in the KRA Guineas and stayed on well for third. However, on that form he has 2,75 lengths to make up on The Conglomerate and 0,75 lengths on Mac De Lago. He has landed another fine draw of three and regular rider Greg Cheyne will be aboard.

Ultimate Dollar, a gelding by Jet Master, has always struck as one who will relish this trip. His run in the KRA Guineas, when finishing a 5,95 length twelfth, can’t be taken literally as he is the sort who takes a while to wind up into his big action and on that occasion he got stuck behind the pacemaker Riff Raff who was going backwards before the turn. It badly affected his momentum. He is drawn perfectly in five on Saturday with Richard Fourie up and Snaith said, “I’m not saying he would have won the Guineas but he would have finished three lengths back instead of five lengths and I have been waiting to put him over 2000m for a long time.” Ultimate Dollar’s dam Mkushi Gold by Western Winter was stakes-placed and won from 1200-1600m and she is a half-sister to both a stakes-winning sprinter and a stakes-winning stayer.

I really fancy the conglomerate. I mentioned him a good couple of months ago and hope someone noticed. I think he will win on saturday and move straight into the July. Take the price now cos will shorten after the race.

I see MDK slapped the blinkers on Jayyed, he is trying everything.. Hopefully it gets his mind on the job..

The Conglomerate has the right credentials , improved with every race . French Navy and Sirens call wil have to be there abouts but I have a feeling Ertijaal might put in a performance.
going for Ertijaal and Light the Lights in this but still will be backing The Conglomerate for the big one.

Is 6/10 expensive for Majmu? I fancy a little bit of Inara at nearly 7's. Or am I just going around the twist?

Mac wrote: Is 6/10 expensive for Majmu? I fancy a little bit of Inara at nearly 7's. Or am I just going around the twist?

I would think Majmu has more to fear from Pine Princess than Inara

I think Majmu will win this - at level weights holds Inara and Siren's Call (represents Pine Princess) - only slight doubt is that last run over 2000 - but excuses were put forward and I thought she was actually closing in on Wyllie Hall at the end . I'm hoping for Inara as she is in both my Charity Turf entries (Majmu only in one) - but I will be surprised if Majmu gets beat at level weights.

The July (if she runs) is another story .....

The Daily News is more competitive - on ratings Siren's Call is the right one, but the track is a question mark for me - imo the betting is the wrong way around - I would have Siren's Call, French Navy and Deputy Judd shorter than The Conglomerate and Ertijaal - but of course the word is out about The Conglomerate - I guess we will see on Saturday....

I'm going E/W Tamaanee.. Pity her saddle slipped in the Classic she kept running on over 1600m so I thought she was ready to win over that trip, then never got a shot at the Oaks probably cause stable was going for the triple, but showed what she's capable of in the Rosenberg, the trip would have been up her ally with her sire producing two grade 1 derby winners and a 2nd in the Oaks at epsom..

Majmu at 6/10 is the right price and should win- the question is by how far?
Straight line trifecta Majmu/ Inara/ Pine Princess.

Sirens Call travels down tomorrow- her prep for the race has gone well.
Amongst the colts in the Daily News,I think that French Navy is the one to beat, but much more open and any of the top 6 in the betting could be the first lot home. Best value roughie is Light the Lights for places.