Greyville Saturday 6th June...

Charles Laird’s Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge contender Ice Machine is not the soundest type but his class is illustrated by two particularly scintillating career performances, first when beating the country’s best milers in last season’s Gr 2 weight for age Green Point Stakes over 1600m at Kenilworth and then in his last start when annihilating them in the Gr 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m at Greyville.

The six-year-old Silvano gelding displayed his devastating turn of foot in the Drill Hall, but Laird’s immediate wish after the race was that he would be sound the next day, which told a story of how difficult a horse he is to train.

Laird is Ice Machine’s third career trainer and said ahead of the gelding’s third outing for the yard, “He is floating, he is moving very well. It is a hard ask against those horses but he couldn’t be better.”

Ice Machine is now back on a career high mark of 113 and is the third highest rated horse in Saturday’s weight for age race behind 120-rated Futura and 117-rated Legislate.

Anton Marcus remains aboard which is an obvious bonus, but they are drawn a tricky nine this time as opposed to the three draw they had in the Drill Hall.

Laird also runs Bold Inspiration in the Gr 3 Cup Trial, but even if he wins he won’t be re-entered for the Vodacom Durban July, having been scratched from the big race after his unplaced run in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900. That last run didn’t pan out well for him and Laird said, “They went a crawl and from draw one he got stuck behind the leader, it was a shambles. He is not a horse that can sprint for home and Stuart Randolph will have to use his draw (three) on Saturday to make sure they don’t go a walk. He’s very well.”

Laird has five two-year-olds in total running on the day and expected all of them to hold their own in their respected Listed events over 1400m, although he admitted that at this stage these races are very difficult to predict especially as virtually all of the runners will be seeing the Greyville turn for the first time. However, one of the more interesting of his runners could be the filly Ninefold, who looks to be a chip off the block of her sire Warm White Night. She showed good pace on debut and then found another gear late to pull clear in soft going over 1200m at Scottsville. From draw two in Saturday’s Listed Devon Air Stakes over 1400m, she should be up there early under Anton Marcus and should also be doing good work late so is one to consider.

BY David Thiselton

By David Thiselton

Gavin van Zyl runs the Kahal gelding No Worries in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and this strapping chestnut is the quiet fancy of more than a few to win the big one, the Vodacom Durban July.

This 111-merit rated five-year-old finished a gallant 2,25 length third in the Gr 1 President’s Champion Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein last time out and as things stand will be considerably better off in the July weights with both the winner Wylie Hall and the runner up Majmu. However, he does risk punishment from the handicapper if going close on Saturday considering he is up against the like of 120 merit-rated Futura and 117 merit-rated Legislate.

Van Zyl said, “That last run was only six weeks ago, so we were able to keep him going. He is in a good space at present and I make him a runner.  We won’t be burning him up in front as this is also a preparation for the July, so we will be looking to slot him in, although he is a versatile type and if we can get a soft lead we will take it.”

No Worries jumps from a slightly tricky draw of eight in the 12 horse field.

However, there has been no sign of the headstrong antics which affected his performances in his early four-year-old career. This has in part been due to the fine partnership he has struck up with the talented young jockey and horseman Keagan de Melo.

No Worries already has three Gr 1 places at Greyville. He showed here as a three-year-old that he is capable of producing flying finishes from the back of the field, so his current reputation as a front-runner is a bit misleading.

Van Zyl runs the three-year-old Horse Chestnut filly Banbury in the Gr 2 Tibouchina over 1400m, where she has to overcome the widest draw of all in the 12 horse field.  Her Gr 3 Fillies Mile win at Turffontein now looks good on paper, having beaten the subsequent Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 winner Smart Call. Last time out she was beaten four lengths over Saturday’s course and distance by Maybe Yes in a conditions event and now faces her on 1,5kg worse term, but she did need that run quite badly and Van Zyl said, “She is fine and been working well and we expect her to get closer to Maybe Yes than she did last time.” Banbury has a good turn of foot, but does need cover, so the draw will be tricky for jockey Warren Kennedy.

The yard run the Judpot gelding Rocketball in the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes over 1400m. He appeared to relish the turf surface in his third career outing last time out when coming from off the pace to win over course and distance. The form was franked as the narrow runner up, King’s Knight, won next time out over 1200m on the poly. Van Zyl said, “He is not a great track horse but good horses often don’t sparkle at home. He will need to improve three lengths to run a place but I expect him to do so through normal progression. This is unchartered territory and only the race will tell how good he is.” 

Cape trainer Joey Ramsden’s star grey gelding King Of Pain defends his Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge crown at Greyville on Saturday and will need to run a big race to book his place in the Vodacom Durban July.

King of Pain is the highest rated July entry not in the top 25 on the log, but this can only be a reflection of his last two runs, because on top of his Gold Challenge win last season he also ran second to Futura on the final weekend of last season in the Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m at Greyville

He lacked zest in his first KZN run this season in the Gr 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m and then didn’t enjoy the sprint for home next time out in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1600m at Greyville.

However, Ramsden is bullish about him bouncing back.

He is away in the UK for the Epsom Derby but said on his blog, “Hopefully he has turned the corner. He looks magnificent and is loving his work, his ears are pricked and he looks to be having a good time. I hope he translates that into a really good and competitive run, I am sure he will.”

He is drawn well in six with regular pilot Bernard Fayd’Herbe up.

By David Thiselton

Mike Bass had a fine feature day down in Cape Town last Sunday and will be hoping to repeat the dose at Greyville on Saturday where he has plenty of big race runners at the Rising Sun Gold Challenge Racemeeting.

In the weight for age Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m he runs Ashton Park, Night Trip and Ze Kaiser, none of whom are entered in the Vodacom Durban July so they will be at their peaks and,  unlike a few others, will not be viewing this as a preparation outing.

Assistant trainer Robert Fayd’Herbe said, “They are all doing well. It’s tough to split them, but if I had to choose one it would probably be Night Trip. ”

Ashton Park had little hope from a high draw in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m last time out but before that ran on well from the back over his probable favourite trip of 1400m in the Gr 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes. His decent efforts in both the Gr 2 Lanzerac Le General Green Point Stakes and the Gr 1 L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate showed that he is also effective over 1600m. He is drawn five with astute jockey Greg Cheyne aboard.

Night Trip flew up last time out over course and distance to finish just 0,25 lengths behind Futura. The latter still needed it and will be 1,5kg better off here, but Night Trip is now having his third run after a rest. He has the advantage of Anthony Delpech up as well as a fine draw of two.

Ze Kaiser is the lowest rated horse in the race, but has come into his own since the yard farrier solved his foot problems. He flew last time out to be only 0,5 lengths behind Futura, but is now 3kg worse off.

Bass runs the J&B Met third-placed Helderberg Blue in the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m and he will need a big run to get into the July. A line can be drawn through his unplaced run in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 as he was shuffled back in a slow run race and then couldn’t get a run down the outside rail. Anton Marcus is now aboard from pole position, so he could find the handy position he likes. He was lowered one point for his last run but still has to lug second top-weight of 59,5kg. Fayd’Herbe said, “He was well before that last run.  He is just as well now and is obviously a fitter horse.”

The yard run the top mare Hammie’s Hooker in the Gr 2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m, which she won comfortably over 1450m at Clairwood last year, having thrived during her KZN stint. This will be her fist run since finishing a respectable fourth to Majmu in the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein on April 11. She is the highest rated horse in the race and has always given the impression that 1400m is her optimum trip. She put up a career best performance in her only start at Greyville to date, when running the brilliant Beach Beauty to 0,75 lengths in last season’s Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m. Jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe thinks highly of her and is aboard from a plum draw of three. Robert Fayd’Herbe said, “She put up a good gallop and her work is good, she is doing well and is ready, so can win the race again.”

Bass runs the Visionaire colt Jet Air in the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes over 1400m He was well beaten in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m at Scottsville two weeks ago, but before that won his maiden over 1400m at Kenilworth in good style and will likely appreciate the step back to that trip. Fayd’Herbe said, “It’s tough for a young horse from that draw as he will have to make up a lot of ground.”

The yard’s sprinting type Equity Kicker runs in an earlier race and it will be a preparation outing for the Gr 2 Post Merchants.


By David Thisleton

bayern. agree with you 100%.

Helderberg blue at 11/2 my top bet for the day.

All by David Thiselton

Joey Soma said a line could be drawn through Athina’s last run over 1200m and believed she was coming back to her best and peaking at the right time ahead of Saturday’s Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m at the big Rising Sun Gold Challenge Racemeeting at Greyville.

Soma said about the classy four-year-old Fort Wood mare Athina, “She is doing very well. I thought she was an unlucky second in the Paddock Stakes. We had been aiming her at the President’s Champions Challenge but at the end of March she developed a hoof abscess which took longer to clear up than we had predicted. She was out of work for two-and-a-half weeks so we put her in the sprint on Champions day instead. It was maybe the wrong thing to do in retrospect but we couldn’t have predicted how cut up the ground was going to be and both her eyes were closed the next day, she must have been hit by clods. The run can be completely ignored. She has done a lot of work since. We were going to go for the Gold Challenge but she drew badly and the 1600m might be a touch sharp for her now. She’s looking for the ground and she is drawn well with a good jockey aboard (Richard Fourie). We will decide after the race whether she goes for the July or the Garden Province. We’re expecting a big run.”

Athina is the only female in the Cup Trial and has to carry 58kg off her 106 merit rating.



Mike de Kock had a frustrating day by his standards at Greyville last weekend, running second in two Gr 1s after the disappointing scratching of Majmu from the Woolavington 2000, but he has a couple of chances to make amends in feature races at the Rising Sun Gold Challenge Racemeeting on Saturday.

The yard runs Ataab and One Fine Day in the Gr 2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m. They finished third and fourth respectively in the Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas last time out but it would be no surprise to see the roles reversed because Ataab dictated in that race at a slow gallop while One Fine Day was dropped out after dwelling at the start and had too much ground to make up in the straight. On Saturday One Fine Day, who has a fantastic turn of foot, is drawn in pole over the course and distance of her career best performance, a one length second against the boys in last season’s Gr 1 Golden Horseshoe. The Australian-bred Flying Spur filly Ataab is drawn seven and over this shorter trip might battle to get to the front and dictate as she did last time, but she is still effective over this distance and can’t be ignored.

De Kock’s Summerveld assistant Nathan Kotzen revealed that the pair had put up good work together on the Summerveld grass this week. He added, “One Fine Day often misses the break, but when she jumps well she wins.”

The yard run the Australian-bred Bernadini filly Almashooqa in the Listed Devon Air Stakes over 1400m. She won her debut by four lengths over 1200m at Scottsville, but was green when starting favourite first time around the turn over 1400m at Scottsville. However, she was doing good work late in that last race and has scope for improvement so is one to consider from draw three with Antony Delpech up. Kotzen confirmed, “She was still dumb last time, she is a nice filly who will get better as she gets older and will also go further.”

Wild One makes his seasonal reappearance for the yard in the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m, his first run since his excellent 0,5 length second in the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m last July. Kotzen said, “It is too short and is a preparation run.”

Meanwhile, Majmu is fine but was still only trotting yesterday (Wednesday) and will start normal work again today (Thursday). Ertijaal and Pine Princess have come out of their respective seconds in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 well.



Sean Tarry’s yard can do little wrong in their first championship winning season, so it would be no surprise to see him walk away with more trophies at Saturday’s important Rising Sun Gold Challenge Racemeeting at Greyville.

He runs Halve The Deficit and Willow Magic in the weight for age Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m.

He said about the four-year-old Australian-bred Dubawi colt Willow Magic, “He is well and I’ve been waiting to go this type of distance. He recorded a good time when winning his comeback over 1000m and the Horse Chestnut was coming a bit soon so we elected to keep him to sprints to see if he could pick up one or two features. But I think he is clearly looking for this ground. I think Greyville could be his best course from the good draw he has. He is way out at the weights with the top two but over his right distance he may not only be a 104 (merit rating).”

Willow Magic won the Investec Dingaans over the tough Turffontein 1600m in commanding fashion as a young three-year-old and will be at his peak on Saturday, unlike a few other runners who are having preparations for the July. Furthermore, there will be no concerns about his merit rating being raised, because as a sprint-miler his future largely lies in weight for age races. Piere Strydom aboard from draw three is a further plus.

Tarry said about the six-year-old Right Approach gelding Halve The Deficit, “He is very well, I’m very happy with him.”

Halve The Deficit was overlooked in the first Vodacom Durban July log, despite finishing a decent fourth in the Gr 1 President’s Champions Challenge over 2000m, but was promoted to 14th place on the second log due to a decent win in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1600m on the Turffontein Inside track. He quickened well from a handy position in that race and not only displayed his liking for tight courses like Greyville but also beat another top 18 July log incumbent, Tellina, by 1,15 lengths at level weights. He is drawn well in four on Saturday and will be ridden by Raymond Danielson, who is fresh from his Gr 1 Daily News 2000 victory on the Tarry-trained French Navy.

Tarry runs Gold Onyx, Whiteline Fever and The Hangman in in the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m.

He said, “Gold Onyx is a small horse who doesn’t take a lot of work, so I was reluctant to get him ready for this race, because we will need something to work with going into the July. He will only be 80% fit and if he finishes five or six lengths back I will be satisfied, anything better I will be upbeat. I could have avoided this race to ensure his place in the July, but the right thing to do in order to get him spot on for the July is to run him here.”

The seven-year-old Black Minnaloushe gelding has enjoyed a new lease of life since being partnered by Grant Behr and earned his lofty position of tenth on the July log through his excellent L’Ormarins’s Queen’s Plate and J&B Met runs.

Tarry said that the six-year-old Right Approach gelding Whiteline Fever could be excused for running out of steam in the last 100m of the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 as he had run wide throughout and then made up a lot of ground in the straight.

He said, “He is doing well and has a nice weight and good jockey (Strydom). From this better draw he will be able to follow them in and pounce in the last 300m, that’s the way that suits him best. It’s very open but he has a chance.”

Whiteline Fever will need a big run to get into the July and could well do so having been lowered two merit rated points after that last run.

The five-year-old Jallad gelding The Hangman was also a Dingaans winner, but subsequently fractured a cannon bone and had to be laid off for over a year.

Tarry said, “His prep has gone well and his last run in the Pinnacle Plate (1600m at Greyville) was very good. I don’t think the distance will be a problem provided he gets the right positon early on.”

Danielson, rides The Hangman from a tricky draw of nine.

Halve The Deficit was due to travel from Randjesfontein to Summerveld today (Thursday). The rest of the runners have all been prepared out of Summerveld.



Cape trainers Dean Kannemeyer and Neil Bruss have chances of feature race success at the Rising Sun Gold Challenge Racemeeting at Greyville on Saturday.

Kannemeyer runs the improving Dynasty gelding It Is Written in the Gr 3 Cup Trial and said, “It’s a tough race but he’s exceptionally well. The Betting World 1900 was a rough race and there was a lot of bumping and checking near the fence but he still ran a fair race. The 1800m is fine for him but he will have to win to prove he deserves a place in the July.”

Kannemeyer regards his Listed Gatecrasher contender Whiskey Joe as a horse who is on the up and one that will make a nice three-year-old. He wasn’t sure how good the field he beat on debut was but added that he had come on in leaps and bounds since, although he felt the Greyville 1400m might be on the sharp side for him.

He brings Gr 1 winner Afrikaburn back in the Non-Black Type Durban Dash over 1100m on the polytrack after a lengthy break. He has had two grass gallops and Kannemeyer felt this was a good starting point, although he added it would be on the sharp side for him.

Bruss runs the talented Red Flame in the Gr 2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m and said she was “fine”. He added it was a tough field but she was drawn well and was effective from 1200 - 1800m so should run a good race from a plum draw. Her good turn of foot makes her suited to the tight Greyville circuit.

He described Go Deputy filly Flying Ice, a winner on debut over 1400m at Scottsville two week ago, as a “nice horse”. She is entered in the Listed Devon Air Stakes and took her debut win well. She should be running on strongly, judging from the telling late kick she found on debut.

Cape trainer Stan Elley will be hoping to cement the July places of Dynastic Power and Punta Arenas at the big Rising Sun Gold Challenge Racemeeting at Greyville on Saturday. Both are top 18 incumbents in the July log and both run in the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m.

Elley was confident of a good Champions Season for Dynastic Power, as he had managed to run some good races during the Cape Summer without the yard ever having had him “quite right.” The classy gelding duly won the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 in his first KZN outing when given his head rounding the final bend and sustaining a strong finish throughout the straight. Punta Arenas ran on strongly for third in the same race, which was also his Champions Season opening salvo.

Elley said, “They have both come through their preparations very well and I can’t fault either. We had to give Dynastic Power a little bit of a break after the 1900, he had an abscess on one hoof, but it hasn’t set him back because both of his serious workouts in the last ten days have been very good. Punta Arenas doesn’t take as much work and is looking really nice. They should get into the July as long as they don’t run shockers. All they need is luck in running.”

Dynastic Power is drawn ten as opposed to 12 in the 1900 and Greg Cheyne remains aboard.

Punta Arenas seldom draws well and this time has to contend with draw 12 in the thirteen horse field. Ian Sturgeon keeps the ride.

You think Ice Machine can step up just slightly on his last run ?

Probably all that needed

Played the double :-

R5) Flying Fiona X (R7) Same Jurisdiction

Flying Fiona, we always hear how difficult it is to bring visiting horses for a season, to the extent that the visiting trainers only bring the horses they think will pay their way and maybe pick up a win or two. Imagine how difficult it must be when deciding on whether to bring a two year old or not? Honestly, I don't think the visiting trainers throw names in a hat and choose two or more depending on their budget. Any trainer worth his salt has a very good idea, and looking back at Flying Fiona's debut, the 9/10 was deemed generous, and she was backed into 5/10, and won like the good thing she is. Saturday will be no different.

Same Jurisdiction, back on her home patch, even from draw 10 she will take some stopping. She ran creditable seconds to Siren's Call, who is sadly out injured, nonetheless, we all know how unlucky Siren's Call was in not pulling off the Triple Tiara. The immediate danger, Hammie's Hooker, is becoming unreliable and may be looking for a touch further. I firmly believe Same Jurisdiction has scope for vast improvement and is the one to be with.

Bayern
I pray you are right about SJ. I have a stable double Saratoga landing on SJ.
As if that was not good enough I did Le Chat D Amour onto SJ.

I told Bob earlier ..I am a sucker for punishment ..No more bets on SJ.

Ice Machine

Maybe Yes