Gold Circle Media Release - Sunday 2 May promises to be a thriller!
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Gold Circle Media Release - Sunday 2 May promises to be a thriller!
4 years 3 months ago - 4 years 3 months ago
Things get serious on Sunday, May 2, the first day of South Africa’s Champion Season. Many of the country’s top gallopers start their build-up to the bigger plums of the three-month racing festival with the Gr2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes, heading a quality card at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Supporting features on the ten-race programme are the Gr2 WSB Guineas and Gr2 WSB Fillies Guineas.
Gr1 Cape Town Met winner Rainbow Bridge and stable companion Golden Ducat are stand-out entries in the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m.
Both geldings, who incidentally are half-brothers, are trained by Eric Sands and owned by Mike and Norma Rattray. It has been Rattray’s burning ambition to win the Vodacom Durban July after coming close on a number of occasions and will pin his hopes on this pair come Saturday, July 3.
He was banking on the two last year but Rainbow Bridge disappointed in sixth, Golden Ducat doing better, finishing fourth.
Teenager Luke Ferraris, who has only recently come out of his time as an apprentice, will again be aboard Rainbow Bridge hoping to add to their Cape Town Met victory, and Donovan Dillion, who recently returned from injury, will partner Golden Ducat, the pair finishing fourth in last year’s July.
Paul Peter has accepted with the smart three-year-old Catch Twentytwo, runner-up to Triple Crown winner Malmoos in the WSB Gauteng Guineas and then third in the Gr1 SA Classic, again behind Malmoos. Gavin Lerena stays aboard.
Apprentice Thabiso Gumede scored his first feature race victory aboard Trip To Africa in the Kings Cup and Duncan Howells has kept faith with the youngster. They have a plum draw at two and a win here will go some way towards increasing Trip To Africa’s chances of a gate in the Vodacom Durban July.
Pinkerton is a little under the radar but has a 50% winning strike rate in his seven wins and his last two successes have been over 1400m, the distance of the Drill Hall. Stable companion Wild Coast will be ridden by Grant Van Niekerk and will start from gate 6.
The unbeaten colt Kommetdieding drew 8 in the WSB Guineas and the race will be something of a litmus test. Trained by Harold Crawford and his daughter Michelle Rix, he was a short-priced favourite for the Gr1 Jonsson Workwear Cape Derby but his participation was derailed through injury. The Derby was won by WSB Cape Guineas runner-up Linebacker, so it will be interesting to see how they go against each other. However, both are sure to be warming up for the Daily News 2000 before a crack at the July.
MK’S Pride has been a star on the Highveld, and beat Got The Greenlight in the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes. It was a top-class performance even if seen in the light of Got The Greenlight’s comeback run. He has drawn pole in the Guineas alongside Jonsson Workwear Derby winner Linebacker which should make for another interesting match-up.
Dean Kannemeyer’s Cape Guineas winner Russian Rock disappointed in a Graduation Plate in his first KZN outing this term but that run should have brought him on.
Vaughan Marshall has two top entries in Linebacker and recent Byerley Turk winner Seeking The Stars in what should be a cracking renewal of the Gr2 WSB Guineas.
Justin Snaith’s star filly Captain’s Ransom pulled a top draw of 3 in the WSB Fillies Guineas and the manner of her recent wins should make her difficult to beat. Beaten only once, she has twice taken on top older fillies and on both occasions put them to bed with ease, the smart Clouds Unfold victim on both occasions including the Gr1 Cartier Majorca Stakes on Met Day.
She put up a cracking gallop at Hollywoodbets Greyville last week and looks primed for this event.
Although she looks head and shoulders above the opposition, Princess Calla, second to Captain’s Ransom in the Cape Fillies Guineas, was an impressive winner at Hollywoodbets Scottsville a fortnight back and can make a race of it while Only The Brave is back over a more suitable trip after finding the SA Oaks out of her compass and the combination of Muzi Yeni and Paul Matchett is often lethal. Journalist: Andrew Harrison
GREYVILLE FINAL FIELDS
Sunday 2 May 2021
Race-5 (Turf) R 300,000 1400m 13:45 Ref-724
INDEPENDENT ON SATURDAY DRILL HALL STAKES (Grade 2)
Horses at Weight-For-Age + Penalties
Sc# Horse Mass MR Draw B A T M Jockey Trainer
7 RAINBOW BRIDGE 60.0 134 (134) 7 A L J Ferraris Eric Sands
8 GOLDEN DUCAT 60.0 128 (128) 8 A D Dillon Eric Sands
1 EDEN ROC 58.5 119 (119) 1 B A T L Hewitson Sean Tarry
6 WILD COAST 58.5 110 (110) 6 A G van Niekerk Justin Snaith
9 ULTRA MAGNUS 57.0 120 (120) 9 A C Zackey Peter Muscutt
5 CARTEL CAPTAIN 57.0 115 (115) 5 B A S Veale Dennis Drier
13 SILVER OPERATOR 57.0 112 (112) 13 A K de Melo Vaughan Marshall
14 SUNSET EYES 57.0 112 (112) 14 A T S Randolph Peter Muscutt
11 PEARL OF ASIA 57.0 108 (108) 11 B A W Kennedy R A Hill/S R Hill
10 GURU'S PRIDE 57.0 104 (104) 10 A R Danielson Gavin van Zyl
12 PINKERTON 57.0 104 (104) 12 A R Fourie Justin Snaith
3 SOCRATES 57.0 102 (102) 3 A R Munger Shane Humby
2 TRIP TO AFRICA 57.0 101 (101) 2 B A *T Gumede Duncan Howells
4 CATCH TWENTYTWO 56.5 116 (112) 4 A G Lerena Paul Peter
Couplings: (6,12) (7,8 ) (9,14)
No. of Trainers: 11
Race-6 (Turf) R 250,000 1600m 14:20 Ref-725
WORLD SPORTS BETTING FILLIES GUINEAS (Grade 2)
For 3 year-old Fillies
Sc# Horse Mass MR Draw B A T M Jockey Trainer
3 CAPTAIN'S RANSOM 60.0 126 (122) 3 A R Fourie Justin Snaith
8 PRINCESS CALLA 60.0 118 (114) 8 A G van Niekerk Adam Marcus
9 ZARINA 60.0 107 (103) 9 A K de Melo Candice Bass-Robinson
7 GEE FOR GO 60.0 105 (101) 7 A S Khumalo Paul Matchett
1 MISS ELEGANCE 60.0 105 (101) 1 B A C Maujean Lucky Houdalakis
2 CAYA COCO 60.0 102 ( 98) 2 A W Kennedy Glen Kotzen
5 PATON'S TEARS 60.0 96 ( 92) 5 B A T G Lerena Lucky Houdalakis
6 FREESTATE STAR 60.0 92 ( 88) 6 A S Veale Dennis Drier
4 ONLY THE BRAVE 60.0 88 ( 84) 4 A T M Yeni Paul Matchett
10 HUGS ACCEPTED 60.0 87 ( 83) 10 A D Dillon Peter Muscutt
Couplings: (1,5) (4,7)
No. of Trainers: 8
Race-7 (Turf) R 300,000 1600m 14:55 Ref-726
WORLD SPORTS BETTING GUINEAS (Grade 2)
For 3 year-olds
Sc# Horse Mass MR Draw B A T M Jockey Trainer
1 MK'S PRIDE 60.0 119 (115) 1 A W Kennedy Paul Peter
8 KOMMETDIEDING 60.0 117 (113) 8 A S Cele HWJ Crawford/M Rix
9 SEEKING THE STARS 60.0 117 (113) 9 B A L J Ferraris Vaughan Marshall
2 LINEBACKER 60.0 115 (111) 2 A G van Niekerk Vaughan Marshall
7 RUSSIAN ROCK 60.0 114 (110) 7 A K de Melo Dean Kannemeyer
5 THE GATEKEEPER 60.0 110 (106) 5 A R Fourie Justin Snaith
4 BARTHOLDI 60.0 100 ( 96) 4 A S Khumalo M G Azzie/A A Azzie
3 TREAD SWIFTLY 60.0 95 ( 91) 3 B A D Dillon Peter Muscutt
6 INFINITE WONDER 60.0 74 ( 70) 6 A R Munger Ashley Fortune
Couplings: (2,9)
No. of Trainers: 8
Ends
Supporting features on the ten-race programme are the Gr2 WSB Guineas and Gr2 WSB Fillies Guineas.
Gr1 Cape Town Met winner Rainbow Bridge and stable companion Golden Ducat are stand-out entries in the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m.
Both geldings, who incidentally are half-brothers, are trained by Eric Sands and owned by Mike and Norma Rattray. It has been Rattray’s burning ambition to win the Vodacom Durban July after coming close on a number of occasions and will pin his hopes on this pair come Saturday, July 3.
He was banking on the two last year but Rainbow Bridge disappointed in sixth, Golden Ducat doing better, finishing fourth.
Teenager Luke Ferraris, who has only recently come out of his time as an apprentice, will again be aboard Rainbow Bridge hoping to add to their Cape Town Met victory, and Donovan Dillion, who recently returned from injury, will partner Golden Ducat, the pair finishing fourth in last year’s July.
Paul Peter has accepted with the smart three-year-old Catch Twentytwo, runner-up to Triple Crown winner Malmoos in the WSB Gauteng Guineas and then third in the Gr1 SA Classic, again behind Malmoos. Gavin Lerena stays aboard.
Apprentice Thabiso Gumede scored his first feature race victory aboard Trip To Africa in the Kings Cup and Duncan Howells has kept faith with the youngster. They have a plum draw at two and a win here will go some way towards increasing Trip To Africa’s chances of a gate in the Vodacom Durban July.
Pinkerton is a little under the radar but has a 50% winning strike rate in his seven wins and his last two successes have been over 1400m, the distance of the Drill Hall. Stable companion Wild Coast will be ridden by Grant Van Niekerk and will start from gate 6.
The unbeaten colt Kommetdieding drew 8 in the WSB Guineas and the race will be something of a litmus test. Trained by Harold Crawford and his daughter Michelle Rix, he was a short-priced favourite for the Gr1 Jonsson Workwear Cape Derby but his participation was derailed through injury. The Derby was won by WSB Cape Guineas runner-up Linebacker, so it will be interesting to see how they go against each other. However, both are sure to be warming up for the Daily News 2000 before a crack at the July.
MK’S Pride has been a star on the Highveld, and beat Got The Greenlight in the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes. It was a top-class performance even if seen in the light of Got The Greenlight’s comeback run. He has drawn pole in the Guineas alongside Jonsson Workwear Derby winner Linebacker which should make for another interesting match-up.
Dean Kannemeyer’s Cape Guineas winner Russian Rock disappointed in a Graduation Plate in his first KZN outing this term but that run should have brought him on.
Vaughan Marshall has two top entries in Linebacker and recent Byerley Turk winner Seeking The Stars in what should be a cracking renewal of the Gr2 WSB Guineas.
Justin Snaith’s star filly Captain’s Ransom pulled a top draw of 3 in the WSB Fillies Guineas and the manner of her recent wins should make her difficult to beat. Beaten only once, she has twice taken on top older fillies and on both occasions put them to bed with ease, the smart Clouds Unfold victim on both occasions including the Gr1 Cartier Majorca Stakes on Met Day.
She put up a cracking gallop at Hollywoodbets Greyville last week and looks primed for this event.
Although she looks head and shoulders above the opposition, Princess Calla, second to Captain’s Ransom in the Cape Fillies Guineas, was an impressive winner at Hollywoodbets Scottsville a fortnight back and can make a race of it while Only The Brave is back over a more suitable trip after finding the SA Oaks out of her compass and the combination of Muzi Yeni and Paul Matchett is often lethal. Journalist: Andrew Harrison
GREYVILLE FINAL FIELDS
Sunday 2 May 2021
Race-5 (Turf) R 300,000 1400m 13:45 Ref-724
INDEPENDENT ON SATURDAY DRILL HALL STAKES (Grade 2)
Horses at Weight-For-Age + Penalties
Sc# Horse Mass MR Draw B A T M Jockey Trainer
7 RAINBOW BRIDGE 60.0 134 (134) 7 A L J Ferraris Eric Sands
8 GOLDEN DUCAT 60.0 128 (128) 8 A D Dillon Eric Sands
1 EDEN ROC 58.5 119 (119) 1 B A T L Hewitson Sean Tarry
6 WILD COAST 58.5 110 (110) 6 A G van Niekerk Justin Snaith
9 ULTRA MAGNUS 57.0 120 (120) 9 A C Zackey Peter Muscutt
5 CARTEL CAPTAIN 57.0 115 (115) 5 B A S Veale Dennis Drier
13 SILVER OPERATOR 57.0 112 (112) 13 A K de Melo Vaughan Marshall
14 SUNSET EYES 57.0 112 (112) 14 A T S Randolph Peter Muscutt
11 PEARL OF ASIA 57.0 108 (108) 11 B A W Kennedy R A Hill/S R Hill
10 GURU'S PRIDE 57.0 104 (104) 10 A R Danielson Gavin van Zyl
12 PINKERTON 57.0 104 (104) 12 A R Fourie Justin Snaith
3 SOCRATES 57.0 102 (102) 3 A R Munger Shane Humby
2 TRIP TO AFRICA 57.0 101 (101) 2 B A *T Gumede Duncan Howells
4 CATCH TWENTYTWO 56.5 116 (112) 4 A G Lerena Paul Peter
Couplings: (6,12) (7,8 ) (9,14)
No. of Trainers: 11
Race-6 (Turf) R 250,000 1600m 14:20 Ref-725
WORLD SPORTS BETTING FILLIES GUINEAS (Grade 2)
For 3 year-old Fillies
Sc# Horse Mass MR Draw B A T M Jockey Trainer
3 CAPTAIN'S RANSOM 60.0 126 (122) 3 A R Fourie Justin Snaith
8 PRINCESS CALLA 60.0 118 (114) 8 A G van Niekerk Adam Marcus
9 ZARINA 60.0 107 (103) 9 A K de Melo Candice Bass-Robinson
7 GEE FOR GO 60.0 105 (101) 7 A S Khumalo Paul Matchett
1 MISS ELEGANCE 60.0 105 (101) 1 B A C Maujean Lucky Houdalakis
2 CAYA COCO 60.0 102 ( 98) 2 A W Kennedy Glen Kotzen
5 PATON'S TEARS 60.0 96 ( 92) 5 B A T G Lerena Lucky Houdalakis
6 FREESTATE STAR 60.0 92 ( 88) 6 A S Veale Dennis Drier
4 ONLY THE BRAVE 60.0 88 ( 84) 4 A T M Yeni Paul Matchett
10 HUGS ACCEPTED 60.0 87 ( 83) 10 A D Dillon Peter Muscutt
Couplings: (1,5) (4,7)
No. of Trainers: 8
Race-7 (Turf) R 300,000 1600m 14:55 Ref-726
WORLD SPORTS BETTING GUINEAS (Grade 2)
For 3 year-olds
Sc# Horse Mass MR Draw B A T M Jockey Trainer
1 MK'S PRIDE 60.0 119 (115) 1 A W Kennedy Paul Peter
8 KOMMETDIEDING 60.0 117 (113) 8 A S Cele HWJ Crawford/M Rix
9 SEEKING THE STARS 60.0 117 (113) 9 B A L J Ferraris Vaughan Marshall
2 LINEBACKER 60.0 115 (111) 2 A G van Niekerk Vaughan Marshall
7 RUSSIAN ROCK 60.0 114 (110) 7 A K de Melo Dean Kannemeyer
5 THE GATEKEEPER 60.0 110 (106) 5 A R Fourie Justin Snaith
4 BARTHOLDI 60.0 100 ( 96) 4 A S Khumalo M G Azzie/A A Azzie
3 TREAD SWIFTLY 60.0 95 ( 91) 3 B A D Dillon Peter Muscutt
6 INFINITE WONDER 60.0 74 ( 70) 6 A R Munger Ashley Fortune
Couplings: (2,9)
No. of Trainers: 8
Ends
Last edit: 4 years 3 months ago by Bob Brogan.
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