Delpech gets a Greyville send-off
ANTHONY DELPECH was one of the country’s great riders and his forced retirement through injury was not only personal but also a blow to his legion of followers.
Saturday, April 7, 2018 was the fateful career-ending day for Delpech. As he hunted a gap on the well-fancied Majestic Mambo in the SA Classic, his mount clipped heels dislodging Delpech who landed on his feet.
It was a jackhammer-like landing that caused spinal compression that would eventually force the 49-yearold rider, still at the top of his game, to call time on his riding career.
The three-time South African Champion, whose record of 334 winners in a season is unlikely ever to be challenged let along broken, will be honoured by Gold Circle at Greyville on Sunday where fans will have the opportunity to have autographs signed.
But for a jockey who partnered some of South Africa’s equine greats, it is slim pickings where the Igugu Handicap, a lowly rated MR 81, is top of the menu.
Denysschen
It is an open affair but Lowan Denysschen’s gelding High Green has been knocking on the door for some time now and due a change of fortune.
He goes well over course and distance and has a good draw to add to his appeal.
The Duncan Howellstrained Legend was hopelessly out at the weights in a conditions race contested by a smart field of three-yearolds last time out.
Prior to that he was a fastfinishing third when coming from a long way back and from a better draw he should be a big runner.
Of the balance, Collabro, touched of last run, goes well on the poly and the extra will suit while Saltoro Ridge may find this mountain too high but has shown his best current form over course and distance.
Cosmic Cutter
In the card opener, Cosmic Cutter is the best rated and shows some promise.
He was a close-up second when tried in blinkers for the first time and should make a bold bid.
Winter Twilight, demoted from second when making his poly debut, is a possible threat.
One always needs to take cognisance of Highveld raiders and Clinton Binda saddles Sugoi in the second.
He has useful Highveld form over the trip and although he makes his poly debut, he should have a big chance.
Bravo Zulu goes well over course and distance and has THERE are five Listed features at Turffontein Standside tomorrow as well as two Non-Black type races and they will provide pointers to some top forthcoming events.
One of the most talked about youngsters of the season, Gin Fizz, makes her second racecourse appearance in the Listed Ruffian Stakes over 1 000m and she will be hard to beat.
This Mike de Kock-trained daughter of Soft Falling Rain has plenty of natural speed and a kick to match.
She won effortlessly by 7,40 lengths on debut and the form was franked on Thursday when the third horse Makara was only just touched off by a well regarded sort in Mill Queen. Gin Fizz can be bankered in all bets. a light weight while Spring Breeze takes on males but was a beaten favourite last run.
She now tries a tongue-tie and drops in trip and rating.
The opening leg of the Pick 6 is a wide open affair but Boeing City goes well over course and distance and with a 4kg claimer up should be right there. Bonnie Dawn was running on well behind Making Waves over course and distance last time out and is now 1kg better off and can turn the tables.
Dancing Princess and Elusive Diva will be popular choices in the fourth but a lively outsider is Misty Heath who has shown some recent improvement and from a good draw can feature prominently.
Stuart Pettigrew and Diego De Gouveia have gelled into a formidable combination and they team up with Oona in the fifth. Considering Makara’s good run on Thursday then Allmyloving, who was second to Gin Fizz, can be tipped to finish second to her again.
She has plenty of scope for improvement and gets 3kg from Gin Fizz.
Basadi Faith has won both of her starts in good style but as a two-time winner has to give Gin Fizz 2kg.
De Kock also has a live wire in the Listed Storm Bird Stakes over 1 000m in the form of Frosted Gold.
This New Zealand-bred colt by All Too Hard was green on debut but drew away to win easily.
The form was then franked when the 2,20 length runner up Got The Greenlight won next time out beating a well regarded De Kock horse. Frosted Gold can be bankered in the first leg of the PA. She does take on males but has improved in blinkers and was narrowly beaten on this course last time out. Daredevil Aviator and Solsbury Hill are others to consider.
Zulu Dawn
In the seventh, Pettigrew and De Gouveia team up with Zulu Dawn who is way better than her last run and goes very well over this trip. Adorable Analia and Forehand look the biggest dangers.
The last is another tricky affair but Gareth van Zyl is in good form and Second To None took on stronger at her last start.
She has also shown up well in two outings since her maiden win and can still improve.
Jo Mambo has improved steadily since arriving in her new stable and Louis Goosen’s mare looks primed for this race.
Protea Paradise
IMMEASURABLE can give Sean Tarry his first Cape Town two-year-old winner of the season in the R225 000 Klawervlei Farm Sale Stakes at Durbanville tomorrow.
Greg Cheyne’s mount raced green when a five and a half length-second to Captain Of Stealth on debut a fortnight ago but the winner is the best juvenile seen out so far down here this season and the third was nearly three lengths back.
Stable companion Rock The Globe (bought for only R25 000) has a good chance on his second to smart all-the-way winner Ground Control but is likely to be handicapped by his poor draw.
Path Of Choice has run two good races and should again go well but, on what he has shown so far, you would expect one or both of the Tarry runners to finish in front of him.
Immeasurable opened favourite with World Sports Betting on Wednesday at 22-10 and Rock The Globe came next at 3-1.
The filly Don’t Be Blue (5-1) is bound to have come on from her promising debut while the bargain-basement buy (only R12 000) newcomer Seventh Express has been nibbled at from 10-1 to 17-2.
Candice Bass-Robinson has won the most two-year-old races in Cape Town so far this term and Sweet Karma should make it number six in the opening Streamline Agencies Maiden Juvenile.
Aldo Domeyer’s mount is short at 15-20 but she went close first time and was then a decent third to ultra-smart stable companion Vandah’s Spirit in a winners’ race.
The Equi-Feeds Maiden Juvenile has a much more open appearance.
Midwinter
Midwinter is favourite at 12-10 but gets only a tentative selection.
He has been placed in all his three runs but it is significant that Vaughan Marshall is putting blinkers on 22-10 second favourite Lasata and Capkuta (33-10) could easily have come on enough.
Punters have been waiting for Boomps A Daisy ever since that eye-catching debut four weeks ago and even at odds of 13-20 many will plunge – and why not? If ever a horse looked certain to win next time it was this one.
Starting second favourite she took time to understand the meaning of Anton Marcus’s urgings but, once she did, she accelerated like a good ’un, making up five lengths inside the final furlong and going under to Fluttering by only a head.
Trap Queen finished one and a half lengths back third that day and didn’t get an entirely clear run so, if there is to be a danger, it could be this 6-1 shot.
Look To The Sky won easily on debut and could be the chief threat. The horse who Look To The Sky beat, Twlight Moon, is 3kg better off for a 1,50 length beating and could earn again.
The sixth race is the Listed Derby Trial over 2 000m and Protea Paradise won comfortably over this trip last time from a wide draw. He has another wide draw but is capable of coming from off the pace.
He looks to be promising and is improving in the typical fashion of a son of Dynasty.
He will be ridden by Gavin Lerena, who is in top form and is made a banker.
The risk averse might want to include more but beyond this horse it is wide open.
In the Listed Oaks Trial over 2 000m Bize ran on well to win her debut over 1 600m and on that evidence will relish the step up in trip.
The wide draw should not be a concern as she can come from off the pace.
However, her lack of experience is a concern so she can’t be a confident choice. African Daisy won her maiden well over 1 800m under Luke Ferraris and was then not disgraced when finishing third, 5,40 lengths behind Protea Paradise, over this course and distance.
She has a good draw of two and is reunited with Ferraris.
The topeweight Seville Orange has to give lumps of weight away but has earned it as she has a touch of class.
She should be thereabouts. However, the suggestion is to go as wide as possible in this race.
In the Listed Bauhinia Handicap over 1000m Lawdy Miss Clawdy is in fine form and can improve further with blinkers now on. Winter Watch has some class and is 1kg better off with Lawdy Mis Clawdy for a one length defeat last time so there is not much in it. Blonde Vision would have been the choice as she has obvious talent but her number one draw might be tricky.