Talktothestars ready to defend crown
DOUBLE: DEFENDING CHAMPION FIT AND WELL AHEAD OF TSOGO SUN SPRINT DEFENCE Janoobi to be tested over 1200m ahead of Dubai trip.
Last year’s Tsogo Sun Sprint winner Talktothestars is “healthy, fine and fit” and trainer Coenie de Beer is hoping for a good run in the R1-million Grade 1 sprint at Scottsville on Saturday.
The five-year-old Overlord gelding has followed nearly the same route to the 1200m feature as 12 months ago, although finishing eighth instead of first in the Senor Santa Handicap this time around. His last run was in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m, a race in which he has finished second two years running this year going down 1.30 lengths to Rafeef.
So it’s all systems go for Talktothestars, who handicappers believed ran to a merit rating of 121 here last year. His rating subsequently dipped as low as 110 but he is now back to 113 - his last Tsogo Sun winning mark. Bookmakers have him at 12-1.
One interesting runner in this year’s race is Janoobi, who will be off to Dubai at the end of the season. “He has two more runs in South Africa before he goes, the Tsogo Sun Sprint and the Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m,” said Mathew de Kock yesterday. “As far as the 1200m race is concerned we are testing the waters.
“He has such a high cruising speed and he’s well handicapped so he’s got to have a chance. How he performs is going to help us decide where to aim him next year.
“The only 1600m race on Dubai World Cup Night is the Godolphin Mile but that is on the dirt. If he does do well in sprints we have additional options but if not we can always look at races like the Hong Kong Mile, if he is good enough.”
De Kock also has Naafer running at Scottsville on Saturday in the R750,000 Tsogo Sun Medallion for two-year-olds and the stable is expecting a massive run. “Naafer’s had a very good prep and we’re very happy with him. He’s fit and well and he’ll go close, I’m sure,” said De Kock.
The stable’s Grade 1 SA Nursery winner Mustaqeem will be rested for the remainder of the season
while the future of his full brother, Computaform Sprint winner Rafeef, has yet to be decided. – Nicci Garner, Jack Milner
Final field for the R1-million Tsogo Sun Sprint (Grade 1) over 1200m
1 - 5 TALKTOTHESTARS (F C de Beer) C Maujean 60.0 - 113
2 - 3 BRUTAL FORCE (J Ramsden) P Strydom 59.5 - 112
3 - 2 LONDON CALL (M Dixon) M van Rensburg 59.0 - 111
4 - 17 BULL VALLEY (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 58.0 - 109
5 - 15 BULLETING HOME (S G Tarry) B Fayd’Herbe 57.5 - 108
6 - 7 SERGEANT HARDY (S J Snaith) G Cheyne 57.0 - 110
7 - 1 GULF STORM (B Crawford) R Fourie 56.5 - 106
8 - 9 MUSCATT (M L Roberts) C Habib 56.5 - 106
9 - 6 SEARCH PARTY (B Crawford) C Orffer 56.5 - 106
10 - 12 BARBOSA (D R Drier) A Forbes 55.5 - 104
11 - 16 CAPTAIN’S CAUSEWAY (S G Tarry) K de Melo 55.5 - 104
12 - 14 ATTENBOROUGH (J Ramsden) A Marcus 55.0 - 106
13 - 11 TABLE BAY (J Ramsden) A Delpech 55.0 - 106
14 - 10 CAPTAIN SWAROVSKI (S J Snaith) M Winnaar 55.0 - 103
15 - 18 JANOOBI (M F De Kock) C Zackey 53.5 - 103
16 - 8 EXELERO (V H Marshall) M Byleveld 52.5 - 98 Reserve Runners 17 - 4 NIGHT TRIP (C L Bass-Robinson) Reserve 1 54.5 - 102
18 - 13 MOOFEED (M F de Kock) Reserve 2 53.5 - 100 Same Trainer: (2,12,13) (4,5,11) (6,14) (7,9) (15,18) Final field for the R750,000 South African Fillies Sprint (Grade 1) over 1200m
1 - 5 CARRY ON ALICE (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 - 114
2 - 4 BELA-BELA (S J Snaith) B Fayd’Herbe 60.0 - 109
3 - 9 JO’S BOND (S J Snaith) R Fourie 60.0 - 109
4 - 6 REAL PRINCESS (D Kannemeyer) A Delpech 60.0 - 103
5 - 11 ELUSIVENCHANTMENT (D C Howells) K de Melo 60.0 - 102
6 - 10 JOAN RANGER (M N Houdalakis) P Strydom 60.0 - 101
7 - 8 MISS VARLICIOUS (P M Gadsby) A Forbes 60.0 - 92
8 - 12 JUST SENSUAL (J Ramsden) A Marcus 58.5 - 109
9 - 7 LIVE LIFE (C L Bass-Robinson) G Cheyne 58.5 - 105
10 - 3 THE SECRET IS OUT (V H Marshall) M Byleveld 58.5 - 105 11 - 1 SAIL (D R Drier) S Veale 58.5 - 101 12 - 2 VISION TO KILL (P M Gadsby) M Yeni 58.5 - 98 Same Trainer: (2,3) (7,12) Final field for the R750,000 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion (Grade 1) over 1200m
1 - 3 AL MARIACHI (B Crawford) C Orffer 60.0 - 92
2 - 10 ARIANOS BAGOFGOLD (G H van Zyl) W Kennedy 60.0 - 88
3 - 1 AUTUMN IN SEATTLE (P L Lunn) G Cheyne 60.0 - 93
4 - 6 KEANAN’S ROCK (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 - 91
5 - 5 NAAFER (M F De Kock) A Delpech 60.0 - 102
6 - 7 PROCAL HARUM (D C Howells) K de Melo 60.0 - 84
7 - 11 SAND AND SEA (D R Drier) A Marcus 60.0 - 88
8 - 8 SIR FRENCHIE (S J Snaith) B
Fayd’Herbe 60.0 - 97
9 - 4 SNIPER SHOT (P V Lafferty) D de Gouveia 60.0 - 87
10 - 9 VARALLO (C Laird) P Strydom 60.0 - 94
11 - 12 WARRIOR’S REST (S G Tarry) C Maujean 60.0 - 84
12 - 2 WOLJAYRINE (V H Marshall) M Byleveld 60.0 - 91 Same Trainer: (4,11)
Final field for the R750,000 Allan Robertson Championship (Grade 1) over 1200m
1 - 14 BRAVE MARY (P F Matchett) G Wrogemann 60.0 - 89
2 - 7 CALL TO ACCOUNT (J Ramsden) P Strydom 60.0 - 92
3 - 13 CRYMEARIVER (P V Lafferty) A Delpech 60.0 - 84
4 - 12 DARING DIVA (B D Botes) A Fortune 60.0 - 97
5 - 2 GOLD IMAGE (G S Kotzen) C Zackey 60.0 - 87
6 - 4 GREAT AIM (I S Moore) W Kennedy 60.0 - 80
7 - 11 GREEN PLAINS (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 - 102
8 - 8 LIGHT ON HER TOES (L Forbes) A Forbes 60.0 - 82
9 - 3 NEPTUNE’S RAIN (D C Howells) K de Melo 60.0 - 94
10 - 10 PRINCESS PEACH (G S Kotzen) R Fourie 60.0 - 85
11 - 15 TOUCH OF MAGIC (P V Lafferty) D de Gouveia 60.0 - 83
12 - 1 TWELVE OAKS (S J Gray) C Habib 60.0 - 94
13 - 6 UNDER THE STARS (F Robinson) M van Rensburg 60.0 - 82
14 - 5 VICTORY TRIP (D S Bosch) E S Ngwane 60.0 - 75
15 - 9 ZARNITSA (F Robinson) M Yeni 60.0 - 86 Same Trainer: (3,11) (5,10) (13,15)