Punters looking for a ‘Silva’ lining
THE three finals of the KZN Summer Challenge will be split between Greyville tonight and Scottsville on Sunday because all races at the Pietermaritzburg venue will be confined to the straight due to incomplete track upgrades.
The 1 600m and 2 000m finals will be run tonight on the turf at Greyville with Scottsville hosting the 1 200m final on Sunday as the main event of the annual Gold Circle Witness Charity Challenge meeting.
The Challenge Series is unique in South Africa providing the opportunity for the lesser lights among the thoroughbred population to compete for a share of the R200 000 stake offered for each of the finals. The runners in the three races earn their places on points accumulated from their performances in special qualifying races.
Right from the inception of the series a few years back, the finals have always produced exciting and close finishes becoming a real attraction for racing followers and the three races this weekend are likely to follow the trend.
Sunday’s meeting, however, has an added attraction being the annual Gold Circle-Witness charity drive. Six charity and service organisations will be hosting supporters in marquees provided free of charge by Gold Circle to raise funds for their respective causes and support once again has been good.
At Greyville this evening the first six races will be on the poly with the 1 600m KZN Summer Challenge final taking place on the turf.
Silva Hawk
This race is an open affair but the Sean Tarry-trained Silvano gelding Silva Hawk looks to have a good winning chance.
The five-year-old has been in the money in his last four races at Greyville, placing in three of them on the poly and winning in good style over 1 400m on the turf in his penultimate outing. He finished strongly in that race and tonight’s 1 600m trip should be right up his alley.
Alistair Gordon saddles the Victory Moon gelding Red Rover and he meets Silva Hawk on 1kg better terms for a beating of less than a length. He has won twice over the distance and should be right there at the finish.
The Dean Kannemeyer stable has had an incredible run of success since the satellite stable was opened SILVER Mountain has what it takes to lift the roof off the stands for Mike Bass and his family in the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth tomorrow.
Throughout the last four nightmare months of near-death, amputation and desperation – and a recovery that has had to be fought for every step of the way - this filly has shone like a beacon of hope.
Her trainer will be at the racecourse to see her – and he has been at the track most mornings this week – with his determination to get back to his old self proving far better medicine that anything the doctors can prescribe.
Nobody knows better than he does how frustrating it has been to send out the runner-up in each of the last three years and the and the Eyeofthetiger gelding Last Tiger must be in with a strong chance as well. Since arriving from the Cape he has raced twice at Greyville on the Poly but won twice on the turf in the Cape before his arrival. He obviously performs well on both surfaces and should go close.
Diamond King, Caribbean Day and Cat In Command are others to consider. way Silver Mountain won the Choice Carriers four weeks ago has convinced the bookies that victory is a formality – the sponsors have her at 11-20, Betting World at 6-10 and favourites have won four of the last five runnings.
Some in the stable believe all she needs is a decent gallop and no bad luck. “She has plenty of pace and a turn of foot,” says a confident-sounding Robert Fayd’Herbe. Bass’s daughter Candice is worried about the draw but wife Carol recalls how Sun Classique won from gate 13 nine years ago.
On paper Aldo Domeyer’s task is easier than it was in the Choice Carriers. This time he has ten inside him instead of 14 and twice as much ground in which to get in before the bend starts. But the bend is significantly sharper and going three wide could be fatal.
So what can spoil the party? Seemingly
The final over 2 000m will close tonight’s programme and with a full field of 16 runners it looks a tough race to sort out. There are a number of runners with chances here but I believe the Gavin van Zyl-trained Silvano gelding Silver Springs could be a big runner. Yes he is a sevenyear-old but he is still enjoying his racing and has performed well over the course and distance.
Duncan Howells sends out the Brazilian-bred Nicklaus that has also run well at Greyville but tries the 2 000m trip for the first time. He has shown gutsy resolution in races up to 1 800m and could feature in the finish tonight.
The Doug Campbell stable is running hot at the moment and the King Of Kings gelding Open Heir is another with a winning chance.
He too tries the 2 000m trip for the first time but he has run consistently well and should do so again.
Switching to Scottsville on Sunday, the 1 200m final clash looks wide open and a quartet on this race could return a healthy dividend. The Tony Rivalland-trained not the favourite’s stable companion Taffety Tart who was closest of those that ran in the Choice Carriers and is best-priced 20-1. “She is going to prefer this longer straight but she had every chance last time,” says Grant van Niekerk, “and the other filly is very good.”
Flying Ice (16-1) was beaten just under three lengths. Can she close the gap? “Over a mile, definitely,” answers Neil Bruss. “She drew badly in the Carriers and I think she also needed the run. She has come on a lot since.”
Justin Snaith has won four of the last eight runnings, reckons he could win five of tomorrow’s nine races and that he has the ammunition to take the big one. “Silver Mountain is going to be a hard nut to crack but I couldn’t pick two better fillies to have a go at her,” hesays. “Bela-Bela (6-1) could still be a bit green but she is very well while A Mossman gelding Highway Explorer could be the one to beat but there is little confidence in the selection. He was beaten half a length over the course and distance in his penultimate outing and a similar performance would make him a big runner.
Charles Laird saddles the Brave Tin Soldier gelding Split The Breeze that won his penultimate start over the course and distance and should go close while Campbell could once again be in the picture with the Kildonan gelding Fire The Rocket.
The five-year-old might find the 1 200m trip a touch beyond his best but in a race of this nature he must have a chance. Time To Dream (winner of her last three and 12-1) is no slouch. Indeed I would almost put her level with Bela-Bela.”
But maybe the biggest danger to a Bass red-letter day, the draw apart, could be 9-1 shot Noor who has won her only two starts. Both were in much weaker company but Mike de Kock has not got where he is today by running no-hopers in classics. Indeed he has won this one three times – twice in the last three years – and had four seconds.
“I like this filly and she can run,” he enthuses. “Her last win was in a handicap when she was giving weight to older horses and I think she will handle the step-up no problem. The only thing is she has had to travel and she was delayed five hours on the road by an accident.”
Well In Flight (14-1) and Icy Fire (20-1) can be expected to show improvement on their Choice Carriers running as can 25-1 chance Anglet (Paddy Kruyer: “She got bumped coming out of the gate and she was baulked a furlong out”) but she has a terrible draw. At 33-1 and 5-1 a place the lightly-raced Our Destiny is probably best of the long shots.