Grand Series replaces Heritage
MOVE: THE GRAND SERIES TRANSFERS TO TURFFONTEIN AND HAS BEEN SPLIT INTO TWO RACES
Winners of the two events will square off in a match race in December.
The Grand Heritage, which was scheduled to be run at the Vaal on Saturday, has finally been abandoned as a race and has been transformed into the World Sports Betting Grand Series.
It was apparent following a track inspection on Monday that the Vaal course would not be quite ready for the race meeting so it therefore became necessary to move the event to Turffontein. Unfortunately, Turffontein cannot accommodate a 28-horse field so it was decided to split the field into two races, both races offering stakes of R500,000.
According to Clyde Basel, Racing Executive for Phumelela, the two races will now be called the World Sports Betting Grand Series Leg 1 and 2, both being run over 1475m.
The winners of the two races will qualify for a match race early in December at the Vaal to determine who carries the title of Series Champion. “It will give new meaning to the phrase two-horse race," Basel said. The stakes for that race will be announced in due course.
According to Basel prize monies will be paid up to 10 places in both the Grand Series races.
There are quite a few changes to the event because while favourite Mardi Gras stood his ground, second favourite and the only other horse quoted below 12-1 for the Grand Heritage, Pietro Mascagni, has been withdrawn.
All bets taken on the Grand Heritage will be refunded and new betting has been put up for the Grand Series.
Mardi Gras is carded to run in Leg 2 (Race 8) and is now the 16-10 favourite. Gavin Lerena takes the ride on the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained runner but the one concern is that he is drawn No 11, not great on the Turffontein Inside track.
Having said that, Mardi Gras comes from off the pace and is likely to be dropped out in any case. He has won his only race at the course.
Trainer Geoff Woodruff, no doubt, will be delighted with the move as he saddles 11-2 second favourite Zouaves who has raced four times on the track for three wins and a two-length third behind Puget Sound.
In addition, he has landed an ideal No 3 draw. Chase Maujean rides.
However, Janse van Vuuren and Lerena have had better luck in Race 7 (Leg 1) where they team up with Divine Odyssey. He is drawn No 3 and is quoted as the 7-2 favourite.
Soldier On is second favourite at 5-1 along with Chepardo.
Final field for the R500,000 WSB Grand Series Leg 1 (NonBlack Type) over 1475m at Turffontein on Saturday.
1 - 8 FINCHATTON (G Terzi) Wes Marwing 61.0 - 98
2 - 16 KINGS ARCHER (S T Pettigrew) P Strydom 61.0 - 98
3 - 9 CLEVER GUY (S Moffatt) B Fayd'Herbe 59.5 - 95
4 - 3 DIVINE ODYSSEY (J J van Vuuren) G Lerena 57.0 - 91
5 - 6 PURPLE DIAMOND (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 57.0 - 87
6 - 2 SOLDIER ON (S T Pettigrew) D De Gouveia 56.0 - 89
7 - 11 CHEPARDO (A G Laird) C Storey 56.0 - 88
8 - 15 HAKEEM (M F de Kock) R Simons 55.5 - 88
9 - 7 SAIL FOR JOY (F P Habib) R Munger 55.5 - 87
10 - 5 RINGS AND THINGS (A B Fortune) R Danielson 54.0 - 85
11 - 13 COUNT TASSILO (S G Tarry) L Hewitson 53.0 - 82
12 - 4 LAKE KINNERET (S J Gray) R Fourie 52.5 - 82
13 - 14 DAN THE LAD (P F Matchett) F Herholdt 51.5 - 79
14 - 1 BOLD COAST (S M Ferreira) S Moodley 51.0 - 78 Reserve Runners 15 - 10 SPLENDID GARDEN (M/A Azzie) Reserve 1 59.0 - 94
16 - 12 DOOSRA (J J van Vuuren) Reserve 2 63.0 - 102
Same Trainer: (5,11) (2,6) (4,16)
Final field for the R500,000 WSB Grand Series Leg 2 (NonBlack Type) over1475m
1 - 15 MUJALLAD (M F de Kock) B Fayd'Herbe 62.0 - 101
2 - 3 ZOUAVES (G V Woodruff) C Maujean 61.0 - 98
3 - 10 AFRICAN RULER (P A Peter) W Kennedy 57.5 - 91
4 - 2 IRISH PRIDE (J J van Vuuren) C Zackey 57.5 - 91
5 - 11 MARDI GRAS (J J van Vuuren) G Lerena 56.5 - 90
6 - 12 PILOU (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 55.5 - 87
7 - 7 BOLD VIKING (S G Tarry) L Hewitson 55.0 - 86
8 - 4 TSITSIKAMMA DANCE (A B Fortune) K de Melo 54.0 - 85
9 - 1 FULL OF ATTITUDE (J A Soma) M Yeni 53.5 - 84
10 - 14 HUYSSTEEN (M N Houdalakis) K Zechner 53.0 - 83
11 - 6 DAFFIQ (G Terzi) J Penny 53.0 - 82
12 - 16 LONDON SECRET (S G Tarry) L J Ferraris 52.0 - 81
13 - 8 REBUKED (S Moffatt) S Fortune 51.5 - 79
14 - 5 DANZA (A G Laird) M Thackeray 50.0 - 76 Reserve Runners 15 - 9 SPLENDID GARDEN (M/A Azzie) Reserve 1 59.0 - 94
16 - 13 DOOSRA (J J van Vuuren) Reserve 2 63.0 - 102
Same Trainer: (4,5,16) (6,7,12)