Progeny of Silvano have been doing tremendously and Silvan Star (speed score 105) continued that positive trend. She won the Grade 3 Final Fling Stakes at Kenilworth, following up on her victory in the Ladies Mile in June. Very consistent with six wins from 14 starts and a number of placings to her
I'm taking a brief break from cranking out speed figures, with a chance to reflect on how racing is changing. Old timers who enjoyed socialising on course and darting between the bookies'gold and silver rings understandably fret about bleak attendances, yet it's never been easier to get a bet on, and the flow of
Bull Valley staked a claim to be honoured at the top of the sprint division when winning the Grade 1 Mercury at Greyville on Saturday. This was a reprise of the quality son of Toreador also beating Search Party in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun at Scotsville. Bull Valley started off his career
One of the most important attributes any turf champion possesses is the ability to finish powerfully. Marinaresco has that quality, using awesome acceleration to nail Al Sahem on the wire and win the 2017 Durban July. A tough beat second last year, Marinaresco carried top weight to avenge that loss with a stunning
African Night Sky made a powerful move down the rail under Bernard Fayd Herbe to sweep the Winter Series at Kenilworth. He really is a very good horse, quickening up to pulverise the opposition in the Highlands Stud Winter Derby and repeat a feat achieved by the legendary, Pocket Power. The son of
Mr Winsome (speed score 100) won the "so-called" Derby at Scottsville, open to older horses, to follow up on his figure of 103 in the Greyville 1900 and try stake a claim in the July field. He is one of the fringe contenders to make the line up, after outduelling Sun on Africa (s/s
Captain America (speed score 110) is a truly high class and consistent galloper who garnered another well deserved Group 1 when winning the Gold Challenge at Greyville. He has a long stride pattern and is most effective pressing a strong pace. He was rather headstrong earlier in his career yet has settled down with
Cape based trainer Brett Crawford pulled off both Group 1's at Greyville when Lady of the House (speed figure 98) and Edict of Nantes (s/s 109) won the Woolavington and Daily News. He has taken a potent string up to KZN and after enjoying smooth preps, both entries came to the fore in
Interbet There were four Grade 1 races at Scottsville - all 1200m sprints down the straight. The juvenile contests were run in virtually the same time (68.30 and 68.34), and both the SA Fillies Sprint (67.81) and Tsogo Sun (67.72) for older horses were also run in comparable times. The track seemed fair enough
The exacta returning R711 for the Greyville 1900 featured two horses that had finished stone last at their most recent starts - nobody said this is an easy game! Ten Gun Salute (s/s 106) galloped into the July picture at Greyville, quickening up smartly from the top of the straight. This was a massive turnaround
