The first weekend in May is especially exciting for racing fans. Champions Day at Turffontein, and the Drill Hall Stakes plus both Guineas at Greyville are highlights here in SA, whilst followers of racing around the globe saw Bob Baffert’s front-runner Medina Spirit take out the Kentucky Derby and 79 year- old, Jim Bolger’s entry, Poetic Flare, “the most complete racehorse I’ve ever had,“ sneak home in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in the UK, ridden by his 54 year old son in law, Kevin Manning.

Locally, the seriously high-class, Got the Greenlight (s/s 102 +) won the G1 Champions Challenge, resisting the bid of determined three year-old, Second Base. This race was not run that hard early on, hence the relatively low speed figure for the class, as Got the Greenlight used his best weapon, a sharp turn of foot to good effect. The son of Gimmethegreenlight has scored as high as 110 already and Joe Soma’s Durban July ante-post favourite can surpass that figure over the next few months.

Rio Querari (s/s 111 ++) was super impressive in the G1 Computaform Sprint. A sustainable future for SA racing requires horses to travel around the country seeking their fortune and boosting the sports profile, not staying put in parochial, provincial bubbles. Doing so takes a sporting approach from connections and precision planning by adventuresome trainers. Justin Snaith was meticulous in conceiving the raid to the Highveld for this classy sprinter who had performed with increasing merit during the Cape Summer Season, but needed a coveted G1 on his CV.

Snaith followed a targeted training regime in Summerveld to maintain Rio Querari’s fitness levels; then got trucking logistics spot on for the overnight haul arriving on the morning of the race; stayed with the horse in his box for careful monitoring; then walked the course beforehand to check on any draw bias and finalise riding tactics with Grant van Niekerk.

The decision to make judicious first-time use of a nasal strip indicates Snaith’s minute attention to detail. Rio Querari, a tremendous sprinting son of Querari, who just gets better and better, duly produced a withering finishing burst to score convincingly over Bohica (s/s 104.)

Other notable figures on a stakes- loaded card included Netta (s/s 104) in the G2 Gerald Rosenberg, Celestial Love (s/s 100) in the G2 Camellia Stakes, Heaven’s Girl (s/s 92) in the G2 SA Fillies Nursery and Sheela (s/s 86 +) in the G2 SA Nursery.

Greyville was the venue for Captain Ransom’s Sunday romp in the Fillies Guineas. Always prominent in a slow run race she won under Richard Fourie’s guidance with plenty in reserve. Trainer Snaith holds her in the highest regard, describing her as a ‘”freak” and suggesting that she could take on the best colts around – and beat them.

Half an hour later, Linebacker (s/s 104+) was excellent in the G2 Guineas, also winning without being fully extended. Vaughan Marshall trained stable mate and eventual second placed finisher, Seeking the Stars (s/s 103) ensured a proper tempo but was unable to repel Linebacker, who glided past smoothly with van Niekerk doing the steering.

Both Captains Ransom (by Captain Al) and Linebacker (by Captain of All) are high class thoroughbreds that their loyal followers will justifiably support through the KZN Winter till beaten.

Finally, the effort of multiple G1 winner, Rainbow Bridge (s/s 107 +) in sauntering to victory in the G2 Drill Hall Stakes makes our extended highlights reel. This was his 10th success in 22 starts with the promise of more wins in the upper echelons given his attributes of durability, consistency and ability to quicken when it counts – regardless of the varying distances over which Eric Sands campaigns him. The Ideal World gelding’s career best is 114 – close to as good as it gets in South Africa.