Nominations Classic Day

NOMINATIONS

SA CLASSIC (Grade 1) R2-million 1800m

APPROACHABLE (W H Marwing); BELMONTE (S Mohideen); DARK WIND (M F De Kock); ENGLISH GARDEN (M W Bass); GALILEO'S DESTINY (C Laird); GOLD ONYX (S G Tarry); JOE KOOL (B D Botes) ; KAVANAGH (M F De Kock); KINGS ENTOURAGE (M N Houdalakis); LINK MAN (M F De Kock); MONEY GRUBBER (G H Van Zyl); NOT LIABLE (C Laird); PERANA (M F De Kock); ROMAN WALL (S G Tarry); SEPTEMBER WIND (G M Alexander); SNOWDON (O A Ferraris); SUPER TROUPER (S J Gray); THE RAJ (M F De Kock ; TOP SELLER (V H Marshall);

S A FILLIES CLASSIC (Grade 1) R1-million 1800m

CHECCETTI (M F De Kock); HOLLYWOODBOULEVARD (C Laird); IGUGU (M F De Kock); JUSTTHEWAYYOUARE (G V Woodruff); LAS RAMBLAS (J M Goodman); LOUVRE (W H Marwing); NATIONAL EXECUTIVE (P F Matchett); PRINCESS OF LIGHT (G V Woodruff); RED DELICIOUS (S G Tarry); RUNNING RIVULET (W H Marwing); STORMY COAST (G B Scott); WELWITSCHIA (M F De Kock);

HORSE CHESTNUT STAKES (Grade 1) (Weight for Age) R1-million 1600m

ALDERRY (M F De Kock); ARABIAN MIST (G M Alexander); BULSARA (G H Van Zyl); BUY AND SELL (S G Tarry); CALL TO COMBAT (S J Gray); CAPTAIN'S SECRET (M W Bass); CAPTAIN'S WILD (M F De Kock); EARL OF SURREY (G V Woodruff); ENGLISH GARDEN (M W Bass); FORT VOGUE (M W Bass); GALILEO'S GALAXY (C Laird); GOAT (P V Lafferty); KAVANAGH (M F De Kock); LINK MAN (M F De Kock); OZYMANDIAS (W H Marwing); REBEL KNIGHT (G M Alexander); REGAL RANSOM (S G Tarry); TALES OF BRAVERY (V H Marshall);

CARADOC GOLD CUP (Grade 3) R200,000 2850m

ARCOLA (W H Marwing); CHICO AZUL (G V Woodruff); CRACKER JACK (G V Woodruff); ILSANPIETRO (M F De Kock); INDIGO AMIGO (B O Wiid); LION'S BLOOD (M F De Kock); MIRAGE DRIVE (T Zackey); POWER LORD (D Rahilly); RAPID FLOW (D J Nieuwenhuizen); SANTA (O A Ferraris); SPEED FOR GOLD (S G Tarry); VERTICAL TAKEOFF (S G Tarry); WINNING LEAP (D Zaki);

MAN O' WAR SPRINT (Grade 3) R200,000 1100m

BERMUDA WINTER (D N Stenger); CAPTAIN'S KEY (M G Azzie); COUNT EXPRESS (O A Ferraris); CRISSY SANCHEZ (S G Tarry); ELUSIVE RIVER (C Laird); JANNU (F C De Beer); SEPTEMBER WIND (G M Alexander); SHEA SHEA (G V Woodruff); THE MOUSEKETEER (S G Tarry); TIMEOFRECKONING (C Laird); UMFUTHO (A G Laird); UMKOMAAS (P F Matchett);

PROTEA STAKES (Grade 3); (two-year-olds) R200,000 1100m

AEGIS-FANG (S G Tarry); CAPTAIN HADDOCK (O A Ferraris); DARK KNIGHT (S G Tarry); DAWN LIGHT (C E Erasmus); DELAGO DELUXE (C Laird); FORT WILLIAM (R R Magner); JUMBO (H E Adamson); KUJA (V H Marshall); MARBLE DRUM (P F Matchett); MIDNIGHT SERENADE (D N Stenger); TAKE A GAMBIT (C E Erasmus); TENNESSEE STRATEGY (C Laird); TONY'S TIPPLE (L W Goosen);

PRETTY POLLY STAKES (Grade 3); (two-year-old fillies) R165,000 1100m

ANNE BONNY (C Laird); EXTRAORDINAIRE (P F Matchett); FLYING CLOUD (D Little); GEORGIA BROWN (L Lotz); KINEMATIC COUNTESS (R R Magner); LA VOLTA (D Rahilly); MAGGIE THATCH (P F Matchett); MALAGA-BELLE (D Zaki); MIDNIGHT DRAGON (L W Goosen); PINNAQUIN (L Lotz); SHEZTHECLUBQUEEN (T Lowe); SOLARIUM (M G Azzie); STERN LINE (C Laird); VARIOMETER (L W Goosen); VERBATIM (M G Azzie);

JACARANDA HANDICAP (Grade 3) (Fillies and Mares) R165,000 1800m

AFRICA'S TOUCH (J L van Heerden); ALDERRY (M F De Kock); ALL AFIRE (A G Laird); ARIZA (M F De Kock); BEDLOE'S ISLAND (S G Tarry); CANDY SINGER (M F De Kock); DREAM STREET (G/K Anthony); END OF SEASON (S J Gray); FILLY BUSHWACKER (G H Van Zyl); FISANI (M F De Kock); GIVE ME FIVE (S G Tarry); GLUWEIN (M F De Kock); LAVERNA (M F De Kock); MAGIC PENNY (A G Laird); QUEEN MIRA (G V Woodruff); QUICK SINGLE (G V Woodruff); RED DELICIOUS (S G Tarry); SALTWATER GIRL (D J Nieuwenhuizen); SALUTATION (S T Pettigrew); SCARLETINA (D Little); STELLA MIA (A G Laird); WICKET MAIDEN (C Laird);

Is it just me or has the amount of nominations for the Highveld features dwindled to almost nothing?

Perhaps there is a reason apart from the racing on the highveld being shit?

Would appreciate opinions as nominations for these features used to be a hell of a lot more?

To me it looks like they want to hand Igugu the Trple Tiara on a golden plate. There is no nominations in the field so far that is going to beat her. I suppose there still are supplimentary noms....

Ebony Flyer aside, what else is there that wouldn't just be getting in the way? Why do we always want maximum sized fields for our Features, when only one or two can win anyway. One of the best SA Guineas at Greyville ever had just six runners - if I recall correctly (it was a bit before even my time) three of them were In Full Flight. Sentinel, and Elevation.

Big Handicaps should attract maximum fields, and almost always do. WFA or Classic races are aimed at quality, not quantity. A few years ago the Arc had only seven runners. You'd probably find that the Cambridgeshire handicap of the same year had about 30 runners. I know which was the better race.

Good comment Magic (tu)

I'd be happy to see the Computaform Sprint with six or seven runners if three of them were J J, What A Winter, and Magico. The best horse would still win, and there'd be less chance of an outclassed no-hoper getting in the way of any of them.

Happens more often(smaller fields) in the "bigger" centres,trainers and horses not wanting there horses gubbed by better horses sure its anego financial thing?

There are also penalties to consider for lower rated horses running "above" their mark in small fields. It's hardly worth running fourth or fifth and costing yourself a possible three or even more wins with a fat hike in your MR,

Will stick with Kavanagh

Does anyone think Igugu can be beat? (WELWITSCHIA)?

All I'm saying is that in the not too far a past there were many horses in the TVL that could run and the fields would almost always be full, now they are batting to get 10 nominated, let alone accepted. I agree that quality should always win over quantity, but where is the quantity? Do trainers think less of their horses all of a sudden, are they now more careful about nominating as they got burned, or has the quality of horses in Gauteng just evaporated?

I agree with Magic fully that almost all the TOP horses are represented, but why, with so many stables on the Highveld are there not more to ones around? (like in the days of yore....like 5 years ago?)

I'm not talking about the above races but Gauteng racing in general is not TOP of the food-chain any more... Less tracks on the highveld has put more pressure on the volume of horses running, just look at the quality of fields we have every week at the vaal, half thoses horses should be competing at Bloem (Oops that doesn't exist anymore)... Maybe I'm wrong?

Must commend Marshall and Bass for at least giving it a go this Season...(tu)

AEGIS-FANG .... Is this a first timer, Tarry has a decent record running them in this race....