First Bonus Race at Scottsville in 2009 Charity Turf Challenge

Distributed on behalf of Racing South Africa



PRESS RELEASE FRIDAY 29 MAY 2009





FIRST BONUS RACE AT SCOTTSVILLE IN 2009 CHARITY TURF CHALLENGE

River Jetez (Jet Master) added another 2 points to her growing tally when she comfortably landed a Conditions event at Clairwoood Racecourse on Wednesday. Many pundits are now predicting a 1-2 in this year’s Gr.1 Vodacom Durban July for the Mike Bass-trained siblings. Bookmakers are also in agreement making Pocket Power their 2/1 favourite and River Jetez his nearest rival in the market at 4/1.

River Jetez assisted Michael Gramanie retain his lead for the third week in a row. This weekend’s racing, however, is likely to have a major effect on the leader board with no fewer than 27 Charity Turf Challenge qualifiers competing from racecourses around the country, including Turffontein and Kenilworth on Sunday.

The Gr.1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint is the first of the 25-point bonus races and with the late withdrawal of the Charles Laird pairing of Warm White Night (Western Winter) and Our Giant ( Giant’s Causeway ), the race has taken on a much more open look. Ante-post favourite and winner of the Gr.2 Drill Hall Stakes is the Zimbabwe-bred, Earl Of Surrey (Century Stand), seemingly in the form of his life for trainer, Geoff Woodruff. The Mike Bass pairing of Gaultier (Jallad) and Blue Tiger (Counter Action) bring solid Cape form to the race and local trainer, Colin Scott, must fancy his chances with the much improved Spaceship gelding, Extinct. Last year’s second placed runner behind JJ The Jet Plane, Centaur (Western Winter), off the track since that sterling effort, could throw a spanner in the works for entrants seeking the bonus points on offer as he was not amongst the list of qualifiers and ominously has attracted significant ante-post support.

Mike de Kock’s, Dijla (Elusive Quality), will be hoping to avenge her narrow defeat in the Gr.2 Debutante Stakes when she lines up in the Gr.1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship. Corpes Da Elite (Mogok) and Passive Resistance (Caesour) are the other qualifiers in what looks an open affair.

A smart looking group of two year colts and geldings have accepted for the Gr.1 Gold Reef Resorts Medallion. Vacherin, by freshman sire sensation, Var, puts his unbeaten record on the line after landing Gauteng ’s most important juvenile prize, the Gr.2 SA Nursery. His paternal half brother, Villandry, lumped a hefty 4kgs more than his challenges when running a meritorious 4th in the Gr.2 Umkhomazi Stakes run over course and distance in early May. Now facing many of the same rivals at level weights, he could regain winning ways on what is likely to be a fast track. The other qualifier, Mr Crazy Boy (Numerous), has enormous potential and will be running on at the finish.

The older fillies and mares get their chance of Gr.1 glory at 15h00 with the running of the SA Fillies Sprint. Top of the Merit Ratings are the Dennis Drier trained, Charming Lady (Winter Romance), and Charles Laird’s high class 3yr old, Merlene De Lago (Encosta De Lago). Between them they have won 10 races from just 14 starts and they might not have stopped improving. In her favour, the former has 3 course and distance victories to her name and that might count in what is not a vintage bunch of female sprinters. Last year’s second placed filly, Ethereal Lady (Model Man), seems to be coming into form and must be competitive.



This weekend’s qualifiers are:

Scottsville:

Race 5 (4) Corpes Da Elite

Race 5 (5) Dijla

Race 5 (14) Passive Resistance

Race 6 ( Mr Crazy Boy

Race 6 (12) Vacherin

Race 6 (13) Villandry

Race 7 (1) Charming Lady

Race 7 (2) Ethereal Lady

Race 7 (3) Rei Rei

Race 7 (4) Oracle News

Race 7 (6) Kiss For Kate

Race 7 (7) Sahara

Race 7 ( Lady Bequick

Race 7 (12) Merlene De Lago

Race 7 (13) Lady Windemere

Race 7 (15) Promise To Keep

Race 8 (2) Earl Of Surrey

Race 8 (4) Blue Tiger

Race 8 (5) Gaultier

Race 8 (7) Extinct

Race 8 (10) Alvaro

Race 8 (14) Target Acquired



Turffontein:

Race 8 (1) Spring Garland

Race 8 (3) Milk And Honey

Race 8 (5) Sweet Theresa



Kenilworth:

Race 5 (1) Hurricane Silver

Race 8 (2) Badger’s Cove



Tomorrow Tellytrack presenter, Deez Dyanand, will randomly draw the second spot prize of the competition from entrants in the current top twenty leader board.


The Leader Boards at 29 May 2009 are








Gill Simpkins
Public Relations Manager