Exciting fields for Champions Day

Jack Milner

Racing fans are in for a real treat after the final fields for Champions Day at Turffontein on 4 April were released.

There are three Grade 1 races and five Grade 2 events on the 12-race card and there will be Hong Kong World Pool betting on four races which will allow TAB punters to bet into massive pools.

There are 11 runners geared up to run in the HKJC World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m and a really exciting field has been revealed. They are headed up by Justin Snaith-trained See It Again and Okavango, as well as last year’s winner and runner-up Alec Laird’s Fire Attack and Royal Victory who is now trained by Weichong Marwing.

Interestingly, log-leading jockey Craig Zackey will be riding the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met winner See It Again this time while Richard Fourie will be aboard Okavango.

Laird also has 2024 Betway Summer Cup winner Atticus Finch in the field.

Trainer Tony Peter also two runners in the field, The Ultimate King and UK import The Equator.

Of particular interest are the two three-year-olds in the field, Sean Tarry-trained Grand Empire and Candice and Tammy Dawson’s Trust, first and second respectively in the Grade 1 TAB SA Classic over 1800m at this course. There was just a short head separating the pair and both give the impression they will handle the additional 200m.

The Grade 1 TAB Empress Club Stakes over 1600m sees Snaith-trained three-time Grade 1 winner Double Grand Slam make her debut on the Highveld.

Another Western Cape raider is Candice Bass-trained Rainbow Lorikeet who was narrowly beaten by Double Grand Slam in the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on 31 January.

Again, Zackey has picked up the ride for the Snaith yard on Double Grand Slam while Aldo Domeyer will be back on Rainbow Lorikeet.

Alan Greeff had entered Golden Palm for both the Empress Club Stakes and the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks over 2450m but he has opted for the 1600m race and Fourie will be on board.

It comes as no surprise that Ryan Munger will be riding Corne Spies’s charge, William Robertson, in the Computaform Sprint. The 17-time winner is the defending champion but he will have to face Peter-trained Buffalo Storm Cody, the highest rated horse in the country, this time.

Richard Fourie will be aboard Buffalo Storm Cody this time.

Of course, much interest on the day will be on Spies-trained Hazy Dazy in the Grade 2 SA Oaks as she will be attempting to close out the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara. She has drawn wide at No 13 but will have apprentice Trent Mayhew up again.

It is interesting that Mike and Mathew de Kock have opted to run Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial winner Curious Girl in the Grade 2 TAB SA Derby where she will take on the colts.

The three-year-old Futura filly has drawn well and will have the benefit of a 2.5kg sex allowance.

CHAMPIONS DAY FIELDS

HKJC WORLD POOL PREMIER'S CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE (Grade 1)(For all horses at Weight for Age) R2000000 2000m

1 - 3 SEE IT AGAIN (J S Snaith) C Zackey 60.0 - 130

2 - 10 ATTICUS FINCH (A G Laird) G Lerena 60.0 - 127

3 - 11 FIRE ATTACK (A G Laird) C Habib 60.0 - 124

4 - 9 ROYAL VICTORY (W C Marwing) R A Venniker 60.0 - 124

5 - 1 OKAVANGO (J S Snaith) R Fourie 60.0 - 123

6 - 7 THE EQUATOR (A P Peter) K de Melo 60.0 - 117

7 - 5 THE ULTIMATE KING (A P Peter) C Murray 60.0 - 117

8 - 2 MADISON VALLEY (N Kotzen) M Yeni 60.0 - 116

9 - 4 OLIVIA'S WAY (R R Magner) M V'Rensburg 57.5 - 114

10 - 8 GRAND EMPIRE (S G Tarry) R Munger 56.5 - 120

11 - 6 TRUST (C/T Dawson) S Moodley 56.5 - 119

Same Trainer: (1,5) (2,3) (6,7)

TAB EMPRESS CLUB STAKES (Grade 1)(For Fillies and Mares at Weight-for-Age) R1000000 1600m

1 - 7 DOUBLE GRAND SLAM (J S Snaith) C Zackey 60.0 - 122

2 - 2 RAINBOW LORIKEET (C Bass) A Domeyer 60.0 - 115

3 - 9 CALLMEGETRIX (S G Tarry) K de Melo 60.0 - 113

4 - 6 RODEO DRIVE (S G Tarry) P Mxoli 60.0 - 113

5 - 5 MINOGUE (C/T Dawson) M Yeni 60.0 - 112

6 - 4 KISSHOTEN (A P Peter) C Habib 60.0 - 107

7 - 8 FAMOUS LADY (D Nieuwenhuizen) R A Venniker 60.0 - 103

8 - 3 PAST IS PROLOGUE (G van Zyl (Jnr)) N Patel 60.0 - 81

9 - 10 GOLDEN PALM (A C Greeff) R Fourie 57.5 - 115

10 - 1 SCARLETT HEART (F Bronkhorst) G Lerena 57.5 - 108

Same Trainer: (3,4)

TAB COMPUTAFORM SPRINT (Grade 1)(For all horses at Weight for Age) R1000000 1000m

1 - 7 BUFFALO STORM CODY (A P Peter) R Fourie 60.0 - 132

2 - 3 KINGDUNDEE (D G Smith) C Habib 60.0 - 127

3 - 9 WILLIAM ROBERTSON (C Spies) R Munger 60.0 - 124

4 - 12 TRUTH (C/T Dawson) S Moodley 60.0 - 120

5 - 14 TAXI TO THE MOON (A P Peter) K Matsunyane 60.0 - 119

6 - 11 ZIYASHA (C Binda) G Lerena 60.0 - 118

7 - 1 FUTURE VARIETY (C Bass) A Domeyer 60.0 - 116

8 - 5 LUHAMBA PHAMBILI (G van Zyl (Jnr)) S Veale 60.0 - 112

9 - 10 ARCTIC WIZARD (G W Ennion) M Yeni 60.0 - 110

10 - 15 MOUNT PINATUBO (J J van Vuuren) K de Melo 60.0 - 109

11 - 4 MOVER AND SHAKER (F P Habib) M Mbuto 60.0 - 109

12 - 17 CHOCOLATE SOLDIER (C Spies) T Mayhew 60.0 - 108

13 - 6 CONSTELLATION (M/M de Kock) C Murray 58.0 - 114

14 - 2 ALMOND SEA (A P Peter) C Zackey 57.5 - 119

15 - 16 MIA MOO (S G Tarry) M K Katjedi 57.5 - 119

16 - 13 WHISTLE THE TUNE (C/T Dawson) C Little 57.5 - 116

17 - 8 GREEN DIAMOND (S G Tarry) P Mxoli 55.5 - 111

Same Trainer: (1,5,14) (3,12) (4,16) (15,17)

Event No:4/Race No:9

TAB SA DERBY (Grade 2)(3 year olds (3rd Leg SA Triple Crown)) R1250000 2450m

1 - 10 RADIO STAR (M G Azzie) C Zackey 60.0 - 107

2 - 7 TOMMY SHELBY (F P Habib) J Gates 60.0 - 101

3 - 12 COPPER EAGLE (R Klaasen) C Murray 60.0 - 100

4 - 11 SALANI KAHLE (G van Zyl (Jnr)) S Veale 60.0 - 97

5 - 4 TEXAS MISSILE (A G Laird) C Habib 60.0 - 94

6 - 5 TITANS OF WAR (R R Magner) R Danielson 60.0 - 91

7 - 3 BELLEROPHON (F P Habib) K Matsunyane 60.0 - 89

8 - 13 MASTER SPY (S G Tarry) R Munger 60.0 - 88

9 - 1 SWORD SPEED (A Wright) K de Melo 60.0 - 87

10 - 8 DIOGENES (W C Marwing) M Yeni 60.0 - 86

11 - 6 CULTURATI (G J Maroun) R A Venniker 60.0 - 85

12 - 9 REIGN ON IMPACT (F Greyling) A Mgudlwa 60.0 - 74

13 - 2 CURIOUS GIRL (M/M de Kock) G Lerena 57.5 - 92

Same Trainer: (2,7)

WILGERBOSDRIFT BRIDGET OPPENHEIMER SA OAKS (Grade 2)(For 3 year-old Fillies (3rd Leg of SA Triple Tiara)) R750000 2450m

1 - 9 HAZY DAZY (C Spies) T Mayhew 60.0 - 117

2 - 4 CHARGE IT (A Wright) S Moodley 60.0 - 113

3 - 3 DAISY JONES (M G Azzie) K de Melo 60.0 - 108

4 - 5 LITTLEMISSMILLION (T Zackey) C Zackey 60.0 - 107

5 - 2 DRUMNADROCHIT (M/M de Kock) R Fourie 60.0 - 105

6 - 8 AMAZON QUEEN (M Pandaram) M Mbuto 60.0 - 81

7 - 7 SHADOWLINE (S T Pettigrew) C Habib 60.0 - 78

8 - 6 STAMPEDE AHEAD (A A Azzie) T Godden 60.0 - 76

9 - 1 CLOUDS CLEARING (W/W Marwing) K J Lihaba 60.0 - 74

TAB HAWAII STAKES (Grade 2)(Open) R500000 1400m

1 - 8 COSMIC SPEED (S G Tarry) R Munger 60.0 - 122

2 - 3 MAIN DEFENDER (A P Peter) C Zackey 59.0 - 130

3 - 1 CATS PAJAMAS (N Kotzen) R Fourie 58.0 - 119

4 - 7 TEXAS RED (R Klaasen) M K Katjedi 58.0 - 119

5 - 5 MONEY HEIST (A P Peter) C Habib 58.0 - 106

6 - 2 WINDS OF CHANGE (M G Azzie) M Michel 58.0 - 102

7 - 4 PRINCE OF KILDARE (B B Ruiters) P Mxoli 58.0 - 80

8 - 6 ONE EYE ON VEGAS (M/M de Kock) G Lerena 55.5 - 115

Same Trainer: (2,5)

TAB SA NURSERY (Grade 2)(For 2 yo R100 000 Win BSA / CRS Bonus) R500000 1160m

1 - 6 BETTER NEVER ENDS (S S Ngcobo) M Yeni 60.0 - 83

2 - 2 GIMME A VODKA (S G Tarry) R Munger 60.0 - 97

3 - 7 KINGS MOUNTAIN (M/M de Kock) C Murray 60.0 - 0

4 - 1 KUDIKARAN (M Pandaram) M Mbuto 60.0 - 0

5 - 3 NIGHTSHINE (A Ndzilana) M K Katjedi 60.0 - 0

6 - 5 THE BRONX BULL (A P Peter) G Lerena 60.0 - 84

7 - 4 TWILIGHT (M G Azzie) K de Melo 57.5 - 82

WILGERBOSDRIFT SA FILLIES NURSERY (Grade 2)(For 2 yof R100 000 Win BSA / CRS Bonus) R350000 1160m

1 - 6 ELUSIVE DRAGON (P F Matchett) R A Venniker 60.0 - 0

2 - 5 FATEFUL LOVE (A C Greeff) C Zackey 60.0 - 88

3 - 3 GET UP (S G Tarry) R Munger 60.0 - 90

4 - 2 GOOD DAY SUNSHINE (M/M de Kock) R Fourie 60.0 - 84

5 - 1 GRISELDA (S G Tarry) K de Melo 60.0 - 90

6 - 7 KAVADY (M Pandaram) M Mbuto 60.0 - 90

7 - 8 QUEEN LEILA (P F Matchett) P Mxoli 60.0 - 88

8 - 4 VOLCANIC HEAT (R Klaasen) C Habib 60.0 - 92

Same Trainer: (1,7) (3,5)

WILGERBOSDRIFT CARADOC GOLD CUP (Listed)(Open) R300000 2850m

1 - 8 POETS WARRIOR (M G Azzie) G Lerena 60.0 - 114

2 - 1 ALADDIN'S LAMP (M/M de Kock) C Murray 56.0 - 106

3 - 5 DAIMYO (A G Laird) C Habib 56.0 - 105

4 - 6 NEBRAAS (S G Tarry) C Zackey 54.0 - 101

5 - 4 BREEZE OVER (M G Azzie) R A Venniker 54.0 - 99

6 - 9 HOTARUBI (C I Jonker) R Munger 54.0 - 98

7 - 7 ENFLAME (C/T Dawson) S Moodley 52.0 - 98

8 - 2 TAXHAVEN (P F Matchett) M K Katjedi 52.0 - 96

9 - 3 TEO TORRIATTE (C J Lensley) M Mbuto 50.0 - 94

10 - 10 KISSING MACHINE (P F Matchett) P Mxoli 50.0 - 86

Same Trainer: (1,5) (8,10)