KZN raises the Champions Season curtain

Many of the country’s top gallopers will be in action as they start their build-up for the three-month racing festival.

The Grade 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes is the headline event, supported by the Grade 2 WSB Guineas and Grade 2 WSB Fillies Guineas also on the 10-race programme.

Grade 1 Cape Town Met winner Rainbow Bridge and stable companion Golden Ducat are stand-out entries in the Independent On Saturday
Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m.

Both geldings, who incidentally are half-brothers, are trained by Eric Sands and owned by Mike and Norma Rattray. It has been Rattray’s
burning ambition to win the Vodacom Durban July after coming close on a number of occasions and he will pin his hopes on this pair come
3 July.

He was banking on the two last year but Rainbow Bridge disappointed in sixth, Golden Ducat doing better, finishing fourth.

Teenager Luke Ferraris, who has only recently come out of his time as an apprentice, will again be aboard Rainbow Bridge, hoping to
add to their Cape Town Met victory, and Donovan Dillion, who recently returned from injury, will partner Golden Ducat.

Paul Peter has accepted with the smart three-year-old Catch Twentytwo, runner-up to SA Triple Crown winner Malmoos in the WSB
Gauteng Guineas and then third in the Grade 1 WSB SA Classic, again behind Malmoos. Gavin Lerena stays aboard.

Apprentice Thabiso Gumede scored his first feature race victory aboard Trip To Africa in the Kings Cup and Duncan Howells has kept
faith with the youngster. They have a plum draw at two and a win here will go some way towards increasing Trip To Africa’s chances of a gate in the Vodacom Durban July.

Pinkerton is a little under the radar but has a 50% winning strike rate and his last two successes have been over 1400m, the distance of the Drill Hall. Stable companion Wild Coast will be ridden by Grant Van Niekerk and will start from gate No 6.

Unbeaten colt Kommetdieding drew No 8 in the WSB Guineas and the race will be something of a litmus test. Trained by Harold Crawford
and his daughter Michelle Rix, he was a short-priced favourite for the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Cape Derby but his participation was derailed through injury.

The Derby was won by Cape Guineas runner-up Linebacker, so it will be interesting to see how they go against each other. However,
both are sure to be warming up for the Daily News 2000 before a crack at the July.

MK’s Pride has been a star on the Highveld, and beat Got The Greenlight in the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes. It was a top-class performance
even if seen in the light of Got The Greenlight’s comeback run.

He has drawn pole in the Guineas alongside Derby winner Linebacker which should make for another interesting match-up.

Dean Kannemeyer’s Cape Guineas winner Russian Rock disappointed in a Graduation Plate in his first KZN outing this term but that
run should have brought him on.

Vaughan Marshall has two top entries in Linebacker and recent Byerley Turk winner Seeking The Stars in what should be a cracking
renewal of the Grade 2 WSB Guineas.

Justin Snaith’s star filly Captain’s Ransom pulled a top draw of No 3 in the WSB Fillies Guineas and the manner of her recent wins should
make her difficult to beat. Beaten only once, she has twice taken on top older fillies and on both occasions put them to bed with ease,
the smart Clouds Unfold victim on both occasions including the Grade 1 Cartier Majorca Stakes on Met Day.

She put up a cracking gallop at Hollywoodbets Greyville last week and looks primed for this event.

Although she looked head and shoulders above the opposition, Princess Calla, second to Captain’s Ransom in the Cape Fillies Guineas,
was an impressive winner at Hollywoodbets Scottsville a fortnight back and can make a race of it while Only The Brave is back over a more
suitable trip after finding the SA Oaks out of her compass and the combination of Muzi Yeni and Paul Matchett is often lethal. – Gold Circle