Change your stick! Change your stick! was the cry from the stand as Love Theme looked to shift out under pressure, but young Thabiso Gumede was too far away to hear anything. However, he did a fine job in keeping Love Theme on a relatively straight course to win the fourth at Holywoodbets Greyville yesterday.…
Trip To Africa wins in style
Trip To Africa has taken time to come to hand but has always shown that he had potential. A tall immature horse, there were problems with his gelding and he took time to recover. He has since grown into his frame and he started a short-priced favourite on debut at Holywoodbets Greyville yesterday. Anton Marcus…
Muzi loses appeal – 90-day suspension confirmed
The National Horseracing Authority confirms that an Appeal was held in Johannesburg on 15 November 2019, against the finding and the penalty relating to a contravention of Rule 72.1.11 imposed by an Inquiry Board on 8 August 2019. BACKGROUND: At an Inquiry held at its offices in Turffontein on 8 August 2019, Jockey M Yeni…
High Voltage is a livewire
The switch to the Greyville poly for yesterday’s meeting had Duncan in two minds wether to run High Voltage who, on ratings, should have been hard to beat. “My head told me run, my gut feeling was that I should scratch,” Duncan said today. “I thought we could get away with a five (furlong) on…
No accident for this ‘tourist’
Poly specialist Accidental Tourist turned in a sparkling display in the final race at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday. Turning for home last in the 11-horse field and some 10 lengths off the pace, Accidental Tourist motored home up the outside rail under apprentice Thabiso Gumede to run down long-time leader Dive Captain and win going away.…
Coldhardcash keeps firing
Coldhardcash is three form four since Duncan fitted him with a cornell collar and was a trifle unlucky at Greyville yesterday when dead-heating with the Michael Roberts-trained Kingsmead. The saddle slipped back at the jump and Muzi Yeni was not able to ride him out properly over the last furlong. It was an excellent effort…
What is a Cornell Collar
Cornell Collar Dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) is a condition not uncommon in racehorses and causes upper airway obstruction and poor performance. It occurs when the soft palate (the rear roof of the mouth) moves up and over the airway and is similar to sleep apnoea (snoring) in people, where the palate billows…
Coldhardcash showing his mettle
Coldhardcash was an expensive yearling purchase who showed top potential on the home gallops early in his career. However, he developed a lot of problems as a young horse including breathing problems and as a result did not run up to early expectations. That said, Duncan has got to the bottom of the problem with…
Duncan ‘Aces’ them
The headline in the Sporting Post read “Ashburton Ace turns the corner” rang true at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday. After a couple of years of trials and tribulations, the stable hit form with a treble. One of the allures of horse racing is buying a relatively cheap horse whose performance outdoes their purchase price but…
Ashburton Ace is turning the corner
The trainers lounge was like a morgue. Lips were hanging on the ground, the faces were glum and the vibe was in stark contrast to the laughter and banter emanating from the jockey room. Maybe jockeys have less stress than trainers, generally. But veteran Ashburton trainer Duncan Howells suggests its high time to make racing…