What a Winter and Shea Shea

Hard to believe that in just over an hour apart on Saturday that South Africa`s Fastest Sprinter What A Winter retires and Shea Shea could be crowned the Worlds fastest Sprinter

Every chance Bob (tu)
At 5/1 must be a great ew bet!

4/1 is the very best price i can see now

Thought Sportingbet had 5/1?

4/1 and thats the best price,7/2 with the big firms in the UK

Have to check my fractional with my decimals lol

However have taken the 4/1 ew (tu)

By David Thiselton


What A Winter was his usual laid back self at Clairwood on Tuesday ahead of the defence of his weight for age Grade 1 Mercury Sprint crown on Saturday and it will be a week of mixed emotions for the Mike Bass yard.



The five-year-old Western Winter entire will be retired to Drakenstein Stud after the race.



Bass said, “We have enjoyed having him, he’s been a great horse to work with. He has a wonderful character. He’s a well behaved, laid back horse and he has a very good temperament. It’s just a pity he never got to race overseas. I would have liked to have seen how he would have done against the best over there. He’s probably the best sprinter I’ve trained so far. With a merit rating of 121, he has to be.”



Bass said the Equus Champion Sprinter had not enjoyed the best of preparations due to recent inclement weather, but he was not unduly concerned.



“He’s not as super fit as he was in Jo’burg (where he won the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m) due to circumstances, the rain etc. But he’s very good.”



Bass said What A Winter had needed his last run, when slamming a Pinnacle Stakes field over the Clairwood 1200m course and distance of the Mercury Sprint.



Jockey Bernard Fayd’herbe took no chances in that race, in which the four-time Grade 1 winner started at odds of 1-8, and led from the off.



However, that didn’t stop him from relaxing superbly before showing his usual brilliant turn of foot.



It would be no surprise to see Fayd’herbe adopting similar tactics on Saturday as it would appear that his only danger is being boxed in.



He is drawn on the outside fence and the other 12 runners will likely be moving across to this side to find what is perceived to be the better going.



What A Winter had a hard work out on the dirt on Monday.



What A Winter’s book of mares for the breeding season is filling up and Bass himself will send one, the Elliodor mare Rhinestone, who finished a three length third to the great Ipi Tombe in the South African Fillies Guineas over 1600m at Greyville in 2002.



Bass also runs the six-year-old Captain Al gelding Captain’s Secret in the Mercury.



He was an unlucky third in the race two years ago.



He has the worst of the draw, barrier one.



“He’ll probably have to be dropped in and go across, which is not ideal for a Grade 1,” said Bass. “But he did beat Contador (by 4,5 lengths) over the course and distance in January, although Contador had not been gelded by that stage. He’s had a heavy campaign this season and has been a grand old soldier.”



Bass said that River Crossing, whom he had supplemented for the Vodacom Durban July, had not enjoyed the going on Saturday, when unplaced as favourite in the Mango 2200.



He said he would probably go for the Gold Cup next.



The yard could have some serious Cape Sizzling Summer and Champions Season horses next year.



Bass horses are known for coming into their own in their four-year-old year and the likes of Gifted For Glory, Abercrombie, Paterfamilias, Ze Kaiser and possibly Nearctic Dancer could provide the yard with a lot of ammunition for the July and other big races next term.

Charles Laird is not getting too excited about the winning chances of Contador in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Clairwood on Saturday, but did give him a place shout.



The form of the three-year-old Var gelding’s Grade 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville in May has worked out quite well with third-placed Merhee going on to win the Grade 2 Post Merchants and fourth-placed Desert Shiek winning his next two starts.



However, Laird said, “Those were in lower division races and weight for age Grade 1s are a different story. We are all racing for second (behind What A Winter) and it is even competitive for second place with four or five horses having a chance. It’s a hard race, but he is doing very well. He is also drawn well. He’s next to What A Winter so could at least get a tow from him. I think he has a place chance.”



What A Winter is drawn highest of the 14 horse field and Contador is one inside of him in barrier 13.



This is perceived to be the right side of the Clairwood straight course.



The Golden Horse was Contador’s first run as a gelding and, as he immediately put his poor previous start behind him, it is possible that he could continue to progress.



Laird pointed out that his four-year-old Silvano gelding Astro News had been “taken out” by Capetown Noir in the back straight in Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July, which saw him shuffled back into the last few, costing him his chance.



He said that as Astro News was not a Grade 1 winner, he would come into the Grade 1 Champions Cup relatively well treated, so would have to take his chances despite a wide draw.

what I admire about Bass yard is that you can back their horses, they don't f***k around with stable companions and betting coups to mislead the public. with them you don't have to guess which is the right one....-D

The weight for age Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Clairwood on Saturday looks to be at the mercy of the world class What A Winter and the real race could well be for second place.



The Mike de Kock-trained British-bred Oasis Dream mare Welwitschia finished just three lengths behind What A Winter in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m at weight for age conditions in April.



She will prefer this trip, but so will What A Winter.



She is drawn fairly well in eight and could get a tow from the horses on the standside, which is usually the favourable side, as she is often slowly away.



Her devastating turn of foot will then be effective.



The yard said she was well and Nathan Kotzen added, “If she can be loaded last she will jump well.”



Gavin Zyl runs Wild Type, who will appreciate the step up in trip to 1200m from his run in a MR 104 handicap over 1000m at Greyville on Saturday, in which he ran on well for fourth with top-weight.



However, he will face Contador on the same terms, as far as weight for age go, as their meeting in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville, when defeated by one length.



Gareth van Zyl said, “If What A Winter hadn’t been in the field he would have a winning chance. He is definitely better over 1200m. He’s always been a good horse and is in a good space at the moment.”



Gareth was not concerned about the six-year-old Strike Smartly gelding’s busy schedule at present and said, “He takes his runs well. He’s a very strong and sound horse.”



Wild Type is drawn very well in barrier eleven.



Van Zyl also runs Bulsara, but the yard said this would merely be a preparation outing for the Champions Cup.



Contador’s only run since being gelded was a victory in the Golden Horse, so he could progress further.



He is also very well drawn in barrier 13, where he could get a tow from What A Winter.



The latter is drawn on the very outside, so jockey Bernard Fayd’herbe probably won’t be hanging around, as the only danger could be getting boxed in.



Royal Zulu Warrior runs his best races when relaxing off the pace in the early stages, so it is no surprise to see the blinkers removed.



He is much better than his Golden Horse run, in which he over raced, and he has a fair draw of seven.



What A Winter’s stable companion Captain’s Secret is a tough old soldier, who finished an unlucky third in this race two years ago.



However, he does have the worst of the draw this time, so has as tough a task as he did in the Golden Horse when finishing well beaten by Contador, albeit on 5kg worse terms than here according to the weight for age scale.





Copper Parade finished a good sixth from a tough draw in the Golden Horse and then went close from another tough draw in the Grade 2 Post Merchants over 1200m at Greyville.



He will appreciate the step up trip from his unplaced effort over 1000m at Greyville on Saturday.



He was beaten 6,25 lengths into fourth by What A Winter from a similar low draw last year, but he was runner up the year before, so is a lively contender for a place.



All Is Secret finished a 3,75 length fourth to the brilliant Via Africa from quite a tough high draw in the SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville, beating Welwitschia by 1,75 lengths, so she should be thereabouts, although her draw of six is a bit tricky.



Orbison finished 4,5 lengths behind What A Winter at level weights over the Mercury course and distance, when making a comeback from his overseas travels last month.



However, this will be a preparation run for the Grade 1 Champions Cup, a race he won in 2010.



The race will be too sharp for Jackson, who will also be using it as a preparation run for the Champions Cup.



Jackson put up some very good work at Summerveld on Tuesday, which can be viewed on Youtube, and he is looking a picture of well-being.



Shades Of Indigo and Moroccan both bounced back to form behind What A Winter last time in a Pinnacle event over course and distance, but they are both rising eight years old and it is difficult to fancy them at this level.



Mike’s Choice is also getting on and is as badly out at the weights as the above pair.


by David Thiselton

Final Field of 12 Shea Shea best price 7/2 now

Could have been my punt ?

Lol