RACING fans will be sitting on the edge of their chairs for around 56 seconds on Saturday 28 April when the swiftest horses in the country line up for the Grade1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m at Turffontein.

 The R1-million contest is one of four Grade 1 races and five Grade 2 events to take place on Champions Day at the Johannesburg racecourse. Also to be run on the day are the R2-million President’s Champion Challenge over 2000m, the R1.5-million SA Derby over 2450m, the R500,000 SA Nursery over 1160m – all grade 1s – the SA Oaks over 2450m, the Gold Bowl over 3200m, the SA Fillies Nursery over 1160m, the Gerald Rosenberg Stakes over 2000m and the Camellia Stakes over 1160m.

Spearheading the Computaform Sprint field is last year’s winner, Val De Ra, who has won 11 of her 12 starts and amassed more than 1.8-million in stake money. Dennis Drier’s filly defeated What A Winter by 1.25 lengths in last year’s event and the pair could well meet again. The son of Western Winter started favourite on that occasion and trainer Mike Bass has nominated him again to take on Dennis Drier’s flying mare.

The pair also squared up in the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship at Kenilworth and this time Val De Ra had just 0.40 lengths to spare over her rival. However, also entered are 2008 winner JJ The Jet Plane, Grade 1 winner Shea Shea, and Gauteng speedsters Deliver The Power and Hidden Beauty – all making for a fascinating contest. The R1.5-million SA Derby over 2450m has attracted 25 entries with nine nominations coming from the Mike de Kock yard and six from the Sean Tarry stable.

Among the De Kock entries are Betting World Gauteng Guineas winner Golden Chateau, Dingaans champion Silver Flyer and promising Main Dane, who has only raced twice for a win and a second place. Tarry has nominated Grade 1 SA Classic runner-up Pomodoro and fourth-placed E-Jet, who looks a natural over this distance. This race is the final leg of the SASCOC Triple Crown but there are no contenders for the R2-million bonus. It is interesting to note that SA Classic winner Slumdogmillionaire is not among the entries.

Early nominations for the R2-million President’s Champions Challenge closed in February but three runners have been supplemented into the race while Run For It, who was injured and had to return to Cape Town, has been withdrawn. Into the race entries come Bravura, Seal and Super Trouper. The SA Nursery is raced as a Grade 1 for the first time and has attracted a 25-strong entry.

Among the nominations is Gavin van Zyl’s impressive filly Franny, who seems quite prepared to take on the boys although she has also been nominated for the Fillies Nursery. De Kock has entered unbeaten Soft Falling Rain, who has also been unextended in three winning starts. Final declarations for all races close at 11am on Wednesday 18 April.

Nominations

SA DERBY (Grade 1) (For 3 year olds (3rd Leg SASCOC Triple Crown) R1.5 Million 2450m
BARACAH (S G Tarry); BLAZE OF FIRE (Y Bremner); BROOKS-CLUB (G H Van Zyl); CHANGING MOON (R P Lerena); E-JET (S G Tarry); FRONTINO GOLD (M F De Kock); GO GOLD (R P Lerena); GOLDEN CHATEAU (M F De Kock); ICE TRIGGER (M F De Kock); MAIN DANE (M F De Kock); MUSHREQ (M F De Kock); PERIGRINE (S G Tarry); POMODORO (S G Tarry); POTALA PALACE (M G Azzie); RASHAAD (M F De Kock); RED FORT (G V Woodruff); ROYAL BENCHER (A G Laird); SILVER FLYER (M F De Kock); SYLVAN VISTA (D Visser); THE CLUB KING (T Lowe); VERROCHIO (S G Tarry); VETTEL (M F De Kock); WAGNER (J A Soma); WHITELINE FEVER (S G Tarry); ZAMBUCCA (S Mohideen)

COMPUTAFORM SPRINT (Grade 1) (Weight for Age) R1-million 1000m
DELIVER THE POWER (D Zaki); GIBRALTAR BLUE (M F De Kock); HIDDEN BEAUTY (S G Tarry); J J THE JET PLANE (M N Houdalakis); JACKODORE (S G Tarry); MAGICO (P A Peter); MANNEQUIN (P F Matchett); MIDNIGHT SERENADE (D N Stenger); MOROCCAN (W H Marwing); SHEA SHEA (G V Woodruff); TETELESTAI (D C Howells); VAL DE RA (D R Drier); WHAT A WINTER (M W Bass); WINKING JACK (L Wiid)

PRESIDENT’S CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE (Grade 1)(Weight for Age) R2-million 2000m
ATLANTIC OAK (M F De Kock); ATYEB (M F De Kock); BERRY BLAZE (M F De Kock); BRAVURA (J Ramsden); BUY AND SELL (S G Tarry); CAPTAIN’S WILD (M F De Kock); DANCEWITHTHEDEVIL (S J Gray); DUNRAVEN (M F De Kock); ENGLISH GARDEN (M W Bass); EUROPA POINT (M F De Kock); FLIRTATION (M F De Kock); FRONTINO GOLD (M F De Kock); GALANTHUS (T Zackey); GALILEO’S DESTINY (M F De Kock); GOLDEN CHATEAU (M F De Kock); GOVERNOR GENERAL (M F De Kock); IGUGU (M F De Kock); ILSANPIETRO (M F De Kock); KNOCK ON WOOD (O A Ferraris); MASAI WARRIOR (M G Azzie); MEADOW MAGIC (M F De Kock); PIERRE JOURDAN (G M Alexander); POMODORO (S G Tarry); POWER LORD (D Rahilly); RUDRA (M F De Kock); RUN FOR IT (J S Snaith); SAFWAN (M F De Kock); SAGE THRONE (C Scott); SEAL (G H Van Zyl); SMANJEMANJE (T Zackey); SOLO TRAVELLER (M F De Kock); SUPER TROUPER (S J Gray); VERTICAL TAKEOFF (S G Tarry); WHITELINE FEVER (S G Tarry)

SA OAKS (Grade 2) (For 3 year-old Fillies (3rd Leg of SA Triple Tiara) R750,000 2450m
ALESSANDRIA (G V Woodruff); AVENUE OF GOLD (W H Marwing); BERMUDA BOWL (S Moffatt); CLASSIC ILLUSION (G M Alexander); DANCE ALLEY (S J Gray); DEMANDING LADY (M N Houdalakis); EUTERPE (S G Tarry); FINAL SCORE (S G Tarry); GLAMAZON (B D Botes); ILHA BELA (M F De Kock); KALAMI (R R Sage); KATY’S LANE (T Zackey); MARKOFDISTINCTION (O A Ferraris); MONPAZIER (S T Pettigrew); MOUNT CARMEL (R R Sage); SACRED TEMPLE (T Zackey); THE OAKS (R R Sage); TRESCO (S G Tarry); VIVA MARIA (M F De Kock); WINGED FOOT (M F De Kock)

GOLD BOWL (Grade 2) R500,000 3200m
A KING IS BORN (A Wright); ATYEB (M F De Kock); CAMPO DE SANTANA (C Spies); GORONGOSA (M F De Kock); HEYOUNEVERKNOW (C Spies); ILSANPIETRO (M F De Kock); LAS RAMBLAS (J M Goodman); MAGICAL (O A Ferraris); MONSEUR ET MADAME (P F Matchett); PRINCESS OF LIGHT (G V Woodruff); RECONCILE (S G Tarry); REFINED IN FIRE (Y Bremner); SILVER DICE (W H Marwing); WORLD RECORD (P A Peter); SA NURSERY (Grade 1) (For 2 year-olds) R500,000 1160m ANNACONDA MOON (L W Goosen); BENEDICT (Y Bremner); BLUSHING PETER (S G Tarry); CELLARMASTER (P A Peter); COTILLION (Y Bremner); DONNIE BRASCO (P A Peter); DUNDEE (P A Peter); FRANCOIS BERNARDUS (P F Matchett); FRANNY (G H Van Zyl); GREENACRE (G D Smith); ISTIQRAAR (M F De Kock); JADE BAY (D Zaki); LOVE STRUCK (P V Lafferty); MICROSTATE (A Nassif); MOGOK’S DESIRE (L J Erasmus); PEANUTS (R R Magner); REGAL STRIDE (G H Van Zyl); RYDER CUP (L J Erasmus); SOFT FALLING RAIN (M F De Kock); THE DISCIPLE (L J Erasmus); THE HANGMAN (S G Tarry); TRIP TO KASHMIR (G V Woodruff); WAR HORSE (C Spies); ZESTFUL (S T Pettigrew); ZIPARANA (W H Marwing)

SA FILLIES NURSERY (Grade 2) (For 2 year-old Fillies) R400,000 1160m
CAVLITSA (C Spies); CONISTON GOLD (J S Snaith); COTILLION (Y Bremner); FLYING IN (Y Bremner); FRANNY (G H Van Zyl); GENUINE LEATHER (P F Matchett); ILHA DA ROCK (G V Woodruff); KING’S TEMPTRESS (C J Lensley); KLEINTJIE (L J Erasmus); SEA SHADOW (D Zaki); SIZE DOES COUNT (W H Marwing); SPANISH VICTORY (C Spies); STRAIGHT SET (C Spies); SWEET DESTINY (L J Erasmus); UMNEEYATEE (M F De Kock); WOUNDED KNEE (G H Van Zyl)

GERALD ROSENBERG STAKES (Grade 2) (For Fillies and Mares) R300,000 2000m
AMANEE (M F De Kock); ATLANTIC OAK (M F De Kock); BERRY BLAZE (M F De Kock); CHECCETTI (M F De Kock); CHERRY ON THE CAKE (G H Van Zyl); DEMANDING LADY (M N Houdalakis); EUROPA POINT (M F De Kock); FLIRTATION (M F De Kock); GORONGOSA (M F De Kock); HAWKER HUNTER (O A Ferraris); HEYOUNEVERKNOW (C Spies); LAS RAMBLAS (J M Goodman); PRINCESS OF LIGHT (G V Woodruff); QUEEN’S BAY (M G Azzie); RAPID FLOW (P V Lafferty); RECONCILE (S G Tarry); SALTWATER GIRL (P V Lafferty);

CAMELLIA STAKES (Grade 2) (For Fillies and Mares) R200,000 1160m
BALLYDEHOB (Y Bremner); CAREY’S QUI (C Binda); COMTESSE DUBOIS (J S Snaith); CONTROL FREAK (R R Magner); EXTRA ZERO (S G Tarry); FAIR ROSALIND (P F Matchett); GIBRALTAR BLUE (M F De Kock); GIVE ME FIVE (S G Tarry); HIDDEN BEAUTY (S G Tarry); INDIGO PRINCESS (C Binda); JACKODORE (S G Tarry); JOLLY POPPINS (L W Goosen); KALAAM (S M Ferreira); KINEMATIC COUNTESS (R R Magner); LARUSSA (P F Matchett); MARY’S PRIDE (O A Ferraris); MYSTICAL JET (C Binda); PACIFIC DYNASTY (W H Tolmay); RAISE THE BAR (P F Matchett); SACRED FEMININE (W H Marwing); SHE’S A STUNNER (D Visser); SIMPLY BLUE (R R Magner); SOLARIUM (M G Azzie); THREE NATIONS (S M Ferreira); TORRA BAY (D R Drier); UPTOTHEMOON (W H Marwing); VARIOMETER (L W Goosen); WELWITSCHIA (M F De Kock).

Photo: Main Dane (Derby hopeful), winning at Greyville. (Gold Circle).