Gary Player may get late birthday gift with horse carrying his name

Gary Player celebrated his 87th birthday on Tuesday so it would be timely if a horse named after the golf legend was successful at the Vaal on Thursday.

Player, who now lives in Plettenberg Bay, remains as enthusiastic as ever about racing and breeding, and is a regular attendee at most bloodstock sales.

The racehorse, Player, whom he owns with Ronnie Burg and Larry Nestadt, runs in the third race. He is trained by Candice Dawson and opened his account when Keagan De Melo piloted him to victory at   Greyville at the end of August.

The golfing maestro will be well aware it’s not easy for any horse to follow up in his first start in handicap company, but it’s a plus factor that De Melo partners the Toreador colt once again.

Paul Matchett’s runner, Eye Of The Prophet, the mount of Rachel Venniker, falls into the same category as Player as he won his maiden last time out.

The early favourite is Ashley Fortune’s four-year-old, San Quintin, who hinted a second win was close when second behind Secret Giver last time out.

Player will be pleased if Wolffs World wins the fourth race as he bred the son of Ideal World. Gavin Lerena rides Heather Adamson’s three-time winner who rates an each-way chance in a wide open handicap.

Another son of Ideal World, Climate Control, should run well for trainer Mike de Kock as the three-year-old was beaten by a decent sort in East Coast in his latest start at Turffontein.

Randall Simons, who rides Climate Control, has a bright chance of winning the seventh race on Stuart Pettigrew’s filly, Queen Of Smoke. A R300,000 daughter of Gimmethegreenlight, the three-year-old justified favouritism on her third outing in August.

The filly is owned by the Hollywoodbets syndicate and they will be confident of a second win as this 1,200m contest is a thin race. S’manga Khumalo’s mount, Lollapalooza, may pose the main threat.

Trainer Lucky Houdalakis had a winner at the Vaal on Tuesday and the spotlight will be on his second race runner, Dyce, who boasts some outstanding efforts in his five starts.

However, Dyce has been sidelined for 15 months so it remains to be seen whether the son of William Longsword will need the run.

In the circumstances, place accumulator backers should include Karangetang, another good ride for De Melo, in their perms.

Karangetang represents the hot stable of Johan Janse van Vuuren and has the highest merit-rating in this 1,000m sprint.

Favourite backers should get off to a good start to the meeting as Ashley Fortune’s three-year-old, Run For Cover, cannot be opposed in the first race. The R400,000 son of Erupt has been placed in his two starts.

• Last weekend’s Cape Racing Sale returned the good average of R200,174, but it remains a mystery why a son of No Nay Never didn’t make more than R1.1m.

In fact, Turftalk states the sale was “actually a buy back as Brett Crawford himself consigned the horse under Crawford Racing”.

In Europe, the progeny of No Nay Never, who stands at Coolmore stud in Ireland at a fee of €150,000, are doing as well as Arsenal in the Premier League.

At the Ocala Breeders Sale in the US in June, a son of No Nay Never was sold for $430,000.