A stroll down memory lane...
JOHANNESBURG -- Vodacom July heroine, Ipi Tombe, will be flown to Dubai in November where she will spearhead trainer Mike de Kock's six-strong team in the United Arab Emirates.
"The plan is to start with six horses there and I'm sure she'll do South Africa proud," enthused De Kock this week.
Flight Alert, the beaten July favourite, will not be in De Kock's Dubai party.
"We've got to keep the home fires burning and Flight Alert will remain here," said De Kock.
Ipi Tombe is many people's fancy to win the "Horse-of-the-Year" award which will be announced at a gala dinner in Johannesburg on Monday night.
The Zimbabwean-bred filly is one of four nominations along with Free My Heart, Hinterland and the Australian-bred filly, Laisserfaire.
Charles Laird, trainer of Hinterland, said this week that he expected Ipi Tombe to win the award.
"She did everything right during the season, but I'm delighted for Hinterland's owners that he's a nominee as he enjoyed a marvellous campaign," said Laird.
De Kock runs his four-year-old, Storm Trooper, in the fourth race at Turffontein tomorrow, but the gelding is badly drawn and Royal Roundup makes more appeal.
Trainer Andre Kirsten's colt reverts to novice plate class after finishing second behind Sebastino in a recent handicap at the Vaal.
Piere Strydom is back in town and he'll be aboard Vaal maiden winner, Superwood.
The Fort Wood colt also has a wide draw to overcome.
De Kock will be hoping his New Zealand-bred filly, Regal Honesty, can step up on her good local debut when she takes on nine rivals in the 1600m fifth race.
Formerly with David Payne who recently relocated to Australia, Regal Honesty ran second behind London Dolly and will sport blinkers this time.
Her chief opponents should be Kalina and Fly To The Stars who failed to justify her short price when beaten by Sea Patrol last time out.
Strydom rode the filly that day, but this time partners Geoff Woodruff's runner, Kalina, who is trying 1600m for the first time.
Top Dollar upset the odds-on favourite, Weston Paint, at the Vaal recently, and Erico Verdo-nese's five-year-old could defy a kilo penalty in the sixth race.
The gelding will be ridden by apprentice Tyrone Langdon which will reduce Top Dollar's weight to 55,5kg.
Young Langdon could have a good meeting as he looks certain to go close on the lightly-weighted Lace and Leather in the 1 000m seventh race.
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