In early August he scored a double when both Dreamy Times and Nyakatho scored decent wins at Turffontein. But a week later tragedy struck when a freak incident saw him having to watch as Nyakatho was put down. 

``He had worked on the Saturday morning and was walking back to the stables when he suddenly just lost it,’’ said Anderson. ``It is hard to find more totally relaxed, switched off horse around but whether something physical went wrong on the walk back or something else spooked him, I don’t know.

``He ducked, the rider came off, and then he ran into Joe Soma’s yard, which is adjacent to mine. They tried to get hold of him but it was if he was blind. He came running out of the yard, slipped when he hit the tar road and broke his leg.

``We heard a horse was injured and we got there and saw the way he was standing, the shock was hard to describe. The vet came out immediately and there was no need for X-rays, he was put down immediately,’’ said Anderson.

``Every day the `what if’ question goes through your mind. It was totally out of his nature, just some abnormal behaviour.’’

Nykatho had run second to Curved Ball in the Listed Sea Cottage Stages and had also contested the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and the Grade 1 SA Classic. 

That same day Anderson sent out his filly, Sadie Parker, and there was almost a second disaster for the stable. ``They were loading another horse alongside her who banged the front of her gate. She saw the pen opening and she tried to jump but the handler was still holding her and she went over.

``She leopard crawled under about four pens and then came out unassisted.’’

Once she saw daylight Sadie Parker galloped down the track. Fortunately the only damages were that she had lost some tufts of hair and pulled a muscle. ``She also had her starting stall certificate withdrawn and she needs to be passed again.’’

Valley Of Rubies, who went off at 9-2, looked to be the class horse in Saturday’s FM 86 Handicap over 1450m but she had only raced once since May and carried 61.5kg. ``Andrew (Fortune) had worked her a couple of times the week before. He thought she would need it but felt she would still run a decent race,’’ said Anderson yesterday. 

Fortune managed to settle her off the pace as Piere Strydom and Delightfull Diva showed the way but when Fortune asked for an effort she just burst through between runners to beat Palermo Rosa going away by 0.75 lengths. Considering Valley Of Rubies was conceding 11.5kg to the runner-up, it was a superb effort.   

``She’s back to her old style of running where she can give them start and mow them down,’’ said Anderson yesterday. ``At this stage this appears to be her optimum distance but as a four-year-old, and if she’s still racing next season, I’m convinced she will get the mile.’’

He added that the Mogok filly would be put away now ahead of the Highveld Summer Season. ``I would like to get her back on the outside track at the next month. I want to hold her off until we get the good going As far as the standside track is concerned the sprinklers are on, the grass is green, and if we do get a decent rain on it, the track will be in top class.’’

While some of the results were up and down, Mary Lou also demonstrated there is no accounting for class as she raced away from her opposition in the closing stages to beat Lady Beatrix by 3.50 lengths in Race 8.

Paul Matchett’s charge went off at 3-10 and jockey Marthinus Mienie commented that the price did put added pressure on him. But he need not have worried. He was able to keep her in touch with the leaders and the moment he let out some rein at the 400m mark, the race was over. Matchett said she would be aimed at some of the feature races during the Highveld summer season.

****

Jockey Karl Neisius looked to have some top rides at Kenilworth on Saturday but he came away empty handed.

On the whole day the best he could do was a second in Race 6 where Clarion Call was desperately unlucky not to give Neisius a winner. The Mike Bass runner lost quite a bit of ground at the start and then once in the straight, attempted to go through a gap on the inside rail.

Unfortunately it closed up and Clarion Call had to ease. Despite all this she was beaten just 0.50 lengths by Justin Snaith’s Peonie Paradise and should pay to follow.

Neisius also had to settle for third place in Race 1 where he was aboard Margaret Court. She was some five lengths off the pace going though the 400m and although she ran on well, failed to get to Diamond Seeker and Blue On Blue.

Margaret Court should be followed, especially when Bass decides to run her over a little further than 1200m.