feeling - PARADE MAGAZINE

Transcription

Parade
// APRIL 2014
Beating
the system
Barney Curley
magazine
South Africa’s PREMIER Horseracing Magazine
All that
Glitters
Buying
the perfect
racehorse
National
Yearling
Sale
Loaded with
quality
Emperors Palace National Yearling Sales Edition
Racing
Features
08
12
16
22
26
30
36
40
44
48
50
52
54
64
66
96
2014 L’Ormarins Queens Plate
J&B Met
PE Racing
Sales
18
56
Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale
Cape Premier Yearling Sale
Bernard Fayd’Herbe - Life at the top
Qatar Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe
Igugu farewell
Buying the perfect racehorse
Legends of the turf
Barney Curley - Master punter
Justin Vermaak - Maine Chance Racing Manager
Hong Kong Racing
Karoo Breeders - A piece of history
Craig Benton - Talent spotter supreme
Mokaro - Horse in a million
John Gatt - Master farrier
Horsing with Hennessey
Breeding
Statistics
58
61
78
94
Sale of Champions
Making of a stallion
Graded Race Results
Racing Calendar
Industry
69
70
74
76
Kenilworth News
Gold Circle News
Cover Picture: Capetown Noir
- King of the Gr1 L’Ormarins
Queen’s Plate at Kenilworth.
Photo by Liesl King.
Racing Association
Trotting South Africa
Parade
is a Gold Circle publication and showcases thoroughbred horseracing, breeding and tote (pari-mutuel)
betting in South Africa.
Views expressed in Parade are
solely those of the writers and
the organisations they represent.
EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES:
Andrew Harrison (Editor)
Tel: 031 314 1917
Email:[email protected]
ADVERTISING &
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
Olivia Abdulla
Mobile: 074 675 1657
Tel: 031 314 1545
Fax: 031 314 1779
Email: [email protected]
GOLD CIRCLE
PHOTOGRAPHER
Nkosi Hlophe
Tel: 031 314 1922
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Denzil Govender
Tel: 031 314 1920
Editor’s Note
Contributors
Michael Clower
Ada van der Bent
Liesl King
Henk Steenkamp
Charl Pretorius
Recent exploits of South African-bred horses in Dubai has highlighted the
quality of horse that the dedicated breeders in this country can produce.
Vercingetorix, Variety Club and Sanshawees are just three locally breds that did
us proud leading into the Dubai World Cup meeting and will hopefully put some
cherries on the cake.
Vercingetorix, unbeaten to date, was hard-pressed in all his races in South Africa but has been
relatively unchallenged in the UAE. So how good is Capetown Noir and the likes?
The Western Cape enjoyed superb racing this summer buoyed by some exciting visitors, most notably
multiple G1 winning Beach Beauty, Master Of My Fate and Via Africa.
The Vaughan Marshall-trained Hill Fifty Four enjoyed a vintage ride from champion jockey Anton
Marcus to land the Gr1 J&B Met. Marcus all but stole the race to give leading owners Markus and
Ingrid Jooste their first winner of the Cape’s richest race after a string of second placings.
Capetown Noir stamped himself champion ‘miler’ with a superb victory in the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s
Plate beating favourite Jackson who has since been retired to stud and trainer Dean Kannemeyer must
surely be heading into Champions Season with the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge in Capetown Noir’s
sights.
The Gauteng Classics will be in full swing as you read this, disappointing though in that there
are few out-of-province runners pencilled in among nominations making these races essentially a
Highveld championship. This makes Champions Season all the more exciting given that most of the
top sophomores will likely match up in Durban this winter starting with the KRA Guineas on May 3 at
a revamped Greyville with its new polytrack (See page 70).
On a more disconcerting note, it may be something in the South African psych that brings out so
many divergent, hard-headed and vociferous opinions, be it politics, sport or horseracing. Horseracing,
by virtue of its diversity - politically, operationally and on the race course - has ‘self-proclaimed’
experts in almost every field, from handicapping, to sales, to betting, to programming, to television,
to course management and even on how to grow grass. Unfortunately these opinions are aired in
public, whether on media platforms or in general conversation, with unerring authority be they right
or wrong, due in the main to a lack of communication. The Tellytrack impasse, hopefully favourably
sorted by the time you read this, being a prime example.
In short, we need regular broad communication from all the ruling bodies to keep the sport’s role
players and customers’ happy and damaging rumour at bay.
In Les Carlyon brilliant collection of essays in his book True Grit there is a chapter entitled “Real punters
bet on yearlings.” He describes the hordes going through each and every stable in their quest for the
perfect horse. “These are the real punters – not those timid souls who bet say $20 000 on a racehorse
at Rosehill but men (and women) who will bet up to a million dollars on a baby who has never felt a
saddle brush its back.”
For those buying at this month’s Emperor’s Palace National Sales, good luck and may you strike a
winning bet.
Andrew Harrison
Durban, South Africa
SOUTH AFRICAN RACECOURSE GPS CO-ORDINATES
Sarah Whitelaw
Robyn Louw
KENILWORTH
S 33 59.808
E 18 28.723
8km from centre of Cape Town and 12 km from Cape Town International
airport
TURFFONTEIN
S 26 14.386
E 28 03.185
4km from centre of Johannesburg and 25 km from OR Tambo
International airport
DURBANVILLE
S 33 50.446
E 18 38.308
20 km from centre of Cape Town and 14 km from Cape Town
International airport
VAAL
S 26 44.601
E 27 54.283
8 km from Vereeniging, 60km from Johannesburg and 75km from
OR Tambo international airport
CLAIRWOOD
S 29 56.360
44 km from from King Shaka International Airport
E 30 58.124
ARLINGTON
S34 00.047
E 25 33.680
6 km from centre of Port Elizabeth and 4km from Port Elizabeth airport
GREYVILLE
S 29 50.833
35 km from from King Shaka International Airport
E 31 00.965
FAIRVIEW
S 33 56.008
E 25 22.865
26km from centre of Port Elizabeth and 22km from Port Elizabeth airport
SCOTTSVILLE
S 29 36.618
E 30 24.047
2km from centre of Pietermaritzburg and 75 km from centre of Durban
KIMBERLEY
S 28 43.677
E 24 50.346
7km from centre of Kimberley and 10 km from Kimberley airport
G1
ALL IS SECRET - winning the 2013 Mercury Sprint G1 at Clairwood.
SHEA SHEA - winning the 2013 Al Quoz Sprint G1 at Meydan, Dubai.
G1
G1
FOR THE LADS - winning the 2013 Golden Slipper G1 at Greyville.
G1
THUNDER DANCE - winner of the 2012 Paddock Stakes G1 at Kenilworth.
VERCINGETORIX - winner of the 2013 Daily News 2000 G1 at Greyville.
The
Source
HILL FIFTY FOUR wins the 2014 J&B Met G1 at Kenilworth.
G1
Klawervlei Stud | John Koster, PO Box 266, Bonnievale 6730 | T: (023) 616 2980 | F: (023) 616 2548 | M: 082 880 7943 | E: [email protected]
Grant Knowles | M: 082 882 9774 | E: [email protected]
Kl awervlei
G1
National Sale graduates have made their mark in every single one of South Africa’s major races.
A gallery of Gr1 winners from 2013 to date, who sold as yearlings at Nationals
ALL IS SECRET (800K)
ALONG CAME POLLY (60K)
BLUERIDGE MOUNTAIN (2000K)
CAPETOWN NOIR (1000K)
ELUSIVE GOLD (425K)
FOREST INDIGO (160K)
HEAVY METAL (250K)
LEGISLATE (100K)
LOVE STRUCK (260K)
Mercury Sprint, Thekwini Stakes,
Allan Robertson Fillies
Queens Plate,
Cape Derby, Cape Guineas
Vodacom July, Champions Challenge
MARTIAL EAGLE (300K)
J&B Met
Thekwini Stakes
Cape Guineas
Cape Derby
SLUMDOGMILLIONAIRE (550K)
Horse Chestnut, SA Classic
Majorca Stakes
Golden Horsehoe
SA Classic
VERCINGETORIX (1400K)
Daily News 2000
529 yearlings
61 stallions
at the 2014
Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale
27-28 April
51 vendors
First season sires
You never know who the next Jet Master can be.
These are in the gate, under starter’s orders!
BANKABLE (Gr1 placed Gr2 winning miler in Dubai)
GREAT BRITAIN (Stakes winning sprinter in Dubai)
JUST AS WELL (Gr1 winner on turf in USA, by A.P. Indy)
KING’S CHAPEL (Gr1 Guineas winner & Horse of the Year in NZ)
NOORDHOEK FLYER (Gr1 Cape Guineas winnerl)
QUERARI (Italian Gr1 winner)
ROCK OF ROCHELLE (Irish Gr3 winning sprinter)
VISIONAIRE (US G1 winner)
WARM WHITE NIGHT (Gr1 winning sprinter)
First foals
Great racemares make great broodmares, so the saying goes.
MOTHER RUSSIA – Tiger Ridge filly
ZIRCONIUM – Tiger Ridge filly
FIELD FLOWER – Captain Al colt
LAVERNA – Tiger Ridge filly
LOVE IS IN THE AIR – Trippi colt
Famous families
Generation after generation big winners emerge.
SOHO SECRET, PARTY TIME, MYSTIC SPRING, LET KISS, LILY, NALATALE
Superb siblings
Full brother to Champion Sprinter VAL DE RA
Full brother to J&B Met winner MARTIAL EAGLE
Half brother to Gr1 fillies CAPTAIN’S LOVER, EBONY FLYER
Full sister to Champion 2yo LINK MAN
Half brother to sire KILDONAN
Silvano half brother to SPARKLING GEM
Trippi half sister to TALAHATCHIE
Silvano half sister to CONTADOR
Western Winter half brother to LET’S ROCK ‘N ROLL, IN THE FAST LANE
Kahal half brother to GYPSY’S WARNING
Western Winter half sister to IVORY TRAIL
Captain Al half brother to MASTER OF MY FATE
Young Lions
JUDPOT (24 colts & fillies)
ANTONIUS PIUS (5 colts & fillies)
SAIL FROM SEATTLE (2 colts & fillies)
World Beaters
Half brother to SEVENTH ROCK by Medaglia d’Oro out of Ruby Clipper
Half sister to Champion Older Horse in Singapore LIZARRE
EXCEED AND EXCEL & HIGH CHAPARRAL fillies
Silvano half sister to CASPAR NETSCHER (TFR 122, sire in Ireland)
Final Farewell
WESTERN WINTER (21 colts & fillies)
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PARADE MAGAZINE
RACING
TEXT: MICHAEL CLOWER. PHOTOS: LIESL KING
2014 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate
Fit for
Royalty
Karl Neisius salutes the
crowd as Capetown Noir
roars to victory in the
G1 L’Ormairns Queen’s
Plate at Kenilworth.
Khaya Stables-owned Capetown
Noir silenced critics who said
his two Gr1 wins had come in a
non-vintage three-year-old year
reports MICHAEL CLOWER, but
Dean Kannemeyer’s unstinting
belief in his colt materialised into a
superb victory in the Gr1 L’Ormarins
Queen’s Plate at Kenilworth.
K
annemeyer, winning his third Queen’s Plate,
promptly confirmed the Lammerskraal-bred
Western Winter colt a J&B Met runner.
He said: “This horse has a hell of a turn of foot and
he is a brilliant miler. But he did win the Cape Derby
over 2 000m and so I’ve got to give it a go.”
Kannemeyer had always believed that there was no
horse in the country who would have beaten him
when he won the Gr1 CPYS Cape Guineas last year
and was also always of the opinion that all the colt
needed was a long straight to find his stride and had
not been suited to Greyville.
This was also a third Queen’s Plate for Karl Neisius,
just shy of his 57th birthday, who said: “I sat exactly
where I wanted to be and in the straight I kept my
eye on Jackson. He was in front of me but I quickened past him.”
PARADE MAGAZINE
9
RACING
TEXT: MICHAEL CLOWER. PHOTO: LIESL KING
Lady Laidlaw took one look at her jockey’s scruffy
boots in the parade ring and promptly announced
that she was going to buy him a new pair if he won.
Afterwards she changed her mind, saying: “Apparently they are his lucky boots.”
Jackson quickened but he didn’t do so fast enough or
indeed with the same Met-winning impression as he
did in this race 12 months ago, and he never looked
like getting to Capetown Noir.
Glen Hatt said: “He had every chance but he hit a
flat spot and he is looking for further. In a way I was
disappointed but in other ways I’m not. He was beaten by a champion miler and it was a good prep for
the Met – and that’s his real target.”
Brett Crawford was upbeat, saying: “I thought it was
a great run. It was his second race after a rest and
that may have something to do with the flat spot.
But the bottom line is that the only mile race he has
ever won is a maiden. He’s a ten furlong horse, not
a miler.”
However, the masterful Dennis Drier and stable jockey Sean Cormack just about stole the show on the
day with a magnificent treble, including two breathtaking performances from Beach Beauty and Master
Of My Fate in the Gr1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock
Stakes and the Gr2 Glorious Goodwood Peninsula
Handicap respectively.
Drier, speaking immediately after the Shanks Syndicate’s daughter of Dynasty landed her second successive Paddock Stakes, said: “I think we go for the
Klawervlei Majorca. We have tried the Met before.”
The 21-20 favourite produced her usual power-packed surge in the straight but apparently it was
nothing like as straightforward as it looked.
Cormack said: “Going to the start I felt she wasn’t
that fiery and, as she had a wide draw, I had to ride
her accordingly. I’m not used to being so far back on
her and I was never that confident, but she gives you
confidence because she never gives up.
“However in the Green Point last time she had me
scratching my head because she ran a very flat race.
But she still finished third which shows how good she
is.”
Drier, though, had his own take on that race –
“Everybody thought it was a train smash but it
wasn’t. It was a prep race. I map these things out
before we leave Durban.”
Annegie Papageorgiou’s four-year-old Master Of My
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PARADE MAGAZINE
Fate seems to be getting better with every race and
Drier commented after the Peninsula: “I don’t want
to say that - but he is. When you get a penalty like he
did (18 pounds) and still win, he is clearly no ordinary
horse.”
Betting World promptly slashed him from 11-2 to
3-1 for the Met and eased Jackson from 2-1 to 5-2.
The second favourite ran to a rating of around 112
whereas Jackson performed no better than 108 in
the Queen’s Plate. Admittedly the trip was well short
of his best but in the Met he has to concede 2kg
to a horse that is looking increasingly like the
February 1 winner.
L’Ormarins principal Gaynor Rupert’s relentless determination and anything-is-possible drive has returned
Queen’s Plate day to its glory of old and, according
to the racecourse, the day saw its best Queen’s Plate
crowd since the legalisation of casinos decimated
racecourse attendances in the second half of the
1990s.
Delighted owner of
Capetown Noir Lady
Christine Laidlaw of
Khaya Stables.
LOUIS THE KING
(Black Minnaloushe) wins the
G2 Gauteng Guineas
by 5.25 lengths - giving
South Africa’s best 3-y-o’s
a galloping lesson.
Louis The King is now the
only contender to win the
TRIPLE CROWN.
Black Minnaloushe (USA)
Black Minnaloushe is the only sire in South Africa
to produce Champion Two-Year-Olds in three
countries (New Zealand, Canada & South Africa).
to sire a Breeder’s Cup winner (Breeders Cup
Sprint G1).
to produce G1 winners in four countries (USA,
China, South Africa, New Zealand) and on three
continents.
Black Minnaloushe is the sire of two top 3yo’s
of the 2010 crop - the Equus Champion Kochka
and Louis The King, winner of the G2 Gauteng
Guineas by 5.25 lengths.
""
STUD MANAGER: John Slade
'+2#0
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RACING
TEXT: ANDREW HARRISON. PHOTO: LIESL KING
Masterful ride by Marcus
Down
the
Hill
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PARADE MAGAZINE
South Africa has seen few
better riders than Anton Marcus.
Exploiting the notorious “Cape
Crawl” to perfection, he extracted
revenge for Hill Fifty Four’s narrow
defeat in last year’s Gr1 J&B Met
at Kenilworth on the first Saturday
in February, reports ANDREW
HARRISON.
G
iven a masterful ride by a master of his trade,
Hill Fifty Four finally broke the shackles on the
country’s leading owners Ingrid and Markus
Jooste’s hold on second box.
Horses racing in the familiar Jooste silks had finished
second on four occasions leading up to this year’s
Met but Vaughan Marshall finally got it right for
his patrons - the win made even sweeter in that he
trained Hill Fifty Four’s sire Captain Al.
In an almost unbelievably daring front-running
ride, Marcus called on all his experience to still have
enough under him to hold the late charging Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup winner Yorker, rank outsider Puntas
Arenas and Whiteline Fever.
PARADE MAGAZINE
13
RACING
TEXT: ANDREW HARRISON. PHOTOS: LIESL KING
A masterful ride from
Anton Marcus saw
the Vaughan Marshall-trained outsider
Hill Fifty Four land the
G1 J&B Met for leading
owners Ingrid and
Markus Jooste.
Hill Fifty Four had twice finished behind race favourite
Master Of My Fate leading into the Met but Marcus
said that he, “had sat a bit too long behind Master Of
My Fate,” in the Peninsula Handicap.
Jockeys invariably look good when they win but not
many would have had the courage to lead early in a
Gr1 and judge the pace to perfection. Marcus sat for
as long as his nerve held before pushing for the line.
“I suspected the race might be devoid of pace by the
time we got to halfway, I wanted to try and negate
the horses with a turn of foot, and I didn’t want it
turning into a sprint,” Marcus explained. “In fact I
thought the pace I set was a bit on the slow but it
was never going to be 22 and change.
“I let him drift a bit in the straight but I never actually thought I was going to hold on until I got to the
line.”
Master Of My Fate was squeezed out early and never really got into the race as his relative inexperience
told when jammed in the traffic. He finished well
enough for fifth.
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PARADE MAGAZINE
Capetown Noir never got in from his draw and was
pushed forward early which may have cost him in in
spite of the sedate early gallop.
Jackson, very reluctant to load, failed to fire again in
a big one and was duly bundled off to stud where he
will stand at Highlands Farms.
It was a race where tactical nouse carried the day but
take nothing away from the horse, the trainer and an
owner who has ploughed a fortune into the sport.
Majorca Stakes
Diminutive in stature but a giant on the race course,
the Dennis Drier-trained Beach Beauty confirmed her
place at the top of the tree as far as middle distance
fillies are concerned in the Gr1 Klawervlei Majorca
Stakes. Not that it was in any doubt from the top of
the straight. Conspicuously dwarfed by her chasing
rivals in the background Cormack allowed the daughter of Dynasty to pick it up slowly in the straight and
coaxed the best out of his mount. Once in top gear
Beach Beauty strode away from a hard-chasing Ham-
The diminutive mare
Beach Beauty and Sean
Cormack on their way
to the start of the G1
Klawervlei Majorca
Stakes.
“But this mare is so good that
she can help you out of trouble,
and she did just that. She kicked
– and it was race over.”
mie’s Hooker, Cormack punching the air as much in
relief as triumph crossing the line.
For Sean Cormack it was a grimly worrying race. He
explained: “Draw 13 is never easy and I was concerned about how much I had to use her to get
across. Then in the straight she had to chase Priceless
Jewel who I know is a relentless battler and I was
worried.
“But this mare is so good that she can help you out
of trouble, and she did just that. She kicked – and it
was race over.”
Drier reiterated. “What can I say? I’ve said it all
before.She’s just too good! Just too good!”
Derby
The Gr1 Investec Cape Derby was not without incident but the Dennis Evans owned outsider Legislate
made amends for a disappointing Gr1 Grandwest
Casino Cape Guineas to turn the tables on hot Derby favourite Captain America. Justin Snaith’s runner
made the most of a superior turn of foot as Richard
Fourie drove him into a gap just ahead of Captain
America who had not settled the entire race but kept
on strongly for second. Glen Hatt, with nowhere to
go at the two furlong marker, then switched in for an
inside gap and found himself up against Power King
going for the same opening.
Niesius confirmed his bad luck. “Glen and I were going for the same gap and Glen just took me out.”
Hatt was philosophical. “He never settled and even
though I had him covered. He pulled for the first
three furlongs and only settled going into the turn. If
you want to win the Derby you have to have a horse
that will switch off,” he lamented.
Earlier in the day Snaith had “labelled’ the chances of
his filly Arria in the Listed Grandwest Casino & Entertainment Summer Juvenile Stakes.
His confidence was not misplaced as the daughter of
Antonius Pious made all the running, going on to win
under a hands ride from stable rider Richard Fourie.
Seven Grand missed the break slightly but had not
chance with the winner who looks to be really smart
at this stage of her career.
PARADE MAGAZINE
15
RACING
TEXT: HENK STEENKAMP. PHOTO: DEON BOTHA
All the role payers are
still finding their feet on
the PE Polytrack.
Poly
Striding on the
Racing in Port Elizabeth has made remarkable strides over the last couple
of years. The polytrack at Fairview has changed the face of racing in South
Africa, the facilities at Fairview have been upgraded, the quality of PE horses
is improving all the time and it is getting more and more competitive. This
is not where the racing people of the Friendly City want to stop. They want
more and are ready to take the next step, writes HENK STEENKAMP.
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PARADE MAGAZINE
B
ut what is the next step. We put the question
to Mark Sham, the chairman of the local Racing Association and husband of trainer, Dorrie.
“More races. With the horse population here we
want more racing,” he answered without hesitation.
While more races might still be on the way, trainers
and assistant trainers are meanwhile queuing up for
stables in the Bay.
Glen Kotzen recently became the third Cape Town
trainer with a satellite yard in PE. Justin Snaith satellite yard has gone from strength to strength and is
challenging for the East Cape trainers’ title. Estelle
Blake runs the stable while husband, Gavin, is picking
up the pace for the Mike Bass satellite yard.
Lunga Gila, who learned his trade in the Mitchell
Wiese stable, will run the Kotzen yard. He also
worked for the late Arthur Miller and is confident
that the Kotzen horses will do well in PE. He knows
there will be pressure to perform but he is used to
that and ready for the challenge.
Tough competition
Gila and Renate du Plessis, who recently took out her
trainer’s license, agree that the competition is very
tough. “You got the Cape Town trainers raiding PE
regularly and the PE stables are getting good horses in from all over. At this stage I just want to find
my feet first,” Du Plessis said recently after she won
her first listed race, the Lady’s Pendant, with the filly
Lielums. That was in her first month as a trainer and
it shows she means business.
Sham feels it is not necessary to look at a Cape Town
influence anymore to boost PE racing. “This is my
opinion, but I would rather see a local getting the
chance to train or expand, than an out of town trainer coming in. It is the locals who build PE racing up to
what it is. There are many of them waiting for their
chances and some of the established trainers want to
expand,” Sham said.
Huge attraction
Although the loss of the Arlington track is still a sore
point to some, PE has moved on and the polytrack at
Fairview has become a huge attraction. It has already
stepped in to save meetings on rainy days.
“I enjoy the poly. It is good for racing. It is a learning curve for everyone on the poly. Horses might
work well on the poly but then in a race it is totally
“This is my opinion, but I would
rather see a local getting the
chance to train or expand, than
an out of town trainer coming in.
It is the locals who built PE
racing up to what it is.”
different. The outside draw makes it difficult for horses to win. The kick back seems to have been sorted
out and trainers were invited to give their input about
problems they are experiencing with the poly,” Sham
said.
“What I think is wrong is to change surfaces halfway
through a meeting without keeping the punters in
mind. For owners it is great because their horses still
run. It is not fair to the punters though who took
their bets with the grass track in mind and then the
races are on the poly. Punters lost a lot of money last
time that happened. Many punters were very unhappy,”he explained.
Sham is very proud of the progress the RA has made
in recent times. “Just small things we have done to
up the game. We are there for the better of horse
racing. Everyone should just work together because
this is a fantastic sport.
Top Class
“Everything is now in place in PE and we must
market our sport aggressively. The catering and the
service at the totes here are top class now. We are
one of the stronger centres. We must just further iron
out the small little niggles.”
It is getting close to one of PE’s big race days, Derby
Day, which is on 11 May this year. It will be a first
prawn festival for PE on Derby Day and as usual a
great weekend of racing and fun activities lies ahead.
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University will be
involved on the fashion side of things.
There is a feeling that PE is also getting closer to its’
own feature season. It would be wonderful to have
a few Derby weekends in a row!
They are ready to take the next step in PE and they
won’t be stopped.
PARADE MAGAZINE
17
SALES
TEXT: ADA VAN DER BENT. PHOTO: LIESL KING
Loaded with
Quality
The Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale continues to lead the way as
South Africa’s oldest and most successful source of yearlings, writes ADA
VAN DER BENT.
O
ver the past twelve months, the sale produced
a phenomenal 49 individual graded and listed winners to reinforce its status as the number one sale of its type in the country. Of those, no
less than eight excelled at the elite level, headed by
Equus champions Heavy Metal (Champion Middle
Distance Horse), Vercingetorix (Champion 3yo colt)
and the filly Along Came Polly (Champion 2yo Filly).
At R1.4-million, Vercingetorix was the most expensive of the trio, Heavy Metal considerably less so at
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PARADE MAGAZINE
R250,000, while Along Came Polly’s price tag of a
mere R60,000 made her arguably the bargain of the
2012 sale.
Irresistible catalogue
Following high-profile performances from South
African-breds Soft Falling Rain, Shea Shea and The
Apache on the world stage in 2013, Bloodstock SA
is optimistic that international buyers will be lured
by the cheap Rand and a truly irresistible catalogue
which is as strong as ever.
This year’s renewal, which is set to take place at
the TBA complex in Germiston on April 27 and 28 ,
lacks nothing in quality and depth. Amongst the 529
choice lots on offer are siblings to a host of top level
winners, while there are nine champions among the
Gr.1 winning broodmares represented.
As far as stallions are concerned, there is a mouthwatering mix of the country’s proven stalwarts, up-andcoming Young Turks and exciting newcomers.
Champion stallion
Leading the way numerically is reigning Champion
stallion Silvano, whose 43-strong draft features siblings to Gr.1 winners Contador (a half-sister), Martial
Eagle (a full brother), Sparkling Gem (a half-brother),
Yorker (a half-brother), as well as a filly out of champion Consensual, whose first foal is already a winner.
Captain Al has enjoyed an unbroken five-year reign
as the champion juvenile sire and he hit the headlines
earlier this year when his son Hill Fifty Four scored
a career-best victory in the J&B Met. Klawervlei’s
flagship stallion likewise boasts a sizeable 34-strong
draft, the standouts amongst which are undoubtedly
a half-brother to star runner Master Of My Fate, a
half-sister to Gr.1 winning juvenile Forest Indigo and
yearlings out of Gr.1 winners Field Flower (colt) and
On Her Toes (filly).
Leading KwaZulu-Natal stalwart Kahal, also the country’s third-leading stallion in 2011, boasts a bumper
draft of 38, amongst which are a half-brother to dual
Gr.1 winner Gypsy’s Warning and a colt out of the
Gr.1 winning racemare Legally Blonde.
The untimely loss of Western Winter’ last year was
starkly underlined when his colt out of champion Zaitoon shared top billing of R3.2-million at the Cape
Premier Yearling Sale. This sale features the cream of
his penultimate crop, amongst which are siblings to
no less than six Gr.1 winners: champion Captain Lover and her brilliant half-sister Ebony Flyer, champion
sprinter Let’s Rock ‘N Roll and his classic-winning full
sister In The Fast Lane, Gold Challenge hero Ivory Trail
and Gr.1 Woolavington victress Viva Maria.
Drakenstein Stud’s flagship stallion Trippi, whose colt
out of Pagan Princess likewise fetched R3.2-million
at this year’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale, will have
no less than 33 of his progeny tour the sales ring.
Standouts on paper include a half-sister to Gr.1 winner Talahatchie, fillies out of champions Bold Ellinore
and Laverna and colts out of Gr.1 winners Love Is In
The Air and Saudies.
Laverna and Love Is In The Air will be represented by
their first foals, as will champion Mother Russia and
Gr.1 winner Zirconeum, both of which are fillies by
recently-deceased Tiger Ridge.
Dynasty, the sire of recent Gr.1 Cape Derby winner
Legislate (a shrewd R90,000 purchase at the 2012
sale), is the sire of siblings to Gr.1 winners Rabiya and
Wagner, as well as a colt out of Gr.1 winning mare
Sarabande.
Varsfontein’s Judpot fledgling career as a freshman
stallion was gilded last season by a pair of Gr.1 winners and his 26 catalogued are headed by a filly out
of Gr.1 winner Duchess Daba and a half-brother to
brilliant globetrotting sprinter Tiza.
Last season’s Vodacom Durban July hero Heavy Metal
and Mercury Sprint victress All Is Secret both have
half-brothers on offer by champion Jay Peg, who is
also the sire of a filly out of Gr.1 Gold Cup winner
Colonial Girl
Other Gr.1 winners with siblings on the sale include
James Jaguar (a half-brother by Lateral), Link Man (a
Toreador full sister), Potent Power (a half-sister by
newcomer Blue Tiger), The Apache (a half-brother by
Miesque’s Approval), Val De Ra (a full-brother by Var)
and War Horse (a Black Minnaloushe half-sister).
In big demand
Promising young sires Seventh Rock and A P Answer
are the early leaders in the race for the freshman sires
title and their National Sales yearlings are bound to
be in big demand.
Freshman sires always elicit keen interest among
buyers and this year’s line-up includes Querari, a
Gr.1 winning son of leading British sire Oasis Dream;
the strikingly handsome Noordhoek Flyer, a dual
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SALES
Guineas winning son of Pivotal; Jallad’s dual classic
winning son Russian Sage, Just A Well, a high-class
and well-related son of sire of sires A P Indy; brilliant
American Gr.1 winner Visionaire, who has already
sired a stakes winner with a small number of American-foaled runners; the hard-knocking, Gr.1-placed
sprinter Blue Tiger; and Rock Of Rochelle, a top-class
Europen sprint son of emerging sire of sires Rock Of
Gibraltar. The sale also represents a chance to acquire
rare yearlings from the sole crop of the brilliant and
versatile Bankable.
High-class foreign-based stallions
Sprinkled amongst the catalogue pages are youngsters by high-class foreign-based stallions, the stand-
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out amongst which is probably a daughter of proven
American sire Medaglia D’Oro. Best known as the sire
of American Horse of the Year, Rachel Alexandra, the
filly is out of champion sprinter Ruby Clipper, who is
of course the dam of Gr.1 winning sprinter and exciting young stallion Seventh Rock.
Finally, this year’s sale marks the historical debut of
one of the country’s leading breeding establishments,
Mauritzfontein Stud. The Oppenheimer family’s
famed Kimberley nursery, the source of a plethora of
South African champions for over half a century, enters the yearling market for the first time with a quality draft of 14 choicely bred lots, the majority of which
by resident stallions Fort Wood and Ideal World.
Reach for the Moon
4 COLTS, 2 FILLIES at the NATIONAL YEARLING SALE
MOGOK
Glint Of Ice
full
PACIFIC BLUE
SUPER ELEGANT
JAY PEG
Gr3 winner
Tippuana Moon
has a half brother
by Var,
VAR
Lostintranslation
ANGUS
KAHAL
African Rhythm
Sawubona
COLT
THUNDER CREEK
TIPPUANA MOON
full
NOBLEWOOD
HUNDRED ACRE WOOD
SYON
bred on the
same sire x broodmare sire
cross (Var x Fort Wood) as
Gr1 3yo CONTADOR
CLEAR CREEK
NATIONAL
EMBLEM
Frontieres
Nouvelle
3
Sans
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PARADE MAGAZINE
FEATURE
Bernard Fayd’Herbe
Up against the
Odds
Bernard Fayd’Herbe tells MICHAEL CLOWER about his way of life, his
constant battle with the scales and his ambitions.
T
he Fayd’Herbe queue is lengthening. Mike Bass
comes into the weighing room flanked by son
and daughter. The questioning glance from the
other side of the counter gets a one word answer “Bernard.” But after three minutes patience is wearing thin. “Where is he?”
“In the shower,” says the same across-the-counter
source.
“Huh.” The eyebrows come up and their owner
walks out. Two minutes later Mark and Candice follow suit, albeit without the raised eyebrows.
Eventually the great jockey appears wearing nothing
but a big white towel and a broad grin. So much for
the assumption that the deadly serious, grimly-concentrating, few-word Fayd’Herbe that you normally
encounter on racedays is all there is.
The second surprise is the frame. On the back of a
horse only Sean Cormack amongst the top jockeys
looks as starvation-thin. But there isn’t a rib to be
seen. The bones, though, are exceptionally light for a
man of 1.72 metres ( 5’ 8”).
Still grinning, he leads the way past the hubbub of the
jockeys’ room into the medical area. The long-suffering doctor nods uncomplainingly at the prospect of
yet another interview on his territory and then listens,
fascinated, as the life story unfolds.
Fayd’Herbe was born in Durban in September 1981
and at the age of seven moved to Madagascar where
his French father Rene took over the family hotel.
When Madagascar’s efforts to start racing found itself short of thoroughbreds and decided to start each
card with an amateur, non-thoroughbred race, Rene
began training a few of the hotel’s riding horses. He
put the boy up on some of them. Director of Racing
Neil Bruss was impressed, said young Bernard had
talent and should go to the South African Jockey
Academy.
Rene thought the boy too young to leave home at 14
but wife Lorraine was all for it. She, after all, is the
daughter of the legendary 11-time champion Tiger
Wright who rode four July winners. Wright himself
was not keen; he knew just how difficult it would be
to make the grade. But mother won the day – two
years later she won it again with younger son Robert – and Bernard Fayd’Herbe de Maudave was duly
enrolled. The mouthful trips off his tongue as if he
says it every day. He doesn’t. Barely anybody outside
the NHA uses the full version, and it only does so for
the race results.
Tom Brown’s Schooldays
In the mid 1990s the Academy’s Tom Brown’s Schooldays reputation still lingered. “I found it hard,” recalls
the star pupil. “But I enjoyed the horses and that’s
what comforted me.”
Michael Roberts, not “Muis” but the trainer who
Joey Ramsden joined on his arrival in South Africa,
took Fayd’Herbe under his wing and made sure that
his first ride – Dollar Deal at Scottsville – was a winner. Fayd’Herbe, weighing a mere 46kg, won on the
horse again on his third ride and other trainers began
to take notice. He was variously employed by Justin
PARADE MAGAZINE
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FEATURE
“I was in Durban at the time, I
got straight into my little Nissan
van, drove to Cape Town and
never looked back. Mike really
put me on the map.”
Snaith, Mike Stewart and Herman Brown until Mike
Bass offered him a job. “I was in Durban at the time,
I got straight into my little Nissan van, drove to Cape
Town and never looked back. Mike really put me on
the map.”
Trademark in the 2001 Queen’s Plate was the first of
16 Grade 1s for Bass. There have also been a further
13 for other trainers and, so far as punters and bookmakers are concerned, the Fayd’Herbe name means
a driving, relentless will to win. Any horse he rides
has to be given a second look, no matter what its
form – and with good reason. “He is a very strong
rider and he can keep a bad horse going,” says Bass.
“Sometimes he pulls more out of them than they
want to give.”
But why does Fayd’Herbe think he is good? “Jeez,”
he shakes his head as if to say ‘what a question.’ He
adjusts his perch on the edge of the plastic-covered
bed reserved for the injured as he searches for the
answer. “Racing is in my blood,” he begins hesitantly,
“but I suppose the main thing is my love of horses. If
you are a jockey and you don’t really love them, it’s
not going to be the same – particularly as it’s such a
hard game. There are so many ups and downs in racing, you’ve got to really enjoy it and love the horses.”
According to Justin Snaith, who has provided five of
the Grade 1s, he is different from most of his rivals.
“Bernard is a natural horseman and a jockey who understands horses. Most don’t. They just put their feet
in the irons and go.”
Seemingly Fayd’Herbe makes a deliberate attempt
to understand their mentality. “As soon as I sit on a
horse I get an idea of the mental make-up. I ride so
many that I can put them into categories, and then I
try to work from there – and in some ways they are
all different.”
Twenty-two and change
He is able to judge pace like few riders outside
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PARADE MAGAZINE
America. This becomes apparent when he starts
talking about Pocket Power, the best he has ridden,
winning two J&B Mets, the Vodacom Durban July
and three Queen’s Plates on him. “Most good horses
can run the last 400m in 23 sec,” he says. “But Pocket Power could do it in 22.4 or even 22.0 sec.”
Who taught him to do that and who made him ride
work to a stopwatch? “Nobody, but I learnt from the
time Michael Roberts would tell me to drop horses
out so that they would finish. I gradually got a feel for
being able to tell how fast I was going.”
On the big occasion he looks ice-cool. So do most
jockeys but for many it’s a battle of wills not to show
their emotion. Not this one. “I’m naturally like this
and I know that it’s one of my strongest points. Getting nervous and all fluffed up is not going to help
the horse because he can feel that. The calmer I am
the calmer he is, and the more energy he will have to
finish the race.”
He can also be tactically astute. For instance he has
on occasion at Durbanville found the ground faster
on the outside and nicked a race by heading for it
before anyone else has copped on. But not all his
qualities in this regard meet with wholehearted approval. “He can be a law unto himself,” says Bass.
“Sometimes he will make a decision and ignore anything else. That’s not always a bad thing but he can
get it wrong.”
Fayd’Herbe wages a constant battle with the scales,
as evidenced by the number of times during an afternoon that the commentator announces “plus a
half” as he takes his mount down to the start. When
he goes on holiday his weight soars from 57kg to as
much as 66kg – “and even at that I still wouldn’t be
completely letting myself go. No burgers or anything
like that.”
Getting the weight down again involves a fair bit of
willpower. “I have to lose the weight before I exercise. Once you turn the fat into muscle, it can be very
hard to get rid of it.”
Surprisingly his diet includes three meals a day. He
has a cup of black coffee when he gets up and he will
have another, or some water, when he is riding work.
On returning home he makes himself an omelette.
Lunch is fish or steak with salad, and dinner is small,
perhaps soup. “You can’t starve yourself. You’ve got
to keep healthy but I try to stick to less carbs and low
protein.”
ing solved the problem. “A guy in Cape Town taught
me to push myself to the next level and from then on
I was able to get much fitter.”
Bernard Fayd’Herbe
puts champion Pocket
Power through his paces
at the Vodacom Durban
July gallops at Greyville.
Through a sandstorm
But the intake has to be paid for and the cost is agonisingly high. He runs a minimum of 10km a day,
always in sweat clothes, and on racedays he has to
sweat again. He reckons a piping hot bath will shed
a kilo and a brisk walk round a racetrack will take off
50% more, assuming the day is sufficiently hot and
the clothes heavy enough.
At one stage he had to pick and choose his rides on
big days because he didn’t have enough energy to
ride through the card. A course of martial arts coach-
And the highlights so far? “Jeez,” he turns his head
away, deep down memory lane. “There have been
so many, but I can still remember my first winner as
if it was yesterday, and I don’t think I will ever achieve
again what I did on Pocket Power, while that win in
the Al Quoz Sprint on JJ The Jet Plane was special.
We went through a sandstorm and, as we came out
of it, I realised what a lot of ground I had to make
up and how little time there was left. I urged him:
‘Come on boy. We’ve got to dig down real deep,’
and he did just that, like a real champion.”
On the debit side he broke his nose three times in
separate falls in Macau where he also fractured his
back while Pocket Power’s habit of whipping round
on the way to the start dislocated both thumbs.
There was also a broken foot cause by connecting
with MJ Byleveld’s hip. Fayd’Herbe was aiming for
the backside, apparently in jest, but his direction
went awry. “I lost the ride on What A Winter because of that,” he recalls grim-faced. “Karl Neisius
took over and kept it for the season.”
Girlfriend Sasha shares his love of the outdoors.
When he is not riding he is water-skiing, wakeboarding, fishing, hiking and doing “any kind of sport.”
But he has a self-confessed wanderlust – he has ridden in nine different countries and earlier in the season he spent a month in Singapore - and he expects
it won’t be long before the call of racing overseas
becomes irresistible once more. “I know I’ve still got
a lot to learn, and every time I travel I seem to learn
something that makes me a better jockey.”
The door opens, summoning him for the next race.
“Get my stuff ready, would you?” he informs the
caller. “I haven’t quite finished.”
He has still to change back into breeches, boots and
colours. But seemingly that can wait too. “I would really like to win a Group 1 abroad, maybe somewhere
like England or France where the racing is completely
different,” he muses. “But it’s hard to break in with
my weight. First choice would be to travel with a
good horse from South Africa but, if that’s not meant
to be, I will just have to try my luck. I’ve definitely got
itchy feet!”
PARADE MAGAZINE
25
FEATURE
TEXT & PHOTOS: LIESL KING
Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe
Flair,
panache &
Style
26
PARADE MAGAZINE
Moonlight Cloud
winning the Gr1 Prix
De La Foret.
7th arrondissement, Rue Saint Dominique, Paris. A burnished gold in the
early morning light, a giant leg of the Eiffel Tower dominates the view to the
west. To the east Les Invalides, a complex of military monuments and museums hold court, while across the street the smell of freshly brewed coffee and
sweet pastries waft from the local patisserie. LIESL KING reports.
W
elcome to Paris on the morning of a weekend of racing that culminates with the running of what is arguably the most famous
race in the world, the Qatar Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe.
Popularly referred to as the Arc, it is run over 2400m
on the first Sunday in October at Longchamp Racecourse and is open to fillies and colts three years and
older, with race conditions famously excluding geldings. The Arc may not be the world’s richest race or
the race with the most history, but it has attained an
almost untouchable status as the world’s most prestigious race.
Featuring seven Group 1 races, four Group 2 races
and the Arabian World Cup it is a meeting that is a
must for any serious racing enthusiast and after much
planning, back and forth correspondence and several
“lost in translation” moments, I am finally here as
an accredited journalist. The French do things with
a certain flair, panache and style. There is simply no
other way to describe quite what is in store for a first
time visitor to the Arc. From the valet parking in the
journalists’ car park, to the stunning flower arrangements and the rivers of champagne, it is racing at its
best.
Longchamp, which can accommodate 50 000 people
is a vast and complex course, no wonder maps are
provided at the entrance. The grandstand easily rivals
Meydan, rising five stories high. With a panoramic
PARADE MAGAZINE
27
FEATURE
TEXT & PHOTO: LIESL KING
restaurant on its top floor, it stretches along the home
straight, well at least one of the home straights. For
the course itself, in true French style, is not quite like
anything you will have encountered before.
With 46 different starting points and two finishing
posts in the main straight, a variety of races from
1000 m to 4000m can be run. Just to confuse
matters, the sprint course runs along the back of
the oval, with the finishing point nowhere near the
grandstand; hence, the only glimpse of the sprinters
is in the parade ring!
Bizarre configuration
On seeing this bizarre configuration first hand, I was
quite thankful that Mike de Kock had decided not to
run Shea Shea, photos would have been impossible.
Over coffee, I peruse the morning paper and while
my French is very rusty there is no doubt that Orfevre(JPN), last year’s runner-up, is a clear favourite. In
fact, I only have to look out the window to see that
half of Japan has invaded Paris for the weekend.
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PARADE MAGAZINE
With so many races, the weekend passes in a blur.
Running from the parade ring, situated at the back of
the course under some majestic trees, to the photographers’ podium in front of the grandstand, dodging
the throngs of racegoers is an art in itself, never mind
requiring extreme fitness. With over 600 press and
photographers from all over the world in attendance,
getting that prime spot is certainly challenging.
Hence I forgo the long walk back to the parade ring
after Dalkala(USA) and Christophe Soumillon snatch
victory by a nose in the Prix De L’Opera and guard my
spot in readiness for the Arc.
There is however, a 45 minute wait during which I
manage to capture some of the 6000 Japanese fans,
complete with giant flags in readiness for Orfevre’s
grand victory. Yet it was not to be with a three-yearold bay filly named Treve(FR) storming down the
straight and into history. Treve had been plagued
by bad luck in the run up to the Arc. First drawing
in barrier 15 and then losing her jockey as Dettori
breaks an ankle four days out. Luckily, her erstwhile
Brilliant filly Treve wins
the Gr1 Qatar Prix de
L’Arc de Triomphe.
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Parad
// DEC
South
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PREMIER
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pilot, Thierry Jarnet is still available and the 46- yearold, who has two Arc victories to his name, reunites
with Treve.
From barrier 15 Jarnet has little chance of tucking
the filly in and Treve runs wide all the way to the
final turn. With Joshua Tree(IRE) leading the field into
the home straight, Jarnet, still out wide, asks Treve
to move forward. The result is electric. The filly takes
off and storms into the lead in a matter of strides
with 400 meters still left to run. The crowd gives a
collective gasp. It is too soon and surely no horse can
sustain such a pace for so long?
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Orfevre and Intello(GER) set off in pursuit, but despite
the waving Japanese flags, the gap keeps lengthening as the filly floats over the turf. Under a hands
and heels ride, Treve storms up the home straight in
solitary splendour and it becomes a matter of by how
much and not if she will win. In the end, Jarnet eases
the filly down and she crosses the line five lengths in
front, retaining her unbeaten record. It is a performance of sheer brilliance.
The record books will record that Criquette Head records her second Arc victory and that Treve finished in
a time of 2.32.04, with Orfevre in second and Intello
in third. What the record books won’t record, is that
once in a life time moment, of watching a solitary bay
filly scorching down the Longchamp turf to win the
most prestigious race of them all.
And it doesn’t end there as 90 minutes later the
extraordinary Moonlight Cloud, who nearly defeated Black Caviar in a photo-finish at Royal Ascot,
canters home in the Group 1 Prix De La Foret over
1400m. The five-year-old dawdled along at the back
of the field, before Jarnet woke her up at the 400m
mark and set off for home. Moonlight Cloud simply
breezed past her opponents with an electric turn of
foot, recording her sixth Group 1 victory.
No better place
Arc weekend is all that it promised to be and more.
Great hospitality, extraordinary racing, featuring the
best horses in the world, in one of the most romantic
cities in the world. If it is not on your bucket list, it
certainly should be, for there is no better place to
experience racing at its finest than at Longchamp
Racecourse on the first Sunday in October.
PARADE MAGAZINE
29
Sales
the
n
Editio
FEATURE
The Arc de Triomphe
meeting had for years
been the culmination of
the European and UK
Group racing season;
then along came
QIPCO Champions Day
at Ascot. LIESL KING
was there.
30
PARADE MAGAZINE
Farewell to a champion on
Champions Day
P
utting up the biggest prize money the UK had
ever seen for two Gr1 races, two Gr2’s and a
Gr3, a final showcase of racings most talented
was born. There was just one problem. In order not
to be overshadowed by the Arc meeting, Champions
Day had to be scheduled after Longchamps. But with
the UK weather being unpredictable at best, holding
a meeting so late in the year is always a risk.
In October, 2012, Frankel bid his legions of fans
farewell at Champions Day but even the unbeaten
superstar battled in the heavy going, producing a
workmanlike performance to win the Gr1 Champion
Stakes. Last year was no different. Heavy autumn
rains in the week leading
up to the event saw the
withdrawal of several of the
stars with trainers erring on
the side of caution after a
long season.
Despite being doubtful
about the ‘wet’, Mike de
Kock decided to take his
chances and run two of his
stars at the meeting. Igugu (AUS) took her place in the Gr2 Fillies and Mares
Stakes over 2400m, while Soft Falling Rain (SAF) contested the Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over 1600m.
While the going was officially carded as soft the jockeys returning after the first painted a far bleaker picture.
Comments ranged from very soft to heavy and mud
splattered horses confirmed that the going was rapidly deteriorating.
cycle almost continuously and several lacklustre performances were the result. Yet a good second in a
Listed race at Newmarket had her fans hoping that
their star had turned the corner.
With Pat Cosgrave in the saddle Igugu cantered
down hard held, but as I headed across the Ascot turf
to the winning post the mud sucking my shoes from
my feet did little to instil confidence. Igugu jumped
on terms but was uncharacteristically unsettled early
on and was looking around with her mind clearly not
on racing.
Despite this the mare managed to stay with the leaders until the final 200m where she simply ran out of
steam in the mud. Trailing
in 14 lengths behind the
winner the once mighty
mare, that produced an impossible Met victory, was a
shadow of her former self.
De Kock realised that the
time was up for Igugu and
as the mare was being
hosed down he confirmed
that he was going to discuss retiring her with owners Sheikh Mohammed bin
Khalifa Al Maktoum and Andre Macdonald. “I think
it’s just not fair on her to continue. She has done us
proud and I think it’s time to do what is right for her.”
With the going now heavy and De Kock having been
cautious all week about Soft Falling Rain’s ability to
handle a soft track, the South African supporters
were not holding out for victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Soft Falling Rain pranced around the
parade ring while De Kock discussed tactics with Paul
Hanagan, but on the canter down the colt floundered in the heavy going.
Barely 400m into the race it was clear that Soft Falling Rain, who had never encountered heavy ground
before, was uncomfortable. With his hooves sucking
“I think it’s just not fair
on her to continue. She
has done us proud and I
think it’s time to do what
is right for her.”
Igugu
Igugu looked a picture in the paddock. A champion
at home with the Met and July trophies under her
girth, Igugu sadly did not seem to care for Dubai.
The change in hemispheres seemingly caused her to
PARADE MAGAZINE
31
FEATURE
TEXT & PHOTO: LIESL KING.
That is the Igugu we
should remember. Not the tired
mare trailing home on a muddy
foreign field in her swansong;
but the glorious champion that
refused to lie down.
mud he simply gave up and Hanagan wisely allowed
Soft Falling Rain to coast home some thirty lengths
behind the winner.
Having tasted defeat only once in his career when
second on debut in the UK, this was foreign territory
for the eight-time winner. Covered in lather the colt
made his way back to the paddock and De Kock was
philosophical in defeat.
“The track was very heavy and our horses just haven’t
experienced anything like this. This is what racing is
all about. It’s not the end of the world and we’ll put
this behind us, plan ahead and do our best. It’s been
a long time since I’ve been to the races with two
horses that didn’t finish.”
Soft Falling Rain then headed for Dubai and a well-deserved rest before the Carnival.
Igugu retired with four Group 1 victories as well as
the Triple Tiara crown. Before departing for Dubai,
the four-year-old had raced 12 times in South Africa
for ten victories and two seconds, culminating in her
glorious J&B Met victory in spite of an illness interrupted preparation. An 18 hour trip to Cape Town
did nothing to improve matters and to top it all Igugu
was forced to train from the quarantine station because an earlier outbreak of African Horse Sickness
had resulted in restrictions being placed on visiting
horses.
The race itself was no better. Igugu jumped awkwardly and found herself hemmed in by her male rivals. Showing little enthusiasm The Champion, who
had powered home unchallenged in the Vodacom
Durban July, seemed to have stayed at home. Yet
the one thing that sets champions apart from the rest
is their refusal to give up, no matter how dire the
situation.
Igugu was such a champion. With seemingly no
hope of winning and only a 100m left, the tired mare
grabbed the bit, flattened out and charged the line.
Even rider Anthony Delpech didn’t think that she
would get there in time, but Igugu snatched the lead
and won by a neck.
That is the Igugu we should remember. Not the tired
mare trailing home on a muddy foreign field in her
swansong; but the glorious champion that refused
to lie down.
Farewell Igugu - you did us proud!
32
PARADE MAGAZINE
AVO N T U U R
‘Quality not Quantity’
National Sale Yearlings
27 - 28 April 2014
LOT
NAME
SEX
SIRE
DAM
28
Amadeo
c.
Dynasty
34
Seraphic
f.
Var (USA)
68
Matchmaker
c.
Dynasty
Sport’s Chestnut
112
Roman Discent
c.
Dynasty
Toga
153
A Woman’s Will
f.
Var (USA)
A Daughters Legacy
159
Alesnado
f.
Var (USA)
Alejate
198
Elusivechantment
f.
Elusive Fort
203
Vous Et Var
c.
Var (USA)
294
Charisma
f.
Silvano (GER)
Fine Wood
310
Money Penny
f.
Silvano (GER)
Fort D’or
341
Strummer
c.
Var (USA)
Hello Margarita
440
Severino
c.
Var (USA)
Minelli
447
Le Clos
c.
Jay Peg
465
Mambo Mime
c.
Mambo In Seattle (USA)
Sarabande
Sea Of Calm (USA)
Bump ‘n Grind
Candy Vous (ARG)
Miss Olympic
Murmuration (USA)
Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm - situated next to the Avontuur Wine Estate at the foot of the
Helderberg Mountains, has always gravitated towards the ‘quality not quantity’ motto. The stud was
established in the 1980s by the late Tony Taberer and his dream and passion for breeding top quality
thoroughbreds lives on. Avontuur has a superb broodmare band selected from around the World and is
continually upgrading, using only the country’s leading stallions.
5.-344134$:.7
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:%-%1!+!-!'%1)//!)#*+%"41'(
%+
:.")+%
,!)+234$!5.-3441%23!3%#.9!:%"666!5.-3441%23!3%#.9!
FEATURE
TEXT: ROBBYN RAMSAY. PHOTO: LIESL KING
All thatGlitters
Yearling sales - a time when bank managers are put on speed dial and the
accounts department of the sales company have more conversations with
a trainer than he does with his own wife! The frenzied quest to acquire the
perfect racehorse at the National Sales is on, writes ROBBYN RAMSAY.
Beach Beauty
36
PARADE MAGAZINE
T
wenty years ago one could go to any yearling
sale and rough and ready yearlings straight off
the stud farms leapt and snorted their indignation around the ring. Poorly prepared and near wild
yearlings were the order of the day. But, it suddenly
all changed as vendors began to realise that presenting a more attractive package had become more than
just a necessity, it had become essential to ensure survival in a rapidly changing world.
Lot #XYZ steps into the sales arena led in by an impeccably turned out groom wearing top hat and tails.
The handsome dark bay colt, with the haughty look
of eagles and all the poise and presence of a prima
ballerina, stands to attention showing his best side.
Could this be one of tomorrow’s champions? His
coat sparkles as the subtly administered lick of glitter catches the light,
his freshly shampooed mane and tail
flows gracefully and
his highly polished
hooves gleam in utter perfection. His
breeder, who has by
now chewed his fingernails to the quick,
tries to make himself
invisible at the side
of the auctioneer’s
rostrum and the bidding suddenly begins. It’s show time!
At the end of the day however no amount of spit,
polish and glitter can cover up blatant flaws in conformation. Times may have changed but the basics
and sensible horsemanship have not.
feeling about a horse the minute it steps out of its
box. I like a horse with a good head and eye, a good
length of rein, a nice hind leg with no cut away hocks
and a nice big rounded backside. There has to be
that wow factor before you decide to stick your hand
up!” says Drier.
Drier, who trains the diminutive yet incredibly well
performed mare Beach Beauty, is the first to admit
that he probably would not have picked her off a
sale. “Beach Beauty is perfect in every respect and
possesses all the qualities that I really like in a horse
except that she is tiny and that alone would most
probably have put me slap off her. Thanks heavens
her owners, who lease her, picked me to train her!”
he laughs.
Thousands of people have sat and pondered long
and hard trying to
figure out what it
takes to produce the
perfect racehorse and
one such person was
the late Brian Boyd a colourful stud man
once based in the Natal Midlands.
Boyd, a die-hard disciple of the great
Italian breeder Tesio,
once spent an entire day sitting on a
bench in the parade
ring behind the Clairwood grandstand making careful notes on each and
every horse led into the winner’s enclosure, which
used to be situated outside the jockey’s room. His
conclusion? There was actually no such thing as the
perfect conformation. “Us breeders are wasting our
bloody time,” declared Boyd. “They win in all shapes,
colours and sizes!”
“Beach Beauty is perfect in
every respect and possesses all
the qualities that I really like in a
horse except that she is tiny and
that alone would most probably
have put me slap off her. Thanks
heavens her owners, who lease
her, picked me to train her!”
The wow factor
Like an experienced talent scout, one of South Africa’s top trainers Dennis Drier says that he constantly
seeks the “wow” factor when selecting yearlings. “I
don’t visit as many stud farms as I once used to. There
are so many sales now that the lack of time has become a factor. That said, my wife Gill (daughter of
late great trainer John Breval) and I do visit most of
the KZN farms and we select yearlings together.
“There are basically no rules when picking yearlings;
pedigree is obviously important but you just get a gut
Frankel
Illustrating Boyd’s point, some months back an email
did the rounds featuring a photo of a mystery leggy
bay weanling colt. Recipients of the email were (a)
asked if they could guess who the horse was and (b)
asked if they would have bid on him at a sale? If honesty prevails there would be very few respondents
who guessed right or who said they would pay more
PARADE MAGAZINE
37
FEATURE
TEXT: ROBBYN RAMSAY
than tuppence for the horse on looks. The weanling
in question? None other than the all conquering and
mighty Frankel who was to be the late Sir Henry Cecil’s swansong champion! Red faces all around!
Powers of observation
It is obviously important to know the history of a
pedigree in a yearling that catches your eye. There
are yearlings you can virtually describe without actually seeing them. These powers of observation were
once well illustrated by the quirky but astute judge of
horseflesh and successful small trainer Basil Cooper
who saddled the 1965 Met winner Speciality and his
1979 Gold Cup winning son The Maltster. Being of
Irish extraction Cooper literally brought to life the adage “Gypsy gold does not chink and glitter. It gleams
in the sun and neighs in the dark!”
Though Cooper, who wore a black patch over one
eye for most of his adult life, sadly became completely blind in his dotage, he still showed an uncanny
ability to paint a picture of a yearling based purely
on its pedigree. He often accompanied his brother
Tom, a well known and highly respected member of
the BBA, to the National Yearling sales at Germiston.
Not one iota interested in the “fluff” spouted by the
auctioneers on behalf of the vendors, all Cooper required was for his companion to read him the pedigree, going back to at least the third generation, of
the yearling coming into the ring. In a flash he’d say:
“Bet you it’s a plain bay with black points or a chestnut with at least two white feet” or “I bet it is skittish
and nervous, I wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole,
that line are all dilly!”
Superstitions
In a world full of upward-turned horseshoes, shamrocks and lucky red underpants, breeders tend to all
have their own superstitions and a broad range of often strange notions and opinions on just how much
a mare and stallion can transfer into a foal’s ability.
When the puzzling world of genetics was discovered
they weren’t exactly welcomed into racing.
One man, however, was not so quick to avoid black
cats, ladders and sidewalk cracks to run his horse
breeding operation. His name is almost as grand as
the operation he ran, Federico Tesio - the Wizard of
Dormello.
Tesio had searched all of Italy for a quiet place, a
38
PARADE MAGAZINE
“Bet you it’s a plain bay
with black points or a chestnut
with at least two white feet” or
“I bet it is skittish and nervous,
I wouldn’t touch it with a
bargepole, that line are
all dilly!”
damp place but a dry place too. He wanted a place
to test his numerous theories, and he found it, on the
banks of the Lake Maggiore, and if the roomy boxes
of Dormello weren’t enough, Tesio sent his weanlings
to southern Italy to graze in the warmer weather.
He segregated his weanlings, mares, fillies and stallions, dividing Dormello into separate quadrants so as
to prevent the spread of disease. Tesio experimented
with colour, testing to see if chestnut horses had an
advantage at sprinting or if bays stayed better (grey
horses are born chestnut or bay and therefore were
bunched with one of the two categories).
Like Brian Boyd did at Clairwood, Tesio tested his numerous theories at Newmarket only to find that his
theory about colour was completely wrong! But he
wasn’t deterred. While he could spin his magic into
picking horses and training them, neither could compare to his astonishing skills with breeding horses –
testimony being his success at breeding some of the
best thoroughbreds ever to grace the European turf.
Just 13 years after buying Dormello, Tesio bred his
first Derby Italiano winner, beginning a legacy that
would see him breed another 22 Derby Italiano winners, more than anyone has or likely ever will. Among
these horses were Donatello II, Nearco and probably
one of the greatest horses to ever to step onto a racecourse, Ribot.
Donatello II was his first great success, winning the
Derby Italiano just a year before Nearco won it in
1938. Nearco retired undefeated, a winner of all his
14 starts and became one of the most influential sires
of all time. Nearco’s grandson, the great Northern
Dancer, would later become one of the - if not the
most influential sire in the world.
Tesio’s success can be attributed to his theories, which
were as plentiful as stars in the sky and he shared his
theories with the world writing in one of his books
“A horse gallops with his lungs,
perseveres with his heart, and
wins with his character.”
Frederico Tesio.
that: “For 50 years I have carefully studied the pedigrees of over a thousand horses that have won the
great races, examining these pedigrees to the 7th and
occasionally to the 12th generation. I learned that to
maintain the characteristic of winning endurance it
is necessary to occasionally introduce the blood of
sprinters over 1400 and 1600 meters.”
Tesio’s constant praise of the stallion and almost complete ignorance for the mare might be deemed by
some as crazy, but it worked fine. Once comparing
the mare to a sac, Tesio explained that the mare’s
purpose was merely to carry the stallion’s semen and
develop it. Who can say that Tesio was wrong?
Every year Tesio would send 40% of his broodmares
to be bred in England and France. The other 60%
were bred to Italian-based stallions. In all three environments, Tesio utilised a broad spectrum of sirelines.
He generally avoided the bias of standing stallions he
had bred and raced, but would not hesitate in sending his broodmares to them when he approved of
the prospective foal’s pedigree. He was not averse to
breeding to unfashionable sires, if the matings created desirable patterns. He preferred winners of the
English Derby as sires and he didn’t particularly fancy
stallions that were sprinters.
As with his sirelines, Tesio never became overly attached to the female lines on his farm. It was his belief that female families could remain strong for two
or three generations but would then often regress.
The rationale was to improve the lines he was developing to their full potential and then move on to
new ones.
Greatest champion
The year Tesio died, his greatest champion, Ribot,
hit the racetrack. Ribot, two-time winner of the Prix
de l’Arc de Triomphe would retire undefeated in
sixteen starts, running in England, France and Italy
and he was to become the leading sire of England
three times. Tom Rolfe, Arts and Letters and Graustark were all sons of the great Ribot illustrating the
profound effect Tesio’s brilliance had on the modern
day thoroughbred. Though it may be a game of luck,
Federico Tesio remains one of the few people who
actually managed to conquer horse racing with an
open mind.
Following Tesio’s death, thoroughbred breeders
across the world subscribed and embraced a system
developed and named TesioPower using it to plan
their matings and help them upgrade their thoroughbred families using the great mans line breeding theories. TesioPower afforded breeders, analysts and all
others involved with the thoroughbred, a tool with
which to examine pedigrees, to spot potential flaws
and build potential greatness.
Nondescript elderly gentleman
If a modern trainer, in search of this greatness, waited
for orders from prospective owners to buy yearlings,
his stables would be empty. At the 2011 National
Sales a rather nondescript elderly gentleman with a
fag hanging from his lips kept on returning to the
Varsfontein Stud barn requesting to see a particular
yearling. This happened time and time again leaving
breeder Carl de Vos both puzzled and bemused as
this was one of the yearlings the stud had very high
hopes of fetching a six figure sum.
Was this elderly gentleman wasting both his time and
theirs and, judged on his appearance, would he ever
even be able to afford the colt? Nobody seemed to
really know much about the man but he obviously
really loved the horse. So, he was duly indulged as he
repeatedly had the colt stepped out of his box and
stood watching him completely transfixed.
Master Of My Fate
When the handsome colt topped the 2011 National
sale with a price tag of R3-million it was no real surprise – the real surprise was that the successful bidder
was none other than that same rather nondescript
elderly gentleman – a self-made millionaire - who
boldly went after what he wanted and became the
very proud owner of a smashing colt named Master
Of My Fate!
The moral of the story? Should you or should you not
judge a book by its cover? At a yearling sale one just
never really knows!
PARADE MAGAZINE
39
FEATURE
TEXT: CHARL PRETORIUS. PHOTO: NKOSI HLOPHE
‘PK’ a legend
of theTurf
Like all master horsemen from the
‘old school’, Peter Kannemeyer has
strong opinions and many stories
to tell. He is 77 now and handed
over his championship stable at the
Milnerton training centre in Cape
Town to his son Dean 15 years ago,
but his life and career is a tapestry
of vivid memories. ‘PK’, as he is affectionately known, loves to share his
recollections and has a wealth of racing knowledge and colourful experiences. CHARL PRETORIUS reports.
P
Peter Kannemeyer
40
PARADE MAGAZINE
eter’s life among thoroughbreds started in 1949,
aged 16, when he visited the yard of trainer Stanley Gorton with an apprenticed friend,
Reggie Harrison. It was, in his own words, “love at
first sight’’ and he decided to become a jockey too.
Peter started with Spike Lerena’s grandfather Bob
Lerena, and over a period of 20 years also rode successfully for Stanley Gorton, Terrance Millard and
Theo de Klerk. Peter was a good rider, winning among
other big races the 1960 Cape Guineas on Mocking
Bird and the 1962 Queen’s Plate on Inverthorn.
He had an ongoing battle with his weight, however, and remembers spending hours in the sweatbox,
shedding the necessary kilograms with other heavyweights like Johnny Cawcutt and George Patmore.
“I had one good meal a week and that was on a Sunday at lunchtime. But a few hours after lunch I would
drink four bottles of soda water fast and bring it all
up. I had no choice. It became a lifestyle.’’
Peter said that training racehorses never as much as
crossed his mind in all his years of riding, but one day
- a Sunday after lunch - in 1969 his mentor Stanley
Gorton took him aside and said: “Son, I am going to
retire soon and you need a new lifestyle. You can’t go
on throwing up your food. I want you to take over
my stable. I will give you 80 years of experience, 40
years from my father and 40 years from me.’’
And so, in an instant, a new training career was born.
Gorton introduced Peter to his patrons, among them
the prominent De Wet family from Zandvliet Estates.
He asked them for their continued support, which
they were happy to give.
This put Peter in a strong
position to start his solo
training venture.
“I was on my way with
20 horses and Mr. Gorton,
as promised, taught me
everything he knew. Then
he withdrew and left it to
me.”
First runner
Peter’s first runner was a
winner and his first smart
horse, Prairie Prince, followed not long after that. He was a 1400m specialist
and won nine races including the Cape Flying Championship, the Diadem Stakes twice and the Clairwood Merchants.
Peter trained so many good horses and won so many
major races he cannot remember them all, but he
points proudly to various prize trophies that adorn
his living room. “Look how smart they are, big, heavy
silver trophies. I gave many to Dean and my daughter
Lize. They don’t make them of that quality anymore.
Today’s trophies are made of plastic!”
In 1977 along came Over The Air, a colt by New South
Wales from Encipher, whose main attribute was his
soundness. He’d won the Green Point Stakes and the
Clairwood Champion Stakes and Peter had his eye
on the Durban July, but Over The Air had shown his
best form up to 1600m.
“Son, I am going to retire soon
and you need a new lifestyle. You
can’t go on throwing up your
food. I want you to take over my
stable. I will give you 80 years
of experience, 40 years from my
father and 40 years from me.’’
“I wasn’t really confident when we entered him for
the July in 1979, this would be his first time over
2200m, but I guess things were meant to be. It was a
normal day, exciting as July Handicaps always are. We
didn’t expect to win,
but we did and it was
wonderful. Garth Puller brought Over The
Air with a strong run
in the home straight
and when they hit the
front the race was all
but over. They won
by just under two
lengths from Sun
Tonic.”
He fondly remembers his three J&B
Met winners. While
Pocket Power was the proverbial racing certainty to some in the 2010 renewal of the
great race, he cautions that hot favourites are always
beatable, especially in the Met.
Peter won the Cape’s showpiece with Sunshine Man
(1980), Divine Master (1992) and Pas De Quoi (1994),
all at long odds, all beating strongly fancied runners.
Peter says he was lucky to get Sunshine Man at the
National Sale in 1975 because he didn’t initially have
an owner to buy the colt for him.
Racy young horse
“Sunshine Man was an athletic, racy young horse by
Persian Wonder and I liked him from the moment I
saw him. I had only one owner, Ben Braam, at the
sale with me. Ben was a butcher by profession and
as it happened he liked big, strong, bulky horses so I
couldn’t get him to like this one.
PARADE MAGAZINE
41
FEATURE
TEXT: CHARL PRETORIUS.
“But the wheel that squeaks gets the oil. I nagged
him for days to buy Sunshine Man and he wouldn’t
give in, but I persisted and just before the horse came
into the sales ring he said, ‘ok, buy the bloody horse
then, I’ll give it to my wife!’ ’’
Peter bought Sunshine Man for R18 000 and, as
Mr. Braam requested, the colt was given to his wife,
Heather. Sunshine Man let loose as a two-year-old,
winning the JG Hollis Memorial and at three got
within close range of the star of the year, Bold Tropic,
in the Richelieu Guineas.
At four, Sunshine Man (8-1) was the lesser fancied of
two Kannemeyer runners in the 1980 J&B Met. The
mare Festive Season was all the rage at 3-1 and Sunshine Man’s stablemate Over The Air started at 5-1.
After a ding-dong battle with Over The Air (Garth
Puller), jockey Felix Coetzee got Sunshine Man up to
win by a neck.
Peter had to wait 12 years for his next Met winner,
Divine Master, a well-performed gelding he describes
as “a good handicapper, a solid top division horse but
no true star.”
Divine Master was a sound horse, though, and of all
the races Peter ever planned this one worked out the
best.
“We never had a day’s problems with Divine Master.
Any trainer will tell you there are always niggles, always problems when you least expect it, but not with
this one. He’d run a big race to Olympic Duel in the
old Mainstay Challenge in Durban and I fancied him
to do well in Cape Town. I thought to myself that
Jeff Lloyd would be the right jockey as Divine Master
would come in with a light weight. Even before nominations I phoned Jeff and left a message on his answering service. To my surprise he phoned back and
said he would consider my offer.
“Several weeks went by and the nominations were
done and I didn’t hear a word from Jeff, but one day
he was riding at Milnerton and walked past me in
the parade ring. He was a few metres away when
he stopped in his tracks, walked back and said: ‘Mr
Kannemeyer, that horse you wanted me to ride in the
Met, it’s okay, I will ride him.’
“So the plan came together bit by bit and Divine Master had an excellent preparation. I grew more confident by the day. One morning Garth Puller would ride
him and report how much he’d improved from the
42
PARADE MAGAZINE
previous week. A few days later Karl Neisius would
get on and say the same.
“My patrons backed the horse from 20-1 through
14-1 and 10-1, into 8-1. The race unfolded like we
expected and he won, beating the 5-2 favourite
Flaming Rock. Divine Master had two other July winners Spanish Galliard and Illustrador behind him. He
wasn’t near as talented, it was simply a case of the
right race at precisely the right time.”
Peter’s 1994 winner was Pas De Quoi, who came to
him from another stable.
Unexpected bonus
“I got Pas De Quoi as an older horse. I think the owners were friendly with Dean, my assistant trainer at
the time. I didn’t plan his career, he came as an unexpected bonus. He worked very well but when he
ran in the Queen’s Plate for us he was disappointing. Dean watched the race closely with me and he
suggested afterwards that we put blinkers on Pas De
Quoi because his Queen’s Plate run wasn’t near a reproduction of his gallops at home.
“I listened to Dean and we fitted the horse with a
pair of blinkers for the Met. Garth Puller had the ride
and they were drawn wide and started at 20-1, but
those blinkers did the trick. Pas De Quoi came with a
flying late run to beat Waitara on the line. The favourite Take A Walk (5-2) finished third.’’
Biggest thrill
Oddly, Peter’s biggest thrill as a trainer was not winning the Durban July or three J&B Mets. He once saddled six winners on a day, all ridden by Puller, and
says: “That was a true highlight for me. One often
goes to the races confident of winning two, maybe
three races and you come back with a single winner
or none at all. To have six winners in one day was a
rare and very satisfying experience.”
Legends Of The Turf, Volume 2, is now available in
selected bookshops. You can pre-order from info@
freeracer.co.za, or go to ww.amazon.com or www.
amazonco.co.uk
EXCITING YEARLINGS FROM
St.Helier Stud
LOT No.126 - VELVET WIND
LOT No.430 - SYLVIANNA
Velvet Wind by Windrush ex Velvet Mover (IRE)
Bay filly 26/9/12
Sylvianna by Silvano ex Maximum Break
Bay filly 15/8/12
WINDRUSH
POCKET POWER
SILVANO
RIVER JETEZ
LOT No.332 - JAHUNDA
LOT No.50 - LEMON LILY
Jahunda by Tiger Ridge ex Gwanda
Bay colt 18/10/12
Lemon Lily by Seventh Rock ex Sierra Lily
Bay filly 3/10/12
ASYLUM SEEKER
CHESTNUT HORSE
SEVENTH
ROCK
To view on the farm, contact Anne Woodham on 083 954 7444
Or see them at the sales Stable Block C numbers 57-61
St. Helier Stud
PO Box 814, Gillitts, KZN, 3603
Tel: (031) 702 9588 - Cell: 0824968321
FEATURE
TEXT: CHRIS McGRATH. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Beating the
System
LOW KEY will need to be renamed after sealing an incredible four-pronged
gamble involving horses previously associated with legendary punter Barney
Curley on a run-of-the-mill Wednesday, leaving bookmakers facing a payout
beyond £2 million.
T
he previously undistinguished performer came
home a comfortable winner at Kempton to
seal a coup built on earlier wins for the heavily
backed trio of Eye Of The Tiger at Lingfield, Seven
Summits at Catterick and Indus Valley at Kempton.
Curley declined to comment when contacted.
Three years earlier Curley, who landed a now legendary betting coup on Yellow Sam, had landed another
major coup. He said the bet that won him millions
was his greatest high.
“I do it for the buzz,” says Curley. “Beat the system;
beat those smart-arse bookies.”
He has been out working a horse on the gallops.
"Not a sinner about," he says, with wry satisfaction.
"Sunday morning, they're all in bed." But the wind
has exacerbated his conjunctivitis. There's something
wrong with his ears, too – they're stuffed with cotton
wool. Barney Curley moves slowly, nowadays, can't
walk very far. Last year he lay in hospital for three
months. "Lucky to get out. It was evens each of two,
live or die." He's 70. Three weeks before he pulled
off one of the most extravagant gambles in the long
history of the Turf.
"Nobody will ever win as much on horse racing, this
century," he pronounces, in his measured County
Fermanagh tones. Quite how much, he will not say,
though industry estimates of £1m sound hopelessly
conservative.
One of the men, who helped manage a project of
rococo complexity, joining us in Curley's sitting room,
suggests that it was first discussed before some of
44
PARADE MAGAZINE
the horses involved were even born. Come the day –
a humdrum Monday – four were linked in a series of
trebles and accumulators. Three are trained by Curley
himself, in probably the smallest stable in Newmarket. The fourth he had sold in 2008 to Chris Grant, a
trainer on Teesside.
Agapanthus won at Brighton; then Savaronola did
the business at Wolverhampton. But Curley's third
runner, Sommersturm, was beaten later on the card.
That left Grant's horse, Jeu De Roseau, who made
his first appearance in 742 days to win at Towcester's
evening meeting.
Had Sommersturm completed the job, the bookmakers would all have reached their various maximum
payouts – an aggregate Curley reckons at over £20m.
But it has been hard enough getting them to pay out,
as it is. "I'm pleased the other one didn't win," he
insists. "If these fellows can't pay three, what chance
would we have with four?"
Previously, Curley was most celebrated for Yellow
Sam, who won at a country track in Ireland in 1975.
There was only one telephone at Bellewstown, and
Curley had a friend act out a prolonged call to a fictional dying aunt, so blocking desperate attempts
by off-course bookmakers to cut Yellow Sam's starting price. His winnings have been computed as the
equivalent of €1.7m (R17million) today.
Such a ruse, of course, could not be entertained since
the advent of mobile phones. "People were telling
me that our day had gone," Curley says. "You know,
punters I knew over the years. It's finished, they said,
over. I never thought like that.
“I do it for the buzz,” says
Curley. “Beat the system; beat
those smart-arse bookies.”
not for the money," Curley says. "It's for the buzz.
Beat the system, you know, beat those bookmakers,
those smart-arses. You go into a betting shop and see
them robbing these poor fellows, with these gaming
machines. They're as addictive as crack cocaine. You
see them coming back to the counter with their credit cards, for another tenner. Of course the great thing
about those machines is that number nine won't go
to even money and win five lengths."
Equally, he remembers sitting in hospital and reading about footballers on £100,000 a week. "I know
they're the best at what they do," he says. "But here's
me, the best at what I do. And every year, when I
came to a certain figure, I said: 'That's enough'. But
now I thought: 'I've been underpaying myself the
last 15 years. My job's a lot harder. It's about time I
caught up with these fellows."
Unpredictable
Barney Curley
Because bookmakers are always trying something
new to rob punters, to get them to bite. That's what
beats them. The greed."
And that's what spurs Curley. He doesn't need the
dough. Since the loss of his teenage son, Charlie, in
a car accident in 1995, his chief purpose in life has
been a charity he set up in Zambia. In his youth, Curley studied to become a Jesuit priest. For all the picaresque and iconoclastic flourishes of his life since, he
is respected by some of the most eminent horsemen
of his era.
Sheikh Mohammed once facilitated a donation of
£2.5m to his charity. Trainers with 20 times as many
horses in their care consult his opinion. When they arrived as teenagers, from Italy and Ireland respectively,
he was mentor to subsequent champion jockeys in
Frankie Dettori and Jamie Spencer. His latest protégé,
Tom Queally, joined them in the Investec Derby.
Addictive
So why persevere with the precarious adventures that
redeemed him from the penury of younger days? "It's
Granted that it all pays off, the planning almost
seems its own reward. Curley invokes a draughts
board. "You'd change the pieces hundreds of times,"
he says. "Put horse A there, and have horse B in here.
But this one's not going well, that one's lame. And
we're operating with very few horses, you know.
Take horse B out. A week later, back in again. It's not
easy. Horses are so unpredictable."
The one that excited most curiosity is probably Jeu
De Roseau, but Curley has nothing to hide. Grant is
a friend of Andrew Stringer, Curley's assistant. "And
I've sold him numerous horses over the years," he
says. "If there are five gentlemen in racing, Chris
Grant is one of them. A decent, honest, hard-working fella. We were at this sale, and I said to him: 'You
should buy this one, there could be a turn in him.
He's been sick, given us nothing but trouble. But he
did show a bit of form, back in Ireland.' A thousand
quid. Can't go wrong."
A while ago, Grant telephoned. The horse had begun
to thrive. Curley was sceptical. What would Grant
have, to work him with? But he was insistent. "The
horse had a very bad virus when he was here, looked
PARADE MAGAZINE
45
FEATURE
TEXT: CHRIS McGRATH.
terrible," Curley remembers.
"And he was saying he was looking well now, that
he's turned a corner."
Grant was thinking of running him at Towcester.
"That's funny," Curley replied. "I've been trying to
find a horse to run in the seller on the card." He had
been ringing round, looking to fill another barrel
in the bet. But nobody had come up with the right
horse. In the event, Jeu De Roseau enabled Curley to
switch his sights to a handicap instead.
Miracle
But the real miracle was for three of his own horses – he only has 11 – to peak together. Their own
reformation was mental
rather than physical. "Agapanthus turned nasty
last year," he says. "We
rested him, he loved his
day out hurdling, just began to shine. And we did
the same with Savaronola, he was a right nasty
piece of goods when he
came. One day at Southwell he kicked the place
down. Now he's as quiet as a lamb. The horses
here have the best time of
any stable in the world."
The vets were here, the blacksmiths were here. There
was no shouting, no roaring. Quarter to ten, I went
up to Mass. If it's going to come, it's going to come.
And the next couple of days it got better, and he was
just sound to race. In normal circumstances, I'd have
done nothing with him for a week."
Medical drama
Another medical drama, for Curley himself, saw him
detained in hospital until Monday afternoon. "I get
out of all this carry-on at 3.40, so I'm just back in the
house to watch Agapanthus at 4.10," he says. "But
it was nothing to do with stress or anything. Just my
blood was wrong. I'd be watching those races like
I'm sitting here now, smoking. My heart would be..."
He holds out an impassive
hand. "You know, we'd
done all we can, that's it."
Now he winds up the flash
young
jockeys,
asking
which is the best Mercedes
on the road. But all he really wants is to get back to
Zambia. Direct Aid For Africa has built a school for
1,600 in Zambia. "In racing,
people always want to get
on your arm," he reflects.
"The people giving their lives out there, they don't
want anything off you. And once you've been out, it
draws you back – those children with their big brown
eyes looking up at you, with nothing to eat."
After reading about the coup, Dettori telephoned
Curley. "I hear you've had a touch," he said. "I'm
pleased. Because the news on the street was that you
were losing it."
“It’s something I don’t
think will ever be done
again,” he says.
It will be a good while,
however, before any
bookmaker grows at all
complacent in that
assumption.”
Strategy
A strategy was gradually refined. A network of
agents picked, tested, discarded or trusted. Bets
synchronised. "Fifty pounds in the wrong place,"
he says. "That's all it would have needed. And most
people are untrustworthy, when it comes to money."
But much else remains beyond control. There were
evidently other days, other horses.
It was like postponing the Normandy landings for
bad weather. When Grant's horse entered the equation, 22 other entries had to be scratched just to get
a run. "Same as someone robbing a bank," Curley
says. "The next thing, hasn't been seen for years, but
there's a police car parked over the street. You can't
plan for things like that. And then, on the Saturday
morning, one of them was dead lame.
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Immortal footprint
They had begun to forget about Barney Curley. And
now, suddenly, he has left an immortal footprint on
the Turf. "It's something I don't think will ever be
done again," he says. It will be a good while, however, before any bookmaker grows at all complacent in
that assumption. – The Independent
Bush Hill Ad
to insert here
FEATURE
TEXT: WARREN LENFERNA. PHOTO: NKOSI HLOPHE
New age
Thinking
Justin Vermaak, Maine Chance Farms recently appointed racing manager,
enjoys the stresses of this high profile position and aims to maintain the
good reputation that the farm has built up over the years writes WARREN
LENFERNA.
“I work for a great man in Dr Jacobs and I have
learned a lot from (stud manager) John Slade,” he
said. “I want to help boost the stud as a brand name
within the racing industry.”
Maine Chance recently enjoyed a smashing Cape
Premier Yearling sale where they consigned four of
the six colts that sold for R2 million or more.
“There was a lot of international interest which was
good to see and we had a great sale. Marsh Shirtliff
bought our Western Winter colt for R3.2 million.
Shadwell’s Angus Gold paid R3 million for a Dynasty colt. Of the six colts that reached over R2 million.
Jehan Malherbe and Dean Kannemeyer paid R2.8
million for a Silvano colt while Dennis Evans bought
another Silvano for R2 million. It was a hard week of
work leading up to the sale but MCF team did a great
job and the results showed that.”
Building relationships
Vermaak feels that Maine Chance does not own
enough horses to adequately supply all the trainers
with the number of horses they deserve but the stud
does have horses in training with twenty three different trainers and keeping in touch with all of them is
a huge task. “We try and reward all our buyers with
horses to train that are owned by us. We want to build
and create relationships with trainers, this means that
I would like to be able to send trainers more horses
but we as an operation don’t have enough horses in
training to supply them all.”
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Born in Durban, Vermaak (25) started working for
Maine Chance a year ago and now lives in Sea Point
in Cape Town from where he travels to the various
race courses and training centres.
It was Justin’s father who sparked his interest in
racing and he backed his first winner when he was
only seven years old when Teal won the Durban July
Handicap. Owen Heffer, who is a family friend of the
Vermaak’s, organised a subscription to the Sporting
Post and this fuelled his interest. As a schoolboy he
would work weekends and during school holidays for
then Summerveld-based trainer John Fox.
Priceless
His first paid job was as an assistant to trainer Dylan
Cuhna while also working as a part time jockey’s agent to top jockey Glyn Schofield. After the
Cuhna-trained Strategic News won the Summer Cup
he left to become a full time jockey’s agent but then
took up a post with the NHRA as handicapper. He
explains that this was where he learnt most in his
short racing career. “The experience was priceless,”
he says.
When Vermaak heard that Maine Chance was looking for a racing manager, he forwarded his CV to
Slade and Dr Jacobs. After searching interviews they
offered him the job.
Vermaak still keeps his hand in as a jockey’s agent
and is currently working hard to get S’Manga Khumalo to clinch the National Jockey’s title this season. He
says that securing good rides for jockeys is also a high
pressured job.
He rates Khumalo’s win in the Vodacom Durban July
as one of his finest achievements. But Vermaak obviously has a good eye. Another of his successes was
a one-two in the Summer Cup and a day when the
three jockeys he was managing at the time won four
big feature races on the same day.
thing small like handing out betting vouchers to the
public when they arrive on course would be a good
idea. Racing needs to be more commercial. “More
turnover, bigger pools the more money goes into the
sport and subsequently more interest,” he says. He
also feels that a lot of the food and beverage items
on course are way over priced. “Rectifying this, would
help bring people back more often.”
Strong views
Positive note
Vermaak has strong views on ways to improve the
racing game by making it more commercial and appealing to a broader audience. “This should increase
turnover and interest. We need to change the image of racing to the general public,” he says. One
way that he thinks will improve transparency and the
sport’s image is the introducing of barrier trials because then the gallop / trial times of first timers and
horses back from a lengthy lay-off will be open to
public scrutiny.”
He also feels that more airtime on our local racing on
Tellytrack would be a plus but: “I understand that we
rely on international racing to boost turnovers.”
Justin also does some presenting work on Tellytrack.
He can mainly be seen and heard on the big days in
Cape Town and Gauteng and is hoping to do some
work in Durban when the winter season starts. He
says: “Live TV presenting certainly isn’t easy but it is
quite fun”.
“On a positive note, getting involved in racing from
such a young age enabled me to grow up and mature quickly which has helped me enormously in my
career,” he concluded.
Merit rating system
When asked about the current merit rating system
he responded: “I love it! There are certain aspects
where certain horses are let down but it is definitely
the minority.
“The system has enabled smaller owners to enjoy
owning horses that can win multiple races where
they couldn’t under the old system. I do firmly believe that none of our top races should be handicaps.
“The top Grade Ones should be weight for age races
so only the best horses win. I feel the problem with
the system at the moment is more the weight for age
scale than anything else, some horses simply don’t
make the improvement and are always a step behind the handicapper who can’t drop them quickly
enough.”
Justin believes that there are ways of getting people back on to the race courses and says that some-
S’Manga Khumalo and Justin Vermaak.
He rates Khumalo’s win in the
Vodacom Durban July as one of
his finest achievements.
PARADE MAGAZINE
49
FEATURE
TEXT & PHOTO: ASH MAHARAJ.
HONG KONG
Ten years in the
Making
Hong Kong, the name synonymous
with British imperialism in the East,
of tech savvy entrepreneurs and a
dynamic landscape, is all of that and
so much more as the now Chinese
Special Administrative Zone takes
on a new face in the ever changing
landscape of economics and politics
writes ASH MAHARAJ.
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G
rowing up as a boy in South Africa with limited travel opportunities, Hong Kong was little
more than a dream city rather than a living,
breathing entity of classic Chinese culture infused
with a British past. For the western mind, it excites
the senses, a son of East marrying a daughter of the
West. That is Hong Kong in a nutshell. Of course if
you add world class racing it quickly turns from a
great sightseeing city into a racing enthusiasts dream.
The memories of Hong Kong are not so much of the
beautiful architecture and landscape but also the
locals. The treatment metred out to guests of the
Hong Kong Jockey is second to none. From a chauffeur driven Mercedes from the airport to gala dinners, there is nothing quite like HKJC hospitality.
Racing in Hong Kong is young by modern standards,
however they have turned the British colonial pastime into a thriving operation that is the envy of the
world. Happy Valley, the historical home of racing
on the island, is one of the most flavoursome places
to view thoroughbred horse racing anywhere in the
world. With the city skyline as backdrop coupled with
the atmosphere of night racing meshed with night
time shopping, is something to behold. The Causeway Bay shopping malls are filled with dining houses, fashionable stores and lively people, all within a
stones-throw of Happy Valley. Simply a unique place
to race.
Five star deluxe
The course lends itself to the festival atmosphere.
Relatively small, it looks deceptively large due to
the amphitheatre feel with tall buildings overlooking proceedings with seemingly peering eyes. The
grandstand facilities are five star deluxe with classy
restaurants mixed with beer gardens and fast food
outlets. Wednesday night in Hong Kong is without a
doubt race night and everyone looks forward to the
occasion.
Locals vs the Internationals
During the week of the international meets, like the
famed QEII Cup or the equally exciting December International races, the week is dominated by talk of
the “Locals vs the Internationals”. From the shopkeeper to the man on the Metro, everyone has their
favourite newspaper out disecting formlines. A feel
of what racing used to be like in South Africa back
when Sea Cottage was king and Politician ruled.
Waking on a Thursday during international week
means an early morning trip to Sha Tin to catch the
gallops and a buffet breakfast. Of course, the breakfast comes first as the local horses finish up their
work before the international media frenzy starts and
when the quarantined internationals come out to
play on Sha Tin’s pristine grass surface.
We are talking about the blue bloods of world racing.
Hong Kong nearly always attracts the best of the best
with owners happy to accept an invite to the races
and horsemen looking to showcase their talents on
the world stage.
South African champion J J The Jet Plane and his
band of followers were underdogs but showed up
Here was a case of a little
known trainer with a horse
thought to have had his best
days, coming to Hong Kong from
the quarantine puzzle that is
South Africa to beat all comers.
the best in Hong Kong. Here was a case of a little
known trainer with a horse thought to have had his
best days, coming to Hong Kong from the quarantine
puzzle that is South Africa to beat all comers. That
was a story for the ages. To witness it was amazing
and only just trumps the day we all arrived in Hong
Kong in 2003 with a touted world beater in National
Currency, a trainer who wasn’t afraid to say so, and
a jockey with local knowledge to take on the world’s
best sprinter who was unbeaten and with a former
South Africa Champion jockey on his back. It was the
race of the year as National Currency give Silent Witness a run for his money in his back yard. If only we
could have had a re-match!
The social side of the week peaks on the Friday night,
with a gala evening. In previous years the magnificent
Murray House was the centre piece of the action.
In the rich playground of Stanley, this venue, a
multi-story square building housing numerous
restaurants with guests moving from one to another
sampling the food or simply joining a table of friends,
was a great way to socialise and network with Hong
Kong’s business elite.
In recent times a more formal dinner is hosted at the
Hong Kong Convention Centre, replacing the Stanley
party. Equally impressive but in a totally different way
this was a wonderful capping of the social side of the
week and a reminder that we are lovers of the sport
for so many different reasons.
World class
A pioneering spirit, just like the Hong Kong people
themselves, is threaded into every fibre of racing in
Hong Kong. As a destination, Hong Kong is a world
class Asian city, a racing capital and an economic hub
that compares with any world city. Purpose built and
built to thrill, Hong Kong has it all.
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51
FEATURE
TEXT: JIMMY LITHGOW. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
The hardy few
soldier on in the
Karoo
With the arrival of the 1820
settlers and the opening up of great
sheep farming operations in the dry,
semi-desert plains of the Karoo, and
the savannah areas inland from the
Eastern and Central Cape coast, it was
discovered that this oft barren hinterland possessed exactly the right ratio
of protein, calcium and phosphorous
in the soil to produce quality horses. In
time, a roughly triangular area, defined
by the towns of Colesberg, Middelburg
and Cradock, developed into a premier
thoroughbred breeding region.
JIMMY LITHGOW reminisces.
U
nfortunately, of the more than 50 Karoo breeders of 60 years ago, only 11 remain. Long gone
are the vast breeding operations started by the
racing mad Randlords of the early 20th century, like
Sir Abe Bailey and Henry Nourse, who could afford to
import quality stock.
Bailey’s son, the renowned publisher, Jim Bailey, inherited the Grootfontein Stud, near Colesberg, when
Sir Abe died in the Cape, in 1940, and that eventually passed into the hands of breeder Alex Robertson,
whose descendants still farm the property today. But
Grootfontein and Vlakfontein, the two Robertson
studs, where the likes of Yataghan and Bahadur were
produced, no longer resound to the thunder of galloping hooves.
The three vast studs of Henry Nourse, once the biggest breeder in the southern hemisphere, have also
long since been turned over to the farming of cattle
and sheep. His famed Dwarsvlei Stud, near Middel-
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Sir Abe Bailey
burg, where champion sires like Greatorex and Dignitary (the first South African bred horse to top the
sires’ list) once held sway, has been a sheep station
since it was sold by the late Norbert Erleigh, to the
Van Lingen family, in the 1950’s.
Culmstock, in the Schoombie district, near Middelburg, on which the wealthy sheep and ostrich breeder, Charles Southey, first began culling crossbreeds
and importing significant numbers of thoroughbred
mares from the UK, in the mid-19th century, saw its
last horse more than 40 years ago, not long after the
tragic death of its then owner, Southey’s grandson,
Tommy.
It was Charles Southey who had mated his British
Stewards’ Cup winner, Pearl Diver, to his well-bred
thoroughbred mares to produce a string of early SA
Derby winners, including Camp Fire II, the first SA
horse ever to win in the UK, in the colours of Abe
Bailey.
Unfortunately, the Southey breeding dynasty, descended from the eminent Eastern Cape politician
and one time Colonial Secretary, Sir Richard Southey,
and his brother, William, is almost facing extinction.
Leigh Southey, descended from the line of Sir Richard, closed down his Kuilfontein Stud some years ago
and turned it into one of the most successful overnight hostelries on the N1 between Johannesburg
and Cape Town.
Only David Southey, who is from the line of William
Southey, which included his father, Percy, a successful
breeder, and Jack Southey, the breeder of Horatius
and Sind, is still going strong, on his Southford Stud,
at Norvalspont. He currently stands Main Aim (Oasis
Dream), a very well-performed horse in the UK, who
won two Gr3 races and earned a Timeform rating of
123.
The gracious Temple Stud, which borders Culmstock,
and which was once owned by Edward Kelley-Patterson, who was married to Tommy Southey’s sister,
Eleanore, is now a sheep farm. So is the purpose-built
Rathgar Stud, to which the Kelley-Pattersons moved
in the 1950’s.
The 1970’s saw the last hurrah of Karoo breeding,
when the Karoo Breeders’ Club still had dozens of
active members. At that time, the Birch Brothers were
still riding the crest of the wave, having produced
both Colorado King and Sea Cottage in the previous
decade.
A period of 36 years at the top of the breeding log
came to an end for Birch Brothers towards the end
of the 20th century, when the Birch dynasty became
fragmented and the partnership disintegrated. Only
Syd Birch, who once managed the Stormberg Stud
for Graham Beck and partners, has continued to
breed horses, at Vogelelvlei. Now that his son, Colin,
has joined him, the Birch name will no doubt be resurrected in breeding circles.
Gone, sadly, is the birthplace of Hawaii, Archie Dell’s
Platberg Stud, where the stables are derelict. The late
George Kramer’s Askania Nova, in Middelburg, which
was sold, for a record price, to the Newton family,
when he moved to Sir Lowry’s Pass, also produces
sheep. In the Hantam region, the Poortje Stud of Sir
Derrick Bailey, Abe Bailey’s older son, by his marriage
to the famous aviatrix, Mary Westenra, has passed
into the hands of his son, Will, who bred Beau Art,
winner of the Durban July, in 1980, but the stables
on this farm, whilst still in good condition, stand conspicuously empty.
The Silcock breeding dynasty which encompassed
three generations, and also produced a Durban July
winner, in Riboville, effectively ended with the untimely death of Terry Silcock in June of 2011
Although the Karoo remains one of the finest places
in the world to breed racehorses, offering every natural advantage to the growing youngster, the fickle finger of fashion has pointed southwards to the
Western Cape and eastwards to KwaZulu-Natal.
With the advent of the business baron and boutique
breeders, South Africa’s most prominent studs are
mostly situated within an hour or two of major airports, in verdant landscapes, alongside lush pastures
or vineries, where yearlings can be viewed against a
seductive backdrop, and prospective purchasers can
be feted in style.
Gary Player is the last of the big Karoo breeders, with
his Colesberg stud continuing to enjoy success, and
to provide opportunities to proven South African
horses, like Noordhoek Flyer and Russian Sage.
Further afield, in the mountains above Beaufort West,
Graeme Koster’s Rosedene Stud stands the Durban
July winner and internationally proven son of Zabeel,
Greys Inn, as well as the very useful Graded race winner, Biarritz (Count Dubois).
Trainer Ormond Ferraris, long a proponent of Karoo
breeding, is still breeding winners on his modern and
attractive stud farm, Rooipoort, near Middelburg.
The dearth of top class stallions in the Karoo region
remains a problem for the remaining Karoo soldiers,
the likes of the Rous brothers, Gavin and Trevor, who
still operate the Henham Stud, in Colesberg, and
Schalkie Van Der Walt, whose father bred the great
filly, Renounce, on the Gelykfontein Stud in the Venterstad area.
The very astute John Slade, stud manager at Maine
Chance, is destined to join his wife, Liz, when he
retires, three years hence, on a farm which she has
been preparing in the Steynsburg area, and former
trainer, Terry Lowe, has opened his Cool Springs Stud,
in Venterstad.
They’ll help to keep the Karoo flag flying on the racetracks of South Africa, in the future, as will the many
businessman breeders who still board mares in this
starkly beautiful and often amazing part of the world.
PARADE MAGAZINE
53
FEATURE
TEXT & PHOTO: ASH MAHARAJ.
Craig Benton
Man with a
Golden
touch!
Media focus is often only on the famous faces, the end products, and
ignore the workhorses behind the scenes. One of South Africa’s greatest
racing exports from a teaching and training perspective is Craig Benton, a
true character of horseracing writes ASH MAHARAJ.
I
caught up with the insightful Benton at morning
track work during the Longines Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin racecourse in Hong Kong.
Benton is known internationally as a man with a
golden touch when it comes to spotting riding talent
but he didn’t always have it his own way with curve
balls thrown at him throughout his adventurous and
exciting racing life.
Born into a famous South African racing family, Benton is a man who lives and breathes the game like
few others.
“I always dreamt of being a jockey but there were
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other plans for me,” he says sipping his cup of coffee at the posh early morning breakfast room before
track work.
Benton is currently Head of the Racing Development
Board Training Programme at the Hong Kong Jockey
Club (HKJC), a job that allows him to oversee and
train work riders, grooms and apprentice jockeys.
Reminiscing, he tells me about his quieter early days,
in stark contrast to the fast paced world of Hong
Kong racing. “Buller Benton is my father and he was
really a great trainer in the 60’s and 70’s. He was a
very good punting trainer!”
“He trained for Cyril Hurwitz who loved his gambling
and wasn’t afraid to have a hundred thousand on
a horse which equates to millions today! “My dad
was very good at setting up punts for Hurwitz but
sadly because of that he never became South African
champion trainer. He was third one year though. He
wasn’t worried about winning so many races he was
worried about keeping his owner happy.”
Benton had an early start in the sport. “I grew up in
racing and I got on a horse when I was two years old.
As a young boy I rode ponies and started riding work
when I was ten and would have loved to have been
a professional jockey but my Dad wanted me to do
something else.”
“I’ll never forget standing at Summerveld when I was
13 when Jock Sprowl, who was then the Chief Steward in Durban and head of the selection committee
for the academy, said to my Dad to just pack my suitcase and bring me to the academy because I would
get in. But my Dad would never let me become a
jockey, so I rode amateur all round South Africa.”
Benton speaks fondly of his years with leading trainer
Dennis Drier and was yet another graduate of the
Drier “training school” who made it to the top. “I
worked for Dennis as an assistant for ten years in
total. I first left him in 1985 and went to America
and had a trainers licence in California. I returned
to South Africa in 1987. I then went back to Dennis
before taking out my own licence in 1988. My first
runner at Geyville was a filly called Cherry Berry Bim,
which Basil Marcus rode over 1400m, and she won.
“I had a very good six years as a trainer. I had group
winners - never trained a Group 1 winner - but I
trained loads of Group 2 and Group 3 winners, and
also had a bit of a reputation with bookmakers as a
shrewd punting trainer.”
But then the hard times hit. “Through mistakes of my
own and getting involved in businesses I didn’t know
anything about, I lost my money. I had to go back
as an assistant trainer to Dennis Drier and I’ll never
forget working at Greyville as his assistant again. It
was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in
my life, but you’ve got to bite the bullet and go on.”
“One day Vincent Curtis (then head riding master
at the South African Jockey Academy) asked me if
I had ever considered becoming a stipe (stipendary
steward). Jockey Club CEO Rob De Kock was in town
with Benji Jonsson and I went to see them. I became
a steward and within a couple of years I was running Bloemfontein and Kimberley. Then in 2004, I got
head hunted by Macau and went there as the senior
racing steward.”
But there was another curve ball coming the way of
Benton. Besides the work environment being less
than satisfactory at the time, Craig and his wife had
twins with his daughter being brain damaged at
birth. Without looking for any sympathy, he moved.
“I was there (in Macau) for three and half years and
my wife and I looked for options for our children. We
couldn’t get my daughter an education because in
South Africa there was nothing for her and she was
home schooled. So we decided to go to the U.K. and
we’ve lived there ever since.”
“To get into racing there is very difficult so I took ten
steps back and I went back as an assistant trainer
to Alan Jarvis for 6 months and then John Achurst
for 20 months. I was then offered the British Racing School job where I had three fantastic years and
learnt a lot. I got qualifications at the racing school
that I would never have got anywhere else in my life.
I got teaching qualifications - I am one of only eight
qualified jockey coaches in the world - I got a sports
science diploma and various others. I am very fortunate to have worked all over the world, North America, South Africa, U.K., Hong Kong, Macau and I have
to say as biased as it might sound, the South African
Jockey Academy is the best in the world, there is absolutely no doubt about it.”
Then Benton received the best news of his career in
what he describes as his dream job, when the HKJC
made him an offer he could not refuse.
Four-man team
“In Hong Kong and China we have a wonderful
four-man South African racing team, Mitch Curtis
(son of Vince Curtis) is also here under me. The basic riding is taught in China at a place called Guangming, an hour away from Hong Kong, and that is led
by Michael De Beer, the ex-jockey from South Africa,
and assisted by Isak Cronje who was a jockey and a
trainer in Cape Town.”
Craig Benton has given his life to this sport. His love
and passion is evident in his enthusiastic smile and a
glint in his eye as he talks about the industry. He is a
true salt of the earth South African who has made it
to the very top of his profession.
PARADE MAGAZINE
55
SALES
RecordBreaking
A sales topper the
Western Winter colt
Zaitoon.
International buyers once again lent
credence to this year’s renewal of the
Cape Premier Yearling Sale, which
came to a close with a set of returns
that more than matched last year’s
totals, headed by an 18% leap in the
average price, writes ADA VAN DER
BENT.
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T
he current record price of R3.25-million, set at
last year’s sale for a son of Silvano, came within a single bid of being broken on no less than
three occasions.
Sharing the top price of R3.2-million were a colt and
two fillies, one of which, a daughter of champion
Giant’s Causeway, went the way of British bloodstock
agent Grant Pritchard-Gordon of Badgers Bloodstock. The price equalled the current South African
record for a filly sold at auction held by Jet Master’s
daughter Hearts Content, which topped the 2011
National Yearling Sale.
Pritchard-Gordon signed the ticket on behalf of
Coolmore Ireland manager Christy Grassick who will
race the filly in partnership with Dr Andreas Jacobs
of Maine Chance Farms in South Africa, as well as
Newsells Park Stud in the UK and Gestut Fahrhoff in
Germany.
The duo began purchasing horses together to race in
South Africa at this sale two years ago and their latest
acquisition, while conceived in Kentucky, boasts an
all-South African female line. She is the second foal
of champion Captain’s Lover, a classic winner of the
Gr.1 Cape Fillies Guineas in her native country, which
preceded a successful international campaign in the
colours of Team Valor International.
Having landed the Gr.3 Prix Du Pin and run fourth
in the Gr.1 Prix de la Foret, she was transferred to
the States where she added the Listed Matchmaker
Stakes to her resume before starting her broodmare
career by visiting Pulpit. Incidentally, her illustrious
half-sister Ebony Flyer, likewise carried the Team Valor
silks to Gr.1 victory on three occasions.
The R3.2-million colt, a cracking son of the late
Western Winter, provided the early fireworks on the
first day when trainer Mike Bass, acting on behalf of
owner Marsh Shirtliff, saw off the opposition to snare
Maine Chance Farms’ high quality bay. Just about a
dead ringer for his sire, the colt is the third foal out of
the Count Dubois mare Zaitoon, who won the Gr.1
SA Fillies Classic and was runner-up in the Gr.2 SA
Oaks when trained by Waiho Marwing.
The third of the high-priced trio sold at the second
session, when trainer Joey Ramsden added the Trippi
filly Dance At Dawn to the stable string. From the
sizeable Klawervlei draft, the chestnut is the second
foal of her dam Pagan Princess, a half-sister by Fort
Wood to Dubai standout and successful sire Victory Moon and to champion stayer Kelly. She likewise
had hit the headlines as a yearling when topping the
2008 Equimark Yearling Sale at R1.7-million, while
her first foal, also by Trippi, was the most expensive
filly at last year’s Premier sale, commanding a price of
R2.7-million.
Shadwell’s Angus Gold, who had plucked future
champion Soft Falling Rain for just R350,000 from
the 2011 inaugural sale, emerged as the sale’s leading international buyer, his purchases including a
R3-million Dynasty colt from Maine Chance and a
R2.4-million daughter of Captain Al from Highlands.
The catalogue virtually bristled with international
pedigrees and featured three regally-bred youngsters
by top American stallion Distorted Humor and one by
Speightstown from top vendor Klawervlei, the result
of an inspired move by studmaster John Koster.
A regular shopper at American and European broodmare sales, he purchased four well-related mares by
Sadler’s Wells, A P Indy and Storm Cat, had them
covered to Southern Hemisphere time and sent them
to South Africa. He was rewarded handsomely when
the resultant four foals sold for a combined total of
R11.25-million.
Not surprisingly, Distorted Humor was the leading sire
on average, his three youngsters fetching R2,750,000
apiece. Of the local stallions, the Western Winter led
the way, his nine on offer selling at an average of
R917,857.
While Klawervlei’s aggregate of R33,775,000 was by
far the highest, it was Drakenstein Stud who emerged
as the leading vendor by average, selling eight at
R856,250 a piece. Local owner Chris van Niekerk just
shaded trainer Mike Bass as the leading buyer, having
outlayed R7,650,000 on 11 head.
As stated, the average increased by 18% to R572,361,
while the aggregate of R103,025,000 was marginally
up on last year’s R98,510,000. A total of 20 horses
topped the R1-million plateau at the two-day auction, one more than in 2013.
TOP TEN LOTS
28
colt
Western Winter - Zaitoon
Main Chance
Mike Bass Racing
R3 200 000
53
filly
Giant’s Causeway - Captain’s Lover
Drakenstein
G Pritchard-Gordon
R3 200 000
161
filly
Trippi-Pagan Princess
Klawervlei
Good-Hope Racing
R3 200 000
114
colt
Dynasty - Jabulani Jive
Maine Chance
Shadwell SA
R3 000 000
178
colt
Speightstown-Rubicat
Klawervlei
Dennis Drier
R3 000 000
184
filly
Distorted Humor - Seattle Weekend Klawervlei
Rainbow Beach
R3 000 000
189
colt
Silvano-Single Rose
Maine Chance
Form Bloodstock
R2 800 000
73
filly
Distorted Humor - Ebaraya
Klawervlei
K Pillay
R2 750 000
144
colt
Distorted Humor - Ms Blue Blood
Klawervlei
Form Bloodstock
R2 500 000
145
filly
Var - Muamba
Avontuur
Mayfair Speculators
R2 500 000
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BREEDING
TEXT: SARAH WHITELAW. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
The sale of
National Yearling Sale’s
graduate and leading
sire, National Emblem.
Champions
The National Yearling Sale has long had a reputation for producing some
of South Africa’s greatest champions. Over the past 20 years these include
the likes of Dynasty, London News and Winter Solstice - all of whom were
subsequently named Horse Of The Year writes SARAH WHITELAW.
H
owever, while the sale has received plenty of
publicity surrounding the many Gr1 winners
and champions it has sold, a forgotten aspect
is the number of valuable stallion prospects and outstanding broodmares that have come off the sale.
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South Africa’s first equine
millionaire, Model Man, himself
was a R38 000 purchase at the
1984 National Sale.
Another top NYS
graduate, brilliant
racehorse and top sire,
Model Man.
Dynasty, a R475 000 buy at the 2001 National Sale,
was an outstanding racehorse. South Africa’s Horse
Of The Year in 2002, his first two crops produced the
Equus Champions Irish Flame (Horse Of The Year) and
Beach Beauty (Champion Older Filly/Mare).
He also sired the first four home in one of the Cape’s
major classic trials – when sons De Kock (Dynasty)
beat Legislate (Dynasty), Speed Rocket (Dynasty) and
Dynastic Power (Dynasty) in the 2013 Gr2 Selangor
Cup.
Rather fittingly, the former NYS graduate’s offspring
proved extremely popular at the 2013 Emperors
Palace National Yearling Sale. Dynasty’s son, Trees
Of Green, topped that sale – fetching R3 600 000.
Two other Dynasty colts fetched R2 200 000 and
R2 000 000 respectively. Dynasty’s talent as a stallion
was showcased, in no uncertain terms, at the 2014
J&B Met meeting, when three of his offspring won
races, and two (Legislate and Beach Beauty) won
Grade One races on the day.
The magnificent National Emblem was one of the
top priced lots of his year. The son of National Assembly cost R100 000 at the 1993 sale – and proved
a tremendous bargain. National Emblem, who was
as versatile as he was talented, won 15 races and
was South Africa’s ARCSA Champion Older Male in
1995. National Emblem, who combined covering duties with racing for a brief spell, retired to stud permanently in 1997. A former champion sire of 2yos,
National Emblem left behind 31 stakes winners – and
10 Gr1 winners. His sons included three champion
sprinters and international Grade One winner Shea
Shea (himself a former National Sale graduate).
South Africa’s first equine millionaire, Model Man,
himself was a R38 000 purchase at the 1984 National Sale. From the first crop of Elliodor, Model Man
proved an exceptional racehorse, winning five Grade
One races from three to five during his stellar career.
Retired to stud, he became a successful stallion in his
own right. A champion sire of juveniles, Model Man
sired 48 stakes winners from 807 foals – 13 of which
were Gr1 winners. Model Man’s stars included the
brilliant colt Special Preview – one of best 2yos ever
seen in South Africa. He has since become a highly
successful broodmare sire, with his daughters producing the likes of Gr1 Cape Guineas winner Pointing North, top miler National Spirit and Champion
2YO Filly, Along Came Polly.
Outstanding racehorse
The record breaking Elevation cost R24 000 at the
1970 Rand (now National) Yearling Sale. This made
him the fifth top lot that year! An outstanding racehorse, who won the Holidays Inns three times, Elevation became just the second South African bred
stallion to become Champion Sire in 1984. He left
behind 41 stakes winners from 530 foals (8%). His
sons included the Gr1 winners Rain Forest and Yamani, and Elevation is also the broodmare sire of Gr1
Gold Cup winner, Castle Walk.
While there have been a number of successful stallions bought at the National Sale, it has also proved a
fruitful ground for finding outstanding broodmares.
In 1979, the Highdown Stud consigned a brown filly by Jungle Cove out of Amberflo. Catalogued as
lot 329, the filly was named Goldenflo. She became
a classy racemare, who won the Gr3 Breeders Fillies
Champion Stakes before retiring to the paddocks.
Goldenflo went on to a hugely successful stud career,
culminating in her being named South Africa’s ARCSA Broodmare Of The Year in 1994. Her four stakes
winners included a stallion son (Royal Flo) and a
multiple Champion Sprinter, Flobayou (by Waterville
Lake). The latter won 18 races, including 13 features.
PARADE MAGAZINE
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BREEDING
TEXT: SARAH WHITELAW. PHOTOS: EDMUND NELSON
Stormsvlei’s two great offspring,
Pocket Power and River Jetez,
won the Gr1 J&B Met for four
consecutive years - surely a
record for any mare.
Flobayou’s five Gr1 victories included two renewals of
the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship, a race in which
he was also second twice.
The Jan Ekels filly Serena was one of 840 lots catalogued for the 1980 National Sale. Out of the Preamble II mare Miss Forsyte, Serena was consigned by
Mordaunt Milner. Following her racing career which
saw her triumph in the 1982 SA Oaks (over another
top broodmare, Chinatown), Serena was exported to
the USA for stud duty.
She made history when producing the tough front
running colt, Broadway Flyer (Theatrical). Based first
in Britain before moving to North America, the Gary
Player bred Broadway Flyer was a talented colt who
won the Gr3 Chester Vase Stakes, before finishing a
game second (after trying to make all the running) in
the 1994 St Leger. Sent to North America, Serena’s
son would go on to win the Gr1 Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap by six lengths.
High-class racemare
In 1989, a Prince Florimund filly, out of high-class
racemare Distant Echoes, was offered as lot 423 by
Burlingame Stud (as Agent). Subsequently named
Stormsvlei, she would go on to become one of a just
a handful of broodmares in history ever to be named
Broodmare of the Year on two occasions. Stormsvlei’s two great offspring, Pocket Power and River Jetez, won the Gr1 J&B Met for four consecutive years
- surely a record for any mare. Pocket Power was
South Africa’s Horse Of The Year three times, while
his sister, River Jetez, went on to enjoy a successful international campaign, winning the Balanchine Stakes
and running second in the G1 Dubai Duty Free.
One of the most successful broodmares in recent
times is London News’ full sister Secret Pact. Consigned by the Koster Bros, Cheveley Stud at the 1992
National Sale, the daughter of Bush Telegraph was
not sold. However, she proved her detractors wrong
in no uncertain fashion. A talented racehorse, Secret
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Pact won four races, including three features and
over R250 000 in prize money. However, the best was
still to come!
Secret Pact’s seven winners included 3 stakes winners – amongst them the Grade One winning fillies
Promisefrommyheart and Covenant. Secret Pact’s
daughters Secret Heart (dam of Breeders Cup winner
Pluck) and Promisefrommyheart (dam of current top
performer Master Of My Fate) have kept their dam’s
name to the forefront of modern South African pedigrees.
Few will remember Gypsy Queen, consigned to the
1996 National Yearling Sale as lot 368 as a great racehorse. The daughter of Royal Chalice was unplaced in
her only start, but later made amends at stud. She
has produced 5 winners to date including Gr2 winner Surabi (Camellia Stakes), as well as international
sensation, Gypsy’s Warning. The latter, a daughter of
Mogok, won both the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes and Gr1
SA Fillies Classic in South Africa, before going on to
land one of North America’s top turf races, the Gr1
Matriarch Stakes.
La Massine (from the Aldora Stud consignment), dam
of dual Horse of the Year Variety Club, was a R55 000
buy at the 1994 National Sale, while Bold Saffron,
dam of July winner and champion Bold Silvano, was
a R140 000 buy at the 1995 National Sale.
With well performed graduates such as Noordhoek
Flyer, Warm White Night, and Bold Silvano (to name
a few) yet to be represented by their first runners, the
National Sale could yet build on its remarkable record
for producing stud success stories.
Elevation, champion
racehorse and a
hat-trick of Gr1
Summer Cup wins.
BREEDING
TEXT: LISA BARRETT. PHOTO: JOHN LEWIS
The making of a great
Stallion
Jet Master
Over the past few centuries, we’ve becoming increasingly obsessed with
breeding the perfect stallion, one that is able to successfully transmit his
track winning genes to his progeny in the breeding shed for subsequent
generations to come, writes LISA BARRETT.
T
he great Italian Federico Tesio achieved this,
Nearco and Ribot were testimony to this, but
as the great master left very few records as to
how he exactly achieved this, we are left wondering
just how one goes about breeding a great stallion,
and ensuring that his legacy on racing and breeding’s
landscape is lasting and indelible.
As recently as the 1930s, the then editor of the famed
American Bloodhorse magazine, Joe Estes, came up
with a scientific method of working out the probabilities for getting good sires, which he named the
AEI (the Average Earnings Index), which measures the
earning power of a sires progeny by comparing the
average earnings of his runners with all other runners
of the same age (by other stallions) during a given
year. His purpose in developing the AEI index was so
that it could allow a side by side comparison of a
particular stallion from one generation to the next,
without having to have a side-by-side look at total
earnings, which naturally doesn’t maintain the same
course or value over time.
Information like this is invaluable to breeders, as it
enables them to see how successful the subject stallion is over a particular period of time. Estes wanted
PARADE MAGAZINE
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BREEDING
TEXT: LISA BARRETT.
the AEI to achieve two things: firstly it should be able
to compare the sons of Man O’ War with sons of
Halo, and secondly it should be able to compare the
offspring of several sons of A.P.Indy, Bernardini and
Malibu Moon side-by-side regardless what of what
their foal crop might have been in the subject year.
Average-Earnings Index
By trial and error, Estes calculated what the average
paycheck a horse could’ve expected to earn in a year,
and called this figure the “expected” earnings for
the average Thoroughbred racehorse, to which he
assigned an AEI of 1.00. In regard to stallions, Estes
came up with the lifetime Average-Earnings Index,
which indicates how much purse money the progeny
of one sire has earned on the average, in relation to
the average earnings of all his runners in the same
years, as well as the average earnings of all his runners in any year. He assigned this an index of 1.00.
The table below (although in American dollars), gives
one a good indication of how you work out a particular stallions AEI. A successful stallion has an AEI
above 1.50.
Example: Stallion A has had progeny race in each year
from 2000 through 2004, a total of 5 years
Year
Avg.
Earnings
All
Runners
Avg.
Earnings
Stallion A
Runners
Index
Representing
Avg. of All
Runners
AEI
Progeny
Stallion
A
2000
$1,000
$1,500
1.00
1.50
2001
$2,000
$4,000
1.00
2.00
2002
$1,000
$3,000
1.00
3.00
2003
$2,000
$4,000
1.00
2.00
2004
$1,000
$2,000
1.00
2.00
Lifetime AEI of Stallion A = (1.50 + 2.00 + 3.00 + 2.00 +
2.00) divided by 5 = 2.10
For breeders to be able to see whether a stallion is
successfully transmitting his potency to his progeny,
the AEI needs to be accompanied by the CI (Comparative Index), which is the same average number, but
which relates to all the mares the stallion was bred to.
The CI takes all the offspring of the stallion’s mates
and extracts the average earnings of their combined
progeny.
A stallion with a CI of 2.10 means that his mates
(mares) produced offspring that averaged 2.10 times
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the average for the breed for the generation in question. If the stallion is significantly upgrading the mares
that he is being sent, and producing good quality offspring, these genes are likely to filter down throughout the line, through their racing and later, breeding
efforts, and overall will significantly enhance his profile and legacy. If the subject stallion is bred carefully,
he should be able to develop his own “model” of a
racehorse that can then later be successfully raced or
bred with.
What breeders often fail to take into account is that
nearly half of all fillies that have raced will go on to
become broodmares, but very few colts will become
successful sires. This puts even more pressure on a
stallion entering stud to perform well from the very
beginning of his stud career, something which with
the best intentions does not happen often.
Line breeding
Line breeding is the mating of two horses who share
duplicated ancestors in their fourth, sixth or even further back generations. It is a mostly successful way
of predicting what the resultant horse is likely to be,
thanks to the lack of genetic variance, the resultant
progeny should represent the best characteristics of
both sides of the pedigree. Line-breeding often goes
hand-in-hand with in-breeding, which is much trickier method of mating.
Inbreeding
Inbreeding seems to play a major factor in deciding
whether a stallion will enjoy a successful stud career:
Nearco was 5x4x4x5, and both Northern Dancer and
Mr. Prospector had several instances of line breeding
in their pedigree, which helped to make them the
legends they are today. In-breeding is a bit like Russian roulette, as you are taking two closely related individuals, either brother and sister, or son and mother
in the hopes of achieving genetic success.
Often there are major conformational, health or behavioral issues which the line represents, and closely
breeding to these can produce even more problems,
which are harder to breed out down the line. Online research seems to indicate that top stallions have
had a good inbred dam, and have the same in-breeding as their dam, as well as a broodmare sire who
has higher male factors than female factors as well.
From the time he went to stud
in 2001, until his untimely death
in 2011, Jet Master became a
revelation on the South African
breeding and racing scene.
*Table below
Table II. Sex factored inbreeding and line breeding in
the pedigrees of Group A Stallions (top sires)
Horse
Male
Balanced
Female
Top Stallions
44%
52%
38%
Sires
46%
48%
48%
Dams
40%
56%
44%
Broodmare Sires
38%
44%
26%
Second dams
46%
62%
56%
One of the most difficult challenges that breeders face in “developing” a great stallion, is getting
the balance right between the limited relationship
of a stallion’s performance on the racetrack and its
achievements at stud further enhancing its legacy.
The great British Classic miler Brigadier Gerard is a
textbook example of this. Despite a glittering career
on the track (including 13 Group One victories), Brigadier Gerard never made any real impact as a sire at
stud. His owners imposed some strange conditions
upon his progeny, and would not allow them to be
exported overseas, thereby diluting any possible future genetic influence that he could have on breeding
and racing lines around the world.
Balancing act
Apart from his rather vague connections to Pioneerofthenile, Raven’s Pass and War Emblem, Brigadier
Gerard’s name is rarely seen in the pedigrees of top
Group One performers today, and he stands as a
stark reminder to breeders just how much of a balancing act breeding and developing a stallion can be.
Until recently South Africa didn’t have its own “true
blue” stallion to speak of until 1994 when a bay colt
was born on the KZN Midlands farm of the late Hugh
Jonnson. Out of the then unfashionable sire Rakeen,
and being from a granddaughter of Northern Dancer
Jet Lightning, the colt didn’t have much to recommend him pedigree wise. However, the colt was for-
tunate to be spotted by Patricia Devine at the now
defunct Mare and Weanling Sale in 1995.
Seeing something special in the colt in spite of his
obvious defects, Patricia fell in love with him and later
confessed “he was knock-kneed and had no chest,
but I didn’t see that; to me he was the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen.” During his career on the
track, this bay colt named Jet Master went on to win
17 races, 8 of them Group Ones, and was to become
one of greatest Classic sprinter/milers ever to grace
South African racetracks.
From the time he went to stud in 2001, until his untimely death in 2011, Jet Master became a revelation on the South African breeding and racing scene.
Thanks to (mostly) judicious matings, he was quickly
able to fashion his own “brand” of winners from his
very first crop, with the Group winning champion filly
Starlit, and from there he skyrocketed, with the international Group winners: J.J.The Jet Plane and River
Jetez. At local level Jet Master enjoyed sustained success with the Group One and Group winners, Pocket
Power, Ebony Flyer, Mythical Flight, Yorker, Pomodoro, just to name a few.
Pocket Power
Pocket Power stands as one of Jet Master’s greatest
gifts to this country’s racing landscape, a tall, powerfully made bay, Pocket Power is largely credited with
getting the public to fall in love with racing again.
What has made Jet Master so successful is that he
has been able to develop his own unique brand of
horse, something of which many stallion masters can
only dream will happen to their stallions. Jet Masters
ability to produce top class horses at every age from
2 year olds upwards, is a rare and precious ability, and
his passing has left a massive hole in our racing and
breeding scene.
Theories and programmes
It seems that in spite of all the theories and programmes that exist, none can with any certainty
predict whether a stallion will be able to translate
his success on the track to the breeding shed. Like
a good recipe, there are many elements that go into
making a perfect stallion, and if you don’t get the
balance right, you are likely to be left with a sour
taste in your mouth and a seriously depleted bank
balance.
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63
FEATURE
MOKARO
Horse in a million
Muscles rippling, the chestnut waits
patiently for his rider’s command. A
bell tinkles in the distance and on cue
he trots into the arena ears pricked.
A square halt and another dressage
test is underway writes LIESL KING.
T
he chestnut is obedient and supple. He may not
have the movement of a warmblood, but he
tries his best. Tomorrow he will be in his element, thundering over the cross country course and
skipping over 23 formidable obstacles in his way. He
competes at the highest level possible in South Africa and his rider calls him “a horse in a million”. His
name is Mokaro.
Born on Mauritzfontein Stud in 2003, Mokaro wasn’t
blessed with a stellar pedigree. The chestnut however, is a good looking individual and Bridget Oppenheimer sends him to Stephen Page together
with another homebred, Noblewood. With a massive backside and a big barrel, Mokaro is built like a
sprinter, albeit a fat one.
At first, little notice is taken of the colt and he is
simply put through the motions. It is only once Page
tries the colt over sprint distances, that it becomes
abundantly clear that Mokaro needs ground. “He just
had that thing about him when you worked him. He
lacked initial speed and he was always doing his best
work at the end,” Page explains.
Doubts
Page starts to test the colt over more ground and in
2007, Mokaro slowly starts to step up in class. Yet
after seconds in the Listed Settlers Trophy, the Listed
Woolavington Handicap and the Listed Open Handicap, he quickly earns the title of a perennial brides-
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maid. Even Page starts to doubt the colt and wonders whether Mokaro has it in him to win in the big
league.
2008 brings more of the same as Mokaro wins at
the lower levels, but a second defeat in the Settlers
Trophy is followed by yet another second in the Gr. 3
Summer Stayers’ Handicap. Then an offer is received
from Mauritius. Page is in a quandary. Deep down he
is sure that the horse is getting better, but there is a
lot of money on the table and perhaps it is time to
let him go. Finally, Page picks up the phone and calls
Gavin Schaffer, Oppenheimer’s stud manager.
Schaffer is direct with Page. “Can you win the Gold
Cup with Mokaro, or the J & B Reserve Stayers? Is he
competitive at that level?” Page back’s his instincts
and the Mauritian offer is turned down. Setting
about getting Mokaro, who thrives on work, fit for a
tilt at the Gold Cup Page puts him through a tough
training regime.
Each morning Mokaro has three workouts. First, he
trots out in the Philippi bush, going up and down the
sand dunes for a good 10 minutes before walking
back. A stiff canter or two down the sand track follows this ‘warm-up’. As a race approaches, Page increases the workload again, giving Mokaro two short
sprints during morning work. Mokaro takes it all in
his stride, remaining friendly, laidback and fat.
Happiest when being given attention, Mokaro is soon
the stable favourite.
Then in 2009, something clicks in Mokaro’s brain. It
may just have been the fact that he is now a mature
six-year-old who has improved with age or perhaps
it is the chance meeting with mercurial yet talented
jockey Kevin Shea.
Shea has never ridden the gelding before and on Met
day, with a fast pace in the Gr2. J&B Reserve Stayers
over 2800m, he lets the gelding go before the field
has even turned for home. Charging into the lead
there is no stopping Mokaro and before a stunned
audience, he skips home to win by six.
Page takes up the story: “After he won the Reserve
Stayers he confirmed what we had always thought
about him, that he was a horse that could win the
Gold Cup. The die was cast we would contest the
Gold Cup. I truly believed that we could win. He just
wasn’t a horse that you doubted. He was so tough
he could go to the front at any stage and kick off it.”
Richard Fourie now teams up with Mokaro and together they run a solid third in the Gr2 Gold Vase
(3000m). Page is now convinced that a Gold Cup
victory is a real possibility and on August 1, 2009,
Mokaro charges down the Greyville straight to record
a dominant victory, with stable companion Noblewood in second. Not only had Page and Bridget Oppenheimer recorded their first Gold Cup victory, but
they have also run one-two with two home-breds.
Breeders’ Cup
Shortly afterwards, Mokaro’s Gold Cup victory is
acknowledged, as he becomes the first South African horse to be formally invited to compete at the
prestigious Breeders’ Cup. For Page, that invitation
and Mokaro’s subsequent Equus Champion Stayers
award are still the highlight of his training career.
Mokaro returns to Cape Town and ends the year on a
high, winning the Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers’ Handicap. Since he was still in training, Page decides to
take the gelding to Durban one last time. Now reg-
“He is such a genuine, talented
horse. He is careful and brave
but above all, he loves his job
and always tries his best.”
ularly required to carry 60kg or more, Mokaro, who
has raced successfully for four years, starts to battle.
Page calls it a day and both Mokaro and Noblewood
retire to the pastures of Mauritzfontein.
Mokaro enjoys retirement, but the gelding who
thrived on work, soon becomes fat and bored. Then
showjumper and eventer Carey Radford visits her
aunt, who works at Mauritzfontein. On seeing Mokaro she instantly and irrevocably falls in love. A letter
is carefully drafted asking Mrs Oppenheimer if she
would allow Carey to school Mokaro. Oppenheimer
agrees and very soon it is clear that Carey’s instincts
were spot on. Mokaro is as talented at showjumping
as he was at winning staying races.
Although still as round as barrel the gelding loves his
job and soon Radford turns her attention to the challenging discipline of eventing.
Multi talented
Eventing requires the horse to be multi talented. The
dressage phase requires grace and elegance as the
horse dances his way through a series of movements,
while the showjumping phase requires a carefulness
to leave the flimsy fences standing. Yet it is in the
cross country phase, the most challenging of all, that
Mokaro excels. Here he is required to boldly tackle
unforgiving obstacles while galloping for up to seven
kilometres across country. Mokaro is in his element,
completing his last eleven competitions without a
single mistake in the cross country phase and Radford
reports that when he finishes he feels like he can go
round again.
Currently competing at three-star level Mokaro and
Radford will soon tackle their first two-star competition and Radford can’t wait. “He is such a genuine, talented horse. He is careful and brave but above
all, he loves his job and always tries his best." From
Gold Cup winner to champion eventer, very little has
changed for Mokaro. He is still portly, he still thrives
on his work and above all, he is a horse in a million.
PARADE MAGAZINE
65
FEATURE
TEXT: ROBYN LOUW. PHOTO: HAMISH NIVEN
Sound feet, solid
Foundation
We’ve all heard the expression ‘no foot, no horse’, but what does it really
mean? ROBYN LOUW reports.
I
f we consider a horse from an engineering perspective, then like any structure, a horse is built from
the ground up, which means feet. We all know
how tired we feel after a hard day on our feet – particularly in uncomfortable shoes – and we only have
two to worry about. Horses spend most of their lives
on their feet as they don’t lie down to sleep very
often or for very long periods of time. In the wild,
horses are dependent on their feet to get them away
from danger and we all know what a headache an
unsound performance horse is,
so whether wild or domestic,
horses are all about movement
and therefore all about feet.
Meet John Gatt, someone who
is passionate about horses and
passionate about feet and totally dedicated to ensuring that
young horses are made as structurally sound as possible to give
them the best shot not only at
a successful racing career, but at
staying sound and sane well beyond the racetrack.
John has led a fascinating life. As a young boy, he
was adopted into a horsey family in the Swaanskyk
Road. His grandfather was a keen hurdle racer and
John grew up galloping ponies through Tokai forest with the Cape Hunt alongside the likes of Noli
Marais and the Haytread family. A Bishops Old Boy,
John’s focus was more on the rugby field than in the
classroom back in those days, which put paid to early hopes of becoming a vet (although interestingly,
his biological father turns out to have been one of
the original members of Chris Barnard’s original heart
transplant team and he has a half brother in SA punk
band Die Antwoord!) National service saw him posted to Potch and later to the stud in De Aar. He was
doing a bit of driving for Blue Chip Carriers when
John Koster took a liking to the young man and offered him a breeding season job. It was a watershed
moment that set the compass for the rest of his life.
With the encouragement of Trevor Norris and Greg
Dabbs, John set sail for the US and studied at the
Eastern School of Farriery in Virginia. Thanks to an introduction
from John Koster, he did a brief
stint at Lane’s End, getting to
see some of the legends of that
era including the great Secretariat and Wolf Power, just after he
moved ‘Stateside’.
Back on South African soil, John
served his apprenticeship under Robbie Burns in Robertson
and then joined Highlands as
an assistant to Colin Tyler, who
he credits as being an instrumental influence. Other people who helped him find his feet include the
likes of Tommy and Veronica Foulkes and George and
Duncan Barry. As John’s confidence grew, so did his
business and John and his team have been operating
for nearly two decades now.
Our industry has seen huge changes over the years
and with locally bred horses becoming commercial
commodities both here and abroad, John feels that
breeders and yearlings are facing tougher challenges
than ever before. Gone are the days of the Birch
“A horse is built
from the ground up
and everything that
happens in the foot
is reflected in the
structures above it.”
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Brothers yearlings arriving by train, rough and lean
with veld grass still matted in their coats. Despite
what anyone says, people still buy ‘em by the pound
and with sales coming ever earlier, breeders are under
pressure to produce big sales prospects.
This means that young stock are being brought in
earlier and fed more, faster, to get sales ready. On
leaving the sales yard, yearlings are turned out to be
let down and are just returning to something approximating normal when the 2yo and Ready To Run sales
roll round and the cycle starts again.
“It’s not good for the horses – mentally or physically
- and it causes problems,” opines John. “On the one
hand, buyers want big, fat precocious horses in the
sales ring, but then the breeders get flack when the
crazy prep results in skeletal problems. It’s a catch 22.
There’s no time, there’s no consistency and there’s no
balance and at the end of the day, it’s the horses that
suffer.”
Horses are a marvel of design – they carry relatively heavy bodies on long, thin limbs, but when those
bodies become too heavy and the feeding rollercoaster of feast and famine starts affecting them structurally, keeping the legs below them in good shape can
be difficult. There’s a reason sales x-rays are a modern day necessity….
“A horse is built from the ground up and everything
that happens in the foot is reflected in the structures
above it. Anatomical structures like the digital extensor and flexor tendons originate high up in the body,
but insert directly into the feet. If you don’t get and
keep the feet right, the rest of the horse is never going to be right either.
Trimming and hoof balancing
Correct trimming and hoof balancing can do a huge
amount to correct problems in the growing horse
and a solid base can set them on the right path for
life.” (John’s team are proud to have been associated
with the likes of headline grabbers Dynasty, Elusive
Fort, Ilha Bela and recent headline grabbers Yorker
and Hill Fifty-Four). “However the flip side of the
coin is that incorrect trimming and hoof balance in
the adult can not only destroy a horse’s feet, but their
soundness and their careers, if not their entire lives.
With our horses literally running for their living, the
distress – both mentally and physically - of having to
work on painful feet can cause untold damage.”
PARADE MAGAZINE
67
FEATURE
TEXT: ROBYN LOUW.
One of John’s biggest bugbears is the long-toe, lowheel syndrome that is such a familiar site on our
tracks. This is a throwback to an outdated belief that
shaping the foot to have a long toe and a low heel
produced a longer stride. Although the theory has
long since been debunked, the long-toe low-heel
syndrome is still one of the most commonly encountered orthopaedic problems in our equine athletes.
The long-toe part causes the foot to strike the ground
toe first, with all the impact shock travelling up the
leg before the shock-absorbing mechanisms of the
heel have had a chance to absorb it. With the centre of the weight now being in front of the point of
the frog, the horse has to work harder to force the
foot to break over the long fulcrum, making it more
difficult for the heels
to rotate around the
toe. As the body
passes over the limb,
the heel rocks backward as the fetlock
descends downward
and instead of loading the flexor tendon
gradually, the out of
phase rotation of the
joints causes prolonged or exaggerated high peak
jerks on the tendon. This is inefficient and potentially damaging. Besides bypassing the heel’s shock
absorbing function, this irregular toe first landing
and the erratic loading of the soft tissues, can lead
to bowed or strained tendons. The ligaments which
stabilize the navicular bone also experience excessive
strain, potentially resulting in navicular problems and
the suspensory ligaments and proximal sesamoids are
also at risk.
The ‘low heel’ part of the pattern means that the entire foot flattens and elongates and the horse ends
up running on its heel bulbs, resulting in severe bruising. This encourages the horse to adopt even more
compensatory patterns to try and avoid the pain in its
heels, resulting in a variety of secondary problems. A
leading Kentucky veterinary hospital reports that they
commonly see lameness in areas further up the limb
in cases with chronic heel pain, including suspensory
ligament desmitis. Of course the biggest toll remains
unseen and generally plays out in the months and
years after the horse leaves the track.
There are a number of factors that can influence hoof
shape, hoof growth and hoof angles, including genetics, trimming, conformation, diet, environment,
work load, surfaces, age, injury, etc and John is quick
to acknowledge that most hoof capsule deformities
develop over time and generally due to any one or a
combination of the factors listed above.
It is theorised that long-term low magnitude loading is more likely to create distortion than short-term
high magnitude force. As the foot is most dependent
on the architecture of the foot tissues for support
when the horse isn’t moving much, distortions are
most likely to occur when the horse isn’t moving. So
horses with little arch/sole support who stand around
in a box for long periods of time the way most of our
racehorses do, slowly fatigue the integrity of the capsule and
gradually distort the
foot. As the heel is
comprised of softer,
more elastic structures than the toe,
this will usually be
the first area to reflect problems, most
commonly as flares, flattened sole arch, underrun
heels, collapsed heels and gross asymmetries.
Having probably frightened everyone half to death,
it is important to note that mild hoof capsule asymmetries are normal and that there is no such thing as
a perfect foot. While the adult conformation cannot
be changed, the good news is that regular, correct
trimming and shoeing techniques can alter the point
of ground contact and load distribution and improve
or resolve hoof capsule distortions, preventing potential injury further down the road.
Although we only touched on a very small piece of
the puzzle, it seems there is a lot more to the foot
than meets the eye. They say that a bad workman
blames his tools, but that the best workmen always
have the best tools. Considering the millions of Rands
we spend buying horses to race, it seems sensible to
give them the right tools to do their job. Because to
quote another old saying, an ounce of prevention is
always worth a pound of cure.
“On the one hand, buyers want
big, fat precocious horses in the
sales ring, but then the breeders
get flack when the crazy prep
results in skeletal problems.”
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INDUSTRY
TEXT: MICHAEL CLOWER. PHOTOS: EQUINE EDGE
Kenilworth gets
Innovative
Prawn-eating competitions, a jockeys’ running race and 1920s fashions
– just a few of the crowd-pulling ideas that the new-look Kenilworth has
come up with in recent months to attract the public. Throw in an in-front-ofthe-stands winner’s circle, a Burger King outlet and a new first floor
restaurant and you get some idea of the changes taking place, writes
MICHAEL CLOWER.
C
lyde Basel and fellow Phumelela kingpin Michael
Varney have joined forces with local marketing
manager Jenna Adams to make the racecourse
one of the places to be at certain selected meetings.
“The plan is to rejuvenate racing in Cape Town,” says
Basel. “We are aiming to bring back the old stalwarts
as well as attract new blood. This summer we took
the first steps, and now we have to grow on them
year by year.”
Adams, ex-Graham Beck Wines, has been amazed at
the man’s energy – “I’ve never met anyone like him.”
Nor has chairman Vidrik Thurling, opening his
emails in the morning to find the latest Basel missive
had been sent at 3.00am. “He and his team have
really contributed to the racing atmosphere with
new sponsorships and initiatives while Larry
Wainstein and the Racing Association have also
played a huge part.”
From the Kenilworth accountants’ point of view, one
of the best things about the Phumelela involvement
is that at the moment it is costing them nothing
beyond staff travelling and other expenses. The deal
is that the public company receives half the profits
when Kenilworth Racing gets back into the black,
but nothing until then. The two Cape Town courses
have been losing money for years but seemingly that
is also going to change.
PARADE MAGAZINE
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INDUSTRY
GOLD CIRCLE NEWS. PHOTOS: NKOSI HLOPHE
GreyvilleDevelopments
The big screen with the remodeled
NHA offices and the Polytrack pull
up area 90m past the winning
post under construction.
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The view down
the home straight.
The view down
the back straight.
PARADE MAGAZINE
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INDUSTRY
GOLD CIRCLE NEWS. PHOTOS: NKOSI HLOPHE
Summerveld
Developments
The new Polytrack
training surface at
Summerveld.
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An overview of
construction of the new
stables at Summerveld.
One of the new
state-of-the-art
Summerveld barns
under construction.
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73
INDUSTRY
TEXT: MERLE PARKER. PHOTOS: JC PHOTOGRAPHICS
MILLIONS IN STAKE MONEY UP FOR GRABS IN GAUTENG
Feature
Season
Racehorse owners can look forward to a feast
of world-class racing in the upcoming season,
writes MERLE PARKER.
T
he main features started on 1 March which
featured the Grade 3 Acacia Handicap, Grade
2 Hawaii Stakes, The Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift
Gauteng Fillies Guineas , the Grade 2 Betting World
Gauteng Guineas and the Listed Aquanaut Handicap.
The R1 million Betting World Gauteng Guineas is
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the first leg of the SASCOC SA Triple Crown and the
R500 000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas is
Leg 1 of the Wilgebosdrift Triple Tiara. This series
was won last year by Cherry on the Top (late Mrs B O
Oppenheimer).
Cherry On The Top - SA
Fillies Classic.
RA members’ bonus races were also on offer and the
directors awarded cheques to RA members Mr A &
Mrs F J van Vuuren and St John D Gray.
RA Director Trevor Raath presents R20 000 cheque to St John Gray,
owner and trainer of Fighting Force.
Arcetri Pink (AUS)
winning the Grade
2 Wilgerbosdrift
Gauteng Fillies
Guineas trained by
Geoff Woodruff,
Jockey Robbie Fradd
& owned by Ray
Bisnath and Asogan
Pillay.
Louis The King
winning the Grade
2 Betting World
Gauteng Guineas
trained by Geoff
Woodruff, Jockey
Robbie Fradd &
owned by Mr L J van
der Vyver.
Orator’s Daughter
(AUS) winning the
Grade 3 Acacia
Handicap, trained
by Alec Laird, ridden
by Anton Marcus &
owned by Ingrid and
Marcus Jooste.
Peter Naidoo presents RA bonus cheque to Mike Azzie on behalf of Mr
A and Mrs F J van Vuuren whose filly Flame Cat (Aus) won the 1000m
Maiden Juvenile Plate.
Racing enthusiasts should diarise 29 March to be at
Turffontein to witness the champions of the turf in
action once again. Three Grade 1 and five Grade 3
races will feature on this day/night racemeeting.
The features are the Grade 1 SA Classic, Grade
1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes,
Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, Grade 3
Caradoc Gold Cup, Grade 3 Man o War Sprint,
Grade 3 Jacaranda Handicap and Grade 3 Pretty Polly
Stakes. Three RA bonus races are also on the card.
Leaving the best until last, the 26 April features four
Grade 1 and five Grade 2 races and wraps up the
exciting Gauteng feature season. Racegoers will be
treated to the Grade 1 Presidents Champions Challenge, The Grade 1 SA Derby; the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint, the Grade 1 SA Nursery, the Grade 2
Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks, the Grade 2 Gold Bowl, the
Grade 2 SA Fillies Nursery; the Grade 2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes and the Grade 2 Camellia Stakes.
Storm Warning
winning the Listed
Aquanaut Handicap
trained by Dom Zaki,
Jockey Nooresh
Juglall and owned by
Messrs J Nassif, ZL
Nassif, G J Nassif &
Messrs G, K and M
M Nassif & Mr K &
Mrs LRA Zackey.
Whiteline Fever
winning the Grade
2 Hawaii Stakes
trained by Sean Tarry,
Jockey Piere Strydom
& Owned by Markus
Jooste, Marsh
Shirtliff & Chris van
Niekerk.
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INDUSTRY
TEXT: ANDREW HARRISON. PHOTO: LE TROT
2014 Grand Prix d’Amerique – Vincennes, Paris
Europe’s Finest
Trotter
Swedish superstar Maharajah made his fourth trip to France a winning one by
capturing the €1 million Grand Prix d'Amerique at a very sodden rain-soaked
Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes on 26th January, writes ANDREW HARRISON.
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T
he horse finished second in 2011, fourth in
2012 and unplaced last year but driver Ôrjan
Kihlström navigated this year a perfect trip for
his untiring trotter. Into the lead early after seizing a
break from Yarrah Boko (Pierre Vercruysse), Kihlström
allowed favourite Up And Quick (Jean Michel Bazire)
to take the lead, thus receiving the pocket trip behind
the public’s fancy.
Just past the halfway mark, Franck Nivard positioned Ready Cash into the first-over spot within
three lengths of the lead. Ready Cash continued to
advance up on the rim, gaining on Up And Quick
with every stride. As the field turned for home, Ready
Cash went off-stride and took himself out of contention with a disqualification. That miscue gave
Maharajah the room he needed to spring from the
pocket and power past the pace-setter.
Up And Quick stayed on well for second place with
Yarrah Boko finishing third.
Maharajah, an eight-year-old entire, was bred by
Menhammar Stuterie, is trained by Stefan Hultman,
whose exuberant teddy bear persona masks his masterful skills as a horseman, and is owned by Travkompaniet AB.
The winner is of special interest to South Africa’s
emergent trotting fraternity, as not only does TSA
chairman Dean Latimer own a share of the syndicate,
but Menhammar and shipping fleet owner Margareta Wallenius have strongly supported SA’s emerging
trotting endeavours.
World-class stallion
Frozen semen from this world-class stallion could
soon be on its way for insemination into some of
South Africa’s small band of registered Standardbred
mares” says Latimer.
“I haven't heard this kind of praise coming out of
northern Europe for many years. The trotting-crazed
Swedes are singing the praises of their new wonder
horse. He is widely touted as the "horse that never
gets tired".
The Prix d'Amerique was started to honour America
for its help to France in World War I, and the race is
suited to the French style of trotting with its emphasis
on endurance over speed. Now it seems, the Swedish
have a "stayer" with a pedigree that is mostly American with only 12 percent French (Trotteur Francais)
blood.
“I haven’t heard this kind of
praise coming out of northern
Europe for many years.
The trotting-crazed Swedes are
singing the praises of their new
wonder horse. He is widely
touted as the “horse that never
gets tired”.
Maharajah is by Viking Kronos (American
Winner-Conch-Bonefish) and out of Chili Khan by
Giant Chill (Speedy Crown-Chili Bowl-Super Bowl).
His French blood comes from his second dam Stevie
Nicks, a daughter of the French stallion Tibur who
achieved so much success in Sweden.
Although Maharajah was bred and raised in Sweden,
his pedigree is predominantly American. Super Bowl
appears in three different places in his third, fourth,
and fifth line generations.
Whats happening locally?
“Lots” says Dean Latimer. “Our mares have all foaled
down and we have some wonderful quality in this
first crop of foals. It is highly likely that one or two of
them will be sent overseas for training in France and
Sweden, and the interest we have from these two
countries to send mares here is growing. Our stallion
Golden Tilly has done a marvelous job. He is happy,
fertile and libido-laden.
“Our partnership with government is well cemented
and our proposed new equine research, training and
extension centre in Dundee is about to materialize.
“Planning is already underway for the Dundee July
- this year to be run on 19th July – and of course
any thoroughbred purists making the trip will be
enthralled. You would be welcomed warmly.”
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STATISTICS
LANZERAC LE GENERAL GREEN POINT STAKES
(GRADE 2) - R300,000 - 1600m - Kenilworth
1st R187,500, 2nd R60,000, 3rd R30,000 - November 23
1. ICE MACHINE
5yo b.g. by Silvano - Skid Alley (Elliodor)
2nd dam: Skating (Where To Dance)
3rd dam: Sun On Snow (Golden Thatch)
Owner: Mrs G E Meaker and Albatross Investments (Pty) Ltd
Breeder: R Meaker (Snr)
Trainer: D Kannemeyer
Jockey: K Shea
2. King Of Pain
4yo gr.g. by Greys Inn - Viva La Belle (Defensive Play)
Owner: Mr and Mrs D Naik, J Ramsden and Mesdames K Finch
and B Kieswetter
Breeder: Arc-En-Ciel Stud
3. Beach Beauty
6yo b.m. by Dynasty - Sun Coast (Capture Him)
Owner: Shanks Syndicate
Breeder: Late T Armitage
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Then came: No Worries, Capetown Noir, Big City Angel, Punta
Arenas, Bulsara, Castlethorpe (AUS), Jet Explorer, Hill Fifty Four,
Gifted For Glory, Hot Ticket, Bravura
Non-runner: Lake Arthur
Won by: neck - 1.25 - 0.75
Beach Beauty was all the rage here following a bloodless victory
in her seasonal Western Cape debut, however, Dennis Drier’s
brilliant mare suffered a rare defeat, with victory going to outsider Ice Machine, the lesser fancied stable companion of Capetown Noir, her main market rival.
Under Kevin Shea, the winner bided his time towards the rear
until quickening impressively in the home straight to surge past
early pacesetter No Worries at the furlong mark. Fellow 16-1
shot King Of Pain emerged as the main danger and hooked
up with the Kannemeyer runner in a thrilling run to the line,
with Ice Machine tenaciously maintaining the edge to score by
a neck.
Beach Beauty, having raced prominently throughout, clearly
lacked her usual late zip and she had to settle for third while
Capetown Noir challenged briefly in the straight but flattened
out to run just out of the first four.
SELANGOR CUP (GRADE 2) - R300,000 1600m - Kenilworth
1. DE KOCK
3yo b.c. by Dynasty - Sharp Performer (Al Mufti)
2nd dam: Judy Sharp (Quick Turnover)
3rd dam: Judith (Royal Affair)
Owner: Wilgerbosdrift (Pty) Ltd
Breeder: Gary Player Stud (Pty) Ltd
Trainer: B Crawford
Jockey: G Hatt
2. Legislate
3yo b.c. by Dynasty - Champers (Restructure)
Owner: Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd
Breeder: Cheveley Stud
3. Speed Rocket
3yo b.c. by Dynasty - Pledge (West Man)
Owner: Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd
Breeder: Highlands Farms Stud (Pty) Ltd
Then came: Dynastic Power, Power King, Zambezi Torrent, Juddering Angel, Strongman, Counts Rocket, Sail South, Capel
Top (ARG), Captain On The Run
Non-runner: Cape Cutter
Won by: 0.50 - neck - shorthead
The result of the Selangor proved a magnificent triumph for
Highlands stallion Dynasty, in that he sired the first four home,
with victory going to Brett Crawford’s progressive De Kock.
Content to lob along in mid-field as Juddering Angel set the
pace, the Wilgerbosdrift colt was set alight in the straight by
Glen Hatt and produced a determined challenge up the extreme outside. Inside the closing stages, four Dynasty colts
were virtually racing abreast, but De Kock edged ahead to score
by a clear-cut margin. Purchased for R375,000 on behalf of
Wilgerbosdrift as an unnamed yearling at the 2012 National
Sale, the Selangor winner was promptly named in honour of
champion trainer Mike de Kock.
BETTING WORLD MERCHANTS STAKES (GRADE 2) R300,000 - 1200m - Kenilworth
1. TEVEZ
4yo b.g. by Caesour - Minelli (Elliodor)
2nd dam: Lupin (Tilden)
3rd dam: Northern Cross (Northleach)
Owner: N M Shirtliff, M J Jooste, B Ressell and Mrs I Jooste
Breeder: Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm
Trainer: M W Bass
Jockey: G Hatt
2. Chave De Oura
4yo b.c. by Jet Master - Wonderful World (Complete Warrior)
Owner: K A Haug
3. Divine Jet
5yo b.h. by Jet Master - Divine Nymph (Al Mufti)
Owner: Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd
Then came: Cap Alright, Shades Of Indigo, Louvre, Villa Del
Largo, Hammie’s Hooker, M’Lords Throat, La Patineuse, Awesome Power, President Of Pop, Captain’s Secret, Lancelin, Trade
Emblem, The West Is Wide
Non-runners; Premium Wood, Regal Eagle
Won by: 0.40 - head - 0.75
Tevez broke a ten-race losing streak to register his first graded
success under a superb ride from Glen Hatt, who completed a
hat-trick of big race wins on the day.
Following a lengthy delay to the start, favourite Divine Jet was
one of those slow out of the gate and he had it all to do from
the rear of the field as defending champion Cap Alright attempted the same front-running tactics as twelve months ago.
Approaching the final furlong, Tevez found a timely split and
displaying a smart turn of foot, he accelerated past Cap Alright.
Chave De Oura and Divine Jet had by now gathered steam and
came flying from behind but Tevez had enough in reserve to
score by a diminishing half-length.
SANSUI SUMMER CUP (GRADE 1) - R2,000,000 2000m - Turffontein
1st R1,200,000, 2nd R400,000, 3rd R200,000 - November 30
1. YORKER
4yo b.g. by Jet Master - Little Indian (Al Mufti)
2nd dam: Totem Queen (Savonarola)
3rd dam: Wahoo (Tiger Fish)
Owner: B Kantor, M J Jooste, F E J Lewis and Mrs I Jooste
Breeder: Mr and Mrs C F de Vos
Trainer: G V Woodruff
Jockey: A Marcus
2. Master Sabina
4yo b.c. by Jet Master - Sabina Park (Sportsworld)
O/Breeder: M de Broglio
3. Tellina
4yo b.c. by Silvano - Tachina (Spectrum)
Owner: T Young and Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd
Breeder: Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd
Then came: Royal Zulu Warrior (AUS), Killua Castle (AUS), Wylie
Hall (AUS), Wagner, Ilha Bela, Knock On Wood, Whiteline Fever,
Smanjemanje, Astro News, Glorious Jet, Cherry On The Top,
Tiger’s Retreat, Gothic, Gold Onyx (NZ), Royal Bencher, Cherry
On The Cake
Non runner: Jet Belle
Distances: neck - 1.25 - 0.75
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STATISTICS
TEXT: ADA VAN DER BENT.
Trainer Geoff Woodruff rewrote the history books when he
saddled the first three past the post in the prestigious Sansui
Summer Cup, with Yorker defeating stable companions Master
Sabina and Tellina.
One of a quartet of Woodruff runners, the handsome fouryear-old cornered well off the pace but once set alight in the
straight by jockey Anton Marcus, rolled into contention to join
at least six challengers at the furlong mark, where he seized a
slender advantage.
Yorker stuck to his task to score by a neck. Royal Zulu Guard
held Killua Castle by a shorthead for fourth, robbing the stable
from what would have been an historical quartet!
Remarked the winning jockey: “I had my doubts on his ability
to stay the trip, but he was pretty fit on the day!”
“A brilliant ride”, added Woodruff, who also trained the winner’s sire. “The Jet Masters only come into their own at four.
Yorker showed much early promise, but he has matured and it
all fell into place for him.”
KIC MERCHANTS (GRADE 2) - R450,000 - 1160m Turffontein
1. HERE COMES BILLY
4yo ch.g. by Muhtafal - Fast Tempo (Jet Master)
2nd dam: Mabelle (Folmar)
3rd dam: Belle Amie (Flirting Around)
Owner: M E Leaf
Breeder: Dieu Farm (Pty) Ltd
Trainer: W H Marwing
Jockey: S Khumalo
2. Snowdon
6yo b.g. by Western Winter - Antonia’s Law (National Assembly)
Owner: P T & P Dimakogiannis
3. Kingston Boy
4yo b.g. by Mogok - Star Of Calypso (National Assembly)
Owner: A Sukhraj and S Sukhraj, D Campbell, V H Fenger, D
Mulroy and M Sheik
Breeder: Sugar Hill Stud
Then came: Copper Parade, Miss October, Link Man, Depardieu, Piano Man, Showmetheway, Desert Sheik, Welwitschia
(GB), Jackodore, Yukon Gold, Deliver The Power, Francois Bernardus, King’s Bay
Non-runners: Happy Forever, Living With Heart
Won by: head - 3.50 - neck
Weiho Marwing’s Here Comes Billy, already a Gr3 winner on
the sand, proved his versatility and class with a smart head victory in the Merchants.
Port Elizabeth visitor Copper Parade led the field going through
the quarter mark, but soon had to contend with Snowdon,
who moved up ominously on the inside rail, while Kingston
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Boy also mounted a strong challenge up the centre. However, under an inspired ride from jockey S’Manga Khumalo, Here
Comes Billy burst from the pack and surged past Snowdon in
the closing stages to record a second graded victory in this dash
up the Turffontein straight.
INVESTEC DINGAANS (GRADE 2) - R500,000 1600m - Turffontein
1. WILLOW MAGIC (AUS)
3yo ch.c. by Dubawi - La Willow (Tierce)
2nd dam: Lilliegold (Twenty Four Karat)
3rd dam: Scarletina (Red Lord)
Owner: S Mathen, H A Field, J M E Harron, A Lahoud and A F
Peters
Breeder: Rothwell Park, NSW
Trainer: S G Tarry
Jockey: P Strydom
2. Whistle Stop
3yo b.g. by Silvano - Gap Year (Rich Man’s Gold)
Owner: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum
Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift
3. Bouclette Top (ARG)
3 br.c. by Giant’s Causeway - Bouclette Glory (Honour And Glory)
Breeder: Haras Firmamento
Then came: As You Like, Bezanova, Heart Of A Lion, Umgiyo
(AUS), Bold Inspiration, Taarish (AUS), Weekend Temper (ARG),
Golden High, Judicial, Mount Hillaby, Henry Of York (AUS), Emperor Niarchos, One Cool Cat
Non-runners: Gogetthesheriff, Bodybuilder
Won by: 2 - 1.25 - 0.75
Revenge was sweet for Willow Magic when he turned the table
on Whistle Stop, his conqueror in the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes.
Many felt last season’s Gr1 SA Nursery hero had made a premature move in that event when he stole a march fully 600m
from home, only to be collared by Whistle Stop in the shadow
of the post.
This time, reunited with Nursery pilot Piere Strydom, Willow
Magic was perfectly placed, racing within striking distance of
pacesetter As You Like, with Whistle Stop snapping at his heels.
Once Strydom galvanised the colt at the 300m mark, Willow
Magic shot clear of his rivals and powered home to score by
a comfortable margin from Whistle Stop, who was unable to
match the winner’s turn of foot. Unheralded Bouclette Top
emerged from the clouds to run third.
ABSA REWARDS IPI TOMBE CHALLENGE (GRADE 2) R300,000 - 1600m - Turffontein
1. ESPUMANTI (GB)
4yo br.f. by Dansili - Jouet (Reprimand)
2nd dam: Babycham Sparkle (So Blessed)
3rd dam: Effervescence II (Charlottesville)
Breeder: New England Stud, Myriad and N Wright
Trainer: M F de Kock
Jockey: A Delpech
2. Sea Shadow
4yo f. by Victory Moon - Ecstatic (Ashtontown)
Owner: Mr and Mrs L R A Zackey and IAA Racing Syndicate,
Breeder: Gary Player Stud (Pty) Ltd, Trainer: D Zaki
3. Do You Remember
4yo b.f. by Silvano - Festive Occasion (Casey Tibbs)
O/Breeder: M de Broglio
Then came: Flitter, Break Of Dawn, Go Indigo, Orange Blossom,
Classic Illusion, Negev, Bluroute (AUS), Dirtydealin Mamma, Uptothemoon, Elusive Spirit, Music Affair, Enchanted Silk, Amur
Affair
Won by: 1.50 - 3.75 - neck
Mike de Kock-trained Espumanti has always been on the cusp
of stakes class and finally broke through with an emphatic victory in the race named in honour of a former stable companion, the incomparable Ipi Tombe.
Fresh from her victory over Sea Shadow just over a fortnight
ago, the English import raced in third as her adversary again
attempted to make every post a winning one. The Zaki runner
set a searching gallop up front and kicked again to extend her
lead to a good four lengths at the top of the straight. Espumanti set sail after the Victory Moon filly and collared her adversary
inside the final furlong, sealing victory in a couple of strides.
Sea Shadow was gallant in defeat and finished well clear of last
season’s Gr.1 winner Do You Remember.
SANSUI MAGNOLIA HANDICAP (GRADE 3) R175,000 - 1160m - Turffontein
1. FANZENE
5yo b.m. by National Emblem - Fashion Edition (Rambo Dancer)
2nd dam: Shopping Around (Complete Warrior)
3rd dam: Well Dressed (Silverware)
Owner: P U van Schoor
Breeder: P U van Schoor
Trainer: L Kruger
Jockey: A Aucharuz*
2. Dolomiti
4yo b.f. by Caesour - Darisha (Selkirk)
Owner: Varsfontein Stud (Pty) Ltd
Breeder: Varsfontein Stud (Pty) Ltd
3. Arcetri Pink (AUS)
3yo b.f. by Rock Of Gibraltar - Arcetri (Galileo)
Owner: R Bisnath and A Pillay
Breeder: Hill Holme Lodge, Vic
Then came: Kinematic Countess, Virgo’s Babe, Counter Ridge,
My Sanctuary, Garibondy, High On Rebellion, Lady Tatty, Summer Adieu, Alcanina, She’s A Stunner, Van Loveren, Berlinetta,
Eastern Greeting
Non-runners: Choir Maiden (AUS), Tzigane
Won by: neck - neck - 0.75
Extreme longshot Fanzene caused a major upset when upstaging a number of more fancied runners to open her stakes
account at the advanced age of five, in the process providing
trainer Lucille Kruger with a first stakes success.
Jumping from the extreme outside draw, the mare found herself among the back markers as Alcanina cut out the early fractions from Virgo’s Babe and Arcetri Pink. Alcanina was a spent
force approaching the final furlong, where Arcetri Pink moved
in for the kill. The Australian-bred looked set for victory, but
racing hard up against the standside rail Fanzene came with a
withering run to claim the advantage close home.
GAUTENG FILLIES MILE (GRADE 3) - R275,000 1600m - Turffontein
1. CLOSE THE GAP
3yo b.f. by Fort Wood - Rawl Plug (Plugged Nickle)
2nd dam: London Wall (Col Pickering
3rd dam: Nalatale (Grey Sovereign)
Owner: Late Mrs B D Oppenheimer
Breeder: Mauritzfontein Stud
Trainer: O A Ferraris
Jockey: R Fradd
2. Athina
3yo b.f. by Fort Wood - The Heiress (Rich Man’s Gold)
Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift (Pty) Ltd
3. Admiral’s Eye
3yo b.f. by Admire Main - Surfers Eye (Elliodor)
Owner: The Fire Racing Trust
Breeder: P A M Magid and Summerhill Stud (Pty) Ltd
Then came: Milynne, Wild Ash (AUS), Sprinting Queen (AUS),
Saint Angelique, Queen Eliza, Sarasota, Casual, Square Dance
(GB), Bluebell Glade, Captain’s Delight, Nisa’s Love, Silent Force,
For The Lads
Non-runners: Santa Clarita, Rainy Day
Won by: 1.75 - 1.25 - 2
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There was a poignant outcome to this race when Close The
Gap broke through for her first stakes victory in the same event
which twelve months ago, initiated fellow Oppenheimer homebred Cherry On The Top’s march to a Triple Tiara and an Equus
championship. Both fillies sport the famous black and yellow
silks of the late Mrs Bridget Oppenheimer, the Grande Dame
of South African racing who passed away the month before.
Midfield early on, Close The Gap was on the march by the time
the field had entered the long straight and delivered her challenge approaching the furlong mark. Athina, owned by Mrs
Oppenheimer’s daughter Mary Slack, gave chase, but Close The
Gap had flown and she cruised home to score by a handsome
two lengths. Admiral’s Eye, who had tracked the pace throughout, stayed on well to run third.
RACING ASSOCIATION HANDICAP (GRADE 3) R225,000 - 3200m - Turffontein
1. SKY RISE
4yo ch.g. by Fort Wood - Maisonette (Elliodor)
2nd dam: Mansion House (Politician)
3rd dam: London Wall (Col Pickering)
Owner: Mrs T Chinsammy and Mr D Chinsammy
Breeder: Ascot Stud (Pty) Ltd
Trainer: W H Marwing
Jockey: M Yeni
2. Jet Fever
4yo b.g. by Jet Master - Fashion Fever (Model Man)
Owner: Mr and Mrs C J Brooks
Breeder: Scott Brothers
3. Rhythmic Roxy
5yo b.m. by Requiem - Dancing The Blues (Rambo Dancer)
Owner: Mrs J de Nys
Breeder: Mrs J de Nys
Then came: Storm Warning, Sky Pirate, Patriotic Rebel, Money
Flows, Perigrine, The Who, Enchanted Guest, Salutation, Bamako, Billie Jo
Non-runner: Flight Check
Won by: neck - 4.24 - 1.50
Successful with Avenue Of Gold twelve months ago, the Weiho
Marwing Stable celebrated back to back victories in this marathon event when Sky Rise ran down favourite Jet Fever in the
dash to the wire.
Long-time leader Patriotic Rebel beat a retreat at the quarter
mark where Jet Fever was quick to pounce under Piere Strydom
and quickly put daylight between himself and his nearest rivals.
Going through the furlong mark, the Jet Master four-year-old
looked to have the race in the bag, but Musi Yeni was by now
hard at work on Sky Rise, who emerged as his only serious rival.
The Marwing runner put in a sustained rally to get up by a neck
for a first stakes win. The first two finished well clear of the
mare Rhythmic Roxy.
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AVONTUUR ESTATE CAPE FILLIES GUINEAS (GRADE 1) R1,000,000 - 1600m - Kenilworth
1st R625,000, 2nd R200,000, 3rd R100,000 - December 7
1. IN THE FAST LANE
3yo b.f. by Jet Master - First Arrival (Northern Guest)
2nd dam First Debutante (Elliodor)
3rd dam First Party (Double First)
Owner: T Phillips and Wood Hall Stud
Breeder: Hallmark Thoroughbreds
Trainer: S J Snaith
2. Lanner Falcon
3yo f. by Trippi - Hosta (French Deputy)
Owner: Drakenstein Stud
Breeder: Drakenstein Stud
3. Along Came Polly
3yo f. by Judpot - Perfect Polly (Model Man)
Owner: B D Burnard
Breeder: Varsfontein Stud
Then came: Alascan Maiden, Sea Cat, Masked Lady, Wheredowego, Rainy Day, Princess Ofthe Sky, Mohave Princess (AUS),
Davyana, Knysna Lagoon, Pure Power, She’s A Pippa, Highly
Decorated, Darling Moon
Non-runner: Omaticaya
Distances: 1 - 0.75 - longhead
Justin Snaith-trained In The Fast Lane confirmed she’s a filly
going places when landing the first Gr1 classic of the Cape
Summer Season in fine style.
The daughter of Jet Master bided her time in the rear until
quickening impressively in the home straight, swept past Alascan Maiden inside the final furlong and charged home to claim
the honours by a length over a fast-finishing Lanner Falcon,
with the favourite Along Came Polly next best.
“She was super impressive,” enthused Snaith about his latest
winner. “She has so much scope to improve. Even though she’ll
have to take on the four-year-olds, I’ve now got to look at races
like the Majorca. They happen on the big days when I like to
win!”
The winner races for British owners Tony Phillips and Andrew
Cohen of Wood Hall Stud.
TONY TABERER SOUTHERN CROSS STAKES (GRADE 2) R200,000 - 1000m - Kenilworth
1. FAIRYINTHEWOODS
4yo b.f. by Count Dubois - Woodland Fairy (Al Mufti)
2nd dam: Blue Loerie (Elliodor)
3rd dam: Blue Glide (Elevation)
Owner: H Adams
Breeder: Milkwood Stud
Trainer: D R Hodgson
2. Agra
4yo b.f. by Trippi - The Taj (National Assembly)
Owner: Mrs V and Mr A Singh and Team Valor International
3. Via Africa
4yo b.f. by Var - Bump ‘N Gird (Qui Danzig)
Owner: A J Boshoff and G A Hauptfleisch
Breeder: G A Hauptfleisch
Then came: Victorian Secret, Gouldikova (AUS), Franny, Captain’s Lullaby, Schiffer, Torra Bay (AUS)
Won by: 0.75 - 1.25 - 2
Fairyinthewoods caused a stir last time out when defeating the
brilliant Via Africa in a conditions race and she repeated that
dose to score a come-from-behind victory, her first at graded
level.
Held up in rear early as leader Schiffer held a narrow advantage
over Via Africa, the Hassan Adams colour bearer delivered a
telling surge down the outer to overhaul Agra and Via Africa in
the closing stages and draw away to score in convincing fashion. Agra ran second, while Via Africa weakened close home to
finish a well-beaten third.
CALULO SERVICES PREMIER TROPHY (GRADE 2) R300,000 - 1800m - Kenilworth
1. MASTER OF MY FATE
4yo b.c. by Jet Master - Promisefrommyheart (Elliodor)
2nd dam: Secret Pact (Bush Telegraph)
3rd dam: Soho Secret (Regent Street
Owner: N Papageorgiou
Trainer: D R Drier
Jockey: S Cormack
2. Hill Fifty Four
5yo b.g. by Captain Al - Sports Dance (Sportsworld)
Owner: Mrs I Jooste and Mr M J Jooste
Breeder: Klawervlei Stud
3. Paterfamilias
4yo b.g. by Trippi - La Patoneur (Badger Land)
Owner: M J Jooste, B Ressell and N M Shirtliff
Then came: Hot Ticket, One Cool Dude, Run For It, Awesome
Power, Punta Arenas, No Worries, Gifted For Glory, Jeppe’s
Reef, Brown Penny, Disco Al, Seal
Won by: 1.75 - 0,50 - 1
Having missed the break, the four-year-old raced midfield early
on as Brown Penny carved out the fractions up front from Hill
Fifty Four and No Worries. The pacesetter was a spent force in
mid-straight where jockey Sean Cormack unleashed his mount
up the centre of the track and the colt surged past new leader
No Worries at the furlong mark. Striding clear of his field, he
maintained his fierce charge all the way to the line to win in
imperious fashion from Hill Fifty Four, with a fast-finishing Paterfamilias next best.
“He’s passed this test with flying colours,” Drier remarked. “A
lot of people doubted him but Sean and I had none at all. I told
him to give the horse a positive ride.”
UNICAL SHIPPING VICTRESS STAKES (GRADE 3) R150,000 - 1800m - Kenilworth
1st R93,750 2nd R30,000, 3rd R15,000 - December 14
1. JET AGLOW
4yo b.f. by Jet Master - Lighthouse Girl (Argosy)
2nd dam: Jungle Light (Jungle Cove)
3rd dam: Allumette (Royal Prerogative)
Owner: Mrs V Harrison
Trainer: D R Drier
Jockey: S Cormack
2. Hammie’s Hooker
4yo b.f. by Trippi - Gem Queen (Damascus Gate)
Owner: M J Jooste, B Ressell and N M Shirtliff
Breeder: Zandvliet Stud
3. Dubai Gina (AUS)
5yo b.m. by Dubai Destination - Anemometer (Sunday Silence)
Owner: V H Marshall and K P Truter
Breeder: Darley Australia (Pty) Ltd
Then came: Priceless Jewel, Dancing Dynasty, Nonki Poo, Petara, Hijacked, Count To Ten, Super Elegant, Schism, Silver Holly
Non-runner: Showdown
Won by: long neck - 2.25 - 1
Jet Aglow capped a big day for the trainer/jockey tandem of
Dennis Drier and Sean Cormack when she opened her stakes
account in game fashion.
Placed in a perfect stalking third behind Priceless Jewel and
Count To Ten, the four-year-old favourite delivered the killer
blow early in the straight with a bold forward move. Approaching the final furlong, Hammie’s Hooker loomed alongside to
emerge as her chief danger and the pair raced in tandem to the
line, with Hammie’s Hooker actually looking to gain the upper
hand. However, Jet Aglow would not be denied, kicked again
and in a rousing finish, drew away at the death to score by a
clear margin.
Master Of My Fate confirmed that he’s a colt going places
when he backed up a four-win streak with another impressive
score in this, his stakes debut.
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GRAND PARADE CAPE GUINEAS (GRADE 1) - R1,000,000 1600m - Kenilworth
1. ELUSIVE GOLD
3yo b.c. by Sail From Seattle - Circle Of Gold (Al Mufti)
2nd dam: Captivation (London Way)
3rd dam: Voodoo II (Tropique)
Owner: C W Hui
Breeder: Ascot Stud (Pty) Ltd
Trainer: B Crawford
Jockey: B Fayd’Herbe
5yo b.g. by Victory Moon - Tippuana (Fort Wood)
2nd dam: Lena (Northern Guest)
3rd dam: Lucy Percy (Harry Percy)
Trainer: M J Robinson
Jockey: MJ Byleveld
2. Posh Boy
8yo ch.g. by Manshood - Nino’s Dancer (Mistral Dancer)
Owner: Two Oceans Racing (Pty) Ltd
2. Captain America
3yo b.c. by Captain Al - Requista (Fort Wood)
Owner: Mesdames A Gurney, D Nagle and D J Sherrell
3. Paddy O’Reilly
7yo b.g. by Dynasty - West Donegal (West Man)
Owner: J H Ward
Breeder: P H Ward, J H Ward and Mrs J Dempsey
3. Red Ray
3yo b.c. by Western Winter - Nacarat (Pas De Quoi)
Breeder: Lammerskraal Stud
Then came: Cigar Boy, Barossa Valley, River Crossing, Crown Of
Gold, Abercrombie, Neartic Dancer, Seal
Won by: 2.25 - neck - 1.50
Then came: Forest Indigo, Power King, Roman Manner (AUS),
Antonius Du Bois, Cape Cutter, Whistle Stop, Legislate, Strongman, De Kock, Dynastic Power, Top Jet, Speed Rocket
Won by: head - 0.75 - 0.50
Elusive Gold, least fancied of the trio of runners from the Brett
Crawford stable, broke through at the highest level in spectacular style when he blindsided stable companion and 2-1 favourite Captain America with a withering late run.
Widely billed as a rematch between Captain America and Red
Ray following their thrilling one-two duel in the Lanzerac Ready
To Run Stakes, the classic appeared to pan out in similar vein
when the pair again locked horns in the straight.
Inside the closing stages, victory beckoned for Captain America, who had finally fought his way past his stubborn rival. Alas,
it was not to be, for Elusive Gold unleashed a tremendous rally
up the centre and making up the deficit at a rate of knots, he
thrust his head in front on the line.
“I knew it was going to be a tough race,” remarked winning
jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe. “He lacked the initial gate speed,
but when I switched him out and got into him in the straight,
he dug down deep. He’s still a big baby and there is lot of
improvement to come, they’ll have a lot of fun with this one.”
Hong Kong-based ex-patriot trainer Tony Millard purchased the
colt on behalf of Hong Kong patron David Hui at the 2010
National Yearling Sale. Now successful in his last three outings,
the rich first stake increased the colt’s earnings to R705,175, a
handsome return on his R425,000 purchase price.
GRANDWEST CAPE STAYERS HANDICAP (GRADE 3) R200,000 - 2500m - Kenilworth
1. TIPPUANA MOON
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Tippuana Moon made quite a statement in his stakes debut
when he led every step of the way to claim the honours in fine
style.
Making full use of his bottom weight, the five-year-old was
sent to the front by jockey MJ Byleveld and enjoyed an uncontested lead, which he maintained well into the straight. Electing
to go up the centre of the track as the balance of the field made
a beeline for the standside, Tippuana Moon never let up and
despite the best efforts of pursuers Posh Boy and Paddy O’Reilly, the gelding maintained his advantage to the line to score a
facile first stakes win.
CHRISTMAS HANDICAP (GRADE 3) - R200,000 1600m - Clairwood
1. KING OF TORTS
4yo ch.g. by Mogok - Pelican Brief (Piaffer)
2nd dam: Arctic Sea (Sea Cottage)
3rd dam: Nortenia (Masetto)
Owner: B A Schwegmann and H F Schwegmann
Breeder: Mr and Mrs B le Roux
Trainer: D C Howells
Jockey: K Shea
2. King Jace
4yo ch.g. by King Of Kings - Royal Gait (Jallad)
Owner: A Moodley, D Govender, G B Puller and Dr E Reddy
Breeder: Mr and Mrs R J Clarkin
3. Fourth Estate
6yo b.g. by Dynasty - Ritualistic (Jallad)
Owner: R T Scott, B Bougardt and N Govender
Breeder: Tertia Properties (Pty) Ltd
Then came: Silver Age, First Lad, Mercurial Brave, Excuse My
French, Roman Wall, Tipo Tinto (AUS), Dylan’s Promise (AUS),
Always Al, Gold Onyx (NZ), Top Mark (BRZ), Pyrotechnics
Non-runners: Tuscan (ARG), Auto Pilot, Parker
Won by: longhead - head - head
Displaying a wonderfully game attitude, favourite King Of Torts
had to draw on all his reserves to eke out a slim long-head
victory in the final running of this traditional event at the Clairwood track, which is due to close in July 2014.
Settled within striking distance of the pace, the Duncan Howells-trained four-year-old was galvanised into the lead by jockey
Kevin Shea just over a furlong from home, as the field fanned
across the track.
With a wall of contenders breathing down his neck, the bay
refused to be beaten and rallying tenaciously, he asserted his
authority just short of the line to take the honours.
DIADEM STAKES (GRADE 2) - R300,000 - 1200m Kenilworth1st R187,500, 2nd R60,000, 3rd R30,000 December 28
1. WELWITSCHIA (GB)
6yo b.m. by Oasis Dream - Maid For Romance (Pursuit Of Love)
2nd dam: High Savannah (Rousillon)
3rd dam: Stinging Nettle (Sharpen Up)
Breeder: Sparsholt Stud
Trainer: M F de Kock
Jockey: K Shea
2. Jackson
5yo b.h. by Dynasty - Moonlit Prairie (Cozzene)
Owner: I W Longmore and W J C Mitchell
3. Cap Alright
6yo b.g. by Captain Al - Second Chance (Centenary)
Owner: E A Braun, P S Loomes and Mrs V A Foulkes
By: Normandy Stud
Then came: Divine Jet, Captain’s Secret, Castlethorpe (AUS),
Villa Del Largo, Tevez
Non-runner: Chave De Oura
Won by: 1.25 - 0.50 - 0.50
On the eve of her official sixth birthday, British import Welwitschia proved she has lost none of her zest for racing when she
blew away her male rivals to become the first female winner
of this 1200m dash in almost 25 years. Not since champion
Wainui defeated Mark Anthony in 1989 has a filly or mare
managed to add her name to an exalted honour roll boasting
such powerhouse names as Flaming Rock, Nhlavini, Captain
Al, Flobayou and most recently, What A Winter.
Kevin Shea popped the question and she moved past pace-making Cap Alright approaching the final furlong. It was race over,
as she swept to victory from a fast-finishing Jackson, who came
off a five-month vacation and turned in a huge effort over a
distance far short of his best. Cap Alright in turn rallied for third
over a disappointing Divine Jet.
FLAMBOYANT STAKES (GRADE 3) - R150,000 1600m - Greyville
1st R93,750, 2nd R30,000, 3rd R15,000 - January 3
1. CLASSIC ILLUSION
5yo ch.m. by Kahal - Class Will Sell (Jallad)
2nd dam: Fountain Abbey (Del Sarto)
3rd dam: Fountains (Joy II)
Owner: Mrs J P Gardner and Messrs M C Berzack, B G Gardner,
K E Michael and G P Sadie
Breeder: Summerhill Stud (Pty) Ltd
Trainer: G M Alexander
Jockey: S Khumalo
2. Murmering Sky
4yo b.f. by Jallad - Far Off Thunder (Thunder Gulch)
Owner: Mrs G J Beck
3. Orange Blossom
4yo b.f. by Miesque’s Approval - Eli’s Thread (Elliodor)
Owner: I F M van Schalkwyk
Breeder: Mr and Mrs Bruce le Roux
Then came: Blouberg Beach, Misty Morn, Flitter, Sakania, Vino
Veritas, Joyful Spirit, Danseuse, Chestnut Model
Non-runners: Lady Tatty, Tinchy Stryder, Trimontium, Royal Nisha (AUS)
Won by: 2 - longhead - 3.75
Gauteng visitor Classic Illusion brought her ‘A’ game to Greyville
to garner the first graded stakes race of the New Year with contemptuous ease.
Fourth midway through the turn as Chestnut Model carved out
the fractions up front, the blinkered chestnut angled out in the
home straight and kicked into gear to take the lead at the
300m mark. Running on stoutly, she was never in danger of
defeat and cruised home to score by two lengths, leaving Murmering Sky and Orange Blossom to fight it out for the minor
money.
LEBELO SPRINT (GRADE 3) - R250,000 - 1000m Turffontein
1. JADE BAY
4yo b.g. by Jallad - Moonlit Prairie (Cozzene)
2nd dam: Prairie Reign (Gone West)
3rd dam: Classic Reign (Vice Regent)
Owner: Mr K and Mrs L R A Zackey, Mr and Mrs M Aboud &
Messrs F J de Beer, J Sarkis and G J, J and Z L Nassif
Trainer: D Zaki
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2. She’s A Stunner
5yo b.m. by Toreador - Little Stunner (Al Mufti)
Owner: J Shill, B Kantor, S M Nathan and L M Nestadt
Breeder: The Alchemy
3. Miss October
5yo b.m. by Var - Bushgirl (Huntingdale)
Owner: D G Abery, F Dippenaar, C N Francis, T Keating and N
P Smith
Breeder: Northfields Stud (Pty) Ltd
Then came: Mr Whatever, Kinematic Countess, Rodeo Dandy,
Here Comes Billy, Tiger Territory, Desert Sheik, Dolomiti, Kayhaladin, Nice Stride, Magico, Gold Site, Benbow, Jimmi Choo
Non-runner: Anger (BRZ)
Won by: neck - head - shorthead
As far as sheer dramatic tension was concerned, this Gr3 dash
was worth every penny. In one of the tightest finish in the race’s
history, Jade Bay put his best foot forward to prevail by a neck,
with less than a half length covering the first four home.
Restrained behind the early speed, the four-year-old joined
favourite Mr Whatever at the furlong mark and matched the
KwaZulu-Natal visitor stride for stride in a duel to the line. Dominic Zaki’s charge gradually got the upper hand but in a whirlwind finish, he was hard-pressed to eke out a narrow victory
over the low-flying mares She’s A Stunner and Miss October,
the pair unleashing a devastating rally which effectively relegated Mr Whatever to fourth on the line.
L’ORMARINS QUEEN’S PLATE (GRADE 1) - R1,000,000 1600m - Kenilworth
1. CAPETOWN NOIR
4yo b.c. by Western Winter - Akinfeet (Fort Wood)
2nd dam: Dance Every Dance (Northern Guest)
3rd dam: Jungle Janna (Jungle Cove)
Owner: Khaya Stables ((Pty) Ltd
Jockey: K Neisius
2. Jackson
5yo b.h. by Dynasty - Moonlit Prairie (Cozzene)
Owner: I W Longmore & W J C Mitchell
3. Jet Explorer
5yo b.g. by Jet Master - Polar Star (Icelander)
Owner: Mrs P J and Mr H C Devine
Breeder: Mrs P J Devine
Then came: No Worries, Whiteline Fever, Lake Arthur, Yorker,
King Of Pain, Red Ray, Royal Zulu Warrior (AUS), Chave De
Oura, Castlethorpe (AUS), Ice Machine, Corredor
Won by: 1.25 - neck - 0.75
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Dual classic winner Cape Town Noir put a lack-lustre fourth in
the Green Point Stakes firmly behind him with a thoroughly
professional victory in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, his third at
the top level. As an added bonus, he also earned himself an automatic entry into the 2014 Breeders Cup Mile to be contested
at Santa Anita.
Handily settled on the rail by veteran Karl Neisius, the four-yearold was always travelling well within himself as No Worries cut
out the running. Once in the straight, Cape Town Noir swept
into contention up the inside rail and cruised to the fore at the
furlong mark. Favourite Jackson, who appeared to hit a flat
spot in midstretch, bravely gave chase up the centre, but there
was no catching Capetown Noir, and the colt left little doubt
as to who was best on this occasion, asserting in good style.
Jackson again had to settle for second and had just a neck to
spare over Jet Explorer, who flew from the tail-end of the field.
The winning jockey was full of praise and said: “I was always
confident, I got exactly where I wanted to be and in the straight
I kept my eye on Jackson. I quickened past him and everything
worked out perfectly. He loves this track and proved he’s probably the best miler in the country!”
MAINE CHANCE FARMS PADDOCK STAKES (GRADE 1) R1,000,000 - 1800m - Kenilworth
1. BEACH BEAUTY
2nd dam: Leisure (Hobnob)
3rd dam: Free Pass (Home Guard)
Breeder: T Armitage
Trainer: D R Drier
Jockey: S Cormack
2. In The Fast Lane
3yo b.f. by Jet Master - First Arrival (Northern Guest)
Owner: T Phillips and Wood Hall Stud
Breeder: Hallmark Thoroughbreds
2. Jet Aglow
4yo b.f. by Jet Master - Lighthouse Girl (Argosy)
Owner: Mrs V Harrison
Then came: Hammie’s Hooker, Priceless Jewel, Alascan Maiden,
Espumanti (GB), Jet Supreme, Lanner Falcon, Along Came Polly,
Do You Remember, Europe To Africa (AUS), Razzle Dazzle Rose,
Maximum Jet
Won by: 1.25 - 0.50 - 0.50
Backed to the exclusion of her rivals, defending champion
Beach Beauty once again stamped her authority on the Paddock Stakes to become the first back-to-back winner of this
coveted distaff event since dual champion Olympic Duel completed the double in 1991.
Patiently ridden, Dennis Drier’s mare was content to bide her
time some way off the pace, but after being angled out for
a run in the straight by jockey Sean Cormack, she unleashed
her now famous turn of foot and quickly made up the deficit
to surge past last year’s runner-up and stable companion Jet
Aglow at the 100m mark. Stretching clear, she was untroubled in the run to the line to take the laurels by a comfortable
margin from Cape Fillies Guineas winner In The Fast Lane, who
came storming up the stand side to edge Jet Aglow out of the
second place.
Remarked Cormack: “She just gives you so much confidence
and she never gives up. She really is a champion.”
Now a triple Gr1 winner of 14 races - she also captured last
season’s Gr1 Garden Province - the diminutive mare has taken
the Shanks Syndicate on a memorable journey these past four
seasons and has rewarded them with lifetime earnings of over
R3.8-million.
2014 GLORIOUS GOODWOOD PENINSULA HANDICAP
(GRADE 2) - R400,000 - 1800m - Kenilworth
1. MASTER OF MY FATE
4yo b.c. by Jet Master - Promisefrommyheart (Elliodor)
2nd dam: Secret Pact (Bush Telegraph)
3rd dam: Soho Secret (Regent Street
Owner: N Papageorgiou
Trainer: D R Drier
Jockey: S Cormack
2. Awesome Power
4yo b.g. by Surging River - Remarkable (Goldmark)
Owner: F M Carruthers, P Fourie, K Martin and I Robinson
Breeder: Riverton Stud
3. Punta Arenas
5yo b.g. by Silvano - Peru (Candy Stripes)
Owner: M I Fullard, J H Drew and D Watson-Smith
Then came: Hill Fifty Four, Hot Ticket, Laurie’s Gold, Night Trip,
Master Sabina, True Master, Ze Kaiser, Brown Penny, Putney
Flyer
Non-runner: Paterfamilias
Won by: 1.25 - 0,50 - 0.50
With a five-win streak in tow, the most recent of which a
smashing win in the Gr2 Premier Trophy for which he received
a whopping 18lb penalty, Master Of My Fate set himself up
perfectly for the Gr1 J&B Met with yet another super-impressive
effort.
The result could be called some way out, so well was the son
of Jet Master travelling under Sean Cormack. Having overcome the extreme outside draw, the colt settled on the heels
of pacesetter Brown Penny and at the top of the straight, was
poised to strike. When galvanised by Cormack, he lengthened
his stride on cue to forge into the lead at the quarter mark and
was never under any serious threat, cruising home a facile winner from Awesome Power and Punta Arenas.
LONDON NEWS STAKES (GRADE 3) - R250,000 - 1800m Turffontein
1. TELLINA
3yo b.c. by Silvano - Tachina (Spectrum)
2nd dam: Tadwiga (Fairy King)
3rd dam: Euromill (Shirley Heights)
Owner: T Young and G V Woodruff
Jockey: G Hatt
2. Killua Castle (AUS)
4yo b.g. by Churchill Downs - Prayers’N’Promises (Encosta De
Lago)
Owner: Mrs A Devachander
Breeder: K Heffernan, Vic
3. Wylie Hall (AUS)
4yo b.c. by Redoute’s Choice - Beauty Belle (Ideal Planet)
Owner: M E Leaf
Breeder: J W Kelly Suffolk Vale & Co, NSW
Then came: Glorious Jet, Baracah, Tiger’s Retreat, Knock On
Wood, Tiger Play, Regal Stride, Spitfire Run, Menacing, Royal
Bencher
Won by: shorthead - head - 3.50
Favourite and top weight Wylie Hall barged his way past longtime leader Spitfire Run at the quarter mark and set sail for
the judge. Last season’s SA Derby winner still enjoyed a clear
advantage inside the final furlong, as Tellina and Killua Castle,
both in full stride, came bearing down on him.
With the winning post fast approaching, Wylie Hall bravely
stuck to his task, but alas, the flying Woodruff duo cut him
down on the line. Tellina, the proverbial meat in the sandwich,
stuck his nose down at the right time, while stable companion
Killua Castle had but a head to spare over Wylie Hall.
SCEPTRE STAKES (GRADE 2) - R400,000 - 1200m Kenilworth
1st R250,000, 2nd R80,000, 3rd R40,000
1. REFLECTIVE IMAGE
5yo b.m. by Tamburlaine - Velvet’s Image (Goldkeeper)
2nd dam Velvet Mitt (Just Three)
3rd dam Velvet Glove (Gallantry)
Owner: G C Jolliffe and J G Kidd
Breeder: Golden Touch Thoroughbred Services and M Kidd
Trainer: B Crawford
Jockey: G Hatt
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2. Jet Belle
4yo b.f. by Jet Master - Bella Bianca (Ahmad)
Owner: Drakenstein Stud and C Bird
Breeder: T L Bailes, C T Elphick and S J Saunders
3. Franny
4yo b.f. by Trippi - Scented Samantha (National Assemby)
Owner: Mauritzfontein (Pty) Ltd
Then came: Welwitschia (GB), Valdivia, Pure Power, Torra Bay
(AUS), Sea Cat, Captainofmysoul, Captain’s Lullaby
Won by: longhead - 1 - 1.50
Welwitschia was all the rage here following her Gr2 Diadem
victory. Alas, the mare failed to build on that effort and could
do no better than fourth behind Reflective Image, who powered home from the tail-end of the field.
Franny was quick out of the stalls and settled into the lead,
with Torra Bay and Welwitschia racing in close attendance and
Reflective Image bringing up the rear. Approaching the furlong
mark, jockey Glen Hatt galvanised Brett Crawford’s filly into action and switched to the standside, she quickly made up the
deficit to claim the advantage. Jet Belle, in her first run for the
Glen Kotzen stable, moved alongside and while she applied
pressure all the way to the line, Reflective Image refused to
buckle and kept her head in front.
BETTING WORLD CAPE FLYING CHAMPIONSHIP (GRADE
1) - R1,000,000 - 1000m - Kenilworth
1. VIA AFRICA
4yo b.f. by Var - Bump ‘N Gird (Qui Danzig)
2nd dam: College Girl (Quick Turnover)
3rd dam: Bombshell (Lords)
Owner: A J Boshoff and G A Hauptfleisch
Breeder: G A Hauptfleisch
Trainer: D C Howells
Jockey: K Shea
2. Red Ray
3yo b.c. by Western Winter - Nacarat (Pas De Quoi)
Owner: Mrs I and Mr M J Jooste
3. Tevez
4yo b.g. by Caesour - Minelli (Elliodor)
Owner: N M Shirtliff, M J Jooste, B Ressell and Mrs I Jooste
Breeder: Avontuur Stud
Then came: Happy Forever, Cap Alright, Divine Jet, Muscatt,
Zambezi Torrent, Victorian Secret, Copper Parade, Captain’s Secret, Barbosa, Cape Royal
Won by: 1 - 1 - 1.25
Following two below par efforts, sprint queen Via Africa
bounced back to her superior best with a dazzling front run-
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ning display which resulted in a second top level win. For now,
she must rate as the country’s leading sprinter.
The Duncan Howells-trained fireball immediately set off for the
lead under jockey Kevin Shea and never looked in danger of
defeat. Travelling easily through the furlong mark, she shook
off the attentions of her nearest pursuer Cap Alright and it was
left to three-year-old Red Ray to chase her home.
“It’s been touch and go, but she was eating well and put up
a good piece of work earlier this work,” the winning trainer
remarked. “We’ve had a rough Cape season and a lot of problems. I must thank Eric Sands who is a great trainer, and my son
Alex, who have taken such wonderful care of her. It is always
difficult when you have got a horse like this underperforming.
We still had a couple of issues during the week but my head
boy said ‘boss, go for it.’ To me she is a champion.”
J&B MET (GRADE 1) - R2,500,000 - 2000m - Kenilworth
1st R1,562,500, 2nd R500,000, 3rd R250,000 - February 1
1. HILL FIFTY FOUR
5yo g. by Captain Al - Sports Dance (Sportsworld)
2nd dam Seven Dances (Dancing Champ)
3rd dam Seven Stars (Politician)
Trainer: V H Marshall
Jockey: A Marcus
2.Yorker
4yo b.g. by Jet Master - Little Indian (Al Mufti)
Owner: B Kantor, M J Jooste, F E J Lewis and Mrs I Jooste
3. Punta Arenas
5yo g. by Silvano - Peru (Candy Stripes)
Owner: M I Fullard, J H Drew and D Watson-Smith
Then came: Whiteline Fever, Master Of My Fate, Ice Machine,
Capetown Noir, King Of Pain, Jet Explorer, No Worries, Royal
Zulu Warrior (AUS), Wylie Hall (AUS), Do You Remember, Jackson, Lake Arthur, Awesome Power, Hot Ticket, Master Sabina
Won by: 1.75 - longhead - 0.75
While favourites failed to fire, Hill Fifty Four lifted his career to
new heights with a first Gr1 score in Kenilworth’s premier event
and he did it the hard way, leading for most of the way.
Beaten just over a neck by shock winner Martial Eagle in last
year’s race, Vaughan Marshall’s charge was sent to the front
by jockey Anton Marcus early on, and that is where he stayed.
Despite drifting towards the stand side in the home straight,
he repelled all challenges and stubbornly maintained his advantage to the line to take the honours over Gr1 Sansui Summer
Cup hero Yorker, who bounced back from a disastrous Queen’s
Plate effort.
This marked the first Met success for champion owners Ingrid
and Markus Jooste.
“I suspected the race might be devoid of pace in the middle
and I didn't want it turning into a sprint,” Marcus remarked.”
What I did want was to try and negate the horses with a turn
of foot, but it was not until I got to the line that I really thought
I was going to win.”
The winner dramatically reversed two earlier losses to favourite
Master Of My Fate, who had soundly beaten him in both the
Gr2 Calulo Services Premier Trophy (second) and the Gr2 Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap (fourth).
The least experienced runner in the race, Master Of May Fate
nevertheless proved gallant in defeat. After suffering interference early on and being forced to race wide around the turn,
the colt ran fifth, less than three lengths off the winner.
KLAWERVLEI MAJORCA STAKES (GRADE 1) - R1,000,000 1600m - Kenilworth
1st R625,000, 2nd R200,000, 3rd R100,000 - February 1
1. BEACH BEAUTY
2nd dam: Leisure (Hobnob)
3rd dam: Free Pass (Home Guard)
Breeder: T Armitage
Trainer: D R Drier
Jockey: S Cormack
2. Hammie’s Hooker
4yo b.f. by Trippi - Gem Queen (Damascus Gate)
Owner: M J Jooste, B Ressel and N M Shirtliff
Breeder: Zandvliet Stud
3. Priceless Jewel
4yo b.f. by Ashaawes - So Royal (Kahir Almaydan)
Owner: Mr J and Mrs J K Armitage and Mr B Marcus
Breeder: G J Armitage
Then came: Espumanti (GB), Lanner Falcon, Omaticaya, Jet
Belle, Masked Lady, In The Fast Lane, Jet Supreme, Razzle Dazzle Rose, Reflective Image, Welwitschia (GB)
Won by: 1.25 - 0.75 - 0.75
There are few superlatives left to describe Beach Beauty, indisputably one of the best distaffers this country has seen for
some time.
Fresh off a scintillating repeat victory in the Maine Chance Farms
Paddock Stakes, the Dennis Drier-trained mare was backed to
the exclusion of her rivals and the money was on the button
when she recorded her fourth top level victory in brilliant style,
despite having to overcome the widest draw.
Beautifully settled in third and within striking distance of the
pace, she appeared to hit a flat spot 500m out but once she
found top stride, there was only going to be one winner. Driven into the lead inside the final furlong, she smoothly put the
result beyond doubt and powered home in imperious fashion,
easily holding the late charge of Hammie’s Hooker.
This was win number 15 for the diminutive mare and pushed
her already considerable earnings to over R4.4-million.
“She is just too good,” Drier enthused afterwards. “The more
they throw at her the more she finds. It was a great ride by
Sean. I said: ‘I’ve done the work at home – it’s now over to you’
and he came through it with flying colours.”
INVESTEC CAPE DERBY (GRADE 1) - R1,000,000 2000m - Kenilworth
1. LEGISLATE
3yo b.c. by Dynasty - Champers (Restructure)
2nd dam Classy Play (Jungle Cove
3rd dam Classic Art (Jan Ekels)
Owner: Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd
Breeder: Cheveley Stud
Trainer: S J Snaith
2. Captain America
3yo b.c. by Captain Al - Requista (Fort Wood)
Owner: Mesdames A Gurney, D Nagle and D J Sherrell
Jockey: R. Fourie
3. Arion
3yo b.c. by Silvano - Alstroemaria (Northern Guest)
Owner: H Adams, G Bortz, E A Braun and P S Loomes
Then came: Helderberg Blue, Counts Rocket, Strongman, Power
King, Marmalade Tycoon (AUS), Cape Cutter, Mountain Master
Won by: 1.25 - 1.50 - 2
Captain America was widely expected to make amends for his
narrow defeat in the Cape Guineas, but it was Newbury Racing’s unheralded Legislate who stole his thunder and powered
home to record the most important victory of his brief career.
Counts Rocket quickly settled at the head of affairs and opened
up a huge lead of about a dozen lengths. Still well clear at the
top the straight, his early exertions had taken their toll and with
a host of challengers starting to bunch up behind him, it was
Legislate who moved in for the kill. The Snaith colt quickened
past the tiring pacemaker and skipped clear of the pack.
Captain America, who cornered amongst the back markers,
managed to weave his way through the field and gave chase,
but he was never going to threaten Legislate who strode home
a clear-cut winner. His stable companion Arion finished next
best to round out a Snaith one-three finish.
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STATISTICS
J&B JET STAYERS (GRADE 2) - R400,000 - 2800m Kenilworth
1. RIVER CROSSING
5yo b.g. by Caesour - Rubicon (Irish River)
2nd dam: Madam North (Halo)
3rd dam: Raise The Standard (Hoist The Flag)
Owner: W D Mealing, B Ressell, N M Shirtliff and S A Smorenburg
Trainer: M W Bass
Jockey: A Marcus
2. Coltrane (ARG)
4yo gr.g. by Giant’s Causeway - Nuance (Rainbow Quest)
Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift Stud (USA) Ltd
3. Gifted For Glory
4yo b.g. by Silvano - Badger’s Drift (Badger Land)
Owner: M J Jooste, J H van Heerden, B Ressell and N M Shirtliff
Then came: Wavin’ Flag, Tippuana Moon, Ilha Bela, Paddy
O’Reilly, Cigar Boy, Pinotage Pete, Global Express, Crown Of
Gold, Barossa Valley, Jeppe’s Reef, Drumminor, Look After Me,
Posh Boy, Master Chi
Won by: 1.25 - 0.50 - neck
River Crossing underlined his staying ability in timely fashion .
Settled well off the pace as Tippuana Moon cut out the fractions up front, the Mike Bass five-year-old weaved his way
through the field in the home straight and joined the long-time
leader at the furlong mark. Stable companion Gifted For Glory
likewise made a threatening move, as did Coltrane and the race
unfolded into a four-way duel to the line. In a driving finish, River Crossing’s proven stamina carried the day and he stretched
clear to take the honours by just over a length from Coltrane,
with Gifted For Glory next best.
THREE TROIKAS STAKES (GRADE 3) - R250,000 Turffontein - 1450m
1. ATHINA
3yo b.f. by Fort Wood - The Heiress (Rich Man’s Gold)
2nd dam: Quick Success (Al Mufti)
3rd dam: Inca Goddess (Gatecrasher)
Owner: Wilgersbosdrift
Breeder: Wilgersbosdrift
Trainer: J A Soma
Jockey: S Cormack
2. Close The Gap
3yo b.f. by Fort Wood - Rawl Plug (Plugged Nickle)
Owner: Mauritzfontein Stud
Breeder: Mauritzfontein Stud
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3. Winter Star
3yo b.f. by Solskjaer - Winter Dimension (Exclusive Patriot)
Owner: V C Veeramootoo
Then came: Kings V, Sarasota, Arcetri Pink (AUS), Olive Leaf,
She’s A Looker, Julie Doolittle, For The Lads, Samba Serenade,
Delighted
Non-runners: Santa Carolina, Not Sulking, Ntombe (AUS)
Won by: 1.25 - 0.50 - neck
Runners sporting the familiar black and red silks of Mary Slack’s
Wilgerbosdrift dominated both graded stakes on offer at Turffontein, with the filly Athina initiating the double in the Three
Troikas.
Languishing a dozen or so lengths off the pace as the field
entered the long Turffontein straight, the three-year-old began
lengthening her stride under jockey Sean Cormack and carved
her way through the pack to strike the front at the 150m mark.
Running on powerfully she had just over a length to spare over
Close The Gap, who had defeated her by almost two lengths in
the Gr3 Gauteng Fillies Mile back in November.
TONY RUFFEL STAKES (GRADE 3) - R250,000 1450m - Turffontein
1. BOUCLETTE TOP (ARG)
3 br.c. by Giant’s Causeway - Bouclette Glory (Honour And Glory)
2nd dam: Bouclette Fitz (Fitzcarraldo)
3rd dam: Cambriole (Ringaro)
Breeder: Haras Firmamento
Trainer: A G Laird
Jockey: S Khumalo
2. Mr Mulliner
3yo ch.c. by Mullins Bay - Dahlia’s Guest (Northern Guest)
Owner: P Moonsammy, D G Abery, T Lee, G Stephenson and
B Yearham
Breeder: P A M Magid
3. Chekilli
3yo b.c. by Greys Inn - Philippa Johnson (Joshua Dancer)
Owner: Mr and Mrs H J Wolfaardt and Mr M Destombes
Breeder: Rosedene Stud
Then came: Hillbrow, Bezanova, Mercado
Non-runners: Heart Of A Lion, Olympic Owen, Rake’s Chestnut
Won by: long neck - 2 - 1
Returning from a two-month break, Bouclette Top promptly
completed the Wilgerbosdrift Gr3 double with a splendid first
stakes score in the Tony Ruffel.
The winner’s stable companion Chekilli attempted to make every post a winning one and cornered ahead of the six-strong
field. At the quarter mark, Mr Mulliner, who had patiently bid-
ed his time in second, could wait no more and seized the initiative, quickly skipping two lengths clear.
Bouclette Top meanwhile was warming to the task and he too
began his forward move. Relentlessly making up the deficit, he
subdued Mr Mullins in the shadow of the post and lunged late
for a long neck victory.
TOMMY HOTSPUR HANDICAP (GRADE 3) - R250,000 1000m - Turffontein
1. MISS OCTOBER
5yo b.m. by Var - Bushgirl (Huntingdale)
2nd dam: Devon Air (Sparkler)
3rd dam: Vicomtesse (Relko)
Owner: D G Abery, F Dippenaar, C N Francis, T Keating and N
P Smith
Breeder: Northfields Stud (Pty) Ltd
Jockey: G Wrogemann
2. Rodeo Dandy
6yo b.g. by Casey Tibbs - Designer Model (Roland Gardens)
Owner: W Oakley, G L O’Brien, L Pillay and D Zaki
Breeder: Digteby Stud
3. Sharp Design
4yo b.g. by National Emblem - Sharp Ledge (Fine Edge)
Owner: R A Burg
Breeder: Highflyer Stud
3. Kinematic Countess
5yo b.m. by Count Dubois - National Navigator (National Emblem)
Owner: Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd
Breeder: P du Toit
Then came: Jade Bay, She's A Stunner, Tommy Gun, Crown
Gold, Midnight Serenade
Won by: longhead - 1.75 – dead-heat
Miss October sent her future broodmare value soaring when
she finally cracked her first graded success at the age of five.
The Geoff Woodruff-trained mare tracked Lebelo Sprint winner
Jade Bay, who took up his customary place as the pacesetter.
When the half-brother to Jackson came under pressure at the
furlong mark, Miss October was quick to pounce but had to
pull out all the stops as Rodeo Dandy, running the race of his
life, came roaring up the centre. In a thrilling finish, the mare
had just enough in reserve to take the honours by a longhead.
LEKTRON CHAIRMAN’S CUP (GRADE 3) - R250,000 3200m - Kenilworth
1. HOT TICKET
4yo ch.g. by Silvano - Hot Number (Sportsworld)
2nd dam: Hot Seven (Harry Hotspur)
3rd dam: Seven Stars (Politician)
Owner: D G Abery, R Achmat, R W Deacon, F Dippenaar & Mrs
P D Deacon
Breeder: Digteby Stud
Jockey: K Neisius
2. Jeppe’s Reef
6yo b.g. by Jallad - Studio Fifty Four (Badger Land)
3. Wavin’ Flag
4yo b.g. by Silvano - Garland (Capture Him)
Owner: S D Burgess, G S Knowles, J Labuschagne, I W Longmore, Ian Robinson, A Todd and Mrs J Crawford
Breeder: Mr and Mrs J R Slade
Then came: Paddy O’ Reilly, Pinotage Pete, Barossa Valley, Silver
Holly, Posh Boy, Crown Of Gold, Coltrane (ARG), Follow The
Wind, Drill Sargeant
Won by: 2.25 - 0.50 - 0.75
Hot Ticket announced his presence amongst the staying ranks
in the best possible way when he posted a convincing victory in
his first attempt over a marathon distance.
Placed perfectly on the rail and within striking distance of the
leaders, the blinkered four-year-old responded willingly when
given his head by jockey Karl Neisius in the straight and with
a smart forward move, he reeled in leader Wavin’ Flag at the
furlong mark.
Gold Cup winner Jeppe’s Reef emerged from the pack to do
the chasing, however, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was not for
the catching.
TWO OCEANS RACING PRIX DU CAP (GRADE 3) R250,000 - 1400m - Kenilworth
1. PRICELESS JEWEL
4yo b.f. by Ashaawes - So Royal (Kahir Almaydan)
2nd dam: Diamond Blade (Lear Fan)
3rd dam: Sharp Heiress (Blade)
Owner: Mr J W and Mrs J K Armitage and Mr B Marcus
Breeder: G J Armitage
Trainer: A N Marcus
Jockey: A Delpech
2. Lanner Falcon
3yo ch.f. by Trippi - Hosta (French Deputy)
3. Maybe Yes
3yo b.f. by Tiger Ridge - Fair Enough (Model Man)
Owner: G M Grant, C S Haynes, Mr and F Ladeira and Miss J B Slack
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Then came: Gold Academy, Sea Cat, Jet Belle, Alascan Maiden,
Jean’s Pride, Miss Saigon, Going My Own Way, Pure Power, Diva’s Daughter, Smiling Tigress, Cosmic Flower
Non-runners: Highly Decorated, She’s A Pippa
Won by: 1 - longhead - 1.25
The four-year-old provided young trainer Adam Marcus with a
belated birthday present, the son of former champion jockey
Basil Marcus having turned 25 on the Thursday.
A confirmed frontrunner, different tactics saw the filly settled
well off the pace, as Jean’s Pride opened up a five-length lead in
the early stages. When the pacemaker eventually cried enough
in mid-stretch, Priceless Jewel swept into contention up the
centre of the track, as did Maybe Yes. The Marcus-trained filly
was always going that bit better though and she asserted her
authority inside the final furlong to score by a cosy length, easily holding a late rally from Lanner Falcon, with Maybe Yes a
longhead back in third.
BETTING WORLD GAUTENG GUINEAS (GRADE 2) R1,000,000 - 1600m - Turffontein
1st R625,000, 2nd R200,000, 3rd R100,000 - March 1
1. LOUIS THE KING
3yo b.c. by Black Minnaloushe - Pamushana (Rich Man’s Gold)
2nd dam: Milden Magic (National Emblem)
3rd dam: Easy Dancer (Piaffer)
Owner: L J van der Vyver
Breeder: The Alchemy
Jockey: R. Fradd
2. Forest Indigo
3yo b.c. by Judpot - Albizia (Fort Wood)
Owner: M C Gerber
3. As You Like
3yo b.c. by Tiger Ridge - Always Forever (Al Mufti)
Owner: M C Gerber
Breeder: Moutonshoek
Then came: Bouclette Top (ARG), Mercado, Fort Bellini, Hillbrow, Taarish (AUS), Lance, Mister Cricket, Tee Jay Ar (AUS), Mr
Mulliner, Amber Sail, Shadow Ofhis Smile
Non-runners: Olympic Owen, Platinum Jet
Won by: 5.25 - neck – neck
Fresh off his victory in the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes, progressive three-year-old Louis The King threw down the gauntlet
when he dusted his Guineas rivals in the straight to take the
first leg of the Triple Crown in rousing fashion.
With an unbeaten three-race win streak in tow, favourite Mister
Cricket immediately went to the front, tracked by As You Like.
The testing conditions took their toll however and the big-striding colt ran out of gas at the top of the straight. Louis The King
clearly handled the rain-softened Turffontein track with aplomb
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PARADE MAGAZINE
and he accelerated away from his rivals inside the final furlong.
Stretching clear, he bolted home from last season’s juvenile Gr1
winner Forest Indigo, who edged As You Like by a neck.
The winner completed a classic double for trainer Geoff Woodruff and jockey Robbie Fradd, the team having captured the
preceding Fillies Guineas as well.
WILGERBOSDRIFT GAUTENG FILLIES GUINEAS (GRADE 2)
- R500,000 - 1600m - Turffontein
1st R312,500, 2nd R100,000, 3rd R50,000 - March 1
1. ARCETRI PINK (AUS)
3yo b.f. by Rock Of Gibraltar - Arcetri (Galileo)
2nd dam: Soda Watch (Star Watch)
3rd dam: Soda Springs (Zephyr Bay)
Owner: R Bisnath and A Pillay
Breeder: Hill Holme Lodge, Vic
Jockey: R Fradd
2. Not Sulking
3yo b.f. by Trippi - Dragoncharm (Silver Hawk)
3. Athina
3yo b.f. by Fort Wood - The Heiress (Rich Man’s Gold
Owner: Wilgerbosdrift
Then came: Along Came Polly, Winter Star, Mohave Princess
(AUS), Admiral’s Eye, Santa Carolina, For The Lads, Sarasota,
Kings V, Saint Angelique, Dashing Scarlet
Non-runners: Close The Gap, Ntombe (AUS)
Won by: 1.50 - 2.50 - 1.75
Arcetri Pink led home a notable Geoff Woodruff one-two in the
Gauteng Fillies Guineas on a day which saw the stable dominate both classics.
When pacesetter Saint Angelique cried enough at the top of
the straight, Arcetri Pink and stable companion Not Sulking
joined issue up the standside. The Australian-bred was always
going that much better though and she drew clear of her stablemate to score by a handsome margin. Athina, who had the
winner well behind her in last month’s Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes,
was always on the back foot from a wide draw but plugged on
gamely to finish third.
HAWAII STAKES (GRADE 2) - R400,000 - 1400m Turffontein
1st R250,000, 2nd R80,000, 3rd R40,000 - March 1
1. WHITELINE FEVER
5yo b.g. by Right Approach - Hockey Corner (Sportsworld)
2nd dam: Ladies Game (Elliodor)
3rd dam: Leucothea (Cornish Prince)
Owner: M J Jooste, N M Shirtliff and C J H van Niekerk
Breeder: Daytona Stud (Pty) Ltd
Trainer: S G Tarry
Jockey: P Strydom
2. Chekilli
3yo b.c. by Greys Inn - Philippa Johnson (Joshua Dancer)
Owner: Mr and Mrs H J Wolfaardt and Mr M Destombes
Breeder: Rosedene Stud
3. Uncle Tommy
6yo ch.g. by Kahal - Cousin Linda (Badger Land)
Owner: H Adams
Then came: Glorious Jet, Festival Of Fire, Isobar, Pomodoro, Pessoa, Killua Castle (AUS)
Non-runner: Rio Carnival (AUS)
Won by: 1.75 - neck - 1.25
While a number of contenders were caught flat-footed as the
gates opened, three-year-old Chekilli quickly overcame his
outside draw and bounded into the lead, with Isobar and Pomodoro next best. The colt maintained his lead well into the
straight, but at the quarter mark, he was swamped by a plethora of challengers and with the field fanning across the track,
it was anybody’s race.
Whiteline Fever, who was switched to the standside for his run,
unleashed a powerful forward move and having surged past
Chekilli at the furlong mark, was untroubled to the line to score
by the best part of two lengths.
ACACIA HANDICAP (GRADE 3) - R250,000 - 1600m Turffontein
1st R156,250, 2nd R50,000, 3rd R25,000 - March 1
1. ORATOR’S DAUGHTER (AUS)
4yo gr.f. by Oratorio - Irish Edition (O’Reilly)
2nd dam Sacaya (Sovereign Edition)
3rd dam Pacaya (Psidium)
Breeder: L M and J M Beer, Qld
Trainer: A G Laird
Jockey: A Marcus
2. Uptothemoon
5yo ch.m. by Victory Moon - Size Em Up (Hard Up)
Owner: A T and E T Joseph and Mesdames A S and N D Joseph
and Mr Chinsammy and Mrs T Chinsammy
Breeder: Nutfield Stud
3. Love Vivien
4yo b.f. by Captain Al - Muvango (Manshood)
Owner: Ms S Vrska and Mr C Bird
Then came: Euphoria, Break Of Dawn, City Of Athens (AUS),
Sky Pirate, Flitter, Filly Bushwacker, Classic Illusion, Milynne, Go
Indigo, Demanding Lady, Music Affair, Amur Affair, Formation
Non-runner: Amber Orchid (AUS)
Won by: 0.50 - head - 2.50
Lightly-raced Orator’s Daughter showed plenty of fight and
ability in her second run after a lengthy layoff when she broke
through at stakes level in just her sixth start.
On the lead virtually from the jump, she looked a beaten horse
when headed by Love Vivien half-way up the straight but
proved to be all heart, rallied strongly to regain the advantage
close home and held the late charge of Uptothemoon by a halflength.
The grey stamped herself as a bit special when she kicked off
her career with three facile victories. However, the wheels came
off in the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic, where she finished a never-dangerous fourth, almost ten lengths behind Triple Tiara winner
Cherry On The Top and was then laid off for nearly a year.
PARADE MAGAZINE
93
STATISTICS
RACING CALENDAR
Fixtures April 2014
1 Scottsville
Fixtures June 2014
1 Vaal (TO)
1 Turffontein (I)
2 Durbanville
2 Fairview (P)
2 Flamingo Park
3 Vaal (S)
3 Greyville (T) (D)
4 Fairview (T)
4 Kenilworth (S)
4 Scottsville
5 Scottsville
Turffontein (S) (N)
Fixtures May 2014
Turffontein (S)
Turffontein (S)
3 Kenilworth (W)
5 Flamingo Park
5 Vaal (S)
6 Clairwood
6 Vaal (TO)
6 Fairview (T)
7 Flamingo Park
7 Clairwood
7 Clairwood
8 Clairwood
8 Vaal (S)
8 Kenilworth (W)
9 Durbanville
9 Fairview (T)
10 Vaal (TI)
10 Kenilworth (S)
Turffontein (I)
10 Vaal (S)
Fairview (T)
11 Greyville (P) (D)
9 Flamingo Park
11 Turffontein (S) (N)
Fairview (P)
11 Clairwood
12 Scottsville
Kenilworth (S)
12 Flamingo Park
12 Vaal (TI)
13 Turffontein (I)
13 Kenilworth (S)
13 Greyville (T/P) (N)
14 Flamingo Park
14 Scottsville
14 Turffontein (S)
15 Vaal (TI)
15 Vaal (TI)
16 Clairwood
16 Greyville (T) (N)
Fairview (T)
16 Kenilworth (W)
17 Vaal (TO)
17 Kenilworth (S)
Turffontein (I)
17 Vaal (TI)
18 Fairview (P)
18 Clairwood
18 Scottsville
19 Turffontein (I)
19 Flamingo Park
19 Vaal (S)
20 Clairwood
20 Vaal (TI)
20 Fairview (P)
21 Kenilworth (S)
Flamingo Park
21 Durbanville
21 Kenilworth (W)
22 Vaal (S)
22 Clairwood
23 Scottsville
23 Fairview (T)
24 Vaal (TO)
24 Scottsville
24 Kenilworth (W)
Fairview (T)
25 Turffontein (I)
25 Scottsville
26 Kenilworth (S)
Turffontein (S)
26 Fairview (P)
26 Vaal (TO)
27 Scottsville
27 Vaal (S)
27 Fairview (P)
28 Kenilworth (S)
28 Scottsville
28 Kenilworth (W)
29 Vaal (TI)
29 Clairwood
30 Fairview (T)
30 Flamingo Park
Turffontein (S) (N)
31 Greyville (T) (D)
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PARADE MAGAZINE
Turffontein (I)
23 Flamingo Park
Kenilworth (S)
25 Greyville (T) (N)
30 Fairview (P)
Fairview (T)
15 Clairwood
22 Vaal (S)
29 Clairwood
Turffontein (S)
Kenilworth (W)
Turffontein (I)
The late Aussie trainer, the hugely successful Tommy
Smith, who won nearly all his races with geldings,
was of the opinion that the testicles of many colts
were apt to swell in hot weather, resulting in them
being pinched during the running of a race. Yet another reason, a dubious one in the opinion of many,
to summon the veterinarian for the unkindest, or is it
the kindest, cut of all.
Good Ol’ Dogs …
It may be true that you can’t teach an old dog new
tricks but there are certainly a number of smart moves
and valuable life lessons that young apprentices and
struggling jockeys can learn from those wily old professionals who’ve reached the top of their game.
If you can cast your mind back to the early years of
the careers of jockeys Kevin Shea and Sean Cormack
you’ll agree that there wasn’t a great show of raw talent or any real hint of the status that they’d eventually achieve as top-flight riders. They’ve worked hard
to get where they are today and are to be admired
for their fortitude, resilience and determination to
succeed.
During our recent Cape Summer Festival of Racing,
both Shea and Cormack gave masterful displays of
riding on many occasions, often showing that balanced and vigorous riding accomplishes far more
than odious whip use.
The spirited Shea and the clean-cut, well-spoken Cormack are indeed an example and an inspiration to a
new generation of riders. Both men overcame setbacks and disappointments, worked hard at honing
their riding skills and their knowledge of race-riding.
In so doing they gained the necessary confidence to
compete successfully at the highest level.
Every dog has his day, and it may come that much
sooner for those riders who take heart from the experiences and achievements of these two “good ol’
dogs”, Shea and Cormack.
Why do you walk so funny …
Seriously, I have no doubt that if I’d been born a thoroughbred horse I’d have been euthanized at birth.
Co-incidentally, so too my fine young assistant, Bongamusa.
You see, both of us have wicked conformation. We
have legs that are so out of alignment that not even
a team of the world’s finest orthopaedic surgeons
could ever straighten them successfully. Not only do
we splay outwards markedly from the knee, but we
are also so “back at the knee” that it’s a bleedin’ miracle that we are as sound and as mobile as we are.
Mention of our defects is not to amuse you or to elicit a measure of sympathy; but to remind you of the
value of sound conformation when you purchase any
yearling intended for racing. If you don’t know what
to look out for, seek the advice of an expert.
Fortunately for those of you going to the National
Sales at the end of April, and other major sales, the
yearlings you’ll find on offer have met strict criteria to
gain entry into the relevant catalogues. This means
that, conformation-wise, you shouldn’t end up with
a dud like Bongamusa or myself.
Lambs to the Slaughter …
A Judas goat was a trained goat once used extensively in animal herding. At ease with sheep and other
livestock, it frequently betrayed their trust by leading
them to the slaughterhouse. For those punters gullible enough to deem them infallible, media tipsters
are the Judas goats of racing.
The well-intentioned selections of racing pundits and
Tellytrack presenters are meant as a guide, a spur to
one’s intellect and as an invitation to look more closely at runners that one, perhaps, had not even considered as having any sort of a chance.
Speaking on the very last offering of “Winning Ways”
for 2013, champion trainer Mike De Kock warned of
the danger of “information overload”. Knowing too
much is often to the detriment of one’s punting.
Study form seriously, take note of significant things
that may have affected a horse’s chances in its previous runs and get to know when, and when not, to
wager. That appears to be the gist of Mike’s advice to
those who play the horses.
Personally, I have found that when I try too hard to
structure a winning bet, often spending way too
much, I invariably come unstuck. However, when I
do my homework, “lighten up” and then allow my
intuition to come to the fore, I’m often successful.
Don’t let extravagant gambling sour you to horseracing. Spend what you can afford, have fun and enjoy
the highs and lows, bearing in mind the cautionary
line from a whimsical poem by the late English storyteller, Roald Dahl. “Gambling is a sin, if you don’t
win.”
PARADE MAGAZINE
95
FEATURE
HORSING WITH HENNESSEY
Cut
The (Un)kindest
of all
One of the ‘Old Dogs’
Kevin Shea.
A
ll men wince at the mere thought of a blow
to the crotch. Italian, Alessandro Moreschi,
born in 1858 and pictured below, experienced
a great deal worse. He got to know first-hand what
castration was all about when he surrendered his testicles to join the ranks of an elite, pampered group
of falsetto-soprano and contralto singers known as
“the castrati”. In fact, he is remembered as the last
castrato and the only one to have made a solo sound
recording.
Now kept in a museum, a castratori, was used to
castrate young boys on the threshold of adolescence
to ensure that they retained their high-pitched voices.
Castration or emasculation is the name by which the
neutering procedure in males is commonly known.
However, when the operation is performed on male
horses and donkeys it is referred to as gelding.
More than three thousand years ago, the Scythians,
reputed to be the first people to have gelded their
horses, noticed how castration wrought a personality
change in many of their fiery entires, making them
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PARADE MAGAZINE
willing and responsive when ridden into battle. Also,
their geldings were less vocal and did not snicker or
neigh when they neared an enemy encampment,
enabling the mounted troops to pull-off a successful
ambush.
Although it does not enable horses to neigh more
sweetly, gelding frequently makes them a lot more
tractable, easier to train, more focussed on galloping and amenable to a life in a paddock with other
horses. The first three benefits are of particular value
to racehorse trainers, while the last is of paramount
importance when a horse is retired from competition
and taken to board at a livery yard.
Furthermore, gelding is a procedure that can halt the
undesirable development of excessive frontal heaviness - a bad thing for the precious forelegs of a horse.
It’s also believed to relieve a condition known as
haemo-concentration - an increase in blood viscosity
(a lovely word) - which has an adverse effect on a
racehorse’s ability to win races.
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