International Racehorse Magazine June 2013 by SilverMane Media

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Forever in the quest of perfection

CAPTAIN AL

COUNT DUBOIS

. . . t n e Pres

DYNASTY

PHILANTHROPIST

Please visit our website and test the mating of your mare to any of our stallions on G1 Goldmine. www.freemanstallions.co.za

TRIPPI

Our dedicated team of professionals have many years of collective experience as specialist managers of client racing and breeding portfolios. Publishers of the SA Turf Directory - 28th edition in 2013. Find your contacts online: www.saturfdirectory.co.za

TesioPower

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Searching for tomorrow’s Champions

ARGONAUT

GIMMETHEGREENLIGHT

JAY PEG

KING’S APOSTLE

PATHFORK

REBEL KING

e r u t u F d n

TWICE OVER

WHAT A WINTER

s e r i S n o i p m a Ch

www.freemanstallions.co.za PO Box 26, Sea Point, RSA, 8060 Tel: +27 (0)21 418 0566 • Fax: +27 (0)21 418 0254 • Cell: +27 (0)82 777 8117 www.johnfreeman.co.za INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE• June 2013 3john@johnfreeman.co.za facebook.com/freeman.stallions twitter.com/freemanstallion

photo: tracyrobertson.co.za

Equus Outstanding Sire Four Equus Awards incl Horse of the Year 2010 - his 1st crop 2013 A Leading Sire by AEPR & Stakes Winners 2012 & 2013 Leading Sire in the sales ring STANDS AT HIGHLANDS FARM STUD: MIKE SHARKEY C: +27 (0)82 372 2682 | T: +27 (0)23 626 2331/2 F: +27 (0)23 626 3442 | E: highstud@iafrica.com | W: www.highlandsfarmstud.co.za

ALL ENQUIRIES & BOOKINGS TO: JOHN FREEMAN

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

T: +27 (0)21 418 0566 | F: +27 (0)21 418 0254 | A: P O Box 26, Sea Point, South Africa 8060

E: john@johnfreeman.co.za | W: www.freemanstallions.co.za

photo: tracyrobertson.co.za

PATHFORK (USA)

Undefeated 2yo Gr1 Winner Champion Irish 2yo Highest rated 2yo in Ireland 2010 STANDS AT HIGHLANDS FARM STUD: MIKE SHARKEY C: +27 (0)82 372 2682 | T: +27 (0)23 626 2331/2 F: +27 (0)23 626 3442 | E: highstud@iafrica.com | W: www.highlandsfarmstud.co.za

ALL ENQUIRIES & BOOKINGS TO: JOHN FREEMAN

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

T: +27 (0)21 418 0566 | F: +27 (0)21 418 0254 | A: P O Box 26, Sea Point, South Africa 8060

E: john@johnfreeman.co.za | W: www.freemanstallions.co.za

CONTENTS June 2013

REGULARS 6 8 12 72

Advertisers List Letter from the Editor Cover Story - Klawervlei Liesl King Breeders Notebook: Trust Johan Dreyer

LIFESTYLE 34 40 43

Artist Feature - Sean McMahon Fashion Essentials Oh My Hat!

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

THIS ISSUE 18

Records in the Sand - Dubai World Cup Liesl King 26 Tradition Trumps the 2013 Kentucky Derby Bunny Hinzman 43 79 Entires for 2013 Vodacom Durban July Gold Circle 52 Animal Kingdom conquers Dubai World Cup Liesl King 58 Hear the Word in KZN Sarah Whitelaw 64 Hong Kongs Finest Ash Maharaj 77 The King of KZN - Kahal Candiese Marnewick 84 On Your Marks, Get Set, Bet! Gold Circle 82 Success in the face of adversity - The Tiger Dance Story Druk My Niet 90 Dawn Aproach on the Horizon Bunny Hinzman 96 Champions Never Lie Down - Black Caviar Liesl King 104 The Legacy of Sadlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wells - The Stallion Mark Tarry

CONTENTS June 2013

THE TEAM

114 THIS ISSUE 111 114 121 126

Mauritzfontein, The Oppenheimer Empire Nicole de Villiers South Africans taking Hong Kong by storm Liesl King World Class Over for Klawervlei Sarah Whitelaw Group 1 First Season Sires from KZN Candiese Marnewick

Johan Blom Chief Executive Officer

Pieter Hugo Managing Director

Marie Chin Advertising Executive

Marguerite le Roux Senior Designer

Liesl King Journalist

Bunny Hinzman Journalist

Suzie Oldham Photographer

Nicole De Villiers Features & Advertising

Gasnat Jaffer Office Manager

COVER Horse Twice Over Owned By Klawervlei Stud Photo By Mark Cranham Background Photo By Wayne Marks

PHOTOGRAPHERS Jeremy Nelson, John Lewis, Andrew Watkins, Wayne Marks, Mark Cranham, Amy Lanigan, T Jones, Ash Maharaj, EquiSport Photos, Gallo Images, Liesl

Orders & Invoicing:

Advertising: Design: Editorials:

www.silvermane .co.za

Find us on Facebook.

Johan Blom johan@silvermane.co.za (0027) 83 324 3709 Pieter Hugo pieter@silvermane.co.za (001) 502 321 8305 Suzie Oldham suzie@international-racehorse.com (001) 859 621 4236 Marguerite le Roux mleroux@silvermane.co.za (0027) 82 773 9123

Marie Chin marie@silvermane.co.za (0027) 82 497 4475 Nicole de Villiers ncldevilliers@yahoo.com (0027) 79 056 8550 Gasnat Jaffer gasnat@showhorse.co.za PO Box 7872, Hout Bay 7806, South Africa Tel: (0027) 21 790 1983 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax: (0027) 21 790 8047

King, Thoroughbred Photography Ltd, Nicole De Villiers, Greg Beadle, Tom Ferry, JC Photography, Adam Coglianese, Leslie Martin, www.godolphin.com, Gold Circle, Candiese Marnewick

www.interna tional-racehorse .com Published by: SilverMane Media www.silvermane.co.za

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

JOIN THE

LIFESTYLE ADVERTISERS Airey Scott 119 Argonaut 83 Avontuur 75 Bush Hill Stud 81 Byword 59 Druk My Niet / David Allan Bloodlines 63 Dynasty 2 Epol 9 Fair Aviation 60 Far End Farms 76 Freeman Stallions 1 Furla OBC Gimmethegreenlight (Aus) 89 Greys Inn (USA) 70 Highlands Stud 16 Horse Dentist 62 Judpot (USA) 109 Kapstadt International 102 Klawervlei Stallions 10 Klipdrif Stud 125 Kuda 95 KZN Breeders (TBA) 55 Lammerskraal Stud 56 M2 Transport IBC Maine Chance Farm 47 Marshalls World of Sport 7 Pathfork (USA) 3 Philanthropist (USA) 31 Steenberg 43 The Racing Association 101 Tiger Ridge 23 Trippi (USA) RACE HORSE March 2013 32 128 INTERNATIONAL What a Winter (SAF) RACE HORSE June 201333 INTERNATIONAL 8

SUBSCRIBE ONLINE www.international-racehorse.com

OR E-MAIL info@silvermane.co.za

www.worldofsport.co.za

telebet: 08600 77678

www.mwos.mobi

MORE WAYS TO PLAY EVERY DAY. At Marshalls, we offer the most competitive odds on all major sports. In fact, as South Africa’s leading bookmaker, we have the widest range of betting opportunities which means you’ve got more ways to win than ever before. So go on. Get in on the action. Who knows? You might get lucky.

EASTERN CAPE: GOVAN MBEKI, GREENACRES, HUNTERS RETREAT, UITENHAGE. GAUTENG: CENTURION. KWAZULU-NATAL: AMANZIMTOTI, BALLITO, BRITTANIA, ISIPINGO, KLOOF, MARBURG, PORT SHEPSTONE, SARNIA, TONGAAT, UMHLANGA, VERULAM. WESTERN CAPE: ATHLONE, ATLANTIS, BELHAR AIRPORT, BELLVILLE, BELLVILLE 1 (DURBAN ROAD), GORDON’S BAY, GORDON’S BAY (BAY CENTRE), CAPE TOWN CBD (HOPE STREET), KENILWORTH RACECOURSE, KUILS RIVER (RIVER BAR), KUILS RIVER 1 (RIVER PARK), MAITLAND (KENSINGTON), MOWBRAY, PARKLANDS, PAROW VALLEY, RETREAT, ROCKLANDS, ROELAND SQUARE, STELLENBOSCH, WOODSTOCK.

YOU’RE BETTER OFF WITH A MARSHALLS BET.

5321

MARSHALLS WORLD OF SPORT SUPPORTS RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING. NO PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS ARE PERMITTED TO GAMBLE.FEASIBLE SOLUTIONS 38 cc TRADING AS MARSHALLS WORLD OF SPORT IS LICENSED BY THE GAUTENG GAMBLING BOARD AND THE WESTERN CAPE GAMBLING AND RACING BOARD. J A MARSHALL, S H MARSHALL, S C MARSHALL, D J MARSHALL AND B A BOWMAN TRADING AS MARSHALLS WORLD OF SPORT ARE LICENSED BY THE KWAZULU-NATAL BOARD. EBETSRACE (PTY)HORSE LTD TRADING AS MARSHALLS WORLD OF SPORT IS LICENSED BY THE EASTERN CAPE GAMBLING AND BETTING BOARD. INTERNATIONAL June 2013 9GAMBLING NATIONAL RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING PROGRAMME TOLL-FREE COUNSELLING LINE: 0800 006 008. WINNERS KNOW WHEN TO STOP.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to another edition of the International Racehorse Magazine. This fourth edition marks the one year anniversary of the magazine. As they say, time flies when you are having fun. In this issue we have great features from around the world from the Dubai World Cup to the Kentucky Derby. The International Racehorse Magazine always strives to find the beauty of racing around the world and present it to you, our readers in the best possible way. In the International Racehorse Stables are the Glossy Quarterly Magazine, The Racehorse Bl@st - E-Mailing service and the Social Media Platforms like Facebook and Twitter. We recently reached 23 000 followers and are still growing rapidly. Also new is the “At the Track” feature on the www.international-racehorse.com website. Follow news from around the world, right at turf level. So as we batten down the hatches here in Cape Town, South Africa, awaiting a wet winter, I hope you will find something of interest within these pages to warm your heart. We take a look at some of the extraordinary successes during the Dubai World Cup from the magnificent Mayden Race course on page 18. We visit a muddy Kentucky Derby where wet conditions did not prevent a hundred and fifty thousand people for coming out to behold this incredible spectacle on page 26. Ash Maharaj travels to Hong Kong and visits the I am so glad I was approached by Nicole de Hong Kong jockey club, as part of a special feature on Villiers for an interview and an opportunity page 64. Artist Features, beautiful studs and much to advertise in the first issue of the more. Special mention to Black Caviar on page 96 a International Racehorse Magazine, with all legend in her own time. my travelling I may not have been aware of the magazine. We build up to the Vodacom Durban July, for what promises to be not just a great race, but one of the I have followed all the subsequent magazines biggest social events on the South African Racing and found it to improve with each issue. It Calendar, read more on page 43. For those new is an attractive and informative magazine which is a wonderful show case for the Race to the racing industry, get the low down on betting horse industry and in the current financial terminology and structures on page 84. As the warning climate it is great to have this quality goes “winners know when to stop”, keep these words magazine to promote the industry I love! close but have fun. A great way to get the adrenaline pumping if you are stuck on this side of the fence. I look forward to the next publication and wish you every success with the magazine. So see you around the track, as always, we would like to hear from you, any feedback good or bad please send GARY PLAYER to me at johan@silvermane.co.za.

Copyright for all original published material is vested in SilverMane Media and may be reproduced only with the permission of the Editor. All opinions expressed in the articles appearing in SilverMane Media are those of the authors and are not necessarily subscribed to by the editorial staff of SilverMane Media. Authors of articles are compelled to acknowledge all sources of information (if any) used in the compiling of articles and are therefore liable for copyright transgressions. SilverMane Media accepts no responsibility claims made in the advertisements and will not be held liable for any damage resulting from the use of any of the information published in SilverMane Media. INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE forJune 2013 10

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

S t a l l i o n s

K l a w e r v l e i 12

Captain Al

(SAF)

AL MUFTI (USA) - OFF TO WAR BY COMPLETE WARRIOR (USA) Equus Outstanding Sire. Champion Sire of 2-y-o’s for 4 consecutive seasons. Current Leading Sire of 2-y-o’s. Sire of CAPTAIN OF ALL (2013 TSOGO SUN MEDALLION G1). 2013 STUD FEE: R120,000

Count Dubois

(GB)

ZAFONIC - MADAME DUBOIS BY LEGEND OF FRANCE Equus Outstanding Sire; Champion Sire of 2-y-o 2005/06. Best progeny include: ZAITOON (G1), ASYLUM SEEKER (Equus Champion, G1), ZEENO (G1), BIARRITZ (G1p), UP FRONT (G1p), COUNTLESS TIMES (G2), COUNTESS CORLIA (G3), STATE CROWN (G3), ETHICS (G3), FAIR ROSALIND (G3), SUCCESS COUNTS (G3), KINEMATIC COUNTESS (G3), etc. 2013 STUD FEE: R20,000

Curved Ball

(AUS)

FASTNET ROCK - CURVACEOUS BY ZABEEL Miler - winner of 3 races 1400-1800m incl Dingaans G2. By FASTNET ROCK - Champion sire Australia 2011/12. Champion 3-y-o Colt and Champion Sprinter Australia 2004/05. Sire of 12 individual G1 winners from his first 4 crops. Dam by ZABEEL - 2 x Champion Australian Sire and 4 x Champion New Zealand Sire. 2013 STUD FEE: R8,000

Dan de Lago

(AUS)

ESCOSTA DE LAGO - THE GOLDEN DANE BY DANEHILL 5 wins in SA, 1400-2400m, at 3 - 4 (MR 111). By ENCOSTA DE LAGO - Australian Champion Sire 2007/08, 2008/09, runner-up 4 times. Sire of 20 individual G1 winners to date. Dam, THE GOLDEN DANE - 2nd Flight S G1; 4th VRC Oaks G1 - by DANEHILL - one of the best sires & sire of sires the World has ever known. 2013 STUD FEE: R8,000

Dupont

(GB)

ZAFONIC - JUNE MOON BY SADLER’S WELLS Won Italian 2000 Guineas G2, German 2000 Guineas G2. TFR 115+. Best progeny include: LADY MAGPIE (G3), MAGICO (G3, G1p), DEPARDIEU (G3, G2p), CE LOIRE, C MAJOR (G3p), MONSIEUR DUPONT, DOUBLE NELSON, DUE AND PAYABLE, DIANE DE POITIERS, SYCO’S STAR, CHABLIS, PENTHOUSE, etc. 2013 STUD FEE: R5,000

Jay Peg

(SAF)

CAMDEN PARK - LAPTOP LADY BY AL MUFTI Equus Champion 3-y-o Male, Equus Outstanding International Performer. Won 4 G1 races (3 in record time) on 3 continents - earned over R40 million. TFR 126. A leading first season sire - best 2-y-o progeny incl: FLASH DRIVE (G3), OLYMPIC OWEN (G3). 2013 yearling average: R168,043. Sold up to R1,150,000. 2013 STUD FEE: R30,000

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013 BACKGROUND PHOTO: CAPTAIN OF ALL (Captain Al) winning TSOGO SUN MEDALLION G1 for 2-y-o’s on 25th May 2013 | bred by RIVERTON STUD

(IRE)

KING’S BEST - POLITESSE BY BARATHEA Won 7 races incl Prix Maurice de Gheest G1 (Deauville), Diadem Stakes G2 (Royal Ascot). TFR 121. By KING’S BEST - Timeform’s Champion Miler (TFR 132). Dam - from a family of Champions. His NYS yearlings averaged R170,000. 2013 STUD FEE: R15,000

Oracy

(NZ)

ZABEEL - LADY DEHERE BY DEHERE Sprinter/Miler - winner of 7 races 1450-1800m incl Dingaans G2 and Gauteng Guineas G2. Unbeaten in his first 5 starts. By ZABEEL - 2 x Champion Australian Sire and 4 x Champion New Zealand Sire, 2 x Champion Broodmare Sire. 15 x winner of the Dewar Stallion Trophy. 2013 yearling average: R132,727. Sold up to R400,000. 2013 STUD FEE: R10,000

rebel King

(SAF)

NATIONAL EMBLEM - COUSIN LINDA BY BADGER LAND 2009 Equus Champion Sprinter. Won Cape Flying Championship G1. First Season Sire - best 2-y-o progeny to date: LETAS BONNET - 2nd SUMMER JUVENILE S L. 2013 yearling average: R152,368. Sold up to R325,000. 2013 STUD FEE: R10,000

Seventh Rock

(AUS)

ROCK OF GIBRALTAR - RUBY CLIPPER BY RUBITON G1 winning sprinter. Won Gold Reef Resorts Medallion G1 By ROCK OF GIBRALTAR - European Horse of the Year 2002 Dam - RUBY CLIPPER (NZ) was South African Champion 2-y-o Filly 1998 and Champion Sprinter 2000. 2013 yearling average: R250,875. Sold up to R1,200,000. 2013 STUD FEE: R20,000

NEW

Twice Over

(GB)

OBSERVATORY - DOUBLE CROSSED BY CAERLEON Won 12 races, £2,526,584 ($3,819,338). Won 4 x G1 races in England incl CHAMPION STAKES G1 (twice), CORAL-ECLIPSE G1, JUDDMONTE INTERNATIONAL STAKES G1. Placed in 8 G1 races incl 3rd Breeders Cup Classic G1, 2¼ lengths behind Zenyatta. Timeform 128. A son of World Champion Miler, OBSERVATORY. 2013 STUD FEE: R80,000

Warm White Night

(SAF)

WESTERN WINTER - THOUSAND NIGHTS BY FOVEROS Winner of 7 races, R1,600,075 incl Gold Reef Resorts Medallion G1, Cape Flying Championship G1. By multiple Champion Sire, WESTERN WINTER. Dam, THOUSAND NIGHTS, won 8 races. She has produced a Champion, 3 G1 horses and 5 stakes horses. 2013 STUD FEE: R15,000

2 0 1 3

King’s Apostle

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Klawervlei

By Liesl King / Photos by Wayne Marks

Moving full steam ahead. Klawervlei is a name synonymous with the breeding of top racehorses in South Africa, but the stud farm that nestles on the banks of the Breede River is so much more. Not content to be known just as a top stallion station and breeder of champions, managing director John Koster and Klawervlei â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s investors set about developing plans for the stud farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

nd no, it is not all about expensive buildings and perfectly manicured lawns. Their vision is one of developing the stud into a vertically integrated model where everything from getting the mare pregnant to pre-training the resultant yearling can be accomplished. Plans, however, are one thing, reality another. Koster however, is not known as one who sits on his laurels and already some exciting changes have taken place at Klawervlei. A new pre training complex has been built on the high ground overlooking the farm. Consisting of barns, horsewalkers, a treadmill and a 850m sand track on a perfect incline, it is designed for the pre-training of yearlings as well as the rehabilitation of injured racehorses. Future plans include an aqua trainer and a possible expansion of the sand track to 1000m. A grass track is also a future prospect once the venture is up and running. Trainers, fortunate enough to have had a sneak preview, were very complimentary, adding that thought and careful planning had clearly gone into the layout and design. Alongside the pre-training unit, large dry veld camps have been established. Koster hails from generations of horse breeders who plied their trade in the harsh plains and mountains of the Karoo. There grazing was sparse, the ground hard and temperatures plummeted in the winter months, yet a legion of tough hardy champions hailed from those very conditions. 15

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

In the lush green pastures, the mare band hovers around the 200 strong mark, with about 80 boarders in residence.

On the high limestone ground alongside the pre-training unit, Koster is emulating those harsh Karoo conditions so necessary for the development of strong bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles. Koster explains: “It is a tough place to raise weanlings in. The camps are huge and the grazing sparse. From where they are fed, it is a long way uphill to the water troughs. In order to develop strong bones and ligaments, weanlings need to have wide, open spaces in which to play and run. Natural exercise is always the best and up here, we can provide that.” Another new addition to Klawervlei is the foaling unit at Vaanrightsdrift on the Sonderend River. Recently purchased, the farm has never had horses on it, an extremely valuable commodity when dealing with young stock as soil can often carry diseases. A foaling barn has been constructed and the complex and pastures will function as a complete standalone unit. It serves as a nursery for the young foals. An addition of a sick bay, quarantined away from the main horse area, assists with recovery of sick foals without endangering the main herd. A State registered Pregnant Mare Quarantine facility has also been built and can accommodate up to 6 pregnant mares. 16

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

In turning their attention to pre-training, Klawervlei has however not neglected their stallion unit down on the banks of the Breede River. Here 10 stallions currently reside, with UK and European champion Twice Over(GB) recently having joined the likes of Captain Al, King’s Apostle(IRE), Seventh Rock(AUS), Rebel King , Warm White Night, Oracy, Count duBois, Dupont and Jay Peg. Dan de Lago resides at the Alchemy and Curved Ball at Bush Hill in KZN. While the improvement of our local bloodlines through international genes is foremost on their minds, the Klawervlei team have never shied away from standing local stallions. Captain Al, a Koster homebred has richly rewarded this belief in the quality of our local bloodstock and new freshman sires Jay Peg and Rebel King are others who’s babies are setting the tracks alight. Recently deceased stalwart National Emblem was also a “home bred hero”. In the lush green pastures, the mare band hovers around the 200 strong mark, with about 80 boarders in residence. Always keen to improve their stock, Koster and his team regularly visit all the major sales around the world. In foal mares

National Emblem Barn

are purchased, foaled down and then covered Southern Hemisphere time before being exported to South Africa. This initiative not only benefits their own broodmare band, but also local buyers as the resultant babies are offered for sale. Hence, Klawervleiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2014 sales draft will include three yearlings by American Champion sire Distorted Humor(USA) and a Speightstown colt out of top class mares by Storm Cat, A P Indy and Sadlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wells. Another initiative, the Klawervlei Farm Sale, which has only been going two years, soared to new heights recently, with 2012 graduate Captain Of All, winning the Group 1 Tsogo Sun Medallion at Scottsville on the 25th of May. The next sale is on the 14th of July and is a date to mark in the calendar. Klawervlei has been at the forefront of the education and upliftment of the stud grooms and was one of the first studs to buy into the DTI funded Grooms Cooperative Schemes. This initiative they have expanded and built on. Not only have they upgraded their staff housing significantly, but they have also divided the staff into teams and given them far more 17

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

responsibility. Each team is in charge of a unit and together with a team leader, they are wholly responsible for looking after the pastures, irrigation, its stock and the surrounding area. Hard work and achievements by the various teams are rewarded at a yearly prize giving ceremony. This has enabled staff on the farm to feel that they are not just working for, but also part of the success of Klawervlei. Many are involved in the Grooms Cooperatives and some have even saved up and purchased their own weanlings for resale. In an environment, where strikes and labour discord is so often the norm it is refreshing to see a farm where staff and management not only work together towards a common goal, but where the staff, are also owners of that goal. The future for Klawervlei looks very exciting, current stars Pomodoro and Variety Club, will hopefully one day grace the beautiful stallion barns and once the pre- training is in full swing, we are sure to see many a champion emerge from the hills above Klawervlei.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

t was a day of records. Records of all kinds really. It started with a clear day, not a grain of sand in the sky, an unusual occurrence for a desert city like Dubai. Rain is another unheard of phenomenon in the city built on sand, but Soft Falling Rain (SAF) left no doubt as to his extraordinary talent when he captured the Group 2 Godolphin Mile. Not only did the handsome colt remain unbeaten, he also became the first three-year-old to win the Godolphin Mile.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Records Text and Images by Liesl King

in the sand

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013 Photo Courtesy of Maydan Racecourse 21

Mike de Kock had said that it would take a superstar, to beat the older horses and that he wasn’t sure if Soft Falling Rain was up to the task. De Kock’s preference being some six or seven furlong contests at Royal Ascot in June. The colt however, won convincingly and De Kock can now look forward to dusting of his top hat and tails. Jockey Paul Hanagan was equally delighted, ranking it as one of his best wins ever. Track records also tumbled, with the speedy Shea Shea(SAF) breaking the track record that he had set when winning the Listed Meydan Sprint as he scorched to a blistering 56.41 seconds in the first of the Group 1’s the Al Quoz Sprint. Shortly on his heels came Godolphin’s new revelation Sajjhaa (GB), who smashed her own course record in the Dubai Duty Free. The six-year-old mare has dominated the Carnival with three superb wins and her victory in the Duty Free came as no surprise. Her erstwhile trainer Michael Jarvis thought so highly of her that he had entered her in the Oaks for her second start. With De Kock collecting two trophies on the night, the Aidan O’ Brien show steadied the trophy shipment to South Africa, when Lines Of Battle(USA) scored convincingly in the Group 2 UAE Derby under Ryan Moore.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Not to be outdone, son Joseph, rode a copy book race on the magnificent St Nicholas Abbey (IRE), setting the record straight after finishing second last year. St Nicholas Abbey loves fast ground, something he hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen for a while as the UK suffered one of their wettest summers last year. So the fast Meydan turf was just up his alley and after toying with the Japanese superstar 23

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Gentildonna, he strode away to finish in solitary splendour, casually breaking the third course record of the night. Yet despite records being broken left right and centre, the night really belonged to one horse and one horse only. He had dominated trackwork all week and kept the media busy, so much so that trainer Graham Motion can probably do interviews in his sleep by now. The horse that almost came in 2012, was finally here in 2013. June 2013 INTERNATIONAL RACEHORSE

He was at home on any surface and boasted a turn of foot that could get him out of almost any situation. He was the darling of the photographers, the enemy of the other 12 runners and he was here to reclaim a record that had for so long belonged to the USA. He was Animal Kingdom. Long before the start of the World Cup, as the horses circled the parade, his calmness impressed. The parade ring was packed to the hilt, making it almost impossible to see the circling horses. Yet high above the melee a chestnut head with pricked ears stood out. Calmly surveying his surroundings with that look of eagles, Animal Kingdom was ready for business. His wide barrier draw has caused concern, but as Royal Delta led the field down the back straight, there was Animal Kingdom right at her side. When Royal Delta cried enough, Animal Kingdom simply strode on by. Gentildonna tried her best, but was no match for Animal Kingdom in such devastating form. The only challenge coming from the gallant Red Cadeaux, who chased hard, but did not have the turn of foot to catch the leader. The official margin was two lengths, but those watching in the stands knew to a man that had anything come at the chestnut powerhouse, he would simply have wound it up another notch. There was going to be no other winner today. It was a night of records, a night of great horses, a night where a chestnut colt cruised to victory in the desert, collecting a cool $6 million dollars on the way and proving for once and for all that he is all he was made out to be.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

TRADITION By Bunny Hinzman

TRUMPS

THE 2013 KENTUCKY DERBY

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

nder threatening skies a crowd of over 150,000 people sing,“The sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home.” Unique to any other event on earth, spectators from the world over are instantaneously transformed into a single origin. This melancholy melody turns all into native Kentuckians; the tradition a classic moment preceding “the fastest two minutes in sports.” – The Kentucky Derby!

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Photo Credit EquiSport Photos

June 2013 INTERNATIONAL RACEHORSE

For two weeks before the iconic Run for the Roses, the city of Louisville is consumed by the Derby Festival. Daytime skies are colored with hot-air balloons; nighttime skies are filled by the largest fireworks display in North America, a spectacle to behold. The Pegasus Parade floods streets with festooned floats, and, in one of the final and most popular pre-Derby events, the Belle of Cincinnati challenges the Belle of Louisville in the Great Steamboat Race on the Ohio River. All of these events celebrate the running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI). Well over a century ago, this race laid the foundation of organized racing in America, tracing its own pedigree to one of Europe’s greatest races for three year olds - the Epsom Derby. Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr. built the Kentucky Derby’s host track, Churchill Downs, in the late 1800’s on land he leased from his relatives, John and Henry Churchill, and the track held the first Kentucky Derby on May 17, 1875 before a crowd of 10,000. A sunny Friday was the immediate prelude to this year’s highly anticipated Kentucky Derby. On the day of the Kentucky Oaks, the fillies’ Derby equivalent, Churchill Downs was a blushing pink garden of hats and banners. The Ladies’ Day festivities featured the track’s annual Breast Cancer Survivor Parade, where heroic women walked arm-in-arm, an inspiration to all in attendance. Racegoers donned their best pink attire and sipped Chilled Lilies, admiring the grand efforts from horses such as 1 ¾ length winner, Noble Tune, and the Royal Ascot prospect, War Dancer, in the American Turf Stakes (GII). In the Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI), Princess of Sylmar’s thrilling ½ length win over Beholder capped the day with memorable excitement. The favored Dreaming of Julia was jostled at the break and finished fourth, leaving last year’s Eclipse Award Champion Juvenile Filly, Beholder, with a lead down the stretch. Beholder’s win, however, was not so certain, and the 39-1 shot Princess of Sylmar with Mike Smith aboard rushed up late to win the blanket of lilies. Despite the rain on Derby day, the crowd arrived early for some excellent undercard racing. On the grass, Stephanie’s Kitten won her seasonal debut in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes presented by Longines (GII) by a neck over Hungry Island. Later that afternoon, the yielding course couldn’t hamper Wise Dan who won the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (GI). The brawny red 2012 Horse of the Year raced comfortably in third behind Silver Max and Optimizer; all that was required for him to pass his rivals was some mild urging from rider Jose Lezcano. Wise Dan rolled by the two leaders to win the final race before the Derby by 4 ¾ lengths. These thrilling races built up to what was a hotly contested 139th Run for the Roses. The eventual Kentucky Derby winner, Orb, was declared the morning line favorite upon the race’s post draw. The track’s oddsmaker, Mike Battaglia, established the previously unbeaten Wood Memorial Stakes (GI) winner Verrazano as the second favorite at 4-1, and the Californian star Goldencents as the 4-1 third choice. WinStar Farm, owner and breeder of 2010’s Derby champion Super Saver, was represented by the 6-1 chance Revolutionary, who would pair with the recent Hall of Fame inductee and three-time Derby30

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Wise Dan won the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard

Lines of Battle and Ryan Moore in the Kentucky Derby post parade

winning jockey Calvin Borel for their maiden voyage together. From the fifth gate, the consistent Wood Memorial runner-up Normandy Invasion at 9-1 carried the colors of Rick Porter from the fifth stall – eerily the same gate of his ill-fated 2008 Kentucky Derby runner-up Eight Belles. UAE Derby (GI) winner, Lines of Battle, and rider Ryan Moore, was the only international contender, and represented Ireland for the Coolmore Stud syndicate and Joseph Allen. After the post draw, TJ Comerford, assistant trainer to Aidan O’Brien, said, “Aidan tries to have a go every year. Every horse we’ve brought here has won the same race in Dubai. Aidan would like to win it because it’s a major race, one of the biggest races. It’s not easy - we’ve come out here most than most and we’ve tried. God loves a trier!” Lines of Battle’s strong Derby bid was actually jockey Ryan Moore’s first Run for the Roses. One of the most esteemed riders internationally, Moore wrote in his column on Betfair’s website, “I can honestly say that the Kentucky Derby at the weekend was the best day’s racing I have ever experienced; it was different class, on another level to what I have seen, or been involved in, anywhere else around the globe. They say that the Melbourne Cup is the race that stops a nation, and it’s obviously a very big deal in Australia, but this was something else I can assure you. No comparison at all…I have been lucky enough to ride in many top races around the globe - in real racing hotbeds like Australia, Hong Kong and Japan but the sheer atmosphere and occasion around the Kentucky

Kentucky Oaks winner, Princess of Sylmar with Mike Smith aboard

Derby was staggering. Every single person in the town was just consumed by the racing.” This year’s Derby featured a unique demographic of jockeys, many of which were All-Stars. Stories of Rosie Napravnik, Kevin Krigger, and Gary Stevens headlined sport and national news. Napravnik looked to continue a hot streak of wins, thereby becoming the first female to win not only last year’s Kentucky Oaks on Believe You Can, but also this year’s Kentucky Derby on Mylute. An African-American jockey had not won the Derby since 1902, and Kevin Krigger was attempting to end the century-long drought atop Goldencents. The Hall of Fame and three-time Derby winning jockey Gary Stevens returned from retirement and was competing in the 2013 Kentucky Derby at 50 years old. The three media darlings had their work cut out for them. They were going against a deep field of Derby veterans and Hall of Fame riders Mike Smith, John Velazquez, Calvin Borel, and Edgar Prado. None were so formidable as Joel Rosario aboard Orb. Rosario had guided Animal Kingdom to a Dubai World Cup triumph, and was riding high off of a near sweep of Keeneland’s spring meet. Twice he won five races in one day and four on another, breaking Randy Romero’s record for the most wins in one of the track’s meets by six victories. The Kentucky Derby win topped a mountain of monumental accomplishments that all came within an unprecedented five-week period.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Rosario had given Orb an exceptional ride over the muddy Churchill Downs oval. He kept his mount removed from the scorching pace several paths wide on the highest-quality strip of the track. Orb started slowly from the sixteenth stall and travelled several paths inward. As they passed the twin spires for the first time, Rosario restrained him behind fifteen other mudslinging competitors. Orb maintained his position around the bend, covering ground with far-reaching strides. Palace Malice and jockey Mike Smith led the field by 3 ½ lengths through the early fractions: 22.57 for the opening quarter, a half in 45.33, and a blazing 1:09.80 for three-quarters of a mile. Verrazano, who sustained a cut to his hock later in the race, teamed up with Oxbow and established themselves as the field’s true leaders as Orb continued to stride comfortably at the back of the pack. On the far turn, Rosario made his decisive move on Orb, summoning an explosive turn of foot on the rain soaked course. Battered and caked with mud, Stuart Janney’s crisp red and white silks throttled into contention. Orb’s bid for the lead came simultaneously with the rail-skimming Calvin Borel on Revolutionary and the 34-1 longshot Golden Soul. Orb’s final hurdle, if any existed, was from Normandy Invasion, who gained the lead a quarter mile from the wire and caused the eventual winner to lose some ground when he drifted outward. However, the first Saturday in May belonged to Orb, who crossed the wire victorious by 2 ½ lengths with a time of 2:02.89. June 2013 INTERNATIONAL RACEHORSE

Orb & Joel Rosario retern victorious in the Kentucky Derby

Below Right: Left to right: Joel Rosario, Odgen Mill “Dinny” Phipps, and Claude “Shug” McGaughey during the trophy presentation

A Tightly Knit Circle

Orb follows in the tradition of a classic Kentucky Derby winner. Owners and breeders Stuart Janney III and Odgen Mill “Dinny” Phipps crossed their mare, Lady Liberty, to Malibu Moon and were rewarded with Orb. Like many legends before him, the pedigreed bay colt matured on the bluegrass pastures of the centenarian Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Ripe with potential, a fledging Orb was transferred to trainer Claude “Shug” McGaughey’s shedrow. This was the custom of traditional American Thoroughbred ownership passed down through generations, the heritage of the Stuart and Phipps family. Orb – whose fifth dam foaled the Janney family’s ill-fated Ruffian – is a product of that heritage; an idea that McGaughey emphasized,“The bottom line is this horse is all Stuart’s family’s pedigree, going back years and years to his mother and father. I think that makes it special to him, too, to have this horse he can enjoy that has come to him through the efforts of his mother and father years back.” Orb’s co-owner, Stuart Janney, inherited his interest in racing from his family. His grandmother, Gladys Mills Phipps, and her brother created Wheatley Stable and bred over 90 stakes winners and eleven champions such as Bold Ruler. Gladys Mills Phipps bred Seabiscuit and campaigned the colt under the Wheatley Stable name early in his career. Stuart Janney’s parents continued in the horse business. Though they owned many steeplechasers, they also owned Ruffian. Janney had always enjoyed going to the races with his family, but only got involved with the sport upon his parents’ death in the late 1980’s. “It was something I clearly would have wanted to do 20 years down the road, but not necessarily right then,” Janney said. “But I recognized that if I let it disperse, I would probably not pick it up again. I decided that even though it wasn’t the perfect time in my life to do it, I would.” His uncle, Odgen Phipps, offered to go into partnership with Janney on any of his purchases and connected him with Shug McGaughey. At his induction ceremony to the Hall of Fame, McGaughey stated, “My deepest debt of gratitude always has been and always will be to the Phipps family. My affiliation with the Phipps family is one of 32

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

the great highlights of my life. I wouldn’t be here without them.” The feeling was mutual. Before Orb’s Kentucky Derby run, Stuart Janney said, “One reason I’d like to win it is for Shug. He’s done a lot for me and my family and this would be a big deal for him to win it. Part of all this is wanting it to happen for him.” Now Janney owns about 80 racehorses, some of which he has in partnership with Eclipse Award of Merit recipient, Dinny Phipps. With his expanded stable, he has become increasingly more involved with other aspects of the sport as well. He acquired an interest in the breeding side of his family’s operation, saying, “I like watching every aspect of this game—I enjoy the breeding side just as much as I enjoy the racing. I probably get more satisfaction out of breeding a horse, watching it grow up, watching it accomplish something, and then seeing it go back as either a broodmare or stallion, than I do watching it race—that whole cycle intrigues me.” Consequently, Stuart Janney is today a vital figure in North American racing, having held the positions of Vice Chairman of The Jockey Club and a member of the Board of Trustees of the NYRA. He had previously been the chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) and Blood-Horse Publications. Speaking about his involvement in the industry, Janney stated, “Not only the business side, in terms of running a stable, but the larger issues that confront horseracing. I enjoy getting involved with those issues and seeing if we can make some progress.” Orb’s Kentucky Derby win rewarded not only his connections’ wise management but also their commitment to him and the greater tradition of the sport. The colt had a testing start to his racing career, but he was never forced into certain positions. Stuart Janney said, “A lot of people announce a schedule for their horses—usually in the winner’s circle. To me, that’s very appropriate if you’re in Formula One racing and you have a car, and a backup to the car in case that car doesn’t work. But it doesn’t make sense in racing…With the horse business, you have to be prepared for disappointments.” Regarding the Kentucky Derby in particular, he stated, “We have no interest in going just to be there and be the sixth choice. Clearly it’s an important race. People outside the sport – their only interest in horse racing is the Derby. I think that’s an unfortunate situation, but I understand it.”

Sire of a Champion in his first crop.

PHILANTHROPIST (USA) “Philanthropist has been a real standout. His 3.81 A Runner Index and 2.44 ABC Runner Index mark him as a leading sire not just in Ontario, but in all of North America, as does his 7.78% percentage of A Runners, a big gain for South Africa, no doubt about it.” - Bill Oppenheim

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013 www.freemanstallions.co.za

DRAKENSTEIN STUD, South Africa Ross Fuller • TEL: 00 27 (0) 21 874 9015 • MOBILE: 00 27 (0) 82 826 2127 EMAIL: ross@drakensteinstud.co.za • WEB: www.drakensteinstud.co.za

It’s what you would expect from a Champion Sire R3 million for a colt & R2,7 million for a filly

TRIPPI (USA) Champion Freshman Sire of 2011/12. 6 individual stakes winners - a record in South Africa AND Champion Sire in Florida.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013 www.freemanstallions.co.za

DRAKENSTEIN STUD, South Africa Ross Fuller • TEL: 00 27 (0) 21 874 9015 • MOBILE: 00 27 (0) 82 826 2127 EMAIL: ross@drakensteinstud.co.za • WEB: www.drakensteinstud.co.za

Winner of the Cape Flying Championship G1 (twice), Mercury Sprint G1 and now the Computerform Sprint G1 - enough said!

WHAT A WINTER (SAF) Equus Champion Sprinter 2012 Equus Champion Older Male 2012 Highveld Champion Sprinter 2013

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013 www.freemanstallions.co.za

DRAKENSTEIN STUD, South Africa Ross Fuller • TEL: 00 27 (0) 21 874 9015 • MOBILE: 00 27 (0) 82 826 2127 EMAIL: ross@drakensteinstud.co.za • WEB: www.drakensteinstud.co.za

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

The International Racehorse Magazine catches up with equine artist Sean McMahon in his home in Brentwood, Essex. Sean has captured some of the greats of racing from Brigadier Gerard to Frankel. He shares with us some of the characteristics his work has developed over time and some interesting adventures along the way. By Johan Blom

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

June 2013 INTERNATIONAL RACEHORSE

my elder brother and I used to ride on the backs of the cows on there way back to the fields from milking, my riding career never really progressed

cMahon begins,” I was born in 1954 and was brought up in a small village in Wiltshire England where I spent a great deal of my time on my uncles farm, there were no horses but my elder brother and I used to ride on the backs of the cows on their way back to the fields from milking, my riding career never really progressed”. Like a lot of artists of his time, McMahon unknowingly started developing his skill by copying cartoons from the various comics, so popular at the time. He says someone once mentioned that he was quite good at it, he pauses to chuckle and says “...they never said it about anything else I did, so my career was chosen.” His schooling took him in a slightly different direction at first, completing a three year graphic design course at Salisbury College of Art. It was on a visit to the local racecourse with a few friends that he first became hooked on horse racing. McMahon remembers, “We had the worst introduction to horseracing. By pure luck we backed several winners on the day. We foolishly thought this must be the easiest way to make money.” After that experience he started attending every race meeting, when questioned about his absence from lectures he explained his absence with a half truth, that he was merely doing sketches of the horses and jockeys. Much to his surprise these products of this half truth were scooped up by a local gallery and ended up paying for trips to Ascot, Bath, Newbury and Goodwood, where he was lucky enough to see the great Brigadier Gerard. McMahon recalls, “He was the best horse I ever saw until Frankel came along.”

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

When asked about when the idea of working in the racing environment as artist finally stuck, McMahon thinks for a moment and replies,” Actually my first racehorse commission was an ink and watercolour drawing for my local pub landlord of his horse, this had to be done without his wife finding out as she wasn’t aware he had shares in it, and he preferred it if she didn’t find out.” He goes on, “He always told us to back it when it ran, and would give us free drinks to apologise for the dodgy advise after it had lost, after the third time we stopped backing it but still accepted the free drink.” McMahon remembers at the time thinking this could be a brilliant way of earning a living and a good excuse to go racing. Unfortunately his other work which was pen and ink illustration was far better at the time, than his racing sketches, and when a certain gentleman’s magazine commissioned him to do illustrations, he decided that it was the best way to earn a living. This led to him illustrating for other magazines, newspapers,

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

television, and a few record covers. His style of work at the time was mostly pen and ink, until after a client asked him if he would like to try his hand at doing a painting of his horse in oils! The result turned out far better than he had expected, and eventually led to him painting the great Teleprompter. This artwork was bought by the late Lord Derby, a connection he continued when the current Lord Derby bought paintings of the wonderful Ouija board. In 1989 he moved in with his girlfriend in Brentwood, Essex and also secured the job as unpaid groom to Arthur, her 16 hand gelding and his two friends who shared a field with him. McMahon recalls, “ the owners of the other two horses only turned up at the weekends and on one occasion I forgot to put the clip on Arthur’s door bolt. Not only did he let himself out, but he went around letting all of the others out as well. Arthur, I’m sure was part hippopotamus because if there was any mud out there, he’d find it!”

June 2013 INTERNATIONAL RACEHORSE

McMahon ended up doing a painting of Arthur entitled “Mud and All”, which showed Arthur at his finest. McMahon and Arthur became best mates, but sadly Arthur died of a heart attack at the grand age of 36. McMahon says, “Even now when I visit the yard five years later I still expect to see his head looking out of the stable or the sound of him kicking the door to let you know he wanted to go out.” It was because of Arthur that McMahon was particularly fond of Rainbow Quest. He remembers,” when I saw him at the Juddmonte Stud he too was covered in mud, not the kind of thing I was expecting from one of racings blue bloods.”

With his illustration background Mchanon describes his style of his painting as “very detailed”. For this kind of work he finds it easier to work from photographs. “I am capable of painting from life, or imagination if needed, but in my opinion it’s what finishes up on the canvas that is important, not the way it is achieved.” That said, he has learnt from early mistakes like when he relied solely on photographs he took of champion two year old, Horage, before his loss at the Mill Reef stakes. Trainer Matt McCormack pointed out that the painting he produced made the horse look cold and tucked up. So now, McMahon says he tries to get more than just a likeness. “I study the horse’ s mannerisms, although sometimes this needs to be overruled for the sake of making the horse look more attractive. It always gives me great pleasure when a groom or someone close to a horse says I’ve captured the character.” McMahon talks about the influence of other artists in his work but says there are too many illustrators and artists that he admires, and wished he had some of their talent. “Norman Rockwell, and Robert Heindel spring to mind, and for painting horses Susan Crawford and Munnings. Prints and photos don’t show just how outstanding their work is.” All commissions are undertaken on a no deposit no obligation basis, and details can be found on his website www.molecatcherart.co.uk where original art and limited edition prints can be purchased.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

June 2013 INTERNATIONAL RACEHORSE

Pretty Ballerinas

The perfect pump and a firm favourite of both stylists and celebrities, worn by the likes of Kate Moss, Elle MacPherson, Katie Holmes, Claudia Schiffer and Angelina Jolie. Contact (+27) 11 325 5411

FASHION ESSENTIALS Cartier Ronde Solo XL

Hunter Winter Collection 2013 Aura by Swarovski

A woman in Aura EDT by Swarovski combines grace and energy, she asserts herself in a sensual dance, enchanting those around her in every way. 75ml RRSP R770. 42

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

The Carnaby Snake style will be available in South Africa from Winter 2013,retailing at for R2225. For information please call: (+27) 31 301 2464.

GUCCI Prefall 2013

GUCCI is available exclusively at GUCCI Boutiques in Cape Town and Johannesburg in Southern Africa. For further information please contact their stores on 021-421 8800 (V&A Waterfront, Cape Town) or 011784 2597 (Nelson Mandela Square, Johannesburg) or visit www.gucci.com

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

The Little Hattery (+27) 21 821 3443, www.thelittlehattery.com

Coachman

Phoenix Flower

Black Butterfly

Gentlemans Dress Fedora

Silver Sprite Pill Box

OH MY HAT!

St Tropez Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;or

Amersham Lady Pimpernel Miss Hepburn

Sevilla

Shoque Macaw

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Gamardine

entries I By Richard McMillan

for 2013 Vodacom Durban July Photos by Liesl King

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the greatest horserace on the African Continent and one of the iconic races of the world, it is the R3.5-million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July that this year has drawn a record entry of 80 horses from around South Africa. The massive entry confirms its status as the premier thoroughbred event in Southern Africa with a history dating back more than 100 years to when it was first run on July 17, 1897. To be run over 2 200m at Greyville in Durban on Saturday, July 6, thirty of the entries are from stables in Gauteng and 18 from the Western Cape with champion trainer Mike de Kock again topping the entry list with 12 entries. However, this is considerably less than the internationally acclaimed conditioner entered last year when he nominated 22 horses for the race. De Kock supplemented the three-year-old Silvano colt Vercingetorix into the race after his surprise beating of Capetown Noir in the KRA Guineas but the real excitement was the entry from the Ormond Ferraris stable of the Gauteng Triple Tiara winner Cherry On The Top.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Below: Jockey Piere Strydom rode Pomodoro to victory in the 2012 Vodacom Durban July. Seen is ecstatic owner Chris van Niekerk. Photo Credit: Anita Akal

She won the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, the SA Fillies Classic and the SA Oaks to win the Triple Tiara and earn owner Bridget Oppenheimer the R1-million bonus for winning the three races. The filly was immediately installed by bookmakers as the favourite to win the Vodacom Durban July and Vercingetorix was relegated to second place on the betting boards ahead of Capetown Noir. Another exciting runner supplemented into the big race is the Jet Master gelding Jet Explorer from the Justin Snaith stable.The fouryear-old strode through strongly in the finish to win the R350 000, Grade 2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville beating the De Kock-trained three-year-old Rock Cocktail and leaving in his wake July entries E-Jet and Tribal Dance among others. The Betting World 1900 has long been a major qualifying event for the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier race and Snaith was visibly chuffed with the performance of his charge that raced at the Durban venue and under lights for the first time. The gelding had not been nominated for the Vodacom Durban July but Snaith wasted no time in putting him up for inclusion the very next morning. Also supplemented into the race were Knock On Wood, stable companion to Cherry On The Top, Gothic and the exciting Geoff Woodruff stable inmate Master Sabina. Sean Tarry, who won the race last year with the then three-yearold colt Pomodoro, has nominated eight horses including the Jet Master colt who carries the joint top rating of 113 along with last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unsuccessful favourite from the Brett Crawford stable, Jackson. 46

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Jackson, who ran near last in the big race last year is back to try again. He has come back fighting and ran second to champion miler Variety Club in both the Green Point Stakes and the Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ormarins Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Plate and fifth to Martial Eagle in the J&B Met in his last three starts. Right up near the top in the ratings on 112 is the brilliant five-year-old mare Beach Beauty from the Dennis Drier stable. With 10 wins and seven places from 20 starts she does not know how to run a bad race and after winning two feature events over 1 800m in the Western Cape, the second being the prestigious Grade 1 Paddock Stakes, she ran an awesome race in the J&B Met finishing less than two lengths third to Martial Eagle and ahead of both Pomodoro and Jackson who she met at level weights.

Rated her equal on 112 by the handicappers is the four-yearold Captain Al gelding Hill Fifty Four from the Vaughan Marshall stable. He finish 1.5 lengths ahead of Beach Beauty in the J&B Met and less than half a length behind the winner and boasts a record of only two finishes out of the first three in 12 starts and six wins that include the Algoa Cup in Port Elizabeth and the Peninsula Handicap at Kenilworth. The highest rated of the three-year-olds among the entries is the Western Winter colt from the Dean Kannemeyer stable, Capetown Noir. With six wins and two second in eight starts he looks a potential champion of the future and, after running second to King Of Pain in the Selangor Cup, won the Bloodstock SA Guineas and the Investec Cape Derby before moving to Durban for Champions Season. Showing his true class he easily won the 47

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Grade 3 Byerley Turk over 1 400m at Scottsville and looks a potential winner of both the KRA Guineas and the Daily News 2000 on his way to the Vodacom Durban July. Heading the Mike de Kock contingent are the Australian-bred colt Mujaarib and the five-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding Galileo’s Destiny. After winning the November Handicap at Turffontein, Mujaarib failed in the Summer Cup but ran less than a length third to Slumdogmillionaire in the Horse Chestnut. Galileo’s Destiny, who had strong early form as a three-year-old when placing in the Gauteng Guineas, S A Classic and SA Derby, has a third place behind Whiteline Fever in the Hawaii Stakes in March as his best recent performance. Below: A fight to the line for man & Thoroughbred – Piere Strydom on Pomodoro and Grant van Niekerk on Smanjemanje. Photo Credit: Nkosi Hlope

After his spectacular win in the Grade 2 KRA Guineas at Greyville, the three-year-old Silvano colt Vercingetorix was supplemented into the Vodacom Durban July at the first opportunity. Trained by Mike De Kock and ridden by Anthony Delpech, Vercingetorix had only contested two races before lining up for the 1 600m clash and had won them both. He had not been entered for the big race at Greyville on July 6 and, as his trainer and jockey had felt he was not mentally and physically strong enough to beat the Guineas favourite, the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Capetown Noir, he went into the race without a great deal of support. However, he proved well up to the task and in a neck and neck fight with the Cape star he got his head down at the finish to win by a nose. From the Cape comes the exciting three-year-old son of former Vodacom Durban July winner Greys Inn, King Of Pain, from the Joey Ramsden stable. Winner of the Selangor Cup beating Capetown Noir then fourth behind Capetown Noir in the Bloodstock SA Cape Guineas, he ran unplaced in the J&B Met but is a lot better than that. From the Tyrone Zackey stable last year’s Vodacom Durban July runner-up Smanjemanje is back to try and go one better while Geoff Woodruff believes his Ganteng Guineas winner and SA Classic runner-up Tellina can give him his third win in the race. He won it two years running with El Picha at the turn of the century. Among the other entries is the Summer Cup winner Wagner from the Joe Soma stable and the talented Fort Wood filly Ilha Bela who forms part of the De Kock team. A break-down of the entries shows there are 23 three-year-olds, 35 four-year-olds, 10 five-year-olds, four six-year-olds and two seven-year-olds, the oldies being Vertical Takeoff and Caymen Island. There are three five-year-old mares, three four-year-old fillies and four three-year-old fillies among the 74 entries and 34 for of the nominees have a merit rating of at least 100. This places a burden on the balance to improve their form records if they have any chance of making the final 20 to contest the Vodacom Durban July this year.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Black Minnaloushe (USA) GOLD ONYX

THE BLACK ROSE

BLACK TOGA

FELIX THE CAT

48 International Stakes Horses, 12 International G1 Performers including: Dancing In Silks (G1w; Breeders’ Cup Sprint), Jokers Wild (G1w; Champion), Black Mamba (G1w), Golden Gunner (G1w), Gold Onyx (G1w), Black Toga ( G1p), Felix The Cat (G1p), Veloz (G1p), Blinding (G1p), Stream Cat (G1p), She’s Cheeky (G1p), Hollinger (G1p; Champion), Black Astor (G2w), Blackie (G2w), Black Charmer (G2p), Great Guy (G2p), Jazzella (G2p), Black Spirit (G2p), Beautiful Girl (G2p), Moon Spun (G2p), Arcenciel (G2p), etc. THE PROPERTY OF A SYNDICATE 2013 STUD FEE - R40,000

PO Box 259 Robertson 6705 Stud Manager: John Slade • Tel: 023 626 2342 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSEFax: June023 2013626 2585 • Mobile: 083 630 0433 E-mail: info@mainechance.co.za • Web: www.mainechance.co.za

1 9 9 8 • S T O R M C AT - C O R A L D A N C E b y G R E E N D A N C E R • 1 6 h h

Sire of 2 Champions and a Breeders’ Cup Winner

Gitano Hernando (GB) Year

Age

Starts

Wins

2nd

3rd

4th

Earnings £

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

2 3 4 5 6

3 4 4 5 1

1 3 2 1 -

2 1 -

1 -

5,547 144,987 200,896 1,010,579 -

£1,362,009

Total

Won Goodwood Stakes G1, Santa Anita, 1800m by a neck - beating Colonel John (multiple G1w), Richard’s Kid (multiple G1w) and Parading (G2w). Won Singapore Airlines International Cup G1, Kranji, 2000m by ½ length - beating River Jetez (multiple G1w), Waikato (G2w; G1p) and Irian (G2w; G1p).

FROM THE SAME MALE LINE AS SILVANO 2013 STUD FEE - R15,000

PO Box 259 Robertson 6705 Stud Manager: John Slade • Tel: 023 626 2342 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE Fax: June023 2013626 2585 • Mobile: 083 630 0433 E-mail: info@mainechance.co.za • Web: www.mainechance.co.za

2006 • HERNANDO - GINO’S SPIRITS by PERUGINO • 16 hh

Multiple G1 Winner, Timeform 124

Lateral (GB) won 6 races from 10 starts, 3 places £178,629. From one of the greatest German families in post war history - tracing back to LIEBESLIED - ancestress of: SURUMU, LITERAT, LANDO, LIS, etc.

CHAMPION 2-Y-O CHAMPION 3-Y-O CHAMPION MILER 2013 STUD FEE - R15,000

2003 • SINGSPIEL - LIGONA by ARAGON • 15,3 hh

G1 Winner, Timeform 123

Querari (GER) Siring Magnificent Foals THE PROPERTY OF A SYNDICATE 2013 STUD FEE - R15,000

2 0 0 6 • O A S I S D R E A M - Q U E T E N A b y A C AT E N A N G O • 1 6 h h

G1 Winner, Top Rated Older Horse Germany 2010

Silvano (ger) TELLINA

MARTIAL EAGLE

HEAVY METAL

VERCINGETORIX

NATIONAL HORSERACING AUTHORITY - OFFICIAL SIRES LIST 16/5/2013 Name SILVANO (GER)

Runs 1082

Wins Win % 121 11

2nd 115

3rd 108

Other 148

Place % Win-Stakes 45 8,807,130

Total-Stakes 13,564,555

JET MASTER

1154

148

117

110

172

7,896,118

12,173,065

VAR (USA)

884

132

172

6,929,358

9,915,932

KAHAL (GB)

1084

110

182

6,692,605

9,722,640

CAPTAIN AL

1046

113

114

120

168

5,495,020

9,171,130

WESTERN WINTER (USA)

744

132

5,960,140

8,051,632

TIGER RIDGE (USA)

498

5,029,890

6,360,225

DYNASTY

535

3,732,480

5,910,600

THE PROPERTY OF A SYNDICATE 2013 STUD FEE - R150,000 BOOK FULL

1 9 9 6 • L O M I TA S - S P I R I T O F E A G L E S b y B E A U ’ S E A G L E • 1 6 h h

South Africa’s Champion Sire Elect

ANIMAL KINGDOM CONQUERS

DUBAI WORLD CUP …SIGHT SET ON ROYAL ASCOT By Bunny Hinzman

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Animal Kingdom (Left) winning the Dubai World Cup. Photo courtesy Dubai Racing Club, Andrew Watkins

ost decisions can take a lifetime to be confirmed as right or wrong. For Team Valor International’s Founder and CEO, Barry Irwin, it took approximately two minutes in Dubai watching Animal Kingdom claim victor to the world’s richest race. Whether motivated by economics, the sport, or a combination of the two, Irwin’s decision to confidently back this economic and emotional investment through two possible career ending injuries was nothing short of gutsy. Animal Kingdom’s race-readiness was attributed to trainer Graham Motion. Motion successfully rehabilitated and fine-tuned the chestnut horse like a Stradivarius. The able competitor arrived in Dubai the clear favorite of the Dubai World Cup (GI). At the start of the race, a clean break from the eleventh post put Animal Kingdom and rider Joel Rosario in good position, striding into fifth as the field passed the grandstand for the first time. Traveling four paths wide, he advanced as they approached the first turn. Out of the bend, he settled into second just off the hindquarters of fellow American Royal Delta, and, coming into the final turn, he sauntered forward to challenge the mare. 55

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Animal Kingdom with trainer Graham Motion in Lambourn, England. Photo courtesy Amy Lanigan

Though Rosario had not yet summoned Animal Kingdom’s finishing kick, they gained the lead into the stretch. With just 500 meters to the final post, Animal Kingdom sallied onward as the certain winner, Rosario continued to push Animal Kingdom about one furlong from the wire to keep Red Cadeux’s closing surge at bay. It was clear the 2011 Kentucky Derby champion was not to be quelled on this evening at Meydan. Barry Irwin said after the win, “We have known for some time he was a great horse. I thought he would win but I didn’t think it would be that easy.” Animal Kingdom comes off of his Dubai World Cup triumph and now seeks competition at the Royal Ascot meeting. He will be the first Kentucky Derby winner to race at Royal Ascot since the 1935 Triple Crown-winning Omaha fell short a nose to the filly Quashed in the Ascot Gold Cup. After the Dubai World Cup win, majority owner John Messarra of Arrowfield Stud said, “We came into this horse basically as a stallion proposition. It’s been great to win this race and certainly underpinned his stallion value. It would be one step further if he went to England and won at Royal Ascot.” Graham Motion has confirmed him as a runner in the Group I Queen Anne Stakes. If he was to win the one mile contest, Animal Kingdom would be the first North American-trained winner of the race. Motion explained his preference over the 1 ¼ mile Prince of Wale’s Stakes (G1), “Your mile at Ascot is much more grueling, and a mile and a quarter to us in the States is like a mile and a half and may just be too much.” The Englishborn trainer continued, “The Queen Anne is an interesting option and it is something that I think he can adapt to. That’s the remarkable thing about this horse is that he can do a bit of everything.” Cutting back in distance and going on the turf are not the only differences from his last run – he will reunite with one of his previous jockeys, John Velazquez. The pair teamed up to win 56

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

the 2011 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), but Velazquez hasn’t ridden Animal Kingdom since his first comeback in February 2012. In that fall’s Breeders’ Cup Mile, Rafael Bejarano piloted the big red to a third-place finish. Joel Rosario took over the reins to give Animal Kingdom a muchcriticized ride in the 2013 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1) and his spectacular win in the Dubai World Cup. For this race, Graham Motion factored in that Rosario – the leading rider at Keeneland’s 2013 Spring Meet and this year’s Kentucky Derby winner – has not ridden at Ascot and the Queen Anne is the opening race of the meeting, “It is asking a lot for an American jockey to ride here [Ascot] if he hasn’t ridden here before. It is not as if he can watch a race first…The constant change of jockeys has been a source of frustration for me. I don’t like the idea of putting someone new on him for what is possibly his last race.” However, Motion elaborated on his desire to have John Velazquez back in the saddle, saying, “Velazquez is one of the best jockeys in the world. He has ridden Animal Kingdom before and has won at Ascot, so he is the logical choice.” Though the Queen Anne Stakes is the week-long event’s opening race, it will probably be Animal Kingdom’s final act on the racetrack. After his Royal Ascot debut, he will most likely ship to Australia where he will stand the Southern Hemisphere breeding season at Arrowfield Stud, the farm of his majority owner, John Messarra, at a price of $38,500 (in Australian currency). Animal Kingdom will return to North America next spring for the Northern Hemisphere breeding season. He will stand at Darley’s Lexington stallion complex – Jonabell Farm – in 2014, his stud fee yet to be determined. Darley’s chief operating officer,OllyTait, praised Animal Kingdom after the breeding operation purchased 29% of the Leroidesanimaux son.“Animal Kingdom is outstanding. Not only is he immensely talented, he has shown a rare ability to excel on turf, synthetic and dirt and win at a range of distances up to the mile and a quarter of the Kentucky Derby and the Dubai World Cup. His win at Meydan was all class.”

KZN Sale yearlings of 2012 make their mark while aiming for the “Big One” in July 2013 & collecting on the way

VIRGO’S BABE

JIMMI CHOO

Won Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery, 2nd Ruffian S. (L) Earned R334 000 (cost R10 000)

Won Storm Bird S.-(L), 2nd Gr3 Protea S. Earned R251 000 (cost R50 000)

COLOUR OF COURAGE

Won Gr2 Umkhomazi S. Earned R170 000 (cost R140 000)

Suncoast KZN Yearling Sale

4-5 July

• Graduates of this year's KZN yearling sale will be eligible for the

R1-Million Race

Tick The Box

for 2yo’s on July day 2014

• Graduates of this year’s KZN yearling sale will be eligible for the

BSA Sweepstake Series (“The Added Value Stakes Incentive” rewards BSA graduates in 76 feature races for 2yo and 3yo's nationally)

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Tel: 011 323 5700 Fax: 011 323 5788/99 Email: enquiries@tba.co.za Catalogues now available online at visit www.tba.co.za

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

HEAR THE WORD IN KZN!

South Africa recently acquired the services of exciting and By Sarah Whitelaw talented young stallion in Byword (GB).

ne of the best performed and best bred horses to retire to stud in South Africa in recent times, Byword was purchased by Middlefield Stud’s Rob Pickering and Ashley McNab.

Described as a gentleman with an outstanding temperament, and an athletic and eye catching type, the handsome Byword was an outstanding racehorse. One of the best horses of his generation, Byword retires to stud with a Timeform Rating of 126. His seven wins included six stakes races, including the prestigious G1 Prince of Wales Stakes. The latter race is one of the annual highlights of the Royal Ascot meeting, and has been won by such legends as Hyperion, Brigadier Gerard Mtoto, Bosra Sham, Dubai Millennium, Fantastic Light and Ouija Board. In winning the Prince of Wales, Byword accounted for an outstanding field, which included seven individual G1 winners. Amongst them was four time Gp1 winner and now SA based sire Twice Over, Wiener Walzer (German Derby), Glass Harmonium (Mackinnon Stakes), Debussy (Arlington Million), Shalayna (Prix de l’Opera), Presvis (Dubai Duty Free) and Cavalryman (Grand Prix de Paris). Byword is one of the best sons of brilliant Arc de Triomphe winner, and leading sire, Peintre Celebre. Peintre Celebre is the third rated highest thoroughbred in the history of the World Thoroughbred Rankings. He achieved a rating of 137 – and is rated behind only Frankel (140) and Dancing Brave (138) of horses to have raced since 1977. Peintre Celebre is one of the finest sons of Nureyev – whose left a world wide legacy through numerous sons and daughters. To date, he has sired over 50 stakes winners, including 12 G1 winners. Peintre Celebre’s top offspring include Pride (Champion Stakes), Pearl of Love (Gran Criterium), Castledale (Santa Anita Derby), and Vallee Enchantee (Hong Kong Vase). 60

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Photo credit T Jones

Like top UK sire Pivotal, Byword is a grandson of Nureyev. Pivotal is one of the world’s top sires, and has sired over 100 stakes winners –and more than 20 individual G1 winners. Byword’s dam Binche, by champion 2yo and leading sire Woodman, also produced multiple G1 winner Proviso – who won over $1.7 million in prize money. Binche, who has been covered by Frankel this year, is a half-sister to Nureyev’s champion Binary File (who himself is a three parts brother to Byword). Her dam, Binary, is a stakes winning daughter of leading sire Rainbow Quest, who himself is an exceptional broodmare sire. This is the great Peace family, whose members include successful SA sire Peacetime, and G1 winners Continent, Zambezi Sun, and Wandesta (Champion Turf Female). Daughters of Woodman have excelled, and top-class runners produced by daughters of the former champion 2yo include world leading sire More Than Ready, and other G1 winners Miss Finland, Europa Point, Snow Ridge, Mrs Lindsay and Canadian Triple Crown winner Wando. Byword himself was official the top weighted older horse in France in 2010 (7-9.5 furlongs and 9.5-11 furlongs). A horse with a great turn of foot, Byword also won the G2 Prix Muguet, G2 Prix Dollar, G3 Prix Du Chemin De Fer du Nord and was third (to Rip Van Winkle) in the G1 Juddmonte International. He also put up a tremendous effort when second to the legendary mare Goldikova, beaten just half a length, in the Gp1 Prix d’Isapahn. During his career, Byword defeated no fewer than 22 Gr1 winners including Cirrus des Aigles, Fuisse, Elusive Wave, Silver Frost, Stacelita, Twice Over, Presvis, Cutlass Bay, Dick Turpin, Daryakana, Chinchon, Zoffany, Get Stormy and Courageous Cat. He earned nearly 700,000 pounds in prize money. Byword’s stud fee will be R30 000 (R10 000 plus vat payable by Aug 15th and R20 000 plus vat LF) , and there are still a few services available. This is a real coup for South Africa, and Byword, who is standing his first season at stud this year, looks a really bright prospect for the future.

Byword

(GB)

PEINTRE CELEBRE (USA) - BINCHE (USA) BY WOODMAN (USA)

Champion Older Horse France 2010 Timeform 126 Half-brother to Proviso (G1 x 4) Dam is UK Broodmare of the Year 2010

Byword defeated 18 individual G1 winners of 35 black type races WORLD THOROUGHBRED RANKINGS (TURF) MAY 2010

PHOTO: © J Nelson

124 124 123 123 123 122 122 122 122 122 121 120

BYWORD (GB) PACO BOY (IRE) FAME AND GLORY (GB) GOLDIKOVA (IRE) VISION D’ETAT (FR) CANFORD CLIFFS (IRE) DREAM JOURNEY (JPN) GOOD BA BA (USA) MAKFI (GB) SACRED KINGDOM (AUS) LIZARD’S DESIRE (SAF) COLLECTION (IRE)

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Bred & Raised at Juddmonte Farms

Standing at Middlefield Stud Enquiries: Rob Pickering Mobile: 082 573 0418 Email: robpick@mweb.co.za Web: www.bywordstallion.com

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

he International Racehorse Magazine visits a landmark in the Horseracing Industry, the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Rated as the finest club in Asia, the Hong Kong Jockey Club consists of four clubhouses, one at each racecourse, the Beas River Clubhouse and one in the Chinese capital of Beijing

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Text and Images by Ash Maharaj

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

The Hong Kong Jockey Club is one of the finest institutions in the grand city of Hong Kong. A former outpost of the British colony, Hong Kong was handed over to the Chinese in 1997 and the once Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club was renamed but the long standing traditions stayed the same – excellence in service to members and the community and most all, a royal treatment all round. Horseracing in Hong Kong was part of the legacy that was left behind by the British. Hong Kong now has one of the most vibrant racing experiences in the thoroughbred world. It’s famed Happy Valley track in the middle of the island of Hong Kong is the historical kingpin of racing in Hong Kong with the new modern racecourse and club facility in the new territories becoming the flagship for horseracing in Hong Kong, a 30 minute drive from central Hong Kong, in an area called Sha Tin. Foreign visitors are often not in a privileged position to experience the “club life” at the jockey club as it is a member based set up with rigorous entry requirements and top level privacy. Rated as the finest club in Asia, the Hong Kong Jockey Club consists of four clubhouses, one at each racecourse, the Beas River Clubhouse and one in the Chinese capital of Beijing. On reviewing the facilities on offer one is stunned at the levels that the club goes to, to provide its members with the newest and latest state of the art facilities to rival any club in the world. The Happy Valley clubhouse is the headline club with a reputation of being the place to be seen if you are lucky enough to be a member or to be invited by a member. With a hefty price tag to enter the club of R480 000 upfront fees at the current exchange rate or HKD 400 000, and monthly fee of HKD 1800 it is certainly not for the price conscious. Corporate membership ranges from HKD 2 to 4 million for just the entrance fee. Interestingly enough the club membership fees are in no way a hindrance to membership, in fact the club is not only oversubscribed but the waiting lists extends for years on end. The members see the club as the best opportunity bar none to network and expose their business to fellow members. Being a member at the Jockey Club is akin to “having arrived”. The clubhouse in Happy Valley is where the majority of Hong Kong residents wine and dine due to its prime location. The club describes its culinary facilities as “top-notch fine dining with an extensive wine cellar, offering diners an unsurpassed dining experience. Dishes are creative and delicious, and all paired with perfectly matched wines. The sophisticated and contemporary décor changes every few years to update the facilities and is a sight to behold.” The main restaurant can be accessed by an impressive spiral staircase with a chic Bar on the floor below creating the perfect atmosphere for an extraordinary dining experience. The Derby Bar is the ideal spot as a standalone venue for an apéritif, and digestif or for a plate of oysters or other snacks when the taste buds desire. Late night drinks can also be enjoyed with live performances from the band. The understated “no cell phones” policy makes for intimate dining; it also couples as an outstanding meeting venue for those who wish to impress a client without a laptop in hand.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

A mere four hours flying time away from Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World City, the Beijing Clubhouse in the capital of China is situated in one of the most sought after areas in capital, the Wangfujing area, known for its shopping and high end fashion. The clubhouse facility fits in with the surroundings perfectly representing the new China. Elegant and classy, the facility offers mainland Chinese members the opportunity to be a part of the club world offered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club in Hong Kong and also offers Hong Kong based members travelling to China, an opportunity to occupy a home away from home and to conduct the odd business meeting in style. The Beijing Club broke further new ground with a range of services offered to its Members with the opening of a new Clubhouse in Beijing in 2008.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

It operates as a stand-alone enterprise and accepts its own applications for membership, with reciprocal arrangements in place for use of parts of the Hong Kong and Beijing facilities. At home base in the SAR of Hong Kong, the Jockey Club is famous for keeping it facilities at the cutting edge of both technology and style with improvements conducted in phases throughout the year. The General Manager at Happy Valley was keen to mention that the property has a life cycle and regularly undergoes major changes with different areas undergoing refurbishment while popular facilities are available for use during renovation periods.

The extensive facilities provided at Happy Valley Clubhouse now are very different from those provided from the mid1970s to 1992 when Members’ dinning and recreational activities took place on eight floors of the Jockey Club Administration building next to the racetrack. As membership increased, the Jockey Club expanded its facilities with the addition of a Clubhouse in Sha Tin, but with the Club’s ever-increasing popularity, the question arose of where to “house” more facilities in Happy Valley.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

The selected option was the site of the stable blocks at the top of Shan Kwong Road as the horses gradually relocated to Sha Tin. In view of that a four-storey sports complex had already been created there since 1988. The move was also necessary to make way for the major overhaul at Happy Valley Racecourse that included the demolition of the Administration Building in order to expand the racetrack. The residential setting at Shan Kwong Road also helped create the “home away from home” atmosphere that the Club wanted to offer its Members.

The Happy Valley clubhouse also caters for the sporting kind, which is a rare treat in Hong Kong, due to space constraints. Codes that are regularly indulged in by members include squash, golf, tennis, table tennis, basketball, croquette, snooker, fitness classes and swimming. Today the club facility offered by the Jockey Club stands proud as a flagship for these types of facilities in Asia. With a club of this magnitude both in size and in the number of members, all told 7200 privileged persons, it takes a certain amount of charm to control. The personal service and impeccable attitude of the staff contribute to making the membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience unforgettable.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

A BREEDERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOTEBOOK:

By Johan Dreyer

Johan Dreyer, born in 1955, grew up in the North West province of South Africa, where he still lives today. Although trained as an agricultural economist, horses are his passion and have always been part of his daily routine, even before he became a full-time farmer. Schooled in classical equitation as a child, he went the full route from dressage, showing and jumping to cowboying and retraining problem horses (or rather, horses with people problems), ultimately training his own happy horses!

efore anyone handles my horses I always have a talk with them on handling a horse. The other day I had a demonstration of how ineffective that can be. A new worker was bringing a young mare back to the stables from the paddocks: it started with her pushing him, inattentive he just kept on walking. Next she increased her pace, got in front of him and turned back to face him still on the lead. The moment he hesitated and stopped, the magic was gone and she took over, dominating him. Because she got him to stop she deemed herself the leader and was determined to have her way, bucking and rearing while he was hanging on to the lead for dear life. If he had been attentive and corrected her with the first whim, all of it would have been avoided. For the horse to be the horse you want, you must be the leader he needs.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

To the horse there is no loneliness lonelier than distrust. Trust is the glue that bonds the leader to the led.

This incident was relayed not to introduce the latest training method or to describe how to perfect your technique, it is about a change of attitude, becoming aware, getting involved and staying that way. The lesson in the story goes much wider than leading, in truth it touches on every contact you have with a horse, how minuscule it may be. But there are two sides to this story both starting at the horses inherited herd instinct: • Horses evolved as creatures of flight, not reason, who seek safety in numbers (a herd). Implicit in them being herd animals is that they are always seeking a leader. The herd have unquestioned faith in their leader, follow blindly and do not think rationally or for themselves. These are facts and they are fundamental to the way all horses act and react today, even though this instinct developed in different circumstances very long ago. In working with a horse you have to earn his trust and establish yourself as the leader he is looking for that is: in control, calm and confident at all times. To earn his trust you have to keep him safe from his perspective, not yours. A horse, if he feels lost or loses his trust, will take over the leadership role from the human: in certain circumstances this will be irreversible. A human losing control is nearly always and entirely down to the human’s inattentiveness and lack of awareness. A leader who is always the last to know is not a good leader. • A horse thrives on discipline because of his inherited herd instinct. Discipline in a herd is kept according to the pecking order which is not set in stone. A horse will always perceive you, as the other animal in the “herd”, to be the one to challenge for a better position, in other words test your authority. Humans being indifferent or negligent often miss that and consequently fail that test. When the horse tests his boundaries as he most definitely will do and you miss that, the horse will start dominating you, showing no respect. In layman’s terms “a horse can’t follow someone who is not leading” . Rashid M, Whole Heart Whole Horse, Skyhorse Publishing, 2009 1

For a human the challenge in gaining and keeping a horse’s trust is twofold: Firstly, due to a horse’s superior powers of perception (hearing, smelling and seeing) coupled with a brilliant photographic memory, the horse can distinguish changes in his environment many times faster and finer than any human can, in consequence a horse will always be aware of any changes long before you noticed anything. The second factor is the flaws in human nature - humans are as a rule relatively 75

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

June 2013 INTERNATIONAL RACEHORSE

For the horse to be the horse you want, you must be the leader he needs.

indifferent to changes in the environment that a horse would perceive as threats and are mostly negligent in observing their immediate surroundings. But let us not beat ourselves up over this “human deficiency” as this is only evidence of the differences in evolutionary development between human and horse that we have to understand if we want to have a flourishing relationship with our equine friends.

Although there exists a bond between man and horse which lead to the domestication of the horse in the first place, the way we look at the world are exact opposites. Men developed as predators - horses as prey. This fact might seem rather ancient and small but it has a differentiating influence on our everyday behaviour. A prey animal (horse) treats everything new with extreme caution, ready to flee, as he expects it wants to make a meal of him, while a predator will treat the same object with curiosity as it may be his next meal. But the difference goes deeper, in their evolutionary development horses did not need to develop reasoning as grass (their food) does not hide or require a plan to catch. They developed escape reflexes rather than reflective mental processes as did the predators. Horses survived for millions of years because of flight, whereas predators (man) survived by using their minds (reflective and learning processes). Paradoxically it is also only by utilizing his mind that man can conquer this animal called horse. It is much easier to stay out of trouble than to get out of it. To explain: The attitude that will keep you out of trouble and make you a good leader as well, can best be explained as follows: (Whether physically performing this “crash course” in leadership is debatable as it could be downright dangerous, again it comes down to you, you have to decide how important cooperation from the horse is). • Take a horse (the younger the horse the clearer the message will be) out on a lead but not your usual sturdy one, take a fragile one, a lead that will snap if the horse put up the least amount of resistance. • Now because you know you cannot depend on the equipment you will have to prevent any incident, be prepared for anything and you have to make him want to conform. Because you will have to prevent him acting up you will watch his every move and read and interpret every action as your late reaction to actions will be in vain (control will be almost impossible). • The horse will be the uppermost thing in your mind with an attitude that the horse follows you, not the rope. You will retain your own concentration, watch his every move, read him and interpret every action and reaction. While leading you will talk to him all the time and be sure to keep his attention as the horse has to keep focusing on you, notwithstanding what is happening around him. • All of a sudden you will become important to the horse as his trust and respect for you evolves and you are unequivocally confirmed as his leader. Now the horse will be keenly focused on your every emotion and action and 76

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

•

everything will become easier. It is a good start but only a beginning. • Once you have the leading sorted out, the next step in your progressive learning is to get on to a bareback horse with thin fragile reins as opposed to virtually unbreakable ones. Fragile reins and a bareback, as did the fragile lead, do imply that you cannot depend on your equipment but have to rely on communication and concentration. At the same time it will prohibit the usual human reaction of “fighting the horse” with the reins. Because correction will be precarious with fragile reins you have to be super attentive and prevent rather than correct. This implies that you read the horse, his every move and interpret what you see and feel under you in order to be prepared for what he might do. Bareback implies that you have to find your balance on the horse (there are no stirrups to “lend a hand”) and find the horse’s “equitation sweet spot” as it is only there that you can actually get the horse to want to work with you while on his back – now forcing him is not an option. This steep learning curve will soon have you knowledgeable and experienced in communicating with and reading the horse beneath you, leaving you in control, calm and confident as for once you know what’s going on and have the time to prepare.

• Now for the first time you can expect the horse to want to cooperate and your will to become the horse’s because you are calm, confident, in control and he can trust you: you will be the leader the horse needs, to be the horse you want him to be. Humans do fake emotion, horses cannot, they act the way they feel. Therefore it is basic to cooperation between you and your horse that you acknowledge that the work you ask of him is your choice, although you would want him to do it as if it was his. Faltering leadership due to the horse’s distrust is the reason some owners never get to know the horse’s demonstrative nature neither his selfless and absolute commitment. He trusting you completely and you being the leader he needs is the only way to have him wanting to cooperate and eventually your will becoming his. It’s only when he completely trusts you because you are the leader he was looking for that the horse’s ability to devote himself becomes evident. In having the horse trust you completely it is almost uncanny to experience him reading your will even before you express it. It is much more than heart warming, in truth it is worth all the effort in the world to experience a horse’s spontaneous and absolute commitment, just because you asked him to. Bibliography Dreyer J, Horsemanship. To be published 2012. Rashid M, Whole Heart Whole Horse, Skyhorse Publishing, 2009 Previous Breeder’s Notebook articles by Johan Dreyer (Johan can be reached at dreyerjohan@yahoo.com)

USA

VAR Forest Wildcat - Loma Preata by Zilzal

(IRE) Danehill

SIRE OF CONTADOR WINNER OF THE GOLDEN HORSE SPRINT G1 25TH MAY 2013

Noble

(TO 26TH MAY 2013)

LEADING SIRE SOUTH AFRICA BY WIN % (60 or more runners - NHRA).

LEADING Sire EUROPE by Wins. 2nd LEADING Sire EUROPE by Winners. 2nd LEADING Sire EUROPE by number of Stakes Winners. 2nd LEADING Sire EUROPE by Stakes Wins.

3rd LEADING SIRE OF 3-Y-O SOUTH AFRICA BY AEPR (S. Post).

2nd LEADING SIRE OF 2-Y-O SOUTH AFRICA BY STAKES (S. Post).

Vaguely

2013 - A LEADING EUROPEAN SIRE

(TO 20TH MAY 2013)

LEADING SIRE OF 2-Y-O SOUTH AFRICA BY % WINNERS/RUNNERS (10 or more runners, S. Post).

SIRE OF BIZ THE NURSE WINNER OF THE DERBY ITALIANO G2 19TH MAY 2013

2013 - A LEADING SA SIRE

C0-LEADING SIRE OF 2-Y-O SOUTH AFRICA BY WINS (S. Post).

Mahrah

SIRE OF MILITARY ATTACK WINNER OF THE SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL CUP G1 - 19TH MAY 2013

SIRE OF VIA AFRICA WINNER OF THE SA FILLIES SPRINT G1 25TH MAY 2013

2nd LEADING SIRE SOUTH AFRICA BY AEPR (100 or more runners - S. Post).

4th LEADING Sire EUROPE by Total Stakes. Sire of MILITARY ATTACK (G1), BEETHOVEN (G1), MANAWANUI (G1), TEMIDA (G1), BANCHEE (G1), CAMELIA ROSE (G1p), SILENT KILLER (G1p), VOLA E VA (G1p), FENCING MASTER (G1p), BIZ THE NURSE (G2), KING TORUS (G2), CHERRY COLLECT (G2), LOLLY FOR DOLLY (G2), OTTIMO (G2), TORIO’S QUEST (G2), ESENTEPE (G3), FACIASCURA (G3), MOONWALK IN PARIS (G3), MOURINHO (G3), etc.

AVONTU U R INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013 General Pippa Mickleburgh • Tel: (021) 855 1442 • Mobile: 083 658 4404 • Email: stud@avontuurestate.co.za • Web: www.avontuurestate.co.za 77 Manager:

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

The

King Of KZN

Kahal

(GB)

Images and text by Candiese Marnewick

hen you enter the territory of the most successful son of Machiavellian to stand in South Africa, you cannot help but be awed and almost made to feel quite inadequate by Kahalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enormous presence.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

June 2013 INTERNATIONAL RACEHORSE

large dark bay with a beautiful copper sheen on his coat, Kahal stands as tall as he does over ground – an imposing 16.2 hands.

Kahal has a large handsome head carrying close similarities to his maternal grandsire Green Desert, with powerful hindquarters to match his big frame and good bone in his legs - part of what he throws to his progeny which makes them so tough and resilient, which has seen their success on the new sand tracks around South Africa. Now 19 years old, the English-bred stallion was sent to South Africa by his breeders and owners - Shadwell Stud - beginning his career in 2001 at Summerhill Stud and recently relocating to Warwick and Karin Render’s Bush Hill Stud. Kahal is an impressive stallion who almost seems to take the lead in everything he does, including taking his groom for a walk. He is in command of every step he takes, frequently standing tall on his hindlegs in an impressive display of athleticsm – but never coming across as aggressive. It is merely a statement of power that Kahal has so rightly earned in the breeding paddocks of KZN, his Group winning momentum continuing in the current season headed up by Gr 1 SA Classic winner Love Struck, bred by Summerhill Stud. Out of the Rambo Dancer mare Particular Passion, Love Struck’s five wins include two Listed races as well as placing in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes. Out of Green Desert mare Just A Mirage (out of a Nonoalco mare), Kahal raced with great international success – competing successfully in England, France, America, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. At just two years of age, he won and placed second in his first three starts. He raced until six years of age – an excellent career which proved his toughness, courage and grit which he certainly passes onto his progeny. At three years old he won the Gr 2 Newmarket Challenge Stakes from top race filly Rebecca Sharp (also by Machiavellian) and placed second in the Royal Ascot Jersey Stakes, a Gr 3. At four years old, he placed in the Gr 2 Newmarket Challenge Stakes as well as the Gr 1 Newbury Lockinge Stakes. At five years of age he did his owners proud, winning at Nad Al Sheba in the Shadwell Farm Stakes over 1400m – thereafter placing second in the USA in the Santa Anita Morvich Handicap Gr 3. At six years of age, he won the Woodbine Nearctic Gr 2 as well as placing second in the Santa Anita Morvich Handicap Gr 3. Kahal achieved an impressive race record of eight wins, five seconds and a third, earning an admirable £313,783 in Stakes. His life-time stats have seen 446 progeny to race, 271 winners (60.0%), earnings of over $9.4 million, 29 Stakes Winners and 25 Stakes Place-getters. His six Grade 1 winners include the great race mare Bold Ellinore, the recent Love Struck (both fore-mentioned horses 80

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

bred by Summerhill Stud), Desert Links (bred by Shadwell Stud) Noble Heir (bred by Connington Stud), Chocolicious (bred by Backworth Stud) and Spiced Gold (bred by Greenhill Stud). Warwick Render of Bush Hill Stud says of the great stallion: “Kahal has had an incredibly positive impact on the breeding industry in KZN in particular, and we as a region are most grateful to Shadwell Stud for this and all of their support of the racing and breeding industry in South Africa as a whole.” Backworth’s Chocolicious, a talented bay mare out of Candy Box by Exclusive Patriot, won the Allan Robertson Championship Gr 1. She was recently sold to Australian interests and exported to the UK, where she is being aimed at Royal Ascot. Exciting news has broken that the mare will be

booked to Frankel once her British racing season is over. Kahal has consistently been in South Africa’s Leading five sires log by Stakes Earned for since 2009. Over the past season his Group race successes have been astonishing – his daughters have been leading in Gr 2 races around the country. Voted as KZN Breeders Stallion Of The Year for the fourth time in 2012, seven of his progeny were nominated for awards, with four of them taking home the titles – including Vodacom Durban July runner-up Smanjemanje.

A large dark bay with a beautiful copper sheen on his coat, Kahal stands as tall as he does over ground

The season opened at the end of last year with Festival Of Fire (bred and owned by Mr C J Saunders & Lady C O’Reilly) winning the Gr 3 Joburg Spring Fillies & Mares Challenge by almost 1.5 lengths. 81

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

June 2013 INTERNATIONAL RACEHORSE

Kahal is also partly responsible for a rare white medicine hat Thoroughbred colt the first two past the post were not only both by Kahal, but both bred by the Kjell Foundation and both fillies ran at even weights of 59kgs, both trained by Mr Ferreira as well as both sisters being owned by Mrs L C A Bouwer. Eastern Greeting got the win over a photofinish from her sister, Kalaam. Both fillies are more proof of Kahal’s success with the Northern Dancer dam-line – being Enchanted Kingdom, bred by Bellwood Stud, out of Dancing out of Salaam by Northern Guest. Champ mare Aerial Dancer, immediately followed Festival Of Fire’s win early in the season by taking the Gr 3 Yellowwood The last filly to fly the flag for the day was Checcetti, winning the Handicap from Without Malice at the Turffontein Inside track Bisquet Cognac Gerald Rosenberg Stakes Gr 2 over 2000m at over 1800m at odds of 35/1. She has since placed closely in three even weights of 60kgs. Trained by Mike De Kock, the SummerhillGroup performances. bred Kahal filly won by over a length, with Enchanted Kingdom finishing in fourth place. Bush Hill Stud-bred, The Mouseketeer, out of Northern Guest mare Look Sharp, is a versatile gelding who specialises on sand Kahal is also partly responsible for a rare white medicine hat and is the previous winner of the Gr 2 Emerald Cup and Gr 3 Thoroughbred colt born in 2011 at Rathmor Stud – only one of August Stakes. five in the world and the first of its kind in South Africa. Named Gran Blanco, he recently changed hands at the Emperors National The five year old recently brought home the Listed Highveld Yearling Sale for R220 000. Sand Challenge as well as the Listed Vaal Riverside Handicap. On the same day at the Vaal Rebel Queen, a half-sister to sire Rebel Standing for a Live Foal fee of just R40 000 last season, South Africa King bred by Summerhill Stud, took home the Listed Nkosazana is fortunate to have the services of Kahal at such a reasonable rate Stakes. – his yearlings average more than five times his service fee. The three-year old filly set a new course record in the process with a time of 1.25.46. Less than a month later, she took home the Gr 3 Starling Stakes by half a length from the talented Blueridge Mountain(ARG), and recently stamped her authority at Greyville in the KRA Fillies Guineas Gr 2 over 1600m.

One of the most exciting races of the season had to be the Kahal stands alongside Curved Ball(AUS), King’s Chapel(AUS), Matekor Camellia Stakes Grade 2 which saw a brilliant finish Irish Flame and Toreador(IRE) at Bush Hill Stud for the coming between two of Kahal’s daughters – and full-sisters. Incredibly, season. 82

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

SUCCESS IN THE

FACE OF ADVERSITY The Tiger Dance Story

here is, living in a lovely setting in Tulbagh, a stallion who has overcome adversity. His blood is the best. A full brother to “the best stallion in the World” GIANT’S CAUSEWAY, the mating affinities are many. He has had hitherto limited opportunities but has produced sufficient Stakes winners and performers, and multiple winners, to register himself on the radar of breeders who want to produce good racehorses at a modest service fee.

He is TIGER DANCE (USA) (Storm Cat – Mariah’s Storm by Rahy) and he is a very nice horse. As a Ballydoyle runner – as a stallion – and as a person. He is not the first ex Coolmore performer to do well in South African hands. ARCHIPENKO had great success trained by Mike de Kock and stands as a stallion at Lanwades in Newmarket. GIANT’S CAUSEWAY’s son AWAIT THE DAWN now also with Mike de Kock is his sire’s leading earner in 2013 so far. And ORATORIO has arrived here with a justifiable fanfare as a leading sire in Europe. TIGER DANCE won his only outing at 2 by 4½ lengths quickening to go clear and take the 7 furlong contest impressively for Jamie Spencer on board. Although not in the top echelon of Aidan O’Brien’s charges – which would have made him unobtainable by any third party - he placed in a couple of Group races and was snapped up to retire to stud in South Africa. One of the best bred horses ever to do so and a winner at that. Sadly, his first home ran into difficulties which had widespread repercussions. How can a stallion recover from association with such problems? Cometh the hour, cometh the man. He was and is Georg Kirchner, an investment banker by trade, and owner with his wife Dorothee of Druk My Niet Wine Estate near Paarl. Well established in South Africa and a knowledgeable racehorse owner, Mr Kirchner saw an opportunity at a potentially lovely farm with a brilliantly bred stallion siring winners and a band of imported and domestic mares. New and refurbished buildings now attest to the ambition at what became Druk My Niet Stud. An excellent barn for foaling and other stabling out of season. Stallion boxes. A manager’s house. And a superb Guest House and restaurant on the stud itself, nearing completion. Meanwhile TIGER DANCE has a new paddock in which he is clearly very comfortable sometimes sprinting up and down to remind himself of his first role in life and otherwise being a most amenable companion for his human carers and visitors. His Stallion Master is Jan Mantel who knows him well. He and David Allan of Allan Bloodlines are the only people with whom breeders need to deal operationally and commercially regarding TIGER DANCE, no other past associates of the horse remaining in South Africa 84

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

but these two men. And of course Georg Kirchner who controls the operation directly and is most happy to meet breeders, including at the sales where he has been acquiring more mares to add to the band that he already has to support TIGER DANCE. The scoresheet of TIGER DANCE’s progeny gets better and better. TRIBAL DANCE has won several Gr3 and listed races and is Gr1&2 placed, also running a great race in the J&B Met at the weights. Vaughan Marshall received him back from new owner Mrs Radebe after the tragic passing of the colt’s first owner Roy Eckstein and the dispersal of stock. A tilt at The Vodacom July is on the agenda. KITTI CAT, a Stakes winning juvenile filly for Dean Kannemeyer this season, recently changed owning hands for a good and appropriate sum of money, and MONTEREY BAY had Group places and wins. Multiple winners (currently) include TIGER ATTACK, TIGER FLASH, SHOW TIME, MOIKA DANCER, TIGER JIM and another candidate in MONTEREY BAY’s full sister DELTA DANCER who tore up the track in winning her 2yo maiden. This is with a fraction of the numbers for other sires to which TIGER DANCE’s earnings per run are similar such as FORT WOOD and VICTORY MOON. Ready to Run specialist Nicola Coppez (Balmoral Stud) can’t get enough TIGER DANCEs. She and husband Marc bought mares to send to the stallion on the strength of experience of his progeny and, with Allan Bloodlines, has assembled a team for the November/ December Sales. By the time that any foals conceived in 2013 get to the sales, it is hoped that the stallion will have consolidated and added to the reputation that is now speaking for itself. At a fee of R 12,000 Live Foal, TIGER DANCE stands with a clean slate in highly professional hands, with 15-20 mares from his majority owner and, to add to that number, mares from his few outside shareholders whose position has been respected and appreciated throughout. Mares walking in or boarding (which can be either at Jan Mantel’s Millstream Stud or Druk My Niet Stud under his supervision) will visit a very fertile stallion who is at his best when busy.

Argonaut

EQUUS CHAMPION 2YO COLT HIGHEST RATED 2YO EVER R100,000 BONUS PAYABLE 1ST GR1 WINNER SOLD IN 2013 (SPLIT BETWEEN COLT & FILLY) STANDS AT CHEVELEY STUD: VAUGHAN KOSTER T: +27 (0)23 312 2528 | F: +27 (0)23 316 1331 A: P O Box 303, Ceres, 6835 | E: vaughan@cheveleystud.com | W: www.cheveleystud.com

ALL ENQUIRIES & BOOKINGS TO: JOHN FREEMAN

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

T: +27 (0)21 418 0566 | F: +27 (0)21 418 0254 | A: P O Box 26, Sea Point, South Africa 8060

E: john@johnfreeman.co.za | W: www.freemanstallions.co.za

Cheveley Stud

Supplied by

ON YOUR MARKS!

GET SET!!

BET!!! Photo credits – John Lewis

ON YOUR MARKS! “Heard these three words before? Was it at the start of the 100-meter swim at a club gala or a speed-spelling contest at school?” The anticipation of success can be compared to the excitement of taking a bet big or small - on a horserace. It’s entertaining, it’s easy and everybody can enjoy taking at bet - but only if you’re 18 years and older. GET SET!

There are many ways to choose a horse that you fancy. You can study form (the horse’s racing history) in the racecard, follow a newspaper tipster’s selections, seek advice from a friend who “knows”, choose a name you like or take your lucky number. Oh, and while we’re talking about numbers, please remember that all bets taken on the tote are taken on the horse’s racecard number and not their name - although the name may be very pretty it’s not the name were after, it’s the number!

BET! WINS AND PLACES

Next you need to decide whether you want to take a WIN or a PLACE BET. If you bet on a horse for a Win, the horse must win to qualify for a payout. If you’re not that confident of your selection you can take a PLACE BET if there are 6 or more runners. Here you will receive a payout if your horse finishes 1st or 2nd if there are 6 or 7 runners, or 1st, 2nd or 3rd if there are 8 to 15 runners. If there are 16 or more runners there will also be a payout for 4th place.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

A SWINGING BET

“What was that you said? You like two horses in the same race!” Well then the SWINGER is for you. Here you call both horses to the tote operator and you win if your horses finish 1st and 2nd, 1st and 3rd or 2nd and 3rd. The Swinger is the only bet with a R2,00 minimum bet. All other bets are a minimum of R6,00.

EXACTLY!

Slightly more difficult than the Swinger is the EXACTA where you must select the first two horses past the post in the exact order

MINIMUM BET

So now you know what horse you like, and you know the four basic bet types. One more thing. The unit of betting for all bet types is R1 and there is a minimum bet amount of R6 per bet which does mean that if you win, you win the payout SIX times. The only exception to the R6 minimum bet is the Swinger. For the SWINGER the minimum bet is R2.

GOING PLACES?

Many bets involve combinations of placed horses in some way or another. Let’s now take a look at some of these bets. 88

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Play the PLACE ACCUMULATOR

The PLACE ACCUMULATOR BET is a great bet involving selecting horses to run 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the seven consecutive Place Accumulator races. To make your life easier, a permutation bet can be taken to improve your chance of winning i.e. more than one horse in each race. To calculate the cost of your “perm” just multiply the number of horses that you have selected in each race by each other. Still think it sounds difficult?? Well, to make it even easier or more cost effective, you can take a fractional bet which means that you pay a fraction of the cost of the bet - to suit your pocket - and if you win you are paid out the same fraction of the full dividend. Simply put, spend 50% of the full bet cost and get paid out 50% of the full unit dividend if you’re a winner. Fractional bets are subject to the R6 minimum bet.

Try a TRIFECTA or a quick QUARTET

Much quicker to win because they are available on every race, the TRIFECTA and QUARTET bets offer an exciting alternative. The Trifecta is as easy as 1-2-3 and involves selecting the first 3 horses past the post in the correct order. The Quartet involves the first

GET YOUR BETS ON EARLY Ardent followers of Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event, and those who have a once-a-year flutter, are all urged to get their bets on early to avoid the inevitable last-minute rush. four horses past the post, is more difficult to win than the Trifecta but pays higher dividends. Most Trifectas and Quartets are taken using permutations. To determine the cost of your “perm” an “easi-calc” schedule is available in the Racecard. Fractional bets can also be taken.

Every year, when the siren signals the start of the race that captures the imagination of the entire nation, long queues of people are still waiting to take a bet at Greyville Racecourse and at tote outlets throughout the country.

WINNING WAYS WITH WINS

Unfortunately, many of them will not get their bets on because they left it too late.

Earlier we said that if you fancy a horse very strongly then back it for a Win. Now to make your betting ventures more thrilling and to win in other ways, here are a number of multiple race bets focussing on winning horses.

Dabble in a DOUBLE

On Gold Circle’s tabGOLD tote there is a DOUBLE on every two consecutive races. Your task is to find a horse that wins each race or leg of the Double. To make the bet easier, you can choose more than one horse in each leg. Each combination will cost you R1 with a minimum bet requirement of R6.

Perhaps a Pick 3

The Pick 3 is available on any group of three consecutive races. Harder to win than a DOUBLE but easier than a JACKPOT. 89

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

And every punter knows that the only thing worse than not placing your bet on time is watching your fancy romp home ahead of the field without your money riding on its back! Don’t take that chance. Get your bets on early and relax. That way you can enjoy the race without the anxiety of the last minute rush. If you need assistance with taking a bet, get to a tote early in the week, allowing you and the operator the time to ensure that your bets are correct. Betting on the 2013 Vodacom Durban July opens at all tabGOLD Outlets on Monday 1 July 2013.

The Pick 3 can also be taken as a permutation and because there are only three legs the cost of the bet is easier to manage.

Advance to an ALL TO COME BET

The flexibility of combining both WIN and PLACE bets with a chance to win BIG. Simply select a single runner to either win or place in a minimum of two and a maximum of six races (at the same racemeeting). Each dividend is automatically reinvested into the next leg.

Jump at a JACKPOT

The JACKPOT is an exciting bet where you are required to choose the winner of the four consecutive Jackpot races. This is obviously harder to win than the Double, but the rewards are much higher. To make this bet easier to win you can take a permutation, where you select a number of horses in each race or leg. Each line of four horses would cost you R1 and again the minimum bet is R6.

Plan a PICK SIX

FIRST TIME RUNNERS In the event of a first time winner in the Pick Six, the first horse to finish that has raced before will also qualify.

COUPLINGS can help

Horses having the same trainer are called “couplings”. If you have chosen a coupled horse in the Pick Six and the trainer’s other horse wins the race, your coupled selection is classed as a winner.

SCRATCHINGS

This term is used for a horse that is withdrawn from a race and the following rules apply:- WIN, PLACE, EXACTA, SWINGER, TRIFECTA and QUARTET - Full refund on scratched horse. DOUBLE - First leg scratching or second leg scratching prior to the running of the first leg - full refund on scratched horse. Second leg scratching after running of first leg - replaced with Totalisator favourite.

PLACE ACCUMUALTOR, PICK 3 and JACKPOT

– Scratched horse is automatically replaced with the Totalisator favourite. PICK 6 - Scratched horse is automatically replaced with the Totalisator favourite or the coupled horse/s, whichever finishes higher.

The exhilarating PICK SIX is similar to the Jackpot, but you need to find the winners of the six races or legs of the Pick Six in order to win BIG. The cost per line of six horses in a perm is again R1 with the same minimum bet requirement. To calculate the cost of a permutation for the Jackpot, Pick Six or the Place Accumulator ,just multiply the number of horses in each leg by each other i.e. Number of horses in each leg: 2 x 2 x 1 x 3 x 2 x 3 = 72

ALL TO COME – If a selected race is abandoned or a selected runner/s scratched, then the All to Come Bet continues as if that leg had not been selected. Any investment shall be carried forward to the next leg if any remain.

72 combinations or lines @ R1 per line = R72 NOTE: You would calculate a Jackpot “perm” similarly on only the four Jackpot legs and the Place Accumulator using 7 legs. These bets are “fractional friendly” which means that you pay a fraction of the cost of the bet - to suit your pocket (say 50%) - and if you win you are paid out the same fraction of the full dividend (i.e. 50%). Fractional bets are subject to the R6 minimum bet.

Taking a bet, no matter what size, is incredibly exciting. If you have studied form to make your winning selection, then you’ve proved that your win was based on intelligence. If your winning selection was based on a dream or a name that you liked, then you’ve proved that luck does play an important part. No matter how you win it’s fun making the selection and it’s incredibly exciting shouting your horse home. Give it a try!!

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

No persons under the age of 18 are permitted to gamble. Gold Circle is a licensed betting operator. Play with your head and not with your heart. National Responsible Gambling Programme: Toll-Free Counselling Line 0800 006 008.

photo: tracyrobertson.co.za

GIMMETHEGREENLIGHT (AUS) 1ST 3YO TO WIN THE L’ORMARINS QUEENS PLATE GR1 IN 40 YEARS HIGHEST RATED 3YO IN SA 2012 STANDS AT VARSFONTEIN STUD: CARL DE VOS T: +27 (0)21 869 8238 | F: +27 (0)21 869 8503 A: P O Box 239, Paarl, 7620 | E: info@varsfontein.co.za | W: www.varsfontein.co.za

ALL ENQUIRIES & BOOKINGS TO: JOHN FREEMAN

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

T: +27 (0)21 418 0566 | F: +27 (0)21 418 0254 | A: P O Box 26, Sea Point, South Africa 8060

E: john@johnfreeman.co.za | W: www.freemanstallions.co.za

VARSFONTEIN STUD

By Bunny Hinzman

DAWN APPROACH ON THE HORIZON

ewmarket Racecourse hosted the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas (G1), a gathering of Europe’s finest three-year-old colts competing for the first of 2013’s Classics. This timeless race probably ranks as the simplest of the world-class Group I’s – a one mile straight down the Rowley course – but could be considered the most prominent three-year-old contest of the year. Dating back to its inaugural running in 1809, iconic names had first confirmed their abilities on the Newmarket strip. Most recently, it was Frankel (2011) and Camelot (2012). Now Dawn Approach continues the trend of exceptional 2,000 Guineas victors by winning the race on May 4, 2013.

At the start of the race, Dawn Approach broke with his habitual awkward step from the sixth gate, but got into stride quickly and settled near the pace. He maintained his position in fourth place and began to gain ground a quarter mile out from the final post. Within those concluding furlongs, Dawn Approach hit another gear and brought himself into contention aside the leading Glory Awaits. He hesitated for a few moments, hovering in second, before charging onward to win with an impressive five length score and a time of 1:35.84 on a good to firm course. The colt’s trainer, Jim Bolger “felt that he would be hard to beat first time out [at three].” And his jockey, Kevin Manning, said, “It was probably his best performance to date. He gave me a super feeling. Stepping up the extra furlong was a massive help.”

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Photo Credit www.godolphin.com

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

The colt’s next start is not yet certain, but Jim Bolger said it is “more than likely” that we will see Dawn Approach at Epsom Downs for the Investec Derby (GI). Another option for the red colt is the Irish 2,000 Guineas (GI) in his home-country. This race’s one mile distance is assumed by many to be his limit. However, it would not be too ambitious for Bolger and majority owner, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Godolphin, to run Dawn Approach in the 1 ½ mile Investec Derby. Jim Bolger said, “On his breeding you’d expect that he would not get it [1 ½ miles], but because he’s so relaxed and he has so much class, there is a reasonable chance that he will get it. For that reason, it probably will be decided that he’ll go there.”

A Rising Star In 2012, Dawn Approach rose to the top of Europe’s juvenile division. The racing public recognized the colt as the best of Europe’s deep two-year-old crop. Dawn Approach, undefeated in all six outings, earned that year’s Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt hardware. Dawn Approach showed potential from the start, breaking his maiden in a five furlong dash at the Curragh. In his next race, he stretched out another furlong at Naas and won by 5 ½ lengths. After a winning effort in the listed Alfred Nobel Rochestown Stakes, Bolger made the bold choice not to enter the colt in the Chesham Stakes on the final day of the Royal Ascot meet. A seven furlong listed race, the Chesham is restricted to late-developing juveniles with sires that have won going further than ten furlongs. Instead of facing a weak Chesham field, Dawn Approach returned to the track just fifteen days after his last start to advance to the Group II Coventry Stakes. Bettors sent Dawn Approach off at 7-2 as the second favorite behind the 3-1 shot Sir Prancealot in the Coventry Stakes. Dawn Approach hurried out of the gates, losing his footing and taking a stumble. As a result, he lost his pace-stalking position and had to settle midfield not far off the lead. Daylight opened for Dawn Approach as the race progressed and Manning had to convince his mount to make his bid for the lead. Dawn Approach eventually passed horses with his usual kick, but lost ground when he shied from the whip, drifting towards the grandstand. However, the chestnut colt passed the highly-regarded Olympic Glory and Coolmore’s auspicious Cristoforo Colombo near the wire to win by ¾ lengths. Dawn Approach’s victory in the Coventry Stakes would kick-off a good week for his sire New Approach, whose other son Tha’ir would go on to win the Chesham Stakes. His fifth career start would be his first race carrying the colors of his new majority owner, Godolphin. Dawn Approach was originally pointed towards the Curragh’s Phoenix Stakes (GI); however, relentless rain provoked Bolger to withdraw the colt and wait for the Goffs Vincent 94

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

O’Brien Stakes (GI). Nature continued to grant the colt only more bad luck at the Curragh - the track came up yielding for the Group I race officially registered as the National Stakes. Despite the unfavorable conditions, Dawn Approach went to the post as the 2-5 bettors’ choice. He stumbled out of the second closest gate to the rail in this seven furlong test. As Ballydoyle’s rabbit, The Flying Flag, raced away from the field in useless anguish, Dawn Approach’s stablemate, Leitir Mor, played the role of a true rabbit. This situation allowed jockey Manning to settle Dawn Approach comfortably into third in the middle of the track to get better ground. With a quarter mile to spare, Manning angled him out from the pack to make an attempt to overtake the leaders. Dawn Approach did not respond to Manning immediately, but he eventually gave way to his rider and surged past his opponents, defeating runner-up Designs on Rome by 4 ¾ lengths. His connections saw Newmarket’s Dewhurst Stakes (GI) on a sparkling “Future Champions’ Day” as the ideal finale of his juvenile campaign. His trainer Bolger was riding

Photo Credit www.godolphin.com

high. He had already won four Dewhursts in the last seven runnings, and had experienced success earlier in the day with the Trading Leatherin the Autumn Stakes (GIII) and Godolphin would also win one of the Future Champions’ Day races with Reckless Abandon in the Middle Park Stakes (GI). Dawn Approach would be the headline of the day. The excitement was infectious – Dawn Approach was the 3-10 favorite in the six-horse field. At the start of the seven furlong contest, the eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GI) winner, George Vancouver, impeded on Dawn Approach. The Godolphin star positioned himself third on the outside while Leitir Mor established the pace as the rabbit. As the tempo quickened, Dawn Approach advanced into second. Hitting the two furlong pole, Manning angled his mount out and asked him for his best effort. Dawn Approach replied with an instant kick, demolishing the front runners’ advantage. He overtook his adversaries to win drawing away from the second-placed Leitir Mor by 2 ¾ lengths.

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Dawn Approach would be the headline of the day.

The excitement was infectious – Dawn Approach was the 3-10 favorite in the six-horse field.

The Art of the Deal Following the Coventry Stakes, Jim Bolger had sold majority interest of Dawn Approach to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s racing operation, Godolphin. Bolger already had a business history with Darley. He sold Teofilo and New Approach to them under the agreement he would have the ability to send a certain number of his seventy broodmares to the prospering sires free of charge. He crossed his mare, Hymn of the Dawn, to New Approach and the resulting colt was Dawn Approach. Best at shorter distances, Hymn of the Dawn presented promise and a unique pedigree. Though she never won on the racetrack, Jim Bolger admired her breeding potential and decided to keep her. A son of Galileo, New Approach passes to his progeny the rich blood of brilliant ancestors. His already impressive stud career does his multi-classic winning sire proud with an unprecedented three Royal Ascot winners in his first crop of juveniles. However, there is more to New Approach’s kingly heritage than his sire Galileo – his dam, Park Express, took the Nassau Stakes (G1) and even defeated colts in the Irish Champion Stakes (G1). New Approach, himself a major Group I winner, took the Dewhurst as an unbeaten two-year-old, and won the Epsom Derby and Irish Champion Stakes at three. A strong second to Henrythenavigator in the 2,000 Guineas and the Irish 2,000 Guineas, New Approach closed his career in track recordbreaking fashion by winning Newmarket’s Champion Stakes (G1) with a six length score. A unique youngster by a flourishing Darley stallion, Dawn Approach seemed an ideal purchase for Sheikh Mohammed. Last year, Godolphin invested in the most promising juveniles by not only purchasing 51% of Dawn Approach, but also buying France’s top two-year-old Reckless Abandon. Following Dawn Approach’s final start of the season, Sheikh Mohammed said, “We are very happy. I was impressed with him when he won his maiden and I thought he was a good horse.” Dawn Approach’s sire, New Approach - Photo credit John Reardon

A main protagonist in what may become a great dynastic tale, Dawn Approach takes the starring role in a show of his own, captivating audiences with his individual appearance and demeanor. Racing in Godolphin blue, he follows a story line similar to his sire. The Bolger-trained New Approach wore the colors of Her Royal Highness Princess Haya of Jordan after she bought him from Jim Bolger as a two-year old. His jockey was Kevin Manning, who has now piloted Dawn Approach in all his starts.

The jockey said, “To

ride any horse of this ability is exciting, but it is great to have

ridden the father and now ride a horse as good as him. It’s fantastic to be a part of the dynasty.” 96

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

BLOODSTOCK INSURANCE

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

PERSONAL & COMMERCIAL INSURANCE

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Text and Images by Liesl King

Champions

never lie down 98

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Black Caviar, up until 2011, it was known worldwide as a rather expensive delicacy, with a salty fishy taste designed to tantalise the tastebuds of the rich. Then along came a tall rangy thoroughbred mare, named Black Caviar. Initially she was just another racehorse, stabled at Caulfield, trained by Peter Moody and given the stable name Nelly. Afterall the big black baby looked far more like a homely Nelly than a regally bred queen, who could carry off a name such as Black Caviar. 99

INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

100 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

elly she stayed, cruising under the radar as she quietly went about the job of winning races. Initially few took notice. In fact, it was only during her four-year-old career that Nelly stepped squarely into the spotlight. Competing in Group 1 company for the first time, Black Caviar added the Patinack Farm Classic and The Lightning Stakes to her repertoire before winning the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap in record time, carrying an unheard of 58kg. Next up was the William Reid, before the black mare finally left her home base of Melbourne to venture to Sydney for the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick on the 9th of April 2011. Here she was up against Hay List, who had been called the fastest horse he had ever sat on by top jock Glynn Schofield and she was running right handed for the first time. In front of a crowd of 30 000 people Hay List streaked clear in the home straight and it seemed as if the Black Caviar story was over. Then, Luke Nolan pressed the button. Black Caviar changed gears like a Formula One car and cruised past Hay List as if he was standing still, winning easily by 3 lengths. Nelly was now Black Caviar and the world sat up and noticed. More victories followed. Still the mare remained unbeaten and still the records kept tumbling. But the world demanded to see Black Caviar perform on the world stage. For over a year, the racing pundits kept clamouring to see the unbeaten Black Caviar, take on sprinters outside of her home country. Her owners and trainer finally relented and announced that the five-year-old mare would travel to England to contest the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes over Ascot’s testing 1200m. The media hype started almost immediately, despite the mare still having a domestic program to complete. With the hype came the speculation. Was she as good as they said, would she actually travel and could she win? Around the world opinions were offered and her races were dissected. Through it all the mare kept winning, eventually taking her unbeaten record to a magical 21 in Adelaide. The time had come to leave her familiar territory and undertake the 30 hour flight halfway around the globe. Again it all played out in the full glare of the media. Nelly had a personal compression suit made in fashionable blue, with Black Caviar on the one side and Nelly on the other. It was time to travel. On the 6th of June, Black Caviar departed from Melbourne enroute to Heathrow with scheduled stops in Singapore and Sharjah. Her progress was tracked all across Australia and her fans breathed a sigh of relief when the mare finally touched down safely. The media continued to follow her every step. Every workout was faithfully recorded and broadcast around the world. By the time raceday finally dawned, there was very little about Nelly that was not known and the British public had been swept up in Black Caviar fever. In the pre-parade ring there wasn’t space for a mouse, with the crowd standing ten deep around the outside. “Where is she?” “Is that her?” was the constant refrain. They were there to see one horse and one horse only.

101 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

hen Black Caviar finally emerged, cameras appeared out of handbags and pockets, as everybody wanted to be part of the moment. When the bugle sounded for the jockeys to mount, the crowd was already at dangerous proportions along the running rail. Australian flags, kangaroos and a sea of salmon and pink greeted Luke Nolan as he emerged from the tunnel to trot down to the start. The race started with a roar and ended with a roar. Black Caviar jumped from barrier fifteen and raced up the standside rail. But for racegoers familiar with her style, it was clear a long way out that something was terribly amiss. Gone was the mare, racing with ears pricked, tugging Nolan along, demanding to be allowed just a little bit more rein. Despite racing up with the leaders, Black Caviar seemed ordinary, holding off challengers but not gaining an inch either. Ascot, Australia and the late night diehards in Federation Square back home in Melbourne held their collective breath. Was the fairytale finally going to end, in this far corner of the world? The French challenger Moonlight Cloud was gaining with every stride and the great black mare appeared to have no more to offer. There is however something that separates the truly great from the ordinary. Champions have the heart and the courage to

get up off the floor, even when all hope seems lost, to throw themselves back into the fray and to keep fighting to the end. Trainer Peter Moody later admitted that he was worried from half way out when he saw by the way she was travelling, that it was not the mare he knew. Nolan confirmed that he â&#x20AC;&#x153;truly shat himselfâ&#x20AC;? when he realised that the great engine that he was so familiar with, had shut down. Yet despite travelling half way round the world, despite having the worst race of her life, despite not being on her game, the great black mare they call Nelly did not give up. She may have been exhausted, but in the manner of a true champion, she picked herself up and threw herself at the line.

102 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

A first there was a stunned silence as the crowd realised that it may not have been enough. Moonlight Cloud was in front a stride after the line, did she beat her? But as the race replayed in slow motion across the big screen, the roar was deafening as a black nose crossed the line first. Guts, determination and the heart of a champion, Black Caviar has it all and perhaps in the closest race of her career, she showed the world her true greatness. In a fitting tribute Black Caviar was named European Sprinter of the Year at the prestigious Cartier Awards, the first time the honour has been bestowed on a horse trained outside of Europe. On the 13th of April 2013, the great black mare one again lined up in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick. Two years 103 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

earlier, it was the race that catapulted her into the glare of the international media, now it was to be her 25th start. Black Caviar did not disappoint. As expected, she crossed the line in front, winning her 15th Group 1 and breaking the record of the most Group 1 victories by an Australian horse, previously held by the mighty Kingston Town. Three days later, on the 17th of April, as her name once again graced the top of the International Rankings with a Timeform rating of 136, Black Caviar was officially retired. A career as a broodmare awaits, but for three magical years, an unbeaten black mare, affectionately known as Nelly, taught the world that Black Caviar is far more than an expensive fishy tasting delicacy.

104 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

105 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

His retirement in 2008, ended two decades of ruthless domination. The whole world knew his name. His achievements they will never forget. History is still being written.

part 3

The Legacy Of

SADLER’S WELLS The Stallion

adler’s Wells retired to Coolmore Stud with much fanfare and covered his first book of mares in 1985, at a firstseason stud fee of IR£125,000. The British bloodstock world waited with bated breath for the arrival of his first crop of foals to be born in 1986. There was a great hype about his stud career, as is always the case with a horse of his superb credentials. Tony Morris had this to say; “There were no breeders who needed to be told about the qualities Sadler’s Wells possessed; they were obvious. All who could afford to use him and who owned an appropriate mare would use him. Long before the start of his first season in stud service, he was everybody’s idea of a prospective major sire.” He had proven his toughness, consistency, soundness and honesty, in a grinding three year old campaign, annexing three hard-fought Group 1’s along the way. He had one of the best pedigrees imaginable, with good looks and a great action to boot; yet many horses with similar credentials had fallen by the wayside and failed to make an impression at stud. There were no guarantees; but he certainly attracted lots of interest and was receiving outstanding support, drawing some of the best mares around. When his foals arrived, they did not disappoint. As a group they were chips off the old block, and what’s more, they displayed that elastic movement. At every juncture Sadler’s Wells was meeting expectation: his weanlings were being snapped up at auction and when the yearlings became available, they were equally popular. When his second crop came on auction, there was again no shortage of support. In summer of ’88, the waiting was finally over; Sadler’s Wells made a stunning start with his first crop of 55 foals and from the 106 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

By Mark Tarry

minute they set foot on the racecourse, it became obvious that he was entitled to his service fee. A remarkable achievement, signaling greatness, occurred in the1988 Dewhurst Stakes, the traditional British championship race for juvenile colts. The result was a dead-heat between Prince Of Dance and Scenic, both of them sired by Sadler’s Wells. Then came the exploits of Old Vic, who ended the season unbeaten in five three year old performances, capped by a seven length Prix du Jockey-Club victory and a four length Irish Derby stroll. That mighty campaign catapulted his sire into second place on the general sires list. As a four year old his son In The Wings, finally overcame the knee injury that had so limited his first two seasons. His first taste of group 1 glory came in the Coronation Cup, where he moved smoothly through for a three length victory. In the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud he gave a similar display to win by nearly two lengths. He was a beaten favourite in the Arc, but he crowned his season by defeating Lashkari and Pebbles in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and earning an Eclipse award for his sire as Champion Turf Male. The Prix Royal-Oak was won by Brashee and the Canadian International Stakes was won by another son, French Glory. In the final analysis he ended up with six Group 1 winners in that first crop and established himself as a sire capable of producing a steady stream of Classic performers. The stark reality was that he had produced in his first crop, both of Timeform’s Joint Best Two Year Old Colts, Prince of Dance and Scenic (TFR 128), he also won Timeform’s Best Three Year Old Colt in Old Vic (TFR 136), as well as Timeform’s joint highest rated and third highest rated older horses Old Vic (TFR 130) and In the Wings (TFR 128). This was a phenomenal feat for a stallion to so dominate a generation. He had now rocketed to stardom.

King of Kings At last here was a stallion who could give an owner a real chance at Classic glory, without a journey across the Atlantic to Lexington, Kentucky, home of the world’s best stallions. He almost singlehandedly filled the vacuum created by the European stallion depletion, caused by the sale of so many champions to stand abroad. With his presence in Europe, it was no longer deemed necessary to visit the Keeneland sales in order to have access to the cream of the global stallion population . . . Sadler’s Wells was here. Crop 2 born 1987 Here emerged the fantastic Salsabil, Timeform’s highest rated three year old filly (TFR 130), heroine of the 1,000 Guineas, the Epsom Oaks, the Irish Derby and Prix Vermeillea total offour Group 1 races during her Classic campaign in 1990. Her exploits gave Sadler’s Wells the turbo boost he needed to become the champion sire of Britain and Ireland for the first time. This began an astonishing sequence: Sadler’s Wells was champion sire in 14 of the 15 years from 1990, the only exception coming in 1991 when Caerleon deposed him briefly as a result of Generous’s stellar season. Crop 3 born 1988 The two and three year old seasons of Opera House career, were compromised due to injury and although 107 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

he showed promise, he did not show himself to be top class. At five however he won Coronation Cup, the Eclipse Stakes and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, demonstrating the battling qualities so reminiscent of his sire. The Coronation Cup had been won by another son, Sadler’s Hall, the previous year. Runyo annexed the Underwood Stakes in Australia. Crop 4 born 1989 El Pradowon the National Stakes at two; Masad won the Gran Premiod’Italia; Johann Quatz won the Prix Lupin. Crop 5 born 1990 Intrepidity won Prix Saint-Alary en route to the Epsom Oaks which she won in race record time beating Royal Ballerina. She was beaten in soft conditions in the Irish Oaks but beat her vanquisher Wemyss Bight in the Prix Vermeille, she followed this victory with a fast finishing fourth in the Arc behind Urban Sea. She was voted European Champion Three Year Old Filly at the Cartier Racing Awards; Barathea an unbeaten two year old, who won the Irish 2000 Guineas after running second to Zafonic in the 2000 Guineas. He was stepped up in trip but failed to stay. He then reverted to a mile where he ran fourth in the the Prix du Moulin, second in the Queen Elizabeth ll Stakes and fifth in the Breeders Cup Mile.

t four he reappeared in the Queen Anne Stakes which he won. He thereafter was narrowly beaten in all of the July Stakes, The Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth ll Stakes before beating a strong field by three lengths in Breeders’ Cup Mile. He was crowned European Champion Older Horse and Horse of the Year at the Cartier Awards. Fort Wood won Grand Prix de Paris; Fatherland was a smart two year old who beat Maroof in the National Stakes. Crop 6 born 1991 After winning the Racing Post Trophy at two, King’s Theatre was runner-up in the Derby and the Irish Derby, before winning the Group 1 King George & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. He was the named Cartier Champion Three Year Old Colt of 1994. Northern Spur won the Oak Tree Invitational Handicapand the Breeders’ Cup Turf on his way to becoming the Eclipse Champion Turf Male of 1995; Carnegie the son of the great filly Detroit won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe narrowly beating Hernando and then gained a gutsy win in theGrand Prix de Paris.

Galileo

The year 1992 marked the beginning of the amazing sequence for Sadler’s Wells of 13 consecutive sire championships. Crop 7 born 1992 Moonshell won the Epsom Oaks; Poliglote was victorious in Criterium de Saint Cloud; Muncie annexed the Prix Saint-Alary. Crop 8 born 1993 Darazari (Aus) won the Rawson Stakes; Luna Wells won the Prix Saint-Alary; Dance Design won the Irish Oaks; Chief Contender won the Prix du Cadran. Crop 9 born 1994 In Command won the Dewhurst Stakes; Kayf Tara won the Ascot Gold Cup (twice), Irish St Leger (twice); Entrepreneur won the 2000 Guineas; Ebadiyla won the Prix Royal-Oak and the Irish Oaks; Cloudings won the Prix Lupin. Crop 10 born 1995 King of Kings was according to Timeform a ‘talking horse’ with a ‘towering home reputation that labeled him as the second coming of Nijinsky’. He won four out of five juvenile starts including the National Stakes before winning the 2000 Guineas in scintillating style, in his three year old debut; Dream Well was good enough to achieve a Derby double in the Prix du Jockey Club and the Irish Derby; Leggera ended up her Classic season as the best middle distance three year old filly in Europe after winning the Prix Vermeille and then finishing a neck second to the unbeaten French three year old colt, Sagamix in the Arc; Greek Dance won the Dallmayr Preis-Bayerisches Zuchtrennen; Insight won EP Taylor Stakes. Crop 11 born 1996 Coolmore bought a half share in the unbeaten French trained two year old Montjeu after Spadoun, the colt he had beaten in his final juvenile race, went on to win group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. At three he won the 1999 Irish Derby, Emirates Airline Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby), and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Mick Kinane described him as the best twelve furlong horse he had ridden. He was the Cartier Three-Year-Old European Champion Colt and World Champion of 1999. Timeform rated him 137 in 1999 and 2000. At four he won the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. 108 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Alexandrova

Other group 1 winners from that crop were: Commander Collins won the Racing Post Trophy; Daliapour won the Coronation Cup and the Hong Kong Vase; Saffron Walden won the Irish 2000 Guineas. In the 1997 season he had nine Group winners in Britain and Ireland: Ebadiyla, Entrepreneur, King Of Kings, Dance Design, Dushyanter, Time Allowed, Yalaietanee, Ashley Park and Royal Court. He had eight group winners in France: Cloudings, Chief Contender, Ebadiyla, New Frontier, Camporese, Legend Maker, Allurement and Palm d’Or. Crop 12 born 1997 Beat Hollow ran third in the Epsom Derby behind Sinndar before winning the Grand Prix de Paris at three, but suffered health issues which kept him sidelined at four. He then joined Bobby Frankel in the USA where he achieved a group 1 treble at five, winning the Turf Classic Stakes, the Manhattan Handicap and the Arlington Million; Subtle Power won the Gulfstream Park Breeder’s Cup; Aristotle won the Racing Post Trophy.

Daliapour

Barathea

Entrepreneur 109 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Crop 13 born 1998 Galileo, a son of the Arc winning German mare Urban Sea, won his only juvenile start by fourteen lengths and beat the subsequent St Leger winner in his three year old debut. After winning the Epsom Derby, easily beating 2000 Guineas winner Golan, Timeform rated him the best Derby winner in ten years and Kinane rated him the best he’d ridden. He easily won the Irish Derby before taking on a formidable rival called Fantastic Light in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but Galileo was not to be denied and beat his opponent by two lengths. In a rematch over the shorter trip of ten furlongs, Fantastic Light got his revenge by a nose after a titanic battle in the final two furlongs. Galileo was named European Champion Three-Year-Old; Imagine won both the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Epsom Oaks. In winning the Oaks, she beat Flight of Fancy into second, with Relish the Thought third , the first three past the post being daughters of Sadler’s Wells; Perfect Soul won the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes on route to a Canadian championship; Milan won the St. Leger; Sligo Bay won the Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes; Sequoya won the Moyglare Stud Stakes Crop 14 born 1999 High Chaparral, became the highest rated juvenile of his year after winning the 2002 Racing Post Trophy. At three he took the Epsom Derby defeating another very good colt in Hawk Wing, before winning the Irish Derby. He was beaten into third in the Arc, before producing a brilliant burst of acceleration, when winning the 2002 John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf. At four he won Irish Champion Stakes and the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf, for the second time, dead-heating with Johar. He was Sadler’s Wells’ leading earner, collecting $5,321,231 in purses and won consecutive Eclipse Outstanding Turf Male Horse awards in 2002 and 2003; In 2003 a daughter Islington was voted the Eclipse Outstanding Turf Female. She had won the Nassau Stakes, the Yorkshire Oaks (twice) and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in an outstanding career; Ballingarry won the Critérium de SaintCloud, Canadian International Stakes; Black Sam Bellamy won the Gran Premio del Jockey Club, Tattersalls Gold Cup; Gossamer won the Fillies’ Mile and the Irish 1000 Guineas; River Dancer won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup; Quarter Moon won the Moyglare Stud Stakes; Sholokhov won the Gran Criterium.

Crop 15 born 2000 Refuse to Bend won the National Stakes in his second juvenile start, having made an easy winning debut, he then won the 2000 Guineas in his second start at three, before running disappointingly in the Epsom Derby. At four he won the Queen Anne Stakes, beating Soviet Song and Six Perfections, there after he beat Warrsan impressively in the Eclipse Stakes; Powerscourt won the Tattersalls Gold Cup and the Arlington Million; Brian Boru won the Racing Post Trophy and the St Leger Stakes; Doyen won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes; Yesterday won the Irish 1000 Guineas; Alberto Giacometti won the Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Crop 16 born 2001 The formidable stayer Yeats won the Coronation Cup at four before going on to reel off an unprecedented four wins in the Ascot Gold Cup, he also won the Irish St Leger and the Prix Royal-Oak; Quiff won the Yorkshire Oaks.

Fort Wood

Crop 17 born 2002 Playful Act won the Fillies Mile. Crop 18 born 2003 Alexandrova swept all before her, at her ultimate trip of one and a half miles, when easily disposing of the opposition in the Classic, group 1 treble, of the Epsom Oaks, the Irish Oaks andthe Yorkshire Oaks; Ask won the Coronation Cup and the Prix Royal-Oak; Septimus won the Irish St Leger; Saddex won the Premio Presidente Della Repubblica and Preis von Bayern; Linda’s Lad won the Criterium de Saint-Cloud. The year 2005 saw the end of the phenomenal sequence of 13 sire championships. Crop 19 born 2005 Listen won the Fillies Mile. In a career spanning 21 years, Sadler’s Wells rewrote the record books. He has sired eighty individual Group/Grade 1 winners, producing twenty-five individual classic winners. His progeny have made a clean sweep of every Classic there was to win. He produced a record six Breeders’ Cup winners and twenty-two Group 1 winning two year olds. He has had three hundred and twenty three individual stakes winners. He has been Champion Sire in Britain and Ireland a record fourteen times, thirteen of those in succession from 1992 to 2004. He won the French title three times, in 1993, 1994 and 1999 and was leading sire in North America in 1995. He was retired from active duty on May 13, 2008, due to declining fertility and died three years later at his home Coolmore Stud on April 26, 2011, at the age of thirty. The king is dead, but his legacy lives on and the face of racing and breeding in Europe will be forever changed. He was a legend in his own lifetime, an equine phenomenon. From the first group of runners it became obvious that something special was about to happen. He began to dominate as no other before him, sweeping Coolmore to a position of international superiority and lifting the cradle of the thoroughbred back to the top of the tree. But even before he retired, his sons began to move smoothly into position to assume the crown….. 110 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Imagine

JUDPOT (USA)

A GREAT START - 2 TOP 2-Y-O’S COLOUR OF COURAGE (COLT) WON G2 UMKHOMAZI STAKES 1200m ALONG CAME POLLY (FILLY) 2nd G1 ALLAN ROBERTSON CHAMPIONSHIP 1200m

PLUS 5 WINNERS ON DEBUT (to 25th May 2013)

JUDPOT STANDS AT VARSFONTEIN STUD Carl de Vos • PO Box 239 Paarl 7620 Tel: (021) 869-8238 • Fax: (021) 869-8503 E-mail: info@varsfontein.co.za • Web: www.varsfontein.co.za 111 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

LIFE IS A RACE

Play the game of Kings Ha ha! I’m the leader of this pack.

Register�online,�start�playing for�free�and�win�great�prizes If you like horse racing, you will love Inplay Horse Racing – a game that lets you compete and fully immerse yourself in the races – purely for the fun of it. www.racingassociation.co.za

112 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

@InPlayRacing

In Play Horse Racing

For now dad. The next game is mine.

HORSE RACING

Play now and WIN great prizes Life is a race, play the game of kings

Mauritzfontein,

By Nicole de Villiers

The Oppenheimer Empire Mauritzfontein on THE TOP Mauritzfontein, in all its unique â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Northern Cape Beauty,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; is one of the most renowned thoroughbred breeding establishments. Big and honourable names have come from the great stud, which has been home to Bridget Oppenheimer and the late Harry Oppenheimer since 1945. 1945 was the beginning, the year that Harry Oppeheimer had returned after serving with the Fourth South African Corps during World War Two. 113 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Above: Mizram (employee of Mauritzfontein) with Mrs Oppenheimer, Guy Murdoch (stud manager) and Nico Kritsiotis at Champions Day 2013. Photo by Liesl King.

The Oppenheimers chose to reside in the capital of the Northern Cape, Mr Oppenheimer had been elected as a member of parliament and remained involved in politics for many years. Harry also happened to be a keen horseman and had the idea of breeding Polo Ponies on Mauritzfontein but as fate would have it, he got involved in the thrilling business of the racing industry and that was it! Hobo was the first stallion that the Oppenheimers acquired. He came from Lord Roseberry and was known to be the most pricey stallion to be imported for a sum of 20 000 pounds. Bad luck however prevailed; Hobo never got the chance to prove his value as a stallion as he died of billiary. Thereafter Mauritzfontein acquired an impressive French bred stallion called Janus. Tiger Fish had come from Janus and happened to be the Oppenheimers first July winner in 1959. However the stallion that put Mauritzfontein firmly on the map was Wilwyn, a top racer in Europe and America. Wilwyn sired many good horses namely Kimberley Kid, Rarin to Go,

114 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Smash and Grab, Anchorage, Uncle Ben and Col Pickering. His greatest son was King Willow who was an adversary of Sea Cottage. In the late 1970â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Maurtizfontein was struggling to find a stallion on the level of the great Wilwyn. In the 80s, Maurtizfontein was left with no stallions on the property. The Oppenheimers were then advised by the stallion manager at the time, Gavin Schaeffer, to take a promising young horse straight off the track. This is where the outstanding Fort Wood by Sadlers Wells made his entrance to Mauritzfontein. The magnificent dark bay stallion had won 6 starts before injuring himself and ending his career due to a fractured sesamoid bone. Fort Wood went on to become a multiple champion sire. Fort Defiance, Dog Rose, Celtic Grove, Dynasty, Hunting Tower, Wendywood and Chesalon are a few of the big names bred during Fort Woods reign. The biggest name of all though, is the Triple Crown winner, Horse Chestnut. Mrs Oppenheimer was quoted in the Citizen as saying that Horse Chestnut was the best horse her husband had bred. He was also the winner

of the J&B Met in 1999 and became a hot favourite to anyone interested in racing. These days the talk in the industry is the magnificent black filly whose name is on the lips of many a racing enthusiast. Maurtizfontein has a long history of exceptionally superb horses but the hottest topic at the moment is the Triple Tiara winner. The black Tiger Ridge filly, Cherry On The Top, out of Oaks winner Carolina Cherry, had a roaring crowd cheering her to the finish line at Turffontein on Champions Day on the 27th of April. At 400 metres from the finish line she was still a couple of lengths from the front runners, but as soon as jockey, Nooresh Juglall, urged her on she charged over the finish line. The bold, handsome filly had Mrs Oppenheimer, Guy Murdoch and trainer Ormond Ferraris in a state of high excitement. The R1 000 000 cheque was handed over to Mrs Oppenheimer and her connections to tumultuous applause. Cherry on The Top is yet another winner out of Wilgerbosdrift’s sire, Tiger Ridge.

Photo credit: Courtesy Mauritzfontein Stud

Fort Wood

Ideal World

THE FARM AND THE FUTURE Mauritzfontein is now being managed by Guy Murdoch who proudly says, “Mauritzfontein is the best breeding farm in the country.” Guy’s opinion on the farm is that the size of the property contributes to the farm never becoming horse sick. “The average paddock is 60 hectares, which is the size of some farms out there! The veld is good and sweet and the soil is rich in calcium. The climate is also perfect as it is hot enough in summer and cold enough in winter to keep parasites and disease at bay.” The farm also happens to have a vast amount of game which ads to the beauty of the property, and game drives are often the order of the day. Guy goes on to say that Mrs O is a great lady and the Queen of SA racing. He gets a kick out of seeing a horse do well but his main passion is being around mares and foals every day, having the eternal hope that they can win great races. When asked what Mauritzfontein’s plans are for the celebrity mare, Cherry on The Top, Guy says the Woolavinton Gr 1 is next on the list, and that depending on the draw, the Durban July is also something to look at but they will leave that part to trainer, Ormond Ferraris. Another new addition to the Maurtizfontein empire is the big bay, Ideal World. Ideal World covered his first mare in 2010, so he has been at stud for three years now with the promise of producing something special. His oldest foals will be going into training this year as everyone waits with bated breath to see what the great bay has up his sleeve. Ideal World has an impressive pedigree and his dam, Banks Hill, is a full sister to champion sire Dansili. Guy proclaims that Ideal World’s pedigree and conformation goes well with the Fort Wood mares of which there are numerous on the farm. Many wait to see what the great stock of Mauritzfontein have yet to offer. Great promise lies in the stark veld nestled along the railway lines outside Kimberley.

115 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Cherry On The Top

Images and text by Liesl King

South Africans, taking Hong Kong by storm

116 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

ong Kong may be a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, but when it comes to racing, South Africans rule the roost. Our jockeys in particular have made it their own personal fiefdom, with Douglas Whyte having won the Jockeys’ Championship a record 12 times! And, he is far from done as he is merrily on his way to his 13th title. Douglas Whyte saluting the crowd after winning the BMW Derby aboard Akeed Mofeed. Photo HKJC

117 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

friendly rivalry exists between the expat South African jockeys and trainers and their Australian counterparts. So when Australian Brett Prebble set a record of riding six winners on the card at Happy Valley in 2010, it was inevitable that Whyte would equal or break it. Sure enough, on the 7th of April this year, Whyte carded a magnificent six at Sha Tin, not quite Dettori’s magnificent seven, but at least it equaled Prebble’s record. “Fantastic!” was how Whyte described the achievement. “It’s been a long time between drinks and I have wanted to do it for a long time. Good on Brett, he did it before me, but we share the record now and it was something that I have wanted to close the chapter on for a long time. Now I can look forward to other challenges.” Another South African jockey, who has quietly been making a name for himself, is Weichong Marwing. He may not be winning championships like Whyte, but currently seventh in the jockeys’ standings he is certainly winning enough of the big races. Recently he partnered the John Moore trained Dan Excel(IRE) to victory in the International Group 1 Champions Mile and last year he steered David Ferraris’ Liberator to victory in the Hong Kong Group 1 Standard Chartered 118 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Champions & Chater Cup, winning the last leg of the Triple Crown. Liberator went on to be crowned Champion Stayer for the 2011/2012 season for South African born trainer David Ferraris. Ferraris has been a long time addition to the Hong Kong training ranks. Son of champion South African trainer Ormonde, Ferraris began training in 1995. He won the South African trainers’ title on four occasions, before moving to Hong Kong in 2003/2004. One season later, his charge Vengeance Of Rain(NZ) won the Group 1 Hong Kong Derby. It was the first of six Group 1 victories, which took Vengeance of Rain and Ferraris all the way to Dubai in 2007 where they won the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic. And partnering Vengeance of Rain? A South African jockey of course! Anthony Delpech has since returned to South Africa to take up the position of stable jockey to the mighty Mike de Kock stable, but he will never forget Vengeance of Rain and the incredible partnership he had with the talented champion. The day Liberator won Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup for Ferraris, he beat none other than Ambitious Dragon, Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year for the past two seasons and trained by another South African, Tony

Weichong Marwing winning the Champions Mile aboard Dan Excel

Millard. Millard took over the reins from his famous father Terence Millard in the early nineties. A good horseman in his own right, with a youth spend showjumping and mucking around at his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stables, Millard soon established himself as a trainer of note. During the next nine years, he won 39 Group 1 races including every top race in South African and trained three Horse of the Year Champions, Empress Club, Surfing Home and the mighty Jet Master. However, labour troubles and a yearning for the unknown had him packing his bags for Hong Kong. Immediately his skill as a trainer became obvious when he won the Group 1 Hong Kong Derby during his first season with the aptly named Keen Winner. Yet it would take another ten years before he would train a Hong Kong Horse of the Year. Training in Hong Kong is anything but easy and the fact that Millard has survived so long is a testimony to his superb skill as a horseman and the arrival of a horse called Ambitious Dragon(NZ). Millard takes up the story: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ambitious Dragon was not even destined for Hong Kong. He was one of six horses that one of my owners purchased in New Zealand. 119 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

During the next nine years, he won 39 Group 1 races including every top race in South African and trained three Horse of the Year Champions, Empress Club, Surfing Home and the mighty Jet Master.

Richard Fourie winning aboard Super Lifeline- Tony Millard’s 400th winner.

He didn’t show much in training and ran a few times with no success so when it came to selecting the horses to come to Hong Kong, he was not included. At the last minute, one of the horses destined for Hong Kong went lame and they decided to send Ambitious Dragon instead. The rest as they say is history!” Ambitious Dragon has certainly set Millard on the map, with Group 1 victories in the Hong Kong Classic Cup, the Hong Kong Derby, the Audemars Piquet QE II Cup, the Hong Kong Stewards Cup, the Hong Kong Gold Cup, the Longines Hong Kong Mile and the Hong Kong Jubilee Cup. Quite an extraordinary record for a horse, who appeared to have no talent at all. Millard also achieved fame when he took the wayward and notoriously difficult South African bred mare Sweet Sanette to Royal Ascot to compete in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes over 1000m. The mare did her best to avoid putting her feet on the hallowed turf and eventually her jockey, Jamie Spencer, had to lead her down to the start. However, once the gates flew open, Sweet Sanette set off like a scalded cat and led the field until the 200m mark, before finishing a creditable third. “She always had a few tricks up her sleeve and she certainly learnt a few more tricks there, but she was absolutely magnificent when it mattered most. It was a good experience going to Royal Ascot, although she added to my collection of gray hairs!” Another milestone was reached when Millard recently celebrated his 400th winner in Hong Kong with Super

120 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Tony Millard celebrating his 400th winner.

Lifeline(AUS) winning the 7th race on Champions Mile day. In the saddle was a relative newcomer to Hong Kong in the form of South African jockey Richard Fourie. Currently eight on the jockeys’ standings with 30 victories, he has already impressed the local trainers and owners with an impressive second on Cerise Cherry in the Group 1 Hong Kong International Sprint shortly after his arrival. They may not be many, but the South African jockeys and trainers in Hong Kong, certainly pack a punch, taking the racing by storm and proudly flying the South African flag.

121 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

122 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

WORLD CLASS OVER FOR KLAWERVLEI

By Sarah Whitelaw

ultiple G1 winner and former European champion, Twice Over will stand his first season at Klawervlei Stud this season, and looks an exciting addition to the South African stallion ranks. Photos by Mark Cranham from Cranham Photo 123 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Twice Over, handled by ten times British champion trainer Sir Henry Cecil, was an exceptional racehorse, who raced at the highest levels from two to seven. He was twice named Champion Older Male in Britain – in 2009 and 2010. Unbeaten in two starts as a juvenile, Twice Over was regarded as a classic prospect following his win, over subsequent Gr1 Breeders Cup Classic hero Raven’s Pass, in the Gr3 Craven Stakes of 2008. He would go on to land the Gp2 Prix Eugene Adam at three and ran second in that season’s Champion Stakes, but really came into his own as a 4yo. Twice Over stamped himself as one of the world’s finest performers at four, when he won the Gp1 Champion Stakes and ran third, behind mighty mare Zenyatta, in the Gr1 Breeders Cup Classic. The horse would go on to become one of just 11 back to back Champion Stakes winners, when taking out the Newmarket showpiece as a 5yo. (Others to pull of the double include Turf legends Fairway and Brigadier Gerard.) That season, Twice Over not only won the Champion Stakes, but also took another of Britain’s time honoured G1 contests – the Eclipse Stakes. In winning the Eclipse, he provided his trainer with a fourth win in the 2000m contest, which has contested and won by some of the true greats of the sport. When Twice Over landed top honours in the Champion, he did so at the expense of no fewer than seven G1 winners! One year later the horse provided owner-breeder, Juddmonte Farms, with a very historic success in the Juddmonte International. To make it doubly special for the farm, Twice Over beat fellow Juddmonte owned and bred champion Midday into second place in the race, which his owner Prince Khalid Abdullah had sponsored for the past 22 years! During his stellar six season campaign, Twice Over met and defeated some of the world’s very best competitors. Among them were the following G1 winners: Alpine Rose (Prix Jean Romanet), Awesome Gem (Hollywood Gold Cup), Campanologist (Preis von Europa), Cityscape (Dubai Duty Free), Colonel John (Santa Anita Derby), Debussy (Arlington Million), Einstein (Santa Anita Handicap), Fame And Glory (Irish Derby), Full of Gold (Criterium de SaintCloud), Girolamo (Vosburgh Stakes), Gitano Hernando (Singapore Cup), Irish Flame (Horse of the Year), Linngari, Jan Vermeer, Midday (Breeders Cup F& M Turf), Mine That Bird (Kentucky Derby), Monterosso (Dubai World Cup), Poet’s Voice (Queen Elizabeth II Stakes), Richard’s Kid (Pacific Classic twice), Rip Van Winkle (Sussex Stakes), Sariska (Epsom Oaks), Summer Bird (Jockey Club Gold Cup), Virtual (Lockinge Stakes), Vision d’ Etat (French Derby), Zafisio etc. Twice Over retired from the track having won or placed in 24 of 33 starts. He earned over GBP 2 500 000 in prize 124 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

money, and had the remarkable statistic of having won or placed in no fewer than 13 G1 contests. Twice Over’s 12 victories came over distances ranging from 1600m to 2000m, and he won on both turf and on all weather. His trainer, Sir Henry Cecil, described Twice Over following his retirement as, “I was very sorry to see Twice Over go, having had him at Warren Place for a number of years - he became a really good friend. “He was a very good horse, winning a lot of races, including the Juddmonte International, Eclipse and two Champion Stakes.

“I love a broad, honest head with a good eye and he was blessed with these qualities.

“I love a broad, honest head with a good eye and he was blessed with these qualities. Thank you Twice Over for giving me so much pleasure and success at the racecourse.” A son of outstanding Distant View (Mr Prospector) son Observatory, Twice Over hails from a prolific and illustrious Juddmonte family. His dam, by champion sire and leading broodmare sire Caerleon, is the stakes winner Double Crossed, who won the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial. In turn, Double Crossed herself is a half-sister to outstanding broodmare Clepsydra (dam of the G1 winners Passage of Time (Criterium de Saint-Cloud) and Timepiece (Falmouth Stakes). 125 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

This magnificent family has also produced such notable runners as All At Sea, Banshee Breeze and champion 2yo Pleasure Place. Twice Over’s fifth dam Kerala is the dam of US Horse of the Year and subsequent Chefs de Race Damascus. The latter was a truly great racehorse, who was rated 16th in the Blood Horse’s top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century. Not only a great sire, and sire of sires, Damascus is also the broodmare sire of outstanding sire Red Ransom. Broodmare sire Caerleon has proven an outstanding broodmare sire, and his daughters, who have bred over 160 stakes winners, have also been responsible for producing such G1 winners as Allegretto (Prix Royal Oak), Buena Vista (Japan Cup), Dimitrova (Flower Bowl Invitational), Gilt Edge Girl (Prix de L’Abbaye) Mutafawaq (St Leger) and River Keen (Jockey Club Gold Cup). 126 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Leading US pedigree guru Alan Porter has done a full assessment of Twice Over’s pedigree, and feels the Mr Prospector line descendant would be well suited to Blushing Groom line mares, which would include daughters of such proven South African sires such as Jallad, Kabool and Spectrum, to name a few. Porter also feels that that stallion could do well when mated to Nureyev line descendants, or possibly Deputy Minister line females. He also believes that Twice Over could prove highly successful when covering daughters of the likes of Captain Al and Jet Master, as both stallions carry Damascus (who hails from the same family as Twice Over) in their respective pedigrees. Twice Over will stand for a fee of R80 000 – R20 000 deposit, with R60 000 live foal fee.

127 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Irish Flame

Winning First Season Sires For KZN Group 1

Photo credit John Lewis

By Candiese Marnewick

ZN Breeding welcomes four new stallions to the ranks this season – three of them Gr 1 winning racehorses standing their first seasons at stud in 2013 – namely Byword(GB) at Middlefield, Crusade(USA) at Scott Bros and Irish Flame at Bush Hill Stud. Toreador(IRE), the best performed son of Danehill to stand his career in South Africa has also now relocated to KZN and will cover his first KZN season alongside Irish Flame at Bush Hill Stud. A flashy good-looking individual bred and raced by Juddmonte Farms, Byword is by Peintre Celebre out of the UK’s Broodmare Of The Year, Binche – a title she earned after producing two Group 1 winners, Proviso (by Dansili) and Byword. Proviso won nine races including four consecutive Group 1 races in the USA and two Group 3s, one of them in France. Proviso was rated as one of the top two year olds in England and raced up to the age of five.

128 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Binche is by Woodman(USA), her second dam an own-sister to sire Peacetime(USA) who stood for a time in South Africa. Binche has been covered by Frankel this season. Bought by Ashley McNabb and Rob Pickering, Byword is a winner of the Gr 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Ascot where he defeated Twice Over into second position carrying even weight. A tough, sound racehorse with an exceptional temperament who raced until five years of age, Byword also took home the Gr 2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud and Gr 2 Prix Dollar where he defeated In Cirrus Des Aigles, currently the top rated horse in the world. He won the Listed Prix Jacques Laffitte, as well as placing third in the Gr 1 Juddmonte International and second by just half a length to Goldikova in the Gr 2 Prix Foy and Gr 1 Prix d’Ispahan. Byword has arrived at Middlefield Stud in preparation for the season ahead and stands for R30 000 Live Foal.

Crusade

Photo credit Candiese Marnewick

Another British Group 1 winner - Crusade(USA) - has recently arrived in Nottingham Road at Scott Bros’ Highdown Stud to settle in before his first season ahead. Standing at a farm that stood great multiple Champion sires’ Foveros and Jungle Cove – who have each left a formidable legacy in our breeding pool - Middle Park Stakes Gr 1 winner Crusade(USA) is the first son of Mr Greeley to stand in KZN. A big, good-looking black stallion without a hint of a white marking to be seen, Crusade is out of La Traviata by Johannesburg(USA).

which included four Group 2 winners - including the likes of Capar Netscher who is a three-time Gr 2 winner.

Trained by Aiden O’ Brien, Crusade had six starts in England - winning twice including the Gr 1 and placing in the Gr 3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket. He also ran in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile but finished fifth after interference during the race. Crusade is a half-brother to Cristoforo Colombo(USA), by Henrythenavigator. Only kept at distances of 1200m, Cristoforo Colombo placed in the Middle Park Stakes Gr 1 and second in Past Middle Park Stakes winners include some outstanding the Railway Stakes Gr 2 and a third in the Coventry Stakes Gr individuals such as Known Fact, Diesis, Minardi, his own 2. Crusade stands for a fee of R20 000 this season. broodmare sire Johannesburg, Oasis Dream, leading Freshman sire Dutch Art and Dark Angel. Crusade ran the Bush Hill Stud have acquired two new sires for the season – second fastest time of 1:10.75 behind Oasis Dream who won international race record setter Irish Flame and the proven sire the race in 2002 in a time of 1:09.61. Crusade’s win in the Toreador(IRE), both owned by the Tawny Syndicate. Middle Park Stakes saw him destroy a strong field of horses

129 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

Toreador Photo credit Candiese Marnewick

Photo credit John Lewis

Byword

Irish Flame also gets the accolade for being the first son of top sire Dynasty to retire to stud. A big horse who stands almost 16.2 with an incredibly big and athletic striding walk with a lovely temperament to match, Irish Flame raced to great success in South Africa, Dubai and England, recording a total of six wins and three places over 1600-2450m, winning R2,697 080 in the process and earning himself multiple Equus Awards for Champion 3YO Colt/Gelding in 2010, Champion Stayer in 2010 and the highest accolade of Horse of the Year in 2010.

won a Conditions Plate by almost three-and-a-half lengths over 2200m, setting a new course record in the process and giving an incredible 6kgs of weight to the second horse.

Trained by Mike De Kock, his wins began with his South African racing career, taking home the Politician Stakes Listed and setting the track alight in the SA Derby Gr 1, winning by a breath-taking nine and half lengths over 2450m. He also added the Daily News 2000 Gr 1 as well as the Gold Circle Derby Gr 2 to his list of victories.

A four-time winner including the Turffontein Handicap, he also placed 17 times including the Gr 2 Sentinel Sprint, Drill Hall and Hawaii Stakes – as well as a second in the Gr 1 Gold Challenge and Queens Plate.

Irish Flame completes an exciting trio of Group 1 winning horses to begin an exciting era in KZN Breeding – as well as injecting new genetics into the gene pool for South Africa. His service fee for the season is R10 000.

The farms above have all reported enthusiastic support from breeders nationwide and we look forward to the progeny to Equus Awards run strongly through Irish Flame’s pedigree – come from these outstanding Champion racehorses - who including that of his sire Dynasty (by SA Champion sire and should stamp their authority on our tracks as stallions in years broodmare sire Fort Wood) and his own broodmare sire to come. Flaming Rock. Dynasty and Flaming Rock have also each won South Africa’s greatest horse race in Africa, the Gr 1 Vodacom The last acquisition is the proven stallion Toreador(IRE) - dark Durban July, making Irish Flame a truly South African home- bay son of dual hemisphere champion sire Danehill out of bred champion. His dam is Clock The Rock, a descendant of Purplepaperchase by Young Generation. Standing at 16 hands, the famous South African ‘Corn’ family that has produced Toreador spent his racing career in Ireland, England and South many champions over the years. Africa before retiring to stud.

Commencing stud duties in 2005, he is a sire who holds the accolade of having Stakes Winners in every crop to date Irish Flame went on to run second by a length in the 2010 these include Bold Black Types Link Man (Gold Medallion Vodacom Durban July to Bold Silvano and placed third in the Stakes Gr 1 winner) , Straight Forward, Deliver The Power, Gr 1 SA Classic. He was exported to Dubai where he placed Jackodore, She’s A Stunner and Las Ramblas. fourth in the Gr 2 Al Rashidya Classic at Meydan under Kevin Shea. Toreador’s combined Sales average for 2012 and 2013 is almost 12 times his service fee. Toreador will stand at Bush After his Dubai campaign, he was sent to England where he Hill Stud for R15 000 this season. 130 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

131 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013

132 INTERNATIONAL RACE HORSE June 2013