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JULY ENTRIES NEXT WEEK! 5
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The 2021 Gr1 Vodacom Durban July first entries are due next week on Tuesday morning 20 April by 11h00, and will be announced by Gold Circle on Wednesday 21 April at the Hollywoodbets Greyville racemeeting of that day. The entry deadline for the big race – originally 13 April - was pushed out a week from the programmed date, for a variety of logistical reasons. In what has been described as a truly vintage renewal of Africa’s Greatest Horserace, the tussle for a place in the eighteen horse capacity field on 3 July is expected to be unprecedented, with a spread of proven and new generation talent like nothing seen in
recent years.
11h00 on Monday 21 June.
Hollywoodbets currently have SA Triple Crown winner Malmoos and multiple Equus Champion Got The Greenlight at the top of the boards.
The announcement of the final field and barrier draws will take place on Tuesday 22 June.
First declarations for the July will close at 11h00 on Monday 10 May, while first supplementary entries close 24 hours later. Second declarations close at 11h00 on Monday 31 May. Final supplementary entries close at 11h00 on Tuesday 15 June. Weights will be published on Tuesday 15 June. Final declarations close at
Compulsory public gallops are a condition of acceptance and are scheduled for Thursday, 24 June. Gold Circle reserves the right in its sole discretion to allow a horse stabled out of province on the day of the gallops to work out in the province where stabled prior to 24 June, provided that the workout is filmed and screened on 24 June. Click here for the latest betting
track - the only of its kind in Ireland.
Winter Series Awards Day Irish racetrack Dundalk will host its inaugural Winter Series Awards Day on Sunday 18 April 2021.
coronavirus pandemic. The meeting is aimed at rewarding connections of horses which are regularly run at Dundalk.
First scheduled to take place in April 2020, the event had to be cancelled as a result of the
Hollywoodbets sponsors the eight-race card in a continuation of its partnership with the loveable all-weather 6
Balloting will be done on a points-based system for horses that have run from 9 November 2020 to 19 March 2021, with horses that have gained the most points receiving the greatest protection. There are awards for the Winter Series' leading jockey and trainer, as well as the horse with the most wins and the horse who has gained the most points throughout the period.
GAUTENG GAMBLING BOARD
A BAD BET? v
with its strategic plan.
He can also intervene if the board has failed to comply with his instructions when there is mismanagement of its finances or there is for any other reason, good cause to do so. This is not the first time the board has been placed under administration.
Advocate Fana Nalane
In 2012, former Gauteng economic development MEC Qedani Mahlangu also placed the board under administration and appointed attorney Bally Chuene as its administrator.
The troubled Gauteng Gambling Board has been placed under administration again.
This followed the board’s refusal to relocate from the Johannesburg suburb of Bramley to the city’s central business district.
IOL report that Gauteng economic development, agriculture, environment and rural development MEC Parks Tau announced last week that after consultations with Premier David Makhura’s provincial cabinet he has appointed senior advocate Fana Nalane as the board’s administrator. Nalane is expected to perform the functions and
exercise the board’s powers for a period of six months. Tau also determined that the administrator has all the powers and functions of the board conferred and imposed by the Gauteng Gambling Act and other applicable legislation except granting and revoking licences. In terms of the act, Tau has the power to take over the administration of the board and appoint an administrator to perform its functions and exercise the powers if it has failed to perform its functions, exercise its powers or comply
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The board resisted moving to downtown Johannesburg due to its having moved from Centurion in Tshwane to Bramley, north of Johannesburg, at a cost of R101 million and insisted that relocating would amount to wasteful and fruitless expenditure and was against the Public Finance Management Act and other related National Treasury regulations.
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Cover Image: HSH Princess Charlene and Gareth Wright after Camphoratus’ big win in 2019. Image courtesy of JC Photos
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10 Flashback to 2013 – Crawford’s Thunder Dance wins the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes
JC Photos
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CAN THUNDER
STRIKE TWICE? 11
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On a thunderous and rainswept Friday evening at Turffontein eight years ago, trainer Brett Crawford won the R1 million Laurie Jaffee Empress Club stakes with the Jet Master flyer Thunder Dance for Ian Longmore under the now Hong Kong star, Karis Teetan. On Saturday Brett will be a long way from his Philippi home base again when he takes on the SA Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding. He saddles the Dynasty filly Kelpie for Ridgemont Racing in the R750 000 Gr1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes at Turffontein. The talented Kelpie ran a cracker at her opening Turffontein start three weeks
ago and has been based at Randjesfontein for some time now. “We felt she would have a chance to put on a big showing, although we are under no false illusions about taking on Summer Pudding at level weights! But Kelpie is fit and well. It’s a big plus that Anton Marcus will be there to ride her and it’s a prestigious race,” Brett told the Sporting Post on Wednesday. The well-related Kelpie has won 5 of her 19 starts and is the third-highest rated runner in the race behind Summer Pudding and the year older Running Brave. The undisputed reigning Queen Of Turffontein, SA Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding scored her tenth victory from
eleven starts when romping home in the R250 000 Gr2 Colorado King Stakes at the end of March after a short break. The daughter of Silvano will strip fitter on Saturday and looks a tough nut to crack. The feature enjoys the support of HSH Prince Albert of Monaco, his wife HSH Princess Charlene and the South African Sport of Kings Monaco Group who contribute towards the stake of this prestigious race. Locally, Mike Wittstock, father of HSH Princess Charlene, has been instrumental in assisting with the promotion of the day. The Racing Association recently acknowledged his important role. JC Photos
12 On the move – Brett Crawford
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55 YEARS LATER
NO NATIONALS No Nationals 15
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Breeder David Southey, one of the last remaining stalwarts still active in the Karoo area, will be a notable absentee at this week's National Yearling Sale. For the first time in 55 years, his Southford Stud will not be represented at the timehonoured auction. A third-generation Karoo breeder, David explained the reason for his absence: "My crop consists mainly of yearlings by Admiral Kitten and in this financial climate, I thought it would be suicidal to offer the progeny of an unproven stallion against the top in the country. "I am gambling on him having winners after the Nationals which will make them more buyable at later sales. I have entered a number for the KZN sale and just hope that it was the right decision! I am quietly confident, because his first three runners have all finished in the money." David, who stands the Gr1 winning son of Kitten's Joy on behalf of Moutonshoek, has made a name for himself as a respected vendor at the Nationals. Southford yearlings are always impeccably turned out, are never overdone and typify the very best of the Karoo breed: quality, good-legged animals with the
marvellous bone that comes from the mineral-rich soil. Educated at St Andrews College and the University of Cape Town, David is married to Kathleen and is the father of daughter Cara and son Malcolm and a proud grandfather of seven grandchildren. He started Southford Stud at the tender age of 23 in 1966 and also ran father Percy's Montagu Stud until 1970. Reminiscing on those days, he added: "I started Southford with one mare, Queensmead, which I bought from John Kramer's mother!" In those days, the National Sale was still conducted at the old Milner Park Showgrounds. Then known as the Rand Yearling Sale, it was considered one of the social events of the year, everyone would be dressed to the nines and if you were invited to the Oppenheimer stand, you had arrived. Yearlings travelled to Johannesburg by train loaded on cattle trucks which were divided in single compartments by wooden poles. Prior to the sale, a panel of judges would inspect all yearlings on offer and name a champion colt and filly. In 1960, Percy Southey won the award
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for the best filly with Levanter, who went on to win seven races. Yearlings were sold by stud draft, in contrast to the modern day practice of selling in alphabetical order of the dam. David was one of the young, progressive breeders advocating a change in the system and for a good reason. "If your draft came up right after those of the mighty Birch Brothers, you were in trouble, for the big buyers would have spent their money!" he said. David was still wet behind the ears when he stood up at an AGM and suggested that the order of sale be changed to the alphabetical system. Needless to say, it created a furore, with those against including revered breeders such as Chairman Alan Robertson, the Birches, Sir Mordaunt Milner, Paul de Wet and the Scott Brothers. "I took a lot of strain from the 'Old Boys'", he quipped, but perseverance paid off and the current system was eventually introduced in the late seventies. At its peak, Southford was home to about 60 mares, half of which were owned by clients such as Gerald Rosenberg, Ormond Ferraris, Lou Burstein (owner of Durban July winner Chimboraa), Ben Fourie, who
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owned the dam of Gr1 winner Patchouli Dancer and 'Tiger' Wright, whose great broodmare Caprica Firth produced the Gr1 winners Kyle and Sound Of Rhum and is also grandam of champion Kildonan. Top horses bred by David for his father Percy include the fine sprinter Merlin, a ten-length winner of the SA Nursery, as well as Caption, who defeated the great Gatecrasher in the Bull Brand International.
Reflecting on his breeding career, David said: "It was really aimed at the ‘sprinting’ market where it was easiest to sell. Sending mares to the ‘big’ name stallions in the Cape was a bit above my financial limit so I had to make the best of ‘other’ stallions." One of those David stood at Southford was Gilbey Stakes winner Damask, a classy Birch-bred who ended up Champion First Season Sire, having covered only 29 mares.
17 David Southey – a life amongst horses
Douglas Penwill's wonderful broodmare Just Silk also boarded at Southford. A daughter of SA Oaks winner Attire, she produced the Gr1 winner Liberty Silk and when mated to Damask, bred the Tibouchina and Strelitzia winner Julia Goes and stakes-placed Purple Silk, the dam of Egoli Sprint winner Take Silk. From his own mares, David bred many of Damask's stakes winning progeny, notably champion sprinter
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KAROO v
YESTERDAY'S LAND OF LEGENDS
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Grimalkin and the siblings Straight Eight and Glissade, both winners of the East Rand Juvenile Stakes. The latter went on to produce the Java Handicap winner Glider Brigade. Other notable Southford-breds include Johannesburg Merchants winner King Of Jazz, Colourburst, who captured the now defunct SA St Leger and was runner-up in the Gr1 SA Derby, while Mike de Kock trained Gr1-placed Lestat, a leading juvenile of his generation and winner of the Gr2 Gosforth Park Juvenile Stakes. A notable pinhook was the London News filly Sally Bowles, which David resold at the Nationals for R140 000. She won the Gr2 KZN Fillies Guineas for Team Valor before her export to the States, where she became a stakes producer. Another Southfordbred stakes winner Alamanda ran third in the SA Oaks and later became dam of Gr1 Golden Slipper winner All Afire. David knows the trials and tribulations of breeding racehorses only too well. Merensky, successful in the Gr2 Gosforth Park Juvenile Stakes, looked destined for the top but died of colic. Sadly, that same fate struck Ludwig, a cracking Dynasty half-brother to the popular Gauteng galloper The White
Horse. Offered at the 2012 Nationals, the colt became David's first and only million Rand yearling. He still recalls that auspicious occasion: "It was unbelievable, I was weak at the knees. Afterwards, I went to the late Chris Gerber's hospitality area and when (fellow breeder) Rennie Price asked me how much I got for the colt, I could only mumble 'six figures'!" Sent into training with Sean Tarry, the colt died before he could reach the track. David is philosophical. "It was a huge blow," before adding wryly, "it would have made the mare, for the What A Winter half-brother I offered some years later fetched just R70 000 and he became a six-time winner."
names as the Baileys, the Robertsons and the Dells, breeders of the mighty Hawaii. Gary Player, the last of the big Karoo breeders, is the most recent to have sold up. Yet David soldiers on and hopefully, will be back at the Nationals in 2022. Along with the Rous brothers Gavin and Trevor of Henham Stud and Gelykfontein stalwart Schalkie van der Walt, this 'salt of the earth' breeder continues to keep the Karoo flag flying on South African racetracks. Long may it continue.
At last year's sale, David sold a Global View half-brother to the Gr3-placed sprinter Captain's Girl. "He was probably one of my best ever yearlings and I recently learned that he has chipped a knee!" Now 77, David has downsized in recent years, having sold the original farm. He moved onto the adjacent property where he runs just 13 mares. Sixty years ago, the Karoo was the premier thoroughbred breeding region, boasting more than 50 breeders. Long gone are such well-known
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The Sporting Post Sprint is interactive. Click on the live links throughout and enjoy the read!
SUGGESTIONS? Please email editor@sportingpost.co.za
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TOP PEOPLE & GREAT HORSES
THE MOOD IS GOOD!
Candiese Lenferna
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24 BSA CEO Michael Holmes – positive
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The next two days and 462 lots at the National Yearling Sale are likely to set the mood trend for the next six months for South African racing, as 2021 gets into full stride. Between the stuttering SA economy, loadshedding, the pandemic still very much a reality, and the sport of kings generally one-paced with many issues still to be
resolved, we are certainly racing on a testing track! But where there are good people and great horses, hope will always spring eternal. “We are hopeful that the recent Inglis Australia results will lead the way for the same sort of confidence among buyers this week, for there is no question we have an exceptionally strong
catalogue,” Michael Holmes, CEO of Bloodstock SA, told Business Day this week. “Since last Thursday there has been plenty of interest at the sales ground and trainers from the Cape and KZN have arrived in force. These are exciting times,” Holmes added. Watch the sale live – click here
Tools Of The Trade
Have you read the Sporting Post’s lot-by-lot preview of the National Yearling Sale?
the dam and siblings of the National Yearling Sale lots on offer.
Click here to read more
The guide gives insight to what to expect of the youngsters in terms of class, stamina, sale price.
Raceform’s Buyer’s Guide is a detailed summary of
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Click here to read more They are both essential reading for the prospective buyer.
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Darley
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Dubawi (Dubai Millennium - Zomaradah)
ERUPT & WILLOW MAGIC IN SPOTLIGHT
DUBAWI’S DOUBLE CENTURY
Dubawi’s versatile son Willow Magic has made a promising start to his stud career, with his first crop headed by Gr2 Ilha Bela
Hawaii Stakes winner MK’s Pride and the Gr1 placed filly Magical Flight, while another of his sons, the impeccably bred Erupt, has his first
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yearlings on sale this year. Willow Magic (4 lots) and Erupt (13 lots) are both represented on this week’s
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National Yearling Sale. And their sire Dubawi joined an elite club his daughter Philomene landed the Gr3 Prix Penelope at Saint-Cloud last Tuesday, she became the 200th stakes winner for her outstanding sire Dubawi. With that milestone, Dubawi became the first British based stallion to sire as many as 200 stakes winners, with Dubawi joining the likes of Danehill, Galileo and Sadler’s Wells as previous stallions to achieve this staggering feat. Dubawi still lags some way off Danehill’s impressive tally of 347 stakes winners, with Sadler’s Wells’ siring 294 stakes winners, and Sadler’s Wells’ son Galileo’s current tally of black type horses currently on 332 stakes winners. A triple Gr1 winning son of the once beaten Dubai Millennium (Seeking The Gold), Dubawi has impressive statistics to match his number of stakes winners. Already the sire of 44 Gr1 winners, Dubawi is siring a formidable 11% stakes winners to foals, in these days of big books of mares, and his Average Earnings Index of 2.52 is a handsome upgrade on the CI (Com-
parative Index) of the mares he breeds.
and Saffron Beach.
Not surprisingly, perhaps, Dubawi has enjoyed tremendous success with Sadler’s Wells line mares, and has sired Gr1 winners out of mares sired by Sadler’s In contrast, top US sires Curlin, Wells sons Barathea, Galileo, Into Mischief and Speightstown, and Montjeu. Sadler’s Wells are siring 7%, 8% and 9 % also features close up in the stakes winners to foals, pedigrees of Dubawi’s major respectively, underlining just how winners Akeed Mofeed, New good Duabwi is. Bay and Sobetsu. Considering the fact that Dubawi covers some of the best racemares and broodmares in the world, this is no mean feat!
Dubawi also more than made his mark – and not for the first time – on Dubai World Cup night this year, with sons Lord North and Rebel’s Romance capturing the Gr1 Dubai Turf and Gr2 UAE Derby respectively, and Dubawi great grandson Mishriff landing the Gr1 Dubai Sheema Classic. His sire sons to have left Gr1 winners already include Al Kazeem (despite the latter’s well documented fertility problems), Maki (whose daughter Matchmaker won Saturday’s Gr3 China Horse Club P J Bell Stakes) and Poet’s Voice. His 2000 Guineas winning son Night Of Thunder has made an exceptional start to his stud career, with his early crops yielding 19 black type winners. Another son of Dubawi to catch the eye at stud is Prix du Jockey Club winner New Bay, who hails from the same family as the likes of Kingman and Oasis Dream, with his first crop headed by the group winners New Mandate
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Sadler’s Wells’ grandson Singspiel also features as the broodmare sire of several high-class stakes winners by Dubawi, notably champion Too Darn Hot, Breeders’ Cup winning champion Wuheida, Gr1 Prix Vermeille winner Left Hand and Gr1 Northern Dancer Turf/Sheema Classic hero Old Persian. Dubawi’s impact has already been felt in South Africa and looks likely to grow still further in the coming years. From just a handful of local runners thus far, Dubawi has been responsible for a pair of Gr1 winners in Happy Archer and Willow Magic, as well as Gr3 Jacaranda Handicap victress Amber Orchid.
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INTRODUCING
SUIKERBOSVIEW STUD! 47
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Overlooking the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve in Henley-on-Klip, Gauteng, lies the newly established Suikerbosview Stud, who offer just one lot at this week’s big sale. Situated just 30 minutes from both the Vaal and Turffontein racecourses, Robyn Klaasen has found her slice of heaven.
At the relatively youthful mark of 26, Robyn is the middle of two sisters, and the only ‘horsey’ person in the family. Starting riding young, and living on a plot, she was fortunate enough to receive a R1500 ticket horse from her parents soon after she started riding and she’s been had the wonderful creatures around her ever since. “We used to have donkeys
on the plot. My sisters and I would try ride them by one of us sitting on the donkey and the other one would carry a packet of carrots around to make them walk. My parents eventually sent us for riding lessons rather than let us torment the poor donkeys any longer!” She studied Equine Science at her Dad’s wish through Warwickshire University in Candiese Lenferna
Lot 434 by Rabada ex Deceptive Charm (IRE)
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England and hasn’t stopped studying since, incorporating her love of horses in her everyday life. “I’ve always had a passion for Thoroughbreds and racing, but it always seemed impossible to get involved in the industry. I eventually found my way in and I worked as a stable employee for about two years with the Alexanders. From there I worked as an Assistant to Sean Tarry, and then Paul Peter,” she tells us. She also did a few months with Tony Gollan in Brisbane, Australia, which was unfortunately cut short due to Covid. While Robyn is still relatively new to racing, and says there is still plenty to learn in the industry, horses have been the biggest part of her life for as long as she can remember. “I absolutely love the game and couldn’t imagine doing anything else!” “My dad has always been, and continues to be my biggest supporter, and thankfully, the racing bug has bitten him too and he loves the farm and what we do just as much as I do!” “After my unexpected return home from Australia due to Covid, I had no clue what my next step was going to be. But for some reason, my dad was
suddenly very interested in buying a farm, although I had been begging him for years, and so we started our search” When they went to see the farm, it turned out that they had actually been to see the same farm 5 years before and had been unable to purchase it. Fate works in strange ways! There had been a lot of deterioration happen since the last time they had seen it, with almost no activity on the farm for about 15 years- plenty of TLC was in order. “Being a ‘racing farm’, it already had all the infrastructure such as a track, stables and foaling boxes- all of which needed and still need
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a lot of work! “While the farm is still a work in progress, we have spent the last months working non-stop to get the property to resemble some sort of working horse farm and we are finally getting there! We currently have 20 horses on the farm and our first foals were born in 2020!” Getting into the breeding industry was an unexpected turn of events for Robyn, she had bought the farm around the same time as the Summerhill Dispersal Sale, and while Covid has been a scary time for most people, Robyn is hopelessly optimistic and decided to take the risk of buying horses when they were cheap.
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“I bought some weanlings, with no real plan as to what we were going to do with them. I had a ‘we’ll figure it out when we get there’ kind of logic and have since bought some mares off various other sales too. “At the moment I am breeding out of pure passion and love for the whole process. It is very difficult and expensive breeding from the Highveld, and so I probably won’t get any more than 5 mares until we figure out a way around
this,” says Robyn.
Deceptive Charm(IRE).
Robyn and Joshua Peter are partners in the stud, and she feels very lucky that he puts up with all of her crazy ideas. They currently have three very nice mares that they are excited about, and are always on the lookout for more.
“There is no disputing the fact that Rabada was a champion racehorse and, as always, we can only hope that these champions can be just as good at stud. From what I’ve seen (and heard), his progeny are showing lovely class and quality. He seems to be an exciting stallion and with only four Rabada’s on the sale- I’m excited to see how they do!”
Currently Robyn and her team are attending the National Yearling Sale with a draft of their own for the first time! A young colt by the champion racehorse Rabada out of the Kingmambo(USA) mare
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Having worked with a few of Deceptive Charm’s progeny
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51 Robyn & Ingear- the first horse she ever strapped in Australia was also a winner that day
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while at the Sean Tarry Racing Yard, Robyn has first-hand experience on just how lovely her foals can be. “Lot 434 has a quality about him that was present even as a yearling- we used to call him the Sports Car. He has a lovely temperament and is very easy to work with. He’s very neatly put together and confirmation-wise, he doesn’t have much to fault. He is on the slightly smaller side and a bit immature, but he is a
late foal and the whole family is small!”
yearlings bought off the National Yearling Sale.
There’s not much to fault in his pedigree either with the dam producing the likes of Witchcraft- who is a Gr3 winner and Gr2 placed, In Cahootswho is Gr3 placed and the most recent winner is Under Your Spell- who is now 3 from 3, including a Gr3 and Listed Race.
Having spent a lot of time and money building the farm up in time for the sale, Robyn and her team are hoping to receive support so they can keep building it up to be the farm they dream of.
Suikerbosview is also offering a special on spelling for
Click here to view the BSA National Yearling Sale Catalogue.
In their latest newsletter, the International Racing Club writes that the Guinness Book Of World Records probably won’t be phoning them, but they are quite chuffed to have performed an historic interview with South Africa’s multiple Champion Jockey, Piere Strydom, at 2pm on Saturday, 10 April 2021.
Piere and Chrisna Strydom
Not Good Enough Anymore? Hearing some of the criticism of displays in the saddle by the more inexperienced riders, it’s really difficult to believe that
Saturday 10 April at Turffontein passed with multiple champion Piere Strydom watching racing from home without a solitary ride!
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We suspected that, in Piere’s illustrious riding career of almost 41 years, he’d never been interviewed whilst sitting at home on a Saturday afternoon – not even when he was suspended from riding, or injured. Read the full story here
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Only the ROYAL have CROWNED JEWELS. Don’t miss out on his 5 GEMS at the National Yearling Sale, 15-16 April!
@RoyalMoStallion @royal_mo_sire www.royalmo.co.za
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INDUSTRY LEADERS all agreed that these GEMS have... v
ARE HORSES GREAT TEMPERAMENTS
OF SUBSTANCE ~ DAVID HEPBURN-BROWN (HEMEL AND AARDE STUD) ~ PIET BOTHA (PIET BOTHA RACING STABLES) ~ MICHELLE RIX (CRAWFORD-RIX RACING) ~ LINDI GARLICKI (CONNEMARA STUD) ~ JOHN KOSTER (KLAWERVLEI STUD)
LOT 70 ROYAL MO X ISABELLE
LOT 171 ROYAL MO X PARTY PEG
LOT 174 ROYAL MO X PEACH DELIGHT
57 LOT 223 ROYAL MO X RUBICAT (USA)
LOT 358 ROYAL MO X ANTIGUA
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64 She’s A Cracker (Muzi Yeni) draws clear
JC Photos
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MUZI SPOOKS THEM 65
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Robbie Sage and Muzi Yeni teamed up with the Riverton-bred She’s A Cracker at the Hennenman Memorial raceday Turffontein on Saturday to win the R100 000 Listed Spook Express Handicap. Saturday’s racemeeting commemorated the plane crash of 12 April 1988 in which 13 jockeys, one trainer, five officials, two owners and three crew members lost their lives returning from a race meeting in Bloemfontein. After a busy week travelling his top-class 2021 National Yearling Sale draft up to Germiston from his beautiful Robertson farm, breeder Duncan Barry just made it to Turffontein to shout the 4yo She’s A Cracker home. She’s A Cracker continues to raise the bar and the chestnut flyer capped a recent consistent three race post-maiden streak to score a first stakes success.
SHE’S A CRACKER has had her merit rating raised from 72 to 77 after she captured the Listed Spook Express Handicap for fillies and mares over 2400m on the standside track at
Launched for home early in the home straight by Yeni off a modest gallop, She’s A Cracker showed courage and heart as she changed legs at the 200m to keep the fancied Kay Tee Perry (7-2) at bay. The winning margin was 1,25 lengths, with the clock showing 155,57 secs. Illuminate (8-1) was beaten 2,25 lengths further back in third. Sean Tarry’s recent Listed Oaks Trial winner Aryaam (4-1) was never in the hunt and finished 21 lengths downfield. The Al Adiyaat-raced Dynasty filly had no luck after being slow away and reportedly pulled up lame on the right hind and right front. She also took an awkward stride at the cross-over at approximately the 2000m. Lyle Hewitson reported that he felt something amiss in running and did not persevere with his riding from
The Merits Turffontein on Saturday. It was 3rd placed ILLUMINATE who was considered to make for the best line horse, which leaves her unchanged on a rating of 71. The winner aside, the
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the 200m. The impressive winner is by deceased Storm Cat stallion Where’s That Tiger out of Albert Hall daughter Nutcracker Sweet, an unraced half-sister to Princess Sassi and Secret Obsession – the dam of Bunker Hunt. She’s A Cracker, who has won twice from 8 starts with 5 places for stakes of R150 500, hails from a potent extended female line that includes Mythical Flight and Triumphant Lady.
Keep Up With The
PACE! The Sporting Post Sprint offers winning advertising options email advertising@winningmedia.co.za
only other increase was for runner-up KAY TEE PERRY, who goes from 81 to 84. Only one horse was given a rating’s drop, with SMILEY RIVER going down from 70 to 68.
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FULL CIRCLE FOR
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BUT NO REKORD FOR THE OPEL!
70 Riverton boss Duncan Barry – looking forward to the sale
Hamish Niven Photography
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Last week Riverton boss Duncan Barry and Hemel ‘n Aarde’s David HepburnBrown drove the long road to the National Yearling Sales talking up a storm about their shared passion,
horses and their new business ventures into self-catering cottages.
for banter at the sale, it was the 22 year old Land Cruiser that made the trip up.
As David refused to drive up in Duncan’s 31 year old Opel that has become a legendary topic
Overnighting at Kuilfontein Paddocks, David enjoyed a 5km run in the fresh Karoo air
72 Duncan captured this sunset at Kuilfontein last week
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last Thursday morning whilst Duncan delighted in taking photographs of the sun setting on his walk. They both said that it was a pleasure catching up with Penny Southey. And reminiscing about the racing personalities of old, Penny recounted that there were 36 breeders when she was secretary of the Karoo Breeders! As a young man working at a stud farm in Ireland, Duncan told his father that it was his call if he wanted to stop breeding thoroughbreds to only concentrate on growing vines and fruit and also said that he shouldn’t expect him to return to Riverton as all he wanted to do was work with these magnificent animals. Fortunately, after many successes and the standing of top grey stallion, Jamaico (Fr), the late George Barry decided to continue breeding. So it was that Duncan took
over the breeding operation on his return and soon after the grey Russian Fox (USA) came to Riverton. Russian Fox went on to become Champion First Season Sire and it took 17 years for any stallion to beat his record for the most winners in a season! In 2006 both Jet Master and Captain Al surpassed this record. In 2015 Captain of All became the top merit rated horse in South Africa and went on to be ranked the second fastest horse in the world. This remarkable achievement planted the seed that one should follow your passion and the rest will come. So it was in the year that standing as a stallion at Klawervlei that Captain of All’s progeny would put in him on the road to win the Champion First Season Sire award for 2018/19 that Duncan decided to lease the vines and the fruit
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farms to his second cousin. Today Duncan tells us that he is a blessed man being able to focus all his attention on his beloved horses. And his trip to Nationals has already been capped as he got to Turffontein minutes before the Listed Spook Express Handicap on Saturday to see the Riverton-bred She’s A Cracker win well. Duncan has four on the National Sale and is looking forward to the next two days. “Included in our draft is Capi’esta (# 8), a beautiful Captain Of All filly who was named in a competition run by the Sporting Post. Cindy Williamson’s name for the filly absolutely ticks all the boxes!”
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NEL AIMS AT R50 000 BONUS v
76 Louis Mxothwa steers Earth Hour to victory as Marmara Sea runs on late
Pauline Herman
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Enjoying a rewarding secondary phase of his career, the former Milnerton-based Paddy Kruyer charge Earth Hour upstaged the Alan Greeff duo to win a thrilling second leg of the R80 000 World Sports Betting East Cape Poly Challenge 1400 at Fairview on Friday. Well-weighted here, and an impressive winner of the first leg, Greeff’s smart 3yo Viking Moon started a 2-1 favourite. But after looming dangerously he faded late and was outrun by the Nel 7yo and his stablemate Marmara Sea (5-2).
The top three finished with under 0,35 lengths separating them – the winner starting at 5-1 and enjoying a perfect ride down the rail to snatch victory by a quarter length in a time of 81,27 secs. It was clearly a satisfying moment for Nel who has built his string up well from humble beginnings. He really is getting the best out of Earth Hour, who he said has a better attitude and enthusiasm than some of his 2yo’s! The former champion apprentice jockey, and top yard assistant, had gone on record saying that the Poly Challenge
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consolation incentive of R50 000 was Earth Hour’s target. “The Poly Challenge is his mission. I thought he ran very well in the first leg,” Nel said after his charge had run fifth behind Viking Moon over the 1200m last time. The consolation bonus is to be paid to the connections of the horse that performs best in the Challenge. The condition is that the potential winner must participate in all three legs and win at least one. Points allocation for the consolation bonus leaderboard are: 1st 10, 2nd
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6, 3rd 4, 4th 3, 5th 2 and 6th.
(Singspiel) out of the twice winning Western Winter mare, Olwana Olive.
ninth win (5 of which have been achieved in the Eastern Cape) and 18 places, amassing stakes of R707 000.
Viking Moon is ahead on the log but didn’t stay the 1400m and is unlikely to chance his luck over a mile.
Paddy Kruyer purchased Earth Hour for R400 000 at the BSA Val De Vie Yearling Sale in 2015.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, the winner is a 7yo gelded son of deceased Maine Chance sire Lateral
The final leg is on 7 May. Earth Hour was having his 44th start on Friday for a
CAN’T WIN?
BUY THE RACECOURSE! Once a centre for horseracing in the Eastern Cape, the Arlington Race Course in Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth, will make history when the 62-hectare property becomes the country’s first horse racing track to go under the auctioneer’s hammer on 23 April. The auction will take place at 10h30 at the Radisson Hotel in Gqeberha Described as a ‘once-in-alifetime opportunity for any developer’ by Ish Hendricks, Group Auctioneer for Broll Auctions, the vacant land in Victoria Drive, Walmer, is owned by Phumelela Gaming and Leisure, the country’s largest horse racing and tote betting
operator, which is in business rescue. The adopted business rescue plan provides for the sale of all the company’s assets and payments of the net proceeds generated to creditors in terms of the provisions of the Companies Act. “We’ve received numerous enquiries from residential and industrial developers throughout South Africa, and I think this boils down to how unique this opportunity is, and the significant upside of a completed development in a great countryside setting,” Hendricks said. An application has been submitted to rezone from undetermined to special purposes for residential units.
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“The land, which has structures befitting a race track such as a pavilion and stables, is being sold ‘voetstoots’, as-is,” Hendricks said. “Most developers, whoare considering ideas such as student accommodation, micro apartments and retirement villages, are incorporating the iconic pavilion into their development schemes.” Arlington, previously St Andrews Racing Club, was opened on 23 December 1950, by the then Mayor of Port Elizabeth, J.C.K. ‘Boet’ Erasmus. The last race was run in 2013.
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TREATING SYMPTOMS NOT THE CAUSE?
The field population problem, or field size challenges as the operators label it, continues to be an issue in South African racing. With effect from Monday 12 April, all pattern races (Graded and Listed only) may be cancelled at declaration stage if there are insufficient acceptors – as per Racing Operators Condition 4.3 – and after the NRB has called
for more acceptors.
Thereafter, the same feature race will be added back to the same meeting for which it was cancelled for new entries and declarations to give the race a second chance to attract more runners. However, if the race does not attract sufficient acceptors after the second opportunity, the race will then be
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cancelled, and a new event added. Trainers were reminded that any additional event/ requires additional time for entries and declaration and that they would have to make themselves available under these circumstances. Then on the Highveld, a trial for barrier draw allocation after declarations will be conducted for 3 months from
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the race meetings of 4 May to 31 July. This is due to ‘field size challenges’, which are likely to be exacerbated in the winter months. The process is successfully applied in the Western Cape, as well as other racing jurisdictions around the world, including the UK. The trial for draws after declarations will be implemented from entries of 4 May 2021 to declarations closing 31 July 2021. In all races on the Highveld – all barrier draws will be conducted after Declarations and not at Entry stage. No draw provisos will be allowed.
Draws for all runners, including reserve runners will be done after declarations close.
maximum field of 18
All declarations will close at 10h00, thereafter eliminations will be done, and provisional fields disseminated.
Should there be reserve runners in any of the cases above where trainers withdraw their runners, these reserve runners will retain their draws and come into the race before final fields are decided and disseminated. Thereafter, only reserve runners drawn in the outside three positions will be permitted to be withdrawn. Should reserve runners opt to withdraw, eliminated horses will not be allowed to replace the reserve runners withdrawn
For races around the turn, trainers will be given 60 minutes from the time provisional fields are disseminated to withdraw their runners in the following instances: • drawn from 10 to 12 in a maximum field of 12 • drawn from 12 to 14 in a maximum field of 14 • drawn from 14 to 16 in a maximum field of 16 • drawn from 16 to 18 in a
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• drawn from 18 to 20 in a maximum field of 20
This trial will be assessed for feasibility on a monthly basis.
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TRAINER UNITY v
STABILIZES
86 Tony Rivalland – driving force
Gold Circle
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South African racehorse trainers will soon be speaking with one unified and powerful voice. The Annual General Meeting of the SA National Trainers Association is expected to be a lively affair in Johannesburg today (Wednesday). Ironically SANTA was formed 18 months ago partly at the instigation and recommendation of the then National Horseracing Authority management as a means of establishing a credible formalised body which could speak legally for the trainers. SANTA’s founding directors were Tony Rivalland, Sean Tarry, Geoff Woodruff, Alan Greeff and Paul Lafferty. Much like their slightly – certainly up to this point – more organised jockeys, and probably largely through their own provincially fragmented lack of cohesion and unity, racehorse trainers have been an also ran bunch in the war zone that has been the South African horseracing landscape in the past two decades. Speaking to the Sporting Post on Wednesday evening, SANTA Chairman Tony Rivalland said that, contrary to speculation in some quarters, the body would be powering up in the very best
interests of horseracing and to protect the interests of trainers. “Horseracing will always come first. It’s ours and many families’ livelihood. We are not a radical bunch and this is no coup or revolt as you ask! In fact law and order is my, and most of my colleagues’ preferred stance. Trainers, like every other sector that comprise the horseracing spectrum, deserve to be heard and have their say. It’s way overdue and the time has never been riper to get as many of our community to stand together in the interests of effecting meaningful change,” added Rivalland. When questioned on what the body had planned, Rivalland said that negotiations and dealings with everybody from Government to Unions to the Gambling Boards and the racing regulator would be better served by a formalised powerful body truly representative of trainers. He cited the removal from the NHRA board in 2016 of the racing operators as a step backwards. He indicated that there were pressing issues, for example with matters of governance and policies like the apparently unlawful and unconstitutional interpretation of the strict liability rule applicable to trainers, that needed an
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urgent review. The absence of trainer representation on the NHRA board had long been a bone of contention. While Tony Rivalland would not confirm or deny any further specifics, the Sporting Post is aware from a variety of players in the industry that there is an undercurrent of dissatisfaction which is gaining serious momentum to counter the perceived dictatorial approach by the NHRA. This is expected to be a hot topic for immediate attention. Rivalland said that it could be summarised that the ideologies of equity, fairness and constitutionality are at the core of what SANTA will stand for. “We operate in a multimillion rand industry with a host of interest groups that are all equally strategic. I believe that getting our colleagues to stand together will give us a chance to improve aspects of the game and allow us to ride out the storm as we look forward to a new era.”
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UAE CHAMPION American trainer Doug Watson clinched his record seventh UAE champion trainer title last Friday evening at Al Ain Racecourse, holding off three-time champion Ernst Oertel in a thrilling to-the-line standings battle. Winding up with 40 victories, Watson claimed the championship for the seventh time, breaking the tie at six he had with Satish Seemar.
BLUE CAPS FOR THE BOYS Congratulations to SA Jockey Academy Apprentices Keratile Katjedi and Siyanda Sosibo on receiving their Blue Caps last month. SAJA awards Blue Caps to apprentices who are consistently riding more than 15 horses a morning at track. 2022 Recruitment is now open. Please email recruitment@theacademy.co.za for an application form or to make enquiries. 89
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READY TO EXCEED Godolphin’s triple Gr1 winner Bivouac (Exceed and Excel-Dazzler, by More Than Ready) has been officially retired to stud after finishing fifth in the Gr1 TJ Smith Stakes last weekend Exceed and Excel was crowned Australian Champion Sire in 2012/13 and has left 183 stakes winners. Bivouac is a full sibling to Listed winner Coruscate, and his dam is a half-sister to four-time Gr1 winner Guelph (Exceed and Excel).
IT TAKES A TEAM South African horseman Emile Fredericks has been shortlisted for the Godolphin supported Australian Stud and Stable Staff Awards. He is based at Anthony and Katie Thompson's Widden Stud in New South Wales, Australia. Click here to learn what Emile, along with his boss Anthony, have to say about why the passionate horseman is so deserving of this recognition.
Thirsk Racecourse stages its traditional curtain raiser this Saturday, 17 April, the first of 15 fixtures at the North Yorkshire venue in 2021. The seven-race programme will begin at a revised time of 12h40 to avoid clashing with the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.
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RAFEEF ON THE UP Ridgemont Highlands’ Gr1 winning Redoute’s Choice horse Rafeef has made a superb start to his stud career and the former Computaform Sprint winner came up with his sixth first crop winner when his promising son Ravensthorpe romped home to a facile win at Kenilworth on Tuesday. Currently South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire, Rafeef has some exceptionally well bred yearlings on offer at the National Sale, including a half-sister (Lot 1) to Fillies Guineas winner Maybe Yes, a colt (Lot 12) out of Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes queen Fish River, and a colt (Lot 157) out of a stakes winning three-parts sister to Gr1 winner Undercover Agent.
FUTURA’S FIRE Drakenstein Stud’s four time Gr1 winning stallion Futura has made a very bright start to his stud career, and the former Horse Of The Year’s impressive first crop includes a very talented filly in the form of Dindingwe, who picked up her fourth black type victory when she scored a brilliant, 16 length win in Sunday’s Listed Silver Slipper Stakes at Borrowdale. Bred by the Ndoro Stud, three-year-old Dindingwe has now won six of just seven starts. Out of the Jallad mare Miss Delish, Dindingwe has a full-brother (Lot130) on offer at the upcoming National Yearling Sale.
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VARSITY GRAD & JUMP JOCKEY...
MEET MISS BLACKMORE! 94
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A highly qualified and active horsewoman years after having retired, Nadine suggested that in general jump jockeys are ‘a different breed’. “They fall off on average I think once in every fifteen rides! I don't like those odds!” she laughed as she sent her best wishes to the County Tipperary-born rider, who is taking the UK by storm.
Rachael Blackmore’s extraordinary performance to win one of the toughest races in the world at Aintree on Saturday may have been the catalyst to change attitudes and shrink a gender divide that exists in most sports today. In South Africa we have watched the exploits of the talented 31 year old with awe and wonderment. After a short-lived golden generation of female riders here, they aren’t exactly breaking through the ranks on our racecourses – that’s the cold hard truth of it. But one of the stars on the local scene, former top lady jockey Nadine Low Ah Kee Rapson to many older racing fans - told the Sporting Post that after watching the Grand National on Saturday it was
again clear that women are equal to men in the saddle. “Brute strength is not the only answer. Many people commented on Rachael’s brilliant tactics, her awareness of where she was in the race - and her timing and said this is what she displays in all her races. And it's what sets her apart. So I'm happy because she's proving it's not guys versus girls, it's simply that we can be as good!” said Nadine, who is now SA’s leading racing television personality. “I really can't think that she would have to have done anything differently to a male jockey to win the Grand National. Rachael had the horse under her, and the trainer had said she had earned the ride. And that's the main battle – getting the chances!”
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Saturday’s groundbreaking victory came a month after becoming the first member of the fairer sex to be named top jockey, winning the Ruby Walsh Trophy, at Cheltenham. She won the Champion Hurdle and finished with six winners across the four days of the popular festival. On Saturday, Miss Blackmore rode a cracker on Minella Times. “I don’t feel male or female, I don’t even feel human,” she beamed as she made her way to lift the trophy at Aintree. “This is just unbelievable, just unbelievable.” Legend of the jumps, AP McCoy talked up her champion-in-waiting status after watching her ride to victory on Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle in March. “She’s class,” he said. “Obviously Honeysuckle’s
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a class mare, but we keep heaping praise on her – and rightly so. She’s bombproof, she keeps everything simple. She makes very few mistakes, she’s got it all.” The daughter of a teacher and a farmer, Rachael grew up on a dairy farm in Killenaule, County Tipperary, Ireland. She started riding very young and participated in pony club meetings, hunting and pony racing. She sat for a degree in equine science at the University of Limerick, while riding out and competing as an amateur jockey. Rachael rode her first winner as an amateur jockey on 10 February 2011, when Stowaway Pearl, trained by Shark Hanlon, won the Tipperary Ladies’ Handicap Hurdle at Thurles. She turned professional in March 2015, having ridden eleven point-to-point winners and seven as an amateur rider. Her first winner as a professional was Most Honourable, trained by Hanlon, at Clonmel on 3 September 2015. In 2017 she became the first female to win the conditional
riders championship in Ireland.
Paul Townend.
In 2018 Blackmore had her first ride in the Grand National. Her mount, Alpha des Obeaux, trained by Mouse Morris, went off at 33/1 and fell at the fifteenth fence.
Honeysuckle provided Rachael with another Cheltenham Festival win in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle in 2020.
Her first Cheltenham Festival winner came in 2019 when A Plus Tard landed the Chase Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase. She then scored her first Gr1 success when Minella Indo won the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle. Both winners were trained coincidentally by Grand National exacta hero Henry de Bromhead, for whom she was riding as stable jockey. In the 2019 Grand National Rachael finished in tenth place on the de Bromhead-trained 66/1 chance Valseur Lido. Her first Gr1 race victory in Ireland came in April 2019 when Honeysuckle won the Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse. She finished the season with 90 winners and took the runner-up spot in the Irish jump racing Champion Jockey competition behind
Due to Covid-19 protocols, there were no spectators on the Aintree course to witness her historic victory on Saturday. Speaking to ITV in the aftermath of her famous win, she thanked her parents for ferrying her around the country when she was younger, adding she is still trying to comprehend the idea that a new generation will now look to her for inspiration. “I can’t believe I am Rachael Blackmore, genuinely,” she laughed. “I still feel like that little kid and I can’t believe I’m me, it’s unbelievable. “I hope it does help anyone who wants to be a jockey. I never thought this would be possible for me. I didn’t dream about making a career as a jockey because I didn’t think it could happen and it did, so keep your dreams big.”
Henry’s Happy!
Henry de Bromhead was still on cloud nine on Sunday morning after saddling the one-two in Saturday's Randox Grand National at Aintree. Fresh from becoming the first trainer to win the Champion
Hurdle, the Champion Chase and the Gold Cup in the same week at the Cheltenham Festival, Minella Times provided the Knockeen handler with National glory, 96 while stablemate Balko Des Flos filled the runner-up spot.
De Bromhead is required to quarantine for five days under Covid-19 protocols giving him plenty of time to reflect on the enormity of his achievements.
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updated 2021-04-13
TRAINERS Name
Runs
Wins Win%
2nd
3rd
Mr S J Snaith Mr P A Peter Mr S G Tarry Mr M F de Kock Mr P F Matche�
879 684 702 428 599
134 98 94 64 58
114 86 71 55 62
89 68 80 46 39
15.2 14.3 13.4 15.0 9.7
Other Places Place % 111 67 89 53 56
314 221 240 154 157
Win Stake (R)
35.7 32.3 34.2 36 26.2
Total Stakes (R)
6,610,775 10,115,150 5,073,700 7,876,550 4,495,550 7,342,700 4,288,100 6,014,800 3,303,388 5,137,238
JOCKEYS Name
Runs Wins Win%
2nd
3rd
Mr L Hewitson Mr W B Kennedy Mr G M Cheyne Mr S Khumalo Mr M A Yeni
1174 785 611 573 880
155 106 78 58 94
128 92 99 67 91
175 115 111 110 98
14.9 14.6 18.2 19.2 11.1
Other Places Place % 175 118 83 67 112
458 316 260 192 297
Win Stake (R)
39.0 40.3 42.6 33.5 33.8
Total Stakes (R)
7,472,475 11,464,600 6,377,475 9,519,625 3,351,600 5,280,650 5,128,500 7,349,613 5,558,900 8,451,075
BREEDERS Name
B.T. B.T. Total Runrs Runs AEPR Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Wins Stakes (R) Rnrs %
Wilgerbosdri� & Mauritzfontein Klawervlei Stud Summerhill Stud (Pty) Ltd Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) Varsfontein Stud
265 394 208
1264 47,755 1858 31,841 1007 37,793
119 128 64
171 172 108
44.9 32.5 30.8
420 627 264
8 9 6
11 12,655,188 10 12,545,263 12 7,861,013
141 117
650 52,397 564 53,289
69 46
114 70
48.9 39.3
238 196
7 5
7 11
7,387,975 6,234,825
B.T. Wins
Total Stakes (R)
8 5 3 6 14
7,538,575 6,706,250 6,542,325 6,239,600 5,941,300
SIRES Name Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) Master Of My Fate What A Winter Silvano (GER) * Captain Al
Runrs Runs AEPR 175 171 153 145 100
824 927 775 721 483
43,078 39,218 42,76 43,032 59,413
B.T. Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Rnrs % 76 71 67 64 42
110 96 101 89 68
43.4 41.5 43.8 44.1 42.0
268 343 267 208 170
See all the detailed standings - Click here 99
8 4 3 5 6
CHECKMATE! Two of the brightest and most innovative managers in world football will test their wits against each other in what’s expected to be a highly strategic game of chess played on Wembley Stadium’s hallowed turf.
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Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea lock horns with Pep Guardiola’s Premier League championselect Manchester City in the first semi-final of this season’s FA Cup, with the victors returning to “the Home of Football” to face either Leicester City or Southampton in four weeks’ time.
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Bryan Naicker writes that if a coach is only as good as his players, Tuchel and Guardiola are absolutely brilliant, with both sides in this high stakes encounter boasting some of the best talent available, supplemented with ample depth in each squad, as footballers of equally
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top-notch quality are brought off the bench to finish off the task at hand, if needed. Chelsea vs Manchester City | Saturday 17 April | Wembley Stadium | 18:30 It’s the final before the final as many would call it. One thing is for sure, we’re set for an intriguing contest as silverware is within touching distance. Expect both sets of players to leave everything on the pitch for the all-important FA Cup final berth. To Win: Chelsea 38/10 Draw 26/10 Manchester City 15/20
Chelsea Tuchel will relish the opportunity to face Guardiola and he’s made it no secret that he is a massive admirer of the Spanish mentor. In Tuchel’s opinion, and by popular consensus of us fans, Guardiola changed the face of football during his time at Barcelona, by dominating the possession of the ball, while encouraging his players to win back possession within seconds of losing it. Pep’s Barca is the benchmark for Tuchel, however, when the first whistle is blown at 18:30, all respect will be put aside for 90 minutes as the German
tactician seeks his first win over Guardiola in his sixth attempt.
Manchester City
All five of the previous meetings took place in Germany, with their final showdown closely resembling this clash when Bayern Munich narrowly beat Tuchel’s Borussia Dortmund 4-3 in the 2016 DFB-Pokal final.
Manchester City were ousted by both Manchester United and Leeds United in the last month, removing the Sky Blues’ sense of invincibility, but Guardiola’s troops are still, by head and shoulders, the best team England has to offer.
In the earlier rounds of the FA Cup, clubs have rotated their players, but now the business end is upon us and both sides are expected to field their strongest line-ups. Controversial goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has played every FA Cup match for the Blues and it remains to be seen if Tuchel could trust the Spaniard in a game of this magnitude. Personally, I’d start Edouard Mendy. Prior to the midweek clash with Porto, the Senegalese shot-stopper impressively kept nine clean sheets in 15 appearances under Tuchel. To beat a Guardiola coached team, your goalkeeper has to be one of the best players on the park together with a capable back line. Thiago Silva will return from suspension after seeing red in the Premier League defeat to West Brom, which was Chelsea’s first game conceding at Stamford Bridge during Tuchel’s tenure as Blues boss.
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Rotation will be out of the question as the gamble against Leeds definitely didn’t work out last weekend. Expect Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan to return in the heart of midfield alongside Rodri. Nathan Ake, Benjamin Mendy and Oleksandr Zinchenko will give way to City’s best defenders, while there’s an opportunity for outgoing striker Sergio Aguero to make a final appearance for the Citizens at Wembley. Aymeric Laporte is the only injury doubt for City, with a host of top-quality talents to choose from playing ahead of De Bruyne and Gundogan in the top half of the pitch, all raring to go for their opportunity to make history. On the road, City have kept five straight clean sheets, however, this will be put under heavy scrutiny by the likes of Timo Werner, Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz.
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These three attackers have their distinctive strengths that they bring to the table and each are capable of penetrating the high line that City usually deploy. Surely, trying to contain the hottest property in world football, Erling Haaland in midweek UEFA Champions League action will take its toll on City’s defenders. Although Gundogan has been in imperious form, possibly the best of his career, the player to stop from a Chelsea perspective will be De Bruyne. The Belgian talisman has faced his former club 12 times, scoring on four occasions but pulls all the strings to create havoc that leads to his teammates finding the net. De Bruyne is so important that if he is somehow ruled out, I suggest you have a punt on a Chelsea victory
confidently.
Bernardo Silva, Foden.
Route to the semi-finals:
Prediction: (2/1) Chelsea To Qualify
Chelsea: 4-0 (H) - Morecambe 3-1 (H) - Luton Town 0-1 (A) - Barnsley 2-0 (H) - Sheffield United Manchester City: 3-0 (H) - Birmingham City 1-3 (A) - Cheltenham Town 1-3 (A) - Swansea City 0-2 (A) - Everton Probable line-ups: Chelsea: 3-4-2-1 Mendy; Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Rudiger; James, Kante, Kovacic, Chilwell; Mount, Pulisic; Havertz. Manchester City: 4-3-3 Ederson; Walker, Ruben Dias, Stones, Cancelo; Gundogan, Rodri, De Bruyne; Mahrez,
Considering Tuchel’s fond admiration for Guardiola, it will give him an upper hand compared to the rest of the managers in the league. The German closely studied Guardiola’s Barca team which inspired him to also be fearless in his role as a coach, as well as getting to watch the Spaniard’s Bayern Munich team closely in the Bundesliga while Tuchel was in charge of Mainz and Borussia Dortmund. If there’s anyone who could possibly knock City out, we’re staring at the ideal candidate. My play is Chelsea To Qualify at 2/1.
CAN YOU HELP? CARING FOR EQUINES COSTS PLENTY! Please visit us at www.coastalhorsecareunit.org.za
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