20210512 - Sporting Post Sprint Ver 1.2 Single pages by Sporting Post

FEED YOUR DESIRE TO WIN ANOTHER GRADED STAKES WIN FOR RAINBOW BRIDGE

RAINBOW BRIDGE

WINNER OF THE INDEPENDENT ON SATURDAY DRILL HALL STAKES (GR.2) Trainer: E. SANDS Jockey: L. FERRARIS Owner: Mr. & Mrs. M.L.P. RATTRAY

By kind permission of trainer Image: Candiese Lenferna

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4 Defending champion Belgarion (gold cap) gallops with stablemate Jet Dark at Hollywoodbets Greyville recently

5 Candiese Lenferna

80% FIT BELGARION TAKES NEXT STEP A preferential consideration ticket for the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July is at stake when twelve horses line up in the R300 000 Gr2 World Sports Betting 1900 at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday. All of the accepted runners, bar Shavout and Share Holder, are entered for the flagship contest on 3 July. Vodacom Durban July defending champion Belgarion is one of a three-cornered coupling as Justin Snaith continues his preparation to lift the big race trophy for the fourth consecutive year. Key to the outcome could be that Richard Fourie makes way for Simanga ‘Bling’ Khumalo on Belgarion, while the Snaith first choice jockey

will partner recent Sledgehammer winner, Crown Towers. The son of Camelot is a powerful frontrunner who put his hand up when winning the Hollywoodbets Scottsville feature at his last jump. Justin Snaith told Gold Circle’s David Thiselton recently that Belgarion is in fine shape at present but said he would only be at about 80% for the WSB 1900. Snaith said the 1900 would be a springboard into the Vodacom Durban July. He added that a lot of his horses were still ‘behind the 8-ball’ but that was exactly where he wanted them to be. “You see a lot of horses walking around at the moment like superstars. but our aim is to have them looking like superstars on the day of the

July.” On Friday the WSB Listed East Cape Derby heads the Fairview programme. Candice Bass-Robinson is the only visitor in the seven horse field, when she saddles recent East Cape Oaks winner, Swazi Queen. Francois Herholdt takes the ride. At Turffontein on Saturday, the Listed Syringa Handicap is the headline contest. Gavin Lerena is back in the saddle on topweight Rio’s Winter, who looks much better than her last start in the Gr2 Camellia Stakes. She finished second in her only attempt on this course and looks a decent runner in a tricky race.

JC Photos The 25-1 shot Netta is Paul Peter’s big July hope

43 STANDING FOR JULY First there were 54 and now there are 43 left after Monday’s first declarations for the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July. Significant casualties at the 10 May declarations cut-off include Jet Dark and Summer Pudding, who join Gr1 winners Malmoos and Captain’s Ransom on the July sidelines. Speaking to David Thiselton about Jet Dark, Snaith said: “It is his 130 merit rating which is the off putting factor for the Vodacom Durban July

and I also think our next Cape Summer Season is going to be one of our best ever – so I plan to race all of my top horses not more than twice in the SA Champions Season. But if Jet Dark does something phenomenal in the Gold Challenge, we might still run him in the July.” Snaith has obviously made up his mind. Jet Dark is the highest rated three-year-old in the country at present and as things stand would have had to carry 56kg in the July and would have to

give the like of Linebacker (124) and Kommetdieding (120) 3kg apiece. It would appear that Paul Peter has taken a similar view with Summer Pudding after her disappointing effort in the Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge at Turffontein behind Got The Greenlight. Peter still has the progressive filly Netta entered, winner of the recent Gerald Rosenberg Stakes and third to War Of Athena in the SA Oaks.

PUDDING DESSERTS JULY As she did in 2020, reigning SA Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding will not take her place in the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July.

her tenth victory from eleven starts, when romping home in the R250 000 Gr2 Colorado King Stakes in style at the end of March.

A run in the Gr2 Gold Bracelet at Hollywoodbets Greyville in the SA Champions Season climax on 31 July is a possibility, though.

It was a terrific effort, following an eleven week break after a below-par effort in the Gr1 Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth, On 17 April she would record her eleventh victory when winning the HSH Gr1 Princess Charlene Stakes over a mile – a distance short of her best.

With four Gr1 events on the day, the one-time Super Saturday meeting could be an Equus Award crunch clash and will make for a scintillating climax to what has been a superb season so far. And will the Gold Bracelet be Summer Pudding’s swansong appearance? The undisputed reigning Queen Of Turffontein and SA Horse Of The Year registered

Two weeks later she returned to take on SA Triple Crown star Malmoos and Got The Greenlight in the 4Racing Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge. In a below-par run, she would finish a 4,50 length fourth behind Soma star Got The Greenlight. Making no excuses, trainer

Paul Peter said that it was a rough race and the muddling pace did not suit her. Talking to the Sporting Post, Peter said his stable star was taken out of the Vodacom Durban July after consultation with owners, Jess and Steven Jell. “It’s been a tough season for her. She has run six times, including four Gr1’s and she also travelled to the Cape where she got sick. Jess and Steve (Jell) love their horses and she’s just too valuable a filly to push hard. She will tick over now, and we may consider the Gold Bracelet at the end of the term.” Peter was unable to confirm possible retirement for the daughter of Silvano. But it would make sense were they to call it a day in the Gold Bracelet.

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Candiese Lenferna Grant van Niekerk keeps Good Traveller at his task to win well

NOW FOR THE

GOLD MEDALLION

Paarl-based trainer Glen Kotzen booked his Gr1 Gold Medallion ticket at Hollywoodbets Scottsville for 5 June when the newly gelded Visionaire son Good Traveller made it three wins from three starts in Sunday’s R150 000 Gr3 Godolphin Barb. A winner over the course and distance on debut on 7 February, Good Traveller provided another feature winner for the red-hot Grant Van Niekerk when he stayed on best at 5-1 to beat Irfaans Boy (25-1) by 1,80 lengths in a time of 63,63 secs.

Dean Kannemeyer’s Cape Nursery winner Cosmic Highway (1-1) was outpaced early but ran a decent race to be beaten 3 lengths over a trip short of his best.

Bred by Lammerskraal from their Gr1 winning sire Visionaire (Grand Slam), the winner is out of one-time winning Western Winter mare, Skylar Lane Visionaire was South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire of 2014-2015, and Leading Second Season Sire the following season. Good Traveller was a R200 000 buy from the 2020 National

Sale and has won all three starts for stakes of R187 500.

Visionaire, whose progeny include Gr1 winner Takingthepeace and fellow Fillies Guineas winner Heaps Of Fun, has a number of smart two-year-olds to his name this season. They include Norton Sound, a winner of his first two starts and runner up last time out in the Listed East Cape Nursery. Watch the replay here

12 Happy connections lead in unbeaten Good Traveller after his feature success on Sunday

Candiese Lenferna

A WALK DOWN

STRAWBERRY LANE 13

Former Lammerskraal owner Mike Rattray's policy of buying well-bred fillies has had a huge impact on the success of one of the most renowned studs in South Africa.

lacked her sister's prowess and to make matters worse, she suffered a career-ending injury which saw her arrive at Lammerskraal as a winner of one race and two places from just six starts.

Through judicious purchases, the Ceres stud has reaped the rewards with an enviable broodmare band which continues to deliver, albeit that the farm is now in new hands.

Her accomplishments as a broodmare have been welldocumented.

The stud's latest success, Gr3 Godolphin Barb Stakes winner Good Traveller, added to the sterling reputation of a Lammerskraal family which has enjoyed some notable successes in recent years, that of Strawberry Lane. When Geoff Woodruff was given the mandate to buy the daughter of Jallad as a yearling, little did he know he had purchased a future Broodmare of the Year. Physically, on the small side, but well-topped, Strawberry Lane also possessed the typical off-set Jallad legs. However, she was a daughter of the fine racemare Taineberry, who had won the Gr2 Oaks for David Payne and at the time of purchase, the filly's own sister Jalberry had just won the Gr3 Pretty Polly for Woodruff and clients Des Scott and Anthony Peter. On the track, Strawberry Lane

Voted Broodmare of the Year in 2017-18, it would be safe to say that she has outperformed her accomplished sister as a broodmare. Eight of her foals are winners, and include the Gr1 winning siblings Solo Traveller and Redberry Lane, both sired by Western Winter. The former completed the Cape/KZN Guineas double, while Redberry Lane landed the Garden Province Stakes. In addition, their own sister Strawberry Ice ran second in the Gr2 KZN Fillies Guineas and became dam of the exported Gr2 Gold Bracelet winner Flying Ice. Strawberry Lane was a regular consort of Lammerskraal champion Western Winter, who sired all but one of her winners, that being the Dynasty five-year-old Knight's Templar, runner-up in last season's Algoa Cup. Jalberry retired to stud with a glowing resume. In addition to the Pretty Polly, she also won the Goldfields

Sprint, while her string of stakes places included a Gr1 third in the SA Fillies Sprint. She too, became a top broodmare and boasts a tally of six stakes performers from eight winners. To Var she bred Gr2 Durban Golden Horseshoe hero Purple Diamond; Trippi features as the sire of Gr3 winners Love To Boogie and On This Rock; Count Dubois is the sire of Gr2/3 placed Count Express; and to Jet Master she bred Mr Fantastic, a Gr3-placed winner of nine races in Singapore. The latter's own sister Mary's Pride won four races but more importantly, became the dam of Silvano's Gr1 Woolavington 2000 winner Silvano's Pride. Good Traveller's dam Skylar Lane, an own sister to Solo Traveller and Redberry Lane, was trained by Brett Crawford. Unraced at two, she showed promise in her first two starts, a debut second followed by a fluent maiden win over the Kenilworth mile. Sadly, she suffered the same fate as her dam and was retired after a fall on a tar road left her with a fractured knee. As her paddock value clearly outweighed her modest track record, she duly returned to her birthplace to join the Lammerskraal broodmare band and former manager Sally Bruss recalls her as being "big, rangy and handsome, much in the

mould of both Solo Traveller and Redberry Lane." A son of resident stallion Visionaire, Good Traveller is the mare's second foal, the first being a ‘high quality’ Querari filly. After producing a Visionaire filly in 2019, Skylar Lane was culled. Lammerskraal's loss has become Cheveley Stud's gain, for she is now a stakes

producing member of Vaughan Koster's broodmare band and is currently in foal to Gimmethegreenlight. It is an explosive mating, as Skylar Lane carries no less than three lines of the mighty Star Kingdom, while Gimmethegreenlight's dam Yes She Can Cancan adds another double of the legendary Australian sire. As regards Good Traveller,

Jallad: sire of Strawberry Lane

Sally remembers him well. "He was a good-looking foal, but had a very, very explosive temperament. When I saw that he had been gelded, I thought, now we're in business." Prophetic words, considering the hugely talented stakes winner is still unbeaten!

SOUNDS LIKE A MELODY!

18 Lyle Hewitson drives Sound Of Thunder out to a smart second win

19 Candiese Lenferna

Drakenstein Stud’s champion sire Trippi celebrated his 82nd stakes winner when his unbeaten daughter Sound Of Warning claimed the R150 000 Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes run over 1100m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday. Trained by Sean Tarry, the Drakenstein Stud bred and owned Sound Of Warning was having just her second start and her first run in KwaZulu-Natal. However the daughter of Trippi proved far too classy for her rivals, and romped home at 5-2 under Lyle Hewitson, to claim the R150 000 feature by over two and a half lengths in a time of 63,61 secs. Corne Spies’ consistent Captain’s Run (6-1) was

second, just under two lengths ahead of Casa Inverno (7-1). The winner’s paternal halfsister Sky Glitter made a bold showing here on debut, running on powerfully for fifth, having been well out of contention for much of the race and she looks another smart two-year-old for Trippi. The unbeaten Sound Of Warning looks a natural contender for the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship, and is another feather in the cap of her champion sire Trippi. The latter, whose Gr1 winning daughter Real Princess is the dam of Dean Kannemeyer’s impressive debut winner Gimme A Prince – is also broodmare sire of Sunday’s Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes queen Vihaan’s Pie and has had another fine season in 2020-

2021, with his recent flagbearers including Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Jet Dark, and fellow graded stakes winners Crome Yellow and Mombela. Trippi, South Africa’s Champion Sire of 2015-2016, has a single lot on the upcoming CTS Farm Yearling Sale – a filly (Lot 34) out of Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes winner Laser Fan.

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Candiese Lenferna

Warren Kennedy drives Vihaan’s Pie to a smart win over Grant van Niekerk and Favorita

FUTURA’S BIG 6

After a drubbing at the hands of the Cape big guns a week earlier, the Summerveld locals celebrated a 50% feature strike-rate at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday, winning two of the four headline events. And they rounded off a double as Drakenstein Stud’s rising star sire Futura produced his sixth first crop stakes winner when his 3yo daughter Vihaan’s Pie (25-1) won the R150 000 Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes run over 1200m.

Trained by Kumaran Naidoo, Vihaan’s Pie had finished fifth in the Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes last time out and appeared to

relish the drop back in trip to 1200m in the sprint for fillies and mares. The daughter of Futura received a superb ride from reigning champion jockey Warren Kennedy, who extricated more out of his mount to score a half length win in a time of 69,71 secs.

The Snaiths registered a rare blank scorecard on the day, but had some consolation as they saddled runner-up Favorita (3-1) and third placed Keep The Lights On (6-1). In the process, the Millstream Farm bred Vihaan’s Pie accounted for some top-class fillies, including graded stakes

winners Singforafa, and four other black type winners. Vihaan’s Pie now looks a potential contender for the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint. Now a two time winner from eight starts for stakes of R171 250, Vihaan’s Pie was a R110 000 buy from the 2019 Cape Yearling Sale. She is out of the Trippi two-time winner Yellow Card. Vihaan’s Pie is the sixth stakes winner to have emerged from Futura’s smashing first crop, which also includes the exported Nourbese (Gr2 Durban Golden Horseshoe) and Warrior (Gr3 Variety Club

Mile), as well as the likes of Dindingwe, Diesel And Dust and Bauhinia Handicap victress, Sweet Future. South Africa’s Horse Of The

Year in 2014-2015, Futura has a single lot on offer at the inaugural CTS Farm Yearling Sale – a filly (Lot 84), whose dam is a three-parts sister to international Gr1 winning

fillies Irridescence and Perfect Promise. Watch the replay here

The Merits VIHAAN’S PIE has had her merit rating raised from 90 to 102 following her success in the Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes for fillies and mares over the Scottsville 1200m straight course on Sunday 9 May. The Handicappers were of the view that 3rd placed KEEP THE LIGHTS ON made for the most suitable line horse when

assessing this race, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 99. The only other ratings increase was for 2nd placed FAVORITA, who goes up slightly from 100 to 101, but there were drops for five horses. 4th placed SINGFORAFA (who was dropped from 117 to 114 following the publication of weights for this race) gets a

further decrease and is now rated 113. The other drops were for ZIMBABA who goes from 98 to 96, POINT OF SALE who is down from 97 to 95, SILENT CRUSADE, who drops to 103 from 105, and lastly ALL OF ME who drops from 94 to 93.

26 Athandiwe Mgudlwa produces Ishnana late to win going away – Calvin Habib plugs away at Winter Smoke in third

Candiese Lenferna

PULLER BREAKS VISITOR SPELL 27

Summerveld-based Garth Puller, a lifelong Capetonian, broke the visitor’s stranglehold on the SA Champions Season features when the 6yo Ishnana finished with a sustained effort to win the R100 000 Listed In Full Flight Handicap at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday. After the previous weekend’s rout by the Cape visitors on the opening day of the big season on the East Coast, Sunday hailed a leveller of sorts as retreaded KwaZuluNatalian Puller pulled one back for the locals. Starting at 25-1 in the opening leg of the Mother’s Day Pick 6, Athandiwe Mgudlwa produced the 6yo Ishnana with a perfectly timed run to beat the 7-1 Good Rhythm in a thriller by 0,80 lengths in a time of 63,46 secs. Ishnana ran second in the same race in 2018.

ISHNANA has had his rating increased from 102 to 104 after his win in the Listed In Full Flight Handicap over 1100m at Scottsville on Sunday. It was runner-up GOOD RHYTHM who was deemed to make for the best line horse here, leaving him unaltered on a mark of 103. Given the close

Ashley Fortune visitor Winter Smoke (20-1) ran a game race a head back in third, with Cape raider No Laying Up (6-1) a neck further back in fourth. Raced by Thabo Mhlongo and longstanding KZN Breeder Robert Smith, Ishnana was named after a combo of Mhlongo’s children’s names, Ishmael and Nana. The gelding was bred by part-owner Smith and is a first stakes winner by Danehill sire Al Miqdaam out of a Gr1 winning Dont Say Halo(USA) mare, St Clemens Belle. Ishnana has won 7 races with 14 places from 34 starts for stakes of R737 500. The winner’s Al Miqdaam was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and began his racing career in Australia. He ran in seven Barrier Trials over five months, winning two, placing

The Merits

nature of the finish, rating the race this way sees 3rd placed WINTER SMOKE and 4th finisher NO LAYING UP running to their ratings as well, effectively making them additional line horses and leaving them unchanged on a mark of 107 apiece. The winner was the only horse to receive a rating’s increase,

second twice and a third and fourth, and changing trainers in between. Three months after being in a different yard, he placed twice more and was sent to South Africa, sent out for his first start a month short of two years later at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. Ridden by Keagan Latham, he finished second for trainer Mike De Kock over 1000m. He only raced four more times, twice finishing just short of the placings and preferring shorter trips over 1000 – 1200m, once finishing just behind Art Of War. Over eight seasons, Al Miqdaam didn’t enjoy much support at Roy Moodley’s Stud. He had 52 registered foals for 34 runners and 7 winners. Watch the replay here

but there were drops for five runners. MOMBELA was trimmed from 104 to 103, SPEEDPOINT drops from 116 to 114, TEMPTING FATE was dropped from 113 to 109, HARD TO PLAY goes from 103 to 101, and lastly SLALOM QUEEN is down from 95 to 93.

Cover Image: Thandi Mgudlwa and Garth Puller celebrate the Listed In Full Flight Stakes win on Sunday. Image -courtesy of Candiese Lenferna

30 Garth Puller leads Eric Ngwane in on Red Rosa after Monday’s win

Candiese Lenferna

STOP THE DANGEROUS RIDING – TODAY!

A thrilling feature winner on Sunday and a cracking treble on Monday. Summerveld veteran Garth Puller is pleased with the form of his string. But the multiple champion’s joy has been tempered with deep concerns about daily governance issues in the sport. Like outrageous 14 day suspensions for dangerous riding offences. In his 55th year of racing, Hollywoodbets-sponsored Garth Puller turns 70 in the spring and still works a 15 hour day, seven days a week. He clarified a comment from a Sporting Post reader recently, who suggested Mr

Puller was a Natalian, rather than a Capetonian.

Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday saw Garth enjoy the distinction of being the “I was born at Addington Hospital first KZN trainer to halt the in 1951. We lived in Woodlands. Cape rout and win a 2021 SA We had no money. My Dad was Champions Season feature. a barber. He suffered two clots to his heart and died when I was The Al Miqdaam galloper is raced by Thabo Mhlongo and ten years old. My brother Chris longstanding KZN Breeder was just two months old when Robert Smith, Ishnana was Dad passed. My Mom took us four kids and went back to Cape named after a combination of Town, where she was born. We Mhlongo’s children’s names, Ishmael and Nana. stayed on a farm in Philippi. Wally Benjamin got me into the horses and riding. But you know Garth says the ride by Athandiwe Mgudlwa was the my history by now and this is a dealmaker, for a horse who is story on its own,” he laughed. a specialist ride. The 6yo Ishnana’s dashing victory in the Listed In Full Flight “When we give instructions to a rider to drop a horse in Handicap at

and get some cover, it doesn’t mean sitting four lengths off the pace. That just means you are four lengths off the pace. Getting cover means getting cover. If you are off the pace but fighting your mount, whose head is alongside the horse in front’s hindquarter, that is burning valuable fuel. I said to Thandi (Mgudlwa) that he must position Ishnana’s head behind the horse in front’s tail. And he must just wait and wait and wait. The gaps will open. And they did. A perfect ride for this horse!” he confirms as he confirms that he intends trying the gelding over 1400m. Garth adds that confidence and support from the trainer is vital to a jockey getting the best out of his mount.

“I stressed to Thandi that he must not panic. I said I wouldn’t hold it against him as long as he sat behind a horse and waited till absolutely the last moment. That gave him the encouragement to focus on the instructions rather than the potential repercussions of doing something wrong. And he got the best out of his mount.” Ishnana’s victory was even more special on the sentimentality front as Garth rode his dam Bird Strike for breeder-owner Robert Smith. “I finished second on Bird Strike. I told Mr Smith that if I had ridden her the way I wanted to rather than listen to his instructions, she would have won! Just shows you – trainers aren’t always right!”

Garth also pointed out that the Smith crimson and gold silks worn by Ishnana were an antique button-up version, and were originally carried by runner of the breeder’s late Aunt Joyce Tatham. She was a leading owner and breeder in KZN for many years. The Puller stable’s treble on Monday at Hollywoodbets included a double by reigning SA Champion Apprentice Luke Ferraris, now a fully fledged jockey, and a winner for Eric Ngwane. Garth was particularly pleased for Ngwane, whom he mentored from a young age as an apprentice. Ngwane has only ridden 3 winners this season at a modest strike-rate.

34 Young guns – Garth Puller, Felix Coetzee, Karl Neisius, Glen Hatt, Mark Sutherland and Gerrit Schlechter

“Eric works hard and really needed the win to lift his confidence. He is a talented rider who just needs the chances. And let’s face it, all jockeys are really only as good as the opportunities they get,” he says. On the subject of dangerous and reckless race-riding, Garth gets emotional and animated. “Forty years ago Chief Stipe Jock Sproule would call the Durban July jockeys in before the race. He’d read us the riot act, demanding we do things properly and ride safely in the interests of clean racing. Like not rushing round the field to overcome a wide draw and then easing the pace, as an example. That’s a Stipe who was lecturing the country’s

top riders. We had respect for authority – maybe it was even fear – but we listened and left the boardroom quivering in our boots!”

The veteran says that unless penalties are reviewed urgently, our racing’s image would continue to falter.

Garth recalled that he got two months suspension for his ride when Gatecrasher crossed Distinctly in the 1975 Durban July. He was relegated to third.

“Anywhere else in the world, the incident in the Premier’s Champions Challenge would see the rider gone for three months – maybe longer. And what do the international guys think when they look at the way we are handling these important aspects with a simple rap across the knuckles? The image of our game suffers. It impacts across the board. But what about the even more important aspect of safety of horse and rider? Does somebody have to die – or do we need a

“Now there is an instance where the horse had a known quirk of going left. I rode for my life and never looked for trouble. I got two months – that for my first offence of that nature in nine years of riding. Yet two recent Gr1 interference cases saw the jockeys get 14 days. Look at the records. It’s a joke – just not a funny one when you are doing that at Gr1 level and then going off on a two week holiday!”

major accident to wake the authorities up?” As an example to the younger jockeys, and for the sake of the South African racing industry, he urged the NHRA to take a stand on interference and dangerous riding. “The Jockey Club needs to stand up and be counted. The only way they can do that is ensure the ‘time fits the crime’. Instead they introduce rules like no longer permitting the trainer into the hearing if a jockey objects. Not all our riders are sufficiently eloquent or composed to express themselves in the heat of the

post-race formalities. I as the trainer have ridden and I know my horse. That’s not an unfair advantage – that’s just ensuring that the full story is told to support a fair and just outcome.” Garth stresses that there are some very good Stipes in the structures, but it was extremely difficult to adjudge the impact of an in-race incident from simply looking at it. “Unless you have ridden in a race, it is near impossible to understand the impact and effect of even minor interference on a horse in stride with momentum. That recent Vaal incident was outrageous.

The offender was leaning across and clearly intimidating the rider on his outside. He would have fallen over if the outside horse and rider weren’t there. The question we must ask is how can this be permitted and condoned through minor punishment? Will the transgressors visit the victims in hospital when they are on life-support. Or give their family financial assistance when the breadwinner’s career is over for good? I hope somebody in authority is listening!”

Pauline Herman Lyle Hewitson drives Thomas Tucker out as Callan Murray challenges strongly on Earth Hour

DUNCAN’S BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

Veteran Fairview conditioner Duncan McKenzie was full of praise for the professionalism of former SA Champion jockey Lyle Hewitson. The young rider outmanouvered his opposition tactically to score a surprise victory aboard 20-1 shot Thomas Tucker in the WSB Poly Challenge 1600 at Fairview on Friday. McKenzie celebrated his 62nd birthday last Wednesday, and the victory was probably the best

present he could have hoped for. “Lyle (Hewitson) came to me with my horse’s finishing times. What jockey does that? That gave me confidence from a true professional – he had a plan and he rode a perfect race,” said an elated ‘Duncs’ McKenzie after his 6yo son of Eightfold Path had made every inch of the running in a race that the young rider rode them to sleep. While Juan Nel and the connections of the runner-up Earth Hour did enough to bank 38

a well-deserved R50 000 WSB Challenge series bonus for the horse that ran in all three legs and accumulated the most points, it was the McKenzie yard who were the big winners on the afternoon. “My yard had a virus. We got down and depressed – you know how it goes. But the last week their coats were shiny and they turned for the better. I am so thankful,” said McKenzie after Thomas Tucker had kept rolling to beat the consistent Earth

Hour (4-1) by a half length in a time of 95,79 secs. “He lost his way a bit on the grass. But today Thomas Tucker was idling out front and was using up no juice at all,” said McKenzie. Earth Hour moved up menacingly, and actually looked a winner late in proceedings – but was no

match for the near pitch black leader who kept rolling under a textbook thinking man’s ride. Bred by the now defunct Hartley SA, Thomas Tucker is a son of Giant’s Causeway stallion Eightfold Path and is the second foal of the twice-winning Victory Moon mare Dancewiththestars. A winner of 5 races with 9

places from 24 starts and stakes of R219 400, Thomas Tucker was a R40 000 2018 Ready To Run Sale graduate. Trainer Zietsman Oosthuizen was in fine form with a four-timer on the day. Lyle Hewitson and Warren Kennedy shared riding honours with a treble apiece.

100 Up For Gavin

Eight-times East Cape champion trainer Gavin Smith registered the magic milestone of his century of winners this season when the Capebased Steyn family owned Atkinson Grimshaw won the final race at Fairview on Tuesday.

With multiple SA Champion jockey Lyle Hewitson riding a hat-trick of victories to clock his own personal mark of 200 winners for the term on the same horse, it was a double celebration for the duo who are enjoying a purple patch with a near 25% win strike-rate. The Hollywoodbetssponsored Gavin Smith has

bounced back from a tough 2020 in fighting style and is in a rich vein of form. He holds a very commendable 9th position on the SA Champion Trainer log. He is one of only five trainers nationally to saddle 100 winners this season so far.

“We fortunately have loyal owner support base and I’m proud of my team, our horses and our jockeys. We also enjoy genuine support and encouragement from our valued sponsors, Hollywoodbets. This was an important marker for us and now it’s no releasing the foot from the pedal as we go all out for the rest of the season,” the veteran told the Sporting Post on Wednesday.

When taxed on his stable jockey arrangements, Gavin confirmed that both Hewitson and Marco van Rensburg were riding for the powerful team. “Some horses run for some jockeys. It’s my job to put the right rider on the right horse. Both Lyle and Marco are important cogs in a terrific team effort.” On Friday at Fairview the recent East Cape Guineas winner Jaeger Moon (Van Rensburg) and Find Me Unafraid (Hewitson) carry the Gavin Smith flag in the WSB Listed East Cape Derby.

His mother was a Rugg and had 7 brothers who were all jockeys.

While most people are introduced to racing by their father or grandfather, Duncan’s biggest influence came via his ‘dam line’.

“We were a big racing family. You can trace us all the way back to 1934 when my uncle Albert (Allie) Rugg won the July Handicap at the age of 14 on a horse for Mr Jackie Angles called Sun Tor. He was at the top of his game when he was killed at Gosforth Park three years later. It was called the Benoni Turf Club in those days. He was riding a horse called

“My dad came from Rhodesia and was involved in owning a couple of horses. But it’s more my mom’s side of the family that are the horsey people.”

Southern Slave, a horse fell in front of him and he went down over it. He went into a coma and never came out. My mom still had the skull cap and colours he was killed in. My mom was also involved in racing and worked for one of the first woman trainers in the country, Hilda Knaupp. It’s in the genes I think!” he told the Sporting Post some years ago.

Candiese Lenferna

But the afternoon really belonged to the genuine racing man, Duncan McKenzie.

Chase Liebenberg

Black Swan Stud will be offering class racemare, Helen’s Ideal (#36)

PADDOCK POWER – RIGHT HERE!

Cape Thoroughbred Sales will host the 2021 De Grendel Wines Mare & Mixed Sale, in partnership with Meerkat Online Auctions, at the De Grendel Wine Estate on Thursday 20 May.

Three of the regular Top 5 broodmare sires of the last four racing seasons are well represented in Jet Master (3 lots), Western Winter (3) and Captain Al (11), with regular Top 10’ers Silvano (5), Trippi (6) and Dynasty (3) adding to the quality.

Grant Knowles, Marketing and Bloodstock Director of CTS, described this as a ‘power catalogue for breeders’, and on inspection it is easy to see why.

The majority of the mares on offer were covered during the 2020 breeding season. With 120 lots on offer from 14 vendors, an exciting sale is to

be had. The likes of Maine Chance Farms, Klawervlei Stud and Ridgemont Highlands- to name a few- will be offering top quality lots from a variety of stallions. The sires represented by weanlings at this sale include all of Coup de Grace, Duke of Marmalade, Noble Tune, Pomodoro, Potala Palace, Rafeef, Royal Mo, Time Thief, Twice Over and William Longsword.

CTS has advised buyers that five of the nine lots offered by the BBP Syndicate at the sale with be sold in absentia. The mares are #28 (Entrench, by Oasis Dream), #74 (Secret of Victoria, by Goldkeeper), #82 (The Secret Is Out, by Captain Al), and the weanlings are #96 (William Longsword colt out of Entrench) and #109 (William Longsword colt out of Secret Of Victoria). They will not be present at the live sale, but will be available for viewing at Klawervlei stud and will be passed through the ring at De Grendel in the normal manner of bidding. The same is to be said for Bronkhorst Racing’s three mares on offer- #8 (Bated Breath, by Brave Tin Soldier), #47 (Kissable, by Antonius Pius), and #50 (Lily Starlette, by Mambo In Seattle). Nadeson Park will also be

selling the majority of their lots in absentia, including, but not limited to #7 (Arctic Queen, by Gimmethegreenlight), #31 (Fanfare, by Ideal World), and #77 (Spring Orchid, By Badger’s Drift). Black Swan Stud will be offering Helen’s Ideal (#36), by Ideal World. She’s a six-time winner straight off the track.

Amanda Carey: amanda@cthbs.com Download the Meerkat app to register (before 19 May) and to bid on 20 May. Samsung and Android: https://play.google.com/store/ apps/details?id=za.co.dankospark.meerkat

Black type runs freely throughout the catalogue, with relatives to Group winners such as Gypsy’s Warning, She’s A Giver, Seeking The Pearl, Girl On The Run, Gibraltar Blue, Just Sensual, Warm White Night, Big Poppa Pump and Monarchos, to name a few.

iPhone and IOS Apple:

Find the Sporting Post’s lot-by-lot preview by clicking here

https://portal.meerkatonline. co.za/authentication/login www.meerkatonline.co.za

For more information please contact : Grant Knowles: grant@cthbs.com

https://apple.co/2yDd362 OR Register, bid and follow auctions LIVE on the Meerkat website:

JC Photos

Alado colt Bronco Blitz wins on debut under Gavin Lerena

FANIE’S TRIO ON THE MARKET TO SELL

World Sports Betting-sponsored Randjesfontein trainer Fanie Bronkhorst will be enjoying a career first as he sends three lots off for auction at the CTS Mare & Mixed Sale at De Grendel Wine Estate on 20 May. Bronkhorst is looking forward to the sale and thinks that it is a great opportunity for breeders to purchase quality mares in foal to both freshman sires

and proven sires. “This sale is a nice way to upgrade the quality of broodmares within a stud!” he enthused. Since this will be the first time Fanie has put horses up for sale at an auction, he is hoping that ‘the market is lekker!’ He tells the Sporting Post about the three mares he is offering - #8 Bated Breath,

#47 Kissable and # 50 Lily Starlette. “Bated Breath #8- achieved black-type but unfortunately injured her knee before reaching her full potential. We always thought highly of her and she is by Brave Tin Soldier, same sire as our trojan Running Brave. “Kissable # 47- has bold black-type and still holds the course record for the 800m at Turffontein. She is out

of a strong dam line with her third dam going back to the successful ‘Let Kiss’ family line, which has produced many top horses. “Lily Scarlette- Lot 50- is a half-sister to Snow Palace. She showed a lot of promise back in training but unfortunately a joint injury cut her career short. She was a good 2yo and would’ve trained on a better filly through age. She is in foal to new sire sensation, Act Of War!” With these three promising lots on offer, Fanie is looking forward to the sale. “Although for the time being, I have decided to concentrate on my training barn rather

than extend my attention to breeding. ” He is looking forward to the Vodacom Durban July where he has London News Stakes winner Running Brave entered. “She is doing well,” he tells Sporting Post. “Her preparation for the Durban July is underway and we are happy with her prep thus far.” “Our current focus for her has been on the July. Thereafter we will reassess our plans for her. She is still on top of her game and in a good space. If we call it a day with racing for her, I’m yet to decide any further plans regarding stallions and so on.” Attention to detail is what sets the Bronkhorst Racing Team apart.

“Our horses are treated as individuals and benefit from their own unique feed plans, work plans and race plans. We feel that no two horses are the same and some will benefit from what others don’t. “This philosophy is becoming evident in our current 2yo crop who are performing well. Tip Of The Spear - a colt by Act Of War- won comfortably on debut and Bronco Blitz, an Alado colt, recently won a gutsy race under Gavin Lerena at the Vaal.” Click here to see the CTS De Grendel Mare & Mixed Sale catalogue.

JC Photos

47 Fanie and his champion, Running Brave

JC Photos

Listed Secretariat Stakes winner Paisley Park – has a half sister on the sale

CTS FARM SALE

CATALOGUE – ONLINE! The catalogue for the 2021 CTS Farm Yearling Sale, formerly the Klawervlei Farm Sale, to be held at De Grendel Wine Estate on 20 June, has been published online.

The catalogue has 136 entries, including lots from leading stud farms such as Klawervlei, Ridgemont/ Highlands, Wilgerbosdrift, Maine Chance, Nadeson Park and Normandy, with an ex-

cellent variety of sires : the in-demand Captain Of All (10 lots), Pomodoro (19), Canford Cliffs (7), Master Of My Mate (3), William Longsword (11), Rafeef (3) and The United States (5).

The offering presents an interesting challenge for pedigree experts – especially for those who have a knack of identifying the right nicks, and who can spot potentially prolific mares, with several first foals as well as unsold lots from the 2021 Premier Sale in the mix. Add to this the late-bloomers among the yearlings, invariably with a few decent runners among them, and the art of spotting good sorts underneath their winter coats becomes a factor. There are any number of pedigree elements to

highlight when taking a closer look at the various lots, but a few jump from the page. These include a half-sister to the listed Secretariat Stakes winner Paisley Park; a half-brother to the listed Darley Arabian winner Guru’s Pride; a half-brother to the multiple graded winner Sargeant Hardy, and a half-sister to the Equus Champion Sprinter Seventh Plain. Among the first foals are a colt from Gr3 winner Girl On The Run; a colt from Gr2 winner Intergalactic; a colt from Gr2 winner Jo’s Bond, and a half-brother to recent

runaway winner Eternity Ring. For more information please contact : Grant Knowles: grant@cthbs.com Amanda Carey: amanda@cthbs.com The catalogue can be found here – please click for more

British Champions Series

Richard Hughes and Canford Cliffs celebrate at Royal Ascot

CANFORD CLIFFS – A CHAMPION MILER The Gr1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday boasts illustrious names like Frankel and Ridgemont - Highlands resident stallion Canford Cliffs on its glittering roll of honour. While it feels like yesterday, it’s been a decade since Canford Cliffs overcame

doubts about his fitness for his first outing in 10 months and slammed the Italian raider, Worthadd in the Lockinge. The victory set up a clash with champion Goldikova at Royal Ascot the next month in the Queen Anne Stakes – a race that the outstanding Hannon racer was to go on and win and register a fifth successive Gr1 success. 52

"He's the best horse I've ever had," Hannon said. "He can cruise, this horse, but when you pick him up, he can increase [his pace] too. And they're very rare, those horses." Described by trainer Richard Hannon Snr as “the best I’ve ever had”, the powerful bay Canford Cliffs won seven of

11 starts and never finished out of the first three. Europe’s dominant miler at three and four, Canford Cliffs won five consecutive Gr1 races over the trip. His splendid Gr1 treble of the Irish 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes (over multiple Gr1 winner Dick Turpin) and Sussex Stakes (over champion Rip Van Winkle), saw him rated the top three-year-old miler in England and Ireland. He signed off with a second to the mighty Frankel in the Gr1 Sussex Stakes and was voted the champion older miler in Europe in 2011, receiving a Timeform rating of 133. Retired to Coolmore Stud in 2012, the son of Tagula did shuttle duty between Ireland and Australia until his purchase by Ridgemont Highlands. At the time of writing, Canford Cliffs has sired 366 winners from 594 runners for a 61% strike-rate.

He has produced 31 international stakes winners in both hemispheres. As befits a horse of his stature Canford Cliffs covered well over 100 mares in his first South African season two years ago. His highly anticipated first South African crop includes half-sisters to champion Russian Sage, Gr1 winner Divine Jury and the dual Gr2 Gold Bracelet queen Running Brave, as well as half-brothers to Gr2 winner My Sanctuary and Gr3 Track & Ball Oaks winner Seville Orange. Amongst Ridgemont Highlands mares sent to Canford Cliffs are multiple champion Dancer’s Daughter (Act One) and Front And Centre (Dynasty) who won the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas and the Gr3 Diana Stakes and is a multiple Graded placed racing filly. In the mix too are Gr1 winners Takingthepeace (Visionaire) and Miss

Florida (Captain Al), as well as Graded stakes winners Nastergal (Duke Of Marmalade), Sabina’s Dynasty (Dynasty), Crimson Blossom (Danehill Dancer), the dam of Gr3 Gold Cup victress Dynasty’s Blossom, Nona In Command, dam of classy stakes winner Pretty Young Thing, and the top-class champion broodmare Our Table Mountain. Read more about Canford Cliffs– click here

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GOLF & STALLIONS The Cape Breeders Club, sponsored by Interbet and Cape Racing, will be hosting its annual and ever popular Golf Day at the Pearl Valley Golf Estate later this month. Packages on offer for the Golf Day are as follows: Fourball Entry Fee: R5000 -including VAT Hole Sponsorship: R4000 including VAT

Fourball and Hole Sponsorship: R8000 including VAT The golf day, which takes place on May 24th, will be followed by the Cape Breeders Club’s annual Stallion Services auction. This year’s auction will see services to some of South Africa’s most promising and popular stallions go on sale, making it a must-attend event! Watch the Sporting Post for the full stallion listing!

Due to COVID protocols, the auction dinner will be restricted to 80 people, so interested parties are asked to book quickly to avoid disappointment. Parties wishing to attend this year’s Golf Day are asked to RSVP by clicking on the link as stipulated in the actual invite. Watch the Sporting Post for the full stallion listing

Sandy and Eugene Arundel

SANDY’S GOT A TICKET TO RIDE

Owner Sandy Arundel has bought one of two Prospector’s certificates that were available after the March 2021 Cape Premier Yearling Sale, which now leaves just one of the original 16 certificates up for grabs.

In January 2023, 16 Prospectors will have an opportunity to participate in the CTS Gold Rush, a 1600m race in which a capacity field of 16 runners will participate. The Prospectors will be able to negotiate outright purchases or partnership deals in the lead-up to the race. The R7,5-million on offer will make this innovative stakes prize the richest in South Africa. The winning owner, or

owners, will receive a lucrative R5-million.

get our Prospector’s certificate.

Sandy Arundel and her husband Eugene hail from the IT industry, and while they have always had a passion for horses, their interest in racing was rekindled just recently by Graeme Hawkins, who introduced them to trainer Wendy Whitehead.

We live between Johannesburg and Durban, and ideally we would like to have runners in all the centres. Racing fascinates and excites us, and we would love to travel between centres to see them run. That includes Cape Town, where we are looking to invest in property.”

“We have bought at various sales and we now have 11 horses in training,” said Sandy. “We acquired four well-bred lots at the CTS Premier Sale, a filly and three colts. After the sale we looked at our buys and we thought we had chosen them well; they have already furnished nicely. And so, we decided we may as well take a chance at the Gold Rush and

Any buyers interested in the last certificate are invited to contact Grant Knowles grant@cthbs.com or Amanda Carey amanda@cthbs.com. The list of those who have received Prospector’s certificates so far can be viewed here

200 UP SA Champion jockey-elect Lyle Hewitson reached his 200 winner for the season mark at Fairview on Tuesday when he booted Atkinson Grimshaw home in the final event. The win completed a hat-trick on the day and all three were for trainer Gavin Smith. Hewitson is now 55 winners ahead of nearest challenger Warren Kennedy and is currently on a 15% win strike-rate and a close on 40% place strike-rate. He looks set on becoming SA champion jockey for the third time in four seasons at the send of this term, and unconfirmed reports suggest he could be heading overseas for another stint in Japan.

ZAC CLOSES In scenes reminiscent of a few years ago, Jockey Zac Purton has closed the gap between himself and Joao Moreira from 30 at the end of February to only 14 with 18 Hong Kong meetings remaining. "It's long odds, I'm running out of meetings and he's still got a healthy lead so it's his to lose. I'll keep turning up and I'll see what happens but I feel like I'm just too far off," Purton said. Purton has seven rides for Wednesday’s meeting under lights at Sha Tin, including unbeaten 3yo Winner Method.

WELLS, WELLS, WELLS! Apprentice jockey Chloe Wells enjoyed the perfect start to her riding career when she won her first race at Devonport (Australia) on Sunday. The win came aboard Gee Gees Cricket in the Devonport Happy Mother's Day Handicap over 1350m. The 6yo gelding is trained by Team Wells, comprised of Chloe Wells' father Dean, uncle Trent and grandfather Leon Wells. "I'm just rapt to be out here riding in races and to land a winner at my first race ride is unbelievable," Wells said. "It's a bit of an emotional roller coaster and the enormity of what I've done hasn't really sunk in yet. All I've wanted ever since I was a young teenager was to be a jockey, but Mum and Dad said I had to finish school and college before I could do it, so I did all that and here I am today."

GR1 GUILT Another Gr1 and more interference by the winner! Jockey Grant van Niekerk has pleaded guilty to the charge of causing interference to others runners in the 4Racing Gr1 Computaform Sprint at Turffontein on 1 May. The Inquiry Board imposed a penalty of a suspension from riding in races for a period of fourteen days. Van Niekerk waived his Right of Appeal and was granted permission to take his suspension from 13 May to 26 May.

CHURCHILL DOWNS SUSPENDS TOP TRAINER

Candiese Lenferna

Veteran Bob Baffert – under fire

IS THIS BAFFERT’S HIGH NOON? Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has been suspended by Churchill Downs after Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit tested positive for the topical steroid cream betamethasone. Sports Illustrated report that the California-based trainer, who won his recordseventh Kentucky Derby, said the Kentucky Racing Commission informed his assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes on Saturday that Medina Spirit tested positive for 21 picograms of the antiinflammatory medicine in a post-race sample. The legal limit in Kentucky is 10 picograms. “I don’t know what’s going on in racing right now, but

there’s something not right,” Baffert said in a press conference at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning. “I don’t feel embarrassed, I feel like I was wronged. We’re going to do our own investigation. We’re going to be transparent with the racing commission like we’ve always been. […] This horse was never treated with this. He’s a great horse. He doesn’t deserve this.” The racetrack later announced that if the findings are upheld by a split sample test, Medina Spirit will be disqualified and runner-up Mandaloun will be declared the winner. “Failure to comply with the rules and medication protocols jeopardizes the safety of the horses and jockeys, the

integrity of our sport and the reputation of the Kentucky Derby and all who participate,” Churchill Downs released in a statement. “Churchill Downs will not tolerate it. “Given the seriousness of the alleged offense, Churchill Downs will immediately suspend Bob Baffert, the trainer of Medina Spirit, from entering any horses at Churchill Downs Racetrack. We will await the conclusion of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commissions’investigation before taking further steps.” Baffert denied that anyone in his team had administered the drug to the horse, which he said is still the Kentucky Derby winner until the completion of the inquiry.

“Yesterday, I got the biggest gut punch for something I didn’t do,” Baffert said. “We have to do a DNA sample. Something is not right. It’s not a disqualification until the split sample comes back. That’s a part of the process and we haven’t even gotten to that yet.” On 12-1 odds, Medina Spirit was a shock winner of the 146th Kentucky Derby on May 1. The colt was sold as a yearling for only $1,000 and was a bargain for current owner Amr Zedan of Saudi Arabia at $35,000. The horse is still slated to run the 146th Preakness on May 15 in Baltimore, according to Baffert.

The Hall of Fame trainer was fined and suspended last year by the Arkansas Racing Commission after two of his horses tested positive for the painkiller lidocaine. Baffert won his appeal to the commission in the month leading up to this year’s Kentucky Derby, blaming the positive tests on a pain patch worn by his assistant, who saddled the horses. Betamethasone was also found in the system of Gamine, another horse trained by Baffert, after the filly finished third in the Kentucky Oaks last September. PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo said that the time has long passed for regulators to stop ‘protecting’

Baffert with minimal fines. “Thirty verified drug violations over his career, with five in just the last year, point to a pattern that should never have been tolerated these long years. He will undoubtedly come up with yet another implausible excuse, but this time, the regulators need to get a backbone, protect the horses from systematic abuse, and ban him permanently from racing.” www.si.com – additional reporting by SP editorial staff

66 Lockinge Stakes entry and recent Gr1 Jebel Hatta winner Lord Glitters seen victorious in Royal Ascot's Gr1 Queen Anne

Mathea Kelley

NEWBURY’S LOCKINGE

THE BIG ONE 67

The Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes is the star billing on the UK horse racing menu this weekend. This prestigious race is the first Gr1 of the flat season for horses, 4 years and older. Previously won by greats like Frankel and the Ridgemont/ Highlands resident stallion Canford Cliffs, it is due off at 16h35 on Saturday. Run over the Newbury straight mile, sixteen runners have been nominated at Tuesday’s first acceptance stage. The clerk of the course has described course conditions as good to soft, and hopes the track stays on the easy side of good as the track is known to drain well. Palace Pier, last season’s champion miler, will likely start a hot favourite after a comprehensive eight length win in the Bet365 Mile Gr2 at Sandown three weeks ago. John Gosden, who trains the son of Kingman, stated after the race that the Sandown success would bring him on for this contest. The opposition includes My Oberon, highly rated from the inform William Haggas yard. He was a very easy winner of the Gr3 Earl of Sefton Stakes over 1800m at Newmarket last month. The grey eight-year-old Lord Glitters represents the David

O’Meara stable. This gallant multiple group winner has just returned from a successful stint in Dubai where he was successful in the Gr1 Jebel Hatta over 1800m. Aidan O’Brien runs Lope Y Fernandez. Another to have won first up this season, he contested a listed event over a mile at Leopardstown where he travelled smoothly and won comfortably by over five lengths. The Gr2 Dante Stakes is run on Thursday at York over an extended mile and a half. The last recognised trial for the Epsom Derby, the race has attracted eleven colts and all the top Newmarket yards are represented. The highly touted Royal Champion from the white-hot Rodger Varian yard takes on the William Haggas trained and Sandown Gr3 scorer Alenquer. Godolphin field the unbeaten son of Frankel Hurricane Lane and Gear Up (a three-time winner from four starts) represents the Mark Johnston stable making his seasonal return. Aidan O’Brien is hopeful that his unbeaten Galileo colt High Definition will now be ready for this much-needed trial before his goal at Epsom. He was scratched from his intended reappearance in last weekend’s Lingfield Derby Trial due to high blood levels.

The O’Brien yard replaced High Definition with two runners, but Third Realm, the 14/1 outsider, won for the Rodger Varian yard. The winner got first run on the Charlie Appleby trained 6/5 favourite Adayar around the turn into the straight. The two colts pulled many lengths clear of the balance on the run to the line, with Third Realm always in command holding the favourite by just over a length and a quarter. The winning trainer said: “He ticks a lot of the boxes in that he’s won a recognised trial, it looks like he’ll get the trip and he’s won on good to firm ground at Nottingham and in pretty testing conditions today.” Sherbet Lemon caused a major shock when winning the Lingfield Oaks Trial at 28/1. Trained by Archie Watson, the grey daughter of Lemon Drop Kid finished best to edge a bunched field. Save a Forest also ran on from the back of the field for second with Ocean Road who looked to be travelling the best going into the last 300m staying on in third. The winner’s racing manager suggested that Sherbet Lemon would run in the Cazoo Oaks next month. The bookies were not as impressed, still offering quotes of 28/1 for Epsom glory.

updated 2021-05-12

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�

978 772 814 474 652

156 118 102 71 62

129 96 90 62 67

103 72 90 52 46

16.0 15.3 12.5 15.0 9.5

Other Places Place % 121 76 100 56 63

353 244 280 170 176

Win Stake (R)

36.1 31.6 34.4 35.9 27.0

Total Stakes (R)

7,988,025 11,849,150 6,576,200 9,790,425 4,896,800 8,330,450 4,591,100 6,583,550 3,471,388 5,481,363

JOCKEYS Name

Runs Wins Win%

2nd

3rd

Mr L Hewitson Mr W B Kennedy Mr S Khumalo Mr G M Cheyne Mr M A Yeni

1344 903 661 688 960

172 117 69 88 103

147 105 80 108 101

200 145 126 120 109

14.9 16.1 19.1 17.4 11.4

Other Places Place % 209 132 76 99 125

528 354 225 295 329

Win Stake (R)

39.3 39.2 34.0 42.9 34.3

Total Stakes (R)

8,516,475 13,149,225 8,368,225 11,988,600 6,012,500 8,740,238 3,649,200 5,831,450 6,482,400 9,850,825

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

279 407 212

1427 52,71 2085 34,839 1104 41,851

133 139 67

189 191 115

47.7 34.2 31.6

482 697 298

8 10 6

13 14,706,038 12 14,179,488 12 8,872,363

153 120

730 55,383 631 57,815

75 49

127 81

49 40.8

272 213

9 6

10 12

8,473,650 6,937,800

B.T. Wins

Total Stakes (R)

10 5 5 7 3

9,176,875 7,461,175 7,425,750 7,222,300 6,981,500

SIRES Name Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) What A Winter Master Of My Fate Silvano (GER) Querari (GER)

Runrs Runs AEPR 184 159 173 152 192

923 865 1029 801 995

49,874 46,926 42,923 47,515 36,362

B.T. Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Rnrs % 82 71 76 65 69

126 112 106 94 101

44.6 44.7 43.9 42.8 35.9

300 301 374 238 344

See all the detailed standings - Click here 69

9 4 4 5 2

BLUES OR THE FOXES?

IT’S FA CUP FINAL DAY! 70

Chelsea and Leicester City lock horns at Wembley this Saturday in the 140th FA Cup final, as the Blues aim to put some extra gloss on a fine campaign by adding a ninth FA Cup to their trophy cabinet, while the Foxes look to make history by becoming the first Leicester team to claim the prestigious prize. Chelsea vs Leicester City | Saturday 15 May | Wembley Stadium | 18h15 Bryan Naicker writes that victory would be the perfect appetizer for Thomas Tuchel’s blue army as the west Londoners prepare for the grand stand all-English UEFA Champions League final showdown against Manchester City in two weeks time. Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers’ charges will try to maintain their Champions League qualifying position in the Premier League standings that effectively have the Foxes needing to approach each of their remaining clashes for the season as Cup finals that carry massive importance, greatly influencing the bearing that the club will take for the next season.

Chelsea 19/20 Draw 5/2 Leicester City 28/10 To Lift Cup Chelsea 5/10 Leicester City 16/10 Chelsea Chelsea have been nothing short of astonishing since their transformation under German manager Tuchel who arrived just four short months ago. Frank Lampard surely expected the team he built the previous season, which proudly boasted the likes of Cobham academy graduates such as Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Reece James, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Fikayo Tomori and Billy Gilmour, to gel coherently with his expensive new recruits during the second half of the season. However, Tuchel has definitely surpassed all expectations “Super Frank” and every other Chelsea supporter had for this group of players.

Let’s get straight into our match preview!

The former Borussia Dortmund and Paris SaintGermain mentor has taken the Premier League by storm and is on course to break all sorts of records thanks to his German engineered tactics that have clearly proven to be superior to his competitors at this juncture.

To Win (90 Mins)

The team has become

defensively sound, something that was near unthinkable under Lampard, given the expansive way the highest-scoring midfielder in English history loved to play the game, that resonated onto his team. Prior to hosting Arsenal, the Blues have impressively kept 18 clean sheets from Tuchel’s 25-game long tenure, highlighting the difference in approaches. Also, top-notch talents like Antonio Rudiger, Jorginho and N'Golo Kante have cemented their claim to be a part of Tuchel’s long-term project after finding themselves out of favour under Lampard. Ben Chilwell will face his former team in a powerful backline consisting of Thiago Silva, Rudiger, James and captain Cesar Azpilicueta in front of the most underrated signing of the previous window, Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. This foundation of the team should secure Chelsea another clean sheet which would leave Timo Werner and company needing just a goal to adorn the trophy with Royal Blue ribbons yet again. Leicester City Leicester City won the Premier League under

Claudio Ranieri but since Rodgers’ arrival in 2019, the Northern Irishman has arguably been just as influential to the club, in his role of maintaining an elite level for the Foxes to stay at the top of the league and consistently compete with the traditional big-six. Prior to Leicester making their midweek trip to Old Trafford, Rodgers has the most successful win rate (52.8%) in the club’s history. Winning 56 times in 106 games deserves respect, especially since the level of opposition in my opinion is higher than Ranieri or Nigel Pearson’s time in England. The Foxes recently failed to claim maximum points in the league over Southampton and Newcastle which has cast a huge shadow of doubt over Leicester’s chance to secure Champions League football next term. Rodgers’ charges know how painful it could be after suffering a similar fate, surrendering their spot to Man United & Chelsea and won’t want to repeat the mistakes of last season. In the same breath, Chelsea will also be disappointed to collect silver medals at Wembley again, after succumbing to Arsenal in last year’s FA Cup final.

Rodgers made controversial comments when he took charge of Liverpool, claiming that the Reds were a much bigger club that left a sour taste in the mouths of supporters, seeing as the London club gave Leicester’s boss his start in football management with their Under-18’s and Reserve sides.

Chelsea: 3-4-2-1 Mendy; Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Rudiger; James, Kante, Mount, Chilwell; Werner, Pulisic; Havertz.

A chance for revenge is on the cards for both sides.

Prediction: Chelsea (19/20) If we look at the entirety of the season, Leicester have been a consistently solid team, although in current form, there’s only one winner in this contest for me. Unless Kasper Schmeichel channels his “inner-Mendy” and plays an absolute blinder in the Leicester goal to keep his team in the match, Chelsea should have too much quality to overcome the Foxes and take home the first piece of silverware of the Tuchel era.

Considering Leicester’s 5-2 victory over Man City earlier this season and the FA Cup being synonymous with giant-killings, it wouldn’t surprise many if Leicester are the better side on the day, but it will take a monstrous effort to beat a team that is closely edging towards becoming the best team in the world with each passing week. Route to the final: Chelsea: 4-0 (H) – Morecambe 3-1 (H) - Luton Town 0-1 (A) – Barnsley 2-0 (H) - Sheffield United 1-0 (N) – Manchester City Leicester City: 0-4 (A) - Stoke City 1-3 (A) – Brentford 1-0 (H) – Brighton 3-1 (H) – Manchester United 1-0 (N) – Southampton Probable line-ups:

Leicester City: 3-5-2 Schmeichel; Castagne, Fofana, Evans; Pereira, Tielemans, Ndidi, Maddison, Albrighton; Iheanacho, Vardy.