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4 Ashley Fortune welcomes her favourite Bard Of Avon after his debut win. The Var colt runs in the Gr1 Gold Medallion on Saturday
JC Photos
FOLLOW THE GOOD FORTUNE! 5
Having sent out her first winner only three years ago, Vaal-based Ashley Fortune has made great strides to join the top echelon of leading South African lady trainers.She saddles six Gr1 contenders at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday – and also sends out a runner in the $70 000 Gr2 OK Grand Challenge at Borrowdale.
equine foundation to become a force to be reckoned with in a tough game. “It’s very exciting to have feature runners down in KZN and North of the Limpopo on Saturday. I’d like to believe that amongst others, it’s a sign that we bought well that we have such nice juveniles to send out in the features.”
The jackpot of four Gr1 1200m speed contests on the Golden Horse Sprint raceday at Hollywoodbets Scottsville in Pietermaritzburg celebrates its 60th year on Saturday.
On the mechanics and rationale behind Cash Time’s engagement in the OK Grand Challenge, Ashley says that it’s a sentimental occasion – and the race offers a US dollardenominated stake of nearly R1 million.
Just a month away from a milestone 40th birthday, the Harare-born Ashley Fortune has built on her rock solid
“Gokhan Terzi will saddle him for us. We will be thrilled if he runs into the money,” she adds. Of her Hollywoodbets
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Scottsville feature candidates, Ash runs Crusade debut winner Aunty Lizzy in the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship. “She won well on debut and is a progressive type who shows good work. I’m hoping that she can run into the back-end of quartets. It’s a tough race – and that’s exactly what one expects when competing at Gr1 level.” The Fortune Racing Team send out a quartet of runners in the Gr1 Gold Medallion. Ash was quick to play open cards. “Don’t be fooled, in all avenues of life, everyone has a favourite – that’s why I only have one child!” she laughs, pointing out the Ridgemont
Highlands-bred smart debut winner Bard Of Avon as her first choice.
Lannister is described as a ‘lovely colt who will be looking for further in time’.
“I fell in love with him the moment I saw him on the farm. Var liver chestnuts are my weakness! He has a few issues and can behave like a bit of a silly monkey. But we have been working on him and if he is on his best behaviour at the start, I’d like to believe that he can run a big race.”
“His work is good. He is fit. He won well at his second start. It’s a no-brainer to take our chances with a nice horse as the Gold Medallion only comes up once in a horse’s career!”
Recent winner Captain
A second favourite behind Bard Of Avon for Ash is Elmo. “Oh, he is a real cutie!” she enthuses, in a reference we thought was aimed at hubby,
7 Fortune Family – Kylie, Andrew, Sean & Ashley
Andrew. “No, I’m talking about Elmo. He is an honest lovely progressive horse who will also want more ground in time. He has won at the track – that helps! Calvin (Habib) rides him as his wife owns a share.” The most experienced 2yo in the race, Godolphin Barb runner-up Irfaans Boy is the fourth of the Fortune attack. “He really is a lovely horse.
Her final runner on the day is the smart 3yo Winter Smoke, who runs in the SA Fillies Sprint. She ran fourth in the Allan Robertson last year. “I owe her a win at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. Last year we really fancied her in
the Allan Robertson but she was under done – and we paid the price. She is back to her best now and comes racing fit and ready. I have to respect True To Life, who I feel is the horse to beat. But that said, it’s a typically high-class field with depth.”
Candiese Lenferna
He enjoyed Hollywoodbets Scottsville previously when second in the feature behind what looks like a really nice sort, who he bumps again. He warrants respect and has a really lovely temperament, which is always an asset.”
Gold Medallion candidate Elmo (Calvin Habib) is led in by Katelyn Whittington & Shandre Habib
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10 Celtic Sea (Gavin Lerena) wins the SA Fillies Sprint for the second year running in 2020. Run Fox Run (Anton Marcus in gold cap) and Singforafa (Lyle Hewitson) are right in the mix
Candiese Lenferna
50 YEARS OF FLYING!
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Today’s Cover Image ‘Speed silverware’ – courtesy of Candiese Lenferna
While standing in the Hollywoodbets Scottsville parade ring some years ago, while watching the runners for the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint circling around, someone remarked: "One can start a top broodmare band with this field." A fair comment, considering the 1200m dash, which will be run for the 50th time on Saturday boasts an enviable honour roll. And yes, history shows that a good number of winners have made their
mark as broodmares. For the purpose of this article, we go back almost half a century to 1972 winner Indian Spice. A daughter of that fine sprinter Royal Affair, she became dam of the champion two and three-yearold filly Breyani, who incidentally, won the Gr1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship, the juvenile fillies race now run on the same card as the Fillies Sprint. Justine, one of an exceptional number of fillies sired by New
12 Varsfontein home- bred Marie Galante wins the 1993 SA Fillies Sprint
South Wales, triumphed in 1973 and successfully defended her title twelve months later to become the first of eight dual winners. She produced a brace of stakes winning fillies in Justify and Joy For The Boys, who bred Got The Giggles, runner-up to the mighty Empress Club, in what is still the only female-dominated finish to the Gr1 Gold Medallion! The 1975 Fillies Sprint belonged to the Passmoretrained Soul, an own sister to
the exceptional sprinter Abbey Boy. In those days the Gilbey Stakes (now the Golden Horse Sprint) was run two months later in June, and Soul almost pulled off a memorable double when she ran second to Portsmouth. The next two runnings of the SA Fillies Sprint belonged to Mildenhall. Yet another of New South Wales's top offspring, she won it as a three-year-old for Brian Cherry, while Felix Coetzee partnered her twelve months later for father Hennie. At stud she produced nine winners, prime amongst which the Royal Prerogative colt The Rutland Arms, winner of the Gr1 Sun International. The eighties threw up some exceptional winners and those who made an impact in the paddocks include 1987 winner Jungle Class. A Scott Brothers homebred, she became the grandam of Roxanne and third dam of champion juvenile Gabor, both of whom won the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes. Varsfontein homebred Marie Galante, an exquisite daughter of Mexico II, scored back to back wins in 1992 and 1993. Third in 1993, Sound Of Rhum claimed the honours in 1994 for Mary Slack and Wendy Appelbaum and she went on to produce ill-fated SA Guineas winner Dunsinane. Incidentally, her half-sister Cathay Firth produced
Sound Of Rhum (Robbie Hill) wins the 1994 SA Fillies Sprint in record time Kildonan, who broke the track record when defeating champion Mythical Flight in the 2007 Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint! Australian-breds have also stamped their authority on the race, notably Sabine Plattner's outstanding duo Joie De Grise and Laisserfaire. The former won it at three when she was voted the Champion three-year-old female sprinter, and again at four which contributed to a a second championship. Two years later, the Plattner silks were carried to victory by Laisserfaire, who repeated a year later. The daughter of Danehill also defeated the boys in the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship and Computaform Sprint. Her best foal has been Gr3 Champagne Stakes second Kwitizina, who in turn is the dam of Cup Trial winner Kampala Campari. However, pride of place amongst the Aussie-bred winners must go to 1995 winner Tracy's Element. The champion juvenile filly of her
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year when she defeated colts in the Gr1 Smirnoff (now the Gold Medallion), the daughter of Last Tycoon also went on to further Gr1 glory in the Computaform Sprint and Star Sprint. Sadly, she returned to her birth country. South Africa's loss proved to be Australia's gain as she has become a veritable blue hen, producing 2009 Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy. She also features as the ancestress of last season's Gr1 Australian Guineas hero Alligator Blood. In 2003, National Assembly's daughter Enchantress clinched the Equus award as the Champion older female sprinter with her length and a half victory, thereby emulating her champion half-sister Harry's Charm, who had defeated Grand Emporium's dam Whistling Dixie in 1997. Enchantress proved the better broodmare, for she became dam of Gr1 Thekwini Stakes victress Laverna and the Gr3 winners Nevvay and Wylie Wench.
The Beck silks were carried to victory by Overarching in 2004. Trained by Ormond Ferraris and twice the country's older female sprinter, the American-bred made her mark in the paddocks as the dam of Gr1 Woolavington 2000 winner Lady Of The House. The 2005/6 season belonged to Sean Tarry's grey bomber, National Colour, whose victory in the Fillies Sprint was book-ended by scores in the Gr1 Computaform Sprint and Gr1 Mercury Sprint. This unique hat-trick earned her not just a championship, she also shared Horse of the Year honours with Mike de Kock's grey, Ilha Da Vittoria. She too, made Australia her home as a broodmare, yet her most \
successful foals, the full brothers Rafeef and Mustaaqueem, scored at Gr1 level in South Africa. Now a stallion at Ridgemont Highlands, Rafeef currently leads the race to the Freshman sires title. Dennis Drier's champion Val De Ra finished third as a threeyear-old but set the record straight at four. She is the most recent winner to have tasted success in the paddocks with her first foal, the British-conceived Frankel filly Miss Frankel, winning the Listed KwaZulu-Natal Stakes, a race Val De Ra had won on two occasions. Since Val De Ra's victory in 2011, three champions have recorded doubles in the Fillies Sprint.
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Duncan Howells-trained Via Africa made it back to back wins in 2014, while Sean Tarry has won four of the last five renewals with his champions Carry On Alice and Celtic Sea. The former won it as a three-year-old and again at five, while Celtic Sea completed the double last year. Sadly, all three have left their birth country, as has 2012 winner Ebony Flyer. Via Africa and Carry On Alice are now at stud in Australia. Ebony Flyer, the dam of Hong Kong-based Gr3 Cape Classic third Cot Campbell, is now in the UK, while Celtic Sea is bound for Gainesway in Kentucky where she will join owner Anthony Beck's broodmare band.
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Candiese Lenferna Van Halen (Craig Zackey) wins the 2018 Gr1 Gold Medallion
SPIES
SPEED SPECIALIST
A man who has enjoyed plenty of success at Saturday’s annual spectacular of speed at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, Corne Spies chats to the Sporting Post about his three feature runners.
two years. She ran close up in the Allan Robertson in 2019 and last year in the Fillies Sprint she ran another cracker. She is fit and well, and is a top-class sprinting filly. We’ll be shouting her home for a third time lucky!” enthuses Corne.
Corne has a quartet on the day, including a coupling in the Gr1 South African Fillies Sprint and a single flagbearer in the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship.
“I see my second runner in the Fillies Sprint, Sweet Sensation, has cracked a second reserve berth now,” he chuckles philosophically.
“Singforafa has done very well at this meeting the past
“We have Supreme Quest running in the Allan Robertson. She has done very well in the
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juvenile features, always coming from way off them. The Hollywoodbets Scottsville 1200m might just suit her!” Recalling days past, Corne said that the team won the Allan Robertson with Rock Opera, and the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion with the now globetrotting Van Halen although the latter won for Corne’s father, Tobie Spies. “We have achieved a helluva lot of places along the way. So it is a meeting we always try to target each year,” he reminisces.
Gold Circle
“That’s why we ran Straight Set against the colts in the Gold Medallion - we didn’t think she would stand a chance of beating Trip To Eden in the Allan Robertson! We ran Trip To Eden as a first timer in the Gr1 - we were that confident! Unfortunately she fractured her hip coming out of the starting stalls. She ran last in the Gr1 and off she went to stud.”
she ended up second behind the class male, Potent Power.
It’s been a long road via the export route but Oratorio’s son Van Halen is proudly carrying the SA flag in France.
The same year they had a filly named Trip To Eden that,
“He has just moved over from the Pre-Training centre to a
Potent Power beats Spies filly Straight Set in the 2012 Gr1 Gold Medallion Looking slightly further back, Corne recalls a filly called Straight Set, that he opted to take on the colts with in the 2012 Gr1 Gold Medallion -
according to Corne, could run circles around Straight Set.
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trainer called Gavin Hernon at Chantilly. He is in full training once again and we will be targeting the French summer season. I look forward to seeing him running in a couple of their sprints and then hopefully on to the Middle East for next season! There are some big races in the pipeline and things certainly seem to be going the right way for him now!” Corne grabbed the chance to
talk about his youngsters coming through this season. “Laird Of Breedon is knocking at the door and he is definitely a horse to follow, as I have no doubt he’ll win his next start or two. And watch out for Captain’s Run, Supreme Quest (on Saturday!) and Eastern Belle in the features.” “On the colts’ side we have Noble Striker, that I’m sure was named after Pierre Strydom!
Van Halen - happy in France!
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We also have a very good Rafeef colt, William Robertson. He finished a very gallant third after racing green and encountering traffic issues. I think he’s a top-class horse and definitely another one to follow.” If you want to find out more about Corne and his team, visit his website www.spiesracing.co.za
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THE WENTZEL’S WORLD PIECE!
22 Proud owners - Dr Rose Waterman-Wentzel & Roy Wentzel
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Chase Liebenberg
The daughter of Act Of War again made a mockery of her R30 000 price tag, when changing gears late to repel a cheeky but vain late challenge from Adam Marcus’ top galloper Princess Calla, to register her ninth win from 15 starts and taker earnings to over R1,7 million.
After stablemate Only The Brave set a fair gallop, Muzi Yeni launched War Of Athena (9-10) from the box seat at the 350m. With Princess Calla (3-1) looking dangerous late, Yeni changed crop hands and the Matchett champ simply kicked away effortlessly from
Candiese Lenferna
Paul Matchett’s SA Triple Tiara winner War Of Athena put her hand up as a genuine SA Horse Of The Year candidate when she made it six graded victories on the trot and slammed her five rivals to win the R500 000 Gr1 Woolavington 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
24 Purple patch! Muzi Yeni with the Woolavington trophy
the Cape challenger to win going away by 2,10 lengths in a time of 124,95 secs. Scented Mistress (40-1) finished well to get within a head of the runner-up, with Chat Ching (40-1) in fourth. Recent Gr2 Gerald Rosenberg winner and subsequent withdrawal from the Vodacom Durban July, Netta failed to feature and finished out of the money and just over 5 lengths off the winner. War Of Athena was bred by
Summerhill Stud and is out of Requiem mare Qaphela, who has produced 4 other winners, and is a half-sister to two South African stakes winners – from the same family as Gold Cup winner Desert Links and French Oaks heroine Dunette. A R30 000 buy from the 2019 Ready To Run Sale, she has made the Roy and Dr Rose Wentzel proud. Trainer Paul Matchett labelled War Of Athena a ‘filly in a million’.
“Hollywoodbets Greyville is a tricky track and anything can go wrong. But I’m happy that it went well,” he said, adding that a decision on the Vodacom Durban July will be made this week. Yeni complimented Matchett and his team for keeping the fabulous filly on the go for over eight months. That length of time may be what will be the dealmaker when they sit down to decide on the July entry.
The Merits WAR OF ATHENA remains unchanged on a mark of 122 after her success in the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 for three-year-old fillies over 2000m at Greyille on Saturday. The Handicappers were of the view that 4th placed CHAT CHING made for the best line horse, which leaves her unchanged on a rating of
114. In assessing the race this way, WAR OF ATHENA and 2nd placed PRINCESS CALLA both run two pounds below their ratings, which means that PRINCESS CALLA also remains unaltered on a mark of 118. 3rd placed SCENTED MISTRESS goes up from 91 to 116, she finished a mere short head behind the
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118-rated PRINCESS CALLA at level weights in this Grade 1 event and would be 1kg better off at the weights should they meet in a handicap. There were no other increases aside from Scented Mistress, and no horse was given a ratings drop.
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Daily News winning connections – from l to r: Bertta Koster, JP Koster, John Koster, Gina Monroe, Vaughan Marshall, Jenny Martin, Ken Truter, Grant van Niekerk, Cheryl Gabler, Jane Truter, Dr Reiner Gabler and Daily News Editor, Ayanda Mdluli Vaughan Marshall’s smashing 3yo Linebacker cemented his Vodacom Durban July claims with a scintillating victory in the R750 000 Gr1 Daily News 2000 at the Durban city track on Saturday.
Besides winning two of the three features on the big afternoon, Marshall saw his prospects of winning his maiden Durban July elevated after Linebacker beat nine other 3yo big race entries to win what is traditionally the best sophomore pointer to the
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Vodacom Durban July. “The Durban July is what we came for, so we are all on track,” said Marshall as he paid a word of thanks to his owners. The Klawervlei-bred gelding
Candiese Lenferna
TEAM LINEBACKER – IN THE NEWS! has formed a lethal combination with Cape rider Grant van Niekerk, and is poised to achieve a rare quartet by emulating bighitters Legislate in 2014 and Big City Life in 2009 as winners of the Cape Derby, WSB Guineas, Daily News
2000 and Vodacom Durban July!
straight was dominated by the dazzling Linebacker.
After Gauteng visitors Shah Akbar and Infinite Wonder had formed their own ‘race within a race’ a few lengths ahead of third-placed Kommetdieding, the duel down the home
The son of Captain Of All had been tracking his rival Kommetdieding and after Sihle Cele sent the latter down the inside, a match could have been on.
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But the Marshall star proved his superiority and went on to win at 5-4 by 0,70 lengths in a time of 123,84 secs.
The top three are all July entries and look set to go the extra 200m and line up on 3 July.
After the exacta in the recent WSB Guineas, Marshall made it another 1-2 here as Linebacker’s stable companion Rascallion (12-1) powered up late to pip Kommetdieding (5-2) into third.
A R425 000 Cape Yearling Sale graduate, Linebacker is son of Equus Champion Sprinter Captain Of All out of the Australian-bred Redoute’s Choice mare Thin Red Line. He has now won 4 races with 4 places from his 8 starts for
stakes of R1 417 750. Do It Again was the last 3yo to win the Vodacom Durban July. That was in 2018 when in his build-up he was beaten into second by Eyes Wide Open in the Cape Derby, won the KZN Guineas, and was beaten into fourth behind Surcharge in the Daily News 2000.
The Merits LINEBACKER remains unchanged on a rating of 124 following his success in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 for three-year-olds over 2000m on the Greyville turf course. It was LINEBACKER who was considered to make for the most suitable line horse when assessing this event,
hence his unaltered rating. 2nd placed RASCALLION goes up from 111 to 123, 3rd finisher KOMMETDIEDING was raised from 120 to 122, and 4th placed SHAH AKBAR goes up from 108 to 119. The only other increase was for 7th placed FLYING CARPET, who goes up from
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108 to 110 and so making him rated equal to 9th finisher THE GATEKEEPER, who remains unchanged on 110. No horses were given a rating’s drop as a consequence of this race.
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32 Jenny Jones, Grant van Niekerk and Vaughan Marshall after the Daily News thriller
Chase Liebenberg
MARSHALL TURNS UP JULY HEAT 33
To borrow a cheesy superlative out of the yellowed pages of an American High School yearbook of yesteryear, Vaughan Hawkins Marshall looks to have become the trainer ‘most likely’ to win the 2021 Vodacom Durban July.
“He’s good – he’s very good. And up with the very best I have trained,” he says confidently as he points out that the son of Captain Of All is very fit and will now tick over for the next five weeks, with his final blow-out being the official public gallops scheduled for Thursday 24 June.
A smashing performance from his Jonsson Workwear Gr1 Cape Derby winner Linebacker, who was chased home in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 by stablemate Rascallion at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday, has set the 69 year old veteran up for his biggest chance yet in what will be an overdue Durban July trophy.
We asked how it is that the Met gallops have been dispensed with, yet the July sticky buns ‘n coffee morning is still a feature of the big race build-up.
He told the Sporting Post earlier this week that the intention is to run both current joint favourite Linebacker, and the good-looking Rascallion, in the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July to be run over 2200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday 3 July. We asked him for a straight opinion on Linebacker.
“I think the use of the word ‘gallops’ is something of a misnomer in the first instance. Most of the guys do it as it’s a condition of the race. And the majority will actually really just canter. I realise that the public seem to have an appetite for the ‘gallops’ in KZN - it was always part of the social countdown. But for a trainer they are probably not ideal in reality. Our horses are prepped on the back of the feature race programme – and in the old days we didn’t have all these lead-in races too.” We then move to Rascallion – who, on paper, looks something
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of an exciting bridesmaid. Bryn Ressell and Marsh Shirliff’s son of Vercingetorix has run places in all of the Cape Classic, Concorde Cup, Cape Guineas, Politician Stakes, Cape Derby and the Sledgehammer – and on Saturday flew late to pip Kommetdieding for an eyecatching second in the Daily News. “The Daily News was only his second run since gelding. I made a mistake when running him in the Sledgehammer in April – he wasn’t quite ready for it. But he has improved and looks like he could be ready to drop the ‘bridesmaid’ tag, as you call it.” On Black Knap’s impressive victory in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, Vaughan says that the son of Dynasty will be aimed at the Durban July Consolation race. “He has come back to himself very nicely after the injury last year. He will run in the consolation race and the Cape Town Met will be his summer target.”
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Currently in seventh position on the SA Champion Trainer national log with just over R4,8 million in stakes, Vaughan has only had four shots at the Durban July – Silvino (1989), his first Met winner La Fabulous (1995/96), while Tales Of Bravery and Top Seller was the Marshall coupling in 2012. His July record is literally ‘one world’ away from what he has achieved in the flagship event in his adoptive Cape Province. The aptly named One World, who races in the same blue and white silks as the massively talented
Linebacker, gave Vaughan his third strike in the Met when beating Rainbow Bridge last year. He previously saddled Hill Fifty Four (2014) and La Fabulous in 1996 to lift the coveted silverware. And facing the likes of champion Justin Snaith with his powerhouse July army doesn’t scare Mr Marshall - 35 years ago he hit the N2 to take on the might of the late Terrance Millard, cheekily travelling from his then home base of KZN into the Cape summer big league to snare the first of his 35 odd Gr1 victories. The year was 1986, and while Kepler Wessels and his South
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African side hammered Kim Hughes and his Aussie rebels 1-0 in the unofficial cricket test series, the up-andcoming Durban rookie walked away with the first of his five Gr1 Cape Guineas trophies, courtesy of a terrific ride from his present day Summerveld neighbour and colleague Muis Roberts, on an R18 000 National Yearling Sale graduate called Sea Warrior. “I’d only been training for a couple of years and took what seemed like a bold decision to go to the Cape and take on the might of Mr Millard, who had the likes of Ecurie and Potomac. It was a decision that eventually paid off. It was
Candiese Lenferna
The Marshall July pair of Linebacker and Rascallion dominate the Daily News finish a very good and very exciting time in my life, and we managed to win the Guineas four years later again with Face North,” he reminisces as he reflects on his 2021 SA Champions Season dream. While Vaughan is enjoying his racing and has a positive outlook on life and business, his flight is booked to attend the CTS De Grendel Farm Sale down in Cape Town on 20 June. But he feels that the position that racing presently finds itself in is ‘critical’. “I understand that Covid-19 has been devastating and that there are red tape and legislative requirements. But the situation is critical and the time for talking has long expired. Something concrete needs to be done about the stakes situation. The middle market owner is disappearing
fast. We have 400 boxes empty at Milnerton. Look at the field sizes. The Cape is bleeding. The mathematics just don’t work. Owners are selling horses to Mauritius or moving them to PE, where the stakes are on a par. These horses are a vital cog in our overall population, but they are going.” He went on to use his own business as an example. “I would usually have an intake of 50 to 55 2yo’s every season. This year I’m down to half of that. And, believe me, the overheads remain largely static. I am fortunate to have a work-force where 28 of my 40 grooms have been with me for over 30 years. But one cannot simply turn the labour force tap on and off, and play with the lives of dedicated and loyal men. Owners and trainers are collectively carrying a massive burden. Stakes will be the only turning point. And there we
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need to lift betting turnovers and make the game more attractive - treat our punters better. In these economic times, I realise that sponsors are hard to come by. But racing also needs to sell itself properly.” He added that the World Pools initiative on Daily News day was an encouraging move and Gold Circle would have enjoyed a welcome cash boost. “I don’t know what the maths was, but some of those pools were massive. If we could do this more often, there must be great benefit for racing. But right now we need direction and information, coupled with action on stakes!” On Saturday, Vaughan is at Hollywoodbets Scottsville for a meeting where he has enjoyed plenty of success over the years.
“We always enjoy the Pietermaritzburg day and the four Gr1 sprints. In the Gold Medallion, I have the two runners – both very smart youngsters. Safe Return would have needed his last run in the Godolphin Barb and he will strip fitter on Saturday.
Ambiorix was runner-up in the Cape Of Good Hope Nursery and he has been doing well up here. Then in the Golden Horse, Grant van Niekerk rides the lightly raced No Laying Up. He ran third behind Tempting Fate in the Gold Medallion last year. Don’t leave him out - his close up fourth in the In Full
Flight last time has brought him on nicely.”
The Sporting Post Sprint is interactive. Click on the live links throughout and enjoy the read! SUGGESTIONS? Please email editor@sportingpost.co.za
What About Trainers?
Much has been written and done about the mental health of jockeys, who have to endure lives of constant pressure, dieting and danger in attempts to be successful in their careers. Racehorse trainers, under heaps of pressure themselves, have been left out of the loop, until now. The Journal Of Veterinary
Sciences has published a study, the highlights of which are: -A prevalence of symptoms associated with common mental disorders was identified. Specifically, depression (41%), adverse alcohol use (38%), psychological distress (26%), and generalized anxiety (18%). -Career dissatisfaction, financial difficulties, and lower levels of social support increased the likelihood of
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meeting the criteria for depression, psychological distress and generalized anxiety. -Findings indicate screening measures exploring career dissatisfaction, financial difficulties, and social support may aid early identification of common mental disorders among racehorse trainers. Read the interesting study and findings – click here
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Gold Circle have published the second Vodacom Durban July log, following the big race second declaration stage on Monday which saw 30 of the initial 54 entries stand their ground. High profile withdrawals included Second Base, Netta, Russian Rock and Princess Calla.
Newcomers to the log include supplementary entry Nexus, as well as She’s A Keeper, winner of the World Sports Betting 1900, Matterhorn, runner-up in both the WSB 1900 and the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, and Shah Akbar who stayed on well to finish 4th in the Daily News after cutting out the early pace. Even though this year’s Vodacom Durban July will once 40
again be held ‘behind closed doors’ with no public sale of tickets, the organisers are confident of delivering all the features, which make this Africa’s greatest horseracing event. “Horseracing, fashion and entertainment are the core elements, which make up this spectacular event, and even though we won’t have
Candiese Lenferna the public at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse again this year, we will deliver an event befitting the 125th running of this famous race,” said Steve Marshall, Events and Marketing Executive of Gold Circle. He said that they are fortunate to be able to call on the experience of staging one of the first major ‘behind closed
doors’ events last year and to have a title sponsor in Vodacom, with whom they are celebrating their 20th year, to partner with through these challenging times. Final supplementary entries close at 11h00 on Tuesday 15 June. Weights will be published on the same day. 41
Final declarations close at 11h00 on Monday 21 June. The announcement of the final field of 18 plus 2 reserve runners, and their barrier draws, will take place on Tuesday 22 June.
VODACOM DURBAN JULY (GRADE 1) LOG AS AT 31-MAY-21 POS
HORSE
A/S
JOCKEY
MR
1
RAINBOW BRIDGE
(6G)
ERIC SANDS
134
2
LINEBACKER
(3G)
VAUGHAN MARSHALL
124
3
WAR OF ATHENA
(3F)
PAUL MATCHETT
122
4
GOT THE GREENLIGHT
(4C)
JOE SOMA
124
5
BELGARION
(5G)
JUSTIN SNAITH
130
6
DO IT AGAIN
(6G)
JUSTIN SNAITH
129
7
SOVEREIGN SPIRIT
(5G)
CANDICE BASS-ROBINSON
124
8
RASCALLION
(3G)
VAUGHAN MARSHALL
123
9
KOMMETDIEDING
(3C)
HWJ CRAWFORD/M RIX
122
10
RUNNING BRAVE
(5M)
FANIE BRONKHORST
119
11
CIRILLO
(5H)
SEAN TARRY
120
12
EXPRESSFROMTHEUS
(4G)
STUART PETTIGREW
122
13
NEXUS
(5G)
JUSTIN SNAITH
117
14
SHE'S A KEEPER
(4F)
GARETH VAN ZYL
96
15
MATTERHORN
(4G)
ALYSON WRIGHT
101
16
SHAH AKBAR
(3C)
SEAN TARRY
119
17
DOUBLEMINT
(6G)
JUSTIN SNAITH
118
18
TRIP TO AFRICA
(4G)
DUNCAN HOWELLS
114
19
TRISTFUL
(5G)
TONY RIVALLAND
112
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ATYAAB (AUS)
(5G)
ZIETSMAN OOSTHUIZEN
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NEXT 5 IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER POS
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HORSE
A/S
JOCKEY
MR
DIVINE ODYSSEY
(6G)
J A JANSE VAN VUUREN
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FLYING CARPET
(3C)
SEAN TARRY
110
SILVER HOST
(4G)
JUSTIN SNAITH
110
SUPER SILVANO
(4G)
BRETT CRAWFORD
104
TREE TUMBO
(4G)
SEAN TARRY
109
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Chase Liebenberg
BLACK KNAP WINS LONSDALE THRILLER
46 Power Pair! Vaughan Marshall & Sean Veale celebrate a memorable win
On an afternoon that marked the opening Gr1 contests of the 2021 SA Champions Season, and the inaugural Hong Kong World Pools in South Africa, Vaughan Marshall celebrated a plan come together when his Dynasty gelding Black Knap won a thriller to lift the trophy in the R150 000 Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup run over the Hollywoodbets Greyville 2400m. With last year’s winner, and July entry, Marchingontogether failing to produce a challenge in his title defence, it was Sean Veale who showed his flair and talent with a peach of a ride on the improved again Listed Sledgehammer runner-up, Black Knap. Gold Circle would have been pleased with the Pick 6 outstripping projections by over 10% at a shade beyond R5,5 million, while Tellytrack viewers were treated to a 'blast from the past' courtesy of the return to the commentary box of guest caller and Phumelela veteran Clyde Basel earlier in the day.
But it was the Marshall gelding Black Knap who conjured up an early highlight as he produced the goods when it counted to hold off Alyson Wright’s Vodacom Durban July entry Matterhorn. After Bayberry had faded out in the home run after setting the pace, Veale brought Black Knap (7-2) with a popular late effort down the middle to get the better of the amazingly consistent Matterhorn (5-2) to win by a head in a time of 150,50 secs. Dean Kannemeyer’s Favour (12-1) finished well for third to hold out Snaith’s July entry Silver Host (8-1). The latter was only 3 lengths off and failed to kick on late, but will come on with this run under the belt.
suffered a muscle injury last winter and looks to now be fulfilling his smart early promise. Bred and raced by staunch Marshall supporters, Alec and the Honourable Gillian Foster, Black Knap is a son of the deceased champion Dynasty (Fort Wood) out of the Fosters’ Varsfontein-based one-time winning daughter of Western Winter, Wintersweet. Black Knap has won 3 races with 5 places from 12 starts for stakes of R244 750.
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The fourth of the Vodacom Durban July entries, Blackball finished a neck behind his stablemate Marchingontogether in ninth. The winner, the 2020 Listed Settlers Trophy champion,
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Soqrat Sizzling
Over the past few weeks in Australia, the Shadwell Stud Unreserved Dispersal Sales have been happening and seen the sale of some of the Sandown Stud based Soqrat’s close relatives. Mike de Kock Racing reports that the Snitzel half-sister to Soqrat sold at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for A$410,000 to Milano Bloodstock,
Badgers Bloodstock Ltd and R Ryan. Pedigree: https://catalogue.magicmillions.com.au/lot/21GWM/833
The I Am Invincible half-sister to Soqrat sold at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale for A$160,000 to Grant Bloodstock’s Silverdale Farm and Andrew Williams Bloodstock. Pedigree: 47 https://catalogue.magicmillions.com.au/lot/21GWW/76
Elzeeza, the dam of Soqrat, in foal to Darley‘s Champion Sire Exceed And Excel, was sold to Yulong Investments‘ Written Tycoon Syndicate for A$525,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. Pedigree: https://catalogue.magicmillions.com.au/ lot/21GWM/833
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FOSTER FLYER’S REGAL HERITAGE
52 Sean Veale (gold cap) gets the best out of Black Knap to beat July hopeful Matterhorn in a thriller
53 Candiese Lenferna
Black Knap, the game winner of Saturday’s G3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, is a son of top local sire Dynasty out of a high-class broodmare in Wintersweet. He hails from one of the most prominent families in the stud book. Black Knap, who made amends for his half-brother Strathdon’s runner-up finish in the 2018 G3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, is the third graded stakes winner for his winning dam Wintersweet (Western Winter). A full-sister to the dam of graded stakes winners Black Arthur (Silvano) and Robert The Bruce (Jallad), Wintersweet is also dam of Gr1 Cape Guineas hero Tap O’ Noth (Captain Al). It is a tribute to the Foster family’s Wintersweet that all three of her graded stakes winners were sired by different stallions! But outstanding broodmares is nothing new for Wintersweet’s remarkable female line. She sports Tessa Gillian (Nearco) as her fifth dam, with that full-sister to Royal Charger and three-parts sister to Nasrullah creating her own remarkable dynasty. Tessa Gillian was a great granddaughter of ‘Flying Filly’ Mumtaz Mahal, whose
numerous high-class descendants continue to make their presence felt in major races around the world. Among the notable recent highclass descendants of Mumtaz Mahal are the likes of Coronet, Cracksman, Igugu, and Zarkava, and the latter’s Gr1 winning sire son Zarak. An exceptionally speedy twoyear-old, Tessa Gillian’s victories included a score in the now Gr3 Molecomb Stakes, traditionally a race for some of Britain’s speediest two-yearolds. Other influential broodmares to have won the Molecomb include Diableretta, Urshalim, Hayloft (third dam of South African champion and successful sire What A Winter) and Marwell, to name but a few. Tessa Gillian was also runner up in all of the Cheveley Park Stakes, 1000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes, all of which are currently classified as Gr1 contests. As successful as she was on the racecourse, Tessa Gillian proved even more so at stud with her influence being largely restricted to her daughters. She did produce a pair of stakes winners, including Gimcrack Stakes hero and successful sire Test Case, while her son Palm Beach II sired the top-class filly Palmistry, as well as Royal Palm.
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Tessa Gillian’s daughter Courtessa (Supreme Court) is the fifth dam of Derby/ Arc winning champion Golden Horn (Cape Cross), and granddam of the remarkable broodmare Eight Carat (Pieces Of Eight). The latter produced five individual G1 winners, and also ranks as the ancestress of successful sire Commands, as well as such Gr1 winners as Danewin, De Beers, Hiyaam, Shooting To Win, Viking Ruler, Viscount, and Verry Elleegant - the latter is inbred to Eight Carat. Eight Carat’s champion son Octagonal (Zabeel) is the sire of Horse Of The Year and Australian champion sire Lonhro, among others. Courtessa also ranks as granddam of 1000 Guineas winner On The House (the third dam of four time Gr1 winning sire Cracksman) and granddam of outstanding sprinter Habibti (Habitat). The Centenary, winner of the 2015 Gr3 Yellowwood Handicap, is another smart performer descended in female line from Tessa Gillian, as are fellow South African graded stakes winners Delta Force and Dunbarton.
Pauline Herman Greg Cheyne has Iris in control as Ryan Munger chases on True Charm
RIDGEMONT’S IRIS JUST TOO HOT Varsfontein Stud’s leading sire Gimmethegreenlight’s great season continued when his progressive daughter Iris won the R85 000 Listed Milkwood Stakes at Fairview on Friday. Trained by Candice Bass-Robinson, the Ridgemont Highlands bred and owned three-year-old made it four wins from nine starts with a convincing display. Under Ridgemont rider Greg Cheyne, Iris (16-10) powered
home to score by a length and a half in a time of 57,69 secs. Corne Spies raider True Charm (8-1) was second, the Tarry charge Spring Break (10-1) in third. The blue blooded Iris has finished out of the first four just once thus far, when running sixth on debut. She has now won stakes of R154 950. Trainer Candice BassRobinson explained that it was no easy ask for her filly to deliver the goods against some decent older fillies.
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“She was nicely weighted though and has a wonderful turn of foot. This is a super win,” she said. Cheyne was happy to see natural improvement in Iris. “She won with authority and it was wonderful to have the Kieswetter family at Fairview to enjoy the victory.” Out of the Rock Of Gibraltar mare Arcetri Pink, Iris is the tenth stakes winner for Gimmethegreenlight in 2020-2021 alone, and his
34th black type winner overall. South Africa’s Leading Sire by Stakes for 2020-2021, Gimmethegreenlight’s other flagbearers this season include the Gr1 4Racing Premier’s Champions Challenge 1-2 finishers Got The Greenlight and Second Base, graded stakes winning two-year-olds Cosmic
IRIS has had her rating raised from 90 to 95 after she comfortably won the Listed Milkwood Stakes (handicap) for fillies and mares over 1000m on the grass track at Fairview on Friday. The Handicappers felt that 4th placed
Highway and Gimme Dat, and Gr2 World Sports Betting 1900 heroine She’s A Keeper. Gimmethegreenlight’s runners have earned over R9,917 million for the current season at close on Friday. Sire of the top priced yearling sold off this year’s National Yearling Sale,
The Merits
JOYFUL NOISE made for the best line horse, 2nd placed TRUE CHARM and 3rd finisher SPRING BREAK both go up from 90 to 91. JOYFUL NOISE as the line horse remains unchanged on 106.There were no other increases, but five horse
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Gimmethegreenlight has a single lot on the CTS Farm Yearling Sale, and five lots on the KZN Yearling Sale. Gimmethegreenlight topped last Monday’s Cape Breeders Club Stallion auction for the second year running, with a service purchased for R200 000.
received a rating’s drop. RACINE is down from 98 to 96, MENDOCINO was trimmed from 88 to 87, BOOMPS A DAISY drops from 94 to 93, GIN FIZZ is down to 102 from 103, and lastly VODKA LIME was dropped from 86 to 83.
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BUSH HILL WELCOMES MAGIC
58 Willow Magic wins the Gr1 SA Nursery
59 JC Photos
Willow Magic – the speediest Gr1 winning son of the mighty Dubawi - and already the sire of a Gr2 winner and a Gr1 placed filly from his first crop, has relocated to Warwick and Karin Render’s Bush Hill Stud in Mooi River.
courage, tenacity, soundness and the ability to be precocious.
The handsome powerfullybuilt chestnut stallion standing at 16.1hh, boasts impressive statistics – with his first crop just three years old, his average earnings per runner of over R57 082 places him in the top six active sires in the country ahead of some recognized champion sires.
MK’s Pride, trained by Paul Peter and proudly owned by Koos Mkale boasts a Gr2 win in the Ihla Bela Hawaii Stakes which saw him defeat amongst others, the Equus Champion 2 and 3yo colt – Got The Greenlight – by half a length. Amongst the field defeated was Lady Of Steel, Cirillo and Tierra Del Fuego, and Gr1 runner up to Summer Pudding – Marygold, as well as Gr3 winner Mill Queen.
While his winners to runners percentage is already at over 38%, an impressive 70% of his winners have won more than once, proving them to be well above average with
Willow Magic’s two leading flag-bearers to date include the talented MK’s Pride – a mirror image of his sire, who stamps his progeny with authority, and the filly Magical Flight.
He also defeated Triple Tiara princess, and multiple Gr1
winner War Of Athena, to take the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup. MK’s Pride is a 5-time winner with a Merit Rating of 119. He runs in Saturday’s Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. Magical Flight is trained by Sean Tarry - who saddled Willow Magic to his five Gr1 accolades, including winning the SA Nursery. A chestnut filly rated 98, Magical Flight is a 3-time winner and placed in the Gr1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic. Five of Willow Magic’s runners are rated 90+, with Willow Express a 103. The first and fastest son of international sire sensation Dubawi to retire to stud in South Africa, Willow Magic won four times from 1000m to 1600m. After winning the Gr1 SA Nursery, he placed in three Gr1’s up to 1600m. Willow Magic trained on at three to win the Gr2 Dingaans over 1600m and was runner-up in the Gr1 Gold Challenge. He also went on to place in the Gr2 Merchants, Gr3 Tommy Hotspur and Graham Beck Stakes. His sire Dubawi needs little introduction and has been described as the most successful stallion to stand in Britain with over 200
Willow Magic : Dubawi - La Willow (Tierce)
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individual stakes winners. Sixteen stakes winners were produced in 2021 alone. He held the record for the sire to produce the fastest 50 stakes winners at that stage of his career. Willow Magic‘s dam won three times at age 2, from 1000m – 1200m and is a half-sister to 10-time winner Time Speed. Her own sire, Australian-bred Tierce numbered the Gr1 Golden Slipper amongst his 11 victories. Tierce is described as being a great galloper and one of the fastest in Australia of his generation. The sire of Gr1
winner Encounter, his race record reads 16 starts, 11 wins with three places. He won three Gr1 races, including the AJC Sires Produce, the Golden Slipper, the Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes, and won three Gr2’s and a Gr3. He further placed in two Group races and earned over A$22 250 000 in stakes in the process. Willow Magic has been consistently represented at all sales and has been extremely well received. He will have three progeny on the upcoming KZN Yearling sale, with more to follow at the later sales. His relocation to Bush Hill has
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facilitated his syndication and he offers a unique opportunity for breeders to get involved in shares in an exciting young sire who has already proven he has what it takes to make a serious impact. Please contact Bush Hill Stud for more details, or to book for the upcoming breeding season.
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JC Photos
Lyle Hewitson steers Lance’ daughter Voltron to victory
LANCE BREAKS THE ICE Sean Tarry appropriately trained the first winner for Jet Master stallion Lance when Chris van Niekerk’s pretty grey Voltron shed her maiden at Turffontein on Sunday. After two places at her first five starts, Voltron kicked into top gear under Lyle Hewitson to win the 1200m maiden in a time of 72,18 secs. The winning margin of 3,75 lengths spoke of the ease of the victory. Chris van Niekerk, who raced her sire Lance, was the winning owner as the Summerhill-bred out of Jay
Peg’s one-time winning daughter Silver Jay won readily. At 3 Lance won his maiden impressively for Tarry over 1160m then followed up by winning the Listed Secretariat Stakes beating subsequent SA Triple Crown Champion Louis The King by 3,25 Lengths. The half brother to Gr1 Summer Cup winner Liege and stakes winner Lockheed Star only raced sixed times for his two wins. He was rated 93 at 3. “It’s a tragedy Lance broke down. He was amazingly talented, at least as good
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as his Gr1 winning brother Liege, and perhaps even more naturally so. Don’t forget his victim in the Secretariat Stakes was no less than Triple Crown winner, Louis The King!” Jet Master’s son Lance hails from the family of Champions and Gr1 winners, Rebel King, Duc du Orleans, Liege and Golden Taipan. Lance only has two foals registered in his first crop. Lance stands at Summerhill – his fee is available on application.
PURE GOLD The joint second richest graded race on the SA racing calendar, the R1 million Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge will celebrate its 50th renewal when contested for an increased stake of R1 million on 12 June. Eleven entries were received for the premier SA Champions Season weight-for-age mile on Tuesday, headed by defending champion and dual Met star, Rainbow Bridge. Click here to see the entries
OWN THE WORLD The sale of 100% of the shares owned by Phumelela in Betting World (Pty) Ltd to newly established Betfred South Africa (Pty) Limited is unconditional and fully implemented. The effective date of the transaction was Monday 31 May. Betfred are a UK-based bookmaking operation. Betfred SA Pty Ltd was incorporated in October 2020. The selling price of R120 million for Betting World is still subject to final adjustment in respect of the net value of working capital items, included in the balance sheet as at 31 May 2021. The purchase price will be released into the Plan Fund in accordance with the provisions of the sale.
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STRAIT TALK Top-class four-year-old Smooth Like Strait, whose dam Smooth As Usual was sired by Wilgerbosdrift sire Flower Alley, picked up his first Gr1 win when he landed Monday’s Gr1 Shoemaker Mile Stakes at Santa Anita. In the process, the Midnite Lute colt earned an automatic berth into this year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile. Sire of Saturday’s Gr1 Woolavington 2000 runner up Princess Calla, Flower Alley has three lots on the upcoming CTS Farm Yearling Sale, and a single lot on the KZN Yearling Sale.
FIVE STAR
Irish jockey Martin Harley is quarantining in a French hotel in order to maintain his association with 3YO colt Derab in the 2400m Gr1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) over the weekend. Trained by John Gosden, British-bred Derab is a Juddmonte-owned colt who is yet to finish out of the first two from his first three starts, including his most recent outing at Newmarket that resulted in a 6, 5-lengths victory when just into odds-on. Harley, who has ridden in Australia and Hong Kong among his travels, has been in the saddle for all three starts to date, and has willingly given up a week in quarantine to take the ride. Harley told racingpost.com, “Quarantine is fine and I'm hanging in there but it's a beautiful hotel, which makes it easier!” He noted, “It's my first ride in a Classic over here and thanks to John and Thady Gosden for giving me the opportunity”.
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CANFORD’S GOOD GIRL The rags to riches story of Ridgemont Highlands five-time Gr1 winning sire Canford Cliffs incredible daughter Jin Jin took another step on Sunday when the unbeaten five year old Irish-bred mare made it seven from seven in the Gr2 Grosser Aengevelt Immobilien Preis Badener Meile at Düsseldorf. Trainer Andreas Suborics revealed that Jin Jin wasn’t fully fit after her seven month racecourse absence: “She was only about 85% fit as she had a small problem a few weeks ago, but I’m really happy to have such a good horse, and she’s a class act’, said Suborics, who said that Jin Jin may head to Deauville for a Gr1 contest in the future. Her sire Canford Cliffs has produced more than 30 stakes winners in both hemispheres and covered well over 100 mares in his first South African season two years ago.
AVONTUUR MASTERPIECE The Avontuur Art Exhibition, which opened on Sunday, runs to 13 June. At a cost of R250 per person, the unique cultural experience offers a pairing of wine , with art and food. It is hosted by winemaker Jan van Rooyen and guests can interact with the artists. All works on the exhibition are for sale. Please call 021 855 4296 or click here to book.
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Inglis Australia’s new leading female jockey – Jamie Kah
JAMIE KAH
AUSTRALIA’S NEW PAYNE Jamie Kah morphed into Wonder Woman at Eagle Farm as she courageously snatched Gr1 triumph from the jaws of defeat and knocked her mate Michelle Payne out of the record books. Kah now has six Gr1 wins – a new all-time record for a female rider in Australia – after she turned Mission
Impossible into the somehow possible with an incredible win on Vega One for hometown Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan in Saturday’s Gr1 A$700 000 Kingsford-Smith Cup at Eagle Farm. Ben Dorries wrote on racenet. com.au that Kah was behind a wall of horses in the Eagle Farm straight and her hopes looked shot - but somehow she
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slid through gaps that didn’t seem to be there to score a breathtaking win that showcased her amazing riding skills. Payne had five Gr1 wins but Kah now has one more and she is riding in such brilliant form that it surely won’t be too many years before she joins Payne as a Melbourne Cup winner.
A late charger and a brave frontrunner have outgunned some of Australia’s highest rated gallopers to provide trainer Gollan with the quinella. Just as star local Jim Byrne aboard reigning Magic Millions Snippets winner Jonker looked set to hold out his rivals, highly regarded stablemate Vega One stormed home for a famous stable one-two. Superstar South Australian rider Jamie Kah was at her brilliant best, able to weave tight runs between challengers to get her charge home with a stunning late burst.
“I wanted to get held up a bit, but not for that long,” she said moments after the thrilling win.
“That is just so good,” an excited Gollan said. “I’m just so proud of these horses.”
“I needed a run desperately in the end. (Midrace) I was in a lot of trouble on him. I have to thank Bossy – he told me everything about this horse.”
“This horse had a major injury last year just after the Stradbroke and he had a long time in rehab. It’s been a long range mission to get here and then into the Stradbroke with him. This doesn’t get any better – this is great!” “Jamie Kah doesn’t ride up here much, but gee I hope she’s here a bit more often. There were no instructions, we just said to ride him as he felt during the race.”
“It’s just amazing – awesome,” Kah summed up. Vega One is a son of star international sire Lope de Vega and was bred on the famous paddocks of Emirates Park and sold on their behalf by Stockwell Thoroughbreds at the 2017 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
Magic Millions
Vega One, who won last
year’s Magic Millions Cup on the Gold Coast, was finishing so fast he held a widening half length margin on the line.
68 Jamie gets Vega One up late
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Mauritius Turf Club
Bernard Fayd’herbe guides Twist Of Fate to a thrilling victory on Saturday
TWIST…AND SHOUT! Two years after finishing runner-up behind Hawwaam in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville, the Master Of My Fate gelding Twist Of Fate won the first classic of the Mauritius racing season at the Champ de Mars on Saturday. Bernard Fayd’herbe registered his first winner of the term on the Indian Ocean Island as he guided a horse he knows very well to victory in the Gr2 Duchess Of York Cup. Twist Of Fate banked the first cheque of MUR300 000 – approximately R102 000.
Fayd’herbe was aboard when the then Joey Ramsden-trained Twist Of Fate won the 2018 Listed Somerset 1200, the Gr2 Cape Classic and the 2019 Gr3 Politician Stakes. The former Cape-based heavyweight rider rode a patient race on Saturday and came for home last in the ten horse field. Watch the replay at the end of this ed! When asked for an effort, the Vincent Allet charge stormed forward in dazzling fashion down the outside to catch former Dennis Bosch resident Padre Pio, to win going away. Padre Pio , interestingly, was runner-up behind Got The Greenlight in the 2020 Gr1
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Daily News 2000. Bag Of Tricks and Master Of Illusion were third and fourth, respectively. In a sad irony, Twist Of Fate was ridden by the late Nooresh Juglall when he ran third behind Do It Again in the 2019 Vodacom Durban July. A R20 000 CTS March Yearling Sale moneyspinner, Twist Of Fate moved to the Adam Marcus yard in November 2020 after Joey Ramsden called it a day. Owned by the Mauritiusbased River Palace Syndicate, the Favour Stud-bred Twist Of Fate is out
of the twice winning Counter Action mare, Crescent Lily. Twist Of Fate left South African shores rated a 126. He won 6 races with 13 places from 24 starts here and earned over R3,4 million. Based on Saturday’s effort, he should certainly pay to follow in Mauritius. Varsfontein Stud’s inform sire Master Of My Fate had a good day on Saturday when he also sired a pair of winners at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
The son of Jet Master’s first success came when his daughter Purple Persuasion won the third race at Hollywoodbets Greyville. Trained by Peter Muscutt, four-year-old Purple Persuasion powered home, under Richard Fourie, to land Saturday’s Daily News Milk Fund FM94 Handicap (1400m) by three-parts of a length. Bred by the Ndoro Stud, Purple Persuasion, third in her two previous outings, has now won three times. Top Me Up Holly provided
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Master Of My Fate – and the Hollywood Syndicate - with his second Greyville winner on Saturday when she won the fourth race, the Daily News Social Media FM78 Handicap (2000m) for trainer Alyson Wright and jockey Lyle Hewitson. Bred by Lammerskraal Stud, the progressive three-yearold filly made it back to back wins when scoring by nearly three-parts of a length. Watch the replay of the feature – click here
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HKJC
HK TRAINER TITLE IN BALANCE 74 Caspar Fownes celebrates Sky Darci’s latest win
Caspar Fownes regained the trainers’ championship lead and celebrated the successful race-track return of BMW Hong Kong Derby winner Sky Darci in one fell swoop with a pivotal treble, crowned by Gr3 Lion Rock Trophy Handicap glory at Sha Tin on Sunday. Trailing John Size by two winners entering the meeting, Fownes climbed back to the front – 66 to 65 – with a three-timer to leave the 2020/21 championship balanced on a knife’s edge with 12 meetings left in the season. Vincent Ho ended a relatively barren month in style with a four-timer, closing the
meeting in style on David Hayes’ newcomer Naboo Attack, who made light of his 1360lb frame to claim a HK$1 million High Achievement Bonus on debut. The highlight for Fownes was Sky Darci’s resumption after a 10-week break, culminating in a short head victory over fellow four-year-old Health Happy. Not Usual Talent was third, one and three-quarter lengths further back. “On paper it looked a nice comeback race for him, 115 (pounds) on his back and a nice soft draw (barrier three). He landed in the spot we thought he would be, just relaxed and came out and you can see what he’s got,” Fownes said after Sky Darci withstood a
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fierce challenge from Healthy Happy, who lifted bravely after being headed by the winner. “Obviously the second horse (Healthy Happy) is a horse we respected coming into the race because we didn’t think there was much pace and obviously, he gave us quite a scare the last 100m. He’s a nice horse, the second horse. He’s probably one that’s going to go on with it. At the end of the day, we’re very happy to bring him back from the Derby. There’s always pressure on you to get these horses to come back and perform.” Racing continued today at Happy Valley.
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EPSOM 2021 IT’S GREEN FOR GO!
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The Irish contingent make up nine of the nineteen six-day acceptors for the Gr1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom on Saturday. Aidan O’Brien has six of these including the two Galileo colts dominating the market, Bolshoi Ballet and High Definition. The Ballydoyle maestro is bidding for an historic ninth English Derby victory, and the other stable possibilities include Kyprios, Sir Lamorak, The Mediterranean and Van Gogh. Ballydoyle have yet to declare jockey bookings for their Cazoo festival runners, but Aidan O’Brien has hinted that Ryan Moore may find it hard to jump off the easy Gr3 Derrinstown Derby Trial winner Bolshoi Ballet. After winning the English 1000 Guineas on Mother Earth, expect Frankie Dettori to have a ride in both Classics for the stable. The game winner of the Gr1 Irish 2000 Guineas, Mac Swiney goes for veteran trainer Jim Bolger. The Timeform rating of 122 that he achieved at the Curragh puts him towards the top of the ratings, only a pound behind ruling favourite Bolshoi Ballet. Rory Cleary retains the ride and is
confident that the colt will see out the trip. Southern Lights from the Joseph O’Brien stable and Seattle Sound from the Luke Comer yard complete the Irish challenge. The English opposition includes a promising pair of Frankel colts. John Leeper for Ed Dunlop and the William Haggas trained Mohaafeth. John Leeper is bred in the purple as his dam Snow Fairy won the Oaks, and he is named after the trainer’s legendary father. This lightly raced colt was very impressive when winning his last start at Newmarket, the listed Betway Fairway Stakes. The Shadwell owned Mohaafeth is unbeaten in three starts this season. He won the listed Betfair Newmarket Stakes over 2000m “in a canter” on good to firm ground. Charlie Appleby has a trio of runners – including the unbeaten Gr2 Al Basti Equiworld Dante winner Hurricane Lane, the choice of Godolphin number one jock William Buick. The boys in blue are backed up with One Ruler (sixth in the English Guineas) with pilot James Doyle and reigning champ Oisin Murphy has taken the ride on Adayar. Lingfield Trial winner and Rod-
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ger Varian trained Third Realm remains on course for the race, as does Chester Vase winner Youth Spirit for Andrew Balding and Tom Marquand. The winner of the Goodwood Listed Cocked Hat Stakes, Lone Eagle for Martin Meade, Mark Johnston’s Gear Up and Mojo Star from the Richard Hannon yard complete the entries. With the risk of showers diminishing later in the week, the clerk of the course Andrew Cooper has begun watering the Epsom track. The ground is predicted as good, good to firm in places. The official stated that the first mile of the race was firm and that this part of the course would be watered. The Cazoo Oaks is run at Epsom on Friday and fifteen fillies have been declared. Aidan O’Brien is the sole Irish challenge with five entered. Once again, the stable field the top two in the betting with Santa Barbara and Snowfall. Santa Barbara has raced twice, an impressive maiden winner over a mile at the Curragh as a juvenile before starting favourite and finishing a close fourth behind stable companion Mother Earth in the Gr1 Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Ballydoyle could also run Divinely, Willow and La Jaconde. Heading the home team, Rodger Varian has three potential entries. The trainer, whose previous best in the Cazoo Oaks was when Queen Daenerys finished fourth to Love last year was optimistic regarding his trio of acceptances. He stated that he was delighted with how the Shadwell filly Zeyaadah ran on her comeback in the Cheshire Oaks and feels if she had got running earlier in the straight, she could have won. Teona is out to redeem herself after finishing third in a slowly run Musidora Stakes. The daughter of Sea the Stars will wear a hood, which she wears at home, in the
Classic after running too free at York. The Newmarket trainer stated, “She’s trained very well since and she’s extremely talented.” The Carlburg trio is completed by the outsider Save A Forest. Sir Michael Stoute, bidding for a third success in this race, is represented by the late Khalid Abdullah owned Noon Star, a daughter of Galileo. She ran second in her trial at York in the Gr3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes behind Snowfall. The winner was given a great front running ride by Ryan Moore to win in easy fashion. Saffron Beach who galloped at Epsom with race rider Adam Kirby aboard last week is from the Jane Chapple-Hyam yard and had a good prep with a
Master trainer Aidan O’Brien – another big weekend ahead
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fine second in the Gr1 Qipco 1000 Guineas last month at Newmarket on good to firm ground. Connections are confident she will see out the distance. Mark Johnston sends out the listed Cheshire Oaks winner Dubai Fountain. This daughter of Teofilo was a comfortable winner on her seasonal return over 2300m, the first time she had been tried beyond a mile. She has the highest official rating in the field.
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updated 2021-06-02
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�
1072 838 881 507 688
171 128 111 78 66
141 107 99 67 68
110 81 99 55 50
16.0 15.3 12.6 15.4 9.6
Other Places Place % 140 82 104 59 66
391 270 302 181 184
36.5 32.2 34.3 35.7 26.7
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
8,539,625 12,695,550 7,031,200 10,536,925 5,283,800 8,993,450 4,898,600 7,014,925 3,926,888 5,993,988
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
1474 962 720 742 999
193 124 73 94 106
168 110 84 119 103
221 155 135 129 117
15.0 16.1 18.8 17.4 11.7
Other Places Place % 220 140 86 106 131
581 374 243 319 340
39.4 38.9 33.8 43.0 34.0
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
9,365,975 14,537,600 8,985,225 12,818,350 6,411,000 9,265,363 3,946,800 6,296,100 7,120,900 10,572,575
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
288 418 214
1526 54,389 2218 36,958 1178 45,076
138 145 70
204 202 122
47.9 34.7 32.7
518 739 319
10 10 6
15 15,664,063 13 15,448,638 14 9,646,238
160 124
792 57,516 679 58,480
82 54
139 88
51.3 43.5
299 223
9 6
10 12
9,202,500 7,251,550
B.T. Wins
Total Stakes (R)
12 6 5 9 3
10,058,200 8,084,850 7,929,575 7,759,350 7,269,500
SIRES Name Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) What A Winter Master Of My Fate Silvano (GER) Querari (GER)
Runrs Runs AEPR 185 166 176 158 200
997 923 1101 857 1062
54,369 48,704 45,054 49,110 36,348
B.T. Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Rnrs % 89 76 77 68 70
141 121 112 103 103
48.1 45.8 43.8 43.0 35.0
319 327 400 257 372
See all the detailed standings - Click here 81
10 4 4 7 2
LADIES PUT THE BOOT IN! 82
JVW Ladies will be looking to close the gap on defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies when the top two sides in the Hollywoodbets Super League take centre stage in this week’s action at the Tsakane Stadium on Saturday.
rooted to the foot of the table after suffering a sixth successive defeat at the UJ Stadium, Soweto Campus, going down 3-1 to University of JHB Ladies. The experience of players like Zamandosi Cele in particular will be critical to claw the eThekwini side out of danger at this early stage.
A very competitive battle is expected between UWC Ladies and University of JHB Ladies in Cape Town, while Durban Ladies and Thunderbirds Ladies will be hoping to rise up the standings when they encounter Tsunami Queens and First Touch FC respectively.
Tsunami Queens are winless since the opening round, enduring a five-game winless streak after a convincing 3-0 loss to Golden Ladies last Sunday that included two goals scored from the outside the box. The two sides that are in the poorest form face each other. My money is on these sides to cancel out each other at 22/10.
Hollywoodbets Super League Women: Gameweek 7 Preview Bryan Naicker writes that just a few short weeks before Banyana Banyana prepare to begin their Africa Women’s Cup of Nations qualification, to book their ticket to Morocco 2022, there’s no better way to choose the cream of the crop than watching the two most talented teams slug it out for bragging rights. Saturday 5 June 5/2 Durban Ladies | Draw 22/10 | Tsunami Queens 9/10 (13:00) Durban Ladies remain
13/10 Ma Indies Ladies | 2/1 | Bloem Celtic Ladies 18/10 (15:00) Ma Indies Ladies claimed back-to-back victories for the first time this season, scoring three times without reply, away at the Merino Stadium, De Aar, against Richmond United. Following an underwhelming start to the campaign that found the Limpopo-based outfit winless after four games, Ma Indies Ladies are showing signs of definite improvement. Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies hosted defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and went down 2-0 at the Dr. Molemela Stadium, with goals by Boitumelo Rabale and Mary
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Ntsweng inflicting Siwelele’s second league defeat. I’m backing another draw in this clash between two evenly matched opponents. 5/2 JVW Ladies | 2/1 | Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies 1/1 (15:00) Despite failing to convert a host of chances in the first half, Isabella Ludwig’s solitary goal was enough for JVW Ladies to come away from the Sisa Dukashe Stadium, East London, with maximum points and climb up to second on the standings. The Blue Diamonds return home after a 1,934kilometre round trip to pit their wits against the champions at the Tsakane Stadium. Robyn Moodaly, Gabriela Salgado, Nicole Irwin and Nompumelelo Nyandeni will be tasked with unlocking the Brazilian’s defence that have only conceded twice in their opening six games, while the likes of Amanda Dlamini and Alochia Thobokela will have to be in top form to nullify attacks before they can threaten Kaylin Swart’s goal. Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies went unbeaten last season in a campaign shortened by the Covid-19 pandemic, it would take an enormous effort to replicate the feat over a 26-game long marathon, especially when determined players from around the
country are trying to catch the eye of National Team boss Desiree Ellis. Coach Jerry Tshabalala’s girls gave their manager much to celebrate with a sixth straight league win, a day after his birthday. However, defeat to JVW Ladies would see Masandawana’s lead completely wiped off and find both teams level on points, as well as firmly asserting the Blue Diamonds as serious challengers for the Brazilian’s crown. My money is on JVW to end Sundowns’ 27-game winning streak in league competition at valuable odds of 5/2. 31/20 Golden Ladies | 2/1 | Richmond United Ladies 31/20 (15:00) Golden Ladies have claimed back-to-back victories for the first time this season thanks
to Player of the Match, Khensani Nkuna, after a disappointing start which saw the Mahikeng-based team go winless in their opening four games. Coach Fani Motaung’s side have also kept two clean sheets on the trot after conceding 13 goals in four matches. Richmond United Ladies travel to the Montshioa Stadium desperately needing to get back to winning ways following defeats to Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies (3-2) & Ma Indies Ladies (3-0). Former Under-17 starlet and the league’s current top goal scorer Nthabiseng Majiya will have to drag her team out of this with goals. Back Golden Ladies to continue their upturn in form at 31/20. 31/20 Coal City Wizards Ladies | 2/1 | TUT Ladies 31/20 (15:00) Coal City Wizards Ladies had
their two-game winning streak ended with a convincing 4-0 defeat at the hands of UWC Ladies in Cape Town. The hosts will be aiming to get back on track at the Puma Stadium, Witbank, when TUT Ladies come to town. TUT Ladies pulled off the upset of the past weekend, downing the much-fancied First Touch Academy 3-0 in Pretoria thanks to a Tiisetso Makhubela strike and a Busi Ndimeni brace. Take coach Anna Monate’s troops to continue with their impressive goal scoring prowess and bag the valuable three points on the road. 9/10 UWC Ladies | 22/10 | University of JHB Ladies 5/2 (15:00) UWC Ladies ran out 4-0 winners thanks to Tiffany Kortjie, Noxolo Cesane,
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Abongile Dlani and Janice Smith’s goals on home soil. The Mother City-outfit are now up to fourth on the standings and will be hoping for either JVW Ladies or Masandawana to drop points in this weekend’s headline clash. University of JHB Ladies come off a 3-1 win over bottom side Durban Ladies, thanks to a Jessica Wade brace and captain Refilwe Maseko putting the game to bed in the first half, going into the break 3-0 up. My money is firmly on coach Thinasonke Mbuli’s team to
claim another victory at the UWC Stadium, my best bet for the weekend. Sunday 6 June 9/20 First Touch | 28/10 | Thunderbirds Ladies 5/1 (15:00) First Touch will be desperate to get back to winning ways after losing ground on Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and JVW Ladies in the last two matches. Coach Rhulani Mathebula’s side won their opening four games, then went on to share the spoils against UWC Ladies (1-1) and suffered their first league defeat away at TUT
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Ladies (3-0) last time out. Thunderbirds Ladies make the trip to the Old Peter Mokhaba stadium as heavy outsiders. Coach Thembalethu Alpeni’s troops have lost five games on the bounce and need to remedy the situation immediately. Get on First Touch to make the home advantage count! TREBLE @ 86/10 JVW Ladies Win 5/2 First Touch Win 9/20 UWC Ladies Win 9/10