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Cover Image 2020 Vodacom Durban July winner Belgarion's victory canter - courtesy of Candiese Lenferna
4 Justin Snaith and Richard Fourie after the 2020 victory with Belgarion
Candiese Lenferna
MARSHALL THE JULY TROOPS…
SNAITH’S 6TH – OR SOMA’S 1ST … OR …OR…OR? 5
The time for talking is now almost behind us. Shortly after 15h00 on Saturday months of debate, hype, speculation and guesswork will be put into perspective when the judge posts the numbers into the frame. Few Vodacom Durban July renewals in recent years have been as nationally representative as Saturday’s race and only the Eastern Cape sits the 2021 renewal out. While Got The Greenlight, Linebacker and Rainbow Bridge are at the top of the betting boards and dominating the media attention, the public pressure is off record-seeking Justin Snaith. The Cape Champion has warned for months that he will
do the talking on July day and recent week’s performances suggest his quartet are reaching their peak and will be tuned to the veritable minute.
The Foster family’s defending champion Belgarion is draw at a happier 11 than his 17 when handicapped to win the 2020 renewal.
Snaith will be attempting to win the Vodacom Durban July for an extraordinary sixth time and will be bidding to equal the 108 year old record of trainer-owner Fred Murray by winning the big race for the fourth year in succession.
His remaining two look hard-pressed to deliver a knockout blow, with supplementary entry Crown Towers a fit pacesetter at best.
Dual July winner Do It Again will be attempting the become the first horse to win Africa’s boom race three times. He jumps from a 16 gate having won it from draw 15 in 2018 and from gate 8 in 2019 before finishing third from the widest draw in 2020.
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Joey Soma looks to have done everything right with 2020 runner-up Got The Greenlight, who got to within a length of Belgarion last year. There are some concerns that Got The Greenlight will be attempting to overcome the longest layoff for a winner for 87 years. No winner since Sun Tor in 1934, who came
off a 161-day layoff, has come off as long a layoff as Got The Greenlight’s. “I am happy with the decision to give him a break between the Champions Challenge on May 1 and July 3. His preparation has gone extremely well and he has had two hard gallops. He’s put in a lot of quality work,” he said this week. “He has matured and strengthened up and there is no doubt in my mind that he has improved lengths from last year. He is beautiful to look at. The draw (14) is not as crucial as it used to be after the course was narrowed and the field reduced to 18. I don’t think it will be a factor.We are happy and excited and have a top jockey (Muzi Yeni) up.” Soma put Got The Green-
light away for a lengthy eightmonth break after last year’s July, only making his seasonal debut in early March where he was clearly ring rusty and was caught late by the smart and improving MK’S Pride in the 1400m Gr2 Hawaii Stakes. That effort excited the veteran trainer and the July bid was on.
the ‘dark horse’ Rascallion.
He followed up with a big victory in the Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes beating the smart three-year-old and subsequent KZN Breeders Mile winner Copper Mountain and then confirmed his SA Horse Of The Year aspirations with victory in the Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m on 1 May.
All the feature race news is available on www.sportingpost.co.za
Vaughan Marshall is another veteran looking for a first July success and his power-packed 3yo two gun includes Daily News 2000 winner and
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Both have been prepped to the minute and Snaith and Soma will be having sleepless nights this week. The race doesn’t end there! Don’t miss it at 15h00 on Saturday.
The Power Panel! The official 2021 Vodacom Durban July Panel Discussion will air on Tellytrack (DSTV Channel 249) on Thursday 1 July at 20h00. This year’s panel comprises Mike de Kock, Justin Snaith, Richard Fourie and Kevin Shea, and is hosted by Alistair Cohen. Click here to find out more
Chase Liebenberg
8 Smile of a winner? Joey Soma saddles the favourite Got The Greenlight (Ed – mask removed for pic)
VODACOM DURBAN JULY 2021 FINAL FIELD SC#
HORSE
MASS
MR
DRAW
B A T M
JOCKEY
TRAINER
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
RAINBOW BRIDGE JOHNNY HERO SHAH AKBAR EXPRESSFROMTHEUS CROWN TOWERS RASCALLION LINEBACKER SOVEREIGN SPIRIT CIRILLO SHE'S A KEEPER BELGARION NEXUS RUNNING BRAVE GOT THE GREENLIGHT MATTERHORN DO IT AGAIN TRISTFUL KOMMETDIEDING
60,0 53,0 53,0 54,0 53,0 53,0 53,0 54,0 53,0 52,0 58,0 53,0 52,5 55,0 53,0 57,5 53,0 53,0
134 106 119 122 117 123 124 122 120 96 130 117 119 124 101 129 113 122
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
A B A A T A A M A A B A A A A A A A T B A A A A
L J Ferraris K Matsunyane C Habib M V'Rensburg L Mxothwa S Veale G van Niekerk K de Melo L Hewitson W Kennedy S Khumalo C Zackey G Cheyne M Yeni S Moodley R Fourie C Murray G Lerena
ERIC SANDS TYRONE ZACKEY SEAN TARRY STUART PETTIGREW JUSTIN SNAITH VAUGHAN MARSHALL VAUGHAN MARSHALL CANDICE BASS-ROBINSON SEAN TARRY GARETH VAN ZYL JUSTIN SNAITH JUSTIN SNAITH FANIE BRONKHORST JOE SOMA ALYSON WRIGHT JUSTIN SNAITH TONY RIVALLAND HWJ CRAWFORD/M RIX
53,0 53,0
110 111
A B A T
RESERVE 1 RESERVE 2
JUSTIN SNAITH SEAN TARRY
RESERVE RUNNERS
19 20
SILVER HOST SHANGO
GENERAL INFORMATION
TOP 4 TRAINERS ACCEPTED
NUMBER OF FILLIES DECLARED: NUMBER OF COLTS & GELDINGS DECLARED: NUMBER OF 3YR OLDS DECLARED: NUMBER OF 4YR OLDS DECLARED: NUMBER OF 5YR OLDS DECLARED: NUMBER OF 6YR OLDS DECLARED:
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2 18 4 7 7 2
JUSTIN SNAITH SEAN TARRY CANDICE BASS-ROBINSON VAUGHAN MARSHALL
5 3 1 2
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125 GREAT YEARS 12 Flashback to 2019 – feels like the good old days right now
We race behind closed doors for the second consecutive year, but there were crowds for 122 years previously! The race was first run in 1897 over 1600m for a stake of 500 sovereigns and named The Durban Turf Club Handicap. While we are used to it being run on the first Saturday in July, in 1897 it was run on 17 July, the third Saturday that month. In 1899 the stake was increased to £1000. In 1902 the crowds could enjoy the new (mostly finished) grandstand. In 1903 the stake jumped to £1250 & it was the first year that an official time was taken (Henry Nourse’s chestnut filly Peerless won it in 1 min 42.5 seconds). Gold Circle’s David Thiselton pinpoints some interesting points. On Saturday, DO IT AGAIN can become the first horse in history to win the race three times. RICHARD FOURIE can become the first jockey in history to win the race three
times in succession if Do It Again wins and it will be his fourth July win in total, joining Piere Strydom, Anthony Delpech and Harold “Tiger” Wright as jockeys who have one less July win than the record five of Anton Marcus. JUSTIN SNAITH can become the first trainer in 108 years to win the race four times in succession, joining Fred Murray as the only trainer to have achieved this feat (Murray trained and owned every winner from 1910 to 1913). SNAITH will join Terrance Millard on six July wins if he does do it, one behind the record seven of Hall Of Fame trainer Syd Laird and equal with the legendary Terrance Millard. BELGARION will be, attempting to become the 6th horse to win the race twice and the 5th to win it two years in succession. Belgarion’s owners ALEC AND THE HONOURABLE GILLIAN FOSTER will thus be attempting to become what is believed to be the first to be owners and breeders of the winner for two years in succession. KOMMETDIEDING can become the first Coloured-owned winner for Ashwin Reynolds although the first across the line in 2014 Wylie Hall would have achieved this feat for Michael Leaf if a subsequent objection had not been upheld. GOT THE GREENLIGHT can
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become the first Indianowned and/or Colouredowned winner. He is owned by Dayalan Chinsammy and Hassan Adams respectively in partnership with trainer Joe Soma. GOT THE GREENLIGHT will be attempting to overcome the longest layoff for a winner for 87 years. No winner since Sun Tor in 1934, who came off a 161 day layoff, has come off as long a layoff as Got The Greenlight’s, which will be 63 days by July 3. LUKE FERRARIS, who rides Rainbow Bridge, can become the first teenager to win the race for 52 years, Alan ‘Snowy’ Reid being the last to have done it on Naval Escort in 1969. LINEBACKER can join both Big City Life (2009) and Legislate (2014) as horses who have won all of the Grade 1 Cape Derby, the Grade 2 WSB Guineas, the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and the Vodacom Durban July in one season. CROWN TOWERS, SOVEREIGN SPIRIT, CIRILLO, BELGARION, NEXUS, RUNNING BRAVE AND TRISTFUL will all be attempting to become the first five-year-old winner since the Mike Bass-trained Pocket Power in 2008.
Candiese Lenferna
The Vodacom Durban July is South Africa’s greatest race and some important milestones can be reached in the 125th renewal on Saturday.
Candiese Lenferna
14 Can Luke Ferraris become the first teenager in 52 years to ride the winner?
RAINBOW BRIDGE and DO IT AGAIN will both be attempting to become the first six-year-old winner for 41 years, the Johnny Nicholsontrained Beau Art being the last to do it in 1980. POMODORO can become the sixth July winner to sire a July winner if his son CIRILLO wins. This follows 1909 winner King’s Favourite (who produced 1915 winner Winnipeg), 1941 winner Sadri II (who produced 1951 winner Gay Jane and 1954 winner C’Est si Bon), 1940 winner Kipling (who produced 1952 winner Mowgli), 1987 winner Bush Telegraph (who produced 1996 winner London News) and 2003 winner Dynasty (who has to
date produced 2014 winner Legislate and 2020 winner Belgarion). DYNASTY can become the first July winner to sire more than two individual July winners if either SOVEREIGN SPIRIT or NEXUS wins and will be the first sire to be on the winner’s roll three times if Belgarion wins. RAINBOW BRIDGE could become the seventh winner bred by the Oppenheimer family following Tiger Fish (1959), King Willow (1965), Principal Boy (1975), Greys Inn (2004), Hunting Tower (2007) and Marinaresco (2017). SHE’S A KEEPER, MATTERHORN and TRISTFUL
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will be attempting to become the first KZN-trained winner since the Dennis Drier-trained Spanish Galliard in 1992. KZN and Gauteng together have nine runners who will be attempting to break the stranglehold Cape-trained horses have had since the 2014 inaugural running on the new narrower track. RAINBOW BRIDGE can become the first topweight to win since Do It Again in 2019. All horses will be out to break the race record time of 131,76 seconds set by the Mike Bass-trained Trademark in 2001.
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‘Jet Master is the broodmare sire of seven contenders in this year's line-up’
18 Linebacker – how did he get this far?
Candiese Lenferna
JULY - BLOOD RULES THE LAND
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The history of the Vodacom Durban July usually centres around facts and statistics. Yet for many die-hard punters, the pedigrees of the contenders are points of debate, one of which being the matter of stamina.
Jet Master can probably take credit for Shango's ability to perform over the Derby distance.
To that end, an in-depth look at this year's line-up reveals a rather thought-provoking anomaly, that of fancied three-year-old Linebacker. As far as his ability to see out the 2200m trip, he should not even be in the line-up!
As for Linebacker, he wouldn't be the first July winner sired by a sprinter. Back in 2005, Mike Bass-trained Dunford finished with a flourish to score by a half-length under Anton Marcus in the colours of Robert Bloomberg.
Vaughan Marshall's star three-year-old has certainly defied his bloodlines, he is after all a son of champion sprinter Captain Of All, whose progeny generally take after their speedy sire and at a push, barely get a mile!
The KZN-bred was by the sprinter Shalford, who counted three Gr1 winners amongst his four local stakes winners and barring Gr1 Allan Robertson victress Dare To Dream, all stayed much better than their sire. In addition to Dunford, he also sired African Lion, successful up to 2000m and winner of the Gr1 Champions Cup over 1800m. Taking it to the extreme, his son Chico Azul, won the Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup over 3000m!
Linebacker is the exception and following his facile win in the Gr1 Daily News 2000, he looks set to handle the extra furlong with aplomb. Captain Of All is also sire of second reserve runner Shango, who finished ninth in last year's July. A winner of the Gr2 Dingaans over a mile, Sean Tarry's charge only weakened late to finish second in the Gr1 SA Derby. As none of the quality runners in his immediate family stayed beyond a mile, pedigree pundits will argue that damsire
Remarkably, the powerhouse stallion is the broodmare sire of no less than seven contenders in this year's line-up.
There are other interesting pedigree tidbits amongst the July runners worthy of mention. Stylish Bay, the dam of Stuart Pettigrew's runner ExpressfromtheUs is a halfsister to Smanjemanje. Runner-up when beaten a whisker by Pomodoro in the 2012 July, the son of Kahal was
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trained by Tyrone Zackey, who must be hopeful that Lady Luck will this time favour his runner Johnny Hero. One of three runners representing Gimmethegreenlight, the Varsfontein-bred earned himself a July berth with a smart first stakes win in the Gr3 Jubilee Handicap. Alyson Wright saddles one of the 'dark horses' in the line-up, the four-year-old Matterhorn. The son of Marchfield has as his grandam the Sharp Romance mare Joy Of Spring, a stakes-placed half-sister to 1998 July winner Classic Flag. Trained by David Ferraris, the Paddy Hinton-owned colt set the seal on a fantastic sophomore season which earned him both Horse of the Year and Champion threeyear-old colt honours. Running Brave, the first July runner for owner/trainer Fanie Bronkhorst, likewise has family ties to the Hollywoodbets Greyville showpiece race, albeit a rather distant one. She traces in female line to Capriole, a full sister to none other than 1965 winner King Willow, who provided the Oppenheimers with their second July success. Tiger Fish was their first July winner and was an own brother to Rising Trout, the dam of King Willow and Capriole! The Oppenheimer
Candiese Lenferna
Mary Liley-owned Tristful hails from the family of the admirable stayer French Mustard family's link to the race is a tangible one as the breeders of no less than six July winners, the most recent of which was Marinaresco in 2017. Aiming to become their seventh winner this year is Rainbow Bridge, who finished second in 2019. Mary Liley-owned Tristful also has a link to the July as he hails from the family of the admirable stayer French Mustard. Trained by Tony Furness for the Grindrods and ridden by Michael Roberts, the five-year-old failed by a neck to overhaul winner Big Charles in 1982 and become the second July winner for the Oppenheimer stallion Free
Ride, sire also of homebred Principal Boy, who was awarded the race in 1975. Two previous winners of the race will be represented as sires on Saturday. Dynasty, who overcame the widest draw to take the honours in 2003, already has a brace of July winners to his name. Legislate won the 2014 renewal in the boardroom, while Belgarion is back to defend his 2020 crown. Dynasty is three-handed this year, his other runners being Belgarion's stable companion Nexus and Sovereign Spirit, who claimed last year's 'Consolation July' for Candice 21
Bass-Robinson. Pomodoro carried Chris van Niekerk's silks to victory in 2012 and will be represented by first-crop son Cirillo. Talented and versatile, the entire has just one chink in his armour - he has yet to win beyond 1400m and may just find the July trip a formidable hurdle to overcome. In all fairness, that comes as no surprise, considering his dam is a daughter of champion European sprinter Lake Coniston.
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FEED YOUR DESIRE TO WIN SOUTH AFRICAN SUCCESS FOR RED MILLS’ CUSTOMERS CRIMSON KINGR STAKES (GRADE 3) WINNER OF POCKET POWE
Trainer: Glen Kotzen Jockey: Morne Winnaar k (Wilfried Pirzl, Owners: Green Street Bloodstoc David Musikanth, Roger Grant), Peter De Beyer, André Louw, Monty Govender
CAPITANA
WINNER OF OLYMPIC DUEL STAKES Trainer: Jockey: Owner:
(LISTED)
Brett Crawford Greg Cheyne Ridgemont (Nom: Mr Wayne Kieswetter)
By kind permission of trainers
Contact our distributor: Ridgemont Highlands 80 Haaskraal Road, Wellington, 7655 Tel: 0829206005 Email: ross@ridgemont.co.za Ireland: +353 59923 775 800 Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland Email: info@redmills.com
www.redmills.com
24 Pomodoro (Piere Strydom) beats Smanjemanje (Grant van Niekerk) by a whisker in 2012
Gold Circle
Wanted:
ANOTHER JULY HERO! 25
Saturday 7 July 2012 is forever etched in the horseracing memories of the Backos and Zackey families. They had reached the pinnacle of every racehorse owner’s dream – a glorious, albeit longshot opportunity, to win the Vodacom Durban July.While they came within a
heartbeat, it sadly wasn’t to be. This weekend they return to the well with another soldier in recent Jubilee Handicap winner, Johnny Hero. And nine years on, life may have changed dramatically but the flames of passion burn bright and the almost impossible dream holds stronger and truer
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than ever. The 2012 Vodacom Durban July thriller, where Sean Tarry’s Pomodoro rallied to beat the any-price Gauteng raider Smanjemanje from the Tyrone Zackey yard, will go down as one of the most exciting in recent history. Trainer Tyrone Zackey’s
recalls. History shows that the then teenage apprentice Grant van Niekerk got the Kahal gelding Smanjemanje to within a hair’s breadth of what would have been the biggest turn up for the books this century.
daughter, and a passionate part owner of Smanjemanje and Johnny Hero, Nadine Backos remembers it well. Almost better than she does the 2004 thriller at Meydan, where she was part of the MAD Syndicate fan club – husband Kevin was a partner – who shouted Victory Moon home to his gallant third behind Pleasantly Perfect in the Dubai World Cup. And as if by a freak moment of professional intuition at the 2012 Vodacom Durban July, she recalls a photographer capturing the happy extended group of fanatical
Smanjemanje Joburgers in the pre-race parade ring at Hollywoodbets Greyville nine years ago. “I look at that photograph in the Hollywoodbets Greyville parade ring today and remember it like yesterday. My beautiful children Stephanie and John Michael were so young. Today they are adults. My Dad’s best mate Shedi Habib was at the centre of the party, as always. He was the life and soul of the game and sadly passed away in 2019. We were all so excited and little did we know what drama was to unfold just twenty minutes later,” she
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“Oh boy! We were screaming and shouting and believing we could achieve the impossible. In the end, a few bumps from Chesalon, and probably Piere Strydom’s superior experience and brilliance over the relative greenhorn Grant probably made all the difference. No excuses, it’s a tough race and we were beaten fair and square. Time heals all wounds. Well, so they say!” laughs Nadine as she tells how they have watched the replay a million times over the nine years. “The result never changes. Maybe we will watch it again
on Friday evening for old time’s sake,” she adds. Johnny Hero will depart Friday morning from Turffontein with the Paul Peter team. He will be based with Wendy Whitehead at Summerveld. The Zackey- Backos family plan to stay at their Umhlanga Rocks base was derailed by the lockdown level 4 travel protocols implemented on Monday. “We were looking forward to it. Reliving Smanjemanje and better! But Dad is travelling down. We can only wish him and Johnny safe travels and we will be there in spirit via Tellytrack,” adds Nadine. The second eldest of four children born to Tyrone and Bernadette Zackey, Nadine Backos turns 50 on 16 September and, besides a
personal wish to turn back time and be 40 for the next ten years, she says she is proud of her Dad’s achievements and wouldn’t do anything differently. The former schoolteacher is married to Kevin, who owns Bulldog Abrasives, RSB Paints and Yes Paints. Their son Jon Michael, now 21, and daughter Stephanie (19) haven’t gotten involved in horseracing, but Nadine and Kevin live it for them.
Nadine grew up in Dawnview, Germiston. Her family had always enjoyed a keen interest in racing. “My Dad was an owner and breeder. I remember visiting his stables in Newmarket, Alberton on weekends. I have always had a love for animals but especially horses. My Dad became an assistant trainer and we persuaded him to take out his own trainers licence. We started from very humble beginnings with only three horses in the stable. Dad has an awesome eye for a horse and he chose them for me and we did really well with all of them. This was just the start of my exciting life as a racehorse owner.” Today Nadine and her husband Kevin have shares in 15 horses. Beyond Smanjemanje, there are some decent names on the wall of their Bedfordview
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home including Judicial, Lions Blood, Warrior Man, Glider Pilot, Singing Sword, Galanthus, Katies Lane – and then Johnny Hero, of course. Tyrone always says: “A horse never knows what you paid for it – it’s what it has in its heart that counts." He was given a budget by John Maroun to look for a horse at the National Yearling Sales in 2018 and after he had been outbid for the first two, he picked up the colt Johnny Hero for R130 000. Nadine recalled what Tyrone – she proudly labels him the giant slayer - said over the weekend: “Nads we going to war again and we have to take on the giants.” An Electrician by qualification,
few know that the East Rand United striker Tyrone Zackey was destined to play professional soccer – until his Mom stopped his trial with an English Club. He eventually qualified as a ‘sparkie’ and then worked for Johan Rousseau and Earl Buckham for many years as an assistant trainer. Tyrone turned 74 last week and doesn’t want to hear about retirement as training racehorses ‘keeps me young’. His favourite retort when anybody asks how he is – “I’m like a lion!” Tyrone is based in the wooden boxes at Turffontein. “The rest live in New York. I’m happy in the Bronx,” he chirps with a broad smile.
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He relies heavily on his loyal team headed by thirty year veterans Paulus Jevu and Jackson Jevu. Back to Saturday’s big race, Tyrone is on record as acknowledging that he doesn’t know if Johnny Hero is of the same class as Smanjemanje. “But he always tries and is progressing. He gets better every time. It is a very talented field this year, but we do have a ticket. Win, lose or draw, we are happy. I love horses and my family loves horses.” Maybe Johnny will do the impossible for Shedi Habib and the passionate Zackey and Backos racing families on Saturday.
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Design by Winning Media
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Lara Barry
RIVERTON’S DURBAN JULY CELEBRATION The hardknocking Sean Tarry-trained entire Cirillo will carry the Riverton Stud banner in Saturday’s Gr1 Vodacom Durban July. Duncan and Natasha Barry’s Robertson nursery has been the launching platform of champions over many de-
cades and to celebrate Africa’s Greatest racing event – albeit behind closed doors – Riverton are offering a weekend away for two at their beautiful Wine Down Cottage. It’s an escape from the stresses of city life which will rekindle your soul. Chill with a glass
of wine and unwind whilst lapping up the stunning view over the farm dam. “It’s a magical place with dragonflys!” says Natasha. Visit www.rivertonstud.co.za to see more.
How To Enter & Win
All you have to do is forecast the first four home in Saturday’s race. We already have 36 ‘celebrity’ entries in the competition, including the Sporting Post’s National Punting Grid professionals. Their entries are shown on the next 3 pages. If you’d like to enter, please send your Vodacom Durban July top 4 to editor@sportingpost.co.za the moment you read this. Please provide us with a contactable telephone number. Only the first 20 entries will be accepted and these will be published on the www.sportingpost.co.za by Friday evening, alongside the ‘celebs’. The winner will be announced in our next issue. 32
Graeme Hawkins
Nadine Rapson
14. Got the Greenlight 16. Do it Again 7. Linebacker 8. Sovereign Spirit
14. Got the Greenlight 1. Rainbow Bridge 7. Linebacker 10. She's a Keeper
Garth Puller
Henk Steenkamp
7. Linebacker 14. Got the Greenlight 1. Rainbow Bridge 18. Kommetdieding
Alistair Cohen
14. Got the Greenlight 16. Do It Again 6. Rascallion 1. Rainbow Bridge
Passion
Piere Strydom
Corrie Lensley
7. Linebacker 6. Rascallion 14. Got the Greenlight 1. Rainbow Bridge
14. Got the Greenlight 16. Do It Again 1. Rainbow Bridge 10. She's a Keeper
16. Do it Again 14. Got the Greenlight 11. Belgarion 18. Kommetdieding
14. Got the Greenlight 7. Linebacker 16. Do it Again 1. Rainbow Bridge
Nico Kritsiotis
Dr Melandie Taljaardt
William Milkovitch
Robert Bloomberg
Rouvaun Smit
14. Got the Greenlight 10. She's A Keeper 6. Rascallion 7. Linebacker
7. Linebacker 14. Got the Greenlight 1. Rainbow Bridge 18. Kommetdieding
Pedigree
13. Running Brave 1. Rainbow Bridge 16. Do it Again 14. Got the Greenlight
7. Linebacker 1. Rainbow Bridge 16. Do It Again 18. Kommetdieding
Performance
33 Duncan Barry - +27 (0) 82 335 8951
www.rivertonstud.co.za
Clyde Basel
14. Got the Greenlight 6. Rascallion 18. Kommetdieding 9. Cirillo
Frankie Zackey
14. Got the Greenlight 16. Do It Again 1. Rainbow Bridge 6. Rascallion
Mark Currie
14. Got the Greenlight 1. Rainbow Bridge 6. Rascallion 18. Kommetdieding
Passion
Mj Byleveld
Colin Aitken
6. Rascallion 7. Linebacker 1. Rainbow Bridge 16. Do It Again
18. Kommetdieding 6. Rascallion 9. Cirillo 1. Rainbow Bridge
Fiso Hadebe
Paulo Do Carmo
14. Got the Greenlight 7. Linebacker 1. Rainbow Bridge 16. Do It Again
1. Rainbow Bridge 7. Linebacker 18. Kommetdieding 16. Do It Again
Selwyn Elk
Grant Knowles
14. Got the Greenlight 1. Rainbow Bridge 11. Belgarion 16. Do It Again
14. Got the Greenlight 7. Linebacker 18. Kommetdieding 6. Rascallion
Pedigree
Jason Dedekind
16. Do It Again 14. Got the Greenlight 6. Rascallion 1. Rainbow Bridge
Louis Goosen
14. Got the Greenlight 1. Rainbow Bridge 16. Do It Again 7. Linebacker
Leon Lotz
1. Rainbow Bridge 14. Got the Greenlight 16. Do It Again 18. Kommetdieding
Performance
34 Duncan Barry - +27 (0) 82 335 8951
www.rivertonstud.co.za
Dom Zaki
14. Got the Greenlight 7. Linebacker 16. Do It Again 1. Rainbow Bridge
Excel
14. Got the Greenlight 7. Linebacker 10. She's A Keeper 1. Rainbow Bridge
Computaform
7. Linebacker 14. Got the Greenlight 6. Rascallion 1. Rainbow Bridge
Passion
Joao Da Mata
Kingpin
14 Got the Greenlight 16.Do It Again 1.Rainbow Bridge 7.Linebacker
7. Linebacker 14. Got the Greenlight 1. Rainbow Bridge 6. Rascallion
Sporting Post
Longshot
10. She's A Keeper 7. Linebacker 1. Rainbow Bridge 14. Got the Greenlight
5. Crown Towers 10. She's A Keeper 6. Rascallion 16. Do It Again
CF Ratings
Magic Tips
16. Do It Again 1. Rainbow Bridge 11. Belgarion 7. Linebacker
14. Got the Greenlight 1. Rainbow Bridge 7. Linebacker 11. Belgarion
Pedigree
Black Ball
11. Belgarion 6. Rascallion 1. Rainbow Bridge 14. Got the Greenlight
Tricks
9.Cirillo 16.Do It Again 1.Rainbow Bridge 14.Got the Greenlight
Winning Form
14. Got the Greenlight 7. Linebacker 1. Rainbow Bridge 18. Kommetdieding
Performance
35 Duncan Barry - +27 (0) 82 335 8951
www.rivertonstud.co.za
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Candiese Lenferna
MATTERHORN – PEAKING AT WRIGHT TIME? 39
Alyson Wright – first Durban July runner for Gee Racing
It’s a major achievement for any owner, trainer or breeder to have a runner in the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July. When you have a maximum intake of ten youngsters every year, and a population of less than 50 horses, then it’s time to reflect on a job well done. Hollywoodbets sponsored Alyson Wright, who runs a training operation under the banner of Gee Racing with her former champion jockey husband Kevin at Summerveld,was over the moon to celebrate a first ever runner in Africa’s greatest race as her 4yo Marchfield gelding Matterhorn made the cut when the field was unveiled on Tuesday 22 June.
The Lammerskraal bred galloper, one of three KZN flagbearers in the race that everybody wants to win, only has ten runs under the belt, and is yet to win a stakes feature – but his story speaks of a sweet plan come together for the hardworking team and his Mauritius-based owner Reynolds Chung. Alyson’s eagle-eye hubby Kevin, who coincidentally celebrated his 54th birthday just 24 hours after Matterhorn was accepted into the Vodacom Durban July class of 2021, found their July dream at the 2018 BSA National 2yo Sale. While Marchfield hasn’t exactly set the world alight, the goodlooking youngster caught the
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former top jock’s eye and he had to have him. Matterhorn is out of the versatile Western Winter stakes winning mare Next Spring, who won four races from 1000m to 2000m in the red and white silks for the Rattrays. She was trained by Joey Ramsden. Alyson says that Matterhorn showed plenty of promise early on and his original target was the Daily News 2000 in 2020. “His owner Reynolds Chung is an experienced and patient man who knows his racing. We were all looking forward to a good season from him as a 3yo. But in March last year our yard suffered a bad virus and Matterhorn was off the track for six months. Kevin
Candiese Lenferna
Matterhorn at full stretch under Lyle Hewitson promised Reynolds that we’d give him a Durban July runner – and it’s worked out like the proverbial dream,” says Alyson proudly. The long break may in fact have been a tonic in disguise as Matterhorn has come back as a mature and consistent 4yo. He has won 3 of his 6 starts since returning to action and run three seconds – including fighting efforts behind She’s A Keeper in the WSB 1900 and Black Knap in the Lonsdale. “His prep has gone well and he will come in fit – although the 15 draw didn’t exactly do
our prospects any favours. But Serino (Moodley) has got to know him well and will ride him as best he can to suit the circumstances. Nobody wants a slow pace and I frankly don’t see that happening, looking at the composition of the field.” Alyson said that the talented lightweight jockey had been engaged some time ago as they wanted a rider that could do the weight, would know their charge and be able to ride him, without other stables calling on his services. “We are under no false illusions. Matterhorn is a 66-1 longshot with Hollywoodbets and it’s a really decent field. His 41
barrier draw, as I said, is also against us. But no ticket, no chance! And Reynolds will be with us in spirit from across the Indian Ocean in Mauritius. Whichever way we look at it, we are already winners just to start at 15h00 on Saturday 3 July in this great race,” added the experienced horsewoman. Despite the tough times facing the industry, Alyson says that power players like her sponsors Hollywoodbets had made a difference and always had the interests of the game at heart. “We are really so proud to enjoy the association with a
winning brand like Hollywood. They have made a massive contribution to racing in KZN and nationally. The sponsorship of our raceday unforms and overalls etc means that our team can always turn up smart – our racing product goes out to the world and a professional image is important.” Alyson pointed out that Hollywood also incentivised their sponsored trainers with winners and a listed and graded races incentive.
“Times are tough for everybody and every little bit helps to keep the ship sailing smoothly,” she added. Besides Matterhorn, Gee Racing have four other runners on Vodacom Durban July Day. Both of their runners in the respective sexes BSA Sales Cups have drawn well and ‘have money chances’. In the first race, One Night In Paris would have come on after her debut win. She is a lovely filly, according to Alyson.
Stateofusa runs in the second. He ran a nice race on debut and will also have come on with the run under the belt. The slow pace in the Gr2 Track & Ball Oaks put paid to hardknocking Flichity By Farr’s chances. She runs in the Pick 6 opener, the DSTV Gold Vase. “Tristan knows her well. She is fit and we are hoping for a decent effort if things go her way,” adds Alyson.
Gold Circle
Alyson's Kochka wins the Gr1 Premier's Champion Stakes
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Hollywood Syndicate runner Kingsmeads Krystl takes her chances in the high quality Zulu Kingdom Explorer Gr2 Golden Slipper. With Richard Fourie up from a decent draw, the twice raced maiden still has to up her game. Alyson concedes it will be a ‘tough task’. Top level racing is nothing new for the Gee Racing Team.They notched their first Gr1 win with Kochka in the 2013 Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes A lifetime equestrian, the 48 year old Alyson was born and bred in Zimbabwe and rode from a young age. She show-jumped all the way
through her younger years. Her Mom Penny Fisher, worked as an assistant to Jack Perry and Benny Lobel who were owner-trainers, later training in her own right. “That’s how I met Kevin – he was a jockey and we met when I was sixteen. Kevin was a very good rider. He was champion jockey while he was still an apprentice. He was champion jockey in Zim for many years,” she adds with tangible pride as she also tells us about their 25 year old son Gary, who has a good day job – outside of racing – as a Civil Engineer with a major roadbuilder in KZN.
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While the sport of kings runs in the blood, there was apparently never a chance of the ambitious young man following in his folks’ racing bootprints! “Kevin always says I cured him. I was so desperate for him to ride so that we could have nice ponies, but a few falls and that was the end of that. He qualified at Stellenbosch and is doing his masters while working.”
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JC Photos
VINNIGE FANIE’S RUNNING BRAVE! 45
Win, lose or draw, Fanie is realising a lifelong ambition on Saturday
Randjesfontein trainer Fanie Bronkhorst will set something of a record for a first season trainer when his courageous mare Running Brave goes to post for the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday. The owner-trainer has only held his licence for only seven months but boasts the very rare distinction of a runner in two of the country’s premier races in that time. Fanie’s 5yo daughter of Brave Tin Soldier finished seventh in the Gr1 Cape Met and she
jumps from stall-gate 12 in Africa’s greatest race on Saturday. The man who grew up in the iron-ore capital of the Northern Cape Province, Kathu, harboured dreams of becoming a jockey but ended up at centre and full-back for the powerful Tukkies side, before an injury ended a promising career in rugby. “My family were all involved in racing and my father and grandfather owned horses that raced in Kimberley and Bloemfontein. And just after finishing school in the year 2000 I worked with the late
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Peter Miller for a year as a stable employee. I originally wanted to be a jockey, but grew too big, and wanted to train since a young age,” says Fanie as he looks ahead to realising a long held dream on Saturday. While she hasn’t won since beating fellow July contender Expressfromtheus in the R125 000 Gr3 London News Stakes at Turffontein on the traditional tweede nuwe jaar, Fanie says that Running Brave is back to her bullish best. “Ignore her last two runs. She had a problem on the off-fore
Fanie and July candidate Running Brave and our Vet Dr Melandie Taljaardt has done plenty of hard work to sort her out. Running Brave is a lady with a very high pain threshold so just works straight through it. She will have a final bit of pace work over 600m on the sand on Wednesday and then we are ready for the big one,” he adds confidently. Running Brave galloped over 1400m with a stablemate last Thursday and finished off her work full of running. When taxed on what would be a happy day for him, beyond winning, Fanie says a ‘top 6’ finish would make his season.
And the 12 draw? “It’s not a dealbreaker for us. Yes, of course I would have preferred a single digit gate, but hopefully there is some speed on our inside and Greg (Cheyne) can settle her in midfield. She is very versatile and loves Hollywoodbets Greyville. Look, it’s a class field, but when she is on song, Running Brave doesn’t enjoy being beaten.” Former regular pilot Muzi Yeni has defected to ride favourite Got The Greenlight. But Fanie is happy to have Greg Cheyne aboard. “Greg rode her in the Met and 47
the Jubilee. He won the July previously on Big City Life in 2009. He has the experience, the BMT and knows his way around the track. Now we just need some luck in running and she will be fighting all the way to the line,” says Fanie. The team will depart Randjes for Summerveld on Thursday evening and will be ccommodated at Carl Hewitson’s yard. Running Brave is currently quoted at 50-1 with Hollywoodbets. She could be a serious quartet kicker. The tote is paying 5 places on the Vodacom Durban July.
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51 Design by Winning Media
WIN BIG ON JULY DAY Tote betting for Saturday’s behind closed doors Vodacom Durban July racemeeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville opened on Monday in Kwazulu-Natal and on Tuesday in other provinces.
with R50 000 to the first placed player!
Leg 1 – R5 million carryover – likely pool R15 million
Tipping all the winners on the afternoon could also see you scooping the top prize of R1 125 000.
Race 5: Jackpot One Leg 1 – R200 000 carryover – likely pool R3 million
A R5 million carryover will boost the Pick 6 on the day, which is expected to reach R15 million.
Click here to find out more
The first race is off at 11h15. Racecards are available here The free-to-enter Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge on Vodacom Durban July day offers R100 000 to be shared amongst the top 50 on the leaderboard,
The July day carryovers: Race 1: Jackpot Quickmix 2 Leg 1 – R50 000 carryover – likely pool R200 000 Race 2: Bipot Leg 1 – likely pool R600 000 Race 3: PA Leg 1 – likely pool R1, 8 million Race 4: Pick 6 MEGAPOOL
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Race 7: Quartet Maxi Pool – R2 million carryover – likely pool R10 million Race 7: Jackpot Two Leg 1 – likely pool R1 million Race 8: Pick 3 Leg 1 – R100 000 carryover – likely pool R300 000 Race 9: Trifecta R200 000 carryover – likely pool R500 000
BE SMART, BET SAFE, BET EARLY Following the path of drive through fast food outlets, Gold Circle will be operating a ‘drive through’ tote this week for the Vodacom Durban July meeting. This concept received positive feedback after being tested last year and allows punters to place bets on the meeting without leaving the comfort of their cars. The drive through will operate between 10h00 to 17h00 daily from Monday, 28 June to Friday, 2 July. Vehicles will enter through
Gate 16 at the Hollywoodbets Greyville racecourse, follow the signs to the infield where the drive through tote will be situated, and then exit into DLI Avenue.
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For prospective punters who do not have electronic or mobile betting accounts or are hesitant to enter tote premises because of Covid 19, this is the safe, easy and convenient way to bet.
BEAN THERE – DONE IT?
With just days to go to the 125th running of the Vodacom Durban July, for the punters eagerly making up their minds about which thoroughbred to back in the big race the traditional beans give very few pointers. If anything, the beans, planted shortly after the final field of eighteen runners and two reserves was announced, are predicting that this year's race will be one of the closest contests in many years as all the beans seemed to have flourished well in the week since they took root.
Greenlight seems to have a short head lead over the rest of the field, with She's A Keeper poised to cause an upset. The beans also point to good form for defending champion Belgarion, his stable-mate and double-winner Do It Again and Rascallion.
Based on the beans the widely fancied Got The
Even though Hollywoodbets Greyville will be closed to the
Under the current lockdown rules betting will be purely online with punters encouraged to use web and telephone based options like TABGold to safely lay their bets for the big race.
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general public on the big day, you can quickly and easily open an online betting account and bet from your smart phone. Visit https://www.tabgold.co. za/session/signup and follow the onscreen prompts to get going. If you have any queries about betting online or opening an account feel free to send an e-mail to support@goldcircle.co.za or call 031 314 1869. Once your account is active you can top up with one of the secure deposit options and then get betting.
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56 Morne Winnaar is looking for the opposition as Crimson King cruises home
Chase Liebenberg
KOTZEN’S KING RULES 57
Placed in the first two legs of the Becoming Champions Cape Winter Series, Glen Kotzen’s Crimson King owned the third leg when he charged to a convincing victory in the R125 000 World Sports Betting Gr3 Pocket Power Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday. The son of Dynasty was Gr1 placed over a mile as a 2yo, and trying the 2400m for the first time on Saturday he showed that he could yet go on to better things when slamming a field that included second leg winner, Hoedspruit by an impressive 2,75 lengths. Clocking a time of 162,29 secs, which was marginally quicker than Marina a half hour earlier, Crimson King
in contention for much of the 2400m slog as PE raider Jaeger Moon led the charge. Halfway down the straight, Morne Winnaar set the Woodhill Racing gelding alight and the son of Dynasty turned on the jets to grab a match-winning lead. Kept balanced by Winnaar, Crimson King (6-1) won easily, with the connections rewarded for their loyalty to the Cape rider. Snaith filled the places with Hoedspruit (5-2) and Somerset Maugham (7-2) completing the trifecta. Bred by Ridgemont Highlands who enjoyed a good day after their offspring filled to the top two places in the Olympic Duel Stakes earlier on in the day, the winner is out of the three-
time winning Mogok mare, Cup Of Rubies. A R200 000 graduate of the 2019 BSA KZN Yearling Sale, Crimson King has won 2 races with 4 places from his 10 starts for stakes of R195 750. Part owner Peter de Beyer also enjoyed a good afternoon. He bred and races Pretty Betty who won the Ladies Mile earlier and is a partner in Crimson King. De Beyer extended congratulations to Greenstreet Bloodstock, his partners in Crimson King, for whom this was an 100th winner. It was also afirst graded race success for partner Andre Louw.
The Merits CRIMSON KING has had his merit rating raised from 103 to 110 following his fluent success in the Grade 3 WSB Pocket Power Stakes (formerly the Winter Derby) for three-year-olds over 2400m on the Kenilworth winter course on
Saturday. The Handicappers were of the view that second placed HOEDSPRUIT made for the only satisfactory line horse in a race which produced a strung-out finish and in which many of the contestants appeared to struggle with seeing
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out 2400m in very soft conditions. As such his rating remains unchanged on 108. In fact, the winner’s increase aside, there were no other changes made to the ratings of any of the other runners in this event.
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62 Pomp And Power (noseband) finishes strongly under Richard Fourie to beat Waiting For Summer (Keagan de Melo) and pacemaker Night Ruler (Grant van Niekerk) in a favourable result
Chase Liebenberg
POMP & POWER – PERFECT! 63
With the winter sun lazily poking his nose through a cloudy sky, the Kenilworth Saturday feature programme got under way on soft ground as Justin Snaith favourite Pomp And Power made it a hat-trick of wins with a well earned feature success in the R100 000 Goals And Gallops Gr3 Langerman. The going was declared soft after 70mm of rain in the previous seven days and punters may have expected a tricky result. But things started well on the six feature card. With his stablemate Night Ruler doing the donkey work in the 1500m feature, Pomp And Power relaxed in second
with the Bass-Robinson challenger Waiting For Summer a length back in third. Beyond a brief awkward moment on the bend, Richard Fourie rode a copybook race on the even money favourite as the son of Vercingetorix exerted himself and went past the leader with 200m to run. But recent maiden winner Waiting For Summer was enjoying the underfoot conditions and took the Snaith topweight on. In an exciting finish in the six horse field, Pomp And Power was too strong and gave Waiting For Summer two kilos and a neck beating in a time of 100, 36 secs. Night Ruler ran a game race
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but tired late for third. The winner is raced by the big hitting trio of Greg Bortz, Etienne Braun and Marsh Shirtliff and looks full value for his R250 000 National Yearling Sale price tag. A winner now of 3 races from 4 starts and stakes of R128 400, Pomp And Power was bred by Maine Chance from their terrific new generation sire Vercingetorix (Silvano). The winner is out of the unraced Candy Stripes mare, Peru – a half sister to champion, Paraca. Best remembered from this lovely family will be the Stan Elley star Punta Arenas, who gave the Badge Boys such thrills.
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66 Greg Cheyne steers Capitana to victory as fellow Ridgemonter Iris (Callan Murray) flies up the outside – Phil’s Dancer (Richard Fourie) is against the rail in third
Chase Liebenberg
RIDGEMONT RULES, OKAY! 67
The Ridgemont Racing team enjoyed a triumphant exacta in the R85 000 Computaform Online Listed Olympic Duel Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday. The Ridgemont Highlandsbreds in the famous dark green, blue and white flag dominated the finish with the Brett Crawford-trained Capitana holding off the attentions of Candice Bass-Robinson’s recent Listed Mikwood Stakes winner, Iris. In a race that local veteran
Tellytrack presenter Stan Elley labelled ‘the most open on the card’, things went mostly according to plan after the consistent Capitana overtook the long-time leader Phil’s Dancer at the 250m to register her first stakes strike. Ridgemont Highlands sponsored jockey Greg Cheyne rode a confident race as he produced the daughter of Captain Al (Al Mufti) late at 4-1 to beat the year younger Iris (12-1) by 0,40 lengths in a time of 75,37 secs. Snaith’s Phil’s Dancer (9-2) is
a very pacy filly and she was not disgraced, 0,75 lengths back in third. Casino Queen (5-1) could be one for the notebook. She stormed into fourth after lagging behind for much of the journey. Interestingly, the winner packed with speed but is out of the Galileo mare Exotic, who won at 2400m in Ireland. Capitana has won 5 races with 5 places from 11 starts for stakes of R225 060.
The Merits CAPITANA has had her rating increased from 98 to 101 after she won the Listed Computaform Online Olympic Duel Stakes, a handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m at Kenilworth on Saturday. It was the ever-consistent 3rd placed PHIL’S DANCER
who was used as the line horse here, which leaves her rating unaltered on 100. 2nd placed IRIS was raised from 95 to 97, while 4th finisher CASINO QUEEN – who carried 1.5 kgs overweight – was picked up from 86 to 88. There were ratings drops for no fewer than five horses.
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SOCIAL BUTTERFLY is down from 87 to 86, ON CAPTAIN’S SIDE was dropped to 82 from 84, VERONICA MARS is down from 94 to 90, QUEEN OF QUIET goes from 96 to 94, and lastly BOOMPS A DAISY was dropped from 93 to 92.
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70 Vodacom Durban July contender Kommetdieding – his broodmare sire is Captain Al
Chase Liebenberg
CAPTAINS OF THE HEART! 71
A striking factor in Saturday's local racing was the success enjoyed by daughters of Captain Al. Captain Al filly Capitana became her sire's 105th stakes winner when she won the Listed Computaform Online Olympic Duel Stakes, while Listed www.caperacing.co.za Ladies Mile winner Pretty Betty is out of the Captain Al mare Betty Burke. Another Captain Al mare, Gr2 Sceptre Stakes winner Princess Royal, is the dam of Saturday's Hollywood Syndicate eyecatching maiden winner Platinum Sky (by Silvano), while impressive debut winner Vertigo Again (Vercingetorix) is out of the Captain Al daughter Heliane.
up a fine record when sent to Var, with that cross having produced the likes of Gr1 winner Eden Roc and fellow graded stakes winners Ghaalla, Vars Vicky, and William The Silent. Both Betty Burke and Princess Royal are proven high-class producers, with Betty Burke having previously produced Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes/G3 Champagne Stakes winner Freedom Charter and Sophomore Sprint winner Ernie (both by Elusive Fort), while Princess Royal is the dam of this season's Gr2 Western Cape Fillies Championship/Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes winner Princess Calla (Flower Alley).
Yet another Captain Al mare, Seminole, is the dam of not only this season's Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes winner Vars Vicky but also recent debut winner Winter Renegade (What A Winter).
Captain Al mares have already produced Gr1 winners such as Eden Roc, Gunner, Potent Power, Same Jurisdiction and Vercingetorix, as well as the likes of the aforementioned Princess Calla, and fellow graded stakes winners Love Bomb, Head Honcho, Bunker Hunt, Kommetdieding, and Basadi Faith.
Captain Al mares have built
The superbly bred Capitana will
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hold plenty of appeal when she retires to stud. Not only is she a daughter of a multiple champion sire, but her dam Exotic is a Galileo daughter of Irish Oaks runner up Ice Queen. Capitana traces back directly in female line to Mill Princess (Mill Reef) - the dam of Breeders' Cup Mile winner and champion sire Last Tycoon and fourth dam of promising young South African sire, and Gr1 Ranvet Stakes winner, The United States. Captain Al daughters look set to continue their success on Vodacom Durban July day at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday. His daughter Captain's Ransom looks a leading contender for Saturday's Gr1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes. Captain Al is also broodmare sire of two other runners in this year's Garden Province Stakes, while he is broodmare sire of Gr1 Vodacom Durban July contender Kommetdieding.
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74 Louis Mxothwa keeps Pretty Betty ahead of the pack as Grant van Niekerk and Rain In Newmarket have to settle for second
Chase Liebenberg
NO BEATING BETTY! 75
Talented East Cape jockey Louis Mxothwa will have his first Vodacom Durban July ride for Justin Snaith on Saturday. And ironically it took a powerful well-judged front-running demonstration by Mxothwa to stop the Snaith juggernaut at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Betty in the front as he led all the way to win the R85 000 www.caperacing.co.za Listed Ladies Mile.
The Joburg-born son of a Groom, Mxothwa is carded to partner Crown Towers for the powerful Snaith team in the July. And he also rode the first winner of his career for the family operation.
But she relished the underfoot conditions and stayed on relentlessly – in fact she never looked in danger of being passed – to beat the joint favourite, the promising Rain In Newmarket (16-10) by 1,25 lengths in a time of 109,18 secs.
But he had only one goal on Saturday and that was to keep Mike Stewart’s Pretty
Bred and owned in partnership with Paul Barrett by leading breeder Peter de Beyer, Pretty Betty (5-2) looked to have it all to do with the senior duo in the race.
The runner-up’s stablemate
Sleeping Single (5-2) was thereabouts for a long way, but was beaten a neck into third after tiring in the latter stages. A well-related daughter of Varsfontein’s Jet Master stallion Master Of My Fate, Pretty Betty is out of the one-time winner Betty Burke (Captain Al) who was also raced by Mr de Beyer. Pretty Betty was registering her first stakes win here and took her tally to 4 wins with 2 places from her 7 starts. She has earned R158 600 and looks to have lots more to come.
The Merits PRETTY BETTY has had her rating raised from 91 to 97 after she captured the www.caperacing.co.za Ladies Mile for fillies and mares over 1600m at Kenilworth on Saturday. It was 4th finisher LEMON
DELIGHT who was deemed to make for the best line horse here, and accordingly she remains unchanged on a mark of 97. The only other increase was for 2nd placed RAIN IN NEWMARKET, who goes up from 99 to 102, but
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there were ratings drops for three horses. 3rd placed SLEEPING SINGLE is down from 108 to 105, SING OUT LOUD drops to 104 from 109, and lastly LA QUINTA was cut from 98 to 96.
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78 Candice Bass-Robinson welcomes Marina and Keagan de Melo to the winner’s enclosure after her stakes win on Saturday
Chase Liebenberg
SPIRIT OF A TOP FAMILY 79
Candice Bass-Robinson and Keagan de Melo will team up in the Vodacom Durban July this weekend with outsider Sovereign Spirit. The duo enjoyed a confidence-boosting success when Marina ran out a popular winner of the R85 000 World Sports Betting Listed River Jetez Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday. While Sovereign Spirit is quoted at 33-1 with Hollywoodbets for the big race, there might have been a timeous alignment of the stars and a pointer for the superstitious backers in the chestnut Marina’s emphatic victory – her brother Marinaresco was the Milnerton lady trainer’s first Vodacom Durban July winner in 2017. But the moment on Saturday belonged to the Silvano filly who runs in an illustrious partnership of Mauritzfontein,
Mike Bass, Freddie Green, Bryn Ressell and Marsh Shirtliff. Making light of her 60kgs over the testing 2400m, the odds-on Marina loped along behind as Pink Tourmaline cut out a modest gallop up-front. At the 350m, De Melo produced Marina and she simply broke their hearts in a matter of strides to win unextended by 2,25 lengths in a time of 162,66 secs. Justin Snaith and Richard Fourie were in the photo as usual as Katie To (20-1) came out best for second. The exacta paid a generous R14 on the tote. The rest were well beaten with Musical Glitch (12-1) a further 4,50 lengths away in a strung out field. This victory meant that Marina won two of the three legs of the WSB Cape Winter
Series for the girls. A commendable performance as she didn’t run in the opener – choosing rather to take on the boys. She wasn’t disgraced running third behind Warrior in the WSB Gr3 Legal Eagle Stakes (formerly the Winter Guineas). As mentioned, Marina is a full-sister to the stable’s former Equus Champion and Vodacom Durban July winner Marinaresco and the race is appropriately named too – River Jetez won the 2010 Met for the trainer’s legendary Dad, Mike – who owns a share of the winner. A progressive winner of 6 races with 2 places from 10 starts for stakes of R248 400 the Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein-bred Marina is by retired multiple SA Champion sire Silvano (Lomitas) out of the twicewinning Fort Wood mare, Gay Fortuna.
The Merits MARINA has had her rating raised from 106 to 108 following her easy win in the Listed WSB River Jetez Stakes (formerly the Winter Oaks) for threeyear-old fillies over 2400m at Kenilworth on Saturday. It was 3rd placed MUSICAL GLITCH who was used as
the line horse here, which leaves her unaltered on a mark of 94. 2nd placed KATIE DO was raised from 80 to 100. It was noted that she was racing beyond 1600m for the first time and that she was staying on well at the finish, strongly suggesting that the big rise in distance made the
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major improvement shown believable, and accordingly the handicappers opted to take her performance literally and raise her rating to the 100 actually achieved.
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Chase Liebenberg
Richard Fourie guides Maria Querol to an easy victory
MARIA GRABS A HAT-TRICK Justin Snaith has some important Vodacom Durban July business on his hands on the East Coast this coming weekend. The Cape Champion enjoyed a terrific dress rehearsal at his Kenilworth home base on Saturday, winning the first three races on the card, including a feature double.
The 1500m fairer sex feature was a clinical walk in the park for the Maine Chance & Coolmore bred daughter of Querari and a mirror of the earlier feature.
Richard Fourie shared in the feature celebrations and, as he had done on Pomp And Power in the Langerman a half hour earlier, registered the hat-trick on Maria Querol in the R85 000 Tabonline.co.za Listed Irridescence Stakes.
Despite a game late challenge from recent maiden winner Amanzimtoti (7-2), it was race over and the Zaki Podcast banker was home as Maria Querol drew off to win easily by 3,25 lengths in a time of 100,41 secs.
Fourie stalked the pacemaker Treasure Hunt all the way round and confidently pounced at the 300m marker on the 4-1 joint topweight.
The favourite Santa Maria
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(3-1) stayed on without threatening in third. The winner races in a partnership of Braam van Huyssteen and former KR Director Greg Bortz, who is also a partner in the Langerman winner. Bred by Maine Chance & Coolmore, Maria Querol was a R225 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale buy. She is by Querari (Oasis Dream) out of the twice winning Dynasty mare, Maria Theresa. This was her first black-type success and Maria Querol took her stakes earning to R138 150 with her third win and 1 place from five starts.
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84 Luke Ferraris gets Carioca staying on powerfully to hold off Calvin Habib on outsider, Forest Field
Pauline Herman
VAR HITS 55 OF THE BLACK TYPE 85
Rocky. That was one way to describe the landscape for exotic punters at Fairview on Friday. And the conditions weren’t helped with the failure of East Cape Horse Of The Year World Radar to produce her true form in the day’s feature, the R85 000 Listed East Cape Breeders Stakes. Three tote favourites won over the eight races on the East Cape turf, and one of those missing was the odds-on World Radar, who simply didn’t put her best hoof forward and ran out of the
money as her gutsy Alan Greeff-trained stablemate Carioca stayed on powerfully at 7-1 to give Avontuur jockey Luke Ferraris his second winner of the day, and beat the 66-1 Forest Field by a half length in a time of 69,53 secs. But couplings count for less than nothing these days as the Jackpot dividend of R43 654 reflected the mayhem. The Pick 6 was only won by a fraction, paying out R465 528-90, with R350 836-60 carried over to who knows when.
The Avontuur-bred victress is the 55th black type winner for the top Stellenbosch farm’s senior statesman Var and is out of the General Nediym mare Miss Ipanema-a three time winner over 1400m and runner up in the Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes. A R1 million 2017 Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate, Carioca has now won 9 races with 12 places from 35 starts for stakes of R524 700.
The Merits CARIOCA remains unchanged on a rating of 104 after she captured the Listed East Cape Breeders Stakes for fillies and mares over 1200m on the Fairview turf course last Friday. It was in fact CARIOCA herself who was used as the line horse, which is the reason for her unaltered rating. The Handicappers were presented with a problem when assessing runner-up FOREST FIELD, who as a late five-year-old
put up a performance far above anything previously achieved in her career. She came into the race rated 75 and achieved a rating of 103. It was felt that the best option was to not take this sudden improvement at face value and opted to adjust FOREST FIELD by half the achieved 28-pound improvement. Accordingly, she has been given a mark of 89. The only other increase was
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for 4th placed TRICKSTER, who is up from 95 to 97, but there were ratings drops for several runners. WORLD RADAR is down from 109 to 107, LA BELLA MIA was trimmed from 100 to 99, SPRING BREAK is down to 90 from 91, and lastly VODKA LIME was dropped from 83 to 80.
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Design by Winning Media
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Candiese Lenferna Gavin Lerena steers Copper Mountain to an easy win
KZN BREEDERS WIN BIG The Rathmor Stud-bred Copper Mountain showed the value of his Gr1 form behind Vodacom Durban July favourite Got The Greenlight, when he cruised to a popular victory in the stakes rejuvenated R600 000 KZN Breeders Mile at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday. The only turf contest on the eight race annual KZN Breeders Race Day which was populated exclusively by horses registered with the KZN Breeders Premium Scheme, produced a massively favourable result for exotic punters. Gavin Lerena, who partners Kommetdieding in the Vodacom Durban July on Saturday, rode a confident race in the Wernars family silks on the Noble Tune
gelding for trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren. Relaxed near the rear as the grey Willow Express cut out something of what looked to be a potentially dangerously dictatorial pace, Copper Mountain (4-10) confirmed his early classic potential with a smooth win to beat stablemate Chijmes (8-1) by a facile 1,70 lengths in a time of 99,51 secs. The pacemaker Willow Express (8-1) had little to offer late and plodded a further 1,60 lengths back in third. KZN Breeders Chair Cathy Martin said that the body had twisted Gold Circle CEO Michel Nairac’s arm to have the KZN Breeders Mile stakes increased by R100 000, to R600 000 and the seven supporting races from R100 000 to R120 000 each. 90
The Wernars are big supporters of racing in the holiday province and banked a BSA sales voucher for R20 000, with the second and third placers each pocketing R10 000. The vouchers can be utilised towards the purchase of a #kznbred yearling at the 2021 BSA Two Year Old Sales in August and November. Copper Mountain was a bargain buy at R80 000 on the KZN Yearling Sale and took his career earnings to R757 100. A winner of 4 races with 6 places from 12 starts, the Rathmor product is by Noble Tune (Unbridled’s Song) out of the well established winner producing Fort Wood mare, Royal Aspen.
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SALES DATES & ADDED INCENTIVES! While the future remains uncertain as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the BSA management team are determined to work closely with breeders to navigate a workable solution to the current challenges. The following sale options are open to vendors: July Online Sale The sale runs from 7 July (08h00) to 9 July (from 12h00). Entries close on Monday 28 June. BSA August 2yo Sale
The sale will be held at the TBA Sales Complex in Johannesburg on 20 and 21 August. Entries close on Monday 28 June.
at Turffontein on a date to be confirmed, and also at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Vodacom Durban July day, in 2022.
BSA November 2yo Sale
The very popular BSA Value Added Maiden Juvenile Stakes Programme for 2yo’s also applies to all of the three aforementioned sales.
This sale is scheduled for 20 November in Johannesburg. Entries close on Friday 10 September. In an exciting innovation, four races will be linked to all of the above three sales and will be contested for a guaranteed stake of R400 000 each. Separate races for fillies and for colts/geldings will be held
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Bloodstock South Africa would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to Phumelela and Gold Circle for accommodating the four races on their racing programmes in 2022.
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CTS
UNBROKEN 2-Y-O’S... Welcome At Ready To Run Sale! Cape Thoroughbred Sales (CTS) is once again inviting all breeders and owners to enter their unbroken two-year-olds into the CTS Ready To Run and Unbroken Two-Year-Old Sale scheduled for Sunday, 31 October, 2021. Having partnered with Cape Racing for the 2021 hosting, the sale will be held at Kenilworth Racecourse and is an excellent and safe option to sell two-year-olds that are ready to race; those who are a little behind in their development and not yet broken in, and those who were left unsold from previous or cancelled sales.
Grant Knowles, Managing Director of CTS, commented: “Figures show that the unbroken two-year-olds on last year’s Ready To Run Sale sold almost 7% more than the Ready To Run lots, which indicates that vendors should not be concerned about a lack of attention for their entries. As the statistics show, all entries have a fair chance of being sold, and all entries will be eligible for the associated sales race. We have received a number of requests to extend the deadline for entries from 1 July to mid-August 2021, in an attempt to accommodate everyone. Therefore, the deadline for en-
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tries has been extended until 20 August 2021.” The 2021 R2R Sale will be preceded by the R2R gallops on Friday, 29 October, followed by the R2R Stakes Race on Saturday, 30 October. CTS and Cape Racing have joined forces to stage the 2021 De Grendel Ready To Run Stakes for prize money of R900,000. The entry form can be found online, here. For more information, please contact: Managing Director, Grant Knowles on 082 882 9774
Candiese Lenferna
and preferred to run a small string of horses as he said that more owners meant more responsibility. Talktothestars was his first feature strike when the son of Overlord won the Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes at Turffontein in March 2016. Two months later the gelding won the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. Coenie once suggested that bringing new owners into the game is even harder at tough times like these.
Coenie enjoys Talktothestars’ Gr1 victory in 2016
COENIE WILL BE SADLY MISSED Charismatic Gr1 winning Vaal trainer Coenie de Beer passed away late on Friday. The Sporting Post has learnt that the 62 year old was in ICU on a ventilator. De Beer is best remembered for saddling the Overlord gelding Talktothestars to win the 2016 Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint – unshod.
The De Beer family hailed from the Vryburg area. His father Dawie was a successful trainer of feature winners from his base 350km from Johannesburg. Coenie started out as a teenager with a day-licence riding at Bloemfontein in the days when Muis Roberts was still an apprentice. He trained from the mid 1980’s
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“They put their money down, but they lose interest when they see the training bills every month. It’s not that hard getting new owners involved in racing. It’s very hard, however, to find owners who truly love and understand the game and who will keep going through rising costs and injuries and awkward programming and mediocre stakes and all the problems typical to racing. Only a small percentage of owners will ever make a profit from the game, the rest must be in it for love and passion or not at all.” Rest in peace as you talk to the stars, Coenie. Here’s a great memory – watch the clip by clicking on the link
updated 2021-06-29
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 A C Greeff
1194 921 973 542 957
187 140 126 82 131
154 115 110 72 133
126 91 107 59 129
15.7 15.2 12.9 15.1 13.7
Other Places Place % 156 92 113 64 122
436 298 330 195 384
36.5 32.4 33.9 36.0 40.1
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
9,248,425 13,834,175 7,566,700 11,525,800 6,034,300 10,261,200 5,029,100 7,282,175 3,879,000 6,461,000
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
1587 1060 807 810 1099
206 133 84 101 117
182 128 95 129 113
244 166 146 135 133
15.4 15.7 18.1 16.7 12.1
Other Places Place % 236 157 102 120 142
624 418 281 350 372
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
39.3 10,370,975 16,098,850 39.4 9,628,475 13,968,475 34.8 6,913,000 10,166,113 43.2 4,156,800 6,714,425 33.8 7,863,150 11,701,075
BREEDERS Name
B.T. B.T. Total Runrs Runs AEPR Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Wins Stakes (R) Rnrs %
Wilgerbosdri� & Mauritzfontein Klawervlei Stud Summerhill Stud (Pty) Ltd Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) Varsfontein Stud
303 434 220
1654 56,610 143 2420 39,013 157 1281 49,330 76
165 132
885 61,712 743 59,982
85 58
220 224 137
47.2 36.2 34.5
559 795 352
10 10 7
17 17,152,963 13 16,931,488 16 10,852,613
150 96
51.5 43.9
331 248
10 7
12 10,182,450 13 7,917,600
SIRES Name Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) What A Winter Master Of My Fate Silvano (GER) Querari (GER)
Runrs Runs AEPR 192 178 185 163 205
1084 1019 1200 925 1164
56,359 50,010 46,956 51,850 39,803
B.T. Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Rnrs % 93 84 83 72 77
151 135 124 111 116
48.4 47.2 44.9 44.2 37.6
351 361 437 281 401
See all the detailed standings - Click here 96
12 4 6 7 5
B.T. Wins
Total Stakes (R)
15 6 7 12 6
10,820,875 8,901,725 8,686,800 8,451,575 8,159,700
ITALIAN PIZAZZ OR
BELGIAN FINESSE? Thorgan Hazard’s mighty fine swerving cracker earned a spot in the final eight for Belgium. The Red Devils will face Italy on Friday evening and I cannot wait for this one! The intricacy and patient approach of Belgium meets a robust and somewhat confident Italian blend of experience and heart-onyour-sleeve freedom. Ryan Liberty writes that the game will pit two incredible managers against each other and rest assured, you will get
every ounce of excitement for your money. Euro 2020 Quarter-final: Belgium vs Italy Preview To Win (90 mins) Belgium 47/20 Draw 43/20 Italy 5/4 To Qualify Belgium 12/10 Italy 6/10 Belgium Belgium wasn’t able to come away from their encounter with
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Portugal unscathed. Captain Kevin De Bruyne picked up an injury and could be in doubt against Italy. Roberto Martinez’s side survived an onslaught of pressure from Portugal in the second half and will want to bring that confidence into their quarter-final clash in Munich on Friday. Belgium managed to eventually grow into the game, but it was De Bruyne who was most influential in getting his countrymen up the pitch and asking questions in the final third.
I would tread carefully however, when writing off this Belgium side or the attacking options they hold. Much has been said about the form of Romelu Lukaku, the Inter Milan striker has been immense in Serie A domestically, and whilst that unbelievable form might not necessarily have been seen at Euro 2020, class is permanent (even at the risk of sounding incredibly cliché). The Belgium squad is littered with talent, and I don’t dispute that they could beat any side on their day. Nevertheless, I think De Bruyne is a massive cog in this red wheel and if he is to miss the fixture, he’ll be seriously missed. His creative and individual brilliance often gets his side out of trouble and allows them to turn defence into attack. Portugal tested their resolve and forced them to create something special to get through, Italy will likely be more of the same, so losing special players doesn’t help. Italy Italy needed an extra 30
minutes against Austria to ensure they got past the round of 16 stage. Austria certainly put in an inspired defensive performance and proved many people wrong – in that they deserved their spot and were not going to simply roll over for one of the more favoured nations in this Euro. Roberto Mancini will take plaudits for his late substitutions bringing on eventual goal scorers Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina. The Italian manager commented after that game that the test posed by Austria will prove more difficult than their quarter-final game, but I reckon that’s just tonguein-cheek and isn’t anything to be taken seriously. I suppose it’s fair to say that the performance from Italy was far from Italian beauty and definitely not one expected from this talented side. Their incredible clean sheet record didn’t seem to look comfortably in place, and without VAR Marko Arnautovic’s early goal would have stood. Italy was to eventually concede (after 1168 minutes of
football) but their defensive ability is still something that could separate them when the going gets tough. Prediction: Draw + Under 2.5 Goals (26/10) If Belgium get out of the gates quickly, they could unsettle Italy much like Austria. The Red Devils certainly have the side to get into the Italians’ faces and sustain an aggressive approach with more than enough quality. Italy would have taken a lot from their game with Austria and will want to be comfortable when the game seems to become cagey for extended periods. Mancini has shown he isn’t shy to tinker with the system and Martinez will want to ensure his side doesn’t allow their opponents to settle and impose themselves at any point. It’s going to be a chess match, played on the very edge of emotion and nerve. I don’t think there’ll be many goals, but it’ll still be an incredible watch.
CAN YOU HELP? CARING FOR EQUINES COSTS PLENTY! Please visit us at www.coastalhorsecareunit.org.za 98
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