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Cover Image Candiese Lenferna’s Equus 2021 Still Photography champion image of Springbok and Cell C Sharks Rugby Captain Siya Kolisi meeting the Peter Muscutt-trained Blackwhitedynamite v
SALUTING OUR STARS 4
Jessica Motaung and Neil Andrews – hosts on the evening
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Mike and Norma Rattray’s Ideal World champion Rainbow Bridge was crowned SA Horse Of The Year at the virtual Equus Awards broadcast on Tuesday evening, in one of the most closely contested tussles for national accolades seen in many a year. In a world where black-ties and fascinators have been replaced by booms and technology, for the second consecutive year SA racing’s ‘Oscars’ was broadcast from a television studio. The hosts on the evening were Clocking The Gallop’s Neil Andrews and Kaizer Chiefs Marketing Director and racehorse owner, Jessica Motaung. The initial consensus is that the show was polished and efficient and that the Equus panel – with a collective 175 years experience between them – of Graeme Hawkins, Alistair Cohen, Andrew Harrison, Jack Milner and Stan Elley, got it right – most of the time. It was good to hear interviews with the likes of Lyle Hewitson, Justin Snaith, Graeme Hawkins and Eric Sands, and while it will never replace the long evenings of old friends, many beers and bad dancing, it remains an important event on the
calendar. Now a 7yo, the Eric Sandstrained Rainbow Bridge continued the alternating trend of the sexes that started with Legal Eagle’s second consecutive SA Horse Of The Year crowning in 2016/17, and galloped off with three awards, topped by a thoroughly deserved SA Horse Of The Year acknowledgement. This season Rainbow Bridge won all of the Gr1 Cape Town Met, the IOS Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes and the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge. The outstanding gelding was also a short head runner-up in the Gr2 Green Point Stakes and ran second behind Champion 3yo Colt and Champion Miler Jet Dark, in the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. The Horse Of The Year category included eight dual Gr1 winners, with Paul Matchett’s SA Triple Tiara princess War Of Athena – crowned Champion 3yo Filly – the runaway selection for the title by Sporting Post readers. Interestingly, Vodacom Durban July winner Kommetdieding was runner-up in the poll, but cantered off empty-handed. Another ‘unlucky’ empty-hander was Vaughan Marshall’s smashingly talented Vodacom Durban July runner-up Linebacker, a dual Gr1 classic winner and a somewhat
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unlucky loser of the WSB Gr1 Cape Guineas. While beaten by Linebacker in their only clash following his L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate romp, Drakenstein-bred Jet Dark became the first horse for at least half a century to win dual open weightfor-age Gr1’s and picked up the Champion 3yo Colt and Champion Miler trophies. There can’t be too many years when an SA Triple Crown winner hits an Equus blank, but beyond a nomination in the Champion 3yo Colt and Champion Stayer categories, the Varsfontein-bred Malmoos failed to impress the judges. Sean Tarry’s Marshalls World Of Sport Gold Cup winner Nebraas won two Gr3 staying handicaps and he was preferred in the always lukewarm longhaul category. Outgoing SA Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding won two Highveld Gr1’s, and as the only dual elite level winner was not a surprise choice in the Champion Older Filly/Mare division. The Snaith Racing Team celebrated another trophy in the tightly contested Champion Sprinter category when the Normandy-bred Rio Querari beat three individual Gr1 winners . The Drakenstein-bred Rain In
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Lammerskraal Stud bred the Champion 2yo Colt winner Good Traveller, who affirmed for some the thought that the more recent your impact in the season, the better the panel views it.
Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes to round off his season, with a Gr3 victory and a Gr2 placing on his CV. He was beaten by Vaughan Marshall’s Ambiorix in the Gr1 Gold Medallion.
Glen Kotzen’s charge won the
hamishNIVENPhotography
Holland saw her breathtaking victory in the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville at the Marshalls World Of Sport Festival Of Racing clinch the Champion 2yo Filly trophy ahead of her Gr1 Allan Robertson winning stablemate, Under Your Spell.
Special achiever Graeme Hawkins
MEDIA MAKES IT HAPPEN! The horses weren’t the only stars at Equus on Tuesday evening and the Sporting Post is pleased to acknowledge our industry
colleagues, who received deserved accolades after a testing season for everybody involved at whatever level – in what feels like a shrinking
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world some days. While Larry Wainstein may well be tearing his hair out, we thank the current Racing
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insight to the game, was the Media Broadcast winner for his documentary, ‘A day in the life: Justin Snaith’. Some call him ‘grumpy’, but we quite enjoy him some days and there can’t be a better man to have lifted the newly reinstated Print Media Award than Gold Circle’s David Thiselton.
SA’s leading racing photographer, Candiese Lenferna Association management for boldly reintroducing the Equus media awards. An industrious 42 year old mother of two daughters, Candiese Lenferna was a deserved winner in the Equus Still Photography section for her image of Springbok and Cell C Sharks Rugby Captain Siya Kolisi meeting with the Peter Muscutt-trained Blackwhite-Dynamite. A past winner of the Anita Akal Industry Award, Candiese only purchased her first professional camera three years ago and has entrenched her position through sheer blood, sweat, tears and a keen eye at the forefront of South African racing photographers.
Another rising star in KZN, Gold Circle Publishing’s Tawanda Taruvinga, who in only a few years exposed to racing has introduced a novel
While short-priced favourite Dave Mollett was probably handicapped out of the race, or striding short, Thisel’s story about Vodacom Durban July winning owner Ashwin Reynolds being chuffed to be a part of SA History, was a great read. Semi-retired after close on 45 years in racing , the 66 year old Graeme Hawkins Candiese Lenferna
David Thiselton – great story about Kommetdieding’s owner
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deservedly received a Special Achievement Award. A racecaller, media friendly racing administrator and an auctioneer – he couldn’t tell us how many horses he has
called through the sales ring – Graeme will be on the podium again at the BSA National 2yo Sale on Friday and Saturday.
“I’m an Oupa!” he laughed as he said he was honoured to have received the acknowledgement.
We asked him what his current job title was these days.
Candiese Lenferna
Tawanda Taruvinga – energetic young talent
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EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21
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BREEDER AWARDS
MEDIA AWARDS
HUMAN CATEGORIES
Champion Broodmare Halfway to Heaven
Print David Thiselton
Champion Apprentice Kyle Strydom
Champion Stallion Gimmethegreenlight
Broadcast Tawanda Taruvinga
Champion Jockey Lyle Hewitson
Champion Breeder Klawervlei Stud
Still Photography Candiese Lenferna
Champion Trainer Justin Snaith
Outstanding Breeder Oldlands Stud
Champion Owner Suzette Viljoen
International Achievement Varsfontein Stud (Yulong Prince – Gr1 Cantala Stakes in Australia)
Special Achievement Award Graeme Hawkins
EQUINE CATEGORIES
Special Award to Groom of Horse of the year Dumasani Bonani
Horse of the Year Rainbow Bridge Champion 2yo Colt (Distance Immaterial) Good Traveller Champion 2yo Filly (Distance Immaterial) Rain In Holland Champion 3yo Colt (Distance Immaterial) Jet Dark Champion 3yo Filly (Distance Immaterial) War Of Athena Champion Older Male (Distance Immaterial) Rainbow Bridge Champion Older Filly/Mare (Distance Immaterial) Summer Pudding Champion Sprinter (1000-1200m, Age/gender Immaterial) Rio Querari Champion Miler (1400-1600m, Age/gender Immaterial) Jet Dark Champion Middle Distance 1800-2200m, Age/gender Immaterial) Rainbow Bridge Champion Stayer (2400m upwards, Age/gender Immaterial) Nebraas 9
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EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - E
EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 - EQUUS 2020/21 -
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Dates: 9 - 23 August 2021 11
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BRIDGE THE CHAMP… BUT ATHENA WAS THE POPULAR CHOICE!
It is clear that there is a major variance between popular and purist when it comes to selecting the SA Horse Of The Year! The Sporting Post in-house SA Horse Of The Year poll closed on Sunday evening, with the 3yo’s dominating. SA Triple Tiara princess War Of Athena and Vodacom Durban July winner Kommetdieing received over 83% of the vote between them. At the end of the day, Act Of War’s daughter War Of Athena was crowned the SP people’s choice with 45,92% of the
vote, ahead of Kommetdieding on 37,93%. Eventual Equus SA Horse Of The Year Rainbow Bridge, who is rated the top SA Horse in the Longines World Rankings, came in with 6%, ahead of Vaughan Marshall star Linebacker on 3,19% and Jet Dark on 2,43%. Only posters who touted Rainbow Bridge were considered for the case of Avontuur premiere wines and the best comment award related to the official SA Horse Of The Year goes to Tian van Taak, who said:
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Rainbow Bridge , pure class the only older horse that showed consistent form against all ages and and a variety of races in Distance and provinces. The other fact was he carried top weight each time that he raced and still kept a grade one winning record. In this regard I believe he should get the award. Well done Tian – a case of the good stuff is on its way to you. We thank Avontuur for supporting the cause and adding some needle and fun to the debate.
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JC Photos
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Another winning Wentzel moment!
WHEN WAR IS WONDERFUL South Africa’s fourth SA Triple Tiara princess and a filly that cost just R30 000 at sale, War Of Athena was crowned Equus Champion 3yo Filly at the virtual Equus Awards on Tuesday evening. Besides three smashing victories en route to the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara, War Of Athena also won the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 and a Grade 2 and a Grade 3 contest.
been involved in dressage and eventing her whole life. She and husband Roy have enjoyed an extraordinary run over the past season. Roy has been a racing fan for decades and was a prominent owner in Zimbabwe for some 30 years where his horses were trained in Harare by Paul Matchett.
“We are so thrilled and proud of our ‘Tinnie’,” an elated Dr Rose Waterman-Wentzel told the Sporting Post.
He had been out of the game for about 15 years when receiving a phone call from his son suggesting it was time his colours were seen in the winner's enclosure again. He met Rose during this period in the racing wilderness.
A physiotherapist by profession, Dr Wentzel has
On her R30 000 champion purchase, Dr Waterman said
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that when selecting a horse, she did a conformation inspection. “After that it is all in the eye and finally, and most importantly, if the horse ‘speaks’ to me. If that happens, that horse is coming home with me. War Of Athena was coming home with me and that was the end of that." Ed - Roy Wentzel’s daughter Lee-Anne Bromley wrote the poem on the adjoining page for War Of Athena.
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Candiese Lenferna
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Gr1 winner Sentbydestiny – cost just R80 000
BSA NATIONAL 2YO SALE – WHAT’S YOUR DESTINY...?
NO NEED TO BREAK THE BANK! The National 2YO Sale, which starts on Friday, continues to build on its reputation as one of the best value for money sales in the country. Last season, graduates which bolstered the auction's profile included Sentbydestiny, who won
the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes to provide a handsome return on her R80 000 purchase price, the dual Gr2 Gold Bracelet winner Running Brave, a snip at R30 000, while Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup hero African Adventure sold for just R40 000. Those that proved a bit more
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pricey included the Gr3 winners Ultra Magnus (R150 000), Don't Look Back (R240 000) and Wylie Wench (R600 000). A search into the sale's archives reveals a host of illustrious graduates, of which some went on to taste international success, yet were purchased without
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breaking the bank, so to speak. The remarkable filly Irridescence went through the ring for no more than R60 000, yet defied her modest purchase price to become the champion filly of her generation. She went on to excel on the international stage and joined London News as the second South African-bred winner of Sha Tin's revered Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, while placing at Gr1 level in both the States and the UK. Champion sprinter J J The Jet Plane showed what R70 000 can buy. After scoring a magnificent Gr1 hattrick in the Computaform, Golden Horse Casino and Mercury Sprints, he conquered the world with victories in the Gr1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint and Dubai's Al Quoz Sprint and won at Listed level in the UK, while reaching the frame in the prestigious Gr1 July Cup. Upon his return, he picked up right where he left off, winning the Golden Horse and Mercury Sprints for the second time and repeating as the country's top sprinter. He turned a tidy profit for his connections, his combined earnings totalling over R22 million. Another champion who made a ripple, rather than a splash
in the sales ring, was The Apache. Bred by the Scott Brothers, he cost owner Winston Chow no more than R80 000, yet rewarded him with a championship at three before embarking on an international career. Winner of the Gr2 Al Rashidiya and runner-up in the Gr1 Dubai Duty Free, the colt put up arguably his finest effort when crossing the line first in the fabled Gr1 Arlington Million, only to lose the race in the boardroom. Who can forget the redoubtable River Jetez? A R230 000 graduate and winner of the 2009 Gr1 J&B Met, the own sister to racing legend Pocket Power likewise became a globetrotter of note. Successful in Dubai's Gr2 Balanchine, she was runner-up in both the Gr1 Dubai Duty Free and Gr1 Singapore Airlines International Cup before crossing the pond to finish third in the Gr1 Beverly D Stakes at Arlington Park. Now a successful broodmare, she has achieved fame as the dam of the Gr1 winning sprinter Rivarine and Gr3 winner Delta Queen. Two Gr1 winning fillies acquired for a mere trifle were Asylum Seeker and Spiced Gold. The former was snapped up by trainer Roy Magner for just R50 000, quickly rewarded her connections with a Gr1 20
victory in the Golden Slipper and when she retired, had repaid her purchase price eleven times over. Incidentally, like so many top South African fillies, she found her way to Australia where she has produced a number of multiple winners. Sold for a similar price, Spiced Gold earned her Gr1 stripes in the SA Fillies Classic. Unlike exported Asylum Seeker, she found her way to Drakenstein Stud and is the dam of the wonderfully consistent sprinter Chimichuri Run, who went on to claim the 2019 Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint in track record time. Geoff Woodruff outlayed somewhat more when he paid R60 000 for the Casey Tibbs filly Festive Occasion, who carried Michael de Broglio's colours to victory in the Gr2 Oaks and went on to collect an Equus Award as the country's top female stayer. She reached new heights in the paddocks as the dam of Gr1 Woolavington 2000 victress Do You Remember and the fine stayer and Gr1 Vodacom Durban July second, Made To Conquer. It's a known fact that very few million Rand purchases ever recoup their purchase price, yet it would be remiss not to make mention of two graduates who managed to
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R230 000 graduate River Jetez justify their exalted price tags.
Cape Derby.
Jackson, the R1-million sales topper of the 2010 sale, went on to prove himself one of the best horses of his generation.
In 2014, Varsfontein Stud’s Susan Rowett created headlines during the final session when she bid a record R1,4-million for a daughter of Dynasty out of the prized blue hen Mystic Spring.
The Highlands-bred son of Dynasty earned more than R2 million in a stellar career which yielded six wins, the highlights of which his Gr1 treble of the Investec Cape Derby, Daily News 2000 and the Champions Cup. Significantly, he was one of just three horses to defeat dual Horse of the Year Variety Club when he swept past his rival in the Investec
The filly, a grey who featured a coat dappled with some eye-catching white spots, was a rare jewel in the catalogue and stood out both on looks and pedigree. She proved that was money well spent, winning the Gr1 Woolavington 2000, Paddock Stakes and Garden Province Stakes, in addition to
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which she claimed an Equus Award as the champion three-year-old filly of her generation. Whilst the above covers just a small selection of notable graduates, one thing is clear, that from international campaigners, to Gr1 winners and top broodmare prospects, the 2YO Sale continues to punch way above its weight.
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The Klawervlei Captain 26
Candiese Lenferna
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FRIDAY ON YOUR MIND…? The Klawervlei Captain 27
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The BSA National 2yo Sale starts at 12h00 on Friday when the first of the first day’s 140 lots will go through the ring. The second day on Saturday starts at 11h00 with #141 and will go through to the final lot, #316. The minimum bid is R15 000 and the sale is anticipated to progress at the rate of 30 lots per hour. Among the recent alumni are graded stakes winners of the ilk of Lady Of Steel, Nourbese and Out Of Your League,
while past stars sold off this auction include all of Asylum Seeker, Bela-Bela, J J The Jet Plane, River Jetez, Rock Opera, The Apache and Heversham-based stallion, Jackson.
The guide gives insight as to what to expect of the youngsters in terms of class, stamina, sale price.
The sale may be viewed live – please click here
Please click here to find the BSA National 2yo Sale Buyers Guide
The Sporting Post’s lot-by-lot preview may be found by clicking here A reminder that the Raceform Buyers Guide is a detailed summary of the dam and siblings of the 316 lots on offer.
It’s essential reading for the prospective buyer.
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Son of champion Jet Master – Pomodoro – at Klawervlei Stud, freshly crowned SA Champion Breeders
THE POWER OF POMODORO!
Crowned SA Champion Breeders for the second consecutive season at Equus on Tuesday evening, Klawervlei is home to a powerful roster of top notch stallions.
They are in full swing with their prep for the breeding season and boss John Koster has only great things to say about their 2012 Vodacom Durban July winner
Pomodoro, a son of champion Jet Master. “He is an immense stallion who is in great shape these days. Having stood at Klawervlei since 2014, it has been a pleasure to watch him turn into the incredible horse he is today. “He is fit and ready for the upcoming covering season!” adds Koster. 34
“Pomodoro really does have some wonderful characteristics and certainly is a looker. We have no doubt he’s passed on more than just his talent for winning to his progeny.” Koster says they have thoroughly enjoyed watching Gr1 winner Russian Rock in the 2020/2021 season, and they look forward to seeing the smashing grey bomber
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back for the 2022 season. Pomodoro’s Gr1 winners Russian Rock and Return Flight, as well as Cirillo, Cornish Pomodoro and Golden Belle are just a few of his stock that have hit the ground running. Gr2 winner Cirillo, who has won over R5,4 million in stakes, is a great benchmark for what this sire has to offer. Like his sire, he is game, bold and courageous and the seasoned breeder sums this up as the perfect combination for a top-class racehorse. “We are looking forward to some of our top fillies foaling down this season too. The likes of Green Plains, Desert Rhythm and Jackodore are currently in foal to Pomodoro
and we can’t wait to see their foals touch down.” “We also have a quality and very smart group of yearlings already lined up for the 2022 sales. There are plenty of exciting times to come.” With the BSA August Two Year Old Sale starting on Friday, John describes the ten Pomodoro two-year olds as ‘well pedigreed’. Lot 242 is a bay colt out of Gr3 Acacia Handicap winner Amur Affair, and a ½ brother to two winners. This strongboned colt will be sold from the Wilgerbosdrift draft. Another stand out colt by Pomodoro is Lot 56. A full-brother to a useful winner, this colt is out of a full-sister to
Gr1 Singapore Cup winner and Gr1 Dubai World Cup second Lizard’s Desire. He is on the Millstream Farm draft. “We are looking forward to a big year this upcoming season, with Pomodoro’s 3-year old crop being his biggest crop of mares served.” Pomdoro stands for a fee of R10 000 live foal. Don’t hesitate to contact John if you’re considering sending your mare to Pomodoro this season. John’s contact info is listed below: • Tel: +27 (023) 616 2980 • Cell: +27 (082) 880 7943 • email: john@klawervlei. co.za Chase Liebenberg
35 Gr1 winning son of Pomodoro – Russian Rock – ready for the new season
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Candiese Lenferna
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MEET ROMI BETTISON 43 Romi working her magic at the TBA Sales Complex in Johannesburg
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It’s Women’s Month and one of the many ladies making things happen at the BSA National 2yo Sale will be Romi Bettison. Born and bred in Cape Town, the daughter of a hobby photographer has been around horses from the tender age of seven.
bloodstock agent and consignor in Europe.
“Although no one in my family works or knows anything about horses, I couldn’t seem to stay away. I worked as a trail guide for three years whilst I was still in school.
“After I returned to South Africa, I moved to Piketberg to work as the assistant manager at Moutonshoek Stud, where I stayed for just over three years. During that time I also completed my Equine Veterinary nursing diploma. Working with Dr Bennie Van Der Merwe was fantastic, and it was really hands on. I learnt a great deal!” Romi says with a smile.
“As soon as I finished my schooling, I worked at Avontuur Stud with Pippa Mickleburgh doing night shifts during the foaling season. I was lucky enough to do two foaling seasons with Pippa and a yearling prep season at Klawervlei Stud in Bonnievale. I also temped in Beaufort West with the late Charlie Koster at the Klawervlei quarantine station,” Romi tells the Sporting Post. She was now fully immersed in the thoroughbred industry and had found her passion. She then headed off to the UK and completed the English National Stud course, staying in England for over two years. Following the National Stud, she worked as a stud groom with Ted Voute, a leading thoroughbred
After spending time learning from Ted Voute, Romi moved to a stud called Aston Mullins, breeders of Gr1 winning stallion Make Believe. She worked as a stud and eventing groom.
“I left Moutonshoek in 2018 and head back to the UK to do another sales season. I did three months that year and another three months again in 2019. I moved from sale to sale between England and Ireland,” she tells us. “My dad is a hobby photographer, so from a young age I was always interested in his camera. Having always done it as a hobby like my dad, I decided to start taking my photography a bit more seriously whilst in the UK. I looked into yearling photography and ended up working with the late and wonderful, Michael Price.
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“He was an incredible mentor to me and gave loads of insights into taking the perfect yearling photo. He showed me most of what I know today!” Romi reminisces. “Moutonshoek, Wilgerbosdrift and Winterbach Stud were my first clients here in South Africa and they have been with me ever since. They have given me fantastic support over the years and I don’t think I can ever thank them enough for all that they do.” Romi has managed to grow her client base quite drastically and now photographs approximately thirteen farms in the Cape for yearlings and other sales. She has a number of clients for various other equine related photography too. This includes stallions and foals to monthly client update photos. “I would really like to thank all my clients. This industry has supported me so much and I truly do appreciate every one of them!” Covid has been a really tough time for all, but Romi managed to find a light at the end of the tunnel. Gail Bulpitt of Wilgerbosdrift phoned Romi and asked if she could photograph and video her draft for the National Yearling Sale in 2020. With everyone
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worried the sale was going to be online, Gail wanted to be prepared. “I got my partner Dylan involved. He came with me to video their draft. It was a great success and because of those videos, we ended up videoing for a further nine studs that would be going to the National Yearling Sale.
“At the end of 2020, a friend, Kelly Pretorius, who was working for BSA as yard management and administration approached me. She was looking for someone to take over her position running the stable yard during the sales. “I obviously had my photography business as this point and had invested a large amount of money into it. I approached BSA with the idea in mind to do
some content creation on the studs leading up to the sale and also at the sale itself with Candiese Lenferna, as well as running the yard. They agreed to this and since then it has expanded to include a lot of the marketing side as well.” While Romi is currently at the TBA Sales complex for the August Two Year Old Sale, managing the yard and making sure things run smoothly, she concedes that her favourite part of the
Candiese Lenferna
“Once again, our wonderful industry supported me and kept me afloat even during dark times!” she says
enthusiastically.
Romi in the sales ring during her time with Moutonshoek Stud
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industry will still always be on the stud side. That is, working with the foals and weanlings, whether foaling or simply photographing them. As a well-supported woman in the industry, Romi gave her advice to other ladies wanting to join in. “You need to be willing to work hard and get your hands dirty! Learning to muck out a stable is just as important as any other job, and you need to show everyone that you
are willing to do what it takes. “I think it’s important to work in many different sectors of the industry so you can to find out where your passion lies. Try everything! From trimming feet to handling stallions. Work with the vets, farriers, grooms and managers. Ask them loads of questions, even if you think it may be a silly question - make mistakes and learn from them.
“And if you have the opportunity to work overseas, do it! It is great to see how different countries do things and how common it is for woman to work in all aspects of our industry overseas. While it is a tough industry, it is also a great one!”
WE’RE
HIRING! JOIN OUR TEAM
Bookkeeper / Administrator Cape Thoroughbred Sales is looking to employ a bookkeeper and administration assistant. The successful candidate will be expected to carry out the accounting function to trial balance. Experience in dealing with debtors and engaging with clients is required. You will be based at our offices in Durbanville, and will be expected to travel to and from meetings from time to time. If you are a team player, looking for an exciting challenge, and have a keen interest in horseracing and breeding, we would like to hear from you. Please forward your CV to Jacques at jchowles@cthbs.com
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Romi Bettinson
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47 Romi photographing her favourite subject – the foals
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Pauline Herman
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What A Winter stakes winner Whatever Next tops the first log
WHATEVER NEXT! GREEFF FLYER TOPS TABLE
There are only just over three days left for breeders and owners to enter for the 2021 renewal of the traditionally power-
ful CTS Ready To Run and Unbroken Two-Year-Old Sale scheduled for Sunday, 31 October, 2021.
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There is every chance that this year’s sale will produce more Graded and Stakes winners, and Grant Knowles, Managing Director of CTS,
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commented: “We have received several strong entries since we extended the deadline to 20 August, and we are expecting more as we head to deadline. The final lots for sale could be near the 140-mark.” The sale will be held at Kenilworth Racecourse, and 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 De Grendel Ready To Run Stakes, for prize money of
R900 000. The first log for the rich 1400m race was published earlier this week. The Final Field will be determined based on Merit Ratings at the time of Declarations. Should there be a need to favour one over the other with the same rating then number of wins prevail, failing that a draw will take place by ballot. Please note, horses with less than 3 runs and are still maidens do not qualify for an official merit rating as yet.
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See the initial table please click here The entry form for the sale can be found online please click here For more information, please contact: • Grant Knowles 082 882 9774
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58 Powerhouse Talk Of The Town (VAR – Street Sense by Street Cry) on the move
Chase Liebenberg
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EVERYBODY’S TALKING! 59
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Talk Of The Town is a handsome and athletic specimen with a stallion’s pedigree to match his movie star looks - and expectations are high that he will continue to build the dynasty launched by the fastest racehorse on earth. The VAR story needs no retelling. The pensioning of Avontuur’s four-legged flagship of excellence a matter of weeks ago had racing and breeding folk from all four corners of the globe wishing him a happy retirement. And now into the sizeable void steps Talk Of The Town. Avontuur GM Pippa Mickleburgh is upbeat and bubbling with enthusiasm about the new kid on the
block, who is ready to enter his second season at stud. “Just look at him. You gotta say, wow! He is big, strong and imposing. He has let down very well and has stamped his first two foals with his height and scope. That’s exciting as we all have medium-sized mares, who would benefit from the upgrade,” says the experienced Stud Manager. We asked Pippa what lines would work with Talk Of The Town. “The statistics are all there from VAR’S reign. He had a special affinity with Western Winter, Jet Master and Lecture mares, as a start. But breeders are well-informed and they only need to have a look at Talk Of The Town’s stallion pedigree to
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make their minds up.” Pippa adds that her new man is very fertile and represents terrific value at R7 000 live foal. “We believe in him. We’d like to get him a good start and that is why we have kept the cover affordable and are happy to look at discounted deals for multiple bookings. Please come and talk to us,” she says enthusiastically. And a stallion’s pedigree he certainly has. Talk Of The Town’s page includes the winners of 14 Gr 1 races – within the first three dams – and he is from one of the best families in the Australian Stud Book, with the first 3 generations including ten individual sires.
Chase Liebenberg
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Talk Of The Town – eye on the prize Between them the family have produced 282 Stakes winners, led by 54 Gr1 winners.
Talk Of The Town is out of the unraced Street Cry mare Street Wise, whose granddam is the outstanding Nijinsky II mare Dancing Show.
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The latter is granddam of the great Redoute’s Choice – sire of newly crowned champion freshman sire Rafeef, Wylie Hall, Time Thief and
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Redoute’s Promise, amongst others. The broodmare line has produced ten Gr1 winners. Street Cry is broodmare sire of the multiple Eclipse Award champion Zenyatta and World Horse of the decade, Winx, two of the greatest mares ever to set foot on a racetrack. Sold for R3 million at the CTS Emperor’s Palace Select Yearling Sale in 2017, Talk Of The Town was set for a bright future but was sadly forced into retirement for health reasons from racing after just 5 runs. He registered three wins on the trot from his last three starts. He even had multiple champion jockey Anton Marcus excited! Talk Of The Town was favourite for the 2018 CTS Million Mile, but was withdrawn and never raced again. Chase Liebenberg
Please give Pippa a call today – or email her on stud@avontuurestate.co.za
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Talk Of The Town’s first – a sensational daughter of She Will Rule (Dynasty)
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66 Voldermort flies home under Craig
Chase Liebenberg
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‘LISTENING ALWAYS BEATS TALKING’CRAIG BANTAM 67
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Growing up on the mean streets of Elsies River has given Cape jockey Craig Bantam a unique perspective on the new normal, or life as we now know it, under the dark cloud of the covid-19 pandemic. The son of a fisherman and a shopping mall cleaner, Craig wrestles the challenges that he faces with youthful vigour and a masked smile every day. ‘Umalume’, as he is affectionately known at the stables, Craig Bantam is very aware of the reality that he represents a beacon of light for the community where he grew up. Elsies River has produced such diverse talents as internationally renowned fashion designer Errol Arendz and SA Champion Jockey Andrew Fortune. But also its fair share of tragedy in a checkered history. And with unemployment at record levels – his Mom is amongst the casualties – Craig is very mindful of the stark 2021 reality facing thousands of people. “I am not famous or anything. But when I go back home to ‘Elsies’, I am aware that people do look up to me. I have a good job. I drive my own car. I have accomplished
something in my life. I am one of the fortunate few and, believe me, I count my lucky stars every day,” says the bright-eyed enthusiastic talent that has flown below the radar for much of his career. Craig rode a modest ten winners last season, but has no issues with getting to work bright and early. And after his flying start to the new term on Saturday, he is revved up and looking to set new goals. “I’m a morning person. So being a jockey is the perfect profession for me,” says the 25 year old as he sits down to chat to the Sporting Post after a rocket launch to the new season saw him booting home his first ride of the 2021/22 term at Kenilworth on Saturday. For a small fish in a vastly reduced pond that tends to look after the name brands a lot better, Craig is still working hard at building his name and confidence. And the 25 year old Manchester United fanatic could hardly have hoped for a better start as he rode a cracker on Vaughan Marshall’s Voldemort – a beautiful grey son of William Longsword, who won at his second start at Kenilworth on Saturday in the orange and blue flag of NHA Board Member, Ricky Sewgoolam. Craig had ridden the BBP
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Syndicate-bred colt to a ‘surprise fourth’ – in the words of the equally greying veteran trainer – on debut. The excited jockey proudly told the Sporting Post that he had learnt from the progressive youngster’s first start. “I wanted to get to the inside rail on Saturday after he had shifted in first time. He was a bit green again, but he knew better what to do. He was always travelling well down the inside rail and I think he will improve plenty from this.” And what of the hardknockers in the saddle – like Grant van Niekerk and Keagan de Melo- who were chasing him home, looking for him to fluff his lines and lose his poise and balance? “I ride against some top talented jockeys. But my horse carried the day. I knew the guys were there on my outside, but I kept my head, my focus and maintained my ride. We were pulling clear at the end. A senior jockey once told me that good horses make good jockeys. I’d love to ride a few more of these!” The second eldest in a family of six, Craig tells us that life was ‘quite tough’ growing up, but that his parents worked hard on fuelling his passion for soccer – he is a talented midfielder – and kept his mind
Chase Liebenberg
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Vaughan Marshall and his team lead Craig and Voldermot in on Matroosfontein Primary School and later Range High School. “I would be lying if I said my hometown was a good environment. But we lived in Epping Forest and life wasn’t bad. As a child, you don’t always see the despair and all the nonsense. You only know what you are used to.” We asked him if gangs and drugs had played a part in his childhood in one of the suburbs infamously listed as the ‘Cape Of Fear’, alongside the likes of the gang ravaged Manenberg, Hanover Park and Heideveld, to mention a few in the broader Peninsula.
“Thanks to my family – I have an older sister, as well as a younger brother and another sister – I never fell into that sort of distraction. I was really a good boy!” he laughs, almost shyly. Craig tells how another relatively ordinary day at Range High School in 2013, while he was doing Grade 11, became a lifechanger. “Mr Vince Curtis and Mr Terrance Welch came to do a presentation on a career as a jockey. I had dreamt – that was where it ended – about a job as a professional footballer, so the idea appealed to me – even though I didn’t know anything
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about horses. I was the right size and I was selected. That was literally the first day of the rest of my life, and I have never looked back – even though it hasn’t been easy!” Having hardly uttered, or even heard, a word of English throughout his life, Craig wisely repeated Grade 11 in 2014, his first year at the SA Jockey Academy. “I promise you that I didn’t speak for the first three months! I was excited but almost too embarrassed to try and say something in English without making a complete fool of myself.”
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But the likes of Eric Ngwane – still his best friend to this day – Mpume Mjoka and Calvin Ngcobo, made him comfortable and feel welcome, and the introverted Craig slowly came out of his semantic shell. “My parents always taught me to listen rather than speak. So I had a good grounding and plenty of practice in coping with my own silence in those first three months! But then one makes friends and we started talking.” Craig says it was difficult when he blundered with English pronounciations and using the wrong word. “They laughed at me. But I thought I need to take the
pain and start laughing too. Slowly I made progress and you can see from my post-race interview on Saturday, I am using bigger and better words these days!” Due to the closure of Clairwood at the time, and the unavailability of Hollywoodbets Scottsville, the academy moved apprentices away to centres with straight tracks to complete their qualifying rides. Craig booted home his first winner at the Vaal on 23 February 2016. The horse was the Judpot filly S’way, trained by Wallace Tolmay. “What a thrill – it was a 1200m race and I think it took just a few seconds! It was quite an interesting moment as I recall
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it was my first ride and Mr Tolmay’s final winner as a trainer. I will never forget it.” After spending a careershaping two years with former SA Champion Jockey Andrew Fortune at the Vaal, Craig is keen to up his game. “Mr Fortune taught me horsemanship and to think tactically – and to sit properly. He was a champion and a natural. I learnt a lot of things from him that I am trying to put to good use.” Craig feels that he has never ridden as many good horses at top stables that he is doing right now, and that this is his big chance. “I live with my girlfriend
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Lauren Diedericks in Century City, so I am within an easy drive of both Milnerton and Philippi. I spend 4 mornings a week riding for Mr Marshall and for Mrs Candice Bass-Robinson at Milnerton, and then do two mornings at Philippi where I try and work for Mr Mike Robinson, Mr Snaith and Mr Crawford.” We asked him how he enjoyed working for Vaughan Marshall, for whom he rode his season icebreaker. “Mr Marshall and his team are punctual, professional and polite. He doesn’t lose his temper. If he is not happy with a ride, he explains it. He
tells us to go back and look at it again. I also enjoy working with Ossie Noach. He is a great example to us younger jockeys. Craig lives a healthy lifestyle and can ride at 52kgs with ease.
for ‘Uncle’- in his morning chit chat with the stable staff, shares with us that his two primary goals are to ride 50 winners this term – initially it was 20 – and also to secure his first ride in the Cape Met.
“I try and watch what I eat. I also jog and I love playing indoor soccer. I have no excuses to not improve my strike-rate this season and I’m going all out.”
“I have to dream big. The Met ride is a major goal for me. If only some in my community have ever heard of horseracing, many have heard of the Met. One has to think positively and do the basics right repeatedly. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to the media. I appreciate the interest,” he says in closing.
He says that he is keen to travel if the opportunity presents itself. “I want to work and to work hard!” The man who picked up his nickname ‘Umalume’ – Zulu
Chase Liebenberg
71 Craig ‘Umalume’ Bantam – determined to enjoy an improved season
RIGHT UP THERE
A quick-return, big-value stallion!
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WITH THE BIG GUNS!
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FELIX’ HIGH FIVE
North Queensland jockey Jeffrey Felix achieved the incredible feat of riding the entire card of five winners at Prairie on Saturday. The feat is made even incredible by the fact Felix only had rides in four of the five races heading into the day, but a twist of fate gave him the opportunity for perfection. “I didn’t have a ride in the last race and then we were pulling up after the one before it and Keith Ballard said he was dehydrated and can’t make the last race,” he said. “He asked me if I wanted it and I said ‘You’ll be right, go drink some water and you’ll be fine’ because I was looking forward to getting out of there early because I didn’t have a ride. “He came back and said he can’t do it so I got it and then I went on to win.” As a North Queensland bush jockey, Felix racks up the kilometres on the road. After a dirty day in Mount Isa on Thursday, Felix could never have imagined what was waiting around the corner at the tiny town of Prairie, 340km southwest of Townsville with a population of 143 people. “Going to Prairie you never know what you’re getting until you get there, it’s all dependent on how the track is, how much dust there is and where the horses will be situated,” he said. “It was a great day, nowhere in the world have I come close to doing that before.” Not one of Felix’s five winners started favourite in the betting either. 75
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A MASTER IS GONE Coolmore announced that top stallion Mastercraftsman passed away at Castlehyde Stud on Friday morning following a suspected heart attack. The 15-year-old son of Danehill Dancer, bred by Lynch-Bages Ltd, was European Champion 2-Year-Old of 2018 having won the Gr1 National Stakes, Gr1 Phoenix Stakes and Gr2 Railway Stakes. The following season he won the Gr1 Irish 2,000 Guineas and the Gr1 St James’s Palace Stakes before running a fine second to Sea The Stars in the Gr1 Juddmonte International Stakes. An immediate success at stud, his first two-year-old crop included Group 1 Racing Post Trophy winner Kingston Hill who went on to win the Gr1 St Leger Stakes and was runner-up in the Group 1 Epsom Derby. Also from that first crop were Gr1 Irish Champion Stakes and Gr1 Prix du Jockey Club winner The Grey Gatsby along with Group 1 Falmouth Stakes and Gr1 Prix Rothschild heroine Amazing Maria. Arguably his best performer came in the shape of the Niarchos Family’s brilliant filly Alpha Centauri. She landed four straight Gr1 races as a three-year-old for Jessica Harrington namely the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Coronation Stakes, Falmouth Stakes and against the colts in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois sponsored by her owners. Alpha Centauri’s own-sister Discoveries landed a two-year-old maiden at the Curragh in late June for the same connections and looks like one to follow.
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CAPE STAR SETTLES IN SINGAPORE 78
World away from Milnerton! Katak in his new home at Kranji
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The dismal stakes situation in South Africa was one of the motivations for sending him overseas. And then our export protocols put the next knife in. The top horse effectively lost his entire 4yo season on the road. After a crazy incredibly expensive journey, Cape Winter Series star Katak is nearing the end of his first week with Ricardo Le Grange at Kranji in Singapore and is ‘settling in nicely’, according to his trainer. “Katak is in the stable. He arrived in Singapore on 20 July . He did a two week stint in quarantine. He has been with me from 4 August. He is a magnificent animal and is settling in nicely,” Le Grange told the Sporting Post. A South African, Le Grange trains a variety of horses for SA Owners, including Fred
Crabbia, and in the case of Katak, Marsh and Guy Shirtliff, as well as Bryn Ressell. The latter are involved with the now 5yo entire, Katak. The Ridgemont Highlandsbred son of Potala Palace was unbeaten in his only five starts in the care of Milnerton trainer Piet Steyn. He won from 1200m to 2400m during the 2019/20 season. He joined SA champion Pocket Power and African Night Sky as the only winners of the testing Cape Winter Series Triple Crown. The Winter Derby victory was his final start on African soil. At the time of the decision for Katak to emigrate, owner Marsh Shirtliff said that the scope for earnings in Singapore put even a
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prestigious race like the Met into perspective. Katak, a second crop son of Ridgemont-Highlands Singspiel Gr1 winner Potala Palace, is out of the Windrush three time winner, Sapphire Silk. We will be monitoring his progress in his new home.
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82 Oasis Dream – power in the paddock
Juddmonte Farms
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Despite having turned 21 this year, champion sprinter Oasis Dream continues to make his mark in major races around the world, featuring as a sire, sire of sires and broodmare sire of a number of notable black type winners recently. Oasis Dream’s current crop of two-year-olds include impressive Gr2 Superlative Stakes winner Native Trail as well as the luckless filly Desert Dreamer, runner up in all of the Gr2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes, Gr3 Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes and Listed Maureen Brittain Memorial Empress Fillies’ Stakes. Oasis Dream is also the sire of the talented four-year-old Grocer Jack, who finished second in the recent Gr1 Grosser Dallmayr-PreisBayerisches Zuchtrennen. At the time of writing, the triple Gr1 winning Oasis Dream had supplied more than 120 stakes winners, headed by 17 Gr1 winners. Oasis Dream’s maternal grandson, and last year’s Gr1 Lexus Melbourne Cup winner, Twilight Payment (Teofilo) made a welcome return to
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winning ways when he won Friday’s Gr3 Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial Stakes at the Curragh. Out of the Oasis Dream mare Dream On Buddy, the eight year old will bid to defend his Melbourne Cup title later in the year. Oasis Dream has also made his presence felt as a broodmare sire in South Africa- his Gr2 winning daughter Welwitschia is the dam of this season’s hugely exciting three-year-old Desert Miracle (Dynasty). The latter, a half-sister to Gr1 World Sports Betting Gauteng Summer Cup third Tree Tumbo (Silvano), won two of her four starts last season, running out a near eight length winner of the G2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper in the process. Oasis Dream, whose close relative Kingman is responsible for Sunday’s Gr1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le Buffard Jacques le Marois winner Palace Pier, has also had notable success as a sire of sires this year.
of Gr1 winners thus far, in the form of Helvic Dream (Tattersalls Gold Cup) and Laws Of Indices (Prix Jean Prat), while his Gimcrack Stakes winning son Showcasing is responsible for recent Gr1 Prix Maurice de Gheest runner up Tropbeau, Gr2 Richmond Stakes winner Asymmetric, and the useful two-year-old Project Dante. Showcasing is well established as a high-class sire, and also ranks as the sire of Gr1 winners Advertise, Mohaather, and Quiet Reflection, with his tally of black winners currently standing at over 50. Oasis Dream’s South African based Gr1 winning son Querari enjoyed notable success during the recently concluded 2020-2021 season. South Africa’s Leading Sire of 2YO’s in 2018-2019, Querari was responsible for six black type winners last season, headed by Gr1 4Racing Computaform Sprint hero Rio Querari, and fellow graded stakes winners Caya Coco and Maryah.
His Irish 2000 Guineas winning son Power has supplied a pair
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FAREWELL TO A LEGEND v
101 STAKES WINNERS AND A SIRE OF SIRES
Silvano and Monty Roberts
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Jeremy Nelson
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South African breeding and racing awoke on Wednesday to the sad news that Maine Chance Farms flagbearer and multiple SA Champion Sire Silvano has been euthanized after a serious bout of colic.
to an outbreak of African Horse Sickness.
He had retired a year earlier and was 25 years old. The son of Lomitas, a five times champion sire in South Africa, originally stood at stud in Germany.
A half-brother to Gr1 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap winning sire Sabiango (Acatenango) and a full-brother to the dam of Hemel ‘n Aarde’s Gr3 winning Dynasty sire Horizon, Silvano is one of ten winners produced by 11 time winning mare Spirit Of Eagles – America’s and Germany’s Broodmare Of The Year of 2001.
In a twist of fate that was to change the landscape in South African racing and breeding for decades, Silvano shuttled here in 2003 and was forced to stay, due
A champion globetrotting racehorse of his time, Silvano won seven races, while earning more than $4 000 000 in prize money, tasting success in all of Germany, Hong Kong,
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Singapore and the USA. He scored his most notable victory when landing the 2001 Gr1 Arlington Million At the virtual Equus Awards in 2020, Silvano claimed his fifth South African General Sires title. It was his fourth consecutive national title, having also been Champion Sire in South Africa back in 2012/13. Silvano also enjoyed success with his German conceived runners including champion, and Gr1 Deutsches Derby winner, Lucky Speed and group/graded stakes winners Fair Breeze, Proudinsky and German classic winner Mi
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Emma. Silvano, whose SA Horse Of The Year daughter Summer Pudding was crowned Champion Older Mare at Equus on the same evening, has a current tally of stakes winners that stands at over 100. With 25 Gr1 winning progeny, he is the best German stallion ever, ahead of legendary Monsun. The legend of the stallion
barn is also making his mark as a sire of sires, with his Gr1 Daily News 2000/Gr1 Jebel Hatta winning son Vercingetorix already showing championship aspirations. Silvano’s younger son Hawwaam has just joined the Wilgerbosdrift stallion roster. The champion’s dominance extended to the sales ring where his progeny were always sought after. He holds the South African record for a top-priced yearling,
set in 2019 when his colt Masaki sold for R9 million. In a press release published today, Maine Chance Farms said that Silvano was the last great Sire from the Nijinsky II male line – this legacy will continue with his incredible son Vercingetorix, a future champion sire. A key reason to acquire Maine Chance Farms in the beginning was Silvano – he had all the attributes to fit Jeremy Nelson
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South Africa as a Sire. We would like to thank all the great breeders who supported him in the first years – a horse from Germany with a strange pedigree and an owner they didn’t know! From all of us at Maine Chance Farms, his loyal
carers and everyone who supported him over the years, we say goodbye! Silvano will lie peacefully under the trees in his paddock where he will be laid to rest. Our thoughts are with the Jacobs family and the Maine Chance team today.
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South African racing has lost a legend. Please enjoy the video clip by Andrew Bon by clicking on the link below: https://youtu.be/ckMzdLkVebE
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Singapore Turf Club
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JP steers Gold Reward to victory for Ricardo Le Grange
JP & RICARDO FLYING THE FLAG
Ricardo Le Grange and fellow South African JP van der Merwe were back in the winner’s enclosure at Kranji in Singapore on Sunday. Van der Merwe is riding like a man possessed and he rode the first leg of a terrific personal double. Gold Reward was on a two week back up after a scintillating win with JP aboard and the Saffer duo went to the well again with the son of Warriors Reward,
who duly obliged with another tenacious win in the sixth race.
SG$50 000 in class 4 races,”said a pleased Ricardo Le Grange.
“For this old boy to go back to back at the age of 7 is really something special. Congratulations to good friends and long time owners the Yongs. I am always so happy to train winners for the family. And thanks to JP for another strong ride. Singapore, like all racing jurisdictions, has been effected by the pandemic but it’s still a very attractive country to race and own horses in. We are lucky to still be racing for
JP booted home Nate’s honour in the seventh race for Aussie trainer Tim Fitzsimmons.
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The 6yo son of Turffontein showed improvement under an inspired ride by the South Africa. The next Kranji meeting is scheduled for Sunday 22 August.
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York Racecourse
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FESTIVAL STARTS TODAY 94
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This year’s Ebor festival at York is expected to start on good ground today with a mostly clear forecast in the run up to the four-day meeting.
ratings and is the sole representative from the champion trainer’s yard on day. This looks a good opportunity for Mishriff to win his first group 1 on home soil.
The opening day highlight sees seven rivals compete for the prestigious Gr1 Juddmonte International run over 2100m.
The champion three-year-old filly from last season, Love is declared by Aidan O’Brien in place of her injured stablemate St Mark’s Basilica. The Galileo filly was victorious in the Yorkshire Oaks at this meeting last year and must be respected. She will have to improve though as she was nearly two lengths behind Mishriff in the King George last month.
The race jumps at 16h35, and Mishriff currently heads the market for the £1million prize. The son of Make Believe has already had a fine 2021 campaign with lucrative victories in the Saudi Cup and the Dubai Sheema Classic. Last time out he again ran another cracking race, finishing second to Derby hero Adayar in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. Reigning champion trainer John Gosden said: “I was very happy with his King George run. We’ve very much been targeting the Juddmonte. The slightly extended mile and a quarter, we feel that’s his best trip.” The four-year-old heads the Timeform weight-adjusted
A bigger threat could be the sophomore filly Alcohol Free who receives 10lb in age and sex allowances. This slightly framed filly was full value for her win in the Sussex Stakes accounting for the 2000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare. The question that this race will answer is whether this daughter of No Nay Never is just as effective over an extra 500m. Snowfall will face six rivals including Wonderful Tonight as she bids to emulate the great Enable by bringing up an Oaks treble in the Gr1 Darley
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Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday. Aidan O’Brien’s filly has improved out of all recognition this season since being stepped up in trip. She began her three-year-old campaign with an impressive front running victory over 10 furlongs at York in the Musidora and has since won two Classics. At Epsom she powered to a record sixteen length win in the Cazoo Oaks before following up adding the Irish Oaks, where she triumphed by over eight lengths. She will, however, face by far her toughest test to date in David Menuisier’s popular four-year-old Wonderful Tonight – herself a dual Group One-winner last season. This term she has won the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Lillie Langtry at Goodwood. Wonderful Tonight sets a high standard, but she must concede 9lb to the younger Snowfall. Menuisier said: “Obviously I’m hoping there’s a bit more rain, but if the ground is good, we’ll give it a go.”
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15h25 on Friday will see topclass stayer Stradivarius try to secure a third victory in the Gr2 Lonsdale Cup. He has won the two-mile Group event on two previous occasions. John Gosden is hoping the rain steers clear of the Knavesmire after withdrawing
his seven-year-old entire from the Goodwood Cup due to the soft going. Gosden said: “We’re going to York, a track he knows well, on ground he likes. The weather forecast looks promising. He’s in great form.”
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It’s a pity that his highest rated challenger, Trueshan, is also ground dependent, but this son of Planteur relishes soft underfoot conditions which may not materialise on the day. A rematch would be most entertaining.
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results up to: 2021-08-18
TRAINERS Name Mr G D Smith Mr P A Peter Mr A C Greeff Mr S J Snaith Mr S G Tarry
Runs
Wins Win%
87 47 60 41 25
17 9 8 8 6
19.5 19.1 13.3 19.5 24,0
Other Places Place %
2nd
3rd
11 5 6 4 3
9 6 8 6 2
2nd
3rd
16 5 4 8 6
12 4 11 6 10
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
43.7 36.2 46.7 31.7 32,0
637,500 340,500 300,000 278,000 270,000
862,500 503,750 448,500 376,500 346,750
Other Places Place %
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
1,174,000 715,500 533,500 390,300 327,600
1,554,750 926,000 745,350 559,500 579,875
18 6 14 3 3
38 17 28 13 8
JOCKEYS Name Mr W B Kennedy Mr L Hewitson Mr S Khumalo Mr R D Fourie Mr C Zackey
Runs Wins Win% 107 40 66 40 61
25 13 12 10 9
23.4 32.5 18.2 25.0 14.8
15 4 14 5 14
43 13 29 19 30
40.2 32.5 43.9 47.5 49.2
BREEDERS Name
B.T. B.T. Total Runrs Runs AEPR Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Wins Stakes (R) Rnrs %
Klawervlei Stud Wilgerbosdri� & Mauritzfontein Summerhill Stud (Pty) Ltd Varsfontein Stud Ridgemont Highlands
85 65 46 38 27
93 75 52 41 29
6,786 8,688 10,723 8,299 9,595
9 7 6 5 5
9 7 7 5 5
10.6 10.8 13.0 13.2 18.5
30 35 21 15 11
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
576,775 564,700 493,250 315,350 259,075
SIRES Name Master Of My Fate Visionaire (USA) Elusive Fort Duke Of Marmalade (IRE) Pathfork (USA)
Runrs Runs AEPR 40 26 39 32 26
44 29 47 41 28
10,583 15,019 10,008 11,957 12,771
B.T. Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Rnrs % 7 5 7 6 6
7 6 7 6 6
17.5 19.2 17.9 18.8 23.1
20 10 19 18 13
See all the detailed standings - Click here 98
0 0 0 0 0
B.T. Wins 0 0 0 0 0
Total Stakes (R) 423,325 390,500 390,325 382,625 332,050
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CAN THE GUNNERS PICK IT UP? 99
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We’ve only had to wait a week into the season for the Premier League to serve up its first big traditional derby. Chelsea go across to the Emirates to face a rather subdued Arsenal side.
flattery than any real reason for drastic and sudden change this season. Their pre-season work as well as their activity in the window – as I pointed out in last week’s preview – do not surely give any Arsenal fan any reason to feel confident.
Ryan Liberty writes that given the happenings of last Friday night, some would suggest that London is already Red… Arsenal will be hoping to change that…I mean keep it the same…oh you know what I mean!
And yes, I know what you’re thinking; “Ryan, it’s the first game, don’t jump on the bandwagon and get ahead of yourself” – yes, I have just spoken about myself in the third person, but that’s besides the point…
Arsenal vs Chelsea | Sunday 22 August | Emirates Stadium | 17h30
my scathing critique of the Arsenal is less about writing them off early then it is about the way they lost that game. At which point did they look to be in the game at all on Friday night? They lacked energy and fight and simply were not up for it. I mean if we are completely honest, Arsenal looked more like the side newly promoted for the first time in the last 74 years and simply looked like a deer in the headlights.
To Win (90 mins) Arsenal 32/10 Draw 11/4 Chelsea 8/10 Arsenal Arsenal look incredibly vulnerable at the moment. They were outplayed in almost every position last Friday when they visited a particularly raucous Brentford crowd, and possibly except for Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, I doubt whether many other clubs would want anyone from the Arsenal side. Right now, Arsenal’s eight-placed finish last season looks more like
It doesn’t get any easier either with Arsenal set to face Chelsea on the weekend and the champions Manchester City next Saturday. You wouldn’t be surprised then if Arsenal had not a single Premier League point after three weeks – and I kind of feel a little bad just writing that… I can’t see an immediate way out and I think this could be a
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long and painful season for supporters of the North London side. Chelsea Will we get to see Romelu Lukaku start for the Blues against Arsenal? His transfer from Inter Milan was not concluded before the deadline for the weekend’s league squad announcement and so he missed out on Chelsea’s win over Crystal Palace. Hakim Ziyech and N’Golo Kante also missed out and yet even with big names not making the starting eleven for various reasons, Thomas Tuchel’s side were clinical and almost elegant in the way they dispatched the Eagles. We know that, amongst other intriguing points, Chelsea under Tuchel look to take the game on and strangle their opposition into submission. They did it with ease against Palace and I can’t see them encountering too many issues this week either. What I am in constant awe of is the way in which Tuchel can set up such a resolute and aggressive defence, and yet remain potent in the final third. Playing football in 2021 has many more layers to just getting consistent positive results – for more on that just check in with Jose Mourinho.
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Today fans want to be entertained and the media want to be captivated into writing exciting and positive stories, neither will happen if the football is bland and tasteless. The age of social media has the power to influence narratives and once your narrative is ‘boring’ or ‘negative’, you will hear from your critics, claiming you’re playing Sarriball…I mean football. Chelsea adopting a back three approach is not new or inventive. Under Antonio Conte, for example, most recently, it brought the Premier League title back to Stamford Bridge. The only difference I feel between Conte and Tuchel is Tuchel’s clear intentional commitment with exploiting opponents in wide areas as well as his entry and penetration in the final
third, never forcing it through the center and strict build-up play. If the option to fire down the flank is on, that is where Chelsea wants to be and with this weekend against an Arsenal side who are at odds and evens, I think they will get much success. Prediction: Chelsea (8/10) I’m not sure if this price is a mistake but if it is I would advise getting on immediately. Such a market can only be based on the Arsenal of old as opposed to what they are here and now. Chelsea should be a banker in every double, treble, quad and multiple you have for the next week. Yes, I know I’m being bullish about a result of a London derby which is always a tasty affair, and with the fans back in the Emirates you would think they wouldn’t allow Arsenal to be as complacent as they
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were last time out. But this Chelsea side are silky, and their system speaks to their players. I’ve said before that Lukaku is the missing piece to a side that was just a world-class striker off Manchester City – how disrespectful and contradictory then to suggest any other result but a Chelsea win against a limp and wounded Arsenal.
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