20211116 - Sporting Post Sprint Ver 4.0 Single.pdf

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Chase Liebenberg

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Matchem Stakes third-placer Cosmic Highway is expected to stamp Cape Guineas claim on Saturday

FLY CONCORDE INTO SUMMER! The big season returns to the Cape with meaning on Saturday with the running of two R175 000 Gr2 features at Kenilworth.

Won last year by Mike de Kock star Malmoos, the Gr2 Concorde Cup was known as the Selangor Cup up to 2017, and has produced six Cape Guineas winners in 22 years, including some serious bighitters of the ilk of Act Of War, Variety Club, Le Drakkar Jay Peg, Express Way and Alpha Omega.

While there are no raiders in Saturday’s eight strong line-up, there will be plenty of dreamy eyes focussed on the Gr1 Cape Guineas to be run on 18 December.

Paarl resident Glen Kotzen comes to the party with 50% of the field, headed by the very talented Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes winner, Good Traveller. The son of Visionaire has his first run around the turn on ‘home’ turf and should be ready for battle after a pipe-opener down the

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Kenilworth speed strip at the end of October.

Dean Kannemeyer, the man they call the ‘classic connection’, for his enormous success in the elite 3yo races over the years, has a strong group of youngsters at his disposal this term and brings the Gimmethegreenlight colt Cosmic Highway to Kenilworth, for his final Guineas prep.

The Khaya Stables star, a winner of the Cape Nursery,

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also won the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe last term, and ran a cracker when patently in need of the outing and staying on for third behind Seeking The Stars in the Matchem.

gallop, but has to give weight away to some smart sorts – including Richard Fourie’s mount, the year younger Gr1 Gold Medallion winner, Ambiorix.

Kannemeyer also throws his hand into the Gr2 Cape Merchants with last season’s Cape Guineas hero Russian Rock, who is set to carry topweight of 61,5kgs as he reverts to sprinting.

The Vaughan Marshall champion hasn’t seen the track in 23 weeks but is lightly raced and has produced the goods running fresh previously. Fourie was aboard last year’s Merchants winner and current new-boy in the Varsfontein stallion barn, Erik The Red.

The handsome grey son of Pomodoro could produce his brilliant best off a quicksilver

An interesting runner is Gareth van Zyl’s She’s A Keeper, a runaway winner of the Gr2 Gold Bracelet last term. A winner over 1200m earlier on, the versatile galloper gets the services of heavyweight Bernard Fayd’herbe, who is yet to ride a winner in 28 starts since his return from Mauritius. That could all change on Saturday.

Visit www.sportingpost.co.za for all the updates

Paris Out The promising Summerveld-based filly One Night In Paris will be out for at least a year after pulling a tendon when winning the Gr3 HSH Princess Charlene Stakes in her last start.

David Thiselton reports on www.goldcircle.co.za that trainer Alyson Wright was ‘absolutely devastated’ to discover the injury after the race.

She said, “She did not go lame from it but the swelling was there.”

Subsequent inspection

showed the tendon to be pulled.

exciting feature race campaign.

It is one of the worst injuries for a racehorse to suffer because the recovery process takes so long.

The athletic filly showed tremendous finishing speed under Raymond Danielson when making up some seven lengths in the straight to win the Starling Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein Standside on 30 October.

The Varsfontein Stud-bred Gimmethegreenlight filly is being box rested at Summerveld for a period of six weeks and will then be sent to the farm for the long recuperation process.

Wright said it was particularly devastating for a small yard to have this happen as there are no others to substitute her in what would have been an

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Owner Alesh Naidoo bought One Night In Paris online at the National Two-year-old sale for R100 000.

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Ralph Rixon in his younger days with Syd Laird and Bertie Hayden

RALPH IS CELEBRATING HIS 90TH! The Claremont-born Ralph Rixon was a legend of the South African training ranks and the man who enjoyed such great success with the grey bomber Jamaican Music, amongst many top horses, celebrates his 90th birthday on Thursday.

After a recent fall, he is sadly not celebrating his milestone day in the manner he would have chosen and is currently in rehabilitation at a Somerset West stepdown facility.

“My Dad broke his leg in a fall in the bathroom some five weeks ago, unfortunately. We do visit him between 15h00 to 16h00 every day and he is in good spirits in the circumstances,” his son Gordon told the Sporting Post.

In an interview some years ago with the Sporting Post, Ralph said that he still rated Jamaican Music as the best horse he ever trained.

“He was an absolute champ – he won the Nursery, the

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Guineas, the Derby and the July – you can’t ask for more.”

A client by the name of Dr Crohin wanted a grey horse, so Ralph duly visited Granville Gorton and was taken with the son of Jamaico in the paddock.

“We bought him off the farm.

Dr Crohin came down from South West Africa with a big suitcase, opened it up in front of Granville and he couldn’t refuse! Crohin was one of the best owners I ever had. When

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I won the July, he said go and pick a car. I said I’d seen a nice, medium sized car, I’m not sure of the make and he said, ‘you’re not buying that rubbish, go and get a Mercedes!’ So I went and bought a beautiful Mercedes that I had for years and years.

Every race the horse ran, he gave me something big. I’ve got a watch on still that he gave me when Jamaican Music won the Hawaii Stakes.

I wore it for many years and one day something happened and I had to send it to Johannesburg to be looked at.

They phoned and said it had to be insured, so I said insure it then. The man asked whether I knew what it was worth and it turned out to be

R24k! It was a gold watch with a gold strap and one of the best makes in the world. He was very good to us.”

Ralph was born in Claremont.

“That was right near where all the professional trainers had all their stables. Doncaster Road in Kenilworth was like Milnerton is now – all the trainers, like Gorton and Syd Garett, were along there. My mother was from Holland and came to South Africa as an 18 year old. My father was an RAF aircraft mechanic. After the war they sent a lot of planes out here and were here for 5 or 6 years. Dad was in charge of the mechanical side of them.

When they packed up, he said he liked it such a lot, he was staying. He met my mother, got married and that was that.”

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Ralph was the second of the couple’s four children. His sister Joyce, his senior by two years, went on to marry Terrance Millard.

“After school we used to toddle down to the stables and look at the horses.

Eventually the grooms put us on and lead us around. The horses quietened down once we were on their backs and that’s how it started.”

Ralph started riding work and eventually had a string of amateur racehorses. He was also an accomplished polo player.

We wish him a wonderful birthday and a speedy recovery.

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LICENCED - SO SOME PROGRESS! 9

4Racing CEO Fundi Sithebe – ‘major step forward’

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4Racing Pty Ltd confirmed on Saturday that the company has now been granted all operating licences by the Gauteng Gambling Board to pave the way for it to assume management of Highveld Racing operations.

This follows the transfer of licence approvals received by 4Racing from the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator, the Eastern Cape Gambling Board, the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board and the Free State Gambling, Liquor and Tourism Authority.

The Gauteng Gambling Board on Friday 12 November 2021 granted 4Racing the transfer of the Totalizator, Bookmaker and Race Meeting licences from Phumelela Gaming and Leisure Limited at Turffontein Racecourse.

“The transfer of the operating licences from the Gauteng Gambling Board to 4Racing is a major step forward for the South African horseracing industry. It gives 4Racing the opportunity to bring stability to the industry and to the over 1000 people currently

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employed by Phumelela. We have been hard at work in preparation for the granting of all licences we have applied for and for the completion of the transaction with Phumelela and we will soon share more concrete details of our future vision,” said 4Racing Chief Executive Officer, Fundi Sithebe.

In compliance with the Gauteng Gambling Board licence conditions, 4Racing’s Chairperson, Mxolisi Zwane, has agreed to step down from his position.

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RULES ARE RULES...

SO DON’T GET THE NEEDLE TO RACING! 12

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The requirement that a full vaccination is a condition of attendance at racemeetings with effect from this coming Saturday has some quarters up in arms. Late last week the National Horseracing Authority joined Phumelela, Nelson Mandela Bay Racing and Cape Racing to outline the policy as regards stakeholders and spectators.

With covid restrictions being lifted, race tracks and associated buildings are classified as sports stadiums, and as such anyone in those spaces is classified as a spectator.

Horseracing is purely strictly complying with a government directive with regards to spectators as it falls under the new government legislation specific to sports and events, which requires us to submit planning in order to get the required event licencing for all meetings According to the government gazette no one is permitted to sport (and sports stadiums) without being fully vaccinated By adopting the given legal requirements the sport will

be in a position to open up to larger crowds of people within a shorter time period, based on government opening up legal numbers on course.

Should we not abide by their rulings, we will be forced to race with completely empty stadiums moving forward All of the above is being done to ensure that commercial elements and targets required can be achieved, thereby ensuring the sustainability of the sport of thoroughbred racing in an extremely challenging economic environment.

To view the full gazette please click here Vee Moodley, NHRA CEO said that the NHRA were instrumental in the resumption and continuation of the sport of horse racing ‘behind closed doors’ during hard lockdown under its certificate in terms of Section 8(7)(a)(I) of the Animal Improvement Act,1998 (act 62 of 1998) and as a Breeder’s Society (Registration No.62/98/B-56) dated 01 March 2004.

“With the world opening up, and the government releasing gazetted legislation around sports stadiums and events,

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we now need to fall in line with the procedures that all the other sporting codes are abiding by. The NHRA is in full support of the operators who are following the gazetted directives and the required compliance of all people attending racing being vaccinated,” he said.

The Operators thanked all stakeholders for their continued support as they navigate their way through these unchartered waters.

The statement added that they will be sure to communicate as often as possible to keep all abreast with any changes and systems that they are working on to improve processes. They noted again that they are following these new gazetted procedures and processes to ensure a long term prosperous future for horseracing.

Should anyone have any questions or queries, please contact info@caperacing. co.za or info@highveldracing. co.za

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Ashley Fortune-trained Majestic Mozart has become a potential contender after his smart victory last Saturday

ASHLEY EYES SUMMER Excitement is building in the final fortnight countdown to the R2 million Gr1 World Sports Betting presents the Gauteng Summer Cup to be run over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday 27 November.

The Gauteng flagship feature had its stake doubled from R1 million to R2 million, making it the first feature in the country to return to its pre-covid stake.

Ryno du Plessis, Chief Marketing Officer for the sponsors said: “World Sports Betting is proud to once again

have our name attached to the Highveld’s biggest race.It complements our racing sponsorships very well as we are weeks away from our flagship Western Cape race, the World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas, and we also have the Vaal extravaganza, the World Sports Betting Grand Heritage coming up.

There are five other feature races on the day, the Dingaans for three-year-olds and the Ipi Tombe Challenge for fillies and mares, both Gr2 races over 1600m, the Merchants and Magnolia Handicap for fillies

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and mares, both Gr3 events over 1160m, and the Listed Racing Association Handicap over 3200m.

Earlier this week, the final big race log was published.

Please click here to see the log Former Cape-based 6yo Majestic Mozart has leapfrogged his way from nowhere to 17 on the final log after winning impressively at his first Highveld start last Saturday.

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Regarded as a classic contender in his early years, the son of Dynasty didn’t really achieve any dazzling heights in the Cape but Ashley Fortune had him breathing fire on Saturday when winning unextended.

It is not known whether the gelding will take his place in the big race so soon after last Saturday’s effort.

Final entries close at 09h00 on Friday 19 November.

Weights will be published on the same day.

Declarations are due by 12h00 on Monday 22 November, on which day the final field will be announced.

Proud History!

The Summer Cup is almost as old as Johannesburg with the inaugural event taking place in 1887, a year after the dusty mining camp that would become Johannesburg sprang to life on a farm called Turffontein, following the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand.

Well into the 1880’s, news about the “discovery of gold” on the Witwatersrand resulted in an influx of fortune seekers who came from all walks of life in coaches and ox wagons, as well as on foot and horseback.

Johannesburg was then a bleak region dotted with the occasional marsh, but what the settlers had in common

was that they were prepared to gamble their lives on the chance of making a quick fortune.

The first horserace in Joburg took place in December 1886 and the inaugural Summer Cup was run the following year as the Johannesburg Handicap. The race was won by outsider Haco, a five-yearold trained by Mr du Plessis and ridden by J Bundy, and no one could have imagined that from its humble beginnings, the Summer Cup would become one of South Africa’s most famous racing events.

In its heyday the Summer Cup was the highlight of the Johannesburg feature-race season and one of the city’s social events of the year, but following Cape challenger

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King’s Guard’s victory in 1971, the name of the race was changed to accommodate a new sponsor. As the years rolled by further changes were made to the event’s name, conditions and date which diminished the race’s glitter until it eventually became the Champion Stakes, run annually in April.

In 1999 Phumelela reintroduced the Summer Cup to the racing calendar in its traditional format.

Today Phumelela are gone but at the least the race has stood the test of time!

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Diego de Gouveia has matters under control as Follow Me lives up to her name

JUST FOLLOW ROYALTY A staunch patron of Highveld racing, HSH Princess Charlene celebrated a welcome feature success when her Gimmethegreenlight filly Follow Me went from gun to tape to win the R175 000 Gr3 Fillies Mile at a lightninginterrupted Turffontein racemeeting on Saturday.

Sent out in beautiful trim by Hollywoodbets-sponsored trainer Stuart Pettigrew, who gave the Monaco Royal her maiden winner as an owner when Bella Rosa won back in March 2020, Follow Me completed a terrific hat-trick for the yard and a double on the day for Princess Charlene after Cheringoma had won the third.

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Stamping herself a Highveld season classic prospect, Follow Me maintained her consistent form with a welldeserved victory under Diego de Gouveia.

Jumping well, Follow Me (3-1) maintained her momentum all the way to the line to beat the gallant Eternity Ring (9-2) by 1,35

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lengths in a time of 99,51 secs.

Sprinkles (7-1) stayed on well, another neck back in third.

Disappointment of the race was Mike de Kock’s Clafoutis (5-2) who was always near the rear and failed to produce a

finish of any consequence.

Bred by Varsfontein Stud, Follow Me is a 38th stakes winner for reigning SA Champion sire Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) out of the Caesour two-time winner, Imperial State.

A winner of 3 races with 3 places from 6 starts for stakes of R234 125 , Follow Me was a R180 000 National Yearling Sale graduate and looks to have a very bright future

The Merits Follow Me remains unchanged on a merit rating of 102 following her success in the Gr3 Fillies Mile for three-year-olds over 1600m on the Turffontein standside track on Saturday 13 November.

the most suitable line horse, which is the reason for her mark remaining unaltered.

It was in fact Follow Me who was considered to make for

There were increases also for Clafoutis, who is up from 89

Second placed Eternity Ring and 3rd finisher Sprinkles both go up to 99, from 97 and 94, respectively.

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to 92, and for Juliet Tango, who goes from 84 to 90.

This keeps these two fillies in line with each other should they meet in a handicap.There were no ratings drops for any runner in this race.

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OUR ROYAL STATE TREASURE 24

Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco

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The stars aligned for Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco at last weekend's Turffontein meeting. The South African-born royal celebrated not one, but two winners on that auspicious day, amongst which her very first stakes winner, the three-year-old Follow Me, who captured the day's main event, the Gr3 Fillies Mile.

A daughter of reigning champion sire Gimmethegreenlight, Follow Me is also the latest stakes winner to emerge from the renowned Varsfontein paddocks. And while the filly's maiden black type win

immediately upped her value, it also boosted the standing of her dam Imperial State, a stakes-placed daughter of the stud's former stalwart Caesour and the Free State mare State Treasure.

Varsfontein bought State Treasure from the revered Broadlands Stud of the late Honourable Pat O'Neill and as stud manager Carl de Vos recalls, the chestnut was no oil painting: "She wasn't overly big or robust, as were many of her offspring."

However, handsome is as handsome does, for State Treasure could not be faulted on her racing prowess or bloodlines. A Gr1 winner of the

25 State Treasure with Imperial State (dam of Follow Me) at foot as a foal

Gosforth Park Fillies Guineas and third in the prestigious Gr1 Paddock Stakes, she boasted a royal pedigree and hailed from a notable Broadlands foundation family, that of the fine race and broodmare Miss Lindeman.

A very strong, well-muscled and quality individual, this Australian import ranked amongst the top sprinters of her generation, more than holding her own against some top class colts. She won the Matchem Stakes from the very smart Free Agent, while only the brilliant Captain Bell was able to run her down in the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship.

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A successful broodmare, Miss Lindeman's six winners from nine foals included the stakes winners Royal Mail (also third in the Gr1 Gilbey Stakes) and Featherstone.

The former was by Broadlands standout stallion Royal Prerogative, sire also of her daughter Imperial Jade, the dam of State Treasure. Although she lacked the stakes talent of her dam - she won four races at two and three - Imperial Jade proved her superior as a dual Gr1 producer.

In addition to State Treasure, she also bred the Averof colt Priceless Asset, an outstanding sprinter/miler who scored a career high in the Gr1 Schweppes Challenge. His Gr1-placed full

sister Stolen Gem is grandam of champion sprinter Tara's Touch, a subsequent Gr3 winner in the States.

State Treasure arrived at Varsfontein in foal to Mr Prospector's successful son Secret Prospector, the country's second leading stallion at the time. The resultant foal was Buccellati, the first of no less than ten fillies amongst her dam's twelve foals!

Interestingly, State Treasure's daughters also proved to be her most successful runners.

To Jet Master she produced the dual stakes winner State Coach, Imperial State placed at Gr3 level, while Flaming Rock is the sire of stakes-placed Diamond Rock. Remarkably,

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all three have now followed in their dam's footsteps as stakes producers, as have her non-stakes winning daughters.

State Coach's liaisons with Silvano resulted in the Gr2 Betting World Derby winner and Gr1 Champions Cup runner-up Silvano's Jet, as well as Winter Oaks third Jetano.

Third in the Gr2 SA Oaks, Diamond Rock is the dam of Gr1 Paddock Stakes third Kimberlite.

Jet Master's affinity with the family extended even further.

He was a regular consort of Al Nibari, an Al Mufti daughter of State Treasure's daughter Al Nibari, the results of which

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no less than four stakes performers, amongst which Gr1 Empress Club heroine Little Miss Magic, who subsequently threw the multiple Gr3-placed Trippi filly Miss Katalin.

As for State Treasure's first foal Buccellati, she scored just once, but has outdone herself at stud as the dam of the Gr1 winning Lateral filly Bilateral and Gr1-placed stakes winner Blaze Of Fire,

by Victory Moon.

Buccellati's Elliodor half-

sister Zeigler, also a modest one-time winner, already has three stakes performed fillies to her credit. Captain Al daughter Red Disa won the Irridescence Stakes, while full sister Tick Tock was runner-up in the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas and is the dam of Gr2 SA Nursery winner William The Silent and stakes-placed Stopalltheclocks.

As recently as last season, Zeigler's three-year-old What A Winter daughter Winter Mosaic finished second in the Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery.

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Physically, Imperial State takes after her dam, but as Carl remarks: "She throws better looking foals than herself, Follow Me being one of them. She was a very nice yearling."

There is no arguing that State Treasure's impact as a broodmare has been profound and who knows, Follow Me may yet go on to emulate her grandam at the very elite level!

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LUCK & SCIENCE WE ALL NEED A BIT OF BOTH! v

32 Esquevelle (Joshwin Solomons) staves off General Hancock (Warren Kennedy) to win well on debut

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Fairytales and great timing.

Sometimes the stars align and horseracing dishes up the feelgood stories that drown out the endless cloud of negativity.

And with the BSA November 2yo Sale on our doorstep at 12h00 on Saturday, James Armitage of Sandown Stud is a happy man. But read on!

When the Pathfork gelding Esquevelle popped up at 50-1 to win on debut for trainer Clinton Binda at Turffontein on Saturday, he sent a heads-up to buyers at this coming Saturday’s BSA November 2yo Sale, where his full sister Empress Game comes into the ring late in the show as lot 154.

“I spoke to Clinton Binda before Esquevelle ran on Saturday and said that it would be really nice for him to run a decent race with his beautiful full-sister on the sale this week. Clint said he wasn’t ready and he hadn’t done much with him. He was chubby and looked rough. But what a lovely surprise to see him win like that,” said Sandown Stud’s James Armitage, who bred the gelding and Saturday’s sale prospect.

James races Esquevelle in partnership with the Binda’s Dreamstar Racing and pedigree guru, Karel Miedema.

Clint Binda, who is enjoying a purple patch of winners, confirmed that Esquevelle was not fit or very ready for Saturday’s race.

Candiese Lenferna

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“We wanted him to get out and see the track but had not been hard on him at all. He jumped, showed pace and came back after being headed. We couldn’t ask for more, and even when I’m looking at him right now in the paddock, he doesn’t look fit at all! So who knows?” he laughed.

The story actually starts in early 2016 when the Kahal filly Evening Breeze was trained by Clint.

She had a bit of a mind of her own and had a few issues with the starting stalls.

“She used to jump like a marlin, but had serious ability and was bloody good,” recalls the trainer, who had leased her in a package of four

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horses from Cape breeder Hassen Adams.

Clint won three races with the beautifully-bred Evening Breeze and when her racing career was over, he duly returned her to breeder Hassen Adams “Hassen called me one day and said that they were reluctantly giving up on her.

She wouldn’t go into their ‘beautiful’ crush and had almost broken the Vet’s arm.

I realised that she was probably associating the crush with the starting stalls.

My family loved her and we believed that on ability and blood, she was certainly worth taking a chance on. I then called James Armitage and the rest is history!”

Discussions over what stallion would suit Evening Breeze ensued and Karel Miedema became involved in the partnership.

“Look, we were quite limited in terms of choice as we didn’t want her travelling for covers.

So our resident Pathfork was probably the logical choice and Karel endorsed it,” said James, who was travelling to Johannesburg for the BSA November 2yo Sale on Wednesday, when we chatted to him.

Clint recalls that he prefers to let the experts do their thing, and knows that Messrs Armitage and Miedema are leaders in their respective fields – but when the colt was eventually named Separate Ways, he chimed in.

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“This is the famous ‘E’ family. Who are we to break the tradition of not naming the family with an E?. So Separate Ways – clever for Pathfork admittedly – became Esquevelle!”

On Saturday, Empress Game (#154) will certainly have her admirers. Her third dam is a Gr3 winning half-sister to triple Gr1 winner, champion, and top sire, Elusive Fort The sale starts at 12h00 on Saturday.

Please grab our lot-by-lot snapshot by clicking here

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38 Fennec Fox opens the juvenile racing for the new term at Turffontein on Saturday

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Q FOR PRECOCITY 39

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When Fennec Fox became the first two-year-old to win in South Africa this season at Turffontein on Saturday, she once again highlighted the ability of her sire Querari to come up with a precocious juvenile.

Incidentally, Fennec Fox hails from the same female line as Caesour -broodmare sire of Saturday’s Gr3 Fillies Mile winner Follow Me. South Africa’s Leading Sire of 2yo’s in 2018-2019, Querari’s very first Gr1 winner came in the form of Querari Falcon, who landed her biggest win when victorious in one of South Africa’s premier events for two-year-old fillies, the Thekwini Stakes.

Querari Falcon was a member of Querari’s second crop, with the sire’s first crop including another graded stakes winning two-year-old in the form of Cosmic Light, as well as the stakes placed two-year-olds Champery and Dynamic Speed.

Since then, Querari has proved his ability to sire stakes winning two-year-olds, through the likes of graded stakes winners Cockney Pride and Maryah, as well as the stakes winning two-year-olds Caya Coco, Dagmar, Joking, and Maria Querol. Another daughter, Mill Queen, finished second in the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes at two -the same year Querari’s two-year-old son Liberty Hall finished second in

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the G1 Premiers Champion Stakes.

The son of Oasis Dream ended the 2020-2021 with 14 two-year-old winners to his name, with Querari sired two-year-olds winning 19 races in South Africa last season.

Daughters of Querari, Luna Wish, Herrin and Homely Girl, have won the last three runnings of the Listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes further underlining their sire’s success with his two-yearolds.

Querari’s own sire Oasis Dream, winner of the prestigious Gr1 Middle Park Stakes at two, is also well

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established as a source of top-class two-year-olds.

He has once again been in the news this year as a sire of a top-class two-year-old, with his unbeaten son Native Trail recently named the Cartier Champion 2YO Colt of 2021.

Unbeaten in four starts this year, Native Trail captured all of the Gr1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes, Gr1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes and Gr2 bet365 Superlative Stakes while stamping himself as the most accomplished two-yearold of his year.

Arguably Oasis Dream’s best sire son to date, Showcasing, won the prestigious Gr2 Gimcrack Stakes at two, before going on to finish third in the Gr1 Middle Park Stakes that year.

His progeny already include the Gr1 winning two-year-old Advertise as well as such group winning two-year-olds as Asymmetric, Soldier’s Call and Tropbeau.

Gr1 winners Helvic Dream, Laws Of Indices and Sonnyboyliston, while Oasis Dream also ranks as the broodmare sire of Gr1 winning two-year-olds Siskin (First Defence) and Sioux Nation (Scat Daddy) -as well as last season’s emphatic Gr2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper winner Desert Miracle (Dynasty). The latter won the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes recently.

Querari has 3 fillies and a colt at Saturday’s BSA November 2yo Sale.

Oasis Dream’s son Power, winner of the Gr1 National Stakes at two, has also made his mark at stud, as the sire of

Freeman Stallions

However, Native Trail is by no means the first top-class two-year-old sired by Oasis

Dream. Native Trail is one of six Gr1 winning two-year-olds for his speedy sire thus far.

a 41 The magnificent Querari

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ALEXANDERS ON THE BOARD

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The former Gauteng-based family training operation of Gary and Dean Alexander broke the ice in Australia on Saturday with their first winner. In an all-South African moment, SA Jockey Academy graduate Barend Vorster rode a well-judged race to win the seventh race at Morphettville on the gelding Brazen Force, and survived a protest call from the runner-up. Brazen Force was coincidentally their first ever runner in Australia, when he ran under their flag at the end of last month.

The winner is owned by Alexander Bloodline in partnership with instantly recognisable names in leading SA owners Lawrence and Jarryd Wernars. With only seven horses in their yard, three of which are in training, it is a dream start for the long established Alexander racing family, who only came out of quarantine in July. They will move to a new yard at Murray Bridge in the new year in what Gary says will be a gamechanger. In a memorable few days, Gary celebrated his 62nd birthday on Wednesday last week, and Saturday was special in more ways than one as Dean was celebrating his own birthday.

COOLING OFF Talk of a split or ‘cooling off’ in the longstanding and massively successful association between newly-crowned SA Champion Trainer Justin Snaith and top jockey Richard Fourie have been doing the rounds for over a week now.At a glance, the reality of the top team’s Cape riding engagements certainly tells something of a story. At Kenilworth on Tuesday, Fourie was stood down but only had rides for the powerful yard in two of six races contested by their ten runners on the day.

On this coming Saturday, only one of Fourie’s six Kenilworth rides is for Snaith. On Friday at Fairview, all of Snaith’s four runners will be ridden by Fourie. A spokesman for the stable told the Sporting Post in a short response to a question put to them on Monday said that they were ‘still using him a lot’. “He is riding everything at Fairview on Friday. He is a top jockey,” he added.

Last season Fourie rode 103 winners for Snaith at a strike-rate of 19,04%. The Jonsson Workwear-sponsored Fourie has ridden 58 winners in total this season and is presently at fourth position on the national log. He could not be reached for comment.

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CONNECTION – TRAINER SUSPENDED v

Satish Seemar, a six-time champion trainer in the UAE, has had his licence suspended after being placed on a US sanctions list due to his connection to Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic. The trainer revealed the suspension relates to his training of North America, a Meydan Gr1 winner. Seemar's assistant, Bhupat Seemar, has taken over the licence and will saddle his first runners on Thursday.In a statement, Seemar said: "I have been informed by the Emirates Racing Authority that it is temporarily suspending my licence, with immediate effect. This is due to one of my former clients being included on the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control list."

Seemar was added to the OFAC sanctions list by the US Department of the Treasury on December 10, 2020 and was described as a "prominent member of Kadyrov's network" in a press release which stated: "Satish Seemar, a horse trainer for Kadyrov, has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial material, or technological support for, or goods and services to or in support of, Kadyrov."

UNIQUE SALE A unique opportunity to sell your horse-in-training directly to international buyers. That’s how Gabriel Soma sums up the MGAS Bloodstock Horses-In-Training live and online sale to be held on 1 December at 13h00 (our time).

The sale will be held via the Accelerated Auctioneers online platform, with Auctioneer Clyde Basel hosting it live in Mauritius with their bidders.South African buyers can bid online.

There is no entry fee – please click here for the entry form. Please note that entries close on 20 November.

EARLY START The first of nine races at the Vaal on Thursday is off at 11h00.

The final race runs at 15h35. This is part of an experiment introduced to beat the obstructive seasonal weather. Turnover will be monitored as punters are expected to change habits.

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a 50 Soqrat (Epaulette x Elzeeza) boasts an excellent fertility rate

Romi Bettison

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An Equus Champion 2yo Colt of his year, multiple Gr1-winner Soqrat has settled in well at Sandown Stud in the Western Cape where he is in his second season.

One of the very best of his generation, the Australianbred triple Gr1 winner is a naturally active stallion.

Stud Master James Armitage explains how it didn't take much to get the wellperformed stallion into shape for the 2021 breeding season.

"He is looking fit and well, and enthusiastically running up and down the fence when any mare comes past," smiles James.

Soqrat has an excellent fertility rate, covering 32 mares in the 2020 season with 29 mares confirmed in foal.

Some of those mares include the likes of So Royal, who has produced four stakes winners.

She has a lovely filly born less than a week ago. Another is Varachino, who is from a very fast female line; she has produced an outstanding colt.

Defining Beauty, from the Olympic Jewel female line, also produced a lovely colt. Stakes -placed Shadwell mare Firdoas also has an impressive foal with a huge hindquarter that really showcases Soqrat's quality.

As we advance into the 2021 breeding season, James is excited about the mares that have been sent to Soqrat this year. Amur Affair, the dam of the top-selling R800 000 Pomodoro colt at the recent BSA August Two Year Old Sale has been confirmed in foal, and Fakazi, dam of the exciting recent winner Perfect Witness, has also recently been covered by the Gr1 winning stallion.

"He's a proper sprinter-miler, having run second in all of SA's prestigious weightfor-age miles, and it looks like he is throwing that type of horse. Although he is not the biggest, he is producing

James is undoubtedly excited about the stallion’s first crop of foals to arrive this year.

"It's not often that you have a stallion with almost every single outside mare owner calling me to say what a lovely foal they have got.

"Even some of those with smaller mares have commented how Soqrat has injected some good size into their foals," he says enthusiastically.

A veteran of the industry, James says that the Gr1 Cape Guineas winner produces foals with a good hindquarter, another exciting feature for this stallion.

Sandown Stud (c) by Soqrat x Firdoas

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horses with a lot of constitution and scope,” says James.

"We are just very excited about his foals and the quality they possess.”

Soqrat is by the Commands stallion Epaulette, whose wins included the Gr1 Golden Rose and Gr1 Doomben Ten Thousand. He is out of the dual winning Hussonet mare

Elzeeza, and is from the immediate family of French 2000 Guineas winner and champion sire Linamix.

Soqrat's service fee for 2021 is R12 000, live foal guarantee.

Contact James Armitage for more information: +27 72 680 3549

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STOP PRESS: CTS NAME 2022 SALES DATES With a successful year in the auction rings drawing to a close, Cape Thoroughbred Sales (CTS) has announced six sales dates for 2022.

Sunday, 6 February 2022: The Cape Premier Yearling Sale will be presented at the De Grendel Wine Estate, where the 2021 renewal was conducted very successfully in January.

Following CPYS there will be three sales in June, namely:

Sunday, 19 June 2022: The CTS Farm Sale.

careers come to an end at this time of the season,” said Grant Knowles, MD of CTS.

Friday, 24 June 2022:

Sunday, 30 October 2022:

Two sales will be held on this day - The CTS Mare Sale, followed by The CTS Weanling Sale.

The 2022 CTS Ready To Run & Unbroken Sale, to be staged at Kenilworth.

Friday, 22 July 2022: The CTS Fillies For Stud Sale, to be held online. “This sale was a great success earlier this year, and we will be doing the same again. It is a good time to sell these horses, as several

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Knowles commented: “We look forward to serving vendors and buyers in 2022, and we will be aiming for good results and growth in what we expect to be a period of further market recovery.”

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Cover Image Erin-Lee Watkinson is all smiles as she celebrates after her first Highveld winner last week. Image courtesy of JC Photos

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DREAMS & A DEGREE! 63

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Proud Matie graduate Erin-Lee is pictured second from left with fellow students A qualified Industrial Engineer and a young lady always destined to be a professional jockey, our SPRINT cover star this week is Erin-Lee Watkinson who took her next small step to the realisation of a lifelong ambition when she booted Jet Captain home on debut at the Vaal last Tuesday.

Racing in the silks of SA Champion Owner Suzette Viljoen and prepped by Corne Spies, the son of Captain Of All travelled comfortably throughout and stayed on smartly at 25-1 to record a professional opening victory, the 25 year old Erin-Lee’s first since relocating to the Highveld to join the James Maree

Workrider Programme.

“I was overwhelmed when the top owner went out of her way to contact me that evening she obviously takes a keen interest in her horses and has their best interests at heart. It’s lovely to ride for owners like that,” says the former St Mary’s DSG pupil, who seems to have achieved a bundle in just seven years since matriculating at the Kloof school.

Focussed, enthusiastic, eloquently pleasant and very goal-driven. That’s probably the best way of summing up former jockey-turned-trainer Robin and Deputy Principal Lynette Watkinson’s only daughter, whose heart is set on becoming a professional jockey. And with

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Rachel Venniker growing in stature with the passing of every racemeeting down in Kwazulu-Natal, female jockeys are suddenly viewed with a lot more respect in this fickle industry of ours.

Erin-Lee’s Dad Robin trained for 28 years in the holiday province, and the man she labels her ‘racing inspiration and idol’ knew exactly how tough the racing world is and prepped his only daughter accordingly.

“Dad completed his apprenticeship in South Africa and then went to ride in Mauritius. He had a careerending race fall on the island at the age of 22. He trained for 28 years and now owns a

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transport company in KZN,” she proudly tells the Sporting Post.

“He always taught me that it’s a privilege to ride a racehorse and that it’s an honour if someone entrusts you to ride their horse. When I was younger, he said that he wasn’t too keen on me becoming a jockey. But he made sure that I always brushed my teeth with my non-dominant hand so that I could become more ambidextrous and thus use the stick in both hands.

He also insisted that I did ballet, modern and tap dancing to gain a good core strength. I danced for 10

years but must be honest and admit I wasn’t very passionate about it. But Dad insisted that it would help me with my riding in the long run. He also took me to ride my show jumper every afternoon and took me to shows on the weekends. He really instilled a respect and love for horses in me from a young age!”

Erin-Lee’s Mom is Lynette, the Deputy Head at Highbury Preparatory School in KZN. “Mom values education and made many sacrifices to ensure that I could go to school at St Mary’s DSG in Kloof and then attend Stellenbosch University. My parents asked me to rather focus on finishing

66 Proud achiever with Dad Robin & Mom Lynette

my tertiary education before pursuing race-riding. I studied industrial engineering at Stellenbosch University and had an amazing group of friends.

They often joked that I was a ‘part-time’ student because I went to ride work often and missed quite a few lectures.

My friends always took notes for me and kept me updated.

I self-studied a lot but my friends’ support definitely got me through my degree,” she concedes with a laugh.

The brand-new Maties student only started riding work when she was 18.

“I moved to Cape Town for

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varsity and my Dad introduced me to Eric Sands, who taught me all of the basics. I’m very lucky to have learnt from him because he does everything properly and with pride – and takes no shortcuts. Some days, he would ride upsides with me and talk me through the pacework. He also taught me how to count times.”

While she admits she was a bit young and inexperienced, she never quite appreciated the quality of horses that she rode for Joey Ramsden, a neighbour of Eric Sands at the Milnerton Training Centre.

“Mr Ramsden and his workriders also taught me a

great deal. I was very much still learning when I rode for him.”

Then followed a move to Andre Nel at the magnificent Rondeberg on the West Coast.

“Mrs Plattner has the most incredible facilities and the farm is such an amazing environment for racehorses and her horses come first. I really enjoyed Andre Nel’s training methods and riding for him was an absolute pleasure.

For any rider, you just need someone to believe in you when you’re starting your career, and Andre and Mrs Plattner have given me the best start. I’m forever grateful for their contribution to my riding.”

67 Riding work has become part of the young graduate’s life!

She rode her first two winners for Mrs Plattner and won the Cape Workrider’s championship during the 20/21 season.

“I was so excited to ride in Mrs Plattner’s colours and I felt proud every time that I wear them because they symbolise such an amazing team. I’m very blessed to have been a part of it. Andre also encouraged me to finish my degree before starting racing. Most of my thesis was written in the Plattner Racing office between strings!”

Another key player in Erin-Lee’s progression has been Craig Du Plooy, who runs the workrider course in Cape Town.

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“Craig is very dedicated to his students. He has taught me so many fitness/strengthening exercises and visualisation techniques. He still phones me before each race to go over how I want to ride it. He then phones me afterwards to suggest corrections and to discuss the race. He goes above and beyond and his investment in my riding has given me a lot of confidence and a positive mind-set.”

in Cape Town. When I rode at Milnerton, I would go and chat to him and he would give me a list of suggestions. Every week he would add a new item to the list. I wrote it all down and still look over it regularly. Some of the things that Mr Marcus taught me are only starting to make sense to me now that I’ve ridden in more races.”

Multiple champion jockey Basil Marcus is another who gets a mention on the Watkinson support honour roll!

Erin-Lee also rode work for Lucinda and Geoff Woodruff.

“They are talented horsepeople and I learnt a lot from them. Their attention to detail and the individual attention that each horse gets, is quite incredible.

“Mr Marcus also gave me raceriding advice while I was

Mr Woodruff is the person who encouraged me to move

69 Erin-Lee was an avid showjumper

to Joburg to learn from Mr Maree. There was a break from workrider races in Cape Town and Andre and Craig agreed that it would be good for me to gain experience in Joburg. Joburg has the most workrider races and it’s the only province where we can race around the turn. I’m so thankful for the encouragement to take the plunge and go to Mr Maree.”

Brand new in Joburg, Erin-Lee says that Shandre and Calvin Habib very kindly offered her temporary digs at their home.

“It was a ‘full-circle’-type moment because Shandre’s Dad, Andre Hoffman used to

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70 A young Robin Watkinson as an apprentice jockey

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stay with my Mom and Dad during some holidays when he was an apprentice, and my Dad was a trainer.”

An enthusiastic Erin-Lee commenced with James Maree’s course as soon as she arrived in Joburg.

“Mr Maree and Mr Marthinus Mienie are exceptional teachers. They take such pride in their work. I have learnt so much from them and I think that the improvement in my raceriding reflects this. I never thought that I would live in Joburg - but it’s all worth it to learn from Mr Maree. We do pushing practice and Mr Mienie films us - then they analyse the videos and make corrections on the equiciser. I passed Mr Maree’s course so I can raceride in Joburg, but I still attend every week because I have so much more to learn from them. Mr Maree truly wants his students to succeed and his passion for teaching also pushes us to give it our all.”

Her ’Joburg folks’ Corrie and Emmie Lensley have been a great support structure and offered Erin-Lee accommodation nearer to the Vaal Racecourse, where she happily rides work for Ash Fortune and Corne Spies.

“Ash conducts herself in a really professional manner and can truly be regarded as a role model for many young people in racing. I often go to her for advice. Ash and Mr Andrew Fortune have a lovely string and they help me daily with my riding.”

Erin-Lee is also liberal in her admiration and respect for Tobie and Corne Spies.

“Mr Tobie Spies is an amazing horseman and is a very wise person. I feel like he believes in me and I’m very honoured that a horseman of his calibre has taken an interest in my riding. He watches all of my races and also helps me with corrections.”

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Their assistant Fransie Naude also helps her.

“I’m so pleased that my first winner in Joburg was for the Spies team. I’ve also started riding some work for Mr Paul Peter. He’s been very welcoming and I’ve had one ride for him so far. I also hope to ride work at Randjesfontein when I can get there. I have a lot of respect for Mr Matchett and I’ve had one ride for him.”

While her future goal is to be a professional jockey, Erin-Lee’s current focus is to ride good races, have winners and to learn as much from James Maree as possible.

“I’ve only had 15 race-rides, so there’s a lot of room for improvement and neatening up - but at least now I’m on the right path to becoming a jockey.”

Good luck Erin-Lee!

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Ding Dong wins the 1967 Met under James Maree

UNCLE JAMES HAS BEEN AROUND FOREVER! James Maree has received many accolades for his efforts with uplifting the Workriders in Gauteng, as outlined again by Erin-Lee Watkinson in the previous story.

Maree was also the winning jockey when Ding Dong won the Gr1 State Express Metropolitan some 54 years ago.

“I’d been asked to come down to ride for trainer Eben du Toit for a few of months and I picked up a couple of contacts. Ding Dong was trained by Jackie Bell and Hennie Retief was the

owner. They asked if I'd come down and ride him and of course I did. Jackie Bell was quite an old man when I rode for him in the Met, I’d say he was probably in his 60's by then. I got to work Ding Dong at home, but the Met was the first time I rode him in a race,” recalls the former top jockey.

While he can’t remember whether they had gates or had a tape start for the 1967 Met, he does remember that the race worked out well.

Once in the straight, Renounce and Savonarola bounced past Peace Chief.

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After a brief tussle the filly drew away but started to hang badly to the outside, allowing Ding Dong to be driven through on the fence to win by ¾ length from Renounce with Refinery the same distance third. Sea Cottage ran into traffic problems, causing him to drop right to the back of the field, but he mounted his usual challenge and flew at the leaders down the straight to finish 4th.

- Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golden

n Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies -

Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies

Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golden Oldies - Golde

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ADDRESS YOUR STRESS! v

We’re living in a world where nothing is easy. It’s complicated, it’s challenging, and we’re navigating as best as we can with no electricity and virtual hugs all round. It’s been a weird year that’s felt about 3 years long, yet paradoxically, it’s already less than 6 weeks until Christmas.

Shannon Smith writes that stress has become our undertone in a world where we’re not sure if we should be taking it in our stride with acceptance, or digging our head into the sand and pretending to be an ostrich.

Whatever your fight or flight reflex is, chances are that you’re storing cortisol in your body in tight and uncomfortable ways that you may not even be aware of.

What is cortisol? Simply put, cortisol are the hormones our body creates when we are facing stress, whether it is short or long term. This is stored predominantly in our necks and shoulders, causing us to feel tight. The reason why a massage feels nice, besides the fact that it’s just lekker - is because when these areas are rubbed, the cortisol is literally being released from your body.

Other methods of achieving this can be through Yoga, Body Stress Release

(Commonly known as BSR), and even breath work or a walk in nature. Many people, through their exploring, have discovered CBD. Scientists have been researching CBD for years, and through this have discovered that CBD has a significant effect on lowering cortisol levels in one’s body. Although there are many more of these qualities in THC, the psycho-active ingredient in cannabis, there are still a significant amount of these qualities in CBD. Studies have shown that apart from the indirect ways of relieving stress, such as aiding sleep and reducing anxiety - CBD has a direct effect on preventing cortisol production within the body.

is why we infused wine with CBD. What are you waiting for? Get yourself a dash of Dacha on our online shop.

Get yourself these products for cheaper by using your “SPORTINGPOST” discount code. It’s a gift to you, those around you, it’s a perfect Christmas gift, and it’s the perfect conversation piece while you watch our horses race to win some more Dacha!

Today at Hollywoodbets Greyville two of the Dacha sponsored youngsters, Sour Diesel and Spirit Of Nuna will be running. This is both of their second runs, so we don’t expect toooooo much from them, but they’re fun to track nonetheless.

For us at Dacha, we do believe that prevention is the best cure.

Look after yourself, eat right, exercise regularly and refrain from spending time with people who surround you with negativity.

On Sunday, we have Duquesne’s Whistle running in Race 5 at Hollywoodbets Greyville, and on Monday we have the mighty Movie Magic, also in Race 5 at the very same venue.

That being said, in times like this, it can be difficult to manage all that, drink 8 glasses of water a day, keep the dishes from piling up, pay the stable fees, have great legs and still manage 2021 with a smile on your face!

We have faith in these beauties, and will be shouting for them all the way! Who will you be shouting for?

This, ladies and gentlemen,

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Get your votes in here, and stand a chance to win a 2 pack of Dacha CBD Blends!

I’ll connect with you next week!

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Future Stars proudly sponsored

by Bush.

BE U - STAY HEALTHY BUSH - IT'S A LIFESTYLE 78

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A QUALITY QUARTET

The Sporting Post is proud to partner with BUSH to showcase the cream of this season’s foal crop – our Future Stars!

This week we have four stunners to show, including our first progeny of Horizon, courtesy of staunch supporter, Leon Lotz.

Lovely prizes will be offered every month to readers, who will be asked to select the foal of the month.

Jackie Joliffe’s Lancaster Bomber filly from the five-time winner Valentine’s Girl has been cleverly named, Miss Munroe.

Breeders are invited to email their foal images to editor@sportingpost.co.za and provide the date of birth, sex, breeding and any family or background information.

Heuningsfontein Stud (c) Horizon ex Vision To Kill – born 14 October

Golden Touch (f) Lancaster Bomber ex Valentine’s Girl – born 26 August

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The Fort Stud (c) New Predator ex Biker Babe – born 27 August

Sandown Stud (c) Soqrat ex Varachino – born 2 October

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Jamie Moore – top jockey now riding under the purple banner

JAMIE JOINS HOLLYWOODBETS Hollywoodbets has announced the signing of multiple Grade 1 and Cheltenham Festival winning jockey Jamie Moore as part of the company’s burgeoning sponsorship programme.

The top rider thus enjoys the distinction of being the leading brand’s first National Hunt jockey.

Hollywoodbets’ history is steeped in horseracing and this long-term love of the sport is 81

endorsed by the Hollywood Syndicate’s ownership of over 100 racehorses in South Africa, where the company supports trainers and enjoys naming rights for two racetracks.

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Jamie Moore is Hollywoodbets second sponsored jockey in the UK, and the purple brand welcomes the Cheltenham Festival ace who will proudly carry the banner alongside Newmarket-based Daniel Muscutt.

Jamie Moore, who hails from near Brighton in Sussex, comes from one of the most famous racing families in the world.

His brother Ryan is stable jockey to the Ballymore & Aiden O Brien powerhouse, while Josh is a top National Hunt jockey in his own right.

Their sister Hayley was a top amateur jockey and is now a presenter on Sky Sports Racing.

Josh has recently undergone spinal surgery after a heavy fall at Plumpton, and the Hollywoodbets team wish him a speedy recovery.

Jamie rides principally for his dad Gary Moore, and together they have created some of the best sporting moments in recent history.

Jamie’s big wins include the Scottish National aboard Al-Co at 40/1.

But none will rank near the father & son duo taking the honors in the 2014 Champion Chase at Cheltenham with the top-class chaser, Sire De Grugy, in a moment that will live forever in the memory of the Moore family.

In an emotional post-race interview, Jamie commented:

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“It’s tremendous for all the family. It proves we can do it.”

The Champion Chase would be one of five Grade 1 victories the duo would achieve with the legendary Sire De Grugy.

Jamie’s inspirational attitude to racing and to life, coupled with his natural talent, were the attributes that encouraged Hollywoodbets to partner with him.

The Moore family has some very exciting and hugely talented horses to ‘go to war’ with this National Hunt season. Hollywoodbets will be with them every stride of the way!

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Defending champion Bristol De Mai in action The British Jumps season is now in full swing and on Saturday the first Gr1 is run at Haydock Park. The Betfair Chase is highlighted by the return of the defending champion Bristol De Mai up against the Irish raider, Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up, A Plus Tard.

Jockey Daryl Jacob and trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies believe better ground will not hinder the chance of Bristol De Mai when he bids to equal the record of the mighty Kauto Star and win a fourth Betfair Chase.

Jacob said on Monday: "It's a very competitive race but we think he's in the same form, if not better, then when he went there last year and I'm very much looking forward to it.”

"He's won the race on good ground, beating the previous season's Gold Cup one-two Native River and Might Bite, so he goes on a drier surface and it's not a problem to him, but we would prefer it heavier. I'll ride him to what suits him best and he'll run a very big race.”

The going at Haydock on Monday morning was good to soft on the chase course, with

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the clerk of the course not envisaging much movement on the description.

Daryl Jacob feels the public have a connection with the big grey, who has won six of his 13 starts over fences on soft or heavy ground and boasts a 5 from 6 winning strike rate at the track.

His trainer Nigel TwistonDavies, who also won the race with Imperial Commander in 2010, said on Monday: "He's in great form, I couldn't be happier with him and he's all primed and ready to go.”

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"Haydock clearly suits him and he has form on most ground, so hopefully conditions won't be a problem. He likes to be able to boss races and it's a very uncomplicated track. The race looks as hot as ever, but the one thing he has in his favour is he's easy to get fit and will they all be as fit as he is? For our sake, hopefully not.”

the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

This weekend he faces the Henry De Bromhead trained A Plus Tard, one of the most progressive stayers of last season.

Other potential runners include Clondaw Castle for Tom George, champion trainer Paul Nicholls has targeted Next Destination for the race, while Northern raider, Waiting Patiently makes his debut for the Christian Williams yArd.

The seven-year-old won the Gr1 Savills Chase at Leopardstown last Christmas before finding only stable companion Minella Indo too strong when second in

He's set for his seasonal return at Haydock, along with the Venetia Williams-trained Royale Pagaille, who was sixth in the Gold Cup when last seen, and Colin Tizzard's 11-year-old Native River, who finished fourth in the blue riband event at the Cheltenham Festival.

Betfair spokesperson, Barry Orr, said "It’s shaping up to be a real cracker and punters are

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backing A Plus Tard to give Ireland a first victory in the race and thereby deny Bristol de Mai a record equalling fourth win in the race.”

"The Henry de Bromhead runner was 5/2 when we first offered the race but is a hard 16/10 chance now following sustained support.”

"It looks like being unseasonably good ground but that shouldn’t inconvenience most of the field and don’t forget that Bristol de Mai won his second Betfair Chase on ‘Good’ ground in 2018.”

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Tattersalls

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Proven Group 1 sire Dark Angel stands at Yeomanstown Stud

WILDCARDS ADD INTEREST Two well-bred Dark Angel colts consigned by Barton Stud have been added as wildcards to the Tattersalls December Foal Sale and will sell on Friday 26 November.

Europe’s premier foal sale numbers 1072 lots and will take place from Wednesday 24 November to Saturday 27 November.

The first son of DARK ANGEL

is lot 999A out of the winning DUBAWI mare NAWASSI, a daughter of the Gr2 Queen Mary Stakes winner MAQAASID, who placed in both the 1000 Guineas and the Gr1 Cheveley Park Stakes.

MAQAASID is a sister to Gr1 producers ISTISHAARY, the dam of Gr1 winner IL FORNAIO, and JUMOOH, the dam of Gr1 Sydney Cup winner SHRAAOH, Gr2 winner RAHEEN HOUSE and the Listed winners BORN WITH 90

PRIDE and SEA OF FAITH. MAQAASID is out of a halfsister to 1000 Guineas winner GHANAATI, the Oaks placed RUMOUSH and the Gr1 runner-up MAWATHEEQ. The second of the two DARK ANGEL wildcards is lot 999B and the March foaled colt boasts an equally blue-blooded pedigree. His dam SHUROOQ is by DUBAWI out of exceptional racemare NATAGORA, the winner of the

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1000 Guineas, the Gr1 Cheveley Park Stakes and five times Gr1 placed.

NATAGORA, who was Champion two year old filly in England in 2007, has herself produced two stakes

performers, the Listed winner MANKIB and SHUROOQ’s Listed placed full-sister RAAQY, and she is the granddam of Gr3 Sweet Solera Stakes winner TAJAANUS and the Gr3 runner-up MOTAFAAWIT.

The catalogue for the Tattersalls December Foal Sale can be viewed online at www.tattersalls.com and is available from Tattersalls and Tattersalls representatives.

Dragon's Luck To Change Francis Lui is hopeful of Glorious Dragon’s ability to make amends in Sunday’s Gr2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup at Sha Tin in Hong Kong after enduring successive runs without luck as he embarks towards next month’s Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup on Sunday, 12 December.

Not fully tested at his past two outings, the grey son of Teofilo has been desperately unlucky this season finishing 10th in the Gr2 Oriental Watch 60th Anniversary Sha Tin Trophy Handicap and fifth in the Gr3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap last time out.

Beaten by only three quarters of a length last start, the 122-rater was sent around as the 2.5 favourite

to win the race but not even evasive action could get him home as he met with closing gaps in the crucial stages.

“Last few times he’s been stuck on the inside but he’s kept his form, it looks like he could have (won last start), it’s a small field though this weekend and sometimes you have to worry about no pace in the race,” Lui said.

Third-up this term, the Irish-bred has won his past two outings third-up, including last season’s G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) when defeating Exultant and Furore, respectively.

“Zac (Purton) is on, of course I can’t say I’m confident but the horse is ready, hopefully and as well, it depends on luck for next month’s race too,” Lui said.

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If successful this weekend, Glorious Dragon will have history against him when he lines up in the big one next month. Just two winners of the Jockey Club Cup (formerly The International Cup Trial) have gone on to win the Hong Kong Cup since 2002, with only Vengeance Of Rain (2005) and California Memory (2012) doing so.

Five winners of Sunday’s test have gone on to finish second in the Hong Kong Cup: Viva Pataca (2007), Collection (2009), Irian (2010), Secret Weapon (2016) and Werther (2017), while Elegant Fashion – winner in 2003 – finished third in the Hong Kong Cup.

EUROPE’S P R E M I E R BREEDING STOCK SALE v

featuring major consignments from

Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms and Shadwell Estates

TAT T E R SA L L S DEC E M BE R SA L E 2021 YEARLINGS: November 22nd FOALS: November 24th-27th BROODMARES, FILLIES IN TRAINING, etc: November 29th-December 2nd

Jeremy Nelson T: +2783 2617953 jeremy.nelson@tattersalls.com www.tattersalls.com 92

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DUBAI – INCENTIVES APLENTY! v

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A range of new incentives have been unveiled for the 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival, which gets underway on 13 January 2022.

Dubai Racing Club have announced that they are pleased to be able to offer new benefits for trainers and owners sending horses to Dubai to compete in the 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival, for which the total prizemoney exceeds $7.5million.

These include two return Business Class flights for trainers, in addition to three nights’ accommodation at a DRC-associated hotel.

Owners (one representative) will receive one Business Class return flight to use during the Carnival.

Dubai Racing Club will also subsidise travel for stable staff, with one Economy Class return flight provided for one groom for up to two horses, flights for two people for three to four horses, and so on.

Accommodation for grooms is provided within the International and Dubai World Cup Quarantine complex, adjacent to Meydan Racecourse.

There is no cost to connections for stabling or use of Meydan Racecourse’s extensive training facilities. The separate training track complex, which has turf and Tapeta tracks, will shortly be upgraded to maintain the safety of horses and riders. This is part of a plan

by Dubai Racing Club to develop all facilities in preparation for the Carnival and Dubai World Cup meetings.

The 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival commences on Thursday 13th January and runs until Super Saturday on March 5th, while the $30.5 million Dubai World Cup meeting takes place on Saturday, March 26th.

Several new races have been announced for the forthcoming running of the Carnival; the 19th edition. These include the ‘Jumeirah Turf Series’, for three-year-olds, featuring the $200,000 Jumeirah Derby on February 24th, and the $300,000 Ras Al Khor, over seven furlongs on turf, on Super Saturday Stephanie Cooley, DRC International Liaison, is looking forward to welcoming overseas horses owners, trainers and jockeys back to Meydan Racecourse.

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“I’m delighted with what we’re able to offer this year as extra incentives for international horsemen,” she commented.

“Maintaining relationships with these owners and trainers is a key priority; they are integral to putting on our highly regarded Carnival. Last season was a challenging time due to worldwide restrictions on travel, so we were delighted to celebrate winners from Europe, South America and closer to home in the Middle East.

“The fact that we can introduce more prize money and incentives for 2022 can only boost the continuous support from our horsemen as well as bringing new players to Dubai.”

The full Dubai World Cup Carnival brochure, including shipping information, race conditions and incentives, is online here.

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Singapore Turf Club

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Lim's Lightning (Danny Beasley) proves hard to mow down in the Gr1 Singapore Gold Cup on Sunday

KATAK FOURTH AS LIGHTNING STRIKES

Lim’s Lightning etched his name in Singapore racing lore in gold after he became the first horse to ever win the Lion City CupSingapore Gold Cup double on Sunday – and stamp himself outright as one of the most popular fairytale horses in recent times.

Such a unique exploit is considered extremely rare in any racing jurisdiction given sprint and staying features are poles apart in terms of

equine prowess, but trainer Daniel Meagher’s superstar has set the amazing precedent in the 48 years the two races have co-existed at both the old Bukit Timah and Kranji racecourses.

The SG$1 million Gr1 Singapore Gold Cup boasts the richer history being three years shy of its 100th running while the Group 1 Lion City Cup is much younger since it was first run in 1974.

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While history is nice to be part of, it wasn’t quite racing immortality that had Meagher, a noted “crier” - remember his teary-eyed post-win speech after he landed his first Gr1 win with the same Lim’s Lightning in the Lion City Cup - like Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Chris Waller, choking back tears post-race, even sans the usual crowds due to these pandemic times.

Yes, the Lope De Vega six-year-old has taken Meagher on a magic carpet

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ride by taking all before him at that totally unheralded meteoric rise from an obscure ‘midlife crisis’ in Australia (one win in Werribee from eight starts) that eclipsed his early shine as a juvenile at Kranji to sweeping six wins from seven starts (only defeat came in the Kranji Mile when second to Minister), including three at Group 1 level, and getting minted in solid gold on Sunday.

But it’s also been a heck of a rollercoaster ride after Lim’s Lightning bruised his shoulder in a fall during a routine afternoon walk and was scratched the same week from the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) a month ago.

It was a crucial stepping stone that would have provided some answers if he was to press on towards the Singapore Gold Cup. From the way he brained his rivals in the Group 1 Raffles Cup (1600m) four weeks earlier, most, including Meagher, thought he should breeze through the extra furlong.

But nothing beats cold hard evidence, and all were none the wiser after the no-go and injury. Against all odds, Meagher took a leap of faith by pressing on towards the gold pot.

No doubt Lim’s Lightning has always delivered whenever the bar is raised, but his prodigious Sunday victorious

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march where he practically made all in a handicap race giving weight all round with his 58kgs top impost, and was dipping his toe in 1 ¼ mile waters for the very first time, has exceeded all expectations.

The stakes were higher. It was make-or-break time, but Meagher took a calculated risk by ultimately throwing caution to the wind, and that was why that resounding sixth win at that second lease of life was even more special to the young Australian handler.

“I’m running out of superlatives for him. After the setback, I sat down with Danny (Beasley) and (racing manager) Mick (Dittman) to put a plan together to train

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him to go there (Gold Cup),” said Meagher.

“They told me if you can get there, great, but if I had any doubt, to just not run him.

“But he’s ticked all the boxes and has been working very well, and this is the result today.

“To win the Lion City Cup at the start of the year and winning the Gold Cup now is very special. I think it’s the first time a horse has done that (ed’s note, it’s correct).

“To win it for Mr Lim (Siah Mong), I get all very emotional thinking about it, thinking about the horse. It’s the horse who did it.

“It’s been 57 days between runs, 30 days after the setback during which he had only two gallops and a trial to bring him back.

“To do that, I didn’t want to play catch-up. I just wanted to keep him to the same routine.

“Danny galloped him and trialled him, and he told me he’s the best he’s ever worked and trialled.

“Danny is not only my former assistant-trainer, but he’s been my best mate for 15 years. We go beyond a trainer and jockey relationship, and for us to win the Gold Cup as a team means the bloody world to me.”

The youngest son of Australian Hall of Fame trainer and former Kranji great John Meagher was also following into his famous father’s footsteps. Kim Angel won the then 2,200m-run handicap at their very first year of relocation in 2000 when Meagher was only 17.

The enormity of the occasion was a struggle to take in, especially as his father has not been in the pink of health of late, but Meagher was trying his best to imagine the vibes at the Meagher home in Mornington.

“I hope my father was able to see the win ‘live’ on TV, and it registered with him. I hope he will treasure it as it means a lot to me,” said Meagher.

“It brings tears to my eyes to have won the race my father also won 21 years ago. It’s for my family and I’ll never forget it.

No doubt the replays of the 2001 and 2021 Singapore Gold Cups will be given plenty of runs and maybe even notes (given Meagher Sr along with elder brother Chris trained Lim’s Lightning during his short Australian stay) will be traded when the two Singapore Gold Cup-winning Meaghers reunite on the peninsula.

They will marvel how the ‘ugly duckling’ who wouldn’t even have a saddle put on him at one stage had transformed into a ‘beautiful swan’, and become almost bombproof i.e not even

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an interrupted prep could throw him off.

But racing can be swings and roundabouts at times. Many a time, horses have won the first two Legs of the Singapore Triple Crown series (Raffles Cup and QEII Cup previously), but stumbled at the third and harshest Leg, the Singapore Gold Cup. It’s a case for conjecture, but skipping the middle pin might have helped Lim’s Lightning regroup and come back fresher and definitely fitter for the 2000m test.

“He’s come a long way from being a well-known difficult horse to what he is today, but I still had massive doubts because of the 57 days rest, the 58kgs, the 2000m and he was lame a month ago,” said Meagher, who is not one to shun the path less trodden, but neither is he a daredevil.

“But looking back now, missing the QEII Cup could have been a blessing in disguise.

While disappointed he didn’t run, everything happens for a reason and maybe it was meant to be.

“Maybe if he had run the QEII Cup and won, I would have said ‘job well done’ and given him a break, I don’t know, but what matters today is it’s turned out our way.”

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The frontrunning tactics after exiting the machine from gate No 9 were certainly a plan Meagher and Beasley had devised and fell into place - even if longshot Elite Incredible (John Sundradas) whipping around to come eyeballing the $14 favourite from the halfway mark did set the cat among the pigeons.

But it was written that not even a bridesmaid tag had its place in Lim’s Lightning’s charmed life.

When second favourite Hard Too Think (Marc Lerner), who had five kilos less on his back, also descended from the 800m to draw on level terms homeward-bound, and laid down the law by even heading him 300m out, Meagher must have thought his bold gamble was still worth its while as a second place would still make him proud.

Mr Malek (Wong Chin Chuen), who had been losing his way a little in the lead-up, suddenly showed plenty of cheek when he sprang into the hunt from the 400m, but in the end claimed third place a similar margin away.

Under Beasley’s renewed urgings, Lim’s Lightning picked himself off the canvas to peg Stephen Gray’s gutsy ward back and hit the line with three-quarter length to spare.

“With 53kgs on his back, Marc rode Hard Too Think really well,” said Meagher.

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“There was a question mark when they came up as my horse had been under pressure the whole way and never got any rest.

“But he was ready to fight on rather than to be beaten.

He didn’t lie down and is as tough as they come.

“It was an amazing effort and an amazing ride.”

QEII Cup runner-up Katak with pinch-hitter Zyrul Nor Azman replacing the indisposed Matthew Kellady, and who came under an injury cloud on Cup eve but was luckily cleared to run on Sunday, had a dream run hugging the rails in the box seat, but barely took any ground off the winner to settle for fourth place another

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half-length away.

Comeback Singapore champion jockey Manoel Nunes tried the shortest way home aboard title defender Big Hearted, but the finish lacked last year’s punch, especially on top of the ground as they ran sixth, but as predicted by trainer Michael Clements, at least he was the first across the line among his seven-strong armada.

Jockey Danny Beasley and trainer Daniel Meagher celebrate Lim's Lightning's momentous win with stable staff.

Lim’s Lightning oozed class in the delivery, which was not quite mirrored in the chronometric area with a moderate 2min 2.05secs, more than three seconds outside the record, but Beasley said what was imperative to him in his flight plan was to “take control” from the outset.

“I wanted to be in control of my destiny,” said the Australian jockey who has made his own remarkable riding comeback from a self-enforced four-year hiatus by currently leading the senior jockeys’ log.

“I wanted to be in a position to get him to run 2000m, and it’s worked out perfectly until S John on Elite Incredible

came alongside and kept me honest.

“But my horse worked with me beautifully. Past the 1400m, he changed his lead and relaxed under me, and I thought ‘we’re really in business now’.

“He was doing whatever I wanted him to do, and when Marc joined us on the turn, I still had a little left in the tank.

“We were on the ropes, but at the 200m, he changed his lead again, and that’s when Hard Too Think bumped us. I wanted to change the whip to the left hand and I thought he’d find.

“But I gave him a couple of right handers and he picked up again. In the last couple of strides, I knew we had the race won.

“It’s a special win as I’ve never won the Gold Cup before, and to do it with Dan, it means so much to me.

“Credit to Dan for getting him right after his comeback from Australia where he didn’t do so well, but credit to just the horse himself.

“The way he has turned around especially in the last 1 ½ months, after his welldocumented setback before the QEII Cup, to get him fit and ready again was really special.

As the stable doors close and Meagher gets to sit back and

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gaze at every intricate detail of the Singapore Gold Cup trophy sitting on his sideboard, he will have some time to think where else the magic carpet ride can go...

“Dubai and Saudi Arabia look enticing,” said Meagher, who around ‘1001 nights’ ago, did jet to Dubai as his father’s travelling lad to Lim’s Grand.

“Hong Kong was never on the cards as they go the other direction. In Brisbane, he trained that way and didn’t go well even if it’s a competitive jurisdiction.

“I don’t want to change the way of going for him as he’s very finnicky and I don’t want to change too much.”

What has instead changed a lot in the last seven months is the Lim’s Stable’s bank account. From returning from Australia with around SG$400,000 in stakes earnings from his previous five wins (including the Werribee win), Lim’s Lightning has multiplied that fourfold to SG$1.63 million in the wake of his Singapore Gold Cup heroics.

Incidentally, the vote for the 2021 Singapore Horse of the Year award will still go to the ballots, but you won’t need a crystal ball to see a mini lightning bolt flashing across.

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The Have A Heart team celebrates their award – from left to right: Mike, Marc, Vicky, Zoe and Joseph

HEART OF GOLD

Each year, Network for Animals (NFA) awards the Brian Davies Award to three organisations that do outstanding work in animal welfare. The award is named after NFA founder Brian Davies, a pioneer of modern animal welfare campaigning.

This year, the Have A Heart Equine Sanctuary was the

proud recipient of the 2021 Brian Davies Gold Award for outstanding work in animal welfare.

without any financial or logistical support or meet with local or political interference or resistance.

This award is an annual international accolade awarded to an organisation whose outstanding work succeeds in helping animals against overwhelming obstacles. These organisations work in dangerous environments

Vicky Ward and her husband Marc have worked immensely hard over the past five years to save as many animals as they can.

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"This award means so much to every volunteer and

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every staff member at Have A Heart," says Marc.

"We are humbled by this award and would like to thank Network for Animals for the amazing honour," he says.

Vicky adds that they have been overwhelmed and honoured to receive this award. She thanks her supporters for always believing in Have A Heart.

"Our sanctuary takes in and rescues unwanted, abandoned, abused, neglected or starved ponies, horses, donkeys and farm animals.

"We rehabilitate and retrain them, then rehome each horse to the best-suited

home," Vicky explains.

All of her equines are adopted under contract and monitored for the rest of their lives. If the horse cannot remain at their adoptive home for any unforeseen circumstances, they must return to the sanctuary.

"Our horses do not have a time limit at the sanctuary, and if found to be unable to be rehomed, they will remain with us for the rest of their natural lives. Provided they are pain-free, happy and healthy," Vicky says with a smile.

"One final thanks to all our supporters who have helped us get here. This is for every person who has donated to us and our sponsors who are

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always there for us. To every family who has helped more than they know - thank you.

"I would also like to thank my beautiful wife," says Marc.

"She's been the rock of this sanctuary, and she's gone without so much so that we could continue to feed and rescue. So, Vicky Ward, this is to you and all your hard work. All your support has helped us reach Gold!" cheers Marc.

Here's to Have A Heart!

If you would like to donate, don't hesitate to contact Vicky for more information: info@haveaheart.org.za

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results up to: 2021-11-16

TRAINERS Name Mr P A Peter Mr S J Snaith Mr M F de Kock Mr G D Smith Mr S G Tarry

Runs

Wins Win%

311 411 141 342 228

61 61 37 41 32

19.6 14.8 26.2 12.0 14.0

2nd

3rd

50 54 27 40 25

38 60 13 34 22

2nd

3rd

82 52 64 49 35

73 50 53 44 39

Other Places Place %

Win Stake (R)

Total Stakes (R)

46.6 46.5 44.0 40.6 35.5

3,383,313 2,764,025 2,088,375 1,693,750 1,491,688

5,034,438 4,246,775 2,797,250 2,601,625 2,358,375

Other Places Place %

Win Stake (R)

Total Stakes (R)

104 82 95 50 59

5,246,313 3,456,888 3,022,438 2,602,175 1,812,550

7,542,938 5,075,375 4,964,913 3,778,450 2,942,663

57 77 22 65 34

145 191 62 139 81

JOCKEYS Name Mr W B Kennedy Mr S Khumalo Mr M A Yeni Mr R D Fourie Mr C Zackey

Rides Wins Win% 557 409 474 288 324

101 71 60 58 41

18.1 17.4 12.7 20.1 12.7

259 184 212 143 133

46.5 45.0 44.7 49.7 41.0

BREEDERS B.T. B.T. Total Runrs Runs AEPR Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Wins Stakes (R) Rnrs %

Name

Wilgerbosdri� & Mauritzfontein Klawervlei Stud Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd Summerhill Stud (Pty) Ltd

208 257

542 670

31,038 20,222

68 58

87 68

32.7 236 22.6 262

6 2

6 2

6,455,863 5,196,950

113 105 107

284 274 307

28,707 26,621 23,066

34 32 24

48 41 28

30.1 118 30.5 118 22.4 108

3 0 1

3 0 1

3,243,888 2,795,213 2,468,063

B.T. Wins

Total Stakes (R)

3 3 1 2 0

3,547,488 3,453,488 3,276,638 3,000,838 2,976,250

SIRES Name

Runrs Runs AEPR

Vercingetorix * Silvano (GER) Master Of My Fate Flower Alley (USA) Querari (GER)

112 125 128 90 129

266 302 355 225 351

31,674 27,628 25,599 33,343 23,072

B.T. Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Rnrs % 38 41 33 35 37

49 47 40 45 42

33.9 32.8 25.8 38.9 28.7

117 129 174 84 134

See all the detailed standings - Click here 106

3 3 1 2 0

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ARSENAL CAN SINK ‘POOL v

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The last time Arsenal won a Premier League game at Anfield was all the way back in 2012! History is certainly on the side of the home team, but I think Saturday evening might prove to be a real test for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Ryan Liberty writes that their attractive style and aggressive home record might try and pull the wool over our eyes…but do not be fooled. Arsenal are in a great place and I think they are more than capable of going to Liverpool and earning a massive result.

Liverpool vs Arsenal | Saturday 20 November | Anfield | 19h30 To Win (90 mins) Liverpool 9/20 Draw 38/10 Arsenal 48/10 Liverpool This isn’t going to be a popular opinion, but I have to say it. If you look at Liverpool’s record you might get a little dizzy and starryeyed. They have lost just one game from their last ten in all competition, but I don’t think it tells the entire story.

The Red’s humiliated Manchester United but struggled to get the better of Brighton. West Ham were the

the right time. It is undisputed that he would have received an incredible and vast array of knowledge and experience during his time under Pep Guardiola, and inevitably he would be better prepared for One thing you cannot take away all that the Premier League from the Reds is the fact that you would throw his way. know exactly what you are going to get. Arsenal will go to Anfield, I think his Arsenal side have a unique identity under his get greeted with hostility, be asked to play in a cauldron of an leadership but most atmosphere and if they give any impressive is his commitment sort of indication away that they to what he and his are uncomfortable…well both the backroom staff believe is team and the fans will be all over correct! The style and system didn’t change whilst that. they were sitting bottom of the log, and it hasn’t changed Liverpool usually enjoys having now when they are starting to a team come up against them with a degree of confidence, the see the heels of the big boys Reds know how to exploit space on top. and will always look to go toe-totoe with any side in Europe. I just Not only does this reinforce the belief and support of the don’t think Arsenal will be that players, but also that of the side. fans – even if your fan base is rooted in flimsy and popular The home side will have to click-bait styled opinion. unlock this Gunners team with creativity and a touch of craftmanship. Liverpool certainly I am in no way, shape or form have the ability I’m just not sure insinuating that Arsenal have arrived at the promise land, they are in the sort of form that but I think they have everyjustifies a 9/20 price in the thing a team seeking success market. requires.

Arsenal For Gunnersaurus Rex and I wish I wrote it down somewhere the gang (is he still around?) it’s been the Emile Smith so that I could claim it, but I Rowe show of late, the certainly wasn’t one of those youngster recently received football fans suggesting his English call up and his Arsenal will struggle for too extraordinary form is enough long. I think Mikel Arteta is one justification. He is a seriously of those young managers who went back to his ‘alma mater’ at talented individual not only in superior team when they hosted Jurgen Klopp’s men at the London Stadium – dealing incredibly well with the late flurry of attacks synonymous with this Liverpool side.

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front of goal but increasingly in linking the attack and defence.

Prediction: Arsenal Win/ Draw Double Chance + BTTS (51/20) I can’t believe my safe bet is available at such a price!

Arsenal are the in-form team, they have a quality side

playing with confidence and a sort of strut. It’s a game straight from the international break, and whilst that might raise questions around momentum…I think they will still be in a better position going into the game than Liverpool.

Liverpool would have probably wanted to go into the game with less question

marks around the fitness of their squad, but I don’t think they have been as great as people have suggested. The perspective always seems to be outlandishly positive when Liverpool is involved and I just don’t agree this time.

Make the most of the 51/20 on offer!

City defender.

Andre Ayew netted the resulting spot-kick as Ghana held on to progress to the final round of qualifiers by virtue of having scored more goals in the group – seven to Bafana’s six.

Whistleblowing?

The South African Football Association (SAFA) have sent an appeal to FIFA and CAF to probe the dubious match officiating during Bafana Bafana's 1-0 loss to Ghana on Sunday.

Ghana qualified at the expense of Bafana after the Black Stars were awarded a very controversial penalty after Rushine de Reuck was adjudged to have brought down Daniel Amartey in the box despite seemingly making no contact with the Leicester

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Senegalese referee Maguette Ndiaye has also come under fire for a number of other questionable decisions and SAFA have confirmed they will lodge a complaint with world football and african football’s governing bodies.

“The association has decided to lodge a formal complaint so that the conduct of the match officials is closely investigated by both FIFA and CAF,” said SAFA CEO Tebogo Motlanthe.

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