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Racecourse Media Group
Honeysuckle returns to applause
MAGIC MARE LIGHTS UP CHELTENHAM Honeysuckle brought the house down at Cheltenham on Day 1 of the festival on Tuesday as she took her unbeaten tally to 15 with another imperious performance in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. Successful behind closed doors 12 months ago, the Henry de Bromhead-trained mare gave the huge crowd plenty to cheer about as she powered up the hill to join
the elite hand of dual winners in the hands of Rachael Blackmore. Appreciate It, having his first race since winning the Supreme Novices' Hurdle on this day last year, made the running with Not So Sleepy for company until Honeysuckle made her move and jumped to the front at the second-last flight. The 8-11 favourite set sail for home and though challenged
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by Nicky Henderson's 2020 winner Epatante (16-1), she was too good and went on to score by three and a half lengths. Zanahiyr (28-1) was a length away in third place. Honeysuckle received a rapturous reception following her victory, with De Bromhead delighted to see the public pay the mare her due respect. He said: "It's better than last year, obviously, with the crowd here, with Kenny (Alexander, owner) and
(his wife) Caroline, with everybody. It's amazing. It's like a never-ending fairytale just incredible.
De Bromhead admitted he had felt more pressure this year ahead of Honeysuckle's title defence.
"I just really hoped she could get that Cheltenham roar and it's fantastic that she's got it. "She got it in the Mares' (Hurdle in 2020), but for this as she missed out last year. It's brilliant for everybody, our team, just everybody.
He added: "I did (feel the pressure a bit more), with the crowds and the build up, so it's just amazing. The dream result was for her to win with the crowd here to cheer her and Rachael - it's amazing and no more than they deserve."
"Rachael was obviously sublime and I can't believe it as usual!
Blackmore - who made history last year when becoming the first woman ride the winner of the Champion Hurdle - said: "It's just incredible. Walking out there in front of the stand with all the people, it's just such a special place.
"She's amazing and we're so lucky to have her."
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"I'm so lucky to be riding winners here and on this mare. It's class to have Kenny here as well, he missed it last year. "She's just incredible. She kind of decides in a race when she's happy to go on, I haven't stopped her from doing that yet. "She's just an incredible mare. The work that goes into her at home is unbelievable as well, Henry's got a great team of staff and they deserve all the credit for this as well."
Don’t Miss A Second Of The Action! GallopTV is South Africa’s exciting new high-definition sports broadcast channel and will proudly host every superb moment of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival. Visit GallopTV via their website www.galloptv.co.za and register free of any subscription costs to receive the live stream of all four days of the Cheltenham action, as well as all of the regular daily action from KwaZulu-Natal and the international racing scene. There are no monthly subscription costs! There are two days left after today of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival. There are seven races carded over each of the remaining two days, with the first off at 15h30 and the final event at 19h30 every day. Day 3 – Thursday 17th March: St Patrick’s Day One of the key dates for
Cheltenham Festival 2022 is St Patrick’s Day.
15h30 - The JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)
15h30 - The Turners Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
16h10 - The McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle Race (Grade 3)
16h10 - The Pertemps Network Final (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Listed) 16h50 - The Ryanair Steeple Chase (Grade 1)
16h50 - The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1)
17h30 - The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
17h30 - The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase (Grade 1)
18h10 - The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. Plate (A Handicap Steeple Chase) (Grade 3)
18h10 - The St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Steeple Chase
18h50 - The Mares Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
18h50 - The Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Steeple Chase (Grade 2)
19h30 - Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup (0-145)
Day 4 – Friday 18th March: Gold Cup Day The focus of the day will be The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, as the name suggests. 5
19h30 - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (0-145)
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CAPACITY CROWDS FOR $12 MILLION DUBAI WORLD CUP With $30,5 million in total prize money, the Dubai World Cup is one of the world’s biggest horse racing tournaments. This year’s Dubai World Cup further strengthens Dubai’s status as one of the world’s leading sporting destinations Meydan Racecourse is expected to be packed to the rafters on Dubai World Cup night after organisers prepare to welcome back
capacity crowds for the spectacular 26th running of the Group 1 Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline, on 26 March. While the highly prestigious $12 million race and its equally coveted undercard have attracted the very best from around the world over the years, the excitement is bound to amplify race day with a massive crowd expected to attend proceedings live at the
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80,000-capacity venue. The organisation of this year’s Dubai World Cup further reinforces the city’s rising status as one of the globe’s leading venues for international sporting events. Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, the Chairman of Dubai Racing Club, said: “We are so happy to have everyone back here for what will be a fantastic
26th running of the Dubai World Cup meeting. The atmosphere will be absolutely electrifying,” he said. “The quality of the horses, trainers, owners and jockeys who have assembled is better than ever and we are looking forward to a superb day of racing with our guests from all over the world. “I would like to thank our partners for their support and also the team at Dubai Racing Club, who have worked so hard to bring this meeting together. “The first-ever Dubai BreezeUp Sale is something we are all looking forward to eagerly as well, as it gives owners and connections in the region the chance to view
and purchase some of the best bred two-year-old horses in their backyard. It is something that will further cement Dubai’s position as one of the main centres for racing, not just in the region, but globally too.” From the time Cigar blew away his opposition at Nad Al Sheba at the inaugural meeting in 1996, to Thunder Snow’s stunning title defence in 2019, the Dubai World Cup meeting has gone from strength to strength, delivering some of the finest racing ever seen around the world. Last year’s programme saw John Gosden’s Saudi Cup winner Mishriff make a sensational return to turf and silence a strong Japanese contingent in the Group 1
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Longines Dubai Sheema Classic and Mystic Guide, trained by Michael Stidham for Godolphin, claim a third successive Group 1 Dubai World Cup victory for the royal blue silks of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. This year, there are bound to be more thrills and spills, with horses cherry-picked by connections to have a go at the massive $30.5m in prize money, which retains the Dubai World Cup card’s status among the richest single nights in horse racing. The $12m Gr1 Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline, sees some of
America’s top dirt performers go hoof to hoof against each other in the 2000m dirt contest. This year’s renewal promises a fascinating clash between two of the best dirt horses in America in Todd Pletcher’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and Pegasus World Cup winner Life Is Good and Doug O’Neill’s Hot Rod Charlie, who hit the ground running in Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 on his only start in Dubai. The pair will be joined by American counterparts Country Grammer and Midnight Bourbon, trained by US Hall Of Fame conditioner Bob Baffert and Steve Asmussen, who run fresh from their respective second and thirdplace finishes in last month’s Saudi Cup at Riyadh. The feature is supported by eight other equally gripping contests, including the aforementioned 2410m $6m Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, where a strong Japanese contingent is expected again. Tetsuya Kimura’s Neom Turf Cup winner Authority is among the favourites, but this year’s race is a wide-open one with Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby fielding one of his stable stars in Yibir, who was last seen winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar in November. Shadwell will be represented by Owen
Burrows’ Hukum, who enjoyed a highly productive 2021 campaign that saw him win four of his seven starts and begin 2022 with a narrow success in the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold, run over the course and distance of the Sheema Classic. Three more top tier events are also part of the evening’s programme and feature the $5m Group 1 Dubai Turf, sponsored by DP World, over 1800m. Gosden’s Lord North will make a title defence bid with Shadwell’s Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes winner Mohaafeth, trained by William Haggas, leading the opposition along with the same owner’s Alfareeq, winner of the G1 Jebel Hatta over course and distance. The card’s two sprints are the $1,5m Gr1 Al Quoz Sprint, sponsored by Azizi Developments, and the $2m Gr1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, which this year will be sponsored by Atlantis Dubai. Both are run over an identical 1200m trip, with the former playing out on the turf chute and the latter being contested as a one-turn dirt event respectively. British Champion Flat Trainer Appleby, the winner of the 2018 and 2019 renewals of the Al Quoz Sprint with Jungle Cat and Blue Point respectively, has a strong grip on the race
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with Group 1 Champion Sprint Stakes winner Creative Force and three-time course winner Man Of Promise. Locally-trained Al Tariq, Canvassed and Good Effort represent the yards of Doug Watson and Ismail Mohammed in the Gr1 Dubai Golden Shaheen and are up against some talented American dirt sprinters. They include Mark Glatt’s Dr. Schivel, winner of the Gr1 Bing Crosby Stakes and the 2020 Gr1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity, as well as Drain The Clock, trained by Saffie Joseph Jnr, winner of the Gr1 Woody Stephens. These top tier events sit on top of a tidy undercard that features the $1m Group 2 Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Nakheel, which will see Bhupat Seemar’s Secret Ambition defend his title and a potent field of 3yos line up for the 1800m $1m Gr2 UAE Derby sponsored by Mubadala. Within that group are Baffert’s recent 2021 Gr1 Del Mar Futurity champion and Gr3 Saudi Derby winner Pinehurst and runner-up Sekifu, who is trained by Koshiro Take. The pair will have a formidable foe in Pavel Vashchenko’s Azure Coast, who made light work of his rivals in the Gr3 UAE 2000 Guineas a month ago.
The longest race on the card is the 3200m $1m Gr2 Dubai Gold Cup, sponsored by Al Tayer Motors, where Appleby’s Manobo, who is unbeaten in five career starts and won the Gr3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy on his UAE debut over a slightly shorter 2810m trip, is the odds on favourite. Like the Dubai Golden Shaheen, the 2000m $1m Gr1 Dubai Kahayla Classic for Purebred Arabians has a new sponsor in Ithra Dubai and as is tradition will get the
prestigious Dubai World Cup card underway. Crowd interest has peaked with the announcement that Meydan Racecourse will open its doors fully for this year’s Dubai World Cup meeting for the first time since 2019. With tickets starting at just AED50 for General Admission, demand is bound to soar in the coming days. Various other options are also available for those seeking hospitality, while those attending will also gain entry to the spectacular closing ceremony and post-
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race concert that will feature Becky Hill, Rudimental and DJ Sigala. Racegoers will be required to adhere to COVID-19 related protocols mandated by the UAE Government, which means visitors must wear face masks in all indoor areas of the venue.
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12 Litigation and Gavin Lerena are on their own at the finish of the Derby Trial
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JC Photos
IN THE DERBY DOCK!
Favourite punters finally had something to smile about as the Sean Tarry Racing machine continued their winning streak at Turffontein on Saturday, with the progressive Greys Inn colt Litigation scoring a decisive victory in the R175 000 Listed Derby Trial. In similar fashion to his Gr1winning stablemate in the Drum Star a half hour earlier, Litigation was allowed to stalk the pacemaking Tabebuia for much of the 2000m trip. Riding a supremely confident race, Gavin Lerena moved him forward at the 300m and it was race over. Litigation (2-1) went on strongly to beat Tabebuia (41) by 3,50 lengths in a time of 125,42 secs.
In typically self-deprecating fashion, Gavin Lerena labelled himself a ‘blind chicken who actually found his mielie’. That was clearly in a reference to the fact that the top jockey had been banking place cheques, but had last ridden a winner on 1 March. “We always thought he would stay the 2000m. I didn’t want to wait too long as he could become flat-footed. And when we moved up he did look around. But he really won so well,” said the former SA Champion Jockey. Form trainer Sean Tarry said that it was tempting to go for the SA Classic but added that it may now not be that easy to stay out of the SA Derby!
Greys Inn (Zabeel) out of the thrice winning Jet Master mare, Jeter. Raced by Laurence and Jaryd Wernars, Harry Wilson and Avontuur GM Pippa Mickleburgh, Litigation was sold privately during the covid-19 reshuffle of the 2020 National Yearling Sale in a transaction brokered by Justin Vermaak. Litigation heads into the SA Derby on 2 April with an impressive record of 4 victories with 3 places from 9 starts, and stakes of R351 250.
Bred by Avontuur, Litigation is a son of Durban July winner
The Merits LITIGATION has had his rating raised from 91 to 97 following his success in the Listed Derby Trial for threeyear-olds over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday. The Handicappers were of the view that 3rd finisher MY MASTER made for the most suitable line horse here, leaving him unchanged on a
mark of 84. The specific conditions of this race do not permit for the winner to be raised by more than six pounds and allow for no increase in the rating of any other horses. In assessing the race this way, LITIGATION actually achieves a rating of 98, but he could only be raised the maximum
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six pounds, hence his new mark of 97. Runner-up TABEBUIA actually achieved a rating of 85, but as no increase in his rating is permitted, he remains on a mark of 81. There were no ratings drops for any horse in this event.
WILGERBOSDRIFT CONGRATULATES THE CONNECTIONS OF
RAIN IN HOLLAND on winning the
WILGERBOSDRIFT SA FILLIES CLASSIC (Gr 1) 1 800m the second leg of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara. Owner: Drakenstein Stud Trainer: Sean Tarry Jockey: Richard Fourie Breeder: Drakenstein Stud
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WILL LITIGATION BE HEARD IN THE HIGH COURT?
MJ puts another subject on the spot! 16 Anton Marcus keeps Legal Eagle going to ward off Copper Force (rail) and Captain America ahead of Sail South and Marinaresco to win the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate
Candiese Marnewick
‘The thoroughbred market is a fickle one, and not even three Gr1 winners could sway breeders to appreciate Greys Inn's MJ puts another subject on the spot! 17 accomplishments…’
Avontuur Stud, the home of such high-profile sires as Var and Oratorio, has enjoyed a fair amount of luck with a stallion who has never really grabbed the imagination of the country's breeders and trainers. That stallion is Greys Inn, the sire of exciting three-year-old Litigation. Bred by Avontuur and trained by Sean Tarry, he is bound for the Gr1 SA Derby following a smashing win in the Listed Derby Trial. The colt is not the first decent Greys Inn to emerge from
the Avontuur paddocks. The farm earned bragging rights as the breeder of by far his best runner, dual Horse of the Year Legal Eagle. When the time came for Greys Inn to retire, it was widely expected that the Oppenheimer-bred and raced champion would take up stallion duties at his owner's famed Mauritzfontein Stud. After all, here was a Durban July winner who had proven himself a Champion in his birth country and performed with credit at the highest level in Dubai, Hong Kong and
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Australia. In addition, he was by Zabeel, a multiple champion son of legendary New Zealand stallion Sir Tristram, while his dam was a half-sister to successful Australian sire and five-time Gr1 winner Zeditave. The announcement that Greys Inn would enter stud at Rosedene Stud in the Beaufort West area no doubt raised a few eyebrows. Subsequent history shows that the horse never received the support his fine credentials deserved.
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Be that as it may, Greys Inn was quick out of the blocks with a first-crop Gr1 winner when Alec Laird-trained Royal Bencher shared the honours in the SA Derby.
Inn the National Emblem mare Young Sensation. A Gr2-placed winner of six races, she also descended from the famed taproot mare Ethane, the dam of Hawaii and William Penn.
Sean Tarry on a heady race career which yielded two SA Horse of the Year titles and three Equus Awards as the country's undisputed champion miler.
Greys Inn's struck again when his next crop yielded a second Gr1 winner in King Of Pain. Trained by Joey Ramsden, his finest moment came at Clairwood, where he held off Beach Beauty and Yorker in the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge.
"I loved Greys Inn as a racehorse and when he retired, we took a share in him, although Zabeel wasn’t high on my radar at the time," Avontuur GM Pippa Mickleburgh recalled about her decision to send the mare all the way to Beaufort West.
The best was yet to come.
The stars aligned, for Young Sensation's foal, a colt named Legal Eagle, would take trainer
Also Greys Inn's second SA Derby winner, Legal Eagle went on to amass earnings of over R12,2 million in stakes and swept a serious of top prizes, including a treble in the Gr1 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate, a feat only bettered by four-time record-holder Pocket Power.
In 2010, Avontuur sent Greys
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The thoroughbred market is a fickle one, and not even
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three Gr1 winners could sway breeders to appreciate Greys Inn's accomplishments. Let the record show that Greys Inn has averaged no more than 37 mares in his first 13 seasons at stud. From a high of 55 mares in his first year, that dwindled to just 10 mares in 2019. Remarkably, Avontuur also bred another 'good one' by the stallion in Canterbury Tale, a fine stayer who won the Gr2 Gold Bowl and also ran third in the Gr1 Gold Cup.
The stud's faith in Greys Inn seems to have paid off once again with the decision to send homebred Jeter to the stallion, who at the time, stood the first part of the 2017 breeding season at Ridgemont Highlands. "She's a big strong, mare, the female version of her sire Jet Master, down to the white ticks in her coat!" says Pippa. "Litigation was the most gorgeous foal, so much so
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that I sent a picture of him to Sean Tarry and told him, this is going to be your next Legal Eagle!" Here is where fate stepped in. The Covid-19 epidemic was in full swing by the time the 2020 yearling sales came around, which led to a ban on public auctions. "In order to generate some cash flow, we had no alternative but to sell our stock direct off the farm," Pippa remarked.
"Justin Vermaak came to inspect our yearlings and as an afterthought I showed him Litigation, who had grown into a fine yearling." He brokered the deal whereby prominent owner Laurence Wernars purchased the colt and sent him to trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren. Here's where fate stepped in once again, for when Wernars decided to spread his huge string
amongst other trainers, Litigation was transferred to the Tarry stable.
hopeful that lightning strikes again and for another good reason.
Seems the wheel has turned full circle. Whether Litigation will prove himself a bona fide Gr1 performer and scale the same heights as Legal Eagle, only time will tell.
The colt's yearling half-sister by Var is destined for this year's National Sale, and while Litigation's Derby Trial victory has already boosted her pedigree page, a Gr1 victory next to his name would look even better!
Pippa's belief in the colt was such that she bought a small share in Litigation, in hindsight, a shrewd one indeed. She is
Gold Circle
Greys Inn wins the 2004 Durban July
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Horse Chestnut – London Wall’s most famous son
LONDON CALLING! Saturday proved a good day for descendants of former South African Broodmare Of The Year London Wall (Col Pickering). London Wall is the fourth dam respectively of Saturday’s Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes winner Smorgasbord (Twice Over), and the very impressive Listed Derby Trial Stakes victor Litigation (Greys Inn). The exciting Litigation is out of the Jet Master mare
Jeter, a daughter of Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Sport’s Chestnut (Sportsworld).
a daughter of Greys Inn and Chica -a granddaughter of London Wall.
The latter was produced by London Wall’s daughter London Cry. Jeter’s full-sister Off The Mark won five times, including the Gr3 Acacia Handicap.
His relative, and fellow threeyear-old, Smorgasbord, whose success in the Senor Santa Stakes continued the great run enjoyed by his sire Twice Over’s threeyear-olds this season, is the second graded stakes winner produced by Var’s three time winning daughter Variety, with the latter also responsible for short-lived Gr3 Graham Beck
Litigation is also bred on similar lines to Inner Temple - dam of Gr1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes winner Temple Grafin. Inner Temple is
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Stakes winner Zen Arcade (Ideal World).
Cape Speed, Eighth Wonder and Shenanigans.
Twice Over’s other notable three-year-olds this season include a pair of Guineas winners in the form of Call The Wind and Double Superlative. South Africa’s Broodmare Of The Year in 1998, London Wall has left behind a host of top-class descendants.
London Wall is also fourth dam of Pamushana’s Pride (Louis The King) -who ran second, to Triple Crown winner Malmoos (Captain Al), in the 2021 Gr1 WSB SA Derby.
Not only did she produce Horse Chestnut, but London Wall also features as the ancestress of the horses mentioned previously, as well as Equus Champion Monyela, and fellow graded stakes winners African Adventure,
London Wall also continues to make her mark through the growing success enjoyed by her legendary son Horse Chestnut (Fort Wood) as a broodmare sire. The South African Triple Crown winner, and 2000 Gr3 Broward Handicap hero, is already damsire of a host of high-class
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horses led by such Gr1 winners as Star Catcher (Sea The Stars), Cannock Chase (Lemon Drop Kid), Fault (Blame), Zipessa (City Zip), Smart Call (Ideal World), Camphoratus (Byword), and Suggestive Boy (Easing Along). He also features in the pedigree of last year’s Gr1 Alcibiades Stakes winner Juju’s Map (Liam’s Map), with Horse Chestnut the sire of Juju’s Map’s granddam Charming N Lovable.
28 Smorgasboard charges home under Warren Kennedy as Warrior’s Rest (Denis Schwarz) chases hard
JC Photos
WERNARS FLAG FLIES HIGH 29
The Wernars silks are enjoying a terrific run in various feature-winning partnerships and were worn to a superb double at Turffontein on Saturday. While Litigation put his hand up as a Derby contender with a smooth victory in the Derby Trial, it was Smorgasboard who delivered a fourth Senor Santa Stakes trophy for Laurence Wernars when winning the speed Gr2 in impressive style. Named in honour of one of our great sprint champions, the R400 000 Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes was the platform for the high-riding Paul Peter Racing Team to throw the Twice Over gelding Smorgasboard in at the deep end – and the 4yo
Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein -bred product delivered in style.
and uncomplicated’.
Coming in on a handy 52kgs, regular pilot Warren Kennedy rode the 4yo with confidence, coming from a few lengths off down the outside to win well.
Another Gr1 winner in the runner-up’s stablemate Under Your Spell (8-1) ran on well for third, with another Wernar flagbearer in True To Life (101) kicking on into fourth.
While Sean Tarry’s Gr1 winning 7yo Warrior’s Rest found his better form in the Hollywood Syndicate silks, and looked to spoil the party, the younger horse always looked in charge.
A R460 000 National Yearling Sale graduate, Smorgasboard is by Klawervlei’s star sire Twice Over (Observatory) out of the three-time winning Var mare, Variety.
At the line Smorgasboard (6-1) powered on to beat Warrior’s Rest (40-1) by a half length in a time of 65,64 secs.
Smorgasboard has won 3 races with 5 places from 8 starts for stakes of R469 312.
Jockey Warren Kennedy rode 3 winners on the day and said that gelding had made all the difference to Smorgasboard, a horse he described as ‘clean
The Merits SMORGASBORD has had his merit rating raised from 106 to 110 following his win in the Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes over the straight 1160m course at Turffontein on Saturday 12 March. The Handicappers were of the view that 5th finisher CAPTAIN OUPIE made for the most suitable line horse when assessing this event
in the firm belief that he would not have run below his best against a field of this nature, which leaves him unchanged on a mark of 104. The winner aside, the only other increase was for 2nd placed WARRIOR’S REST, who goes up from 107 to 112. There were however ratings drops for four horses. 3rd
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placed UNDER YOUR SPELL is down slightly from 115 to 114, 4th finisher TRUE TO LIFE goes from 115 to 113, ULTRA MAGNUS is down from 118 to 116, and lastly CELESTIAL LOVE drops to 113 from 116.
The Hollywood Foundation’s First Race Day The Hollywood Foundation Team was proud to host the first Hollywood Foundation Race Day on Sunday, 13 March 2022, at Hollywoodbets Greyville. The Team was thrilled to invite representatives from seven other organisations, as well as Members from the KwaZulu-Natal Gambling Board, who enjoyed a relaxed afternoon at the Durban View Room. The day consisted of an eight-race programme, and each race was named after organisations that the Foundation has partnered with before, including, Durban Child and Youth Care Centre, WOSIE Foundation, GOLDCO, Ugu Women Foundation, PinkDrive, TAFTA, and Ntenga Foundation. There was also a dedicated race for the Hollywood Foundation. The organisations that were present at the Race Day have different focus groups, such as women, children, the youth, and the elderly, however, they all have a common goal to lend a helping hand to many vulnerable and disadvantaged people in various communities in South Africa. Janice Benecke from the PinkDrive, who already has a long and fruitful relationship with Hollywoodbets, and now the Hollywood Foundation, praised the idea of having a Race Day, as well as having eight races dedicated to beneficiaries who require support and funding to continue with their good works. Slindile Thabede, from Ugu Women Foundation, was delighted after attending her first Race Day, and explained that this afforded her organisation an opportunity to interact with other organisations and their programmes, such as sports programmes and Enterprise and Skills Development initiatives. Siyanda Calvin Ntenga, from the Ntenga Foundation, said that the Race Day was a good networking platform for his organisation, as they interacted with other organisations who are also doing great work. He added that the Race Day encouraged his organisation to not work in silence, but as a team. Siyanda also thanked the Hollywood Foundation for placing many organisations under one roof, as well as encouraging partnerships. Rasigan Naidoo, the Hollywood Foundation CSI Manager, explained that this Race Day was a brilliant way of allowing many organisations to come together and discuss the various good works that they are doing, as well as ways that other organisations can come on board to assist. “Throughout the country, and our continent, there are many organisations that are doing excellent work. The power of today is that many people with the same vision, and the same common ethos, are coming together to help the community that we live in. I’ve always said, many hands make light work, and the power of today is that all of us, across different races, creed, ages and genders, are getting together to support our community.”
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THEY’RE THE KIDS IN AMERICA!
32 Xola Jacobs and Wiseman Njokwe – John Motaung is at the rear
Dreams don’t pay the bills and the opportunities are not exactly lurking down every home straight. Two ambitious SA Jockey Academy apprentices recently opted to take their futures into their own hands and abandoned their dreams of becoming jockeys in the land of their birth. The scenic city of Ocala, often labelled the ‘Horse capital of the world’, is in Marion County, Florida and a literal world away from the humble beginnings of Howick and Port Elizabeth. But for Niall Brennan Stables’ newest workriders, 23 year old Wiseman Njokwe and 21 year old Xola Jacobs, the USA has opened a whole new dimension of opportunity - and reignited their dreams of eventually riding professionally. In February a low-key notice appeared in the National Horseracing Authority’s weekly gazette. Njokwe and Jacobs had surrendered their indentures ‘by mutual consent’. That’s typically clinical and unenlightening, so we decided to find out more. We tracked the globetrotting duo down to their new home in Florida on Sunday evening, and learnt in double quick time that the water in the
States tastes different, the locals have been really warm and welcoming, and that just about everything, including motor vehicles, is bigger in America. “It takes some time getting used to the helpings here. The pizza’s and burgers never leave one hungry. Thirty dollars keeps us fed for a week. The currency units are a minor challenge – especially getting used to drawing small numbers from the ATM’s. In South Africa everything seems to cost thousands of rands!” laughs Wiseman, aka ‘Wisey’, as he tells that they have relished every moment of their voyage of discovery so far. Asked what had made their minds up to take the plunge out of their cultural comfort zone, they speak as one in outlining the difficulty of breaking through the ranks in South Africa. When the chance came, it was just too good to turn down. Xola, who goes to scale at 49kgs, rode his last SA winner – the 10 to 1 shot Burmese Tiara - on 12 February at Turffontein for trainer Paul Peter. “I understand that trainers and owners want the best jockeys on their horses- but to keep riding outsiders or no-hopers is soul destroying and knocks one’s confidence. Yes, there
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are lucky breaks and things can change quickly. But it is important to get the regular rides and some decent chances – we cannot win races without the horse under us,” says Xola, who grew up in Port Elizabeth and was introduced to racing as his Dad worked for the powerful Gavin Smith yard. “I met Jockey Charles Ndlovu and he helped me to join the SA Jockey Academy. I am indebted to him as it changed my life forever,” he adds. Wisey, who like the late Ronald Khumalo was supported by the Carlisle family in his dream of becoming a jockey, confirms that it is an uphill battle securing rides in terms of numbers and quality. And the situation has been aggravated by the smaller fields, reduced horse population and the fact that we only race once a day in South Africa these days. “In any walk of life, the dreams don’t pay the bills – so when the opportunity arose via the SA Jockey Academy to enjoy a change of scenery and ride work in the States, we were keen and excited to take our chances.” Debbie Butt of the SA Jockey Academy was the person instrumental in securing the
positions for Wisey and Xola. The Academy was approached by the Americans, who were looking to employ work-riders. “Covid threw a spanner in the works as they were supposed to leave in October last year. But I’m glad it all came together in the end.
is situated on lush, rich land decorated with beautiful, old oak trees and consists of a newly resurfaced 1200m dirt track with a padded 4 stall starting gate, a 1200m rolling turf course and a jogging tack. They also use a state of the art Aquaciser, European walkers, round pens, and have 4 barns accommodating up to 130 horses.
They were selected for a combination of reasons – work ethic, technical ability, and general dedication to their profession. We wanted to ensure that the first guys would carry our flag with pride, and all reports are that their employers are thrilled and very happy with them,” confirmed Debbie, who said this positive response could only lead to more opportunities.
“The people are wonderful and we are just learning so much. Like, for example, here they take the babies through the starting stalls at every opportunity. So by the time they get to the training yards, the horses find the gates second nature. I found that interesting,” says Zola.
The duo work at the Niall Brennan Stables, one of the top Thoroughbred pre-training facilities in the United States. Wisey adds that the stable and facilities are stateof-the-art and absolutely immaculate. The property
“And we haven’t given up the dream of getting back to race-riding. The system in America is like the old way in SA where an apprentice does his time with a trainer. We spoke to Hector Diaz jnr, who is a successful jockey based
He added that they are privileged to have been given this opportunity.
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in Tampa Downs, Florida. He spent four years in the workriders ranks. So there is hope for us!” he laughs. They reside within walking distance of Niall Brennan Stables with a gentleman named Warren Loudon. “We have a lovely family and we are living the American dream lifestyle!” they say in unison. Wisey and Xola also see a lot of John Motaung, who they know well from the SA Jockey Academy. John left South Africa in 2021 to join Becky Thomas at Sequel Bloodstock in Ocala, Florida and is involved with pre-training the 2 year olds for Sales. “It’s great having John show us around and we can get advice as we need it. It’s just so exciting to be here and we send our best wishes to all our friends and family in South Africa. We love it here – but we still miss the wonderful country and all the great people.”
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38 Keagan de Melo steers Zillzaal to victory
JC Photos
TARRY’S STAR 1-2-3 39
Sean Tarry celebrated a terrific start to the Senor Santa Stakes featured Turffontein raceday on Saturday when runners from the multiple SA Champion’s yard ran 1-23 in the R175 000 Listed Drum Star Handicap. The fast improving Keagan de Melo is riding winners in three provinces and the young Durbanite did the honours with a sweetly-timed ride to get the enigmatic 2019 Gr1 Summer Cup winner Zillzaal home after an extended period in the wilderness for
the now 6yo son of Silvano. De Melo stalked the pacemaking favourite Reunion for much of the race.
Sean Tarry attributed the turnaround in Zillzaal’s performance to the removal of the blinkers.
When the favourite appeared to stumble at the 250m marker, Zillzaal (33-1) moved up powerfully and bounded clear to beat stablemates Shango (16-1) and Nebraas (8-1).
An Al Adiyaat bred and raced son of deceased champion sire Silvano (Lomitas), the winner is out of the unraced Giant’s Causeway mare, Zulaal.
The winning margin was 1,40 lengths with the winner clocking 110,3 secs.
A winner of 5 races with 9 places from 22 starts for stakes of R2 289 025.
Tarry’s Tierra Del Fuego ran fifth in a great race for the Randjesfontein yard.
The Merits ZILLZAAL has had his rating increased from 113 to 117 after he captured the Listed Drum Star Handicap over 1800m at Turffontein (standside track) on Saturday. Here the Handicappers were unanimous in their view that 4th placed DONALD MCDONALD made for the correct line horse, leaving him with an unaltered rating of 102.
There were slight increases for 2nd placed SHANGO, who goes from 108 to 109, and 3rd finisher NEBRAAS, who is up from 103 to 104. No other horses received a rating’s increase, but no fewer than six runners were given a drop. JOHNNY HERO has not come close in two subsequent starts to matching the 115 he achieved when he finished a close 2nd in the Gr3 London
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News Stakes on 1 January and has had his rating cut from 113 to 110. TIERRA DEL FUEGO is down slightly from 106 to 105, MARCHINGONTOGETHER was trimmed from 111 to 110, EXPRESSFROMTHEUS drops from 108 to 105, YOUCANTHURRYLOVE also drops from 108 to 105, and lastly AFRICAN ADVENTURE is down to 107 from 110.
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JC Photos MJ puts another subject on the spot! Light Of The Moon (Muzi Yeni) down the inside holds off Princess Kesh (Ryan Munger) in a thriller
FUTURA’S MOON IS RISING Vaal trainers Barend Botes and Ashley Fortune provided two smart fillies and a grandstand finish to the Ormond Ferraris Listed Oaks Trial at Turffontein on Saturday. In a race of hard-luck stories and run at a decent clip, it was Muzi Yeni on the BotesVosloo trained Light Of The Moon who withstood a courageous challenge from Ryan Munger on the Ash Fortune charge Princess Kesh late in the 2000m contest. While Light Of The Moon was full value for her victory off a rating of 70, Princess Kesh
was probably the unlucky horse of the race – standing and losing lengths at the jump from her wide barrier gate.
the pair with Light Of The Moon (20-1) gaining the verdict in a time of 126,42 secs.
Trainer Barend Botes saddled his first feature winner for Drakenstein and credited the Cape farm’s Racing Manager Kevin Sommerville for the original idea to run the daughter of Futura in the stakes race.
They was 4,90 lengths seperating the top two from the third placed Defender Of Rights (8-1), with Cape visitor Greengrowthelilacs (4-1) left with lots to do but finding fourth cheque.
“You know me – I would have been looking for an MR 68 handicap for her. Kevin must take all the credit,” added Botes. After a tussle over the final 100m, only a neck separated 42
Bred and raced by Drakenstein, the winner is by the four-time Gr1 winning stallion Futura out of the versatile stakes winning Black Minnaloushe mare Cat And The Moon. While Light Of The Moon’s
former SA Horse Of The Year sire’s first crop yielded three graded stakes winners, her victory here boosts Futura’s very smart looking 3yo crop, which includes Gr3 Cape
Classic third place-getter Xavion and Future Prince, a winner of three of just four starts. Light Of The Moon has won
2 races with a place from 6 starts for stakes of R136 500. There is no decision at this stage as to whether she will go the SA Oaks route.
The Merits LIGHT OF THE MOON has had her rating raised from 70 to 76 after her victory in the Listed Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial for three-yearold fillies over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday. The Handicappers were of the opinion that 5th placed ONTHEVERGE would not have run worse than the net 63 she achieved last time out when 4th in a FM 72
Handicap over 1800m and was accordingly adjusted to a gross 72 (net 63). As with the DERBY TRIAL, the specific conditions of this race preclude the winner from being raised by more than six pounds and do not allow for any increase in the rating of any other runner. As such, LIGHT OF THE MOON was raised the maximum six pounds to 76 even though
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she actually ran to a mark of 85 and PRINCESS KESH was left unaltered on a rating of 83 despite achieving a race rating of 90. There were ratings drops for two other fillies. TRUMP MY QUEEN drops to 78 from 80, and GREENGROWTHELILACS was dropped from 78 to 76.
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Chase Liebenberg
YOU CAN AFFORD TO DARE TO DREAM! 46 Piet Botha – positive about the future of racing and making things work
Cape trainer Piet Botha is determined to make the racehorse ownership experience rewarding, fun and as affordable as reasonably possible again. After four seasons of training winners and reaching the milestone of saddling his first Met runner, the former jockey has moved into his new stables at Milnerton and is geared for growth. Piet and his wife Nicole have made great strides since bravely taking the plunge with just nine horses out of the Dare To Dream Stable’s Barn 9 at Milnerton in August 2018. They recently moved into their new accommodation and have been upgrading and refurbishing, while introducing innovative concepts. One of those is having the flags of their owner’s silks proudly blowing on flag-poles at the entrance. “We shouldn’t be hiding ourselves away. This is a great sport. Let’s open ourselves up to the eyes of the world and get folk wondering what it’s all about. We have had casual visitors, who are astonished when they see the beautiful horses and the hive of activity behind the walls. Why are we not having open days and bragging?” Piet says animatedly as he shows the Sporting Post team around
his neatly painted offices and yard. An eternal optimist, Piet refuses to be distracted or clouded by negativity and says that horseracing has plenty to offer a broad spectrum of owners– and he is determined to offer the ultimate experience for as wide a range of pockets as possible. “We need to stop blaming covid and the past and to rather focus on bringing the fun and participation aspect back. Our team have been in our new yard just two months now and our doors are always open. Whether it’s for a coffee, a braai on Friday afternoon, or a breakfast on the skottel on Saturday, all of our owners are encouraged to visit – to enjoy their horses with family and friends. We have nothing to hide and plenty to be proud of – and owners need to feel that they are getting more than an account and a hard-luck story every month. After all, we are marketing a lifestyle,” he adds. With the assistance of owner Gary van den Berg, Piet purchased nine yearlings at the recent De Grendel Cape Premier Yearling Sale and the Cape Yearling Sale. “I have always operated on a relative shoe-string budget at sales and am often the enthusiastic underbidder, as a result of competing against the bigger cheque-books. That’s
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not a bad thing necessarily, but for the first time, thanks to Gary’s involvement, I have been able to buy the horses that I earmarked and really wanted. I am excited about the nine youngsters and am offering prospective owners the chance to get involved in a package that suits their budget. So whether it’s 10%, 20% or more, in one or more of the nine, the owner decides the spend. And everybody gets treated the same – our doors are open so come and enjoy the experience - and let’s aim at the richly endowed sales races!” he adds enthusiastically. Piet says that some of those yearlings available are unnamed, and it can also be a lot of fun debating and creating a great name. All nine horses are based at Millstream Farm until June and will then start coming into the yard. The late foals may only come in during August or September, as and when they show that they are ready. All horses purchased at the BSA Sales qualify for the R100 000 juvenile win bonus and the R500 000 BSA Cape Sales Race. The CTS sales also have their own sales races.
LOT 87 - AVIGNON Master Of My Fate X Var Countess COLT 10% Cost - R28,900.00 48
LOT 93 Visionaire X Winter's Eve FILLY 10% Cost - R12,700.00 49
LOT 96 Global View X Women's Rights FILLY 10% Cost - R10,700.00 50
LOT 116 - WILLIAM'S LEGACY William Longsword X Blakes Mistress COLT 10% Cost - R11,800.00 51
LOT 164 - BIG FELLA William Longsword X Hot Affair COLT 10% Cost - R22,200.00 52
LOT 44 - FLASH LIGHTNING Visionaire X Flichity COLT 10% Cost - R13,000.00 53
LOT 48 - DE JANEIRO Oratorio X Hope Downs FILLY 15% Cost - R28,200.00 54
LOT 70 - FUJISAN Erupt X Kilcross COLT 10% Cost - R10,000.00 55
LOT 152 Royal Mo X Sukiwarrior FILLY 10% Cost - R13,000.00 56
Piet’s Catalogue Notes for the nine yearlings: Avignon - colt by Master Of My Fate X Var Countess: 10% Cost - R28 900 (90% available)
• Big strong horse
• Good girth
• Big feet
• Good walk
• Going to need a little time
• Middle 2 year old
• Good winter horse
Fujisan - colt by Erupt X Kilcross: 10% Cost - R10 000 (20% available)
• Beautiful well developed colt
• Late 2 year old
• Still leggy, great walk, good shoulder and hindquarters.
Big Fella - colt by William Longsword X Hot Affair: 10% Cost - R22 200 (50% available)
• Very nice horse
• Beautiful strong athletic horse
• Good walk
• Light on his feet
• Nice head
• Not your typical William
• Could be a candidate for the CTS Gold Rush race
• Athletic type and good candidate for the BSA sales race Unnamed - filly by Visionaire X Winter’s Eve: 10% Cost - R12 700 (75% available) • Got some to grow still
• Could be anything with a little time
• Strong well balanced filly
• Late 2 year old
• Won't take long to come to hand
Flash Lightning - colt by Visionaire X Flichity: 10% Cost - R13 000 (50% available)
• Will win at 2 Unnamed - filly by Global View X Women’s Rights: 10% Cost - R10 700 (50% available) • Good looking strong filly • Good long hindquarters • Nice length • Will win at 2 William’s Legacy - colt by William Longsword X Blakes Mistress: 10% Cost R11 800 (50% available)
• Strong shoulders and well balanced
Unnamed - filly by Royal Mo X Sukiwarrior: 10% Cost - R13 000 (25% available) • Very nice strong filly • Well developed
• Big strong boy
• Looks to have a long low stride
• Good Girth
• Good girth
• Good length
• Like a lot
• Good walk
Further information is available from Piet Botha on +27 073 122 4874 – or email dare2dreamracing@ gmail.com
• Will win a sprint at 2 and go further after De Janeiro- filly by Oratorio X Hope Downs: 15% - R28 200 (15% available) • Beautiful well developed filly
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Next week – a unique syndication opportunity!
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ADELAIDE - DUNDEEL FILLY STARS Records have tumbled across the board at the 2022 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale as a Dundeel filly starred on a great day's selling at Morphettville. Yesterday's top price of A$300,000 was beaten twice this afternoon with the Dundeel half sister to Yulong Command topping the sale at A$375,000 - a record price for a filly in the history of the South Australian auction. Offered by Kambula Stud
the filly was purchased by a delighted bloodstock agent Suman Hedge. "We'd done all the inspections and she was right up the top for us in terms of her athleticism, she moved particularly well, was lovely and strong through the hocks and really had that propulsion that we like," Hedge said. "Every time we brought her out she walked the same, she didn’t change, didn't fatigue at all and had a great temperament."
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"She's pretty forward looking so that was a nice thing to know that she's still a couple of months behind most of the others," Hedge added. Later in the afternoon leading local trainer Will Clarken went to A$325,000 to secure the Capitalist-Tagreeda filly, also offered by Kambula Stud. "We thought she was the best filly here," Clarken said. "She is all class and you can see the Fastnet Rock coming through in her and she is by a gun stallion."
"She has a massive hindquarter and a massive shoulder. She was the horse we were here to buy. We had some help from a bloodstock agent who came down from Sydney and he thought she was the best Capitalist he’d seen all season." With the top two sellers on the day, Kadina based Kambula Stud were celebrating their decision to support the Adelaide Yearling Sale with their entire draft. "First of all, one of the big things is that South Australian racing has turned around in the past 12 to 18 months and the other thing is, I
followed the motto of Goldin Farms last year who brought their best horses here and I thought to myself, 'why can't I?" Kambula's David Toole said. "I decided that I was going to keep them home and bring them all to Adelaide (this year). I'm a very proud South Australian and I wanted to be the star of the show." "Words can't describe how proud I am. We've had staff issues with my daughter being pregnant and only a few people know how hard we have worked in the last couple of months. We’ve had a great sale and I am just so happy," Toole added.
Across the sale over A$20.9 million was traded on 358 lots sold at a record average price of A$58,439 and an increased clearance rate of 88 per cent. "Considering back in 2019 we battled to get to A$10 million and now to be exceeding A$20 million three years later is a credit to the breeders who have brought horses here," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. "It's a credit to the state who have stuck by this sale and supported it with the best horses they've got and to the buying bench,’’ Bowditch
You’re Welcome! Cheltenham takes centre stage this week as spectators return to the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in two years. And with this week also marking the start of English Tourism Week, businesses in Cheltenham are ready to say 'You're Welcome' to the record visitor numbers that are expected over the next four days. Co-ordinated by VisitEngland, English Tourism Week, which runs from 18-27 March, is a national celebration of the country's £100 billion+ tourism industry. As the traditional tourism season
gets underway, it highlights the importance of tourism to local economies, promoting the quality of products and services on offer to boost domestic breaks, and shining a light on the wide range of career opportunities within the sector.
spending in Cheltenham brought more than £200 million into the town's economy. With this year's Festival, it is estimated that the economic impact to Cheltenham and Gloucestershire as a whole could exceed £100 million.
Last week many of Cheltenham's leading visitor economy businesses joined the Marketing Cheltenham team to say 'You're Welcome' to the 275,000 visitors expected to arrive over race week - and the almost 2.5 million visitors that Cheltenham hopes to welcome back in 2022.
The Festival is just one of more than 30 major events that attract visitors to Cheltenham each year, with the Cheltenham Literature, Music, Jazz and Science Festivals highlighting just why Cheltenham is also known as The Festival Town.
Pre-pandemic,60 tourism
said. "It’s been a fantastic two days of selling for Magic Millions, it's been fantastic for Adelaide and the South Australian industry." "When you look at the results of the likes of Kambula, they've kept all their yearlings here this year and credit to David Toole and his family for doing so. To have a A$375,000 and a A$325,000 and a really solid sell underneath that, it just shows if you're willing to leave your best stock here, like last year with Goldin and Cornerstone who did the same thing, you can be extremely well rewarded and rewarded like you wouldn't be at any other
sale in the country."
here at this sale."
"I look forward to more of the state's best breeders leaving their horses here and getting the result that is worthy of any other sale in Australia."
"We're going to end up with a really good clearance rate of 88 per cent and an average that increased considerably over last year considering we've taken well over another 100 horses for Book 1," he said.
"There's a hunger from South Australian trainers to support this sale in particular and make it their sale. Racing Rewards, in fairness, is doing an outstanding job." "The trainers of South Australia have stumped up, they’ve done their best and they’re getting in and spending really well and I'd love to see the prize money increase to give them more rewards for what they're doing
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To view the results of the sale or to make an offer ona passed in lot click here. The sale focus now switches to Queensland with the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Sale to be held on Monday and Tuesday.
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64 Kabelo Matsunyane (far right) with colleague Nathan Klink and Frankie Dettori in London
KABELO EXPLAINS LEAD BAG INCIDENT 65
Gauteng jockey Kabelo Matsunyane is trying to put a desperately unfortunate incident at Turffontein on Saturday behind him. His heavily-fancied mount Castletown was disqualified after the 23 year old weighed in 4,8kgs under his allotted weight. “I feel desperately sorry that the racing public lost money. It was a combination of factors at play and I’m just very thankful that no jockeys or horses were injured,” he told the Sporting Post as he explained the circumstances of an incident that dampened the afternoon for the young rider, the Pettigrew stable
and connections, and many punters. Kabelo, who came out of his time last year, had ridden Castletown in his two previous starts and in work at the Stuart Pettigrew yard. “I wish the footage was there for the public to see that we checked the equipment prior to the start. He is a very strong horse and he pulls hard. He has a low head carriage too. He also has a flatter wither than many horses – so the saddle has little in the way of the average horse’s physical skeletal structure to prevent it slipping forward. On Saturday I had two other light rides at 52kgs, so I was
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aslo carrying more dead weight than usual. That made the lead bag slightly bigger than normal too. So it really was a combination of circumstances,” he explained. Kabelo says the saddle did not slip as he came out of the stalls. “I only felt it after about 100m. Castletown was tugging and had his head down. I took a hold of him as I know that I had to ride him from off the pace – that’s how he runs.” He added that he had no idea that the lead bag, an integral part of keeping the saddle in place, had dropped out around the 600m.
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“I felt the saddle moving and looked down between my legs. It was still fairly even, albeit having shifted a bit forward. But I felt that I could continue to ride my race without prejudicing the safety of my opposition.” We asked what he would have done had he realised the lead bag had fallen. “That is a different case completely. Had I known, I would probably have eased him out and away from the others as there was then a clear chance of my saddle going completely. But I felt that I was in control and was riding my race. It was only at the pull-up that I realised it was gone,” he says.
A multiple champion jockey, and a man who rode at the top level for over forty years, Garth Puller told the Sporting Post that it was a trainer’s responsibility to saddle a horse and a jockey would always check his equipment properly at the start. “It’s happened to Frankie Dettori – it’s happened to the best of us. It’s senseless blaming the jockey or anybody else. It was a combination of factors and ultimately the rub of the green – these things happen in racing .” The vastly experienced Puller said that equipment could fail at any time. “The girth strap and surcingle that keeps the saddle in place
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is elasticized. So it is flexible and can cause movement. Believe me, nobody in his right mind would take a chance and ride a racehorse knowing that the saddle was going to slip. And hindsight when it comes to race-riding makes champions of all of us. To let the horse stride or to take a hold of him. These are split second decisions that jockeys are forced to make. Would it have made a difference? We won’t ever know. He is a promising rider. Give him a break. We never stop learning in this game and thankfully there wasn’t an accident,” he concluded.
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SALLY PARTNERS WITH SORRENTO
MJ puts another subject on the spot! 73 The new generation Sorrento Team – from l to r: Terry Andrews, Anthony Andrews, Sally Bruss, Annabel Andrews and Caitlin Bruss
While many of the names are very familiar and well established, things are happening in the serene environs of the scenic Sorrento Stud in Agter Paarl. The news that long established and respected horsewoman Sally Bruss has joined the Sorrento Stud team effectively creates a powerhouse backing, pretraining, yearling preparation, spelling and broodmare accomodation facility in South Africa’s premier thoroughbred breeding province. Talking to the Sporting Post on Tuesday, Sorrento’s Annabel Andrews said that they were thrilled to be welcoming a partner of Sally Bruss’ enormous experience. “Terry and I are going to take a back seat – call it retirement, but we have proudly bred and raised Gr1
winners and enjoyed sixteen busy years on this magnificent farm. Bringing Sally and her daughter Caitlin on board expands the experienced management team. In essence, nothing changes for our loyal existing clientele and it’s business as usual, with Charles Heming managing the maintenance side of things.” A former Stud Manager at the champion Lammerskraal Stud, Sally Bruss left after more than 30 years of producing Group winners to start her own facility in the Tulbagh area, where she pre-trained young horses and boarded broodmares destined to visit Cape-based stallions. Sally and 23 year old daughter Caitlin, who has grown up in the thoroughbred breeding environment, will be transferring their existing customers and horses to Sorrento.
“I am really excited to be moving the entire operation to Sorrento and am overwhelmed by the loyalty of my clients – every single one have stuck by us and are making the move with us!” said Sally. She added that another big positive is that Sorrento have easy access to top stallions Gimmethegreenlight, Master Of My Fate and Eric The Red across the road at Varsfontein. “The central position is thus a great plus, including for my KZN-based clients,” said Sally, who added that on a personal level, the proximity to Cape Town also made for easier access to her family. The Sporting Post believes that Druk My Niet farm, where Sally is currently based and trading as Wind River Farm, is on the market.
Red Light Spells Danger Fresh off supplying his first G1 winner last Saturday, Vogel Vlei Stud’s young sire Red Ray came up with another feature race winner when his first crop daughter Alula’s Star ran out an impressive winner of the Gold Rush Sprint (NonBlack Type) over 1100m at Turffontein on Saturday. The Stuart Pettigrew trained three-year-old accounted for a high-class field under Philsande Mxoli, staying on too strongly for previously unbeaten Rafeef
gelding Cleaver Greene and registering a one length win. Fourth, when beaten just over a length, in the Listed Bauhinia Handicap on her previous outing, Alula’s Star has now won four of just nine starts, with the consistent filly yet to finish out of the first four. Bred by Winterbach Stud, Alula’s Star is out of the Captain Al mare Solar Voyager. Her sire’s only runner at Turffontein on Saturday, was 74 a R40 000 buy from the 2020 Cape Yearling Sale.
Alula’s Star’s Gr1 Mercury Sprint winning sire recently made headlines when his three-year-old son Red Saxon captured the Gr1 WSB SA Classic. Red Ray has two lots on offer at this year’s National Sale - a half-brother (Lot 225) to Listed East Cape Nursery winner Viking Moon, and a half-sister (Lot 404) to Gr3 Cape Classic winner Eighth Wonder.
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SHAMROCK’S VIEW OF CHELTENHAM!
MJ puts another subject on the spot! 78
MJ puts another subject on the spot! 79
Thursday, day three of the Cheltenham Festival, is highlighted by three Gr1 contests. Track conditions are forecasted to be good to soft with a few showers predicted on Wednesday night. Starting proceedings at 15h30, is the Gr1 Turners Novices’ Chase run over 2 and half miles on the new track. The presence of both Bob Olinger and Galopin Des Champs has decimated the field with only two other rivals taking part. Bob Olinger 9/10 and Galopin Des Champs 1/1 face off in an all Irish affair with El Barra, a stablemate of Galopin Des Champs, and the Joseph O'Brien-trained Busselton taking on the market rivals. The Henry De Bromheadtrained Bob Olinger was successful in the Gr1 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at this meeting last year and is unbeaten in two contests over fences this campaign. He’ll be partnered by regular rider Rachael Blackmore. Paul Townend will be aboard Galopin Des Champs, who landed the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last year. Since then his progression over fences has been stellar with two facile
wins over two and a half miles at Leopardstown. The Willie Mullins inmate, unbeaten over fences, posted a 3lb higher rating than Bob Olinger when successful in the Gr1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase in February. The champion trainer had also nominated the six-year-old in the Browns Advisory Novices’ Chase over three miles but opted to race his front-running novice chaser over a similar trip. In a small field where tactics and slick jumping will determine the result, the selection is for Galopin Des Champs to provide Mullins with a fifth success in the race. Allaho will face eight rivals when he defends his crown in the Gr1 Ryanair Chase (16h50) over two and a half miles. The Mullins trained eight-year-old was an emphatic 12 length winner a year ago and has won his two races this season with authority. Paul Townsend reunites with the Cheveley Park owned front-runner who should be hard to pass. The Gordon Elliott-trained Conflated looks the main threat to the selection as he drops back in trip after an impressive win at Leopardstown in the Irish Gold Cup last time out, while the Mullins stablemate Janidil makes most appeal of the balance. Flooring Porter will face nine rivals in his bid to become the
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first horse since the mighty Big Buck's to win back-toback runnings of the Gr1 Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (17h30). The Gavin Cromwell-trained seven-year-old defeated Sire Du Berlais by three and a quarter lengths last year under Danny Mullins and finished a two-length second to Klassical Dream in the Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown in December on his final start. Klassical Dream reopposes and is the sole runner for the Willie Mullins. He was disappointing in his final prep at Gowran Park after two easy wins earlier this season in Ireland. Willie Mullins blamed himself for underpreparing his runner, so that run can perhaps be ignored. Klassical Dream, who won the Supreme in 2019, is sure to be in tip top condition for Thursday’s contest. The Peter Fahey-trained mare Royal Kahala is an interesting runner in an open race as connections chose to have a crack at this race rather than the Mares' Hurdle. She was a decisive winner of the Gowran Park feature when beating Klassical Dream and looks very progressive.
results up to: 2022-03-15
TRAINERS Name
Runs 803 713 509 324 765
Mr S J Snaith Mr P A Peter Mr S G Tarry Mr M F de Kock Mr G D Smith
Wins Win%
2nd
3rd
Other Places Place %
Win Stake (R)
108 137 57 63 84
101 102 50 49 83
105 76 53 35 76
176 145 95 66 129
8,517,775 12,755,588 8,439,563 12,358,438 5,476,000 7,792,563 4,952,438 7,166,750 3,561,563 5,551,063
13.4. 19.2 11.2 19.4 11.0
382 323 198 150 288
47.6 45.3 38.9 46.3 37.6
Total Stakes (R)
JOCKEYS Name
Rides Wins Win%
2nd
3rd
Other Places Place %
Mr W B Kennedy Mr S Khumalo Mr R D Fourie Mr K de Melo Mr M A Yeni
1079 724 597 700 931
165 86 105 96 115
140 80 80 82 111
206 146 122 156 202
184 120 113 107 104
17.1 16.6 18.9 15.3 11.2
511 312 307 334 428
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
47.4 10,326,938 15,535,775 43.1 8,749,075 12,249,838 51.4 8,592,175 11,615,575 47.7 6,385,825 9,744,025 46.0 5,516,813 9,427,938
BREEDERS Name
B.T. B.T. Total Runrs Runs AEPR Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Wins Stakes (R) Rnrs %
Wilgerbosdri� & Mauritzfontein Klawervlei Stud Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd Ridgemont Highlands
258 1157 306 1383
55,112 118 164 43,026 102 130
45.7 464 33.3 535
10 6
13 7
14,218,900 13,166,038
134 129 111
79,773 60,583 52,894
46.3 250 39.5 238 41.4 238
13 4 5
15 5 5
10,689,525 7,815,175 5,871,200
B.T. Wins
Total Stakes (R)
11 8 9 1 1
8,885,750 8,170,888 8,044,225 7,752,975 7,328,613
613 571 500
62 51 46
92 76 65
SIRES Name Vercingetorix Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) * Silvano (GER) Master Of My Fate What A Winter
Runrs Runs AEPR 135 158 138 161 160
610 694 583 779 710
65,820 51,714 58,291 48,155 45,804
B.T. Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Rnrs % 62 62 58 73 62
88 83 82 95 89
45.9 39.2 42.0 45.3 38.8
261 283 249 349 318
See all the detailed standings - Click here 81
8 8 7 1 1
GOING THE DISTANCE… THE ROAD TO WEMBLEY!
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The FA Cup quarter-finals will take place this weekend as the road to the Wembley final continues.
Sunday 20 March
Chelsea travel to Middlesbrough on Saturday evening in the first of the lasteight ties, while three games will be played on Sunday, as Everton take on Crystal Palace, Manchester City travel to Southampton and Liverpool visit Nottingham Forest.
Crystal Palace will be confident of progressing to the semis when they face strugglers Everton. Patrick Vieira's side are in good form and will try to keep their momentum going. As for Everton, not much has changed since Frank Lampard took over the team, so avoiding relegation from the Premier League might be a more important aim for the club. Palace ran out 3-1 winners when they last faced the Blues back in December and after their impressive performance against Manchester City, Vieira's side gives me confidence they will seal their passage to the last four.
Saturday 19 March 6/1 Middlesbrough | Draw 37/10 | Chelsea 4/10 (19:15) Chadley Nagel writes that Chelsea will be hoping to avoid becoming another scalp when they travel to the Riverside Stadium to face Middlesbrough. Tottenham and Manchester United have already felt the giant-killing wrath of Chris Wilder's side and the Blues will be hoping to avoid the same fate as Thomas Tuchel targets more silverware. Boro have been very inconsistent over the last few weeks, but their home form has been impeccable with eight straight victories at the Riverside in the Championship. As for Chelsea, despite their current issues, are enjoying their longest winning streak in the Premier League this season. The Champions League holders should prove too strong here.
12/10 Crystal Palace | Draw 23/10 | Everton 23/10 (14:30)
9/1 Southampton | Draw 48/10 | Manchester City 2/7 (17:00) Manchester City are the favourites to lift the trophy as Pep Guardiola’s side target a historic treble this season. The Citizens are the most recent winners of the FA Cup still in the competition, lifting the trophy in 2019 after thrashing Watford 6-0 at Wembley. City will be confident heading into this game, especially as Southampton have lost three in a row. However, Ralph Hasenhuttl's side tend to bring their A-game against the top teams and
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beating them at St Mary’s won't be an easy task. I think it will be a very close affair but Guardiola’s team should still book their semifinal spot. But with very little value on a straight win, I suggest taking City to win and under 3.5 goals at 11/10. 9/1 Nottingham Forest | Draw 5/1 | Liverpool 1/4 (20:00) Nottingham Forest have already knocked Arsenal and holders Leicester City out of this year’s competition, but Jurgen Klopp's quadruplechasing Reds will no doubt present their biggest stumbling block. Liverpool have shown that they will not take any tournament lightly and the way they have been playing, creating the amount of chances per game that they do, Forest shouldn’t be able to withstand. My money is on Liverpool to win and over 3.5 goals at 16/10. QUAD @ 16/1 Chelsea Win 4/10 Crystal Palace Win 12/10 Man City & Under 3.5 Goals 11/10 Liverpool & Over 3.5 Goals 16/10
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