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Dubai World Cup 2021 – joy for Godolphin as Mystic Guide is led in
WORLD CUP TIME! With $30.5 million in total prize money, the Dubai World Cup on Saturday is one of the world’s biggest horse racing tournaments.
the years, the excitement is bound to amplify race day with a massive crowd expected to attend proceedings live at the 80,000-capacity venue.
Meydan Racecourse is expected to be packed to the rafters as they welcome back capacity crowds for the spectacular 26th running of the Group 1 Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline.
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.
While the highly prestigious $12 million race and its equally coveted undercard have attracted the very best from around the world over
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
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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. 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 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. The feature is supported by eight other equally gripping contests, including the aforementioned 2410m $6m Gr1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, where a strong
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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.
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Mohaafeth following stable-mate Alenquer in trackwork this week
GROCER JACK HAS A TICKET William Haggas saddles Grocer Jack in the $12 million Group 1 Emirates Dubai World Cup. The horse is a new addition to the yard from Germany. He is unraced on the dirt but Haggas, who was second in the race with Mukhadram back in 2014, feels his charge is entitled to take his chance. He said: “Grocer Jack has hit a very strong race this year with some professional horses, so he is rightfully an outsider. He ran well in Saudi Arabia and the one thing I didn’t think he’d do was break
slowly, which he did. “That will be difficult with all the specialist dirt runners from America and Japan. You never know of course, but it’s a real tough ask for him. The one thing about these races is that you can never win them if you don’t run in them, so we’ll see.” Haggas has a strong hand in Saturday’s Gr1 Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World as he seeks his first victory on Dubai World Cup Night, sending out Group performers Mohaafeth and My Oberon. The trainer, fresh off the
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plane, said at the track on Wednesday morning : “I’ve only just got here but I’ve got a great team here and after I’ve had a look at them this morning we’ll give them a bit of a stretch tomorrow.” Mohaafeth showed plenty of ability during his three-yearold campaign, most recently finishing fourth behind last year’s Dubai Sheema Classic winner Mishriff in the Group 1 International Stakes at York in August. The son of Frankel has had an operation to remove a testicle since his last start.
Haggas said: “When he was purchased Mohaafeth he was a rig – meaning they only have one descended testicle – and we didn’t think in his last races he was running as well as he possibly should have. We investigated and decided to take it out. “My personal feeling is that in his last few races his last furlong over a mile and a quarter was weak and it certainly looked like it could be that which was troubling him. He’s got one less excuse now! “He’s got a nice draw in a very strong race, but he’s got a chance. He’s got a bit to find with the top-rated horses, but he’s in good form and we hope he’ll run a good race – he’s certainly got the scope to improve on his rating.” Haggas also has two chances in the Group 1 Longines
Dubai Sheema Classic over a mile and a half, sending out a pair of Group 2 scorers in Dubai Honour and Alenquer. The last-named took the notable scalp of leading Dubai Turf contender Lord North when winning the Group 3 Winter Derby in good style at Lingfield last month. The trainer said of Alenquer: “I thought the track would be too quick and the surface probably quick enough but he’s clearly in good shape. It’s a strong race but he’s a nice horse. He surprised me in the Classic Trial at Sandown when defeating a very strong field, but he’s gone on to win easily at Royal Ascot and finish second in the International Stakes at York.”
October, and has since hit the frame in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin. This will be his first try over a mile and a half, but Haggas feels he’s well worth his place in this contest. He said: “He’s gone from strength to strength since, winning two Group 2 races in France and finishing second in the Champion Stakes. It’s his first time over a mile and a half and I’m not sure about the ground for him. He needs cut in the ground, but he did run a very solid race in December at Sha Tin. He was fourth and finished good in a strong race so we’ll see.”
The improving Dubai Honour signed off on his UK campaign with a fine effort to finish second in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot last
It All Started In 1996 The $12 million Dubai World Cup is run annually on the last Saturday in March. The 2000m Gr1 race is open to Northern Hemisphere Thoroughbred four-year-olds & up and
for Southern Hemisphere Thoroughbred three-year-olds & up. The Dubai World Cup was first run on dirt at Nad al Sheba racecourse in 1996. In 2010, the race moved to
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Meydan, the Arabic word for ‘meeting place’, and was staged on the all -weather Tapeta surface. Since 2015, the race has been held on dirt once again.
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The 2021 DWC runner-up Chuwa Wizard and stablemate Combustion go head to head in trackwork earlier today
JAPAN – BIG IN DUBAI Two of Japan’s leading dirt candidates for Saturday’s feature meeting headlined a pre-dawn trackwork session at Meydan on Wednesday morning, with last year’s Gr1 Dubai World Cup runner-up Chuwa Wizard shaded by young upstart Combustion, who contests the Group 2 UAE Derby. The Ryuji Okubo-trained Chuwa Wizard, ridden by raceday partner Yuga Kawada, is a veteran of the Meydan dirt, while Combustion will become the maiden runner at the
Dubai World Cup meeting for Godolphin’s Japanese operation with jockey William Buick getting his first feel for the three-year-old. President of Godolphin Japan Harry Sweeney expressed reservations about Listed Hyacinth Stakes winner Combustion handling the different Meydan surface to the sandier Japanese tracks. “He’s had a successful juvenile career and he established a new track record in the Hyacinth last start, so he’s definitely a horse with talent in Japan,” Sweeney said. “Most
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Japanese Group races are on turf though and so we may not have the confidence that we would have with a top-class turf runner as a dirt runner. It’s sand really in Japan, so it’s a little bit different from here and it can be much deeper. We will be interested today to see how he handles the dirt at speed with William aboard. “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed is excited to have a horse of his from Japan racing here, it fulfils his longheld global ambitions. For a horse of this calibre, the options on dirt are limited
in Japan and so it was an obvious option.” Minutes later, Combustion left little doubt that he was suited to the Meydan dirt with a sizzling gallop that left Chuwa Wizard in the dust, giving Buick confidence that the Keizo Ito trainee will be a big contender in the UAE Derby. “That was something, he went better than Chuwa Wizard!” the grinning Norwegian said. “I couldn’t be happier, he’s taken to the track well. It wasn’t a breeze to find out how fast he is but I am more confident about him now, especially off that good
win at Tokyo. “He’s definitely a natural on the surface and he’s got a change of pace on it which is key.” Okubo, though, was bullish after Chuwa Wizard’s work, believing that his last-start win in the Kawasaki Kinen - a local Grade 1 on the minor NAR circuit – was a better lead-in this time around. “This time, Chuwa Wizard has travelled overseas before and so it is something he is familiar with,” Okubo said. “I was a little bit worried after he lost weight on the trip over, but now I think he is in similar condition
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to last year. Last year, he went to Riyadh for the Saudi Cup before coming to Dubai and that didn’t suit him, the ground wasn’t right for him and the one-turn 1800m didn’t allow him to show his best. “We saw last year that the two turns of the Dubai World Cup was more suitable and I think the Kawasaki Kinen will help him to produce his best here.” Chuwa Wizard drew gate three at Tuesday’s post position draw, the same barrier as last year
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BURN BABY, BURN!
12 Warren Kennedy steers Big Burn ahead of Kabelo Matsunyane and Kissing Point
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The Elusive Fort filly Big Burn surprised even some of her staunchest supporters when she maintained her excellent form with a courageous victory under top weight to win the R200 000 Gr3 Sycamore Sprint run over 1160m at Turffontein on Saturday. The high-riding combination of Turffontein trainer Paul Peter and jockey Warren Kennedy lauded the Narrow Creek Stud-bred 3yo, who produced what is probably her finest performance to date.Giving kilo’s to some decent older fillies, Big Burn (3-1) cruised a length off the pace before galloping powerfully into the lead at the 300m, drawing clear to beat Kissing Point (10-1) who was receiving 9 kgs, by 2 lengths
in a time of 65,85 secs. Sean Tarry’s Full Velocity (2810) stayed on for third, a further 1,25 lengths back. “She’s small of stature, but big of heart,” said Kennedy, who thanked owners Arun Chadha, Ian Levitan and Warne Rippon. Trainer Paul Peter is within touching distance of Justin Snaith at the top of the national trainer’s log, and the yard had another three winners on the day. “I am a bit worried – Mr Arun Chadha thinks this is an easy game. He is just such a lucky owner!” laughed Peter.
the Big Burn success story. A daughter of Elusive Fort (Fort Wood), Big Burn is out of the once winning Argonaut mare, Ignition Lady. The winner cost R300 000 at the BSA National 2yo Sale and took her career tally on Saturday to 5 wins and 4 places from 9 starts for earnings of R751 750. She must surely have aspirations of a Gr1 strike this term – the SA Fillies Sprint run over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on 4 June could be a target.
Big Burn’s Groom Elias ‘Rasta’ Radebe, who apparently does a great cover of Canadian singer ‘The Weeknd’, received a mention as a key player in
The Merits BIG BURN has had her merit rating raised from 115 to 122 after she defied top weight to win the Grade 3 Sycamore Sprint (handicap) for fillies and mares over the straight 1160m course at Turffontein on Saturday 19 March. The Handicappers were of the view that consistent 3rd finisher FULL VELOCITY made for the
best line horse here, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 95. The winner aside, the only other raise was for runner-up KISSING POINT, who goes from 97 to 99. There were ratings drops for three runners. 4th placed MILL QUEEN is down from 98
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to 96, BEQUEST drops from 87 to 82, and lastly RIO’S WINTER was trimmed from 102 to 101.
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MJ puts another subject on the spot! 16 Denis Schwarz steers Rouge Allure to a well-deserved win ahead of Opera Glass (Jeff Syster) in a Moffatt stable exacta
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AGE – JUST A NUMBER MJ puts another subject on the spot! 17
Having her 95th start, an 8yo mare who shed her maiden before some of her opponents were born, produced a rousing finishing effort at Turffontein on Saturday to win the R150 000 Listed Jacaranda Handicap. While Rouge Allure went off at 14-1, her victory under Denis Schwarz was a popular one and a memorable moment for the Vaal-based Stephen Moffatt, who also saddled runner-up Opera Glass in a commendable stakes exacta for the small yard. While the winner is an 8yo, the name of Mick Goss in the ownership with longstanding supporter Albert Rapp makes it a sentimental victory – and a deserved one at that for Stephen Moffatt , who saddled his first winner at Bloemfontein on 15 July 2003, when Fanie Chambers
booted Private Badger home in a Maiden Juvenile Plate.
Glass by a length in a time of 111,82 secs.
But Saturday belongs to the Summerhill Stud-bred chestnut soldier Rouge Allure, a daughter of deceased Summerhill and Bush Hill sire Kahal, who made her debut under Gunter Wrogemann in August 2016.
The favourite Bold Fortune (94) didn’t have the best of luck but ran a game race again under topweight to secure third, a further length back.
She has raced through wind, rain and shine for six seasons and continues to provide the fireworks. “After she ran three lengths off last time under 58kgs, I knew she would win today,” added delighted owner Albert Rapp. The race worked out swimmingly for Rouge Allure after Richard Fourie took La Luvia out to set a serious pace ahead of the grey Rosaprima. Into the home run Rouge Allure built up and swept through to beat her stablemate Opera
The Acacia Stakes winner Pin Up was given every chance by Warren Kennedy but faded late to 8 lengths off the winner. She may not have stayed the 1800m. Bred by Summerhill out of the Pivotal mare Mekyaas, who was placed five times in Britain and France, the winner was a R300 000 graduate from the 2015 CTS Emperors Palace Select Yearling Sale. Rouge Allure has won 13 races with 29 places from 95 starts for stakes of R1 217 750.
The Merits Veteran mare ROUGE ALLURE has had her rating raised from 90 to 94 after the eight-year-old landed the Listed Jacaranda Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m on the standside track at Turffontein on Saturday. Here it was 3rd placed BOLD FORTUNE who was unanimously believed
to make for the correct line horse, leaving her on an unaltered rating of 105. Apart from the winner, 2nd placed OPERA GLASS (who was four pounds or two kgs under sufferance at the weights) was the only other horse to receive an increase and goes from 84 to 90. There were drops for 18
four horses. 4th finisher SARAGON is down from 90 to 88, ROSAPRIMA drops to 86 from 88, VICTORIA PAIGE drops from 98 to 96, and lastly LA LUVIA was given a small drop from 90 to 89.
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JC Photos
‘We've had some thrills in the game, but I have to say, this one was right up there with them’ – Mick Goss Rouge Allure storms to a well-deserved stakes success
IT’S SIMPLY THE ALLURE OF RACING! Last weekend's Jacaranda Handicap at Turffontein reminded us again why this wonderful sport keeps us enthralled. In a heartwarming, feel-good result, the Listed race went the way of the veteran mare Rouge Allure, who opened her stakes account with a popular victory on what was her 95th career start.
At an age where her contemporaries have already dropped their second or even third foals, this hard-knocking daughter of Kahal is still going strong at the ripe old age of eight and races with the zest of a horse half her age. A member of racing's Millionaire club, the thirteentime winner is every owner's
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dream and was bred by former Summerhill supremo Mick Goss, who races her in partnership with Albert Rapp. Mick was undeniably thrilled with the mare's first black type success and admitted: "Yes, we've had some thrills in the game, but I have to say, this one was right up there with them."
Elaborating as to why Rouge Allure is still in training at such an advanced age, he added: "I wanted to send her to stud at the end of her fouryear-old season but I have always been outvoted by my partner Albert, who kept telling me how old he is and that she could be his last decent horse! As it happens, the vote has been right, she's a living replica of the Iron Horse!" Black type has proven to be elusive and one would think the older she gets, the more difficult it becomes. However, the chestnut gave notice of what was to come when she chased home Pin Up in the Gr3 Acacia Handicap two weeks prior to the Jacaranda.
A stakes win has undoubtedly enhanced an already fine pedigree. Rouge Allure is the last stakes winner sired by the late Kahal, who died in 2014. The Shadwell bred arrived at Summerhill Stud a multiple Group winner, having shown his prowess on the racetracks of Britain, France, the States and Dubai. He made an immediate impact with his first crop, which included champion filly Bold Ellinore, who incidentally, was out of a mare by the champion breeders' iconic stallion Northern Guest. Kahal would go on to do both Summerhill and KwaZulu-Natal
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proud as the leading stallion in the province, carving out a reputation for himself as a consistent sire of gallopers of the highest class, over all distances. In addition, he became a permanent fixture amongst the country’s elite, finishing as high as third on the General Sires List in 2011. Rouge Allure's female family also hails from a world-class stud, that of the revered Juddmonte Farms. She is the best foal out of the Pivotal mare Mekyaas, whose dam Land Ahead, is a Juddmontebred half-sister to American Gr1 winner Contredance and to Gr2 winner Skimble, the dam of dual Gr1 winner Skimming.
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Many breeders are hesitant to invest in older mares, however, history shows that many a hard-raced mare has become a successful broodmare. One such mare was the grand Americanbred champion Dahlia. Twice voted British Horse of the Year and named America's Champion Turf Horse, she won 16 of her 46 starts and was an 11-time Gr1 winner on three continents. Significantly, her dam Charming Alibi was a tough as teak racemare and won sixteen of her seventy-one races. Dahlia's efforts on the track were matched by her performance in the paddocks as she became the dam of six stakes winners, amongst
which the Gr1 winners Dahar, Rivlia, Delegant, and Dahlia's Dreamer. Closer to home, those that readily come to mind include the stakes winning Foveros mares Grecian Gale and Festive Forever, both of which were still winning at age six. The former was trained by the late Buddy Maroun, whose horses raced often and hardly spent time standing idle in a stable! A Gr2 winner of eleven races, Grecian Gale proved herself a top notch broodmare as the dam of two Gr1 winners, the champion filly Wendywood and Summer Cup winner Malteme. Festive Forever, out of champion Festive Season,
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was very much her mother's daughter and became Tony Millard's first of two Gr1 Gold Cup winners, winning the marathon event three days after her official sixth birthday. She too, became a Gr1 producer, her Western Winter son Fearless sharing Champion juvenile honours after winning the (then) Gr1 Golden Horseshoe and subsequently placing at Gr1 level in Hong Kong. As to Rouge Allure's future, Mick has the last word: "She can't go on forever. Three runs back Albert said we need to think about retirement, but after the Jacaranda, who knows, you can't predict Albert!"
Candiese Lenferna
BREWSKI’S COOKING UP A STORM 24
Kaidan Brewer – going places!
Watch out Rachel Venniker and Kyle Strydom! Kaidan Brewer has unashamedly declared that his sights are firmly set on the SA Champion Apprentice title this season. With 5 winners in his 13 rides prior to the sun setting on Human Rights Day, there is no question that ‘Brewski’ has hit the proverbial purple patch. While national title aspirations may sound like a pipe dream for an 18 year old who only rode 5 winners last term at a 3% strike-rate, the Pietermaritzburg-born Carter High graduate is growing in stature.
Kaidan – the soccer fan points out that his name is spelt with an ‘a’ not an ‘e’ – registered the first three-timer of his short career at Turffontein on Saturday, and was on the mark again at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday, with a well-taken double. He booted home Oh My Word Its Roy and We All Chommies, a 250-1 double for Kumaran Naidoo on the Durban City course polytrack on Monday. On his milestone Saturday 48 hours earlier, he won on Pashasha (Roy Magner), Masaaken (Mike de Kock) and the popular exotic bet banker Super Agra (Paul Peter).
33 winners for the season, versus the top-class Rachel Venniker’s 51. But he isn’t watching anybody else – his head is down, he is running his own race, and his first goal is to ride a winner for SA Champion owner Suzette Viljoen, whose son’s company Ludelm is his sponsor. “The Viljoen family have been so kind and encouraging. And it’s not about the material reward for me as a fledgeling rider. Having a sponsor believing in me is a massive motivator on its own to do my best, and more.”
The 2,5kg claimer, who goes to scale at 48kgs, is now on Candiese Lenferna
25 Kaidan wins the opener on Human Rights Day on longshot Oh My Word Its Roy
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Kaidan tells the Sporting Post that he is firmly focussed on reaching the 60 winner mark – an important point for any young jockey. So what has been the winning revelation for him? “I think that the turning point for me was my move to Gauteng late last year. I was in the right place at the right time. I picked up a ride on Sacred Lotus for top trainer Paul Peter at my very first meeting. The filly won. It was a dream start and we all need those lucky breaks in life!” he explains modestly as he says that fitness and confidence count for a lot in race-riding. He tells how top men like Roy Magner, Mike de Kock and Paul Peter, have supported him.
“Every trainer and yard is different. And when top people trust me enough to give me rides, I don’t want to let them down! It takes years to build up businesses and owners invest a lot of money and patience in the process.” Kaidan says that judgement and pace assessment obviously come with experience – but confidence is a key factor as a start. “With winners under the belt, I feel better – I ride better. I make better judgement decisions. And I’m also very lucky to have many people who mentor and show a genuine interest in my progress. Mr Robert Moore who runs the Gauteng Academy has helped me a lot with technique adjustment and feedback. Keagan de Melo has been another to help me with
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constructive feedback. Jeff Syster always has time to listen and chat.” Kaidan adds that he has always had an enquiring mind. “I’m very lucky to have been a kit boy to Luke Ferraris and Keagan de Melo. I would ask a lot of questions and absorb what they told me. They both gave me heaps of guidance.” Asked which two jockeys he’d prefer not to meet in a tight finish, he says Keagan de Melo and Richard Fourie. “Richard Fourie is just poetry in motion. The way he balances and gets the best out of a horse is unbelievable. Keagan de Melo has grown into a really top rider. He is so quiet on a horse. Something I would like to emulate in time!”
We observed that for his age, Kaidan has an above average confidence in his verbal communication and the way he expresses himself. The polite rider places a lot of the credit for his early success at the door of his parents. “I have had no excuses not to succeed. My parents worked hard. We lived in good areas and I had a quality education. My older sister Kiara and I were always encouraged to do well. It makes a difference.” His Dad Andrew works for SASSA and Mom Claudelle is an HR Manager for a large corporate. “My Dad was an owner years ago. He is there at every
racemeeting – urging me on. He is my number 1 fan, as they say! He really loves his horseracing.”
Kaidan says he can’t thank everybody in the SA Jockey Academy system enough for giving him the opportunities.
Kaidan turns 19 on 21 June. He doesn’t smoke or drink – and there is no special lady in the vicinity.
“Racing is a tough game. But everybody is so kind and do their jobs with such passion. It can’t be easy training a little guy or girl, some of whom have never even touched a horse, to get on a half ton of thoroughbred and win races.”
“I really don’t have time – I’m totally focussed on my career. I’m trying to complete my driver’s licence so that I can look at buying a car. Kyle Strydom and I are good mates – we chat a lot and talk about life, riding and things. For the rest, it’s early to bed, early to rise, work hard and ride winners,” he laughs.
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TERRY LOWE – VERY SAD NEWS
30 Terry Lowe at the 2020 National Two-Year-Old Sales with former jockey, ‘Tickey’ Carr
Veteran horseman Terry Lowe (67) has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. This follows extensive radiation therapy performed at Cape Town’s Groote Schuur hospital and hospitalisation at the Midstream Clinic in Pretoria. Terry, who has described himself as “having hardy ever had as much as a cold in my life”, suffered a sudden and unexpected seizure in midOctober last year and at first ignored it until another one struck a few weeks later. Terry was booked into Groote Schuur for scanning, three lesions were discovered on his brain and he was given 17
sessions of radiation therapy. “I felt in perfect health after the seizures and even throughout the radiation sessions and thereafter, which is something that is still puzzling my doctors,” he said. Last week, an MRI test revealed that one tumor had doubled in size between November 2021 and now. Radiotherapy will not eradicate the Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a rare and fast- growing cancer, but will reduce the doubling time. Terry was a Stipendiary steward between 1975 and 1979 and then trained and bredsuccessfully until 2018. His successes included
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multiple Gr1’s, Champion 2yo’s,3yo’s and older horses. He was crowned Highveld Champion Trainer in 1993, runner-up in 1994 and enjoyed a short and successful spell with his top runners in California. He trained the 2002 J&B Met winner, Polo Classic. He was consulting to Heversham Park Farm for the last three years. A proud and modest man, Terry has not once bemoaned his fate or asked for help, but he is in need of financial assistance having depleted his own funds, with no medical aid.
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
32 TAB supports responsible gambling. Gambling for persons 18 years and older. Winners know when to STOP. National Responsible Gambling Toll-Free counselling line 0800 006 008. Alcohol not for sale to persons under the age of 18. Drink Responsibly.
The racing community will know that he suffered a major personal setback earlier in his life – one so desperately sad and unsettlingly tragic that it was never widely reported on. One senior trainer said: “It baffles me that one man has had to endure what Terry’s been through, in one lifetime.” Terry remains in good spirits and said on Sunday morning: “I still feel okay, I am just sad for my 11-year-old daughter Jean. This has fallen unfairly into her lap, she’s a mature girl but I worry for her.” Financial contributions towards the medical costs of Terry Lowe can be made into the Commercial Attorney’s
Trust of Snaid and Morris, details below.
• Branch Name RANDPARK RIDGE
Please use the reference “Terry Lowe”.
• Swift Code FIRNZAJJ Date Opened 2021-03-18
All contributions will be acknowledged. Thank you for your support. • First National Bank • Account Type COMMERCIAL ATTORNEYS TRUST • Name: SNAID AND MORRIS • Account Number 62892079461 • Branch Code 255955
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Chase Liebenberg
Kommetdieding – can he win two Gr1’s on the Highveld in April?
KAAPSE KOMMET TO TAKE GAUTENG BY STORM Turffontein is set for a superb day of racing on Saturday 2 April with the Joburg Seafood & Jazz Racing Festival forming the backdrop for two Gr1 contests, the maiden Gauteng appearance of Cape star Kommetdieding, and Sean Tarry’s bid to win the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara for the first time. Hollywoodbets have priced up Tarry’s Duke Of Marmalade filly at 3-10 in the Gr2 SA Oaks antepost market. After fluent wins in the first two legs, Richard Fourie will be looking to guide the
Drakenstein flagbearer to victory as she tries the 2450m for the first time. Please click here to see the entries. In the World Sports Betting Gr1 SA Derby, Mike de Kock’s Safe Passage has been priced up as favourite at 14-10, after suffering a defeat at the hands of Joey Soma’s giantkiller Red Saxon in the SA Classic. The race is a Hollywoodbets Durban July golden ticket event – meaning the winner is guaranteed a berth in the big one at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 2 July.
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While Soma will be keen as mustard to saddle his twelfth Gr1 winner, Red Saxon (7-2) is not a guaranteed runner with his veteran trainer concerned at the impact of the weather on his training programme. The 2450m contest will be an important stepping stone on the dream road to the R5 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July for the son of Red Ray, who exploded into our lives with a scintillating effort under Julius Mariba in the SA Classic.
With the prospect of a possible trip to take on the world via New York now on the back burner, 2022 Cape Town Met winner Kommetdieding could line up in the Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, with an eye on the Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge on 30 April.
Milnerton trainer Michelle Rix has placed the popular son of Elusive Fort in the care of Roy Magner at Randjesfontein. The postponed Joburg Seafood & Jazz Racing Festival will be hosted at Turffontein on Derby Day. Gates open at 11h00 and entertainment continues to 19h00.
Tickets cost R50 for adults and R25 for under 18’s, with a family ticket for two adults and two children under 12 costing R100. Get your tickets here. Guests over the age of 12 need to be fully vaccinated.
Calvin’s Vaal Treble Then on 1 August, having his first ride of the new season at Turffontein, Calvin was hard at work at the 200m on David Viewenhuizen’s Fifth Of July when things got tight and they clipped the heels of another horse. He came off his severely unbalanced and stumbling mount, fracturing three vertebrae in his back. That could have been a career ending injury on any other day.
JC Photos
Flying Grace rounds off the Habib treble to beat Clarkson (Keagan de Melo) After winning two Gr1’s in 2021 and nearly ending his career in a shocking accident, Calvin Habib is finding his best form this year and cracked a terrific three-timer at the Vaal on Tuesday. Calvin won the fourth on Grecia (6-1) for Brett Webber, the fifth on Modern Magician (6-1) for Sean Tarry and then the final event on the Hollywood Syndicate’s Flying Grace.
The latter won under a 61,5kgs topweight for Clinton Binda. The 24 year old jockey, who ground his way into the professional riding ranks via the workriders platform, has enjoyed the ups and downs of life in the saddle. In June last year, he rode his maiden Gr1 winner when the Sean Tarry-trained Under Your Spell won35the Allan Robertson Championship.
On 30 November, he won the WSB Gauteng Summer Cup on the longshot Flying Carpet – again for former multiple champion trainer Sean Tarry. Racing runs through Calvin’s veins! The son of former jockey Donovan is married to a highly qualified professional lady in Shandre, who is a daughter of legendary jockey and present day Stipe, Andre Hoffmann.
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Chere For Me (Kyle Strydom) is led in by Astrid Dahler as Vishal Mungroo shows his love! Eddie Griebenow (far right) saddled in Jacques Strydom’s absence
STRYDOM’S RIVERTON FLYER WINS NURSERY KZN-based apprentice Kyle Strydom produced the magic touch on a memorable Friday at Fairview when he booted home three winners, including a maiden career stakes success – and that on a horse saddled by his trainer Dad, Jacques Strydom. The twenty year old nephew of the legend Piere Strydom was crowned SA Champion Apprentice last season and continues to grow in stature and confidence, as
he displayed when winning on the rejuvenated Divine Odyssey (Johan Janse van Vuuren), Chere For Me (Jacques Strydom) and Storm Chaser(Zietsman Oosthuizen). And while he will take any winner, it was the Rivertonbred Chere For Me who stormed clear to win the R150 000 Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery, that would have given him the greatest pleasure. “It’s an honour and a privilege to reach this milestone on a horse trained by my Dad. He
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deserves the success and thanks to the owners and the team. She is a really smart filly,” he said of what was the first stakes winner for the pensioned Tapit stallion, Coup De Grace. Sponsored by Ludeim, Kyle added that he only travelled back home to Gqeberha if the quality of the rides made it worthwhile. “It’s expensive to fly backwards and forwards. I’m just pleased I achieved this winner in our hometown.
On Saturday it’s back to Durban and I’m riding at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday,” he said. Asked whether the new rising star and log-leader Rachel Venniker was ruffling his feathers at all, Kyle laughed and said he had every respect for his colleague. “At races we are all there to win. But back at the Academy we are friends. Good competition is good for all of us!” While the Cape raider Certainly (6-10) was all the
rage on Friday, Chere For Me was easy to back at 10-1 and she really won well when turning on the jets at the 200m down the inside to beat Futura debutante Ekoria (16-1) by 2,25 lengths in a time of 69,15 secs. Recent debut winner Holly’s View (6-1) found her stride late to pip Certainly out of the Place Accumulator. Bred by the Barry’s at Riverton in Robertson, the winner is by Coup De Grace, who was the first son of Tapit to stand in South Africa. One of the fastest of his generation, the multiple graded stakes winner didn’t
prove a commercial success and has been retired. Chere For Me is out of Riverton stalwart Red Eminence (Grey Eminence). She has now won 2 races with 2 places from 4 starts for stakes of R153 875. Kyle Strydom has now ridden 82 winners in total.
What A Winter Is Hot! Fresh off supplying six winners in the past week, Drakenstein Stud’s inform stallion What A Winter was again to the fore at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday when the multiple sprint champion supplied two more winners. What A Winter ended Monday in style, with his sons Roy’s Command and Blackwhitedynamite winning the last two races on the Greyville card. The Alyson Wright trained Roy’s Command was given a well-judged ride
by Keagan De Melo to land the seventh race, the Online Form Guide www.gallop.co.za MR 72 Handicap (1600m) on Monday. De Melo bought the Lammerskraal Stud bred four-year-old with a sustained run down towards the inside of the track, and Roy’s Command powered away to score by just over a length and a quarter. Out of the Rakeen mare Chambre, Roy’s Command has now won his last three races in a row, with the lightly raced gelding a winner of five of just 11 starts thus far.
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Blackwhitedynamite also caught the eye when victorious in the eighth and final race. Under Donovan Dillon, the Peter Muscutt trained gelding powered home down the inside to win going away by a length. Bred by Hemel ‘N Aarde Stud, three-yearold Blackwhitedynamite is out of the Jet Master mare Butterfly Girl. South Africa’s leading Sire of 2YO’s last season, What A Winter is currently second on the Leading Sires of 2YO’s premiership
Simon Miller Racing
GIMCRACK STRIKE FOR CANFORD GRANDDAUGHTER MJ puts another subject on the spot! 40
Canford Cliffs granddaughter Amelia’s Jewel – unbeaten!
“She’s bombproof. I didn’t really worry about the wide gate. I told Paddy (Carberry) to just let the race unfold up front. I knew she would be able to zap them in the straight.”
feature winner daughter of Siyouni is the first foal of Irish-bred mare Bumbasina, a two-time winning stakes placed daughter of Ridgemont Highlands’ five-time Gr1 winning sire Canford Cliffs.
Those were the words of an excited trainer Simon Miller after the Amelia Park homebred Amelia’s Jewel maintained her unbeaten record when coming from the best part of 10 lengths at the 800m to make it two blacktype wins in two starts at Ascot to add the Gr3 Furphy Gimcrack Stakes on Saturday to her burgeoning cv.
“She’s totally professional,” Simon Miller added.
Of interest to South African readers is that the dual
“Nothing fazes her. She’s so responsive. I’ve had some really good juveniles and this one is capable of measuring up interstate Ridgemont Highlands-based Canford Cliffs has made a top start with his first South African bred crop of runners this season, and he also continues to make his mark as a sire of
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notable winners overseas. He is currently the sire of 20 stakes winners, with his runners having already earned more than R336 million in prize money. His first South African bred crop includes the very promising Cliff Top – who accounted for subsequent Gr3 Cape Racing Cape Of Good Hope Nursery winner We’re Jamming when victorious in the Listed City Of Cape Town Summer Juvenile Stakes on Cape Town Met day.
Candiese Lenferna
42 Got The Greenlight pictured before the Vodacom Durban July in 2020
GREENLIGHT FOR CAMARGUE
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In a coup for breeding in KZN, five-time Gr1 winner Got The Greenlight has been purchased and will be standing at Brett Van Laun’s Camargue Stud in Caversham. Brett Van Laun commented, “Got The Greenlight will change the KZN Breeders landscape. He is the real deal!” KZN Breeders report that the son of champion sire Gimmethegreenlight will be the first to retire to stud in South Africa, whilst Yulong Prince (Surcharge) takes up stud duties in Australia. The outstanding colt with a Merit Rating of 126, achieved the rare feat of winning Equus Awards at ages two, three and four years old. Winning over distances of 1200-2000 meters, Got The Greenlight defeated amongst others the likes of Gr1 winners Summer Pudding, Malmoos, Eden Roc, exported Marshall and Golden Ducat, Rainbow Bridge and Do It Again. Amongst his Gr1 wins was the Premiers Champions Stakes (1600m – age 2), Horse Chestnut Stakes
(1600m), Champions Challenge (2000m), SA Classic (1800m) and Daily News 2000 (2000m). He placed second to Belgarion in the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July, and third in the 2021 running of Africa’s greatest horse race behind Kommetdieding. Trained by Joey Soma and sporting a kind temperament with an impeccable race record and earnings of R3,410,500 (eight wins and 10 places), Got The Greenlight is out of an imported mare Command Chi (AUS) by Commands, and carries a versatile pedigree that will be easy to pair with mares in South Africa going back to Danzig and Mr Prospector. His dam Command Chi, a 2013 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale graduate who sold for AUS$100,000, won over 1600m at Kenilworth and only produced one foal at stud, being Got The Greenlight. His broodmare sire Commands is by Danehill out of a Fusaichi Pegasus mare, and a full brother to a five-time Gr1 winner, Danewin. Commands retired from stallion duties in 2013 and was renowned for siring tough, durable stock.
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He produced a 14-time Gr1 winner named Melody Belle and 13 individual Gr1 winners. He was Australia’s Leading Sire by Winners on three consecutive occasions. Commands had four sons standing at stud including multiple Gr1 winner Epaulette and Gr1 Champagne Stakes winner Skilled, both of whom stood at Darley. The third dam, Giovana (NZ), was crowned Champion Older Female Stayer in New Zealand with 8 wins – four of those Grade 1. Sire Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) needs little introduction. A Gr1 winner in South Africa and Champion sire in 2020/2021, he has produced 41 Stakes Winners (www. arion.co.nz) including Yulong Prince, Cosmic Highway, Gunner, Barahin, She’s A Keeper, National Park, Ecstatic Green, Hack Green, Green Pepper and Gimme Dat amongst many. • Please contact Brett Van Laun on 083 659 5666.
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Coolmore
St Mark's Basilica winning the Gr1 Prix du Jockey Club
WORLD CHAMPION TO COOLMORE Coolmore Australia have announced the addition of St Mark’s Basilica, a regally-bred European Champion two-year-old and World Champion threeyear-old to their roster in 2022.
he easily beat multiple Group 1 winners Addeybb and Mishriff by 3½ lengths. In doing so, he achieved a Timeform rating of 132 as a three-year-old which is higher than local Champions such as Pierro and So You Think.
St Mark’s Basilica was bred by leading Australian breeder Bob Scarborough and purchased by MV Magnier at Tattersalls October Book 1 for 1,300,000 gns (approximately $2,500,000). Beginning with the Dewhurst Stakes as a juvenile, he achieved five consecutive Group 1 victories in three countries.
“We are delighted to offer a horse with such rare qualities as St Mark’s Basilica to Australasian breeders. As a sire prospect, he has everything you could ever hope for and in terms of quality he has attracted an unparalleled first book of mares in Europe.” commented Coolmore Australia Principal, Tom Magnier.
Arguably his finest winning performance came against his elders in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, where
“St Mark’s Basilica was simply brilliant on the track, who just like leading stallions Shamardal and Lope De Vega won the
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French 2000 Guineas and Prix du Jockey Club double. “His sire Siyouni is the most expensive stallion to ever stand in France and has been remarkably successful with limited opportunities in Australia. He comes from an impeccable family, being out of a Group-winning twoyear-old by Galileo and halfbrother to a Classic winner. “To top it all off he’s an absolutely stunning individual, so we look forward to showing him to local breeders later in the year.” St Mark's Basilica will stand at a fee of A$44,000 (incl. GST).
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Candiese Lenferna Masks were a requirement on Durban July Day 2021
July Boost From Presidency In what will be good news for many, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that masks will no longer required to be worn outdoors. This means that all attending today’s Durbanville racemeeting will be able to dispense with the use of masks when outside, but will still require them indoors. Social distancing has been reduced to 1 metre. In what is positive news for the Hollywoodbets Durban July, Ramaphosa also announced that the restrictions on gatherings
were being significantly changed.
indoors and 2 000 people outdoors," he said.
In previous regulations, the emphasis was on placing an upper limit on the number of people who could attend a gathering.
Ramaphosa said the change to the restrictions on gatherings will be of great benefit to the sporting, cultural, entertainment and events industries in particular.
"The approach going forward is that both indoor and outdoor venues can now take up to 50 percent of their capacity, provided that the criteria for entrance is proof of vaccination or a Covid test not older than 72 hours. But where there is no provision for proof of vaccination or a Covid test, then the current upper limit will remain – of 1 000 people
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"This means that if we are vaccinated or have recently tested negative, we will be able to return to watching sports in stadiums and attending music concerts, theatre performances, conferences and other events," he said.
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Racing Media Group/Healy/focusonracing.com MJ puts another subject on the spot! Day 4 glory! Rachael Blackmore after winning the Gr1 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on A Plus Tard
CHELTENHAM – CHAMPION STUFF! The Cheltenham Festival is over for another year, but the quality of racing witnessed, and the results of these graded races, will determine the winners at Aintree and Punchestown at the end of the season and next year’s Festival. The great mare Honeysuckle was the highlight on the
opening day when repeating her success in the Champion Hurdle and in doing so maintaining her unbeaten record. 15 wins from 15 starts, a 10th consecutive Grade One, a second Champion Hurdle, the titles just keep on coming and she was roared home by an appreciative Cheltenham crowd all the way back to the winner’s enclosure.
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Her trainer Henry de Bromhead is very happy with her post race and hopes to keep the history-making phenomenon in training for one final campaign next season. The Festival started with Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and trainer Nicky Henderson looks to have a potential
‘champion hurdler’ on his hands after Constitution Hill ‘tanked’ throughout the contest before quickening smartly up the hill to finish 22 lengths clear of his previously unbeaten stable companion Jonbon. Talk post-race is for the exciting novice to stay hurdling next season with his target a potential clash with Honeysuckle in the 2023 Champion Hurdle. The English trainers continued their fine start on day 1 when the Alan King trained Edwardstone had too much class for his rivals in the Sporting Life Arkle. At eight-years-old he’s a fairly unusual novice, but his trainer’s patience now looks worthwhile and he looks a real threat at two miles over fences. A low and accurate jumper, he travelled strongly in the race before clearing away from his rivals with ease to win readily under Tom Cannon by over four-lengths. Irish Champion trainer Willie Mullins had to wait till the last race of the day to land his first of victory at the Festival courtesy of Stattler in the National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockey’s
Novices’ Chase with his son Patrick Mullins riding a waiting race behind the front-running favourite Run Wild Fred before running out an easy 8-length winner. Day 2 started with torrential rain and ground conditions changed from good to heavy. Willie Mullins started where he had left off the previous evening when his top-rated novice hurdler (and last seasons Champion Bumper winner) Sir Gerhard too good for his eight rivals in the Gr1 Ballymore. Going up in trip to 2 miles and 5 furlongs, his jockey Paul Townend had him racing off the pace going easily before putting the race to bed two out and coming home comfortably by over three-lengths. Energumene, starting a well backed 5/2 second favourite, won a controversial Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. Odds on favourite Shishkin didn’t appear to handle the heavy underfoot conditions and was pulled up after jumping eight flights, while stable companion to the winner, Chacun Por Soi had unseated his rider at fence five. Thereafter the race was at the mercy of the Townend ridden Energumene and he made no mistake coming home lonely by
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over 8 lengths. Facile Vega (a son of the six-time winning Cheltenham hero Quevega) was hugely impressive when winning the concluding race, the Champion Bumper, for Willie and Patrick Mullins. He was an eye-catching three length winner and the sky’s the limit for this exciting young horse next season. Mention must be made of the gallant runnerup American Mike trained by Gordon Elliot who tried hard all the way up the home straight but was outdone by a superior horse. He will also win plenty of races.
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MJ puts another subject on the spot! 56 Karis gets the best out of Romantic Warrior as Zac Purton (red/yellow) drives California Spangle
HKJC
TEETAN’S SUPER SUNDAY MJ puts another subject on the spot! 57
Romantic Warrior has forged into BMW Hong Kong Derby history as the first triumphant graduate of the Hong Kong International Sale after crowning a meteoric rise by snaring the HK$24 million Classic with a dramatic victory under Karis Teetan over California Spangle at Sha Tin on Sunday. Purchased at the June 2021 sale for HK$4.8 million by owner Peter Lau on trainer Danny Shum’s recommendation after being originally selected out of the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale by former champion Irish jockey Michael Kinane, Romantic Warrior took his career earnings to
HK$24.8 million with his sixth win from seven starts. Providing Shum with his first success in Hong Kong’s most coveted race after placings with Thumbs Up (second to Collection, 2009) and Playa Del Puente (runner-up to Golden Sixty in 2020), Romantic Warrior edged out California Spangle by a head after a desperate battle between the two highest-rated horses in the field. Money Catcher was third, two and a quarter lengths away, in a slick 2m 00.23s. “He (Romantic Warrior) deserved to win the Derby, he is a very honest horse and very consistent. Karis did a
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great job, so I’m very happy,” Shum said. “The second horse, California Spangle also ran very good. The pace was strong and he was still fighting on the line.” Winner of the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) in January, Romantic Warrior’s only unplaced run came when caught wide when fourth behind California Spangle in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) last month. As the two-best performed horses in the Four-YearOld Classic Series squared off as Romantic Warrior emerged from the ruck to challenge California Spangle in the straight, Shum retained complete faith in the
Acclamation gelding.
Day (Sunday, 24 April).
International Sale.
“I thought he could run very well in the Derby after the Classic Cup – he was fourwide but still finished fourth. It was a good run and he learned a big lesson. I was confident going into the Derby because he’s an easy ride, he doesn’t fight during the races. If it’s a good pace, he doesn’t fight; if it’s a slow pace, he can go a little bit further forward,” Shum said.
“My next plan is the Queen Elizabeth II Cup because there are no overseas horses coming and it’s the right time for him to fight the experienced horses. He can still improve this horse. If he wins, I’ll be happy but if he runs in the first three or four, I think it will be a good lesson for him to improve himself,” Shum said.
Actually, the CEO (Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges) also said to me in the stable ‘This is the right one’, so we picked the same horse.
Shum will now attempt to emulate the deeds of fellow Derby winners Vengeance Of Rain (2005), Ambitious Dragon (2011), Designs On Rome (2014) and Werther (2016) with victory in the G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on FWD Champions
Revealing he had told owner Peter Lau that Romantic Warrior was the only Hong Kong International Sale entry which had taken his eye during inspections, Shum said the bay gelding was the stand-out from the sale. “I would like to thank the Hong Kong Jockey Club as well for bringing this horse into the
“Thank you to the owner Peter Lau for really supporting the ISG Sale. He always says, ‘You can buy me a good horse, but don’t buy me the wrong horse.’ “He had a good conformation and he had a very good action. I watched him every day at the ISG stable and I watched all of the horses and he was the only one to catch my eye – so I love him. I told Peter ‘He’s the only one, buy this one’.” HKJC
59 Magic moment for Karis
For Teetan, victory delivered redemption for last season’s narrow defeat aboard Russian Emperor behind Sky Darci. “This is big for me. Last year was a big pill to swallow when we didn’t win the race. I’ve learnt a lot from that race and it’s toughened me up. Here in Hong Kong, you learn from your mistakes and you move forward,” the Mauritian said. “When the draw (barrier eight) came out, I was not too concerned because he has the gate speed. I just forgot what people were saying about the last run. I knew the horse I had underneath me
and I rode him positively and got him across nicely. “He travelled a bit the first turn. I had a nice trail through until the straight and I must say I thought ‘God, Zac’s horse is going to be hard to get past.’ This horse is a little horse, but he’s got a big heart and I’m really thankful to everyone – the owner, Danny and his team.” Tony Cruz is also likely to target FWD Champions Day with California Spangle, who finished a second in the Hong Kong Classic Mile and BMW Hong Kong Derby after winning the Hong Kong Classic Cup.
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“Zac said everybody came too early to take him on, but if we’d had his own way I think he would have won,” Cruz said.
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results up to: 2022-03-23
TRAINERS Name
Runs 816 741 530 332 806
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)
112 143 59 64 88
101 102 53 49 87
106 78 56 36 78
179 152 96 68 138
8,669,963 12,921,150 8,827,063 12,789,188 5,601,000 8,019,563 5,014,938 7,246,250 3,723,125 5,831,488
13.7. 19.3 11.1 19.3 10.9
386 332 205 153 303
47.3 44.8 38.7 46.1 37.6
Total Stakes (R)
JOCKEYS Name
Rides Wins Win%
2nd
3rd
Other Places Place %
Mr W B Kennedy Mr R D Fourie Mr S Khumalo Mr K de Melo Mr M A Yeni
1118 629 724 721 963
172 108 86 100 119
144 84 80 86 118
212 128 146 159 208
192 122 120 111 105
17.2 19.4 16.6 15.4 10.9
528 320 312 345 445
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
47.2 10,807,250 16,212,638 50.9 9,011,550 12,124,225 43.1 8,749,075 12,249,838 47.9 6,635,825 10,129,025 46.2 5,579,313 9,653,688
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 Summerhill Stud (Pty) Ltd
263 1190 307 1435
55,486 120 168 44,040 105 134
45.6 476 34.2 554
10 6
13 7
14,592,850 13,520,288
135 131 129
80,030 61,917 47,185
45.9 258 40.5 248 31.0 238
13 4 3
15 5 3
10,804,075 8,111,113 6,086,913
B.T. Wins
Total Stakes (R)
11 8 9 1 1
9,078,625 8,301,513 8,191,888 8,019,488 7,792,800
625 594 701
62 53 40
93 80 61
SIRES Name Vercingetorix Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) * Silvano (GER) Master Of My Fate What A Winter
Runrs Runs AEPR 136 160 139 163 162
623 712 602 808 737
66,755 51,884 58,934 49,199 48,104
B.T. Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Rnrs % 65 64 58 76 65
91 85 84 99 97
47.8 40.0 41.7 46.6 40.1
265 288 257 363 324
See all the detailed standings - Click here 64
8 8 7 1 1
TOP UP THE COFFERS! These isn’t exactly a round of fixtures too many of us are looking forward to… however, there are a couple international games which provide a unique opportunity to top up the dusty coffers and prepare us for the last run in toward the end of the domestic season! So let’s do this…
Saturday 26 March 5/10 Croatia | Draw 49/20 | Slovenia 54/10 (16h00) The home side seem to enjoy playing this fixture – well I mean there isn’t too much to argue in terms of the headto-head statistics with Croatia leading 7-1! I wouldn’t read
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too much further into it either, the host have a superior quality side with a dominant and aggressive approach to attacking games with unrelenting football, and so backing them to win should prove rather fruitful.
Get on the home win. 5/4 Finland | Draw 18/10 | Iceland 9/4 (18h00) This is a rather delicate game to call, neither side are worldbeaters…but both hold a proud football culture which is intrinsic to their DNA. These sides last met in 2017 (aah yes, a different world indeed) with Finland winning 1-0 in a game plagued by red cards and gritty refereeing. I don’t think there is too much to split these sides and if you must have a bet – back the draw. 52/10 Republic of Ireland | Draw 49/20 | Belgium 5/10 (19h00) Belgium have been a side to blow hot and cold recently, they are usually ones to go into a tournament (and indeed a fixture) heavily backed in the betting markets…but take it from me, they can cost you a couple coins. Nevertheless, they are a side with enough quality and depth to take on anyone. Their players are amongst the best in the world, situated at clubs dominating international football now. They will be too strong here – even for a spirited Irish side playing at home. 8/10 England | Draw 2/1 | Switzerland 37/10 (19h30)
All the talk about England now has been rooted in the side announced by Gareth Southgate and his team. In particular, the exclusion of Jadon Sancho and the ‘alleged’ protection of Harry Maguire. I must be honest, the omission of Sancho came as a little surprise…but the truth is, if Maguire getting some time away from United can in anyway assist him – LET IT BE. I don’t think England are good enough to win, Switzerland can score and with the attacking prowess available to the Three Lions, both teams scoring comes strong into the money. Get on at 19/20. 1/6 Spain | Draw 48/10 | Albania 16/1 (20h45) Spain is another side marred by selection controversy – in particular, that of David De Gea. In this instance though, I agree with the rationale. There is no dispute that De Gea is an incredible shot stopper, he just isn’t the choice if you prioritize a keeper who is competent with their feet and distribution to the point of bringing in other players in the team. Nonetheless, whilst acknowledging the passion that will surely flow from Albania… Spain wins this comfortably. 1/6 won’t get me too many plaudits – so instead let’s try Spain winning at half-time at 11/20.
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1/8 Germany | Draw 6/1 | Israel 21/1 (21h45) These sides have only played each other once, and to be fair to the visitors, they kept it rather respectable. Israel obviously do not have a side capable of matching Germany on paper – but as is usually the case in football, anyone can show up and get a result on their day! I think Germany win this game, but they haven’t really been able to put teams away by massive margins. Back Germany and under 3.5 goals at an incredible 7/10. 17/20 Netherlands | Draw 2/1 | Denmark 32/10 (21h45) This could be a rather emotional game with the inclusion of Christian Eriksen in the Danish side. The Netherlands have an excellent football side themselves, but the passion and determination of the Danish football side shouldn’t be something taken for granted. I think this could be an upset material game, I just like the way the visitors go about their business. Play hard for 90 minutes, give everything you have and just see what comes of it! I wouldn’t be surprised to see the upset result, for but betting purposes without too much adrenaline – back both teams scoring at 9/10.
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