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THE RAFEEF BREAKTHROUGH!
4 An elated Richard Fourie has Aragosta in front as Zeus (Keagan de Melo) capitulates in the final strides
Chase Liebenberg
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Ridgemont Highlands stallion and Champion Sprinter Rafeef enjoyed a red-letter day at Turffontein on Saturday. The son of Redoute’s Choice celebrated his first Gr1 winner with Aragosta digging deep to win the R1 500 000 World Sports Betting SA Derby. On a memorable day, South Africa’s leading first season sire of 2020/21, Rafeef not only produced a Gr1 winner over 2450m, his sons filled the exacta in a Gr3 1100m contest to demonstrate his versatility and exciting ability. Going off at 4-1, Rafeef’s son Aragosta (4-1) benefitted from another superbly judged ride by the rampant Richard Fourie to get the better of Fabian Habib’s 11-2 shot Zeus by a half length in a time of 158,14 secs.
The top two had come from near last into the straight and were 5,50 lengths clear of third placed London Roads (8-1).
2 starts. She is a half sister to French Guineas winner Clodovil. She throws stamina into the mix!
The rest, many of which were pulling hard, were well beaten.
The World Sports Betting SA Derby is a golden ticket qualifier for the R5 million Hollywoodbets Durban July to be run on 2 July 2022 at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Mike de Kock was saddling a double after Malmoos (2021), and his sixth SA Derby winner since Horse Chestnut got the ball rolling in 1999. Runnerup Fabian Habib saddled the 2020 shock winner Out Of Your League. A R220 000 National Yearling Sale graduate, Aragosta made it 4 wins with 2 places from his 8 starts for stakes of R1 311 375. Bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, Aragosta is out of the Galileo mare Miss Galidora, who was placed over 2000m at 3 in the UK in
First entries for the Hollywoodbets Durban July will close at 11h00 on Tuesday 19 April. Cover Image Chase Liebenberg captured this shot of MK’s Pride owner Koos Nkale embracing Kaizer Chiefs Director Jessica Motaung after the Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.
The Merits ARAGOSTA remains unchanged on a mark of 109 following his victory in the Grade 1 WSB SA Derby over 2450m at Turffontein on Saturday. It was ARAGOSTA himself who was considered to make for the most suitable line horse,
which explains his unaltered rating. All three of the placed horses received a rating’s increase. 2nd placed ZEUS is up from 99 to 108, third placed LONDON ROADS was raised
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from 80 to 100, and 4th finisher LITIGATION goes up from 97 to 99. There were no ratings drops for any runners in this race.
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‘Former Highlands champion Jallad won the Durban Merchants, yet sired two Gold Cup winners in Jeppe's Reef and Major Bluff, while his Gr1 Met winner Zebra Crossing also captured the Gr3 Gold Circle Derby’
8 Team Aragosta celebrate Mike de Kock’s 6th SA Derby winner
Chase Liebenberg
RAFEEF – CONGRATULATIONS & CELEBRATIONS!
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If the mark of a good stallion is his ability to sire stakes winners over opposite sides of the stamina spectrum, then Ridgemont/Highlandsbased Rafeef put himself firmly in that category with an auspicious double at last weekend's Turffontein meeting. That red-letter day started with a fine exacta in the Gr3 Man O'War Sprint over 1100m, where his progeny claimed the lion's share of the stakes pot. In a thrilling one-two finish, Master Archie became his sire's third firstcrop stakes winner with a hard-fought neck defeat over paternal half-brother Cleaver Greene. If that wasn't enough cause for celebration, it merely served as a precursor to a landmark achievement, a first Gr1 winner! Rafeef's son Aragosta was on a retrieval mission in the Gr1 SA Derby following tepid efforts in the first two legs of the Triple Crown and even though he had won the Gr3 Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m, there were those who doubted his ability to stay the Derby trip of 2450m. However, the Mike de Kocktrained gelding silenced his critics when he outduelled a game Zeus to become his sire's first Gr1 winner.
Significantly, the runner-up is also by a sprinter, the muchmissed champion Soft Falling Rain. Whilst it is easy to maintain that both defied the laws of genetics, it is worth noting that Aragosta's dam Miss Galidora is a daughter of the mighty Galileo, whose record as a classic influence is unparalleled. Zeus too, had worthy credentials, being a half-brother to Out Of Your League, the 2020 SA Derby winner. On the racetrack, Rafeef clearly took after his dam, the champion sprinter National Colour, a daughter of speed influence National Assembly (sire also of Soft Falling Rain), whilst his own brother Mustaaqeem was the country's champion juvenile. Remarkably, his half-sister Circle Of Speed added to the occasion when her daughter Full Velocity dashed to a fluent victory in Sunday's Listed KwaZulu-Natal Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville. However, it must be pointed out that Rafeef's sire, the Australian stallion extraordinaire Redoute's Choice, sired seven Oaks winners and five Derby winners during his illustrious innings at Arrowfield Stud, amongst which Weiho Marwing's SA Derby winner Wylie Hall. History shows that Rafeef is not the first sprinter whose progeny 10
are capable of staying a true Derby distance and beyond. Former Highlands champion Jallad won the Durban Merchants, yet sired two Gold Cup winners in Jeppe's Reef and Major Bluff, while his Gr1 Met winner Zebra Crossing also captured the Gr3 Gold Circle Derby. Qui Danzig never won beyond 1300m yet sired the Gold Bowl/Caradoc Gold Cup winner Valley Dancer, whilst his top son Key Of Destiny was versatility personified, winning both the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint and Gr2 Gold Circle Derby! West Man, a French-raced sprinter who ran third in the prestigious Gr1 King's Stand Stakes, sired his fair share of fine speedsters, notably Gr1 Gold Medallion winner Roaring Sands, yet he also counted SA Derby winner Silver Sliver amongst his stakes winners. Other sprinters capable of siring Gold Bowl and Cup, Oaks and Derby winners include Dominion Royale, Muhtafal, Restructure, Lizard Island, Wolfhound and Shalford. Those of a more recent vintage include Captain Al, a perennial champion sire of juveniles, whose son Malmoos won last season's SA Derby.
Drakenstein's champion Trippi, whose stamina index hovers around 1400m, is capable of siring a good stayer like dual winner of the Cape Summer Stayers Crome Yellow, whose dam is
none other than Jallad. Even the Port Elizabeth Gold Cup, at 3600m South Africa's longest staying race until it was reduced to 3200m in 2020, has thrown up winners
sired by sprinters, note aforementioned Qui Danzig (Key Castle), Pole Position (Arbe Kesev) and Bezrin (Thunderflash).
Mustaaqeem – Red Hot In Chile
A delighted Nelson Sepulveda of South American Bloodstock stands Rafeef’s full-brother, Mustaaqeem.
“I have tried many times to buy South African bred mares for my best clients, but the protocol is too long and I am still waiting. I have been impressed for a long time with the South African form. When I knew Mustaaqeem could be available, I asked Darley, because I bought Hemsworth from them for a Turkish client
11 Highlands kingpin Jallad – another versatile producer
and the manager gave me a phone number and email of the Shadwell manager in the USA. I made 2 offers and they accepted the second one.” Read the full story later today on www.sportingpost. co.za
Chase Liebenberg
Aragosta’s big moment on Saturday for his sire Rafeef initiated a call to the Sporting Post from Chile.
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MK’s Pride people! Koos Nkale, Jessica Motaung, Muzi Yeni and Paul Peter after the Gr1 win 13 MK’s Pride people! Koos Nkale, Jessica Motaung, Muzi Yeni and Paul Peter after the Gr1 win
Candiese Lenferna
PRIDE & MAGIC ON A BIG DAY 14
Candiese Lenferna
SA national log leading Turffontein trainer Paul Peter reinforced his championship aspirations with a feature double at Turffontein on Saturday.
On the day, it was Koos Nkale’s MK’s Pride who benefitted from a perfectly judged ride from Muzi Yeni, who was partnering the son of Willow Magic for the first time.
lengths in a time of 96,92 secs.
After Master Archie won the Man O’War, Peter saddled MK’s Pride to a fairytale victory in the R1 million Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes.
And what a race to pick to win his first mile, and maiden Gr1, by the soldier MK’s Pride, who has now earned over R2 million.
The Summerhill Stud-bred colt was a first Gr1 winner for Bush Hill stallion Willow Magic (Dubawi) out of the Admire Main mare Ikimasu, a winning half-sister to Gr2 K R A Guineas third Corredor, and his fourth dam Guadaloupe is a full-sister to the July winning champion Gondolier.
While they come from different worlds, there are plenty of parallels between MK’s Pride’s owner Koos Nkale and Ashwin Reynolds, who races the well-beaten favourite Kommetdieding. Both come from humble beginnings and have become popular ambassadors for a sport struggling to reach a wider market and to transform.
Captain Lannister set the early pace ahead of Warrior’s Rest and Bingwa. In the run for home, Muzi Yeni sent MK’s Pride forward. The chestnut ranged up alongside the gutsy Puerto Manzano, and appeared to catch Kommetdieding slightly flatfooted.
Kommetdieding (5-4) had every chance 2,25 lengths back in third.
MK’S Pride is a winner of 9 races with 7 places from 20 starts. His stakes earnings have rocketed to R2 019 600.
The move was the dealmaker and MK’s Pride (10-1) went on strongly to beat Puerto Manzano (40-1) by 0,75
The Merits MK’S PRIDE remains unchanged on a rating of 122 after he captured the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m on the Turffontein standside track on Saturday 2 April. The Handicappers took the view that MK’S
PRIDE himself made for the most suitable line horse when assessing this event, hence his unaltered rating. In assessing the race this way, 4th placed ASTRIX runs to his mark of 112, which effectively make him a line horse as well and which leaves his rating unchanged too.
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The only ratings increase was for runner-up PUERTO MANZANO, who goes up from 111 to 120. The only ratings drop was for BINGWA, who is down slightly from 118 to 117.
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Candiese Lenferna
19 Dubawi’s fastest son Willow Magic at Bush Hill
WILLOW MAGIC BREAKS GR1 ICE 20
Bush Hill Stud’s Australianbred stallion Willow Magic, the fastest son of Dubawi, joined Ridgemont Highlands kingpin Rafeef when producing his first Gr1 winner at Turffontein on Saturday. The charismatic Koos Nkale’s MK’s Pride powered home under Muzi Yeni to take the R1 million Gr1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes. Trained by Paul Peter, MK’s Pride scored his first victory at a mile, winning by three quarters and beating Argentine bred Peurto Manzano and Durban July – Cape Town Met winner Kommetdieding into the places respectively.
KZN Breeders report that originally named Alaunus, MK’s Pride was unsold at the 2019 Ready To Run Sale, bred and consigned by Mick Goss of Summerhill Stud. The spitting image of his Sean Tarry-trained Gr1 winning sire by Dubawi, MK’s Pride looks to have a stud career with his race record capped by his Gr1 success. This was MK’s Pride’s 9th career win to date, with Gr2 wins in the Hawaii Stakes and Joburg Spring Challenge, as well as the Ready To Run Sales Cup. He is out of an Admire Main mare Ikimasu from the family of Gondolier and San Carlos.
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Willow Magic is a magnificent chestnut with powerful hindquarters. An A$ 40 000 purchase as a yearling, he was bred by Rothwell Park of New South Wales and is a son of world champion Dubawi out of the thrice winning Tierce mare, La Willow. MK’s Pride has a Hat Puntano half-brother on offer at the BSA National Yearling Sale (28 & 29 April) named Stealth Strike, consigned by Bush Hill Stud as Lot 424. Willow Magic has three yearlings on the same sale.
Candice Lenferna
22 Richard Fourie steers Rain In Holland ahead of Light Of The Moon (Muzi Yeni) in a facile victory for the new SA Triple Tiara princess
PRECIPITATION FOR THE NATION!
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The Drakenstein raced and bred Rain In Holland put in a match-winning performance on a tough day at the races when she became the fifth winner of the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara, charging to victory in the R750 000 Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 SA Oaks.
the history books as the third consecutive, and the fifth filly after Igugu (2011), Cherry On the Top (2013), Summer Pudding (2020) and War Of Athena (2021) to wear the tiara. Richard Fourie gave all the credit to the Sean Tarry team, saying he had done ‘nothing’ in terms of the preparatory work.
On a Turffontein Saturday that had some punters running for cover, Rain In Holland (1-3) delivered the goods to give Drakenstein, Sean Tarry and Richard Fourie a first success in the prestigious series.
With the decision to remove the blinkers appearing to work, Fourie rode a confident race and hit the front at the 300m to take on another Drakenstein runner in the pacesetter, Light Of The Moon.
Rain In Holland banked the R1 million bonus and enters
Fourie glanced around casually at the 150m before Rain In Holland stretched clear to beat
Light Of The Moon (20-1) by 0,75 lengths in a time of 157,32 secs. A daughter of deceased Danehill sire Duke Of Marmalade, Rain In Holland is out of the Aqlaam mare Imvula, a half sister to Durban July winner Dancer’s Daughter. The mare was purchased in the UK, where she won once from two starts. Rain In Holland has now won 8 races with 4 places from 12 starts for stakes of R2 227 250 – that’s excluding the R1 million bonus.
The Merits RAIN IN HOLLAND remains unchanged on a rating of 118 after she completed a clean sweep of the Triple Tiara events by winning the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m at Turffontein on Saturday. The Handicappers were of the view that 3rd placed EVENING PRIMROSE made for the best line horse, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 81. In assessing the race this way, 5th finisher GREENGROWTHELILACS also runs to her rating, making her a line horse as
well and leaving her unaltered on a rating of 76. In rating the race this way, RAIN IN HOLLAND only runs to a mark of 93, well below her 118 rating, and this is the reason for her unchanged mark. Runner-up LIGHT OF THE MOON goes up from 76 to 92 (LIGHT OF THE MOON actually achieved a rating of 85 in her previous start, however, the specific conditions of Oaks Trial preclude the winner from being raised by more than six pounds and do not allow 24
for any increase in the rating of any other runner and as such, LIGHT OF THE MOON was raised the maximum six pounds to 76). 4th placed ONTHEVERGE, was raised from 72 to 77. The only drop was for last placed CLAFOUTIS, who is down from 105 to 102 to leave her rated lower than 8th placed ETERNITY RING, who remains unchanged on 103.
WILGERBOSDRIFT CONGRATULATES MRS GA RUPERT AND THE CONNECTIONS OF
RAIN IN HOLLAND on winning
ALL THREE LEGS OF THE TRIPLE TIARA. Owner: Drakenstein Stud Trainer: Sean Tarry Jockey: Richard Fourie Breeder: Drakenstein Stud
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26 Rain In Holland (Richard Fourie) is led in by Sean Tarry and his sons, with Siyamcela Mtwesi and Drakenstein's Kevin Sommerville enjoying the moment
Candiese Lenferna
DAY OF THE DANEHILL
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Danehill line stallions were the toast of Turffontein on Saturday afternoon, with Danehill's late son Duke Of Marmalade sire of Saturday's Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks winner Rain In Holland and Danehill's grandson Rafeef coming up with Saturday's Gr1 World Sports Betting SA Derby winner Aragosta. Rain In Holland, who claimed victory in the 2022 Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara with her win on Saturday, is one of 48 stakes winner for her five time Gr1 winning sire Duke Of Marmalade. The latter, whose Gr1 Investec Derby winning half-brother Ruler Of The World (Galileo) sired Breeders' Cup winning filly Iridessa, has left behind seven G1 winners -of which five are female. The blue blooded Duke Of Marmalade, whose close relatives A.P. Indy and Lemon Drop Kid have both become outstanding broodmare sires, is also showing signs of becoming a highly successful broodmare sire. Among others, Duke Of Marmalade is already broodmare sire of an Italian classic winner in Keep On Fly as well as group winners Antonius De Vega, Chilean, Free Wind and Irish Derby runner up Lone Eagle.
Interestingly, Rain In Holland is not the only South African Triple Tiara with Danehill close up in her pedigree, with Danehill's Gr2 winning son Requiem sire of last season's Triple Tiara victress War Of Athena (Act Of War). Aragosta was one of two graded stakes winners for his hot young sire on Saturday, with Rafeef also sire of Saturday's Gr3 World Sports Betting Man O'War Sprint winner Master Archie. Rafeef is also sire of the progressive Cleaver Greene, who ran second in Saturday's Man O'War Sprint. With a plethora of well bred two-yearolds representing him this season, Rafeef looks poised to go from strength to strength. Rafeef's late, legendary sire Redoute's Choice also made his mark in another Derby on Saturday -his daughter Love Is Fickle is the dam of Saturday's Gr1 Bentley Australian Derby winner Hitotsu (Maurice) while Redoute's Choice's late son Burgundy is the sire of Saturday's G1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes winner Maven Belle. Aragosta, who is bred on a similar Redoute's Choice/ Galileo cross to Australian five time Gr1 winner and popular young sire The Autumn Sun, lacks nothing in pedigree terms.
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Out of a Galileo half-sister to French classic winner and sire Clodovil (sired by Rafeef's grandsire Danehill), Aragosta (whose granddam won the now G1 Prix de l'Opera), hails from a female line which has had plenty of success in South Africa. His fourth dam was sired by former KZN based stallion Home Guard (Forli), while Aragosta's sixth dam Argentina (Nearco) not only produced a pair of stallions who stood in South Africa in Averof and Buffo, but she also rates as the granddam of former South African Horse Of The Year Flaming Rock (Ballad Rock). While Danehill sires have a mixed record in South Africa, there can be no denying the overall impact they have had in this country. His sire sons Requiem and Restructure feature as broodmare sires of champions War Of Athena and Legislate respectively, while another son Overlord sired champion sprinter Talktothestars. Another son of Danehill, triple Gr1 winner Oratorio, has sired a number of stakes winners in South Africa, headed by dual Gr1 winning sprinter Van Halen. Oratorio is also sire of the highly successful broodmare New Plays - dam of group winners Dolce Strega (Zoffany) and
Epona Plays (Australila) granddam of rising Australian star filly Amelia's Jewel (Siyouni). The latter won Saturday's Gr2 Amelia ParkKarrakatta Plate in Australia to remain unbeaten in three starts. Sons of Danehill never to stand in South Africa also made their mark, with the likes of Fastnet Rock siring Gr2 Dingaans winner Curved Ball and Danehill Dancer's Gr3 winning daughter Crimson Blossom producing Gr3 eLan Gold Cup winner Dynasty's Blossom (Dynasty) and Listed
East Cape Guineas winner Brilliant Crimson (Trippi). Danehill's outstanding son Redoute's Choice more than made his mark in South Africa -not only through Rafeef and the latter's champion brother Mustaaqeem, but also through champions Majmu and Musir, as well as dual Gr1 winner Wylie Hall, while another outstanding son of Danehill, Dansili, left Gr2 winning millionaire Espumanti -dam of this season's Gr2 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers winner Sparkling Water (Silvano).
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30 Richard Fourie has Nebraas in charge as Keagan de Melo chases on Black Thorn
Candiese Lenferna
POLISHED FOURIE GRABS GOLD 31
Jockey Richard Fourie has lifted his game and workrate dramatically since going freelance late last year. While the 36 year old had to watch the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met from the sidelines this year, his superb ride on Aragosta in Saturday’s SA Derby was his fifth Gr1 strike of the term. A graduation from a top Cape-based jockey to an accomplished national feature race winning freelancer. That has been the transition for the Carletonville-born Fourie since leaving the relative comfort zone of the Snaith Racing Team.
Tiara trophy when Rain In Holland sailed home in the SA Oaks.
course for a defence of his Gold Cup title.
That was followed by Aragosta’s smashing SA Derby victory and rounded off with an inspired ride on Nebraas to win the stamina sapping WSB R10 000 1st Deposit Match Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup on Sean Tarry’s Equus Champion Stayer Nebraas, who got the better of a short duel with his lightly weighted stablemate Black Thorn to win the 2850m contest by 0,60 lengths in a time of 186,68 secs.
Nebraas is by the Gr1 Jebel Hatta winning sire Vercingerix (Silvano) out of the Archipenko mare Noor Dubai.
It was interesting to hear Fourie pay a compliment to his mount.
He is second on the national log with 131 winners at an impressive strike-rate of 19,4%. While Warren Kennedy leads the table some 67 winners ahead of Fourie, he has taken 500 more rides than the West Coast fisherman to achieve that.
“I was riding Silver Host last season and we played second fiddle to Nebraas – including in the Gold Cup. I often wondered who is this little horse who keeps beating me on my big horse! Now I’m fortunate enough to be riding him and can see why we battled to get past him,” he laughed.
On Saturday Fourie also picked up his first SA Triple
Bred and raced by Al Adiyaat South Africa, Nebraas is on
He has won 5 races with 8 places from 17 starts for stakes of R847 875. Fourie’s association with yards like Mike de Kock and Sean Tarry is going to add extra interest to the SA Champions Season from next month. De Kock quipped on Saturday that Fourie is doing everything right. “You can see – he is thinking all the time,” he observed. We will eat our hats if he doesn’t get a ride in the Hollywoodbets Durban July!
The Merits NEBRAAS has had his rating raised from 104 to 110 after he landed the Grade 3 WSB Caradoc Gold Cup over 2850m at Turffontein on Saturday. Here it was the consistent 3rd placed finisher GREEN HAZE who was deemed to
make for the ideal line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a rating of 100. The specific conditions of the race do not allow for an increase in the rating of any horse other than the winner. 32 Accordingly, runner-up BLACK THORN is unchanged
on a rating of 91 even though he actually runs to a mark of 99. Two horses were given a rating’s drop. 4th placed IMPERIAL RUBY is down from 106 to 104, while AFRICAN ADVENTURE goes down from 107 to 102.
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34 Gavin Lerena gets Master Archie home ahead of Kabelo Matsunyane and Cleaver Greene
Chase Liebenberg
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Saturday’s Turffontein carryover Pick 6 outstripped the R5 million target, rocketing multi millions in the last three minutes before the opening leg to reach R6 134 023. And Gavin Lerena kept punters on track in the second leg with the flying grey Rafeef colt Master Archie staying on doggedly to win the R250 000 World Sports Betting Gr3 Man O’War Stakes, beating another Rafeef son in Cleaver Green. With the general consensus that the 1100m contest presented a field poser in the popular exotic, Gavin Lerena rode a patient race initially
before unleashing the former Cape-based colt in the final 300m. Master Archie (11-2) was giving Cleaver Greene (5-1) all of 8kgs, but zero leeway, and he stayed on to win by a quarter length in a time of 62,7 secs. The Tarry filly Sound Of Warning (5-1) was well beaten a further 2,75 lengths back in third. Raced by Vasan Harry and Sean Hanna, Master Archie started his career in the Cape with Candice Bass-Robinson but looks headed for better things at his Turffontein home in the care of Paul Peter.
Now a winner of 5 of his 10 starts with 2 places and stakes of R390 875, the impressive grey was bred by the partnership of Vasen Harry, Sean Hanna and Adam Azzie. Master Archie is by Ridgemont Highlands’ exciting sire Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) out of the eight-time winning Var mare, La Volta. Interestingly, Winterbach Stud offers Master Archie’s halfbother (also a grey) by Potala Palace at the BSA National Yearling Sale on 28 and 29 April.
The Merits MASTER ARCHIE has had his rating raised from 114 to 120 following his success in the Grade 3 WSB Man O’ War Sprint for three-yearolds over the straight 1100m course at Turffontein on Saturday.
The Handicappers were unanimously of the view that 3rd placed SOUND OF WARNING made for the best line horse here, which leaves her unchanged on a mark of 111.
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The winner aside, the only other increase was for runner-up CLEAVER GREENE, who goes up from 90 to 103. There were no ratings drops for any of the runners in this event.
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40 Keagan de Melo and Waterberry Lane come home lonely in the Gr3 Byerley Turk
Candiese Lenferna
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Candiese Lenferna Chase Liebenberg
Dean Kannemeyer is flanked by Keagan de Melo and assistant Nicolette Roscoe An emotional trainer Dean Kannemeyer paid tribute to late leading owner Mike Rattray at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday after classy 3yo Waterberry Lane stamped his superiority in the famous red and white silks with a resounding victory in the Gr3 Byerley Turk.
Returning from a break and gelding after a rare below-par run in the Cape Guineas last December after haemoconcentrating, the handsome son of Soft Falling Rain sprouted wings in the final 300m to register an emphatic comeback win after an 106 day break.
Mr Rattray, a lifetime supporter of racing and breeding in South Africa, passed away after an illness on Tuesday last week, just months short of his 90th birthday. The successful and respected businessman had been a longstanding supporter of the Kannemeyer family racing operation dating back to the days when Dean was learning the ropes under his late Dad, Peekay.
With the in-form Keagan de Melo posing for the cameras, Waterberry Lane (6-1) beat Hasta Manana (7-1) by 2,50 lengths in a time of 85,15 secs. Never Ending Rain (20-1) ran on into third a further 0,40 lengths back. A winner of the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe last term, Waterberry Lane produced a special performance from a wide draw over the 1400m and
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will now be aimed at the WSB Guineas on 7 May. “This is a very emotional moment for the myself and the team. The Rattray family have been loyal Kannemeyer patrons since as far back as I can remember. My best wishes to Norma (Rattray) and the family. They watched the race today from the farm. I feel honoured and privileged to have saddled the winner. He is a lovely horse – he has so much Fort Wood about him,” said Dean as he raised his hand skywards and promised the top owner that he would be nominating his top 3yo for the Hollywoodbets Durban July. It is well documented that a Durban July victory was the one prize in racing that had
eluded the late Mike Rattray, despite many decades of trying to win the coveted trophy.
“Giants of the ilk of Mike Rattray cross our paths once in a lifetime. He was a great owner to train for.”
Dean told the Sporting Post that while Mike Rattray’s passing is the end of an era for our racing and breeding industry, South Africa had also lost a businessman and leader of great repute and integrity.
A R250 000 Mistico Yearling Sale graduate, Waterberry Lane was bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein and is a son of the international champion Soft Falling Rain (National Assembly) out of the Fort Wood one-time winner, Gain Ground.
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Waterberry Lane has won 5 races with 3 places from 10 starts for stakes of R478 625. First entries for the Hollywoodbets Durban July close at 11h00 on Tuesday 19 April.
The Merits WATERBERRY LANE has his merit rating raised from 111 to 115 after his success in the Grade 3 Byerley Turk for three-year-olds over 1400m at Greyville on Sunday. Here it was 4th placed FIFTY FIVER who was considered to make for the most suitable line horse, which leaves him unchanged on a mark of 101.
Runner-up HASTA MANANA was raised from 97 to 104, while the only other increase was for PASSAGE OF POWER, who is up from 75 to 86. PASSAGE OF POWER actually runs to a mark of 97, but the Handicappers were reluctant to take this literally and instead opted to pick him up by half the achieved
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improvement, 86 being half way between his old rating of 75 and his achieved 97. The only drop was for WILLIAM ROBERTSON, who is down slightly from 105 to 104 to make him equal to – in preference to higher than – runner-up HASTA MANANA.
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ALL THE SUPREME SPIES SUPPORTERS! 46 How’s this for support? Supreme Quest fans pose with winning jockey Anton Marcus
Candiese Lenferna
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Hollywoodbets-sponsored Corne Spies broke a mini drought at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday. The Vaal-based trained declared his love of racing on the East Coast when he unsaddled the Querari filly Supreme Quest after an overdue graded stakes score in the R175 000 Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes. There wasn’t a happier bunch of connections in the winner’s enclosure all afternoon and there is no question that the consistent Supreme Quest bumped some decent peers in her endless feature campaigning. But on Sunday, she got it all right and looked the right horse in a seven horse field.
Starting a 2-1 favourite, Anton Marcus jumped Supreme Quest a length slow and had her settled five lengths off the sedentary paced leader Aisling. Into the run for home, Marcus made no mistakes and even though Rachel Venniker tried to give them the slip on Kailene, the Spies runner never looked in doubt.
A R90 000 National 2yo Sale graduate, the winner was bred by Gold Star Stud and has now earned R604 875 for 3 wins and 3 places from 13 starts. A daughter of Maine Chance stallion Querari (Oasis Dream), she is out of the once winning Lecture mare, Supreme Lecture.
She glided into the lead at the 250m and went on to beat Kailene (7-1) by 1,40 lengths in a time of 85,96 secs.
Supreme Quest will now target the WSB Fillies Guineas at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 7 May.
Mike de Kock’s Bold Act (4-1) was a well beaten third, with Supreme Quest reversing the form of a recent defeat.
There are 25 Querari yearlings on the BSA National Yearling Sale on 28 and 29 April.
The Merits SUPREME QUEST remains unchanged on a mark of 108 following her win in the Grade 3 Umzimkhulu Stakes for three-yearold fillies over 1400m on the Greyville turf course on Sunday 3 April. The race meeting, originally scheduled for Scottsville, was relocated to Greyville because of inclement weather.
It was SUPREME QUEST herself who was deemed to make for the best line horse, hence her unchanged rating. Runner-up KAILENE was picked up from 102 to 105, while the only other increase was for 5th placed SASHAY AWAY, who goes up from 89 to 92. SASHAY AWAY in fact runs to a mark of 99, but the Handicappers were reluctant
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to take this at face value especially given that there were only seven runners in the race and opted instead for a partial ratings increase. There were ratings drops for two fillies, with 3rd placed BOLD ACT down from 105 to 103 and 4th finisher MERCURY RISING being cut from 105 to 101.
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54 James Rich and Anthony Delpech lead Full Velocity (Keagan de Melo) in
Candiese Lenferna
TARRY’S AT FULL VELOCITY
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While multiple SA Champion trainer Sean Tarry is a distant third behind Paul Peter and Justin Snaith on the national log, the Randjesfontein conditioner enjoyed a terrific weekend with four winners, including a feature treble incorporating his first SA Triple Tiara. Tarry was rampant at Turffontein on Saturday when Rain In Holland won the Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 SA Oaks and Equus Champion Stayer Nebraas found his best form to score in the Gr3 WSB R10 000 1st Deposit Match Caradoc Gold Cup.
On Sunday, Tarry sent the Philanthropist filly Full Velocity out in the Hollywood Syndicate silks for an impressive victory in the R110 000 Listed KwaZuluNatal Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville. Starting a popular 18-10 favourite under the in-form Keagan de Melo, Full Velocity was relaxed early on and turned on the jets in the straight to beat the Cape challenger Favorita by 1,50 lengths in a time of 59,16 secs. The grey Varvacious (25-1) was a further 1,10 lengths back in third. The winner was bred by Klawervlei and is by the Kris
S stallion Philanthropist out of the twice winning Sebring mare, Circle Of Speed. This was her first start away from home. Full Velocity is no slouch and has been a model of consistency, winning 5 races and placing in 7 starts – thus earning at all of her 12 outings. She took her stakes earnings to R401 850. Full Velocity was Keagan de Melo’s 122nd winner of the season. He is now in 4th position on the national log and is serving a suspension until 10 Apr 2022.
The Merits FULL VELOCITY has seen her rating adjusted from 95 to 99 following her victory in the Listed Kwazulu-Natal Stakes for fillies and mares over 1000m at Greyville on Sunday. It was 3rd placed VARVACIOUS who was considered to make for the best line horse here, which leaves her unchanged on a
mark of 86. In rating the race this way, 4th finisher AREA FIFTY ONE runs to her mark of 86, which effectively makes her a line horse as well and which leaves her rating unchanged. There were no rating increases for any horse other than the winner, but no fewer
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than five runners received a drop. KEEP THE LIGHTS ON is down from 98 to 95, LADY CATHERINE goes from 86 to 84, VIHAAN’S PIE is down to 94 from 99, CIVIL RIGHTS drops from 88 to 83, and lastly SWEET SYMPHONY goes from 80 to 78.
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MJ puts another subject on the spot! 58 Cat Daddy comes home smoothly under Craig Zackey
Candiese Lenferna
KOTZEN’S DADDY COOL MJ puts another subject on the spot! 59
Glen Kotzen’s 6yo Cat Daddy is as versatile as they come. The gelded son of Ideal World won the Algoa Cup, or ‘PE July’, in 2019 at Fairview. Then he racked up another stakes score with a gutsy victory in the Listed Darley Arabian on the Hollywoodbets Greyville polytrack at the end of last term.
Shampizi (1-1) by 1,30 lengths in a time of 99,36 secs. Native Tongue (15-2) did not get the best of starts and was not disgraced a further 1,10 lengths back in third.
On Sunday, having his first run on the East Coast in 2022, he grabbed a first stakes win on turf in KZN when he ran them ragged to win the R150 000 Listed Kings Cup.
A winner 7 races with 14 places from 35 starts, he took his earnings to R817 325.
Given a peach of a tracking ride by Craig Zackey just off the speed set by Gentleman’s Wager, Cat Daddy (10-1) came forward powerfully at the 250m and ran on strongly to beat the consistent favourite Shampompo
Cat Daddy is raced by The Great 8 Stables and LLC Syndicate (Nom :Mr D H Barton) and was bred by the Gary Player Stud.
A son of the dual stakes winning Kingmambo stallion Ideal World, Cat Daddy is out of the Black Minnaloushe mare Eyona, a winning half-sister to the stakes placed Elusive Model and to the dam of Castle Tankard hero Peggson.
Ecurie, Escoleta Fitz, Eventuail, and successful sire Elusive Fort. Former Equus Champion Stayer Hermoso Mundo, also sired by Ideal World, is another notable member of this family. The Kings Cup was originally carded on the Hollywoodbets Greyville turf on Sunday 27 March, but the meeting was abandoned. Then it was rostered for Hollywoodbets Scottsville a week later – and after Mother Nature intervened it was eventually run back on the turf at the Durban city track on Sunday. There are six Ideal World yearlings on the BSA National Yearling Sale later this month. Big Sky Ranch’s lot 365 is from the same ‘E’ family.
This is the famous ‘E’ family, responsible for South African champions Empress Club,
The Merits CAT DADDY had his rating increased from 101 to 106 after his success in the Listed Kings Cup over 1600m at Greyville on Sunday. It was 4th placed ORIGAMI who was used as the line horse here, which leaves his rating unchanged on 91. In assessing the race this way, 3rd placed
NATIVE TONGUE also runs to his mark, which effectively makes him a line horse as well and leaves him unaltered on a rating of 107. The winner aside, the only other increase was for 2nd placed SHAMPOMPO SHAMPIZI, who goes up from 89 to 93.
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There were drops for no fewer than five horses. SPRING FLING is down from 93 to 91, LOVE BOMB drops from 96 to 92, CHIJMES is down to 94 from 97, MATTERHORN is down slightly from 101 to 100, and lastly PRICELESS RULER was cut from 105 to 100.
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Chase Liebenberg
62 Empress Club entry and Gr1 winner Zarina is based with Ashley Fortune at the Vaal
ROYALS STEP OUT AT TURFFONTEIN 63
Entries for the stakes boosted R1,25 million Gr1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes for fillies and mares to be run at weight-for-age over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday 16 April were received on Monday. There are a handful of current and former Cape Town-based runners among the entries Now based at the Vaal with Ashley Fortune, Princess Calla, who ran close-up behind Captain’s Ransom in a number of feature races in the Cape is among the entries Chat Ching is based with Ashley Fortune at the Vaal (Pic – Chase Liebenberg) With a recent run already under the belt, Milnertonbased Candice BassRobinson has Chat Ching and Gr1 winner Zarina amongst the entries, while Wendy Whitehead and Gareth van Zyl may travel from KZN with Mount Laurel and the well travelled She’s A Keeper. Supplementary Entries close at 09h00 on Friday 8 April. Declarations are due by 11h00 on Monday 11 April.
Entries - R1 250 000 Gr1 Empress Club Stakes Bold Fortune Bon Vivant Celestial Love Chat Ching Marigold Hotel Mount Laurel Pin Up Pretty Betty Princess Calla Rouge Allure Sentbydestiny She’s A Keeper Sparkling Water Sprinkles Supreme Quest Under Your Spell Zarina
Stuart Pettigrew J A Janse van Vuuren J A Janse van Vuuren Candice Bass-Robinson Sean Tarry Wendy Whitehead Paul Peter Candice Dawson Ashley Fortune Stephen Moffatt Candice Dawson Gareth van Zyl Mike de Kock Paul Peter Corne Spies Sean Tarry Candice Bass-Robinson
Draws and the final field will be embargoed and announced at a live event on Monday 11 April at a venue and time to be advised. Hollywoodbets are offering an ante-post market: please click here for more The theme for this year’s Royal Race Day is ‘A Touch of Class with the Sport of Kings’. Mike Wittstock, the father of HSH Princess Charlene, has from the outset been an enthusiastic supporter of this event and numerous charities as well as schools from disadvantaged backgrounds in the south and east of Johannesburg, have
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benefitted as a result of his involvement. A dress code is encouraged on the day with ladies elegantly dressed with hats or fascinators and gentlemen smartly attired. This has been in keeping with the race being held on the royal day and exciting prizes will be on offer to patrons who make the added effort and dress appropriately. The day also sees the running of the Listed Spook Express Stakes over 2400m.
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BIRCH BROS – HOME OF CHAMPIONS Few, if any, modern day South African stud farms have a more impressive history than the Birch Bros. Formally established in 1910, the Birch Bros has been involved in the thoroughbred industry for over a century and have been responsible for breeding some of the country's greatest horses. The family's Vogel Vlei farm is currently run by Syd and Colin Birch, a father-son combination, with Colin being a fifth generation Birch involved in running the farm.
Vogel Vlei lies in a valley of many thousands of acres on which horses, cattle and sheep are bred commercially. Mares and foals run in huge paddocks of natural and planted pastures, including lucerne, barley, oats, rye grass and other cereals. Among the many remarkable accomplishments achieved by this historic farm are recording more than 40 breeders championship wins, with Birch Bros' bred thoroughbreds lifting South Africa's most famous horse-race, the Durban July, on eight occasions. The latter feat includes the Birch Bros' bred pair of Jollify and Sea Cottage
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scoring a memorable deadheat in the 1967 July. Legendary racehorse Sea Cottage is, however, just one of numerous outstanding racehorses bred by the Birch Bros, with other South African superstars bred by the farm including Colorado King, Wolf Power, Bold Tropic and Royal Chalice. A further testimony to the quality of thoroughbreds bred at Vogel Vlei is the success enjoyed by Colorado King and Bold Tropic in North America, while fellow Birch Bros bred champion Wolf
Power went on to enjoy success at stud in the USA. In recent times, the farm's notable graduates have included millionaire Sniper Shot, while 2020 G1 Allan Robertson Championship heroine Vernichey was born and raised at Vogel Vlei. This year, the Birch Bros' Vogel Vlei Stud will be bringing a quality string to the National Yearling Sale, with this draft made up of yearlings sired by all of reigning champion sire Gimmethegreenlight, as well as by the likes of Global View,
Vogel Vlei – land of beauty
Heavenly Blue, Master Of My Fate and their highly promising resident stallion Red Ray. The latter made the perfect start to his stud career, with Red Ray's first crop, now threeyear-olds, headed by Gr1 WSB SA Classic winner Red Saxon. Red Ray has two lots in this draft -a half-brother (Lot 225) to Listed East Cape Nursery victor Viking Moon, and a halfsister (Lot 404) to G3 Cape Classic winner Eighth Wonder, with the latter hailing from the immediate family of this season's high-class three-yearold Litigation among others.
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Another exciting lot in this draft is the Gimmethegreenlight filly (Lot 434) out of G3 Strelitzia Stakes queen Inverroche, while Quality Alone, dam of the promising three-year-old Calibre Crest, has a Global View colt (Lot 114) on sale. This draft can be viewed in Block A at the TBA complex in Germiston. The BSA National Yearling Sale will be held on 28 and 29 April.
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Chase Liebenberg
NO HASSLE AFFORDABLE OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY MJ puts another subject on the spot! 72
Piet Botha – reaching out to owners
Milnerton trainer Piet Botha is over the moon at the public response to his recent pledge to create an affordable racehorse ownership opportunity that brings genuine entertainment opportunities for the whole family into the equation. “The response has been heartening. It’s amazing how many people are keen to find out about horseracing. I hope that we have started something that will evolve positively for the sport at large,” said Piet Botha. The former jockey, who has moved into a new barn on the
external stable row on Koeberg Road, says that they still have shares available in the Dare To Dream Syndication of a colt and filly.
- 1 share equates to 2% in each horse.
“There are two beautiful youngsters who I believe will be ready in time for the BSA R500 000 Sales race next year. The Syndicate will be a package deal for both horses. All costs included and no costs – no Vet bills will be levied for the first two years,” adds Piet.
- They shall race for you with no expense for their 2 and 3 year old career.
A Filly by Erupt x Placid Sea, and a colt by Royal Mo X Fresh The cost is a once-off R14 000 per share.
- You may take multiple shares.
- No vet bills. The R100 000 BSA bonus is available for each horse when they win as a Juvenile Further information is available – please click here Or contact Piet Botha on +27 073 122 4874 / email dare2dreamracing@gmail. com.
New Concept For KZN Bigger, bolder and better than before, Global Team Horse Racing (GTH), a team-based thoroughbred horse racing product which is fast-paced and offers thrilling entertainment and fun for families, is back with a full racing series in 2022.
official racing calendar and will ensure that the races abide by all the official NHRA rules and regulations. GTH Racing will fund the additional stakes required to ensure that horse owners vie for the opportunity to participate in this new team-based concept.
The developers and partners are making this announcement hot on the heels of the unbridled success of the full-scale trial that took place in Durban last year. Global Team Horse Racing has partnered with local operator Gold Circle who manage the Hollywoodbets Greyville racecourse in Durban as well as the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg.
A product more than five years in the making, GTH Racing has secured the next round of funding required to stage a full event series in South Africa this year.
Gold Circle has added the additional four races to the
The world-wide premier of a Global Team Horse Racing series is set to take place in Durban in August and September. The series will run under lights over four weeks and is expected to attract 73 thousands of fans, celebrities, and horse racing glitterati.
The events will be run in a high-octane two-hour event packed full of thrilling races, world class entertainment, picnic areas and a large kiddie’s entertainment area for the younger fans, set right at the track side. “Significant sponsorship has been secured already and a radio partnership agreement with East Coast Radio will keep locals up to speed on exciting announcements as the events draw closer,” says Angus Campbell who heads up the GTH Racing team locally, “we are also pleased to announce that the full two-hour event will also be broadcast live on SuperSport as well as other digital streaming channels.” • Media release by Global Team Horseracing on Tuesday 5 April 2022
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Buyers Up Sights On Big Day Ciaron Maher, Australia's biggest trainer, came out on top during Day 1 of the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, backing his judgment to land the "colt of the sale," the top-priced AU$1.5 million son of I Am Invincible who was one of six to reach the sevenfigure mark at Riverside Stables April 5. The six million-dollar yearlings, colts by proven stallions and one who is tipped to reach new heights, captured the headlines but it was the depth of the middle market, something evident throughout the majority of yearling sales in 2022, that again underlined buyers' willingness to up their sights.
The aggregate at the end of the day was at AU$66.41 million up 3% year-on-year which was then the benchmark single day's trade at a Southern Hemisphere sale (it eventually closed at AU$67.6 million after some passed in lots were sold), while the average increased by 4% to AU$383,873 on Day 1 of 2022. The median of AU$300,000 , however, perhaps best illustrates the strength of the market. It was up from AU$260,000 on the same session last year and there is every reason to suggest that the momentum will continue today. Inglis Bloodstock chief executive Sebastian Hutch understandably was pleased
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with how the statistics read after the first day. "Any day you can come out of the sale day with figures that we have today, it's hard to be anything other than pleased," Hutch said. "There were a lot of nice horses in the sale and they sold well. I think it's a really good reflection on the strength of the day that the median is up 15% on the same day last year. I think that is probably the best way of demonstrating the strength and depth of the market. Meanwhile, the might of the Maher and David Eustace stable, which has more horses on its books than any other in the country, was to
the fore on Day 1 with the training partnership landing the most expensive colt of the session. Maher's bloodstock manager Will Bourne revealed that the trainer bought the horse without an owner already committed to purchasing the horse such was his opinion of the colt, but it didn't take him long to convince Kia Ora Stud and Tony Fung Investments to come on board. "We paid a bit of money for him, but Ciaron was in love with the horse. Cressfield are great breeders and overall he's a quality colt," Bourne said. "Ciaron purchased Cellsabeel from this sale (in 2019) and she had a ton of ability, he
knows this family very well and he was keen to get his hands on this colt. "Funnily enough, Ciaron loved him that much. Ciaron has been a very brave person in the business of the Thoroughbred world and it's no shock that he is again at the Sydney Easter sale. Ciaron thought he was the number one (colt in the sale)." Coolmore was underbidder on the colt. The Lot 144 colt, who attracted a "stratospheric" 27 x-ray hits, is the first foal out of the former Bjorn Baker-trained group 3 winner Egyptian Symbol, who was bred and raced by Cressfield's Bruce Neill. His second dam is group 1-winning sprinter and now pensioned
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Egyptian Raine, who Neill bought for AU$900,000 off the track, while Cellsabeel, a John McGrath Auto Group Black Opal Stakes (G3) placed mare whose racetrack career was curtailed by injury, is a half sister to Egyptian Symbol. "He has a very good second dam, who was one of Australia's great race mares. I think she was second in about 10 group 1s and Egyptian Symbol was a filly we tried to sell at Magic Millions many years ago and she didn't even make AU$80,000 as a reserve," Neill said. Click here for the sale prices
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MJ puts another subject on the spot! Candice Dawson and Ali Cohen - newly engaged and happy!
ALI’S BACK IN TOWN
Taking his headset off as he sat in the Meydan commentary box three minutes before the field for the $12 million Dubai World Cup was about to jump was a terrible mistake. South Africa’s world-class racecaller Alistair Cohen jets into Johannesburg today and was reflecting on a memorable six month professional adventure that exceeded his wildest expectations. Talking to the Sporting Post this past weekend, the
Durbanite told how he had thoroughly enjoyed World Cup night and absorbed what is a rare experience in any professional’s life. “What an atmosphere. What a magnificent event! I had told myself that I was going to handle it and had left the butterflies back home. Eight great races had been run and everything was going swimmingly until I took my headphones off minutes before the start of the big one of the evening. I have been in big sports stadiums and attended many events with
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louder noise. But the ‘hum’ or buzz at Meydan was unbelievable. It was almost spooky,” he laughs as he labels the decision to remove his headphones a ’terrible mistake’. “But I regrouped and regathered my composure during the loading process and after about 400m I was enjoying every moment. And what a race it was! Life Is Good went into the final stages looking a winner. But Frankie Dettori is pure genius and timed his challenge on Country Grammer to
perfection for his fourth victory in the big race – and his personal first at Meydan!” Dubai World Cup night will go down, probably alongside the Breeders Cup, as an undoubted highpoint on a cv that has grown in leaps and bounds since Alistair’s first commentary on 16 August 2010 at Flamingo Park. He was shadowing Bumpy Schoeman that day and ‘brashly’ grabbed the opportunity to call the third race, which was won by Gombera Boy. “After the canter down for the third race, I wanted to grab my jacket and run. But the race went well. I called another race a bit later. I left Kimberley a happy man,” he recalls. From the dusty platteland simplicity of Kimberley to the razzmatazz and worldclass facilities of Meydan, the boy has become a man and grown in stature to be regarded as one of the world’s leading young commentators. The Dubai job doesn’t get dished out willy nilly either, and the prestige and honour of the appointment was not lost on Alistair when he touched down in October last year facing a host of new challenges.
The sports fanatic counts that he called 457 races that hosted 1527 horses! Some of the names are tongue twisters that make Kommetdieding or the Hollywood Syndicate runner Imilenzeyokududuma easy to roll off the tongue. “What an experience. From the Al-Ain marathon to the Dubai World Cup! Time has flown by and looking back now I recall how tough it was settling in to a new country, getting to know new people, new horses and adapting to the unique characteristics of new racecourses. I was also very aware of synchronising the expectations of my personal hopes and dreams versus the professional expectations which were expected from me.” He explains that as the time passed and he called his first meeting at Jebel Ali at end of October, things gradually fell into place, and he started loving his Dubai adventure. “When the year turned and the Dubai World Cup Carnival started I was well into it and feeling settled and content. The South African borders opened and Candice (Dawson) was able to come out and visit – then life felt really good.” Ali’s partner Candice Dawson trains out of Randjesfontein and the pair have been together for some years now. While Alistair says the Dubai World Cup racemeeting on
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26 March was a highlight, he is quick to place his engagement to Candice during her visit, right alongside that. “That was really special. Candice enjoyed Dubai and, while I was working, we were able to spend time together enjoying this magnificent destination.” As to a horse who caught his eye, Alistair tells the Sporting Post that the Godolphinowned Manobo, who went down half a length to Japanese raider Stay Foolish in the Gr2 Dubai Gold Cup, didn’t quite stay the 3200m and didn’t’ do himself any favours as he pulled for the first 500m. “Charlie Appleby’s Manobo is a horse for the notebook. He was unbeaten from five starts prior to the Gold Cup. The 3200m might be at the end of his range and he looks like a horse who will go back to Europe and win Group races at 2400m to 2800m. He is all class and a handsome specimen!” Alistair tweeted after the World Cup: ‘That was fun. Country Grammer was given a special ride by @FrankieDettori for his first World Cup win at Meydan. That Dubai Turf was the best race I’ve seen through binoculars.
MJ puts another subject on the spot! Ali and golf buddies in Dubai Somebody please buy me a horse from Japan. Incredible. Barely an ounce of body fat. Genetic freaks.’ Regarding his plans when back in South Africa for the next five months, Alistair says that home is where the heart is and he is looking forward to seeing his fiancé, their beloved ‘furry’ kids and their family and friends. On the professional front he is keen to call 3 to 5 meetings a month to keep his eye in. “I don’t mind where I work and don’t have anything concrete yet. So I will take
it as it comes. I am keen and I believe the prospects are good that I will return to Dubai later this year for another stint. That’s an exciting thought!” he says enthusiastically. The Dubai experience is a major achievement on all fronts for Alistair Jonathan Cohen who was born and bred in Durban and spent his first 9 years living 400m from Hollywoodbets Greyville racetrack. Welcome back, Ali! Click here to read the full story on www.sportingpost.co.za
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FORMER JOCKEY –
CONQUERING HER EVERESTS
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It’s been over two decades since an accident while riding work at Milnerton ended the promising career of the first lady jockey to be trained at the SA Jockey Academy. Now 45, and a mother of two, the Gr1 winning Genevieve Michel also wrote her name into the history books when she became the first female jockey to ride in the Met when partnering King Shore in the Cape flagship in 1999. Just over two years later at Milnerton on the cinders, a fresh youngster pig-rooted and bucked, catapulting her
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over the top. Genevieve landed on her head and broke her neck. She never rode horses again. Fast forward to March 2022, the Namibian-based Genevieve Weber-Michel and her riding partner Mannie Heymans were crowned mixed doubles winners of the 2022 ABSA Cape Epic. The Epic is run over seven stages and starts in the Lourensford Wine Estate, before traversing the Hottentots Holland Mountains to Elandskloof.
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After two stages of rugged riding on the trails of Greyton, the race heads towards the mountain biking mecca of Stellenbosch. There is 681-kilometres and 16 900-metres of climbing after setting off from Lourensford. The Absa Cape Epic ends at the Val de Vie Estate where the winners were crowned. An elated Genevieve told the Sporting Post on Tuesday afternoon that she was thrilled and over the moon to have won the mixed category with her Windhoek-based ‘boss’.
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An Olympic and Commonwealth Games performer, Mannie Heymans, who is known in the sport’s circles as ‘Mr Africa’ was cycling the ‘Epic’ for the eleventh time. He is the proprietor of a cycling business in Windhoek and Genevieve does the spinning training for his customers. It was Genevieve’s second bash at an event that most of us would probably consider more punishment than fun! “Wow, now this was truly an epic adventure,” Genevieve tells the Sporting Post. “Mannie asked me if I would consider doing the Epic with
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him. That was late February, so it was very last min dot com,” she laughs as she explains that she was able to do it as she has always maintained an overall level of fitness. She adds that the seven day adventure was ‘insane, brutal, hectic… and mind blowing!’ “I have never cramped as much as I did on day 1. It felt as if I was giving birth to a 100 babies!” “On Tuesday we enjoyed a solid ride. Mannie is just world-class. He paced us so well. We were up against the Costa Ricans. They were just next level - super strong and
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amazing to ride and race against – it’s just so sad they couldn’t finish due to a bad tummy bug.” Genevieve says things started well on the Wednesday, but then at 46km, things went awry. “I had a really bad crash. And to be honest I thought that was the end of me and for this epic adventure for us as a team. I sat up, caught my breath and didn’t feel anything major broken, except my chest and head were pounding. I had abrasions on my legs and arms. But I was breathing and we got going again. And it’s
amazing just what adrenaline can do and where your mind can go if you keep telling yourself that you never know what your body can do till you try! Mind over matter, maybe?” Genevieve hails from fighting stock. Her Mom Wendy was a top amateur rider, while Dad Kenny was a top heavyweight jockey in his day. Gen says that she kept hearing Dad’s voice throughout the next four days after that fall. “I was really really broken by then and every day I was
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just surviving for dear life and hanging on!” She recalls that as a female jockey, she had to break through many barriers where women were not welcomed in a man’s sport. “And I was always having to show and prove to the men that women can do this just as well as they could! So when falling off a horse at high speed, or being thrown off, I wasn’t allowed to sit and bawl my eyes out like a girl! I was encouraged and urged by my Dad to get back on as quickly as possible. So I had no choice but to get back on the bike!” Genevieve placed all the credit
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for the superb achievement in her personal faith, and to the motivation and encouragement provided by her partner, Mannie. “He pulled me and pushed me. And I am sure he also had to swallow some choice words when I was having some of my little meltdowns. But he really took care of me all the way to the finish and I am so grateful for his patience and guidance. His chief words of encouragement were, ‘lekker lekker, you doing great, we almost there’. Afterwards I was in massive pain with my cracked ribs punishing me big time!”
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So Genevieve, who has won two World Champion Masters Mountain Biking titles – one in Norway and the other in KZN - could not enjoy the pinnacle podium moment of spraying the champagne and jumping up and down. But that is not bothering her too much.
“I’m relaxing for a few days at Mom’s house in Blouberg before we travel back to Windhoek on the weekend. I rode along the beachfront staring at beautiful Table Mountain on Tuesday, and had serious pain and issues breathing. But there is
something about conquering one’s own little Everest that is so satisfying. I hope to be back in 2023!”
In For The High Jump Rachael Blackmore will reunite with defending champion Minella Times in Saturday's Grand National after making history in the contest last year. Blackmore became the first female jockey to triumph in the Aintree race. The 32-year-old Irish rider stays loyal to Minella Times - trained by Henry de Bromhead - who will carry
top weight. "Rachael will ride Minella Times. He's back showing me all the right signs at home," said De Bromhead, who is also set to run Court Maid and Poker Party. The National is a handicap chase with weights allocated according to the rating of each runner and 87 Minella Times must carry 21lb more, on 11st 10lb, this year.
"He loved it last year, but he's obviously gone up a good bit in the ratings so it's not going to be easy for him," De Bromhead told the Racing Post. Minella Times is around a 14-1 shot for a repeat victory.
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Aintree Racecourse
The Randox Grand National runs over the weekend, the highlight of the three-day Aintree Festival which starts on Thursday. The opening day of Aintree's Grand National meeting looks set to be run on good to soft going despite more rain forecast in the run-up. On Tuesday, the clerk of the course Sulekha Varma observed: "We had a little bit of rain last night, but not as much as we were expecting. It was half a millimetre, so it kept us good to soft. "There are more showers tonight, probably not much more than 1-2mm, and not too dissimilar on Wednesday. We're very happy with the course.” Thursday and Friday both field four Grade 1 contests, starting with the SSS Novices’ Chase (14h45) over two and a half miles on Thursday. Champion trainer Paul Nicholls was noticeable by his absence at Cheltenham and instead has targeted the majority of the graded races this week.
Nicholls yard in the opener, with Harry Cobden retaining the ride. He placed behind the smart Cheltenham Gr1 winner L’Homme Presse on his penultimate start before running out a convincing winner of a Gr2 at Kempton in February. The Irish raider Gin On Lime looks the biggest threat for trainer Henry de Bromhead. Rachael Blackmore rides the mare who claims a valuable 7lbs allowance. The Irish look set to claim the Gr1 Jewson Anniversary Juvenile Hurdle (15h20) with JCB Hurdle third Pied Piper strongly fancied to claim victory for Gordon Elliott and Davey Russell. Under three-lengths behind the star juvenile Vauban last time out at Cheltenham he should be hard to beat here. Brazil, for fellow Irish trainer Padraig Roche and jockey Mark Walsh looks his only danger on official ratings in this level weights contest. Cheltenham Gold Cup third Protektorat will face eight rivals in the Betway Bowl (16h55) including two former winners of the race.
Pic D’Orhy represents the
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The Dan Skelton-trained runner was well beaten at Cheltenham in the Gold Cup by the champion A Plus Tard. The stable will be confident, in what looks a weaker contest, that he can get back to winning ways. The sevenyear-old was successful over the course-and-distance in the Many Clouds Chase last December. Clan Des Obeaux for Paul Nicholls and the Willie Mullins trained Kemboy return as past winners of this contest in 2021 and 2019 respectively. Also on the card, Epatante and Zanahiyr will face off once again in the Gr1 Betway Aintree Hurdle at 16h30 having finished second and third behind the mighty Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle last month, while Paul Nicholls will be represented with both Monmiral and McFabulous. Nicky Henderson’s star mare Epatante is favourite in the 2-mile, 4-furlong contest, interestingly, a trip she contests for the first time. The only mare in the race, she claims 7lbs from her six rivals and should fight out the
finish once more with the Irish raider Zanahiyr. Course and distance winner Brewin‘upastorm must not be discounted. Day 2, Friday, the first Grade One contest starts at 16h20 with Cheltenham Supreme Novice runner-up Jonbon likely to be hard to beat in the Betway Top Novices’ Hurdle. Second to star stable companion Constitution Hill last month, he lost a shoe in running that day and should be too strong here.
The unknown is the lightly raced El Fabiolo who represents the Willie Mullins operation. The five-year-old bypassed Cheltenham and will be fresh for this contest but lacks the experience of his competitors. The highlight on Friday should be the Gr1 Betway Mildmay Novices’ Chase (15h55). Paul Nicholls scratched his stable star Bravemansgame after a deluge of rain fell before the Browns Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham last month. His unbeaten chaser (four starts)
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will now tackle the easy winner of that race, L’Homme Presse, who is unbeaten in five chases this season. The Venetia Williams trained runner was superb at Cheltenham – easily accounting for the strong front runner Ahoy Senor who reapposes.
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results up to: 2022-04-06
TRAINERS Name
Runs 801 853 578 362 842
Mr P A Peter Mr S J Snaith Mr S G Tarry Mr M F de Kock Mr G D Smith
Wins Win%
2nd
3rd
Other Places Place %
153 117 65 70 92
107 105 62 54 90
85 111 64 40 83
169 186 103 73 145
19.1. 13.7 11.2 19.3 10.9
361 402 229 167 318
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
45.1 10,114,563 14,586,188 47.1 8,890,275 13,274,463 39.6 6,532,250 9,488,563 46.1 6,271,188 8,727,750 37.8 4,084,063 6,303,600
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
1187 676 768 764 1013
181 113 88 112 128
156 92 84 90 119
226 139 156 165 217
200 131 126 122 111
16.8 19.4 16.4 16.0 11.0
563 344 328 367 464
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
47.4 11,411,938 17,404,275 50.9 10,908,425 14,310,088 42.7 9,038,138 12,746,650 48.0 7,642,075 11,929,025 45.8 6,529,313 10,971,938
BREEDERS Name
B.T. B.T. Total Runrs Runs AEPR Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Wins Stakes (R) Rnrs %
Wilgerbosdri� & Mauritzfontein 268 1250 313 1510 Klawervlei Stud 138 661 Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) 133 629 Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd 130 731 Summerhill Stud (Pty) Ltd
61,615 124 178 45,894 108 141 84,649 62 95 64,599 55 85 53,124 40 63
46.3 34.5 44.9 41.4 30.8
498 588 278 264 250
11 7 13 5 3
16 8 16 6 4
16,512,700 14,364,938 11,681,525 8,591,613 6,906,163
B.T. Wins
Total Stakes (R)
12 9 2 9 1
9,594,875 9,102,413 8,615,188 8,585,888 8,442,050
SIRES Name Vercingetorix Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) What A Winter * Silvano (GER) Master Of My Fate
Runrs Runs AEPR 137 167 167 140 169
659 766 791 629 856
70,036 54,505 51,588 61,328 49,953
B.T. Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Rnrs % 68 68 70 60 78
49.6 40.7 41.9 42.9 46.2
48.9 41.1 42.4 46.7 40.5
281 315 349 268 385
See all the detailed standings - Click here 95
9 8 2 7 1
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BEST VS BEST – STRAP IN!
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There aren’t too many other games in the league these days which are more deserving of the title: ‘Feature’. This game has been touted as the ‘Premier League Final’ and it is difficult to argue against that submission. It is a fixture pitting the two best teams in the league against each other and I would be incredibly surprised if this didn’t deliver on all fronts. So strap yourselves and enjoy it – it’s bound to be stupendous! Manchester City vs Liverpool | Sunday 10 April | Etihad Stadium | 17h30 To Win (90 mins) Manchester City 1/1 Draw 26/10 Liverpool 5/2 Manchester City Ryan Liberty writes that Manchester City ensured they returned to the top of the Premier League with a comfortable win over a haphazard Burnley side. City hadn’t been anywhere but at the summit since early December – so the implied pressure that would have inevitably come (even if it was just a question of their mentality) with Liverpool leapfrogging them was dealt with impressively.
I’m not sure if this is fair to say, but I would imagine that for Pep Guardiola, the fans, and the management at City – the Champions League would truly be their gold. And so, this fixture becomes even more pertinent. After this encounter, City have as smooth a run as it gets, and whilst this is the toughest league in the season for a reason…they have the squad and manager to extract maximum points from their remaining games. In a game such as this, it won’t just be the attacking ability of City that sees them through the test, but their defensive prowess as well. We all know they are a team who love holding possession and dictating the pace and direction of the game, but in Liverpool they come up against a side who won’t sit off and accept their ‘fate’ at the Etihad. City have conceded four goals from their last five games in the league, a statistic that won’t bother them too much – but could be cause for concern when you consider the teams who have managed to score those goals. Tottenham showed little regard for City and ended up coming away 3-2 winners in February. Pressure was applied in City’s defensive third and Spurs earned their reward. I suspect Liverpool will want to impose themselves on the game early and make this
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a dog fight as quickly as possible. They will not want to play a silky brand of football, sitting off City and seeing what brilliance they can create. Nevertheless, there is no denying that this week will go a long way in defining City’s season, I wonder what the pressure inherently associated with that sentence will produce… Liverpool Liverpool was able to get passed a struggling Watford side to complete an impressive, and short lived, experience at the top of the Premier League table. It is truly a remarkable achievement to think that we have a title race at all, the Reds were 14 points behind City in mid-January! The victory against Watford was their 10th straight league win and there is just enough belief bubbling under at Anfield. I must however be honest and say that Liverpool was not at their level best against Watford. Whether they took the fixture for granted a little and were already looking ahead at their Champions League engagement – well that cannot be completely underestimated.
Liverpool have already lifted the Carabao Cup and are currently still in contention to complete a quadruple! Whilst most of modern civilization hopes this simply remains a ‘contention’ – the truth is they have had an incredible season already. Against City on Sunday, I don’t think the circumstances of the game suit them. City don’t necessarily need to go out and chase the game, a draw could be good enough for them (at least mathematically speaking). So, City can afford to be patient and play their game at home. Liverpool, on the other hand, might be coaxed into chasing the game and
liberally taking the game to their unaccommodating hosts. Furthermore, I think Liverpool enjoy teams having a go against them – it opens the game up, stretches play, and well frankly plays right into their hands. Another point is Mo Salah. Personally, I don’t think the Egyptian should have been included against Watford after his experience for his country… but Tuesday night and certainly on Sunday in Manchester, he will have a platform to respond and if he is back to his best, he could be the difference. The lackluster and beleaguered figure we saw on Saturday just wasn’t what we know and enjoy about the talent that is Mo Salah.
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Prediction: Manchester City + BTTS (26/10) City win this and go on to win the league in my opinion. I think everything about this game suits Guardiola’s side. There is no pressure to play any other way on Sunday, and I think the more the game goes on the more Liverpool might feel the onus of making something happen. The impatience, which I think is inevitable, will ultimately be their undoing.
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