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ASSISTANT MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY
Ridgemont Highlands seeks a competent individual to assist in the management of their breaking in, pre-training and spelling farm in Wellington. The successful applicant must have experience in the management and handling of horses, as well as strong administrative and staff management skills. Preference will be given to those with experience in pre-training and sales preparation of young horses. Please send a cover letter and résumé, and include three contactable references.
APPLICATIONS CLOSE 18 MAY
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EMAIL YOUR CV TO: ross@ridgemont.co.za
Chase Liebenberg Cover Image Candiese Lenferna captured a delighted SA log-leading trainer Paul Peter on Champions Day. Peter saddled 4 winners, including a Gr1 double.
Waterberry Lane – good draw and looks to build on his Byerley Turk victory
The Serious Stuff Starts Now! Twelve Hollywoodbets Durban July entries will step out at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday as the 2022 SA Champions Season gets underway with a bumper ten-race programme. The best of our thoroughbred horsepower are expected to converge on the East Coast over the next three months, with plenty to race for.
In addition to the increase in the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July stake from R2m in 2021 to a highest ever R5 million, there is a further stakes top-up of R13 million by Hollywoodbets and Gold Circle being injected into minor races and feature races from 1 March – 31 August, bringing the total to an incredible R16 million.
by the individual sex Guineas and the traditional July launch-pad of the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes.
Three Gr2 features headline the Saturday card, headed
Linebacker, who ran third in the Met, commences his
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L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Jet Dark returns from a break after chasing Kommetdieding home in the WSB Cape Town Met.
East Coast campaign and the 2021 Daily News 2000 winner will be aiming to go one better on 2 July after being beaten by Kommetdieding in last term’s July. Dean Kannemeyer’s Russian Rock, winner of the 2020 Cape Guineas, has been how own worst enemy with his antics of pulling and overracing, but has hopefully matured as a 4yo and will be given a chance to show his ability. There are nine Hollywoodbets Durban July entries who will
line up in the WSB Guineas on Saturday. Dean Kannemeyer has been blessed by the barrier gate gods with his pair of Diadem winner Cosmic Highway and recent Byerley Turk runaway victor Waterberry Lane starting from 1 & 2 respectively. Other interesting July hopefuls include the Snaith pair of Double Superlative and Pomp And Power, Vaughan Marshall’s Senso Unico and Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Gauteng raider Outofthedarkness.
Making up the 3yo Hollywoodbets Durban July entry contingent are local hope Passsage Of Power, Plattner Racing’s Master Redoute and the Listed Sophomore Sprint winner, Zapatillas. The thirteenth Hollywoodbets Durban July entry in action this weekend is Paul Peter’s Naval Guard, who runs in an MR 92 Handicap at Turffontein on Sunday.
Chase Liebenberg
4 Pomp And Power beats Cosmic Highway – they clash again on Saturday
Candiese Lenferna
Flashback to 2020 – Rainbow Bridge wins the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge under Warren Kennedy
It’s All About Winners – R500 000 Must Be Won The SA Champions Season is the recognised national championship of South African horseracing. It’s the arena where the cream of the national thoroughbred crop go head-to-head, where new stars are born and, where our Equus Champions earn their stripes. The champagne show gets underway at Hollywoodbets Greyville in Durban on
Saturday, 7 May 2022. To celebrate the big season launch, South Africa’s leading sportsbook operator, Hollywoodbets, will be offering a guaranteed mustbe-won prize of R500 000 for the player/s selecting the most winners on the day in the popular free-to-enter Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge. Should a player/s find all nine winners on the day, the R2
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million progressive jackpot prize is payable. If there is more than one player tying on the all or most winner count on the day, the prize will be shared proportionately. In an environment where it’s literally all about the winners, the SA Champions Season launch-pad of the Independent On Saturday Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes and the individual sex Guineas, will have established and brand-new racing fans’ hearts
pumping as the best take on the best – to be the best. The IOS Drill Hall Stakes, won last season by recently retired SA Horse Of The Year Rainbow Bridge, is a traditional starting point for the season’s big-hitters, with match fitness – or a lack of it – and the sharp 1400m, often separating the men from the boys! The sophomore generation get their chance in the two classics on the afternoon, and the best 3yo’s of both sexes from all four corners of South
Africa will meet head-on in a clash of future champions. Besides the honour and the glory, and a place in the history books of the turf, there is plenty to play for during the season, as in addition to the increase in the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July stake from R2m in 2021 to a highest ever R5 million for the 2022 renewal, there is a further stakes top-up of R13 million by Hollywoodbets and Gold Circle being injected into minor races and feature races from 1 March – 31 August, bringing the total to an incredible R16 million!
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Since being introduced some seasons ago at all race meetings on the East Coast, the Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge has proven a winner and has already created 1 millionaire. A cocktail of horseracing knowledge, punting acumen, passion and raw luck, are in the mix as players select a horse in each race with the aim of finding every winner on the card, or at the least, accumulating more points than other competitors.
But even if you are a newbie and only have luck on your side as a start, take a free ticket and enjoy the thrills that only horseracing can offer. The game is free to play for all Hollywoodbets account holders, using their login credentials on the Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge website – please click here
It’s simple! A player is required to select one horse in each race on the day’s race card, and submit their picks 5 minutes before the first race of the day. While players receive points depending on where their selection finishes in a race, and how many actual runners there are in that race, please remember that the aim is always to find the winner!
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Get your entry in early and sit back and enjoy the ride! Find out more – watch the clip – please click here
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10 .Paul Peter and the Astrix team and supporters enjoy the Gr1
Chase Liebenberg
ASTRIX - WHAT A WARRIOR! 11
Chase Liebenberg
Astrix stays on to beat Sparkling Water (Smanga Khumalo) In one of the biggest Gr1 upset results in recent seasons, the Vercingetorix gelding Astrix, one of twelve Hollywoodbets Durban July entries in the field, kept going gallantly to record his maiden stakes victory and become his top sire’s fifth Gr1 winner in a thrilling climax to the R2 million TAB Premier’s Champions Challenge at Turffontein on Saturday. After Master Archie’s victory a half hour earlier, Astrix (a variation on the popular spelling of the Gaul warrior) maintained the cartoon name
theme, although many players wouldn’t exactly have seen the comedy in a 66-1 shot winning a race where the ever popular Kommetdieding was backed into odds on, with expectations of recording his third Gr1 success and redeeming himself after his recent third in the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes. But the Kommet fairytale was not to be, with rampant trainer Paul Peter, and owners Gary Tooch and the Hyperpaint Syndicate enjoying a massive day.
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The champagne corks were also popping down in Robertson with the Riverton Stud team celebrating their own memorable day. JP van der Merwe has his personal comeback tale to tell after returning from Singapore and only restarting his riding career just last month. His wife Abbi told the Sporting Post that this was the first Gr1 winner that she had been at races to see her husband win on. “I’m never staying home again!” she laughed.
After Kommetdieding had hit the front early in the straight, it was Astrix who plugged away doggedly with Sparkling Water flying up late. In a thrilling drive to the wire Van der Merwe somehow kept Astrix at it to beat the rest of his fellow Hollywoodbets Durban July entries. Savannah Storm was the only non July entrant in the race, and he ran out of puff to finish last. Sparkling Water (9-2) was a head back in second, with Puerto Manzano (16-1) running another game race in third, and Flying Carpet in fourth (3 lengths). Gavin Lerena conceded that the fifth placed and 4,25 lengths in arrears Kommetdieding’s performance was ‘a disappointment’. “It was a disappointment yes. But thank God he has pulled up well. He came out the gates well and I held up the pace for a bit, waiting. But nobody came round me. We almost had to dictate our own pace in the end. It didn’t work out today,” he said. Kommetdieding was officially reported to be fatigued. Trainer Paul Peter enjoyed a red-letter day and said that he was thrilled for Astrix, who had often had hard-luck
stories with bad draws and the rest. A R60 000 buy from the 2018 Cape Yearling Sale, Astrix has now won 7 races with 13 places from 32 starts and stakes of R1 990 850. His Klawervlei Stud-bred sire Vercingetorix (Silvano) was the first weanling ever pin hooked by the Riverside Grooms Thoroughbred Co-Op, who raised the now famous Silvano colt at Riverton Stud. They also bred Astrix at Riverton out of the late Victory Moon mare Victory Dance Vercingetorix enjoyed a sensational time at the recently concluded National Yearling Sale, with 41 yearlings selling for R25, 55 million and averaging R623 293.
Where the rest of the Hollywoodbets Durban July hopefuls ran: • MK’s Pride sixth and 4,30 lengths behind. • Shangani ran seventh and 5,10 lengths behind. • Zeus ran eighth and 7,10 lengths behind. • Johnny Hero ran ninth and 7,50 lengths behind. • Zillzaal ran tenth and 12 lengths behind. • Second Base ran eleventh and 13 lengths behind. • Shango ran twelfth and 14,75 lengths behind.
South Africa’s Champion Sire elect for 2021-2022, Vercingetorix has now been responsible for 19 stakes winners.
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Chase Liebenberg
TOP JOCKS UNDER THE COSH 16 JP van der Merwe - top ride soured by heavy fine
While the odds-on favourite Kommetdieding was reported to have pulled up fatigued after running out of the money in the R2 million TAB The Premier’s Champions Challenge at Turffontein on Saturday, the drama in the Highveld Gr1 extended to the top two finishing riders receiving heavy crop use fines. Jockey JP van der Merwe, who recently celebrated a return to race riding after a suspension followed a contentious finding in Singapore, managed to get the long-priced Astrix home by a head was charged with a contravention of Rule 58.10.2 (read with Guideline C on the use of the crop) in that he struck his mount more than three times on consecutive strides. The winner’s cheque in the Gr1 headliner was R1,2 million. Van der Merwe signed an Admission of Guilt and a fine of R15 000 was imposed.
When assessing the penalty, the Board took into consideration the number of consecutive strikes (6), Jockey van der Merwe’s recent record with regard to this Rule and Guideline (4) as well as the status of the race. Jockey Smanga Khumalo, who rode second-placed Sparkling Water, was charged with a contravention of Rule 58.10.2 (read with Guideline M on the use of the crop) in that he misused his crop by striking his mount more than twelve times in the race. Jockey Khumalo signed an Admission of Guilt and was fined R2500 as well as being suspended from riding in two Central Province racemeetings. When assessing the penalty, the Board took into consideration the number of times the crop was used (13), the status of the race as well as Jockey Khumalo’s recent record with regards to this Rule and Guideline (3) over a sixty-day period. The Board also took into consideration
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Jockey Khumalo’s record with regards to this Rule and Guideline for the current season. A vastly experienced racing personality has labelled the R15 000 penalty dished out to JP van der Merwe as ‘out of proportion’. “The new age crops have been modified. They do no damage – there was no mention in the report of Astrix returning with marks. It’s a Gr1 race – it should not be a reason to dish out fines just because the boy had a nice payday. He rode with commitment – for his life. He has just come back from that incident in Singapore. It’s a difficult position. The rules are in place for a reason – but it just seems very harsh,” he added.
ASTRIX – THE RIVERTON CONNECTION MJ puts another subject on the spot! 18
Paul Peter’s Hyperpaint team lead Astrix (JP van der Merwe) in after his Gr1 success on Saturday
Chase Liebenberg
‘I remember Vercingetorix well as a yearling. Although he was big and clumsy, there was just something about him. He wasn’t ready for the Cape Premier Yearling Sale so we kept him for Joburg. Also, his feet needed extra work. My farrier John Gatt did his feet every two weeks, free of charge. He played a huge part in getting the horse to the National Sale. Sometimes things just work out!’ – Duncan Barry
MJ puts another subject on the spot! 19
Vercingetorix must surely be long odds-on to clinch a first General Sires title following yet another fruitful weekend which yielded a new Gr1 winner in Astrix. The five-year-old broke through at stakes level with a game victory in the Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge, the seven-figure winning stake of which not only propelled him into the millionaire ranks, it also
strengthened Vercingetorix’ lead at the top of the sires list. In addition, champion son Nebraas continued his dominance as the country’s top stayer when he added the Gr3 The Citizen Gold Bowl to his already impressive CV. Astrix also capped a remarkable four-timer on the day for the all-conquering stable of Paul Peter,who likewise, is well on his way to a first trainer’s title. Remarkably, both Vercingetorix
and Astrix have ties to Riverton Stud, and in particular, three of its grooms, who were members of the Riverside Co-Operative, an empowerment drive by the Department of Trade and Industry. The Co-Op purchased Vercingetorix as a weanling at the 2011 Klawervlei farm sale for R200 000, an investment which proved to be inspired, for seven months later, the colt was offered at the
Hamish Niven Photography
20 Duncan Barry - top breeder
National Yearling Sale under the Riverton banner and sold for R1,4 million to Mike de Kock and Jehan Malherbe. Talk about hitting a home run, that’s a return profit of 700%! Duncan Barry recalls: “I remember Vercingetorix well as a yearling. Although he was big and clumsy, there was just something about him. He wasn’t ready for the Cape Premier Yearling Sale so we kept him for Joburg. Also, his feet needed extra work. My farrier John Gatt did
his feet every two weeks, free of charge. He played a huge part in getting the horse to the National Sale. Sometimes things just work out!” The Co-op also ventured into the broodmare market and in a proverbial return to the well, outlayed R250 000 on the Klawervlei-consigned Victory Dance at the 2011 Cape Mare and Weanling Sale. She arrived at Riverton carrying her first foal to Albert Hall.
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“Victory Dance was very small and never raced,” remarked Duncan. At first glance this made her price seem excessive. However, she had a pedigree out of the top drawer, being the first foal of Captain Al’s Fort Wood half-sister Shadow Dancing, a dual Gr1 winner of the Cape Fillies Guineas and Fancourt Majorca Stakes.” The pedigree was subsequently boosted by the exploits of Victory Dance’s
Jet Master half-sister Thunder Dance. She won both the Gr1 Paddock Stakes and the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes, while Western Winter halfbrother Shadow Ofhis Smile ran second in the Wolf Power 1600. Victory Dance’s start to her broodmare career was disappointing, to say the least. The Albert Hall foal never raced and neither did subsequent fillies by Gimmethegreenlight and Jackson, while her second foal, a colt by Seventh Rock, won once.
The Gr1 win by Astrix single handedly vindicated the mare, in addition to which his yearyounger Pomodoro half-brother Indlamu is now a stakes-placed winner of four races for Sean Tarry. That Victory Dance was no money-spinner for the Co-op was reflected by the prices her offspring fetched at auction. “Her foals were small, just like her,” Duncan remarks. “Paul Peter snapped Astrix up for just R60 000, while Indlamu sold for R20 000 at the Klawervlei farm sale.”
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Sadly, Victory Dance died of colic in March 2019. At the time of her death, she had a full brother to Astrix at foot. On the flip side, the Riverside Co-op’s purchase of a share in Gimmethegreenlight for R150 000 proved a shrewd move. The Varsfontein-based stallion’s huge success sent its value skyrocketing and not surprisingly, the Co-op turned a handsome profit when they sold the share for R800,000!
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Gavin Lerena and Master Archie make eye contact
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Chase Liebenberg
ALL EYES ON ARCHIE! ‘We couldn’t have imagined a better start in the stallion barn for a horse who demonstrated his class and impeccable breeding on the racetrack. And to have him siring Gr1 winners from 1000m to 2450m is breathtaking and something the entire Ridgemont Highlands team can be excited about. It bodes well for the future’ - Craig Kieswetter
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In the same month that he sired Aragosta to win the WSB Gr1 SA Derby over 2450m, Ridgemont Highlands stallion Rafeef underscored his enormous versatility when his 3yo son Master Archie, SA racing’s newest equine millionaire, stormed to victory in South Africa’s fastest Grade 1, the R1 million Computaform Sprint. South Africa’s leading first season sire of 2020/21, the champion son of multiple champion sire Redoute’s Choice won the Gr1 Computaform Sprint in 2017 as a 3yo and is fast growing in stature as a young stallion with enormous upward potential. This was clearly evidenced by his popularity and the demand for his progeny at the past week’s National Yearling Sale.
Master Archie is one of three graded stakes winners to have emerged from Rafeef’s sensational first crop, which includes the Gr1 WSB SA Derby/Gr3 Sea Cottage Stakes winner Aragosta, and Gr3 Tony Ruffel Stakes victor William Robertson. Rafeef’s second crop includes Saturday’s eye catching Gr2 Heineken SA Nursery runnerup Union Square and the unbeaten filly Who Do You Love. The future looks bright! “We couldn’t have imagined a better start in the stallion barn for a horse who demonstrated his class and impeccable breeding on the racetrack. And to have him siring Gr1 winners from 1000m to 2450m is breathtaking and something the entire Ridgemont Highlands team can be excited about. It bodes well for the future,” a thrilled Ridgemont Highland’s Craig Kieswetter told the Sporting Post.
A handsome grey, Master Archie was given every chance in a nationally representative field by the high-riding Gavin Lerena, and turned on the guns at the 300m to streak clear and register a nippy 56,38 secs for the Turffontein 1000m speedway, beating his stablemate Big Burn by 2,25 lengths in a great result for national log-leading trainer Paul Peter. Johan Janse van Vuuren’s True To Life (16-1) was a gallant third, with another 3yo in Alesian Chief fourth. Bred by the partnership of Harry, Hanna and Azzie, Master Archie is by Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) out of the eight-time winning Var mare, La Volta. A winner of 6 races with 2 places from 11 starts, Master Archie took his stakes tally to R1 015 875.
Trainer’s Admin Oops Stradbroke Handicapwinning trainer Ciaron Maher has missed the entry deadline for Queensland winter carnival features, leaving a huge hole in the entries released this week. With entries closing at 11am on Tuesday, Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace did not get nominations entered in time, meaning they will need to
pay a late entry fee for any horse they want to race in a feature throughout the carnival. Racing Queensland officials were expecting bumper nominations from the leading stable, especially in staying features such as the Doomben Cup and Queensland Derby and were left surprised when nothing came through. 26
While the stable managed to enter Generation in next Saturday’s Gr1 Doomben 10,000 in time, it is the only horse of theirs that features on the nominations list. Late entry fees for the Gr1’s vary, with the Stradbroke Handicap now costing A$9000, opposed to the A$750 regular entry fee.
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Chase Liebenberg
Gold Bowl winners Richard Fourie and Sean Tarry - increasingly powerful combination
SUPER BOWL WIN FOR TARRY Reigning Equus Champion Stayer Nebraas maintained course for a defence of his title and a Marshalls World Of Sport Gold Cup double when he stamped his authority to win the R250 000 The Citizen Gr3 Gold Bowl at Turffontein on Saturday. Carrying topweight in the 3200m contest, and with the year younger Black Thorn possibly looking to have the advantage at the swing in the weights on their Caradoc Gold Cup meeting, the Sean Tarry-trained Nebraas
showed his mettle when challenged late by the 14-10 favourite. With ice-cool balance and confidence, the red-hot Richard Fourie got Nebraas (5-2) to lift powerfully and hold off the attentions of the tote favourite Black Thorn (14-10) by half length in a time of 207,60 secs. The third placed African Adventurer was over 9 lengths back in third. Nebraas, who is by the Gr1 Jebel Hatta winning sire Vercingetorix (Silvano), is out
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of the Archipenko mare Noor Dubai. Bred and raced by Al Adiyaat SA, Nebraas has won 6 of his 18 starts with 8 places for earnings of R1 004 125. South Africa’s Champion Sire elect for 2021-2022, Nebraas’ Dad Vercingetorix has now been responsible for 19 stakes winners. This was the second leg of a graded stakes double for the champion son of Silvano after Astrix won the TAB Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge earlier in the afternoon.
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Candiese Lenferna
Gavin Lerena guides Miss Cool to an easy win over the boys
MISS COOL TOO HOT FOR BOYS There is just no stopping the Paul Peter team! The Turffontein-based trainer took another step to the SA Championship title with a terrific Nursery double at Turffontein on Saturday. After the undefeated Maharanee had blown her opposition away in the SA Fillies Nursery a half hour earlier, stablemate Miss Cool steamrollered the males in the R400 000 Heineken Gr2 SA Nursery to join the illustrious handful of the fairer sex to have won the boys’ race. In a smart move to avoid his top 2yo fillies clashing in the earlier feature, Paul Peter
decided to take on the boys with a 2,5kg sex allowance. It was a move that paid off Switched out at about the 400m for a clear run by Gavin Lerena, Miss Cool (7-1) charged clear to beat Union Square (33-10) by 3,75 lengths in a time of 67,13 secs. Maharanee won it the girls race in 68 sec flat. Roy Magner’s Thunderstone found his feet late to fly late for third, a further 1,25 lengths back. The 14-10 favourite Karangetang never got into it and was a well-beaten fifth and as much as 6,45 lengths off the impressive winner.
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Winning jockey Gavin Lerena labelled Miss Cool a ‘ beautiful filly with an amazing action.’ “She really quickened like a good sort,” added the jockey. A winner of 3 races with 2 places from 6 starts, Miss Cool took her earnings to R416 250. Bred by Mike Jolly Breeding, the winner is a daughter of What A Winter (Western Winter) out of the Miesque’s Approval mare French Rose. The Trippi half-brother named French Trip sold to Sands Racing for R450 000 at this past week’s National Yearling Sale.
BLUE SKIES – BUT IT’S RAINING AGAIN
34 Richard Fourie makes it 4 from 4 on champion Rain In Holland to beat Perfect Witness (Gavin Lerena)
Chase Liebenberg
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While the fairer sex haven’t tasted Durban July success since Igugu walloped the boys in 2011, Sean Tarry’s scintillating Gr2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes winner Rain In Holland is now one of two ladies, alongside Sparkling Water, in the top four in the Hollywoodbets Durban July ante-post betting market. Despite a lack of pace in the small field and not settling in running on Saturday, Richard Fourie made it four wins from four scintillating rides on the massively talented daughter of Duke Of Marmalade, when Rain In Holland (1-5) changed legs at the 350m and powered home to win the Gerald Rosenberg and beat Perfect Witness (6-1) by 1,25 lengths in 125,35 secs. Another Drakenstein raced and bred galloper – another
smart daughter of Futura- in Pink Tourmaline (16-1) finished 1,30 lengths back in third and looked dangerous late, but cost herself a good few lengths by drifting radically inwards in the latter stages. Who knows what happens if she ran straight? 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 9 races with 4 places from 13 starts for race stakes of R2 414 750. That sum excludes the SA Triple Tiara R1 million bonus.
these links with the past. Next start for Rain In Holland looks to be the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 28 May. The Durban track is probably not her ideal stage – she won the Gr1 Thekwini there at the end of last season with a heart-stopping late run. But her top trainer has mastered the blinkers switch, and she will line up a much more streetwise competitor at the end of the month. Interesting times! And then it could be a straight run into the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
The prize-giving was officiated on by the late Gerald Rosenberg’s son, Johnny. It’s great to see racing maintaining
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WHEEL OF FORTUNE KEEPS ROLLIN’! MJ puts another subject on the spot! 38 A delighted Ashley Fortune – growing in stature!
Chase Liebenberg
MJ puts another subject on the spot! 39
After winning her first Gr1 race just a week earlier, Vaal trainer Ashley Fortune was on the mark again with her maiden Gr2 at Turffontein on Saturday when the What A Winter filly Winter Smoke benefitted from a great ride by Ryan Munger to win the R300 000 Racing 240 Camelia Stakes. Taking his chances down the reportedly ‘dead’ strip down the inside, Ryan Munger got Winter Smoke balanced and moving fluently as the 2020 Magnolia winner ran on too powerfully for her opposition.
Starting at generous 25-1 after her trainer had suggested it wasn’t the greatest renewal of the Camelia Stakes that she had seen, Winter Smoke held off Sound Of Warning (9-4) by 0,75 lengths in a time of 67,29 secs. Sweet Future (7-2) was 0,30 lengths back in third. The winner is raced by Faizal Vahab, Deon Anthony, Andrew Fortune and Mario Wilken and is now a dual graded stakes winner with 5 wins and 8 places from 20 starts. She has banked R513 250,
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A R150 000 National Yearling Sale graduate, Winter Smoke was bred by Richard Fitzgerald and was another feature winner on the day for former Equus Champion Sprinter What A Winter (Western Winter) and is out of the one-time winner Chatanooga Chuchu (Cataloochee).
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Chase Liebenberg
MJ puts another subject on the spot! Unbeaten Maharanee storms clear under Warren Kennedy
It’s Called Flower Power! The R80 000 BSA National 2yo Sale graduate Maharanee made it three from three with a superb victory for national logleading trainer Paul Peter in the R300 000 4Racing Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery at Turffontein on Champions Day. The opening feature of the Highveld Season’s pinnacle day went according to plan and produced a popular victory for the Koos Nkale and Hyperpaint Syndicate owned daughter of Flower Alley.
Outpaced early on, Maharanee moved up full of running at the 40om marker to challenge her pacy stablemate Queen Of Gaul. Despite hanging out slightly in the latter stages, Maharanee (4-10) was too good and went on to beat an eyecatching first feature runner for Weichong Marwing in Time For Glory (33-1) who rattled late for a 6 length second. Maharanee won in 68 secs flat. None Other (16-1) and Strike A Match (16-1) dead heated for an eight length third.
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Bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, the winner is a daughter of the previous weekend’s Gr1 winning sire Flower Alley (Distorted Humor) out of the four-time winning Tiger Ridge mare, Indira. Her Querari half sister Marigold Hotel is an entry in next Saturday’s Gr2 WSB Fillies Guineas at Hollywoodbets Greyville. A winner of 3 races from 3 starts, Maharanee has earned R325 000 and looks a bright prospect and a seriously well-bought filly.
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Candiese Lenferna
MJ puts another subject on the spot! Thabo Mqolweni and Hollywoodbets' Anthony Delpech lead Full Velocity (Keagan de Melo) in
300 UP - SA FILLIES SPRINT NEXT! With two consecutive stakes victories to her name, Sean Tarry’s beautifully-bred Full Velocity looks to have booked herself a berth in next month’s Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint. On Sunday the Klawervleibred daughter of Philanthropist (Kris S) was a facile winner of the R175 000 Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. The Hollywood Syndicate race the smart 4yo and marked the occasion of their 300th winner – a momentous
achievement since Splendid Night opened their account all of twenty years ago – with a double feature on the sunny afternoon, after Isivunguvungu won the Listed In Full Flight Handicap. And the tempo of winners has certainly been upped, with Keagan de Melo booting Time To Roll home for the syndicate’s 250th winner just five months ago. De Melo was again aboard at the 300m milestone on Sunday when Full Velocity (72) charged into the lead at the 200m and drew off to beat the 45
well in Snaith trio of Favorita (9-2), Kwinta’s Light (9-2) and Keep The Lights On (16-1), in a time of 69 secs flat. Full Velocity is a granddaughter of Sean Tarry’s champion and SA Horse Of The Year National Colour (the dam of fast rising star sire Rafeef), and followed up smartly here after her eyecatching victory in the the Listed KZN Fillies Sprint at her last start. A winner of 6 races with 7 places from 13 starts, she took her stakes earnings to R511 225.
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Candiese Lenferna
MJ puts another subject on the spot! The exciting Prophet streaks to victory under Craig Zackey
PROPHET SENDS A MESSAGE! A smart call to skip the SA Nursery on Champions Day at Turffontein and go the Gr3 Godolphin Barb Stakes route at Hollywoodbets Scottsville with the Querari gelding Prophet, could prove to be a defining
moment in the outcome of the 2022 Gr1 Gold Medallion. The Spies family have enjoyed great success over the years at the Hollywoodbets Scottsville speed extravaganza, know how to win the Grade 1’s.
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While it is difficult to measure the strength of most of the form, including that of the likes of the East Capebased dual stakes winner Cliff Top and the Hollywood Syndicate’s undefeated Hithemhardsunshine, who
has won his only two starts for Eric Sands in the Cape, Prophet certainly looks the real deal and the experience gained from Sunday’s feature victory could prove to be invaluable come the big speed raceday on 4 June. Corne Spies’s charge, a full brother to the Botha family’s Benmarne Stud-bred Monk’s Hood who was exported to Hong Kong after winning the 2017 Dingaans and the 2018 Gauteng Guineas, won his debut at the Vaal just ten days ago. There he was all at sea but picked up his feet
from last and turned on the jets to win going away. On Sunday, he was allowed by Craig Zackey to relax again and when asked Prophet simply streaked away at 3310 to beat hometown hope Gladatorian (4-1) by 3,80 lengths in a time of 63,35 secs. Aztec Warrior (12-1) was third, with Glen Kotzen’s highly regarded Countdown (5-4) appearing to be in need of the run and beaten almost 5 lengths into fourth. Retained for racing by the Botha family after failing to
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make his reserve at the 2021 National Yearling Sale, Prophet is a son of Querari (Oasis Dream) out of the thrice winning Camden Park mare, Amber Bouquet. The latter was purchased at a Riethuiskraal dispersal sale in foal to Daylami. Prophet has won two from two and took his stakes earning to R171 875. He is bred to go further, so is clearly an exciting prospect.
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At the end of the day, he went through the ring unsold and while we had plenty of guys afterwards wanting to put something together, we decided to keep him and race him. Breeding is often a bottomless pit, so when you have to take them all the way home afterwards, it’s a bitter pill. But, boy has this worked out nicely in hindsight,” smiles Arne, who was on hand at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday to lead his lovely horse in.
professional to win by nearly four lengths,” confirms Arne, who says he has watched the replay videos over and over.
Asked why he had given Prophet to Corne to train, he says he had known the top trainer for some time, and liked what Corne had to say about the yearling.
He now has bases at the Vaal and Randjesfontein and is one of South Africa’s best raiding conditioners. He still uses the original ‘Spies Kimberley’ float from way back then.
“I picked up the phone to Corne and said come down to the farm and have a look at the horses. The rest is history right now and I enjoy his training style. He is straightforward and not scared to run the horses when they are ready,” he adds.
Corne does all the driving and says that way he really never has to ask anybody how the horses travelled!
Prophet was not ready first up at the Vaal three weeks ago, but the way he picked up his feet and grew wings into the final 200m suggested there was something under the bonnet. “On Sunday he was the most relaxed horse in the parade ring, but came back like a true
Corne continues and says that the undefeated Prophet is the first horse that he has trained for the Botha family. “One needs a bit of luck. I think the angels were talking to each other after the sale in 2021,” Corne adds with a broad smile as he looks forward to some exciting times.
“We arrived at Pietermaritzburg from Randjesfontein on Sunday morning and left straight afterwards. Prophet is home already and he has pulled up fine.” The Spies family have a terrific 21st century Gr1 track record at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and Corne says that the plans are that the gelding will arrive on the morning of Saturday 4 June for the Gr1 Gold Medallion. His Dad Tobie took out an owner-trainer’s license 45
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years ago. That was the start of a lifetime in the game. “I was 7 years old. My grandfather raced horses in amateur, or so called ‘bush races’, and Dad, as a 7 year old, won his first race there riding one of my grandfather’s horses.” Corne took his trainer’s licence out in 2000 and was fortunate to find a lightning fast daughter of Fahal called Fun Fly in that year to give him his first SA Fillies Nursery win in 2001. He has often said that the sales ring is where a trainer makes or breaks his yard. This time he may have missed the bus but landed up catching a jet plane! Pencil in the name Profit – or should that read Prophet...
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Candiese Lenferna MJ puts another subject on the spot! Izak Bergh, Craig Zackey, Corne Spies, Arne Botha and Michiel Vosloo enjoy the win
A PROPHET – WHICHEVER WAY IT’S SPELT The Querari colt Prophet’s eyecatching victory in Sunday’s Gr2 Godolphin Barb at Hollywoodbets Scottsville underscored horseracing’s ability to script fairytales and maintain a mystique of twists and turns. Trainer Corne Spies’ move to skip the SA Nursery in Joburg on Saturday and rather go for the Godolphin Barb and provide his charge with the venue experience, worked a charm.
Chatting to the Sporting Post earlier this week, Hollywoodbets-sponsored Corne, who has now guided the impressive Benmarne Stud product to two victories from two starts, told how he had watched Prophet agonisingly slip through his hands at the 2021 National Yearling Sale. “I loved him at the sale but just didn’t have the budget to buy him. He was a lovely youngster and the page spoke of quality. He was a must have. But I just didn’t have! So I left the sale
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a bit disappointed,” recalls the 51 year old veteran and former Zimbabwe champion conditioner. Breeder and owner of Prophet, Arne Botha remembers Corne Spies visiting him at the RBA complex and pulling Prophet out at Nationals last year. “Prophet was very much in the mould of his talented dual stakes winning exported brother Monks Hood. Athletic and classy and we had a reserve on him of R250 000.
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Candiese Lenferna
MJ puts another subject on the spot! Ameena charges clear under Richard Fourie
NO STANDING IN THE Q! A half-brother to champion juvenile sire Querari, Quasillo (Sea The Stars) found himself in the news at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday when his daughter Ameena returned from a 16 week break following her debut victory, to capture the R175 000 Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes. In the process, the little speedball set up a possible berth in the Allan Robertson Championship next month. The Maine Chance-based Quasillo has clearly had his fertility issues. But with just nine foals in his second crop he has managed a stakes winner in the shape of the speedy Ameena, who cruised
to an easy victory for Glen Kotzen, to make it two-fromtwo.
The fancied Princess Ozma failed to raise a challenge and ran five lengths off.
Bred by Al Khayl Breeders, the winner is out of the threetime winning Dynasty mare, Sabaha.
The only son of legendary racehorse and sire Sea The Stars – whose progeny include the exciting British sire Sea The Moon – at stud in South Africa, Quasillo was a a champion 3yo in Germany in 2015 and is one of four stakes winners produced by the stakes placed Acatenango mare Quetena.
An astute horseman, Glen Kotzen bought her privately for R5000. On Sunday she took her stakes tally to R158 125, and while winning pilot Richard Fourie was reticent to hype up a horse he doesn’t know well, the slightly built filly can clearly run. She beat Sabatini (16-1) by 1,90 lengths in a time of 63,9 secs, with Eau De Vie (20-1) a game third.
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The latter is also dam of German champion, and now leading South African sire, Querari, Gr2 Ballston Spa Stakes victress Quidura, and Doncaster Mile winner Sharjah Bridge.
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Candiese Liebenberg Chase Liebenberg
Varsfontein's Forest God was the chart topper
Our Grand National! The curtain came down on the 2022 BSA National Yearling Sale in Johannesburg on Friday after two days of spirited bidding that would have given renewed hope and provided some fiscal and emotional stimulus to an industry that simply never says die. While the heady days of telephone number top lots
are seemingly behind us – certainly in the prevailing economic climate – Day 1 provided the sales topper in the shape of the Varsfontein-bred son of multiple SA champion sire Silvano, Forest God (# 226), who was snapped up by Form Bloodstock in tandem with Vermaak Equine for R3,3 million on behalf of a unique power partnership of leading breeders.
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Cape owner Greg Bortz has had a tremendous run again this season and he grabbed the limelight on Friday when buying lot 378, a colt named Steadfast by Gimmethegreenlight out of Fidelity by Captain Al, for a day-topper of R2 million. The handsome fellow is wellrelated, being a half-brother to Ghaalla and Due Diligence, from the family of Malmoos,
Candiese Liebenberg
Golden Sixty wins the 2022 G1 FWD Champions Mile
Master Of My Fate, Plush, Erik The Red and London News. After a few quiet years, Bortz has bounced back with vigour and his shopping basket totalled 13 lots for R9 705 000 at an average of R746 538. While we are always mindful of getting lost in the stats fog in an era of global pandemics and failed racing operators, the year-on-year numbers showed remarkable growth
on all fronts, with the 2022 aggregate of R136 355 000 outstripping the 2021 total by 33%, with a similar amount of horses going through the ring. A total of 451 lots were catalogued, with 40 withdrawals. 388 sold, and 30 not finding a new home. The sale average of R357 887 showed a year-on-year increase of 29%, while the median of R250 000 was 25% higher than last year.
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Hope And Dreams, the Fire Away colt out of Equus Broodmare Of The Year Halfway To Heaven and the half-brother to Gr1 winners Hawaam, Rainbow Bridge and Golden Ducat was knocked down to Form Bloodstock on behalf of Candice Bass Robinson for R1,6-million Champion sire Gimmethegreenlight came through against some popular and tough competition to lead the sires table and registered
Candiese Liebenberg
60 Fiso Hadebe shows the size of one that got away...
an aggregate of R26 020 000, with his 37 lots averaging R703 243. Always an industry leader, Varsfontein Stud sold 24 of their 25 lots for an aggregate of R17 530 000, at a healthy average of R730 417. On the buying bench we saw a pleasing spread of familiar and new faces, with Form Bloodstock the leading purchaser, buying 34 lots for a total of R22 610 000, at an average of R665 000. Fast growing Vermaak Equine purchased 20 lots for an aggregate of R9 980 000, marking an average of R499 000. Veteran John Freeman was right on the
young gun’s heels, also buying 20 lots for an aggregate of just R20 000 less. Sabine Plattner topped the buyer averages at R1 160 000 per lot, her quality quintet setting her back R5,8 million. A thrilled BSA CEO Michael Holmes said that the sale results will be an important milestone on racing and breeding’s road to rejuvenation. “The statistics tell the story that there is plenty of positivity and passion in this industry and we sincerely appreciate the efforts of everybody that made it happen. From the breeders and their teams, to the buyers and our personnel who worked tirelessly, we value everybody’s
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contribution. As one has to come expect of nationals, the quality was there on the page and in the physical specimen. The breeders and the buyers have stayed loyal, and I’m sure the champions will have made their mark when we reflect back in a few years from now,” he added. Click here to see the sales price list
The Sporting Post Sprint is interactive. Click on the live links throughout and enjoy the read!
SUGGESTIONS? Please email editor@sportingpost.co.za
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Gold Circle – Money In The Bank In what was good news for Gold Circle on the eve of the launch of their flagship SA Champions Season on Saturday, Phumelela Business Practitioner John Evans announced last Friday that the KZN racing operator has been paid R176 million in a settlement of the longrunning dispute over the ownership of Phumelela Gold International Limited. Evans has reported that R25 million has also been paid to Kenilworth Racing in respect of its pre business rescue claim. PGL retains full ownership of the shares in Phumelela Gold International Limited. In May 2020, Phumelela Gaming and Leisure Limited was placed in business rescue. Evans was appointed business rescue practitioner and on 1 September 2020, the creditors of the company voted to adopt a business rescue plan.
Candiese Lenferna
issued shares in Phumelela Gold International Limited (PGI, a company registered in the Isle of man) to Mary Oppenheimer Daughters (Pty) Ltd (MOD). What was thought to be common knowledge in the industry, is that Phumelela owned 61% of the shares in PGI, and Gold Circle 24,96% and Kenilworth Racing 14,04%. For Gold Circle, the resolution will be a welcome filing of a distraction of some proportions. Apparently R122 million will be restored to the originally ringfenced Clairwood Racecourse sale proceeds. This transfer is thus effectively a repayment of member controlled funds utilised to fund operating expense shortfalls, aggravated by Covid-19 and the impact on the coastal operator of Phumelela’s collapse and the subsequent arbitration proceedings.
Amongst others, the plan contemplated the sale by Phumelela of 100% of the
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A proud Rachel Venniker shows off her white blazer
Rachel’s Claim-Free! Well done to our promising KZN apprentice rider Rachel Venniker, who rode her 60th winner at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday and has now lost her claim. Rachel partnered Lake Como who won the fourth race, a Maiden Plate, for trainer Doug Campbell. Rachel thus earns her white blazer and is a lady going places fast!
ISLAND RACING CRISIS After numerous delays to the 2022 racing season, Mauritius horseracing is facing a crisis after the City Council of Port Louis issued a notice last Wednesday terminating the lease of the Mauritius Turf Club’s use of the state-owned land on which the Champ de Mars racecourse is situated. While the weather was initially cited as a reason for the delayed start to the new term, this may well not have
been the only hindrance. In a letter dated 27 April signed by the Chief Executive of the Municipal City Council of Port Louis, and of which the Sporting Post has had sight, the Mauritius Turf Club (MTC) is informed that it currently does not hold a licence issued by the Gambling Regulatory Authority as a horse racing operator. The underlying purpose of the lease agreement, which was signed on 2 July 2005 between
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the MTC and the government, for the use of the property housing the Port Louis racecourse, cannot now be legally fulfilled. The MTC sub-let the Champ de Mars to MTC Sports and Leisure Ltd (MTCSL), a public company and whollyowned subsidiary of the MTC, for the organisation of race meetings. The MTCSL was the horse racing operator for the 2021 horse racing season.
The 2022 horseracing season was due to commence on 23 April, but the MTCSL is apparently refusing to accept some of the conditions imposed by the Gambling Regulatory Authority on its Horse Racing Organiser Licence for the new racing season.
The Council adds that in the current scenario, the State will be deprived of a substantial amount of tax revenue in the form of betting taxes, while all stakeholders who directly or indirectly derive their livelihood from the game, will also be adversely impacted upon.
The City Council states that the MTC is technically not legally in a position to host racemeetings at the Champ de Mars.
While there has been talk of another racecourse being built, insiders suggest that the lease cancellation move this week could likely see the Mauritius Government take control of horseracing on the island.
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The Mauritius Turf Club was founded around 12 June 1812, when British Governor Robert Farquhar instructed that the rules be drawn for the first race meeting, which was held on 25 June 1812. South African jockey Chase Maujean recently arrived with his family to take up a position with the Rameshwar Gujadhur stable.
Candiese Lenferna
Equus front-runner Rain In Holland (Richard Fourie) wins the Gerald Rosenberg
EQUUS – LATEST Rain In Holland completed her fourth consecutive victory in the 4Racing Gerald Rosenberg Stakes on Saturday and has edged past Kommetdieding in the Equus standings after his fifth-place finish in the Super Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge on Saturday. The unlikely winner of the Premier’s Champions Challenge, Astrix, has leapt onto the log and now occupies
seventh position on 68 points. With the Highveld Autumn season completed, action moves to KZN for the season’s final Championship races and much change can be expected on the log over the remaining three months of the season. Prior Horse of The Year Log leaders have completed their season with three-figure points tallies. Do It Again achieved 166 points in season 2018/19, Hawwaam managed 128
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points in the Covid-shortened 2019/20 season, and Rainbow Bridge accumulated 156 points in season 2020/21. Rain In Holland leads the current log with 86 points, followed by Kommetdieding (84), MK’s Pride (77), Jet Dark, Captain’s Ransom and Chansonette all on 72 points, and Astrix on 68.
Champion Three-Year-Old Colt
points, and Double Superlative (46) and Aragosta (44).
With no Grade 1 Classic races run in the review period, it was left to Master Archie to stake a claim as best colt in this age category when winning the Computaform Sprint with some ease on Saturday. The win elevates him into second position on the log.
Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Rain In Holland has taken a firm lead in the category while Big Burn has moved up two positions and 20 points after her second in the Computaform Sprint.
Kommetdieding retains the lead in the Champion Older Male category with 84 points. Astrix (68) is the only new entrant, with MK’s Pride (77), Jet Dark (72) and Bohica (40) making up the log.
Pomp And Power still leads the category on 64 points, followed by Master Archie and Safe Passage, both on 48
Rain In Holland leads the category with 86 points, followed by Chansonette (72), Big Burn (50), Sprinkles (34)
Both Sparkling Water (67) and Princess Calla (52) improved their positions on the Champion Older
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and Desert Miracle (32). Champion Older Male and Female
Distance Categories
after her win in the HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes. MK’s Pride remains in the lead on 77 points followed by Jet Dark (48), Princess Calla (48), Captain’s Ransom (40) and Seeking The Stars (40).
The result of the Computaform Sprint has elevated Master Archie (40) to first position on the log with Big Burn (32) entering in third position. Bohica remains on 40 points with Cosmic Highway and Mr Cobbs remaining on 20 points each.
The first two in the Premier’s Champions Challenge have entered the Champion Middle Distance log in first and third positions. Astrix now leads the log on 54 points followed by Kommetdieding (48), Sparkling Water (39), Flying Carpet (38) and Captain’s Ransom (32).
The only mover on the Champion Miler log was Princess Calla (48) who enters the log in third position
Sparkling Water (20) retains her lead in the Champion Stayer category but has now been joined by Nebraas
Female log but are still adrift of Captain’s Ransom who remains in control on 72 points. Bold Fortune and Kitty Kat Chat trail with 24 and 16 points respectively.
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(20), with Black Thorn (11), Doublemint (11) and nowexported Holy Warrior (10) completing the log. Changes to the logs are likely to come weekly from May as several Championship deciding races take place in KZN from May through July. Leading Western Cape contenders, Pomp And Power, Double Superlative, Jet Dark and Seeking The Stars return to action this coming Saturday at Hollywoodbets Greyville. Visit www.sportingpost.co.za for the latest logs
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Chase Liebenberg
SA Connections To Kentucky Derby The 148th Kentucky Derby will be run at Churchill Downs on Saturday. The draw was officially held on Monday, five days in advance of the race.
A number of contenders for Saturday's Gr1 Kentucky Derby have ties to South African based stallions or mares.
Mo Donegal is the polesitter for the race while the favourite Zandon ended up in the No. 10 spot.
Currently one of the leading hopes for this year's Run For The Roses, Epicenter is a son of the very promising sire Not This Time (Giant's Causeway). The latter is out of Gr3 Winning Colors Stakes heroine Miss Macy Sue, a daughter of former South African champion sire Trippi.
Meanwhile, Epicenter — the only horse besides Zandon to open with better than 5-1 odds — will be in the No. 3 gate.
Epicenter
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To date, Epicenter has won four of six starts, collecting the Gun Runner Stakes at two, before winning both the Gr2 Risen Star Stakes and Gr2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby this year. Not This Time is also likely to be represented in this year's Kentucky Derby by his G2 Fasig-Tipton Fountain Of Youth Stakes winning son Simplification, third in the G1 Curlin Florida Derby last time out.
Mo Donegal Talented colt Mo Donegal is a son of US champion Uncle Mo -already the sire of a Kentucky Derby winner in the form of Nyquist. Uncle Mo is represented in South Africa by his Gr3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes winning sire son Royal Mo, and also has several useful local runners in the form of Motown Magic and the stakes placed Our Coys. Mo Donegal, who is out of the Pulpit mare Callingmissbrown, has won three of five starts thus far, including the Gr2 Remsen Stakes at two and this year's G2 Wood Memorial Stakes. Cyberknife One of four Gr1 winners to have already emerged from the first crop of US Horse Of The Year and sire sensation Gun Runner, Cyberknife is out of talented racemare Awesome Flower. The latter won 11 of her 33 starts, including six black type races, and she is a daughter of the very much inform Wilgerbosdrift based sire Flower Alley. The latter has had an exceptional spell with his South African bred daughters including Gr1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes winner Princess Calla and Saturday's Gr2 4Racing SA Fillies Nursery winner Maharanee.
Cyberknife has won three times thus far and stamped himself a Derby hope when running out a two and three-quarter length winner of the Gr1 Arkansas Derby. Candy Ride Outstanding US sire Candy Ride looks set to make his mark in this year's Kentucky Derby. Not only is the unbeaten Pacific Classic winner broodmare sire of the aforementioned Epicenter and Simplification, Candy Ride is also sire of the outstanding young sire Gun Runner, whose first crop include Kentucky Derby likely starters Cyberknife and Taiba. Candy Ride's classy half-sister Candy Singer (Singspiel) has made her own mark in South Africa. A smart performer, whose five wins included a triumph in the Gr3 Jubilee Handicap, Candy Singer also ranks as the dam of Listed Lady's Bracelet winner Merysagos (Captain Al) as well as G3 Matchem Stakes runner up Baritone (Trippi). Tiz The Bomb Versatile colt, and likely Derby starter, Tiz The Bomb (Hit It A Bomb) is another US threeyear-old with a South African connection. A graded stakes winner on both turf (Gr2 Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes) and all-weather (Gr3 Jeff Ruby Steaks Stakes), Tiz The Bomb sports the highly successful
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broodmare Gallanta (Nureyev) as his fourth dam. Also dam of G1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Gay Gallanta (Woodman) Gallanta is known to South African racing enthusiasts as the dam of G2 Gallinule Stakes winner and successful SA sire/ broodmare sire Sportsworld (Alleged). This is also the same female line as influential South African champion sire Al Mufti as well as recently deceased Cartier Champion Duke Of Marmalade, sire of this season's Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara queen Rain In Holland among others.
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Godolphin Golden Sixty wins the 2022 G1 FWD Champions Mile Coreobus is too strong for Native Trail
Classic Godolphin The past weekend saw the Godolphin operation finish 1-2 in the colts Classic with the Dubawi colt Coroebus quickening best of all up the hill to deny his game stable companion and favourite Native Trail by half a length. In doing so, their champion trainer Charlie Appleby is now a 2,000 Guineas winner after coming so close with Master of the Seas last season. Charlie Appleby stated postrace that Coroebus will now be aimed at the St James
Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and Native Trail, in search of Classic success, heading to the Curragh for the Irish 2,000 Guineas. Third home was the Ballydoyle trained Luxembourg. The son of Epsom Derby winner Camelot lost his unbeaten record on Saturday but enhanced his reputation by staying on strongly, beaten two and a quarter lengths. At the two pole he had managed to come upsides the winner, but lacked the acceleration of the winner over the last furlong.
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The further he went the better he looked, and the Derby beckons. Aidan O'Brien commented on Monday: "We were very happy with Luxembourg. He clipped heels after about 50 yards and lost a couple of lengths and the knock-on effect of that was that he was further back than we would have liked. He did very well to finish third. "The plan was always to go to the Guineas and then head straight to the Derby with him and that's what he'll do. He
seems to have come out of the race fine, although we obviously haven't done much with him since. He cantered this morning and seemed fine." When asked about his Derby credentials, O'Brien replied: "We have always liked him a lot."
James Doyle ride. In doing so, he became only the fifth jockey to achieve the Guineas “double” in the same season. Good Luck to the likeable and one of the most underrated jockeys in the UK.
Bookmakers in the UK reacted by cutting Luxembourg to 5-2 favourite for the Derby.
According to the owners, Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, Cachet is “more likely than not” to bid for a Guineas double in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp on Sunday week.
The Fillies Classic on Sunday was won in brave fashion by the front-running Cachet for fledgling trainer George Boughey under a determined
The runner-up in the Qipco 1000 Guineas, the gallant Prosperous Voyage is also intended to race in France on her next start. The Zoffany
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filly, who had chased home absent winter ante-post favourite Inspiral on her final two outings last year, was closing on Cachet all the way to the line but the winning post came too soon as she went down fighting by a neck. Her trainer Ralph Beckett is looking at going up in trip after the way she stayed on so strongly and the Prix SaintAlary at ParisLongchamp on May 29 is the most likely option. He said: “I think it was a good effort and everything went to plan through the race, we were always going to ride her positively.”
“We just ran out of road, but that is life. It was a terrific effort and she will probably go a mile and a quarter now. Aidan O’Brien had another Classic third on Sunday, with the Dettori-ridden Oaks favourite Tuesday running well in the 1000 Guineas. The blue-blooded filly by Galileo out of Lillie Langtry (the dam of the great filly Minding), she looks sure to relish a step-up in trip.
O'Brien commented after the race: "Tuesday ran very well for such an inexperienced filly. We always knew we would be comfortable stepping her up in trip when we needed to, so we're looking at the Oaks for her now. Whether she goes straight to Epsom we're not quite sure yet; she would have the option of taking in the Irish Guineas along the way. "She made an awful lot of progress very quickly in the weeks leading up to the
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Guineas, so it's going to be interesting to see if she continues that progress over the next few weeks."
results up to: 2022-05-03
TRAINERS Name
Runs 885 941 645 391 941
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 %
172 121 77 74 102
115 113 72 58 100
94 122 68 43 96
186 203 117 78 158
19.4. 12.9 11.9 18.9 10.8
395 438 257 179 354
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
44.6 13,230,188 18,221,813 46.5 9,109,025 13,815,175 39.8 7,535,375 11,228,438 45.8 6,533,688 9,675,500 37.6 4,517,188 7,068,438
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
1296 766 849 831 1071
198 127 100 124 135
176 103 93 97 124
248 163 175 183 227
216 140 134 134 119
16.7 18.3 15.8 16.1 11.1
622 393 368 404 486
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
48.0 12,474,750 19,266,850 51.3 11,755,300 15,755,588 43.3 9,550,638 14,199,900 48.6 8,501,450 13,290,400 45.4 7,104,313 11,815,438
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
275 1375 330 1685
67,593 129 190 49,113 121 160
46.9 554 36.7 655
13 7
18 9
18,585,450 16,090,713
148 139 135
85,922 72,685 57,366
43.9 314 43.9 288 34.1 271
13 6 3
17 8 4
12,716,475 10,080,263 7,727,913
B.T. Wins
Total Stakes (R)
734 692 797
65 103 61 95 46 70
SIRES Name Vercingetorix What A Winter Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) Master Of My Fate * Silvano (GER)
Runrs Runs AEPR 139 173 174 177 145
729 877 861 962 694
86,027 59,368 58,762 56,499 67,771
B.T. Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Rnrs % 76 77 73 86 64
108 121 100 121 96
54.7 44.5 42.0 48.6 44.1
308 382 358 430 293
See all the detailed standings - Click here 77
12 5 8 2 8
16 5 9 2 10
11,957,775 10,270,663 10,224,650 10,000,325 9,826,863
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‘POOL – PLENTY TO PLAY FOR! 79
Let’s not get it twisted people, this is a massive game. Not just for bragging rights amongst two sides usually associated with the upper echelons of English football, but also because of the impact on the league table. Liverpool cannot afford to drop points here…lest they concede the title and forego the historical quadruple. Tottenham cannot afford to drop points either, as they find themselves embroiled in a tasty little contest with Arsenal for those elusive Champions League places.
thrust forward by the Geordie support synonymous with St James’ Park, and they looked as though they believed they could get a result. Liverpool was pressed early and were forced into making some early mistakes, but as the game went on, the Reds seemed to grow into the game and once they broke the deadlock, I don’t think they looked as though they would lose it.
Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp’s men have kept themselves firmly in the fight for the elusive and historical quadruple, and whilst they will play it down…we know that this is a manager (and a team) driven by a quest for success and an untenable drive for etching his name in history. The team that was announced by the German manager came as something of a surprise for many, it was clear that Klopp was not going to take any chances in the Champions League and so he rotated his lineup. I’m not sure that is too much of a surprise to be fair, if anything it is just another indication of the depth available at Liverpool. The golden strand of quality runs deep at Anfield – something inextricably linked to success on multiple fronts!
I know that not much will be made of it, but that game against Newcastle was yet another testimony to all Liverpool has and can still achieve. The Magpies were up for the game, they were
To find the last time Tottenham Hotspur have beaten Liverpool at Anfield, you will have to go all the way back to 2011 when a certain Harry Redknapp sat at the helm in London. That sort of statistic shouldn’t be
Ryan Liberty writes that these two won’t be doing each other any favours, and with it all to play for, it should be an absolute treat. Liverpool vs Tottenham | Saturday 7 May | Anfield | 20h45 To Win (90 mins) Liverpool 9/20 Draw 38/10 Tottenham 52/10
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underestimated, Anfield is one of the most difficult places to go in England and when you substantiate that with a Liverpool side littered with quality – well the picture doesn’t get any clearer for Antonio Conte’s men. I struggle to see where on the field Spurs will enjoy success if I’m completely honest. Their attacking quality is undoubted, but the way in which they get the ball into the final third requires their midfield to boss the pace of the ball and then look to penetrate defensive lines. I just can’t see it happening at Anfield. I honestly don’t. I think it’s going to be a frustrating day for the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heungmin. Tottenham I maintain – at the risk of receiving measured criticism – that the job Antonio Conte has done at Tottenham Hotspur is very close to a miracle. He came into a side completely removed from playing with any tangible degree of passion and fight. His squad was never seen to be without quality, but questions were raised over whether the players wanted to play for the club and were putting in the hard yards on the pitch. Sounds like another club in England, doesn’t it?! Anyway, I digress…
Spurs have managed to play their way into a fight for Champions League places with their bitter North London rivals. Granted, I think we could agree Spurs have the more difficult remaining fixtures, this being the pinnacle, but you can never count them out. My only concern with this fixture is really rooted on two points. The first is the form Spurs have when travelling. They have won just five games from 10 on the road in all competition, and whilst this doesn’t call for any serious concern, they have conceded 12 goals. That isn’t a statistic which will bode well en route to Anfield. The second issue for me is the way they have played recently and how they have gotten themselves into winning positions. Tottenham are incredibly reliant on their midfield playing a serious role and imposing themselves on
their opposition. They want to transition the ball through their engine room quickly and efficiently to give their attacking options the ball into space (think of Son) alternatively with his back to goal or in and around the box (think Harry Kane). I just cannot see either option finding any sort of joy against this rampant Liverpool side. I think Liverpool largely outclass Spurs all over the field and in pivotal roles they are yards ahead. Harry Kane had been drying in front of goal leading into their fixture against Leicester, but as nearly every media outlet reported, he loves scoring against Leicester and almost on cue – found the back of the net. That is the sort of confidence he will need coming into this one…but I can’t see it being enough.
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Prediction: Liverpool + BTTS (18/10) I know you might have a look at this price and be a little disappointed, I wouldn’t despair too quickly. Liverpool winning is a banker. Now, when you add to that the fact that they are playing at Anfield, in front of their raucous fans who will inevitably push their team forward…you get the feeling that Spurs might be presented with a couple chances in front of goal. It is certainly worth the gamble to think if the likes of Kane, Son, Lucas or Kulusevski get a sniff they will take it. Liverpool to win and both teams to score is my pick.
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