Power Of Premier

CAPE RACING SALES SLIPPER A SHOO-IN

The anticipation is building in advance of the 2023 Tattersalls Cape Premier Yearling Sale which makes a grand return with some exciting new initiatives under new management to the Cape Town International Convention Centre tomorrow.

The launch of the R1 million Cape Racing Sales Slipper, a race for graduates of this sale, and which will be run on Cape Met Day each year, will be music to the ears of both buyers and vendors.

“We are trying to build this sale into a premier platform for forward type of horses and putting on an early juvenile race for the graduates will hopefully help attract horses of this type to the auction each year. We are planning on building the ‘Slipper’ into a multimillion rand race in the next few years as a standout in our rejuvenated juvenile programme,” enthused Cape Racing Executive Justin Vermaak in a chat with the Sporting Post. Justin Vermaak – innovating and moving ahead

We are trying to build this sale into a premier platform for forward type of horses Important to any quality sale of this level, the bench includes a mix of international and local prospective buyers, including well-known owner of champion Stradivarius, Bjorn Nielsen, and familiar names like Peter Doyle, Fiona Carmichael, Amanda Skiffington and ex Godolphin Director, John Ferguson.

Some of the locals jetting in to attend include former SA Champions Mike de Kock and Sean Tarry, Paul Matchett and KZN veterans, Paul Lafferty and Michael Roberts. The sale will be client-driven, more than ever, with a variety of entertaining events before and after, as part of the Cape Summer Festival of Racing.

After a fabulous day of racing at the L’Ormarins King’s Plate at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, the Cape Racing Sale Golf Day rounded off a busy weekend on Sunday.

This will be a busy week with viewing days commencing on Tuesday through Wednesday, with the Maine Chance international dinner sandwiched in between on Tuesday night.

The sale commences at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Thursday at 14h30.

On Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, the programme is headed by the Listed Jamaica Handicap and features the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra.

Vermaak concluded by pointing out that they have slashed vendor commission down to 5% (from 8%) and have added a 2% buyers levy to all sales from the June yearling sales onward.

“This is to assist in making it more affordable for our vendors to sell horses. The 2% buyers levy is a direct contribution to the RaceCape incentive scheme,” he confirmed.

Click here for our lot-by-lot snapshot.

The Al Muthana team celebrate a major victory!

KING’S PLATE WINNER NOW A 133!

Australian-bred Al Muthana has had his merit rating raised from 125 to 133 following his success on WFA terms in the Gr1 L’ Ormarins King’s Plate run over 1600m on the summer course at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 7 January.

124 to 122. LINEBACKER, in finishing just behind JET DARK and KOMMETDIEDING, is effectively confirming past form with this pair, which also strengthens the choice of JET DARK and KOMMETDIEDING as joint line horses in this event.

This was his second Grade 1 victory at WFA terms over the 1600m trip having won the 2022 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge some 6 months earlier when accounting for multiple Grade 1 winner JET DARK. DARK made for the best line horse, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 130. This view was reinforced by the fact that in assessing the race this way 4th placed KOMMETDIEDING also runs to his rating of 129, effectively making him a line horse as well.

There were also ratings increases for 2nd finisher CHARLES DICKENS, who is up from 128 to 132, and for 6th placed ZAPATILLAS, who goes up from 118 to 122. This makes him equal to 5th placed LINEBACKER, who finished a short head in front of ZAPATILLAS and who was dropped from Aside from LINEBACKER, the only other drop was for GOLDEN DUCAT, who is down from 125 to 120.

Gr1 Cartier Paddock Stakes

MAKE IT SNAPPY has seen her rating climb from 115 to 125 after winning the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes for

fillies and mares over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was runnerup CAPTAIN’S RANSOM who was considered to make for the best line horse, leaving her unchanged on a mark of 124.

There is no real reason to believe that CAPTAIN’S RANSOM didn’t run her race, given that she was beaten only by a hugely progressive three-year-old and that she finished comfortably ahead of everything else.

Aside from the winner, the only other increase was for 3rd placed SILVER DARLING, who goes up from 113 to 122. The solitary drop was for RAIN IN HOLLAND, who is down from 118 to 116.

Gr2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes

PRINCESS CALLA remains unchanged on a rating of 121 after winning the Grade 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes for fillies and mares over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was 4th placed TIME FO ORCHIDS who was deemed to make for the most suitable line horse, leaving her unaltered on a rating of 107. In assessing the race this way PRINCESS CALLA only runs to a rating of 115, hence her unchanged mark.

There were increases for 2nd placed STIPTELIK, who is up from 107 to 109, and for 5th finisher LIVE MY LIFE, who goes up from 86 to 101 to at least make her equal to the 101-rated 7th placed WHOA WHOA WHOA.

There were drops for two horses. GIMME DAT is down from 107 to 105, while KISSING POINT is down to 99 from 102.

Gr2 Anthonij Rupert Wyne Premier Trophy

RASCALLION remains unchanged on a rating of 122 following his win in the Grade 2 Anthonij Rupert Wyne Premier Trophy over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was runner-up NEXUS who was considered to make for the best line horse, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 114. In assessing the race this way, 6th placed SILVANO’S TIMER runs to his mark of 109, effectively making him a line horse as well. RASCALLION however only runs to a mark of 113, hence his unchanged rating.

The only ratings increase was for 3rd placed Warrior, who is up from 107 to 112.

Two horses were given a drop. POMP AND POWER is down from 116 to 114, while AIRWAYS LAW drops from 112 to 110.

Gr3 Merchants On Long Chairman’s Cup

CROME YELLOW has had his rating raised from 106 to 109 after winning the Grade 3 Merchants On Long Chairman’s Cup over 2500m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was 4th placed ARCTIC DRIFT and 5th finisher BARATHEON who were deemed to make for the best line horses, leaving them unchanged on ratings of 93 and 96, respectively. In assessing the race his way, runner-up SENSO UNICO runs to his mark of 106, which effectively makes him a line horse as well.

There were drops for five horses. SUPER SILVANO is down from 108 to 106, REX UNION drops from 104 to 101, ONE WAY TRAFFIC is down to 110 from 111, BLACK THORN goes to 102 from 103, and lastly CHOLLIMA drops from 98 to 95.

• Media release by National Horseracing Authority on Tuesday 10 January 2023

ALEX’ SMART OWLOON DRAFT

Alex de Wet manages Owloon Horses of the Paarl district on behalf of German investor Christian Elleke and they are bringing three lots to the Cape Premier Yearling Sale at CTICC powered by Tattersalls tomorrow.

Alex, who grew up around horses, trained at the renowned Lane’s End Farm in Central Kentucky and returned to South Africa when the opportunity presented itself. He is proud of Owloon’s draft and invites buyers to view them. Lot 14 - Deputy Chief: a colt by Visionaire out of Deputy Ryder by Go Deputy. Alex said: “He is a big, strong horse and looks like an early type. His dam won five times, including two Listed races. He has quality about him.”

Lot 33 - Grand Force, a filly by Global View. She is a first foal produced by Gail Force (Soft Falling Rain), a winning halfsister to Russet Air from the prolific Icy Air family. “Grand Force is an elegant, athletic filly who walks well.” He is a big, strong horse and looks like an early type. His dam won five times, including two Listed races.

Lot 72 has not yet been named. He is an eye-catching grey colt by Global View from the promising Orators Daughter, by Oratorio. “He is a smart sort, athletic and a good walker,” said Alex about this half-brother to Sea Air and Preemptive Strike.

AVONTUUR

IT'S IN THE HISTORY!

Avontuur Stud is back at the 2023 Cape Premier Yearling Sale, powered by Tattersalls, tomorrow. General Manager Pippa Mickleburgh invites buyers to view their small, powerful draft at the Cape International Convention Centre (CTICC) from Tuesday, 10 January.

Avontuur GM Pippa Mickleburgh – looking forward to a nice sale

She provided pen pics of Avontuur’s lots on offer:

Lot 23 MUSICAL SCORE - bay colt by Oratorio ex Esteemal by Captain Al: “A very impressive first foal for this talented and versatile race mare. He is a very good walker with one powerful engine, speedy type. This colt hails from the famous ‘E’ family that has produced numerous classic winners.

Lot 64 ICARAI - bay filly by Oratorioe ex Miss Ipanema (Aus.) by General Nadim “A well grown and correct, scopey filly. She is out of a Graded-placed mare and is the half-sister to the 10-time stakes wining Carioca. From an international family.”

Lot 66 SET TO MUSIC - bay colt by Oratorio ex Muamba (Arg) by Pure Prize “Here is a colt with great length and scope and he is very athletic, will need some time to fill out his frame. A beautiful type, typical of what the mare can give us. He is a half-brother to Varumba and multiple other winners including the recent easy winner at Kenilworth Live My Life and Gold Rush entrant, Typeset.”

Lot 82 VALIEVA - bay filly by Var ex Return To Power by Trippi “The first foal of a threetime winning mare, this filly is closely related to G1 winner Rivarine and G3 winner Delta Queen, from the awesome family of Pocket Power and River Jetez. A precocious, attractive active filly, typical of her sire. The only VAR on the sale.

Lot 95 HEMISPHERE - bay colt by Vercingetorix ex Star Burst Galaxy by Var. “Smashing colt that ticks all the boxes: by a sensational sire out of a 9-time stake wining daughter of the exciting broodmare sire VAR. Oozes quality and class.”

Lot 98 SOLARTRIP - bay colt by Querari ex Sunset Tripp by Trippi “His dam was a fast stakes winner of 6 races and the colt is by the champion sire of twoyear-olds – a speedy cross. He’s a very tall athletic and active colt.”

Lot 104 RAFA BAY - bay colt by Rafeef ex Torra Bay (Aus) by Cape Cross “His dam is a stakes winner of 5 races and he comes from an illustrious Australian family. A big strong and imposing colt, he is a speed machine and a credit to both his sire and dam.”

HASSEN GIVES BUYERS THE GREEN LIGHT

Hassen Adams – excited by his Gimmethegreenlight fillies

Candiese Lenferna

Nadeson Park Stud will be represented by three fillies and three colts at the Tattersalls Cape Premier Yearling Sale at the CTICC tomorrow.

The stud’s owner Hassen Adams said: “They are all wellbalanced horses with good bone and quarters.”

Adams said that, in his view, Nadeson’s two fillies by Gimmethegreenlight were the best of his six and he commented:

“Lot 38 – a bay filly out of Grecian Dancer by Antonius Pius. The mare comes from the highly successful family of Isadora Duncan. I bought her for her blood, to breed with and never raced her. Her first foal won first time out, the next two are unraced and this is her fourth. This filly is the splitting image of her father, with four white socks. She has a lot of potential, some growing to do being a mid-October foal but has a lot going for her.

“Lot 92 is the other ‘Gimme’, and she is a daughter of Skye Lane, by Pathfork. Skye Lane was good filly, ran 4th to One World in the rich CTS 1600 but was injured in training and could not reach her full potential. I bought Skye Lane because she is herself a daughter of the Gr3 winner Queen’s Command (Commands). This is a super female line, the filly is bred along the same lines as Got The Greenlight. She is perhaps my best yearling, strong, robust and well put together.

“Lot 16 is a filly by Master of My Fate out of District Six, by Mujadil. I raced the mare, she has a purple pedigree and won her first race by 14 lengths. She comes from the great Mystic Spring family and her half-sister by Gimmethgreenlight was sold to Lammerskraal for R3,5million after I raced her. She is a dark bay, I can’t fault her conformation.

“Lot 22 is a colt by What A Winter out of the Galileo mare Emerald Gal. What I like is when Galileo throws back to being chestnut, as this colt does. They have done very well in the UK and I have a feeling this one is going to be something special. His dam Emerald Gal is a mare I bought in Australia to get the family into breeding. The family has proven to be influential in the UK with Emerald Gal’s fullsister Ballet Shoes being a Listed winner. Huge potential.

“Lot 70 is a What A Winter colt out of Omega Force (Gimmethegreenlight) from the potent Aquila Rapax, blacktype family. This lovely colt comes from the wonderful family of Red Ray, Brutal Force, Rudra and many others.

“Lot 86 is a Potala Palace colt out of Scorching, by Dominion Royale. He is a neat colt, a steal for this sale, I think. He is a punchy type, will probably be a bargain buy that will come early.”

FENI WINS

WORKRIDERS SERIES

A happy Godfrey Sigenu secured third place in the Hollywoodbets Workriders Series

The inaugural Hollywoodbets Workriders Series reached an exciting climax at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday with James Maree graduate Siphiwo Feni doing enough to finish on top of the log and bank the winner’s cheque.

The four-race series commenced in October and culminated with the final event on Saturday.

While Saturday’s race was won by Oscar Sigenu on Night Tiger, the talented Siphiwo Feni did enough with a second on Green Falcon to clinch the R12 000 first cheque and a beautiful trophy.

A man nominated by top judge Justin Snaith as one of the better riders around, Siphiwo is built like a jockey and looks like a jockey. He had his first ride in Cape Town at the start of the series after starting with the Snaiths in KZN. He has ridden winners in Johannesburg and is a graduate of the highly respected James Maree School.

Lungisani Geledu banked the R6 000 runner-up cheque. A past workrider of the year, Lungis is a recognised top 3 rider in Cape Town and is the closest workrider to a professional jockey, according to Craig Du Plooy. Chase Liebenberg

A happy Godfrey Sigenu secured third place in the Hollywoodbets Workriders Series.

well with Justin Snaith. “He is a beautiful experienced rider and is a multiple award winner. A heavy guy, he is a very talented and a strong rider,” adds experienced Western Province Grooms School Riding Master Craig du Plooy.

Fourth placer Bazile Nkunzi, who works for Candice BassRobinson and has ridden a good few races with about 6 winners to his credit, earned R2000.

Callum Dixon is the reigning Cape Workrider of the year and his fifth place earned him R1 000.

The Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series provided important race-riding experience and is a launch platform into the exciting Khaya Stables Jockeys and Workriders Challenge, a pioneering collaboration that has been exceptionally well-received since its inception.

The challenge will again be staged on Cape Derby Day in 2023 as the final race on the programme. In a change from 2022, jockeys and workriders will pair up in teams drawn to increase the level of competition.

A LIFECHANGER FOR ELATED ALAN

A lifetime punter won a ‘lifechanging’ R1,5 million jackpot bonus in the popular free-to-enter Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge when he tipped all eight winners on the Hollywoodbets Greyville polytrack on Sunday.

The popular challenge, which is also held on Western Cape racing, as well as Hong Kong and Singapore, pits players against each other in the magical quest to find all the winners on a racecard.

The 60 year old retiree Alan Barkhuizen, despite watching the racing as he does all day every day, was close to speechless when contacted by the Sporting Post late on Sunday afternoon.

“Are you serious? How much did I win? This is crazy,” said the staunch Hollywoodbets customer who plays the freeto-enter competition at every opportunity.

The news that two players were running into the final leg of Sunday’s racemeeting saw racecaller Sheldon Peters add to the excitement, as he upped the ante late, calling Calulo home to round off a nice double for Rachel Venniker and Michael Roberts.

v Chase Liebenberg

Flashback to 2022- Kommetdieding will be back to defend his title

A WEEK TO GO TO MET FINAL FIELD

The Gr1 Summer Cup runner-up Safe Passage will not be taking his place in the WSB Cape Town Met on 28 January, as originally planned.

Mike de Kock advised on Monday that Safe Passage suffered a niggle whilst training in Cape Town and will be returning to Johannesburg. He has been scratched.

“We’ll be preparing him for the latter stages of the Highveld feature season with the ultimate aim being the 2023 Hollywoodbets Durban July,” said the multiple champion conditioner.

The six-time winning son of Silvano finished third to stablemate Sparkling Water in the 2022 renewal of the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Final supplementary entries for the 2000m contest closed on Monday and the weights have been published. Twenty horses can run. from the Snaith yard, as well as Saturday’s impressive Cartier Paddock Stakes winner, Make It Snappy.

See the latest here.

Met declarations are due by 11h00 on Wednesday 18 January.

Barrier Draws will be done electronically by the NRB on the same day.