Danon Platina breaks ice

RANKED NO 1 IN THE GAMING AND LEISURE INDUSTRY

EXTERNAL VACANCY NOTICE

Position: National Racing Bureau Agent / Programming Administrator Division: Racing Department: National Racing Bureau Employment Status: Full-Time Closing date: 13 January 2023

Reporting to the National Racing Bureau Manager, the successful candidate will be responsible for, but not limited to:

• Dealing with Entries, Declarations, Card Changes for all race meetings throughout the country. • Liaising with external customers; • Programming administration and • General Administration.

Applicants must be in possession of the following:

• Matric with Mathematics being essential; • Relevant Degree/Diploma or equivalent tertiary qualification • Advanced Knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word; • Basic financial experience • Administration experience within the Horse Racing Industry will be advantageous; • Strong organisational, planning and administrative skills; • The highest standards of integrity are required; • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; • Ability to work well under pressure and independently; • Be articulate; • Must be able to work flexible hours, weekends and public holidays;

Please note that applicants may be required to undergo skills and knowledge testing as well as credit and criminal verification.

Interested candidates must email their CV detailing working experience to Nirvana Doodhram – nirvanad@goldcircle.co.za Kindly indicate the name of the position on the subject line of the email.

Applicants who do not comply with the above-mentioned requirements, as well as applications received late will not be considered.

Note that correspondence will only be conducted with the short-listed candidates. If the applicant has not been contacted within two (2) weeks of the closing date of the advertisement, the application should be treated as unsuccessful.

Nirvana Doodhram HR Specialist

Gold Circle (Pty) Ltd reserves the right at any time to withdraw or alter this advertised position.

Harry Cobden rides a third Gr1 winner in 13 days as Tahmuras returns after the Tolworth

NOVICE HURDLE THRILLS

The two UK Grade 1’s run over the weekend provided racegoers and analysts with greater insight into this season’s novices’ hurdle division.

It looked like a competitive renewal of the Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday, with half of the eight-runner field unbeaten over timber. Harry Cobden rode a patient race behind the leaders on Tahmuras, before running out a ready winner by two and a half lengths from 16/1 shot L'Astroboy.

Tahmuras had to overcame inexperience and some untidy jumping in the straight so the victory was that more impressive. A highly progressive sort, he will however need improve further to figure in races like the Supreme Novices’ against what the best in Ireland have achieved so far.

Last year's 12-length winner Constitution Hill landed the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle on his next start, and bookmakers cut Tahmuras to 8-1 to complete the double at Cheltenham.

“He travelled so well there,” said trainer Paul Nicholls. “We can sharpen his jumping and he's all but certain to run in the Supreme. It's the type of race, if the ground goes soft, that should suit him.”

Both hurdles in the straight were omitted in the Lawlor's of Naas Novice Hurdle on Sunday, leading to a run-

in of more than half a mile, though the two horses with the strongest form fought out the finish.

Irish Point had finished a couple of places in front of Champ Kiely when the pair were second and fourth in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse last month. On Sunday, Champ Kiely was given a canny front-running ride by Danny Mullins over this half-mile longer trip and was able to reverse the placings.

Champ Kiely had failed to settle properly under a patient ride in the Royal Bond, but showed marked improvement being allowed to lead on Sunday.

That two-and-a-quarter-length success by the Willie Mullins runner also highlighted the form of the Royal Bond winner Marine Nationale.

Marine Nationale deserved plenty of credit for winning the Royal Bond as he conceded first run to Irish Point, and he did really well to cut him back close home to take his unbeaten record to four.

However, the best performance in the novice hurdle division this season based on ratings looks to have been posted by Facile Vega in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle.

Last season's dominant bumper performer created an excellent impression when winning a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse and he stepped up on that form in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown over Christmas winning easily by four lengths.

results up to: 2023-01-11

TRAINERS

Name Runs Wins Win% 2nd 3rd Other Places Place %

Win Stake (R)

Total Stakes (R)

Mr S J Snaith

551 69 12.5 69 67 105 241 43.7 4,716,975 8,035,000 Mr B J Crawford 362 51 14.1 39 31 80 150 41.4 4,077,813 5,912,125 Mr J A Janse van Vuuren 228 40 17.5 36 26 47 109 47.8 4,324,375 5,820,550 Mrs C L Bass-Robinson 296 34 11.5 30 24 55 109 36.8 3,863,125 5,454,863 Mr G D Smith 592 62 10.5 72 60 111 243 41.0 2,963,125 4,863,975

JOCKEYS

Name

Mr K de Melo Mr R D Fourie Mr S Khumalo Mr M A Yeni Mr L Mxothwa

Runs Wins Win% 2nd 3rd Other Places Place %

Win Stake (R)

Total Stakes (R)

624 127 20.4 103 85 123 311 49.8 8,928,100 12,736,725 468 93 19.9 76 66 82 224 47.9 5,636,563 8,923,113 484 87 18.0 70 57 91 218 45.0 4,600,100 6,782,350 654 80 12.2 86 69 144 299 45.7 4,750,300 8,031,969 387 67 17.3 53 51 65 169 43.7 4,705,688 6,320,138

BREEDERS

Name Runrs Runs AEPR Wnrs Wins Wnrs/ Rnrs% Places B.T. Winrs B.T. Wins

Total Stakes (R)

Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) 136 454 71,898 49 71 36.0 204 8 10 9,778,063

Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein 242 841 37,252 69 90 28.5 368 3 3 9,015,038 Klawervlei Stud 238 881 33,465 70 88 29.4 360 2 2 7,964,675 Ridgemont Highlands 120 469 58,722 45 60 37.5 212 6 8 7,046,675 Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd 114 403 48,652 42 60 36.8 161 4 5 5,546,350

SIRES

Name Runrs Runs AEPR Wnrs Wins Wnrs/ Rnrs% Places B.T. Winrs B.T. Wins

Total Stakes (R)

Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) 158 576 49,857 53 69 33.5 279 4 4 7,877,375 Vercingetorix 132 442 50,442 53 66 40.2 186 2 2 6,658,363 What A Winter 158 558 40,988 57 77 36.1 230 2 3 6,476,125 Master Of My Fate 163 588 36,860 53 67 32.5 244 2 2 6,008,175 Querari (GER) 159 517 33,288 40 53 25.2 201 0 0 5,292,763

We once again have a double feature this weekend, but it all kicks off in Manchester! Two teams needing all three points for their respective domestic quests means just one thing – unbridled excitement, passion, and commitment from every player on the pitch.

Manchester United vs Manchester City | Saturday 14 January | Old Trafford | 14h30

We once again have a double feature this weekend, but it all kicks off in Manchester! Two teams needing all three points for their respective domestic quests means just one thing – unbridled excitement, passion, and commitment from every player on the pitch.

Ryan Liberty writes that these are the sorts of derbies we long for, almost a throwback to the games of old seeing players extended to their very limits and absolutely no love lost on the pitch!

Let’s do this.

To Win Man United 33/10 Draw 29/10 Man City 8/10

Manchester United

Erik ten Hag has truly begun to win over the United faithful, his tenure at the helm of Old Trafford has been tumultuous to say the least – but he has come out on top of every battle. The rocky start, the Ronaldo saga, the Glazer issue, they have all contributed in some way to show the man’s calibre.

United have been impressive of late, winning games with attacking flare and poise but also at times getting stuck in and grinding out a hard-fought marginal victory. They are now eight games unbeaten, and I suspect will be licking their lips to test themselves once again against the best in the league.

The last time these two faced off, City came away 6-3 winners. For me the takeaway there was what went into the preparation. Pundits, the media and even players had in various ways indicated the importance of United starting quickly, or the need to limit City early on…

This time around, the talk is more about two teams closer to each other in the league, United enjoying a crop of players who know how to win. A defensive partnership who has a strong and aggressive approach to their game and want to enact that and showcase that at every minute.

Of course, on the other side though you have arguably the best striker in the world now.

Manchester City

The biggest credit City boast – or indeed Pep Guardiola demands – is that in a season where they are second on the log, just five points off leaders Arsenal and not even halfway through the season, there is concern and an adjustment of how we view this team.

They are serial winners, with unrelenting ability, attacking options, defensive partnerships and midfield magic. They have some of the very best players in the world now and you would be a fool not to take them seriously.

City have scored 12 times in their last five games but have only managed to keep a solitary clean sheet. I would imagine that it is something United would target, but again the visitor’s defensive instability stands only in the shadow of their attacking brilliance.

Guardiola’s men have also had to battle and earn tough victories, but that is just a testament to the difficulty of the league. The Premier league is the most competitive league in the world, the gap between the best and the worst (on any given day) could be just a single goal and so to be competing at the summit says all you need to know about this fixture.

Predicted Lineup:

Man United: De Gea, Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Shaw, Casemiro, Eriksen, Antony, Fernandes, Garnacho, Rashford.

Man City: Ederson, Stones, Cancelo, Ake, De Bruyne, Rodri, Silva, Alvarez, Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish.

Prediction: Both teams to score + Over 2.5 goals (19/20)

Now, now, before you accuse me of sitting on the fence – give me a second! Of course, City can win the game. However, at Old Trafford, United have been superb. They have made it a difficult place to play and will extract the very best from City should they want all three points.

City have shown they can go through a lull and but haven’t yet shown a defensive stability to give us confidence about the visitors. The attacking threat both sides have is unmatched for most of the league and I expect this to be end-to-end. Both scoring and over 2.5 goals is a banker bet here and at just under even odds – it’s a steal.