SP Sprint - Wednesday 27 November 2024

THE GUINEAS CAPTAIN

Veteran Milnerton Trainer Vaughan Marshall, aka ‘The Guineas Captain’ enjoyed a rewarding day at the office at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday when he saddled a feature double. The winners of the WSB Listed Sophomore Sprint and the Gr2 Cape Punters Cup are both sons of One World. All Out For Six, also by One World and trained by Vaughan, took 2nd in the Cape Punters Cup. Vaughan is congratulated by Cape Racing’s Tammy Gilmour. Chase Liebenberg took the photo.

On the cover

One World’s sons, One Stripe (Gavin Lerena) and All Out For Six (JP van der Merwe) delivered a powerful performance in a 1-2 for Trainer Vaughan Marshall in the Gr2 Cape Punters Cup on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. The reigning SA Freshman Champion Sire stole the show as his progeny ruled over the winner’s enclosure for most of the day. Chase Liebenberg took the photo.

137 SUMMERS LATER

The R6 million Betway Gr1 Summer Cup is Africa’s richest race and has a long and proud history dating back to 1887.

Those were the days | Credit: Supplied

The first horseracing in Johannesburg took place in December 1886 and the inaugural Summer Cup was run the following year as the Johannesburg Handicap. The race was won by outsider Haco, a fiveyear-old trained by Mr Du Plessis and ridden by J Bundy.

In its heyday the Summer Cup was the highlight of the Johannesburg feature-race season and one of the city’s social events of the year.

After the Cape challenger King’s Guard’s victory in 1971, the name of the race was changed to accommodate a sponsor. As the years rolled by further changes to the name, conditions and date diminished the event’s glitter and it eventually became the Champion Stakes, run in April.

In 1999, Phumelela reintroduced the Summer Cup to the racing calendar in its traditional format and the event is now firmly established as one of the ‘Big 4’ on the country’s racing calendar.

Many famous horses have won the big one down the years, and they include Pamphlet (1917), Lenin (1940), Cuff Link (1963), Caradoc (1966) and Home Guard (1970). One horse who really grabbed the attention was Java, trained by Jack Butler.

He pulled off a remarkable Summer Cup hattrick from 1956 as a four-year-old before going on to claim the honours again the following two years.

Elevation was to repeat those exploits almost 20 years later.

Trained by George Azzie, the chestnut landed his first victory in 1972, when the race was run as the Holiday Inns for the first time.

He went on to score again in 1973 before completing a hat-trick under a big weight in 1974.

Does it feel like over 40 years ago? North Island in 1983 Credit: Supplied

The Summer Famous

Many famous horses have won down the years and they include Pamphlet (1917), Lenin (1940), Cuff Link (1963), Caradoc (1966) and Home Guard (1970).

The Summer Jockeys

Only 5 of the 20 jockeys carded on Saturday have won the Summer Cup previously. Piere Strydom (See It Again), Gavin Lerena (Royal Victory), Raymond Danielson (Barbaresco), Denis Schwarz (Litigation) and Calvin Habib (Atticus Finch) are the men with past trophies.

The Summer Trainers

On Saturday, the 20 Betway Summer Cup runners hail from 16 different stables. Nathan Kotzen, Johan Janse van Vuuren, Sean Tarry, Stuart Pettigrew, Mike de Kock, Alec Laird and Joey Soma are past winning trainers.

The Summer Imports

Internationally bred horses have a fair record in the race. El Picha (1999), Delta Form (2000), Eventuail (2002), Ilha da Vittoria (2005), Strategic News (2007) and Puerto Manzano (2022) are the imports to have won. There are no imports in Saturday’s field.

BETWAY SUMMER CUP – PAST WINNERS

HOLLYWOODBETS GREYVILLE – WEDNESDAY, 31ST JULY 2024

SCOTTVILLE – SUNDAY, 24TH NOVEMBER 2024

Race 2 - Duke of Africa - Simphiwe Mgudlwa

Race 1 - Andy Coogle - Maxwell Mkhwanazi

Race 1 - Major Tommie - Sphenathi Tchemse

Race 3 - Arctic Fury - Patric Maduna

Race 2 - Littleblackgem - Siyabonga Gcelu

Race 4 - Faire Advantage - Lucas Mkhwe

Race 3 - Woza Nawe - Mthobisi Ginya

Race 5 - Safe and Sound - Siphesihle Mdukulwane

Race 4 - Go Grayson Go - Sanele Mabuda

Race 6 - King’s Island - Andile Mtengo

Race 5 - Miss Platina - Moses Nhlali

Race 7 - Purple Flower - Bandipha Langa

Race 6 - Global Movement - Lindani Ngayeka

Race 8 - Amor Fati - Ace Ncwane

Race 7 - Ayuwi Yuwi - Nkosi Dlomo

Race 8 - Moya Wa Laliga - Moses Mabunda

MURPHY’S LAW TO RULE

Oisin Murphy – looking to pick up his first African Grade 1 on Saturday | Credit: Supplied

Four-times British Champion jockey Oisin

Murphy jets into Johannesburg this weekend to take five rides on the Turffontein Betway Summer Cup day programme. He will return to the UK immediately after the running of Race 9, the Betway Summer Cup Consolation at 16h40.

Murphy’s engagement on a premier day on the SA racing calendar is something of a scoop for Barry Irwin and his Team Valor International operation, who will be hoping that their smashing Rafeef filly Frances Ethel can follow in the footsteps of Summer Pudding (2020), Dancewiththedevil (2011), Flirtation (2010) and the late Ilha da Vitoria (2005) as fairer sex winners of the 2000m contest this century.

Frances Ethel peaked as a 3yo with an eyecatching victory in the Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer Gr2 SA Oaks last term and comes in on 54kgs. She should be more than competitive in a field of 20 headed by KZN star, See It Again.

Murphy’s first ride on African soil will be for Sean Tarry in the second race (11h55), where he rides the debut placer Green Street for leading owner Kenneth Pillay.

In the Betway Gr3 Fillies Mile (14h20) Murphy throws a leg over Fiery Pegasus for Joey Soma. The daughter of Captain Of All ran second to Celtic Rumours last time out in the Joburg Spring Gr2 F&M Challenge but has a very tricky 15 barrier gate to overcome.

Murphy’s third ride will be aboard Wild At War for Candice Dawson in the Betway Gr2 Dingaans (14h55), one of the most open on the cards, and a race that interestingly for racing fans also marks the 3yo debut of Barend Botes’ Lance filly, Quid Pro Quo.

Oisin Murphy is unquestionably one of the globe’s most accomplished jockeys.

Crowned British champion in 2019, 2020, 2021, and this year, he was won 31 Grade 1 races.

His latest championship accolade came ten years after his apprentice title in 2014 and was his first since a 14-month suspension in 2022 for alcohol and Covid breaches, during which time the championship twice went to William Buick.

“When I was suspended, I had a lot of free time and it gave me a chance for the first time in my adult life to just relax and take a deep breath,” Murphy said.

“When things have gotten stressful this year, I’ve been able to fall back on that time away from the saddle as perspective to realise how lucky I am to be healthy and back riding at such a level.

“I tried really hard to win it [the championship] last year, but I wasn’t in contention from halfway through the season, so it’s nice to achieve something I set out to do this time.

“This year it was really important to me to not pick up any whip or careless riding suspensions because I could have missed ten or 12 winners. It’s something I’ve worked very hard to achieve with great support from so many owners and trainers.”

Frances Ethel (Kabelo Matsunyane) will be looking to follow in the footsteps of Summer Pudding Credit: Candiese Lenferna

Murphy has a busy schedule ahead as the year winds down and just a week after his Turffontein raid, we could see him at Sha Tin in Hong Kong where he has been lined up to maintain his partnership with Giavellotto in the Gr1 Hong Kong Vase on Sunday, 8 December 8.

Marco Botti’s five-year-old entire enjoyed a fine season, winning the Yorkshire Cup in May and the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting.

He was last seen finishing third to Kyprios in the Irish St Leger, but Botti has held the belief for some time that a strongly-run mile and a half could be the ideal scenario for his stable star.

“We had a chat with the owner, and they are happy to take a chance. We’ve had a bit of time to freshen him up since the Irish St Leger, he’s in great form and he’ll take his chance,” said Botti.

“Last year, they had soft ground at the meeting, but he does want top of the ground, so hopefully it won’t be soft again. This year has been his best season. Maybe he wasn’t just quite at his best in the Irish Leger. I’m not saying he’d have won, Kyprios is the best stayer, probably in the world, so we take our hat off to him, but saying that, I just don’t think he was at his best for whatever reason. He came out of the race fine and we had enough time in between. The plan has always been to drop him back to a mile and a half, so Hong Kong looked the right option, a strong pace will suit him.”

ABOUT THE GR1 HONG KONG VASE

The Longines Hong Kong Vase is a Grade 1 race run at weight-for-age over 2400m at the Longines Hong Kong International races meeting. It was first run in 1994 and was won by Red Bishop.

The leading Hong Kong Vase trainers are Aidan O’Brien and Andre Fabre at three each. Olivier Peslier is the leading Vase jockey with four titles.

Four horses have won the Vase twice – they are Luso, Doctor Dino, Highland Reel and Glory Vase.

Dunaden became the first Melbourne Cup winner to take the Longines Hong Kong Vase.

Four three-year-olds have won, all EuropeanVallee Enchantee, Daryakana, Highland Reel (2015) and Mogul. Highland Reel won after placing to Winx in the Cox Plate.

Ed Dunlop’s grand mare Ouija Board won seven G1s worldwide including the Vase in 2005. She would go on to produce the dual Derby winner Australia.

Her ill-fated stablemate and Melbourne Cup hero Red Cadeaux won in 2012 after runs at Flemington and Tokyo in the Japan Cup.

Highland Reel ended his grand career with a win in 2017. He had won the race in 2015 and was second in 2016. Exultant was one of Hong Kong’s four home trained winners on International Day 2018. He would also win the Hong Kong Gold Cup and Champions & Chater Cup in the same season.

Glory Vase won the Hong Kong Vase making it three HKIR wins for Japan on the day in 2019. He’d also win two years later, much as Highland Reel did.

The current Hong Kong Vase stake of HK$24 million, equates approximately to the equivalent of R56 million. As an arm’s length measure, the Betway Summer Cup is Africa’s richest race at R6 million. Catch the Longines Hong Kong International races on Gallop TV on Sunday 8 December.

THE STAGE IS SET FOR SUMMER!

Who

knows, perhaps Royal Victory’s success in last year’s race emboldened fellow KZN trainers to make the trek to Gauteng?

The Gr1 Betway Summer Cup heads a bumper Turffontein Saturday meeting and this year’s renewal has drawn an eclectic mix of contestants.

Looking at the main protagonists, no less than seven Gr1 winners have thrown their hats into the ring for the R6-million showpiece race, amongst which the past two winners Puerto Manzano and Royal Victory, as well as 2023 Hollywoodbets Durban July victor Winchester Mansion.

Remarkably, no less than four KZN visitors will make the journey from their Summerveld base. Joining defending champion Royal Victory is Michael Roberts’ Gr1 winner See It Again, Andre Nel-trained Gr3 winner Cape Eagle and Frank Robinson’s Gr3 Gold Vase winner Madison Valley. Not even the lavish R6 million purse could lure a visitor from the Western Cape, more’s the pity.

Current favourite See It Again, who was gelded over the winter, kept very smart company last

Royal Victory storms to Betway Summer Cup history in 2023 | Credit: JC Photos

season, winning the Gr2 Green Point Stakes, running second in the Gr1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate and third in both the Gr1 Gold Challenge and Gr1 HKJC Champions Cup. He also finished a close-up fifth in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, barely a half-length behind thirdplaced Royal Victory.

Kudos to the connections for allowing him a chance to strut his stuff over a galloping course, something many pundits feel is just what the big-striding chestnut needs. One thing is sure, Roberts won’t be travelling to Turffontein to make up the numbers.

Who knows, perhaps Royal Victory’s success in last year’s race emboldened fellow KZN trainers to make the trek to Gauteng? That was an auspicious occasion, considering that the then four-year-old broke a 16-year drought going back to 2007 when Strategic News scored for Dylan Cunha. Now based in the

hallowed equine centre of Newmarket, Dylan hit the headlines earlier this year with his expert handling of Prague, a Coolmore throw-out he had purchased for a mere ten grand as an unraced three-year-old.

Both Royal Victory and See It Again made their seasonal debuts on November 3 in a mile pinnacle stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville, with the latter prevailing by just over a length. We keenly await Saturday’s rematch!

There is no disputing that the Sean Tarry stable has virtually made the race its own since winning it for the first time with Aslan in 2009. Five more trips to the winner’s box followed, the most recent with Flying Carpet, who claimed the honours in 2021. This year, Tarry fields a three-pronged attack headed by champion stayer Future Pearl, and one has to take cognizance of the fact that Richard Fourie will be in the irons.

Brett Crawford’s satellite stable is now firmly entrenched in Gauteng under the guidance of his very capable son James. With a sterling win in the Gr2 Charity Mile in tow, class act Winchester Mansion, together with SA Oaks victress Frances Ethel, will do duty for the stable on Saturday, and strong cases can be made for both.

The passion for success still burns for maestro trainer Mike de Kock, who has won the Summer Cup on six previous occasions. With Horse of the Year Dave The King being targeted at the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, the stable’s hopes rest solely on Silver Sanctuary, last season’s Gr1 Woolavington 2000 victress, and a strong-finishing fourth in the Gr2 Charity Mile. Given that De Kock’s most recent winner was also a filly, the 2010 winner Flirtation, it would not be out of place if this daughter of Silvano puts one over the boys.

Besides, she will be aiming to go one better than full brother Safe Passage, who has had to

settle for second in the last two renewals. Fillies have a fine record in the Summer Cup, its most recent winner being Paul Peter-trained Horse of the Year Summer Pudding.

Son Tony will saddle Main Defender, whose shock withdrawal on the morning of last year’s race was not without controversy. Be that as it may, the four-year-old has never won beyond a mile and the crunch question now is will he see out the stiff 2000m trip.

There are no stamina doubts whatsoever about New Predator siblings Purple Pitcher and Pure Predator, after all, they put their late lamented sire on the map when dominating last season’s Gr1 SA Derby. The same applies to Zeus. Fourth in last year’s race, he will be partnered by Rachel Venniker, who is riding at the top of her game, so watch out boys!

Whichever way you slice it, the stage is set for another intriguing renewal of this timehonoured contest.

SNAITH BIDS FOR THIRD STRAIGHT MET

SA Champion trainer and big race titleholder Justin Snaith has five entries in the early stages of the R5 million World Sports Betting Gr1 Cape Town Met class of 2025 that was unveiled earlier today.

Snaith goes for a rare Met treble in the 163rd renewal after he saddled Double Superlative to victory in the 2024 Cape Town Met, following Jet Dark’s success in 2023. Snaith celebrated

his maiden success in the Cape flagship when the filly Oh Susanna scored an historic victory in 2018.

Both of his last two Met winners have been for leading owner Nic Jonsson, who looks to have a potentially strong hand again.

An interesting entry is Snaith’s progressive 3yo Eight On Eighteen, a winner of the Gr3 Langerman last term and who is likely to

Langerman winner Eight On Eighteen – an interesting 2025 Met entry | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

run in the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas on 14 December.

In need of the outing, he finished a nice third behind One Stripe in the Gr2 Cape Punters Cup last Saturday.

The recently revealed 2025 Met theme, ‘Couture Unleashed’ is set to make this year’s event the ultimate social occasion, attracting both fashion lovers and racing enthusiasts.

With tickets and hospitality packages now available on Quicket, this is a must-attend experience for those in search of sophistication and excitement.

Key big race dates to diarise:

First supplementary entries close at 11h00 on Tuesday, 17 December 2024. Final supplementary entries close at 11h00 on Monday, 6 January 2025.

Weights published later on Monday, 6 January 2025.

Declarations due by 10h00 on Wednesday, 15 January 2025.

Final field and barrier draws on Wednesday, 15 January 2025.

WORLD SPORTS BETTING CAPE TOWN MET (Grade 1) - ENTRIES

‘GUINEAS

CAPTAIN’ SETS THE STAGE

1-2

… Marshall’s One Stripe (Gavin Lerena) and All Out For Six (JP van der Merwe) take top spots | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

Milnerton veteran Vaughan Marshall set

the stage

for

a

tilt at

a

sixth Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas title

next month when his Champion 2yo of last season One Stripe powered home to beat four opponents in the R500 000 Gr2 Cape Punters Cup at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

While the field for the traditional classic trial was the smallest in recent memory, and with the late withdrawal of Piet Steyn’s recent maiden winner Garrix not helping matters, the workmanlike and emphatic showing by One Stripe at his first success over the mile simply screamed quality.

Ridden with confidence from some lengths off the solid pace set by his free-striding stablemate All Out For Six – certainly no slouch on his day – One Stripe (9-10) was produced at the 250m marker by Gavin Lerena and bounded clear to beat the gallant All Out For Six (14-1) by 1,75 lengths in a time of 97,51 secs.

It was the second feature of the day, after the 1-2-3 in the Listed Sophomore Sprint, dominated by progeny of reigning SA Freshman Champion Sire, One World.

Clearly in need of the run, Eight On Eighteen (7-2) was a further length back in third, with Captain West (16-1) and On My Honour (7-2) well beaten.

“We had a couple of anxious moments in the pre-parade. The pace was strong. I gave him a bit more of a chance this time, but his acceleration was phenomenal,” added Gavin Lerena.

Trainer Vaughan Marshall has walked this road before and clearly has his eye on the prized Guineas silverware.

“It was a terrific run and a great ride. And thanks to Rikesh Sewgoolam – he has been a stalwart. And to the One World Syndicate who race the runner-up. Well done. He is no pushover,” added Marshall.

One Stripe races for Rikesh Sewgoolam and took his stakes bank to R1 193 013 with his fourth win and a place from six starts.

Bred by Drakenstein Stud, he is out of the three-time winning Silvano mare Silver Stripe, who stayed well and won up to 2450m.

Interesting times ahead!

SNAITH WINS SA’S OPENING JUVENILE CONTEST

The 2024/2025 Cape Racing Summer Festival of Racing got underway with the running of South Africa’s first 2yo contest of the season, the R250 000 Futurity Plate, run over the 800m straight at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

Run under glorious summer skies, it was an incident-free first day at school for the nine first-timers, with Justin Snaith’s ‘talking’ horse Black Cheetah, a half-brother to the top yard’s classic prospect Great Plains, stamping his authority after running green and being marginally outpaced early on.

Richard Fourie got to work early on the handsome R1 million ticket and the son of Querari went on at a generous 2-1 to beat the filly Call Of The Karoo (5-2) by 3,75 lengths in a quick time of 47,79 secs for the 800m.

The rest were well beaten, with Piet Steyn’s Between The Lines (6-1) a further 3,25 lengths back in third.

Bred by Drakenstein Stud, Black Cheetah is a son of Querari (Oasis Dream) out of the one-time winning Var mare, Mara.

Black Cheetah (Richard Fourie) wins Saturday’s opener. Call Of The Karoo (JP van der Merwe, red cap) and Between The Lines (Ashton Arries, polka dot cap) complete the trifecta | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

He is raced in a partnership of the breeder and Fiona Carmichael’s Westward Bloodstock Ltd.

A R1 million Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate, he was a horse that trainer Justin Snaith admitted that he had fallen in love with when he arrived at the yard.

Cape Racing’s attention to detail with their new-look juvenile programme is clearly paying dividends in an environment where we would not have seen this kind of quality on show so early on, in years gone by. Increased stakes and a revitalized and a well-thought-out programme have well and truly changed the

landscape of juvenile competition in the province. Let’s hope that more trainers will be buying in.

Next up on the eight racemeeting calendar of summer action is the Sip & Shop, featuring the World Sports Betting Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas on 7 December.

COMMANDS THE DAY ONE WORLD

Victory for the sons of One World! One Stripe (Gavin Lerena) wins the Gr2 Cape Punters Cup while stablemate All Out For Six (JP van der Merwe, blue cap) holds on for 2nd | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

Met winning champion One World was the toast of Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, when the Equus Champion supplied three Vaughan Marshall-trained winners.

One World runners, Lion Rampart, Kaiboy and Miss World filled the first three positions in Saturday’s Listed World Sports Betting Sophomore Sprint, while the sire sensation’s sons One Stripe, All Out For Six and Captain West finished first, second and fourth in the Gr2 Cape Punters Cup.

Another son of One World, World Of Pleasure, showed tremendous courage to win Saturday’s eighth race, with the three-year-old prevailing in a ding-dong finish.At Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday, One World marked another winner courtesy of the Riverton bred Master Tommie, who shed his maiden in impressive style in the opener.

It is hard to see One World not making his mark on the upcoming Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape

Guineas, a race won by his sire back in 2000, given Saturday’s results. And he remains one of South Africa’s brightest stallion prospects.

However, as impressive as One World’s record at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday was, the influence of his late sire Captain Al should not be overlooked.

Captain Al is the paternal grandsire of the first three home in the Sophomore Sprint and is also either paternal or maternal grandsire of the first four home in the 2024 Cape Punters Cup. It is worth noting that third-placed finisher Eight On Eighteen (Lancaster Bomber) is out of the Captain Al daughter Sempre Libre.

Captain Al is also broodmare sire of Double Grand Slam (Vercingetorix), winner of

Lion Rampart under Richard Fourie wins the World Sports Betting Listed Sophomore Sprint | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

Saturday’s Summer Bowl, as well as Congressman (Querari), winner of the tenth and final race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

Double Grand Slam is out of the Captain Al sired Gr3 The Debutante winner Princess Peach, a full-sister to Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery queen Princess Alberta. Princess Peach’s Gr2 Sceptre Stakes winning half-sister Badger’s Cove ranks, in turn, as the granddam of Saturday’s Listed World Sports Betting Sophomore Sprint winner Lion Rampart.

Captain Al’s champion son Captain Of All looked a little unlucky not to have a winner on Saturday’s card, with his son Meu Capitano beaten just a short-head in the World Sports Betting Bantry Bay Stakes, with recent Kuda Gr3 Matchem Stakes winner Questioning (ex Wheredowego, a daughter of Captain Al), finishing third in the Bantry Bay Stakes.

Another son of Captain Al, Cape Guineas winner William Longsword, also went close to having a winner at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. His two-year-old daughter Call Of The Karoo made a pleasing debut when she

finished second in the Futurity Plate.

Currently heading the Leading Broodmare Sires premiership for 2024-2025, Captain Al could well make his presence felt yet again at Turffontein this coming Saturday.

Broodmare sire of Betway Gr1 Summer Cup hopeful My Soul Mate, Captain Al is also paternal grandsire of the Betway Gr3 Fillies Mile contenders World Of Alice (One World), Fiery Pegasus (Captain Of All), Willy Meet Again (William Longsword), and Miss Scaletta (William Longsword).

Captain Al could also make his mark as a grandsire in the New Turf Carriers Gr3 Merchants. This race was won last year by his grandson Dyce. The latter’s sire William Longsword is responsible for Merchant hopefuls Melech and Rulership.

The late son of Al Mufti is also broodmare sire of the Betway Gr3 Carry On Alice Stakes contenders Passchendaele (Querari) and Mia Moo (Vercingetorix).

The Western Cape Equine Trust (WCET) was established as a Non-Profit Organization (NPO) and is registered as a Public Benefit Organisation with the express purpose of raising funds to generally improve the life of equines.

Cape Racing are hosting the Western Cape Equine Trust’s annual Fund Raiser on Saturday 7 December at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. Bookings can be made by email: members@capeturfclub.co.za or on the whatsapp line 071 012 0486.

Lion Rampart (Richard Fourie) registers a second career stakes success | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

Drakenstein’s record-breaking 2023/24 season champion freshman sire One World celebrated a 1-2-3 in Saturday’s R250 000 World Sports Betting Listed Sophomore Sprint at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

In an encouraging endorsement for the 3yo season prospects of the progeny of the son of Captain Al, One World’s smart son Lion Rampart registered a second career stakes success – his first as a 3yo – when easily accounting for fellow ‘One Worlders’ Kai Boy and the gutsy filly, Miss World.

Going off as tote favourite in the 1200m contest, Lion Rampart (1-1) gathered himself and went past Handsome Prince and Kaiboy to lead early.

Back in the hands of regular pilot, the Ridgemont-sponsored Richard Fourie, Lion Rampart proceeded to run them off their feet as Kaiboy (4-1) tried hard, but couldn’t get into the mix.

With no time recorded, Lion Rampart beat Kai Boy by three quarters of a length, with Miss World 0,30 lengths back, just shading Handsome Prince in fourth. The race was hand-timed at 71,1 secs.

A very well-bought R150 000 purchase – one of his astute trainer Vaughan Marshall’s personal picks – at the 2023 National Yearling Sale, the Hollywood Syndicate-raced Lion Rampart has matured nicely

Ridgemont bred the winner from the Var mare, Saltire, a three-time winning speed queen.

Lion Rampart has now won 4 races with 4 places from 9 starts and stakes of R672 127.

A son of past champion Captain Al, One World equalled his sire’s record for the number of individual two-year-old winners in a single South African term last season.

One World, Equus Champion Older Male of 2019-2020, ended the season with 30 individual first-crop winners to his name and he finished second behind reigning South African

Champion Sire Gimmethegreenlight, on South Africa’s Leading Sires of 2yo’s premiership.

One World’s first two-year-olds won 40 races and earned over R5,2 million in prize money last season.

Lion Rampart and Richard Fourie are led in by Hollywood’s Dermot O’ Connell and Anthony Delpech Credit: Chase Liebenberg

Ziyasha (Raymond Danielson) holds on to beat Meu Capitano under Richard Fourie in the red cap| Credit: Chase Liebenberg

Highveld trainer Clinton Binda’s Cape Summer campaign landed back on its feet in the space of 63,91 seconds at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday when the gutsy Rafeef gelding Ziyasha finally produced something near his best to win the R225 000 World Sports Betting non black-type Bantry Bay Stakes by a nostril at a knockout 40-1.

After two modest starts in the Cape, and with dreams of taking on the best in the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship on Met day evaporating fast, Binda took the blinkers off and flew Winning Form-jockey Raymond Danielson in for the ride. ‘Stingray’, something of a low-key super sub at the best of times, had once got Ziyasha to within a neck of champion sprinter Thunderstruck in a Pinnacle Stakes at Turffontein, and seemed like as good an option as any.

It panned out, and after pinging the gates in the fourteen-strong field, Ziyasha was always in the firing line as Bereave and The Abdicator led the charge early.

Going into the final 250m, Ziyasha was up for the taking as he raced in the open.

But he found another gear and held on to beat the fancied Meu Capitano (2-1), with the consistent Questioning (9-4) a length further back in third ahead of Future Variety (20-1), who capped the quartet, 2,55 lengths off the winner.

“I must thank so many people. And I must say I don’t usually buy crooked legged horses, but Craig Carey said he’s a machine,” mused a delighted Clinton Binda as he explained that his charge was having his peak run today and said that the feature plans were back on track and that they may even stay on for the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes

A second consecutive feature winner bred by the high-riding Ridgemont on the afternoon, the winner is a son of Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) out of the four-time winning Kingmambo mare Kelly’s Olympics.

A winner of 5 races with 9 places from his 15 starts, Ziyasha took his stakes bank to R548 550. He cost R325 000 at the National Yearling Sale.

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FOUR PLAYERS STRIKE PUNTERS’ GOLD

Four thrilled regular Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge players shared the R770 000 all-or-nothing jackpot prize when the sun set after eight races of mostly punter-friendly results in the KZN Capital City on Sunday evening.

Hollywoodbets Scottsville was the host venue for local racing on the day, and with 6 tote favourites arriving in the eight events, and the longest priced winner being the 7-1 Ayuwi Yuwi for Garth Puller and the high-riding Hollywood Syndicate, there was always going to be a tight tussle at the top of the competition leaderboard.

South Africa’s most popular horseracing competition of all time, the Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge has created a host of big

winners, paying out multi-million rands worth of prize money over the past four years and on Sunday it was regulars chris777, Toyvan, b tail and Preleen06 all found 8 winners for a points tally of 104,96 on the day to each bank R192 500.

The Hollywood Syndicate rounded off a terrific weekend with a treble on Sunday, after a glorious feature double courtesy of Lion Rampart and Ziyasha in the Cape on Saturday!

Damian Pillay drives Ayuwi Yuwi up the outside to beat tote favourite Lady Of Vix (Mathew Thackeray) in a good finish to the penultimate race | Credit: Candiese Lenferna

“Thank you Hollywoodbets. What a great competition and what a wonderful windfall,” player Toyvan told the Sporting Post on Sunday. The 62-year-old unemployed former municipal employee was the only one of the quartet of winners to answer the Sporting Post’s call on Sunday evening, and is a regular player of the competition.

The man who banked the ‘very welcome’, as he put it, R192 500, conceded that, despite being introduced to horse racing by his late Dad and a neighbour, when he started playing 25 cents Place Accumulators ‘back in the day’, he also really enjoyed his soccer bets with Hollywoodbets.

“We had prayers this morning as we sadly recently had a passing in the family. I was quite rushed and thus just had a quick look at the form and the jockeys. I didn’t have time to play the minimum R50 on the programmatically

generated betslip – pity!” added Toyvan, as he realized that he could have doubled his payout in the process.

It has been shown again that a key to the Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge, beyond finding the winners, is to double your payout prospects by wagering a minimum R50 on the programmatically generated betslip.

For local racemeetings, the value of the allor-nothing jackpot prize is determined by the number of runners multiplied by R10 000, for all venues.

For example, if there are 77 starters, as there were today, then the all-or-nothing prize will be based on that total multiplied by R10 000 each, giving a value of R870 000 as the prize.

If you wager the minimum of R50 on the betslip, the payout double to R1 740 000.

For Hong Kong race-meetings, the jackpot prize is calculated on the number of races carded.

With 8 or 9 races carded and completed, the jackpot is R125 000 (or R250 000 with a betslip minimum of R50) or with 10 or more races carded and completed, R250 000 (or R500 000 with a betslip minimum of R50).

Over and above the premier aim of finding all the winners, daily prize money of R5 000 for each of the scheduled race meetings will be shared by the top 20 players on the points leaderboard at the end of the day.

These payouts are also doubled if the minimum R50 wager on the bet slip is taken!

The Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge is very easy to understand and to play.

All one needs is a Hollywoodbets account and the choice is yours to either select one horse in each of the races at the designated race-meeting or opt to make use of one of the ‘quick-pick’ options and take a chance on the universe!

Players receive points depending on where their selection finishes in a race, and how many actual runners there are in a race.

Taking the example of a twelve-horse race, the winner will receive 12 points, second earns 11 points, third 10 points, all the way down to last position with 1 point.

In a seven-horse race, the winner will receive 7 points, the runner-up will receive 6 points, and so on.

Bonus points are awarded for winning selections, where the Hollywoodbets Starting Price (SP) for that horse will be added to the points awarded.

If the winning horse’s SP is 4/1 for example, then an additional 5 points (4 + 1) will be added to the points earned. In the mentioned twelve-horse race example the winning selection, if starting at 4-1, would have 17 points awarded (12 plus 5 bonus points).

It’s fun to follow your progress on the log throughout the race-meeting by visiting the Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge website.

SNAITH FILLY SILENCES DETRACTORS

Double Grand Slam (Richard Fourie) bounced back to her best. Rainbow Lorikeet (JP van der Merwe, yellow cap) stays on for 2nd with Saartjie (Corne Orffer, purple cap) taking 3rd | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

Best known as the filly that earned Richard Fourie his place in the history books in his last record-breaking season courtesy of his 335th winner, Double Grand Slam bounced back to her best at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday with a smooth victory in the R180 000 Summer Bowl.

Said by the now Ridgemont-sponsored Richard Fourie to have been ‘angry’ after being beaten by adversary Red Palace at her last start, the daughter of Vercingetorix returned trimmed down 13kgs by trainer Justin Snaith and proceeded to register her first victory over a mile, in the process silencing her detractors.

“She took that last defeat personally. And we love a challenge,” quipped Snaith after Double Grand Slam (5-2) had turned on the jets late to overhaul the game pacesetter Rascova.

With the 33-1 shot Rainbow Lorikeet running out of her skin and chasing hard and a flattering half-length adrift for the second cheque, it was left to Saartjie (14-1) to pick up

the pieces and round off the trifecta a length back in third.

Rascova had done all the donkey work as is her style and had to settle for fourth and only 1,80 lengths behind the impressive winner.

The favourite Red Palace (13-10) never showed.

A R1 million National Yearling Sale purchase, Double Grand Slam is raced by Dave Maclean, Suzette Viljoen and Gary Player, and was bred by Varsfontein. She is by Vercingetorix (Silvano) out of the two-time winning Captain Al mare Princess Peach.

Double Grand Slam has won 6 races with 6 places from 14 starts for stakes of R1 299 338.

DAUGHTER OF THE UNITED STATES MAKES IT 6 WINS

Purchased by Emmanuel Kaknis for just R15 000 as an unplaced-in- three starts 2yo off the Ashley Fortune Racing Sale in June 2023, Symbol Of Love registered a career peak victory in the R175 000 non black-type Glendore Sprint at Fairview on Friday.

What the Five Star Racing trainer saw in the rather plain chestnut daughter of The United

States at the Fortune’s Vaal yard we won’t know. But she did hail from a top breeding establishment and her French Deputy mare had produced a number of winners.

On Friday, Symbol Of Love (25-1) bounded forward under Jason Gates from midfield up the home straight to beat Ellorix (4-1) to win the 10000m polytrack contest in a time of 57,5 secs. Anuschka’s World (4-1) stayed

Jason Gates has Symbol Of Love in control as Ellorix (Kabelo Matsunyane) chases hard | Credit: Pauline Herman

on into third, with the topweight and 7-2 favourite Three Rocks fading to fourth.

A winner of 6 races with 14 places from her 32 career starts, Symbol Of Love took her stakes earnings to R465 625. Not half bad for a R15 000 buy!

Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, the winner is a daughter of Moutonshoek’s Galileo stallion The United States out of the once winning French Deputy mare Malmaison. Symbol Of Love’s victory was

something of a breakthrough moment for the luckless Jason Gates, who broke the ice after a drought followed his 4 winners in the Mauritius International Jockeys Challenge in early October.

Gavin Smith and Calvin Habib led the standings on the day with a three timer, while Alan Greeff and Richard Fourie ended with a double.

The next Fairview racemeeting is on the polytrack on Friday, 29 November.

MAT RETURNS HOME AMID ‘RENEWED CONFIDENCE’

Expatriate South African trainer

Mathew de Kock’s decision to quit Australian racing more than four years after he arrived may have come as a shock to many, but it shouldn’t be a complete surprise.

De Kock, a 33-year-old father of two young children with his wife Monique, cited family reasons for his return to South Africa in a note to owners sent by he and training partner Robbie Griffiths this week.

It was a position de Kock reiterated in the media on Wednesday, confirming that he will reunite with his father Mike when he returns home early next year.

Moving closer to his family is understandable but given the recent disparity between Australia’s and South Africa’s racing industry, such a decision would have been unthinkable over the past decade.

But there is newfound optimism about the future of racing in South Africa after years of negativity and industry and political unrest. It’s this turnaround which provides de Kock with extra incentive to join forces with his father in the New Year.

Well-known Kiwi thoroughbred auctioneer Steve Davis, who holds the gavel at New Zealand Bloodstock, Magic Millions and Bloodstock South Africa horse sales each

Mike and Mathew de Kock will become training partners in 2025 | Credit: Mike de Kock Racing

year, has witnessed first-hand the increased participation in racing in South Africa.

“The sales this year had a 95, 94 and 92 per cent clearance rate. And the figures on two of the sales were up 30 per cent on last year,” Davis told The Straight.

“The BSA (Bloodstock South Africa) sales have gone bloody well. There is no question of that. There is a lift and it is all domestically driven, although there is that perception that down the line, with the opening of the borders, they’re going to be able to trade these horses internationally. There’s renewed confidence there.”

In March, authorities announced that the export of horses from South Africa directly to the European Union would be reopened for the first time in 13 years, a major milestone and boost to the local thoroughbred industry after more than six years of lobbying to governments to overturn the ban that was implemented due to the ongoing outbreak of African Horse Sickness.

Organisations controlling racing in South Africa, including pari-mutuel totaliser betting, Phumelela Gaming and Gold Circle, have also experienced major financial troubles.

Phumalela Gaming, which ran racing in Johannesburg and seven other provinces, went broke about two years ago. South African billionaire Mary Slack, a prominent owner, has effectively saved racing in that region while Hollywoodbets and Greg Bortz, another significant South African industry figure, have taken over racing in the Cape from Gold Circle.

The sale of Gold Circle, which still runs the industry in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, to Hollywoodbets is on the verge of being completed. KwaZulu-Natal is home to Greyville

racecourse where Africa’s biggest race, the Durban July, is staged.

Gold Circle chief executive Michel Nairac is also optimistic about the future of racing in South Africa under the new regime after enduring years of financial hardship.

“The injection of capital from Hollywoodbets has given a lot of positivity to the business of racing,” Nairac told The Straight. “The yearling sales have been fantastic the last two years. Then, in South Africa, there’s been the election of the Government of National Unity, which has also brought a lot of positivity into the market.

“People have got like a spring in their step and I think the combination of all these things has racing on the up.”

De Kock’s imminent return follows leading South African horseman Justin Snaith, who has some of the nation’s wealthiest and biggest owners on his books, committing to his home country’s racing industry by knocking back an opportunity to join the coveted Hong Kong training ranks about two years ago.

It also appears that de Kock’s champion trainer father Mike has abandoned plans to relocate to Australia.

From the time Mat de Kock linked up with Griffiths in 2020, there were murmurs that it was only a matter of time before his father Mike would be joining his son in Victoria.

De Kock Sr, an imposing training figure on the international stage who has 141 Group 1 winners to his name since taking out his licence in 1988, had announced in August 2019 that he would be opening a satellite stable at Cranbourne to be run by Mat.

But the opportunity for his son to partner with Griffiths took precedence and Mike de Kock has continued to operate his stable in South Africa, most recently from the Summerveld Training Centre near Durban. Griffiths and Mat de Kock have trained 244 winners, nine of them at black-type level including last Saturday’s Flemington Listed winner Rey Magnerio.

Mat de Kock is also upbeat about the sport in South Africa.

“It’s actually going very, very well. It’s in a good place; there’s a lot of investments happening and the sales this year were record highs, so

there seems to be a buzz around South African racing and our quarantine protocols have eased,” de Kock told Melbourne radio station RSN927 on Wednesday.

“We had two runners at the Breeders’ Cup, at Del Mar in America, over the last week from South Africa so it’s really looking bright for the future.”

De Kock also reiterated that the importance of family had been behind much of his “really hard” decision.

“When, now wife, Monique and I moved over to Australia we were just a single couple, not sure

Trainer Mike de Kock has abandoned plans to relocate to Australia | Credit: Candiese Lenferna

what to expect coming on an adventure, and since being here we’ve had Liam, who is twoand-a-half years old now and Olivia, who is four weeks old,” he said.

“It just became increasingly difficult to be away from family, and the family are not looking like they’re coming here, so we had to make the decision.

“It was a really hard one, but I think it’s what’s best for us as a family.”

Griffiths, whose partnership with de Kock will end on December 31, said it would be business

as usual for his Group 1-winning Cranbournebased stable.

“The extension of Mathew and Monique’s family has contributed to their decision to return to South Africa and raise their young family, uniting with their parents and siblings,” a Griffiths Racing statement read.

“While we are sad to see Mat, Monique, Liam and Olivia return to South Africa, they have our understanding and support in their decision.”

www.thestraight.com.au

MAURITIUS

– BETTER DAYS COULD BE SET TO RETURN

This decision, originally reported on www.sahracing.com, was officially confirmed on Friday 22 November 22 2024, by the Cote d’Or International Racecourse and Entertainment Complex Limited (COIREC), ensuring the historic venue remains under the stewardship of the Bicentennial Club.

A draft of 36 horses exported from South Africa arrived just days earlier.

The announcement solidifies the MTC’s role as the primary custodian of horse racing at Champ de Mars, a venue celebrated as the oldest racecourse in the southern hemisphere.

This exclusivity comes after the rejection of a competing bid by Elite Horseracing

Limited, a relatively new player in the racing industry. Despite their aspirations to establish themselves as a force in Mauritius’ racing scene, their proposal did not meet the necessary criteria.

For the MTC, this development signals continuity and stability. Over the years, the club has played a pivotal role in preserving and promoting horse racing traditions in Mauritius. Champ de Mars has hosted countless memorable moments, becoming an integral part of the island’s cultural and sporting identity.

By maintaining control of the track, the MTC now has the opportunity to focus on elevating the standard of racing and expanding its appeal

The Mauritius Turf Club (MTC) has secured exclusive rights to the Champ de Mars racecourse, marking a significant milestone in the club’s illustrious 200-year history.

The future looks brighter for Champ de Mars Racecourse | Credit: Mauritius Turf Club

to both local and international audiences. The club’s long-standing experience, coupled with its commitment to innovation, positions it well to drive the sport forward in Mauritius.

The decision is also a relief to racing enthusiasts who had expressed concerns over the possibility of Champ de Mars being managed by a less experienced entity.

For many, the track represents more than a sporting venue; it is a symbol of heritage and passion, which they trust the MTC to uphold.

As the MTC takes the reins once again, all eyes will be on its next steps in enhancing the racing calendar, improving facilities, and ensuring that Champ de Mars continues to thrive as the heart of Mauritian horse racing.

Other than re-opening a solid export market, the Sporting Post has not yet been able to determine what further practical implications the move will have for SA horseracing.

www.sahracing.com – additional by SP Editorial staff

ONE STRIPE MOVES UP TO 118

One Stripe has seen his rating increased to 118 from 112 after impressively landing the Gr2 Cape Punters Cup for 3-year-olds at level weights over 1 600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

Here, it was third-placed Eight On Eighteen, who was deemed to be the most suitable line horse and as such, his rating remained on 110.

In rating the race this way, second placed, All Out For Six, performed to 112 for beating the 110 rated line horse by a length (2 points) at level weights. His rating was adjusted accordingly from 107.

The were no downward adjustments for any runner in this race.

World Sports Betting Listed Sophomore Sprint

Lion Rampart, who was well-weighted,

remained unchanged on a rating of 111 following his win in the World Sports Betting Listed Sophomore Sprint for 3-year-olds over 1 200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

The Handicappers were unanimous in their view that third placed Miss World was the most suitable line horse to rate this race, leaving her rating unaltered on 97.

The winner aside, two more runners received upward adjustments in their ratings. Second placed Kaiboy, who carried 2.5kg more than the 97 rated line horse (making him a 5-point better horse) goes up to 102 from 94 and fourth placed Handsome Prince was increased from 96 to 98.

No runner received a drop in the ratings following this contest.

• Media release by the NHA on Tuesday, 26 November 2024.

COOLMORE & HARRINGTON STAR AT 34TH CARTIER RACING AWARDS

Sam Magnier and Christy Grassick with the Cartier Stayer award, presented by Oisin Murphy | Credit: Supplied

IRELAND ENJOYED A SPECTACULAR NIGHT AT THE 34TH CARTIER RACING AWARDS AT THE DORCHESTER IN LONDON ON WEDNESDAY, 20 NOVEMBER, WITH IRISH-TRAINED HORSES TAKING FIVE OF THE EIGHT EQUINE AWARDS AND JESSICA HARRINGTON RECEIVING THE CARTIER/ THE DAILY TELEGRAPH AWARD OF MERIT.

City Of Troy won the evening’s premier equine accolade as he was crowned the Cartier Horse of the Year, in addition to the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt award, after capturing the Betfred Derby, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International during a superb summer.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien for a Coolmore partnership that includes Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith, the son of Justify becomes only the second horse after Frankel to receive the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt and the Cartier Horse of the Year accolade in successive years.

Coolmore Ireland manager Christy Grassick collected the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt award and said: “We’ve always tried every year to produce a star champion and have been very lucky that we’ve had the partners involved. This horse has been very special to us all. A special thank you goes to the other people who work behind the scenes, and we have to mention our jockey and trainer who have been hugely part of his success. Everybody knows he has now retired and he is open for business!

“He’s a beautifully bred horse. A homebred from our point of view by Justify, and we feel he’s not too far behind a Frankel or a Sea The Stars. Aidan feels he is probably the best horse he has trained at Ballydoyle.

“Aidan couldn’t believe what happened in the Guineas and never lost faith in this horse. City Of Troy has proved Aidan right from day one –this has been a superstar as a two-year-old and right through his three-year-old career.

“We are trying to produce the next champion every time and you need to have the best at stud, that’s what people want. He’s a superstar with a beautiful pedigree and a beautiful looking horse, so we are really looking forward to him. I think he will be a huge asset to the breeding operations in Europe.”

John Magnier’s daughter Sam and her husband Charlie Pearson received the Cartier Horse of the Year Award from Laurent Feniou, Managing Director of Cartier UK.

Charlie Pearson said: “Thank you very much. I’m hugely humbled to be up here representing Coolmore. There’s not much really for me to add that Christy hasn’t already said about the horse. He’s a huge credit. The only thing for me to say is to really thank the horse, because he’s not here! Thank you for giving us such joy in watching him run. To the sponsors, The Daily Telegraph, Sky Sports Racing, Racing Post, Laurent – the support Cartier gives to everyone is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for a great evening.”

A busy night for Grassick also saw him collect the Cartier Stayer prize on behalf of Moyglare Stud Farm, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg for Kyprios, who took the award for a second time.

The son of Galileo, recipient of the award in 2022, bounced back to his best for Aidan O’Brien this season with seven straight wins including the Gold Cup, Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, Comer Group International Irish St Leger and Qatar Prix du Cadran.

Grassick said: “Kyprios has just been outstanding – we nearly lost him about two years ago. He just seems to be a lovely sort of a rogue in his own way. We need to make a special mention to Eva Marie [Bucher-Haefner], Moyglare and their team, we’re very grateful that we are involved, and the team at Ballydoyle that brought the horse back. Ryan [Moore], who knows the horse so well, needs a very special mention.

“I’m looking forward to him next year. As long as everything is sound and he is enjoying his

racing, he’s going to be back. I’m sure a few people are hoping he’s going to retire! But that’s not his plan at the moment. Thank you to Cartier, Laurent and the team, Sky Sports, and all the other sponsors.”

Jessica Harrington receives the Cartier/The Daily Telegraph Award of Merit from Marcus Armytage of the Daily Telegraph and Laurent Feniou| Credit: Supplied

MCDONALD DOES IT AGAIN!

Only four SA jockeys appear on the list of the world’s best jockeys.

Each year, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) and LONGINES present to the jockey with the best performance in the world’s highest-rated races, the LONGINES World’s best jockey award.

Only two SA races, in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and the L’Ormarins King’s Plate. have a ranking in the top 100.

SA jockeys Aldo Domeyer, Piere Strydom, Muzi Yeni and Smanga Khumalo get an honorary ranking as a result of their finishing positions in the two aforementioned contests.

Domeyer rode Charles Dickens to beat See It Again (Strydom) in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, while Muzi Yeni piloted Dave The King to victory over Cousin Casey (Khumalo) in the 2024 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge.

The scoring for the award is based upon performances in the 100 highest-rated Group 1 and Grade 1 races established for the year by the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee.

The scoring incorporates races from 01 December of the previous year until 30 November of the current year. Jockeys accrue 12 points for a win, 6 points for placing second, and 4 points for placing third.

For the second time it was James McDonald who solidified his status as one of the world’s

finest jockeys at the 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival, setting new records and ultimately claiming his second Longines World’s Best Jockey title in the process.

At Flemington during Cup Week, McDonald rode a phenomenal 11 winners across the Carnival’s four days, surpassing his own record of 10 set in 2021.

His triumphs included four Group 1 victories: Atishu in the TAB Empire Rose Stakes, Switzerland in the Coolmore Stud Stakes, Sunshine In Paris in the Darley Champions Sprint and Via Sistina in the TAB Champions Stakes. He also partnered Hinged to success in the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes and closed the week with a victory on Pisanello in the final race.

Reflecting on his historic week, McDonald expressed both pride and humility: “It means a lot. It should have been 15, as I butchered four,” he said. “It’s a privilege and an honour to ride here this week. Great atmosphere, the crowds make it so much fun.

These four days are very special. The colour, the vibe, everything about it is special. It’s one of the best in racing.”

McDonald’s four victories on TAB Champions Day marked the fourth time in his career he has achieved such a feat at the Melbourne Cup Carnival. He capped off the week by winning the Ron Hutchinson Award for the leading rider of Cup Week, his fourth straight year winning the award.

McDonald’s dream week also secured him the 2024 Longines World’s Best Jockey title. With four Group 1 wins and a third-place finish aboard Fangirl in the Champions Mile, McDonald amassed 160 points, edging out rival Ryan Moore, who finished with 150 points.

The World’s Best Jockey title recognises winners of premier races across the globe, and McDonald’s consistency at the highest level proved decisive. Moore, who has won the accolade five times, needed a victory aboard

Auguste Rodin in the Japan Cup to overtake McDonald but fell short as local star Do Deuce, ridden by Japanese legend Yutaka Take, claimed the race.

McDonald, who previously won the title in 2022, acknowledged the immense support behind his success. “I ride for some brilliant trainers, I get on the best horses, and I’m lucky to be able to drive them. I steer them around a white rail and hope for the best – they do the rest.”

HELL HATH NO FURY…

Milnerton trainer Candice BassRobinson is usually diplomacy personified, but was in a no-nonsense mood at an unseasonally wet Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Tuesday when she implored racing authorities to get their house in order regarding the TC02 testing protocols.

Candice’s Pomodoro gelding La Pulga had just been withdrawn at 13h49 due to elevated TCO2 levels from the fifth race and she was doing the post-race interview formalities for her impressive maiden winner King’s Quest, who duly arrived to win the 1400m fourth after gelding.

“La Pulga is a horse who displays highish levels of TC02 every time he comes racing. It is extremely stressful and frustrating. We can’t even enjoy our win as we are worrying about this. What are we supposed to tell owners? To get rid of them or sell them? It is very disappointing and something seriously needs to be done. We cannot continue racing like this,” added the clearly angry horsewoman.

The National Horseracing Authority recently issued a notice stating that in order to reduce the number of horses requiring a second test, and in an effort to ensure that the above 99.7% normal population of horses is catered for, the following new specimen collection procedures for TCO2 analysis were implemented on race days, with effect from 1 October 2024:

Trainers will, prior thereto, be notified of the horses selected for pre-race TCO2 testing and analysis.

A blood specimen is collected from each selected horse approximately 60 minutes prior to the published race time. Immediate analysis will be performed by means of an NHA approved handheld blood gas analyser, ‘the first test’.

Where such analysis shows that a horse has a TCO2 concentration of more than 36 mmol/L, a second blood specimen, ‘the second test’, will be collected, a minimum of 10 minutes after the first test.

If the TCO2 concentration of the second blood specimen is more than 38 mmol/L, the stewards shall withdraw the horse from the race and detain the horse for additional specimen collection.

Under these circumstances, a third blood specimen will be collected a minimum of 30 minutes after the second test.

The steward/s may, at their sole discretion, instruct a specimen collector to subsequently collect further specimens from the horse, for inter alia analytical testing of all prohibited substances.

The steward/s notify the race day commentator of any horse which is passed to run, which underwent a second test.

As the season progresses, the NHA undertook to remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of transparency and testing integrity.

These procedural enhancements will allow the NHA to increase the number of horses tested pre-race.

Additionally, TCO2 analysis will extend to outof-competition specimens collected from stable yards, based on intelligence, to further develop the TCO2 biological passport for each horse.

This passport will enable the NHA to analyze and track TCO2 levels over time for every horse tested.

Maybe La Pulga can be used as a test case?

Steven Wells would have enjoyed watching Brian Hernandez jnr raise his hands in joy after Thorpedo Anna won the Longines Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Credit: Candiese Lenferna

BAR OWNER BAGS BREEDERS’ CUP BETTING CHALLENGE WIN

Accumulating $158,000 by betting More Than Looks in the FanDuel Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Mile, Steven Wells, a bar owner from Fordville, North Dakota, won a record-setting edition of the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC).

The 16th annual Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge, Thoroughbred racing’s biggest live-money tournament, was held on 1 and 2 November and drew a record 585 entries as top horseplayers wagered on the 41st Breeders’ Cup World Championships’ two-day programme at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California.

The tournament players generated nearly $7.3 million in wagering turnover, with over $4 million of that total wagered by a record number of entries on-track (337) at Del Mar, representing more than 20 % of the total on-track handle.

In the 2024 BCBC, each player was required to fund a $2,500 buy-in and a $7,500 betting bankroll ($10,000 total).

All buy-in monies were applied to the prize pool, making a record total prize pool of $1,462,500.

Players made real wagers (win, place, show, exacta, trifecta and daily double) with their $7,500 bankroll over the two days (22 races) and kept all monies earned from their wagering.

Wells, 51, finished with a total score of 152,000 points. Combined with his firstplace prize of $421,200, he earned a grand total of $573,200.

Tyler Sprague of Las Vegas, NV, finished second, with 130,600 points, and with his $280,800 prize money added, amassed a total of $411,400.

Tyler Hoffman of Sylmar, Calif., finished in third place, garnering 115,500 points, and combined with prize money of $152,100, earning a grand total of $267,600.

In addition to those wagering at Del Mar, players participated in the BCBC from official satellite locations at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., and Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Players also participated online at TVG.com― the official wagering partner of Breeders’ Cup― Xpressbet.com, Twinspires.com, NYRABets. com, 4NJBets.com, and HPIbet.com.

Wells, whose father and grandfather owned and raced Quarter Horses growing up in Arizona, has played in the BCBC since 2014. “I am very satisfied,” he said. “I’ve won a lot of live money tournaments, but this is the biggest.”

Wells also keeps an eye on horses he likes in major stakes and had his sights on More Than Looks since this summer at Saratoga, figuring he might get a big price on him at the Breeders’ Cup.

On Breeders’ Cup Saturday, Wells started his rally when he earned $17,500 betting Thorpedo Anna to win the Longines Gr1 Breeders’ Cup

Steven Wells – hopefully bought his customers a round after this big win! | Credit: Supplied

Distaff and followed up with $100 exacta score on Rebel’s Romance (IRE) and Rousham Park (JPN) in the Longines Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf, which netted $22,000.

Wells didn’t get the big price he figured on More Than Looks in the Breeders’ Cup Mile but settled for a shade under 7-1, and the 4-year-old returned $15.80. A $158,000 bankroll catapulted Wells to tournament champion.

Second-place finisher Sprague amassed his $130,600 bankroll through all-in wagers on

Lake Victoria (IRE) in the John Deere Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Friday, then an all-in wager on Henri Matisse (IRE) in the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

He then rolled that balance into a $44,000 win wager on Rebel’s Romance in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf on Saturday.

Complete tournament results are available here.

MILLIONS TASMANIAN CATALOGUE IS VALUE PACKED

Renowned by buyers for its quality and value, the Tasmanian Yearling Sale has a proud history of producing racetrack stars right across Australia and with a quality catalogue this coming February that tradition looks set to continue.

Quercus Park, on the outskirts of Launceston, will again play host to the state’s premier thoroughbred offering with the auction to be held on Monday, 24 February 2025.

A top class offering of 126 yearlings, by in excess of 50 individual sires, has been catalogued for 2025. Some 89 of the 126 lots are TasBred, 10 lots are VOBIS Silver and 33 lots are VOBIS Sires.

Much interest will surround the stock by eight first season sires – Acrobat, Extreme Warrior, Portland Sky, Quick Thinker, St Mark’s Basilica, Tiger of Malay, Wild Ruler and Wooded.

“Like so many buyers, we love the Tasmanian Yearling Sale,” Magic Millions Managing

Director Barry Bowditch said. “The yearlings offered each year at the sale get the best possible start with the pristine environment in which they are born and raised.”

“It’s no surprise when these horses develop into highly talented racehorses and feature regularly in the winners’ stalls at tracks across Tasmania as well as the mainland.”

“Speaking with the team, led by Tim Brown, who brought the catalogue together, I’m confident this proud sale history will continue to flourish.”

The build up to the 2025 Tasmanian Yearling Sale will intensify on Sunday, 02 February with the staging of the Magic Millions feature races on the Apple Isle.

The 2025 Tasmanian Yearling Sale catalogue is now available online | Credit: Magic Millions

Launceston’s Mowbray Racecourse will play host to the A$85,000 Magic Millions Tasmanian 2YO Classic, a race which also carries a A$10,000 Racing Women’s Bonus, and the A$75,000 Magic Millions Tasmanian 3YO & 4YO Classic.

Earlier this year those feature races were captured by the quality performers Ms Tasmania and Cartoon Graveyard who are set to feature over the upcoming Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival.

All lots offered on 24 February 2025 are eligible to be paid up for the world leading Magic Millions Race Series – boasting 28 races and well in excess of A$20 million in prizemoney and bonuses nationally each year.

To view the catalogue for the 2025 Tasmanian Yearling Sale catalogue, click here or download it on iPad via the Equineline Catalogue app.

IT’S ALL IN THE FACT FOR MULLINS

Sunday’s John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase was billed as the race of the season and did not disappoint as last term’s top novice chasers Fact To File and Spillane’s Tower, both owned by JP McManus, fought out a memorable finish.

This early season Group 1 had everything. A bold-jumping display from the front by the champ Galopin Des Champs provided much of the drama but did not deliver a winning outcome, as Mark Walsh on Fact To File and Jack Kennedy on Spillane’s Tower were content to sit off the generous pace, and the dual Gold Cup hero began to feel the pressure just before the last.

Fact To File made his move between the last two fences, with Spillane’s Tower following him through travelling best. It was all to play for jumping the last, with Spillane’s Tower looking to have the momentum, but Walsh had saved a bit, and he managed to produce just enough to hold off his younger rival by half a length.

Willie Mullins who saddled the reigning champion and the young pretender observed: “I think testament to the race was the fact my horse Grangeclare West, who tried to keep up with Galopin Des Champs, had to pull up before the last. It shows they went a true gallop

and Galopin kept on to finish third, so it was a fantastic run. I certainly wouldn’t be writing him off yet.”

As for the winner, he said: “I thought we were beaten when Spillane’s Tower came up beside us on the run-in, so it shows that Fact To File has made that leap to senior company. Mark said that he took a blow and when he got his second wind, he stayed on well to win. I love that he found that extra bit to get home.”

“It was a brilliant renewal of this race, probably one of the best ever. I think it (Gold Cup) is going to be some race at the end of the season.”

Spillane’s Tower’s trainer Jimmy Mangan remarked: “I’m absolutely over the moon with him. He hasn’t been on grass since he won here at the festival. We couldn’t, the ground has just been too firm. We have everything to look forward to now.”

Last year’s winner Fastorslow was the one slight disappointment, beaten six and a half lengths back in fourth, and trainer Martin Brassil said: “He travelled well to the third-last when he got upsides the leader, but he just couldn’t accelerate on that dead ground. It’s the first

time we’ve run him on ground like that, but he kept going to the line and we’re happy with him.”

Fact To File and Spillane’s Tower both showed great progression to defeat the established brigade on their first start in open company. However, Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow appreciate further so it was effectively the speed horses coming out on top.

It always had the makings of an informative weekend in the Gold Cup division, with five of the first six in the ante-post market for the Cheltenham showpiece making their seasonal returns in either Haydock’s Betfair Chase or the John Durkan.

Grey Dawning did not win the Gr1 Betfair Chase, but it was a gallant effort in heavy going on his first start out of novice company behind the ‘mudlark’ Royale Pagaille who successfully defended his title.

Galopin Des Champs gave Paul Townend a great spin on his return and will be better back over further, but Fact To File, who did not run over hurdles and was having just his fifth start over fences, is a huge threat to his stablemate’s chances of landing a third Gold Cup.

BARZALONA’S SET TO HAPPY UP THE VALLEY

There may be other jockeys who arrive at Happy Valley on 4 December for the HK$1 million LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) with more fanfare, or on the back of recent big race successes.

But none will arguably be in such a rich vein of form as Mickael Barzalona, who has been firing in the winners from every angle since late summer and who came within three victories of running down his great friend and rival Maxime Guyon over the course of a surprisingly tense ending to France’s jockeys’ championship, the Cravache d’Or, which reached its conclusion on the last day of October.

“Maxime opened up a big lead early in the season and there was a point when I was 19 wins behind and I couldn’t really see a way back into the running,” says Barzalona, who rode 189 winners over the course of the race for a championship he won for the first time in 2021.

“But I really began to close him down and to miss out by three winners is nothing really, especially as he had more than a hundred more rides than me.

“I rode 61 winners in the last two months of the race for the Cravache d’Or and in the final month I had 32 second-placed finishes, the same number as my tally of winners. I couldn’t have given any more and I’m very happy with the way I finished off.”

Nor has Barzalona, 33, let up the pressure in the month since the end of the counting period for the Cravache d’Or as he has sailed past the 200-winner mark for the calendar year, and he will head to Happy Valley with real determination to make a good showing in the LONGINES IJC.

2021’s tie for second behind Zac Purton is Barzalona’s best effort in five previous appearances at the LONGINES IJC, and another call-up is evidence of a successful year.

“It’s always very gratifying to be considered part of the elite circle of jockeys that receive an invite to the LONGINES IJC, which is the best challenge in the world and which any jockey would look forward to,” says Barzalona.

“Everything is done by the Club to make things smooth for us and it is great to be going up against the best from Britain and Ireland, Japan and Australia, not to mention the crack Hong Kong-based jockeys.”

Barzalona has had plenty of quality available to him to go with the quantity during 2024, with

a canny front-running ride aboard Tribalist to deny Europe’s champion miler Charyn in the Gr1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (1600m) in September the highlight.

“I’ve had a good year in terms of number of winners and riding good horses in the Group races, and perhaps I’ve just lacked a real top notcher,” says Barzalona.

“That can happen when you have a retainer with an owner or stable and with Godolphin this year, we’ve been short of a few flagbearers apart from Tribalist. I was delighted he was able to get his Group 1 victory.”

Following on from his appearance in last December’s Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m), Tribalist has been in rare form

Barzalona has won 4 races in Hong Kong | Credit: HKJC

throughout the year, clocking up a Group-race double at Saint-Cloud in the spring.

The five-year-old Farhh entire will not be returning to Sha Tin this time round but his Andre Fabre-trained stablemate Marquisat will take up the challenge in the HK$24 million Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m), a race which will have added poignancy for Barzalona as it will be his final Group 1 start as Godolphin’s retained rider in France, before he takes up the role of first jockey to His Highness the Aga Khan in January next year.

“Godolphin placed their faith in me at a very young age and it’s not an easy thing to think that this will be my final Group 1 start as their retained jockey,” says Barzalona.

“I have a new challenge now but if by chance I was able to come out on top one last time for them, it would make me enormously happy. Either way it’s been a wonderful adventure over the course of 12 years.”

The lightly-campaigned Marquisat was fifth on his first start at Group 1 level in the Gr1 Grosser Preis von Bayern (2400m) – the same race Junko used as a springboard to success for

Fabre in the 2023 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase – but Barzalona believes he has more quality than he was able to show in Munich.

“Marquisat has plenty of class and it’s unfortunate we haven’t quite seen the best of him yet,” says Barzalona. “This year he ran a great comeback race after an absence when he was pipped by Junko at Chantilly – passing the post I thought we might have won – and then after another break he ran very well on his next start behind Goliath at Longchamp.

“He got bumped coming out of the stalls in Germany but we managed to get in a position to strike if he’d had the gas but, for what was his first trip abroad and on really heavy ground, he wasn’t able to produce that turn of foot.”

Marquisat might not be among the likely favourites for the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase but as Junko reminded the world last December, runners from the Andre Fabre stable should always carry maximum respect when travelling abroad.

And before that, Mickael Barzalona will be going all out to prove himself first among 12 equals in the LONGINES IJC.

HEART’S CRY COLT GETS THERE IN DRAMATIC FASHION

Do Deuce justified strong favouritism in the 44th renewal of Japan’s most famous race – and with a thrilling lastto-first success under legendary jockey Yutaka Take – as the European challenge ultimately underwhelmed in the £5m Gr1 Japan Cup in Tokyo.

Yasuo Tomomichi’s five-year-old flopped in the 2022 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after edging out Equinox in that year’s Japanese Derby and, while his form had been up and down since then, his victory in last month’s Tenno Sho (Autumn) had established him as the one to beat and he duly gave his 55-year-old rider a record fifth success in the race.

Goliath fared the best of the international raiders in sixth and the King George winner ran well given he was keen enough off steady early

fractions, while Auguste Rodin- who sweated up beforehand – looked in a decent position under Ryan Moore but just couldn’t pick up in the straight as he finished eighth on his final career start.

Fantastic Moon made some early ground in the straight before flattening out to finish 11th of the 14 runners.

European form was advertised in the big-race finish, however, as Shin Emperor - just a length behind Economics in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes in September – dead-heated for second after racing on the pace while fellow joint-second Durezza, ridden by William Buick, showed his true colours after finishing fifth behind City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International at York last time.

Do Deuce (Yutaka Take) gets there to beat Shin Emperor (Ryusei Sakai) and Durezza (William Buick) in a thriller | Credit: JRA

Do Duece was last of the runners with six furlongs to run and his victory here was topclass given how he got himself to the front, coming wide into the straight with a brilliant, loping move around the outside and then not being hard pressed to keep his rivals at bay in the finish.

Racing TV’s Fran Berry said of the winner: “He’d arguably been frustrating as a four-yearold and hard to win with, but this autumn he’s been awesome and he’s really coming of age as a five-year-old by Heart’s Cry.

“I imagine the Arima Kinen at Christmas time –the race he won last year and where he really came back to form as a four-year-old – would be his swansong.

“At the age of five and given what he’s done this year – and beng a Japanese Derby winner as a three-year-old – I don’t think he has a lot more to prove.”

But Berry added: “We’ve seen with this owner, the ambition is to win an Arc with Yutaka Take on board. Who knows – will he come back to Europe?”

“The ground will always be the thing with him at Longchamp but he’s a more battle-hardened horse and he’s got a big engine and getting better with age.”

The Japan Cup, in its 44th year, and won for the past 18 years by home -based gallopers, continues to attract some of the top turf horses from around the world—67 runners from North America, 155 from Europe, 26 from Oceania and five from Asia—while a number of runners have made this race their starting point towards further international success in following years.

In last year’s edition, Equinox (JPN, by Kitasan Black) capped off his stellar career with an overwhelming victory and was given the top rating of 135 to become the World’s Best Racehorse.

Moreover, the Japan Cup itself was recognized as the world’s highest rated race with a rating of 126.75.

The winner:

• Sire: Heart’s Cry (JPN) (11f)

• Dam: Dust And Diamonds (USA)

• Dam’s Sire: Vindication (USA) (8.6f)

• Breeder: Northern Farm (jpn)

PATCH OF THETA TAKES CHEVALIER CUP

Patch Of Theta continued his impressive career progress at Sha Tin on Sunday when the consistent gelding claimed the HK$3,12 million Class 2 Chevalier Cup Handicap as Derek Leung and Cody Mo dominated with trebles.

Purchased for HK$8.6 million at the 2023 Hong Kong International Sale, Patch Of Theta improved his overall record to five wins and eight minor placings from 13 starts for champion trainer Francis Lui while boosting prizemoney earnings to HK$8.84 million.

Posting his first win beyond 1400m, the Zoustar gelding sealed a double for Lui by defeating Voyage Samurai and Sunlight Power in 1m 33.34s.

“He’s a nice horse and I think he still has a little bit more improvement. I think he can (go

higher than Class 2), but it all depends on the programme. There aren’t many races coming up for him. We’ll see,” Lui said.

Rated 52 at the start of last season, Patch Of Theta raced on a mark of 89 today.

Leung snared a treble after scoring on the undercard with Cody Mo-trained Super Wise Dragon and Alluring Laos to boost his season haul to 10 wins.

“It’s good and I’m very happy. I need to thank again the trainers and the owners for their

Patch Of Theta lands the Chevalier Cup | Credit: HKJC

support. Today is very lucky. I got three winners and a placing – I just need to keep it up,” Leung said.

“It hasn’t been smooth the past couple of meetings (with a three-day suspension), but it’s in the past. You’ve just got to move on. Things are getting better and it turned out pretty well today.”

James McDonald posts a double as he celebrates victory in the 2024 LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award.

James McDonald posts a double as he celebrates victory in the 2024 LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award.

James McDonald celebrated winning the 2024 LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award for the second time with a double, triumphing on Manfred Man’s Self Improvement in the Class 3 Chevalier Insurance Handicap (1200m, dirt) and David Eustace’s Swift Ascend in the Class 3 Chevalier Property Management Handicap (1200m).

McDonald was assured his second LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award when Auguste Rodin finished eighth in the Gr1 Japan Cup (2400m) in Tokyo on Sunday under Ryan Moore, leaving the New Zealander with 160 points to Moore’s 150 for results in the LONGINES World’s Top 100 Group 1 races.

“It’s a huge honour and it’s just reflective of all the good horses I’ve ridden – I could almost name it the Romantic Warrior Award, to be honest with you, because he was such a huge contributor,” McDonald said.

“He’s obviously a world champion in his own right, so you have to be part of those sort of horses – the Via Sistinas of the world – so those two horses (Romantic Warrior and Via Sistina)

“It’s a huge honour and it’s just reflective of all the good horses I’ve ridden – I could almost name it the Romantic Warrior Award, to be honest with you, because he was such a huge contributor,” McDonald said.

were huge contributors and it’s a huge honour.

“I’m very proud of my year.”

McDonald rode nine winners at the highest level since 1 December, with Romantic Warrior providing four of those victories – Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), Gr1 Citi Gold Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m), Gr1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) and Gr1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m).

McDonald, who has ridden three doubles in three successive meetings for six wins from 24 rides since returning to Hong Kong for a short-term stint, previously won the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award in 2022.

Mo posted a personal best when the secondseason trainer slotted his first Hong Kong treble with Super Wise Dragon, Alluring Laos and Offroad Master to continue a strong November campaign. Since the start of the month, Mo has tallied eight winners.

Mo struck with Super Wise Dragon in the Class 5 Chevalier E&M Engineering Handicap (1400m) and first-starter Alluring Laos in the

Class 4 Chevalier Enterprise Digital Solutions Handicap (1000m), before Matthew Chadwick chimed in on Offroad Master in the Class 4 Chevalier Healthcare Investment Handicap (1200m, dirt).

“It’s my first treble. Conghua is helping the stable a lot and this season my team is good,” Mo said. “Super Wise Dragon had a bit of a breathing problem when he came to me and he struggled with his breathing a bit at Happy Valley. Today, draw one helped and he performed well.

“I thought Alluring Laos might run a good race. He showed some speed in his trials overseas and even in Conghua he chased home well. He’s still a bit green and has more room to improve.

“I thought he (Offroad Master) could show something on the all-weather track. In his first run he was fourth, which wasn’t bad, and when I saw him trial (on the dirt), I thought he had ability and thought I’d try him on the dirt.”

Charming Legend, who was unbeaten in two Australian starts for Les Bridge, continued his winning ways with an impressive Hong Kong debut victory in the Class 3 Chevalier Property Development Handicap (1400m) for Danny Shum and Zac Purton. The Deep Field gelding earned a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million.

A potential Four-Year-Old Classic Series contender, Charming Legend could be joined in the HK$52 million three-race series by Sky Trust, who clinched the Class 3 Chevalier Aluminium Engineering Handicap (1600m) for Caspar Fownes and Lyle Hewitson.

Chris So scored with Hong Kong debutante Hong Lok Golf in the Class 4 Chevalier Environmental Engineering Handicap (1200m).

By Grunt, the Australian-bred scored at 42/1 for Harry Bentley before Matsu Victor provided the second upset of the day, prevailing in the Class 4 Chevalier Lifts & Escalators Handicap (1600m) at 44/1 for Lui and Keith Yeung.

Derek Leung celebrates a treble | Credit: HKJC

HONG KONG’S TWELVE ADDED TO WORLD POOL SCHEDULE

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), which operates World Pool, has confirmed all 12 Group 1 contests in Hong Kong’s 2024/25 season, including this December’s Group 1 quartet of LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR), will be run for the first time under the World Pool banner.

Since the inaugural World Pool race at Royal Ascot in 2019, only races from outside Hong Kong have been run as World Pool events, but the HKJC has now moved to consolidate its top-level races, which have all been ranked within the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ (IFHA) LONGINES World’s Top 100 Group 1 races in the last three years, under the same banner.

Though commingled pools for Hong Kong races started in the 2013/14 season, and all Hong Kong races are technically HKJC-hosted commingled pools in the same way as World Pool, this will be the first-time races in Hong Kong have been incorporated into the World

Pool schedule. Hong Kong will become the ninth jurisdiction to host World Pool races, joining the UK, Ireland, Germany, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Australia and Argentina.

Over 25 jurisdictions and 70 partners bet into both the Hong Kong pools and World Pool and, in season 2024/25, 84 of the IFHA Top 100 Group 1 races will be part of World Pool.

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer at the HKJC, said: “World Pool has provided many benefits to the global horse racing industry including deep and liquid parimutuel markets, increased value

All Hong Kong’s 12 Gr1s, including December’s Gr1 quartet of LONGINES Hong Kong International Races will be run under the World Pool banner | Credit: HKJC

opportunities, greater certainty of odds and enhanced returns. World Pool is also a key weapon in the fight against illegal gambling operators and has delivered increased returns to the sport allowing authorities to invest into prizemoney and the broader sustainability of horse racing.

“Additionally, World Pool drives promotion of our sport with a heavy focus on the best international events, horses, jockeys and trainers, drawing predominantly from the IFHA’s LONGINES Top 100 Group 1 races. As such, it is timely to add Hong Kong’s best races to the World Pool brand commencing with the four Group 1 races on HKIR Day. Hong Kong has only 0.7% of the global total of racehorses in training, yet in 2023 had 14 horses featured in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings and 12 races in the IFHA LONGINES Top 100 Group 1 races.

“We are proud of the HKJC’s world-class racing and the development of World Pool and look forward to the two of them sitting side by side in the future.”

Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products at the HKJC, said: “The move to bring a further 12 of the IFHA’s LONGINES Top 100 Group 1 races to a global

betting audience of over 25 jurisdictions via World Pool marks the HKJC’s intent to promote premium racing.

“Branding the top Hong Kong races as World Pool makes strategic sense, as it is not just a wagering brand and the aim is to bring the best international races under the World Pool banner.

“With the growing popularity of World Pool, we aim to keep increasing our contribution to racing which benefits the entire ecosystem. So far in the UK, where World Pool has been in operation since 2019, and Ireland the money that World Pool has generated for racecourses there has surpassed HK$500 million. This will go from strength-to-strength globally as we grow the World Pool offering.”

Hong Kong races in season 2024/25 to be run as World Pool races:

• 08/12/2024 - Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup

• 08/12/2024 - Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile

• 08/12/2024 - Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint

• 08/12/2024 - Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase

• 19/01/2025 - Gr1 Stewards’ Cup

• 19/01/2025 - Gr1 Centenary Sprint Cup

• 23/02/2025 - Gr1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup

• 23/02/2025 - Gr1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup

• 27/04/2025 - Gr1 FWD QEII Cup

• 27/04/2025 - Gr1 FWD Champions Mile

• 27/04/2025 - Gr1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize

• 25/05/2025 - Gr1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup

MESHTRI CLAIMS THE MILE!

The Listed Dubai Creek Mile has a history of throwing up some good horses and Meshtri is the latest name on the roll of honour after his tenacious win in Friday’s Dubai Racing Carnival feature.

Nine ran in the Nakheel-sponsored contest, including Gr2 Godolphin Mile runner-up Walk Of Stars, who put up the biggest challenge to the winner, ranging up alongside in the final furlong but unable to pass. Meshtri, making just his fourth career start for Ben Coen and trainer Michael Costa, prevailed by just under a length.

It was a third winner of the season for Coen, who believed his mount had benefitted from his previous run, when fourth to Imperial Emperor.

“My lad was a bit fresh last time, but today with

the blinkers on I was able to break well and take a pull around the bend,” he said. “When Tadhg’s horse (Walk Of Stars) came to me he kept on finding more.”

“He’s a horse who has mentally got a lot stronger this season. I think he’s good and comfortable at the mile.”

Perhaps befitting the tough horse, it is named after; the Thunder Snow Handicap (sponsored by Nakheel) was something of a battle of attrition.

Meshtri (Ben Coen) prevailed by just under a length to win the Listed Dubai Creek Mile on Friday | Credit: DRC

It went to Lahresh, another making his second start of the season, who outbattled the longtime leader Saayedd inside the final 200 metres, winning by just over two lengths for trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri. Third was Go Soldier Go, who made up a remarkable amount of ground having been tailed off early on.

Four-year-old Lahresh was ridden by Silvestre De Sousa, who is retained by owner Naser Askar this season.

“We were taking on better horses but we knew he’d improved from his last run and he had the weight allowance (bottom weight of 53.5kg),” he said. “He’s an improving horse.”

Harmash and Beasley Double Up

Connor Beasley and Ahmad Bin Harmash

enjoyed a double, completed when Gamekeeper won the Palm Jebel Ali Handicap, over 1400metres.

By Blue Point and out of Listed UAE 1000 Guineas winner Gamilati, the three-year-old is bred to be a star and showed promise here on his second dirt start, beating stablemate King’s Fountain by three and a half lengths.

“He only came to us at the start of the season and he’s improved from his first start at Jebel Ali,” said Beasley. “He had the visor on today which has obviously worked miracles.”

Earlier on, Beasley struck on Dark Saffron in the Como Residences Maiden, for two-year-old colts, over 1200metres.

The son of Flameaway, a $120,000 Ocala April

Sale purchase by his trainer, was the only one with race experience in the field and he put it to good use, setting the tempo and kicking clear, beating the running on African Candy by four and a quarter lengths.

“Credit must go to jockey Saif Al Balushi as he rides him every day at home,” said Beasley. “He’s been telling the boss how much he’d improved since Jebel Ali. He’s not the easiest horse to ride in the mornings so well done to Saif as he puts up with a lot.

“He could be smart horse going forward.”

Also looking smart is Arigatou Gozaimasu – a way of saying thank you in Japanese –who said thanks and good night to her rivals in the closing Dubai Islands Maiden for twoyear-old fillies.

Salem Bin Ghadayer’s Honest Mischief filly was making her debut under Bernardo Pinheiro, but barely saw another rival, cruising into the straight with plenty in hand and beating Flama Sunshine by eight and a half lengths.

“At home we know she’s a good filly, but we were worried we were rushing them a bit and that others had more work,” said Pinheiro. “She

trialled well but that was just four furlongs, so we were worried about the distance.

“She’s a great filly, she proved that today and I think we can expect much more from her.”

Pinheiro bookended the card, having taken the opening Gr2 Bani Yas (sponsored by Nakheel), the first Group race of the season at Meydan.

The 1400metre Purebred Arabian contest went to up and coming trainer Hamad Al Marar with the well-bred RB Money Maker, who made all the running, holding off Maahir by a length and half.

“This horse is a true sprinter,” said Pinheiro. “I rode him first time out at Al Ain over five furlongs when he was probably a bit heavy.

“There was a question mark about the 1400 metres today. I had to use his speed, so I was positive from the gates. It was a fast pace, but I had to use his best quality to my advantage.”

Meydan Racecourse stages its third meeting of the season on Friday 6 December when the feature race is the Listed Garhoud Sprint.

www.dubairacingclub.com

THE OAKS STUD

The Oaks Stud epitomises the heritage of New Zealand’s equine industry

Credit: Magic Millions

In a landmark opportunity for the equine and investment communities, Magic Millions, in partnership with Donovan + Co, proudly present the sale of The Oaks Stud, one of Australasia’s most revered thoroughbred breeding facilities.

The prestigious estate and renowned stallion and breeding operation, spanning an expansive 500 acres, is primed to attract leading industry stakeholders, breeders, land developers and investors from across the globe.

Nestled just 2km from Leamington, Cambridge—an area famed for its premier stud farms—The Oaks epitomises the heritage of New Zealand’s equine industry.

With exceptionally built infrastructure complemented by comprehensive amenities, the estate’s natural beauty is all encompassing, highlighted by the famous Oak tree-lined gated, bitumen driveway.

These elements underscore the property’s enduring commitment to quality and excellence in equine operations.

Beyond its iconic stature, The Oaks Stud offers substantial potential for further development. The estate’s extensive 203.82 hectares, divided into six titles, provides a unique opportunity for subdivision, neighbouring Cambridge township.

The Waikato region’s high demand for exclusive rural lifestyle properties positions The Oaks as an attractive prospect for those looking to capitalise on both equine and residential markets.

For decades, The Oaks has produced outstanding champions, with notable Group 1 winners such as the celebrated Seachange—a seven-time Group 1 victor—alongside other champions like Recite, Artistic, Risqué, Devise, Keepa Cruisin, and Catalyst. Horses bred and

sold by The Oaks have continued to achieve globally, including celebrated Group 1 winners Shuka, Sakhee’s Soldier, and Zagalia.

“It’s an absolute privilege to offer the iconic ‘The Oaks Stud’ on behalf of long-term owner and fellow Queenslander, Dick Karreman,” Donovan + Co Principal Clint Donovan said.

“Dick has enjoyed immense satisfaction and delight at the success of one of the world’s great stud farms under his ownership, and now it’s time to pass the baton on.”

“This is an incredibly unique scenario with options to purchase on a walk in walk out basis including stallions, mares and racing stock or any combination”

“The New Zealand breeding industry has an incredible history of producing some of the world’s absolute best racehorses, The Oaks Stud stands shoulder to shoulder alongside the top producers of Group 1 winners in the country.”

“The Oaks’ immediate proximity to the fastest growing regional community in New Zealand, the incredibly beautiful Cambridge township, highlights an undeniable truth that this is a land banking play for the future. Couple that with very favourable taxation laws, any individuals with a passion for racing and breeding and an urge to tenfold an investment should be interested in speaking with us further,” Donovan added.

NADAL ACES THEM IN $1M METEORITE

Progressive sprinter Nadal (Xtravagant) produced an explosive turn of foot to come from near last to win the inaugural running of Saturday’s A$1m The Ladbrokes Meteorite at Cranbourne.

The Ciaron Maher-trained 4YO was coming off a luckless performance at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week when he never saw daylight behind one of his rivals and eventual runner up, Rey Magnerio.

When he was back in traffic rounding the home turn into the short Cranbourne straight it was looking like a repeat performance by Nadal before jockey Ethan Brown guided him into clear running and he surged past his rivals for an electric, near three-length win. Saturday’s win was Nadal’s third from just 10 starts and takes the number of open A$1m+ races won by Inglis graduates since 2019 to 106.

Nadal races in the famous colours of Ozzie Kheir and his win is part of a lucrative few days enjoyed by Kheir and his partners with purchases from Inglis sales, following the sale on Tuesday of Inglis graduate Bold Bastille for A$810,000 in a standalone Inglis Digital auction.

Maher purchased Nadal for A$250,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, where he was offered by his breeders Newhaven Park.

“That was impressive, his turn of foot was something else,’’ Maher, who is likely to target Nadal at a range of top-class sprints in the new year, said.

Nadal (Ethan Brown) wins the The Ladbrokes Meteorite at Cranbourne | Credit: Inglis

“We’ve always held him in high regard. As a 3YO we ran him in races like the Golden Rose and the Coolmore because we believed in him, but things just didn’t quite go right but now as a 4YO he’s bigger and stronger and was ultraimpressive at Caulfield during the carnival then just had no luck at Flemington.

“He’s got a dynamic sprint on him as we saw today so hopefully, we see plenty more of it.

“We really liked him at the Premier Sale and breeders don’t get much better than John Kelly and the team at Newhaven so it’s a great result for a lot of people, the ownership group is a lot of fun and I’m sure they’ll celebrate hard tonight.”

Newhaven has a draft of 37 for next year’s Classic Yearling Sale and John Kelly is excited about presenting it to the market.

“It’s a large draft, there’s something there for everyone, proven sires, young sires, just a large draft of what I believe will be good racehorses, which is what people are after at Classic,’’ Kelly said.

“That win was very impressive to the eye. Xtravagant, he’s only had very limited runners, but he’s done very well with what he’s got, and Nadal is the prime example of the type of racehorse he can produce.’’

Meanwhile Port Lockroy’s win in tonight’s Gr1 Railway Stakes in Perth was a significant result for Inglis Digital, with three shares in the 4YO selling through the platform earlier this year.

Brae Sokolski and Jason Hunter each purchased a 10% share while Curtis McNaughton bought a 5% share in the February (Early) Sale.

The Railway Stakes was the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Port Lockroy’s first Gr1 victory.

Sokolski revealed he was a fan of Port Lockroy as a yearling and despite not purchasing him, had followed his early career from afar.

“So, when the shares came up on Inglis Digital, we thought ‘this is the perfect opportunity to finally get involved with this horse’ so we did and now we’ve won a Group 1 with him, it’s great,’’ Sokolski said.

“That’s one of the many great things about Inglis Digital, you can buy these shares now that pop up every sale and become involved instantly.’’

And at Wyong on Saturday, Pasima (Pierro), also from the Maher stable, scored an impressive all-the-way win.

An A$1.5m yearling, Pasima is being offered as lot 128 in the current Inglis Digital November (Late) Online Sale as part of the Halo Racing Unreserved Reduction.

The final countdown of bidding for the auction, which includes the dams of the likes of North England and Pinstriped, kicked off today, Wednesday, 27 November 2024.

Click here for more from Inglis.

PORT LOCKROY CONTINUES STABLE’S MAGIC RUN

In form Sydney trainers Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald provided star local rider Clint Johnston-Porter with a maiden Group One success courtesy of the outstanding elite level win of Port Lockroy in the A$1.5 million Gr1 Railway Stakes at Ascot.

Sent out at A$9 with bookmakers, Port Lockroy shot clear of his rivals on straightening after a lovely ride from Johnston-Porter and at the finish the pair held a three-quarter length margin over the now three-time Railway Stakes runner-up Comfort Me.

Fellow Magic Millions graduate, former Champion WA juvenile Super Smink, stormed home from last to finish a breath back in third place.

Co-trainer Rob Archibald who recently formed a training partnership with Annabel Neasham

was on course to cheer home his second Group One following the recent Flemington Champions Sprint success with Sunshine in Paris.

“I’m just so excited,” Archibald said moments after the race. “I’m just so excited for the owners in the horse.”

“He’s been so unlucky for almost all of his career through gates etcetera. He executed the perfect race today CJP – full credit to him.”

“The owners have been brave enough in

Port Lockroy (Clint Johnston-Porter) wins the Gr1 Railway Stakes at Ascot | Credit: Magic Millions

coming over and having a go. It’s such a great reward for them.”

“It’s a huge thrill. I’m so lucky to be in this position. Annabel has always had so much confidence in this horse.”

“It was just so great to see him get a really good ride and for him (Port Lockroy) to deliver on the big stage.”

“I thought he got him into a lovely spot. He got outside the leader and relaxed beautifully. He got into a lovely rhythm and he did the rest.”

Archibald said he was able to quickly call Neasham in the seconds after the race – “she was screaming down the phone.”

“She is over the moon – I’m just so pleased for everyone,” he added.

Neasham teamed up with bloodstock agent Brian McGuire to secure Port Lockroy for A$300,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He was offered and sold by his breeder Yarramalong Park.

After a couple of close calls during last year’s Perth Summer Carnival local star Clint Johnston-Porter was thrilled to snare his maiden Group One.

“This will take a couple of weeks to sink in,” the popular local rider said. “I’ve thought about this moment for a very long time.”

“I was a bit stiff not to get one last year – so to get one on the board is fantastic – and to be the Railway, our iconic race – is great.”

“I was banking on his run in the Golden Eagle. It was a very good run. When I worked him, it backed that up – I was trying not to get too excited.”

Port Lockroy, the second Group One for Lyndhurst Stud Farm’s resident sire star Better Than Ready, is one of five winners produced by the black type performer Freezethemillions.

A daughter of Snowland’s half-brother Freeze, Freezethemillions was a winner at two and second in the Listed Lancaster Stakes, third in the Listed Hampden Stakes and fourth in the Group Two Sires’ BRC Produce Stakes.

Port Lockroy is a full brother to the Group Three BJ McLachlan Stakes, Listed Phelan Ready Stakes and A$1 million Magic Millions QTIS winner Alpine Edge.

A prizemoney earner of over A$1.88 million,

Alpine Edge now stands at Clear Mountain Fairview.

An outstanding line up of 28 youngsters by Better Than Ready are catalogued for January’s 2025 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

More stock by the star sire will feature at the 2025 Gold Coast March Yearling Sale and other auctions to be conducted by Magic Millions over the coming sales season.

Winner: Port Lockroy

• Breeding: Better Than ReadyFreezethemillions (Freeze)

• Race: WATC Railway Stakes Gr1 (1600m)

• Sold for: A$300,000

• Sale: 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale

• Earnings: A$1,197,250

• Breeder: Yarramalong

• Vendor: Yarramalong Park

• Buyer: Annabel Neasham Racing & Brian McGuire

• Owners: Go Bloodstock Australia (Mgr: Sir OG Glenn), Mrs JM Acott, BM Jackson, DJ Ricketts, Martin Thoroughbred Racing (Mgr: JRD Martin), WRL Foster, DS Bella, Mrs JM Bella, Miss AS Neasham, Hon. GJ Williamson, YES Bloodstock (Mgr: BF Sokolski), MJ Charteris, Mrs H Scalia & JA Hunter

• Trainers: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald (Warwick Farm)

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