Owner-breeder, SA racing’s first lady – Mary Slack on the Spumante Dolce winner’s podium at Turffontein on Saturday Photograph by Candiese Lenferna.
A REAL PRINCESS… STORY OF A ROYAL FAMILY!
Power pair! Lady Chistine Laidlaw and Dean Kannemeyer celebrate another Gr1 success | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Dean Kannemeyer probably defied the textbook standard operating procedures when he saddled the 6yo Gimme A Prince to a second sensational victory in the R1,5 million
HKJC World Pool Gr1 Cape Flying Championship at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Cape Town Met day.
“If one has the horse, they can often make the trainer look good and good horses tend to overcome the odds. Gimme A Prince is all class. But he is an older horse and one wouldn’t be surprised if he had lost a bit of his speed. After a year break, he ran a Gr3 1400m and two tough miles, including the King’s Plate, then reverted back to a Gr1 1000m clash and blew them clean away,” mused the quietly spoken classic trainer as he proudly reflected on a ‘brilliant racehorse’ who needs ‘lots of love, attention and patience’.
Gimme A Prince won the 2023 Cape Flying Championship as a 4yo in 2023, clocking 58,04 secs, and then two seasons later went the 1000m as a 6yo ten days back, clocking an unextended 56,76 secs.
Dean’s immediate plans for his charge, once labelled by SA champion jockey Keagan de Melo as the best horse in the country, include the Khaya Stables Gr2 Diadem Stakes run over 1200m at home on SplashOut Cape Derby day in just over a fortnight from now, and then a possible raid on Turffontein for the R1 million Jonsson Workwear Gr1 Computaform Sprint on 29 March.
“The plans are fluid. Gimme A Prince is not the kind of horse one can travel up and down the country. So we will take it one race at a time. He’s a machine when on song.”
As to alternatives if Johannesburg doesn’t pan out, Dean suggests a possible second bid at the Drill Hall Stakes – Gimme A Prince was
beaten just three quarters of length from a 12 draw by Trip Of Fortune in 2023 – and then even the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge.
“I had big plans for this wonderful athlete. But he fractured his knee in the 2023 Matchem Stakes when chasing Charles Dickens home and that was it for a year. I’m fortunate to have a loyal owner like Lady Christine Laidlaw who understands the game and loves her horses –there is no pressure. And that’s why we didn’t bring him out in KZN during the Champions Season in 2024. The Vet recommended he’d benefit from a few more months – Lady Laidlaw gave us the green light, excuse the pun. The rest is history, crowned by his Cape Flying Championship performance.”
Dean brought Gimme A Prince back for his 6yo term debut in the Matchem Stakes at Hollywoodbets Durbanville four months ago.
“He was fat and round. But ran a great race behind Questioning. We then gave him six weeks and he stormed through late for a 0,35 third in the Gr3 Cape Mile. He is a horse who is programmed from run to run. So then the L’Ormarins King’s Plate was just seven weeks away – not enough to get a run in but also not the most ideal of preps, forced by the circumstances. But what a performance he turned in there – getting to within just over 2 lengths of champion 3yo One Stripe. Craig (Zackey) said he couldn’t hold him anymore and let him go – he only emptied out over the final 100m. I believe only his brilliance makes him competitive at Gr1 level in a mile. That’s
why the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge at Hollywoodbets Greyville could even be a serious option.”
The Gimme A Prince story dates back some twelve years to the 2013 Cape Premier Yearling Sale.
Form Bloodstock’s Jehan Malherbe bought the beautiful chestnut Trippi daughter Real Princess on behalf of Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables. It was to be a Grade 1 gamechanger of some proportions for the passionate international owner – and there are chapters still to be written.
The Klawervlei Stud-bred Real Princess won six races in Dean’s care, including a scintillating Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint victory, which followed a win in the Gr 3 Poinsettia Stakes.
She is bred in the purple and is a half-sister to Captain Al’s Gr 1 Cape Guineas winner and sire William Longsword, and to two other stakes winners.
She is the daughter of one of Klawervlei’s best ever broodmares, Pagan Princess (Fort Wood), who was a half-sister to the great Victory Moon (Al Mufti) among others.
Gimme A Prince (Craig Zackey) soars to a second Gr1 Cape Flying Championship victory | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Dean recalled the glowing praise from two of South Africa’s most experienced breeding men when Gimme A Prince first saw the light of day on the hallowed champion environs of Varsfontein Stud in Paarl.
“Carl de Vos and Jaco Erasmus, who foaled him down, were both taken with Gimme A Prince. He had the x-factor.”
Real Princess has proven to be an outstanding broodmare and her liaison with champion sire Gimmethegreenlight has been ‘a winning one’.
“Gimme A Prince is a three-time Gr1 winner. Lightly raced 4yo The Real Prince is a different type – he is not a speed horse, but has a touch of class and I believe he is going to win his way through the divisions. The 3yo Gimmie’s Countess won the Gr3 Diana Stakes. I thought she may stay a mile but she showed sprinting could be her game when staying on for third in the Cartier Gr2 Sceptre Stakes recently. She will be on the SA Champions Season bus. Then we have an unraced 2yo full brother named Gimme Rules. He’s a lovely sort – rangy and with a beautiful head and powerful shoulder. We will take him to Durban.”
Kannemeyer won the Diadem with Cosmic Highway (also for Khaya Stables) in 2022, and prior to that with the Zim-bred Honour The Guest in 2004.
Sponsor of the Diadem, and a benefactor of the sport via the Star Grooms initiative, Lady Christine Laidlaw has enjoyed her racing in South Africa since 2008 when purchasing the subsequent dual Guineas winner and sire, Noordhoek Flyer.
She has since celebrated a number of Grade 1 successes, including a memorable Durban July victory with Power King in 2015.
Entries for the R600 000 Khaya Stables Gr2 Diadem Stakes, which is run at weight-for-age plus penalties, are due by 11h00 on Monday 10 February, with supplementary entries open until 11h00 on Friday 14 February.
Declarations are due by 11h00 on Monday 17 February.
• Ed – read more about Gimme A Prince’s dam Real Princess on page 16.
An elated Dean Kannemeyer on the Grade 1 winner’s podium | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
SUMMER COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS FINALS ON SATURDAY
The Summer Country Championships finals at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday promises competitive racing in the heart of the Summer Festival Of Champions.
Rafa Bay runs in the sixth race, the R200 000 Summer Country Championship 1000 Final | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
The Summer Country Championship Finals on the eight race card hosts five finals of R200 000 each over 1000m, 1200m, 1400m, 1600m and 1800m.
Cape Racing’s success in substantially bolstering the once flagging horse population levels in the Western Cape has been underscored in no small measure by the introduction of the Country Championships just over a year ago.
Cape Racing management identified in late 2023 that a diverse horse population is key to sustained future growth, and coupled with programme innovation, boosted stakes, and the RaceCape Incentive, field sizes in the province have seen substantial growth.
In essence, the aim of the Country Championships is to highlight genuine race and earnings opportunities and to illustrate that lower-rated horses in the Cape have the ability to earn considerably in the province, making the ownership experience economically attractive while allowing the owners to continue experiencing the thrills of racing in the Cape. Key to shattering the perception that weaker horses should be racing elsewhere in the country, the Country Championships caters for the lower merit-rated horses in the province, which race predominantly in Class 4 and Class 5 races.
The racemeeting starts at 12h40 with the Summer Country Championship 1600 Final scheduled for 13h50 (Race 3).
This season alone, Trippi’s daughters have been responsible for 11 black type performers, amongst which five stakes winners, which equals that of logleader Captain Al, and is bettered only by second-placed Silvano on seven
TRIPPI – BROODMARE SIRE ON THE UP, UP, UP!
The rise in prominence of former Drakenstein linchpin Trippi as a broodmare sire continues unabated, to the point that he currently finds himself in third place on the SA Champion Broodmare Sires log.
That comes as no surprise, given that he made a lasting impact in his birth country, the USA, through his American-bred Gr3 winning daughter Miss Macy Sue. She is the dam of two successful stallion sons in Not This Time and Liam’s Map, who between them have already sired four champions and a host of Gr1 winners.
Sadly, news reached us that Miss Macy Sue passed away last week at the age of 22 but rest
assured, she will continue to shape the breed through her sons.
Now enjoying a well-earned retirement at Drakenstein, Trippi’s daughters are continuing their sire’s legacy. This season alone, they have been responsible for 11 black type performers, amongst which five stakes winners, which equals that of logleader Captain Al, and is bettered only by second-placed Silvano on seven.
Trippi:
Heading the list is Gimmethegreenlight’s son Gimme A Prince, who added a third Gr1 success to his already glowing resume when he won the HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship for the second time on Met day.
His dam, Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint winner Real Princess, has been a regular consort of the Varsfontein-based champion and has yielded a second stakes winner in Gimmie’s Countess. She won the Gr3 Diana Stakes in September at the expense of Summer Lily, who by the way, is also by Gimmethegreenlight out of a Trippi mare, this the Gr3-placed Impala Lily.
The Met meeting proved a coup for Trippi as his daughters produced no less than three stakes winners.
Drakenstein homebred Wild Wild Green got the day off to a fine start when she added the opener, the Listed Heineken Summer
Juvenile Stakes to an eye-catching debut win. Incidentally, she defeated Trippi’s daughter Clair De Lune.
Wild Wild Green too, is by Gimmethegreenlight, while her dam, the Swallow Stakes third Trip To India, had previously produced the excellent sprinter Sheela. She was the first stakes winner for Moutonshoek stallion The United States and made a sensational start to her racing career by defeating the boys in the Listed Storm Bird Stakes on debut, before adding the Gr2 SA Nursery and finishing third in the Gr1 Allan Robertson. She is now a member of the Drakenstein broodmare band and gave birth to her first foal, a Danon Platina filly, last spring.
Some hours later, Wild Wild Green’s stable companion I’M So Pritti opened her stakes account with a cosy victory in the Listed SABC Olympic Duel Stakes. A Vercingetorix full sister to the black type winner Phedra, their unraced
Gimme A Prince on left with Mum Real Princess (Trippi) at Varsfontein – Lady Christine Laidlaw and her sister Patricia Woollett are alongside Dean Kannemeyer, with Khaya Racing Manager Jehan Malherbe at the rear | Credit: Supplied
dam Pritti is a half-sister to Silvano’s stakes winning son Plano. Trippi further stamped his authority on the race as the broodmare sire of third-placed Siddeley.
Trippi’s stakes winning quintet also includes the Var gelding Dance Variety, who joined the black type ranks with a fluent win in the Listed Southeaster Sprint. He too, is out of an unraced Trippi mare, Trippitango.
For those pedigree buffs interested in nicking patterns, the honours belong to fellow Drakenstein resident Futura. The son of Fort Wood is proving to be a perfect foil for his former barnmate, with six of his 18 stakes winners being out of Trippi mares.
To date, Trippi is broodmare sire of 25 local stakes winners. The best is yet to come, given that he has plenty of talented daughters to represent him, particularly at Drakenstein Stud, where he had access to a wonderful selection of mares.
To that end, another Drakenstein stallion, the sensational One World, has already sired the Gr2/3 performer All Out For Six from a Trippi mare. Bred at Drakenstein, the talented colt chased home star stable companion One Stripe in the Gr2 Cape Punters Cup and is out of Howl, a half-sister to the Gr1-placed, multiple stakes winner Fresnaye.
The catalogue for the upcoming BSA Cape Yearling Sale on 23 February features three lots, all fillies, out of Trippi daughters, two of which are by Futura.
Lot 62 is a half-sister to Swallow Stakes winner Freed From Desire and Gr3-placed Buffalo Storm Cody, while Lot 84 is out of a winning Trippi daughter of Gr1 SA Fillies Guineas winner Saudies.
Completing the trio is Lot 32, a filly closely related to Var’s dual Gr2 winner Vars Vicky. Out of his unraced half-sister Flick Flack, she is by Var’s underrated son Talk Of The Town.
THAT WAS SOME RALLY!
In a race that changed complexion dramatically in the final strides, Diego de Gouveia got Alec Laird’s Parisian Walkway to rally from what well and truly looked a beaten position to win the R1 million TAB Gr2 Guineas at Turffontein on Saturday.
Parisian Walkway led the charge for much of the journey and was already under the crop and a vigorous ride at the 250m as Muzi Yeni ghosted up his inside under the hands on the handsome 8-10 favourite Greaterix.
While the favourite went on by, Diego de Gouveia wasn’t impressed and showed that he has played some poker in his time, eking out more on the Laird galloper, as Yeni realized that this playful dog was coming right back to bite him, and threw his hands at Greaterix.
At the line, Parisian Walkway (25-1) was 0,40 lengths in front and clocked 98,59 secs for the mile – a distance regarded as being at the bottom of his range.
There are many who won’t believe that Greaterix got beaten, while the winner’s stablemate Aristotle (20-1) was a further 3,80 lengths back in third, with Legend Of Arthur (4-1) well beaten in fourth.
After the disappointment of the withdrawal of Fire Attack, the race turned a dream result for theLaird yard.
Diego de Gouveia smiles as Parisian Walkway comes back to beat Greaterix | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
The delighted connections lead in their winner | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Raced by Gary Basel, Lance Clark & Werner Volschenk, the courageous winner is a R450 000 BSA National 2yo Sale buy and was bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein.
He is a son of Ideal World (Kingmambo) out of the twice-winning Mastercraftsman mare Boutique. He should go the Derby trip – so these are really exciting times for his connections!
Now a winner of 3 races with 3 places from 16 starts, Parisian Walkway took his stakes earnings to R752 750.
The SA Triple Crown has been won by Horse Chestnut (1999), Louis The King (2014), Abashiri (2016) and Malmoos (2021).
Could we see a winner this year?
A bonus of R2 million will be paid to the connections of the horse that wins all three legs of the SA Triple Crown.
The second leg is the R1,5 million Gr1 SA Classic which will be run over 1800m on Saturday 1 March, while the third leg is the R1,25 million Gr1 SA Derby run over 2450m on Saturday 29 March.
This was a dream result for winning trainer Alec Laird | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
WE’RE LIVING
Greaterix (inside, Muzi Yeni) has his heart broken by Parisian Walkway (Diego de Gouveia) in a thriller | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Parisian Walkway, the winner of Saturday’s TAB Gr2 Gauteng Guineas, is not the first son of Ideal World to win a leg of the South African Triple Crown.
Ideal World’s ill-fated son Samurai Warrior became the first of his sire’s progeny to do so when he claimed the 2019 Gr1 SA Derby.
Parisian Walkway is the 32nd stakes winner for his sire, with Ideal World best known as the sire of Met winning champions Rainbow Bridge and Smart Call, and fellow Equus Champion Hermoso Mundo.
Ideal World, whose close relative Dansili (Danehill) is the broodmare sire of Saturday’s Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Spumante Dolce (Vercingetorix), is also the sire of upwardly mobile filly Mocha Blend.
The latter made it two wins from three starts when she won impressively at Hollywoodbets Greyville recently. While Parisian Walkway is the first stakes winner to have emerged from Ideal World’s current crop of three-year-olds, this crop also includes the aforementioned Mocha Blend and useful sorts Ancient Wisdom and Diwali Rocket.
Ideal World is a son of the late Kingmambo, with that son of Mr Prospector having made his mark on both the South African Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara.
Kingmambo horse Parade Leader sired Pierre Jourdan, winner of both the G1 SA Classic and Gr2 Gauteng Guineas in 2010, while another son, Mambo In Seattle, was the sire of Same Jurisdiction, who finished runner up in the 2015 Gr1 SA Fillies Classic.
World (Kingmambo – Banks Hill)
Very closely related to the dam of Duke Of Marmalade, Mambo In Seattle is also broodmare sire of Fire Attack (Fire Away), one of the top Gauteng three-year-olds of the current South African season.
Kingmambo, whose half-brother Judpot is broodmare sire of Saturday’s eye catching winner Main Defender (Pathfork), is also the broodmare sire of the late Duke Of Marmalade, whose champion daughter Rain In Holland won the Triple Tiara in 2022.
Duke Of Marmalade, bred on the reverse Danehill/Kingmambo cross to Ideal World, was also responsible for Son Of Raj, winner of the 2023 Gr1 SA Derby.
One of Mr Prospector’s very best sire sons, Kingmambo made his mark on major classic races all over the world, with his sons Encke (St Leger), Henrythenavigator (2000 Guineas), King’s Best (2000 Guineas), Rule Of Law (St Leger) and Lemon Drop Kid (Belmont Stakes) winning classic races in Britain and the US respectively.
Another son, King Kamehameha, won the Japanese Derby in 2004, before going on to become champion sire in Japan on two occasions.
Kingmambo daughters also enjoyed classic success, with his daughters Russian Rhythm and Virginia Waters landing the English 1000 Guineas in 2003 and 2005, with another daughter Light Shift victorious in the 2007 running of The Oaks, Kingmambo daughters Bluemamba and Divine Proportions added further to their sire’s great record by winning classic races in France.
Kingmambo’s daughter Tarfah is the dam of Camelot, winner of the first two legs of the British Triple Crown in 2012 and the sire of classic winners in Germany and Ireland, as well as last year’s G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Bluestocking.
Camelot is one of two English Derby winners whose dam was sired by Kingmambo, with Duke Of Marmalade’s half-brother Ruler Of The World winning that Epsom classic in 2013.
SPARKLING STA RT
T O THE MIKE & MAT TRAINING PARTNERSHIP
Raymond Danielson has Spumante Dolce in command as VJ’s Angel (Gavin Lerena, purple silks) and Quid Pro Quo (Piere Strydom, black pom-pom) try hard. Fiery Pegasus (Muzi Yeni, black cap) completes the quartet | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Father-and-son training duo Mike and Mathew de Kock made a dream start to their brand-new training partnership when the unbeaten Spumante Dolce carried too many guns to win the R750 000 Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas on a weather-elements delayed Turffontein programme on Saturday.
The first leg of the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara was labelled a one-horse show by many of us who couldn’t imagine the popular Quid Pro Quo getting beaten, but fairytale it was not meant to be for Barend Botes and the new owners as the De Kocks and their longstanding owner Mary Slack showed off yet another big gun.
A daughter of the unstoppable Vercingetorix (Silvano), Spumante Dolce is out of Wilgerbosdrift’s Dansili mare Espumanti, who won twice at Gr2 level and has already produced 2022 Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Sparkling Water (Silvano) and the very smart filly Champagne Cocktail (Silvano).
Labelled a ‘proper filly’ by Mike de Kock, Spumante Dolce was given a perfect forward ride by Raymond Danielson, who partnered her dam Espumanti to her first two wins!
Holding a stalking box seat position from her 3 gate behind pacesetter Vulcanite, Spumante Dolce (7-1) moved forward halfway up the straight with Quid Pro Quo (4-10) in pursuit and it was race over as the De Kock runner strode clear to beat VJ’s Angel (14-1), who ran on from way back, by a quarter length in a 98,94 secs. Quid Pro Quo lacked her usual sparkle but was not disgraced a further quarter length back, with Fiery Pegasus (20-1) rounding off the quartet.
Racing in a partnership of Wilgerbosdrift and Bradley Ralph, the winner was bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein and took her stakes bank to R609 375 from 3 undefeated starts.
Mike de Kock will be optimistic that he could be looking at an interesting few months and knows what it takes to go all the way after Igugu won the SA Triple Tiara in 2011. The champion was followed by Cherry On The Top (2013), Summer Pudding (2020), War Of Athena (2021) and Rain In Holland (2022).
The second leg of the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara is the R1 250 000 Wilgerbosdrift Gr1 SA Fillies Classic to be run over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday 1 March.
The third leg is the R750 000 Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 SA Oaks run over 2450m at Turffontein on Saturday 29 March.
A bonus of R1 million will be paid to the connections of the filly that wins all three legs of the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara.
Winning owner and breeder Mary Slack is given a helping hand by 4Racing’s Johnny Geroudis | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
THE DE KOCKS TALK ABOUT THEIR MAIDEN
PARTNERSHIP VICTORY
4Racing’s Colin Gordon hands Mary Slack and Bradley Ralph the beautiful trophy | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
While they didn’t enjoy the same good fortune in the TAB Gr2 Gauteng Guineas with Greaterix spectacularly nabbed on the line, Spumante Dolce’s success indicated that there were many good things for the new Mike & Mathew de Kock partnership to take from Saturday’s R750 000 Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas at Turffontein.
The stable reports that these include:
• Mike and Mathew de Kock started their training partnership with a wonderful Graded Stakes winner, Spumante Dolce.
• Spumante Dolce beat a proven champion filly and another high-quality Grade 1 winner on equal terms.
• Spumante Dolce’s breeder and part-owner, Mary Slack, sponsored the race.
• Part-owner Brad Ralph, a spirited supporter of racing, has his first real good filly on his hands.
• The winner is considered to have much more improvement to come.
• The winner is considered to be a Triple Tiara candidate.
• The winner’s dam, Espumanti, delivered her second graded stakes filly.
• Spumante Dolce raced handy, hit the front early and then, in the fashion of something special, held off the determined late runs of VJ’s Angel and Quid Pro Quo, both seasoned Grade 1 winners.
Jockey Raymond Danielson reported: “Spumante Dolce was one off the pace with no cover, so she hit the front too soon. She had to work hard, but she found another gear. She has a lot of strengthening up to do. She’s still a puppy, there is lots more to come from her.”
Mike de Kock noted in his pre-race runner comments that Spumante Dolce’s low rating
was due to the fact that she’s only raced twice, and that he felt her true rating was ‘well into the 100s’.
He said after the Guineas: “We tried her at home, we thought she could be up to 110 or 112. She reminds me of Vercingetorix and Igugu, not necessarily as good or better, but they were also thrown into the deep end early in their careers.
“We had to take our chances. Spumante Dolce was very well and I am so pleased that my training partnership with Mat has started so well. It’s also great for Mary and Wilgerbosdrift, being the sponsors of the race, and for Brad Ralph to be on board as an owner. You won’t meet another person who is as enthusiastic about racing. Spumante Dolce, I believe, will race up to 2400m, which makes her different to Gimme A Nother and makes the Triple Tiara a proposition.
“Jehan Malherbe and I found Spumante Dolce’s dam, Espumanti, as part of our purchases abroad. She won us two Grade 2 races and has now produced a Hollywoodbets Durban July and a Guineas winner. What a wonderful mare she’s been!”
Mary Slack commented: “This filly is a beauty. She is from my favourite family (Espumanti). It’s incredible!”
Mathew de Kock said from Cranbourne, Australia: “Well done to Mary and Brad. This was quite a surreal moment for me, I worked with both Spumante Dolce’s sire and her dam. As I send this message, I am sitting in bed at 1:30am. Monique, Liam and Olivia are asleep with no idea how big this moment is for everyone.
“It’s a bit of a role reversal, as I said earlier this week, to be watching from afar with my dad at
the races, there have been so many times when it was the other way around.
“I could not have wished for better people to
have my first winner in the partnership with. I had such a lovely few days last week and I wish I could’ve been there to share this with you today. Enjoy the celebrations!”
Mike de Kock – dream start to his new ‘venture’ | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
GAUTENG GUINEAS – WINNING RIDER’S R5000 FINE
Our much-debated crop sanctions were in the news again after Saturday’s Guineas Day at Turffontein, with runners involved in the finish of both the fillies and the colts classics in the spotlight.
In the TAB Gr2 Gauteng Guineas winning rider Diego de Gouveia was charged with a contravention of Rule 58.10.2 (read with Guideline C on the use of the crop) in that he struck Parisian Walkway more than three times on consecutive strides in the concluding stages.
De Gouveia signed an Admission of Guilt and a fine of R5000 was imposed.
In the Wigerbosdrift Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas, Piere Strydom was charged with a contravention of Rule 58.10.2 (Appendix E read with Guideline 3 on the use of the crop) in that he misused his crop by striking the eventual third-placed favourite Quid Pro Quo forward of the saddle in the concluding stages.
Strydom signed an Admission of Guilt and was fined R1000.
Diego de Gouveia – a great ride soured by R5 000 fine Credit: Candiese Lenferna
VERCINGETORIX FILLY SMOKES THEM
For those that were at the Southern Suburbs venue for the 2000 J&B Met, the smoke blanket that hung over Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday would have been a reminder of the day that Badger’s Coast won the big race against the backdrop of a fire that damaged vehicles in the car park.
Twenty five years later, there thankfully wasn’t any similar collateral damage, with the gusting wind blowing smoke from the fairly large fire which was on the other side of Wetton Road this time.
And life went on with a grandstand finish to the day’s feature, the R180 000 non-black type The Clapham Stakes.
While Richard Fourie won the first running of the Clapham for Justin Snaith on Silverlinks
on Met day 2023, the combination had to play a narrow second fiddle this time round under the revised all-ages conditions, as JP van der Merwe got the courageous 4yo Callmegetrix (5-2) up on the line to shade Fourie on Goodnessgraciousme (11-10) in a time of 100,29 secs for the mile.
The runner-up ran a cracker of a prep for the Listed Cape Fillies Classic (1800m) on Derby day later this month.
Callmegetrix (JP van der Merwe) and Goodnessgraciousme (Richard Fourie) in a battle for first | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
The mare My Flower Fate (10-1) made good ground late for third, a further 1,75 lengths adrift.
Trained by Candice Bass-Robinson and a R450 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, Callmegetrix has now won 4 races with 10 places from her 15 starts and stakes of R524 7989.
Bred by Rathmor Stud and racing for Mario Ferreira, Callmegetrix is a daughter of Vercingetorix (Silvano) out of the twice winning Kabool mare Clarion Call.
DID YOU KNOW?
The RACECOAST Incentive Scheme [RCIS] was launched on 1 January 2025 in KwaZulu-Natal.
The RCIS was broken up into two parts; the first being extra incentives to race, with R3,000 being earned per horse (excluding the first and last placed horses). The second aspect of RCIS was a boost to the stakes on offer in KZN, with R40 million being committed by Hollywoodbets to the RACECOAST Incentive Scheme between the two initiatives, for 2025.
Even though adverse weather caused the abandonment of two race meetings in KZN during the month of January, RCIS injected an additional R758 000 through these incentives and a further R1,065 000 in boosted stakes, totalling a massive R1,823 million over and above the normal stakes paid out.
This represents a 49% increase in the potential earnings for horses racing in KZN. There really is no better time to race in KZN.
RAFEEF GELDING
– A DREAM HORSE TO RACE!
Corne Spies’ evergreen equine ATM William Robertson is every owner’s dream horse and made light of his top weight to register his thirteenth career victory with a facile strike in Sunday’s Hollywoodbets Scottsville top-liner, the R200 000 Marula Sprint.
Enjoying a seasonal break from his new home in Canada, SAJA graduate Ryan Munger, who was aboard when William Robertson beat subsequent Grade 1 hero Dyce when shedding his maiden at the Vaal in June 2021, enjoyed an armchair ride for his eleventh winner in a week.
“He’s a magnificent class horse and so versatile. I recall winning a Grade 3 on him as a 3yo. William Robertson was the reason
I travelled down to Pietermaritzburg today and its mission accomplished and full marks to Mr Spies and his team,” added Munger, who is a far more polished rider thanks to his international experience and returns to Canada on 31 March.
Always a hot order favourite, William Robertson was relaxed a few lengths back as Except Temptation and Donquerari cut out a keen
Ryan Munger steers William Robertson to a 13th career victory | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
pace. At the 350m marker Munger made his move as Hollywood Racing rider Sean Veale tried to grab an edge on the good mare Shipholia.
But in a matter of strides it was clear that William Robertson (8-10) was going too well and the 6yo gelding put 1,30 lengths between himself and Shipholia (10-1), clocking 67,72 secs for the straight 1200m.
Sun Blushed (4-1) looked menacing late but was beaten a further 1,30 lengths into third with his consistent stablemate Good Traveller (14-1) rounding off a favourite quartet.
Raced in a partnership by Rob Macnab, Keegan Govender, Xander Spies, Corne Spies
Racing (Pty) Ltd & Jannie de Lange’s Waste Glass Recovery (Pty) Ltd, the Ridgemont Highlands-bred William Robertson is by the champion farm’s in-form sire Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) out of the thrice winning Trippi mare, Massachusetts.
The 6yo gelding cost R500 000 on the BSA National 2yo Sale and is a winner of 13 of his 40 starts with 16 places – he has earned R2 218 975.
THE LUCKY LAST ON THE OLD SURFACE
Gold Circle Racing Executive Raf Sheik surveys the polytrack before it undergoes long overdue maintenance later this month | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Friday evening’s entertaining, albeit shortened, Hollywoodbets Greyville night racemeeting is scheduled to be the penultimate fixture run on the often maligned polytrack, before the all-weather circuit undergoes the most significant overhaul in its decade of service to KZN racing.
The Gold Circle promotional blurb is ‘night time is the right time’, and there is no question that with a buzz on course, a happy crowd enjoyed themselves in advance of the weekend, although winners were hard to come by on a card riddled with longshots – and then after the sixth race, the unscripted disruption to the Municipal power supply to the course torpedoed what was a great evening.
After a significant delay, and no sign of the power supply being restored, a decision was taken to abandon the remainder of the race meeting (Races 7 and 8).
Summerveld trainer Carl Hewitson was an early contributor to the testing conditions for favourites backers, saddling a 400-1 double, as he winds down in preparation for a new career challenge in Mauritius. Aspoestertjie (Rachel Hewitson, 11-2) and Notable (Serino Moodley, 50-1) were the two Hewitson strikes.
Launched in 2014 to much fanfare as the answer to Mother Nature’s often unpredictable mood swings in the holiday province, the Hollywoodbets Greyville polytrack has enjoyed a love-hate relationship with a wide spectrum of stakeholders.
Against the backdrop of the acquisition of Gold Circle (Pty) Ltd by Hollywood Racing
Enterprises (Pty) Ltd, which is still subject to final ratification by the KwaZulu-Natal Economic Regulatory Authority, but has already seen a new era of increased stakes, incentives, improved and simplified race programming, as well as operational and information add-ons, including weighing of horses and branded saddle-cloths in work, the biggest move to enhance the landscape of the new dawn will be the revitalization of the polytrack through a dual-phase overhaul which commences on 17 February.
“During phase 1 the polytrack will be lifted, the base examined, and repairs carried out where necessary. We have set aside two weeks for this process,” explained Gold Circle Racing Executive Raf Sheik, who is on a committee tasked with ensuring an expeditious and seamless upgrade.
Sheik went on to say that in phase 2 a gel will be sprayed on the entire track.
This will apparently take up approximately six days and will be effected in March, dependant on the delivery of the materials.
“Once completed, we can look forward to three to four years of high quality and fair racing on a polytrack that will play an important role in ensuring that we have diversified and yearround racing product for all of our stakeholders to enjoy,” concluded Sheik.
Night racing returns to Hollywoodbets Greyville on the polytrack on Friday, 7 February for what will effectively be a farewell to the old surface. There probably won’t be too many tears in anticipation of better days ahead!
The racing programme naturally remains fluid and is subject to change.
101 TO 121 GAUTENG GUINEAS WINNER UP FROM
Parisian Walkway has had his rating adjusted from 101 to 121 after capturing the TAB Gr2 Gauteng Guineas for 3yos over 1600m at Turffontein Standside Track on Saturday.
The Handicappers were of the opinion that sixth placed, Bacchus made for the most suitable line horse to assess this race, leaving his rating unaltered on 101.
The winner aside, there were upward adjustments for three more horses. Runner up, Greaterix, went up to 120 from 109 and third place finisher, Aristotle, was raised from 94 to 113. Lastly, Musical Score was adjusted to 104 from 100.
Two horses received merit ratings drops following this race. Legend Of Arthur dropped to 109 from 111 and Waheed was reduced to 101 from 105.
Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas
The unbeaten Spumante Dolce has seen her official merit rating increased from 89 to
119 following her third victory in as many starts in the Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas for 3yos over 1600m at the Turffontein Standside Track on Saturday.
The Handicappers opted to use second-placed VJ’s Angel as the line horse to rate this race, leaving her rating unchanged at 119.
There were also merit rating increases for five other runners besides the winner. Quid Pro Quo, who finished third, was raised to 118 from 115, while Fiery Pegasus was increased from 107 to 115.
Additionally, fifth-place finisher Poblano was adjusted from 93 to 107. Too Late My Mate, and Bakwena were also raised, with Too Late My Mate increasing from 83 to 100, and Bakwena moving from 95 to 97.
There were no drops for any runner in this race.
• Media release by the NHA on Tuesday, 04 February 2025.
MAIDEN WAS FASTEST OF AFTERNOON AT HOLLYWOODBETS KENILWORTH
An important scientific complimentary tool of the trade for punters and racing enthusiasts, sectional timing data can enhance both the form study and horseracing viewing experience on both KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape race meetings.
In this second of a new weekly column entitled Time Is Money, we look at some of the past weekend’s highlights, and commence with Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racemeeting, headlined by the non-black type Clapham Stakes.
Just 8mm of rain fell in the seven days leading up to Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racemeeting on Saturday 1 February and as a result 30mm of irrigation was added to the track.
The penetrometer read 23 on the straight course signalling good ground, and 24 on the turn, which was good to soft.
As with the Met meeting last week, the false rail was in its original position from the 1700m mark with a 2m spur at the 600m mark. The outside rail was also moved in 4m from the 400m mark. There was a light to moderate south easterly head wind of between 10-18km/h.
Course Variant was 1,6s fast.
Callmegetrix (JP van der Merwe) gets ahead of Goodnessgraciousme (Richard Fourie) to win the Clapham Stakes | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Clapham Stakes (NBT) & D Stakes 1600m
With an average merit rating of 88, the nonblack type Clapham Stakes topped the bill and in a time 0,67 seconds slower than that of the D Stakes contested by runners with an average merit rating of just 62, CALLMEGETRIX registered her fourth career victory.
There was no pace early on and with the rest of the field tightly bunched this daughter of Vercingetorix gained a soft two lengths advantage.
The sectionals show that she slowed things up coming off the bend and then challenged strongly by the always handy GOODNESSGRACIOUSME she only held on by the narrowest of margins after the race developed into a sprint.
ETOILEFILLANTE and AVIGNON strung the field out rounding the turn in the D Stakes and not surprisingly ran out of gas in the straight. Four lengths off that pair in third was GOLDEN GREY and that one looked to have done everything right on striking the front 230m out. Finishing strongly from off the pace though was the very well weighted COSMIC RHYTHM and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up 50m from home.
Vaughan Marshal’s charge raced off a mark 21 points lower than that of his earlier best here.
Racecape (powered by Hollywoodbets) Open Maiden 1200m
Comparatively, this open maiden event was comfortably the fastest of the afternoon’s four sprint races and here we saw a smart performance from the favourite HAPPY WIVES.
Backed into 9/4 from 7/2, Clinton Binda’s charge kept up a healthy, relatively even gallop throughout and was always a length clear. The always handy pair of BENEATH THE CLOUDS and CAPE CAPTAIN both chased hard, but neither could make any impression.
Hollywoodbets Scottsville 2 February - Track Condition
Rain and irrigation totalled 22mm in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday. The penetrometer reading was 26 on both tracks and as a result the going was posted as good to soft.
There was a moderate 10-15km/h south easterly headwind and the false rail was out 9m. Course Variant was 0,79s fast.
Marula Sprint (NBT) 1200m
The runner up in this event last season, WILLIAM ROBERTSON always looked to be the best bet on the card and so it proved to be.
Soon up handy in a race run over 2 seconds faster than the two maiden events over the same distance, Corne Spies’ charge was right alongside when the mare Shipholia narrowly put her head in front 500m out.
After some fast sections early on though, the tightly bunched field began to slow considerably at that stage and staying on the best Willam Robertson went on to score comfortably. William Robertson has now won three from five over this trip.
Hollywoodbets Bright Future B Stakes 1000m
With a 4kg claimer on board, the nibbled at Jet Legacy set brisk early fractions here and in a fast run race was two lengths clear for the vast
majority of the journey. Indeed, the Divine Jet gelding only really began to slow 100m out and was not headed until they hit the distance.
After racing second throughout, the 3yo Twenty One May then put his head in front, but in what proved to be a real thriller it was SMORGASBORD, running on from the backend of midfield who got the verdict on the nod.
www.tabgold.co.za Middle Stakes 1600m
Although this comparatively was the fastest of the three races run around the turn on the inner track, the middle stakes was a very false paced affair.
Just four lengths covered all for most of the journey and they could visibly be seen to slow rounding the turn, before making it into a sprint.
The winner ICE RAIN had raced at the back of the six and finishing by far the best, she cut through the field like a knife over the final 200m.
Hollywoodbets Greyville 31 JanuaryTrack Condition
Although 40mm of rain had fallen in the previous seven days, there had been nothing at all in the proceeding 24 hours.
The going was posted as Standard. Course Variant was 1,7s fast
Follow In The Box Seat Podcast B Stakes 1600m
The fastest of the six races on the polytrack comparatively on Friday evening was the bill topping B Stakes won by the What A Winter gelding WINTER GAMES.
Lindbergh (offered on the BSA Online Sale this week) made the running and setting brisk fractions in a race run just 0,21 seconds outside the course record, he not surprisingly tired quickly late on.
Few Dollars More had “followed in the box seat” in second and on taking up the running 230m out, he was looking like the winner. Winter Games had been setting consistently good fractions back in seventh though and distinctively quickening between the 400 and 200m markers he soon became a threat.
He ran on best of all in the closing stages and under a well-judged ride from Tristan Godden he got up 60m from home to win going away.
Notably, Winter Games was racing off a mark 16 points below that of his earlier best here. He was also having his third run after a rest and stepping up in distance. That was excellent each way value at 16/1!
Sectional timing data, which has been produced by the internationally acclaimed French company McLloyd, who also provide the service to French and Hong Kong horseracing, is currently available on the
TV
Home of KZN Racing
LIFE’S A BEACH
The Hollywoodbets-sponsored Gavin Smith Racing Team took some time out at Maitlands Beach last Thursday morning to enjoy the beauty and serenity, giving both human and equine members time out to breathe deep and enjoy the few hours.
The Boss Gavin Smith showed his fighting spirit against a backdrop of health challenges and he was there to inspire and motivate the champions.
Thanks to Pauline Herman for these beautiful images that captured some special moments.
Dean and Gavin Smith enjoy the outing with Neil Pretorius
BACK-TO-BACK VICTORIES FOR SON OF CANFORD CLIFFS
Richard Fourie has Bournemouth in command | Credit: Pauline Herman
Ridgemont’s international stakes producing stallion Canford Cliffs has enjoyed a purple patch with his speedy 2yo’s and displayed his enormous versatility at Fairview on Friday when his son Bournemouth made it back-to-back victories in the R175 000 Lakeside Handicap.
The Non Black-Type feature was a walk in the proverbial park for the Alan Greeff-trained 5yo gelding, who strangely has been winless in the year since he won the same feature, also under the now Ridgemont-sponsored Richard Fourie.
But running fresh after a 14-week break, Bournemouth (5-2) cruised up from back of midfield and reeled in the leader Zatara Magic (7-2) to win going away by 2,25 lengths in a time of 151,93 secs for the 2400m.
An early leader, topweight Firealley (13-2) ran a typically gutsy race to stay on for third a further quarter length back, with Harold The Duke (7-1) completing the quartet.
Raced by Messrs D Cicognini, L Grammer, John Lamb, and Mr & Mrs A C Greeff, who lease him from Ridgemont, the Drakenstein Stud bred gelding is a son of Canford Cliffs (Tagula) out of the thrice winning British-bred Galileo mare Serruria
A R160 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, Bournemouth has now won 7 races with 7 places from his 23 starts for stakes of R534 426.
Alan Greeff and Richard Fourie shared the honours on the afternoon with Gavin Smith and Craig Zackey, who also enjoyed a double.
Given Canford Cliffs feature success, it was another good afternoon at the races for the Ridgemont stallions, with two Rafeef progeny in Mayor Of Merrivale and Smashing – both bred by Ridgemont – winning earlier on in the day.
WELCOME BACK HERMAN BROWN JR
This type of article would typically begin with a phrase like, ‘his father was an illustrious trainer,’ but Herman Brown Jr. has more than earned his own place in the league of top horsemen. South African racing will welcome him back to the training ranks, and he’ll be aiming at exciting times for both his patrons and fans. Brown, with his signature gentlemanly composure, was a notable guest in Kenilworth’s 1881 function room at the World Sports Betting Met last Saturday.
The excitement of days like these stirred his spirit and has brought him back to the industry after an absence of 12 years.
Brown spent his sabbatical dabbling in a number of business projects, which required moving between provinces.
Herman Brown Jr, back after a 12-year absence | Credit: 4Racing
He said: “I needed the break to experience life and business from other perspectives and I’m back, focused and refreshed.”
He handed over his Summerveld stable to his long-time assistant, Frank Robinson, and purchased a wine farm in Franschhoek. He also ventured into property development, only to realise that every industry requires a certain streetwise acumen that can’t be gained overnight.
In the process of change and reflection, he also came to the end of his 35-year marriage. Back in Cape Town after a brief return to Durban, new horizons beckon for the man who trained 1100 winners in South Africa and several Group winners during his nine-year stint in Dubai, including the Gr1 Dubai Duty Free with Jay Peg, two Gr1 Singapore Cups with Jay Peg and Gitano Hernando respectively, and three Gr2 Al Fahidi Fort’s with Linngari (x2) and Bankable.
Brown’s runner Mourilyan finished third in the 2009 Group 1 Melbourne Cup, the first South African trainer to achieve this feat.
“I’ve been racing a bit recently with my old friend Marsh Shirtliff, who owned Jay Peg, and enjoyed a few forgotten thrills. I am returning
to an industry that’s different to what it was, but I know what it takes to win at local and international level.
Our country has a remarkable number of good trainers, jockeys and breeders.
We don’t realise how good our horsemen actually are. To compete means having to take on some serious racing operations. But I am used to winning. I want to train winners again and land the big races.”
Brown added: “Ideally, I’d like to train 20-30 runners with a view of proving the best ones here in South Africa and then shipping them to Dubai. It is easier to get horses on a plane again now, with protocols relaxed. I still have my stables available in Dubai with my saddlery and equipment.
My international exposure was a gamechanger, as it was for Mike de Kock. We both learnt that the most important aspect of winning the big races was attention to the finest little detail, which makes the difference between winning and losing.
Training alongside other international handlers is invaluable. We watch each other all the time, and the bar is constantly raised.”
Herman Brown Sr., with Lester Piggott | Credit: 4Racing
He is under no illusion that his journey back to prominence will be a walk in the park, and said: “The horse population has dwindled, we are in a rebuilding phase. The lack of numbers has caused an imbalance in that a handful of powerful stables dominate the different regions.
There is a big disparity, especially in the Cape. But I see opportunities and I believe the time is right for me to make a comeback. Owners tend
to drift between trainers to see if the grass is greener elsewhere.
I will be offering hands-on, personal service with a smaller string and I hope to get some older runners in training that may need a change of environment.”
Click on the image below to read the full story…
Linngari, in the winner’s box at Nad Al Sheba | Credit: 4Racing
HEUNINGSFONTEIN
Heuningsfontein Stud’s
Leon Lotz is pleased with the draft that he is bringing to this year’s BSA Cape Yearling Sale on Sunday, 23 February at SARDA Centre.
The farm will be offering yearlings by the likes of Gold Standard, Global View and their own exciting sire Lance.
Leon shares his comments on this quality draft:
Lot 3 - Arabian Gem (f) by Gold Standard ex Arabian Winter
• She is a racy, late foal with lots of scope.
Lot 11 - Rebel Victory (c) by Rebel King ex Captain’s Treasure
• A magnificent individual, he is a very strong early type. Inbred to Royal Prerogative - like Gr1 winner Singforafa.
Lot 16 - Miss Honey Bee (f) by Rebel King ex Celebration
• She is a very late foal but is a high-quality filly. This mating was done as Rebel King’s stakes winning half-brother and sister, Uncle Tommy and Rebel Queen, both by Kahal.
Lot 45 - Perfect Sparkler (f) by Global View ex Kissmeatthegate
• A beautiful, well topped, balanced filly. She has very good legs and a huge hind quarter.
Lot 54 - Miss Fire Arrow (f) by Lance ex Mademoiselle
• From a very speedy family, she has a beautiful topline and huge hind quarters.
Lot 64 - Ultimate Bomb (f) by Rebel King ex Nemesia
• She is a speed ball with good legs. Nemesia is a half-sister to champion Carnadore, sired, like Rebel King, by National Emblem. Rebel King should do the job!
Heuningsfontein’s 2025 Cape Yearling Sale draft can be viewed at Block A.
RIDGEMONT STALLIONS FIRING
The progeny of Ridgemont-based SA Triple Crown winning sire Malmoos look ready to set the sales rings alight after a flying start at the CRS Summer Sale held at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Thursday 23 January 2025.
One of the most exciting racers of the 21st century, and only the fourth horse in history to win the South African Triple Crown, Malmoos galloped his way into South African turf history on 3 April 2021 as he registered his seventh victory from his first eight career starts.
Blood rules the land and the blue-blooded athlete effectively signed his paddock passport that very day as he enjoys the distinction of being the last Grade 1 winning colt sired by former champion sire, Captain Al.
In the stifling heat of the CRS bumper sale, Malmoos was in demand, his quintet selling for a gross R3 425 000 at an average of R685 000.
Topping the Malmoos attack was the Narrow Creek bred stunner Old Friend (lot 57), a beautiful filly inbred to Sadler’s Wells, out of a Querari half-sister to Gr3 Victress Stakes winner Star Express, dam of Gr1 winning champion Bless My Stars and Gr3 Mother Russia Stakes queen Let’s Go Now. She sold for R1,1 million.
Malmoos – a stunner with track performance and the blood to match | Credit: Supplied
Narrow Creek’s John Everett was pleased to drink a toast to his farm’s maiden R1 million plus yearling and told the Sporting Post that buyers Hollywood Racing had gotten themselves ‘a serious racehorse’.
“I have found that Malmoos stamps his offspring with class and athleticism. He is a truly exciting sire prospect and I have another four of his that I will be taking to Nationals. The mare has a stunning Rafeef first foal and an Hawwaam weanling at foot. Looking at Old Friend, I’m probably sending Mom back to Malmoos this season!” he smiled.
Ridgemont’s Craig Kieswetter, who had the honour of his team breeding new sire Hawwaam’s first winner at Turffontein last Sunday, was thrilled with the results achieved by all of the Ridgemont stallions, with their Redoute’s Choice star Rafeef
grossing R5 825 000 for his 9 yearlings, at an average of R647 222. Their ever reliable five-time Grade 1 winner Canford Cliffs sold a lovely colt for R600 000, and is enjoying a purple patch with his juveniles this term.
Ridgemont’s blue-blooded Snitzel speed machine Real Gone Kid also marked his first yearling through the ring when the hammer fell on the precocious chestnut colt (#52) who is out of a well-related William Longsword mare, for R275 000. He looks a flyer!
“We are delighted with the results for our stallions and congratulate all the breeders that have supported us. This was a terrific first sale for Malmoos and it’s fantastic to see those results knowing the quality of his stock. We have backed Malmoos heavily and are very excited to see how he continues to progress in the sales ring and then onto the racetrack.”
SIX OFF DUBLIN EIGHT FOR WILLIE MULLINS!
The Dublin Racing Festival has really grown in stature over the last decade becoming a ‘festival’ in its own right and not just a stepping stone to Cheltenham later in the season.
Champion trainer Willie Mullins has enjoyed much success here no more so then last season when he won all eight Group 1’s on offer. This year he was not as dominant, but six out of eight is no mean feat.
The highlight was the mighty chaser Galopin Des Champs winning the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup for a third time.
The nine-year-old confirmed his superiority over his stablemate Fact To File, who was pipped at the post for second by another stablemate in Grangeclare West.
Sent off the 1/2 favourite, Galopin Des Champs quickly asserted his usual prominent role, and Paul Townend had him in a rhythm jumping beautifully out in the lead.
Townend asked for his maximum effort after the last and he quickened away from his field in great style to win by four-and-three-quarter lengths with his jockey saluting the large crowd.
Galopin Des Champs in full flight – what a sight!
Credit: Leopardstown Racecourse on FB
His next start will be the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday March 14, where he will attempt to become just the fifth horse to win the great race three times along with Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle, and Best Mate.
When asked if Galopin Des Champs was the best he’d ever trained, Mullins confirmed: “He has to be, you’d have to say that. This is the best chaser I’ve trained, and Hurricane Fly the best hurdler.”
State Man could now be rated not far behind Hurricane Fly after a victorious third Irish Champion Hurdles on Sunday.
The eight-year-old Donnelly owned champ was winning his thirteenth hurdle feature after his stablemate and only serious rival Lossiemouth fell at the third-last.
Danny Mullins had set out to serve it up to the reigning champion from the get-go on the mare Lossiemouth, who was sent off the 8-11 favourite, and it looked like the duel we had been promised.
Paul Townend sat right on the leader’s quarters, and they had the race to themselves, however she took a heavy fall, nearly bringing down State Man.
From there it was race over with the three remaining rivals not in the class of State Man and he duly negotiated the remaining obstacles with ease. Two other Willie Mullins Dublin Irish
Festival winners were worthy of mention with Cheltenham around the corner. Last season’s champion novice hurdler Ballyburn needed a decisive victory after being trounced by Sir Gino over an inadequate two miles at Kempton over Christmas.
He achieved that and then some when landing the Gr1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase on Saturday. The extended two and a half miles played to his strengths, jumping smoothly, and he forged clear of Gr1 winner Croke Park once given two cracks by Paul Townend.
The other is Kopek Des Bordes who dominated the Gr1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle. The well-backed 4/5 favourite, a course and distance maiden hurdle at Christmas, travelled kindly for Paul Townend and eased into a clear lead before the turn for home.
From some way out the imposing son of No Risk At All was tanking under Paul Townend. It looked too good to be true, but so it proved. Kopek Des Bordes took the last in his stride to score by 13 lengths from Karniquet. The victory was so impressive that he replaced stablemate Salvatore Mundi as Supreme favourite, looking every inch the sort who can give Willie an eighth win in the race.
Mullins said of his winner: “The horse was very keen and free the whole way, but Paul just let him have his head going to his hurdles and he’s jumped way better than Christmas. We did a lot of schooling with him since the last day.”
A CLASSIC WISH COMES TRUE FOR FERRARIS
Bristling with emotion, Luke Ferraris has jubilation in My Wish’s HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile triumph for trainer Mark Newnham at Sha Tin on Friday, prompting the young South African to reflect on Sweet Orange’s success in the same race in 2012.
Trained by Ferraris’ father David, Sweet Orange’s victory 13 seasons ago remains one of Ferraris’ most vivid memories from his childhood in Hong Kong.
Now 23, Ferraris joined his father – who saddled 461 winners in Hong Kong and trained champion Vengeance Of Rain – on the Hong Kong Classic Mile honour board with a perfectly judged ride to fend off Francis Lui-trained pair Divano (Blake Shinn) and Parking Hermod (Zac Purton) in 1m 33.98s.
Jumping away cleanly from barrier eight, Ferraris settled the Flying Artie gelding in fourth place, one off the fence and, approaching the home turn, angled into clear running before staving off a charging Divano, who rocketed from last on the turn in a race-best sectional of 21.98s.
Reflecting on Sweet Orange’s victory under Weichong Marwing, Ferraris said: “I remember it like it was yesterday. Weichong was three-deep without cover the whole way, loomed up on the bend and fought off Fay Fay at the furlong (200m).
“There were a few flashbacks which entered my mind today when My Wish had to get game at the furlong, and he did. He is 990 pounds of pure heart and he hasn’t been the easiest customer, so big credit to Mark and his team. It really shows the calibre of trainer he is. He improved with each and every run and it’s good to get one on the board.
My Wish gives Luke Ferraris his most important Hong Kong win | Credit: HKJC
“Today, when I sit down it will kick in when I get the messages from my family. Watching this race as a child and now this – it’s surreal. I’m pretty grateful to Mark and his team.”
With his fourth win from eight starts, My Wish gave Ferraris and Newnham their most important success in Hong Kong and the first leg of the HK$52 million Four-Year-Old Classic Series, which continues with the HK$13 million
Hong Kong Classic Cup on 2 March and the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby on 23 March.
Newnham was elated to have overcome My Wish’s appetite and temperament issues as the smallest horse in the field held sway.
“His appetite’s improved, so as he’s raced on through the season, he’s toughened up a
little bit. We all know he’s only a small horse, but gee he’s got a big heart,” Newnham said.
“The horse is very game, Luke’s done a great job with him and my team at home has done a super job because when he first arrived, he was a high-energy horse and wasn’t easy to handle.
“He has been troublesome at times, but today he paraded better than he ever has, he went to the start nice and settled and once he got into
that position, it was just a matter of whether he was going to be good enough or not.
“The way he raced today and the position he put himself in and the way he settled, I think he’ll give himself every chance over 1800m. If he learns to settle and conserve his energy, he’s going to be hard to beat. It’s pretty special.”
Luke Ferraris and Mark Newnham celebrate My Wish’s Hong Kong Classic Mile win | Credit: HKJC
Ferraris climbed into fourth place in the jockeys’ championship with 24 wins after slotting a treble, having also prevailed on David Eustace-trained Master Phoenix in the first section of the Class 4 Fat Choi Handicap and Mid Winter Wind, who made a stunning Hong Kong debut for Newnham in the Class 3 Yue Yee Handicap to earn a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million.
Hugh Bowman starred with a quartet, firing in a remarkable four winners in a row – David Hall’s Sunstrider in the Class 4 Good Fortune Handicap, Chancheng Glory for Lui in the Gr3 Centenary Vase Handicap, Brilliant Express for John Size in the Class 4 Prosperity Handicap and Green N White in the Class 2 Chinese New Year Cup Handicap for Ricky Yiu.
“I had good rides on paper and it’s all worked out. I’ve had good running positions and when it hasn’t worked out for me early, it’s worked out late for me in races,” Bowman said. “All my rides have shown they were capable and it’s nice for it all to happen in one day.”
Narrowly denied in the Hong Kong Classic Mile, Lui struck with BMW Hong Kong Derby
prospect Packing Angel under Zac Purton in the Class 3 Kut Cheong Handicap.
Jamie Richards successfully unveiled talented newcomer Yee Cheong Glory in the second section of the Class 4 Fat Choi Handicap. Ridden by Purton, the Puissance de Lune gelding was a trial winner in Adelaide before export to Hong Kong and could easily have won by more than his two and quarter length margin.
Ben Thompson’s adventurous decision to keep New Future Folks wide from barrier 13 in the long run to the first turn paid off handsomely when Michael Chang’s charge crossed smoothly to the fence and was never headed to land the Class 3 Red Packet Handicap.
Still in contention for the Hong Kong Classic Cup, New Future Folks earned an ISG Bonus of HK$1 million after Dennis Yip and Matthew Chadwick claimed the first win on Chinese New Year Raceday with Ho Ho Star’s narrow victory in the Class 5 Kung Hei Handicap.
“I’m happy. The first winner of the Chinese New Year is lucky, of course,” Yip said.
Hugh Bowman posted a quartet at Sha
SA CHAMP FOR PREP PRIOR TO MEYDAN CLASH
Former SA champion sprinter Isivunguvungu is amongst 172 entries from 20 countries for the 29th Dubai World Cup meeting.
The Dubai World Cup meeting to be staged at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday, 5 April is headlined by the $12 million Gr1 Dubai World Cup.
A Narrow Creek Stud bred son of What A Winter, Isivunguvungu races for Hollywood Racing and is trained by Graham Motion. He is
the only SAF-bred listed amongst the world’s biggest equine stars including Romantic Warrior, Rebel’s Romance, Sierra Leone and Forever Young.
Isivunguvungu is entered for the Gr1 Al Quoz Sprint, run on turf over 1200 metres. The sprint has attracted stars such as defending
Isivunguvungu – speed merchant is doing well | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
champion California Spangle, as well as Hong Kong compatriots Howdeepisyourlove and Invincible Sage.
Trainer Graham Motion told the Sporting Post recently that Isivunguvungu is in good shape and breezed 800m on Sunday 26 January.
“Isi remains on track for a possible start at Gulfstream on 8 March. There is also an option at Tampa, the other Florida racetrack, 22 February, also over 1000m,” he added.
The $12 million Gr1 Dubai World Cup (sponsored by Emirates Airline) headlines the nine-race card and included in the entry are
the last two winners of the race, Laurel River and Ushba Tesoro, as well as the world’s highest-earning horse, Romantic Warrior, from Hong Kong.
A strong group of nominations from Japan includes Japanese Derby winner Danon Decile, as well as G2 UAE Derby winner and Kentucky Derby third, Forever Young.
See all the nominations here. Click here to watch Isivunguvungu work 800m in 0:47.00 on 26 January.
CONQUEST THE HIGHLIGHT AS GODOLPHIN DOMINATE TURF
Charlie Appleby’s First Conquest looked better than a handicapper when winning the Lord North Handicap three weeks’ ago and he proved it when storming home in the Gr3 Dubai Millennium Stakes (sponsored by Emaar) on Friday.
Ridden by William Buick, who was happy to restrain him at the rear of the field for most of the 2000metre contest, First Conquest used his powerful turn of foot to good effect once they turned for home. He drew level at 100metres and won with something to spare over Cairo, a length and a half back, and Highbank, third.
“I wanted to ride him like Mickael Barzalona did last time, that’s how he likes to be ridden,” said Buick. “The pace wasn’t strong by any means and when the rail is out like that it’s hard to come from the back, so he’s done very well.
“He’s a horse really going up the grades.”
Appleby and Godolphin celebrated a treble, initiated when Mountain Breeze took race two, the first running of the Mawj Stakes, for threeyear-old fillies.
The well-bred filly, a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Pintatubo, had kept Group 1 company last season and was in a different class to her nine rivals here. The daughter of Lope De Vega pulled for her head early in the 1400m contest, but Buick made light of the
Conquest (William Buick in blue) wins the Gr3 Dubai Millenium Stakes on Friday evening | Credit: DRC
situation, easing her out for a dominant six and a half-length win over Octans.
“She was entitled to win and win as she did,” said Buick. “I was really pleased with what she did as she was a very early two-year-old and won in May over 1000m. Now she’s won over 1400m and 1600m will be fine.
“I’d imagine the Jumeirah 1000 Guineas, on Super Saturday, 1 March, will be the plan. It’s such a lovely programme for the three-yearolds out here.”
Romantic Style Shows Love for Sprinting
Godolphin later unleashed an equally impressive filly, Romantic Style, who beat the boys in the Listed Dubai Sprint (sponsored by Emaar.)
The four-year-old was a beaten favourite when second, over 1600m, in the Gr2 Cape Verdi last time and it seems that sprinting is her forte.
She was always traveling strongly in the centre of the track under Buick and it was a question of when, not if, she would go onto assert which she did with the minimum of fuss, extending away for a two and a half-length win over Haasim. “The Cape Verdi was a disaster and Charlie and his team were sure that dropping back was the right thing to do,” said Buick.
“She’s won over 1200m before and she’s always had that speed. She was very comfortable today. Sometimes it’s hard against seasoned sprinters but she was a level above today.”
600 Up for Evergreen Mullen
Richie Mullen is one of the most popular jockeys in the weighing room and the Gr1-winning rider celebrated win number
600 in the UAE when Hallasan won the closing Jumeirah Guineas Trial (sponsored by Emaar).
Prior to the race it was Hallasan’s stablemate, Al Qudra, Group 1-placed as two-year-old, who commanded most of the attention. Ridden by Buick, he tried hard to get to Hallasan in the closing stages but the winner had the benefit of race fitness and crossed the line a length ahead.
“The first one was for Godolphin back in 2000, when I won the Al Fahidi Fort on Grazalema,” said a delighted Mullen. “It seems appropriate that number 600 is for the same firm.
I owe the Maktoum family an awful lot, both publicly, in my career, and privately in that my children have grown up here.
Earlier on, the first race, the Oasis by Emaar Handicap, was a significant one for Meydanbased trainer Ali Al Badwawi who got off the mark for the season thanks to Smart System.
The son of The Factor was making his ninth start here for his third trainer, but Al Badwawi has found the key to him and he registered a pleasing gate-to-wire success in the dirt contest, extending well off the final bend and
beating Davy Lamp by just under three lengths.
“He’s a maiden who has been improving and today he got a better gate (1),” said winning jockey Bernardo Pinheiro, for whom it was a 20th winner of the campaign. “The 1400m was a question mark, but it was good as the pace wasn’t so fast and I got a soft lead and let him breathe on the turn.”
The rail again proved the place to be in the third race, the Valley by Emaar three-year-old Conditions event, which went to Undefeated.
Bhupat Seemar’s charge hadn’t lived up to his name in three previous starts but didn’t look like being caught here under Tadhg O’Shea, getting better as he went further and beating Honest Moon by seven lengths.
“He’s got a very good name and a very good owner, Saeed Suhail,” said O’Shea. “He shows the world in the mornings but just took a while for the penny to drop and even with the headgear he was still looking around in the straight.
“I think he’ll improve for this as he’s a goodactioned horse and he stays well.”
O’Shea and Seemar doubled up later on, when Guns And Glory broke the 2200metre dirt track record in the Emaar South Handicap. Fitri Hay’s four-year-old had faced some tough tasks since breaking his maiden in March but was ultra-impressive here, grabbing the lead, rail and powering to a ten length win over Inner Wisdom.
Jockey Jim Crowley has enjoyed a profitable spell in the Middle East of late and jetted in from Bahrain for two rides, the second of which was a winning one on Khanjar in the Dubai Creek Harbour Handicap.
“He is useful, and he’s won over various trips, but seven furlongs is perfect for him,” said the rider of Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s charge.
“He broke well, and I was concerned about being four wide going around the bend, but I was happy with where I was and he came home well.”
“He’s a lovely horse. He was well entitled on ratings to put in a good performance and he’s been training beautifully at home,” said O’Shea.
“He’s a good genuine sort and the race set up perfectly for him.”
Meydan hosts another eight-race card on Friday, 7 February, when the Lord Glitters Handicap and the Dubai Trophy are the features.
ANOTHER ROBUST YEAR FOR RACING & BREEDING IN IRELAND
Year-on-year increases in the key metrics of attendances, commercial sponsorship and on-course betting point to another robust 12 months for the horse racing and breeding industry in Ireland.
Full year statistics for 2024, released today by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), also show marginal increases in the areas of prize money, racehorse ownership, the owner retention rate and the numbers of horses in training. However, total entries, total runners and average field sizes were slightly behind where they were in 2023.
Prize money in 2024 was up 2.6% to €69.9m and the figure for 2025 will rise by a further €1m. Commercial sponsorship in 2024 rose by 7.9% to €6.8m with EBF sponsorship totalling €2.9m, up 7.4%.
Irish horses continued to perform well when campaigned overseas and the prize money won by Irish-trained horses in Britain rose by over 16% to Stg£19.4m with a total of €9.2m won by our horses in the rest of the world.
Total on-course betting, including Tote, rose to €84.1m, an increase of 4.5%. Bookmaker betting on-course rose by 5.6% to €73.7m.
Total Tote betting has reduced by 2.8% to
€75.8m. Betting on-course with Tote is down by the same percentage to €10.4m while offcourse betting with the Tote is 4.8% down to €57.6m. Off-course betting receipts came to €141m, up 37.4% on the previous year.
While for the first six months of 2024, attendance figures were 1.5% behind the corresponding period of 2023 due to a combination of bad weather, adverse ground conditions and an extraordinary number of rescheduled fixtures, the end of year figure of 1.242m is up 0.5% with stronger returns from Irish Champions Festival, the Listowel Festival, Navan Racing Festival and the Christmas festivals at Leopardstown and Limerick contributing to the growth.
One notable dispersal sale in 2023 contributed to a record figure of €231.5m for bloodstock sales at public auction and this figure fell back to €197.8m last year on a more normal schedule of sales.
On the racing front, the total number of active owners has risen by 0.9% to 4,741, with the
number of syndicates up by 6.7% and new owners up 4.1%. The owner retention rate climbed marginally to 73.8%. The ownership base in the USA has risen 12% with UK-based owners remaining static at 356. Building on our international ownership base is a key area of focus for our Ownership Department.
There is also a marginal rise in the total number of horses-in-training which grew 0.4% to 10,488. Extremes of weather affected the number of entries, down 3.2% overall with Flat entries down 4.7% and National Hunt entries down 1.8%. While the total number of runners was also down, by 0.9%, the number of National Hunt runners rose by 0.4% while the total number of Flat runners was down by 2.3%. The average field size, based on 2,894 races in 2024 compared to 2,877 races in 2023, was down by 1.4%.
Suzanne Eade, CEO of HRI, said:
“The early months of 2024 proved to be very challenging with considerable disruption to the fixture list, but we can be happy that many
of the significant figures bounced back as the year progressed.
“Wet weather had a telling effect on fixtures and the numbers of entries and runners in the first half of the year while a remarkable absence of rain for a prolonged period in the autumn certainly impacted on those numbers again as the return of significant numbers of horses to the track was delayed.
“However, the overall figures once more show that the Irish racing and breeding industry is strong and facing up to any number of challenges. It was good to see how well the attendance figures held up despite a number of key fixtures being blighted by the weather and betting figures recovered well having been behind when the six-month figures were published in early July.”
Click Here For 2024 Irish Thoroughbred Racing Industry Statistics Table.
• Media release by Horse Racing Ireland on Thursday, 30 January 2025.
VALE GAVIN WALKER – 1943 TO 2025
Few people packed more life into 82 years than Gavin, and simply being in his presence was often either a terrifying, or tantalizing, experience. Sometimes unpredictable but never dull. Mostly entertaining while enjoying his optimistic outlook and humour,” writes Craig Ramsay in a tribute to Gavin Walker published on the KZN Breeders website.
While owning Bush Hill Nursery near Midrand, Gavin and his wife Gill purchased and began developing his dream of breeding and racing Thoroughbreds on what was part of the original Hartford breeding and racing empire.
Bush Hill Stud opened for business in 1975 and it was here that Gavin gave me my greatest
opportunity to get a fingerhold in the industry by appointing me manager and allowing me the freedom, with his encouragement, to develop the business as far as I could take it.
After recognising the potential of Mexico from his first year at stud, one of Gavin’s earliest successes was the multiple Stakes winning filly
Owner breeder Gavin Walker is seen leading in Halfway To Heaven back at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in 2013 | Credit: Supplied
Mexican Magic who won 9 times and always held a special place in his heart.
Fittingly, after a lifetime committed to, and generously supporting racing and breeding, including serving as the Chairman of the Natal Breeders Club for many years, his proudest achievement was breeding and racing the multiple Champion Broodmare of the Year Halfway to Heaven, and being able to watch her first three foals win Grade 1 races.
Gavin sold Bush Hill to Warwick and Karin Render and retired to the Cape in 1998. Warwick and Karin have proudly continued what Gavin and Gill began many decades ago, producing Grade 1 winners from these same paddocks.
Gavin was a tough man. But equally generous, fair, and when encountering children, gentle.
He despised bullies as much as he was willing to help someone in need, and if these two met in his presence and the bully attempted to take advantage of the other’s vulnerability, I often witnessed the bully being persuaded it would
be in the best interests of his future health (after recovering from this lesson), to consider changing his attitude.
Having kept in touch with Gavin after I emigrated to New Zealand it was a pleasure to show him around when he recently visited us, and equally so when Tammy and I were able to spend a day with him when visiting South Africa last year.
It was clear Gavin was facing health challenges, but as always, he refused to complain and remained as positive as possible about his situation.
When speaking to him a few weeks ago, it was reassuring that his life’s principles weren’t changing.
Gavin gave me my first management opportunity, supported my progress after leaving Bush Hill, and has always remained a solid source of guidance and encouragement. Gavin was a special friend, and I will miss him.
