CHAMPIONS DAY ‘25
06
Turffontein On Saturday A feast of racing
29
The Munger Games
How has this jock improved!
34
King Of The Apaches
Uncle Ty’s going strong
38 Nationals ‘25
Countdown to 10/11 April
110
Sha Tin Sizzler
BMW at the wheel
On the cover Dare we say it, but if ever a horse deserved a Gr1 victory it is the Ridgemont-bred gelding, William Robertson, a son of Rafeef (AUS) ex Massachusetts by Trippi (USA). The 6yo Corne Spies charge runs in the R1 million TAB Computaform Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday. This is surely his big chance to earn the elite credit? Read more on page 18.
Issue: 12/2025
R5 MILLION PICK 6 PROJECTED FOR CHAMPIONS DAY
A Pick 6 carryover of R1 million, with a likely pool of R5 million makes Saturday’s Champions Day an interesting poser for exotic players. The popular exotic starts in the fourth race at 13h15.
Imilenzeyokududuma – big runner after excellent third in the Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
The Gr 1 HKJC World Pool Premiers Champion Challenge to be run over 2000m at Turffontein Standside and is the penultimate leg of the Pick 6, includes two raiders. Both are from Summerveld - the Nathan Kotzen-trained defending champion Royal Victory and the Gareth van Zyl trained Gr 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes third-placed Imilenzeyokududuma.
Turf Talk reports that Royal Victory is suited to the Turffontein Standside track and his Gr 1 double there last season was clinched using the same preparation routine both times together with being transported up there both times on Ted Hughes’ state of the art float.
The same was done for this season’s Betway Summer Cup, but on that occasion the race just did not pan out well for Royal Victory as he encountered traffic problems in the straight and did well to finish a three length sixth.
In the Hollywoodbets Durban July he was also unlucky, because had he remained patient and gone for a rails run he could have done even better than a 1,40 length third.
Last season he only had one run between the Summer Cup and the Champions Challenge and it is interesting to note he was beaten into a 1,50 length third in that 1500m race at Hollywoodbets Scottsville by none other than Imilenzeyokududuma, although the latter was receiving 4,5kg.
Nathan Kotzen has opted to give Royal Victory two runs this season between the Summer Cup and the Champions Challenge and this is no doubt a wise move considering how much rain there has been at Summerveld which has limited the amount of work which could be done.
The first of his runs since the Summer Cup was over 1750m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville in the Michael Roberts Stakes and Royal Victory was once again beaten by Imilenzeyokududuma, finishing a 1,30 length third and the latter was only receiving 1,5kg this time.
In his next start Royal Victory ran over 1950m at Scottsville and the race did not pan out well as it was a small field and off a slow pace it turned into a sprint for home. He could not make the ground up going down the unfavourable inside part of the tracks and giving away lumps of weight, so a line can be drawn throught that race.
He should be cherry ripe again for his favourite course and distance and is the highest rated runner in the weight for age race.
His draw of ten is not ideal but his 2023 Summer Cup victory from draw 13 of 18 was easier than his Champions Challenge win from draw three. He is going to come from off the pace and Muzi Yeni is a master at slotting widely drawn horses in to covered up positions.
Royal Victory is good value at 6.25/1 with Hollywoodbets as he looks to be the one to beat as a classy dual Gr 1 winner whose two Gr 1 wins have both been over this course and distance.
Kotzen said Royal Victory had been doing well.
Imilenzeyokududuma has always looked like a type who would relish the Turffontein Standside course and so it proved when he stayed on resolutely for an excellent 2,50 length third in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m last time out in testing going.
He went back to Summerveld after the race which was a wise move as it allowed Gareth van Zyl to be hands on in his preparation and anecdotal evidence has also been said to show
that horses going up to altitude can hit a flat spot close to the three week mark and it can last for about a week.
Summerveld is actually a third of the altitude of Johannesburg and Royal Victory has proved that the altitude factor is not really relevant, even over 2000m.
The question is whether Imilenzeykududuma will stay and one aspect against him is he is a six-year-old and has not yet been tried over 2000m.
However, he is by Durban July winner Dynasty, which will help his cause, and his damsire High Chaparral won the Epsom Derby.
On the downside his dam Chevauchee’s three wins included two over 1200m, including a Listed win, and one over 1600m, which was also in a Listed race. Chevauchee was out of a Danehill mare.
If Imilenzeyokududuma does stay he will be a runner especially as Van Zyl said he had come on from that last run and he has a good draw of five under one of the country’s most sought after riders at present, Ryan Munger.
Imilenzeyokududuma will be looking to give Hollywood Racing their first Gr 1 of the season.
The two Summerveld contenders face stern opposition epecially from the promising threeyear-old Fire Attack, who stayed on superbly for a close second in the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m last time out, and Purple Pitcher, whose yard is in good form and he is a dangerous front runner.
Former SA Derby winner Son Of Raj has come to hand, while Atticus Finch proved his liking for course and distance with a fine win in the Summer Cup.
Hotarubi is capable on his day.
Silver Sanctuary is a Gr1 win winner over this trip, albeit against her own gender, while None Other will be staying on strongly as a former Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks winner.
Navajo Nation looks up against it on form, but Chestnut Bomber has been seen to stay on well over 1600m and could be a sneaker for a place.
The first race is off at 11h30.
Royal Victory enjoyed a Gr1 double on Highveld last term |
Candiese Lenferna
Flashback!
– but under different riders on Saturday | Credit: JC Photos
CORNE’S WILLIAM
Trent Mayhew keeps William Robertson going to hold off the fancied Lucky Lad (Craig Zackey). They meet again
WILLIAM VS SEAN’S LAD
This week’s Sprint cover-star is the Corne Spies-trained Rafeef six-year-old William Robertson who makes the first Champions Day appearance of his career on Saturday. The tough-as-teak son of Rafeef contests the R1 million TAB Gr1 Computaform Stakes, and a Gr1 success looks overdue – and well deserved!
A winner of 4 of his last 6 jumps, including the Gr3 J J The Jet Plane Stakes over Saturday’s course and distance, William Robertson is set for his 15th career success and the Sean Tarrytrained Lucky Lad looms as his main hurdle –and certainly a formidable challenger, with his old partner Richard Fourie back in the irons.
Spicing things up further, Cruise Control makes the trip from the Eastern Cape for trainer Gavin Smith and could relish the blisteringly fast 1000m trip.
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-bred
William Robertson is by the champion farm’s inform 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 14 of his 41 starts with 16 places – he has earned R2 407 375 and looks set to add to that haul on Saturday.
The TAB Gr1 Computaform Sprint is off at 15h00.
Beyond the Grade 1 contests, the strong supporting card also features four Grade 2 contests.
History is not on the side of Roy Magner’s Pathfork filly Olivia’s Way, as records show that no filly has won, less taken on the boys in modern times. In fact, it has been over a century since the last female winner and that was back in 1917!
108 YEARS ON – OLIVIA SEEKS A WAY!
Olivia’s Way takes on the boys in the Derby as she bids for her slice of turf history | Credit: JC Photos
The fairer sex are well represented in this weekend’s Champions Day at Turffontein, and one thing is clear, top fillies and mares will be out in full force.
Whereas both the TAB Gr1 Empress Club Stakes and Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer Gr2 SA Oaks are restricted to the fairer sex, female runners will also be represented in the TAB Gr1 Computaform Sprint and TAB Gr1 SA Derby.
Named in honour of the Jaffee-owned champion of the early nineties, the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes sees the return of the De Kock-trained star filly Spumante Dolce. The daughter of Vercingetorix is on a retrieval mission following her hugely disappointing outing in the Gr1 SA Classic, where she lost her undefeated record. There were valid excuses for that no-show, as she returned with considerable muchus in her trachea.
That she bypassed the Gr2 Oaks for the Empress Club comes as no surprise, given the
latter’s prized Gr1 status, in addition to which she is proven over the mile distance, following a hugely impressive win in the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas. A Gr1 success will also look great on her CV, thank you very much. Besides, she will seek redemption for the loss in this race of her own dam Espumanti, who had to settle for joint-third back in 2014.
The Oaks field meanwhile, is headed by Fillies Classic winner, Joe Soma’s Fiery Pegasus. She turned the 1800m race into a procession, bolting up by the best part of five lengths and while she is a daughter of champion sprinter Captain Of All, she handled the heavy underfoot conditions with aplomb.
That suggests she may well see out the energysapping Oaks distance, added to which she is an own-sister to Shango, who showed his
De Kock’s Spumante Dolce – looking to set record straight on Saturday | Credit: JC Photos
class over ground, finishing second in the Gr1 SA Derby at three, before going on to victory in both the Gr3 Hollywoodbets 2200 and Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup.
Speaking of the Derby, for the first time in memory, a member of the fairer sex will take on an eclectic field of proven and unproven male contenders. Roy Magner’s Pathfork filly Olivia’s Way enters the Derby off her second to Fiery Pegasus in the Fillies Classic, prior to which she had reeled off a hat-trick of wins over 1800m capped by a two-length score in the Gr3 Yellowwood Handicap.
History is certainly not on her side, as records show that no filly has won, less taken on the boys in modern times. In fact, it has been over a century since the last female winner and that was back in 1917, when Noble Lady took the
honours under the great Irish jockey Steve Donoghue. Remarkably, she returned three days later to win the Oaks!
An own sister to Nobleman - the only two-yearold ever to claim the Durban July - Noble Lady was in fact the third female Derby winner in the space of seven years, Desert Queen having accounted for the 1910 running and the Alec Robertson-bred Blanche winning the 1915 renewal.
The Gr1 Premier’s Challenge too, has attracted two female runners in Silver Sanctuary and None Other. The former, a high-class daughter of Silvano, was a Gr1 winner of last season’s Woolavington 2000 and will aim to improve on the third of fellow Drakenstein colour bearer Rain In Holland, who had to settle for third two years ago.
Golden Sickle – chasing in the hoofprints of legendary fairer sex speed stars in the Computaform Sprint | Credit: JC Photos
None Other, a winner of the SA Oaks two years ago, is a Flower Alley grandaughter of the exceptional racemare Ilha Da Vitoria, who had carried Mary Slack’s silks to victory in the 2006 Challenge where she beat another fine mare, the Makins-owned champion Jamaica. Six years later, Mary again stood in the winner’s enclosure to greet her Irish import Europa Point, who had just added the Challenge to her win in the Empress Club, a rare feat.
Whether either Silver Sanctuary or None Other has the ability to beat male counterparts remains to be seen. Suffice to say, some exceptional fillies have lost nothing in defeat in recent times, notably Spumante Dolce’s three-part sister Sparkling Water, who was beaten a neck in 2022, while Nother Russia, a dual winner of the Empress Club and the dam of champion Gimme A Nother, finished third in 2017.
Last but not least, members of the fairer sex have built a proud record in the Gr1 Computaform Sprint over the past two decades, with Sabine Plattner’s champion
Laisserfaire setting the tone when she headed All Will Be Well in the 2002 dash. Five more exceptional female sprinters have since added their names to an esteemed honour roll.
In 2006, National Colour cruised to a 4.5-length victory and started a dynasty of Computaform Sprint winners, as she became dam of 2017 winner Rafeef, who in turn sired last year’s winner Thunderstruck!
Dennis Bosch-trained grey Noble Heir won the 2010 race in yielding going, while Val De Ra made it a quickfire KZN double when she claimed the scalps of superstars What A Winter and Shea Shea twelve months later.
The 2015 race served up an all-female victory, Alboran Sea defeating class act Carry On Alice, who in turn went one better twelve months later.
This year, Vercingetorix filly Golden Sickle will attempt to take a leaf out of Alice’s book, given that she was nabbed on the line by Thunderstruck in last year’s Sprint. For her, it will also be a coveted first Gr1 success.
THE THUNDER RUMBLES...!
The 2017 Gr1 Computaform Sprint winner Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) has some very exciting prospects representing him this season.
Rafeef’s latest potential star is Esteemed, who made a big impression when winning on debut at Turffontein last Saturday.
Esteemed, who is out of the High Chaparral mare Honour Roll, is his sire’s fourth two-yearold winner in South Africa this season, and Rafeef currently ranks fifth on the Leading Sires of 2YOs premiership for 2024-2025. The well
bred Esteemed, who is directly descended in female line from the legendary broodmare Eulogy, is out of a half-sister to Gr3 Tasmanian Derby winner Mega Boss (Peintre Celebre).
Saturday’s winner is likely to run on Saturday in the TAB Gr2 SA Nursery, a race won by Rafeef’s champion brother Mustaaqeem in 2017. He joins the unbeaten Easy Tiger,
Champion Rafeef winning the 2017 Gr1 Computaform Sprint under Callum Murray | Credit: JC Photos
Listed Wilgerbosdrift Ruffian Stakes winner Glastonbury, and Ireland Forever as two-yearold winners for his sire this season.
With Esteeemed, one of two local winners for his sire on Saturday, and Glastonbury lining up in the Nursery and Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Nursery respectively this weekend, Rafeef’s success with his two-year-olds this season could well continue.
The in-form Rafeef looks poised for greater success this coming weekend. He has three sons entered for Friday’s Gr3 Byerley Turk, with Rafeef also potentially responsible for a trio of runners in the KwaZulu-Natal Stakes.
The son of champion National Colour also has runners in five black type races at Turffontein on Saturday, where his high-class sons William Robertson and Mover And Shaker line up in the TAB Gr1 Computaform Sprint.
Rafeef had a memorable day at Turffontein 12 months earlier, when his champion son Thunderstruck won the Jonsson Workwear Gr1 Computaform Sprint and daughter Frances Ethel landed the Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer Gr2 SA Oaks on the same card.
Judging on recent form, lightning could well strike twice for Rafeef!
His late, great sire Redoute’s Choice once again made his mark in major Australian races this past weekend.
His sons Snitzel and The Autumn Sun were responsible for Saturday’s TAB Gr1 Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, and impressive Listed Hyland Race Colours Darby Munro Stakes winner Autumn Glow, respectively.
Redoute’s Choice, Leading Broodmare Sire in Australia on four occasions thus far, is also damsire of outstanding stallion Zoustar, whose son Schwarz (inbred to Redoute’s Choice) won Saturday’s 3 Point Motors Gr1 William Reid Stakes.
Zoustar, who is out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Zouzou, is currently the Leading Sire in Australia for 2024-2025, with his progeny having earned in excess of AUS$18.641 million, and his 11 black-type winners this season including Gr1 Yulong Newmarket Handicap winner Joliestar, the aforementioned Schwarz and Saturday’s Gr3PKF Don Casboult Classic winner Clean Energy.
Rafeef’s son Esteemed – debut winner last Saturday, Gr2 contender this coming Saturday | Credit: JC Photos
RYAN’S CANADIAN DREAM
Jockey Ryan Munger is set to take flight once again, this time with his sights firmly set on glory.
After competing on Champions Day at Turffontein, he will return to Canada for his third stint as a freelance rider at Toronto’s renowned Woodbine Racing Centre.
Having already impressed in two successful campaigns, Munger heads back more determined than ever – ready to make his mark as a serious Canadian championship contender in the upcoming season.
At the time of writing, Munger boasts an impressive 18.86% winning strike rate for his three-month return to South African racing –
fourth only to Gavin Lerena, Piere Strydom and Richard Fourie.
To put this into perspective, Munger’s average strike rates for the 2019/20, 2020/21, and 2021/22 local racing seasons were 8%, 6%, and 9.5% respectively. Last year, during the same January-March period, he recorded a 13%-win rate – making his current form a career-best testament to his growth and refinement as a jockey.
Munger has undeniably sharpened his craft, evolving into a more confident and polished rider. His progress hasn’t gone unnoticed, earning him a series of high-profile rides in Gauteng – clear recognition of his rising stature in the saddle.
Ryan Munger, a surge in confidence! | Credit: JC Photos
He spoke about his steady climb up the ranks: “I’ve spent about eight years as a professional jockey, going through the motions and doing well enough. But in the last year, something just clicked. Maybe it’s fair to say that if you improve ten different race-riding skills by just 1% each, you get a 10% overall improvement. And perhaps that’s what happened to me.”
Munger attributes his development to a surge in confidence. While he was never lacking in self-belief, his experiences in Canada elevated him to a new mindset.
He has a top-flight agent and a high-level performance training coach and describes the circuit as even more competitive than South Africa.
He said: “There are at least 10 world-class riders, including Sahin Civaci, who won the 2024 title with 170 winners, Rafel Hernandez, Patrick Husbands and Eclipse award-winning Emma Jayne Wilson, the former USA Champion Apprentice and multiple Group 1 winner.”
Munger, who finished last season in seventh place with 52 winners, enlisted the services of Mike Luidir, former agent to the injured Wilson, to manage his career.
He explained that jockeys’ agents in Canada and the U.S. operate as high-profile business managers, handling everything from securing morning gallop rides to race day bookings, media commitments, and selected dinner
meetings with owners and trainers. For their expertise and connections, they are contracted to receive 25% of a jockey’s earnings.
Agents attend morning gallops at Woodbine between 6am and 10am every day, where they speak to trainers to secure rides. Racing takes place every day from Thursday to Sunday and Munger said he normally gets a good book of rides at the Saturday and Sunday meetings “When I came here for the first time in 2023, Mike Luidir helped me secure my first ride, which was a chance ride to replace an injured jockey – and it won! I also won my second race, which gave me the perfect start. Mike’s policy is quality over quantity. He’s an avid student of form and always aims to get me on horses with a genuine winning chance. I only work the horses that I am officially booked to ride on race days, normally on fast-work mornings. This schedule allows me to take Mondays off and go to the gym a few times a week.”
His new, balanced approach has made a monumental difference to Munger’s energy levels and performance.
He explained, “I work with Steve McCallum, a fitness instructor and mentor to top ice hockey teams. He focuses on flexibility and targeting specific strength areas to improve my overall conditioning.
I always thought that riding between 10 and 20 horses on a typical gallop day in South Africa was enough, but now I realise how wrong I was. The gym work is science. It makes you feel good, and it’s a game-changer.”
On the racecourse itself, he gets to ride on Woodbine’s big days with the likes of Irad Ortiz, jr., Frankie Dettori, William Buick and John Velasquez and remarked: “Competing against the world’s best riders is always an exciting challenge but being competitive goes beyond individual rivalry. To start, the tracks at Woodbine are different. There are two grass tracks and a tapeta track and they are more racey. Gate speed is a big issue here. You have to bounce your mounts out as quick as you can. I’ve learnt a few tricks, for sure.
“The other thing trainers in Canada insist on, is changing leads,” Munger explained.
“They want to see their horses switch to their most comfortable leg at the right time during a race. To them, this is even more important than securing a good early position from a
favourable draw. They’d rather have a horse running three wide but changing legs at the right moment. Balance and good timing are crucial skills that come with practice.
“Often, it’s these factors that make the difference between winning and losing. That’s why South Africans like Piere Strydom and Andrew Fortune are so exceptional at what they do and have enjoyed such longevity in their careers. Just when you think you’ve outsmarted them in a race, they come back to beat you. They are masters of the race-defining riding skills, always a step ahead when it matters most.”
Munger said that Corne Spies-trained William Robertson benefitted from a better start in the recent Grade 2 JJ The Jet Plane Stakes. “There was a perception that he wasn’t quick enough
to win over 1000m, but I got him to jump on terms and we had a good early position. He was all over his speedy rivals fully 500m from home. It helped that the sting was out of the ground, but William Robertson is a terrific horse, a soldier. He can win on fast ground too, and I believe he is the horse to beat in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint.”
He also had praise for Mike and Mathew de Kock’s three-year-old colt, Immediate Edge, winner of the Listed Hawwaam Stakes and seen as a 2025 Durban July contender. “He is brave and tough and won that race despite traffic problems. He is still improving, and his heart should take him places.”
Click on the image below to read the full story online…
STILL OUR KING OF THE APACHES!
At the age of 77, there are very few younger and more energetic racehorse trainers around than Turffontein-based Tyrone Zackey. The man they call the ‘King of the Apaches’ saddled something of a unique exacta at Turffontein on Saturday, and is a shining example of ‘boer maak ‘n plan’ and getting the best out of relatively unfashionable horseflesh.
When Kabelo Matsunyane flashed up to win the eighth race on the Turffontein card on the 7-1 Apache Son there was great joy on course amongst the Zackey and Backos family, as in second was 6yo stablemate Flashy Apache (66-1) with Nirvan Nastili up. The ‘ApacheZackey’ exacta paid over R165 in the nine horse field!
Unfortunately stablemate Whafeef couldn’t cap the trifecta as Muzi Yeni had pulled him
up at the 500m after feeling something. The Vet reported an abnormal respiratory noise and that the gelding was fatigued. Willem Ackerman’s Rafeef gelding will be back.
For loyal supporters Nadine and Kevin Backos, the race was a joyful token reward for their staunch support of a trainer, who despite approaching octogenarian status, spends seven days a week from sparrow until sunset at his
of 30 horses.
Turffontein yard
Apache Son (Kabelo Matsunyane, blue cap) holds off Flashy Apache (Nirvan Nastili) in a Zackey-The Apache-Backos 1-2 finish to the Turffontein eighth on Saturday | Credit: JC Photos
“I am so proud of Dad. This is why we call him King Of The Apaches! He knows just how to train them,” enthused Nadine as she emotionally told the Sporting Post about the origin of the progeny of the top international racer.
“During the covid-19 time, Dad was struggling to keep the stables going. We also lost our very dear friend Sheddy Habib, who was a very big patron of the yard.I was at the sales one day speaking to Winnie Fourie who worked for the Scott Bros. She told me she had 3 horses that nobody wanted to train. I had a look at them and decided to lease them. The trio were Arlington Action, Flashy Apache and
Mad About Fashion. Sadly the latter was lost to colic, but they ended up keeping Dad’s stable going until we all got on our feet again,” recalled Nadine.
At a life-changing time for all of us, Tyrone Zackey, whose favourite introduction when asking him how he is, is ‘strong like a lion!’, persevered and was determined to maintain his passion.
Nadine tells that her Dad tried and persevered with what he had to keep his passion going through the global pandemic.
“I thank God everyday for these beautiful
Tyrone Zackey, flanked by Nirvan Nastili and Kabelo Matsunyane | Credit: JC Photos
horses,that helped us when times were tough. Sheddy (Habib), whose nickname was Apache, surely brought them to us from above. And it was from these horses that we got a phone call from Bruce Le Roux ,asking if we wanted to lease Saturday’s winner Apache Son. We didn’t hesitate!”
An Electrician by qualification, Tyrone Zackey was a former East Rand United striker and it could all have turned out so different as he was destined to play professional soccer – until his Mom stopped his trial with an English Club.
“What will be, will be. I wouldn’t want to be doing anything other than training racehorses,” quips the man who eventually qualified as a ‘sparkie’ and then worked for Johan Rousseau and Earl Buckham for many years as an assistant trainer.
Beyond the memorable 2012 Durban July heartbeat second Smanjemanje, there are some big names on the wall of the family’s Bedfordview home including Judicial, Lions Blood, Warrior Man, Glider Pilot, Singing Sword, Galanthus, Katies Lane, Johnny Hero, to mention a few.
He once told the Sporting Post that it’s not particularly difficult to train good horses, but it’s not an easy game training slow horses!
“When you have ordinary horses you feel yourself trying tongue-ties, blinkers, different bits, different jockeys, work routines. But we love it and we soldier on. And always remember, a horse never knows what you paid for it – it’s what it has in its heart that counts.”
While Tyrone enjoys the support of leading owner-breeder Willem Ackerman, and has some nice quality horses in his string, he says that he is concerned that racing is not guarding the vital asset that is the smaller owner.
“With the export protocols open, we have seen a dramatic upturn in the sales prices. And we are very happy for the breeders who have a tough business. But what has happened to the smaller owner, who is a vital cog in the ecosystem? He has got no chance with the powerhouse buyers and big breeders joining forces. Racing is headed for powerhouses racing against powerhouses. One needs breadand-butter racing and ordinary owners – and I do appreciate that syndicates have a role to play. But small owners are important.”
We hope that racing acknowledges Tyrone Zackey one day for his lifetime of passion and commitment. Maybe even granting him the freedom of Turffontein. But he assures us he is looking for no hand-outs.
A memorable Smanjemanje day at Hollywoodbets Greyville – the late Sheddy Habib is in the white shirt, third from left | Credit: Supplied
THE APACHE – GOING STRONG!
The Sporting Post enquired as to the current whereabouts of The Apache and found him relishing his days in the beautiful paddocks of Jonathan and Cathy Martins’ Hadlow Stud in Mooi River.
“He is well, brimming with good health and has the energy of a youngster,” said Cathy Martin of Winston Chow’s 18 year old son of Mogok.
“He doesn’t get many mares, but Winston (Chow) sends when he can. He loves this horse,” added the veteran breeder.
The Apache’s story is remarkable. At the 2009 BSA Emperor’s Palace National 2 Year Old Sale he was knocked down for R80 000 and at the end of his career 4 years later in 2013 had amassed R17 million in 20 appearances across 4 countries! In SA he raced 15 times for 6 wins including the Grr2 Dingaans, Gr1 Daily News 2000 and the Gr1 Champions Cup and 7 places including a very respectable run through the field to place 4th in the 2011 Durban July behind Igugu, Pierre Jourdan and English Garden.
He was trained by Gavin Van Zyl and was shipped to Dubai, racing for the powerful De Kock Racing Stable, where he won the Gr2 Al Rashidiya and placed 2nd in both the Gr1 Dubai Duty Free and the Gr1 Jebel Hatta before a 4th place run. Thereafter he ran 2nd in the Gr2 York Stakes in the UK before his final appearance in the US Arlington Million where he crossed the line first only to be relegated to second for interference in the latter stages. A remarkable record for any horse.
Former Multiple Champion Jockey Anthony Delpech remembers The Apache very well, having ridden him in his first 4 starts as a 2yo for a fourth, second and two firsts. “I thought he was a very smart horse. He always showed the potential of being a good horse - and what he did in Dubai and the States proved he was a very smart horse”.
By Mogok out of Apache Rose (Dolpour), he was bred at Scott Brothers Highdown Stud in the Fort Nottingham District of Kwazulu Natal.
The Apache enjoys his days at Hadlow Stud – this pic was taken last week | Credit: Cathy Martin
COUNTDOWN TO NATIONALS
We are now a fortnight away from the 2025 BSA National Yearling Sale!
The 346 lot catalogue will be held at the TBA Sales Complex in Johannesburg over two days, with lots 1-200 on Thursday 10 April and 201346 on Friday 11 April. Both sessions start at 10h00.
The majority of South Africa’s top stud farms will be represented at the sale, as will South Africa’s top stallions. Among the leading sires represented at the 2025 National Sale are Gimmethegreenlight, Master Of My Fate,
One World, Querari, Rafeef, Trippi, Vercingetorix and What A Winter.
The sale will also be offering a pair of yearlings sired by stallions standing overseas. Darley’s dual Gr1 winner Harry Angel is represented here by a colt (Lot 73) from the family of topclass US galloper Lil’s Lad, while exciting young sire, and Gr1 Phoenix Stakes hero, Lucky Vega has two yearlings on offer.
346 yearlings are catalogued to go through the ring over the two days | Credit: TBA
Ridgemont’s exciting young stallions Malmoos and Real Gone Kid both have members of their eagerly awaited first crops on the National Yearling Sale, as does Trippi’s Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint winning son Chimichuri Run.
Grade One winning mares represented on the National Sale this year include Alboran Sea (colt by Hawwaam), Ash Cloud (colt by Futura), Bela-Bela (colt by Vercingetorix), Nightingale (colt by What A Winter), Orchid Island (filly by Rafeef), Pine Princess (filly by Gimmethegreenlight), Redberry Lane (filly by Vercingetorix), River Jetez (colt by Vercingetorix), She’s A Keeper (colt by Vercingetorix), Silver Mountain (colt by Rafeef), Sommerlied (colt by Vercingetorix), Viva Maria (colt by Vercingetorix) and Zarina (filly by Vercingetorix).
Ill-fated Horse Of The Year Captain’s Ransom has a Vercingetorix half-sister on offer, while champion Mrs Geriatrix has a Master Of My Fate half-brother on the sale. The superb producer Miss October, dam of Gr1 winners October Morn and Tempting Fate, has a Rafeef colt on offer while this season’s Gr1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes winner Rascova has a Malmoos half-brother up for sale.
Look out for our sales supplement in next week’s issue!
DUNCAN’S NATIONAL FOUR TO THE FORE!
Duncan and Natasha Barry’s Riverton Stud will be offering a small but high quality draft at the upcoming BSA National Yearling Sale.
Breeders of such stars as Astrix, Captain Of All, the sire of recent Wilgerbosdrift Gr1 SA Fillies Classic winner Fiery Pegasus, Domino Man and Pearl Of Asia, to name a few, Riverton Stud will be offering a classy quartet, two as Agent, at the 2025 National Sale.
Their draft is made up of yearlings sired by Danon Platina, Malmoos, Master Of My Fate, and the sensational One World.
Lot 27: f Danon Platina - Beautiful Shay
By a Japanese champion, and sire of top-class filly White Pearl, this filly is out of a four-time winning full-sister to Palacebet.co.za Sports Book Gr3 Yellowwood Handicap runner up Heart Stwings. This filly’s fourth dam is Gr1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks winner) Lypharita, herself a descendant of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Pearl Cap. She is an attractive, lengthy, well grown and athletic.
Lot 104: f One World - Fiesta Queen
This filly is a daughter of arguably South Africa’s hottest young stallion, whose first crop has produced the likes of dual Gr1 winner One Stripe and top-class filly World Of Alice. She is a three-parts sister to Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery winner Cousin Liz, a R2 900 000 buy from the 2018 National Sale, and half-sister to Heineken Gr3 Chairman’s Cup/Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap winner Gimme One Night and two other stakes placed gallopers.
This is a big, strong, good walking filly with loads of substance.
Lot 132: c Master Of My Fate - Heliane
By the sire of this season’s Betway Gr1 Summer Cup winner Atticus Finch among many others, this colt, a full-brother to the useful Thunder Master, is a half-brother to Gr3 Godolphin Barb Stakes third High Voltage. His dam is a winning Captain Al full-sister to the stakes placed Captain Dino, and his granddam won five including the Listed East Cape Breeders Stakes. He is correct, and good walking, scopey colt.
Lot 273: c Malmoos - Shanna
By the Captain Al sired Triple Crown winner, whose relatives include top sire Master Of My Fate, this colt, a half-brother to a multiple winner, is out of a Var full-sister to Listed Lakeside Handicap winner Lochlorien, and halfsister to Mauritian star Tandragee and Listed Kenilworth Cup winner Gothic. This colt is classy, athletic and lovely walker.
Riverton’s four lots can be viewed in Block H.
SON OF GLOBAL VIEW WEARS THE HALO
One of the most versatile and consistent gallopers in the Eastern Cape, the Ascot Stud-bred Global View gelding Fairy Knight returned from an eleven week break to register his tenth career success with victory in the R175 000 Mining Pressure Systems Listed East Cape Sprint Cup at Fairview on the Human Rights Day public holiday, that hosted the ECHCU Raceday.
While he was tested up to the 2400m of the East Cape Derby last season, Fairy Knight (3-1) is clearly a very accomplished sprinter and he
put a very decent field of nine opponents to bed under top weight in scintillating fashion, sweeping through late to beat the progressive 3yo Kingdundee (18-10) by 1,25 lengths in a time of 67,05 secs.
On a good day for the Kelly Mitchley yard, Anuschka’s World (20-1) was a further quarter length back in third, with Highveld transferee Mercantour (8-1) having his first race for Greeff ex the Stuart Pettigrew yard, capping the quartet.
Fairy Knight and Richard Fourie leave them for dead | Credit: Pauline Herman
Ridgemont jockey Richard Fourie suggested Fairy Knight is a better sprinter than a miler plus.
“But he’s a pleasure to ride and it was a sensational win. I saluted like it was a Grade 1 winner. When Cruise Control runs in the Computaform Sprint on the Highveld on 29 March, we will get a line as to how he would compare in other regions,” he added in Response to a question by interviewer Neil Pretorius.
Alan Greeff said he wanted to send a special shout out to their farrier Tommy and his crew. “We only put the shoes on late morning. Well done to all the owners around the world too. What a wonderful horse has proven to be!”
A R120 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, Fairy Knight is raced by Pine Lodge Stud and the Halo Syndicate and was registering his tenth victory and 6 places from eighteen starts for stakes of R940 150.
Bred by Ascot Stud, Fairy Knight is by the top stud’s Galileo stallion Global View out of the two-time winning Lecture mare, Fairy Queen.
The happy Fairy Knight connections celebrate a big win | Credit: Pauline Herman
VARSFONTEIN-BRED GELDING STEPS UP AGAIN
Alan Greeff’s Fire Away gelding My Best Shot made it four wins on the trot when winning the R250 000 Bryanston Auctioneers Listed East Cape Guineas at Fairview on Friday and now looks a shoo-in for top honours in the 2025 Nelson Mandela Bay Racing Sophomore Challenge.
A winner of the first leg Ibhayi Stakes in February, after this facile doddle the gelding looks tough to stop in the R350 000 World Sports Betting Listed East Cape Derby run over 2400m on Friday 9 May, when he can bank the R250 000 ‘Triple Crown’ bonus.
On a great day when R420 000 was raised by racing folk to boost the coffers of the East Cape Horse Care Unit, Richard Fourie and Alan Greeff registered a feature double as East Cape Horse Of The Year prospect My Best Shot (510) romped home to account for recent Mike
de Kock transferee Waheed (14-1) by 1,25 lengths in a time of 96,89 secs.
The winner’s fairer sex stablemate Splicethemainbrace (9-2) was a further 1,50 lengths away in third, in what was a disappointingly small field of just six runners.
Today’s victory was a year-on-year double for the Greeff-Fourie combination after earlier East Cape Sprint Cup winner Fairy Knight’s success last year.
My Best Shot makes it four on the trot under Richard Fourie, as Waheed pops his head into the frame | Credit: Pauline Herman
Bred by Varsfontein Stud, My Best Shot has won eight of 14 starts, with the gelding’s latest win taking his earnings to R631 725.
A son of War Front stallion Fire Away, My Best Shot, who is out of the Fort Wood mare Gypsy Madonna, was a R120 000 buy from the 2023 Cape Yearling Sale.
His Gr3 Dixie Stakes winning sire has had a wonderful few weeks, with Fire Away responsible for the first two home in the TAB Gr1 SA Classic, as well as impressive recent Cape Racing Sale Cape Slipper winner Military Command.
Fire Away has ten lots on offer at the National Yearling Sale, including a filly (Lot 224) closely inbred to War Front.
Richard Fourie and Alan Greeff won four of the eight races on the card.
THACKERAY
Winter Games (Mathew Thackeray) stays on resolutely to beat Gladatorian (Sean Veale obscured in gold cap), with fourth-placed Narina Trogon (Tristan Godden) powering on late up the outside | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Just 24 hours after his year older Rafeef half-sister Fun Zone registered her third career victory down in the Cape, the Daytona Stud-bred one-eyed galloper Winter Games went start-to-finish to hold off the favourite Gladatorian in the R165 000 Listed Kings Cup at a sunny Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
Either one of the Mike Miller duo could have been expected to make the running, but with a snappy break from his pole position gate under a galloping 51,5kgs, Winter Games (9-2) stretched the field and kept rolling under a nicely judged ride by Mathew Thackeray to beat the low-flying favourite Gladatorian (18-10) by a fast diminishing neck in a time of 96,39 secs.
Ryan Munger got Diani (25-1) into the trifecta, a half-length further back, with the winner’s stablemate Narina Trogon (17-2) capping the quartet, 1,25 lengths adrift of the third.
Bright View Racing Syndicate’s brand ambassador Mathew Thackeray confirmed that Winter Games’ last workout ‘was phenomenal’. There was some betting support to underscore that!
“A horse of his size carrying that weight could go all day,” suggested the lightweight, who smartly sped it up around the bend off a soft lead.
It was a first feature winner for owner Ben Sahd, who races the 4yo gelding in partnership with Sterling Miller. Trainer Mike Miller saddled a gun-to-tape double on the day after the Erik The Red colt Vikings Revenge won the opener under Tristan Godden on debut. Bred by Daytona Stud, Wintre Games is a son of Champion Sprinter What A Winter (Western Winter) out of the once winning Ideal World mare, What Fun.
This was a first stakes success for Winter Games, who made it 3 wins with 5 places from 18 starts and stakes of R355 838.
• A reminder that the next KZN racemeeting is under the lights on Friday 28 March, when the Gr3 Byerley Turk heads the card.
Winning combo! Trainer Mike Miller and jockey Mathew Thackeray savour the sweet aftermath of a feature victory | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
PACE MAKES THE RACE
Pace was a hot topic at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday. A jockey was not happy about it, while the feature race winner was given a peach of a ride to capitalize on a soft lead.
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 Time Is Money this week, we look at some of the past weekend’s highlights.
Hollywoodbets Greyville 23 March
Track
Condition
Going: Good
Penetrometer: 22
Rain: Last 7 days Nil
Irrigation: Last 24hrs Nil – Last 7 days 15mm False Rail: 8m
Wind: 10-28km/h North Easterly head wind Course Variant: 0,92s slow
Kings Cup (L) 1600m
Allowed a soft lead without too much effort on leaving the stalls, and then setting good fractions around the turn, the well supported 4yo WINTER GAMES (8/1 into 9/2) had built up a lead of over 6 lengths on entering the straight. Shouldering just 51,5kg, Mike Miller’s charge kept on determinedly over the final 400m and with both the favourite Gladatorian and Diani closing in rapidly below the distance, he held on to steal the race by a neck. This was the fastest of the five 1600m events on the ten-race program. The runner up
Gladatorian recorded the fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon.
Olivetti Maiden Juvenile Plate 1400m
The stable of Mike Miller had also found the winner’s enclosure in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1400m, only this one won a lot more easily. Taken straight to the front by Tristan Godden, the friendless newcomer VIKINGS REVENGE (8/1 out to 20/1) led throughout. He was always in command and running on strongly in the straight, he won with authority by four.
Two 2000m Races
The two 2000m races were both comparatively slowly run, with the faster being the Corobrik Class 4 event won by ARVERNI KING. Backed into second favourite at the track, the son of Vercingetorix raced fourth for most of the journey just three lengths off the pace set by the easy to back Qondanekukhanyeni.
He quickened nicely early in the straight and recording the fastest 400-finish time in the race, he went on to win well by two and three quarters.
The very unsettled Mont Tremblant set the pace in the slowly run maiden event over 2000m, and here we saw a smart performance from the favourite BAD MEDICINE.
Confidently ridden by Gavin Lerena, the Johannesburg raider was soon well positioned in fourth just three and a half lengths off the pace. He quickened well early in the straight and went on to score with some in hand by three and a half. Interestingly, Gavin said that they snatched the pace up at around the 800m
mark. He was unhappy about this as he felt that a lot could have gone wrong at that stage.
Fastest Times:
1600m (5) Winter Games 96,93
2000m (2) Arverni King 125,68
400-finish Gladatorian 21,78
Hollywoodbets Durbanville 22 March
Track Condition
Going: Good
Penetrometer: 23
Rain: Last 24 hrs 2mm – Last 7 days 5mm
Irrigation: Last 24 hrs Nil – Last 7 days 50mm
False Rail: 2m out on back straight with 3m spur at 550m
Wind: 22-24km/h North Westerly tail wind Course Variant: Rain fell quite heavily during the running of race 3 and with rain then falling to various degrees throughout the afternoon an overall course variant could not be determined.
Three 1250m Races
The three 1250m races that opened up the meeting were all maiden events and with the first being a work riders affair, and rain falling quite heavily throughout the third, it was not surprising that race 2, the colts maiden juvenile plate, was the fastest. The best bet on the card for many GOOD FOR YOU broke well and was soon a length clear at the head of affairs. He kept up an honest gallop throughout and registering the fastest 400m-finish time in the race, he drew clear in the closing stages to score very easily by six.
Two 1400m races
The Celebrating R. Sherwood’s Birthday B Stakes was the faster of the two 1400m races and in what proved to be a real thriller CAPTAIN WEST registered his second career victory.
Despite being run before the track was affected by the rain, the pace was comparatively slow rounding the turn. Nicely positioned in second though, just a length and a quarter behind the pacemaker World Of Pleasure, Brett & James Crawford’s charge was always poised to strike. The front runner found extra when he did so 200m out, and made to work all the to the wire, he only got the verdict on the nod.
Celebrating L. Wernars’ Birthday Class 4 1800m
The pace was slow on leaving the stalls, but once the eventual winner CONGRESSMAN got to the front it soon began to quicken.
Indeed, the son of Querari drew further and further clear rounding the turn and was easily ten lengths to the good entering the straight. The pack headed by the strongly fancied favourite Regulation chased hard in the straight, but the charitable advantage afforded to the son of Querari allowed him to steal the race by two and a quarter.
Quickies
There was officially no time taken for the final race on the card, the Hollywoodbets Bright Future D Stakes over 1000m. The pace was a good one and we recorded the winning time of ELECTRIC FEELS as 58,78 secs.
Fastest Times:
1250m (3) Good For You 75,12 1400m (2) Captain West 85,71 400-finish Captain West 22,27
GQEBERHA STAR GOES TO 118
Winter Games had his official merit rating increased from 91 to 98 after leading from start to finish to capture the Listed Kings Cup over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
The Handicappers deemed the fourth-place finisher, Narina Trogon, as the most suitable line horse to assess this race, leaving his rating unchanged at 106.
The third-place finisher, Diani, had his rating capped at 103 (from 101) due to specific race conditions that preclude an increase of more than two points for placed runners. Perilla was the only runner to receive a drop in ratings, decreasing to 97 from 99.
Bryanston Auctioneers Listed East Cape Guineas
My Best Shot’s official merit rating remained unchanged at 111 following his win in the Bryanston Auctioneers Listed East Cape Guineas over 1600m at Fairview Racecourse on Friday.
My Best Shot himself was used to assess the race, hence his unchanged rating.
The race conditions do not allow for an increase of more than four points for placed runners. Consequently, the runner-up, Waheed could only be raised to 105 from 101, while 4th placed Master Forester was increased from 89 to 93.
No runner received a merit rating drop in this race.
Mining Pressure Systems Listed East Cape Sprint Cup
Fairy Knight’s merit rating increased from 115 to 118 after he won the Mining Pressure Systems Listed East Cape Sprint Cup over 1200m at Fairview Racecourse on Friday.
The Handicappers unanimously agreed to use the runner-up, Kingdundee, to assess the race, leaving his rating unchanged at 114.
Third-placed Anuschka’s World and fourthplaced Mercantour had their ratings capped at 106 (from 102) and 110 (from 106), respectively, due to specific race conditions that inhibit an increase of more than four points for placed runners.
There were downward adjustments for three runners in this race. Where’s The Party and Teatro both dropped two points, to 89 from 91 and 91 from 93, respectively. Finally, Golden Link received a minor adjustment, decreasing from 102 to 101.
• Media release by the NHA on Tuesday, 25 March 2025.
LERENA
– ‘DON’T YANK UP FRONT’
Gavin Lerena – things still worked out well | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Pace makes the race – and no pace makes for a dangerous race! Visiting Highveld-based jockey Gavin Lerena gave his colleagues a mild rev after winning the third race at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
“They yanked the pace up at the 800m – we were going slower than a crawl. Unacceptable – it’s the biggest form of interference. So much could have gone wrong,” added Lerena, won the race on the Alyson Wright-trained Bad Medicine (14-10) who beat the well-supported Silver Platter (18-10) by 3,60 lengths in a time of 126,84 secs for the 2000m.
The course record is 119,60 secs set some years back by London News.
The man who was setting the pace on MJ Odendaal’s Mont Tremblant was 4kg-claimer
Sifisokuhle Bungane who was having only his 23rd ride and has 1 winner to his credit. Lerena had the winner beautifully positioned in third at that point and was also holding on for dear life behind Rachel Venniker on I Am Classy.
Click here to view the Stipes report.
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HOLLYWOODBETS GREYVILLE – WEDNESDAY, 31ST JULY 2024
Cape Racing
The victory at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday of the 3yo World Of Our Own has attracted the attention of the Stipes, who will interview jockey Craig Zackey regarding his ride on the gelding on 2 March.
Gavin Lerena drives World Of Our Own down the inside to beat Serino Moodley and Terminator | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
The victory at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday of the 3yo World Of Our Own has attracted the attention of the Stipes, who will interview jockey Craig Zackey regarding his ride on the gelding on 2 March.
On Sunday the Stipes reported that World Of Our Own (Gavin Lerena) was selected for the taking of specimens for analysis after his victory in the eighth, a Mile Class 4.
He started at 10-1 on Sunday after finishing over 30 lengths back at his post-maiden effort at Hollywoodbets Scottsville On 2 March. He had won his maiden over Sunday’s course and distance on 20 December 2024.
Trainer Alyson Wright was questioned regarding the improved performance of her charge on Sunday and after receiving no suitable explanation, the Stipes have adjourned to interview Zackey on the previous run.
In that previous run it was reported that Zackey did not persevere with his riding in the
concluding stages. Thereafter he reported that this gelding did not stride out freely in the running.
The Veterinary Surgeon was requested to examine, and Wright was asked to report back on the condition of World Of Our Own on his return to stables at the time. Nothing was detected subsequently by the Veterinary Surgeon.
For the record, Zackey was stood down after the running of that race with a soft tissue injury.
Have a look at the previous run in the replay below – World Of Our Own is prominent in third early on in the white, with blue and white sleeves – he loses ground in the straight.
KANNEMEYER RACING – READY FOR 52ND CHAMPIONS SEASON
The valuable DKR team arrives safely at Summerveld | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
The Kannemeyer family have been making the ‘Great Trek’ from the Cape to the Champions Season in KZN for 52 years. That’s a long and proud history and the tradition wrote the first lines of its 2025 chapter when the DKR string of 31 horses arrived at Summerveld last week.
“My Dad arrived here in 1973 for the first time, and allowed me to step in from 1993 as a young assistant trainer. We have been every year – and some have been better than others. That’s in the nature of the cycles of the strength string,” said Dean Kannemeyer as he guided his valuable cargo off the New Turf Carriers float.
“The majority of those years we were based at Clairwood. When they sold Clairwood we had to move to Summerveld. A top trainer told me at the time that If I moved to Summerveld, I’d be out of business before I knew it. He warned that it wasn’t a place to train racehorses.That was 2015 – and ironically I enjoyed one of my best seasons in years, and we won the Durban July with Power King! Clairwood was a lot cooler, but I have never had an issue with Summerveld. The facilities are excellent.”
Dean says that his Champions Season class of 2025 was a good mix, with some really nice unraced two year olds and older horses.
New surroundings and new challenges! | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
“I usually bring the babies up – if they race, they race. But we get the sun on their backs as Milnerton can start getting pretty bleak in the next few months. If anything, I probably lack a big 3yo but have some decent prospects –like The Real Prince, who won the Listed Jet Master Stakes with ease at his last start and first attempt at the mile. The family are speed, but there is stamina down the female line – so don’t be surprised to see him amongst the Hollywoodbets Durban July entries!”
Dean starts the campaign proper on Friday evening at Hollywoodbets Greyville with the 3yo Give Me Everything running fresh off three straight victories since trying ground. The Varsfontein bred daughter of Gimmethegreenlight has the KZN Fillies Guineas as her short-term target.
“The first consideration is that they all travelled well. So that’s a massive plus. I eased off and played with them for a few days. On Monday they were back in work. Give Me Everything is a lovely filly and she has developed beautifully. What I have found is that first time at Hollywoodbets Greyville, they often hit a flat spot when turning for home. But getting this run under the belt means that we don’t have to worry about her feeling strange in the Guineas.”
Teflon Man looks set for a big season Credit: Candiese Lenferna
A winner at this track, the luckless Gimmie’s Countess runs in the Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes.
“I eased off after her last run in the Cape, but she’s working well and looks tight through the middle. Thankfully we have a decent draw on Friday evening. She has been dogged by wide gates. I think we have her in the right race over the 1400m, which I have worked out is her maximum trip. She will go well.”
Dean is prepping Teflon Man for races like the Merchants, in which he ran third last season.He
and Mr Master Starter run in the NBT KwaZulu – Natal Stakes.
“Teflon Man ran a cracker after gelding ten days ago and he is looking good. Mr Master Starter never runs a bad race and is fit. Unfortunately the handicapper hasn’t been too kind on him, but he is a soldier.”
The Hollywoodbets Greyville racemeeting on Friday starts at 15h30.
Gimmie’s Countess - well drawn and can win her Fillies Guineas prep on Friday evening | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
THRILLING FINALE TO HOLLYWOODBETS WORK RIDERS SERIES
Godfrey Sigenu gets the best out of Stu’s Girl as Lungisani Geledu challenges resolutely on Johnny Drama | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
The 2024/25 Hollywoodbets Work Riders Series produced the finish of the competition at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday when the fifth and final leg produced a humdinger closer with a head separating the Candice Bass-Robinson duo of Stu’s Girl and the favourite Johnny Drama at the line.
Run over five legs and commencing in November 2024, the annual competition has once again provided important race-riding experience and plenty of fun for qualifying Work Riders who are a key link in the horseracing supply chain.
Former professional jockey Louis Burke dominated the current competition from early on but didn’t have a ride in the six horse finalleg on a wet Saturday afternoon, and sportingly attended the prize-giving – earning the lion’s share of the win prize, himself – to take the mantle from defending champion William Bambiso.
In a thrilling finish to the Hollywoodbets Work Riders Series Leg 5 Maiden Plate on Saturday, Godfrey Sigenu got the best out of the nuggety grey Stu’s Girl as Lungisani Geledu threw the kitchen sink at his 18-10 stablemate Johnny Drama, who won’t be long in winning.
The Rafeef gelding Jouer De Flute (28-10) looked a million dollars in the pre-race parade and ran third to boost Aviwe Bikwe to second place in the overall competition.
Luke Coleman earned the third honours overall in the competition, with the pacy Duchess Of Paloma (9-4) finishing fourth.
Bazile Nkunzi managed fourth in the competition, despite his ride Marine Merchant failing to spark on Saturday.
The R25 000 prize pool was shared as follows:
• Louis Burke – R12 000
• Aviwe Bikwe – R6 000
• Luke Coleman – R4 000
• Oscar Nkunzi – R2 000
• Ben Feni – R1 000
Hollywoodbets Cape Grooms School Chief Riding Master Craig du Plooy told the Sporting Post that the competition had been enjoyed by all of the Work Riders.
“All the guys relish the opportunity to compete in a professional race arena and Hollywoodbets
are again to be lauded for putting up the prize money and providing the platform. It creates a tremendous buzz and competitive edge for these hardworking folk who spend a large proportion of their working lives in the engine room,” added Du Plooy.
Louis Burke is all smiles after winning the competition – Craig du Plooy looks on | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Thumbs up from an elated Godfrey Sigenu | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
After an exciting few months of the 2024/2025 Hollywoodbets Work Rider Series, the results are finally in!
Louis Burke claimed the top spot with an impressive 36 points, having won 3 out of 5 races.
Aviwe Bikwe finished in second place with 24 points, while Luke Coleman secured third with 22 points. B ‘Oscar’ Nkunzi took fourth with 21 points, and
Ben Feni rounded out the top five with 19 points.
Congratulations to all our winners, as well as everyone who participated in this year's series. Your dedication and hard work did not go unnoticed.
A special shoutout to Craig Du Plooy for working with these riders and getting them race ready.
2024-2025 Hollywoodbets Work Riders Series Log
CAPE FINISH – READERS ASK FOR CLARITY
Despite the wet prevailing conditions at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday, there were a number of tight finishes – including the fourth race, which has been queried by Sporting Post readers.
Two Sporting Post-sponsored riders provided the entertainment on two One World Geldings in the Celebrating Centurion Member Ryan Sherwood’s Birthday B Stakes with World Of Pleasure (Sean Veale) being nabbed in the last stride by Captain West (Louis Mxothwa).
Here is the official judge’s photograph provided by the NHA:
It should be noted that the incorrect result was apparently posted on the infield board, initially, which may have added to the doubt.
It is possible that the television cameras are also not aligned to the winning post. The Sporting Post thanks the National Horseracing Authority for providing the official
photo finish in double quick time on Saturday afternoon. We are proud to act as a ‘help-line’ for our readers during race-meetings.
Email any raceday queries to editor@sportingpost.co.za, and we undertake to do our best to resolve issues.
STIPES HIT VAN NIEKERK FOR SIX
Grant van Niekerk is interviewed by Vicky Minott after winning the Big Cap | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa have confirmed that at an Inquiry held in Cape Town on 25 March 2025, Jockey Grant van Niekerk was charged with a contravention of Rule 62.2.7.
The particulars being that whilst riding ALL OUT FOR SIX, he failed to ensure that he did not cause interference to THE GREY KING and ONE STRIPE when he shifted in at the 150m in Race 8, HSH Princess Charlene Big Cap, over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse on 16 March 2025.
Jockey van Niekerk pleaded not guilty but was found guilty of the charge.
The Inquiry Board considered the mitigating and aggravating factors, which included the value and status of the race, as well as Jockey van Niekerk’s poor riding record pertaining to interference related contraventions.
A penalty of a suspension from riding in races for a period of twenty-one (21) days and a fine of fifty thousand rand (R50 000) was imposed.
Jockey van Niekerk was given the Right of Appeal against both the finding and the penalty imposed.
RIDGEMONT’S RED-HOT SIRES ARE FIRING!
Ridgemont’s red-hot sires Rafeef and Canford Cliffs enjoyed a collective national treble in the Cape and on the Highveld on Saturday, with both saluting with 2yo winners.
The first leg of Rafeef’s double came in the shape of a dazzling debut effort by his Ridgemont-bred two-year-old son, Esteemed, who was expected to be green but turned the Turffontein 1160m contest into a walk in the park with an impressive and professional 4,50-length success. “This is what good horses
do!” enthused Canada-based jockey Ryan Munger, who suggested the winner was a ‘classy individual’.
“It was like he’s done it a million times. He has everything about him, all the attributes to be a top horse. He did everything right. I shook his reins at the 300m mark, gave him one smack and it was race over. He cruised in!”added Munger.
Trainer Mike de Kock was also suitably impressed.
Ryan Munger enjoys an armchair ride on Esteemed at Turffontein on Saturday | Credit: JC Photos
Cliffscape (Aldo Domeyer) won her third start on Saturday
Credit: Chase Liebenberg
“Esteemed was a bit green coming into the ring, ducking and looking around. But he has a good mind, this horse. He is laid back at home and delivered what he had shown in work.”
The veteran said that he and son Mathew were privileged to be training several nice young horses for Ridgemont.
Hollywoodbets’ Devin Heffer also owns a share in Esteemed, and the athletic specimen holds an entry in the TAB Gr2 SA Nursery on Champions Day, 29 March, where Ridgemont rider Richard Fourie has been engaged.
“We’ll leave him in for next week, we’ll see how he pulls up,” added a delighted De Kock.
Rafeef’s second winner of the day came 1750km away down at a wet Hollywoodbets Durbanville when the 5yo mare Fun Zone, a model of consistency, picked up her third career victory in a Class 4 mile. Timed to perfection by regular rider Aldo Domeyer,
Fun Zone finished with a rattle to win well for trainer Candice Bass-Robinson and a large partnership of thrilled owners.
Fun Zone is out of the Ideal World mare What Fun and has earned at 75% of her 31 runs.
Canford Cliffs has been well and truly firing from the hip this season with a number of impressive 2yo winners and his Ridgemontbred daughter Cliffscape won at her third start to give the five-time Gr1 winner a score at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday.
After two placed efforts down the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth straight, the Candice Bass-Robinson trained Cliffscape started a well-backed 7-10 favourite and duly shed her maiden ticket in style at her first start at the Country Course.
She is out of the Jet Master mare Sky Castle, and looks a promising prospect.
Fun Zone (Aldo Domeyer) connections lead in their winner! | Credit: JC Photos
VINDICATED! GATES IN THE CLEAR
Just when he thought the system had failed him, jockey Jason Gates received a notification from the National Horseracing Authority this week that his guilty verdict and R10 000 penalty imposed by a local inquiry board at Gqeberha on 28 February 2025 for a negligent or fraudulent act related to weighing, had been wholly set aside on review.
The decision by the review board to throw the matter out indicates that the NHA realizes that there was a breakdown in the laid -down procedures, and that their own officials were not blameless - in fact they were probably negligent to some degree.
In what sounds like a bizarre sitcom that involved his colleague Eldin Webber and trainer Emmanuel Kaknis and his staff, Gates was charged with a contravention of Rules 72.1.28 and 21.11, in that as the rider of American Pitbull he was alleged to have committed
Jason Gates – vindicated and good reputation restored | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
a negligent or fraudulent act with regard to weighing, by failing to ensure that the gelding carried the correct weight and saddle, which led to the delay of the race and resulted in the scratching of American Pitbull from Race 3 at Fairview Racecourse on 31 January 2025.
In the opening act of a comedy of errors, trainer Kaknis had four runners in the race. Gates was riding the 6 horse (American Pitbull) and Webber the 9 horse (Luck Struck).
The two jockeys weighed out and their saddles were collected by the Grooms of the relevant horses who then proceeded to place the saddle and saddle-cloth on the respective horses.
The Sporting Post has had sight of the weighing room CCTV footage, where it can be seen that the error of the reversed number occurs.
It’s significant to note that if one turns either a 6 or 9 upside down, the optical illusion means that they become the other number…. So just imagine which saddle went on which horse.
This is where things become a bit Monty Pythonesque, or Boswell Wilkie, whatever your preferred genre.
Gates tells us that he knew his mount. But then he saw Webber on the slight bay, the horse he knew was his (Gates). He mentioned that to Webber, he says. But the next minute, Webber was off and gone, cantering to the start.
Gates is then instructed to mount his horse – ‘a fat chestnut that I knew was not mine!’
This is where Gates makes the decision that will ultimately lead to the review board throwing out the finding and penalty and finding him
blameless – in fact he should be given a commendation for digging his heels in and refusing to get aboard the fat chestnut. Imagine the embarrassment had the race gone ahead! He then reported the matter to the Stipes and both horses were scratched.
Gates feels that the control systems failed and that a bona fide error was compounded by the officials non adherence to process.
He points out that in terms of Rule 59.1, the Clerk Of Scales, before weighing out any rider shall ensure that the jockey is in possession of a clean saddle cloth provided by the Racing Operator bearing the number allotted in the Race Card to the horse he is riding.
He also questions why the horse identifier did not scan the horses – this would have shown that the lean bay and the fat chestnut were wearing each other’s saddles!
Webber’s fine of R15 000, of which R5000, was suspended for a period of 24 months, was wholly suspended by the Inquiry Review Board, while trainer Kaknis’ fine of R10 000 of which R5000 was suspended for a period of 24 months, was actually confirmed.
Gates told the Sporting Post that the entire incident, when dissected, was clearly as a result of a sequence of errors, and that any conspiracy motive is outrageous as the two ‘switch’ horses were poles apart in physical appearance, as a start.
“There was no prospect of success of whatever motive may be argued. It was a blunder that arose out of errors and negligence. I appreciate the Sporting Post publishing this explanation as the publication of the original NHA media release tarnished my reputation in a situation where I in fact acted responsibly,” concluded Gates.
Another positive item to come out of this incident is that every inquiry is reviewed by an inquiry review board, and in this case sanity and justice prevailed to show that the original inquiry board had erred. It is effectively a safety net or a ‘free appeal’ for those found guilty.
The Lerena-Gates crop inquiry continues on Monday 31 March in Johannesburg. Gates would not be drawn on commenting on the progress of that protracted matter.
ONE MORE HOME GAME FOR LANCE’S DAUGHTER
Team Valor International’s Quid Pro Quo will race at least once more in South Africa after she inadvertently missed a ride to the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth quarantine station for a scheduled flight to Europe.
Trainer Barend Botes has been advised to crank up the former 2yo Champion filly for the May 31 renewal of the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, after which the double Grade 1 winner will be sent directly to Cape Town to be prepared for a June flight to Europe.
Barry Irwin also announced that the star filly would be trained in France by Jerome Reynier,
who will get her ready to race in 2026 at the Dubai Carnival.
Reynier trains 2025 Dubai Turf hero Facteur Cheval for Irwin’s Team Valor International and Gary Barber.
In other news Barry Irwin revealed that Frances Ethel, winner of the Gr2 SA Oaks, would be on the May 6 flight from Cape Town to Europe, and enter training in England with William Haggas.
Plans are for the filly to race in England before being sent to race in Australia at some point in 2026, where she will be trained by Ciaron Maher.
Quid Pro Quo – likely to line up in the SA Fillies Sprint at end May | Credit: JC Photos
STRAIGHT NO CHASER BIDS FOR GOLDEN SHAHEEN
If attention to detail is what makes a good racehorse trainer, then Dan Blacker has it in abundance.
The California-based trainer flew 16 hours to Dubai last week to watch his superstar Straight No Chaser work at Meydan Racecourse ahead of the Gr1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (sponsored by Nakheel) on 5 April.
“I came in for four days,” he explained. “It was his first work there so I just wanted to see him go over the track and talk to my assistant, Juan Landeros, who gets on him every day. He’s a big part of this horse’s success.” In a sense, it was a return to the start for Blacker, who graduated from the Godolphin Flying
Start programme in 2007. The two-year course involved a stint in Dubai, which Blacker remembers fondly.
“Dubai was a lot different then to what it is now,” he says. “It’s always had a special place in my heart and I’ve always hoped to have a horse good enough to compete on World Cup night. I’m thrilled to get the opportunity to do it with this horse.”
Also on that 2007 course was soon to be Bloodstock Agent Conor Foley, who later purchased Tuz for just $7,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale back in 2018. Seven years later, Tuz will be the main rival to Straight No Chaser in the Golden Shaheen.
Straight No Chaser in work at Meydan | Credit: DRC
Ever thorough, Blacker has done his research on the local sprinting star, who is unbeaten in a year, including this race in 2024.
“I’ve watched his win in the Golden Shaheen last year and we respect that horse a lot,” he says. “Bhupat [Seemar, trainer] does a great job and he’s on his home turf – I think that’s the main thing. This is a new surface for us, a new challenge. We’ll just have to see who’s best on the big night.”
New challenges don’t seem to faze Straight No Chaser, who followed his Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint success at Del Mar in November with a blistering win in the G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi a month ago.
“Saudi was a great experience personally,” says Blacker. “The horse really thrived there and he’s thriving in Dubai too. What’s remarkable about this horse is not only his talent and his desire but that he just takes everything in his stride – all the travel is no trouble to him – that’s what makes him so special.”
The Straight No Chaser journey hasn’t always been smooth however, and the six-year-old son of Speightster required plenty of patience early on in his career.
“[Owners] My Racehorse purchased him at the Fasig-Tipton [Midlantic] Breeze-up Sale in Maryland,” explains Blacker. After that he
needed a bit of time, just immaturity stuff, nothing major. He came into my barn at the end of his two-year-old year and was a little bit of a late bloomer. But as he trained and grew, he just got stronger. We had a minor issue with him at the beginning of his three-year-old year so he didn’t start until July. But he always showed a lot of talent – right from the word go.”
Blacker, who is married to well-known racing TV host Christina Blacker, is originally from the UK and perhaps still has his British sense of reserve, despite 18 years in California. Even so, he admits that Straight No Chaser has broken new ground for him.
“He’s the best horse I’ve ever had, so of course he’s changed my life,” he says. “I’ve got to follow him in his races around the world and any horse that does that is very special. To compete on the global stage has always been an ambition of mine, so to have a horse that can do that and win is very exciting. I’m thankful to be his trainer.”
Should Straight No Chaser win the Shaheen, even Meydan’s spacious winner’s stage could become a little crowded. Through micro share company My Racehorse, he has 946 owners, plenty of whom will be making the trip.
“The more owners, the bigger the party!” says Blacker, with a little US-inflection on the last word. “I don’t feel any pressure. I think the micro share syndicates like My Racehorse are a great addition to the industry. It encourages people to get into ownership when they might not have before. I think it’s a really positive thing and I’m proud to be a part of that.
“I enjoy sharing my love for the game and my love for horses with people who are less exposed to horses and horseracing, I believe that owners get more of a thrill when they are part of the process leading up to every
race. One of our challenges in the industry is promoting the sport in a positive way and they can see first hand the care these horses get and spread that message.”
In addition to being grateful for his part in the Straight No Chaser story, Blacker is thankful for a lucky escape earlier this year when his family home was scarily close to the California Wildfires. “We evacuated for about a week,” he explains. “We live in Pasadena and could
see the fire our from our back yard on January 7th. The winds were like nothing I’ve ever felt before, and I’ve lived in California for 18 years. Our house wasn’t burned but we had to replace a lot of things due to smoke damage and ash. Overall, we were very lucky.”
Lucky, yes, but hard work and talent have also played a part in the Blacker story so far. With Straight No Chaser, that story could yet get even better.
DOWN TO DONCASTER
DONCASTER WE GO!
The Lincoln Heritage Handicap headlines Saturday’s meeting at Doncaster | Credit: Doncaster Racecourse
Flat racing is back on Saturday with the running of the Lincoln Heritage Handicap at Doncaster. The feature is the traditional start to the UK turf season and runs a week before the Grand National meeting at Aintree.
Temperatures are creeping up to acceptable levels and the forecast is set fair at Doncaster, where the ground for Lincoln day is likely to remain ‘on the softer side’, according to Clerk of the Course.
The Lincoln is run over the straight mile and with 69 declarations, a full field of 22 runners is expected.
The William Hill-backed feature handicap looks as competitive as you’d expect, and leading ‘Northern’ trainer Karl Burke has two runners that top the ante-post betting – Thunder Run and Native Warrior.
Bravery was the last winner trained up north by David O’Meara in 2017, but perhaps Burke can change that with his unexposed pair of fouryear-olds.
Thunder Run finished a credible fourth in a very competitive Balmoral Handicap at Ascot on Champions Day last October. The Night Of Thunder gelding had previously won the Clipper Heritage Handicap at Goodwood, also in a large field, and looks a natural fit for this contest.
He’s presumably going to be joined in the field by stablemate Native Warrior who has been gelded since racing too keenly and
disappointing here on Leger day. Native Warrior hasn’t run since but was placed at Royal Ascot and Goodwood and remains a very nice prospect for Wathnan Racing, who also have the Hamad Al Jehani-trained Midnight Gun in the declarations.
He ended last year with a second here on Town Moor in October, and he too has been gelded over the winter.
Leading Newmarket yards are also represented with the Gosdens nominating their talented four-year-old Orne, and William Haggas fielding Godwinson, a lightly raced five-year-old son of Saxon Warrior.
William Haggas has won this race a recordequalling four times, so the latter must be given his due respect especially after winning a Goodwood handicap last August.
With only three Irish-trained runners having taken their chances since 2014, recent Irish Lincolnshire winner Orandi is also worth mentioning. The Tony Martin trained runner ran on strongly to win the Irish equivalent ten days ago. His fitness is guaranteed, and he comes here carrying bottom weight.
All in all an interesting start to what looks an exciting Flat season ahead.
ANOTHER FEATHER IN CAP FOR LUI
Craig Williams produced one of the finest rides of a decorated career to guide Cap Ferrat to a narrow victory in a gripping HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby on a day of triumph for Francis Lui at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Winless in 13 Australian starts and three more in Hong Kong until today, the Snitzel gelding hugged the rail throughout in fourth position after jumping from barrier two and never went around another horse before holding off My Wish (Luke Ferraris) by a short head, with Packing Angel (Joao Moreira) a further head away third in 2m 00.67s. Hong Kong Classic Mile winner My Wish was taken back to last from gate 14 and was forced to make a
sustained sprint from the 800m, clocking a race best 21.39s for the final 400m.
Lo Rider (Hugh Bowman) finished fourth after attempting to lead all the way, closely followed by Rubylot (Brenton Avdulla), Johannes Brahms (Andrea Atzeni) and Bundle Award (Ben Thompson), who all finished within two lengths of Cap Ferrat.
The Francis Lui-trained Cap Ferrat (Craig Williams) takes the BMW Hong Kong Derby | Credit: HKJC
Hong Kong’s reigning champion trainer, Lui dominated the meeting with a treble – scoring with Cap Ferrat, Packing Hermod and Invincible Shield.
Formerly trained by Chris Waller in Sydney, Cap Ferrat was twice Group 1-placed in Australia behind Tom Kitten and Riff Rocket but was sent off as a 25/1 chance after moderate efforts in finishing 12th and ninth in the first two legs of the HK$52 million Four-Year-Old Classic Series – the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) and the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m).
Williams, 47, praised Lui for the four-year-old’s stunning form reversal.
“He’s never won a race ever until today, full credit has got to go to Francis Lui and his team and the owners of this horse for entrusting Francis with him because I rode him three weeks ago and I said ‘You have a lot of work to do’ (because) I thought he was really gross, really full of himself,” the Australian said.
“It’s certainly a special win. It’s such a prestigious race in Hong Kong. Francis rang me, he was at the Sydney yearling sales and I was on the Gold Coast and he said, ‘Would you like to come ride Cap Ferrat?’. I rode him when he was in Australia and I liked the horse. He had good 10-furlong form, he had two runs in Hong Kong – one was really good and one not so good – and I said, ‘I’d love to come over and ride him for you’.
“I rode him a few weeks ago and said, ‘if you get him right, Francis, we know he’s got the right form and the capability’, but it’s clearly up to Francis and his stable. When he walked into the yard, the way he performed and he won, that’s why Francis is such a great trainer. Full credit has got to go to Francis Lui, his team and obviously the horse.
“To win this great race, with my wife (Larysa) here for trainer Francis Lui who gave me such a great opportunity when I first started here, and of course being such a great race here in Hong Kong, it’s very, very special.”
Williams, who has snared most of Australia’s most prestigious races as well as riding successfully in Japan, Great Britain, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore and Malaysia, took his Hong Kong tally to 126 wins.
“It’s great riding all around the world, Hong Kong is a place where I was very fortunate to get a contract and it made me the rider and the person I am today,” Williams said of stints in 2003 to 2005 and 2018/19.
Triumphant with Golden Sixty in the 2020 BMW Hong Kong Derby, Lui said: “I still feel very excited. The last two runs he (Cap Ferrat) had bad draws and bad luck. I checked his record and Craig rode this horse (in Australia), so he knew the horse.
“Today, he also has a good draw, he was very lucky, and Craig knows how to ride this horse. He did a good job.”
Lui’s Packing Hermod equalled Encouraging’s Sha Tin 1400m course record, clocking 1m 19.92s in winning the Class 2 Rapper Dragon Handicap (1400m) under Joao Moreira before stablemate Invincible Shield landed the Class 3 Werther Handicap (1200m) for Ryan Moore.
Moreira sealed a double with Frankie Lortrained Master Trillion’s success in the Class 4 Fay Fay Handicap after Cody Mo-trained Lucky Planet dictated from the front to win the Class 4 Ping Hai Star Handicap under Matthew Chadwick.
Antoine Hamelin piloted Sky Deep to victory in the Class 4 Sky Darci Handicap (1400m) for Caspar Fownes and Antoine Hamelin. Sky Deep is raced by the Kwan family, who also owned 2001 BMW Hong Kong Derby winner Sky Darci.
Size (46 wins) extended his lead in the Hong Kong trainers’ championship to six over David Hayes (38) with a double, combining with Moore to win the Class 4 Luger Handicap
(1400m) with three-year-old debutante Super Express and Williams with Endeared in the Class 3 Ambitious Dragon Handicap (1400m).
Michael Chang and Derek Leung joined forces with Lady’s Choice to win the Class 3 Furore Handicap before Pierre Ng closed the meeting with Packing Turbine’s victory under Andrea Atzeni in the Class 3 Designs On Rome Handicap, earning a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million.
Cap Ferrat winning connections celebrate their success | Credit: HKJC
HONG KONG
JOCKEY
– INNOVATING
JOCKEY CLUB INNOVATING AGAIN!
The
Hong Kong Jockey Club has signed a memorandum of understanding with China Travel Service Hong Kong Limited to strengthen its strategic partnership in support of tourism, sports, cultural exchange and youth development.
The aim is to promote tourism in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, help Hong Kong consolidate its position as an international tourism hub, and facilitate youth development and exchange between Hong Kong and the Mainland.
This collaboration comes at a moment when horse racing tourism has been included in the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry, as proposed by the HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee. By integrating resources and leveraging strengths, the Club and CTS will promote horse racing tourism, cultural exchange and youth development and work to promote the GBA as a world-class tourist destination.
Under the memorandum, the HKJC and CTS will:
1. Jointly promote horse racing tourism by including the Club’s Happy Valley, Sha Tin and Conghua racecourses into CTS’s travel itineraries (Conghua will host regular race meetings from 2026). To further enhance the popularity of horse racing tourism, they will also develop unique travel packages that integrate horse racing and related entertainment activities.
2. Strengthen exchange and cooperation in tourism, sports and culture and enhance
exchange between Hong Kong and Mainland provinces and cities. By leveraging Hong Kong’s advantage of “having direct access to the huge Mainland market and strong international connectivity at the same time”, they will promote Hong Kong as the “Events Capital of Asia” and consolidate the GBA’s position as a demonstration zone of world-class equine sport and industry development.
3. Cooperate to launch study tours to promote exchange between Hong Kong and the Mainland. These will encourage Hong Kong’s young people to actively integrate into the overall development of the country, while also helping young people from the Mainland understand the development opportunities in Hong Kong.
4. Explore opportunities to enrich outer island tourism.
The HKJC’s Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said the Club has a leading position in international racing, as well as world-class event-organising experience and racecourse resources in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, while CTS has an extensive tourism network and wide industry knowledge.
Leveraging these joint strengths can further promote exchange and cooperation in tourism, especially equine tourism, sports and culture between Hong Kong and the Mainland. It will also enable Hong Kong to strengthen its international connectivity, as well as inject new vitality into the development of world-class tourist destinations in the GBA.
He especially looked forward to welcoming more Mainland visitors to the Club’s Conghua Racecourse starting from next year, where they will be able to appreciate the uniqueness of racing, via collaboration with CTS.
DOYLE’S GALAXY DREAM COMES TRUE
At just his fifth career start, the colt Private Harry made it five career wins in spectacular fashion and instantly became one of the most valuable horses in Australian racing.
In a victory that was as emotional as it was remarkable, it was a first Gr1 for the horse, a first Gr1 for the trainer, a first Gr1 for his breeder Rheinwood Pastoral, a first Gr1 for the owners Kurrinda Bloodstock and a first Gr1 for jockey Ash Morgan.
Michael Chang and Derek Leung joined forces with Lady’s Choice to win the Class 3 Furore
Handicap before Pierre Ng closed the meeting with Packing Turbine’s victory under Andrea Atzeni in the Class 3 Designs On Rome Handicap, earning a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million.
For Doyle – who teamed up with Kurrinda’s Sean Driver to buy Private Harry for A$115,000 at the 2023 Classic Yearling Sale from the Rheinwood draft – it was a career-defining moment.
“That’ll take a while to sink in,’’ an emotional Doyle said.
Private Harry (Ashley Morgan) trained by Nathan Doyle wins the Gr1 The Galaxy at Rosehill on Saturday | Credit: Inglis / Martin King/Sportpix
Young trainer Nathan Doyle realised a lifelong dream at Rosehill on Saturday when his freakish 3YO Private Harry (Harry Angel) won the Gr1 The Galaxy.
“This is what I’ve dreamed of, training racehorses and to be here and to win a Group 1, I still remember the picture I drew my uncle when I was eight years old to show him how many horses I was going to train but little did I know they weren’t going to be palomino and paint horses.
“I’ve had this in me from a young age, it’s all I wanted to do, I’ve just always loved horses and moments like this, it’s unbeatable.’’
Rheinwood’s Ray Willis was equally ecstatic with the result.
“He’s our first Group 1 winner and I think he’s a champion,’’ Willis said.
“It’s a special moment as a breeder, a very special moment, to breed a Group 1 winner, especially a colt like him that could be anything. We’ve also got another colt out of the mare that will be going to the sales next year.
“The beautiful thing too is we sold Private Harry’s [half] sister at Classic this year and retained 10% of her.’’
Doyle and Team Private Harry are now dreaming of the A$20m The Everest in the spring, which is run over 1200m, 100m further than the Galaxy but a hurdle Doyle has no concerns with.
“Definitely,’’ the trainer said when asked if he’d like a slot in The Everest. “I think he was holding them again on the line so 1200m, if he’s running that speed early, he’s going to keep going.
“We’ll get through today, we’ll probably head to the [Gr1] TJ [Smith Stakes at Randwick] in a couple of weeks and we’ll work things out from there.’’
Private Harry is the 104th individual Gr1winning Inglis graduate since 2018 and becomes the third Inglis graduate to win The Galaxy in the past four years following earlier success by Mariamia (2023) and Shelby Sixtysix (2022).
Earlier on the Rosehill card the exceptional filly Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) made it four wins from as many starts with a spectacular first-up victory in the Listed Darby Munro Stakes.
The Chris Waller-trained 3YO was resuming after an unbeaten spring campaign and again showed she’s one of the leading 3YOs in Australia with a tough victory.
In winning, Autumn Glow led in an Inglis Easter graduates trifecta, defeating Enriched and Gangsta Granny.
Bred by Newhaven Park, Autumn Glow topped the 2023 Easter Sale, selling for A$1.8m to Arrowfield and Hermitage from the Silverdale Farm draft.
“It’s very exciting, it’s so good for the team at Arrowfield and us and we’re loving every step of her journey,’’ Silverdale’s Rob Petith said.
“There’s always nerves first up, you hope they can come back in the same impressive style but she looked amazing and she raced phenomenally.’’
Silverdale will offer a draft of 10 yearlings at this year’s Easter Sale, which will be held at Riverside on April 6 and 7.
“It’s a very good draft, they’ve come together really well and we’re excited to be presenting them,’’ Petith said.
“Steve [Grant] has invested a lot and we’re really proud of the horses we’re presenting and hopefully there’s another Autumn Glow in there.’’
Easter inspections begin on Monday March 31. To view the catalogue PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Also, at Rosehill Mare of Mt Buller (Dundeel) scored a valuable first black type win in the Gr3 Epona Stakes.
Brae Sokolski and Matt Scown purchased Mare of Mt Buller for A$250,000 at the Classic Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Torryburn Stud, who bred the mare with the late Alan Osburg.
The Chris Waller-trained 4YO has now won four races for A$450,000 in earnings from just 15 career starts.
At Moonee Valley today exciting 2YO Prestige Forever (Ole Kirk) scored a dominant victory in the Listed Valley Pearl. The colt was having just his second career start, having finished 2nd at Stakes level on debut three weeks earlier.
Trainers David Brideoake and Matt Jenkins will now consider a trip to Sydney or Adelaide for the talented juvenile but were adamant he’d be better next campaign as a 3YO.
Hong Kong’s Eric Yeung purchased the John and Anne McDonnell-bred Prestige Forever for A$400,000 at last year’s Easter Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Widden.
And the Gr1 Australasian Oaks at Morphettville is the primary autumn target for untapped filly Cilacap (Written Tycoon), a comfortable winner
of Saturday’s Gr3 Alexandria Stakes at Moonee Valley.
The 3YO from the Grahame Begg stable continues to impress, with today’s win her fourth from six starts. Cilacap is a A$300,000 Easter Yearling Sale buy for Bruce Elkington from the draft of her breeder Corumbene Stud. The Australasian Oaks will be run on April 26.
Some other results at Moonee Valley were equally important – Grinzinger Belle (Shamexpress) scored a fourth Group win in the Gr2 Sunline Stakes and the 4YO will be offered as a racing and breeding prospect at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale at Riverside on May 8, alongside the likes of Bella Nipotina, I Am Me, Semana, Tiz Invincible, Estriella etc.
And Shanwah’s victory in the Gr2 Alister Clark Stakes provided a timely pedigree update for her Per Incanto half brother (ex Lady Sayyida), which will be offered by Trelawney Stud as lot 20 at the upcoming Easter yearling Sale.
Meanwhile in New Zealand on Saturday, the 4YO mare Glamour Tycoon (Written Tycoon) secured a second Stakes victory when winning the Listed Lightning Hcp at Trentham.
The Stephen Marsh-trained Glamour Tycoon is an A$85,000 Great Southern Weanling Sale purchase for Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Highline Thoroughbreds, where she was offered by her breeder Diamond Park.
She has now won four races.
TRAINERS
JOCKEYS
SIRES
