SP Sprint - Wednesday 13 March 2024

CONTENTS

On the cover

The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, the most prestigious contest in Jump racing, and the highlight of The Cheltenham Festival, will celebrate its Centenary on Friday. Our cover this week pays tribute to the celebrations around this momentous renewal.

Issue: 11/2024

MIGHT AS WELL, JUMP!

12

Bruss Blockbuster

Part 2 of a story that changed racing

42

Now For The Oaks

Frances Ethel looks a bit special!

74

Cheltenham Festival

Four fabulous days

79

Kids In America!

Pioneering conquest for SA champions

101 Dubai World Cup Class of 2024

UPWARDLY MOBILE!

Mobile phones are clearly an integral part of our everyday lives, even at the races. Candiese Lenferna snapped these fans enjoying the afternoon at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.

An unbeaten Varsfontein bred daughter of Master Of My Fate looks to make it three from three when she contests the R150 000 Listed East Cape Nursery at Fairview on Friday.

The very cleverly named Splicethemainbrace races for Arun Chadha’s nationally active ASSM Racing Syndicate and steps up to the 1200m after consecutive successes over 800m and 1000m.

Trained by Alan Greeff, and ridden by the redhot Richard Fourie, Splicethemainbrace meets seven opponents, of which only one – the nippy Happy Holly – is a winner.

Splicethemainbrace certainly caught the eye last time, when Fourie got her into stride to beat Magdala going away by 2 lengths.

A R200 000 buy from the 2023 August Two Year Old Sale, she was bred by Varsfontein Stud, and is out of the Sail From Seattle mare Summer Cruise and thus a full-sister to the useful filly Summer Odyssey.

Splicethemainbrace should have most to fear from recent maiden winner, Happy Holly. Muzi Yeni takes the ride on the Ascot Stud bred daughter of Heavenly Blue for Gavin Smith.

Happy Holly certainly gave Splicethemainbrace something to think about over the 800m on debut, when she got to within a neck of the Greeff galloper.

Of the balance, Eat Prey Love is a daughter of New Predator and stablemate to Splicethemainbrace.

Along with Querari daughter Magical River, she represents experience and could pose a threat.

Glen Kotzen travels up the Garden Route from Paarl with twice placed maiden Priscilla Maisey, a daughter of Var bred by Paardeberg boss, Steve Ajax.

She was right on top of impressive Kannemeyer winner Prom Queen last time, and could be a factor if all goes well on the long road trip.

The only other local feature contest of the weekend is the Betway Gr3 Sycamore Sprint, which will be run at Turffontein on Saturday.

CELEBRATE!

Friday’s feature favourite Splicethemainbrace was cleverly named. She is out of Master Of My Fate by Summer Cruise.

‘Splice the mainbrace’ is an order given aboard naval vessels to issue the crew with an alcoholic drink. Originally an order for one of the most difficult emergency repair jobs aboard a sailing ship, it became a euphemism for authorized celebratory drinking afterward, and then the name of an order to grant the crew an extra ration of rum or grog.

HE WHO PAYS THE PIPER…

“All games have rules. In racing, huge sums of money are at stake, and the livelihoods of licenses participants can be in danger, so it needs good rules, which are fairly and consistently administered” – Ken Stewart, Chief Stipendiary Steward, Jockey Club of South Africa, from his book “Racing Control”, published in London, 1974.

I’m writing these article on the history of the NHA not to challenge but to inform and

educate and try to make sense of where we stand in this industry by asking why and how. I have been involved in racing all of my life and my father registered his silks as an owner/ trainer as far back as 1943, second longest standing silks behind the Oppenheimers in 1937. So everything long term.

History provides perspective, trends have meaning, lessons of the past can guide us in the future, either to learn from past error, or at

The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa and the need to Restructure – Part 2

least to avoid repeating it! I don’t consider that I know everything, but at least I try to live in what Socrates called “the considered life.” That is, to make decisions based on knowledge and reflection, and to hope that thereafter, the right choices can be made.

I’ve tried to take a balanced objective approach rather than what I often notice - a tendency to bash the Regulator in order to enhance someone else’s different agenda or narrative, or a tendency to play the man rather than the topic.

Much gets written about the NHA ranging from very constructive to malicious. Sometimes opinions are based on mis-information, sometimes from not having any information, sometimes caused by the unwillingness of the NHA to enter a debate or even not being allowed to comment for legal reasons.

I hope that this article, covering a 20 year period from the transition of the Jockey Club to the NHA in 2004 to today, will be seen as a contribution to understanding perspective a little better.

All of us who love this game should have but one purpose – to make it better and those who take the trouble to comment will I hope, have the intention to do so.

Part 1 Quick Summary

In Part 1, we learned that the forerunner to the NHA was the Jockey Club which had been in charge of the regulation and the Sport of horseracing for almost 150 years, and then found itself largely blindsided in the establishment of the public company Phumelela in consultation with the Gauteng Provincial Government between 1996 and 1998.

There is a clear conflict of interest and duty which makes it undesirable for the Jockey Club to continue to be funded by the Racing Operators

I could write a book, but I will try not to ! Unless a Part 3, 4 and 5 become necessary !… (keep counting).

After the Turf Clubs in Gauteng, Free State and E.Cape voted to assign their assets in exchange for 38% of their shares into the ownership of the public company Phumelela, the Jockey Club’s Board was in a quandary in regard the status of future control and regulation of racing and who would pay for it.

In 1998, Phumelela had that the Jockey Club take over additional responsibility of all officials that had previously been employed by each Turf Club, that is, handicappers, starters, handlers, judges and clerks of scale. It was

The NHA’s stated Vision and Mission on the opening page of their Annual Report.

logical, but would prove costly in swelling staff numbers to over 200, with more than 100 permanent staff.

Phumelela had also required that in order to help the public company to be viable, the Jockey Club would have to give up 2/3rds of its independent income derived from the tote turnover, whilst at the same time adding employment of the extra staff. This meant that in the space of 12 months, the Jockey Club’s coffers went from R8,1 million surplus to R4m deficit. With annual deficits then running at R4m to R5m per annum, the Jockey Club’s reserves held in a Development Fund were quickly wiped out.

Clearly, a new funding system was needed. One way – it was proposed and instantly rejected - would be to have the 6,000 rank and file licensees cover the deficit by charging a levy of up to R1000 annually per member and by also increasing registration costs every year.

“On what basis” asked certain Board members, “would owners, trainers, jockeys and breeders be personally happy to subside regulation so as to increase the profits of a public company!”

Constitutional Changes

All the same, on 6th September 2000, the Jockey Club sought to modernise itself to become more representative of the sport as a whole and at a Special General Meeting

voted in favour to amend its membership from privileged self-elected classes drawn only from Turf Club Stewards who had a knowledge of how to make and apply Rules, to rather have the wider spectrum of granting all owners, trainers and jockeys and breeders an automatic subscription free membership and an entitlement to vote.

This seemed more democratic and egalitarian, though some argued that it was not appropriate because ‘Clubs’ have members, Regulators have Regulatees and allowing a popular vote against the need for strict, if unpopular Rules, was likely to lead to clashes.

And so it has turned out to be.

The critical role of the Regulator and the looming funding crisis

Saddled with a system in which the Public company Phumelela’s profits could be increased by reducing the funding to the Regulators, the 2001 incoming Chairman Alick Costa, attempted to address the prickly funding crisis in his Chairman’s address in the Annual Report.

He carefully explaining the critical role of the Jockey Club to stringently enforce the Rules of Racing and Breeding fairly in order to protect the integrity of the Sport, which depended on the TRUST of public money.

He noted the now full time staff of 100+ full time employees plus a further 100 part time staff that comprised officials at racemeetings country wide for 364 days of the year, the 5000+ dope tests taken annually and analysed, the more than 120 disciplinary enquiries held so as to ensure the sanctity of results of races, eliminating cheaters, whilst also micro-chipping and DNA blood testing every foal born so that registration guaranteed the correct identities of the horses which raced, plus guaranteed the integrity of the Stud Book, around which the bloodstock market functioned.

It is a huge process, greater than most people realise or appreciate.

In noting the now revised funding system by the Racing Operators, he noted that the tote turnover had also dropped in recent years as the Operators moved into bookmaking and that Tote co-mingling with overseas countries did not increase turnover from which the Regulator might receive a percentage, because that the offshore tote proceeds were rather reflected as “income from Intellectual Property fees” in the Phumelela accounts.

As a consequence, the Jockey Club staff had not had any increase in real revenue above the rate of inflation for the past 8 years.

“Winning Bookmaking bets” he noted “also relied on the integrity of race results as guaranteed by the Regulator’s watchdogs and dope testing”.

“It is however” he wrote, “not a matter between The Jockey Club and Bookmakers, but between the Racing Operators and the organisations that licence bookmakers.”

“It is thus the responsibility of the racing operators to interact with the various Gambling Boards to ensure that bookmakers make a fair total contribution to the cost of regulation.”

Phumelela’s annual accounts meantime reported the income they received from the 3% Bookmaker’s levy to be R61m in 2001 and R44m in 2002. In those two years, the amounts they paid to the Jockey Club for regulation was R13m and R11m.It seemed that relying on the Operators to negotiate a better dispensation on behalf of the Regulator was not going to work!

Phumelela had expanded into bookmaking themselves, setting up Betting World to become the second largest bookmaking exchange and they were not about to negotiate with themselves to give away profits from their bookmaking division to the Regulator.

“ It is not a business, we are the Regulator and regulation must be funded appropriately so as to meet the aims and objectives appropriately in order to service a multibillion Rand business and a product that can be trusted both at home and internationally.”

Jockey Club Chairman, Alick Costa (2002)

“ It is not a business, we are the Regulator and regulation must be funded appropriately so as to meet the aims and objectives appropriately in order to service a multi-billion Rand business and a product that can be trusted both at home and internationally.” Jockey Club Chairman, Alick Costa (2002)

Costa suggested that a mechanism be found for a contribution from the bookmakers to be made directly to the Regulator pointing out that in 2000 bookmaking on racing had grown to 40% of betting whilst the Tote still enjoyed 60% and that an imbalance in which only the Tote funded the Regulator was, he wrote, “illogical, unreasonable and unacceptable”.

In addition, Phumelela wanted to charge all other bookmakers a product fee, that is, a percentage of 1,5% of their betting turnover on horse racing in exchange for receiving the television picture through Tellytrack, and on which punters watched the races that they bet on.

Phumelela considered the 3% tax received from winning punters on horseracing and collected by bookmakers to be recompense for ‘putting on the show.’

Therefore they would not commit to anything more than an annual negotiation of the fees to be paid to the Regulator for ‘services rendered’.

This solved nothing for the Jockey Club.

The Philosophy of Regulation and the Law

In the 2002 Annual Report Chairman Alick Costa explained the rationale and philosophy of regulation and the necessity of appropriate funding free from conflict of interest.

As senior partner at Werksmans Corporate Attorneys, Costa’s wise words remain true twenty years later.. I repeat his words here because it is important to understand the relationship of the Rules of Racing to the Laws of the country:

the principles of natural justice.

Law or a quasi-judicial tribunal, such as is conducted by the Jockey Club, is entitled to the protection of the principles of natural justice.

These principles include having an open mind, being fair, objective and most importantly, applying the ‘audi alteram partem’ rule – hearing the other side.

These principles include having an open mind, being fair, objective and most importantly, applying the ‘audi alteram partem’ rule –hearing the other side.

It is only after such a procedurally fair process of law has been applied that a finding can be made.

It is only after such a procedurally fair process of law has been applied that a finding can be made.

This Common Law principle is enshrined in the Constitution of our Country.

The Jockey Club has followed this principle in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

This Common Law principle is enshrined in the Constitution of our Country.

“Cicero said, “We are the slaves of Law in order that we may be free”. All civilised people adhere to this philosophy because the alternative leads to anarchy, ruthlessness and injustice.

“Cicero said, “We are the slaves of Law in order that we may be free”. All civilised people adhere to this philosophy because the alternative leads to anarchy, ruthlessness and injustice.

The common law rights of natural justice form part of this tenet. Every person whose conduct is subject to a finding, whether by a Court of Law or a quasi-judicial tribunal, such as is conducted by the Jockey Club, is entitled to the protection of

The common law rights of natural justice form part of this tenet. Every person whose conduct is subject to a finding, whether by a Court of

The Jockey Club has followed this principle in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

It is significant that for the past decade, the Jockey’s Club’s disciplinary processes have enjoyed the support of the High Court, where judges have in fact, complimented the Jockey Club on the way in which disciplinary hearings are conducted.”

It is significant that for the past decade, the Jockey’s Club’s disciplinary processes have enjoyed the support of the High Court, where judges have in fact, complimented the Jockey Club on the way in which disciplinary hearings are conducted.”

The NHA as a Self Regulatory Body

It is also important to understand that when a person decides to apply for the privilege of participating as a colour holder or registration as a breeder, or license as a trainer or a jockey or any other participant in racing, that person agrees to be bound by the Rules of Racing as defined and enforced by the Jockey Club (or NHA as is the case nowadays).

It works within the framework of the Laws of South Africa but on the basis that those who hold privileges agree to be bound by the Rules and accept the decisions made through enforcement.

At the same time, the paramount consideration is the PUBLIC interest and not the PRIVATE interest of individuals in racing, or even organisations licensed to be in racing. All are meant to be subjected to the Rules which are determined and overseen by the Regulator.

The Principle of Funding the Regulator

Chairman Alick Costa addressed this principle in the 2002 Annual Report where he weighed up arguments for and against the Regulator to be funded by the Racing Operators or by the State:

“There is a clear conflict of interest and duty which makes it undesirable for the Jockey Club to continue to be funded by the Racing Operators” he began.

On the one hand, the Racing Operators [who in terms of the Rules are annually licensed by the Regulator and pay a fee] accept and encourage that the Jockey Club must be well funded, that its staff must be properly remunerated and motivated so as to ensure that it is able to discharge its duties and responsibilities in an efficient and effective manner.

Also that the Jockey Club must retain its INDEPENDENCE - because the very existence

of the Racing Operators depends upon their customers having confidence in the integrity of racing - and therefore in the Jockey Club”

“On the other hand, the Racing Operators are, inter alia, driven by profit motives and

the interests of owners. This must inevitably encourage the operators to reduce the costs of operating the Jockey Club and specifically it’s staff costs, the major portion of our expenses, and thereby increasing its profits.

There is thus a very real danger of the Operators undermining the effectiveness and independence of the Jockey Club.”

“The Jockey Club should not be answerable, nor should it have to account to anybody but its members.

Regrettably, in real life, the old adage of ‘he who pays the piper, calls the tune’ tends to be true.

We accept this adage may also apply if the Jockey Cub is funded by the State.

Alick Costa – former Chairman | Credit: Supplied

The opponents of ‘State Funding’ say that they fear that this would be the case and that the perception of undue influence by the Racing Operators in the affairs of the NHA is unfounded and that State interference would be more of a burden. Lastly they say that it is preferable to deal with the Racing Operators who understand racing.

A decision was taken by the National Board to engage in discussions with representatives of various Provincial Gambling Boards regarding

a potential new dispensation where the Jockey Club might be licensed by them and to discuss various issues including the collection and imposition of taxes.. which might be collected by the Gambling Boards and in turn would be paid over to the Jockey Club.

Depending on the outcome of these discussions, the National Board of the Jockey Club would then draft a proposal for a Special General Meeting of Members to consider (a direct relationship with the State).”

Birth of the NHA

No such SGM ever took place, the 3 year term of office of Mr Costa came to an end and the incoming Chairman of 2004, Peter Jaeger took the view not to pursue the State funding route.

Mr Jaeger was a racing man of many years,

and had been a co-signatory of the 1997 MOU, the contract with the Gauteng Provincial Government that had given birth to Phumelela.

In 2004, under his direction, the Jockey Club changed its name to the National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa, ascribing these reasons:

• The old name did not describe its functions

• Jockey ‘Club’ conveyed an elitist image from a colonial past

• Most people involved in racing, including punters, had no understanding of the role and functions of the Jockey Club

• It might have been the only independent regulator in the world still using the name ‘Jockey Club’

The new National Board would now comprise 7 members from the various provinces ELECTED by the membership, plus the CEO, and that for the first time, the regulatees would have seats on the board: the two Racing Operators and Racing Association and TBA would have the right to APPOINT a representative each.

At that point, Phumelela was growing profitably and well, KZN and Cape Racing had combined to become Gold Circle, Tellytrack had been set

up to beam the South African picture across the world and foreign income was being generated from co-mingling. Phumelela had been the first operator to set up betting on Soccer pools, and racing’s future looked bright. The NHA was determined to support the process in the greater interests of the Sport.

However, the conflicted position that the Racing Operators had a direct incentive to increase profits by reducing funding to the NHA, continued.

Efforts to reduce costs

In order to offset deficits of R5,5m in 2002 and R1,5m in 2003, the NHA was obliged to take steps to reduce costs in 2004:

• They wound down the NHA Staff Pension Plan in exchange for the salary increase. At least four employees refused, but all employer contributions to the Jockey Club of South Africa (1974) Staff Pension Fund ceased. By 2010 it was placed in liquidation.

• The Human Resources Officer resigned and a decision was made to save money by not replacing her, despite the staff profile of 99 full time employees and more than 100 part time employees.

• The IT division was closed and outsourced to the Racing Bureau at Gold Circle. This meant that the race results and statistics would no longer be compiled by the NHA. The leather bound volumes of results, the Racing Calendar, published annually as a record of all races since 1892, was ceased, as was the publication of the General Stud Book, published every 4 years and whose first edition was in 1899 and last edition, Volume 27 appeared in 2000.

• The NHA accounting functions were outsourced to Phumelela in 2007 to reduce costs.

• Stipendiary Stewards no longer had access to pool cars in order to attend race-meetings, rather having to use their own personal vehicles for track attendance, races and stable inspections.

• The Benevolent Fund which had been set up in the 1940’s to care for jockeys and trainers who had fallen on hard times after retirement, and had been funded by fines from those infringing the Rules, was closed down.

In 2005, there was a concerted effort by the Racing Operators to expunge the NHA altogether, with a delegation approaching Government to request that the Racing Operators be permitted to regulate themselves. This was dismissed as betting operators cannot have oversight of themselves if public trust is to be maintained.

2014 and Chairmanship of Adv Altus Joubert

By 2014, according to the Annual Reports, the number of permanent staff had been reduced by 23%, from 100 to 78.

As a matter of interest, by 2023, the number of permanent staff had whittled down to 58.

Advocate Altus Joubert – former Chairman Credit:

From 2017 to 2023, the cost of running the NHA has barely moved averaging around R82m per annum, of which 70% are personnel costs.

An interesting ‘rule of thumb’ experiment for me was to take R82m in 2017 as the bench year and apply the annual CPI (inflation) index (running between 4% and 7% p.a.).

If salaries had increased in line with inflation, the total operating cost in 2023 would have been some 30%+ higher. What conclusion can I draw but that the effort to contain costs might be causing under-remuneration of staff to subsidise the Racing Operator’s bottom line? It needs further evaluation.

Back to the story in 2014 and the NHA Board under the Chairmanship of Adv Altus Joubert determined that it was simply wrong that longstanding staff should not be assisted to meet their retirement equitably and therefore resurrection of a Pension Fund was instituted notwithstanding the impact it would have on the Budget. Furthermore that for such a large staff complement should be afforded the protection and assistance of a qualified HR officer.

The ability to retain staff at market related

forces had become problematic.

In 2014, the Chairman of Racing Control, the NHA’s Chief Stipe, accepted an offer to transfer to the Gulf state of Qatar and double his earnings. Similarly experienced Stipes left for Macau, Singapore, Malaysia and Mauritius. KZN Chief Stipe Sean Parker was headhunted to become Head of Stewarding for the British Horseracing Authority before he could even accede to the highest office in South Africa.

Adv Joubert’s increased budgetary move put him on the collision course with Phumelela who then refused to sign off the budget and consequently for a 3 month period they decided to NOT pay the NHA. …. “he who pays the piper calls the tune”.. and prove who was Boss !

This crisis led to an arbitration which was headed by Adv Paul Pretorius, later to become famous in leading the investigation into state capture and corruption in the Zondo Commission.

Adv Pretorius stated that a Regulator has the duty to regulate and govern independently and the Board should not include appointed representatives from the organisations that

are Regulatees, lest they contribute to undue influence in their own favour. It definitely constituted a conflict of interest.

He noted that the National Horseracing Authority is the only National organisation in racing, that it has responsibility for the Rules and Laws which govern the livelihoods of 6,000 registered participants, who themselves employ a further 17,000 workers and that it was required of the organisation to be adequately paid in order to function correctly.

Adv Joubert’s term of office came to an abrupt end when he was voted off the board in 2015 when his 3 year rotational term of office required that he participate in an election.

The vote was marred by an extraordinary

incident in which the marketing department of Phumelela was contacting members of the NHA asking them to vote for the opposing candidate as “their preferred candidate” using a contact list that they had allegedly obtained from the RA – and as a result, the Chairmanship changed.

Settlement Negotiations

In the settlement negotiations that followed, the Racing Operators, RA and TBA stood down from the NHA board and it was agreed that an election system was no longer preferable and rather that a Nominations Committee of former Chairman should recommend suitable experienced independent individuals to serve on the Board.

The Racing Operators also wanted the NHA to sign an ‘employment contract’ agreeing to provide certain services against a Service Level Agreement and to submit the NHA to a clause which would enable the NHA to be dismissed if its services were deemed less than satisfactory by the Operators.

Such a notion would breach the Constitution of the NHA because a body that REGULATES not only determines the Rules and enforces them, but also GOVERNS as the ultimate AUTHORITY in the racing and breeding industries.

Legal Status of the NHA

In November 2015, the DTI’s National Gambling Policy was published and stated the following:

Clause 2.14.4: “Regarding horse racing and betting, the Policy recognises the need for modernisation of this sector and also endorses the statutory self-regulatory model within this industry.

Clause 2.14.4: “Regarding horse racing and betting, the Policy recognises the need for modernisation of this sector and also endorses the statutory self-regulatory model within this industry.

Clause 4.4.1.7: The National Gambling Regulator must conduct oversight on the provincial regulatory authorities in respect of horseracing to ensure that national policies and laws are complied with.

Clause 4.4.1.7: The National Gambling Regulator must conduct oversight on the provincial regulatory authorities in respect of horseracing to ensure that national policies and laws are complied with.

Policy Position

Policy Position

Then in 2019, the Public Protector of South Africa conducted an investigation into Phumelela’s set up and made this finding:

“Clause xxvi (j): There is an anomaly with regard to the funding of the operations of the National Horseracing Authority as the Regulator being funded by Phumelela, one of the industry players, thus compromising the independence of the Regulator”

And ordered this remedial action:

“Clause xxix (dd): That the statutory body that is appointed as the Regulator of thoroughbred horseracing in the Republic must be capacitated to enable it to perform to its functions independently and without fear, favour or prejudice”

“Clause xxix (ee): Ensure that the 50% Bookmakers levy which is paid to Phumelela by the Gauteng Gambling Board is withdrawn and transferred to the entity which will service as the Regulator for its operations as well as the development and transformation of the horseracing industry and also assist in looking into a new beneficial funding model”

The horseracing operators must account to the Provincial Licensing Authorities on how the 3% collected from Bookmakers as retained tax from winnings is used. The money must be used to fund the development of horseracing not to pay dividends.

The horseracing operators must account to the Provincial Licensing Authorities on how the 3% collected from Bookmakers as retained tax from winnings is used. The money must b

As a consequence, the GPG did withdraw the payment of the 3% to Phumelela on the grounds that taxes collected for industry development funds should not end up in the pockets of public company shareholders, many of them individuals.

In other provinces, the cases were different: Gold Circle, for example, ploughed all of their 3% receipts into the development of the sport, transformation and public benefit causes, including their contribution to Regulation.

Phumelela subsequently took the Public Protector to court on review and succeeded in having the whole enquiry overturned.

However the Gauteng Provincial Government did not restore the 3% payments to Phumelela.

In 2020 the bankruptcy and collapse of Phumelela and the rearrangement and sale of Phumelela assets to 4Racing Pty Ltd in 2022 have prevented any decision on the 3% collections and have not paid over anything to any organisation in horse racing.

It is evident that given the above history, it is only the National Horseracing Authority as the Regulator that could successfully apply for the allocation of the 3% funds because the regulatory authority is the appropriate custodian of public funds to be used in the public interest.

It seems a logical process, especially given the legal authority accorded to the NHA by the National Government’s Policy decision 2015, above.

The NHA and their Authority in the Control of Racing

If the National Gambling Board under the DTI sees the NHA as the statutory regulator as a national policy, so too is this then mirrored in the Gauteng Gambling Board’s

(GGB) regulations and the KZN regulations, below:

In the case of Gauteng:

In the case of Gauteng: Rule 92 (1): A Race Meeting licence shall be subject to the condition that the holder thereof shall be subject to the Constitution, rules and regulations of the National Horseracing Authority.

Rule 92 (1): A Race Meeting licence shall be subject to the condition that the holder thereof shall be subject to the Constitution, rules and regulations of the National Horseracing Authority.

In KZN :

In KZN :

“Rule 89 (6) a. All thoroughbred race meetings held on a racecourse or racecourses specified in a racecourse operator’s licence must be conducted under and in terms of the constitution, rules and regulations of the National Horseracing Authority.”

“Rule 89 (6) a. All thoroughbred race meetings held on a racecourse or racecourses specified in a racecourse operator’s licence must be conducted under and in terms of the constitution, rules and regulations of the National Horseracing Authority.”

Apart from Government recognition, the Rules of the NHA itself are clear in their mandate to licence the Racing Operators:

Apart from Government recognition, the Rules of the NHA itself are clear in their mandate to licence the Racing Operators:

“Rule 44.2: A licence to RACE under the RULES shall only be granted to a Racing Operator

“Rule 44.2: A licence to RACE under the RULES shall only be granted to a Racing which agrees to abide by and be bound by the Constitution and Rules and which conforms with and conducts itself in a manner which conforms

which agrees to abide by and be bound by the Constitution and Rules and which conforms with and conducts itself in a manner which conforms with legislation in force in the Province in which the RACECOURSE is situated.”

Conclusion

It’s pretty clear to me then that the NHA enjoys a form of Statutory recognition from both National and Provincial Government and is the TRUSTED Regulator, duty bound to ensure integrity of public monies and the fairness of results of races for participants and punters alike.

The means by which they should be appropriately funded remain slightly adrift, although in my view, there is substantial funding collected by the bookmakers in the 6% deduction from Punters Winnings.

According to the Statistics released by the National Gambling Board for the year ended 31 March 2023, the total aggregate bet with bookmakers on horse racing nationally in South Africa was R9,74 billion and the 6% winning punters tax collected appears to total R338 million.

The principle originally set up was that HALF of this (e.g. 3% or R169m) is accorded to the provincial fiscuses and the other half (3% of R169m) is supposed to go to the horseracing industry or cater for its development, its health and for transformation.

Since 2019, the Gauteng portion has been withheld and some other provinces (e.g. KZN) have begun doing the same.

It seems to me, looking in from the outside, that if we have learnt anything from the past, the National Horseracing Authority would be firm favourites in any race to ensure that such R169m finds its way back to development and transformation of the Sport of horse racing.

Final Statistic

I will finish for now on one compelling statistic which arose from the Economic Impact Study orchestrated by Peter Gibson of Racing South

Africa, and conducted by UCT a few years back.

They found that for every Rand gambled, the horse racing industry employs 23 times as many people as the any other form of gambling.

Our racing, breeding and gambling industries are a job multiplier – one job for every two

horses – and we have the opportunity to enrich the lives of so many people and their families if we can become UNITED in our approach, ensure we get our new structures right, and fix the conflicts, anomalies and conflicts of interest of the past – it’s a worthy and noble goal.

The chart below reminds us that our central pivot is the HORSE, around whom all of our great sport and enterprise depend:

Note: Objects of the NHA – extract from the Constitution.

Even Piere Strydom can make errors of form judgement. The multiple champion veteran considered the 6yo Crimson King his ‘worst ride’ on the Turffontein Saturday card. But the 6yo gelding had other ideas and he arrived in a winning mood.

The Brett Crawford-trained Crimson King is no slouch and somehow reserves his best efforts for the bigger occasions.

Prior to his victory in Saturday’s R200 000 TAB Listed Aquanaut Handicap, his last visit to the winner’s enclosure was in the SplashOut Gr3 2200 – also known as the ‘Consolation July’. Two years prior to that he scored a Gr3 feature victory in the dead of the Cape winter.

But he can run when in the mood, and he rose to the occasion under a beautifully judged display of Piere Strydom patience in the 2400m handicap.

With the filly Indian Ocean ensuring a solid gallop for 2100m, the stage was set for Crimson King (25-2) to put his best foot forward and he arrived in style to beat the consistent Silvano filly Red Maple (7-1) by a half length in a time of 153,06 secs.

Alec Laird’s Rule Book (16-1) loomed up menacingly and stayed on well for third, a further 1,10 lengths back.

The favourite Prime Example was at the rear for much of the journey but made up some ground to finish 6 lengths off the winner, and sadly out of the money for his supporters.

Crimson King was yet another winner on the day to be bred by Ridgemont and was the second leg of a feature double for the Hollywoodbets-sponsored Brett Crawford Racing team.

He is by the farm’s late icon Dynasty (Fort Wood) and is out of the three-time winning Mogok mare, Cup Of Rubies, a half-sister to 2007 Durban July winner Hunting Tower.

A R200 000 graduate of the 2019 BSA KZN

Yearling Sale, Crimson King has won 4 races with 11 places from his 33 starts for stakes of R609 625.

Piere Strydom ended the day with two winners, after the fancied Silent War couldn’t catch his pacemaking stablemate Scallywag in the eighth race.

Athandiwe Mgudlwa has Frances Ethel in full flight to score a career peak win | Credit: JC Photos

RAFEEF DAUGHTER POWERS HOME

Following the news last week that Mike de Kock’s star Gimme A Nother will not run in the Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer Gr2 SA Oaks on Derby day next month, there will be plenty of aspirants for the Oaks title – and another one may have emerged in Saturday’s R175 000 Ormond Ferraris Listed Oaks Trial at Turffontein.

It was good to see the legend Ormond Ferraris on course to present the trophies, and owners Dyalan Chinsammy and Grant Knowles, together with the Brett Crawford team and Sporting Post-sponsored Athandiwe Mgudlwa, will be well pleased with a plan come together, courtesy of a filly who has stepped up from her maiden success in January, in the style of something decent.

After the pacesetter Forgiveness faded out at the 250m, Mgudlwa produced Frances Ethel (9-2) up the middle and she stayed on powerfully to hold off a challenge from the favourite Sukhumvit (9-4) by 1,20 lengths in a time of 126,36 secs for the 2000m.

Darling Harbour (50-1) boosted the trifecta dividend, a further 0,20 lengths back.

Originally sold on the 2022 KZN Yearling Sale for R160 000, Frances Ethel went through the Cape Racing Ready To Run & Unbroken 2yo Sale ring for R220 000.

She was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein and is a daughter of Ridgemont kingpin Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) out of the unraced Fort Wood mare, Daphne Garland.

A winner of 3 of her 4 starts with a place cheque into the bargain, Frances Ethel took her stakes earnings to R256 500.

FORT WOOD’S PROFOUND OAKS IMPACT

Wilgerbosdrift – place of champions | Credit: Romi Bettison

The announcement that unbeaten Gimme A Nother will be absent from next month’s Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks has thrown the 2450m classic wide open, with likely contenders sure to take advantage of her absence. One notable is last weekend’s Ormond Ferraris Listed Oaks Trial winner Frances Ethel.

Brett Crawford’s charge was scoring her third win on the bounce and hasn’t missed a beat since breaking her maiden less than two months ago in late January.

She joins Ipso Facto as the second successive Oaks Trial winner sired by the Gr1 winning sprinter Rafeef, who incidentally, also counts Gr1 SA Derby hero Aragosta amongst his offspring. Such are the mysteries of genetics.

Incidentally, all three are products of the Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein breeding operation, whose link to the SA Oaks is a tangible one.

Wilgerbosdrift has sponsored the classic since 2005, with owner Mary Slack having had the privilege of leading in two of her homebreds,

Ilha Bela in 2012 and None Other as recently as two years ago.

Remarkably, both descend from her champion racemare Ilha Da Vittoria; Ilha Bela being a daughter and None Other a grandaughter. Furthermore, Ilha Bela’s Fort Wood half-sister Ilha Grande also won the Oaks Trial and placed third in the Oaks proper.

Mauritzfontein Stud boasts an even more distinguished record in this time-honoured classic.

The Kimberley farm has over a period of more than sixty years been the birthplace of an astounding 15 Oaks winners, the most recent of which 2020 victress Summer Pudding, who of course went on to Horse of the Year honours.

Frances Ethel – Oaks next?

Frances Ethel likewise is a product of the Mauritzfontein paddocks.

Significantly, the filly is out of a daughter of the farm’s late champion Fort Wood, as is Summer Pudding’s close relative Cherry On The Top, who annexed the Triple Tiara with her victory in the 2013 Oaks, and whose daughter Blossom was runner-up six years later.

Arguably the ultimate breed-shaping stallion of the modern era, Fort Wood’s impact on the SA Oaks has been profound, for not only did he sire the Oaks winners Monyela, Bedloe’s Island and Ilha Bela, he also features as the grandsire of 2018 winner Secret Potion, sired by his classic winning son Elusive Fort.

Taking it one generation further, his grandson Act Of War sired champion War Of Athena, who claimed the 2021 renewal. Fort Wood’s daughter Daphne Garland, who is now based

in KZN aat Peter and Jenny Blyth’s Clifton Stud, produced Frances Ethel as her fifth foal.

She never raced, but is out of the stakes winning sprinter Daphne Donnelly, who joined the Mauritzfontein paddocks as a winner of the Listed George Azzie Memorial.

Whilst classic horses were the meat and drink of the farm, she was a sprinter pure and simple and clearly took after her sire, that marvellous sprint stallion Golden Thatch, as did her full sister, the Gr2 Sceptre Stakes winner Lady Broadhurst.

Sadly, Daphne Donnelly was not the most prolific of broodmares and produced just five foals, all by Fort Wood. Thankfully, four of those were fillies and all have become black type producers. Her sole colt Draw Bridge, finished third in the Derby Trial.

On the track, the most successful of her progeny was undoubtedly Queen’s Bay, who was her dam’s second foal and was born after five frustrating and empty years.

Trained by Mike Azzie, she first made waves when she scorched to a sixteen-length victory on debut and went on to add another seven victories to her tally, including the Gr3 Jacaranda Handicap and two renewals of the Gr3 Yellowwood Handicap.

She is already dam of two stakes performers; the Ideal World filly Royal Utopia, who finished third in the 2016 Oaks, and the Gr3-placed Silvano gelding Castletown.

Daphne Donnelly’s first foal Bay Tree won twice and when mated to Mauritzfontein stallion Strike Smartly, produced the Gr1 SA Derby

hero Bouquet-Garni, as well as the filly Bay Leaf, who became the dam of Derby Trial third London Roads, sired by Elusive Fort, thus inbred 2 x 3 to Fort Wood.

Laurel Tree, the only non-winning daughter of Daphne Donnelly, made good as a broodmare when she produced Derby Trial runner-up Tabebuia.

But back to Frances Ethel. Given that she is by the sprinter Rafeef and has Golden Thatch in the mix as well, her immediate pedigree definitely does not scream Oaks winner.

However, Fort Wood’s presence has surely enabled her to overcome those speed elements, and should she go on to Oaks success, it will further underline his impact on this revered classic.

Marco van Rensburg steers Marauding Horde to an eyecatching victory | Credit: JC Photos

BIG NAMES LEAD THE WAY

One of South African horseracing’s most powerful owner partnerships celebrated their first joint feature success at Turffontein on Saturday when the progressive Maine Chance bred Vercingetorix colt Marauding Horde stamped his promise with a smooth victory in the R200 000 TAB Listed Hawwaam Stakes.

The 2000m contest, known previously as the Derby Trial, was run for the first time in honour of former Mike de Kock champion and present day Wilgerbosdrift sire Hawwaam, who was South Africa’s Champion 3yo of 2018-2019 and won 10 of his 13 starts, including five victories at Gr level.

On Saturday the stars aligned as Mike de Kock saddled the first winner of the rebranded race when the clearly promising colt sprouted wings at the 300m to win going away at 33-10.

The handsome athlete beat the Fanie Bronkhorst challenger George Handel by 4,25 lengths in a time of 125,57 secs. This was substantially faster than the fairer sex equivalents a half hour earlier.

Paul Matchett’s Atarime – yet another eyecatching son of the deceased New Predator – was a neck back in third.

Lucky Houdalakis’ Hawkbill was unfortunately pulled out of the race at around the 800m by Piere Strydom – the Stipes report will tell us more.

The winner is owned in a power partnership of Laurence and Jarryd Wernars, Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud, Pieter Graaff’s Lammerskraal Stud, the Kieswetter family’s Ridgemont, Mary Slack’s Wilgerbosdrift, and Hollywood’s Devin Heffer.

Jockey Marco van Rensburg, who returned recently from a stint in Dubai, was clearly impressed, labelling the winner

a horse ‘with a will to win and a nice turn of foot’.

Trainer Mike de Kock said the winner was a standout at the sales, and an athletic specimen that could go a long way.

Bred by Maine Chance, Marauding Horde is a son of Vercingetorix (Silvano) out of the feature winner producing Indigo Magic mare My Lady Bluff.

A R750 000 National Yearling Sale graduate, Marauding Horde has now won 2 of his 4 starts for 2 places and stakes of R257 375.

RAFEEF RELATIVE SCORES IN RANDWICK GUINEAS

Ridgemont’s red hot resident sire Rafeef gained a handsome boost to his pedigree page when his close relative Celestial Legend won the Gr1 The Agency Randwick Guineas at Randwick on Saturday.

The Chris Waller-trained favourite Militarize, ridden by James McDonald, appeared destined for victory but was ultimately denied by a determined showing from Celestial Legend.

Celestial Legend surged past tiring rivals and engaged in a thrilling duel with Militarize in the final stages. In a display of pure heart, Celestial Legend edged out the favourite by a narrow half-head margin. His next target is likely to be the Gr1 A$4 million Doncaster Mile back at the same track and trip on 6 April, a race perfectly suited to his current form.

A three-year-old son of Dundeel, Celestial Legend was an A$220 000 purchase for Legend Racing / Avenue Bloodstock from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

The grey colt has now won three of seven starts including the Gr2 Precise

Air Hobartville Stakes prior to his Guineas victory.

The exciting Celestial Legend is out of Sarraqa, an unraced Snitzel three parts sister to both Gr1 Computaform Sprint winner Rafeef and Equus Champion, and Gr1 SA Nursery hero, Mustaaqeem. Sarraqa has a Maurice colt on offer at the 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

Sarraqa was produced by South African champion National Colour, the Joint Horse Of The Year in South Africa in 2005-2006. Also Champion Older Female Sprinter in Britain in 2007-2008, the daughter of National Assembly reeled off wins in all of the 2006 G1 Computaform Sprint, 2006 Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint and 2006 G1 Mercury Sprint in South Africa, before travelling overseas where National Colour won in Dubai and ran second in the 2008 Gr1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes.

Despite dying young, National Colour made her mark as the dam of Mustaaqeem and the increasingly successful sire Rafeef, with another daughter Circle Of Speed producing 2022 Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes winner Full Velocity.

PIET’S DARING TO DREAM

Milnerton trainer Piet Botha enjoyed a welcome change of luck as his Dare To Dream Syndicate celebrated a feature victory at a windless sun-soaked Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

The victory came courtesy of the Millstream Farm-bred Tyrion Lannister who led most of the way to win the R200 000 non black-type Newlands Stakes.

It’s been something of a luckless run for the World Sports Betting-sponsored former jockey, who lost a race in the boardroom at the same venue a week earlier.

But this time high-riding Richard Fourie had to settle for third as JP van der Merwe made it a double on the day and crowned a worthwhile

wasting effort to get down to the 51,5kgs allotted to Tyrion Lannister.

After showing up smartly in a strong all ages contest last time, Tyrion Lannister was easy to back at 11-2 as all the support came for Lindbergh.

After JP van der Merwe had let his mount lope along out front, it looked to be another Fourie masterclass as the favourite’s stablemate Zil Moris (3-1) ranged up on his outside at the 250m marker, with Lindbergh stopping along the rail.

The impressive Tyrion Lannister was fit and well though, and he dug deep to hold a late challenge from the low-flying Fibonacci (10-1), who looks overdue a third win.

Tyrion Lannister (JP van der Merwe) digs deep to hold a late challenge from the low-flying Fibonacci (Corne Orffer) Credit: Chase Liebenberg

The winning time for the 1400m was 87,33 secs, with Tyrion Lannister achieving his second success by a 0,75-length winning margin.

Zil Moris was a length away in third, with War Chariot (25-2) rounding the quartet.

A R190 000 Cape Yearling Sale graduate, Tyrion Lannister made it 2 wins with 4 places from his 12 starts for stakes of R268 351.

Bred by Millstream Farm, the winner is a son of Royal Mo (Uncle Mo) out of the one-time winning Querari mare Fresh.

Van der Merwe rode a cracker in the second race, when he got the handsome African Prince

home to beat the free-striding Rama Forcesa. African Prince was having his second start and races for Cape Racing Chairman Greg Bortz, Gina Goldsmith and Bjorn Nielsen.

Drakenstein stallion One World maintained his first season purple patch when his son World Of Pleasure was a runaway winner for the Steyn family of the opener, as he showed appreciation for the 1400m. Bernard Fayd’herbe rode a typically unflustered race.

World Of Pleasure looks promising – it will be interesting to see if he stays at home for the Langerman or travels to the East Coast for the SA Champions Season in the Vaughan Marshall raiding party.

The Dare To Dream team lead in their rising star | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

DE KOCK’S DERBY TRIAL WINNER GOES TO 89

Marauding Horde had his rating increased to 89 from 83 after impressively winning the Listed TAB Hawwaam Stakes over 2000m on Saturday 9 March at the Turffontein Standside track.

It was second- placed GEORGE HANDEL, who was used as the line horse in this race and his rating remains unchanged on 93.

MARAUDING HORDE’S rating does not reflect the merit of his win here due to the specific race conditions that prohibit the Handicappers from increasing the winner by more than 6 points. Consequently, MARAUDING HORDE was capped to a rating of 89 despite achieving a considerably higher performance figure in this race.

Two more runners received upward adjustments in their ratings. 3rd placed ATARIME was adjusted to 83 from 80 and 4th placed TAXHAVEN goes up to 80 from 77.

It is worth noting, that the specific conditions of this race do not allow for a more than a maximum of 3 points for the placed runners. As a result, ATARIME and TAXHAVEN had to be capped to the respective aforementioned ratings even though they run to higher figures.

EIFFEL TOWER was the only runner to receive a rating’s drop in this race and is down slightly to 94 from 95.

Standside track on Saturday. The Handicappers were of the view that 4th placed MARY’S GREENLIGHT made for the most suitable line horse to rate this race and as such, her rating remains unchanged on 98.

There were also rating increases for second and third placed finishers. SUKHUMVIT goes up to 91 from 88 and DARLING HARBOUR is up to 81 from 78.

As was the case with the TAB Hawwaam Stakes, the specific conditions of this race do not allow for a more than six points increase for the winner and not more than 3 points for placed runners. Consequently, the winner and placed runners had to be capped to increases of six and three respectively even though they run to higher figures.

Two horses received a pound drop each in this race. DAMOSTAR drops to 95 from 96 and MOUNT ETNA is down to 82 from 83.

Listed TAB Aquanaut Handicap

CRIMSON KING went up to 106 from a mark of 103 after winning the Listed TAB Aquanaut Handicap over 2400m at Turffontein on Saturday.

FRANCES ETHEL has had her rating increased from 88 to 94 after winning the Listed Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial over 2000m at the Turffontein

The Handicappers were of the opinion that the 3rd placed RULE BOOK made for the most suitable line horse and his rating remains on a

Listed Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial

mark of 90. The runner up RED MAPLE received a one-point increase in her rating from 93 to 94 as she finished a full length ahead of the line horse. The only other runner to receive a ratings increase was 4th placed INDIAN OCEAN who goes up from 81 to 90. Her increase was due to her being a full 5 kilograms under sufferance in this benchmarked 52kg = 90 MR race

and was only beaten 0.65 of a length by the line horse.

The only runner to receive a drop in ratings was TOP SAIL who goes down to 90 from 91.

• Media release by NHA on Tuesday 12 March 2024

WORK RIDER

OPPORTUNITY

Ridgemont seeks a competent work rider to join their team. Work will vary from riding breakers, pre-trainers, ready to run sale horses as well as older racehorses.

The opportunity is based in Wellington, where a full-time position is available to the right applicant.

Please email us your CV including two contactable references. For more info during business hours only:

+27 (0) 63 667 5383

MORE MULLINS MAGIC!

Excitement is! Fans love the festival

Cheltenham Racecourse

State Man won the Champion Hurdle on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday as trainer Willie Mullins moved closer to 100 Cheltenham Festival victories.

The 2-5 favourite, ridden by Paul Townend, was runner-up last year but went one better in the absence of defending champion Constitution Hill.

Mullins would be the first person to reach the centenary and is on 97 victories after Gaelic Warrior and Lossiemouth also won on Tuesday. State Man saw off Irish Point in second, with Luccia third.

Nicky Henderson, who saddled Luccia, ruled Constitution Hill out of the race last week after a poor workout.

Mullins was asked after the race how he felt State Man would have fared had Constitution Hill had been fit to compete.

“He’s probably a better horse around Leopardstown, but he’s a Champion Hurdle winner,” said Mullins.

“You’ve got to turn up to win a Champion Hurdle - we turned up.

“He probably doesn’t produce his best at Cheltenham and of course we were aware when Constitution Hill came out that the expectation grew, but he’s a very good horse and he deserves this.

“I’d imagine Nicky will get Constitution Hill back and we can have another crack next year. Any day you get a winner here is good.”

GOTTA LOVE THE CHELTENHAM BUZZ!

Hollywoodbets Brand & Communications Manager Devin Heffer was at Cheltenham on Day 1 of the festival on Tuesday to shout Il Etait Temps home.

The gallant Barnane Stud & Hollywood partnered grey ran a courageous third behind Gaelic Warrior, who came out on top in the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy

Novices’ Chase, to get Willie Mullins off the mark.

A son of former Heversham Park sire Solskjaer, Found A Fifty ran a cracking second to make is a Mzanzi swinger!

Devin sent us these images of a memorable day.

ST GRADE TRACK RECORD

More than 10,000 claims paid

14 years of experience

PURE GOLD!

The pinnacle of Jump Racing, the Cheltenham Festival concludes on Friday with the running of the Gr1 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Past Gold Cup winning jockeys congregate this week as part of the centennial celebrations | Credit: Cheltenham

The blue riband event celebrates its centenary this year, made famous by the greats of yesteryear. Going back to the mighty Arkle in the 60’s, and followed by amongst others Desert Orchid, Best Mate and Kauto Star who all added to the spectacle and quality of the race.

More recently Al Boum Photo secured backto-back victories in 2019 and 2020, the first success in the Cup for the winning most Cheltenham Festival trainer Willie Mullins.

Galopin Des Champs was a spectacular winner last year and he could provide Mullins with another dual winner on Friday at 17h30. With £351,688 and the Gold Cup up for grabs, the defending champ and current 5/4 favourite takes on twelve rivals, including stable companion Monkfish.

Galopin des Champs arrives in excellent order having followed his 23-length success in the Savills Chase at Christmas with a dominant victory in the Irish Gold Cup last month.

There’s no doubt he’s the one to beat, but he’ll be up against plenty of talented rivals, including Fastorslow, Shishkin and Gerri Colombe. Add in last year’s runner-up Bravemansgame, Grand National winner Corach Rambler and L’Homme Presse and you have a high-quality renewal.

Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin would more than likely have won the King George over Christmas but for unluckily stumbling after the second last. He followed that up with a facile victory in the Denman Chase at Newbury last time. He has the form to be a threat to favourite.

With all the rain, fellow Irish raiders Gerri Colombe and Fastorslow are very much in the mix.

Gerri Colombe was unlucky when losing his unbeaten record by just a short head to The Real Whacker at last year’s Festival. He soon made amends at Aintree and returned with another Group 1 win in the Champion Chase at Down Royal, rallying from third on the run-

in to beat Envoi Allen and Conflated.

However, he suffered a heavy defeat to Galopin des Champs in the Savills Chase and will need to show that was a run best ignored.

Fastorslow has quickly developed into a top-class chaser, following his second to Corach Rambler in the Ultima with a surprise defeat of Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame in the Punchestown Gold Cup. He also had Galopin des Champs behind him when making a successful return in the John Durkan Memorial at Punchestown but was then no match for a back-to-form Galopin des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup last time when four and a half lengths adrift.

Galopin Des Champs holds excellent claims of becoming stable’s second dual Gold Cup winner and is selected to see off his nemesis Fastorslow and Bravemansgame in the run to the line.

The magnificent trophy

OUR CHAMPS HIT NEW YORK

On Thursday 7 March 2024 a chartered Boeing 747 flight carrying a valuable cargo of 11 thoroughbreds – five of them Gr1 Winners – touched down at JFK Airport in New York following a direct flight from Johannesburg with a refuel stop in Barbados en route.

It was the first direct export flight from South Africa since 2003 and was orchestrated by a small group of dedicated men and women determined to take South Africa from its current domestic isolation into the broader world.

Having achieved both Champion Owner and Breeder status with her Drakenstein Stud in 2023, Gaynor Rupert and her Racing Manager

Kevin Sommerville became interested in expanding the reach of South Africa and entered discussions with Robin Bruss of Northfields Bloodstock to see what could be done about the direct export status to the USA.

Bruss and Barry Irwin’s Team Valor International had stood behind the last chartered flight

Shipper Gerard Connolly readies to take off on the incredible journey

directly to the USA way back in 2003, more than 20 years ago and had enjoyed good success globally with South African horses.

All of Gypsys Warning (SAF) won the Matriach S. Gr.1, Crimson Palace (SAF) won the Beverly D S. Gr.1, Iridescence (SAF) won the Queen Elizabeth II S. Gr.1 and Ipi Tombe (ZIM) won the Dubai Duty Free Gr.1.

The South Africans vanning from JFK to the USDA Quarantine Station to start their 60 day’s post-arrival quarantine

Together with Shipping Agent Gerard Connolly of CTB Forwarding Pty Ltd., and Mersant International New York, the group planned a meticulous strategy to get some of the best South African horses to the USA with a view to campaigning them into the Breeders Cup World Championship taking place at Del Mar Racecourse in California on 1 and 2 November 2024.

When Drakenstein’s homebred filly BEACH BOMB (Lancaster Bomber-Beach Beauty)

The arrival of this talented group of horses into the USA is a watershed moment for South African Racing and Breeding. This group of horses should be more than capable of performing at the very top level in the USA

won the Cape Fillies Guineas Gr.1 in December and followed up to win the Cartier Paddock S. Gr.1, a Breeders Cup designated ‘win and you’re in’ race, the stage was set down for the $2million (R38m) Breeders Cup Fillies & Mares Turf Gr.1 over 2200m.

Gaynor then added four other fillies to the flight GOLDEN HOSTESS (Gr.3 Winner and four times Gr.1 placed), DISTANT WINTER (Gr.3 Winner and 3rd Thekwini Fillies S. Gr.1), HUNTING TRIP and Gr3 placed COLDHARDSTARE.

Barry Irwin’s Team Valor International bought Equus Champion 3 Year Old Filly BLESS MY STARS (Gimmethegreenlight-Star Express) winner of the 2023 SA Fillies Classic Gr.1, in a partnership with Gary Barber and Anant & Vanashree Singh. She will also aim for the Breeders Cup Fillies & Mares Turf Gr.1.

He also added FEATHER BOA (won 2023 Jhb Spring Challenge Gr.2, and 2nd by a nose to Bless My Stars in the SA Classic Gr.1) and EGYPTIAN MAU (won Princess Charlene Starling S. Gr.3 and 2nd in the Thekwini Fillies Championship Gr.1 for 2yo.)

The group invited other top owners to participate.

The Hollywood Syndicate booked in 2023 Equus Champion Sprinter, dual Gr.1 winner ISIVUNGUVUNGU (What a Winter – Miss Tweedy) who will aim for the $1m (R19m) Breeders Cup Turf Sprint Gr.1 over 1000m.

Ridgemont Stud added dual Gr.1 winner MAKE IT SNAPPY (Dynasty-Icy Winter) who won the 2022 Cape Fillies Guineas Gr.1 and the Paddock S. Gr.1. Early plans are to mate her to one of the world’s great stallions in Kentucky.

Princess Calla and Shipper Gerard Connolly in his hygiene jump suit at entrance of USDA quarantine facility in New York

The final booking came from Mario Ferreira’s reigning Horse of the Year, PRINCESS CALLA,

(Flower Alley-Platinum Princess), Queen of the Turf in South Africa, winner of 12 races, 11 of them Graded Stakes, including five Gr.1 wins amongst them the 2023 HKJC Champions Cup Gr.1 over 1800m defeating the colts, and more recently the Majorca S. Gr.1 by 3,5 lengths.

Princess Calla has the options of the $1m (R19m) Breeders Cup Fillies & Mares Sprint over 1200m or the $2m (R38m) Breeders Cup Turf Gr.1 over 1600m against the colts.

Post arrival quarantine will be 60 days in New York after which the horses will likely start training at Saratoga and commence their prep.

Reactions to the groundbreaking conquest:

Breeders Cup’s Josh Christian:

“We are thrilled that the South African horses have arrived in New York on their way to the Breeders Cup World Championships! None of this would be possible without the help and support of Gaynor Rupert, Barry Irwin, Kevin Sommerville, Robin Bruss and Gerard Connolly. We are looking forward to seeing them at Del Mar in November and having the best from South Africa, Asia, Europe and the America’s will make the Breeders Cup a true World Championship.”

Chairman TBA of SA, Bradley Ralph:

“South African thoroughbred racing and breeding counts itself as fortunate to have had the support of Team Valor International’s Barry Irwin. After two decades, this flight of hope, Breedes Cup dreams and champion fillies directly to New York represents a watershed moment for our industry. Congratulations and thank you B Eye for looking this far south again.”

Cape Racing’s Executive, Racing & Bloodstock, Justin Vermaak

“The arrival of this talented group of horses into the USA is a watershed moment for South African Racing and Breeding. This group of horses should be more than capable of performing at the very top level in the USA. When they do we can expect a global renewal of the demand for the South African thoroughbred. Robin Bruss has been at the forefront of the South African bloodstock industry for many decades and it is fitting that he should achieve this breakthrough thanks to his dedication, expertise, and relentless passion. These characteristics earn him support from global industry leaders, no less so Barry Irwin and Gaynor Rupert, who have placed their support behind this venture. Without them it would not have been possible.”

Team Valor’s Barry Irwin:

“It has been meaningful to get this over the line since it is 20 years+ since the last time Robin and I did it. I hope that the results are just as successful. It would have been nice if the enterprise received a bit more support from key players. But as the old saying goes, TISAB !This is South Africa, baby!”

SA Equine Health & Protocol’s Adrian Todd:

“The fact that Robin has managed to coordinate a flight using the USA protocol of direct export with post quarantine arrival is wonderful news. SAEHP has consulted closely with Robin on technical matters pertaining to this route and continues to move forward to the end goal of multi-faceted export routes out of South Africa.”

Northfields Bloodstock’s Robin Bruss:

“The USA export route allows South African horses to compete almost up to flight date as Horse of the Year Princess Calla did on Saturday and was in New York four days later. The difference lies between the EU stance of pre-travel quarantine and USA’s post arrival

quarantine. South Africa is the 8th largest racing country in the world and established great success in the first decade of the 2000s winning Gr.1 races on four continents. Exports have been severely constrained for the past 10 years whilst waiting for difficulties in the pre travel quarantine system to be resolved. We are the sleeper in world racing, and we want to be back on the stage, win lose or draw. I pay tribute to Gaynor Rupert and Barry Irwin for their willingness to go the extra mile and make things happen and give thanks to the supporters of this venture including Breeders Cup Ltd. We hope to make a splash in your country, the first of many – and will see on 1 November at Del Mar !”

Shipper Gerard Connolly:

“A dream delayed is not a dream denied! I believe the last direct shipment of horses from SA to the USA was in 1993, and I’ve been working on this since I began in the industry. It was surreal flying into New York with our most precious cargo, and then seeing how well they had travelled, as they took their first steps on US soil. I would like to thank our clients and everyone in the industry who trusted and supported us in this historic endeavour!”

Gerard and SA Horse Of The Year, Princess Calla Credit:

DOMEYER SPREADS HIS WINGS

A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but the truth is that nothing ever grows there. That thought appears to have struck Aldo Domeyer, who joined the Bass-Robinson team when he replaced Grant van Niekerk in February 2017.

Seven odd years down the line, Doey’s decided to step out of the shade and revive his career.

Interestingly, when he came on board at the well-established family operation in Milnerton Aldo was 29 years old.

He wasn’t seen as a big hitter then –for example, Bernard Fayd’herbe rode Marinaresco to win the Durban July for the yard that season – but the charismatic sportsman has evolved into an accomplished competitor with eleven Gr1 winners to his name.

But he has now reached a crossroads and has decided to get back into the gym, lose some

flab, and start travelling again. He’s three years away from the midlife crisis danger zone of 40, so it’s probably as good a time as any to shake off the cobwebs of complacency and refocus his sights on his profession.

And following the example of his national logleading colleague Richard Fourie, who left the Snaith team in 2023 to freelance, the former Cape Champion announced last Friday that he will no longer be stable rider to the BassRobinson yard.

Making the announcement, Domeyer, who celebrated his 37th birthday this past Monday, told the Sporting Post that after discussions with the powerful yard, he had made the decision to spread his wings and freelance.

“I have had discussions with Candice (BassRobinson) and, while I will continue to make myself available for rides when required, I will no longer be their stable jockey.”

Aldo Domeyer is no longer first call at the Candice Bass-Robinson team | Credit: Candiese Lenferna

One of the strongest riders in the country, Aldo is ‘on the grind’ with his champion Dad Andrew Fortune, a former national champion who is on the comeback trail.

Aldo confirms that he working hard to get his riding weight down to 56kg by the end of March.

“Thereafter, I will be lacing up my boots and start getting around the country. Maybe Richard Fourie gets an international call-up at the end of this season, so that I can have a serious tilt at the national title!” he smiled, confirming at the same time that he does not make use of an agent.

Aldo has been best known in recent years as the pilot of the now retired champion, Charles Dickens. But the truth is, the son of Trippi has retired and times change.

With over 1200 career winners to his credit, he enjoys a win strike-rate of 21% – on a par with Fourie – and has a national title best finish of a third in 2017/18 behind Lyle Hewitson and Muzi Yeni.

But he is not riding enough winners and one would summise that a jockey of his calibre should at least be in the national top ten. His work-rate, limited obviously by weight considerations, reflects in the reality that he has ridden 750 less horses than log-topper Richard Fourie this term!

Aldo has ridden internationally with success, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and Mauritius.

He grew up with 4 brothers and 3 sisters on the mean streets of Elsies River in the Cape.

In 2003, he was considered ‘not good enough’ by his riding masters at the South African Jockey Academy, but his determination saw him return a few years later. He rode over 200 winners in his four-year apprenticeship – an outstanding comeback!

Today ‘Doey’, or ‘The Hitman’, as some know him, includes the J&B Met victory of 2013 on Plattner longshot Martial Eagle on his big race credits, and is a powerful ally in any tight finish!

FULLER JOINS MAINE CHANCE

Maine Chance Farms has announced the appointment of internationally experienced and widely respected horseman Ross Fuller in the capacity of Stud Manager, at the world-renowned historic home of champions in the beautiful Robertson valley in the Western Cape.

“While our horses are the proud flagships of our brand, we pride ourselves on quality and professionalism of the highest order and our people are an integral factor in our success. We thus have great pleasure in welcoming Ross Fuller, a leader in his profession, and a man who will be well known to many in the South African breeding fraternity,” said Maine Chance supremo Dr Andreas Jacobs. Ross Fuller was born in Zimbabwe and boasts a strong farming background. He has been

associated in years past with champion South African breeding operations of the ilk of Wilgerbosdrift, Drakenstein and Ridgemont, and returns to the African continent after furthering his vast professional experience in Australia and England.

Ross Fuller said: “After spending a number of years abroad, I look forward to the opportunity of returning and working with an industry leader in Maine Chance.”

Dr Andreas Jacobs said that he believed that Maine Chance have appointed a man with enormous knowledge and experience.

“Ross Fuller has demonstrated that he shares our ethics and a love of the thoroughbred racehorse. He will be part of a dynamic team

Ross Fuller – new Maine Chance Farms team member | Credit: Supplied

that includes passionate horsewomen in Hundra Prins and Danni Kuttel, horsemen Tom Quata and Jackson Nkomphela, and a loyal staff complement that we are justly proud of.”

Multiple champion breeders of a generation of champions, including recently exported 2023 SA Horse Of The Year Princess Calla, the Maine Chance brand has been at the cutting edge of South African thoroughbred breeding in the 21st century under the stewardship of the Jacobs family.

The Maine Chance banner has been carried by the progeny of late seven times SA champion sire Silvano, his Champion son Vercingetorix, past Champion 2yo sire Querari and Dubawi’s exciting son Erupt.

The Maine Chance team look forward to welcoming you to the BSA National Yearling Sale to be held at the TBA Sales Complex in

Johannesburg on 18 and 19 April, when 21 high quality yearlings will go through the ring.

Please visit us at www.mainechance.co.za.

OF INSPIRATION – THE STINKY POOE STORY

Purple Pitcher showed gritty determination in his beating of Sandringham Summit in last Saturday’s TAB Gr1 SA Classic over 1800m at Turffontein.

Purple Pitcher- “He’s a stayer!”

With this, he made Mr SS Pooe South Africa’s newest Grade 1 winning thoroughbred racehorse owner, and rewarded him with a whopping R937,000 purse.

Charl Pretorius writes in his latest Off The Record that Purple Pitcher (Kabelo Matsunyane) was two lengths clear going up the notorious Turffontein hill that precedes the home bend. He brought the field into the straight at a steady clip.

As the pacemaker in top-level company, he was probably going to throw in the towel within the next 300m, a victim of the toughest 1800m in South Africa. With 400m to run, Purple Pitcher was, indeed, headed by his first challenger, William Iron Arm.

However, at the 300m-mark he regained the lead and persevered, tenaciously. Star colt Sandringham Summit quickened from off the pace and moved in for the ‘kill’ at the 150. But he found a rival who simply refused to let go of his lead.

Purple Pitcher won by half a length, convincing enough to say there was no luck involved. This was a meritorious success.

Asked how he felt when Purple Pitcher fought back when Sandringham Summit was looming, the smartly-dressed Pooe told post-race interviewer Cecil Mthembu: “Once he hit the front, I knew it was over, they weren’t going to catch up. He’s a stayer, we waited for 1800m for a long time and in the next one (SA Derby), he’ll have a big chance.”

Pooe is the embodiment of what South African racing needs more of – affluent black individuals who love owning horses and betting on them. He is a quiet and reserved gentleman, but always approachable, and enthusiastic when asked about his background.

His life story is marked by the same guts and perseverance so beautifully displayed by his Gr1 winner.

Pooe’s rags-to-riches journey started on 2

February 1957 in Charterson, a small ‘location’ near Nigel on the East Rand. He was named ‘Stinky’ at birth – to clear up the confusion for those who consistently make the other connotation.

He said: “ ‘Stinky’ is my birthname. It is an African name that means ‘small diamond’; it was not a nickname given to me as a result of my surname. I only became aware of the meaning some people ignorantly attached to it, later in my life, when I was already doing business. I’ve always just laughed it off.” And, for the record, his surname is pronounced, ‘Po-Weh’, not ‘Poowee’!

His mother was an orphan, and Stinky himself grew up without a father in a period of protests, political upheaval and extreme hardship for people of colour. In 1957, South Africa was led by Prime Minister JG Strijdom. It was the very year in which the much-dreaded ‘Pass’ laws were introduced for black women.

They were forced to carry an identification ‘pass’ at all times, needed police permission to be in white suburbs after dark and faced arrest and even torture if they failed to adhere to requirements.

He recalled: “My mother worked as a domestic at Nigel High, which was a whites-only boarding school. The domestic workers were called ‘maids’ in those days. She cleaned the classrooms and offices every day and did all the other chores required, including cooking meals for the boys.”

The Pooe family was forced to resettle to the township of Duduza, 30km away from Nigel, because Charterston was considered by the government to be too close to a white town.

‘Duduza’ means ‘comfort’, but conditions were all but comfortable and in later years this became one of the most highly active townships in South Africa in the fight against apartheid.

On the brighter side, there was ‘bush racing’ in the area, much enjoyed by the township folk.

This is where Stinky first came into contact with horses and betting. “The kids loved going to a bush race. We took small bets among each other on which horses would win and this was exciting.”

Despite their challenging conditions, Stinky’s mother managed to provide schooling for him in a creche and then into Sub A and onward for the completion of primary school. Later, they had to move to the small farming town of Matatiele in the Eastern Cape for Stinky to complete his secondary education.

“We had no choice but to relocate again because of the poor state of schools in Daveyton, which bordered Duduza. In Matatiele,

I was enrolled for classes in a makeshift facility for students within a boarding school for girls. It was a good decision and I matriculated in 1976.”

Stinky’s grandfather had mining in his blood. He worked on the gold reefs around Johannesburg and his passion for retrieving the rare and much in demand gold dust from the rich reserves of the Witwatersrand was passed on to his grandson.

With no job opportunities, Stinky returned to the East Rand and started digging for gold himself, mainly on the mine dumps – large deposits of waste rock, sand or other residue that is produced during the course of mining operations – scattered on the outskirts

Kabelo Matsunyane is beaming from ear to ear as Mr Pooe and his happy team lead Purple Pitcher in | Credit: Candiese Lenferna

of towns like Brakpan, Boksburg and Benoni.

“I had to earn a living. I had a hammer, a chisel and an old carpet to filter sand through water so I could get to particles of gold dust. There were environmental difficulties and zoning problems, today still, and problems with water. I used old sewage pipes to channel some water for my activities.”

Small particles of gold dust, scraped together, become grams of gold, then ounces. Soon, Stinky started to prosper and he drew some of his friends into his venture.

What they were doing wasn’t technically legal, but the dumps consisted of material unwanted and abandoned by the mining companies and was there for the taking.

“I think you can say that I was the father of the original Zama-Zamas – by its official meaning, people who work illegally in abandoned mining areas and mineshafts in order to retrieve metals or minerals. But I have to say that being a ZamaZama was something to be very proud of in the 1980s and 90s.

There weren’t many of us, our only objective was to earn money to survive and we worked long, hard hours in awful conditions. There were copper cables in the vicinity of the dumps. We were friendly with the police, we helped them to protect those cables and catch the cable thieves.

There were no criminals among us. Today, sadly, with the influx of people from neighbouring countries and increasing poverty, the criminal elements invaded the Zama-Zama’s and things have turned violent and nasty.”

With some cash on hand, Stinky started attending race meetings, mostly at the old Gosforth Park and Newmarket tracks, in the 1980s. He discovered a knack for picking the right outsiders and cashed out big money, often.

He met regular race goer Jomo Thsabalala, still a good friend and associate today, and Jomo recalls: “Stinky likes outsiders, he finds them well. One day at Gosforth Park he marked a horse that came from Port Elizabeth that nobody liked and won a massive Pick 6. There were only two winners that day.”

With a new government in place and plans for expansion of his business, Stinky applied for a mining licence. He battled for several years, but the licence was eventually granted in 2000. This led to the establishment of his company, Copper Eagle Trading, near Brakpan. He employs 12 workers.

Stinky bought Purple Pitcher for R170,000, a horse selected by his original trainer, Billy Ruiters. “Billy wanted this horse at all cost.

It was his only choice at the 2022 BSA TwoYear-Old Sale. He wouldn’t stop saying what a nice horse it was, so I went to 170k to get him. Normally, I buy in the 30k to 40k range. I’ve had most of my winners from that bracket, including Miss Daisy, Tried And True and Mighty Goddess.”

When Stinky parted ways with Ruiters in 2023, Purple Pitcher was sent to up-and-coming lady trainer Robyn Klaasen, with about 30 other runners spread between the Marwing brothers, Tony Peter, Lunga Gila and Jannie Borman. “I try to support small trainers because I don’t like to see anyone struggling. I come from struggling, and I know how it feels.”

He has no immediate plans to secure a potential champion to follow Purple Pitcher and said: “I have four unraced horses and the reports I’ve had on all of them are encouraging. They look smart. I want to wait for a while to see how they go before I plan my next buys.”

To conclude, a question often asked: How do we get more owners involved in the sport of racing?

Stinky’s view: “I believe that the racing industry, like most others, is linked to the country’s economy. People do not have money to spend. Our government needs to fix the economy and create jobs. This is the only way to get racing to flourish again. Racing is popular still, people love it. They’ll come back the moment they have jobs and earn money. It is that simple!”

Stinky said that the dire unemployment problem in South Africa can also be dealt with decisively. “My solution is this: Our government needs to licence mining activities for individuals, followed by strict control and policing of the industry.

Let me tell you, there is plenty of gold all over South Africa, enough for everyone for at least the next century. The only thing a worker needs to start a business is a chisel, a ten-pound hammer and a big towel to use as a filter. They can all make money.

“The gold price today is well over US$2000. An ordinary worker can easily retrieve just a gram a day, that will put R300 or R400 in his pocket. Or he can gather the particles over time for a bigger payout. Here we have a ready-made industry that will serve our needs and help to get crime under control.

The government should buy the gold from the prospectors, regulate the industry and create a win-win for all. It is not rocket science, not a pipe dream either. I don’t know why they are not doing it!”

SOETENDAL PRESENTS OWLOONS’ QUINTET AT NATIONALS

Renowned pre-training and spelling farm Soetendal Estate will be bringing five smashing yearlings, as agent for Owloon Horses, to the 2024 National Yearling Sale to be held on 18 and 19 April.

Soetendal’s Julia Pilbeam had the following to say about the draft for the National Sale:

LOT 12: She’s a Trackstar, filly by The United States ex Vivir (Philanthropist)

Precocious and forward first foal of the speedy 3-time winning black-type mare, Vivir, from the family of Driving Miss Daisy. This muscular, wellgrown filly has an active walk with a good topline and powerful hindquarter, and we can see her being quick like her paternal sibling Sheela.

LOT 13: Tipsy, filly by Trippi ex Vodka Lime (Captain Al)

One of the last opportunities to purchase a Trippi filly – and, what’s more, one bred on the same cross as Jet Dark and Princess Calla. This is the first foal of the 3-time winning Vodka Lime; she’s typically classy, compact with good depth and shoulder, and with that engine looks to be speedy like her dam!

LOT 142: Miss Fantastic, filly by Rafeef ex Flo Jo (Black Minnaloushe)

A Rafeef half-sister to Raiseahallelujah, from the family of Seal and Fifty Cents, this filly is a must-

see. She is a beautifully balanced, quality filly with a ground-covering walk – make a note of this one.

LOT 199: Peekaboo, colt by Master Of My Fate ex Just Lucky (Judpot)

This very athletic colt moves exceptionally well. He is a late foal showing plenty of scope. The dam’s first runner is already a 2-time winner, and this colt is bred on the same cross as Zarina, Master Sabina and Return Flight.

LOT 359: Star In Motion, colt by Gimmethegreenlight ex Star Evolution (Var)

From one of the hottest families around at the moment, this colt’s dam, Star Evolution, is a halfsister to Star Express, making this colt a threeparts brother to the recently exported Bless My Stars and Let’s Go Now. With Var making such an impact as a broodmare sire, it’s a pedigree to take note of. The colt is a well-topped, strong, precocious type with a fluent walk.

This five strong draft can be found in Block A at the TBA Complex in Germiston.

Stunning Summerveld silhouette | Credit: Candiese Lenferna

Summerview Stud will be offering a small but select string at this year’s National Yearling Sale, with each of the three yearlings in this draft sired by a G1 winner and proven stallion.

Colleen De Klerk is very pleased with the draft that Summerview will be bringing to the 2024 National Sale, and had the following to say about her three yearlings on sale:

Lot 283 - Far Beyond (Futura ex Polly’s Destiny)

This filly is from the well known Polly family. The dam is a half sister to Master Plan, Polyphonic and Great Rumpus.

Very racy filly that oozes quality. She is correct and has a strong forearm and gaskin. Nicely topped, well balanced with a strong hindquarter. A substantial and impressive looking filly.

The dam’s first runner is already a winner.

Lot 271 - Winter Wedding (What A Winter ex Over the Anvil)

The filly is a strong, racy, neat and well balanced

with plenty of class and scope. A late foal and will improve as she matures. Over the Anvil has already produced multiple winners and a black type earner Green Lantern. Hails from the Let Kiss family which also includes Kochka, Equis 2yo Champion.

Lot 187 - Civil War (Act Of War ex Indi Anna)

Out of a Gr 3 winning mare

He is a nice sort and a good size for a first foal. He is a correct colt that is well balanced and will continue to improve as he matures.

He has a lot of quality about him. His mother won the G3 Flamboyant Stakes and hails from the family of G1 winning Panthalassa in the UAE.

This draft can be viewed from Block E at the TBA Complex in Germiston.

WORLD CUP - VINTAGE 2024 RENEWAL ON CARDS

33 individual Thoroughbred Group 1 winners are among horses from 13 countries expected to run at the $30.5 million Dubai World Cup meeting on Saturday, 30th March.

Defending champion Ushba Tesoro, Saudi Cup winner Senor Buscador and Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up Derma Sotogake are among a projected line-up of 13 for the $12million Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline.

The locally trained contingent is headed by Kazakhstan-owned sensation Kabirkhan,

winner of Gr1 Maktoum Challenge.

The $6million Longines Dubai Sheema Classic has a projected field of 12, with 2022 winner Shahryar aiming to become the first horse to win it twice. He is part of a formidable Japanese team which includes top fillies Liberty Island and Stars On Earth.

Yuga Kawada steers Ushba Tesoro to victory in the 2023 Dubai World Cup | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

Taking them on from Europe is Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Auguste Rodin and Coronation Cup winner Emily Upjohn, while the Godolphin challenge relies on former UAE Derby winner Rebel’s Romance.

Lord North goes for an unprecedented fourth win in the $5million Dubai Turf, sponsored by DP World. The John and Thady Gosden-trained gelding faces a potential 14 rivals, including Arima Kinen winner Do Deuce and Lord’s North stablemate, the multiple Gr1-winning mare Nashwa.

There are two valuable sprints on the card, including the $million Gr1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Nakheel. Defending champion Sibelius faces last year’s fourth Hopkins, while the Japanese challenge is headed by impressive Riyadh Dirt Sprint winner Remake.

The $1.5million Gr1 Al Quoz Sprint, sponsored by Azizi Developments, has an international look, with multiple Gr1 winner Casa Creed travelling over from America, Jasper Krone from Japan and several British runners, including Gr1 winners Regional and Emaraaty Ana.

California Spangle, winner of the Gr1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup last weekend, journeys from Hong Kong.

The card is bolstered by three Group 2s, beginning with the Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Emaar. The strong line-up features 2023 winner Isolate and Saudi Crown, third in the Saudi Cup last time out.

Devastating Saudi Derby winner Forever Young is the star attraction in the Gr2 UAE Derby, in which he is likely to be joined by US raider Pandagate, as well as UAE 2000 Guineas winner Mendelssohn Bay as well as Henry Adams and Navy Seal, both trained by Aidan O’Brien.

O’Brien runs Tower Of London in the Gr2 Dubai Gold Cup, sponsored by Al Tayer Motors, in which his likely opponents include Gr1 Irish St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov, Gr2 Yorkshire Cup winner Giavellotto and Gr2 Lonsdale Cup winner Coltrane.

The traditional curtain raiser to the day is the $1million Gr1 Dubai Kahyala Classic for Purebred Arabians in which a likely field of 13 includes 2022 winner First Class and the unbeaten Saudi star Asfan Al Khalediah.

CRUZ IS CALIFORNIA DREAMING!

Unplaced at his previous four runs, California Spangle reprised his best form under Avdulla, who claimed his first Hong Kong Group 1 with a brilliant front-running ride to beat a charging Galaxy Patch by a length. Red Lion was third, a nose further away.

Allowed to saunter through the first 600m in 36.26s, California Spangle gradually upped the tempo in covering the final 800m in 45.92s to have his main rivals, including Beauty Eternal

(fourth) and Lucky Sweynesse (fifth), chasing from the home turn.

Challenged late by Galaxy Patch, who had to change course under Karis Teetan to gain a clear run before accelerating powerfully, California Spangle was never under serious threat, while Lucky Sweynesse was taken to the tail of the field by James McDonald before fanning four-wide on straightening to finish one and a half lengths behind the winner.

Tony Cruz dedicated California Spangle’s victory in the HK$13 million Gr1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday to late owner Howard Liang, while praising Brenton Avdulla’s ‘perfect’ ride on the stable flagbearer.

Brenton Avdulla drives California Spangle to victory | Credit: HKJC

Cruz, who previously won the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup with Silent Witness (2005), Egyptian Ra (2009) and Beauty Flash (2011), jubilated in California Spangle’s redemptive triumph – his first at the elite level since the 2022 Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile.

“Victory means everything, this horse was very important to the late Howard Liang. He bought the horse and I’m so glad he has won another Gr1. He is the best horse Howard raced and the exciting part of today is that California Spangle had to perform to go to Dubai – and now he’s heading to Dubai and everybody is thrilled about it,” Cruz said.

“He had the perfect race today. I think Brenton rode a perfect race. He did exactly what I expected him to do. I’m so happy about that. We’re going to Dubai now and Brenton is going to ride him in Dubai.”

Cruz has been invited to run California Spangle in the Gr1 Al Quoz Sprint

at Meydan Racecourse on 30 March.

Avdulla, who boasts 13 Gr1 victories in Australia, exulted in his most significant Hong Kong win.

“I was able to get a controlled gallop. Probably on the ground everyone was a fraction reserved, but he just enjoyed it,” Avdulla said, referring to the steady rain which fell during the meeting.

“He galloped along at a nice tempo and he gave a good kick for me.

“I came here in May with an expectation of probably doing 10 weeks and go home. Even though I only had the three winners, I started to build a bit of relations at the end (of last season) and really enjoyed the racing and spending time with my family.

“I was confident that given an opportunity that I could succeed here. I rode a winner for Tony at the beginning of the season and then I was quiet for a bit. But then I had a four-timer and Gr2 win for John Size.

“All the hard work pays off and like anything, with an opportunity, I always thought I was good enough to capitalise and today shows that.”

Avdulla and Cruz shared a double with the earlier success of Smart Beauty.

Pierre Ng reached the 50-win milestone when Aeroinvincible won the second section of the Class 4 Lung Kong Handicap for Andrea Atzeni. The victory ended a 31-run of outs for the sechnd-season handler who leads the trainers’ championship by 12 wins from Francis Lui (39) and Ricky Yiu (37) after sealing a double with Frantanck’s tenacious win in the Class 3 Tak Ku Ling Handicap (1600m) under Angus Chung.

“I thought there was a bit of pressure to get on 50 (wins) and it took me a little while to get up there. Hopefully we’ll hit the next stage at 60,” Ng said. “Winning matters in Hong Kong. Sometimes you need a couple of runs for the horses and go again.”

Two Hong Kong International Sale (HKIS) graduates posted wins – Smart Beauty and Patch Of Theta – only six days out from the 2024 HKIS Sale at Sha Tin on Friday.

Patch Of Theta added his first win to four minor placings at only his fifth start for Francis Lui and Hugh Bowman in the first section of the Class 4 Lung Kong Handicap. Lui continued a strong season with a brace after striking with Baby Crystal in the Class 3 Nga Tsin Wai Handicap under Andrea Atzeni.

Avdulla’s ground-saving ride on Smart Beauty saw the gelding land the Class 5 Hau Wong Handicap for Cruz before Ricky Yiutrained Bowser clinched the Class 4 Junction Handicap by a nose over Lucky Symphony in a desperately tight finish under Antoine Hamelin.

The trend of close finishes continued with Solid Impact’s short-head victory for David Hall in the Class 3 Nam Kok Handicap under Alexis Badel. Hall snared a double with Star Club’s success in the Class 4 Lok Sin Tong Cup Handicap for Zac Purton.

Badel also slotted a double with the success of Frankie Lor’s Happy Together in the Class 2 South Wall Handicap.

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Rouvaun and his good mate, Shaheen ‘Sunshine’ Shaw

ROUVAUN’S SETTING HIS OWN PACE

You can’t have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time! Thought provoking words and an apt personal credo for popular Cape racecaller and broadcasting personality Rouvaun Smit who underwent lifesaving and lifechanging emergency surgery, exactly a year ago to the day.

The 55 year old we all know as Cape Racing’s ‘Golden Voice’ suffered a fracture of his spine in a fall at his home on 17 February 2023 in an event that was to alter his and his family’s life forever.

Rouvaun underwent surgery at the Kingsbury Hospital on 9 March 2023.

While still confined to a wheelchair, he was upbeat when chatting to the Sporting Post from his Wynberg home last Saturday.

The Smit family abode now sports ramps, railings and other adjustments to accommodate the fallout and collateral damage of a catastrophe that nobody saw coming.

While we last spent an afternoon in his company at the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas racemeeting in December, it has been some time since we saw the leaner meaner version of one of South Africa’s leading racecallers of the 21st century.

“Time certainly heals – both emotionally and physically. I have grown as a person through this challenge,” he explains as he tells us proudly that he has now reached the point where he can actually stand up using his own strength.

“Two months ago I needed the assistance of two people. A month ago it was one. By next month I better be getting my ‘a’ into ‘g’ and doing it on my own,” he laughs.

We asked the smiling, but clearly emotional,

father of two to send a shoutout to some of the people who had made a difference in his ‘year of living dangerously’, for want of a better description of the past twelve months.

“My wife Rachelle has been my rock. My son Davin and daughter Lyndall have supported me tirelessly on a daily basis. It can’t be easy for them to have adapted to life with a person who is dependant on care after having a Dad who used to shout for a cold beer at best in the old days!” he muses as he goes on to say that he has been on the receiving end of so much kindness.

“Words really can never express my gratitude to the multitude of folk who have assisted me and my family. My therapist has also been great – professional and patient. I am very blessed. None of us ever expect something like this to happen. It’s a humbling eyeopener, and a character builder of some proportions,” he says with a stern frown.

As to his future, the internationally respected caller tells us that he is ‘coping and taking things one day at a time’.

“I will concede that I do get withdrawal symptoms not being able to do the things

I enjoy. But I still believe that I have a contribution to make as I am willing to share my God-given talent with everyone. Cape Racing always remind me that the door is open – all I need to do is tell them when I’m ready to return. That is a great comfort. Thank you to everybody, again.”

In closing, Rouvaun extended a word of encouragement and love to the families of two of his colleagues who have had their

own medical challenges in recent times.

“Please allow me to send my best wishes to Lyall Cooper and Clyde Basel, and their respective families. I have a lot of time on my hands to think, and we can get lost in the ‘why me’ conundrum. But there is always somebody worse off and facing bigger challenges in their lives. I wish Lyall and Clyde the very best and a speedy return to their posts. Racing needs experienced good people!” he concluded.

THE TORTOISE VS THE HARE?

The recent Tony Peter case has highlighted the tardiness of our own processes after a BHA independent Disciplinary Panel published details earlier this week of a fast-track procedure which resulted in a £6000 fine for two admitted breaches of the Rules of Racing relating to the sale of George Gently (IRE) in 2016.

Mr Dan Skelton admitted two breaches of the Rules. It was this admission of breaches, along with an agreement on penalty from both parties, that led to this case being resolved via the fast-track procedure and the BHA is satisfied with this outcome.

The fine, which is above the entry point for an offence of this nature, is significant, as is the acceptance of these serious breaches by Mr Skelton. The resolving of this case via fast-track does not reduce the seriousness and merely reflects the two sides being in agreement on breach and penalty. By using the fast-track route, and in publishing its detailed assessment of the case, the Disciplinary Panel has ensured that the proper scrutiny can still be applied.

We recognise that this case has had a significant personal impact on Mr Skelton and his family and understand why he was anxious to issue a statement on the Panel’s findings at the weekend.

We acknowledge that the length of time that elapsed during this case is far from ideal for all concerned. The BHA always works to resolve matters as swiftly as possible but in this case, as well as acknowledging some delay on the BHA’s side, significant other factors impacted the length of time this has taken.

Proceedings were stayed in 2022, with the agreement of Mr Skelton, while a civil case was pursued. This was done so that the investigation did not interfere with the civil case, and also to allow the BHA to understand the outcome, which ultimately came in July 2023.

Following the conclusion of the civil proceedings, the BHA had to amend its case and add a charge in relation to misleading conduct. This added further delay in bringing the case to resolution.

results up to: 2024-03-13

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