Wednesday 20 December 2023
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SNOWSTORM! 20 DECEMBER 2023 | 1
CONTENTS
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2023’S STORMING FINISH! 06 A Year Of Bright Stars Newsmakers all!
12 Snaith Bomber Flies High Drakenstein again!
48 Worldbeaters Captain Al’s son takes off
62 Bruss On Breeding An expert’s view
86 Hong Kong Highs Candiese Lenferna’s magical photo tour
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On the cover
Snow Pilot storms home under JP van der Merwe to win the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday
Issue: 56/2023
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DESTINATION – THE STARS!
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The Drakenstein Stud team continued their fabulous winning run when their Lancaster Bomber homebred Snow Pilot stormed to victory in the R2 million Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
Snow Pilot (JP van der Merwe) gets the better of the gallant Red Palace (Anthony Andrews) to win the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
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The victory made it a year-on-year double in the classic of kings for Drakenstein, and a glorious follow-up on another Lancaster Bomber product in Beach Bomb, who won the WSB Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas victory two weeks earlier. It was a third strike in the big race for Justin Snaith after Solo Traveller (2010) and Double Superlative (2021), and a first Cape Guineas victory for new Cape Town resident and former Met winning jockey JP van der Merwe, who was only narrowly shaded on Silver Sanctuary in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas, a fortnight earlier. With the house-full signs up at the historic revamped venue, the Cape summer sun shone brightly on the capacity crowd enjoying some high-quality action-packed racing on the fourth day of the 2023/24 Cape Summer Season of Champions. A field of eleven went to post for the headliner, with Sean Tarry saddling the only out-of-towner in the shape of the talented, Tail Of The Comet. Touted in some quarters as a below-strength renewal in the absence of the Highveld-based top four rated 3yo’s in the land in Sandringham Summit, Main Defender, Purple Pitcher and Gimmeanotherchance, the mile contest produced a grandstand finish and hailed an emerging star in the shape of Snow Pilot, who found his feet after consecutive feature seconds.
Beaten by more fancied stablemate Hluhluwe in the Gr2 Cape Punters Cup, Snow Pilot raised his game after being in striking distance for much of the race. Just when the filly Red Palace looked to be going on to rewrite the history books, JP van der Merwe switched Snow Pilot out and he stormed home to beat the gallant Red Palace (25-2) by 0,75 lengths in a time of 98,27 secs. The winner’s stablemate Hluhluwe (33-10) came from some way back to bank third a further 1,25 lengths adrift to shade the fastfinishing Green With Envy (4-1) into fourth. The victory by Snow Pilot underscored the huge void left by his 2018 Gr1 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Lancaster Bomber (War Front), who died suddenly at the age of 7 in 2021. The winner is out of the Cape Fillies Guineas winner Snowdance, who was also conditioned by Snaith. Now a winner of 2 races with 7 places from 9 starts, Snow Pilot took his earnings to R1 453 525. Hats off to the Andrews family and their runnerup Red Palace, who ran her heart out in a bid to be the first filly in thirty years after Little Ballerina to win the colts’ Guineas. Her eight week break may have taken the edge off her fitness, but she wasn’t disgraced in defeat.
Selfie time as Kevin Sommerville snaps Jono Snaith, Gaynor Rupert and Justin Snaith after the big win | Credit: Candiese Lenferna 8 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
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SOARING INTO THE DEEP BLUE! Snow Pilot’s Mom Snowdance storms home under Bernard Fayd’herbe to win the 2018 Majorca Stakes | Credit: Hamish Niven Photography
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Newly-minted Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot fittingly describes the adage ‘Breed the best to the best and hope for the best’. After all, he is by War Front’s Gr1 winning son Lancaster Bomber out of dual Gr1 winner Snowdance.
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His loss is all the more keenly felt since Snow Pilot completed a remarkable Guineas double, his win coming barely two weeks after paternal half-sister Beach Bomb captured the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas. To our knowledge, no other stallion has sired a Gr1 Guineas double in his very first crop, a rare achievement indeed. Interviewed after the Guineas, Drakenstein owner Gaynor Rupert lamented the young stallion’s loss to the industry when she said: “It was devastating to lose Lancaster Bomber, he was going to be the future of Drakenstein Stud. We hoped that maybe he would sire something special, and he has given us Snow Pilot.” Lancaster Bomber’s tenure at Drakenstein Stud was all too brief, but his loss is somewhat mitigated in that he has left a worthy male descendant to carry on his legacy. The colt is the first foal out of Snowdance and like her son, she was trained by Justin Snaith.
and Snowdance was my ride!” Bred at Cheveley Stud, Snowdance commanded a R2-million price tag at the National Yearling Sale, an investment she would return with interest and more. Raced by Drakenstein in partnership with the late Jack Mitchell, Snowdance opened her stakes account in dominant style when claiming the Gr2 Western Cape Fillies Championship. On the lead from the jump, she was allowed to stride out freely and ran her rivals ragged to romp home by over four lengths from the then unbeaten favourite Magical Wonderland. She again impressed in the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas, taking the classic in sizzling style. Sent off a short-prized favourite on the strength of her front-running tour de force in the Fillies Championship, different tactics saw her covered up, but she quickened into the lead at the quarter mark and cruised home to win geared down, the winning margin of just over three lengths flattering stable companion and future Horse of the Year Oh Susannah.
“She was amazing, she was absolutely beautiful,” he recalls. “Every year I chose a horse which is my ride on Muizenberg beach
The majestic Snow Pilot – announced his arrival in the big league on Saturday | Credit:Candiese Lenferna
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Trainer Justin Snaith is interviewed by Vicky Minott | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
On to the Gr1 Majorca Stakes and in yet another flawless performance, she defeated a stellar field of mainly older fillies and mares. Although Snowdance failed to hit the same dizzying heights at four, she nevertheless added seconds in both the Gr1 Gold Challenge and Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint and a third in the Gr1 Garden Province Stakes, before signing off on her career when fourth behind champion Kasimir in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint. Snowdance is off to a heady start as a broodmare with Snow Pilot, whom Drakenstein stud manager Gavin Pickford remembers as “a cracker of a foal, from birth he stood out.” Snow Pilot’s female line needs no introduction. It is that of blue hen mare Mystic Spring. By Royal Academy out of an own sister to English 2000 Guineas winner Mystiko, she produced more black type than many newspaper editors and became the dam of seven stakes winners headed by champions Rabiya (also a Cape Guineas winner) and BelaBela.
Snowdance is out of her Joshua Dancer daughter Spring Lilac, who won the Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery and is a full sister to the Gr2-placed stakes winning duo of Juniper Spring and Victorian Secret, the dam of recent stakes winner Golden Sickle. If not for a fatal injury, Rabiya would likely have been the first colt to represent this most contemporary of families as a stallion. However, that honour could now fall to Snow Pilot. He joins last year’s Cape Guineas winner Charles Dickens as a future incumbent of the star-studded Drakenstein stallion barn. But until such time, we can look forward to more fireworks on the track. That could come sooner rather than later, as the Snaith stable has nominated both Snow Pilot and Guineas third Hhuhluwe (yet another Drakenstein-bred) for the 2024 Gr1 L’Ormarins Kings Plate. With both Charles Dickens and See It Again (also a Drakenstein-bred) in the mix, the revered mile event promises to be a race for the ages. 20 DECEMBER 2023 | 15
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See It Again beats At My Command and Charles Dickens in the WSB Gr2 Green Point Stakes | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
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ROYAL CLASS OF ’24 TAKES SHAPE The first entries for the 163rd renewal of the R2 million L’Ormarins Gr1 King’s Plate to be run at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 6 January 2024 were received on Wednesday. Arch-rivals See It Again and Charles Dickens headline a 16 strong entry for South Africa’s most prestigious weight-for-age mile.
The race produced a massive upset earlier this year when 80-1 rocket Al Muthana pipped local hero Charles Dickens.
This historic contest was first run in 1861, when Queen Victoria donated a silver plate and 500 sovereigns to the winner.
Supplementary entries close at 11h00 on Friday 22 December, with declarations due by 11h00 on Thursday 28 December.
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CAPE MOVE EARLY IMPACT BY JP! Just two weeks after a bold move South to set up a new family home in Cape Town, JP van der Merwe celebrated the most memorable racing weekend of his career since he was called up almost eight years ago as a last minute replacement for Weichong Marwing to win the 2016 Gr1 J&B Met on Smart Call.
JP returns with the Snaith Racing team and Snow Pilot after the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas victory | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
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The Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas stampede | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Chatting to the Sporting Post from his Milnerton home on Monday, the evidence of boxes tells a story of a recent interprovincial move, and exciting new beginnings for the young family of three. “It’s never easy uprooting and moving house between provinces. Our daughter Valentyna is only three months old. And I was enjoying decent support in Gauteng, riding some really nice horses. But on the flipside, I don’t know when I will ever get a golden opportunity like this again. And I ultimately made the decision for my family. We have a lovely secure home, the beach is a stone’s throw away. Trackwork at Milnerton is around the corner – and Futura Park is 22km away!” he smiles broadly, as his 24 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
attention turns to his gurgling bundle of joy. The 32 year old JP is married to Abbi, daughter of East Cape Champion trainer Gavin Smith. The couple have bounced back strongly from their Singapore adventure, which ended earlier than anticipated over two years ago. “Agh, everything in life is an experience and happens for a reason. They say that what doesn’t kill one makes one stronger,” adds the talented lightweight. The obvious question arises – ‘how did the move from Gauteng to Cape Town actually come about?’
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“Greg Bortz and Justin Snaith,” adds JP matterof-factly, as he explains that Grant van Niekerk is still Snaith’s first choice jockey, but that he will be riding the Bortz horses, and the rest. And his big weekend? Was it better than that sunny day in January 2016 when he booted Smart Call home to win the Sun Met at the same venue? “Every Gr1 win is very special, believe me! Snow Pilot’s victory in the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas was the third elite victory of my career. And then to follow up 24 hours later on Sunday with the win by Gimme A Nother in the Mike de Kock Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge.
That was magic! And she runs in the Smart Call silks too,”adds the Bryanston Auctioneerssponsored rider, enthusiastically. Asked to sum up the merits and prospects of his two big feature winners, JP says that Snow Pilot is ‘all quality’, while Gimme A Nother has gone from a maiden to Gr3 and to Gr2 in just four unbeaten runs – all ridden by himself - and a Gr1 surely looks a given. “Snow Pilot is still a colt, so he is not an easy customer. But he’s obviously very smart, and, yes, as you suggest, I think he could be a Cape Derby candidate. But that’s up to the trainer and connections.”
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And Gimme A Nother – is she a Triple Tiara prospect? “She’s really good. Very special! I am not sure what the plans are for her going ahead, but she’s beautiful and yes, naturally there is no question that I would absolutely love to stick with her! She has been a pleasure to ride,” he adds. He is already in a routine, riding work for the powerful Snaith team two mornings a week at Futura Park in the Southern Suburbs, and then moving from the Paddy Kruyer string, to Piet Steyn and Piet Botha at Milnerton. Will the man some know as ‘Juan Paul van Damme’, apparently already a staunch ‘Province’ supporter, and his ladies be enjoying more of an outdoor lifestyle, now that they are miles away from the mine dumps, and just 300m from the beautiful Atlantic Ocean? “I believe the family lifestyle in the Cape offers plenty. And I am looking forward to joining the jockeys in the weekly Action Cricket matches. I’d also really like to drop a line in the water.
Check the view!| Credit: Supplied
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I spoke to the professional Richard Fourie over the weekend about that. So these are exciting days professionally and socially, and we intend to make the most of it,” he assures us. The Johannesburg-born JP celebrates his 33rd birthday just three days after Christmas. We asked what the family’s plans were for Christmas, and his big day. “My Mom-in-law, an excellent cook, and Abbi’s brother are joining us for Christmas. So we will be eating like royalty! I have managed to ride comfortably at around 52kgs for years, but I am getting older, so will be hard against the bit and a little bit restrained,” he laughs with a twinkle in his eye. The likeable JP has walked a long road since the then shy teenager stood on the Clairwood podium in October 2008 after riding his first career winner, Regent’s Honour, for trainer Bennet Bulana. We asked him to summarise his goals for 2024.“Work hard. Ride many winners. Enjoy my beautiful family, and ultimately become a proper Capetonian!”
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DE KOCK’S FAIRYTALE FILLY MAKES IT A PERFECT 4 v
Gimme A Nother cruises in to score a facile victory under JP van der Merwe | Credit: JC Photos
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Crowning a dream weekend for jockey JP van der Merwe, the Mauritzfontein bred and raced 3yo Gimme A Nother made it four wins from four starts with a facile victory in the R500 000 Mike de Kock Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge at Turffontein on Sunday. v
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Twenty four hours earlier, the Byanston Auctioneers-sponsored JP was aboard the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot - but his ride on the smashing recent Betway Gr3 Fillies Mile winner Gimme A Nother was Sunday afternoon armchair stuff!
Paddock Stakes and in what was arguably the highlight of her star-studded career, the coveted Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, a memorable occasion given that she thwarted the mighty Pocket Power’s bid of a fifth consecutive victory in the celebrated mile race.
Tracking Marigold Hotel and Emirate Gina all the way around in the mile feature, the Mike de Kock trained Gimme A Nother (7-10) was given her head at the 400m marker and made light of the threat of her older rivals as she simply drew away to win unextended, beating the accomplished Feather Boa (4-1) by 4,75 lengths in a time of 98,7 secs.
There were high hopes for the champion daughter of Windrush when she retired to her owner’s Wilgerbosdrift paddocks as a four-time Gr1 winner. However, racing and breeding is fraught with incredible highs and the heartbreak that is the flip side, hence it was not just a cruel blow when Mother Russia died at age ten, her innings as a broodmare yielded just a single foal by Tiger Ridge.
Marigold Hotel (40-1) was beaten a further 1,25 lengths in third. A daughter of Gimmethegreenlight, Gimme A Nother is a fairytale on her own as a third generation stakes winner trained by Mike de Kock Mary Slack purchased Gimme A Nother’s grandam Mother Russia from Klawervlei Stud as a dual Gr1 winner of the Fancourt Majorca and Empress Club Stakes. As we reported previously, Mother Russia duly rewarded her new owner with victory in the Gr1
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Fortunately, that foal, a filly named Nother Russia, is keeping the flame alive. Like her mom before her, she joined the De Kock stable but raced in the colours of Jessica Jell , who had purchased the chestnut from the Wilgerbosdrift draft for R550 000 at the National Yearling Sale. She ended up a dual Gr1 winning eight-time winner, and won Sunday’s feature in 2017. We could write a book about the family – and then there’s Ipi Tombe too.
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40TH STAKES WINNER FOR QUERARI 34 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
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The Sabine Plattner Racing Team enjoyed a treble, including a graded stakes double, at a sundrenched Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, with the 2024 WSB Cape Town Met entrant Master Redoute scoring an eyecatching win in the R350 000 Ridgemont Gr3 Peninsula Handicap. Master Redoute (Anthony Andrews) grabs the edge in a close to beat Future Swing (Muzi Yeni) and a flying Pacaya (Kabelo Matsunyane) | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
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Trainer Andre Nel had his Rondeberg string on song, with Saartjie finding her winning stride to seal the honours in the SplashOut Gr3 Victress Stakes, a half hour prior to Plattner homebred Master Redoute storming through at any price to win the Ridgemont Peninsula Handicap. After a run of five seconds in feature races, Master Redoute was not fancied, but certainly ready to break his bridesmaid tag and he duly flew late under Anthony Andrews to score a fluent victory in a time of 108,30 secs. The 10-1 Future Swing, also a Met entry, ran a cracker to be beaten 0,40 lengths in second, with Pacaya (25-1) coming from the clouds for third, ahead of Tarry stayer Nebraas (100-1) in fourth. Sugar Mountain (9-2) was in fifth, with just a length covering the top five. Master Redoute became Querari’s 40th
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individual stakes winner in the process and was bred by La Plaisance from the twice winning Redoute’s Choice mare, Lady Redoute. Now a winner of 3 races with 8 places from 19 starts, Master Redoute took his stakes total to R401 413. One of 135 stakes winners for his sire Oasis Dream, Querari has nine lots on offer at the 2024 Cape Racing Premier Yearling Sale Powered By Tattersalls. The Plattner Team completed the treble in the last when the improved again Axl made it two on the trot, with a facile victory in the Class 4 1200m.
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A knockout of a day as Knockout and Grant van Niekerk cap four terrific winners for Ridgemont| Credit: Chase Liebenberg
1,2,3,4! RIDGEMONT BREDS FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas day on Saturday was a memorable one for the Ridgemont team. The Robertson-based breeding operation sponsored the Ridgemont Gr3 Peninsula Handicap, and celebrated four winners on the major day. With the well established champion Rafeef and the brilliant Canford Cliffs leading the charge, Ridgemont are enjoying an excellent season with 38 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
a top 5 position on the national breeders log, and a healthy 30% winner to runner strike rate, with nearly four months gone of the current term. The Ridgemont Saturday quartet commenced in the opener when the Piet Botha-trained Escarpment won the GrandSlots Workriders Maiden Plate at the second time of asking. Given a perfect ride by William Bambiso, Escarpment showed good ability over a trip short of his best to win well. He is by Ridgemont’s international stakes winning
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sire Canford Cliffs out of the three-time winning Western Winter mare, Icy Fire.
fourteen as lot 70, and is described as an athletic and scopy sort.
The next Ridgemont bred winner arrived in the third, the HeartFM Commonwealth Plate, when the handsome bay colt Lion Rampart built on an excellent debut effort three weeks earlier, when a facile, albeit green, winner of the 1000m contest in the familiar Hollywood Syndicate strip for trainer Vaughan Marshall.
The Brett Crawford-trained Oratorio gelding Bardolino won the fifth race, the 1600m Flash Class 4 contest, when storming home under Hollywoodbets Durban July winning jockey Kabelo Matsunyane. Bardolino is out of the Highest Honor mare, Woodland Beauty, a smart producer of winners. The Justin Snaith-trained Knockout put the cherry on the top of the Ridgemont quartet when she finished with a rattle to beat Mia’s Harper going away in the ninth race, a 1200m OZOW Class 4 (F & M). Knockout, who is out of the Dylan Thomas mare For The Count, was winning her second race in six starts and looks ready to fulfill her exciting early potential.
The exciting and upwardly mobile son of Met winner One World is out of the three-time winning Var mare, Saltire. It will be good news that the clearly talented winner has a full-brother on the Cape Premier Yearling Sale on 25 January 2024. Named Give It Laldy, he comes up in the Ridgemont draft of
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DYNASTY 1-2 IN SPLASHOUT VICTRESS STAKES 40 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
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Having her second run after a rest, the Sabine Plattner owned Saartjie got the better of a late duel with the tough as nails Happy Chance to win the SplashOut Gr3 Victress Stakes at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. The happy Plattner Racing Team gather around Saartjie and Corne Orffer | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
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Trainer Andre Nel receives his trophy and gift from SplashOut’s Tyrone Govender | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
In the process she booked her berth in the Cartier Gr1 Paddock Stakes on L’Ormarins King’s Plate day in three weeks time. Both daughters of Ridgemont’s late Fort Wood champion Dynasty, Saartjie and Happy Chance provided the entertainment, with the latter looking a winner as Richard Fourie bounced her to lead inside the 200m. But Corne Orffer knew what he had under him, and Saartjie (18-10), despite needing the run, upped her game to score a 0,30 length victory in a time of 111,96 secs and register her maiden graded stakes success. Returning from a ten week break, Happy 42 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
Chance (17-2) opened her options going ahead with a smart showing over the 1800m. Another showing up well after a 19 week break, Hold My Hand (14-1) finished best of the rest and 1,25 lengths back in third. A R700 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, Saartjie was bred by Shadwell Stud and is out of the twice-winning Redoute’s Choice mare Shaama, who raced under the Mike de Kock flag. Saartjie has won 4 races with 6 places from 11 starts for stakes of R642 613.
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BROODMARE POTENTIAL HERE! Saturday’s Gr3 SplashOut Victress Stakes winner Saartjie has established herself as a very attractive future broodmare prospect.
Danehill), is out of Gr1 Winter Stakes winner Absolut Glam (Snowland), with the latter hailing from an exceptional female line.
Winner of the Listed Schweppes Cape Oaks earlier in the year, Saartjie added further gloss to her resume when landing the first graded win of her career at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
Absolut Glam, and thus Saartjie and Shaama, is directly descended in female line from US champion Nellie Morse (Luke McLuke). The latter was one of four fillies to win the Gr1 Preakness Stakes, second leg of the US Triple Crown.
She is one of more than 80 stakes winners sired by former Horse Of The Year Dynasty (also sire of Saturday’s Victress runner up Happy Chance), whose broodmare daughters have already produced the 2022 Gr1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner (Charles Dickens) and 2023 Gr1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas winner (Beach Bomb) among others. Dynasty’s champion daughter Beach Beauty has proved singularly successful at stud, having produced recent Cape Fillies Guineas winner Beach Bomb and fellow graded stakes winners Amanzimtoti and Wild Coast. The well-bred Saartjie is out of a classy performer in the shape of Shaama (Redoute’s Choice). The latter showed considerable promise at two when winning on debut, before finishing second, beaten just a length, in the Gr1 SA Nursery. Shaama was one of two daughters of the late Redoute’s Choice to produce a graded stakes winner at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, with Redoute’s Choice mare Lady Redoute responsible for surprise Gr3 Ridgemont Peninsula Handicap winner Master Redoute (Querari). To date, daughters of Redoute’s Choice have produced more than 150 stakes winners, including the hugely successful sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor) and dual South African Gr1 winner Linebacker (Captain Of All). Shaama, a three-parts sister to Australian Gr3 winner Jazz Song (also sired by a son of
Nellie Morse, unlike some of her Preakness Stakes winning counterparts, founded a dynasty at stud. Her daughter Nellie Flag (American Flag), ancestress of Absolut Glam, was an American champion who, remarkably, emulated her dam in producing a champion in the form of MarKell (Blenheim II). The latter, Champion Older Female in 1943, produced Santa Anita Handicap/ American Derby winner Mark-Ye-Well. Among the numerous stars descended in female line from the aforementioned Mar-Kell are Japanese Gr1 winners Admire Don, Harp Star, and Vega, as well as Florida Derby winner Eastern Fleet. Mar-Kell also ranks as the ancestress of former South African champion sire Trippi, whose progeny include the likes of Jet Dark, Charles Dickens, Inara, Winchester Mansion, Trip Of Fortune and Saturday’s Gr1 Cape Guineas third place getter Hluhluwe. Trippi’s fifth dam is Mar-Kell’s daughter Amoret (Bull Lea). Saartjie’s ancestress Nellie Flag also ranks as ancestress of three times US Horse Of The Year Forego (Forli), one of the greatest horses to grace the American turf, while other notable US stars descended in female line from Nellie Flag are Kentucky Derby/Belmont Stakes winner Bold Forbes, and Belmont Stakes hero Bet Twice.
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THE WORLD IS AIRBORNE! 46 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
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Drakenstein Stud’s Gr1 Sun Met winning stallion One World has made an excellent start to his stud career, and the former Equus Champion was responsible for two two-yearold first crop winners at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday when his daughter Sahara Cat and son Lion Rampart claimed the Kaapse Klopse Summer Coronation Plate and HeartFM Commonwealth Plate respectively. Richard Fourie and Sahara Cat are airborne as they storm to victory | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
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Lion Rampart charges to victory under Richard Fourie | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Both Sahara Cat and Lion Rampart are trained by Vaughan Marshall, who trained their sire, and both were ridden to victory by Richard Fourie.
Sahara Cat had finished second on her only previous start and duly built on that effort with a fine performance on Saturday.
Lion Rampart became a third first crop winner for his sire when romping home to score impressively in the Hollywood Syndicate colours.
Under Richard Fourie, Sahara Cat was always up with the pace in the Kaapse Klopse Summer Coronation Plate (Fillies) (1000m) and, when asked the question, quickened up smartly to win by two and a quarter lengths.
Despite racing very green in running, he outclassed some well-bred rivals when storming home to win by a length and three quarters.
Bred by Lammerskraal Stud, Sahara Cat is out of the Western Winter mare Stormin Cat. The filly was a R130 000 buy from the 2023 Cape Yearling Sale.
Bred by Ridgemont, Lion Rampart had finished fourth on his only previous outing. Lion Rampart is out of the Var mare Saltire and he has a full-brother (Lot 70) on offer at the 2024 Premier Sale.
One World, who shares his legendary broodmare sire Giant’s Causeway with outstanding stallion Gun Runner, has six lots on offer at the 2024 Cape Racing Premier Yearling Sale Powered By Tattersalls.
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WORKRIDERS ON THE UP! The final Hollywoodbets Western Province Groom School class of 2023 were proudly capped at a graduation ceremony at the Milnerton Training Centre on Monday.
The recipients and guests enjoy the graduation | Credit: Supplied
The Hollywoodbets Western Cape Regional team, including Ryan van Wyk and Jackson Masengesho, were in attendance, together with Cape Racing’s Teresa Esplin, and acknowledged the remarkable success achieved by former professional jockey turned Riding Master Craig du Plooy. The programme, which is supported by Hollywoodbets and Cape Racing, is aimed at upskilling and improving the performance of an important sector of the racing industry. The skills taught by the enthusiastic Craig du Plooy are designed to enable qualifying students to become qualified workriders, and thus able to play their part in an important support role to trainers. The certification programme focuses on equine education and drills to improve riding technique, 50 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
whilst also building physical stamina. A proud Craig du Plooy told the Sporting Post that it was always a special moment when students that had sacrificed time and effort in pursuit of personal betterment, while still working full-time, had graduated, thus creating the personal foundation to enrich their skill set and contribution to the racing ecosystem. “Ten students received their certification today. Six are race-rider qualified, while the balance received the ‘C’ certification, meaning that they are now qualified to work ride, and have been coached to interpret and disseminate constructive information and provide a subjective assessment of performance, to the trainer. They are a really good group of committed individuals, and racing can only benefit through their contribution,” he added.
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On Saturday, 53 year old veteran Workrider William Bambiso took an early lead in the Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series when he booted Escarpment home for the Piet Botha yard. An interesting student in Monday’s graduation class was his 25 year old half-brother, Bonani Bambiso, who received his ‘B’ certification, but is unlikely to race ride in view of his weight. “Bonani works for Greg Ennion and is really and truly the most beautifully balanced rider, and a proper horseman. But he is a strapping guy and weighs around 70kgs, so unlikely ever to race ride. Full marks to him for keeping up the proud family tradition and completing the course. He is happy and says he has learnt a lot!” said the pleased Riding Master. Another interesting student on Monday’s graduation honour roll was Xavier Machaieie, who had passed the course earlier this year, and had his first race ride on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
He rode a nicely judged race on Gareth van Zyl’s Riverstone, who flew up late for second behind Escarpment. Xavier’s first winner should not be long in coming!
The graduates, with their certification status shown are: • • • • • • • • • •
Zwelekhaya (Joe) Tshaka – B Lulama Jevu – B Siphumzi Maqelana – B Bonani Bambiso – B Xavier Castigo Machaieie – B Khanyisile Mahesi – B Kamva Sitshevu – C Lihle Mpukane – C Simbusile Tshemese – C Ndilekile Faca – C
The balance of the three races in the Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series will be held at the race meetings at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on 20 January and 5 February, and concluding on 17 February.
Craig du Plooy and Bonani Bambiso enjoy a moment at the handover | Credit: Supplied 20 DECEMBER 2023 | 51
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BAMBISO’S FLYING START! 54 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
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The second Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series got underway on Saturday with the vastly experienced William Bambiso claiming an early lead in the four-race competition, courtesy of a polished ride on the Piet Botha-trained Escarpment. Escarpment flies home under William Bambiso | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
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William Bambiso enjoys the moment with the happy connections | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Hollywoodbets Kenilworth was bathed in glorious sunshine on the classic day and the Workriders opened proceedings in the Grandslots Workriders Maiden Plate in front of a capacity crowd in the first of ten races. The 53 year old William Bambiso opened the Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series last year with a winner, and launched his championship aspirations in similar determined fashion, riding a confident race on the long-striding colt. Settled a length off the gallop set by the fancied Casino Ace, Bambiso built momentum on Escarpment (8-1) and steered his mount to a well-timed three quarter length victory over the fast-finishing Riverstone (10-1), who was a half 56 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
length ahead of Casino Ace (5-2). A R50 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale purchase, Escarpment was the first of a quartet of winners on the day bred by Ridgemont and provided part owner Miles Bloemstein with a memorable first winner in his silks. A son of Canford Cliffs (Tagula), Escarpment is out of the three-time winning Western Winter mare, Icy Fire. The Transkei-born Bambiso is the senior statesman of the local workrider community, having plied his trade for 36 Cape winters. He started out with the late James Lightheart, moved to Basil Marcus, and then joined the
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Points are earned by individual workriders in each of the four races in the Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series and to keep all stakeholders updated, Cape Racing will publish a log on every Monday following each of the races. The balance of the 3 races will be held at the race meetings at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on 20 January and 5 February, concluding on 17 February.
Kannemeyer yard following Marcus’ departure for Singapore. A delighted Hollywoodbets Grooms School Riding Master Craig du Plooy told the Sporting Post that all of the riders were graduates of the school, and that while William Bambiso was a proven and experienced rider, the second and third placed finishers were having their first race rides.
The grand prize of R25 000 in the Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series, will be shared amongst the top five riders on the final log. On top of this, they also earn the standard riding commissions.
“Xavier Machaieie (Riverstone) and Patrick Njengele (Casino Ace) both acquitted themselves really well and I am proud of what they have achieved. We can spend hours in the classroom and training, but nothing quite tests the skills like a race. The Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series means a lot to all of us, and it takes hard work and dedication for all of the riders to get to this point,” he added.
The R25 000 prize pool will be allocated as follows: Winner earns R12 000 Runner-up earns R6 000 Third place earns R4 000 Fourth place earns R2 000 Fifth place earns R1 000
Last year’s Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series winner, and reigning Workrider Of The Year, Siphiwo Feni completed the quartet on the 2-1 shot, Always Free.
THE LOG AFTER SATURDAY’S FIRST LEG: 16-Dec Pos
Jockey
FP
Pts
Total
1
* W Bambiso
1
14
14
2
* X C Machaieie
2
13
13
3
* M P Njengele
3
12
12
4
* S H Feni
4
11
11
5
* H Richardson
5
10
10
6
* L Burke
6
9
9
7
* M Sigenu
7
8
8
8
* C Austin
8
7
7
9
* K Meaker
9
6
6
10
* B Nkunzi
10
5
5
11
* P Fama
11
4
4
12
* S Booi
12
3
3
13
* L Geledu
13
2
2
14
* S Qhwaba
14
1
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A PREMIER COUNTDOWN! The catalogue is now online and available in hard copy for the 2024 Cape Premier Yearling Sale renewal, set for the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on Thursday, 25 January 2024 TThe event will be hosted for the second time under the auspices of Cape Racing and powered by Tattersalls, Europe’s leading bloodstock auctioneers.
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CPYS 2024 promises to showcase the best in the South African breeding industry, featuring 140 top-notch yearlings that will attract serious interest from the most discerning thoroughbred experts. A formidable bench is expected, with the sale being held just two days before the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met and a host of horse buyers, racing fans and holidaymakers in Cape Town. Last year’s Premier Sale attracted a gathering of the who’s who of thoroughbred buyers, with leading, prominent international interests
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represented. They included the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), Bjorn Nielsen, Amanda Skiffington, Peter and Ross Doyle, Fiona Carmichael, and the Niarchos family. The HKJC secured the top seller, Valley of The Kings (Lot 107, Gimmethegreenlight), for R3.8 million from Maine Chance Farms. Spirited bidding can be expected with the bar set this high, and new benchmarks are possible. Graduates from the 2024 Premier Sale onwards will qualify for all of Cape Racing’s incentive schemes and the Golden Slipper, the new “sales race”. Bonuses of R100,000 will be paid for the first juvenile win of any race, and this will be payable not only in Juvenile races but with a
broader reach to include open Maiden races won by juveniles. The inaugural Golden Slipper (featuring 2023 Premier Sale graduates) will be held on Met Day in 2024 with R1.25 million on offer. The Slipper’s purse has already been increased to R1.5 million for 2025, open to all graduates from the 2024 sale. “We have positioned the Cape Premier Yearling Sale powered by Tattersalls as a go-to for breeders with high-quality forward types. We are excited to be offering a selection of classic yearlings, marked by our inspectors for having increased quality and depth,” said Justin Vermaak, Racing & Bloodstock Executive for Cape Racing.
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AN INTREPID STORY… v
SELLING A GR1 WINNER ACROSS THE WORLD South African bred Gr1 winning filly Vernichey appeared in the Tattersalls December Sales on 4 December 2023 and sold for 250,000 Guineas (R6,2 million) to the bid of Kia Ora Stud, Australia.
Top class Vernichey – world traveller! | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
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She was the first South African bred to be sold at Tattersalls since Sweet Sanette (SAF)(f. Jallad-Scented Samantha) went for 240,000 Guineas in 2011, writes Robin Bruss. It’s a sweet tale of success in the rarity of export sales as South Africa has long been constrained by the suspension of the EU Protocol in 2011, thereby halting direct travel to Europe from Cape Town. It’s been 12 years of stop-start negotiation to try and reinstate the EU Protocol, and although hopes are high that 2024 will finally see resolution, its stoppage curtailed the global racing stable of Mike de Kock in Dubai and the trail of monstrous success of Barry Irwin’s Team Valor with South African fillies on three continents.
An illustration of the consequence is that in 2010, when the first Cape Premier Yearling Sale was held in the Cape Town Convention Centre, there were buyers from 18 countries in attendance and 60% of the sales aggregate spend was in forex. By 2023, the forex spend had dribbled down to 5%. Its pretty obvious that the global outlook needs to return and this ought to be an agenda item for both the TBA and the Racing Association. Against this background, the news of Vernichey (SAF)’s auction at Tattersalls comes as a momentary shining star of what is possible, and therefore it’s a tale worth telling.
With that success during the first decade of the new millennium, the set-up of Racing South Africa as a registered Trade Council under the DTI provided a ‘two-for-one’ matching grant, which meant that horse industry funding of R500 000 was matched by R1 million from the DTI, thereby providing an annual R1,5 million promotion fund to encourage foreign participation in the yearling sale and to buy horses to export. Sadly Phumelela withdrew their funding of Racing South Africa as an ‘unnecessary expense’, and when this was followed by the RA, then the TBA, Racing South Africa closed, and the face of South African horseracing abroad in outward missions to Great Britain and Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia arranged by it’s CEO Peter Gibson, sadly came to an end. South Africa does not have a global racing face at present. 62 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
Alistair Brown | Credit: Supplied
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Like all good bedtime stories, the tale of Vernichey is an intrepid one, starting with the adventurous spirit, then hopes dashed, a season (or two) of despair, and ultimately, in another leap of faith - a tortuous journey across two oceans, and twists and turns in between, to ultimately arrive at the select Sceptre session of Tattersalls, one of the World’s great auction houses and a global audience – and then SUCCESS! Finally ! It was two and a half years ago that the enterprising veteran bloodstock man, Alistair Brown of Equarius Bloodstock constructed the sale of Vernichey to Dr Alan Bell of Australia at a ‘substantial figure’ at the higher end of the South African bloodstock market, connecting to him through Neil Bowden, an associate and friend for over 25 years. Alan Bell, a qualified vet, racehorse owner and breeder and pharmaceutical company founder is a game and savvy investor in bloodstock and he recognised value in Vernichey, whose main performance was to win the 2020 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship (Gr.1) for Kenneth Pillay’s Kestorm Investments Pty Ltd, when trained by Gareth Van Zyl. The deal was struck in August 2021 and the plan was to send Vernichey to England in order to be mated in a 2022 southern hemisphere time to the world champion racehorse and sire Frankel before onward shipment to her ultimate home in Australia. It wasn’t the first time that Alistair Brown and Alan Bell had teamed up to hatch such a plan, for they had bought the 2019 Cape Guineas Gr1 winner Missisippi Burning the year before and she had shipped out via Mauritius and all
gone smoothly. She had conceived to Frankel and was offered at the Magic Millions Sale 2023 where Yulong Investments Pty Ltd acquired her for A$800,000 (R9,9 million). However, this time around, Vernichey was caught up in a variety of disasters which beset trade deliveries, from the global shipping crisis, movement controls, bottlenecks, and testing issues and she remained stuck in South Africa, missing the booking to Frankel in 2022 and infuriatingly, missing it again in 2023. Finally, in August 2023, she began her journey - she had to do 40 days quarantine in Cape Town and then fly to the island of Mauritius so as to be ‘out of Africa’ and do 70 days more in quarantine, then another flight from Mauritius to land in Liege, Belgium. Then by road to Calais in France, crossing the English channel in a ferry, then hastily by road to Newmarket and finally arrived at her stable in the famed Tattersalls grounds 3 days before the auction. If her arduous journey had sapped her strength and energy, she did not show it, for her condition was great and her summer coat shone like a new penny in a sea of winter coated English and European fillies and mares. “Magnificent filly” said the auctioneer “ and she is by V…” he paused not knowing how to pronounce champion sire Vercingetorix… “err… a top class sire” he continued. Tattersalls had a double page colour section of their catalogue reserved for elite Group winning mares known as the Sceptre session, commemorating the champion racemare of 1902 and Vernichey was one of them.
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SEE CATALOGUE PAGE HERE 64 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
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The bidding was spirited and Vernichey was knocked down to the Kia Ora Stud Ltd, the famed Australian farm that has been breeding successfully for over 100 years.
We are dogged by movement controls and when the world is your oyster, buyers can’t be blamed for not wanting to run the rapids of South Africa’s tortuous systems.
Whilst 250,000 Guineas is a very good price when converted to R6,2 million, and would have given the shrewd Alan Bell a profit, and notched up another success for Alistair Brown as agent, it was some way off the top priced lot, Teona (GB), winner of the Prix Vermeille Gr.1 and by Gr.1 winner Sea The Stars from Gr.1 Winner Ambivalent, in foal to Frankel. She was bought by Juddmonte Farm UK, for 4,5 million Guineas (R110,4 million).
As for Alistair Brown, here is a quiet but persistent man that deserves notice for his contribution to the breed and the breeding industry.
It ended well enough, but for a foreign client to endure a two and a half year wait in order to achieve the delivery of his horse, is pretty much unacceptable for anyone.
Now 71, Alistair started out on a practical basis, working on the stud, and over time developed an expertise and depth of knowledge on bloodstock and the people around the world. He started Equarius Bloodstock Consultancy in 1989. He became instrumental is sourcing and selecting some of the most important stallions that have shaped our breed and so it was a pleasure to ask him about them.
Al Mufti| Credit: Supplied
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“FORT WOOD (USA) was my most important deal” he says, “for he became champion sire very quickly. He sired 81 Stakes Winners and started a sire line which includes champion sire DYNASTY (88 SW), ELUSIVE FORT, HORSE CHESTNUT, FUTURA and LEGISLATE.” “It was a privilege to offer him to Mr & Mrs Oppenheimer for he was the perfect horse to revive their stud. He had won the Grand Prix de Paris (Gr.1) at Longchamps in record time., and he was by Sadlers Wells, the great champion sire of his era, from the Gr.1 winning champion broodmare Fall Aspen.” “I described him as the most desirable stallion prospect in the world and had to pinch myself when the deal was done. Sheik Mohammed had agreed to sell him as he had cracked a sesamoid, and we were in the right place to do the deal.”
felt for generations to come. “I bought GOLDKEEPER (b.h. Mr Prospector – Chapel of Dreams) for Geoff Armitage of Zimbabwe. He was an above average racehorse but had a world class pedigree, for his dam was a half sister to Storm Cat.” Goldkeeper produced 32 SW, amongst them, five Grade 1 winners. Later on, the Oppenheimer’s acquired both STRIKE SMARTLY and IDEAL WORLD through Alistair for their Mauritzfontein Stud. STRIKE SMARTLY (b.h.1997 by Champion Sire Mr Prospector from Champion racemare Classy and Smart) was a Gr.2 winner over 2400m, a lengthy, high quality colt, who would die young, but sired 13 SW and three Gr.1 winners.
“Mrs O said he was the one horse that changed their lives – and that is the greatest satisfaction one can say in horse racing”
IDEAL WORLD (b.h. 2005 by Kingmambo – Banks Hill) was a Gr.2 placed horse who was the product of two Gr.1 winners from one of the best Juddmonte families.
AL MUFTI (br.h.1985 by Roberto – Lassie Dear) was the second great stallion sourced by Alistair, going to stand at Rose and Ashley Parker’s Ascot stud in Port Elizabeth.
Alistair has continued to sell fillies and mares and sources bloodstock internationally from time to time and the legacy of his choices remains uppermost in his mind.
“He wasn’t as good a racehorse as Fort Wood, Timeform 112 and Gr.2 placed for Sheik Hamdan. Rose gave him to Terrance Millard to train for a year and he almost won the Durban July Gr.1 being beaten a nose. But his pedigree was absolutely top drawer, being by the Champion Sire Roberto, who won the Derby, and out of the great mare Lassie Dear.”
“Selection is the first and most critical choice you make when you start breeding” he says, “I’m a strong believe in great families, and if there is a pattern to the champion sires I selected they all have powerful champion dams from good families”
Al Mufti sired 51 SW before his death but his most enduring son was Captain Al, a chef de race of the breed in South Africa, siring 105 SW himself and several times Champion Sire And has created his own dynasty which will be
Now 71, Alistair has no plans to retire soon and will continue to trade and dispense his wisdom and experience. “They say the best adverts aren’t written… they are running!” he says with a smile “and that’s always been true for me too”.
The Author The Sporting Post is proud to host Robin Bruss as a guest columnist. Robin is a widely respected industry expert and a man with an encyclopaedic knowledge of horseracing and breeding.He has been involved with the sport all of his life, as a Gr1 winning owner and breeder, agent, auctioneer, journalist, television presenter, researcher, administrator and consultant. 66 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
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Fort Wood | Credit: Supplied
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Robert Khathi – keen to see the end of 2023 | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
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HARDLY A VINTAGE YEAR FOR KHATHI Jockey Robert Khathi will probably be happy to see the back of 2023. The journeyman rider was slapped with a 120 day suspension after his ride on Cape Eagle in the Michaelmas Handicap in October, and picked up a further two financial sanctions at Fairview on Tuesday, the third last Eastern Cape racemeeting of 2023. Khathi was lumbered with R13000 worth of fines after the Gqeberha racemeeting on Tuesday. In the fourth he was charged with a contravention of Rule 58.10.2 (read with Guideline M on the use of the crop) in that as the rider of Russian Empire he misused his crop by striking the 25-1 shot more than 12 times (16) which was not warranted when considering the circumstances of the race. He signed an admission of guilt and was fined R10 000. Khathi was then charged with a contravention of Rule 55.4 in that he failed to weigh out at the carded weight on Symbol Of Love, or at the higher weight confirmed in his engagement with the Trainer, resulting in a change of rider in the sixth. He signed an admission of guilt and was fined R3 000. Turf Talk reported earlier this week that attorneys acting for Khathi had launched a High Court review application against the National Horseracing Authority and CEO Vee Moodley This is related to the 120 day suspension he was given after being found guilty of a contravention of rule 62.2.1 following an inquiry into his ride on Cape Eagle at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 15 October in the
Michaelmas Handicap. Khathi’s application to the High Court is not centred around the fairness of the inquiry outcome, but about the NHA and its CEO Vee Moodley denying him an appeal after the prescribed fee for the appeal arrived more than 48 hours late. On 17 November addressed an email request to the NHA asking for a copy of the transcript/ recording of the inquiry and a copy of the rules (sepcifically the 62.2.1, 85.6 and 85.7) and penalty guidelines. He received a reply on the same day saying the guidelines were attached and that a transcript would be sent when available. However, apparently the guidelines were not attached. On 20 November Khathi again requested the guidelines and transcript. To date he has apparently never received a response. Khathi will claim he did not have the relevant information necessary to make a balanced decision on whether he should go ahead with the appeal or not. As it happened he only contacted his lawyers Shepstone and Wylie for help on 20 November. It was only then that he became aware that the prescribed fee for the appeal was due on that same day. He had not seen the rules and guidelines and his lawyer informed him of the 20 November deadline. Khathi’s notice of intention to appeal was duly served to the NHA by his lawyer on 20 November. 20 DECEMBER 2023 | 71
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NHA CEO Vee Moodley – has had a busy year | Credit: Supplied
The NHA were also notified by the lawyer of Khathi’s intention to pay the fee. Khathi will point out to the high court that the fee of R8 950 was a substantial amount and he did not have the money immediately available. He had to raise the money through financial assistance from the Jockey Association, of which he is a member. Khathi paid the fee on the morning of 23 November. He had been informed by the NHA that the option to appeal had fallen away due to the non-payment of the fee. 72 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
However, Khathi, through his lawyer, then exercised rule 85.10: The 85.10 rule reads that should a Notice of Intention to Appeal or Notice of Appeal not be lodged within the prescribed time periods, the right of appeal or the appeal as the case may be shall lapse; provided that the Chief Executive may, on written application to him, in his sole discretion and on such terms and conditions as he may determine, condone the late lodging and reinstate any appeal which has lapsed. NHA CEO Vee Moodley responded by acknowledging the receipt of the email, which
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requested a reinstatement of the appeal, and then stating: ‘As the payment was not made timeously I am not able to entertain the request. The directive is consistent with prior practices’. Moodley was contacted by Turf Talk about the matter. He pointed out the rule uses the word ‘shall’ which indicates a future obligation or requirement and not just a future action as would be the case with the word ‘will’. He said a denial of an appeal had been made for the same reason i.e. late payment, to multiple jockeys, including S’Manga Khumalo, Chase Maujean and Dennis Schwarz. He used the analogy of a car license where the law of the land gives a grace period of 20 days to apply for a new license, but if caught driving with an expired license after that period a policeman or judge would not entertain an explanation that there had been a lack of funds.
Khathi will claim the response from Moodley was procedurally unfair and irrational in that he did not appear to consider the merits of his particular case, and rather just referred to prior practises. It is apparent that the finer points of the law will also be used in an attempt to establish that Khathi was unfairly denied the chance to appeal. Moodley said he had his reasons for making the decision and they will also be presented in court. Without an appeal, the next stage of the process is for the case to be heard by an inquiry review board. The big difference between the latter and an appeal is that legal representation is not allowed at an inquiry review hearing. Things can surely only improve in 2024 for the hardworking jockey!
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SNOW PILOT FLYING AT 116 SNOW PILOT has had his merit rating raised from 109 to 116 after winning the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 16 December 2023. The Nicky Henderson trained Jonbon has now The Handicappers were unanimous in their view that HLUHLUWE made for the most suitable line horse here, leaving him unchanged on a rating of 111. The only filly in the race RED PALACE, who tried to use her sex allowance of 2.5kg to good effect by pinching a break early in the straight, was adjusted from 93 to 108 after looking like a possible winner until very late in the race.
GREEN WITH ENVY was increased by 2 pounds, from 108 to 110 having got closer to HLUHLUWE and is now rated a pound lower than that rival here. HAT’S PRIDE, who was rated to run last and showed marked improvement in this Gr1 event by running 5th and ZOOMIE were both increased to a rating of 106 from 90 and 101, respectively. This makes both HAT’S PRIDE and ZOOMIE equal to the 106 rated TAIL OF THE COMET, who they beat at level weights in this event. Only one horse received a drop in ratings here, JERUSALEMA RAIN was dropped by 1 pound from 107 to 106. offer at 9-4.
Ridgemont Peninsula Handicap (Gr3) MASTER REDOUTE had his rating elevated to 102 from 99 after winning the closely contested Ridgemont Peninsula Handicap (Gr3) over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
98 to 99 and 110 to 111, respectively. A number of horses were given drops in ratings. OTTO LUYKEN and BARATHEON were both dropped by a pound each from 100 to 99.
GEM KING and MONEY HEIST were dropped by two pounds each, from 105 to 103 and 106 SUGAR MOUNTAIN was considered to be the appropriate line horse here in what was a rough to 104 respectively and finally ROCKPOOL was race. FUTURE SWING and the unlucky PACAYA given a drop from 109 to 108. were both increased by one pound each from
SplashOut Victress Stakes (Gr3) SAARTJIE saw her rating increased marginally from 109 to 110 following her win in the SplashOut Victress Stakes (Gr3) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth over 1800m on Saturday. HAPPY CHANCE was considered to be the most suitable line horse in this slowly run affair, she remains on a rating of 109. HOLD MY HAND was given a reassessment after failing to confirm her Gr1 performance in the 2023 Woolavington on three subsequent occasions and was dropped from 112 to 108. GOLD POKER GAME was increased to 107 74 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
from 102 as she was only beaten by 0.10 by, the now 108 rated HOLD MY HAND, at level weights here. LOVE IS A ROSE was only increased to her previous best figure of 99 despite running to higher here. ROYAL INVITATION was increased from 85 to 95 to make her equal to SILVER LINKS who is rated 95 and who she beat at level weights here. The only horse to receive a rating’s drop was VIRGINIA SWEET, who was dropped by one pound from 97 to 96.
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Mike De Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge (Gr2) GIMME A NOTHER had her rating adjusted from 100 to 120 after impressively winning the Mike De Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge (Gr2) over 1600m at Turffontein on Sunday. Her official pre-rating of 100 (which appeared on the race card) for the Ipi Tombe was misleading and based on an arbitrary cap and not on merit. She actually ran to considerably higher in the Fillies Mile but had to be capped to a rating of 100 due to the specific race conditions that prohibited the Handicappers from adjusting her to her actual achieved figure, this was pointed out by the Handicappers in the Press Release following her win in the Fillies Mile. The 100 Merit Rating she was given after the Fillies Mile meant that she was rated to run 2nd last in the Ipi Tombe (Gr2). The Handicappers opted to use MARIGOLD HOTEL’S previous best performance of 107
which she achieved in the 2023 Empress Club (Gr1), 2023 Poinsettia (Gr3), 2023 Tibouchina (Gr2) and the recent Joburg Spring Challenge (Gr2). The Handicappers felt that MARIGOLD HOTEL did not run worse than her recent best of 107 nor did she run better than that here. Accordingly, MARIGOLD HOTEL was restored to the figure of 107 after returning to her best form on Sunday. MY SOUL MATE, who appeared to have been caught flat footed off a slow early tempo, finished her race off very well. Accordingly, she was adjusted to 105 from 98. The only horse to receive a drop in ratings here was HUMDINGER, who failed to confirm her performance behind PRINCESS CALLA in the Garden Province (Gr1) on four subsequent occasions. She was dropped from 119 to 116. • Media release by NHRA on 19 December 2023
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Rule Of Thumb led in by his proud Team | Credit: Chase Liebenberg 78 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
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AN OWNER’S RULE OF THUMB It’s a Friday morning and we’ve arranged to meet at Sonwabe Beach, near Muizenberg, at 9am. I want to chat to Andrew Brand, a passionate racehorse owner and successful businessman. Travelling from Cape Town’s northern suburbs to the beach some 40km away, at that time of day, I factor in an hour through traffic. I arrive at 8.30am. 20 DECEMBER 2023 | 79
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Gary Lemke writes that the beach is deserted, except for a playful seal frolicking in the shallow white water of the surf. There are two other people sitting in a car, taking in the scenery. Maybe I’m at the wrong place? At 8.34am I go on to my WhatsApp. “Hi Andrew, I’m at the beach. There doesn’t seem to be much activity?” No blue ticks. At 8.46am, a man climbs out of the only other car, a camera in hand. He walks a few metres closer to where the seal is and photographs it. I recognise him, it’s John Warner, husband of Jill, the other half of a double act of popular, regular winning owners. They are “swallows”, frequently arriving on these shores from their home base in Winchester, England. Their most recognisable winners include Carry On Alice, Rio Querari and Royal Aussie. At 8.50am a New Turf Carriers truck pulls into
Life’s a beach with Snaith Racing | Credit: Supplied 80 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
the beach area. Suddenly, cars emerge at the same time. I send Andrew a message. “OK, I see the truck has arrived.” He immediately responds, “Hi. Yes – bang on time!” How could I have ever doubted? It would be an exaggeration to say that all hell breaks loose. But, there’s a flurry of activity. This is one of Snaith Racing’s regular Friday morning visits to the beach. Champion trainer Justin Snaith barks out instructions as the prized thoroughbreds are offloaded one by one down the carrier’s ramp and head for the soft sand. A professional photographer has arrived and starts shooting. Jill Warner puts on her riding cap and gets ready to mount up. Chris Snaith is holding the hand of his grandson. King Ice, a striking all-white and a visitor’s favourite, stands quietly. Grooms are keeping tight holds on their horses as they wait for more riders to mount and take a stroll in the direction of mountains guarding over Muizenberg. Jono Snaith arrives carrying a cardboard tray, balancing
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Life’s a beach with Snaith Racing | Credit: Supplied
four hot takeaway coffees. This is the life. Standing alone on the beach, surrounded by racehorses, is Andrew Brand. He is, by his own admission, “an introvert”, but he’s right at home in these surroundings. We are actually meeting in this environment because the miracle horse of 2023 has come with the Snaith string to stretch his legs and enjoy the sun, sand and sea. By all conventional thinking, Rule Of Thumb shouldn’t be near Sonwabe Beach on this day. At best he should be a former racehorse grazing grass in a paddock somewhere. Or, even worse … we won’t go there.
so we thought we’d take him in and see how he develops. We then prepared him for the Ready To Run Sale and put an optimistic, but realistic price on him. No one came close to buying him, so we bought him back. He returned to the Snaith yard and what was so noticeable was his easy character. So much so that they stabled him amongst their July and Group winners and it was quite surreal as an unraced juvenile.” In May 2022 Rule Of Thumb made his debut as a 33-1 shot in a maiden juvenile race over the Kenilworth 1200m.
This son from the first crop of Royal Mo was bought at the 2021 Cape Yearling Sale for R125 000 and he has repaid that purchase price by winning four times and accumulating over R300 000 in stakes. If only it was that straightforward.
“He finished third, beaten four lengths by Le Mans and we said, ‘we might have a decent sort here’,” Brand says. Six weeks later he was back over the course and distance. “He finished second, three lengths behind Itsrainingwilliam and the Snaiths rated that winner quite a bit. We said, ‘we might have something here’.”
Brand takes up the story. “I was with Jono at the sale. We didn’t know much about the stallion, but we liked this yearling on looks – big and strapping. He wasn’t all that expensive
A month after that he ran for a third time, around the turn over the Kenilworth 1400m. Starting at 18-10 he beat Royal Port Louis by two lengths. “We were starting to get excited,” 20 DECEMBER 2023 | 81
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says Brand as he points to his pride and joy emerging out of the water. “We then entered him for a Listed Juvenile feature at Fairview and we fancied our chances. He went for a gallop at Kenilworth and Richard (Fourie) worked him and was pleased with him. Then, it happened.” “It” was an injury suffered in the float back to the Snaith’s stables in Philippi. “I got the call from Jono. Rule Of Thumb had basically kicked half his leg off. It was a serious injury. They bandaged him and immobilised him. It was serious. Jono asked me what my position was, in terms of insurance, sentiment, and what to do. Justin decided to contact Dr Andrew Gray of Vetscape to give us a diagnosis and prognosis. “I insure all my horses. I wouldn’t drive my car without insurance, nor run a household without it. The peace of mind is enormous. I had a yearling that died unexpectedly of colic and it was covered. But even the burial is expensive.
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At 10 o’clock that night Dr Gray gave us his verdict. There was a serious fracture that needed operating on. The risk was high. We all had a conversation and decided to give Dr Gray a chance to work on Rule Of Thumb. Justin and Jono didn’t hesitate in agreeing to take the chance to save him and pay their share of the costs. There was no guarantee it would be a successful procedure. First priority was to fix the leg because if he lay down that wouldn’t be good …”
THE SPRINT IS INTERACTIVE PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE STORY
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HONG KONG WHAT A PLACE TO RACE! KZN-based award winning photographer Candiese Lenferna spent six wonderful days in Hong Kong earlier this month, attending the 2023 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin.
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Over 65 000 fans converged on the world-class arena to celebrate the Turf World Championships, in a day described by the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges as “one of the best days of racing” Hong Kong has hosted in his 25 years. A crowd of 65,252 – the largest LONGINES HKIR attendance since 2019 – flocked to Sha Tin. It was a day when Hong Kong racing shone on the international stage as local champions
– Lucky Sweynesse (LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint), Golden Sixty (LONGINES Hong Kong Mile) and Romantic Warrior (LONGINES Hong Kong Cup) – won three of the four elite Group 1 contests, France also extended its successful association with the ‘Turf World Championships’ with Junko (LONGINES Hong Kong Vase). Enjoy this pictorial flashback courtesy of Candiese Lenferna!
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DECLARATIONOFPEACE (USA) v
War Front - Serena’s Cat (Storm Cat)
Stands at MacRath Stud in Nottingham Road • The son of brilliant American sire War Front has enjoyed two full books of mares in his first two years at stud, His mare book includes Gr1 producing mares such as Mystery Dame (Lady In Black and Nexus) and Bloomhill mare, Wysiwyg – the dam of Bohica and Bartholdi. • A $2,6-million weanling who is a half-brother to Gr1 winner Honor Code and Gr2 winner Noble Tune, Declarationofpeace has also enjoyed significant support from breeders outside of the KZN province, with Cape mares travelling for cover. • Declarationofpeace is throwing quality and size into his foals and his first yearlings will be on offer in the sales rings in 2024. Service Fee: R 20 000 Live foal Enquiries and Booking: Mike McHardy (083 447 5315) advertorial
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THE WENDY & CALVIN SHOW A dual change of surface due to substantial rainfall in the region led to a multitude of scratchings that took much of the momentum out of the KZN midweek racemeeting on Wednesday 13 December.
Double agents! Feature stars Wendy Whitehead and Calvin Habib celebrated doubles at Hollywoodbets Greyville last Wednesday afternoon | Credit: Candiese Lenferna 96 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
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A switch of venue from Hollywoodbets Scottsville to the Hollywoodbets Greyville turf was followed by a change to the polytrack on the morning of the meeting that saw 40 withdrawals listed. But race they did, and there will be at least nine sets of happy connections that left with a winner’s cheque as the sun sets on Durban.The headliner, the R90 000 non black-type River Indigo Handicap was run over 1400m and reduced to just five runners. Not unpredictably, there was no helter skelter gallop and Calvin Habib duly rode a clever race from the front as he dictated on the Wendy Whitehead-trained mare Mvulazana (6-1), who kept going all the way to hold a late challenge from Petit Verdot (5-1) by 1,50 lengths in a time of 82,81 secs. Morgan La Fay was always thereabouts, and finished a further 0,70 lengths back in third.The 9-10 favourite Foreshore was never in the hunt
and finished a well-beaten last of the quintet. Bred and raced by Nothemba Mlonzi of Mwetwood Stud, the winner is a daughter of the deceased National Assembly stallion Soft Falling Rainout of the five-time winning Tapit mare, Grey Light. Now a winner of 5 races with 7 places from 21 starts, Mvulazana took her stakes earnings to R350 000 in the process.Summerveld trainer Wendy Whitehead saddled a double on the day, while Calvin Habib, Muzi Yeni and Smanga Khumalo each banked a double. The Hollywood Syndicate also celebrated a double on the day, courtesy of the Peter Muscutttrained The Shepherd and Gareth van Zyl charge, Hope Is Power. The Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes and Listed Christmas Handicap at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Boxing day will bring the curtain down on the KZN feature programme for 2023.
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LEGENDARY TRAINER TONY FURNESS PASSES AWAY Legendary trainer Tony Furness passed away last week after a short illness. He was 84. A man of high morals, he did not suffer fools gladly and seldom minced his words. As Stuart Randolph and Wendy Whitehead attest to. Andrew Harrison writes that Whitehead, who was Tony’s assistant, took over the stable when he retired. “The person who most inspired me was Tony Furness. He was a great horseman, good morals and said it like it was. I wish there were a lot more people like him around these days.” Stuart was apprenticed to Tony who gave him firm support and who gave him the sound advice of “keep it clean and work hard”. Tony’s father Tim Furness trained for the Oppenheimer’s as did Tony for many years before moving their horses. Tony also trained for many of the turf club stewards at the time including Dr Nic Labuschagne.
“My first trainer was great friend Tony Furness and my first horse was Peri Peri which we bought along with another horse called Johnson at the Johannesburg sales for R4 000. Peri Peri won 10 races including the Durban Merchants.” Tony almost gave Michael Roberts his first July winner when French Mustard finished second to Big Charles in 1981 with Over The Air third. French Mustard won nine races including the Clairwood Gold Vase (2400m) and the Johannesburg Goldfields Handicap over 2800m. Tony was renowned for training stayers who were more popular in his time and won the then Gr1 Gold Cup with Hedge in 1976, an unsound horse who only raced four times. Peri Peri won the Durban Merchants and the Germiston November and went on to sire the well-named Chili Bite who also won 10 races. Tony is survived by his long-time partner Margot van Michaelis, son Timothy and daughters Shirely-Anne and Penelope-Jane.
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THE BRITISH FLAT STARS SHINE BRIGHT! v
The British Flat racing season staged 36 Group 1’s, starting with the Guineas weekend at Newmarket in May and ending with Doncaster’s Futurity Trophy in October.
Top of the Gr1 pops! Paddington (Ryan Moore) wins The St James’s Palace Stakes | Credit: Racing TV
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Fair enough, we are talking British – but this pic of Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien in Hong Kong earlier this month was too good to leave in the archive!| Credit: Candiese Lenferna
The accolade for the horse winning the most Group 1’s in Britain went to the Aidan O’Brien trained three-year-old Paddington with three top table successes.
John and Thady Gosden led the way among British trainers, with seven Group One victories, bettered only by Irish champion Aidan O’Brien, who trained eight.
The Siyouni colt won on each of his first six starts of the year, including the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Coral-Eclipse, and Sussex Stakes, as well as the Irish 2000 Guineas.
Ryan Moore and Dettori were the most successful riders, both claiming seven Gr1’s. Dettori, who will soon be based in the US, enjoyed something of a fairytale ending to his British racing career this year.
The Gosden trained Mostahdaf defeated Paddington in the International at York under an inspired Dettori, backing up his previous victory in Ascot’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes. He was one of two horses to end the year with a pair of Group 1’s, alongside the top-class sprinter Shaquille who triumphed in the Commonwealth Cup and the July Cup. 102 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
The charismatic Italian saved his best for the biggest races, having finished the season with two Classic victories. His wins in the 2000 Guineas aboard Chaldean and the Oaks on Soul Sister were backed up by a runner-up showing in the St Leger.
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In mid-June, Ascot racecourse celebrated Dettori’s achievements with the unveiling of a life size statue of the iconic rider. Dettori ended his love affair with the Berkshire course completing a four-timer over the week, most notably aboard Courage Mon Ami in the showpiece event, the Gold Cup. In a pulsating finish, Dettori pushed out the young stayer to the applause of the crowd to narrowly deny Group 1 winner, Coltrane. Champions Day at Ascot in October, Dettori’s final day riding in Britain. The Gosden yard were again to the fore saddling Trawlerman for Dettori in the Gr2 Long Distance Cup. Under a vintage ride, Trawlerman rallied over the final furlong to get back in front and defeat last year’s champion stayer Kyprios by a neck. Coolmore, Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore were also very successful in 2023. Their two topclass three-year-olds Paddington and Auguste
Rodin dominated middle-distance racing in Britain and Ireland. Auguste Rodin was a good winner of the Derby, extending Aidan O’Brien’s record to nine in the great race. From the final crop of the late Japanese stallion Deep Impact, he finished best up the Epsom straight. Under a patient and well-judged ride by Ryan Moore, he passed King Of Steel over the final half furlong to win going away. A dual Derby winner after victory at the Curragh, he followed that up with success in the Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. Most horses would have ended their season at that point, but Auguste Rodin then travelled to Santa Anita in November and showed both class and heart to land his fourth Group 1 of the year – the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
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results up to: 2023-12-20
TRAINERS Name
Runs
Wins Win%
2nd
3rd
Other Places
Place %
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
Mr S J Snaith
418
47
11.2
55
46
72
173
41.4
5,028,631
7,708,888
Mrs C L Bass-Robinson
264
34
12.9
30
27
58
115
43.6
3,250,000
5,013,438
Mr M F de Kock
213
28
13.1
33
29
37
99
46.5
2,233,750
4,929,438
Mr B J Crawford
315
38
12.1
29
38
51
118
37.5
2,828,506
4,450,444
Mr A P Peter
185
40
21.6
30
22
34
86
46.5
3,095,313
4,137,688
Name
Runs
Wins Win%
2nd
3rd
Other Places
Place %
Win Stake (R)
Total Stakes (R)
Mr R D Fourie
582
115
19.8
100
65
131
296
50.9
7,193,938
11,296,275
Mr M A Yeni
622
91
14.6
86
73
151
310
49.8
8,530,313
11,634,875
Mr G J Lerena
352
61
17.3
54
62
64
180
51.1
4,504,875
6,737,400
Mr C J Habib
469
55
11.7
41
54
92
187
39.9
3,716,875
5,577,588
Mr C Zackey
559
54
9.7
74
57
123
254
45.4
4,106,250
7,229,656
JOCKEYS
BREEDERS Name
Runrs Runs
AEPR
B.T. B.T. Total Wnrs/ Wnrs Wins Rnrs% Places Winrs Wins Stakes (R)
Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert)
150
436
75,706
51
72
34.0
198
10
10
11,355,931
Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein
253
828
42,806
84
103
33.2
351
5
6
10,829,888
Klawervlei Stud
200
651
30,593
54
62
27.0
260
0
0
6,118,638
Varsfontein Stud
121
405
46,274
30
37
24.8
163
2
2
5,599,106
Ridgemont Highlands
117
364
41,067
38
49
32.5
148
0
0
4,804,781
Name
Runrs Runs
AEPR
B.T. B.T. Total Wnrs/ Wnrs Wins Rnrs% Places Winrs Wins Stakes (R)
Gimmethegreenlight (AUS)
177
506
43,725
39
51
22.0
222
3
4
7,739,313
Vercingetorix
156
451
38,333
48
58
30.8
172
1
1
5,979,988
Querari (GER)
153
489
38,639
47
52
30.7
214
5
5
5,911,775
Pathfork (USA)
53
184
110,297
24
30
45.3
70
3
4
5,845,750
Master Of My Fate
156
513
37,210
46
57
29.5
219
1
1
5,804,738
SIRES
See all the detailed standings - Click here 104 | 20 DECEMBER 2023
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