Summerveld conditioner Tienie Prinsloo will train the BSA August 2yo Sale R2,8 million topseller Torremolinos (#29), a son of Vercingetorix out of the champion Rock Of Gibraltar mare, Alboran Sea. Read more on page 11. Candiese Lenferna took the photo.
R2,8
Prices remained strong and bidding competitive throughout the two days of the 2024 August Two Year Old Sale, which took place in Germiston last Thursday and Friday.
A buoyant and enthusiastic buying market helped to ensure that statistics remained on an upward curve. The August Sale’s aggregate rose from R59.69 million to R80.345 million, while the average price increased from R244 631 to R281 912, with the median price of R160 000 remaining fixed from last year.
Prices remained strong until the end of the sale, with the third last lot going through the ring, Go Johnny Go (Lot 330), making R2 000 000.
Not for the first time, Maine Chance Farms’ star stallion, and former National Sale graduate, Vercingetorix make his presence felt at a top South African sale. The champion son of six times South African champion sire Silvano was responsible for three of the top four lots sold at this year’s August Two Year Old Sale, with
Vercingetorix colt Torremolinos (Lot 29) making R2 800 000 to top the two day auction.
Consigned to the sale by Wilgerbosdrift, the blue blooded Torremolinos, who was sold to Rakesh Singh, is the sixth foal produced by Rock Of Gibraltar mare Alboran Sea. The latter, Equus Champion 3YO Filly of 2014-2015, won five of just ten starts including the G1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship, G1 Cape Flying Championship and G1 Computaform Sprint. To date, Alboran Sea has produced two winners including dual Listed Memorial Mile winner Marmara Sea (by Soft Falling Rain).
Vercingetorix was the Leading Sire by Aggregate at this year’s sale, with the son of Silvano having 14 two-year-olds sell for a gross total of R13.4 million. The Maine Chance resident’s two-year-olds averaged an
impressive R957 143 at this week’s auction.
Colts dominated the price list at this year’s August Sale, with the top nine lots sold at the sale all colts. Two fillies made R1 000 000 making them jointly the top fillies sold off the August Two Year Old Sale in 2024.
The One World filly (Lot 306) out of the four time winning Silvano mare Summer Moon was sold Capital Stud for R1 000 000, with Klawervlei Stud (Pty) Ltd (Agent) consigning the One World daughter.
Ebrahim Khan enjoyed a very successful sale, and spent R1 000 000 to acquire the Mauritzfontein (Pty) Ltd consigned filly Bosphorus Strait (Lot 85), a daughter of Gimmethegreenlight and G3 Fillies Mile winner Close The Gap. A daughter of Fort Wood,
and closely related to Horse Chestnut, Close The Gap has already produced three winners including Listed East Cape Oaks runner up Silverlinks and the very promising filly Spirit Of Levana.
Wilgerbosdrift, who consigned the sales’ top lot, was Leading Vendor, by Aggregate, at the August Sale, with the farm selling 16 twoyear-olds for an aggregate of R12.235 million, while JASM Solutions topped the Leading Buyers table, purchasing seven lots for R5.725 million. Among JASM Solutions’ buys was the Gimmethegreenlight colt Go Johnny Go (Lot 330), who made R2 000 000.
It takes a special kind of horseman to win a regional championship anywhere with just thirteen horses. That’s what Tienie Prinsloo achieved in the dusty climes of the Northern Cape in the 2015/16 season.
He also won a Horse Of The Year Award in 2014/15 with a Black Minnaloushe gelding named Black Pepper. The eight-time winner, formerly with now retired veteran Dennis Drier, was raced by Zane Kirsten and Rakesh Singh – two gentleman who stepped forward with a potential lifechanging big ticket purchase at last week’s BSA August 2yo Sale.
Now 52 years old, the even-tempered Tienie Prinsloo could write a book about his working career and tenacity. The man who started out as a prison warder and moved on to work for Cliffie Otto ‘for free’, has come a long way through a simple philosophy of always doing the basics right, being flexible, and possessing a deep love of the horse and people.
“My Dad trained horses and after school I joined Correctional Services. But I lasted 14 months in the brown uniform. I wanted to train horses, and I worked for no salary for three months in my first job with Cliffie Otto,” he reflects.
From the highs of his Championship success in Kimberly, to the closure of Flamingo Park, his daunting move to KZN, the battle for survival against the odds and a lack of support, the switch from Ashburton to Summerveld, and now the arrival of the classiest horses he has ever had the privilege of training, Tienie says that the rollercoaster of life is a character builder and he is simply over the moon and excited about his new equine arsenal.
He recalled how he and his wife Elsa nervously stood on the Hollywoodbets Greyville grandstand in August 2020.
“Miss Generosity won under Richard Fourie to open our KZN account. It felt like I had won the Hollywoodbets Durban July!” he laughs.
And now Thursday 22 August 2024 could prove to be a red-letter day in the years ahead for KwaZulu-Natal horseracing and the Prinsloo team.
Tienie Prinsloo is the man who astutely purchased the top-class Main Defender for R140 000 at the 2022 BSA Cape Yearling Sale, and he became the proud and ‘absolutely thrilled’ conditioner of the magnificent Wilgerbosdrift-consigned Vercingetorix colt Torremolinos, who was knocked down to his staunch existing patrons, Stanger-based businessman Rakesh Singh and Umdloti resident Zane Kirsten – the same guys who raced Black Pepper all those years ago - for R2,8 million to top Day 1.
The man who won the trainer’s championship in the Diamond City with R20 000, R40 000 and R80 000 purchases, and is the literal sole survivor of the Flamingo Park trainers who relocated to the holiday province after the closure of the Northern Cape’s only racetrack Tienie Prinsloo told the Sporting Post that he was ‘still pinching’ himself.
“It’s been a tough few years, but we have kept going with the support of some staunch and loyal owners. Two passionate racing men in Zane Kirsten and Rakesh Singh have bought me some stunning horses and partnered to purchase this magnificent son of Vercingetorix today. He is a beautiful strong boy. He has the blood. He is out of a champion mare.He was bred by a champion operation. He ticks all the boxes, he really does. Elsa and I have been up here in Joburg looking at horses since Tuesday. When I saw Torremolinos, I fell in love with him. I told Rakesh and Zane that they would love him too. And they did! We got him! I am absolutely over the moon,” enthused the 52 year old trainer, who said that he would relish the pressure of training a big ticket racehorse, rather than battling along and trying to compete with the big guns on what is often an uneven playing field.
“I have never been in the league where I can pick or choose. But I can train winners, and this is an honour and privilege in more ways than one for me. I understand this game is a great leveller so I won’t be doing things differently. We will keep our feet on the ground and take it one day at a time,” added Tienie, who said he was deeply moved when meeting breeder Mary Slack.
“What a lady Mrs Slack is. She thanked me and I could see that this was like a child leaving home for her. She was emotional. She wished us luck and asked me to keep her posted on the colt’s progress. What a day this was,” he added, saying that it was only when he sipped the traditional post hammer-fall champagne that he realized he wasn’t dreaming.
On what was an unforgettable day, another leading owner Preggie Somasundram told Tienie that he would be sending him a lovely Declarationofpeace filly that he had bought. Tienie, whose three runners at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the afternoon ran two seconds and
a fourth, including a cracking runner-up finish from Zane Kirsten’s Stormy Choice, said that he would now have a total of 22 horses, but had place for more.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to get my name out there and show what I am capable of doing with proper horses. We offer a warm and hospitable racing experience, and we love all of our horses, Communication with owners is our focus. It really feels like things are finally coming together.”
In an uncompromising industry, where lesser men may have thrown in the towel, Tienie Prinsloo has stuck things out and overcome adversity and challenges. Like saddling Main Defender to his first win, and then dealing with the dreadful disappointment of losing the star after a change in ownership saw the son of Pathfork move to Tony Peter.
“Horseracing is one of the toughest sports on earth. It’s also the greatest game on earth,” says Tienie.
Tienie Prinsloo’s August 2yo Sale top lot consigned by Wilgerbosdrift is named Torremolinos. The colt appears to have been named after the poor fishing village, which, before a growth in tourism beginning in the late 1950s, was the first of the Costa del Sol resorts to develop. It is the birthplace of sun and beach tourism in Spain and in the 50’s and 60’s hosted many international celebrities before Marbella became famous.
Tienie is
The name no doubt originates from the 2yo’s champion Mom, Alboran Sea. The Alboran Sea borders Morocco and Algeria to the south, Spain to the north, and Gibraltar to the west. The western part of the Alboran Sea, at the Strait of Gibraltar, joins the Mediterranean with the Atlantic Ocean, while the eastern part connects the Cape de Gata (Spain) to Cape Fegalo (Algeria).
Maine Chance Farms’ outstanding stallion Vercingetorix dominated proceedings at the recent August Two Year Old Sale.
Vercingetorix provide the sales’ top-priced lot and the son of Silvano also headed the Leading Sires table.
Vercingetorix was responsible for three of the top four lots sold at the 2024 August Sale. His Wilgerbosdrift consigned son Torremolinos (Lot 29) was the sales’ top lot with the regally bred two-year-old sold to Rakesh Singh for R2 800 000.
A half-brother to dual Listed Memorial Mile winner Marmara Sea as well as the useful performer Sea Anemone, Torremolinos is out of Alboran Sea, Equus Champion 3YO Filly of 2014-2015 and a triple Gr1 winner.
The Vercingetorix colt (Lot 281) out of the stakes placed Jet Master mare Semra was knocked down to Form Bloodstock for R1 900 000, while another colt by the sire, Speedman (Lot 298), was sold to Sean Tarry Racing for R1 400 000.
Vercingetorix ended the two-day sale as Leading Sire by Aggregate, with his 14 lots to sell fetching R13 400 000. His two-year-olds averaged an impressive R957 143.
Runner-up on the South African General Sires List in 2023-2024, Vercingetorix is currently second on the Sires List for the new season.
THE PURCHASE BY FLEDGLING BREEDERS STEVE AJAX AND CHARLES PALMER OF GR1 BREEDERS CUP TURF MILE WINNER EXPERT EYE AS THE FOUNDATION STALLION FOR THEIR NEWLY-ESTABLISHED PAARDEBERG STUD, PROBABLY RAISED SOME EYEBROWS, FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT THE SON OF ACCLAMATION HAD ALREADY SPENT A COUPLE OF SEASONS STANDING AT HIS BIRTHPLACE JUDDMONTE STUD.
Breeders will always look askance at a stallion who has already had runners elsewhere, so let’s analyse the performance of his first progeny, the oldest of which are currently threeyear-olds.
Expert Eye’s first crop raced in 2022 and with 22 individual juvenile winners to his credit, he ended the season as England’s fourth leading freshman sire.
His second crop, now three-year-olds, yielded 14 individual two-year-old winners, including two very smart stakes winners in Snellen, a Royal Ascot winner of the Chesham Stakes and Juniper Berries, who claimed the Gr3 Dick Poole Fillies. Add to that the colt Witness Stand, a six-length maiden winner who placed second in the Gr3 Horris Hill Stakes at Newmarket.
One can assume that despite his excellent pedigree and race record, plus home support from his owners, Expert Eye had not quite lived up to their high expectations and when the opportunity arose to buy the young stallion, the Paardeberg team wasted no time.
As Charles Palmer stated at the time: “It was imperative for us to secure a distinguished stallion as a testament to our dedication to the stud and the broader South African thoroughbred racing industry. We consider ourselves exceptionally fortunate to have acquired such an exceptional performer to serve as our standard bearer.”
Juddmonte’s loss may well turn out to be Paardeberg’s gain if a flush of recent racetrack success is anything to go by.
The first week of August saw two third-crop winners strut their stuff on opposite sides of the English Channel.
Juvenile daughter Naina, an impressive three and a half-length maiden winner over 1400m at Brighton, backed up that success over
Newmarket’s July course, scoring by almost two lengths. The very next day, Juddmonte homebred Nesthorn stamped himself a useful future prospect when cruising to a smooth debut win over a mile at Deauville.
More was to come. Last week, juvenile daughter Magic Basma made a smart debut at Carlisle in a maiden fillies event over 1200m and after taking the lead two furlongs out, she kept on well to win by the best part of a length.
Twenty four hours later, it was the turn of the year-older Loving Look, who completed a quickfire double for her sire when she shed her maiden tag over 2000m on the all-weather track at Kempton.
“He is certainly doing well,” enthused Paardeberg’s Sally Bruss, who is understandably delighted with Expert Eye’s latest run of success and added: “He is also sire of the smart 2YO colt Rock Hunter, a winner first time out in France before running second in the Listed National Stakes at Sandown third time out.”
Breeders will always look askance at a stallion who has already had runners elsewhere, so let’s analyse the performance of his first progeny, the oldest of which are currently threeyear-olds.
Expert Eye’s first crop raced in 2022 and with 22 individual juvenile winners to his credit, he ended the season as England’s fourth leading freshman sire.
His second crop, now three-year-olds, yielded 14 individual two-year-old winners, including two very smart stakes winners in Snellen, a Royal Ascot winner of the Chesham Stakes and Juniper Berries, who claimed the Gr3 Dick Poole Fillies. Add to that the colt Witness Stand, a six-length maiden winner who placed second in the Gr3 Horris Hill Stakes at Newmarket.
One can assume that despite his excellent pedigree and race record, plus home support from his owners, Expert Eye had not quite lived
up to their high expectations and when the opportunity arose to buy the young stallion, the Paardeberg team wasted no time.
As Charles Palmer stated at the time: “It was imperative for us to secure a distinguished stallion as a testament to our dedication to the stud and the broader South African thoroughbred racing industry. We consider ourselves exceptionally fortunate to have acquired such an exceptional performer to serve as our standard bearer.”
Juddmonte’s loss may well turn out to be Paardeberg’s gain if a flush of recent racetrack success is anything to go by.
The first week of August saw two third-crop winners strut their stuff on opposite sides of the English Channel.
Juvenile daughter Naina, an impressive three and a half-length maiden winner over 1400m
at Brighton, backed up that success over Newmarket’s July course, scoring by almost two lengths. The very next day, Juddmonte homebred Nesthorn stamped himself a useful future prospect when cruising to a smooth debut win over a mile at Deauville.
More was to come. Last week, juvenile daughter Magic Basma made a smart debut at Carlisle in a maiden fillies event over 1200m and after taking the lead two furlongs out, she kept on well to win by the best part of a length.
Twenty four hours later, it was the turn of the year-older Loving Look, who completed a quickfire double for her sire when she shed her maiden tag over 2000m on the all-weather track at Kempton.
“He is certainly doing well,” enthused Paardeberg’s Sally Bruss, who is understandably delighted with Expert Eye’s latest run of success and added: “He is also sire of the smart 2YO colt Rock Hunter, a winner first time out in France before running second in the Listed National Stakes at Sandown third time out.”
Sally made a particularly interesting observation: “It’s more than encouraging that these youngsters all won in good going,” a remark which augurs well for Expert Eye’s future local progeny, considering they will encounter similar underfoot conditions in this country.
Speaking of which, Sally was kind enough to provide details of almost twenty Paardeberg mares penciled in to visit Expert Eye in his first South African covering season and judging by those names, the stud will support him to the hilt.
The list oozes quality and includes the newlyacquired stakes winners Love Bomb and
Marigold Hotel. Successful in the Gr2 Golden Slipper as a juvenile, the former, a daughter of Oratorio, proved an admirable galloper for the Frank Robinson stable and was still earning her keep at age six, while Marigold Hotel, a Gr1-placed winner of the Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes, is a Querari half-sister to Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery winner Maharanee.
Also set to visit Expert Eye is the proven stakes producer Mina Salaam. By Medaglia d’Oro and a multiple stakes-winning daughter of champion racemare Circle Of Live, she is the dam of Gr1-placed Gr3 winning sprinter True To Life.
Another stakes producer on the list is Mrs O, a Gr2-placed daughter of Oratorio, who is already off the mark with her first foal, the stakes-placed Var filly Priscilla Maisey.
Given that Sally spent more than thirty years at Lammerskraal, it is no surprise that a number of mares destined for the court of Expert Eye were born and raised at the revered Ceres stud.
From the famed Nacarat family, Scarlet Chill (What A Winter) and Scarlet Red (Visionaire) are daughters of Chambre, a Rakeen half-sister to Gr1 winners Red Ray and Nania, the Gr2 winners Brutal Force and Bishop’s Bounty, as well as the stakes-winners Adobe Pink and Valor Red.
Another young mare from this excellent family set to visit Expert Eye is the four-time winner Raising Quinn, whose stakes-placed dam Vermillion is an own sister to Red Ray and Nania.
Also on the list is Western Winter mare Izora, a Gr3-placed daughter of champion Icy Air and an own sister to Gr2-placed Icy Winter Air, the dam of Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas and Gr1 Cartier Paddock Stakes winner Make It Snappy. Izora’s first two foals are both winners, one of
which is the Gr3-placed William Longsword filly Ice Star.
She will be joined by another Western Winter mare Stormin Cat, a four-time winning own sister to Gr3 winner Bulleting Home and already the dam of stakes-placed Emerald Band. Incidentally, Storm Cat’s Fort Wood half-sister Savannah Cat has produced the Gr3 winners Egyptian Mau and Cymric. For the purists out there, it is interesting to note that Stormin Cat’s dam Kapen Cat is a half-sister to Western Winter.
Expert Eye’s book of mares also includes a number of siblings to stakes performers, notably Whiskey Tango, a daughter of Broodmare of the Year Akinfeet and thus a half-sister to Equus Champion Miler and sire Capetown Noir and to Gr3 winner Across The Ice.
Then there is the regally-bred import Emerald
Gal, a winning Galileo full-sister to Irish Gr3 winner Ballet Shoes, from the power-packed family of Nureyev, Archipenko and Jade Robbery, while another new acquisition is the unraced Var mare Moon Guide, whose siblings include Gr1 Gold Medallion ace Ambiorix.
As regards outside mares destined for Expert Eye, Sally added: “Heversham Park Farm have indicated they would like to send Little Fastnet, the dam of Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery winner Little Ballerina.”
The covering season officially opens on September 1 and given that Expert Eye is one of eleven new stallions for 2024, Sally is fully aware that competition in a declining mare population is going to be fierce. Nevertheless, she has every confidence in the horse: “He is going to be up against it this season, but he is such a good-bodied, beautiful horse. We feel a quality book is of importance and I will be extremely happy if he covers 50 mares.”
Witness Stand (Expert Eye) wins the Whispering Angel Handicap at Goodwood by 3 lenghts over 1400m on 3rd August 2024, on good to firm ground.
Expert Witness (Expert Eye) won the Peter Bromwich Handicap at Epsom by 3/4 length over 2000m on 1st August 2024, on good to firm ground. (view the race here).
The Cape Racing Festival Sales Day, a high value racemeeting that will offer bumper stakes racing from R6,5 million up to R10 million over the initial three years, and encompass the age spectrum, will dovetail the brand new CRS March Premier Sale, creating a racing and sales festival like no other in South Africa.
The festival will extend the bumper Cape Summer Season Of Champions, creating an eighth festival racemeeting in what is a celebration of close on five months of non-stop high quality horseracing in the fairest Cape in all the world.
The innovative Cape Racing Sales team have again raised the bar in an industry showing exponential growth in the post-covid era. The recent ground-breaking announcement of a March Premier sale to be added to the CRS sales calendar has generated plenty of excitement following the opening of entries for their 2025 premier sales.
Making the announcement earlier this week, Cape Racing Executive: Racing & Bloodstock Justin Vermaak explained that, from a CRS
perspective, the new festival gives prospective buyers another great reason to buy a CRS graduate.
“Knowing that your purchase will potentially be able to participate in a R3 million race as a juvenile, and then have a R5 million race available every season, is quite something. Having R10 million on offer across four individual races is unlike any sales race incentive structure we have ever seen in South Africa. It creates an exceptional race day to follow what will be a memorable auction the day before,” enthused the racing administrator.
Looking at the three features individually, one notes that all ages and sexes are catered for.
The R5 million CRS Big Cap is the exciting new ‘slot’ race which will headline the Festival race day.
The Big Cap was modelled on the Everest concept introduced in Australia, and the concept has been featured successfully previously in South Africa as the ‘Gold Rush’.
Justin Vermaak explained that the CRS Big Cap will be run as a handicap, with conditions.
“The large spread at the weights will ensure that a vast group of graduates come into the race with a chance. The Gold Rush was a success in general, and it only fell slightly short in that if you were not a slot holder of a top candidate, the race became impossible to win. With The Big Cap offering a more extended spread, it creates a more level playing field, as handicap racing is intended to do. At only R325 000 a slot, it opens up a broader list of potential slot owners, and in keeping with our philosophy of acknowledging a very important sector of the horseracing eco-system, the groom of each
runner will receive a payment of R12 500.”
The inaugural running of the R5 million CRS Big Cap in 2025 will be contested over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and is open to all CRS sales graduates.
This will come as good news for the purchasers of the October 2022 CRS Ready To Run Sale graduates, who are eligible for the first running of this headline race, as well as being something of an unexpected big bonus for all CRS buyers at sales in 2023 and 2024 who made their purchases unaware of the bonanza of the R5 million CRS Big Cap!
In the short term, there is also going to be substantially enhanced interest for vendors and buyers at the CRS Breeze Up & 2YO Unbroken Sale to be held at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on 27 October.
The graduates of this sale will be potential qualifiers for a run in the R5 million CRS Big Cap as 3yo’s.
The R3 million CRS Slipper will be run over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in 2026.
This means that next year’s CRS graduates will run for the highest stake on offer for a juvenile race in South Africa.
The CRS Slipper will be open to all graduates of CRS auctions in 2025, not just the January auction, as was the case before.
The R1 million CRS Sprint & R1 million CRS Mile will be run for three-year-olds only. This means that graduates of CRS auctions in 2025 can run for R3 million in the Slipper as juveniles, and then return to take their chance in the CRS Sprint or CRS Mile at three.
“From a Cape Racing perspective, having such a diverse and highly incentivised race day
perfectly extends our racing season. We have always felt that our Summer season ends a touch prematurely. This race day enables us to extend the season a few weeks and incorporate the new day into our Festival programme, creating an eighth Festival meeting for the Summer. The races on offer also give another option to the top-level athletes that may be short of options after the WSB Cape Town Met and Splashout Cape Derby meetings,” added Vermaak.
He also pointed out that with these new races available for graduates, and the CRS Juvenile Bonus still in play, there is really no better place to buy a horse than at a Cape Racing Sales
auction.
“We look forward to hosting two high-quality sales at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in January and March. We have opened entries for both sales simultaneously and will work with vendors to spread the appropriate horses across both sales. The aim of The Summer Sale is to host a high-end boutique auction that is populated with forward and well-grown yearlings. The Premier Sale in March will host a broader and a much larger draft. Initial talks with vendors have been promising, with particular excitement around the format and structure of the sales venue, as we build toward a more permanent solution into the latter part of 2025.”
For any sales related information, please contact:
justin@caperacing.co.za
janine@caperacing.co.za
vicky@caperacing.co.za
Tel: +27 (0) 21 700 1600
While he is bred on staying lines but has never won beyond 1250m, Glen Kotzen’s Ridgemontbred 5yo King Regent stamped himself a serious candidate for the R250 000 bonus and top honours in the 2024 Nelson Mandela Bay Racing Poly Challenge Triple Crown, when a facile winner of the first leg at Fairview on Friday.
A full-brother to a Gold Bowl and Consolation Durban July winner in 7yo Crimson King, King Regent has been a general model of consistency without setting the world alight but does boast a victory over last season’s SA Horse Of The Year Princess Calla on his cv – that was achieved during her reign on his home track of Hollywoodbets Durbanville.
Having only his second run on the all-weather, after finishing third as a 14-10 favourite behind
Perfection and Port Louis in the 2023 Listed East Cape Guineas, King Regent (14-10) was given a confident ride by Denis Schwarz from the box seat, before lengthening away at the 300m to win unchallenged in a time of 67,81 secs.
The Gavin Smith duo of Ledell’s Echo (8-1) and Slim Jannie (16-1) completed the trifecta, with defending champion Prince Of Fire (40-1) rounding the quartet.
Now a winner of R1 074 813 with 5 wins and 7 places from his 15 starts, King Regent is raced by longstanding former UK and now Cape residents Martin Wickens and Gisela Burg, and cost R225 000 at the Cape Yearling sale of his year.
Bred by Ridgemont, the winner is a son of the farm’s late iconic sire Dynasty (Fort Wood) out of the three-time winning Mogok mare, Cup Of Rubies.
A bonus of R250 000 will be paid to the connections of the horse that manages to win all three legs of the Poly Triple Crown.
If no horse manages to win all three legs, a R50 000 bonus is payable to the horse that runs in all three legs and accumulates the most points.
Points are allocated up to sixth place of every leg.
The second leg of the challenge is the R175 000 Nelson Mandela Bay Racing Poly Challenge 1400 to be run at Fairview on Friday 27 September 2024.
The third and final leg is the R175 000 Nelson Mandela Bay Racing Poly Challenge 1600 to be run on 18 October.
King
Regent has the potential to go all the way!
“Lance was a completely different class. He was as good a 3yo as anything else that I’ve trained at a similar stage in his career.” Sean Tarry, Multiple Champion Trainer
Stakes winning son of multiple champion Jet Master
Damline has produced multiple group winners
Powerful family of champions - Big Swinger, Duc Du Orleans, Rebel King
50% winners to runners
Covered 25 mares last season - limited opportunity prior to that Excellent fertility
r 5.000 live foal
Laurence Wernars and Gavin Lerena were runaway champion owner and jockey respectively on the Central Provinces logs last term but will not be joining forces with the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained horses for now.
Lerena, who was 64 wins ahead of Calvin Habib on the Central Provinces log last term with a standout 24,15% win strike-rate and finished third behind Richard Fourie and Muzi Yeni on the national log, has achieved plenty of success over the years in the famous white, red and black strip of the Wernars family.
But the former SA champion has been conspicuous by his absence for the Van Vuuren yard in recent weeks and Laurence Wernars confirmed to the Sporting Post on Saturday afternoon that the split was ‘by trainer and jockey agreement’.
“Johan and Gavin decided to take a sabbatical from each other, and I support them equally in their decision,” confirmed Mr Wernars, who added that Gavin will always ride for him.
“Gavin is like my second son. And my philosophy is to never shut a door, as you never know what tomorrow holds for you,” he added.
The Johan Janse van Vuuren yard enjoyed a nice double at Turffontein on Saturday for Laurence Wernars.
Smanga Khumalo rode both winners, with the beautifully-bred Vercingetorix filly Far Reaching (4-10) scoring an overdue maiden victory in the opener, while the Ridgemontbred Rafeef filly Chasing Happiness (15-10) beat her stablemate Happy Mo (28-10, Kabelo Matsunyane) to score her third win from 9 starts in the seventh.
Khumalo rode 4 winners on the day, also scoring on Lead The Charge (Azzies) and King’s Express (Fabian Habib).
Gavin Lerena booted the favourite Accept Cookies home for Roy Magner in the third, and then closed the day with a hard ride on another fancied runner in Ariel’s Jet in the last for Erico Verdonese.
The next Central Provinces racemeeting is at the Vaal on Thursday 29 August.
It’s never easy to make up ground in a sprint, especially after an awkward start on debut.
Mike de Kock’s newcomer Destiny Of Fire was inexperienced out of the gates in the first run over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday – she came out with what looked like half a fly-jump and lost a length or two on her rivals in a race with pace all around her.
But jockey Serino Moodley handled her calmly and with patience. She raced up to the hindquarters of the back markers, found her running rhythm and settled sensibly.
Destiny Of Fire was still last with 500m to go, but, switched into the open she quickened nicely and put herself well into the race with 300m to run.
There was a stampede of runners racing into the closing stages, but she finished best and got her nose in front right on the line.
Destiny Of Fire survived an objection by the jockey of the runner-up.
The Stipes reported as follows:
Approaching the 100m DESTINY OF FIRE (S Moodley) was brushed by LADYOFDISTINCTION (R A Venniker) which switched out off the heels of ARE YOU SURE (C Zackey) to obtain a clear run. Thereafter, shortly before the finish line LADYOFDISTINCTION (R A Venniker) which was hanging in, rolled in away from DESTINY OF FIRE (S Moodley) which shifted in marginally away from the crop and was straightened.
A race review was called by a member of the Stipendiary Board into this incident which was followed by an Objection being lodged by Jockey R Venniker on behalf of the second placed horse LADY OF DESTINCTION, against the winner DESTINY OF FIRE (S Moodley) on the grounds of interference in the latter stages.
The Board, after considering the evidence presented and viewing the patrol films from the various angles, overruled the objection. In arriving at this decision the Board was of the opinion that the first interference between these two horses was a result of Jockey Venniker shifting
towards DESTINY OF FIRE (S Moodley).
Furthermore, the Board was of the opinion that the minimal carry from DESTINY OF FIRE (S Moodley) onto LADYOFDISTINCTION (R A Venniker) did not affect the result of the Race. Therefore, the Objection was over-ruled, the Judge’s result allowed to stand and the deposit refunded.
At the 300m Jockey T Godden (LADY PLATINA) accidentally dropped his crop.
Destiny Of Fire races in partnership for Mike de Kock and Chris Haynes.
She was bred by the late Lady Chrys O’Reilly by Master of Fate out of Festival Of Fire, who won the 2012 Gr3 Joburg Spring Challenge and finished second in the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes.
“This is a nice filly, she’s going to win her share of races,” said Mike de Kock on his website.
4Racing has announced the return of the East Cape Awards, set to take place at Fairview Racecourse on Friday 6 September 2024.
This prestigious horse racing industry event will celebrate determination, talent and dedication across a range of categories.
The East Cape Awards recognise excellence – highlighting the diverse talent and performances that have graced Fairview Racecourse over the past season.
The 2024 East Cape Awards judging panel comprised of Henk Steenkamp, Neil Pretorius and Nico Kritsiotis, who undertook a meticulous selection process, with some categories attracting a lengthy discussion, while others were more straightforward and predictable.
However, by the conclusion of the deliberations, the judges were satisfied that the process was fair.
The winners in the following categories will be announced at the Awards function:
- Champion Groom
- Champion Work Rider
- Outstanding Apprentice
- Champion Owner of the season
- Champion Local Jockey of the season
- Champion Jockey of the season
- Champion Trainer of the season
Cape Awards is not just a ceremony, but a tribute to the passion and commitment that define the racing community.
An exciting evening awaits as attendees gather to celebrate the accomplishments of all the nominees – which will culminate in the crowning of the Horse of the Season for 2024.
Media release by 4Racing on Thursday, 22 August 2024
The Cape’s winter of discontent continued on Tuesday when a retail complex within a stone’s throw of Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse was damaged by high winds.
The main entrance of Access Park in Kenilworth was closed just after 09h00 on Tuesday.
The incident follows an Orange Level 6 warning for most of the Western Cape on Tuesday, which is expected to bring strong and gusty north-westerly to westerly winds over much of the province.
On Tuesday from late morning until the
evening, strong to gale-force winds of 40 to 80kph are predicted over the Garden Route, eastern Overberg, eastern portions of the Cape Winelands, and southern Central Karoo.
Expect gusts to range between 90 and 120kph.
On Monday Cape Racing authorities advised that the race meeting scheduled for Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Wednesday 28 August would move to Saturday 31 August.
The racemeeting scheduled for 31 August was moved to Tuesday 3 September at Hollywoodbets Durbanville.
Garth Puller and Athandiwe Mgudlwa provided the Hollywood Syndicate with a double at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday, as Izibulo and Qondanekukhanyeni shed their respective maiden certificates in good style
The Hollywood Syndicate have certainly started this season on a high and have already registered 15 winners. Their record return for one month was 18 in September 2022 and other good months have been 17 winners in November 2022 and 15 winners in January 2024.
The team have four meetings left for the remainder of August month and the Hollywood Syndicate have confirmed runners in just three of them.
The chances of raking in three wins is a tough ask but nevertheless it is a good start to the season and bodes well for their chances of reaching or breaking their record of 124 wins set in the 2022/2023 season.
FOLLOW THE HOLLYWOOD SYNDICATE RUNNERS BY CLICKING HERE.
Dr Marianne Thomson – veteran of SA racing | Credit: Supplied
Her success as a veterinarian was matched only by her passion for thoroughbreds and her decorated career as a breeder under the banner of Ambiance Stud.
At 84 years of age, Marianne is still as sharp as they come, with her trademark ready wit that endeared her to many, over many decades. Both of those traits were revealed in a rare letter she wrote to Sporting Post in September, 2014, at the height of the Markus Jooste era.
Addressed to the late Jooste himself and entitled ‘Liewe Markus’ (Dear Markus), she said (translated and shortened),
“I am writing this as an older, small breeder and in our language, Markus, because this is our war. If I phoned you, I’d be overwhelmed by business jargon within a minute. What makes
In honour of August being Women’s Month, 4Racing celebrate the life and achievements of Dr Marianne Thomson, a trailblazer in South African breeding.
Charl Pretorius writes that though she shuns the spotlight and might not embrace the title, she is undeniably one of the elder stateswomen of the industry. Her long and vibrant career serves as an inspiring example for others to follow.
Marianne reckons her mother suspected she’d given birth to a daughter that was not going to adhere to conventional ways.
A bit of a rebel, no doubt. She named her after the symbolic figure representing the French Republic for values of liberty, equality and the spirit of the French Revolution. Young Marianne had a love for animals that deepened as she grew older, leading her to pursue a career in veterinary science.
you so angry that you don’t care what you are doing to our shaky industry? How do you deal with this in your inner, quiet self? I say to myself, we’ve survived Hurvitz, Gardiner and Ross, Sydney Press, Hilda Podlas and many others, we’ll survive you, too!”
Enjoy the rest of a fascinating story – please click on the image
WITH KZN BRED GR1 WINNER MK’S PRIDE MAKING HISTORY BY BEING THE FIRST BLACK OWNED STALLION GOING TO STUD AT HEVERSHAM PARK, THE BREEDING AND RACING LANDSCAPE IN SOUTH AFRICA IS OPENING UP EXCITING NEW POSSIBILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY NEW FACES.
One of these new trailblazers is a remarkable lady – Philile Zuma, who has the unique distinction of being the first, and we believe only, black lady pre-trainer in the country.
Philile has a powerful and captivating story, especially when it comes to how she got involved with horses.
“Growing up I always thought I’d end up in corporate. In high school, I started warming up to the idea of practicing law as one of my aunt’s is a magistrate judge and would take
me to office and court when I visited her. After high school, it was decided that I was going to study Law and International Relations. Few years later, I obtained my BA Law degree from the University of Witwatersrand. I thought to myself, my corporate dream is near. Little did I know that like many other graduates in South Africa, I would struggle to find employment. I sometimes got contract jobs in different companies such as IEC but those didn’t last long, and this was my reality for about 5 years. Around 2019, I decided to register a company, RejuveDOX Holdings, to try empower myself.
For the most part, the company did, and is still doing well, as it continues to operate under my partner and younger brother, who is also faced with the same reality as mine back then, being an “unemployed graduate”. But unfortunately, the company has not managed to get longstanding contracts, just two or three relatively big jobs a year. And as one can imagine, this is nowhere near enough to sustain us monthly. Over and above, it is not enough to have running capital and invest back into the business for its growth. So, the search
for a more permanent job continued.” Philile was fortunate enough to fall into the orbit of one of South Africa’s top pre-trainers and yearling judges, the indomitable Jane Thomas of Far End Stables.
Jane’s keen eye, honed in on Philile’s hidden potential.
As she explains it was the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in her life.
“Luckily for me, Jane offered me a job as her office admin staff and this is where my work in the equine industry began. As mentioned, I started working for her in the office but after my office duties, I’d go out to the yard with her where I found myself being useful as an interpreter between Jane, who battled with Zulu, and the staff, who battled with English. The more I worked in the yard, the more my love and interest for horses developed. I was now more interested in what pre-training entailed. Jane observed this and started sharing her knowledge of horses with me. Having been involved in the horse industry
now for close to four years, there is a lot of satisfaction I get from seeing babies I worked and cared for go on to do great things in their racing careers. This is all thanks to Jane, who took me under her wing and continues to share more each day. With her, I have learnt how to conduct horse administration, and I have learnt how to back and train horses. I now understand how to feed and medically care for horses too. Recently, she’s been taking her time with educating me on horse conformation as she believes that conformation tells you everything you need to know about a horse: its future prospects and how to go about training it.
I feel immensely blessed to be given the opportunity to be mentored by Jane, one of South Africa’s leading horse people. Equally, I feel like I have also been given another chance in life… a chance to have purpose in an industry where you hardly find women of colour. Importantly, I look forward to what this journey still has in store for me”.
Due to the pressures of her travels for judging yearlings around the country and her pretraining work, Jane struggled to find time to attend to the regular admin duties that were needed.
Enter Philile, who whipped the office and medicine room into shape in no time, combined with her fluency in both English and Zulu, enabling her to communicate Jane’s orders effectively to the staff, lifting a huge burden off Jane’s shoulders.
Jane nailed it when she said that “Philile was a sponge, soaking it up”, combined with her inbred common sense, it was a match made in heaven and one which has continued to grow and evolve over time.
As anyone involved with horses or farm life will tell you, the days are long and time off to rest and relax is precious. It’s a testament then to Philile’s character and commitment that she chose to spend her free time learning as much as she could about horses, and all aspects surrounding them. Philile’s passion and desire to immerse herself in the equine world, gives Jane enormous comfort as she fights cancer, knowing that Philile can step up and do what needs to be done, when needed.
Owners like Stinky Pooe, Jessica Motuang and Koos Nkale, along with jockeys S’Manga Khumalo, Muzi Yeni & Kabelo Matsuyane, trainers Bo Ngcobo and Lunga Gila, and now Philile are firing up new generations with passion and enthusiasm as they get involved in breeding and racing in South Africa.
As the ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. Philile has already taken giant steps, and we cannot wait to see her continuing her journey through the equine world, and where it takes her.
Kind courtesy of www.kznbreeders.co.za
Candice Bass-Robinson has never hidden her ambitions under a bush. Her father is the celebrated Mike Bass and after serving a two-decade-long apprenticeship as an assistant trainer to her dad, she took out her own training licence in 2016.
Success came quickly, with Marinaresco’s win in the 2017 Durban July seeing her become the first female trainer in South Africa to land the country’s most prestigious race.
Since then, she has become entrenched as a leading light in the training ranks and her yard has swelled to over a hundred boxes.
For four successive seasons, the Milnerton conditioner, whose full-time assistant Mel Arnold also adds to the ‘girl power’ representation in the yard, has finished second on the provincial standings. In all four seasons, she has been pipped by champion trainer Justin Snaith.
Bass-Robinson, whose steely interior contradicts the softness she portrays on the outside, added another eight Graded wins to her CV in the 2023/24 season, with four Grade 1s – two of which came from the exported
Beach Bomb and one with Charles Dickens, widely considered the best colt to be seen on South African racetracks for at least 20 years.
In fact, although Bass-Robinson has long paved her own route to success in this tough, male-dominated industry, it could be said that her last season was the best of her career. Stats often lie and while the 112 winners from her 2021/22 season remain a stable record, her last campaign, where she signed off with 81 winners, represented a step up in quality.
She amassed over R13 million in stakes and her winning percentage of 12.6 was higher than any other trainer who saddled more than 30 winners for the season.
Six of her Graded winners were owned and bred by Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud, although Charles Dickens stands out as the jewel in the crown.
Lucinda Woodruff also hails from racing royalty. Her father, Geoff, was also a household name in the racing industry, a former national champion trainer and now back as assistant to his 30-year-old daughter.
Like Bass-Robinson, Woodruff is ambitious, although she is now only into her fourth year as a fully licensed trainer. Last season, she ended 13th on the Cape trainers’ log with 16 winners at a percentage of 11.4 and she has set her sights on breaking into the top ten.
Woodruff also comes off her best season to date, with Cafe Culture’s win late in the season
being the first feature race success of her career. That post Merchants victory under the Hollywoodbets Greyville floodlights was the proverbial knock on the door on the national training landscape, saying, ‘I’ve arrived’.
She also feels that she’s set up for a big season. ‘I’ve got a lot of three-year-olds that I have high hopes for,’ she told Cape Racing.
Then there’s Michelle Rix, daughter of Harold Crawford. Yet another product of racing royalty, she too has tasted Grade 1 success, with Kommetdieding’s storied career including wins in the Durban July and Cape Town Met.
However, not every horse can be a Kommetdieding and she has been quietly boosting her stock and reputation by visiting the No. 1 box on nine occasions last season.
All of Bass-Robinson, Woodruff and Rix have had to step out of the footsteps of their famous fathers. However, they are now walking into the light all on their own and showing that they belong.
Belonging is an important word in sports, especially at the elite level, which is where these lady trainers are at.
Most sports personalities will tell you that while they knew that they had the talent, desire and ability, it was only once they started emerging from the shadows themselves that they believed there was no limit to what heights they could reach.
So, when this leading trio talk about what they still want to accomplish, it’s best to pull your swat closer and listen more intently. In time to come, these three offspring from famous racing families will be household names all on their own. They will be the inspiration for more women to get involved in this industry, where there’s no place to hide.
They are the leaders of the next generation of female racing trainers. And with all three of them, we’re in for an exhilarating ride.
To see these amazing women in action, join Cape Racing at the races at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and Hollywoodbets Durbanville. Entry is free!
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Mill Princess, fourth dam of local stallion The United States, is a mare who continues to make her presence felt around the world.
On Saturday Mill Princess’ descendants made a big impression at the Curragh. Blue-blooded two-year-old Officer got off the mark when victorious in the Coolmore Stud The Antarctic Irish EBF Maiden, while on the same card his relative Henri Matisse made it three wins from three starts when he won Saturday’s Gr2 Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Irish EBF Futurity Stakes.
Officer, who was winning on debut, is a son of Dubawi and Mill Princess’ dual Gr1 winning great great granddaughter Hydrangea (a fullsister to The United States), while the Wootton Bassett sired Henri Matisse, winner of the Gr2 GAIN Railway Stakes last time out, is out of Mill Princess’ top class granddaughter Immortal Verse.
Very closely related to Hydrangea and The United States’ dam Beauty Is Truth (Pivotal), the Pivotal sired Immortal Verse won four times including both the Gr1 Coronation Stakes and Gr1 Prix Du Haras De Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques le Marois in 2011.
Immortal Verse has, if anything, proved an even better broodmare than she was a racehorse, with the daughter of Pivotal having now produced three group winners (by three different stallions), with Henri Matisse preceded by Tenebrism (Gr1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes, Gr1 Haras d’Etreham Prix Jean Prat) and Statuette (Gr2 Airlie Stud Stakes).
Hydrangea, winner of both the Gr1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes and Gr1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes in 2017, is also the dam of promising three-yearold filly Wingspan (Dubawi), a winner of two of three starts including the Listed Darley Irish EBF Hurry Harriet Stakes. Hydrangea was one of three Gr1 winners produced by her Gr2 Prix du Gros-Chene winning dam Beauty Is Truth, with latter also responsible for both The United States (Ranvet Stakes) and dual classic winner Hermosa.
Her ancestress, Mill Princess, however, long be remembered as the dam of the brilliant Last Tycoon (Try My Best), Australia’s Champion Sire of 1993-1994.
By far the best horse sired by Try My Best, Last Tycoon scored a 36-1 surprise when victorious in the 1986 Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Mile. He enjoyed considerable success in both hemispheres, with his Southern Hemisphere runners headed by Australian Horse Of The Year Mahogany (another son, O’Reilly, was Champion Sire in New Zealand on four occasions), and his Northern Hemisphere stars including Gr1 winners Bigstone, Ezzoud, Lost World, Marju, and Taipan.
Last Tycoon also made his mark in South Africa, where his flagbearers included champions Tracy’s Element and Tytola, as well as Gr1 Turffontein Sprint winner Super Sheila. He was also broodmare sire of champion Sun Classique, winner of the Gr1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas, Gr1 Fancourt Majorca Stakes and Gr1 Woolavington 2200 in South Africa, and the Gr1 Dubai Sheema Classic in Dubai. Sun Classique was unbeaten in three starts in Dubai where she also won the Listed Cape Verdi Stakes and Listed Balanchine Stakes.
One of 100 Group/Grade One winners for his legendary sire Galileo, The United States had a very smart crop of two-year-olds last season and he looks poised for a good season in 2024-2025.
His newly turned three-yearolds, 18 of whom have raced at the time of writing, include Gr1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes runner up The Specialist, Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship second Rodeo Drive, Listed Dahlia Plate hero Kingdundee, and Listed Irridescence Stakes runner up Dixieland Band.
The United States ended the 2023-2024 season tenth on South Africa’s Leading Sire of 2YOs premiership.
An exciting Ebor racing festival concluded on Saturday afternoon with racing enthusiasts witnessing quality horses and top-class finishes
20-time Irish champion trainer Aidan O’Brien dominated the meeting saddling the winner of two of the three Group 1’s on offer together with a Group 2 and Group 3. He now looks favourite to win a 7th British trainers title.
The highlight of the week was the appearance of the Derby and Eclipse winner City Of Troy in the Gr1 Juddmonte International. The threeyear-old didn’t disappoint.
Ryan Moore gave a very public exhibition on how to ride a big-race favourite when steering City Of Troy to a one-length victory over French raider Calandagan. City Of Troy was quick away from the stalls and had his pace making stable companion just in behind. As Moore stated post-race, he did not want to break the favourites long stride, so instead, he continued in front setting decent fractions.
Turning into the long York straight, Moore stayed on the far rail and gradually up the tempo over the final three-furlongs ensuring that only one of his twelve rivals could get anywhere near him. The Justify colt galloped all the way to the line with the impressive King Edward VII Stakes winner Calandagan running a gallant second, a length behind. The balance was never in the race.
Aidan O’Brien and the ‘lads’ have their hearts set on the Breeders’ Cup Classic with their winner, whist the runner-up should be in Paris in early October.
City Of Troy beat Sea The Stars’ track record in the Juddmonte International and a juvenile colt by the latter was on display in the Gr3 Acomb Stakes earlier on the day. Trained once more by O’Brien and ridden by Moore, The Lion In Winter ran out a ready winner.
In the front-rank throughout, the unbeaten colt stayed on strongly to see off his rivals only having to be pushed out by his rider over the final half-furlong. Bred for middle distances next year, this was an authoritative performance on a speed track like York. He’s very exciting and it’s no surprise he’s already favourite for the 2025 Betfred Derby.
The third Group race of the day was also captured by Ballydoyle when Los Angeles was a gutsy winner of the Gr2 Great Voltigeur, run over a mile and a half. The Camelot colt showed his class when defying a five-pound penalty and denying his stablemate Illinois by a neck.
Day 2 was ladies’ day at York and the threeyear-old filly Content wrote the latest chapter in Galileo’s history-making career becoming his 100th Group 1 winner on Thursday.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained filly was sent off favourite in a thrilling renewal of the Yorkshire Oaks, having placed behind rivals You Got To Me, Emily Upjohn and Bluestocking on her two previous starts.
Ridden in touch by Ryan Moore, she raced solo on the far side and was asked to challenge approaching the final furlong. She ran on gamely to deny You Got To Me by three parts of a length, with another length back to Emily Upjohn in third.
The English kept one Group 1 from the Irish with the rejuvenised four-year-old Bradsell victorious in the Nunthorpe Stakes on day 3.
Trainer Archie Watson admitted that he thought Bradsell had no chance of winning the Nunthorpe back in the spring when the colt fractured a fetlock in training.
It was therefore some training performance to get the son of Tasleet ready for Group 1 action at York over the ‘flying five’.
A successful prep in listed company at Deauville at the beginning of the month worked wonders for the four-year-old.
On Friday at York, everything panned out perfectly for Bradsell as he was drawn close to the pace on the favoured far side, and when Hollie Doyle said go at the furlong mark he was not for catching.
EXPLOSIVE OAKLEIGH PLATE WINNER MARABI HAS TOPPED THE MAGIC MILLIONS AUGUST VIRTUAL SALE WHEN SELLING FOR A $2.4 MILLION ON TUESDAY.
Offered by Vinery Stud, as agent for her breeder and owner Greg Perry of Greenwich Stud, the mare was the clear highlight of a select catalogue of offerings.
Bidding for the daughter of I Am Invincible kicked away with a bid of A$1 million before crossing the A$2 million-mark moments later.
When the gavel fell at $2.4 million it was Arrowfield Stud who proved to be the successful buyer, bidding through the phone to Barry Bowditch.
Marabi made a huge impression on the racetrack winning her first seven starts culminating in a dashing win in the Group One Oakleigh Plate.
She is a half-sister to Group One Victoria Oaks winner Aristia - a mare whose first foal sold for A$725,000 earlier this year.
Marabi is in foal to star Widden Stud based sire Zoustar and will present her new buyer with her first foal in the next couple of weeks.
Victoria Oaks placegetter Queen Air was another lot to attract good interest with the daughter of Toronado selling for A$350,000.
A Moonee Valley winner and earner of over A$276,000, Queen Air was offered by Swettenham Stud and was snapped up by Queensland’s leading trainer Tony Gollan.
During the afternoon some A$4.677 million was traded on 27 lots sold at an average price of A$173,222. More sales are close to being finalised and the clearance rate will rise overnight.
“As a concept we thought the engagement for the sale was very strong,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. “However, the proof is in the pudding and we had hoped participation across the board would be stronger.”
“It is something we will tinker with going forward and continue to work on - getting the best out of the virtual sale concept,” Bowditch added.
The Magic Millions attention now switches to the Gold Coast Horses in Training Sale to be held on October 22. The catalogue will be online in the coming days.
Random drug testing appears set to become an imminent reality for staff at racing stables, following a positive test for cocaine returned by a runner at Brighton last summer.
The Racing Post reports that Lucidity has now been disqualified from the second placing she achieved that day and her trainer Ed Dunlop was on Tuesday given a one-year disqualification from racing, a penalty which will be suspended and only be triggered if he breaches the same rule within the next year.
Racing’s anti-doping penalties have been tightened up in recent years and the severity of the potential punishment for a cocaine positive has now focused minds among trainers. Dunlop’s solicitor Rory Mac Neice explained to a disciplinary panel on Tuesday details of the crackdown on drug use which has been triggered by this case.
“Since this positive test, Mr Dunlop has been voted chair of the Newmarket Trainers Group,”
Mac Neice said.
“One of the first steps he has taken in that role is to start an active discussion aimed at establishing the introduction in Newmarket of random testing of all those working in any capacity in racing stables at whatever level of seniority.
“He invites the BHA to work with him in doing that. His reason for doing so is to promote a healthy and safe environment.
“He is shortly to introduce that random testing into his own yard. He has drafted and is in the process of putting in place consent forms for staff so that those tests can be carried out.”
Dunlop has never previously had a positive test in Britain, during a 30-year career in which he has sent out more than 10,000 runners, although Snow Fairy was disqualified from a 2012 success at Deauville when an antiinflammatory was found to have stayed in her system longer than expected.
Random drug testing appears set to become an imminent reality for staff at racing stables, following a positive test for cocaine returned by a runner at Brighton last summer.
The Racing Post reports that Lucidity has now been disqualified from the second placing she achieved that day and her trainer Ed Dunlop was on Tuesday given a one-year disqualification from racing, a penalty which will be suspended and only be triggered if he breaches the same rule within the next year.
Racing’s anti-doping penalties have been tightened up in recent years and the severity of the potential punishment for a cocaine positive has now focused minds among trainers.
Dunlop’s solicitor Rory Mac Neice explained to a disciplinary panel on Tuesday details of the crackdown on drug use which has been triggered by this case.
“Since this positive test, Mr Dunlop has been voted chair of the Newmarket Trainers Group,” Mac Neice said.
“One of the first steps he has taken in that role is to start an active discussion aimed at establishing the introduction in Newmarket of random testing of all those working in any capacity in racing stables at whatever level of seniority.
“He invites the BHA to work with him in doing that. His reason for doing so is to promote a healthy and safe environment.
“He is shortly to introduce that random testing into his own yard. He has drafted and is in the process of putting in place consent forms for staff so that those tests can be carried out.”
Dunlop has never previously had a positive test in Britain, during a 30-year career in which he has sent out more than 10,000 runners, although Snow Fairy was disqualified from
a 2012 success at Deauville when an antiinflammatory was found to have stayed in her system longer than expected.
The BHA did not attempt to attach blame to the trainer over the cocaine metabolite found in Lucidity, the source of which remains unknown.
The trainer conducted his own investigation into the matter after being advised of the positive test last summer and spoke to members of staff at his La Grange Stables in Newmarket about what might have caused it.
One admitted to using cocaine on two occasions but the timing of those suggested they could not have been the cause – once was months before Lucidity’s race and once was some time afterwards.
The same member of staff said they had sometimes witnessed staff urinating in stable boxes. This has been discussed in previous disciplinary cases as a likely route of crosscontamination from humans to horses and a sign has been posted for many years at La Grange insisting staff must not do this.
Dunlop told the Racing Post: “We are instigating, which I think is very important for the industry, random drug testing into my yard, which other yards are starting to do.
“I have contacted the National Trainers Federation, suggesting we look into doing this across the industry because we know many other industries have it. We’ll shortly meet with all the staff.”
Asked about the initial response from his staff, Dunlop said: “They’ve been very good, at this stage, but we haven’t got to the stage of – this is what you have to do.”
Comment was sought from the National Association of Racing Staff, which did not
respond before publication.
There have been two cases in the past decade in which cocaine has been found in samples taken from horses in Britain, Librisa Breeze at Windsor in 2015 and Walk In The Sun at Kempton in 2018.
Jeremy Noseda was fined £1,000 for the first case and £1,500 for the second and positive tests for other banned substances have also usually been dealt with by fines, so it may come as a shock to some that more significant penalties are now suggested by the BHA’s rules.
The effect of cocaine on a horse was described to the panel by the BHA’s Charlotte Davison: “Although there are legitimate uses for cocaine in human medicine, there are none in equine veterinary medicine,” she said. “Cocaine has the potential to alter the behaviour and performance of a horse, including an increase in heart-rate, blood pressure and maximum run time.”
Mac Neice argued that, in the absence of any blame being attached to Dunlop, a disqualification could not be justified, whether it was suspended or not. “Disqualification is by
some margin the most draconian punishment you can give to a participant in horse racing,” he said.
“It is an excommunication from the sport. It always has been reserved for the most serious of matters, where the person’s continued presence in the sport is judged to be a danger to the sport.”
But the panel said it had no discretion to alter the type of penalty specified in the sport’s rules. Mac Neice said afterwards: “The rules have got to enable appropriate and fair disposal of cases and it seems to me these rules don’t.
“What this means is that somebody who has been a rule-taker for 30 years, who has an impeccable record, who clearly adds to the industry, far from being a threat to it, has a sword of Damocles hanging over his head for 12 months.
“What does that achieve? It is clearly and obviously, utterly undeserved. The rule needs an urgent revisit and, in the light of this case, any amendment should, I think, be applied retrospectively.”
Pacific
THERE ARE NOW ONLY SIX RACEMEETINGS LEFT UNTIL THE CURTAIN COMES DOWN ON SINGAPORE RACING FOREVER.
It was announced in June 2023 that the final race meeting will be held on 5 October 2024, before the curtain comes down on the sport’s 180-year history in the Lion City and the land is handed back to the government in 2027
At Kranji on Sunday, Pacific Vampire showed his best was easily good enough at the top level after he won in a relative canter in the SG$100,000 Kranji Stakes A race over 1200m.
In a small but elite field of five that included this year’s Gr1 Lion City Cup (1200m) second and favourite Ghalib, as well as Gr2 Singapore Guineas winner Ace Of Diamonds, Pacific
Vampire (Bruno Queiroz) was also well in the betting and led as expected.
Meanwhile, Ghalib (Manoel Nunes) was wellpositioned on the outside of Ace Of Diamonds (Wong Chin Chuen) and both of them kept the leader in their sights.
As the field straightened for home, Pacific Vampire was cruising and had an ominous three-length lead. That gap widened with little effort by Queiroz at the 300m, so connections and punters had an easy watch over the final furlong as the five-year-old son of Impending eased down late for the easiest of wins.
Ghalib ran on well late with his top impost of 58kgs, but still finished two-and-a-quarterlengths back in second. Ace Of Diamonds ran another one-and-a-quarter lengths back in third.
The winning time was 1 min 11.28secs for the 1200m on the Polytrack. Pacific Vampire’s fourth win from nine starts in Singapore took his prizemoney to over SG$180,000 for the Pacific Stable.
When asked by The Straits Times’ racing journalist Michael Lee about his confidence of back-to-back wins, trainer Jason Ong thought Pacific Vampire could step up in Class with the Polytrack a factor.
“The opposition was tougher today, but I think we are definitely a lot more comfortable on the Poly(track) with him,” said Ong, who took the training honours after winning half of the races on the 10-race meeting. Lucky Hero, Free And Happy, The Wild Fire, and Surrey Hills were four others that saluted.
“He is a lot more genuine and comfortable travelling on the Polytrack.
“As I said previously, it took a while to get him to stay but now, we think he is just a sprinter and we don’t really want to take that speed out of him.
“So we got it right in the way we condition him. He had a really good prep.
“We got a good draw, and I knew we would get a soft lead, although we also thought (jockey) Krisna (Thangamani) would keep us honest on Asif.
“But because we had him right, he didn’t stop like he usually did. He kept on going and it was nice to see that.
“Moving forward, there is a good sprinting race on (Group 1) (Grand Singapore) Gold Cup Day (5 October) and maybe one more (race) before that.”
Queiroz was also confident of a good showing but was surprised by the ease of the win at this level.
“Pacific Vampire is a lovely horse but I was surprised to see how easily he won against some very good horses,” said the Brazilian hoop, who now leads the jockeys’ premiership on 52 wins.
“But the horse jumped very well and with 52.5kgs, I was happy to go to the front and give horses like Ghalib with weight something to catch.
“Earlier in the race, my horse gave me a very good feeling, so I kept the pace on into the straight.
“I was surprised I had a good gap on Ghalib at the 300m and just kept my horse going without too much pressure.
“By the 200m, I had won the race and took it easy. Again, I was surprised by how good my horse won.
“Jason and his team have done a great job. They did things differently with this horse and you can see today how things have improved again.
“I have to thank Jason and also the owners for supporting me.”
A longstanding racing editor of the Daily News, a horseracing presenter and producer for Mnet – SABC and the on-course TV shows, prior to the advent of Tellytrack, for many years, Stewart Ramsay lost his wife Robbyn in April 2022.
He leaves behind his sons Lloyd and Craig, and daughter-in-law Rusti.
MHDSRIP.
A doyen of horse racing broadcasting, James Maphiri has passed away at the age of 78. Popularly known as ‘Jimmy Bo-Horse’ in racing circles – a nickname he was given by radio DJ’s at Metro FM – James suffered from Parkinson’s disease for many years. Our condolences are extended to his family and friends.
MHDSRIP.
