SP SPRINT - 24 JANUARY 2024 by Sporting Post

Wednesday 24 January 2024

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MUZI & MUIS – MAGIC!

Candiese Lenferna captured this post feature race joy at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday as Muzi Yeni and Michael Roberts, who rode the Michael Roberts Stakes winner Bella Siccome, celebrated the moment.

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CONTENTS

Issue: 04/2024

On the cover

1999 J&B Met winner Horse Chestnut returns under Weichong Marwing. Image supplied.

CAPE SPLENDOUR!

It’s World Sports Betting Cape Town Met Day Will we see it again?

Second – who really cares? Second – who really cares?

Daniel Is Travelling Newmarket jockey adds international spice to big day

Premier Power Here’s a lot-by-lot snapshot

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Michael Roberts Honoured Gold Circle’s annual tribute

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IT’S THE MUIS AND STRIKER SHOW! This could be the view on Saturday! Michael Roberts, Piere Strydom and a champion called See It Again Credit: Chase Liebenberg

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While the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met field has been reduced to 12 runners with the withdrawal of Sean Tarry hope Bless My Stars, the stage is set for a great race that looks up for the taking by KZN champion See It Again. In a terrible blow for the connections and the organisers, five big raceday runners based at Randjesfontein were withdrawn earlier this week as a result of AHS travel restrictions.

of the Met field,” concluded Vermaak.

See It Again ticks every box in terms of supremacy and preparation, and it’s difficult not to see him winning easily.

For those players that wish to get in early, tote betting opened on all other bet types, including the exotics, and Race 11, on Tuesday 23 January.

And a massive day it is going to be!

A projected R10 million Pick 6 pool and a The quintet includes four runners from the Sean quartet expected to reach R4 million in the Tarry yard, headed by the top -class Bless My World Sports Betting Cape Town Met (Race Stars, who was the only filly in the final field of 9) are bound to be highlights of the Cape’s thirteen declared for the WSB Cape Town Met. biggest raceday of the year on Saturday. A 10% deduction will apply on bets struck prior to her withdrawal at 11h01 today. An eleven race card was published late last week for the World Pool event, and a treble Other Tarry withdrawals include Proceed Gr1 feast of high-quality racing has the (race 1), Winter Greeting (race 5) and the community abuzz. fancied Storm Brasco (race 8), who loses a big payday chance in the Cape Racing Gold Rush. Races 1 to 10 are designated World Pool races and offer Win, Place, Swinger, Quinella, and The Azzie trained Coldhardstare has been Exacta tote betting, which opens on withdrawn from the fifth race. Friday morning.

After last year’s traffic issues in a 19 horse field, the 12 runners in Saturday’s 162nd renewal should not encounter the same drama. The Sporting Post spoke to Cape Racing’s Justin Vermaak this week about the field size. “I am a bit perplexed as to the perceived ‘disappointment’ of the size of the final field expressed on social media. The Met is a weight-for-age race and never attracts a massive field. In 2023 we had 19 horses, in 2022 and 2021 there were 11, while in 2020 and 2019 we had 13,” onbserved Vermaak. He also drew our attention to the two twenty horse fields and the 169 runners that will contest the 11 races at an average of 15.36 per race. “These are massive numbers which some people are ignoring based on the size

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The first race is off at 11h55.

WSB MET ’24 THE EXPERTS’ QUARTETS v

Alistair Cohen

Devonne Govender

Lance Benson

Rouvaun Smit

See It Again

Pacaya

See It Again

Pacaya

See It Again

Double Superlative

Mucho Dinero

Al Muthana

Mucho Dinero

Pacaya

Royal Aussie

Anfields Rocket

Rascallion

Candiese Lenferna

Etienne Louw

Nadine Low Ah-Kee

Robyn Louw

See It Again

Royal Aussie

Mucho Dinero

Waterberry Lane

Mucho Dinero

Royal Aussie

Pacaya

Al Muthana

Pacaya

Montien

Royal Aussie

Charl Pretorius

Gary Lemke

Naqeeb Munshi

Shalandra Bunseelall

See It Again

Al Muthana

Double Superlative

Pacaya

Mucho Dinero

See It Again

Royal Aussie

Without Question

Double Superlative

Without Question

Rascallion

Double Superlative

Anfields Rocket

Chase Liebenberg

Grant Knowles

Neil Andrews

Tex Lerena

Mucho Dinero

See it Again

See It Again

Al Muthana

Double Superlative

Pacaya

Sugar Mountain

Royal Aussie

Rascallion

Double Superlative

Royal Aussie

Sugar Mountain

Without Question

Royal Aussie

Daryn Burroughs

Graeme Hawkins

Neil Pretorius

Tony Mincione

See It Again

Rascallion

Royal Aussie

Montien

Anfields Rocket

Mucho Dinero

Pacaya

Double Superlative

Pacaya

Rascallion

Al Muthana

Dave Scott

Henk Steenkamp

Nino Podesta

Warren Lenferna

See It Again

Mucho Dinero

Royal Aussie

Mucho Dinero

Royal Aussie

Without Question

Pacaya

Rascallion

Mucho Dinero

Waterberry Lane

Anfields Rocket

Deez Dayanand

Jo Mincione

Oscar Foulkes

See It Again

Mucho Dinero

Without Question

Double Superlative

Rascallion

Anfields Rocket

Pacaya

Double Superlative

Royal Aussie

Devon Pretorius

Karl Neisius

Peter Barker

See It Again

Mucho Dinero

Pacaya

Al Muthana

Montien

Mucho Dinero

Pacaya

Royal Aussie

Mucho Dinero

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Oh Susanna hangs on to beat Last Winter in 2018 | Credit: Hamish Niven Photography

MET SECOND BOX IS A LONELY PLACE Surely the worst place on Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racecourse on World Sports Betting Met day must be the number two box after the running of the big race; it’s where the runner-up cuts a lonely figure as the winner is being feted and fussed over. There’s no shame in running second, yet to be brutally honest, in racing, as in most sport disciplines, who remembers the losers? Be that as it may, the list of Met seconds over the past quarter of a century or so makes for fascinating reading, one which features a 14 | 24 JANUARY 2024

number of horses who lit up the firmament in their own special way.

In 1999, Horse Chestnut sauntered to his imperious 8.25-length Met victory, leaving Classic Flag trailing in his wake. David Ferraris’ four-year-old had won the previous year’s Gr1 Rothmans July in a time equalling the course record, this despite his wide 18 draw. Only El Picha would deny him of a July double the next year. Speaking of El Picha, the Argentine bred failed to concede seven kilos’ when going down by a neck to Badger’s Coast in the 2000 Met.

Six months later, he held on by the proverbial whisker to win the July for the second year running when he was rather controversially declared the winner over Young Rake. The 2001 Met was yet another cliff-hanger, with Mike Bass-trained Bunter Barlow defeating stable companion and subsequent Gr1 Durban July winner Trademark by a whisker. Voted the Champion Older Middle Distance Male, the runner-up, a grandson of the wonderful foundation mare Party Time, went on to add the Gr1 Queen’s Plate at age five.

which brought victories in the Gr1 Horse Chestnut, Gr1 Champions Cup and a second Gr1 Gold Challenge. A credit to the late Peter Kannemeyer, he eventually retired a seven-time Gr1 winner of over R3-million. Dual Horse of the Year Legal Eagle was another who found just one too good in the Met, not once, but twice.

Free My Heart showed he had lost none of his zest for racing at age seven with a second success in the Gr1 Queen’s Plate and a couple of weeks later in the 2003 Met, only Angus proved his superior whilst in in receipt of five kg.

Beaten comprehensively by the filly Smart Call in 2016, Sean Tarry’s champion again had to settle for second behind Australianbred Whisky Baron a year later. Whereas a Met victory proved elusive, the country’s undisputed Champion Miler over three seasons nevertheless recorded trebles in all of the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, Gr1 H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut and the Gr2 Green Point Stakes.

Wonderfully durable, the Beck/Newsome raced Jallad gelding had been voted the country’s Horse of the Year and Champion Older Middle Distance at age six, in a season

Fellow Horse of the Year Do It Again suffered the same fate in 2019, when he had to bow to Rainbow Bridge, who reversed his third behind the Snaith champion in the Gr1 L’Ormarins

The 2023 WSB Cape Town Met stampede | Credit: Candiese Lenferna

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Queens Plate. That was the dual Durban July winner’s best effort in five Met attempts and who knows, his much-vaunted three-part brother See It Again may well set the record straight on Saturday. As regards Rainbow Bridge, his Met record is more than exemplary. He contested the race three times, winning in 2019 as a four-year-old in the colours of the late Chris Gerber, repeated in 2021 for the Rattrays and came close to matching Pocket Power’s remarkable hat-trick when beaten only a longhead by One World in 2022. Hugely popular, this half-brother to champion Hawwaam also won the Gr1 Gold Challenge on two occasions and took home the prime silverware at the 2021 Equus Award ceremony. Crowned Horse of the Year, the son of Ideal World also scooped up the accolades for Champion Older Male and Champion Middle Distance Horse. Those who built on a second to go one better include Hill Fifty Four and Jet Dark. The former finished a neck behind Martial Eagle in 2013,

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but made no mistake twelve months later when he took the honours by the best part of a length over Yorker, who had won the Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup two runs before. By the way, whereas it was a career-defining moment for the winner, Yorker went on to claim both the Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and Gr1 President’s Champions Challenge in a season which earned him an Equus award as the Champion Older Horse. For multiple champion Jet Dark it was also a matter of ‘if you don’t succeed, try again”. Runner-up to Kommetdieding in 2022, he gained sweet revenge in an explosive finish to last year’s Met, heading the defending champion on the line. Quite a number of members of the fairer sex have also had to settle for the runner-up spot in recent times. In 2005, Alastor finished a half-length in front of the mare Icy Air and twelve months later, future Horse of the Year Ilha Da Vitoria, a five-length winner of the Gr1 Gommagomma Summer Cup, lost nothing in defeat when she made up

at least a dozen lengths in the straight, but fell a length short at the line behind the winner Zebra Crossing. And in in what was almost a déjà vu moment of their famous deadheat in the 2008 Vodacom Durban July, the Beck-owned grey Dancer’s Daughter finished just a neck behind the mighty Pocket Power in his third successive Met win in 2009. Third place went to Pocket Power’s yearyounger sister River Jetez, who moved from out of his shadow to claim the 2010 Met twelve months later, with her illustrious a length behind in third. Splitting the siblings was gallant four-yearold Mother Russia, whose run of seconds continued in 2011 when she finished just over a length behind Hassen Adams-owned winner Past Master. Perhaps the most frustrating runner-up of recent times has to be Last Winter. In the 2018 renewal, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge lined up as arguably the least

experienced runner in the field in what was only his sixth racetrack appearance. A fluent winner of his first four starts, he had been beaten a whisker in the Gr2 Premium Trophy after making up at least ten lengths in the straight and in the Met, an outside draw again saw him come from the tail end of the field. At the line, he failed by a half-length to reel in the winner Oh Susanna, but such was his momentum that two strides past the post, he was in front of the filly. On that effort, he surely had ‘future July winner’ written all over him, however, a chance to contest the country’s premier race came to naught when it was decided to send him overseas. Sad to say, he never won again and when he returned home, the missing Gr1 victory on his resumé probably cost him a place as a stallion at one of the leading studs. While no one disputes the merit of any Met winner, history shows that some truly remarkable horses have finished second and whoever fills that spot on Saturday, will find himself in good company!

2001 humdinger – stablemates Bunter Barlow and Trademark fight it out | Credit: Supplied

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Surfing Home beats stablemate Waitara | Credit: Supplied

TONY MILLARD’S MET 1-2 REMEMBERED To finish first and second in the J&B Met is remarkable enough; to do so with a pair of horses that have both been laid up with tendon injuries must elevate Tony Millard to a level so near that of his legendary father as makes no difference. The 28 January 1995 Gr1 J&B Met lifted Surfing Home to millionaire status, and there can be few seven figure earners who deserved it more than this gigantic American import.

Waitara. Crimson Waves and Counter Action disappeared from sight soon after turning for home, which left Waitara to set sail after Surfing Home.

Predictably, the lack of a true frontrunner in the Met field saw Surfing Home set a reasonable pace, but one that was by no means strong. Queen’s Plate winner Crimson Waves and sole three-year-old Counter Action stalked Jeff Lloyd’s mount, while Muis Roberts kept well in touch aboard second Millard entry

That Millard would win his second Met in three years was something of a foregone conclusion half way down the straight. Waitara mounted a challenge, but Surfing Home is a notoriously difficult horse to overtake when he’s in front. He clearly has a heart to 24 JANUARY 2024 | 23

match his generous physique, and he kept on going to beat Waitara by almost one length while conceding the runner-up 3.5 kgs. Imperial Despatch and Rusty Pelican filled the minor placings, yet again running to within inches of the form they showed in both the Daily News 2000 and Rothmans July last year. They also completed a Met quartet for Gauteng-trained horses, which doesn’t’ do much for the much theory that Johannesburg raiders are at a disadvantage when they race in Cape Town. Counter Action appeared not to stay the trip, while Crimson Waves pulled up last of all after possibly failing to cope with the unseasonably soft track. Spare a thought for the connections of Crystal’s Garter, who nearly impaled himself on a fence after breaking loose during the pre-race parade.

The form shown by Imperial Despatch and Rusty Pelican suggests that Crystal’s Garter would have been in with a real shout of winning the Met; he was meeting them on between 2.5 kgs and 3 kgs better terms for a beating of little over two lengths in the Daily News 2000 and on that form was handicapped with a winner’s chance. On the other hand, he might have had as much joy trying to get past Surfing Home as everyone else, which yet again makes you wonder just what the Rothmans July result would have been had the ‘Yank Tank’ not taken a scenic meander down the Greyville straight. • Extract – Sporting Post’s Sands Of Time, January 1995

Tony Millard at the lead in | Credit: Supplied

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Jehan’s favourite – The 2008 Met winner Pocket Power (Bernard Fayd’herbe) beats Our Giant (Richard Fourie), with Piere Strydom on fourth-placed Buy And Sell on the rail | Credit: Supplied

JEHAN’S MET MEMORIES Jehan Malherbe announced his retirement from commentating in 2023, having spent more than 40 years in as one of the principal commentators in Cape Town. While he did enjoy a guest commentating stint in North America, and has also covered other racing jurisdictions in South Africa on occasion, Jehan spent the majority of his commentating career in Cape Town.

While he will long be remembered for his commentary on the 1999 Gr1 J&B Met won so memorably by Horse Chestnut, Jehan has plenty of other memorable Met commentaries to look back on.

He called home the winners of the Cape’s greatest races on numerous occasions, and provided memorable coverage of the Met over much of the past four decades.

Along with Horse Chestnut, he says his most unforgettable Met memories came with Mark Anthony (1988), Empress Club (1993), and Pocket Power (2008). 24 JANUARY 2024 | 29

One of six Met winners for his trainer Terrence Millard, Mark Anthony came into the 1988 J&B Metropolitan off a sparkling win, over his star stablemate Royal Chalice, in the Queen’s Plate, and he was duly well supported to complete the Queen’s Plate/Met double when dispatched a red hot favourite. With just 52.5kgs on his back, the son of Royal Prerogative duly turned the race into a procession, sauntering home to score impressively by seven lengths while setting a new time to boot. Unfortunately, he would later be sidelined for 18 months, before dying tragically in training -but the ease of his win in the 1988 Met will live long in the memories of Jehan and all others fortunate enough to witness it. Empress Club, known to her legion of fans as the ‘Galloping Goldmine’, had proved all but unbeatable in her 15 starts leading up to the 1993 Met, winning all but two of them. On her last start before the Met of 1993, Empress Club showed her well being when thrashing champion Flaming Rock by more than three and a half lengths in the Queen’s Plate, and she would go on to complete

the Queen’s Plate/Met double in fine style. Despite drawn at 20 in the Met, Empress Club showed herself to be a class apart from her rivals, and all but cantered home to win as she liked by a length and three quarters. A champion at two, three and four, Empress Club was one of the greatest fillies ever to grace the South African turf, and her triumph in the Met was one of the highlights of a superb career. As imperious as Empress Club was in her Met win, outstanding three-year-old Horse Chestnut was, if anything, even more scintillating. Winner of five of his six starts prior to the 1999 Met, Horse Chestnut, the very first runner and winner for his sire Fort Wood, had pulverized his field when landing the G1 Cape Guineas on his final start before the Met and proved even more impressive in his Met win. Under Weichong Mawing, the colt was in front a long way from home and he pulled well clear in the final stages to win by eight lengths, leaving July winning champion Classic Flag well and truly vanquished in second place.

Empress Club winning the 1993 Met – another Jehan favourite | Credit: Supplied

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Perhaps Jehan described Horse Chestnut’s demolition job best when he called home, saying, “This is true greatness! Horse Chestnut is killing them in the J&B Met!” The brilliant colt would never lose another race, and wins in both the Gr1 SA Classic and Gr1 SA Derby would provide Horse Chestnut with a South Africa Triple Crown triumph. He would go on to win the Gr3 Broward Handicap on his only US start before retiring to stud at Claiborne Farm. Jehan also singles out Pocket Power’s victory in the 2008 Met as one of the highlights of his career. Bidding to defend his title, Pocket Power, who would go on to land the race again in 2009,

turned for home seven lengths off the leaders before powering home close home to score by a length and a quarter. Rightly described as a true champion in the race call, Pocket Power, one of the most popular horses of his generation, would retire from racing having won 20 of 43 races and won four G1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plates to go with his trio of Met victories. Ironically, his full-sister River Jetez would end Pocket Power’s winning Met run when she beat her older brother into third in the 2010 Met. The 2024 Gr1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met is set to be run at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday at 16h45.

Mark Anthony gets an honourable mention – this image is his 1987 Queen’s Plate performance | Credit: Supplied

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A ONE HORSE RACE? World Sports Betting Cape Town Met fever is spreading like wildfire as we count the days down to the 162nd renewal of the R2 million Grade 1 spectacular at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Not since the near invincible Horse Chestnut trumped a high-quality field in 1999, have we seen the big race betting boards so dominated by one horse. His name is See It Again, and the fairytale is set to unfold as two of our greatest jockeys of the modern era, Michael Roberts and Piere Strydom, team up with the 4yo son of Twice Over to gallop their way into the history books of the South African turf. While See It Again certainly deserves his lofty position atop the betting boards, there is no such thing as a racing certainty, and there will

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be many and varied expert opinions on the 2000m showdown and the balance of a tricky and bumper eleven race card. And none will be more valuable and insightful than veteran racecaller Rouvaun Smit and form expert Shaheen Shaw, who will team up with brand new Sporting Post-sponsored dual Grade 1 winning jockey Louis Mxothwa for a live panel discussion at the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth off-course branch at 1 Rosmead Avenue Kenilworth on Thursday 25 January at 17h30. Louis Mxothwa has nine top rides on the afternoon, including Gr1 SA Classic winner Anfields Rocket in the big race, and he will share his thoughts and opinions. Rouvaun Smit, known to a generation of racegoers as the ‘Golden Voice’ of the Cape, has been a popular fixture at these panel discussions over the years, and called his first

Met in 2014 when Hill Fifty Four won. Rouvaun has delivered the commentary on every Met since, bar Whisky Baron in 2017, and One World in 2020. An accident laid the legend of the eagle’s nest low in March 2023, and while he now gets by with the aid of a wheelchair, he says that wild horses will not keep him away from meeting and greeting the old faithful and regulars on Thursday evening. “I hope the locals come out in their numbers to enjoy the world-class Hollywoodbets hospitality, and let’s share our pearls of wisdom and opinions. This is a great raceday, and, believe me, every punter has a Met hard-luck story to tell too! So let’s make this a good luck year,” added Rouvaun. A lifetime horseracing fan, Shaheen Shaw hits the bookmakers hard with his popular ‘A Shaw

Thing’ podcast, and will be providing insights and hopefully some ‘Sunshine shrewdies’ for the big day. Hollywoodbets will offer boosted odds on the WSB Cape Town Met from 18h30 to 19h30 on Thursday evening on site, and at Hollywoodbets outlets countrywide. The times and prices are subject to fluctuation. Snacks and refreshments will be served, with spot prizes being given away during the course of the discussion All racing fans can look forward to a great evening of ‘infotainment’! For those who can’t make it on the evening, a replay will be made available on Youtube on GallopTV and Hollywoodbets.

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years 1994 –

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WELCOME LOUIS! v

The Sporting Post welcomes dual Gr1 winner Louis Mxothwa as our newest sponsored jockey and wishes him well ahead of the big day on Saturday

Credit: Chase Liebenberg

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MUSCUTT MAGIC ON MET DAY Cape Town-bound Daniel Muscutt, with wife Claire and daughter Florence | Credit: Supplied

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he Zimbabwe-born Daniel Muscutt becomes the third UK-based jockey after Frankie Dettori (2018) and Ryan Moore (2020) in recent years to add an international flavour to Met day, when he takes the ride on Saturday on past Cape Guineas winner Double Superlative for Justin Snaith in the World Sports Betting Gr1 Cape Town Met showpiece

The 28 year Newmarket-based son of leading KZN trainer Peter Muscutt told the Sporting Post that he was looking forward to returning to the Cape, where he rode as an apprentice for Brett Crawford and Stephen Page, and says that the decision to travel came out of the blue – literally!

“Dad called me after the L’Ormarins King’s Plate and suggested I come out for a week, and that I could take a few race rides. It’s been six years since I rode for him in South Africa, and we have had little quality Father-Son time together in the interim. Things are quiet now on the racing front here at home, so I jumped at the opportunity to also get some sun on my back. I am so looking forward to the visit and the chance to see old friends and what I believe is a fantastic new-look Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse.” Daniel and his wife Claire have a beautiful daughter that has added a precious new dimension to their lives since her joyous arrival in July. He says that he is super grateful for the blessing, and has enjoyed being a Dad.

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Daniel rides former top sprinter Rio Querari in the Cape Flying Championship | Credit:

“It’s a big life adjustment, and with the travelling 350 days a year and 7 days a week, I am away from home a lot. But Claire has been amazing and I really cannot take the credit for too much,” he adds humbly.

time and took a break over Christmas. When it comes to the heat of the season, it’s a non stop seven days a week!” he explains as he points out that Newmarket has 3 tracks maybe an hour and a half away, and the rest are further.

Daniel will be travelling to Cape Town on his own.

“So realistically I am behind the wheel for three to four hours many days. But I wouldn’t change my career for anything and the rewards are there for commitment and hard work. Things are really going well – I have reached 100 winners each year for the last two years, and am very proud of that,” he remarks as he chats to us after booting home the interestingly named Aidan Andabettin at Kempton Park.

“Florence is only just six months old, and has not flown before. It’s a long flight, so we decided to rather plan to do the family trip in 2025 when she’s a little bit older. Claire is looking forward to it as she has never been to Africa.” The logistics of plying his trade as a jockey out of Newmarket, saw Daniel doing an extraordinary 60 000 miles (you read that number right!) in a year, up and down the motorways. That’s 96 500km in our terms, or the equivalent of five return trips by road from Cape Town to Cairo! “It’s been a bit quiet as expected over winter, so I have focussed on a balance of more family 52 | 24 JANUARY 2024

On the development of his career, and his role as an ambassador as Hollywood’s first Northern Hemisphere-sponsored jockey, Daniel says that things have been going ‘very well’. “It’s very competitive out here. The weighing room is filled with lots of good jockeys, and couple that with a gruelling schedule, and one can really never rest on your laurels, ever!”

He says that on a personal professional level he doesn’t set himself ‘lofty’ targets and goals, and rather aims at 50 winners as a start. “It can make it a very long year if you have a big target in mind. So I set 50. Once I have 50, I turn the clock to 100. That way, when things go against you – as they sometimes do and there are many variables – they are easier to mind manage.” Daniel’s victory on Diderot at Lingfield Park’s All-Weather Vase Day saw him crowned AllWeather Champion Jockey for the first time in April last year, and that’s a career highlight he is very proud of. “That felt really good after the long slog, and the cold evenings. And I also like to stay busy on the all-weather as it keeps my weight in check,” he says with a smile. With the large variety of racing in the UK, Danny says that he is always looking for ‘Saturday horses’ that will develop into pattern quality types in time. “The good horses are not always easy to find, and even more difficult to stay on, given the surplus of really good riders here. But I have a really great bunch of trainers with decent ammunition supporting me. The likes of James Ferguson, James Fanshawe, Kevin Philippart De Foy and George Scott, have been good to me.” In what will be an enormous change of scenery from going around the all-weather tracks at home, Daniel takes seven rides on World

Sports Betting Met day, including Double Superlative in the WSB Gr1 Cape Town Met, and former champion speedster Rio Querari in the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship.“My Dad is excited about Isivunguvungu in the Cape Flying Championship. I saw he ran a cracker on his return recently. Naturally I would love to have ridden him, but Rio Querari is no slouch. I don’t know too much about my other rides, but they all come from top yards and I am so looking forward to the privilege of riding on what is an internationally recognised raceday.” Daniel says that he would also really love to ride a winner on the big day for his sponsors, Hollywood. “I follow the SA racing and the news, and it’s amazing to read and hear about what Hollywood have done for racing over the past few years. It’s an honour to carry the brand and this is a wonderful opportunity for me.” Daniel certainly has a pedigree to make it to the top in this tough game. He hails from a family steeped in horseracing. Besides his father’s credentials as one of South Africa’s most internationally experienced conditioners, his grandfather was a jockey and trainer, and his late uncle also rode professionally. Daniel grew up in West Wales and has realised his childhood ambition, serving as an apprentice jockey under Andrew Balding at Kingsclere. • The first race on World Sports Betting Cape Town Met day is off at 11h55.

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WHAT A CITY… WHAT A SALE! The 2024 Cape Racing Premier Yearling Sale, to be sponsored for the second year by the Tattersalls Group, Europe’s leading bloodstock auctioneers, is scheduled for Thursday 25 January 2024, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

Cape Racing will be staging the sale two days before the 2024 WSB Cape Town MET, set for a sparkling renewal following the momentum of their enterprising and innovative initiatives of 2023. Cape Racing is confident that last year’s aggregate of R44,825 million can be surpassed in 2024. A notable statistic from the 2023 Premier Sale is that 10% of the lots that passed through the ring were sold for R1 million or more, including 58 | 24 JANUARY 2024

the spectacular sales topper Valley of The Kings (Lot 107). The Maine Chance-bred colt by Gimmethegreenlight was knocked down for R3,8-million to the Hong Kong Jockey Club, who will be returning in search of a thoroughbred of similar quality this week. Besides the support of all of our top breeders, there are plenty of good reasons to buy a yearling.

Cape Racing’s Bonus Structure and Pinhooking Programme, means bonuses of R100,000 will be paid for the first juvenile win of any race, including open maiden races won by juveniles. This represents a return of R4 million in cash bonuses to valued sales clients over 40 races. The inaugural Cape Racing Slipper, featuring graduates from the 2023 sale, is the second race (12h30) and being contested on the WSB Cape Town MET Day for R1,25 million.

The stake has been upped to R1,5 million for the 2025 ‘Slipper’, for which this week’s graduates will qualify.

THE SPRINT IS INTERACTIVE PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR OUR LOT-BY-LOT SNAPSHOT.

ARE YOU A BUYER? The Raceform Buyers’ Guide is a detailed summary of the dam and siblings of the CRS Cape Premier Yearling Sale yearlings. It gives insight as to what to expect of the youngsters in terms of class, stamina, sale price. It’s essential reading for the prospective buyer. The sale starts at 14h30 at the CTICC on Thursday.

THE SPRINT IS INTERACTIVE CLICK HERE FOR THE BUYERS’ GUIDE

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THE STUFF OF DREAMS

From the stud farms of champions to the Sales ring where those champions are bought. What happens next is often the stuff of dreams.

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The Cape Racing Premier Yearling Sale, now powered by Tattersalls for the second successive year, has traditional unearthed quality that has gone on to set the race tracks alight, and even become established stallions and broodmares themselves. Gary Lemke writes that the reality though is that not even Nostradamus could predict what these yearlings will go on to become, but we can be sure that they are the crème de la crème offered by breeders. History repeats, and so history will repeat at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Thursday 25 January. One simply has to run a finger down the “roll of honour” to see what champions have come under the hammer at this prestigious Sale. Silver Mountain (2014), Just Sensual (2015), William Longsword (2015), One World (2017), Vardy (2017), Linebacker (2019), Chansonette (2020), Double Superlative (2020) and See It Again (2021) are a selection of yearlings who have gone on to achieve fame and fortune.

“There are some beautiful pedigrees. Just to touch on a few. There’s 2020 Horse of the Year Hawwaam who has his first crop of yearlings on this Sale. In total he has nine. One of them is a half-brother to current Horse of the Year, Princess Calla, and who has been named Pivotal Role. “Erik The Red is another exciting first-time stallion, and he has four yearlings for sale, but there are amazing pedigrees from Lot 1 to Lot 136. As an example, the final Lot of the Sale (136), is a Gimmethegreenlight filly who is a half-sister to Vardy, who won the 2020 Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate,” Campher said. She feels a special connection to this Sale. “It’s always great to start off the year surrounded by fellow horse enthusiasts and being able to view and admire such magnificent yearlings. I’ve marked some smart types that I’m keen to see up close and personal. Some of them I first saw as cute little foals on the farm.”

One World into the winner’s enclosure as a Met winner from this Sale.

Campher will be at the CTICC wearing her Kuda hat, so to speak. “I can’t emphasise how important insurance options are when it comes to sales, especially one as important as this one is. There might be a figure attached to a yearling who is bought, but they are priceless property and as young horses the reality is that things can go wrong on their way to featuring on the racetracks.”

“I really think it is a super draft. There is so much to be excited about,” says Jo Campher, Bloodstock Product manager at Kuda.

Buyers are encouraged to speak to Campher at the Sale to run through a bouquet of options available to suit an individual’s need.

In fact, See It Again, a 2021 CPYS graduate, is the odds-on favourite to win the Cape Town Met on 27th January. If he were to, he’d follow

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Mazaaher in foal to Soqrat and carrying lot 44 | Credit: Supplied

IT’S ALL ABOUT HOPES AND DREAMS Prominent owners Basie and Suzette Viljoen are hopeful that their success on the racetrack will spill over into the sales ring when they make their Cape Premier Yearling Sale debut on Thursday under the banner of their newly established Hopes and Dreams Stud.

The fledgeling breeders will offer a pair of wellrelated colts, the first of which is Soza (Lot 44), a September-foaled son of champion juvenile Soqrat, who incidentally, had his first runner at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth this weekend. A chestnut, Soza is also the first foal out of Mazaaher, one of just a handful daughters of the mighty Frankel in South Africa. More to the point, she just happens to be a daughter of South African Gr1 winner Chocolicious, who was rated amongst the 68 | 24 JANUARY 2024

leading juvenile fillies of her generation when she won the prestigious Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship at Scottsville. Following a stint in Dubai, where she placed third in the UAE Guineas, the daughter of Kahal returned home where she regained the winning thread, scoring three more times. She was sold privately to Australians Darren and Elizabeth Dance who sent her to the UK and a liaison with Frankel before shipping her to Australia, where she duly gave birth to

a ‘lovely filly’, which was sold to Shadwell at the Inglis Easter Sale for $610,000. Named Mazaaher, she was sent to South Africa and was one of a parcel of mares put up for auction following the passing of Shadwell owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. In foal with Soza, she was knocked down to Suzette at R90,000. At the current exchange rate, that’s around 4000 pounds, a mere fraction of Frankel’s covering fee! Remarked Suzette: “Mazaaher is a beautiful mare. I love her first foal; he has a wonderful character and such a kind eye.” As regards the Viljoens’ second offering Blue Steel (Lot 60), a colt by Gr2 winner Erik The Red, it would seem that physically, he is very much his father’s son.

‘He’s a strong, big-boned sprinting type and should be precocious,” says Suzette of the first foal out of Elusive Fort mare Popova. She scored twice for the Alistair Gordon stable whilst the grandam Jettin’ Along is a winning Jet Master half-sister to the Gr2/3 winning stayer and Gr1 Gold Cup third Blake and to Della Scala, the dam of Gr1 Cape Guineas and SA Classic third Like A Phanter. Another prominent name which immediately jumps up from the pedigree page is that of Sabine Plattner’s champion sprinter Laisserfaire. Suzette may be an old pro as a buyer, yet finds her new role as a vendor quite nerve wracking and also admits: “I know I shouldn’t be sentimental, but it’s hard to say goodbye.” Both colts can be inspected in stable block C.

Suzette and Basie Viljoen – a big Thursday | Credit: CRS

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Riverton’s Lot 48 – a son of William Longsword | Credit: Supplied

RIVERTON AT PREMIER The farm will be offering another well related son of William Longsword (Lot 48) at the upcoming Cape Racing Premier Yearling Sale Powered By Tattersalls. This colt, a half-brother to a winner, is out of Moulin Royalea twice winning half-sister to classy race mare Mill Queen. The latter won three of her first five starts including the Gr3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes, beating graded stakes winners Cockney Pride, Palace Of Dreams and Golden Belle, and was also runner up, beaten less than a length by subsequent Equus Champion Gabor, in the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes. Moulin Royale is out of the three-time winning mare Moulin Grise -whose own dam Mille D’or 76 | 24 JANUARY 2024

was an Elliodor half-sister to the stakes winning Dance On Wood, and, further back, this is the family of Gr1 Yorkshire Oaks winner Super Tassa. Mille D’or’s sire Elliodor was an excellent broodmare sire and also ranks as the damsire of highly successful sire Master Of My Fate, as well as such Gr1 winners as Aslan, Cordocelli, Dog Wood, French Navy, Kochka, Trademark, and Val De Ra among others. Elliodor is also broodmare sire of Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes winner Exhilaration -who, like William Longsword, was sired by Captain Al! This exceptional colt was born at Riverton to a client’s mare. He made such an impression on Duncan Barry and farrier John Gatt, that they bought him as a weanling.

Well-bred Cape Guineas winner William Longsword is having another good season in 2023-2024. The son of Captain Al (also responsible for hot young sire One World and the Riverton bred sprint champion Captain Of All) ended last season on 68 winners off more than 100 races, with his progeny earning more than R9.584 million in South Africa during 2022-2023. That season saw William Longsword supply stakes winners Virginia Sweet, Lord William and Gr3 World Sports Betting Legal Eagle Stakes winner ItsRainingWilliam. This season, William Longsword is currently above the likes of Flower Alley, Silvano, and Trippi, among others, on the General Sires List, and has a number of smart sorts to his name. Among his flagbearers this season are the topclass sprinters Dyce and Rulership, winners of the Gr3 New Turf Carriers Merchants and Gr3 Betway Lebelo Sprint respectively, with Dyce having also captured this season’s Listed Golden Loom Handicap.

Dyce has won six of 13 starts including the 2021 Gr2 Epol Umkhomazi Stakes, while his paternal half-brother Rulership has won his last three starts on the bounce. Riverton Stud are no strangers to William Longsword. The farm bred William Longsword’s highly talented son Melech, regarded as a possible hope for major feature races this season. To date, Melech has won five of nine starts, and downed 2023 Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Lady Of Power and fellow graded stakes winners Crimson King, Litigation and Gilded Butterfly when scoring at Turffontein last time out. Whilst the Riverside Grooms pinhooked and raised Vercingetorix at Riverton, this dynamic duo are no strangers to pinhooking success. They have previously pinhooked Gr1 Cape Guineas winner Russian Rock, Dual Gr1 winner Same Jurisdiction and Gr2 Drill Hall champ Tales of Bravery!

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Lot 8 – a son of Futura | Credit:

LAMMERSKRAAL AT PREMIER It’s been nearly ten years since Pieter Graaff bought Lammerskraal Stud, situated in the bountiful Ceres Valley, and he continues to invest in well-performed mares to buttress the broodmare band.

a winner of four races between 1600m and 2000m. Old-time racegoers will fondly remember the exploits of 16 x winning G1 sprinting star Cordocelli, who pops up in this filly’s pedigree under the third dam, Saucy Elly.

The farm will showcase five yearlings at CPYS 2024: two by Ideal World and one each by Querari (this colt, Lot 124, is out of the Galileo mare, Cantabella), Futura and What a Winter.

Keyboard is stoutly bred, being by stamina influence, Futura out of stakes winner and halfsister to Jay Peg, Epona.

Lot 30, a bay filly called Into Dancing and sired by Ideal World, comes from a renowned Lammerskraal female line. 2nd dam Akinfeet had great success put to Western Winter, throwing Champion Miler in SA in 2013/14, Capetown Noir and 11 x winner, Across the Ice. 11 of her 12 foals to compete won multiple races. Into Dancing is the first foal of In the Dance, who won thrice as a sprinter and was runner-up in the Tibouchina Gr2 and Ipi Tombe Gr2. Lot 18 is by What a Winter out of the Stakes winning Jet Master mare, Gathering Fame,

The second dam, Laptop Lady, was a legend – all ten of her progeny won, including Jay Peg, Champion Three-year-old colt in SA in 2006/7 and remembered for his saddle-slipping G1 heroics in Dubai and Singapore. Patrons can view this bay colt, Lot 8, in stable C5. Lot 79 is Sidonie’s eagerly anticipated first foal by Ideal World. Close followers of Lammerskraal will recognise many luminaries on the female side through the second dam Bardot – Viva Maria, Sovereign Spirit, Warriors Rest, Bichette, Pilou and Blizzard Belle.

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Lot 18 – a daughter of What A Winter | Credit:

Lot 30 – lovely filly by Ideal World | Credit: 80 | 24 JANUARY 2024

Lot 79 – colt by Ideal World | Credit:

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RIDGEMONT’S RESILIENT

CHAMPIONS

There’s never a dull moment at forward- thinking Ridgemont Stud with exciting developments constantly underway, and they despatch an alluring draft of 14 yearlings to the upcoming Cape Premier Yearling Sale 2024, which will be held on Thursday 25 January in the CTICC. Ridgemont stand freshman sires Malmoos and Real Gone Kid, as well as established producers Canford Cliffs, Potalo Palace and Champion Freshman Sire of 2021, Rafeef. Rafeef (4 yearlings) and Canford Cliffs (2 babies) comprise nearly half the draft with ace sires, Vercingetorix (3 Lots) and Gimmethegreenlight (2 youngsters) also represented. Single yearlings by Hawwaam, Erupt and One World complete Ridgemont’s pleasing offering. There is plenty Australian Black Type evident on the page of Lot 40, No More Nonsense, a Rafeef colt ex Maningi Indaba so he is bound to garner much attention. OZ bloodlines also feature prominently in Lot 119, an Erupt colt out of Being Fabulous.

Vogue and 3rd dam, the Foveros mare, Thousand Nights. Gimmethegreenlight has, of course already twice been SA Champion Sire and as the sire of 58 Stakes winners, his offspring are highly prized. Takingthepeace won the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic and a bunch of other features so her Vercingetorix colt should get the tongues wagging. Vercingetorix has already sired 29 stakes winners, including 8 Gr1’s winners from 322 runners. To check out Lot 90’s athletic prowess, head to stable A6. London News mare, Piccadily Miss has a 100% strike rate from five foals to race. One of them, Wrecking Ball is a zippy, Gr3 winning sprinter.

Lot 114, a Vercingetorix filly ex 5 x winner, Piccadily Miss has been put to Champion 3 Ancient Spirit (a daughter of Fastnet Rock) has y-o colt in SA in 2018/19, Hawwaam and the extensive international links running through resultant bay colt is listed as Lot 59. the female side. One World is making a splash with precocious Lot 108, Victor, is another by leading sire juveniles and Lot 70 is worthy of closer Vercingetorix out of African Lily, who has inspection. The full brother Lion Rampart has already thrown King’s Cup victor, Trip to Africa. already won in some style at only his second outing, so whilst the “page” is promising, be Lots 75 and Lot 104 are Gimmethegreenlight sure to visit stable A8 and get confirmation by colts. The former, Scorpio, is out of She’s seeing Give it Laldy in the flesh. a Giver, an accomplished performer on the Highveld, whilst Getupandgo’s dam, Craig Carey is the vastly experienced horseman Whatalady also won multiple races between to contact in connection with Ridgemont’s 1200m and 1600m, with Black Type stretching attractive draft. His cell number is 082 654 5169 back across generations through 2nd dam, or email craig@ridgemont.co.za 84 | 24 JANUARY 2024

Lot 40 - Stunning Rafeef colt | Credit: Supplied

Lot 70 - Athletic One World colt | Credit: Supplied 24 JANUARY 2024 | 85

Lot 75 - Beautifully bred Gimmethegreenlight colt | Credit: Supplied

Lot 90 - Smart looking Vercingetorix colt | Credit: Supplied 86 | 24 JANUARY 2024

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Avontuur present a daughter of Hawwaam – lot 24 | Credit: Supplied

HAWWAAM OFFSPRING IN THE RING One of the most fascinating aspects of this week’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale is the first crop of Hawwaam who was Equus Champion Three Year-Old Colt in 2018/19. David Mollett writes that now standing at Wilgerbosdrift Stud, Hawwaam is represented by nine yearlings on Thursday’s sale being held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. His draft includes a half-brother to last season’s Horse-of-Year, Princess Calla, and has been consigned by Maine Chance Farms. They have given the colt – an early foal – the strong name of Pivotal Role.

Princess Calla’s trainer, Sean Tarry, will be one of the first to run his expert eye over the youngster when viewing opens on Tuesday and the bids for lot 63 should come fast and furious to two of the planet’s best auctioneers, John O’Kelly and Andrew Miller. While it’s noticeable Wilgerbosdrift are not selling any of Hawwaam’s nine offspring, Winterbach Stud are offering two colts by the son of Silvano. 24 JANUARY 2024 | 89

First up for Hendrik Winterbach’s stud is lot 27 which understandably has the farm excited as this early foal (August 8) is a half-brother to Montien who represents Piet Botha’s stable in Saturday’s WSB Met. His Louis The King gelding won the Gr3 Cape Mile at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. Winterbach’s other Hawwaam colt is Lot 47 and this yearling is the fourth produce of the Captain Al mare, Moonlight ‘N Roses. Narrow Creek Stud send four yearlings to the sale and they include a daughter of Hawwaam also out of a Captain Al mare, Ever Fair. This filly was also an early foal. Ridgemont have a really good mix of sires in their 14-strong draft including the progeny of Vercingetorix, Gimmethegreenlight, Rafeef, Canford Cliffs, Erupt and One World. Their Hawwaam offering is Lot 59 a colt out of the six-time winning mare, Picadilly Miss. This youngster is a half-brother to Wrecking Ball who won six races including the Tommy Hotspur Handicap. Avontuur Estate send a six-horse draft to the sale and perhaps their top lot will be their

One World colt, Dreamworld (lot 5), whose granddam is Val De Ra, an 11-time winner and Champion Sprinter in SA in 2010/11. However, Pippa Mickleburgh will be expecting plenty of interest in a daughter of Hawwaam (lot 24) whose dam, Hannah Gorgeous, who is a three-quarter sister to Futura. The first Hawwaam yearling into the ring is a colt consigned by Millstream Farm. This early foal is a half-brother to the four-time winner King Of The Delta and three-time winner, Barneys Pride. The final Hawwaam to be offered is a bay colt named Jumpseat – a clever name as the dam is Boeing City. This yearling has been consigned by Ambiance Stud who have a well-bred Rafeef colt (Lot 76) who is a half-brother to Keep The Lights On and Clifton Crusher. Mike De Kock saddled Hawwaam to five Gr1 wins and it will be interesting to see if the former champion trainer takes home any of his nine yearlings.

Champion Hawwaam in action | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

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RIDGEMONT’S RAFEEF CRACKS ANOTHER v

Its close, but Smanga Khumalo and Troppo Veloce grab the honours | Credit: JC Photos

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After some bad luck at her last feature start, Sean Tarry’s Troppo Veloce showed her true ability when breaking the stakes ice with a smart victory in a thrilling finish to the R200 000 Betway Listed Swallow Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday. After being reshod at the start of the Sophomore 1000 and then not jumping well, Troppo Veloce still managed a good second to Golden Sickle. On Saturday she was relaxed by Smanga Khumalo as the pacy One Fell Swoop and Happy Analia did the donkey work out front. With the game One Fell Swoop taking a breather and then recharging her jets, Troppo Veloce came forward powerfully from a few lengths. In a thriller, Troppo Veloce (17-10) finished powerfully to pip the courageous One Fell Swoop (17-2) by a nose in a time of 66,26 secs for the 1160m. Cullinan Blue (13-10) was a tad outpaced early, but stayed on well for third, a further 0,80 lengths adrift. This was Sean Tarry’s third winner of the day. Originally a R150 000 National Yearling Sale graduate, Troppo Veloce was purchased by Jannie de Lange’s Waste Glass Recovery Pty Ltd out of a partnership for R250 000 on the Fortune Racing June Sale in 2023. Troppo Veloce, whose name translates from Italian to ‘too fast’, is now a winner of 4 races with 3 places from 9 starts and took her earnings to R383 750. Bred by the now closed Piemonte Stud, Troppo Veloce is out of the Australian-bred Elusive Quality mare Aljawhara Troppo Veloce is a daughter of Ridgemont star Rafeef, who was South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire of 2020-2021. The son of Redoute’s Choice is enjoying another fine season with his flagbearers 98 | 24 JANUARY 2024

including the stakes winners Aragosta, Mrs Browning, Juliet Tango and Troppo Veloce, who looks a very exciting speed prospect. Rafeef has 16 lots on offer at this week’s Cape Racing Premier Yearling Sale Powered By Tattersalls, and a further eight lots on sale at the 2024 BSA Cape Yearling Sale.

HOW THE HANDICAPPERS SAW IT

Troppo Veloce has had her merit rating raised from 106 to 108 after winning the Listed Betway Swallow Stakes over 1160m at the Turffontein Standside track on Saturday. The Handicappers were of the opinion that the 3rd placed Cullinan Blue would not have run below the 106 rating she achieved when winning a FM 90 Handicap in her previous run. Accordingly, her performance figure of 106 rather than her official pre-rating of 103 was used to rate the Listed Betway Swallow Stakes. One Fell Swoop was only increased by 3 points from 96 to 99 despite running to a considerably higher level here due to the specific race conditions that state that placed horses may only receive a maximum adjustment of 3 points. This means that One Fell Swoop will benefit from a 4,5kg swing at the weights with Troppo Veloce for a 0.10 of a length beating, and a 3,5kg swing at the weights with Cullinan Blue who she beat here should they meet on Handicap terms in the future. The following horses were dropped in the ratings, Moving In dropped to 94 from 95 while Leaving Las Vegas dropped by 4-points from 98 to 94.

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WINTERBACH – WHERE QUALITY IS A WINNER Winterbach Stud can be found amongst the rolling hills and vineyards near Stellenbosch, where visitors are treated to a warm, hospitable welcome, and the horses are lavished with the best possible care. The Stud has yet again come up with a select, quality draft to be presented at the CRS Cape Premier Yearling Sale this Thursday afternoon at the CTICC. Lot 27, Capranica, is by Hawwaam out of Hope Downs and thus a half-brother to an accomplished middle-distance performer and Met entry, Montien. The second dam, Hancock News, was seriously speedy, while the 3rd dam, Hancock

Park, was at the top of the SA Juvenile rankings in the early 90s. Winterbach offers another Hawwaam – Lot 47 ex the Captain Al mare, Moonlight’ n Roses. Second dam Soft Landing removed the Gr1 Garden Province Stakes, adding further lustre to this pedigree. Lot 36 is an unnamed bay colt by Rafeef out of La Volta, so a full brother to Gr1 Computaform Sprint winner, Master Archie. 24 JANUARY 2024 | 101

He is sure to generate significant attention amongst discerning buyers. One World’s progeny are making an early splash – Lot 69 is a filly out of Saints Alive, a sister to top-class Safe Harbour. The third dam, Saintly Lady, won up to the Gr1 level – plenty of Black Type is going back through the generations.

What a Winter has been around for some time now, consistently amongst the top echelon of SA sires. The former Equus Champion Sprinter has produced 24 Stakes winners from 502 runners and bay yearlings; Whatastar ex Talitha Borealis looks interesting.

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The mare won five races between 1400m and 1800m and is a half-sister to six-time winner Supercede. Winterbach’s final offering is Lot 105, Parental Guidance, by Querari ex Xplosive Kiss, a halfsister to Gr2 Victor, Second Base. This goodvalue stallion has produced 37 stake winners from 554 runners and was SA’s leading sire of two-year-olds in 2018/19. For more detailed insights into these yearlings, feel welcome to contact Hendrik Winterbach at 082 465 4433 or via email: winterbach.stud@gmail.com

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Bella Siccome charges home under Muzi Yeni | Credit: Candiese Lenferna

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BELLA SICCOME

CAUSES THE UPSET Eleven-times SA champion jockey Michael Roberts is in the singularly biggest week of his training career as he carries the KwaZulu-Natal flag into Saturday’s World Sports Betting Gr1 Cape Town Met at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the back of odds-on favourite See It Again. The last KZN trainer to win the big one was David Payne, who saddled Imperious Sue in 1998 and prior to that the then Clairwood based Vaughan Marshall, who saddled La Fabulous to win under Robbie Fradd in 1996.

At the line Bella Siccome (14-1) had a length to spare over the consistent Cape Eagle (33-20), who appeared to enjoy being ridden with some restraint.

On Sunday Roberts was hosted, as he has been done for years by Gold Circle, on his annual tribute raceday at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, the scene of his first winner 56 years ago.

The winner’s time was 106,12 secs.

While the vibe and atmosphere was bullish ahead of a big week, the weather-delayed headliner, the R90 000 Michael Roberts Stakes, has tumbled down the rankings and was run as a non black-type contest on Sunday. The 1750m race attracted a field of nine runners, and after Calvin Habib and Addabar had set some serious fractions out front, the pack attacked at the 300m and it was Paul Lafferty’s Silvano mare Bella Siccome who found her first winning stride since the 2023 Listed Christmas Handicap, when she kicked on best under Muzi Yeni.

Formagear (3-1), under replacement rider Sean Veale was a head back in third.

A R120 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, Bella Siccome was bred by Maine Chance and is a daughter of their late multiple champion Silvano (Lomitas) out of the well-performed Dynasty mare, Bella Spumante. A winner of 7 races with 10 places from 27 starts, Bella Siccome has banked R483 650 in stakes. Michael Roberts won the eighth, the Lando MR 77 Handicap, with the favourite Bless Me Fred, ridden by Brevan Plaatjies. Peter Muscutt and Sporting Post-sponsored jockey Tristan Godden enjoyed a nice double.

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MZOLISI’S v

MAINGARD MAGIC

Mzolisi Njengele is all smiles after his big win | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

Mzolisi Njengele broke the ice at just his second race ride at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday when he got Casino Ace home to win the second leg of the 2023/24 Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series.

No time was taken.

Mzolisi, who works for winning trainer Ricky Maingard, had run third in the first leg of the series on Casino Ace at his personal debut, and was not winning the R120 000 Workriders Maiden Plate out of turn on a 4yo that looked overdue to escape the maiden ranks.

Bred by Hemel ‘n Aarde Stud, the winner was purchased by Jaghorn Thoroughbreds for R80 000 at the 2021 BSA Cape Yearling Sale. He did a tendon early on and missed the Ready To Run Sale as a result of that, but even though very small in stature, has recovered well to win a race.

Riding with much more confidence and collection than on his debut in December, Mzolisi always had Casino Ace in the firing as Captain Cool and Consigliere took their turns up front for the first 800m of the 1200m contest. Riding a balanced race, Mzolisi kept Casino Ace (5-2) at his task to beat early series log-leader William Bambiso on Tam’s Knight (4-1) by 1,50 lengths.

Consigliere (33-1) showed good pace and encouraging improvement to run a further 1,40 lengths back in third.

A winner of 1 race with 3 places from 6 starts for stakes of R111 888, Casino Ace will always have a place in Mzolisi Njengele’s heart on what was a special day in his career. The Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series has a R25 000 prize pool which will be shared amongst the top five riders on the final log. In addition, the riders will also receive the standard riding commissions. Points are earned by individual workriders in each of the four races and to keep all stakeholders updated, Cape Racing will publish a log on the Monday following each of the races. The next race in the series will be held at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on 5 February and reaches what is bound to be an exciting climax on 17 February. Follow all the latest Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series news on blog. hollywoodbets.net and www.caperacing.co.za

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Muzi Yeni has Sakhala Is’Cathulo in control for the milestone victory | Credit: JC Photos

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500 UP FOR HOLLYWOOD SYNDICATE The Klawervlei bred William Longsword gelding Sakhala Is’Cathulo, whose name appropriately means ‘the game is on’, grabbed the limelight at a relatively low-key Turffontein racemeeting last Thursday when he stayed on resolutely to register his maiden victory to mark a momentous 500th winner milestone for the Hollywood Syndicate. Clinton Binda, Muzi Yeni and Claudius Mwandama were the men in the hot seat on what was a truly auspicious day for a syndicate that has grown from their humble first winner Splendid Night, on 13 March 2002, to a powerful force today in racing in both South Africa and the UK. The 2022 Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate, who was only the second horse selected by Hollywood buyer Jo Mincione with trainer Clint Binda, was named by Zandile Madondo, a member of the Hollywood PR and Communications team. The 3yo Sakhala Is’Cathulo was having only his fifth start after showing smart improvement in blinkers at the Vaal at his previous start. Given a peach of a ride by Stone Stamcorsponsored Muzi Yeni, Sakhala Is’Cathulo (3320) looked a potentially beaten horse 200m out when challenged by the filly Thing Called Love (2-1), but came back resolutely to score a 1,20 length victory in a time of 61,04 secs for the 1000m. Muzi Yeni, who has ridden 25 winners for the Hollywood Syndicate over the years, reflected back on the days when he was assisted with air tickets to Kimberley and doffed his cap to Hollywood boss, Owen Heffer.

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Long-serving groom Claudius Mwandama, a man of few words, thanked his boss and said that he was proud to be a part of Hollywood Syndicate history. Trainer Clinton Binda, had a broad smile on his face and said that he wasn’t complaining that Wednesday’s Hollywoodbets Greyville racemeeting had been washed out. Binda has certainly been an integral player in the success story over the years, and this was his 98th winner for the team. Next best on wins rankings is Summerveld trainer Alyson Wright on 71. The experienced Binda’s first winner for the Hollywood Syndicate was their 24th, and he has shown some excellent timing over the years as he also landed the milestones of 50th winner and 200th winner. The Hollywood Syndicate enjoyed their best season ever last term with their 124 wins incorporating 5 Grade 1 victories, by three different horses in Anfield’s Rocket,

Make It Snappy and Isivunguvungu, The previous season they racked up 101 wins. The Hollywood Syndicate were back in the winner’s box at Turffontein two races later when apprentice Trent Mayhew steered Princess Kesh home for trainer Heather Adamson. A glance at the purple and yellow team’s key stats over the years tells a story of widespread support across the country. Their 500 wins were achieved by 206 different horses bred by 77 different breeders. Hong Kong -based reigning SA champion jockey Keagan de Melo has ridden the most winners for the Hollywood Syndicate, with 43 firsts. Winning Form-sponsored national log leader Richard Fourie is on second spot with 39. Clinton Binda is one of 35 different trainers to have saddled a winner for the Hollywood Syndicate.

Claudius Mwandama shows his delight | Credit: JC Photos

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DREAM BREEDERS CLUB v

Established 4 September 2023

for the thrill of it Dream Breeders Club is a bona fide Recreational Club established in South Africa for anybody, anywhere to participate in the fun, excitement, pleasure and thrill of thoroughbred racehorse breeding on a low cost basis. Become part of our exciting adventure as we now await the arrival of a foal in 2024 by Digital Age out of Sameeha (Westen Winter x Blyth Spirit by Rakeen) and pursue further interests as membership base grows. Individual, Family and Corporate Membership options available at less than a night out! Email : dreambreedersclub@gmail.com or 083 307 1478 24 JANUARY 2024 | 115

TOP AUSSIE BREEDING OPERATION CLOSES Element Hill bred Hong Kong star Golden Sixty | Credit: Candice Lenferna

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A quality packed line up of stock from one of Australia’s leading breeding operations will go under the hammer at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Sale. Element Hill, the Queensland based breeder of Hong Kong’s champion galloper Golden Sixty, is being dispersed and more than 40 horses will be offered without reserve. The yearling half sister to Golden Sixty, his dam in foal to Home Affairs, group winning and group producing mares and weanlings by many of the world’s hottest sires will feature in an exclusive offering. Weanlings by sires including Exceed and Excel, I Am Invincible, Maurice, Profiteer, So You Think, Stay Inside, The Autumn Sun and Zoustar are all set to be offered at the Gold Coast in May. Broodmares catalogued include stakes winners Amelia’s Dream, Gaudeamus, Perfect Truth, Risk Aversion and Shazee Lee. Two of the broodmares

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are proven Group One winner producers. The covering sire of broodmares set for sale feature Capitalist, Dundeel, Home Affairs, In the Congo, So You Think, Stay Inside, Wootton Bassett, Zoustar and Queensland stars Better Than Ready and Spirit of Boom. Two yearling fillies will be offered headlined by the Wootton Bassett half sister to the aforementioned champion Golden Sixty. Element Hill’s General Manager Josh Hutchins said the sale would be an emotional time for the family. “Very much so, it will be sad,” Hutchins reflected. “First and foremost we have been in the industry, breeding for so long.”

“This industry has become part of our family and has given us such incredible memories, but we decided it’s now time for the next chapter.” Hutchins said the family had a number of business interests from property development and investment, to storage and footwear operations and felt now was the time to disperse the bloodstock. “While it will be an emotional time at the National Sale when selling these horses, we want people to know we won’t be totally lost to the game. We will focus on just being a buyer and racing a few fillies and standing on the other side of the rostrum.” “We are incredibly proud to have bred and raced a number of high class horses over the years. There’s been an Australian Horse of the Year (Typhoon Tracy) to breeding the all time highest money earner in world racing (in Golden Sixty).” “It’s been an amazing journey and it’s something we are very proud of. Not all farms can say that!” “While it is very emotional to be selling the horses - it will be hugely sad to be saying farewell to our incredible staff at the farm. Some have been with us for 10-15 years and become family.” Hutchins said the forthcoming dispersal would give buyers a rare opportunity to buy into some of the family’s developed by Element Hill. “We have tried to keep the families close to home over the years. This sale will provide an opportunity for buyers to get into those families we’ve had such great success with.” “Our weanlings are by extremely commercial sires and our mares have some of the top covering sires possible.” “Obviously the (yearling) half sister to the great horse (Golden Sixty) is an absolute standout.” “She is by Wootton Bassett, who was so well received at the Gold Coast this month, and we were so excited to be getting her to the recent

“A wonderful group of weanlings will be presented along with Golden Sixty’s outstanding yearling half sister and a group of broodmares that would fiat into any elite breeding operation.” sale. She just had a minor hiccup, nothing that will affect her future and we are delighted that she will be there headlining the draft.” “Golden Sixty’s half sister is a magnificent type and is an exciting racing prospect before you even take into account her breeding value,” Hutchins added. The announcement of the Element Hill Unreserved Dispersal Sale continues a proud history of the National Sale hosting important and industry shaping dispersals. In the past decades those have included Shadwell Stud Australasia, Wood Nook Farm, Edinburgh Park, Spendthrift Australia, Patinack Farm, Teeley Assets and the Estates of the Late Eduardo and Henry Cojuangco. “Element Hill is a name that is synonymous with success,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. “The H brand has adorned many stars around the world - none more so than Hong Kong’s greatest galloper and Magic Millions Yearling Sale graduate Golden Sixty.” 24 JANUARY 2024 | 119

“The Hutchins family have built up an impressive honour roll of success and the fruits of this work will be on offer at the National Sale in May.” “A wonderful group of weanlings will be presented along with Golden Sixty’s outstanding yearling half sister and a group of broodmares that would fit into any elite breeding operation.” “John, Fu Mei and Josh have become great friends and important clients for Magic Millions over a number of decades and it will be very sad to see them leave the breeding game.” The outstanding Element Hill property will be presented to the market in the coming months by Donovan & Co in conjunction with Magic Millions. Please contact Clint Donovan for further information on 0421 944 985. The 2024 Magic Millions National Sale is scheduled to be held from May 23 to June 5.

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“Each year the National Sale presents the finest line up of weanlings, race fillies and broodmares and 2024 will be no different - the Element Hill Dispersal Sale will be just one of many highlights,” Bowditch added.

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results up to: 2024-01-24

TRAINERS Place %

Win Stake (R)

Total Stakes (R)

219

41.1

6,323,631

9,720,625

146

42.8

5,921,250

8,108,313

125

45.1

2,777,500

5,817,063

151

36.9

3,593,194

5,783,681

145

49.0

2,815,625

5,637,075

Wins Win%

2nd

3rd

Other Places

Place %

Win Stake (R)

Total Stakes (R)

724

146

20.2

126

158

357

49.3

9,011,438

14,021,313

Mr M A Yeni

784

106

13.5

106

181

379

48.3

9,467,813

13,233,113

Mr C J Habib

605

12.2

122

244

40.3

5,196,563

7,577,525

Mr G J Lerena

426

17.1

224

52.6

5,358,000

8,262,338

Mr S Khumalo

415

16.6

185

44.6

4,260,938

6,229,275

Other Places

Name

Runs

Wins Win%

2nd

3rd

Mr S J Snaith

533

11.1

Mrs C L Bass-Robinson

341

13.5

Mr M F de Kock

277

12.6

Mr B J Crawford

409

12.2

Mr S G Tarry

296

12.5

Name

Runs

Mr R D Fourie

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)

158

563

97,363

36.7

252

15,383,319

Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein

268 1040

48,396

124

36.2

435

12,970,063

Klawervlei Stud

216

825

36,752

31.5

322

7,938,363

Varsfontein Stud

130

522

55,139

26.9

221

7,168,106

Ridgemont Highlands

124

456

48,613

37.1

181

6,028,031

Name

Runrs Runs

AEPR

B.T. B.T. Total Wnrs/ Wnrs Wins Rnrs% Places Winrs Wins Stakes (R)

Gimmethegreenlight (AUS)

191

666

51,100

26.2

292

9,760,163

Vercingetorix

168

582

51,107

40.5

233

8,586,025

Querari (GER)

161

603

45,014

35.4

258

7,247,213

Master Of My Fate

163

634

42,947

30.1

269

7,000,425

Pathfork (USA)

226

119,269

48.1

6,440,500

SIRES

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