SP Sprint - 30 October 2024 by Sporting Post

BC BOK!

star Isivunguvungu

out at Del Mar on Saturday for the race of his life. Candiese Lenferna visited him at the famous track on Monday. Tune in to Gallop TV on Friday for every stride of two great days of international horse racing!

Race 1 - DIYARANI - Jamasko Mpuma

Race 1 - LIONS EYE - Simphiwe Nxana

Race 5 - CAPTAIN OLIVER - Sibusiso Madlala

Race 5 - FOREST JUMP - Samwell Mfamane

Race 2 - CAPELLINO - Siphumzi Mzingwana

Race 2 - ONE SCOTCH - Fundiswa Skhyma

Race 6 - NOCTURNAL FLIGHT - Anele Eighteen

Race 6 - CHELSEA FLOWER - Richard Vumijojo

Race 3 - MERITORIOUS - Siyacela Mziyayifani

Race 3 - ROTOTO - Mziselwa Nyonizonke

Race 7 - ARTIST’S MODEL - Siyabonga Mbumbulu

Race 7 - GINGER DELIGHT - Thembile Lontile

Race 4 - BRAVE BOMBER - Xolani Ngayoka

Race 4 - RAINBOW OF ROSES - Karrisi Matu

Race 8 - WARRIOR ROYALE - Khaya Nqetho

RACE 9 - JET LEGACY - Mphumzi Mfanta

WHAT A WEEKEND AWAITS!

While South African eyes will be firmly glued to our Gallop TV screens for the action from Del Mar on Saturday as Beach Bomb lines up in the $2 million Makers’ Mark Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Filly And Mare Turf and Isivunguvungu jumps from a wide draw in the $1 million Prevagen Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, we can look forward to two great days of the greatest racing on earth.

Hollywood Syndicate star Isivunguvungu gets a feel of Del Mar this week | Credit: Candiese Lenferna

Trainer Aidan O’Brien – what will the master conjure up?

Credit: Candiese Lenferna

A top-class international field of 14 will line up for the 41st running of the $7 million Longines Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Classic as the Breeders’ Cup World Championships return to Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for a third time this weekend.

The 2000m Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday is topped by morning-line favourite

City of Troy (5-2), campaigned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith and trained by Aidan O’Brien, with Repole Stable’s Fierceness (3-1) the second choice on the morning line.

Susumu Fujita’s Forever Young (JPN) (6-1) is the third choice in his first U.S. appearance since a narrow loss in the Kentucky Derby (Gr1).

The four-time Group 1 winner City of Troy will be making his dirt track debut. The son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify will be ridden by Ryan Moore from post 3.

“We always talk very highly of him,” said O’Brien, who has a stellar record of 18 previous wins in the World Championships but is

chasing his first win in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic after 17 prior attempts.

“Obviously, he was by Justify, so there was always a big chance that he would (run well) on the dirt. He has a very brave heart… He has a very high cruising speed, tactically, very quick… He was a horse we always dreamed about that maybe could be very competitive in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.”

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Fierceness enters the Classic off a victory in the Travers Stakes (Gr1), his third Grade 1 victory, with the first coming in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year at Santa Anita Park – a win that solidified championship honors as the top 2-year-old of 2023. John Velazquez has the mount from post 9 aboard the son of 2018 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (Gr1) winner City of Light.

Third choice on the morning line at 6-1 is Forever Young, a winner of six of seven starts trained by Yoshito Yahagi. Ryusei Sakai has the mount Saturday from post 1.

Completing the field in post-position order are: Highland Falls (post 2, 20-1), Mixto (post 4, 30-1), Senor Buscador (post 5, 30-1), Derma Sotogake (JPN) (post 6, 20-1), Ushba Tesoro (JPN) (post 7, 12-1), Pyrenees (post 8, 301), Tapit Trice (post 10, 30-1), Sierra Leone (post 11, 12-1), Arthur’s Ride (post 12, 15-1), Newgate (post 13, 20-1), and Next (post 14, 8-1). Rattle N Roll is listed as an also eligible (30-1).

At time of publication, we are still awaiting news of the various bet types to be offered by TAB. Hollywoodbets have opened betting click here to find their prices.

The Ballydoyle powerhouse string go through their paces| Credit: Candiese Lenferna

CARL SPACKLER READY TO ‘GOPHER’ THE GOLD AT BREEDERS’ CUP

Chad Brown-trained Carl Spackler (IRE), named after the iconic ‘Caddyshack’ character, has been tearing up the turf this season and heads into the $2 million FanDuel Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Mile as not only the leading American contender, but also as a possible Eclipse Award candidate with a victory.

“He was an Irish-bred horse, so any opportunity to have fun with the name, we took,” Edwards explained. “Obviously, Caddyshack, Carl Spackler, being a turf colt — it kind of all lines up — and we did the same thing with the sister Sandtrap and named her in the same vein. Hopefully, you’ll see it now in pedigree lines for years.”

Fresh off consecutive Grade 1 victories in Saratoga’s Fourstardave and Keeneland’s Turf Mile, the son of Lope de Vega is a home-grown product of Bob Edwards’ e Five

Racing Thoroughbreds and part of a mindfully executed operation that has been especially successful at the Breeders’ Cup.

“It’s a very cool experience because he’s out of my first winner, Zindaya, a horse I picked up out of the November Sale and put back into training with Chad,” Edwards said. “She went on to win the Intercontinental -- my first win ever and just my second race as an owner. It makes it even more special to have that whole connection since Day One, especially tying in that my son-in-law, Tyler Gaffalione, rides the

horse and we’ve now won consecutive Grade 1s.”

Edwards, whose affability equals his acumen, has an enviable record of three wins, a second and third, from five World Championships runs. All three of his wins have been at California Breeders’ Cups: New Money Honey (2016) and Rushing Fall (2017) in the Juvenile Fillies Turf and Good Magic (2017) in the Juvenile.

“I’ve had great guidance with (bloodstock advisor) Mike Ryan and Chad has been a big part of our success, especially our Breeders’ Cup run, and our boutique breeding operation, where we have 15 mares, has done well,” Edwards continued. “I made the conscious effort of sending Zindaya out to Europe because I was over at Tattersalls looking at European horses maybe nine or 10 years ago and I liked what I saw. We ended up breeding her to Frankel - Lope de Vega – FrankelLope de Vega. The Frankels sold well and the Lope de Vegas—one is Carl Spackler and the other is Sandtrap, who came in second in a stakes last weekend and we think she might be special. We do spend a lot of time on the breeding angle and that has paid off, while that same angle helps us short-list horses.”

Carl Spackler has been a force this season, progressing sharply, including a stalk-andpounce dismantling of the Fourstardave and then a gate-to-wire win from the outermost post in the Turf Mile.

“Tyler feels that he’s just starting to figure it out and we have yet to see his best,” Edwards said. “Going into the Fourstardave, we weren’t even getting 50 percent of this horse — he was just playing around and having fun — and then in the Coolmore (Turf) Mile, he kicked it up a notch and wired the field, which he had never done before. He’s getting more dynamic, which shows he’s a special athlete.”

The Mile, which has been won 18 times by Europeans, including the past three years by UK-based Charlie Appleby trainees. Edwards is keenly aware that this is Carl Spackler’s toughest task to date and sees Appleby’s Notable Speech (GB), Aidan O’Brien’s Diego Velazquez (IRE), locally dominant Johannes and Donnacha O’Brien’s Porta Fortuna (IRE) as his main competition in “a scary group.”

“One really cool thing is that Porta Fortuna is part-owned by Steve Weston, who’s responsible for getting me into horse racing in the first place,” Edwards said. “We were business partners and we sold a business, then he retired and I went back into business after retiring for about 45 days — youngest guy on the golf course. My wife and I went up to Saratoga one time and Steve invited my family over to see his horses on the backside. Then we ended up going to the auction, where he introduced me to Niall Brennan, who wound up introducing me to Mike Ryan. Mike walked around with us the whole afternoon not even knowing who we were and a couple days later, we bought a horse. If it wasn’t for Steve, I wouldn’t be in racing and now we are racing against each other in our horses’ biggest races of their careers.

“We’re excited to get there and have some fun and the Breeders’ Cup does an amazing experience for all the connections involved,” Edwards concluded. “My family and I are looking forward to it.”

Ed – Just a note for our younger readers. Bill Murray played Carl Spackler in the 1980 movie, Caddyshack. Spackler was the unstable greenskeeper at Bushwood Country Club. He was charged with ridding the greens of a gopher. Sounds ridiculous, but it was a good watch at the time.

STOP PRESS – WATCH THE BREEDERS’ CUP LIVE!

Gallop TV has announced that it will broadcast the prestigious 2024 Breeders’ Cup World Championships live on Friday, 1 November, and Saturday, 2 November. Viewers across South Africa can tune in to watch the world’s top horses compete at one of the most celebrated events in international horse racing.

This year’s World Championships extravaganza is being held at Del Mar on the Pacific Ocean coastline in California.

The five Breeders’ Cup championship races for two-year-olds will be run at the Friday meeting with the other nine championship events, including the headline $7-million Breeders’ Cup Classic, on Saturday. The 1st Race on Friday is off at 20h35 and on Saturday the 1st race jumps at 19h05.

South African fans will have an extra reason to celebrate, with two local champions, Isivunguvungu in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Race 5 at 21h41) and Beach Bomb in the Breeders’ Cup F&M Turf (Race 9 at 00h25), in action on Saturday,2 November

into Sunday 3 November. These standout equine athletes are set to represent the nation on the global stage, taking on elite contenders from around the world.

In conjunction with this premier event, Tabgold will offer commingled pools, for Win and Place with a R40 minimum unit, Exacta and Pick 6 with a R20 minimum unit and Pick 3 and Jackpot with a R10 minimum unit. Tote betting will open from Friday morning through Tabgold outlets and digital platforms, giving South African racing fans early access to place their bets.

“We are excited to bring the excitement and spectacle of the Breeders’ Cup to South African viewers,” said Gold Circle International & Commercial Executive, Dean Sawarjith. “With the added thrill of our local champions competing, this promises to be a weekend to remember for racing enthusiasts.”

Don’t miss this opportunity to witness highstakes international racing, proudly brought to you by Gallop TV (www.galloptv.co.za).

Graham Motion – saddles the two

Saffers on Saturday at Del Mar

Credit: Candiese Lenferna

G SA DREAMS OF GLORY ARE NOW IN MOTION!

Trainer Graham Motion carries the hopes and dreams of the South African racing public on his vastly experienced shoulders when he saddles two SAbred stars at Del Mar on Saturday.

And we couldn’t be in better hands! Graham has won four Breeders’ Cup events and also has six seconds and two thirds in Breeders’ Cup races to his credit on an illustrious cv.

The Hollywood Syndicate’s flagbearer Isivunguvungu and Drakenstein’s Beach Bomb, who will race under the Cayton Park Stud banner on Saturday, make the 41st renewal of the Breeders’ Cup Championships the most fascinating for local fans in many a long year.

The Breeders’ Cup World Championships is a two-day, 14-race, year-end culmination that every horse, jockey, trainer, and owner across the globe has in their sights and it starts with Future Stars Friday, where the sport’s stars of tomorrow compete in five Juvenile (two-year-old) races.

The action continues on Saturday where the Breeders’ Cup will crown nine more World Champions across different surfaces and divisions, including the season-defining $7 million Longines Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

A Narrow Creek Stud-bred son of What A Winter, Isivunguvungu has drawn at gate 10 for the $1 million Prevagen Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. The 6yo won the Listed Da Hoss Stakes at his only US start and now takes on the big guns. Trainer Graham Motion said after the draw allocation earlier this week that Isivunguvungu has plenty of speed around him, which could help him in the 1000m contest.

The favourite Cogburn (9) is on his inside and second favourite Bradsell is drawn at gate 12.

Beach Bomb, a Drakenstein-bred daughter of ill-fated stallion Lancaster Bomber, drew at gate 11 in the $2 million Makers’ Mark Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The race is run over two turns, a distance of 2200m.

Graham Motion knows the hard work has been done and now it’s up to ticking them over, a bit of luck in running, and enjoying the occasion.

A man who has won many of the most prestigious races in the United States, horses trained by him have won almost 2700 races and have banked almost $150 million.

Graham was born in Cambridge, England in May 1964 and raised at Newmarket’s Herringswell Manor Stud which was operated by his parents Michael and Jo.

Michael was an international bloodstock agent and North American representative for Tattersalls, the British bloodstock sales company. Jo rode as an amateur in England and took care of the 1951 (Aintree) Grand National winner Nickel Coin before becoming an assistant trainer in the United States. Jo now owns and operates the popular Middleburg Tack Exchange in Virginia.

Graham’s two sisters are Claire, a third-grade teacher in Middleburg, and Pippa, a wholesale gourmet food distributor in the Baltimore/ Washington region. Andrew, Graham’s younger brother, has his own sales consignment company, Old Chapel Farm in Bluemont, Virginia.

After graduating from Kent School in Connecticut, Graham began working for Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard. During his six years at Sheppard’s Ashwell Stable, he traveled extensively with four-time Eclipse award winning steeplechaser Flatterer. This was followed by time with trainer Jonathan Pease in Chantilly, France. It was there that Graham met his future wife Anita (nee Hall), who was working at the time for Alain de Royer-Dupre.

Returning to the United States in 1990, Graham went to work as assistant to Bernard (Bernie) P. Bond at Laurel Park in Maryland. On Bernie’s death in 1993, two of Bond’s owners elected to leave their horses with Graham, who subsequently took out his trainer’s licence. He called his operation Herringswell Stables after his childhood home. The stable won 21 races that first year, three of them stakes with Gala Spinaway.

Graham, Anita and chief assistant Adrian Rolls moved the operation from Laurel Park to Fair Hill Training Centre in Northeast Maryland in 2002.

Two years later, Bushwood Stables’ Better Talk Now thrust the whole team into the international spotlight with his win in the 2004 John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf at Lone Star Park. During his remarkable career, Better Talk Now took his connections to Japan and Dubai. “Blackie” retired in 2009 with earnings in excess of $4,000,000, and lived out his days at Fair Hill with his pal Gala Spinaway until his death in 2017 due to complications from colic surgery. Gala Spinaway

lived to the ripe age of 31, passing away in 2019.

Among the many highlights in the years since have been more Breeders’ Cup victories –including Shared Account in the Filly & Mare Turf in 2010 and Main Sequence in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Turf. Main Sequence finished 2014 as a dual Eclipse Award winner, named Champion Male Turf Horse and Champion Older Male. Main Sequence returned to Fair Hill still lives there today.

Shared Account’s talented daughter, Sharing, joined her dam, sire (Speightstown) and grandsire (Pleasantly Perfect) as Breeders’ Cup winners with her victory in the Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita in 2019. Bred by Sagamore Farm, she was named Maryland-bred 2-YearOld Filly Champion for 2019. In 2020, she won Churchill Downs’ Tepin Stakes before shipping to Royal Ascot for the Gr1 Coronation Stakes where she was a gallant second to some of the best mares in international racing. Before retiring at the end of 2020, she also won the

Gr2 Edgewood Stakes and was second in the Gr1 American Oaks.

In 2011, Graham’s name was recorded in the history books as the trainer of a Kentucky Derby winner when Animal Kingdom stormed down the Churchill Downs stretch to win the 137th renewal of America’s premier race. Two years later, Animal Kingdom added more lustre to his trainer’s resume with a win in the Dubai World Cup. Animal Kingdom was awarded the Eclipse Award for champion 3 year old in 2011.

The Motions’ Fair Hill Training Center in Northeast Maryland | Credit: Maggie Kimmitz

TWO BOKS STEP OUT IN US RACING’S SUPER BOWL!

It’s been a long time between drinks, 20 years to be exact, since the last SA-bred Super Brand stepped out in 2004 in the great global festival of racing Beach Bomb works at Del Mar on Monday |

Credit: Candiese Lenferna

This weekend, the focus will be on the Del Mar racetrack in California, which plays host to the Super Bowl of American racing, the revered Breeders’ Cup meeting.

For local racing fans in particular it’s a must see, as South Africa will be represented at one of the world’s most iconic of racing festivals by not one, but two runners, Hollywood Syndicateowned Isivunguvungu, who takes his place in the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, while Drakenstein homebred Beach Bomb will line up for the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

History shows that only two South Africanbred runners have previously competed at a Breeders Cup meeting and remarkably, both in the Filly & Mare Turf.

The grand racemare Spook Express finished second in the 2001 renewal at Belmont Park, coming from behind to chase home champion Banks Hill (who subsequently became the dam of Mauritzfontein stallion Ideal World).

Spook Express had the distinction of being the first prominent South African-bred female runner to excel in the States. Trained in South Africa by Mike De Kock for the Jack Syndicate, the daughter of Comic Blush carried all before her at three, winning the Gr2 Gosforth Park Fillies Guineas, Gr1 SA Fillies Guineas, Gr1 and Gr1 Garden Province Stakes in that order, before defeating Gr1 winners Drum Star and Blossoming Fields in the Gr1 Sharp Electronics Cup at Clairwood.

Crowned the country’s champion 3yo filly, she was sold to race in America where she joined the stable of Tom Skiffington and performed with marked success, adding another four Graded stakes wins to her resume, prime amongst which the Gr2 Galaxy Stakes.

Sadly, this hard-knocking mare’s career ended in tragedy when she suffered a fatal injury in the Gr1 Matriarch Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Three years later, the Royal Chalice mare Super Brand travelled to Lone Star Park for the Filly & Mare Turf. Alas, she finished off the board, nine lengths behind the outstanding English-bred winner Ouija Board, who by the way, had been beaten by our own Irridescence when third in the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin.

A half-sister to Durban July hero Trademark, Super Brand likewise was trained by Mike Bass and was purchased by Team Valor International after winning the Gr3 Final Fling Stakes. The Filly & Mare Turf was her last of three American starts and came off a second in the Gr2 Winstar Galaxy Stakes and a third in the Listed De La Rose Stakes.

Half-brother Trademark, the Equus Champion Older Middle Distance Male of 2000, also left South African shores for an international campaign, having won both the Durban July and Queen’s Plate. He would prove himself on the tough American racing circuit at Gr2 level, claiming victory in both the Gr2 Bernard Baruch Handicap and Gr2 Fourstardave Handicap. Wonderfully durable and a grand ambassador for South African breeding, this son of Goldmark was still winning in Dubai at age nine!

Speaking of ambassadors, that Mike de Kock never saddled a South African-bred Breeders Cup runner remains a travesty, although he did send out British-bred Eagle Mountain to run second in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Champion sprinter Isivunguvungu has settled in well | Credit: Candiese Lenferna

But back to this weekend’s runners. After leaving South Africa in March and enduring a strict two-month quarantine during which they were basically confined to their stalls, both have come through their preparations in fine fettle under the tutelage of trainer Graham Motion.

South Africa’s Champion Sprinter of 2022-23, Isivunguvungu prepped for the big occasion with a game victory in the Da Hoss Stakes over 1100m at Colonial Downs, to become the first South African-bred stakes winner on American soil since the De Kock-trained The Apache crossed the line first in the 2013 Gr1 Arlington Million, only to be disqualified by the stewards.

Beach Bomb enters the Filly & Mare Turf off two promising efforts, having run second in Monmouth Park’s Gr3 Violet Stakes on debut before heading to Santa Anita for the Gr2 Rodeo Drive, where she finished third.

The daughter of Lancaster Bomber booked her ticket to the Breeders’ Cup meeting back in January with a neck victory over reigning

Horse of the Year Princess Calla in the Gr1 Cartier Paddock Stakes, a ‘Win and Your’e In’ Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series event. That was the second top level success for the filly, who had beaten her contemporaries in the Gr1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas. She left South Africa after a gallant second in the Gr1 SplashOut Cape Derby.

“We can only hope that she is ready after all she’s been through,” remarked Drakenstein owner Gaynor Rupert, who will be at Del Mar to watch her prized filly in action.

The Hollywood Syndicate will also be at Del Mar in what has been a dream come true, win, lose or draw, for the passionate Owen Heffer and his team. Their first winner, Splendid Night, in 2002 must feel like light years away!

It’s been a long time between drinks, 20 years to be exact, since the last SA-bred stepped out in the great global festival.

Now that the wait is over, may the racing gods smile on both our warriors.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the buyers and underbidders for supporting us at the Cape Racing Sales Breeze Up & Unbroken 2YO Sale.

There are many bright futures ahead for them and we look forward to following their journeys.

WE ARE BACK AT HOLLYWOODBETS KENILWORTH!

The R300 000 Gr3 Cape Classic, a traditional Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas trial, headlines a nine race card as the Cape Racing roadshow returns to Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

The racemeeting, which gets underway at 12h20, and runs parallel with the Charity Mile fixture at Turffontein, includes three features and many players will be happy to return to the perceived fairer playing fields of the Southern Suburbs venue.

Only seven 3yo’s line-up on the Winter Course 1400m, in an open looking Gr3 Cape Classic.

Vaughan Marshall’s record as defending champion, and four victories in the last six renewals, suggests the Milnerton veteran is the yard to be with.

He saddles the One World colt All Out For Six who ran a good race when second in the Gr3 Langerman last time.

He returns from a 19- week break and it is worth noting that both his career victories have come over Saturday’s track and trip. The son of One World has class about him and he should be hard to peg back.Stablemate Talk To The Master stayed on when third in his comeback

Great Plains has his first start as a 3yo

Saturday | Credit: Candiese Lenferna

run over this distance at Hollywoodbets Durbanville last time. He finished 2,3 lengths behind All Out For Six in his penultimate run. The pair meet on the same weight terms and he may have to settle for the same result

Candice Bass-Robinson is away at the Breeders’ Cup this weekend and her deputies saddle impressive recent post-maiden winner Boundless Energy. Aldo Domeyer rides the son of Vercingetorix in absence of Khaya Stables jockey Craig Zackey, who is riding at Turffontein. The jockey-trainer combination won this race with Charles Dickens in 2022 and Trip Of Fortune in 2021, and Boundless Energy

is progressive and could be anything.

Justin Snaith doesn’t tend to focus on this race, but saddles Great Plains and Makazole. The former stayed on when fourth in the Gr1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes last time. The son of Danon Platina is making his seasonal debut after a 14-week break. He is ideally suited to this distance and merits healthy respect.

Stablemate Makazole won a good race in the Listed Champion Juvenile Cup at Fairview last time. He meets a competitive field but has ability and should run into the money.

A BETTING BONANZA

TAB and TAB Gold online customers can take in more than 30 hours of astounding racing action this weekend, comprising Fairview into the Hollywoodbets Greyville night meeting on Friday, the famous Breeders’ Cup meeting in the USA, the Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile raceday at Turffontein, the Gr3 Cape Classic racemeeting at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and the first of four meetings that make up the annual Melbourne Cup Carnival.

On Sunday, KZN stars See It Again and Royal Victory bump heads in a Pinnacle Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville in preparation for the Betway Summer Cup on 30 November.

But it all kicks off with Fairview (11h50) on Friday into the Hollywoodbets Greyville (15h35) day-night meeting.

The first of the two Breeders’ Cup meetings STARTS at 20h35 on Friday. This year’s World Championships extravaganza is being held at Del Mar on the Pacific Ocean coastline in California. The five Breeders’ Cup championship races for two-year-olds will be run at the Friday meeting with the other nine championship events, including the headline $7-million Breeders’ Cup Classic, on Saturday.

Friday’s meeting at Del Mar will end at 02h25 on Saturday and online customers can take a short nap before the Victoria Derby day action at Flemington in Melbourne gets under way little more than two hours later.

TAB and TAB Gold will bet on the last seven races at Flemington and this is an all-gradedrace spectacular no horseracing fan should miss. The card is topped by the $2-million Victoria Derby over 2500m for three-year-olds and comprises three Grade 1 events plus two Grade 2s and four Grade 3s.

Charity Mile is one of 4Racing’s mega racedays in Joburg. Six feature races will be run and there’s a chance to land a big win for a small amount in a R1-million carryover Pick 6 pool,

which should total some R5 million. The Gr3 Cape Classic racemeeting runs alongside Turffontein from Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

The second day of Breeders’ Cup starts at 19h05 on Saturday evening with the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 23h41.

All TAB and TAB Gold bets on the Flemington meeting will be commingled into Tabcorp pools in Australia. Win, Place, Quinella and Swinger bets will be onwards commingled into the Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool tote, while Exacta, Quartet, Rolling Double and Jackpot bets will be hosted by Tabcorp. No Trifecta bets will be offered.

TAB and TAB Gold bets on Breeders’ Cup will be commingled into the host tote and betting units will be as listed below because of the ZAR-US$ exchange rate.

* Win, Place, Eachway = R40 minimum; R40 unit.

* Exacta, Pick 6 = R20 minimum; R20 unit.

* Pick 3, Pick 4 (Jackpot) = R10 minimum; R10 unit.

Follow all the latest news on www.sportingpost.co.za

Rachel Venniker guides Back In Business to a facile Grade 2 success last time | Credit: JC Photos

A projected R5 million Pick 6 pool adds plenty of interest to Saturday’s Gr2 Allied Steelrode – Onamission Charity Mile, which is to be run at Turffontein Standside. The card includes five undercard features on a bumper programme that runs parallel with the Cape’s own multiple feature return to Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

Aprojected R5 million Pick 6 pool adds plenty of interest to Saturday’s Gr2 Allied Steelrode – Onamission, which is to be run at Turffontein Standside. The card includes five undercard features on a bumper programme that runs parallel with the Cape’s own multiple feature return to Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

The scratching of Melech has seen Mike de Kock’s first reserve Zinovi get a run and Serino Moodley rides the son of Heavenly Blue.

Gavin Lerena, who partners the awkwardly drawn Barbaresco for the Janse van Vuuren yard, has been in great form of late and is only 9 winners behind national log-leader Muzi Yeni per close on Tuesday 29 October.

Lerena’s win strike-rate of 28.6% outstrips that of any of his colleagues and he will be bidding for his fifth Charity Mile in ten renewals, having won the race in 2016 on New Predator, in 2017 on Hat Puntano, and then the last two renewals on Bingwa (2022) and Puerto Manzano (2023). That means he is on a hat-trick for the Janse van Vuuren yard.

National log-leader Muzi Yeni was winning a Grade 1 at Kranji in Singapore when Rachel Venniker steered Joey Soma’s Back In Business to victory in the Betway Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge. Only rated 114, he looks like a fellow a few strides ahead of the handicapper at this stage as his MR adjustment was capped in that last feature victory. While he is widely drawn at 17, he does get 7kgs from topweight

Dave The King in his first try at a mile. He has little mileage on the clock and would not be winning out of turn.

Equus Horse Of The Year Dave The King will carry topweight of 63kg with his trainer Mike de Kock indicating that this is a prep run for the L’Ormarins King’s Plate on 4 January.

Rafeef’s daughter Frances Ethel caught the eye in a strongly contested Pinnacle Stakes over 1600m last time when running on well for second and she should have come on from that run. Celtic Rumours won the Gr Betway Jo’Burg Spring Fillies And Mares Challenge beating the talented three-year-old Fiery Pegasus giving the latter 8kg and she could have a say in the finish, albeit from a tricky draw of 10 as it stands.

Brett Crawford’s Winchester Mansion will have a mountain to climb after his disappointing last run. Marco van Rensburg takes over from Piere Strydom.

Summerveld trainers Stuart Ferrie (Gladatorian) and Peter Muscutt (Quasiforsure) add interest with their raiders, who could challenge for minor money if overcoming their draws.

The Pick 6 enjoys a tricky start in the fourth race (13h50), the Listed Golden Loom Handicap.

Find more news closer to raceday on www.sportingpost.co.za.

CHARITY THE BIG WINNER ON SATURDAY

The 2024 edition will feature 19 deserving charities, all benefiting from an exciting day of racing, competition, and generosity. This remarkable event is made possible through the generous sponsorship of global steel manufacturer Allied Steelrode.

A Barrier Draw held at Turffontein Racecourse on Thursday 22 October determined the pairings of the 16 runners with their respective beneficiary charities. The charity linked to the winning horse will receive R100 000, while all other charities with horses in the final field

(including reserve runners) are guaranteed an increased minimum of R30 000, up from R20 000 last year.

“We have seen firsthand how partnerships can truly transform society. We’re proud to announce the minimum guaranteed amount of R30 000 for each charity. But it’s not just about financial support, and more about inspiring a shared commitment to creating positive change in our communities. We are excited to connect with all the charities on race day and hope the Allied Steelrode OnAMission

The highly anticipated R1 Million Allied Steelrode OnAMission Gr2 Charity Mile returns to Turffontein on Saturday 2 November and is poised to make a significant impact.

Charity Mile continues to grow, bringing even more exhilarating racing and increased charity involvement in the years to come,” said Arun Chadha, CEO of Allied Steelrode.

Now in its fourth edition, the Allied Steelrode OnAMission Charity Mile continues to build on a rich racing tradition. Formerly known as the November Handicap, this highly competitive race day serves as a key event, offering valuable insights in the lead-up to the 2024 Betway Summer Cup at Turffontein on Saturday, 30 November.

“We are thrilled to once again join forces with Allied Steelrode for another inspiring Allied Steelrode OnAMission Charity Mile race day. We aim for this event to serve as a beacon of hope, demonstrating the power of unity in support of a shared purpose and a worthy cause. By blending our love for horseracing with our commitment to uplifting our communities, we believe we can create meaningful impact for the charities that play such a vital role in our society,” said 4Racing CEO, Fundi Sithebe.

Turffontein will host a 10-race programme with the potential of an added Consolation, six races on the day are features. Allied Steelrode have three supporting features the Allied Steelrode Gr3 Yellowwood Handicap ; Allied Steelrode Listed Golden Loom Handicap and the Allied Steelrode Listed Java Stakes. Also on the card is the Betway Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes and the HSH Princess Charlene Gr3 Starling Stakes.

As a special incentive for November 2024, 4Racing announced that all patrons who enter the racecourse can collect their complementary set of general access double tickets for the Betway Summer Cup 2024. This offer is open to everyone entering Turffontein for the Allied Steelrode OnAMission Charity Mile (2 November), Betway Victory Moon (9 November) and Night Racing event (15 November).

For all hospitality enquiries, including Betway Summer Cup 2024, email Reservations@4Racing.com, call 011 681 1796 or WhatsApp 066 058 6327.

Topseller! Lot 111, a daughter of Vercingetorix out of Victoria Lavelle

sold for R1,3 million | Credit: Chase

(Captain Al)

Liebenberg

A CRS - SETTING SALE FOR 2025 AND BEYOND!

Cape Racing Sales brought the curtain down on a successful 2024 at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday evening, with the Breeze Up & Unbroken 2yo Sale producing pleasing year-on-year results.

Maine Chance kingpin Vercingetorix proved to be the buyers’ darling yet again, with the son of Silvano’s 16 offspring fetching a gross R9,8 million at an average of R612 500.

The last minute move by Cape Racing Sales to bring the sale forward from Sunday afternoon to Saturday evening after racing at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, as a result of inclement weather forecasts, proved a winner.

“It was a logistical challenge moving the sale but it was very well received by both buyers and vendors. We appreciate their flexibility and also need to thank all of the catering, bar staff, waiters, suppliers and our team for adjusting to the short notice

change and rolling their sleeves up to put on a great show,” Cape Racing Executive Justin Vermaak told the Sporting Post afterwards.

Renaissance men Justin Vermaak and Greg Bortz are changing the dynamics (Pic – Troy Finch)

Year on year, with 25 more horses sold on Saturday evening – 125 were catalogued, 116 went through the ring and 109 were sold – the sale aggregate was R34 735 000, a remarkable increase of 86% on 2023.

The median jumped 51,52% to R250 000, with the average improving by 43,38% to R318 670.

Justin Vermaak said that it was quite a mixed catalogue in terms of the results, but that the numbers showed that this sale is evolving into a genuine unbroken 2yo platform and that was an angle that Cape Racing Sales would be taking cognizance of in their planning for 2025 and forward.

“One can see that some of the major farms actually dedicated high-quality unbroken 2yo’s to this sale and were duly rewarded. Look at the Maine Chance six – really high class Vercingetorix offspring from top-quality mares and the results showed. Winterbach Stud were another example with their lot 99, a high-quality One World colt attracting plenty of interest, while the Winterbach Talk Of The Town colt (lot 122) was a smashing specimen and fetched R400 000,” added Vermaak.

Top lot was the R1,3 million paid by Woodruff Racing for the Maine Chance Farms’ lot 111, appropriately named Vindicated.

Bred on a cross that really and truly works, she is a 3/4 sister to 2 winners is out of the superfast Captain Al sired Listed Laisserfaire Stakes winner Victoria Lavelle -who hails from the family of Vercingetorix’s smart daughter Ancient Epic.

The top priced colt was the Winterbach Stud as agent consigned Double Causeway, who was catalogued as lot 99 and fetched R1,2 million to the bid of Gareth van Zyl. Laurence Wernars, Greg Bortz and RIkesh Sewgoolam were the underbidders on this magnificent specimen, who is bred on the same cross as exciting dual Gr3 winner One Stripe, and is closely inbred to Giant’s Causeway, sporting daughters of Silvano, Jet Master and Giant’s Causeway as his first three dams.

Laurence Wernars purchased the joint second priced lot at R1,2 million in the Maine Chance consigned Slender Silhouette (lot 102), a daughter of Vercingetorix out of Var’s Gr1 South African Fillies Sprint winning daughter Sommerlied – whose half-sister Sommersonne produced last season’s Gr2 World Pool With Gold Circle Debutante/ Gr3 Tabgold Strelitzia Stakes winner Just Reckless. This is the female line of 2024 French Oaks winner Sparkling

Plenty. Slender Silhouette will be trained by Sean Tarry.

Vercingetorix (Silvano) clearly topped the sire tables, while last season’s Freshman star One World (Captain Al) had his 10 gross R4 875 000, at an average of R487 500.

Varsfontein-based champion Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) maintained his upward demand graph, with 6 lots selling for R3 050 00 at an average of R508 333.

While Maine Chance Farms’ Vercingetorix sextet lit up the arena, selling for a gross R5 150 000 and averaging R858 333, the bulk vendor numbers were carried by Julia Pilbeam’s dynamic Soetendal Estate which continues to go from strength to strength in the ready-to-run arena, with their banner selling 27 as agent for R7 865 000, an average of R291 296.

Monique Schabort and her Paarl Diamant Estate team enjoyed one of their biggest and best sales, with their 22 going to new homes, grossing R5 665 000 at an average of R257 500.

Klawervlei as agent sold their sextet for R2 225 000, an average of R370 833, while the already mentioned Winterbach Stud father-andson team will be pleased to have seen their quintet go for R2 050 000, an average of R410 000.

The buying bench was diverse and enthusiastic, with some of the main players, in no particular order being Woodruff Racing (gross of R2 005 000 for 4 lots at an average of R501 250), Laurence Wernars’ Triple 8 Clothing (gross of R2 200 000 for 5 lots at an average of R440 000), Lesley Sercombe (gross of R1 000 000 for 3 lots at an average of

R333 333), the Hollywood Syndicate (gross of R1 575 000 for 4 lots at an average of R393 750), Jonathan Snaith (a gross of R945 000 for 5 lots at an average of R189 000), Justin Vermaak (a gross of R2 600 000 for 5 lots at an average of R520 000), Gareth van Zyl (a gross of R1 750 000 for 2 lots at an average of R875 000), Glen Kotzen (a gross of R1 235 000 for 6 lots at an average of R205 833), Greg Bortz (a gross of R2 075 000 for 3 lots at an average of R691 667), DC Racing (a gross of R1 850 000 for 5 lots at an average of 370 000) and Bass Racing (R2 150 000 for 4 lots at an average of R 537 500).

Next up on the CRS calendar is the Summer Sale, a high-end boutique auction for forward and well-grown yearlings to be held at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth during WSB Cape Town Met Week on Thursday 23 January.

The CRS March Premier Sale follows that and is being held over two days – Friday 14 and Saturday 15 March.

please click here to see the full sale results.

One World’s handsome son Double Causeway was joint second highest seller at R1,2 million | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

SA GRADE 1 WINNER EN ROUTE TO AUSTRALIA

Late owner-breeder David Abery hugs October Morn after a win as trainer Candice Bass-Robinson looks on | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

The 2024 Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint winner October Morn will be winging her way to Australia soon after having been purchased for an undisclosed sum by John Messara of Arrowfield Stud.

The Sporting Post reported recently that the Executors of the Estate of the late David Abery, who bred October Morn in partnership with Avontuur Stud and raced the daughter of Trippi, had offered her for sale via a silent administrative auction that closed on Friday 25 October.

Owned by John Messara, Arrowfield Stud is located in the fertile Segenhoe Valley, near Scone in the Upper Hunter region of New South Wales, and has long held a fine reputation as a source of top-class racehorses. The quality of South African bred horses is well known to the champion nursery, who have enjoyed success with the likes of past champions National Color and Carry On Alice.

David Abery, a successful businessman, Chairman of SAEHP and a passionate breeder and owner, passed away in September this year.

Justin Vermaak, who facilitated the transaction with Arrowfield Stud, told the Sporting Post that there will be plenty of irony in the export of one of David Abery’s favourite racehorses, October Morn, who effectively becomes a pioneer after the announcement on 25 March this year by SAEHP of the re-opening of direct exports of horses from South Africa to the European Union.

“David Abery was Chairman of SAEHP for many years and was instrumental, after many years of tireless effort and diplomacy, in our successful return to direct exports to the EU. South African racing and breeding is indebted to a man who worked so determinedly behind the scenes. And it’s ironic that David’s special filly is something of a pacesetter in a new era where the world again sits up and takes note of the value and quality of South African bloodstock. The confidence and surety of delivery is what gave Mr Messara the confidence to buy the filly and just illustrates what the direct protocol

can do for South African stakeholders from an economic perspective. John Messara is a global leader in the thoroughbred world and known particularly for his global outlook and innovation. This purchase will no doubt bring further eyes onto the bloodstock in this country and South Africa should be exceptionally proud to have John and his Arrowfield Stud as fans of our stock. October Morn has been penciled in for a mating with John’s high-class stallion, The Autumn Sun. ” concluded Vermaak.

October Morn will only spend 14 days in the Kenilworth quarantine station before shipping directly to the EU. She will then conclude her residency before flying to Australia.

A stakes winner at 2 and 3, with victories in then Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint, the Gr2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes and the Listed Perfect Promise Sprint, the 4yo daughter of Trippi was not out of the money in all her 12 starts and her sale presented a rare opportunity to acquire a highclass racehorse and top broodmare prospect.

October Morn has the pedigree to match her fine race record. She is one of 92 stakes winners for Trippi, South Africa’s Champion Sire of 2015-2016, and is one of 14 Grade One winners for her superb sire.

October Morn’s female line is outstanding and packed with high-class black type performers.

She is out of high-class racemare Miss October, who showed top-class sprinting form, and won the 2014 Gr3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap (one of her five career wins), she was also runner up in both the Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes and Listed KwaZulu-Natal Stakes and third in the Gr2 Sceptre Stakes, Gr3 Lebelo Sprint, and Listed Gardenia Handicap. A Var full-sister to Gr1 Mercury Sprint winner August Rush, Miss October has proved to be an excellent producer.

NEW RAILS SAVE DAY

AT HOLLYWOODBETS DURBANVILLE

Sean Veale times it right to get Gnarly up to register the Marshall double, with Louis Mxothwa chasing on Afrique | Credit: Chase Liebenberg

Cape Racing’s recently installed plastic running rails could have saved serious injury, and even lives at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday when a runner crashed through on the turn. Both horse and rider thankfully emerged unscathed.

At the penultimate racemeeting of the current season at the Country Course before the action ups the ante with a return to Hollywoodbets Kenilworth this Saturday, ten races were held under sunny skies.

The drama happened in the fifth race, the Paarl Diamant Open Maiden over a mile.

Joshwin Solomons was deputizing for the indisposed Anthony Andrews, and was rounding the turn just back of midfield on American Matador, a colt having his fifth start and his third at Hollywoodbets Durbanville.

Jonathan Snaith told the Sporting Post that both Joshwyn Solomons and American Matador had emerged unscathed from the nasty incident.

Cape Racing Executive Justin Vermaak, who labelled the incident ‘a horror’, said that the rails had been installed at the start of the current season and that they were thankful that both horse and rider were fine and that the new equipment had already proven their safety value.

Sporting Post-sponsored rider Sean Veale broke the ice and banged home a 150-1 double

for Vaughan Marshall to open the Pick 6 on the afternoon.

Dumbledore (5-1) enjoyed an enthusiastic ride to hold off Bjorn Ironside (33-10) down the inside to win the fourth, while Gnarly popped up at 25-1 for the One World Syndicate to win the fifth.

The fifth race proved a knockout for favourite backers, with the 5-10 Zeitz battling to find a position from his awkward draw, and then staying on too late for third.

Ossie Noach rounded off the Marshall treble when Captain’s Destiny won the final race after playing up at the start.

Ridgemont rider Richard Fourie followed up on his four Fairview winners on Friday, with a three-timer, that included a sensational outside rails ride in the sixth on Brett Crawford’s Join The Dots who flew up out of camera sight initially to pip Groovejet, who looked a winner to those of us watching on television.

GROOMS VITAL PLAYERS IN

WORLD-CLASS SHOW

One of horseracing’s most strategically important front-line stakeholder sectors, Grooms will be acknowledged and rewarded to the tune of over R1,3 million (excluding stakes incentives) during the forthcoming bumper Cape Summer Of Champions Season, which has been extended to eight festival racemeeting in a celebration of close on five months of non-stop high-quality horseracing in the Cape.

The unsung heroes and strategic back-room men are instrumental in playing a vital role in the delivery of a world-class product and it is the Grooms’ hard work in the engine room that will not go unnoticed and unrewarded following the announcement by Cape Racing earlier this week of increased incentives from a variety of sponsors for every raceday, commencing with the return to Hollywoodbets Kenilworth for the running of the Gr2 Cape Classic on Saturday 2 November.

The groundbreaking Grooms reward initiative, which was launched by Hollywoodbets in KZN in 2019, has commendably seen other regions following suit countrywide, and Cape Racing will proudly take the rewards and incentives paid to Grooms to the next level during the forthcoming Cape Summer Of Champions, which was recently extended to 16 March, for the inaugural Cape Racing Sales Festival – an unprecedented celebration of horseracing and thoroughbred sales.

The R5 million Big Cap, a brand new ‘slot’ race fashioned on the highly successful The Everest concept, will headline the festival raceday and in an exciting first for racing in the Cape, the Groom of each Big Cap runner will receive R12 500, irrespective of their charge’s finishing position, while the Groom of the winning horse will receive R30 000.

The amount paid to winning Grooms on general race days, and which is funded by Hollywoodbets and Cape Racing, will double to R2000 with effect from Saturday 2 November, when the Gr3 Cape Classic features on the return to racing at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. The increased basic win incentive will remain in effect until the Cape Summer Of Champions curtain call on 16 March 2025.

Leading South African breeders Maine Chance

Farms will also be acknowledging Grooms via their Best Turned Out Horse Campaign to be run on all of the festival race days, bar the L’Ormarins King’s Plate day. There will be a prize of R3 000 paid to the Groom of the horse adjudged to be best turned out.

On the L’Ormarins King’s Plate day, which is the first Grade 1 racemeeting of 2025, Drakenstein Stud will replicate the Best Turned Out Horse incentive and offer a prize of R3 000 to the Groom of the horse adjudged to be best turned out in each of the races run on that day.

Successful international owners and breeders, Khaya Stables will again proudly showcase their popular Star Grooms Campaign, which rewards the top 5 Grooms in all 30 graded and listed races with cash incentives over the Cape Feature season.

More big winners will be seen in the Cape summer season | Credit: Cape Racing

The Khaya Stables Star Grooms Campaign will run from Saturday 23 November to Saturday 16 March 2025, with the winner receiving a trophy and R5000, with R2000, R1500, R1000 and R500 respectively being paid down to fifth place finisher.

The World Sports Betting Cape Town Met day on 25 January is a social and racing highlight of the summer, and on this day big-race sponsors World Sports Betting will reward the winning Groom of all races not falling under the Khaya Stables Star Grooms umbrella, with R5 000.

On the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas day at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on 7 December 2024, the headline sponsors will also reward the winning Groom of all races not falling under the Khaya Stables Star Grooms umbrella, with an amount of R2 000.

There is plenty of exciting and rewarding racing ahead for all stakeholders as the Cape Summer Of Champions Season approaches. We cannot wait! For any information on the Cape Summer Of Champions Season, visit www.caperacing.co.za

ALGOA CUP WINNER GOES TO 106

The Jacques Strydom-trained Firealley has seen his rating adjusted to 106 from 101 following his win in the Listed Betway Algoa Cup over 2000m on the Fairview Polytrack on Friday.

The Handicappers were of the view that fourth placed Joy And Peace made for the most suitable line horse in this race, which leaves her rating unchanged on 110. In rating the race this way, the fifth placed finisher Bournemouth also runs to his mark, effectively making him a line horse as well.

Aside from the winner, two more runners received increases in their ratings.

Second placed Blackberry Malt, who finished 1.5 lengths (3 points) ahead of the line horse and carried 0.5 kg overweight, went up to 102 from 98. Third place finisher, Allez Moris , was adjusted to 95 from 92 after finishing 1.25 lengths (3 points) clear of the line horse.

Street Art was the solitary runner in this race to receive a drop in the ratings and goes down to 103 from 105.

On My Honour had his rating increased from 90 to 108 after easily accounting for his rivals in the Listed Racehorse Owners Association Stakes over 1600m on the Fairview Polytrack on Friday.

The Handicappers were of the opinion that fourth place finisher Play Act, would not have performed worse than the 94 he achieved in his penultimate start in the Racehorse Owners Association Plate and used that figure of 94 to rate this race.

Consequently, Play Act’s rating was adjusted to 94 from 88. Second placed Sakurajima, who beat the 94 rated line horse by 7 points (3.5 lengths), was the other runner in this contest to go up in the ratings and he goes to 101 from 88.

No runner received a decrease in the ratings in this race.

Media release by NHA on Tuesday 29 October 2024.

Listed Racehorse Owners Association Stakes

Craig Zackey steers Firealley to an eyecatching hometown win | Credit: Pauline Herman

Trainer Jacques Strydom produced a rare long-term double at Fairview on Friday when he again raised the local flag in defiance of the traditional visitor onslaught on the R350 000 Betway Listed Algoa Cup by saddling the second local winner of the ‘Gqeberha July’ in the space of 15 years – that after he achieved the same feat with Surfin’ USA.

The visitors have reaped rich rewards in the 2000m contest over the years, but Jacques Strydom, despite being unhappy about the early switch of surface, had other ideas with the 2021 Gr2 Peninsula Handicap winner, who produced a cracker to register his maiden allweather success at the age of 7.

With Justin Snaith pulling his pair of Rockpool and Call To Unite out of the race after 4Racing made an early call to switch from the turf to poly, there were no more withdrawals in the feature and the race produced a cracker as it was run under sunny skies.

4Racing Executive Gabi Soma said after the trophy handover that he felt that the switch decision had been vindicated, and that the turf would have taken strain as the day went on.

Well ridden by the mercurial Craig Zackey,

Firealley (10-1) stayed on strongly to beat the fast finishing 11-2 Blackberry Malt by 0,75 lengths in a time of 121,04 secs.

Cape raider Allez Morris (4-1) finished well for third a quarter length back, with tote favourite Joy And Peace (4-1) completing the quartet.

Having his eighth run for the Jacques Strydom yard since transferring from Candice BassRobinson at the beginning of this year, the Drakenstein-bred Firealley is now raced in a diverse happy partnership of Messrs Do Carmo, De Wet,McCrow, Puggia,Smart, Lorette Louw, the Money Talks Syndicate,SMB Insurance Brokers and the Strydom family.

A son of Flower Alley (Distorted Humor), Firealley is out of the Irish-bred Galileo mare, Fire Spinner.

Originally a R275 000 purchase off the Cape Premier Yearling Sale, Firealley has won 6 races with 14 places from 44 starts for stakes of R869 600.

The R500 000 carryover Pick 6 injection fell well short of the originally projected R3 million, at R1,88 million. Probably no surprise after the switch to polytrack.

ALGOA CUP CLASSIC PEDIGREE

Firealley (Craig Zackey) with his passionate connections in the winner’s box | Credit: Pauline Herman

CUP WINNER’S PEDIGREE

Firealley, the 10-1 winner of Friday’s Listed Betway Algoa Cup at Fairview, is a horse with a truly classic pedigree. A son of Gr1 Travers Stakes winner Flower Alley, whose sons also include Gr1 Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another and fellow Gr1 winners Bullards Luck and Lukes Alley, Firealley is descended in female line from one of the most brilliant Epsom classic winners of all time.

Firealley’s sixth dam is Noblesse (Mossborough), winner of the 1963 Epsom Oaks by ten lengths. Lightly raced, Noblesse won four of just five starts and was victorious in both the Timeform Gold Cup (subsequent Racing Post Trophy) and Musidora Stakes. The latter race saw Noblesse romp home to score by six lengths, with the star filly winning her four races by an aggregate of 24 lengths.

Lauded publication Timeform had the following to say about the brilliant Noblesse, “”The ‘sixties saw some lowly-rated Oaks winners but the 1963 winner was one of the best. Noblesse (rated 133) beat her Oaks field by the staggering margin of ten lengths, her fourth race and fourth win....Noblesse is a small, rather lightly-made filly, long and low, strongest behind the saddle, no beauty to look at, except when she is galloping; her action is fluent and effortless, and she has a perfect temperament for racing. She had only five races in her career, but she was not a robust filly, and even if she had kept fit, a more severe programme might have been to her detriment. In the first four of her races she hardly needed to gallop seriously for more than fifty yards, but she won all of them by a wide margin, and her turn of foot was something to marvel at.”

Noblesse founded a dynasty at stud, with all five foals she produced winning and two becoming black-type winners.

Noblesse’s Oaks runner-up daughter Where You Lead (Raise A Native), the fifth dam of Firealley, proving particularly influential. Where You Lead’s Gr3 Prix de Minerve winning

daughter I Will Follow (Herbager) produced Gr1 Coronation Cup/Gr1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner and top stallion Rainbow Quest (Blushing Groom), with the latter the Leading Broodmare Sire in Britain in both 2003 and 2004 (Rainbow Quest’s Gr3 Lancashire Oaks winning daughter Rainbow Lake is the granddam of Frankel).

Another group-winning daughter of Where You Lead, Gr3 Fred Darling Stakes winner and Gr1 Oaks runner up Slightly Dangerous (Roberto) proved an outstanding broodmare. Not only did Slightly Dangerous foal dual Derby winner Commander In Chief (Dancing Brave), but she also produced top-class miler, and sire, Warning (Known Fact), Gr1 Flower Bowl Invitational queen Yashmak (Danzig) and Gr1 Irish Derby runner up Deploy (Shirley Heights).

The latter left an indelible mark on the thoroughbred, with Deploy’s Italian classic winning daughter Zomaradah responsible for triple Gr1 winner and breed shaping stallion Dubawi (Dubai Millennium).

Other notable performers descended in female line from the wonderful Noblesse include Gr1 Dewhurst Stakes dead-heater and high-class sire Scenic (Sadler’s Wells), Gr1 Frizette Stakes queen Yellow Agate (Gemologist) and group winners Full Mast, Testosterone and Shot Bless.

Short-lived South African stallion Await The Dawn (Giant’s Causeway), whose progeny include Gr1 SA Derby winner Hero’s Honour and smart stayer Before Noon, is another multiple group winner descended in female line from Noblesse.

Remarkably, Firealley’s first three dams, Fire Spinner (by Galileo), Mubkera (Nashwan) and Na-ayim (Shirley Heights), were all sired by English Derby winners, and his fourth dam, Christabelle, was a daughter of Kentucky Derby/Preakness Stakes winning legend Northern Dancer.

His dam is also responsible for four-time winners in Fired Up (Rock Of Gibraltar) and Spin Doctor (Duke Of Marmalade), with Fire Spinner’s four winners each sired by a different stallion.

Mission accomplished – Firealley with the winner’s blanket | Credit: Pauline Herman

ALGOA CUP:

TRAINER CALLS FOR TC02 TRANSPARENCY

A Gqeberha trainer has come out with an unprecedented transparency plea for the National Horseracing Authority to furnish TC02 testing results and make these available in black and white to alleged offenders. TC02 testing has been the source of some controversy, despite the obvious good intentions by the racing regulator to level the playing fields.

But it’s just too vague, complicated and secretive, it seems.

Kelly Mitchley had the disappointment of seeing her 8yo Mount Anderson withdrawn at 15h45 on Friday as a result of elevated TC02 levels from the Betway Algoa Cup.

A winner of the Friendly City Stakes at his last start, Mount Anderson has been in Kelly’s stable for 3 years.

“Can the Stipes please explain the results. It takes a lot of time and effort getting our horses ready for a big raceday. The funny thing is that they take a test and tell us verbally that the horse is over the limit then retake the test again for a second time. The Stipes refuse to show us the test results. Only they may see it – for what reason I don’t understand. It’s like they own the horse! We have a big race come around once a year and then this. I want to know what is over the limit. I would like to see with my own eyes and not just being told we are over the limit,” she added.

The National Horseracing Authority published an update at end September on the Total Carbon Dioxide (TCO2) analysis conducted on race days. Between 29 June 2024 and 29 September 2024, 2 772 TCO2 analyses were administered on 2 482 horses.

Of these, 274 horses (11%) tested above 35 mmol/L, as a result of which, was subjected

to a second test on the expiry of no less than 10 minutes post the first test, with 16 horses (0.6%) being withdrawn from races due to elevated TCO2 levels, i.e. levels on such second test exceeding 37 mmol/L.

From 6 April 2024 to 29 September 2024, a total of 4 998 TCO2 analyses were administered on 4 509 horses.

During this period, 57 horses (1.3%) were withdrawn from their respective races, which include 3 horses scratched on more than one occasion.

The remaining 4 452 runners had TCO2 levels with an overall mean of 33.1 mmol/L and a standard deviation of 1.7 mmol/L. In a normally distributed population, this suggests that 68% of horses will have a TCO2 level between 31.4 and 34.8 mmol/L, 95% will range between 29.7 and 36.5 mmol/L, and 99.7% will fall between 28 and 38.2 mmol/L. These results are consistent with data communicated on 28 June 2024.

To reduce the number of horses requiring a second test, and in an effort to ensure that the above 99.7% normal population of horses is catered for, the following new specimen collection procedures for TCO2 analysis will be implemented on race days, with effect from 1 October 2024:

TRAINERS will, prior thereto, be notified of the HORSES selected for pre-race TCO2 testing and ANALYSIS.

A blood SPECIMEN will be collected from each selected HORSE approximately 60 minutes prior to the published RACE time. Immediate ANALYSIS will be performed by means of an NHA approved handheld blood gas analyser “the first test”.

Where such ANALYSIS shows that a HORSE has a TCO2 concentration of more than 36 mmol/L, a second blood SPECIMEN “the second test” will be collected, a minimum of 10 minutes after the first test.

If the TCO2 concentration of the second blood SPECIMEN is more than 38 mmol/L, the STEWARDS shall withdraw the HORSE from the RACE and detain the HORSE for additional SPECIMEN collection.

Under these circumstances, a third blood SPECIMEN will be collected a minimum of 30 minutes after the second test.

The STEWARD/S may, at their sole discretion, instruct a SPECIMEN COLLECTOR to subsequently collect further SPECIMENS from the HORSE, for inter alia analytical testing of all PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES.

The STEWARD/S will notify the race day commentator of any HORSE which is passed to

run, which underwent a second test.

As the season progresses, the NHA state that they remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of transparency and testing integrity.

These procedural enhancements will allow the NHA to increase the number of horses tested pre-race.

Additionally, TCO2 analysis will extend to out-of-competition specimens collected from stable yards, based on intelligence, to further develop the TCO2 biological passport for each horse. This passport will enable the regulator to analyze and track TCO2 levels over time for every horse tested.

Interestingly, when testing started, races were selected for testing. These days, random horses are selected. This lends credence to speculation of alleged victimisation of certain trainers. Whether true or not, it’s the perceptions that do the harm.

KOTZEN HAS A CLASSIC CONTENDER HERE!

Denis Schwarz and On My Honour are clear with the opposition missing in action | Credit: Pauline Herman

Glen Kotzen’s Woodhill Racing is enjoying a great season and just a week after winning the Eastern Cape’s Polytrack Triple Crown, the Paarl team returned with a double at Fairview on Friday.

The victory by the Varsfontein Stud-bred On My Honour in the R250 000 Listed Racehorse Owners Association Stakes was particularly eyecatching and the Gimmethegreenlight gelding has classic prospect stamped all over his athletic frame.

Glen Kotzen has saddled some big-hitting names on this particular feature’s honour roll, including the likes of Big City Life, Light The Lights, Gold Standard and Pack Leader, and the lightly raced On My Honour looks special.

It doesn’t take an expert eye to note the progressive On My Honour’s classy demeanour with the ability to match! Staunch owners Eugene and Sandy Arundel, and Rob and Suzie Macnab have an exciting Cape Summer Season prospect on their hands after Denis Schwarz earned an easy commission, to go all the way on the even money chance. He beat the 50-1 Sakurajima with ease by 4,50 lengths in a time of 94,18 secs for the all-weather mile.

Local star 3yo My Best Shot (18-10) had every chance, but was beaten 6 lengths into third.

The winner’s stablemate The Mask choked up in running, and was not persevered with by jockey JP van der Merwe.

On My Honour is by champion sire

Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready), out of On My Mind, a High Chaparral unraced half sister to French Gr1 winner Fidelite (In The Wings).

An R800 000 National 2yo Sale acquisition, On My Honour is now a winner of 3 races with a place from his 4 starts and stakes of R310 188.

Pencil him in as a summer black-booker.

While Jacques Strydom enjoyed a deserved victory with Firealley in the Betway Algoa Stakes, Alan Greeff and Richard Fourie led the way with four winners on the afternoon.

The fast growing partnership of Glen Kotzen and Denis Schwarz teamed up for a double, while Craig Zackey rode two winners. Breeders Drakenstein Stud and Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein enjoyed a double each at the meeting.

The next Fairview racemeeting is on Friday 1 November.

O RAFEEF SOLDIER DOWNS TARRY’S LAD

The Corne Spies-trained Ridgemontbred Rafeef soldier William Robertson produced a gutsy performance under a superbly judged ride by Apprentice Trent Mayhew to beat Sean Tarry’s course-anddistance specialist Lucky Lad in a R175 000 Pinnacle Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.

The 4yo Lucky Lad is one of the most popular horses around and was having his first run this season after what many considered to be an unlucky second-placed effort behind Surjay in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint.

For jockey Craig Zackey it was something of a pressure moment as he took over from Richard Fourie, the only other jockey to have partnered the Varsfontein-bred star, at what was his thirteenth start.

Fourie won 7 races, including two Gr1’s, two Gr2’s and a Gr3 on Lucky Lad.

While the field scratched down to six runners, there was plenty of faith in Lucky Lad making a winning return after a 12 weeks absence over a course and distance he was unbeaten on – and he was a popular Pick 6 banker for many.

Riding the son of Gimmethegreenlight for the first time, Craig Zackey had Lucky Lad closer to the action in midfield in the small field, and he looked dangerous going into the 250m marker.

But fairytale comebacks don’t happen every day, as William Robertson (4-1) benefitted from superior match fitness and the 2,5kg claim of

Trent Mayhew keeps William Robertson going to hold off the fancied Lucky Lad

(Craig Zackey) in a thriller | Credit: JC Photos

Trent Mayhew, who did everything right, to hold off the courageous Lucky Lad, who had drifted from 6-10 before 11-10 and went down by 0,20 lengths. William Robertson clocked 68,61 for the 1160m.

The Ridgemont Highlands-bred William Robertson by the champion farm’s top-class sire Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) out of the thrice winning Trippi mare, Massachusetts.

The now 6yo gelding cost R500 000 on the BSA National 2yo Sale and is a winner of 11 of his 36 starts with 14 places – he has earned R1 948 125.

OUR READERS WRITE

Their Stories Their Stories

The Sporting Post was inundated with hundreds of fascinating hard luck and happy racing stories in our 30th birthday competition. We’d love to have given every entrant a Hollywoodbets betting voucher, as each was entertaining in its own way. The word count was often not adhered to and this condition was waived in the end.

The panel’s decision narrowed it down to ten winners and we will be publishing a selection over the next few weeks.

CONGRATULATIONS!

James Farmer

R2 500 Hollywoodbets betting voucher