SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 1

from the Sporting Post team Friday 20 December 2019

FAIRVIEW Friday Best Roving Banker: R3-(4) World Squared(4/1)

hollywoodbets greyville Friday Best Roving Banker: R8-(2) Whizz Of Odds (2/1)

kenilworth Saturday Best Roving Banker: R2-(6) Freedom Seeker(1/1)

turffontein Saturday Best Roving Banker: R1-(1) Captain Hindsight (15/10)

hollywoodbets scottsville Sunday Best Roving Banker: R3-(8) Proud Warrior (12/10)

It’s been a rough and tough year for South African horseracing. Spiralling costs and stakes cuts have led to casualties in the training and owning ranks Saturday 14 December and more can be expected as we cross the divide into 2020, Turffontein – race 10 Sporting Post seemingly without a turnaround strategy in place. Best Handicapped Based at the Riversand Stud in Middelburg in the always was the 100% opposite in training success Crystal Stream Eastern Cape, trainer Leon Lotz is known as a phil- to someone like Mike de Kock. Simply, punters need WON 6/1 osophical straightshooter who keeps in touch with information and I need money to survive. But who the Sporting Post and the rest of the outside world, is giving us bread-and-butter trainers the tools and courtesy of his frustratingly limited Karoo wifi signal. information to survive?” he asks as he explains that While nobody in the halls of power is particularly he is getting two horses, that he purchased up in interested in the plight of a trainer in the middle of Durban, ready to race and felt that the public need nowhere, who has the odd runner at a racecourse to have some insight into the cost of prepping and already hovering on death row, Lotz provided a keeping just one ‘cheapie’. few basic figures for us to illustrate the small man’s Sale price: R35 000 excl VAT impossible economic plight and to try and find Transport from sales: R5 000 some rationale and balance between the punter, whose hard-earned rands feed the stakes lifeline, Feed bill -18months: R54 000 and the trainer and owner who provide the actors Transport to racecourse × 3 for starting stall certificate: in the show. R8 000 “We dearly need to look after punters. I am and Total cost - without groom wages is R102 000. SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 2

Road To Nowhere weekend racing

He has some choice verbal opinion about the additional veterinary costs on vaccinations! So Many Questions! “You can easily add another R60 000 to that total. That’s Gr1 Cape Guineas Kenilworth for a horse that cost R35 000. At Flamingo Park we are rac- South Africa’s premier classic, the R1 million Gr1 Cape Guineas head- ing for a gross stake of R45 000 for a maiden plate. A win lines a festive and high quality holiday programme at Kenilworth on cheque is R26 100, before deductions. How long can this Saturday. The contest looks open as the top-rated duo of Eden Roc imbalanced bubble last before it bursts?” and African Warrior have question marks against their names. That Leon points out that he fully supports the principle of brings a few less exposed gallopers into the picture. transparent information for the racing public. Sean Tarry maintained his extraordinary “I was called by Phumelela Publishing immediately after my season with a big victory by Pure State in horses were accepted for a comment, which I gave in good last Saturday’s CTS Ready To Run Stakes heart and honest and truthfully. But even if one of those and the gutsy son of Jackson returns horses earn, when will I personally ever break even? The with three stablemates to try and give simple answer is not in this lifetime. The only remote way the SA Champion a long overdue first out is to hope that I get lucky and back one of them at 50-1 success in the race. at the right time. I believe that the figures and sums are Topping the Tarry attack is the Var colt worse for the normal owner. What info can you give me to King Of Gems | Chase Liebenberg Eden Roc, who needs to lift his game survive, without blaming me for not giving any of my info after his Gr1 success as a 2yo. He ran on steadily in the Graham Beck back? It is tough out there, believe me!” Stakes but was bumped and went a bit one-paced when beaten out of the money in the Dingaans last time. Dean Kannemeyer saddles the smart African Warrior who could win this if we put a line through his below-par no show in the Concorde Cup and revisit his Matchem Stakes run. That was a class effort and last time he Some More Gravy? pulled up lame – so that run can be ignored. Read more about his pros- Mr Lotz’ simple illustration of the plight of the small pects in Kannemeyer’s interview on page 15. owner and trainer is in stark contrast to the glitz and Putontheredlight was not persevered with in the Dingaans and needed glamour of the gravy train that caught the attention his previous start when unplaced in the Joburg Spring Challenge. On his of some of our SP readers after the Cape Fillies Guin- best 2yo form, he is just off Eden Roc. eas at Kenilworth last Saturday. Pure State will be fit after his eyecatching end-to-end win in last Satur- A Phumelela & RA team – they weren’t here for the day’s CTS Ready To Run Stakes. Piere Strydom seemed unsure whether Cape Sevens - in natty suits descended on Cape Town he would find the mile at this stage but he has done little wrong so far. with an imported commentator, after the longserving local was retrenched. They will all be back tomorrow His stablemate Rock The Globe was drawn wide there and ran on steadi- for the Cape Guineas. Their trip cost a fortune as they ly to be beaten 1,5 lengths into fourth. This will be his acid test. don’t share double-bunks at the Formula One. Paying King Of Gems came from the clouds to win the Gr2 Concorde Cup last lip service to cost-cutting, while axing stakes can only time after placing in stakes features as a 2yo. If the son of Kingsbarns set racing on a collision course with disaster in 2020. reproduces that effort, he should go close again. An interesting year that lies ahead! But for a wide draw, Silver Operator, would have been an instant top three choice. He hails from the top Guineas stable of Vaughan Marshall and showed terrific resolve when winning the Gr3 Cape Classic last time. While Snow Report has not gone on with his Langerman form, Silver Operator only went down narrowly in that race. With Anton Marcus up, he must be a serious runner. Sachdev never showed in the Cape Classic but looked a winner late in The Sporting Post Digest the Concorde Cup until nabbed in the final strides by King Of Gems. Jus- returns on Thursday 2 tin Snaith and Richard Fourie are keen to bag an early Gr1 and the son of January 2020. We wish all Silvano cannot be underestimated. our readers, advertisers Glen Kotzen’s Viva Rio stayed on late for an under two length fourth in and supporters a happy the Concorde Cup. He won three on the trot prior to that and the stable and safe festive season is red hot. and a prosperous Robert Khathi teams up with Captain Tatters, who went down narrowly and rewarding 2020 in both the Sophomore Sprint and the Cape Classic. The son of Gimme- thegreenlight has top-notch consistent form. SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 3 weekend racing

Macthief pulls the best of the Gr1 Cape Guineas Anybody For Seconds? past winners draw and Piere Strydom rides. The son of Time Thief showed 2016 Gr2 Premier Trophy Kenilworth pace and stayed on for third in the 1 William Longsword 60.0 (13) 22/1 The Green Point Stakes loss is this coming Saturday’s gain. 2 Gold Standard 60.0 ( 6) 11/2 Concorde Cup. A highly regarded 3 Table Bay 60.0 ( 7) 3/1 While the prestigious Gr1 Cape Guineas headlines the final 2017 sort, he is an interesting threat for 1 Tap O' Noth 60.0 (14) 4/1 Cape meeting before Christmas, there is little doubt that the 2 White River 60.0 ( 7) 13/2 the top two. 3 Like A Panther 60.0 ( 3) 16/1 presence of Mike de Kock’s champion Hawwaam in the Premier 2018 It looks tough for the rest. Trophy will get the crowds out at Kenilworth on the afternoon. 1 Soqrat 60.0 ( 4) 9/2 2 Twist Of Fate 60.0 ( 8) 16/1 As we noted, there are question The Hawwaam tale has been 3 One World 60.0 ( 7) 1/1 marks aplenty. Will African Warrior well documented in the stay? Will Eden Roc find his best media. 2yo paces? An intended runner in the START PA5/PICK SIX4/JACKPOT3 How reliable is 4:30PM Gr1 Cape Guineas (3yo’s) - 1600m Green Point Stakes after Kenilworth 7 SAME TRAINER:(2-3-10-12)(4-9-15-17-18) the Concorde Turffontein lost a key prep (5-13)(6-7-16) Cup form? Will meeting, De Kock felt that Vercingetorix 1 African Warrior(D Kannemeyer) K De Melo...... 5 60.0 Silver Operator Var 2 EDEN ROC(SG Tarry) G Lerena...... 4 60.0 his colt was short of work Pomodoro 3 Putontheredlight(SG Tarry) G Behr...... 13 60.0 give Vaughan Hawwaam| Chase Liebenberg for last Saturday’s Gr2 and Kingsbarn 4 King Of Gems(BJ Crawford) A Domeyer...... 12 60.0 Marshal his Silvano 5 Silver Operator(VH Marshall) A Marcus..14 60.0 decided to change tack and take the ‘less desirable option’ – no Gimmethegreenlight 6 Captain Tatters(J Snaith) R Khathi...... 2 60.0 third Guin- Silvano 7 Sachdev(J Snaith) R Fourie...... 10 60.0 doubt in terms of distance build up - but certainly the better Oratorio 8 Viva Rio(GS Kotzen) M Winnaar...... 7 60.0 eas in four timed slot of the R350 000 Gr2 Premier Trophy. The feature is Time Thief 9 Macthief(BJ Crawford) P Strydom...... 1 60.0 renewals? A Jackson 10 Pure State(SG Tarry) C Zackey...... 6 60.0 run at weight-for-age plus penalties and bravo to the six trainers Vercingetorix 11 Viking Moon(JL v Heerden) A Andrews...... 9 60.0 fascinating Seventh Rock 12 Rock The Globe(SG Tarry) S Veale...... 3 60.0 who are taking the Gauteng champion on at his first run in the Gimmethegreenlight 13 Cane Lime ‘n Soda(VH Marshall) M Byleveld.....17 60.0 race. African Cape. What A Winter 14 Snow Report(C Bass-Robinson) G Cheyne.....15 60.0 Warrior could Silvano 15 Kilindini(BJ Crawford) C Orffer...... 11 60.0 The SP top-rated at the weights, Hawwaam looks hard to stop. Trippi 16 Wild Coast(J Snaith) B Fayd’herbe...... 8 60.0 be good Bold Silvano 17 Super Silvano(BJ Crawford) - reserve 1....18 60.0 But we all knew that! Jackson 18 Count Jack(BJ Crawford) - reserve 2...... 16 60.0 enough! The son of Silvano has won 7 of his 8 starts, and returned to show his wellbeing over 1200m at the Vaal last month when dis- posing of a Gr1 sprinter in convincing style. This will be his first start in the Cape, but his trainer indicated some weeks ago that The Premier ClasH the intention was to give him a look at the left-handed Kenil- worth course. His target is the Queen’s Plate and Sun Met. Nobody can be too thrilled that we are only racing for R1 mil- lion in our unsponsored premier classic on Saturday. We raced A course and distance winner, but probably a more effective for R2,5 million in a restricted sales race at Kenilworth last stayer at best, Snaith’s Doublemint returns from a 21 week Saturday – and for a bar in a maiden at Turffontein last month. break since a fair third behind Dynasty’s Blossom in the Gold Cup on Super Saturday. Maybe we are comparing apples ‘n bananas but it’s interest- ing to reflect back thirty years that the sponsors of the 1979 Everything fell into place last Saturday for the young combi- Richelieu Guineas were commended for increasing the stake nation of trainer Adam Marcus and jockey Craig Zackey with a ‘again’, that year by R15 000, to R75 000 to ensure that the Gr1 & Gr2 success, and the top-class former Joey Ramsden 3yo race continued to attract the best of the 3yo crop. It did, it Twist Of Fate has his first run for the buoyant Marcus outfit. seems. Of the 16 runners that year, 5 came from KZN, 3 from The son of Master Of My Fate – blinkers now removed - is held Gauteng and 1 from Port Elizabeth – and it was the most by Hawwaam on paper and enjoyed a quiet first run this term representative field in the then 25 years of the classic. when fading out at Durbanville in October. He will strip much fitter and is certainly a danger if getting away. On Saturday, there are just 4 visitors in the 16 runner field – and all from the Sean Tarry yard. A horse whose formline doesn’t mirror the esteem in which he is held by his connections, second of the Snaith coupling Bunker The 1979 renewal provided an unforgettable finish, with Hunt has had one quiet outing this term since his unplaced Michael Roberts getting the 2-1 favourite and KZN repre- effort in the Consolation July. He was baulked and was not given sentative, the Buller Benton-trained Bold Tropic past the post a hiding to get withing 3,55 lengths of One World. But he will a short-neck in front of the local hope Horatius – the latter have to start upping his game. ridden by Ken Michel and running a great race in defeat. A past Cape Guineas winner, Tap O’ Noth may need another run Bold Tropic, who carried the colours of Mr and Mrs Cyril Hur- after two starts since a ten month break following the Sun Met. vitz, was bred by the Birch Brothers by Plum Bold out of the He is a decent sort on his day - as his earlier form shows - and Herculaneum mare Tropicana. could be the one to pick up the pieces in the unlikely event of Hawwaam not bringing his A-game to races.

can be purchased here SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 4 weekend racing

Eyes Wide Open returns from a 21 week break since running un- top-class One World last time out but caught the eye at his penulti- placed behind Rainbow Bridge in the Gr1 Champions Cup. Prior to mate when getting to withing 1,50 lengths of the enigmatic Charles. that he was hampered when making his run in the Vodacom Durban He could stretch Elusive Silva if adapting to the right-handed turn. July and still managed a commendable fourth. A past Cape Derby The consistent five-time winner Kimberley Star is knocking hard for winner, he could be overdue for another big win this summer. his next win and should be thereabouts after staying on well over A well beaten third behind Hawwaam and Twist Of Fate in the Gr1 slightly shorter. The trainer-jockey combination are deadly at this Daily News last season, the lightly-raced Capoeira has run two course. smart races this term and is a danger if he continues to improve. Now an 8yo, Laws Of Succession looks to enjoy slightly more Majestic Mozart is one of those frustrating horses – he runs on ground than he gets here. He was not striding out at his penulti- over 1400m like he needs more, mate jump. Gr2 Premier Trophy and then does the same over Former KZN-based Toltec has adjusted well to the Eastern Cape past winners 2400m. Obviously a few lengths where he has won two of his four starts – including a solid course 2017 off the best, he has never been and distance win last time beating the capable Shogun. 1 Milton 58.0 ( 7) 22/1 too far off the action but has 2 Last Winter 57.5 ( 9) 12/10 Paddy Kruyer brings Lateral gelding Earth Hour up from Milnerton. 3 Krambambuli 59.0 ( 1) 13/1 made respiratory noises at his He finished right on top of the talented Nexus at his last start in a 2018 last two starts – a sign that all is 1 Head Honcho 59.5 ( 5) 9/1 scrappy race, where he was forced to ease late. He must have a 2 Made To Conquer 58.5 ( 6) 61/20 not well. As a well-bred son of 3 Eyes Wide Open 60.0 ( 3) 71/20 place chance at best. Dynasty, it would be folly to write this fellow off Widely drawn, former Gauteng-based Bold Viking is in fine form too early. and has won two of his last three starts. He is clearly more compet- START PA4/PICK SIX3/JACKPOT2 itive in this centre and could surprise. 3:45PM Gr2 Premier Trophy - 1800m But he looks Kenilworth SAME TRAINER:(3-6) Lets Play Ball had top form on the polytrack and faded right out at 6 outgunned Silvano 1 HAWWAAM(MF de Kock) A Marcus...... 4 60.0 here. his start. He could run into quartet. Dynasty 2 Eyes Wide Open(GS Kotzen) M Winnaar...... 5 59.5 Twice Over 3 Doublemint(J Snaith) R Fourie...... 3 59.5 Hawwaam The Highway Man has lost his form in his last few starts. He looks to Master Of My Fate 4 Twist Of Fate(AN Marcus) C Zackey...... 8 59.0 Captain Al 5 Tap O’ Noth(VH Marshall) M Byleveld...... 6 58.5 will be the have plenty to do. Dynasty 6 Bunker Hunt(J Snaith) B Fayd’herbe...... 2 58.0 world’s bank- Oratorio 7 Capoeira(A Nel) A Domeyer...... 7 58.0 The red-hot Kotzen-Winnaar team have enjoyed smart feature Dynasty 8 Majestic Mozart(C Bass-Robinson) G Cheyne.....1 58.0 er on the day. success at this track and they travel up the Garden Route with Duc D’orange. While both his wins were on the all-weather, the highly regarded son of Duke Of Marma- Memorial Mile (L) lade ran a cracking third behind Cape Attack The Key past winners stablemate Cat Daddy in the Algoa 2017 Cup eight weeks ago. Memorial Mile (L) Fairview next Friday 1 Stormy Eclipse 60.0 ( 5) 3/1 2 Razed In Black 60.0 ( 1) 5/1 Third of the Bremner trio, Ben- The final East Cape feature of 2019, the R150 000 Listed Memo- 3 Afrikaburn 60.0 ( 3) 15/2 2018 Hur has been staying on and rial Mile headlines the Fairview Friday eight-race programme on 1 Afrikaburn 60.0 (4) 9/2 running into the regular place 27 December and sees the multiple major centre graded stakes 2 Star Chestnut 59.0 (8) 1/1 3 Laws of Succession 59.0 (7) 6/1 money but has a massive task at winner Elusive Silva squaring up to ten opponents at weight-for- level weights with Elusive Silva at age plus penalties. weights. Now a 7yo, Elusive Silva’s most famous moment came when he START PA5/PICK SIX4/JACKPOT3 played a supporting role in Snaith Racing’s glorious 2018 Vodacom 3:25PM Memorial Mile (Listed) - 1600m It looks a Fairview SAME TRAINER:(7-8-11) Durban July trifecta behind stablemates Do It Again and Made To 6 three-corned Querari 1 The Highway Man(GD Smith) M v Rensburg....3 60.0 clash between Conquer. A gelding who has had his issues, he won his first start Silvano 2 Elusive Silva(J Snaith) B Fayd’herbe...... 8 59.0 this term – a 1400m Pinnacle Plate at Kenilworth – but has run two What A Winter 3 SACRED ARROW(C Bass-Robinson) A Domeyer...... 1 59.0 Elusive Silva, Lateral 4 Earth Hour(PP Kruyer) M Byleveld...... 6 59.0 local hope subsequent ordinary races in the Settlers Trophy and Woolavington. Ideal World 5 Kimberley Star(AC Greeff) G Cheyne...... 10 59.0 Black Minnaloushe 6 Bold Viking(T Laing) C Maujean...... 11 59.0 Kimberley Star While his two previous Fairview starts have not produced fireworks, Jay Peg 7 Laws Of Succession(Y Bremner) K Minnie....9 59.0 he could well enjoy a fast pace and at the weights, he can register an Jay Peg 8 Toltec(Y Bremner) W Agrella...... 5 59.0 and Sacred Curved Ball 9 Lets Play Ball(SB Kotzen) R Khathi...... 4 59.0 Arrow. Include eight career win under Bernard Fayd’herbe, who knows him well. Duke Of Marmalade 10 Duc D’orange(GS Kotzen) M Winnaar...... 2 59.0 Judpot 11 Ben-Hur(Y Bremner) C Storey...... 7 59.0 all three to be Candice Bass-Robinson’s Sacred Arrow was outgunned behind the safe. SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 5 weekend racing

off here but needs to confirm the form over the shorter trip. Cape Doctor’s Orders The Stratum filly Mushi Sterek stayed on well for a three quarter Southeaster Sprint (L) Kenilworth next Saturday length second to Casual Diamond in the Listed Laisserfaire The R150 000 Listed Southeaster Sprint brings the curtain down Stakes. She will strip fitter and could be dangerous. on the 2019 feature race programme in the Cape next Saturday. Durty Nelly looks held by Green Jacket on her penultimate run Thirteen mixed bag speedsters line up in the 1100m handicap. and could find this quite tough. Candice Bass-Robinson has a decent It’s a handicap and there are many with chances. Fabian won three -way What A Winter coupling well last time, but Pleasedtomeetyou and Russet Air are both headed by the SP top-rated Fabi- talented sorts who could assert themselves. an. The Listed Ibhayi Stakes winner surprised at 33-1 last time when beating Elusive Trader over the course and distance. The Peter Heritage Russet Air| Chase Liebenberg Greg Ennion’s Elusive Trader looks Trainer Paul Peter and SA log-leading jockey Warren way better than a two-time winner and after his disappointing Kennedy maintained their dream run as 2019 draws to a Merchants run, he ran on well last time. close when they teamed up with the relatively inexperi- What A Winner and the progressive looking Merchants winner enced 3yo Riverstown to win the weather-delayed Russet Air are the balance of the Bass-Robinson attack. They are R500 000 Grand Heritage at the Vaal yesterday. both capable of a top four finish and the turn of foot shown by The original 28 horse field Russet Air last time suggests he still has plenty to come. was trimmed with the visitors Green Jacket was slightly disappointing behind his class stable- crying off, but the visual mate Nexus last time but reverts back to the sprints and Richard spectacle of the stampede Fourie, who produced a 1200m win at his penultimate jump, – in two imbalanced groups will be keen to up the 4yo’s game. – down the Vaal 1475m His stablemate Frank Lloyd Wright ran a poor race finishing 6,50 straight, was not lost. lengths back in the Merchants. And the only 3yo in the field The stakes winning Pleasedtomeetyou carries joint topweight Riverstown | JC Photos was to show his class with a and showed up well late to run a creditable third just under two smart effort – trainer Paul Peter having taken his chances lengths off Russet Air in the Merchants. He is 2kgs better off with the lightly exposed youngster, who had demonstrated with the Bass-Robinson runner and can go close. his ability with a smart third to Frosted Gold in the Gr3 Gra- ham Beck Stakes in early November. Brett Crawford’s Bwana gets the blinkers removed after showing plenty of space but fading out in the Merchants. He will need to It was Riverstown’s first run at the Vaal, but his astute trainer improve. had shown him the surroundings a few weeks earlier. Anton Marcus partners with his After being relaxed near midfield, Social Order and Rivers- Southeaster Sprint (L) nephew Adam with the 5yo Billy town came together, with Cordillera looking threatening, but past winners Silver, who needed his last start the middle outside sector held sway. 2017 In the drive to the wire, the high-riding Kennedy kept Rivers- 1 Sergeant Hardy 61.0 ( 1) 3/1 after a break. While he is off his 2 Rock Of Africa 52.0 ( 4) 15/1 dazzling early form, he could town (5-1), racing in the yellow and black of Mauritzfontein, 3 Brutal Force 62.0 ( 2) 15/1 2018 surprise. committed to his task and the smart 3yo dug deep to keep 1 Speedpoint 58.0 ( 6) 10/1 the well-performed Social Order to a neck in a time of 88,10 2 Pacific Trader 56.0 ( 8) 10/3 Now a 7yo, Percival travelled to 3 Dutch Philip 60.0 ( 5) 17/4 Fairview for his last run, but had secs. no luck and was beaten close up The 50-1 Full Mast stayed on best of the rest for third, with out of the Cordillera the first filly home in fourth. START PA5/PICK SIX4/JACKPOT3 money. Cheques were paid all the way down to R5000 for tenth – 4:25PM Southeaster Sprint (Listed) - 1100m Kenilworth SAME TRAINER:(1-4)(2-7-10)(3-8)(11-12) Ready Paul Peter’s Florida Quays banking that consolation. 6 Steady Go Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Riverstown is a son Querari 1 Pleasedtomeetyou(A Nel) B Fayd’herbe... 3 60.0 What A Winter 2 RUSSET AIR(C Bass-Robinson) A Domeyer...... 8 60.0 ran a cracker of Byword (Peintre Celebre) out the Irish-bred three time Trippi 3 Bwana(BJ Crawford) C Orffer...... 1 57.5 Var 4 Percival(A Nel) A Andrews...... 4 57.0 when beaten winner Carraig Aonair (Fastnet Rock). Gimmethegreenlight 5 Ready Steady Go(HWJ Crawford/M Rix) G Behr..... 11 57.0 1,50 lengths Silvano 6 Billy Silver(AN Marcus) A Marcus...... 2 55.5 He has win twice in five starts for three places and stakes of What A Winter 7 Fabian(C Bass-Robinson) K De Melo...... 6 55.5 by Russet Stratum 8 Mushi Sterek(BJ Crawford) G Cheyne...... 9 54.5 R385 625. Elusive Fort 9 Elusive Trader(GW Ennion) M Byleveld...... 5 54.0 Air in the What A Winter 10 What A Winner(C Bass-Robinson) R Khathi13. 54.0 Merchants. Byword is the sire of Gr1 winner Camphoratus, who was Gimmethegreenlight 11 Green Jacket(J Snaith) R Fourie...... 7 53.0 crowned KZN Breeders Horse Of The Year recently. Captain Al 12 Frank Lloyd Wright(J Snaith) C Murray.10 52.0 He comes in What A Winter 13 Durty Nelly(M Robinson) S Mbhele...... 12 52.0 1,5kgs better SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 6 SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 7 Heart of the Art Why pace is the key to handicap ratings

Ratings allocated in feature races by the but this is deceptive – they just slow different ways: at an even pace, not too Official Handicapper has raised eyebrows down at a lesser rate. fast, not too slow; then beginning fast and in recent weeks. try to keep that up (you will slow down!); Impressions are that the officials To get a handle on all this you need binoc- and finally, starting slowish and moving up staunchly use internationally accepted ulars and a stopwatch, to take split-times your speed gradually to top speed. Count calculations to evaluate race results, but as the front runner passes through pre-de- the up-down movements as you go and pay scant attention to the way races are termined distance markers – which aren’t record how many you can do in the time run. always easy to pick out, as racecourse you set. You’ll find that energy is most eco- management tends to give little help in nomically spent when the effort is even, Weekly comments on allocated ratings this regard. without extremes. issued by the handicapper make no men- tion of pace. Split times (or sectional times as they are I have a handful of notations for pace. Yet pace is as significant to the outcome called nowadays) are the key to under- The first is ‘ok’. It denotes an even of races as weight carried by the runners, standing what really happens in a race. pace throughout the race, and helps writes Karel Miedema. This was my normal racing every horse in the race to perform to diet in the Eighties & Nine- its best ability. Pace can be defined as the time it takes ties and beyond – a lone • There are two variations to ok‘ ’, which to cover a given distance, compared to cowboy in the coral of are ‘gs’ (good to slow) and ‘gf’ (good to a pre-determined average time for the racing scribes. Standing in fast). the press box at Kenil- same distance. • The ‘gs’ denotes a relatively slow, even worth and Milnerton, Pace can be slow, or fast, or anything pace, and is mostly encountered in lower tight-knuckled not to class races, where horses generally are in-between. miss the front runner passing through the below average ability. first 400m, then 600m, 800m, 1000m and It is important to find out how the final the excitement when the rush for home • The opposite is ‘gf’, which denotes pace-time is arrived at. would begin. an even, fast pace. This category can be • Was it even throughout? linked to the saying ‘There’s no horse No instant replays in those days, if you • Was it fast early on, and slow near the as difficult to beat than a front runner missed it there were no second chances. end? which doesn’t stop’. I recall a grey sprint- Taking down the sequence of splits after • Or the other way round? er trained by Guy Rixon, Heavenly Boy, the race was riveting – every race so who barely stayed 1000m. He used to different! The final pace-time for all these races could take the lead and set a murderous, even be the same, but when broken down in pace which none of his opponents could It is essential to have some sort of short- parts these will be entirely different. match early on. It didn’t matter how much hand for the different varieties of pace. Pace begins from a standing start, as the weight the handicapper put on him, it was When studying form in times ahead, this gates open. his pace that made him such a regular will give instant recognition of how serious winner – for to beat him, the others would a race result should be taken. The first 200m to 400m determines how have to run below-record times, a physical the race is going to be run. It is the impossibility. Heavenly Boy won his races There is a simple exercise to help every- crucial part, where jockeys will shine or at the start. one understand the effect of pace. Take fail – not always of their own making. a piece of string. Tie one end round the For races not run at an even pace The next stage will have a front runner, top of your middle finger, and a lightish there are three options, all with the alone or in company, who sets the pace weight at the other end. Let the weight letter ‘F’ for ‘false’. – slow, fast, or anything in-between. hang down from your outstretched finger, • ‘Ff’ is ‘False fast’, when a lone front run- Then comes the charge for home, prob- while keeping your arm horizontal. Now ner gets away and the rest of the runners ably between 600m to 400m from the move your finger down, then up again, play a waiting game, in the knowledge that finish. This is where the pace will be down, up, down, up, and so on. Do this for most often the front runner will run out of fastest, almost always. a (properly timed) minute or two, in three steam. But the playing the waiting game Finally, in the last 200m all horses means going too slow, which then slow down, without fail. Visually results in a sprint for home - which some may be seen to accelerate, anyone can win. Sometimes the SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 8 pace - the key to handicap ratings front runner leads at a good, even pace and can’t be caught. There’s an analogy here with cycling - in the Tour de France Run Fox Run Now A 122 this Ff scenario is commonplace and most The NHRA handicappers have pub- of the time the peloton gets there where lished their assessments after the big it matters. weekend at Kenilworth. • ‘FS’ is ‘False Sprint’, when there’s no WSB Cape Fillies Guineas (Gr1) real pace in the early and/or middle stages MISSISIPPI BURNING has seen her merit of a race. There will be a sprint for home, rating climb from 97 to 116 after she where if the field isn’t bunched, those ran out an easy winner of the WSB Cape racing handy are at a distinct advantage – Fillies Guineas over 1600m at Kenilworth The objective must be to weight a future they’re not stopping late like they would (summer course) on Saturday 14th handicap race so that all entrants perceive in a race run at true pace! Horses coming December. from behind are disadvantaged because to have a winning chance (in turn giving This was her first try at 1600m and she they simply can’t run fast enough, even if larger fields) and punters perceive the race handled the step up in distance with they still have plenty energy left. Horses to be competitive (in turn giving an open great ease. Here, third placed THIRD who manage to get close coming from betting market and no short-priced favour- RUNWAY was deemed to be the correct behind in such races are worth following. I ite). Perception is the name of the game. line horse by the Handicappers and as found River Jetez that way, to win the Met. such, her rating remains unchanged on She’d come from last at her previous start So when evaluating races run at a False 109. in a ridiculously slow run Paddock Stakes, pace, where the traditional post-race rat- to get within a length of winner Mother ing method is just not feasible, the Handi- Runner-up DRIVING MISS DAISY has Russia, showing that she was a the top of capper must be allowed to use discretion. gone up from 104 to 110, while 4th her form. Most experts were unimpressed There should be no reason to rigidly have placed LARENTINA goes up from 103 to and gave her little chance in the Met on to pick a ‘line-horse’, and no reason to 107. 5th placed DRAMA QUEEN and 6th that showing, despite her being 2kg better stick rigidly to the weight/beaten lengths placed KELPIE both go up to 105, from off at the weights. River Jetez won the Met relativity of the ‘raw ratings’ from the race 95 and 99 respectively. There was just at 16/1! result. 0.30 lengths between them, and it was In other words, for False run races with felt appropriate to rate them as equals • Finally ‘F’ which simply is ‘unexplain- their unreliable results the Handicapper as a result. The only drop was made to able false’ – you know the race was not the rating of ROLL IN THE HAY, who goes run at an even pace, but there were lots of should have the freedom to ‘make things from 102 to 100. pace changes in the race. Nothing fits the up’. Given that freedom, it is highly likely that the Handicapper will rate conserva- categories described earlier. WSB Southern Cross Stakes (Gr2) tively rather than on the fly. With freedom comes responsibility! Undefeated RUN FOX RUN has had her The most important question a serious rating upped from 114 to 122 after she returned from an absence of more than handicapper has to ask about a race is How significant is the influence of pace ‘if this race was run again, at an even six months to impressively win the Grade in the South African context? 2 Southern Cross Stakes for fillies and pace throughout, will the result likely be The short answer is: very. It’s a knock-out. mares over the Kenilworth 1000m on the same? • In the 15-month period from August Saturday. Runner-up PRINCESS REBEL 2018 the split shows 26% ok, 28% F, 38% (herself an easy winner of this race If the pace notation as outlined above has FS and 8% Ff for all races (the number of twelve months ago) was used as the line the big ‘F’ in it, the answer to that ques- gf and gs races was small enough to be horse and as such her rating remains tion is ‘probably not’. ignored here). unchanged on 119. Which means that whatever ratings are • For handicap races alone the balance is The winner aside, the only change applied to the result, chances are they 25% ok, 25% F, 45% FS and 5% Ff. made to the rating of any horse in this won’t work out in time to come. event was to 3rd placed CELESTIAL • Be aware that pace will influence And that in turn suggests that changes STORM, who goes up from 104 to 110. staying ability, as well as weight-for-age to ratings must be treated very conserva- In fact, with the race rated the way it is, – which carries with it a distance com- tively, to err on the side of caution. Ratings CELESTIAL STORM actually achieves a ponent. And, of course, the relationship that are raised too high are much more mark of 116, but it was felt that this was between weight and beaten lengths at the difficult to rectify (they have a ripple- ef completely out of sync with anything finish. fect) than ratings that are too low (one or she has previously achieved, so plenty of two more runs will clear the picture). Real handicappers ignore the effect of caution was applied and she was given pace at their peril a rating of 110 to make her higher than The Official Handicapper deals in futures. 4th placed CANUKEEPITSECRET, who It is his task to produce Ratings which ap- remains on 109. ply to future handicap (!) races, not races Read the full report here past, or non-handicap races. SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 9

Image: Chase Liebenberg

MISSISIPPI BURNING (Captain Al - Spitfire Lady by Hussonet) 2018 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale graduate R380 000 WINNER GR1 WORLD SPORTS BETTING CAPE FILLIES GUINEAS Trainer: Adam Marcus Owner: Mario Ferreira Breeder: Rathmor Stud

SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 10 news SA Racing's Flying End To 2019 R5 Million – Last Chance The European Union (EU) has confirmed that an audit of South The final Pick 6 Megapool of 2019 will be up for grabs at the Africa’s export protocols will be conducted in the months of Kenilworth race meeting tomorrow. April/May 2020. Fans are in for treat with the running of the Gr1 Cape Guineas This follows a meeting on Tuesday between the EU, the South and the Gr2 Premier Trophy, which will see Hawwaam make his African Department of Agriculture’s Director of Animal Health, Dr long-awaited debut in the Western Cape. Mpho Maja and Niki Kruger, Chief Director of Trade Negotiations, To add to the merriment, R500 000 will kick off the Pick 6 International Trade and Economic Development Division (ITED). MEGAPOOL, which is estimated to reach R5 million. Adrian Todd, MD of South African Equine Health & Protocols The Cape Guineas has always been seen as the ‘premier’ Guin- (SAEHP), pictured above, commented: eas in the land as it is the only Gr1 race over 1600m for three- “The EU will be sending a pre-audit questionnaire early in the year-olds. New Year so that final preparations can be done. This is a most It also acts as an alternative first leg of theA S Triple Crown exciting development for all of us in the South African breed- along with the Gauteng Guineas, a Gr2 event, at Turffontein in ing and racing industries. It shows what can be done when the February. private and government sectors cooperate and work towards the The appearance of Hawwaam in the Premier Trophy appears same goal.” to have frightened off much of the opposition as only eight Eight-times AS Champion trainer and SAEHP board member Mike horses are carded to go to post for this R350 000 race. de Kock was delighted and said: Mathew de Kock, who is looking after the big boy at Milnerton, “With all the negative news we’ve had, this is the announcement commented: “He wasn’t intended to run tomorrow, it’s a new of the year. I am excited for SA racing, the audit still has to be race on our radar but considering the cards we were dealt he’s completed and there will be a few technical issues after that, but taken everything very well and he’s enjoying Milnerton. We we’re as close now as we’ve been which is wonderful.This is a vital took him to Kenilworth for a gallop, he put up a good piece of issue. Some of our industry’s biggest investors, like the Sheikhs work, he was relaxed and liked the track. So all the signs are of Dubai, have been getting impatient but now, at last, we have there that he travelled well and looks good. Now, we go into something tangible, light at the end of the tunnel. I have seen the the race and we’re hoping it’s a good experience for him which ramifications of the prohibiting protocols on my own business will put him in a good space for the Queen’s Plate.” with an internationally competitive Dubai string of 40 horses grinding to an almost complete halt.” He added that Adrian Todd and his team at SAEHP have worked very hard and in the face of many obstacles to get us this far. “They deserve compliments, along with Dr Maja who gave racing her preference and several others who have done sterling work behind the scenes.” · Press release by SAEHP on Wednesday 18 December 2019

One To Watch Rob Knuppe’s Missing U Syndicate have a very decent strike rate and they look to have bred another decent sort in Crusade filly, Whizz Of Odds, who took the step up from maiden to MR90 in her stride at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday. “I would have been happy to finish in the first three,” con- ceded trainer Gavin van Zyl, “but I must admit that I was pretty impressed with that. She was taking on seven-time winners like Effortless Reward, hard knockers.” Jockey Warren Kennedy was equally impressed. “I was pacing it with Effortless Reward and she was doing it easy. When I pressed the button, she just gave me more,” he said. Seasoned mare Queen Of Alamo was closing fast over the final 100m but the race was already over. Given this perfor- mance the SA Fillies Sprint next May could be an option. SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 11

WRITERS AWARD WIN A TRIP FOR TWO TO GLORIOUS GOODWOOD

Rules for the competition:

The competition is open to all members of the public.

Submit a non-fiction, original piece of 1000 - 5000 words about the upcoming L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Racing Festival.

Content must relate to the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Racing festival, that is being held over Friday, 10th & Saturday, 11th of January 2020 at Kenilworth Racecourse.

Entries submitted to [email protected] no later than Saturday, 18th January 2020.

All entries will be acknowledged. The judges’ decision is final.

The winner will win a trip for two, including flights and accommodation to attend the Qatar Goodwood Festival in England in July 2020, or a trip for two to attend the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Racing Festival in Cape Town in January 2021.

www.lqp.co.za SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 12

NEWS Byword Mare Dominates The Middlefield Stud-bred Byword mare Camphoratus was Vardy – Bad Boy For Some! crowned KZN Breeders Horse Of The Year for the 2018/19 season at the local breeding association’s annual awards evening held at Vardy’s Sun Met price has been slashed and he is now third the Fordoun Hotel in Nottingham Road on Saturday evening. favourite in the wake of Saturday’s World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes victory. Hawwaam still heads the mar- The Robbie and Shannon Hill-trained Camphoratus, won three ket but Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge have eased. awards on a glittering evening. But, while there is no denying Vardy’s claims, there was so She was purchased for just R50 000 by her trainer off the 2016 much bumping and barging that the Green Point would not KZN Sibaya Yearling Sale and is out of an unraced US bred Horse have been out of place at the rugby stadium down the road Chestnut mare Wild Camphor – who was crowned Champion at Newlands and in the weighing room afterwards there Broodmare on the evening. were more hard luck stories than in the bankruptcy courts. Spring Valley Stud’s veteran Bruce le Roux was a popular choice Michael Clower writes on www.goldcircle.co.za that some for a well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award, while Anita of the trainers were particularly aggrieved at seeing weeks Akal acknowledged the contribution by longstanding breeder of carefully planned preparation sacrificed on an altar of in- and veterinary surgeon, Dr Allen Bechard, through her Industry terference. “It was a rough race, not what we wanted at all,” Achievement Award. said Justin Snaith. “Do It Again was bumped round the turn The KZN Breeders have made special mention of the sponsors of the and it bothered him so much that he didn’t want to run on individual awards and wish to thank them for their kind support. and then he was checked again.” Brett Crawford added: “Undercover Agent suffered bad KZN Award Winners interference at the 1 000m mark and was nearly put over the fence.” CHAMPION 2YO FILLY Montreal Mist - Clifton Stud The jockeys, too, were complaining – “The winner ran right CHAMPION 2YO COLT (Equine Group) across me,” said Gavin Lerena who was squeezed so badly Wave - Scott Bros when Vardy hung in that he had to stop riding Rainbow Bridge for several strides. Had he finished second rather than CHAMPION 3YO FILLY (Odds On Colours) Running Brave - Summerhill Stud third he might well have had grounds for an objection. His mount came back with an abrasion behind his left fore fetlock CHAMPION 3YO COLT (Equifeeds) Nexus - Rathmor Stud The all-seeing replays in the boardroom showed Rainbow CHAMPION SPRINTER FILLY (Choice Carriers) Bridge pulling hard early and Lerena tucking him in to get Vision To Kill - Robert Mauvis cover, causing Richard Fourie to ride Do It Again to hold his CHAMPION SPRINTER COLT position. Undercover Agent, on the rails, also suffered. The Africa Rising - Summerhill Stud stipes are to hold a further inquiry into this part of the race. CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE FEMALE Vardy, when mounting his challenge, hung in badly just as (Hollywoodbets) he had done earlier in the year but this time the stipes were Camphoratus - Middlefied Stud satisfied that Craig Zackey had done all he reasonably could CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE MALE to keep his mount on a straight course. However Adam Dawn Assault - Graystone Stud Marcus was advised to “ensure that this horse does not CHAMPION OLDER FEMALE (Gold Circle) behave similarly in future.” Easier said than done. Camphoratus - Middlefield Stud Please see the Hollywoodbets betting here CHAMPION OLDER MALE (Epol Horse Feeds) Dawn Assault - Graystone Stud CHAMPION BROODMARE (Gold Circle) Wild Camphor - Middlefield Stud STALLION PROSPECT Binoche – Capetown Noir Maine Chance Farms’ sire Vercingetorix,3 From whose sons 3 African STALLION OF THE YEAR (TBA) Warrior and Viking Moon are runners in tomorrow’s Gr1 Cape Crusade Guineas, looks to have a yet another smart first crop runner. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Bruce Le Roux Bred by DBR Consulting, Binoche justified tote favouritism with a smooth, two and a quarter length win over 1000m at Kenilworth ANITA AKAL INDUSTRY AWARD Allen Bechard on Wednesday for trainer Vaughan Marshall and jockey Oswald Noach. The 3yo now three wins from three starts over 1000m to BREEDERS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (Summerhill) her name and she looks another smart prospect for her multiple Graystone Stud Gr1 winning sire. CHAMPION BREEDER Summerhill Stud Out of the Captain Al mare Jenna The Pink, Binoche is bred on the same Vercingetorix/Captain Al cross as Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope KZN BREEDERS HORSE OF THE YEAR (Gold Circle) Camphoratus - Middlefield Stud Nursery runner up Fearless Warrior. SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 13 SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 14

NEWS 1000 Up! St John Gray of Graystone Stud in KZN, celebrated a 1000 18 February 2020 winner milestone at the Vaal yesterday, courtesy of the Entry forms available www.bsa.co.za eleven-time winner, Dawn Assault. Gavin Lerena, who has ridden several of St John’s top horses to Gr1 success, including the likes of 5-time Gr1 winner Dancewith- thedevil, was in the familiar green and white ringed silks at the speciall occasion. St John maintains his breeding operation at Cathy and Jonathan Martin’s Hadlow Stud – and has St John Gray enjoyed enormous success at In aSilly bizarre repeat of theSeason July 2018 incident, theSpecial National the top level with what could be Horseracing Authority has confirmed that the vehicle delivering considered non-commercial pedigrees. His favourite is his the specimens that were collected from horses that participated chestnut stallion Announce, who shares a damline with Dane- at the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Race meeting on Sunday, 15 hill, Machiavellian and Northern Dancer. Amongst his current December en route to the NHRA Laboratory, has been hijacked in broodmare band are the likes of his star racemare Dancewith- Johannesburg. thedevil who was exported to England, but had to return after All the freight that was contained in the courier vehicle, including an injury to her pelvis. the specimen boxes, was stolen. St John also won the Gr1 SA Classic with Jam Alley, an Austral- The incident has been reported to the South African Police Services. ian horse he bred by Peintre Celebre and who stood at Had- low before his retirement. He also has the star chestnut mare At the time of the 2018 Vodacom Durban July sample hijacking, the Engagement, who during her time with St John defeated Gr1 Sporting Post queried whether there are two seperate sets of speci- stars Igugu and The Apache. mens kept independently of each other. The NHRA CEO at the time, Lyndon Barends, advised that they are only split upon arrival at the St John recently picked up the KZN Breeders Achievement Laboratory. One would have hoped that they would have addressed Award for his outstanding season which saw Dawn Assault that back-up security measure in the interim. and Ronnie’s Candy stamping themselves repeatedly among the nominees, and Dawn Assault taking home Champion Middle Distance Male and Champion Older Male. Winx Proves Popular Australian star Winx has been voted World Horse Of The Decade in a poll conducted by Thoroughbred Racing Commentary. DWC Countdown “As an international publication we pride ourselves on our coverage The ten meeting 2020 Dubai World Cup Carnival runs of issues and developments in all the major racing nations. Never- for nine consecutive Thursdays from 2 January to 27 theless, more than half our readers are based in the United States, February, before culminating with Super Saturday on 7 which is why the odds seemed stacked in favour of American Pharo- March, the official dress rehearsal for the historic 25th ah, the only U.S. nominee,” wrote the publication. edition of the world-leading $35 million Dubai World Yet, while the superb 2015 U.S. Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Cup on 28 March. Year polled slightly over a third of the more than 2000 votes the five The 2019 renewal of Super Saturday produced three of contenders received from all over the world, he finished second in the nine Dubai World Cup night winners. a poll whose result shows once again that there is no substitute for A total of 237 horses conditioned by a total of 76 trainers longevity in the best racehorses for building popularity in the sport. and from 16 countries are set to compete in the DWC. Winx, is five months older than American Pharoah. She raced for the In 2019, the DWC Carnival saw horses from Australia, first time in June 2014 - two months before he made his debut in a Bahrain, Denmark, France, Ireland, South Africa, South maiden special weight at Del Mar - and for the last in April this year, Korea, Sweden, Turkey, UAE, UK and USA win or place in by which time Pharoah’s first 2-year-olds were beginning to appear its racES. on the racetracks of Europe and the U.S. A total of 61 Thoroughbred races and 4 Group Purebred The son of Pioneerof The Nile closed his track career by winning the Arabian contests are up for grabs, with several inter- Breeders’ Cup Classic, the leading all-aged weight-for-age race in national stars set to travel to Dubai to compete for the North America, on 31 October 2015 - just seven days after Winx won record $12.74 million in prize money. her first Cox Plate, the leading all-aged weight-for-age race in the Southern Hemisphere. SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 15

Personality

conditions, were also valuable weapons of war. I don’t feel those Dean Kannemeyer basic requirements have changed dramatically since the race was Champion Legal Eagle only shed his maiden in March and still switched to Kenilworth 27 odd years back” he adds. went on to become one of the leading 3yo’s of his generation. On Saturday Dean saddles the Vercingetorix gelding African A man who spends plenty of time assessing the strength of Warrior, a Gr2 winner raced by the yard’s enthusiastic owner his opposition, Dean Kannemeyer feels that we shouldn’t be syndicate. The hardy bay gelding, described by Dean as a bit of a jumping in too early to pass judgement on the vintage of our ‘tough guy for his size’, was bred by Boland Stud and was pur- current classic crop. chased for just R100 000 at the KZN Yearling Sale. He is out of the “It’s early days in the overall scheme of the season and when we one-time winning Jet Master mare, Allez Afrique. Dean feels that get a few of these early left field results and they are seemingly with his style of racing and on breeding, he will stay the mile. beating each other often in the various centres, we tend to label “I’m not blowing my own trumpet, but I feel I placed him well in it an average crop. That said, reflecting back on some of my really his 2yo season. Everything went according to plan and we got the smart Guineas winners, I don’t believe that this is the strongest optimum out of him without overracing him or extending him bunch we have ever seen,” says the man who has been to the too much. His first run as a 3yo in the Matchem was an excellent Cape Guineas winning well eight times – three as assistant to effort in that company at the weights. He was only 2,25 lengths his late Dad, and five for his own account in seven glorious years off One World – and we saw what a gutsy performance the latter between 2005 and 2012. put in on Saturday in the Green Point Stakes.” We asked him what kind of equine athlete it takes to win the But the Gr2 Concorde Cup was not a memorable race and it was Guineas. “Let me say that no ordinary horse ever wins the Guineas. to be the first time the Vercingetorix gelding didn’t earn. He failed If one looks back over the years, you know that if you have a Cape to show his customary kick and was subsequently found to have Guineas winner then you have something to look forward to. In strained a hindquarter muscle and is now back on track. the old days the Guineas was run on the Milnerton near bend. So “We treated him and I gave him a few days off work. He was given it was a 600m back straight, 400m around the turn and then the a blow out on the cinders over the past weekend and stretched longest ever 600m for any jockey up that straight – usually into the out nicely. He is very well and while it won’t be easy, I feel he has bared teeth of a howling south-easter. It required a mix of speed some work to do match them, he could prove me wrong as he is and stamina – the classic combination for any serious racehorse. a really genuine and honest sort – a real toughy and he has a turn Good gate-speed and a decent jockey, who understood the of foot second to none.” SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 16 dean kannemeyer

Dean runs his Milnerton base as his HQ with a powerful yard at Summerveld. He feels that it was one of the best strategic deci- Our Royal Date sions he has made to open in KZN four years ago. “For years we were told by top people in the game that we could In 2020! never produce the same results out of Summerveld as we did for The first major racing event of 2020 will be the 159th forty years of coming up from the Cape and being based at Clair- Queen’s Plate and fourth year of the L’Ormarins Queen’s wood. In my first year at Summerveld we saddled the July winner Plate Racing Festival, which will be held at Kenilworth on and I have sent out plenty to win on the polytrack. It’s an asset to Friday 10 and Saturday 11 January 2020. KZN racing – some people don’t see it like that, I hear. Wasn’t Arc The race was first run in honour of Queen Victoria after she winner Enable given a prep run on the all-weather track by John gifted a silver plate and 500 sovereigns to the South African Gosden? I think it’s a mindset – the polytrack has saved many KZN Turf Club. meetings that would have been lost. I also feel it is vital to give The inaugural contest was staged as a heats event in April my owners the opportunity to optimise their earnings opportu- 1861, with the honours going to Cape Town owner Mr nities for all grades of horses. In KZN the stakes are substantially Chiappini’s horse, Dispatch. healthier and the diversity of opportunity is there. It’s a national business structure that works well for us- and, very importantly, The Queen’s Plate has kept its royal ties meticulously. After for our customers,” he added. the death of Queen Victoria, it was run as the King’s Plate during the reigns of Edward VII and George VI and then re- Dean says that Summerveld is a ‘paradise’ to train horses: verted to being named the Queen’s Plate when Her Majesty “I am not knocking Milnerton as it has been my home forever, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1952. but Summerveld affords the trainer a host of options and allows The monarch maintains strong ties with the event, and is us to fit the need of the individual and apply the solution. So one represented every year by the British HighC ommissioner. can get horses fit and ready to win straight off a rest, rather than racing them towards attaining fitness. Anybody who trains out of A lot has changed since 1861 and the race has grown in stat- Milnerton has to beg and borrow to get a grass gallop some days ure to become South Africa’s premier weight-for-age contest and it is not always convenient. Guys who train out of Milnerton over 1600m. could train horses anywhere in the world. And winter does not These conditions ensure that the race is won by a true make it any easier,believe me,” he laughed. champion and the laurels have been claimed by some of the greatest horses ever to grace South African soil, including the mighty Sea Cottage, William Penn, In Full Flight, Yata- ghan, Sledgehammer, Politician, Wolf Power, galloping gold- DKR’s Guineas Honour Roll mine Empress Club, international superstar London News, 2005 – Rabiya (Gerrit Schlechter for Fieldspring Racing) champion sire Jet Master, Winter Solstice and Variety Club. 2006 – Express Way (Karl Neisius for Mary Slack) Of course, the undisputed King of the Queen’s Plate, with 4 successive trophies, is the unforgettable Pocket Power. 2008 – Le Drakkar (MJ Byleveld for Est. Late Mrs J Jaffee and Fieldspring Racing) In 2015 the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate was voted one of the top 5 race days in the world by the British Telegraph. 2009 – Noordhoek Flyer (Karl Neisius for Lady Christine Laidlaw) In 2018, the Snaith 4yo and subsequent SA Horse Of The 2012 – Capetown Noir (Karl Neisius for Lady Christine Laidlaw) Year Do It Again outpointed the gallant Cape Guineas star Soqrat to join Mike Bass gallopers Trademark and Pocket Power as one of only three horses to achieve the July – Queen’s Plate double this century. The son of Twice Over, Plenty Of Experience who won the Vodacom Durban July again this year, stands While David Lilley has been a lifetime assistant in the Kannemeyer on the brink of repeating the feat. Ignore his recent be- Milnerton yard, the departure of Barbara Kennedy from Dean’s low-par effort in the Gr2 Green Point Stakes. Summerveld base has seen the appointment of the vastly expe- Entries for the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate close at 11h00 on rienced Nicolette Roscoe. The closure of Alistair Gordon’s yard, Friday 27 December where Nicolette worked for 20 years, created the opportunity. A show-jumper in her high school years, Nicolette worked for the Weights will be published the same day. late Maureen Baitz on her spelling farm at Summerveld after Supplementary entries will be accepted up to 11h00 on school. She then joined Johnny Dawson, where she learnt the Friday 3 January 2020. basics before moving on to Alistair Gordon. Declarations are due by 11h00 on Monday 6 January 2020.

Gr2 Green Point Stakes 7 wins 6 places Rainbow Bridge 13 runs 5 b g Ideal World - Halfway To Heaven (Jet Master) 3rd Kenilworth, 1600m, 14 Dec AE Sands, G Lerena, MLP Rattray, Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein

Kingmambo – Banks Hill by Danehill Stands at Mauritzfontein • Tel: 053 833 7042 SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 17 Short Heads The Great Classic The Cape Guineas started life as the 2400m Western Province Derby and in 1924 was won by Wild Cat. It changed to the Western Province Guineas in 1945 and the distance was reduced to 1600m. That year it was won by Feltos.

W hat a Met Hero Party! In 1963 Cape This has been one of South Africa’s premier Mellow- wood came classics since introduced in 1955 by Jack Stubbs, on board as sponsors handicapper Selwyn Langerman and Abe Bloomberg. That year, until 1970. The run for a stake of £4200, it was won by Marion Island on the race was without branding from 1971 Milnerton near bend. After a proud history of great winners like The first Guineas winner Marion to 1974. Against Colorado King, Hawaii, In Full Flight, Sentinel and Politician, the Island was bred by George Kramer the background Guineas action switched to its present home, Kenilworth, in 1992. at Broadlands Stud and was raced of the Cape Town by Mr & Mrs R Engestrom and Mr Festival of 1975 it J Carney, who was also the trainer. was called the Argus The horse changed stables to Syd Festival Guineas and Star Garrett after his Guineas win and Fairer Sex won by the brilliant While there are no members of went on to score in the first of the the fairer sex in Saturday’s line-up, Effort! ‘ugly duckling’, Star Effort is the only £10 000 Mets in 1957. we have to go back 26 years to Gatecrasher. horse in history to have the last filly to win - Little Ballerina won both sexes classics in 1993. Other female winners are Jet Master triumphed - the 1991 Cape Fillies Empress Club (1992), Star Effort over a star studded field, Guineas and the Cape (1991), Renounce (1965) and when he won the Cape Guineas. Response (1957). Guineas of 1998. It was one of eight Gr1 races won by the star, who was South Africa’s Horse Mike De Kock wonMagic the Guineas in 1999Mike with seven length winner Of The Year in 1999. Horse Chestnut, as well as in 2002 with Flight Alert and Domino Man – beating Dynasty - in 2003. There was a gap until 2015 when Noah From Goa won, leading One of just a handful of up to Soqrat giving de Kock his fifth Captain’s Class horses to win both the success last year, and his 118th Gr1 A son of champion sire Al Mufti Cape Guineas and Cape winner overall, when he stormed and broodmare of the year Off To Derby, Jay Peg won the to victory under Randall Simons. War, Captain Al went into the 2000 classic in 2007 and went That win saw the champion trainer Guineas as a 7-1 shot behind the on to be named Equus surpass the tally of 117 Gr1 winners well fancied visiting contenders, Champion 3yo Colt of his held by the legendary Terrance Badger’s Coast and Glamour Boy. year. He won the 2008 Gr1 Millard. However, the Vaughan Marshall Dubai Duty Free in one trained bay prevailed by three of the most memorable Joey Ramsden’s Variety Club beat a parts of a length from subsequent riding displays in history. top class field in the 2011 Guineas. SA Classic winner, Glamour Boy. Anton Marcus was the The chestnut swept clear to register a three and a half length Captain Al would go on to sire hero in the Guineas and win over a field which included champions Princess Victoria and two Guineas winners – William the Duty Free – Jeff Lloyd Heavy Metal, as well as subsequent L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Longsword (2016) and Tap O’Noth partnered Jay Peg to win winner Gimmethegreenlight. (2017) – both trained by Marshall. the Cape Derby. SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 18

Personality

I’m still on cloud nine!” Adam Marcus There were media reports that some trainers were complaining about interference in the Green Point. The Stipes had also drawn 2019 will go down as a watershed year in the burgeoning ca- Vardy’s behaviour to Adam’s attention. He felt that Vardy was still reer of 30 year old Milnerton trainer Adam Marcus. He saddled learning to race – and he had the tendency to lug in and look for his maiden Gr1 winner Missisippi Burning in the Cape Fillies company. Guineas and finds himself stepping boldly into 2020 with two serious Sun Met candidates - and a quality string. “We galloped him on Thursday and he went straight as an arrow. It’s inexperience and thankfully Craig Zackey knows him well so The ever polite Adam became one of our youngest trainers to we will keep a tab on it. I’m really pleased with the run as he was saddle a Gr1 winner on a memorable December Saturday that not ready and the mile of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate will have also saw his fast-rising star Vardy dispose of a quality field that him perfectly on song for the Sun Met.” included a dual July and Met winner in the World Sports Betting Gr2 Green Point Stakes. While the prestigious royal mile weight-for-age contest on 11 January will be his second run after a break, the main aim is to Chatting to the Sporting Post, Adam, who laughs and quips that keep Vardy sound and in great shape. As to whether Vardy will go he is ‘only 30 but aging fast’, said that he was thrilled by the pro- the 2000m of the Met, Adam says that based on the manner in gress his yard has made in a year and said that loyal support from which his charge disposed of One World in the Winter Classic, the a host of owners and breeders had seen his 36 strong string boast extra 200m would be of no consequence for the current big race the quality to take on the big guns. third favourite. He is also likely to run Twist Of Fate, a horse he is “A year ago, I was working hard on trying to get a one-time still getting to know. winner to win again. I couldn’t do it without the confidence and “Joey Ramsden has done fantastically well with Twist and he is support from good racing people. But I am now more competitive putting in really good work at home. He is a lovely horse and his than ever and my New Year’s resolution is to win another Gr1 track record speaks volumes of his ability.” and raise the bar further,” he mused confidently as he recalled Saturday 14 December. His shrewd move (winning ones always are!) to switch Missisippi Burning straight from the sprints to the Gr1 “It was an honour as a start to just saddle a Cape Fillies Guineas mile was also an interest- runner in the company of Gr1 horses and Gr1 ing one. owners. When Vardy cruised past them late and then Missisippi “They always say that one shouldn’t scratch Burning came storming where it’s not itching but she was actually clear of her field in the getting outpaced in the sprints and Craig had Guineas, it was a to work hard on her to get her into the 1000m dream come true. races. The Kenilworth 1200m is a fairly testing SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 19 adam marcus KZN racing diaries one and she won over that trip at her penultimate start. I have found that one can take them from the 1200m to the mile without too much of a shock. We had the option to run her against the older fillies in the sprint or against her own age group over the mile. We also did some research and Racing Diaries found some stamina tendencies on her dam’s side. So, while one never knows at Gr1 level, she came through the test with flying colours – and all’s well that ends well.” with On the short-term plans for the flying grey, Adam says that she has had some racing so they may opt to go for the Gr1 Majorca on Sun Met day – which gives her five weeks break from racing. Racing Heads To The Capital Adam certainly has the pedigree to go all the way to the top. Racing, racing and more racing that’s the way it is this fes- His champion Dad, Basil, was one of the world’s great jockeys tive season, and if you are a racing fanatic that’s the way it in his time and got Adam going in his current profession. should be! Adam took out his trainer’s license at the tender age of 22, Sunday will see racing head onto the N3 highway and make striking out on his own at 23. He started with six horses. its way to the capital where a 9 race programme is carded at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. “I joked about aging fast. But this is a stressful job on an average day. It’s lovely when we are winning and the cham- Five out of the nine races on Sunday’s card are maiden pagne is flowing. But there is a lot to do and plenty to think plates and that may be a bit tricky. The Winning Form team about. And dealing with flesh and blood, there are curved have advised caution in those races as they have made their balls to juggle often. My Dad has given me a great foun- best bets in other races on the day’s card. dation to work off. These days he pops in every fortnight PeTeBe’s best bet of the afternoon comes in the best race and leaves me to do my own thing. He is very pleasantly on the card. A Pinnacle Stakes over 1200m. His selection distracted with the Grandkids keeping him busy. He is still is Ultra Magnus who has won four times over this trip and there when I need his help though and he often imparts his ran close up in a recent feature in Johannesburg. Jimmy The wisdom and vast experience when I need to bounce things Rich has made his best bet Roy’s Physco for Hollywoodbets off him.” sponsored trainer Alyson Wright. The horse jumps from gate one and with its form, it should finish in the number one Described by those that know him as a perfectionist, Adam box. was born in Durban and left for Hong Kong with his family at 18 months of age. He started his schooling in Hong Kong at the Both top bets of our in-house tipsters are ridden by Anton Japanese International School, then moved to England where Marcus. According to them ‘superman double’ should be he attended Cheam Hawtreys and The Oratory School. Upon the play of the day. returning to South Africa he completed Matric at Parklands The pick 6 guarantee on Sunday is a whopping R1.5 million College. and with the 10% bonus for every winning ticket taken on course, so going to Hollywoodbets Scottsville this Sunday is After school he travelled to Dubai for work experience with an absolute no brainer. Herman Brown Jr. where he spent time with the likes of Jay Peg and Desert Links. Things have developed in the ensuing years and Adam is set to become a more regular feature on the feature racing scene. Var Crowns 2019 For now, there is still plenty of hard work to be done, despite the holiday spirit prevailing. Adam says that the Marcus family In Style enjoys celebrating Christmas and they will be getting together Avontuur’s super-sire Var has ended 2019 on a high and after a and tucking into a sumptious lunch at his Step Gran’s house. feature race double over the Cape Fillies Guineas weekend, he “My present socks are taking strain and I know I can always produced three winners at Turffontein on the Reconcilliation look forward to a few new pairs. Many people seem to Day public holiday meeting at Turffontein – and an impressive think I need a variety of them - and even maybe the odd tie winner in Hong Kong when Bear Again won for David Ferraris last or two! It’s a wonderful family time to share and enjoy the Wednesday. gifts. I’d just like to wish all our customers and everybody in The unbeaten Miracle Flight was particularly impressive for Paul Pe- the racing and breeding industry a great year in 2020. This ter at Turffontein. Bred by the Eenfontein Stud, she is out of the Jet has not been a vintage year on many fronts, but I believe a Master mare Lightning Bird and bred on the same Var/Jet Master team effort will get us back to greater days again. And the cross as graded stakes winners Vardy and Rivarine. announcement of the news of the EU audit dates for our South Africa’s Leading Sire of 2Yo’s in 2016/17 and 2017/18, Var export protocols was the year-end tonic that we were all is currently responsible for 49 stakes winners, including nine Gr1 looking for!” winners. Read more on page 22. SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 20

A fresh start

2019 was the Chinese Year of the pig. It was a tumultuous one in a diversity of areas for SA horseracing and many will be happy to see the back of it as we look forward to 2020 with nervous renewed hope. We look back at some of the highs and lows.

It came very late, but the wonderful news this week that the European Union has confirmed that an audit T-Boned of South Africa’s export protocols will be conducted Phumelela announced in the months of April/May 2020 should lift the spirits stakes cuts across the dramatically. board in October. The Phumelela’s prestigious Gr1 Sun Met long-awaited announcement was the biggest casualty in November of the financial with the value of the results of their worst year in 22 Cape Town showpiece years of trade was a shocker. The Place dropping from R5 Chairman Bernard Kantor’s million to R3 million. ill-conceived swipe at punters To Race in the televised presentation In a unique partnership that has earned him no friends. CEO John accelerated KZN to the forefront Stuart looked hapless, while RA of South African racing, Gold Summer CEO Larry Wainstein conducted Circle & Hollywoodbets the brass band. Shades of the announced a groundbreaking Bummer Titanic? 2020 looks bleak. But R10m – 3 year naming rights Summer Cup day at hey, they still think they did a sponsorship of Greyville and Turffontein was an ‘helluva job’. Scottsville Racecourses in unqualified success on June. In six months we have the betting turnover Kenilworth Racing opened seen some positive changes – and social fronts. But a their hearts to all who would and a Cape trainer told Short Grooms Protest and a listen at a unique meeting of all stakeholders on 9 December. Heads recently that the vibe at nasty incident between The discussion, hosted by Co-chairmen Mark Currie and Robert Hollywoodbets Greyville on a management and trainers, Bloomberg, didn’t deliver a lot of specific solutions, but certainly Friday evening is magnetic. scarred the landscape. generated plenty of goodwill.

The popular KZN-based Winning Ways Show Rate This was erased from the Tellytrack programming as The NHRA introduced an innovative apparently some powerful people didn’t like what post-feature race analysis report was said. It’s good to know we live in an age of free expression intended to educate Joe Public as to how and in a country with the greatest constitution on earth. their handicappers reach their ratings. It was the racing regulator’s standout Phumelela and the move in a year of mixed reviews. The Justin Snaith-trained Northfields-bred Twice RA called time on Over gelding Do It Again won the R4,25 million Northern Cape racing Gr1 Vodacom Durban July for the second year running to become in August in the PR Down Under the first horse since El Picha in 2000 to achieve the double. gaffe of the decade. Mike de Kock announced that he and Mary Slack, Gold Circle son Mathew were setting up a satellite and Hollywoodbets yard at the Cranbourne Racing Centre have since stepped outside of Melbourne, Victoria. They in and racing will are doing this as a pre-emptive move continue in 2020. for our exports protocols opening up. SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 21 here & elsewhere - Sarah WHitelaw

His ongoing success has resulted in a flurry of locally bred stallions retiring to stud. His champion sprinter son Captain Of All has Another made a fine start with his first crop, now three, headed by recent Gr2 TAB/Betting World Dingaans winner, Shango, and two other stakes winners. Another son, William Captain’s Longsword, is set to have his first yearlings sell in 2020, and, having been well supported at stud thus far, he looks poised to be another Innings success in the Captain Al story. The last four winners of the Cape Fillies When Missisippi Burning scored by three Guineas were by South African bred stallions, lengths to win Saturday’s Gr1 World Sports with Dynasty’s daughters, Front And Centre Betting Cape Fillies Guineas, she became and Just Sensual, winning the Cape classic in the 98th individual stakes winner sired by 2018 and 2016 respectively. Another locally the late, multiple champion sire and Cape bred sire, Jet Master, is responsible for Cape Guineas winner, Captain Al. Fillies Guineas winners In The Fast Lane and The latter has now been responsible for three Ebony Flyer. individual Cape Fillies Guineas winners, with With a large number of high-class stakes Missisippi Burning joining her paternal half-sis- Captain Al winning daughters, and some very well bred ters Captain’s Lover (2007) and Snowdance daughters at that, it also appears likely that Captain Al will build (2017). The former Klawervlei sire has also fared well in the steadily on his already notable success as a broodmare sire. Captain male equivalent, with sons, William Longsword and Tap O’ Noth, Al’s own sire, Al Mufti (Roberto), also came up with a Cape Fillies winning the Gr1 Cape Guineas in 2016 and 2017. Captain Al went Guineas winner, with the Al Mufti sired champion Arabian Lass, tri- close to enjoying a feature race double on Saturday with his high- umphing in the 1996 race. The Roberto male line has enjoyed signif- class son, One World, running another good race when second in icant success in the Fillies Guineas with Roberto’s son Red Ransom the Gr2 World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes. siring the 2012 winner, Rumya, and another Al Mufti son, Victory His other Guineas winners include Fiorella (Daisy Fillies Guineas), Moon, siring 2011 Cape Fillies Guineas winner, Princess Victoria. One World (Winter Guineas), and Secret Captain (Daisy Guineas). Historic Links Captain Al, whose champion sire, Al Mufti, is broodmare sire of Saturday’s beaten Fillies Guineas favourite, Kelpie (Dynasty), has Missisippi Burning’s links to past Cape Fillies Guineas winners an excellent record as a sire of high-class fillies, and Missisippi don’t end with Captain Al, however. Her stakes placed dam, Burning is his 11th daughter to win a Gr1 race. His other Gr1 Spitfire Lady, is a daughter of multiple champion sire, Husson- winning daughters are Carry On Alice, Cloth Of Cloud, Emerald et, broodmare sire of champion, and 2014 Cape Fillies Guineas Cove, Snowdance, Captain’s Lover, Captain’s Gal, All Is Secret, The winner, Majmu (Redoute’s Choice), while the 2019 Cape Fillies Secret Is Out, Celtic Sea, Miss Florida and Pine Princess. Guineas winner’s granddam, Australian Gr3 winner, Galroof, was sired by Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes hero, Maroof (Danzig), the Family Fun sire of former back-to-back Cape Fillies Guineas winners, Toccata (1999) and Hoeberg (2000). A half-brother to a Cape Fillies Guineas winner in the shape of Shadow Dancing (Fort Wood), Captain Al has left behind at least Her links with stellar SA gallopers don’t end with her maternal one Gr1 winner in each of his 12 crops to race. His most prolific grandsire and Maroof, with Spitfire Lady’s fourth dam, Pavella, crop thus far, in terms of Gr1 winners produced, was foaled in (Palestine) is also granddam of former South African champion 2013 and included the following Gr1 winners: Always In Charge sprinter, En Avant (Sallust) and third dam of another local sprint (Gold Medallion), Cloth Of Cloud (SA Nursery), Sergeant Hardy champion in the form of Taban (Home Guard). (Cape Flying Championship), The Secret Is Out (Allan Robertson The 2019 Cape Fillies Guineas winner hails from the same female Fillies Championship) and William Longsword (Cape Guineas). line responsible for runners as diverse as 1000 Guineas winner, In terms of individual black type winners, Captain Al’s best crop Hatoof, (Irish River) and three time Grand National winner, Red was foaled in 2012, with this group numbering 13 individual black Rum (Quorum). type winners. The bay, twice Champion Sire in South Africa and As a point of interest, Captain Al has been responsible for just two eight times Leading South African Sire of 2yo’s, is responsible for runners out of Maroof mares, with this mating having produced 180 black type horses in total. It is surely only a matter of time Missisippi Burning and the useful Frusk – a dual winner in South before Captain Al is represented by his 100th black type winner. Africa, who ran third in the Gr3 Winter Derby.

can be purchased here SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 22

breeding Digest Diary

Var’s International Features To Come Sat 21 Dec Gr1 Cape Guineas (3yo’s) Feature Double 1600m Kenilworth Great double for Avontuur flagbearer Gr2 Premier Trophy How horses performed in South Africa’s 1800m Kenilworth black type races, expressed in points based Avontuur’s supremely consistently on the kind of races and how far behind resident sire Var enjoyed feature success Gr3 Victress S. (F&M) the winner they finished. in two countries this weekend with his ex- 1800m Kenilworth A full explanation of the point system and citing 4yo Vardy downing a star-studded (L) Secretariat S.(3yo’s) the complete list of point earners is on the field to win the Gr2 World Sports Betting 1400m Turffontein (S) Sporting Post website. Green Point Stakes in impressive fashion Thurs 26 Dec Gr3 Flamboyant S. (F&M) at Kenilworth and 24 hours later his 6yo 1600m Greyville (T) son Verdier winning the Gr3 SKM Gold Top Scorers for 2019/2020 (L) Christmas Handicap (updated to 15 December 2019 Cup Sprint at Borrowdale Park. horse age sex points races 1600m Greyville (T) In claiming the 2019 Green Point Stakes, Missisippi Burning 3 f 70 1 Fri 27 Dec (L) Memorial Mile Mardi Gras 5 c 50 1 the Tawny Syndicate bred Vardy accounted 1600m Fairview (T) Vardy 4 c 50 1 for the G1 winners Rainbow Bridge, Un- Russet Air 4 c 50 1 dercover Agent and South Africa’s reigning Sat 28 Dec (L) Southeaster Sprint Barahin 4 c 50 1 1100m Kenilworth Prince Of Kahal 5 c 50 1 Horse of The Year Do It Again. Bred on the One World 4 c 40 2 same Var/Jet Master cross as Gr3 Lebelo Gr3 Lebelo Sprint Third Runway 3 f 32 2 Sprint winner Rivarine, is the second son 1000m Turffontein (S) Ronnie's Candy 4 f 30 1 of Var to land the Green Point Stakes, with Shango 3 c 30 1 Fri 3 Jan (L) Lady’s Bracelet (F&M) Vistula 4 f 30 1 his outstanding son Variety Club having cap- 1600m Fairview (T) tured the same race in 2012. Run Fox Run 4 f 30 1 Sat 4 Jan Gr3 London News S. King Of Gems 3 c 30 1 Dharma 4 c 25 1 Var had two winners at Borrowdale, with 1800m Turffontein (S) his son Armstrong (out of a Galileo half-sis- Soqrat 4 c 25 1 Gr3 Tony Ruffel S. (3yo’s) True To Life 3 f 25 1 ter to champion Sun Classique) winning his 1400m Turffontein (S) Queen Supreme 4 f 25 1 second consecutive start there. Infamous Fox 5 c 24 1 Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes Chijmes 4 c 24 1 Verdier’s win in the Gr3 feature was (3yoF) Zouaves 6 c 23 1 impressive as he showed terrific guts and 1400m Turffontein (S) Chimichuri Run 4 c 21 1 heart under Brendon McNaughton to beat Gin Fizz 3 f 12 1 Sachdev 3 c 12 1 Coachella and former SA Yearling Sale Ready Steady Go 5 c 10 1 recordholder, the R6 million Cape Premier Pleasedtomeetyou 4 c 6 1 Yearling Sale purchase Silver Coin. Phumelela Shareprice Rainbow Bridge 5 c 5 1 The day was described as a difficult one date close high low volume Driving Miss Daisy 3 f 5 1 19Dec 190 190 190 25,000 Macthief 3 c 2 1 with the SA jockeys arriving without their 18Dec 190 190 190 50 Warrior's Rest 5 c 2 1 kit due to an apparent flight complication. 17Dec 190 190 179 26,231 Cabo da Cruz 5 c 2 1 South Africa’s Leading Sire of 2yo’s in both 13Dec 190 210 189 6,352 12Dec 190 190 190 0 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, Var has eight 11Dec 190 210 190 2,111 yearlings on offer at the Cape Premier Year- 10Dec 0 190 190 2,024 To Advertise ling Sale on 16 January 2020. 09Dec 190 190 190 105,352 contact Kiki 082 878 2231 06Dec 190 191 188 249,475 [email protected] SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 23 black type results

kenilworth (new) the runner-up, Larentina (10-) banked the Burning, resulting in Casino Queen and fourth cheque, with Drama Queen (22-1) Follow The Star having to steady. The fourth- Saturday, 14 December and the 21 favourite Kelpie next best. placed Driving Miss Daisy was hanging out Course Variant: 0.27s fast (straight) – 0.45s slow (bend) With no rain in the seven days leading up this The Gauteng raiders True To Life and Cock- from the 300m.Cockney Pride was reported meeting, some 60mm of irrigation was added to ney Pride were the two highest rated fillies to have overreached on the right fore. the track. The penetrometer read 22, and the going was posted as Good. There was a 22km/h south in the race,’ Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas (3yoF) 1600m easterly head wind, and the rail was in its original The relatively unexposed Missisippi Burn- Winner Missisippi Burning was stubborn position with a 3m spur at the 600m mark. loading; raced 9th entering the straight; led Rain fell on-and-off during the afternoon, most ing (97) humbled them with True To Life notably during the Gr1 Fillies Guineas.. 180m; won going away (117) finishing 9th and 6,90 lengths back, Runner-up Driving Miss Daisy raced 11th 1,5 with Cockney Pride (110) 10,25 lengths lengths behind the winner; ran on strongly; Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas R1 000,000 back in 15th spot. hanging out from the 300m; beaten 3 lengths Bred by Rathmor Stud, Missisippi Burning Third The race, particularly in the first part, was another Cape Fillies Guineas winner was slowly run, with rain falling throughout. Young Marcus’ Gr1 Icebreaker for champion Captain Al (Al Mufti) and The race was decided in a sprint for home, Milnerton trainer Adam Marcus stepped which put ratings under a cloud. We gave out of the shadow of his famous champi- the first since Justin Snaith’s 2017 winner the third (prev 74/82/89/98) 98 which makes on Dad at Kenilworth on Saturday, when Snowdance. Prior to that the same cham- the winner (prev 74/79/66/85/90) 105 and the pion yard’s Captain’s Lover won in 2007. runner-up (prev 89/89/91/90/87) 99. Not a he celebrated a dream come true with a result to put strong faith in. The winner is out of the multiple stakes- memorable first Gr1 success courtesy of the 105 1 0.00 Missisippi Burning (2) 60.0 C Zackey 22/1 placed Hussonet mare Spitfire Lady, who 3 b f Captain Al - Spitfire Lady(AUS) (Hussonet) diminutive Captain Al filly Missisippi Burning 99 2 3.00 Driving Miss Daisy (3) 60.0 D Dillon 14/1 won four times in Australasia. Missisippi 3 b f Master Of My Fate - Shedrivesmecrazy (Tiger Ridge) who stormed clear to score a dazzling 98 3 3.30 Third Runway (13) 60.0 M Winnaar 14/1 Burning, a R380 000 National Yearling Sale 3 b f Gimmethegreenlight - Outrage (Black Minnaloushe) victory in the World Sports Betting feature. 97 4 3.70 Larentina (1) 60.0 K De Melo 10/1 graduate, has won 4 races with 2 plac- 97 5 3.80 Drama Queen (4) 60.0 P Strydom 22/1 Following one of the toughest professions 96 6 4.10 Kelpie (10) 60.0 A Marcus 2/1 es from 7 starts for stakes of R794 052. 95 7 4.60 Pretty Young Thing (16) 60.0 G Cheyne 18/1 on earth for just over 6 years now, Marcus 95 8 4.90 Casino Queen (11) 60.0 R Fourie 16/1 The winner’s starting stall certificate was 90 9 6.90 True To Life (7) 60.0 G Lerena 9/2 took out his trainer’s licence at the relatively 90 10 7.20 Follow The Star (9) 60.0 C Murray 40/1 withdrawn and she was suspended in terms 89 11 7.30 Castellano (8) 60.0 M Byleveld 50/1 tender age of 22, going on his own at 23, 89 12 7.50 Roll In The Hay (5) 60.0 R Khathi 25/1 of Rule 61.6.10 and until such time as she 88 13 7.90 Dynastic Light (6) 60.0 B Fayd’herbe 25/1 under the watchful guidance of his champi- 88 14 8.00 Flame Tree (15) 60.0 C Orffer 33/1 proves to be tractable on a racecourse with 83 15 10.25 Cockney Pride (14) 60.0 S Randolph 22/1 on jockey Dad, Basil. 79 16 12.25 Sailing Ship (12) 60.0 A Domeyer 18/1 a companion. In a tightly bunched field, Roll Time: 100.33s (62.71s avg/1000m, or 57km/h) SP Total %: 118% Guineas day has previously been a happy 1st T:AN Marcus O:Mr M J A Ferreira B:Rathmor Stud In The Hay eased off the heels of Missisippi one for the young man – it was on this day in 2016 that he saddled the much loved and sadly ill-fated Royal Badge for victory in the Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap. Saturday was pure champagne stuff again – Doing The Splits this time at a much higher level, with a Gr1 and Gr2 trophy safely on the Marcus family Kenilworth (new course), 14 December mantelpiece. It doesn’t get too much bet- ter! And he defied some traditional text- Strt/ end fin avg/ bend endbd book guidance in the process, throwing his bend bend 1000m /fin little filly into a mile at Gr1 level straight 1400m out of some superb sprint form. Pinnacle Stakes 14.66 50.21 85.77 (61.3) 35.55 35.56 Greg Cheyne brought Pretty Young Thing Ready To Run Cup 14.30 50.40 86.28 (61.6) 36.10 35.88 came across from the worst draw to lead, MR76 Handicap 15.07 49.65 86.66 (61.9) 34.58 37.01 followed by Third Runway, and Castellano. 1600m Anton Marcus had the fancied Kelpie off Maiden Plate 25.45 62.45 100.37 (62.7) 37.00 37.92 the action as Third Runway played her Gr2 Green Point S. 22.55 60.30 97.34 (60.8) 37.75 37.04 catch-me-if-you-can tactics up front. Gr1 Fillies Guineas 24.89 62.96 100.28 (62.7) 38.07 37.32 At the 300m it was race over though as 2500m Zackey unleashed Missisippi Burning down Gr3 Summer Stayers 89.42 125.98 162.68 (65.1) 36.56 36.70 the inside rail in the Mario Ferreira silks. Maiden Plate 82.05 123.17 161.56 (64.6) 41.12 38.39 Missisippi Burning (22-1) cruised past Third Runway and with Craig Zackey combing his The Green Point Stakes was run at a fair pace after La Favourari got to the front early on, but hair for the lifetime photo moment, she then slowed up on the bend. Even so, the race was comparatively the fastest of the eight went clear to win by three lengths in a slow races around the turn. Overall probably not quite a true run affair. time of 100,33 secs (the Green Point a Rain (heavy at times) fell on and off throughout the afternoon and most notably during the half hour earlier was run in 97,46 secs with running of the slowly run Fillies Guineas, which was decided in a sprint for home. Driving Miss Daisy (14-1) staying on best for The Ready To Run Cup was run at a fair pace throughout, the front runner holding on well. second. The Pinnacle Stakes won by Front And Centre was steady early, before developing into a sprint Glen Kotzen and his connections will be for the line. thrilled with the performance of Western Cape Fillies Championship winner Third They barely went more than a canter for the first half of the Summer Stayers, with the time Runway who stayed on dourly to maintain to the start of the bend over seven seconds slower than that of the Maiden Plate over the her top notch form-line. Stablemate to same distance. The final time of the Maiden was a second faster than the Gr3 event! SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 24 black type results

Winner Run Fox Run raced 3rd some three Gr2 Southern Cross S. (F&M) R350 000 lengths off the pace; led 150m; won going Gr2 Green Point Stakes R350,000 away Five For Fox Runner-up Princess Rebel set the pace; Vardy Downs The Big Names The Ridgemont Racing Team always looked outpaced latter stages by winner Gauteng-based Craig Zackey and to have a big day on the cards at Kenilworth Third Celestial Storm raced close-up in trainer Adam Marcus, one of the youngest on Saturday and their unbeaten Australi- second; led 600m; kept on well combinations in action on the opening day an-bred sprinter Run Fox Run played her Time: By far the faster of the two sprint races, the time was a very good one. We gave the of the Cape Summer Season, hogged the part as she showed her class after a six runner-up (prev 108/58/88/105/111) 103 which limelight at Kenilworth on Saturday with month break when powering to victory to makes the winner (85/93/91/105) 100 and the a terrific feature double that set them up win the Gr2 Southern Cross Stakes. third (prev 52/95/95/83/81) 100. These ratings for plenty of exciting times in the weeks might well turn out to be too low. Rested and kept off the treacherous ahead. 110 1 0.00 Run Fox Run (1) 58.0 A Marcus 12/10 winter racing surfaces since registering 4 b f Foxwedge - Victory Cry(AUS) (General Nediym) A traditional prep platform for the Gr1 103 2 2.25 Princess Rebel (3) 59.0 W Agrella 12/1 her maiden stakes success in the Listed 5 ch m Rebel King - First Wave (Waldoboro) L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met, 100 3 2.45 Celestial Storm (9) 58.0 C Orffer 50/1 Olympic Duel Stakes back in May, Run Fox 4 b f What A Winter - Levitate (Spaceship) the R350 000 World Sports Betting Gr2 89 4 5.20 Canukeepitsecret (2) 58.0 M Byleveld 40/1 Run took her next step up the ladder with 84 5 6.95 Miss Florida (6) 56.0 R Fourie 16/1 Green Point Stakes hosted a typically small 83 6 7.95 Clouds Unfold (5) 60.0 A Domeyer 11/4 workmanlike ease as she beat a high- 78 7 8.05 Casual Diamond (7) 58.0 R Khathi 28/1 field – but with a Queen’s Plate and dual 77 8 8.25 Freedom Charter (11) 58.0 B Fayd’herbe 16/1 quality field, including defending champi- 72 9 9.50 In The Stars (4) 58.0 S Veale 28/1 July victor and a Met winner in the line-up, 67 10 10.75 Nastergal (8) 58.0 G Cheyne 33/1 on Princess Rebel, with ease. 62 11 11.25 Cousin Liz (10) 54.0 C Zackey 14/1 it oozed quality. Time: 57.19s (57.19s avg/1000m, or 63km/h) SP Total %: 112% Her next port of call is likely to be the 1st T:BJ Crawford O:Ridgemont (Nom: Mr Wayne Kieswetter) B:bred Returning from a six month break after his in Australia Cartier Gr2 Sceptre Stakes on the opening dazzling Gr3 Winter Classic victory in May, day of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Racing and during which time he had a knee chip Festival in early January. removed, the Var 4yo Vardy, a versatile Ridgemont rider Anton Marcus, who and relatively lightly exposed winner from earlier got the team’s top-class 4yo’s Kursk They Can Run 1200m to 1800m, produced a resolute and Gr1 winner Front And Centre home, Run Fox Run’s Woodside Park Stud finishing effort to get the better of has formed a solid partnership with Run stallion Foxwedge has proven success- contemporary One World to score an Fox Run and earned one of his easiest ful with many broodmare sire lines eyecatching victory by a length in a time of commissions of the day. including stakes success from daugh- 97,46 secs. She won in a quick time of 57,19 secs and ters of Barathea, Starcraft, Woodman Expecting to be in need of the run, Craig beat Princess Rebel by 2,25 lengths. and Red Ransom. Zackey was instructed to drop Vardy out The pacesetter Celestial Storm showed and let him enjoy the outing – with the resolve to run a cracker at unfavourable Foxwedge was one of the leading runners of his generation. A winner on general idea of running on into the place weights, in third. money hopefully, and a win being very debut, the John O’Shea-trained colt went The fancied Clouds Unfold never showed much a bonus. back to back at his first two starts before on her return from a rest. She was hanging As it turned out, he came forward pow- finishing third in the Gr2 Todman Stakes out from the 400m and Aldo Domeyer erfully to challenge arch-rival One World reported that he felt something amiss. The behind Smart Missile and Sepoy. After (4-1) and with Rainbow Bridge (7-2) veterinary surgeon was requested to tackling the Gr1 Golden Slipper at just his reluctant to take a gap between the pair examine her and trainer Candice Bass-Rob- fourth start, the colt was sent for a break. and seeming to tire late, it was Vardy (7-1) inson was requested to report back to the Resuming in the Gr3 San Domenico who set up a LQP-Met double bid. Stipes should she find anything untoward Stakes with victory over Anise and Kura- One World was given a top-class tactical with this filly on her return to the Anton ta Queen, two starts later Foxwedge ride by MJ Byleveld- slipping through on Marcus complimented Brett Crawford captured the Gr2 Roman Consul Stakes, the rail and looking like a winner at the on a great training, while Craig and Ross a race won in the past by the likes of 250m marker. Kieswetter contemplated their smart filly’s Exceed And Excel and his very own sire Rainbow Bridge clearly needed the outing track career against Dad Wayne’s possible Fastnet Rock. A very narrow second in and after again running into trouble late, wish to get her into the breeding paddock. the Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes down he will come on lengths with this She looks likely to be a very valuable asset the Flemington straight behind World experience under the belt. which route she follows. Champion 3YO Sprinter Sepoy, Fox- Glen Kotzen’s Pack Leader (66-1) Run Fox Run has won 5 from 5 for stakes continues to build his confidence and of R480 000. wedge was then spelled before tackling for consecutive Gr1 sprints. came on late for fourth. An A$420,000 Inglis Easter purchase for The 18-10 favourite Do It Again was ex- Craig Roscoe and Brett Crawford from the Fourth in the Gr1 Lightning Stakes on pected to need it and he never Mill Park draft, Run Fox Run was the most resumption behind the world class quickened – a disappointing effort given expensive yearling by her sire sold at that Black Caviar, Hay List and Buffering, the top stable’s expectations that he sale. She is a half-sister to stakes-winner Foxwedge then went on to finish third would earn. See the stipes report below. Guard of Honour and is the third winner behind those two placegetters in the Bred by the Tawny Syndicate, Vardy is out from the General Nediym mare Victory Cry, Gr1 Newmarket, before exacting re- of the unraced Jet Master mare Cupid.He a full sister to stakes-winner Victory Chant venge over the pair in the Gr1 William is a son of Avontuur’s superstar flagbearer and half-sister to stakes-winner Reldas from Reid Stakes, earning the $925,000 Inglis Var (Forest Wildcat). the family of GrI winner Serious Speed. Easter yearling sale sold colt his elite A Sun Met entry, Vardy races in the bright Gr2 Southern Cross Stakes (F&M) 1000m level victory. yellow and royal blue flag of Bernard SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 25 black type results

Kantor, who owns him in partnership with Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers Hcp R200,000 feed subsequently. She was of the opinion Greg Blank, Jimmy Sarkis and Darryl Yutar. that on Saturday off a slightly slower early He has now won 5 races with 3 places Andrews Family Rule! pace, the gelding had returned to his previ- from 8 starts for stakes of R1 364 700. On a major day where the younger set ous consistent earlier form. The Stipes reported that an inquiry will be showed their mettle by saddling a few Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers Hcp 2500m opened into why Do It Again and big winners, Lucinda Woodruff had the Winner Dharma raced 2nd entering home Undercover Agent raced awkwardly Royal Air Force gelding Dharma primed to straight; led 450m; hanging out; shifted 100m; kept on strongly between the 1400m and 1300m. At the moment to give part-owner Annabel Runner-up Crome Yellow raced 9th entering approximately the 300m, Do It Again was Andrews a belated birthday gift with a home straight; ran on strongly; beaten 0,2 momentarily inconvenienced and Rainbow courageous victory in the R200 000 World lengths; lost a shoe in running Bridge was carried in and thereafter had Sports Betting Gr3 feature. Third Gimme One Night set the pace early; to ease when awkwardly placed on the The Sorrento family Andrews have 3rd entering home straight; had to ease 300m; ran on; beaten 1,2 lengths inside of Vardy, which was hanging in from developed a habit of producing a feature Time: They barely went more than a canter the 450m, and proved difficult to assist. In bombshell every few months. In June Dhar- for the first half of the race, with the time to deciding what action to take in this matter, ma arrived at 50-1 to win the Gr3 Winter the start of the bend over seven seconds the Stipes considered the behavioural Derby. On Saturday he was disregarded slower than that of the Maiden Plate over history of Vardy. In this regard, it was of at 40-1 and did his bit in contributing to a the same distance. The final time of the Maidens was a second faster than this Gr3 the opinion that Craig Zackey had taken carryover in the Kenilworth Pick 6 – and to event! Ratings clearly have to be a conserv- all reasonable measures to prevent Vardy a birthday gift for Annabel, who celebrat- ative thumb-suck. We gave the third (prev from hanging in. Accordingly, no further ed her big day on Thursday. 94/94/91/87/96) 95 which makes the winner action was taken against the jockey. In a race of stuttering and muddled (prev 74/89/90/87/73) 88 and the runner-up (prev 77/80/87/87/88) 91 However, trainer Adam Marcus appeared pace that probably had the topweighted 88 1 0.00 Dharma (7) 52.0 A Andrews 40/1 before the Board and was advised to take Atyaab’s trainer Mike de Kock grinding his 4 ch g Royal Air Force - Karma (Dr Fong) 91 2 0.20 Crome Yellow (2) 53.5 G Cheyne 15/1 all reasonable measures to ensure that teeth, Anthony Andrews rode a 5 b g Trippi - Senorita Sol (Jallad) 95 3 1.20 Gimme One Night (11) 56.0 C Orffer 107/20 this horse does not behave similarly in perfectly judged race on his folks’ 6 b g Gimmethegreenlight - Fiesta Queen (Parade Leader) 89 4 1.50 Cat Daddy (5) 53.5 M Winnaar 71/20 future. home-bred gelding. 98 5 1.60 Herodotus (8) 58.0 G Lerena 10/1 85 6 1.80 Saint West (1) 52.0 X Ndlovu 22/1 He had Dharma in touch to avoid any silly 104 7 3.05 Atyaab (3) 61.5 C Murray 13/2 Gr2 Green Point Stakes 1600m 84 8 3.35 Knights Templar (9) 53.0 R Fourie 97/20 ideas of a sprint for home and the 4yo 78 9 6.60 Celestial Prince (6) 52.5 C Zackey 40/1 Winner Vardy raced detached at the back of 88 10 8.85 Strathdon (4) 59.0 A Marcus 5/1 gelding enjoyed the test of stamina as he 73 11 10.85 Duchess Of Bourbon (10) 53.5 K De Melo 40/1 the eight-runner field; was some five lengths Time: 162.78s (65.11s avg/1000m, or 55km/h) SP Total %: 112% behind the eventual runner-up entering the ground on to hold Crome Yellow (15-1) to 1st T:GV Woodruff O:Mr & Mrs T D Andrews B:TD Andrews

straight; was hanging in from the 450m; ran a neck in a time of 162,78 secs. on to lead 200m; won well The consistent Gimme One Night (6-1) Runner-up One World raced 3rd; led 450m; found himself in various roles throughout Cape Crawl headed 200m; kept on strongly the race and found a second wind when Third Rainbow Bridge raced 4th entering the The Gr3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap straight; carried in 300m and had to ease the pace was upped as he came on stoutly run over 2500m at Kenilworth on Satur- late; ran on a length away in third. day was run in a slower time than that of Time: This was run at a fair pace after La Algoa Cup winner and race favourite Cat the Maiden Plate won by the diminutive Favourari got to the front early on, but then Daddy was his usual game self and held Miss La Dee Da a half hour later. slowed up on the bend. Even so, the race his grey stablemate Herodotus out of the was comparatively the fastest of the eight quartet to bank the fourth cheque. The 4yo gelding Dharma won the Gr3 races around the turn. Overall probably race in a time of 162,68 secs carrying 52 not quite a true run affair. We gave the The muddling pace probably put paid runner-up (prev 114/112/112/116/109) to the chances of Strathdon who found kgs. Glen Kotzen’s 3yo filly Miss La Dee 118 which makes the winner (prev himself a pacemaker at one stage and, Da shed her maiden in a time of 161,56 94/106/108/108/112) 118 and the third unsurprisingly, fizzled out to nothing. secs carrying 49,5kgs. A comparison of the (122/121/115/124/119) 118 In a wholesome family affair, the winner is by split timing of the two races show that the 118 1 0.00 Vardy (7) 58.0 C Zackey 7/1 4 b g Var - Cupid (Jet Master) Royal Air Force (Jet Master), who once stood Maiden was actually 7 seconds faster than 118 2 1.00 One World (1) 59.0 M Byleveld 32/10 4 b c Captain Al - Aquilonia(USA) (Giant’s Causeway) at Sorrento, but got little support. Dharma the Gr3 contest for just under the first half 118 3 2.00 Rainbow Bridge (6) 60.0 G Lerena 77/20 5 b g Ideal World - Halfway To Heaven (Jet Master) is out of the unraced Dr Fong mare, Karma. of the respective races. 109 4 4.00 Pack Leader (8) 58.0 M Winnaar 66/1 113 5 4.40 Undercover Agent (4) 60.0 C Orffer 7/1 Dharma has won 3 races with 6 places from 111 6 5.15 Do It Again (3) 60.0 R Fourie 18/10 Apprentice Joshwin Solomons, son of 104 7 7.40 Head Honcho (5) 59.0 A Domeyer 18/1 15 starts for stakes of R400 050. 0 8 99.99 La Favourari (2) 58.0 A Andrews 100/1 senior rider Morne Winnaar, rode only his Time: 97.46s (60.91s avg/1000m, or 59km/h) SP Total %: 113% The Stipes reported that Assistant Trainer 1st T:AN Marcus O:Messrs B Kantor, G L Blank, J Sarkis & D Yutar second winner on Miss La Dee Da, and de- B:Tawny Syndicate Lucinda Woodruff appeared before the spite running two horse widths off the rail Board and was questioned regarding the all the way round and looking dead and poor performance of Dharma in his buried at the top of the home straight, he previous start on 9 November 2019. In this kept his head to stay in front. A perfectly regard, she explained that, whilst the jockey judged ride! had reported something amiss in his last run, he was sound after the race and upon The Gr3 was a Cape Crawl circus. Western Cape Chairman of Stipes Ernie Rodrigues Sporting Post his return to the stables, as confirmed by (AR) the veterinary surgeon. Notwithstanding said that no blame could be apportioned at ability ratings this, however, Dharma appeared to not be the door of any one rider. “We have spoken puts every horse in its place himself in the race and had been off his about the issue of pace previously,” he added. SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 26 black type results

Ready To Run Stakes (NBT) R2 500 000 was improving all the time. “Sean said give him a chance – there was Striker On The Money! no pace and he jumped well. So I used A Hope For All Veteran multiple champion jockey my initiative. It workled out well and he The announcement of the European Piere Strydom was at his swashbuckling fought them off well,” he added. pace-perfect best at Kenilworth on Union’s confirmation that an audit Trainer Sean Tarry confirmed the Strydom of South African export protocols Saturday as he went all the way on the sentiments. will be conducted in the months of rather unfancied Jackson colt Pure State to “I thought Piere went a bit too early – but April/May 2020 has been positively give Sean Tarry a third winner in the Chris he judged it perfectly. That’s why he is received. van Niekerk silks in the past four Striker Strydom! I just want to say thanks renewals of the R2,5 million CTS Ready To to the Cape contingent for a change of Bloodstock veteran Alistair Brown Run Stakes. date – sportsmanship prevailed and that’s lauded the EU and said : “I find it Tarry saddled Cirillo in 2018 and Safe what racing needs more of,” he added, in strange that there are always those Harbour in 2016 for his major patron and reference to the decision to postpone the who seem to think that this is some- on Saturday Cape Thoroughbred Sales feature. thing that is only going to benefit the CEO Wehann Smith was the fortunate Bred by Limpo Trading, Pure State was ‘big’ (“rich”) players (owners) in the part-owner who shared in the R1,25 a R400 000 CTS Cape Ready To Run Sale sport! million first stake cheque. graduate. “Good horses – as all of us who have The race is restricted to eligible graduates He is a son of red-hot Ridgemont been in the game for years (or dec- of the 2018 CTS Ready To Run Sales and Highlands sire Jackson (Dynasty) out of the was postponed from the original slot of ades) know – come from anywhere… Trippi mare, Trip To Eden. the number of cheaply bought year- 23 November after an AHS outbreak The winner made it 2 wins with 2 places lings who have become top perform- restricted movement of away horses from 4 starts. ers for small owners and trainers are based at Randjesfontein. The Cape Pick 6 surpassed expectations too numerous to detail.” The sporting move on the part of the Cape with a R500 000 kickstart boosting it to a trainers to entertain an unprecedented re- healthy R4 364 680. Wéhann Smith, CEO of Cape Thor- scheduling for their Northern rivals proved oughbred Sales (CTS), expressed a touch bitter sweet, with Justin Snaith, Ready To Run Stakes (3yo's)(NBT) 1400m similar sentiments and said: “It goes who won it in 2017 with Miss Winner Pure State set the pace; kept on almost without saying that the smaller Katalin, again playing second fiddle to strongly Runner-up Rio Querari raced 2nd; chal- buyers will also be able to benefit sub- Tarry. Snaith’s Sergeant Hardy was lenged strongly final 300m; narrowly beaten stantially once the export restrictions runner-up behind Safe Harbour in 2016 Third Invidia raced 7th entering the straight are lifted. It’s all about skill and horse- and on Saturday Richard Fourie could 4 lengths behind the eventual winner; ran manship, and those local, smaller just not get Rio Querari to dismantle the on strongly to be beaten by just over a length; jockey Marcus was fined R1000 for buyers who can spot and acquire the perfectly judged ride of Strydom on Pure value at the auctions will be able to State. striking this horse more than three times in consecutive strides in the concluding sell their best, qualifying purchases to Ridden much like 2018 victor Cirillo, Pure stages buyers abroad, at substantial profits. State (16-1) was in front from the break Time: Run at a decent pace, with the front and kept at his task to hold off the fancied runner holding on well, this comparatively “The Cape Premier Yearling Sale is a Rio Querari by a half length in a time of was the third fastest of the eight races window to the South African racing around the turn. We gave the third (prev and breeding world, staged in what 86,15 secs. 86/95/96/94/103) 96 which makes the The Vaal-based favourite Invidia(2-1) only winner (prev 71/81/86) 99 and the runner-up was recently judged The Telegraph’s picked it up late but was not disgraced in (prev 89/89/83/82/85) 98. World’s Best City for the seventh year third a further 0,75 lengths adrift. 99 1 0.00 Pure State (7) 60.0 P Strydom 16/1 running. We have always tailored 3 b c Jackson - Trip To Eden (Trippi) The Klawervlei Farm Sale Stakes winner 98 2 0.50 Rio Querari (6) 60.0 R Fourie 57/20 and marketed our sale to attract the 3 b c Querari - Arctic Breeze (Windrush) Rock The Globe stayed on for fourth and 96 3 1.25 Invidia (9) 60.0 A Marcus 24/10 big overseas buyers alongside our 3 b g Twice Over - Zili (Parade Leader) just ahead of stablemate, Invisible in fifth, 95 4 1.55 Rock The Globe (12) 60.0 A Domeyer 14/1 local bench. Our bloodstock is of high 88 5 1.95 Invisible (4) 57.5 K De Melo 33/1 in a memorable race for Tarry. 92 6 2.35 Over The Odds (2) 60.0 R Khathi 35/1 quality, dozens of graduates from our 92 7 2.65 Savvy (10) 60.0 B Fayd’herbe 20/1 Johan Janse van Vuuren’s reserve runner 91 8 2.70 Etched In Blue (8) 60.0 J Bekker 16/1 sales have performed with distinction 87 9 4.20 On My Mind (1) 60.0 G Lerena 13/1 Retail Therapy finished in tenth (5,95 76 10 5.95 Retail Therapy (11) 57.5 M Byleveld 33/1 79 11 6.70 Tiger’s Rock (13) 60.0 C Zackey 35/1 internationally and we will soon be lengths) to bank the final stake cheque of 77 12 7.45 Dublin Quays (14) 60.0 C Murray 22/1 71 13 7.75 Pay Pay (3) 57.5 D Dillon 40/1 able to reclaim our rightful place on R30 000. 75 14 8.25 Finding Camelot (16) 60.0 C Orffer 13/1 65 15 11.50 Freedom Of Speech (15) 60.0 M Winnaar 35/1 the world stage,” he said. Full of smiles, Piere Strydom – who more 56 16 14.50 Cape Of Storms (5) 60.0 G Cheyne 40/1 Time: 86.15s (61.54s avg/1000m, or 59km/h) SP Total %: 116% than adapted the riding instructions – 1st T:SG Tarry O:Messrs C J H van Niekerk & Wehann Smith B:Limpo confirmed Pure State was a big horse and Trading

Gr2 Green Point Stakes Congratulations to the Connections Rainbow Bridge 5 b g Ideal World - Halfway To Heaven (Jet Master) 3rd Kenilworth, 1600m, 14 Dec Wilgerbosdrift 022 942 1266 Mauritzfontein Hammam 3 ch g Ideal World - Loofah (Fort Wood) WON Scottsville, 1400m, 15 Dec 053 833 7042 SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 27

Leading breeders by Stakes season 2019/2020 • 1 August - 18 December 2019 Stakes Breeder rnrs AEPR runs wnrs wns wnr/ SW SW SW/ plcs plc/ SP top earner with stakes rnr% wnrs wns wnr% rns% & % of total stakes BID 9,165,674 Klawervlei Stud 334 27,442 971 74 88 22% 2 2 3% 278 29% 1 Battleoftrafalgar 500,000 5% 7,835,223 Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein 203 38,597 641 67 82 33% 3 3 4% 213 33% 6 Barahin 593,250 8% 5,931,512 Summerhill Stud 195 30,418 663 47 60 24% 0 0 0% 178 27% 1 Chijmes 330,900 6% 4,478,548 Highlands 131 34,187 421 44 59 34% 1 1 2% 124 29% 1 Kelpie 209,937 5% 3,641,200 Maine Chance 102 35,698 308 31 48 30% 0 0 0% 90 29% 2 Wisteria Walk 204,375 6% 3,548,687 Drakenstein Stud 103 34,453 292 35 40 34% 1 1 3% 101 35% 4 King Of Gems 233,750 7% For 3,274,112 Varsfontein Stud 88 37,206 280 29 35 33% 1 1 3% 87 31% 2 Third Runway 318,750 10% 2,634,413 Lammerskraal Stud 66 39,915 169 25 27 38% 1 1 4% 46 27% 4 Russet Air 293,750 11% 2,368,312 Moutonshoek 96 24,670 335 21 26 22% 0 0 0% 94 28% 1 Takatul 129,850 5% 2,335,575 Nadeson Park Stud 75 31,141 252 21 26 28% 0 0 0% 76 30% 3 Orchid Street 170,750 7% 2,172,225 Al Adiyaat 24 90,509 68 9 13 38% 1 1 11% 15 22% 1 Zillzaal 1,275,625 59% 2,102,875 Scott Bros 90 23,365 338 18 19 20% 1 1 6% 85 25% 1 Mokoko 128,125 6% 2,042,925 Ascot Stud 69 29,608 227 19 23 28% 0 0 0% 72 32% 2 Jack Of Hearts 193,300 9% 2,009,587 Normandy Stud 41 49,014 142 16 18 39% 0 0 0% 44 31% 1 Rio Querari 588,350 29% Best 1,777,762 Favour Stud 74 24,024 262 16 20 22% 0 0 0% 67 26% 2 Coyote Girl 134,900 8%

Leading SIREs by Stakes season 2019/2020 • 1 August - 18 December 2019 Stakes Sire rnrs AEPR runs wnrs wns wnr/ SW SW SW/ plcs plc/ SP top earner with stakes rnr% wnrs wns wnr% rns% & % of total stakes 6,065,099 Silvano 155 39,130 436 47 59 30% 4 4 9% 124 28% 3 Zillzaal 1,275,625 21% A willingness to adapt and 5,191,836 *Captain Al 108 48,073 316 35 45 32% 2 2 6% 123 39% 4 Missisippi Burning 790,062 15% 4,875,513 Gimmethegreenlight 124 39,319 390 33 42 27% 2 2 6% 117 30% 8 Barahin 593,250 12% change was the over- 4,295,924 Oratorio 107 40,149 355 40 51 37% 2 2 5% 108 30% 1 Viva Rio 229,125 5% 4,201,111 Querari 128 32,821 375 37 43 29% 1 1 3% 98 26% 3 Rio Querari 588,350 14% riding reaction from the 3,989,888 What A Winter 128 31,171 394 34 42 27% 2 2 6% 132 34% 3 Russet Air 293,750 7% UK bloodstock industry 3,985,250 Var 120 33,210 393 36 47 30% 2 2 6% 126 32% 3 Vardy 218,750 5% 3,799,975 *Dynasty 107 35,514 324 35 45 33% 2 2 6% 107 33% 1 Kelpie 209,937 6% following the publication 3,581,661 Jackson 73 49,064 227 22 32 30% 0 0 0% 60 26% 1 Pure State 1,328,875 37% 3,379,550 Master Of My Fate 117 28,885 358 29 34 25% 0 0 0% 105 29% 1 Driving Miss Daisy 277,500 8% of the BHA's long-awaited 3,070,950 Twice Over 111 27,666 350 28 30 25% 0 0 0% 115 33% 1 Invidia 312,000 10% review into the buying 3,057,888 Pathfork 80 38,224 283 33 38 41% 1 1 3% 82 29% 0 Path Of Choice 127,850 4% 2,897,538 Visionaire 103 28,131 321 16 21 16% 0 0 0% 75 23% 0 Spiritofthegroove 546,500 19% and selling of bloodstock 2,797,937 Duke Of Marmalade 94 29,765 270 28 31 30% 1 1 4% 81 30% 1 Larentina 180,000 6% 2,762,274 Ideal World 87 31,750 277 22 27 25% 2 2 9% 93 34% 2 Vistula 303,500 11% and racehorses The 83-page review, which Leading SIREs of 3yo’s by Stakes season 2019/2020 • 1 August - 18 December 2019 was commissioned over Stakes Sire rnrs AEPR runs wnrs wns wnr/ SW SW SW/ plcs plc/ SP top earner with stakes two years ago and offers rnr% wnrs wns wnr% rns% & % of total stakes a forensic analysis of the 3,014,599 *Captain Al 46 65,535 143 19 25 41% 1 1 5% 55 38% 1 Missisippi Burning 790,062 26% 2,962,261 Querari 69 42,931 212 27 30 39% 1 1 4% 60 28% 1 Rio Querari 588,350 20% bloodstock industry, con- 2,451,461 Jackson 44 55,715 132 12 18 27% 0 0 0% 27 20% 1 Pure State 1,328,875 54% 2,253,212 Vercingetorix 61 36,938 168 18 29 30% 0 0 0% 42 25% 2 Wisteria Walk 204,375 9% tains a series of recom- 1,911,287 Captain Of All 45 42,473 137 14 18 31% 1 1 7% 37 27% 0 Shango 292,000 15% mendations designed to 1,861,862 Gimmethegreenlight 56 33,248 143 16 21 29% 1 1 6% 38 27% 4 Third Runway 318,750 17% 1,831,050 Duke Of Marmalade 56 32,697 170 16 19 29% 1 1 6% 60 35% 0 Larentina 180,000 10% reform a sector in which 1,801,413 Visionaire 50 36,028 129 8 9 16% 0 0 0% 33 26% 0 Spiritofthegroove 546,500 30% 1,774,125 Master Of My Fate 66 26,881 198 17 17 26% 0 0 0% 57 29% 1 Driving Miss Daisy 277,500 16% the report states the ‘vast 1,760,925 What A Winter 60 29,349 195 16 18 27% 1 1 6% 65 33% 1 Sarah 177,500 10% majority’ conduct them- selves with integrity, but Leading SIREs of 2yo’s by Stakes season 2019/2020 • 1 August - 18 December 2019 which has been harmed Stakes Sire rnrs AEPR runs wnrs wns wnr/ SW SW SW/ plcs plc/ SP top earner with stakes rnr% wnrs wns wnr% rns% & % of total stakes by ‘a culture of unethical, 110,575 Captain Of All 9 12,286 9 2 2 22% 0 0 0% 2 22% 0 Captain’s Flo 46,875 42% and in some cases unlaw- 110,200 Var 1 110,200 2 1 2 100% 0 0 0% 0 0% 0 Miracle Flight 110,200 100% 62,500 *Mogok 1 62,500 1 1 1 100% 0 0 0% 0 0% 0 Harlington Express 62,500 100% ful, business practices by a 58,900 Judpot 3 19,633 3 1 1 33% 0 0 0% 0 0% 0 War Room 58,000 98% 55,950 *Soft Falling Rain 2 27,975 2 1 1 50% 0 0 0% 1 50% 0 Garden Party 52,200 93% small number of unscru- 48,750 *Captain Al 2 24,375 2 1 1 50% 0 0 0% 0 0% 0 Joseph Barry 46,875 96% pulous individuals’. 34,800 *Where’s That Tiger 1 34,800 1 1 1 100% 0 0 0% 0 0% 0 Tiger In The Sun 34,800 100% 29,500 What A Winter 5 5,900 6 0 0 0% 0 0 0% 3 50% 0 Stuck On You 22,500 76% A key recommendation of 28,000 Potala Palace 1 28,000 2 0 0 0% 0 0 0% 2 100% 0 Accomplished 28,000 100% the review is the creation Leading SIREs by Stakes on Polytrack season 2019/2020 • 1 August - 18 December 2019 and implementation by Stakes Sire rnrs AEPR runs wnrs wns wnr/ SW SW SW/ plcs plc/ SP top earner with stakes the BHA of a licensing rnr% wnrs wns wnr% rns% & % of total stakes system for bloodstock 1,157,050 Var 49 23,613 100 11 15 22% 0 0 0% 40 40% 0 Okavango Delta 134,400 12% 1,092,050 Oratorio 41 26,635 96 14 15 34% 0 0 0% 28 29% 0 Song Of The Forest 112,500 10% agents. The report 1,088,975 Master Of My Fate 55 19,800 107 9 11 16% 0 0 0% 39 36% 0 Goliath Heron 137,500 13% contains some stinging 887,925 *Sail From Seattle 31 28,643 77 10 13 32% 0 0 0% 30 39% 0 Coyote Creek 129,525 15% 797,650 Duke Of Marmalade 26 30,679 55 11 11 42% 0 0 0% 16 29% 0 Dancing Feather 86,625 11% criticism about the behav- 743,625 Querari 43 17,294 78 7 9 16% 0 0 0% 19 24% 0 Spring Breeze 168,750 23% 680,550 *Crusade 36 18,904 79 7 7 19% 0 0 0% 22 28% 0 Noemi 85,725 13% iour of a small minority of 650,825 Visionaire 35 18,595 65 7 8 20% 0 0 0% 18 28% 0 What A Blast 127,400 20% agents, described as ‘bad 634,450 Pathfork 30 21,148 59 8 10 27% 0 0 0% 14 24% 0 Gentleman’s Way 121,875 19% apples’. The FULL Statistics ONLINE http://www.sportingpost.co.za/horse-racing-statistics/ *Stallion dead or Retired **Stallion Not Standing in RSA **Breeding operations not based in RSA - Statistics for Breeders & Sires reflect all earnings, incl. restricted races & handicap races Read the report here SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 28

Leading TRAINERS by STAKES season 2019/2020 • 1 August - 18 December 2019 trainer runs wins win fav fav wfav 2nd 2nd 1st 1st stakes stks/ % % % % four four% runs Striking Gold SG Tarry 378 54 14% 79 21% 30% 42 11% 172 46% 8,675,738 22,952 Piere Strydom demonstrated his J Snaith 479 64 13% 80 17% 38% 61 13% 225 47% 5,828,260 12,168 MF de Kock 242 38 16% 61 25% 34% 31 13% 117 48% 5,384,000 22,248 mastery from the saddle when PA Peter 342 55 16% 67 20% 30% 27 8% 160 47% 4,888,575 14,294 riding a well-judged race to win BJ Crawford 290 58 20% 64 22% 39% 34 12% 154 53% 4,845,146 16,707 AC Greeff 414 70 17% 105 25% 39% 56 14% 215 52% 4,530,713 10,944 the R2,5 million CTS Ready To Run GS Kotzen 328 33 10% 33 10% 36% 38 12% 134 41% 3,426,809 10,448 Y Bremner 355 39 11% 36 10% 39% 43 12% 163 46% 3,211,750 9,047 Stakes on Pure State for Sean Tarry JAJ v Vuuren 203 24 12% 29 14% 34% 29 14% 93 46% 2,467,800 12,157 at Kenilworth last Saturday. While he A Nel 210 21 10% 32 15% 25% 26 12% 105 50% 2,208,262 10,516 GD Smith 409 29 7% 23 6% 22% 33 8% 131 32% 2,181,775 5,334 rode contrary to instructions, Stry- C Bass-Robinson 290 19 7% 24 8% 33% 29 10% 112 39% 2,166,661 7,471 Piere Strydom is back to SD Gray 176 20 11% 20 11% 25% 24 14% 77 44% 2,148,900 12,210 dom showed his fine judgement and GM Alexander 152 18 12% 14 9% 43% 17 11% 59 39% 2,118,725 13,939 his vintage best strength of courage to adapt to the GB Puller 156 22 14% 23 15% 39% 21 13% 70 45% 2,116,875 13,570 D Kannemeyer 157 22 14% 38 24% 29% 26 17% 80 51% 2,072,400 13,200 race dynamics. He then rode a 50-1 double at the Turffontein Reconcilliation Day meeting on Leading jockeys by WINS season 2019/2020 • 1 August - 18 December 2019 Monday. He rides Macthief for Brett Crawford in Saturday’s jockey rides wins win fav fav wfav 2nd 2nd 1st 1st stakes stks/ Gr1 Cape Guineas. % % % % four four% rides W Kennedy 628 115 18% 138 22% 38% 73 12% 337 54% 9,877,275 15,728 G Cheyne 376 81 22% 115 31% 40% 46 12% 207 55% 5,255,175 13,977 M Yeni 656 64 10% 91 14% 20% 87 13% 293 45% 6,339,638 9,664 R Fourie 276 59 21% 85 31% 40% 41 15% 162 59% 4,759,673 17,245 S Khumalo 397 54 14% 47 12% 38% 59 15% 192 48% 5,114,675 12,883 C Maujean 414 45 11% 32 8% 41% 40 10% 179 43% 3,938,375 9,513 Gimme The Guineas K De Melo 310 45 15% 61 20% 34% 47 15% 168 54% 4,321,799 13,941 C Murray 265 45 17% 56 21% 38% 25 9% 117 44% 4,919,150 18,563 Reigning SA Champion Trainer Sean R Munger 502 41 8% 37 7% 24% 46 9% 191 38% 3,472,938 6,918 Tarry maintained his number 1 spot R Danielson 230 39 17% 55 24% 33% 31 13% 114 50% 3,489,150 15,170 A Marcus 99 30 30% 54 55% 39% 19 19% 69 70% 3,279,749 33,129 on the national championship log D Schwarz 270 29 11% 26 10% 46% 28 10% 111 41% 4,536,875 16,803 M v Rensburg 297 28 9% 36 12% 25% 35 12% 115 39% 2,916,425 9,820 after another good feature weekend. L J Ferraris 283 28 10% 24 8% 25% 29 10% 109 39% 3,162,400 11,175 Tarry, who enjoyed an excellent High- C F Dicken 249 25 10% 10 4% 20% 20 8% 96 39% 2,147,038 8,623 N Klink 185 23 12% 23 12% 39% 19 10% 80 43% 1,403,000 7,584 veld Spring Season, looks in top form to register what many will feel is a Leading trainers/jockeys by wins % Sean Tarry is enjoying season 2019/2020 • 1 August - 18 December 2019 another top season long overdue first Gr1 Cape Guineas trainer/ runs wins win fav fav wfav 2nd 2nd stakes stks/ success on Saturday. He is well repre- jockey % % % % runs sented with four runners, including Gr1 winner, Eden Roc. BJ Crawford/A Marcus 30 11 37% 14 47% 50% 7 23% 974,824 32,494 AC Greeff/G Cheyne 171 48 28% 83 49% 41% 25 15% 2,709,363 15,844 BJ Crawford/G Cheyne 51 14 27% 11 22% 27% 4 8% 959,350 18,811 S von W Smit/D R Lerena 41 11 27% 9 22% 44% 3 7% 480,925 11,730 MF de Kock/C Murray 113 29 26% 40 35% 43% 10 9% 3,447,900 30,512 AG Laird/S Khumalo 68 17 25% 15 22% 60% 10 15% 1,383,150 20,340 Y Bremner/R Fourie 47 11 23% 14 30% 43% 4 9% 694,225 14,771 PA Peter/W Kennedy 169 37 22% 48 28% 33% 17 10% 3,169,775 18,756 Flying J Snaith/R Fourie 213 44 21% 68 32% 38% 33 15% 3,739,848 17,558 As the sun sets on 2019, jockey War- G v Zyl/W Kennedy 91 19 21% 26 29% 42% 10 11% 1,663,450 18,280 LJ Human/N Klink 85 18 21% 19 22% 42% 12 14% 821,650 9,666 ren Kennedy and trainer Paul Peter C Lensley/M Yeni 61 12 20% 14 23% 21% 8 13% 610,350 10,006 SG Tarry/R Danielson 144 28 19% 40 28% 33% 18 13% 2,472,000 17,167 will reflect back on a memorable BJ Crawford/C Orffer 110 18 16% 25 23% 32% 14 13% 1,412,036 12,837 few months. The duo, who won the D Kannemeyer/K De Melo 113 18 16% 35 31% 29% 20 18% 1,674,550 14,819 S Miller/R Munger 77 12 16% 11 14% 27% 13 17% 619,188 8,041 Grand Heritage at Vaal on Thurs- day, are operating with a 22% win strike-rate. Peter Warren Kennedy Racing To Win and Paul Peter are also made the pace looking forward to atop the trainer’s 2020 championship log for a long time, while Kennedy, whose daughter Jamie was born on 30 May, continues to lead the jockey log with 115 winners at a personal strike-rate of 18%. They are the pair to follow at all Gauteng meetings.

Follow US SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 29

Mon 2 Dec 2019 - Thurs 19 Dec 2019 Triple Dead-Heat At The Top Vardy catches up with the old guard, but where are the 3yos?

Males (up to 1600m) ar horse age sire breeder date fin class distance course aptitude 111 Chijmes 4 Ato Summerhill Stud 14Dec 1 Cnd 1400 Turffontein 79/111/97/-/-/ 106 Ishnana 5 Al Miqdaam RM Smith 15Dec 1 MR96 1200 Scottsville 106/75/-/-/-/ 102 Rebel’s Champ 5 Rebel King Nine Bridges Association 12Dec 4 Cnd 1000 Vaal 113/-/-/-/-/ 102 Fabian 4 What A Winter Lammerskraal Stud 4Dec 1 Cnd 1100 Kenilworth 102/95/-/-/-/ 101 Approach Control 4 Potala Palace Ralphs Syndicate 14Dec 2 Cnd 1400 Turffontein -/101/91/-/-/ 101 Valbonne 5 Var Varsfontein Stud 12Dec 2 Cnd 1000 Vaal 105/-/-/-/-/ 99 Goliath Heron 4 Master Of My Fate Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein 8Dec 3 MR98 1200 Scottsville 99/72/-/-/-/ 99 Pure State 3 Jackson Limpo Trading 14Dec 1 Cnd-3 1400 Kenilworth 71/99/-/-/-/ 98 Rio Querari 3 Querari Normandy Stud 14Dec 2 Cnd-3 1400 Kenilworth 89/98/-/-/-/ 98 Romi’s Boy 6 Querari Klawervlei Stud 12Dec 3 Cnd 1000 Vaal 106/89/-/-/-/

Females (up to 1600m) ar horse age sire breeder date fin class distance course aptitude 112 Front And Centre 4 Dynasty Highlands 14Dec 1 Cndfm 1400 Kenilworth 86/112/-/104/-/ 110 Run Fox Run 4 Foxwedge bred in Australia 14Dec 1 Cndfm 1000 Kenilworth 110/-/-/-/-/ 107 Celtic Sea 4 Captain Al Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein 14Dec 3 Cndfm 1400 Kenilworth 110/115/-/-/-/ 104 Master Keys 4 Master Of My Fate Ms Nothemba Mlonzi 8Dec 1 MR110 1400 Scottsville 74/104/-/-/-/ 103 Princess Rebel 5 Rebel King Favour Stud 14Dec 2 Cndfm 1000 Kenilworth 111/-/-/-/-/ 101 In The Dance 4 Gimmethegreenlight Lammerskraal Stud 14Dec 3 Cnd 1400 Turffontein 95/103/-/-/-/ 101 Golden Chance 4 Dynasty GJ Armitage 14Dec 2 Cndfm 1400 Kenilworth 91/101/-/-/-/ 100 Celestial Storm 4 What A Winter Favour Stud 14Dec 3 Cndfm 1000 Kenilworth 100/58/-/-/-/ 99 Santa Clara 4 Duke Of Marmalade Maine Chance 14Dec 5 Cndfm 1400 Kenilworth 90/106/-/91/-/ 98 Che Bella 4 Sail From Seattle Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein 16Dec 3 MR92f 1160 Turffontein 98/68/-/-/-/

Males (1600m and more) ar horse age sire breeder date fin class distance course aptitude 118 One World 4 Captain Al Klawervlei Stud 14Dec 2 Cnd 1600 Kenilworth -/118/112/-/-/ 118 Rainbow Bridge 5 Ideal World Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein 14Dec 3 Cnd 1600 Kenilworth 81/121/119/124/-/ 118 Vardy 4 Var Tawny Syndicate 14Dec 1 Cnd 1600 Kenilworth 83/118/112/-/-/ 113 undercover Agent 5 Captain Al Moutonshoek 14Dec 5 Cnd 1600 Kenilworth 121/121/110/118/-/ 111 Do It Again 5 Twice Over Northfields Stud 14Dec 6 Cnd 1600 Kenilworth 81/121/-/125/-/ 109 Pack Leader 5 Philanthropist hallmark Thoroughbreds 14Dec 4 Cnd 1600 Kenilworth 102/109/106/102/-/ 104 head Honcho 6 Querari La Plaisance Stud 14Dec 7 Cnd 1600 Kenilworth 81/110/113/121/-/ 104 Atyaab 4 Dundeel bred in Australia 14Dec 7 MR111 2500 Kenilworth -/91/95/104/108/ 102 hero’s Honour 5 Await The Dawn Summerhill Stud 14Dec 6 Cnd 1800 Turffontein 80/96/110/-/100/ 101 Wealthy 7 Silvano KL Thomas 8Dec 2 MR96 1950 Scottsville 68/77/101/99/94/

Females (1600m and more) ar horse age sire breeder date fin class distance course aptitude 105 Missisippi Burning 3 Captain Al Rathmor Stud 14Dec 1 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 90/105/-/-/-/ 99 Driving Miss Daisy 3 Master Of My Fate Ditro Bloodstock 14Dec 2 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 91/99/-/-/-/ 98 Third Runway 3 Gimmethegreenlight Varsfontein Stud 14Dec 3 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 74/98/-/-/-/ 97 Drama Queen 3 Ashaawes PG de Beyer 14Dec 5 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 88/97/-/-/-/ 97 Larentina 3 Duke Of Marmalade GJ Armitage 14Dec 4 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 70/97/-/-/-/ 96 Kelpie 3 Dynasty highlands 14Dec 6 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 71/96/-/-/-/ 95 Jet Start 5 Pathfork PT & P Dimakogiannis 14Dec 1 Cnd 1800 Turffontein 82/86/95/95/89/ 95 Casino Queen 3 Kingsbarns Drakenstein Stud 14Dec 8 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 85/95/-/-/-/ 95 Pretty Young Thing 3 Jackson Highlands 14Dec 7 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 98/95/-/-/-/ 95 Ontenderhooks 5 Dynasty Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein 17Dec 2 Cndfm 2200 Fairview 84/89/90/95/-/

3yo males (any distance) ar horse age sire breeder date fin class distance course aptitude 99 Pure State 3 Jackson Limpo Trading 14Dec 1 Cnd-3 1400 Kenilworth 71/99/-/-/-/ 98 Rio Querari 3 Querari Normandy Stud 14Dec 2 Cnd-3 1400 Kenilworth 89/98/-/-/-/ 96 Invidia 3 Twice Over Klawervlei Stud 14Dec 3 Cnd-3 1400 Kenilworth 96/100/-/-/-/ 95 Williams Land 3 Trippi WJ Engelbrecht Jnr 6Dec 1 MR78 1700 Greyville 90/81/95/-/-/ 95 Rock The Globe 3 Seventh Rock Klawervlei Stud 14Dec 4 Cnd-3 1400 Kenilworth 92/98/-/-/-/ 94 Donderweer 3 Soft Falling Rain Pecan Hill Stud Farm 14Dec 1 Cnd-3 1000 Turffontein 94/95/-/-/-/ 94 Cartel Captain 3 Captain Of All Klawervlei Stud 4Dec 4 Cnd 1100 Kenilworth 94/94/-/-/-/ 92 Over The Odds 3 Twice Over Klawervlei Stud 14Dec 6 Cnd-3 1400 Kenilworth 60/92/-/72/76/ 92 Land Of The Brave 3 What A Winter Drakenstein Stud 14Dec 2 Cnd-3 1000 Turffontein 92/63/-/-/-/ 92 Youcanthurrylove 3 Gimmethegreenlight Varsfontein Stud 14Dec 1 MR80 1800 Turffontein 66/82/92/-/-/

3yo females (any distance) ar horse age sire breeder date fin class distance course aptitude 105 Missisippi Burning 3 Captain Al Rathmor Stud 14Dec 1 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 90/105/-/-/-/ 99 Driving Miss Daisy 3 Master Of My Fate Ditro Bloodstock 14Dec 2 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 91/99/-/-/-/ 98 Third Runway 3 Gimmethegreenlight Varsfontein Stud 14Dec 3 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 74/98/-/-/-/ 97 Larentina 3 Duke Of Marmalade GJ Armitage 14Dec 4 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 70/97/-/-/-/ 97 Drama Queen 3 Ashaawes PG de Beyer 14Dec 5 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 88/97/-/-/-/ 96 Kelpie 3 Dynasty highlands 14Dec 6 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 71/96/-/-/-/ 96 Winter Sun 3 What A Winter h & V Pratt 8Dec 4 MR110 1400 Scottsville 81/96/-/-/-/ 95 Casino Queen 3 Kingsbarns Drakenstein Stud 14Dec 8 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 85/95/-/-/-/ 95 Pretty Young Thing 3 Jackson Highlands 14Dec 7 WFA3f 1600 Kenilworth 98/95/-/-/-/ 94 Dancing Feather 3 Duke Of Marmalade Maine Chance 6Dec 2 MR84f 1600 Greyville -/94/93/-/-/ SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 30

Turffontein 5 Graduation Plate 2000m (21/12) Prince Evlanoff 3g (Lizzie Arden by Right Approach) Turffontein 7 Secretariat Stakes (3yo's)(Listed) 1400m (21/12) Parterre 3g (Square Dance by Oasis Dream) 1st & 2nd season sires – 2yo’s Kenilworth 8 MR 83 Handicap 1600m (21/12) KINGSBARNS (Galileo) CAPTAIN OF ALL (Captain Al) King Of Gems 3g (Sapphire Gem by Trippi) Leader Of The Pack 2f (Tickle My Fancy by Fort Wood) Kenilworth 7 Gr1 Cape Guineas (3yo's) 1600m (21/12) Fairview 1 Maiden Juvenile Plate (Turf) 900m (20/12) LINNGARI (Indian Ridge) Lady Catherine 2f (Ninefold by Warm White Night) Parkdale 3g (Belle Of Calgary by Rich Man's Gold) Kenilworth 1 Maiden Juvenile Plate (Fillies) 900m (21/12) Greyville 2 Maiden Plate (F&M) 1600m (20/12) COUP DE GRACE (Tapit) Grey Linngari 3g (Corre Solta by Ski Champ) French Fling 2f (La Rosita by Fasliyev) Greyville 3 Maiden Plate 1900m (20/12) Kenilworth 1 Maiden Juvenile Plate (Fillies) 900m (21/12) Swanking 3g (Silwood by Fort Wood) Ziva De Grace 2f (Joyful Ally by Captain Al) Scottsville 4 Maiden Plate 1600m (22/12) Scottsville 1 Maiden Juvenile Plate 1000m (22/12) SOFT FALLING RAIN (National Assembly) Hidden War 2c (Jambalaya by Holy Roman Emperor) Power To Command 3g (Lavender Sky by Elliodor) Scottsville 1 Maiden Juvenile Plate 1000m (22/12) Greyville 3 Maiden Plate 1900m (20/12) Diamonds And Toads 2f (Millvale by King's Best) Blessed Rain 3g (Amaridian by Cape Cross) Scottsville 1 Maiden Juvenile Plate 1000m (22/12) Turffontein 2 Maiden Plate (F&M) 1000m (21/12) GLOBAL VIEW (Galileo) Montreal Mist 3g (Esterel by Var) Delicasea 2f (Caviar by Var) Turffontein 6 Progress Plate (F&M) 1160m (21/12) Fairview 1 Maiden Juvenile Plate (Turf) 900m (20/12) Hardfallingrain 3g (Serra Nuda by Fort Wood) Kenilworth 9 MR 90 Handicap 1000m (21/12) TIME THIEF (Redoute's Choice) 2nd season sires – 3yo’s Sir Caleb 3g (Servilia by Caesour) CAPETOWN NOIR (Western Winter) Fairview 7 MR 88 Handicap (Turf) 1000m (20/12) Taste Of Diamonds 3g (New York Folly by National Assembly) Congo Compaq 3g (District Six by Mujadil) Greyville 2 Maiden Plate (F&M) 1600m (20/12) Kenilworth 4 Maiden Plate 1800m (21/12) Declaration Of War 3g (Hlabelela by Muhtafal) Macthief 3g (Yellow Card by Trippi) Scottsville 4 Maiden Plate 1600m (22/12) Kenilworth 7 Gr1 Cape Guineas (3yo's) 1600m (21/12) Straight Shooter 3g (Bindella by Jallad) Tom Bombadil 3g (Aqua Star by Saumarez) Scottsville 4 Maiden Plate 1600m (22/12) Scottsville 4 Maiden Plate 1600m (22/12) Go Daddy 3g (Gamalakhe by Northern Guest) VERCINGETORIX (Silvano) Scottsville 4 Maiden Plate 1600m (22/12) Cherry Road 3g (Monroe by Model Man) Brunilda 3g (Sully's Landing by Jet Master) Greyville 4 MR 76 Handicap (F&M) 1800m (20/12) Scottsville 9 Qualified Maiden Plate (F&M) 1200m (22/12) Prince Of Venice 3g (Princess Stephanie by Kahal) CAPTAIN OF ALL (Captain Al) Greyville 8 MR 78 Handicap 1000m (20/12) Ice Imperial 3g (Glorious Moment by Count Dubois) Soul Connection 3g (Intimateconnection by Lake Coniston) Greyville 2 Maiden Plate (F&M) 1600m (20/12) Turffontein 1 Maiden Plate 1000m (21/12) Captain Hindsight 3g (Uber Rock by Rock of Gibraltar) Cross Court 3g (Margaret Court by Lake Coniston) Turffontein 1 Maiden Plate 1000m (21/12) Kenilworth 3 Maiden Plate (F&M) 1600m (21/12) Awilda 3g (Annet by National Emblem) Nan 3g (Classical by Galileo) Turffontein 2 Maiden Plate (F&M) 1000m (21/12) Kenilworth 3 Maiden Plate (F&M) 1600m (21/12) Foxy Lady 3g (First Power by Jet Master) Cyclonic Breeze 3g (Joie's Winter by Western Winter) Kenilworth 3 Maiden Plate (F&M) 1600m (21/12) Kenilworth 4 Maiden Plate 1800m (21/12) Rampage 3g (Bridgets Toga by Black Minnaloushe) African Warrior 3g (Allez Afrique by Jet Master) Turffontein 9 Maiden Plate 1400m (21/12) Kenilworth 7 Gr1 Cape Guineas (3yo's) 1600m (21/12) Chief Officer 3g (Scholarship by Fanatic Dane) Viking Moon 3g (Touch The Moon by Untouchable) Scottsville 2 Maiden Plate 1000m (22/12) Kenilworth 7 Gr1 Cape Guineas (3yo's) 1600m (21/12) FLOWER ALLEY (Distorted Humor) Vaseem 3g (Giant's Bounty by Giant's Causeway) Rose Dancer 3g (Magnificent Maggie by Joshua Dancer) Turffontein 7 Secretariat Stakes (3yo's)(Listed) 1400m (21/12) Greyville 2 Maiden Plate (F&M) 1600m (20/12) WYLIE HALL (Redoute's Choice) Dutch Alley 3g (Cross Your Heart by Yes It's True) Signed And Sealed 3g (Autograf by Becker) Greyville 6 MR 68 Handicap 1400m (20/12) Turffontein 3 Maiden Plate (F&M) 1600m (21/12) Forget O' Girls 3g (Captain's Corner by Captain Al) Bleu Royale 3g (Danish Zealot by Danehill Express) Kenilworth 3 Maiden Plate (F&M) 1600m (21/12) Scottsville 2 Maiden Plate 1000m (22/12) Flowerscape 3g (Refined Gold by Rich Man's Gold) Wylie's Lass 3g (Cashel Leaf by Bernardini) Kenilworth 4 Maiden Plate 1800m (21/12) Scottsville 9 Qualified Maiden Plate (F&M) 1200m (22/12) Keep Smiling 3g (Queen Of All by Jallad) SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 31 signposts continued Sports and Betting Notable Maiden Winners London Rivals Settle Scores JUDPOT Tottenham vs Chelsea | Sun 22 Dec | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | 18:30 Rated AR 93 War Room (2c Magnificent Maggie by Joshua Dancer) Gameweek 18 of the Juvenile Plate Turffontein (stand side) (1000m) (16/12) Premier League closes out In what comparatively proved to be the second fastest of the after- with probably the most ex- noon’s five sprint races, this son of Judpot made a very promising de- citing fixture of the round but. Up with the pace throughout, Paul Peter’s charge ran on strongly as London rivals Spurs and over the final 400m and with the rest left trailing in their wake he got Chelsea settle scores at the the better of promising newcomer Zimbaba by three quarters. Tottenham Hotspur Stadi- um on Sunday.It’s never a dull affair when these teams meet, and with Chelsea’s most successful manager, Jose Mourinho, Horses To Follow now in charge of Spurs, it will only add more fireworks to FOXWEDGE what is already a thrilling derby. Rated AR 110 Run Fox Run (4f Victory Cry by General Nediym) Both sides need a win to improve their top four prospects. Gr2 Southern Cross Stakes Kenilworth (1000m) (14/12) Winner of all of her five starts now, Brett Crawford’s charge is going To catch up with Chad Nagel previews click here from strength to strength. She quickened well here in her first outing since May, and once again won going away. It will be interesting to To Win see how she’s able to rise. Tottenham 14/10 Draw 26/10 VAR Chelsea 18/10 Rated AR 118 Vardy (4g Cupid by Jet Master) Gr2 Green Point Stakes Kenilworth (new) (1600m) (14/12) Tottenham Now a winner of five of his eight career starts to date, Adam Marcus’ This will be the second time that Mourinho faces his former charge showed his well-being after a 29 week break here. Positioned club as Tottenham manager. The Portuguese lost on his at the back as the eight runners turned for home, Vardy was ridden return to Old Trafford at the beginning of the month in a to lead 200m out and won well from his arch-rival One World by a 2-1 defeat against United, but he’ll be confident of a better length. This was a race run at a peculiar pace, and possibly decided in outcome this time as he comes up against a Chelsea side a sprint, so some caution about the ease of victory may be in order. very low on confidence. Mourinho – a two-time manager ofC helsea – would love to CAPTAIN AL beat his old club for many reasons, but most important for Rated AR 105 Missisippi Burning (3f Spitfire Lady by Hussonet) Spurs is that victory would see them leapfrog the Blues into Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas (1600m) (14/12) fourth place in the Premier League. That would be some Unperturbed by the rain that fell throughout the race, Adam Marcus’ achievement for Mourinho as his side were 12 points behind charge completed a very smart hat-trick here. Confidently ridden by Chelsea when he took over last month. Craig Zackey, this daughter of Captain Al sat in midfield for most of the journey in a slow run race. She got to the front in the final 200m Chelsea in the sprint for home, to win going away by three. On the face of it Frank Lampard is facing his toughest period as Chelsea boss. she must be worth following, but given the pace of the race some The Blues suffered their third home defeat of the campaign reservation applies about the result. last weekend when they lost 1-0 to an injury-stricken Bournemouth side, who were on a five-match losing streak LEGISLATE going into that game. Rated AR 86 Zimbaba (2f Pin Turn by Pivotal) It was undoubtedly Chelsea’s worst performance this season Juvenile Plate Turffontein (stand side) (1000m) (14/12) and that defeat was their fourth loss from their last five in Pitched in against the boys in this her first racecourse appearance, the Premier League. The likes of Mason Mount and Christian Sean Tarry’s charge put in a very smart performance. Positioned in Pulisic are struggling for form, with 11-goal man Tammy midfield early on, Zimbaba moved up to challenge the winner War Abraham being starved of service in recent matches. Room 250m out, and only went down by three-quarters as the pair Probable line-ups: drew some seven lengths clear of the remainder. Tottenham: 4-2-3-1 Gazzaniga; Aurier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Vertonghen; Winners Bred Abroad Sissoko, Dier; Moura, Alli, Son; Kane (AUS) 3f Uncle Mo - Voice Of An Angel(AUS) Tobefair Chelsea: 4-3-3 (Encosta de Lago) Vaal 1800m (12/12) Kepa; James, Zouma, Rudiger, Azpilicueta; Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic; Willian, Pulisic, Abraham. Kursk (AUS) 4g So You Think - Emperossa(AUS) (Testa Rossa) Kenilworth 1600m (14/12) Prediction: Tottenham (14/10)

Run Fox Run (AUS) 4f Foxwedge - Victory Cry(AUS) (General Nediym) Kenilworth 1000m (14/12) SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 32

Clockwatching with Steve Furnish Last Week’s Top Rated Speed Ratings winners incl...... won 10/1 Para Handy won 13/2 Alfred’s Girl ...... won 9/2 Ready For Kursk ...... won 9/2 Miss La Dee Da ...... won 4/1 ...... Rille won 11/4 Just My Style ...... won 2/1 Battle Evermore won 17/10 A review of the week's best speedratings Twice Golden ...... Focal Point Paul Lafferty’s charge was soon positioned Top speed ratings close to the speed. He ran on strongly over Kenilworth 7 December for this weekend the final 400m and in what proved to be a Saturday’s action took place on the new real thriller he only got the verdict on the (Ratings shown have already been adjusted to allocated weights) course. The maiden plate was surprisingly nod from the running on MARSANNE. the quickest of the three 1800m events and Fairview (fri) The non-black type River Indigo Race 1: No Qualifiers here we saw a smart performance from Handicap was by far the faster of the two Race 2: (4) Givemeththumbsup 8 the 3yo IT’S COMPLEX. Ridden for the first 1400m events on the card and here victo- Race 3: (4) World Squared 15 time by Anton Marcus, the 13/2 shot was Race 4: (1) Sunday Falls 38 ry went to the progressive MASTER KEYS. Race 5: (1) King Capone 15 soon up handy. He was ridden to lead early Now a winner of five of her ten career Race 6: (7) Tundra 37 in the straight and easily accounted for the starts to date, the Master Of My Fate filly Race 7: (3) Aldo 59 always handy THE SECOND WAVE by four raced in midfield for most of the journey. Race 8: (14) Lalena 32 and a quarter. Greyville (fri) She quickened nicely in the home straight Race 1: (1) Macallan 11 They also ran three races over 1400m and won well by a half from SHE’S A Race 2: (13) Dark Moon Down 15 and in the fastest of these, a MR104 Hand- DREAM. Race 3: (12) Slew City 24 icap, the progressive NEXUS again showed Race 4: (8) In Jest 43 Race two on the card was a maiden Race 5: (11) Je Ne Sais Quoi 50 a nice turn of foot. Positioned eighth of the plate for the girls over 1200m and here Race 6: (17) Path To Glory 38 eleven turning for home, this talented son we saw an impressive debut performance Race 7: (1) Yaas 30 of Dynasty battled to find a clear passage from the 3yo Greys Inn filly INN A MIN- Race 8: (7) Bravo Zulu 44 when the race began in earnest. Once Race 9: (9) Mashari 51 UTE. Priced up as the rank outsider of the Turffontein (sat) seeing daylight though he quickened with sixteen horse party at 66/1, Garth Puller’s Race 1: (1) Captain Hindsight 29 (NAP*) all his usual zest, and won well, going away charge was a little slow into stride and Race 2: (6) Urban Oasis 25 by a length. Race 3: (1) Wild Thoughts 21 raced at the back. Once given rein though Race 4: (2) Snow Palace 48 A maiden plate for the girls over 1200m she quickened well, and in eye catching Race 5: (7) Keep Smiling 65 had opened up proceedings and here we fashion got up late to score by three Race 6: (6) Spiritofthegroove 65 saw a very easy victory for the 1/3 favour- Race 7: (4) Al Borak 64 quarters. Race 8: (8) Lily Starlette 51 ite SING OUT LOUD. Nicely positioned in Titbits Positioned fourteenth of the fifteen Race 9: (3) Eppagilia 15 second early on, Brett Crawford’s charge coming off the bend, poorly drawn SLIEVANORRA Kenilworth (sat) put her head in front going through the quickened best of all in the straight when getting Race 1: (1) Favorita 4 300m and only having to be pushed out up late to win the maiden plate over 1400m with Race 2: (6) Freedom Seeker 22 (nb*) some in hand. Race 3: (1) Evening Song 25 from there onwards, she won going away Running on from the rear in the KZN Summer Race 4: (2) Morse 24 by seven and a half. Challenge 1600m Final, GIMME PEACE was Race 5: (3) Platinum Class 80 Titbits Running on from the back, FIRST STREET continually baulked for a run in the straight before Race 6: (1) Hawwaam 101 (NAP*) quickened well after switching for a run 400m out, flying up late to finish runner up, beaten just 0,3 Race 7: (4) King Of Gems 68 Race 8: (8) Hurricane Harry 47 and did well to get up late in the maiden plate for lengths. Race 9: (8) Fire Walker 57 the girls over 1600m. hollywoodbets Scottsville (sun) Just The Four Race 1: (6) Hardwired 2 Race 2: (13) Captain Of Colour 22 Opening Doors Flamingo Park 9 December Race 3: (8) Proud Warrior 3 Hollywoodbets Scottsville 8 December The MR62 Handicap was the faster of Race 4: (4) Tom Bombadil 19 Race 5: (9) Jalapeno 33 As is often the case in Pietermaritzburg, the two 1000m races that were first up Race 6: (3) Path To Glory 38 the distance of 1200m took the lion’s share in Kimberley on Monday and here victory Race 7: (7) Calvary 66 of the races. The non-black type KZN Sum- went to the 4yo gelding GALLAGHER. Now Race 8: (9) Wynkelder 82 Race 9: (4) Paper Ballerina 12 mer Challenge 1200m Final was not sur- a winner of three from twenty, the son of prisingly the fastest of the three and here Var was soon up handy. He was ridden to Nap bets the friendless CELEBRATION ROC caused lead as they approached the 100m marker * Fancied ** Strongly fancied *** Very strongly fancied an upset. Freely available at 16/1 at the off, and kept on strongly below the distance SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 33

Clockwatching cont. to beat MUSAYTARA by a length and a in the rear early on. She cut through the Titbits Not the quickest into stride, lightly raced quarter. field with ease in the long home straight CURVATION ran on well from the rear when a 0,9 length The other two races that were run be- and only having to be pushed out, she fifth in the maiden plate for the girls over 1600m. fore the meeting was abandoned due to cruised in by three and a quarter. an electrical storm, were both staged over Another to win with authority on this 1600m and in the quicker of these JOLLY card was EVERMORE when getting off the JOSEPHINE registered her fourth career mark in the maiden plate for the girls over (Number of races run in each category shown in brackets) victory. Backed into favouritism following 1200m. Always handy, the 2/1 favourite * Times taken by Clockwatcher positive comments from her trainer, the took up the running 400m out and won Kenilworth (new) 7 December daughter of Philanthropist led throughout. going away by seven and a quarter. Penetrometer 22 – Going Good Course Variant: 1,05s slow She was always in command and extend- Titbits VOICES OF LIGHT came from the rear 1200m (1) Sing Out Loud 73,07 ed her one length advantage to three and when comfortably accounting for his seven rivals in 1400m (3) Tango With Tigers 88,06 a quarter over the final 400m. the MR96 Handicap over 1200m. 1600m (1) First Street 101,85 1800m (3) It’s Complex 111,50 Race 3 on the card was a maiden plate for the girls over 1600m and in a time hollywoodbets Scottsville (inside) Jet Finish 8 December 1,67 seconds slower than that of Jolly Turffontein 14 December Penetrometer 23 – Going Good Josephine, ROXY’S RISING STAR got off the Course Variant: 1,00s slow The going was Good on the old stand mark. Three and a half lengths clear com- 800m (1) Harlington Express 46,04 side track on Saturday where the fast- 1200m (3) Celebration Roc 69,12 ing off the bend, the daughter of Byword er of the two 1400m events was the 1400m (2) Master Keys 83,60 was all out over the final 150m and just 1600m (1) News Stream 96,67 progress plate won by the 9/4 second held on by a neck from the always handy 1750m (1) Twice Golden 110,21 favourite CHIJMES. Soon up handy, the 1950m (1) Merlin From Berlin 122,06 CRIMSON CASTLE. son Ato took up the running 400m out. Flamingo Park 9 December Having only his second outing since Titbits Going Standard relocating from KZN, SUGAR MAN won the opening He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted 1000m (2) Gallagher 56,64 maiden plate over 1000m going away. 1600m (2) Jolly Josephine 98,61 for the fancied APPROACH CONTROL by a length. Fairview (turf) 13 December Penetrometer 21 – Going Good Weighted To Score The MR92 Handicap was by far the Course Variant: 0,96s fast Fairview 13 December quicker of the two 1600m events and 1200m (5) Para Handy 66,95 Five of the eight races on the turf track here a bit of an upset was to be had when 1600m (1) Philos 96,47 2000m (1) Double Shuffle 129,33 on Friday were staged over 1200m. The EMILY JAY registered her ninth career vic- 2400m (1) Just My Style 154,31 MR79 Handicap was the fastest of these tory. The small field of seven were always Turffontein 14 December and here the column’s top rated selection tightly bunched and as they approached Penetrometer 22 – Going Good PARA HANDY caused a bit of an upset. the 500m pole the race developed into Course Variant: 1,23s slow 1000m (1) Donderweer 57,99 Easy to back at 10/1 on the off, the Rock a sprint. Chris Erasmus’ charge kept on 1160m (1) Mythical Bolt 68,16 Of Rochelle gelding adopted a change of determinedly from that point and never 1400m (1) Chijmes 86,02 tactics and raced handy. He put his head looked like being overhauled. 1600m (2) Emily Jay 98,68 1800m (2) Jet Start 110,39 in front going through the 300m and They also ran two races over 1800m 2400m (1) Crystal Stream 156,39 won well by a length and a half from the the faster being the pinnacle stakes won 2850m (1) The Bosbok 187,38* well-supported favourite VERBARIUM. by the Pathfork mare JET START. GREEN- JUST MY STYLE was exceptionally well WOOD DRIVE set the pace and although weighted in the pinnacle stakes over Jet Start was always in touch she still had 2400m and so it was no surprise to see five lengths to find going through the Horses worth following at their next few starts... the Irish Flame mare come home smok- 400m. She ran on stoutly from there on- Gimme Peace (D Kannemeyer, KZN) ing. The best bet on the card for most, wards and showing a nice turn of foot late Nexus (J Snaith, W-Cape) Sharon Kotzen’s charge confidently sat she got up close home. Slievanorra (Gareth Van Zyl, KZN) SPORTING POST DIGEST • friday 20 December 2019 34