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Picture: Callan Murray after winning on the Garret Lynch-trained Sunny Green at Morphettville. (Twitter)

Callan Murray Looking Forward To Hollywoodbets Durban July

Callan Murray will fly from his current base in Australia in about ten days time and arrive in South Africa on Monday the 27th ahead of the Hollywoodbets Durban July in which he has landed a plum ride on the Mike de Kock-trained Al Muthana.

He said, “I’m very excited for the opportunity to ride Al Muthana in the July. I had a lot to do with him in his early days, including being aboard for his first win, and have always had a good opinion of him. He’s a talented horse. I know Mr De Kock will have him exactly where he needs to be – the rest will be up to me!”

He added, “I’m very excited to be riding in the Shadwell silks that I have had so much joy in over my career.”

Murray has had nine Grade 1 wins in his career and four of them have been in Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum’s famous blue with white epaulettes silks, Mustaqeem (Redoute’s Choice), Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) and twice on Hawwaam (Silvano).

All of those were trained by De Kock and so were three of his other Grade 1 winners, Heavenly Blue (Snitzel), Queen Supreme (Exceed And Excel) and Takingthepeace (Visionaire).

His two other Grade 1 winners were the Geoff Woodruff-trained Deo Juvente (Trippi) and the Sean Tarry-trained Warrior’s Rest (What A Winter).

Murray asked for the ride on Al Muthana.

He elaborated, “I asked and fortunately got the ride. I wanted to come back for a visit, it’s a quiet time of year here and I’ve always wanted to win a July. So it just worked out a treat.”

Callan has had 24 winners in Australia, but encouragingly nine of them have come in the last month.

“It’s proven difficult to break into but things are picking up really well,” he said.

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Royal Mo Doing It For Uncle Mo

PEDIGREE PROFILE -ROYAL AUSSIE

Sarah Whitelaw

Consistent two-year-old Royal Aussie made news last week when he became the first winner for his sire Royal Mo.

Runner up on his first two starts, Royal Aussie appeared to relish the step up to 1400m when he ran out a two and a quarter length winner at Kenilworth.

Winner of the G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes and a place getter in the G1 Santa Anita Derby, Royal Mo, whose first crop are two-year-olds, went close to enjoying an outstanding few days, with his sons Rule Of Thumb and Mo Jive both finishing second in their respective races last week.

Royal Mo’s outstanding sire Uncle Mo was himself in the news this past weekend when his son Mo Donegal claimed victory in Saturday’s G1 Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the US Triple Crown. In the process, Mo Donegal became his sire’s 11th G1 winner, and Uncle Mo’s second winner of a leg of the US Triple Crown, following Nyquist (2016 Kentucky Derby). Uncle Mo had gone close to enjoying further big race success over the weekend when his daughter Family Way ran second in the G1 New York Stakes.

Royal Aussie, a R300 000 buy from the 2021 CTS Ready To Run Sale, also hails from an outstanding female line.

His dam Abelia, an unraced daughter of G2 Todman Stakes winner Smart Missile (by Fastnet Rock), numbers short-lived G2 Pago Pago Stakes/G2 Sires’ Produce Stakes winning sire Time For War as a half-brother, and she hails from one of the best familes in the stud book.

Abelia’s dam Lady Zabelia is a three time winning daughter of Zabeel -and she hailed from the same female line as one of Zabeel’s greatest sons, Might And Power. Lady Zabelia’s third dam Benediction produced Might And Power -a dual Horse Of The Year in Australia and winner of all of the G1 Melbourne Cup, G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 Cox Plate.

Lady Zabelia’s granddam Miss Priority not only produced Hong Kong champion Lucky Owners, she also rates as the second dam of four time Australian G1 winner Mosheen -sired by Fastnet Rock, grandsire of Abelia.

Miss Priority, whose half-sister Bastet is dam of French 1000 Guineas winner Beauty Parlour (dam of G1 winner Blowout), is also inbred to the Bobsleigh mare All Moonshine -with her legendary grandsire Sir Tristram (also sire of Lady Zabelia’s sire Zabeel) sporting All Moonshine as his third dam, and All Moonshine herself also the fifth dam of Miss Priority.

All Moonshine, a daughter of outstanding racemare and producer Selene, was a half-sister to outstanding Derby winner and multiple champion sire Hyperion, as well as such breed shaping sires as Pharamond II and Sickle.

Selene also ranks as the ancestress of South African champion and successful sire What A Winter, dual Oaks winner Sariska, the South African based Dante Stakes winner Wings Of Desire, as well as 2021 Cartier Horse Of The Year St Mark’s Basilica.

Picture: Royal Aussie (Wayne Marks)

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Warrior And Naval Guard Prove Phil Bull’s Adage

Marshall Confirms Van Niekerk To Ride Linebacker In July

The founder of Timeform Phil Bull had a saying, “On the racecourse keep your eyes open and your ears closed.”

That way you will avoid the hype and with all due respect to the connections of Warrior and Naval Guard their Hollywoodbets Durban July odds last week at 25/1 apiece were ridiculous, if not on form, then at least mathematically.

They both had to win their respective races in the Grade 3 Hollywoodbets Cup Trial and Grade 3 Jubilee Stakes to book a place for themselves in the July final field, so the odds of them doing so should surely have been built into their July price?

If it had been it can be assumed the bookmakers were viewing them as around 10/1 shots once they had made the final field, which of course they never would have been.

Naval Guard has duly been scratched from the July after running a close third in the Jubilee, which was a fine performance off his 90 merit rating, although the handicappers have not reacted and he remains on 90.

Warrior has been accepted for the July and strangely has Grant van Niekerk declared to ride him.

However, Linebacker’s trainer Vaughan Marshall said this was of no significance.

He said, “He (Grant van Niekerk) is engaged to ride Linebacker, there is no question about it.”

Warrior is unlikely to make the final field unless the field cuts up severely.

He did not appear anywhere on the final log, so needed a big race on Saturday and his 3,35 length fourth would not have been enough.

Meanwhile, Marshall was very pleased with Linebacker’s run in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge on Saturday.

He burst through after displaying his fine turn of foot and was only caught late by Al Muthana.

Marshall said he had come out of the race well and it should have put him spot on for the big one.

Van Niekerk has ridden the Captain Of All gelding in eight of his last nine starts which included two Grade 1 victories and a narrow second in last year’s July.

Picture: Naval Guard (JC Photos)

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Picture: Silvano’s Timer wins third time out after a year-and-a-half on the sidelines.

Silvano’s Timer Holds The Last July Jigsaw Piece

The talented Dean Kannemeyer-trained Silvano gelding Silvano’s Timer will make a last gasp attempt to qualify for the Hollywoodbets Durban July in Saturday’s Grade 3 Track And Ball Derby over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

It will throw the cat among the pigeons if he wins.

Despite being a four-year-old, he has only had eight career starts for three wins, including last time out over 1800m, which was his first attempt at further than a mile.

A win in Saturday’s weight for age plus penalties event will prove he is both progressive and ideally suited to the July distance of 2200m.

The race is not included among those whose winner is given preferential consideration for inclusion in the final July field.

However, the final field selectors are always going to take note of a Graded winner with a progressive profile.

Silvano’s Timer was a 2,25 length fourth behind big guns Malmoos, Linebacker and Rascallion, and ahead of Hoedspruit, in the Grade 2 Avontuur Estate Concorde Cup over 1600m as a young three-year-old.

However, he did not pull up well after his next run in the Grade 1 Cape Guineas and a subsequent farm rest followed by another injury saw him being off the track for close to a year-and-a-half.

He won on the poly over 1800m last time in his third run after the long layoff.

Saturday will tell how good he is.

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Save The Date For The CTS Farm Yearling Sale (June 19)

Download the Meercat App To Register And Bid –

Samsung And Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=za.co.dankospark.meerkat

Iphone And IOS Apple: https://apple.co/2yDd362

Huawei: https://appgallery.huawei.com/app/C104745269

Bid Live On Our website: www.meerkatonline.co.za

For more auction information:

Jacques Chowles: 079 459 3022

For technical support:

Leanie 072 314 1774

Schalk 076 226 3434

Mariaan 064 214 7487

Ro’an 082 567 0069

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Stradivarius Bids To Regain His Gold Cup Crown Today

(17H20 SA Time)

By Matt Rennie (Racing Post)

Stradivarius will face nine rivals as he bids to regain his crown and earn a record-equalling fourth win in the Gold Cup (4.20) on Thursday.

The popular stayer dominated the meeting’s pinnacle contest between 2018 and 2020 before finishing fourth to Subjectivist last year, but he returned with a bang a month ago when a brave winner of the Yorkshire Cup.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained eight-year-old will attempt to become the first horse to regain his title since Kayf Tara did so in 2000 as well as emulating the great Yeats as a four-time Gold Cup winner.

Trueshan, Long Distance Cup conqueror of Stradivarius for the past two seasons, has been left in by Alan King despite the trainer saying he is unlikely to run, while young pretender Kyprios will be Aidan O’Brien’s sole representative.

The most notable absentee at declarations stage was last year’s Prix Royal-Oak winner Scope, who was a doubtful runner earlier in the week.

Gold Cup final field

Alignak Saffie Osborne

Earlofthecotswolds Liam Keniry

Stradivarius Frankie Dettori

Trueshan Hollie Doyle

Kyprios Ryan Moore

Mojo Star Rossa Ryan

Tashkhan Ben Robinson

Bubble Smart Gerald Mosse

Burning Victory William Buick

Princess Zoe Joey Sheridan

Picture: Harry Trump (Getty Images)

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Today’s Question

Who was voted best racehorse of the 20th century by the American associated press.

Picture: Americasbestracing.net

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Fairview Poly Friday June 17 Fields

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Today’s Question Answer

Man O’War and Secretariat, two mighty chestnut colts, ran 1-2 in the race for Horse of the Century.

Man O’War, owned by Samuel D. Riddle and trained by Louis Feustel, won nine of 10 starts as a 2-year-old, then was unbeaten in 11 starts in 1920 before being retired. His loss in 1919 was a second-place in the Sanford at Saratoga to a horse named Upset.

Man O’War was selected as the greatest horse of the century by a six-member panel of experts assembled by The Associated Press. He received four first-place votes to one for Secretariat.

Secretariat won 16 of 21 starts in two years of racing and won the Triple Crown in 1973.

“I’m really thrilled these people in racing who have seen so many good horses would rank Secretariat with Man o’War,” said Penny Chenery, who raced Secretariat.

“He had the same electric presence as Man o’War. Going to see Man o’War in the first half of the century was something. Seeing Secretariat in the second half of the century was the same thing.”

Citation and Native Dancer tied for third. Citation once won 16 straight races, while Native Dancer’s only loss in 22 career starts was a second place in the 1953 Kentucky Derby.

The great gelding Kelso, Horse of the Year five times (1960-64), was fifth.

Rounding out the top 10 were: Tom Fool — who received the other first-place vote — Dr. Fager, Count Fleet, Spectacular Bid, and Forego and Seattle Slew, who tied for 10th.

Horses of both sexes were eligible for Horse of the Century, but the top 10 were all males.

As a 3-year-old, Man o’War did not start in the Kentucky Derby, but he won the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. He had only one rival in the Belmont, and he beat him by 20 lengths. His margin of victory in the Lawrence Realization at Belmont Park in 1920 was 100 lengths.

Secretariat won 16 of 21 starts in two years of racing. Trained by Lucien Laurin, he was Horse of the Year in 1972 and again in 1973 when he became the first Triple Crown champion since Citation in 1948.

His Triple Crown was an amazing three-race performance. He became the first horse to break 2 minutes in the 1¼-mile Kentucky Derby (1:59 2-5), won the Preakness with an incredible last-to-first move on the first turn, then won the Belmont by 31 lengths in a world record of 2:24 for 1½-miles on the dirt.

Picture: Man O’War (Americasbestracing.net)

Turf Talk Newsletter – 16 June 2022