Cousin Casey, plenty of appeal at first glance.

Final field, draws, weights, 2023 WSB Met

The final field for the 2023 WSB Met to be run over 2000m at Kenilworth on Saturday, 28 January, was announced at a ceremony held at the V&A Waterfront on Wednesday evening.

Defending champion Kommetdieding heads a high-class field of 19 for a race that will be much debated over the next 10 days, with dozens of theories on weight-for-age, the suitability of the race for three-year-olds, the possibility that the Kings Plate runners coming in the Met may be ‘ovcercooked’, and a variety of form pointers to be thrown into the mix along with the usual wisecracks and brain droppings from the peanut galleries on talk forums and the well-versed theses from racing’s self-appointed sages who believe that years of experience qualifies them to argue their points from the ‘professor’ category.

George Michael once wrote in a song, ‘It really doesn’t matter at all’, and so it will be when they jump for Race 9 at 17:15, Saturday week, and racing becomes the great leveller again: Some of us will be kings, others will be, well, you-know-what! All that matters is that this will be a great race featuring top class runners trained and ridden by top horsemen, a good mix of three-year-olds and older stars and some interesting pre-race considerations including jockey bookings.

At first glance over the field, with the obvious factors briefly considered, Cousin Casey catches our eye. Where are your eyes going first? Below, the big-race field. Let the games begin!

WORLD SPORTS BETTING CAPE TOWN MET (Grade 1)
Open to horses at Weight For Age WFA: 3yrs-6kgs 4yrs-0.5kgs No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance:

1	1	Golden Ducat	60	120	BA	Christophe Soumillon	Eric Sands
2	2	Make It Snappy	51.5	125	A	Keagan de Melo	Brett Crawford
3	3	Marina	57.5	117	BA	Aldo Domeyer	Candice Bass-Robinson
4	4	Jet Dark	60	130	A	Richard Fourie	Justin Snaith
5	5	Sparkling Water	57.5	122	A	S’manga Khumalo	Mike de Kock
6	6	Kommetdieding	60	129	A	Gavin Lerena	HWJ Crawford/M Rix
7	7	Universal	59.5	116	A	Juan Paul v’d Merwe	Adam Marcus
8	8	Do It Again	60	126	BA	Bernard Fayd’Herbe	Justin Snaith
9	9	Nexus	60	114	BA	Muzi Yeni	Justin Snaith
10	10	Zapatillas	59.5	122	A	Luyolo Mxothwa	Brett Crawford
11	11	Waterberry Lane	59.5	116	A	Raymond Danielson	Ricky Maingard
12	12	Al Muthana (AUS)	60	133	A	Piere Strydom	Ricky Maingard
13	13	Warrior	60	112	A	Ryan Munger	Justin Snaith
14	14	Cousin Casey	54	115	A	Grant van Niekerk	Glen Kotzen
15	15	Rain In Holland	57	116	TBA	Calvin Habib	Sean Tarry
16	16	Linebacker	60	122	BA	Corne Orffer	Vaughan Marshall
17	17	Rascallion	60	122	A	Sean Veale	Vaughan Marshall
18	18	Gem King	59.5	104	A	Gareth Wright	Piet Steyn
19	19	Pomp And Power	59.5	114	A	Kabelo Matsunyane	Justin Snaith
Same Trainer
(2,10) (4,8,9,13,19) (11,12) (16,17)

Vaughan Koster with Mystic Spring, the grand old dame of South African bloodstock. (Facebook).

Cheveley Stud’s Blue Hen, Mystic Spring, dies

Cheveley Stud’s Vaughan Koster has reported the death of its matriach Mystic Spring, the legendary South African broodmare.

Koster wrote on Monday: “It is with great sadness and emotion that I report the passing of our beloved Mystic Spring. At the ripe old age of 27, the matriarch of Cheveley quietly said goodbye.

“It has been a sad day on Cheveley as we mourn her passing and try to remind ourselves of all the joy and excitement that she has given us.

“As a prolific breeder of high class racehorses her legacy lives on through her daughters and granddaughters. She produced seven stakes winners including two Champions in Rabiya and Bela- Bela. She was crowned with the highest honour as Broodmare of the Year in 2016/17 and was awarded Exceptional Broodmare Achievement in 2016.

“Mystic Spring represented arguably the most sought-after family in SA in the modern era and her legacy will live on as her daughters and granddaughters have started producing champions.

“Thank you to John Newsome and John Freeman for letting us be part of her journey.

“We are truly blessed that you crossed our path and are indebted to you for life.”

“Now go and join your ancestors on greener pastures.”

“Rest in Peace our beloved Mystic Spring!”

Orarari Gold (Muzi Yeni), an impressive winner at the Vaal. (JC Photos).

Orarari Gold will be aimed at first two legs of Triple Tiara

When Tuesday’s race caller at the Vaal enthusiastically announced that Tipsy Tarragon was ‘breezing into the lead’ at the 300m-mark of Race 3, there were supporters of the smart favourite, Orarari Gold (Oratorio), who briefly soiled their undergarments.

But Muzi Yeni, riding Orarari Gold, must have sensed the feverish support from behind the microphone for the Tony Peter runner and decided to nip things in the bud on behalf of his own guv’nor, Corrie Lensley. He had no ground to make up, really, because the only breeze on the day was a mild one blowing in from the trees to the north of the old grandstand. Orarari Gold just dug in, stuck to her lead and held off her admittedly dashing challenger, a filly who will win her races on the Highveld for her new stable.

“She’s a good filly and we’ll be going for the Gauteng Fillies Guineas next and then we’ll look at the Fillies Classic,” said Lensley about Orarari Gold. “She’s got black type already and we won’t be going into the Guineas as underdogs. Orarari Gold has beaten a top filly like Feather Boa and she ran Canadian Summer to 1,70-lengths in the G1 Thekwini on July Day. She came from second last that day and didn’t have a clear passage in the home run, it’s a race I fancy she could have won.

“Muzi wasn’t particularly hard on her at the Vaal, he said she had extra in the tank. We’ll be looking forward to the Guineas, though Muzi hasn’t committed yet. He has to choose between Orarari Gold and Miss Cool. I’m hoping we’ll get the nod.”

Orarari Gold was bred by Jan Mantel at Millstream Farm. She and her dam, Goose Valley (Right Approach), were later relocated to Stilbaai, where Lensley was invited to view her. The trainer recalls: “I liked her and took her, had to put the ownership together and found support from my staunch patrons Graham and VJ Palmer. I am pleased they’ve had success with her and we’re now crossing fingers for more black type. Orarari Gold has had to race from poor draws a few times, her race record would’ve looked even better if not for that.”

Luke Morris in the winner’s enclosure at Southwell, Tuesday. (Racing TV).

Luke Morris reaches 2000th-winner milestone

Luke Morris partnered his 2,000th winner in Britain after winning the 5f handicap at Southwell on Colors Of Freedom for Archie Watson.

Morris, widely regarded as one of the hardest-working jockeys in the weighing room, reached 2,000 winners globally last month.

The 34-year-old became the sixth jockey currently riding in Britain to get to the 2,000 Flat winner mark, emulating Ryan Moore, Frankie Dettori, Jamie Spencer, Paul Hanagan and Joe Fanning.

“I’m immensely proud,” he said. “I’m very lucky to have lots of loyal contacts, great trainers and owners, as well as an understanding family who have always supported me.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was six and they’ve been supportive since the very start. I set myself a goal every year to ride 100 winners and hopefully ride a Group 1 winner.

“Luckily, it’s worked out quite well for me but you have to keep your work ethic every year and keep your head down. I’ve always been ambitious and I hope that will stay with me for a long time.”

Morris began riding in 2005 and his first winner came at Southwell in November that year, when Caerphilly Gal won a 7f handicap.

His best return came when he rode 189 winners in 2014 and 2015, while he has ridden more than 100 victories each year since 2011.

Morris enjoyed a brilliant 2022 with 103 wins in Britain, and enjoyed three Group 1 victories on Alpinista. Two of those came abroad, culminating in a popular success in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October for longtime ally Sir Mark Prescott. – RP.

Flightline, the modern great. (A Evers/Sportswire).

Superstar Flightline rated equal to Frankel

US superstar Flightline has officially been ranked as good as Frankel. Flightline was rated the equal of British superstar after he was crowned the 2022 Longines World’s Best Racehorse in London on Tuesday.

With an official rating of 140, the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner matched Frankel’s benchmark set in 2012. He became the highest rated dirt horse since the introduction of the classifications, beating the rating of 135 given to Cigar in 1996.

Flightline, trained by John Sadler, retired unbeaten in six starts, earning his historic rating in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar in September, which he won by a staggering 19 and a quarter lengths from Dubai World Cup hero Country Grammer.

He also won the Metropolitan Handicap and the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2022, with the latter contest picking up the award for the best race of 2022

Sadler said: “He never hid his talent – he was a star from the day he walked into the barn and that’s the way he walked out.

“We’re so grateful to have a horse like this in my career. Most horsemen never get one like this, so I feel very blessed.

“We watched Frankel run. Racing gets more international and we follow what’s happening over here so we thought that was kind of a good comparison.

“I think another point that works well is that this horse ran medication free, which I think fits really well into the international community moving forward.”

Flightline won the award ahead of Baaeed whose connections accepted the consolation of him being named best horse in the world on turf for wins in the Lockinge, Queen Anne, Sussex Stakes and Juddmonte International. – The Mirror.

Online operator won’t be getting Tony Award this year!

Online operator TonyBet has been hit with a £442,750 penalty for breaking a number of rules including unfair terms under which it could request identification documents for all withdrawals having not done so for deposits.

In addition to being found not to have had fair and transparent terms, the operator was punished by the Gambling Commission for failing to follow social responsibility and anti-money laundering (AML) rules.

TonyBet, which operates tonybet.co.uk, will also have to undergo a third-party audit to assess whether it is effectively implementing AML and social responsibility requirements.

Unfair terms published on TonyBet’s website included the firm saying it could request ID documents for “all withdrawals”, while not having insisted on those same checks earlier in the process, which the commission said could potentially hamper withdrawals but not deposits.

Winnings could be confiscated where consumers failed to provide AML documentation within 30 days, while accounts were considered dormant after six months of inactivity when they should only be considered dormant after 12 months of inactivity.

Gambling Commission executive director of operations Kay Roberts said: “Not only does this case illustrate our drive to clamp down on anti-money laundering and social responsibility failures, but also highlights action we will take against gambling businesses who fail to be fair and open with customers.”

Social responsibility failures included failing to identify and interact with customers who might be at risk of experiencing harm from gambling.

AML failures included failing to conduct adequate risk assessments of the business being used for money laundering and terrorist financing, and failing to ensure they had appropriate policies, procedures and controls to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing.

It is the second punishment handed out by the industry regulator this week, with Vivaro Limited, which trades as vbet, paying a £337,631 regulatory settlement following a series of AML and safer gambling failings.

Today’s Question

When was the first ‘Met’ staged in Cape Town, and who won the race?

See answer at the bottom of the newsletter

Click Here To See Vaal Classic fields, Thursday

NB Please wait a few seconds for fields to appear.

Back in the day, one could puff on a soothing fag while watching the Met. Photo shows the 1971 finish of the race, sponsored by Benson and Hedges and won by Night Off.

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION:

The first recorded winner of the Metropolitan Mile, as it was originally known in 1883, was Sir Hercules and, while the race had a chequered existence for many years in the early 1900’s, by the 1960’s it was firmly established as one of the “big three” races in the country along with the Vodacom Durban July and the original Summer Handicap in Gauteng.

Turf Talk Newsletter – 18 January 2023