See It Again (Picture: Wayne Marks).

See It Again Tops The Hollywoodbets Durban July Log

The first Hollywoodbets Durban July log was out today and there were no real surprises, although as usual the ones who have the best official qualifications are not always the most fancied in the betting market.

The log is shown below:

See It Again, winner of the Grade 1 Splashout Cape Derby and runner up in the Grade 2 WSB Guineas, is also the favourite in the betting.

A possible weakness in the Hollywoodbets Durban July qualifying conditions is that Johannesburg Grade 1’s tend to be regional races, with few raiders, yet they have four automatic July qualifying races while the Cape and KZN only have three each.

The automatic qualifying races are all Grade 1s and include the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, the WSB Met, the Splashout Cape Derby, the WSB SA Classic, the WSB Fillies Classic, the WSB SA Derby, the Premier’s Champions Challenge, the Daily News 2000, the Woolavington 2000 and the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge.

The Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m is usually a stronger race than the SA Fillies Classic, yet the Paddock Stakes is not even found among the races given preferential consideration for inclusion in the final field, they being the Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup, the Grade 2 WSB 1900 and the Grade 3 Cup Trial.

The second horse on the log Puerto Manzano is the only horse in the entry list who has won two Grade 1s this season, the Betway Summer Cup and the Premier’s Champions Challenge, both over 2000m. However, few pundits give him a chance due to his total unsuitability to a tight track and the sponsor offer him at 20/1.

The third horse on the log, Anfields Rocket, won the SA Classic and has also been striking lately as a horse who would prefer a longer straight, although it could be a different story over 2200m. He will get a chance to prove his course suitability in the Daily News 2000.

The fourth horse on the log Son Of Raj, winner of the SA Derby, also has plenty to prove on a tighter track as well as in a KZN race contested by horses from all provinces. The Daily News will also be his acid test.

The fifth horse on the log is the SA Fillies Classic winner Bless My Stars and although one of five automatic qualifiers so far, she is the lowest rated horse on the log off 109, so has plenty to prove, although she should not have a problem with the tight Hollywoobets Greyville as she proved in last year’s Grade 1 Ethekwini when finishing fast for third.

She will probably be seen next next in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.

There are still 15 places up for grabs in the twenty horse final field, which does include two reserves.

Do It Again, who needs no introduction, is the highest on the log of the non-automatic qualifiers.

Pacaya completes his first mission in the SA Champions Season by winning the Grade 2 WSB 1900 under Richard Fourie. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Pacaya Won’t Run Again Until Hollywoodbets Durban July Day

The Grade 2 WSB 1900 winner Pacaya has followed a route into the Hollywoodbets Durban July that has a number of parallels with the Justin Snaith-trained 2020 July winner Belgarion.

The Snaith-trained Pacaya was awarded a merit rating of 110 after being raised six points for winning Saturday’s WSB 1900 at Hollywoodbets Greyville. He thus sneaks into the handicap for the July with the minimum weight of 53kg.

Belgarion was also raised six points for his WSB 1900 win, although that was only due to a condition which restricted the winner to a maximum six pint raise. He won the WSB 1900 by an easy three lengths so came into the July regarded by the handicappers and most pundits as well weighted, despite officially being half-kilogram under sufferance.

Both horses were well regarded in their thgree-year-old seasons but had curtailed seasons and did not travel to KZN.

They have both come into their own as four-year-olds.

They both have stout pedigrees, Belgarion being by

Dynasty out of a German-bred mare who was by middle distance horse Acatenango.

Pacaya is by Trippi out of Grade 1 SA Oaks winner Ash Cloud.

They are both trained by Justin Snaith and it remains to be seen whether Richard Fourie, who rode Belgarion to July victory in 2020, will be aboard Pacaya this year.

Jonathan Snaith commenting on Pacaya’s similar route into the July to Belgarion’s and his similar credentials said, “Never change a winning formula they say.”

Pacaya is only 20th on the first log, but the WSB 1900 winners are given preferential consideration for inclusion i in the final field and the log usually cuts up a bit too as the season goes along.

Justin Snaith has taken a different approach to the SA Champions Season this year and it has paid dividends so far (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Snaith And Fourie Comments Post WSB 1900, And Replay

Gold Circle

Hollywoodbets Greyville Saturday May 13 Race 7 Replay : WSB 1900 Gr2: PACAYA

Post Race Comments

Justin Snaith: “I’ve found it very hard prepping horses for races, as there’s a rule here that you can’t gallop a horse if it’s been here before. The idea was rather to delay … and get them fit in Cape Town. It’s not easy travelling horses … it’s becoming harder and harder in South Africa. I tell you what makes it worthwhile, is when I arrive here and the locals, the punters … the following that you guys have here in Natal is just second-to-none. I just want to thank the racing public here in Durban, the kindness that they’ve shown me every time I’ve come here. I have come here for 1 idea, and that is the HDJ and the aim is to win it. We have a very small string this year, but it’s a powerful one. Nice for the punter that this is a horse to follow. The race will come down to jockeyship and draws”.

Richard Fourie: “I think we may have had him a little bit underdone, but that’s a good thing, because I think he’s lining up nicely for the HDJ. I’ve always said a 4 year old carrying a light weight is stronger, but his year might be a bit tricky, because there are a couple of good 3-year-olds around. The race is open, but still feel the Snaith team has a the better hand this year”.

Winner: 4. PACAYA / Justin Snaith / Richard Fourie

2nd : 2. Winchester Mansion / Brett Crawford / Kabelo Matsunyane

3rd : 3. Rascallion / Vaughan Marshall / Corne Orffer

4th : 10. Cape Eagle / Andre Nel / Sean Veale

Winning Owners: Duke of Richmond Syndicate

Winning Breeders: Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Gaynor Rupert)

Breeding: Trippi X Ash Cloud X Black Minnaloushe

Race Record: 12 Starts : 5 Wins : 3 Places : Prize Money R551 400

CLICK HERE TO WATCH RACE REPLAY

CLICK HERE TO WATCH POST RACE INTERVIEW

Saartjie caught the eye in the Grade 2 WSB Fillies Guineas, where she was most unlucky, and is one of the three-year-old fillies who will take on four-year-olds in the Grade 1 Wollavington 2000 (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Strong Entries For Daily News 2000, Woolavington 2000, Lonsdale

The Grade 1 Daily News 2000 has attracted a strong field of three-year-olds but it does not include 132 rated Charles Dickens, which means the race is unlikely to have an effect on the Hollywoodbets Durban July weights.

The Splashout Cape Derby winner and ruling July favourite See It Again will have the luxury of being able to win this race without gaining a merit rating increase, unless he wins by a wide margin.

He has been priced up as the 22/10 favourite.

The progressive Without Question, who was a 2,50 length third in the Cape Derby before subsequently winning the Grade 3 WSB Variety Club Mile is 5/2.

The Hollywood Syndicate-owned Grade 1 SA Classic Anfields Rocket looks the best value in the race at 25/2 because he was finishing strongly in the WSB Guineas for fifth and looks likely to relish the step up i trip, although the two questions are whether he can be close enough turning for home and turn it on quickly enough.

Others stalwart performers in the race include the Cousin Casey, who has drifted out from favouritism to 10/1 for the July after his 4th place finish in the WSB Guineas; Dave The King, a hard-knocker who will prove whether he can stay this trip; SA Derby winner Son Of Raj; Jonsson Workwear Dingaans winner Union Square; as well as classy sorts Shoemaker, At My Command, Eye Of The Prophet and East Coast.

The decision to open the Woolavington to four-year-olds has immediately been proven a wise one with an entry of 17 horses as opposed to 12 last year and all of the best three-year-old three-year-old middle distance types and four-year-old middle distance types are there including last year’s Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara heroine Rain In Holland, Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic winner Bless My Stars, Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks winner None Other and others. Silver Darling will become the first to try and win the race as both a three-year-old annd a four-year-old.

A significant entry in the Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup is One Way Traffic, who displayed his class in last year’s July Consolation race, the Vodacom 2200. He will be using this 2400m event gto try and get into the big race this year.

The fields are shown below:

DAILY NEWS 2000 (Grade 1)
For 3 year-olds
9 SEE IT AGAIN (3C) 60.0 124 B Michael Roberts
1 COUSIN CASEY (3C) 60.0 122 Glen Kotzen
8 DAVE THE KING (3C) 60.0 122 Mike de Kock
7 ANFIELDS ROCKET (3G) 60.0 120 Grant Maroun
4 WITHOUT QUESTION (3G) 60.0 119 Justin Snaith
10 UNION SQUARE (3C) 60.0 116 B Mike de Kock
11 SON OF RAJ (3G) 60.0 115 B Weiho Marwing
13 AT MY COMMAND (3C) 60.0 114 Brett Crawford
15 SHOEMAKER (3G) 60.0 114 Mike de Kock
5 EYE OF THE PROPHET (3G) 60.0 113 B Paul Matchett
6 EAST COAST (3C) 60.0 112 Mike de Kock
14 GOOD COUNCIL (3G) 60.0 105 Ashley Fortune
2 HOME OF THE BRAVE (3C) 60.0 89 Tyrone Zackey
3 STREET ART (3G) 60.0 88 Tony Peter
12 RIVER ROMEO (3G) 60.0 84 Paul Matchett
(15)

Race-6 R 1,000,000 2000m 0
WOOLAVINGTON 2000 (Grade 1)
For Fillies & Mares at Weight-For-Age
WFA: 2yrs-12.5kgs 3yrs-2.5kgs
2 RAIN IN HOLLAND (4F) 60.0 120 B Sean Tarry
17 SILVER DARLING (4F) 60.0 120 B Justin Snaith
10 MARINA (5M) 60.0 117 B Candice Bass-Robin
12 GILDED BUTTERFLY (4F) 60.0 114 Stuart Pettigrew
9 LIGHT OF THE MOON (4F) 60.0 105 B Botes / Y Vosloo
5 DAWNOFANEWDAY (4F) 60.0 101 Dean Kannemeyer
6 TIME FLIES (4F) 60.0 96 C Brett Crawford
15 NONE OTHER (3F) 57.5 110 Lucky Houdalakis
11 BLESS MY STARS (3F) 57.5 109 Sean Tarry
3 LADY OF POWER (3F) 57.5 109 M G Azzie/A A Azzi
13 PEACH DAIQUIRI (3F) 57.5 106 Alec Laird
1 RENY (3F) 57.5 106 Brett Crawford
16 SAARTJIE (3F) 57.5 105 B Andre Nel
14 HOLD MY HAND (3F) 57.5 104 B Glen Kotzen
8 SHANTASTIC (3F) 57.5 101 Dean Kannemeyer
4 VIRGINIA SWEET (3F) 57.5 97 Glen Kotzen
7 IPSO FACTO (3F) 57.5 95 Ashley Fortune
(17)

Race-5 R 200,000 2400m 0
LONSDALE STIRRUP CUP (Grade 3)
Handicap
WFA: 3yrs-3.5kgs 4yrs-0.0kgs
9 ARAGOSTA (4G) 60.5 114 Mike de Kock
21 SENSO UNICO (4G) 59.0 111 Vaughan Marshall
19 ONE WAY TRAFFIC (5G) 58.5 110 Justin Snaith
12 SALVATOR MUNDI (5G) 58.0 109 Justin Snaith
4 SHANGO (6G) 57.5 108 B Sean Tarry
7 EAST COAST (3C) 56.0 112 Mike de Kock
22 FLYING BULL (5G) 55.0 103 Glen Kotzen
5 FUTURE PEARL (3G) 53.0 106 Sean Tarry
6 RAISEAHALLELUJAH (5G) 53.0 99 Candice Dawson
3 GOOD COUNCIL (3G) 52.5 105 Ashley Fortune
16 QUEUE WING (5G) 52.5 98 Garth Puller
10 REX UNION (5G) 52.0 97 Dean Kannemeyer
13 ARUMUGAM (4G) 52.0 94 B Weiho Marwing
20 SEA MASTER (5G) 52.0 94 P Gareth van Zyl
11 TABEBUIA (4G) 52.0 94 P Gareth van Zyl
1 CRIMSON KING (5G) 52.0 93 B Brett Crawford
17 RUNAWAY SONG (4G) 52.0 92 Dean Kannemeyer
14 WHITE FANG (5G) 52.0 91 M G Azzie/A A Azzi
8 OTTO LUYKEN (3G) 52.0 90 Tyrone Zackey
2 WITH PLEASURE (4G) 52.0 90 B Dean Kannemeyer
15 FLYING FIRST CLASS (5M) 52.0 87 H David Nieuwenhuizen
18 ZAKHO (3G) 52.0 84 B Alyson Wright
(22)

Jockeys need to be aware of and abide by horse racing rules. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images

Too Many Whips: Jockey Feels The Lash Of New Punishment Regime

Whip restrictions are necessarily strict – and might get stricter.

Mike Moon (The Citizen)

A group of PVC-clad dominatrices arrived at Newmarket racecourse in the UK a few years ago and suggested, forcefully, that the gentry assembled in the paddock offer up their rumps for a whipping.

The masterful madams said racing people had been bad, bad boys and girls to allow jockeys to use riding crops on horses and might benefit from a taste of their own medicine. Strictly speaking, these women were animal rights activists in S&M garb.

Rather surprisingly, there were no takers among the toffs at Newmarket. British men, in particular, have a reputation for enjoying a spot of firm correction from an authoritative female figure.

We need this sort of protest in this country. It beats the hell out of shouting limp points of order in parliament. And, goodness knows, we need the discipline.

Nathan Klink punished

This memory came to mind when the National Horseracing Authority announced this week it had administered punishment upon young Nathan Klink, a jockey who’d broken rules on the use of a whip in a race.

New penalty guidelines on undue wielding of the “persuader” were introduced in April and Klink became the first to feel their sting. After admitting his guilt to the stipendiary stewards, he received not only a seven-day suspension but also a R20,000 fine.

The jockey managed to get 25-1 shot Time Spirit up on the line to edge out 28-10 favourite Absolute Value in an MR68 Handicap at the Vaal last week. But it took him 17 whacks to do it.

He ’fessed up to striking the five-year-old gelding five times over the 12 limit. The new guidelines are clear. If he’d kept it to 16 smacks, the fine would have been R10,000 and he’d have been spared the “holiday”. For 18, he’d have got 14 days off and a R25,000 klap.

The smarting would have been somewhat soothed by Klink’s memory of his proudest moment in racing, which came just days earlier when he won the biggest race in Zimbabwe, the Castle Tankard at Borrowdale, aboard Ideal View for trainer Debra Swanson.

The use of the whip in racing has been a sore point for years, and every so often erupting as animal rights groups cry cruelty.

Both the UK and the US have recently amended their rules, bringing the number of strikes allowed per race down to just six. They have various complicated adjuncts involving use of the whip from above the shoulder in a “proportionate manner”, the perceived impact of the action, allowing time between each two blows for the horse to respond to the “reminder”, and so on. Also, there are distinctions between whips used “forehand” and “backhand”.

Jockeys in trouble

The semantics are confusing, as British jockeys discovered when their new rules came in during February this year. In the first week, 19 jockeys found themselves in trouble – the first being female jumps rider Charlotte Jones, whose mount at Ayr racecourse was disqualified after she exceeded the ceiling by four strikes.

Almost all people in racing are aware of the usefulness of the riding crop in training – in controlling, correcting and guiding a young or wayward horse. Yet few believe in unfettered use. And some horses do not respond well to a whip crack and, instead of speeding up, go on a go-slow protest. It’s a complex issue.

Australian jockeys periodically go on strike over new rules. You could say they down whips, but they are making the opposite point.

Most countries mandate a foam-padded crop that is allegedly more noisy than painful. But it doesn’t look good when a TV close-up shows a jockey whirling that padded stick aloft.

Whether the racing industry likes it or not, most people these days are bothered about animal welfare, even if ignorant of what the critters actually feel or the physical realities of handling them every day. That has implications for the image of the game and for attracting new followers.

So, whip restrictions are necessarily strict – and might get stricter.

This doesn’t mean we should be against all whipping. Public flogging of corrupt politicians sounds like progress.

Mpumelelo Mjoka wins on the Kevin Coleman-trained Red Vermillion in a handicap at Navan in ireland on Saturday (via Twitter).

Mpumelelo Mjoka Has Had Two Wins In Ireland

South African jockey Mpumelelo Mjoka was victorious on the Kevin Thomas Coleman-trained Excelebration mare Red Vermillion in a 19 runner handicap over one mile and five furlongs at Navan on Saturday.

The eight-year-old won by three lengths despite starting odds of 11/1.

Mjoka had 83 winners in SA.

he went to Ireland to seek new opportunities and has learnt a lot due to the “quite different racing.”

Mpumelelo won a race in France when selected to represent South Africa in a Longines Future Racing Stars event.

South African Jockeys Academy riding master and recruitment officer Paddy Wynne was instrumental in setting up Mjoka in the Kevin Coleman yard.

Mpume has had two wins in 13 rides to date at a strike rate of 15%.

Richard Fourie will be going for a third Hollywoodbets Durban July victory this year having won on Do It Again in 2019 and Belgarion in 2020 (Candiese Lenferna).

Fourie’s ‘no comment’ adds to Durban July jockey puzzle

Jockey remains mum on his mount for the race

David Mollett (Business Day)

Racing fans could be excused if they thought they were watching a clip from the US drama series Law & Order in a post-race interview after jockey Richard Fourie had won Saturday’s WSB 1900 at Greyville.

In the drama series, one might get a scene like this: Olivia Benson (played by Mariska Hargitay) asks a “Person Of Interest” where they were at the time of the crime?

Person Of Interest replies “No comment”.

When the Greyville on-course interviewer asked Fourie whether he had decided on his mount for the Hollywoodbets Durban July, the 37-year-old will have surprised many viewers with “no comment”.

While Fourie said Pacaya was “lining up nicely for the July”, he added the race is open and that he had options and would probably leave the decision “until the last moment”.

Perhaps Fourie not siding with Pacaya is interesting as — though the four-year-old won well on Saturday — a look at his career record shows he failed to deliver the goods on a number of occasions in 2022.

It wasn’t a surprise he was beaten four lengths by stablemate Jet Dark in the 2022 Queen’s Plate, but — ridden by Fourie — he was beaten five lengths by Gem King when sent off 2-1 favourite for the Winter Guineas in April.

Then — starting at 4-1 — Pacaya was beaten four lengths by the same horse in the 1,800m Winter Classic.

The top four jockeys in the national log are Keagan De Melo, Richard Fourie, S’manga Khumalo and Muzi Yeni and — to the best of this column’s knowledge — none of the quartet have a booked July ride at present.

The most interesting case is leading jockey De Melo. Both he and his agent will know that Puerto Manzano is not suited to Greyville. He will be showing huge loyalty to the Johan Janse van Vuuren stable if he stays with the Argentinian-bred gelding.

An eight-race card is scheduled for the Vaal on Tuesday and Key Element — a half-sister to Quasiforsure — is an interesting runner for Paul Matchett’s stable in the fourth race. While the filly finished a creditable second on her second start, the youngster faces two tough rivals in My Soul Mate and Woodland Glade.

Ready To Charge made a smart debut at the Free State track last month and Mike and Adam Azzie pit their two-year-old against his elders in the seventh race. Winning Form’s comment that the juvenile “could be anything” is accurate, but this is no easy task against two useful sorts in Goliath Heron and Black Egret.

Black Egret’s stablemate, Good Council, has his first outing since the SA Derby when he takes on eight rivals in the fifth race. This column got it wrong when suggesting the son of Oratorio — a 4-1 chance — was the one to support in the 2,450m Turffontein race but he never mounted a challenge against the winner, Son Of Raj.

Back in calmer waters in Tuesday’s 2,400m contest, Ashley Fortune will be expecting the three-year-old to get his career back on track though the gelding has to give lumps of weight to the lightweights and recent Turffontein winner Afraad.

SELECTIONS

1st Race: (5) Real Relief (3) Hawkbill (4) Pied Kingfisher (2) Emporium

2nd Race: (16) Wugug (3) Dakota Cat (4) Dolcezza (13) Silver Hunt

3rd Race: (7) William Iron Arm (3) Brenheisen (6) We Are The Logans (1) Ampersand

4th Race: (4) Key Element (6) My Soul Mate (10) Woodland Glade (5) Leonessa

5th Race: (1) Good Council (3) Afraad (5) Kind Judy (2) Out Of Your League

6th Race: (5) Gimme The Flame (1) War Empress (3) Pendragon (2) Troppo Veloce

7th Race: (6) Ready To Charge (1) Goliath Heron (8) Black Egret (4) Pinch Hit

8th Race: (6) Bard Of Avon (12) Cian The Conqueror (1) Duke Of Sussex (16) Zuzan

The picture gives a clue to the answer.

Today’s Question

The Stewards Cup, a big six furlong handicap at Goodwood, was of colossal prestige in the early 1900s. What was of significance in the renewal 100 years go in 1923.

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

Turffontein Standside Fields, Tuesday

Epinard (Getting Images)

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION

In the 1923 Stewards Cup renewal the French star Epinard carried more weight than a three-year-old had ever carried to victory and he won by an easy two lengths.

Épinard made his racing debut at two by winning the Prix Yacowlef at the Deauville Racecourse. He dominated his age group in France, winning four important races and earning 1922 champion honours.

As a three-year-old, he continued to win in France before being sent to compete in England. At the Goodwood Racecourse near Chichester, he won the 1923 Stewards’ Cup, defeating a strong field including Pharos.

After conceding a great deal of weight, he finished second by a neck to Verdict in the Cambridgeshire Handicap.

In October 1923, Epsom Derby winner Papyrus was sent to the United States to compete in a much-ballyhooed match race against Kentucky Derby winner Zev. After the American horse easily won, the following year the racing world began to talk about Épinard taking on America’s best. Following negotiations with leading American horsemen August Belmont Jr., James Shevlin, and Matt Winn, Wertheimer agreed to send Épinard to compete in a series of three American races billed as the International Special.

Épinard arrived at the port of New York on the Cunard Line’s luxury liner, the RMS Berengaria. The races were to be held at Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack in New York and at Latonia Race Track in Kentucky; it was the first time Épinard raced on a dirt track. He finished second in all three of the International Specials. Épinard’s 1924 performances earned him U.S. Champion Older Male Horse honours, although he lost all four times he ran in America. The fourth race was his last career start, the Laurel Stakes, when he finished fifth to Special #1 winner Wise Counsellor.

Turf Talk Newsletter – 15 May, 2023