Picture: Main Defender wins the Gr 3 Got The Greenlight Stakes cosily under Calvin Habib (JC Photos)

CALVIN HABIB: “I was going to let him (Main Defender) dictate to me out the gates. He flew the gates so I went forward. A couple of guys also pressed forward and at one stage it didn’t look like it was going to work out for us. Luckily, we came a bit back and one off (the rail). The moment I got one off, he spat the bit out, relaxed for me and when we came into the straight, he just started doing pace work. When I asked him, he gave me a beautiful kick. I think it was a win full of merit to race the way he did up the Turffontein hill … it is not easy. I always came into this race very confident and just had to believe in the horse. I’m truly blessed. This season has been great for me and to be aboard a horse like this, is what’s racing’s about … it’s what you wake up every day for. It was an emotional win”.

TONY PETER: “Everything that could go wrong this past week, did go wrong. I’m taking no credit for this win. The horse is a good horse, he’s a champion. With good horses when you make mistakes, they help you out. The horse got to the track today missing a shoe, which he lost on the way. God’s been with us, and we’ve been asking for help, and I really thank God for this win. I had him spot on last week, but this week we had no tracks. It was like a river down here, so I don’t know how he won, but he won”.

JOHN HABIB: “Phenomenal, phenomenal. He’s just a champ. What can I say. Just very emotional. Thanks to Mark and my partners, Frankie, my brother Gary, my nieces at home, my wife, and Tony and Peter. Phenomenal work behind the scenes. We haven’t seen the best of him yet”.

Winner: 1. MAIN DEFENDER / Tony Peter / Calvin Habib

2nd : 7. Barbaresco / Johan Janse van Vuuren / Gavin Lerena

3rd : 5. Hotarubi / Sean Tarry / Kaiden Brewer

4th : 3. The Africa House / Sean Tarry / Serino Moodley

Winning Owners: Messrs J J Habib, G, K & M M Nassif

Winning Breeders: Jagessar Limited

Breeding: Pathfork (USA) x Alessia by Judpot (USA)

Race Record: 7 Starts : 6 Wins : 1 Place : Earnings R1 304 375

Picture: Let’s Go Now (right) denies boom sire Danon Platina a first black type success by scything down the favourite White Pearl in the Gr 3 Bewtway Mother Russia Stakes. (JC Photos) 

Sean Tarry has seemed by some to have not fired this season as well as he did last season, but in fact he is doing just as well if not better than he was at this stage last season.

He won 27 stakes races last season and this season approaching tihe halfway mark has only won three stakes races, two of them on Saturday at Turffontein Standside.

However, at this stage last season he had in fact also only won three stakes races, a Listed event with Litigation in Johannesburg and two Gr 2s with Princess Calla in Cape Town.

In fact as far as feature race wins go, Tarry is doing better this season than last because he has also won four Non-Black Type events compared to none by this stage last season.

Last season his only two Non-Black Type wins were both on KZN Breeders day in June and both were for R135,000 races.

This season he has won the R400,000 BSA Sales Cup with Mrs Geriatrix, the R600,000 Cape Racing Sales Ready To Run Stakes with Tail Of The Comet and two NBT races with Thunderstruck for R200,000 and R250,000 respectively.

It just shows how high the expectations are of him that he has been considered by some to not be having a good season!

The question is whether he can reproduce the devastating form which saw him producing 24 stakes wins from 26 February until July 31 last year, including seven Gr 1s.

Saturday could have heralded the beginning of his run this season.

First the Drakenstein Stud-bred homebred Silver Hills bounced back to her best with a strong finish from off the pace to land the Listed Betway Wolf Power 1600 under Serino Moodley. She was the only filly in the race and touched off the Grand Heritage winner Unzen.

Then the Varsfontein Stud-bred Gimmethegreenlight filly Let’s Go Now proved the greenness which characterised her two-year-old career was behind her when producing a storming late run under S’Manga Khumalo to win the Gr 3 Mother Russia Stakes over 1400m.

The Mother Russia Stakes would have been frustrating for the Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud operation because, in an event named after their former stalwart mare, their boom sire Danon Platina was once again narrowly denied a first black type success when White Pearl was scythed down late by Let’s Go Now. It was White Pearl’s fourth feature race second in succession, which includes three Gr 3 events.

Michele Wing of Gold Circle’s Racing News compiled the following Mother Russia Stakes post race comments:

S’MANGA KHUMALO: “We didn’t have the best of draws to follow horses we really wanted to, but I was following Muzi. When I came into the straight, I want to angle her slightly out, but I saw they stuck to their station on the inside. Once I looked over and saw the grey (White Pearl), I thought this is the time to try and get my filly a length a closer to her. From then, it was a little bit of a tight gap and had to wait a little bit as I had a horse on my outside, but once my filly started to make her move forward, we managed to get through and put on a great fight all the way through. She’s small, but she’s got a big heart. Mr Tarry really likes her a lot”.

SEAN TARRY: “Both our winners weren’t in the original races (postponed from last week due to weather) and re-entered. They still ended up with small fields, so it’s a good thing to have added a couple more to help and it’s worked out in my favour. S’Manga rode a perfect race. It’s turned out to be a nice day. We’re going carefully with Mia Moo (ran 3rd), because we feel she just needs to strengthen up and may well be something. Well done to all the owners for just allowing me to be patient with these fillies. I think they have all got a future”.

Winner: 3. LET’S GO NOW / Sean Tarry / S’Manga Khumalo

Winning Owners: Kestorm Investments (Nom: Mr Kenneth Pillay)

Race Record: Starts : 3 Wins : 3 Places : Earnings R394 500

Picture: Hold My Hand holds on to win the Gr 3 Summer Fling Stakes over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth under Richard Fourie (Image: Wayne Marks)

Drakenstein homebred Gold Standard fillies, the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Gold Poker Game and the Glen Kotzen-trained Hold My Hand, won the Listed Lady’s Bracelet over 1600m at Fairview under Gareth Wright and the Gr 3 Summer Fling Stakes at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth over 2000m under Richard Fourie on Friday and Saturday respectively.

This provided a boost for the legendary Birch Brothers stud as Gold Standard moved to their Vogel Vlei Stud farm from Drakenstein Stud on October 1 last year.

It also gave phenomenal Drakenstein a stakes treble over the weekend which means they are well on their way to breaking a stakes race record for the third season in succession.

Hold My Hand beat another Drakenstein Stud homebred filly, the Brett Crawford-trained Futura filly Future Girl, by 0,40 lengths. Hold My Hand was always just behind the best fillies of her age group as a three-year-old and finally landed the second win of her career on Saturday when running on strongly from just backward of midfield before holding off the late challenge of Future Girl.

Although she has had just two wins, Hold My Hand has had three Gr 1 places, two Gr 2 places and a Gr 3 place, as well as a Listed second and a Non-Black type second.

Gold Poker Game also came from off the pace to beat the East Cape heroine Luna Halo in the Lady’s Bracelet.

Drakenstein’s other stakes win over the weekend was with their homebred Sean Tarry-trained Silvano filly Silver Hills, who won the Listed Wolf Power 1600.

Drakenstein Stud set a South African record of 18 individual stakes winners in the 2021/2022 season, which they increased to 20 last season and they already have 13 this season before the season’s halfway mark.

Colin Birch was thrilled by the Gold Standard stakes double.

Gold Standard was initially well supported by Drakenstein. However, there are many options for breeders in the Western Cape, so in his fifth season of covering and with breeders still awaiting results, he was not getting the outside support he deserved. It was thus decided to move him.

“We were excited to get him,” said Colin Birch.

Birch Brothers sent him 18 mares themselves and he received 32 mares in all, despite having arrived in the middle of the breeding season.

Hold My Hand and Gold Poker Game look to have come into their own this season.

Colin confirmed, “Gold Standard’s runners are doing nicely, they’ve obviously matured into themselves and are starting to produce the goods on the race track. Just chatting to a few trainers and breeders, they said they probably need a bit of time, so we’ve tried to mate him with a bit of speed.”

Colin will be hoping for more success from Hold My Hand and Gold Poker Game, who are both four-year-olds fillies from Gold Standard’s first crop, as is the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Drakenstein Stud homebred Gr 3 winner Golden Hostess.

There is also the Glen Kotzen-trained three-year-old filly Royals, who finished third in the Gr 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship and second in a Listed event, and the well regarded Alec Laird-trained three time-winning and Listed fourth-placed four-year-old gelding Star Coin.

Kotzen trained Gold Standard himself to a magnificent runner up finish to William Longsword in the Gr 1 Cape Guineas and he followed up by finishing fourth in the Met to Whisky Baron, Legal Eagle and Captain America. He had earlier won the Listed RA Stakes and Gr 2 Selangor Cup both over 1600m.

Colin said about the big, good looking bay, “We have a lot of faith in him and are backing him. It is nice to be breeding to a son of Trippi, who is doing so well.”

The Birch Brothers Gr 1-producing stallion Red Ray (Western Winter) has a few new shareholders and he received close to 30 mares.

Colin said, “Based where we are, it is nice to have the option of two stallions who have produced top horses because travelling all our mares gets a bit much. We have sent a few to various stallions, but the majority of our mares are covered locally.”

Vogel Vlei is situated on the edge of the Karoo near the North Eastern Cape town of Dordrecht and is at about 1700m altitude, being on the foothills of the Stormsberg Mountain range. The harsh winters produce frosts which sterilise the environment and there are decent rains in the summer which herald fine pastures. The high nutritive value and mineral content of the natural grass and other grazing matter in the Karoo aids in the development of the horses.

Little wonder they have been SA champion breeders a record 40 times.

If the ten best thoroughbreds in SA history were named about half of them might well be Birch Brothers-bred, considering they have produced Sea Cottage, Lenin, Wolf Power, Colorado King, Bold Tropic, Evening Mist, Royal Chalice etc.

If races like the July, Met, Summer Cup, Queen’s Plate etc can be considered grand slam events, Birch Brothers have produced a record 34 Grand Slam victories.

However, it is tough for them these dayes becaise there used to be 30 to 40 thoroughbred breeding farms in the Karoo and this is now down to about six or seven.

Colin concluded, “I like to borrow the Castle Lager phrase ‘Stood the test of time’ for us as breeders and as an area for breeding horses.”

Great Cat (Dynasty) wins for Brett Crawford and Hollywood Syndicate at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today under Sean Veale (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Brett Crawford started the New Year on a winning note with the news in the Sporting Post that he had joined the Hollywoodbets stable, meaning he is now sponsored by South Africa’s leading international sportsbook operator.

This weekend Brett Crawford Racing kicked into overdrive with five winners in all, a treble at Turffontein Standside and a double at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, and today (Monday) they added another double at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

Carwford Racing’s first winner for Hollywood Syndicate since the sponsorship announcement was made was with the Ridgemont-bred Canford Cliffs colt King Of Spin (ridden by Luyolo Mxothwa) on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and today the partnership had another one with the Ridgemont-bred Dynasty filly Great Cat (ridden by Sean Veale).

Hollywood Syndicate are now one short of a milestone 500 wins, which they might well reach on Wednesday at Hollywoodbets Greyville, where they reportedly have no fewer than eleven runners.

Hollywoodbets sponsor a variety of trainers countrywide, and the formal signing of a sponsorship partnership agreement with the powerful racing stable was a further building block in the symbiotic relationship that already existed between the popular purple brand and two leading industry players in Brett Crawford Racing and the Kieswetter family owned international breeding powerhouse, Ridgemont.

Talking to the Sporting Post on New Years day, Crawford said that it was an honour and a privilege for his team to take up the offer of partnering with a winning name in what is a natural step in the evolution of an association that had its roots in the Hollywood Syndicate-Ridgemont partnership that started some two years ago.

The 52 year old conditioner, the reigning Hollywoodbets Durban July champion trainer, added that the contribution and supporting pillars provided to South African horseracing by the Hollywood brand over the past few years was unquestionably a lifechanger for the industry, and that he would carry the yellow and purple flag with pride into what is set to be an exciting 2024.

“We have all seen how the Hollywood team do things – simply properly and professionally. It’s the way I would like to believe I try and run my own business,” added Crawford.

Hollywoodbets Brand & Communications Manager Devin Heffer reciprocated Brett Crawford’s thoughts on the evolution of the broader partnership between the top stable, and the union between the Hollywood Syndicate and Ridgemont.

“The synergy and common goals for the good of racing, that already exist in what has been a thoroughly enjoyable and winning association for our team, now get taken to the next level with Hollywoodbets’ sponsorship of Brett Crawford Racing. We look forward to many more memorable racing moments!” added Devin Heffer.

With 35 career Grade 1 winners, including victories in the Durban July, Met, and the Queen’s Plate to his name since starting his career at the turn of the century, Brett Crawford ranks amongst South Africa’s pre-eminent trainers of the 21st century.

The Brett Crawford Racing headquarters are at Futura Park in Philippi, where he has a string of 120.

He also established a satellite base at Randjesfontein under the management of his 24 year old son James, some three seasons ago. The Brett Crawford Racing head count is currently 40 on the Highveld.

“While the renaissance of Cape Racing has been nothing short of remarkable, there was a time when our racing was in serious trouble and reportedly days away from business rescue. We have a loyal staff nucleus and many families that rely on us, and it was at that time that we had to reconsider our future business prospects and we looked North.”

Brett’s son James was fortunate to spend some time under the mentorship of the master Mike de Kock as part of his apprenticeship to run the new base.

“I won this great race with the top-class Futura in 2015, and then that very special horse Jackson, also a son of Dynasty, ran second in consecutive years. He was beaten in 2013 by Variety Club and the next year by Capetown Noir. And then our big boy Captain America – he ran fourth, second and third consecutively in the ‘Legal Eagle years’ of 2016, 2017 and 2018. Undercover Agent ran fifth in 2019.”

This year Crawford saddled a Hollywoodbets horse in the King’s Plate, the 2023 WSB Gr1 SA Classic winner Anfields Rocket.

Picture: Klawervlei Stud’s Lot 136 is a Gimmethegreenlight half-sister to Gr 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Vardy.

Klawervlei Stud will dispatch 24 yearlings to the Cape Racing Sales, CPYS powered by Tattersalls, to be staged on Thursday, 25 January 2024, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

Klawervlei is situated just east of Bonnievale on the banks of the Breede River, where the unique climate and mineral-rich soils are an ideal environment for raising thoroughbreds. The Koster family have been running Klawervlei since the 1950s, with the third generation, John, currently at the helm, continuing the mission of breeding champion racehorses.

Lot 136 (Pictured Above The Article Headline) will generate plenty of interest, being a Gimmethegreenlight filly out of Cupid and thus a half-sister to G1 Queens Plate winner Vardy (Equus Champion miler in 2019/20) and a full sister to Universal (game 2nd when injured in the G1 Cape Derby.)

The Adam Marcus-trained Vardy wins the Queen’s Plate under Craig Zackey

Lot 65 is another Gimmethegreenlight, a colt out of Return Flight, the Equus Champion two-year-old filly in SA in 2018/18.

Lot 65

Lot 110 is also a “Gimme” filly out of Equus Champion 2-year-old All Is Secret, who swept the boards in 2011/12. This is a famous family – 2nd dam, Secret of Victoria (through G1 Alan Robertson’s heroine, All Is Secret) and 3rd dam, Mystic Spring, produced two champions in Bela Bela & Rabiya. G1 Cape Racing Guineas in 2023 was won by Snow Pilot, also heralding from this esteemed family.

Lot 110

Vercingetorix progenies are greatly prized – Lot 109 is by that sire out of Captain Al mare, Alascan Maiden. This cross has produced 7% SW to runners, including Vernichey, who has just been sold to Australia for GNS 250,000 (R5,900,000). This filly can also create a stir.

Jo’s Bond was a true speedball, winning the G2 Southern Cross Stakes and seven other dashes. Lot 33, her third foal, is by G1 Computaform Sprint king, Rafeef. By coupling speed with speed, expectations are that this bay bullet will fly.

Lot 33

Lot 53 by Captain Of All ex, G3 winner Orator’s Daughter; Lot 112 by Gimmethegreenlight ex Al Zahra (who produced the well-performed G2 winner Desert Rhythm) has the conformation of a superstar; lot 132 is a deft mix of speed (What A Winter) and stamina (dam Coby won 7 races up to 2850m.)

Lot 53

Lot 111 is a stunning Trippi filly ex-a Captain Al mare; Trippi is enjoying his best year ever late in his stallion career.

For further enquiries as the sales date approaches, contact John Koster (082 880 7943) or Tracey Nash (066 185 7197).

ENDS 

For racing queries and sales queries, contact Justin Vermaak at justin@caperacing.co.za or Janine van Blerk at janine@caperacing.co.za  

Cape Racing Sales Social Media: 

Facebook: @caperacingsales

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Twitter: @CapeRacingSales

Website: www.caperacingsales.co.za

Cape Racing Social Media:  

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Picture: Narrow Creek’s dual Gr1 winning flagbearer, Isivunguvungu (Credit – Chase Liebenberg)

The Sporting Post

The festive season is over, a new year has commenced, and John Everett of Narrow Creek Stud is quietly putting the finishing touches to his draft destined for the Cape Racing Premier Yearling Sale powered by Tattersalls on 25 January.

To put that into perspective, the stud enjoyed arguably its best season in 2021/22 when represented by no more than 58 runners, a fraction of its more prominent peers, yet put them all in the shade with a strike rate of 60,3% winners to runners.

An enviable achievement indeed and one which included a bounty of nine stakes winners, a figure only bettered by Wilgerbosdrift/Mauritzfontein and Drakenstein Stud!

Recent stakes winners born and raised at Narrow Creek include Gr1 SA Classic winner Red Saxon, Gr1 Computaform Sprint ace Isivunguvungu, as well as the Gr1-placed stakes winners Big Burn, Catch Twentytwo, Sprinkles, Homely Girl, Pinnacle Peak and Elusive Heart.

This year’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale will be the launching pad for the first yearlings by champion Hawwaam and Narrow Creek’s first lot through the ring, a filly, is by the son of Silvano.

An August foal, Cool Wind (Lot 13) is out of a winning Captain Al mare and as John describes her, “she’s a ‘racy type with lots of strength, she could be a classic type and should go a mile at least.”

Next up is Lot 29, a What A Winter own sister to Gr2 Camellia Stakes winner Cold Fact, which John describes as “very nice, she will be like her sister, speedy. She oozes quality. If I breed them all like that, I’ll be very happy.”

A pair of youngsters by Rafeef round out John’s quartet.

Aquarius (Lot 85), a ‘tall and racy’ filly, is the first foal out of a half-sister to Gr3 winner Star Express, who has the distinction of being the dam of last season’s Equus champion three-year-old Filly Bless My Stars.

“What a family, it couldn’t have happened at a better time,” John remarked.

Narrow Creek’s last lot is a striking, virtually pitch-black colt (Lot 135) and is out of a Querari half-sister to Gr1 Champions Cup ace African Appeal and Gr2-placed stakes winner Mary Lou, who produced Gr1 Allan Robertson winner Brave Mary.

Named Spirit, the colt is close to John’s heart, for as he explains: “I bred and raced this racy colt’s dam Cover Page. She injured herself as a yearling and never reached her potential on the track, although she managed to place on a number of occasions.”

Speaking of Rafeef, he of course counts the grey speed machine Master Archie amongst his trio of Gr1 winning progeny. The Computaform Sprint winner has just completed his first covering season at Winterbach Stud, who head to the sale with a draft of six, and it is his own brother which is sure to spark a flurry of bids.

Stud owner Hendrik Winterbach also foaled and raised Master Archie and he recalls selling the Querari half-brother for R900,000 at last year’s sale:

“The Querari was a big boy and built like a tank. This colt is very nice, but different.  Although he’s a bay, he’s very like Master Archie, the way they move, although at this stage, I would say he is a better looking individual. The mare (La Volta) stamps them, she throws a type of look and athleticism.”

Running the rule over the rest of the Winterbach draft, there are two colts by Hawwaam and from Hendrik’s comments, he is clearly very high on the young stallion.

“His foals are out of this world,” he enthused. “I was over the moon with them when they were born, they are classy and athletic, of good size and correct. I was so impressed, we immediately sent mares back to him. And dare I say, although he is by Silvano, his progeny looks like they could come early. That’s why we nominated two for the first sale of the year.”

Buyers will have to look sharp, as the first of the stud’s pair sells as Lot 27 and this fella is none other than a half-brother to Gr3 Cape Mile winner Montien.

Said Hendrik: “This colt is a great mover and a good size. Montien winning the Gr3 couldn’t have come at a better time, and I think he wasn’t disgraced in the King’s Plate, he finished just four lengths off them. He has been nominated for the Met, and I will be selling his half-brother on the Thursday before the race, what more could I ask for?”

Hah Lah Lah, the second Hawwaam colt (Lot 47) is out of stakes-placed Moonlight ‘N Roses, a Captain Al daughter of Gr1 Garden Province winner Soft Landing.

“The mare’s first foal Mister Monocle won three races despite having just one eye,” Hendrik elaborates. “This is a classy colt who covers ground and moves well,” before adding a bit of trivia, “he’s well named too, as the Springboks always shout Hah Lah Lah! before a match!”

Those lucky enough to be selling a yearling by One World must surely be in the pound seat, as the champion son of Captain Al is off to a flying start. That early success could well spill over to the sales ring.

Winterbach consigns Lot 69, a filly out of a three-time winning Elusive Fort full-sister to Safe Harbour who was runner-up in all of the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic, Cape Fillies Guineas and Paddock Stakes.

“The sire looks exciting, doesn’t he? This filly is tall and, on the leg, with strong hindquarters and is from a solid family. She’s the mare’s second foal, the first, also by One World, is in training with Vaughan Marshall.”

The next lot on offer, Lot 91, a September-born What A Winter filly out of stakes-placed Talitaha Borealis is “a typical sprinting filly and will come early.”

“This is a nice filly and whoever buys her should get an early return in one of the sales races,” Hendrik added.

Finally, there is Lot 105, a Querari colt out of a winning Captain Al half-sister to multiple Gr1 performer Second Base from the successful Kiss Of Peace family. Named Parental Guidance, he too, looks a likely candidate for the lucrative sales races, according to Hendrik.

“A very nice colt who also looks an early type. He’s a typical Querari, strong-quartered and correct. The mare’s first foal won at two last seasons, and she has a Gimmethegreenlight juvenile to race for her.”

The full catalogue can be viewed by clicking here:

The full catalogue can be viewed by clicking here.

Picture: Guy Gibson (JC Photos)

Jack Milner (4Racing)

We are less than three weeks away from the start of this year’s World Sports Betting Triple Crown and the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara and many of the contenders are beginning to warm-up for the challenge.

As a result, there is an appetising card on the Vaal Classic track on Tuesday. Best on the day has to be Race 4, a Graduation Plate over 1600m. A number of up-and-coming runners take their places and this race alone looks to be a real humdinger.

Looking ahead to the Triple Crown, four pertinent runners with big reputations line up in this event – Taegan’s Champ, Guy Gibson and Storm Brasco.

Guy Gibson is unquestionably the runner with the most exposed form. The son of Lancaster Bomber showed from his first outing as a two-year-old that he had some ability having been placed 3^rd in both the Grade 1 Gold Medallion over 1200m behind Lucky Lad and the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe behind Sandringham Summit but has taken a while to really mature.

We saw a glimpse of that development in his last start when, tried in blinkers for the first time, he kept on resolutely to beat Hawkbill by 1.50 lengths in a Graduation Plate over 1700m.

As a result, Roy Magner’s charge, who teams up with S’manga Khumalo for the first time, gets the nod for this race.

With regards to the other two, to use a much-used racing expression, they could be anything.

Taegan’s Champ has won both of his starts very impressively and that is despite doing everything wrong.

This son of Gimmethegreenlight is highly regarded by trainer Fabian Habib and must be respected.

Both his runs have been over 1400m so he tries further, although on breeding that should not be an issue, especially since in both his starts he has produced the fastest final 400m.

But he does take quite a leap in class and will be tested this time, so we will know a lot more about Taegan’s Champ after this race.

Calvin Habib takes the ride for the first time.

Storm Brasco is very much in the same boat. Sean Tarry’s charge has raced three times, finishing unplaced on debut, third in his second start and then a runaway 7.75-length winner of his next outing over 1600m in the wet.

Runner-up La Moohal did frank that form when winning next time out so one cannot ignore that performance, but he too is taking a massive jump in class so perhaps it would be wise to reserve judgement on the son of Pathfork until after this race.

Mike de Kock has two runners of interest, both of whom are the best weighted horses. East Coast has not been at his best for a while, but he has been running against the best around and takes a huge drop in class.

Three-year-old filly My Soul Mate found stablemate Gimme A Nother far too good in her last two starts but could be a contender in a race of this nature.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 14 You Bring Me Joy, 13 Willowild, 7 It’s Her Way, 5 Golden Chandelier

Race 2: 4 Proceed, 5 Ready Set Fire, 3 Pistol Pete, 6 Wing Walker

Race 3: 7 Mondial, 2 Flashy Apache, 12 George Handel, 13 Player

Race 4: 2 Guy Gibson, 3 Taegan’s Champ, 7 My Soul Mate, 8 Storm Brasco

Race 5: 3 Mighty Goddess, 1 Woodland Glade, 8 Cerulean Dancer, 10 Risky Business

Race 6: 3 Rattle Bag, 6 Willow Express, 9 Forgiveness, 4 Care Taker

Race 7: 5 Linkin Navigator, 1 Red Hot Rose, 4 Real Relief, 2 Richard The First

Race 8: 3 There She Goes, 5 Sigrid Swing, 6 Divine Moonlight, 1 Dolcezza

BEST BET

Race 3 No 7 Mondial

VALUE BET

Race 6 No 3 Rattle Bag

BEST SWINGER

Race 2 4×5

BIPOT

R216

Leg 1: 5, 7, 13, 14

Leg 2: 4, 5

Leg 3: 7

Leg 4: 2, 3, 7

Leg 5: 1, 3, 8

Leg 6: 3, 6, 9

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 4, 5

Leg 2: 7

Leg 3: 2, 3

Leg 4: 1, 3, 8

Leg 5: 3, 6, 9

Leg 6: 1, 5

Leg 7: 3, 5, 6

PICK 6

R1280

Leg 1: 3

Leg 2: 2, 3, 7, 8

Leg 3: 1, 3, 8, 10

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9

Leg 5: 1, 2, 4, 5

Leg 6: 1, 3, 5, 6

JACKPOT 1

R320

Leg 1: 2, 3, 7, 8

Leg 2: 1, 3, 8, 10

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 5

JACKPOT 2

R320

Leg 1: 1, 3, 8, 10

Leg 2: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 5

Leg 4: 1, 3, 5, 6

Picture: Slurricane (Vercingetorix) won by four lengths today to give Richard Fourie a treble on the day and Vaughan Marshall a double (Image: Wayne Marks)

Richard Fourie rode a treble at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today (Monday).

Brett Crawford and Vaughan Marshall both sent out doubles.

Fourie goes to 142 wins for the season achieved at a strike rate of 19.94%.

Crawford is on 49 wins at 12.44%.

Marshall is on 23 wins at 9.96%.

The Glen Kotzen-trained six-year-old Badger Land mare Badger’s Gift gave Richard Fourie his first ever Grade 1 win when slamming the 11/10 favourite Sun Classique by 2,50 lengths at odds of 16/1 in the Gr 1 Paddock Stakes on New Year’s Day in 2007. The mare, bred by Terry and Annabel Andrews’ Sorrento Stud, gave owner Juan van Heerden a first Gr 1 victory.

Fourie has gone on to win a further two Paddock Stakes’.