Picture: Royal Aussie winning the Gold Rush at the WSB Met meeting last year (Image: Wayne Marks)

The Justin Snaith-trained Royal Mo gelding Royal Aussie finished just 1,25 lengths behind See It Again in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate and had some of the fastest fractions in the straight, yet the former is 5/10 for Saturday’s WSB Met with the sponsor and the latter is 14/1.

The reason is obviously because that was a mile race and See It Agan is a twice Gr 1 winner over the 2000m trip of the Met, while Royal Aussie is yet to be tried beyond a mile.

Turf Talk’s assessment of Royal Aussie’s ability to stay the 2000m trip is that he has plenty of speed in his pedigree, but there is hope because his second dam is by Zabeel, who had 45 individual Gr 1 winners and is a known stamina influence.

On the other hand Royal Aussie does look like a miler.

However, Snaith Racing seemed bullish he would see it out.

Jonathan Snaith said, “He’s doing incredibly well, never been better. Interestingly, I believe his 400m to finish in the LKP was the fastest. If Kabelo rides him cold he’ll turn it on and will fly at them the last two furlongs. On paper there looks no reason why he wouldn’t relish the extra trip. Kabelo knows how to win Gr1 races and is a very accomplished young rider.”

Royal Aussie is drawn eight in the 13 horse field.

There is the saying horses for courses, but some horses also thrive at a certain time of the year. Royal Aussie won at the WSB Met meeting last year, scoring in the lucrative R7.5 million Gold Rush over 1600m.

The most fancied of Snaith’s five Met runners is Trippi gelding Pacaya, who is 8/1 second favourite with the sponsor.

Justin Snaith said, “There is definitely a big one in Pacaya. He’s got the quality, you’ve seen him in the prep races, there is something about him. Every jockey wanted the ride on him, so if you take all my runners in the race a lot of them are all pointing at him, so you’ve got to respect that. I know there is something in there. In the Hollywoodbets Durban July he got severely cut into. I’ve brought him nicely into this race, he’s back to form. Due to AHS etc it has been very had to travel horses around the country, so it has maybe weakened the field a bit, but take away nothing from a horse like See It Again … I wouldn’t want to travel too far to take him on either! Quite frankly Pacaya is as good as anything Jo’burg could bring down, let’s hope he can fire it up for the owners.”

In form JP van der Merwe rides Pacaya from a plum draw of three.

The biggest outsider of the quintet is former Gr 1 Cape Guineas winner Double Superlative, who will be ridden by UK-based Daniel Muscutt from a plum draw of two.

The Twice Over entire is 33/1 with the sponsor.

Justin said, “We had him too handy in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, but it was part of the tactics. Now over 2000m we can give him more of a chance. He’s the closest horse I can give to Daniel Muscutt that is like a European horse. Daniel is fast becoming one of the top riders in the U.K. and it won’t be long I think before he will be fighting out a championship. From what I’ve heard and seen he looks like a great horseman. Double Superlative is an entire and is the most gorgeous looking individual. If he fires up to his old form, he’s a Gr 1 winner, he certainly could be a dark horse in the race. Obviously we give a lot of respect to the favourite, who looks set up for a big win, but one thing I can tell you is that on days like this you can never count some of us out.”

Stable jockey Grant van Niekerk will stay aboard Mucho Dinero, on whom he won the Gr 2 Anthonij Rupert Win Premier Trophy over 1800m. This four-year-old Twice Over gelding has only had 13 career starts and has won six of them, including his last four. He is unbeaten this season and his career wins include four over 1800m, one over 2000m and one over 2400m. So he will easily get the trip and considering he came from way off the pace to win the Premier Trophy over 1800m and yet stays 2400m, the 2000m trip should be right down his alley. The best might not have been seen of him yet and he is a dark horse at 15/1 odds.

The United States gelding Without Question is said by the yard to have not been the same horse since his poor Hollywoodbets Durban July run. However, he ran a cracking race over the too sharp 1200m in his penultimate start in the Gr 2 Cape Merchants, where he was beaten just 3,90 lengths, 2,15 lengths behind Double Superlative. He was subsequently beaten 4,10 lengths into sixth place in the Premier Trophy, but was staying on so should be cherry ripe for the WSB Met. He jumps from draw 9 and Rachel Venniker becomes the second woman in history to ride in the Met.

Picture: Excitement is building for WSB Met day and Hollywoodbets have once again come to the party and are offering punters a chance to win big!! (Image: Cape Racing)  

Customers could win big with the Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge on the WSB Cape Town Met that takes place on Saturday, 27 January.

All they have to do is make their Punters’ Challenge selections for Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and they could WIN an estimated *R3 Million Jackpot prize for selecting all the winners on the day.

There’s also a massive *R200 000 for placing in the Top 50 on the leaderboard and a must-be-won prize of *R200 000 for the punter/s who selects the most winners on the day.

*Amounts subject to Bet Slip bonus rules

The Hollywoodbets Punters Challenge has been a great innovation and gives punters hope of a big win everyday and it is completely free to play, all you need to have is a Hollywoodbets account.

Taking R50 worth of bets on your Punters Challenge selections through the “Take Bet” option means whatever prize you win by finishing in the top 20, or top 50 on WSB Met day, doubles.

Almond Sea winning by 5,25 lengths on debut over 800m on Betway Summer Cup day (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Jack Milner (4Racing)

Bettors will have to take short prices but a TAB double or All To Come bet on Races 1 and 2 at the Vaal on Tuesday when they race on the Classic track, is expected to yield a profit.

Both runners have only made one appearance at a racecourse and have attracted attention for different reasons.

Trainer Tony Peter saddles Almond Sea, a facile debut winner on Summer Cup Day, in Race 1, a Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1000m.

The daughter of Canford Cliffs was well backed to make a winning debut even though taking on a 17-horse field of unexposed runners including colts and gelding, some with potent pedigrees. The race was over 800m and Almond Sea went clear from the opening dive and had the rest soon treading water.

She ended up 5.25 lengths clear of Proceed who was unlucky to bump another highly regarded Peter first-timer in Pistol Pete in his next start. Sean Tarry’s charge will be back in action at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday in the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes over 1100m.

There looks to be no creditable opposition for Almond Sea to take on this time. Five of the six have raced but have not shown her level of ability and the comment on the first-timer, Nordic Ice, is ‘needs further’. That makes Almond Sea a banker in all bets.

The story of Marauding Horde in Race 2 is totally different. This three-year-old Vercingetorix colt made his debut over 1400m at Turffontein last month and went off at around 8-1. However, he was totally lost in the race and turned for home at the back of the 11-horse field and some 12 lengths off the leader. With 400m to run he was still ninth and 6.50 lengths off the front runners.

At some point coming into the closing stages Marauding Horde suddenly woke up to the fact that he needed to galvanise into action and absolutely took off to finish second, just 1.10 lengths behind Presley.

With that experience under his belt and an additional 200m to race in the Maiden Plate over 1600m, this Mike de Kock-trained colt looks very hard to beat.

Kabelo Matsunyane rode him last time and he will be back aboard on Tuesday.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 1 Almond Sea, 3 Golden Chandelier, 6 Peace Of Mind, 5 Nordic Ice

Race 2: 9 Marauding Horde, 2 Atarime, 3 Rock Of Bismantova, 5 Force De Dieu

Race 3: 9 Kissing Machine, 8 Frances Ethel, 1 The Work Of Life, 4 Villa Semaya

Race 4: 9 Weather Wizard, 1 Eiffel Tower, 3 Bob’s Your Uncle, 10 Viva Spirit

Race 5: 4 Fulliautomatix, 9 Gimme The Flame, 1 Inevitable, 2 JP Two Thousand

Race 6: 1 My Lady Soul, 8 Miss Shaivi, 4 Courageous, 6 Mizzen Sail

Race 7: 9 Vix Princess, 8 Runway Bomb, 2 River Queraress, 1 What A Honey

Race 8: 1 Bard Of Avon, 2 Karangetang, 6 Ice Star, 10 Winter Path

Race 9: 4 Midnight Fusion, 1 Nettleton, 5 War Queen, 6 Law Of Success

BEST BET

Race 1 No 1 Almond Sea

VALUE BET

Race 8 No 1 Bard Of Avon

BEST SWINGER

Race 7 8×9

BIPOT

R128

Leg 1: 9

Leg 2: 8, 9

Leg 3: 1, 9

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 9

Leg 5: 1, 4, 6, 8

Leg 6: 8, 9

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R288

Leg 1: 9

Leg 2: 9

Leg 3: 1, 4, 9

Leg 4: 1, 4, 8

Leg 5: 8, 9

Leg 6: 1, 2, 6, 10

Leg 7: 1, 4, 5, 6

PICK 6

R1920

Leg 1: 1, 9

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 9

Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8

Leg 4: 2, 8, 9

Leg 5: 1, 2, 6, 10

Leg 6: 1, 4, 5, 6

JACKPOT 1

R240

Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 9

Leg 2: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8

Leg 3: 2, 8, 9

Leg 4: 1, 2, 6, 10

JACKPOT 2

R240

Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8

Leg 2: 2, 8, 9

Leg 3: 1, 2, 6, 10

Leg 4: 1, 4, 5, 6

Lot 36, a colt by Rafeef, is a full-brother to Gr 1-winning sire Master Archie

Winterbach Stud can be found amongst the rolling hills and vineyards near Stellenbosch, where visitors are treated to a warm, hospitable welcome, and the horses are lavished with the best possible care.

The Stud has yet again come up with a select, quality draft to be presented at the CRS Cape Premier Yearling Sale this Thursday afternoon at the CTICC.

Lot 27, Capranica, is by Hawwaam out of Hope Downs and thus a half-brother to an accomplished middle-distance performer and Met entry, Montien. The second dam, Hancock News, was seriously speedy, while the 3rd dam, Hancock Park, was at the top of the SA Juvenile rankings in the early 90s.

Winterbach offers another Hawwaam – Lot 47 ex the Captain Al mare, Moonlight’ n Roses. Second dam Soft Landing removed the G1 Garden Province Stakes, adding further lustre to this pedigree.

Lot 47

Lot 36 (see picture above the headline) is an unnamed bay colt by Rafeef out of La Volta, so a full brother to G1 Computaform Sprint winner, Master Archie. He is sure to generate significant attention amongst discerning buyers.

One World’s progeny are making an early splash – Lot 69 is a filly out of Saints Alive, a sister to top-class Safe Harbour. The third dam, Saintly Lady, won up to the G1 level – plenty of Black Type is going back through the generations.

Lot 69

What a Winter has been around for some time now, consistently amongst the top echelon of SA sires. The former Equus Champion Sprinter has produced 24 Stakes winners from 502 runners and bay yearlings; Lot 91, Whatastar ex Talitha Borealis, looks interesting. The mare won five races between 1400m and 1800m and is a half-sister to six-time winner Supercede.

Lot 91

Winterbach’s final offering is Lot 105, Parental Guidance, by Querari ex Xplosive Kiss, a half-sister to G2 Victor, Second Base. This good-value stallion has produced 37 stake winners from 554 runners and was SA’s leading sire of two-year-olds in 2018/19.

Lot 105

For more detailed insights into these yearlings, feel welcome to contact Hendrik Winterbach at 082 465 4433 or via email: winterbach.stud@gmail.com

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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Website: www.caperacingsales.co.za

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Clinton Binda and Muzi Yeni delivered the Hollywood Syndicate’s 500th career win last week (Picture: The Hollywood Syndicate) 

I am more excited to look forward to the sons and daughters of Charles Dickens than I would be to see him win another race.

Neil Andrews (The Citizen)

Robbie Miller (right) at a presentation ceremony for farriers, held at the Honourable Artillery Company at the headquarters of the Worshipful Company of Farriers.

Off The Record with Charl Pretorius

Most of his work is done behind the scenes, but Robbie Miller is to farriers in the South Africa racing industry what Siya Kolisi is to the Springbok rugby team – the best in his position, an inspired leader and a master of his craft, respected by his peers around the world.

Earlier this month Robbie turned 57 years of age. On Saturday, his farrier team, Miller Forge and Horseshoeing, provided his birthday present by shoeing all nine winners at the prestigious L’Ormarins King’s Plate meeting. Robbie himself shod the LKP winner, Charles Dickens, and two others. He reckons this rare feat could be a record of some kind, in modern racing history. There is nothing on file anywhere, and his leading upcountry colleagues Andy Rivas (Gauteng) and Robbie Dawson (KZN) have so far missed the same achievement by one winner, at various race meetings.

Farriery is a noble profession, and its traditions are close to Robbie’s heart. He is an Associate of London’s Worshipful Company of Farriers, a company that dates back to 1356, and can proudly write the Level 5 occupational qualification ‘AWCF’ next to his name. There are only 350 Associates in the world and just two in South Africa, the other being Johnny Murdoch.

Robbie and his five qualified employees (including his sons, Calven and Clinton) shoe horses for a number of trainers, with multiple champion Justin Snaith, Candice Bass-Robinson and Vaughan Marshall among his regular clients. Miller and co are also on full duty for champion breeders, Drakenstein Stud, after a long spell with Avontuur Estate, and active on the sports horse circuit.

Some regard farriery as something of much lesser importance than, for example, veterinary services or training itself, but Robbie stresses that qualified farriers are experts on lower equine limbs and that their professional assistance in a stable yard is essential to the well-being of horses and the success of the stable.

The primary role of the farrier is to ensure balance, support and overall health of a horse’s soundness by trimming, shaping and shoeing its feet. “There are racing fans who think we put the shoes on, chop-chop, and go on to the next horse. But it goes way beyond that. We work alongside trainers and veterinarians to prevent injuries and hoof-related issues and to address existing hoof problems which can lead to lameness, abscesses, cracks, and diseases. Hoof care schedules and treatment plans are part of the overall service,” Robbie explains.

Drakenstein has a meticulous foal-care programme and Robbie tells: “The team at Drakenstein is so successful because they attend to detail. Our part of their inclusive foal strategy is to look after the young horses’ feet from the moment they start walking around the paddocks. Everything we do is logged, there is a recorded history for every horse, for control and reference.”

Robbie’s association with the cream of breeders and a number of world-class trainers has allowed him to work with any number of track stars. His personal roll of honour reads like the who’s who of thoroughbred performers and includes names like Gimmethegreenlight, Master Of My Fate, Val De Ra, Via Africa, Dancer’s Daughter, Legislate, Do It Again, Smart Call, Rainbow Bridge, Golden Ducat, One World, Legal Eagle, Kasimir, Rio Querari, Oh Susanna, Snowdance, Beach Beauty and more recently Trip To Fortune, Power King and the mentioned Charles Dickens.

“All trainers will tell you that every individual horse has a different nature and temperament and that’s the way farriers experience them, too. They all have different habits and mannerisms in or around their stables and we have to adapt to those. Some thoroughbreds are easy, some are busy and difficult, especially the colts. Charles Dickens has been an uncomplicated customer. He has good feet and is easy to shoe. Horses get attached to their grooms and sometimes also to us. This is natural, because we see them every three or four weeks. Some have peculiarities. Dancer’s Daughter, for instance, would not allow you to stand up straight next to her. When in her company, I had to remain bent over. When I stood up, she refused to cooperate.

“Clouds Unfold would not let you touch her before she was comfortable in a spot of her own choosing. When she saw me coming, she’d move, step by step, to a ‘happy place’, somewhere in her stable before she would signal that she was ready for shoeing. It had to be done on her terms!”

As for special attachments, Robbie enjoyed a special bond with a ‘little guy’ he refers to as ‘Doug’. “Doug is a very small colt that suffered hoof problems when he was in training. He is by an unfashionable sire out of a poorly performed mare and after battling with him for a while, his owners pulled the plug. But I’d grown very fond of him, this little chap, so I offered to take him and they agreed. I took Doug to our smallholding in Joostenbergvlakte and eventually his hooves healed. My fiancé Trish worked with him, she is as passionate as I am and very good at finding homes for horses. Doug was given to one of my very good friends and he is now learning Polo-Crosse, doing very well!”

Robbie obtained most of his skills in the SA Defence Force’s mounted unit to which he was assigned to in 1987, and credits Sergeant Grant Store and his uncle, the late jockey-turned-trainer Arthur Miller, as being his mentors. “Sergeant Store was an old school soldier and horseman, he gave those who didn’t listen a good backhand to the ear!”

In later years, following trips to the Kentucky Horseshoeing School and the World Championships in Canada, he refined his skills with the help of established master farriers including the renowned Chris Gregory, founder of the Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Missouri, and author of the widely acknowledged Gregory’s Textbook of Farriery – a close friend today.

Robbie, like Gregory, was inducted into the International Horseshoeing Hall Of Fame – the first farrier on the African continent to be bestowed this honour, in 2022. Locally, he is the Vice President of SAAPF, the Southern African Association of Professional Farriers and a Chief Examiner for the FITS examinations. He tells: “In 2009 Chris Gregory wrote an exam for Brazil, and so I asked him to bring it to South Africa. That’s how the Farrier International Testing System (FITS) came to be, and it is now written in eight countries.”

Robbie has also been in discussions with government through CEEPSA. “We have been working to get a law passed that will make it compulsory for farriers to write the exams and register with the SAAPF as qualified workers in their trade. You won’t let an unqualified doctor examine your heart or a lay dentist examine your teeth, would you?”

Robbie’s ambition and pursuit of excellent standards comes from his humble and trying beginnings. He grew up at the Mary Cook Children’s home from age 5 and then went to the Salvation Army Boys Home at 11. He is keen to pass on a message to youngsters who find themselves in similar predicaments and says: “Find something to be passionate about, focus on it and don’t ever give up!”

Passion lies at the root of Robbie’s own remarkable progress to the top of his profession and he says: “My friends always laugh at me for going on ‘shoeing’ holidays to the US and Australia, but I am driven by my passion for horses and my dedication to my craft and ensuring that the standards of farriery stay high. Believe me, if there were no qualified farriers, racing would suffer immensely, even come to a standstill. As custodians of our profession, we are responsible for teaching the next generation of farriers!”

What makes a truly good farrier? “There are obvious factors like physical strength, a calm demeanour and a degree of finesse, accuracy and good communication skills but most of all horsemanship, which is something a horse can sense.”

The most important rule for a farrier? “As per my mentor, Grant Store, there is a single vital rule: ‘Don’t Screw It Up!’ When a horse comes to you in good, sound condition, it must leave you in good, sound condition with no over-trimming or suffering the main effect of over-trimming – nails driven incorrectly.”

With a ‘good, strong, back’ and all his faculties, Robbie hopes to shoe for many more years, and he has his sights on the very rare Fellowship of Worshipful Company of Farriers (FWCF), to which end he is writing a thesis on ‘Mediolateral Balance’, which deals with balance in the context of trimming and shoeing and factors related to the function of the equine hoof and distal limb.

He concludes: “There is a demand for skilled farriers and there always will be. I want to play my part in ensuring that farriers are adequately trained, that the latest scientific information is researched and made available and that we have good farriers coming through the ranks.”

Miller Forging and Horseshoeing have taken on 18-year-old Sihle Mqamelo and will be paying for and accommodating his apprenticeship. “Sihle is the son of Alfred Mqamelo who works for trainer André Nel. He is keen on becoming a farrier and we are happy to give him assistance and a grounding.”

A man of good words and deeds. That’s Robbie Miller.

https://www.tab4racing.com/tabs/news?type=off_the_record

Silver Tudor was given a peach of a ride by Serino Moodley at Turffontein Standside on Saturday. (JC Photos)

Serino Moodley was mentioned last week as being deserving of an Emperor’s Palace Ride Of The Month vote for his ride on the Sean Tarry-trained Silver Hills in the Listed Wolf Power 1600.

A week later (on Saturday at Turffontein Standside) and he produced a ride out of the top drawer on another Tarry-trained horse, the Lance gelding Silver Tudor, to win a handicap over 1160m.

Silver Tudor had to carry topweight of 62kg, although he did have a favourable Standside draw in the ten horse field.

He was slightly hampered early by Iron Sky but Moodley managed to hold his good position. He had held his mount up early in order to track the number 9 drawn Dreamland on the outside.

However, the field then crowded on to the favourable outside strip and Moodley made a snap decisoon at the 450m mark to switch inward.

This proved to be the winning move because Silver Tudor managed to squeeze through a gap and then took off to just get up on the line.

Tarry praised Moodley for the ride and said it was no mean feat to get up on the line carrying 62kg.

It was Moodley’s second win of the meeting, where he had just three rides, his other win being on the Lorenzo Karriem-trained Thunee Player (Vercingetorix).

Moodley’s record this month for Tarry has been four rides, two wins and a third and a fourth.

Readers, please start sending in your Emperor’s Palace Ride Of The Month suggestions

There are prizes to be won in this competition sponsored by Turf Talk’s official hotel partner, Emperor’s Palace.

Serino Moodley’s ride described above is an example of one that can be nominated for the Emperor’s Palace Ride Of The Month.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH SERINO MOODLEY’S GREAT RIDE ON SILVER TUDOR

CLICK HERE FOR THE DETAILS ABOUT EMPEROR’S PALACE RIDE OF THE MONTH COMPO

Pictures: Summerveld trainer Paul Lafferty won the NBT Michael Roberts Handicap over 1750m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday with five-year-old Silvano mare Bella Siccome, who was ridden by Muzi Yeni, and he followed up with a double on the Hollywoodbets Greyville polytrack today (Candiese Lenferna Photography) 

Calvin Habib and Paul Lafferty scored individual doubles on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly today.

Habib goes to 74 wins for the season scored at a strike rate of 12.23%.

Lafferty is on 9 wins at 6.47%.

The term has its origins in horse racing, in which the fastest qualifying horse would be placed on the inside part of the course, next to the pole.