Fourie Barometer 336

Picture: Princess Calla after triumphing in the City Of Cape Town Majorca Stakes on WSB Cape Town Met day, the fifth Gr 1 victory of her star-studded career. (Picture: Wayne Marks).

200 up for Richard Fourie as the Garth Puller-trained Parmenion (Crusade) wins the fourth race comfortably (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Richard Fourie reached the 200 winner mark for the season on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly today and later had one more win to leave his number of wins for the season on 201.

Two of his wins were for Wendy Whitehead, who increased her lead in the KZN Trainers Championship.

Serino Moodley also rode a winner at the meeting.

It could have been a rewarding meeting for Turf Talk newsletter readers.

In yesterday’s newsletter Wendy Whitehead mentioned two of her runners today as ones who could help her win the KZN Championship and both of them won. Fourie was aboard both of them.

The Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein-bred three-year-old Fire Away filly Mauritania got a good break from draw three i the first race over 1600m and she reached the front effortlessly.

Fourie set a reasonable gallop, but the filly relaxed well.In the straight he did not need to draw the crop as she responded well to his driving hands and she won by an easy 2,40 lengths, despite having been raised three points for her second place finish in her previous start. She has now won three races in eleven starts and being out of a Sadler’s Wells mare there could be plenty more in the tank.

Whitehead’s comment for her runner in the sixth race, Sundance Kid, in yesterday’s article was, “Sundance Kid is going for three-in-a-row on Wednesday. He has had a few problems and we’ve managed to sort it out and he is just going to get better and better as he gets going along now.”

Fourie also managed to get to the lead from a wide draw on this four-year-old Master Of My Fate gelding, who was also bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein.

He slowed it down to a crawl and the gelding duly found plenty in the straight to go on and win by 2,20 lengths.

Sundance Kid won on debut as a juvenile and with the hattrick under the belt today he has now won four races in 14 starts.

Fourie’s strike rate for the season is now on 21.50%.

For the first time this season his projected number of wins for the season has gone above the record he is targeting.

He needs to get 335 wins to beat the 334 record of Anthony Delpech and earn himself a R1 million bonus from Hollywoodbets.

His projected number of wins after today’s meeting is 336.

This is based on his current rides-per-calendar-day rate for the season and his current strike rate for the season.

Whitehead increased her lead in the KZN Trainers Championship to three.

She is on 32 wins to Garth Puller and Gareth van Zyl’s 29, Mike Miller’s 27 and Alyson Wright’s 26.

Whitehead’s 32 wins have been achieved at a strike rate of 13.56%.

Moodley goes to 52 wins for the season at 14.44%.

His double today was on the Doug Campbell-trained Tom’s Act (Act Of War) and the Carl Hewitson-trained Chelsea Flower (Flower Alley).

Mauritzfontein Stud always have a big presence at the BSA National Yearling Sale and will have 19 lots at this year’s sale including a Gimmethegreenlight colt out of their Met winner Smart Call (Picture: BSA)  

The catalogue for the BSA National Yearling Sale, which takes place on 18 and 19 April is now available online.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CATALOGUE

A couple of immediatley noticeable lots are:

Lot 383, vendored by Klwervlei Stud as agent, a Vercingetorix colt out of the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship winner The Secret Is Out. This is of course from the wonderful family of matriarch Mystic Spring.

Lot 15, a Wilgerbosdrift Stud-bred Danon Platina colt who is a half-brother to dual Gr 1 winner Desert Miracle.

Lot 56, a Varsfontein Stud-bred Erik The Red colt out of multiple Gr 1 winner Bela-Bela, who is a daughter of matriacrh Mystic Sprinty and whose first foal was Gr 2 winner Ciao Bella.

Lot 89 vendored by Klawervlei Stud as agent, a Vercingetorix colt who is a half-brother to Equus Horse Of The Year Captain’s Ransom.

Lot 346, a Mauritzfontein Stud-bred Gimmethegreenlight colt out of Met winner Smart Call.

Il Etait Temps won the Gr 1 Irish Arkle last time out and is now favourite for the Arkle at Cheltenham 

The Willie Mullins-trained novice chaser Il Etait Temps, who is owned in partnership by the Hollywood Syndicate and Barnane Stud, is favourite on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival next Tuesday for the Gr 1 My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase over two miles.

Diarmuid Nolan of The Independent analysed the race below:

I can’t ever remember the Cheltenham Festival Novice Chase division being this open.

Keagan de Melo rode a typically patient race on Happy Soul to claim a win at Happy Valley today (HKJC)

Luke Ferraris won the first race at Happy Valley today and Keagan de Melo won the last.

They go to 20 and 16 wins for the season respectively.

Ferraris was on the favourite in the first race, the Ricky Yiu-trained Colonel, a New Zealand-bred gelding by Ferlax.

He jumped from draw three in the class 5 event over 1200m and after a good break shot in to the lead. He managed to keep the seven-year-old going well in the straight, with the hands until the 150m mark and then with rhythmical use of the whip and a deft change of whiphand. He managed to get the horse’s head down on the line as he just held on from a charging runner up.

Colonel paid 3.90 on the Tote.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE RFPLAY

De Melo was aboard the Danny Shum-trained Happy Soul, an Australian-bred Shooting To Win gelding in the last race, a class 4 over 1200m.

He sat on the horse from draw two and had him beautifully settled. He duly found plenty in the straight and going down the inside won by an easy two lengths, paying 6.30 on the Tote.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE REPLAY

Hewick came from a beaten looking position to win the prestigious Gr 1 King George VI Chase last time out under Gavin Sheehan at odds of 12/1, but Sheehan will not be aboard for the Cheltenham Gold Cup (Picture: Horse Racing Ireland)

Shark Hanlon opts for Jordan Gainford to ride Hewick in Cheltenham Gold Cup

Wexford jockey scored at 2021 Festival aboard The Shunter for Emmet Mullins

Brian O’Connor (The Irish Times)

It’s been almost a year since Jordan Gainford has ridden Hewick in a race, but the 22-year-old jockey will be reunited with the diminutive star when it counts most in next week’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Trainer ‘Shark’ Hanlon confirmed on Tuesday he has opted for Gainford to ride the popular horse, overlooking the claims of both Gavin Sheehan and Rachael Blackmore.

It is a major boost for the Wexford rider who missed out on Hewick’s dramatic victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton over Christmas after fracturing two vertebrae in a fall just days beforehand.

Following Gainford and Hewick’s exit at the second last of last year’s Gold Cup, when still in contention, injuries meant Blackmore stepped in to win on the horse at Sandown, and also rode him in the French Champion Hurdle.

Hewick and Shark Hanlon will bring the best story to Cheltenham, regardless of how the Gold Cup goes.

Brian Hughes was in the plate when Hewick appeared in last summer’s Galway Plate.

However, Hanlon has been reassured by Gainford’s performances since returning to action recently and is hoping loyalty will get rewarded at the festival.

“I spoke to Gavin last night to tell him. He’s done nothing wrong and gave the horse a great ride [at Kempton] and he might ride him again one day. But Jordan is back and has ridden a couple of winners, and in fairness, he made the horse for me. So, I think it would be only manners to let him ride next week,” Hanlon said

“He was down here yesterday to sit on the horse and at that stage he didn’t know if he was riding the horse or not, but he came down and schooled him. Jordan knows the horse well, the horse travels for him, and I’m delighted to have him on board.”

Hewick is a general 20-1 shot to supply one of the fairy-tale Gold Cup results. The horse bought by Hanlon for just €850 ran a stormer on soft ground before tipping up in last year’s blue riband and connections are keeping everything crossed that next week will be dry in Gloucestershire.

Some bookmakers are going 4-7 about next week’s festival starting on officially ‘good to soft’ going, although Cheltenham is renowned for drying out quickly.

Gainford burst to prominence at the 2021 festival when he guided The Shunter to success in the Paddy Power Plate for trainer Emmet Mullins.

Having landed a pair of Grade One prizes on Gerri Colombe last season, he was just denied in the Brown Advisory when losing a photo finish to The Real Whacker.

His boss Gordon Elliott is set to use Gainford extensively next week with likely multiple entries in races.

With defending champion Constitution Hill out of the Unibet Champion Hurdle, Elliott has indicated his preference for Irish Point to run in Tuesday’s two-mile championship rather than wait for the Stayers a couple of days later.

“He’s a classy horse, I think he’ll run a big race. The track will suit him and the ground, being a bit soft, I think will suit him,” said Elliott.

“The favourite [State Man] is going to be very hard to beat but you should never be afraid of one horse. He hasn’t many miles on the clock, and I think the race could suit him, I’m keen to run him.”

Constitution Hill’s absence is a blow to the home team with just a pair of cross-channel based horses clearly currently topping ante-post betting lists at the festival. They are Nicky Henderson’s Sir Gino in the Triumph Hurdle and Crebilly for Jonjo O’Neill in the Plate.

In other news, Aidan O’Brien dominates the market for opening Classics of 2024 at Newmarket after Tuesday’s latest entry stage for the Guineas.

City Of Troy is odds-on for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas while Opera Singer is a clear 5-1 market leader for the 1,000.

O’Brien has enjoyed a successful international start to 2024 with lucrative wins in both the US and Saudi Arabia. His next major international target is the Dubai World Cup programme at Meydan later this month.

“The plan at the moment is for Auguste Rodin to go to the mile and a half [Sheema Classic]. Luxembourg could go in the nine-furlong race [Dubai Turf] while Tower Of London could go in the two miles. Cairo could go in the nine-furlong too,” O’Brien said on Tuesday.

Picture: Cheveley Park’s Richard Thompson (right) congratulates Rachael Blackmore after A Plus Tard’s devastating display in the Gold Cup of 2022 (Picture: Grossick Racing)

(https://www.boylesports.com/sports/horse-racing/future-horses)

Exclusive interview with Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson: Cheltenham Festival has edge over Royal Ascot and Breeders Cup and ‘class act’ Willie Mullins attracted me to Ireland

Speaking exclusively to BoyleSports, who offer the latest Cheltenham Festival odds, 2022 Gold Cup winning owner Richard Thompson has revealed his love of Cheltenham compared to flat racing’s biggest meetings.

Thompson has runners with both Willie Mullins and Henry De Bromhead next week and outlined what separates them from their English counterparts ahead of what is expected to be a dominant Cheltenham for Irish trainers.

Why is it so special being an owner at Cheltenham?

RT: “It’s grown and grown over the years, it’s got the magic dust. It’s such a big build-up and such a great atmosphere.”

“In life, and at the top level of sport there are a few events which are like that and Cheltenham is one of them. It’s just so special, so when you actually have a horse running there or you win a race, then you really understand just how special it is.

“Everything they say about Cheltenham, in terms of the experience as an owner, is fact.”

How does it compare to having a winner at the Breeders’ Cup?

RT: “We’ve won a couple of Breeders’ Cups, including with Inspiral last November, which was fantastic.

“It’s a close call, actually, because the Breeders’ Cup is similar to Cheltenham in terms of being the end of the year in a series of championship races, and it’s a two-day festival.

“I still think that Cheltenham is more special, it’s four days with the Gold Cup at the end. We were lucky enough to win the Gold Cup with A Plus Tard, and that was obviously fantastic as well.”

How do you sell the National Hunt compared to the Flat?

RT: “With Cheltenham, and National Hunt racing in general, there is a lot more passion than Flat racing.

“There’s a lot more camaraderie, and there’s obviously horses who stay in training for a few years and then get fan clubs. That’s something you don’t get in Flat racing.

“You haven’t got that same atmosphere, and at Royal Ascot, even though I love it, Cheltenham has the edge because of the passion of the people involved. Ascot is a bit more corporate, a bit more stilted in terms of peoples’ reactions when they win.

“Whereas, at Cheltenham, when people win, they really win.”

Should the Cheltenham Festival take place across five days or four?

RT: “I think four days is the maximum from my perspective, I would probably say that even Goodwood should be four days and Royal Ascot should be five days.

“The festivals are what it’s all about these days, with the big races where everyone flocks to the big meetings. I think that Cheltenham, Royal Ascot and Goodwood are the golden goose, so to speak.

“You can over-egg it in terms of the number of races, but it looks as though it has gone a bit too far, probably.”

Is it still about the championship races for you at Cheltenham?

RT: “For us, it’s definitely about the championship races and trying to buy horses with Grade 1 potential. We were much more focused on the Championship races, absolutely.

“Even though A Plus Tard did win a novice handicap in 2019 before going on to win the Gold Cup in 2022.”

Having won the Gold Cup and Grand National, what other races would you like to add?

RT: “The Supreme Novices Hurdle next week (with Tullyhill) next week! The Arkle (with Quilixios) as well.

“The King George at Kempton is another one, this season we had Allaho as the favourite, who finished third but it was a fantastic race.

“However, once you’ve won the Gold Cup – that’s the Holy Grail of National Hunt racing.”

How do the likes of Willie Mullins in Ireland acquire the best horses, what made you choose him?

RT: “We’ve had a lot of horses training in the UK on the Flat, and I sat next to Willie Mullins one day at a function. I seemed to get on well with him, and then we went from there. I think he knows what he’s doing!

“It wasn’t really a conscious decision about Ireland or England, it was more about that lunch, chatting away and then it went down that road.

“We’ve had a lot of horses over the years in England over the Flat, so it was just a bit of a change for us. There were people who said to us ‘you’ll never get any winners because you’re not Irish’.

“It was a bit of an off-the-cuff thing – all the good decisions come off those left-field situations and things that happen by coincidence.”

How are the Irish so dominant, what makes them different to deal with as an owner?

RT: “If you deal with someone like Willie Mullins or Henry De Bromhead, they are class acts as individuals, there’s no doubt about that.

“You can speak to them, listen to them and they’re very engaging. They are extremely likeable to deal with as well, those two I’ve got to know quite well and anyone else would feel the same.”

Can you see Middle Eastern investment in the National Hunt any time soon?

RT: “I can’t see the Middle East getting involved in the National Hunt any time soon, because it’s a whole different ball-game.

“Whereas, the flat is a global thing with pedigrees in terms of international racing. With the UK, Ireland and France, the National Hunt is a completely different environment.

“I can see other wealthy people getting involved, and more syndicates, but not the Middle East from my perspective.”

The picture gives a clue to the answer

The Hollywood Syndicate and Barnane Stud-owned Il Etait Temps has stablemate Facile Vega as one of her rivals in the Gr 1 Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival next Tuesday. What is significant about Facile Vega’s pedigree?

Facile Vega is the son of Quevega (pictured – Trevor Meeks), who holds the record for most successive wins of the same Cheltenham Gr 1 race.

The outstanding mare Quevega wrote her name in Cheltenham Festival folklore by winning six successive Mares’ Hurdles from 2009 onwards.

She was lightly-raced in her career and, often, made her seasonal appearance at Cheltenham for trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Ruby Walsh.

Her tally eclipsed the five successive Cheltenham Gold Cup wins achieved by Golden Miller from 1932-1936.

Their achievements are highlighted by the fact only one other horse – Big Buck’s with four Stayers’ Hurdles from 2009-2012 – has managed to win any Festival race more than three times.