Eight On Eighteen gets up to win the Langerman under Richard Fourie after running on strongly from last (Picture: Wayne Marks) 

It was a halcyon week for Drakenstein Stud last week culminating in them breaking their own South African record for stakes winners in a season.

On Saturday they reached 21 individual stakes winners for the season, beating their record set last season of 20, which in turn had beaten their record set in the previous season of 18.

The horse who did it for them was the Justin Snaith-trained Eight On Eighteen, who is by Drakenstein’s late freshman champion stallion Lancaster Bomber, and he did it in the country’s probable best two-year-old classic pointer race, the Langerman, a Gr 3 run over 1500m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. .

Drakenstein do not own Eight On Eighteen, but one of the best patrons of the stud, Nick Jonsson, part-owns him which could be important because this horse could go on to have stallion potential.

Lancaster Bomber already has a Drakenstein homebred colt who is earmarked for stud duties, the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot.

Both Snow Pilot and Eight On Eighteen are out of mares by the champion broodmare sire Captain Al and have female lines that make them stud candidates.

Snow Pilot is out of the dual Gr 1-winning Snowdance.

Eight On Eighteen’s dam Sempre Libre was unraced, but she was out of the champion broodmare Mystic Spring, who is a celebrated matriarch. That makes Sempre Libre a sibling to a number of stakes winners including the like of champions Rabiya and Bela-Bela.

In fact Sempre Libre is a three-parts sister to Snowdance, because Mystic Spring’s daughter Spring Lilac (Joshua Dancer) is the dam of Snowdance.

On Saturday the magnificent looking Eight On Eighteen ran on strongly from last to get up in the Langerman under Richard Fourie, winning by 0,75 lengths from One World colt All Out For Six.

Unfortunately the race was not without controversy, because the 3/10 favourite, One World colt One Stripe, was scratched due to an elevated  TCO2 reading.

TCO2 testing is becoming increasingly controversail due to the adverse effect it can have on exotic punters’ bets (see article later in the newsletter), not to mention the impact it has on owners.

The 18 stakes winners Drakenstein had in the 2021/2022 season won 25 races between them, the 20 last season won 35 races between them and the 21 they have had this season have so far won 30 races between them.

Drakenstein are also on the cusp of being involved in another record for the season as the stallion who stands on their farm, One World, has equalled the number of winners for a freshman sire i.e. the 22 set by his own father Captain Al in the 2004/2205 season. It is just a matter of time before he breaks that record.

Furthermore, Drakenstein’s familiar cornflower blue and white colours were seen finishing second in The Brittania at the Royal Ascot meeting last week. They were carried by Skukuza, a three-year-old colt by Blue Point out of Trippi mare Shingwedzi. Skukuza is a Cayton Park Stud homebred and the latter is the UK breeding operation of Gaynor Rupert, owner of Drakenstein.

Eight On Eighteen was a R700 000 BSA National Yearling Sale purchase and his two wins and two places from four starts has accumualted earnings of R402 738.

Jonsson owns him in partnership with Anyasec (Pty) Ltd.

Justin Snaith picked the appropriate draw of six for Do It Again at the Hollywoodbets Durban July Final Field And Draw Ceremony last year in the latter’s record-breaking sixth run in SA’s most famous race and it would be an equally appropriate draw this year because this trainer is going for his sixth July win (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

The big news about the Hollywoodbets Durban July today was the scratching of the SA Oaks-winning filly Frances Ethel due to a bout of pneumonia.

Fortunately a story circulating that Frances Ethel had passed away turned out to be false.

Silver Sanctuary was also scratched but stands her ground in the Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes.

The Hollywoodbets Durban July final field announcement and draw ceremony will be held on Tuesday at the Bond Shed on Browns Road, Point, in Durban and will be televised live from around 12H00.

The connections of the borderline horses will be on tenterhooks as they will be hoping to hear the names of their respective horses in the top 18.

Ante-post punters with wagers on these borderline horses will also be on tenterhooks.

Realistically, the 12 horses who look to have booked their places are See It Again, Royal Victory, Winchester Mansion, Double Superlative, Green With Envy, Flag Man, Cousin Casey, Oriental Charm, Purple Pitcher, Barbaresco, Future Swing and Master Redoute.

That leaves six places in the top 18 to realistically be fought out by Future Pearl, Aragosta, Without Question, Shoemaker, Son Of Raj, Hotarubi, Mucho Dinero, Meridius and Hluhluwe.

Two of those will get places 19 and 20, the unwanted reserve positions, which rely on a scratching before 8 a.m. on the Friday before the race to get in.

Future Pearl won the recent Gr 3 Tabgold Derby in impressive style, despite carrying a 1kg penalty, and it also might be considered that he did the unofficial stayers triple cown last year, the Gold Bowl, Gold Vase and Gold Cup.

Aragosta finished a one length second in the Tabgold Derby. He won a Listed race over 2500m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth earlier this season and was later a 3,75 length third in the Gr 1 wfa Premier’s Champions Challenge. He was beaten 2,40 lengths by Future Swing in the Gr 3 Glorious Goodwood Chairman’s Cup over 2500m when giving the latter 10kg. However, he was beaten 3,30 lengths on weight for age terms by Hotarubi in the Colorado King Stakes over 2000m. He then finished last in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m. He was earlier also well beaten by Shoemaker in a Pinnacle over 1800m.

Without Question was only 7th in the Tabgold Derby, beaten 4,70 lengths. The problem with his form is that he was beaten 11,65 lengths into 16th in last year’s July and his Gr 1 wfa WSB Met third place finish is his only place in six runs this season. In his favour is he was 16th on the last July log.

Meridius won a traditional July pointer, the Gr 3 Jubilee Stakes over 1800m at Turffontein Standside. Against him is his only run to date over further than 1800m was below par i.e. a 19,25 length tenth in the Gr 1 wfa Premiers Champions Challenge over 2000m.

Meridius’ 1800m form is at least on a par with Shoemaker. However, in Shoemaker’s favour is he ran a four length fifth in the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup over 2000m at level weights with the winner Royal Victory.

Son Of Raj was a one length third in the Jubilee, but he was giving 4kg to Meridius. He finished a decent fifth in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m. He was beaten 27 lengths in the Premiers Champions Challenge, but on the other hand is a former SA Derby winner, so has no stamina doubt.

Hluhluwe won the Gr 2 Cape Punters Cup over 1600m, but failed to shine when stepped up to 2000m in both the Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby and Gr 1 Daily News 2000.

Hotarubi was narrowly behind Hluhluwe in the Daily News, when suffering a nightmare wide trip. However, he had earlier finished a three length fifth and a 2,5 length fourth in the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m and Gr 1 SA Derby over 2450m respectively and followed that with a narrow second in the Gr 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m. He was also third in a Gr 3 over 1400m and second in the Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas.

Mucho Dinero was one of the most fancied horses in the early July betting after four wins on the trot in Cape Town, including a Listed event over 2400m and a Gr 2 over 1800m. However, he has run unplaced in all three of his subsequent KZN starts, and this saw him dropping out of the top 20 on the log.

The final 18 with two reserves can sometimes contain a shock or two, nothing can ever be taken for granted, so the announcement is eqgerly awaited.

Daniel Muscutt and Double Superlative led into the winner’s enclosure by owner Nick Jonsson after winning the Gr 1 WSB Met (Picture: Wayne Marks) 

Daniel Muscutt has been confirmed to ride Double Superlative in the Gr 1 Hollywoobets Durban July and is the only overseas jockey among the declarations.

Muscutt, son of Summerveld trainer Peter Muscutt, is a prominent jockey in the UK, with an all weather championship title being one of his achievements.

He partnered the Justin Snaith-trained Nick Jonsson-owned Twice Over entire Double Superlative to victory in his first ever ride in the WSB Met, with the seed of that partnership being planted due to a recommednation by English trainer William Haggas to Nick Jonsson more than a year earlier, towards the end of 2022.

Double Superlative will be out to become the eighth horse in history to win both the Met and the July and he will be out to be only the third to do it in the same season.

The only horses to have done the Met/July double in the same season are two all time greats, Politician in the 1977/1978 season and Pocket Power in the 2007/2008 season.

Others to have won both the Met and the July are Hussein (1920s), Yataghan (1970s), London News (1990s), Igugu (just over ten years ago) and Kommetdieding.

Daniel will almost certainly become the first to have won both the Met and the July in his first respective rides in the iconic events.

However, he is currently roundabout a 30/1 shot to do it.

Snaith will be out to join Terrance Millard as a six-time July winner, one behind the all time record of seven held by South Africa’s only Hall Of Fame trainer, Syd Laird.

Nick Jonsson will be out to win the July for the third time, having won it twice with his part-owned Do It Again. Both horse are by the unfashionable sire Twice Over.

Of course Jonsson’s colours will also be carried by the second favourite See It Again, and also possibly by Mucho Dinero, Without Question and Hluhluwe. Remarkably the former pair of that quartet are also by Twice Over.

Muscutt will also be riding the Snaith-trained Jonsson-owned One Way Traffic in the DSTV Gr 3 Gold Vase, the Snaith-trained Jonsson-owned Great Plains in the Durban Gr 2 Golden Horseshoe and Royal Aussie in the Gr 2 Post Merchants.

Other Hollywoodbets Durban July rides confirmed by the Snaiths are Winning Form wizard Richard Fourie (Future Swing), Jonsson Workwear flagbearer Rachel Venniker (Without Question), new Sporting Post-sponsored rider Sean Veale (Mucho Dinero), and Grant Van Niekerk (Hluhluwe).

Beyond the Snaith attack, confirmed riders include Piere Strydom (See It Again), Muzi Yeni (Royal Victory), Smanga Khumalo (Cousin Casey), Corne Orffer (Master Redoute), Gavin Lerena (Barbaresco) and Gareth Wright (Hotarubi).

Declarations were due by 11h00 on Monday morning.

However, it is a wait-and-see game for certain trainers, because those riders who are booked but whose horses do not make the final 18 will then become available again.

Interestingly, both Vaughan Marshall and Brett Crawford have had over 60 horses tested over a  period of weeks prior to Saturday, and all cleared the hurdle. Now on one day, they suddenly have 5 positives between them. What are we missing?

Speaking on behalf of the 6000 member SA Punters Forum, which includes mostly small punters and owners, and some jockeys and trainers, spokesman Deva Govender said that they understood and respected that the TCO2 testing is needed to level the playing field in the sport they all loved.

“We may just make up the numbers to keep the industry afloat, but if we are all going to exit the game, we will have a situation where only the top owners will be racing against themselves.”

• Candice Bass-Robinson trained LOVE SHACK – elevated TCO2 levels (declared 13h04 on 20240622)
• Brett Crawford trained PORT LOUIS – elevated TCO2 levels (declared 14h17 on 20240622)
• Vaughan Marshall trained ONE STRIPE – elevated TCO2 levels (declared 14h49 on 20240622)
• Brett Crawford trained BLUE BAY – elevated TCO2 levels (declared 15h59 on 20240622)
• Piet Botha trained BATON ROUGE – elevated TCO2 levels (declared 16h38 on 20240622)
• Vaughan Marshall trained TWICE THE MASTER – elevated TCO2 levels (declared 16h38 on 20240622)
• Vaughan Marshall trained LOCKHEEDLIGHTNING – elevated TCO2 levels (declared 16h39 on 20240622)

Richard Fourie clinched his record-breaking 335th win of the season on Double Grand Slam in the Gr 2 East Coast Radio Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m at Holllywoobets Greyville (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Many have called out Richard Fourie to be recognised at the South African Sports Awards (SASA) and even to be made Sportsman Of The Year.

Encouragingly there was an article in the mainstream press this week that appeared in the Daily Maverick (read it below):

Jockey Richard Fourie pushed his body to ‘breaking point’ to set new SA horse racing standard

By Yanga Sibembe (Daily Maverick)
23 Jun 2024

Jockey Richard Fourie recently made South African horse racing history. He is hoping to add to his achievements.

When he was younger, Richard Fourie’s elder brother used to joke that, because of his petit physique, he was destined to be a professional horse rider. Little did he know that he was planting a seed in his little brother’s mind.

Decades later Fourie is not only a jockey, but a recent achievement has also ensured that he will be remembered as one of the greatest South Africans to mount a horse for sport.

In the ongoing 2023/24 South African horse racing season, Fourie has made his mark as the first jockey to ride more than 335 winners in a single campaign. This milestone was reached on 8 June. Fourie has since added to his record (now 346) and has a few more weeks to continue plumping it up.

Through his exhilarating form this season, Fourie has broken a long-standing record that had appeared infallible. Legendary South African jockey Anthony Delpech rode an astonishing 334 winners during the 1998/99 season, snapping a record previously held by Piere Strydom.

Up stepped Fourie to make both these memorable figures of South African horse racing look like shirkers. In the process he also clinched the SA Jockeys Championship title for the first time. He finished second last season, behind Keagan De Melo.

“We had a gameplan to try and achieve 300 winners, so that we can win the championship for the first time. It was quite ironic that I won [my record-breaking race] on a horse owned, in partnership, by the legendary [golfer] Gary Player, which is called Double Grand Slam,” Fourie told Daily Maverick.

For his efforts, Fourie walked away with R1-million courtesy of Hollywoodbets. The betting company had announced the financial reward at the beginning of the season to reignite public interest in the sport – as well as to motivate the riders.

“It was never about the money. Like I said, when we started the season, our plan was to get 300 winners. I felt that was a realistic target at the time. To reach your personal goals outweighs any sort of financial reward. Then to break the South African record? That feeling alone is rewarding. To become part of history. That’s the biggest joy. The financial prize is just the cherry on the cake,” said Fourie.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Enthusiastic duo saddles up to save horse racing in the Western Cape

Delpech was full of praise for the man who eclipsed his impressive record: “I know how tough it is to travel and keep one’s shoulder to the wheel for so many months. It’s absolutely exhausting mentally and physically. Richard has made us all proud and shown himself to be a champion of enormous talent and mental strength. I am thrilled for him, and all of those that supported him.”

Delpech, who retired in 2019 after a career-ending injury, was one of Fourie’s biggest supporters during this historic season.

Carletonville-born Fourie said the respec­ted rider this season had shared a number of tips with him on how to truly tap into your potential as a jockey.

Richard Fourie celebrates another win. (Photo: Chase Liebenberg)

“He was so helpful. He gave me insight on how to travel. How to nourish your body,” Fourie said. “He told me that you have to push your body to almost breaking point.

“The information and guidance that he gave me throughout the season… I could not be more grateful. The hints and the ideas on how to stay positive… He was paramount.”

Fourie said: “It’s a great honour holding the new South African race record and knowing that he helped me achieve this major goal in racing history.”

Another important figure to Fourie managing this impressive season is agent Ken Nicol. The self-set target of 300 seemed far-fetched early in the season, especially since Fourie had a mere 32 winners after the first two months of the campaign.

He credits Nicol with ensuring that his record-breaking feat was a possibility by always picking the perfect horses for him to ride. The pair has been working in tandem for three years, during which they have built a good relationship and good business etiquette. His success is mainly because Nicol “is very good at what he does. And I’m half-decent at what I do,” Fourie said.

He was introduced to horse racing by his friend Corrie Jooste, and joined the South African Jockey Academy in KwaZulu-Natal at the age of 16. There he was trained by Vincent Curtis. Though Curtis is retired, he still follows Fourie’s career avidly.

“If I ride a bad race, he’s the first one to give me a good bollocking,” said Fourie.

Sharing other secrets about how he managed to break the record, Fourie said it was essential to know how to manage your schedule. “The most important thing is rest. You race eight or nine times a day. Then you get on a plane, where you try to get as much sleep as possible. Because you’re not going home. You’re going to the next city,” said the jockey, who has three daughters.

“We’re just city-hopping most of the time. So, you try to rest wherever you can. Eight hours of sleep a day [is imperative]. Even if it’s broken sleep. Then, of course, staying mentally sharp and physically fit is also important,” he added.

He is based in Durbanville in Cape Town. He is looking forward to the Durban July, which he has won three times, including consecutive victories in 2019 and 2020. His first victory came 10 years ago, in 2014, when he rode Legislate to success.

This time he will mount Future Swing, in the hope of adding to his haul of wins in South Africa’s most prestigious horse­ racing event.

“I’m very excited. It’s South Africa’s biggest race and showcases our best thoroughbreds. I’ve done a few and I’ve won three Durban Julys. It’s every young jockey’s dream to win that race,” Fourie said.

“Nothing is bigger than that. Your first win is your biggest one ever. You’ll never feel that feeling in your life ever again. Cloud nine is not even the right phrase.”

By the time he arrives at the Durban July, Fourie will have may be well over 350 winners at the rate he is going. He will approach the race as just another event to add to his already remarkable campaign, which officially ends on 31 July.

Kinda Wonderful wins the Listed Irridescence Stakes cosily (Wayne Marks Photography)

Gimmethegreenlight’s eleventh individual stakes winner this season, the Eric Sands-trained filly Kinda Wonderful looks to be a classic prospect.

She sat in a one out position with cover near the back of a five horse field in the Listed Irridescence Stakwes over 1500m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday and showed a good turn of foot to win by an easy two lengths under Craig Zackey.

However, her time was almost a full two seconds slower than the Langerman which was run later on.

Her dam by Black Minnaloushe was unplaced but is a half-sister to Listed winners Galileo’s Night (Galileo) and Croc Valley (Western Winter) and to stakes-placed Komatipoort (western Winter).

Kinda Wonderful’s dam Outrage has now produced two Irridescence Stakes winners. Her first foal Third Runway, a full-sister to Kinda Wonderful, won the Irridescence and later proved herself a classic sort by winning the Gr 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship.

It was thus a wise decision by Varsfontein Stud to go back to Gimmethegreenlight.

Kinda Wonderful could follow in Third Runway’s footsteps.

Third Runway went on to finish third in the Gr 1 Cape Fillies Guiineas and fourth in the Gr 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes over 1200m and was later second in the Gr 3 Chapagne Stakes over 1200m. However, she then went off the boil.

Kinda Wonderful is owned by Canine Solutions CC(D C O’Driscoll), Mauritzfontein (Pty) Ltd(J B Jell), N P Malherbe, Nick & Val McFall, A E Sands & Wilgerbosdrift (Pty) Ltd (M Slack) and was bought for R650,000 at the BSA August Two-year-old Sale.

Gimmethegreenlight heads the list in the number of stakes winners for the season with eleven.

Vercingetorix is on ten but those ten have only won 12 stakes races between them compared to the 21 stakes races Gimmethegreenlight’s stakes winners have won between them.

That statistic has helped Gimmethegreenlight to have a commanding lead in the national sires championship of close to R6 million.

Worldcraft should go close in the opening leg of the Bipot (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)

Cape Racing stages an eight-race programme at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth this afternoon with the first event, a quality Juvenile Plate over 1100m, scheduled to go off at 12:50. Worldcraft and Babelicious bring very nice form into this opening leg of the Bipot but over this trip my distinct preference lies with Worldcraft for trainer Vaughan Marshall and jockey Ashton Arries. Worldcraft won at the second time of asking, beating Roccapina who rubber-stamped the form when trotting up in her next start. Prior to that, on debut, Worldcraft finished fourth behind the smart Symphony In White and second on that occasion was subsequent Irridescence Stakes winner, Kinda Wonderful.

Babelicious beat the very useful Dixieland Band when shedding her maiden ticket in April and that form has also been soundly franked. But that was over 1400m and she may find Worldcraft a little too quick over this shorter distance. Worldly justified favouritism with a workmanlike maiden victory over La Pulga three weeks ago and may have scope for further improvement while Air Raid was super impressive when winning on debut and looks a very smart sort in the making. He could well be equal to the task here.

At the very least I would suggest including both Worldcraft and Air Raid in the first leg of the Bipot.

Maneki Neko rates the one to beat in the second race, a Maiden Plate over 1000m. The 3yo son of Danon Platina has been runner-up in three of his last four starts and he should go very close to winning in this rather modest line-up. The presence of four newcomers does muddy the water a little, so keep an eye out for any market springers.

We Have Touchdown showed marked improvement in his second start and the well-bred 2yo son of Gimmethegreenlight seems the one to follow in the third race, a Maiden Plate over 1200m. Circumbendibus was beaten seven lengths on debut by subsequent Langerman winner, Eight On Eighteen, and can show significant improvement here with the benefit of that first run under his belt. Green Okra was behind Circumbendibus then, but Dean Kannemeyer’s runner has had the benefit of a follow up start when a distant fourth behind Worldly. On best form Cliff Swallow could make his presence felt but he is proving costly to follow.

The fourth race is an Open Maiden (Handicap) over 1600m and there are many with winning claims. Snaith holds a strong hand with Greenland and Groovejet while Apache Chief must be considered for all exotic-bet permutations. The fillies, We Have A Situation and Sansa Stark, are well treated by the conditions of the race and should make their presence felt. Black Cherry has his second run after a very lengthy lay-off and the 4yo son of Rafeef is open to huge improvement.

My Bestie has shown a return to form in his last two starts and drops in class in the fifth race, a Cape C Stakes over 1600m. The Glen Kotzen stable is in good form and My Bestie gets the vote to score for the first time in 760 days, but if he fails then any of Prime Venture, Faire Advantage or Naushon could pick up the pieces.

Princess Izzy will be a popular choice to win the sixth race, a Middle Stakes (F&M) over 1400m. Princess Izzy won the Sweet Chestnut Stakes back in April when beating Enemy Territory comfortably and the pair meet again on the same terms here. Princess Izzy acts well on a soft ground and gets the nod to confirm the form with Enemy Territory, but in receipt of 3kgs all of School Policy, Fun Zone and Siddeley warrant respect.

The seventh race, a Cape B Stakes over 1400m, sees Aspect going for five-in-a-row. With Richard Fourie in the saddle he could well complete the “fifer” but it remains to be seen how he will handle the very much softer track conditions this afternoon. It’s a competitive line-up and all of Callmegetrix, Oliver, Fibonacci, Carriacou and Future Turn may prove capable of lowering Aspect’s colours.

The final race is a Class 5 Handicap over 1100m and I will pin my hopes on Shifting Path who has been very consistent of late. It’s a hazardous strategy to nail one’s colours to the mast in Class 5 Handicaps but all the signs point to a Shifting Path victory. Tambourine Man is competitively rated and can build on his maiden win. On paper, he rates the biggest threat to Shifting Path. Wylie Jack has fair recent form and could surprise.

Captain’s Walk (Captain Of All) clinches a treble for Kelly Mitchley and the first leg of a double for Nirvan Nastili (Pauline Herman Photography)

Kelly Mitchley had a treble on the Fairvew poly today.

Apprentice Nirvan Nastili and trainer Gavin Smith both had individual doubles.

Mitchley is now on 70 wins for the season at 10.51%.

Smith is on 121 wins at 11.85% and is now just three wins behind arch rival Alan Greeff in the race for the East Cape Championship.

Nastili is now on 15 wins at 5.86%.

Bown Jack won at the Royal Ascot meeting for seven years running and won one particular Royal Ascoty race, the Queen Alexandra Stakes – the longest race in the flat racing calendar – for six years running, from 1929 to 1934.

He is probably the most popular horse in Ascot history as was evidenced by the mass outpouring of emotions he caused when winning the Queen Alexandra Stakes for a sixth successive time in 1934.

Brown Jack was also associated with a great and popular jockey, Steve Donoghue.

Horseman Supreme Donoghue loved Brown Jack like no other horse and Brown Jack loved Donoghue.

It was fitting that during their final photo shoot Brown Jack pushed his head forward and licked the ten-times champion jockey’s face from ear to ear.

Brown Jack reversed a normal trend because he started his career as a hurdler.

He failed to elicit a single bid at the Goffs Sale of 1925.

Bred by George Webb in Ireland he was purchased as a backward three-year-old in training by the Hon. Aubrey Hastings with the aim of winning the Champion Hurdle for his patron Sir Harold Wernher.

He started his jumps career at a little known Bournemouth track and was viewed with a lack of interest bordering on contempt by the lads in the yard.

However, he soon proved them wrong and progressed so well through that season he arrived at Cheltenham in 1928 as the 4/1 favourite for the Champion Hurdle and won it within seven months of jumping his first hurdle.

Donoghue was watching the race and declared to trainer Hastings , “He will win on the flat and I will ride him.”

Hastings took Donoghue’s word for it and that was the horse’s last hurdles race.

Within three months of the Champion Hurdle win he carried 7 stone 13 pounds to victory in the Ascot Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting.

In 1929 he was beaten a short-head in the Ascot Stakes by Old Orkney but three days later he took part in the Royal Ascot meetings traditionally longest race, the Queen Alexandra Stakes over two miles and six furlongs, and won it.

Aubrey Hastings had unfortunately passed away in May that year and the reins of his Wroughton stable were taken over by assistant Ivor Anthony.

In 1930 Brown Jack was unplaced in the Ascot Stakes but once again won the Queen Alexandra three days later, beating his old rival Old Orkney.

This pattern was repeated in 1931.

His popularity by then was already immense and the reception he received could be compared to a Derby winner.

In 1932 he ran unplaced in the Gold Vase before winning his fourth Queen Alexandra.

In 1933 the yard gave him just one Royal Ascot task and he won the Queen Alexandra for a fifth time.

He was ten-year-olds when he arrived at Royal Ascot for the seventh time in 1934.

He was odds against for the first time in the Queen Alexandra and at one stage 3/1 was available.

The Evening Standard had summed up his popularity with the simple headline on all of their banners, “Brown Jack Today”.

Ivor Anthony was too nervous to watch the race and sat in the paddock under a tree.

The race was an epic.

Brown Jack and Solarium drew clear in the straight.

Slowly, inch by inch and then foot by foot, Brown Jack forged to the front to cheers that had never before been heard in Royal Ascot history.

The scenes afterwards were also unprecedented.

Grown men wept unashamedly whilst reserved old ladies gathered their skirts and ran to the unsaddling enclosure.

A myriad hats were thrown in the air.

Steve Donoghue stated “Never will I forget the roar of the crowd as long as I live. Ascot or no Ascot they went mad. All of my six Derby wins faded before the reception that was awaiting Jack and myself. I don’t think I was ever so happy in my life”.

Frankie’s Magnificent Seven is likely the only Ascot scene that has matched it.

Brown Jack’s seventh success at Royal Ascot was a fitting end to a remarkable career which also included a Doncaster Cup and a win and four seconds in the Goodwood Cup.

Brown Jack, gelded as a yearling, was kind and full of character.

He was lazy on the gallops and reportedly spent most of his time at home dosing and enjoyed cheese sandwiches.

But he was like a lion on the racecourse.

Source: Julian Wilson’s 100 Greatest Racehorses. 

Picture: Brown Jack and Steve Donoghue, British folk heroes (thoroughbredancestry.com).