El Dante crosses the line ahead of Birthright, but not before carrying him across half the width of the racetrack (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

There was a raised eyebrow or two after an objection lodged by S’Manga Khumalo on behalf of his Alec Laird-trained mount Birthright at Hollywoodbets Greyville today (Wednesday) was overruled.

Birthright is a big horse and led into the straight before being overtaken by the MJ Odendaal-trained El Dante, who slipped down his inside under Athandiwe Mgudlwa.

However, Birthright then fought back but was never able to fully extend into his big stride because he was being continuously carried out and was bumped off balance once or twice.

Just before the line Khumalo even had to stop riding with El Dante not relenting in his outward shift.

Most horsemen would have regarded an upheld decision as automatic, because even under those circumstances Birthright was only beaten 0,30 lengths.

The sequence of photographs below show just how far Birthright was carried accross the course and the video replay confirms he was bumped off balance at least once.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE REPLAY

One has to ask how much more interference must there be before an objection is upheld?

Alec Laird often brings horses down to KZN at this time of the year because of the superior grass at Summerveld compared to the Highveld and the racecourses are also more forgiving than the Highveld’s at this time of the year too.

He does it especially in the case of a horse like Birthright, who had not raced since December last year.

He would rather come down to KZN and get the horse going than having to wait for the rains on the Highveld.

The most famous case in which Laird came down to KZN to take advantage of the superior conditions down here at this time of the year was in 1995 with a horse called London News. This son of Durban July winner Bush Telegraph had made an inauspicious debut on the Highveld, beaten 16,50 lengths in a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m at the Vaal in June. He ran a fair fourth over 1200m at Clairwood in his KZN debut, then won by 4,5 lengths when stepped up to 1600m at Scottsville and he went on to win the Dingaans by 5,40 lengths, the Gr 1 Adminstrators Classic by 7,25 lengths, the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 by 4,20 lengths in course record time, the Durban July, the Queen’s Plate, the Met and the QE II Cup in Hong Kong.

The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Khaya Stables homebred Gimmthegreenlight colt Green With Envy was one of seven twice Gr 1 winners during the season (Picture: Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Sarah Whitelaw

During the past South African season, 29 Grade One races were contested, and won by 22 different horses. No horse won more than two Grade One races each last season, with a total of seven horses landing a brace of Grade One races in South Africa in the 2023-2024 racing season. All of Beach Bomb, Dave The King, Gimme A Nother, Green With Envy, Purple Pitcher, Quid Pro Quo and Royal Victory won two Grade Ones each.

Gimmethegreenlight, South Africa’s Champion Sire for the past two seasons running and Champion Sire in three of the past four seasons, dominated Grade One action in South Africa last season. The son of More Than Ready was responsible for five individual Grade One winners (Gimme A Nother, Green With Envy, Lucky Lad, Proceed, VJ’s Angel), and his offspring claimed a total of seven G1 features in the 2023-2024 racing season. In other words, Gimmethegreenlight sired runners won nearly 25% of the Grade One races contested in South Africa last season.

Yet another feather in the cap of Gimmethegreenlight is that each of his Grade One winners of last season were produced by mares sired by a different stallion, with Gimme A Nother out of a mare by Tiger Ridge, Green With Envy a son of the Galileo mare Miss Coco, Lucky Lad produced by a daughter of Caesour, Gold Medallion winner Proceed out of a Captain Al daughter and VJ’s Angel produced by the Oratorio mare Tally-Ho.

Drakenstein Stud, whose alumni won eight Grade One races in 2022-2023, had another fantastic spell last season in 2023-2024. The farm bred and owned four Grade One winners of five Grade One races in 2023-2024, namely Beach Bomb, Charles Dickens, Silver Sanctuary and Snow Pilot. Beach Bomb and Snow Pilot were both sired by Drakenstein’s much missed Lancaster Bomber, while the now retired Charles Dickens was sired by Drakenstein’s former champion sire Trippi, and Silver Sanctuary by the late, great Silvano.

Dynasty mares also played a big part in Drakenstein’s Grade One success last season, with Beach Bomb out of the Dynasty sired dual Equus Champion and five time G1 winner Beach Beauty, while Charles Dickens is out of the Dynasty’s G2 Ipi Tombe Challenge winning daughter Demanding Lady.

With Demanding Lady named Equus Champion Broodmare for 2022-2023, Beach Beauty looks well poised to emulate her paternal half-sister and gain Champion Broodmare honours.

ROYAL VICTORY
Pathfork -Kailani
Grade One wins: Betway Summer Cup, World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge
Breeder: Dr Marianne Thomson, Ambiance Stud

BEACH BOMB
Lancaster Bomber-Beach Beauty
Grade One wins: World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas, Cartier Paddock Stakes
Breeder: Drakenstein Stud

SNOW PILOT
Lancaster Bomber -Snowdance
Grade One wins: Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas
Breeder: Drakenstein Stud

CHARLES DICKENS
Trippi-Demanding Lady
Grade One wins: L’Ormarins King’s Plate
Breeder: Drakenstein Stud

DYCE
William Longsword -Beshaayir
Grade One wins: World Pool Cape Flying Championship
Breeder: Titanium Racing

PRINCESS CALLA
Flower Alley- Princess Royal
Grade One wins: City Of Cape Town Majorca Stakes
Breeder: Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd

DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE
Twice Over -Come Fly With Me
Grade One wins: World Sports Betting Cape Town Met
Breeder: Patricia Devine Investments (Pty) Ltd

GREEN WITH ENVY
Gimmethegreenlight -Miss Coco
Grade One wins: SplashOut Cape Derby, Daily News 2000
Breeder: Khaya Stables

GIMME A NOTHER
Gimmethegreenlight -Nother Russia
Grade One wins: Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, TAB Empress Club Stakes
Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein

PURPLE PITCHER
New Predator -Heliantha
Grade One wins: TAB SA Classic, TAB SA Derby
Breeder: Bush Hill Stud

MAIN DEFEDER
Pathfork -Alessia
Grade One wins: Wilgerbosdrift H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes
Breeder: Jagessar Limited

THUNDERSTRUCK
Rafeef-Varikate
Grade One wins: Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint
Breeder: Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm

QUID PRO QUO
Lance -Delightfull Diva
Grade One wins: Allan Robertson Championship, Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes
Breeder: Gerald Kalil

PROCEED
Gimmethegreenlight -Xplosive Kiss
Grade One wins: Gold Medallion
Breeder: Laurence Wernars

OCTOBER MORN
Trippi -Miss October
Grade One wins: South African Fillies Sprint
Breeder: Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm and David Abery

LUCKY LAD
Gimmethegreenlight -Imperial State
Grade One wins: Golden Horse Sprint
Breeder: Varsfontein Stud

SILVER SANCTUARY
Silvano -My Sanctuary
Grade One wins: Tabgold Woolavington 2000
Breeder: Drakenstein Stud

DAVE THE KING
Global View -Touche
Grade One wins: Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, The HKJC Champions Cup
Breeder: Gary Player Stud (Pty) Ltd

ORIENTAL CHARM
Vercingetorix -Souk
Grade One wins: Hollywoodbets Durban July
Breeder: Cheveley Stud

HUMDINGER
What A Winter -Himalayan Hill
Grade One wins: Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes
Breeder: Ridgemont Highlands

VJ’S ANGEL
Gimmethegreenlight -Tally Ho
Grade One wins: World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes
Breeder:Varsfontein Stud

SURJAY
Vercingetorix -Something Of Value
Grade One wins: Mercury Sprint
Breeder: The Estate of the Late Dr Jim Antrobus

Gareth van Zyl with two of the connections of Vihaan’s Bomb after the Lancaster Bomber gelding had won for the fourth time in succession. Vihaan’s Bomb has a Cape Town staying race campaign ahead of him. (Candiese Lenferna Photography) 

Gareth van Zyl, fresh from regaining his KZN Champion Trainer crown,  opened a satellite yard in Cape Town in July last year and said at the time  his long term vision was to become a Cape trainer.

However, a year down the line he admitted it would make no business sense to continue to pursue that vision.

He said, “Cape Town hasn’t taken off like I’d hoped. I have a significant market presence in KZN and an insignificant one in Cape Town, so from a business perspective they are two very different entities.”

He continued, “We’re fully intent on having a better Cape summer season than we had last year and that is our immediate focus now. We’ll bring a couple of horses to Cape Town that can hopefully put us on a more positive footing.”

Two of the horses he mentioned who will be making the trek to Cape Town are Flag Man and Vihaan’s Bomb.

Gareth mentioned both of those horses in the highlights package of his KZN Championship winning season.

He said, “Flag Man’s run in the Daily News 2000 was probably the highlight as it was where he proved he’s a proper weight for age horse. Winning four in a row with Vihaan’s bomb was awesome too.”

His highlight in Cape Town was the two wins of the promising The United States gelding Riverstone.

Riverstone finished unplaced over 1100m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, but it followed a five month layoff and Gareth said. “He needed the run and he went too hard.”

38-year-old Van Zyl took out his own license in 2016, with his first runner on October 28 of that year being a winner, and he won his first KZN championship in the 2021/2022 season.

The Frankel own-sister to exceptional Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and six-time Group 1 winner Alpinista (pictured above) will be offered at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale

The flagship Tattersalls yearling sale has attracted a truly outstanding collection of the finest yearlings to be found anywhere in the world, including 21 yearlings by DUBAWI, 25 by FRANKEL, 26 by KINGMAN, 29 by LOPE DE VEGA, 26 by NIGHT OF THUNDER, 17 by NO NAY NEVER, 22 by SEA THE STARS, 10 by SIYOUNI, and 23 by WOOTTON BASSETT.

The catalogue features own or half-brothers and sisters to a remarkable 45 Classic and Group 1 winners and 219 Group/Listed winners. The peerless FRANKEL earned a second Champion sire title in 2023 and has an exceptional collection of yearlings catalogued, led by the own sister to the outstanding Arc and six-time Group 1 winner ALPINISTA. She will be joined by the own brother to dual Classic winner HURRICANE LANE and colts out of Classic and Group/Grade 1 winners BEAUTY PARLOUR, BLOND ME, PRETTY POLLYANNA, SEAL OF APPROVAL and URBAN FOX, as well as the filly first foal out of dual Group 1 winner WONDERFUL TONIGHT.

Other outstanding pedigrees among the FRANKEL sired lots include the colt out of Listed winner ONASSIS, the half-sister to Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner LINE OF DUTY out of 1000 Guineas runner up JACQUELINE QUEST, the filly out of Listed winner SHE’S GOT YOU, a half-sister to Group/Grade 1 winning siblings WITHOUT PAROLE and TAMARKUZ, and fillies out of Group 2 winners ALJAZZI and PRIZE EXHIBIT.

A single Champion sire’s title in 2022 does little justice to DUBAWI’s perennial brilliance and the leading sire has an equally outstanding group of yearlings catalogued with the colt first foals out of Group 1 winners GLASS SLIPPERS, LADY BOWTHORPE, LOVING DREAM and SNOW LANTERN amongst his representatives. They will be joined by colts out of own-sisters to seven-time Group 1 winner HIGHLAND REEL and to three-time Group 1 winner ALICE SPRINGS, both bred on the famed DUBAWI – GALILEO cross.

Regally bred fillies catalogued by DUBAWI include half-sisters to the multiple Group/Grade 1 winners RIZEENA and UNI, as well as daughters of the Group 2 winner WALDLIED, the half-sister to Arc winner and European Champion WALDGEIST, the Group 2 winner JUST WONDERFUL, a great granddaughter of the blue hen URBAN SEA, and FEMINISM, the SHAMARDAL half-sister to 1000 Guineas winner MAWJ and French 2000 Guineas winner MODERN GAMES, both European Champions.

Curragh 20-7-24
You Got To Me and Hector Crouch win the Juddmonte Irish Oaks (Group 1)
(Healy Racing)2024 Group 1 Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me was purchased for 200,000 guineas at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale

Other European Champions with siblings catalogued include the four-time Group 1 winner CRACKSMAN and three-time Group 1 winning sprinter PERFECT POWER, who have half-brothers catalogued by PALACE PIER and MEHMAS respectively. The NEW BAY half-brother to eight-time Group 1 winner ROMANTIC WARRIOR and the TOO DARN HOT half-brother to three-time Grade 1 winner PROGRAM TRADING are among other siblings to global stars catalogued, alongside half-brothers to winners of the English, Irish and French 2000 Guineas in CHALDEAN, MAC SWINEY and MARHABA YA SANAFI. They will be joined by own-brothers to Group/Grade 1 winners MINZAAL, VICTORIA ROAD and this year’s Tattersalls Gold Cup victor WHITE BIRCH.

Beautifully bred fillies include the PINATUBO filly out of the emerging blue hen REEM THREE, the dam of Group 1 winners TRIPLE TIME and AJMAN PRINCESS and the granddam of this season’s star Group 1 winning performers ROSALLION and INISHERIN. Another outstanding broodmare with a daughter catalogued is CABARET, whose SIYOUNI filly is the own-sister to dual European Champion ST MARK’S BASILICA and the half-sister to 2000 Guineas winner MAGNA GRECIA. SIYOUNI will also be represented by a half-sister to Group 1 winner YLANG YLANG, and they will be joined by the DARK ANGEL own sister to this year’s Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes winner CHARYN and half-sisters to Classic and Group 1 winners including AL HUSN, BARNEY ROY, DALIKA, DUBAI HONOUR, EMILY UPJOHN, GOLDEN HORDE, LUCKY VEGA, ONESTO, POPTRONIC, PROSPEROUS VOYAGE, SEA SILK ROAD and SUBJECTIVIST.

An impressive 20 Classic and Group/Grade 1 winning mares have yearlings catalogued including the Oaks winners ANAPURNA who has a filly by KINGMAN, who will also be represented by a filly out of the GALILEO own sister to Classic winners EMPRESS JOSEPHINE, TUESDAY and MINDING, herself the dam of Group 1 winner HENRY LONGFELLOW, and a colt out of Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner PERSUASIVE.

Multiple Group 1 winning racemares THE FUGUE and SPEEDY BOARDING have colts catalogued by TOO DARN HOT and PALACE PIER respectively, and leading French sire SIYOUNI’s representatives include colts out of the Classic winner TEPPAL and Group 1 winner MADAME CHIANG. Top Irish-based stallion WOOTTON BASSETT has colts catalogued out of sisters to the Arc winning European Champions FOUND and DANEDREAM, as well as a filly out of a half-sister to the Group 1 winnings siblings NATHANIEL, PLAYFUL ACT and GREAT HEAVENS.

Three-time US Grade 1 winner Program Trading was a 250,000 guineas Tattersalls Book 1 purchase

Well over a third of the yearlings catalogued are by the top ten sires currently standing in Europe and devotees of first season sires are also well catered for with a strong cohort of freshmen represented including Group 1 winners LUCKY VEGA, PALACE PIER, SPACE BLUES, STARMAN, ST MARK’S BASILICA and SUPREMACY. Several of the standout young sires of recent seasons are strongly representated with 16 lots catalogued by BLUE POINT, 8 by HAVANA GREY and 17 by TOO DARN HOT.

The largest draft comes from last year’s leading consignor Newsells Park Stud who will offer 27 yearlings, followed by the Castlebridge Consignment with 22 and Baroda Stud who have 19 lots catalogued. Hascombe & Valiant Stud, consignor of the top lot in 2023, will consign a five strong draft of colts including the CRACKSMAN half-brother to last year’s top lot out of BIZZARRIA.

Commenting on the catalogue for Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said;

“There is a simple reason that Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale holds its status as Europe’s premier yearling sale and that is because year after year it produces the highest percentage of superior racehorses of any European yearling sale. It is a sale that produces stallions and breed shaping broodmares like no other and the 2024 catalogue has the abundance of Europe’s finest yearlings that the leading buyers from throughout the world have come to expect. The combination of the best British and Irish yearlings and the hugely rewarding £25,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonuses available to every Book 1 yearling is a compelling package and the catalogue for Book 1 of the 2024 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale truly lives up to the sale’s unrivalled position as Europe’s premier yearling sale.”

The catalogue is online now at www.tattersalls.com and will be available from Tattersalls and Tattersalls representatives from Wednesday, 21st August.

£25,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus Scheme

Participating owners will receive a £25,000 bonus if their 2024 October Book 1 purchase wins a Class 2, 3 or 4 two year old Maiden or Novice race in Britain run between 29 March 2025 and 8 November 2025 or any ‘Open’ two year old Maiden run in Ireland between 16 March 2025 and 2 November 2025. The cost to enter the £25,000 Tattersalls October ‘Book 1 Bonus’ Scheme will be a single payment of £2,000 and the number of qualifying British and Irish two year old maiden and novice races is greater than 300.

All yearlings sold, bought in or failing to meet their reserve at Book 1 of the 2024 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale will be eligible for the huge bonuses which looks set to provide even more incentives for owners and trainers to buy at Europe’s premier yearling sale.

Download: October Yearling Sale, Book 1 Catalogue

Tattersalls
Upcoming Sales

September 2 – 3, 2024

Somerville Yearling Sale

September 10, 2024

September Sale

October 8 – 10, 2024

October Yearling Sale, Book 1

Contact details

Jimmy George
Marketing Director

T +44 (0) 1638 665931
jimmy.george@tattersalls.com
Jason Singh
Marketing Manager

T +44 (0) 1638 665931
jason.singh@tattersalls.com

Regarded as the most picturesque racecourse in Australia, Broome Turf Club is less than a 10-minute drive from one of the country’s best beaches, Cable Beach. The red dirt track has a circumference of 1800m and a 380m straight, but it’s obviously the glorious ocean backdrop that makes this racetrack so special.

Broome is a town on the northern coast of Western Australia. It is just over 2000km away from Perth.

Below is a picture taken on Broome Cup day. The Broome Cup is the most popular winter event at the course and this year it takes place on August 24.

Ubukhwebezana (Vercingetorix) gives national log-leading jockey Sean Veale his eighth win of the season and gives trainer MJ Odendaal a double on the day (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Keagan de Melo, Athandiwe Mgudlwa and MJ Odendaal all had individual doubles on the Hollywoodbets Greyville turf today (Wednesday).

De Melo is on a working holiday from Hong Kong.

He has had three wins since he’s been here and two of them have fallen in the new racing season.

Mgudlwa opened his account for the season today so is on two wins.

Odendaal also opened his account and is also on two wins.

The racemeeting held on June 1 1953 at Greyville was part of the Durban celebrations to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, which happened on June 2, 1953. The feature event was called the Queen’s Coronation Cup. The picture above the question is of Frankie Dettori holding the Coronation Stakes trophy, an annual race at the Royal Ascot meeting.