Rachel Venniker draped in the South African flag after winning the opening race at the Shergar Cup on Holkham Bay. Photo: Megan Coggin

Hayley Turner takes Silver Saddle for third time but only after a countback as an inspired Rachel Venniker puts in a world class performance

Thrilling finale saw Turner denying Venniker a famous achievement by the bob of a head

With Rachel Venniker winning the opening Dash on Holkham Bay, four of the six winners in the Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday were partnered by either the Ladies Team or the all-women Rest Of The World team.

“This is a beautiful track to ride on, and to ride the first winner is more than I could have hoped for,” commented Venniker;

“I am so proud I’ve won a race here. What a remarkable feeling. So fantastic to have everyone here I know and spring up a winner; I’m over the moon. It is nice to make South Africa proud and the boss [Michael Roberts] proud.”

In February Venniker rode in a Jockeys Challenge in Saudi Arabia, winning the US$400 000 Invest Saudi International Jockeys Challenge Stakes, so it the second time she has gone overseas and the second time she has made South Africa proud.

That is in addition to two apprentice championships in South Africa, the milestone achievements of over 100 wins in the 2022/2023 season, riding in SA’s greatest race, the Hollywoodbets Durban July, riding a third place finish in Cape Town’s greatest race, the WSB Met, and winning a triple crown race, the Gr 2 WSB Gauteng Guineas.

On Saturday she came within a headbob of landing the Silver Saddle, an award which boasts such big names as Frankie Dettori, Pat Eddery, Kieren Fallon, Hugh Bowman, Gerald Mosse, Richard Hughes, Jamie Spencer, Emma-Jane Wilson, Silvestre De Souza andf Hayley Turner.

After a win in the first leg followed by a sixth, a fifth and a second, Rachel led the points standings for the Silver Saddle going into the last race.

She sat in last place on the Michael Bell-trained 4/1 shot Carrytheone in the one mile event, before extracting a scything run to move into a clear third place.

It looked as if she had done enough to win the Silver Saddle, because Hayley Turner looked booked for second place on the 100/30 favourite New Image as Joanna Mason on the pacemaker Yantardi was still going well in front.

However, Turner extracted a late lunge from New Image and the Frankel gelding got up on the headbob.

That meant Hayley Turner had claimed the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle for a third time.

Both jockeys ended the competition with 35 points, but Turner’s two winners on the day to Rachel’s one saw the captain of the Ladies team receive the leading jockey award on a countback, adding to her successes in 2018 and 2019.

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary wrote about Turner’s affinity with the Shergar Cup:

The most successful jockey in the history of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup has now ridden 11 winners at the meeting, three more than her nearest rival, and amassed 357 points during her 17 appearances.

“It’s so nice,” said Turner. “I’ve got three Silver Saddles now and Alistair Haggis was a big inspiration for getting the girls involved in the Shergar Cup, so it means a lot.

“Alistair Haggis was actually the reason that the girls started on the Shergar Cup teams,” she went on. “When I started there were two teams and Alistair suggested that each team had a girl, so Emma-Jayne [Wilson] represented the Rest of the World and I represented Great Britain and Ireland.”

“Since then, it has just snowballed. Obviously, Alistair is not with us now, but he played a key part in all the Shergar Cup victories I’ve had.”

“It’s always such a fun event,” added Turner, who also won the Stayers’ on Ranch Hand.

“It’s great as everyone gets involved and it’s a really light, fun atmosphere. It’s great and something a bit different. The team was so much fun. I really enjoyed their company and everyone rode so well. We’ve got wristbands for the concert as well – I probably won’t be getting home early tonight!”

New Image needed every yard of the Round Mile to deny Yantarni and Joanna Mason in the final stride, with Rest of the World’s Rachel Venniker taking third on Carrytheone.

The one-two was enough for the Ladies team to score for the fifth time since an all-female team was introduced in 2012.

“It’s brilliant to be part of the winning team,” said Mason.

“Obviously Hayley has had a fantastic day, riding two winners. It’s something a bit different, but the girls have come out on top and have actually won a lot of the races today, which just shows that stereotypes are going out the window and women jockeys are coming to the fore.”

“It’s a brilliant day, and nice to be in a team and have such good camaraderie.”

Marie Velon, who also represented the Ladies, said: “It’s such an honour to be here on the Ladies team and I’m so happy that we have won again. It’s wonderful for me.”

This year’s Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup was the first to feature an all-female Rest of the World team, in addition to the Ladies team, and women jockeys rode a record-equalling four wins on the card, matching 2023’s total.

Rachel King, who captained the Rest of the World, received the Ride of the Day Award for her win on the Alan King-trained Insanity in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge.

King said: “It’s been a good, fun day and definitely a different kind of atmosphere. It’s been really good to compete and to get a winner made it even better as well.

“It was good to team up with Alan King, who is obviously my old boss from a few years ago, and he and the owners gave me a good bit of confidence before the race. It panned out perfectly, really. They did go pretty quick early, which probably suited my horse, and he had to be a little bit tough late. He probably doesn’t find a huge amount off the bridle, but he stuck his nose out when it counted.”

Also on the mark were young tyro Billy Loughnane, who took the Sprint on potential Pattern-class performer Jarraaf, and multiple German champ Bauyrzhan Murzabayev, who won the Classic on 12-1 shot Going Remote.

“Winning at Ascot is very special for me,” said the Kazakh. “Royal Ascot is a very special meeting. l like English racing and I follow it. It is one of my favourites. I have not ridden here much and for me it is very sweet.”

Michael Roberts spoke after the event about his pride in his stable jockey Venniker.

He said, “”Ascot is not an easy track, but Rachel rode it like a pro. She carried all the advice out to perfection and she made us all proud today. She also received some very nice accolades from my friends in the UK.”

Roberts was an eleven-time SA champion jockey and in 1992 became only the sixth non-British or Irish jockey to land the UK Flat Racing championship, so he is obviously a good one to consult about the ins and outs of riding Ascot.

One Too Many (far side) holds on by a whisker to land a Bloemfontein punter a windfall R880,000. (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Nirvan Nastili has proved the words of Paddy Wynne about his continual improvement correct as he has had five wins already this season despite having lost his 4kg claim and none of those wins were more significant than the one aboard the Kumaran Naidoo-trained six-year-old What A Winter gelding One Too Many at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday as it netted a Bloemfontein punter a cool R880,000.

Had the punter been watching he would have had to endure an agonising half-a-minute or so, because it was impossible to tell in real time whether One Too Many had held on or not.

It was only the slow motion replay that confirmed commentator Sheldon Peters’ opinion that the 9/2 shot had held on to be correct.

One Too Many had opened as 28/10 favourite but had drifted out in the face of money for the Rafeef gelding Rhythm, whom One Too Many had thrashed by 4,80 lengths in their previous meeting on the poly.

However, One Too Many at last proved he was just as good on turf under a fine front-running ride by Nastili.

It was the gelding’s sixth career win, but his first on turf since winning on debut at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on 19 September, 2021.

The successful Hollywoodbets Punters Challenge player had picked all eight winners and as he was the only one of 11,231 Punters Challenge players on the day to do so, he scooped the whole of the R880,000 prize.

He would have collected double that amount had he put R50 or more on the Punters Challenge bet option.

The Jackpot amount is worked out by the number of runners on the day multiplied by R10,000.

The R880,000 prize saw the total Punters Challenge payouts given by Hollywoodbets surpassing the R30 million mark.

“Trip2Cairo” is a retired SANDF military man.

He said he  would seriously consider outlaying the minimum R50 bet in the free-to-play challenge going forward.

Asked by the Sporting Post  how he generally made his selections, Trip2Cairo conceded that as a fairly novice player – he only found his passion for horseracing in 2023 – he relied on an element of luck and some basic form study.

He said, “I don’t spend a lot of time on it. And I didn’t even follow the racing today. When I got the call, I was stunned. Thanks to Hollywoodbets for giving me this opportunity at a lifechanger,” added the father of two, who declared that he would be using the windfall wisely and buying himself a new car, while also helping his family.

The Punters Challenge has been a wonderful innovation.

Firstly, it can provide an interest in a race meeting free of charge.

Taking all the bets is affordable and can lead to some good payouts even if the punter falls short of winning the Jackpot prize.

For an 8 race meeting taking all of the bets with a R1 unit amount requires an outlay of R172. The bet will consist of eight single wins, eight single places, 28 Doubles, 56 Trebles, 70 Quads, one all to come on wins and one all to come on places.

Over and above the premier aim of finding all the winners, daily prize money of R5 000 for each of the scheduled race meetings will be shared by the top 20 players on the points leaderboard at the end of the day.

The winner will be awarded R2 000, with the runner-up R1 000 and the balance apportioned in terms of the published rules down to the 20th finisher.

These payouts are also doubled if the minimum R50 wager on the bet slip is taken!

The Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge is really easy to understand and to play.

All you need is a Hollywoodbets account and the choice is yours to either select one horse in each of the races at the designated race meeting or opt to make use of one of the ‘quick-pick’ options and take a chance!

For Hong Kong and Singapore racemeetings, the jackpot prize is as follows:

With 8 or 9 races carded and completed R125 000 (or R250 000 with a betslip minimum of R50) or with 10 or more races carded and completed, R250 000 (or R500 000 with a betslip mimum of R50).

This Kommetdieding filly was born at Prosper Stud at 9 p.m last Thursday (Picture: Supplied)

Kommetdieding’s first foal was fittingly born on the farm where he himself was born and raised and where he stands today, Klawervlei Stud.

That happened on August 6 and was a nice-sized colt out of the Listed-winning Silvano mare Silver Holly.

However, there was always going to be interest in the names of the colourfully-named Kommetdieding’s foals and the first to have a name applied for is a filly born at Prosper Stud at 21H00 last Thursday.

This filly is out of the one-time winner by Visionaire, Intuitive, who is a half-sister to the Listed winner She’s A Pippa (Var).

The name applied for by stud owner Jikkie de Wet is “Hierkomsy.”

A very good choice of name and for the benefit of those who do not understand Afrikaans it literally means “Here she comes”.

The best context for the phrase to be used would be in a race, where a horse or athlete is bearing down on the leaders and looking to be the winner i.e “Hier kom sy!” (“Here she comes!”)

However, “Hier Kom” is also associated in Afrikaans with the mighty South African rugby team through the popular Leon Schuster song “Hier kom die Bokke” (Hie’ Kommie Bokke).

Kommetdieding literally means “Come with the thing”, but the actual meaning was explained at the height of the horse’s fame by his owner Ashwin Reynolds.

He explained, “It is Afrikaans slang among the Cape Flats coloured community and it means ‘Bring it on’ as in ‘I’m not scared, bring it on.'”

Ashwin gave the horse his name after being challenged to do so by a friend one day over a couple of drinks.

It is a name that added to the horse’s legend.

Kommetdieding went from being a R55,000 purchase at a Klawervlei Farm Sale, to being trained by the small yard of father and daughter combination Harold Crawford and Michelle Rix, to becoming only the seventh horse in history to win both the Durban July and the Met.

Gavin Lerena clinches his treble on Max The Magician, a fine return for just six rides on the day. (JC Photos)

Gavin Lerena appears to have lost his position as first call rider to Johan Janse van Vuuren.

However, that did not stop him riding a treble at Turffontein Standside on Saturday and outdoing the man who replaced him on Van Vuuren’s horses, Keagan de Melo.

The split appears to be between trainer and jockey and not owner and jockey because Lerena did ride for Van Vuuren’s chief client Laurence Wernars on the day, albeit on a Candice Dawson-trained horse.

De Melo was Van Vuuren’s chief rider before departing for Hong Kong.

This De Melo/Van Vuuren partnership started off Saturday well when the Laurence Wernars-homebred by Gimmthegreenlight, Bakwena, cruised in by six lengths on debut in a Maiden over 1000m. This promising filly is a half-sister to the Gr 2 winner Divine Odyssey (Oratorio) and to the promising Rise As One (Duke Of Marmalade).

Lerena won the third race on the Fabian Habib-trained odds on favourite Confederate. This big-actioned colt by Fire Away enjoyed the step up to 1400m and after leading from the off he drew away from the De Melo-ridden challenger High Queue in the straight to win as he liked. The Paul Matchett-trained Towers Of Gold could be one to follow too as he ran on well to beat High Queue for second place, although he was beaten 2,75 lengths by Confederate.

Lerena’s next ride was in the fifth and once again he got the better of De Melo. He was aboard the Stuart Pettigrew-trained Ideal World gelding Mount Darwin and relaxed himm beautifully in last place. He moved up well in the straight and fended off the Johan Janse Vuuren-trained De Melo-ridden 13/10 favourite Strewn Sky to win by 1,50 lengths.

Lerena’s final winner was on the Roy Magner-trained What A Winter gelding Max The Magician. He also brought this one from last place in the 1400m contest and his strong finish took care of Bob’s Your Uncle and the De Melo-ridden favourite Brave Viking, beating them by a length and 1,80 lengths respectively.

Lerena has seven rides at the Turffontein Inside meeting on Thursday and De Melo has five rides, three of them for Janse van Vuuren.

Luneluck is out on his own at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Act Of War’s progeny would have been seriously considered at sales this year by the shrewd and his name might be up in lights again soon through the Stuart Ferrie-trained Luneluck, who is owned and was bred by a man who knows all about feature race success, Eric Buhr.

Luneluck was thrown into the deep end on debut when entered in the Camargue Stud KZN Breeders Juvenile Plate over 1200m on the poly.

He showed pace that day until the 300m mark, but then faded  out to finish in sixth place, beaten 17,30 lengths by the useful DantonfromSandton.

That was hardly an inspiring debut, but DantondfromSandton did go on to finish second in the Gr 2 @WorldPool Twitter Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m.

Luneluck was backed in from 14/1 to 11/2 on Sunday for a Maiden Plate over 1200m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville turf and in-form jockey Sean Veale made no mistake from a good draw of two.

The gelding showed good gatespeed and early pace and led from the off.

The strongly built chestnut showed an exceptional turn of foot in the straight to run away with it, winning by 4,40 lengths.

Veale said afterwards the yard had actually thought he would win on debut, but explained he knew he was in trouble going down that day, because Luneluck was terribly green and “didn’t know where he was.”

Veale said the horse had improved since that run and added, “I had a gameplan and knew if  he flies the gates and has it his own way, he will take a power of beating.”

Luneluck looks to have a promising future.

Act Of War made a fine start to his stud career with two Gr 1 winners among other good performers in his first crop.

He has not had much success with subsequent crops and has therefore not attracted much interest at the sales.

However, what people forget about him is that a sire without grandiose expectations is usually supported in his first season before the support dwindles and it only rises again if his first crop or two of racers did well.

Act Of War’s number of mares decreased dramatically from crop one to crop three.

However, the success of his daughter War Of Athena happened in the 2020/2021 season, meaning the support would have started up again.

The resultant foals from that renewed support would have been on this year’s BSA National Yearling Sale.

The shrewd might have taken a chance on him there.

They might be looking at his 13 lots at the BSA August Two-year-old Sale next week too.

Luneluck himself was on last year’s BSA KZN Yearling Sale and Eric Buhr had to go to R420,000 to buy him back.

Sean Veale being led in on the MJ Odendaal-trained Hollywood Syndicate-owned The Tobacconist after clinching his double on Sunday. Veale leads the national jockeys championship with 14 wins, Hollywood lead the national owners championship with stakes earned from 8 wins already and Odendaal leads the KZN Trainers Championship with three wins. (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Sean Veale scored a double at Sunday’s Hollywoodbets Greyville meeting to maintain his early lead in the national championship. His 14 wins this season is five more than second-placed Muzi Yeni with Gavin Lerena in third place on seven.

Veale has been Richard Fourie’s substitute for the powerful Alan Greeff yard.

Fourie is on a deserved holiday at present following his record-breaking 2023/2024 season in which he set a mark of 377 wins which is likely to stand for many years.

Fourie is unlikely to keep up as taxing a schedule as he had last year, but is nevertheless the favourite with Hollywoodbets to retain the championship.

Fourie did not appear to find his travel schedule last season too taxing and even cutting it in half will still give him the edge.

Muzi Yeni always goes all out every season and will be the likely danger.

However, Gavin Lerena is in fine form and if he finds himself in a good position he might start chasing it in the second half of the season.

The Hollywoodbets betting for the jockeys championship:

RICHARD FOURIE 9/10

MUZI YENI               6/1

GAVIN LERENA       8/1

CRAIG ZACKEY        8/1

CALVIN HABIB        8/1

SEAN VEALE             25/2

SMANGA KHUMALO 14/1

LUYOLO MXOTHWA  40/1

SERINO MOODLEY     40/1

GRANT VAN NIEKERK 67/1

ALDO DOMEYER          67/1

JP VAN DER MERWE 83/1

RACHEL VENNIKER 83/1

CHASE MAUJEAN      150/1

DENNIS SCHWARZ    150/1

ANY OTHER JOCKEY 150/1

Justin Snaith is the favourite with Hollywoodbets to win the trainers championship for the third time in succession.

Hollywoodbets betting:

JUSTIN SNAITH     Evens

SEAN TARRY            22/10

BRETT CRAWFORD  5

MIKE DE KOCK         25/2

TONY PETER              14/1

CANDICE BASS ROBINSON 20/1

ALAN GREEFF           83/1

GAVIN SMITH            83/1

ANY OTHER TRAINER 83/1

GLEN KOTZEN           100/1

J A JANSE VAN VUUREN  100/1

Lyle Hewitson winning aboard Peridot (Image: Racing Photos)

racing.com

Star Hong Kong-based jockey Lyle Hewitson is off the mark Down Under after riding his first winner at Pakenham on Monday.

The synthetic in winter may be a fair way off the bright lights of Sha Tin, but the talented hoop guided Peridot Star to a dominant 3.25-length victory for Phil Stokes.

Starting a $9 chance, Peridot Star gave his rivals a galloping lesson in a comfortable maiden win over 1100m.

“She’s a bit of a hot filly. She did get a bit worked up, but when the gates opened, she was the ultimate professional,” Hewitson said.

“I kind of thought after 200m, I had the race in my own hands. It was a bit of a steer job for me. I am really grateful.”

Hewitson has been in Australia for a week.

“I haven’t had too many rides. I understand it’s quite difficult,” he said.

“I’m grateful to someone like Mr Stokes and his team, who has given me this opportunity.”

Picture: Trainer Brian Cherry and jockey David Payne after the July win of Chimboraa in 1968.  

David Payne won the July as a jockey aboard Chimboraa in 1968 and as a trainer with In Full Flight in 1972.