First Direct Flight To The EU Set To Take Off
Cosmic Speed Is Highest Merit Rated Three-year-old
Cosmic Speed winning the Gr 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
The highest rated three-year-old in the country is Cosmic Speed and this is in spite of him not being a Gr 1 winner.
His rating of 116 can be compared to Sandringham Summit’s rating of 117 at this time last year and can be explained by the fact that he beat his Gr 1-winning Sean Tarry-trained stablemate Proceed by a comfortable 2,10 lengths in the Gr 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Proceed had previously beaten Cosmic Speed by 0,75 lengths when winning the Gr 1 Gold Medallion over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
Proceed had also won the Gr 3 Protea Stakes and his defeat in the Golden Horseshoe was not surprising as he was drawn a tough 14 compared to the draw two that Cosmic Speed enjoyed.
Proceed has been awarded a 114 merit rating.
Interestingly, the second highest rated three-year-old in the country is the MJ Odendaal-trained The Specialist, who was beaten 3,15 lengths into third in the Golden Horseshoe. He subsequently finished a 0,70 length second in the Gr 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes over 1600m to the Tony Peter-trained filly VJ’s Angel.
The Candice Dawson-trained Grand Crescendo, who was a 0,95 length third in the Champion Stakes is merit rated 114.
The crack Vaughan Marshall-trained One Stripe is merit rated 112.
His stablemate Lion Rampart was just a length behind him when they last met and he went on to obliterate a Listed field, so he is just one point lower than One Stripe on 111.
The Alec Laird-trained Gr 2 SA Nursery winner Fire Attack is also merit rated 111.
The Tarry-trained Legend Of Arthur, a twice winner who was fifth in the Champion Stakes, is also merit rated 111.
The Frank Robinson-trained Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes winner Cats Pajamas is merit rated 110.
The Candice Dawson-trained Truth, an easy winner of his first two starts before disappointing in two features in Durban, is on 110.
Those look to be the male three-year-olds rated 110 or above.
The highest rated three-year-old filly is the new darling of the SA turf, the Barend Botes-trained Quid Pro Quo, who is on 112.
VJ’s Angel is on 111 and looks to be the only other filly rated 110 or above. She received a gender allowance of 2,5kg when winning the Gr 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes, so is rated lower than some of the horses she beat.
Is "Harold" The Highest Rated Maiden Ever?
Winds Of Change (nicknamed “Harold” by part-owner Ravi Naidoo) runs a close second on debut to the useful Roman Agent in the Listed WSB Summer Juvenile Stakes (Picture: Wayne Marks)
The phrase “Winds Of Change” will be immediately associated by many South Africans with the “Winds Of Change” speech delivered by British prime minister Harold McMillan to the Parliament Of South Africa in February 1960 and Ravi Naidoo, a part-owner of the Mike and Adam Azzie-trained horse Winds Of Change, duly revealed that his nickname for the horse is “Harold.”
Winds Of Change is a What A Winter three-year-old colt bred by Drakenstein Stud and is owned by them in partnership with Yagan Nair and Ravi Naidoo’s Kalinga.
He is a half-brother to the Silvano Gr 1-winning siblings Safe Passage and Silver Sanctuary, being out of the Antonius Pius mare My Sanctuary, and he could well be the highest rated maiden in South African history as he has been given a merit rating of 107.
Winds Of Change made his debut at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in the Listed WSB Summer Juvenile Stakes over 1100m and running at level weights with his male contemporaries finished a 0,40 length second to the useful Roman Agent, who was winning for the second time.
In his next start he was at level weights with his male contemporaries again in the Gr 3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and he slammed Roman Agent by 3,95 lengths, but he was unable to match the classy One World colt One Stripe and finished runner up to him by 1,25 lengths.
“Harold” was 4/10 for his Highveld debut in a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m at the Vaal Classic track, but after a tardy start from a wide draw and then perhaps being sent for home too early, he was beaten half-a-length by the Sean Tarry-trained One World colt Don’t Cry For Me.
Next up Winds Of Change ran in the Gr 3 Protea Stakes over 1100m at Turffontein Standside and he finished a 1,30 length second to the classy Tarry-trained Gimmethegreenlight colt Proceed, although he was receiving 4,5kg. He had the like of Buffalo Storm Cody and DantonfromSandton behind him.
He then ran in the Gr 1 Gold Medallion over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and ran a 2,15 length third to Proceed with Cosmic Speed just 1,50 lengths in front of him.
In his final start of last season he ran in the Gr 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville and finished a 3,85 length fifth behind Cosmic Speed, Proceed, subsequent Gr 2 winner Cats Pajamas and subsequent Gr 1 runner up The Specialist.
Cosmic Speed is merit rated 116, The Specialist is 115 and Proceed is 114, while Cats Pajamas is 110, so it is not surprising Winds Of Change is as high as 107.
A couple of years back the Corrie Lensley-trained Admiral Kitten gelding Now I Got You ran second in the Gr 1 Gold Medallion in his second career start, having gone close in a juvenile plate on debut, and after another second in a Sales race and a fifth place in the Gr 1 Premiers Champion Stakes he was awarded a 105 merit rating by the handicappers.
The Sean Tarry-trained Cirillo was still a maiden after running close in a couple of Graded events, but was never given an official merit rating while still a maiden because he won his maiden as a two-year-old before ever running in a handicap.
It is hard to think of any other maidens who could have come close to being rated as high as 107.
* Alistair Cohen has messaged to correctly point out that after running third as a maiden in the Peermont Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup in 2020 the Tarry-trained Flying Carpet was awarded a MR of 108.
Gaynor Rupert comes up with some superbly creative names for the Drakenstein-breds and making a guess at how she came up with Winds Of Change one wonders whether his damsire Antonius Pius was the prompt.
Historically Antonius Pius was a good Roman Emperor, whose policies included the facilitation of franchisement for freed slaves, while Harold McMillan’s winds of change speech revealed a shift towards liberalising policies including a cessation of support for apartheid.
Resignation Of National Board Director Mr Motswasele Mogotsi
NHA Press Release
Mr Motswasele Mogotsi, a practising attorney for over 20 years in Johannesburg was appointed to the National Board of The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa (“the NHA”) as an Independent Director in terms of Clause 15.1.1 of the Constitution on 29 July 2021.
Mr Mogotsi has today tendered his resignation as a National Director of the NHA, including from all Committees, with effect from 19 August 2024 due to his professional commitments.
The Board of Directors of the NHA thanks Mr Motswasele for his valuable contribution to the NHA during his tenure as a Director and wishes him every success in his future endeavours.
The Nominations Committee shall commence the process for the appointment of a Director to fill the vacancy in due course.
Mr N Nalliah
Chairman
Three Horses Disqualified For Positive Tests
An overseas pre-race check on a horse (trainermagazine.com)
Daring Dash won a maiden recently on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly but has been disqualified from the race in terms of Rule 72.3.2, while Bjorn Ironside has also been disqualified from a Maiden he won and Lovegrass has been disqualified from a handicap she won, both of them also in terms of Rule 72.3.2.
Daring Dash and Bjorn Ironside do not become maidens again, despite the disqualification, and this is in terms of Rule 1.1.41.
The horses who finished second to them, Teriyaki and Bay Empire, will be awarded the winners’ cheque of those respective maidens and have now lost their maiden status.
Teriyaki was in fact due to run in a maiden tomorrow (Wednesday on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly) but should be scratched.
The runner up to Lovegrass, What A Tiger, will be awarded the winner’s cheque.
The details of the disqualifications are in the below two press releases:
Findings Of A Prohibited Substance Press Releases 13 August 2024:
The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa confirms the reported Prohibited Substance findings.
The presence of Acepromazine (Class 3) was disclosed upon analysis of specimens taken from:
- BJORN IRONSIDE after the running of the 3rd race at Turffontein Racecourse on 9 June 2024;
` and
- LOVEGRASS after the running of the 8th race at Turffontein Racecourse on 30 June 2024.
The Trainer responsible, Mr J A Janse van Vuuren, elected to sign Admissions of Guilt for both matters and was fined the amounts of R60 000 and R100 000, respectively.
Furthermore, in terms of Rule 72.3.2 both horses were disqualified from the respective races.
These findings will be recorded in the NHA Racing Calendar.
Azzies Can Score With Zanthar And Deception Pass
Zanthar (blue noseband) has been tipped to win race seven (JC Photos)
Jack Milner (Tab4Racing)
A number of Highveld trainers take the opportunity of raiding KwaZulu-Natal when racing is on the Polytrack for a couple of reasons.
There are some horses who battle when racing on the turf and could improve if taking a liking to the Polytrack. In addition, at this time of the year the Highveld tracks are very firm and the option of racing on the Polytrack appeals as they can be a lot more forgiving.
Having said that, the Highveld tracks have held up very well this winter, probably due to the lack of frost as a result of the warmer weather this year.
Mike and Adam Azzie have sent five horses to Hollywoodbets Greyville for Wednesday’s meeting on the Polytrack, and they look unlikely to come home empty handed.
The first runner comes up in Race 2, a Maiden Plate over 1400m, and if this four-year-old gelding takes to the Polytrack he will take a power of beating.
He has only raced six times and has not finished out of the placings.
This Ideal World-gelding was taken to the Western Cape where he ran a very respectable race at HWB Durbanville, finishing 3.20-lengths behind Tyrion Lannister who has gone on to run in the top division.
Deception Pass has confirmed his trainers’ high regard and has been most consistent.
His last three starts have seen him finishing in the runner-up position and it must be mentioned that the horses who beat him in his last two are above-average youngsters to whom he gave 4kg.
Importantly also, is that he shows good pace. While it was tough to fend off lightly weighted rivals on the Highveld, he could be hard to catch on the Polytrack.
Muzi Yeni gets the ride and it is worth noting that in his two starts aboard Deception Pass – his penultimate and ante-penultimate – the gelding was narrowly beaten in both.
He should be a banker in all bets.
Burning Man has also been expensive to follow, having run eight times for three seconds and a third. Those three runner-up spots were in his last three races and like Deception Pass, will try the Polytrack for the first time.
He contests Race 3, a Maiden Plate over 1900m, and Burning Man should also have a better chance of keeping up his high cruising speed on the surface.
The Glen Kotzen-trained gelding should have won by now. He built up a big lead before getting caught by Mike de Kock-trained Ingqwele over 1600m three starts back.
He should enjoy the additional distance this time and could give Yeni a quick double.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 4 Galactus, 1 Record High, 2 Mc Dazzler, Whereverilaymyhat, Doin’ Time
Race 2: 5 Deception Pass, 6 Turn Around, 9 Teriyaki, 8 Isikwishikwishi
Race 3: 2 Burning Man, 4 Bella’s Pablo, 5 Jupiter Hills, 1 Mishrah
Race 4: 5 Aberdeen, 6 Cupid’s Song, 7 Zakho, 2 Pirate Prince
Race 5: 1 Doctor’s Orders, 8 Way To Burn, 4 Linganomore, 2 Mystique Rouge
Race 6: 6 Zoombomber, 8 Secret Recipe, 11 L’Ultimo, 3 Bally Magic
Race 7: 6 Zanthar, 7 Preemptive Strike, 2 Mar Del Plata, 4 Soho Star
Race 8: 1 Vision Of Will, 7 Mac Hardy, 8 Drive By, 10 Arverni Princess
BEST BET
Race 2: 5 Deception Pass
VALUE BET
Race 5: 1 Doctor’s Orders
BEST SWINGER
Race 3 2×4
BIPOT
R144
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4
Leg 2: 5
Leg 3: 2
Leg 4: 5, 6, 7
Leg 5: 1, 2, 4, 8
Leg 6: 6, 8, 10, 11
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R243
Leg 1: 5
Leg 2: 2
Leg 3: 5, 6, 7
Leg 4: 1, 4, 8
Leg 5: 6, 8, 10
Leg 6: 2, 6, 7
Leg 7: 1, 7, 8
PICK 6
R2000
Leg 1: 2
Leg 2: 2, 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8
Leg 4: 3, 6, 8, 10, 11
Leg 5: 2, 4, 6, 7, 8
Leg 6: 1, 7, 8, 10
JACKPOT 1
R500
Leg 1: 2, 5, 6, 7
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8
Leg 3: 3, 6, 8, 10, 11
Leg 4: 2, 4, 6, 7, 8
JACKPOT 2
R500
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8
Leg 2: 3, 6, 8, 10, 11
Leg 3: 2, 4, 6, 7, 8
Leg 4: 1, 7, 8, 10
Top Trainers and Jockeys Gear Up for A Thrilling 2024/5 Racing Season
Champion trainer Justin Snaith believes he has not won enough Gr 1s so his focus this season is on the major features (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Charl Pretorius has written a most informative article in his Off The Record column which reveals all of the top trainers and jockeys ambitions for the 2024/2025 season.
Britney Wong To Break New Ground In Hong Kong Riding Ranks
Today’s Question
The above picture gives a clue to the answer.
What unusual race took place at Greyville on September 6, 1969?
Midweek FIELDS
Hollywoodbets Greyville poly, Wednesday
Today’s Question Answer
Picture: Double Eagle in one of the nine races he won at Greyville.
A match race between the top class sprinters Double Eagle and Jolly Drummer took place during the September 6 meeting at Greyville in 1969. Double Eagle had won the Gilbeys (Golden Horse Sprint) and the Durban Merchants that season and Jolly Drummer had won the Newbury Stakes. The respective owners AW James and Nick Limbouris each agreed to put up R1000 and the Durban Turf Club conributed a further R2000. The race was run between the 5th and 6th races. Both horses carried a weight of 126 pounds. The race proved to be a great attraction and was won by Double Eagle.
Double Eagle was by Joy II and Jolly Drummer was by Drum Beat.
It is thus interesting that the great seven times national champion sire Jet Master’s second dam was by Jolly Drummer and his third dam was by Joy II.
