Industry Buoyancy Maintained At BSA 2yo Sale
Lot 29 Torremolinos (Vercingetorix – Alboran Sea by Rock Of Gibraltar) sells for a sales topping R2,8-million on day 1 of the BSA August 2YO Sale, consigned by Wilgerbosdrift Stud Farm and sold to Rakesh Singh (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Day one of the BSA August Two-year-old Sale sees the positive energy in the industry being maintained with the average at R282,373 significantly up on the overall average of the Sale last year of 244,631. The overall aggregate by the end of day two will be well up on last year too.
The top lot was a Wilgerbosdrift Stud-bred colt by Vercingetorix out of the three-times Gr 1-winning sprinter and Equus Champion three-year-old filly Alboran Sea. He was bought by the original owner of Sandringham Summit, Rakesh Singh, for R2,8 million.
The colt is destined to be raced by Singh and Zane Kirtsen in the yard of Summerveld-based Tieinie Prinsloo.
Prinsloo, together with owner John Habib, was behind the purchase of the top class Main Defender, so has a proven eye at the sales.
Wilgerbosdrift also bred the second top lot, a colt by Buffalo Bill Cody out of four time-winning Tiger Ridge mare Indira, and that makes this colt a half-brother to the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery winner Maharanee and to the Gr 3 winner Marigold Hotel.
He was bought by prolific KZN owner Sid Moodley for R1.3 million and, like all of Sid Moodley’s horses, is likely to be trained by Summerveld-based Frank Robinson.
Robinson and Moodley also combined on the day for a win at Hollywoodbets Greyville with Master Of My Fate colt Inuitive Spirit.
Former Northern Cape Champion trainer Tienie Prinsloo is the man who astutely purchased the top-class Main Defender for R140 000 at the 2022 BSA Cape Yearling Sale, and he is now the proud and ‘absolutely thrilled’ conditioner of the magnificent Wilgerbosdrift-consigned Vercingetorix colt Torremolinos. Stanger-based businessman Rakesh Singh and Umdloti resident Zane Kirsten are two of his existing clients.
The man who won the trainer’s championship in the Diamond City years ago with R20 000, R40 000 and R80 000 purchases, is the literal sole survivor of the Flamingo Park trainers who relocated to the holiday province after the closure of the Northern Cape’s only racetrack in 2020.
Tienie Prinsloo told the Sporting Post on Thursday evening that he was ‘still pinching’ himself.
“It’s been a tough few years, but we have kept going with the support of some staunch and loyal owners. Two passionate racing men in Zane Kirsten and Rakesh Singh have bought me some stunning horses and partnered to purchase this magnificent son of Vercingetorix today. He is a beautiful strong boy. He has the blood. He is out of a champion mare.He was bred by a champion operation. He ticks all the boxes, he really does. Elsa and I have been up here in Joburg looking at horses since Tuesday. When I saw Torremolinos, I fell in love with him. I told Rakesh and Zane that they would love him too. And they did! We got him! I am absolutely over the moon,” enthused the 52 year old trainer, who said that he would relish the pressure of training a big ticket racehorse, rather than battling along and trying to compete with the big guns on what is often an uneven playing field.
“I have never been in the league where I can pick or choose. But I can train winners, and this is an honour and privilege in more ways than one for me. I understand this game is a great leveller so I won’t be doing things differently. We will keep our feet on the ground and take it one day at a time,” added Tienie, who said he was deeply moved when meeting breeder Mary Slack.
“What a lady Mrs Slack is. She thanked me and I could see that this was like a child leaving home for her. She was emotional. She wished us luck and asked me to keep her posted on the colt’s progress. What a day this was,” he added, saying that it was only when he sipped the traditional post hammer-fall champagne that he realized he wasn’t dreaming.
On what was an unforgettable day, another leading owner Preggie Somasundram told Tienie that he would be sending him a lovely Declarationofpeace filly that he had bought.
Tienie, whose three runners at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the afternoon ran two seconds and a fourth, including a cracking runner-up finish from Zane Kirsten’s Stormy Choice, said that he would now have a total of 22 horses, but had place for more.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to get my name out there and show what I am capable of doing with proper horses. We offer a warm and hospitable racing experience, and we love all of our horses, Communication with owners is our focus. It really feels like things are finally coming together.”
In an uncompromising industry, where lesser men may have thrown in the towel, Tienie Prinsloo has stuck things out and overcome adversity and challenges. Like saddling Main Defender to his first win, and then dealing with the dreadful disappointment of losing the star after a change in ownership saw the son of Pathfork move to Tony Peter.
“Horseracing is one of the toughest sports on earth. It’s also the greatest game on earth,” says Tienie.
Ebrahim Khan Back With A Vengeance
Galileo Clinches His 100th Individual Gr 1 Winner
Cunha-trained Colt Goes Close In Lucrative Sales Race At York
Picture: Sensorium is the grey on the left and stayed on gamely for third (The Irish Field)
The Dylan Cunha-trained Kodiac colt Sensorium, who won the Brocklesby on debut, finished a 1,25 length third in the Harry’s Half Million By Goffs over six furlongs for two-year-olds on Thursday at York, despite starting odds of 28/1.
He swerved right at the start, but was soon in touch with the leaders towards the near side.
He was prominent when pushed along at the halfway mark.
However, he kept on gamely under Rhys Clutterbuck, but did not have the pace to challenge.
Nevertheless, he earned a cheque of just over £50,000 in a race where the winner’s cheque was close to £250,000.
However, according to the Dylan Cunha Racing meta page the colt’s total take out from the race was £61,000, so it was a fine day at the office.
The winner 22/1 Clive Cox-trained Diligently spoilt the party for favourite backers as he mowed down the 11/8 favourite Arizona Blaze on the line.
Sensorium was purchased for £40,000 at last year’s Goffs Premier Yearling Sale.
East Cape Racing Awards Nominees
Kotzen’s King To Rule In Poly Challenge
King Regent has been tipped to win the first leg of the Poly Challenge (Pauline Herman Photography)
Jack Milner (Tab4Racing)
The 2024 Nelson Mandela Bay Racing Poly Challenge kicks off at Fairview on Friday with the running of Leg 1 over 1200m.
The Poly Challenge is open to all horses and comprises three legs over different distances on the Polytrack. Leg 2 over 1400m will be run on Friday 27 September, with the final leg, over 1600m, on Friday 18 October.
A bonus of R250,000 will be paid to the connections of any horse that wins all three legs while there will be a consolation bonus of R50,000 will be paid in this challenge to the best performer in the Challenge with two provisos; the horse must participate in all 3 legs and must have won at least one leg.
Points allocation for Consolation are as follows: 1st 10, 2nd 6, 3rd 4, 4th 3, 5th 2 and 6th 1 point.
Glen Kotzen will be bringing a runner to contest the first leg, and King Regent looks capable of winning all three events. The five-year-old son of Dynasty has won four times, twice over 1200m and twice over 1250m. However, he has also placed twice over 1600m and that could put him in the reckoning.
One of those came in in the 2023 East Cape Guineas in which he ran third after losing ground at the start and having to be eased 150m from home.
King Regent came back from an almost eight-month break to finish a 0.90-length third to We’re Jamming on 3 August at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. That was a much stronger race than this and he should be good enough to take care of the opposition he will meet in Race 7.
Denis Schwarz takes the ride and has the benefit of jumping from barrier No 4.
Alan Greeff has had a wonderful start to the season and his runners cannot be ignored in a race of this nature. Sean Veale has deputised for champion jockey Richard Fourie who is having a well-deserved rest following his record-breaking season.
He will be back at Fairview on Tuesday but in the meantime, Veale has been an incredible substitute and has not let the side down at all.
Greeff and Veale team up with six-year-old mare Miss Greenlight who has run well since moving to the Eastern Cape in March. She has won her only race over the course and distance and could provide the biggest threat to King Regent.
Passchendaele is unbeaten in her two starts at the course so she has to be a factor, although both those victories were against her own sex and in weaker company. S’manga Khumalo takes the ride on the Kelly Mitchley-trained runner.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 4 Ice Cap, 2 Best Intentions, 8 Fantasy Girl, 1 Rain Bird
Race 2: 1 Coral Creek, 3 Golden Gallant, 8 Stormstride, 4 King’s Sailor
Race 3: 1 Gocekwithlove, 3 Montelena, 7 Red Sash, 2 Essential
Race 4: 3 Gimme’s Lassie, 6 Abound, 2 Executor, 1 Aadehya
Race 5: 1 Bethel, 3 Lady Crusade, 4 William The First, 2 Notorix
Race 6: 5 Treasure Hunt, 1 Valerias Dream, 4 Concerto, 2 Cabaret
Race 7: 1 King Regent, 9 Miss Greenlight, 10 Passchendaele, 2 Prince Of Fire
Race 8: 1 Fateful Day, 3 Golden Link, 9 My Bestie, 4 El Romiachi
BEST BET
Race 4 No 3 Gimme’s Lassie
VALUE BET
Race 6 No 5 Treasure Hunt
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 1×3
BIPOT
R144
Leg 1: 2, 4
Leg 2: 1, 3
Leg 3: 1, 3, 7
Leg 4: 3
Leg 5: 1, 3, 4
Leg 6: 1, 2, 4, 5
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R162
Leg 1: 1, 3
Leg 2: 1, 3, 7
Leg 3: 3
Leg 4: 1, 3, 4
Leg 5: 1, 4, 5
Leg 6: 1
Leg 7: 1, 3, 9
PICK 6
R500
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 7
Leg 2: 3
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 5, 9
Leg 5: 1
Leg 6: 1, 3, 4, 9, 10
JACKPOT 1
R25
Leg 1: 3
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 5, 9
Leg 4: 1
JACKPOT 2
R125
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 5, 9
Leg 3: 1
Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 9, 10
York Friday Formguides And Selections
Veale, Moodley, Hollywood Syndicate Doubles
The Duncan Howells-trained Missing U Syndicate-bred Futura colt Mike’s Mazarin carried 59,5kg against older horses off an 87 merit rating over 2000m in just his third start and won in fine style to give Sean Veale a double. (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Sean Veale rode a double at Hollywoodbets Greyville today to maintain his lead in the South African Jockeys Championship and Serino Moodley also rode a double.
The Hollywood Syndicate continued their good run with a double.
Veale is now on 20 wins, two clear of Muzi Yeni, and he has done it at a strike rate of 23.26%.
Moodley had his first two wins of the season and is sure to improve on his current strike rate of 4.88%.
Hollywood Syndicate have already had 12 wins this season.
Today’s Question
The picture gives a clue to the answer
How many winners of the Gr 1 Juddmonte International Stakes have stood at stud in South Africa?
Today’s Question Answer
Picture: Duke Of Marmalade winning the Juddmonte International in 2008 in the same colours as City Of Troy (Picture: Irishfield.ie)
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Duke Of Marmalade and the Henry Cecil-trained Twice Over won the Juddmonte International in 2008 and 2011 respectively and both went on to stand at stud in South Africa (at Drakenstein Stud and Klawervlei Stud respectively).
