Greg Bortz spoke about the dramatic turnaround in Cape Racing’s Prospects (Picture: ARC)

Asian Racing Conference Press Release

Session 6 of the Asian Racing Conference – Big changes across the ARF footprint

The growth of racing in the Gulf region was a key feature of a session titled Developments: Big Changes Across The ARF Footprint, on day 2 of the 40th Asian Racing Conference at Sapporo, Japan, on Thursday.

The session was chaired by Mr. Vee Moodley, Chief Executive, The National Horseracing Authority of South Africa.

Mr. Gregory Bortz, Chairman, Cape Racing, said he took over Cape Racing when it was at its lowest point.

“Not only was the company broke, but the culture was completely broken,” he said.

Mr. Bortz said a key component of the organisation’s revival was using the assets that existed on their racecourses to generate non-racing related revenues that could be used to sustain racing.

Mr. Adrian Todd, Managing Director, South Africa Equine Health & Protocols NPC, spoke about the long journey towards reinstatement of direct horse exports from South Africa to Europe.

“Today it really gives me great pleasure to be able to stand here and say not we are going to export from South Africa, but we are exporting from South Africa,” he said.

Mr. Todd said South Africa would not be in the position it is today without the vision and support of The Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Mr. Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, Vice-Chair, Asian Racing Federation and General Manager and Board Member, Emirates Racing Authority, spoke of the revolution and strength of racing in the United Arab Emirates.

“Dubai has some of the finest races, and racing is a great way to market the country and market the lifestyle of the country,” he said.

Mr. Tom Ryan, Director of Strategy, Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, highlighted that all metrics are pointing in the right direction for racing in the country and the region.

“We are really, really pushing forward in all points which benefits horses all year round.”

Mr. Ryan said they had done a lot of great things with the Saudi Cup and hoped to spread that across to the regular season to more fully establish racing as a spectator sport. He also spoke of the plan for a new racetrack at Qiddiya.

Mr. Makoto Yoshida, Executive Vice President, National Association of Racing in Japan, spoke of the need to promote international dirt racing in Japan, with a planned implementation from 2028.

“We are trying to internationalise these races,” Mr. Yoshida said.

Mr. Bruce Sharrock, Chief Executive Officer, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, said his country had struggled to attract the wagering dollar for some time, but it was now the strongest it had been for 14 years. He said prizemoney had also increased by 30%.

“We had to do everything we could to grow wagering and renew confidence,” Mr. Sharrock said.

In an earlier session titled Land Of The Rising Sun, moderator Mr. Naohide Fukuhara interviewed legendary JRA trainer Mr. Yoshito Yahagi and Mishima Stable breeder, Mr Kenichiro Mishima.

Mr. Yahagi spoke of his success. “I think I’m blessed and lucky to have had good wins in other countries too,” he said.

Mr. Mishima said Japan recognised the need some time ago to improve bloodlines to compete against international horses. “I think the Japanese horses are getting better. Japanese body sizes are getting better,” he said.

Innamorare is the pick in race 7 (Picture: Wayne Marks)

It will be interesting to see if INNAMORARE can translate its excellent Hollywoodbets Kenilworth form over 1400m at the Hollywoodbets Durbanville race meeting on Saturday.

While Justin Snaith’s runner won at Hollywoodbets Durbanville earlier in his career, he’s notched five victories in the Southern Suburbs and is highly competitive when handicapped in the rating band between 88 and 92. This versatile son of Master of My Fate is particularly game – jockey Grant van Niekerk regrets not positioning him handier last time when he closed willingly, but too late, to get within a length of reopposing rival, SOLAR POWER.

Snaith reports his charge is “flying” at the gallops, so INNAMORARE is the pick in Race 7. Apart from the dangerous, SOLAR POWER, HAT’S PRIDE for the red hot Kotzen stable is also a big threat after a sharp try at Fairview three weeks ago.

CHARLIE CROKER, ZOOMIE, SCALINI and MAGIC VERSE might cause the selection some bother but are prejudiced by wide barriers. BARDOLINO, locked in at gate 1, can conserve early energy and should be running on strongly making him a must use in single race exotics.

ICE RAIN is teed up in Race 6, a F&M Class 4 over 1600m. She raced as if just short of match fitness when two lengths off SUDDEN SONG in a key race three weeks ago and with Andre Nel showing intent by slapping blinkers on the Vercingetorix filly, she should run boldly from the favourable inside alley under Corne Orffer.

KAMIKAZI sports neat form yet returns after three months off track, making fitness a query for the Candice Bass-Robinson trained entry. EUREKA DIAMOND won her Maiden fluently at long odds and has scope, while HAMPSTEAD HEATH is weighted to finish quite close to ICE RAIN.

Later, Bass-Robinson steps out her highly promising One World filly, ROCCAPINA in Race 8, a sprint at the Class 4 level for Fillies and Mares. She’s already earned nice figures at her two juvenile starts to date in May and June. Much will hinge on her fitness – if she returns in good physical order then she has the natural ability to see off zippy older foes like SHE’S MY CAPTAIN, HEAR MY VOICE and hat-trick seeking, stable companion, GRANDIOSA.

Punters’ patience in SPIRIT’S UNITE must be wearing thin. Piet Steyn’s entry has placed at six of his last seven dips, but without a win to show for his efforts. In fact, it’s 433 days since he recorded a solitary success from 19 starts. That’s hardly the sort of horse you want to be the ranch on, yet he shapes as if he must surely win soon in a bargain basement, Class 5.

Interestingly Piet Steyn drops him down in trip to a 1200m race with plenty of cheap speed signed on. If Aldo Domeyer can get him out the stalls to secure a decent tracking spot in midfield, then SPIRIT’S UNITE may rally past tiring rivals for a long awaited, 2nd score.

Course winner, SHIFTING PATH could be the biggest threat. Piet Botha has this consistent performer in good nick and jockey, Luyolo Mxothwa gets on well with the gelding – they’ve won twice and finished second this year from three starts.

Punters looking to trim P6 costs can go short in Leg 1, Race 4, a Maiden Plate over six panels. LET IT BE SAID and EMPIRE STATE come in off respective second place finishes and with expected improvement could fight it out – unless one of the firsters becomes known.

LET IT BE SAID was backed at his second start and finished well clear of the third horse so is trending in the right direction. Draw 1 obviously aids his cause. And EMPIRE STATE produced the fastest come home sectional on his debut after being reluctant at the jump, so should be much wiser to the task this time around.

Picture: An aerial view of Selangor racetrack

TAB4Racing and TABgold are delighted to announce the introduction of betting on Selangor race meetings in Malaysia from this Sunday 1 September.

This Sunday’s meeting comprises 10 races at 30-minute intervals with Race 1 at 07:15. TAB and TABgold bets on the meeting will comprise commingled Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella, Swinger, Trifecta and Trio. All bets will be to a R1 unit with no fractional betting.

Quinella (first two finishers any order) and Trio (first three finishers any order) bets are only offered if there are seven or more runners. Swinger bets can be taken if there are nine or more runners.

Initially only commingled bets will be offered, but it is intended to operate South African pools on selected bet types after the first few meetings.

Betting on Selangor races will fill the gap left by the closure of Kranji Racecourse in Singapore, where horseracing will shut down forever soon as a result of declining attendances and betting turnovers. The last Singapore meeting will take place on Saturday 5 October.

A significant number of horses currently racing in Singapore will relocate to Malaysia as well as several trainers and jockeys, which will make it easier for TAB and TABgold customers to familiarise themselves with Selangor racing.

The introduction of betting on Selangor racing is in terms of a reciprocal agreement with the Selangor Turf Club, which will offer commingled tote betting on South African races.

Joy And Peace cruises to an easy victory at Fairview today (Pauline Herman Photography)

Just how good is the Alan Greeff-trained Master Of My Fate filly Joy And Peace?

She toyed with the field in today’s Listed Jockeys Club Stakes over 2000m on the Fairview turf, despite jumping from a wide draw of nine out of eleven, and that made it five wins on the trot, three of them Listed.

Richard Fourie dropped her out to last and with a good pace being set up front he was able to bring her with a run on the outside and literally cruise past the opposition, which included some useful raiders from Cape Town, to win by 2,75 lengths.

Greeff might now want to look further afield and enter her in races like the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes during the Cape Summer Season.

Fourie rode a double for Alan Greeff.

Craig Zackey rode a double for Gavin Smith.

Fourie is on 8 wins for the season at 34.78%.

Zackey is on 8 wins at 17.78%.

Greeff is on 16 wins at 17.39%.

Smith is on 13 wins at 11.61%.

The picture is of the subject

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