One Stripe: SA's exported star will begin his preparation for 2025 Breeders' Cup
One Stripe, taking in the surroundings in his new home. (Supplied).
Champion colt One Stripe (One World), exported for a racing career abroad, has arrived at his new trainer Graham Motion’s Herringswell Stables at the Fair Hill Training Centre in Elkton, Maryland.
One Stripe, who will be racing for a partnership of Hollywood Racing and Rikesh Sewgoolam, has reportedly settled in well. Formerly trained by Vaughan Marshall, he left South Africa for the United States in March, and Motion reported: “He has been in France for two months where he was able to exercise. Previous to that he did a month of quarantine in South Africa, under the new guidelines.”
Motion added: “My hope would be to find a race in September that will set him up for the Breeders’ Cup (Del Mar, San Diego), much like we did with Isivunguvungu.”
One Stripe became the first three-year-old in over half a century to win both the prestigious weight-for-age King’s Plate and the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas in his sophomore year since the David Payne-trained champion In Full Flight completed the double almost a lifetime ago in 1972.
Hollywood Racing’s Anthony Delpech commented earlier this year, after the conclusion of the sale: “We wish to showcase the quality and class of SA bloodstock to the world and the Breeders’ Cup remains a goal for the team for 2025. Horseracing is about dreams and reaching for the stars and who knows where One Stripe could land up as a stallion prospect in the years ahead? Hollywood Racing invite all racing fans and One Stripe supporters to join us on this incredible journey.”
One Stripe also holds an invitation for the LONGINES Hong Kong International races in December this year at Sha Tin.
Herman Brown (jr) will have his first 'comeback' runner soon
Herman Brown at his Philippi stables. (Pic: Supplied).
Accomplished trainer Herman Brown (jr), who announced his return to the industry in February, following a 12-year absence, hopes to have his first runner at the Kenilworth meeting on 22 July, and another shortly after that.
Brown has only six runners stabled at the Philippi Training Centre in Cape Town and commented: “I’m starting from the bottom up with a small string, but things are going well. I have bought 15 yearlings at various sales. They will be coming into the yard towards the end of the year, I look forward to that. I’m hoping to get some older horses to compete with, to get momentum going. I’m confident that will happen when my young runners start performing.”
Brown, best known for guiding Jay Peg to victories in the Dubai Duty Free and Singapore Airlines Cup, established himself as one of South Africa’s most successful trainers on the global stage, in the mid 2000s.
Philippi tracks, video below:
He said: “I am pleased with the facilities at Philippi. It hasn’t been easy to train in Cape Town with rain over the last month or so, but the tracks here dry out and recover quickly, so I am happy with where we’re at.”
Brown said in an interview, in February: “Ideally, I’d like to train 20-30 runners with a view of proving the best ones here in South Africa and then shipping them to Dubai. It is easier to get horses on a plane again now, with protocols relaxed. I still have my stables available in Dubai with my saddlery and equipment.”
The rags-to-riches story of Wootton Bassett
The incredible Wootton Bassett. (Pic: Coolmore).
BY SARAH WHITELAW
When three-year-old Whirl won the June 28th G1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes, she became the 15th G1 winner for her outstanding sire Wootton Bassett. Runner up in this year’s G1 Betfred Oaks, Whirl is out of the Galileo mare Salsa (a full-sister to successful Cape sire The United States) and is thus bred on an increasingly potent cross.
The Wootton Bassett/Galileo cross has produced a growing number of group/graded stakes winners led by the G1 winners Al Riffa and Whirl, as well as 2025 Irish Derby runner up, Serious Contender.
Galileo’s dual G1 winning son Nathaniel is broodmare sire of Wootton Bassett’s champion daughter Zellie, while Galileo’s half-brother Sea The Stars is damsire of the Wootton Bassett-sired G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner, Unquestionable.
Just a day after Whirl claimed the Pretty Polly Stakes, her sire went close to enjoying more G1 successs, when his colt Serious Contender ran second in the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. Fellow Wootton Bassett colt Tennessee Stud (who had finished third in this year’s G1 Betfred Derby) ran fourth in the Irish Derby. Remarkably, Wootton Bassett was the sire of four of the ten runners in the 2025 Irish Derby.
In 2025 (at the time of writing), Wootton Bassett has been responsible for three black type winners in Britain, nine stakes winners in Ireland and eight stakes winners in France. The son of Iffraaj currently heads the sires list in France, where his flagbearers this year include the classic winners Henri Matisse (G1Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains) and Camille Pissarro (G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club).
Henri Matisse and Camille Pissarro ran first and third in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains to give their sire a memorable result in the French 2000 Guineas. (The five time group/graded stakes winning Henri Matisse hails from the same female line as the aforementioned Whirl).
Wootton Bassett also enjoyed a magnificent year in 2024, when he was responsible for four G1 winning two-year-olds, as well as the last two winners (Unquestionable, Henri Matisse) of the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
Himself a top-class two-year-old (he was unbeaten in five starts at two with his victories including the 2010 G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere), Wootton Bassett appears poised for even greater heights if his current crop of two-year-olds are anything to go by.
Wootton Bassett is also showing signs of enjoying notable success in Australia. Earlier this year, it was announced that he would stand for AUS$385 000 in 2025, the highest service fee in Australian history.
At the time of writing, Wootton Bassett (whose first Australian runners are two in 2024-2025) was the second Leading First Season Sire in Australia this season.
Increasingly dominant, Wootton Bassett also looks poised to become a successful sire of sires. His triple G1 winning son Almanzor, the sire of 25 stakes winners thus far, produced 2025 G1 Prix de Diane Longines (French Oaks) winner Gezora and this year’s G2 Derby Italiano (Italian Derby) winner Molveno.
Another Wootton Bassett son, Wooded, is the sire of recent G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Woodshauna. In landing the 2025 Prix Jean Prat, Woodshauna vanquished Wootton Bassett colt Maranoa Charlie into second place! The progressive Woodshauna hails from the first crop of her sire, with Wooded himself scoring his biggest win in the 2020 G1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp.
With a plethora of sons and daughters retiring to the paddocks, and set to be represented by his best bred crops in coming seasons, it it appears that the sky truly is the limit for Wootton Bassett.
Two combinations rack up Fairview trebles
As much as it is great for punters to rely on dominating performances from Alan Greeff and Gavin Smith in the Eastern Cape, it is always heartwarming and refreshing to see some of the smaller yards prove their worth.
Juan Nel (with Chad Little) and Cliffie Miller (with Marco Van Rensburg), posted three winners each at Monday’s Fairview meeting, and on-course presenter Neil Pretorius commented: “Bang Bang Bang! Week in and week out we see the same winners (with due respect), and it’s good to see the (smaller) trainers come out and win.”
Nel said: “Without a team there is no dream” – praising his team for hard work, and Cliffie Miller’s assistant Nick Paddock expressed the same sentiments about their stable’s grooms.
As for Chad Little: His brave comeback is yielding super results, not least because he is a truly talented rider who actually looks good on a horse. He has a beautiful, balanced style of riding and is very strong in a finish. It is a pity that Chad’s younger years were lost to racing due a number of personal problems, but as we’ve seen with Andrew Fortune, age is not an issue. Little, with growing support, will be a Top 10 contender next season.
The experienced Marco van Rensburg was always ‘deadly’ when he teamed up with Miller in the Kimberley race days. They are still a potent combination, and Paddock believes that Hollywood Racing’s Champonelle (Querari) is one to watch in Fairview’s Poly series. He has won three-in-row with Van Rensburg aboard.
Polytrack specialist Afropolitan can get back to winning ways
Picture: Afropolitan will benefit from a 4kg claimer and should run well for a hot trainer in Race 4 over 1800m. (Hollywood Blog)
Andrew Harrison previews the Hollywoodbets Greyville Polytrack meeting scheduled for Wednesday, 16 January:
R1: GOTTA GO EDDIE (6) has earned a cheque in all three starts and meets some modest opposition. BINGO (2) has some useful Highveld form. He has drawn well and the switch to the poly may suit. VENCEDOR (7) has been dropping in the ratings but looks competitive while SOVEREIGN COMMAND (8) has been disappointing but has a money chance. (Andrew Harrison: 6-2-7-8).
R2: ACT OF GRACE (3) takes on males but has run well on the poly and should stay the trip from a good draw. THE GREEN MILE (1) is lightly raced and goes well this trip. Drawn well on the poly he should be a big runner. CARNARVON (2) is something of an unknown as he steps up in trip for the first time. He may be worth following in the betting. GRIPEN (9) is seldom far off and has a taste of the poly last run. (Andrew Harrison: 3-1-2-9).
R3: QUINN’S TIME (3) holds an entry for the Gr1 on Gold Cup day. He was a comfortable maiden winner when stepped up in trip and with only 52kg to shoulder he should be a contender. LEXICAN POINT (6) was much improved last run with the blinkers removed. He makes his poly debut. PAPA C (8) enjoyed the poly last run when caught late. The shorter trip can see him home. EVENTIDOR (1) has won his last two on the poly but is up a further three points in the handicap and that form has not held up well. (Andrew Harrison: 3-6-8-1).
R4: AFROPOLITAN (3) is showing signs of a form return. He has improved every run since his break and looks primed for this with a 4kg claimer aboard. MOOLA MAN (4) was not far back in his first start for his new stable. He steps up to a more suitable trip and Gavin Lerena stays with the ride. MY BOY LOLLIPOP (6) found some market support first up on the poly. Tis shorter trip could suit. BLAZING LIGHT (8) is a big horse with a light weight and was not far back on the poly last time out. (Andrew Harrison: 3-4-6-8).
R5: Open handicap. WHEREVERILAYMYHAT (1) has been consistent of late and the switch to poly could bring out the best from his inside draw. MASK ON (8) has drawn at the other end of the barrier but has showing up well in his last two and has obviously taken a liking to the poly. CATAVAR (2) took an age to shed his maiden but was an eye-catching second over course and distance last time out and has a 4kg claimer aboard. VICTOR RAIL (5) may have found his last outing a touch far but has useful form this trip and the poly will suit. (Andrew Harrison: 1-8-5-2).
R6: TWENTY ONE MAY (7) has been knocking at the door for some time now. He is now 2.5kg better of with THISISWHATITMEANS (6) and should be able to turn the tables back over his preferred trip. Thisiswhatitmeans has come well on the poly and a fourth win on the bounce is on the cards. FUTURE FLO (1) seldom runs a bad race and only missed a cheque four times in 24 outings and those four were over ground. BLUE HOLLY (2) has been a touch disappointing since arriving in KZN but has a light weight from a good draw and can surprise. (Andrew Harrison: 7-6-1-2).
R7: WING WALKER (1) cruised home when winning his maiden over course and distance. He meets much stronger here but can follow up. FATE OF FORTUNE (2) is lightly raced but made a winning return after a lengthy break. He has a handy weight and can follow up. MASTERBLING (6) is way better than his last run and has a more experienced rider aboard. PREEMPTIVE STRIKE (3) is always dangerous. He loves the poly and is not out of it. (Andrew Harrison: 1-2-6-3).
R8: GIMMETHEGOODLIFE (2) won well over the distance last start and he has done well on the poly. He should be a big contender. SUPER FAST (5) was narrowly beaten over curse and distance last run and has been in good form. He has a 4kg claimer aboard and should put in another good run. HIPPOCRATES (6) is always game and was touched off last run. He loves the poly. IBHELE (9) is never far back but struggling for his second win. He has dropped further in the ratings and could now be competitive. (Andrew Harrison: 2-5-6-9).
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Ascot Racecourse reports a record year
Encouraging signs: Ascot enjoyed a record year. (Pic: Ascot on Facebook).
Ascot racecourse enjoyed what it described as a “landmark” year in 2024, with record turnover and rising pre-tax profits according to its latest set of financial results.
Turnover increased by two per cent to a record £113.1 million, with pre-tax profits up £2.5m to £8.4m, which the course said had helped lay the foundations for record prize-money of £17.75m being programmed for this year.
On-course attendance was largely unchanged year-on-year, with 513,869 racegoers in 2024 compared to 514,208 in 2023. Attendance at Royal Ascot did rise, to 273,526 from 266,145, and increased this year to 286,541. – Racing Post.
Today's Question
There are four South Africans visible in this photo taken at an international race meeting. You’ll probably recognise at least two of them. Today’s question has three parts: a) Who are the four travellers; b) Where was this photo taken (clue around scribe’s neck) and c) Which race were they about to watch?
You are pretty much a genius if you can answer a, b and c without googling!
Today’s Question Answer
Picture: The Grandstand at the old Kranji Racecourse in Singapore.
This photo was taken on 17 May, 2009. It features legendary racing hack and Turf Talk columnist Davey Mollett, Erich van Niekerk next to him, Sean Tarry and Chris van Niekerk (partly obscured) in the background.
The occasion was the 2009 Group 1 Krisflyer Sprint, in which Van Niekerk and Tarry raced Mythical Flight, ridden by Kevin Shea. He finished 6/13 to champion Sacred Kingdom, and earned a stake.
