David Mollett
Fans of little-known UK football club, Peterborough United, never thought they’d see the mighty Manchester City side in the flesh. But that’s what’s going to happen on Tuesday March 1 as the two teams have been drawn to meet in the FA Cup.
Similarly, Highveld racing fans probably thought they’d only get to see champion racehorse, Kommetdieding, on television, but the four year-old arrives in the province on the same day Manchester City visit Peterborough.
Surely there can only be one result in the football match where the ground capacity is 15 000, but I’ll be interested in the outcome having attended boarding school just 15 miles away from age 13 to 18.
When Kommetdieding contests the Horse Chestnut Stakes and Champions Challenge there should also be only one result. Particularly the latter race which is over 2000m – the distance of four year-old’s latest triumph in the Cape Met.
Picture: Wayne Marks
“Kommet” will be stabled with Roy Magner at Randjesfontein – an excellent choice by Harold Crawford and Michelle Rix. The three-times champion Zimbabwean trainer, who also won three Castle Tankards, is regarded as one of the best horsemen in the country.
Even so, looking after a big name horse like “Kommet” comes with some stress – the colt is in an unfamiliar environment and has to be closely monitored.
Chatting to Roy Magner, the Randjesfontein trainer said “I guess there will be some stress – you just hope things go well.”
“The climate is the big issue – it’s a question how long it takes a horse to acclimatize on the Highveld – we know the quicker they get here and run the better.”
Roy said they would “run bloods” to monitor Kommet’s well-being and the horse’s regular pilot, Gavin Lerena, would be popping into the yard as he rides work at the training centre. His visits are likely to have the same frequency as a relative paying visits to a family member.
While his Longines International Jockeys Challenge win in Hong Kong in December 2015 is still Gavin’s biggest payday (a cool HK$500 000 or R980 000 at today’s rate), success in the Durban July and Cape Met will mean his wife, Vicky, can shop to her heart’s content.
If you look at the horses “Kommet” met in the July and the ones he’s likely to meet in the Champions Challenge, it’s chalk and cheese. Rainbow Bridge is retired, Linebacker is not making the trip, Got The Greenlight has been sold, Rascallion is on the injured list, there’s no indication ageing Do It Again will make the trip (he would if he was my horse) and Cirillo hasn’t won since petrol cost R14.
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After the dust had settled on the 12th CTS Premier Yearling Sale – and second at the De Grendel wine estate – it was worth getting the expert opinion of chairman Chris Van Niekerk regarding the current state of the bloodstock industry.
Chris commented: “In my view, breeders have been, and still are going through tough times. However, it could have been a great deal worse. Considering the massive drop in stakes and demise of PGL and the onset of the Covid pandemic, sales prices have been remarkably resilient as the CTS Premier Sale has shown.”
“What also needs to be added to the equation is the fact that the top five stallions of yesterday – Captain Al,
Dynasty, Silvano, Jet Master and Var are no longer there to give the vendors R1 million averages.”
“The new stallions still need time to build up towards such levels. Maybe we can be thankful for what we have received!”,” concluded Chris.
One thing is certain – you can’t beat the atmosphere of an auction ring particularly when world experts such as John O’Kelly and Andrew Miller are on the rostrum.
CTS MD, Grant Knowles, was understandably pleased with the clearance rate which he described as “excellent”.
It’s true that one of the biggest problems for sales companies is the clearance rate. At the National Yearling Sale at Germiston in April last year, 91 of the 462 lots catalogued were either withdrawn or not sold.
While nowhere near a wine expert, the February 6 sale at De Grendel estate offered a chance to try out their wines as the bids came in to Messrs O’Kelly and Miller. Final verdict as the last lot was knocked down for R110 000. De Grendel Rose 9 out of 10, Merlot 8 out of 10 and Sauvignon Blanc 6 out of 10. Certainly worth including in your basket at your local liquor store.
Picture: Wayne Marks
