Fourie Barometer 332

Richard Fourie scored a double at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today, both of the wins by the narrowest of margins and due to some fine riding skills in the finish, including on the Brett Crawford-trained Vercingetorix filly Lady Loxton (Picture: Wayne Marks)

The most intriguing sideshow this season is Richard Fourie’s exciting bid to beat Anthony Delpech’s record of 334 wins in a  season.

If he does it he will earn a R1 million bonus from Hollywoodbets.

This record was thought to be virtually impossible by most pundits before the season started as there are now usually only six racing days per week and illness, injury and suspension can take its toll.

There is also the possibility of the dry spells which Keagan de Melo experienced towards the end of last season. They could have been due to the weariness which continual travel can cause.

However, Fourie is very much on track to claim the record at this stage and with each passing meeting his projected number of winners for the season improves.

Turf Talk have thus decided to display a “Fourie Daily Barometer.”

The barometer will simply display his projected number of winners for the season based on his current rides-per-calendar-day rate for the season to date and his current strike rate for the season to date.

The barometer will be displayed in the newsletter above the main headline and as can be seen above it started today.

Main Defender brought a lot of joy to a lot of people at Turffontein Standside on Saturday after his magnificent performance in the Gr 1 wfa HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes (Candiese Lenferna Photography) 

Main Defender is officially the highest merit rated three-year-old in the land after being accorded a 131 for his impressive Gr 1 weight for age Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes victory. He is the second highest rated horse in the country now behind See It Again, who is merit rated 132.

The NHA published their handicapping update press release today.

 

Wilgerbosdrift H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes (Grade 1) 

MAIN DEFENDER has had his rating increased from 121 to 131 after he comfortably won the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m at the Turffontein Standside Track on Saturday. The Handicappers were unanimous in their view, that 4^th placed COUSIN CASEY made for a suitable line horse here and he remains unchanged on a rating of 123.

Second placed, DAVE THE KING, who beat COUSIN CASEY by further than he did when they met last time, has his rating increased from 122 to 126 thereby confirming his previous best career performance. The only other runner to receive an increase was SON OF RAJ and he goes up to 119 from 115.

AT MY COMMAND was the only other runner to receive a drop in the ratings and is down to 124 from 126. It is important to note that the 2-pound increase that this horse received after winning a Cape A Stakes race last time was due to the specific conditions of the race that placed a compulsory minimum 2 pounds increase for the winner. The Handicappers therefore opted to restore AT MY COMMAND to his rating of 124 which he earned in the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes. 

TAB SA Classic (Grade 1)

PURPLE PITCHER has had his rating increased from 114 to 120 after staying on to capture the Grade 1 TAB SA Classic over 1800m at the Turffontein Standside Track on Saturday.  Here it was sixth placed GIMMEANOTHERCHANCE who was deemed to be the most suitable line horse and consequently his rating remains unchanged on 111.  The Handicappers ruled out SANDRINGHAM SUMMIT as a possible line horse here, as using his 123 rating to rate this race would mean that GIMMEANOTHERCHANCE would be improving by 5 points. The Handicappers believe that this would be highly improbable given GIMMEANOTHERCHANCES’ finishing position and beaten margin. The evidence suggests that SANDRINGHAM SUMMIT underperformed in this race.

The winner aside, four other runners received upward adjustments in their ratings. Third placed, WILLIAM IRON ARM goes up to 117 from 116, while fourth placed PURE PREDATOR goes up from 104 to 116. It was noted that, in running 4^th, PURE PREDATOR beat both the 116 rated HOTARUBI by 1 length and the 111 rated GIMMEANOTHERCHANCE by 2.5 lengths at level weights.  MONDIAL, who finished seventh, was increased to 105 from 100 and BARBARESCO who finished 0.50 of a length behind MONDIAL, received a partial increase from 102 to 104.

There were no drops in the ratings of any runner in this race.

Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic (Grade 1)

GIMME A NOTHER, who is unbeaten in six starts, has had her rating increased from 121 to 125 after impressively winning the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday. The Handicappers were of the opinion that second placed, SILVER SANCTUARY, had confirmed her Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas run behind this winner and used her mark of 116 to rate this race.

The winner aside, three other horses received an increase in their merit ratings. Third placed, LET’S GO NOW, who finished 0.75 of a length behind SILVER SANCTUARY goes up to 114 from 111.  BAVARIAN BEAUTY who finished 4^th and 0.25 of a length behind LET’S GO NOW, also goes up to 113 from 112 and lastly, fifth placed, BEATING WINGS, was increased to 108 from 91 so as to ensure that she meets 6^th placed CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL at correct handicap terms in the future.

No runner received a drop in their ratings in this race.

Tab J J The Jet Plane Stakes (Grade 3)

MOVER AND SHAKER went up to 118 from a mark of 112 after winning the Grade 3 Tab J J The Jet Plane Stakes over 1000m at Turffontein on Saturday.  MOVER AND SHAKER who ran to higher here, had to be capped on six points due to the specific race conditions that does not allow for an increase of greater than 6 points for the winner.

MOVER AND SHAKER was actually a beneficiary of a similar protection when running 2^nd in his previous start in a Pinnacle race behind IPHIKO. This meant that MOVER AND SHAKER received a 2kg advantage in the weights for the Grade 3 Tab J J The Jet Plane, which may well have denied IPHIKO a Grade 3 win.

The Handicappers were of the opinion that second placed IPHIKO confirmed her winning performance in her last start over the winner MOVER AND SHAKER here and she remained on a mark of 108. Third placed RULERSHIP who seems to be on the up after winning three in a row prior to this race, went up to 115 from 112 and happens to be the only other runner in the race, besides the winner, to receive and increase in ratings.

Two horses were dropped a point each, KISS ME CAPTAIN to 110 from 111 and BLACK EGRET drops to 95 from 96.

Wilgerbosdrift Acacia Stakes (Listed)

SILVER HILLS was adjusted from 102 to 108 after coming from off the pace to win the Listed Wilgerbosdrift Acacia Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday. It should be noted that SILVER HILLS ran to a higher rating, but her increase had to be capped on six due to the specific conditions of this race. Here, it was 3^rd placed PERFECT WITNESS, who was deemed to make for the most suitable line horse and she remained on a rating of 105. Second place finisher, HUMDINGER, was increased from 114 to 116 as she was a full 3.60 lengths on official margins ahead of the line horse and giving her two kilograms in weight.

No other horses received increases in the race.

The following horses received drops in ratings. LADY OF POWER was dropped from 105 to 104, Bonete from 95 to 94 and Reny went to 96 from a mark of 101.

Breeders Guineas (Listed)

LUNA HALO remains unchanged on a rating of 106 after narrowly winning the Listed Breeders Guineas over 1600m at Fairview on Friday. The Handicappers opted to use 3^rd placed JOY AND PEACE as the line horse here and she remained unchanged on a rating of 92.

There were no changes to the ratings of any runner in this race.

Enquiries:

The Handicapping Team

J J The Jet Plane defies incredible odds to win in Hong Kong on 12 December 2010 having departed SA on August 16 and arrived in Hong Kong on November 27  

by Sarah Whitelaw

Since London News scored a thrilling win in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup of 1997, a plethora of Southern African bred thoroughbreds have shown on the international stage.
From Crimson Palace, Jay Peg and J J The Jet Plane, to Variety Club, Victory Moon and Vercingetorix, horses bred in Southern Africa have reeled off a lengthy list of wins in a range of different countries.

A number of Southern African bred mares have also gone on to make their mark at stud overseas, with the likes of Alexandra Rose (dam of US G1 winner Oleksandra), Via Africa (dam of Golden Rose winning sire In The Congo), Rock Opera (her G1 winning son Royal Meeting is the sire of 2024 G1 SportsbetBlue Diamond Stakes winner Hayasugi), Secret Heart (dam of G2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winning sire Pluck) and Warning Zone (her G3 winning daughter Pittsburgh Flyer produced Australian dual G1 winner September Run) among this list.

With promising young Australian based stallions In The Congo, who covered more than 160 mares in his first season at stud, and Royal Meeting both out of G1 winning Southern African bred champions, the SA influence shows no sign of waning.

Between 1997, when London News won in Hong Kong, and 2014, when Variety Club shone in both Dubai and Hong Kong, a number of Southern African stars have made their mark internationally.

Here are a few of the unforgettable equine stars to do just that:

LONDON NEWS
Pedigree: Bush Telegraph -Soho Secret, by Regent Stream
Breeder: Koster Bros
Trainer: Alec Laird, Barry Hills
A five time G1 winner, London News smashed the 2000m track record at Sha Tin when he won the 1997 Queen Elizabeth II Cup. While he would go on to be well beaten in his only two subsequent starts overseas, London News’ Hong Kong triumph will never be forgotten by South African racing fans who witnessed it.
Twice South Africa’s Horse Of The Year, London News’ seven graded victories in South Africa included wins in the 1996 G1 Rothmans July Handicap and triumphs in both the G1 Queen’s Plate and J&B Met of 1997.

HORSE CHESTNUT
Pedigree: Fort Wood -London Wall, by Col Pickering
Breeder: Mauritzfontein
Trainer: Mike De Kock
The first runner and winner for his sire, Horse Chestnut was one of the best horses ever bred in South Africa. Beaten just once in 10 starts, he romped home to a more than seven length win in the 1999 G1 Cape Argus Guineas, won the G1 J&B Metropolitan by eight lengths, the 1999 G1 The Classic by nearly four lengths, and ended his South African campaign with a near ten length romp in the G1 SA Derby. He made just one start in North America, but it was a winning one with Horse Chestnut capturing the G3 Broward Handicap by five and a half lengths. He would go on to make his mark at stud, with Horse Chestnut siring such G1 winners as Lucifer’s Stone, Chestnuts N Pearls and Tilbury Fort with Horse Chestnut also becoming a very successful broodmare sire.

SPOOK EXPRESS
Pedigree: Comic Blush -Park Walk, by Comic Blush
Breeder: Jack Syndicate
Trainer: Mike de Kock and Thomas Skiffington
While her career ended in a tragic, fatal breakdown, the late South African champion Spook Express enjoyed her share of success when campaigned in North America. Runner up, behind Banks Hill, in the 2001 G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf where she beat the likes of Crystal Music, Lailani and Starine, Spook Express claimed a trio of graded races in the United States. Her victories in the US included the 2001 G2 Winstar Galaxy, 2001 G3 Honey Fox Handicap and 2001 Suwannee River Handicap.
She earned an impressive $1,085,670 and will never be forgotten by her fans.

IPI TOMBE
Pedigree: Manshood -Carnet de Danse, by Dance In Time
Breeder: Peter Moon
Trainer: Noelene Peech, Mike de Kock, Elliot Walden
The Zimbabwean bred Ipi Tombe became a darling of the turf with the daughter of Manshood losing just twice in her 14 race career while winning in all of Dubai, South Africa, USA and Zimbabwe. Winner of four of her five starts in Zimbabwe, Ipi Tombe joined Mike de Kock’s yard in 2002. Following a runner up finish in the 2002 G1 Triple Tiara 1600, Ipi Tombe went through the rest of her career unbeaten. Wins in the (then) G2 SA Fillies Classic, G1 SA Fillies Guineas and G2 Woolavington Stakes were followed by a historic triumph in the 2002 G2 Vodacom Durban July. Sent to Dubai, Ipi Tombe won all three of her starts in the UAE culminating in a three length romp in the 2003 G1 Dubai Duty Free. She made the final start of her career a winning one when she won the G3 Locust Grove Handicap at Churchill Downs in 2003.

VICTORY MOON
Pedigree: Litchfield Stud Close Corp
Breeder: Al Mufti -Dancing Flower, by Dancing Champ
Trainer: Mike De Kock, Andrew Balding
Winner of his only start in South Africa, Victory Moon advertised the merits of South African bred thoroughbreds with his stellar campaign in Dubai. The son of Al Mufti won six of nine starts in Dubai, and was victorious in all of the 2003 G3 UAE 2000 Guineas, 2003 G2 UAE Derby, 2004 G3 Al Maktoum Challenge (Round 2) and 2004 G2 Al Maktoum Challenge (Round 3). Victory Moon also ran third, behind US stars Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia D’Oro, in the 2004 G1 Dubai World Cup.
Retired to stud in 2005, Victory Moon left behind four crops before his premature death, with his flag bearers headed by four time G1 winner and dual Equus Champion Princess Victoria, the globetrotting Nocturnal Affair and G1 Golden Horseshoe victor War Horse.

CRIMSON PALACE
Pedigree: Elliodor -Perfect Guest, by Northern Guest
Breeder: Adv Altus Joubert
Trainer: Mike Bass, Mike De Kock, Saeed Bin Suroor
A winner of four of just six starts in South Africa, including the 2002 G1 Cape Of Good Hope Paddock Stakes, Crimson Palace made a big name for herself overseas. She won in Britain, Dubai and USA, with her biggest international victory coming in the 2004 G1 Beverly D Stakes. That race saw Crimson Palace beat international G1 winners Riskaverse, Necklace, and Musical Chimes, among others. Also victorious in the 2004 G3 Middleton Stakes, Crimson Palace retired having won seven of just 11 starts. Her daughter Crimson Lane (by Street Cry) produced Listed Syringa Handicap winner Way Of The World and smart performers Crimson Princess and We Are The Logans.

PERFECT PROMISE AND IRRIDESCENCE
Pedigree: Caesour -Meretricious, by Dancing Champ
Breeder: Mr and Mrs Winterbach
Trainer: Perfect Promise -Eric Sands, Grahame Begg, Lee Freedman
Irridescence Mike De Kock, John Hammond
Dancing Champ mare Meretricious achieved a remarkable feat when she foaled the full-sisters Perfect Promise and Irridescence in 1999 and 2001 respectively. Between them, Perfect Promise and Irridescence won five G1 races, with Perfect Promise victorious in Australia’s G1 C F Orr Stakes, and Irridescence downing the mighty Ouija Board when she won Hong Kong’s G1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup in 2006. At stud, Perfect Promise produced Australian stakes winner More Energy, with her sister throwing G3 Affirmed Stakes/G3 Oaklawn Mile winner Hopper.

JAY PEG
Pedigree: Camden Park -Laptop Lady, by Al Mufti
Breeder: High Season Stud
Trainer: Basil Marcus, Herman Brown
Winner of both the G1 Bloodstock SA Cape Guineas and G1 Investec Cape Derby at three, Jay Peg ended his career having earned more than $6.8 million in prize money. Equus Champion 3yr Male Classic Horse of 2007, Jay Peg scored a breathtaking win in the G1 Dubai Duty Free of 2008. Despite suffering from a slipped saddle in running, Jay Peg defeated an outstanding field in that year’s Dubai Duty Free, with his beaten opponents including the likes of Darjina, Vodka, Archipenko, and Finsceal Beo. Jay Peg went on to claim another major international prize when he won the 2008 G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup. Retired to stud in 2009, Jay Peg went on to sire such graded stakes winners as Silicon Valley, Woljayrine, Peggy Jay, Hot Affair, Flash Drive, Exit Here and Olympic Owen.

GYPSY’S WARNING
Pedigree: Mogok -Gypsy Queen, by Royal Chalice
Breeder: Rathmor Stud
Trainer: Duncan Howells, Ormonde Ferraris, Graham Motion
A G1 winner at both two and three in South Africa, Gypsy’s Warning went on to show top-class form in the United States. She showed her class when beating 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Maram in the 2010 G3 Eatontown Handicap and went on to claim the G1 Matriarch Stakes in November of the same year. In landing the Matriarch Stakes, one of the top tests on turf for fillies and mares in North America, Gypsy’s Warning accounted for dual classic winner Special Duty among others. Gypsy’s Warning would retire having won or been placed in no fewer than eight G1 races.

J J THE JET PLANE
Pedigree: Jet Master -Majestic Guest, by Northern Guest
Breeder: Patricia Devine
Trainer: Lucky Houdalakis, Mike De Kock, Richard Hannor Snr
A globetrotting sprint star, J J The Jet Plane won races in all of Britain Dubai, Hong Kong and South Africa. A bargain R70 000 buy, the triple Equus Champion won five G1 races and carried his great form overseas.
Among J J The Jet Plane’s many top-class performances overseas was a triumph in the Al Quoz Sprint of 2009, a win in Windsor’s Listed sportingbet.com Up Up And Away Stakes of 2009, and a third place finish in the 2009 G1 Darley July Cup. He also scored a repeat win in the Al Quoz Sprint when victorious in the 2011 running.
However, J J The Jet Plane put up arguably his his finest performance when he won the 2010 G1 Hong Kong Sprint, downing star sprinters Rocket Man, Sacred Kingdom, Ortensia, Kingsgate Native, Lucky Nine, and Little Bridge among others.

SWEET SANETTE
Pedigree: Jallad -Scented Samantha, by National Assembly
Breeder: Highlands Farm Stud (Pty) Ltd
Trainer: Tony Millard, T Ng, Roy Magner
Winner of the 2009 G3 Sycamore Sprint and three other races in South Africa, Sweet Sanette went on to make a name for herself, and put up notable performances in both Britain and Hong Kong.
Her four wins in Hong Kong included the 2011 G3 The Chow Tai Fook Bauhinia Sprint Trophy, where she beat champion Sacred Kingdom, and she went on put up an even more eye catching performance when she finished third in the G1 King’s Stand Stakes of 2011. On that occasion, Sweet Sanette downed such high-class sprinters as Overdose, Kingsgate Native, War Artist, Sole Power and Tangerine Trees.At stud, Sweet Sanette produced G3 MVRC Champagne Stakes runner up Sweet Rockette.

RIVER JETEZ
Pedigree: Jet Master -Stormsvlei, by Prince Florimund
Breeder: Out Of Africa Stud
Trainer: Mike Bass, Mike de Kock
Few top-class racemares have had such lengthy careers as did River Jetez. The Met winning own-sister to triple South African Horse Of The Year Pocket Power made her final start as an eight-year-old, with River Jetez having competed previously in all of Britain, Dubai, Hong Kong, North America, Singapore, and South Africa. River Jetez scored her biggest international win when victorious in the 2011 G2 Balanchine Sponsored By Emirates NBD, and she also finished second in the 2011 G1 Dubai Duty Free and 2011 G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup.
Her globetrotting career did not prevent River Jetez from enjoying success at stud, with the Jet Master daughter going on to produce G1 Computaform Sprint winner Rivarine and G3 Capetown Noir Kenilworth Fillies Nursery winner Delta Queen.

SHEA SHEA
Pedigree: National Emblem -Yankee Clipper, by Jallad
Breeder: Klawervlei Stud
Trainer: Geoff Woodruff,  Mike De Kock
Winner of eight races in South Africa including the 2012 G1 Computaform Sprint and 2011 G1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint, Shea Shea also showed top-class form in both Britain and Dubai. In Dubai, Shea Shea won the 2013 Al Quoz Sprint and he also won the G3 Meydan Sprint in both 2013 and 2014. However, the gelding put up one of his finest efforts in defeat, with Shea Shea going down just a neck in the G1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2013. On that occasion, Shea Shea finished ahead of such top-class G1 winners as Reckless Abandon, Move In Time, Shamexpress, Prohibit and Kingsgate Native. Shea Shea also ran second, beaten half a length, in the 2013 G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes where he beat the likes of Sole Power, Rosdhu Queen, and Slade Power.

THE APACHE
Pedigree: Mogok -Apache Rose, by Dolpour
Breeder: Scott Bros
Trainer: Gavin Van Zyl, Mike de Kock
One of the great bargain buys in recent years, The Apache was an R80 000 buy from the 2009 Emperors Palace National 2YO Sale who went on to earn more than one million pounds . An Equus Champion in South Africa, The Apache added to his tally overseas when victorious in the 2013 G2 Al Rashidiya Sponsored by DUBAL and was also runner up in that year’s G1 Dubai Duty Free and G1 Jebel Hatta. However, The Apache will forever be remember for finishing first past the post in the 2013 G1 Arlington Million only to be disqualified and demoted to second.

SOFT FALLING RAIN
Pedigree: National Assembly -Gardener’s Delight, by Giant’s Causeway
Breeder: Highlands Farm Stud (Pty) Ltd
Trainer: Mike De Kock
Equus Champion 2YO Colt of 2012, Soft Falling Rain won his first seven starts. He was unbeaten in four starts in South Africa, with his local campaign ending in a four and a half length romp in the G2 SA Nursery. Sent to Dubai, he won his first three starts there, culminating in wins in both the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas and G2 Godolphin Mile. Runner up in the 2013 G3 Betfred Hungerford Stakes, Soft Falling Rain bounced back to claim the G2 Nayef Joel Stakes in scintillating fashion next time out. Retired to Wilgerbosdrift in 2015, Soft Falling Rain made his mark at stud, despite dying young, as the sire of G2 Durban Golden Horseshoe winner Waterberry Lane, G3 Marshalls World Of Sport Gold Cup victor Shangani and the charismatic equine millionaire Zeus, among others.

VARIETY CLUB:
Pedigree: Var -La Massine, by Secret Prospector
Breeder: Beaumont Stud
Trainer: Joey Ramsden, Mike De Kock.
Twice South Africa’s Horse Of The Year, Variety Club confirmed himself as a world class performer with a sparkling, if brief, international campaign. Winner of four G1 races in South Africa, the chestnut made just four starts outside South Africa but won three of them. He made a sparkling Dubai debut when romping home to a clear-cut win in the 2014 G3 Firebreak Stakes, before finishing second in the G3 Burj Nahaar next time out. However, Variety Club bounced back to winning ways when he won the G2 Godolphin Mile, over fellow South African bred champion Soft Falling Rain, before going on to make history in Hong Kong next time out.
When thrashing Hong Kong superstar Able Friend by four lengths in the 2014 G1 Champions Mile, Variety Club became the first foreign raider to win the Champions Mile.
In the 2014 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, Variety Club was rated as the joint third best racehorse in the world, and had a rating of 127-equal to the likes of Australia and Kingman.

VERCINGETORIX
Pedigree: Silvano -National Vixen, by National Assembly
Breeder: Klawervlei Stud
Trainer: Mike De Kock
An unbeaten champion in South Africa, Vercingetorix went on to race with great success in Dubai. He won his first starts in Dubai including the G1 Jebel Hatta Sponsored by Emirates Airline, and finished second in the G1 Dubai Duty Free of 2014, where Vercingetorix accounted for such stellar G1 winners as Dank, Mshawish, and The Fugue. Vercingetorix would go on to finish third in the 2014 G1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup before winning the G2 Al Rashidiya sponsored by Emirates Global Aluminium in 2015. Retired to stud in South Africa, Vercingetorix has become a top-class stallion with his offspring including such G1 winners as Alesian Chief, Ambiorix, Astrix, Chansonette, Cousin Casey, Mrs Geriatrix, Vernichey and Pomp And Power.

 

SINGAPORE SLING
Pedigree: Philanthropist -Sing Dixie Sing, by Western Winter
Breeder: Drakenstein Stud
Trainer: Geoff Woodruff, Tony Millard
Singapore Sling, who won the G2 Investec Dingaans in South Africa, proved to be one of the best gallopers to race in Hong Kong in 2018. Not only did Singapore Sling win the 2018 Hong Kong Classic Cup, the Philanthropist gelding also ran second in the Hong Kong Classic Mile and was beaten under two lengths when runner up in the BMW Hong Kong Derby of 2018. He would also go on to finish second, behind Beauty Generation, in the G1 FWD Champions Mile of 2019.

Safe to say, buying Southern African bred thoroughbreds represents great for value for international buying powers!.

Purple Pitcher defeats Sandringham Summit for the second time in three meetings when winning the Gr 1 TAB SA Classic over 1800m at Turffontein Standside on Saturday (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Karel Miedema is one of SA’s leading racing analysts and his ratings were propelled in two different directions by the respective performances of two star three-year-olds on Saturday at Turffontein Standside.

He gave Main Defender a stratospheric 119 Ability Rating (AR) for his Gr 1 weight for age Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes victory.

This is two points higher than the 117 he gave to Charles Dickens for his Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge victory last season and one point lower than the 120 he gave to See It Again for his Hollywoodbets Durban July runner up finish last season.

Those were the two highest ratings he gave to three-year-olds last season.

This season the two initial stars of the three-year-old crop on the Highveld were Sandringham Summit and Main Defender.

After they had fought out a ding dong tussle in the Gr 2 Betway Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m and were over three lengths clear of the seemingly classy Gimmeanotherchance, despite giving the latter weight, Miedema gave the winner Main Defender a 115 AR and the short-head runner up Sandringham Summit a 117 AR, as the latter gave the winner 1kg.

However, after Saturday’s Gr 1 TAB SA Classic in which Gr 2 Jonsson Workwear Dingaans winner Purple Pitcher beat Sandringham Summit for the second time in three meetings, this time by 0,75 lengths and in the Dingaans by two lengths, he decided to re-rate the Graham Beck and downgraded it by ten points.

He has thus given Main Defendeer only a 105 for the Graham Beck win and Sandringham a 107 for the narrow loss.

He said he had for some time had reservations about the high ratings he gave Sandringam Summit and Main Defender for their  October clash in the Graham Beck.

He pointed out that Sandringham Summit had never run anywhere near his 117 AR since then.

Saturday was the clincher which led to him making the adjustment, even if the 1800m of the SA Classic, he admitted, might have been a touch too far for the Gimmethegreenlight colt.

The subsequent runs of the other particpants in the Graham Beck had also given him reason to believe he had overrated that race.

Main Defender, on the other hand, has gone the other way and put in his best performance on Saturday, which saw him going up in AR dramatically.

Miedema said ratings were derived from a ‘best-fit’ for all horses in races and were not “an isolated thing”. Hence, the ‘other horses’ in the Horse Chestnut make for Main Defender’s high rating.

Miedema’s tables of the SA Classic and the Horse Chestnut below show his thinking:

Meanwhile, he awarded Gimme A Nother a 105 AR for her win in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic.

She is beating the fillies around her easily and it will be interesting to see what raceform AR she can achieve when fully tested.

The progressive Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Refeef filly Heliotrope made no mistake in the fifth race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today, an open maiden for fillies and mares over 1800m (Picture: Wayne Marks) 

Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)

Our preview “headline” horse Heliotrope, trained by Candice Bass-Robinson, was given a confident ride by Aldo Domeyer and came through well to land the odds in the fifth race on the 10-race programme at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth yesterday. Princess of Bayeux ensured a decent pace while Heliotrope was perfectly placed in fourth position turning for home. Princess of Bayeux soon came back to her field and Heliotrope, backed in from to 22/10 to 11/10, moved through smoothly to take command. Stable companion English Mistress and Lickety Split chased the favourite home but Heliotrope had close on a length to spare at the line.

Those brave enough to take the very restricted odds offered for Sahara Cat in the first race, a Juvenile Plate (Fillies) over 1000m, would have been on the edge of their seats and they probably have never-say-die Richard Fourie to thank that the daughter of One World got her nose in front on the line. Sahara Cat (4/10) was pressed all the way to the end by debutante Tanneron and it was nip and tuck over the final 200m, with Sahara Cat prevailing by a whisker.

Trainer Vaughan Marshall was back in the winner’s enclosure after Star Performer (9/10) scored a bloodless start-to-finish victory in the second race, a Maiden Plate over 1000m. Star Performer clearly relished reverting to the minimum trip and the good-looking son of What A Winter was never in defeat as he raced home by four lengths under Bernard Fayd’herbe. Star Performer has always been highly regarded and he could go back-to-back next time.

The Hollywood Syndicate notched up their 74^th win of the Season, and their 522^ndoverall, when Kaapse Klopse (9/4f) kept finding over the last 200m to hold out the persistent challenge of Cliff Swallow (33/1) to score a popular victory for the very successful Eric Sands / Sean Veale partnership in the opening leg of the Pick 6. Cliff Swallow was having only his second start and looks sure to go one better soon.

The inevitable upset in the Pick 6 came in the seventh race, a Class 4 Handicap over 1600m. All About Ronnie (16/1) took the field along at a moderate gallop under Morne Winnaar and the son of Captain Of All, named after the late Ronnie Sheehan, kept up a resolute gallop to ward off Unicorn Alert and the favourite Allez Moris by a comfortable margin. Winnaar had twice visited the second box earlier in the day and All About Ronnie’s victory was welcome reward for the under-rated rider.

Beneath The Moon edged out Seeking Peace in a close call to the 9^th race, a Class Handicap (F&M) over 1000m, but the result was reversed in the Stipes Board Room. Beneath The Moon hung out badly in the closing stages causing slight inconvenience to Seeking Peace and, given the extremely narrow margin at the line, the officials gave Seeking Peace the benefit of the doubt.

Wendy Whiteheqd highlighted some of the best horses in her yard in an article about the KZN Trainers Championship and that included a couple of runners on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville tomorrow (Wednesday March 6).

She said, “”Minogue is outstanding, she is a lovely filly for the season and she is probably the most up and coming in the yard. Some of them have been belted by merit ratings at the moment, but I have planned a race for Beechamwood Boy at the end of the month and hoping for his 8th win. Morgan La Fay is very consistent. Maggie Smith I think is just going to get better as she goes along now. That little juvenile Chinaberry who won the other day, I think he is quite a smart type. Sundance Kid is going for three-in-a-row on Wednesday. He has had a few problems and we’ve managed to sort it out and he is just going to get better and better as he gets going along now. Mauritania (runs on Wednesday) is running consistently well. All the horses are trying and there are some really nice horses coming through and I’m looking forward to them starting to run.”

The KZN Trainers Championship would be an important feather in the cap to anybody who won it considering the names in the past who have prevailed.

Mike de Kock and Dennis Drier dominated the championship earlier this millenium, before Duncan Howells entered the fray with a championship win or two and latterly Garth Puller and Gareth van Zyl have been KZN championship winners.

Wendy Whitehead is in front at present and is one of two women along with Alyson Wright to be in contention for the title.

However, they will not make history.

Clodagh Shaw became the first woman to land the championship in the late 1990s when having 72 wins in KZN in a single season.

That was an unbelievable feat considering she was up against the like of David Payne, Herman Brown Snr, Dennis Drier, who was her runner up, Ricky Maingard, Alistair Gordon etc.

She had some top horses around that time like Gr 1 winners Donatella, Savannah Queen and Gold Flier.

However, this year’s championship is particularly intriguing with a number of yards in contention.

Whitehead has 30 wins at a strike rate of 13.04 and is followed by Gareth van Zyl with 29 wins (14.08%), reigning champion Garth Puller on 28 (8.92%), Mike Miller on 27 (10.38%) and Alyson Wright on 26 (9.85%).

Wendy, asked whether the championship was an ambition, replied, “Absolutely. I think everybody’s dream is to win the championship.”

However, she does not plan with the championship in mind and said, “The most important thing is the consistency of the runners. They have been on the boil for quite some time now. We went a little bit quiet when we had the rains, but we’ve come good again and the horses are happy and doing really, really nicely. I don’t push my horses when we have too much rain because our tracks don’t take it. I’d rather be cautious than sorry.”

Whitehead had seven wins in January at 16.67% and six wins in February at 18.18%.

That has given the yard a chance of reaching their pre-season goal of 60 wins.

They are behind schedule at present as there are only five months left, but they are on target to break their record set last season of 51 wins.

She only has 45 horses in her yard and only just over 30 have been active, but the two-year-olds will now bolster the numbers.

She said, “The older horses have been very consistent, but we have a few youngsters coming through now, twelve in all, so they will carry the stable nicely as well.”

Whitehead put down the success of the yard to team spirit.

She said, “My staff are a good team, you’ve got to have a passion for it and they’ve also got that passion for it. When I get here in the morning and we’ve had a winner everyone is so excited about what happened. You look forward to racing everytime you race, because the horses are doing so well and everyone of us is behind them.”

Wendy will ironically have the support of Clodagh Shaw in future seasons, because the latter has just bought a Buffalo Bill Cody yearling for her at the sales.

Garth Puller is never one to chase championships, but he has had the most runs in KZN this season, 314, and although he does sell some of his horses on, he is likely the favourite to win the championship.

Gareth van Zyl’s strength has been split because he he runs a Cape Town yard too and he has had the least number of runs in KZN of the top five, 206.

Alyson Wright has had 264 runs and it would no surprise to see her becoming the provice’s second ever woman champion trainer.

Mike Miller has had had 260 runs and assistant trainer Craig Eudey said about their championship ambitions, “Definitely if we could win the championship we would really like to try. We are going pretty well at the moment and are up there, so let’s see what we can do.”

Wendy has had 230 runs and will need to keep that consistency as good as it has been to prevail in what is the most intriguing championship race for many a season.

Above:  Horse Chestnut killing them in the J&B Met

Off The Record with Charl Pretorius

Fondly remembered as one of South Africa’s greatest racehorses, Horse Chestnut left an indelible mark on the sport with his remarkable performances. His story is peppered with moments that exemplify his greatness, and a number of incidents that almost saw him miss crucial races.

***

Above:  Horse Chestnut wins the Cape Argus Guineas

On January 16, 1999, Horse Chestnut won the Grade 1 Cape Argus Guineas by 6.75 lengths, leaving the racing community in awe. Trainer Mike de Kock said that he couldn’t sleep that Saturday night. He knew that Horse Chestnut was good enough to take on his peers in the J&B Met, but was worried about the colt’s safety in the run-up to the race.

Mike’s concern was that bookmakers stood to lose massive amounts of money if Horse Chestnut was to win the Met. He said: “I’d felt uneasy about the massive bets taken by my patron Henry Mansell on Horse Chestnut winning both the Guineas and the J&B Met. Now, the matter was becoming disturbing. Bookmakers around South Africa stood to lose millions to Mansell – and each other – if Horse Chestnut were to complete this rare, feature-race double. I was worried that somebody would be out to hurt our horse. When there is money involved, you can expect the very worst from human beings.”

Mike wrote in Horse Chestnut: The Story Of A Legend: “The quiet voice of reason warned me to take great care with the safety of Horse Chestnut. While my concerns about unscrupulous bookmakers could have been off the mark, there was always a chance that a lunatic pursuing the limelight could make an attempt to cause physical injury to our rising equine superstar.”

Horrible acts had been committed to famous racehorses before. A sniper shot the legendary Sea Cottage a few days before the Durban July of 1967. Up-and-coming champion, Pas De Quoi, had his legs smashed by mischievous thugs just prior to the J&B Met in the early 1990s. And every racing enthusiast will remember the kidnapping of the Britain’s turf star, Shergar, back in 1981.

Horse Chestnut’s owners, Harry and Bridget Oppenheimer, had always been conscious of good security around their top horses. They shared Mike’s opinion that Horse Chestnut had to be protected against possible foul play.

An official Oppenheimer brief was sent to the Cape Town branch of Gray Security, the company in charge of security at the family’s De Beers Mining Company. Gray’s operations manager, Chris van Wyk, came to Mike’s stables at Milnerton to assess the situation. He walked around the stable area, spoke to the existing security staff and made it very clear that he would follow a policy of zero-tolerance.

Chris suggested that only Mike, his assistant trainer Frikkie Greyling and Horse Chestnut’s handler, Abraham Motha, would be allowed in his stable area. Two of Gray’s top guards, Mortimer van Heerden and Willem Willemse, would be rotated on working shifts as often as possible. Van Heerden had years of experience; Willemse was a horse lover and rider who knew the racing fraternity of Cape Town. One would remain permanently on duty at his stable door; another would patrol the fence at the back of the stables.

At the morning workouts, Chris promised, one guard would be at Horse Chestnut’s side – everywhere except on the training track itself. If Chris could have his way, a guard would be riding next to him on horseback!

Horse Chestnut had become a monster of a thoroughbred. Despite his hard and impressive preparation gallops, he weighed 506kg when the Met was 10 days away – 6kg more than on the day of the Guineas.

The word was out. Horse Chestnut would be very hard to beat in the J&B Met. Racing fanatics from Cape Town came to the track to see him work; members of the general public visited the stables and there were people who Mike described as the ‘bush lurkers’ scanning the training tracks through binoculars.

Gray’s security team held everyone at arm’s length and even the media had to get special permission to come to the stables for photographs.

A week before the race, Mike had to fly back to Johannesburg to attend to some pressing matters at Randjesfontein. He told: “On the evening of Tuesday, 2 February, 1999, a day before my return to Cape Town, our investment in a security network around Horse Chestnut paid off. Frikkie phoned me at around 10:30pm, and my heart felt like it would come out of my throat. He was on his way to Milnerton to meet the security chief, Chris van Wyk, who informed him that somebody had made an attempt to break into Horse Chestnut’s stable. Fortunately, Horse Chestnut had not been hurt.”

Over the next few hours, it transpired that an unknown man, identifying himself as a veterinarian, arrived at the Milnerton training centre at 7pm, demanding to see Horse Chestnut. During the Cape summer the sun only sets at 9pm, so was not unusual for trainers and veterinarians to visit the stables after normal working hours.

As luck would have it, Gray Security’s Willem Willemse was one of the guards on duty. Willem knew the Cape’s racing crowd, but he’d never seen this ‘vet’ before. Moreover, he’d been given clear instructions to allow nobody but Frikkie, Mike and Abraham Motha access to Horse Chestnut’s stable.

The unknown ‘vet’ tried hard to gain entry, but gave up after a while and disappeared. At around 10pm, however, the guard patrolling the back of the stables came across two would-be intruders fiddling with the locks at the back entrance to Horse Chestnut’s stable.

An argument ensued and the troublemakers fled into the veld across the road from the Milnerton track. Warning shots were fired, and one person, carrying a bolt-cutter, was arrested. The reason for this incident was never established. The arrested man was taken to a nearby police station where he was unsuccessfully interrogated. He claimed not to have understood a word of English and played stupid, leaving the police no other choice but to charge him with trespassing only. The next day this culprit’s bail was paid and he was released from prison.

Chris van Wyk ordered that the guards looking after Horse Chestnut would now be armed around the clock, as opposed to nighttime only.

***

On Thursday, 4 February, it was time for Horse Chestnut’s final prep gallop for the J&B Met. He enjoyed it, was in top, winning shape, frisky and on his toes. Abraham Motha gave the colt a shower, after which he flattened the breakfast in his manger. Abraham brushed his coat, which had taken on a deep, shiny, golden-brown glint.

In his stable, Horse Chestnut went back into his lazy mode. He stood perfectly still with his eyelids half-closed, as if daydreaming. Mike compared him to a rugby player getting psyched up for the big moment, like Springbok rugby hero Francois Pienaar would have done before the 1995 World Cup Final.

Matthew Lips wrote in Sporting Post: “Imagine, for a moment, that you have spent the last six months travelling in outer space or perched on top of a far-flung mountain in Peru. You come home to find, not only that a three-year-old is running in the J&B Met, but that he is odds-on favourite. You would probably think that you have lost your mind, or that everybody else has lost theirs. Yet that is precisely the situation that we have as Horse Chestnut attempts to rewrite all sorts of records in the Cape’s showpiece event at Kenilworth on Saturday.”

On Saturday, 6 February, 1999, interest in the J&B Met had reached fever pitch, and there was a colourful buzz in the air. Tickets to the Met were being sold nationwide through the ticket-chain, Computicket. A record crowd packed the stands at Kenilworth and J&B couldn’t have asked for a better day. It was bright, hot and beautiful with no sign of the dreaded Cape Southeaster.

During the course of the morning, congestion was reported in the suburbs of Kenilworth, Plumstead, Wynberg and Rondebosch, in the vicinity of the racecourse. In view of the traffic reports, Mike’s runners Smart Money and Star Defence were taken to Kenilworth on the regular Milnerton float, but, per custom, private driver Russel Waterston was tasked to Horse Chestnut alone, in his own float.

In normal traffic, Kenilworth racecourse would not be more than half an hour away from the base at Milnerton but, to make sure, the team left for the track about two hours before the race. Chris van Wyk from Gray Security led the procession. He was followed by Russel towing Horse Chestnut’s float. Abraham Motha and an armed guard stood inside the box with Horse Chestnut, with another security car in pursuit.

Mike and Diane de Kock joined Frikkie Greyling and his wife, Lynette and their friend, Greg Gallo, in Frikkie’s car and brought up the rear of the Horse Chestnut convoy, following the second security car. To avoid the heavy traffic, Chris led them along what was thought to be a quiet, alternative route, but despite this they only managed to reach the racecourse an hour before the race.

Mike recalled: “I started to sweat, and Frikkie lit up his tenth Camel Filter for the morning. We were stuck in the middle of a long row of cars, with traffic cops rushing by on motorcycles and others trying to regulate proceedings close to the entrance gates. We were moving very slowly, with no chance of reaching the saddling enclosure in time.

“I had to do something. With expletives flowing freely, I got out of the car and walked over to Chris van Wyk, sitting in the front security car. In desperation, Chris and I stopped the traffic with waving hands, making way for the entire Horse Chestnut convoy to get through to the entrance gates.

“We’d become self-styled traffic officers, although the real men in uniform would never have sworn like I did when the gate official refused to let us through the entrance and onto racecourse premises.

“ ‘Get the f**k out of the way,’ I screamed. ‘You need a pass sir. Where’s your race day pass?’

“The poor guy was only doing his job, but I was in no mood to argue. ‘Can’t you see the float? This horse has to run at 4 o’clock!’

“Hesitantly, and after some calming words from Chris van Wyk, the official allowed us in. We drove by a maze of rainbow-coloured people, cameras and music and into the stabling area, where racecourse officials, trainers, veterinarians and grooms had started the preliminaries. The atmosphere was electrifying.

“Hordes of excited patrons and race day guests were perched on different levels of the stand like colourful birds. The afternoon sun reflected off shiny advertising boards. Heads hung from windows, arms waved and fingers pointed as the first runners entered the ring. I’d never seen such keen interest in a pre-race parade in my life. The atmosphere was electrifying.

“The runners cantered down to the start while I was speaking to interviewer Robin Bruss, but I managed to get a good look at Horse Chestnut as he thundered past the main stand to almost deafening cheers and loud applause from the crowd.

“At that moment, I knew that Horse Chestnut would win the J&B Met. He’d never looked as well before a race and his stride was big, rhythmic and smooth. He’d tucked his bold head into his chest and the muscles on his hindquarters rippled with every elastic stride– a fearsome sight for the connections of his rivals.

“Race caller Jehan Malherbe announced that the field was ready to go and, amid a tremendous roar from the crowd, the runners jumped from the pens. With Diane clutching my arm, I lost track of space and time – everything a kaleidoscope of sounds, voices and heartbeats, in slow motion. I tried to concentrate on Horse Chestnut’s position in the early part of the race, and soon found the bobbing head with the prominent, diamond-shaped blaze clearly visible above his noseband.

“The TV monitors displayed an innovative aerial view of the first 200m – shot from a hot-air balloon – and Weichong Marwing had Horse Chestnut perfectly placed behind two early pacemakers. He’d settled nicely in third. I expected a bit of scrummaging down the back straight, but that didn’t happen. Horse Chestnut – like a large, dangerous battleship out at sea – had lots of room around him. This near perfect early position appeared to have been reserved for a single runner – the all-conquering Fort Wood powerhouse!

“Indeed, victory itself had been reserved for Horse Chestnut. He was a heavyweight in a lightweight contest; a well-lubed engine revving up to full throttle as the runners swung around the final bend and into the home straight.

“‘Look towards the inside!’

“My body had gone numb and my eyes were watery, but my sense of hearing was sharp enough to detect Malherbe’s voice commanding the uproarious crowd to watch the Oppenheimers’ black-and-yellow silks surging ahead to challenge for the lead.

“With 400m to go, it was all over as a contest. when Marwing pressed the button, Horse Chestnut unleashed his blistering turn of foot, as if charged with dynamite. Within a matter of strides he’d gone three, four lengths clear, and 300m from the line the only question was how far he’d win.

“My Adam’s Apple had swollen to twice its size, but I was not about to cry. Trying to breathe was a more important consideration. Diane was screaming with excitement. Arms slapped at my back. Hands tugged at my jacket. That slow-motion feeling returned, and Malherbe’s voice in the distance: ‘This is true greatness! Horse Chestnut is killing them in the J&B Met!’”

Matthew Lips assessed in Sporting Post: ‘We can all live to be a thousand, and never again witness what we saw in the J&B Met.’

***

Above:  Thanks to the kindness of strangers, Horse Chestnut made it to the Gosforth Park Classic

In 1999 the South African Triple Crown comprised the Newmarket/Cape Argus Guineas (the winner of either qualified); the Gosforth Park Classic and the South African Derby, and not a single horse in South African racing history had ever managed to complete this elusive treble.

Horse Chestnut had already won the first leg of the Triple Crown, the Cape Argus Guineas. And, by the looks of entries for the Gosforth Park Classic, he would have little trouble in landing this 1,800m second leg. He had trounced the best three-year-olds in the country a number of times.

Horse Chestnut came frighteningly close to being scratched from the Gosforth Park Classic. Again, the issue was an unexpected transport problem.

Mike recounted: “Blissfully unaware of what had happened to Horse Chestnut on his way to the racecourse, I entertained some guests at our race day table overlooking the track at Gosforth Park.

“About an hour before the race, Frikkie Greyling phoned to say that Horse Chestnut had just arrived on course. This was strange. Horse Chestnut was normally there at least two hours ahead of time. By Jockey Club Rules, all runners have to be in the saddling area at least one hour before they are carded to race. If not, the Stipendiary Stewards have no choice but to scratch such latecomers or fine the trainer.

“I jumped up, excused myself and took the escalators down to the stable area. ‘What did you say, Frikkie? He’s arrived only now?’ I asked. ‘Why so late? What’s going on?’

“It transpired that Horse Chestnut’s designated ‘driver’, Russel Waterston, had experienced severe engine trouble on the way to Gosforth Park, the outcome of which was so unusual it was hard to believe.

“Ironically, due to nagging problems with his own truck, Russel had decided to use the newly reconditioned truck of his friend, Nicky Terblanche. But Terblanche’s supposedly reliable vehicle failed to make it to the track.

“Travelling in peak traffic, on a hot day, Russel noticed that the truck’s temperature gauge was rising fast. Smoke puffed from the hood and he brought the truck to a standstill just off the N3 highway to Germiston, about 10km away from Gosforth Park Racecourse.

“Russel made several attempts to cool the engine down and was soon up to his elbows in grease and oil. As time ran out his fellow-passenger, Megan Hay, tried to calm him down. She made several calls on her mobile phone, but support was not immediately forthcoming.

“Realising the importance of the situation – the entire South African racing fraternity was eagerly awaiting Horse Chestnut participation in the second leg of the Triple Crown – Russel decided to switch to Plan B: drastic action! With time running out fast, the former jockey stood fearlessly in the middle of the highway and flagged down the first vehicle remotely resembling a truck.

“With cars swerving in all directions to avoid hitting the waving, oil-covered character in the road, the driver of one vehicle decided to stop. It was old, dirty, run-down paint truck with badly dented bumpers and a loose tow bar.

“Poor Russel was in no mood to smile and had little time to explain. The owners of the truck – two Afrikaans-speaking paint contractors – knew nothing about horseracing. They’d never heard of Horse Chestnut, but Russel must have looked angry enough to be taken seriously.

“Without further ado, Horse Chestnut’s float was hooked up to the ailing cab. Russel and Megan squeezed in next to the driver and his colleague in front, and three hired painters hung on for dear life between large drums of Plascon and a stepladder on the back. Bobbing up and down in tow behind them came the float carrying Horse Chestnut and his groom, Abraham Motha.

“Frikkie Greyling – pacing up and down the Gosforth Park parking lot – made a frantic call to Russel Waterston. ‘Hey, Russel,’ he screamed, ‘where the hell are you? The Stipes are going to scratch Horse Chestnut!’

“ ‘We’re here,’ Russel replied. ‘We’re at the entrance. Open the gates!’

“ ‘I don’t see you,’ cried Frikkie, looking in the direction of a weathered paint truck rattling onto Gosforth Park’s premises.

“‘Over here,’ shouted a short, grease-marked man resembling Russel Waterston, emerging from the truck and waving at Frikkie. ‘Here’s the horse!’

“‘Relief’ was not a suitable word to describe his feelings, Frikkie later told us.

“Horse Chestnut walked from his box as if nothing had happened, and we thanked the confused paint contractors for their kindness. In our rush to prepare the colt for the pre-race parade, we’d forgotten to take their names. I wonder if those Good Samaritans realise that they saved us from untold embarrassment. What’s more, they played a significant part in writing a little piece of history. If Horse Chestnut had missed this race, the South African Triple Crown would not have been won in the 20th century!”

Horse Chestnut was as keen as ever to get the job done and this time Weichong Marwing wasted no time in sending the colt to the front to set a cracking pace. Sighs of discomfort went up in the Gosforth Park grandstand, but Horse Chestnut was striding as comfortably as ever. The Gosforth run-in was only 450m long: Marwing knew that; he stole the race by shaking up his mount before the field turned for home.

At the 300m-mark, with Horse Chestnut five lengths clear and proverbially coasting, Fort Defiance emerged from the pack to launch a challenge, but that was short-lived as Horse Chestnut kept up his relentless gallop.

Commentator Graeme Hawkins took advantage of the situation with a loud and innovative invitation to the crowd: ‘Ladies and gentleman, I’ve said enough! You bring home the Champion,’ Hawkins called at the 200m-mark, and allowed the race to play out in quiet. They responded as one, cheering and clapping as Horse Chestnut romped home to a four-length victory.

https://news.4racing.com/off-the-record-16

Vaughan Marshall won the first two races of the meeting and the Bernard Fayd’Herbe-ridden second race winner Star Performer (What A Winter) should go on to score more wins (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Richard Fourie, Craig Zackey, Aldo Domeyer and Vaughan Marshall scored individual doubles at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today (Tuesday).

Fourie is now on 198 wins for the season and has achieved it at a strike rate of 21.36%.

Zackey is on 82 wins at 9.89%.

Domeyer is on 42 wins at 21.43%.

Marshall goes to 31 wins for the season at a strike rate of 9.97%.

Picture: American Flag

What was the significance of a colt called American Flag winning the Manor Stakes at Laurel 100 years ago in 1924?

American Flag was the best racehorse from the great Man O’ War’s first crop and fittingly went on to be American Champion Three-year-old in 1925.

Man O’ War, born in 1917 in the USA, is considered by some to be the greatest racehorse of all time.

Interestingly, American Flag’s dam was by Roi Herode.

Roi Herode was the sire of The Tetrarch, who is regarded as possibly the best two-year-old of all time as he had blinding speed.

The Tetrarch, who was known as “The Spotted Wonder”, only sired 130 foals due to fertility problems, but that did not stop him from being leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 1919. Among others he sired Mumtaz Mahal, who won a number of important sprint races and went on to become one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century.

American Flag ch c 1922 (Man o’ War – Lady Comfey, by Roi Herode). Sire Line Matchem. Family 7.

Bred and raced by Samuel D Riddle he won the Manor Stakes at Laurel as a two year old. At three he won all his races including the Belmont Stakes, the Withers Stakes and the Dwyer Stakes in “impressive style,” earning himself champion three year old colt honours. Leg problems eventually forced him into retirement. He was said to resemble his sire in both appearance and running style. He is probably best remembered for his daughter, Calumet Farm’s Nellie Flag (ch f 1932), who was champion three year old filly in 1934 and ancestress of the stallions Mark-Ye-Well (b c 1949 Bull Lea), Kentucky Derby winner and champion three year old Bold Forbes (bbr c 1973 Irish Castle) and the celebrated gelding Forego (b g 1970 Forli) who was Horse of the Year in 1974, 1975 and 1976 and inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1979. American Flag died in 1942.