Muzi Yeni Flies The SA Flag At Bittersweet Kranji Meeting
Muzi Yeni wins the Gr 1 Singapore Gold Cup on outsider Smart Star in Kranji’s last ever race. (Photo By Jensen Chua)
Muzi Yeni became the latest South African hero on the world stage on Saturday in Singapore in a year characterised by SA industrymen and horses being prominent in overseas jurisdictions.
Yeni will forever be remembered as the last man to ride a winner on the Kranji racecourse in Singapore, just as he was the last man to ride a winner at Flamingo park in Kimberley.
He seemed to have an impossible task on a horse called Smart Star in the final race to ever take place at Kranji on Saturday.
Smart Star was rated only 71 and was thus way under sufferance carrying 50kg and receiving just 8kg from the 122-rated favourite, Lims Kosciuszko, who ran a 3,10 length fifth.
Yeni was recommended to trainer David Kok by Michael Lee, the Deputy Racing Editor from The Straits Times, and he was given a number of second string rides for the Kok yard as well as one or two other rides on the day.
He had run unplaced in all five of his previous rides before the main race of the day, the Gr 1 S$1380,000 (R18,436,800) Grand Singapore Gold Cup over 2000m, which was to sadly bring the curtain down on 182 years of racing in Singapore.
Muzi broke well from barrier 8 of 16 on the outsider Smart Star and the fast pace suited the rangy galloper. He had cover around the first turn, although nearer the back than the front. He was caught three wide down the back straight but the horse was nice and relaxed and was relishing the good pace, set by a horse who opened up a ten length lead.
Smart Star was only about three lengths off them as he made up ground on the final turn, whilst the pacemaker folded tamely. His big stride began eating up the ground under a strong but rhythmical drive by Yeni. He surged in the final 20 metres and got up by 0,3 lengths from the second favourite Lim’s Saltoro.
Muzi rode in two meetings in Singapore six years ago, but this was his first win in the South East Asia country.
His victory soon went viral among the proud SA racing community.
It was also a day tinged with sadness as is captured in the below article written by Michael Cox of idolhorse.com
A longshot winner and a long goodbye for Kranji as a surreal race day ends 182 years of racing in Singapore.
Michael Cox
LONGSHOT WINNERS in feature races have a way of plunging crowds into stunned silence but rarely is the silence permanent.
The G1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup was the last time the normally boisterous Singapore racing crowd had to pay tribute to the winner of a live horse race: unfortunately 32-1 Smart Star ensured there weren’t many winning punters with something to cheer about.After 182 years of racing in Singapore and 100 years since the first Gold Cup, the final race was at least one of its most memorable, even if there was more noise from the 10,000 fans on course as the field went past the post for the first time as there was when the upset winner crossed the line.
The two top picks in betting – Dan Meagher-trained stablemates Lim’s Saltoro and Lim’s Kosciusko – would have been more popular winners.
What the crowd lacked in enthusiasm was made up for by visiting South African jockey Muzi Yeni, who stood high in the irons, punched the air, crossed his chest and screamed with joy after Smart Star made a late charge to nab Lim’s Saltoro on the line.
For trainer David Kok, who will return to his homeland of Malaysia to train after 16 years at Kranji, it was a dream come true.
Kok was so confident in his horse’s chances with 50 kilograms on his back that the trainer cast a worldwide search for a lightweight jockey that eventually landed on the 37-year-old Yeni, a winner of more than 2,000 races in South Africa and current leader in the South African jockeys’ premiership.
“It was my dream to win a Singapore Gold Cup one day and I got it,” Kok told local racing writer Mike Lee, who played an instrumental role in booking the history-making rider.
“I thank my friend Michael Lee, who suggested to me to bring Muzi Yeni. I also want to thank all my staff because they are very hardworking.”
Yeni provided a patient ride in a race in which tearaway leader Pacific Vampire drew plenty of mid-race response from the crowd.
“He was a little exposed when three deep but I was able to hold him in a good position. The pace suited him to the ground,” Yeni said of the winner.
“It was nothing I couldn’t handle. Mr Kok and the owners freighted me over and trusted me, I just had to do my job the best I could.
“He responded well when I bounced him up in the straight. He wandered in the last 150m, but he was always in control.
“I’m proud to have won the last Gold Cup at the last day of racing in Singapore.”
Every race on the card was celebrated like a Group 1, helped by a significant prize money boost for each race. The stake money for the first nine races on the 10-race card was nearly doubled and the Gold Cup raised to SGD$1.38 million from SGD$970,000.
When New Zealand trainer Donna Logan won the Singapore Turf Club Trophy earlier in the day with Te Akau Ben in the iconic orange and blue silks of Te Akau Racing she paid an emotional tribute to racing at Kranji, where she has been based for the last seven years.
“It’s a very emotional day and I couldn’t be more honoured, to me it’s like winning a Group 1,” she said. “It’s a really historic day and to actually have a winner on the last single day of Singapore’s racing, in the Te Akau colours, that means so much to Te Akau … thank you, Singapore.”
Australia-bound Meagher may have narrowly missed out in the feature race with the ‘Lims’ but he won four on the undercard, including with impressive young sprinter Lim’s Shevano, who has won three from four starts and looks to have an impressive future when Meagher relocates to Pakenham later this year.
The crowd was bizarrely limited to 10,000 by Singapore Turf Club officials, robbing many of experiencing racing in Lion City for the very last time, but this is typical of the mismanagement by heartless officials that have run this racing jurisdiction into the ground.
Racetrack crowds aren’t ones to hang around but after the last race in Singapore there was no rush to the gates and many regulars took their time.
Some of the unsung heroes of racing – race day staff, groundskeepers and stablehands – also took their time, posing for group photos. The groundskeepers gathered in the parade ring and hoisted their arms in a uniform cheer which echoed around the now near deserted racecourse.
When Kranji was opened in 1999 after a build that cost SGD$500m Singapore dollars, it was the glittering jewel of Asian racing. It remains a world class facility.
But every weekend from now until it is razed, there won’t be a more desolate and quiet place in Singapore than an empty Kranji Racecourse.
Halcyon Day for The Turf Talk Syndicate And Paul Reeves
Lloyd, Schofield And Nestadt's Memorable Day In Aus
Zac Lloyd cruises in on Lady Shenandoah to land his second career Gr 1 (Picture: Steve Hart).
Jockeys Zac Lloyd and Chad Schofield and owner Larry Nestadt were other South African connected industrymen to enjoy memorable success in an overseas jurisdiction on Saturday.
Lloyd and Schofield are Australians but are the respective sons of former Durban-based jockey icon Jeff Lloyd and former Durban-based top jockey Glynn Schofield and they both enjoyed multiple Group success on Saturday at Randwick, including a Gr 1 win apiece, while the Nestadt part-owned Just Fine booked his place in the Melbourne Cup with a Gr 3 win at Flemington.
Zac Lloyd is only 21 years old and only made his race-riding debut in November 2020, but he is already being viewed as a champion in the making. An illustration of the early success he has had is that in the last 14 years he is the only person other than legendary trainer Chris Waller to have won the Bart Cummings Medal. The Bart Cummings Medal point score – honouring the legendary trainer who passed away nine years ago – is comprised of votes from seven leading Sydney racing journalists and last year Zac Lloyd broke a sequence of 12 medals Waller had won, although Waller once again landed the medal this year.
On Saturday at Randwick Zac landed his second career Gr 1 when winning the Gr 1 Aus$750,000 Darley Flight Stakes over 1600m on the Chris Waller-trained Lady Shenandoah, who annihilated them by over three lengths.
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE FLIGHT STAKES
In the next race Zac won a Group 2 over 1200m worth AUS$1 million on the Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes-trained Airman (I Am Invincible).
In the following race Zac failed by a head in the Gr 1 Metropolitan on the James Cummings-trained Zardozi (Kingman).
The race after the Metropolitan was the Gr 1 AUS$1,507,500 Tab Epsom over 1600m and was won by the Joseph Pride-trained Ceowulf (Tavistock) ridden by Chad Schofield.
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT SCHOFIELD’S GR 1 WIN ON CEOWULF
Schofield also won a Gr 3 race at Randwick.
The third-placed horse in the Tab Epsom from draw 17 was Royal Patronage, who is part-owned by Larry Nestadt, and it did his chances of getting into the Melbourne Cup no harm.
On the same day the Nestadt part-owned Just Fine, a Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Irish-bred Sea The Stars gelding, had won the Gr 3 The Lexus Bart Cummings over 2520m at Flemington under Jordan Childs and had thus booked his place in the Melbourne Cup.
Venniker's Fine Weekend Included A Treble And Two Features
Venniker was deputizing for Muzi Yeni who partnered the 50-1 shot Smart Star to victory in the Gr1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup at Kranji in Singapore on Saturday, the last racemeeting to be held at the track with the government closing the venue down for housing development in the island state.
Care Forgot was also Barend Botes’ swansong in KZN as he is soon to relocate back to Gauteng after just two seasons in this province with Equus Champion Quid Pro Quo now also headed north.
The Beach Beauty Mile was reduced to just six runners with the scratching of ante-post favourite Spirit Of Levana and then the grey The Ghost, who injured herself when loading.
The race turned into a muddling affair with James Lihaba setting pedestrian fractions with none willing to go forward. Venniker made an early move in the straight and Care Forgot moved smoothly into the lead. She was quickly challenge by favourite Destiny Of Fire who looked to go on by but just when Serino Moodley looked to have the race in hand, Venniker got one final burst from her mount to regain the lead when it counted.
Deryl Daniels has got over some serious speedbumps in his life which are hopefully all behind him but he has aIways been a talented rider. Since his comeback to riding he has had to battle his way through the ranks and was more appreciated in Zimbabwe than Summerveld.
He rode fine double yesterday, both for Robbie Hill, also a talented rider in his day, and Daniels’ fortunes could be turning for the best.
In spite of some solid form to recommend her, there were concerns that favourite Princess Goldie would find the 1100m a touch on the sharp side in the first and so it proved as Hot Lava and Blowin In The Wind kept finding ahead of her and she could only manage a well-beaten third. Hill was full of praise for Daniels who place Hot Lava perfectly behind the favourite and pressed for home at just the right time. Are You Sure vied for favoritism and the lead with Blowin In The Wind but faded tamely when the chips were down.
Barry de Grond has always shown promise and confirmed that with a comfortable win in the second. A little headstrong in the early exchanges, once Daniels gave him his head in the straight he quickened up smartly to get the better of favourite Star Of The Future with Catavar finishing off nicely for third.
There was little form to go on in the opening leg of the PA which was born out by the fact that one could have thrown a blanket over the first six across the line. But it was Garth Puller’s charge Got The Word who scraped home under Siphesihle Hlengwa. Hlengwa got a straight run through the pack as one-time leader Whereverilaymyhat ducked out badly under pressure and third-placed Rooster Bradshaw also looked to hang in spite of all of his rider’s efforts to keep him straight.
The fourth came with the sad news of the passing of legendary bookmaker Morris Vee. One of the old school bookmakers who stood on course with the likes of Som Singh and Tommy Morgan before computers took over and individual bookmakers lost their face to the big corporates.
Once horse racing is in your blood, it never leaves. Willie Pieters was a successful trainer in his time before leaving to run safari lodges. He is back along with bloodstock agent Andy Williams in a start-up syndicate operation, Classic Racing. They had their first winner yesterday as JP’s Palace landed the Morris Vee Maiden Plate for Darryl Moore under Athandiwe Mgudlwa who brough the gelding home with a rattle. One of Paul Lafferty’s pet hates is his horses running wide and the well fancied One Arm Bandit was caught three wide throughout before running out of gas late.
Formagear was not short of betting support in spite of dropping back to 1200m from a mile, and replacement rider Mgudlwa was given an armchair ride as Peter Muscutt’s gelding quickened up smartly to win the fifth as he liked.
It was two on the board for Muscutt as Quasiforsure proved far too classy in the sixth. Serino Moodley replaced the indispose Gavin Lerena and in spite of giving weight to all and a wide draw, there was never an anxious moment for his supporters as he cruised through up the outside of the opposition to win as he liked. African Skyline held on gamely for second with Mexican Pete coming from a long way off the pace for third and one to watch next time he goes a little further.
Moodley put the Beach Beauty behind him with a copybook ride on Andre Nel’s runner Selukwe. Making good use of his inside draw, Moodley tracked the early pace and then made a winning move up the inside rail with Tyrconnell finishing off nicely from well back for second.
Favourite Warrior Royale was always travelling like a winner in the last as his Mike Miller-trained stable companion Twilight Bay set the early fractions. But once Mathew Thackeray released the brake, Warrior Royale was not for the catching allowing him the luxury of gearing his mount down before the line.
Late Supplementary Bluestocking Wins The Arc
Workrider/Groom Eric Ngwane Celebrates His Horse's Arc Win
Eric Ngwane, a former jockey from South Africa, rides the brilliant filly in all her work but did not have the correct document to travel with her to Paris-Longchamp
The groom and regular work rider of Bluestocking had to watch the £4million Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe from the pub because he did not have the correct visa.
Eric Ngwane, a former champion apprentice from South Africa, has looked after and ridden the brilliant mare off the track since she arrived at trainer Ralph Beckett’s Hampshire stables.
He has travelled with her for her races in Britain but has had to miss out when she has left the country.
Ngwane couldn’t go with her to France when she won the Prix Vermeille in September and had to miss out when connections paid £100,000 to run her in Europe’s richest horse race at Paris-Longchamp on Sunday.
“I wasn’t able to be there because I am on a skilled visa for the UK only and I need another visa to enter France,” said the 31-year-old. “Because she was supplemented late we couldn’t get a visa in time for me to go with her. Alexis [de Gouveia] went with her instead.”
He went on: “I managed to get that feeling out of my head that I couldn’t be there and I just had to support the team. A few of us from the yard went to the pub and we watched it there. I was so nervous before the race,”
Bluestocking, who was ridden by Rossa Ryan, enjoyed a perfect trip, tracking the pace set by Ryan Moore on Los Angeles to take up the running with two furlongs to run and holding to win by a length and a quarter.
“I knew she would win when she jumped and sat second,” Ngwane said. “She was comfortable and was able to see out the trip without experiencing any interference. It was a dream race.
“When she hit the front I went mad. I was so crazy. It was unreal how easy it was for her to win it. I have always believed in her. To be fair when it hadn’t rained I thought she could run at least third but once it did rain I thought it was hers to lose.”
Ngwane came to Britain three years ago after starting his career in South Africa where he was twice champion apprentice in Durban.
Back In Business Could Be The Real Deal
Back In Business cruises in under Rachel Venniker (JC Photos)
The progressive Joe Soma-trained William Longsword gelding Back In Business put in a scintillating display on Saturday at Turffontein Inside under Rachel Venniker to easily win the Gr 2 Betway Jo’Burg Spring Challenge over 1450m under Rachel Venniker by a cosy 1,50 lengths from the second favourite Barbaresco and the rank rank outsider Wild At War, who dead-heated for second ahead of the KZN raider Gladatorian with Melech next best.
Earlier, the Sean Tarry-trained Vercingetorix mare Celtic Rumours had landed bold black type by winning the Gr 2 Betway Jo’Burg Fillies and Mares Challenge also over 1450m under Gavin Lerena.
Back In Business is now unbeaten in three starts this season and could prove to be the real deal now that he has come into his own.
He was way under sufferance with the hot favourite Main Defender.
However, the latter could only manage a 4,70 length seventh.
In any case it is a condition of the race that the winner can not be raised more than eight merit rated points.
Back In Business was given the full eight points to go to 114.
However, that is a capped rating. He ran well above that rating considering Barbaresco and Gladatorian are both rated 120 and he gave them only 1kg and 1,5kg respectively and beat then by 1,50 and 2,70 lengths respectively.
Today's Question
Longchamp racecourse hosths the Arc (Image: The New York Times)
Question: Which country has won the most Prix de l’Arc de Triomphes this millennium?
FIELDS, Tuesday 8 OCTOBER
Hollywoodbets Durbanville
Today’s Question Answer
French-trained horses have won the Arc eleven times this millennium, British-trained horses have won it eight times, Irish-trained horses have won it four times and German-trained horses have won it twice.
