Turf Talk Newsletter – 08 October, 2024

Gayton McKenzie was shown around HWB Kenilworth by Cape Racing Chairman Greg Bortz (Picture Supplied)

Cape Racing

The South African Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie visited Hollywoodbets Kenilworth headquarters on Thursday, 3 October and engaged with Cape Racing Chairman Greg Bortz on the future of the sport in the country, and specifically in the Western Cape.

Racing in the Western Cape is undergoing a dramatic transformation under the Hollywoodbets and Bortz ownership, with the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racing facility unrecognisable from 18 months ago when the sport was in serious danger of closing its doors.

In their fruitful meeting, Bortz gave Minister McKenzie a tour of the facilities and explained the growth that was still being planned, and what had been achieved so far.

Hollywoodbets Kenilworth has become more than a venue exclusively for horseracing. It is evolving into a multi-faceted “sportstainment” hub designed to benefit the broader community, which includes serving as an events and functions hosting venue. The Ultra Electronic Music Festival has already been staged at the venue for the past two years.

Other expansion plans will create many more employment opportunities, on top of the significant number of jobs already created by the horseracing industry. These new plans include the introduction of Padel, Fives Futbol, leisure areas, and restaurants, with the facility destined to become a seven-day-a-week destination.

Minister McKenzie applauded Cape Racing’s drive to make the sport accessible to all South Africans through its owners’ syndicate scheme, which makes the sport more affordable for a wide range of new owners. This, together with the sizable capital investments being made into Cape Racing’s properties, will help drive foot traffic to our racecourses and elevate the sport’s standing.

“Racing’s future depends on greater inclusivity,” Bortz said. “We want to change the perception that this is an exclusive sport and open the gates for all South Africans to enjoy. We’re committed to evolving our venues into spaces that serve the wider community and drive economic growth.”

“We are grateful to Minister McKenzie for giving us so much of his time, and for his commitment to help support our efforts. The lack of government involvement in our sport was noted by the Minister with concern and accompanied by a commitment to do everything in his power to help our critical industry not only survive but thrive.”

Picture: Silver Sanctuary (JC Photos)

Mike de Kock might run two of his Gr 1 winners from last season, Silver Sanctuary and Equus Horse Of The Year Dave The King, in the R6 million Betway Summer Cup, but he is not certain the latter will go that route.

He said about Silver Sanctuary, who won the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 last season after a host of close up finishes in Graded races, including two Gr 1 runner up finishes, “She runs in a Pinnacle Stakes race over 1600m on Saturday, which she is going to need, and she will then need another one before the Summer Cup.”

De Kock has won nine Summer Cups, but landing the tenth has proved elusive as his last win in the big race was with Silvano filly Flirtation in 2009.

Silver Sanctuary is one of a “good few” De Kock horses who might travel to Cape Town. She was a narrow runner up in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas last season and her obvious target in Cape Town this season would be the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m.

De Kock said Dave The King’s chief aim would be the Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate.

He said, “Dave The King will be entered in the Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile and the Betway Summer Cup, but his main mission is the L’Ormarins King’s Plate. I would like to give him two prep runs before the King’s Plate . He’s not garunteed to run in the Summer Cup, because as I have said before he has always been a bit suspect over 2000m in my opinion. The Charity Mile might be an option but with the benchmark clause of 52kg for a 106 merit rating he will be carrying a lot of weight off a 128 merit rating (63kg), so we might by pass that. But the main mission is the King’s Plate and anything else is a bonus.”

De Kock would love to send Dave The King to Dubai and Hong Kong, but he said the problem was he did not think he would get there timeously. There is not only the consideration of equine export flights being put together but also the consideration of “no work at all for 16 days”.

He elaborated, “You are in a lockdown situation which will stick you back completely. You can’t just get off a plane and run. You have to give yourself time to regroup on the work you’ve lost out on, so it’s just not straight forward.”

De Kock’s other two Gr 1 winners from last season were Gimme A Nother and Humdinger.

Gimme A Nother is still doing her two months quarantine in Europe before being flown to America.

Humdinger was retired and was purchased by Drakenstein Stud.

De Kock’s three-year-old Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud-bred Rafeef colt Heather’s Boy had tongues wagging after an impressive debut win over 1450m last month. However, De Kock said he preferred the horse to do the talking from the number one box rather than the trainer doing it prematurely. He said there was no rush to put him in big races yet and the aim would be to build his confidence and he added, “If he wins then we can talk about him.”

Piere Strydom makes it two from two on the top sprinter Dyce (JC Photos)

Lucky Houdalakis said if everything was still going well for Dyce in January the chances were good he would travel down to Cape Town to defend his crown in the Gr 1 Cape Flying Championship.

However, the William Longsword gelding needs to work on light tracks, which he has at the Vaal and would not have in Cape Town, so if he does go he will travel in and and out for the race.

It was for that reason i.e. the unsuitable tracks in Cape Town, that he did not stay in Cape Town last season for the Diadem.

There are also the big sprints on the Highveld and KZN to take into account, so he will want to get back from Cape Town as quickly as possible if he does go down there.

Dyce was rested at the end of last season as is well documented and has come back in fine fettle, winning his first two starts this season.

Lucky said he had come out of those two impressive wins well and was “flying”.

He said, “I have just put him in the paddock and will just play with him until his next race. ”

Piere Strdyom has ridden Dyce in both of his wins this season and Lucky confirmed he would keep the ride.

He said, “We put him on because Craig (Zackey) has to ride for Lady Laidlaw. Piere is very good with this kind of horse.”

Lucky is looking forward to “the season” to see how his best young horses do and he mentioned Musical Score (Oratorio), Wild Intent (Gimmethegreenlight) and Willy Meet Again (William Longsword).

He said, “I’m not jumping the gun, there are no heroics yet, so we will wait and see what develops.”

Lucky ran one-two in the Grand Heritage two years ago for his chief owner Dave Shawe, who also owns Dyce, Wild Intent and Willy Meet Again, among others, and he mentioned the progressive Dave Shawe-owned Master Christmas (Master Of My Fate) as a potential candidate for this year’s Grand Heritage.

Lot 68, a Frankel filly out of Shamardal Gr 2-winning mare Aljazzi, became the second highest priced yearling in European auction history (Picture: Tattersalls)

Blockbuster Start to Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale

An electric atmosphere and frenzied trade characterised a remarkable opening session at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale with a FRANKEL filly realising 4,400,000 guineas, the second highest price for a yearling in European auction history, and eighteen lots realising 500,000 guineas or more. The progeny of FRANKEL were in great demand realising three of the four million guineas prices, whilst Amo Racing’s Kia Joorabchian was the leading first day buyer securing 10 lots for 11,045,000 guineas. The clearance rate during the opening day was an impressive 90%.

Frankel Filly from Newsells Park Stud Sells for 4,400,000 Guineas

The top lot on the opening day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale was the FRANKEL filly out of Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes winner ALJAZZI who was knocked down to Kia Joorabchian, stood alongside agent Alex Elliott, for 4,400,000 guineas after he saw off a determined effort from Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida. The sale represented the second highest price for a yearling in European auction history, behind the 5,000,000 guineas sale of the filly subsequently named AL NAAMAH at this sale in 2013.

Once Elliott had taken a breath, he said: “Phew! Kia and partners wanted the filly very badly – a Frankel filly from that family and with that physical, she was always going to be a collectors’ item. It is a deep price tag and, though we had discussed her at length, obviously I did not see her making that – but we had very much homed in on her.

“But she is part of Team Amo now… wow! She is a spectacular filly, it is a spectacular price, a spectacular bunch of horses here. I’d like to say I was a cool customer when all that was taking place, but that would be a fib – I have never been in that rarified atmosphere before.”

He added: “We have seen Ylang Ylang from the same farm and from the same cross, we just need history to repeat itself! The figure I had in mind was a good bit below that but, as I keep saying to people, good horses will pay you back!

“It is great that she is staying here, it is great for British racing that these people are around to buy these horses as we all understand how difficult the product is to promote at the minute. To have two men to say they are going to keep her here, it is huge kudos to them. Kia knows you have got to buy them at the top level to compete at the top level.”

Elliott continued: “This filly has got through most of the hoops – she is by the right stallion, she is out of a good Shamardal mare, she is from a great farm, she has come to a sale, she has shown she is in the top echelon of horses, now she has got to keep going!”

The SHAMARDAL mare ALJAZZI was purchased by Newsells Park Stud at the 2018 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale for a record breaking 1,000,000 guineas, and this filly’s great granddam MAJESTIC SAKEENA was bought by Tony Nerses at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2006 for 200,000 guineas.

Consignor Julian Dollar of Newsells Park Stud said: “To be honest with you, I was hoping she would make a million and that would have been nice, but obviously some good players had her valued at twice that. We are obviously delighted. Mitsu Nakauchida is a great trainer and a lovely guy and he loved her, and obviously Kia, Amo and Alex loved her too… it is unbelievable.

“I said to Graham [Smith-Bernal] that there were two fillies that I’d like to keep, she was one and the other was the Dubawi filly. We also have a nice filly to sell on Thursday, the half-sister to Ylang Ylang. But I always loved this filly and thought she was outstanding. I am thrilled with that price, it makes a big difference to a commercial operation like Newsells. It is great.”

Frankel Sister to Alpinista Sells for 2,500,000 Guineas to Amo Racing

One of the stars of the catalogue was the FRANKEL sister to the 2022 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Stakes winner ALPINISTA and she did not disappoint when selling for 2,500,000 guineas. The daughter of Listed winning HERNANDO mare ALWILDA was consigned from her breeder Kirsten Rausing’s Staffordstown and was another high-profile filly purchased by Kia Joorabchain’s Amo Racing.

“That pedigree, a sister to an Arc winner, there is not a lot to tell you that we don’t all know!” laughed Elliott, who was stood amongst the Amo Racing team. “Kia has been in the game for a number of years now, and to compete at the top table you have to have the best pedigrees – it is the only way to compete consistently.

“Amo has got to a level now that it is ready to try and do that, and that filly has just about the best pedigree in the book. It doesn’t get any better than that. She is a fine big scopey filly, she is worth a hell of a lot of money residually. We will see how she goes but we will take our time, it is very much a late developing family and she looks like that physically, but we are up and running!”

He added: “We have obviously got some horses who will stand at stud such as King Of Steel – I am not saying they will be for him, but if he proves himself good enough these mares could be… we have got an awful lot of proving to do!

“But Kia is ready for the operation to prove itself at the next echelon and that is where we are trying to get to, and that is why we need to get into these families. The fact that these horses are staying here is huge for British racing and we should all be huge cheerleaders for it.”

Once he had finished dealing with well-wishers, Joorabchian added: “We need strong pedigreed fillies and we have a lot of horses going to stud in the next year, such as Bucanero Fuerte and King Of Steel – it will be this year or next year, we will have to make a decision soon, and we have Persian Force already at stud. We need to back them otherwise we are just going to get left behind – we have to back our stallions to have a chance of winning.

“It is very difficult to buy such mares because the likes of Juddmonte, Coolmore, Shadwell, all the big guys own all the big mares. So we have to come out here and hope that what we are buying in terms of pedigrees will make us competitive.

“It is very hard to buy such pedigrees after the yearling stage – once a filly has won a Group 1 you are in very high prices, so you have got to try and get them earlier and hope that they go on well.”

Of FRANKEL he enthused: “Frankel has had huge success and he just keeps on producing – the Matron Stakes was a real eye-opener, four of the field were by Frankel and one by Too Darn Hot. You look at all the Frankels and what they are doing, these amazing mares and fillies, you just have to back him.”

Godolphin Strike for Ballylinch Stud’s No Nay Never at 2,200,000 Guineas

Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation struck during the afternoon to secure the NO NAY NEVER colt out of the Listed winning HIGH CHAPARRAL mare BELLA ESTRELLA from Ballylinch Stud for 2,200,000 guineas.

“He is one of the nicest horses we have ever brought to a sale,” said Ballylinch Stud’s John O’Connor of the half-brother to the Group 2 Champagne Stakes winner IBERIAN, “and possibly the nicest horse – and we have sold quite a few Group 1 winners here too. Ronan Wade, our yearling manager at Castlemartin, gave him the highest mark he has ever for a horse. We are delighted Sheikh Mohammed has bought the colt and we wish him every success.”

Of the colt as an individual, he added: “He is just the perfect yearling, and I hope he will make the perfect racehorse. He has the most wonderful temperament and is so consistent in how he shows. He has beautiful action and is the perfect mover, and vetted very well. Most of those who you think could buy a very good horse wanted to buy him. Sheikh Mohammed is having some success with our stallions, let’s hope this horse goes on well too.”

Of the family, he outlined: “This mare was very good, and it is an original pedigree from when the McCalmont family was based at Ballylinch. I bought Uncharted Haven here out of training at the December Sale, and most of that blacktype on page has been bred by us – it is a very active family.”

The Grade 2 winner UNCHARTED HAVEN was purchased by Ballylinch Stud for 320,000 guineas at the 2001 Tattersalls December Mares Sale.

Purchaser Anthony Stroud said: “He is a lovely horse, a very good-looking horse, we all really liked him a lot. He has a wonderful pedigree, is from a very good stud farm, and was the one horse we really wanted today.

“It has been a blockbuster start to the sale with the two fillies’ sales. There are a lot of people from around the world here, which is good to see.”

Baroda’s Frankel Colt to Amo Racing for 1,100,000 Guineas

The fourth and final lot to realise a seven figure value on the opening day was the FRANKEL colt out of the OASIS DREAM mare ATONE who was knocked down to Amo Racing for 1,100,000 guineas. The colt is a half-brother to the Group placed REDRESSED and is out of an own-sister to six-time Group 1 winner and Champion mare MIDDAY, the dam of the blacktype winners MIDTERM, MORI and NOON STAR, and a half-sister to the Group winners SUN MAIDEN and HOT SNAP.

Consigned by Baroda Stud, the colt was bred by Yulong Investments with BBA Ireland having purchased the mare from the Juddmonte draft at the 2022 Tattersalls December Mares Sale for 300,000 guineas.

David Cox of Baroda said: “He is a homebred for Yulong, he was a lovely foal and I was delighted to be able to bring him here. The lads have done a great job to prepare him for the sale and Sam did a great job with him up here. He showed perfectly every day, is a great mover and is the image of his father. Coming here I was hoping he would make close to a million and it is great to go over.

“It is a fantastic pedigree. Mr Zhang has been a great supporter, he is selling and buying here and this horse was always going to be offered. Yulong has a bunch of horses they are going to sell, a bunch to go into training, a bunch to go to Japan and some going to China, it is a worldwide operation and it is great to be involved.”

Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continues at 11am on Wednesday, 9th October.

Picture: Celtic Rumours has been raised one point to 107 after winning the Gr 2 Betway jo’Burg Fillies And Mares Challenge (JC Photos)

NHA Press Release

BETWAY JOBURG SPRING CHALLENGE (Grade 2)

BACK IN BUSINESS has seen his rating adjusted from 106 to 114 after his win in the Grade 2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m at the Turffontein Inside track on Saturday. BACK IN BUSINESS had to be capped at a rating of 114 despite running to a higher mark due to the specific conditions of the race, which do not allow for an increase of more than 8 points for the winner and not more than 4 points for placed runners.

The Handicappers were of the view that fourth placed GLADATORIAN made for the best line horse to rate this race, and as such, his rating remained at 120. Two more runners received upward adjustments to their ratings. Second placed, BARBARESCO, who finished 1.20 lengths ahead of the 120 rated line horse, went up to 122 from 120. Third placed, WILD AT WAR, could only be raised 4 points, from 100 to 104 despite achieving a much higher mark.

MELECH and ZINOVI, were each given 1-point drops, going down to 117 from 118 and to 113 from 114 respectively. Sixth place finisher, WILLIAM ROBERTSON, was dropped to 122 from 125 after failing to confirm his rating of 125 in his recent performances. MAIN DEFENDER, who has not managed to confirm his rating of 131 in his latest 3 runs was dropped from 131 to 129. Lastly, GIMMEANOTHERCHANCE, was dropped to 117 from 119.

BETWAY JOBURG SPRING F & M CHALLENGE (Grade 2)

CELTIC RUMOURS has had her rating increased from 106 to 107 following her victory in the Grade 2 Betway Joburg Spring F & M Challenge over 1450m at the Turffontein Inside Track on Saturday.

The Handicappers were of the opinion that, third placed CAPTAIN PEG made for the most suitable line horse and consequently her rating remained unaltered on 104.  FIERY PEGASUS, who finished second in this contest, was the only other runner to receive an increase was raised to 105 from 104.

The only drop in this event went to fourth place finisher, WHITE PEARL, who was dropped to 107 from 109.

Enquiries:

The Handicapping Team

Bluestocking wins the Arc on Sunday (Scoop Dyga)

Timeform

We provide the Timeform ratings reaction to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Sunday

BLUESTOCKING (Timeform rating 123 from 121)
More often than not, it takes a top-class performance to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but this year’s renewal was a substandard one, with a number of high-profile horses missing from the field, notably leading three-year-old colt City of Troy, who is heading to the Breeders’ Cup next month instead.

A couple from the home team were also ineligible due to being geldings, namely impressive King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Goliath and Calandagan, and that also took some gloss of what is dubbed as one of the world’s most prestigious races, especially as this year’s winner, Bluestocking, had finished behind all three of those rivals at some point this season.

However, that is to take nothing away from Bluestocking, who was supplemented at a cost of €120,000, and showed slightly improved form to come out on top by one and a quarter lengths from Aventure (122 from 119).

She capped off a fine season, recording her third Group 1 success, and her first in open company rather than against just her own sex, and defeating the same rival she had done in the Prix Vermeille three weeks earlier, though Aventure was ridden more patiently in a race where it proved hard to make ground up from off the pace.

Bluestocking was well drawn in stall 3 and took full advantage, breaking well and getting the perfect position tracking eventual third Los Angeles, in a good position entering the straight and asked to go and win her race around two furlongs out, again displaying a determined attitude at the finish. She became the ninth filly or mare to win the Arc in the last 14 renewals.

This was due to be Bluestocking’s final race before heading off the paddocks, but her future will reportedly be decided in the coming weeks. Aventure, on the other hand, will stay in training next season and there are more good races to be won with her.

Arc winners this century ranked by Timeform rating:

136 – Sea The Stars (2009)

135 – Sakhee (2001)

134 – Sinddar (2000), Hurricane Run (2005), Treve (2013), Enable (2017)

133 – Dalakhani (2003)

132 – Rail Link (2006), Zarkava (2008), Workforce (2010), Golden Horn (2015), Waldgeist (2019)

131 – Danedream (2011)

130 – Bago (2004)

129 – Marienbard (2002), Treve (2014), Found (2016)

128 – Torquator Tasso (2021)

127 – Dylan Thomas (2007), Sottsass (2020)

126 – Enable (2018)

123 – Solemia (2012), Bluestocking (2024)

Picture: Sail The Seas (Vercingetorix) makes it a treble for Justin Snaith and a double for Richard Fourie. (Picteure: Wayne Marks) 

Champion trainer Justin Snaith scored a treble at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today, two of them ridden by champion jockey Richard Fourie.

Gareth Wright scored an individual double.

Snaith has now had 33 wins this season and has achieved it at a strike rate of 15.64% and his stakes earnings of R3,200,087.50 put him R901,512.50 ahead of second-placed Alan Greeff.

Fourie is also on 33 wins and has done it at a strike rate of 22.76%.

Wright is on seven wins at 8.64%.

The subject is pictured above

Question: Which great horse started the 1974/1975 season 50 years ago by winning the Listed Clairwood Free Handicap over 1600m on September 2 by four lengths and followed up by winning the Gr 3 Natal Guineas at Greyville on October 12 by 12,5 lengths and reportedly did it in world record time?