Turf Talk Newsletter – 10 October, 2024

Nafaayes winning the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas (JC Photos)

Nafaayes, the former Mike de Kock-trained Australian-bred winner of the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas and Gr 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge, has had a foal bought for 600,000 Gns by Godolphin at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1.

The Blue Point filly was consigned by Ballyphillip Stud in Ireland and was purchased by Godolphin.

Nafaayes herself was consigned by Kia Ora Stud at the 2017 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and was purchased by Shadwell for Aus$350,000.

De Kock trained for Sheik Hamdan of Shadwell at the time and Nafaayes was sent over to his Randjesfontein yard.

She won her only two races as a two-year-old, beating the useful Running Brave in the second of them over 1400m at Turffontein Standside.

In her second start as a three-year-old she finished second in the Gr 3 Starling Stakes and followed that by winning the Ipi Tombe, the Gauteng Fillies Guineas and finishing second in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Filllies Classic.

She then finished third in the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes and was retired after being unplaced in both the Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas and Gr 1  SA Fillies Sprint.

Nafaayes’s first foal, a Shadwell homebred by Mohaather, finished unplaced in a Novice Stakes race at Wolverhampton on Monday, her third unplaced run in three starts.

Nafaayes herself was sold by Shadwell at the Tattersalls December Breeding Stock Sale in 2022 in foal to Blue Point for 78,000 Gns and she was purchased by Twin Hills Stud.

The Blue Point filly was consigned at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale by Newsells Park Stud Ltd and purchased by Ballyphillip Stud for 110,000 Gns.

Ballyphillip have thus made a nice profit on the pinhook.

Meanwhile, Nafaayes appeared at an Inglis Sale in Australia in May this year consigned by Twin Hills Stud and was purchased for Aus$475,000 by E Hirsch.

Today’s filly purchased by Godolphin was the fourth horse by Blue Point to make 400,000 Gns so far at Book 1.

The Darley-owned Shamardal sire Blue Point is the only European stallion since Sadler’s Wells 35 years ago to sire two first-crop juvenile G1 winners. His first crop star Rosallion became a Classic winner in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and Breeders’ Cup hero Big Evs was third in a Royal Ascot G1 against his elders. His second crop already includes Stakes winner Tiego The First.

Blue Point was a Oak Lodge Stud-bred Godolphin-owned sprinter who won the Gr 2 Gimcrack as a two-year-old and he went on to win the Gr 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot over five furlongs on two occasions and on the second of those occasions in 2019 he followed up by winning the Gr 1 Diamond jubilee Stakes over six furlongs at the same Royal Ascot meeting four days later.

Blue Point also won the Gr 1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan and besides the Gr 1s mentioned above he also won two Gr 2s, including the Gimcrack, and three Gr 3s.

Madison Valley fends off stablemate Shoot The Rapids to win the Gr 3 DSTV Gold Vase (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Madison Valley and Cape Eagle are two Betway Summer Cup entries who run in the Non-Black Type Michaelmas Handicap over 1900m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday and this is in fact the race which produced the Summer Cup winner last year, Royal Victory.

Summerveld trainer Frank Robinson said about the Gr 3 DSTV Gold Vase winner Madison Valley, who ran a good 3,55 length fifth to Gladatorian in his comeback over a too sharp 1500m trip last month, “He’s very well. And I must just say my other Michaelmas entry Mexican Pete is also doing very well, he’s come back a different horse. I gave him a break and gelded him and he ran a cracker on his comeback, finishing second  over 1200m, but I am just a bit concerned I am not doing the right thing jumping into a 1900m so quickly, so there is a chance I will take him out, especially as he can pull too hard.”

He changed the subject back to Madison Valley and said, “He’s a decent horse and will get better. He’s a big, beautiful-striding horse and will love Turffontein Standside and of course he will see the distance out well too. “

He continued, “They often get rain on the week of the Summer Cup meeting and the track is often heavy. It makes the race tougher and that will suit us.”

Frank said Madison Valley was a clear-winded horse, so might just have the one run before going for the Sumner Cup. He is merit rated 108 and there are 26 horses merit rated higher than him among the 42 Summer Cup entries.

He might thus be considered a borderline case for making the final field of 20.

Frank said, “He is a lot better than people think. He’s a very nice horse.'”

He is confident the Clifton Stud-bred Mambo In Seattle gelding will get into the field and said, “He won the Gold Vase and should have won the Gold Cup, he came from a mile back (and finished a 2,30 length fifth).”

Frank’s Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes winner Cats Pajamas (Rafeef) is doing very well too and after coming out of his scintillating 3,30 length win of a Graduation Plate at Hollywoodbets Scottsville well  he is being aimed at the Gr 3 Merchants over 1160m on Betway Summer Cup day.

The racing community are in shock at the passing of one of its most popular and respected members, the farrier and all round horseman extraordinaire Robbie Dawson.

Robbie was from a famous KZN equine family and was one of the country’s, if not the world’s, most respected thoroughbred farriers.

He was known by one Summerveld yard as “Mr Fixit” because if there was a shoeing problem that could not be solved, or an issue created by a shoeing error, he would be called in.

Like magic he had soon sorted the problem out.

The above yard spoke of his world class expertise.

Robbie was from the old school from the point of view of being tough and immensely strong.

However, at the same time he had a great passion for his profession and through a worldwide network kept up to date with all of the latest techniques and innovations.

He was highly innovative himself and had the ability to think out of the box.

This was illustrated in his work with a Peter Muscutt-trained horse called Gentleman’s Way.

This horse arrived at the Muscutt yard in August 2020 on a 73 merit rating and went on to become a 105 merit rated-Listed winner.

Muscutt’s training and horse care skills combined with Dawson’s farriery skills played a part in the turnaround.

Robbie said about the seven-year-old Oratorio gelding one morning shortly before a race on Hollywoodbets Durban July day, “He had a foot issue which hampered the early part of his career quite a lot. We basically threw the book at him and then threw the book away and had to think a little bit out of the box. We did a little bit of unconventional shoeing on him and he became sound, but then he went off again. He tells you very quickly when he’s not a hundred percent right. We trotted him up this morning (Tuesday) and he is a hundred percent right. A lot of it has to do with pressure on certain areas and it is so hard to isolate exactly where it is and what has caused it etc. So you have to think out of the box and take away the pressure and keep your fingers crossed that it all goes to plan. At the moment he’s got a three-quarter shoe on. I have also had heart bars on him, I’ve had reverse bars on him, I had sole packs on him, I had casting tape on him, I threw the book at him. Pete and the owners have been very generous with their time.”

However, to sum it up, when “Mr Fixit” was called in, the problem was always solved an usually quickly.

In the build up to that 2022 Hollywoodbets Durban July, Robbie revealed he had plated seven July winners in all including the previous five winners.

He said, “We have nearly 60 to plate for the meeting, which is fantastic, very fortunate to be in that position.”

He quickly learned the personalties of each individual horse, so could adapt his approach accordingly and each year his vast experience with horses and farriery had a new layer added to it.
Dawson was also the on-course farrier at both Bath and Ascot racecourses in the UK during his career. He studied at the Hereford School Of Farriery.

Most importantly he loved to share his vast knowledge.

He was the senior KZN farrier at the time of his passing and taught the ropes to many of the accomplished farriers SA has today.

He also had renowned kindness and good cheer.

One industryman said about him, “I’ll miss most the light you brought around with you.”

Robbie said himself in a recent documentary, “I wake up in the morning and I know I’m going to have a great day. It’s not a job to me, it’s a passion.”

Robbie grew up with horses and loved them and was opposed to any remedy that would mask pain in an intended runner.

Robbie’s family are well known in KZN beyond horseracing having run a riding school called Stoneyhurst, which started in Zambia before moving to KZN and having various locations including Hillcrest before settling in Hammarsdale.

Robbie used the same property in Hammarsdale for his Leckhampton Valley Spelling and Pre Training facility, conveniently situated just 21km from Summerveld.

Condolences to Robbies’s wife Kerri, son Travers, daughter Keelyn,  mother Marie, fromer trainer and now farrier brother Johnny and to all of his extended family and friends.

Holding Thumbs winning over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville in August (Picture: Wayne Marks) 

Jack Milner (Tab4News)

Trainer Glen Kotzen has an excellent record when raiding the Eastern Cape from his Cape Town base and he can strike again on Friday when he sends Holding Thumbs to contest Race 4 at Fairview, a MR 96 Handicap over 1600m on the turf.

The four-year-old Vercingetorix gelding has raced just 10 times but has already recorded three victories. In August, at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, he notched up win No 2 and followed that up with another facile victory at HWB Durbanville, both events over 1600m.

Kotzen tested his charge against stronger opposition last time but unfortunately nothing went his way. He got bumped, had to ease and it came as no surprise he faded out to finish unplaced.

There is no reason why he cannot get it right this time, especially as Denis Schwarz, who was in the irons for both of those two, will be back on board.

This is the only runner Kotzen is bringing to Fairview so let’s hold thumbs he can get it right and provide a banker for punters in all of their bets.

He is drawn No 7 in the 10-horse field but he does have excellent gate speed and Schwarz should have no problem getting his mount well placed.

In Race 2, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1400m, Rainbow River makes her local debut for trainer Kelly Mitchley.

This four-year-old daughter of Danon Platina has run some decent races on the Highveld and her best effort came over 1450m when producing the fastest finish to end up a 2.75-length second to Higgledy Piggledy on the Inside track at Turffontein. While yet to win, she always gives of her best and is clearly distance suited.

Muzi Yeni, who rode outsider Smart Star to victory last Saturday in the Grade 1 Singapore Gold Cup at Kranji Racecourse takes the ride on Rainbow River for the very first time.

 

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 5 Miss Prior, 6 Serendipitous, 4 Cape Flower, 1 String Of Lights

Race 2: 11 Fire Alarm, 1 Rainbow River, 5 Ruby Claire, 6 Laugh Till I Cry

Race 3: 5 Four Jacks, 2 Final Edition, 1 Empire Blue, 4 Timbavati River

Race 4: 9 Holding Thumbs, 1 Sequoia, 4 Fateful Day, 2 Global Ally

Race 5: 1 Symbol Of Love, 4 Articuno, 5 Ella’s Delight, 10 Three Cheers

Race 6: 8 Guarding The Wall, 9 Jackson Misissippi, 1 Coastal Path, 4 Aquila Gold

Race 7: 2 September Flower, 4 Queen Of Jazz, 11 Komesans Passion, 6 Free World

Race 8: 1 Captain Tik Tok, 2 Roomformanoeuvre, 7 Marquez, 5 William The First

 

BEST BET

Race 4 No 9 Holding Thumbs

VALUE BET

Race 5 No 1 Symbol Of Love

BEST SWINGER

Race 3 2×5

 

BIPOT

R162

Leg 1: 4, 5, 6

Leg 2: 1, 5, 11

Leg 3: 2, 5

Leg 4: 9

Leg 5: 1, 4, 5

Leg 6: 1, 8, 9

 

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 1, 11

Leg 2: 2, 5

Leg 3: 9

Leg 4: 1, 4

Leg 5: 1, 8, 9

Leg 6: 2, 4, 11

Leg 7: 1, 2, 7

 

PICK 6

R1280

Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 5

Leg 2: 9

Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 10

Leg 4: 1, 4, 8, 9

Leg 5: 2, 4, 6, 9, 11

Leg 6: 1, 2, 5, 7

 

JACKPOT 1

R80

Leg 1: 9

Leg 2: 1, 4, 5, 10

Leg 3: 1, 4, 8, 9

Leg 4: 2, 4, 6, 9, 11

 

JACKPOT 2

R320

Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 10

Leg 2: 1, 4, 8, 9

Leg 3: 2, 4, 6, 9, 11

Leg 4: 1, 2, 5, 7

JUST FINE winning the The Lexus Bart Cummings at Flemington in Australia. Picture: Racing Photos

The latest Melbourne Cup Order Of Entry log shows the Larry Nestadt part-owned Just Fine, who won the Gr 3 Bart Cummings at Flemington on October 5, to be one of just three horses who are now exempt.

The Nestatdt part-owned horses who are still standing their ground are shown in bold (the other two are Military Mission and Royal Patronage).

See all the details about the Melbourne Cup order of entry here (we will continue to update the table as more information becomes available):

Melbourne Cup order of entry as of October 7th, 2024:

Order	Horse	Age	Weight	Trainer
Melbourne Cup ballot exempt horses as of October 7, 2024: 3
Exempt	Just Fine (IRE)	7	53kg	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Exempt	Point King (IRE)	6	50.5kg	Anthony & Sam Freedman
Exempt	The Map	6	50kg	Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray
Passed 2024 Melbourne Cup ballot clause as of October 7, 2024: 50
4	Via Sistina (IRE)	7	56kg	Chris Waller
5	Jan Brueghel (IRE)	4	54kg	Aidan O’Brien
6	Vauban (FR)	7	55.5kg	Willie Mullins
7	Place Du Carrousel (IRE)	6	54kg	Anthony & Sam Freedman
8	Kalapour (IRE)	8	55kg	Kris Lees
9	Warmonger (NZ)	4	53.5kg	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
10	Fawkner Park (IRE)	6	55kg	Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
11	Circle Of Fire (GB)	5	54.5kg	Ciaron Maher
12	Warp Speed (JPN)	6	54.5kg	Noboru Takagi
13	Buckaroo (GB)	6	54.5kg	Chris Waller
14	Zardozi	4	51.5kg	James Cummings
15	Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ)	5	53.5kg	Graeme & Deborah Rogerson
16	Kovalica (NZ)	5	53.5kg	Chris Waller
17	Coco Sun	4	50.5kg	Tony & Calvin McEvoy
18	Military Mission (IRE)	7	53kg	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
19	Adelaide River (IRE)	5	53kg	Kris Lees
20	Land Legend (FR)	5	53kg	Chris Waller
21	Eliyass (FR)	6	53kg	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
22	Absurde (FR)	7	52.5kg	Willie Mullins
23	Athabascan (FR)	6	52kg	John O’Shea & Tom Charlton
24	Cleveland (IRE)	7	52kg	Kris Lees
25	Mahrajaan (USA)	7	52kg	Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray
26	Alegron	8	52kg	Bjorn Baker
27	Deny Knowledge (IRE)	7	50.5kg	Anthony & Sam Freedman
28	Post Impressionist (IRE)	6	51.5kg	Anthony & Sam Freedman
29	Bankers Choice (NZ)	7	51.5kg	Anthony & Sam Freedman
30	Knight’s Choice	5	51.5kg	John Symons & Sheila Laxon
31	Muramasa	5	51kg	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
32	Aurora’s Symphony	8	50.5kg	Symon Wilde
33	Valiant King (GB)	5	50.5kg	Chris Waller
34	Future History (GB)	7	50kg	Ciaron Maher
35	Interpretation (IRE)	7	50kg	Ciaron Maher
36	Mostly Cloudy (IRE)	6	50kg	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
37	Sir Lucan (IRE)	7	50kg	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
38	Suizoro	5	50kg	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
39	Etna Rosso (IRE)	5	50kg	Chris Waller
40	Positivity (NZ)	4	50kg	Andrew Forsman
41	Mission Of Love	5	50kg	John Symons & Sheila Laxon
42	Onesmoothoperator (USA)	7	50kg	Brian Ellison
43	Trust In You (NZ)	6	50kg	Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley
44	Saint George (GB)	5	50kg	Ciaron Maher
45	Birdman (IRE)	4	50kg	Chris Waller
46	Fancy Man (IRE)	7	50kg	Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
47	Brayden Star (GB)	4	50kg	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
48	Unusual Legacy (NZ)	5	50kg	Chris Waller
49	Manzoice	5	50	Chris Waller
50	Sayedaty Sadaty (IRE)	4	50kg	Ciaron Maher
51	Kinesiology (GB)	4	50kg	Jessica Harrington
52	Berkshire Breeze (IRE)	6	50kg	Ciaron Maher
53	Okita Soushi (IRE)	7	50kg	Ciaron Maher
Not Passed Melbourne Cup first ballot clause as of October 7, 2024: 19
54	Royal Patronage (FR)	6	53.5kg	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
=55	Francesco Guardi (IRE)	7	52kg	Chris Waller
=55	Le Don De Vie (GB)	9	52kg	Ciaron Maher
57	El Bodegon (IRE)	6	51.5kg	Chris Waller
=58	Convener (FR)	6	50kg	Ciaron Maher
=58	Dashing Duchess (NZ)	5	50kg	Symon Wilde
=58	Divus Romulus (IRE)	5	50kg	Nick Ryan
=58	Firestorm (NZ)	4	50kg	Chris Waller
=58	Gear Up (IRE)	7	50kg	Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
=58	Harracaine (IRE)	5	50kg	Nick Ryan
=58	Horrifying (NZ)	7	50kg	Lindsey Smith
=58	Immediacy (NZ)	4	50kg	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
=58	Quantum Cat (USA)	5	50kg	Chris Waller
=58	Sea King (GB)	6	50kg	Harry Eustace
=58	Sentimental Flame	4	50kg	Travis Doudle
=58	Think ‘N’ Fly	8	50kg	David Noonan
=58	Waltham (GB)	5	50kg	Matthew Smith
=58	Whiskey On The Hill (GB)	5	50kg	Mike Moroney & Glen Thompson
=58	Red Aces	3	49kg	Nick Ryan

2024 Melbourne Cup Entry Requirements

The selected entries for the Melbourne Cup are nominated in the first week of August. From an initial Melbourne Cup field of 300 to 400 horses, the committee will select the final 24 starters. However, after nominations, the owner of the runner must confirm their intention to run four more times leading to the race.

This system allows owners to gauge the competition as the selection process moves forward. This way, they are given four times to decide to whether they want to continue with the selection process by paying a fee, or to back out. Thus, the owners are essentially betting that their horse will be selected in the final field with every fee that they pay.

How is the 2024 Melbourne Cup Order of Entry Determined?

Approximately two months before Melbourne Cup day, the chief handicapper of Racing Victoria releases the weights and the first weekly Melbourne Cup order of entry.

When determining the field, horses are ranked by the amount of weight that they are handicapped to carry in the Melbourne Cup, compared with the weight-for-age scale.

In Australia, the current scale is:

• 59.5 kg for horses aged five and above;
• 58 kg for four-year-olds;
• 50 kg for three-year-olds; and
• Mares and fillies (which scarcely run) are afforded a 2kg allowance.

With the entry of more international contenders in recent years, the scale has been complicated because international runners are virtually guaranteed a start by virtue of their larger allocated handicaps. That said, locals are finding it harder and harder to force a start in the Melbourne Cup.

With all the speculation and spin leading up to the big race, it can be difficult to make an informed decision with your Melbourne Cup Betting. But the Melbourne Cup order of entry offers punters a fairly reliable guide to determine the chances of your favourite getting a start in this spectacular event.

2024 Melbourne Cup Ballot Exemptions

The winners of several elite races from around the world are awarded ballot exemption. That means they qualify automatically for the race, without needing to enter the nominations system.

The horse that wins any of the following events will be exempt from ballot: the Lexus Hotham Stakes, Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup, The Bart Cummings, Roy Higgins Quality, Andrew Ramsden Stakes, Belmont Gold Cup and the Ebor Handicap will be invited to take part in the Melbourne Cup.

The winners of several international races will be invited to contest the Melbourne Cup: the Arlington Million, the San Juan Capistrano Handicap in the USA, the Doncaster Cup in the UK, the Irish St. Leger, and the Tenno Sho and Sankei Sho in Japan.

Under a further tweak to Melbourne Cup conditions, any placegetter from a golden ticket race, or any Group 1 held over 2000m or further, will pass the first ballot for the race that stops a nation.

2024 Melbourne Cup International Entry Requirements

Racing Victoria officials identified a trend of higher injury rates among overseas horses during the past decade, so they have toughened up their entry criteria.

Horses from overseas must now complete a series of pre-export tests to gauge their ability to complete this gruelling race without suffering an injury. Any raider that has previously suffered a fracture or required orthopaedic surgery will not be permitted to visit Australia to take part.

All international horses that arrive at the Werribee International Quarantine Centre will need to undergo full body scintigraphy and CT/MRI of their distal limbs. Officials hope that these extra requirements will significantly reduce injury rates among Melbourne Cup runners.

On April 2022, Racing Victoria announced International Melbourne Cup contenders will no longer be required to undergo a nuclear scintigraphy unless requested by Racing Victoria‘s veterinary team.

In 2023, Racing Victoria slightly tweaked its protocols for the spring racing carnival.

Order of Acceptance Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup nominations system gives owners four opportunities to assess the level of competition and decide whether they want to continue with the selection process. These are the key stages in the process:

Details:

First Nominations	Fee $1500	Date: TUESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 12pm
Late Nominations	Fee $5500	Date: 12 NOON (Melbourne Time) on 10TH SEPTEMBER 2024
Handicaps Declared		Date: TUESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER 2024
First Declarations	Fee $2000	Date: 12 NOON (Melbourne Time) TUESDAY 1 OCTOBER
Second Declarations	Fee $3000	Date: 12 NOON (Melbourne Time) TUESDAY 15 OCTOBER
Third Declarations	Fee $4000	Date: 10.00 AM (Melbourne Time) MONDAY 28 OCTOBER
Final Declarations & Field	Fee $49,500	Announced Saturday November 2nd 4:30pm (local time). Barrier draw at 5:30pm

Melbourne Cup 2024 Timeline Info

The 2024 Timeline updates and links can be found below, when available.

2024 Melbourne Cup Nominations

Nominations closed on Tuesday, September 3rd.

In 2024, there were 123 nominations this year – including 20 overseas horses.

Click here for the Nominations

2024 Melbourne Cup First Declarations

First Declarations were taken on October 1st.

More than 70 horses remain in the picture for this year’s Melbourne Cup

Click here for the First Acceptances

2024 Melbourne Cup Second Declarations

TBA

2024 Melbourne Cup Third Declarations

TBA

2024 Melbourne Cup Final Field

The final field of 24 runners will be unveiled at 4.30pm local time on Saturday, November 4th, three days before the race takes place.

2024 Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw

The barrier draw is revealed at 7pm on November 4th and this is a very eagerly anticipated event among punters.

Autumn Glow is unbeaten in three starts (kbloodstock.co.au)

Glamour filly Autumn Glow was injured last week which forced her to miss the Gr 1 Flight Stakes at Randwick, which was won by her Chris Waller-trained stablemate Lady Shenandoah.

Autumn Glow is out of the former Duncan Howells trained superstar champion sprinter, the small but ultra quick South African-bred Var fillly Via Africa, and is unbeaten in three starts including a Gr 2 and a Gr 3.

Autumn Glow is by the Redoute’s Choice stallion The Autumn Sun and was the sales topper at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, going for AUS$1,8 million.

Via Africa has already produced a Gr 1 winner, In The Congo by Snitzel.

It is thus hard to understand why she was pictured in an appalling state at a Sale in Australia, where she was duly passed in.

Justracing.com.au reported that trainer Chris Waller broke the news about Autumn Glow last Friday morning, revealing that the undefeated daughter of The Autumn Sun was suffering from a leg injury that requires surgery.

“Unfortunately, Autumn Glow was found to be slightly lame this morning in her right front leg,” Waller said.

“An x-ray was taken, which shows a minor chip in her right front knee. She will therefore not take her place tomorrow in the Flight Stakes.

“The chip will be surgically removed, giving her the best possible prognosis for a return in the autumn.

“This is very disappointing for all involved, particularly the horse. She is a very exciting prospect and we are confident that she will make a full recovery.”

Prior to her withdrawal, Autumn Glow – the $1.8m sale-topper from last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale – was the $1.50 favourite for the $750,000 Flight Stakes (1600m).

Gavin Lerena rode a treble at the Vaal today, two of them for Tony Peter, and Piere Strydom had an individual double, but Muzi Yeni stole the show with one of the rides of the season on the St. John Gray-trained Argo Alley.

In the process he made it five wins from five rides on the five-year-old Argonaut gelding.

What was just as remarkable was that was Gray’s 14th win of the season and every one of the 14 has been ridden by Yeni, although Yeni has ridden 40 of Gray’s 81 runners this season.

Yeni rode Argo Alley twice as a juvenile for two wins over 1160m and 1400m respectively, the latter by five lengths in a scintillating time at the Vaal.

However, it was one-and-a-half years before he was reunited with the chestnut, winning the WSB Consolation Heritage over 1475m by a length off a 91 merit rating in December 2023.

Nearly ten months lapsed before the pair were reunited again, although he had only had one other start since the Consolation Heritage.

On September 28 last month Muzi was all out to win by 0,25 lengths over 1600m at Turffontein Inside on Argo Alley in a Middle Stakes event.

Today, he was the best weigthted male in a Middle Stakes event over 1400m. However, his chances looked forlorn despite 5/1 odds, not because he was 2kg under sufferance off his 93 merit rating with the best weighted female, but because he was draw in barrier two in a big field on a day when high draws were palpably favourable.

However, Muzi enterprisingly decided to stick to the inside railm where he plouged a lone path separated by the width of the racecourse from the rest of the field, who all drifted over to the outside rail.

The ploy worked and he came home a comfortable 2,50 length winner to maintain that remarkable perfect statistic with both Argo Alley and Gray.

Yeni is now on 51 wins for the season and has done it at a strike rate of 16.29%.

He is on top of the national log, 12 wins clear of second-placed Gavin Lerena.

Gray is on 14 wins at 17.28%.

Lerena is now on 39 wins for the season at a strike rate of 26%.

Strydom is on 19 wins at 27.94%.

Tony Peter is on 15 wins at 12.93%.

Picture: The picture gives a clue to the answer.

Question: What is the record for the most runners in a horse race?