Breaking: Tin Pan Alley to take on Autumn Glow at Royal Randwick!
Tin Pan Alley, Sydney-bound. (JC Photos).
In breaking news, trainer Sean Tarry has announced that three-year-old gelding, Tin Pan Alley, will be jetting out to Sydney, Australia, tomorrow afternoon. The six-time winner will be competing against Australian superstar, Autumn Glow, in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Royal Randwick next Saturday, 11 April.
Tarry said that Tin Pan Alley secretly went into quarantine at Kenilworth after his win in the Grade 1 Horse Chestnut Stakes on 7 March. “When the NHA bumped his merit rating from 117 to 128, we really had no choice. He is now rated exactly equal to Autumn Glow. We were also informed that trainer Chris Waller is really keen on anything that comes via Africa these days that he expressed excitement to have some competition for his filly.”
Tarry objected against the 128-rating given to Tin Pan Alley – his appeal was dismissed by an NHA Appeal Board on Monday – and said: “I actually just wanted confirmation that Tin Pan Alley had improved by a country mile since he beat 110-rated Trust by 0.60-lengths in last year’s Graham Beck Stakes and on his run in the Gauteng Guineas, when he finished more than two lengths behind Trust and 109-rated Splittheeights.
“Thanks to the NHA we know now that if Tin Pan Alley was to meet Trust and Splittheeights again, he will beat them by a margin of up to 10 lengths at level weights. That could be even more after we’ve beaten Autumn Glow next week. I wish that the French horse Calandagan was also in the race so we could teach him a lesson. Tin Pan Alley is perhaps more like a 131, and therefore better than the Sheema Classic winner.”
The owners of Tin Pan Alley received special permission from the ANC’s John Steenhuisen – who also serves as Minister of Agriculture – for a direct flight out of quarantine in Cape Town to Sydney. The honourable minister is said to have twisted a few arms, high up.
The NHA’s Vee Moodley said that he didn’t excpect a backlash after Tin Pan Alley’s rating was confirmed to be a 128. He noted: “We searched high and low for Appeal Board members, they are hard to find these days, so I had to give the gentlemen we found, my advice. We used Texas Red as the line horse and that was correct. Texas is known as the ‘Lone Star’ State and since I am SA racing’s lone star, he was an automatic choice. I also advised the Appeal Board to add up the figures in Tin Pan Alley’s old rating of 117 – one plus one is two, and one plus seven is eight – so 128 is correct.”
Tarry has booked jockey Mikaelle Michel to ride Tin Pan Alley on Moodley’s advice. “Mr Moodley met some Australian stipes during his many travels to the Asian Racing Conferences and requested them to apply the 1.5kg allowance for Mikaelle, which would give Tin Pan Alley an advantage.”
Moodley said that Michel would have to comply with Australian crop rules, which allows five hits before the 100m mark. “We now allow 10 hits here in South Africa, but 10 soft ones. Soft, as soft as the gentle tap that Stipe in Cape Town gave the scales clerk.”
Tin Pan Alley’s owners, the Wernars family and Dayalan Chinsammy, could not be reached for comment.
AN APRIL FOOLS’ PARODY. NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. TIN PAN ALLEY REMAINS IN SOUTH AFRICA. SEAN TARRY SAID NOTHING QUOTED ABOVE. VEE MOODLEY MAY HAVE USED THE ‘LONE STAR STATE’ CONNECTION FOR TEXAS RED AND SOME DUBIOUS MATHEMATICS, BUT THAT HAS NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED. JOHN STEENHUISEN IS OFFICIALLY A DA MINISTER, THOUGH SOME SUSPECT OTHERWISE.
Normandy Yearlings Available Direct From The Farm
OSCAR FOULKES of Normandy Stud writes:
Most racehorses have gone through an auction sale in their journey from stud to racecourse. With Tattersalls having been around since the 18th century and Goffs since the 19th, I don’t expect this to change.
However, this is by no means the only way of sourcing racing prospects. Some are owner-bred, others are leased, and yet others are the subject of private sales direct from the stud.
Breeder E.P. Taylor’s strategy at Windfield was to pre-price all his yearlings, which were then offered by private sale off the farm. Anything that didn’t sell went into training for his account.
I keep coming back to the story of Northern Dancer, winner of two legs of the US Triple Crown and arguably the most influential stallion of the 20th century. Even at a modest price he was deemed too small. Unwanted by the buyers that year, he went into training for Taylor’s account.
Picture: A clipping from The Toronto Star, 1962. They were not able to find a buyer for Northern Dancer at his reserve price of $25,000.
The part that has intrigued me was this thing of private sales off the farm, whereby all the yearlings were pre-priced and then the horsemen made their choices.
Circumstances relating to this year’s crop of Normandy yearlings have thrust us into a similar situation (although I’m not suggesting any parity with the mighty Windfields Farm).
The first – potentially disastrous – occurrence was our yearlings breaking through a fence on the night of 2 August. Fortunately, there were no broken legs, but a few picked up cosmetic scarring as a result of cuts and scrapes.
Then, after entries had closed for the BSA Cape Yearling Sale, we discovered that our much-loved sales channel, the Race Coast October Two-Year-Old Sale, would no longer have a breeze-up section.
In the first week of January, we put out a list of 15 yearlings that were available direct off the farm. Sires represented were Legislate, Jet Dark, The United States and more.
One third of them have been sold, which is in line with the target we set for ourselves.
The remaining 10 are available to view pretty much as nature intended. They’ve spent their lives outdoors, playing and running in huge paddocks.
They cover the spectrum from August to November foals. The immaturity of some will reward the horsemen who can cast ahead to imagine fully-grown racehorses.
It goes without saying that they represent our best families, including those of Equus Champions Rio Querari, Mother Russia and Winter Solstice, not to mention Grade I winners like Sergeant Hardy.
Pricing starts at R80k, with an average price that’s in the vicinity of regional sales.
It’s first come, first served. We look forward to showing them to you!
Please contact Oscar Foulkes (083 297 3402 or oscar@normandystud.co.za).
Dance Variety bursts through late to win Easter Sprint
Picture: Dance Variety, flew up late. (Wayne Marks).
Adam Marcus was very chuffed with himself after Dance Variety flashed up late to win the largest chunk of R200,000 on offer in the Easter Sprint over 1000m at Kenilworth on Wednesday afternoon.
Understandably so. This was the son of Var’s seventh career win – his first in Adam’s own silks since he signed a lease to race Dance Variety from breeder Sherwin Jerrier last October.
Marcus commented: “He had good form until there was a lapse and we discovered some heart issues, which were treatable. Sherwin kindly agreed that I could persist with Dance Variety.
“We did a lot of work with him behind the scenes, and I have to pay compliments to the vets and physio, who gave us the all clear to race him. We changed his supplements, got on top of his issues. He is a very special horse and if there was ever one to lease, he was the one.”
Jockey Calvin Habib felt that he gave Dance Variety too much to do in the Diadem Stakes, when they were well beaten by Questioning. He said: “Adam and I discussed this and decided to ride him for luck. That’s the way he likes it, he wants to run at horses. There was bumping and boring, he was balked for an run but he got out late and ran them down.”
Habib added: “He is such a cool horse to ride. He gives his best and does a lot of things right.”
Marcus and Habib also won Race 5 over 1200m with Meg’s Legacy, who outpaced her rivals and looks like a filly who will win again soon.
Time Is Precious for Winds Of Change
Picture: Johan Janse van Vuuren, Time Is Precious.
Punters have many unwritten rules, and two of them are: do not back horses returning from a break, and do not back two-year-olds in handicaps at this time of the year. This time, however, we are going to ignore both rules.
Johan Janse van Vuuren is a smart trainer and when he enters a runner in a handicap, we have to take notice. Time Is Precious can win Race 9, a MR 66 Handicap over 1000m on the Vaal Classic track on Thursday.
This two-year-old gelding has had just two starts. The Querari gelding was third on debut behind Status Symbol over 800m on 7 December. He improved on that when beating Buffalo King Cody by 0.40 lengths on 29 January. That was a game victory for jockey Keagan de Melo, who retains the ride. Interestingly, Time Is Precious lacked betting support that day, so the win was full of merit.
Trainer Sean Tarry has a decent hand in Race 8, a Graduation Plate over 1000m, with Banff and Rondebosch. Rondebosch is weighted to win the race and does have log-leading jockey Craig Zackey in the irons, but this four-year-old gelding has flattered to deceive on many occasions. One cannot write him off, but the value might lie with Banff.
This four-year-old gelding has only had five starts and has won two of them. Banff returned from a four-month lay-off and a gelding operation to win at Turffontein over 1160m on 15 June, beating an in-form Black Egret by 1.20 lengths.
He was full of running that day and may have many more wins in his tank
Trainer Mike Azzie must be scratching his head in frustration as his four-year-old filly Winds Of Change continues to find one better on the day and has finished runner-up in her last three performances
She can win Race 7, an Apprentice Handicap for fillies and mares over 1450m. – Clive Robinson, 4Racing.
New whip rule in effect from today
South African racing adopts a new crop limit ruling from today, Wednesday 1 April 2026, with the maximum permitted use of the crop reduced from the current twelve (12) to ten (10) strikes per race.
This follows a one-month implementation moratorium from 1 to 31 March 2026.
The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa confirmed in February that its National Board of Directors had unanimously adopted the amendments to Appendix E – Use of the Crop and the associated Crop Penalty Document, as proposed by the Rules Committee on 25 February 2026.
The Rules Committee, which is representative of the entire horseracing industry, comprises National Board Directors, NHA Executive Management, and stakeholders drawn from Operators, Owners, Trainers and Jockeys.
The amendments were thus said to reflect a consultative, industry-wide process and a shared commitment to equine welfare, regulatory certainty, and the integrity of the sport.
The revised framework provides clearer guidance to riders and officials on acceptable crop use and the consequences of non-compliance.
Penalties, which have been fully revised, commence at the 11th strike, escalating in a structured and proportionate manner.
More serious or repeated contraventions may attract suspensions and, in exceptional cases, referral to a designated crop panel, which has discretion to consider additional penalties where conduct is particularly egregious or falls outside standard parameters.
The revised rules further reinforce that the crop may be used only for encouragement, guidance, and safety, and never in a manner that compromises the welfare of the horse.
Fortune hopes to be back in action soon
Picture: Andrew Fortune gave life lessons to apprentice jockeys at the South African Jockeys Academy recently. (SAJA).
Andrew Fortune suffered six broken ribs, punctured lungs, a fractured clavicle and a severed shoulder blade in a fall at Fairview on 20 February, but SA Racing’s amazing comeback kid will soon be back on the racetrack.
Fortune put a few runners through their paces at Summerveld this week and told The Sporting Post: “Time may seem to have flown by. But I was in such a great tempo at the time of the accident, it knocked me. But, hey, it’s all part of the journey and was meant to be! Maybe it was even a sign that I should be slowing down, rather than gathering momentum.”
Fortune said he hoped to ride in races again on 18 April – 25 April at the latest, and noted: “I have visited the hyperbaric chamber regularly. I listened to my doctor and stayed in the loop at the Snaith team.”
UK bookmakers get a hiding
Picture: Dan Skelton, bang-bang-bang!
DragonBet and Paddy Power were hit by a five-figure payout after all four horses in a popular multiple on Dan Skelton-trained runners were successful on Tuesday.
A number of multiples laid by DragonBet also included the Christian Williams-trained Three Zambezi’s, who won the 3m handicap chase at odds of 5-4 at Bangor.
Three of Skelton’s four winners were at Bangor. Coumeenoole, owned by The Blind Squirrels, justified 15-8 favouritism in the 2m7f handicap hurdle and Palamon, in the same colours and also ridden by Harry Skelton, landed the 2m4½f handicap chase.
Service Minimum, owned by Susan Johnson, won at odds of 8-15 in the third leg of the multiple in the finale at Bangor under Skelton.
Tyson completed the four-timer for Skelton, and a treble for The Blind Squirrels, under Tristan Durrell as the 8-11 favourite in the 2m4½f handicap hurdle at Newcastle.
DragonBet started an online service in 2023 and described the successful multiple as “the biggest hit we’ve taken since we launched”.
James Lovell, co-founder of DragonBet, said: “A few bets were placed overnight but most of the bets came through at around 10.30 this morning. It was really well executed. They weren’t big bets and were very much under the radar and there were lots of them.
“It wasn’t one massive multiple but a large number of them. It was well into a five-figure payout. It’s part of the game – you have to take the rough with the smooth as a bookmaker and they’re only borrowing it!” – Racing Post.
O'Brien mistakenly scratches Guineas stars
Picture: “Oops. That was the compter’s fault!”
The betting market for the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on 2 May was thrown into confusion on Tuesday when two significant candidates from the Aidan O’Brien stable, Gstaad and Albert Einstein, were taken out of the race, apparently as the result of an administrative error.
The chaos was then compounded later in the day by uncertainty over whether a plan to re-engage both colts if necessary at a cost of £30,000 each might be prohibited by the rules of entry, before the British Horseracing Authority confirmed that supplementary entries would in fact be accepted.
O’Brien told the Press Association on Tuesday morning that both Gstaad and Albert Einstein had been scratched as the result of “a computer error”, adding: “we’re trying to get them back in”.
The trainer expanded on his explanation in a comment to the Racing Post, saying: “There was a blip on the computer. Something happened, the computer went bananas and took out a couple of horses that weren’t meant to be taken out.
“The people here in the office were trying to take the horses out of the Dante, but the Guineas flashed up instead and the button was pressed. They were pressing for the Dante, but as they were pressing, the Guineas flashed up.
O’Brien tried to get the error rectified, but that was not possible due to procedure.
However, either horse or both horses can be supplemented back in the race at a cost of £30,000 each at the six-day stage if connections so desire.
A BHA spokesperson said: “Following the scratchings earlier today of Gstaad (GB) and Albert Einstein (IRE) from the Betfred 2,000 Guineas, trainer Aidan O’Brien contacted the BHA to explain that this had happened in error.
Mbuto goes six clear
Mxolisi Mbuto rode his 28th winner for the season when he won on Thoonsil for trainer Manu Pandaram at the Vaal on Tuesday.
Mbuto leads Girish Samo-Burthika by six winners in the race for the 2024/5 Champion Apprentice Title.
Today's Question
Name the winner of the South African Oaks, 1981.
The picture gives you a clue.
FIELDS, Thursday, 2 April
Vaal (Classic Track)
Today’s Question Answer
The 1981 SA Oaks over 2450m at Turffontein was won by Grand National, by Port Merion out of Sun Dew. She was trained by George Tambourlas for owner Teddy Zaki, and ridden by Bartie Leisher.
The second horse was Parisienne, ridden by Stefan Zabielski, and third was Free Pass, with Freddie Macaskill up.
