The Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Barbaresco was well in at the weights in a MR 96 Handicap over 1600m at Turffontein Standside on Saturday and he duly ran out an effortless winner (JC Photos) 

The Pick 6 had 6,339.71 successful tickets at Turffontein Standside on Saturday as the meeting was dominated by favourites and no fewer than 74 punters shared the Hollywoodbets Punters Challenge jackpot prize of R650,000 for managing to select all nine winners.

The most prominent winner was the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Gimmethegreenlight gelding Barbaresco.

Barbaresco had been kept to sprints until the running of the Gr 3 Got The Greenlight Stakes over 1400m on January 13 at Turffontein Standside.

At odds of 33/1 he ran a 1,10 length second in the latter race to the superstar gelding Main Defender when receiving only 2kg.

That was his first run as a gelding.

Due to a condition of the Got The Greenlight Stakes he was not allowed to be raised more than three points by the handicappers.

However, he beat third-placed Hotarubi by more than three lengths in the Got The Greenlight and the latter was later raised to a 116 merit rating when finishing second in the Gr 2 TAB Gauteng Guineas.

As Barbaresco only ran off a 94 merit rating an argument could be made that he was more than 10kg well in.

He did not disappoint and is now a Gr 1 TAB SA Classic bound.

On Saturday, Ryan Munger was recommended by Janse van Vuuren’s suspended first call jockey Gavin Lerena as the right man for the job.

Munger, out on a stint from his new home of Canada, positioned the gelding perfectly in about fifth position. one out with cover after jumping from draw 4 in the nine horse field.

His task had been made easier by the scratching of topweight Silent War at the start.

Barbaresco took quite a keen hold, but maintained his good position.

Whispers Of War led at a fair pace and Tirpitz in a one out and one back position provided cover for Barbaresco.

Munger took no chances and switched his mount outward at the 400m mark.

He began moving up strongly in the hands.

He had hit the front by the 400m mark and galloped on full of running to win by 2,50 lengths without Munger having to use the stick.

Munger thanked Lerena afterwards for putting his name forward and giving him a lot of insight into the horse.

He said, “The main thing was just to get him relaxed and let him finish off his race. He actually jumped very nicely but I didn’t restrain him too much, I got into a nice position. You know riding top horses is simple … you just give them a clear run at the top of the straight and if they good enough they do it, and that is what he did today.”

Janse van Vuuren’s chief owner Laurence Wernars bred Barbaresco and owns him in partnership with Rikesh Sewgoolam.

Van Vuuren said, “We have always known he is a helluva nice horse and in his second start when he was beaten by Sandringham Summit I was devastated because I didn’t want to know that day … even after that race I said to Laurence I would want a rematch next week, because that is how much we thought of this horse from the beginning. I was heartbroken when I had to geld him after his fourth start because he was getting a bit heavy. The main reason he was not in the Gauteng Guineas was because his comeback run against Main Defender was too close to that race. He has really done well, but I still don’t think he is 100% ready for a race like the SA Classic, he is still very, very immature at home and wants to pull at the wrong time and even today he was relaxed for the first half of the race but in the second half wanted to get on with it. But he will learn in another two or three races and we are most likely to take our chances in the Classic, I just hope he doesn’t draw on the outside … that will help us a lot.”

Rachel Venniker will lock horns with the world’s leading riders including Ryan Moore, Ryusei Sakai, Maryline Eon and three-time Melbourne Cup-winner Damien Oliver later this month in the International Jockey Challenge held on the Friday of The Saudi Cup weekend, February 23.

Venniker rode 70 winners in 2021/22 to become South Africa’s champion apprentice and retained her title in 2022/2023 with 107 wins. She is currently the only woman riding in South Africa.

The KwaZulu-Natal-based rider will line-up alongside Brazil’s Victoria Mota. Mota, the 24-year-old daughter of top Brazilian jockey, Alex Mota, won on her very first ride. She was champion apprentice in 2016/17 and has now ridden over 250 winners.

Venniker’s engagement in Saudi Arabia means she will miss the Cape Derby meeting.

Fifty-one-year-old Oliver ended a glittering career in the saddle with victory in a race named in his honour in Perth on December 16, but has now been enticed back into competitive action and will go up against 13 of the planet’s best in the four-race competition on February 23.

The Hall of Famer will be looking to add to the 3,168 winners he rode during his 34-year career and emulates fellow countryman Glen Boss, who had also hung up his saddle before heading back to the weighing room for the competition in 2022.

The Australian, whose three Melbourne Cup wins came aboard Doriemus (1996), Media Puzzle (2002) and Fiorente (2013) faces competition from jockeys out of the UK, France, USA, South Africa, New Zealand and Japan – in what promises to be a high-class international showdown.

HRH Prince Bandar Bin Khaled Alfaisal, Chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia extended a warm welcome to all jockeys competing in the International Jockeys Challenge.

“The jockeys challenge on the Friday of Saudi Cup weekend is always one of the event highlights for me,” he said.

“We are justifiably proud of the variety of racing showcased across the two days. To be in a position to offer a global stage to 14 of the world’s best jockeys, seven men and seven women, is highly gratifying.

“We wish the best of luck to all the jockeys competing and hope that their feats on the racecourse serve to inspire new generations of riders both in Saudi Arabia and beyond.”

Joining Oliver in the starting gates is the three-times UK champion Moore, who was once again voted the Longines World Best Jockey at a ceremony in Hong Kong at the end of 2023.

Moore competes in the IJC for the first time, having won races at the highest level in the UK, France, America, Japan, Hong Kong, UAE, Ireland, Germany, Canada and Australia.

He is one of five international men recruited to the competition, alongside two domestic stars in the form of eight-times Saudi Champion, Camilo Ospina, and current title holder Adel Alfouraidi.

The female jockeys include France’s Eon, who was in 2017 the first female to participate in the French Oaks, a year after being voted the country’s top female rider.

She is joined by New Zealand’s returning Lisa Allpress who starred in 2020 when she became the first woman to win a flat race in Saudi Arabia.

Allpress is a four-times leading rider in her home country, with further antipodean interest coming from the Sydney-based Alysha Collet – who boasts more than 700 wins to her name.

The USA is represented by Katie Davies, a rider hailing from a legendary family of jockeys. She had a breakout year in 2023 upon returning from becoming a mother. The US challenge is boosted by Luis Saez – winner of more than 3000 races and more than $165million who returns to defend his 2023 IJC crown.

Current French champion jockey Maxime Guyon and Japan’s Ryusei Sakai, a jockey no stranger to success in Saudi Arabia having steered Bathrat Leon to victory in last year’s 1351 Turf Sprint will also take part in King ABdulaziz Racecourse’s fifth IJC.

Britain’s Saffie Osborne is the final name to be announced and the daughter of UK trainer and former jockey, Jamie. She has more than 160 wins to her name and was part of the female team which triumphed at last year’s Shergar Cup competition at Ascot.

British sports and racing presenter, Rishi Persad, who recently visited South Africa to present for the World Pool at the WSB Cape Town Met meeting, hosted Craig Kieswetter last week in a fascinating interview for Cape Racing’s Taking The Reins program.

The Kieswetter family owns Ridgemont Stud in South Africa and Barnane Stud in Ireland and Craig, who played cricket for England, is now very much involved in the family’s breeding and racing interests, which latterly have included jumps racing as well as flat racing.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE INTERVIEW

The crowd enjoying the racing on WSB Cape Town Met day (Picture: Cape Racing)

Cape Racing have produced a “Met After Movie”, which in a condensed package just 1 minute and 16 seconds long has superbly captured the  top class racing of the recent WSB Cape Town Met meeting as well as the excitement and fanfare that accompanies it.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE MET AFTER MOVIE

Beach Bomb (Picture: Wayne Marks)

The Gr 1 Cape Derby and the Gr 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes have attracted strong fields and both include Gr 1-winning three-year-old fillies.

The Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Beach Bomb, who has won the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes this season, is among the entries for the Cape Derby.

Other leading Cape Derby entries are the impressive Dean Kannemeyer-trained Gr 3 Politician Stakes winner Green With Envy and the highly regarded Justin Snaith-trained Gr 2 Cape Punters Cup winner Hluhluwe.

The Sean Tarry-trained champion filly Mrs Geriatrix, who has had a disappointing three-year-old season to date, is among the entries in the Diadem Stakes.

Kannemeyer has a strong chance in the Diadem too with the winner of this race two years ago, Cosmic Highway, being among four stable entries.

The runner up that year to Cosmic Highway and third last year, Trip Of Fortune, is among three entries from the Candice Bass-Robinson yard.

The defending champion, the Adam Marcus-trained Bereave, who comes off a good third in the Gr 1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship, is among the entries.

Other leading entries are the Cape Flying runner up and fourth-placed horses, Thunderstruck and Rio Querari respectively.

An eyecatching three-year-old entry is the up and coming Bass-Robinson-trained speedster Future Variety.

CAPE DERBY (Grade 1)(For 3-year-olds) R1 500000 2000m
4 COASTAL COMMANDER (V H Marshall) 60.0
8 GREEN WITH ENVY (D Kannemeyer) 60.0
2 HARAJUKU (J S Snaith) 60.0
9 HLUHLUWE (J S Snaith) 60.0
11 INFRARED (B Crawford) 60.0
7 ORIENTAL CHARM (B Crawford) 60.0
10 RAPIDASH (J S Snaith) 60.0
3 ROYAL SWAN MASTER (D Kannemeyer) 60.0
1 WILLIE JOHN (B Crawford) 60.0
6 BEACH BOMB (C Bass-Robinson) 57.5
5 FATAL GEM (B Crawford) 57.5

 
KHAYA STABLES DIADEM STAKES (Grade 2)(Weight For Age plus Penalties) R600000 1200m
17 TRIP OF FORTUNE (C Bass-Robinson) 60.0
6 BEREAVE (A N Marcus) 59.0
8 COSMIC HIGHWAY (D Kannemeyer) 59.0
2 CAFE CULTURE (L V Woodruff) 58.0
14 COUNTDOWN (G S Kotzen) 58.0
4 MR COBBS (C Bass-Robinson) 58.0
18 MUFASA (B Crawford) 58.0
3 PONTE PIETRA (D Kannemeyer) 58.0
1 RIO QUERARI (J S Snaith) 58.0
15 SILVER FALCON (J S Snaith) 58.0
5 SURJAY (B Crawford) 58.0
16 THUNDERSTRUCK (S G Tarry) 58.0
11 WATERBERRY LANE (R Maingard) 58.0
12 WE'RE JAMMING (J S Snaith) 58.0
10 SHANTASTIC (D Kannemeyer) 55.5
19 FUTURE VARIETY (C Bass-Robinson) 55.0
13 TEFLON MAN (D Kannemeyer) 55.0
7 MRS GERIATRIX (S G Tarry) 54.5
9 CANDY TOWN (W A Nel) 52.5

Supp Entries Closes : 11:00

Friday 16 February 2024

Declarations Closes : 11:00

Monday 19 February 2024

Cruise Control has been selected to win the 5th race on the Fairview Poly on Tuesday (Pauline Herman Photography)

Jack Milner (Tab4Racing)

As is so often the case, trainer Gavin Smith has a full array of runners at Fairview on Tuesday when they race on the Polytrack. As is the norm for the current local champion trainer, he has 16 runners carded for this meeting and is expected to have a really good day.

Heading up the card is Race 5, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m and Smith saddles Cruise Control.

The Querari gelding has won eight of his 14 starts and is in as good a shape as he has ever been.

The four-year-old gelding was unlucky not to win his latest which was over 1200m on the turf where he made most of the running and was still clear until very late and was only grabbed just short of the post by rival in this race Evies First.

Cruise Control has always been at his very best over the 1000m and jockey Louie Mxothwa has won aboard him and replaces JP van der Merwe this time.

It is also worth noting that Cruise Control has won his last two starts over this course and distance.

Rival trainer Alan Greeff sends out four-year-old Cliff Top and this runner has beaten Cruise Control a couple of times but has been disappointing of late.

Calvin Habib travels to Fairview and has a full card of rides, all for Smith. The best of the lot looks to be Duellona in Race 3, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1600m. This daughter of Fire Away made her Gqeberha debut last month over this course and distance in which she led for most of the journey, only to get caught on the line by Sky Velocity.

She is expected to improve on that performance and can get the Pick 6 off to a good start for punters.

 

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 6 Connection, 3 Captain Cool, 4 Horsefly, 1vJustcantgetenough

Race 2: 3 Sunlit From Heaven, 5 Sundrop, 4 Whatchmytail, 1 Secret Summer

Race 3: 1 Duellona, 3 Elusive Mata, 5 Ponte Vecchio, 6 Royal Venus

Race 4: 5 St Cloud, 4 Gold For Africa, 8 Head Gardener, 6 Fujisan

Race 5: 1 Cruise Control, 2 Cliff Top, 3 Evies First, 7 Tipsy Tina

Race 6: 1 Final Edition, 2 Timbavati River, 4 Gunsmoke, 3 American Dream

Race 7: 1 Summer Odyssey, 3 Dream Scape, 2 Mary Lamb, 5 Concerto

Race 8: 7 Cruzador, 9 Coastal Path, 2 Donny Tee, 1 Euphoric

 

BEST BET

Race 3 No 1 Duellona

VALUE BET

Race 8 No 7 Cruzador

BEST SWINGER

Race 5 1×2

 

BIPOT

R128

Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 6

Leg 2: 3, 5

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 4, 5, 6, 8

Leg 5: 1, 2

Leg 6: 1, 2

 

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R108

Leg 1: 3

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 4, 5, 8

Leg 4: 1, 2

Leg 5: 1, 2

Leg 6: 1, 2, 3

Leg 7: 2, 7, 9

 

PICK 6

R800

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8

Leg 3: 1, 2

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Leg 6: 1, 2, 7, 9

 

JACKPOT 1

R200

Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8

Leg 2: 1, 2

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

 

JACKPOT 2

R160

Leg 1: 1, 2

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Leg 4: 1, 2, 7, 9

Lyle Hewitson returns to the winner’s enclosure after the  Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud-bred Flower Alley gelding Parterre had given him his 100th win in Hong Kong (Picture: HKJC) 

Lyle Hewitson was stuck on 99 career wins in Hong Kong for 33 days as he went 8 meetings and 72 rides without a victory.

However, today at the Chinese New Year meeting he finally broke the drought when scoring on the Chris So-trained 20/1 shot Parterre in a class 4 Handicap over 1200m.

For good measure this seven-year-old gelding is a South African-bred son of Flower Alley bred by Wilgerbosdrift And Mauritzfontein Stud and furthermore the trifecta positions were filled by South African jockeys.

Hewitson, from a good draw of three, drove his mount from the off and claimed quite an easy lead.

In the straight Parterre looked likely to be overtaken by the Luke Ferraris-ridden Spicy Gold, who had sat second in the running, as he had drawn alongside him by the 300m mark.

However, Parterre found extra and reclaimed the lead.

He finished a length in front of the fast-finishing second favourite Patch Of Theta, who was ridden by Keagan de Melo.

Luke Ferraris, who was on a 41 ride losing streak, then came out and won the next race, a class 4 handicap over 1200m, on the Mark Newnham-trained Windcheater (Toronado).

He found a handy position on the rail from draw four and the horse travelled supremely.

He had traffic problems in the straight with his horse clearly travelling like a winner and after switching outward he eventually found a gap and surged through to win by 1,25 lengths paying 3.50 for a Tot win.

Hewitson is now on 20 wins for the season and is in joint seventh place on the log.

Ferraris is on 19 wins and is in 9th place.

De Melo is on 14 wins and is in joint 11th place.

The last two races at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today were won by Klawervlei Stud-bred Pomodoro geldings and the first of them, Kebonalesedi, gave Eric Sands a treble and Sean Veale a double.  (Picture: Wayne Marks) 

Eric Sands had a fine day at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today, landing three races in succession, two of them ridden by Sean Veale.

Trainer Paul Reeves and jockey Craig Zackey had individual doubles on the day.

Sands goes to 13 wins for the season at a strike rate of 9.42%.

Reeves goes to eleven wins at 11.58%.

Veale is on 30 wins at 13.16%.

Zackey is on 70 wins at 9.45%.

The first running of the Cheltenham Gold Cup as we know it i.e as a steeplechase on Cheltenham racecourse at Prestbury Park, took place 100 years ago in 1924.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP