Racing fans will have to wait for the Cape Summer Festival Of Racing to see Charles Dickens in big race action again. (Picture: Candiese Lenferna).
Charles Dickens Won’t Run Again This Season
The superstar three-year-old Trippi colt Charles Dickens will not race again this season.
Zapatillas (Crawford Racing)
Zapatillas Timeously Scratched But Trip Of Fortune Saves The Three-year-olds
Zapatillas was scratched this morning (Wednesday) from the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
Last year he was scratched after the announcement of the final field, which allowed Airways Law to get a run, but this year he is reportedly avoiding the July in favour of a tilt at the Gr 1 Hong Kong World Pool Champions Cup.
Zapatillas was raised from 122 to 126 after finishing third in Saturday’s Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, just 3,10 lengths behind the superstar 132 merit rated Charles Dickens.
That made him the topweight at the time.
Crawford had probably timed his scratching for Wednesday with the publication of the weights in mind, not knowing that Trip Of Fortune would be supplemented to become the new topweight at the time of the publication of the weights on Tuesday.
The next highest net merit rating at the beginning of the week was 123.
Had Crawford scratched then and 123 had been the highest net merit rating at the time of the publication of the weights, then the Crawford-trained Winchester Mansion off 112 would have had to carry 54.5kg and the Justin Snaith-trained Pacaya off 110 would have had to carry 53.5kg.
However, with Zapatillas off 126 as topweight both of those horses would have been set 53kg, with Pacaya being 1kg under sufferance.
Crawford would not have wanted to disadvantage his horse by scratching before the publication of the weights.
Furthermore, had the weight structure been done on a highest 123 net merit rating the top three-year-olds would have been very well treated indeed.
Instead of, for example, See It Again only getting 1,5kg from Safe Passage as would have been the case had Zapatillas been the topweight, he would have got 3kg from Safe Passage due to the three-year-old 57kg maximum weight clause. On the other end See It Again would have only given Winchester Mansion 2,5kg instead of 4kg.
Crawford would have had that disadvantage for Winchester Mansion in mind too.
Incidentally, had the weights been done on Zapatillas and he had later been scratched, See It Again would have had to carry 58,5kg. Although the relative weights would have been the same as before the scratching, it is perceived by some racing stalwarts that it is harder for a three-year-old to give weight away carrying a big weight than giving the same weight away carrying a lighter weight.
So Trip Of Fortune’s supplementing can well be viewed as a Godsend for the three-year-olds.
With Trip Of Fortune in, both Winchester Mansion and Pacaya will carry 53kg and See It Again carries 56.5kg. Winchester Mansion is only 0,5kg under sufferance.
Trip Of Fortune – will he stay? (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Reasons For Trip Of Fortune’s Supplementary Entry Explained
Richard Fourie Rides Without Question – Snaith Racing Reveal July Jockeys
Snaith racing released a video today of Justin previewing his runners in the Hollywoodbets Durban July and revealing which jockeys will be riding them on the big day.
Richard Fourie rides Without Question
Gavin Lerena rides Do It Again
Grant van Niekerk rides Pacaya
Bernard Fayd’Herbe rides Pomp And Power
JP van der Merwe rides Silver Darling
Koster: Klawervlei-breds Are Ideal For Pinhookers!
Klawervlei Stud has a large consignment of yearlings, broodmares and weanlings to be presented at the Cape Winter Mixed Sale at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Friday.
Lot 9, One World colt out of a Trippi half-sister to Fresnaye.
A Striking Variety From Drakenstein Stud
Champion Breeders Drakenstein Stud have an impressive variety of yearlings and broodmares consigned to Friday’s Cape Racing Winter Sale at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
Drakenstein’s Kevin Sommerville gives his views:
“I think buyers will be happy with what we have to offer, four very nice yearlings and a number of broodmares we are loathe to sell, but have no choice as we have to make room for fillies coming off the track. There is something for everyone in our draft.”
Yearlings:
Lot 9 All Out For Six
“A big, strong colt, lots to like about him. He’s a first foal by One World out of a half-sister to Fresnaye.” (https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-9/)
Lot 23 Looking At You
“A powerful half-brother to G2-entered Except Temptation, sired by Lancaster Bomber.”
(https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-23/)
Lot 74 Ragtime
“A big, scopey colt by The United States out of Carousel Swing, by Trippi. She’s already produced two winners from three runners and I think her current runner Future Swing will win a stakes race.” (https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-74/)
Lot 83 Parisian Winter
“A lot of quality about this What A Winter colt out of Duchess Of Paris, an unraced half-sister to Trip Of Fortune. Pedigree says it all.” (https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-83/)
Broodmares:
“I think the young mares who have only had a few foals are the ones to look at, but they all have potential. Some have runners over the next few days so we’ll see how they go.”
Lot 102 Mar Del Sur, bay mare
“By What A Winter, she has a Trippi colt running for Tony Rivalland this weekend. He was a nice yearling.”
(https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-102/)
Lot 103 Merysagos, bay mare
(https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-103/)
“This mare by Captain Al has had some bad luck in that her first foal died. Still plenty to come from a family that produces stakes winners.”
Lot 105 Namibia, bay mare
“She is by VAR and her latest yearling by Master Of My Fate sold for R600,000 this year. She also has a very nice What A Winter colt on the ground.”
(https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-105/)
Lot 114 Rain In Africa, chestnut mare
“By Trippi, her outstanding foal from just a few is The Africa House, who had no luck in a G1 sprint recently. Sean Tarry thinks quite highly of him. From the family of Rakeen and Singspiel, lots to like about the mare. (https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-114/)
Lot 135 Arabian Winter, bay mare
“This Western Winter mare had a nice update when Bureau Des Legendes won a Listed race recently. A lovely pedigree.”
(https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-135/)
“Then we have a few from the Lanner Falcon family, Trick Shot (Lot 131) (https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-131/; Giboski (Lot 93 https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-93/), outstanding pedigree we are growing. Also a few younger mares like Blue Duchess (Lot 137 https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-137/), she was very close to getting black type; Brave New World (Lot 138 (https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-138/) was an outstanding filly with plenty of toe, unlucky not to get black type and she’s a beautiful mare.
“Also worth a note is River Doon (Lot 117 https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-117/), who had ability but was unsound, she is from a wonderful family we are growing, Santa Maria, Sailing Ship, et al. Her sibling Amber Rock is one that got closest so far to the unbeaten star, Lucky Lad.
“Lastly, two top mares being sold to dissolve a partnership in Trip Of Fortune’s dam Louvre (Lot 151 https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-151/) and her own daughter Duchess Of Paris (Lot 152 (https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/lot/2023-MWS-152/).”
ENDS.
Ideal World (Credit: John Lewis)
Mauritzfontein Stallion Day
Mauritzfontein Stud had their stallion day last Wednesday and showed off Ideal World, Danon Platina and Digital Age.
The latter is Mauritzfontein’s newest stallion, acquired before the kast breeding season, and they said about him at the time:
A Grade 1 winner of 5 races (1600-1800m), Digital Age earned over $1,2 million and the title of Top rated 4YO in the USA.
His sire INVINCIBLE SPIRIT needs little introduction – sire of sires Kingman, I’m Invincible, Territories, Lawman etc.
Digital Age is the first foal from young dam Willow View (a half sister to a Gr1 winner Cursory Glance), who already has 2 graded winners to her credit.
Broodmare sire Lemon Drop Kid is from the same family as Al Mufti, Wolfhound, Tiger Ridge, Duke Of Marmalade etc- making him a great fit for the South African broodmare band.
Digital Age is an outstanding looker, deep, strong, good quartered and very correct.
Digital Age (Credit: John Lewis)
Danon Platina (Credit: John Lewis)
Pictures Credit: John Lewis
Franke Dettori doing his famous flying dismount at Turffontein (JC Photos).
Frankie Dettori: I Want To Go Out On Top
In an exclusive interview with BettingSites ahead of his final Royal Ascot before he retires from the saddle, legendary jockey Frankie Dettori said Cristiano Ronaldo has shown him how not to retire.
Dettori also compares his current boss, trainer John Gosden, to Jose Mourinho and reveals what it’s like to ride for the Queen at Royal Ascot, something he calls the ‘Olympics of Racing’
Ronaldo showed me how I don’t want to retire, I want to go out at the top
Frankie Dettori: I’d rather go out at the top. Look at Cristiano Ronaldo. In his last few games for Manchester United as a player, before he went to Saudi Arabia, he was probably not as excited or as on top of his game as he was at Man Utd in his glory days, or even his first season returning to Old Trafford. I wouldn’t want to end like that.
You are only one fall away from stopping, and at my age when I do fall, I break. In the old days I used to have 1200 rides a year, now it’s probably 250. The more rides, the more chance you have of falling off.
I am still unsure exactly where the curtain will come down on my career but I can say for certain that my last rides in Britain will be on October 21 at Ascot on British Champions Day. Come what may, that’s me done in Europe.
Which continent and whether I actually finish at the Breeders’ Cup in Los Angeles, Melbourne Cup or Japan Cup, I am not sure.
Riding for John Gosden is like playing for Jose Mourinho
FD: We don’t have to say much. He doesn’t overwork me, he gives me confidence when I need it and gives me a kick up the backside when I need it. He is a good manager of people, a bit like José Mourinho was in his heyday.
It was an honour to ride for the Queen – there was enormous pride in riding for her.
FD: The Queen was a wonderful patron of the meeting. When you met her in the paddock or on the winners’ podium you knew instantly that she understands everything and what it means to her and the audience.
It was always a tremendous honour to ride for Her Majesty. The thrill was always the same, there was enormous pride riding for her.
Royal Ascot is the Olympics of racing – it’s the biggest week of my year
FD: Royal Ascot is my favourite place in the world without question. It is like the Olympics of racing, but the difference is it takes place every year. I love everything about Royal Ascot but in the week before I always get the same combination of nerves and excitement.
It is the biggest and best week of my year, I know that I come alive there and I’m in a different zone. It lifts me every time and this year will be so special because it will be my last ever Royal Ascot.
It has been lucky for me in the past and I have enjoyed considerable success. I feel comfortable, positive and excited every time I go. I can’t believe this year will be the last time ever.
Without doubt it is five of the best days’ racing in the world with the best horses on show. Also, the tradition, the Royal procession, everyone dressing up in top hats and tails.
It is always nice to get the first winner on the board and you can chill out. One on the board early doors and everything will flow. If you go to the last day without a winner then all of a sudden you can panic a bit and don’t ride the way you should.
A clue to the answer is given above (Hamish Niven Photography).
Today’s Question
What Durban July “era” started 40 years ago in 1983.
Terrance Millard with one of his charges.
