Picture: Imposing Winning At Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday (Sunday) (Candiese Lenferna)

Kotzen Has Assembled A Powerful 3yo Team

Glen Kotzen has confirmed Cousin Casey will have a long term target of the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

The crack Vercingetorix colt, who is a certainty to receive the Equus Champion two-year-old colt award at the forthcoming Equus Awards on August 24, arrived back at Kotzen’s Woodhill Racing Estate on Saturday.

Horseman extraordinaire Kotzen has never been able to spend a lot at the sales, but his eye for a horse and astute knowledge of pedigrees sees him with a three-year-old crop in hand which will be able to compete with any yard in the country.

The latest to put up his hand was Imposing (Visionaire), who powered home to win a maiden over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday by 2,90 lengths.

In his previous start in the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m he finished downfield.

However, Kotzen has always believed him to be a “smart” horse who will blossom as he gets older.

A sign of his class was that Richard Fourie elected to ride him in the Golden Horseshoe ahead of Countdown.

Kotzen will aim Imposing at the Cape Guineas.

Countdown is a promising colt by Gimmethegreenlight, who, after his 2,95 length seventh in the Golden Horseshoe, won a Juvenile Plate over 1600m on the Hollywoodbets poly by 5,50 lengths. He subsequently disappointed in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes, although he had the widest draw of all. However, Kotzen will be giving him the gelding he believes he needs. He will be a player in feature races this season too.

Another who will be gelded is Grinkov, who started joint favourite for the Golden Horseshoe, but disappointed both there and in the Champion Stakes, although he did have to overcome tough draws.

Kotzen also has a high regard for Dowser, another classy gelding by the underrated sire Visionaire.

“He is seriously a top, top horse,” he said.

He proved it last time over 1800m on the poly, where he ran off an 88. He saw daylight late and then unwound a powerful run from a hopeless position to be beaten by only 1,65 lengths.

Another one he rates is Famous And Rich, yet another son of Visonaire. This gelding was selected by Jason Gates as one of his horses to follow for the season and he duly won his next start over 1800m to make it two wins in three starts. Kotzen pointed out it is no mean feat for a three-year-old to win an early season handicap running off an 84 merit rating. The form was franked today by Track Commander, whom Famous And Rich beat by 3,40 lengths.

Kotzen is also looking forward to the season of Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes fourth-placed Hold My Hand (Gold Standard), who will be aimed at the WSB Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas.

His Grade 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper winner Ameena (Quasillo), has recovered from the muscle injury which saw her scratched from the Thekwini and she will also be targeting the Cape Fillies Guineas.

Cousin Casey, meanwhile, won both the Golden Horseshoe and Champion Stakes in highly impressive fashion to add to his Listed Gatecrasher Stakes victory.

He has July horse written all over him and Kotzen said he would stick to the three-year-old events with him and attempt to get him into the big race with a nice weight.

He is out of a full sister to Kotzen’s July winner Big City Life (Casey Tibbs) and Kotzen pointed out his pedigree just keeps on getting better and better. He believes Casey Tibbs, who is by Sadler’s Wells, might have something to do with the class of the pedigree and the latter’s influence would also mean the descendants will get better as they go further. He added the third dam of Cousin Casey, Gran Moza (Arg) (Hard Fighter), was a full-sister to the good stallion who stood in South Africa, Hard Up (Arg), so was another source of class.

However, the chief name in the pedigree to get excited about is Vercingetorix, a boom stallion who is following in the footsteps of his father Silvano.

He might turn out to be even better than Silvano as his progeny seem to have more precocity and natural speed.

Silvano is the greatest July sire in history having now produced five winners of the big race.

What makes Cousin Casey’s success all the more satisfying is the Kotzen family bred Big City Life as well as his sisters, who are proving to be fine broodmares.

Glen will obviously be looking at lot 205 at the BSA August Sale, a Drakenstein Stud-bred Lancaster Bomber colt out of a full-sister to Big City Life, Cash Register.

However, Glen pointed out he would probably be out of his price range considering the boost Cousin Casey has given to the pedigree.

He will also be looking at a chestnut filly by Twice Over, who is out of a half-sister to Big City Life called Dungeon Dragon (Dynasty).

The yard bought exceptionally well last year and will be hoping the feat is repeated.

Picture: Richard Fourie comes off a halcyon season in which he rode nine Grade 1 winners (Candiese Lenferna).

Fourie Favourite To Win Championship?

Richard Fourie has not ridden this season so far.

He took the first week off and is currently serving a suspension that runs from August 8 until August 24.

However, apart from being the most sort after free lance rider in the country he has reportedly landed the plum position as first choice rider to Alan Greeff in Gqeberha.

This follows champion jockey Warren Kennedy’s pending move to New Zealand.

Fourie kept up a busy travel program last season and a repeat this season could well see him land a first national championship.

S’Manga Khumalo has filled in for Fourie this month and has already ridden eight winner for Greeff, a sign of just how prolific the position could be.

Muzi Yeni and Kabelo Matsunyane are the joint log leaders with eleven winners to date.

Yeni is currently suspended from August 12 until August 25.

The probable most sort after position in the land, the first choice rider to record-breaking reigning national champion trainer Paul Peter, is also up for grabs due to Kennedy’s pending emigration.

Yeni has got a shoe in the door of the Peter yard, having ridden six of the latter’s nine winners to date this season.

If he does land the position he will make a bold bid for the championship, especially considering his ability to keep up a relentless travelling campaign in multiple centres season after season.

Matsunyane is an ever-improving jockey who might well burst into the top echelon this season.

Keagan de Melo has been the most prolific current jockey in the country since January 1 this year, riding just two winners less than Kennedy.

If he keeps up that form he will also be a title contender. He was suspended for the first week of the season and took the second week off. He came back yesterday and rode one winner at both that meeting and today’s meeting.

His positions as first call rider to all of Dean Kannemeyer and owners Laurence Wernars and Ridgemont-Higlands have seen his fortunes burgeoning and it has had a snow ball effect as he has become much in demand.

S’Manga Khumalo will also have a shout. He is spending the first three weeks of the season holidaying and riding in Gqweberha and Cape Town. If he rides in three centres the whole season, the Highveld, KZN and either Gqwerberha or Cape Town, he will have a shout of landing a third title.

Twice SA Champion jockey Gavin Lerena has had seven winners to date this season and he was 6th on the log last year. However, he will have to travel more than he did last season to be a contender.

Calvin Habib is in third place on the log at present with nine winners and after a breakthrough season just past he should increase his standing again, but he might not yet have quite the fire power to challenge for the championship.

Rachel Venniker will be used by the Paul Peter yard and considering her advantageous 1.5kg female claim she is another who could make a title bid.

Aldo Domeyer has the ability to be a champion jockey and had the highest strike rate on the national log last season, but he would have to travel more to be a contender.

Grant van Niekerk also has the ability to do it, but will also have to be prepared to travel more than he did last season.

Craig Zackey and Luyolo Mxothwa are two others with the ability to be contenders.

The title race is going to be full of intrigue this season.

Equus Award Public Voting Platform Attracted Good Numbers

The Equus Awards public voting outlet attracted about double the amount of voters than was originally expected, which has pleased the Equus Awards organisers.

Many different sectors of the industry were represented, so there was a good spread too.

The awards this year, which will be staged at the Emperor’s Palace convention centre on Wednesday August 24, will be decided by three components, a points system, an expert panel and a public vote and they all have an equal weighting.

Picture: There will be a gathering of all sectors of the industry for the awards for the first time since 2019 (Equus Awards).

Picture: Mike de Kock won his fifth Durban July with Sparkling Water (Silvano) (Candiese Lenferna).

Mike de Kock Yard Review Their Season

www.mikedekockracing.com

Mike de Kock’s stable enjoyed an excellent 2021/2 racing season in South Africa with third place on the National Log, 87 winners, four G1 wins and a strike rate of 17,2% from just 570 runners, more than half less than the two top stables. A good performance by the De Kock team!

Mike said: “We are focusing on quality over quantity and we took several of the big races.”

The stable’s earnings per run (gross stakes/number of runs) reflects this and was an excellent R30,663 and change; the other nine trainers in the Top 10, reflect R18 943 (Paul Peter); R16 797 (Justin Snaith); R16 542 (Sean Tarry); R14 522 (Brett Crawford); R12 726 (Candice Bass-Robinson); R12 332 (Ashley Fortune); Glen Kotzen (11,723) and Alan Greeff (8 179) and Gavin Smith (R7,651). See statistics here.

Mike paid tribute to his team: “Without Diane and our team of assistants and handlers our good results would not have been possible. Thank you also to our staunch and valued patrons.”

He congratulated the national champions for the 2021/2 season in Paul Peter (Trainer), Warren Kennedy (jockey), Drakenstein Stud (owner) and Wilgerbosdrift/Mauritzfontein (Breeders). “They’ve all enjoyed phenomenal seasons, and we are thankful for being a part of Mary and Jessica’ breeders title and Gaynor Rupert’s owner’s title at Drakenstein.”

In looking back over the year there were the regular ups and downs on the social and racing front, starting last August with the passing of Charles Koster, Werner Koster and Stephen Jupp, industry friends for ages.

Our former stable jockey Callan Murray immigrated to Australia where he has settled down and is carving a career for himself. He rode Al Muthana for us in the 2022 Durban July during a holiday break last month.

September saw the retirement of Hawwaam to stud at Wilgerbosdrift Stud, where Mary Slack hosted an exceptional stallion day.

In October, we had an especially hot run of 12 winners with a 30% strike rate for the first three months of the season, and Mike was appointed as an Ambassador to Betway South Africa, the excellent one-stop betting platform. We hosted a Brazilian contingent on a visit to our Blue Stables in Dubai, and Desert Miracle won the G3 Graham Beck Stakes.

In December Safe Passage started his rise to prominence with a win in the Dingaans, and Desert Miracle was touched off by the smart Chansonette in the G1 Fillies Guineas in Cape Town. The 21st Anniversary edition of Horse Chestnut, The Story Of A Legend, was released, for the first time on Kindle.

Appropriately for what would follow, Sparkling Water was our first winner in January 2022 at Turffontein, she followed that with a brilliant last-gasp win in the Western Cape Stayers over 2800m at Kenilworth. Aragosta won the G3 Sea Cottage Stakes, signalling more to come.

In February our 2021 Triple Crown winner, Malmoos, was retired to stud and Safe Passage continued his progress with a win in the G2 Gauteng Guineas.

Mike’s first grandson, Liam de Kock, was born to Mathew and Monique in Australia and spending time with him was a highlight of his year.

March saw Al Muthana come into his own with an impressive victory in the WFA G2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m, a distance short of his best. He unleashed a big late run and at this point we believed he had G1 potential.

We were chuffed on Champions Day for a big win by Aragosta in the G1 SA Derby, and also for Rafeef who sired the winner. It feels like yesterday when Rafeef himself had his run of big sprint wins for us at this time in 2017. That he sires a Derby winner is testimony to his versatility and his big future at stud.

In Dubai, we were visited by Dragon Oil Limited, the exploration and production platform of the ENOC group. They were shown around our stables by Mohammad Mardood.

Late in May, we received new from SAEHP that the dates for our long-awaited bloodstock export audit had been set for 10-21 October, and we’re crossing fingers that this can finally come to fruition.

Mike took a small string to Summerveld in KZN for the first time in several years, to prepare them in the centre for the winter Champions Season and the stable reaped rich rewards for it.

In May, Safe Passage posted a surprise win in the G1 Daily News 2000, a surprise because he wasn’t considered fully wound up for the race and in winning stakes an early Durban July claim. “He has freakish heart rates,” said Mike.

In June, we received news that our former dual G1 Paddock Stakes winner Queen Supreme had arrived at her new home, Kia Ora Stud, in Australia and that she would first be visited by leading stallion, Farnan.

Another June highlight came when Al Muthana, reaching his peak, beat a string pre-July line-up in the G1 Gold Challenge, in so doing securing his Durban July spot as a decent outsider.

The cherry on the cake for a big year: Sparkling Water’s terrific Durban July win – Mike’s third win in the great race with a filly and his fifth overall, also a wonderful achievement for owner/breeder Mary Slack, whose runner Claymore had won at Royal Ascot a few weeks prior to the July.

Picture: Jet Dark (Far side), a powerful son of Trippi, who has a lot of damsire Jet Master in him.

Will Jet Dark Cover Captain’s Ransom Next Season?

… although Nick Jonsson Hopes Jet Dark Can Race Overseas Before Retiring

The announcement of Equus Horse Of The Year will see many around the country listening with bated breath – will it be Jet Dark or Captain’s Ransom?

The intriguing question was raised recently whether Jet Dark’s first covering schedule at stud will include Captain’s Ransom?!

However, Jet Dark is not a certainty to be retired at the end of this season as owner Nick Jonsson is hoping a successful pending European audit on AHS control measures in SA will see horses being able to travel more easily for overseas races.

He said in an interview with Breeding To Win over the weekend that he hoped Jet Dark could take in a couple of overseas races.

Jonsson has been around horses most of his life, so is able to make informed assessments about them.

He believed his champion horse would never have been as successful without the input of his groom Rasta Mwelase.

He said Jet Dark had a playful nature and would not have been at home with a groom who showed any sign of being intimidated by him.

Rasta has formed a strong bond with Jet Dark and has an understanding of the horse’s needs and the patience to let him fulfill them.

For example if the strapping colt wants to rear up on his hind legs to show his masculinity, Rasta allows him to do so.

Jet Dark is “hard work” and Rasta has done a sterling job in keeping him happy, while at the same time not being at all intimidated by him.

Jet Dark is the same age as Captain’s Ransom and from the same yard.

Bloodstock agent John Freeman is an important member of the Justin Snaith yard’s sales team, so would likely have played a part in picking both horses.

Freeman is also a stallion manager and might well be managing Jet Dark one day.

First season sires are usually given good mares to give them a good start and what better way for Jet Dark to start than with his stablemate and Horse Of The Year rival Captain’s Ransom.

The decision will rest chiefly with Captain’s Ransom’s owners Suzette and Basie Viljoen.

The mating would produce some interesting in-breeding.

Roberto is on the top line of both Captain Ransom’s sire Captain Al and her dam Cinnas Ransom.

Roberto’s full-sister Glorious Spring is the dam of Rollins, the damsire of Jet Master, who is damsire of Jet Dark.

Jet Dark has been stamped by his sire Trippi, but Jonsson mentioned in the Breeding To Win interview how he sees a lot of Jet Master in the classy entire too.

Picture: Baaeed (Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)).

Baaeed bouncing as seven declared for Juddmonte International

www.racingtv.com

William Haggas is itching to step the brilliant Baaeed up to a mile and a quarter for the first time in Wednesday’s £1m Juddmonte International Stakes, but he does not underestimate the task the colt faces as he continues to follow in the footsteps of Frankel.

Baaeed is one of seven declared horses for the showpiece contest on the first day of the Sky Bet Ebor meeting.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Haggas told British Champions Series. “We’ve always felt he’d be better over further, but we’ve got a few people emailing us and casting doubt on whether we should be doing it. But Sheikha Hissa is up for the challenge and I think it would be remiss of us not to give it a go.

“There’s nothing I can do about the competition on the day, and if the Mishriff of last year comes to York in the same form he’ll be incredibly difficult to beat, as he was unbelievably impressive that day. Mishriff ran a very, very good race in the Eclipse and a little bit of a lack-lustre race in the King George, so who knows which one will turn up. But he’ll be a danger, as will lots of others.”

Jess Stafford goes to the yard to meet the trainer, owner and groom of Baaeed.

Baaeed is a red-hot favourite for this first of four races at York this week in the QIPCO British Champions Series, but Haggas understandably prefers to resist comparisons between the four-year-old and Frankel. They are inevitable however so long as the path taken by the current world number one mirrors so closely that taken by racing’s all-time-great a decade ago.

Just like Baaeed, Frankel came here unbeaten, including in the previous autumn’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO) and then the Lockinge, Queen Anne and Sussex Stakes. The Juddmonte was also Frankel’s first opportunity over further than a mile, and of course he won in devastating style.

Baaeed has won nine races to Frankel’s 12, and his winning margins have been less extravagant, but that’s simply his style. This year’s three wins, in particular, have been gained in the smoothest fashion, and his style of racing – more akin to that of his sire Sea The Stars than the exuberant Frankel – should lend itself admirably to this distance. His pedigree, like Frankel’s, suggests the new trip ought to be well within range.

Haggas tries to ignore talk of Baaeed also being recognised as the world’s best racehorse, pointing out that it is simply an opinion and that in any case how can one compare a British turf miler with an American dirt horse and an Australian sprinter. He admits such talk is “very flattering” and says that he is “honoured to train such a good horse”, but adds: “We don’t think of it like that – we just carry on.”

That said, Baaeed has been the apple of his eye for more than a year now, having given a first major clue to his potential when running away with a Listed race at Newmarket on his third start.

We’re all ready to see Baaeed back in action at York on Wednesday!

Recalling the early days, he said: “Most of ours run green first time and do much better on their second start, so the fact that Baaeed won first time out at Leicester made me think he could be all right. In his work afterwards he shaped up quite well, and when we ran him in a novice at Newmarket he hosed up.

“He then won a Listed race at Newmarket with authority, and afterwards the BHA senior handicapper Dominic Gardiner-Hill told me he could have put him ahead of the Guineas winner on what he’d achieved there.”

Since then, it has been Group races all the way for Baaeed, the last five of them Group 1s, and over a mile nothing has been able to lay a glove on him this year. That might change on Wednesday, but Haggas will try not to get too anxious about it.

He said: “I said to Jim (Crowley) at Goodwood that we had him for two more races and so let’s try to enjoy it. He’ll be off to stud afterwards, and that will be the end of it. We’ll be searching for another one for the rest of my career, and probably for the rest of his.

“So long as we are happy with the horse’s condition, happy with the way he’s trained, and everything has gone right up until the time Jim gets on board, then what is there to worry about.”

Sheikha Hissa is firmly embracing the long tradition begun by her late father Sheikh Hamdan and has taken a far closer interest in Baaeed than some might have guessed. She can clearly recall his “babyish” debut at Leicester, which she said ”gave me a thrill, especially at a grieving time”, and she remembers the first time she saw him up close at the Haggas stables, after his Prix du Moulin win, when she immediately picked up on “his strut”.

She said: “When a horse likes to do his job it makes life so much easier, and Baaeed has his ears pricked even on the gallops. It’s amazing and satisfying to see a horse enjoy his job.

“Sea The Stars leaves a mark on his foals and Baaeed takes a lot of his temperament and how he is from him, but I’m glad he looks like his mum Aghareed. My father would have loved him, as home breds always gave him special pride, especially from the Nashwan family.”

Like Baaeed’s trainer, she “can’t wait” for Wednesday. She added: “Last year I was very afraid every time he went to the racecourse, but I don’t know when I’ll next see a horse like him, so I’m trying just to enjoy the process. He proved he is a great horse at a mile and he’s bred for stepping up, so he should be fine technically.

“I hope he ends on a good note and stays undefeated, but it’s just a pleasure to have him. No matter what happens, he’s a great horse for us.”

Neither John nor Thady Gosden would dream of underestimating Baaeed, but if there is a chink in his armour then last year’s six-length winner Mishriff looks the one most likely to exploit it, and they had first-hand experience in 2015 of the turn-ups that can happen in the Juddmonte when Golden Horn lost his unbeaten record to a 50-1 chance.

Thady Gosden said: “Mishriff has come back from Ascot in very good form and the one mile and two furlongs Juddmonte trip suits him well. Giving away ground at the start of a race of the King George’s quality is a serious hindrance, but he’s got plenty of speed and the shorter distance is what he’s best at.

“It’s interesting, and Baaeed is obviously brilliantly talented. He relaxes well and you would be shocked if he didn’t get the trip, but he’s taking on top-class mile and a quarter horses and I think it’s fair to say that it’s a stronger division than the miling division at the moment.

“Mishriff seems to be in similar form now as he was when he went to York last year. He ran a huge race in the Eclipse and was perhaps unlucky there. His work gives us a pretty good measure of where he’s at, and he’s in very good form.

“The Juddmonte is the summer’s premier mile and a quarter race and it’s great to see these horses take each other on. Whatever happens, it’s going to be an exceptional race.”

The Irish 2000 Guineas winner Native Trail did not take the anticipated step forward when stepped up in trip in the Coral-Eclipse, losing second close home to the unlucky-in-running Mishriff, so he was initially headed for yesterday’s Prix Jacques Le Marois. Plans changed however when Coroebus missed the Qatar Sussex Stakes with an abscess and was switched, unsuccessfully, to the Deauville race.

A field of seven also includes last year’s runner-up Alenquer, a stablemate of Baaeed who gained a first Group 1 win in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, and Aidan O’Brien’s High Definition, the neck runner-up there. The line-up is completed by William Knight’s Sir Busker and Dubai Honour – a third Haggas runner – who were separated by just a nose in the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes over course and distance last month.

Picture: Kabelo Matsunyane happy after his treble today. (Candiese Lenferna).

Matsunyane Treble, Two For Naidoo

Kabelo Matsunyane went to the top of the national jockeys log together with the currently suspended Muzi Yeni after riding a treble on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly today.

He rode a double for Kumaran Naidoo.

Matsunyane has ridden eleven winners so far this season at a strike rate of 26.19%.