Turf Talk Newsletter – 15 May, 2025

Furious was one of the great winners of the Gold Cup and was chased home in 1980 by Preciptack, who had been a narrow runner up in 1979 to The Malster. (Picture via meta on Notable South African Race Horses) 

There was a time Durban had South Africa’s two most prestigious races, the Durban July and the Gold Cup.

Some would contest that statement but the Gold Cup, run over 3200m, had massive prestige and a build up and excitement on the day, including a tent town in the middle of the course, that was not far behind the July.

There are some great Gold Cup memories such as the imposing English mare Devon Air taking the lead at the Drill Hall and galloping the field into the ground, winning by a record margin of 4,50 lengths to follow her easy July win.

That was one of a record eight Gold Cup wins for Felix Coetzee. Another memorable Gold Cup win for Coetzee and trainer Terrance Millard was on Illustrador, who started his Durban Winter campaign by winning the Gr 3 Rupert Ellis Brown Plate over 1200m, then winning the Gr 1 SA Guineas, then winning the Gr 1 Durban July, then finishing a narrow third in the Gr 1 Mainstay International over 1800m to the horse he had beaten in the Guineas, Face North, and he ended surely one of the greatest Durban winter (Champions Season) campaigns in history by winning the Gold Cup over 3200m.

The Maltster is a South African legend chiefly due to the win he gave history’s probable most famous jockey Lester Piggott at Scottsville after losing at least 15 lengths at the start. But he also won the Gold Cup and it was said at the time that his pathalogical hatred of grey horses won it for him. The grey favourite Preciptack had ranged up to him in the straight and with ears pressed onto his neck he refused to let him past.

There was the interesting win win of Fauvist in 1978.

The previous year he had gained notoriety by delaying the start for ages due to a lost shoe, but when the race did eventually get under way it turned into a thriller and resulted in the only dead-heat in the race’s history between Don The Stripe and Pacer.

Furious was one of the great winners of the race and was trained by one of South Africa’s most admired lady trainers, Anne Upton, who inherited him as a maiden.

The Port Elizabeth horse Stateway was said to love swimming so much he would often break away from his groom on the beach and go for a swim. Legend has it that on his way to the Gold Cup his float stopped to give him a break on the long journey and he spotted a dam nearby and was off for a swim. It didn’t stop him winning the race.

The USA-bred Icona carried topweight in 1991 but that did not stop him breaking the course record by over two seconds.

One of my favourite raceourse memories didn’t materialise in a win, but I was struck by the intelligence of the horse I had backed in the Gold Cup of 2002, Badger’s Coast. I stood on the old numbers board platform as they thundered past for the first time and have a vivid memory of this horse near the back but with his head in the air, ears pricked and observing the field of runners in front of him as if planning his strategy. As they came into the straight a gap opened someway inside of where he was and in a flash he was heading for it and bursting through – it was surely impossible for a jockey to have guided him that quickly, it seemed to be a natural racing instinct. It was the old Mike de Kock-trained warrior’s last racecourse appearance and he set sail for home, but the welter burden of 58kg proved too much and he was 0,75 lengths shy of Highland Night at the line.

Highland Night became a Gold Cup celebrity when winning it the following year to become the first horse in just over 50 years to win it twice in succession and today he has a race named after him.

Another massive Gr 1 event over 3200m back in the 1980s was the Ok Gold Bowl ay Turffontein, promoted by one of South Africa’s most loved businessmen and philanthropists Gordon Hood. I am not sure if free cars were given away, but the OK Challenge still has that tradition in Zimbabwe today. However, it was a massive race and was won by such legends as Aquanaut, who was coming off a win in the Gold Cup.

But the point of this article is just to ask what has happened to the prestige of the staying races, with not one of them in the country above Gr 3 anymore?

One of the problems could be the lack of recognition for champion stayers.

One small way of amending this could be to exclude the SA Derby winner from the Equus Stayers Award, because really the horse who wins the SA Derby is almost always a classic horse rather than a true stayer.

Reserve the award for the true stayers and give them something to aim at and give breeders something to aim at too.

The strangest anomaly of all in worldwide racing should always be remembered too – Australia are obsessed with speed in their breeding and their racing program, yet there greatest race remains the Melbourne Cup run over two miles.

Racing fans have always loved staying races.

Perhaps it is that thrill of seeing them thunder past the stand for the first time in a bunch, a sight and sound nobody can ever get used to or bored of.

There is also much to be admired about the engine capacity of the stayer. Who can forget the great Yeats, the four-time Ascot Gold Cup winner, who used to have the field off the bit going through Swinley Bottom. Ask Kevin Shea about him as he was in one of those Gold Cups aboard the South African-bred son of Fort Wood Thundering Star, who had won the Durban Gold comfortably despite carrying 57kg in his first few days as a four-year-old, but whom was no match for Yeats and finished more than a dozen lengths back.

Richard Fourie – signed an AOG (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)

In a further sequel to the jockey protest on 26 March 2025 that led to the abandonment of the racemeeting of that afternoon, Richard Fourie and Oswald Noach have joined their colleague JP van der Merwe and have signed respective individual admissions of guilt, writes The Sporting Post.

Following the action of 26 March, the jockeys present at the protest in support of an interim suspension placed on Grant van Niekerk were charged with a contravention of Rule 72.1.27 in that they, as riders who were carded to participate in scheduled races, and without any lawful justification, were party to a protest action which resulted in the abandonment of the race meeting.

On Tuesday 13 May 2025 Fourie and Noach signed an Admission of Guilt and thus received a monetary fine of R100 000 each. R50 000 of the total was suspended for a period of five years on condition that they are individually not found guilty of contravening Rule 72.1.27, for the next five years.

The Sporting Post learns that an Inquiry has been set down for Monday 19 May, where the balance of the jockeys charged in the protest action will face the music.

We believe that the Acknowledgement Of Guilt option of the R100 000 fine, with a 50% suspension and the five year condition, was offered by the NHA to all the jockeys. JP van der Merwe stepped forward late last month.

The matter is now in the hands of the Inquiry Board, and it remains to be seen whether some of the other jockeys involved step up and go the AOG route, or face the Inquiry Board, where the penalty could well vary.

Littlemissmillion seems almost dwarfed by her jockey Nirvan Nastili so small and slight is she, but she is athletic and will be an interesting one to follow. (JC Photos).

There is not much of the Tyrone Zackey-trained Littlemissmillion, who won impressively on debut over 1600m on the Vaal Classic track today (Thursday).

Tryrone Zackey revealed that after his daughter Nadine Backos had bought the Elusive Fort filly (for R50,000 on the BSA May online Sale) he saw this thin little filly and did not know how he was going to feed her, so he decided to start with lucerne and progress on to rider meal.

However, he said nothing developed and she just stayed the same.

She remains small and slight, but she is cleary very athletic.

Zackey lamented that she did not show much at home on the sand.

Nevertheless, she did receive some support because having opened at 33/1 she drifted out to 50/1 and then shortned to start at 20/1.

Nirvan Nastili had been asked to get her into the race by the trainer, but he wisely decided to leave her at the back of the small six horse field after she was sluggishly away.

She was green at the back but always tavelled quite well and in the straight when let go she impressed with her turn of foot.

She swept past the field to win the Maiden Juvenile Plate by 3,10 lengths.

She is out of the four time-winning Kahal mare Brigtnumberfive and was bred by Croft Stud.

However, Croft Stud sold Brigtnumberfive for just R8,000 in foal to the Real Gone Kid to JA Mayer at the BSA April Online auction in 2023.

Zackey was not getting ahead of himself and said it remained to be seen how strong the field was.

However, this filly has started off well and has a nice athletic look to her and has a nice big action.

She is from the family of Gr 1 SA Derby winner Son Of Raj, who is in the seven horses looking in on the first Hollywoodbets Durban July log as he attempts to make the final field for the third time in succession.

Littlemissmillion started off her career over 1600m so looks likely to also get ground in time.

She is under the care of a fine horseman in Tyrone Zackey and will be an interesting horse for the purists to follow.

Sharapova (far side) has been tipped to win the last race. (JC Photos)

Fairview Poly Friday Formguides And Selections

R1 (6) WISHES AND DREAMS is beautifully bred and the stable has been in top form with unraced runners, any market support should be respected. Off the raced runners (5) PRICELESS TREASURE will have to factored into everything, she has never been far back and rates a winning chance. (3) JET SET RUN has never been far back in recent starts and can feature. (1) RIVER FERN can improve and run into the quartet. (Devonne Govender 6-5-3-1)

R2 (8) SUPREME JUDGE is holding good recent form and will have a massive winning chance, his last run was good and he is the firm first selection. (6) PICK A POMODORO is making progress and will get much closer. (4) GREY WARRIOR made good progress in the last start and will be in the firing line. (2) ARLU is another who is making steady progress and is another that must be considered. (Devonne Govender 8-6-4-2)

R3 (7) ARTICUNO is knocking on the door for that next career win, she has run some good races recently and with a light mass on her back she will be a huge runner despite the fact that she is taking on much stronger. (1) RED SASH is always game and will go very well here, she is a must include in all bets. (4) MYTHICAL DREAM is very capable on her day and can win this contest. She wasn’t far in her last start and needs to be respected. (2) LOVEGRASS is another who has never been far back and rates a winning chance with Richard Fourie aboard. (Devonne Govender 7-1-4-

R4 (1) BAIE MOOI was an impressive winner on debut and looks tough to beat in this respectfully. (2) BOSNAY ran a cracker in the last start and a repeat of that performance will see her in the mix. (4) HER ROYALTY is capable of much better and should be respected here. (3) MY AMI BEACH is capable on running into the places and represents value for the quartets. (Devonne Govender 1-2-4-3).

R5 (4) GLOBETONIC now goes over the 1600m trip after recently contending over slightly shorter, he has solid form and a top draw so will represent some value here, big chance. (6) WINTER EMERALDS won extremely well on provincial debut and could have more to offer. (10) ARIVIDICIO is overdue for that next career win, his last run was good and he should be included in everything. (2) FLOWER FESTIVAL Is never far back and can get into the quartets. (Devonne Govender 4-6-10-2)

R6 (1) HEEMSTEDE ran a cracker in the last start and will have a huge winning chance here. (10) TWILIGHT BAY ran a game second in the last start and another big run is expected. (11) HAT MONTERA has never been far back and can run into the money. (2) HENRY’S HEDGE has only had one run in the province and there will be more to come so should be respected. (Devonne Govender 1-10-11-2)

R7 (3) RED WILLIAM was narrowly beaten in the last start and will be the firm first selection here. (1) HAARLEM has a much better draw and isn’t one to ignore, he will be there. (2) ROLL OF THE DICE ran extremely well in the last start and must be respected. (11) SAN QUINTIN has been running consistently and must go into all bets despite the wide draw. (Devonne Govender 3-1-2-11)

R8 (7) SHARAPOVA is holding solid form and rates a strong winning chance in this line up, she is versatile and also goes well this trip. (2) SWISS WALT is another who is knocking on the door and must be respected. (1) ROTOTO makes his provincial debut and isn’t one to discount here. (5) LUCKY SPIRIT ran a cracker in the last start and repeat of that performance will see him in the money. (Devonne Govender 7-2-1-5)

Gavin Lerena was at his best in the last race at the Vaal Classic track on Thursday when managing to get the two-year-old Tony Peter-trained Querari colt Sylvan Warrior up on the line to deny Inafix. (JC Photos)

Gavin Lerena rode a four-timer at the Vaal Classic track on Thursday and is now within striking distance of the lead in the South African Jockeys Championship as the log leader Craig Zackey scored a blank.

Two of Lerena’s winner were for Tony Peter.

Lerena is now on 199 wins for the season scored at a strike rate of 26.22%.

Zackey is on 208 wins at 17.87%.

Richard Fourie is on 202 wins at 25.51%.

Peter is on 76 wins at 16.70%.

Peter leads the Highveld Trainers Championship as far as wins go and in fact all 76 of his wins this season have been on the Highveld.

Sean Tarry has had 63 wins on the Highveld, although he is just over R2 million ahead of Peter on stakes.

Lereena is way clear in the Highveld Jockeys Championship on 140 wins to Muzi Yeni’s 68 and Craig Zackey’s 63.

Hollie Doyle tides Brindavan to victory at Ascot, becoming the female jockey with the most ever wins in the UK. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock

Hollie Doyle surpassed the 1022 wins of Hayley Turner at Ascot on Saturday and she paid tribute to the latter and also to recently retired Rachael Blackmore (read Below):

Becoming the winning-most female jockey in Britain is an achievement I’m immensely proud of, and completing the feat at Ascot last weekend was extra special. After reaching 1,000 domestic winners in March, it felt great to surpass Hayley Turner’s record of 1,022 on the Sean Woods-trained Brindavan.

Hayley Turner rode her first Royal Ascot winner in the 2019 Sandringham Handicap
I’d like to pay tribute to Hayley and other female riders before me, who paved the way for me to go on and get to this landmark. Hayley had it a lot tougher than I did, and there are now plenty more female riders in the pipeline who have the talent to go on and achieve great things too.

As ever, I will keep my head down and continue to work hard to ensure I have a successful year. Being a jockey isn’t a forever-career, so you have to make hay while the sun shines.

I must admit I was quite shocked when I heard Rachael Blackmore was bringing her illustrious career to an end, but if she thinks the time’s right then so be it. She’s been such a great jockey – an inspiration to thousands – and has achieved so much in the game.

Like everyone in racing, I have so much respect for her, as she’s also a very nice person. She set the bar so high that I’m not sure anyone will ever be able to match what she’s done.

What is really nice is that she’s been able to walk away on her own terms, and I wish her the best of luck in whatever she chooses to do next.

Pride Of Arras comes home strongly to win the Dante at York (Sky Sports Racing)

York: Pride Of Arras stakes Derby claims with impressive Dante Stakes performance with The Lion In Winter unplaced

Pride Of Arras remained unbeaten with an impressive performance to land the Dante Stakes at York and Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan can now dream of Epsom glory with a colt who has established himself worthy of a place in the Derby line-up

Sky Sports Racing

Pride Of Arras caused a real upset in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes as The Lion In Winter was soundly beaten at York.

The Lion In Winter was the ante-post Derby favourite and was expected to take a step towards the Classic at York, but after wrestling with Ryan Moore in the early stages, the 8/11 market leader never seemed to land a blow and finished unplaced.

Instead it was Pride Of Arras, ridden by Rossa Ryan and trained by Ralph Beckett, who came to the fore with a length-and-a-quarter triumph at odds of 18/1, with 16/1 shot Damysus second and Wimbledon Hawkeye third.

Beckett said: “I think that was everything I hoped for and more.

“I was saying to the owner that I’d been tough on him to get him here, we had to take him away, he galloped at Lambourn about two-and-a-half weeks ago and he’d been on the watered gallop at home several times.

“He’ll come forward from today as well, when I say I was tough on him it was his lack of experience, he rolled around at Sandown before he went clear, he found experience easy in the end but through the race he wasn’t finding it easy.”

Beckett saddled Bluestocking to finish a narrow second in the 2023 Irish Oaks and win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last season, while Westover was third in the Derby at Epsom the previous year before going on to land the Irish version.

The trainer thinks it is hard to compare those Juddmonte runners with Pride Of Arras, but feels the son of New Bay merits a crack at the Classic.

He added: “He’s worthy of his place [in the Derby]. It’s difficult to say he’s like my other Classic horses. I’ve trained for Mrs Aykroyd all my career and this is a home bred. He’s not a Westover, he’s not Bluestocking. He has a good back pedigree but not the profile of those, if you like.

“But in saying that, he has more speed than Westover, he’s a better workhorse than he was.

“If he handles Epsom, which I think he will, and he handles the jamboree, which based on today I think he will, we’ve every right to think we’re going there to be competitive. What happens after that, who knows?”

Who was arguably the most improtant mare ever imported by Harry Oppenheimer, considering she was dan of Tiger Fish and granddam of Hengist and King Willow, a trio who between them each took the South African Derby at Turffontein; two July Handicaps; two Johannesburg Summer Handicaps; a Clairwood Winter Handicap; Union Day Handicap; Champion Nursery; Champion Stakes; Benoni Guineas; Invitation (Hawaii) Stakes; and several other feature events of lesser importance. ?

Picture: The picture is of the subject