Cape Racing Supporter Wins Royal Ascot Gr 2
Fiona Carmichael was big news at Royal Ascot as her unbeaten homebred Wootton Basset colt Carmers won the Gr 2 Queen’s Vase and smashed the track record in the process. (via X ITM@IREthoroughbred)
A big supporter of South African racing, Fiona Carmichael, watched her unbeaten home-bred Wootton Bassett colt Carmers win the Gr 2 Queen’s Vase over one mile and six furlongs in track record time on Wednesday, thus giving trainer Paddy Twomey a big win with his first Royal Ascot runner.
Fiona is an owner of close to 15 years standing and has a Bloodstock operation called Westward Bloodstock.
Her horses out here race in Cape Town and among them are the promising Justin Snaith-trained colt Black Cheetah (Querari), who won his first two starts, and the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained three-year-old Rafeef gelding Empire State, who has won three races and finished fifth in the Big Cap.
Fiona won the Gr 2 Peninsula Handicap with the Bass-Robinson-trained Flower Alley gelding Firealley in December 2021.
She is active at the sales and bought the Drakenstein Stud-bred Black Cheetah for R1 million at the Cape Racing Sales Cape Premier Yearling Sale last year. She now owns Black Cheetah in partnership with Drakenstein.
She also bought a The United States filly called Nebulous for R400,000 at that same Sale and this Bass-Robinson-trained two-year-old filly looks full of promise having finished fifth and third in her two respective starts to date.
Fiona also owns three time-winning Harold Crawford and Michelle Rix-trained Captain Of All gelding Elusive Winter among a number of other horses.
However, her success overseas has been meteoric for somebody who has only been involved in racing since 2011 as she has owned he like of Group winners Toronado (Ire), Havana Gold (Ire) and Ivawood (Ire), all of whom are now in the nascent stages of their stud careers.
Her breeding career is now taking off too.
Click here to read about Fiona’s Royal Ascot triumph
Two other South African connected runners on the day were both trained out of Newmarket by former Summerveld trainer Dylan Cunha-trained. His first-timer Come On Eibhlin (Space Blues) was beaten just 4,50 lengths into 9th in the Gr 2 Queen Mary Stakes over five furlongs at odds of 250/1 under Josephine Gordon and later one time winner Kamakameleon ran a 2,25 length fifth in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at odds of 80/1 under Tom Marquand.
Crawford-Rix Yard Buy First Kommetdieding Put On A Sale
Michelle Rix (closest) with her July and Met-winning superstar Kommetdieding. (Picture: TBA)
Father and daughter team of Harold Crawford and Michelle Rix made history in 2021 as the first small yard this millenium to win South Africa’s premier race, the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July.
When three-year-old Elusive Fort colt Kommetdieding did it for them he became the first horse from a small yard to win the July since Pat Antelme did it 36 years previously with Gondolier in 1985 and Kommedtdieding went on to become only the seventh horse in history to win both the July and the Met.
And now the yard have the first progeny of Kommetdieding to go on a Sale, a Klawervlei Stud-bred weanling filly purchased on the BSA May Online Sale for R45,000 in partnership with Turf Talk Syndicate owner Grant Knowles.
The filly is out of the Trippi mare Alloway Grove, who won one race over 1200m and finished in the first three six times.
Michelle will also be visiting Klawervlei Stud soon to look at some more Kommetdiedings.
Meanwhile, the yard is in fine form having had 17 runs in the last five Hollywoodbets Kenilworth meeting for four wins (two doubles), three seconds, three thirds and two fourths.
Gavin Lerena, who rode Kommetdieding to July and Met glory, has ridden all four of the winners in that time frame.
One of the yard’s best horses is Time For Love, a five-year-old Time Thief mare who had a fine summer and she has continued her form into the winter.
She finished a 1,15 length third to the smart Rainbow Lorikeet in the Gr 3 Splashout Victress Stakes over 1800m in December and then finished a 0,30 length second to the same horse in the Gr 3 Tsogo Sun Summer Fling Stakes over 2000m on L’Ormarins King’s Plate day. She then had a four month layoff, but that did not stop her winning the Listed Ladies Mile on her first run back, despite carrying joint topweight. She followed that with a 1,75 length fourth in the Listed Stormsvlei Stakes over 1800m, beating Knockout, who went on to finish third in the Gr 3 Tote Oaks at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
Michelle said, “Time For Love was an unlucky second to Rainbow Lorikeet in the East Cape Paddock Stakes last year and I’ve just confirmed with Gavin he will ride her in that race this year (on July 11).”
Michelle believes Beneath The Clouds will develop into a similar type to Time For Love. This Lancaster Bomber filly has won both of her starts since being stepped up to 1800m and has done it comforably. They always believed she would get better with age and over ground, so as she is only rated 83 and is on the up she could pay to follow.
Michelle said two-year-old One World colt Three Tigers, who finished a close up third in the Listed Somerset 1200 last time, was “a nice, promising young horse.”
One Liner is a One World who won on debut as a two-year-old and started his three-year-old career with a close second, but then had a colic issue and had an eight month layoff. His comeback run at the beginning of this month saw him run a close up third in a class 4 handicap off an 85 merit rating, so that was a fine effort. Michelle regards him as above average.
The yard have also done very well with Peace Of Mind, a Var filly. It has been shown that horses going from Cape Town to to other centres often have suppessed merit ratings and often do well, so to have gotten a win and two seconds out of a horse who has come from another centre to Cape Town is no mean feat.
Michelle said, “So all in all we have chosen well for the few we have purchased, especially considering we are trying to find Ferraris for the price of Volkswagens!”
She revealed, “Of the 24 horses we have, we only have 13 of them running, the rest are on the sick bench or still two-year-olds who haven’t raced yet.”
She added, “We have shown we can win big races if we have the right horses. We have been very fortunate that in the last few months a lot of new owners have come into the yard buying babies, we have fifteen babies coming in. Jonathan Bloch has been a huge supporter of the yard, which is amazing, the Turf Talk syndicate have sent us three, two Hawwaam’s and an Erik The Red, so that is also amazing and there is a lot to look forward too.”
Beaumont Stud Still Going Strong!
Anton and Dominique Shepherd at the Equus Awards (Picture: Equus Awards)
By Sarah Whitelaw
Beaumont Stud, famed for breeding dual South African Horse Of The Year Variety Club, have enjoyed a good run of success this year.
Among the smart recent performers to have been bred by the farm are Jet Force (Master Of My Fate -Ooh La Var), Inside Voice (Pathfork -Latifah), Meu Capitano (Captain Of All -Rosetta Stone), and Empire State (Rafeef -Elusive Spirit).
The latter showed plenty of ability early on and bounced back to his earlier form when winning two of his last three starts. Empire State has a Pathfork half-brother on offer at the upcoming KZN Yearling Sale.
Beaumont also raised this season’s G2 Golden Horse Sprint/G3 Champagne Stakes winner Tenango (Canford Cliffs -Tripadvisor).
The farm is a multi generation success story with Harry Shepherd having bred Prince Florimund (Horse Of The Year in 1981-1982) and his son Anton the breeder of Variety Club (Horse Of The Year in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013).
Both Prince Florimund and Variety Club went on to enjoy success overseas, with Prince Florimund winning in the G3 San Gabriel Handicap and finishing just a length off the legendary John Henry when second in the G2 The American Handicap (back in fifth place in that contest was G1 Kentucky Derby winner Gato Del Sol).
While a disappointing sire overall, Prince Florimund did sire an outstanding broodmare in the form of Stormsvlei. The latter, whose progeny included triple Horse Of The Year Pocket Power and the latter’s Met winning full-sister River Jetez, was Equus Champion Broodmare in 2008 and 2010.
(Incidentally, Beaumont will be offering a Master Of My Fate filly from the same family as Stormsvlei at the upcoming KZN Yearling Sale.)
Variety Club enjoyed even greater success when sent overseas, with the chestnut making history when he won the G1 Champions Mile. Prior to Variety Club’s win, no international raider had captured that Hong Kong showpiece. (Variety Club had preceded his Champions Mile win with triumphs in Dubai’s G3 Firebreak Stakes and G2 Godolphin Mile, with a runner up finish in the G3 Burj Nahaar sandwiching the Firebreak and Godolphin Mile victories).
In landing the 2014 Champions Mile, Variety Club accounted for a host of top-class performers namely Able Friend, Dan Excel, Blazing Speed, Gordon Lord Byron, and Mshawish.
The form of the race was given a handsome boost when Able Friend went on to win the Champions Mile in 2015.
A tilt at that year’s G1 Prix de la Foret had been on the cards for the handsome chestnut, but Variety Club’s increasingly volatile temperament forced his premature retirement.
Retired to Klawervlei Stud, Variety Club proved infertile and eventually returned to the paddocks at Beaumont Stud.
Until recently, Beaumont was also home to Souk, the dam of 2024 G1 Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Oriental Charm. However, that daughter of Greys Inn was subsequently sold to Owloon Horses.
Anton will be taking ten yearlings to the upcoming KZN Yearling Sale, which takes place at the Suncoast Casino in Durban on July.
Beaumont’s KZN Yearling Sale string is made up of yearlings sired by all of Fire Away, Hawwaam, Legislate, Master Of My Fate, Pathfork, Real Gone Kid and What A Winter.
Mucho Dinero Scratched From The Hollywoodbets Durban July
Gr 2 winner Mucho Dinero has been scratched from the Hollywoodbets Durban July. (Picture: Wayne Marks).
Racing fans around the country are on tenterhooks waiting for the decision on whether the Justin Snaith-trained ruling favourite Eight On Eighteen bypasses the Hollywoodbets Durban July or not.
Meanwhile, his stablemate Mucho Dinero, owned by one of Eight On Eighteen’s joint-owners, Nick Jonsson, has been scratched.
Snaith is going for a sixth Durban July and is now down to six entries still standing their ground.
Eight On Eighteen remains a firm 18/10 favourite in the betting market.
The entries stll standing are listed below in odds order with their weights, merit ratings and trainers also shown:
Eight On Eighteen – 57 – 129 – Justin Snaith – 18-10
Oriental Charm – 60 – 127 – James Crawford – 11-2
Immediate Edge – 53 – 108 – Mike/Mathew de Kock – 7-1
See It Again – 60 – 127 – Michael Roberts – 10-1
Legend Of Arthur – 53 – 117 – Sean Tarry – 25-2
The Real Prince – 56.5 – 120 – Dean Kannemeyer – 14-1
Selukwe – 54 – 111 – Andre Nel – 17-1
Royal Victory – 59 – 125 – Nathan Kotzen – 17-1
Okavango – 54.5 – 120 – Justin Snaith – 20-1
Gladatorian – 60 – 127 – Stuart Ferrie – 20-1
Underworld – 54 – 109 – Justin Snaith – 25-1
Native Ruler – 54 – 119 – Justin Snaith – 25-1
My Best Shot – 53 – 116 – Alan Greeff – 33-1
Confederate – 53.5 – 118 – Fabian Habib – 33-1
Atticus Finch – 57 – 121 – Alec Laird – 33-1
Holding Thumbs – 54 – 108 – Glen Kotzen – 33-1
Madison Valley – 54 – 115 – Frank Robinson – 40-1
Future Swing – 55 – 117 – Justin Snaith – 40-1
On My Honour – 53 – 116 – Glen Kotzen – 40-1
Magic Verse – 54 – 113 – Justin Snaith – 50-1
The Equator (IRE) – 54 – 110 – Tony Peter – 50-1
Purple Pitcher – 57.5 – 122 – Robyn Klaasen – 50-1
Pomodoro’s Jet – 55.5 – 118 – James Crawford – 67-1
Rainbow Lorikeet – 53 – 111 – Candice Bass-Robinson – 67-1
Beating Wings – 53 – 113 – Stuart Pettigrew – 100-1
Son Of Raj – 56 – 119 – Tony Peter – 100-1
Litigation – 54 – 113 – Sean Tarry – 100-1
Joy And Peace – 53 – 110 – Alan Greeff – 150-1
Thunee Playa – 54 – 104 – Mano Pandaram – 150-1
King Pelles Raised To 112, Holding Thumbs To 108
King Pelles gets the better of Holding Thumbs to win the Gr 3 Tote Derby (Picture: Candiese Lenferna).
PRESS RELEASE
HANDICAPPING RATINGS UPDATE
TOTE OAKS (Grade 3)
SHE’S A BOMBER’S official merit rating has been increased from 95 to 101 following her victory in the Grade 3 Tote Oaks over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday. The Handicappers unanimously agreed that the ever consistent MY SOUL MATE, who finished second, was the most suitable line horse for evaluating the race, so her rating remains at 107.
ROYAL INVITATION and KEY WORKER also received rating increases, with their merit ratings rising from 85 to 89 and 83 to 87, respectively.
Three runners had their ratings lowered following this contest:
· WORLD OF ALICE dropped from 108 to 106,
· INDIAN OCEAN from 111 to 109, and
EXPLOSIVE BOND from 97 to 94.
TOTE DERBY (Grade 3)
KING PELLES had his merit rating increased from 105 to 112 after his victory in the Grade 3 Tote Derby over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday. The Handicappers identified FIELD MARSHAL, who finished third, as the most appropriate line horse to assess the race, keeping his rating unchanged at 105.
HOLDING THUMBS, the runner-up, had his rating adjusted from 107 to 108. Meanwhile, TAXHAVEN’S rating increased from 83 to 90, receiving his full performance adjustment for his run in the Grade 3 Tote Derby. However, despite this increase, his new rating of 90 remains below his performance in the Listed TAB Gold Bowl, where race conditions prevented the Handicappers from adjusting him to his true performance figure.
CAPE EAGLE was the only horse to receive a rating decrease, dropping slightly from 110 to 109.
Enquiries:
The Handicapping Team
Moodley Rides A Double For Sabine Plattner
Plum Pudding (Silvano) clinches a quick double for the Serino Moodley/Andre Nel combination and both wins were for owner Sabine Plattner. (Picture: Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Andrew Harrison
It was a day of contrasting finishes at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday, some horses winning by a street, others battling tight finishes.
Ziyan’s Pride enjoyed the step up in trip as MJ Odendaal’s colt powered home in the first under Marco van Rensburg with the balance of the field well beaten.
Nautical Landing was not for the catching in the second. Tristan Godden bounced Mike Miller’s filly out from her ten draw and took no prisoners. Leading from the jump, she quickened smartly at the top of the straight and was not for the catching.
Silver Platter finally got his consistency rewarded in the third. Serino Moodley took the big-striding gelding to the front and made a winning move at the top of the straight to easily hold off a late-charging Limelight Legend.
Silver Platter was the first of two winners for owner Sabine Plattner and trainer Andre Nel, who was on course to lead in Silver Platter but gave all credit to his Summerveld assistant Byron Forster and his team.
Plum Pudding and Serino Moodley had to work a little harder in the fourth for Nel and Plattner as she only got into top gear over the final furlong to touch off Sign Of Fate and Plum Pudding’s stable companion Spring Kiss.
It was a Garth Puller one-two in the fifth as Queue Wing as apprentice Mxolisi Mbuto made good use of his 4kg claim to pinch and lead and hold off a fast-finishing stable companion Imperial Power to deny Moodley a quick treble.
Malcolm’s Dream has hardly ever run a bad race for Mark Dixon and the Carlise family who bred the mare at their Kinmount Stud in the KZN Midlands. Named in memory of their good friend Malcolm Phillips, Malcolm’s Dream notched up the seventh win of her career when scoring convincingly on the poly.
Cole Dicken seems to get the best out of her and back in the saddle yesterday, Malcolm’s Dream responded with a sustained finish and was never for the catching.
It was a battle of the apprentices in the eighth, a Class 5 over 1400m, as Damyan Pillay got the best out of Darryl Moore’s gelding Danube to edge out Send Me to deny Mxolisi Mbuto a double. Ironically Mbuto was aboard Danube at his last start.
It was Pillay’s first win back after fracturing his hip in a fall at Summerveld that set him back six months. Serious injuries quite often have an adverse effect on a young riders confidence but Pillay appears up to making a confident comeback.
MJ Odendaal landed a double as Thisiswhatitmeans made it three on the bounce for Sean Veale and Hollywood Racing in the eighth. Racing well back in the early exchanges as Twenty One May and Good Traveller set solid early fractions, when it came to the sharp end of the race, Thisiswhatitmeans finished best of all as he reeled in the pacemakers to win going away with Good Traveller edging Twenty One May for the shallow end of the purse.
The win by Thisiswhatitmeans added to the form of Good Council who lines up in the KZN Breeders Mile at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
Former jockey Piet Botha doesn’t look a day older than when he was a jockey back in the eighties of the last millennium. Taking on the best during Champions Season for the first time will have been a learning curve for the future but Papillon Blu certainly paid her way as she racked up her second win, first race out of the maidens, to round off the meeting. One never knows if Andrew Fortune is sitting with a ton in hand or an empty gas tank such is the way he rides. This tank was full crossing the subway and Papillon Blu floated home on gossamer wings.
Vibe SA Is The One To Beat In Vaal Headliner
The Vaal has an eight race meeting today and in the races down the straight the low draws should be advantageous by trends with the outside rail in by 12m, although at the last meeting on this course, when the outside rail was in by a lesser amount, the high draws turned out to be advantageous, so it is not a given.
The highest rated race of the day is a MR82 handicap over 1200m and if the high draws do not turn out to be disadvantageous then Vibe SA will be hard to beat. His last Highveld start can be ignored as he had traffic problems and Gavin Lerena is now aboard, so that will give him every chance. His last run was in KZN and he was not disgraced in the 1200m race around the turn at Hollywoodbets Greyville. King of Numbers is drawn number one, which will be an advantage by trends, and he will be ridden by the ever improving Malesela Katjedi. This hard-knocking sort lost by only a neck last time over 1400m and drops down to 1200m for the first time in quite a long time, but he has good 1200m form. Paul Revere is an up and coming sort, who should be suited to this distance and he has a fair draw of six under the promising Kobeli Lihaba. Prince of Kildare has the in-form S’Manga Khumalo aboard from a nice low draw and he should be thereabouts as he has been in consistently good form for his last three runs. It’s personal runs from a middle draw and on form could earn another cheque.
In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m Like A Prayer won a workrider’s maiden in easy fashion last time and off a reasonable 71 merit rating could follow up under Muzi Yeni from a middle draw. Captain Efficient is an ultra-consistent sort and with Gavin Lerena up from a draw which is just on the high side of middle she could be in the shake-up. Alone time has good pace and might be hard to catch if the low draws do turn out to be advantageous. Golden Aspen has dropped down to a competitive mark and might be ready to put his lacklustre recent form behind him. Nazare is drawn one, and after a good win last time could be in the shake-up off a three-point higher mark.
In the fifth race over 1200m Great Notion is a progressive sort, who makes plenty of appeal. Callan Murray should be able to negotiate a draw of 11 out of 19. Flight Of The Condor has a very high draw, but looks to have plenty of ability. Valieva has Gavin Lerena albeit from a high draw, but she does have the form to be a contender. Dezire won well first time out, but is another one with a high draw in this tricky contest. Alabama Anna is drawn number one and this might allow her to bounce back to form off an attractive merit rating.
In the seventh race over 1800m Storm Ahead is in hard-knocking form and under in-form S’Manga Khumalo is the one to beat. Art Nouveau won nicely over 1700m last time and off just a two-point higher mark could be in the shake-up from a plum draw. Molotov Cocktail won well second time out when stepped up to 1600m and this well-bred sort by Danon Platina out of Nother Russia should relish the step-up in trip. Chabal did well last time when stepped up to a middle distance for the first time, so has a good chance here from a fair draw of six. Future Wolff is an honest sort who can be in the shake-up here if able to overcome a tricky draw of ten.
In the eighth race, over 1800m Instant Attraction has done well in two starts since winning her maiden and she has a fair draw here, although her one-and-a-half-kilogram claiming rider rides 1kg overweight. Free in Seattle is an ultra-consistent sort and after a win last time over 2000m she has a plum draw and a four-point higher merit rating, so it will be tough, but she could earn again. Wagram is a progressive sort who ran well when stepped up to a middle distance for the first time and she could be in the shake-up if able to overcome a tricky draw. Sneak Preview has the form to be a contender here. Elembee has Piere Strydom up and could earn. One Religion can’t be ignored, but will have to overcome a wide draw.
In the ninth race, over 1500m Calida has a fine form chance and is the one to beat from a low draw, which will be advantageous by trends. Libeccio has the form to contest this, but does have a tricky draw of 11 by trends. Walled Garden was not disgraced last time after a layoff of about a year and could come on from that run. After Hours is an honest old warrior and could earn again. Unsolved Riddle has Strydom up and is capable of better than last time, but does have a high draw.
In the first leg of the PA, over 1200m, Hotaru ran well last time over this course and distance in her first start for the Klaasen Yard and can go one better if able to overcome a tricky draw. Empress Wu is knocking on the door and from a nice low draw and an in-form S’Manga Khumalo up should go close. Miss Takes has the ability to be in the first three, but does have a tricky draw of nine by trends.
In the first leg of the Bipot, Cartanega is a progressive sort who looks likely to enjoy a staying trip and she could claim a hat-trick. Rainy Season and Nuclear Force look to be the main dangers.
In the first race Phil the Fluter is knocking hard and over an ideal trip is the one to beat. Mystic Vision looks to be the main danger.
Today's Question
What Timeform Rating was Fields Of Gold given for his runaway win in the Gr 1 St. James Palace Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot?
Picture: Fields Of Gold (Sporting Life).
Today’s Question Answer
Fields Of Gold was given a 132p rating by Timeform.
