Award-winning Global Team Horseracing are taking the lead in promoting the Sport Of Kings (Picture supplied).

GTH Out To Save Racing From Fading To Grey

Global Team Horseracing – Racing Into The Future!

There is no known ‘Grey List’ for sports, sporting disciplines or, for that matter, sporting events. But if there were, horse racing would probably be on it. Not in terms of having to be monitored for financial misdemeanours or shady deals, but for potentially becoming less visible, or getting stuck in a state of depression, as musically represented in the New Wave band Visage’s 1981 chart-topper, ‘Fade To Grey’.

The State President has told South Africans that our recent ‘greylisting’ by the Financial Action Task Force (FAT) is not near as depressing or problematic as it appears to be.

Like, no worries… we’ll be okay, brethren.

But there comes a time when words alone can no longer alleviate the throbbing discomfort of knowing that all is not well; or prevent the dire, looming prospects of financial collapse from taking a grip on the throat.

Our racing industry recently side-stepped disaster with the intervention of a few ultra-wealthy individuals, admirably all true lovers of the sport. We sighed collectively in relief.

However, we need a constant flow of new customers to stay afloat. To survive, like all other businesses, we need fundamental innovations. And not without haste. Ours is perhaps not the absolutely unique industry we seem to believe it to be.

Hong Kong’s Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the most respected racing administrator in the world, identified nine major barriers to the growth of racing at the recent Asian Racing Conference in Melbourne. An ‘ageing customer base’ and ‘engaging Generations Y and Z’, were among them.

We’ve seen several laudable efforts, especially in the Western Cape, to ‘make racing great again’. Several professionally staged events have drawn bigger crowds and exciting vibes were created.

We don’t know, however, how many of the young people who came racing for the first time will return because they enjoyed the racing more than the salmon bites and champagne. Are we hooking young people to come racing, for life?

How long can the elder statesmen- and women keep the sport’s supporter base sound enough to keep going?

Celebrity Chef Anthony Bourdain, in one of his last TV documentaries in May 2017, spent a day at Aqueduct Racecourse in New York and remarked: “I love this place. The ponies, the beers, the looming sense of despair and melancholy. The glory days of horse racing are long gone. All that’s left is a few die-hards with some bucks and a dream…”

Bourdain’s sombre tones seemed to make more sense overall when he was found hanging from a rope in his chambre at a small French hotel a year later – a man overcome by the same poignant emotions experienced on his last visit to a racetrack.

Global Team Horse Racing (GTH) has an award-winning product. A racing product that broke through into the mainstream by winning Event of the Year at the Hollard Sports Awards last year, beating the Rugby World Cup Sevens Final in Cape Town in the process. When was the last time a racing event was even nominated for something like that?

GTH aims to give racing the turbo-boost it needs to attract generations Z (Zoomers) and X (Those between baby-boomers and millennials).

Our sport needs a breakthrough of proportions. At the very least, a window opened to new horizons. We risk a depressing alternative: fading into grey obscurity. Our failure to explore original, imaginative promotional avenues and revenue streams will be suicidal.

The Eric Sands-trained Vercingetorix colt Gallic Dream wins second time out for the Yataghan Syndicate (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Passionate Yataghan Syndicate Provide Perfect Example Of How To Embrace Horseracing

Mark van Deventer

Simon van Zuydam, Mark Rutherfoord, Marcus Nel, Greg De Marigny, Brett Hagen and Charles Hiten are all equal shareholders in the Yataghan Racing Syndicate. Simon, Greg and Marcus go back a long way as teenage friends who love horse racing and used to hang out and party together at the Durban July during the 1980’s.

Those special bonds of friendships have endured together with their shared passion for horse racing. On Tuesday, this tight-knit group of mates were able to celebrate when their homebred, Gallic Dream, won a strong Maiden at Hollywoodbets Durbanville.

Greg de Marigny and daughter Teagan (on only her second visit to the races) led the two-year-old colt in.

“We knew he was taking on a strong field, and though trainer Eric Sands said he’d come along nicely since his debut and expected a decent run it was still unexpected and so exciting.” said Simon of their 20/1 victor who showed a zippy turn of foot and gameness to resist the challenges of highly touted, market principals.

There is a fascinating back story to Gallic Dream, by Vercingetorix out of the Dynasty mare, A Time To Dream, as well as to the origins of the Yataghan Racing Syndicate.

The friends have harboured the dream of owning a Durban July winner and the name Yataghan was chosen for the syndicate due to his gutsy fighting spirit and determination to win. Remembering Yataghan winning the iconic race back in 1973, Simon, then a ten-year-old recalls, “I think what appealed most about Yataghan was that he was smaller than many of his top rivals such as Elevation and William Penn, but just such a fighter – and he was a relatively cheap purchase, too!”

Over the intervening years, as their professional careers developed and they moved from Durban to elsewhere within South Africa and abroad, the guys, as well as enjoying a punt, also dabbled in individual horse ownership.

Fast forward across the decades to properly formalising their partnership, (including introducing new friends to the game,) agreeing on their joint vision, naming the syndicate, and choosing colours.

The group wanted to keep that historic Yataghan connection as close as possible, hence the predominantly orange colours, with the added twist of peach epaulettes.

The syndicate also made three pivotal decisions.

Firstly, to invest as shareholders in a properly constituted Pty Ltd.

Then, to source a mare with potential and go the breeding route, rather than buy youngsters at the yearling sales.

And thirdly, just as they’ve done in other successful business ventures, a strategic call was to align themselves with industry pros recognised as experts at their craft.

The syndicate all bought into the “Moneyball” factor, from the Brad Pitt movie, “Moneyball.” They knew they could not compete with the big guns and match top stud farms budgets, so they needed to be smart, choose wisely and find value that others may not see.

Knowledgeable and trusted horseman, Eric Sands and Soetendal Stud’s Julia Pilbeam were chosen. Both know the intricacies of the racing game and can provide invaluable counsel on horse management.

Simon states, “We have total confidence in great people like Eric and Julia – they are transparent, hard-working and exude positive energy.”

Sands is a wizard on horse’s conformation and goes to the stud farms frequently to monitor the physical development of the foals before advising his patrons.

It was Sands’ recommendation that the aptly named, A Time to Dream be purchased out of a mare dispersal sale, though the syndicate also credit the wise assistance they received when starting out from thoroughbred breeding guru, Robin Bruss.

A Time to Dream won six times, when trained by Justin Snaith and might even have won the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes that went instead to Nightingale in 2017, but for a horrid trip she suffered when repeatedly blocked down the straight. Simon references that if she’d won we would not be having this interview, acknowledging that she would likely be with a leading stud farm.

Maybe she was commercially under-valued by the bloodstock market for being unplaced at G1 level, (though she earned Black Type in other Listed races) yet none of that might even have mattered as she could not come into foal at the beginning of her breeding career and her prospects seemed hopeless.

However, scans arranged by Eric Sands suggested she was fertile enough to produce, so the syndicate forged on with their plans.

The group burned the midnight oil debating subtle nicks and pedigree crosses that might work, eventually deciding on Soft Falling Rain as their mare’s best option, only for the ill-fated stallion to die two weeks before the scheduled service.

Flower Alley became the substitute stallion, with a diminutive filly called A Time to Flower the outcome. She won a race in October 2022 at the Vaal when trained by Crawford Racing up in Joburg and there is hope she will win a few more.

Meanwhile, back at Soetendal Estate, Julia Pilbeam has been overseeing the development of both an Oratorio yearling colt ex A Time to Dream called Bel Canto Dream (the syndicate reckons Oratorio does well with Sadlers Well’s progeny,) and her most recent foal, a Master of My Fate filly. This year their mare will be covered by Hawaam.

In 2019, they were thrilled to secure a service at a competitive rate with Maine Chance’s, Vercingetorix, who is poised to take over the great Silvano’s mantle as the farm’s outstanding stallion.

Gallic Dream is the product of that shrewd mating.

Simon is a corporate executive with a financial background. Tellingly, he also compiled a Stellenbosch University MBA thesis about Western Province Racing’s demise and offered solutions back in 1996.

Now based in Switzerland, he still follows the SA equine scene closely, and this avid fan imparted sage advice to fellow syndicate shareholders from the get-go, “We are in it to enjoy the journey and have fun along the way, knowing that there will be highs and, inevitably, lows too. You can increase chances by breeding the best to the best, yet the gene pool remains part art/part science and there are no guarantees. ‘

Such level headedness is an essential trait in racing. It’s one tough game for all, be they voluntary participants like owners, or industry professionals such as commercial breeders, jockeys, and trainers. Not to forget the beleaguered group of die-hard punters.

Everybody, however, is united by an inspiring dream. Be it that massive betting plunge that connects or the often- times serendipitous and fortuitous association with a champion racehorse that is truly life transforming.

The friends have been in racing for many years, yet home breeding is a new venture. Just having an entry in the Durban July is a rare feat, never mind leading in the winner, but that remains the Yataghan Racing Syndicate’s ultimate vision.

They remain inspired by Yataghan’s exploits – wizened racing fans will remember when Syd Laird’s turf legend was putting together a formidable winning streak, the newspaper headlines would trumpet “Yataghan – yet again!”

Fortune can be fickle and fleeting in racing. Who knows how many “yet agains” there will be for Gallic Dream, or indeed for future progeny of A Time to Dream?

As a collective group, the Yataghan Racing Syndicate are under no illusions. They bring racing passion, business savvy and friendly enthusiasm to the six- strong partnership, backed up by supportive family members. All are now relishing an exhilarating phase to their well-conceived, home-breeding venture.

Stuart Pettigrew-trained Red Ray filly Alula’s Star (pink sleeves) won the Grade 3 Sycamore Sprint on Saturday at Turffontein Standside (JC Photos).

Good Week For Red Ray

The Birch Brothers-based sire Red Ray had an easy winner at Hollywoodbets Scottsville last week before another of his fillies landed the weekend’s biggest feature.

On Wednesday, the Mike Miller-trained Red Ray filly Epic View won a Juvenile Plate over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville by 3,10 lengths in just her second start, despite starting at odds of 20/1.

Then On Saturday at Turffontein Standside, the Stuart Pettigrew-trained Alula’s Star’s, who is one of two Graded winners by Red Ray, added a second Grade 3 to her CV by winning the Sycamore Sprint over 1160m under a fine ride by Philisande Mxoli.

She ran off a merit rating of 102 and carried 57.5kg.

Alula’s Star broke well from a draw of five and her early pace allowed her to get over to the ground which is deemed favourable i.e. the middle to outside section.

She joined the speedy Cold Fact in the lead, the latter having also started well and led on the outside.

Cold Fact began hanging to the right from the 250m mark and she carried Alula’s Star and the running on Kiss Me Captain many horse-widths inward.

Alula’s Star got the better of Cold Fact, who appears to be better at 1000m.

She held on by a head from Kiss Me Captain, who has to be considered a touch unlucky considering she came from behind and was continuously carried outward.

Cold Fact was beaten 1,35 lengths into third and Emerald Princess and Miss Cool were next best.

Alula’s Star’s previous Grade 3 win was in the Joburg Tourism Magnolia Handicap over this same course and distance and she jumped from draw four that day under Mxoli.

Alula’s Star, who was bred by Winterbach Stud, is out of Captain Al mare Solar Voyager, a six-time winner.

It is not surprising the Lammerskraal-bred Red Ray stands at Birch Brothers, because his third dam was a top broodmare they bred, Port Wine, who was by one of the national champion stallions they stood, Plum Bold.

Port Wine was the dam of Royal Chalice (Royal Prerogative), who was one of the record eight July winners that forty-times champion breeders Birch Brothers bred and he was also a three-year-old champion and an ARCSA Horse Of The Year.

The Milke Miller-trained African Folklore helped Jet Master close the gap on Captain Al in the damsire title race when making it two wins from three starts over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday. (Candiese Lenferna).

Captain Al And Jet Master In Ding-Dong Duel For Damsire Title

The winner of the weekend’s biggest feature, the R200,000 Grade 3 Sycamore Sprint, is out of a Captain Al mare and that allowed the latter to move ahead of Jet Master at the top of the national damsire championship log.

The Stuart Pettigrew-trained Alula’s Star was bred by Winterbach Stud and is out of Captain Al mare Solar Voyager, a six-time winner.

Captain Al, who won a single national champion sire title, was R158,050 ahead of Jet Master after Saturday’s racing.

However, at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday, the winner of the R100,000 first race, the Mike Miller-trained African Folklore, and the

R100,000 seventh race, the Alyson Wright-trained Beyondtheboundary, are both out of Jet Master mares.

The gap was thus closed to a mere R13,050.

Seven-times champion sire Jet Master has been the country’s champion damsire for the last four seasons.

Captain Al was the runner up last year, taking over from Fort Wood who had been the runner up in the previous three seasons.

Western Winter was the last damsire to win the championship before Jet Master’s run started.

Interestingly, Alula’s Star is a reverse of a cross that had success, i.e Captain Al with Western Winter mares.

That cross produced the like of sprinters Carry On Alice and Erik The Red as well as Cape Guineas winner Tap O’Noth.

Alula’s Star is by Western Winter sire Red Ray out of a Captain Al mare.

Kyle Strydom at Fairview on Friday (Pauline Herman Photography).

Kyle Strydom Is On His Way To Racing Headquarters

It was a bittersweet day at Fairview Racecourse on Friday where Kyle Strydom rode in his last South African race meeting before he departs for the United Kingdom. Kyle has a fantastic opportunity awaiting him at Newmarket where he will be riding amongst others, for the Roger Varian Stable Yard.

Kyle returned to racing this month after he was off with a fractured wrist. He worked diligently at his rehabilitation and has returned strong and fit!

The South African Jockey Academy said yesterday, “Apprentice Kyle Strydom departs this evening with over a 100 wins under his belt. He was only in his second year of apprenticeship when he was crowned 20/21 SA Champion Apprentice Jockey and it has taken dedication and hard work for him to be where he is today. We are incredibly proud of Kyle and his achievements, and we wish him the very best in his new endeavour.”

Former Equus Champion Sprinter Kasimir won his first dressage event over the weekend (Picture: Sally Knittel).

Life After Racing: Kasimir (7 X Graded Stakes Winner)

Michele Wing (Gold Circle)

The Justin Snaith-trained Equus Champion Sprinter, Kasimir, is a winner in his life after racing!

Retired with Sally Knittel in the Western Cape, Kasimir stepped out in his first dressage show over the weekend, to win. Well done Sally and Kasimir

Kasimir is a half brother to Grade 1 winner and now Showing Champion, Afrikaburn.

Race Record:

Runs: 36 Wins: 11 Places: 14 Prize Money: R4 007 400,00 Highest MR: 128

Captain Al X Aquatint by Peintre Celebre (USA)

Breeder: Drakenstein Stud

Racing Owners: Messrs W P Drew & B Kantor, Mesdames A M Doyle, D Nagle & Paul Shanahan

Kasimir pictured winning the Grade 2 Post Merchants at Hollywoodbets Greyville, where he also won the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint (Images: Candiese Lenferna)

Rachel Venniker, a Gold Circle film about her journey in racing (image: Gold Circle)

Rachel Venniker Documentary

Tawanda Taruvinga (Gold Circle)

She rode her way into the male-dominated world of horse racing and faced discrimination at every turn. Rachel Venniker broke barriers and shattered stereotypes in pursuit of her dreams.

In this powerful and moving documentary, witness Rachel’s journey as she faces gender prejudice from the racing fraternity, disrespectful comments from punters, and resentment from her fellow jockeys. Despite the doubt and obstacles in her way, Rachel never gave up on her passion for horse racing.

With her unwavering determination, hard work, and the support of her loved ones, Rachel rises above the discrimination and becomes a mentally and physically tough jockey. Michael Roberts, an influential figure in the racing industry, speaks about Rachel’s incredible journey and how she overcame the challenges that came her way.

The South African Jockey Academy played a significant role in Rachel’s development, and she credits the Academy for helping her achieve her goals. In a remarkable turn of events, Rachel recently won the Gauteng Guineas Grade 2 race, cementing her status as a force to be reckoned with in the racing world.

Join us on this inspiring journey with Rachel Venniker, and witness her triumphant rise to success in the face of adversity. This is a story of courage, perseverance, and the power of believing in oneself. Don’t miss this captivating documentary that will leave you feeling inspired and empowered.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

The question subject is seen out in front in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (Photo by Leo Mason/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Today’s Question

Which horse, one of the most loved greys in history, made his debut this year 40 years ago and took so long to rise after a heavy fall at the last jump in a Kempton Novice Hurdle that it was feared his first race might be his last?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

Turffontein Inside Fields, Tuesday, CLICK HERE

Jockey Colin Brown parading on Desert Orchid before the Whitbread Gold Cup, Sandown Park, 25th April 1992. This was an exhibition ride for the crowd; Desert Orchid was no longer racing having been retired at the end of 1991. (Photo by Trevor Jones/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION:

The David Elsworth-trained Desert Orchid would be a strong candidate for the most loved racehorse in British history and it was not only due to his prowess on the racetrack but also due to his beautiful looks, a faded grey coat that looked white and intelligent eyes.

“Dessie” had a massive fan club and at one stage used to receive a bag load of letters everyday, many of them asking him for advice on all sorts of subjects, such as what University courses he would recommend.

Desert Orchid won 34 races including the two most prestigious weight for age chases in Britain, the Cheltenham Gold Cup (1989) and the King George VI Chase four times (1986, 1988, 1989, 1990).

Turf Talk Newsletter – 20 March 2023