Greg Bortz has taken a strong stance against equine medication violations (picture: Cape Racing)

Cape’s New Rule Limited To Certain Prohibited Substances

A new local race condition implemented by Cape Racing reads: “Any horse that is the subject of a pending or ongoing NHA investigation or inquiry pertaining to any classified Class 1 or Class 2 Prohibited Substance matter, or any Forbidden Substance matter, shall at the time of final declarations, be automatically precluded from being accepted with unless prior exceptional circumstances are presented to the Operator, who in such event, shall have the sole discretion to deviate therefrom on good cause shown.”

Notice that there will be preclusions only for horses in an investigation or inquiry pertaining to A CLASS 1 OR CLASS 2 prohibited substance or pertaining to any FORBIDDEN substance.

Turf Talk, in a recent article, clarifed that a “prohibited substance” under the NHA’s rule falls into five different classes.

The source of that article was a NHA document entitled GUIDELINES FOR CLASSIFICATION OF
PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES.

The five different classes are described within that document which can be viewed by CLICKING HERE

In the recent NHA press release confirming the specimens taken from AXEL COLLINS and YOURE MY SUNSHINE had tested positive for a prohibited substance, the substance found to be present was Lidocaine.

Lidocaine is registered as a class 2 substance, meaning that the two horses mentioned in the above press release would “be automatically precluded from being accepted with unless prior exceptional circumstances are presented to the Operator.”

Two South African horses in a subsequent press release were tested postive for Dexamethasone and Flunixin.

Both trainers involved signed admissions of guilt in the above two cases, but in the event that they had not and it had gone to an inquiry those two horses WOULD NOT have been precluded from being accepted with in a Cape Racing event, because both of the above substances are CLASS 4 prohibited substances.

The new Cape Racing rule has been lodged with the National Racing Bureau (NRB) and will become effective from Monday, September 18th, 2023.

Cape Racing’s Chairman Greg Bortz stated: “As stated publicly on numerous occasions, Cape Racing is committed to upholding and preserving the reputation of horse racing in our country, and we believe that this local condition will contribute meaningfully in this regard. Cape Racing will continuously seek new avenues to protect our horses and enhance the sport of horse racing in South Africa. We will lead by example.“

Gaynor Rupert’s Cayton Park Stud in the U.K. has the same racing colours as Drakenstein Stud (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Drakenstein Stud Building A Legacy In The U.K.

Drakenstein Stud have just come off a phenomenal season in which they were champion breeders and champion owners and had a record 20 stakes winners of 35 races and they are now building up a presence in British racing through their overseas breeding operation Cayton Park Stud.

Cayton Park Stud Ltd’s director is Gaynor Rupert, who is of course the owner of Drakenstein Stud.

On Saturday they ran the first-timer Dubawi colt God’s Window in a maiden for two-year-olds over the straight mile course at Doncaster.

He started joint favourite with two other horses in the ten horse field.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained colt was eased back by Kieran Shoemark from a low draw in order to slot in towards the rear of the field, which stuck to the centre of the course.

Shoemark produced him down the inside as they approached the two furlong pole.

God’s Window stayed on strongly under a hands and heels ride to win cosily.

Doncaster is a major racecourse and maiden races at such courses are contested by those who are thought to be above average.

Otherwise, they would be transported to lesser courses in order to subsequently start off in handicaps off lower marks.

So this was a most promising performance.

God’s Window duly holds an entry in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy Stakes to be run over the same course and distance on October 28. This race, formerly known as The Racing Post Trophy, is one of the biggest pointers to the following season’s classics.

God’s Window is well named being out of a Nathaniel mare called Perfect Clarity.

The iconic Mpumalanga landmark God’s Window commands a panoramic view of the Lowveld 900 metres below and provides a particulary stunning sight on a clear day.

God’s Window is the second Cayton Park Stud-bred homebred to win in eyecatching style on debut on a major racecourse in the UK in the last couple of months.

On July 27 their homebred Teofilo filly Clifton Bay, who is trained by Andrew Balding and was ridden by William Carver, won by 2,50 lengths on debut over seven furlongs in soft going at Newbury.

She was ignored in the betting and started at 16/1.

However, she came home in impressive fashion on the outside rail in the Maiden Fillies Stakes.

She is out of the South African-bred Grade 1 winner Same Jurisdiction.

Same Jurisdiction is from the first crop of Mambo In Seattle and was out of the lightly raced one-time winning Captain Al mare, Diana De Carlo. Same Jurisdiction was bred by Klawervlei Stud (and pinhooked by Duncan Barry and John Gatt for R25 000 at the 2012 Cape Mare & Weanling Sale) before being purchased by Howells Racing for R270 000 on the 2013 KZN Yearling Sale. She was trained by Duncan Howells and raced in the interests of Messrs I.F.M. van Schalkwyk, D.C. Howells, L.C. Vermaak, Dr R.H. Katzwinkel and Mrs M.A.M. Powell before Drakenstein Stud Farm purchased an interest at the end of her 2yo racing season. After finishing second to Inara in the 2016 Gr1 Majorca Stakes, Drakenstein Stud bought out the remaining partners and decided to campaign the filly in the U.K.

Her best peformance in six starts in Britain and Ireland, trained by Ed Dunlop, was a fourth place finish in a Group 3 over seven furlongs at Donaster and a second place in a Conditions Stakes event over seven furlongs at Leicester.

Same Jurisdiction’s first foal, an 85-rated filly by Nathaniel called Grand Providence, also trained by Balding and running in the Drakenstein colours, has won twice and never been furter back than third in seven starts.

It will be interesting to see whether either Clifton Bay or Grand Providence one day stand at Drakenstein Stud.

Even the hadedas hung around to watch Champagne Cocktail’s impressive win (Picture: JC Photos)

Full-Sister To Sparkling Water Sparkles On Debut

Mike de Kock won the country’s premier race, the Hollywoodbets Durban July, for a fifth time last year and he looks to have another potential winner of the big race in his yard.

It would be madness to rate a horse that highly after just one run, but De Kock’s impressive winner at Turffontein Inside on Saturday, the Wilgerbosdrift-owned and Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein-bred Champagne Cocktail, is a full-sister to last year’s July winner Sparkling Water, so the pedigree is at least there.

The performance looks to be there too at this early stage.

The tall Silvano filly was backed from 3/1 into 18/10 for the 1700m event.

She took a good hold under JP van der Merwe after jumping well from draw three and secured the rail.

She ran almost all the way around the turn without cover, because would-be leader Crystal Maiden was unable to get around the big, long-striding filly until just before “the strip.”

Champagne Cocktail got a nice tow down the strip from the latter and accelerated past her into the lead as they came off the elbow.

When she was challenged at the 300m mark she found another gear and galloped away from them to win by 7,50 lengths.

She dwarfed the rest of the field physically and in performance.

She outdid her sister in this debut performance. Sparkling Water started her career on the same course, but over 1450m, and won by 1,50 lengths after being backed to 14/10 favourite back in November 2020.

Sparkling Water finished fourth in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic in just her fourth career start.

Sparkling Water’s three career Graded stakes wins were all against the boys. Besides the July, she also won the Gr 3 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m and the Gr 2 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m.

De Kock has not wasted any time in sending Champagne Cocktail over ground and she looks to have a bright future ahead of her.

Van der Merwe said in the winning interview, “Everything is there, nice quality, temperament … proper rachorse. She has big shoes to fill but nice to start here.”

De Kock said Champagne Cocktail did not possess her sister’s speed, but she would go “as far as you want.”

He added, “She’s got a lot of natural ability and a way better temperament than her sister which helps to work with them. That’s for now anyway, but they can also change.”

He said one was always nervous for a first-timer of such quality, but praised the filly for her professionalism both in the parade ring and behind the pens.

He said it was too early to get excited, especially considering the fields are still relatively weak midway through the second month of the season.

Hhe concluded with some telling words, “These are the kind of horses that make you get up in the morning.”

Mary Slack was represented by her daughter Jessica Jell who said, “I got goosebumps seeing her in the parade ring, because she looks so like her sister.”

Sparkling Water and Champagne Cocktail are out of the former De Kock-trained British-bred Espumanti.

She was bought by Wilgerbosdrift Stud’s bloodstock agent Jehan Malherbe (Form Bloodstock) at the Tattersalls sale in Newmarket for 130,000 Guineas in 2011.

Espumanti is by Dansili (Danehill) and is a half-sister to a dual Listed winner by Efiso.

She is from the family of Dick Turpin (Arakan), who won the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville in France in 2010, and perhaps that was one of the reasons for the purchase because the first stallion the Oppenheimers ever imported, Janus, also won the Prix Jean Prat.

Janus, who was by Pharis (Pharos), sired the Oppenheimer’s first July winner Tiger Fish.

Ironically Espumanti was retired after finishing last in the July in 2014.

However, before that she had been well performed. She won six races including two Grade 2s and was runner up to Beach Beauty in the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes.

At stud her first foal was the useful speedster Gin Fizz, a multiple stakes runner up.

Sparkling Water (Silvano) was Espumanti’s second foal.

Her third foal was a Soft Falling Rain colt, Buck’s Fizz, who won once over 1200m.

Her fourth foal was Champagne Cocktail and she has a two-year-old filly by Vercingetorix called Spumante Dolce.

Hollywoodbets and Gold Circle were proud to celebrate the 3000th Grooms Initiative winner on Saturday 10 June when Daniel Sithole, groom of the 1st race winner at Hollywoodbets Greyville, Rainbow Reward, was presented with a bonus prize of R3000 to commemorate the significant milestone (Candiese Lenferna Photography)..

Things Are Looking Up For Grooms

Betway to give the groom of every horse who makes the Summer Cup field a bonus of R20,000

by David Mollett (Business Day)

Bob Dylan’s 1964 song The Times They are a-Changin’ is most appropriate when looking at the welfare of grooms in horse racing over the past three years.

To say that life has gone full circle in that period would be an understatement. If a groom was asked in 2020 what life was like, the reply would probably be “pretty tough.” Fast forward to 2023, and the response to the same question would probably be “unbelievable”.

It was businessman Laurence Wernars’s Studio 88 that kicked off the grooms initiative in Gauteng three years ago.

Hollywoodbets and Gold Circle joined in while Cape Racing are also rewarding these hard workers.

The latest bonanza for grooms comes with the news from Betway — sponsors of the Summer Cup at Turffontein on November 25 — that they will give the groom of every horse who makes the final field a bonus of R20,000.

This news was announced by Betway’s Jonathan Blumburg, who said that the bonus was “reward for their many days and hours of hard work”.

The last 2022/2023 Highveld season was the third year of grooms’ bonuses sponsored by Studio 88. In all graded races, the grooms of the first horse home received R2,500 as well as a R500 Studio 88 shopping voucher. The groom of the second horse received R1,000 and a voucher and the third R750 plus a voucher. The groom of the fourth-placed horse received R500 and a voucher and for fifth there is R250 + a Studio 88 Voucher.

Three months ago — in June — Hollywoodbets and Gold Circle celebrated their 3,000th winner of a groom’s bonus cheque. Daniel Sithole received a cash prize of R3,000 after the horse he cares for won at Greyville.

The two sponsors announced at the time that they had paid out R3.6m to 1,206 grooms — a considerable sum.

Devin Heffer, brand and communications manager for Hollywoodbets, said: “The focus of this initiative was always more than just rewarding the grooms over and above their normal earnings. It was about highlighting the importance of their role in the ecosystem.

“It is about how the work and effort they put into preparing horses for racing should be highlighted, praised and incentivised,” said Heffer.

In a recent 4Racing media release promoting the Betway Summer Cup, 4Racing CEO Fundi Sithebe also referred to the huge grooms bonus for the big race on November 25.

“The Summer Cup is the big one on the highveld horse racing calendar and with the fantastic support of Betway we are really upping the ante this year, with record stakes of R5m for this prestigious race.

“For owners and trainers there is now an even bigger incentive to enter the country’s leading thoroughbreds and to reign at the Summer Cup and for jockeys and grooms there is the prestige of winning one of SA horseracing’s big three major races.

Amid all this happiness for grooms, one question arises. Are others who play roles in the sport such as handlers, tote tellers and catering staff feeling left out? It has to be a possibility.

Luke Ferraris rode the Caspar Fownes-trained Killer Instinct (Power) to victory on the Sha Tin all weather track yesterday (Sunday).

Luke Ferraris Puts Good Start Down To Stronger Support

HKJC

Luke Ferraris attributed his strong start to the Hong Kong season to improved weight and stronger support from trainers and owners after the South African partnered Fownes-trained Killer Instinct to victory in the Class 4 Tung Wah Group Of Hospitals Challenge Cup Handicap (1200m, dirt).

That was his third win this season from just three meetings to date.

“My weight is a bit better this season and the support has been better, too,” said Ferraris, who rode briefly in Australia during the off-season.

“I’ve had better rides and I’ve been able to capitalise on that. Riding in Australia and seeing what a great facility the Lindsay Park stables are was also a great experience.”

Meanwhile, Hugh Bowman has taken an early lead in the championship.

Bowman continued an impressive start to the 2023/24 season with a treble at Sha Tin on Sunday (17 September) as Angus Chung, Ellis Wong and Jerry Chau figured strongly to underline the potential of Hong Kong’s home-grown jockey pool.

Bowman boosted his tally to six wins for the season to lead six-time champion Zac Purton (four) and Luke Ferraris (three) after slotting a winning treble, a second, two thirds, a fourth and a fifth from eight rides.

“I had some nice rides. I thought all eight could run first-four and that’s what happened with the exception of Lean Hero – I’m very proud of all their efforts,” Bowman said.

“I’m thankful for the support, it’s been a good start to the season. I’m fit and healthy and well and I’m hoping I can keep the motivation going.”

Bowman saluted on Ricky Yiu’s Sure Joyful, Manfred Man-trained Chiu Chow Brother and closed the meeting on Superb Boy – an achievement which shunted Francis Lui to the head of the trainers’ championship with his fourth win of the campaign to lead Manfred Man, Caspar Fownes and Danny Shum, who all have three victories so far.

Bowman’s spree came as Chung, 27, made the most of his 7lb allowance to snare a race-to-race double on Pierre Ng’s I Give and Dennis Yip’s Super Winner after Chau had triumphed aboard Chris So-trained Pakistan Friend.

Wong, 22, set the tone as Kurpany upstaged short-priced favourite Dream Winner to clinch the Class 2 Causeway Bay Handicap (1000m) before Jerry Chau joined a winning fray as nine-year-old Pakistan Friend, a Hong Kong International Sale graduate, reeled off his third victory in a row.

Chung was delighted after converting six rides into a brace.

“It’s been a good day and I had some very good rides. The horses are fit and strong at the beginning of the season, so they deserve to win. I try to ride as well as I can, talk to the trainers and owners and try to get more good rides,” Chung said.

Wong, 22, engineered an upset triumph by leading throughout on Caspar Fownes-trained Kurpany, clocking 56.07s as 1.3 favourite Dream Winner finished fifth of five runners under Vincent Ho.

Wong cleverly exploited his 10lb allowance as Kurpany (123lb) downed Whizz Kid (129lb) and Carroll Street (124lb), blazing from the 800m to the 400m in 20.75s to have all his rivals under pressure before surviving a late charge from Whizz Kid to prevail by a head, to the obvious delight of four-time Hong Kong champion trainer Fownes.

“I’m very happy because it’s my first Class 2 winner and especially because I won it for my boss (Fownes),” Wong said. “I jumped easy and let the horse do it himself. He gave me such a strong finish.

Kurpany once reached a career-high mark of 110 and contested the 2022 G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) but had been winless since January, 2022 after suffering a variety of ailments.

“He’s a fit horse and the kid (Wong) did a good job, so it’s just nice to get a winner,” Fownes said.

“I got him in the bottom of Class 3 and took him all the way up to well into the 100s (ratings) and like anything in Hong Kong, they get to a mark and then they start to come back down. He’s come back down and he’s summered well. He’s had quite a few problems and we’ve had to get him over that, which is always hard work to bring a horse back from injuries.”

Manfred Man-trained Self Improvement claimed the first HK$1.5 million PP Bonus of the season when the Deep Field gelding won the Class 3 Tai Hang Handicap (1200m, dirt) under Purton.

Man then combined with Bowman to continue the Australian’s bright start to the season with Chiu Chow Brother, who notched a third Class 5 victory over 1400m.

Chris So lauded Chau’s effort to trial Pakistan Friend at Conghua before the evergreen veteran landed the Class 4 Wan Chai Handicap (1600m).

“The old man, he’s so good. His trials in Conghua were really nice. Jerry went up to Conghua and asked if I had any trials. I said ‘this one’. He trialled really nicely even at 1000m, he finished very strong,” So said after registering his opening win of the season before David Hayes combined with Karis Teetan and Lucky Encounter.

Hong Kong racing continues at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (20 September).

Another winner for the Candice Bass-Robinson/Aldo Domeyer combination (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Rainbow And Silk For Candice And Aldo

Jack Milner (Tab4Racing)

It is hard enough to find one winner at a meeting but there is a possibility Candice Bass-Robinson and Aldo Domeyer could come away from Tuesday’s meeting at Hollywoodbets Durbanville with a fistful.

They could win the first four races and their runners in Races 5, 7 and 8 are all in with decent chances.

While one could scoff at the thought of four of five winners on the day for the combination, one must not forget that it was just last Wednesday the stable had four winners on the card.

So, they are in good form, and anything is possible.

But trying to be sensible, let us look at two possible bankers on the card from the stable – Rainbow Lorikeet in Race 3 and Trippi’s Silk in Race 4.

Well-bred Rainbow Lorikeet improved with each outing during her three starts as a juvenile last season and when last seen in competitive action 10 weeks ago, she stayed on gamely under pressure after racing from a handy position to finish a 0.70-length third behind stable companion Callmegetrix, who is highly regarded by the stable and will be back in action in Race 7.

Two winners have come out of that result so the form has been franked.

Rainbow Lorikeet makes her reappearance in this Maiden Plate over 1400m, the same distance as last time, although on this occasion the race is at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. However, she has the benefit of jumping from No 1 draw which is a massive advantage at this track.

Morne Winnaar has ridden Rainbow Lorikeet in each outing so the decision to engage Domeyer for the ride is certainly something of which to take cognisance.

Trippi’s Silk ought to break his duck by winning Race 4, a Maiden Plate over 1600m. He was left with too much to do last time but ran on well to finish third, 1.80 lengths behind Hat’s Pride to whom he was conceding 7.5kg.

Hat’s Pride franked that form by finishing second to progressive and promising three-year-old Yamadori on last week’s card.

The step up to 1600m is likely to suit and extract further progress from the improving three-year-old gelding this time.

Trippi’s Silk also has the advantage of having raced at Durbanville so the country course will hold no fears for him.

With the balance of the card looking quite open it is worth taking the chance with this son of Trippi and making him a Pick 6 banker.

Domeyer has ridden him in all three of his starts and they will jump from No 5 draw.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 7 Strata, 2 Bright Duchess, 5 Fanny Kemble, 4 Amethystic

Race 2: 12 Ellorix, 4 Montreal, 13 Go Like Flo, 2 Kyoka

Race 3: 1 Rainbow Lorikeet, 2 Enchanted Sky, 12 Look Forward, 8 What Now My Gal

Race 4: 5 Trippi’s Silk, 7 All About Ronnie, 3 Run Rudolph Run, 9 Tambourine Man

Race 5: 3 Luce Verde, 1 Liketheclappers, 6 No Apologies, 9 Incredibill

Race 6: 1 Katsu, 5 Gentleman Joe, 10 Lucy The Pink, 11 Exceeder

Race 7: 2 Among The Clouds, 10 Callmegetrix, 3 Misty Cliffs, 1 Wugug

Race 8: 2 Blue Holly, 5 Candy Town, 4 Lady Look Alike, 8 Flying First

Race 9: 1 Moya Wa Laliga, 6 Lines Crossed, 12 Double Olympic, 7 Savantrix

BEST BET

Race 3 No 1 Rainbow Lorikeet

VALUE BET

Race 8 No 2 Blue Holly

BEST SWINGER

Race 2 4×12

BIPOT

R96

Leg 1: 4, 12

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 5

Leg 4: 1, 3, 6, 9

Leg 5: 1, 5, 10

Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 10

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R243

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 5

Leg 3: 1, 3, 6

Leg 4: 1, 5, 10

Leg 5: 2, 3, 10

Leg 6: 2, 4, 5

Leg 7: 1, 6, 12

PICK 6

R1500

Leg 1: 5

Leg 2: 1, 3, 5, 6, 9

Leg 3: 1, 5, 10, 11, 12

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 10

Leg 5: 2, 4, 5

Leg 6: 1, 3, 6, 7, 12

JACKPOT 1

R300

Leg 1: 1, 3, 5, 6, 9

eg 2: 1, 5, 10, 11, 12

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 10

Leg 4: 2, 4, 5

JACKPOT 2

R300

Leg 1: 1, 5, 10, 11, 12

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 10

Leg 3: 2, 4, 5

Leg 4: 1, 3, 6, 7, 12

The Kevin Ryan-trained Washington Heights (Washington DC) won the Listed Bro Park Sprint Championship over six furlongs by five lengths under Hollie Doyle in Stockholm, Sweden, yesterday (Sunday).

Frankie Dettori And Hollie Doyle Win In Sweden

Frankie’s “world tour” continued with a first ever visit to the Hbut out of luck in main event

By Sporting Life

17:07 · SUN September 17, 2023

Frankie Dettori was out of luck in the feature event at Bro Park on Sunday – but still managed an undercard winner as he continued his international farewell tour.

The weighing-room great, who is planning to retire at the end of the campaign, made the trip principally to partner Hard One To Please for trainer Annike Bye Hansen in the Stockholm Cup International.

Run over just short of a mile and a half, Hard One To Please won the Group Three last year, when he beat the Archie Watson-trained Outbox in a photo.

That rival was in the field once again and chased along early he took an early lead for Hollie Doyle, with Dettori settling in early before eventually letting his mount stride on to challenge Outbox.

However, Doyle was eager to cling to the initiative and Hard One To Please dropped away before the home turn, leaving Outbox to go for home.

French raider Big Call tried his best in the final furlong, but it was Espen Hill who finished best of all down the middle of the track to grab victory for rider-trainer Madeleine Smith.

For Outbox it was a third successive runner-up spot having also been beaten in 2021, while Hard One To Please trailed home in ninth.

Dettori shook off that disappointment to team up again with Hansen in the following Listed Lanwades Stud Stakes, with Takeko coming home a cosy winner over a mile.

Doyle and Outbox’s owners Hambleton Racing also enjoyed a measure of compensation for their Stockholm Cup reverse, as the Kevin Ryan-trained Washington Heights won the Listed Bro Park Sprint Championship earlier on the card.

Hollywoodbets Durbanville Fields, Tuesay

The horse in question is pictured above (Photo: Edward Whittaker (Racing Post))

Today’s Question

Which four-time Group 1-winning son of Danehill produced 100% winners to runners at stud and 100% stakes-placed progeny to runners.

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION

The Aidan O’Brien-trained George Washington, known to adoring fans during his racing career as “Gorgeous George”, produced only one foal at stud, the one-time winner and stakes-placed filly Date With Destiny.

After a three-year-old career in which the horse described as “magnificent, mesmerising and mercurial” added two Group 1s to his two Group 1s as a two-year-old, he was retired to Coolmore Stud.

However, after suffering fertility problems his stud career was suspended and he was put back into training.

He had two comeback runs in Group 1s in England for a fourth and a third and then finished third in a Group 1 inn France.

In his next start he tragically broked down in the Breeders Cup Classic and had to be euthanised.

Below is the story of the much-loved “Gorgeous George” as described in a Racing Post article written in 2018:

George Washington, the phenomenon and his fragile legacy

Remembering the great who died at the Breeders’ Cup in 2007

Martin Stevens (Racing Post Bloodstock journalist)

Trainer Aidan O’Brien always sends a strong squad to North America for the prestigious Breeders Cup meeting and has been rewarded with some special victories, such as the back-to-back triumphs of High Chaparral in the Turf or Johannesburg in the Juvenile.

But in 2008, when the Breeders’ Cup was held at Del Mar at Monmouth Park in New Jersey, the action ended in calamity for O’Brien as George Washington, the exceptional talent who had returned from an abortive spell as a stallion at Coolmore, had to be put down after fracturing the cannonbone in his right front fetlock joint as well as both sesamoids.

Here we remember the life and legacy of the horse his many adoring fans called Gorgeous George.

George Washington was born in Ireland on March 1, 2003, having been bred by Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables. Remarkably, the Jacksons bred another Classic winner with a tragic tale that year: Barbaro, the brilliant Kentucky Derby hero who shattered his leg in the Preakness Stakes and died from those injuries in early 2007.

George Washington was a son of Danehill, the breed-shaping source of numerous top-class horses such as Banks Hill, Dansili, Duke Of Marmalade, Dylan Thomas, Fastnet Rock, Mozart, North Light, Oratorio and Rock Of Gibraltar.

His dam, Bordighera, a winning daughter of Alysheba, was purchased privately by the Jacksons after she had produced Grandera, who carried the couple’s silks to finish placed in the Prix du Jockey Club, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International before he was sold to Godolphin, for whom he won three Group 1 races.

George Washington was sent to Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2004, where he was consigned by Paul Thorman’s Trickledown Stud on behalf of the Jacksons.

Not only did his catalogue show he was a Danehill half-brother to a multiple Group 1 winner, but he was by common consent a physical standout and Demi O’Byrne paid an auction-topping 1,150,000gns for the colt. That price was 400,000gns in advance of the next best price at the sale.

George Washington was sent into training with Aidan O’Brien and made his debut in a five-furlong maiden at Newmarket in the May of his two-year-old season, finishing an eye-catching third to League Champion and Northern Empire under the then-retained Ballydoyle jockey Kieren Fallon.

“He looks sure to improve when stepping up a furlong,” noted the Racing Post analysis of the race, in what turned out to be some understatement.

George Washington went on to win all of his four other starts that season, including when slamming the runner-up, stablemate Amadeus Mozart, by eight lengths in the Phoenix Stakes, and notching a second Group 1 victory – at odds of 2-11 – by beating Golden Arrow by two lengths in the National Stakes.

He had been entered in the Dewhurst Stakes but was pulled out due to the good to soft ground, leaving O’Brien’s main chance as Horatio Nelson – another warrior later tragically lost in battle – to just fail to reel in the winner Sir Percy.

Nevertheless, George Washington was crowned the champion two-year-old in Europe of 2005.

George Washington made his three-year-old bow in the 2,000 Guineas. Sent off the 6-4 favourite, he saw off subsequent Derby winner Sir Percy by two and a half lengths, with the likes of Araafa, Amadeus Wolf, Horatio Nelson and Red Clubs further behind.

The next natural step in his career was the Irish 2,000 Guineas three weeks later: but whereas for the Newmarket Classic our hero had his favoured firm ground, at the Curragh the going had turned bottomless.

Coolmore sportingly allowed their prized colt to take his chance, but he was unable to unleash his famous burst of acceleration and his immense raw ability only got him to a two-length second to the 2,000 Guineas fourth Araafa, who relished the conditions.

Unfortunately George Washington sustained pulled muscles on the unsuitable ground and the injury ruled him out of Royal Ascot.

George Washington’s quirks were by now well known. He was accompanied on his travels by a retired stablemate; he sometimes veered away from his rivals in a race and carried his head awkwardly; and he had even seemed to pull himself up before the line in the 2,000 Guineas. But all that only served to enhance his legend. He was enigmatic rather than ungenuine.

However, he tested even his most ardent supporters’ faith on his comeback after the injury suffered at the Curragh when dropped to Group 2 level for the Celebration Mile at Goodwood.

The Racing Post comments in running tell the horror story: “Started slowly, took keen hold, held up in detached last, urged along to close 2f out, hanging and not keen, ran on final furlong, nearest finish.”

But all the most absorbing stories feature their leading light gaining redemption and so it was with George Washington.

His next target – by now a recovery mission – was the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and although he was facing high-class opposition in Araafa, Court Masterpiece, Librettist and Proclamation it was still indicative of his slightly dented reputation that for the first time since the 2,000 Guineas he was sent off odds against at 13-8.

Even on ground more dead than ideal, George duly atoned for his sins by easing to a one-and-a-quarter-length victory over old foe Araafa, with a slightly cocked head the only sign of not being straightforward. The effort rightly earned him the status of European champion at three.

George Washington was retired to Coolmore after a lacklustre sixth behind Invasor in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and commenced covering duties at a fee of €60,000.

But then disaster struck for the operation. Their gleaming new recruit had all the credentials to excel as a stallion – the pedigree, the looks, the performance – except the crucial one: full fertility.

George managed to successfully impregnate only one mare before he was withdrawn from service and returned into training, to be replaced at Coolmore by another Group 1-winning son of Danehill, Holy Roman Emperor fresh from a fruitful juvenile campaign.

He returned to the track at four and showed he retained plenty of his ability, not to mention his old tricks. He pulled hard but finished with a flourish for a close fourth to Ramonti in the Queen Anne Stakes; misbehaved before the race and hung in the Coral-Eclipse, but still managed a creditable third to Notnowcato; and took third to Darjina in the Prix du Moulin.

Then came that fateful trip to New Jersey for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. After his awful demise in the Monmouth Park mud, O’Brien paid fitting tribute to the outstanding athlete with the beautiful mind.

“The one thing George wouldn’t have wanted – if he was thinking like a human being, the way he always did – was to be among the other horses at Ballydoyle, petering out slowly,” he said.

“And if he was not going to be a stallion, that was probably what was going to happen over a period of time. George being George, if it had to happen, he would have chosen it that way: a big race, a big day.”

The only mare in foal to George Washington was Flawlessly, a daughter of Rainbow Quest owned by Loreto Luciani and son Stefano who had already produced the Group 3 winner Ombre Legere and Grade 1-placed Flawly, the dam of Prix du Jockey Club second Best Name.

The resultant filly – the centre of attention as a true one-off since her birth in 2008 – was offered at that year’s Goffs November Foal Sale and was bought by Gerry and Patricia Burke of Glidawn Stud for €280,000 as a bold pinhooking venture.

Glidawn Stud sent the filly, who had a long white blaze like her dad, to the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in the following year. There she was bought by Peter Doyle on behalf of owner Julie Wood for 320,000gns.

Wood gave her new purchase the auspicious name of Date With Destiny and put her into training with Richard Hannon snr.

The filly possessed only a fragment of George Washington’s talent but still managed to win a Newbury maiden on debut at two and to finish third in the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial at three, with a best Racing Post Rating of 94.

At the end of Date With Destiny’s three-year-old season in 2011 she was sold at Tattersalls for 185,000gns as a broodmare prospect to John Warren on behalf of leading British nursery Newsells Park Stud.

At Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2014, ten years after George Washington himself had topped the sale, his first grandchild, a Galileo filly who was the debut foal out of Date With Destiny, came up for auction.

Newsells Park’s investment in the dam paid off as Jamie McCalmont gave 650,000gns for the lot, who happily also had a bold white blaze, on behalf of American owner Jon Kelly.

The filly – subsequently named Beautiful Morning – was trained by Luca Cumani to finish fifth in the Fillies’ Mile at two in 2015 and, after being switched to Jessica Harrington, finished second in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes and took the Listed John Musker Fillies’ Stakes at Yarmouth this year.

The George Washington tale is taking extraordinary twists even ten years after his death. His infertility raised the threat of him leaving no offspring, and the one who did emerge was, serendipitously, a filly who would have more chance than a colt of ensuring his name persisted in pedigrees.

Indeed, Date With Destiny has now produced three female offspring of her own – besides Beautiful Morning, the two-year-old Nathaniel filly Janabiya and a Lope De Vega foal. She also has a yearling colt by Lope De Vega and was covered by Iffraaj this year.

And Beautiful Morning? She will come under the hammer as lot 1,866 at this year’s Tattersalls December Mares Sale where, as a stakes winner by Galileo, she should be in hot demand as a breeding prospect. The George Washington seed is set to be dispersed farther and wider yet.

Turf Talk Newsletter – 18 September, 2023