Fire Attack Takes On His Elders In Challenge
Fire Attack could follow the example of three-year-olds One Stripe, Eight On Eighteen and Cosmic Speed and beat older horses in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge. (JC Photos)
Jack Milner (Tab4Racing)
The fields for Day 3 of the Championships were finalised on Wednesday and there will be a 12-race card for racing fan to savour at Turffontein on Saturday 29 March.
That will encompass three Jackpots, two BiPots, one Place Accumulator and a Pick 6 that will kick off with a R1 million carryover and the pool likely to reach R5 million.
Even more exciting the is that fact that this is a Hong Kong World Pool event and bettors will be able to bet into massive international TAB pools without their bets having a negative impact on the payouts.
There are four Grade 1 races on the card, headed up by the R2-million Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein, the others being the TAB SA Derby over 2450m, the TAB Computaform Sprint over 1000m and the TAB Empress Club Stakes for fillies and mares over 1600m.
Also on the card are four Grade 2 races – the Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks for three-year-old fillies over 2450m, the Hawaii Stakes over 1400m as well as the SA Nursery and SA Fillies Nursery, both over 1160m.
There are 11 runners carded for the Champions Challenge and it sees the return of last year’s winner Royal Victory. Trained in KwaZulu-Natal by Nathan Kotzen, Royal Victory, a five-year-old Pathfork gelding, has run his best races on the Turffontein Standside track and last season won both the Betway Summer Cup and the Champions Challenge.
Muzi Yeni, who rode him to victory in both of those races but was out of action with an injury for this season’s Summer Cup will be back in the irons for this event.
Royal Victory L)) did disappoint in his warm-up race but he was probably in need of the race and will improve on that run.
An interesting runner is three-year-old Fire Attack from the Alec Laird yard and he will have the services of champion jockey Richard Fourie. With just 55.5kg on his back he should be a contender for top honours.
Laird also has Betway Summer Cup winner Atticus Finch in the race and Calvin Habib will take the ride this time.
The SA Derby contains 13 runners and there will be a lot of excitement around Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Immediate Edge who is unbeaten in three starts. Ryan Munger has ridden him in all three of his starts and is back in the irons once again.
However, he will come against another Laird runner in Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas champion Parisian Walkway.
A small but quality field will line up in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes which sees Spumante Dolce and VJ’s Angel, first and second in the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, clash again, and they will be joined by Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Fatal Flaw, trained by Brett and James Crawford.
William Robertson might be getting on but he seems to have got even better with age and he could be the runner to beat in the Computaform Sprint over 1000m but he will find a strong competitor in Sean Tarry-trained Lucky Lad.
Interestingly, Cruise Control will be making the trip from the Eastern Cape for this race and he should enjoy this very quick 1000m.
HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB WORLD POOL PREMIER’S CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE (Grade 1)(For all horses at Weight for Age) R2,000,000 2000m
1 – 10 ROYAL VICTORY (N Kotzen) M Yeni 60.0 – 124
2 – 8 PURPLE PITCHER (R Klaasen) K Matsunyane 60.0 – 123
3 – 9 ATTICUS FINCH (A G Laird) C Habib 60.0 – 121
4 – 7 SON OF RAJ (A P Peter) G Lerena 60.0 – 119
5 – 5 IMILENZEYOKUDUDUMA (G van Zyl (Jnr)) R Munger 60.0 – 114
6 – 6 HOTARUBI (S G Tarry) P Strydom 60.0 – 112
7 – 1 NAVAJO NATION (W H Marwing) K J Lihaba 60.0 – 102
8 – 3 SILVER SANCTUARY (M/M de Kock) J P v’d Merwe 57.5 – 117
9 – 2 NONE OTHER (M N Houdalakis) C Zackey 57.5 – 115
10 – 11 FIRE ATTACK (A G Laird) R Fourie 55.5 – 116
11 – 4 CHESTNUT BOMBER (J J van Vuuren) S Khumalo 55.5 – 104
Same Trainer: (3,10)
TAB SA DERBY (Grade 1)(3-year-olds) R1,250,000 2450m
1 – 4 PARISIAN WALKWAY (A G Laird) C Habib 60.0 – 121
2 – 12 LEGEND OF ARTHUR (S G Tarry) R Fourie 60.0 – 109
3 – 6 GREY JET (W C Marwing) R A Venniker 60.0 – 108
4 – 3 BACCHUS (F P Habib) C Zackey 60.0 – 101
5 – 2 DON’T CRY FOR ME (S G Tarry) P Strydom 60.0 – 101
6 – 9 WILD INTENT (M N Houdalakis) G Lerena 60.0 – 99
7 – 8 IMMEDIATE EDGE (M/M de Kock) R Munger 60.0 – 94
8 – 7 TOWERS OF GOLD (P F Matchett) P Mxoli 60.0 – 93
9 – 13 ZIP CODE (D Nieuwenhuizen) C Maujean 60.0 – 89
10 – 11 SOLAR SAIL (M Khan) J Penny 60.0 – 86
11 – 10 CASUS BELLI (P F Matchett) R Danielson 60.0 – 83
12 – 5 COUNT HUHTIKUU (B/J Crawford) K Matsunyane 60.0 – 79
13 – 1 OLIVIA’S WAY (R R Magner) M Yeni 57.5 – 112
Same Trainer: (2,5) (8,11)
TAB EMPRESS CLUB STAKES (Grade 1)(Fillies and Mares at Weight-for-Age) R1,000,000 1600m
1 – 1 BEATING WINGS (S T Pettigrew) R Fourie 60.0 – 116
2 – 2 WHITE PEARL (M/M de Kock) P Strydom 60.0 – 114
3 – 6 LET’S GO NOW (S G Tarry) C Zackey 60.0 – 113
4 – 3 LADY FALLON (M N Houdalakis) S Khumalo 60.0 – 102
5 – 5 SPUMANTE DOLCE (M/M de Kock) R Danielson 57.0 – 119
6 – 4 VJ’S ANGEL (A P Peter) C Habib 57.0 – 119
7 – 7 FATAL FLAW (B/J Crawford) G Lerena 57.0 – 115
Same Trainer: (2,5)
TAB COMPUTAFORM SPRINT (Grade 1)(Weight for Age) R1,000,000 1000m
1 – 9 WILLIAM ROBERTSON (C Spies) R Munger 60.0 – 128
2 – 2 LUCKY LAD (S G Tarry) R Fourie 60.0 – 125
3 – 5 MELECH (R R Magner) M Yeni 60.0 – 119
4 – 10 CRUISE CONTROL (G D Smith) C Zackey 60.0 – 118
5 – 11 MOVER AND SHAKER (F P Habib) S Khumalo 60.0 – 112
6 – 6 GOLDEN SICKLE (A P Peter) G Lerena 57.5 – 121
7 – 12 CHOCOLATE SOLDIER (C Spies) K Matsunyane 57.5 – 115
8 – 4 PISTOL PETE (A P Peter) C Habib 57.5 – 115
9 – 1 TAXI TO THE MOON (A P Peter) A Fortune 57.5 – 110
10 – 3 TIME FO ORCHIDS (J J van Vuuren) S Moodley 57.5 – 107
11 – 8 WINDS OF CHANGE (M/A Azzie) J P v’d Merwe 57.5 – 107
12 – 7 NO FILTER (M N Prinsloo) D De Gouveia 57.5 – 103
Same Trainer: (1,7) (6,8,9)
WILGERBOSDRIFT BRIDGET OPPENHEIMER SA OAKS (Grade 2)(3-year-old fillies) R750,000 2450m
1 – 5 FIERY PEGASUS (J A Soma) R Fourie 60.0 – 119
2 – 4 WORLD OF ALICE (S G Tarry) C Zackey 60.0 – 108
3 – 3 GERBERA (S G Tarry) R Munger 60.0 – 99
4 – 8 CARE FORGOT (B D Botes) S Khumalo 60.0 – 98
5 – 7 HAT’S QUEEN (A P Peter) C Habib 60.0 – 96
6 – 9 TODOQUE (P F Matchett) R A Venniker 60.0 – 92
7 – 1 COCOMELON (S G Tarry) G Lerena 60.0 – 90
8 – 10 ANCIENT WISDOM (A P Peter) K Matsunyane 60.0 – 88
9 – 11 FETCHING FLYER (P F Matchett) P Mxoli 60.0 – 88
10 – 2 THE MIGHTIEST (W H Marwing) K J Lihaba 60.0 – 78
11 – 6 PARTY PUNCH (P P Labuschagne) R Danielson 60.0 – 77
Same Trainer: (2,3,7) (5,8) (6,9)
TAB HAWAII STAKES (Grade 2) R500,000 1400m
1 – 4 MAIN DEFENDER (A P Peter) G Lerena 60.0 – 130
2 – 7 BARBARESCO (J J van Vuuren) S Khumalo 58.0 – 125
3 – 6 TEXAS RED (R Klaasen) K Matsunyane 58.0 – 115
4 – 5 GIMMEANOTHERCHANCE (M/M de Kock) C Zackey 58.0 – 109
5 – 1 FIRE ‘N FLAMES (J S Roux) S Moodley 58.0 – 101
6 – 9 SLINKY MAPIMPI (P/J Vermeulen) R Danielson 58.0 – 97
7 – 8 COSMIC SPEED (S G Tarry) R Fourie 57.0 – 120
8 – 3 BUSSTOPINHOUNSLOW (G J Maroun) R Munger 55.0 – 104
9 – 2 GIMMEFABULOUS (M/A Azzie) J P v’d Merwe 52.5 – 102
WILGERBOSDRIFT SA NURSERY (Grade 2)(2-year-old) R500,000 1160m
1 – 1 CHARMING CHEETAH (R Klaasen) A Fortune 60.0 – 94
2 – 2 ESTEEMED (M/M de Kock) R Fourie 60.0 – 0
3 – 4 KING HARALD (R R Magner) G Lerena 60.0 – 91
4 – 6 PORRIDGE BOY (M Pandaram) K A Brewer 60.0 – 87
5 – 5 GREEN DIAMOND (S G Tarry) C Zackey 57.5 – 0
6 – 3 TINA LOVELACE (S G Tarry) R Munger 57.5 – 84
Same Trainer: (5,6)
TAB SA FILLIES NURSERY (Grade 2)(2-year-old fillies) R350,000 1160m
1 – 3 ARASHI (A P Peter) S Khumalo 60.0 – 88
2 – 5 CLAIRWOOD ROSE (P F Matchett) M Yeni 60.0 – 81
3 – 2 ELEGANTRIX (C Spies) R Munger 60.0 – 96
4 – 4 GLASTONBURY (P F Matchett) R A Venniker 60.0 – 97
5 – 7 GOLDEN PALM (A C Greeff) R Fourie 60.0 – 83
6 – 1 HOT COCOA (M/A Azzie) J P v’d Merwe 60.0 – 0
7 – 6 ONE FINE WINTER (S G Tarry) C Zackey 60.0 – 88
Same Trainer: (2,4)
Tribute To Woman Of Courage, Pamela Isdell
John Freeman
It is with deep sadness that I write to tell you that our dearest Pamela gave up her battle against cancer yesterday. She passed away holding her beloved husband Neville’s hand in Atlanta.
You may know that it was Pamela’s wish to return to Atlanta to be with her beloved daughter Cara, grandson Rory and son-in-law Zac. How she achieved that, given how frail she was when she left Cape Town, is typical of her incredible strength and resolve.
Sincerest condolences to Neville and the family. We have all been blessed to have been in her midst. She was a blithe spirit that enriched so many lives. Pamela and Neville were married for 57 years.
Our beautiful, gentle Pamela was not only a caring friend and much-loved racing partner but she was also the strongest woman I have ever met. Despite her pain and discomfort, she wanted to be at the races and would stay just that little bit longer when urged to wait for the next race even though it wore her out.
Pamela loved animals and developed a passionate commitment to habitat preservation and species survival and an abiding connection to the people of Africa.
As a trustee of the Isdell Family Foundation, and in her work with Neville, former chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company and former chairman of WWF-US, she helped support a broad portfolio of nonprofit organizations, especially The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Peace Parks South Africa.
She supported many pet and wildlife projects which included the restoration and preservation of the de Hoop Penguin colony, SANCCOB, Western Cape Equine Trust, the Ardene Gardens in Claremont and Bird Life Africa (of which she was Honorary Patron).
Pamela was deeply committed to Birdlife South Africa and its conservation work since 2013 and was one of BLSA’s our honorary patrons, Golden Bird Patron and through her informal title as patron of the African Penguin, she funded the Pamela Isdell Fellow of African Penguin Conservation and helped establish the Isdell House, BLSA headquarters as well as their Vulture Protection Project.
She has also been Animal Welfare Society of SA’s main benefactor and built the Pamela Isdell Sterilisation Clinic on their premises in Philippi. The clinic does wonderful work in preventing unwanted animal pregnancies across the Cape flats.
I know that she also assisted with other wetland projects and rehabilitated an overgrown, forgotten forest in England that she fondly referred to as her ‘wood’.
Pamela funded SANCCOB’s and Bird Life’s recently successful action by the Biodiversity Law Centre to protect African Penguins’ conservancy areas. She was delighted at the news which she received just before she left Cape Town. What a poignant last hurrah for a project that was so close to her heart.
During covid Pamela organised the rescue of hundreds of abandoned cats and dogs and chartered a flight for them to be rehomed in Canada.
Pamela loved racing. Her well-known purple and white colours saw their fair share of the winner’s enclosure. She really enjoyed being part of Tricolor with Gaynor Rupert and Ravi Naidoo’s Kalinga.
The Tricolor Partnership celebrating Future Swing’s Chairman’s Cup victory
Her racing success included being part of Future Swing, winner of seven races including Gr2 WSB 1900, Gr3 Chairman’s Cup and the Algoa Cup, Kwinta’s Light won five including Gr2 Southern Cross Stakes, Olympic Duel Stakes, Laisserfaire Stakes, Zapatillas’ s Gr2 KZN Guineas, Salvator Mundi’s Gr2 Western Cape Stayers, Star Express won six including Gr3 Victress Stakes and dual stakes winner of seven races Elusive Fortune.
But Pamela was happiest when she was surrounded by nature with her beloved Neville.
Her passing leaves a huge gap in my life. We started planning celebrations for her 80th birthday some time ago and believed that she would make it. Sadly the cancer was so aggressive that the predicted years turned into months and then weeks.
Neville called me last night to say that the funeral will be in two weeks-time in Atlanta.
We are making plans to celebrate Pamela’s life with the racing community at a later date.
Our dear friend is no more … only in spirit, in our memory and our honour of her.
May her dear soul rest in peace.
Jonsson Family Bring Jet Master's Blood Back To KZN
Nick Jonsson and Double Superlative after his WSB Met victory. Jonsson now brings the grandson of the legendary Jet Master, whom his uncle Hugh Jonsson bred, to stand in the KZN Midlands. (Picture: Wayne Marks)
The Gr 1 Cape Guineas and Gr 1 wfa WSB Met winner Double Superlative will be standing at Blue Sky Thoroughbreds under the watchful care of Bruce le Roux and Tinus Gericke and will be introduced to industry people at a stallion day at the stud farm on Friday, March 28.
Double Superlative had speed and class, which enabled him to win over 1400m third time out, before finishing close up to Gr 1-winning sprint-miler Trip Of Fortune in the Gr 3 Cape Classic over 1400m.
In his next start he displayed a scintillating turn of foot to win the Gr 1 Cape Guineas, which is commonly regarded as South Africa’s greatest sire producing race.
Double Superlative also had another ingedient sought after in a sire i.e. courage, because he managed to later come back from a serious tendon injury to win one of South Africa’s iconic races, the Gr 1 wfa WSB Met over 2000m.
Nick Jonsson raced Double Superlative, who was by Twice Over out of five time-winning Jet Master mare Come Fly With Me.
Come Fly With Me was runner up in both the Gr 3 Diana Stakes (1400m) and Gr 3 Champagne Stakes (1200m) and scored a third place in both of those races too.
Come Fly With Me is an own sister to the top class filly Fly By Night, who won the Gr 1 weight for age Mercury Sprint over 1200m as well as the Gr 2 Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m, where she beat the Equus Champion Sprinter Alboran Sea, and among her many Graded places she was twice a runner up in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint, beaten on one occasion a head by the Equus Champion Sprinter Via Africa, and she had a third in that race too.
Twice Over was trained by the great Henry Cecil and won four Group 1 races in England, the Eclipse, the International (The Juddmonte) and he twice won the Champion Stakes.
He also won in Dubai and finished third behind the great Zenyatta in the Breedeers Cup Classic on the dirt.
He is probably only behind Duke Of Marmalade as the best performed imported thoroughbred to ever stand in South Africa.
The only reason he was likely released by Juddmonte was because his stallion career would have coincided with that of the great Frankel.
South Africa were fortunate to land Twice Over, who is by Observatory out of Listed Oaks Trial-winning Blushing Groom mare Double Crossed, who is a half-sister to Clepsydra, a Sadler’s Wells mare who produced three Group winners, including Group 1 winner Timepiece (Zamindar).
Twice Over, who stood at Klawervlei Stud, has produced four Group 1 winners and it is no coincidence that Nick Jonsson owns three of them.
Jonsson is a horseman through and through and has a phenomenal Gr 1 record.
He had faith in Twice Over and it paid dividends as he was part-owner of Twice Over’s best son, Do It Again, who is the greatest Durban July horse in history, having won the race twice and being placed in it a further four times. He is in fact the only horse to run in the great race six times.
There is plenty of irony in racing, such as Australians all wanting to win the two mile Melbourne Cup and yet breeding for speed and precocity.
Likewise in South Africa Twice Over did not gain popularity after Do It Again’s second victory in South Africa’s most celebrated race, rather he became unfashionable.
However, Jonsson never lost faith and consequently owned a number of the next best Twice Overs, like the dual Gr 1 winner Double Superlative, the dual Gr 1 winner See It Again as well as the like of Gr 2 winner Mucho Dinero and the hard knocking Triple Time.
If Jonsson was able to spot racing performance potential, then breeders should sit up and take notice when he sends one of them to stud.
Just over 30 years ago Nick’s Uncle, Hugh Jonsson, sent his Rollins twice-winning mare Jet Lightning to Rakeen.
Hugh no doubt recognised that Rakeen was one of the best bred horses to ever come to South Africa, being a son of Northern Dancer, the most influential sire of the 20th century if not of all time, out of Halo mare Glorious Song, a well related USA champion older female, a twice Canadian champion older female and a Canadian Horse Of The Year.
The resulting progeny of the Rakeen-Jet Lightning match was Jet Master, who was famously sold for just R14,000 as a weanling and went on to become a superstar racehorse.
The Gr 1s he won included the Cape Guineas, the Queen’s Plate twice, The Gold Challenge, the Golden Horse Sprint twice, the Cape Flying Championship and the Mercury Sprint.
He was packed with speed and class.
However, the experts did not predict a bright future for him at stud due to his uninspiring female line.
They were all wrong because he became the greatest South African-bred sire in history, winning the championship seven times.
He also became a multiple champion broodmare sire.
Now, Double Superlative joins Celestial City as the only grandson of Jet Master standing in KZN.
Double Superlative is a a horse who has won two of South Africa’s most iconic stallion producing races, the Cape Guineas and the Met, he is by a horse who won four Gr 1s in Europe, and he is out of a well performed and well related mare by the legendary Jet Master.
Furthermore, it is the Jonsson family who bred Jet Master who are bringing his blood back home.
And finally, it the lady who spotted Jet Master as a weanling and persuaded her husband to buy him i.e. Patricia Devine, who bred Double Superlative.
A class racehorse with human intuition woven into the mix.
What more would one want in a first season stallion?
Mia Moo Raised To 108
Mia Moo wins comfortably under Piere Strydom. (JC Photos).
NHA Press Release
Handicapping Ratings Update
4Racing Sycamore Sprint (Grade 3)
MIA MOO’S rating was increased from 103 to 108 after she won the Grade 3 4Racing Sycamore Sprint over 1160m on the Turffontein Standside Track on Saturday. The Handicappers deemed the third-place finisher CHROME TOURMALINE to be the most appropriate line horse for assessing this race, therefore her rating remained unchanged at 100.
Runner-up KOMATI RIVER also received a merit rating increase. She was thirteen points under the minimum benchmark and finished 1.40 lengths ahead of the line horse, which meant that her rating was raised from 80 to 96.
Five horses received downward adjustments to their ratings. ELEGANT ICE was reduced from 108 to 107, while CALANTHA and CALLMEWHENUNEEDME were dropped from 87 to 86 and from 101 to 100, respectively. WINGS WITHIN ME went down from 90 to 88, and EXCHANGE STUDENT was dropped from 105 to 104.
Monaco Sport of Kings Kenilworth Cup (Listed)
HOLDING THUMB’S official merit rating was adjusted from 103 to 107 after he secured victory in the Listed Monaco Sport of Kings Kenilworth Cup over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday. The runner-up, BLACKBERRY MALT, was selected as the line horse for this race, so his rating remained the same at 98.
No other horses received an increase in their ratings. The only decrease was for NEBRAAS, whose rating dropped by 2 points from 100 to 98.
Enquiries:
The Handicapping Team
Grand Crescendo Could Have Too Much Class
The classy Grand Crescendo has been tipped to win Race 2. (JC Photos).
Turffontein Inside Thursday Formguides And Selections
R1 6 BILINGUAL will appreciate the step back down to a thousand meters and a draw of six out of nine is manageable. 1 ENDIZAYO was well beaten in her last two starts but those were against good horses and back in this company she could go close. 3 MIST IN IRELAND has had one or two fair runs and could earn. 9 MISTY METAL has run two fair races over this trip and on jockey bookings looks to be the stable choice. (6-1-3-9)
R2 1 GRAND CRESCENDO has a lot of class and should be too good in this field. 5 BUFFALO STORM CODY has faced some good sorts and has been far from disgraced so has a chance here from a middle draw. 2 MUSICAL SCORE is a classy individual and with Ryan Munger up could make his presence felt. 4 THE AFRICA HOUSE is quite enigmatic, but is usually involved in the finish from 1000m up to 1450m. (1-5-2-4)
R3 1 DOITWITHDIAMONDS is in fine form and now tries the step up in trip which should be no problem and she should go close with Lerena up. 5 DIMAKO’S JET should also enjoy the step up in trip and has a plum draw under Ryan Munger. 4 JULIET TANGO needs to bounce back but does have some class so from a good draw could be dangerous off a reduced merit rating. 3 MOUNT ETNA is a capable sort and is distance suited but needs to bounce back.
R4 1 HEARTS ON FIRE won well last time when stepped up to 1800 meters and she should enjoy another step up and has a fair draw under Gavin Lerena. 5 FREE IN SEATTLE has been knocking on the door and is distance suited but does have a wide draw to overcome.2 ROSY LEMON is off a competitive merit rating at present and is course and distance suited but does have a wide draw. 3 PLAY WITH FIRE is drawn in pole position over an ideal trip and could be involved. (1-5-2-3)
R5 6 PAGE BOY faced a strong field last time and was not disgraced and back in this company his class could shine through.3 AMERICAN REBEL is drawn well over a suitable trip and he should be right there. 9 GAMER has improved and if able to find cover from a wide draw he could earn 10 THE MERCIFUL won well last time and over the same trip with the same rider on he could earn again. (6-3-9-10)
R6 6 SUTHERLAND is drawn wide but if able to overcome the draw should be right there. 9 BRAVE VIKING is ideally distance suited and is drawn well so could do well off a merit rating that is quite attractive. 7 THE PLAYBOY BOMBER has a plum draw and should be right there over a suitable course and distance, but it is his second run after a layoff. 8 SPRING TRADITION is ideally distance suited and Ryan Munger is up, but he does have a tricky draw. (6-9-7-8)
R7 4 JUST THE TWO OF US ran a cracker from a unfavourable low draw last time and does have a wide draw to overcome now but could be thereabouts. 6 BASKED IN GLORY has a plum draw over a suitable trip and should be involved. 7 ALABAMA ANNA might find this a touch sharp but does have pace and could earn. 5 COSMIC QUEEN was not disgraced last time over this trip and could earn again. (4-6-7-5)
R8 5 VIRGIN RIVER is quick and has a good draw over the minimum trip so should go close. 3 KIA KAHA is capable of a strong finish so can be dropped out before running on. 9 ARILENA is distance suited and is in good form but does have a wide draw to overcome. 1 TCHAIKOVSKY is also in good form and has a wide draw to overcome but Piere Strydom could help him overcome it. (5-3-9-1)
Hewitson Keeps The Momentum Going
Picture: Lyle Hewitson scores on Wonder Kit. (HKJC)
Lyle Hewitson scored another winner tonight (Wednesday) at Happy Valley which help keep his fair recent trot going.
He is now on 17 wins for the season and is in 12th place on the table.
The following report was written about the meeting:
Leo Schlink (HKJC)
Chasing a third HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) victory at Sha Tin on Sunday (23 March), Hugh Bowman notched his 50th win of the season with a double at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (19 March) to continue a blistering form streak.
With six wins across the past three meetings, Bowman is excited to partner Caspar Fownes-trained Lo Rider in Sunday’s Classic after teaming with Mark Newman’s Power Koepp in the second section of the Class 4 Wong Nai Chung Handicap (1200m) and M Unicorn in the Class 3 Canal Handicap (1650m) at the city circuit tonight.
Bidding for a third BMW Hong Kong Derby after wins on Werther (2016) and Furore (2019), Bowman hopes Fownes-trained Lo Rider can deliver a third victory in the race.
“I’m on a horse that’s certainly capable of winning,” Bowman said. “He’s going to need some things go his way, but I think it’s a very open race and I’m delighted to be involved.”
Following his treble at Sha Tin on Saturday (15 March), Bowman seized the initiative on M Unicorn by unleashing a surging run from the tail of the field at the 800m to take the lead at the 600m – and was never headed.
“He (M Unicorn) just has difficulty getting himself involved early and I’d spent no energy, I felt the pace wasn’t strong so I thought ‘I can’t come from back and through them,’ which was my preferred option,” Bowman said. “The horse was in good form, so I thought I would make some use of him mid-race and it turned out to be the right move.”
Bowman was also positive on Power Koepp, who was having his first run for Newnham.
“He arrived in good condition and I think I got him at the right rating. He drew a good gate (barrier two), Hugh was able to put him in a good position and the horse was able to do the rest,” Newnham said. “He hadn’t won for two years, so I needed to change something.
“It was just a matter of him getting that winning feeling back and it was pretty comfortable watching.”
Frankie Lor’s Beauty Destiny became the first horse this season to win five races at Happy Valley with a stunning victory in the Class 2 Sports Handicap (1200m), powering from the tail of the field to give Andrea Atzeni a double.
Rocketing over the final 400m in 22.41s, the Star Turn gelding posted his fifth win from his past six starts – all over 1200m at Happy Valley.
“It was a good win because he drew outside (barrier 10) and went back and if you look at most of the winners tonight, they had inside gates and were close to the speed,” Lor said. “I don’t know where he will start next, so we might have to look at Sha Tin.”
David Eustace and Atzeni combined for their first win in tandem when Colourful King launched late to claim the Class 3 Percival Handicap (1000m) by a nose over Youthful Spirits. A dual winner at Sandown for Mathew Ellerton when he raced as Blue Renegade in Australia, the Blue Point three-year-old earned a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million.
“I don’t know how we won. I really, really thought he was beat, so it’s obviously pleasing he ran well but I thought he was chinned,” Eustace said.
“I think he’s potentially quite an exciting horse – lightly-raced and still working things out. He got a perfect ride and great to get a winner for Andrea as well. We’ve both been patient but we haven’t lost faith.”
Antoine Hamelin made it two wins from as many Happy Valley meetings when Spicy Spangle ran on strongly to clinch the Class 4 The Hong Kong Football Club Centenary Cup Handicap (1000m) for Cody Mo.
“The gate was very important tonight, drawing (barrier two), which helped a lot,” Hamelin said. “My horse likes to go forward and we’ve had a good connection together.
“I was a bit confident before the race, I told the owner I thought we had a chance because we had the gate, the speed and one horse (Parents’ Love) should lead for us, so there was not much to do – just wait for the straight and he did well.”
David Hall’s patience with Windicator Family was rewarded when the former New Zealander charged from last on the turn to land the Class 5 Bowrington Handicap (1650m) under Matthew Poon.
Imported to Hong Kong after winning the 2023 Listed Southland Guineas (1600m) when he raced as Press Charges for Terri Rae, the five-year-old appreciated the step up to 1650m and the addition of a visor in posting his first Hong Kong win at his 19th start in the city.
Wonder Kit benefit from barrier one and a drop in grade when Francis Lui’s charge swept to victory in the Class 3 Tin Lok Handicap (1200m) under Lyle Hewitson after Douglas Whyte’s Ace Power returned to the winners’ list with success in the Class 4 The Craigengower Cricket Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1200m) under Karis Teetan.
Jamie Richards’ brought up his 11th winner of the season when Sunday’s Serenade landed the Class 4 Lockhart Handicap (1650m) under Brenton Avdulla.
Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday (23 March) with the running of the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m).
Purton Back In The Saddle Tomorrow
The Club’s Chief Medical Officer has advised that Club Jockey Zac Purton, who sustained injuries following a race fall at the Sha Tin racemeeting conducted on Sunday, 9 February 2025, has been assessed today and been passed fit to resume riding in trackwork and trials on 20 March 2025. A further release in respect of Jockey Purton’s fitness to ride in races will be issued at the appropriate time.
Purton might even have a ride in Sunday’s Hong Kong Derby.
The Idol Horse wrote the below article.
Purton Prepared To “Swoop In At The 11th Hour” For Derby Ride
Purton Cleared To Return
Seven-time champion Zac Purton says he is ready to pounce on an opportunity to ride in Sunday’s BMW Hong Kong Derby after getting the green light from a specialist on his injured toe.
Zac Purton says he is waiting in the wings and ready to “swoop in at the 11th hour” for a dramatic return to the saddle in Sunday’s BMW Hong Kong Derby, should the opportunity arise.
Purton, who has been on the sidelines since a nasty race fall on February 9, had to shelve plans to take a full book of rides on Derby day when his recovering big left toe “didn’t look good enough on the x-ray” after pins were removed last week.
But after seeking a second opinion from a specialist on the toe, which he fractured in three places, Purton says he is ready to ride in the city’s most prestigious race if connections require a fill-in rider.
“If there happens to be a hiccup or something between now and the race, I’m an option,” he said, before confirming that he will not be taking any other rides at the meeting. “I’ll swoop in at the 11th hour and get the glory.”
While he initially anticipated being back riding trackwork a week before the Derby, Purton, who celebrated his second success in the contest with Massive Sovereign last year, confirmed he will return to the track on Thursday morning before riding in barrier trials on Friday.
“The gap between the bones was a little bit too wide and unfortunately the bone slipped a little bit between the pins, which meant it was going to take a little bit longer for the bones to start to knit together. But, now that’s happened and it’s a bit more stable, we can get on with things.”
The 42-year-old’s spot at the top of the jockeys’ championship has not been troubled in his five-and-a-half-week absence, but he will be returning to a completely different scene and a few fresh weighing room colleagues.
Vincent Ho Chak-yiu, who suffered a brain injury and neck fractures at the same meeting as Purton, will be a notable absence from the Sha Tin jockeys’ room, while new faces Declan McDonogh, Richard Kingscote and James Orman have changed the look of the roster.
Purton will also be striding into a jockeys’ room with riders full of confidence after capitalising on the number of opportunities handed to them in the 10 meetings without his presence in the riding ranks – especially when they have been dished out by the red-hot John Size.
Brenton Avdulla is the man who has gained the most momentum in Purton’s absence, collecting 14 wins in 10 meetings including a Classic Cup success aboard Rubylot.
Andrea Atzeni and Hugh Bowman have averaged a victory per meeting in the past 10, while Alexis Badel has almost doubled his win tally for the 2024-25 campaign, surging up to 19 victories from 10.
Another man who has quietly gone about his business is Harry Bentley who, after a modest start to the season, sits on the cusp of the top 10 in the premiership thanks to five wins in the past 10 meetings ∎
Today's Question
Who was the first stallion to sire two July winners?
The subject is pictured above. (wikipedia)
FIELDS, Wednesday, 19 March
Hollywoodbets Scottsville
Today’s Question Answer
West Australian garnered his place in the annals of the British turf as the very first winner of the Triple Crown, consisting of the Two Thousand Guineas, the Derby, and the St. Leger. As a stallion, he was considered to be a disappointment, both in Britain and in France, where he stood the latter years of his life. However, West Australian, despite his limited success, breathed new life into the male line of his ancestor, Matchem, grandson of the Godolphin Arabian, a line which was severely languishing in comparison to that of the male line of Eclipse, descendant of the Darley Arabian.
West Australian was foaled in 1850, and was bred and owned by John Bowes, illegitimate son of John Bowes, 10th Earl (later Baron) Strathmore. Unable to inherit his father’s title, as he was born nine years before his parents married, young Bowes nevertheless was well taken care of financially, and used some of his fortune to invest in his love of the turf. The gem of his breeding operation was the Whisker mare Emma, bred by the trustees of Lord Strathmore, but who became the property of Bowes outright when he attained legal age.
A very modest race filly, Emma only won three minor races, but as a producer, she made a name for John Bowes as a breeder of classic champions. Her first classic winner was the Catton colt Mundig, who captured the Derby in 1835, when Bowes was just 21 years old. An older full brother to Mundig, Trustee, had placed third in the 1832 Derby to St. Giles.
Emma
Emma, West Australian’s granddam Melbourne
Melbourne Emma’s next classic champion was Cotherstone, by Touchstone, which won the Two Thousand Guineas and Derby for Bowes in 1843. That same year, at the age of nineteen, Emma foaled a full sister to Cotherstone. Named Mowerina, she was a decent filly, placing second in the One Thousand Guineas, but put to the broodmare paddocks, she continued the grand producing tradition of her dam. In addition to West Australian, she foaled six other stakes winners, the best of which was Victoria, a full sister to West Australian, who won the Yorkshire Oaks and placed third to Mincepie in the Oaks, three years after West Australian blazed to classic glory.
West Australian was sired by Melbourne, a prolific stallion who in his stud career, sired a total of seven classic winners. His best colt before West Australian was Sir Tatton Sykes, winner of the Two Thousand Guineas. His daughters were exceptional, as five of his seven classic winners were fillies, including the great racemare Blink Bonny. But West Australian, upon being sent to John Scott’s Whitehall stable near Malton, soon gave every indication that he possessed considerable talent. In a trial in late summer, West Australian easily beat the good four-year-old Longbow, who was fresh off a smart victory in Goodwood’s Stewards Cup.
West Australian on the Turf
West Australian was described as a “yellowish bay, rather long in the body, with a low stealing action that gave nothing away.” The colt had a propensity to be a bit overweight, and this was coupled with recurrent lameness. He was difficult to get into proper racing trim, and as a two-year-old, was not seen under colors until October at Newmarket, in which he ran a modest second to Speed the Plough. His only other race at two was that same week, the six furlong Glasgow Stakes, in which West Australian gained his revenge upon Speed the Plough.
West Australian was then rested until spring, and did not make his three-year-old debut until the Two Thousand Guineas. His long vacation had no ill effects on his sharpness, as he won by a deceptively easy half a length from the Duke of Bedford’s colt Sittingbourne. This victory sent West Australian to Epsom as the strong favorite for the Derby. Though 28 horses took part, when the field reached Tattenham Corner, the issue lay between three of them–Cineas, who was in the lead, followed by West Australian and Sittingbourne. Under Frank Butler, West Australian went by Cineas and won by a neck from Sittingbourne, who had also closed well, with Cineas only a head farther back.
West Australian did not run again until the autumn and the St. Leger. It could not even be described fairly as a race, as the Bowes colorbearer won in a canter, and his jockey, Frank Butler exclaimed “I only touched him with the whip once and I was glad to get him stopped.”
The rest of West Australian’s season comprised two walkovers, no challengers wanting any part of the first Triple Crown champion.
At four, West Australian ran only three times, and won each time. He won the Triennial Stakes at Ascot as a prep for the Ascot Gold Cup, which he also won in masterful fashion. He concluded his racing career winning a sweepstakes at Goodwood by twenty lengths. In all, West Australian faced the starter ten times and was defeated only once, with two walkovers.
West Australian in the Stud
John Bowes did not keep his prize racehorse. Instead, he turned a tidy profit by selling West Australian to Lord Londesborough for 5000 guineas. Londesborough stood West Australian at Kirkby Farm near Tadcaster for a fee of thirty guineas, and West Australian remained there until Lord Londesborough died in 1860. West Australian was purchased by the Duc de Morny, a half-brother to Napoleon III, for 4000 guineas, and was sent to serve mares in France at Haras de Viroflay. When de Morny died in 1862, West Australian was moved to the French National Stud at Haras du Pin. It is interesting to note that while at Kirkby, West Australian, then arguably the world’s greatest race horse, stood alongside Stockwell, who would become one of Britain’s greatest sires, with twelve classic winners to his credit, thus earning him the nickname “Emperor of Stallions.”
Sadly, West Australian never came close to matching the feats of his more celebrated stable mate. He was characterized as an unsuccessful stallion. In the short run, this may have been valid. However, a closer look at his sire record reveals that he was a decent sire who became an important influence upon succeeding generations.
His son THE WIZARD won the Two Thousand Guineas, was second to Thormanby in the Derby, and third in the St. Leger. The Wizard also captured the Ascot Derby and defeated Thormanby in the Grand Duke Michael Stakes. The Wizard won several other stakes. In 1862 he was purchased for stud in Prussia.
West Australian’s daughter SUMMERSIDE was a lovely brown filly with a star on her forehead and a petite build — she stood only 15.2 hands high. Bred by Admiral Harcourt, she was sold to Lord Londesborough, in whose colors she raced. She was backwards as a two-year-old and won only a modest sweepstakes at Doncaster. At three she became a classic winner, capturing the Oaks, defeating the One Thousand Guineas heroine, Mayonaise, in the process. Mated several times with Stockwell, she did not produce anything of high class.
In France, West Australian sired JEUNE PREMIERE, a victress in the classic Prix de Diane. A son he sired while standing at Haras du Pin, Ruy Blas, won fourteen of his nineteen races, including several minor races in France. His biggest win came in the Grosser Preis Baden-Baden in Germany. Retired to stud in France, he was arguably better than his sire, for he came up with three extraordinary fillies–Destinee, Nubienne, and Serpolette II, all winners of the Prix de Diane. Nubienne also captured the Grand Prix de Paris.
Ruy Blas also figured in jumping pedigrees, as his son Verdun sired Boissy, a winner of the Grand Steeplechase de Paris, while another son, Mourle, sired Fleurissant, also a winner of the Grand Steeplechase de Paris.
West Australian left a lasting legacy through two of his sons, AUSTRALIAN and Solon, which assured the survival of the Godolphin Arabian male line. Australian, foaled in 1858, never represented his sire on a British racetrack. Bred by W. E. Duncombe in England, the colt was purchased as a foal along with his dam, the Young Emilius mare Emilia, by A. Keene Richards, master of Blue Grass Park near Georgetown, Kentucky. Horseman Ten Broeck had acted as agent in the deal, and the newly-purchased mare and her colt set sail for the states.
As a racehorse, Australian won over a mile and over two miles, but was not a spectacular racehorse. In 1861, the colt was sold by Richards to his friend, Robert Aitcheson Alexander, owner of Woodburn Stud near Midway, Kentucky. Alexander also purchased the colt’s dam, Emilia. Under Alexander’s colors, at age four he ran once, placing third. Upon Australian’s retirement from the turf, he was sent to the lush paddocks of Woodburn, joining the great Lexington in the stallion barn. This was much the same scenario his sire West Australian had gone through before him, sharing the stud barn with a more heralded resident.
As a stallion, Australian was a pronounced success. He never rivaled Lexington, but then Lexington had the choicest mares sent to his court. Australian was also never able to overtake his stable mate on the sire lists, but finished second on the list to him six times, and his blood crossed very well with that of Lexington, as evidenced by the exploits of Spendthrift, the best get of Australian.
Foaled in 1876 from Lexington’s daughter Aerolite, Spendthrift was bred by Woodburn and sold to Daniel Swigert, who later resold him to James R. Keene. Spendthrift was the first great champion to carry Keene’s colors of white and blue dots, and counted the Belmont Stakes among his nine victories in sixteen starts. At stud, his best progeny included Kingston, winner of over 80 races and leading sire in 1900 and 1910; Lamplighter; and the fiery Hastings, another Belmont Stakes winner and leading sire in 1902 and 1908, the sire of Fair Play. From Fair Play, a leading American sire three times, came Man o’War and Display, both important stallions.
Man o’War is today the link in the continuation of the male line of West Australian. Though he sired a number of outstanding racing colts, it is through a less accomplished son on the racetrack, the ill-tempered War Relic, that the line has flourished, with such stallions as Intentionally, In Reality, and Relaunch which have kept the line going.
Australian was the sire of an older full brother to Spendthrift. Named Fellowcraft, this colt was a very good racehorse in his own right, and his history rests with the fact that he broke the immortal Lexington’s record for four miles. Fellowcraft was the broodmare sire, through his daughter Lady Reel, of Hamburg, a champion on the racetrack and a leading sire. Australian was also the sire of American classic winners Baden-Baden, Joe Daniels, and Springbok.
Australian sired many fine producing daughters, the best of which was Maggie B.B., dam of English classic champion Iroquois and American classic winners Harold and Panique. Maggie B.B.’s family later included champions Sir Dixon, Whisk Broom II, Crusader, and Top Flight. American Broodmare of the Year Fall Aspen traced directly in the female line to Maggie B.B., granddaughter of West Australian.
The primary sire son West Australian left behind in the British Isles was SOLON, an Irish raced colt produced from a daughter of Birdcatcher. Solon’s biggest victory came in the Great Surrey Foal Stakes, his only win in England. All his other victories were scored in Ireland. He was a tough horse, both physically and mentally, as he once won three races from four starts in the space of two days, and was noted for an evil temperament which he passed on to many of his descendants, including his best son, Barcaldine, who was undefeated in twelve lifetime starts. Retired to Park Paddocks at Newmarket at a fee of 50 guineas, Barcaldine became an very successful stallion, and through him, the line of West Australian was perpetuated in Great Britain.
Although he got a dual-classic winning son, Sir Visto, and several other high class racing sons, it was through Marco, an average runner, that kept the sire line thread from West Australian going even further.
Foaled in 1892, Marco was a stunning chestnut foaled from the Hermit daughter Novitiate. In fact, Marco was said to resemble Hermit more closely than any of his paternal ancestors. At stud, Marco came up with Neil Gow, winner of the Two Thousand Guineas, and Omar Khayyam, who was imported to the United States, where he won the Kentucky Derby and many other races and as a stallion was eight times in the top twenty leading sires and in 1925 the leading sire of juveniles. Marcovil, a son of Marco, came up with the great Hurry On.
Hurry On was a mammoth chestnut colt who raced during the bleakest year of the first World War–1916. As a stallion, he was arguably one of the best procreating descendants of West Australian, for he sired seven classic winners, including three winners of the Derby–Captain Cuttle, Call Boy, and Coronach, as well as Ascot Gold Cup champion Precipitation, himself sire of four classic winners.
As a broodmare sire West Australian was only moderately successful. His daughter LADY SEFTON became the dam of Sefton, a Speculum colt which became his sire’s only classic champion, when he captured the Derby of 1878 and also ran third in the Two Thousand Guineas. Sefton was not a success at stud and suffered greatly from rheumatism. He was put down at the age of sixteen in 1891.
West Australian’s most significant contribution as a broodmare sire came via an UNNAMED daughter out of the Camel mare Brown Bess. The foal from this unnamed daughter was Musket, winner of the Ascot Stakes and the Queen Alexandra Stakes. In Britain, he left Petronel, a winner of the Two Thousand Guineas. Exported to New Zealand, he sired many stakes winners, including Martini Henry, Volley, Maxim, Manton, Pearlshell, and Trenton. But his finest offspring was Carbine, winner of the Melbourne Cup under 145 pounds in record time, as well as 32 other races from 43 lifetime starts. Exported to England later in life for stud duty, he came up with classic winner Spearmint, whose daughter Plucky Liege became a highly influential broodmare.
West Australian died at the age of twenty on May 2, 1870 at Haras du Pin, three days before the death of Stockwell. A champion on the racetrack, and the first winner of England’s Triple Crown, West Australian failed to get much notice in death. The Sporting Times devoted a whole page to “The deaths of Stockwell and West Australian.” Overshadowed by Stockwell in the stud during those long-ago days at Kirkby Farm, so too, was West Australian in this dual obituary, for West Australian was given only two sentences at the end of the story. Later, West Australian was accorded some measure of the respect he deserved when a small stone memorial commemorating his triumphs on the turf, was erected on the grounds of Bowes’ Streatlam Castle, which can still be seen today.
–Liz Martiniak
