Piere “Striker” Strydom’s partnership with the superstar See It Again will continue until the WSB Met (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Striker Extends Career Until The Met

Piere Strydom was widely expected to call it a day after the HKJC World Pool Gold Cup meeting.

However, he said earlier today, “Muis has asked me to stay on until the Met.”

He pointed out Kenilworth suited See It Again due to his way of racing, which is to run at horses from off the pace.

He added he would also be well weighted in the prestigious weight for age event as the highest rated middle distance horse in the country.

Roberts’ faith in Strydom speaks volumes, especially in the face of the criticism the latter has received from some quarters for his ride in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Strydom went for a gap at the top of the straight after being caught in some scrimmaging, so might have got to the front too soon.

However, the alternative of sitting behind Bless My Stars and waiting for a gap to open only looks good in retrospect, because, after all, she was a 33/1 shot and not expected to be involved in the finish.

Talking about Saturday’s Gr 1 HKJC World Pool Champions Cup, where See It Again ran on from a long way back for second, Strydom felt he could not have placed See It Again any better.

He has always pointed out that See It Again does not jump well and he said an alternative tactic to dropping him out would probably have seem him trapped three wide.

He said, “In any case the filly won very well, I don’t want to take anything away from her.”

Strydom feels See It Again’s best trip is 2000m plus.

It will be a surprise if The Twice Over colt does not walk away with the Equus Champion Middle Distance horse award as the winner of both the Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby and Gr 1 Daily News 2000 plus a narrow second in the Hollywoodbets Durban July over 2200m, giving 3,5kg to the winner, and another second in the wfa HKJC World Pool Champions Cup over 1800m.

Strydom said he would continue to keep up his current rate of midweek and weekend riding.

He said having to lose some weight for the July had been a help as he was now finding it easier to maintain his weight.

The 57-year-old added he was feeling strong and fit.

The Varsfontein-based twice national champion sire, Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready).

Gimmethegreenlight Proves He Is The Best

Gimmethegreenlight proved in the season just past he is the best sire in the country.

He was a commanding winner of the National Sires Championship, his progeny earning R23,030,650 compared to second placed What A Winter’s 17,331,563 and third-placed Vercingetorix’s 16,536,725.

He was the leader in stakes race success too, with 14 individual stakes winner of 21 races.

His stakes winners to runners percentage was 6.2% compared to his chief Sales rival Vercingetorix’s 5.5%.

Only the legendary pair Trippi and the late Dynsaty. as well as Dynasty’s son Futura, were ahead of him in that statistic.

Trippi’s stakes winners to runner percentage (9 individual stakes winners of 18 races from just 69 runners) was 13% and Dynasty’s (13 individual stakes winners of 15 races from just 71 runners) was a phenomenal 18.3%.

Dynasty’s son Futura (6 individual stakes winners of 8 races from 87 runners) had a 6.8 percentage.

Gimmethegreenlight was high up in the average earnings per runner statistic on R101,906 compared to Vercingetorix’s R91,363 and What A Winter’s R84,544.

Trippi had an average earnings per runner of R208,619, while Dynasty was on R147,342 and another prominent sire who was higher than Gimmethegreenlight in this statistic was Flower Alley with R105,072.

Ab interesting sire who was high in this statistic, although he did admittedly only have 15 runners was the late Eightfold Path, whose average earnings per runner was R132,478.

If that amount of runners does qualify, then Eightfold Path had the highest percentage of winners to runners on 66.7%.

Gimmethegreenlight had a winners to runners percentage of 48.2%, while What A Winter was on 49.8% and Vercingetorix on 48.1%.

Dynasty and Trippi were on 56.3% and 43.5% respectively.

Three high scorers in this statistic were Wylie Hall, who had 45 runners and a winners to runners percentage of 55.6%, Capetown Noir who had 43 runners and 51.2%, The United States and Canford Cliffs both had figures of 49.4% from 81 runners and 39 runners respectively, and Admiral Kitten had 50% from 30 runners.

Gimmethegreenlight is outpointing Vercingetorix in all of the statistics, but the latter is still the most popular sales sire. At BSA Nationals Vercingetorix’s progeny fetched an aggregate of R29,9 million and an average of R854,286, while Gimmethegreenlight’s lots aggregated R20,91 million with an average of R746,786.

Vercingetorix’s famous father, the six-time national champion sire Silvano, took a while to reach the top. Good results bring increasing support, so Vercingetorix will likely kick into topgear in the next couple of seasons.

He has the most exciting young filly in the land, Mrs Geriatrix.

However, Gimmethegreenlight has the two most exciting young colts in the land, Sandringham Summit and Lucky Lad.

On World Pool Gold Cup day Gimmethegreenlight’s progeny won a Gr 1 and two G2s courtesy of Sandringham Summit, Bless My Stars and Cala Muretta.

Gimmethegreenlight was the leading sire of two-year-olds.

He had 21 individual winners of 31 races and had four stakes winners of seven races.

The leading freshman sire was the late Lancaster Bomber with a fine 19 individual winners of 23 races, with Danon Platina having 17 individual winners of 21 races. The title is decided on stakes and Lancaster Bomber was the winner thanks to having two individual stakes winners (of two races).

Freshman sire Fire Alley also had two individual stakes winners (of four races).

Vercingetorix had 16 individual two-year-old winners of 23 races, but his only stakes winner was Mrs Geriatrix, with four stakes victories.

Gimmethegreenlight was the leading sire of three-year-olds too, with 50 winners of 75 races and a winners to runners percentage of 62.55.

He had five individual three-year-old stakes winners of 6 races.

His figures in the two-year-old and three-year-old categories point to him having another fine season this term.

It is little wonder the Varsfontein-based son of More Than Ready commands the highest stud fee in the land of R250,000 (R50 000 + VAT nom and R200 000 + VAT live foal fee).

Anthony Delpech had a glittering career in the saddle and one of the best he ever rode was the David Ferraris-trained Hong Kong-based superstar Vengeance Of Rain (Picture: HKJC)

The 334 Delpech Jockey Challenge Powered by Hollywoodbets

Hollywoodbets

We’re offering a massive R1 million for the first jockey to surpass the long standing Anthony Delpech benchmark of 334 winners in the forthcoming racing season, which kicks off on 1 August 2023.

The 334 winner mark was established by former multiple national champion Anthony Delpech, when he shattered Piere Strydom’s record in the 1998/1999 season. The dazzling Delpech season record, achieved at the age of 30, still stands today. A three-time SA champion, and an internationally respected Grade 1 winning jockey, Anthony retired at the age of 50 in 2019.

Now a popular Racing Manager of the Hollywood Syndicate, he welcomed the Hollywoodbets incentive as a tangible means of rewarding the enormous effort, and the gruelling personal and professional sacrifices, that would go into any bid to beat the record.

“What a great idea and a true personal honour for me, and the new record-holder, whoever that may be. I believe there will be many of our jockeys chasing this target. A goal is vitally important for any sportsman. But it’s no walk in the park, believe me! Any rider with national title aspirations is required to spend seven days a week, for twelve solid months, travelling the length and breadth of South Africa, chasing winners. It takes enormous commitment without any guarantees of success, and demands that the individual maintains a level of fitness and mental application that could push any athlete to the edge. It’s also a dangerous and physically demanding sport, and the risk of a setback or injury is omnipresent. I’d really love nothing more than to see one of the new generation jockeys toppling my record this season,” added an enthusiastic Delpech.

Winning Form-sponsored rider, Keagan de Melo, reached the 275 winner mark after he was crowned SA Champion Jockey as the curtain came down on the 2022/23 racing season at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday 30 July 2023. Keagan, who is set to pursue his career in Hong Kong, rode 1434 horses at seven racecourses in four provinces, in an unrelenting quest to be the best of the best last term.

National title runner-up Richard Fourie, who is a Winning Form stablemate of de Melo’s, fell 17 winners short, but was thrilled with his personal best-ever season tally of 258 winners and wished his friend and colleague well on his new career challenge in the East.

“I was only 13 years old when Anthony Delpech set that magic bar with his 334 winners. But I am always up for a challenge and I will be doing my best, and more,” declared the enormously talented Fourie, who won 8 Grade 1 races last season.

In the 2021/22 season Warren Kennedy won the national title with 263 winners, the same mark achieved in the 2020/21 season by Hong Kong-based Lyle Hewitson.

The 334 Delpech Jockey Challenge powered by Hollywoodbets starts on 1 August 2023 and culminates on 31 July 2024.

Charles Dickens is behind Princess Calla on the Equus Horse Of The Year points table, but what will the voters say? (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Miedema’s Performance Ratings Point To Charles Dickens And See It Again

The Equus Horse Of The Year award looks to be a three-cornered fight between Princess Callas, Charles Dickens and See It Again, and it might be down to which credential voters view as more important: is it number of Trophies, amount of stakes, accumulative performance, official merit rating or even just gut feel?

If cumulative performance is the main criteria then one of the country’s most respected analysts, Karel Miedema, would likely plump for either Charles Dickens or See I Again.

According to Miedema’s ability ratings, Princess Calla, who is on top of the points table and the only horse to win three Gr 1s during the season, has only performed to an ability rating of 110 on one occasion.

Charles Dickens has performed to 110 or above on five occasions and is the only horse in Miedema’s ratings to have scored ability ratings of above 110 on two occasions.

See It Again has been analysed by Miedema to have performed at 110 or above on four occasions and, although he has only performed above 110 once, he was awarded the highest ability rating of the season. Miedema gave him a 120 for his Hollywoodbets Durban July runner up finish.

The below tables show all three horses’ runs for the season and the respective ability ratings awarded by Miedema.

Princess Calla

date	track	distance	finish	lbh	stakes	grade	jockey	trainer	mass	MR	AR
30 Jul 2023	Greyville	1800m	1st	1.30	781,250	1	R Fourie	SG Tarry	57.5 aa	127	108
01 Jul 2023	Greyville	1600m	1st	1.80	781,250	1	R Fourie	SG Tarry	60.0 aa	127	109
03 Jun 2023	Scottsville	1200m	1st	3.20	468,750	1	R Fourie	SG Tarry	60.0 aa	127	110
29 Apr 2023	Turffontein	1000m	3rd	2.05	100,000	1	G Lerena	SG Tarry	57.5 aa	127	101
11 Mar 2023	Turffontein	1160m	1st	5.25	250,000	2	R Fourie	SG Tarry	57.5 aa	121	107
28 Jan 2023	Kenilworth	1000m	5th	1.95	29,688	1	G Lerena	SG Tarry	57.5 aa	121	99
07 Jan 2023	Kenilworth	1200m	1st	0.75	207,813	2	G Lerena	SG Tarry	60.0 aa	121	105
03 Dec 2022	Kenilworth	1000m	1st	0.50	208,125	2	G Lerena	SG Tarry	60.0 aa	121	103

Charles Dickens

date	track	distance	finish	lbh	stakes	grade	jockey	trainer	mass	MR	AR
10 Jun 2023	Greyville	1600m	1st	1.40	1,093,750	1	A Domeyer	C Bass-Robinson	58.5 aa	132	117
06 May 2023	Greyville	1600m	1st	2.00	312,500	2	A Domeyer	C Bass-Robinson	60.0 aa	132	110
25 Feb 2023	Kenilworth	2000m	2nd	1.25	285,000	1	A Domeyer	C Bass-Robinson	60.0 aa	132	108
07 Jan 2023	Kenilworth	1600m	2nd	0.30	380,000	1	A Domeyer	C Bass-Robinson	55.0 aa	128	115
17 Dec 2022	Kenilworth	1600m	1st	4.25	1,187,500	1	A Domeyer	C Bass-Robinson	60.0 aa	121	110
27 Nov 2022	Kenilworth	1400m	1st	3.25	77,188	5	A Domeyer	C Bass-Robinson	59.0 aa	115	108
22 Oct 2022	Kenilworth	1400m	1st	3.00	148,750	3	A Domeyer	C Bass-Robinson	59.0 aa	111	109
24 Sep 2022	Durbanville	1250m	1st	3.25	59,375	5	A Domeyer	C Bass-Robinson	60.0 aa	107	110

See It Again

date	track	distance	finish	lbh	stakes	grade	jockey	trainer	mass	MR	AR
30 Jul 2023	Greyville	1800m	2nd	1.30	250,000	1	P Strydom	ML Roberts	58.5 baa	131	110
01 Jul 2023	Greyville	2200m	2nd	0.25	940,000	1	P Strydom	ML Roberts	56.5 baa	124	120
27 May 2023	Greyville	2000m	1st	0.70	937,500	1	P Strydom	ML Roberts	60.0 baa	124	110
06 May 2023	Greyville	1600m	2nd	2.00	100,000	2	P Strydom	ML Roberts	60.0 baa	124	106
25 Feb 2023	Kenilworth	2000m	1st	1.25	890,625	1	P Strydom	ML Roberts	60.0 baa	104	110
28 Jan 2023	Kenilworth	1600m	7th	3.20	0	5	R A Venniker	ML Roberts	60.0 aa	104	91
14 Jan 2023	Kenilworth	1400m	7th	4.55	0	5	R A Venniker	ML Roberts	54.5 aa	104	83
06 Nov 2022	Greyville	1600m	1st	1.50	62,500	4	R A Venniker	ML Roberts	58.5 aa	88	91
23 Oct 2022	Greyville	1400m	1st	3.90	50,000	5	R A Venniker	ML Roberts	60.0 aa	0	91
14 Aug 2022	Scottsville	1200m	4th	1.25	5,000	5	R A Venniker	ML Roberts	58.0 aa	0	74

Among The Clouds has his first run out of the maidens in race 7 over 1400m and from a good draw off a reasonable merit rating of 81 he could be in the shake up over a step up in trip he should appreciate (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Hollywoodbets SA Durbanville Preview for Thursday, 3rd August 2023

Cape Racing

Bettors will need to pay careful attention at the first meeting back at Hollywoodbets Durbanville to see if a track bias is in play. Gone are the days of hedges around the tight circuit, but speed on the rail, or at least the ability to race handy and make an early inside move is still the best way to win races at the country course.

West Coast trainer, Andre Nel has a training track with a configuration that is just like Durbanville’s layout, so his horses tend to fare well there. He seems poised to capture Races 1 and 3 with Boogified (by boom American/Aussie shuttle stallion, Justify ex Love to Boogie) and Candy Town (by Querari out of Captain’s Flame, a fine race mare).

Both made good debuts, showing speed throughout in races where the form has been franked. Boogified’s conqueror, Meu Capitano followed up with a solid try behind Mojo Man in a key Juvenile contest, and De Janiero (four lengths in arrears of Candy Town in the race won by Winter Rainfall,) has romped since. They can use optimal stalk and pounce tactics from convenient draws to shed their Maiden tags.

Race 5 looks open yet the improving, Gimmethelimelight appeals after getting within half a length of Callmegetrix three weeks ago. The Justin Snaith-trained daughter of top sire, Gimmethegreenlight is drawn awkwardly 8/11, but has the requisite speed and a skilful jock in Grant van Niekerk to get over and contend.

Her main rivals include another Nel entry, older filly Go Like Flo, who is regularly placed, and Charlene who made dramatic improvement at her second start for Brett Crawford. Windrunner, from draw 2 is another in with a shake if fit enough after a ten-week gap between races.

Crawford also has claims with Cattaleya in Race 6. A one-time winner from 12 starts, she hinted at decent potential earlier in her career when pitched high and has now come down to a workable mark of 70.

Primed 3rd run after a rest and racing handy from a low draw at her favorite course sets up just right for the Silvano filly, dropping to a low-grade Class 5 over 1400m.

Download the racecard:

https://caperacing.co.za/…/2023/08/3-AUG-RACE-CARD.pdf

Paddington: made it six wins in a row in the Sussex Stakes (BBC Sports)

Imperious Paddington Wins fourth Group 1 In A Row

‘He’s very special’ – Ryan Moore.

Result:

5 ran

15:35 Goodwood

1m Flat, Group 1

Distance: 1m

Class: 1

1st 6 Paddington FAV4/9

2nd 3 Facteur Cheval 11/1

3rd 5 Charyn 40/1

Chris Cook (Racing Post)

After the track took an all-day dousing, this was the slowest Sussex Stakes for at least half a century, taking the thick end of two minutes to run. Even so, the critical action was compressed into about 20 seconds from the home turn as Frankie Dettori sought to make the best of the bad hand he’d been dealt with a determined bid to secure a position on the stands’ rail.

Paddington had been left in front to do his own thing until then and Ryan Moore had carefully set a sustainable pace. But Inspiral moving up on his outside at that point was a clear threat, there being quite a long way to travel in such conditions.

Since many another winner this week has finished powerfully along the stands’ rail, Dettori’s motive was obvious and there was little Moore could do to counter it. But Inspiral didn’t have it in her to maintain the advantage she’d gained.

In contrast, Paddington saw his race out as strongly as anyone could wish, fending off a final challenge from the French raider, Facteur Cheval, who outran odds of 11-1 to be second. It was a fourth consecutive Group 1 success for the new ‘Iron horse’ and the generally taciturn Moore was voluble in describing the faith he has in him.

“It’s a hard thing to say but he gives you the feel that he’s as good a horse as I’ve rode,” the jockey said. “I think he’s exceptional.

“He’s handled everything that we’ve put in front of him, whether it’s a mile or ten furlongs, soft ground or quick. He’s a straightforward horse who thrives on his racing and really wants to do it for you.”

Asked about Dettori’s move to the rail, Moore said: “It was a long way to go and you see the damage that did to Inspiral. We were racing too far out and she was done at the two. So that shows you. He had more in the tank.”

Paddington has won on testing ground before but not in a Group race. Was Moore worried? “With him, I wouldn’t care if it was snowing.”

Aidan O’Brien chimed in along similar lines. “We weren’t expecting the ground to be as tough as it is today but, knowing the horse, he could take it with a smile on his face,” said the Ballydoyle trainer, winning his sixth Sussex.

The first of those came 23 years ago with Giant’s Causeway, whose name became synonymous with an unbreakable will to win.

O’Brien has had a laundry list of top-class colts and fillies since then but never one who drew so many comparisons with the original Iron Horse as Paddington.

It will strike some as controversial but the trainer is now prepared to put his new star higher than the old one. “He’s much quicker than the Giant was. He’s tactically quick but he can quicken as well.

“The Giant was tactically quick but he was dour after that. This horse can really turn it on when you have to, in all types of ground – very unique.”

Paddington is expected to rattle along the same tracks as Giant’s Causeway as far as York for the Juddmonte International, though O’Brien stressed that no decisions has yet been made and much depends on how the three-year-old takes this latest race in a busy season. We’re at the stage of dreaming about what this colt might achieve, with the Cox Plate, the Breeders’ Cup Mile and even the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe among the possible targets being bandied about.

“He can go anywhere, really,” O’Brien said. “He can go any trip, I’d imagine – a mile, a mile and a quarter, he could even go further, I don’t know.”

So we can hope that he will continue to dance every dance. But his growing band of fans must make the most of him because it would be unrealistic to hope he might be back in training next year.

“Oh, Janey,” was O’Brien’s reaction when put on the spot about that during a RacingTV interview. “Listen, there’s always a chance.

“But I know when genes present themselves that strong, how important they become. There’s always the worry that something happens and you don’t get to see what his progeny are going to be.”

Sean Veale clinches his treble on the Duncan Howells-trained Asiye Phambili (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Veale Treble as Hollywood Double Takes Them To 450 Career Wins

Sean Veale rode a treble at the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly meeting today.

It was his first meeting of the season and he had seven rides in all.

He rode one winner for the Hollywood Syndicate who scored a double to take their career tally of wins to 450.

Hollywoodbets Durbanville Fields, Thursday

Picture: Golden Horn was named Cartier Horse Of The Year at the above 2015 ceremony.

Today’s Question

Which two trainers have won the most Cartier Horse Of The Year awards?

(The Cartier Horse of the Year is an award in European horse racing, founded in 1991, and sponsored by Cartier SA as part of the Cartier Racing Awards. The award winner is decided by points earned in group races plus the votes cast by British racing journalists and readers of the Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph newspapers.)

Question answer at the bottom of the newsletter

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION

Aidan O’Brien and John Gosden have been the respective trainers of Cartier Horse Of The Year award winners on five occasions each.

Aidan O’Brien – Giant’s Causeway (2000), Rock of Gibraltar (2002), Dylan Thomas (2007), Minding (2016), St Mark’s Basilica (2021)

John Gosden – Kingman (2014), Golden Horn (2015), Enable (2017, 2019), Roaring Lion (2018)

Turf Talk Newsletter – 2 August, 2023