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Clash Of The Giants In LKP

Al Muthana speeds to an upset victory in last season’s Gr 1 wfa L’Ormarins King’s Plate (Picture: timeslive.co.za)

Turf Talk

The Gr 1 L’Ormarin’s King’s Plate first entries were published today and there are plenty of points of intrigue.

The Equus Horse of The Year Princess Calla is not in the line up as connections have opted for the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes instead.

Among the 16 LKP entries are two Drakenstein Stud homebreds, Charles Dickens and Snow Pilot, which will give the sponsors a double chance of winning the race for the first time as owners. The L’Ormarins wine farm is owned by Johann and Gaynor Rupert and their Drakenstein Stud was constructed on the farm’s lower slopes.

The Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Charles Dickens, a winner of the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas and Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge last season, was a short-priced favourite in last season’s LKP but was defeated narrowly by the Ricky Maingard-trained Al Muthana. The latter is drawn wide in 15 this season as opposed to 5 last season.

Charles Dickens is drawn 8 and the Justin Snaith-trained Snow Pilot, who won last Saturday’s Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, has a plum draw of two.

Drakenstein have won this prestigious weight for age mile as breeders with the Justin Snaith-trained Trippi colt Jet Dark, who won it twice in succession (2021 and 2022) for owners Nick Jonsson and Tommy Crowe.

History has a chance of repeating itself because Jet Dark came from last to finish a 1,65 length fourth in the Cape Guineas but then slammed the older horses as the only 3yo entry in the 2021 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.

Hluhluwe, also by Trippi and also bred by Drakenstein, trained by Snaith and owned by Jonsson, came from last to finish a two length third in the Cape Guineas and now lines up in the King’s Plate.

However, Jet Dark had draw two as opposed to Hluhluwe’s 12 and he was a true miler with an exceptional turn of foot, as opposed to Hluhluwe who might need more ground.

The Michael Roberts-trained See It Again was also also bred by Drakenstein and is owned by Jonsson. He has landed a plum draw of five and proved he is effective over a mile when downing the chief protagonists here in effortless fashion over the same course and distance in the Gr 2 Green Point Stakes last time out.

The Snaith-trained 2021 Cape Guineas winner Double Superlative is the third string to Nick Jonsson’s bow, but has to overcome draw 15.

The Dean Kannemeyer-trained twice Gr 1 winner over sprints, Gimme A Prince, went close to beating Charles Dickens in the Gr 3 Matchem Stakes over 1400m and has drawn nine. He missed the Green Point after a minor setback, so doesn’t come in off an ideal preparation and whether he gets a mile remains unknown.

His sprint-miler stablemate Cosmic Highway, a 2,50 length third to Double Superlative in the 2021 Cape Guineas, has drawn pole.

Brett Crawford’s perennial bridesmaid At My Command, a 4,35 length third to Charles Dickens in the Cape Guineas and second in the Green Point last time out, has drawn well in three.

Cousin Casey, second to Charles Dickens in the Cape Guineas and now trained by Sean Tarry, has draw 13. His star has waned since his glittering two-year-old season.

Snaith has five entries and has declared all of their jockeys already.

Interestingly, Richard Fourie is aboard Double Superlative.

Grant van Niekerk has been riding the Tarry-trained Cousin Casey, but is aboard Hluhluwe so one would have expected Fourie to be on Cousin Casey. Fourie has been first call rider for Tarry in most Graded races over the last two seasons.

JP van der Merwe stays aboard Snow Pilot, Muzi Yeni is on Royal Aussie and Craig Bantam is on Speed Machine.

King Regent is the most interesting of Glen Kotzen’s two runners because he beat Gr 1 champions Princess Calla and Rio Querari in his penultimate start over 1250m. It all depends on how well he jumps, but he does have a lot of talent.

The course sponsor, Hollywoodbets, have one entry, the Grant Maroun-trained Gr 1 WSB SA Classic winner Anfields Rocket, and he has drawn well in four.

The full list of entries is shown below:

Race-7 (Turf) R2 000 000 1600m
L’ORMARINS KING’S PLATE (WFA) (Grade 1)
Open To Horses At Weight For Age
WFA: 3yrs-5kgs 4yrs-0kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance

8	Charles Dickens		(4C)	60	132	A	Candice Bass-Robinson
5	See It Again		(4C)	60	132	BA	Michael Roberts
9	Gimme A Prince		(5G)	60	130	A	Dean Kannemeyer
15	Al Muthana (AUS)		(6G)	60	128	A	Ricky Maingard
3	At My Command		(4G)	60	124	A	Brett Crawford
13	Cousin Casey		(4C)	60	123	A	Sean Tarry
14	Double Superlative	Accepted	(5H)	60	118	A	Justin Snaith
16	Royal Aussie	Accepted	(4G)	60	118	A	Justin Snaith
4	Anfields Rocket		(4G)	60	117	A	Brett Crawford
11	King Regent		(4G)	60	115	A	Glen Kotzen
1	Cosmic Highway		(5G)	60	111	A	Dean Kannemeyer
7	Countdown		(4G)	60	108	A	Glen Kotzen
10	Speed Machine	Accepted	(6G)	60	106	A	Justin Snaith
6	Montien		(4G)	60	105	A	Piet Botha
2	Snow Pilot	Accepted	(3C)	55	116	A	Justin Snaith
12	Hluhluwe	Accepted	(3C)	55	111	A	Justin Snaith

Okapi Ladies International Has A Field Of 12

The riders in the inaugural running of the Okapi Ladies International at the LKP meeting last season (Picture: Troy Finch)

Turf Talk

The R200,000 Okapi Ladies International over 1000m will be the first race on L’Ormarins King’s Plate day.

Kelsey Mayhew Munger will be flying in from Canada and Milica Dusanovic will be flying in from the U.K.

Milica rode in the Magnolia Cup at the Glorious Goodwood meeting.

The Magnolia Cup was the inspiration for the Okapi Ladies International.

Victoria Lerena, wife of top jock Gavin, is a former professional jockey so is sure to get the most out of her mount. However, she did ride in the race last year and only finished tenth.

Danielle Rivalland, the daughter of trainer Tony Rivalland, finished second last season and is back again this season.

Unfortunately, last season’s winner, O’Meara Rusike, was unable to get off work to fly over from the U.K. She works for top trainer Ralph Beckett.

Helen Richardson, third last year, is back and so is Kim Meaker.

The others will all be riding in the race for the first time.

An interesting rider among them is KZN-based Wilmien Fourie, who has ambitions of becoming a fully fledged jockey. She has a 100% strike rate in race riding having won the only workrider’s race she took part in.

Kayleigh Oakes will be getting sound advice before the race being the girlfriend of jockey Wesley Marwing.

The list of riders is shown below:

Lily-Rose Jamieson

Savanna Valjalo

Emma Oelz

Danielle Rivalland

Victoria Lerena

Wilmien Fourie

Chiné van Niekerk

Milica Dusanovic

Helen Richardson

Kayleigh Oakes

Kim Meaker

Kelsey Mayhew Munger

The De Kocks Celebrate Victory At Flemington

Turf Talk

Matthew de Kock, as partner in the Robbie Griffiths/Matthew de Kock yard, sent out a winner for his famous father at Australian racing headquarters Flemington in Melbourne today (20 November) and to make the moment more special Mike de Kock and the rest of the family were on course.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE ON COURSE INTERVIEW

The Zoustar three-year-old filly Celestial Storm won the Cl 1 Sprint event over 1000m under Blake Shinn by a comfortable 1,3 lengths to earn a cheque of US$27,500.

She is owned by a big syndicate which includes four prominent South African racing industry people, Mike de Kock, Larry Nestadt, Gary Barber and Lindsay Ralphs with the other owners being Widden Stud Pty Ltd (Mgr: A W Thompson), Ms M A Butler, P T Blair, S Mekertichian, Dr S A Watts, Mrs D Watts, Mrs A McDonnell, J S C Chua & C T Burgess.

Celestial Storm’s sire Zoustar, who stands at Widden Stud, has an impressive profile:

Northern Meteor x Zouzou, by Redoute’s Choice

Champion 1st, 2nd and 3rd Season Sire with over $78 million in progeny earnings
Sire of 68 Stakes Performers, including Gr.1 winners Sunlight, Mizzy, Zougotcha and Lezoo
Now a Gr.1 winning producer in both hemispheres
Sire of 30 Stakes performing 2yo’s
Yearling average over $447k and the sire of 19 millions dollar plus lots in his career

“He was that good, I could of prepared him for the Golden Slipper however given I thought he was bred to be at his best at Three we were happy to wait. What he did achieve at Two was just a glimpse of his natural ability. An equine machine.” – Chris Waller.

2023 Service Fee: $220,000

Celestial Storm’s dam Sebring Dream (Sebring) was a Gr 2 runner up and placed third in two Gr 3’s.

Celestial Storm is her first foal.

It is not surprising the Widden Stud-bred Celestial Storm fetched AU$430,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale of 2022.

She made her debut in a Gr 3 in November 2022 and finished fifth.

To date she has had two wins and four places from nine starts for earnings of AU$88,475 and sticking to 1000m might be the future strategy.

Princess Calla vs Strong 3yos In Paddock Stakes

The small but lion-hearted Beach Bomb (nearest) is one of four three-year-olds among the entries for the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Turf Talk

There will be a clash of almighty proportions in the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on L’Ormarins King’s PLate day January 6.

The queen of the turf, the six-year-old reigning Equus Horse Of The Year, the Sean Tarry-trained Princess Calla, will face the new darling of the SA turf, the unbeaten Mike de Kock-trained Gimme A Nother, as well as the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained pair, the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas runner up Red Palace and the tiny but lion-hearted Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas (CGF) winner Beach Bomb, who is the daughter of a former darling of the SA turf, Beach Beauty.

The Andre Nel-trained Saartjie will also be a contender for an in form stable.

The two notable absentees are the CFG runner up Silver Sanctuary and the champion Mrs Geriatrix and there is also still no sign of last season’s Paddock Stakes victor Make It Snappy.

Mrs Geriatrix is entered in the Gr 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes over 1200m.

The entries for the Cartier Paddock Stakes are shown below.

Race-6 (Turf) R1 000 000 1800m
CARTIER PADDOCK STAKES (WFA) (Grade 1)
For Fillies & Mares at Weight For Age
WFA: 3yrs-6kgs 4yrs-0.5kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance

5	Princess Calla		(6M)	60	127	A	Sean Tarry
3	Double Check		(5M)	60	91	BA	Justin Snaith
10	Saartjie		(4F)	59.5	110	A	Andre Nel
2	Happy Chance		(4F)	59.5	109	A e	Brett Crawford
6	Gold Poker Game		(4F)	59.5	107	A	Candice Bass-Robinson
8	Love Is A Rose		(4F)	59.5	99	AT	Greg Ennion
1	Gimme A Nother		(3F)	54	120	A	Mike de Kock
7	Beach Bomb		(3F)	54	117	A	Candice Bass-Robinson
4	Red Palace		(3F)	54	108	A	Candice Bass-Robinson
0	Double Grand Slam	Scratched	(3F)	54	104	A	Justin Snaith
9	Royals		(3F)	54	103	A	Glen Kotzen
(11)

NHA Hire Top Legal Man For Peter Case

Picture: Paul O’Sullivan (Picture: new24.com)

Turf Talk

The NHA will not be bullied in court in the Tony Peter case.

The Peters have got top legal and horseracing mind Advocate Nigel Rily in their corner.

However, it has been revealed in a Biznews newsletter from Alec Hogg that The NHA have South Africa’s most famous forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan in their corner.

It is going to be a riveting case.

Hogg’s newsletter is published below.

Just under a month ago, a time bomb started ticking for South Africa’s horseracing industry when one of its leading trainers, Anthony Peter, had his remaining runners scratched during Turffontein’s biggest race day of the year. Peter, who saddled the first race winner, is proclaiming his outrage in a very public manner by launching a R70m defamation action against the National Horseracing Authority which he claims defamed him. Complicating matters is the suspension of his runners was lifted the next day. Racing was part of my life for decades. I spent a fortune on my passion – creating SA’s first horseracing newspaper and feeding more bad horses than good- but I still ended up with more than 100 winners. You get the idea. I also fed mares, foals, and stallion owners for many of those years. I also unsuccessfully attempted to replicate Federico Tesio (google him) at a boutique breeding farm in the Midlands of KZN.For a good part of it, I also invested a lot of time, pro bono, as a director of the Racing Association in Gauteng and JSE-listed Phumelela (then in rude health). Reason: racing is a sport of princes and knaves. Unless shenanigans of knaves are rigorously policed, exposed and punished, the entire edifice upon which the industry is built – the studbook and the formbook underpinning it – turns into fiction. I am long gone from the industry and have never met the man, so I have no idea whether Anthony Peter is a prince or a knave. But what I do know is the action taken against him is unprecedented. Which, in horseracing, is saying something. So am fascinated to see how this defamation suit progresses. And progress it will, because the NHA is sure to defend with equal vigour, especially as rumours within the racing community are true – it has one Paul O’Sullivan in its corner. SA’s most famous forensic investigator responded to my email yesterday confirming it: “O’Sullivan Brosnan and Associates have been appointed by the NHA, who are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the sport of horseracing in Southern Africa. We have been appointed for the purpose of investigating certain alleged illicit activities and have already commenced investigations.”The man responsible for putting two SA Police Commissioners behind bars added: “Once criminals get a hold on any sport, the confidence is lost and with it the belief that the sport has integrity. This drives away those that want to play the game by the rules and makes a fertile ground for mafia like take-overs. It also destroys investor confidence, resulting in the ultimate collapse of the sport and all the paid employment that goes with it.“We are not authorised to discuss the merits of our investigations or the outflows from our findings. However, we already have the ‘inside track,’ so to speak, and will give those involved in hanky-panky that is clearly intended to make illicit profits a good run for their money. More than 20 years ago, I was called in to sort out similar challenges facing what was then known as The Jockey Club of Southern Africa. We got it right then, and we’re confident we’ll get it right this time.”Grab your popcorn.

Preview Of Boxing Day's King George Chase

The Paul Nicholls-trained Bravemansgame will be out to defend his King George VI Chase crown in the iconic annual Boxing Day event at Kempton Park (Picture: worldofwomenssport.com)

Assessing The Top Contenders For The King George VI Chase

Joe Eccles (Racing Post)

The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (2.30 Kempton, Tuesday) takes place on Boxing Day and a high-class field looks set to line up in the prestigious Grade 1. Here we go through the form of the leading contenders and produce an early verdict on who will come out on top.

Allaho

Form 11/1-1

Strengths He is a four-time Grade 1-winning chaser who gained two of those top-level victories in successive runnings of the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

He achieved a Racing Post Rating of 179 in both of his Ryanair victories and that figure would have been enough for victory in nine of the last ten runnings of the King George.

He successfully handled the step back up to three miles with a 14-length win in the 2022 Punchestown Gold Cup, producing a career-best RPR of 180 – the same figure that Cue Card achieved in this race in 2015.

Weaknesses He missed last season and, although victorious in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase on last month’s reappearance, this will provide a far greater indication of how much ability remains after his 18-month layoff.

Odds 7-4

What they say

Willie Mullins, trainer: “We’ve made plans for Allaho to go to Kempton. I was very happy with the work he did at the Curragh this morning [Tuesday] so it’s all systems go. The King George is a race I’ve wanted to run him in for quite a while, but for one reason or another he hasn’t made it over there, but things are coming together nicely for him this time.”

Bravemansgame

Form 123-22

Strengths He impressed when landing the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on this card in 2021 and stepped up to take this race 12 months ago, pulling clear under a confident Harry Cobden ride to score by 14 lengths.

He subsequently put up good showings in defeat in both the Cheltenham Gold Cup, when beating all bar the impressive Galopin Des Champs, and the Punchestown Gold Cup, where he was a two-and-a-quarter-length third behind Fastorslow.

He will have been campaigned with this race in mind and the course and distance clearly suit him very well.

Weaknesses He has been beaten at odds-on in both the Charlie Hall and Betfair Chase this season and this looks a significantly tougher assignment.

Odds 5-2

What they say

Bryan Drew, owner: “That [Kempton] will be his big day. It’s hard to be confident after two disappointing runs but he’s A1 and did his best bit of work this morning. We had a winner at Doncaster on Friday and another [at Cheltenham on Saturday], so hopefully our good run continues. Harry Cobden is in really good form as well.”

Gerri Colombe

Form 1121-1

Strengths His only defeat in ten career starts came when going down by a short head to The Real Whacker in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase. He gained Grade 1 wins at Sandown and Aintree on either side of that Cheltenham Festival defeat.

He was sent off the 4-7 favourite for Down Royal’s Champion Chase on his reappearance last month and battled to a neck success, which was a performance worth upgrading as he was forced to switch when making his challenge.

His Down Royal win produced a career-best RPR of 168, and his RPR has now improved run-to-run on each of his last nine starts.

Weaknesses His participation is yet to be confirmed with connections hopeful conditions will turn testing and there’s a suspicion that three miles around Kempton will prove an insufficient test of stamina.

Odds 9-2

What they say

Brian Acheson, owner: “It’s going to be down to the weather whether Gerri Colombe goes to the King George. They’re due a bit of rain early this week but there’s not much after that and, if we travel over, we have to go on Saturday, so we haven’t decided whether he’ll go yet.”

Shishkin

Form 3121-R

Strengths He is a high-class chaser who has gained nine wins from 13 starts over fences, five of those victories coming at Grade 1 level.

He has mainly been campaigned over shorter distances, but his strong-finishing style often suggested that a step up in trip would suit and he confirmed that view when running down Ahoy Senor in the 3m1f Aintree Bowl in April.

He remains open to improvement over staying trips and holds a 4-4 record at Kempton.

Weaknesses He refused to race when the 8-13 favourite for the 1965 Chase at Ascot last month. The weather prevented him from taking up subsequent engagements in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle and Fighting Fifth at Sandown, so he comes into this race both without a run since April and with serious temperament questions to answer.

Odds 7-1

What they say

Nicky Henderson, trainer, speaking on December 9: “The King George is still the plan for Shishkin and he’ll go straight there. It’s too close to the race now to be thinking of anything else. He’ll have plenty of work between now and then.”

How about the remainder?

Venetia Williams’ Royale Pagaille gained a breakthrough Grade 1 win in the Betfair Chase at Haydock last month when holding off Bravemansgame by six and a half lengths. That is his favourite track, however, with his top three RPRs all coming there. He may find this too sharp a test, as he did when a 14-length second to Bravemansgame last year.

The Real Whacker was 3-3 over fences before failing to finish in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham last time out. He had possible excuses for that showing, having been found to have been struck into on his right fore. If he is back to the pick of last season’s form he would warrant serious respect at a track that will suit his positive style of racing.

Shark Hanlon’s Hewick should get his ground and could be well suited to the demands of this track, but this is a big ask on his first start since finishing down the field in the Galway Plate in August.

The 2020 winner Frodon is approaching 12 years old and was well held in the Badger Beer Handicap Chase at Wincanton last month.

Verdict

If Allaho is at his very best this looks his race for the taking, but there has to be a question mark over how much his 18-month absence took out of him, while Shishkin has even bigger questions to answer after refusing to race in the 1965 Chase at Ascot. The safest play appears to be Bravemansgame, who thrives at this track and represents a stable that has won the King George a remarkable 13 times.

Serino Moodley Treble

Serino Moodley clinches his treble on the Robbie and Shannon Hill-trained Sign Of Fate (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Serino Moodley rode a treble on the Hollywoodbets Greyville turf today to add to his double on the poly on Monday.

He is now on 33 wins for the season at a strike rate of 14.54%.

Today’s Question

The Paul Nicholls-trained Kauto Star on his way to a record 5th King George VI Chase. Nicholls has won a record 13 King Georges (Image: Timeform.com)

Which jockey has won the most King George VI chases?