See It Again Set For Comeback, Striker To Ride
See It Again after winning the Splash Out Cape Derby (Wayne Marks)
Trainer Michael Roberts confirmed his superstar Twice Over colt See It Again will make his reappearance on Saturday the 28th and Piere Strydom will retain the ride.
Strydom had been offered a few rides at the big Turffontein Standside Allied Steelrode On A Mission Charity Mile meeting but as a testament to his commitment to See It Again he will jump off those rides just to come down for the ride on the big horse. He said after all See It Again was the horse who had caused his retirement to be put on hold.
See It Again has been entered for a Pinnacle Stakes race over 1600m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville turf.
According to the benchmarks for the race, the 131 merit rated colt will carry 62kg and the second highest rated horse in the field, the 105 rated Airways Law, will carry 59kg.
So it should be a doddle for See It Again.
However, Roberts said, “It is just a warm up run, but I have been happy with him.”
He said he would just take it race by race in consultation with owner Nick Jonsson.
There might be two other horses from the Roberts yard going down to Cape Town with See It Again.
By a mutual agreement with owner Tommy Crowe and former trainer Doug Campbell, the smart Rabada gelding Ermelo has moved to the Roberts yard.
The reason for this is he has had issues, including in the starting stalls, and his regular rider Rachel Venniker will be able to give a lot of attention to these issues at her home base of Summerveld.
He will eventually return to the Campbell yard.
Sunblushed was also set to go to Cape Town, but when tried over further last time (1900m) this normally good tempered The United States gelding cocked his jaw and ran off the course.
Roberts rates this horse and shelved a plan to go for the Charity Mile, because he would unlikely get in with so many highly rated entries, and he might now go for the Grand Heritage.
Cape Town is also still an option.
King Of The Gauls Likely To Be Gelded After Travelling To The Cape
King Of The Gauls talented and set to have necessary gelding (Picture: Candiese Lenferna)
Finishing a 2,65 length fourth in a MR 81 Handicap off an 88 merit rating is hardly the stuff of champions but part-owner Robert Bloomberg blamed himself for the much vaunted King Of The Gauls disappointing performance over 1000m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly on Wednesday.
He said about the Tony Rivalland-trained Vercingetorix colt, “There is nothing in the yard who can work with him, there are good horses whom he just thrashes, his work is nothing short of phenomenal. In his last gallop the guy couldn’t pull the horse up and he couldn’t blow out a candle. After the race on Wednesday he was heaving and that is haemoconcentration, so I’m probably to blame for that part (he was advised the horse needed gelding). What I’m not to blame for and I think Tony concurs is he put Mr Henley in the race, he nearly won the race, and told Richard to sit behind him. It turned out not to be a good move because the horse came out with gatespeed and Richard then took a hold and the horse stuck his head in the air. Sometimes these horses just like to be left alone and do it themselves.”
King Of The Gauls moved up briefly in the straight but his race was run and he found little extra.
However, Robert revealed that Fourie had been high in his praise of King Of The Gauls in the build up to the race. He reiterated it after the race, but concurred with the opinion that he needed to be gelded as “he is far too big”.
Robert admitted, “I had said to Tony before this race this saying of mine, ‘With expectation comes disappointment’ and that is so true in racing. We were hoping he would win that race, because he is far better than an 88. and then come to the Cape and maybe have a crack at the Guineas etc.”
He continued, “Hoever, he does qualify for the R7.5 million Gold Rush sales race.”
The Maine Chance Farms-bred Vercingetorix colt was due to be on a float to Cape Town next week and that is still likely to be the plan.
He will stay with Paddy Kruyer and will probably be gelded in Cape Town.
Richard Fourie will also continue to partner him.
More should be heard from this horse and he should be followed after gelding.
Sally’s Four Will Hit The Targets At Ready To Run
Cape Racing
Veteran breeder Sally Bruss has consigned four lots under her Target Acquired banner to
Sunday’s Ready To Run and Unbroken Two-Year-Old Sale at Hollywoodbets Durbanville.
“We have four nice horses at this sale; I am very happy with what I’ve seen,” Sally said.
Lot 28 Full Moon b c Fire Away – Luna Child (pictured above headline)
“A well-bred Pinhook, he is from a good, up-and-coming stallion out of a Listed-placed mare. I went to watch him gallop at Durbanville. He is neat and athletic, well balanced with a lovely action.”
Lot 104 Roman’s Revenge b c Fire Away – Chambre (pictured below)
“Another Fire Away, this one being sold in halter. An attractive colt, tall and athletic, from the potent Nacarat family (Red Ray, Brutal Force, et al.).”
Lot 7 Winter Emmeralds ch c What A Winter – Emerald Gal (pictured below)
“A forward-going, precocious type who shows speed. Expected to be a competitive sort in the two-year-old races. He is a nice, progressive specimen who should break his maiden as
a two-year-old. He gets fit in his work; he’s a horse to like.”
Lot 64 French Flame b c Fire Away – VAR Countess (pictured below)
“He’s a good mover, likes his work. He’s got scope and depth, one that should train on.
His half-brother Avignon won over 1800m this week. He has pace, quality, and substance
about him.”
Cape Racing Sales Ready To Run Stakes Preview (Saturday)
Tail Of The Comet is looking good in Cape Town (Photo: Chase Liebenberg)
Woodhill Four Are Ready To Raise The Bar
Lot 6 on the Cape Racing Sales Ready To Run and Unbroken 2yo Sale, which takes place at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Sunday, is a smashing The United States colt from Woodhill (Cape Racing Sales).
Glen Kotzen speaks with enthusiasm about the four lots he has consigned via Woodhill Racing to the 2023 Ready To Run and Two-Year-Old Unbroken Sale at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Sunday.
Here are Glen’s comments:
Lot 6 Stated ch c The United States x Duchess’s Greeting (pictured above headline)
“We’ve consigned this colt on behalf of clients. He’s a beautiful specimen, a first foal from an unraced Duke Of Marmalade mare; he has been an excellent broodmare sire. There are a few interesting updates to note. Winter Greeting (see second dam) won another good race just last week, a classy filly. Greeting My Master (see second dam) recently ran third in a Progress Plate to the smart Hluhluwe. Stated is a beautifully balanced colt moves exceptionally well. He was bought on the CRS Winter Mixed Sale, so he qualifies for the CRS Juvenile Bonus.”
Lot 15 Unnamed ch f What A Winter x Hidden Thought (pictured below)
“This filly is out of a half-sister to Hidden Beauty, a smart Graded winner I bought for Fred Crabbia some years ago. It’s a good quality family with nice, honest horses. She is well balanced, has grown into a beautiful filly that stands over ground and has a magnificent action and temperament. She was bought at the KZN sale and qualifies for the Double Bonus Incentive.”
Lot 78 Unnamed b c Trippi x Captivating (pictured below)
“He is a first foal by a champion sire from a mare by our champion broodmare sire, bought at the National Sale. He is a bit behind the others, but he is a beautifully balanced colt with beautiful Trippi quality in him. He is deep in the girth, not the biggest, but with lots to come. He still has some growing and will need some time, but he has a strong pedigree and everything in the right places. He is going to be a nice horse. He is a Double Bonus candidate.”
Lot 78A Unnamed b c Soqrat x Capulet (pictured below)
“By Soqrat, who is in high demand, out of a smart Captain Al full sister to Secret Obsession, the dam of Bunker Hunt and Salvator Mundi – good solid black type in the second dam. He was bought off the August Two-Year-Old Sale and is a Double Bonus candidate. An imposing horse who stands over the ground, he is some way behind the others as far as his work goes, but he has a very nice action and the Soqrat’s look like they’re going to run. Soqrat’s progeny have been well received at previous sales.”
Fourie Treble, Mxothwa Double, Mitchley Double, Smith Double
The Alan Greeff-trained Twice Over mare Official Secret gives Richard Fourie his treble on the Fairview poly today (Pauline Herman Photography).
Richard Fourie is just two wins from the top of the national jockeys log after a treble on the Fairview poly today, two of which were for Kelly Mitchley.
Luyolo Mxothwa and Gavin Smith also had individual doubles on the day.
Fourie is now on 61 wins, just two behind Muzi Yeni, and he has done it at a strike rate of 21.03%.
Mxothwa is on 15 wins at 10.34%.
Mitchley is on 17 wins at 12.98% and considering she only took out her trainers license last year her current ninth position on the national trainers log is remarkable.
Smith is on 23 wins at 8.98%.
Today’s Question
The legendary Natal and Springbok rugby hero Tommy Bedford (Picture: The Citizen)
What was Natal and Springbok rugby legend Tommy Bedford’s association with horseracing?
Today’s Question Answer
Tommy Bedord designed the South African Jockey Academy, which was built by Silvermine Construction.
Bedford’s legend is always associated with his famous two’s up at a post-match cocktail party to the Springbok selectors, a protest against the lack of Natal players in the Bok squad. The incident and his persona is superbly captured in the below article which was written in 2009 by the top sporting journalist, John Bishop.
Two’s Up Tommy
by John Bishop (The Citizen)
THOMAS Pleydell Bedford would delight in the irony.
On a famous night, back in July, 1974, and in most august company, Tommy Bedford staged his one-man protest at the lack of Natal players in the Springbok team to play the British Lions.
Bedford, in front of that large gathering at a post-match British Lions reception (close to 50 years ago), welcomed the Springbok selectors.
“I congratulate you on finally finding your way to Durban,” he said, “Welcome, welcome,” and then raised his fingers in a two-fingered salute and held the pose.
The Durban architect was angry that none of his Natal team-mates had found their way into the South African Test squad during a disastrous season when players from other provinces were going in and out the Springbok team like a dose of salts.
Dramatic wasn’t the word for Bedford’s action. Cocktail parties were a time for handshakes, politeness and cheerful conversation, not harsh political statements, and the conservative South African rugby hierarchy that day was stunned.
“I think it’s ironic,” said a smiling Bedford at the time, “that Natal are now being put forward as South Africa’s last hope. The last outpost of the British Empire is the last hope for South Africa.”
Briefly, it seemed that Bedford would have his impossible dream that afternoon.
They were 9-6 down with 10 minutes remaining and the Lions, who had 70% of the ball but spent much of the game kicking it away, appeared rattled. And they took it out on Bedford.
First came JPR Williams, a talented but abrasive fullback who showed on tour that he was prepared to run vast distances to join a scrap. The fist-flying Welsh doctor, who seemed eminently qualified to both inflict damage on opponents and then repair them, launched what seemed an unprovoked attack on Bedford after being tackled by him into touch. Bedford, lying in the foetal position and covering his head, was struck several times before a spectator restrained Williams.
Moments later, at the back of a lineout, Lions prop Fran Cotton flattened Bedford. The referee did nothing, but the crowd did and bottles, tins and naartjies, the standard ammunition of the rugby spectator in those days, were tossed on to King’s Park and McBride took his players to the middle of the field until order was restored.
Referee Piet Robbertse, who Bedford later said was trying to impress the Lions so that he might be appointed to handle the fourth Test, added a bizarre 11 minutes of injury time to the game and in that period Natal folded and the Lions scored 21 points for a 34-6 win.
Bedford was hurting afterwards and it certainly showed in his actions and words.
A Rhodes scholar, he had played rugby for Oxford and said British rugby had provided him with the most enjoyable moments of his career.
“But I saw another side of British rugby today and I know which I prefer,” he added darkly.
The Natal captain did keep his sense of humour. He said South Africans had been bewildered by the Lions’ excellent scrummaging on their tour. He had done his research in East London, he said, where the Lions had played their midweek game against Border just days before.
Holding up a Daily Despatch newspaper banner which read “LIONS AND GIRLS IN NUDE SCRUM”, Bedford said he had found the secret, adding that the Boks had simply been doing the wrong type of training.
JPR may have escaped the referee’s attention during the game, but later in the evening he was cornered and harangued — this time by Bedford’s wife. It certainly was a day to remember — for Williams, Bedford and and indeed everyone at that reception.
There was a further irony. A year later and Williams was back in Durban with fellow-Lions, wing JJ Williams and prop Mighty Mouse McLauchlan — playing for Natal with Bedford as their captain.
The Bloemfontein-born Bedford was a remarkable player. He weighed just over 70 kg when he made his Natal debut as a 19-year-old at a time when the Banana Boys, with small forwards, little possession but big hearts, played a daring, unique style of rugby.
Two years later, this instinctive and astonishingly quick loose forward joined the giants in the Bok pack and with Jan Ellis and Piet Greyling formed one of the Springboks’ most effective backrows.
He played 25 Tests over an eight-year period, but his loyalty to his beloved Natal was even more remarkable, with 16 years (1961-76) of service, and he became the province’s most-capped player (119 games).
It was his outspoken views against the apartheid government and those running rugby — “from their grass-chairs” — in South Africa and Natal that kept him in the headlines in his later years.
He was once a Witness columnist and always kept up a relentless attack on the game’s bosses.
Today he is settled in London and there are self-serving South African rugby administrators and interfering little men in parliament who will be relieved about that.
Bedford prompts vivid memories of a remarkable time and none is more vivid than the night of July 20, 1974. They just don’t make cocktail parties like that anymore.
