Picture: Felix Coetzee after winning his record-breaking eighth Gold Cup in 2012 on the Dean Kannemeyer-trained In Writing.

Felix Reveals The Keys To Gold Cup Success

Felix Coetzee is in Cape Town for a holiday during the Hong Kong off season where he is chief riding master at their academy.

Next Saturday will herald the tenth anniversary of his record-breaking eighth Gold Cup win and he revealed to Turf Talk the secret to his success in the country’s premier staying race, which these days is sponsored by Marshalls World Of Sport.

He said, “I knew the track well and I got to know it better through running it to keep my weight down. Also when Mr Millard used to have a Gold Cup horse we used to go to Greyville for a gallop about ten days to two weeks before the race and we would gallop for the full Gold Cup distance. So I would take the horse to the exact starting position and then do pace work for the whole two mile distance. This gave me a good feel of the horse (and the course) because I would pick up the pace the whole way and finish well. It gave me a good idea of what I wanted to feel from the horse on race day. So I can recall on a few occasions being very much in touch with the way the horse was travelling beneath me during the race.”

There are two climbs at Hollywoodbets Greyville, the back straight and the climb from about the 1000m mark to the top of the straight.

Felix regards the second climb as the tougher of the two as it is steeper and the horses have travelled further by that stage.

Millard used that hill to his advantage.

Felix said, “We usually needed the race to be a test of stamina, so we used to increase the pace coming up that hill. The horses behind us would have to increase their pace as well and that is what would beat those who were suspect in stamina.”

The yard often used pacemakers too.

Felix recalls when winning it on Bella Bianca, trained by Tony Millard, that Bernard Fayd’Herbe had ridden the pacemaker Chaplin.

He said, “Bernard and I had a very good understanding of what was required. His task was to ride at a certain pace until the top of the straight and he did it to an absolute tee. He needed to have done so too because I only just got up! (by a quarter of a length).”

Felix regards the stout Terrance Millard-trained British-bred mare Devon Air as the best Gold Cup horse he ever rode.

He said, “She was a dour stayer, but she was such a strong front-runner that after the Drill Hall you could just start increasing the pace. This made it impossible for anything to get to her. Any horse who tried to chase her would die and those who didn’t would never get to me anyway. There were some guys who did sit and wait that year. She won easily (by 4,5 lengths from Hawkins).”

He also mentioned the amazing Terrance Millard-trained three-year-old Argentinian-bred gelding Illustrador, whose still celebrated winter season campaign in Durban kicked off with a win in the Grade 3 Rupert Ellis Brown Memorial Plate over 1200m at Clairwood. He then won the Grade 1 SA Guineas and two weeks before the July he won the Natal Derby over 2400m. He won the July by a comfortable 1,30 lengths and then a week before the Gold Cup finished third in the Grade 1 Mainstay International over 1800 at Clairwood from draw 16 of 16.

Illustrador won the Gold Cup by half-a-length carrying 55.5kg.

Felix recalled, “He was an absolute freak, but the key to him was he relaxed so well. You just had to put your hands down and he would relax. You saved energy doing that. Staying the distance was no issue because he was bred for it. But he could win over 1200m, so he obviously did have acceleration too.”

Felix would not have believed he would one day be the Gold Cup’s leading rider in history when sitting on the sidelines in 1983. An ear infection meant he had to be stood down for the ride on the Millard-trained Hawkins, who duly won under Millard’s super sub Mark Sutherland. Hawkins had finished second the previous year and finished second to Devon Air the following year.

Felix’s eight Gold Cup wins beat the seven of Charlie Barends.

Felix’s eight:

2012 – In Writing (Arg) (Editor’s Note) trained by Dean Kannemeyer.

1998 – Bella Bianca (Arg) (Ahmad) trained by Tony Millard.

1996 – Festive Forever (Foveros) trained by Tony Millard.

1990 – Illustrador (Arg) (Cipayo) trained by Terrance Millard.

1988 – Castle Walk (Dancing Champ) trained by Terrance Millard.

1986 – Occult (Kama) trained by Terrance Millard.

1985 – Voodoo Charm (Del Sarto) trained by Terrance Millard.

1984 – Devon Air (GB ) (Sparkler) trained by Terrance Millard.

Picture: Richard Fourie will be aboard last year’s Gold Cup winner, the Sean Tarry-trained Nebraas (Vercingetorix), who is the ruling favourite.

Final Fields For Marshalls World Of Sport Gold Cup Day

Richard Fourie To Ride Jet Dark In Champions Cup, S’Manga Khumalo is on Al Muthana.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE FINAL FIELDS

Picture: The Justin Snaith-trained Silver Falcon (far side) winning on Sunday under Richard Fourie in the familiar Nick Jonsson silks

Silvano Swooping To Claim Another Title

PEDIGREE PROFILE -SILVER FALCON

by Sarah Whitelaw

Well bred gelding Silver Falcon, who showed such heart when winning at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday, lacks nothing in terms of pedigree.

A son of five times South African champion sire Silvano, the talented three-year-old is out of a top-class daughter of another champion South African sire Trippi.

Silver Falcon, who won two of his first four starts, was a R900 000 purchase from the 2020 Cape Premier Yearling Sale, where he was the joint third top priced lot by Silvano.

His deceased sire Silvano has had another fantastic, albeit posthumous season in 2021-2022, with the son of Lomitas having been responsible for nine black type winners of 14 stakes races thus far, and, at the time of writing, is currently leading the South African General Sires premiership. (Silvano also currently ranks third, to his outstanding son Vercingetorix, on the Leading Sires of 3YOs premiership).

Silvano came up with a record-breaking fifth July winner when his daughter Sparkling Water claimed the 2022 Hollywoodbets Durban July, while his other flagbearers in 2021-2022 include the G1 winning three-year-olds Safe Passage and Silver Darling, as well as G1 Brentford FC Garden Province Stakes runner up Marina, and G2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes winner Silver
Operator (Safe Passage and Silver Darling gave their deceased sire a memorable G1 double when they claimed the G1 Daily News 2000 and G1 Woolavington 2000 respectively on the same day).

Another smart performer representing Silvano this season is Silver Falcon’s three-parts brother Silver Host, a multiple graded stakes winner who captured this season’s Listed Woolavington Stakes at Kenilworth.

Silvano has also enjoyed success as a broodmare sire in 2021-2022, and is currently fifth on the Leading Sires of Broodmares log, with his daughters having produced the earners of more than R11.17 million this season thus far.

With some promising two-year-olds to his name this season, it appears the final chapter in the Silvano success story is yet to be written.

However, Silver Falcon has also plenty to crow about in regards to his female line. He is out of the top-class Trippi mare Lanner Falcon, who earned more than R1 million on the track and whose eight career wins included scores in the G2 Diadem Stakes, G3 Champagne Stakes and Listed Ladies Mile. When victorious in the 2015 Diadem, Lanner Falcon accounted for four G1 winners including champion Talktothestars.

The well bred Lanner Falcon is a half-sister not only to the aforementioned Silver Host but also to talented US galloper Dynamic Host (by Dynaformer), who won North America’s G3 Tokyo City Cup and six other races.

Their unraced dam Hosta, a half-sister to G1 Flower Bowl Invitational winner Colstar, was sired by French Deputy, a son of Deputy Minister who has become a very successful broodmare sire. Among the more than 100 stakes winner produced by French Deputy mares are the G1 winning Cape based sire Visionaire, G2 The Debutante winner Rosier, and Japan Cup heroine Shonan
Pandora.

Picture: Horse Chestnut winning the Cape Guineas under Weichong Marwing (Sporting Post)

Weichong Rode 12 Grade 1 Winners In 1998/1999

Jockey Chris Taylor has seen Turf Talk and raised us by five in the search for the proper record for Grade 1 winners in a season.

Turf Talk questioned whether the seven Grade 1 wins of Richard Fourie this season had equaled a record and in its first cursory attempt to find one better discovered Michael Roberts and Felix Coetzee appeared to have had at least one season each of riding seven in a season (see yesterday’s newsletter).

However, Taylor was astonished nobody had remembered the incredible 1998/1999 season of Weichong Marwing, who rode nine Grade 1s for Mike de Kock alone that term and three others.

It was a memorable season for more reasons than one.

The great De Kock-trained Horse Chestnut (Fort Wood) stamped himself that term as one of the greatest thoroughbreds in the history of the South African turf, and in the opinion of most he is the greatest.

Four of Marwing’s Grade 1s that season were on Horse Chestnut, the Cape Guineas by 7,15 lengths, the Met by 8 lengths, the SA Classic by 3,80 lengths and the SA Derby by 9,45 lengths.

Marwing also won the Germiston November Handicap and the First National Bank 1600 on the De Kock-trained Smart Money (Hobnob), the Paddock Stakes and the Cape Derby on the De Kock-trained Dog Wood (Fort Wood), the Champion Stakes at Turffontein on the De Kock-trained Fort Defiance (Fort Wood), the SA Nursery and the Allan Robertson on the Tony Millard-trained Private Reserve (Model Man) and the Grade 1 Sharp Electronics Cup on the James Goodman-trained Gold Tax (Goldkeeper).

It should always be borne in mind when publicizing such records that the pattern only started in South Africa in 1982 and we only joined the IFHA (International Federation of Horseracing Authorities) in 1985, so it would be difficult to ascertain which races counted as Grade 1s in the older eras.

Picture: Alchimist

Why Never A Fuss About Silvano’s Ancestor, Alchimist

Turf Talk stumbled across a German champion stallion called Alchimist a while back when looking for a quote for a “quotable quotes” article.

In the Graham Sharpe book “Classic Horseracing Quotes” the following insert appears:

German Derby winner Alchimist became an unusual casualty of World War II. The grooms at Gradiz, where the highly valued stallion was at stud, fled the advancing Russian troops who relieved their starvation by tucking into what must be pne of the most expensive meals ever consumed.

Other accounts put it a bit differently and states the Gradiz staff took the stallion with them when fleeing, but were not allowed by the Americans to cross the border. The Russians, who were aware of the value of thoroughbred stallions, only killed the horse as a last resort after he refused to load on to their truck.

However, more important is just what an influence Alchimist has been and that was despite his untimely demise as a fifteen-year-old.

His son Birkhan, also a German Derby winner and a multiple champion sire, is the sire of the legendary Urban Sea’s third dam Almyra.

Alchimist also appears as a dam sire on the sire line of Urban Sea’s dam Alegretta.

Urban Sea is dam of both Galileo and Sea The Stars, who need no introduction.

Late German Horse Of The Year Lomitas boasts Alchimist on the sire line of his dam.

Lomitas not only produced five-times SA Champion sire Silvano, who tops the log this year ahead of his son Vercingetorix, but also an Arc winner Danedream.

Alchimist appears no fewer than five times in the pedigree of last year’s Arc winner, the German-bred Torquator Tasso.

Interestingly, Almyra, the third dam of Urban Sea, is a bottom line female on the pedigree of both Torquator Tasso’s sire Alderflug and his dam Tijuana (Toylsome).

Alchimist is the granddam sire of Germany’s first Arc winner in 1975, Star Appeal.

The list of top horses who have Alchimist in their pedigrees will be endless considering the above pedigrees he features in.

His influence clearly does not just come from one fluke accurence either.

However, he appears to be just a footnote in the thoroughbred annals.

Picture: Westover (Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images))

Confirmed Runners And Riders For The 2022 King George

Westover: Irish Derby winner is the market leader for the King George at Ascot.

By Liam Headd (Racing Post)

The mouthwatering clash between Irish Derby winner Westover and Oaks runner-up Emily Upjohn is on after the pair were among the confirmed runners for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (3.35) at Ascot on Saturday.

All six runners confirmed on Monday will line up in the Group 1 contest with last year’s runner-up Mishriff, Arc hero Torquator Tasso, Broome and Pyledriver also taking their chance.

Despite a small field, the quality is clear and it is the Ralph Beckett-trained Westover who leads the market at 11-8.

The son of Frankel will once again be partnered by Colin Keane after the pair won by seven lengths in the Irish Derby at the Curragh last month.

His main market rival is Emily Upjohn, whose unbeaten record came to an end when she was beaten a short head by the Aidan O’Brien-trained Tuesday at Epsom.

Frankie Dettori, who steered the three-year-old filly that day, will once again partner her at Ascot.

John and Thady Gosden will also be represented by Mishriff, who will be ridden by James Doyle after owner Prince Faisal and rider David Egan’s partnership came to an end.

The five-year-old was beaten a neck by Vadeni in the Coral-Eclipse on his last start.

Last year’s shock Arc winner Torquator Tasso will again look to defy the odds, while course-and-distance Royal Ascot winner Broome is Aidan O’Brien’s only runner.

Claymore heads a field of five for the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes (3.15) on Saturday.

The Jane Chapple-Hyam three-year-old is an 11-8 shot with William Hill and the son of New Bay will attempt to follow up his Hampton Court success at Royal Ascot.

William Haggas has entered last year’s Qipco Champion Stakes runner-up Dubai Honour, who will be making his first start in Britain since October.

The Mohamed Obaida-owned four-year-old has, however, featured on two other occasions since then. He finished fourth in the Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin in December before running home 10th in the Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic.

Dubai Future will represent Saeed bin Suroor and the son of Dubawi comes into the 1m2½f having won over the same distance in the Wolferton at the royal meeting.

2020 Royal Hunt winner Sir Busker and Dark Moon Rising complete the field of five.

King George confirmed runners and riders

Broome Ryan Moore

Mishriff James Doyle

Pyledriver PJ McDonald

Torquator Tasso Rene Piechulek

Westover Colin Keane

Emily Upjohn Frankie Dettori

York Stakes confirmed runners and riders

Claymore David Egan

Dubai Honour Stevie Donohoe

Dubai Future Adam Kirby

Sir Busker Ben Curtis

Dark Moon Rising Kevin Stott

Pedigree punting: King George verdict and 1-2-3 prediction

1 Westover

2 Torquator Tasso

3 Emily Upjohn

A race that could end up being pretty tactical, although Broome might well attempt to lead from the off. Admirable campaigner though he is, the Ballydoyle runner could set it up nicely for Westover, Torquator Tasso and Emily Upjohn, with preference for the first-named over last year’s Arc winner.

Emily Upjohn has to be respected given her profile and weight allowance, although this is her first test against colts and older horses. Westover is also coming up against older horses for the first time but strikes as streetwise enough for this test.

Kitty Trice, Racing Post bloodstock reporter

This content was first published in Kitty Trice’s Pedigree Punting column in Wednesday’s Racing Post Weekender. Read more from Kitty and star Weekender contributors such as leading tipsters Tom Segal and Paul Kealy and exclusive columnist Ed Walker every week.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (Ascot, 3.35 Saturday)

SkyBet: 5-4 Westover, 9-4 Emily Upjohn, 10-3 Mishriff, 12 Pyledriver, 20 Torquator Tasso, Broome

Sky Bet York Stakes (York, 3.15 Saturday)

William Hill: 11-8 Claymore, 5-2 Dubai Honour, 7-2 Dubai Future, 10-1 Sir Busker, 14 Dark Moon Rising

Baaeed: unbeaten in eight starts

Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Baaeed And Coroebus To Clash In Sussex Stakes

By Jonathan Harding (Racing Post)

Baaeed remains in contention for Wednesday’s Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood after he was confirmed for the Group 1 alongside eight rivals including 2,000 Guineas and Royal Ascot winner Coroebus.

The four-year-old extended his unbeaten record to eight when landing the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot for William Haggas and is the general odds-on favourite to score next week.

Last year’s winner Alcohol Free, who won the Group 1 July Cup over six furlongs this month, is still in the mix for Goodwood, while Minstrel Stakes winner Order Of Australia could line up for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Godolphin has won the race three times and is set to be represented by Modern Games, winner of the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, alongside Coroebus for Charlie Appleby.

Japanese contender Bathrat Leon, who won the Godolphin Mile at Meydan in March, adds some international flavour, while Chindit, Angel Bleu and Sacred make up the rest of the home challenge.

Sussex Stakes confirmations:

Baaeed

Bathrat Leon

Chindit

Order Of Australia

Alcohol Free

Sacred

Angel Bleu

Coroebus

Modern Games

Qatar Sussex Stakes (Wednesday 3.35, Goodwood)

Coral: 2-5 Baaeed, 5-2 Coroebus, 14-1 Alcohol Free, Order Of Australia, 20-1 Modern Games, 25-1 Bathrat Leon, Chindit.

Canford Cliffs Is Making It Happen!

Ridgemont Highlands five time Group 1 winning stallion Canford Cliffs (Tagula) maintained his extraordinary momentum as a pacesetting South African Freshman Sire this season when celebrating his 14th individual winner in the shape of the smart-looking Tabby Kat, who won at her fourth start at Turffontein on Saturday.

By reaching the milestone 14 winners mark, Canford Cliffs maintains his position at the top of the freshman charts and equals the achievement of star stallions Western Winter, Trippi, Gimmethegreenlight, and his own barnmate Rafeef, for first season juvenile winners.

“We really could not have asked for more from Canford Cliffs in his first season, and the combination of the start he has made mixed with the fact that his progeny seem to get better and better the closer they get to a mile is very impressive. He introduces a mix of speed and stamina, and the encouraging aspect is that his offspring were never anticipated to show any precocity. So they are up and running on ability, with plenty of scope. All the trainers have done a fantastic job with the Canford Cliffs progeny they have, and the reports we get back are very exciting!”, said Craig Carey

Having shown good toe over the sprints, the Azzie family-trained Tabby Kat won at odds-on at her second try at a mile on Saturday, and looks to be a youngster going places.

Bred by Ridgemont Highlands from the Machiavellian four-time winner Kindly Kat, Tabby Kat was a R325 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale purchase and has provided thrills and an early return for owner Adam Azzie.

With just two weeks left of the South African racing season, and with his runners showing form across the country, the future is looking very bright for Canford Cliffs and his progeny.

*The second highest number of winners for a freshman sire is the eight scored by Erupt and the fact the NHA have confirmed Canford Cliffs is not eligible for the Freshman Championship, having stood overseas before, will not detract breeders and buyers from their interest in Canford Cliffs.

Entry Form For CTS Ready To Run
& Unbroken Two Year Old Sale 2022

29 October 2022

Entry Form Closing Date 30 July 2022

CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY FORM: CTS RTR SALE 2022.pdf

The CTS RTR SALE 2022 will be held at Kenilworth Racecourse.

Please complete the above form IN FULL and return to: entries@cthbs.com

Contact And EFT Details are listed on the Entry form.

Picture: Muzi Yeni rides the Lucky Houdalakis-trained Fantasy Flower (Flower Alley) to victory in the seventh race today over 1600m. (JC Photos).

Muzi Yeni Five Short Of 2000

Muzi Yeni rode a double at the Vaal Classic track today and it took him within five of 2000 career winners.

This season he has now ridden 159 winners at a strike rate of 11.51%.

Paul Peter also scored a double to extend his record number of winners in a season to 218 and he has done it at a strike rate of 18.24%.

Today’s Question

What was unusual about the 1838 Epsom Derby winner Amato?

Picture: Amato (wikipedia)

Fairview Friday Turf July 22 Fields

Today’s Question Answer

Amato was an Epsom-bred horse and was trained at Epsom too.

He won the Derby on debut under Jem Chapple, but was then injured and retired to stud.

He thus won the Derby in his only ever start.

Amato was bred at The Durdans in Epsom by Sir Gilbert Heathcote.

He was trained by local trainer Ralph Sherwood.

He was a popular winner and today stands a public house, ‘The Amato’ (changed names recently to The Grumpy Mole) named in honour of the Derby winner. In a tradition going back 170 years the publican tips the winner of the Derby and displays the name for the race goers on the morning of The Derby.

The Amato’s Derby tip this year, Walk Of Stars, finished stone last.

A stone in the grounds of the historic Durdans Stables still marks the spot where Amato was buried in 1841 (see below).

Amato was painted by John Frederick Herring Snr.

Turf Talk Newsletter – 21 July 2022