Rockpool (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Rockpool On His Way To KZN

The 109-rated three-year-old Futura gelding Rockpool ran an eyecatching third in the Grade 3 WSB Legal Eagle Stakes over 1800m on Hollywoodbets Kenilworth’s tight Old Course on Saturday, producing a flying finish after being dropped out to last from a wide draw, to finish 0,80 lengths behind his Justin Snaith-trained stablemate Itsrainingwilliam.

The connections said after the race they would keep him in Cape Town to run in the third leg of the Winter Series, the Grade 3 Pocket Power Stakes over 2400m, but they have had a subsequent mind change and he will now be traveling to KZN for the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on June 10 in an attempt to qualify for the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July.

He was not on the first July log, so will probably need to win it to be included in the July final field.

Snaith Racing hinted the Cup Trial would be better for him if it was over 2000m as they clearly believe he will get the July trip.

Nevertheless, owners Nick Jonsson and Nancy Cossack and the Snaith team have decided now to take their chances.

Rockpool is one of the most intriguing horses in training, because he has a huge stride and throws his front legs up high too.

However, he displayed a good turn of foot on Saturday and should be effective on the tight Hollywoodbets Greyville track.

He was bred by Applewood Trading (Pty) Ltd T/A Ndoro Stud and is out of the Jallad mare Miss Delish, who won once over 1400m at Arlington.

Miss Delish has also produced the multiple Listed winner in Zimbabwe, Dindingwe, who is a full sister to Rockpool.

Itsrainingwilliam wins the Grade 3 WSB Legal Eagle Stakes over 1800m under JP van der Merwe (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Drakenstein Stud Just Need One More Stakes Winner To Equal Record

The Justin Snaith-trained three-year-old gelding Itsrainingwilliam became the sixth individual stakes winner for William Longsword when winning the Grade 3 WSB Legal Eagle Stakes over 1800m on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and he was a 17th individual stakes winner for Drakenstein Stud-breds this season.

Drakenstein Stud set a new record last season with 18 individual Stakes winners, so just need two more this term to break that record.

Last season their individual winners won 25 stakes races between them and this season they have also won 25 to date.

Drakenstein are clinging to their lead in their bid to claim a first Breeders Championship.

Their progeny had earned R21,341,238 in stakes by the end of the weekend compared to reigning champions Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, who were on R20,856,588, a lead of just R484,650.

Drakenstein increased that lead today when the William Longsword colt they bred, the Vaughan Marshall-trained Fibonacci, won at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today.

Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) were champion owners last season and are breathing down the Hollywood Syndicate’s neck currently this season.

The Hollywood Syndicate were on R12,624,050 in stakes after the weekend’s racing and Drakenstein were on R12,498,113, a lead of a mere R125,937.

Drakenstein’s individual stakes winners this season are Trip Of Fortune, Charles Dickens, Jet Dark, See It Again, Rain In Holland, Santa Maria, Winter Cloud, Somerset Maughan, Sheela, Grazinginthegrass, Pacaya, Bureau Des Legendes, Gold Poker Game, Dawnofanewday, Future Pearl, Distant Winter and Itsainingwilliam.

Bernard Fayd’herbe (Picture: Hamish Niven).

Fayd’herbe Has Right To Appeal Through SA’s NHA Against One Year Suspension

Bernard Fayd’Herbe has been suspended for a year and fined 100,000 Mauritian rupees after being adjudged by the Mauritian authorities to have cost a horse victory by not riding him vigorously enough in a race on Saturday, May 13.

However, South Africa’s NHA’s rule 91.1.3 coupled with Appendix C in the rule book allows a rider suspended by specified horseracing authorities abroad, including Mauritius, to appeal against the suspension abroad within 90 days of the finalisation of the appeal hearing.

The appointed committee out here may amend and/or vary and/or reduce the penalty accordingly as they deem fit in their sole discretion.

Snaith Racing have announced they would like Fayd’Herbe to ride Pomp And Power in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

The wheel of the racing law will have to move quickly in order for that to happen and it appears by the wording of rule 91.1.3 Fayd’Herbe might have to appeal the suspension in Mauritius first.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE REPLAY OF THE RACE

A look at the video of the race (above) shows his Dominic Zaki-trained mount Castle Of Glass being caught wide in the running in the joint lead.

After being given a reminder around the turn Castle Of Glass enters the straight in front.

Fayd’Herbe is not ultra-vigorous and uses the whip sparingly.

However, on the other hand the horse had been caught wide in the running and it was his second run after a layoff.

Fayd’Herbe might well have been attempting to coax a tiring horse home.

It must be borne in mind the straight at Champ De Mars is an uphill climb.

Weight is lended to the tiring argument, because the horse then begins hanging right despite the whip being in the right hand.

Fayd’Herbe has to put the stick away at this point in order to straighten him.

In the end he just fails to get there in time.

Incidentally, in the process of hanging right, Castle Of Glass interfered with the fastest finisher (an objection later on was overruled).

A look at a previous race of Castle Of Glass’s shows he does not respond any differently in the straight to a vigorous ride (see below video).

CLICK HERE TO WATCH CASTLE OF GLASS RACE ON 23/10/2022

A Mauritian publication describes the incident thus (translated):

The People’s Turf Club jockey, Bernard Fayd’herbe will have time to reflect on his ride to Castle Of Glass in the third race on Saturday 14th May. He received a one-year suspension under rule 43.1 for not riding his horse vigorously. He will also have to pay a fine of Rs 100,000. The racing stewards are of the opinion that this lack of vigor in the straight line cost the victory to Castle Of Glass. Dominique Zaki’s horse just failed against Arlingtons Revenge.

One of the ironies is that Fayd’Herbe has been in devastating form recently on the island.

In his three meetings prior to this one he had had eight wins in eleven rides, including a perfect four-timer on 29 April.

In his rides after the incident he has had two wins in three rides.

Fayd’Herbe was involved in another incident on the island recently when booked off after the first race for failing a breathalyser test.

However, after an investigation it was found the breathalyser was uncalibrated and he was found not guilty.

Instead the People’s Turf PLC CEO Khulwant Ubheeram pleaded guilty on a charge relating to the uncalibrated breathalyser before the Horse Racing Division commissioners on April 24 and was fined Rupees 100,000.

About three meetings after the CEO had been fined the People’s Turf PLC’s jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe was suspended for one year.

The connections of Argentinian-bred Puerto Manzano with the Horse Of The Season trophy (Picture: 4racing)

Puerto Manzano King Of The Highveld

Tab4Racing

Puerto Manzano was the star of the 2023 Highveld Feature Season Awards on Saturday, scooping three of the awards, including the highly coveted Horse Of The Season title.

The five-year-old Argentinian import won the Grade 1 Summer Cup, the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Challenge, and the Grade 3 London News Stakes this season to claim the top prize.
The complete list of winners are:

Champion 2-year-old filly: Mrs Geriatrix
Owner: Magical Lady Syndicate (Nom: Natalie Turner)
Trainer: Sean Tarry
Breeder: Clifton Stud

Champion 2-year-old colt/gelding: Lucky Lad
Owner: Mr AR & Mrs ABL Beck
Trainer: Sean Tarry
Breeder: Varsfontein Stud

Champion 3-year-old-filly: Bless My Stars
Owner: Kestorm Investments (Nom: Kenneth Pillay)
Trainer: Sean Tarry
Breeder: Varsfontein Stud

Champion 3-year-old-colt/gelding: Anfields Rocket
Owner: Hollywood Syndicate (Nom: Mr A Delpech)
Trainer: Grant Maroun
Breeder: Klawervlei Stud

Champion Older Horse: Puerto Manzano (ARG)
Owner: Messrs JF & LMF Wernars & Ms TJ Wernars
Trainer: Johan Janse van Vuuren
Breeder: Haras Carampangue

Champion Older Filly/Mare: Desert Miracle
Owners: Wilgerbosdrift (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mrs M Slack)
Trainer: Mike de Kock
Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein

Champion Sprinter: Isivunguvungu
Owner: Hollywood Syndicate (Nom: Mr A Delpech)
Trainer: Peter Muscutt
Breeder: Narrow Creek Stud

Champion Middle Distance Horse: Puerto Manzano (ARG)
Owner: Messrs JF & LMF Wernars & Ms TJ Wernars
Trainer: Johan Janse van Vuuren
Breeder: Haras Carampangue

Champion Stayer: Son Of Raj
Owner: Mr Steven Chetty
Trainer: Weiho Marwing
Breeder: Mr Steven Chetty

Work Rider of the Season: Sam Mosia

Champion Apprentice Jockey: Philasande Mxoli

Champion Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein

Champion Jockey: Richard Fourie

Champion Trainer: Sean Tarry

Champion Owner: Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs GA Rupert)

Horse of the Season: Puerto Manzano (ARG)

Going Up is an easy winner of the Listed WSB Ladies Mile under Aldo Domeyer and provides another stakes win for the Hollywood Syndicate (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Snaith Moves To 17 Stakes Wins For Season, Bass-Robinson 15

Decades old friends and rivals the Snaiths and the Bass’s both had stakes wins over the weekend and Justin Snaith leap-frogged the previous incumbent season leader in this regard, Sean Tarry.

Snaith won Friday’s Listed WSB East Cape Derby over 2200m on the Fairview poly with Machete Man, an improving three-year-old Act Of War gelding bred by Keivan Stud and ridden by Luyolo Mxothwa.

Act Of War’s third crop was small with just 14 foals and Machete Man is the first stakes winner from it.

He became the Dynasty sire’s fourth individual stakes winner.

Snaith also won Saturday’s Grade 3 WSB Legal Eagle Stakes with William Longsword gelding Itsrainingwilliam ridden by JP van der Merwe.

That took him to 17 stakes wins for the season, one clear of Tarry.

Candice Bass-Robinson won the Listed WSB Ladies Mile with four-year-old Gimmethegreenlight filly Going Up, who was bred by Ridgemont and was ridden by Aldo Domeyer.

That took her to 15 stakes wins for the season.

Devon Pretorius

Devon Pretorius Hollywoodbets Racing Stars Punters Challenge Weekly Winner

Young commentator Devon Pretorius was the winner of the Hollywoodbets Racing Stars Punters Challenge weekly prize last week, joining Darryl Maree and Nino Podesta as weekly winners in May.

Meanwhile, Grant Knowles was awarded a special Purple Cap, a Hollywood Star Trophy, and a hamper at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth last Wednesday for being the first monthly winner of the Racing Stars Challenge and that went alongside the R6250 cash he won, not to mention the R500 he picked up twice for daily Challenge wins and R2500 for one weekly win.

Popular Weighted To Win tipster Darryl Maree is the only player to have won the weekly challenge twice.

Click here every day to see the latest leaderboards.

See It Again (Picture: Candiese Lenferna Photography)

See It Again Heads Daily News Field (Good Fields Woolavington And Lonsdale)

Gold Circle

The Gr1 Daily News 2000 to be run at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday, May 27, is a key race going forward into the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July.

After his late effort in the Gr2 WSB Guineas, See It Again saw his odds slashed for the big race as Michael Roberts attempts to emulate David Payne by riding and training a winner of the July. Piere Strydom, triumphant aboard the gelding in the SpashOut Cape Derby keeps the ride.

The three horses home behind Guineas winner Charles Dickens, including runner-up See It Again, are all in the final Daily News line-up.

Last season’s Equus Champion Two-Year-Old Cousin Casey, fourth in the Guineas, stands his ground for Glen Kotzen who has called on the services of Grant van Niekerk.

Mike de Kock has three entries in Dave The King, third in the Guineas, the recently gelded winner Shoemaker and East Coast, who finished sixth in the Guineas.

Also in the field are Gr1 WSB SA Derby winner Son Of Raj and the Justin Snaith-trained Without Question who recently showed his mettle against a smart field of older horses at Kenilworth. Snaith stable jockey Richard Fourie will be testing the waters on all the likely stable runners before making his choice for the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

For the first time the Gr1 Woolavington 2000, restricted in the past to three-year-old fillies, has been opened up to all comers and has attracted a top field headed by Rain In Holland and Silver Darling, both rated 120 but drawn on opposite sides of the barrier.

Heading the sophomore contingent are None Other and Gr2 WSB Fillies Guineas winner Peach Dauquiri, Saartjie, Hold My Hand and the promising Lady Of Power while last year’s runner-up Light Of The Moon with Piere Strydom aboard will be trying for one better for Barend Botes and Yolanda Vosloo in what should stack up into a tremendous contest.

William Longsword three-year-old gelding Ensuing scored his fourth career win today over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and in the process gave jockey Sean Veale a treble and trainer Vaughan Marshall a double (Picture: Candiese Lenferna)

Veale Treble, Muscutt Treble, Godden Double, Khumalo/Prinsloo Double, Marshall Double

Sean Veale and Peter Muscutt scored trebles at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today, Tristan Godden and Vaughan Marshall scored doubles and S’Manga Khumalo and Tienie Prinsloo had a double together.

Veale goes to 61 wins for the season at 12.35%.

Godden goes to 45 at 11.31%.

Khumalo goes to 133 at 16.22%.

Muscutt goes to 46 at 14.51%.

Prinsloo goes to 8 at 7.48%.

Dr. Fager’s 1min 32 1/5 seconds at Arlington Park in 1968 is the fastest ever mile on dirt and probably the best performance over a mile in history (CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO) but it is not a world record for a mile anymore.

Today’s Question

What is the world record time for a mile in horseracing and by who?

Answer at bottom of the newsletter

Turffontein Inside Fields, Tuesday

Mandurah (Picture: Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO)

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION

The below article was written on Bloodhorse.com on the day a horse called Mandurah set a new world record for a mile (June 6, 2010) and the record still stands today.

Mandurah Sets World Record for Mile on Turf

Mandurah set a world record for one mile on the turf June 6 at Monmouth Park.

By BloodHorse Staff June 6, 2010

A world record for a one-mile turf race was established at Monmouth Park June 6 when Colvin Green’s Mandurah won a starter handicap in 1:31.23 on a firm course at the New Jersey racetrack.

Trained by Grant Forster and ridden by Alex Solis, Mandurah, a 6-year-old gelding by A.P. Indy , took the lead at once and never looked back en route to an 8 1/2-length victory. He carried 114 pounds and paid $23.40 to win.

Fractions for the race were :22.26 for the quarter, :44.76 for the half, and 1:08.13 for six furlongs. Isittruemossy was second, while Fastus Cactus finished third.

The old record for one mile on grass belonged to Mister Light, who ran 1:31.41 Jan. 3, 2005, at Gulfstream Park as a 6-year-old carrying 118 pounds.

The $55,500 event was the first in the four-part Malouf Auto Group Starter Series, which runs throughout the Monmouth meet. The series is for 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $12,500 or less in 2009-10 and haven’t won a stakes since becoming eligible.

“He’s a very talented horse,” Forster told Monmouth officials after the race. “We thought he’d like the firm turf at Monmouth, which he did very well.

“We purchased him privately as a 4-year-old and gelded him. He always trained well in the morning, but didn’t show up in the afternoon. But over this winter we got him in some races and gained his confidence back.”

A winner of three races at Oaklawn Park earlier this year, Mandurah, out of the Machiavellian mare Morning Pride, who was bred in Ireland, was making his first start on turf. His connections plan to continue on in the Malouf Auto Group Starter Series; the next leg, set for June 26, is at 1 1/16 miles.

Turf Talk Newsletter – 22 May, 2023