Miss Paget and a clearly excited Athandiwe Mgudlwa take the Alyson Wright yard in to a three win lead in the KZN Championship. (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Alyson Wright stormed in to the lead in the KZN Trainers Championship after a five-timer on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly today.

This season’s championship has been an intriguing tussle between a number of trainers, with the lead having swapped a number of times.

A purple patch in which she scored six wins in three meetings saw Wright move in to the lead at the beginning of April.

However, Gareth van Zyl’s steady flow of wins since then saw him leading Wright by two wins before today’s (Wednesday’s) meeting.

However, Wright is now back in front by three wins.

She has had 45 wins in KZN this season achieved at a strike rate of 12.20%.

Van Zyl is on 42 wins at 15.11%.

Wendy Whitehead is next best on 38 wins at 11.88%.

Mike Miller and Garth Puller both have 36 wins at 9.47% and 8.93% respectively.

Peter Muscutt is on 32 wins and he has the highest strike rate on the table at 17.58%.

Numbers play a big part in winning the championship and Puller has had the most runs this season of the KZN trainers.

His yard’s horses have had 403 runs, with Miller next on 380, Wright on 369 and Whitehead on 320, while Van Zyl and Muscutt have only had 278 and 182 runs in KZN respectively.

However, Van Zyl would likely have boosted his numbers recently in KZN with the Champions Season now in full swing.

A lot of his best horses were in his yard in Cape Town for the Cape Summer season and some of them would likely have joined his Summerveld yard recently.

Puller, on the other hand, said he had sold a number of horses recently.

Van Zyl was the champion trainer two season ago and was a close second to  Puller last season, with the latter ending on 60 wins and Van Zyl on 57.

Wright, Whitehead and Miller are all chasing their first KZN Championship.

It should be intriguing right until the finish.

The East Cape champion trainer race is intriguing every season, although it has been dominated by the Greeff and Smith yards literally for decades.

Alan Greeff took over the reins from his father Stanley Greeff in the 1990s, while Gavin Smith took over the reins from his father Andy Smith.

Gavin broke a long sequence of championship wins by Alan in the 2021/2022 season with 134 wins to 111.

Last season was a nailbiter, but Smith retained the title with a treble on the last day taking him to 126 with a rare blank on that same day by Greeff leaving him on 121.

However, this season Greeff has come from off the pace to hit the front with just over two months to go. He is on 113 wins to Smith’s 107.

On the Highveld Mike de Kock was crowned Highveld Feature Season champion trainer based on a points system.

If there is another award at the end of the season for the trainer with the most wins in the jurisdiction then Tony Peter is well clear on 79 wins ahead of Mike de Kock and Sean Tarry on 61 apiece. However, if it is decided on stakes then De Kock appears to be leading from Tarry and Peter.

In the Western Cape Justin Snaith has 85 wins to Candice Bass-Robinson’s 72 and he is also well clear in stakes.

Picture: Richard Fourie was at his best on Tuesday on the Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Southern Skies (Vercingetorix), who gave him his 303rd win of the season (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Richard Fourie got the magical 300 mark in his most prolific jurisdiction, KZN, on Sunday at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, but where else has he done well, and on which courses, and which trainer has helped him the most?

He rode a treble on Sunday to reach 302 wins overall and he added another one at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Tuesday and another one on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly today.

KZN, where he has scored 102 wins, is only marginally his most prolific centre this season.

He has had 97 wins in the Eastern Cape.

He has a prolific partnership in the latter centre with Alan Greeff.

The Eastern Cape is where his strike rate is highest at 25.80%.

His strike rate in KZN is only marginally less at 25.44%.

In the Western Cape he has had 75 wins at 19.69%.

On the Highveld he has had 30 wins at 16.76%.

His overall strike rate is 22.80%.

Fourie looks likely to be champion jockey in three centres, KZN, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape.

In KZN he has it wrapped up with his 102 wins being well clear of Serino Moodley on 57 and Rachel Venniker on 55 wins.

That is also the case in the Eastern Cape where his 97 wins are well clear of S’Manga Khumalo on 52 and Luyolo Mxothwa on 42 wins.

In the Western Cape it is a little closer but his 75 wins are still well clear of Grant van Niekerk on 59 and Aldo Domeyer on 57 wins.

On the Highveld it is Gavin Lerena who will take the championship with his 118 wins at a 22.65% strike rate being well clear of Calvin Habib on 74 and Muzi Yeni on 70 wins.

Fourie has had no fewer than 88 wins for Alan Greeff this season. The latter leads the Eastern Cape trainers championship on 113 wins, six clear of Gavin Smith on 107.

Fourie’s most prolific venue is obviously Fairview, which is the Eastern Cape’s only track.

Of his 97 wins there 55 have been on the polytrack at 25.35% and 42 have been on the turf track at 26.42%.

He has had 71 wins at Hollywoodbets Greyville at a strike rate of 24.32%.

Of those 38 at a strike rate of 22.35% have been on the poly and 33 at a strike rate of 27.05% have been on the turf.

He has had 31 wins at Hollywoodbets Scottsville at a high strike rate of 28.44%.

At Hollywoodbets Kenilworth he has had 52 wins at 20.00%.

At Hollywoodbets Durbanville he has had 23 wins at 19.01%.

Fourie has only had 24 rides at the Vaal venue for two wins at 8.33%.

Of those 16 were on the straight course and both of his wins were on that course, so he has a strike rate of 12,5% there and no wins in 8 rides on the Classic track.

Fourie has had 28 wins at the venue of Turffontein at 18.06%.

Of those 16 have been on the Inside track at 23.53% and 12 have been on the Standside track at 13.79%.

It has been phenomenal to watch Richard Fourie becoming more and more dominant as the season progresses and he even seems to have honed his upright driving style. For anybody who believe it to be untidy they should watch some videos of the great Kieren Fallon, because Fourie’s style has become very reminiscent of the latter.

Picture: Lot 61 (CRS)

Basie and Suzette Viljoen’s Hopes and Dreams Stud despatch four babies to the Cape Racing Winter Yearling Sale.

The auction takes place on Thursday, 6^th June at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

Hopes and Dreams is located near Wellington, and is a passionate venture for the thoroughbred-loving Viljoens who have expanded their interests as leading owners in South Africa to becoming commercial breeders.

Lot 61, Royal Clinton is a bay Royal Mo colt out of six-time winning dam Sea Bean. Royal Mo’s best representative to date is ace miler Royal Aussie, who struck paydirt in the Gold Rush and has since gone on to further honours at the top level. Sea Bean was versatile, winning on the sand and turf between 1400m and 2200m.

Lot 79 is a Captain of All filly, out of a daughter of Master of my Fate. The stallion’s best progeny are Stakes winners Linebacker and Shango. This is dam, Underthemistletoe’s first foal – encouragingly the third and fourth dam’s, Whatsinakiss and Kiss of Peace were prolific and successful producers.

Freshman sire Erik the Red, who was a precocious and talented sprint winner of the Cape Merchants, is represented by speedy Valeriana’s first foal. The bay filly is listed as Lot 80.

Following in quick succession, Lot 82 is super-fast five- time winning mare, Via Sacra’s first foal by Captain of All, a Grade 1 winning sprinter. The pedigree suggests that this youngster is built for speed.

The Pinhook incentive scheme, introduced in 2023, will again be a sale feature. The incentive allows speculators to make purchases at this sale while only having to pay for the stock once selling at the Breeze Up Sale in October.

Please note, all graduates qualify for the CRS Juvenile bonus, which pays R100,000 to the winning connections.

For further info about Hopes and Dreams” exciting draft, contact Suzette Viljoen on 082 773 3811 or via e-mail, suzetteviljoen@hotmail.co.za. Or call manager Furdy Swartbooi on 073 919 6285.

DOWNLOAD IMAGES: https://www.caperacingsales.co.za/2024/05/20/crs-winter-yearling-sale-vendor-promotion-hopes-and-dreams-stud/

ENDS 

For racing queries and sales queries, contact Justin Vermaak at justin@caperacing.co.za or Janine van Blerk at janine@caperacing.co.za  

Cape Racing Sales Social Media: 

Facebook: @caperacingsales  

Instagram: @caperacingsales 

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Picture: The connections of star gelding Royal Victory have become closely knit (4Racing) 

In his Off The Record column last weekend Charl Pretorius wrote a touching story about how the dual Gr 1-winning Pathfork gelding Royal Victory is helping two families cope with severe trauma following tragedy.

CLICK HERE TO READ CHARL PRETORIUS’ OFF THE RECORD #27

Shylo Frances riding Zig Zag in the arena at Ashburton Training Centre. Photo: Nqubeko Mbhele

The Hollywoodbets Sponsored programme started in 2021 and has since rehomed 43 horses while helping to improve their performances, leading to multiple wins after their rehabilitation.

Kayla Shaw (The Witness)

Nicole Wille, an advocate for equine welfare, has launched a unique programme aimed at securing a dignified retirement for racehorses once their competitive days are over.

Wille partnered with Hollywoodbets to establish a sanctuary, Life After Racing, that ensures the horses are well cared for post-retirement, having been moved by the short careers racehorses typically have.

“I’ve been privileged to go overseas and experience the industry in America and England,” Wille said.

“I noticed that racehorses have such a short career. Some race until they’re six or seven. Some retire much younger.”

There are so many horses bred throughout the world in a year. So, what happens to them all? Let’s say 50% of them actually make it as racehorses.

And the rest? Wille explained that there is a stigma attached to those who don’t make it and some are put down while others live in terrible conditions.

To ensure that horses, both retired and injured, are treated correctly, Wille pitched the idea of Life After Racing to Hollywoodbets, who agreed to back the initiative.

“We at Hollywoodbets want to ensure that our horses, who give us so much pleasure when they compete at the racetrack, do not end up in these terrible conditions and that they are looked after when they retire,” said Wille.

As a part-timer, she handled a few horses while working full-time at a veterinary hospital. After her nine-to-five day job, she would train and start the rehoming process for the horses.

As it grew, the initiative needed bigger and better facilities, leading it to where it currently resides — Ashburton Hollywoodbets Training Centre.

“[During the growth] it turned into a rehab programme for not only retired horses but also those injured,” she said. “They would go back to training after the programme.”

The programme started in 2021 and has since rehomed 43 horses while helping to improve their performances, leading to multiple wins after their rehabilitation.

It’s a very tough sport on them. Like any athlete, they need physio; they need a break.

The programme starts with an evaluation which she does personally. If necessary, a vet will also be present.

The horse will then be trotted out to see if it is unsound before being touched all over to identify any sensitive spots on their bodies.

“From there, we see where they need help especially with major injuries needing veterinary help,” she said.

“Some just have aches and pains which me and the physio can sort out.”

Wille said most begin with an initial rest for the body to recover, then begin body work with the physio.

“They get various machines put on them like shockwave machines, beamers, and electromagnetic therapy,” she said.

The horses will then go into a light work program which will increase until they begin training again.

Wille explained many tools are used, such as resistant band training, which works the different muscles and helps for an overall better athlete.

Another tool is balance blocks.

The horses go into the lunge ring daily and use an equine treadmill.

Wille also makes use of a signed contract when rehoming a horse. This allows for “close tabs” on the horse’s conditions for Wille and her colleagues.

Shylo Frances (19) has worked with Nicole since the beginning. She and fellow assistant Megan Trott agreed with the need to give back to racing horses.

“It’s pretty great what they’re doing,” Trott said.

“With the way it’s growing, there will be lots of exciting opportunities.”

Meanwhile retired racehorses, when possible, are retrained for dressage, general riding among other things.

Ambiente Friendly and Callum Shepherd storm clear in the Derby Trial at Lingfield Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Derby-winning jockey Martin Dwyer has questioned what more Callum Shepherd could have done after the rider was jocked off the second favourite for this year’s Epsom Classic, Ambiente Friendly, in favour of Robert Havlin on Wednesday.

Shepherd steered Ambiente Friendly to a four-and-a-half-length success in the Lingfield Derby Trial this month and had been looking forward to his first mount in the Derby, only to be informed by owners Tim and Bill Gredley that the ride would be going to Havlin.

Havlin, who pulled off a surprise win aboard Audience in the Lockinge Stakes on Saturday, rode James Fanshawe’s colt in two canters up Newmarket’s Warren Hill on Wednesday morning after Tim Gredley said he and his father had decided to opt for “more experience on the day”.

But Dwyer, who won the Derby on Sir Percy in 2006 and has also enjoyed major Epsom successes on Casual Look in the Oaks and Pyledriver in the Coronation Cup, believes Shepherd has demonstrated the temperament and tactical awareness for a major assignment, arguing his finesse aboard Ambiente Friendly was a contributing factor to his wide-margin success at Lingfield.

“I didn’t think Callum deserved to lose the ride, I think he’s proved himself worthy of riding a big player in the Derby and I don’t see the logic in taking him off,” he said.

“You think to yourself sometimes, what more does he have to do? I think the horse was a bit keen on his first start of the year and Callum did really well to get the horse to switch off last time.”

As the long-time understudy to Frankie Dettori at John and Thady Gosden’s Clarehaven Stables, Havlin has had limited opportunities in the Derby, with seventh place aboard 33-1 shot Humanitarian the better of his two rides in the race.

“It’s great for Rab,” said the recently retired Dwyer, a weighing room contemporary at 48 to Havlin’s 50. “He rode a Group 1 winner the other day, he’s top class and it’s great to see him getting opportunities with top-quality rides because he deserves it.

“But I don’t think Callum deserved to lose that ride. He’s a skilful jockey, he’s shown a good temperament and he rides Epsom well. I see no reason to take him off.”

Shepherd, 26, said on Wednesday that he was “disappointed” with the news but did not wish to comment further. Reflecting on what the jockey will go through over the days leading up to the race a week on Saturday, Dwyer said: “This happened to Tom Marquand four years ago and he played it the right way. Look at him now, he’s probably getting three or four offers in Classics.

“Callum is a smart, articulate lad and he seems to have taken it on the chin, so hopefully he’ll bounce out of it. I’m sure he’ll keep his head down but secretly, if he’s watching that Derby, he’ll be hoping the horse doesn’t win, because I can’t imagine anything worse.”

Havlin expressed sympathy for Shepherd’s situation but said he was now fully concentrated on the job in hand.

“It was a bit of a bolt out of the blue when Tim Gredley called me,” said Havlin. “I have a lot of sympathy for Callum as nobody knows more than me what it feels like to lose rides in this way. I don’t want to get into the politics but I just want to do best by the horse now.

“I sat on the horse on Wednesday morning for the first time and gave him two canters up Warren Hill and the plan is to do the same on Friday and then gallop him on Saturday. Hopefully I can sit on him as much as I can before the big race.”

He added: “I’ve ridden winners for the Gredleys over the years. I’ve only had two rides for them this year and both of them have won. I’ve ridden in the Derby before but I haven’t done much good, I’ve been on maiden winners who found it a tough ask.

“I’d imagine Ambiente Friendly looks to have a good chance after his Lingfield win and I’m looking forward to it.”

Tim Gredley stressed there had been no falling out with Shepherd, saying: “It’s a big call to make but we wanted to have more experience on the day.

“Dad [Bill Gredley] and I have had a chat with Callum and there has been no falling out. He’s ridden us plenty of winners but we thought Rab Havlin had more experience of a big occasion like the Derby, which will be a big day for all of us.”

Fanshawe’s son and assistant Tom said: “Obviously the Gredleys have decided they’d like to have Rab on Ambiente Friendly and he seemed to relax well for him this morning.

“They went up Warren Hill and we’ll keep it simple between now and the race. The plan is to work him on Saturday, ideally on the grass, and we’ll take it from there. Rab has ridden for us before and is an accomplished jockey as you would expect as he rode 100 winners last year.

“We had Audarya win at the Breeders’ Cup four years ago but never a Derby horse like this and the team are very excited.”

Betfred Derby (4.30 Epsom, June 1)

Betfred: 7-4 City Of Troy, 4 Ambiente Friendly, 6 Los Angeles, 12 Ancient Wisdom, 14 Dancing Gemini, Diego Velazquez, Macduff, 20 Bellum Justum, 25 bar

Picture above question: John Velazquez rides Animal Kingdom to victory during the 137th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in 2011 in Louisville, Ky. ASSOCIATED PRESS / MICHAEL CONROY

Valazquez picked up the ride on 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom on the Friday before the big race after owner Barry Irwin decided original jockey Robby Albarado was not fit to ride after breaking his nose.

The race was reported on below by heraldtribune.com:

KENTUCKY DERBY: Replacement jockey gets the ride of a lifetime

BETH HARRISAP Racing Writer

John Velazquez won the Kentucky Derby by a broken nose.

An injury to Animal Kingdom’s regular rider, Robby Albarado, cleared the way for Velazquez to pick up the mount on the 20-1 long shot. Once he took the reins Saturday, he rode his good luck all the way to the winner’s circle.

“For once, I’m on the good end of it,” Velazquez said. “All of a sudden I pick up this one and he wins the Derby, so it was meant to be.”

The last three years, the New York-based jockey came to Churchill Downs with a colt considered a leading contender, only to have it withdrawn.

This time, he was supposed to ride early second choice Uncle Mo before the colt was scratched due to a lingering stomach problem. Then Albarado broke his nose when he was thrown off his horse and kicked in the face before a race three days ago.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

“It’s words that you can’t describe,” Velazquez said. “But I do really feel really bad for Robby. I hope he’s winning the Derby with me here. I know he got hurt, so this is for both of us, buddy. I know you’re not on it, but I know you’re with me.”

He promised to take care of Albarado, although he didn’t specify how.

Trainer Graham Motion got lucky, too.

His top Derby horse, Wood Memorial winner Toby’s Corner, never even made it to Louisville. He had a leg injury and never left Motion’s barn in Maryland.

“Somebody said, ‘Are you surprised to win with a second-tier horse?’ ” Motion said. “I said, ‘I’m not sure we would categorize him as a second-tier horse.’ He’s been an extraordinary horse to train. I was so impressed with how he handled everything.”

Animal Kingdom, who had never raced on dirt before, reacted to his new rider the way a champion should, charging down the middle of the stretch to win by 23/4 lengths. He ran 11/4 miles in 2:02.04 — well off Secretariat’s track record of 1:59.40 in 1973 — and paid $43.80, $19.60 and $13.

Nehro returned $8.80 and $6.40, while Mucho Macho Man was another neck back in third and paid $7 to show.

Dialed In went off as the 5-1 favorite for two-time Derby-winning trainer Nick Zito, but finished eighth.

Mucho Macho Man’s finish for Kathy Ritvo tied her for second-best result by a female trainer in the 137-year-old race. Shelley Riley saddled Casual Lies to a second-place finish in 1992.

Rosie Napravnik was ninth aboard 8-1 second choice Pants On Fire in her bid to become the first female jockey to win.

Animal Kingdom is owned by Team Valor International, a partnership syndicate headed by Barry Irwin, a former writer for the Daily Racing Form, the industry’s bible.

Irwin decided to switch riders when Albarado took Friday off to recuperate.

“It was a tough call because I really like Robby. He’s won a lot of races for us, but we got 20 partners in this horse,” Irwin said. “We got a large investment and I had to do what I thought was best for the partnership.”

Like Velazquez, Irvin said he would make it up to Albarado.

Albarado, who won a $345,600 stakes race on the Derby undercard, found out Friday he was off Animal Kingdom.

“I’m not happy,” he said after the race. “Barry Irwin decided he didn’t think I was fit to ride; he didn’t know my status or situation. This just wasn’t my time today.”

Instead, it was Velazquez’s moment after going 0-for-12 in previous Derby tries.

Animal Kingdom won the Spiral Stakes on the synthetic surface at Turfway Park in his previous start. And though this was his first race on dirt, the winner had an easy trip, with Velazquez doing a masterful job despite being unfamiliar with the horse. They avoided trouble in the 19-horse field while running in the middle of the pack most of the way.

Animal Kingdom swept past the leaders on the final turn and came flying home.

“I didn’t have to do very much,” Velazquez said. “He was going well the whole way around, so he gave me a lot of confidence to be where I was and when I asked him to do something he was there for me. A good horse gets you out of trouble.”

Archarcharch’s storybook trip to the Kentucky Derby ended when the 3-year-old colt pulled up lame in the final yards at Churchill Downs. The Arkansas Derby winner sustained a fracture to his left front leg on Saturday, but on-call veterinarian Dr. Larry Bramlage said it was not a life-threatening injury. “He’s in no distress at all,” Bramlage said. “He walked right on the ambulance. He was lame when he pulled up but it wasn’t a situation where he was in that much trouble.” Bramlage said the horse will require surgery but “it is not an emergency situation.” –The Associated Press