Fourie Barometer 382 (updated after racing on 24/07/2024)

Champion Warren Kennedy Speaks About His NZ Success

Warren Kennedy rides another winner for his chief supporters, the famous Cambridge Stud of Brendan and Joe Lindsay’s (Picture: raceformbl.nz).

Most South Africans have an image of NZ as being a small country but twice South African champion jockey Warren Kennedy said chasing the championship had required more travel and been just as taxing on him as it had been in South Africa.

Kennedy has the championship in the bag as his nearest rival, reigning champion Michael McNab, has been laid off for the rest of the season with what has been found to be a fractured vertebra.

“He (Kennedy) has been equal parts magnificent in the saddle, professional out of it and robotic in his determination to add the New Zealand jockey’s title to the two premierships he won in his native South Africa,” wrote journalist Michael Guerin in the New Zealand Herald.

“To move to New Zealand as a total unknown here and win the premiership inside two years defies belief and McNab can take comfort he has conceded his title to a horseman of rare talent and drive.”

Warren said in an interview with Turf Talk, “Mission accomplished! It was unfortunate for Michael that he got injured, but that’s the way racing is and I am relieved that it’s all said and done now, to be honest.”

Warren can look back on a magnificent season in more ways than one.

He could well be the first foreigner to win the New Zealand premiership.

He has ridden 135 winners at a rate of one win every 6.11 rides and is the leading rider in both stakes earning and in number of stakes race victories.

His earnings are NZ$5,910,340 (R64,245,395) and he has won 17 Graded and Listed races combined.

He became the first jockey to ever surpass NZ$5 million in stakes earnings in one New Zealand season and he will set a new record earnings mark.

On New Year’s day he became the first jockey in NZ history to ride seven winners on a day and the seven wins from nine rides included one Gr 1 and three Gr 2s.

He said there is a strong press presence in New Zealand racing and the seven winners were given a huge amount of coverage in the written press and through interviews.

However, Warren in typically humble style took something different out of it and said, “When I had six winners in SA once Garth Puller said well done to me but added ‘Just remember I have ridden seven in a day!’, Well now I can tell Garth I’ve also ridden seven!”

He said he had been expecting about two or three winners on the morning of that immense day.

Yet, despite having had a busy big race schedule, Warren said possibly the biggest pressure he had felt all season was riding a first winner for his wife Barbara.

He said, “She knows the game and she knows how it goes and all that, but you want to get that monkey off the back, that first winner just to prove to everyone that she’s capable of training horses and winning races. We thought that horse could win and there was a lot of pressure on us, but once the filly passed the line it was, ‘Oh, thank goodness, I can focus on the championship again!'”

Barabara grabbed the opportunity to take over Peter and Dawn Williams’ successful barn at Byerley Park from the beginning of June and Warren emphasised how hard she had been working. This is particularly in light of there being quite a lot of differences between training in New Zealand and South Africa. The work has paid dividends as her barn is now just about full with 26 horses.

Warren said chasing a championship in South Africa had been comparitively easy from a travel point of view.

He said, “In SA you just fly into the major centres and you’re just about on course. But In New Zealand to get to some courses requires a two hour flight and a three hour drive. There are some pretty remote race courses and it’s quite a mission to get there, so it’s been very, very busy, really a lot of travelling.

Warren and Barbara live in Auckland and are close to the country’s main racecourse , Ellerslie. That has some advantages, but it sticks Warren a long way from most of the other courses. For example Taupo racecourse is about an hour-and-a-half away for a lot of North Island trainers. but for him it is a three hour drive. He said also that the traffic in Auckland is “horrendous”, “Worse than J’Burg!”

He has generally had less rides per week than he had in SA, because although there are opportunities to ride most days some of them are not enticing.

He said, “They’ll have a meeting at some country race course that you don’t really want to be riding at, there are a quite a lot of inexperienced riders around and you don’t want to really be riding there. There’s North Island and South Island racing and and come wintertime it’s bitterly cold down in the south, so you don’t really travel that much around there in winter.”

The racing in New Zealand tails off a lot in winter.

Warren said, “A lot of the horses go out for spells in the winter. The winter is very wet, so they don’t really run the good horses on all the real wet and heavy tracks. They save them for the spring and summer, when it’s all the big races. So all those good horses you’re associated with at the start of the season, they fall away come April. Then you are scrounging to get rides on the rest of them.”

However, during the Summer he was averaging about four to five meetings a week.

He had to adapt to the racecourses too, which are generally different to South Africa.

He said, “Some of the courses are very, very tight, they have straights of about 250m. And there are no false rails in New Zealand, so it gets very tight and you’ve got to make room for your horse. So it was a bit of an adaption and the tracks they are prepared to still ride on are extremely heavy. They call it a heavy tenure, and it is proper slosh, but they are all natural-based tracks, so the horses don’t really falter. So they go in deep, but it’s safe. They go in really, really deep and the first couple of times I rode here when it was so wet I was looking around and thinking ‘Are we really going to race on this? I’m not used to riding on this and if this was in South Africa the meeting would be cancelled!’ But, it’s how they race here and in the wintertime, with the good horses put away, they’ve got the horses for these sort of tracks.”

However, from Warren’s experience the generally more testing New Zealand going does not make the tracks more suitable for a certain type of action.

He said, “They’ve got their sort of graph of heavy tracks, so once you get to an eight, it’s pretty heavy. But every track is different and some of the tracks play differently. So they will for example call it a heavy ten because that’s what the readings give them and some horses don’t run on it. Heavy trackers sometimes don’t run on those tracks and yet they’ll run on another heavy ten track and win as they like. It’s really funny. There’s a lot of different courses and it’s difficult. Horses adapt to some of them and don’t adapt to the others. It’s really hit and miss here, to be honest, and the wintertime it’s really hits and miss.”

Warren has been associated with some top horses this season.

Last season he rode the top three-year-old filly Prowess to two Gr 2 wins and a Listed win before she went over to Australia and won the Gr 1 Vinery Stud Stakes under Mark Zahra.

He said he could not say she was the best filly he had ever ridden “because I have ridden Summer Pudding!”.

He added, “I would say one thing though, she reminded me of Summer Pudding. She has a big engine and she just kept unwinding, just like Summer Pudding would do. It’s difficult to say which one is better.”

He rode the crack three-year-old Crocetti to seven wins in succession, including a Gr 1, a Gr 2 and two Gr 3s, before he lost his unbeaten record when second in his first race in open company.

He has ridden the top filly Orchestral to Gr 3 success and, like Prowess, she was also sent to Australia and she also won the Gr 1 Vinery Stud Stakes.

Comparing horses in general in New Zealand to SA he said, “I’d say up to a mile South Africa’s probably got the better ones, but SA doesn’t have stayers anymore. They’re bred to stay here, so they’re much tougher and they go the trip they are bred for.”

Former South African Jockey Donavan Mansour was Warren’s agent and was instrumental in him moving to NZ. However, he will have a new agent this season as Donovan is going into a new venture. Warren’s new “manager” (as agents are called over there) will be former jockey Leith Innes.

The chief man to thank for luring Warren to New Zealand is the owner and breeder Daniel Nakhle.

However, his chief supporters have been Brendan and Joe Lindsay of the famous Cambridge Stud, which they took over from Sir Patrick Hogan.

Hogan’s selection of the legendary stallion Sir Tristram in the mid-1970s changed the face of Australasian breeding. Sir Tristram sired 45 Gr 1 winners, which was at one stage a world record. Danehill overtook his mark and Sir Tristram’s son Zabeel, who also stood at Cambridge, also surpassed that mark.

Warren said the appreciation of Sir Tristram and Zabeel is ever present on the stud farm through a statue of the former and multiple memoribilia.

On life in general in NZ he said family life was a major improvement, because it was really safe to the extent they could sleep with their doors open. They live on a two acre plot with no gates and no burglar bars and it has paddocks on one side and the main road on the other.

He said schooling for their little ones was also great.

However, he added that the cost of living was very expensive and gave the example of a small fist-sized mango costing the equivalent of R90. Rent is also very expensive.

However, overall they are enjoying life over there.

He added, “We do miss Woolworths though! They’ve got a store called Woolworths, but it’s nothing like the Woolworths we’ve got in South Africa, it’s absolutely nothing like it!”

Warren concluded by saying his New Zealand jockeys premiership victory was important for more than just himself and his family as he believed it would pave the way for more SA jockeys to be accepted over there.

On the bright side for South African fans, he said he would unlikely be chasing another championship again and said he would like to come over to SA to ride in races like the Hollywoodbets Durban July next season.

The top ten in the NZ premiership as it stands:

World Pool Gold Cup Trainer Comments And Video Preview

Hot favourite for the World Pool Gold Cup, Future Pearl (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Michele Wing of Gold Circle compiled the below video preview of the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO PREVIEW

PREVIEW : World Pool Gold Cup Grade 3

Trainer / Jockey Comments for 10 of the runners (runners in current betting order)

6. Future Pearl : “He’s come through his ‘July’ run very well. I thought it was an eye-catching run, coming from last and finishing the way he did. He loves the course and distance. He is giving a lot of weight away, but he’s still reasonably handicapped“, Sean Tarry.

11. Future Swing : “Richard got off and said ‘this horse will never race again’ (after HDJ). That’s how rough the race was. He (Future Swing) was a little ‘off’ where he hit the rail, but his work was very good (Friday 19 July). He stays every bit of the 2 miles. Settling him will be the challenge. A horse you need to respect, but it looks like it could be ‘ Tarry-Day’“, Justin Snaith.

5. Nebraas : “He’s had a lovely preparation. He comes in with a good weight and draw. I expect him to be competitive“, Sean Tarry.

1 .One Way Traffic : “He’s shown us very little here in Natal. His work has been very average … his runs have been average. We hope he sparks up something“, Justin Snaith.

7. Madison Valley : “He may have come on (since his last win). He’s up in the weights, but he’ll give a good showing“, Frank Robinson.

9. Master Fuego : “He’s an improving horse. He’s nicely drawn and Craig Zackey knows him well. Let’s see if he stays the trip“, Dean Kannemeyer.

15. Shoot The Rapids : “He says very well and maybe more suited to this trip, than Madison Valley. He’s tough. He’s down a kilo. Muzi is good from wide draws“, Frank Robinson.

3. Master Redoute : “He’s better drawn (than HDJ). We need a gallop in the race for him to quicken off. He’s fit and well. Hoping for a much better run (than HDJ)“, Byron Foster.

12. Ponte Pietra : “We’re trying him over 3200m. He does have stamina in his pedigree. Sean rode him well last time and handled him well. He’s doing well but not a great draw. It’s always rough going into that first turn“, Dean Kannemeyer.

13. Raiseahallelujah : “He’s doing nicely at home. Looking a picture and working well. Put a line through his last race, as nothing went his way and got into a lot of trouble. I’m sure he’ll be running at them at the finish”, Candice Dawson.

15 runners go to post

Sunday 28 July 2024 Hollywoodbets Greyville Race 7 16:10

Click for field : https://www.tabgold.co.za/fixtures/race-card…
Click for racecard : https://www.tabgold.co.za/fixtures/race-card…

Hawk-Eye's Analysis Of The Big Five on Gold Cup Day

Graeme Hawkins has tipped See It Again to win the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Graeme Hawkins analyses the five biggest races on World Pool Gold Cup day

Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)

Champions Season comes to a thrilling climax at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday with an all-star cast competing across ten feature races which include South Africa’s most coveted race for stayers, the R1-million World Pool Gold Cup over 3200m, as well as four high quality Grade 1 events.

WORLD POOL GOLD CUP (Gr 3) – 3200m

It has been more than two decades since Highland Night recorded back-to-back victories, but the Sean Tarry-trained Future Pearl is bidding for the Golden Double when he takes on 14 rivals in Sunday’s 2024 renewal of Africa’s greatest race for stayers. Future Pearl ran a cracker in the recent Hollywoodbets Durban July over 2200m when running on very strongly from far back to finish sixth just over two lengths behind Oriental Charm.

Future Pearl has always enjoyed racing at the HOllywoodbets Greyville circuit, has won both his starts over the trip and Champion Jockey Richard Fourie has a good strike rate on the 4yo son of Futura. He does have 4,5kgs more to shoulder than when winning this race last year, but that is unlikely to prove an insurmountable obstacle and Future Pearl remains a confident selection to take the lion’s share of the purse.

His biggest danger could be stable companion Nebraas, himself a former winner of the World Pool Gold Cup. The 7yo son of Vercingetorix signalled a return to form when finishing a good third under 60kgs in the Gold Vase three weeks ago and at the revised weights – he now only has 55,5kg on his back – he should comfortably have the measure of Madison Valley and Shoot The Rapids who finished ahead of him then.

With Tarry doing everything that he can to close down Justin Snaith for the National Trainers Championship title, a one-two finish in the World Pool Gold Cup would certainly go some way to bridging the gap.

THE HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB CHAMPIONS CUP (Gr 1) – 1800m

Cousin Casey, Royal Victory, Flag Man and See It Again, who finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th in the Hollywoodbets Durban July three weeks ago, renew rivalry in a vintage edition of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Champions Cup, but this time at weight-for-age terms. That See It Again was unlucky not to finish a lot closer in the HDJ was plain for all to see as he met with interference at a crucial stage of the race, and he will be a popular choice to turn that form around.

He meets Cousin Casey on 4kgs better terms and is 3kgs better off with both Royal Victory and Flag Man and on that basis See It Again should have their measure this time around. He certainly deserves his first Grade 1 victory of the current season and hopefully the son of Twice Over enjoys a trouble-free passage. But having mentioned that he should have the measure of his HDJ conquerors, See It Again may have most to fear from Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge winner, Dave The King.

Mike De Kock elected to side-step the HDJ to bring his charge into this race a little “fresher” than his principal rivals here and there is no doubt that Dave The King is a better horse for having been gelded earlier this year. His last two wins have been ultra impressive, and he seems a lot more settled in his races. He is a relentless galloper and Piere Strydom, who has ridden Dave The King several times previously, will know that he must position See It Again in the right spot to have a timeous crack at Dave The King.

See It Again is selected to take top honours ahead of Dave The King, Cousin Casey and Royal Victory but winning won’t come easily and we should be in for a grandstand finish.

THE MERCURY SPRINT (Gr 1) – 1200m

I can only imagine the grimace on Sean Tarry’s face when confronted with the news that his star sprinter Lucky Lad had drawn the widest gate of all in this year’s renewal of the R1-million Mercury Sprint. Lucky Lad has run his two worst career races at Hollywoodbets Greyville, but both of these were over 1600m and there is no doubt that he is a far different proposition over the shorter trips. His ability to quicken from well off the pace is truly amazing and his last three victories have come in spectacular fashion – but these were all down the straight, and there has to be a question mark as to whether he can replicate those kind of performances around the turn from a deep draw.

Richard Fourie will probably ride him for luck and trust the 3yo son of Gimmethegreenlight to mow his opposition down from well off the pace with his trademark flying late charge. Surjay, I Am Giant and At My Command are all well drawn and any of this trio could pick up the pieces if Lucky Lad fails to overcome the mighty challenge that lies before him. There is much at stake, as victory for Lucky Lad could well earn him the Equus Trophy for Champion Sprinter.

WORLD POOL MOMENT OF THE DAY CHAMPION STAKES (Gr1) – 1600m

Cosmic Speed was an impressive winner of the Golden Horseshoe (Gr2) over 1400m on “July” day and with Proceed now a scratching, the 2yo son of Querari can follow up and stake a strong claim to being voted Champion Two-Year-Old Colt for the Season at the Equus Awards in Cape Town on 15 August. Interestingly though, Richard Fourie has been booked to ride stable companion Legend Of Arthur who was a trifle disappointing when a beaten odds-on favourite at Turffontein earlier this month.

Legend Of Arthur may have needed that run but the fact remains he has twice been beaten by Mount Pinatubo who re-opposes here. I am going to trust my gut and suggest that Cosmic Speed, with Grant Van Niekerk in the irons, could be the “right” one in a very competitive Feature. Great Plains blotted his copybook last time but races from a kinder barrier position here and could surprise while The Specialist is another not to be dismissed lightly. Candice Dawson saddles two “livewires” in the form of Grand Crescendo and Truth but I am going to row in with the Tarry yard and go for Cosmic Speed to edge out Legend Of Arthur.

DOUGLAS WHYTE STAKES (Gr1) – 2yo fillies – 1600m

Quid Pro Quo stands on the threshold of re-writing the record books by becoming the first filly in history to win the unofficial triple crown for juvenile fillies, the Alan Robertson Fillies Championship (Gr 1) over 1200m, the Golden Slipper (Gr 2) over 1400m and the Douglas Whyte Stakes (Gr 1) over 1600m. Standing in her way is the wide gate of 12 in the field of 13 runners and regular pilot S’Manga Khumalo will be hoping for a bit of luck and a solid early gallop.

On form Quid Pro Quo is difficult to oppose but bad draws can be a great leveller and Fatal Flaw, runner-up in the Golden Slipper, can get closer this time around. World Of Alice, Sorceress Supreme and Whistle The Tune have all cracked decent draws and could get into the mix. Spirit of Levana and unbeaten Lock And Key each bring strong form into the race, although the latter is drawn worst of all.

Quid Pro Quo gets the nod, despite her poor barrier position, but if she does enjoy more than her fair share of good fortune, we could be in for a rough result as most of these fillies are unexposed over the trip.

CARRYOVERS

All ten races have been designated World Pool status and massive tote pools will be the order of the day. In addition, the Pick 6 starts with a carryover of R2-million and the pool is expected to reach as much as R15-million while the Quartet for Race 7, the World Pool Gold Cup, has been boosted with a carryover of R1-million and is expected to top the R5-million mark. The first race at Hollywoodbets Greyville is due off at 12:05 on Sunday.

Parking and entrance to the race track is free of charge and, the high quality racing aside, there is much to keep families entertained throughout the afternoon.

One World Inches Closer To Record, Snaith Goes Further Clear

Justin Snaith-trained Drakenstein Stud-homebred One World colt Please Be True wins the first race held in rain-lashed Cape Town this month (Picture: Wayne Marks)

The Justin Snaith-trained first race winner today at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, Please Be True ridden by Gavin Lerena, gave leading freshman sire One World his 28th individual winner of the season. That is already a freshman record and is just two short of the overall record for individual two-year-old winners in a season held by his father Captain Al.

Justin Snaith accumulated R160,100 with a win, a second and a third in the three races which were possible at the meeeting.

Meanwhile, Sean Tarry was only able to accumulate R11,500 via two fourth place finishes at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

At Durbanville the race meeting had to be abandoned after race three.

The underfoot conditions had deteriorated due to persistent rainfall.

The surface had thus become unsafe for racing.

Snaith went past the R20 million mark in stakes earnings this season.

He is now on R20,133,200 compared to Tarry’s R18,594,263.

Snaith is now R1,538,937 ahead.

The championship race could still go down to the wire though because Tarry has a particularly strong hand at the lucrative World Pool Gold Cup meeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.

Van Zyl Storms Into The Lead

Natyam wins cosily and clinches an important treble for the Gareth van Zyl yard (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Gareth van Zyl, who was KZN Champion trainer in the 2021/2022 season, scored a treble at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today and with just a week to go before the end of the season that saw him snatch the lead in this season’s championship away from Alyson Wright.

Van Zyl was five wins behind Wright at the beginning of July, but has scored six wins this month thanks to two trebles on successive Wednesday’s at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

In the second race today the Van Zyl-trained Hollywood Syndicate-owned two-year-old Danon Platina gelding Luhamba Phambili showed exceptional pace on debut to win a 1000m maiden Plate by 2,40 lengths under Serino Moodley. He didn’t have to reach for top gear and looks to have a lot of promise.

In the next race over 1600m the Van Zyl-trained three-year-old William Longsword gelding Captain Marsale, owned by Messrs N V Parmanand, E A Budlender, G J Player, P R Rencken & Miss V S Govender, had been knocking hard and deserved a long-head victory under Richard Fourie in his tenth career start.

In the fifth race over 1950m the Van Zyl-trained four-year-old Noble Tune gelding Natyam, owned by Messrs Allan F Peters, Raj Singh, G G Palmer & Mrs D Palmer, had his first run back from Cape Town and like many before him his decent form in that strong centre gave him a fine chance here despite having his second run after a four month layoff and he duly obliged under Serino Moodley, finishing strongly to win by a cosy 1,10 lengths.

Gareth has now had 54 wins in KZN this season at a strike rate of 15.52%.

Alyson has had 53 wins at 11.91%.

Gareth has had 63 wins countrywide this season at 12.94%.

There are just two meetings left in KZN this season.

On Saturday at the World Pool Gold Cup day meeting Gareth runs Imilenzeyokududuma in the Listed World Pool With Tabgold Darley and Flag Man in the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup.

Alyson runs Hitemhardsunshine and Shamompo Shampizi in the LHKIR In December Umngeni Handicap.

The championship could well go down to the wire at the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly meeting next Wednesday, the official last day of the season.

Devon Pretorius Is On His Way To Malaysia

The acorn does not fall far from the tree – Devon with his racing presenter father Neil Pretorius, who is held in high esteem by punters across the country, especially for his uncanny ability to spot value horses based on the way they move to the start (Supplied).

Sporting Post

Just two months short of two years after becoming South Africa’s youngest racecaller, Devon Pretorius will bid Cape Racing and his family and friends farewell as he jets out of Cape Town on Sunday 28 July en route to an exciting career opportunity as a Race Commentator with the Selangor Turf Club in Malaysia.

The 23 year old Devon, a Wynberg Boys High graduate, got the red-tape green light with all of his visa and other approvals this week, and will start work in Southeast Asia as soon as Thursday 1 August.

Bristling with anticipation and excitement in what is a dream opportunity for a promising young professional, Devon told the Sporting Post that his boss Alistair Cohen had called him into his office about two months ago.

“It was a bolt from the blue, really. Alistair asked if I would be interested in commentating in Malaysia. Truth be told, I never hesitated and said yes straight away!” he smiles broadly, as he reflects on a day that may prove a career gamechanger in a competitive industry.

“I have been in communication with the Selangor Turf Club and had an interview just over a month ago which was thankfully successful, and I accepted their offer for the Racing Commentator position.”

Devon glances briefly out of the window, as we note that he is still pinching himself at the surreality of it all.

“As part of my function I’ll also be assisting with the barrier trials and workouts in the week and working in the racing department on declarations day, which is a Wednesday. I’ll also be involved in presenting on racedays,” he adds proudly, as we get the impression that the enthusiastic young talent would happily help out with the office filing too, if so required, on his off days!

Devon confirms that his initial contract is for a year and that he is grateful for, and will be looking forward to, the international experience and exposure that will come with it.

He tells us that he will most likely be staying in the city centre of Kuala Lumpur, but his digs haven’t been confirmed yet.

“I’m still in talks with the property agent there to find a place in my first week. I am just so excited to be getting the chance!” adds the man who has travelled overseas previously to Poland and Mauritius.

As to his South African lifestyle of braavleis, rugby, not so sunny skies, and Cape Racing days, the lifetime racing fan says that he will be keeping a close eye on South African horseracing, and in touch with his family and friends.

He visited his Racing Broadcaster Dad Neil in Gqeberha to celebrate his 23rd birthday recently, and with modern technology, he will be in communication with his Mum, Carolyn in Cape Town, and his circle of friends.

“The universal golden thread that has run through all my supportive family and friends is that they are all a whatsapp away and this is an opportunity I’d be really crazy to pass by. I would love to just say thanks at this point to Mr Greg Bortz and the champion Cape Racing team. It’s been an honour and privilege to play a very small role in the renaissance of the great game down here, and I will be fondly following the wonderful things happening in the Cape,” he concluded.

Cape Racing Chairman Greg Bortz told the Sporting Post that it has been ‘a pleasure and privilege to watch Devon’s growth’ over the past months.

“His skill level and confidence have increased dramatically, and it is clear he is a natural talent with an exciting career ahead of him. We are excited that Devon will bring the Cape flair to Malaysia, and we believe this will also lend itself to closer ties between our two regions. While we are very sad to be saying goodbye to Devon, we know we will remain in close contact, and we look forward to our continued involvement and friendship going forward. Just like Alistair Cohen and others before him, we are sure that the international experience will be invaluable to Devon’s continued growth. We look forward to welcoming him home to our shores in the future. Good luck Devon!”

Vaal Classic Track Thursday Formguides And Selections

Southern Style is tipped to win race 6

RACE 1

3 FINAL TRY 4 HIGHVELD STORM 5 RED LEGEND

Preview: 3 FINAL TRY did well when stepped up to this distance category last time and has a good draw. 4 HIGHVELD STORM is drawn in pole and showed improvement over 1200m last time and should prefer this trip. 5 RED LEGEND has not been disgraced in three starts and should be in the shake up here. (3-4-5)

RACE 2

5 FAR REACHING 2 TOGETHER AGAIN 1 SILKY JET

Preview: 5 FAR REACHING has faced some decent sorts and should enjoy the step up in trip, although she has a tricky draw. 2 TOGETHER AGAIN has been knocking on the door over shorter and tries further from pole position. 1 SILKY JET is moderate but from a good draw might earn here. 3 BACARDI BABE could earn if producing her best. (5-2-1)

RACE 3

1 TAXHAVEN 8 PLUM BLOSSOM 2 RASTIGNAC 3 MANZ KNIGHT

Preview: 1 TAXHAVEN is drawn well and should get off the mark here over an ideal trip. 8 PLUM BLOSSOM did well with first time blinkers on last time over 1800m and was not disgraced in her only attempt at this trip. 2 RASTIGNAC is improving and tries a step up in trip. 3 MANZ KNIGHT has the ability to be in the shake up but the draw is tricky. (1-8-2-3)

RACE 4

10 DAMOVA 4 FIFTH OF JULY 1 JAPANESE MAPLE 12 HAVE A PARTY

Preview: 10 DAMOVA has been in fair form and get two points relief plus a 4kg claimer up so should go close from pole position over an ideal trip. 4 FIFTH OF JULY has hard knocking form but does have a tough draw. 1 JAPANESE MAPLE won his maiden in fine style and has been given a reasonable merit rating and this is a suitable trip. 12 HAVE A PARTY will go close if able to reproduce her run when beaten a long-head over this trip. (10-4-1-12)

RACE 5

2 LINGANOMORE 4 FEELING GROOVY 7 COUNT YOUR CHANCES 9 BUSHVELD

Preview: 2 LINGANOMORE is better than her last run and was consistent before that so can bounce back if able to overcome a wide draw. 4 FEELING GROOVY is well drawn and can go close with a repeat of her last start. 7 COUNT YOUR CHANCES ran well last time over shorter and on pedigree should enjoy this trip. 9 BUSHVELD is consistent and well drawn and has a chance on pedigree of enjoying this step up in trip. (2-4-7-9)

RACE 6

6 SOUTHERN STYLE 7 GREEN SCEPTRE 9 RISKY BUSINESS 11 WRITTEN IN STONE

Preview: 6 SOUTHERN STYLE is knocking on the door and has a fair draw over an ideal course and distance. 7 GREEN SCEPTRE has a wide draw but has the form to be involved here. 9 RISKY BUSINESS is consistently thereabouts and is well drawn over a suitable trip. 11 WRITTEN IN STONE is capable of being in the shake up from a fair draw. (6-7-9-11)

RACE 7

5 RED CARPET GIRL 4 DANCING DORA 1 GREEN BUBBLES 7 GAL GADOT

Preview: 5 RED CARPET GIRL has a good draw and has a form chance. 4 DANCING DORA is always right there and should be again. 1 GREEN BUBBLES is only three points higher for a good win over 1400m but does have a tough draw. 7 GAL GADOT usually does well at this time of the year and could earn from a plum draw. (5-4-1-7)

RACE 8

3 THE NAVY LARK 2 COMMANDER OF ALL 4 CAPTAIN EFFICIENT 5 LIFE GOES ON

Preview: 3 THE NAVY LARK is quick so will enjoy the fast ground and gets a good opportunity here. 2 COMMANDER OF ALL has improved since wearing a compression mask and has a 4kg claimer up. 4 CAPTAIN EFFICIENT had consistent form in the East Cape and does not face a strong field. 5 LIFE GOES ON is capable of being in the shake up. (3-2-4-5)

Owloon Acquire HWB Durban July-Winning Broodmare

Alex de Wet and new best mate, Souk (Pic – Supplied)

Sporting Post

In a coup for Owloon Horses, the 2024 Hollywoodbets Durban July winning broodmare Souk has been acquired by one of South Africa’s youngest Stud Manager Alex de Wet in a move to boost his burgeoning band of Mums at the beautiful farm, hidden in a valley on the outskirts of the boulder-strewn Paarl Mountain.

At the age of 26, Alex is fast making inroads in a competitive industry dominated by long established and vastly experienced Stud Managers, many, with respect, twice his age.

“I am very excited to have purchased this well-performed beautiful broodmare, currently in foal to Fire Away, from Anton Shepherd. We intend sending her to Vercingetorix, the mating that produced the July winner Oriental Charm, again. Lightning doesn’t always strike twice, but returning to the well makes every sense!” he adds confidently.

Owned by German investor Christian Elleke, the entirely off-the-grid Owloon is a little piece of heaven on earth in the Paarl Valley, and boasts sprawling magnificent green paddocks, while the hillsides are covered in thriving lemon, lime and clementine orchards, a grove of pomegranates, and Cabernet Franc vines.

The picturesque storybook masterpiece of a working fruit farm, thoroughbred stud and a boutique hotel, Owloon is now home to Souk and Alex de Wet is determined to produce another champion.

Alex, who grew up around horses under the guidance of his vastly experienced Dad Jikkie, today of Prosper Stud, trained at the renowned Lane’s End Farm in Central Kentucky and returned to South Africa when the opportunity presented itself.

He presented his personal maiden Owloon draft at Nationals earlier this year, and is determined to follow the time-tested age old principle of sending quality to quality.

“An opportunity to acquire the likes of Souk doesn’t present itself every day, and Vercingetorix has proven himself a more than adequate successor to his multiple champion Dad, Silvano,” he observes.

The stakes-placed Souk, a daughter of the Oppenheimer-owned and bred Greys Inn, who won the historic 2004 Durban July, is a product of the Mauritzfontein paddocks, and hails from a female line that has served SA racing’s most famous racing family well, originating from the purchase of the stakes winner, Daphne Donnelly.

The latter was a sprinter and took after her sire Golden Thatch, as did her full sister, the Gr2 Sceptre Stakes winner Lady Broadhurst.

Daphne Donnelly’s dam was the American import You’re My Lady, a Roberto half-sister to Danehill’s dam Razyana, whilst their dam, the Buckpasser mare Spring Adieu, counted the mighty Northern Dancer amongst her siblings. In short, a female line to die for.

Daphne Donnelly was not the most prolific of broodmares and produced just five foals, all by Fort Wood. Four of those were fillies and all have become black-type producers.

Souk is a grandaughter of Daphne Donnelly’s first foal Bay Tree, who returned to her birthplace as a two-time winner and when mated to Strike Smartly produced Gr1 SA Derby hero Bouquet-Garni as her second foal. Her first, a filly by the same sire named Tagine, never raced but became the dam of Souk.

Souk won three races and also earned small black type when second in the Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes.

Souk, in foal to Fire Away, settles in at her new home (Pic – Supplied)

At the end of her racing career, she was sent to Cheveley Stud, where she produced the three-time winning fillies Athalia and Touch Of Grace as her first two foals. Oriental Charm is her fourth foal.

“She imparts absolute heart to her foals,” Vaughan Koster told the Sporting Post recently.

The family has really come to light this season. While Oriental Charm’s July victory is the cherry on the cake, it was preceded by stable companion Frances Ethel’s success in the Gr2 SA Oaks.

The Mauritzfontein-bred daughter of Rafeef, who races in the Team Valor silks, is out of Daphne Garland, an unraced full sister to Bay Tree.

Alex and Souk bond shortly after her arrival at Owloon last week (Pic – Supplied)

We wish Alex and the Owloon team well!