Two jockey greats, Piere “Striker” Strydom and Michael “Muis” Roberts, now trainer of See It Again, confer after the latter had won the Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby (Picture: Wayne Marks).
Striker Concerned About Draw And Short Greyville Straight
Piere ‘Striker” Strydom put to bed any thought that, but for interference, See It Again would have beaten Charles Dickens in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas.
He said he had been going well at the time of being hampered, but not well enough to have beaten the winner, whom he said had “won easily.”
However, that does not mean he wasn’t impressed by See It Again’s performance and, looking forward to Saturday’s Gr 1 Daily News 2000, he elaborated, “He has definite ability and looks to be the best horse in the race … they have got him to beat.”
However, he has one or two concerns about See It Again ahead of the three-year-old classic to be run over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
He said, “He always jumps slowly and he takes time to get going, so Greyville is not exactly what he is looking for.”
He continued, “The race panned out well last time, I was lucky to get a good position. If he can get a good position again, he can win it.”
However, See It Again is now draw seven out of ten as opposed to three out of nine in the WSB Guineas.
Strydom does not want to be too far back, knowing the big Twice Over colt takes time to get going and that the Hollywoodbets Greyville straight is short.
However, he said the tactics he ended up employing would depend a lot on how well See It Again jumped.
Bearing in mind the colt can not be relied on to jump quickly, Piere’s next words were not surprising.
“I will just have to make the best of the hand I am dealt,” he said.
He concluded, “I hope he wins by many lengths, so his position as July favourite can be justified!”
See It Again is by Twice Over and is a three-parts brother to dual Durban July winner Do It Again, who is on track to making a record-breaking sixth appearance in the big race this year.
See It Again’s July weight, as it stands, will only be effected if he wins well enough to be raised by more than four merit-rated points.
At present he is already carrying the maximum 57kg a three-year-old is allowed to carry under the conditions of the race.
However, there could be a problem if he is raised more than four points, because that would make him the highest net merit-rated horse in the race.
The weights would then have to be constructed around him.
If, for arguments sake, he is raised to a merit rating of 129, his net merit rating for the July would then be 125, which would be the highest in the race as things stand.
In constructing the weights, he would then initially be accorded 60kg and Do It Again and Safe Passage, both net merit-rated 124, would be given 59,5kg.
The minimum weight for a three-year-old clause would then be excercised and See It Again would drop down to 57kg.
However, that would leave Do It Again and Safe Passage as top weights on 59,5kg.
The latter pair would then have to be raised to 60kg and the rest of the field would have to be dragged up half-a-kilogram with them.
So under that scenario, See It Again would carry 57,5kg.
Emile Fredericks with an I Am Invincible Vezalay colt which fetched seven figures at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale at Warwick Farm. Photo: Virginia Harvey
Former Hemel ‘N Aarde Stud Employee Scoops Inglis Horsemanship Award
Emile Fredericks, who used to work at Hemel ‘N Aarde Stud and is yet another successful graduate of the Summerhill School Of Excellence, went one better than last year at the Australian Stud & Stable Staff Awards when landing the prestigious Horsemanship Award (Stud or Stable).
David Hepburn Brown remembers “Mila” well and said, “His father worked for me and he was on the farm here with us from about the age of eleven. He had natural flare with horses and absolutely loved them. He used to dump his bags straight after school and come to the stables. He had a natural affinity with horses, he had a calming influence on them and they responded to him.”
David said Emile had won a bursary to attend the Summerhill School Of Excellence in 2014. David carried on paying his salary for the six months he was away, which allowed him to have some pocket power.
Originally, Emile won a scholarship to go to headquarters, Newmarket, but David persuaded the powers that be to allow him six months back at Hemel ‘N Aarde.
Emile duly returned to Hemel ‘N Aarde and later when deciding to excercise the rights of the scholarship, David advised him to stick to Southern Hemisphere breeding.
Emile was interviewed live last week by Racing.com and he takes up the story.
“Widden Stud (Australia) were looking for a few stallion handlers and they picked me.”
Emile has never looked back and still works at Widden Stud today.
After his first six month stint Emile returned to Hemel ‘N Aarde for a year.
After sorting out all of his papers he departed for a permanent position at Widden Stud.
Emile said, “It is a good family environment at Widden and if you love doing what you are doing they are going to support you from the start to the end. For them to trust me to work with all these top quality horses like Zoustar, it is pretty special.”
Asked by Racing.com who his favourite stallion was, he replied, “That’s not a hard one! I have always been a fan of Nicconi. He has always been the best stallion I’ve ever worked with, me and him have a pretty good relationship.”
Anthony Thompson, owner of Widden, informed Emile at this year’s Easter Sale he was one of the two finalists for the award and Emile recalled, “I was so delighted, I didn’t have words for it, and me coming from South Africa, it was such a special moment.”
When asked last week how he would feel if winning the award, his reply was not at all self-centred.
He said, “I love the industry and I love what I’m doing, so what I want to do is come to Australia and lay a platform … it doesn’t matter where you are from, if you believe in what you are doing, you will succeed and that is what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to get a lot of youngsters in, I want to help them go further.”
It is a big sacrifice for Emile to be in Australia because his girlfriend and daughter still live back in South Africa.
His father Pieter, known to all in the SA industry as “Plastic”, is still at Hemel ‘N Aarde and he has relatives at Wilgerbosdrift Stud and Varsfontein Stud.
David said that whenever talking to Australian racing folk Emile is mentioned.
He has earned tremendous respect in the horseracing mad country.
“I am so thrilled he won the award,” concluded David. “He truly deserved it.”
Anfields Rocket (JC Photos).
Anfields Rocket Looks Best Value In Daily News
The Gr 1 Daily News 2000 is a three horse race in the eyes of most, although some make the favourite See It Again a banker.
The other two chief protagonists, What A Question and Cousin Casey, both have proven class.
It is thus not surprising to see this trio dominating the Hollywoodbets’ betting board.
See It Again, whose flying finish in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas after being hampered, confirmed what his Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby win had said on paper and what it had shown to the eye … that he is a top class thoroughbred and has the ability to emulate his three parts brother Do It Again by winning the July as a three-year-old.
Without Question was third in the Cape Derby, beaten 2,50 lengths, but showed next time out how good he is and how progressive he is when winning the Grade 3 Variety Club Mile despite the race not panning out well.
Cousin Casey’s form speaks for itself, although he does still perhaps have to prove he is as good now as he potentially was as a two-year-old.
Hollywoodbets have See It Again at 14/10, Without Question at 33/10 and Cousin Casey 4/1.
The others look held, but there are a couple of interesting points.
Anfields Rocket has looked to have been crying out for blinkers in his last couple of starts and they have now been fitted.
The question is whether the blinkers, whilst helping him get into the race earlier, are going to blunt his finishing speed.
If they help him get handier and help his momentuim into the straight it will be interesting to see how much he still has for his renowned strong finish, which has seen him come from last in sprint races and saw him coming from well back to with the Gr 1 WSB SA Classic over 1800m.
Raymond Danielson has spoken about the feel Anfield Rocket gives and it is that of a top horse.
So if he is handy approaching the straight and as relaxed as he usually is, it is going to be time for his supporters to get excited.
Anfields Rocket is by Coup De Grace, who won a Gr 2 over 1300m, a Gr 3 over 1400m and a Listed race over 1200m.
However, he is out of a Galileo mare who won twice in the UK, over a mile, and over a mile and one-and-half-furlongs (1900m). This mare, Milla’s Rocket, also placed second once over a mile and two-and-a-half furlongs (2100m) in heavy going.
Anfields Rocket has struck as one who is looking for this 2000m trip.
He might represent some value at 16/1.
Shoemaker could also be a dark horse, as one who looked top class but then lost his way. He has now been gelded and if he can bounce back to his best his 14/1 odds will look like a steal.
Son Of Raj has progressed in astonishing style on the Highveld and if he is able to dictate like he did when easily winning the WSB SA Derby he could be a contender.
Dave The King is a big horse who Mike de Kock should get the best out of, although he did fail to find another gear late on in the WSB Guineas.
Street Law is another example of a Cape horse who relished his first outing on the Highveld for Tony Peter. How much more does he have to come?
East Coast tries the trip he has always looked to be crying out for.
River Romeo looks outgunned on paper, but he did win every easily over this trip last time out.
Tara Laing and connections are all smiles after I Like It Hot gave the yard their 500th career winner (Pauline Herman Photography).
Tara Laing’s 500th Career Win
Eastern Cape trainer Tara Laing had the 500th win of her training career last Friday when the well bred What A Winter filly I Like It Hot won the last race over 1000m on the poly under Mathew Thackeray.
Three-year-old I Like It Hot, now a two-time winner, is a half-sister to the Equus Champion Sprinter Via Africa.
Via Africa has produced a Group 1 winner herself in Australia and the latter, In The Congo (Snitzel), is now a sire.
Mark Du Plessis (justhorseracing.com)
Mark du Plessis’ Fascinating Story on Tri-nations Racing Podcast
A really enjoyable chat with one of the best in the game … Mark Du Plessis has an incredible story … how a tiny young lad left a country in turmoil to go on and ride 88 Group and listed victories across 7 countries.
Invitation By The NHA For Submission Of Comments To The Proposed Amendments Of The Rules
NHA Press Release
The National Horseracing Authority invites all stake holders and members of the public for comments on proposed amendments to the Rules.
The associated proposed amendments to the Rules have been published on the NHA website and open for comment from 22 May 2023 until midnight South African Standard Time (SAST) on 5 June 2023.
As a reminder, to access the proposed amendments to the Rules and to comment thereon, kindly go on to the NHA website (www.nhra.co.za) landing page, under RULES & CONSTITUTION or under RACING INFORMATION tabs for “Rules & Penalty Guidelines Comments”.
Step 1: Register
Step 2: Confirm email (click link sent on email)
Step 3: Log On
Step 4: Complete Comments (to submit comments click SAVE NOW) – You may edit your submission at any time before 5 June 2023.
No comments can be made after 5 June 2023.
All comments entered on the site will be considered as final on submission date.
The NHA may not necessarily respond to any submission directly, but all comments will be considered by the NHA National Board before finalisation of any amendments.
Enquiries:
Vee Moodley
Chief Executive
Itsrainingwilliam remains on a 109 merit rating (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Handicapping Ratings Update
- WSB Legal Eagle Stakes (Grade 3)
ITSRAININGWILLIAM remains unchanged on a mark of 109 after he captured the Grade 3 WSB Legal Eagle Stakes over 1800m on the winter course at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 20 May. It was in fact ITSRAININGWILLIAM himself who was deemed to make for the best line horse, hence his unchanged rating. In assessing the race this way 3rd finisher ROCKPOOL also runs to his rating, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 109 and effectively making him a line horse as well.
The only ratings increase was for runner-up MASTER REDOUTE, who goes up from 99 to 105. However, the specific conditions of the race do not allow for a greater increase than six pounds for the first three finishers and as such MASTER REDOUTE had to be capped at 105 even though he actually achieved a mark of 107.
Similarly, the race conditions allow for no ratings increase at all beyond the first three finishers and so 4th placed KING REGENT remains unchanged on a mark of 103 although actually running to a rating of 108.
The only drop was for POMP AND POWER, who is down slightly from 124 to 123.
Keagan de Melo extracts a late effort from the Alyson Wright-trained Hollywood Syndicate-owned Ibutho (Duke Of Marmalade) to win today’s 3rd race over 1600m (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
Hollywood Syndicate Treble, De Melo/Wright Double
The Hollywood Syndicate had a treble at Hollywoodbets Greyville today and that took them to 109 wins for the season.
Keagan de Melo and Alyson Wright combined for two of the Hollywood Syndicate’s wins.
De Melo is now on 242 wins for the season and has achieved it at a strike rate of 20.27%.
De Melo has now had 111 wins this season in KZN at a strike rate of 22.38%.
Wright has had 38 wins for the season at a strike rate of 13.29%.
The Andrew Balding-trained The Foxes (Churchill) ridden by Oisin Murphy won the race in question this year (Picture Credit: TDN)
Today’s Question
Last year’s Epsom Derby winner Desert Crown had his preparation run in a race which has produced 11 Derby winners in all and which is named after the last Northern-based horse to have won the Derby. What is the name of the race?
Answer at bottom of the newsletter
Flashback: Dante winning the 1945 Derby at the wartime venue of Newmarket, the last Yorkshire winner of the Classic. Pictures: Submitted to the Yorkshire Post
This year’s Dante was won by the Andrew Balding-trained The Foxes (Churchill) ridden by Oisin Murphy.
The Foxes is a best 10/1 for the Derby.
