Is Charles Dickens On HIs Way To Superstardom?

The unbeaten Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Trippi gelding Charles Dickens was called “a special horse” in the build up to Saturday’s Grade 3 Cape Classic over 1400m by jockey Aldo Domeyer and after he had sauntered to another three length victory to make it four out of four Domeyer said, “He’s a jock’s treat, and an exhilarating ride.”

SA Nursery Runner Up First Aus Winner in Mike De Kock’s Colours

www.mikedekockracing.com

Jockey Jye Mcneil, riding Najem Suhail, conjured visions of King Arthur and his stallion Hengreon swooping down on the Holy Grail when he won a Benchmark 70 handicap over 1200m at Sale Racecourse in Victoria, Australia, Sunday.

Najem Suhail raced into the Sale home bend in the centre, and in front, and then made a spirited and purposeful dash to the winning post, getting there 3.25-lengths clear. This was a first Australian winner in his own silks for Mike de Kock, who races Najem Suhail in partnership with a sizeable group of young Dubai-based owners assembled by Mohammad Mardood for the Blue Stables Syndicate.

In effect, Mike’s silks are white with a prominent red maltese cross – in Australia those are taken and Mike decided to race in red silks with a white maltese cross, just as easy to spot and hopefully to be seen in bigger races soon.

Mathew de Kock, who trains Najem Suhail alongside Robbie Griffiths, commented: “Najem Suhail needed his first two runs here, he wasn’t far off in two prep sprints recently and made the anticipated improvement into this contest. His next run will be on 5 November, the last Saturday of the Melbourne Cup Carnival week. Today’s race was a qualifier for a sprint up the straight so by winning he automatically qualifies.

“This horse has been doing really well in Australia and it’s great to have had a winner for my Dad in his silks. This was a very good performance in 1:08:57, just splits of a second outside the 2009 track record of 1:08:45, very fast. If he continues in this manner we’ll have fun with him.”

Najem Suhail was originally bought for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum at the Melbourne Premier Sale. He won his first start in South Africa and then finished second to stablemate Mount Pleasant in the G2 SA Nursery, before being shipped to Dubai. But with all the quarantine protocols he got there late for the 2021 Carnival and never raced, and then earlier this year he was a week away from running in January but he had an injury, missing two years of racing.

RACE REPLAY HERE

However, at five years of age he still has plenty to come and Mike de Kock commented: “This is good exposure for South African racing form, I am chuffed. Sheikh Mohammed gave Najem Suhail to Mohammed Khaleel in Dubai and we in turn now lease it from Khaleel. Thanks to him and Mohammed Mardood, who put the syndicate of youngsters together.

“Najem Suhail is a horse we’ve always believed in. We decided to ship him off to Australia rather than leave him in the Dubai desert for yet another year, so this was a good result all-round for everyone.  Ultimately, we’d like to send him back to Dubai for the 2023 Carnival. He was always a top horse, just took his time to adapt in Australia.”

Mardood noted: “All of the young owners saw Najem Suhail when he was based in Dubai. They witnessed his capabilities as a top horse and when the opportunity came for them to secure shares, they all jumped and wanted a part of his success as international owners via Blue Stables Syndicate.”

Najem Suhail is an entire by Starspangledbanner out of Sophie’s First, raised at Gilgai Farm, Nagambie.

Kennedy Off The Mark In New Zealand 

Warren Kennedy has ridden in two meetings in New Zealand so far and got off the mark in the second of them.

Unbeaten Vercingetorix Filly Peach Daiquiri Moves Up Gold Rush Log

The Sharon Kotzen-trained Vercingetorix filly Peach Daiquiri moved into joint eighth place on the WSB R7.5 million Gold Rush log after making it two wins from two starts at Fairview last Friday, winning a 1200m handicap on the turf off a 90 merit rating.

The latest log:

Normandy’s select lots for Ready To Run

Oscar Foulkes of Normandy Stud takes personal pride in every foal sent to auctions from his family’s farm. This is the time of year they set out to sell the highest quality two-year-olds at the Cape Racing Ready To Run and Unbroken 2-y-o sale, to extend Normandy’s roll of honour.

He said: “When it comes to our horses, we’ve often said that this could be our favourite time of year. Firstly, it’s foaling season. What’s not to love about foals, as they continue our ongoing cycle of hope. Which of these will be the stars of the future? Dare we dream of adding to our tally of L’Ormarins Kings Plate, Cape Derby or Guineas winners? Will we finally breed a Met winner, after five second-place finishes?

“It’s also the time of year when our Ready to Run babies start showing their mettle. We’ve selected them especially for this sale, so we always start off with high expectations. Previous drafts have delivered the Grade I winners Rio Querari and Sergeant Hardy, as well as numerous Grade II and Grade III winners. For us, this is a Select Sale, and it’s important to us to have runners that will build on our RTR tradition.

“Closing the circle, RTR prep is when we start seeing the realization of the hopes and dreams of the foal crop from two years ago. We generally augment our RTR drafts with yearlings purchased during the course of the year. A few notable Graded stakes-winners from this cohort include Homely Girl, Wonderwall and Bishop’s Bounty.”

Oscar filed notes on Normandy’s 2022 draft:

Normandy Stud

16 filly Magmalicious (Erupt (IRE) – Ekaterina)

“On both sire and dam sides, this racy filly’s pedigree is very much on the up. She is the half-sister to one of last season’s better juveniles, in Grinkov. He’s recently gelded, and as a Twice Over, is sure to relish classic distances. She’s also a half-sister to a mare that’s produced a couple of promising runners. And, of course, she’s by Erupt, who is having a great run with his first crop of three-year-olds.

“Her dam is a half-sister to Mother Russia, backing up her paddock value.”

20 filly Public Benefit (Erupt (IRE) – Good Cause)

“This big, scopey filly is out of a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Crowd Pleaser, who is one of the horses on our RTR honour roll. She looks like the type of Erupt that will excel from a mile upwards.”

31 filly Gimme Shelter (Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Lady of the Fleece)

“We’ve loved this strapping filly since she was just a few days old. She’s by the sensational Gimmethegreenlight, and she looks every bit a racehorse. Her dam has already bred a black type performer, and she is a half-sister to Fabiana and Star Empire. Lady of the Fleece is also a half-sister to the dam of GG’s Dynasty, a stakes-winner from our 2017 RTR draft.”

41 filly Marpori (Potala Palace – Night on the Hill)

“This filly gets her name from the hill on which the Potala Palace is built. In this filly’s case, ‘built’ is an appropriate word, because she is … well … built. She makes many colts look weak by comparison. She goes under the heading “could be anything”. Not only is she ‘built’, but she also moves extremely well. This is a prolific winner-producing branch of the Terpsichore family.”

42 colt Take a Mulligan (Twice Over (GB) – Nordic Light)

“This colt is a half-brother to the rapidly improving Beerenberg, who has won three of his last four starts. His dam is a half-sister to the dam of Rio Querari, and we can see this colt showing pace, too.

“You get just one chance to buy this colt on RTR – no Mulligans available – so don’t miss out!”

Normandy Stud (agent)

4 colt Unnamed (Duke of Marmalade (IRE) – Coby)

“The dam of this colt was a top-class staying filly, and he looks like he’s headed in the same direction. After all, he’s by the same stallion as Ascot Gold Cup winner, Big Orange. He’s big, he’s scopey, and he moves well.”

5 colt Tail of the Comet (Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Comet Chaser)

“This is a cracker of a Gimme colt. He’s got size, scope and substance, and he looks like he can gallop. His stakes-winning Jet Master dam has already produced a black type performer, also by Gimmethegreenlight (full sister).”

8 colt Prince of Denmark (Duke of Marmalade (IRE) – Cutey Me)

“A neat, high quality colt by the sire of We’re Jamming. He moves exceptionally well.”

21 colt Unnamed (Master of My Fate – Greendale)

“This is a very smart colt, out of an underrated Captain Al mare. His half-brother, De la Cruz, reeled off three impressive wins at two before being exported (or having the opportunity of earning the black type that was surely headed his way).”

28 colt Follow the Band (Vercingetorix – Jo Piper)

“He is by South Africa’s hottest stallion, Vercingetorix, out of a five-time winning mare that has a 100% record of winners to runners. A ringer for the 2023 Sales Race.”

30 filly Unnamed (Quasillo (GER) – Keep on Dreaming)

“Quasillo is producing the goods with very small crops. This filly is a rare opportunity to buy one. Her stakes-placed dam was a five-time winner.”

35 filly Montreal (Querari (GER) – Lorne Cottage)

“This is a good-sized, scopey filly by top two-year-old sire, Querari. She’s from the family of Horse Chestnut, out of a five-time winning mare with a 100% record of winners from runners. She could be a very smart buy.”

55 colt Unnamed (Lancaster Bomber (USA) – Sidera (AUS))

“Lancaster Bomber was a rare stallion opportunity for South Africa. This colt is out of a stakes-winning Galileo mare who is out of a Danehill mare, making this a rare opportunity to get a truly international pedigree, but paying in rands!”

56 colt Spring Palace (Potala Palace – Spring Orchid)

“This high quality colt represents one of the finest Grade I producing families in the Stud Book. This could very well be the next Katak!”

64 colt Bohemian Grove (Querari (GER) – Bella Spumante)

“This well-grown, high quality colt is a real head-turner. His sire, Querari, goes from strength to strength. We can see this colt adding to his sire’s already lofty reputation. He is likely to be one of the standouts on the sale.”

Sir Alex Ferguson’s Horse Rock of Gibraltar, Central to Glazers’ Man Utd Takeover, Passes On

The famous racehorse Rock of Gibraltar, that was central to a bitter dispute that ultimately led to the Glazer takeover of Manchester United, has passed away aged 23

In tribute to Rock Of Gibraltar, Paddy Fleming, stud manager at Castlehyde, said, “He was healthy and looking great right up to the end. He was a fantastic racehorse and a very good sire who will be missed by all the staff here.”

Munger Treble, Tyrone Zackey Double, De Melo Double

Ryan Munger rode a treble at Turffontein Inside today, two of them for trainer Tyrone Zackey.

Munger is now on 31 winners for the season at a strike rate of 11.52%.

Zackey has had five winners this season at a strike rate of 20%.

Keagan De Melo increased his lead at the top of the national log by riding a double.

He is now on 76 winners at a strike rate of 23.46%, 21 clear of Muzi Yeni, who had a single winner today.

Today’s Question

Notorious heiress Dorothy Paget won a total of 1,532 races as an owner in both flat and jumps. She was the British flat racing Champion Owner in 1943, the year her horse Straight Deal won The Derby. She was leading National Hunt owner in 1933–34, 1940–41 and 1951–52. She owned seven Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, Golden Miller five times, 1932–1936 inclusive, Roman Hackle in 1940 and Mont Tremblant in 1952. Her four Champion Hurdle winners were Insurance in 1932 and 1933, Solford in 1940 and Distel in 1946. Golden Miller also provided her with her solitary victory in the Grand National in 1934, still the only occasion any horse has won the two major prizes of British steeplechasing in the same season.

But how much was Paget alleged to have lost punting on her horses?

Hollywoodbets Greyville Poly Fields

Today’s Question Answer

Dorothy Paget lost the equivalent of £90 million pounds gambling, most of it on her own horses.

Dorothy was so wealthy that no winning bet could conceivably have improved the quality of her life, and no loss impact negatively. Her betting was the unlovely, indolent behaviour of a bored multi-millionairess.

The original Mr William Hill was a beneficiary, building his new business on the back of her losses. Allegedly, he often paid jockeys to fall off when the Paget money was down.

In her latter years Dorothy lived an eccentric lifestyle at home, spending most of the day in bed and rising at night.

Most bookmakers employed a member of staff to be on the phone at night to take bets solely from Miss Paget and also allowed her to place bets on races that had already taken place the previous day purely on her oath that she did not know the result. Her honesty in this regard was noted by the fact the majority of the horses she backed were already known by the bookmaker to have been beaten. In return, however, the bookmakers always honoured the occasions where she selected horses they knew to have won. She also assigned her staff different colours, with the exception of green, which she despised, and would use the colours in place of their names when speaking to them or of them.