Country’s Strongest 3YO’s Clash In Graham Beck
Gimmeanotherchance represents the Mike de Kock yard, who are in flying form (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
At this time last year the strength of the three-year-old male crop lay in Cape Town, as has been the norm in recent times, but that is not the case this season.
And that is the reason why Saturday’s Gr 3 Betway Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein Standside has one of its most exciting ever renewals.
The race inludes Sandringham Summit, Main Defender, Sovereign State and Gimmeanotherchance, meaning the only touted male sophomores around the country who are missing are the sidelined Lucky Lad and his stablemate Tail Of The Comet, who is campaigning in the Cape, and possibly Sovereign State’s unbeaten Frank Robinson-trained stable companion Mexican Pete and maybe also the Mike de Kock-trained Beamonesque.
Of course the like of My Golly Molly, Questioning, Tenango, Green With Envy, Zil Moris and others can still step up to the plate on Sunday in the Gr 3 Cape Classic. After all the Western Cape’s winter was blighted by record rainfalls and it might have hampered the preparation of some of their best three-year-old males, who also include Hluhluwe, who is not running this weekend.
October Morn Taking After Her Dam
October Morn quickened well in the straight over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday and is one to follow over sprints this season (Photo: Wayne Marks).
The Candice Bass-Robinson-trained three-year-old Trippi filly October Morn relished the step back in trip on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, when quickening in fine style from off the pace in the 1000m event and winning by 1,25 lengths under Aldo Domeyer.
It was a Cape B Stakes race so she did get a 3kg gender allowance, but off her 101 merit rating she did still have to carry 57kg.
The only two other fillies in the race, the useful 97-rated Golen Tatjana and the 84-rated Porque Te Vas, finished second last and last respectively.
October Morn was beaten into fourth place in her previous start over 1500m on July 22 in the Listed WSB Irridescence Stakes despite jumping at odds of 63/100.
She might be by Trippi, but her mother Miss October was an out and out sprinter whose five wins were all over 1000m.
Var mare Miss October has produced a Gr 1 winner in Tempting Fate, who won the Gr 1 Gold Medallion. Tempting Fate is by Master Of My Fate, but his five wins have been from 1100m to 1200m.
Miss October’s first foal Spring Break is a full-sister to October Morn and her four wins were from 1000m to 1200m.
Her decent twice-winning son Spielberg is by the stamina influce Futura and yet he looks to be a 1000m specialist with both of his wins being over the minimum trip.
The one that does buck the trend is her Silvano four-year-old filly October Fair.
This Sean Tarry-trained filly’s two wins have been over 1400m and 1600m respectively. However, for the second time she failed to step up to the plate when tried over 1800m on Saturday.
October Morn looks like a filly to follow this season.
The combination of Trippi’s class and the sprinting speed she gets from her dam should make her a potent force in sprints events.
There is a good program of stakes sprints available to fillies and mares over the Cape Racing Summer Season and she should be a leading player in these races.
Kiss Me Captain Gains Deserved Bold Black Type
The Mike and Adam Azzie yard was one of two raider winners at the Hollywoodbets Durbanville meeting on Saturday.
Racehorse Owner Suzette Viljoen Is Living Her Hopes And Dreams
Suzette Viljoen and her husband Basie. Picture: Facebook
The sometime champion owner has branched out into commercial thoroughbred breeding
Mike Moon (The Citizen)
Suzette Viljoen, a prolific racehorse owner and one of the most popular people in the game, was welcomed into the ranks of commercial breeders when she consigned five young horses at Sunday’s Cape Racing Sales Ready To Run and Two-Year-Old Unbroken sale at Hollywoodbets Durbanville.
Viljoen, and her equally cheerful husband Basie, have set up operations at their new Hopes and Dreams Stud in Wellington in the Western Cape – formerly Shirley Pfeiffer’s successful Arc-En-Ciel stud.
Hundreds of horses run in Viljoen’s pink and blue colours all over the country, so she has had no trouble furnishing the new establishment with a broodmare band. Close to 100 mares are already enjoying the dreamy Winelands scenery – including Equus champion Captain’s Ransom.
‘Lifelong dream’
Of her new venture, Viljoen comments: “Hopes and Dreams Stud represents what its name says. We hope and we dream of breeding a champion. My lifelong dream has been to have a wine farm with horses, and now I am living my dream.”
She often describes herself as “just a farm girl”, having grown up near Potchefstroom and spending married life on a vast cattle farm in Schweizer-Reneke. However, she and Basie are clearly smart people with significant business interests.
The couple were keen followers of racing for a long time, but only bought their first horse in 2018. The bug bit hard and within three short years Suzette had amassed scores of runners – distributed among many trainers – and had become South Africa’s champion owner.
The five youngsters carrying the Hopes and Dreams at the weekend’s sale were:
Lot 89 Unnamed b f Pomodoro x Morning Light
“She is on the big side, a well-put-together filly who has always been ahead of her group. She may look for distance,” said Suzette before the Sale (Bought by a rising star, the East Cape trainer Kelly Mitchley, for R30,000)
Lot 95 Difflock b c William Longsword x Reine Tonnerre
“This is a well-grown bull of a horse with plenty of quality. He is very correct and could be anything.” (Bought by top trainer Tony Peter for R125,000)
Lot 96 Dawn’s Early Light ch c The United States x Sea Bean
“A very correct, medium-sized colt with lots of quality. He looks like a racehorse, walks like one and should run like one!” (Bought by Jonathan Snaith for R200,000).
Lot 97 Filly Fantasia b f One World x Shangri La
“A precocious type from a good family, and she looks speedy. One we wouldn’t mind to race ourselves.” (Bought by The Kommet Syndicate for R160,000)
Lot 106 Future King ch c Futura x Costly Romance
“A well-put-together colt, medium framed with nice rein. Should come early and go the distance.” (Bought by Fabian Habib for R50,000)
Suzette and Basie aggregated R565,000 for their five lots and averaged R113,000 – not a bad start to their breeding career!
De Kock Calls Up Veteran Rider For Dave The King In Charity Mile
Bernard Fayd’Herbe (Hamish Niven Photography)
The 42-year-old Bernard Fayd’Herbe is best known for his partnership with champion Pocket Power
Carracci Tops Opening Day of Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale
Lot 183: Carracci (USA) (Tattersalls.co.uk)
The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale got off to a solid start on the opening day with eleven lots selling for 100,000 guineas or more and a wide cross section of buyers active. Topping proceedings during the opening session was the Coolmore consigned CARRACCI at 320,000 guineas.
Carracci Bound for Saudi Arabia After 320,000 Guineas Purchase
The Coolmore consigned CARRACCI is destined for Saudi Arabia after being purchased by Aidan ‘Mouse’ O’Ryan for 320,000 guineas, having seen off underbidder Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland.
“He has been bought for SBS Global and he goes to Saudi Arabia,” said O’Ryan from his bidding position by the chute. “He is my pick of the sale, I love the sire and he speaks for himself. This horse’s form is good, and we were keen to get him. He should be one for the big races in Saudi in the spring.”
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, CARRACCI was a winner at two and was placed in the Group 3 2000 Guineas Trial Stakes at Leopardstown as a three-year-old this April. He was fourth on his most recent start in the Listed Diamond Stakes at Dundalk in September and is Timeform rated 102.
The son of QUALITY ROAD comes from a top pedigree being out of the Group 3 Munster Oaks third BUTTERFLIES, a GALILEO daughter of MARIAH’S STORM, the dam of GIANT’S CAUSEWAY and granddam of Classic/Group 1 winners GLENEAGLES, HAPPILY, JOAN OF ARC, MARVELLOUS, DECORATED KNIGHT and ABOVE THE CURVE.
Lot 245: Firebird (GB)
Stroud Coleman Bloodstock and Paddy Twomey Land Firebird for 260,000 Guineas
The once-raced FIREBIRD, consigned by Barton Sales, was purchased by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock’s Matt Coleman for 260,000 guineas. The two-year-old LOPE DE VEGA filly was bred by the late Sir Robert Ogden, raced by Lady Ogden and trained by Rebecca Menzies to finish second on her sole start to date at Ayr at the beginning of October.
FIREBIRD is out of the FRANKEL mare WAR AND PEACE, a daughter of the Group 1 Matron Stakes winner EMULOUS.
“She has been bought for a client as a racing and then breeding prospect and goes to Paddy Twomey” said Coleman. “We know the filly well as I looked after the late Sir Robert and Lady Ogden’s horses. The filly is a good-looking sort by Lope De Vega, has always shown plenty in training, put in a promising race on her debut and, fingers crossed, she can go on to get some blacktype next year.”
Of the family, he added: “The sister Balalaika was third in the Sandringham Stakes and made 330,000 guineas here at the July Sale when joint second top price, purchased by BBA Ireland.
“All of the mare’s runners have achieved high ratings, and this year’s Too Darn Hot yearling made 110,000 guineas. Bluestocking, under the second dam, finished second in the Irish Oaks in July and was a neck second to Poptronic in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes on Saturday. It is a happening family.”
WAR AND PEACE is due to sell in the December Mares Sale as lot 1737, while her Showcasing colt foal is catalogued as lot 900 in the December Foal Sale. Both are to be consigned by New England Stud.
Lot 190: Golden Move (GB)
Golden Move to Paul Nicholls for 215,000 Guineas
National Hunt trainers and agents always play a significant part at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale and one lot set to go jumping is the three-year-old colt GOLDEN MOVE, who was purchased by bloodstock agent Tom Malone on behalf of trainer Paul Nicholls for 215,000 guineas after he saw off fellow National Hunt agent Harold Kirk.
A winner over 1m4f on soft ground at Doncaster in July and placed on his two most recent starts, the son of GOLDEN HORN is Timeform rated 91 and was offered by Richard Fahey’s Musley Bank Stables.
“He is a lovely animal. He looks like he stays, and needs all of the trip he is running over at the minute. He goes on soft ground, is by Golden Horn who is doing so well, and is the one we wanted today,” said Malone. “He goes to Ditcheat and is for sale.”
Lot 370: Rascal Recknell (FR)
Inquisitively’s Owner Secures Rascal Recknell for 215,000 Guineas
Newmarket-based trainer Kevin Philippart De Foy enjoyed a first Group winner at the recent Newmarket meeting when INQUISITIVELY won the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes, and the trainer secured the two-year-old WOOTTON BASSETT colt RASCAL RECKNELL for 215,000 guineas for the same owner.
“He has been bought for Wee Sean Gan who owns Inquisitively,” reported De Foy after the purchase. “The plan is the same – keep him in the UK for a bit and then send him to Hong Kong.”
Consigned by Owen Burrows Racing, RASCAL RECKNELL was offered with a Timeform rating of 77p and was bought by Philippart De Foy along with Sam Wright Bloodstock. The underbidder was Jerry McGrath.
Philippart De Foy continued: “This horse is a nice big type, he looks a decent prospect. We might run him once this year but the plan is to give him as much time as he needs, he has a big frame and plenty of scope. I am surprised he ran in August, but he showed plenty of ability that day. He will hopefully run a couple of times next year and then head to Hong Kong next summer.”
The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale continues at 9.30am on Tuesday, 24th October.
Mxothwa/Crawford Double, Domeyer Double
The Hollywood Syndicate-owned Great Cat gets out of the maidens in impressive style over 1250m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville today (Tuesday) and gives Brett Craword and Luyolo Mxothwa a double in the process (Photo: Wayne Marks).
Luyolo Mxothwa won the first two races at Hollywoodbets Durbanville today for his guv’nor Brett Crawford and Aldo Domeyer also rode a double.
Mxothwa goes to 18 wins for the season at a strike rate of 11.25%.
Domeyer is on 21 wins at 23.60%.
Grant van NIekerk leads the Western Cape Jockeys Championship on 19 wins, Domeyer is second on 17 and Richard Fourie is next best on 16.
Brett Crawford has had 15 wins at 9.62%.
Today’s Question
Flockton Grey later in life (Racingpost.com)
What is the claim to fame of the horse Flockton Grey?
Midweek FIELDS
Today’s Question Answer
Flockton Grey was the British racehorse at the centre of one of the largest betting scandals to hit British horseracing. The affair remains the best-known case of a corrupt trainer and owner using a ringer to race in place of another horse. Because of the use of the ringer, Flockton Grey did not actually run in the race for which he became most famous.
Background
Flockton Grey was an undistinguished gelding by Dragonara Palace out of Misippus, a mare who later produced the dual Cheltenham Festival winner Montelado. He was sold for 900 guineas as a foal and for 1,700 guineas as a yearling. On the latter occasion he was bought by Ken Richardson, who sent the gelding into training with Stephen Wiles in Yorkshire.
Race
Flockton Grey was entered into his first race for two-year-olds on 29 March 1982 at Leicester Racecourse. As a debutant from an unsuccessful yard (Stephen Wiles had failed to train a winner in two years), the horse was priced at 10-1. The perpetrators of the scam, Richardson and Wiles, saw an opportunity to make a profit and backed their horse with £20,000, spreading their money around several different betting shops to avoid detection. They then arranged for a three-year-old horse, Good Hand, formerly owned by Richardson, to run in place of Flockton Grey. According to the official weight for age scale, a three-year-old at that time of year ought to have carried 47 pounds more than a two-year-old so that Good Hand, meeting his younger opponents at level weights, had a huge advantage. Good Hand was too strong for the competition and won by twenty lengths.
The margin of victory caused immediate suspicion, and bookmakers refused to pay out. A police investigation followed. Official race photographs revealed the winner had teeth too developed to be a two-year-old’s. Records of the course veterinarian disclosed that the winner had a conspicuous scar on its foreleg. Investigators traced Flockton Grey to one of Wiles’ yards, determining his identity by blood tests, but found no scar. The deceit uncovered, Richardson was charged with conspiracy to defraud. In June 1984, he was convicted, fined £20,000 with £25,000 in costs, and given a suspended nine-month prison sentence. Following his conviction, the Jockey Club “warned off” Richardson for an unprecedented period of 25 years. Wiles received a similar ban from racing. Jockey Kevin Darley was exonerated of any knowledge of the switch, and it was noted that a rider with inside knowledge could easily have held his horse back, minimising the winning margin and preventing any suspicion.
Later developments
Richardson would later resurface as the chairman of Bridlington Town Football Club, and later the self-styled “benefactor” of Doncaster Rovers; Bridlington Town went bankrupt during his stewardship, with fans of the club accusing Richardson of gross financial mismanagement. Similar accusations were made during his tenure at Doncaster. The tumultuous period in the club’s history only ended in 1999, when Richardson was convicted of attempted arson for his role in hiring three associates to burn down Doncaster’s ground to collect insurance money. He was jailed for four years and ordered to pay £75,000 in costs.
During the investigations and trials which followed the scandal, Flockton Grey remained in police custody, and was only “released” in 1986: he never competed in a race. He lived to the age of 28, spending his last twenty years at the stable of Mary Dick near Worksop. On his death from a heart attack in 2008, Dick described him as “a gem, my favourite horse”.
wikipedia
