Could Hawwaam Be The Next Big Silvano Sire?
Hawwaam colt Hah Lah Lah romps home at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
One sure fire sign of a good stallion is the ability to uplift mares and if Hawwaam’s winner on Sunday is anything to go by he is doing just that.
The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Hawwaam colt Hah Lah Lah has plenty of substance and looked full of class when winning by 2,50 lengths on debut at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday over 1200m under Craig Zackey.
The Patricia Devine Investments-bred colt is out of the stakes runner up Captain Al mare Moonlight ‘N Roses, who had produced three winners from three foals previously, but one of them won an open maiden (handicap) after not managing better than fifth in five previous starts in Cape Town, another relocated to the East Cape before winning and the other one reached a merit ratig of only 77.
Yet Hal Lah Lah struck as an exciting prospect and had been backed in to 13/10 favourite before romping home, despite not being well away.
Jehan Malherbe is part of the Vasco Syndicate who own him and his Form Bloodstock had splashed out R500,000 on Friday to buy Hah Lah Lah’s full brother at the BSA August Sale.
Hawwaam had only two two-year-old winners last season from 16 runners and they each won only once.
However, this season he has had three winners from eight runners and that includes the Tony Peter-trained Perfect Miracle, who romped in by 6,25 lengths on debut.
The five time G1 winning champion Hawwaam (who is closely related to unbeaten G2 World Pool With Race Coast Debutante winner Princess Of Gaul) had 13 lots selling for an average of R357,308 at the BSA August Sale, including one for R600,000 and two for R500,000.
Hawwam, bred by Wilgerbosdrift Stud where he now stands, is by the six-times champion stallion Silvano out of the Equus Champion Broodmare Halfway To Heaven (Jet Master), who also produced the champion Rainbow Bridge and the dual Gr 1 winner Golden Ducat.
Halfway To Heaven won from 1200m to 1800m including the Gr 3 Prix du Cap over 1400m and the Listed Off To Stud Handicap over 1800m.
Vercingetrix is, of course, also by Silvano, although he has a speedier female line being out of National Assembly mare National Vixen, who was multiple stakes-placed and won from 1000m to 1400m.
Vercingetorix, unlike stamina influence Silvano, has been able to produce precocious types as well as classic champions and stayers.
It looks to date as if Hawwaam’s progeny might take longer to come to hand than Vercingetorix’s, but excitement is building around this sire.
On the downside his progeny are gaining a reputation for being hot.
However, Tienie Prinsloo has one whom he is excited about and whom he says shows no sign of being temperamental.
One Stripe Doing Well In Breeders Cup Preparations
One Stripe booked his Breeders Cup spot by winning the L’Ormarins King’s Plate (Picture: Wayne Marks)
One Stripe remains the only Gr 1 winner of One World, who broke records as a freshman sire and who added another two stakes winners last season to make his career tally four stakes winners to date.
One Stripe, a Race Coast Sales Ready To Run Sale-topping R1,4 million purchase, was orginally trained by Vaughan Marshall and owned by Rikesh Sewgoolam, but was later purchased by Hollywood Racing (Betting Entertainment Technologies International) with Sewgoolam retaining a share and he is presently being trained by Graham Motion at Fairhill Training Centre in Northeast Maryland.
He is being prepared for tilt at the Gr 1 Breeders Cup Mile on turf, to be run on November 1 at Del Mar.
He breezed five furlongs in 1,03,4 at home on Sunday.
Click here to watch the workout
One Stripe has met Equus Horse Of The Year Eight On Eighteen twice and beaten him both times.
He defeated the champion for the second time when winning the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas and he went on to win the prestigious Gr 1 L’Ormariins King’s Plate, also over 1600m.
He became only the eleventh 3yo winner of the King’s PLate since its inception in 1861, and earned an automatic ‘win and you’re in’ ticket into the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Mile.
One Stripe has won six of nine starts and has had five Graded wins in all.
He was ousted for the Horse Of The Year award because Eight On Eighteen went on to win three Gr 1s over 2000m, including the wfa WSB Met, and Eight On Eighteen failed narrowly to become the first horse ever to win both the Met and the Hollywoodbets Durban July as a three-year-old.
After leaving South Africa One Stripe spent two months with Irishman Gavin Hernon, who is based in Chantilly, France. He was kept in light work in France.
One Stripe departed France on Wednesday 9 July, and after a few days in precautionary quarantine, arrived in Maryland on Saturday 12 July.
Louis Nhlapo Making The Most Of His Opportunities
Louis Nhlapo scores on Banyan (Flower Alley), the first leg of a double with just two rides on Saturday (JC Photos)
Louis Nhlapo is being given some chances by Johan Janse van Vuuren this season and is taking them with both hands, while he also took the chance Tony Peter handed him the previous weekend on the unbeaten young three-year-old Rifle Queen.
Louis is now 50 years old and is one of a number of older jockeys who have come back from adversity and hopefully he can get the breakthrough he deserves this season as he is not only a fine horseman but is also tactically astute and, furthermore, he is a lightweight who can ride 52kg .
On Saturday at Turfontein Inside Louis had just two rides, both on Janse van Vuuren horses, and he rode a 55/1 double.
In the second race he was aboard the Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein-bred first-timer Banyan.
This gelding looked a picture in the preliminaries. However, being by stamina influence Flower Alley out of Dynasty mare Chakri, whose three wins were from 1400m to 1600m, the 1000m trip of this maiden plate was going to be on the sharp side, but he did have the advantage of pole position. Louis bounced him out well and had him handy on the rail. He eased him off the rail when the path looked blocked going down the straight section before the elbow and he thus had a clear run straight to the line as they came off the elbow. The tall horse was clearly still full of running but Louis remained patient and only delivered the first of his backhanders at about the 300m mark. The tall horse stayed on well to win by a comfortable 1,30 lengths having been backed in from 25/1 to 7/1.
Louis showed his tactical awareness in his only other ride in the Chris Haynes Middle Stake over 1000m where he also had pole position. After bouncing out well and taking the lead he was aware that none of the others were keen to lead and he was thus within his rights to go no more than a steady pace. The challengers came to swamp him at the 300m mark, but he hadn’t even asked the horse yet and when giving him more rein he found extra. The favourite Karate Kid delivered a strong late challenge. However, there was plenty still in the tank when Louis gave Sheldon a backhander at the 150m mark, his only use of the whip in the whole race. The seven-year-old Querari gelding converted 7/1 odds by a cosy quarter-of-a-length, his first win for two years.
Louis will obviously be given more chances after those performances, while he is the only one so far to have ridden the Tony Peter-trained Bufflo Bill Cody three-year-old filly Rifle Queen, who is unbeaten in two starts and has done it impressively.
Plum Pudding Gets Up And Objection Is Overruled
Plum Pudding (no. 9) holds on from Trois Trois Quatre (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Andrew Harrison (Race Coast)
Objections will always be a contentious issue in horse racing. Some incidences are so clearcut that the stipendiary stewards have little choice but to press the button for the objection hooter to sound.
In other cases, objections from the affected parties require little more than a quick deliberation, over ruled and deposits forfeit.
Objection rules have changed many times over the years as the authorities try to pigeonhole offences but in a fluid situation in the heat of the moment, none can say who is right or wrong unless the infringement was blatantly obvious.
That brings us to the sixth race at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday where winner Plum Pudding and runner-up Trois Trois Quatre came together around the 200m marker, the two having met at their previous outings with Trois Trois Quatre the winner but Plum Pudding now 1.5kg better off in the handicap.
On the evidence, Plum Pudding did move onto Trois Trois Quatre, pressured on her outside by African Dusk.
Plum Pudding and Trois Trois Quatre were both knocked off balance by their coming together but Plum Pudding recovered the better and went on to win convincingly.
Some will argue that Trois Trois Quatre had come from off the pace and may have been finishing the better prior to the contact but in the final analysis, Plum Pudding did come out the stronger of what looked to be six of one and half a dozen of the other.
As far as I recall the deciding criteria is: would B have beaten A?
Callan Murray, who lodged the objection got his money back, Serino Moodley may not be so lucky (i.e. he might get a suspension – however, there appears to be no inquiry into the incident).
Dean Kannemeyer may have moved the majority of his string back to Milnerton but he has had a plethora of debutantes making their mark and Nicolette Roscoe holds the Summerveld fort. The word was out early that Hah Lah Lah was the horse to beat in the card opener and they were on the mark as Craig Zackey steered her to a comfortable victory.
Second-placed Son Of Rafeef and third-placed Buddy Boy both caught the eye when running on strongly and both names are for the notebook.
Royal Sword looked to be one of the better bets on the card and the betting told it all as he went out solidly in the red. Garth Puller’ s gelding lived up to his name and the market and although it was not all plain sailing as Moodley had to work to keep his mount hard to the task and Royal Sword kept responding to hold off Jet Blackfire.
Act Of Grace made short work of her opposition in the first leg of the Pick 6 with favourites obliging in the first three races of the day. She put daylight between herself and Paul Matchett’s filly Tipperary, with Matchett likely to be around in KZN from his Highveld base until the spring rains take some of the string out of the ground on home turf.
Muzi Yeni Has Finger Trouble At Fairview
Muzi Yeni’s hand gestures did not go down well with the Stipes at Fairview last Friday (Pauline Herman Photography)
Piggott did far worse to Dettori in the bad old days
By Mike Moon (The Citizen)
Jockey Frankie Dettori tells a story of how his legendary rival Lester Piggott once grabbed him by the goolies during a race – to take revenge on the younger jockey for teasing him.
This tale came to mind last week when popular South African jockey Muzi Yeni was fined for making “demeaning and unsportsmanlike” gestures at other jockeys in a race at Fairview.
Yeni rode a good race on Kingdom Of Heaven in Race 6 on Friday, coming from well back to win going away and post a third win on the afternoon. As he and horse cruised to the winning post, the pint-sized rider turned in the saddle and appeared to point a finger at a couple of his well-beaten rivals.
You can’t really see on replays, but arrangement of the digits might have made things ruder. Whatever, the stipes were not amused.
After watching video replays and quizzing jockeys on the receiving end, the fuzz charged Yeni with unprofessional conduct. He admitted guilt and was fined R5,000 with half suspended for a year.
On the scale of jockey punishments, it was peanuts, and one wonders why anyone bothered putting a black mark on the record. A quiet word and a knowing smile would have sufficed in a hard-knocks game in which robust competition is standard.
The three wins at Fairview took Yeni to 15 for the infant season and to the top of the log of the jockey championship – one of his burning career targets. S’Manga Khumalo and Craig Zackey are second with 13 apiece. The two most recent champs, Gavin Lerena and Richard Fourie, have been on a few weeks’ holiday.
Back to the Dettori/Piggott story:
In his autobiography Leap of Faith, Dettori says the incident happened after he’d taunted Piggott when the latter made a comeback to riding at the age of 55.
“As we come into the bend at the halfway point I glance to my left and see him behind me. He reaches over, grabs my balls and squeezes as hard as he can.
“The pain’s extraordinary. I feel my eyes watering behind my goggles. He says: ‘That’ll teach you to be cocky, you little sh*t’.”
Frankie writes: “I’m in his face telling him he should be in a museum, advising him to get the slippers out because there’s no way he’ll be able to keep up with us young bucks.
“We’re riding at Glorious Goodwood. There’s a big field, 20 runners or so. After the race, back in the weighing room, we watch a replay.
“I gather everyone round. ‘Lads,’ I say, ‘watch out for where Lester grabs my balls. It’s coming up round about now.’”
But then Frankie adds: “There’s a blind spot in the coverage of about 10 seconds where the cameras switch and the action’s too far away to be caught by either of them. He knows exactly where the cameras are, of course.
“I look across at him. Not a trace of a smirk passes his lips.”
Banha Bridge Looks Ready To Win Again
Banha Bridge (white headgear) has been tipped to win race five (JC Photos)
Vaal Tuesday Formguides And Selections
R1 11 OLYMPIAN GOLD made much improvement second time out and looks the one to beat here over a suitable trip. 6 BEACH WALKER improved when stepped up to 1400 metres and should enjoy this further step up too. 4 FRERE JACQUES has run two fair races and should enjoy this step up in trip. 7 TRIP TO PEACE looks capable of earning here. (11-6-4-7)
R2 1 CARNARVON has been thereabouts in his latest starts and has the ability to win this race. 2 CAPTAIN FRANK could be the main danger if repeating his penultimate start. 4 KING BLUETOOTH could earn if repeating his last start. 3 NEW LIFE looks also capable of earning in this field.
R3 1 EMPRESS WU has been knocking on the door and has a good opportunity to get off the mark here.3 CONCORDIA is usually thereabouts and is capable of earning here. 4 BELLA BOOP BOOP should also earn a cheque in this race. 2 CYBER SPIRIT has run well in his last three and could earn a cheque. (1-3-4-2)
R4 2 HEROIC ACT looks the one to beat in this race if producing his best. 5 EMBER KING ran well last time and he should enjoy the step up in trip. 1 INCLUSION disappointed last time but is probably better than that and could earn from pole position.3 CUZZIEran a fair race last time and if able to reproduce his best could could earn. (2-5-1-3)
R5 1 BANHA BRIDGE is drawn in pole and has the form to be a player in this race. 6 STORM AHEAD won well last time and although he has been given a six point raise he could be thereabouts again. 3 MIZZEN SWORD was highly disappointing last time but is surely better than that and could be a player. 5 GUY ALEXANDER ran well last time and has a good draw so should also be right there. (1-6-3-5)
R6 8 3 HONG KONG has the ability to be involved here. 2 PENNSYLVANIA should be running on late. 5 RED PENNY is capable of earning in this field. (8-3-2-5)
R7 2 TIME WILL TELL won in fine style last time over 1000m and also enjoys this trip so should be right there off a 85 merit rating. 5 MICHAEL FARADAY became disappointing in Cape Town but could get a new lease of life here and can’t be ignored. 3 PALACE PRINCE represents an in-form yard and should be a big player here. 10 TOGETHER AGAIN is capable of earning in this field although she is half a kilogram under sufferance. (2-5-3-10)
R8 6 ZOOMBOMBER ran a good race last time and should have come on from the run so is a runner in this race. 1 AFTER HOURS goes for a hat-trick and represents an in-form yard and should be thereabouts. 11 VIVA DE JANEIRO is capable of being involved in the finish here. 9 GAMER is another one who could be right there if at his best. (6-1-11-9)
Greeff/Fourie Four-Timer Gets Their Season Firing
Coastal Path (Global View) clinches a four-time for Richard Fourie and Alan Greeff (Pauline Herman Photography)
Richard Fourie had only his second meeting of the season today (Monday) and he rode a four-timer for his guv’nor Alan Greeff.
His winners were on the 91/100 shot Olive Oyl (Vercingetorix), the even money shot Green Isle (Gimmethegreenlight), the 11/2 chance Beechamwood Boy (Eightfold Path) and the 18/10 shot Coastal Path (Global View).
That took Fourie to five wins for the season at 33.33% and all five of his wins have been for Greeff.
Muzi Yeni leads the championship on 15 wins at 20.27% and in joint second place are Craig Zackey and S’Manga Khumalo on 13 wins each at 14.29% and 24.53% respectively.
Serino Moodley and Calvin Habib are also in double figures on 12 wins and 11 wins at 19.05% and 13.25% resepectively.
Greeff is already on 15 wins at 22.06%, seven more wins than Tony Peter who is in second place on the national log on number of wins and stakes.
Today's Question
Who said, “I’ve always thought of Ascot as a man’s track. I’ll keep my fingers crossed the new Ascot will be as kind to me as the old Ascot.” ?
Picture: Ascot
FIELDS, Tuesday, 26, August
Vaal
Today’s Question Answer
Frankie Dettori made that statement before the return of Ascot in 2006 after the completion of the new grandstand and laying of new turf.
