Picture: Safe Passage winning the WSB Gauteng Guineas (JC Photos).

Charity Mile: Class Versus The Well Handicapped

The Grade 2 Allied-Steelrode Onamission Mile will have a full field of 16 runners on Saturday.

Among them are class packages Safe Passage and MK’s Pride as well as the potentially well handicapped After The Rain.

MK’s Pride (Willow Magic) finished a 3,50 length third in this race last year and went on to win the Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over course and distance.

He is now merit rated 122, so will have to carry 60kg, 1,5kg less than the 125-rated topweight Astrix, winner of the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge.

He will have his first run for Mike de Kock and has landed a good draw of two.

Muzi Yeni, who was aboard in the Horse Chestnut retains the ride.

Safe Passage (Silavno), also trained by De Kock, won both the Grade 2 WSB Dingaans and Grade 2 WSB Gauteng Guineas over this course and distance last season. He went on to be an impressive winner of the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 before running a fine third in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

S’Manga Khumalo rode Safe Passage in both the Dingaans and Gauteng Guineas, but has not been called up here and instead the ride has been given to Grant van Niekerk.

Khumalo rides the Joe Soma-trained Red Saxon (Red Ray), who actually beat Safe Passage in the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1800m. Red Saxon was beaten 3,65 lengths by Safe Passage in the Gauteng Guineas, but off his 116 merit rating will receive 3kg from the 122-rated Safe Passage on Saturday.

Red Saxon has drawn nine.

The aforementioned are the only Grade 1 winners in the field and form students will be torn between sheer class and what their handicapping nous tells them.

On paper the winner would have to surely be the Gareth van Zyl-trained After The Rain (Master Of My Fate).

This five-year-old entire is probably KZN’s most popular horse due not only to his white-coloured grey coat but also due to his stride, in which he throws his front feet up high and is exhilarating to watch.

On his overall form the 1600m would look to stretch him, but this gallant front-runner has learnt to settle, as he proved last time in the Grade 2 Topbet Mike O’Connor Jo’Burg Spring Challenge over 1450m.

In that race he took up his favourite front-running role, but after being overtaken by the favourite William Robertson he fought back and was finishing very strongly to be beaten just a quarter of a length.

Bingwa stayed on for third in that race and made up no ground on After The Rain, which suggested it was not a case of William Robertson fading but rather After The Rain seeing out every inch of the trip.

The most interesting point was the 104 rated After The Rain was facing the 125-rated William Robertson on weight for age terms.

To put that into perspective, After The Rain faces Bingwa in the Charity Mile and, despite beating him by 3,50 lengths in the Spring Challenge, he will now be 7kg better off.

After The Rain beat Hoedspruit by 8,95 lengths in the Spring Challenge and will be 3kg better off on Saturday.

So, despite After The Rain being 1kg under sufferance according to his official merit rating, he is potentially well weighted.

If he is able to restrain himself in the running as he did last time, he should see out the trip.

On the downside he is drawn 12, so might have to use up a bit of energy to get to the front. Furthermore, there is another known front-runner in the field, Forever Mine.

Another big runner will be Pyromaniac. He showed glimpses of class last season, but was inconsistent. However, he has now been gelded. He did the job well when weighted to win a Graduation Plate over 1450m last time out. He does have a tough draw though.

The five-year-old Vercingetorix gelding Irish Tractor is 1,5kg under sufferance off his 103 merit rating, but is progressive and has won three of his six starts on the Highveld, including the last two. He does have to overcome a tough draw of 15 out of 16.

The four-year-old What A Winter filly Humdinger (What A Winter) is also on the up, having won her last three, but she is still 2kg under sufferance despite being given an eight point raise last time, so it will be tough even from draw three.

Puerto Manzano loves the long straight here and has the class to be a contender even from a wide draw.

Litigation (Greys Inn) is 3kg under sufferance but struck as one who would come into his own as a four-year-old this season.

Forever Mine (Vercingetorix) is a dangerous front-runner and sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight but he does have a tricky draw and would probably prefer a touch shorter.

The full field is below:

Picture: The RTR and Unbroken Sale will take place at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racecourse on Saturday.

It’s All Systems Go For Saturday’s R2R And Unbroken Sale

Saturday’s 2022 Ready To Run and Unbroken Two-Year-Old Sale at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse will be a pleasing and enjoyable experience for vendors, buyers and casual visitors and by account of the weather bureau the stage is set for a mild, sunny afternoon with no rain forecast.

The sales team at Cape Racing has crossed the t’s and dotted the i’s ahead of this year’s renewal to ensure a memorable auction, which starts with viewing opportunities of the catalogued entries on Thursday, 27 and Friday 28 November.

The popular Ready To Run gallops will take place before the sale, starting 10am on Saturday. They will be streamed live on the Cape Racing website (www.caperacing.co.za) and on www.galloptv.co.za, and followed by lunch to be served in the 1881 Lounge on the grandstand. The sale commences at 14.30.

Justin Vermaak, Head Of Racing Operations for Cape Racing, commented: “The setup for the Ready To Run Sale will be the same as for the others held here. The horses will ring around the Kenilworth winner’s box and the actual auctioneering will take place in the 1881 Lounge just above the winner’s box where everyone will be seated during the course of the sale.

“The tables have been booked up, over 150 people have confirmed, but we can possibly squeeze a few more in. There will be bidding on the phone and via zoom links from elsewhere, we’ll also be welcoming some overseas buyers including Ricky Maingard from Mauritius.

“We’re expecting a full house of buyers and an excellent sale. This is the last opportunity to acquire a two-year-old which qualifies for the Cape’s big two-year-old races, the Summer Juvenile Series, the R750,000 Sales race itself in 2023, also the R400,000 race for colts and the R400,000 race for fillies on Derby Day. Pinhooked horses bought at the BSA Sales also qualify for a R100,000 bonus.

“We expect that these financial incentives for two-year-olds will translate into a good sale. We have a quality catalogue and we invite everyone to have a look and get involved!” To view the catalogue and other detailed sales information, please visit the Cape Racing website.

Picture: Jet Dark (Candiese Lenferna).

Jet Dark, Golden Ducat Entered in Cape Mile

Twice Equus Champion Miler Jet Dark (Trippi) has drawn pole for the Grade 3 Cape Mile to be run on November 5 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

Justin Snaith has already declared Richard Fourie to ride him.

The Eric Sands-trained dual Grade 1-winner Golden Ducat (Philanthropist) looks set to make his long awaited comeback in this race.

He hasn’t been seen since running in the Grade 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m on May 2 last year.

Another good horse who hasn’t been seen for a long time, the Vaughan Marshall-trained Rascallion (Vercingetorix) is also an entry.

Golden Ducat is one of three males produced by the mare Halfway To Heaven to be multiple Grade 1 winners, the others being the Sands-trained Rainbow Bridge and the Mike de Kock-trained Hawaam.

Sands also trains another sibling by Halway Heaven, Querari filly Gift From Heaven, and after she had run third last, last and third last in her opening three starts he decided upon some enterprising tactics last Saturday. Carrying just 50kg in the Cape Racing Honours Henry Devine Maiden Special Weights handicap over 1600m, Joshwin Solomons sent her to the front and built up a huge lead. The tactic only just failed as she was caught close to home and beaten just 0,40 lengths.

The Cape Mile Entries are below:

Picture: Lot 36 at the RTR Sale is a Vercingetorix filly out of Captain Al mare Mana Mou and is bred to be extremely fast.

Koster Picks First Class Five!

John Koster has picked five outstanding lots among 13 raised at Klawervlei Stud, going under the auctioneer’s hammer at Saturday’s Cape Racing Ready To Run and Unbroken Two-Year-Old Sale at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

“Our draft is excellent and includes a few that you will not easily find at other sales,” said Koster.

His Top Five, with notes, below:

Lot 3: Unnamed filly by William Longsword out of Cashel Palace by Fort Wood “The Captain Al on Fort Wood cross has been extremely good, producing William Longsword himself and also Captain America. This is a very well balanced filly, beautiful quality out of Cashel Palace, who won four races and was G3 placed – herself a full-sister to champion mare Celtic Sea, who is about to foal down to Starspangledbanner at Gainesway with Anthony Beck.”

Lot 19: Unnamed colt by What A Winter out of Freddy’s Sister by Tiger Ridge “This is a very athletic son of What A Winter, look at Julia Pilbeam’s comments on him in our advert, she prepared him at Soetendal. A super colt out of the family of Marinaresco and Marina.”

Lot 27: Unnamed filly by Pomodoro out of Jenna, by Captain Al “Another of Julia’s favourites, she reckons this filly is born to run. She has the same shape as Return Flight. She is a half-sister to five winners, including 11-time winner Sir Duke, from the great old Koster family of Majolica and Majorca.”

Lot 36: Unnamed filly by Vercingetorix out of Mana Mou by Captain Al “A serious filly! The Vercingetorix, Captain Al cross has already produced a G1 winner in champion Vernichy. This filly is bred to be extremely fast and looks speedy as well. Her dam Mama Mou was a five time winner, she won the Man O’War Stakes and has already had two black-type horses. She, in turn, is a half-sister to SA’s former champion sprinter, Mythical Flight.”

Lot 59: Unnamed filly by Gimmethegreenlight out of Thunder Dance by Jet Master “A filly by a champion sire out of a champion mare by a champion broodmare sire. Thunder Dance and her mother Shadow Dancing were both dual G1 winners

and Shadow Dancing is a half-sister to Captain Al. This is a fantastic filly with the kind of blood you don’t get often in a catalogue, a must-see for buyers and breeders alike.”

Picture: Shipholia (William Longsword), trained by Gareth van Zyl and ridden by Ant Mgudlwa, wins comfortably on debut today. (Candiese Lenferna)

Craig Peters Calls Home Horse Named After His Grand-daughters

Hollywood Syndicate allowing celebrities to name certain of their horses has been a wonderful innovation as the latter become attached to the horses they have named without officially being part of the ownership.

KZN’s father and son commentary team, Craig and Sheldon Peters, were given the chance to name one horse each out of a batch of 12 selected by Hollywood at one of the Sales.

Sheldon combined the names of his daughters Shiloh and Sophia to form the name Shipholia and this three-year-old William Longsword filly won on debut today over 1200m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly under Athandiwe Mgudlwa, fittingly called home by Craig Peters.

She was the first leg of a treble for both the Hollywood Syndicate and Mgudlwa.

Craig combined the names of his three offspring, Sheldon, Angelique and Tacita, to name a Bush Hill Stud-bred William Longsword filly Shanta’s Pride and this three-year-old has finished second and third respectively in two starts over 1200m on the poly and 1400m on the turf.

Craig and Sheldon were grateful to Owen and Devin Heffer for being given the opportunity.

Craig has know Owen for 35 years and said, “I first met him at Rawdens on the old stallion tour. Just before the July every year there was a bus tour put on where we were taken to visit all the stallions in the KZN Midlands and we used to stay overnight at Rawdens. Owen was was just starting out then. It is great to see where he has got to and how highly respected he is by industry people for all he is doing for racing. Our kids, including Sheldon and Devin, also used to go to karate lessons together growing up.”

Other media members who have been able to name a Hollywood horse are the on course photographers Anita Akal and her daughter Anneke Akal Kitching.

They named their horse Kitchakal and this Master Of My Fate gelding is showing promise with a third on debut followed by a win and then a narrow second to the well regarded Wiccan Warrior.

Picture: William Robertson (JC Photos)

William Robertson Opts For Victory Moon Stakes

The Corne Spies-trained William Robertson (Rafeef) has drawn two among the entries in the Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m at Turffontein Standside on November 5 and he was thus scratched from the Grade 2 Allied-Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile.

William Robertson is the higthest rated entry in the big one, the Grade 1 Gauteng Summer Cup.

However, he still has to prove he has enough stamina to stay a 2000m trip.

The Victory Moon from a good draw thus handed Spies the ideal opportunity to test him over a middle distance.

There should be no excuses from that draw, so the result will tell him whether having a go at the Summer Cup is realistic.

William Robertson has a lot of speed and a tremendous turn of foot.

However, Spies believes, if ridden conservatively and waited with for as long as possible, he will stay 2000m.

He pointed to his conformation, which is one of a middle distance horse.

His dam by Trippi won three times from 1200m to 1600m.

Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) has already produced a SA Derby winner, despite being a sprint-miler himself.

Picture: Trevor McCarthy (NYRA).

Jockey Who Inspired A Law Change Has A Breeders Cup Ride

USA jockey Trevor McCarthy could end a memorable year on a high note as he has a chance in the Group 1 Breeders Cup Filly And Mare sprint on the hard-knocking Thomas Albertrani-trained Sterling Silver.

McCarthy and his wife Katie Davis created something of a legacy for themselves in “the Empire State” by inspiring a new state law.

The couple, after relocating to New York after their wedding in December 2020, were astonished to discover a law that stated married couples riding in the same race in New York had to be coupled on the Tote.

They estimated they had raced against each other at least 500 times before and feared the ruling would discourage trainers from giving them rides.

Coupled horses go off at the same odds, which are always cramped due to the punter having two chances to win with one bet.

The TDN estimated that, on average, each time the coupling rule goes into effect, the NYRA loses about $90,000 in handle because of the loss of a betting interest.

Davis soon became adamant the NYRA was instructing trainers not to give her rides.

“It is 2021, and you shouldn’t be able to stop people from making a living,” Davis said in a BloodHorse story early last year.

Lawmakers on Oct. 13 last year delivered to Gov. Kathy Hochul legislation final approval to end the New York racing rule.

Legislation had been approved in Albany earlier in the year to rescind what a bill memo from its sponsors called a “sexist and outdated” rule by the state’s Gaming Commission.

The memo stated that the rule “limits women jockeys from fully pursuing their chosen career” by mandating that all horses trained or ridden by a spouse, parent, or member of a jockey’s household be coupled in the betting with any horse ridden by, in the case of McCarthy and Davis, each other.

The bill passed, unanimously, in the Assembly in May and in the Senate in June.

It was fitting then that in May this year McCarthy, who has ridden 1,756 career winners, won his first Grade 1 race at the major New York racecourse Belmont Park on the Graham Motion-trained Highland Chief (Gleneagles) in the Man O’ War Stakes. His mount was the biggest outsider in the five horse field.

Meanwhile, Katie had her first ride back last month after giving birth to daughter Riley last December.

Picture: Zinikele (Gimmethegreenlight) gives Gareth van Zyl a double and both Ant Mgudlwa and the Hollywood Syndicate tyhe second leg of respective trebles. (Candiese Lenferna).

Mgudlwa, Hollywood Treble, Van Zyl, Katjedi, Puller Doubles

Ant Mgudlwa rode a treble on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly today, two of them for Gareth van Zyl, who scored a double, and two of them in the silks of the Hollywood Syndicate, who also scored a treble on the day.

Garth Puller and apprentice Keratile Katjedi also scored doubles on the day, and one of their wins was together.

Mgudlwa goes to 14 wins for the season at a strike rate of 10.85%.

Hollywood Syndicate have now had 34 wins this season at a strike rate of 15.25% and there stakes earnings of R2,890,650.00 are more than a R 1 million lcear of second placed Drakenstein Stud.

Katjedi goes to 16 winners for the season at 13.56%

Puller has had 16 win for the season at 8.70% and he leads the KZN Trainers Championships by one from Kumaran Naidoo and Wendy Whitehead.

Van Zyl has had 14 wins at 15.05%.

Picture: Owners are usually happy when they win. CREDIT: ALAMY

Today’s Question

Who said the following in 2004, “What I won’t become is a trainer. Not because it’s hard to train horses, but because it can be near impossible to train some owners.”