Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables homebred colt Green With Envy leaves the field chasing shadows in Saturday’s Gr 1 SplashOut Cape Derby over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth (Picture: Wayne Marks) 

A crawl did not stop the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Gimmethegreenlight colt Green With Envy coming from the back to win Saturday’s Gr 1 SplashOut Cape Derby over 2000m under Craig Zackey at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, just as it had not stopped him successfully using that tactic in the Gr 3 Schweppes Politician Stakes over 1800m.

The pace was set by the 100/1 shot Oriental Charm, with Willie John two or three lengths behind him and then another gap to Coastal Commander. Beach Bomb was on the latter’s quarters and behind her were an unsettled Harajuku with Hluhluwe on his outside, then there was Rapidash with Green with Envy on his quarters and Infrared at the back.

The sectional timing shows the first 200m to be slower than the WSB Cape Town Met for that section and it then slowed down completely in the middle section of the race.

The horses then sprinted for home … well at least eight of them did.  Green With Envy was the odd one out because he produced a finish reminiscent of a horse coming off a fast pace, moving up effortlessly and then quickening superbly when asked the question..

The overall time was in fact a whopping 6,93 seconds slower than the Met time.

The slow pace was not what Green With Envy would have wanted, because he had clearly been looking for this trip … yet he still won easily, by 2,75 lengths.

That could mean he is some horse.

The only other Gr 1 winner in the field, Beach Bomb, fnished second running on well.

The 87 merit rated Oriental Charm, who finished a gallant 3,25 length third, might have been helped by the slow pace, because he got closer than he did in the Politician, despite being 6kg worse off with Green With Envy.

The overall result might also confirm this to be a below par Cape Town three-year-old crop, which it has gained the reputation of being.

The winner can hardly be faulted though. He won in the manner of a top class horse.

The key to his win was quickening exceptionally well at the 400m mark and maintaining the strong finish all the way to the line.

He was aided by a tailwind, if windguru’s predictions in the morning were correct, but nevertheless his last five 100m sectionals were impressive.

LKP was run on a different day, the pace was excellent and the wind was likely different, but it was 1600m vs 2000m, so the below sectional timing comparism makes for interesting reading:

The first column is Green With Envy’s last five 100m sectionals on Saturday (shown in seconds), the second column is Beach Bomb’s and the third is Charles Dickens’ last five secitionals in the LKP.

Gold Rush runner up Coastal Command stayed on from his good position in the running for a 4,75 length fourth. \

The Gold Rush winner Rapidash lost a length at the start and was unable to make an impact off the slow pace. He was eased out of it eventually to finish last.

Hluhluwe was not suited by the pace, but was nevertheless disappointimg considering the winner , whom he had beaten by a short-head in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, was not bothered by the pace.

Their comparitive performances might suggest Green With Envy has progressed a lot since the Cape Guineas and is maturing into a top class race horse.

The most effected by the pace could have been Infrared, who had clearly been looking for this trip. He had to come from last and  , was not effective sprinting for home, but was seen to be finishing strongly.

Harajuku did not like the pace and was unsettled before duly finding little in the straight to finish second last.

Willie John was unable to match Coastal Commander in the straight and finished a length behind him in seventh place. This William Longsword colt’s pedigree suggests the trip stretched him.

Green With Envy has shortened into 7/1 for the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

The three time July-winning trainer Dean Kannemeyer said recently he rated Green With Envy higher than his last three-year-old July winner Eyeofthetiger.

He knows how to get them ready for the July and Green With Envy is going to be a massive runner.

An awaited meeting will be him vs Sandringham Summit in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000, although how Sandringham fares in the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m on Saturday in his first attempt at a middle distance trip will reveal more, presumimg he goes that route.

One Fell Swoop, ridden by Kaidan Brewer, completes a memorable weekend for owner Suzette Viljoen. (JC Photos)

The Tony Peter-trained Lancaster Bomber filly One Fell Swoop took advantage of a handicapping anomaly to complete a fine weekend for owner Suzette Viljoen by winning the Gr 3 Betway National Currency Sprint over 1100m at Turffontein Standside on Sunday.

Viljoen and Justin Snaith have had good success together but recently parted ways as far as her outright-owned horses were concerned, so it was somewhat ironic she won two features with part-owned horses trained by Snaith at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, with Double Grand Slam winning the Gr 3 SplashOut Prix du Cap over 1400m and Royal Aussie winning the Listed  Pongracz Jet master Stakes over 1600m. On Sunday she not only won the National Currency Sprint but also the Non-Black Type TAB Bauhinia Handicap over 1000m, also with a Tony Peter-trained horse, Golden Sickle. Both One Fell Swoop and Golden Sickle were former Cape Town-based horses who started out in the Snaith yard and both were bred by Varsfontein Stud.

On paper, the R250 000 SplashOut Prix Du Cap (F&M) over 1400m seemed very competitive at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, but Double Grand Slam turned the race into a procession. Rascova took up her usual pacemaking role and was three lengths clear at the top of the straight. She stuck to her task well all the way to the line but was no match over the final 300m for Double Grand Slam, who sprinted away to put three lengths between herself and her rivals. October Morn got up to finish second ahead of Rascova with Mrs Geriatrix not too far way in fourth position.

Gary Player races Double Grand Slam in partnership with Dave MacLean and Suzette Viljoen and the golfing legend was present to welcome his daughter of Vercingetorix into the winner’s enclosure.
Double Grand Slam was the second leg of a race-to-race double for Suzette as she also has shares in Royal Aussie, a dominant winner on Saturday of the Listed Pongracz Jet Master Stakes. Sent out 9/4 favourite, Royal Aussie was never in danger of defeat and stormed home with more than a length to spare over Gold Poker Game, Ponte Pietra and Quasiforsure. Both Double Grand Slam and Royal Aussie were ridden to victory by Grant Van Niekerk and trained by Justin Snaith. Viljoen owns Royal Aussie together with DA Squance and Dr Jill Warner.

On Sunday at Turffontein Standside One Fell Swoop, who is owned outright by Viljoen,  was up against the superstar Sean Tarry-trained Lucky Lad, who had swept all before him in sprint races as a two-year-old, but who was now returning from a seven month layoff to make his seasonal reappearance.

Lucky Lad was officially the best weighted horse in the race, but a closer look at the form showed One Fell Swoop to be the best handicapped.

In the Listed Swallow Stakes over 1160m, which is a level weights race for three-year-olds plus penalties, there was a condition that placed horses could not get more than a three point merit rating increase and at level weights One Fell Swoop split too horses in that race who were considerably higher rated than her with the rest of the field five lengths back.

She would have been given far more hefty raise than three points if it were not for that condition.

She thus went into Sunday’s race carrying only 51,5kg and she was officially half-a-kilogram under sufferance with Lucky Lad. However, amateur handicapping officionados would have known that she was the best treated horse in the race.

Nevertheless, such is the reputation of Lucky Lad that he started odds-on at 87/100, while One Fell Swoop started 7/2.

One Fell Swoop did also have a lower draw than Lucky Lad on a track where low draws are considered disadvantageous by trends. She was drawn three out of eight and Lucky Lad was drawn five.

One Fell Swoop got a good break under Kayden Brewer, while Lucky Lad, not for the first time, was slowly away.

One Fell Swoop was soon in front but Ziyasha, who was bumped at the start, soon joined him towards the outside.

Ziyasha took the lead on the favourable outside and was going well with long strides.

However, One Fell Swoop produced a fine kick to get up by 0,40 lengths with Cliff Hanger next best, beaten 1,20 lengths.

With the front-runners dominating it was tough for Lucky Lad to find a way through and he was switched right to the inside at the 200m mark. He ran on but was beaten 1,45 lengths.

The 2,25 length fifth-placed Billy Ruiters-trained Halbardier will be a warm order in a handicap next time out, considering he was 9kg under sufferance with Lucky Lad and was beaten only 0,80 lengths by him.

That was One Fell Swoop’s fifth win in seven starts on the Highveld and she now has valuable black type.

Earlier, the Vercingetorix filly Golden Sickle made a mockery of a weight turn around in favour of the talented Sean Tarry-trained Troppo Veloce in the Bauhinia. The latter was lkg better off with Golden Sickle for a 1,25 length beating. However, Golden Sickle, who did have an advantage of draw four versus draw two, dominated from the off and draw away to win by 2,50 lengths. She converted odds of 33/20 with Troppo Veloce starting at even money. Golden Sickle has now won four in a row and she has five wins and a second in six Highveld starts.

The Hollywood Syndicate went to R900,000 to secure this Soetendal Estate-bred One World colt (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

BSA

A solid market and strong bench of buying power came to the fore at Sunday’s Cape Yearling Sale, which took place at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

Added to this, the marked popularity of the progeny of several young stallions saw gains posted in all of the sale’s aggregate, average and median price on Sunday.
The gross aggregate of the Cape Sale rose from R26 015 000 in 2023 to R27 085 000, despite the sale sporting a smaller catalogue.
Both the average and median prices increased from a year ago, with the average price rising from R171 151 to R206 756, and the median gaining from R130 000 to R180 000.
With reasonable reserves set on the majority of yearlings, just ten lots failed to find new homes at this year’s Cape Yearling Sale.

Equus Champion, and G1 Sun Met winner, One World came up with his first stakes winner the day before when his son One Stripe bolted home to win Saturday’s R1 000 000 G3 City Of Cape Town Cape Of Good Hope Nursery, and buyers were understandably keen to buy his yearlings.
A pair of One World colts made R900 000 apiece to jointly top the 2024 Cape Yearling Sale. The Soetendal Estate (as Agent) consigned Godric Gryffindor (Lot 113) was knocked down to the Hollywood Syndicate for R900 000, with the Wilgerbosdrift bred Undivided (Lot 37) sold to Sandy Arundel for the same price.

Godric Gryffindor was produced by the six time winning Master Of My Fate mare Preferential, while Undivided’s dam Dipladenia, a winning daughter of Flower Alley, was produced by a twice winning daughter of Western Winter and multiple G1 winning champion Dancer’s Daughter.
As popular as One World proved, it was another young son of Captain Al who headed the Sires table at Sunday’s auction. Varsfontein Stud’s homebred stallion, and multiple graded stakes winner, Erik The Red, whose first crop sells this year, headed the Sires list on Sunday, with his 16 yearlings grossing R3 540 000 and averaging R221 250.

Erik The Red’s top priced yearling was the Varsfontein consigned filly Kissing Kin (Lot 75) who was sold to Hollywood Syndicate for R400 000.

Wilgerbosdrift had an outstanding sale and were the leading vendors at the 2024 Cape Yearling Sale. The Piketberg based farm sold all 18 yearlings on the sale for an aggregate of R7 005 000 and, no doubt, will be looking ahead to this year’s National Yearling Sale with some confidence.

Hollywood Syndicate topped the buyers list and bought 20 yearlings for an aggregate of R5 260 000. The tally included the joint top priced One World colt Godric Gryffindor.

A full list of prices and statistics for the sale can be viewed online at www.bsa.co.za

The R1.4 million purchase One Stripe earns black type in his third career start (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Bernard Fayd’Herbe is in top riding form at present and rode a treble on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, including two impressive juvenile winners for Vaughan Marshall.

Marshall’s expert eye usually picks out bargain buys at the Sales and he proved on Saturday that he can pick expensive bargains too.

Even a seven figure horse can turn out to be a bargain and with Marshall having said the One World colt One Stripe had put up the best work he had ever seen at a Breeze Up Sale, the Drakenstein Stud-bred colt is now proving as good on the race track.

It has taken him three runs to earn bold black type as he slammed a quality field by a comfortable 1,25 lengths in the Gr 3 City Of Cape Town Cape Of Good Hope Nursery over 1200m on Saturday under Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

He lay in a handy position and drew clear in the closing stages to convert odds of 28/10.

He provides the leading freshman sire, the Drakenstein-based One World (Captain Al), with a first stakes victory.

One Stripe was second favourite behind the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes winner Roman Agent, who beat a good field in the latter race including the debuting One Stripe by 1,95 lengths.

However, Roman Agent probably went too hard on Saturday as he led early before fading tamely.

The Summer Juvenile Stakes runner up Winds Of Change finished second to One Stripe on Saturday to give Drakenstein Stud a one-two as breeders.

The Candice Dawson-trained Vercingetorix filly Little Ballerina proved her 100/1 win in the Cape Racing Sales Cape Slipper was no fluke by finishing third.

Earlier, Fayd’herbe and Marshall had combined to win the first race of the day, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1100m, easily and impressivley with the hard-knocking Master Of My Fate colt Talk To The Master.

Later Fayd’Herbe produced a ride out of the top drawer to score by the narrowest of margins on the Lucinda Woodruff-trained Var gelding Cafe Culture in a Cape B Stakes handicap event over 1400m.

Call Me Glorious being led in on Sunday after an eyecatching victory (HKJC) 

Lyle Hewitson’s father, the former jockey and now trainer Carl Hewitson, said before this season started that what Lyle needed to get to the next level in Hong Kong was a big horse.

Could his winner on Sunday at Sha Tin,  Call Me Glorious, be the one?

This Francis Lui-trained Australian-bred No Nay Never gelding was making his debut in a class 4 event.

He did npt break too well but then showed excellent natural pace to move to the front in effortless style.

Lyle then reined him back and he turned for home on the quarters of the leader.

He showed a good turn of foot to hit the front and when the pack threatened to close he found an extra gear late to win by an easy two lengths.

Lyle said, “I can’t say much more than what was evident, but it was an impressive performance first up and he had shown enough leading into it too, so it wasn’t a fluke. He has the physical attributes too which is always a bonus , nice strong horse.”

Lyle will obviously hope to keep the ride and should do.

He is currently on suspension.

However, this has enabled him to make a trip to South Africa for a family wedding and birthday.

He is in good form at present and has had five wins in the last five meetings.

He clinched his 100th win on the island on 12 February after a frustrating drought and since then has had a double, a blank, a single winner and a single winner at successive meetings.

Francis Lui also provided him with his double.

Lyle is now on 24 wins for the season and is in 7th place on the log.

He is well settled in on the island and commented, “We are very happy over here. We have made it home, so from a personal and professional standpoint all is well.”

Warren Kennedy is maintaining the gap between himself and the pack in the New Zealand jockeys premiership and Billy Jacobson is going along steadily too.

Warren is on 87 wins, nine clear of Michael McNab, who is going for a third successive title.

They do the strike rate a bit differntly over there and Warren has been riding a winnner every 5.69 rides.

He has the second highest strike rate on the log behind Opie Bosson, who has ridden more NZ Gr 1 races than anybody elese in history.

Bosson’s strike rate is one win every 3.95 rides.

Billy Jacobson has had eleven wins and has a win every ten rides.

Picture: Korkoran

https://www.tattersallsjcsales.com/

The one-day Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale produced a solid afternoon’s trade which saw 34 horses sold for an aggregate of £2,469,500 with a strong clearance rate of 89 per cent.

Korkoran (Lot 26), a four-year-old by No Risk At All, and a winner on his racing debut at Ballinaboola this month for Colin Bowe, was the session’s top lot when fetching £240,000 to Ed Bailey Bloodstock on behalf of trainer Harry Derham. Tom Malone was the underbidder.

Korkoran’s win came in the same maiden as won in 2018 by the subsequent two-time Festival Grade 1 winner and Tattersalls Cheltenham February graduate Envoi Allen, who is aiming for a repeat victory in next month’s Ryanair Chase (G1).

Now an eight-time Grade 1 winner Envoi Allen was owned as a young horse by NH pinhooker and consignor Walter Connors, producer of Korkoran, and he said: “Seamus Murphy bought Korkoran privately for me as a foal, it is a wonderful family and we have for a long time hoping to get one from that stud farm.

“We have been fond of him all along, and the sire needs no introduction. He is a middle of May foal and we thought he would not run until April, but he has come to hand earlier than expected. Colin has done a great job and we are lucky he keeps a couple of boxes for us each year.”

A thrilled Derham said: “Ed has been following this horse for a long time, he is back and forth to Ireland all the time. The horse is a beautiful model, a good athlete and to have done this so early in his career, the type of horse he is, strikes us that he must be pretty smart – to be performing to that level already would bode pretty well. You look at him and think what a horse you will be in two years’ time.”

Of the horse’s owner, Derham outlined: “He is for Ian Barratt, a new owner to me and who is wanting to develop real high-class team of horses both for the Flat and NH codes – he owns the Jamie Osborne-trained Emaraaty Ana who won in Qatar last weekend. Jamie recommended me, which was very nice of him. Ian and his family are really enthusiastic, let’s hope they are lucky.”

Lot 10: Jakar Du Moulin bought by Tom Malone/Paul Nicholls for £175,000

From Donnchadh Doyle’s Monbeg Stables, the five-year-old Jakar Du Moulin (Lot 10) did not sell in the ring but was subsequently purchased privately by Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls for £175,000.

A half-brother to the French Listed winner Utopia Dream, Jakar Du Moulin won on debut when justifying favouritism at Bellharbour, a race won by the Monbeg-trained graduate Fact To File, a Grade 1 novice chase earlier this month.

“He is a lovely animal, Paul has done very well with Kapgardes and this horse came very highly recommended by Donnchadh Doyle from whom we bought Bravemansgame,” said Malone, adding: “He looked very game in his point, jumped well, stays, did a lot right, and won! We were waiting for Korkoran but ended up underbidder on him.”

Lot 42: Big Zouk was a Bobby O’Ryan / James Ewart purchase at £160,000

Big Zouk (Lot 42), a five-year-old by Milan and a winner at Oldtown last weekend for Denis Murphy’s Ballyboy Stables, was purchased by Bobby O’Ryan and trainer James Ewart for £160,000, the horse previously a €55,000 store purchase at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale.

Out of the Martaline dam Miss Zouk , an own-sister to the Grade 3 winner Viconte Du Noyer, Ewart said: “I think he is an old-fashioned chaser, and I think he is a particularly lovely horse. We liked the way he won, he was headed after the last and he looked as though he was going to get beat but he found again and won going away.

“He is the sort of horse you dream about having. I have bought him for a new owner to racing, the brief was to find a horse who could be good enough to go south for a spring Festival. Hopefully in maybe in a year or two this horse will be it.”

Matthew Prior, Tattersalls’ Associate Director, said: “It was always going to be difficult to match last year’s record-breaking Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale, and we must acknowledge that we are facing a more challenging market place compared to recent years. That being said the lots offered today sold at a strong clearance rate with a number of new owners to NH racing making significant investments.

“We are very much looking forward to returning to Cheltenham, the home of jumps’ racing  next month for what promises to be a fabulous four days at The Festival when we hope to watch many Tattersalls graduates do battle for big-race honours.

“And of course, the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale is scheduled after racing on Thursday, March 14 for which nominations are open.”

A trawl throiugh the record books will be required to obtain confirmation, but former stalwart trainer Willie Peters reckons his good friend Kathy Kusner was the first lady jockey to win a race in South Africa.

 She was an American Olympic showjumper turned professional jockey whom Willie recalls came out to ride in SA by invitation in the early 1970s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Kusner