Kruyer's Kenya Champ Has A Fine Story Behind Him
Rachel Venniker winning the Gr 1 Kenya Guineas on Sheriff John Stone, who went on to land the Triple Crown by easily winning both the Derby and the St. Leger (Picture: via meta)
There was the unusual sight of a Kenya champion racehorse running at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, the Varsfontein Stud-bred four-year-old Master Of My Fate gelding Sheriff John Stone, saddled by Paddy Kruyer and ridden by Marco van Rensburg.
He certainly has an interesting story behind him.
He was an easy winner of all three legs of the Triple Crown in Kenya, winning the Guineas under Rachel Venniker and the Derby under Van Rensburg before routing the opposition in the St. Leger at reported 1/20 odds.
An indication of the strength of Kenya racing is that, despite being that country’s dominant Triple Crown hero, he raced off just an 88 merit rating on Sunday.
He was not disgraced in seventh out of 12 runners on Sunday at level weights to the winner, the talented and progressive Chasingtherainbow, who has now won five times from just 12 starts.
Sheriff John Stone is owned by the Racing Rascals Syndicate.
The Nominee of the syndicate, Luke Forrest, was living in Kenya at the time of the horse’s purchase, but he has now relocated to Cape Town.
Kruyer believes Sheriff John Stone will progress and said, “To get back to South Africa he had to go from Kenya to Zimbabwe and do quarantine, then from Zimbabwe to Johannesburg and quarantine and then he couldn’t come straight into the controlled area, he had to quarantine in George. He is an iron horse, because it was a helluva journey. He has been with me for three months and he has definitely improved. He is a lovely specimen, a huge horse, and he has a lovely action. I’m going to give him another mile race, which is a little bit sharp for him. It will be on the Hollywoodbets Durbanville track, which is not ideal for him as he is a big, long-stretching horse and the turns are tight there, but we are at Durbanville for another month.”
Varsfontein had a good recollection of Sheriff John Stone and provided their reasons for selling him on an online Sale.
They said:
Sheriff John Stone was born on 9 September 2021 weighing in at 57,5kg. He was a strong, robust colt and was a good size.
His dam, Party Crasher, is a Philanthropist mare out of the Zim champion filly First Arrival. First Arrival was an incredible mare, producing 10 winners from 10 runners of which 7 were black type performers and two champions.
Picture: Sheriff John Stone as a foal
Sheriff John Stone was born with less than desirable foreleg conformation and we struggled with that throughout his rearing on the farm. With such a lovely pedigree and being a good-looking colt, he would have ideally been sold at the April National Yearling Sale.
However, it was best not to push him at all, and he was held back for later sales.
When the time came to assess our remaining yearlings after Nationals, the majority were split between the BSA August Sale and the BSA November Sale.
It was decided that a small group of 6 yearlings would not make the trip to Jhb but would be entered onto the June Online auction.
Sheriff John Stone, with his wayward legs was one of these six.
Sheriff John Stone’s June Online Sale photo
On hearing that the colt was to be sold online, Varsfontein’s farrier John Gatt was tempted by the pinhook opportunity the colt could offer.
Hopeful that with the extra time, the colt’s chest might broaden and his k-knees might improve, he was willing to take the risk.
John convinced Eugene Freeman from Boland Stud to go in with him, and they bought the colt for R50,000.
Sheriff John Stone seemed like a viable pinhook at that price and they earmarked the November Two Year Old Sale as their auction to resell.
Sheriff John Stone’s November Online Sale photo
He spent the next 5 months at Boland Stud. Coming in early on the sale as lot 2, the colt unfortunately only sold for R40,000 to Kenya trainer Joe Karari.
It was a big disappointment as he had furnished beautifully, (which you can see when comparing the photos from the online sale to the Nov Sale), but his legs remained his undoing. That is where fate stepped in to take him on his journey to Kenya.
Eugene Freeman recalled, “John (Gatt) bought him, he really liked the physical specimen, but he just had one front leg that wasn’t the greatest. We thought we could fix the front leg and make good money on him.”
“Unfortunately we could not fix it, but he could still run!” laughed Eugene.
Eugene said, “With trimming and time you can alter the way the leg is going, but sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.”
Paddy Kruyer said today Sheriff John Stone’s legs are absolutely fine.
Eugene said, “That is the nature of the game. We have pinhooked others and made a profit.”
Joe Karari obviously did a fine job with the horse in Kenya.
Sheriff John Stone is now in very good hands indeed, with Kruyer having one of the best strike rates in the country, and he will certainly be an interesting horse to follow.
Justin Snaith Yard Gives Insight Into Their Derby Runners
Happy Verse should make a bold bid under Gavin Lerena (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Snaith Racing press release
On Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, the grand old theatre of Cape racing sets the stage once more, and Justin Snaith arrives with history in his sights.
The multiple champion trainer bids for a sixth triumph in one of the Cape’s classics.
Justin knows exactly what it takes to win a Derby, he’s done it before with the brilliant Legislate, and now he returns with a beautiful twist of fate, saddling Legislate’s daughter, Wish List, in pursuit of the same glory. He’s also armed with the progressive Note to Self and the tough, talented Happy Verse.
Wish List headlines the charge. By Legislate and very much her father’s daughter, she stands on the brink of history. Should she claim top honours under the ice-cool Richard Fourie, it would be a fairytale written in bold black type. She announced herself when brushing aside her older rivals in the Cartier Paddock Stakes – a performance of authority and class. The step up in trip looks tailor-made, and if she settles into that long Kenilworth stretch, she’ll be looming large when it matters most.
Happy Verse was a fast-finishing second in the Gr1 Cape Guineas which stamped him as top colt, and while Star Major derailed him in the Politician Stakes, he will be looking to turn the tables. With big-race rider Gavin Lerena taking the reins, he will warrants respect. If he sees out the Derby distance, he will run a monster.
Note to Self is lightly raced, and still hiding a gear or two. He’s been campaigned with this race in mind before he made his debut. Over this trip, he could blossom into anything. With the flair of inform Grant van Niekerk in the irons, the X-factor is real. Don’t rule him out – he’s very capable of making the improvement required to win at Gr1 level.
Hewitson Scores On An Outsider
Lyle Hewitson scores at Happy Valley on Wednesday in a Class 3 event over 1200m on the Danny Shum-trained My Day My Way (Picture: HKJC)
Lyle Hewitson ended a dry spell in which he was winless for six meetings with a winner at Happy Valley on Wednesday.
It was an unlikely victory as the horse, the Danny Shum-trained five-year-old Australian-bred gelding My Day My Way, paid 30.00 on the Tote in the Class 3 event over 1200m.
Those odds looked too long as he had finished second in his penultimate start and had a similar draw this time and was just one point higher in the ratings.
The horse’s only previous win was in his last race of last season when winning a Class 4 race over this same Happy Valley course and distance off a 55 rating.
On Wednesday he was off a seven point higher mark of 62.
Jumping from draw six Lyle drove him for the first 200m and then eased back into midfield to settle him into a rhythm.
He then drove him all the way around the final turn and in the straight and the horse responded superbly with a resolute finish to win by half-a-length.
That took Hewitson to 19 wins for the season.
He is in joint eighth place on the log.
Luke Ferraris has slid to seventh on the log with 22 wins having gone through a five meeting drought, such is the tough nature of Hong Kong racing.
Riethuiskraal Stud Offer A “Colour” Full Draft At Premier Sale
The Riethuiskraal lots will have buyers paying attention as usual
Descendants of the Advocate Altus Joubert bred National Colour have proved hugely successful throughout the Southern Hemisphere. From current top South African sire Rafeef, to dual Australian Gr 1 winner Celestial Legend, National Colour’s sons and daughters have more than made their mark on the stud book.Joint Horse Of The Year in South Africa in 2005-2006, the brilliant grey left behind just eight foals, but they included Equus Champion Mustaaqeem, fellow Gr1 winner Rafeef and Sarraqa. The latter produced Gr 1 Doncaster Mile/Gr 1 Randwick Guineas winner Celestial Legend, with the latter having banked more than AUS3.458 million in prize money.
Riethuiskraal Stud, who foaled and reared this wonderful mare, will be offering several relatives of National Colour at the 2026 Premier Yearling Sale. This draft also includes the progeny of both promising and proven sires, with stallions represented in Riethuiskraal’s Premier Sale consignment including Digital Age, Jet Dark, Kommetdieding, Querari, The United States and What A Winter. Five potential standouts in this draft are:
Lot 57: Snow In Sofia f Querari – Puritani
By the sire of such Gr 1 winners as Bavarian Beauty, Cosmic Speed and Rio Querari, Snow In Sofia is a half-sister to four winners including the stakes placed Great Affair. Out of a full sister to the dam of Gr 3 Lebelo Sprint winner Anna Capri, this filly’s dam is a half-sister to the mighty National Colour.
Lot 124: Casting Vote f What A Winter -Tipping Point
By the sire of such top-class fillies and mares as Asiye Phambili, Clouds Unfold and Humdinger, Casting Vote is out of a winning half-sister to two stakes winners, notably Gr 3 Matchem Stakes winner Changingoftheguard. Casting Vote’s granddam is a twice-winning full sister to the Riethuiskraal bred star Crimson Palace.
Lot 127: South Pacific f The United States –Turandot
This filly shares her Gr 1 winning sire with recent Gr 1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship winner Kingdundee and recent graded stakes winners Rodeo Drive and Tin Pan Alley. South Pacific’s granddam is a full sister to Crimson Palace, winner of the Gr 1 Paddock Stakes in South African and Gr1 Beverly D Stakes in North America.
Lot 148: National Gallery f What A Winter – Zemfira
By a four-time Gr 1 winning sprinter and half-sister to Gr 3 Lebelo Sprint winner Anna Capri, National Gallery is bred to be quick. This filly’s dam is a half-sister to champion National Colour, the dam of Gr 1 winners Rafeef and Mustaaqeem, with National Gallery’s granddam being Champagne Stakes, Listed, winner Rainbow Cake.
Lot 192: Midnight Express c Jet Dark – Circle Of Speed
From the first crop of one of South Africa’s most exciting young stallions, Midnight Express is a half-brother to the classy Gr 3 Poinsettia Stakes winner Full Velocity, who earned more than R640 000 in prize money. His twice-winning dam is a Sebring half-sister to Gr 1 Computaform Sprint winner and leading sire Rafeef and Equus Champion Mustaaqeem.
For more information on this draft, please speak to Sunchiline Vosloo on (079)897 6674.
Precocious Looks To Be Going Places
Precocious has won all three of her start on the Highveld with a bit in hand and can continue to progress (JC Photos)
Cape Breeders
Mauritzfontein’s successful sire Ideal World looks to have come up with another smart filly in the form of Precocious.
The latter made it three wins in a row when she won impressively at the Vaal on Tuesday.
Under Blaine Marx-Jacobson, the Tony Peter trained three-year-old defied a merit rating hike with a smooth performance in Tuesday’s SA Derby 4 April FM 84 Handicap (1000m).
Precocious proved far too strong for her rivals, with the Ideal World filly streaking home to score by two lengths.
Bred by Oldlands Stud, Precocious races for Kestorm Investments. Tuesday’s winner, who is out of the Vercingetorix mare Sekhmet, has won her last three starts by an aggregate of nearly ten lengths.
Now a winner of three of just six starts, Precocious shares her sire Ideal World with a host of top-class fillies including champion Smart Call and this season’s G1 Betway Summer Cup winner Mocha Blend.
A son of Kingmambo and champion Banks Hill, Ideal World has a single lot on offer at Sunday’s Cape Yearling Sale -a full-brother (Lot 122) to Listed Wolf Power 1600 winner Irish Pride whose relatives include champions Celtic Grove and Marinaresco.
Blaine Marx-Jacobson Is In A Rich Vein Of Form
The Corrie Lensley-trained Erupt gelding Kambati gives Blaine Marx-Jacobson yet another double (JC Photos)
Blaine Marx-Jacobson scored a double at the Vaal Classic track on Thursday, his second double in consecutive Highveld meetings and his fourth Highveld double this month.
The young 4kg claimer has improved noticeably and of his 12 wins this season nine have happened this month.
His strike rate for the season is 9,09% and his strike rate this month is 23.08%.
He is now in tenth place on the national apprentice log.
Mxolisi Mbutho is in the lead on 25 wins.
Marx-Jacobson is growing in confidence and could challenge for the title if he continues on an upward curve.
Anotherdanceforme Can Get Back On Track
Anotherdanceforme lost her unbeaten record last time when unplaced in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas but she can bounce back in the Listed Breeders Guineas for three-year-old fillies at Fairview on Friday (Picture: Pauline Herman)
Fairview Turf Friday formguides and selections
R1 6 JUST CARTER has gone close in both starts at Fairview and was regarded highly enough to run in a feature in Cape Town in between those two starts so will be hard to beat. 4 FLYING SKITT was not disgraced on debut and should make a bold bid. 9 THE JUDGE is by Hawwaam out of a Pathfork mare who won five times. 2 CHIEF MASTER is by Master Of My Fate out of a Henrythenavigator mare. (6-4-9-2)
R2 1 PANJANDRUM has hard-knocking Cape Town form and will be hard to beat. 19 SPURIOUS was first reserve at time of writing but if getting in she will be a threat on her hard-knocking Cape Town form. on 2 STONE OF SCONE can earn if reproducing her best. 6 ATLANTIC PEARL has been knocking on the door and should be in the hake up. (1-19-2-6)
R3 5 BLAME IT ON ME is knocking hard and is the one to beat. 4 HERE COMES JOHNNY has improved and on his last two runs should go close. 9 WARRIOR’S SWORD ha good form over this trip and can earn again. 3 ALESIAN BEAU might prefer 1000m but has shown ability and could earn. (5-4-9-3)
R4 1 FLIGHT DISPLAY went close last time this trip and has a good draw. 2 GREEN ISLE narrowly beat Flight Display last time and should be right there agin from a good draw. 9 TORI’S GIRL ran a fine race first time out the maidens and will try and repeat the effort on turf. 6 WELSH STARLET is distance suited but her best form is on the poly so she will have something to prove. (1-2-9-6)
R5 1 ANOTHERDANCEFORME is top drawer and if ableto put her disappointing last start in Cape Town behind her she will be hard to oppose. 2 ROYAL CITY GIRL is on the up and is weighted to finish second. 3 EAST COAST GIRL has shown enough ability to earn here. 5 AUGUSTA ROSSO has good form and cn make the frame in this line up. (1-2-3-5)
R6 3 SILVONIAN is ultra consistent and is the one to beat. 2 LAGUNA VERDE has bounced back to his best recently and is a big runner. 4 CHEEKY LADDIE has the ability to be a contender. 5 NEW MEXICO has some class but is not too reliable. (3-2-4-5)
R7 6 PEDRO has the form to go close from pole position. 5 SUN SPECTACULAR is off a good mark and should be right there from a good draw. 7 ALWAYS SHINING can earn if repeating his last start. 3 WISSA’S ON FIRE is interesting tried over this trip again as he was not far off in his first attempt. (6-5-7-3)
R8 9 GUARDING THE WALL has come down to a competitive mark and is well drawn over an ideal trip. 6 IZANAMI is consistent and should be right there. 13 FLIGHT ENGINEER has ability and f breaking on terms has a chance. 5 KING VISERYS has the form to earn here. (9-6-13-5)
R9 7 ONCIDIUM has some decent Cape Town form and is the one to beat from a fair draw. 2 NORTH STAR is knocking hard and should be right there yet again. 6 WHIRLYBIRD has fair form on the Highveld and KZN and should be involved. 3 HOPE CHEST has plenty of ability and could be in the shake up. (7-2-6-3)
Today's Question
Which horse holds the record for the most consecutive wins of any of the Cheltenham Festival races?
The picture is of of the subject
Today’s Question Answer
Picture: Quevega
The Willie Mullins-trained Quevega won the Gr 1 David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle for six consecutive years from 2009 to 2014).
