See It Again strides past the line still full of running in Saturday’s Grade 1 SplashOut Cape Derby (Wayne Marks).

Michael Roberts’ First Grade 1 Success Made Special By Family Support

Michael Roberts said winning his first Grade 1 as a trainer was made extra special by being able to share the moment with family.

Halfway down the straight of the Grade 1 SplashOut Cape Derby at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday Michael saw how well See It Again was travelling and turned to his daughter Caroline and said, “I think we’ve got him!”

Cape Town then got a taste of the high decibel encouragement Caroline is well know for in KZN.

Michael said, “The excitement of a win is what makes racing. It’s a game in which the highs are high and the lows can be very low so you have to enjoy it.”

He said having family there to enjoy the moment with him and then celebrate it had made it extra special.

Chuckling about Caroline turning up the volume, he quipped, “Cape Town knew we had arrived!”

Michael became the first KZN trainer to win the Cape Derby since Dennis Drier landed it with The Sheik in 2000.

It was in fact Michael’s fourth Cape Derby success, as he won three as a rider and all of them were aboard KZN-trained horses.

He won on the Fred Rickaby-trained Bold Tropic in 1979, with the Ricky Maingard-trained Impressive Style in 1987 and the Dave Goss-trained Comareen in 1994.

He said about See It Again being sent to him, “For a horse with that pedigree to come to us was very lucky. With good horses anything is possible.”

The Twice Over colt is a three-parts brother to his owner Nick Jonsson’s dual Durban July-winner Do It Again.

Michael said he had liked See It Again from day one.

He said he had been a bit weak at the start but added he had told Nick Jonsson after his first gallop, “I think we have something special here.”

He said training for Jonsson was a pleasure because Jonsson did not ever put any pressure on him and this enabled him to give the horse the time he needed.

He said he had earmarked a Cape campaign after he had won the Listed Model Man Mile and always had three races in mind, culminating in the Cape Derby, which he viewed as the chief target being a prestigious Grade l.

He said he he had followed the other Derby candidates and become quite bullish about See It Again’s chances until hearing Charles Dickens was entered.

However, there was always the chance Charles Dickens was not going to see out the trip, whereas he was always confident See It Again would do.

Roberts and Paddy Kruyer, who looked after See It Again at Milnerton, go back a long way.

Michael said, “I was his kit boy at the Academy and we’ve always got on well. He was assistant to Terrance Millard for a long time and I said to Nick Jonsson he was not somebody who would have any ulterior motives, he would be somebody we could trust.”

Nick was thrilled by the choice as he had recalled at a polo match many years ago Terrance Millard telling him what a fine horseman Paddy Kruyer was.

Michael was in contact with Paddy morning and afternoon and flew to Cape Town for the important workouts.

He became increasingly confident with each visit, noticing how the colt was maturing.

Then just before the race his confidence reached a new height when he looked into his box and saw a gleaming coat.

“His coast was so shiny he looked like gold,” said Michael.

He added, “Troy Finch came around to photograph him and as he saw him he immediately said, ‘Wow!!’”

He continued, “I asked where he had just come from and he said he had been photographing the opposition, so his nice words about See It Again were then extra meaningful.”

Michael said See It Again’s “beautiful” temperament had been another asset that had always impressed visitors.

Michael said no stone was left unturned before a Grade 1 and two changes made it See It Again’s case were the jockey and headgear.

Michael said, “See It Again did not help Rachel (Venniker) much in the Gold Rush and was left a bit far out of his ground. Nick suggested a more experienced rider – he is the one who pays the bills.”

Fortuitously the most experienced of them all then became available as Piere Strydom’s mount Itsrainingwilliam was scratched.

The connections were grateful to the Snaiths for immediately notifying them of Striker’s availability.

Kruyer suggested the blinkers and Michael was at first a bit sceptical, worried the horse would overrace.

However, they decided to try them out in work and when the rider returned saying he had gone very well in them, Michael decided to go ahead with half-cups.

Nick had looked a bit dubious on being given the news but Michael said he was an owner who never interfered.

In the end the only thing that really surprised Michael was how easily See It Again had won.

He said Piere Strydom had ridden him “beautifully”. The race had panned out exactly as he had envisaged and his chief instruction of “don’t press the button too soon” had been adhered to.

He is not a great one for times, but Michael did mention that somebody had pointed out to him that the time was just 0,11 seconds slower than the Met.

He envisaged the traditional route of WSB Guineas, Daily News 2000 and Hollywoodbets Durban July being the chief SA Champions Season targets for See It Again.

The horse has been given a 124 merit rating, meaning Strydom might be able to take the ride in the July, as long as the 133 rated Al Muthana is not a runner.

Roberts has an affinity with horses like few others and whatever happens See It Again’s needs will be put first.

Perhaps he will be the horse who kickstarts Roberts training career, which has had plenty of wins and enjoyment, but not a lot of involvement in big races.

Paddy Kruyer (centre) was included in the picture when the raider’s incentive cheque was presented for the SplashOut Cape Derby on Saturday (Wayne Marks).

Paddy Kruyer A Key Factor In First Gr 1 Win For Muis Roberts

One big decision contributed to Charles Dickens’ defeat in the SplashOut Cape Derby – it was to send See It Again to the Milnerton stable of Paddy Kruyer for the Cape season.

There is no doubt that Kruyer is one of the best horsemen in the country. This was the view of the late, great Terrance Millard and one doesn’t get a better endorsement than that.

The likeable trainer saddled his first winner at Turffontein in April 2008 and his career total currently stands at 166. He has had some decent horses through his hands including Forest Of Dean (eight wins) and Foxy Princess and Lenton Grove who both retired six-time winners.

Chatting to Paddy on Monday morning, he said he was “delighted to be part of Muis’ first Grade 1 winner.”

He took delivery of See It Again at the beginning of December and says “I quickly spotted his potential and felt he would do well over ground.”

See It Again’s first outing in the Cape was in mid-January and – given Muis Roberts belief that he had a top performer on his hands – I lumped on Rachel Venniker’s mount in a 106 merit-rated handicap for which the colt started at 6-1.

When the son of Twice Over – one of Nic Jonsson’s cheaper purchases at R120 000 – then failed to place in the 1600m Gold Rush on Met day, Mr Roberts, whose career I have reported on for four decades, wasn’t top of my populatory list.

However, that defeat came as no surprise to Paddy. “The shorter run clearly caught him out and I think Rachel (Venniker) was somewhat intimidated in the race.”

Tackling 2000m for the first time in the Cape Derby was definitely the colt’s cup of tea and – though Paddy probably didn’t think Charles Dickens could be beaten – he was certain a big run was coming especially with Piere Strydom in the irons.

So my next question to the Milnerton-based trainer was this: “Do you think See It Again could win the Durban July and would you go that route if you were the trainer?”

“Most definitely,” came the reply, “he’ll love the 2200m trip and, Molly, you’ll remember what Terrance (Millard) always said that you need a 2400m horse to win the July.”

I have already advised Business Day readers to back Rascallion (16-1) for SA’s most famous race, but there’s no law saying you can’t back two horses and sponsors, Hollywood, quote the Cape Derby winner at 13-1.

The perfect script for Cape Racing as the curtain came down on the season was an emphatic win for SA’s new star, Charles Dickens, and a farewell victory and 14th career win for Captain’s Ransom.

Unfortunately, happy endings are rare in sport – the best example is Sir Donald Bradman who made a duck in his final innings in Test cricket.

Richard Fourie was correct in saying that Captain’s Ransom has been “phenomenal for us all” yet the usual zip was missing this time and it can only be described as a lethargic run.

The fact that the winner, Live My Life, was saddled by Denis Drier at his final meeting of having runners in the Cape, was some sort of poetic justice for a lifetime of competing with success at the highest level.

Nick Jonsson with the WSB Cape Derby trophy (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Jonsson’s 12th Grade 1 Win – See It Again Earns 124 Rating

Owner Nick Jonsson first knew of the existence of his Grade 1 SplashOut Cape Derby winner See It Again when the latter was just a foetus.

He is now looking forward to both him and his famous three-part brother Do It Again running in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

He pointed out the former would be the youngest horse in the race and the latter the oldest.

He said See It Again had always reminded him of Do It Again.

He said, “He is a chestnut version – it is not just the looks though, he is tough and has a similar action.”

Nick received a phone call a few years ago from a breeder informing him that their Visionaire mare Supreme Vision, a twice-winning half-sister to Jonsson’s dual July-winning Twice Over gelding Do It Again, was in foal to Twice Over. The resultant foal would therefore be a three-parts brother to Do It Again and would he be interested in buying her.

Not being a breeder, Nick offered an amount they didn’t accept, but he did alert Drakenstein Stud of the potential buy.

He then noticed the subject foal at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale of 2021 and it was duly bred by Drakenstein, who had obviously followed up on his notification and bought the mare.

He liked the look of him as he came into the ring and was surprised there was no opposition to his R120,000 bid.

Michael Roberts happened to be walking past just after he had signed for the colt. Nick stopped him and gave him the release ticket and said, “Here I’ve bought you a horse.”

Nick has been an owner for a long time, but his rise as a big owner has come phenomenally quickly.

He won the July for the first time in 2018 and in the same race became the first owner to do the July one-two (Do It Again and Made To Conquer) since his good friend Luke Bailes did it in 1990.

Nick has since then won another July, two L’Ormarins Queen’s Plates and a WSB Met.

If not mistaken all 12 of his Grade 1 wins have been achieved in the last five years.

He is a Michaelhouse old boy and is the fourth generation of a successful Durban family.

However, his family history contains a remarkable rags-to-riches story.

His great grandather Frederick Lennard Jonsson was a Swedish orphan rescued from a life on the London docks by a kindly London family.

Frederick later set out for India to make his fortune, but was shipwrecked off the Wild Coast.

Adrift for a week on a life raft, he and the only two other survivors landed at Port St. Johns.

From there he made his way to Durban where he became a legend.

He owned the first two storey hotel in South Africa, the Alexandra on Point Road, and a few other hotels, including the famous Royal Hotel.

He had a farm on the Bluff and a farm in Umbilo.

Frederick Jonsson was a founder member of the Durban Turf club and was on its first board in 1897.

Nick’s father “Benji” continued the Jonsson tradition in racing and became chief executive of the Jockey Club and chairman of the SA Jockey Academy, as well as an avid racegoer and loyal owner.

Nick’s own success as a businessman has enabled him to entrench the Jonsson name in SA racing folklore.

However, See It Again would put the cherry on the top if he were to win the July this year.

Nick drew the short straw for the colours of Do It Again, so instead Bernard Kantor’s yellow and blue silks hang in the Hollywoodbets Greyville Classic Room’s July wall of honour.

A See It Again victory will see the Jonsson’s now familiar cyclamen (pink), green and white colours hanging on the wall.

Saartjie is a length clear at the line under a fine ride by Grant van Niekerk (Picture Wayne Marks).

Saartjie Defies Her Merit Rating And Can Progress Further

The Andre Nel-trained Dynasty filly Saartjie became the first of two blinkers strikes victories on Saturday.

She defied her merit rating of 84 to land the Listed Schweppes Cape Oaks over 2000m under a fine ride by Grant van Niekerk.

Van Niekerk managed to place her handily on the rail in about third place.

Realising the pace had been slow he gave her some rein at the top of the 600m straight.

Her good turn of foot took her into the lead.

Van Niekerk then asked the question at the 400m and she found another gear to open up a two length lead.

The Shadwell Stud-bred Sabine Plattner-owned filly managed to keep going long enough to win by a length.

The time was 2,29 seconds slower than the subsequent Grade 1 SplashOut Cape Derby and bookmakers have not been impressed enough to include her in the Hollywoodbets Durban July betting.

However, she is a young Dynasty filly who has had just six starts for three wins and she is unbeaten in two starts over middle distances, so she could still be anything.

The Glen Kotzen-trained favourite, the Gold Standard filly Hold My Hand, battled to make up the ground from midfield off the slow pace, but was making late inroads to

finish a one length second.

She is on the Hollywoodbets Durban July boards as a 100/1 shot.

Dennis Drier’s day was given a good start as his Master Of My Fate filly Broadway girl, owned by his family, finished third to earn small black type.

An emotional moment for Dennis Drier and Sean Veale after Saturday’s timely victory in the Grade 3 SplashOut Prix du Cap (picture: Wayne Marks).

Drier Ends Cape Racing Career On High Note – He Retires On March 31

It was a halcyon day for KZN racing on Saturday kicked off by a Grade 3 win by Dennis Drier and Sean Veale on the former’s last meeting in Cape Town.

There has been some confusion about the official retirement date of Drier.

However, his long-time assistant trainer Stuart Ferrie confirmed he would officially be taking over the rains on April 1.

The confusion might have been as a result of Veale mentioning in a recent interview “the 25th” as being the all important date.

However, he was obviously referring to Drier’s last day of racing in Cape Town.

Drier has sent a string to Cape Town every season for over a decade and everybody hoped the popular Summerveld trainer would have a winner on his last day there.

However, nobody could have envisaged the race he would do it in.

“Uncle Den’s” Gimmethegreenlight filly Live My Life had good form but in the Grade 3 SplashOut Prix du Cap she was up against the Equus Horse Of The Year, Captain’s Ransom.

She was receiving only 3kg from the latter, so off a 103 merit rating that put her 7.5kg under sufferance.

She also had to overcome the widest draw of all in the six horse field.

She did manage to get quite an easy lead and at the same time Captain’s Ransom had taken quite a strong hold as a reluctant leader after they had jumped.

Live My Life travelled comfortably in the straight under Sean Veale and it was soon clear Captain’s Ransom was struggling to find her renowned acceleration.

Captain’s Ransom did find a little bit late, but it was too late and Live My Life ran out a 1,50 length winner.

Captain’s Ransom in second was followed home by three other Gimmethegeenlights, Gimme’s Lassie, Gimme Dat and Going Up.

Live My Life is owned by Z Bifov and fittingly bred by Avontuur Stud who have had plenty of big race success with Drier over the years.

The win was obviously an emotional one and there were plenty of tears in the winner’s enclosure.

Drier has in fact always lived up to the saying of the famous Laird racing family of which he is a member, “When we win we cry, when we lose we smile.”

Drier was so impressed by Sean Veale’s ride he took KZN’s cliched word, “UNbelievable”, made famous by Chad Le Clos’ father Bert, to a new level and called it an “UN-UNbelievable ride.

Veale had followed his instruction to commit if there was no pace on.

The win was made more special by owner Z Bifov having travelled a long way to be there.

Veale believes Live My Life to be an SA Fillies Sprint horse and Ferrie confirmed that was the race she would be targeted at.

The top price at the BSA Cape Yearling Sale on Sunday of R850,000 was paid for this Wilgerbosdrift Stud-bred The United States colt, who was purchased by Gary Player (Picture: Wayne Marks).

BSA Cape Sale A Rousing Success

BSA press release

The 2023 Cape Yearling Sale took place at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racecourse onSunday, and the one day auction proved another strong and stirring renewal of a sale whose reputation continues to climb.

Under glorious sunshine, the sale saw increases posted in all of the aggregate, average and median prices, with a number of new stallions making their mark in the sales ring.

Moutonshoek’s sensational sire The United States, whose progeny include Saturday’s Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (Fillies) winner The Charleston, provided the top lot sold on Sunday.

Palancar, catalogued as Lot 97, was knocked down to Gary Player, for R850 000 to stand as the sales topping lot of the 2023 Cape Yearling Sale.

Consigned to the auction by Wilgerbosdrift, Palancar, a half-brother to five time winner Belle Of Belize, was produced by the winning Fastnet Rock mare Carrie Bow Cat. The latter’s Listed Upavon Stakes winning half-sister Alsace Lorraine also features as the granddam of Saturday’s G2 Carlton Draught Peter Young Stakes heroine Steinem.

Champion sire Gimmethegreenlight, whose daughter Live Your Life won Saturday’s G3 Prix Du Cap, was responsible for the top priced filly sold on Sunday, with the sire’s Gimmesmoreicecream (Lot 32) sold to Greg Bortz for R800 000.

Consigned to the sale by Varsfontein Stud, Gimmesmoreicecream had received a timeous boost when her Greg Bortz part-owned half-brother Salvator Mundi won the G2 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers run on WSB Cape Town Met day.

The sale’s aggregate rose from R22.57 million to R25.965 million, with the average and median prices increased from R155 655 and R110 000 respectively to R171 954 and R130 000, reflecting the strength and resilience of the Cape Sale this year.

Wilgerbosdrift headed the Leading Vendors list, with that Piketberg based farm selling all 15 of its yearlings for a gross total of R4.2 million. Wilgerbosdrift’s beautifully bred young stallion Buffalo Bill Cody made a big impression with his first yearlings, and the son of Redoute’s Choice ended the 2023 Cape Yearling Sale as Leading Sire by Aggregate. Buffalo Bill Cody had all eight of his lots sell for R2.18 million, with his top priced lot, a Narrow Creek Stud consigned colt out of Musical Romance, knocked down to Kestorm Investments for R410 000.

Central Route Trading were the Leading Buyers at the sale, and bought nine yearlings for an aggregate of R1.59 million.

A full list of prices and statistics for the Cape Yearling Sale can be found online at www.bsa.co.za

Pacaya flies out of the pack to score an unlikely victory in the Gordon’s Gin Listed Jet Master Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on saturday (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Pacaya’s July Odds Shorten After Flying Finish Coupled With Jockey Error

It is never nice to see one of those “celebrated too early” videos in horseracing because it is not only the loss of likely victory that is going to plague the jockey, but he could also land a lengthy suspension.

However, those who backed the horse would be less sympathetic, not to mention the owner and trainer, who in Saturday’s case could have each been cost R50,000 cheques respectively on top of the winning stakes money.

Joshwin Solomons rode a front-running race which could have been described as perfect for 1590m in the Listed Gordon’s Gin Jet Master Stakes, but he clearly eased the horse a good ten metres from the line as he had either misjudged where the finish line was or not noticed the Justin Snaith-trained Pacaya’s flying finish under JP van der Merwe.

Solomons will be in good company with those who have committed such an error.

All of Piere Strydom, S’Manga Khumalo and Kevin Shea have been guilty of the same offense this millennium i.e. not riding the horse out to the line and costing the horse probable victory.

Nevertheless, it was a fine performance by the four-year-old Trippi gelding Pacaya, especially considering he was continuously baulked for a run in the straight.

Pacaya disappointed as a three-year-old after showing promise early on.

However, he has now bounced back and despite only being merit rated 98 before Saturday’s race and carrying only 51kg, somebody believes him to be a Hollywoodbets Durban July horse because he is now at 16/1 in the ante-post betting with the sponsor.

Gavin van Zyl (6th from lwft) and Opensea Mhlamvu (third from left) were given a good send off by owners of the yard at Hollywoodbets Greyville today (Picture: Candiese lenferna).

Venniker/Roberts, De Melo/Wright Doubles – Van Zyl And Mhlamvu’s Last Day

Rachel Venniker rode a double for Michael Roberts on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly today and Keagan de Melo rode a double for Alyson Wright.

It was Gavin van Zyl’s last day at the races as a trainer and he it was also the official retirement day of his long-time righthand man Opensea Mhlamvu.

The last of Van Zyl’s 800 odd career winners will go down as Wylie Riley, ridden by Athandiwe Mgudlwa at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.

De Melo is now on 181 wins for the season at a 21.17% strike rate.

Venniker is on 71 wins at 12.52%

Roberts is on 31 wins at 12.25%.

Wright is on 29 wins at 15.43%.

Picture of the owner in question (Wikipedia).

Today’s Question

Which prolific owner in Britain never had a good horse until offered a cast off for 500 pounds and this filly became so good he wrote a book about her?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

Fairview Poly Fields, Tuesday, CLICK HERE

Park Top wins the King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Stakes under Lester Piggott in 1969. (Picture: Alamy).

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION:

Andrew 11th Duke Of Devonshire was apparently an unlucky owner until his great filly Park Top landed in his ownership through fortunate circumstances.

Park Top was by Kalydon, a good stayer but unfashionable stallion, out of Oola Hills, a half-sister to the brilliant Pappa Fourway, but a very moderate race mare.

John Hislop, bidding for Bernard van Cutsem, bought the plain filly for the reserve price. He was the only bidder.

Van Cutsem, who had trained Kalydon, had intended the filly for a new American patron who had offered him an open cheque, but when he found out the price of 500 pounds he was too embarrassed to contact the American.

He accordingly Andrew Devonshire with the news he had bought him a “delightful cheap filly by Kalydon”.

When The Duke was told the name of the dam he went rigid.

“But I used to own her. She was useless,” He said icily.

Nevertheless, he took the filly and Park Top, trained by Van Cutsem, went on to become one of the best post-war middle distance fillies.

Her best performance was an easy win in the King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The Duke wrote a book about her called “A Romance Of The Turf: Park Top.”

Turf Talk Newsletter – 27 February 2023