Turf Talk Newsletter – 27 January, 2025

Justin Snaith holds aloft the WSB Met trophy, which he had just won for a fourth time at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Snaith had six winners at the meeting. (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Justin Snaith almost certainly became the first trainer in SA history to have won both the July and the Met three times in succession when the Lancaster Bomber colt Eight On Eighteen passed the post first in Satuday’s WSB Met under Richard Fourie.

Terrance Millard won three successive Julys but not three successive Mets, while Mike Bass won four successive Mets but his three Julys were well spread out.

It will need to be checked whether Fred Murray’s four successive Julys from 1910-1913 and Jim Russell’s three successive Julys from 1918 to 1920 were ever matched by three successive Mets.

Justin’s three successive July wins were with two horses, Do It Again (Twice Over) winning in 2018 and 2019 and Belgarion winning in 2020, and his three successive Met wins came with thre different horses, Jet Dark (Trippi) winning in 2023, Double Superlative (Twice Over) winning in 2024 and Eight On Eighteen winning it in 2025.

Richard Fourie rode two of the July winners mentioned above, Do It Again in 2019 and Belgarion in 2020, and has ridden two of the above-mentioned Met winners too, Jet Dark and Eight On Eighteen.

Snaith has won five Julys in total and Saturday was his overall fourth Met win.

Fourie produced a finely judged ride.

Finding cover in midfield from draw nine, he steadily made up ground on the pacemaker Oriental Charm, who was angled on to the outside fence, and the handy Montien, who was briefly overtaken by the filly Red Palace before fighting back.

Fourie went inside of the latter embattled pair and won by half-a-length from Oriental Charm, who stayed on gallantly. Montien was a 0,90 length third.

Eight On Eighteen wins the WSB Met under Richard Fourie (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Piere Strydom said See It Again had been more settled without the blinkers, but he had not jumped well and that saw him being further back than he had expected.

See It Again chased Eight On Eighteen in the straight and late in the race started coming into the picture. He was the fastest horse at the line, producing a late charge between Montien and Rascallion, but he was unfortunately 1,10 lengths shy and could only claim fourth place.

It was See It Again’s second successive Met fourth place finish.

Rascallion was fifth and Red Palace sixth.

The Met had become a good option for Eight On Eighteen after One Stripe had won the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, because Eight On Eighteen had been beaten only 1,25 lengths by One Stripe in the Gr 1  Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas.

However, Eight On Eighteen is unlikely to be given a merit rating as high as One Stripe’s 132 (which makes the latter the official best horse in the country at present).

THe Met field finished in a heap on Saturday, which usually makes the handicapper reluctant to rate the race too highly.

Two obvious line horses are Oriental Charm, who was the Hollywoodbets Durban July winner, and Rascallion, who was the Met runner up last year and came into this year’s race off a win in the Gr 2 Anthonij Rupert Wyne Premier Trophy over 1800m.

With Oriental Charm as line horse Eight On Eighteen will get 126 or 127 and with Rascallion he will get 124 or 125.

That is not to say Eight On Eighteen won’t get better.

It was only his seventh career start and he looks to have plenty of scope for further improvement.

The legacy of the champion broodmare Mystic Spring gained a new milestone as Eight On Eighteen became the first of her descendants to win Cape Town’s biggest race, the WSB Met.

It is significant that Eight On Eighteen is still an entire, because his late sire Lancaster Bomber has proven to be very influential and he was responsible for two Gr 1 winners on the day, which meant the son of War Front has now had four individual Gr 1 winners from just two crops to race.

Earlier, the Glen Kotzen-trained Lancaster Bomber filly Rascova had won the Gr 1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes , pipping her arch rival Double Grand Slam.

Fittingly, Rascova was bred by Vaughan Koster’s Cheveley Stud, which was where Mystic Spring stood.

Eight On Eighteen was bred by Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud, which was where Lancaster Bomber stood, and that meant Drakenstein have bred the winner of the Met for the second time in the last three years, having also bred the 2023 winner Jet Dark (Trippi).

Gaynor’s husband Johann is in fact a part-owner of Eight On Eighteen, who runs in the colours of prolific owner Nick Jonsson.

It was the third successive year the Met winner had run in the Jonsson colours and it has been achieved with three different horses, Jet Dark, Double Superlative (Twice Over) and Eight On Eighteen. That is likely a record and one that will take some equalling.

Jonsson has not only owned the last three Met winners, but his runners finished first, third and fourth last year and first and fourth this year.

Eight On Eighteen became just the fifth three-year-old since the war to win the Met.

One remarkable fact is that those five-three-year-old winners, Feltos (1945), Horse Chestnut (1999), Badger’s Coast (2000), Oh Susanna (2018) and Eight On Eighteen, have only three trainers between them as Mike De Kock trained both Horse Chestnut and Badger’s Coast, while Justin Snaith is the trainer of Oh Susanna and Eight On Eighteen. Oh Susanna was the first three-year-old filly to win the Met for over a hundred years.

All of Snaith’s three male Met winners will likely stand at stud.

Jet Dark is already standing at Drakenstein, Double Superlative was earmarked for stud and Eight On Eighteen will be one of two valuable successors to Lancaster Bomber, the other being the Snaith-trained Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot.

It was not surprising Eight Of Eighteen ended up in the yard of Justin Snaith as he is out of the unraced Captain Al mare Sempre Libre, who is out of Mystic Spring, which makes her a half-sister to the champion Snaith-trained three-times Gr 1-winning filly Bela-Bela and also to champion three-year-old colt Rabiya.

The family is rich in black type performers, although most of them are females and Eight On Eighteen will likely become the first stallion descendant of the legendary mare.

Mystic Spring was a full sister to the first British Classic winner Michael Roberts rode, the 1991 2000 Guineas winner Mystiko, and it was Roberts advising Karen Newsome of Springfield Racing that the latter had been a good fast ground horse that was partly behind the decision to send Mystic Spring to South Africa.

The country can certainly be grateful for that decision as the black type beneath Mystic Spring’s name continues to burgeon.

Gavin Lerena celebrating Gr 1 glory at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth 24 hours before an incident at Turffontein saw his fortunes taking an about turn. (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Gavin Lerena’s moment of madness at Turffontein on Sunday had his fans scrambling to check whether there had been a jockey change before the race, because this was not in keeping with his known high standards of professionalism.

However, Jason Gates might also be in hot water, because some fans are agreeing after viewing online video available that Lerena’s sudden loss of temper was in reaction to being whipped by Gates.

Lerena’s good previous record and the above mitigating circumstance might help in the sentencing.

However, it can not detract from the seriousness of the incident in which he stood up in the saddle, either in retaliation or frustration, and whipped Gates on the back with full force three times.

The consequences could have been catastrophic i.e. Gates could have flinched and consequently fallen off.

In predicting the penalty Lerena will receive one has to consider whether the action was right or wrong, the penalty for such an action if it was wrong, and then the jockey’s previous record.

Lerena’s actions were seriously wrong, even if the mitigating circumstance makes it more understandable.

The NHA are viewing it in such a serious light they did not allow an “acknowledement of guilt” hearing, and instead it is going straight to an inquiry.

The NHA’s reaction is understandable because South Africa, as a member of the International Federation Of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), are signatories of the International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering IIABRW) and the incident has made international news.

The video has gine viral as far away as Australia and New Zealand.

As South Africa are a Part I country in the IFHA, the world will be watching the inquiry process.

Looking at an international incident which was perhaps even more serious because the jockey fell off i.e. Christophe Soumillon elbowing Rossa Ryan off his horse in France, Soumillon was given a two month suspension.

Locally, Muzi Yeni took his hand off his left rein and placed it on Lyle Hewitson’s arm in a race at Hollywoodbets Greyville and was given a three month suspension.

Therefore, Lerena is predicted to be given a three month suspension with perhaps half of it suspended for five years owing to his good previous record.

If Gates is also found guilty of whipping Lerena it might earn a suspension too.

The incident happened in the second race, a Maiden Plate over 1400m.

Lerena was on the favourite Gimme A Storm, who had been backed from 28/10 into 18/10, while Gates was on the biggest outsider in the seven horse field, the 66/1 shot Blurred Vision.

It did not pan out well for Gimme A Storm from draw three as he flyjumped slightly and was then headstrong early before being caught one wide without adequate cover as Blurred Vision was only about half-a-width wide between the first and third horses.

Gimme A Storm turned for home alongside Blurred Vision and as the second favourite Green Street had stolen a march down the inside with the third favourite Great Notion chasing him, the feeling was that Gimme A Storm would have to acclerate past Blurred Vision and then have the space to use his action to its fullest to chase the leaders.

However, Blurred Vision held his line and Gimme A Storm could not shake him off, meaning, with what looked like a tendendy to want to hang inward, Gimme A Storm could not get into full stride.

There were also one or two bumps betwen the pair and Gates had changed the whip to his left hand, while Lerena had changed his whip to his right hand.

This meant their whipping actions were restricted and the whip stroke itself would have been at risk of striking the other embattled horse and jockey.

Just before Lerena loses his temper there appears to be a sideways strike from Gates.

It was not initially evident at normal speed, but in the slow motion it becomes evident and then switching it back to normal motion it becomes clear that one of Gates’ whipping strokes is directed with a sideways arc onto Lerena, who reportedly returned with a welt on his arm.

That the strike was hard and deliberately directed is lent credence by the fact that Lerena’s action happened immediately afterwards, at about the 200m mark, and appears to be a spur of the moment act of retaliation.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE RACE REPLAY

However, the above view comes from just looking at a Youtube video, whilst the pending inquiry will have full use of the patrol film from all angles and both jockeys will also be able to give their account of the unsavoury incident.

What makes the incident even more unfortunate is that Lerena has been in the form of his life and was a serious contender for the national championship, while Gates’ wife gave birth over the weekend, so a dampener would have been put on both families’ upbeat times.

Lerena released a public letter of apology later in the evening.

In the statement, Lerena says that following the incident that occurred during Race 2 at Turffontein, he feels that it is imperative to offer a formal statement to the racing community.

He adds that what took place is entirely inconsistent with his character, and he deeply regrets the incident. He extended his sincerest apologies to the owners and trainer of the horse, his sponsors, the racing fans and the relevant race day authorities affected.

He says that he wants to clarify that his reaction followed encounters and actions from Mr. Gates.

He notes that in any competitive sport, the instinctual response to a perceived threat, provocation or aggression can lead to a reaction that, under normal circumstances, one would not exhibit or do.

He acknowledged that his response has raised views and opinions. He says that the inquiry process will allow for all factors to be considered, during which time he will submit all the necessary factors in mitigation.

He tells that the sport of racing has a special place in his heart and that he holds it in the highest regard and remains dedicated to contributing positively to its reputation.

“I aim to uphold the values that make racing truly exceptional. Regrettably, today’s incident detracted from that commitment, and I am deeply remorseful for any disappointment caused to the punters, owners, trainer, fans and officials.To my supporters, your understanding and support is deeply appreciated. Once more, I apologise to all involved and reaffirm my commitment to upholding the integrity of our beloved sport,” he concludes.

Rascova only just prevails under Gavin Lerena, beating her arch rival Double Grand Slam by a hair’s breadth. (Picture: Wayne Marks)

The Rascova/Double Grand Slam rivalry had its 11th renewal on Saturday at Hollywodbets Kenilworth in the Gr 1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes and Rascova scored by a hair’s breadth under Gavin Lerena.

The tally is now 6-5 in favour Of Double Grand Slam.

Rascova gave owners Eugene and Sandy Arundel of Itssa It & Business Solutions (Pty) Ltd their first Gr 1 winner. The Cheveley Stud-bred Lancaster Bomber filly had also previously given the couple their first Listed winner as well as their first Graded winner.

Cape Breeders wrote the following article about Saturday’s Majorca:

RASCOVA eked out a wafer-thin margin victory over odds on favourite DOUBLE GRAND SLAM in the Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes (WFA) (Gr 1) over 1600m. The winner is a daughter of Lancaster Bomber out of the Western Winter mare, Netsuke and was bred at Cheveley Stud.

The diminutive filly may be somewhat non-descript physically but in trainer Glen Kotzen’s words, has “the heart of a lion”.

Indeed, the sterling RASCOVA has competed at the highest level throughout her career, and this was a deserved success in a prestigious Gr 1 which carries significant value for breeding.

High percentage jock, Gavin Lerena, did everything just right: getting into the trail behind FATAL FLAW, then making a late surge in the final stages down the rail.

DOUBLE GRAND SLAM, slow out, unsettled down the backside and wide, made an early dash for glory but missed out on the bob in a photo finish, having run five meters further according to Gallop track data.

3YO filly, ROCCAPINA, ran well to secure third stretching out to a mile with KINDA WONDERFUL in fourth. Early leader, FATAL FLAW, ran below par after blowing like a gale in the betting (15/10 out to 5’s). She led at a moderate pace, before weakening uncharacteristically out the money.

Chad Little winning recently on the Glen Kotzen-trained Bombersinthesky. (Picture: Wayne Marks). 

Chad Little will ride all of the Turf Talk Syndicate horses in future as he is Turf Talk’s new sponsored rider.

Watch this space for an interview with Chad, in which he will give insight into his roller coaster journey in horseracing.

The interview will appear in tomorrow’s newsletter, Tuesday 29 January.

Rainbow Lorikeet wins the Gr 3 Tsogo Sun Summer Fling Stakes under Aldo Domeyer. The Candice Bass-Robinson-trained filly is out of the Bass-Robinson-trained Gr 1 Majorca Stakes winner, Nightingale (Silvano). (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Cape Breeders

Maine Chance Farms’ inform stallion Querari enjoyed feature race success at both Fairview on Friday and Hollywoodbets Kenilworth the following day.

On Friday, Querari gelding Sequoia won the Fairview Mile, with another Querari son, Underworld, finishing third in that Non-Black type feature race.

The following day, Querari’s top-class daughter Rainbow Lorikeet claimed her fourth black type win when she landed the G3 Tsogo Sun Summer Fling Stakes (2000m) on World Sports Betting Cape Town Met day.
Under a finely judged ride from Aldo Domeyer, the four-year-old hit the front close home and stayed on to beat a game Time For Love into second place.

Trained by Candice Bass-Robinson, Rainbow Lorikeet has won six of 18 starts, with her past wins including the G3 SplashOut Victress Stakes, Listed East Cape Paddock Stakes and Listed Schweppes Cape Fillies Classic.

Rainbow Lorikeet, bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, is out of the Silvano mare Nightingale and is thus bred on the same Querari/Silvano cross as fellow graded stakes winners Bavarian Beauty, Cosmic Speed, Homely Girl, and Wonderwall.

South Africa’s Leading Sire of 2YOs in 2018-2019, Querari has been responsible for five two-year-old winners, from eight runners, at the time of writing this season.

Picture: Royal Force has been tipped to win the 6th (JC Photos)

Formguides And Selections for Vaal Classic Tuesday

R1     7 MAVERICK QUEEN has run two good races and has a good opportunity from a good draw here. 8 UP THE ANTE ran a much improved race second time out but does have a tough draw here. 1 TIPPERARY has shown enougth to be able to earn here. 2 JILTED is not straight forward but has the ability to earn. (7-8-1-2)

R2     6 BAD MEDICINE has improved over middle distances and has a chance here from a fair draw. 7 CASUS BELLI ran a race in his penultimate over 1800m and should enjoy the return to a middle distance trip. 2 THE MERCIFUL is a runner in this field. 1 ALAKANANI can earn if producing his best. (6-7-2-1)

R3     5 FLAG BEARER is a tougth and consistent campainer who has a chance again in this line up. 3 CREPUSCOLO has shown hints of ability over this sort of trip and can earn again. 4 INCREDIBLE INDRANI can earn if producing her best. 7 FUTUREWOLFF is usually thereabouts and could earn here. (5-3-4-7)

R4     6 COCOMELON ran a cracker last time in a Gr 3 and has a chance back in this line up. 4 CEUTA has been catching the eye and from oole position should go close. 2 DONNA MO has plenty of ability but needs to boune back 8 AVOONTOAST has been given one point relif from the handicapper so might be in the shake up. (6-4-2-8)

R5     10 PRETTY ANALIA usually stays on well and deserves a win. 2 BOOM BOOM ran on strongly to win when running on his own on the outside, so that could be the key to him and might be able repeat the performance. 8 SNEAK PREVIEW disappointed last time but is better than that and has a plum draw. 9 HONORABLE MEMBER has come down three point and could earn here. (10-2-8-9)

R6     Preview: 2 ROYAL FORCE impressed on debut and could follow up from pole position despite being given a 92. 1 POTBERRIE ran a cracker in a Gr 3 last time and should go close with a repeat. 5 PALACE DANCER won in fine style last time and could follow up despite a five point raise. THERES A LIGHT looks set to deliver in his fourth run after a layoff. (2-1-5-6)

R7     6 COSMIC QUEEN has run well in both of her races and could do well despite having been given a 90. 10 KIA KAHA should have a big chance from a favourable high draw. 3 VIRGINIA BEACH has pace and off a competiive mark can earn again. 1 CHROME TOURMALINE is usually thereabouts and Strydpm now rides. (6-10-3-1)

R8     3 FLIGHT OF A CONDOR won nicely last time and can build on that 2THE NAVY LARK has a lot of pace and should be a contender. 7 PHANTOM EXPRESS is capable if popping up and Lerena rides. 5 ILHA DA ORANGE surprised last time when beating Flight Of A Condor but could be in the shake up off an opening mark of 73. (3-2-7-5)

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