Picture: Keagan de Melo being led in on Chyavana after a ride out of the top drawer at the Vaal Classic track today (JC Photos)

Can De Melo Get Close To Delpech Record?

Anthony Delpech’s record of 334 winners in a season has been called the safest record in SA racing on occasion, but in fact if Keagan de Melo keeps up his current rate of rides and current strike rate he will fall a tantalising two winners short of that record.

There have been 88 days in this season so far and De Melo has had 341 rides for 80 winners at a strike rate of 23.46%.

If he keeps up that riding rate he will have about 1,415 rides in the season and a strike rate of 23.46% on that figure gives him 332 wins.

He appears able to steer clear of trouble, or from causing trouble in races, so can avoid suspensions.

His phlegmatic character might also enable him to keep exhaustion at bay in what would be a taxing travelling schedule for most.

However, on the other hand, Warren Kennedy at this same stage last year was on 82 wins and keeping it up would have put him on a record 340 wins.

De Melo has used the support he has been given around the country this calendar year to prove how good he is.

He quickly advanced to one who could be called “top echelon.”

However, if he were today be called the best jockey in the country there would not be many who would quibble.

He was always known as a rider who was able to reserve energy in his mounts for the finish.

Now that he is being given better horses to ride he is honing this skill and improving continuously.

His ride today on the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Flower Alley gelding Chyavana was a case in point and showed off his wide range of skills too.

Jumping from draw two in the 1200m contest, De Melo soon found himself in a tight position.

However, he extracted himself from that position without any hint of panic whatsoever.

Having made all the correct split second decisions to put his mount into the clear, he then timed his finishing burst to perfection.

However, there were still dangers on both sides, so hard driving was required.

In the midst of all that he managed to execute two important whip hand changes.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE MASTERFUL RIDE

The four-year-old Maine Chance Farms-bred Chyavana relished the step up to 1200m from 1000m and converted 7/2 odds to become a three time winner from just eight career starts.

Picture: Another balmy Summer’s day at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

November 19 Will Be First Meeting On Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Summer Course

The return to the flagship Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Summer Course will coincide with the start of the Cape Summer Festival Of Racing.

This meeting on November 19 will feature the Grade 2 Selangor Cup, which is the traditional pointer to the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas (it was known as the Grade 2 Concorde Cup for the last few years but this is not the first time it has been called The Selangor Cup).

The Listed Sophomore Sprint over 1200m is the supporting feature and will also be full of intrigue.

The Sophomore Sprint used to be run earlier in the season.

However, by all accounts it is going to attract a top field this year.

The grapevine has it that all of Charles Dickens, Trompie and Hithemhardsunshine will likely be lining up.

Charles Dickens will use the race to keep his fitness levels up for the Cape Guineas, so the race is on the perfect date for that purpose.

It is also on the perfect date for the sprinting types like Trompie and Hithemhardsunshine.

The Need For Speed Sprint last Saturday served as a spring board into this race for that pair.

And in its new position the Sophomore Sprint serves as an event that will help sort out the three-year-old sprinter pecking order ahead of the bigger target, the Grade 2 Cape Merchants over 1200m on December 11.

So that was a programming change with fine foresight and the Sophomore Sprint might rise above Listed status in time.

The other feature on November 19 is the Non-Black Type Summer Bowl for fillies and mares over 1600m.

Picture: The Dorrie Sham-trained Bingwa wins last year’s Allied Steelrode-Onamission Mile in emphatic fashion under Chase Maujean (Candiese Lenferna).

Charity Will Be The Winner At Turffontein

Jack Milner (4Racing)

It does not really matter which horse wins the R800,000 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile because the true winner will be charity.

Each of the 16 runners competing in the Grade 2 race over 1600m on the Standside track at Turffontein on Saturday will represent a charity and each will receive a payout based on where their horse finishes in the race.

As part of its sponsorship Allied Steelrode have made R500,000 available to be shared by the 16 deserving Johannesburg charities.

This will range all the way from R200,000 for the charity whose horse wins the Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile and a minimum of no less than R20,000 for the charity whose horse finishes in last position.

Each charity was present at the official draw on Tuesday and a representative from that charity was allowed to draw for one of the runners in the race.

Speaking on behalf of sponsors Allied Steelrode, Arun Chadha said that as a company they have always been in volved in charity. “What better way us to do it than with a passion we have, which is horseracing.

“Good luck to all the charities, they are all going to be winners some way or another.

“So, let’s hope we can carry this Charity Mile on and maybe have more races and more charities involved in the future.”

Horses from the Mike de Kock yard dominate the race as he will saddle four runners which include Grade 1 Daily New 2000 winner Safe Passage and Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes champion MK’s Pride who will be having the first run for his stable.

Also in the field is last year’s winner Bingwa who has drawn in pole position and has Gavin Lerena in the irons.

Final field with their charities for the R800,000 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile (Grade 3) over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday 29 October

1 – 10 ASTRIX (J J van Vuuren) R Simons 61.5 Little Rose Centre

2 – 2 MK’S PRIDE (M F De Kock) M Yeni 60.0 SARDA Centre

3 – 4 SAFE PASSAGE (M F De Kock) G van Niekerk 59.5 San Michele Home

4 – 19 PUERTO MANZANO (J J van Vuuren) K de Melo 59.0 Joburg Child Welfare

5 – 1 BINGWA (J J van Vuuren) G Lerena 58.0 Epworth Children’s Home

6 – 9 RED SAXON (J A Soma) S Khumalo 56.5 Door Of Hope

7 – 8 HOEDSPRUIT (J S Snaith) R Fourie 56.0 The Hamlet School

8 – 15 PYROMANIAC (S G Tarry) C Habib 53.5 TAG Foundation

9 – 11 HOMELY GIRL (J J van Vuuren) M V’Rensburg 52.5 Highveld Horsecare Unit

10 – 14 FOREVER MINE (M F De Kock) J P v’d Merwe 52.0 Angel Baby Sanctuary

11 – 12 AFTER THE RAIN (G van Zyl Jnr) D De Gouveia 52.0 St Francis Care Centre

12 – 3 HUMDINGER (M F De Kock) R Munger 52.0 Soweto Equestrian Centre

13 – 18 IRISH TRACTOR (B Crawford) K Matsunyane 52.0 Cotlands

14 – 5 WILLOW EXPRESS (S G Tarry) J Mariba 52.0 Thusanani Children’s Foundation

15 – 7 LITIGATION (S G Tarry) C Maujean 52.0 Tembisa Child Welfare

16 – 6 INDLAMU (S G Tarry) K A Brewer 52.0 Ekukhanyeni Childhood Development

Reserve Runners

17 – 17 CORNISH POMODORO (S G Tarry) Reserve 1 52.5

18 – 16 VANDERBILT (R Klaasen) Reserve 2 52.0

19 – 13 EXPRESSFROMTHEUS (W C Marwing) Reserve 3 52.0

Same Trainer: (1,4,5,9) (2,3,10,12) (8,14,15,16,17)

Picture: Lot 10: “Big, powerful Twice Over colt; he is forward in his work and already looks like a three-year old.”

Julia’s Soetendal Notes Will Get You Excited!

Soetendal, synonymous with turning out expertly-prepped two-year-olds, offers its customary variety of well-bred lots at the 2022 Cape Racing Ready To Run and Unbroken Sale at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

Soetendal’s Julia Pilbeam, whose pre-sale assessment are more often than not right on the mark, provided notes on the progress of her entries ahead of the auction:

Lot 6, Unnamed: “A well-grown, scopey What a Winter colt. He is a fluent mover with an incredible temperament.”

Lot 10, Unnamed: “Big, powerful Twice Over colt; he is forward in his work and already looks like a three-year old.”

Lot 11, Frances Ethel: “Tall, rangy Rafeef filly, a classic type who will just continue to improve.”

Lot 17, Mo Gem: “This Royal Mo colt is the epitome of athleticism. He is a balanced colt and loves to work.”

Lot 22, Unnamed: “An exciting filly by first crop sire Fire Away. She is well grown, carries herself beautifully and has an elastic action. A forward, tough filly.”

Lot 45, Mo Ment: “Big, deep-girthed Royal Mo colt with a lot of quality about him. He moves very well and looks a classic type.”

Lot 47, Unnamed: “Hard to believe that this quality Captain of All colt is a very late foal. He has done exceptionally well through his preparation and we are very excited with what he is showing us.”

Lot 50, Unnamed: “A beautifully put together William Longsword filly with a powerful hindquarter; she is tough and honest, and has been one of the easiest horses to prepare in the draft, everything has been easy for her.”

Lot 51, Unnamed: “Quick, racy and precocious, this Pomodoro colt is from a top Australian family.”

Lot 67, Across The Bow: “By Vercingetorix from a very speedy dam line, this exciting colt is a beautiful mover. He is a forward colt and very honest.”

Lot 69, Unnamed: “A William Longsword filly that caught our eye from the day she arrived with her good walk and big, bold eye. She has a very good action too.”

Lot 91, Unnamed: “A classy Gimmethegreenlight colt with excellent scope, he will continue to improve. All five siblings are winners, including Listed winner Mirage.”

Lot 92, Dumbledore: “A William Longsword colt from the blue-blooded Secret of Victoria. A beautifully put-together colt, powerful, he could be anything.”

Lot 101, New Standard: “Athletic and progressive half-brother to Kommetdieding, by exciting up-and-coming sire Gold Standard.”

As agent for Owloon:

Lot 39, Milliondollargirl: “Compact, strong and precocious, this racy filly looks early and just does everything she is asked.

Lot 62, That’s My Baby: “A Master of My Fate filly; she is a late foal but is well-grown with good substance. She already shows a superb action and will keep improving; she is bound to catch the buyer’s eye.”

Lot 68, Donny Tee: “This Duke of Marmalade colt walks exceptionally well and has a ground-covering action; definitely one for the shrewd buyer, as he will continue to develop.”

Picture: Stonehill’s Lot 109 will bring the curtain down on the Sale, a Royal Mo colt “who has turned into a magnificent horse with a great temperament.”

Impressive Royal Mo has three in Stonehill’s draft

Royal Mo, a sire in the limelight, has representation right at the top of this year’s three-year-old crop with rising champ Royal Aussie. Stonehill Stud has three Royal Mo offspring on offer at the 2022 Cape Racing Ready To Run and Unbroken Two-Year-Old Sale at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

Heinrich Rix of Stonehill Stud, who originally sourced and exported the smart Uncle Mo stallion from the US and still owns a large share of the Klawervlei-based Royal Mo, commented on his draft:

Lot 106 Mo Flo (Royal Mo – Eden Estuary by Right Approach): “A colt from the close family of Kildonan, Mo Flo is a late foal, a physically correct specimen that moves well and looks like a speedy type. I expect a lot from him, he had a very speedy mother and like we have seen recently with King Mo, some of the Royal Mo’s pack a lot of speed.”

Lot 108 Josi Mo (Royal Mo – Josi De Nero by Turffontein): “This is a very interesting mating of Uncle Mo over a Turffontein mare, the damsire being the sire of Scat Daddy and an impressive Australian female line, we would love to see how this cross works. Josi Mo needed the time, she has a lot of substance, depth in her girth and looks rather quick. One I probably should have kept!”

Lot 109 Mo Lalaika (Royal Mo – Balalaika by Imperial Stride): “This colt could be anything. He could be a Guineas type, or go over more ground. His young dam was very useful, she ran third in the Listed Spook Express Stakes and this is only her second foal. There is good black type down the female line. He was the ugly duckling but has turned into a magnificent horse with a great temperament. He is correct with lots of substance. There is a lot of horse here, he will be popular in the sales ring.”

Picture: Mythical Dream winning cosily under Gavin Lerena today to make it three from three (JC Photos).

Mythical Dream Gives Black Egret Another Boost

Dogs Have Been Barking About Munchkin

The Ashley Fortune-trained Black Egret could get punters off to a good start at the big Allied Steelrode-Onamission Charity Mile meeting at Turffontein Standside on Saturday.

The tall Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfointein Stud-bred Rafeef gelding is a half-brother to the like of six-time winner Goliath Heron (Master Of My Fate) and he was backed into 14/10 favourite on debut over 1000m.

However, he found one better in the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Narrow Creek Stud-bred Querari fillly Mythical Dream.

The latter followed up by winning over 1000m at Turffontein Inside, despite jumping from a wide draw.

Today Mythical Dream made it three from three when winning at the Vaal Classic track, again over 1000m.

Black Egret is drawn on the right side in barrier 16 in the first race on Saturday, the Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile maiden plate over 1160m.

The in form Ryan Munger will be aboard.

However, the dogs must have been barking about the Lucky Houdalakis-trained first-timer Munchkin (Rafeef), because he opened 5/2 favourite and has already been backed in to 2/1.

Munchkin is out of once-winning Fort Wood mare Savannah Cat, who is a half-sister to the Grade 3 Kings Cup-winning Western Winter gelding Bulleting Home.

Black Egret is quoted at 9/2, but has experience on his side.

The race will provide an intriguing start to what is always a great day of racing.

Picture: Mythical Dream forges ahead in the last race under Gavin Lerena and is about to give Johan Janse van Vuuren a double (JC Photos).

Maujean/Spies And Janse van Vuuren Doubles

Chase Maujean and Corne Spies scored a double together at the Vaal Classic track today.

Johan Janse van Vuuren also scored a double.

Maujean has had 16 rides since returning from Mauritius and these are his first winners back, so he is going at a 12,50% strike rate.

Spies has had nine winners this season at a strike rate of 7.63%.

Janse van Vuuren has had 17 winners at a strike rate of 15.74%.

Picture: This is the filly in question with Lester Piggott up. (Pininterest)

Today’s Question

Which great grey filly sulked if she did not have a grey both in front of her in the string and behind her when on her way to excercise, with the one behind her being of particular importance.

Fairview Turf Fields

Picture: A magnificent partnership, the Noel Murless-trained Petite Etoile and Lester Piggott. (reinitinracing.wordpress.com).

Today’s Question Answer

The Noel Murless-trained Petite Etoile (Petition) loved to have a grey in front of her in the string and more particularly a grey behind her when she went out to excercise.

Petite Etoile (foaled 1956) won fourteen of her nineteen races and finished second in the other five in a career which lasted from June 1958 until September 1961. After showing promising, but unexceptional form in 1958, she improved to be the British Horse of the Year in 1959, winning all six of her races including the Classic 1000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks. She remained in training for two further seasons, winning major races including consecutive runnings of the Coronation Cup.

She produced only three known foals, none of whom showed any merit as racehorses. However, she is the ancestress of the unbeaten, in 7 races, dual French classic and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winning filly Zarkava.

Turf Talk Newsletter – 27 October 2022