Turf Talk Newsletter – 28 January, 2025

Greaterix kept Fire Attack at bay last time in the Gr 3 Got The Greenlight Stakes over 1400m, but was receiving 2kg. (JC Photos).

Fire Attack and Greaterix are buidling up a rivalry and will have their third clash in the Gr 2 TAB Gauteng Guineas at Turffontein Standside on Saturday.

Fire Attack has Greaterix beaten on paper, but the bookmakers go 9/10 Greaterix and 4/1 Fire Attack.

The Alec Laird-trained Fire Attack won the Gr 2 SA Nursery as a two-year-old and this Fire Away colt beat the Mike de Kock-trained Vercingetorix colt Greaterix by 2,50 length when they were second and third respectively in the Gr 2 Betway Dingaans, which is run over the same course and distance as the Gauteng Guineas.

In the the Gr 3 Betway Got The Greenlight Stakes over 1400m last time out, Greaterix beat Fire Attack by 0,70 lengths. However, Fire Attack was giving the latter 2kg , so was once again the better performer.

He was also closing fast on Greaterix having been dropped out.

The reason Greaterix is a shorter price is due to reputation plus the visual impression he creates and he also had excuses for his last two runs.

In the Dingaans he was caught in front and just went too fast and finished a bit distressed. His bloods were not right upon getting home.

De Kock consequently eased off him completely and said he therefore needed his run in the Got The Greenlight Stakes.

Greaterix showed a terrific turn of foot when Muzi Yeni let him go early in the straight in the Got The Greenlight, which he did because not much had gone well for him in the race until then. Muzi had been teaching him to settle in training and he had intended to put him to sleep in the race, but he firstly had horses on his heels early and the pace later stacked up.

De Kock is actually not sure of Greaterix’s classic race suitability, because he possesses so much speed. He said he can’t work him with other horses, because he just leaves them behind.

Greaterix is drawn nine on Saturday and is going to have to get cover, which will be made easier by Yeni being aboard as he is a master at slotting in from wide draws.

He should be in better shape this time and it will be the acid test to see whether he does truly stay the tough course and distance.

Fire Attack does stay and is drawn in pole, so the betting odds are a bit skewed at this stage.

He travels nicely in his races and winds up into a strong finish.

Legend Of Arthur has a big reputation too and this progressive Sean Tarry-trained Lancaster Bomber Bomber colt is joint highest rated runner on 111 together with Fire Attack. He is drawn well in four and Piere Strydom up is a bonus.

Bacchus has shown a lot of promise and this Fabian Habib-trained Master Of My Fate gelding is interesting from draw six.

Parisian Walkway was fourth in the Dingaans and will make his presence felt.

Chestnut Bomber could stay on into the places.

Musical Score and Choisaanada are better than their last respective runs.

Aristotle is an interesting acquistion from the Cape for the Laird yard as he had decent form in that strong centre.

The field is shown below:

Chad’s last win was on the Glen Kotzen-trained Bombersinthesky (Picture: Chase Liebenberg).

Chad Little is the new sponsored jockey for Turf Talk and will be the first choice rider for the growing number of Turf Talk Syndicate horses.

Grant Knowles approached him initially and nothing was confirmed, but on Saturday an agreement was reached.

Chad was a twice champion apprentice riding in the early years of this millennium at a time he was up against the like of senior jockeys like Piere Strydom, Jeff Lloyd, Anthony Delpech, Anton Marcus, Kevin Shea, Rhys van Wyk, Mark Khan, Robbie Fradd, Glyn Schofield etc, so he learnt a lot from them and remembers Kevin Shea teaching him a lot.

He comes from a family steeped in horseracing as his grandfather Benny Littlle rode many big race winners for the Oppenheimers, including on Tiger Fish in the 1959 July, whilst Chad’s father, Alfie Little, was a trainer.

Chad rode some top horses for the Sean Tarry yard.

He won the Gr 2 Hawaii Stakes on Alastor, who had just come off a win in the Met, won on the superstar sprinter National Colour, won a Gr 3 on Pomodoro, ran third in the November Handicap on Hail Caesour and he rode the like of July winner Heavy Metal and earlier on rode some good horses for David Payne.

Chad was a 1998 SA Jockeys Academy intake and was with the like of stars like Bernard Fayd’herbe, Muzi Yeni, Richard Fourie, Raymond Danielson and Marco van Rensburg.

His first ever ride was a winner on the Vaughan Marshall-trained Tachinga over 1000m at Scottsville on March 2, 2020.

However, with success came money, cars and the good life and he found himself falling into a downward spiral of substance abuse.

This eventually led to a five year ban from riding when he was tested positive for a banned substance – his world had now reached rock bottom.

The kickstart back to normality happened with the birth of his daughter.

A message from private trainer Glen Kotzen to come and ride work at Woodhill Estate will forever be etched in his memory as another major turning point.

Then came the major day he was franted his jockeys license again.

Chad’s story can’t be told better than an article that appeared in the Sporting Post.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT CHAD’S ROLLERCOASTER JOURNEY

Chad has had two winners since his comeback and that took his career tally to 317.

He lives in Sunningdale and travels everyday to Woodhill Estate to ride work.

He is free on Wednesdays and Fridays to ride work at the other training centres and said he would do his rounds for the Turf Talk Syndicate horses on those two days.

He has been watching the Turf Talk syndicate horses and believes they have a nice spread of horses who are going to win races.

Turf Talk are looking forward to a long-lasting partnership with a potentially top jockey.

Welcome Chad and all the best on the Turf Talk Syndicate horses!

Picture: Eugene and Sandy Arundel celebrating their first Gr 1 winner after Rascova had won the Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes. The Glen Kotzen-trained Lancaster Bomber filly also gave them their first stakes winner (Listed City Of cape Town Summer Juvenile Stakes) and their first Graded winner (Gr 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship). (Picture: Chase Liebenberg).

Sandy Arundel dispels the common belief that marketing horseracing is unlikely to make an impact as she revealed she did not even know horseracing existed a few years ago and considering how much she and husband Eugene are now getting out of it she now finds that fact “sad.”

On Saturday they were on tenterhooks for a minute or two after initially believing the Glen Kotzen-trained Lancaster Bomber filly Rascova had given them their first Gr 1 victory, because they then learnt it was closer than they had believed.

She said, “We stood there staring at each other and the angst of those few seconds … did she or didn’t she?! Then obviously when they said she had won we all just went hysterical … it has been a long time coming. She has always had the ability. Some of the other fillies are bred for a mile and further, whereas she is probably better at 1400m. But anyway she pulled it off and I think if we stick to that running style we’ve got a chance to catch a few more.”

Sandy’s confidence was buoyed when Rascova was given a lead for a change.

She said, “There’s never another horse who jumps as quickly as she does and she is out of a mare who won over 1000m, so a mile was always going to be at the end of her range. We felt Gavin is such a master jockey there is no way you can give him instructions, he’s got to do what he’s going to do.
Interestingly, when I saw Fatal Flaw going forward, I felt we were really in with a shout. Rascova got to conserve some energy early on for a change. Normally she does not have the energy in reserve for the kick at the end, because she is aggressive and uses up that energy early in the race. It worked out much better with something to chase. She just fought and fought and fought and on the line caught Double Grand Slam and got her head down.”

Rascova is a feisty filly and Sandy explained, “She’s kicked the gates before. She has to have three of her own booths in the truck otherwise she wants to kick them. Sometimes they have to unload her and arrange for a two booth to take her on her own to the races. She is a naughty madam. She pulls the blankets off other horses and tears them up, she pulls their tail hairs out! ”

Sandy spoke about her introduction to horseracing.

She said, “I had no pony pedigree. I wish we had actually. My husband dabbled in bettting, but in a very small way many, many years ago. I didn’t even know horseracing existed, to be honest. It’s quite sad, because if it is not in people’s faces they don’t even know it exists.But I think it is getting better.”

She added, “My husband was always taken by the idea of horseracing as he had a friend growing up whose father had racehorses. We were friends with Bob Yearham and during Covid I didn’t have an idea what to buy my husband for a birthday present so I ended up buying him a small share in a horse (Mount Laurel) in the syndicate Bob was in.”

It escalated quickly for the Arundels from there.

Although racing is chiefly marketed around betting, the purists will always say it is the traditions and history behind the sport and the fascination of pedigrees and conformation etc which are the chief attraction. And for the financially secure here is a sport where you can select your own team according to a specific budget.

It is clear the Arundels are racing purists.

Sandy said, “I have always been a reader and my husband always says I speak as if I have been in horseracing for 30 years, because somebody would talk about a mare and I would go ‘Yes, that is the dam and these are the sisters and this is that.’ I’m probably quite a detailed person and I find the pedigrees very interesting.”

She continued, “Selecting horses is now something Eugene and I love doing together. It starts with me looking at the pages, I am the pedigree researcher, and Eugene is the specimen analyst.”

Sandy has got to know the various good families in the stud book very well.

However, she admitted to being conservative on the Sire side.

She said, “I have to say we have typically been stallion snobs. You know you are getting a good winners to runners percentage when you are buying the Vercingetorix’s and Gimmethegreenlights and One Worlds. But then just look at Rascova and what Lancaster Bomber has done with just one-and-a-half crops. It makes you think and so I think we will probably dabble a bit in a few of these new sires, although 75% of our crop will probably still be proven stallions.”

They have been mentored by the like of the late Jane Thomas and have consquently learnt a lot and she said, “It is not that difficult anymore to spot a bad walk or an over the knee or back of the knee.”

Sandy also looks at the numbers her trainers have got on their shortlists at any Sale and if there is a significant overlap with her list she knows she is in the right track with those ones.

The Arundels, whose IT business is in Johannesburg, initially had all of their horses in KZN, because they had a holiday home there, so it was actually Summerveld trainer Wendy Whitehead who picked Rascova for them.

Sandy said, “We’ve always worked very well with Wendy and she’s such a lovely woman and we are eternally grateful to her.”

She continued, “After being in racing for close to two years we figured we want to race in different centres. It really coincided very much with Greg (Bortz) introducing those early juvenile incentives, so we wanted to put a few in Cape Town and Rascova was one of them.”

The next exciting engagement to look forward to for the Arundels is the Sean Tarry-trained World Of Alice in the Gr 2  Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas on Saturday.

Gimme A Prince after his Gr 1 HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship win. (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Handicapping Ratings Update (NHA press release)

World Sports Betting Cape Town Met (Grade 1)

The three-year-old, EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN, has seen his rating increased from 115 to 127 after capturing the Grade 1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met at weight for age terms over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. The Handicappers agreed to use runner up, ORIENTAL CHARM, as the line horse to assess this race, leaving his rating unaltered on 125.

The winner aside, there was also merit ratings increases for four more horses. RASCALLION, who finish fifth, went up to 124 from 122, while PACAYA went up from 116 to 118 and FUTURE SWING was increased to 117 from 114. This will ensure that PACAYA and FUTURE SWING meet on correct weight terms in a handicap race. Lastly, BARATHEON received a partial adjustment of two points from 106 to 108.

Two horses were given merit ratings drops following this contest. SEE IT AGAIN was dropped to 128 from 131 after failing to confirm his pre rating of 131 in his recent outings. AL MUTHANA went down to 114 from 116.

HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship (WFA) (Grade 1)

GIMME A PRINCE, who remains unbeaten over 1000m, has had his rating adjusted to 134 from 129 after impressively landing his second Grade 1 HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship at weight for age terms over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Runner up, SURJAY, was considered to be the most suitable line horse to rate this race, leaving his rating unchanged on 124.

In addition to the winner, two more horses received upward adjustments in their ratings. FUTURE VARIETY went up to 114 from 112 and Café Culture was adjusted from 113 to 114.

BEREAVE was the solitary runner to receive a drop in the ratings and he dropped slightly from 116 to 114.

Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes (WFA) (Grade 1)

RASCOVA has seen her official merit rating adjusted to 122 from 119 following her victory in the Grade 1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes at weight for age terms over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was runner up, DOUBLE GRAND SLAM, who was used to assess this race, leaving her rating unchanged on 122.

There were merit ratings increases for two more runners besides the winner. Third place finisher, ROCCAPINA, was adjusted to 116 from 111 while KINDA WONDERFUL, who finished fourth, went up to 109 from 104.

The were no ratings drops for any runner in this race.

Tsogo Sun Summer Fling Stakes (Grade 3)

RAINBOW LORIKEET’s official merit rating remains unchanged on 111 after winning the Grade 3 Tsogo Sun Summer Fling Stakes for fillies and mares over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. The Handicappers believed that RAINBOW LORIKEET herself made for the most ideal line horse to rate this race hence her unchanged rating.

Runner up, TIME FOR LOVE was the only runner to go up in the ratings, and she went up to 105 from 102.

There were, however, merit rating drops of three points each for two horses following this contest. SAARTJIE, who was rated to win this contest was dropped to 113 from 116 and GOLD POKER GAME went down from 107 to 104.

New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers (Grade 3)

MUCHO DINERO’s official merit rating was adjusted from 110 to 115 following his victory in the Grade 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here, it was third place finisher, TRIPLE TIME, who was deemed to be the most suitable line horse, leaving his rating unchanged on 110.

Runner up, LOVE IS A ROSE, was one of three other runners that went up in their ratings in this race and she went up to 105 from 101. Fourth place finisher, KING PELLES, went up to 105 from 96 and OTTO LUYKEN, who finished fifth went up to 104 from 100. This ensures that KING PELLES and OTTO LUYKEN meet at correct terms should they meet in a handicap. It should also be noted that these two horses were rated to finish at the back of the field and clearly outperformed their official pre-ratings, hence their adjustments.

FUTURE PEARL was the only runner to receive a drop in the ratings and he went down slightly to 115 from 116.

City Of Cape Town Politician Stakes (Grade 3)

ZEITZ has seen his rating upped to 97 from 85 after comfortably landing the Grade 3 City Of Cape Town Politician Stakes for 3-year-olds over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. The Handicappers were of the opinion that fourth place finisher, DAWN TILL DUSK made for the most suitable line horse to assess this race leaving his rating unchanged on 93.

There were increases for two more runners besides the winner. Runner up, GARRIX, went up to 97 from 95 while third place finisher, NATIVE RULER, was increased to 91 from 85.

The only runner to receive a drop in the ratings was FRENCH FLAME who went down to 93 from 98.

SABC Olympic Duel Stakes (Listed)

I’M SO PRITTI has had her official merit rating increased to 100 from 92 after winning the Listed SABC Olympic Duel Stakes for fillies and mares over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here, it was third place finisher, SIDDELEY, who was used to assess this race leaving his rating unchanged on 99.

Runner up, DISTING, had to be capped on 92 even though she achieved a much higher mark. This is due to the conditions of this race that do not allow for an increase of more than three points for placed runners.

No fewer than three horses received merit ratings drops after this race. SYMPHONY IN WHITE went down to 105 from 107 and PINEAPPLEMINTGREEN was reduced to 95 from 99. Lastly, GOLDEN TATJANA dropped to 87 from 92.

4Racing Dr Richard Maponya Handicap (Listed)

THUNEE PLAYA has had his rating adjusted to 105 from 103 following his victory in the Listed 4Racing Dr Richard Maponya Handicap over 1800m at the Turffontein Standside Track on Sunday. Here it was runner up, SILENT WAR, and third place finisher, SON OF RAJ, who were considered the most suitable line horses, leaving their ratings unchanged on 100 and 119 respectively.

ROYAL EDITION, who finished sixth in this race, was the other runner apart from the winner to receive an increment in the ratings and he went up to 90 from 85. This partial increase received by ROYAL EDITION was due to him being 16 points (8kg) under sufferance at the weights.

Two horses received drops in their ratings. Fifth place finisher, MARAUDING HORDE went down to 99 from 100 while Hotarubi was reduced to 112 from 114.

4Racing Spook Express Stakes (Listed)

LITTLEMARYSUNSHINE’s official merit rating has been increased from 89 to 95 after she captured the Listed 4Racing Spook Express Stakes over 2400m at Turffontein on Sunday. Runner up, MY SOULMATE was considered to be the most suitable line horse to assess this race, leaving her rating unchanged on 106.

There were no other increases to any other runner in this race but there was a drop in the ratings for PATCHES OF GREY who went down slightly to 71 from 72.

Enquiries:

The Handicapping Team

Quid Pro Quo has a wide draw in Saturday’s Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas  (JC Photos).

Jack Milner (Tab4Racing)

The first leg of the SA Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara will be run at Turffontein on Saturday with the staging of the R1-million Gauteng Guineas and the R750,000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, both Grade 2 races over 1600m on the Standside track.

A number of fillies were nominated to contest both races but interestingly all those who are running were declared for the Wilgerbosdift Fillies Guineas.

Of course, that includes star filly Quid Pro Quo, who will be bidding farewell to South African racing fans as she prepares to continue her career overseas.

She was purchased by a syndicate for an undisclosed figure following her sensational victory in the Grade 2 Dingaans where she gave some of the best three-year-colts in the country an absolute hiding. What added to the quality of that win is that it was her first race in four months.

Barend Botes, who deserves all the accolades for her successes, is still taking care of her ahead of her departure and she will, once again, be ridden by Piere Strydom.

There are 14 runners carded to race in the Fillies Guineas and she will jump from draw No 11, not the greatest place to be over this course and distance.

But she appears to be a very easy filly to ride and based on her victories so far, she should be too good for her rivals at level weights.

Ironically, she is not the highest rated runner; that position goes to Tony Peter-trained VJ’s Angel but while she has Gavin Lerena in the irons, she is drawn even wider out at No 13 and was beaten three lengths by Quid Pro Quo in a Grade 2 event at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

World Of Alice and Fiery Pegasus, first and second in the Grade 3 Fillies Mile, represent Sean Tarry and Joe Soma respectively, but both did not perform as well as expected in their races after that and will need to regain their top form to feature.

Final field for the R750,000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas (Grade 2) over 1600m

1 – 13 VJ’S ANGEL (A P Peter) G Lerena 60.0 – 119

2 – 11 QUID PRO QUO (B D Botes) P Strydom 60.0 – 115

3 – 5 OLIVIA’S WAY (R R Magner) D De Gouveia 60.0 – 110

4 – 12 WORLD OF ALICE (S G Tarry) C Zackey 60.0 – 108

5 – 10 FIERY PEGASUS (J A Soma) M Yeni 60.0 – 107

6 – 1 VULCANITE (P F Matchett) R Munger 60.0 – 104

7 – 2 KOMMETJIE STORM (A P Peter) R A Venniker 60.0 – 96

8 – 9 BAKWENA (J J van Vuuren) …………… 60.0 – 95

9 – 14 MISS LIA (P F Matchett) P Mxoli 60.0 – 95

10 – 6 SALENIO PENINSULA (J J van Vuuren) C Maujean 60.0 – 95

11 – 8 POBLANO (R R Sage) D Schwarz 60.0 – 93

12 – 7 SONIC JET (C J Lensley) K Matsunyane 60.0 – 91

13 – 3 SPUMANTE DOLCE (M/M de Kock) R Danielson 60.0 – 89

14 – 4 TOO LATE MY MATE (A G Laird) K A Brewer 60.0 – 83

Same Trainer: (1,7) (6,9) (8,10)

Mano Pandaram’s first official winner as a licensed trainer is in the Listed 4Racing Dr Richard Maponya Handicap over 1800m with Vercingetorix colt Thunee Playa, who was ridden by Kaidan Brewer. (JC Photos) 

Cape Breeders

Maine Chance Farms’ champion sire elect Vercingetorix reached a notable milestone on Sunday. Vercingetorix came up with his 50th individual stakes winner when his son Thunee Playa won the Listed 4Racing Dr Richard Maponya Handicap (1800m) at Turffontein on Sunday.

A first winner for his trainer Mano Pandaram, four-year-old Thunee Playa picked up his biggest win to date when victorious in Sunday’s 1800m.

Kaidan Brewer bought the Vercingetorix colt with a sustained late challenge, and the pair got up to win, going away, by a long neck.

The winner had to survive a double objection after the race. Thunee Playa unquestionably moved in the finish, but the stipes didn’t believe it impacted the end result and overruled the objections.

Bred by Maine Chance, Thunee Playa has won five races from 16 starts and took his stakes earnings to R539 688 with his first black type victory.

The colt is out of the Galileo mare Cavalleria and was a R1 250 000 purchase from the 2022 National Yearling Sale.

Thunee Playa was the third stakes winner of the weekend for his sensational sire, with Vercingetorix also the sire of Saturday’s Listed SABC Olympic Duel Stakes winner I’m So Pritti and Saturday’s G3 City Of Cape Town Politician Stakes winner Zeitz.

Sons of Vercingetorix filled the first placings in the Politician Stakes, and the first four placings in the fifth race run at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

Remarkably, offspring of the Maine Chance star ran second in all of the G1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes, G1 HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship and G1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met on Saturday.

South Africa’s Leading Sire for 2024-2025, Vercingetorix has a single lot on offer at the Cape Yearling Sale.

Picture: Foreverinmydreams (Master Of My Fate) wins easily to give Alec Laird a double and Gavin Lerena the first leg of a double (JC Photos)

Ryan Munger, Muzi Yeni, Gavin Lerena, Paul Matchett and Alec Laird all had doubles at the Vaal Classic track meeting on Tuesday.

Lerena is now just one behind Craig Zackey at the top of the national log, having had 126 wins at a strike rate of 27.10%, and he is seven wins ahead of Richard Fourie.

Munger is here during the Canada off season and has had 38 rides for seven wins and a strike rate of 18.42%.

Yeni is on 77 wins at 14.47%.

Matchett is on 35 wins at 11.71%.

Laird is on 16 wins at 11.51%.

What first happened at the 1958 July?