Picture: Maritzburg College Old Boys Tony Jelinski (right) and Craig Eudey lead in Stawberry Bear after his promising win under Serino Moodley on Sunday (Candiese Lenferna).

Popular Owner Tony Jelinski’s Drought Is Over

Tony Jelinski fitted the bill for that racing saying “a long time between drinks” when arriving at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday, but he left a happy man with his passion for the sport invigorated.

His strapping Mike Miller-trained grey Stawberry Bear fought off the multiple-placed maiden Lazy Guy to win by a cosy 0,90 lengths over 1200m under Serino Moodley.

Tony said, “My previous winner was on February 26, 2017, with a horse called Main Player (Main Aim) who was brought home in the rain by ‘Bonji’ Delpech over 1750m at Scottsville. I had thought of throwing it in, but you know once the bug has bitten it is hard to. I am not a punter, I might just put a couple of 100 on my own horses, but I love the game. I love the horses and the camaraderie with my mates. I am at Summerveld three times a week, so know all of the jockeys, the apprentices and the trainers. I love it.”

Strawberry Bear, a two-year-old colt by Flying The Flag, had made a promising debut over the same course and distance.

Tony said, “We thought he would win on Sunday, considering he had shown good pace on debut before being jostled at the 400m mark and having to shift all the way to the inside and yet still finishing a close fourth. I was very stoked he won.”

Tony grew up in Pietermaritzburg and was at school at Merchiston Prep with current trainer Doug Campbell.

He later went to Maritzburg College, famous for its prowess in all popular sports, particularly rugby. Nevertheless, Tony was obsessed with horses from a young age.

He said, “We lived in the city, but from the age of 8 or 9 I was always on my cousin’s farm at Bishopstowe riding ponies. I used to ride in the Royal Show pony shows and then every New Year Pietermaritzburg had a four day horse show which I would also ride in.”

He recalled, “Later, when I was about 13 or 14, I began riding work for various trainers.”

He used to ride the “no-hopers” or “mediocre” horses for about 400 metres.

He recalled it being quite scary and chuckled, “I held the record for falling off! I fell off more than anybody else!”

He then began riding in Gymkhana races at Richmond, Lion’s River, Otto’s Bluff, Boston and Karkloof.

He said, “I wanted to become a jockey, but my Dad was against it and in fact it was Anne Upton who told me I would be wasting my time. She was right because by matric I was weighing 70kg and playing rugby.”

He said, “But anyway growing up I was obsessed with horses until about the age of 14.”

He vividly recalls the horror of his first ever Gymkhana meeting when a horse called Double Green broke a leg and it is an aspect of the sport he still finds hard to handle.

After his race-riding days were over he used to buy hacks just to be able to go and ride through the cane fields.

Many years later in 2011 his accountant Craig Davies invited him to the Garth Puller yard at Clairwood.

Craig had for a long time been involved with Clairwood’s most famous racing family, the Passmores.

Brian Passmore was still training horses at the time, although they were officially trained by legendary jockey Garth Puller, who had just taken out his trainers license.

Thus in 2012 Tony had his first racehorse, the Badger’s Drift-gelding Umbani, trained by the late Brian Passmore although Puller was the official trainer.

Umbani made his debut the following year and won fourth time out by 2,75 lengths over 1000m at Clairwood on January 21 2014, converting 10-1 odds under Ant Mgudlwa.

Tony said, “So that was where it all started and I have now owned 34 horses in total, some not too good and some very good.”

He said the best he owned was probably the Puller-trained Fortissimo (Fort Beluga), who won by 2,5 lengths on debut at odds of 33/1 under Mgudlwa on the Greyville poly in September 2014. He won twice more in his first five starts. However, Tony recalled him to be a difficult customer and he was sold to Mauritius after running for him eleven times for three wins and four places.

He also owned the Puller-trained soldier Rio De La Plata (Windrush), who had 47 starts for five wins and 17 places.

Tony is still good friends with Garth, but opted for the adage “a change is as good as a holiday” recently.

He is now excited about Stawberry Bear and seven other horses he owns with the Millers and with the two he has with Dennis Drier.

Included among those ten is one by the stalwart sire What A Winter.

There is currently bounce in the popular industryman’s step when he arrives at Summerveld for his regular morning visits.

He is also pleased to be surrounded by Maritzburg College Old Boys as both Miller’s and Drier’s assistant trainers, Craig Eudey and Stuart Ferrie, went to the famous Pietermaritzburg school and so did jockey Gareth Wright and also Vaughan Marshall, who rings next to Drier during Champions Season.

Picture: The connections of the Doug Campbell-trained Siya Vuma (Ideal World) adopted a well known song called Siyavuma as a victory chant.

Racehorse Fan DJ Sues For Copyright On Global Hit Jerusalema

Limpopo musician Charmza The DJ was not popularly known when giving permission to a syndicate of owners to adopt his hit song Siyavuma for their horse Siya Vuma (Ideal World) and to use it as the accompanying music for a video.

He was sent the video last year and quickly fell in love with the strapping Doug Campbell-trained chestnut gelding.

He was keen to accept the invite of part-owner Preggie Vandayar to attend the next race Siya Vuma ran in.

Alas, that is proving to be a long way off because the big horse has been sidelined with a tendon injury since October last year.

One aspect of the Siyavuma hit that was immediately noticeable was the similar rhythms it contained to the gigantic global smash hit Jerusalema.

And now it has emerged that the official Jerusalema artist Master KG has been hit with a lawsuit for copyright infringement.

And the man suing him is none other than Charmza The DJ (Presley Ledwaba) together with Biblos (Ntimela Chauke), who claim to be the original creators of the monster track.

WATCH THE VIDEO OF SIYA VUMA WITH ACCOMPANYING SIYAVUMA TUNE (FACEBOOK)

Siya Vuma the horse has a wonderful story behind him as he is the product of a mix up in the breeding shed.

Siya Vuma was bred by Hartley SA, which was owned by a businessman from China named Mr Guo, whose breeding and racing interests in South Africa were looked after by long-time industryman Peter Gibson.

Gibson decided to send Hartley’s broodmare Reigning Queen, a placed horse by King Of Kings, to Mauritzfontein Stud-based stallion Byword.

The mare was brought back to Bruce Le Roux’s Spring Valley stud and gave birth to a big chestnut colt.

Byword was a big chestnut himself, so he looked to have stamped this one.

However, when the DNA analysis was done at Ondestepoort by Professor Alan Guthrie and his team, they quickly realised the foal could not have been sired by Byword.

Further analysis showed him to have in fact been sired by Ideal World, Mauritzfontein’s high profile and highly sort after stallion.

Mauritzfontein’s then Stud manager Guy Murdoch was contacted and upon checking his records realised there had indeed been a mix up.

Gibson said after Siya Vuma had won impressively second time out, “I am eternally grateful to Guy Murdoch and Mauritzfontein for honouring the original transaction. It was a fortuitous mix up because Byword has subsequently been retired and Ideal World has continued to produce Group 1 winners. This is one of those stories that makes the dream industry so wonderful to be a part of.”

Hartley SA later had a dispersal of their bloodstock and Peter and a racing friend of his Jan Scholtz bought the big chestnut with a view to pinhooking him (racing terminology for selling at a profit).

However, he did not reach his reserve at the CTS National Yearling Sale.

Earlier, one of Doug Campbell’s owners Preggie Vandayar had learnt in an article on Turf Talk that Doug’s greatest dream was to train a July winner.

So when Preggie’s Campbell-trained horse Eden Gardens Glitz was in the winner’s enclosure for the second time, he made a promise to Doug that if this horse won a third race he would buy him that July winner he dreamed of.

Eden Gardens Glitz has gone on to win six races but after the third of those wins Preggie was true to his word and the search for the “July winner” was on.

Peter Gibson’s father Ian was one of Doug’s first owners back in the early 1970s when the latter was training for gymkhana events, so he has had a long association with the Gibsons.

Doug mentioned in passing to Peter he was looking for a “July winner” and shared the story behind it.

Peter immediately recommended the big chestnut colt.

Doug was immediately interested as he had trained Siya Vuma’s talented half-brother Highway Eightyfive, a gelding by Kahal who was ultimately moved up to Johannesburg and won four races in total.

Doug also knew Siya Vuma’s maternal grandam Melting well as she had stood at the Somerset Stud of a good friend of his, the late Alan Sutherland.

When Doug saw the colt he was so impressed he agreed to give Gibson and Scholtz three months free keep while he put together a partnership.

He said, “It did not take long to put together the partnership.”

Preggie took the majority share but also gave Doug a share and after listening to Peter saying he had “a feeling about this horse” he allowed him and Jan Scholtz to keep a share and to bring Ian Gibson into the partnership as well.

Nathan Godden, the father of jockey Tristan Godden, lives across the road from Preggie and he also took a share.

Preggie named the horse after a crime-fighting group in the Empangeni-Richards Bay area and divulged that the Zulu name translates in to English as “We agree.”

He explained that during Witch Doctor consultations the doctor will continually ask the question, “Uyavuma?” and the patients will reply, “Siyavuma (we agree).”

Siyavuma is also the name of a traditional wedding song and that is the song Charmza The DJ and Dr. Selby’s hit is based on.

Preggie had often discussed with friends naming a horse Siya Vuma and when one of the latter, Yaseen Ebrahim, heard a horse had been thus named he asked for a share too, so he and his wife Fozia also became members of the syndicate.

All members embraced the partnership with great enthusiasm and not only had a WhatsApp group but also adopted the hitsong Siyavuma and sang it in the parade ring after his first win.

They later sought official permission from Charmza The DJ to use in the video of the horse.

Siya Vuma has always walked beautifully and stood over a lot of ground.

That translates into a big action when he runs.

He lengthened that big stride at the top of the straight after being taken to the front in his second start, a 1400m polytrack maiden.

For such a big, rangy horse he displayed an excellent kick at the 300m mark to draw clear of the only challenger Red Sole and beat him by 2,80 lengths with the third-placed horse beaten 9,30 lengths.

The handicappers were impressed and awarded him a 93 merit rating.

He followed that with a second place finish in a conditions race before being sidelined.

He is expected to start training again soon, having been box rested and having then had a procedure done on the injury.

Picture: Bill Lambert warns of the severe impact a new KZN Provincial Legislature proposal will have if it is effected.

Lambert Sounds Dire Warning For KZN Racing

www.mikedekockracing.com

After a difficult year for KwaZulu-Natal marked by successive tragedies and economic setbacks, the province finally had a good story to share as thousands of visitors made their way to the premier horseracing event on the continent – the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

The event is a reliable revenue generator for the province, a much needed reprieve from the otherwise gloomy picture in the province. But the fanfare and pageantry of the event took place under a cloud that calls the future of the industry into question. A bill is under discussion in the provincial parliament that will determine the fate of the horseracing industry in KwaZulu-Natal, writes BILL LAMBERT.

In June the KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature held public hearings on the proposed Gaming and Betting Tax Amendment Bill. The Bill had already gotten off to a bad start, being published and republished a number of times between November 2021 and January 2022. The immediate opposition to the Bill was to be expected given its enormous potential to decimate an entire industry in the province, with severe economic knock on effects.

A new schedule in the Bill proposes reducing the betting proceeds that are paid to racecourse operators from 3% to 1,6%. The 1.4% of funds taken from racecourse operations are to be diverted to a so-called ‘Transformation Fund’.

What makes the proposal difficult to understand is that Gold Circle already reinvests all profits directly back into the industry by design – its memorandum of incorporation prohibits the distribution of profits. This investment is already aimed at accelerating transformation in the industry and supports hundreds of much-needed needed jobs KwaZulu Natal. The initiatives funded by Gold Circle include the training and career development initiatives, small business development, skills development for matriculants and job seekers, as well as operational support and skills transfers to black-owned bookmaking businesses. The funding also provides financial and operational support to rural racing in KwaZulu-Natal and various corporate social investment programmes – all initiatives that foster transformation in the industry. And there is no one better placed to do this work.

Rather than an acceleration of transformation, the proposed diversion of the funds poses an existential threat to the industry. Gold Circle is forecasting a loss of R106 million for the 2021/2022 financial year even after receiving the R66 million betting tax contribution. Direct racing and events only generated R50 million in total revenue. Without the betting tax contribution, the losses that year would have been around R172 million.

The fact is, the funding subsidies the proposal would take from Gold Circle keep the provincial industry alive. The destructive power of this proposal was on full display when a similar one in Gauteng saw the racecourse operator in that province placed under Business Rescue within one year of its introduction. There is no reason to expect a different outcome this time around.

The death of the industry would have foreseeable knock-on effects for employment in the province. Workers at racecourse training facilities, racecourse breeders, the National Horseracing Authority, the Coastal Horse Care Unit, the South African Jockey Academy, the National Racing Bureau, horse feed manufacturers, veterinarians, farriers, grooms, jockeys, horse transporters, and downstream leisure horse grooms – all of these would lose their jobs. And with the KwaZulu-Natal industry decimated, the bookmakers would start afresh – elsewhere.

As things stand, the province has endured successive crises that have left the provincial economy on its knees. The recent floods in the province have only exacerbated the challenges that began with the spread of the Covid-19 virus and were compounded by the unrest in July 2021. In this context, KwaZulu-Natal cannot afford an industry-killing proposal that will cost hundreds of jobs.

In this exceptionally difficult climate, the province could also use every rand it can earn in tax revenue to help rebuild the province. Gold Circle is a tax paying entity, but if the proposed reduction is effected, the province will lose an estimated R100 million a year in taxes. This is a textbook lose-lose scenario and a self-inflicted wound for the province.

With the 2022 Hollywoodbets Durban July fresh in our memories, it’s worth reflecting on all that the event has meant to the city and the province – and not just the economic contribution. It is the premier racing event in the country and the largest horseracing event in Africa. It brings visitors to the province, showcasing KwaZulu Natal’s natural beauty and our rich cultural tapestry. And yes, it also supports workers’ incomes in the accommodation, transport, entertainment, and fashion industries. If the current Bill is allowed to render Gold Circle insolvent, it would end an institution. We should all be invested in the withdrawal of the Bill.

Bill Lambert is a former councillor and caucus leader for the Democratic Alliance in Msunduzi Municipality, KwaZulu Natal. He is a veteran racehorse owner and former Gold Circle local chapter Chairman.

Picture: Imperial Ruby winning the WSB Highland Night Cup (Candiese Lenferna).

Imperial Ruby appeals as best long-shot, Says Molly

The challenge is finding the winner at a long price

David Mollett (Business Day)

The big attraction in long-distance races with big fields like the Grand National and Gold Cup is that they afford punters — and pundits — a chance to find a long-shot which could reward backers at a big price.

A horse which falls into this category in Saturday’s Marshalls World of Sport Gold Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville is Corné Spies’s stayer, Imperial Ruby. The gelding is 50-1 (and 8-1 a place) with bookmaker Lance Michael so it is understandable if readers feel this writer has had a dram too many of the Scottish stuff.

However, a case can be made for Imperial Ruby finishing in the first four. The five-year-old finished just a length behind Black Thorn in the Gold Vase and is now 1,5kg better off. Sean Tarry’s four-year-old is third favourite in the betting market at 9-2.

Of course, if the betting is correct — and it may well be — the 3,200m marathon is a three-cornered contest between Aragosta and Tarry’s strong coupling of Nebraas and Black Thorn.

Aragosta is an interesting contender as he bids to provide Mike de Kock and S’manga Khumalo with the July-Gold Cup double. It will be the first time Khumalo has ridden the son of Rafeef.

This will be Aragosta’s first attempt at this trip, but he is out of a Galileo mare which suggests he will be staying on when others have cried enough.

Nebraas — winner of seven of his 20 starts — has earned his position as favourite and is reunited with Richard Fourie who was in the saddle for the gelding’s Gold Bowl win at Turffontein in April.

Fourie will have a pretty good idea how his mount stands with Aragosta as he partnered De Kock’s three-year-old to victory in the SA Derby.

Keagan De Melo has built a good rapport with Black Thorn and there are many who believe that his stablemate, Nebraas, might battle to concede him 6kg. He has proved the distance will hold no fears for him.

Shango completes the Tarry trio but preference is for Paul Peter’s charge, Shangani, although he was beaten by Shango in the Lonsdale in May.

Victory for Warren Kennedy on Shango would be the cherry on top of a magnificent season for both jockey and trainer.

Rex Union — narrowly in front of Imperial Ruby in the Gold Vase — has each-way prospects for the Dean Kannemeyer stable though Imperial Ruby beat him in April and is better off at the weights.

The quartet paid a huge dividend in the Durban July and — unless the top three in the betting are all placed — another big payout is on the cards.

With Justin Snaith bullish of a big run, Jet Dark can win his first race since the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate when he takes on Kommetdieding in the grade 1 HKJC World Pool Champions Cup.

“Kommet” has a length to find with Jet Dark on July form and — as they meet on identical terms — the chances are Snaith’s colt will win this R1m contest for the second year running.

Linebacker’s no show in the July was the shock of the race but he was cut into and didn’t get the smoothest of passages. In his favour, he hails from a top stable but definitely comes with risks attached.

This column’s best bet at the meeting is Lucky Houdalakis’s filly, None Other, who looks a cracking each-way bet at odds of 8-1 in the Thekwini Stakes. Anyone who witnessed the win by the daughter of Flower Alley at Turffontein will know she will love the step up to 1,600m.

With Ameena drawn near the beach, the Kennedy-Peter combination have to be feared again as Bless My Stars trounced her rivals on her Vaal debut. Time Fo Orchids should be a player from a favourable draw and Hold My Hand is a course and distance winner.

In the final event on the card, Fourie could crown a successful meeting by winning on Isivunguvungu though don’t be surprised if 16-1 chance Gallic Chief takes a hand in the finish.

GREYVILLE SELECTIONS

1st Race: (11) Silvano’s Timer (8) Gentleman’s Wager (4) Indlamu (2) Look For Hounds

2nd Race: (6) Gobsmacked (2) Antigua Night (12) Bevies Delight (1) Totally Rocks

3rd Race: (8) Captain Bombshell (5) Mercantour (3) Ridgerunner (4) Formagear

4th Race: (8) None Other (5) Bless My Stars (3) Time Fo Orchids (2) Hold My Hand

5th Race: (1) Quantum Theory (9) Cousin Casey (5) Laguna Verde (2) Royal Victory

6th Race: (3) Captain’s Ransom (8) Master Archie (10) William Robertson (14) Gallic Princess

7th Race: (10) Imperial Ruby (4) Nebraas (7) Aragosta (5) Black Thorn

8th Race: (5) Jet Dark (4) Kommetdieding (8) Linebacker (6) Al Muthana

9th Race: (10) Marina (12) Sprinkles (6) Pink Tourmaline (7) Silver Maria

10th Race: (5) Isivunguvungu (8) Gallic Chief (3) After The Rain (9) Anna Capri

Picture: Rouge Allure being led in today by, among others, trainer Stephen Moffatt and Albert Rapp (both to the right of the horse). (JC Photos).

Perhaps Rouge Allure Will Tell Connections When She’s Ready To Retire

The amazing Stephen Moffatt-trained eight-year-old mare Rouge Allure (she will be nine this time next week) caused a sensation at the beginning of this month when winning her 100th start and thus recording her 14th career victory.

Today she went out and won her 101st start and once again it was the twice SA champion jockey Gavin Lerena who was in the irons.

Part-owner Albert Rapp said after her 100th start he would only retire her if he was given a good enough offer for her as a broodmare.

There were one or two raised eyebrows and the odd comment that she now deserved retirement.

But as John Gosden said at the beginning of this week about Stradivarius that as long as he was still enjoying his racing and still able to perform up to his best he would continue.

He emphasised that the horse would tell them when he had had enough.

In the same way Rouge Allure is in the best form of her life.

Moffatt said he had never trained one as sound as her and she certainly does not show her age in any way.

Rapp part-owned National Emblem, who won 16 races, and he hinted after today’s race that setting Rouge Allure that target, which would require just one more win, might be something to consider.

It has been a fine training feat by Moffatt to have trained the mare to four wins as an eight-year-old and, most remarkably, to have landed the first stakes win of her career in the process (she won the Listed Jacaranda Handicap in March).

Rouge Allure was bred by Summerhill Stud and is the last progeny of their former stalwart stallion Kahal still in training in South Africa, although there are still two running in Mauritius, seven-year-old mare Dunzie and eight-year-old gelding Midnight Messenger.

Rouge Allure is part-owned by Mick Goss’s Summerhill Stud Syndicate.

Picture: Diane Crump (wikipedia).

America’s First Woman To Ride At A Major Track Faced Vitriol

On February 7, 1969, Diane Crump became the first woman to compete as a professional jockey in a pari-mutuel race in the United States. She rode a horse named Bridle ‘n Bit at Hialeah Park Race Track. There was so much hostility to a woman riding in a horse race that she needed a police escort to get to the track, taking her through an angry crowd of shouting people. Crump ultimately finished 9th in the 12-horse race and returned to cheers of support. Crump reflects on that experience, recalling that her excitement surrounding this incredible opportunity enabled her to ignore the toxic environment of the crowd and aggressively negative attitudes of the male jockey’s, trainers and owners. Two weeks later, Crump rode her first winning race.

“The crowd was just swarming all over me. They were crazy, up in arms. . .The hecklers were yelling: ‘Go back to the kitchen and cook dinner.’ That was the mentality at the time. They thought I was going to be the downfall of the whole sport, which is such a medieval thought. I was like: ‘Come on people, this is the 1960s!’

Crump was inspired to apply for her jockey’s license in the fall of 1968 after the very first woman licensed jockey, Kathryn Kusner, sued the Maryland Racing Commission for the right to be granted a license. Kusner had previously been denied a jockey’s license because of her gender and although she won her case in October of 1968 and was granted a license, she suffered an injury soon after that prevented her from competing, allowing Crump to step forward and assume the responsibilities of a revolutionary female jockey. While Crump was granted the jockey’s license in 1968, she continued to face sexist rules, regulations and personal harassments as she attempted to further her career in horse racing.

Throughout 1968, all female jockeys were being met with aggressive efforts to dissuade their participation in the sport. One of the part owners of Churchill Downs, W.L. Lyons Brown, who Crump was galloping for at the time she was granted her license, requested that Crump not compete in races in Kentucky for fear that it would create too much controversy for Churchill Downs as a track. Female jockey, Penny Ann Early, attempted to ride at Churchill at that same time, however she was never given the opportunity to compete in the races due to all the male jockeys boycotting her races and causing their cancellations. Two other women had been forced out of horse races they had entered after male jockeys threw rocks at the trailers used as locker rooms by the women and threatened a boycott. The situation changed at Hialeah because the track officials threatened sanctions against the male jockeys.

In 1970, she became the first female jockey to ride in the Kentucky Derby. Crump won the first race on the undercard that day, and then on a horse named Fathom, came in 15th in a 17-horse field in the Derby. By the time she ended her racing career in 1985, she had ridden 235 wins, though she is officially credited with 228 by Equibase.

While Crump was riding some races in the United States, she was also receiving invitations to ride in Puerto Rico and Venezuela. In the early 1970s Crump competed in a two horse race in Puerto Rico which lacked the same rule structure as American racing. During the race, she realized the male jockey behind her was holding onto her saddle. She then began to hit him with her whip; they spent the rest of the race hitting each other. He then pulled away from her and won the race.

Entry Form For CTS Ready To Run
& Unbroken Two Year Old Sale 2022

29 October 2022

Entry Form Closing Date 30 July 2022

CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY FORM: CTS RTR SALE 2022.pdf

The CTS RTR SALE 2022 will be held at Kenilworth Racecourse.

Please complete the above form IN FULL and return to: entries@cthbs.com

Contact And EFT Details are listed on the Entry form.

Picture: Roy Magner and Gavin Lerena combined to win today’s 6th race with Barneys Pride (Greys Inn) (JC Photos).

Magner And Lerena Score Doubles

Roy Magner were the only pair to score doubles at Turffontein Standside today and one of their respective winners was together.

Magner goes to 45 winners for the season at a strike rate of 12.64%.

Lerena is now on 125 winners for the season at a strike rate of 17.83%.

Today’s Question

Sparkling Water was the first July winner for 25 years to achieve a certain feat when winning this year’s Hollywoodbets sponsored race.

What was this rare feat?

Picture: Sparkling Water wins this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July (Candiese Lenferna).

Fairview Turf Friday July 29 Fields

Today’s Question Answer

Sparkling Water was the first horse since the David Ferraris-trained Super Quality (in 1997) to have never raced in KZN before winning the Durban July.

Picture: Super Quality gave the great Michael “Muis” Roberts his only win in the July.

Turf Talk Newsletter – 28 July 2022