Picture: Time Fo Orchids, top of the Gold Rush log, will be sold as a horse-in-training in September (JC Photos).

Tarry Dispersal Includes Gold Rush Log Topper

Sean Tarry had decided to disperse all the horses in his yard that he himself owns.

The horses will be dispersed on a horses-in-training sale in September and Tarry said those buyers who would like to keep their horses with him would be most welcome to do so.

This dispersal will include the Time Thief filly Time Fo Orchids, who is at the top of the log for the R7,5 million CTS Gold Rush race to be run on WSB Met day in January next year.

This will attract the interest of the 16 “Gold Rush Prospectors” who hold a ticket into the race.

It would be no surprise if this filly stayed in Tarry’s yard after being pucrhased, because he has an incredible record in sales races.

Each prospector is allowed one horse to represent them in the Gold Rush race.

Those who don’t own a good enough horse will be either attempting to make deals with the ticketless who do have a good eligible horse, or they will be looking to buy an eligible horse.

A horse has to have been on the CTS Premier Yearling Sale of 2021 to be eligible.

Time Fo Orchids was sold at the 2021 CPYS for R150,000 and is owned outright by Tarry.

She is out of Australian-bred Dubawi mare Amber Orchid, who Tarry himself trained to six wins, including the Grade 3 Jacaranda Handicap over 1800m and she was also third in the Grade 2 Gerald Rosenberg over 2000m.

Time Fo Orchids has shown a lot of promise.

She won on debut over 1100m at the Vaal and the second, third and fourth-placed horses in that race all won next time out.

She then came out and ran on strongly from way back in the running for an eyecatching one length third in the Grade 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville after being dropped out from a wide draw.

This saw her starting 5/1 second favourite for the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m at the same venue.

She did not have the best of breaks from a good draw of three and was shuffled backward in the running. However, she turned for home within striking distance and showed a fine turn of foot, which carried her into the front-line.

However, she became a bit short of room and lost momentum.

She finished a 4,80 length seventh.

The 1600m trip of the Gold Rush should be ideal by the time of the race.

Tarry has had many big money successes in Sales race events.

Examples that spring to mind are him winning the R2 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m at Kenilworth with Zambezi River (Trippi) in 2014; the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m with Safe Harbour (Elusive Fort) in 2016, the R2.5 million CTS Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m at Kenilworth with Cirillo (Pomodoro) in 2018; the R5 million CTS 1200 at Kenilworth with Cirillo in 2019; Tarry also won the R2.5 million Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup over 1400m at Turffontein with Big Bear (Await The Dawn) in 2017; he in fact won that race three years in a row, Vi Va Pi Pa (Visionaire) winning the R500,000 renewal in 2018 and Spiritofthegroove (Visionaire) winning the R1 million renewal in 2019.

There are sure to be one or two other sales races he has won too.

Tarry said the incentives put up by Cape Racing were excellent initiatives and the Stakes increases were luring too.

He had initially believed he would be “charging” at relevant Cape races.

However, he has had a mind change and said, “I am not an oil baron and the numbers I own are not sustainable, so I will have the sale and then regroup and might be able to still focus on Cape Town from there (especially if some of the dispersed horses stay in his yard)”

The CTS R7.5 million Gold Rush log is shown in item 3 of the newsletter today.

Picture: Rain In Holland has recovered well from surgery (JC Photos).

Rain In Holland On A Collision Course With Captain’s Ransom?

There has been talk of Equus Horse Of The Year Captain’s Ransom running in next year’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, which will settle the debate about superiority between her and her Justin Snaith-trained stablemate Jet Dark.

However, if she avoids the boys and attempts to retain her Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes crown instead, there will be just as epic a clash.

The Sean Tarry-trained Equus Three-year-old Champion Rain In Holland is Paddock Stakes bound and the Andre Nel-trained Chansonette, a narrow runner up to Captain’s Ransom last year, is also likely to line up.

Rain In Holland was in line for Equus Horse Of The Year before she was found to have an entrapped epiglottis, which saw her being scratched from the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

In this condition, the rim of the soft palate that normally lies under the epiglottis folds around the epiglottis like a glove.

Epiglottic entrapment is corrected surgically by opening the fold that covers the epiglottis.

Surgical transection is generally curative, with a relapse rate of only 5%.

Tarry said about the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara heooine, “She is back in full work and has been moving well and looking good.”

She will run on WSB Summer Cup day, although he is not sure yet whether it will be in the big one or the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge for fillies and mares. He is also not sure whether her springboard into Summer Cup day will be a Pinnacle event or the Jo’burg Spring Fillies and Mares Challenge on October 1.

However, her chief target is the Paddock Stakes.

He believed Grade 1 Allan Robertson winner Sweet Pepper had been unlucky not to win the Equus Champion Two-year-old award, being the highest rated two-year-old in the country on 115.

He said her last run in the Grade 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper could be ignored as she had travelled a bit too hard and had pulled up lame. He is not sure of her route for the season yet.

However, his other crack young filly from last season, the narrow Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes runner up Rock The Fox, will be aimed at the Johannesburg fillies classic events.

He is excited about Grade 1 Gold Medallion winner Thunderstruck and said, “he is a fine prospect and I don’t believe he will be limited to sprints. The Cape Guineas will be considered with him.”

He is hoping older horses Litigation and Platinum Sky can “step up to the plate” this season.

He said his two stakes-winning filly sprinters, Sound Of Warning and Full Velocity had both been doing well and expected good seasons for them.

He concluded by saying he had done well with Drakenstein Stud’s homebred horses last season, sending out four individual stakes winners for them, and he hoped this successful partnership would continue.

The Vaughan Marshall-trained Dave The King (Global View), owned by Messrs L M Nestadt & G J Player & Ralphs Racing (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Miss K Ralphs), is second on the Gold Rush log.

CTS R7.5 Million Gold Rush Latest Log

Race to be run over 1600m on WSB Met day

The 16 ticketholders for the big race are:

David Abery

Central Route Trading

Chris van Niekerk and Bernard Kantor

Suzette and Basie Viljoen

Ridgemont Highlands Stud

Hollywoodbets

Pieter Graaff and Ken Truter

Maine Chance Farms

Bass Racing and Ian Longmore

Rikesh Sewgoolam

Drakenstein Stud

Laurence Wernars

Crawford Racing

Klawervlei Stud

Sandy Arundel

Playgate SA

The 16 prospectors can be contacted via the CTS Gold Rush Committee Chairman Jacques Chowles.

Jacque’s contact details:

Cell Phone: 079 459 3022

Email address: JChowles@cthbs.com

The Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Piroshka (Quasillo) has gone top of the CTS Ready To Run log after winning a handicap over 1000m off a 95 merit rating yesterday (Chase Liebenberg).

CTS R600,000 Ready To Run Latest Log

Race to be run over 1400m at Kenilworth on October 30

GTH Introduces Cutting Edge GPS Technology To Team Racing

One of the most significant innovations in the GTH Live Series has been the use of live trackers. These trackers provide “in running graphics” for the live broadcast and have additionally produced hotly anticipated sectional timings which can greatly benefit South African Horse Racing.

Currently, the absence of historical data limits the amount of comparative information gained from the sectional times. However, over the course of the four GTH race meetings, significant new data will have been generated. This new data will, in turn, further enable form students to gain an insight into how races are run on the HollywoodBets Greyville turf.

Created by French company McLloyd and utilised at over 40 racecourses in France for racing operator France Galop, the bespoke GTH technology instantly calculates times and speeds by recording the precise location of every horse several times a second, via wireless signals sent between transmitters placed in the Jockey’s apparel and mobile or cell phone towers.

Launched in 2018 with trotting races in France, McLloyd tracking system now covers every tracked race in France over more than 40 racecourses, including the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and The Prix d’Amerique Legend Race, delivering more than 30 indicators for each horse, with the highest accuracy in real time.

Previous attempts to introduce sectional timing in South Africa have been somewhat controversial and to date no sectional timing data has been made available to the general public. GTH has funded the cost of developing sectional timing in its entirety for the GTH series.

In due course, the data generated from the 32-race series will be made available to the public.

In the interim, contact GTH for a full report.

They provided an example this week (Race 1 on August 5):

William Dien, Head of Department & Communication for McLloyd states, “Our track record in Horse racing is undisputed. We are heavily involved in France and are proud to expand our horizons and bring our technology to South Africa. Our GPS Tracking system will be used to capture racing data in real time and provide fans with digital representations of the data we track, in a bid to increase fan engagement.” McLloyd’s HPv2 trackers are the most accurate system on the market, with more than 30 indicators generated every 100 milliseconds for every single runner. The data collected is accessible in real time, with low latency, for a flawless transition to the supporters in the stands and in front of their screens. The fact that the system requires no antenna or wires means that the HPv2 system is also the most convenient in terms of logistics. Dien adds: “We are proud to associate our brand to such an innovative and exciting new aspect to the sport of kings and are waiting in anticipation to see the final results!”

For further information on McLloyd please refer to their website:

https://mclloyd.com/horse-racing/?lang=en

Timeform’s industry respected comprehensive guide to sectional timing is also available to download via the following link:

https://www.timeform.com/horse-racing/features/sectionals

· General access tickets cost R100 at the door or buy tickets online through TIXSA.

· Children under the age of 14 are free.

· September 02, it is KwaZulu Royals vs the Cape Stingers in the final

· South African racing fans can also watch a live broadcast of the GTH series live by SuperSport on the Action channel (DSTV Channel 210) each week.

· GTH has partnered with the Riverside Hotel to add an accommodation special for visitors.

· East Coast Radio, official media partner for the event, will be running VIP giveaways throughout the series.

Picture: Galactic path stretches out to win comfortably at Kenilworth yesterday (Wayne Marks).

Classic Case Of Good Value On Piet Botha Winner

Professional punters always talk about good value and this refers to the bookmakers pricing up a horse at over the odds it should be.

A case in point happened yesterday with the Piet Botha-trained Galactic Path (Pathfork).

In a small seven-horse field he opened up biggest outsider at around 16/1.

This was not surprising on the bare facts as he had taken nine runs to win his maiden and this was his first subsequent run.

He was also from a small yard.

However, a look at the replay of his maiden win told the story of a big horse who had blossomed.

Furthermore, he had expended energy overcoming a wide draw in that 1600m race in soft going and yet had still managed to fight all the way to the line with big strides to get up by a neck.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE REPLAY OF THAT WIN

The handicappers gave him a mere 69 merit rating, meaning on his handicap bow, also over 1600m, he would be carrying the minimum weight of 52kg, but, importantly, would be in the handicap.

Furthermore, he was drawn well in barrier position two.

The odds looked too long.

Then in race three on the day the form of his maiden was franked in no uncertain terms when Triple Time (Twice Over), whom he had beaten by 4,50 lengths in his maiden win, came out and won impressively by 4,25 lengths in a 1400m maiden.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE REPLAY OF THIS WIN

The odds now looked way too long.

It took a long time for the market to react to that new bit of form. In fact, it might show that most punters bet race-by-race and only start doing their in depth study between races.

After the fifth race and before the off of his race, the sixth, Galactic Path’s odds shortened right in to 11/2.

Even that proved to be a big price.

The impressive specimen led from the off and fended off the challengers in the straight before stretching out well in the closing stages to beat Shavout by two lengths under JP van der Merwe.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE REPLAY OF THE RACE

This horse can continue to progress.

Picture: Epicenter easily wins the Travers Stakes (America’s Best Racing).

Epicenter Breezes To Win Travers Stakes At Saratoga, Besting Rich Strike

Epicenter won the $1.25-million Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday.

https://sports.nbcsports.com/

Epicenter was thought to be the best 3-year-old in the country since before the Kentucky Derby, but something always seemed to get in the way of earning that title. That all changed Saturday when the Steve Asmussen-trained colt easily won the $1.25-million Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York.

It was the first Grade 1 win for Epicenter and the likely ticket to being named 3-year-old Male Horse of the Year at the Eclipse Awards. It was his fourth win in seven starts this year and sixth lifetime win.

“We walked over [Saturday] with a tremendous amount of confidence in the horse,”

Asmussen told the New York Racing Assn. media team. “But … we felt exactly that way walking over for this year’s Derby.

“He was away cleanly and thought he was very comfortable and attending close enough to the pace, and just ran a very dominating performance against a very good group.”

Epicenter broke in the middle of the eight-horse race as Cyberknife, winner of the Haskell Stakes, went to the front and at one point on the backstretch had a two-length advantage. Epicenter was slowly making up ground and made his move on the far turn and by the top of the stretch he was in front by 2½ lengths. The winning margin was an uncontested 5¼ lengths in the 1¼-mile race.

Epicenter paid $4.00, $2.80 and $2.30. Cyberknife edged Zandon by a nose for third and Zandon beat Rich Strike by a neck for third. The remainder of the field, in order, was Gilded Age, Artorius, Ain’t Life Grand and Early Voting.

The horse was purchased for $260,000, a relatively small amount by today’s standards, by Ron Winchell, part of the family that made its name by selling doughnuts.

“The Travers is always the marquee race,” Winchell said. “Coming here with Gun Runner and running third and Midnight Bourbon finishing second last year, it just makes you want to win it that much more. It makes this win in this race that much more special for myself and my family.”

The race was run before a paid attendance of 49,672, the largest crowd since 2015 when Triple Crown winner American Pharoah was beaten by Keen Ice.

Picture: Kelly Mitchley (closest) (Pauline Herman Photography)

Kelly Mitchley Scores Another Winner Before Meeting Abandoned

Kelly Mitchley, who is SA’s newest licensed trainer, has made a remarkable start to her training career.

There were only three races possible at the rain affected meeting on the Fairview poly today and Marco van Rensburg rode a winner for her in the last of those races on Grand Destiny (Master Of My Fate).

That takes Mitchley to three winners for the season at a 33.33% strike rate.

Today’s Question

Which American businessman who owned racehorses in South Africa is thought to be the man the James Bond Movie Goldfinger is based on?

Picture above is the best SA-bred horse the subject owned.(Wikipedia)

Vaal Straight Course Tuesday Fields

Today’s Question Answer

Charles W Engelhard had become acquaintances with author Ian Fleming and it is suggested the former’s global industrialist lifestyle was so enthralling to Fleming that it inspired his 1959 James Bond character, Goldfinger.

Engelhard controlled an international mining and metals conglomerate founded by his father. It was exceedingly difficult in his era to obtain permits for the export of gold bullion from South Africa. However, the export of art objects were allowed so he created a company which purchased gold directly from the SA mines and cast it into statues, jewelry, pulpit pots and other religious objects before exporting it to Hong Kong, where they were melted at Engelhard’s refinery and returned to gold bullion.

Fleming’s villainous character Auric Goldfinger was one of the richest men in the world and maniacally obsessed with all things gold. Like Engelhard, he was a major racehorse-owner and also clandestinely transported gold about the world to avoid export restrictions by fabricating it into his own Rolls Royce and solid gold chairs for his private plane.

Engelhard reportedly took the Goldfinger talk good-naturedly.

Engelhard went to primary school in Johannesburg and was at one stage on the board of directors of Harry Oppenheimer’s Anglo America.

He developed a love of Thoroughbred horse racing and would become a major force in the industry with racing stables in England and South Africa, plus in Aiken, South Carolina where his Cragwood Stables was named for his estate in Far Hills, New Jersey.

Primarily trained by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, MacKenzie Miller in the U.S., he raced notable horses such as Red Reality, Assagai, Tentam, Alley Fighter, and the U.S. Champion sire, Halo.

His best known South African horse was the George Azzie-trained Hawaii who won a number of important races here until being brought to compete in the U.S. in 1969 where he won several Grade 1 stakes and was voted as 1969 Eclipse Award Outstanding Male Turf Horse.

Azzie also bought Elevation for R24,000 for Engelhard, but the tycoon passed away shortly before his debut and he was subsequently sold at a dispersal sale to Azzie’s loyal owners Dennis and Peggy Mosenthal for a then SA sales record of R42,000.

While Engelhard was very successful racing Thoroughbreds in the United States and SA, he and his wife also maintained a residence in London and it was in England where he had his greatest achievements in racing. His horses won British Classic Races six times including the St. Leger Stakes in 1964, 1967, 1968 and again in 1970 when he won it for the fourth time with the horse that brought him international fame and who would make him that year’s British flat racing Champion Owner. Purchased at Windfields Farm’s annual yearling sale in Ontario, Canada, Nijinsky would be sent to Ireland to be conditioned by Vincent O’Brien. The colt would earn Champion Two-Year-Old honors for his undefeated 1969 racing campaign. The next year, en route to being voted European Horse of the Year, Nijinsky won the 2,000 Guineas, The Derby, and the St. Leger Stakes to become the first horse in thirty-five years to win the English Triple Crown, and only narrowly failed to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe by a short head to Sassafras. A 1970 motion picture was made about the colt titled A Horse Called Nijinsky and a 2000 Sun newspaper poll voted him Britain’s Horse of the Millennium.

Unlike Goldfinger, Engelhard was a philanthropist. He supported numerous humanitarian and benevolent causes in South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Engelhard Dam on the Letaba River in Kruger National Park is named in his honor in gratitude for donations to the South African National Parks Board.

Picture: Charles Engelhard with wife Jane and their daughters (allengelhard.com).

Turf Talk Newsletter – 29 August 2022