Bortz, SANTA And Duff Respond To Susan Rowett's Open Letter
Picture: Greg Bortz (Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The Special General Meeting (SGM) called to approve a new NHA constitution will be held on November 19 and former NHA chairman Susan Rowett sent out an open letter over the weekend stating her reasons for voting “NO” to the Special Resolution, but strongly worded responses to her letter have been sent out by prominent owner and industryman Greg Bortz as well as by The South Africa Trainers Association (SANTA) and also by the CEO of 4Racing Patrick Duff.
Susan Rowett’s letter was addressed to NHA members and to the racing community as a whole and concludes by urging eligible voters to vote “No” to the Proposed Resolution, because in her opinion the proposed constitution would facilitate the capture of the NHA by “licensees” and its adoption would severely compromise the independence and autonomy necessary for the NHA to fulfil its role as a strong regulator safeguarding the integrity of the racing industry.
However, all of the responses point out the “inaccuracies” present in her letter and point out the wide held opinion that the NHA has been performing poorly highlighted by unnecessary lawsuits, bloated costs, questionable decisions, NHA penalties or judgments subsequently overturned when challenged on appeal etc.
The response letters pointed out the dissatisfaction had come from all stakeholder groups and had made change necessary.
They conclude by saying they propose a highly independent Nominations Committee and an independent, effective and compassionate regulator, which they say is a possibility with the new constitution but an impossibility with the existing one.
Links to Susan Rowett’s open letter and to the responses are laid out below:
Click here to read Susan Rowett’s open letter
Click here to read Greg Bortz’s response to the open letter
Click here to read SANTA’s response to the open letter
Click here to read the 4Racing CEO’s response to the open letter
The link below is of the Notice of the SGM and documents available for inspection are contained within the Notice.
Click here to read the Notice Of Special General Meeting
In order for the change to the constitution to pass it needs to have a majority of two thirds of the votes, which can be given by proxy
and by members present and entitled to vote at a SGM.
Atticus Finch Has A 3kg Harder Task In The Summer Cup
Atticus Finch cruises home in the Charity Mile (JC Photos)
The reigning Betway Summer Cup champion, the Alec Laird-trained Atticus Finch, looked to have blossomed when making his reappearance, a strong-finishing second in the Gr 2 Betway Jo’Burg Spring Challenge over 1450m, despite now being a six-year-old.
He confirmed that impression was not an optical illusion by toying with the opposition in the Gr 2 Allied Steelrode-Onamission Charity Mile on Saturday at Turffontein Standside, carrying joint topweight of 60kg to an easy three length victory under regular pilot Calvin Habib.
The bookmakers have reacted by shortening him in the Summer Cup ante-post betting.
The sponsor have him at 4/1, just one point longer than the 3/1 favourite The Equator.
However, his task has actually been made harder because he has been hit with a six point raise by the NHA and will now have to carry topweight in the Summer Cup off a 127 merit rating.
Laird said, “I hope he can keep his current progression up, because he is now 3kg up which is going to make the Summer Cup a lot harder. The good news is he took the race well. It’s hard to say whether he will be able to handle 3kg more, but we are certainly going to try.”
With Atticus Finch going up to 127, the two former highest rated entries, former winner Royal Victory and See It Again, will have tasks that are 1kg easier as they are merit rated 125 and will now only have to carry 59kg.
The Equator is merit rated 117, so will only have to carry 55kg, while the fancied King Pelles will only have to carry 57,5kg off his 122 merit rating.
Otto Luyken ran a decent 5,25 length fifth in the Charity Mile receiving 2,5kg from Atticus Finch and off his 116 rating he will receive 5,5kg from him in the Summer Cup. He has shortened into 14/1, while his James Crawford-trained stablemate Count Huhtikuu has been scratched. Otto Luyken will appreciate the step up in trip, but so will Atticus Finch.
One of the best handicapped horses must be the Hollywoodbets Durban July fifth-placed Madison Valley, who is merit rated only 116. He will carry just half-a-kilogram more than last year, when storming home from near the back after being dropped out from a wide draw and being beaten just 2,35 lengths into fourth.
Atticus Finch was bred by Varsfontein Stud and is owned by Messrs L Clark, G A Basel, G C Cornwall & P J Gregory.
His sire Master Of My Fate has moved into fourth place n the national sires log and could improve on that considering he is also sire of crack three-year-olds Jan van Goyen and Golden Palm.
Atticus Finch was a R150 000 National Yearling Sale buy and is out of the Caesour mare Alexia.
Now a winner of 9 races with 11 places from 26 starts, he took his stakes earnings to R5 059 000.
It was the fourth time Laird had won the Charity Mile as he won it when it was called the November Handicap with Mill Hill in 1988 and won the Charity Mile with Bezanova and Bouclette Top in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
Laird enjoyed a fine meeting on Saturday as his Vercingetorix five-year-old stayer Daimyo made most of the running to win the R250 000 Allied Steelrode Listed Java Stakes over 2400m under Habib.
Andrew Harrison of Race Coast wrote the following report on the Charity Mile:
Atticus Finch made a ‘mockery’ of the Gr2 Allied Steelrode-Onamission Charity Mile field at Turffontein on Saturday finishing with a flourish to out-gun the Sean Tarry pair of Callmegeterix and Rodeo Drive.
Alec Laird, son of ‘The Bear’ Syd Laird, who was a master of Turffontein, appears to have prepared Atticus Finch in great fashion for his defense of his Gr1 Betway Summer Cup crown at the end of the month.
Suspended for an epistaxis after his run in the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, Laid has plotted a trip to his title defense and all going smoothly there must be great hope in the yard that he can go back-to-back in the Cup.
Atticus Finch finished with a flourish behind smart three-year-old Tin Pan Alley in the Gr2 Jo’Burg Spring Challenge over 1450m but many thought that the mile under top weight against arguably stronger opposition would still be on the short side.
However, given a patient ride by Calvin Habib, he benefitted from a solid gallop up front from Rodeo Drive. Sean Tarry’s filly was game in the closing stages but unable to hold off the attentions of stable companion Callmegeterix but both had no answerers to the late charge from Atticus Finch who sailed past to won as he liked.
Now a winner of seven races with 16 places from 26 starts, the six-year-old son of Master Of My Fate took his stakes earnings to R5,059,000 for owners Lance Clark, Gary Basel, Gary Cornwall & Phil Gregory.
Tragically, the well fancied Confederate went ‘wrong’ at the top of the straight and was eased out of the race by Rachel Venniker before having to be humanely euthanised.
He had been one of the favourites for the Summer Cup.
“All the partners are still a bit distraught after losing a champion,” said part-owner Trevelen Pillay in a statement to SAHorseracing.COM.
Tin Pan Alley Bolsters His Profile Again
Tin Pan Alley (The United States) proved himself one of the most exciting three-year-olds in the country when winning the Graham Beck from a wide draw, despite carrying a 2kg Gr 2 penalty (JC Photos)
Andrew Harrison (Race Coast)
Tin Pan Alley was the best rated horse in the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes run over 1400m at Turffontein Standside on Saturday, but a tricky 12 gate will have been a note of caution for many of his supporters. However, gelding appears to have brought out the best in Sean Tarry’s runner as he followed up on his last win in the Gr3 Jo’Burg Spring Challenge over 1450m at Turffontein Inside to remain unbeaten for the season. Gavin Lerena navigated the draw masterly and pressed for home when it mattered. It got a little messy on the inside rail in the closing stages, but Tin Pan Alley was clear and ran on strongly to hold off a late charging Trust to deny legendary golfer Gary Player a 90th birthday present in a sport close to his heart.
Veteran trainer Robbie Sage knows his way around a racehorse but like many, does not get the support of the high-profile owners. But when he does get a good one he is quite capable and Kaidan Brewer extracted the best out of Valentina Balducci to get the better of Ovation Star, in the Gr3 Starling Stakes over 1400m. The pair pulled well clear of the opposition, which included the highly regarded Argentinian-bred Stormy Day, who started favourite but finished last after being cut into on his left hind and finishing lame on that leg.
Valentina Balducci had led most of the way but after shaking off most of the opposition, Ovation Star moved in to challenge. It was a 200m duel to the line with Valentina Balducci staying on stoutly to hold off her rival with the balance well beaten.
Muzi Yeni is dynamite in a small package and you don’t get past him easily in a tight finish. But he’s not just a dynamo, he is also a canny rider as she showed when getting outsider Cosmic Star home in the Golden Loom, a Listed sprint over 1000m.
In the scrum early as King Of The Gauls set off on his own out front before causing traffic problems as he faded out over the final furlong. Favourite African Pride was in full cry as he took over from King Of The Gauls but he was not able to pull clear of the pack as Yeni managed to navigate the traffic. It was touch-and-go at the line with Cosmic Star holding on gamely from Taxi To The Moon and African Pride who saved a load of Place Accumulator tickets.
St John Gray marches to his own drum. The only breeder, owner and trainer in the country where owner-trainers were once common place and he has had many successes with his home-breds from his KZN-based Graystone Stud. Gray seldom sends his mares to the commercial stallions and often uses home-bred sires but he is one of the shrewdest operators.
Twostep Queen was at any price for the Listed Yellowwood Handicap but she ran them ragged. Sean Veale took her to the front from the jump and was never for the catching. She kept rolling and was never challenged with second-placed Lady Fallon never able to get on terms and finishing three lengths back.
Vapour Trail Makes Amends For One Stripe Disappointment
Vapour Trail wins the Gr 3 Cape Classic easily, although runner up Good For You is another to take out of the race because he gave the winner 4kg and was beaten by just two lengths (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Drakenstein Stud-bred Hollywood Racing and Rikesh Sewgoolam-owned One World colt One Stripe’s participation in the Breeders Cup Mile had been eagerly anticipated among the racing community, but turned out to be bitterly disappointing as he trailed in last.
The presenters had spoken about the lack of pace in the race and the opportunity for one of the contenders to get an easy lead and perhaps that is why Juan Hernandez decided to take One Stripe to the front from pole position.
However, he was swamped at the top of the straight and could only be nursed home thereafter.
He has put in his best performances by closing in devastating fashion in the final stages, so the front-running tactic was clearly not to his liking.
A line can be drawn through that run.
His next run will be his third after his journey to the USA and he should bounce back.
The winner of the Breeders Cup Mile was Notable Speech, whom One Stripe was beaten by in the Woodbine Mile too, and the form of the latter race, in which One Stripe was unlucky in the running before running on well also suggests the tactics were all wrong on Saturday.
On Sunday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth One Stripe’s Drakenstein Stud-bred half-brother and former stablemate Vapour Trail won the Gr 3 Cape Classic over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth by two lengths.
This Vaughan Marshall-trained Rikesh Sewgoolam-owned Erik The Red colt looks set to follow in One Stripe’s footsteps.
He did receive 4kg from Gr 1 winner, the Glen Kotzen-trained Good For You, and the latter caught the eye running on well for a two length second despite being a headstrong at some stages in the running.
Mark van der Venter wrote the below report on Sunday’s Hollywoodbets Kenilworth meeting:
Vapour Trail, a laid-back but talented young son of Erik the Red, took out the Cape Classic Gr 3 over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, stretching clear of Good for You, who hung badly across the track, with Randolph Hearst making late progress to clock in third.
Alert race caller Brandon Bailey described the race as a “stop/start” affair. Pay the Palace, Count of Ruen and Chapbook strolled along early on before Aversator suddenly rushed by around the turn. None were to be factors when it mattered. Once Vapour Trail, positioned perfectly in fifth spot, was given his head by Richard Fourie and accelerated from the top of the short straight, it was all over as a contest.
Vapour Trail was punted from 10s into 9/2, rewarding savvy punters who have the utmost respect for trainer Vaughan Marshall’s astute handling of 3YOs with Classic aspirations.
“He completely switched off, really relaxed — not even sure he knows he’s a racehorse,” remarked Marshall.
Vapour Trail was bred at Drakenstein Stud. He is totally different in temperament to his flashy and bold half-brother One Stripe (a high-class winner at three of the Punters Cup, G1 Cape Guineas and G1 King’s Plate), who ran out of the money in the Breeders’ Cup Mile over the weekend at Del Mar.
Vapour Trail’s time for the 1400m trip on the Old Course was 87.29 seconds — on the slow side when factoring in a quick track variant on a dry, sunny afternoon. But he could only do what he could under the given circumstances and was a fully deserving victor, freewheeling in two lengths ahead of jinking rival Good for You.
Connections of The US of A saw cleverly conceived plans come together as he clicked swiftly through the gears to prove much the best in the Southeaster Sprint (Listed) over 1100m.
This handsome five-year-old son of The United States, trained by Paddy Kruyer, was unleashed down the centre of the straight course by Richard Fourie and streaked 1.75 lengths clear of defending champ Dance Variety (40/1 SP), with speed horse Un Bel Di holding third from staying-on grey Dumbledore.
Extolled Kruyer afterwards: “The US of A is a wonderful horse — he just gets under your skin. And Richard Fourie and he have such a good rapport.”
After landing the odds here (backed staunchly from 11/2 into 28/10 favourite to inflict further damage on the bookies), the Cape Merchants is next on The US of A’s campaign trail.
A winner of five races from 16 starts, and only now hitting his peak thanks to shrewd horseman Kruyer’s diligence, The US of A will be mighty dangerous in that contest, coming in with around 53.5 kg and given the turn of foot he possesses.
Paardeberg's Breeders Cup Mile winner Expert Eye Receives Big Boost
Joseph O’Brien’s four-year-old filly Beset gave Paardeberg Stud’s resident sire Expert Eye a fine boost on Sunday at The Curragh when routing her 14 rivals in the Listed Guinness 0.0 Finale Stakes over a-mile-and-a-half to win by 7,5 lengths under Declan McDonogh.
In her previous start the Expert Eye filly was raised 12 points from 88 to 100 when finishing second in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bluebell Stakes over a-mile-and-a-half at Naas.
It was Beset’s third career victory and she joins Witness Stand, Snellen and Entrancement as stakes winners by Expert Eye since the latter’s import by Paardeberg Stud.
Witness Stand won the Gr 2 Lennox Stakes over seven furlongs at Goodwood, was second in the Gr 2 Hungerford Stakes over seven furlongs at Newbury and was second in the Listed Memorial City Plate Stakes over seven furlongs at Chester.
Snellen won the Gr 3 Meld Stakes over nine furlongs at Leopardstown.
Entrancement won the Gr 3 Prix Belle de Nuit at Saint Cloud and the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Beckford Stakes at Bath, both over a mile and six furlongs.
Furthermore, Magic Basma and Naina have had a Listed second and Listed third respectively this season.
Expert Eye’s winners to runners percentage since his import has risen to 54%.
On Sunday Beset was never far off the pace and led travelling well entering the final quarter-mile before clearing away to beat Royal Entry with ease.
Beset carries the colours of Kevin Blake and is owned in partnership with Emma Palmer, Michael Wilson and Nick Luck.
“She’s had a good year, stakes placed and now a stakes winner,” said McDonogh.
“She has a very enthusiastic bunch of owners, and they will be hot on Instagram tonight.
“I went down to the two (furlong marker) on the bridle which is a rare thing, and she picked up really well.”
Expert Eye himself’s greatest hour was when winning the Gr 1 Breeders Cup Mile.
Notable Speech was one of the most impressive Breeders Cup winners on Saturday at Del Mar when showing an incredible turn of foot to win the Breeders Cup Mile and South African breeders should be jumping at the opportunity to breed with a Breeders Cup Mile winner on their doorstep in the form of Paardeberg’s Expert Eye.
Zanthar Could Be The One In Vaal Headliner
American Raider Parchment Party Interesting Runner In Melbourne Cup
Picture: The Melbourne Cup will be run at 06H00 SA Time on Tuesday morning
The iconic Gr 1 Melbourne Cup, the race that stops the nation, is to be run at 06H00 on Tuesday morning (November 4).
The Bill Mott-trained American raider Parchment Party carries just 52kg and is an interesting runner as he stays all day and is unexposed on turf, having only run on dirt before.
He is the first America-trained horse to run in the Melbourne Cup.
He should be staying on strongly.
Hall Of Famer John Velazquez rides from draw three and this 50/1 shot could make his presence felt in his first run since June.
Today's Question
Why did the third running of the Melbourne Cup in 1863 have the smallest field in the race’s history, just seven runners?
Picture: Acher, who won the first two runnings of the Melbourne Cup (wikipedia)
FIELDS, Tuesday, 4 November
Today’s Question Answer
The horse who had won the fist two runnings of the Melbourne Cup, Archer, travelled by steamboat to the race every year, but due to a Victorian public holiday trainer Etienne de Mestre’s telegraphed acceptance form arrived late in 1863 and Archer was scratched on a technicality. In protest of this decision and in a show of solidarity, many of de Mestre’s owners boycotted the third race and scratched their horses in sympathy. As a result, the Melbourne Cup of that year ran with only 7 starters, the smallest number in the history of the Cup.
