Zwinithini Yenge’s look of apprehension was replaced by tears of joy about half-an-hour later when the enormity of his beloved Royal Victory’s triumph in the Gr 1 R5 million Betway Summer Cup had sunk in. (Picture: 4Racing)

Zwinithini Yenge, the groom of the Pathfork gelding Royal Victory, expected a place at best in the Gr 1 R5 million Betway Summer Cup and cried tears of joy when his beloved horse won Johannesburg’s biggest event at Turffontein Standside last Saturday.

All in all with the R20,000 cheque rewarded by Betway to the grooms of all Summer Cup runners plus 1% of the stake cheque, Zwinithini earned around R50,000 and is going to use it for school fees for loved ones and to refurbish his house.

Zwinithini has been a groom for decades starting with Michael Airey and then moving to David Payne’s yard where he worked together with Royal Victory’s trainer Nathan Kotzen.

When Nathan joined the powerful Mike de Kock yard Zwinithini went with him.

They worked together there for 17 years and he then went with Nathan again when the latter took out his own trainer’s license just over six years ago.

David Payne, speaking from Australia where he has been training since 2002, was thrilled to hear of Zwinithini’s fillip and said, “That is great for him as grooms do not get much recognition and they do a great job.”

Zwinithini’s job is indeed hard and demands long hours.

He looks after three horses and let’s take a look at what he has to do with just one of them i.e. the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup champion Royal Victory.

Zwinithini has to arrive in the early hours of the morning and clean out the horse’s box.

He then rides Royal Victory down to the track where a workrider will put him through his paces.

Upon return he has to first wash the horse down and he must then remove dead hairs and exfoliate the skin. This helps prevent excess bacteria or fungus building up on the skin, which can lead to irritating and painful skin complaints.

The mane and tail must have knots brushed out.

The hoof pick cleans out the bottom of the foot to ensure no stones are in there after the visit to the track.

In the afternoon the horse is cleaned again, any dust being removed and chalk helps bring on a nice shiny coat.

Thoroughbreds weigh an average of 450kg and some of them have feisty temperaments, while a few can even be nasty.

It can be a dangerous job and it is highly important the horse is at ease with the groom.

It is one of the joys of the sport to see a groom cleaning a racehorse.

The acceptance of the groom by the big animal is a sight to behold, especially when the ticklish parts are being groomed. The horse will often sway his head at this stage and might give his friend a nibble ordering him to hurry up.

Zwinithini said Royal Victory is a well behaved horse.

Nathan praised Zwinithini for the excellent care he took of Royal Victory and spoke of their close bond.

Nathan said, “Zwinithini stands behind Royal Victory’s hindlegs without a worry … that is not something I would do!”

The box has to be kept clean at all times and of course there is also feeding time and ensuring the horse has adequate water.

Sometimes horses are taken for walks in the afternoon.

Multiply all of that times three and that is a working day in the life of a groom.

There is also race day, although a yard often has special race day grooms who look after the horses on course and lead them around the parade ring.

Raceday groom Eric Motha was together with Zwinithini at the Summer Cup and didn’t go home empty-handed beacause he had a small each-way bet on Royal Victory.

Zwinithini Yenge (right) and the Kotzen yard’s raceday groom Eric Motha lead in Royal Victory with a beaming Muzi Yeni, who rode a race for the ages, aboard. Zwinithini is probably still in a state of disbelief at this stage, but minutes later he was overcome with emotion. (Picture: Supplied)

So it is great to see the initiatives lately in recognition of the valuable role grooms play in the sport of kings and this has led to an improvement in their quality of life.

Grooms have been getting 1% of all stake cheques for some time.

In KZN grooms get a bonus of R1000 everytime one of their horses wins and this is doubled in the months from April through to August.

The Grooms accomodation at Summerveld has been improved. They can also look forward to the evenings as there is a bar area with a TV, a pool table and a Tote which is operated from 9.a.m everyday through to 6 p.m.

Royal Victory arrived back at Summerveld earlier in the week and looks a picture of soundness and well-being.

Zwinithini Yenge and Nathan Kotzen’s daughter and assistant Natasha Culverwell pose with Betway Summer Cup winner Royal Victory at Summerveld today (Thusrday) (Picture Supplied). 

Zwinithini has high ambitions for Royal Victory and asked on his next targets replied, “We hope to win The Met and the GommaGomma (Premier’s Champions Challenge).”

Nathan interrupted, “I’ve got him in the Met but I dunno if I’m going to go to the Met. We’re going to maybe go to the Premier’s in April.”

However, like all industryman in South African racing, the race Zwinithini most wants to win is the Gr 1 R5 million Hollywoodbets Durban July.

He has never won the July before.

He remembers his favourite horse during his many years with De Kock to be Winter Weather (Western Winter), who won the Gr 2 Gold Circle Derby.

By a coincidence both Winter Weather and Royal Victory trace back on their bottom female lines to Abernant, the highest Timeform rated sprinter since World War II (142).

Winter Weather is surely now Zwinithini’s second favourite horse.

Royal Victory is one horse the Yenge family will never forget and there is still the potential for further celebrations.

Red Palace strolls to victory last time out and Candice Bass-Robinson rates her as “quite special”, although she expects stablemate Beach Bomb to be right there too in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas on Saturday (Picture: Wayne Marks) 

Charles Dickens is all set for his second run of the season in the Gr 2 WSB Green Point Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday and the Candice Bass-Robinson yard also have one other contender in that race, Firealley, plus three runners in the day’s headliner, the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas.

Candice said about the superstar Trippi colt Charles Dickens, “It is a stepping stone for the L’Ormarins King’s Plate. He’s doing well, he’s looking well and he’s working well. I expect him to run well but it’s not an easy race, it’s a tough little race.”

Charles Dickens is drawn seven out of eight but being caught without cover did not stop him from finding his usual acceleration last time in the Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Matchem Stakes over 1400m, which he won on weight for age terms by a narrow 0,30 lengths from the top class Gimme A Prince.

He is now out to make it two from two this season and will be bidding for his tenth career win in his twelfth start.

The bookmakers are taking no chances and Hollywood have him at 7/20.

Second favourite is his rival See It Again, who beat him by 1,25 lengths in the Splashout Cape Derby over 2000m, but whom he subsequently beat by two lengths over this trip in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas.

The 17/1 fourth favourite Al Muthana is the other horse who has beaten Charles Dickens, by a neck in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate over 1600m, but he gained revenge on that one too, beating him by 1,40 lengths in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, also over 1600m.

Equus Horse Of The Year Princess Calla, whose victories last season included the Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes over 1600m, is the third favourite at 6/1.

Perennial bridesmaid At My Command is 20/1 together with the Gold Rush winner Royal Aussie.

Rascallion, winner of the Gr 2 Anthonij Rupert Wyne Premier Trophy over 1800m, is 25/1 and Charles Dickens’ stablemate Firealley is the biggest outssider at 33/1.

Candice said Firealley was well but added, “He is a bit out of his depth, but there is nothing really for him to run in at the moment.”

It s going to be an intriguing race and not at all a walk in the park for Charles Dickens and his regular pilot Aldo Domeyer.

The Drakenstein Stud homebred Trippi colt’s time for the Gold Challenge was 95.94 seconds compared to Princess Calla’s 96.74 seconds in the Garden Province over the same course and distance, although they were on different days.

Bass-Robinson runs Red Palace, Beach Bomb and Distant Winter from draw seven, draw 12 and draw 14 out of a field of 14 in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas.

Anthony Andrews rides Red Palace because his parents Terry and Annabel Andrews have a half share in her.

Candice said. “If Aldo had a choice I think he probably would have chosen Red Palace.”

Aldo still has a good ride on Beach Bomb.

Candice said about the diminutive Lancaster Bomber filly Beach Bomb, who is a daughter of the five-times Gr 1-winning heroine Beach Beauty, “I know she will definitely get the trip. She is in good shape, she will be right there.

She said about the Potala Palace filly Red Palace, ” She is a sneaker, she has never raced in this class before, but she is a very nice filly and her last two wins have been very impressive. She could be anything and must definitely be included.”

Red Palace had to be scratched last time because her foot got stuck in the gate after kicking it, but Candice believes it only happened because a horse walked in behind her. Howver, she will go in to te gates last this time.

She said about What A Winter filly Distant Winter, “She is drawn very wide, which is tricky, and the mile is always just a little bit of a question mark for her.”

Candice, asked who the stable elect was, replied, “I think Red Palace, but I’m not sure because she hasn’t been exposed, so I’m just going on watching her work and what she looks like and her last two wins. I think she is quite a special filly. The slow pace didn’t suit Beach Bomb at all last time, but she’s come on a lot from that run. She will enjoy the long straight at HWB Kenilworth. She comes from off them and will be hoping for a bit of pace. I just wish they had better draws, their draws are not exactly great.”

Candice rates October Morn as having a good chance in the Gr 2 Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m.

She said about the Trippi daughter of 1000m specialist October Morn (Var), “She was a bit out of her ground last time, she was slow into stride and was a bit too far back. She will better off up the straight.”

This three-year-old filly has class and a a lot of speed. She was flying late last time over 1000m in the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes at Hollywoodbets Durbanville and lost by 0,30 lengths giving the winner Baltic Secret 2,5kg. She is drawn 9 out of 14 with Domeyer up.

Stablemate Gimme’s Lassie is drawn two and has Craig Zackey up.

Candice said about the four-year-old, “She’s also doing well. I think she will run well here. She’s one of those who is always in the money. She’s just a little bit below that level but she has a high rating, so there’s nowhere else to put her in either.”

The Southern Cross is a a weight for age plus penalties event but as it happens the four-year-olds are all carrying 60kg and the three-year-olds all 56kg.

Trippi colt Charles Dickens is likely the best of the 18 individual G1 winners Drakenstein Stud have produced. He is being led in by Gaynor Rupert, Drakenstein Stud’s owner and their driving force, and by Kevin Sommerville, the stud farm’s racing manager. (Candiese Lenferna Photography). 

Sarah Whitelaw

Many of South Africa’s top thoroughbred stud farms have produced high-class gallopers who have excelled all over the world. South African bred thoroughbreds have made their mark both on racetracks and at stud both locally and internationally, and are a fine reflection on the country’s breeders.

From the likes of Colorado King, Hawaii, Horse Chestnut, Bold Tropic, Crimson Palace, Victory Moon, J J The Jet Plane, London News, Jay Peg, Vercingetorix, Variety Club, Irridescence, Perfect Promise, National Colour, National Currency, and Soft Falling Rain (as well as the dams of stellar performers Pluck, Oleksandra and In The Congo), South Africa has produced a slew of high-class runners who have shone both here and overseas.

But which farms have enjoyed the most success at G1 level in recent times? Over the past three seasons, the following South African stud farms have led the way in terms of producing G1 winners.

DRAKENSTEIN STUD
Established in 2004, Drakenstein Stud has already produced 18 individual Grade One winners. The farm, based just outside of Franschoek, had a phenomenal season in 2022-2023, a season which saw Drakenstein Stud crowned both Equus Champion Breeders and Equus Outstanding Breeders (and Equus Champion Owners). The aformentioned season saw Drakenstein Stud bred horses capture all of the G1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, G1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, G1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, G1 Cape Derby, G1 Splashout Cape Derby, G1 Daily News 2000, G1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, G1 H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, and G1 Woolavington 2000. Drakenstein bred runners Winchester Mansion and See It Again ran first and second in the 2023 July, with Drakenstein having bred no fewer than seven of the runners in the 2023 Hollywoodbets Durban July.
Over the past three seasons, Drakenstein Stud has been responsible for breeding, at the time of writing, 12 individual Grade One winners, with Drakenstein Stud bred runners claiming a staggering no fewer than 17 Grade One races over that period. During those three seasons, Drakenstein produced an impressive 49 individual stakes winners and a further 29 stakes placed runners.

Its current stallion roster includes the Drakenstein bred Jet Dark, a multiple Equus Champion whose five G1 victories include back to back wins in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.

VARSFONTEIN STUD
Home to dual Champion Sire Gimmethegreenlight, homebred successful sire Master Of My Fate, and exciting young stallion Erik The Red (like his close relative Master Of My Fate bred by Varsfontein), Varsfontein Stud, already breeders of more than 30 G1 winners, has long been established as one of South Africa’s premier stud farms.
Year in and year out, Varsfontein produce high-class thoroughbreds, with their latest alumni including Equus Champions Bless My Stars and Sandringham Summit, as well as Triple Crown winning sire Malmoos. Between the period of 2020-2021 and 2022-2023, Varsfontein were responsible for producing six Grade One winners, with Varsfontein thoroughbreds notching up seven Grade One wins during the period, including the G1 WSB SA Derby, G1 WSB SA Classic, and G1 Premiers Champion Stakes (twice). Varsfontein also bred G2 winner Alexandra Rose -whose daughter Oleksandra won the G1 Jaipur Stakes in 2020.

During the aforementioned three seasons, Varsfontein Stud supplied 24 black type winners and a further 20 black type horses.

WILGERBOSDRIFT & MAURITZFONTEIN
A few years ago, Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein became a joint breeding venture, and since then, the combination has proved a powerful one indeed. Over the past three years, Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein have been responsible for six Grade One winners, with thoroughbreds bred by Wilgerebosdrift & Mauritzfontein capturing ten Grade One races during the period between 2020-2021 and 2022-2023. The combination’s tally of big race wins during the aforementioned period include the 2022 G1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, the 2020 G1 WSB Gauteng Summer Cup, the 2022 G1 World Sports Betting SA Derby, and the 2021 G1 Cape Town Met.

Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein bred fillies also enjoyed notable success in the G1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes in this period, with the Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein bred Summer Pudding winning that feature in 2021, and fellow Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein filly Desert Miracle victorious in the 2023 renewal.
During those three seasons, Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein produced 39 stakes winners and a further 29 stakes horses.

Wilgerbosdrift is currently home to the Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein bred champion Hawwaam, a half-brother to the Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein bred G1 winners Golden Ducat and Rainbow Bridge, whose first yearlings go on sale in 2024.

MAINE CHANCE FARMS
Maine Chance Farms have bred numerous stars over the years, and are responsible for, among others, South Africa’s reigning Horse Of The Year Princess Calla. During the period of 2020-2021 and 2022-2023, Maine Chance Farms produced four G1 winners, who between them, thus far, have won seven Grade One contests between them. Princess Calla, who joins Free My Heart as a South African Horse Of The Year bred by Maine Chance, was voted Horse Of The Year and Equus Champion Older Female of 2022-2023, enjoyed a magnificent season in 2022-2023 where she won all of the G1 South African Fillies Sprint, G1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes and G1 The HKJC Champions Cup.
Other recent G1 winners bred by Maine Chance include Bavarian Beauty (Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes), Chansonette (WSB Cape Fillies Guineas) and Pomp And Power (Jonsson Workwear Cape Derby).  Between 2020-2021 and the most recently concluded season, Maine Chance Farms came up with 23 stakes winners, and a further 20 stakes horses.

The Robertson farm is home to some outstanding stallions, notably Vercingetorix (sire of Chansonette and Pomp And Power) and Querari (whose progeny include Bavarian Beauty).

SUMMERHILL
Now owned by Henning Pretorious, 11 times South African champion breeders Summerhill Stud currently stands as Summerhill Equestrian. Summerhill was responsible for five Grade One winners in the period of 2020-2021 to 2022-2023, with the farm supplying 13 stakes winners in that time.

Their five Grade One winners, who captured six Grade One races between, was headed by Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara winner, and Equus Champion War Of Athena.  The latter won six graded races with her Triple Tiara sweep sitting alongside a triumph in the G1 Woolavington 2000 -where War Of Athena accounted for subsequent Horse Of The Year Princess Calla by over two lengths.

Other G1 winners for Summerhill in the period mentioned above included Under Your Spell and Battle Force -who captured the G1 Allan Robertson Championship and G1 Golden Horse Sprint on the same day.

KLAWERVLEI STUD
Breeders of prominent sire (and Dubai G1 winner) Vercingetorix and the highly promising Met winning sire One World among many others, Klawervlei Stud were responsible for four individual Grade One winners in the period between 2020-2021 and 2022-2023. (Klawervlei produced 24 stakes winners (and another 16 stakes horses) in total during that time, with Klawervlei bred horses filling the first four placings in the 2021 G2 World Sports Betting Guineas).

Star of these was 2021 G1 Vodacom Durban July/2022 G1 WSB Cape Town Met winner Kommetdieding, who himself now stands at Klawervlei. Other G1 winners for Klawervlei in this time frame were Linebacker (Jonsson Workwear Cape Derby/Daily News 2000), Russian Rock (Cape Guineas) and Anfields Rocket (WSB SA Classic).
Klawervlei horses finished first and second in the 2021 Vodacom Durban July where Kommetdieding vanquished Linebacker into second place.

The Hollywood Syndicate secured two wins today, just seconds apart from each other in time, but 13,000km apart in distance! (supplied pictures above) 

Both races went off at 14:10 (12:10 Ireland time), with both horses sitting second as they neared the latter parts of their respective races.

But both found another gear and pulled away from their opposition, with the Brett Crawford-trained Poorlittlerichgirl (Dynasty) winning under Kabelo Matsunyane at Turffontein in Johannesburg, and the Willie Mullins-trained Il Etait Temps, a G1 winner over hurdles last season, winning under Paul Townend in his chase debut at Thurles in Ireland.

Poorlittlerichgirl was backed in from 10/1 to 13/2 and Il Etait Temps started 8/15 favourite.

Both horses are owned in partnership with Ridgemont (known as Barnane Stud in Ireland).

The world’s best racehorse, Japan superstar Equinox (Kitasan Black), has been retired shortly after his sixth successive G1 victory in the Japan Cup.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT EQUINOX’S RETIREMENT

South Africa’s Equus award-winning photographer Chase Liebenberg felt honoured and privileged to get close to Equinox earlier this year in Dubai.

He photographed the great horse in his preparation for the Dubai Sheema Classic and on the night of the race itself.

The Tetsuya Kimura-trained superstar has been ridden in all ten of his starts, including eight wins and two seconds, by Christophe Lemaire.

He was at his imperious best in the Dubai Sheema Classic over a mile and four furlongs and beat the Irish Derby-winner and subsequent Arc runner up Westover by 3,50 lengths.

Equinox was timeform rated 136 after his latest win in the Japan Cup.

View this selection of Chase’s phtographs of Equinox below:

Picture: Keagan de Melo earns his riding fee on Wonder Years (HKJC) 

Keagan de Melo rode the Dougas Whyte-trained Irish Elzaam gelding Wonder Years to an astonishing victory over the July distance of 2200m at Happy Valley last night (Wednesday), despite starting odds of 15.00 on the Tote.

Wonder Years must be one of the laziest horses in Hong Kong and he is not only usually slowly away, but he has to be driven for most of the race.

He was tailed off as usual early and after being driven up to the join the others he began to drop the bit.

De Melo was forced to drive him on to the bit often and he had to give him reminders a number of times too.

Keagan drove the horse hard around the turn and came wide into the straight.

The big horse then mowed them down to win the class 4 handicap easily in the end.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE REPLAY 

De Melo has now scored a single winner in his last three meetings and has a total of eight wins for the season, which is just three behind compatriots Lyle Hewitson and Luke Ferraris.

The latter pair are in joint seventh place on the log and De Melo is in joint eleventh place.

Douglas Whye has had 16 wins this season and is in joint second place on the trainers log, eleven winners behind leader Pierre Ng.

Usa-bred Justify colt City Of Troy, trained by Aidan O’Brien, was hailed as “the next Frankel” when bouding away to win the Gr 1 Dewhurst Stakes over seven furlongs on the Newmarket Rowley mile by 3,50 lengths. He is unbeaten in three starts. Frankel also won the Dewhurst, by 2,25 lengths.