Picture: Gary Player at last week’s BSA August Sale with trainer Glen Kotzen.

Still Words Of Wisdom From SA’s Sporting Legend

David Mollett

The fact that Gary Player took time out to attend the recent Equus awards at Emperors Palace is outstanding. The fact he added another notable quote was a bonus for our annual Oscars.

To be honest, SA’s golf legend is almost too good to be true. At 86 years of age, most people are doddery. You feel Gary could easily have a debate with Boris Johnson.

If one googles Gary’s quotes, one will find numerous of the maestro’s sayings in his illustrious career.

“The harder you work, the luckier you get” and “A strong mind is one of the key components that separates the great from the good.”

Discussing his passion for golf and racing in a 4Racing clip on Equus night, Gary said: “you can study them (the two sports) all your life and end up knowing a helluva lot about nothing.”

Wise words, indeed, though I believe Gary would go along with the belief that the emergence of Tiger Woods at the start of his career was a shot in the arm for golf.

Similarly, Baaeed’s victory in last month’s Juddmonte International at York was seen as a shot in the arm for racing after two years in the wilderness because of Covid.

William Derby, chief executive at York, told the media “It was a week in the sun with star horses and jockeys doing the talking.”

“Baaeed put up a spine-chilling performance and he got a fantastic reception from the crowd reminiscent of Frankel and Sea The Stars.”

The latter is the sire of William Haggas’ champion.

Haggas commented: “It was a superlative performance and very satisfying to see him on the bridle a furlong and a half out.”

Then the praise from jockey Jim Crowley who summed it up in a few words saying “He’s as good as the greats.”

To make sure I had a perfect view of the York race for which 4Racing generously came to the party, I took my position on the County Stand a full 30 minutes before the race. After a long journey, it was essential to get the best view.

After the race, a friend turned to me and asked: “you were here for Frankel in 2012 which was the most impressive?”

My reply: “I would give it marginally to Baaeed – it was the way he stuck out his chest with pride in the run to the wire.”

Did it eclipse the Melbourne Cup win by Makybe Diva which racing writer, Charl Pretorius, and I witnessed in 2005. Yes, it did.

Now practically every racing fan is hoping that owner Sheikha Hiisa will give the green light to run in the Arc at Longchamp on October 2. It is the pinnacle of European racing and one feels the alternative – the Champion Stakes at Ascot – would prove nothing about Haggas’ star that we don’t already know.

So – if Baaeed – does turn up at Longchamp, who are his most serious rivals.

ALPINISTA (13-2): Ever since his Yorkshire Oaks win, trainer Sir Mark Prescott has made no secret that he’s sweet on the chance of his mare. He quipped: “good horses get beaten in the Arc.”

The mare has been the model of consistency with her Yorkshire Oaks (had a hard race) official rating of 120 backing up four 118 efforts in Europe.

TITLEHOLDER (6-1): One of four possible runners from Japan. Talented performer and would be a first ride in the race for jockey Kazuo Yokoyama.

TORQUATOR TASSO (7-1): Sprang a 72-1 surprise in last year’s Arc, but the German champion proved this was no flash in the pan with a huge performance to finish second in the King George.

VADENI (8-1): Trainer Jean-Claude Rouget is targeting the Irish Champion Stakes but a tilt at the Arc has not been ruled out. A good judge tells me the trainer is housing a possible longshot in Al Hakeem, winner of the Prix Giullanme d’Ornano.

PYLEDRIVER (14-1): King George winner trained by William Muir and Chris Grassick. At five years of age, he’s shown top form this term.

Latest Paddy Power betting: 4-6 Baaeed (money back if doesn’t run) 6-1 Titleholder 13-2 Alpinista 7-1 Torquator Tasso 8-1 Vadeni 12-1 Others

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I have not had the pleasure of meeting owners Suzette and Basie Viljoen and – to be honest – felt they had struck gold with their first dig. Hundreds of other owners have spent years digging deep (in their pockets) with no sign of a champion.

Also, how would they measure up against Chris Van Niekerk, the many-times champion owner who backed the sport with great enthusiasm and investment for two decades?

But what has really impressed me is that they have given a horse (Grand Destiny) to a new lady-on-the-block, Kelly Mitchley, and enjoyed almost instant success with a victory at Fairview on Monday.

The fact that the Viljoens are supporting smaller yards – many struggling to make ends meet – can only be praised and few would deny the night of glory on August 24 when they captured the “Horse-of-the-Year” award with Captain’s Ransom.

Hopefully, if the filly wins the Queen’s Plate or Paddock Stakes, she will receive another Breeders Cup invitation and this time the Viljoens will accept.

Like Baaeed going to Ascot, there’s nothing more to prove here.

Picture: Hollywoodbets Kenilworth

Hollywoodbets Have Naming Rights For Kenilworth And Durbanville

Kenilworth and Durbanville can look forward to a brighter future with Hollywoodbets

Cape Racing

Cape Racing is proud to announce Hollywoodbets coming on board as the new naming rights sponsor of Kenilworth and Durbanville racecourses. These iconic community landmarks will now be known as Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse and Hollywoodbets Durbanville Racecourse.

Through this sponsorship, the two organisations are working together to create much improved venues and experience for race-goers, which will bring together communities and showcase the thrill of horse racing to new and old crowds. This initiative includes the upgrading of facilities, bringing a number of bookmakers back on course and fun activities for all, as well as bigger fields with the introduction of the recently launched Race Cape campaign powered by Hollywoodbets.

Following the huge success of the Grooms Initiative project in KwaZulu-Natal, focusing on this important sector was an integral component of this partnership. Hollywoodbets and Cape Racing are happy to introduce this programme to Western Cape racing to recognise the critical role played by grooms. They will now receive a R1 000 cash bonus for every win, paid jointly by both parties.

Hollywoodbets will also sponsor a Work Riders’ series, with the goal of promoting and developing future stars. The series will encompass ten races culminating in a spectacle race against jockeys. In addition to the new naming rights deal, Hollywoodbets will sponsor the final race of each meeting, the Hollywoodbets Bright Future Stakes.

Greg Bortz, Chairman Elect of Cape Racing, added “We are intensely focused on reinvigorating and uplifting this wonderful sport of ours, not just for the racing fans, but for those key employees and stakeholders who are the building blocks underpinning it all. In Hollywoodbets, Cape Racing has found a sponsor and partner with a shared value system and outlook. “

Devin Heffer, Brand and Communications Manager at Hollywoodbets, expressed “Hollywoodbets is absolutely thrilled to be involved with Cape Racing and we are looking to breathe new fire into racing in the Western Cape. The naming rights sponsorship and other projects are just the beginning of our involvement and race goers in the province will see a lot more of our signature purple branding in the near future.”

Hollywwodbets said about the Groom’s initiative, “Hollywoodbets and Cape Racing will award the winning groom in every race with R1 000. Each race horse is looked after by a particular groom who is responsible for animal’s daily care and maintenance. This can include basic first aid, cleaning and maintaining of stables, prepping feed as well as warming up or cooling out a horse for its rider. Grooms share a very special bond with these animal athletes and are in many ways the lifeblood of the sport. In keeping with our goal of holistically adding value and growing the racing industry, we are thrilled to be rolling out the Grooms’ Initiative in the Western Cape after witnessing its undeniable success in KwaZulu-Natal over the last few years.”

They said about the Workrider’s series, “What will the racing world do without work riders? Work Riders are responsible for almost all of the horses work-outs, they are a group of men and women that are up in the early hours of the morning and are out at various training centres across the country putting horses through their paces in order to get them ready for race day.

The Work Rider Series will give these unsung heroes of the industry an opportunity to show what they can do on the biggest stage. The experience they gain from these Work Rider Series races will equip them with the skills and confidence they need to become fully-fledged professional jockeys.”

These initiatives all start from Wednesday 7th September 2022.

Picture: Gareth van Zyl holding the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes trophy after winning it with She’s A Keeper (Gimmethegreenlight).

IRC Q & A: Gareth van Zyl

Youthful Gareth van Zyl was crowned champion trainer of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province for the 2021/2 season. He saddled 60 winners for a good 15.2% strike rate and will be aiming higher in the new season.

International Racing Club

Gareth, who trains Alittlebitnaughty and promising Money Heist for the IRC, said in a Sporting Post interview some years ago: “One of the reasons I chose a career in training – apart from the fact that I love working with horses – is being able to work with people that I might never otherwise have the opportunity to meet. For example, when my dad had his job with (the late) Mrs Bridget Oppenheimer, we had the opportunity of dining with her – the fact that racing can bring you into circles like that is amazing.

“In racing, perception is everything and you can fall out of favour very quickly. After all, one can only warrant support by the big races you win.” He’s honed a skill set to lay the foundations for the big time: An excellent way with people in an industry full of opiniated know-it-alls, openness with regular, detailed horse reports, a refreshing honesty and an in-depth knowledge of the industry. This underscores his personal brand and he says: “If you look at any of the big-name yards, they are brands in their own right and the driving force of the business is established by the type of races you win. My priority will be to get horses good enough to compete in and win Graded races across the country.”

You can have all the PR in the world, but actually knowing how to train and get results is still the most important aspect of his profession and Gareth has repeatedly stated he does not want to be ‘just another number’ in the ranks. “I want to be champion trainer and be able to pursue my racing interests abroad and I feel my dad has given me the tools to be able to do that. My ambitions with racing are to end up being able to travel. Although our export protocols dictate that it’s not easy to set up abroad, I hope we can reach a stage where we can raid abroad. It would be great to take on the world without having to take on the unfair rigors of quarantine that we’re currently under.”

His training perspectives: “You need to get a horse fit, but you also need to keep it sound, make sure it eats well, goes to the start, jumps from the pens well and so on. Soundness is first and foremost for me and it’s something I monitor closely. Obviously the sound ones are better and easier to train, but it’s the nature of the game that they’re not all sound.

“This leads on to one’s perspective in buying horses. We’ve had success with horses that haven’t been top end buys, but one has to acknowledge that the horses you buy are what will differentiate between success and failure. I try and look at as many good horses as I can to develop my eye, but you can refer to bloodstock, or specific aspects of the specimen, but usually they make fools of us. One can only hope that if you buy enough of the right stock, you will eventually end up with a few good ones.”

Here is our Q&A with Gareth van Zyl:

1. Full name? Gareth Harrison van Zyl.

2. Date of Birth? 7 May 1986.

3. Steak or sushi? Steak.

4. Superstitions? I try hard not to entertain them.

5. Fav Holiday Destination? Any snow resort.

6. Which: BMW or Merc? BMW.

7. Who inspires you the most? Jeffrey R Holland.

8. Big night out or quiet night in? Quiet night in.

9. Left-handed or right-handed? Right.

10. Personal attitude to life? Be the good you seek in others.

11. What annoys you the most? Having to repeat myself.

12. Best horse trained? She’s A Keeper.

13. Best horse race watched, live? Wise Dan, Shadwell Turf Mile, Keeneland October 2012.

14. Funniest person you have ever met? Spencer Cook.

15. Best day in racing? Winning the Garden Province with She’s A Keeper.

16. Whips or no whips? Whips.

17. What is your biggest phobia? Underachieving.

18. Most embarrassing moment? Oh the foolishness of youth…

19. Biggest influence on your career? My dad, Gavin van Zyl.

20. Do you enjoy having a bet? I force myself not to, which definitely saves me from losing.

21. What lies at the heart of your success with thoroughbreds? That I don’t work, I do what I love.

22. Proudest Achievement? Raising a happy family.

23. Economy or business class? Economy, for now.

24. One thing to make racing better for everyone? More co-mingled pools.

25. Colts or fillies? Fillies.

26. Bath or shower? Bath.

27. Read or Netflix? Netflix.

28. Best jockey worked with? Anton Marcus.

29. Any ambitions to fulfil? Certainly. To train international G1 winners.

30. Would you rather ask for permission or ask for forgiveness? Forgiveness.

Nominate someone for our Q&A next? Spencer Cook.

Nominate two horses to follow for the rest of this season.

Money Heist, Captainofthegreen, Wiccan Warrior.

Chosen charity for readers to donate to: Hole In The Wall Horse Project. – IRC

Picture: Baaeed was sensational when extending his unbeaten record to ten in the Juddmonte International last time. John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

‘Strong Chance’ Baaeed Runs in Arc Oct. 2

Suitable ground will be deciding factor for the Juddmonte International (G1) winner.

By David Milnes/Racing Post

Baaeed has “a strong chance” of ending his career in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) at Longchamp in October, it was announced on August 28.

That would mean the unbeaten colt would sign off Oct. 2 in Europe’s most prestigious race, when he would be having a first try at a mile and a half, provided the ground is suitable.

Speculation has been rife over targets for the 10-for-10 Baaeed ever since his imperious performance in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York, with the Arc, the Champion Stakes (G1), and the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) all possible contenders.

In a statement outlining plans for the world’s highest-rated horse, trainer William Haggas said: “Baaeed has been in great form since York and everyone is happy with his well-being. Having had long discussions with Sheikha Hissa, Angus (Gold), and Richard (Hills), we have come to the conclusion that he will have one more race this season.

“That will not sadly be in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, but will be either in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe or the QIPCO Champion Stakes.

“A decision will be made nearer the time. He’s not in the Arc, so would need to be supplemented, but we are not keen to run him on bad ground in Paris, so if the ground is nice, there is a strong chance he’ll run there. Otherwise, he’ll wait for the Champion Stakes and run there.”

Sheikha Hissa and William Haggas with Baaeed after the Juddmonte International York 17.8.22 Pic: Edward Whitaker

Photo: Edward Whitaker/Racing Post

Sheikha Hissa and William Haggas with Baaeed

Haskell

The deadline to supplement for the Arc is Sept. 28 at a cost of €120,000, four days before the €5 million middle-distance showpiece takes place.

Paddy Power quote Baaeed at 4-6 non-runner, money back for the Arc. Spokesman Paul Binfield said: “Ireland’s loss is France’s or England’s gain, and I’m sure everyone who loves their racing will be hoping that the rain stays away from Paris.

“If this marvelous horse is to become part of the sport’s folklore as a true great, he’s probably got to go and win an Arc, considered by many to be Europe’s top middle-distance event.”

Coral initially made Baaeed 2-1 favorite, then cut his price to 7-4.

Baaeed was champion miler of 2021 when he went 6-for-6. He won three more times over that trip this year before stepping up to a mile and a quarter at York, where he scored by a hugely impressive 6 1/2 lengths and earned a career-high Racing Post rating of 138, which has been topped on turf only by Frankel .

He was also given a rating of 135 (up from 128) by the BHA, a figure bettered only by Frankel (140) and Baaeed’s sire, Sea The Stars (136), since the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings were introduced in 2004.

Will the Arc Ground Be Suitable for Baaeed?

The last three Arcs have been run in testing conditions. Six of the last 10 were on soft ground or worse, but the number of good-ground runnings over the last 20 years rises to 11.

Complicating the Baaeed team’s decision on whether to run is that the ground can change very quickly at Longchamp in the autumn should the rain arrive. The going was still good on the Friday before the 2021 Arc, only for rain to arrive Saturday and turn the course soft, and finally holding.

But there are other factors that give more cause for optimism. Firstly, there will be a fresh strip of ground on the racing line at Longchamp on the Sunday.

Then there is the emerging evidence that ground described as soft or even good to soft on the French scale, measured by the penetrometer, will ride quicker than that if using the Turftrax GoingStick.

Treve ran only 1.5 seconds outside standard on officially soft ground in 2013, while Enable ‘s Arc victory at Chantilly in 2017 was just 0.31 of a second above the average, again on penetrometer soft.

Haggas walked the track in heavy rain ahead of a 2018 Arc in which Sea of Class was a fast-finishing second, but he and the racing world will hope there is no need to pack an umbrella on the Eurostar Oct. 2.

Picture: Gary Alexander being interviewed after winning a race at Murray Bridge today (via racing.com).

Alexanders And Vorster Combine For Win In Aus

Former Turffontein stalwart trainers Gary And Dean Alexander had a winner today at Murray Bridge in Australia.

Five-year-old mare Eminencia (I Am Invincible) was having her fourth start for the Alexanders and won a Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1400m under another ex-pat South African, Barend Vorster.

Eminencia got up to win by a neck.

The Alexanders arrived in Australia midway through last year.

They are based at Murray Bridge, a state of the art training and racing centre in the village of Gifford Hill, which is 75km from Adelaide in South Australia.

In the 2021/2022 season, their first in Australia, they only had 26 runners for two wins (7.7%) and six places (30.8%).

However, it is picking up a bit now as they have already had seven runners in the first month of the new season for one winner (14.3%) and three places (57.1%).

The brothers had expected a slow start because they were going to build up their string from scratch chiefly by attending sales, so must of their horses must be unraced youngsters.

Gary and Dean, while training out of Turffontein for more than four decades, had made many friends and contacts in Australasia as regular buyers at the Australian and New Zealand Sales.

They were known and greeted out there as “the Alexander brothers”, so should go from strength to strength just as they did in Johannesburg where they at one stage were stabling 160 horses.

Picture: Flightline and connections after his effortless victory in the Met Mile at Belmont Park (Adam Coglianese/NYRA)

Meet The Superstar Rivalling Baaeed For The Title Of World’s Best Racehorse

By Sam Hendry (Racing Post)

Baaeed is the best, right? He quelled any remaining doubts with an awesome performance in the Juddmonte International, extending his unbeaten record to ten. He heads the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings list on a rating of 128, with the figure given before his success on the Knavesmire.

But just one spot and one point below him on that list is American dirt sensation Flightline, who is also unbeaten – albeit from only four starts – and who many Stateside consider to be the most exciting horse in training. The next rankings update on September 15 will take into account Baaeed’s York win and Flightline’s Pacific Classic run this weekend.

Who is Flightline?

Flightline, who cost $1 million at the Saratoga sales in September 2019, has a prodigious pedigree as a son of Tapit, the most dominant US sire of his era and a producer of 29 Grade 1 winners.

Expectations were high from the moment he first stepped foot into John Sadler’s training yard, but it took almost two years following his sale before he was seen on a racecourse, and at one point his racing career looked in major jeopardy after he tore apart his right haunch in a freak stalls accident in training.

He is marked by a jagged scar from the incident, and there were fears that the injury would inhibit his huge potential. It turns out there was no need to worry.

What has he done so far?

Despite not racing as a juvenile and missing the Triple Crown races, usually key in determining the best of each generation and shaping future stallion prospects, the four-year-old Flightline has emerged as the best horse in North America after just four starts.

His debut at Santa Anita last April resulted in a 13-and-a-quarter length destruction and he followed that up with another wide-margin victory at Del Mar five months later, both over six furlongs.

He then stepped up to the top level for his third start in the 7f Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on December 26 and produced another utterly dominant performance, achieving a speed figure higher than any horse racing on dirt in North America that season.

With his reputation thoroughly cemented, Flightline continued his explosive upward trajectory on his first start of 2022 and on his first attempt at a mile, when overcoming a slow start to run out an effortless winner of the Grade 1 Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap.

His four victories have come at a breathtaking combined winning margin of 43 and a half lengths, with nobody yet able to lay the slightest glove on him.

What have connections said?

John Sadler, trainer: “This is not an ordinary horse, this is a very special horse. There is a lot of pressure on you, but it is the pressure you want. You know you have something special and he is much the best. You just don’t want to screw it up.”

Bill Farish, co-owner: “I think everything he has done sets him apart. Flightline is the creme de la creme. He rises echelons above the stars we see every year that come and go. Rarely have we ever had a horse at any level that the trainer has said from work one this is something seriously special.”

How does he compare with Baaeed?

Comparisons with Baaeed should be taken with a pinch of salt, as it is difficult to compare horses who run on different surfaces.

Flightline has raced purely on fast dirt tracks commonplace in the US, while Baaeed has proved dominant on the turf tracks prevalent in Europe.

With that said, the pair are unbeaten, although Baaeed has raced ten times to his rival’s four, with nine of those coming over a mile before he stepped up to a mile and a quarter in spectacular style in the Juddmonte.

Flightline has had just the one start at a mile and is yet to race beyond that, with his previous efforts coming over six and seven furlongs.

Perhaps an objective way to compare the world’s top-rated runners is on times, with Flightline’s stunning effort in the Metropolitan Handicap clocking in at 1min 33.59sec, compared to the 1min 37.74sec it took Baaeed to land the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

Using the rule of thumb that a racing length is the equivalent of one-fifth of a second, that would mean Flightline’s effort at the same distance was 20 lengths superior.

However, a direct time comparison between the US and British racing cannot provide a full picture, with races taking place on different surfaces and conditions, while in the US they have a ‘run-up’, where horses travel a short distance before the timer is triggered. In the Metropolitan, the run-up was 60ft.

What next for Flightline?

The unbeaten superstar will return in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar this Saturday, when he will tackle a mile and a quarter for the first time.

Will he take to the new distance as well as Baaeed did? Time will tell, but he will be a strong favourite to do so and Sadler is confident, although aware of the challenge.

Sadler said: “This is a tough ask. To go from a mile to a mile and a quarter in your fifth start, it’s not an easy thing. But we feel he is capable of doing it because he’s that kind of a horse.”

A win there will emphasise his position as favourite for the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Classic in November, where, dependent on what Baaeed does in the Arc or Champion Stakes, he could surpass Shadwell’s star as the world’s best.

Picture: Keagan de Melo riding the second of this three winners today on the Candice Dawson-trained Banha Bridge (Flower Alley), who has now won five times for Dawson’s husband Alistair Cohen and family.

Matsunyane/Naidoo Treble, De Melo Treble, Dawson Double

Kabelo matsunyane went further ahead at the top of the National Jockeys table when riding a treble for Ashburton trainer Kumaran Naidoo on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly today.

Candice Dawson raided from Johannesburg and clinched a double, both of them ridden by Keagan de Melo.

De Melo late made it a treble when riding a winner for Robbie Hill.

Matsunyane has ridden 20 winners this season at a strike rate of 19.05%.

He is three clear of De Melo, whose 17 winners have come at a strike rate of 21.52%.

Naidoo has made a tremendous start to the season and his nine winners have been at 15%.

He is currently in 8th place on the National Trainers log. His 8 winners in KZN have put him on top of the KZN log, one ahead of Glen Kotzen.

Dawson has had three winners this season at 33.33%.

Today’s Question

Who won the African Breeders Challenge Stakes in the 1940’s carrying the saddle in his hand?

The subject is pictured above.

Turffontein Inside Fields

Today’s Question Answer

Charlie Barends won the African Breeders Stakes for juveniles over 1400m at Greyville on April 23, 1949, riding the Lenin filly Nylon Queen. The girth and surcingle broke in the run in and he grabbed the saddle from under him and, holding it in one hand, rode his mount bare back to victory.

Barends was born in Johannesburg on September 24, 1919.

His first rides were on donkeys on the farm next to his home.

In 1932 he was apprenticed to Bob Huston, going later to Jackie Gorton and Walter Krog.

It was 18 months before he rode a winner.

It was while with Krog he started going places.

His first and only July win was on the Krog-trained Extinguisher II (Limelight) in 1938.

He did later have four second places and one third in the July.

He won seven Gold Cups, a record he held until beaten by Felix Coetzee in 2012.

He was SA Champion jockey three times and Natal Champion jockey twelve times.

He was the first to ride 100 winners in a season in Natal.

Picture: Charlie Barends (left) congratulated by ‘Tiger’ Wright on winning his first Championship in 1955/6.

Turf Talk Newsletter – 31 August 2022