Turf Talk Newsletter – 31 December, 2025

Turn It Up was the first winner for Querari on the day and this half-brother and Sean Tarry-trained stablemate to Gr 1 winner Proceed looks to be going places (JC Photos)

Cape Breeders

Maine Chance Farms’ inform stallion Querari had a day to remember on Tuesday.

Querari came up with three eye catching winners at Turffontein on Tuesday despite the son of Oasis Dream only having four runners on the card.

Querari came up with his fourth two-year-old winner, from eight juvenile starters, this season when his son Turn It Up romped home on Tuesday.

The Sean Tarry trained two-year-old, and half-brother to champion Proceed, had finished second on debut but made no mistakes when he won the first race at Turffontein.

Under Keagan De Melo, the Laurence Wernars bred Turn It Up pulled clear to win the 4Racing Welcomes You Maiden Juvenile Plate (1000m) by more than five and a quarter lengths.

Owned by the Wernars Family in partnership with Mukund Gujadhur, Turn It Up is out of the Captain Al mare Xplosive Kiss and is bred on the same Querari/Captain Al cross as graded stakes winners Head Honcho, Kampala Campari and Questioning.

Querari struck again in Tuesday’s fifth race when his lightly raced son Trombolines justified favouritism to take the TAB 4Racing App Maiden Plate (1400m).

Hailing from the Mike and Mathew De Kock stable, three-year-old Trombolines had finished second on his only start prior to Tuesday’s race.

The Querari colt was always travelling well, under Callan Murray, and Trombolines kept galloping strongly to shed his maiden by just over a length and a quarter.

Bred by Cheveley Stud, Trombolines races for Hollywood Racing. The son of Querari, who is out of the Mambo In Seattle mare Spring In Seattle, was a R600 000 buy from the 2024 National Yearling Sale.

Querari is also the sire of the smart Solar Sail, who caught the eye when he won Tuesday’s Racing240 Graduation Plate (1600m). It was a fine return from the gelding, who had had a nasty fall when contesting the G1 Betway Summer Cup.

Under Callan Murray, the four-year-old jumped out quickly and went out to make the running. Solar Sail kept galloping strongly and went away to score by more than two and a quarter lengths.

Bred by Ben Botha (Pty) Ltd, the Mark Khan trained Solar Sail, like Tromolines, is out of a daughter of Mambo In Seattle in the form Fly Rebecca Fly.

Owned by Messrs J A Maroun, D Anthony, V J Backos, A A Dormehl, D A Simpson, D Palmer & D Erasmus, Solar Sail had shown smart form at three when he finished third in the G1 TAB SA Derby.

Turffontein Standside Thursday Formguides And Selections

Race Coast

R1 Preview: CUSTODIAN (2) ran well on debut behind what seems to be a very talented horse, Heath House. OCEAN MISTRESS (6) is nicely bred and could go close first up. Watch the betting trends as race time looms. TEA FOR THREE (8) might be able to threaten on debut and CALADRIUS (1) can improve to place. (Warren Lenferna 2-6-8-1)

R2 Preview: SIKELOI (5) ran an absolute cracker last time and was beaten a nose. She is making huge improvement each time she comes to the races and could be a very hard filly to oppose this time. GALAXY QUEEN (6) has strong each way claims. WAR TALK (4) ran second to Frangipani last time and should again be very competitive – go close. KORTVANDRAAD (1) is a must for the quartet based on her better last run. (Warren Lenferna 5-6-4-1)

R3 Preview: JAFFA (9) has run two attractive races and looks ready for the maiden win. ONE OF THOSE DAYS (10) showed tremendous progression at the second time of asking and should be able to go very close to winning – big danger. HAT AND HEELS (11) can improve more and has a huge place chance. SPACE MISSION (4) is a must for all betting calculations – expect a decent effort. (Warren Lenferna 9-10-11-4)

R4 Preview: MERRYWEATHER (6) boasts solid, good form and ran her socks off in the feature last time behind Hazy Dazy and will have a huge winning chance. MOCHA FRAPPE (7) ran a hugely improved race last time and should be able to notch up his second career victory soon, if not today. Strong each way claims. THE MERCIFUL (8) and BLIZZARD QUEST (2) have solid enough form to warrant inclusion for the quartet. (Warren Lenferna 6-7-8-2)

R5 Preview: GRAND EMPIRE (6) does take on some seriously competitive hard knockers but clearly is on the up and seriously progressive. He is selected to remain unbeaten after todays run. He could be anything. MAX THE MAGICIAN (1) is ultra-consistent and can never be excluded form any bets. Gavin Lerena finds the ride. PLAYER (5) and PIONEER SQUARE (2) both from the Candice and Tammy Dawson yards, have the form to be fiercely competitive – chances to them both. (Warren Lenferna 6-1-5-2)

R6 Preview: ARTIC SILVER (11) boasts consistent form, gets weight off the back and is never far off the action. She has strong each way claims. TEO TORRIATTE (1) has ability and now gets Craig Zackey. She is a seven-time winner and should threaten all the way home. BAKWENA (2) is holding form and should again be in the first three and FUTURE DATE (4) is one for the shortlist. (Warren Lenferna 11-1-2-4)

R7 Preview: MOUNT ETNA (1) is taking time for the next win but is running well and could be the value. ALTA CAPITANA (2) can be expected to serve up way more than she has in her last three – place value. PEPPER TREE (7) went close last time at long odds and if confirming that, can place again. BOLD ACTION (10) with the light weight could earn. (Warren Lenferna 1-2-7-10)

R8 Preview: HAT FURIOUS (10) caught the eye when a good third behind Chabal over 2000m on the 23rd of October and looks ready for another huge run. Sparkling winning chance. CREPUSCOLO (12) is taking time for the next win but is making huge threats of achieving it soon – strong chance. PEACE TREATY (1) has a huge place chance and CASUS BELLI (5) is a natural inclusion for trifectas and quartets. (Warren Lenferna 10-12-1-5)

R9 Preview: RINGA RINGA ROSES (3) has solid form and rates the one to be with. She could be hard to beat. RUSSIAN NOBILITY (5) trotted up on debut to post a smart win and could be absolutely anything – respect and include in everything. UNITED OFFER (2) can be expected to serve up way more than she did last time but in saying that is was a tough feature race field – good chance, she is a nice filly. MOUNTAIN HIGH (1) is a must for the quartet – she is never far off the winners. (Warren Lenferna 3-5-2-1)

Kabral Du Mathan is an odd-on shot for the Gr 2 Relkeel Hurdle (Picture: Sky Sports Racing)

The New Year’s Day highlight in the UK is a Cheltenham meeting which features the Gr 2 Relkeel Hurdle.

The race is called the Relkeel Hurdle after a popular grey who won the Gr 2 International Hurdle at the course in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Kabral Du Mathan couldn’t have been much more impressive on his first run for Dan Skelton and that very smart handicap performance suggests he’s more than capable of winning at Graded level.

He is the one to beat in this year’s Relkeel Hurdle and has duly been priced up as odds-on favourite.

Last year’s winner Lucky Place hasn’t taken to fences but can do better back hurdling and could give the selection most to think about.

Jingko Blue is not out of it either.

Click here to read comprehensive formguide for the Relkeel Hurdle

Caption: Cape trainer Ralph Rixon and his 1976 July winner Jamaican Music 

Equally fitting as this season’s milestone R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July falling on the 30th anniversary of London News’ Centenary July victory is that it will fall on the 50th anniversary of the July victory of one of South Africa’s most loved horses, the Ralph Rixon-trained Jamaican Music, a grey of astonishing intelligence.

Jamaican Music is also central to one of the July’s most controversial incidents as he had started second favourite as a three-year-old in 1974, but much to the bitter disappointment of his connections and of many punters, jockey Tom Rattley fell off shortly after the start.

The incident was exacerbated by a shock result.

The 20/1 outsider Riboville romped to the easiest victory in July history, beating 33/1 outsider Sea Patrol, ridden by 15 year-old apprentice Dave Byrnes, by 4,50 lengths.

For Rixon the nightmare was erased when five-year-old Jamaican Music won the 1976 July at odds of 8-1.

“I was very confident that year,” recalled the late Rixon a few years ago.

“Jamaican Music always came from near the back and then flew up but he always got there in time. With Bert Abercrombie up, a jockey who also liked to ride that way, I knew he would win. The owner (Dr CC Crohin) decided to retire him to stud immediately but I think he still had a year’s racing in him and was a certainty for the Gold Cup Gr 3 as he stayed all day.”

The 1976 July result was immensely popular as the athletic grey had won many new fans after the 1974 running due to his quite astonishing intelligence.

It had not escaped the notice of many, including the press, that after losing Rattley, Jamaican Music had run as if being guided by a top professional jockey.

“He worked his way through the field very cleverly without causing any interference,” confirmed Rixon. “Whenever a gap appeared he surged through it and would then sit and wait. Even when they came into the straight he sat behind the leader for a while before running away in the last furlong.

“He was a horse who knew what to do from the first day he raced. He had a wonderful temperament and never put a foot wrong. He was just a champion.”

However, punters did not take kindly to the 1974 result and it was not long before conspiracy theories surfaced with some claiming Rattley had deliberately jumped off.

These theories snowballed over the years, but have fortunately been thoroughly debunked by men who were close to the action, two of whom are still prominent in South African racing today.

Garth Puller, who was riding Bon Vista, said a few years ago that he would stake his life and reputation it was a genuine fall.

“Shortly after the jump Jamaican Music clipped the heels of a horse in front of him and pecked. This is like a catapult to the rider as the bit pulls the rein like an elastic.

“I was directly behind Jamaican Music and Tom went over the side of his neck. Normally in this circumstance you would just fall off and roll away but if you’re on the July favourite you try and cling on and from my angle he looked to be clinging on to the rein.

“However, it would be like hanging onto the side of a bus and he had no chance of getting back up. Luckily Jamaican Music had not reached the rail yet and Tom fell to the left so the horses behind him were able to avoid him.”

Michael Roberts was on the horse drawn next to Jamaican Music, Kings Palace, and was right alongside when Rattley fell.

He echoed Puller’s sentiments, although he remembered Rattley clinging onto the stirrup leather in his desperate effort to stay aboard.

The late Dave Cave was on Castaway and recalled speaking to Tom Rattley on the way to the start and warning him of the mad rush in the first 400m before the horses start coming across just before the Drill Hall turn.

“It was Tom’s first ride in the big race,” said Cave, “and I think he panicked when he saw the horses coming across as he thought he was going to lose his position and rushed Jamaican Music up onto the heels of the horses in front of him.”

Cave said Jamaican Music had actually pecked twice. Rattley lost control after the first peck and Jamaican Music had then rushed forward and clipped heels again.

Over the years other mumblings surfaced around the George Azzie stable jockey, the late Martie Schoeman, riding second-string Riboville and winning whilst the late Roy Curling rode the favourite, Elevation, and finished fourth.

However, Curling’s son, Ray, quickly put that rumour to bed.

“Martie Schoeman had been fired by Azzie earlier in the season,” said Ray.

“However the two patched things up about ten days before the July. In the meantime my father had ridden Elevation to win the Johannesburg Champion Stakes Gr 2 and finish second in the Clairwood Champion Stakes Gr 1 so Martie was only given the spare ride on Riboville.

Ray added, “In the build up to the July Elevation went ‘over the top’ in his training whilst Riboville began working like a bomb and improved by lengths.”

The result came as no surprise to the yard and Riboville gave Dennis and Peggy Mosenthal, who also owned Elevation, a much deserved July victory 22 years after the heartbreak of their horse Radlington’s narrow and controversial loss to Mowgli in 1952, a result the judges took ten minutes to decide.

Radlington also finished second in 1953 and was third in 1954, beaten two lengths and 1,80 lengths respectively.

There is actually a permament reminder of the 1974 July result in Gauteng. Riboville’s unexpected victory provided a significant financial windfall for the Sinovich family, who later established the Riboville Boutique Hotel and Restaurant, a five-star attraction which is still thriving in Midrand.

But to underline the popularity of Jamaican Music, the recently retired four-time July-winning jockey legend Piere Strydom had this to say about his earliest July memory,  “I heard about the July as a little kid, because my dad was a jockey and I used to look at the race card and was getting involved without really knowing it. I remember the first horse that caught my attention was Jamaican Music, this lovely grey horse, and when he won it in 1976 that was my first fond memory of the July.”