Surjay has the ability to upset in the Golden Horse as he proved when downing Kommetdieding and Trip Of Fortune over 1200m back in November. (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Surjay Could Cause A Big Upset In Golden Horse

The Brett Crawford-trained Vercingetorix gelding Surjay could be the horse to side with in the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday, although his 20/1 odds are probably a true reflection of his last three runs.

Crawford has won this race before and did it with a three-year-old, Bold Respect, who carried 55,5kg. Surjay is four and carries 56kg. Vercingetorix’s progeny have won three Gr 1’s over this course and distance already. Surjay’s best run this season was when beating Kommetdieding and Trip Of Fortune over this distance in the Non-Black Type Bantry Bay Stakes on the tough Kenilworth course. He showed good cruising speed and an exceptional turn of foot that day. That is exactly what is required to win at HWB Scottsville. It was also his second run after a layoff. It is his second run after a layoff here. He made his KZN pipe opener in the IOS Drill Hall over 1400m, running a 4,20 length seventh. Surjay has faced Gimme A Prince three times this season. He finished on top of him over 1100m in October receiving just 2kg. In their next clash he jumped from draw 20 of 20 in the Merchants and tired after facing the breeze the whole way. However, in the Gr 1 Pongracz Cape Flying he hit the front close to home, but was run out of it. He will now be 4kg better off for a 2,70 length beating from that race. Hopefully he recaptures his earlier form because he will need to improve on his last three runs if he is to win. What makes this a real possibility is this is his second run after gelding.

The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Gimme A Prince will be out to become the first topweight since Talktothestars (Overlord) in 2016 to win the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint. The four-year-old has only had eight starts and has won four of them including the Gr 1 Pongracz Cape Flying Championship and the Gr 2 Cape Merchants. The Cape Flying was over the too sharp 1000m, but he still came through to win narrowly after showing a fine turn of foot from off the pace. He only just held off a flying Rio Querari that day and now has to give him half-a-kilogram. However, on subsequent form over 1200m, the Gr 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes, it is Gimme A Prince who emerges better on form because he beat Rio Querari that day despite carrying a 2kg Gr 1 penalty. He subsequently proved in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m he stays further, so the tough Hollywoodbets Scottsville 1200m will suit him. This Gimmethegreenlight gelding is in fact out of the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint winner Real Princess (Trippi). The latter was owned by Khaya Stables and trained by Kannemeyer and Gimme A Prince is a Khaya Stables homebred, so it would be a fairytale if he does win.

We’re Jamming is an interesting runner because he was beaten only two lengths by Gimme A Prince in the Cape Merchants when receiving 4kg and now receives 5kg plus has had weight for age improvement since then. He did not perform as well in the Diadem, but ran well last time in the Gr 3 Champagne Stakes over 1200m when beaten 0,30 lengths by Rio Querari. He now faces the latter on the same terms and that doesn’t take into account his one month’s worth of weight for age improvement. He could represent good value.

Joint topweight William Robertson has speed and a lot of class and he should also enjoy this tough 1200m being a horse who has won a Gr 2 over 1400m.

Rio Querari is a class act and should be in the shake up too.

Under Your Spell has real class too, as she proved when waltzing away with the Gr 1 Allan Robertson over course and distance as a two-year-old, so she is interesting carrying just 54.5kg.

After The Rain is way under sufferance, but nearly beat William Robertson in the Gr 2 Spring Challenge when way under sufferance and he actually gave the latter weight in that race. He is hard to keep sound because of his huge, awkward action, but his innate ability is better than his merit rating suggests and he can’t be written off.

Supreme Warrior was fancied for the Cape Flying, but it did not pan out well and he could be a player carrying 57kg as he is speedy but stays a mile, so will enjoy the course and distance.

Thunderstruck won the Gr 1 Gold Medallion in fine style last season and looked set for stardom, so he is interesting back here carrying the 54kg bottom weight because his disappointing season has been from contesting races mainly over further.

Taikonaut has a superb turn of foot and carries a nice galloping weight of 55kg and he should enjoy this trip, although he still has a bit to prove.

Good Traveller has been a bit lacklustre lately but if bouncing back carrying bottom weight of 54kg he could be a player and how well and how enthusiastic he looks in the parade ring will give a clue.

Bartholdi was the runner up last year, but is seven points higher in the merit ratings this year.

Seeking The Stars has the ability to be involved, but this is his second run after a layoff of a year.

Countdown needs to find 2,95 lengths on Gimme A Prince from the Diadem but is only 1kg better off.

Full Velocity is 1,5kg under sufferance and needs to improve on her recent runs.

Gladatorian is 1.5kg under sufferance and needs improvement on his 1200m form, but he is lightly raced and might have more to come having won in good style last time out in the Listed In Full Flight Stakes over 1000m at this course.

The selection is Surjay to beat Gimme A Prince with We’re Jamming, William Robertson and Rio Querari next best.

Ryan Moore

Ryan Moore Previews His Day One Rides At Derby Festival

His rides include the hot favourite for the Oaks

Betfair ambassador Ryan Moore has five rides on the first day of the meeting in Surrey
The Oaks is the big race of the day – and Moore believes he has a “top class” ride in the race
Moore was speaking exclusively to Betfair.

2.00 (15H00 SA Time) – The Camden Colt

He ran a nice race for me when third on his debut over 5f at Chester last month and he clearly benefited from that experience when stepping up to 6f and making all at Haydock last time.

He is one of many in here with a winning chance, I suppose, and his midfield draw in seven could have been better and could have been worse.

2.35 (15H35 SA Time) – Revich

I haven’t ridden him before but he has excellent course form – he has won around here and he was second in this race last season – and he comes here in good nick after winning easily at Chester.

He went up 6lb for that win, so this will be much tougher – he is back to his career-high mark – but he is ground-versatile and he clearly has a good chance.

3.10 (16H10 SA Time) – Point Lonsdale

Westover ran a great race for me when second to Equinox in the Sheema Classic in March and last year’s Derby third is probably just about the one to beat in here, for all Emily Upjohn has to be respected and Hurricane Lane bounced back to form last time.

All of those three have proven course form, too. The German horse Tunnes is certainly not a no-hoper, even if his Group 1-winning form has come in much deeper ground.

However, Point Lonsdale is really getting his act together after an interrupted 3yo campaign and I loved his attitude when winning for me in testing ground at Chester. He dug it out very well there.

This is clearly a much tougher assignment but this will tell us where we are at with him in Group 1 terms. The better surface here will be no issue for him, though the company might.

3.45 (16H45 SA Time) – Savvy Victory

I rode him when he was fifth in the Cambridgeshire and he probably ran as well as he has ever done when second for me at Chester last time, only giving best to a tenacious winner close home.

The handicapper thought so anyway, as he upped him 2lb to a career-high mark of 106, so this will be tough. But of course he has his chance, and good ground will be fine for him.

4.30 (17H30 SA Time) – Savethelastdance

Being honest, I think it will take a very good filly to beat her, but there could be two such horses here in Soul Sister and Running Lion.

I thought both were very impressive in winning the Musidora and Pretty Polly respectively and if they fully see out this 1m4f trip, which they are possibly not guaranteed to do on pedigree – Soul Sister’s speed in a slowly-run Musidora was the feature of that win – then they are obviously very serious rivals.

Stamina is not a question mark hanging over my filly as the manner in which she kept on picking up and powered through line at Chester was pretty rare. You could feel her quickening all the time, even in that ground, and it was a very taking performance. Of course, that came on heavy but there is no reason why this quicker surface should be any issue at all. The dam loved fast ground.

She struck me as top class at Chester and let’s hope she can prove that here under different conditions. Her draw in four is fine.

We also run Be Happy and Red Riding Hood and, while they clearly have a fair bit to find form-wise, the trip will suit them both.

ENDS

Chansonette winning the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Cape Fillies Guineas Winner Chansonette Retired

The announcement of the Sabine Plattner-owned filly’s retirement was made last week.

Cape Racing wrote about it:

It pays to follow hot horses when they are in prime fitness and performing at their very best. Unfortunately, those golden spells seldom last for long – such are the fluctuations in the physical condition of racehorses, despite the expert attention lavished on them by their trainers.

The now retired Vercingetorix ex Champery filly, Chansonette is a case in point. After winning on debut in June 2021, she just got better and better through the Spring and Summer. Andre Nel’s charge stunned Desert Miracle in the G1 World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas, then ran close seconds to champion, Captain’s Ransom in the Cartier Paddock and Schweppes Majorca Stakes, both G1’s.

Nel wisely decided to rest her after those Summer of ‘22 heroics and give her time to develop physically. The bay returned to action in October of that year at Hollywoodbets Durbanville in the G3 Diana Stakes where she succumbed by half a length, as favourite, to Santa Maria.

There was no disgrace in the effort, but rather than go forward from that comeback she regressed slightly at her next start when a tamely, fading third to emerging three-year-old star, Make It Snappy and Marina.

Such are the vagaries of racing. From being a rapidly progressive youngster mixing it with the country’s best (apart from downing Desert Miracle, she finished ahead of multiple G1 winner, Princess Calla a couple of times,) Chansonette was slipping backwards. It turned out she’d developed a severe bleeding problem. Beset by epistaxis, her performances suffered.

Despite Nel’s best efforts to manage a difficult situation, Chansonette trailed in last at her next two starts and a prudent decision was taken to call time on her racing career.

From seemingly being poised to win more G1’s as a mature four-year-old, it was suddenly all over – a wistful case of what- might- have- been on the racetrack.

Much of the allure of racing lies in its mystique. No one really knows for sure what will happen and there are no certainties nor rigid rules that reassuringly apply. It’s ideal when talent and durability go together in a potent thoroughbred package, but that rarely happens.

Chansonette is now at stud – an immaculately conformed specimen, with a great race record (highest OMR 123) compiled in an all-too-brief golden summer. Her dam, Champery was a brilliant sprinter whose career was also cut cruelly short.

Chansonette’s progeny are awaited with great interest – their inherited genes would predispose them to abundant talent. And, with better luck, they might also be sufficiently robust to enjoy long, productive racing careers.

Savethelastdance: was a runaway winner of the Cheshire Oaks by 22 lengths under Ryan Moore Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Aidan O’Brien Blown Away By Oaks Favourite Savethelastdance

‘It was so unusual, almost like an optical illusion’ – Aidan O’Brien blown away by Oaks favourite Savethelastdance

David Jennings (Racing Post)

Aidan O’Brien thought Savethelastdance’s eye-popping 22-length Chester romp might have been an optical illusion before sectional times revealed it was anything but, and now the master trainer cannot wait to see what she can do in the Betfred Oaks (which is to be run at 17H30 South African time tomorrow (Friday)).

A field of 11 have been declared for Friday’s Classic and Savethelastdance is a best price 11-8 with Sky Bet to hand O’Brien his seventh Oaks in nine years and 11th overall as she takes on the John and Thady Gosden-trained pair Soul Sister and Running Lion.

Reflecting on her stunning Cheshire Oaks victory, a performance which saw her complete the final two furlongs in a quicker time than any of the field in the Lily Agnes over 5f earlier on the card, or the later sprint handicap for three-year-olds, the Ballydoyle maestro concluded what she did there was very rare indeed.

O’Brien said: “Usually when you see those things happening it’s a bit of an illusion to your eye and it looks like the rest are stopping. People often say a horse quickened up very well, but often they are not quickening at all but, in fact, getting slower. But the times said she was quickening which was very unusual for a strongly run race like that.

“It was unusual when the times came out and we saw what she had done, but Ryan did say on the day that she absolutely galloped through the line. It was great to see it. She was very impressive.”

He added: “They went a good strong gallop and when you have a horse in a race who has a little bit of class, they can come through from behind like she did and win. But what was unusual with her was the way she went through the last two furlongs. She just kept accelerating and I think that makes it unusual, so we’re looking forward to the Oaks the same as everyone else.

“It’s going to be very interesting to see what happens on better ground. She hasn’t done a lot of work since and doesn’t need much work as she’s a very clear-winded filly, so she’s been cantering away and seems very happy. We’re looking forward to seeing what’s going to happen.”

Savethelastdance has yet to encounter any ground without soft or heavy in the going description so she has questions to answer on that front, but O’Brien thinks the quicker surface could be more of a help to her than a hindrance.

He said: “Most Galileos who we have had always wanted good ground and they wouldn’t be soft ground horses at all. And, with having Scat Daddy in her bloodline too, you would say she should be suited to it. It will be interesting to see.

“You don’t take anything for granted, it’s a different track and different ground and it’s going to be very exciting to see what she does do.

“When you go up in distance there’s a lot of different things that can happen. We’ve won the Oaks with fillies who have never gone the distance before so there’s plenty that could happen. I think there’s a lot of quality fillies in there so it will be exciting.”

One of the big worries for trainers in the lead-up to the Betfred Derby on Saturday is a repeat of Grand National day, when Animal Rising protests caused havoc and delayed the big race.

When asked how concerned he was over something similar happening at Epsom, O’Brien replied: “It’s out of our control, but any delay would be a big negative. Things happen every day to test us all and you just have to make the best of a situation whatever way it has fallen. That’s all any of us can do really. It will be the same for everybody.

“Obviously it’s not ideal for anybody if there’s a delay – the horses, the people involved, everybody.

“Hopefully everybody will see sense and it won’t be like that, but all any of us can do is our best and hopefully everybody will see sense and look at the welfare of the animals and people and everybody first.”

O’Brien made no secret of the fact that late travel rearrangements had a detrimental effect on his Guineas teams at Newmarket and, with a 1.30 off time for the Derby, once again his string cannot make the trip on the day of the race.

This time the Derby team will arrive at Epsom 48 hours beforehand rather than the day before as was the case ahead of the Guineas, O’Brien feeling it was the most sensible option.

He said: “The Derby horses are leaving Ballydoyle on Thursday afternoon, I think that’s the plan. We usually travel on the day, but with the early start we couldn’t take that risk.

“We don’t have any choice other than to take them earlier this year. We think it’s the sensible thing to do and the responsible thing to do.

“The Oaks is not as early as the Derby, but we’re sending the fillies early so they are doing the same route as the colts. We’ll see what happens.”

Betfred Oaks (Epsom, 4.30 Friday)

bet365: 11-10 Savethelastdance, 9-4 Soul Sister, 6 Running Lion, 10 Eternal Hope, 20 Heartache Tonight, 33 Be Happy, Caernarfon, Red Riding Hood, 40 Sea Of Roses, 50 Maman Joon, 66 Bright Diamond

Owner Rose Waterman-Wentzel describes Noble City’s unusually shaped blaze as resembling “a Victorian woman wearing a bustle.” (Picture supplied).

Noble City, Unusually Marked Horse With A Lot Of Talent

Peter Muscutt reached the 50 mark for the season on Saturday and it was fittingly with one of his most promising horses, the three-year-old Noble Tune gelding Noble City.

He later scored a double through another horse who has a good story behind her, the Hollywood Syndicate-owned William Longsword filly Shanta’s Pride.

Rose Waterman-Wentzel of Twilight Moon Equine managed to buy the Rupert Plersch-bred Noble City off the Rathmor Stud farm where he was raised.

It was not surprising she was interested in him because he is a half-brother to her Grade 1-winning sprinter Battle Force.

The latter had not yet won his Grade 1 race when the purchase happened, but nevertheless Noble City went for a bargain price as he was a magnificent looker.

Brett van Laun of Camargue Stud completed the purchasing process on behalf of Waterman-Wentzel and recalled the total price for the package of two horses, including him, came to about R80,000.

He added, “He was a magnificent specimen and I said to Rose if he had been by any other stallion he would have fetched a million.”

Noble City stayed on the Camargue Stud farm after the purchase and was a “very naughty” horse according to Brett.

He was relieved when Rose followed his suggestion to geld.

Noble City used to attempt to jump out of his box, so Brett had to erect a second door above the first one.

Then one day when doing his routine, Brett noticed him in a neighbouring paddock playing with an Erupt colt.

They later saw the scuff marks where he had jumped over the pole fencing.

Brett was watching on bemused at how he had got into the other paddock when to his horror Noble City, while playing with the other colt, reared up on to his hindlegs and walked forward in stallion fashion towards the pole fence.

He then fell forward on to the fence and got stuck.

It was an intricate excercise to free him, because his hind leg had become stuck in between two poles. Cutting the poles would have caused the weight of the poles above to fall on to the leg.

However, they managed to free him unscathed.

Due to his jumping antics, the Waterman-Wentzels wonder whether that Noble City will one day make it as a showjumper.

Another point which attracted Rose to Noble City, apart from his pedigree and magnificent looks, was his unusually shaped white blaze.

Rose describes it as resembling “a Victorian woman wearing a bustle.”

Noble City was a Hollywoodbets Durban July entry, but was scratched after not winning his previous start over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

He was brought down the inside that day, which looked to be the wrong side on the day.

Noble City won in impressive fashion on debut, by three lengths over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

He was beaten into third second time out over the same course and distance but Richard Fourie blamed himself for the defeat.

He mentioned the defeat in the post race interview after Noble City had won his third career start over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, “It was a small field and I got pocketed and couldn’t get out … I did apologise. It probably wasn’t the brightest idea sitting so long on him and getting baulked.”

On Saturday, Noble City was carrying only 53kg plus Richard Fourie’s half-a-kilogram overweight. However, he had a tough task on paper with the 116 rated Union Square because off his 95 merit rating he was officially 6.5kg under sufferance.

Nevertheless, he never looked like losing.

The handsome gelding was the standout in the running, travelling well one out and one back with cover in the small six horse field.

He turned it on impressively when asked the question by Fourie and bounded home to win by 1,30 lengths from Listed WSB Sledgehammer winner Lord William, from whom he did admittedly receive 6.5kg.

The Gr 2 Jonsson Workwear Dingaans winner Union Square was beaten two lengths into third.

Noble City has now won three out of five and has had excuses for his two losses.

He remains an exciting prospect.

Later, Muscutt reached 51 wins for the season when Shanta’s Pride squeezed through a gap when still having plenty to do in a 1200m handicap and ran on strongly to just get up.

It was her second win from seven starts.

She was named for Hollywood by Craig Peters.

Craig combined the names of his offspring Sheldon, Angelique and Tacita, to form the name Shanta’s Pride.

Craig and his wife Lorraine as well as Sheldon led Shanta’s Pride in on Saturday.

The most pleasing aspect of the win for the connections was she was not making her usual breathing noise at the pull up.

Muscutt had fitted a special type of tongue tie and it looks to have done the trick.

The battle for the KZN trainers championship is hotting up with Garth Puller on 56 wins in KZN for the season, Michael Roberts on 48, Peter Muscutt on 46, Gareth van Zyl on 44 and Wendy Whitehead on 43.

Inner City selling to Godolphin for 1,100,000gns at last year’s Tattersalls Book 1. Credit: Laura Green

Seven Figure Kieswetter-bred Colt Fourth On Debut For Godolphin

The Charlie Appleby-trained Godolphin-owned Dubawi colt Inner City made his debut over seven furlongs at Yarmouth today and after taking a keen hold stayed on for a close up fourth.

He should have benefited from the experience and is one to be with next time out.

He is entered in a six-and-a-half furlong race at Newbury next Wednesday.

The colt was a seven-figure yearling from Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when selling to Godolphin for 1,100,000gns.

He is the second foal of the wonderful Foxwedge mare Urban Fox, who stands at the Kieswetter family’s Barnane Stud.

Urban Fox was a five-time winner whose career highlight came when landing the Curragh’s Pretty Polly Stakes.

Having started out with James Tate, Urban Fox’s other highlights on the track included placings in the Nassau Stakes, Prix Jean Romanet and Fillies’ Mile.

Urban Fox was bred by Mascalls Stud and was initially a 10,000gns sale to Rabbah Bloodstock at Book 2 in 2015, before selling to Barnane for 425,000gns at the 2017 Tattersalls December Mare Sale. She is a half-sister to a number of minor winners, being out of the winning Nashwan mare Lomapamar, a half-sister to Royal Lodge Stakes scorer and Racing Post Trophy third Mons, plus Irish Oaks third Inforapenny.

The Yarmouth contest, the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes, is a race Godolphin like to target, with previous winners including stakes scorers New Science and Naval Power.

Klondike after winning on debut over a mile and three furlongs at Newbury.

Jonsson’s Klondike Holds Royal Ascot Entry After Listed Second

Prolific South African owner Nick Jonsson had his first winner in the U.K. recently with the William Haggas-trained Klondike and this Galileo colt followed up that debut victory with a second place finish in a Listed race at Goodwood over a mile and three furlongs last Friday.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Gregory, who is by Golden Horn out of a Galileo mare, started odds-on for the Goodwood event and won it by three lengths.

Klondike runs in Jonsson’s colours despite having esteemed joint owners John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Luca and Sara Cumani’s Fittocks Stud.

The horse holds an entry for the 1m4f (1m3f211y) Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes for 3yo colts and geldings at the Royal Ascot meeting.

However, Jonsson was not convinced he would be taking his place as there were some possibly better options.

Ripple Effect won the first race today easily and it was Ashley Fortune’s 50th win of the season and the first leg of a quick double together with Raymond Danielson (JC Photos).

Danielson Rides Double For 50-Up Fortune, Azzies Score Double

Raymond Danielson rode a double for Ashley Fortune today.

The first of them clinched Fortune her 50th win of the season.

Mike and Adam Azzie also scored a double.

Danielson goes to 30 wins for the season at 11.54%.

Fortune is on 51 wins at 10.97%.

The Azzies are on 34 wins at 19.54%.

The subject of the question is pictured above

Today’s Question

Who was the first South African rider to win a British classic race and which race did he win?

Question answer at the bottom of the newsletter

Fairview Turf Fields, Friday

John Gorton ecstatic after winning the Epsom Oaks on Sleeping Partner.

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION

John Gorton won the 1969 Epsom Oaks on the Doug Smith-trained Lord Roseberry-homebred Sleeping Partner (Parthia).

Gorton produced a magnificent ride in the July of 1967 aboard the Fred Rickaby-trained lightweight Jollify to dead-heat with the immortal Sea Cottage.

Wikipedia describes Sleeping Partner’s three-year-old career below:

Sleeping Partner made her first appearance as a three-year-old in the Oaks Trial at Lingfield Park Racecourse on 17 May and won at odds of 14/1. In the 191st running of the Oaks Stakes over one and a half miles at Epsom Racecourse on 7 June the filly was partnered by the South African-born jockey John Gorton and started at odds of 17/1 in a fifteen-runner field. The leading contenders appeared to be Full Dress and Wenduyne, the winners of the 1000 Guineas and the Irish 1000 Guineas respectively.[6] After being restrained towards the rear in the early stages she produced a sustained run on the outside in the last quarter-mile, overtook the front-running Frontier Goddess inside the final 100 yards and won by three-quarters of a length with Myastrid four lengths back in third place.[7] At Royal Ascot later that month, with Gorton again in the saddle, she was made the 7/4 favourite for the Ribblesdale Stakes[8] and came home five lengths clear of her opponents.

Shortly after her win at Ascot Sleeping Partner contracted a respiratory infection which interrupted her season. She ran twomore races that year without recapturing her best form, finishing third behind Frontier Goddess and Wenduyne in the Yorkshire Oaks in August and fourth to Aggravate in the Park Hill Stakes in September.

She only ran once the next season and was retired after finishing unplaced.

However, she proved to be barren at stud.

Turf Talk Newsletter – 1 June, 2023