Virginia Beach wins on debut under Calvin Habib and gives Tony Peter the perfect start to his career as a licensed trainer (JC Photos)

Tony Peter’s First Runner A Winner

A familiar surname returned to today’s Computaform for the Vaal Classic meeting as Tony Peter saddled his first runner as a fully fledged trainer, wrote Jack Milner on tab4racing this morning.

The filly Virginia Beach is a Maine Chance Farms-bred by Silvano and is a full-sister to Vivacious Spirit, who won on debut.

She was backed into 5/2 second favourite for her debut today and won the 800m Maiden Juvenile Plate in fine style, beating the hard-knocking favourite Heirloom by 2,50 lengths under Calvin Habib.

The latter has been a lifelong friend of Tony’s and said he was chuffed to have ridden his first winner.

The Peter family must have been through some emotional times recently but the phlegmatic Tony did not show it in the post-race interview.

He said, “It is a very proud moment. I have been waiting a long time for this since coming back and have not had it easy and comfortable like it was. I have very few horses so it was hard to get a line on this horse, but she looks a bit special. She has a very good mind, takes everything in her stride and eats up well … she is a pleasure to train. I am just happy I could get this kickstart with the first runner being a winner. I’ve had many sleepless nights, not because of the pressure of winning, but just because of being back on the racecourse and doing what I have to do … I don’t like letting anybody down. I am just happy I have got such a good support system.”

He mentioned his girlfriend Samantha, his parents and the rest of his family.

He also gave special thank yous to Ormond Ferraris and James Maree, whose knowledge he said he had “stolen” and absorbed like a sponge.

He also had a big thank you for his chief supporters, former champion owners Suzette and Basie Viljloen.

He thanked the owners of Virginia Beach, Dr Dane Arumugam, Prof I M Sanne & Hyperpaint Syndicate (Nom: Mr J T Peter) and breeders Maine Chance and was also particularly chuffed Calvin had been aboard.

Virginia Beach was Tony’s only runner at the meeting.

jack Milner had spoken to Tony earlier in the week and wrote:

Tony was assistant to his father, Paul, who gave up training in September, despite having won the Champion Trainers’ title last season.

Tony was offered the option of taking over the stable when his dad gave up but turned it down and joined the family business. However, he soon discovered it was not for him.

“I’m not really built to work in the paint shop,” he said on Tuesday. “I started off from scratch and was just not suited to that sort of job. I left school when I was 16 and went straight to work with the horses.

“So, I decided to come back but on a much smaller scale.”

Now he is back at Turffontein and has a small string of 10 horses to start off with. “I’ve got some good owners and most of my horses belong to Basie and Suzette Viljoen.

“They actually tried to talk me into staying when my dad gave up and when I decided to come back, they gave me lots of support.

“They are unbelievable people and I feel blessed and honoured to be training for them.”

Charles Dickens (Wayne Marks)

Mark Van Deventer’s Interbet Preview Of The L’Ormarins King’s Plate

Formerly known as the Queen’s Plate, the 2023 version will see the now-named King’s Plate run at Kenilworth for the best milers in SA. It remains a Weight for Age, Grade 1 contest and has attracted a field of 10 competitors, after the withdrawal of Waterberry Lane (sold).To help Interbet punters form an opinion here are ratings for each entry, including a career peak speed figure followed by a performance metric taking class, form/physical condition, the connections, and likely pace/running styles into account.

Entry Name	Peak Speed Figure	Performance
GOLDEN DUCAT	110	117
TRIP OF FORTUNE	112	121
ZAPATILLAS	108+	115
RUSSIAN ROCK	110	118
AL MUTHANA	109	114
SPEED MACHINE	108	109
KOMMETDIEDING	115	123
CHARLES DICKENS	120+	128
JET DARK	117	125
LINEBACKER	112	117

Charles Dickens tops both the speed figure and performance metric categories. If he merely repeats or builds upon his Cape Guineas speed score of 120 then he will be virtually impossible to defeat carrying 55 kg’s. Minor quibbles against Candice Bass Robinson’s charge are a wide draw and uncertain pace, whilst jockey, Domeyer has undergone a brutal wasting regime to make the weight. But measured purely on exceptional figures recorded during a six-start career, he is a sensational talent and deserving heavy 5/10 favourite.

Jet Dark’s best speed score of 117 is not far behind and trainer Justin Snaith is out to make a statement about the defending champion. He is drawn one gate further out and is a somewhat fickle customer, yet on a going day this five-year-old entire is deadly over a mile.

Third on our ranking’s list is proven G1 middle distance hero, Kommetdieding who would probably prefer further but is accomplished enough to harass the top two if they underperform slightly. He is offered at odds of 6/1 on Interbet.

Trip of Fortune is next best. He is in the prime of his career and may be even better than rated so the 18/1 longshot is a strong place contender yet Bass Racing stablemate, Charles Dickens has way more imposing credentials.

It would be a massive surprise if anything else outside these four mentioned challenge for King’s Plate honours, and the betting market indicates that the race is simpler still and will resolve itself into a straight shoot-out between potential super-star, Charles Dickens and defending champ, Jet Dark quoted at 9/2.

Trifecta and Quartet players spreading wide in the lower slots might lob well drawn pace-pressers Russian Rock, Golden Ducat and Zapatillas onto their tickets and hope they luck into easy trips and outrun their outsider odds. Linebacker and Al Muthana have solid back form and will try use their closing bursts to dash into a share of the prizes, though Speed Machine is well shy on speed figs and a mudlark better suited to the Winter slop than a firm summer track.

Grades for Race 8 – the 2023 King’s Plate at Kenilworth on Saturday 7th January:

A = 9

B = 10

C = 8, 2

Billy Bowlegs pictured winning his maiden (JC Photos)

Billy Bowlegs Gives The 3yos Yet Another Boost

The Alec Laird-trained The United States colt Billy Bowlegs became the latest horse to frank the Highveld three-year-old feature form today when winning a handicap over 1800m against older horses off a 96 merit rating under Muzi Yeni.

Billy Bowlegs was beaten three lengths into fifth in the Grade 3 Allied Steelrode Graham beck Stakes and 6,50 lengths into 8th in the Grade 2 Jonsson Workwear Dingaans.

He carried 58kg today and produced a late rattle to just get up, beating progressive fellow three-year-old Eye Of The Prophet (Gimmethegreenlight), who was running off a 90 merit rating and going for a hattrick.

One length further back was the first older horse home, Tabebuia, but the rest of the field were beaten between seven lengths and twenty lengths, suggesting a strong performance by the first two.

Billy Bowlegs had been backed in from 11/2 to 28/10 favourite.

The Dingaans has already had five winners come out of it.

Considering the Dingaans one-two, Union Square and Shoemaker, and the Graham Beck winner, Anfields Rocket, were beaten 7.65, 10.90 and 11.95 lengths respectively by Charles Dickens in the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, it puts the strength of the country’s best three-year-old into perspective.

Jet Dark (Wayne Marks).

Cape Racing’s King’s Plate Preview

L’Ormarins King’s Plate Grade 1 A Fascinating Race

Before Charles Dickens even made his debut in April 2022, the class hierarchy was clear with Jet Dark the pre-eminent miler in South Africa after successive wins in the Queen’s Plate; and Met/ July victor, Kommetdieding topped the middle-distance category.

However, things change quickly in horse racing – from only six starts, Charles Dickens has run the sort of off-the-charts figures that now put him on the cusp of legendary status.

Ironically, the horse to get closest to him, (beaten a neck on debut) Yellowporscheroad, has twice suffered bleeding episodes and is out of action. All other subsequent rivals have been spat out with disdain by the magnificent chestnut son of Trippi.

Recent victims include juvenile champ Cousin Casey who clocked in a discouraged 4.25 lengths behind his awesome contemporary in the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas whilst former Guineas winner, five-year-old, Russian Rock was thrashed by over three lengths in receipt of 1.5kg’s in November by the not-even tuned up youngster.

On pure handicapping, Charles Dickens looks formidable carrying just 55 kg’s.

However, Justin Snaith is adamant that Jet Dark will not relinquish his crown without a fight. The four-time G1 winning Trippi entire is deadly over 1600m and is striving to complete a rare, hat trick in this prestigious contest.

Kommetdieding has tangled with Jet Dark on several occasions and there is not much between them. He is primed third run after a rest having won both starts off a similar pattern.

There is a query about a genuine pace for this race as it lacks an obvious leader. Zapatillas, Russian Rock and Golden Ducat should go handy from low draws but might not exactly force the issue. Positioning, luck in running (the principals are drawn 9, 10 and 8 respectively) and ability to accelerate will prove decisive.

Yet another son of Trippi, Trip of Fortune could be best of the balance after a stylish score in the Green Point Stakes.

Those pace pressers drawn 1, 3 and 4, or Linebacker may burgle lower slots, but this looks a straight shoot-out between Charles Dickens and Jet Dark, with Kommetdieding next.

CPYS Lot 7, an Erupt filly from Winterbach Stud

Winterbach Stud’s Classy CPYS Draft

Winterbach Stud is represented by two colts and two fillies at the 2023 Tattersalls Cape Premier Yearling Sale which returns to the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on 12 January.

Winterbach sold their three lots at last year’s sale for a respectable R225,000 per lot, proof of the ongoing quality presented by the Winterbach family, internationally recognised for raising star fillies Perfect Promise and Irridesence.

Hendrik Winterbach, jnr. discussed their offerings:

Lot 7 – Sorceress Supreme, a filly by Erupt ex Chillon by Silvano, from the immediate family of G1 Fillies Guineas winner Chansonette.

“She is nice and big, a strong filly with good bone. It looks to me as if she will come on early, which is what the market wants.” (see picture above the headline).

Lot 56 – Master Casper, a colt by Querari ex La Volta by VAR, he is a lovely grey half-brother to G1 Computaform Sprint winner Master Archie and stakes-placed Purple Cloud.

“A colt with an unbelievable temperament, good girth and hindquarter. He looks like one that will run, he is from a growing family of top horses and could be anything.” (see picture below)

Lot 62 – Rhydian, a colt by Rafeef ex Marie Therese. He is a half-brother to 2022 Listed winner, Maria Querol.

“A high-quality colt with an exceptional walk on him. He is immature still but making beautiful progress and there is lots of scope. Classy sort with lots of Rafeef in him, I like him a lot.” (see picture below).

Lot 75– Night In Japan, a filly by Danon Platina ex Polar Jet by Jet Master. She is a half-sister to exported Grade 1-placed Padre Pio from a prolific winning family, including eight-time winner Flying First Class:

“She is still immature, high on the leg with a good girth which seems typical of Danon Platina. Well-bred and correct, she is a filly with scope and much potential if buyers can look beyond her immaturity.” (see picture below)

The Winterbach Stud-bred Querari colt in his younger days, with the mark on the side clearly evident and the smaller spot still hidden by his winter coat.

Bend Or Spots Or Not?

Bend Or spots are an interesting colouring phenomenon in horses and get their name from the controversial 1880 Derby winner Bend Or.

Winterbach’s grey colt on their CPYS draft, lot 56, has a couple of dark blotches on his grey coat, a big heart-shaped blotch on his side and a smaller spot on his flank.

Another possibility for this sort of mark is that they are “corn marks” or “corn spots.”

While corn spots resemble Bend Or spots, they are linked to solid-coloured hair growing in over minor cuts or scratches to the skin, and thus the underlying genetic cause appears to be unrelated.

However, Hendrik Winterbach Jnr confirmed the grey Querari colt was born with the marks, so they are most likely Bend Or spots.

Bend Or was a chestnut thoroughbred stallion foaled in 1877 and had white flecks in his coat and black spots on his neck, shoulder, and quarters.

He is a direct ascendant of Northern Dancer on the male line, so just about all newly born thoroughbreds on the planet are open to inheriting Bend Or spots.

Man O’War, whose sire Fair Play was out of a Bend Or mare, was said to have Bend Or spots and, interestingly, Man O’War appears ten times in the pedigree of the grey colt from Winterbach.

Hendrik Winterbach describes the grey as “a very special colt not just because of the spots.”

Indeed, he has a magnificent pedigree and is a real looker, so should attract a lot of interest at the CPYS.

It is still unknown what causes these markings, as they do not appear to be related to other spotting patterns. However, they may have some connection to the “sooty” trait.

A horse coat colour that has the sooty trait is characterized by black or darker hairs mixed into a horse’s coat, typically concentrated along the topline of the horse and less prevalent on the underparts. Sootiness is presumed to be an inherited trait, though the precise genetic mechanism, or series of mechanisms, is not well understood.

Bend Or the horse is controversial because an objection was lodged against him after the Derby by the connections of the runner up on the grounds that Bend Or was not Bend Or but a horse called Tadcaster.

Bend Or was a Duke Of Westminster homebred and as evidence the objectors presented the testimony of one Richard Arnull, a stud groom at the Duke’s Eaton Stud. He claimed the horse raced as Bend Or was actually produced from the mare Clemence (by Newminster) and not from Rouge Rose (by Thormanby) as stated in the animal’s nomination.

However, Eaton Stud’s records were so poorly kept they relied almost solely on human memory.

The stewards ruled in favour of The Duke on the ground’s of his stud superintendent saying the horse was Bend Or and not Tadcaster.

A debate raged on for decades, but the Epsom stewards’ ruling stood and the official records in the General Stud Book regarding Bend Or’s parentage remained unaltered.

It took until the 21st century for the case to be reopened.

This time, science rather than human memory or opinion rendered a verdict, courtesy of a team of researchers at Cambridge University. The key evidence was mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) retrieved from the bones of Bend Or and compared to that extracted from known descendants of Clemence and Rouge Rose in the direct female line. Since mtDNA is passed only through the maternal line, Bend Or would have the same mtDNA as his dam—either Clemence, from Bruce Lowe Family #2, or Rouge Rose, from Bruce Lowe Family #1. The results showed that Bend Or’s mtDNA matched that of the descendants of Clemence rather than that of Rouge Rose, indicating that Clemence was in fact his dam. Nonetheless, the General Stud Book continues to show Bend Or as the son of Rouge Rose.

Americanclassicpedigrees.com makes the following thought provoking statement about the controversy: “Regardless of his true parentage, Bend Or was a great racehorse and a sire of immense value. His story can serve as a cautionary tale about being too dogmatic about the pedigrees or purported influence of remote ancestors, for if so famous a horse from a relatively recent time could have a significant issue regarding his pedigree because of poor records and human error, it can only be imagined how many earlier pedigrees are inaccurate—meaning that the ancestors of our modern heroes may not be who we think they are.”

CPYS Lot 21, a quality Gimmethegreenlight filly from Millstream Stud.

Quality In The Millstream CPYS Draft

Jan Mantel, a believer in quality over quantity, has a six-strong selection of yearlings from his Millstream Farm, coming to the 2023 Cape Premier Yearling Sale at the Cape Town International Convention Centre next week.

Jan gave his views on the choice lots from the Robertson farm, listed below:

Lot 21 – Unnamed filly by Gimmethegreenlight ex Captain Ahoy (Captain Al): “A good looking filly from the super family of Captain’s Emblem. She is the second foal of Captain’s Ahoy whose first foal Captain Peg (Jay Peg) is a smart race filly from Stuart Pettigrew’s yard.”

Lot 30 – Lava Fire, a colt by Erupt ex Forty Fires x Western Winter: “A big, strong horse from the Red Ray/Brutal Force family.”

Lot 35 – Unnamed colt by Oratorio ex Ghaliya by Galileo: “He is the second foal out of a lovely Galileo mare from the family of Danehill. A strong, handsome fellow with a lot of scope.”

Lot 36 – a colt by Pomodoro ex Gilded Minaret by Al Mufti: “A half-brother to stakes winner Mount Anderson, he is a strong horse who has done his mare proud. Nice, promising type!”

Lot 68 – Unnamed filly by Gimmethegreenlight ex No Doubt by Philanthropist: “A well-balanced, good walker from the immediate family of Vercingetorix.”

Lot 121 – a Rafeef colt ex Black Banca (Tale Of The Cat): “A fourth foal, a big scopey colt. The sale might be just a bit early for him, but he is well balanced with a beautiful hindquarter and may surprise us.”

Keagan de Melo (Candiese Lenferna).

De Melo And Khumalo Score Doubles

Keagan de Melo and S’Manga Khumalo both scored doubles at the Vaal Classic track today.

De Melo goes to 127 wins for the season at a strike rate of 20.62% and he is now 39 winners clear of the second jockey on the national log, Richard Fourie.

Khumalo is in third place on 83 wins scored at a strike rate of 17.89%.

Bend Or, who was probably swapped by mistake with a horse called Tadcaster as a foal, was objected against on the grounds of wrong identity after winning the 1880 Derby.

Today’s Question

How many Epsom Derby winners have been objected against for incorrect identity?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

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Orlando was awarded the 1844 Derby after the biggest scandal in the race’s history as the winner was found to be a ringer (Picture source: Thefield.co.uk).

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION:

A few weeks before the 1844 Derby, horse owner Lord George Bentinck expressed concern to The Jockey Club that some of his peers had been attempting to cheat by running a four-year-old – a year older than is permitted in the race. However, the club dismissed his concerns and all the declared runners went forward. On the day, an outsider called Running Rein won the race, ahead of Orlando in second place.

Then the plot thickened. While Wood was found innocent of all wrongdoing, a man called Abraham Goodman Levy became the focus of attention. A notorious gambler, he was the original owner of Running Rein and also owned a four-year-old horse called Maccabeus. With hair dye and sheer audacity, he had disguised Maccabeus to look like Running Rein – part of his cunning plot to land a Derby gamble.

This trickery was uncovered after mountains of evidence was compiled; the hairdresser who provided the dye was summoned, and the presence of Running Rein was requested in court. When Goodman was unable to produce the horse, his guilt was in no doubt.

Furthermore, in all the hoo-ha, it transpired that another fake horse had been in the race, and had been put down after a clash of hooves. Needless to say, Orlando was awarded the race, and Lord Bentinck continued to pursue laws to tighten the rules. (souce: thefield.co.uk)

In 1880 a challenge by runner up Robert The Devil’s owners against the Derby winner Bend Or was lodged on the grounds of him being entered under the wrong description. It was alleged that his dam was not Rouge Rose, but a mare called Clemence. At Eaton Stud, both Rouge Rose and Clemence had a foal by Doncaster in 1877. It was suggested that the two foals had been mixed up and that it was the horse registered as Tadcaster (i.e. the Clemence foal) that won the Derby. The accusation came from a former groom who formerly worked for the Duke. During the investigation, the Eaton Stud book was produced, but was found to contain a number of errors. The objection was overruled by the Jockey Club, but controversy still remains today. Recent research which compared DNA of Bend Or to that of Tadcaster relatives suggested the two had indeed been switched as foals. (wikipedia).

Turf Talk Newsletter – 5 January 2023