Picture: Cousin Casey gave the field 2kg and a one length beating in the Grade 2 Cape Punters Cup in his only start this season (Wayne Marks).

Cousin Casey Puts In Outstanding Gallop

The Glen Kotzen-trained star colt Cousin Casey galloped at Kenilworth this morning under big race jockey Grant van Niekerk and the team were thrilled with his final big preparation workout before the R2.5 million Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas on December 17.

Cousin Casey, who has won his last five starts including one Grade 1, two Grade 2s and a Listed event, worked together with the Tab4Racing Algoa Cup winner Han Solo.

Cousin Casey sat about three or four lengths behind Han Solo before moving up and they then came home together.

Van Niekerk said afterwards Cousin Casey was feeling better than he did when galloping ten days out from his win in the Grade 2 Cape Punters Cup.

Kotzen said he was now a fitter horse and wouldn’t have blown out a candle afterwards.

“It was a very good gallop and we are very excited,” said Kotzen.

He continued, “Grant is not worried about the draw (15) and said it might be a blessing in disguise because he can stay out of the hustle and bustle.”

Cousin Casey is by leading sire Vercingetorix out of unplaced Casey Tibbs mare Bretton Woods, who is a full-sister to Kotzen’s Durban July winner Big City Life.

He said Cousin Casey had inherited his exceptional racing temperament from his dam.

He elaborated, “If you chase him up from the start, he will come back to you.”

This is unlike most horses, who are difficult to restrain if set alight from the off.

Kotzen said all of Bretton Wood’s progeny had inherited that trait.

Kotzen said Cousin Casey was not tall and his biggest asset was his balance.

However, he added, “He has doubled in size recently. Previously he could hardly look over the stable door, but he is now about 16 hands.”

Comparing Cousin Casey to Big City Life he said the former still had a lot to do to match the latter but added, “At this same stage Cousin Casey is better than Big was.”

The yard know the family of Cousin Casey exceptionally well because Glen’s mother-in-law Judy Wintle bred Big City Life and a few of his other relatives.

Han Solo was also bred by Judy.

He was named by Glen’s wife Cathy.

Han Solo’s dam is called I’m Too Sexy (Model Man).

Han Solo is a fictional hero in the Star Trek series and is apparently good looking, hence he was a relevant name for a son of I’m Too Sexy.

The horse is good looking himself and will be running in the Grade 2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m on the day of the Cape Guineas.

Kotzen said he was in devastating form and added, “He has a good draw and has a lot going for him. He looks amazing.”

Picture: Cousin Casey (left) and Charles Dickens face each other in the race of the century, the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas on December 17 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth (Wayne Marks).

Charles Dickens And Cousin Casey Inseparable On Form

The Bookmakers are taking no chances with the country’s most talked about horse, Charles Dickens, and the sponsor of the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas have him at cramped odds of 9/20.

Cousin Casey fans will not mind and will be licking their lips to see their fancy quoted at 7/2.

The pair are in fact inseparable on a formline that is represented by two horses.

In the Grade 3 Cape Classic over 1400m Charles Dickens beat At My Command by three lengths and Port Louis by 3.05 lengths.

In the Grade 2 Punters over 1600m Cousin Casey beat At My Command by a length and Port Louis by 2,80 lengths.

However, Charles Dickens met that pair at level weights while Cousin Casey was giving them both 2kg.

That makes Charles Dickens and Cousin Casey inseparable on form.

Cousin Casey was also making his reappearance in the Punters Cup so should come on from the run, while Charles Dickens should relish the step up in trip being by Trippi out of Dynasty mare Demanding Lady. who won from 1200m up to 2200m.

Charles Dickens is in fact a full-brother to Somerset Maughan, who has won a Listed race over 2000m.

Picture: Peter Muscutt receiving his second R10,000 cheque of the Cape Summer (Cape Racing).

Peter Muscutt Is Enjoying Cape Town

Peter Muscutt was one of the first out of province trainers to head for Cape Town after Cape Racing announced the incentives for raiders and it is paying dividends.

He landed his second R10,000 cheque yesterday, the bonus incentive given to the trainer of a raiding winner, when Captain Bombshell (Captain Of All) won a MR 93 Handicap over 1200m.

The owners also receive a R10,000 cheque.

If a raider wins a “Festival” event the cheque for trainer and owner increases to R50,000 each.

Muscutt’s first winner of the campaign was the progressive Hollywood-owned Dynasty gelding Imilenzeyokududuma.

He has been entered in the Grade 2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m on December 17.

There are 23 entries and he has drawn well in three.

However, he is the lowest merit rated on 95 so will need a few scratchings to make the final field of 16.

The race is a benchmark 52kg = 96 merit rating, so he will only be marginally under sufferance if he does make the final field.

Meanwhile, Captain Bombshell was likely the highest rated maiden in the country at the beginning of the season, having been awarded a 103 for his fourth place finish in the Grade 1 Gold Medallion.

After winning his maiden by 3,10 lengths he was dropped three points to 100.

He was then far from disgraced when finishing a 4,35 length seventh in the strong Listed Sophomore Sprint over 1200m.

He was dropped another five points and astute punters would have taken advantage.

Captain Bombshell used his speed to go clear under Muzi Yeni yesterday and hold on by 1,25 lengths.

He could also appear in a Festival race soon and give Muscutt and owners a crack at those R50,000 cheques.

Picture: Il Etait Temps and Patrick Mullins (Healy Racing).

Hollywood’s Hurdler Entered In Leopardstown Grade 1 December 27

The Hollywood Syndicates’s Ireland-based hurdler Il Etaits Temp is entered in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle over two miles at Leopardstown on December 27.

There are 38 entries and if he takes his place he will be up against the like of his Paddy Mullins-trained stablemate Facile Vega, who is by Walk In The Park out of the legendary Mullins-trained race mare Quevega (Robin Des Champs).

Il Etaits Temp is leased by Hollywood from the Kieswetter-owned Barnane Stud.

He is being targeted at the Cheltenham Festival.

His likely race there will be the Grade 1 Supreme Novices Hurdle over two miles and 87 yards.

He finished an excellent 8,75 length fifth in last year’s Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle over two miles and one furlong at the Cheltenham Festival.

Picture: Silvestre de Sousa (left) and Tom Marquand celebrate their joint International Jockeys’ Championship win (Kenneth Chan).

Silvestre de Sousa And Tom Marquand Share International Jockeys’ Championship Spoils

The pair cannot be separated after four riders win races at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, prevailing on countback from Vincent Ho and Derek Leung.

by Sam Agars (South China Morning Post)

The Longines International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) has seen a tie for the third time in its history, with Britain’s Tom Marquand and Brazilian Silvestre de Sousa sharing the spoils at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

In one of the tightest-run IJCs the Valley has seen, four riders finished the competition equal on 12 points, but Marquand and De Sousa got the nod on countback because they each had a fourth place to their name.

Marquand snared his first IJC title at his third attempt after finishing second last year, while De Sousa – who was representing Hong Kong – added this year’s title to the one he landed in 2018.

“It’s just nice to be in this position and thanks to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for letting me in with a spot,” De Sousa said. “I’ve been working so hard since I got here, and I couldn’t be more thankful.”

De Sousa’s victory came aboard the Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained Adios in the final leg of the competition, while Marquand got the chocolates with Tony Cruz’s Winning Dragon in the third leg.

The 24-year-old said it was “amazing” to ride a winner for Hong Kong racing legend Cruz, and he was pinching himself after splitting the prize with De Sousa.

“To finish joint in front with Silvestre is pretty epic because he’s someone at home I’ve spent a lot of time looking up to,” Marquand said.

“He’s been a multiple champion jockey, and he’s the epitome of someone who works extremely hard and gets results because of that. It’s a huge honour to win it alongside him.

“It was a fantastic evening as usual. I really enjoyed being here the last couple of years, but you couldn’t help but feel it was only two-thirds of the way there and not the full go. Tonight having fans here was mega.”

Winning Dragon was saluting for the second consecutive run and some pre-race homework paid dividends for Marquand.

“To be fair to him last time, watching the replay, it looked like he had a mid-race fill-up and really got rolling late and hit the line hard, so I was keen to get a similar run,” Marquand said.

“He obviously got a good draw, which helped a lot, and it’s easy when you’re on the right horse.”

While they missed out on IJC glory because of the countback system, local stars Vincent Ho Chak-yiu and Derek Leung Ka-chun made their presence felt all the same with successes early in the competition.

The first IJC leg saw a local quinella, with Ho saluting aboard Handsome Rebel and Matthew Chadwick second atop Faribault.

The local theme continued in leg two, with super-sub Leung crossing the winning line first on the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained Win Win Fighter.

Leung was parachuted into proceedings on Wednesday morning after French jockey Mickael Barzalona joined Jye McNeil and Yuga Kawada in being ruled out of the competition because of a Covid-19 positive.

“What can I say, I’m super lucky to be involved, and I’m lucky to get a good ride with a good draw. Everything was suitable for the horse and he just won,” Leung said.

While De Sousa and Marquand snared HK$350,000 each for their efforts, Ho and Leung didn’t go home empty-handed, pocketing HK$50,000 each as equal third placegetters.

The trainer’s bonus of HK$200,000 went home with Lor thanks to the victory of Adios and Free Foal’s third place.

2023 Tattersalls Cape Premier Yearling Sale Catalogue Available Online

The catalogue for the 2023 Tattersalls Cape Premier Yearling Sale has been published online (click here to view catalogue).

The sale, scheduled for Thursday, 12 January, is set to recapture much of its former glory under the new Cape Racing banner, with a number of highlights in the offing.

In more detail, the Sale:

-Returns to its original home, the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), with the backing of the world renowned Tattersalls Group; -Features top stud farms back on the vendor list after a long absence, including Varsfontein Stud and Sandown Stud; -Has a strong representation from super stallions in Vercingetorix (10 yearlings) and Gimmethegreenlight (17), alongside a good variety of other leading stallions including What A Winter Querari, Master Of My Fate, Rafeef and the Drakenstein pair of Trippi and Lancaster Bomber, whose available progeny are now limited; -Features the first offspring of highly regarded stallion One World (Captain Al); -Is client-driven, more than ever, with a variety of entertaining events before and after the sale, as part of the Cape Summer Festival of Racing. They include a Golf Day, a Lunch at Avontuur Estate, the Main Chance Farms International Dinner and the 2023 King’s Plate.

Justin Vermaak, Head Of Operations for Cape Racing, said that the 2023 renewal of the Premier Sale will be heralding a new era. “We are very pleased to welcome the powerhouse Varsfontein Stud back into the fray. The renewed support of studs like Varsfontein is due to the work done by Greg Bortz in reviving Cape Racing.

“We did a roadshow to gain fresh support for the sale and we explained the imperative that the 2023 Premier Sale, and those to follow, will not be a copy-and-paste replica of the old CTS Sale. The major difference is that CTS was independently owned while it is now owned by the Operator, which means that proceeds from our auctions go directly into the stakes pot.”

Vermaak added: “We had a good reception from other stud farms who will show their faith from 2024 onwards, when we’ll move the sale to a later date in January. While the 2023 sale works out well for overseas buyers being in Cape Town for the King’s Plate, it is just too early for a number of stud farms to have participated.

“What we have, however, is a compact auction with deep quality throughout, 120 lots in total. More than 20% of the yearlings on sale are by South Africa’s top three stallions.”

There will be highlights throughout the day in what will be an exciting time for vendors, buyers and indeed also the auctioneers on duty.

Varsfontein Stud’s prolific ‘Mystic Spring’ family (Snowdance, Bela Bela, Rabiya, et al) is represented by Lot 2, a bay colt by top five stallion Master Of My Fate out of Canukeepitsecret (Captain Al) – one to ensure spirited bidding early in the auction.

Klawervlei have several lots bred in the purple. They include Lot 28, a half-brother by Vercingetorix to Hammies Hero (Twice Over), one of this season’s outstanding three-year-olds, and Lot 45, a Gimmethegreenlight colt out of a half-sister to Vercingetorix himself.

Ridgemont will present Lot 31, the first foal of G1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Front and Centre (Dynasty), a colt sired by Canford Cliffs; also Lot 117, a half-brother to 2022 stakes winner Cliff Top sired by Rafeef.

Avontuur have a handful of impeccably bred yearlings to go through the ring, including Lot 23, a colt by Oratorio born from the Listed winning Captain Al mare, Esteemal, from the potent Ever Seeking female line (Elusive Fort, Easyjadeasy, et al); also Lot 82, one of the last fillies by VAR from a Listed-placed mare, and from the immediate family of Pocket Power.

A half-brother to G1 Classic winner Red Saxon (Lot 83), sired by Erupt, comes to the sale courtesy of prominent Narrow Creek Stud. He is one of many gems waiting to be discovered in the catalogue. More about the other lots in a future release.

For more information: Justin Vermaak justin@caperacing.co.za Or phone (+27) 72 623 7994

Picture: Mick and Cheryl Goss of Summerhill Stud accept the Horse Of The Year trophy for the Grade 1 winner they bred, MK’s Pride (Willow Magic) (Candiese Lenferna).

MK’S Pride KZN Breeders Horse Of The Year

The Summerhill Stud-bred MK’s Pride (Willow Magic) was named KZN Breeders Horse Of The Year at a function in the KZN Midlands last weekend.

Paul Peter trained the four-year-old colt through last season to win four races including the Grade 2 Jo’Burg Spring Challenge and the Grade 1 wfa Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stake.

MK’s Pride was also the Champion Older Male and Champion Middle Distance Male.

The Champion two-year-old was the K Soal-bred Mike and Adam-trained filly Gimme A Shot (Gimmethegreenlight), who won a Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies on debut before finishing a narrow second to Gobsmacked in the Grade 2 Prosport International Debutante.

The champion three-year-old was the Summerhill Stud-bred Sean Tarry-trained Capetown Noir filly Under Your Spell, who won two races including the Grade 2 WSB Fillies Guineas at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

Under Your Spell also won the Champion Middle Distance Female award

The Champion Older Female was the RT Fitzgerald-bred Ashley Fortune-trained Winter Smoke (What A Winter), whose two wins included the Grade 2 Camellia Stakes.

Winter Smoke also won the Champion Sprinter Female award.

The Champion Sprinter Male award went to the Summerhill Stud-bred Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Bohica (Capetown Noir), who won the Grade 1 Pongracz Cape Flying Championship.

The Champion Broodmare went to Mullins Bay mare Wysiwyg, dam of Bohica and Bartholdi, who finished second in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint and second in the Grade 3 Merchants.

The Stallion Of The Year went to Capetown Noir.

A lifetime achievement award went to owner and breeder Lee Scribante.

A Breeder Achievement Award went to Summerhill Stud.

The Anita Akal Industry award went to Gold Circle racing analyst Warren Lenferna.

Picture: Rachel Venniker rode a double for Paul Matchett at the Vaal Classic track today and the latter recorded a four-timer. They pose here with one of the owners of Stunning Kitten (JC Photos).

Matchett Four-timer, Crawford, Matsunyane, Venniker Doubles

Paul Matchett had a halcyon day at the Vaal Classic track today, where he contested five races with a total of eight horses and won four of them.

James Crawford saddled a double for his father Brett’s Highveld satellite yard.

Kabelo Matsunyane and Rachel Venniker both rode doubles.

Matchett is now on 18 wins for the season at a strike rate of 12.41%.

The Crawford yard across the country have had 47 wins at 16.43%.

Matsunyane is on 54 wins at 12.05%.

Venniker is on 53 wins at 13.55%.

Picture: A picture of the old Greyville racecourse stand.

Today’s Question

What percentage of the 1923 gross income of the Durban Turf Club went to tax?

Fairview Poly Fields, Friday

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Picture: Greyville on July day in later years.

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION:

Tax took 30% of the Durban Turf Club’s gross income in 1923.

They paid 30,590 pounds in Provincial Tax – an immense sun in those days.

Steward SS Brisker, who had been elected a Member Of The Provincial Council, was persuaded to introduce a motion in the house calling for a reduction in the crippling Tote tax which had in four years increased from 4% to 6,5% and thereafter it was reduced to 5%.

Turf Talk Newsletter – 8 December 2022