Tienie's Gal Is Back On The Dance Floor
Quickstepgal completes a pillar to post victory in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Horseracing fans and pundits tend to be fickle and there was no better proof than the KZN star Quickstepgal opening at 16/1 for the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas, although she did start at a more respectable 10/1.
The Tienie Prinsloo-trained Greenacres Trust-bred Vercingetorix filly was touted before the Cape Summer season as likely the biggest opposition to the much vaunted Alan Greeff-trained Golden Palm, but was brushed aside by many after just one run in Cape Town where she finished a far from disgraced 1,75 length fourth in the Gr 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship.
That race did not pan out well as she was caught one wide without cover in a handy position, but to her credit, when looking likely to be swamped in the straight, she fought on to find the frame.
She should not have come out of that race with her colours lowered, especially as she was likely to have come on from the run.
The way she stayed on under pressure, despite having had little cover throughout, also suggested she was going to likely enjoy the step up in trip to a mile.
The front-running tactics devised by Tienie Prinsloo and Gavin Lerena also played a big part in the win.
Tienie revealed afterwards, “I said to Mr Laurence Wernars, I know this filly and if she goes to the front she always quickens and I said there would be no problem with the 1600m.”
The one downside was they were drawn even wider this time in stall nine.
However, Quickstepgal shot out of the stalls as if she was spring-loaded under a drive from Lerena, although the champion jockey did not immediately make a beeline for the rail.
Gavin said the day after the race, “I always had it in mind to go to the front, but then I was hearing there were a couple of pacemakers in. I was quite happy to go forward to be in behind the pacemakers, but they didn’t come, so I was pretty happy to be alone in the lead. She has got such a good action it would have been detrimental to have her in behind a slow pace and not using her action. As long as she was using her stride I was happy, whether it was in behind a fast pace or the pace I was at. She was very sensible in front, her ears came up very soon. She was just free-wheeling, she enjoyed it, she absolutely cruised around the course. From halfway around the turn I thought it was going to take a good one to beat me. She had cruised around so easily that I wanted the others to come off the bit early so I gave her a squeeze at the top of the straight. She lengthened beautifully and I felt I still had a lot of horse in hand, so if they were going to come at me, she was going to give me another kick.”
Lerena said Stormwatch had begun challenging, but he kept his mount in the hands until the 300m and then squeezed her again.
He said she responded superbly.
It was virtually race over at that point as she kicked away.
However, Reet Petite, who sat on Quickstepgal’s quarters in the running without cover, did produce a tremendous turn of foot when given a smack by Richard Fourie and Quickstepgal’s supporters had to hold their breaths again.
However, when Lerena gave the classy filly a crack at the 150m mark she found the necessary extra to keep the big-actioned Reet Petite at bay by three-quarters of a length.
James Crawford is trainer of Reet Petite and Crawford Racing were narrowly denied a win in the Gr 1 Classic for the second year in succession and for the third time in the last four years.
It was a first win of the Cape Fillies Guineas for Gavin and there can not be many Gr 1s around the country now that he has not won.
It was a fairytale first Gr 1 win for Tienie Prinsloo, who used to train in the backwater centre of Kimberley and he currently only has 13 horses in his yard.
It was a triumph too for the Wernars family and Harry Willson, who made the astute decision to buy her in training with the help of bloodstock agent Justin Vermaak.
This was just her third start, and second victory, running in the familiar Wernars silks.
Wish List ran on well from near the back of the field for a two length third.
She had sat behind Gr 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship winner Princess Of Gaul in the running and overtook the latter late in the race.
Princess Of Gaul ran on well initially, but appeared to not quite see it out and was beaten 2,50 lengths with Lowveld Lily 0,30 lengths further back in fifth.
The race was a nightmare for the hot favourite Golden Palm, the East Cape Equus Champion raider from the Alan Greeff yard.
She came out of stall seven hesitantly and and after the pack had been shuffled she ended up on the rail in midfield. With Quickstepgal dictating in front, and with there being just a narrow 1,5m false rail, she looked up against it from a long way out. However, it was not all down to luck in running. When she switched outward in the straight her usual kick was just not there. She took a long while to pick up, but did manage to do some good work late and finished a 3,80 length sixth. Time will tell whether she can bounce back. This was a filly being touted for superstardom and she started at odds of 91/100. Her next start will tell whether the bubble has burst. It must be remembered that a former East Cape star, Bold Silvano, bounced back from an unplaced run in the Cape Derby to win the July.
Gavin Lerena said in the winner’s enclosure that himself and Tienie had gone back a long way and he recalled being given some rides by him in Kimberley when chasing the championship ten years ago and he said the latter had always called upon him along the way during his career.
He added, “It means so much to me to ride a Gr 1 winner for him. He’s always been a great trainer. He’s come from humble beginnings and it’s never been easy for him, but he keeps showing up and I am so elated he has got this Gr 1.”
He also thanked caretaker trainer in Cape Town, Eric Sands, and also the deserving owners, the Wernars family and Harry Willson.
Tienie said he could see Richard Fourie was off the bridle on Reet Petite after Quickstepgal had given her kick.
He added, “Then I said there you go that’s our race!”
Bred by Greenacres Trust, Quickstepgal was a R450 000 buy from the 2024 KZN Yearling Sale.
The filly has won five of eight starts for earnings of R1 259 938 and three of her wins have been of black type races.
Out of the Jet Master mare Victoriana, Quickstepgal is bred on the same cross as fellow graded stakes winners African Warrior, Greaterix and Rascallion.
Vercingetorix Treble Including a Feature Double
Holding Thumbs (closest) was a courageous winner of the WSB Club Prive Cape Summer Stayers Handicap (Picture: Wayne Marks)
South Africa’s reigning champion sire Vercingetorix had a treble at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
In landing Saturday’s R1 250 000 Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas, Quickstepgal became Vercingetorix’s 14th G1 winner.
Vercingetorix is also sire of Cape Fillies Guineas fourth-placed Princess Of Gaul, winner of the recent Gr 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship.
Quickstepgal is the second G1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas for Vercingetorix following Chansonette.
Vercingetorix is also responsible for Saturday’s WSB Club Prive Cape Summer Stayers Handicap winner Holding Thumbs.
The latter, also victorious in last season’s Listed Monaco Sport Of Kings Kenilworth Cup , made it back to back Cape Summer Stayers wins with a courageous performance.
Under Chad Little, the Glen Kotzen trained five-year-old just got up in the closing stages to score by a short-head, while taking his tally of wins to eight.
He carried 63.5kg and gave the favourite and runner up, Ahead Of The Facts, 11kg yet still managed to fight back after being headed.
Holding Thumbs was runner up to Equus Champion Stayer King Pelles in all of the 2025 Gr 3 Glorious Goodwood Chairman’s Cup, Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup, Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase and Gr 3 Tote Derby.
Holding Thumbs races for Messrs P Bamford, D D MacLean & Gary Player Stud Farm (Pty) Ltd, Mrs J Doyle & Mr L S & Mrs Rayna Govender.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Holding Thumbs, who is out of the Fort Wood mare Withbatedbreath, was a R1 100 000 buy from the 2022 August Two Year Old Sale.
Kotzen, Little and Vercingetorix also emerged victorious in the tenth and final race of Saturday when the latter’s daughter got up to beat the favourite Pink Pigeon by 0,30 lengths in the 1000m contest.
Asiye Phambili Defends Gr 3 Crown, What A Winter Exacta
Asiye Phambili comfortably defends her crown in the Gr 3 WSB Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Cape Breeders
Drakenstein Stud’s top-class stallion What A Winter enjoyed more feature race success at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
His daughters Asiye Phambili and Symphony In White finished first and second respectively in the G3 World Sports Betting Southern Cross Stakes (1000m).
Six-year-old Asiye Phambili was making it back to back wins in the Southern Cross Stakes with the daughter of What A Winter having won the same race in 2024.
Now in the care of Lucinda Woodruff, Asiye Phambili defied top weight of 63.5kgs to win a good race.
Under Sean Veale, the mare came with a strong late down the inside of the track and got up to win by three-parts of a length.
Bred by Hemel ‘N Aarde Stud, Asiye Phambili has won nine of 27 starts, with her victories including four graded stakes wins. Her latest win took Asiye Phambili’s earnings to R1 493 801.
Asiye Phambili, who is out of the Rambo Dancer mare Cast A Spell, is owned by Hollywood Racing.
The four time G1 winning What A Winter had also enjoyed success at Hollywoodbets Greyville one day earlier.
What A Winter geldings Soho Star and Winter Games won the sixth and eighth races respectively on Friday evening.
The Yogas Govender trained Soho Star stayed on strongly, under Damyan Pillay, to land Friday’s Purple Sleigh Sprint Middle Stakes (1200m) by nearly half a length for owners Estate Mr D P Pillay, Messrs K M Chetty, C C Britz, J T Eady, B T Gaillard, K S Storkey, W Malan, K W Amas, Y Naidoo & Al Khayl Breeders (Pty) Ltd.
The consistent four-year-old, who was bred by Greenacres Trust, has finished first, second or third in eight of his last nine starts, with Soho Star having now won five times.
Winter Games, winner of the 2025 Listed Kings Cup, picked up his fourth win when he won Friday’s The Mistletoe Mile Class 3 (1600m).
Under Mathew Thackeray, the Michael Miller trained five-year-old kept finding gamely to score by a neck.
Bred by Daytona Stud (also the breeders of What A Winter himself), Winter Games races for Sterling Miller and Ben Sahd.
Remarkably, What A Winter’s good run continued at Turffontein on Sunday, where his top-class daughter One Fine Winter won the fifth race on the card.
Trained by Sean Tarry, the Drakenstein Stud bred and owned three-year-old stormed home to land the TAB 4Racing App Graduation Plate (1160m).
One Fine Winter had shown top-class form at two when the filly won the G3 TAB Pretty Polly Stakes and finished second, to champion Golden Palm, in the G2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Nursery.
Hollywood Racing Have A Cheltenham Festival Favourite
Il Etait Temps on his way to a sixth Gr 1 victory in the Tingle Creek chase at Sandown on Saturday (Picture: Sky Sports Racing)
The Cheltenham Festival is the holy grail of jumps racing and regarded by many as the greatest horseracing meeting, jumps or flat, on earth and Hollywood Racing would probably not in their wildest dreams have believed their first jumps horse, owned in partnership with the Kieswetter family’s Barnane Stud, would one day be a six-time Gr 1 winner and ante-post favourite for the festival’s top two mile event, the Gr 1 Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Their Willie Mullins-trained star jumps horse, Il Etait Temps, routed the opposition in the Gr 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday, a race regarded as a leading pointer to the Champion Chase and won before by such legends as Desert Orchid, Viking Flagship and Kauto Star.
Il Etait Temps denied the Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon a hattrick in the Tingle Creek when pulling clear after the pond fence, which is three fences from home.
Click here to read about Il Etait Temps’ Tingle Creek triumph
Lerena Back On Wednesday, Moodley, Penny On The Mend
Serino Moodley is all smiles after winning the Gr 2 Jackpot City Dingaans, but such are the highs and lows of racing he was on his way to hospital just over an hour later (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Gavin Lerena was booked off racing on Sunday following an incident in the parade ring in which he suffered whiplash and it caused neck spasms.
However, he will be fulfilling his next riding engagement at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Serino Moodley and Jarryd Penny are on the mend and have estimated their dates of return following the shocking incident in the Betway Summer Cup in which two horses fell.
In Serino Moodley’s case the incident illustrated the highs and lows of the game.
In the previous race he had won the Gr 2 Jackpot City Dingaans on the exciting Candice Dawson-trained Trust.
He said about the unbeaten son of Heavenly Blue, “I don’t know how he is winning these races, because he is not mature and is still a big puppy. He has got a lot of improving to do, which just shows the quality of horse he is. He is a phenomenal horse.”
Serino said one of Trust’s best assets at present was “he is very economical in a race.”
That allows him to utilise his fine turn of foot as well as his most noteworthy characteristic to date of being able to find a late gear change when other horses are just trying to stay on.
Serino remembered there being room for his mount On My Honour in the Summer Cup incident and there was then suddenly no room. As he was trying to get out of it his horse clipped heels and went down, meaning Serino hit the ground hard, although he does not know what position he was in as it all happened so quickly.
He was found to have a fracture to the C6 vertebrae, which was probably why he felt pain in his arm while lying on the track.
Fortunately, the fracture is not a serious one and does not require surgery.
However, he has to wear a neck brace for three weeks and has to rest and be cautious.
He said about a possible return date to race-riding, “Hopefully by the middle of January, but it all depends on the second X-ray to see how fast everything is healing up.”
Serino is still lying third on the national jockeys log with 61 wins, despite having been out for over a week already.
He is almost certainly the most improved jockey in the country and this is partly down to his professional approach.
He said, “I have always been one who is trying to improve. No matter how well you have been riding, my main objective has always been to try and improve at every meeting I go to. I have had a lot of people helping me like Anton Marcus and Anthony Delpech and I get a lot of help from my agent Deez Dayanand and I have a big support base, my wife and kids and My Mom and Dad.”
Jarryd Penny was riding Solar Sail and he said he saw On My Honour at the last minute, “lying beneath my legs and I could not avoid him in any way.”
He recalled being surrounded by people and not being able to breath while lying on the track, but he calmed after being administered oxygen, although he had a painful sternum.
He was found to have a fractured rib, but of more concern was a cut to the liver.
He said, “Fortunately, it was not a bad cut. It is about three to four centimetres long but is classified as a Grade 3. I was discharged and don’t have to go for an operation or follow up, they just want me to rest for six weeks.”
He said about a return to riding, “They have booked me back for the 5th of January, but I will have to get some fitness back into me and ride some work, so maybe I could take a ride or two by the 10th or 12th of January.”
Jarryd is an underrated jockey who is also on the up and he gets a lot of support from Mark Khan and is the chief rider for Bridget Stidolph in Zmnbabwe and rides for her in South Africa too, whilst he picks up a fair amount of rides from bigger yards.
Meanwhile, the Candice Dawson yard who train Trust have undergone a change as it will now be a joint operation, Candice and Tammy Dawson, who are reportedly the first ever sister partnership to train in South Africa.
Muzi Yeni looks to be the jockey who will be first call for the sisters while Serino is out.
Green Glow Can Score A Hattrick
Green Glow can make it a hattrick of wins on Tuesday at the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly meeting (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Andrew Harrison (Race Coast)
A tricky C Stakes handicap heads up the card on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Tuesday and it could be fought out between the progressive three-year-olds Green Glow and Spaarne Rivier.
Dean Kannemeyer’s charge Green Glow followed up his maiden win with a close-fought victory over Master Du Rouvray over 1900m with the balance of the field in another race. He has a big weight but shed his maiden over the distance in impressive fashion. Mike and Mathew de Kock’s Spaarne Rivier was disappointing last run but also friendless in the market that may tell a tail. However, he gets weight from Green Glow and may be more effective over this trip. Of the balance, the year older Ragnar The King has been knocking at the door and close-up over course and distance last start while World Of Our Own is due a big effort.
In the first, how much longer do we stay with Xiphos to shed his maiden? He has had numerous chances but tends to run out of gas the last bit. Rachel Venniker gives him some relief from the saddle that will help but he clearly cannot be relied upon. Gorgeous Bomb has shown some recent improvement and with only 50.5kg to shoulder she could finally run them out of it. Susurrando was most disappointing when starting favourite last time out as Fine Dining made all, cruising home to victory. He could prove better this shorter trip.
Louis Goosen saddles the lightly raced Malshana Mou in the second who was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out. Craig Zackey stays with the ride and she can go one better. Berrington Blew is also lightly raced and raced green at her latest outing. The blinkers go on so watch for any market support. Sun In My Pocket came in for a ton of support at her last start but didn’t finish off her race. She is seldom too far back and the betting support must be respected. Sol E Sombra was very green on debut in quite a competitive maiden and can surprise.
Black Platina can open the Pick 6 in spite of being a struggling maiden but has been knocking at the door. He has been close-up at his last two and with a 4kg claimer up from the best of the draw he can get it right in this company. Kali Bwana takes on males but goes well on the poly and was touched off last run. She steps up in trip with an experienced rider aboard. Captain’s Dynasty was a well-beaten second last run but has shown some recent improvement and could finally be coming to hand while Augrabies was much improved last run when starting at long odds. He could be better suited to this shorter trip.
A competitive apprentice handicap can muddy the waters but Mac Hardy has the best of the draw and his third run after a break. He had the worst of the draw over course and distance last time out and can do better. Gorgeous Dude has been knocking on the door for some time and was a close-up over course and distance last time out. He only has 49.5kg to shoulder from a good draw. Now I Got You is another not far off another win. He did well from a wide draw last start and can do better in this field. Veteran Circle Of Grace makes the trip from the Highveld for Corne Spies for a trip on the poly. He only has 49 kg to shoulder and ridden by a more than capable apprentice. However, it could pay to load up in this leg of the exotics.
In the sixth, Spinmyangelspin got a hefty shunt up the handicap for her last win over course and distance but may still be under the handicapper’s radar. Lightly raced, she has improved in blinkers and should be competitive from the best of the draw. One Path will be threat as she was run out of it late over course and distance last time out. She has only missed a cheque once in eight starts and that was in a feature on the turf. She’s A Machine was narrowly ahead of One Path when last they met but is now 5kg worse off in the handicap given the 4kg apprentice claim.
The seventh is another competitive maiden handicap. Dennis Bosch saddles Beautiful Rania who has been up against stronger at recent starts and goes well this course and distance while Purple Flower is also down in class but with a big weight but does have a 4kg claimer aboard who has won on the mare before. There She Goes has a tricky draw to contend with but is a seasoned veteran and has the most experience apprentice in James Lihaba aboard. Di Rosa finally shed her maiden last run when well handicapped but the runner-up has since won convincingly and had race favourite Xiphos well beaten. She faces much stronger but has a chance of following up.
Finally, United Nation is unbeaten in three starts since joining the Darryl Moore yard. He jumped five points in the handicap for his last win but Moore has a 2.5kg claimer aboard to nullify the increase although it will be harder to make it four. Mfethu was a recent maiden winner and got a hefty mark in the handicap probably because of his effort behind the promising Exocet two runs back. He looks promising. Seven-year-old Fate Of Fortune has come well of late winning three of his last four. The handicappers have had no mercy and he jumped six points in the handicap for his last win. He has a tricky draw but a top rider aboard. Trippi T is back over what looks to be his optimum trip and from pole position draw he could be right up there.
Frank Robinson - Dedication, Devotion and a Quiet Hand
Frank receives the Summer Cup trophy from Betway’s Jonathan Blumberg (JC Photos)
In racing, fairy tales rarely arrive on cue, but trainer Frank Robinson wrote his own in last Saturday’s R6-million Betway Summer Cup. A loner by nature and a horseman by instinct, Robinson watched his 100-1 outsider Mocha Blend (Ideal World) deliver a victory as sweet as its name, giving him his first Grade 1 success, achieved in Africa’s hitherto richest race, and with his first runner trained for the storied Oppenheimer family.
There is an old adage in racing: “You don’t find a good horse, it finds you!”
Robinson had met Jessica Jell (then Slack) at his Summerveld stables when he was caretaker trainer for Cape-based Brett Crawford in 2015 and Jessica owned a share of Crawford’s classic prospect, Maybe Yes. “Jessica came around to see her filly and we had a chat. We saw each other just a few times after that. Nine years later, Steven Jell phoned me out of the blue to ask if I’d be interested in training Mocha Blend. Wow, as if I was ever going to say, no! I felt very privileged, even more so when Mocha Blend arrived at the yard. She was smashing, I liked her from the day I first laid eyes on her.”
Having worked with dozens of high-quality fillies in his long career, including Bold West, Jungle Class, Fanciful, Olma and Chocolicious, Robinson suspected that Mocha Blend was not an ordinary specimen, and told his new patrons as much. “She turned out a bit in front but was otherwise perfect, with a beautiful temperament.”
Mocha Blend finished third, first-up, and then won two races off the bat late in 2024. After that she placed in three features during the KZN Summer Season, performing with much promise. But Robinson raced her sparingly and explained: “The tracks are hard in winter. Mocha Blend had some issues with her legs, so I took it easy with her. She was a bit light too, had some maturing to do. But when spring came around, she started blossoming and filled out. She has been sound as a bell this season. Every time I feel her knees after a gallop they are cold as a fridge. No heat, no trouble.”
Today's Question
FIELDS, Tuesday, 9 December
Today’s Question Answer
Viking Flagship was admired for his fighting qualities in jumps racing.
