Lerena Could Match De Melo With Five-timer At City Track
The Gauteng jockey has a full card of rides and six are for champion trainer Paul Peter (in his last meeting before relinquishing his license).
9th Race: (1) Call Me Master (2) Don’t Touch Me (8) Twice As Wild (7) Irrevocable Dream
Vermaak On Durbanville And Cape Racing’s New Sales Division Etc.
Grant Knowles speaks to Cape Racing’s Head of Racing Operations Justin Vermaak about the opening day of the Hollywoodbets Spring Country Series at Hollywoodbets Durbanville and about Cape Racing’s new sales division. They also touch on other events on the forward-thinking operator’s agenda.
Shane Humby Moves Back To The Cape
Shane Humby’s decision coincides with the new incentives and programming strategies being put in place by Cape Racing, which will have a definite positive impact on the prospects of small yard trainers.
“Guess where we are,” said Shane Humby Racing Stables on social media. “Shane Humby Racing has returned to the the fair Cape .
We have been here a week now and the horses are settling in and enjoying their new surroundings .
We are looking forward to the new chapter.”
Racing On The Beach In Laytown Yesterday
The Laytown Races occupy a unique position in the Irish racing calendar, as Ireland’s only horse racing event run on a beach under the Rules of Racing.
In 1949, the Aga Khan, one of the sport’s legendary owners and his wife, the Begum, attended the Laytown Races.
Paul Peter Explains The Reasons Behind His Shock Decision
In a decision that caught most of us on the wrong foot, record-breaking South African champion trainer Paul Peter shocked the racing world on Thursday when he decided to relinquish his licence.
www.sportingpost.co.za
The National Horseracing Authority published a media release on Thursday morning, where they made the announcement, and wished the new champion well in his new endeavours.
Paul Peter and his son Josh – time to step back (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
In an exclusive chat with the Sporting Post on Friday morning, the 50 year old explained that the very tough decision had been made for personal health and emotional reasons on medical advice.
“I have to consider that as much as I love my racing and my horses, I have to be realistic and consider the implications for my family and my personal health. I am not a delegator by nature, and my yard has grown exponentially. I have enjoyed great support from my sons, my wife and my broader family network. I achieved what I set out to do 12 years ago, and I want to thank everybody in horseracing, including the punting public, for the support and kindness. I don’t have a bad word to say about anybody, and I hope that my owners and horses go on to great things. For now it is time to change direction and to take a step back,” he added emotionally, explaining that his son Tony had declined the opportunity to take over the string.
Paul Peter’s rise through the training ranks has been meteoric since his first winner Magico, who won on Durban July day in 2010.
In his peak season last term, he set a new South African record of 221 winners, which beat the previous benchmark of 215 set by Sean Tarry in the 2016/2017 season a fortnight ago.
While Summer Pudding’s extraordinary SA Triple Tiara feat in 2020 was an undoubted highlight, Paul Peter trained 7 Gr1 winners and was known as a media-friendly conditioner who always had time to talk to the press.
THE QUIET MAN WITH THE BROAD SMILE WILL BE MISSED AND WE ASK THAT THE INDUSTRY RESPECTS THE PETER FAMILY’S PRIVACY AT THIS TIME.
The Queen’s Love Of Horses And Horse Racing
A Comprehensive Tribute By The Daily Mail
The Queen was never happier than on a racecourse watching her horses, her beaming smile after Estimate’s Gold Cup win proved that… horse racing allowed her to be in her element
- The Queen looked overjoyed as her filly Estimate won the 2013 Ascot Gold Cup
- The Queen loved her horses, loved seeing them race and making breeding plans
- People who worked with her in sport got to see the Queen in a more relaxed light
- Flat racing was focus of Queen’s racing operation – Aureole was one of her best
By Marcus Townend For The Daily Mail
But those who were close to her who work in the sport have long known where the late monarch’s heart truly lay.
Throughout her life, the Queen’s sense of duty never failed. During what must occasionally have been some pretty dreary official engagements, there was never the slightest sign that she wished she could be somewhere else.
The Queen was never happier than on a racecourse watching her horses. Pictured watching her filly Estimate win the 2013 Ascot Gold Cup
Jockey Ryan Moore rides Estimate to victory ahead of Simenon in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot
Andrew the Duke of York presented Queen Elizabeth II with Gold Cup after Estimate’s victory
Members of the Royal family cheer after the Queen’s horse crosses the line in first place
A day at the races: Her Majesty’s favourite pastime: WATCH VIDEO
Those people got to see the Queen in a different, more relaxed light. There was no standing on ceremony. The Queen had a wonderful memory for a face but what also surprised many was her remarkable memory for her horses. She could recognise the horses brought up on her Sandringham Stud with ease.
There is a story that one morning while visiting Richard Hannon Snr, who joined her trainer roster in 1998, carefully laid plans to send her string up the gallops in pre-planned order ended in a muddle. The Queen recognised every one.
She had shown back in 1955 that she had a keen eye for her stock when two of her yearlings were inadvertently mixed up while being transferred to the care of Newmarket trainer Sir Cecil Boyd Rochfort. It was an error only spotted by the Queen when she visited the stable even though she had not seen the horses for 18 months.
The fearless Queen gallops on a black horse along the course at Ascot Races back in 1960
The Queen loved her horses. Pictured cantering at Ascot ahead of meeting start in June 1961
Racing on the Flat was the focus of the Queen’s equine operation but her first winner came over jumps in 1949. Monaveen, trained by Peter Cazalet, carried the Queen’s colours when he won at Fontwell but was actually shared with her mother.
Her first Flat winner was Astrakhan, who had been given to her by the Aga Khan in 1947 as a wedding present. Despite troublesome knees, he won at Hurst Park in 1950.
It would turn out to be the only Flat winner to be victorious carrying the Queen’s colours of scarlet, purple hooped sleeves and black cap as in 1952, on the death of her father King George VI, she inherited the colours associated with his runners.
They were almost carried to Derby victory immediately when Aureole, her first runner in the great race, was second to Sir Gordon Richards-ridden Pinza in 1953.
She would never get closer to winning British Flat racing’s most prestigious race, though Sir Michael Stoute-trained Carlton House must have raised royal pulses when, despite an injury-interrupted preparation, some trouble in running and losing a shoe, the Ryan Moore-ridden colt went tantalisingly close when third to Pour Moi in 2011.
While Boyd Rochfort-trained Aureole is probably remembered most for his Derby near-miss, he also was probably the best colt the Queen ever owned, winning the 1954 King George the season when the Queen was champion owner of the year.
Her other good horses included Dunfermline, who won the Oaks and St Leger, ridden by Willie Carson, in 1977, the year of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations.
Queen meets jockey Ryan Moore as horse ‘Estimate’ wins Gold Cup: WATCH VIDEO
The Queen, left, Princess Margaret and the Duke of Kent riding at Ascot racecourse in 1968
The Queen smiles and gives her four-year-old colt Aureole a congratulatory pat on the nose after the King George VI and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes
Official duties prevented the Queen attending Epsom for the Oaks and she was unable to make this summer’s Derby meeting which featured a 40-strong guard of honour of her by her past and present jockeys.
They included Carson, who recalled how staff always knew that the Queen was about to make a visit to the stable of Dunfermline’s trainer Dick Hern because he instructed them to clean the interior of his Land Rover.
Recalling his pride in wearing the royal colours, Carson said at the time: ‘When you put the colours on, especially at Epsom, a jockey grows six inches. You’re just that much bigger and more important. The Queen is the most famous woman in the whole world, so you’re privileged. You want to be doing your best for her.
Aureole is probably remembered most for his Derby near-miss when he was beaten by Pinza
If you just slip up and say this horse is out of the wrong mare, she will be straight on you. She can go back four or five generations and tells you about them. I can’t remember last week!
‘I wouldn’t call it her life but it’s her passion, her hobby and she really enjoys it. You go to the stud she enjoys touching the foals and stroking them. That is a great moment for her, just enjoying seeing the future in her horses.’
Another of her jockeys, John Reid, also told a story how the Queen had asked for composer Andrew Lloyd Webber to get in contact after he had played her a CD of his daughter Jessica, who had ambitions to get into the entertainment business, singing.
Most memorably, the Dick Hern-trained Dunfermline (above) won the Oaks and St Leger
Reid said: ‘She was staying at Highclere and having dinner and Andrew Lloyd Webber was invited. I didn’t know all this until afterwards but the next morning she got up and she said, “Oh, I forgot to give Lloyd Webber the CD of John’s daughter. We’ll drive down there and drop it off”.
‘There was a major panic at the house and she turned up and gave him the CD. Shortly after that, I had a phone call from (royal racing manager) John Warren saying, “Lloyd Webber would like to meet Jessica and interview her because the Queen says she’s very good”.’
One of the Queen’s other significant horses was Highclere the 1974 1,000 Guineas and French Oaks winner.
After being retired to stud, Highclere’s foals included Height of Fashion, who was associated with two of the Queen’s most difficult racing episodes.
There were no horses of the quality of Nashwan in the royal colours in subsequent years.
The massive Arab investment in the sport priced the Queen and many other traditional owners and breeders out of the market.
The sensitive political situation also for many years precluded the Queen using the best and dominant stallions based in the Irish Republic.
Carlton House must have raised royal pulses when third to Pour Moi in the 2011 Epsom Derby
But in recent times, with a little help from her racing friends, the Queen had raced more competitive horses.
Carlton House, a gift from Sheik Mohammed, and Estimate, an 80th birthday present from the Aga Khan, led the way. Going into 2019, her string included offspring of leading sires Dubawi, Frankel and Galileo.
Her best horse of recent seasons was Dartmouth, whose eight wins included the 2016 Hardwicke Stakes, one of the Queen’s 24 Royal Ascot winners. The most recent was Tactical, winner of the 2020 Windsor Castle Stakes.
Her roster of trainers is led by Newmarket-based Sir Michael Stoute, William Haggas, Michael Bell, and John and Thady Gosden, and also includes Andrew Balding, Roger Charlton, Richard Hughes and Richard Hannon Jnr.
The Queen also maintained the link to the jumps, previously championed by her mother, by having a handful of jumpers with Nicky Henderson and Charlie Longsdon.
Her best horse of recent years was Dartmouth, whose eight wins included 2016 Hardwicke Stakes
If there was a winner from the Queen’s passion for racing, it was the sport itself. It was not possible to have a better ambassador.
The royal patronage helped elevate the status of horseracing in Britain, which has not enjoyed the financial advantages of some overseas jurisdictions.
This is illustrated by the heightened worldwide status held by Royal Ascot, which now regularly attracts runners from America, Australia and the Far East keen to experience a unique British event with the Queen at its heart.
Royal winners were invariably roared home — especially at Ascot, her racecourse!
Racegoers seemed to appreciate that a woman who had devoted her life to duty serving her country was able to enjoy a moment of her personal, private passion.
The Queen at Royal Ascot in 2019 – she had to miss the meeting for the first time in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic
But Tactical, trained by Andrew Balding, gave her her 24th Royal Ascot success in 2020
That was what racing appeared to be. A brief break from the strict timetable of official duties. A chance to relax and laugh as she did on another occasion when hosted by Hannon Snr.
That morning an Indian-born rider, who had arrived late to work, got mixed up with the Queen’s horses which had been brought together for her inspection.
All attempts to get the Indian rider to leave with his horse floundered on his lack of English. Every Hannon instruction was greeted with a ‘Yes, boss’ but no action.
Exasperated Hannon, turned to the Queen and said: ‘Ma’am, do you speak Indian?’
‘No, I am afraid I don’t,’ came the reply to which Hannon retorted: ‘Well, you ought to Ma’am. You ruled the place for long enough.’
There was no royal scowl, just a beaming monarch and laughter in the trainer’s jeep.
The Queen was in her element.
On Thursday night, some of those great names in the sport paid tribute. Frankie Dettori said: ‘I’m shocked for everyone. She was a truly incredible lady and such a dedicated Queen to the country.
Frankie Dettori (right) was among those in sport to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
‘I met her so many times and she was such a kind and knowledgeable lady who had such a passion for racing. It was an emotional feeling when you rode for her and it gave you an incredible sense of pride when you rode a winner in her colours.
‘I had winners for her at Royal Ascot and over 50 for her in all.’
Another of the greats, Carson, added: ‘I wasn’t actually watching the television but I saw the flag at half-mast above Buckingham Palace and it hit me very hard.
‘We’ve lost an unbelievable patron who will never be replaced. It’s a sad, sad day. She was 96, but we didn’t want her to go. She was great for the country and she dedicated her life to service.’
Royal trainer Gosden remembered a ‘truly remarkable and extraordinary monarch whose love of her people defined her life.
‘Her passion and profound knowledge of horses was unequalled and her advice was always acutely insightful.’
And the British Horseracing Authority, who have suspended racing today, added in a statement: ‘All of British Racing is in mourning today following the passing of Her Majesty The Queen. Her passion for racing and the racehorse shone brightly throughout her life.’
Van der Merwe has gone to 13 winners for the season at a 11.02% strike rate.
Smith has gone to 12 winners at 7.59% and he is eight winners behind his arch rival Alan Greeff.
Khumalo is now on 26 winners at 19.40% and is just two behind the national log leader Keagan de Melo.
Greeff is now on 20 winners at 18.18%.
Sharon Kotzen is on six winners for the season at a strike rate of 12%.
Picture: JP van der Merwe (Hamish Niven Photography).
Today’s Question
Which stallion who stood in South Africa and produced the like of Ted’s Ambition, Rise And Rule, Desert Legend etc was related to 1958 2000 Guineas winner Pall Mall (Palestine), who was The Queen’s first classic winner?
Picture: Pall Mall (dailymail.co.uk)
Turffontein Inside Fields
Hollywoodbets Scottsville Fields
Today’s Question Answer
George Rowles of Ivanhoe Stud imported the English-bred Caerdeon (Crepello) in 1973 and this stallion became the leading Natal-based stallion for a number of years.
Caerdeon’s third dam was Malapert (Portlaw), who was the dam of The Queen’s first classic winner, the 1958 2000 Guineas victor Pall Mall.
Pall Mall went on to win the first two runnings of the Lockinge Stakes, a Newbury Group 1 mile event which has been won by both Frankel and Baaeed.
