Les Bruss receives Leander Starr Jameson Trophy from Lady Dalhousie
CTS Ready To Run 2012.
Our youngest sales company’s debut on the ready to run market was announced with much fanfare, luncheons, country-wide road shows, attractive payment plans for vendors as well as buyers and of course that tantalising carrot, the R2 million CTS Ready To Run Stakes to be run over 1400m at Kenilworth on 23 November 2013, plus a sweepstake of R100,000 to the vendor of the winning horse and an automatic entry into the R1million CPYS Guineas.
The old Equimark sales grounds were dusted off, the first draft started arriving two weeks before the event and Durbanville became a hive of activity.
Gallops
Thursday, 13 November dawned hot and clear. Proceedings kicked off at 9am and the assembly at the country course were roundly welcomed and fortified with a sumptuous breakfast spread while the Ready to Run candidates took to the track for their gallops.
The mercury soared, the cicadas sang and the catering staff were kept busy dispensing icy drinks, but it was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends and acquaintances from across the country and Paul Lafferty and Neil Bruss in particular made for amusing company. Compliments to the organisers, the conditioners, the riders and the handlers – with the excitement and uncertainty of a busy sales environment, youngsters can be a handful, but on the whole things went pretty smoothly.
There were one or two minor issues such as restricted visibility for those seated along the rail as the bottom half of the horses was somewhat obscured by the fence. Some folks voiced a preference for the single horse gallops, but there was equal support for horses to be galloped in pairs.
Leander Starr Jameson Trophy
Leander Starr Jameson Trophy
At midday everyone retired to the clubhouse for the Guineas draw and I had the privilege of having Robin Bruss regale me with the story behind the magnificent Leander Starr Jameson Trophy, which will be awarded to the winner of the Gr1 Cape Premier Yearling Sales Guineas with the kind permission of the Mashonaland Turf Club. The trophy was originally commissioned from Elkington’s in 1895 and presented by Dr Leander Starr Jameson KCMG CB (Administrator of Rhodesia at the time) to the Bulawayo Summer Handicap winner on Boxing Day 1895. Dr Jameson is of course famously known for his role in the Jameson raid and the precipitation of the Matabeleland Rebellion (known in Zimbabwe as the First Chimurenga). Arrested and deported to England for his role in trying to overthrow Paul Kruger’s government, he was subsequently pardoned by the British and went on to become Prime Minister of the Cape Colony. He was immortalised in Rudyard Kipling’s great poem ‘IF’.
Historic connection
Robin’s father started racing back in 1943 and won the trophy (which has his name inscribed on it) back in the 50’s. Robin came across a photograph of his father receiving the trophy in one of the old family albums, but with Bulawayo racing closing down about 20 years ago, he presumed the trophy had disappeared, but somehow it always stuck in his mind. It is funny how life sometimes comes full circle. When Borrowdale Park had their 50th anniversary in 2009, they celebrated the occasion with a series of events culminating in a race meeting. The races on the card were all named after people who had played important roles in the history of Zimbabwean racing and Robin sponsored the Les Bruss stakes in memory of his father. When he mentioned that he would like to purchase a trophy to award to the winner, the Mashonaland Turf Club instead invited him to choose a trophy from their strong room. Imagine his surprise to find the wonderful old trophy in their strong room.
Robin was so delighted to be allowed the use of the trophy for the race commemorating his father, that he determined to win it and sent a horse up to contest the race. Unfortunately they missed out by a short head and he had to hand it over to his rival.
A worthy award
Robin feels that the Guineas is a breed-shaping race and a quick look through its history shows that it has been won by a long line of our turf greats. He says it is fitting that a great trophy be won by a great horse and was very gratified to award it to Variety Club last year.
When the Cape Premier Yearling Sales decided to sponsor the Cape Guineas, Robin approached the Mashonaland Turf Club who kindly agreed to allow its use as the annual floating trophy. Anyone who had the privilege of seeing it last year will most surely agree that it is a fitting award for a race bound in such tradition, honour and history.
The trophy has since been valued by Sotheby’s at somewhere in the region of $250k and we may not have the use of it for too much longer, so I hope the recipient will enjoy lifting it this coming weekend. Although the trophy will be returned to Zimbabwe shortly afterwards, CTS has commissioned 4 silver trays (for the jockey, owner, trainer and breeder respectively) to be awarded as permanent keepsakes.
But back to the sales
CTS were under no illusions that they were going up against the best, when pitting themselves against their well-established TBA counterparts and aimed at achieving a R100k sales average. Robin was utterly delighted with the sale results which grossed R25.5 million and an average of R171k. He feels that the very attractive incentives they were able to build around the sale added appreciably to their success. Vendors will be paid this Friday, while buyers enjoy 6 months interest free credit (with an additional 2.5% discount to anyone who pays cash). Robin feels there was a good spread of horses to suit all sectors of the market, with prices ranging from R20k to R1 million. He was also gratified to receive support from one of the newest industry additions, Adriaan van Vuuren, who made headlines when he scooped the two top lots at the recent Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale.
Early Christmas
Amongst others, Mr van Vuuren signed for the top priced filly as well as lot no 68, an attractive son of Imperial Stride who comes with a heart-warming backstory. Gary and Jackie Jolliffe purchased the colt after the CTS Book 2 sale earlier this year with a view to pinhooking it for the Ready To Run sale. At about the same time, they were paying their grooms bonuses for their sales services when an idea struck. Instead of the bonus payments, the Jolliffes offered the grooms shares in their colt instead.
Seven of the grooms bought in – Ricardo Visser, Steve Conradie, Trevor Jafta, Damon Boonzaaier, Willem Jafta, Johannes Franse, and in-house farrier Atwell Mujere. Ricardo (incidentally one of the best horsemen you can hope to meet) told me a little about their first adventure into pinhooking. He said a few of the guys were reticent, but they all encouraged one another and have enjoyed the experience. The colt was a little light in the leg and they initially nicknamed him “Old Chicken Legs”, but by the time he was backed and going (for which the group credit Gary and his team highly), the colt had strengthened up and filled out nicely. He was then sent to Brett Crawford for his final prep.
Nerves were understandably running high and the guys were all busy with farm duties on the day of the gallops, but Jackie showed them the replay on-line and Ricardo said they took a lot of confidence from the work he put up. Three of them managed to attend the sale and were absolutely over the moon with the price they achieved.
With so much talk about reformation, BEE and all the other industry buzzwords, it is incredibly affirming to see people putting their money where their mouth is and Gary and Jackie Jolliffe deserve every credit for their initiative. Mrs Oppenheimer once likened racing to a game of snakes and ladders. Well, if good karma has any influence on luck, then Mr van Vuuren most certainly deserves a good leg up.
As this will be my last column before Christmas, may I wish everyone a happy, peaceful and safe festive season.
