Sporting Post columnists share their opinions and insights into horse racing from South Africa and around the world. They are experts who have a deep understanding of the sport of kings, enjoy their thoughtful and fresh articles.
ROBYN LOUW: July day has come and gone and I feel a little like a kid after Christmas. All the planning, hoping, waiting and suddenly it’s all over in a blur and I’m sitting in a heap of empty boxes and shiny paper.
SARAH WHITELAW: One thing seems to have been clearly established following the running of the July – it is difficult to see any horse other than Variety Club (Var) being named Horse of the Year.
ROBYN LOUW: The great and good that lit up the turf of yesteryear had been painstakingly brought back to life
SARAH WHITELAW: The subject of racehorses who have achieved long winning streaks has been much in the media of late
You know when you are looking for a new horse and you’ve got a picture in your mind of what he looks like? And then sometimes you find a horse that doesn’t look anything like that picture, but it’s a nice horse, so you buy him anyway? That is where I was at the beginning of this year.
ROBYN LOUW: Every ‘July’ is an event and this year an unusually interesting and interconnected group of runners in this Durban July
SARAH WHITELAW: A view of interesting performing sire lines and mares around the world.
ROBYN LOUW: It’s supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to be frivolous. And entertaining and escapist. And all about the power and beauty of the horse.
SARAH WHITELAW: So how many other mares in history have produced as many as eight stakes winners? The small number of famous broodmares to produce as many as five stakes winners really puts into perspective the remarkable achievement
The evergreen hero travelled to Vereeniging on Thursday for a 100% strike rate from two rides that saw him bring up his recordbreaking 5555th winner milestone
‘The Breeders Cup Distaff is definitely still on the cards and Beach Bomb will probably have one more race before then’ – Gaynor Rupert
It will be good news for South African racing fans that, despite a number of offers from abroad, Gerald and Karen Kalil’s multiple champion Quid Pro Quo will continue her 3yo season on African soil
The son of Twice Over has been gelded and will be aimed at the Betway Gr1 Summer Cup, the L’Ormarins King’s Plate and the WSB Cape Town Met
