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.
LANCE BENSON: Flamboyant former Cape and country course Champion trainer Joey Ramsden has started the new season in low-key fashion, but upped his game with a dazzling win in the Gr3 Matchem Stakes on Sunday 9 October.
ROBYN LOUW: For those who don’t know it, Hartford House is the old homestead at Summerhill Stud. If you have not visited, I strongly suggest you add it to your bucket list immediately. Preferably several times over.
SARAH WHITELAW:The two full brothers, Try My Best and El Gran Senor, were both unbeaten champions at two.
LANCE BENSON: It is refreshing to see Phumelela doing some out-of-the-box marketing when it comes to their innovative new Rugby 5 bet through the sponsorship of a student beauty pageant.
ROBYN LOUW: When I recently spent Heritage Day at Durbanville, I did a quick straw poll of my fellow racegoers. One of the most interesting groups I chatted to was entirely unhorsey – they just happened to live near the racecourse and said that they liked to pop round on summer evenings, park on the grass and watch the last few races.
SARAH WHITELAW: It is hard to remember the last time when, in a major international WFA contest, the first three horses home were fillies. The Arc has been won by members of the fairer sex on 17 previous occasions.
ROBYN LOUW: To understand how the race course came into being, you need to look to the middle of the track, which houses the Cape Hunt and Polo Club.
Plenty of horses racing in different countries at similar periods share names, but it is hard to think of another recent incident when two identically named horses won feature races on one weekend!
It is a well documented fact that a good horse can come from anywhere. Many top horses have been imported into this country, while others are raced by their breeders, or sold privately.
LANCE BENSON: The growing popularity of external income streams such as the soccer and rugby exotic bets have to some extent removed the flashing red light above horseracing’s front door.
ROBYN LOUW: Mike and Tanya McHardy of Rathmor Stud were presented with an Equus award for Exceptional International Achievement for their wonderful filly, Gypsy’s Warning. And it seems they’ve got another superstar on their hands!
The South African bred former Equus Champion Sprinter Isivunguvungu made a terrific winning debut on US soil for trainer Graham Motion and confirmed his Prevagen $1million Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint aspirations
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
