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.
This is an excerpt from the 37th ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON RACING & GAMING at the University of Arizona. The talk is the key-note address, by Robert Evans, President and CEO of Churchill Downs.
Shuttlecock Shock – Sarah Whitelaw on the Pro’s & Cons of Shuttle Stallions
It doesn’t take much to make this grown man cry. Land of My Fathers in Welsh at the Millennium Stadium – Apollo 13 after the 4th re-entry minute – Angela Gheorghiu singing Vissi d’Arte – Kramer v Kramer the ultimate Dad’s film – Aldaniti’s Grand National – you name it…….BLUB!
Today, ‘they’ win. I’ve tried. I’ve really tried. I’ve enjoyed the Cape racing season – it’s been fun and exciting and everyone has gone out of their way to ensure that it’s been a rollercoaster of entertainment. The great and good have done their best to market South African breeding and racing as world class. The Queen’s Plate gave us glamour, the Met gave us glitz, and the Cape Premier Sale with its ambitious and fabulous venue provided us with theatre. It’s been sad to say farewell to Pocket Power as well as exciting to see the new juveniles make their first forays out onto the track. I’ve resolutely tried to focus on the horses and the racing, I really have, but I’m afraid my patience and sense of humour have left the building.
Sarah Whitelaw on Sunshine Lover, Ashaawes foals, NZ sales, Giant star, and the big SA entry for Dubai World Cup
Letter to the editor of Thoroughbred Daily News – “I had no idea what lay ahead. Are these people amateur horse breeders in darkest Africa?! I really didn’t know what to expect. Selling yearlings in January in the Southern Hemisphere is like selling in June in the Northern Hemisphere. In other words, very early.”
There is a belief that pedigrees don’t run races – horses do, and it’s true that certain pedigrees have an affinity for certain people. We’ve seen it with famous horse-jockey combinations as well as famous horse-trainer combinations. Similarly, certain owner-trainer combinations are also known to create a successful alchemy. The horses and their stories thread themselves through yards and lives and histories and draw people and events together in interesting and complicated ways. It’s fascinating to follow the threads and see how seemingly trivial events, slotted into place at just the right time and just the right place, conspire to produce quite extraordinary results.
If you weren’t among the 50 000 fortunate on-course spectators to have witnessed Past Master’s brilliant win in Saturday’s J&B Met, then you would have been one of the minority couple of million who would have had to sit through surely one of the worst feature race broadcasts ever. A bored looking panel dominated by foreign bodies and a distinctly disinterested Darren Scott, coupled with technical issues, made for a forgettable day on the couch. If only Gone With The Wind was showing on the classic channel, I would have switched allegiances, without hesitating.
Sarah Whitelaw on Tribute to a Champion, Met-day presenters, big weekend for Trippi, plans for top mares, NZ Premier Sale, 3yo fillies, and Jet Master’s great week
Robin Bruss on the inaugural Cape Premier Sale and the way forward
If you’ve ever wondered how low mainstream newspaper reporting on racing could sink, check last weekend’s issue of The Sunday Independent (R14.50 inc VAT). It’ll make you cry.
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
