The honour roll of the Gr1 Natal Flying Championship, run these days as the Mercury Sprint, is an illustrious one of champions and award winners – and the season’s speed climax has become something of a stallion maker in its own right.
The R800 000 Gr1 Mercury Sprint has attracted a typically high quality entry of 22 horses for the 2017 renewal to be run at Greyville on Saturday 15 July.
A glance at the honour roll over the years is a fascinating reflection on some of our great sprinters.
Harry Hotspur (Mexico II – Saturna)
In 1976 the Mexico 11 speed star Harry Hotspur bowed out and registered the ninth of his eleven career wins, before moving on to a career at stud that saw him produce a host of champions and become a sire of sires.
It has been 30 years since Terrance Millard led the outstanding Sunera in after she had gone off at 4-10 in what was also her swansong appearance, hammering the top-class Lord Randolph by 2 lengths, to make it an eleventh victory from thirteen starts in this country
Senor Santa – legendary galloper
Four years later, Northern Guest’s legendary fifteen time winning son Senor Santa made the Natal Flying Championship one of his sensational seven Gr1 scores when he bolted in under Gavin Howes. The chestnut, picked up three ARCSA awards during his illustrious career –South Africa’s Champion 2YO Colt of 1987, the gelding would go on to be named Champion Sprinter in both 1989 and 1990. Senor Santa made history when he became the first top sprinter to earn over R1 million.
Red Ray wins the 2016 Mercury Sprint
The 2017 entries – supplementary entries close Friday 7 July
THE MERCURY SPRINT (Grade 1)
Horses at Weight-For-Age
WFA: 2yrs-7.5kgs 3yrs-0.5kgs
No Apprentice Allowance
| 10 | Trip To Heaven | (5G) | 60 | 120 | AT | Sean Tarry | |
| 4 | Bull Valley | (4G) | 60 | 115 | A | Sean Tarry | |
| 18 | Talktothestars | Accepted | (5G) | 60 | 113 | BAT | Coenie de Beer |
| 15 | Brutal Force | (5G) | 60 | 112 | BA | Joey Ramsden | |
| 20 | Search Party | (4G) | 60 | 112 | A | Brett Crawford | |
| 7 | London Call | (6G) | 60 | 111 | A | Mark Dixon | |
| 21 | Champagne Haze | (4G) | 60 | 110 | A | Gary Alexander | |
| 9 | New Predator (AUS) | Accepted | (4C) | 60 | 110 | BA | Johan Janse van Vuuren |
| 14 | Kangaroo Jack | (4G) | 60 | 109 | A | Gary Alexander | |
| 11 | Victorious Jay | (4G) | 60 | 109 | A | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 12 | Gulf Storm | (6G) | 60 | 106 | A | Brett Crawford | |
| 3 | Captain’s Causeway | (4C) | 60 | 103 | A | Sean Tarry | |
| 22 | Redcarpet Captain | (4G) | 60 | 100 | A | Gareth van Zyl | |
| 2 | Angel’s Power | (4G) | 60 | 96 | A | Mike Azzie | |
| 1 | Doing It For Dan | (5G) | 60 | 96 | AT | Louis Goosen | |
| 5 | Seventh Plain | (4G) | 60 | 95 | AT | Dennis Drier | |
| 16 | Isca | (4G) | 60 | 94 | A | Gavin van Zyl | |
| 6 | Sergeant Hardy | Accepted | (3G) | 59.5 | 109 | A | Justin Snaith |
| 13 | Attenborough | (3G) | 59.5 | 106 | A | Joey Ramsden | |
| 8 | Rivarine | (3C) | 59.5 | 105 | A | Mike Azzie | |
| 19 | Live Life | (3F) | 57 | 105 | A | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 17 | Wrecking Ball | (3F) | 57 | 102 | AT | Grant Maroun | |
| (22) | |||||||
JJ The Jet Plane & Lucky Houdalakis
SA Horse Of The Year National Colour, the dam of champions Rafeef (due to stand his first season at Highlands in a matter of weeks) and 2yo sensation Mustaqeem, won the Mercury in 2006 before embarking on an international campaign. The fairer sex also scored in consecutive years in 2013 when Equus champion All Is Secret beat another top female in Welwitschia. The girls held power in 2014, the last year the race was run down the Clairwood straight, when Mike Bass’ Jet Master flyer Fly By Night was too strong for Computaform Sprint winner, Copper Parade.
Bargain buy JJ The Jet Plane (another Jet Master) won the race twice in 2008 and 2010, four months before he travelled to Hong Kong for a thrilling win in the Gr1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint!
Bernard Fayd’herbe poses as What A Winter skips clear to win the Gr1 Mercury Sprint at Clairwood
Every colt to win this race since 2012 has gone on to sire duties. Treble Equus champion What A Winter stands at Drakenstein, while Equus Champion Sprinter of 2014/15 Captain Of All and Western Winter star Red Ray, who won it last year. are based at Klawervlei.
Besides the emotional and historical connotations of the switch from the straight track at Clairwood to the tricky Greyville circuit, where they jump on the turn, the draw factor comes into account and changes the complexion of the tactical approach to the race.
Captain of All – winner in 2015, with the Mercury sash
Garth Puller – draw plays a part
In the first two runnings at the city track, Red Ray won from 9 and Captain Of All from the 7 gate.
Retired champion jockey Garth Puller told the Sporting Post that the Greyville draw played a more critical role as riders were often forced to use up more ground in getting into their positions. He said that on a straight track, jockeys could gradually find their chosen position, conserving energy in the process.
“First and foremost, everything is relevant to the pace and where you want to be. Around the turn, if horses on your inside go fast and you want to slot in, it makes it easier. But why the draw position is critical is often that horses use up more energy to get into position, and that counts in the end when you are looking for the reserves,”he said.
