20 Years Ago: Sands of Time – September 1991

East Cape Racing announces the running of three R100.000 races for the new season. It is the first time that six-figure feature events are contested in the Eastern Cape.

Northern Dancer’s son Rakeen is heralded as South Africa’s future champion before the running of the OK Trial over 2100m at Turffontein, with radio, tv and press going all out. Rakeen makes heavy weather of it, though, and only gets up very late, showing guts.

TV commentator and bloodstock agent Robin Bruss, who was responsible for the importation of Rakeen, is quoted in Business Day as believing that the best is still to come. “Rakeen loves the sting out of the ground as he proved by his brilliant July run in Durban. He disliked Saturday’s hard going, but after the summer rains nothing will stop him. I honestly think he will never be beaten again”. Which means that Dave Mollet’s savings should be safe.

The Natal Trainers Association (NTA) votes unanimously for a break-away from the recently formed SA Racehorse Trainers Association (SARTA). SARTA chairman Mills says he’s surprised at the move, but confident that Natal trainers will rejoin SARTA in their individual capacities.

Topa Inca is put on ice again, and is expected to be out of action for at least nine months. His connections indicate that a suspensory ligament problem has re-surfaced.

Mr A Terblanche from Pretoria is the winner in a competition run by the SA National Council for the Aged. He wins the racing career of the colt Formidable Formaz. The colt’s breeder, Hilda Podlas, will stable, train and race Formidable Formaz on Mr Terblanche’s behalf.

In Mauritius, the island’s local “July”, named the Maiden Cup, attracts a crowd of thirty thousand. They flock to see Evader, a six-year-old son of Taxiarchos, win the 2400m event.

First official clash between the new crop of three-year-olds and their elders takes place at Kenilworth in the Matchem Stakes over 1400m. The younger generation fills the first four places, with Wicked Will’s son The Decorator adding another feather to his now substantial cap.

The outcome is different on the Rand, as the first high-level clash between three and four-year-olds on the Rand results in a victory for the older generation. Queen’s Gold wins the Gr2 John Skeaping Trophy, run over 1800m at weight-for-age at Turffontein, from the year-younger Fluent Stride. It is the first time that Queen’s Gold races beyond 1400m. The son of Golden Thatch outsprints all his rivals, to further add to his sire’s recent Gr1 successes with Goldmark and Magnificent Miss.

Trainer Nick Viviers enters a two-year-old for a maiden race at the Vaal. However, the horse isn’t eligible, as juvenile races in South Africa do not take place until November. The name of the scratched horse is Be Warned, and as it seems likely to run in the first juvenile race when that comes, that may be a name to remember.

At the Vaal jockey Jupp has “a breathing problem and is unable to fully assist his mount”.

Next they’ll have jockey’s race with their tongues tied down…

Statistics released in the US show that 236 horses each earned $200.000 or more during 1990. Unbridled earned more than R3.7 million, and two other horses, Isvestia and Horse of the Year Criminal Type, earned more than $2 million. A dozen others earned $1 million or more.