Sands of Time: February 2011

Gold Circle AGM and more rain…

On the first day of the month the Gold Circle AGM rejects a motion for divorce, put by the Western Cape Chapter and heavily supported there. Uncertainty surround the future of the ‘club’, which elects a new board several days later. Robert Mauvis becomes the new chairman.

Rain continues to play havoc with racing up North. The meetings at Vaal on 1 Feb and Kimberley on 7 Feb start, only to be abandoned because of waterlogged tracks and unsafe conditions. The Summer Speedster feature, a 1000m sprint for fillies and mares on the Vaal sand, is carried forward to the 17^th of the month.

Meet The Ramblers

The NHA (aka the Jockey Club) lets registered owner Reid off scottfree, following an inquiry into the publication of an article on Reid’s website, allegedly in October last year. The NHA’s press release following the inquiry describes Reid’s offending blog as “a rambling and unstructured one.  It appears to have been written without a great deal of thought and significantly relies on what we find far too often in the Racing Industry, anonymous sources who are not named and information that is unsubstantiated concerning what is alleged to have taken place at various meetings.” Interesting how this italicised statement isn’t backed up by fact either. Should Sporting Post thus feel aggrieved and be offended, its good name in tatters?

The NHA’s press release rambles on and becomes progressively difficult to follow – for one, names are referred of persons unknown in the industry, and not previously mentioned in the press release.

It is all rather mind boggling.

In The Pink

At a NHA Inquiry chaired by Advocate G. Hoffman, the Board finds that the Stipendiary Stewards failed in their duty by not calling for either a review and/or an objection into an incident involving Betty Burke and Cyber Lady at about the 200m mark in Race 2 at Flamingo Park on 7 February 2011.

The Inquiry Board is of the view that had there been an objection, it would have been upheld. The members of the Stipendiary Board acknowledge their error in judgement with regard to this incident, and the Inquiry Board recommends that disciplinary action be taken against the relevant Stipendiary Stewards.

Going To Dubai

The ups and downs of horse racing are illustrated in Dubai by two Jet Masters. Starting at odds-on, J J The Jet Plane makes his 2011 debut in a handicap over 1200m on Tapeta. Giving a stone and more to his rivals, he finishes out of the frame. One day later it’s the turn of River Jetez. Also in the red, the full sister to Pocket Power leaves no doubt about her superiority in the $200k Gr2 Balanchine S. over 1800m. Mike de Kock also has Australian filly Reem in the race – the daughter of Galileo finishes a good second.

It’s now on to Super Thursday, on 3 March, and World Cup day 3 weeks after that.

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