20 Years Ago: Sands Of Time – March 1991

MARCH 1991

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MARCH
10 – 16

Jockey Sutherland weighs in underweight when riding Topica at the Vaal, and gets suspended for three weeks (in May this sentence will on appeal be altered to a fine).
The TAB operations in the Transvaal and Free State are rationalised, and Free State management is taken over by the Transvaal as of this month.

The committee of the Cape Turf Club resigns when a proposal to amend the emergency meeting vote system to include postal votes fails to be passed.
An emergency meeting to elect a new committee is set for March 28.

Rothmans releases a statement indicating that the company is not in favour a restricted M-Net broadcast of the Rothmans July. Rothmans also states, however, that the 1991 sponsorship of the race will not be affected.

Natal racing clubs announce their biggest ever winter racing season, with almost R10 million in stakes.

MARCH
17 – 23

Although officially not yet allowed (the new ordinance is awaiting ratification), children quite naturally become part of the racing scene in Natal. It’s no big deal, apparently, for anyone. But in the Cape, where it all started, things have gone quiet. Typically, this major step forward appears not worth promoting.

Continuous rain finally causes cancellation of racemeetings at Gosforth Park and Scottsville. The meetings had already been postponed from the previous Saturday.

The Alchemy Mare Programme dispersal sale takes place in Robertson. Top price of R120.000 is paid for the Jungle Cove mare Goldenflo, secured by Ken Twort for Gary Player. Goldenflo is the dam of Royal Flo, has a Waterville Lake foal at foot, and is in foal to Jungle Warrior.

It is announced that in the UK the firing of horses will be banned by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as from September. The barbaric practice of firing (still in vogue in South Africa) dates back to the Middle Ages.

Senor Santa slips up in the soft going at Turffontein when unplaced in the Gr1 Star Sprint. The Natal champion merely confirms his dislike for give in the ground. Lion-share of the R400.000 stake still goes to Natal though: San Carlos virtually leads from start to finish, and nothing gets anywhere near him.

Kimberley breeder Pa Serfontein takes over Oakfields stallions Del Sarto and On Stage. Oakfields is about to change course: its broodmare band will be sold at auction in May, and the company will concentrate all efforts on stallions.

MARCH
24 – 30

Greased lightning takes on a whole new meaning for Felix Coetzee, when the filly Kiss ‘n Cuddle bolts at Kenilworth in the canter-down, at an apparent thousand miles an hour. In the race itself she also proved uncontrollable upfront and it is a miracle that she still runs fourth. As it turns out, the reins got slippery because the groom had used fish-oil to give the filly’s mane a bit of shine. Felix is not amused.
Things look up at the same meeting when the Millard/Coetzee partnership scores an easy victory with Al Mufti over State Control. This is Al Mufti’s second win from as many starts and the Rothmans July becomes a possibility.

The Natal province makes representations to Vatcom in order not to have VAT imposed on betting transactions when the new tax is introduced later this year. Vatcom shows no sympathy and recommends that tote and bookmaker’s transactions must not be exempted. The bookmakers could be hard-hit as a result and there are real fears that punters will find solace with bucket shops.

Transvaal trainer Alan Forbes lands in hospital after an early morning attack at the training track. The incident revives rumours linking the attack to death threats received by Wally Segal. The Jockey Club makes it clear that as far as it is concerned no connection between the two exists. OTA chairman Ferraris calls for an investigation to clear up matters once and for all.

More than 200 members attend the special meeting of the Cape Turf Club to elect a new committee of twelve stewards. Seven of the old committee are returned, while five newcomers are elected, ending an embarrassing six weeks of controversy.

next: April 1991