Sands Of Time: March 1994

February 27 – March 5

Turf club officials in Zimbabwe confirm that South African Jockey Club officials are in the country, but decline to comment on the reason. This after The Herald (Zim’s daily newspaper) reports the presence in Harare of JC “roving banker” George Morrison and Dr (vet) Duncan MacDonald. Rumour has it that eight of the thirty trainers in Zimbabwe are under investigation following complaints that illegal performance enhancing substances are in common use.

A Jockey Club executive member is described by a Cape Town Supreme Court judge as a feeble, fanciful and dishonest witness – and ordered to pay Valley Stud over R80.000 in unpaid fees, with costs. A counter claim, for about R14.000 in discounted fees, is dismissed with costs.

In delivering judgement, Mr Justice FDJ Brand is scathing about Turffontein steward Selwyn Lipschitz, describing him as “argumentative and evasive”, saying the witness contradicted his testimony in court and in previous affidavits, as well as under cross-examination. Judge Brand praised Valley stud manager Derek Southey (“an honest witness”) for the veracity of his evidence.

The case will continue on appeal, in Bloemfontein.

Meanwhile, Transvaal trainer Terry Lowe scores an impressive one-two in the R500.000 Gr1 First National at Turffontein. Lord Shirldor, at 8/1 the lesser fancied of the stable’s two runners, gets the verdict by a neck from 18/10 favourite Dominof, with Seal Ring and Bluff next best.
The winner and runner-up are both owned owned by Selwyn Lipschitz, and bred and raised at the Valley Stud.
Such are life’s little mysteries.

 

March 6 – 12

Rain causes postponement of the meeting at Newmarket, and a change of distances by about 50m because of wet patches. Not to be outdone, torrential rain halfway through the card at Scottsville makes the stewards there abandon the meeting after the fifth race.

Fancied fillies fill the first three places in the R150.000 Gr1 Bloodline Fillies Guineas at Gosforth Park. Elliodor’s daughter Star Award holds off imported El Gran Senor filly Kundalini by a length, with Model Man’s Fair Model two lengths further back in third.

Native Dancer stallion Peaceable Kingdom dies aged 28. He’s the last of his famous sire’s sons at stud to depart for greener pastures.

Scottsville stewards reverse their 1992 decision on the distance of the Gr1 South African Oaks, traditionally run as one of three Gr1 races on Gilbeys Day at the track. The distance had been reduced from 2400m (the classic distance for Derby and Oaks the world over) to 2000m amidst howls of indignation from all corners of the industry. Apparent reason for the distance reduction was to be able to attract a better class filly and to raise the standard of competition in the race after several lean years in terms of “class”. That probably was wishful thinking, as the field would be the same whatever the distance – so limited is the number of class fillies eligible to run in the race. Now at least tradition is shown to count for something.

 

March 13 – 19

The Master of the Supreme Court is asked to perform a legal probe into the financial affairs of Dr Hilda Podlas, whose bankruptcy stuns many. Podlas, so states Neil Bowman, senior executive with a Johannesburg firm of liquidators, has amassed a debt of R30 million. A formal public inquiry is demanded by MLS Bank (part of ABSA), which has lodged claims of R16 million. Other creditors include Nedfin (R10 million) and Volkskas (R3 million). Podlas used to be the nominee for Swynford Paddocks, in whose pink colours large numbers of horses compete. The Swynford Paddocks nomineeship changed not that long ago into the name of Emmanuel Cambouris, Podlas’ former husband.

Neil Bowman is reported as saying that it appears that the company which instigated the sequestration of Podlas was controlled by her former husband.

It’s cart before the horse when Dr Ray Greenland is appointed chief executive of a yet to be established management company that will handle the administration of racing in the Transvaal. Formation of the new company is part of the rationalisation plan that will see Greenland control the three clubs racing on the Highveld, as well as the TAB and other service organisations. Greenland, who (quite unlike the current CEO’s of the raceclubs) knows little about the racing industry, will report to a board of 10 members, seven from within the industry and three from outside.
It’ll be interesting to see how quickly the parties will come to an agreement about the formation of the management company, and how soon Dr Greenland will be able to earn his keep.

The Jockey Club warns off Transvaal trainer De Ridder three times, some six months after the trainer is spotted with a syringe next to his horse Meluschka in the saddling area at Scottsville. Samples taken reveal that both horse and syringe contain hydrocortisone, a prohibited substance in terms of the Jockey Club Rules. De Ridder receives a warning off on each of three counts (for illegally administering a substance in the security area, for taking a prohibited substance into the saddling area, and for one of his horses testing positive for an illegal substance). In addition the trainer, who has the right of appeal, is fined R5000 for misleading the Board investigating the incident.

Long-reigning Gosforth Park CEO Wally Segal announces his retirement, Tony Millard wins a special magazine award, and James Goodman celebrates his birthday at the traditional Chairman’s dinner at Gosforth Park.

The former Bloodline Million is split in two half million races, one for colts, one for fillies. Colts favourite National Emblem is injured in the stalls at the start, and withdrawn by the vet. In his absence Model Man’s son Special Preview, the new favourite, runs out an impressive victor and receives a tumultuous welcome on his return to the winners enclosure. The winner’s next mission is said to be the Smirnoff, run at Scottsville in May.
The fillies equivalent falls in equally impressive fashion to Jamaican Justice, a daughter of high profile first season sire Al Mufti.

Peculiarly, the TBA at first refuses to part with the breeder’s portion of the Million-race prizemoney – which had been the drawcard of the race in previous years. After brief and to the point negotiation with a delegation of breeders (on the second day of the National Sale) the TBA changes its tune and parts with the money.

At the traditional Cheltenham Festival French-trained The Fellow finally makes it to the winner’s enclosure in the prestigious Gold Cup on his fourth attempt. The French challenger had twice been beaten by a head in the race. The Fellow beats last year’s winner (and favourite) Jodami by almost two lengths.

 

March 20 – 26

The National Yearling Sales surprise friend and foe when the average improves from last year’s R40.000 to R49.000. Beck-owned Highlands and Maine Chance Farms are far and away the leading consignors, with an aggregate exceeding R4 million. Northern Guest progeny collectively go for R3.5 million, over a million more than the Foveros youngsters attract (R2.2 million).

Top-lot at the sale is Newspaper Man, a Bush Telegraph half brother to champion 2yo filly of a few seasons ago, Scented Royal. The colt is consigned by Maine Chance Farms, who also have the top priced filly Chase The Light, a daughter of Golden Thatch and Cape Fillies Guineas winner Flying Snowdrop.

The Africa Cup is awarded for the first time at Gosforth Park, where jockeys from SA, Mauritius, Kenya and Zimbabwe do battle in four team-races. Beeld racing editor Etienne Louw assisted the winning Zimbawean team in picking their mounts.

The Jockey Club hosts the inaugural African Racing Area meeting, which is attended by delegates from Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Kenya, Madagascar and Senegal. The purpose of the meeting is to share experience and expertise. Delegates are to meet again next year, when invitations will be extended also to Ghana, Mali, Chad and Nigeria.

Meanwhile in the desert of Dubai, US jockeys retain their title in the 5-nation Dubai Team Challenge. The Australians beat the United Arab Emirates for second, with Japan fourth and the combined European team of Pat Eddery and Michael Kinane (who started as favourites) a modest fifth. American Chris McCarron also claims the title for best individual jockey.

In Port Elizabeth, Ian Robertson and Basil Bartlett are elected chairman and vice-chairman for the next term of the East Cape Racing board.

TAB’s countrywide introduce a national trifecta pool on the R1.25 million Gr1 Administrator’s Cup. But South Africa’s richest race, run over 2000m at Turffontein, turns out to be somewhat of an anti-climax. Run at an absurdly slow pace, matters are settled in a sprint finish in which fancied pair Take A Walk and Lord Shirldor do not feature. Victory goes to six-year-old Sizzling Sun, who heads seven-year-old Golden Peak. The winner is from the only crop of stallion Father Rooney out of an imported Sun Prince mare. A half share in the winner was sold a few weeks prior to the race to Mauritian businessman Francois Maurel, who makes a double quick return on investment. Punters who hold correct tickets in the National trifecta pool can smile, too: the dividend is some R13.000.

Less than half an hour later things go from the absurd to the ridiculous when the 11 jockeys in the R200.000 Gr1 SA Derby reduce that race to an absolute crawl – slower almost than the exhibition camel race staged as a drawcard for the Turffontein crowd. The supposed pacemaker, Monsieur Music, races with his head in his chest and looks more like a showjumper than a racehorse (some racegoers even think the horse is doing impressions of a Hoover). The race is again decided in a sprint, with 33/1 outsider The Monk (a R250.000 Foveros yearling at the 1991 National Sales) taking honours from imports Zelator (AUS) and Agapanto (ARG).

SAPA and the SABC join into the spirit of things with a vengeance. The SABC gives the winner of the Derby wrong on the radio, while SAPA confuses newspapers around the country by including Gaelic Find as 2nd in the result of the Administrator’s Cup sent along the wires.

One man who doesn’t give a hoot about the slow pace, or about who finishes second, is Ormond Ferraris, trainer of both the big-race winners. Ferraris overtakes longtime leader David Payne at the top of the National Trainers Log.

Despite the fact that he’s still an entire, and might make a stallion with his useful pedigree, Sizzling Sun is packed off to Mauritius to further his career.

In the W-Cape the R100.000 Gr3 Cape Nursery is won by La Mancha, who retains his unbeaten record – at 10/1, with 8/10 favourite Bushmanland in second. The winner (a son of Fair Season) returns from a four month break after his debut win as an early juvenile in November.

It’s the same story all over in the R50.000 Durban Nursery at Greyville, where 6/10 favourite Gilded Cage (unbeaten in two starts) gets run over by 5/1 shot Casey’s Honour (by Our Casey’s Boy) in a field of six runners.

 

View the gallery of images for this month by clicking an image below: