Sands of Time – September 1995

30 August – 5 September

 

Stanley’s Last Fling?

“This is the last time I’ll be here to collect this award”, announced Stanley Greeff, after winning his umpteenth EP trainers award at the annual awards ceremoney. He didn’t elaborate on the statement, but clearly has retirement on his mind. Stanley Greeff’s stable jockey Gavin Venter collected the Jockeys award.

Other winners at the annual Eastern Province ceremony were:

Horse of the Year:  La Fabulous (Fenix)

2yo Colt:  Qulify (Taylor & Philips)

2yo Filly:  Tropical Gem (Engelbrecht)

Older Filly:  Fluent Beauty (Scribante)

Leading Owner
By stakes: Aldo Scribante
By wins: Scribante & Fenix

Nothing But The Truth

Only one week after contesting the Premier’s Gold Vase over 2400m, Eli’s Truth showed his class to win the w.f.a. Gr3 M.I.B. Aldec/Frank Lambert Stakes over 1400m at Scottsville on Saturday, 2 September. Now in the stable of David Payne and ridden by Doug Whyte, he was brought from off the pace to win by a short head from Close Friend.

Heavenly Hooch

Down in Cape Town, the little-vaunted Heavenly Wonder from the Colin Burroughs yard produced a surprise result in the 2 September Listed Champagne Stakes at Milnerton. Under an accomplished ride from Greg Cheyne, she beat a respectable field of feature winners by half a length – which just shows, you’ve got to be in it to win it!

Around The Globe

Stuart Pettigrew has rapidly established himself as one of the most promising of a new generation of Gauteng trainers, and Golden Globe credited Pettigrew with his most significant success to date at Turffontein on 2 September. The son of Golden Thatch ran out a fluent winner of the 1200m Gr3 Concor Technicrete Spring Handicap, leading pillar to post to win by 2.25 lengths. It says a great deal for the gulf which exists between prize money levels in Gauteng and Natal that this handicap was worth precisely the same (R100,000) as the Mercury Sprint at Clairwood Park a fortnight earlier, won by Flobayou from Taban, who picked up R20 000 for finishing second – just as Lazer Raider did for the Spring Handicap. One is a triple ARCSA award recipient, the other a horse straight out of the bottom division with six wins from 26 career attempts! Golden Globe was acquired for R24,000 at the Cape Summer Yearling Sales in 1993 and has now notched up winnings of R226 625, proving you don’t have to pay a fortune for a big winner.

6 – 12 September

 

Oh So Supa

Mike Riley’s Dupa Dice has been a different horse since being tried over ground, and the four-year-old posted a third consecutive Stakes victory when he was sent out favourite for the 2000m Gr3 IGN Gold Bowl Trial at Turffontein on 9 September and duly delivered in the hands of Gerhard Viljoen.

Remarkably, Dupa Dice is not amongst the 21 nominations for the R750,000 IGN Gold Bowl to be run over 3200m at the same house on 7 October. The reasons surrounding his absence from the big race are perhaps best not dwelt on- a Turffontein press release informs us that is was an oversight by his trainer.

Hot News?

Construction work being undertaken on training tracks at Randjesfontein has led to several trainers based at that centre keeping a string of horses in Natal at the end of the winter season. One trainer who is pleased with the situation is Alec Laird, whose Natal runners have been on great form. He sent out two winners and a third from three starters at Scottsville on Saturday, 9 September and must have been particularly delighted with the performance put up by charge London News to win a maiden 1600m at the third time of asking. Coming from ten lengths back on the turn to hit the front in what seemed like a matter of strides, he had the race all sewn up with 300m left to run. Despite jockey Doug Whyte easing him right down long before he reached the wire, London News still had 4.5 lengths to spare over pacemaker and original favourite Appollo Bay. We expect to hear much more of this full brother to multiple Feature winning sprinter, Secret Pact.

Jimmy Back in the Saddle

The Highveld Racing Authority appointed Jimmy Lithgow in a newly created position of chief executive Highveld Racing Marketing Services to coordinate the marketing activities and generic advertising campaigns of the three Gauteng raceclubs and of TAB Transvaal.

Sporting Post in Zimbabwe

The Sporting Post is published in Zimbabwe on a weekly basis, mainly carrying editorial, rather than raceday form. The first issue carried a report of the recent Zim racing awards. The undisputed champion 3yo of last season was Stay Alert, a colt from the first crop of imported sire Star Cutter (by Star de Naskra from the Nasrullah sideline) out of a mare by Home Guard – the Armitage Home Guard that is (by Penthouse II). Stay Alert was Zimbabwe’s highest earner, winning seven consecutive races, including the Zim Triple Crown. Man of the Moon and Dupa Dice, both well known in South Africa, were amongst the other award winners. Champion sire was Tilden, who just pipped Hallgate a freshman sire last season, who had 10 winners from 23 runners.

An interesting notice in the Zim Sporting Post was the announcement of a stakes increase. Maiden races are now worth $26,000, a top division $36,000 – in a country where monthly training fees are approaching $1,700.

Stallion News

Freshman sire Rakeen, who averaged R44,000 with his first crop of yearlings at the ’95 National Sales, is booked to be flown to the US later this month. The son of Northern Dancer will not be covering in South Africa this season. His next covering will be for the ’96 US season that starts in January. Rakeen’s half brother Rahy is making waves with his first crops in the US, which is presumably why the overseas buyers approached the South African owners.

If The Shoe Fits

Much traveled sire Shoe Danzig will stand the 1995 covering season at The Alchemy in Robertson after a couple of seasons in Natal.

Melbourne Cup

Rothmans July winner Teal was one of 162 nominations received for the 1995 Melbourne Cup, to be run over two miles on the first Tuesday in November in Flemington. Other South African entries include Surfing Home, Space Walk, Fire Arch, White Tie Affair and Chief Advocate.

13 – 19 September

 

Odessa Yearling Sale Shock

South Africa’s champion breeder of two years ago will not be selling at the 1996 National Sales. None of the stud’s yearling had been submitted when entries for the prestigious sale closed last month.

Odessa’s Lionel Cohen, by his own admission with an outstanding crop of yearlings for ’96, took the decision to go it alone after much soul searching. “I rely on selling racehorses for a living and have to put my own interests first,” says Cohen. “The TBA appears to be unable to provide the service I need and expect. It appears to be more cost effective for me to do my own thing.”

It is no secret that the TBA is going through a difficult period, having to fight itself out of a financial black hole. In addition, many members feel that the breeder’s association is not fulfilling the role it should, and that it has come to a stage where the (sale) tail is wagging the dog. Cohen for one feels that there is no point in trying to persuade the TBA Council to change its thinking and approach.

“It will be easier and less painful this way. At the end of the day I hope that my decision will be one that benefits the whole industry. I’m not looking for the short term ‘quick buck’, but for a long-term solution that will be for the betterment of racing and breeding in South Africa.”

Will other breeders follow the break-away? Or join Odessa? “I know of a number of interested parties,” says Cohen, “but I have no intention of offering a facility to replace the TBA.” Replace or not, the Odessa decision is bound to have a lasting effect on the industry. If other leading breeders follow this reaction to the perceived lack of vision, leadership and management control, it could cost the TBA dearly.

Things, in short, may never be the same.

Tropical Fever

Quick quiz – how many legs maketh a Pick Six? The obvious answer is also the right one – usually. Arlington on Friday, 15 September offered what to everybody on this planet must have looked like a Pick Five.

Tropical Gem appeared to so overwhelm her seven rivals in the Three-Year-Old Fillies Futurity that she started at odds of 1/5 with at least one bookmaker preferring to offer odds on who would finish second. She went into the race with a career record of three wins and a short head second to the very useful Cape Town gelding Northern Fair from four starts, which in this field looked a bit like inviting Pete Sampras to play at the local country club.

If you backed True Royal for runner-up, go stand in the queue, but the dubious honour nearly fell to Tropical Gem instead. Port Elizabeth’s champion juvenile of last season scrambled home by a neck from her stable companion, and would trainer Dumas Coetzee have been made to look a mug had True Royal capsized the ‘good thing’!

Still, those of us who have followed Tropical Gem’s career from day one have realised one thing, which is that she probably wouldn’t come screaming home by a distance even if she was racing against a couple of pregnant rhinos.

Whether Tropical Gem is bone idle, or if you’ll pardon the folly of transmitting human characteristics to animals, she has a wicked sense of humour we do not know. On the face of it, her performance on Friday was entirely unimpressive, but in her defence she had never previously raced on the sharp and uneven Arlington course. For all we know she might have had a ton in hand, anyway, and we hope that her connections go for glory and let Tropical Gem take her chance in races like the Western Province Fillies Championship or Cape Fillies Guineas this summer. We don’t suppose she’s good enough to beat the best, but who knows how much (if anything) the little minx has been hiding up her sleeve whenever she has won? Any filly who can run Northern Fair to a nostril has surely earned the right to try for something bigger and better than the Eastern Cape provides.

Gary Gathers No Moss

The names Gary Alexander and Turffontein have become synonymous of late and the trainer struck again when Mosszao captured the Listed Voyager Fillies & Mares Stakes over 1600m at the city track on Saturday, 16 September. This was no little achievement as Mosszao was meeting some high class rivals at Weight For Age and she had been out of racing since late June – and she broke a course record which had stood for some four years!

Predictably, Garden Province winner Dancing Danzig was always at the head of bookmakers’ boards, but there seemed to be no great confidence about her chances and it was the Australian-bred Mosszao who attracted most support. The rest were easy to back and the market proved to be spot on.

Dancing Danzig never really looked as if she could reel in Alexander’s filly, and jockey Rhys van Wyk didn’t subject the favourite to a punishing ride when it was clear that all she could do was finish second. Mosszao went on to win impressively by two lengths, and a new star may well have been born.

Settling Day

Zelator attempted to credit Mosszao’s sire Alzao with a same day Feature double when he lined up for the Settlers Trophy over 2700m at Kenilworth, but the topweight had to make do with third place. This event attracted a real liquorice allsorts of a field, with Greyville 1900 winner Zelator at one extreme and a couple of very mediocre one-time winners at the other.

The eventual winner Francini falls somewhere between the two extremes. His career record of two wins from 25 starts may suggest that Francini was nearer the bottom of the scale than the top, but James Lightheart’s gelding stays forever and had previously been placed in a couple of minor Stakes events. The son of Truly Nureyev made full use of his proven stamina and of his pull at the weights on Saturday, and bolted home by 1.75 lengths from the stable companions Flower Filled and Zelator.

Zelator attempted to steal a march on the turn and led into the straight, but the Australian import was pegged back by his 58kgs and had nothing to offer when Francini breezed to the front coming to the last 200m. The winner was receiving 3.5 kgs and 6 kgs respectively from Flower Filled and Zelator, and trainer Mike Stewart cannot have been too distressed at the way his pair performed.

20 – 26 September

 

What A Winner!

Natal’s best (only?) hopes of a big classic win this season continue to rest on the shoulders of What A Prospect. The son of Secret Prospector had little trouble in posting the fourth Feature race success of his short career when he walked off with the Gr3 Kwazulu-Natal Provincial Guineas over 1600m at Greyville on Saturday, 23 September and there aren’t many of his age and sex anywhere in South Africa that we would fancy to bet the chestnut over a mile.

The scratching of Delta Dash (who has reportedly been sold to Gauteng interests for a six figure sum) reduced the Guineas field to just six runners, of whom West Lodge had been hard ridden to win a maiden plate last time out. That doesn’t say much for the depth of talent amongst the three-year-olds for, while this may only be a semi-classic, it does carry a decent stake of R75 000. That is only R25 000 less than some of the shockingly under-valued ‘real’ classics of the Natal winter season, but connections of What A Prospect won’t be complaining about the lack of competition.

What A Prospect had possibly made his move too soon when collared close home by Irish Ranger in the Kwazulu-Natal Breeders Challenge at Clairwood Park the previous month, but more patient tactics were employed this time. Jockey Robbie Fradd, who had been forced to sit out the Kwazulu-Natal Breeders because of injury, was back in the irons on Saturday and he clearly knows what makes this horse tick. Fradd rode What A Prospect to all but one of his four previous wins (Muis Roberts was on board when the colt made a successful debut in January), and he had the odds-on favourite racing one from last as Sails Of Silk a moderate early pace. Manyeleti and West Lodge were next in line as heads turned for home, where the whole picture soon changed. Manyeleti was quick to challenge stable companion Sails Of Silk, but What A Prospect used his superior turn of speed to simply blow past the lot of them coming to the 200m mark. He was never in danger of losing after that and went on to beat Manyeleti by one length.

Presidential Suite came from last to finish third, a nice effort as a slowish run Greyville mile was not a sufficient test of stamina for Herman Brown’s colt, but Sails Of Silk faded out to finish fourth. This Afleet colt attracted good support despite having finished more than seven lengths behind What A Prospect in the Premier’s Champion Futurity over the same course and distance in July and the inevitable conclusion must be that mike Riley’s colt is a better horse in work than at the races. He has the reputation of being considerably superior to stable companion Manyeleti, but there is nothing at all in the formbook to bear that out.

What A Prospect has posted all four of his Stakes victories at Greyville and owner Ebrahim Khan and trainer Cyril Naidoo must be looking forward to next winter’s SA Guineas with a degree of impatience! Whatever happens, they struck a real bargain when they paid just R12,000 for their horse at the Natal Yearling Sales, for What A Prospect has now chalked up earnings of R296 820. The colt is the sixth foal and second winner of the imported Sharpen Up mare Tysandi, who won twice over sprints in the UK and in South Africa. This is a thoroughly undistinguished family with “black type” as scarce as penguins in the Kalahari, but there is more to racing than fancy names in a pedigree!

More Than A Match

Another big name four-year-old to make his seasonal debut on Saturday, 23 September was Bushmanland. The Argus Guineas winner reappeared in the Gr3 Matchem Stakes over 1400m at Kenilworth, and duly showed eight rivals who was boss. Not surprisingly, James Lightheart’s colt was always on odds-on favourite to win this WFA event for three-and-four-year-olds, especially given the obvious superiority of the older generation. Never further back than fourth as Mustang Manny set the pace from Freedom Fortune and queen Of Space, Bushmanland made his move coming to the last 200m and didn’t need too much persuasion from Mark Khan to draw clear and beat Mustang Manny by 2.75 lengths.

Bushmanland was obviously in a different class to the field which opposed him here, but the Centenary colt was racing for the first time since June and may well come on with the run. He presumably has the Queen’s Plate as his principal target race of the Cape summer, but Bushmanland is no dummy over a stiff 1200m and will probably contest some of the major Kenilworth sprints as well – with a real chance of doing much more than making up numbers!

27 September – 3 October

 

The Golden Boys

The Golden Boys announce IGN’s sponsorship of major staying races around the country. These are the Gr2 IGN Gold Plate (formerly Chairmans Handicap) at Kenilworth on 6 January 1996, the Gr1 IGN Gold Cup at Greyville on 3 August 1995, and the Gr1 IGN Gold Bowl at Turffontein on 5 October 1996. All three races are run as so-called ‘handicaps”.

The races will be known as IGN’s Shades Of Gold, and represent a total of R1,5 million in prizemoney for stayers. IGN is committed to sponsoring the new series for at least the next five years, with total purse money of R7.5 million.

IGN Gold Bowl Sunset Party

IGN and Canin FM Stereo will be hosting a Sunset Party at the 1995 IGN Gold Bowl. It starts after the ninth and final race at 17h30. All racegoers at Turffontein and the general public are invited, absolutely free. Cani FM Stereo will provide live musical entertainment in the form of Dr Victor, Dale Stephens, Ed Jordan, Amazingili Zulu dances and The Dinner Club. Spur Steak ranches will operate a hospitality marquee. This one’s for you.

4th Counts for PA

The 4th place is back in Natal for the Place Accumulator. In races where 14 or more horses are CARDED (not necessarily runners!), the first four places qualify for the local KwaZulu Natal PA. The new ruling came into operation with the Scottsville meeting of Tuesday, 3 October.

No Couplings for Doubles

Cape punters will no longer enjoy the benefit of couplings in double bets. As of 1st October, couplings will only apply for the Jackpot and Pick Six.  Another change announced by the Cape Tote is that in case of a dead heat separate dividends will be declared for Jackpot and Pick Six, just as is the case for trifecta and quartet bets.

Changes are said to be made to facilitate the establishment of a national Tote with uniform rules.

Milnerton Lot Still Undecided

The stewards of the Western Province racing club have extended the option for a portion of Milnerton racecourse granted to Stocks And Stocks. The original option expired on 30 September, the new option runs until June 1996. Issues relating to the extension are under discussion between the parties.

In the original agreement racing at Milnerton would have ceased at the end of February 1996, but now racing at the track will continue to at least the new option expiry date.

27 September – R250 000 Premier’s Handicap – Newmarket

Teal The Victor

There are no certainties in racing, but that tiny Teal will run his heart out every time is about as close to a sure thing as you can get.  He was at it again at Newmarket on Wednesday, 27 September when he forced a dead-heat with 20/1 outsider Young Victor in the R250 000 Premier’s Handicap over 1600m – the Alberton track’s richest race. The Premier’s Handicap is also Gauteng’s (if not South Africa’s) best midweek Feature, and it never fails to attract a strong field. The latest running featured also last season’s winner Surfing Home (a horse felt by many to have robbed Teal of the Horse Of The Year title), and Rusty Pelican, seemingly on the comeback trail after a knee injury sidelined him for the winter.

Unfortunately, neither Surfing Home nor Rusty Pelican ever made any impression whatsoever, but the race produced a grandstand finish for all that, and one which showed Teal’s supreme courage to its fullest extent.

Rusty Pelican’s stable companion Captains Line set a solid pace from Anarch and Young Victor, with Teal and Surfing Home held up in midfield and rusty Pelican racing near the back. So enthusiastically did Captains Line tackle the role of pacemaker that he very nearly ended up winning his first ever start above middle division level. In the end he was beaten no more than a length as Young Victor slipped up on his inside to lead narrowly close home and Teal finished strongly up the centre to force the deadheat. Western Telex was only another neck away in fourth after appearing to have some difficulty in securing a clear run, and the horse who not long ago would refuse to leave the stalls until everybody else had gone two furlongs might well have been unlucky not to finish closer.

Showing The Boys

It has taken the SA Jockeys’ Academy what seems an eternity to accept female apprentices, and the role of trailblazer has fallen to Genevieve Michel. The daughter of former top heavyweight rider Kenny Michel was the first to gain admission, and there has never been the slightest doubt that she belongs there on merit.

Genevieve has made a much brighter start to her riding career than countless members of the opposite gender. She was in cracking form at Scottsville on Saturday, 30 September bringing home two winners and a fourth from only three rides. Her wins included the main race, where she made all the running on 20/1 outsider Spring Corn to hold off the challenges of Messrs Schofield and Hatt on the highly fancied pair of Fly So Free and Winning Purple.

The change to the rule permitting apprentice allowances in Natal A Division events meant that Spring Corn came in with just 47.5 kgs, and Genevieve made the most of it. It seemed that Spring Corn simply had to fall into the clutches of his pursuers inside the last 200m, but his young rider kept him going in a way that would have done credit to any member of her profession. Let alone one with only a few months of experience!

Scottsville racegoers were also treated to a sight never in our recollection previously witnessed on a racecourse in South Africa – a son of Mr Prospector in action. American-bred colt Copperbelt made his debut in a 1200m maiden race, and got up in the last few strides to beat race favourite Northern Player by a head. Whether this form amounts to much of anything remains to be seen, but Copperbelt has a pedigree which most South Africans can only dream of. Not only is Mr Prospector one of the world’s foremost sires and sire-of-sires, but Copperbelt is out of a Lyphard mare who was rated a healthy 112 by Timeform and who is a three-parts sister to multiple European Gr1 winner Soviet Star, sire of Arc runner-up Freedom Cry.

Charles Class

The changing of the guard is well and truly under way in Gauteng. The new season has already seen trainer David Ferraris take over the reins from his father Ormond, and now Russell Laird has left his stable in the capable hands of his son and former assistant, Charles. The younger Laird found himself in the hot seat from day one, being asked to saddle National Emblem in the John Skeaping Trophy, on 30 September.

With Anton Marcus out of action courtesy of a bought of bronchitis, the ride on National Emblem fell to Marthinus Mienie. He made the most of his opportunity, holding Laird’s colt about four lengths back as Man Of Glory set a slow pace from favourite Pelagos and Dupa Dice, and then taking the shortest way home in the straight. National Emblem simply coasted to the front a good 400m out, and never came under any real pressure, winning by an easy 1.25 lengths. Dupa Dice ran an excellent race in second, especially as the slow early gallop couldn’t have suited a horse of his proven stamina, while Natal visitor Hawkeye did better than almost anybody believed possible by filling third place.

National Emblem was the second of three winners sent out by his trainer on his first day in charge. Laird was successful also with Grand Merchant in a 1400m maiden race, and with last race winner Arabat. The last named had to survive an objection lodged on behalf of runner-up Accrual System, but his victory in this novice plate must have pleased the trainer no end. Arabat has obviously been a hard horse to train, being lightly raced at intervals, and Saturday’s race was only his second since he joined the Laird stable. The baton may have passed from one generation to the next in the Laird family, but the transition has obviously been a smooth one and there are plenty more winners to be had for Charles Laird.