A superbly timed ride by Sporting Post-sponsored Tristan Godden for trainer Mike Miller got the South African racing year underway at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 1 January 2025 as KZN Racing launched its ‘New Dawn’.
A new era of increased stakes, RaceCoast incentives, improved and simplified race programming, and operational and information add-ons, including weighing of horses and branded saddle-cloths in work, has commenced, thanks to the proposed acquisition of Gold Circle by the Hollywood Sportsbook Holdings group.
Tristan Godden gets Abaddon up in the final stride to pip Gavin Lerena and Gprgeous Bomb (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The ultimate goal is an upliftment of the racing product through boosted field sizes arising from better support via increased ownership, with improved betting turnovers.
The first race of 2025 was a R110 000 Mixed Maiden Class G over 1000m. There was plenty of talk about Alyson Wright’s first-time Gorgeous Bomb, and the daughter of Lancaster Bomber duly showed plenty of speed.
But with Gavin Lerena just three wins short of his century, it wasn’t to be as Tristan Godden timed the effort of the 9-4 tote favourite to perfection, the 4yo chestnut son of Flying The Flag returning from a 66 week break to shed his maiden by a nose in a time of 59,55 secs for the 1000m.
Catavar (7-2) was best of the rest, a further 1,30 lengths back in third.
Delighted co-owner Tony Jelinski explained that Abaddon had clearly benefitted from his break at Mike Stewart’s piece of paradise, The Dunes, down at Noordhoek in the Cape.
“Erica Beck deserves plenty of credit. She had Abaddon in and out of the Atlantic and he came back here delivering above expectations. Well done to the whole Miller team here at Summerveld too and this is a great start to 2025,” he added.
The winner had run second on debut and then a close up fifth, whereafter he was suspended following a nosebleed.
A son of Galileo sire Flying The Flag, he was bred by Bush Hill Stud from the twice winning Mogok mare, African Angel.
A R60 000 November 2yo Sale graduate, Abaddon took his stakes tally to R87 813.
In the second race, Gavin Lerena found his 98th winner of the term when Flying Hafla kept on powerfully.
The new era includes the process of barrier draws after declarations – and the victory of Ice Rain from the 11 gate in the third race over a mile was a lesson that if they are good enough, they can win from anywhere.
A great start!
