Being based in Slaapstad and in close proximity to that fabulous big rock, my focus tends to be fairly heavily biased in favour of our horses and trainers in the Fairest Cape. So for a bit of a change, I thought I’d stretch my wings a little and have a look at the forthcoming East Cape Nursery.
I must confess, on a not-so-recent road trip around the country with a girl friend (two girls let loose on public roads in a hire car – egads – and I’m afraid the truth was probably far more horrible than you could imagine!). We had one driver’s license and a Let’s Go South Africa between us – judging by the accuracy of the maps, published just before Cecil John Rhodes embarked on his road network scheme…. We travelled some interesting roads and visited some unexpected towns (names omitted to protect the innocent – as well as my hideous navigation and map reading skills !).
So I have driven through PE. Once. Via the alternative route. But hey ho. I am told that Port Elizabeth has a variety of nicknames – ‘The Friendly City’, ‘The Windy City’, ‘Die Baai’ or ‘Ibhayi’. If you are a racing person, you are likely to know it as ‘Fairview’ or ‘Arlington’ (well, for the time being anyway).
A quick Google search reveals that Port Elizabeth is South Africa’s second oldest city and also the commercial capital of the Eastern Cape. For anyone with proper navigation skills 33°58’S 25°36’E will apparently mean something to you. A local tourist website has this to say about the PE locals – ‘We’d like to refer to ourselves as laid back. Our economy is booming, but we still have that small-town feel. Johannesburg drivers say we’re awful, we think the same of them.’ Sounds like my kind of place!
PE racing has become increasingly competitive over recent years and graduates such as Bold Silvano prove that the PE horses can stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest of South Africa, if not the world. So I put in a few calls to see what Friday’s runners are like.
Before I get to the horses, may I say what an utter delight the PE racing fraternity are. I grew up in a dorpie in the platteland and the PE culture appeals to my sensibilities. While I may have rung to talk business, by the time I hung up it felt like I’d been talking to friends. And that seems to apply right across the board in PE. I’ve had occasion to contact course photographer Wally Strydom for photographs and we can easily end up chatting for ages. Winning photos from PE are still taken on film, printed locally and sent to you by post. With the winning connections details neatly printed and an occasional newspaper clipping added in for good measure. Warm, proper, old school style.
Anyway, before the local estate agents start getting optimistic, there are a total of 5 trainers contesting Friday’s Nursery and they are (in no particular order), Alan Greeff, Steven Janse van Rensburg, Gavin Smith, Grant Paddock and Yvette Bremner.
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The Greeff Group
Alan Greeff saddles two horses on Friday – namely Indian Hawk and Royal Tribe, both running for Mr Crabbia in the fabulous black silks with the red Maltese cross.
As one would expect from a Black Minnaloushe out of an Al Mufti mare, Indian Hawk is good looking dark bay and hails from Ascot Stud via the 2010 National Yearling Sales. He won very well on his first outing at Fairview over 1200m in March and Mr Greeff admits that he actually exceeded expectations that day, pipping Gavin Smith’s Solar Charged to the post by 2 lengths. Alan says he’s a really nice horse who should enjoy a bit further as he gets older.
The second Greeff runner is Royal Tribe, a son of Lecture out of an Al Mufti mare. Another produce from the fabulous Ascot nursery, Royal Tribe is a 2 YO sale graduate who drew blood on his first outing over 1,000m at Fairview when he beat Forest Blade home by 1.25 lengths in January. He then travelled to Cape Town for a juvenile race on Met Day and came home 3rd after that rather memorable false start. Mr Greeff advises that the colt was gelded when he got back and is proving to be a good, speedy type.
Steven’s Stable
Steven Janse van Rensburg, who has taken over the reins so ably from ‘Oom Nic’ Claasen, saddles Kings News (King of Kings out of Royal Canton/Dominion Royal). Mr Claasen originally bought this colt on behalf of the partnership of Mr & Mrs Charles Parm and the du Sart brothers and is one of the horses Steven inherited with the yard. Steven tells me he is an attractive chestnut with a star and splash of white on his nose and lip. Despite showing some early speed on debut, when asked the question, he showed a little lack of maturity and finished the race a bit on the green side a few lengths back from Indian Hawk. However, I’m told that his Joburg based owners were very happy with the run and will no doubt be glued to the TV on Friday afternoon. Marco van Rensburg will take up the reins.
Royale Mart is the second runner for the Janse van Rensburg stable. He is a son of Martinelli out of a super speedy Joshua Dancer mare. He had his first start over 1000m at Arlington in March. Although the distance was possibly a little sharp for him, he showed some real grit, running from the back to finish 3rd, a few lengths behind Jella Loochee. He’s come on well from that run and is working well. The stocky bay was bred by Mr Albert Rapp and runs for Messrs Rapp and Miskin and will be piloted by Raymond Danielson.
The Picks from Paddock
Grant Paddock also sends two runners out on Friday, in the form of Gulf King and Jella Loochee. Grant tells me that he considers Gulf King a really smart horse. Another Ascot Stud graduate, Grant’s mom bought this good looking colt directly off the farm. He debuted in December last year, beating Forest Blade home by 1.5 lengths over 800m and has subsequently been gelded. Unfortunately he picked up an injury directly afterwards, but this dark bay son of Lecture with the speedy dam line is back in work and doing well. Brandon Morgenrood has been doing a lot of work riding on him and takes up the reins on Friday.
The second horse from the Paddock stable is Jella Loochee. By Cataloochee out of a Rakeen mare, Grant tells me that this is a real speed machine. He had a few shin problems to begin with, but has come out of it and is now fit and working well. Bred by George Rowles up in KZN, Jella Loochee was purchased off the farm by Sean Phillips. Grant describes him as a class act – a laid back, workmanlike sort who is a ball of fire once he gets to work and does everything you ask of him. High praise indeed from a man who led in 2009 Nursery winner Bartolini, who finished 1.25 lengths ahead of Bold Silvano. Stable jockey Muzi Yeni will be in the irons and they are expecting a solid outing.
Gavin’s Gang
The charismatic Gavin Smith will be kept busy as he saddles no less than four Nursery runners.
The first representative for the Smith string is Forest Blade. Also an Ascot Stud produce, this big bay Lecture colt was bought off the National Sales for enthusiastic local racing partnership Mark Wright and Hedley McGrath. Gavin rates the bay with the white star as a nice, laid back individual. Warren Kennedy has partnered him in all his starts to date and will be on board again on Friday.
Military Medallion (Albert Hall out of a Damascus Gate mare) hails from Zandvliet Stud and is a Cape Sale graduate. This flashy chestnut is also owned by Messrs Wright and McGrath in partnership with Gavin. I’m told he can get a little hot and bothered, but he obviously knows how to channel it. He debuted over 1000m at Fairview in February and came home a convincing 1.75 lengths ahead of Forest Blade, becoming the second winner for Albert Hall. Apprentice Anthony Andrews piloted him last time out and will be donning the black and orange silks again on Friday.
Another Cape Sale graduate is the big Windrush colt, In A Rush. Owned in partnership by Peter Choice, Lionel Adams and Johan & Hennie Gerber, Gavin rates this a big, progressive sort. In A Rush is the ward of Smith stable stalwart Wellington, and has been given special attention since his arrival in the yard. He ran 3rd on debut (finishing 2.5 lengths off Royal Tribe) and then won his next two outings on the trot. Although he will want a little further as he progresses, Gavin feels that In A Rush should enjoy the 1200m trip. S’manga Khumalo has partnered him on all his runs to date and will step into the irons again for the Nursery.
The final Smith runner is a handsome bay Malhub colt. Solar Charged was bred by Summerhill and runs for Phalaborwa based Dennis and Gail Evans of Newbury Racing. After a respectable 2nd on debut at Fairview, he didn’t seem to take to Arlington and came home 6th, a few lengths back from Jella Loochee. Sandile Khathi is his regular work rider and will be piloting him again on Friday. Incidentally, Gavin saddles full brother Waging War in the Guineas directly afterwards.
Bremner’s Bunch
Rounding off the card are Celtic Power and Gold Vantage and Yvette Bremner tells me she’s saddling the biggest and the smallest horses in the field.
Celtic Power is a classy looking, 17hh bay gelding from Hemel ‘n Aarde stud. The son of Deep Sleep out of a Token of Youth mare was bought off the farm and is owned in partnership by Mr & Mrs Peskens and Hedley McGrath. The big bay finished 5th on debut over 1100m at Fairview and Yvette says he will be one to keep an eye on. Wayne Agrella has been getting to know him on the work gallops and takes up the reins on Friday.
Gold Vantage is the only filly in the race and will canter down with Karis Teetan. The bay daughter of Goldkeeper hails from Daytona Stud and was bought off the Germiston 2 YO sales. Despite being diminutive in stature, Yvette says that she’s a business like filly who loves her work. She won on debut over 800m at Fairview in December and then finished 3rd over 1200m in March. She runs for the partnership of Michael Bosch, Hedley McGrath and Eddie Rudman.
So there you have the runners and riders for Friday. All that remains is to put the reputation of the Friendly City to the test. Although I’m already pretty much sold as you folks up there certainly do your bit to earn the Friendly City its name ! I’m also looking forward to seeing Rod McCurdy in person and shaking that big, enthusiastic Aussie hand.
If the road signs are as bad as I remember, I will in all likelihood get there via the scenic route. But they do say that the truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on detour. So for anyone keen on joining me – I guess I’ll see you somewhere just off the N2 !
