2016 – A Good Year

Illuminator, who sadly dies later in the year, lands the first $1 000 000 run in South Africa when downing favourite Silver Mountain to score in the inaugural CTS Million Dollar.

US champion California Chrome put up an impressive performance when outclassing his rivals to win a handicap over 2000m in Dubai. The charismatic chestnut would go on to prove one of equine the stars of 2016.

Abashiri and Juxtapose land the G1 SA Classic and G1 SA Fillies Classic respectively to confirm themselves as leading lights among the Gauteng based crop of 3yos. A filly by leading sire Trippi out of the blue blooded stakes winner Ilha Grande tops the 2016 National Yearling Sale when fetching R2 500 000.

Turffontein hosts Champions Day at the end of the month –and champion trainer Sean Tarry dominates proceedings, winning graded features with all of Cloth Of Cloud, Trophy Wife, Carry On Alice and Legal Eagle.
The show is stolen, however, by Abashiri, whose courageous win in the G1 SA Derby, sees him land the South African Triple Crown.

Champion 2yo Nyquist becomes just the second horse to complete the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile/Kentucky Derby double when he storms home to land the 2016 Kentucky Derby.  At that point, the son of boom sire Uncle Mo is undefeated in eight outings but astonishingly fails to win again after the Derby and is eventually retired to Darley.

In the UK, Galileo Gold and Minding win the Gr1 Qipco 2000 Guineas and Gr1 Qipco 1000 Guineas respectively.

Harzand provides trainer Dermot Weld with a first win in the Epsom Derby when he storms home to land that Investec sponsored classic. Harzand also emulates his sire Sea The Stars, who landed the G1 Investec Derby back in 2009.
The same weekend sees star filly Minding pick up her second classic win when victorious in the Gr1 Investec Oaks. (She is by Galileo –a half brother to Harzand’s sire).
The classic winners go on to enjoy mixed fortunes, with Harzand’s sole other win, before retiring to stud, coming in a weak renewal of the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.
Minding, however, will go on to pick up 3 more Gr1 races –and is eventually crowned Cartier Horse Of The Year.

 In France, Almanzor shows his class when lifting their Derby – the Wootton Bassett colt will go on to add to his Gr1 Prix Du Jockey Club win, scores in both the Gr1 Irish and G1 English Champion Stakes, and he looks unlucky not to be named Cartier Horse Of The Year.

The Vodacom Durban July goes the way of 20-1 outsider The Conglomerate, who provides jockey Piere Strydom with a fourth win in the race when just holding off luckless 3yo Marinaresco to win by a neck. The same day sees tough-as-teak filly Inara sign off by recording her fifth G1 win when capturing the Gr1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes.
July runner-up Marinaresco later brings down the house when he becomes retiring legendary trainer Mike Bass’ final Gr1 winner when scoring in the aptly named G1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup. Marinaresco is later named Equus Champion 3yo Colt/Gelding.

Trippi is crowned Champion Sire for a first time in South Africa, while Captain Al picks up an astonishing eighth 2yo sires title. Sean Tarry and S’Manga Khumalo are named Champion Trainer and Jockey respectively at the Equus Awards, which also sees Legal Eagle named Horse Of The Year.
In North America, 3yo Arrogate puts up a sensational performance when landing the G1 Travers Stakes by over 13 lengths. He will later go on to down the mighty California Chrome to stamp himself a truly gifted athlete.

When favourite Idaho stumbles and dislodges his jockey, the G1 Ladbrokes St Leger is set up for an upset. Harbour Law, by Lawman, duly arrives at 22-1 –making Laura Mongan the first woman to win the storied race.

California Chrome suffers his first defeat of 2016 when narrowly losing to brilliant 3yo Arrogate in the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, while the mighty mare Beholder records her third Breeders’ Cup win when handing star filly Songbird the first defeat of her career in the G1 Longines BC Distaff. In Australia, Almandin becomes the third son of German’s legendary sire Monsun to win the G1 Emirates Melbourne Cup, while South Africa sees Master Sabina land the G1 Sansui Summer Cup for a second year in a row.

The deaths of prominent jockeys Walter Swinburn and Garrett Gomez sadden the racing world, while Japanese runners, Satono Crown and Maurice shine at Hong Kong’s international meeting.
In South Africa, the regally bred Just Sensual shows her class when defying a wide draw to land the Gr1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas.