The Sporting Post’s Sands Of Time is a treasure trove of racing memories.
We look back thirty years ago this month as racing resumed at Newmarket on 22 September with the running of their richest race, the R250 000 Premier’s Handicap (Gr2) over 1600m and racegoers were treated to an astonishing performance from American bred Surfing Home.
Surfin’ Home wins the 1994 Gr2 Premier’s Handicap (Pic – Supplied)
Turned out in immaculate condition by Tony Millard, Surfing Home (USA) was a well backed second favourite to make amends for his July and Gold Cup losses. However, most punters believed he would be no match for classy four-year-old Record Edge over the mile and Mike de Kock’s charge was sent off at 8-10 on.
Only two other runners, Best Pound and Speedfields, were quoted in single figures with the balance at 12-1 and better.
Although Record Edge turned in an honest performance, he was totally humiliated by Surfing Home (USA) who made light of his 57kgs.
Displaying the versatility of a true champion over a distance short of his best, Surfing Home skated home unchallenged by over 3 lengths. Best Pound finished like a train to relegate Natal challenger Yeltsin to fourth place with Wild Cocktail and Nilgiri further back.
Late multiple champion trainer Stanley Greeff (Pic Wally Strydom)
The Eastern Province Owners and Trainers Association Annual Awards took place at Fairview on Friday, 23 September where Stanley Greeff swept the boards, taking home trophies for Champion 2yo Colt (La Fabulous), Champion 2yo Filly (Sugar Cube Baby), Champion Older Mare (Little Strike) and being crowned Champion Trainer. Despite PE only racing on a weekly basis, Greeff achieved a career best total of 123 winners for the season. Doug Whyte was crowned Champion Jockey.
Rand trainer James Goodman made a successful raid to Natal for the Kwazulu-Natal Provincial Guineas on 24 September, but his runner Cowabunga had to survive a foul claim lodged by the trainer of third-placed Polar Kiss before being declared the winner of the R100 000 stake.
Polar Kiss hopped out in front and was bowling along at the head of affairs until joined by Cowabunga 200m from home. Having got the better of the front-runner, Cowabunga suddenly ducked sharply to his left under Polar Kiss’s bows well inside the last 100m, forcing evasive action to be taken.
While all this was happening, Top Contract was steaming down the inside with a belated run to get within a ½ length of Cowabunga at the finish. Cowabunga was considered by many to have been a little fortunate to have kept the race. But obviously the objection board thought otherwise, for while stating that Polar Kiss had suffered interference, it was of the opinion that this did not affect the result of the race.
Meanwhile, down in the Cape, the Cape season got under way with the Matchem Stakes at Kenilworth on 24 September.
La Mancha, a son of Fair Season (GB) out of the Mexico II (GB) mare Spanish Lark had never been out of the first three in five starts and proved a worthy favourite. Content to sit off the pace to begin with, Eric Chelin eased his charge to the front of affairs going past the 400m post and by the 200m marker it was all over bar the shouting.
La Mancha wins the 1994 Gr3 Matchem Stakes (Pic – Supplied)
La Mancha won by 1.75 lengths, with one-time winner Russian Bond – an underrated son of Russian Fox (USA) out of the Royal Prerogative (GB) mare Tempest Queen – next best and Lord Tattler just shading Bushmanland for the minor placing.
Lightly raced Coastal (USA) colt Rusty Pelican by-passed the R250 000 Premier’s Handicap in favour of a crack at the R150 000 John Skeaping Trophy on 24 September.
He was a popular favourite, but drifted from 7-10 to 14-10 just before the off in the face of some strong betting support for the lightly weighted Al Mufti (USA) filly Mufski who shortened from 12-1 to 6-1.
The sedate pace at which the race was run very nearly cost the favourite victory as Piere Strydom and Darling Ally pinched a useful advantage passing the 400m pole. Anton Marcus was, however, quick to respond and immediately sent Rusty Pelican out after the leader. He drew alongside Darling Ally at the 200m and looked as if he would draw clear for a comfortable victory, but the Millard runner refused to throw in the towel.
Rusty Pelican’s class saw him prevail by just over half a length at the line with Mike de Kock’s Foveros (GB) colt Stride Ahead finishing best of all for third ahead of Son of Adelaide (Aus). Mufski threatened briefly in the straight, but failed to run on after being cut into during the running.
Forever young! Mike De Kock (Pic – Supplied)
Mike de Kock followed up his IGN Gold Bowl success with Liloy gelding Classic Hero, who showed his rivals a clean pair of heels in the R60 000 IGN Silver Bowl over 3200m at Newmarket on 27 September.
Steady support saw Classic Hero’s price cut from 3-1 to 22-10 and he joined David Payne’s New Zealand-bred gelding Great White Way at the top of the boards. The only other runner in the 16-horse field quoted in single figures was How High The Moon. Outsider Cadiz opened up a 70length lead entering the home straight, but soon cried enough as Classic Hero, who had raced second throughout, skipped clear at the 400m. The result was never in doubt as Classic Hero powered home with daylight to spare. How High The Moon finished best of the remainder for second ahead of Fantasy Warrior. The race was sadly marred by the breaking down of joint favourite Great White Way (NZ) who suffered a compound fracture of his near fore cannon at the 200m post and had to be destroyed.
Space Walk took the lion’s share of the accolades at the Natal Racing awards, walking home with Champion Old Colt, Champion Stayer and Horse of the Year. David Payne was named Champion Trainer, Doug Whyte was Champion Jockey, Cecil Treger was named Champion Owner and the Ernie Duffield Award for the trainer with the highest number of wins for the season was presented to Clodagh Shaw.
At the 1993/94 Highveld Awards on 28 September, Teddy Zaki was named Champion Owner, Ormond Ferraris was Champion Trainer, Piere Strydom Champion Jockey and Horse of the Year was Special Preview. There was also an award for the racing journalist of the year, which went to Etienne Louw, the Racing Editor of Beeld.
Piere Strydom – been riding winners for a long time! (Pic – Supplied)
30 September saw couplings reintroduced at the PE Pick 6 and Jackpot totes and the Settlers Gold Cup over 2000m headed this Fairview eight-event card.
The eight runners included four from the powerful Stanley Greeff stable – Foreign Source, Star Fighter, Green to Green, and Dougie Whyte’s mount North Ruler.
Many saw this formidable coupling as a Pick 6 banker. Green to Green started 2/1 favourite with 4/1 upwards the remainder.
The favourite finished sixth, second place going to stable companion North Ruler who looked the likely winner 100m out, but had no answer for the storming late run by Interesting. The winner started at 7/1 and carried 2,5kg overweight to win going away. Trainer H.C. “Boet” Nel saddled Interesting who was bred and owned by Mr T.P. Smith and ridden to victory by Francie Naude.
Guy Rixon
On 30 September, people from all walks of life gathered at Christ Church in Constantia to say farewell to Guy Rixon, who passed away earlier in the week after a lengthy illness. Guy was an extremely successful trainer.
The filly Wainui standing out as the best horse he trained. He had been ill for many years, but bore his troubles without complaint, so much so that most people did not realise just how ill he was. He will be remembered for his forthright approach towards life and his pursuit of excellence in his career.
One of the biggest hits of 1994:
