DYNASTY FILLY – Beach Beauty wins the Gr2 KRA Guineas
DYNASTY COLT – RUN FOR IT and Link Man wiped out in the Gr2 Colts Guineas
DYNASTY FILLY – Share for sale
IAN ROBERTSON – New TBA Chairman
VAUGHAN KOSTER – Engaged to Janine du Plessis
TESIOPOWER UPGRADE
KRA GUINEAS
Justin Snaith and Dennis Drier are in hot form in KZN this season and continued their superb run at Greyville last Friday each taking one of the Gr2 Guineas races. Justin regained 2nd position on the national trainers log and broke the R10m earning barrier for the first time in his relatively short training carrier. A truly remarkable achievement in august company.
For us it was a question of “agony and ecstasy” as we watched Dynasty’s daughter Beach Beauty’s fluid win in the rain-delayed Gr 2 KRA Guineas and the agony of watching Run For It being side-swiped right out of contention in the colt’s equivalent. The race being postponed due to rain was cliff-hanger enough. The much anticipated arrival of what looked to us like another crowning moment in their talented young sire Dynasty’s career saw us glued to the TV – two highly fancied and impressive entries – one in each race.
The colt’s Guineas was billed as a three way contest between Snaith-trained Run For It (9/2), de Kock trained Link Man (19/29) and the lucky winner was Gr1 Cape Guineas victor Solo Traveller (7/2). The son of Western Winter (out of the winning Jallad mare Strawberry Lane) was fortunate to miss the drama caused by the errant ways of (45/1) Ridethebreeze. Soon after entering the straight the Australian-bred outsider decided to make a bee-line for the outside rail; in so doing he totally annihilated Gauteng Guineas winner Link Man, Gr1 Cape Guineas runner-up and J&B Met 3rd Run For It with Tarry-trained Gold Onyx trapped behind them.
Take nothing away from the Lammerskraal-bred gelding who confirmed his Cape Guineas win. He was just lucky enough of all the fancied runners to stay out of trouble. The top 3 all had the credentials to prove why this important classic should be reinstated to its former Gr1 status. The two most recent winners also won the Gr1 Cape Guineas, Noordhoek Flyer the year before, and other winners include Horse of the Year Dynasty, Equus Champion and Gr1 Vodacom July winner Big City Life, Gauteng Guineas and Dubai Mile winner Imbongi and Summer Cup winner Eventuail, surely enough proof of the status of the race.
One has to accept the pitfalls of accidents in racing as being “rub of the green” stuff but even so it was sad to miss the thrill of seeing who of the 3 contenders would come out tops on the level terms intended in a classic race. Having a good draw is surely enough of an advantage in the time honoured tradition for the best 3 year olds to be allowed to demonstrate supremacy. Second place went to Elusive River (20/1) with Phantom Fighter 35/1) in third place.
So you pick yourself up and look forward to the next opportunity to show how it might have been. Felix Coetzee told me that he felt as he entered the straight that Run For It was moving like a winner, relaxed and striding freely on the rail near the back of the field. He had just responded to his urging to push to the line, “it’s all too easy to make excuses” Felix told me from Singapore this morning, “but the feeling that he gave me as we entered the straight and the way he responded as we started to unwind made me excited and I said to myself, ‘I’ve got them now’. Then two strides later tragedy struck. It was like being blown away. Very sad as he recovered brilliantly but it was just too much to make up. A truly great effort on his part”.
Having his progeny win both Guineas would have been a dream come true for Dynasty. Crowned Equus Outstanding sire last season by the Equus panel he has rewarded their faith in him by continually delivering the goods and this was an ideal chance for him to grab double headlines and take another quantum leap up the sire log. Sporting Post results after the weekend’s racing show that with 43% winners/runners with all crops racing he is 4th amongst the top 20 sires on the overall log (Captain Al leads this list with 47%) and he is far fewer runners than any of the sires above him on that list he is amongst the top 10. On the 3yo log he is 2nd only to Western Winter by Average Earnings Per Runner and 2nd leading sire by % of stakes winners.
Beach Beauty’s win boosted her sires position at this crucial stage of the season to two ahead of his famous sire Fort Wood who remains the only stallion at stud in SA to get 3 Equus Horse of the Year Award winners and has accounted for 3 of the last 8 winners of the Guineas at Greyville. A win in the colts Guineas would have made a huge difference. Run for It is being aimed at the Gr1 Daily News 2000 on the first Saturday in June – even though I will be in UK for the Investec Derby at Epsom I will make sure that I don’t miss the race. Hold thumbs for better luck.
Dennis Drier was full of praise for Beach Beauty. “Not a big filly but everything is in the right place and she has a truly devastating turn of foot – just like her dad. This win just had to be, it was a do or die situation. She entered the straight with a perfect run home and then suddenly the gap started to close on her and Alec Forbes was forced to make her move quicker than he’d intended. She used her superb action to power through the gap showing courage and determination and did what she had to do”. Already the winner of 5 of her 6 previous starts she won the Gr3 Umzimkhulu just 3 weeks ago by 3 lengths. Beach Beauty is the 2nd foal of a 3 time winning daughter of Capture Him, a modest son of Mr Prospector. She won 3 races over 1400m and is herself the daughter of Leisure a 4 time winning daughter of Hobnob. Almost 100% outcrossed in 5 generations this filly may well enjoy more ground and it’s going to be fun to see her try. Drier indicated in his post-race interview that he would prefer to avoid a conflict with Mike de Kock’s star filly Igugu but would take her on if needs be.
FOR SALE – DYNASTY FILLY
We have a share for sale in a Dynasty filly that we bought on spec at the National Yearling Sale. Lot 457 was bred at Dynasty’s home Highlands Stud Farm. Her dam won 5 races from 1200 to 1800m and she hails from the dam-line of THOUSAND NIGHTS that produced WARM WHITE NIGHT, HIGHLAND NIGHT, FORT VOGUE etc. Chris Snaith and I rated her very highly. This well-made first foal is out of a young grand-daughter of top broodmare sire Complete Warrior. She is a fluent mover and made great appeal at the sale. We paid R200 000 for her and there is a 25% (possibly 50%) share available.
IAN ROBERTSON – New TBA Chairman
Altus Joubert announced his retirement from the chair of the TBA at their AGM held during the yearling sales. The TBA flourished during Mr. Joubert’s chairmanship and breeders’ now find themselves in a very healthy position financially. Mr. Joubert served on the TBA counsel for 7 years and we attach a copy of his letter in which he announces that Ian Robertson of Milkwood Stud has been elected in his place. We concur with the sentiment expressed in that letter and wish Mr. Robertson every success at the helm.
TESIOPOWER – Upgrades available
We recently announced that the world’s leading pedigree computer program has been sold to a UK based consultancy. Existing users are invited to upgrade to Tesio 10 at a cost of just £225 this includes the disk and full program package. The program can be downloaded direct from the internet but this does not include re-loadable hard-copy. New users can purchase the full program for £445. We are waiting for stock so please place your orders with Clinton on 021 418 0566.
VAUGHAN KOSTER
We are pleased to announce the engagement of the master of Cheveley Stud, Vaughan Koster to long-time girlfriend Janine du Plessis an actuary who works for Metropolitan Life. I erroneously announced their engagement two years ago when they were at the Investec Derby with me. They looked so engaged then and my mention of them being there was a Freudian slip of the tongue. We wish them every success. Our heartiest congratulations to Shirley Koster and to Janine’s family.
