Newly formed Cape Thoroughbred Sales Pty Ltd has announced their sponsorship of Cape Town’s principle race for 3 year olds, the 68th renewal of the Cape Guineas (Gr1).
3yo colt Pisco Sour, out of a Horse Chestnut mare, entered for Investec Epsom Derby
You all know I’m a bit soft in the head when it comes to horses. I grew up on a diet of Anna Sewell, Marguerite Henry and Elyne Mitchell. I graduated to Walter Farley, Mary O’Hara and Dick Francis. The stories may have varied a little, but the horses were always big and brave. The best ones had fire in their hearts and ran like sheet lightning. The horsey movies of my youth had wonderful slow-motion footage of the hero eating up the turf, or galloping across a beautiful English meadow. The best I’ve ever seen is Francis Ford Cuppola’s The Black Stallion where Alec Ramsay and The Black gallop on the beach. Suddenly the music fades and you are caught up in the rhythmic movement of the legs, those perfect hooves striking the ground, The Black’s mane flowing in the breeze. Alec lets go and throws his hands out, flying aboard his horse….
Horse Chestnut, whom many consider the greatest thoroughbred racehorse to ever set foot on the South African turf, will lead the horses out for the Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate on January 8. It will be the first time he has returned to the scene of his finest hour, Kenilworth Racecourse, where he not only performed the rare feat of winning the J&B Met as a three-year-old, but passed the post eight lengths clear, writes David Thiselton.
Launching her winning bid from off the pace, Askbut I Won’ttell charged from the center of Calder’s turf course and overhauled pacesetter Trip for A. J. to win the $100,000 My Charmer Handicap (G3)
Charl Pretorius pokes a bit of fun as we brace ourselves for a rollercoaster ride through the absurd, the outrageous, and the downright unbelievable in South African horse racing
