A family dinner almost goes awry for a Stipe as three jockeys enter the restaurant and are seated at a table nearby. And then the mystery of the nodding Mr Atchia…a saga of when good times go bad!
Some of the world’s top riders converge on an island in the sun but Jeff Lloyd misses out…
The Mauritius Turf Club was founded around 12 June 1812, when British Governor Robert Farquhar instructed that the rules be drawn for racing. That historic first race-meeting was held on 25 June 1812.
LANCE BENSON: Mauritius horseracing supposedly revolves around big gambling and street corner whispers, but they can teach us a thing or two about being real and positive.
Mauritians are passionate about their horseracing. That undisputed fact is vividly borne out by the crowd that turned out at morning gallops on Tuesday 29 November to welcome star attraction Frankie Dettori.
Grab the formguides and the suntan lotion and get down to Mauritius for a magical weekend of world-class jockeys, beautiful people and thrilling entertainment. The Mauritians know how to dish out hospitality and the Mauritius Turf Club put on a great show at their annual party which brings the curtain down on their season.
The number of entries compares favourably in quantum with recent years, with 58 first entries received in 2024, 60 in 2023, 68 in 2022, 53 in 2021, 52 in 2020, 49 in 2019, and 69 in 2018
Ironically, it was a colt which provided Alan with a first Gr1 success, this being Alec and Gillian Foster’s homebred Cereus, who landed the 2001 Gold Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville, his victory completing a momentous double on the day, with the Gr2 Golden Slipper having gone the way of juvenile filly Tatler, a great-great-great grandaughter of Sun Lass!
JP van der Merwe is not the only guilty party in the matter. In simple terms, he is the only rider to have exercised the NHA’s offer of an Acknowledgement Of Guilt and moved on with his life
Andrew Fortune made it three winners on the Family Day public holiday as Tenango breezed home to win the Gr3 feature
