2014 was an incredible, exhilarating, exhausting year. We had airline disasters, Ebola outbreaks, high profile court dramas, Scotland nearly split from the UK and a space agency landed a probe on a moving comet. It was an equally busy year on the racing front. Edmund Burke famously commented ‘Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.” Of course there is always a joker in the pack and someone added “Yet those who DO, are doomed to stand by helplessly while everyone else repeats it!” So I thought it might be fun to take a look back at the Year of the Horse.
January
Andrew Nienaber on winning form
Cape jockey Andrew Nienaber rode a winner on his first attempt in Dubai and Mike de Kock’s Dubai campaign started with a bang. Back home, the jockeys protested over ‘patches’ in the Greyville turf, raising concerns that building works had damaged the track. WPOTA drew the curtain on 21 years of tradition, announcing that ‘Cocktails and Racing’ is no more. Capetown Noir lifted the silver salver on Queen’s Plate day, with Beach Beauty storming home in the Paddock Stakes. Adv Altus Joubert chaired a tricky NHA AGM with aplomb. Wilgerbosdrift lost Tiger Ridge and Scottsville welcomed new track manager, Sthembiso Dlamini.
February
Hill Fifty Four wins the 2014 J&B Met
Hill Fifty Four went one better than 2013 and won the J&B Met from the 15 draw for Vaughan Marshall. Legislate won the Cape Derby, Beach Beauty scored a second Majorca triumph and River Crossing won the J&B Reserve Stayers. TAB tote pools posted record numbers. Mike de Kock continued his Dubai dominance with Sanshaawes and Vercingetorix, while Variety Club stormed home in the Gr3 Firebreak Stakes, prompting World Cup hopes. Bookmakers’ urgent interdict application was dismissed by the High Court while Phindi Kema had her appeal application dismissed in Constitutional Court. Felix Coetzee announced his retirement. The KZN Oaks and Derby were opened to all ages and changed to 2500m. AHS broke out in KZN, while the department of environmental affairs rejected plans for a R2 billion logistics park at Clairwood. Multichoice announced that Tellytrack would be terminated on 27 March as the channel was not “performing to its satisfaction”. Greyville saw another jockey protest over the track.
March
Vercingetorix wins the Gr1 Jebel Hatta
Tellytrack dropped their international feed. Vercingetorix won Meydan’s Gr1 Jebel Hatta, while Pat Cosgrove copped a 6 month suspension for his ride on stablemate Anaerobio. Geoff Woodruff and Robbie Fradd won a colts & fillies Guineas double with Louis The King and Arcetri Pink. Arcetri Pink had her Triple Tiara hopes dashed by Athina, but Louis kept Triple Crown hopes alive by winning the SA Classic. The NHA dismissed Smanga Khumalo’s appeal, jeopardising his championship hopes and escalating the matter to the High Court. Two cases of AHS were confirmed in the WC while heavy rain across the country lost meetings at the Vaal, Turffontein and Clairwood.
April
Louis The King wins the Triple Crown
Champions Day was a triumph for Geoff Woodruff, saddling the first two past the post in the Presidents Champions Challenge and winning the Derby with Louis The King to take the Triple Crown. It was also a big day for Black Minnaloushe who sired both the Oaks and Derby winners. Emerald Cup conditions changed and the stake increased to R1 million. With no international Tellytrack feed, fans had to find other means to watch Vercingetorix finishing 3rd in the QEII Cup. The National Yearling Sale saw rises in aggregate, average and median prices. Top lot was a full-brother to J&B Met winner Martial Eagle, sold to Park Bloodstock for R3 750 000. A horse breaking down on the Fairview polytrack resulted in a serious fall for Wayne Agrella. While Mitch Wiese expressed strong comments about the track, there was no comment from the operator.
May
Variety Club storms home in the Champions Mile
Variety Club won the Hong Kong Champions Mile in devastating fashion – just in time for the Asian Racing Conference. Big Race Bert Hayden passed away peacefully in his sleep at his Durban Nursing Home. There was more legal wrangling as the Bookmakers’ interdict against Tellytrack’s fee hike was dismissed with costs. Tom Callaghan resigned from the TBA, the NHA dismissed claims of a jockey conspiracy, declaring the Greyville protests ‘justifiable’ and Phumelela announced technical service and financial support to Zim’s Mashonaland Turf Club. Bute was banned.
June
King Of Pain wins the Gold Challenge
Greyville’s new polytrack kicked into action with 4 trial races on 3 June and the first official poly meeting a week later. King Of Pain stole a march on the field to claim victory in the Gold Challenge. Jet Explorer clipped heels, smashing both jaws and injuring jockey Richard Fourie. A week later there was more drama at Clairwood with an electrical fault causing electric shocks in the starting stalls. Dennis Bosch-trained Your Worship, with MJ Byleveld aboard, had to be scratched. At Scottsville, the starter released the field before Friar Tuck was fully loaded. Undeterred, the unfancied Friar won by 5 lengths. Erroneous publication of the July weights caused a furore, resulting in Yorker’s withdrawal. Joey Ramsden claimed his 8th Langerman title with Act Of War. Tellytrack broadcast the Investec Derby, and John Stuart aired his views. With two SA runners on Ascot’s opening day, Tellytrack announced a decision to screen the races 2 hours before post time. Both horses finished downfield.
July
Drama as July result goes to boardroom
July day saw the first and last races held on the polytrack and Jacob Zuma endured a long podium wait while the main race result was decided in the boardroom. Legislate was declared the winner, but not without cost as he pulled up lame and could not do the victory canter. Tragedy struck when a New Turf truck ploughed off the road outside Laingsburg, claiming the lives of Malawian groom Elias and three Snaith horses. In happier news, Grant van Niekerk clocked 6 winners on Kenilworth’s 12 July card and AHS movement restrictions were finally lifted. Brett Crawford and Glen Hatt ended the season with 2 Gr1 wins, taking the Gold Cup with Wavin’ Flag and the Champions Cup with Futura. Darling of the turf Beach Beauty got an emotional send off before heading off to stud.
August
Justin Snaith – champion trainer
Racing South Africa shut down, with equine health functions transferred to the Wits Health Consortium and Kenilworth Racing assuming control of the quarantine station. Tellytrack resumed international coverage. After 93 years, Clairwood held its last meeting on Saturday, 2 August with its contents later sold at public auction. Racing, It’s A Rush was launched. Justin Snaith was crowned Champion Trainer and, with his appeal tied up in the legal system, Smanga Khumalo won the jockey championship. Suggestions that Phum intend to sell Turffontein were rubbished by Patrick Davis. The Racing Trust announced a new Board. Alan Higgins passed away after a brief illness. August also saw the loss of Dawn Goodwin, PE training legend Andy Smith and former Durban Turf Club Chairman, Matthew McEligott.
September
Tommy Gun wins the Emerald Cup
Summerhill withdrew from the R2R and joined CTS, who announced Johannesburg Yearling Sales and Ready To Run dates of their own. Emperors Palace switched allegiance to CTS from 1 January. CTS eventually schedule their sale on Friday, 31 October with the TBA sale on Sunday, 2 November. Brutal Force, the highest priced horse ever to be sold at auction in SA, debuted at Kenilworth and finished 2nd. The HRDT funds issue raised its head again, with Andreas Heide emphatic that Phum’s obligations had been met. The DTi warned that government was ready to intervene and step in as regulator if necessary. Bookmakers launched a joint action against the Gambling Boards and National Lotteries Board, stating that tote operators’ sports betting offerings were in contravention of The Lotteries Act. DTI’s Rob Davies suspended the National Gambling Board pending investigation. Tony Riley passed away in New Zealand after a short illness. Tommy Gun won the Emerald Cup for Corne Spies and the Telegraph hailed the LQP one of the world’s top 5 race days.
October
Jimmy Lithgow
The inaugural 4 day Cape racing festival was held at Durbanville, which suffered a burglary a few weeks later, losing all its camera equipment. The GGB denied Phumelela’s licence amendment applications, which the operator announced it will contest. The Cape Fillies and Colts Guineas were added as alternative first legs to the Triple Crown and Tiara series. BSA announced a new Cape yearling sale in February 2015 and the Sporting Post turned 20! Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to five years in prison. CTS’ inaugural Johannesburg sale went well, with COO Adrian Todd ‘extremely happy’ with the results. The industry mourned the sudden loss of Jimmy Lithgow.
November
PIere Strydom celebrates 5000 wins
Charles Laird saddled Rich Girl to victory in the Ready To Run Cup for Ingrid and Markus Jooste. BSA’s Ready To Run sale saw fewer horses change hands, but improved median prices for those sold. Changes to entry conditions for satellite yards in PE causes a fuss and changes are quickly reversed. Admiral’s Eye jumps a patch at Greyville, injuring Anton Marcus and sidelining him for the rest of the year. The visiting team for the Jockey International draws scepticism and critics are vindicated when the ‘Amajokke’ win by a country mile. The new look Computaform, minus Fotoform, goes on sale at R30. Pieter Graaff purchases Lammerskraal Stud as a going concern. Sean Tarry-trained Zambezi River wins the 2014 Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes for Chris van Niekerk and Markus Jooste, and Piere Strydom achieves a milestone 5000 career wins aboard Act of War in the Selangor. A controversial election sees the NHA announce new board members Johann du Plessis and Andy O’Connor. David McGillivray resigns. Geoff Woodruff celebrates a second consecutive Summer Cup win with Triple Crown champion Louis The King.
December
Act Of War wins the Cape Guineas
The DTI held a series of meetings with racing stakeholders. An eventful Cape Fillies Guineas day saw Cold As Ice breaking through the stalls, leaving Majmu to win with contempt. Disgruntled punter Wayne Kruger appeared on Tellytrack, expressing dissatisfaction about a bet he struck with Marshalls. KZN experienced yet more problems with power failures and polytrack conditions causing havoc on 12 December – Divan Neethling breaks his arm in a starting stalls accident and the first two races are abandoned. Nicky Roebuck is appointed as riding master at the Jockey Academy. The colts Guineas was won by Act Of War for trainer Joey Ramsden and Ingrid & Markus Jooste, whose silks grace the winners enclosure 6 times on the 10 race card. In the last race of the day, jockey Anthony Delpech breaks a leg when mount Fear Not flips in the starting stalls. AHS movement protocols prevent Sean Tarry’s Trip to Heaven travelling to contest the Diadem Stakes. The race is won by Dennis Drier’s Captain Of All. The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate field is announced and only 9 horses accept.
And there you have it. The 1st of January is the first page of a brand new 365 page story. I hope you all write a good one in 2015.
