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Igugu
What a July! Going into the race I must admit I was cheering pretty strongly for the little filly with the big stride, but even so, watching the race unfold, seeing her placed handy exactly where she likes to be and then seeing the turn for home with her striding out so comfortably and realizing that this was it – she really was going to do it – well, it was just phenomenal. What a filly. What a horse ! With her pedigree and connections I guess her stay was always going to be a brief one, but it has been an extraordinary privilege to have had her in South Africa. One of the great joys of such a talented individual is that they encourage the competition to up their game and strive to improve and she sure has set the benchmark high. Congratulations again to all the connections. She has been a joy and a rare jewel for local racing. I know her sights will be set abroad in the very near future and despite the hurdles involved, she couldn’t be in better or more resourceful hands than the MDK team.
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Big City Life
The 2011 Vodacom Durban July will sadly always be marred for me by the manner in which it ended. I had the privilege of meeting Big City Life at Woodhill shortly after his 2009 triumph. It was only a brief visit, so I cannot claim to have known him particularly well, but he left the impression of a quiet, composed individual, possessed of uncommon kindness and intelligence. But other than it having been a nice day out, I probably didn’t give it much further thought, and was therefore surprised by how hard Saturday’s events hit me. I know there has been a flood of tributes and respects paid to Big City Life and his connections. The public nature of the tragedy has made emotions run particularly high and no doubt added to what is already an incredibly difficult time, but all I want to say is how horribly sorry I am. He will be missed.
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Chippendale
What made the whole event hit home even harder for me was that it contrasted so strongly with another incident early last week. There was an incident in the 8th race at Durbanville during which horses made contact. Whether it was the bump or the going or any number of other possibilities, two horses fell – Chippendale from the Dean Kannemeyer barn and Mr Vindaloo from the Glen Kotzen string. Nice enough individuals, but probably not the sorts to set the record books alight. The Stipes report mentions the incident and that both horses came back lame. It also mentions that Chippendale was taken to the veterinary hospital by ambulance. What it does not reflect is that Chippendale had to be euthanized the following day.
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So What
Now you’re probably thinking ‘oh well, that’s sad, but it happens all the time’. And you’d be right of course. It does. Horses come and go so often that one doesn’t even notice when a horse simply stops appearing on the race card. There is always another to take its place. And anyway, we want to know about the winners. But without the Indians, there can be no Chiefs. While nobody really cares who ran second or third in any given Met or July (unless it was a really spectacular finish) – there’s no drama and no excitement without the scores of unremarkable ‘also rans’ that make up the field behind them. It is the competition that makes the win special. Igugu’s spectacular win on Saturday would be meaningless without the field behind her. Secretariat’s Belmont run is incredible not because he won, but because the nearest horse was 30 lengths behind him. That’s what gives it perspective. That’s what makes it special.
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A Little Bit of History
I was lucky enough to spend some time living in England. It took me a while, but I grew to like the English. They were more or less guaranteed to end up at the front of the queue for ‘inventing’ Thoroughbreds, but most importantly they know the value of a good man, a good story and their place in history. And so it is that one of my favourite landmarks in London is a sculpted stone block situated about half way down Whitehall called The Cenotaph. It was erected in 1920 to represent the servicemen and women who gave their lives during the two World Wars and later conflicts. The name derives from the Greek words Kenos Taphos, meaning an empty tomb erected for someone whose remains are elsewhere.
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Back to the Story
Race cards sometimes just seem a collection of numbers on the roulette wheel with about as much character and individuality as the numbers on a casino dial. It’s sad and depressing. Today’s Pick 6 winner is tomorrow’s losing ticket, blowing into the gutter while we scan the race card for the next banker or roughie to add a bit of spice to our bet. Sometimes I want to pick up all those tickets just to say that these horses are important too.
Chippendale was important. I’m not sure why exactly. He did not belong to me and I never even had so much as a bet on him. He occupied the first stall on the left in the second barn at DKR. He may not have set the track alight, but he was a sizeable purchase as a yearling and he had a respectable number of victories to his name. He was also an irresistible character – his head was always the first one you saw when you arrived and the last one hanging over the door watching you leave. He was a favourite amongst the DKR staff and I admit I’d always save an extra bit of carrot specially for him when I dropped by. He may not have been a July winner, but he was noticed and known and loved. It may not make a difference to anyone else, but I feel it is important to acknowledge.
The Cenotaph may be merely a symbolic resting place for souls who are not there. And I guess this week’s column is a tribute and a thank you to Chippendale and his kind. They may not make our front pages, but they make our heroes.
