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SPORTING POST • FRIDAY 4th - SUNDAY 6th FEBRUARY 2011
Poster Boy With The Painted Face
Dean’s father, racing legend Peter Kannemeyer, trained Past Master’s granddam, Happy News. Happy News was by Argosy out of a Sea Cottage mare named Enthusiastic and ran in the green, white and blue silks of the late Gerald Rosenberg. With a final tally of 15 runs for 3 wins (including the Grade 3 Ascot Fillies Nursery) and 4 places, it proved to be a successful partnership and when Happy News retired to stud, she produced amongst others, Port Elizabeth Gold Cup winner Palm King, the six time winning Merrie England, and the talented stayer Harvest Time. Mr Rosenberg sent all her progeny through the Kannemeyer ranks and Dean says ‘We trained them all. I know his female line like my own family. This female line and our yard is one of those happy associations in racing that just click.’
Jubilant Gerrit Schlechter
The Breeder From her 1997 mating to Western Winter, Happy News produced a chestnut filly with a large white blaze called Early Thaw. Dean takes up the story again “I remember her well. She wasn’t big, but she was put together terrifically. She won her first two on the trot and won four in total. She sadly did a hamstring and was retired early.” This is where Cape racing and breeding stalwart Hymie Maisel joins the story. Mr Maisel had always liked the mare and when Mr Rosenberg sadly passed on, Mr Maisel acquired Early Thaw and took her home to Hyjo Stud. He stood her to Jet Master for her first season in 2005. This mating would produce the bright bay colt with the big white face that would go on to be named Past Master.
The Horse Mike Reid, the stud master at Hyjo at the time, recalls that Past Master was an early foal. Despite being a first produce, he was big, strong and much the most dominant of his group. He went on auction as lot 62 at the 2008 National Yearling Sales and Mike recalls that a lot of people seemed to be put off by that distinctive blaze. However, the one man who wasn’t was none other than Dean Kannemeyer (who still has a copy of that catalogue, including all his notes in his office!). Despite not having a buyer, the funds or even a buyer’s card, Dean was so impressed with the colt that he persuaded John Freeman to sign for him. They had to fend off several other interested parties, but Dean finally got him for R375k.
Dean says he had a feeling that this colt was special right from the word go, a sentiment echoed by his jockey, Gerrit Schlechter, who has followed the colt throughout his career. Gerrit remembers riding work alongside the juvenile Past Master on a horse called Chippendale. Although Chippendale was already a multiple winner at the time, the precocious young work companion left a distinct impression. In the melee of the work strings, Gerrit didn’t know the name of the horse at the time, but took careful note of that big white face. When he finally got to swing a leg over, he knew immediately that this horse was a different class. Gerrit speaks glowingly of the big, powerful colt, saying that he is one of the most balanced and athletic horses he’s ever sat on. Coupled with a mature, workmanlike attitude, Gerrit ranks him amongst the best ridden - and he’s ridden some good ones ! Gerrit remembers chatting to Greg Cheyne (in the irons for Past Master’s second outing in August 09) and telling him what a good horse he was on. Gerrit’s recommendation proved correct and Past Master carried Greg to an easy 3.25 length victory! Despite that day’s win coming over 1200m at Kenilworth, Gerrit remembers Greg Cheyne remarking at the time that the horse would be even better over more ground. Gerrit had to wait a few more months, but finally took up the reins in the Grade 2 Selangor Cup in October 2009. Although he ‘only’ beat Noorhoek Flyer by 1.25 lengths that day, Gerrit maintains that Past Master had only just kicked into gear and was still drawing away. Next on the agenda was the Guineas. However, the day before the race, DKR Assistant Trainer David Lilley noticed heat on Past Master’s leg and raised the alarm. Closer investigation revealed a suspensory injury and Dean reflects that it was David’s
attention to detail and quick action which probably saved the horse’s career. Past Master was withdrawn from the three year old Classic and rested for the best part of 10 months. During this time he was gelded and when he negotiated the short walk to the neighbouring barn of Hassen Adams’ private trainer Darryl Hodgson in July 2010, the final piece of the puzzle fell into place.
Renewed career Gerrit had just started riding for Darryl and was thrilled to keep the ride on the rambunctious colt. He had believed in this horse from day one and repeatedly told both Hassen and Darryl that they had a Met winner on their hands. He was so confident of his mount that Gerrit promised Mr Maisel that they were going to win the Met when he visited the yard late last year. A suspensory injury is potentially career threatening, but Hassen Adams understands racing and was prepared to exercise the necessary time and patience to effect a full recovery. The team of Hassen Adams, Darryl Hodgson, Dan Katz and Gerrit Schlechter brought the big colt back into work with the utmost care. It was a precarious business as Past Master is prone to hijinks and track pranks like standing on his back legs and generally telling everyone how important he is, but the time and hard work have reaped rich rewards.
Darryl admits that there were plenty of nerves and sleepless nights in the run up to this weekend’s big race, but jockey Gerrit was confident that his horse was peaking as he was being a real ‘meneer’. Despite concerns about their 15 draw, he pushed it to the back of his mind and dePast Master cided to focus on the job at hand. With Past Master On 18 September 2010, being such an adjustable horse, Past Master set foot back on the slow Met pace suited him the turf for the first time when to perfection, allowing Gerrit he was sent out over 1,000m place him just right for his final at Kenilworth. Despite not onslaught. When the ask came, being at his peak, he finished a Past Master showed that he very good third, 2 lengths off had stamina as well as speed and the crowd erupted as they winner, Rabattache. flew across the line, Gerrit Darryl relates that he’s a dif- punching the air, 1.25 lengths ficult horse to judge as he ahead of Mother Russia. doesn’t show much in his work, With it being a first Met vicmaking it difficult to gauge his progress. Gerrit agrees that he tory for Hassen, Darryl and will work alongside anything Gerrit, it was an emotional you try him with, but only moment. does enough to stay with his Past Master’s blinkers were companion. Not having any- whipped off for his tour of the thing to really push him with, winner’s enclosure and the they have no idea how good waiting cameras and he gave he really is, Gerrit notes wryly. them their money’s worth. Because they were struggling to get him grass work, Darryl sent him off over a 1400m Graduation race at Durbanville to help him prep for the Queens’ Plate, and he galloped home an easy winner on 16 October. However, it was not until his 3rd placed run in the November Green Point Stakes (1.75 lengths behind Pocket Power) that Darryl started to believe that he really had something special on his hands. In December Past Master removed all doubt when he led a classy field home in the 1200m WPOTA Diadem Stakes, crossing the line just 0.3 seconds short of the course record. The stage had been set. The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate run and 6th place finish was a bit of an enigma and had
HAMISH NIVEN
Today’s story is about Past Master, the big bay colt whose painted face was splashed across the weekend papers after his sensational Met victory. I have run into this handsome son of Jet Master several times over the past few months and discovered that he’s a sociable, intelligent chap who likes carrots and posing for the camera. I’m not sure whether it’s the comical blaze or just my imagination, but he’s one of those quirky, lively characters who always seems to be enjoying life tremendously. I managed to glean his early history from the neighbouring Dean Kannemeyer yard, who knows the family well.
The Jockey
HAMISH NIVEN
T
here is a belief that pedigrees don’t run races - horses do, and it’s true that certain pedigrees have an affinity for certain people. We’ve seen it with famous horse-jockey combinations as well as famous horse-trainer combinations. Similarly, certain ownertrainer combinations are also known to create a successful alchemy. The horses and their stories thread themselves through yards and lives and histories and draw people and events together in interesting and complicated ways. It’s fascinating to follow the threads and see how seemingly trivial events, slotted into place at just the right time and just the right place, conspire to produce quite extraordinary results.
both trainer and jockey scratching their heads. Past Master had lunged oddly at the junction, losing his balance and raising the ugly spectre of that suspensory again. Gerrit admits being afraid that the horse had ‘gone wrong’, but fortunately he got home safely, looking none the worse for wear, so the team decided to draw a line under the race and focus on the Met.
HAMISH NIVEN
‘There is great power in stories. There are stories that teach us about the past, help us imagine the future, and take our thoughts on journeys to places our bodies couldn’t possibly go. The power of story has been recognized for millennia. A story can move a heart, a mind, and an entire world. The pen may truly be more powerful than the sword.’ – Jane Savoie
The Owner While the colt was stretching his legs out on the spelling farm, Dean went to work to find a buyer and with the help of Rodney Dunn, Past Master found his way into the hands of Hassen Adams.
The Winning Connections
Darryl (whose face reportedly hurts from smiling so hard all weekend) tells that when Top Billing came by for a visit on Monday, Past Master put on a real show for them. The programme will be aired this Wednesday at 7:30pm, so don’t miss it ! Henry Fielding once said that ‘A good face is a letter of recommendation’. We are short on horses who can stick around long enough for people to get to know and recognize them and with that distinctive white blaze, Past Master could make the perfect poster boy for racing. Horses are notoriously good at thwarting the best laid plans, and Darryl is careful to say that they are taking things one day at a time. However they are easing up on Past Master and giving him all his jabs for a potential trip to Durban.... Good stories always allow room for a follow-up and Early Thaw provides us with just such a tantalizing teaser. She changed hands a couple of years ago and now stands at Middlefield Stud for the Welcome Home Farming syndicate. Manager Rob Pickering relates that Early Thaw stood to Jet Master again last season. I’m pleased to report it was a successful mating, so we may well have a sequel in the making!