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Cover Image: HSH Princess Charlene Gr1 Empress Club Stakes joy for Jess & Steve Jell on Saturday Pic courtesy of Candiese Lenferna
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Candiese Lenferna
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54 ON JULY ROAD TO GLORY 5
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Defending champion Belgarion is one of a powerhouse Justin Snaith entry of eleven for the R2 million Gr1 Vodacom Durban July to be run on 3 July at Hollywoodbets Greyville. Currently leading the SA National Trainer log, Snaith, who has done one better than his ten entries last year, has thrown the kitchen sink at his historic bid to win Africa’s Greatest Horserace for the fourth consecutive year. Together with reigning SA Champion trainer Sean Tarry, who has eight entered eight, the duo have 35% of the nationally representative 54 first entries received on Tuesday for Gold Circle’s flagship race. Snaith has won the July five times, breaking the ice when Dancer’s Daughter dead-heated with Pocket Power in 2008. His entry includes two past winners in double July star Do It Again, and defending champion, Belgarion. Included in the Snaith assault is L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winning 3yo Jet Dark, as well as last Sunday’s eyecatching forward-galloping Sledgehammer winner, Crown Towers. Winner of the July four times, starting with Ipi Tombe back
in 2002, Mike de Kock has a duo headed by SA Triple Crown champion, Malmoos. Dean Kannemeyer has won the July three times, with champion Dynasty’s memorable victory in 2003 his maiden score. Kannemeyer has a trio entered, headed by impressive Cape Guineas winner, Russian Rock. Sean Tarry has won the July twice previously. His eight strong entry is led by Riverton Stud-bred soldier Cirillo. Milnerton veteran Vaughan Marshall is still looking for his first July winner but may fancy his chances with his Cape Derby winner Linebacker, supported by the consistent Rascallion – clearly in need of his first start in KZN when fourth in the Sledgehammer.
gutsy mare Running Brave, who won the Gr3 London News Stakes earlier this year. While Summer Pudding may have the daughter of Brave Tin Soldier’s number after beating her in the Summer Cup and holding her again last Saturday in the HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes, Running Brave has the heart of a lion and loves Hollywoodbets Greyville. While Michelle Rix trains in partnership with her Dad, Harold, the fairer sex yards are well represented by 2017 winner Candice BassRobinson (Sovereign Spirit), Candice Dawson (Promiseofamaster) and Summerveld-based Alyson Wright (Matterhorn).
Veteran Harold Crawford and his daughter Michelle Rix are likely to run bargain buy Kommetdieding in the Drill Hall Stakes or the KZN Guineas on 2 May – the start of the SA Champions Season.
The Eastern Cape have a rare entry in popular Zietsman Oosthuizen traveller Atyaab. The Australian-bred son of Dundeel, known as ‘Attie’ to his trainer and fans, pulled off something of a giantkilling act on Cape Met day when he down the hometown stars in the Gr2 Western Cape Stayers. His Gauteng run in the Caradoc Gold Cup earlier this month was not his form and the travelling may well have got to him.
Randjesfontein trainer Fanie Bronkhorst only saddled his first runner 5 months ago, and he comes to Durban with the
Seven of the 54 entries are from KZN-based yards, with Gareth van Zyl’s excitingly progressive She’s A Keeper
From the smaller yards, unbeaten Cape 3yo Kommetdieding and hardknocking Joburg-based mare Running Brave are serious contenders.
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probably the leading hope if she can build on her eyecatching Scarlet Lady victory at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
First declarations for the July will close at 11h00 on Monday 10 May, while first supplementary entries close 24 hours later.
Two of the more optimistic, or ‘if you haven’t got a ticket you don’t have a chance’ type entries include Peter Muscutt’s Baby Shooz, who was also a longshot entry for the Cape Met in January, and Mike Miller’s consistent, but mostly unexposed 3yo, Full Blast.
Second declarations close at 11h00 on Monday 31 May.
While the first entry is largely what we expected, two ‘missing in action possibles’ are Copper Mountain (2nd Horse Chestnut, 3rd Gauteng Guineas) and Catch Twentytwo (won Dingaans, 3rd SA Classic).
Final supplementary entries close at 11h00 on Tuesday 15 June. Weights will be published on the same day. Final declarations close at 11h00 on Monday 21 June. The announcement of the final field of 18 plus 2 reserve runners, and their barrier draws, will take place on Tuesday 22 June.
a condition of acceptance and are scheduled for Thursday, 24 June. Gold Circle reserves the right in its sole discretion to allow a horse stabled out of province on the day of the gallops to work out in the province where stabled prior to 24 June, provided that the workout is filmed and screened on 24 June. The organisers of the Vodacom Durban July have indicated that the race will be run behind closed doors again this year– despite the fact that other sports could have some element of crowds at the time.
Compulsory public gallops are Chase Liebenberg
7 Kommetdieding – exciting unbeaten colt is a July entry
JULY ENTRIES LIST v
CONTENDER RAINBOW BRIDGE BELGARION SUMMER PUDDING DO IT AGAIN GOLDEN DUCAT JET DARK GOT THE GREENLIGHT SOVEREIGN SPIRIT CAPTAIN'S RANSOM MALMOOS CIRILLO BARAHIN RUNNING BRAVE WAR OF ATHENA DOUBLEMINT EXPRESSFROMTHEUS SHANGO ZILLZAAL TIERRA DEL FUEGO CROWN TOWERS ATYAAB PRINCESS CALLA KOMMETDIEDING TRISTFUL SECOND BASE YOUCANTHURRYLOVE LINEBACKER RUSSIAN ROCK BLACKBALL DIVINE ODYSSEY SILVER HOST PACK LEADER TREE TUMBO SACHDEV SEEHAAM RASCALLION AZORES AFRICAN NIGHT SKY THE GATEKEEPER PUERTO MANZANO MARCHINGONTOGETHER FLYING CARPET SHAH AKBAR HOEDSPRUIT SUPER SILVANO DR DOOLITTLE PROMISEOFAMASTER TRIP TO AFRICA MATTERHORN NETTA LEGITIMATE BABY SHOOZ SHE'S A KEEPER FULL BLAST
AGE
SEX
6 5 4 6 4 3 4 5 3 3 5 5 5 3 6 4 4 5 5 5 5 3 3 5 3 4 3 3 6 6 4 6 4 4 4 3 4 7 3 3 5 3 3 3 4 3 4 4 4 3 3 4 4 3
G G F G G C C G F C h G M F G G G G H G G F C G G G G C G G G G G G F G G G C G G C C G G C G G G F G G F G
WFA
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MR
Min
Long
134 130 129 129 128 130 124 124 126 125 120 119 119 122 118 118 116 116 116 115 115 118 117 113 116 112 115 114 110 110 110 109 109 108 107 111 107 107 110 110 106 108 108 108 104 105 101 101 100 102 101 96 90 86
53 53 52 53 53 53 53 53 52 53 53 53 52 52 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 52 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 52 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 52 53 53 52 53
60 58 57.5 57.5 57 56 55 55 54 53.5 53 52.5 52.5 52 52 52 51 51 51 50.5 50.5 50 49.5 49.5 49 49 48.5 48 48 48 48 47.5 47.5 47 46.5 46.5 46.5 46.5 46 46 46 45 45 45 45 43.5 43.5 43.5 43 42 41.5 41 38 34
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KG Under
-0.5
-1 -1 -2 -2 -2 -2.5 -2.5 -2 -3.5 -3.5 -4 -4 -4.5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5.5 -5.5 -6 -5.5 -6.5 -6.5 -6.5 -7 -7 -7 -8 -8 -8 -8 -9.5 -9.5 -9.5 -10 -10 -11.5 -12 -14 -19
Trainer Eric Sands Justin Snaith Paul Peter Justin Snaith Eric Sands Justin Snaith Joe Soma Candice Bass-Robinson Justin Snaith Mike de Kock Sean Tarry Mike de Kock Fanie Bronkhorst Paul Matchett Justin Snaith Stuart Pettigrew Sean Tarry Sean Tarry Sean Tarry Justin Snaith Zietsman Oosthuizen Adam Marcus HWJ Crawford/M Rix Tony Rivalland J A Janse van Vuuren Fabian Habib Vaughan Marshall Dean Kannemeyer Gavin van Zyl J A Janse van Vuuren Justin Snaith Alec Laird Sean Tarry Justin Snaith Sean Tarry Vaughan Marshall Dean Kannemeyer Justin Snaith Justin Snaith J A Janse van Vuuren Gavin van Zyl Sean Tarry Sean Tarry Justin Snaith Brett Crawford Paul Peter Candice Dawson Duncan Howells Alyson Wright Paul Peter Dean Kannemeyer Peter Muscutt Gareth van Zyl Michael Miller
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Weight A Moment!
The tools to work out the weights on the fly:
The WFA in the July is that 3yo’s receive 2kgs weight-for-age from the older runners. There is no sex allowance as it is already built into the rating. To work out the weights you subtract the lower MR from the highest (Rainbow Bridge
134 = 60 kg) to get the number of ½ kg bricks between them, and then subtract 2kgs if it’s a 3yo.
Eg 3yo Malmoos: 60 kg less ( (134-125) = 9/2 = 4.5kgs and WFA 2kgs =) 6.5 kg = 53.5 kg. There are minimums and maximums given different ages and sexes.
Max for 4yo+ : males is 60 kg and females it’s 59 kg Max for 3yo : colts is 57kg and filles 56 kg. Min for 4yo+: males is 53 and females 52 kg Min for 3yo’s: males 53 and females is 52 kg.
July – A Numbers Game
There are 54 nominees so far.
whopping 19x 3yos.
The highest MR is 134.
There are 8 fillies and 46 colts & geldings.
13 of 54 come into the weights, while 41 are under sufferance if they ran today.
The average and the median is 113.
There is 1x 7yo, 6x 6yos, 11x 5yo, 17x 4yos and a
Two stables represent 19 nominees, or 35%.
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Average filly is 114.
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Candiese Lenferna
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TAKE IT AWAY... CHAMPIONS SEASON
STRIKES GOLD! 14
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No Nationals
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A race ranked by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities earlier this year as South Africa’s leading Gr1 contest and alongside Australia’s richest weight-for-age contest, the prestigious W.S. Cox Plate, the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge will be run for the 50th time and for an increased stake of R1 million this season.
gratifying.
The Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge now ranks as the joint second richest graded race on the South African racing calendar, surpassed only by the Vodacom Durban July.
“If one looks back to July 2019 when Hollywoodbets secured the landmark naming rights to Hollywoodbets Greyville and Hollywoodbets Scottsville, who could have predicted that we were about to embark on one of the most economically challenging periods that South African Horseracing has ever had to endure? Hollywoodbets increased its support of the industry during a time when it has been needed most and to now have our partner as a long-term title sponsor of one of our most prestigious Grade 1 races during Champions Season, is the perfect fit,” said Steve Marshall, Gold
In yet another significant show of support for the South African horse racing industry – and KwaZulu-Natal racing in particular, Hollywoodbets has committed to a 3-year sponsorship of the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge. Over the past two years, Hollywoodbets has introduced initiatives to support each and every group of stakeholders in KZN and the timing for this new initiative is both exciting and
Candiese Lenferna
The premier SA Champions Season weight-for-age mile, the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge received the good news of the 100% stakes boost from R500 000 at a launch function held in beautiful weather conditions at Hollywoodbets Greyville on
Monday morning.
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Candiese Lenferna
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Circle’s Marketing and Events Executive. Hollywoodbets Brand & Communications Executive, Devin Heffer explained that this sponsorship is about much more than just the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge. “This is about being associated with equine excellence and ensuring that the value and prestige of our champions is not diluted by
economic stress. Hollywoodbets views itself as an integral part of the horse racing industry and the KwaZulu-Natal economy. The SA Champions Season is the magnet that attracts nationwide interest in the sport, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to meaningfully demonstrate our commitment to racing’s wellbeing. We will also use the day to enthusiastically build a bridge between horse racing and our
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other valued partners in sport and in the media.” As pointed out by Devin Heffer, Hollywoodbets have extended the major raceday experience and exposure to a variety of title partners and this illustrious list includes the likes of local sporting heroes, the Hollywoodbets Dolphins and the Cell C Sharks, LaLiga, The Lighthouse Foundation (Nomzamo Mbatha), AmaZulu Community Trust,
Candiese Lenferna
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Rising Sun, East Coast Radio and SuperSport. Former international champion jockey and now Hollywood Syndicate Racing Manager, Anthony Delpech also attended the function. Anthony won the Gold Challenge on two top horses in Secretary General and Set Afire, and told the Sporting Post that the race was a prestigious and important stepping stone into the July for many contenders. “It’s always a great race to win and the honour roll down the years underscores the importance of the contest on the racing calendar. This is a
great day for KZN and SA racing in these times, and I’m so proud to be a part of the team that makes it happen,” said the former multiple champion rider. The 2021 edition of the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge could see two past champions in Rainbow Bridge and Do It Again renewing their rivalry along with L’Ormarins Queens Plate winner, Jet Dark. The increased stake of R1 million is likely to see a host of challengers to the throne, as this year’s race, scheduled for Saturday 12 June at Hollywoodbets Greyville, promises to be one of the most eagerly anticipated races
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of the SA Champions Season. The Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge is also a Vodacom Durban July golden ticket race – guaranteeing the winner a place in the keenly contested final line-up on 3 July! Go back in time - click here to watch replays of the great race
Chase Liebenberg
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Classy Marina – takes on the boys
CAPE NUMBERS
STUTTER ALONG
Only three local yards have come to the party to contest the opening leg of the Cape’s winter triple crown at Kenilworth on Saturday. Just 76 runners contest the eight races on the afternoon.
The Cape Racing Winter Series has been the 21st century stepping stone for the likes of superstar Pocket Power, as well as for top performer African Night Sky and the undefeated Singapore-bound Katak. The local winter triple crown is run from a mile to 2400m
over eight weeks. Sadly, there again is no sponsor backing the series, which has produced champions over the years. And with only Justin Snaith, Glen Kotzen and Candice BassRobinson saddling runners, the interest in the eight horse field may be pedestrian.
But Snaith, who saddled African Night Sky to win the series, must have a serious shout with Cape Derby fourth-placer, Hoedspruit. Anton Marcus takes the reins on Suzette Viljoen’s promising son of Legislate. He was only three lengths off Linebacker in the Cape Derby.
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Glen Kotzen’s Northern Song travelled to Fairview where he was pipped in the East Cape Guineas last start by Gavin Smith’s local hardknocker Jaeger Moon. An interesting runner is 2017 July winner Marinaresco’s full sister Marina, who enjoys a 2,5kg sex allowance as she takes on seven males and bids to emulate her illustrious brother. Marinaresco beat the 2017 Met winner Whisky Baron when winning the first two legs of the Cape Winter series in 2016.
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After scoring in the second leg – the Winter Classic – he travelled to the East Coast when he ran second behind The Conglomerate in the July that year. With two decent contenders in the fillies’ equivalent on the afternoon – the R85 000 Listed Sweet Chestnut
Stakes- in Chat Ching and Lemon Delight, the BassRobinson strategy makes sense.
Power Stakes rounds off the series over 2400m on Saturday 26 June.
The second leg is the R125 000 Gr3 Legal Eagle Stakes to be run over 1800m on Saturday 22 May. The R125 000 Gr3 Pocket
HKJC
Super Sunday
Wellington is a big runner at Sha Tin on Sunday While the Kenilworth action is the big racing locally, the serious weekend Gr1 action is at Sha Tin on Sunday and the Gr1 treble feature FWD Champions Day. Alexis Badel is keeping the faith in Wellington when he
lines up in the HK$18 million Gr1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize, hopeful an improved performance from the boom sprinter after finishing fifth in the G2 Sprint Cup earlier this month, his first defeat over 1200m at Sha Tin. “He’s always been a very,
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A bonus of R200 000 will be paid to the connections of the horse that wins all three legs. Follow all the weekend racing action on www.sportingpost.co.za
very good horse to me, he has an incredible turn of foot, so I believe he is a top-class horse – I just hope he can bounce back and give his best, I have no doubt that with a smooth run he will do something good,” Badel said. Preparing for his first foray at the top-level, the All Too Hard gelding – a six-time winner from nine starts – displayed G1 potential two runs ago when clocking an equal Sha Tin 1200m Class 1 record to that of the legendary Sacred Kingdom in 2007 (1m 07.80s), downing a string of renowned rivals – including the then world’s secondhighest ranked sprinter Hot King Prawn. Read the Karis Teetan interview on page 75 of this issue.
PERFECT v
THE POWER OF PUDDING!
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A RIGHT
ROYAL DISH! After a tough race that brought up her fourth Gr1 success, reigning SA Horse Of The Year Summer Pudding has come out of her superb victory in Saturday’s HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes at Turffontein happy and well. Her trainer Paul Peter, who has moved into second slot
on the SA Champion Trainer table and within R1,8 million of pacesetter Justin Snaith, is along with the Cape Champion and Eastern Cape-based Alan Greeff, one of only a trio of conditioners to have saddled over a century of winners this term. Speaking to the Sporting Post on Monday evening, Peter said that the ‘tough and
laid-back lady’ had taken, what was a hard race, well. “The trip was on the short side for her, so Warren (Kennedy) had to keep at her and use her more than usual. But she’s a champion – and champions cope with challenges,” added the top trainer, who is bidding for his first Vodacom Durban July victory this year.
Kennedy’s Spread Wings
Warren and Barbara Kennedy have cited the maximization of their financial security in order to provide the best possible foundation for their children
- their second child is due at the end of this month – as their reasons for a decision to emigrate. Reigning SA Champion Jockey, Warren is looking at
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opportunities in Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia. He says that he will be available to ride Summer Pudding in the Vodacom Durban July.
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On the prospects of the likelihood of a three-cornered showdown between Summer Pudding, Joey Soma star Got The Greenlight, and Mike de Kock’s SA Triple Crown hero Malmoos in the Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge on 1 May, Paul was cautious.
It is possible that her next start could even be on the East Coast.
“I need to chat to Jess and Steven (Jell) about that race. I’m inclined to go with skipping it. It’s just a fortnight between the two Gr1’s, and she did have a hard race over the mile on Saturday, as I already said.”
Ridden by Warren Kennedy for his ninth victory from ten rides in her twelve starts, Summer Pudding powered home at odds-on to register her eleventh victory – and fourth Gr1 success.
Supplementary entries for the 1 May contest close at 09h00 on Friday 23 April. Declarations are due by 11h00 on Monday 26 April.
SUMMER PUDDING remains unchanged on a rating of 129 following her success in the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes. The Handicappers opted to use 3rd placed LADY OF STEEL as the line horse here, and in rating this way SUMMER PUDDING only runs to a mark of 116. Runner-up RUNNING BRAVE also runs below her rating of 119, achieving a mark of 114, and therefore also remains unchanged. It was felt that, as the first two were clearly
Summer Pudding won her only KZN start with a breathtaking late dash to win the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 in July last year.
Running over a trip short of optimal range and showing no ill effects at her second run after a break, Summer Pudding went off at 4-10 and never gave her backers a moment of anxiety.
The Merits
superior to the rest and pulled clear of the 3rd horse, that to use either the winner or runner-up to assess the race would inflate the numbers being achieved by every other horse in the field. Hence, a more conservative approach was deemed advisable. This notwithstanding, there were ratings increases for three runners. 4th finisher WISTERIA WALK is up from 107 to 110, RIO’S WINTER goes from 104 to 108, and SEEHAAM goes from 100 to 107. All three of these horses
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Stalking the pacesetting Wisteria Walk and Cape visitor Kelpie from a three length position in the box seat in third, Summer Pudding accelerated away at the 300m marker to beat the senior Running Brave (20-1) by three quarters of a length in a time of 97,46 secs. Trainer Paul Peter paid tribute to his charge and said he had been in the right place at the right time. She is far and away the best he has trained. Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Summer Pudding has won 11 of 12 starts for stakes of R2 689 500.
would therefore meet LADY OF STEEL on the correct terms were they to clash in a handicap race.There were also drops for three runners. MARYGOLD was trimmed from 105 to 104, KELPIE is down from 115 to 110, and ROUGE ALLURE was dropped to 95 from 96.
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Candiese Lenferna ‘To a certain degree, the careers of Summer Pudding and Empress Club bear striking similarities. Both won eleven of their first twelve career starts, both have shown up their male rivals with disdain and became the nation's darlings’
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Summer Pudding (Warren Kennedy) powers home to beat Running Brave
GOLDMINES & GLORY
That history has an uncanny way of repeating itself was quite evident at Turffontein this past weekend. Horse of the Year Summer Pudding registered her fourth Gr1 success in the race
honouring Empress Club, the brilliant filly who entered racing's pantheon all of thirty years ago. Raced by former doyens of the turf Laurie and Jean Jaffee and named after an exclusive club
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in London's Berkeley Square, the Argentinian-bred started her career with the legendary Terrance Millard, who had previously brought out the best in her half-sisters, champion Ecurie and dual Gr1 winner Epoque.
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She would reach the pinnacle of her stellar career in the capable hands of his son Tony, and became known as the 'Galloping Goldmine'. To a certain degree, the careers of Summer Pudding and Empress Club bear striking similarities. Both won eleven of their first twelve career starts, both have shown up their male rivals with disdain and became the nation's darlings. A product of the famed Mauritzfontein paddocks, Summer Pudding ripped through her first nine starts unbeaten. Successful in her only start at two, she became the country's third Triple Tiara winner and capped an undefeated sophomore season in the Gr1 Woolavington 2000, achievements which earned her the titles of Champion three-year-old and Horse of the Year. Empress Club was voted the country's Champion juvenile after an unbeaten juvenile campaign sealed by a storming victory in the Gr1 Smirnoff Sprint (now the Gold Medallion). Beaten in her three-year-old debut, she then put together a sevenwin streak which included five sublime Gr1 wins comprising the Cape Guin-
eas, Topsport Bloodline Classic, Administrator's Cup, SA Guineas and SA Fillies Guineas. Although she was beaten a shorthead in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 and was a shock withdrawal on the Thursday before the Durban July, Empress Club's dominance during the season was such that she too, lifted both the Champion three-year-old title and the ultimate accolade of Horse of the Year. Both champions started their four-year-old seasons in winning form. Empress Club broke Durbanville's 1000m course record by defeating the Western Cape's top sprinters, including subsequent Sprinter of the Year Taban, in a warm-up sprint before drubbing her male rivals - including Horse of the Year Flaming Rock - in both the Queen's Plate and the J&B Met. A return to the Highveld saw her cruise to a majestic victory in the Gr1 First National 1600, which proved to be her final success on local soil. Having sealed her place in history, the country's Champion Older Female was sent to the States where she added the Gr3 Hillsborough Handicap at Tampa Bay Downs to her tally of 16 South African wins. Summer Pudding won her mile pipe-opener before defying a
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big weight and a deep draw in the Gr1 Gauteng Summer Cup. She then suffered a shock first defeat when unplaced in the Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth, a loss attributed to a respiratory infection. The champion has since bounced back with two smart wins, the latest and eleventh of her career being her Empress Club success over a distance now short of her best. Like so many great racemares, Empress Club was not the cuddling type and her tough and aggressive attitude enabled her to successfully take on the boys. The complete racing machine, her major asset was without a doubt her devastating acceleration, the hallmark of class. Summer Pudding's career has yet to run its course, and while it is unlikely that she will eventually match the Empress's tally of nine Gr1 wins, she too possesses an indomitable will to win. For now, we can look forward to her ultimate season target – the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July.
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32 Big buyers! Form's Jehan Malherbe and trainer Dean Kannemeyer got the top lot
Candiese Lenferna
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BARGAINS GALORE IN
BUYER’S MARKET 33
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South Africa’s leading bloodstock consultant and stallion manager John Freeman declared the two days of the National Yearling Sale last week a positive and encouraging experience, with quality bargains there for the taking in a genuine buyer’s market. Our best established nationally representative sale
was held on Thursday and Friday at the TBA Sales Complex in Germiston, back in its traditional slot after a pandemic enforced late July schedule in 2020. An aggregate of R102 540 000 was achieved from the 462 catalogued lots this week, reflecting an average of R276 388 and a median of R200 000. Given the extraordinary
circumstances prevailing last year, where 138 lots were withdrawn from a similarly sized catalogue, traditional year-on-year yardsticks are largely academic, with the sale average down from a 2020 mark of R295 136, and the median jumping 14% from R175 000 to R200 000. This clearly reflected the absence of the skewing impact at the top end of Candiese Lenferna
Sale topper - Gimmethegreenlight colt out of All Is Secret
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‘telephone number’ price tags. The straight-shooting Freeman, who was thrilled with his 27 lots purchased for just over R16 million, confirmed to the Sporting Post that ‘there was no top end of the market this year’. Thirteen yearlings were sold for R1 million and more. In 2020 the high water mark was set at R7 million, while in 2019 it reached R9 million. On Friday, Form Bloodstock paid R2,8 million for Klawervlei’s lot 351, who was to end as the 2021 Nationals chart-topper. The striking grey Gimmethegreenlight colt is out of the multiple Gr1 winning Captain Al champion All Is Secret -a full-sister to Gr1 winner The Secret Is Out. He will be trained by Dean Kannemeyer. Gimmethegreenlight, who had three yearlings fetch upwards of R1 000 000, ended the sale as the Leading Sire by Aggregate. The current Leading Sire in South Africa for the 2020-2021 season had 48 yearlings sell for a gross of R20 960 000, with his yearlings averaging a handsome R436 667. “It was good to have the Hong Kong Jockey Club buying (they spent R4,9 million on
3 lots). But with our onerous export restrictions they could only look at yearlings who were tested for pyro. There really was no top end as such to the market, and the bottom end again saw little appetite,” added John Freeman, who said that he felt for the breeders as he had purchased top quality horseflesh at below what he saw as the real worth in many cases. On the sire front, the traditional balance of power is evening out in what appears to be a transitional phase of a changing of the guard. Highest sire average in the multiple sales range was the deceased champion Dynasty, whose 13 lots grossed R7 580 000 for an average tag of R583 088. The now retired Maine Chance champion Silvano saw his 25 babies average R445 000, grossing R11 125 00. The Ridgemont Highlands team will be pleased with the demand for their fast rising new ‘top gun’ Rafeef. The Gr1 Computaform Sprint winning son of Redoute’s Choice has had the market talking for a while now and turned heads as his 20 grossed R6 355 000 at an average of R317 750. Three fillies made R1 100 000 to jointly head the top priced
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fillies list. Avontuur’s Silvano half-sister to champion Tempting Fate, October Fair (Lot 133), was sold to Lammerskraal Stud for the joint top price along with the Varsfontein Stud bred Gimmethegreenlight filly Bonifacio (Lot 232), whose dam Scandola is a stakes placed half-sister to star three-year-old Erik The Red. She sold to Form Bloodstock for R1 100 000. Klawervlei Stud consigned the third filly to fetch R1 100 000, with the farm's Love Rules (Lot 457), a Dynasty daughter whose stakes winning dam Eros's Girl is a half-sister to champion Vardy, knocked down to Michael De Broglio Varsfontein Stud, who have had such an exceptional season, were the leading vendors at this year's National Sale, selling 39 lots for a gross total of R11 275 000, and finished ahead of Klawervlei Stud, Wilgerbosdrift, and Maine Chance Farms. Form Bloodstock topped the Leading Buyers List, purchasing 24 yearlings for R13 895 000, including the sales topper. John Freeman commended the spirit and atmosphere prevailing at the sale. “The resilience and camaraderie of our racing and breeding folk is
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amazing. These are difficult days, but the focus of much of the discussion was on the quality of the yearlings and better times ahead. This sale was a rebuilding block in many respects, and I feel that overall we can be very satisfied collectively.” The veteran bloodstock man cited an example of a 3yo he had syndicated as a stallion in December 2020. “Breeders are whacked and exhausted at that time. And any idea of how your investment is performing is
really five years away. But they snapped the shares up with vigour. We are all in this for the love of it and for the long run. That’s why we must remain positive and focussed on only going forward.” The burden at the current time is being carried by South African breeders who started on the road to this week’s catalogue when Covid-19 and its impact on the world was still in the realm of science fiction. And while it’s a testing time for the breeders, what with the future of racing very hazy and
much still in the air, buyers have stepped forward bravely. It must be the hope of every horseracing fan, including the breeders who may have sold under the gun, that this week’s buyers go on to great things and have fun with their acquisitions. The next major BSA sale is the KZN Yearling Sale in Durban July week. See all the National Yearling Sale prices here
Keeneland Kicks Off Kentucky Derby Week Keeneland will hold an April Horses of Racing Age Sale on Monday 26 April at the start of Kentucky Derby Week. The April Sale will be conducted as an integrated event, with live auctioneers at Keeneland, and horses presented for sale both physically at Keeneland as well as at off-site locations, at the option of the sellers and consignors. Keeneland will continue to provide internet bidding for buyers who wish to bid remotely.
“Keeneland is excited to have the April Sale to showcase horses in training during the racing season,” Keeneland President, CEO and Interim Head of Sales Shannon Arvin said. “Our goal with this innovative format is to provide flexibility for both buyers and sellers. For their convenience, buyers may attend the sale or participate via the internet. Sellers have the option to send their horses to Keeneland or keep them at the race track where they are in training. We hope this
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unique marketplace facilitates vibrant trade.” An enhanced digital-only catalogue is available via Keeneland.com. In 2019, April Horses in Training Sale graduate Higher Power sold for $250,000 and went on to win the $1 million Gr1 TVG Pacific Classic , while amassing career earnings exceeding $1,5 million. The April Sale was cancelled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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40 Hands on! MJ Odendaal inspects #434
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NOT BAD FOR A FIRST TIME! 41
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Robyn Klaasen of Suikerbosview Stud was a first-time vendor at the BSA National Yearling Sale last week. With just one lot offered, she and her team are happy at their maiden experience of South Africa’s longest standing sale. Charismatic Hollywoodbetssponsored Summerveld trainer MJ Odendaal signed the chit at R150 000 for their sole lot, a handsome wellrelated colt (#434) from a winning family. He is by multiple Gr1 winner Rabada out of the Kingmambo mare, Depective Charm(IRE). “We are a new stud and our boy is by a new stallion. We understand why people could’ve been a bit sceptical! We do, however, believe that the buyers picked up a bargain and we wish them well. The mare has already proven herself, having produced black type winners with various other stallions - so I don’t believe that him being by a new stallion should’ve been a ‘deterrent’.
But it was a very competitive sale with lots of quality horses, and we are happy with how he sold,” Robyn told the Sporting Post. She labelled it a ‘fantastic sale for buyers’. “But not as much for the sellers. The quality of horses was unbelievable. But they just didn’t fetch the prices they probably warranted.” She added that, on the flipside and given the current state of South African horseracing, she felt a buyers’ market is exactly what was needed. “We need owners, and that means we need to try and make racing more affordable to the middle class,” she muses. She pointed out the positives – the slow emergence out of the covid-19 pandemic as a primary catalyst. “We’ve also had a few stakes increases. Hollywoodbets are doing phenomenal work with racing in KZN. And MOD have taken over Phumelela and are investing a lot of money to keep racing going,” she enthused.
She says that she initially hoped that all of this would mean that buyers would feel a sense of encouragement and perhaps be willing to spend more money. “But that just wasn’t the case. To be realistic, we need to also realise that many individuals from all walks of life have been affected all round and are still recovering.” Now that the sale is behind them, Robyn and her team intend to continue upgrading their stud and facilities, with their exciting long-term goal being a move to the Cape, where they will have easier access to stallions. “We are also on the lookout for a few more mares. And we are rebuilding our track so that hopefully this time next year, we can add pre-training to our lists of services. We are also currently looking at our options to stand our own stallion - and even bring some breeders to Johannesburg for once!”
MJ Odendaal – Colourful!
In his first full season as a trainer, the Hollywoodbetssponsored MJ Odendaal, purchased the Suikerbosview lot, was crowned South African champion jockey in the 2004/5 season and later
made a remarkable comeback – adding two Gr1’s to his impressive CV. A former amateur bush rider, the flamboyant conditioner grew up in Amsterdam in Mpumalanga, and arrived at the South African Jockey 42
Academy in the early 1980’s hardly able to speak a word of English. But he was full of confidence, having booted home five winners in his last bush meeting before joining the Academy.
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HKJC
David Ferraris – no more SA purchases
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FERRARIS FUMES AS EXPORT SAGA DRAGS ON 46
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Promising Captain Fontane back in the Garth Puller stable after almost six months of red-taped quarantine and owner David Ferraris has had his fill of our export protocols. Last week, a potential classic star, Captain Fontane, was returned to the stable of Garth Puller at Summerveld in KwaZulu-Natal. He left Puller’s yard last October en route to Hong Kong, but didn’t even make it as far as the first flight out! The unbeaten colt has been out of training for eight months, and this has made him a double loser by default – it cost him a potentially big career in Hong Kong, and, now that he’s back, the three-year-old classic racing opportunities that come only around once are around the corner, leaving way too little time for his preparation. Trainer David Ferraris, who owns Captain Fontane in partnership with David Hui, told the IRC: “Captain Fontane’s initial period in quarantine at the Eikenhof facility near Johannesburg was extended due to a stalemate between Mauritius and the UK over African Horse Sickness antibodies that showed up in a sample accidentally sent by the Mauritians to UK authorities. It had nothing to do with us or
our horses. For several weeks we were not allowed to ship ours to Mauritius and horses already on the island couldn’t fly out either.” When horses who are accustomed to training regimes aren’t able to sustain their programmes, they can develop ailments, like life-threatening colic. Ferraris said: “A further two-and-a-half months after the delay in Mauritius, Captain Fontane suffered a bout of colic and had to leave the quarantine station to be treated by Dr. Roy Gottschalk, under whose care he thankfully recovered quickly. But leaving the facility, even just for a day or two, meant that he had to start his period of quarantine all over again!” Ferraris said: “The money a horse like this can earn you is one thing, but we’re all horsemen too, we love the animal and we decided to call it a day with Captain Fontane’s travelling plans. Once they’ve had colic, chances are they can suffer another bout on an arduous future trip.” Ferraris added: “Just last week I won a race worth the equivalent of R2-million in Hong Kong with Dirty Harry, a gelding by Master Of My Fate, a South African-bred we bought from Yogas Govender. But I’ve had it with the EU and this terrible situation now. Until this
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is resolved, I won’t be buying a horse in South Africa again. (My fellow-trainer) Tony Millard feels the same. We’re not buying again until direct flights are possible.” Read the full International Racing Club story here Many years of travel delays, coupled with the EU’s dragging of its feet, hiding behind Covid-19, promises of a ‘virtual audit’ and the customary bureaucratic red tape is now close to give the ailing South African industry a fatal blow. Already, powerful global buyers at South African horse sales are drying up – they simply don’t have the patience to wait for their purchases to arrive. In a long cycle of export problems, poor management by the racing operator (a company now in business rescue) and hopeless leadership by an ineffective and deeply corrupt national government – thoroughbred breeders are falling by the wayside. There are fewer job opportunities, a smaller horse population, smaller race fields, reduced tote handles, and so on.
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Flashback to 2013 - Captain America wins the inaugural Ready To Run Stakes
SAVE THE DATE – 31 OCTOBER
Cape Thoroughbred Sales (CTS) has announced the date for the 2021 Ready to Run/Unbroken Two-YearOld Sale.
It will be held for the first time at De Grendel Wine Estate, on Sunday, 31 October 2021. Grant Knowles, Marketing and Bloodstock Director for CTS, commented: “The ever
popular Ready to Run Sale will now be staged at De Grendel, giving the sale an even more festive atmosphere.
The R2R is synonymous with several high-profile winners including Cirillo, Safe Harbour and Captain America. We are in discussion with Cape Racing about the customary pre-sale gallops, and an announcement regarding both date and venue
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will be made in due course.” The De Grendel RTR Race for graduates from the 2020 Ready to Run Sale has been scheduled for Saturday, 20 November 2021 at Kenilworth, and will be held alongside the Cape Merchants and Concorde Cup.
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50 Richard Fourie steers July entry Crown Towers to victory over Black Knap (Sean Veale) in Sunday’s Listed The Sledgehammer
TOWER OF POWER
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Justin Snaith may have identified a likely stable pacemaker in his bid to win the Vodacom Durban July for the fourth consecutive year after the Australianbred Crown Towers went all the way to win the R100 000 World Sports Betting Listed The Sledgehammer at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
way around to hold off a great effort from the recently gelded Black Knap (30-1) to win by just under a length in 106 secs – a time slower than She’s A Keeper carrying 6 kgs less in the fillies feature.
Paying tribute to the Hollywoodbets Scottsville track as being in the ‘best shape’ he has seen it, Snaith said that his charge enjoys KZN and had not returned to the Cape after last year on the East Coast.
“He has really upped his game. He is our best locally-based horse. At the outset he was a nightmare in starting stalls but Mike Shaw has done a great job with him. I’d love to see him out front setting the pace in the Durban July in a dream world,”said Justin.
Having his second start since an unsuccessful raid on the Summer Cup in Gauteng, Crown Towers was out of the gates quickly under Richard Fourie and kept on all the
CROWN TOWERS remains unchanged on a mark of 115 following his victory in the Listed Sledgehammer over 1750m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday. It was CROWN TOWERS himself who was
Lumping bottom weight of 50kgs, MJ Odendaal’s rated 3yo Shavout (40-1) stayed on into third.
Crown Towers hails from a high-class classic family with his relatives including Irish Oaks winner Shawanda and her ill-fated St Leger winning
The Merits
used as the line horse here, hence his unaltered rating. Here too, the specific race conditions do not allow for an increase in the ratings of placed horses. Accordingly, 2nd placed BLACK KNAP and 3rd finisher SHAVOUT remain
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son Encke, and Shawanda’s three-quarter sister and Gr1 Yorkshire Oaks winner SharetaOriginally knocked down to Mayfair Speculators for A$280 000 at the 2017 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Mill Park Stud, 80% shares in Crown Towers were later re-sold for R1,7 million at the Central Route Trading Sale Durbanville Mixed and Horses In Training Sale in July 2018. A winner of 7 races with 4 places from 19 starts for stakes of R472 500, the son of Montjeu stallion Camelot was produced by the smart Galileo mare Miss With Attitude – a five time winner up to 1600m and placed in the Gr2 Bill Stutt Stakes.
unchanged on ratings of 98 and 87 respectively, despite running to marks of 105 and 96, respectively. The only drop was for BLACKBALL, who is down slightly from 111 to 110.
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Warren Kennedy relaxes as She’s A Keeper storms to victory
KNUPPE’S KEEPER
ON SONG
Plettenberg Bay-based Rob Knuppe has a strike rate from small numbers over an extended period that is the envy of any breeder.
His silks, worn to Gr1 success by the top-class Tara’s Touch and others, have a new home on the back of a
fast-rising 4yo filly in KZN.
The Missing U Syndicate look to have another good one after She’s A Keeper took the step up in style to stakes level to win the R100 000 World Sports Betting Listed The Scarlet Lady at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
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Trying the 1750m for the first time after three smart efforts post her Hollywoodbets Greyville 1200m debut victory in December 2020, the daughter of the rampant Varsfontein sire Gimmethegreenlight ran wide throughout but still managed to produce a sustained effort
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under a visibly impressed Warren Kennedy. The Gareth van Zyl galloper drew right away to win by over 2 lengths in a time of 105,27 secs. “I didn’t want to press her as she was going the 1750m for the first time. She didn’t have the gate speed. I would like to have sat on her a bit longer. But she made up the ground in no time and looks like she will go 2000m,” said the reigning SA champion jockey. Rob Knuppe and his partner, Port Elizabeth Attorney Jonathan Connellan, have big plans for the lightly raced filly, who was given 18 months off early after a tendon injury.
We asked Rob how he manages to find the good ones so regularly with only a handful of mares. He bred the top-class National Park from Gimmethegreenlight by scientifically matching a Camden Park mare that he picked up for R5 000. “Well I own the share in Gimmethegreenlight so knew what I felt we needed. We bought She’s A Keeper’s Trippi dam Gold Trip off Drakenstein. She was destined for a sale – but an AHS issue threw a spanner in the works and the sale was delayed. She’s A Keeper was a beauty from the day she was born. We have been very
patient too, as she injured a tendon early.” The veteran is the consummate prudent racing man, and he knows that it is rich talking possible Gr1 glory after four starts and a Listed strike. “In the hope that she stays sound, we’d like to consider the Durban July or the Garden Province Stakes as her goals this season. That’s how good we believe she is.” She’s A Keeper has won 4 of her 5 starts with 1 place for stakes of R213 250. She’s one for the SA Champions Season notebook.
The Merits SHE’S A KEEPER has had her rating raised from 84 to 90 after she comfortably won the Listed Scarlet Lady for fillies and mares over 1750m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday 18 April. It was 3rd placed KEEP ON DANCING who
was used as the line horse, leaving her on a mark of 78. The specific conditions of this event do not allow for the ratings of placed horses to be raised, and so runner-up SCENTED MISTRESS remains on 91 despite running to a mark of 92.
However, there were ratings drops for three horses. MASTER KEYS is down from 87 to 84, JACQUELINE drops from 86 to 83, and STELVIO is down from 84 to 81.
Murray To Crawford
Callan Murray is moving to Cape Town as a contracted rider for Philippi-based trainer Brett Crawford. The 24-year-old, who is unusually tall for a jockey, has already won nine Gr1 races and was Champion
Apprentice in the 2015/16 season. Tabnews reports that a notable highlight was landing three Gr1’s on Champions Day in 2017 when he steered Mustaqueem (SA Nursery), Rafeef (Computaform54 Sprint) and
Deo Juvente (Premiers Champions Challenge) to victory. Crawford’s former stable jockey Corne Orffer left for Mauritius in 2020.
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Lyle Hewitson gets Swazi Queen up in the shadow of the post to pip Greg Cheyne on the fancied Colorado Springs
QUEEN OF
THE OAKS Lyle Hewitson rode a powerful and beautifully judged finish on the Drakenstein bred and raced Legislate filly Swazi Queen to upstage the favourite Colorado Springs by a
short head in the R85 000 Listed East Cape Oaks at Fairview on Friday. A third stakes winner for the Cheveley Stud bred and based champion Legislate, Swazi
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Queen scored a thrilling win. The race, moved to the polytrack from the turf, proved a rough affair, with a number of runners suffering
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interference in running.
time of 121,82 secs.
Hewitson bought his progressive mount with a strong challenge towards the inside, which saw the Candice Bass-Robinson trained Swazi Queen get up in the shadow of the post and score by a short-head.
Now a winner of two of her ten starts, Swazi Queen is the third black type winner, and fifth black type horse overall, to have emerged from Legislate’s small first crop -which numbers just 20 runners, of which 16 have won.
Swazi Queen claimed the 2021 East Cape Oaks in a
Swazi Queen joins the likes
SWAZI QUEEN has had her rating raised from 76 to 100 after she narrowly beat the 100-rated runner-up COLORADO SPRINGS to win the Listed East Cape Oaks for three-year-old fillies over 2000m on the Fairview Polytrack. The
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Handicappers were unanimous in their view that there was no justification for allocating a rating to SWAZI QUEEN lower than that of the runner-up, having beaten COLORADO SPRINGS at level weights, but opted to rate them as equals given
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of Sophomore Sprint hero Speed Machine and Swallow Stakes queen Zimbaba as stakes winners from the 2014 SA Horse Of The Year’s first crop -which also includes the likes of Hoedspruit, So Flawless and Veronica Mars.
that there was only a short head between them at the line.The only change was for 3rd placed UPPER TEN, who is up from 77 to 85. No horses were given a rating’s drop following this event.
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58 Kendall Minnie salutes as Miss Orange wins a cracker
FOR THE DUKE
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Drakenstein Stud stallion Duke Of Marmalade produced his 45th black type winner when his progressive daughter Miss Orange captured Friday’s Listed Glenlair Trophy at Fairview. The distance of the third feature race of the afternoon was reduced to 2750m after the surface condition enforced switch from turf to the poly. Showing great versatility and courage, Miss Orange registered her first stakes strike, banking the R51 000 first cheque in style under a delighted Kendall Minnie. The Birch Bros bred 4yo had won two of her last three starts, and picked up her first black type win with a
MISS ORANGE has had her rating raised from 94 to 97 following her win in the Listed Glenlair Trophy (handicap) over 2750m on the Fairview Polytrack on Friday. It was runner-up ARANJUEZ who was deemed to make for the most suitable line horse,
convincing score. Meeraas went out to make the running, with Cape raider Troop The Colour keen just off the pace, and Miss Orange, well off the gallop early on. The front runner was quickly swallowed up as the field turned for home, and Troop The Colour hit the front 300m out, only to be challenged and passed by the favoured Warrior Bling and Aranjuez, and then by the Kendall Minnie partnered Miss Orange. The latter unleashed a sparkling turn of foot which saw her soar past the favourite and go on to salute by a length and three quarters. Now a winner of seven of her
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leaving him unchanged on a mark of 91. Unusually, there was a tripled dead-heat for 3rd place. There was no change for SILVER SKY, but WARRIOR BLING (who was 2 pounds or 1 kg under sufferance and carried 1 kg overweight on top of that) goes up from 79 to 82 as a
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19 starts, the Alan Greeff trained Miss Orange, who has now won from 1000-2750m, claimed her biggest victory by scoring in a time of 168,94 secs. Bred on the same Duke Of Marmalade/Fasliyev cross as Gold Cup winner Big Orange, Miss Orange is out of the winning Fasliyev mare Eleonora. Her five time Gr1 winning sire Duke Of Marmalade, whose other notable daughters include the Gr1 winners Simple Verse, Sound Of Freedom, Star Of Seville and Temple Grafin, has been in a rich vein of form of late, with the son of Danehill supplying winners all over South Africa in recent days.
result. The other 3rd finisher, SAN VERDE, was fully 16 pounds or 8 kgs under sufferance at the weights and accordingly has had his rating raised from 63 to 80. There were no other ratings increases or decreases following this race.
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Louis Mxothwa and Charles Ndlovu go head to head as What A Winner beats Broadside in a thriller
FAIRVIEW SWITCH
PASSERINI EXPLAINS A downpour of 8mm of rain late last Thursday afternoon saw Friday’s Fairview meeting switched from turf to the polytrack, with Phumelela Eastern Cape General Manager Luciano Passerini rejecting irrigation of the track as a root cause.
Passerini confirmed that the turf reflected a pen reading of 23 at around 15h00 on Thursday.
The nine race meeting was switched due to unsafe underfoot conditions on the inside rail down the straight.
Refuting suggestions that excessive irrigation was the reason for the surface switch decision, he explained that the
“A reading of 24 is good to soft. But the rain came a few hours later and changed the position dramatically,” he said.
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Fairview turf had been irrigated on Saturday and Sunday the previous weekend. “Then on Wednesday last week fertilised and syringed down for five minutes. That was the sum total of it.” He also added that heavy dew had been experienced at the course for the past week – a factor which could have contributed to the impact of
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the downpour. One man who wasn’t exactly complaining was Juan Nel who saddled his second non black-type feature winner in a week when What A Winner finished with a dash to hold off Broadside to win the R80 000 Fairview Flying Five. Under a superbly judged ride by Louis Mxothwa, What A Winner (5-1) held Broadside
(5-1) at bay to win by a quarter length in a time of 56,25 secs. The promising 3yo Stranger Danger (7-10) just tired late in third, with the pacy Big Bay (25-1) fading to fourth. The Favour Stud-bred winner is a 2016 CTS March Yearling Sale graduate. Andre Louw paid R170 000 for the now 6yo seven-time winner from 41 starts.
A solid performer, What A Winner has amassed stakes of R566 075. He is a son of Equus champion What A Winter of the three-time winning Eli’s Star mare, Bella Diva.
Info – On Deaf Ears Info – On Deaf Ears At Turffontein on Saturday, Alistair Cohen informed us that Apprentice Xola Jacobs would be holding his crop but not using it on the 33-10 Garden Party in the sixth. The reason given by the commentator was that
the horse does not react well to the persuader. That’s fair enough – but the information is not in the official Stipes Report. Maybe the NHRA think that it is trivial detail. But they are fining jocks for either not
riding their mounts, or giving them more than 12 cracks – and it’s a material deviation from the rules when a jockey sits and does nothing. And if you backed the horse, and hadn’t heard Cohen, you may be crying foul.
Stop Press – Stars Are Out
Some of the SA Champions Season big guns galloped prior to the Hollywoodbets Greyville racemeeting on Wednesday.
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All of The Gatekeeper, star filly Captains Ransom, Cape Derby winner Linebacker and Crawford-Rix’ unbeaten Kommetdieding were in action. The big season starts on 2 May!
Captain’s Ransom in action on Wednesday
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ARLINGTON COULD FETCH
R50 MILLION
Embattled Phumelela Gaming and Leisure’s defunct Arlington Racecourse in the Eastern Cape’s Nelson Mandela Bay goes under the auctioneer’s hammer on Friday.
city area to come to market, according to Broll Auctions Group, which is handling the sale.
It is likely that the 62-hectare site will be redeveloped into a residential estate or industrial park.
“The auction of the property is attracting strong interest from both private businesses in the Eastern Cape as well as large national JSE-listed property companies,” says Ish Hendricks, group auctioneer at Broll Auctions
The largely vacant but prime property is one of the largest land parcels within Gqeberha
“It is a developer’s dream, as it is pretty much a greenfields site that can be turned into a
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residential or industrial estate.”
Moneyweb report that Hendricks did not want to reveal the reserve price of the property or its municipal valuation, saying the auction is meant to get the best price and gauge market interest by punting it nationally. However, legitimate bidders taking part in the auction on April 23 at the Radisson Hotel in Gqeberha will get access to this information.
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Previously known as the St Andrews Racing Club, the track was opened in 1950 but closed in 2013. Hendricks also said he could not reveal interested parties due to the auction process and rules, but is confident the property will be snapped up. Considering the location of the site, 10 minutes from the airport and within the popular Warmer area, which is a few kilometres from the beach, the property is expected to fetch more than R50 million.
On the Arlington racecourse auction, Broll’s Hendricks says while an industrial park can work on the site, the property would need to get rezoning approvals for such a development from the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. “It is more suited to a residential estate development, being located adjacent to the suburb of Walmer Heights.… It is the last large piece of land within the hub of the main city [Gqeberha],” he points out. “An application has been submitted to rezone [the land]
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from ‘undetermined’ to special purposes for residential units,” he adds. “Most developers who are considering buying the property are looking at ideas such as student accommodation, microapartments and retirement villages. They are also looking at incorporating the landmark pavilion into their development schemes.”
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SHADWELL DISPERSAL
Magic Millions has announced the star- studded catalogues for the breed shaping National Broodmare and Weanling Sales are now online. The Southern Hemisphere’s number one breeding stock auction will commence on May 20 headlined by the once in a lifetime opportunity to secure a piece of the Shadwell Stud dynasty with a 60 lot unreserved dispersal of their Australasian operation.
MATCH RACE Owners of champion mare Verry Elleegant have made a staggering offer to race her Queen Elizabeth Stakes conqueror Addeybb in a winner-take-all A$10 million (R110 million) match race. For two years running Addeybb has beaten Verry Elleegant into second place in the showcase event of The Championships – the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. On Saturday the result didn’t sit well with owner Brae Sokolski and his partners. The two horses have met four times with the score 3-1 in favour of the English raider.
LE GRANGE DOUBLE
South African trainer Ricardo Le Grange enjoyed a great day at Kranji on Sunday picking up an impressive double. The first of the Le Grange winners came in the 9th race with the smart son of Helmet, Leatherhead. Le Grange then took out the lucky last with the talented Hotshot Slam. Hed is currently at eighth on the Singapore Trainers Premiership table. 68
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7 FOR RAFEEF
Ridgemont Highlands young sire Rafeef, whose yearlings proved so popular at the recent National Yearling Sale, came up with his seventh first crop winner when his promising 2yo son Darjeeling won at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday. Bred by Ridgemont Highlands, Darjeeling was a R350 000 buy from the 2020 Cape Premier Yearling Sale. Darjeeling is out of the five time winning Dynasty mare Put The Kettle On. Rafeef, who ended the National Sale as fourth Leading Sire by aggregate, had yearlings fetch up to R1 million.
PARTY ANIMAL British-based jockey Benoit de la Sayette failed a drugs test days after denying taking cocaine. The 18yo was shown in a film at a party where cocaine was used, with the Professional Jockeys' Association claiming it was a ‘malicious’ video. But De la Sayette failed a test days later, when the British Horseracing Authority took samples from the rider. While he apologised, De la Sayette, who was due to ride at Brighton on Saturday, has been suspended by the BHA until the conclusion of a disciplinary process.
GO JOE! Defending champion Joe Gwingwizha, who captains the Work Riders team against the jockeys in the inaugural Highveld Challenge on 1 May, goes into the final leg of the Work Riders’ Challenge with a substantial lead over his rivals. Leg 3 of this R50 000 event will be staged on the Inside track at Turffontein on Tuesday, 27 April. 69
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GRAND THUNDER Mighty Thunder could be targetted at the 2022 Grand National after he produced a late surge to claim a thrilling victory in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Sunday. Runner-up Dingo Dollar led with two fences to go before Mighty Thunder, ridden by Tom Scudamore and trained by Lucinda Russell, snatched the win. It is the first time since 2012 that a Scottish trainer has won the race.
CHAMPIONS DAY STAKES In a media release on Tuesday, Phumelela has announced that in terms of a sponsorship agreement R750 000 has been added to the stakes of the seven feature races on Champions Day at Turffontein on Saturday 1 May. A further media release will be issued in due course with the details of the sponsors.
TRAGEDY
Tributes have been paid to amateur jockey Lorna Brooke who died on Sunday aged 37 following a heavy fall at Taunton earlier this month. Brooke was airlifted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol on 8 April after falling from Orchestrated, trained by her mother Lady Susan Brooke. She was taken into intensive care with a suspected spinal injury, but due to complications was placed in an induced coma on Friday. 70
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72 Gavin Lerena steers Good Queen Bess to win on debut
JC Photos
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KINGMAN’S TURFFONTEIN STRIKE 73
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When the British-bred filly Good Queen Bess made a winning debut for Wilgerbosdrift at Turffontein on Saturday she became the first South African runner and winner for prominent British sire and former Cartier Horse Of The Year, Kingman. Kingman, whose 2021 stud fee ranked to the equivalent of nearly R3 million, is one of the brighest young stallions in the world. From his first three full-crops of racing age, Kingman has already supplied 32 stakes winners (and a further 21 black type horses), and of his first 282 runners to race, 178 - or 63% - have won at least once. His tally of stakes winners includes the Gr1 winners Persian King (Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Prix d'Ispahan), Palace Pier (St James's Palace Stakes, Prix Jacques le Marois) and Domestic Spending (Hollywood Derby), while Kingman's once beaten Gr2 Coventry Stakes winning son Calyx now stands at Coolmore Stud. While there can be no denying that Kingman has been supported by some outstanding producers and racemares (legendary racemare Enable is among the mares in foal to him this year), Kingman's statistics
suggest he is a top notch stallion - he was responsible 16 stakes winners last year - with the promise of plenty more to come. The four time Gr1 winner with that electric turn of foot has a smart looking crop of Northern Hemisphere 3yo’s this year. His sophomores this season include Gr3 Prix Imprudence victress Reina Madre, Japanese Gr2 winner Elizabeth Tower, Burradon Stakes winner Megallan, and Gr3 Nell Gwyn Stakes third Love Is You. In fact, Kingman had three daughters contest this year's Nell Gywn Stakes - one of the traditional preps for the 1000 Guineas. By the same sire as top Australian producer I Am Invincible, the impeccably bred Kingman is out of Gr1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) heroine Zenda -a half-sister to champion sprinter and world leading sire Oasis Dream. Worth noting too that Oasis Dream's top-class daughter Welwitschia came up with a promising runner at Turffontein on Saturday. Her 2yo daughter Desert Miracle (Dynasty) ran a cracking close up second on debut. Interestingly enough, Kingman's close relative Oasis Dream - whose sire Green Desert is also responsible for Kingman's sire Invincible Spirit - is represented
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in South Africa by consistently successful sire Querari, while the top-class broodmare Grail Maiden (Galileo)- dam of Gr1 SA Derby winner Hero's Honour and Gr1 Thekwini Stakes runner up Railtrip, traces back directly in female line to talented racemare Sorbus (Busted) -the fourth dam of Kingman. Kingman is only one part of Good Queen Bess' impressive pedigree, with her dam Golden Reign a halfsister to Horse Of The Year Golden Horn. The latter was sired by Cape Cross, who was sired by Green Desert -the grandsire of Kingman. “Good Queen Bess won smartly and we were suitably impressed,” noted Mike de Kock. “It didn’t look like there was much in the field, but she is five months behind the rest of them and she’ll be a filly to follow, she can run.” He added: “She was bought at Goffs, where Mary Slack supported us well. So thanks again to Mary and the team of Jehan Malherbe, Jane Thomas, JJ van der Linden, Steven and Jessica Jell, Gill and Dennis Drier. Horse buying is a serious business but we have fun too and these have been the regulars on our Irish tours.” Good Queen Bess was bred by Branton Court Stud.
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HKJC
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FWD CHAMPIONS DAY WATCH OUT FOR KARIS! 76
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The son of a Mauritian labourer, 30 year old SA Jockey Academy graduate Karis Teetan has entrenched himself as a leading rider in the unforgiving arena of Hong Kong horseracing.
“Since I’ve been in Hong Kong, I’ve had a few stints in Japan throughout the off-seasons and it’s nice because now it’s paying off having made those connections with an opportunity like this,” Teetan said.
the jockeys weren’t coming I picked up the phone and contacted an agent. So it was a bit of wait and see but finally I wound up securing a quality horse and I’m pretty pleased with that,” Teetan said.
Karis is looking forward to making another impact on FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on Sunday, and believes he is ready to reap the rewards from a pair of off-season stints in Japan when he partners Glory Vase in the HK$25 million Gr1 FWD QEII.
Teetan has eight wins from 84 rides in Japan dating back to his first fortnightly spell in July 2016, he returned to the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ the following year to complete another two weeks, again during Hong Kong’s off-season.
“His win here in Hong Kong was very impressive, the manner in which he quickened up was impressive and I expect he’ll be one of the favourites but he deserves it because he’s got the quality,” the Mauritian added.
The Mauritian’s third sortie in Japan came when he partnered Blizzard to fifth in the Gr1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) before his latest appointment in 2019 to compete in the World All-Star Jockeys at Sapporo Racecourse, finishing jointthird.
The six-year-old is a one-time Gr1 winner across 14 career starts but boasts a pair of wins at Gr2 level back in Japan, both times at Kyoto Racecourse.
Currently in third position behind Joao Moreira and Zac Purton on the Hong Kong Jockey log, the Mauritian notched an impressive 50 wins in his first Hong Kong season and has continued to build on that good start. He finished third in the 2017/18 premiership race with 52 wins, which included a trio of Gr3 triumphs. He topped that in 2018/19 with 84 wins as he secured his first Hong Kong Gr1 win aboard Mr Stunning in the Hong Kong Sprint and again went better in 2019/20 with a personal best 93 wins, cementing third place in the premiership race. He reunited with Mr Stunning in the 2020 Chairman’s Sprint Prize, securing the Mauritian his second Hong Kong Gr1.
“I’ve ridden for Silk Racing in Japan, so the connection goes back but this is just such a great opportunity – it’s one of my dreams to get on a Japanese horse in Hong Kong and it’s worked out perfectly this season,” Teetan said. Glory Vase, a dark bay son of Deep Impact, returns for his second foray in Hong Kong after being successful at his first try in the 2019 Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase. “When I found out a few of
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“He’s been to Hong Kong and he knows the environment because it can be tricky for horses when they travel for the first time, so I’m sure his experience here is a plus,” Teetan said. “Daring Tact looks very strong, but this horse has done it here, he knows the track and he knows how things work here, so I hope I can do good aboard him,” he added. Teetan also pairs with veteran galloper Southern Legend, who is looking for back-toback wins in the HK$20 million Gr1 FWD Champions
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Karis Teetan and his beloved Mr Stunning Mile and this year, faces five opponents: Golden Sixty, Healthy Happy, More Than This, Ka Ying Star and Mighty Giant. “He’s such an amazing horse, it’s amazing how hard he tries all the time, he just never gives up – last start things didn’t quite go his way because I thought the leader had it his own way out in front. I thought things could be different for him but in a small field, tactics can change the complexion of the race and trouble can occur, so I am going to have this at the back of my mind when I sit
down with Caspar (Fownes) to discuss the plan,” Teetan said. Teetan also pairs with Big Party in the HK$18 million Gr1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize against 12 rivals including Japan’s Danon Smash, winner of the 2020 Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint. “If he draws well and gets a good run then I can see him being very competitive, especially if the track isn’t too firm,” Teetan said. And trainer Frankie Lor hopes lightning can strike twice in the same setting as he prepares to unleash Big Party
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and Fat Turtle against crack Japanese speedster Danon Smash in the HK$18 million Gr1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize. Lor combined with Karis to claim the FWD Champions Day feature in 2020 when Mr Stunning prevailed at 21-1 and he hopes Big Party and Fat Turtle (Antoine Hamelin) can similarly reverse recent form to successfully contend at generous odds. “Both horses were a little bit disappointing last time but they’ve come back since and everything looks fine with them,” Lor said.
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“It’s hard to say whether they’ve got a really good chance but if they produce their best, they can run well - we’re hoping they can do that.” Twice victorious over the course and distance, Big Party has finished in the money in Pattern races five times from seven attempts in the 2020/21 season but he has not won since 29 December 2019, when triumphant over 1000m at
Sha Tin. However, the Exceed And Excel gelding finished third behind Hot King Prawn in the Gr1 Centenary Sprint Cup on 24 January before failing with successive eighths behind Wellington on 13 March and Amazing Star on 5 April. A treble on Sunday, 13 September2020 at Sha Tin included the milestone of his 400th win in Hong Kong.
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“I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t even know to be honest but it’s something special and it takes a lot of hard work. I didn’t even know but it’s something that will encourage me now to work harder and look forward to more winners,” he said at the time.
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updated 2021-04-20
TRAINERS Name
Runs
Wins Win%
2nd
3rd
Mr S J Snaith Mr P A Peter Mr S G Tarry Mr M F de Kock Mr P F Matche�
900 704 727 433 611
137 102 95 65 59
116 88 75 56 63
93 71 81 47 41
15.2 14.5 13.1 15.0 9.7
Other Places Place % 113 68 92 53 56
322 227 248 156 160
Win Stake (R)
35.8 32.2 34.1 36.0 26.2
Total Stakes (R)
6,741,675 10,307,350 5,662,200 8,531,675 4,542,050 7,479,325 4,330,100 6,082,050 3,345,388 5,212,613
JOCKEYS Name
Runs Wins Win%
2nd
3rd
Mr L Hewitson Mr W B Kennedy Mr S Khumalo Mr G M Cheyne Mr A Marcus
1210 805 586 626 456
159 107 58 81 70
131 97 70 99 44
179 120 114 112 103
14.8 14.9 19.5 17.9 22.6
Other Places Place % 185 119 67 84 63
475 323 195 264 177
Win Stake (R)
39.3 40.1 33.3 42.2 38.8
Total Stakes (R)
7,649,975 11,759,100 7,031,975 10,232,125 5,301,000 7,545,363 3,381,600 5,361,250 4,995,425 6,832,750
BREEDERS Name
B.T. B.T. Total Runrs Runs AEPR Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Wins Stakes (R) Rnrs %
Wilgerbosdri� & Mauritzfontein Klawervlei Stud Summerhill Stud (Pty) Ltd Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) Varsfontein Stud
267 399 209
1296 50,219 1899 31,973 1032 38,791
122 130 65
175 174 109
45.7 32.6 31.1
438 639 267
8 9 6
12 13,408,563 10 12,757,163 12 8,107,388
144 118
671 52,151 575 53,816
69 46
115 72
47.9 39.0
247 197
8 5
8 11
7,509,800 6,350,325
B.T. Wins
Total Stakes (R)
9 5 7 3 14
7,957,075 6,851,250 6,799,550 6,704,775 5,976,800
SIRES Name Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) Master Of My Fate Silvano (GER) What A Winter * Captain Al
Runrs Runs AEPR 178 171 146 155 100
848 945 738 794 491
44,703 40,066 46,572 43,257 59,768
B.T. Wnrs Wins Winrs/ Places Winrs Rnrs % 78 72 64 67 42
116 98 92 103 68
43.8 42.1 43.8 43.2 42.0
278 349 213 275 173
See all the detailed standings - Click here 80
9 4 5 3 6
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NEWCASTLE THE 9/1 LOOKS TEMPTING 81
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This isn’t necessarily the platform, but what an incredibly selfish, greedy and downright disrespectful display of the worst side of humanity this Super League conversation shows. Truly the maxim finding waves on social media holds true, created by the poor and then stolen by the rich. Ryan Liberty writes that anyway, for now we still have football to enjoy – and enjoy it we shall! The league is reaching the business end of things and with it our betting slip can now sit in business class. Read on to see my thoughts and ideas for the weekend all culminating in a rather voluptuous treble! Friday 23 April 8/10 Arsenal | Draw 26/10 | Everton 34/10 (21:00) Arsenal dropping points to Fulham almost seemed to predict itself, you can’t always trust Arsenal for much outside of conceding if I’m honest. I said last time out that I wouldn’t be surprised to see Fulham get a result, they ask the right questions of opposing defensive lines and Everton might very well follow suit. Everton have had some injury concerns, but they have enough to make a game of it, I would sit comfortably on
the fence here and enjoy the game but for betting purposes, Both Teams to Score is a banker. Get on at 9/10. Saturday 24 April 1/4 Liverpool | 48/10 | Newcastle 9/1 (13:30) I can’t believe that Liverpool is 1/4 to beat Newcastle, its laughable. Newcastle have somewhat made it an artform to make me look like a complete idiot at times – but fair play to them! I completely wrote them off prematurely and showed absolutely no regard for their ability to find a sense of belief and have a go in every game they play. They are certainly in with a shout at staying up this season and causing the odd upset along the way. They struggled through serious injuries, and unlike their opposition this weekend, haven’t made any excuses for it. In fact, they got important results and now are able to welcome back the likes of Callum Wilson to bolster their squad. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Liverpool win the game, but at 9/10 Newcastle to score even a solitary goal is like having pickled fish in December – something nobody thinks about but is a rather simple and enjoyable experience, nonetheless. Get involved in the ‘Clean Sheet Home Team: No’ market at 9/10.
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37/10 West Ham | 11/4 | Chelsea 7/10 (18:30) Well, this should make for a tasty London derby. West Ham were sort of humbled at the weekend whilst Chelsea earned their spot in the FA Cup final by dispatching Manchester City – and with them any talk of a quadruple. West Ham might put pressure on Chelsea’s backline, but I absolutely cannot see past a Blue win. And yes, I know you’ve heard it a million times already, from multiple sources but Thomas Tuchel has been incredible. He’s completely upstaged Frank Lampard, raised questions about Mourinho’s defensive superiority and taken the gloss of everything Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola are in England. Hell, if you asked our Editor how he feels at the minute he might be calling for a statue outside the bridge! Pile into the 7/10 on offer for the Chelsea to win. 4/1 Sheffield | 51/20 | Brighton 7/10 (21:00) I reckon Sheffield will potentially become a banana skin side, they don’t have much to play for and as a result might end up playing with a sense of freedom. You’re going to have to go back to the 14th of March to see Brighton pick up all three away from home but that doesn’t tell the entire story.
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They aren’t a side which will just lie down but they don’t excite me and I don’t trust them. Back the draw at 51/20 – but admittedly it isn’t one for the weekend multiples. Sunday 25 April 19/10 Wolves | 47/20 | Burnley 31/10 (13:00) This is a no-brainer, I cannot believe that Wolves is priced up at 19/10, Burnley aren’t nearly as dangerous and their defensive prowess – which was everything which made them anything – isn’t half as decent to be fair. Back the pack – wow! I have missed saying that! 26/10 Leeds | 28/10 | Manchester United 9/10 (15:00) This could turn into a spectacle, Leeds come into the encounter off the back of two exceptional results. Like I alluded to in last week’s article, all of a sudden everyone is team Bielsa and reverencing the Argentinean maestro. United on the
other hand, have managed to see out games and get the job done. Ole continues to disprove his doubters and as much as I might be called crazy – I don’t think the league is done and dusted with a difference of just eight points separating first and second. Of course, it is Manchester City’s league to lose, but stranger things have happened! Nevertheless, back United to close out the league double against their hated London counterparts and for extra value – get both teams to score as well. United + BTTS at 23/10. 15/20 Aston Villa | 26/10 | West Brom 34/10 (20:00) On paper this is looks cut and dry, but I would be very weary of this Aston Villa side and show a bit more respect for West Brom. Villa should dictate the game but the Baggies will be happy to absorb all of that pressure – and enjoy doing it! I can see West Brom coming away with something here. Back them on the Win/Draw Double chance at 9/10.
9/20 Leicester | 32/10 | Crystal Palace 6/1 (21:00) What a season this could be for Leicester, they have an opportunity to get some silverware at Wembley and are still in the conversation for European places. I’ll say it again, Brendan Rodgers has done an incredible job – I wonder if he might be in the conversation for the Spurs vacancy? But then again, why should he be – might have the chance to win the league for the next 10 years at Leicester! This should be a rather straightforward evening for Leicester, and at 13/10, I am happy to back them on the (-1) Handicap. TREBLE @ 8/1 Arsenal v Everton (BTTS) 9/10 Chelsea Win 7/10 Wolves Win 19/10
Monday 26 April
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