ROYAL RACING! RIGHT
14
Erik The Red
Varsfontein’s fab freshman
20
Big Six!
Gareth’s magic Monday
57
Hollywoodbets Durban July
All the latest
92
Super Stipe Say Farewell
The importance of being Ernie
120
Equus 2025
The standings
On the cover
Summerveld trainer Gareth van Zyl saddled a milestone 6 winners at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Monday, 16 June 2025. He chats here to Deez Dayanand. Read more on page 20.
Issue: 24/2025
ERIK’S IN THE BLACK!
Captain Al’s handsome Varsfontein-based son Erik The Red looks set to be crowned Champion freshman sire, a feat similarly achieved by his paternal half-brother One World last season. Read more about Erik The Red on page 14. Jeremy Nelson took the photograph.
KZN BREEDERS ARE RACING ON SUNDAY
Bruce Le Roux bred African Skyline beats Field Marshal in the Fever Tree Stakes in February. African Skyline is a serious contender on Sunday | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
The R650 000 Kwazulu-Natal Breeders Mile heads the 10-race KZN Breeders Raceday programme at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday 22 June and the former East Cape star, Cherry Ano, looks set to take home the lion’s share of the purse for Owner-Breeder, Henning Pretorius.
Cherry Ano, a 5yo son of Cape Town Noir, has won eight of his twenty five starts, with six of these victories coming over 1600 metres. Cherry Ano has had three starts in KwaZulu Natal since being relocated to the Summerveld-based stable of Wendy Whitehead and his last two starts have been most encouraging.
In his penultimate outing, Cherry Ano finished fourth behind the useful Underworld who has subsequently been supplemented for the Hollywoodbets Durban July after running a very close second in the Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Tria.
Then a month ago, Cherry Ano took third spot behind multiple Grade 1 winner, Dave The King, and that level of form is surely strong enough to suggest he will prove a tough nut to crack in this 11-strong field.
Based on official handicappers’ ratings the Sean Tarry-trained Dantonfromsandton would appear the biggest threat to Cherry Ano’s supremacy but the 3yo son of Willow Magic has yet to win beyond 1200m and is not guaranteed to see out this trip.
He was a remote fourth in the Byerley Turk over 1400m in March following which Dantonfromsandton won a very good race over 1200m when beating the talented Quantum Theory at the Vaal two months ago. Sean Tarry has over the years done remarkably well at the annual KZN Breeders’ Raceday but I fear that Dantonfromsandton’s lack of stamina might well be exposed here.
Soldier’s Eye is a useful 4yo daughter of Rabada and she represents the Highveld-based stable of Weiho Marwing with reigning national Champion apprentice Kobeli James Lihaba in the saddle.
Sporting the colours of Gerald Kalil, Lihaba rode Soldier’s Eye to victory in her most recent outing over 1600m at Turffontein and she could well finish in the money here. Hat’s Pride has been struggling to find his best form and has not won since 29 September 2023.
However, Glen Kotzen’s charge showed very useful potential earlier in his career, including when finishing fifth in the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas (Gr1) behind Snow Pilot. He is rated 18
pounds lower than Cherry Ano and given that in terms of the conditions of the KZN Breeders’ Mile he only receives 0,5kgs, it is a tall order to expect Hat’s Pride to have a clear winning chance.
A more interesting contender could be the relatively unexposed Legal Counsel from the stable of Champion trainer Justin Snaith.
The 3yo son of Legislate has won three of his seven starts and could prove better than his current rating (98) suggests. Legal Counsel will have no problem with the trip and his last run, when second behind Thisiswhatitmeans just three weeks ago, suggests that Snaith has him in very
good shape. Saxon Dynasty is another lightly raced 3yo, having only had four starts to date for two wins.
By Querari, Saxon Dynasty will be ridden by championship-chasing Gavin Lerena but there is every chance that he will find 1600m very much on the sharp side, with his most recent victory having been recorded over 2200m.
As a 5-time winner African Skyline comes into the race with more than just a glimmer of hope.
Trained by Garth Puller, African Skyline won a minor Feature over 1500m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville in February but on the evidence of his
Owner-breeder Henning Pretorius will be looking for a big effort from former East Cape star, Cherry Ano Credit: Pauline Herman
last run in May, he should be safely held by Cherry Ano. Noble Tune, stable companion to Saxon Dynasty, has been struggling of late but two years back he ran second in this race behind MK’s Pride and then last year was certainly not disgraced when third behind the brilliant Mrs Geriatrix. He could prove a worthy inclusion in Trifecta and Quartet permutations.
Apache Son, Go Grayson Go and Kaygee’s Delight complete the line-up but it would come as something of a surprise if the winner was to emerge from this trio. In summary, Cherry Ano
looks to carry too many guns for the opposition and is a confident selection to provide Henning Pretorius’ Summerhill Equestrian Stud with a Champagne-popping victory.
The first race on Sunday, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1400m, is due off at 11h40 and the popular ‘Win-If-You-Lose’ on-course competition will afford 10 Couples the opportunity to win entrance tickets to the 2025 R5-million Hollywoodbets Durban July on Saturday 5 July.
‘Varsfontein Stud boasts a stallion roster which is arguably the envy of every breeding outfit in South Africa. Standing alongside reigning champion Gimmethegreenlight is perennial top five stallion Master Of My Fate and his close relative Erik The Red…’
A nursery of champions – the magnificent Varsfontein Stud in Paarl | Credit: Jeremy Nelson
Varsfontein Stud is having a season to remember. Consistently ranked amongst the country’s leading breeders, the nursery of champions currently finds itself in third spot on the breeders log, trailing only Drakenstein and Wilgerbosdrift/Mauritzfontein.
The stud also boasts a stallion roster which is arguably the envy of every breeding outfit in South Africa, for standing alongside reigning champion Gimmethegreenlight is perennial top five stallion Master Of My Fate and his close relative Erik The Red, who is having a fine time of it right now with his first crop runners. Remarkably, both hail from a female family which Varsfontein has nurtured since its purchase of the Bush Telegraph mare Secret Pact in 1998 for a whopping R750,000, a South African record price for a broodmare at the time. That came as no surprise, given that she was a multiple Gr1-placed stakes winning own sister to Horse of the Year London News.
Secret Pact features as the grandam of both Master Of My Fate and Erik The Red, the former being out of her champion daughter Promisefrommyheart, whose Gr1 winning halfsister Covenant is the dam of Erik The Red. Master Of My Fate currently occupies third spot behind Vercingetorix and
Gimmethegreenlight on the General Sires List, whilst Erik The Red has made a cracking start to his stud career with 13 individual first crop winners to his name. Yet it is a maiden, the filly Reigning Alice, who became her sire’s first black type performer when she ran a close-up third in the Listed Storm Bird Stakes in her only start to date.
As a racehorse, Erik The Red rattled off four consecutive wins at two, three of which at stakes level. After cracking his maiden by five lengths second time out, he claimed the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes, graduated to Gr3 winner with a game victory in the Cape of Good Hope Nursery and sauntered home in the Listed Somerset 1200. That winning streak came to an end when he finished fourth in the Gr1 Gold Medallion and after running third in the Gr3 Golden Horseshoe, he redeemed himself with a hard-fought win in the Gr2 Umkhomazi Stakes.
Three months later, the colt became the first three-year-old in 22 years to claim the Gr2 Cape Merchants at Kenilworth.
A coveted Gr1 success eluded him when he could only finish sixth behind Run Fox Run in the Cape Flying Championship, which proved to be his swan song, with the announcement soon thereafter that he would return to birthplace Varsfontein for stallion duties.
Notwithstanding the lack of a Gr1 win on his resume, he was quickly syndicated, and such was his popularity that he covered a threefigure book of mares, which ensured he had plenty of ammunition to go to war with.
Remarkably, it wasn’t until mid-February that Erik The Red celebrated his first winner with
the Varsfontein-bred colt Tenjiku, who broke his maiden over 1400m at Turffontein in his fourth start, having chased home subsequent Gr3 winner Elegantrix in his previous outing. Now a gelding, he has since followed up with a facile two-length victory over 1500m at the Vaal.
It is interesting to note that Tenjiku’s dam Kawakami is a daughter of Master Of My Fate, which gives inbreeding to Secret Pact. The cross was again validated when fellow Varsfontein-bred filly North Star romped to an almost five-length win on debut. She too is out of a Master Of My Fate mare, as are the placed duo of Magnus The Good and Red Wave.
Captain Al’s exciting son Erik The Red – champion freshman | Credit: Jeremy Nelson
That most of Erik The Red’s winners have hit their straps in the second half of the racing season shows they should reach their full powers as three-year-olds.
As for now, he is sure to be crowned
Champion first-season sire, a feat similarly achieved by paternal half-brother One World last season.
It’s certainly a feather in the cap of their sire
Captain Al, who led the juvenile sires list for eight straight years and had no peer as a source of precocious two-year-olds.
He has single-handedly established a flourishing sire line that looks set to endure in the immediate future, especially as he has another exciting stallion son waiting in the wings, the Ridgemont-based Triple Crown winner Malmoos, who just happens to be out of Promisefrommyheart’s stakes winning daughter Justthewayyouare. He too, is a product of the Varsfontein paddocks and will be represented by his first runners next season.
Erik The Red in race action | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Gareth ‘Nibby’ van Zyl gives the six-up as Rafa’s Boy, Sean Veale and Anthony Delpech look on | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Reigning KZN Champion trainer Gareth van Zyl enjoyed a career milestone at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Youth Day when he saddled a record six winners on a dream afternoon.
Fresh off a victory with King Pelles in the Tote Gr3 Derby at the same venue 48 hours earlier, the 39 year old Summerveld-based Hollywoodbets-sponsored conditioner enjoyed a dream public holiday racemeeting that he won’t forget in a hurry.
After winning the first four races on the card, Gareth saddled the final double to cap his memorable ‘super six’.
Nicholas Patel won the opener on first-timer Wild Justice, who beat the popular pick, Holy Star.
Smanga Khumalo had his own dream day, with five winners and he was on the next four Van Zyl winners, scoring in the second on another first-timer in Serengetti Sunrise, the third on Are You Sure, and the fourth with Prankster.
In the final two races of the day, Khumalo booted Luhamba Phambili home, while Sean Veale took Rafa’s Boy all the way in the final race, to give Hollywood Racing a double.
Rafa’s Boy was the leading team’s 676 th winner. Gareth van Zyl leads the KZN trainers log with 38 winners at a strike race of 12,3% and gross stakes of over R4,1 million.
Khumalo’s 5 winners came from only 6 rides on the day and he is on 38 winners this term. He only returned to race-riding in March after a long injury break.
One of the quieter guys in the local training ranks, Gareth van Zyl has learnt from one of the the best in Gavin van Zyl.
In standard 7 his school-mates observed that he nibbled at his food, so they called him ‘Snibbles’, which became ‘Niba’. Today his nephews and nieces call him ‘Nibby’.
Gareth took out his licence in 2016, and his first runner on 28 October of that year, was a winner.
Northern Storm and Anton Marcus came home lonely and a little over an hour later, Celtic Captain won the card’s feature, the
Listed Jonsson Workwear Michaelmas Handicap under Warren Kennedy.
As son of one of our leading now retired jockeys and trainers, Gareth says he has had a keen interest in racing for as long as he can remember.
“My brother Chesney and I took every opportunity to go to the races as valets for my Dad and any of the other jockeys whenever we got the chance. Racing form was probably the first literature I could read,
so from a young age I guess I was destined to work in the sport. I come from a family background where faith in God comes first and horseracing second.”
Gareth once admitted that his Dad tried to steer him out of racing, and after a brief stint with Tony Rivalland after matric, he tried his hand in the corporate world at medical repping and selling insurance, but didn’t enjoy either.
Smanga Khumalo salutes on Asiye Phambile as Kirsten, Gareth and Dallin van Zyl enjoy the lead-in with Anthony Delpech | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
“Ultimately I ended up in racing – where my heart had been all along.”
Gareth recently returned from the Cape, where he tried to establish a yard. His Dad ran the Summerveld yard in his absence.
“Cape Town was a great learning experience and I have no regrets,” Gareth says.
Married to Kirsten, with two beautiful children in Dallin (13) and Gracie-Lee (11), Gareth, who has 70 horses in his yard, looks perfectly poised to build on his current form and successfully defend his championship title.
His brother Chesney is resident on the Gold Coast of Australia where he is a successful Farrier. He has been granted citizenship and has just acquired his own home. He is married and has two children.
Grandfather and mentor Gavin van Zyl says that he is justly proud of his boys.
“Gareth has the right demeanour – he has people and horse skills and is a humble guy who listens. Chesney has done well in Australia, and while he misses training horses, he is enjoying his family and professional life. I am very proud!”
LANGERMAN
IS A LAUNCH PAD OF NOTE!
Justin Snaith has enjoyed a great season and the SA Champion looks to dominate Saturday’s renewal of the R500 000 Gr3 Langerman, with four of the seven runners.
Justin Snaith – should dominate the Langerman on Saturday | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Snaith’s quartet look an exciting bunch of 2yo’s and the race will be previewed on the www.sportingpost.co.za
The Langerman has a long and proud history of uncovering future equine stars of the South African turf, and a number of past Langerman winners have also gone on to make their mark at stud.
The feature boasts an impressive honour roll of past winners. From Excise and Prince Florimund, to the likes of Variety Club and Sword Dancer, the Langerman has been won by some of the best thouroughbreds to grace the South African turf.
One World is also not the only current Drakenstein Stud resident stallion to have won the Langerman. In 2020, Jet Dark won the Langerman -beating subsequent dual Gr1 winner Linebacker into second place.
The Justin Snaith trained son of Trippi went on to enjoy a tremendous racing, winning the 2023 G1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate in both 2021 and 2022, and back to back runnings of the Gr1 HKJC World Pool Champions Cup.
A five time Equus Award winning champion, Jet Dark currently stands alongside One World at Drakenstein Stud.
One trainer to have enjoyed notable success in the Langerman over the years was Joey Ramsden. Ramsden won the Langerman seven times in 11 year years, and nine times in total. The Ramsden streak included the halfbrothers Subastador and Act Of War, victorious in the 2006 and 2014 Langerman renewals respectively with Act Of War going on to win a further six black type races including the 2014 Gr1 Cape Guineas.
This tally included Variety Club, victorious in the 2011 Gr3 Betting World Langerman, when downing stablemate Master Mascus by a neck.
The brilliant chestnut was subsequently named South Africa’s Horse Of The Year in both 20112012 and 2012-2013.
A six-time Equus Award winner, Variety Club won 14 of 19 starts in South Africa, with his victories including the 2011 Gr1 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Cape Guineas, 2013 Gr1 L’Ormarins
Queen’s Plate and back to back runnings of the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge.
It is not just this century that the Langerman has unveiled future equine stars. In 1956, Excise won the JWS Langerman Handicap before going on to enjoy a superb career which saw win Excise win over sprint and staying trips while enjoying success in some of South Africa’s top middle distance races.
Among Excise’s notable victories were the 1957 Gold Cup, 1958 Durban July and 1958 Champion Stakes. His dam Sweet Wine had been born with a deformed leg and lost her own dam when just two and a half months old. Turned out into the veld to survive, Sweet Wine was later bought into the stable, as wild as they come, but grew into a strong and healthy mare.
One of the greatest fillies to grace the South African racetracks, Renounce, was another top performer to win the Langerman. She won two of three starts at two, and romped home to a four and a half length win in the 1964 JWS Langerman Handicap, despite having top weight to contend with. Renounce was magnificent at three, winning the Cape Of Good Hope Paddock Stakes by five lengths and the Cape Mellow Wood Guineas by over three lengths. She would go on to land the 1966 Metropolitan Handicap by two lengths,
before landing the Paddock Stakes for a second time. She would go on to add the 1966 Garden Province Stakes to her formidable record.
Stanley Amos recalls, “she was the greatest filly I ever rode. Because of her great actin you never knew how fast you were travelling. She had a big, free-flowing stride and was a formidable galloped”.
Prince Florimund was yet another champion to win the Langerman. A son of Dowdstown
Charley and the St Cuthbert mare Fluorescent, he won three of four starts at two, and won the 1981 Gr3 J.W.S Langerman, despite having the worst of the draw and racing green. Famed for his rivalry with the mighty Wolf Power, Prince Florimund would go on to be named Horse
Of The Year in South Africa and Champion 3YO Colt of 1981. During his three-yearold campaign, Prince Florimund won three prestigious races in less than three months.
Following a facile win in the Gr1 SA Guineas, he went on to capture both the G1 South African Two Thousand and Gr2 Clairwood Winter Handicap.
After winning the Gr1 Champion Stakes at four, Prince Florimund was sent to the USA, where he acquitted himself with credit and won the Gr3 San Gabriel Handicap.
At stud, Prince Florimund left his mark through his daughter Stormsvlei, dam of triple South African Horse Of The Year Pocket Power and the latter’s G1 J&B Met winning globetrotting sister River Jetez.
John William Stuckeris (Willie) Langerman was a chairman of the Milnerton Turf Club while his
elder brother James W. also played a prominent role in forming the Milnerton Turf Club. “Uncle” Willie raced a number of outstanding performers himself including 1927 July winner Hussein, who is one of only seven horses in history to win both the July and the Met.
Joey Ramsden – was devastating in the Langerman in his time | Credit: Supplied
DUKE OF MARMALADE SON SHOWS THE WAY IN STYLE
A winner of the Glorious Goodwood Gr3 Chairman’s Cup on L’Ormarins
King’s Plate day earlier this year, Gareth van Zyl saddled the 4yo Drakenstein-bred King Pelles to a good win in the R350 000 Tote Gr3 Derby at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday.
Announcing his aspirations as a potential Gold Cup prospect, the half-brother to past SA Derby winners Hero’s Honour (Await The Dawn) and Legend Of Arthur (Lancaster Bomber) stayed on smartly under Smanga Khumalo to nab Glen Kotzen’s Hollywoodbets Durban July hopeful hope Holding Thumbs by 1,20 lengths in a time of 149,21 secs for the 2400m.
It was a fair run by Holding Thumbs and confirmed his improved fitness. Our efforts to contact trainer Glen Kotzen for a comment on his plans were unsuccessful.
The 8-10 favourite Future Swing, who was at 18 on the Hollywoodbets Durban July log after running second behind Field Marshal in the
Smanga Khumalo has King Pelles finishing powerfully to beat Chad Little and Holding Thumbs | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Lonsdale Stirrup Cup recently, appeared keen to get on with things in the preliminaries and during the early parts of the race. The 5yo fell away halfway up the straight to run 8,40 lengths off the winner. He is not likely to line up in the big race on 5 July.
Raced in partnership by Lucky Vest 12 CC (Nom:Ravi Padayachee), Messrs D MacLean, G J Player & N V Parmanand, King Pelles was chosen by the astute Gavin Van Zyl and purchased for R475 000 off the BSA National Yearling Sale.
Now a winner of 5 races with 7 places from 20 starts, King Pelles has earned R729 94729 945.
Bred by Drakenstein Stud, the winner is a son of the champion farm’s late stallion Duke Of Marmalade out of the four-time winning Galileo mare, Grail Maiden (AUS).
Can the star carry 7kgs more to repeat the feat? |
HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY DEFENDING CHAMPION TOPS WEIGHTS
Hollywoodbets Durban July defending champion Oriental Charm, Drill Hall Stakes winner Gladatorian and Michael Roberts’ soldier See It Again have been allotted joint top weight of 60kgs for the 5 July spectacular as the big day nears.
This was the news after the weights were published for the remaining Hollywoodbets Durban July 30 entries on Tuesday 17 June.
Oriental Charm lumped 53kgs when winning the race last year, while See It Again carried 60kgs, and finished a 1,80 length fifth.
Credit: Chase Liebenberg
The most weight ever carried by a July winner was the 66kgs of Campanajo, when registering his second consecutive victory in 1898. A year earlier he had shouldered 65,6kgs.
In 1944 Monteith won under Harry Berry, carrying 59kgs. In more recent times, Marinaresco (2017) and Do It Again (2019) both won under 60kgs.
At the other end of the spectrum, the lowest impost was the 38,5kgs carried by Nymagee who scored at 33-1 in 1904.
Margin won 12 years later under the same featherweight. Both were ridden by W Clements, obviously a decent lightweight jockey of the time.
The final field capacity again this year is 20, which includes 2 reserves.
Final declarations are due on Monday 23 June and the field of eighteen runners, with two reserves, will be revealed on Tuesday 24 June when the draw for barrier positions will also take place.
The traditional public gallops will be held at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Thursday 26 June, commencing at 07h00 and all are welcome to attend.
MURRAY HAS THE IMMEDIATE EDGE!
De Kock Racing has confirmed that jockey Callan Murray has been booked to ride up-and-coming 3yo Immediate Edge (Vercingetorix) in the 2025 Hollywoodbets Durban July on Saturday, 5 July.
He replaces the gelding’s recent rider, Kabelo Matsunyane, who has a commitment to Robyn Klaasen’s runner, Purple Pitcher.
Immediate Edge moved into the Top 20 on the 2025 July log following his commanding win in the Grade 3 Jubilee Stakes at Turffontein on 8 June. He has shown marked improvement at the right time, going into the big race.
At his rating of 108, he will carry the lowest weight of 53kg. This puts him well into a weight bracket of runners (50-56kg) which has
Callan Murray has been booked to ride Immediate Edge on 5 July Credit: Candiese Lenferna
produced 15 three-year-old winners in the last 30 years.
Whether Immediate Edge is in the class of the likes of previous three-year-old winners like London News (who won under 52kg), Dynasty (53kg), Do It Again (54kg), Kommetdieding (53kg) or stable companions Grey’s Inn (50kg) and Bold Silvano (55.5kg) remains to be seen, but he has plenty of class about him and is getting better by the day.
Murray (28) will have to shed 3kg to get from his current 56kg down to 53kg, but he said that he’ll be on the mark, on race day. “Several years ago, I had to get down to 51kg to ride Mount Pleasant in the Joburg Spring Challenge
and last year I had to get down to 53kg for a ride in the Adelaide Cup.”
He worked with a dietician during a spell in Hong Kong and said: “I know what to do, and I started two weeks ago so that I could lose weight gradually on whole foods and restricting my calorie intake. This way, I lose the kilograms without losing strength, and I’m very excited to ride Immediate Edge. I am on target.”
Murray said he hasn’t sat on Immediate Edge before, but that he will be doing regular track work with his mount in the build-up to the July. “He is being prepared at Randjesfontein, where I will be spending most of my time in the next few weeks. I look forward to riding him.”
ATHANDIWE RIDES A SUPERBLY JUDGED RACE!
Five of the nine starters in Saturday’s R350 000 Tote Gr3 Oaks run over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville first saw the light of day at the magnificent Varsfontein Stud in Paarl and it was hardly a surprise to see them dominate the finish.
While the Kalmanson’s champion nursery owned three of the nine starters, they had to be content with a second placed finisher and won’t mind that the winner carried the silks of passionate owners, Reynolds Chung and Rikesh Sewgoolam.
The racing purists will be pleased to see a 3yo win an ‘all ages classic’ that has been the subject of extensive debate since being opened up in 2014, and it was the Lancaster Bomber filly She’s a Bomber who relished the step up in trip.
Athandiwe Mgudlwa looks back at the opposition | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
As is her style, Highveld raider Indian Ocean went out to lead and held an eight length margin on her field into the home straight.
But there was nothing more to come from the Mano Panaram charge as she was swallowed up quickly by a wave led by Knockout, who looked a winner inside the 250m under Richard Fourie.
But in a matter of strides, She’s A Bomber (25-2) bounced into the lead and she held off a low-flying tote favourite and Joburg raider My Soul Mate (5-1) by 0,30 lengths in a time of 151,45 secs.
Knockout (4-1) stopped late for third.
Sporting Post-sponsored Athandiwe Mgudlwa rode a perfectly judged race and said that his mount was cruising turning for home and she had dug deep to stay on strongly. Hollywoodbets-sponsored Alyson Wright said that this was ‘a nice effort’ after a few disappointing runs. “She will make a lovely broodmare after her racing career for her owners,” added the Summerveld conditioner.
of Lancaster Bomber (War Front) out of the Judpot mare, Head Of State.
Picked by Kevin Wright as a R150 000 Cape Yearling Sale graduate, She’s A Bomber has now won 4 races with 2 places from her 9 starts for stakes of R406 438.
The opening race on the card proved something of a rocky start for favourite backers when the lesser fancied of the Mike Miller yard, Infinity Edge (10-1) produced a strong finish to win on debut under Powafixsponsored Jaycee Botes, who is now just 4 winners away from losing his 4kg claim.
The winner was bred by Waterford Stud and is a daughter of Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) out of the Gr1 winner Outcome (Muhtafal), who raced in the Steve Sturlese silks.
The medium of a gamble from 7’s into 5-2, Wendy Whitehead’s Gary Player Stud-bred Mighty Zambezi put it all together at his third start, when winning the second race, a 1200m Maiden Juvenile Plate under SplashOut-sponsored Calvin Habib.
As we observed earlier, She’s A Bomber was bred by Varsfontein Stud and is a daughter
Dean Kannemeyer enjoyed a race-on-race double when well-related first timer Gimmie
Rules won smartly and the yard followed up with the improving Star In Motion, breaking the ice at his third start.
Calvin Habib and Wendy Whitehead celebrated a double when Hot Pearl went gunto-tape in the fifth, a 1000m Middle Stakes.
In a race reduced to six runners, Hot Pearl went off at 17-2 and held off the challenge of the tote favourite Vision To Achieve (5-1) to
win by 1,40 lengths in a time of 56,8 secs. In a touching twist, Calvin Habib dedicated his earlier winner to his Gran on the anniversary of her passing. After this race he said that his Gran’s name was Pearl.
Impressive! Gimmie Rules (Craig Zackey) wins the third on the day | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
TRUE-RUN AFFAIR DERBY WAS A
An important scientific complimentary tool of the trade for punters and racing enthusiasts, sectional timing data can enhance both the form study and horseracing viewing experience on both KwaZuluNatal and Western Cape race meetings.
In Time Is Money this week, we look at some of Saturday’s Oaks-Derby meeting in the KZN Capital City and last Thursday’s weather-delayed Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racemeeting.
Hollywoodbets Scottsville 14 June
Track Condition
Going: Good (both tracks)
Penetrometer: 23 (both tracks)
Rain: Last 24 hours Nil –Last 7 days 22mm
Irrigation: Last 7 days Nil
False Rail: 9m inside track: 4m rail 1200m to finish standside track
Wind: 10-15km/h North North Easterly cross wind
Course Variant: 0,84s fast (straight) –1,02s fast (bend)
Tote Gr3 Oaks 2400m
The first of the afternoon’s two Gr3 feature events to be run, the Oaks, was a very false paced affair.
With nobody really setting out to make the running, the nibbled at Indian Ocean (10/1 into 7/) gained a soft lead, and then after rounding the first turn injected some speed. She rounded the final bend in the fastest time of the four races to negotiate that section, and entering the straight this The United States mare was six lengths clear.
She not surprisingly began to tire entering the straight, and with the rest very tightly
bunched going through the 400m, the race developed into a sprint. The always handy SHE’S A BOMBER ran on strongly from there onwards and in a thrilling finish she got the better of the fast finishing My Soul Mate by a neck.
Tote Gr3 Derby 2400m
Run in a time two and a quarter seconds quicker (approximately 13 lengths) than that of the Oaks, the Derby was run at a true pace throughout.
Holding Thumbs led on leaving the stalls, before the odds on favourite Future Swing (reported as over-raced in the early stages, and also noted as quite keen on the way to the start) took up the running approaching the 1600m marker. With those exertions clearly taking their toll at the top of the straight, Holding Thumbs regained the lead.
The always handy KING PELLES also quickened well at that point. Gareth Van Zyl’s charge had beaten Holding Thumbs by a length and three quarters in the Chairmans at Kenilworth on Met Day, and despite being 3kg worse off at the weights here, he went on to win well by a length and a quarter, after taking up the running 200m out.
Three 1200m Races
Just 0,41 seconds separated the winners of the three 1200m maiden juvenile plates and in the fastest of these, the heavily supported What A Winter colt MIGHTY ZAMBEZI (13/2 into 5/2) landed a gamble.
The pace was a fair one and taken straight to the front by Calvin Habib, Wendy Whitehead’s charge led throughout. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and despite shifting around a little in the closing stages, he won comfortably by a length and three quarters.
Two 1400m Races
The Tote For The Win! Class 4 event was the faster of the two 1400m races and here the well supported favourite ROSH KEDESH scored a facile victory. Backed into 2/1 from 3’s at the track, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced much closer to the pace than in his earlier races, and nicely positioned in fifth coming off the bend, he was perfectly positioned to strike. He did so passing the 300m marker and went on to score with authority by two and a half.
Fastest Times:
1200m (3) Mighty Zambezi
1400m (2) Rosh Kedesh 83,78
2400m (2) King Pelles 149,21
400-finish Hot Pearl 22,79
Hollywoodbets Kenilworth 12 June (winter course)
(originally scheduled for 10 June)
Track Condition
Going: Soft (both tracks)
Penetrometer: 27 (both tracks)
Rain: Last 24 hours Nil –Last 7 Days 75mm
Irrigation: Last 7 days Nil
False Rail: 3m out back straight; 6m spur at 450m mark
Wind: 3-8km/h North Westerly tail wind
Course Variant: 0,1s fast (straight) –0,51s fast (bend)
Winter Mile (NBT) 1600m
The non-black type Winter Mile topped the bill on Thursday’s rescheduled meeting and in what proved comfortably to be the fastest of the three races around the turn, the well supported SUGAR MOUNTAIN took his tally of wins into double figures. Backed into 9/4
favourite from 4/1 at the track, the 6yo Silvano gelding was soon up handy.
He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker, and ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race to hold off a determined challenge from the July entry Magic Verse by half a length. Sugar Mountain increased his stake earnings to over R1M here.
Winter Sprint (NBT) 1200m
By far the fastest of the five 1200m races on Thursday’s card was the joint top liner in terms of stake money, the Winter Sprint, and here we saw a comfortable victory for the heavily supported ARCTIC WIZARD (9/2 into 33/20).
Another to be backed into favouritism, Greg Ennion’s charge was taken straight to the front by Musi Yeni and set consistent fractions throughout. He was always a length clear and although the always handy Kaiboy chased hard at the business end of the race, he couldn’t make any impression.
Two 1000m Races
The maiden juvenile plate was the faster of the two 1000m events on the card and here the lightly raced son of Rafeef, SPIRIT (5/1 into 5/2 2nd fav) opened his account. Racing
for the first time since being gelded, Piet Steyn’s charge sat fourth early on some three and a quarter lengths off a good pace set by Mount Augustus. He ran on strongly from halfway and recording the joint fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon, he won well by a length and a half. Interestingly, the fifth placed runner in this race Marcus Aurelius also recorded the joint fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon. Making his debut here, Marcus Aurelius was baulked late and is sure to come on stacks next time. One to follow.
400m – finish times
The fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon was 23,55 seconds, and amazingly, four horses achieved this figure. The winner Spirit and 5th placed runner Marcus Aurelius in race one, the runner up Magic Verse in race seven, and the 7th placed Love Story in race 10!
A GENUINE COMEBACK!
Muzi Yeni keeps Arctic Wizard at his task, as Kaiboy (Andrew Fortune) battles on, with the low-flying Dumbledore (Richard Fourie) completing the trifecta | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Milnerton veteran Greg Ennion broke his 2025 winner drought ten days earlier with Surge Of Power, and on a sun-drenched Thursday 12 June at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth he celebrated a dream follow-up double, including victory in the R200 000 Winter Sprint with the promising 3yo, Arctic Wizard.
“It’s not a good day, it’s an amazing day,” laughed the man they call ‘Genuine’ after Arctic Wizard, backed from 9-2 to 18-10, bowled along out front before staying on well under Muzi Yeni to thwart the challenge of fellow sophomore Kaiboy (9-2) by a length in a time of 71,81 secs for the 1200m.
The grey Dumbledore (4-1) stayed on for third from last, a neck back, with Gimmelightning (17-2) capping the quartet.
“I don’t know if the handicapper is listening, but he will be a better 4yo, I feel. He’s a proper horse – absolutely sound – something that every trainer wants! Well done to Matt(Williams). He was sitting next to me when I bought the horse for myself,” added Ennion.
The Stone-Stamcor-sponsored Muzi Yeni rode the well-named Late December to victory earlier on the day to register the first leg of the Ennion double.
Bred by Hemel ‘n Aarde Stud and Greenacres Trust, the 3yo Arctic Wizard is a son of What A Winter (Western Winter) out of the Bold Silvano mare, Magic Wand.
A R110 000 Cape Yearling Sale purchase, the winner is raced in a partnership by Matt Williams and Greg Ennion and took his tally to 4 wins with 7 places from his 12 starts for stakes of R457 701.
On ground listed as soft, it was interesting to see them win on both sides of the sprint track.
CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN!
Aldo Domeyer drives 6yo Silver Mountain to his tenth victory, ahead of JP van der Merwe and fast-finishing July entry Magic Verse (obscured) | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Candice Bass-Robinson’s 6yo Sugar Mountain is enjoying a new lease on life and became our latest equine millionaire with a courageous win in last Thursday’s weather-delayed R200 000 Winter Mile at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
The non black-type feature included two Hollywoodbets Durban July entries in the starting line-up of eight, but Sugar Mountain wasn’t standing back and went off a 9-4 favourite as he swept up the centre under Aldo Domeyer late in the race to beat big-race entry Magic Verse (9-2) by half a length in a time of 98,29 secs. It was the gelding’s second consecutive win on the trot.
The 7yo Seeking The Stars (6-1) raced prominently behind The Futurist, and was relegated to third and three lengths off the runner-up, in a game effort.
While Magic Verse, who is amongst the second ten below the Hollywoodbets Durban July top 20 log, showed he is well, his stablemate Mucho Dinero never looked comfortable and ran 6,25 lengths off, effectively ending his July dream.
The winner was bred by Moutonshoek and is a 6yo gelded son of ill-fated champion Silvano (Lomitas) put of the Var mare, Gettna.
Raced by ASSM Racing Syndicate, Sugar Mountain was a R425 000 Cape Ready To Run graduate of his year.
Now a winner of 10 races with 13 places from 40 starts, Sugar Mountain has banked R1 027 095 and in current form can add to that.
Riding and training honours were evenly spread up to the seventh race, with Gavin Lerena the standout, grabbing a double.
SHE’S A BOMBER ON 101
She’s A Bomber’s official merit rating has been increased from 95 to 101 following her victory in the Tote Gr3 Oaks over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday.
The Handicappers unanimously agreed that the ever consistent My Soul Mate, who finished second, was the most suitable line horse for evaluating the race, so her rating remains at 107.
Royal Invitation and Key Worker also received rating increases, with their merit ratings rising from 85 to 89 and 83 to 87, respectively.
Three runners had their ratings lowered following this contest:
World Of Alice dropped from 108 to 106, Indian Ocean from 111 to 109, and Explosive Bond from 97 to 94.
Tote Gr3 Derby
King Pelles had his merit rating increased from 105 to 112 after his victory in the Tote Gr3 Derby over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday.
The Handicappers identified Field Marshal, who finished third, as the most appropriate line horse to assess the race, keeping his rating unchanged at 105.
Holding Thumbs, the runner-up, had his rating adjusted from 107 to 108. Meanwhile, Taxhaven’s rating increased from 83 to 90, receiving his full performance adjustment for his run in the Tote Gr3 Derby.
However, despite this increase, his new rating of 90 remains below his performance in the TAB Listed Gold Bowl, where race conditions prevented the Handicappers from adjusting him to his true performance figure.
Cape Eagle was the only horse to receive a rating decrease, dropping slightly from 110 to 109.
Media release by the NHA on Wednesday, 18 June 2025
THE STIPE
WHO BALANCED RULES AND PEOPLE
Ernie Rodrigues served South African racing as a Stipendiary Steward | Credit: Supplied
For 39 years, Ernie Rodrigues served South African racing as a Stipendiary Steward, the last 15 of those as Chief Stipe in the Western Cape.
He carried out his duties with quiet professionalism and a strong sense of fairness. Never one to seek the spotlight, he kept to himself in a sport where tempers flare and egos jostle for position.
Mild-mannered and measured, he dealt with people, not just procedures. He never leaned on bureaucracy or demanded authority, yet few ever questioned the authority he commanded.
To many, he represents the last of a certain kind—the “old-school” stipe whose integrity did the talking. Now retired, Ernie will be remembered as a man with character, and always with the good of the game in mind.
Ernie believes his grounding as an active sportsman stood him in good stead for the demands of his career as a stipendiary steward.
A 1967 U/10 team photo: Note Ernie on the left, Stephen Jupp, captain | Credit: Supplied
A proud old boy of Durban High School, he was a natural all-rounder, excelling across the sports fields and earning provincial colours in rugby, cricket, soccer, and hockey. That early exposure to teamwork, discipline, and the pressures of competitive sport helped shape the calm, even-tempered approach he became known for in racing circles.
He played U/10 league soccer in Durban with the late Dave Durant, who’d become chief
stipe in Gauteng many years later, and also played against and alongside Paul Lafferty, later a successful trainer and one of the most recognisable faces in the local industry.
“Laff was as funny then as is he now, talented on the soccer field and a stalwart of camaraderie and gamesmanship off the field,” Ernie recalled.
Paul Lafferty in his heyday as a soccer player | Credit: Supplied
Ernie himself was such a gifted player that, in 1975, he was offered a contract by Johnny Giles to join Leeds United, who had just returned to the Premier League.
Though a move to the UK never materialised, Ernie’s loyalty to Leeds has lasted ever since, perhaps a bittersweet reminder of what might have been.
In later years, he also played indoor soccer, often alongside another racing personality, goalkeeper Dave Goss, and earned selection for the South African Indoor Soccer Team. The team was set to tour Hungary, but the trip was cancelled due to the ongoing sports moratorium on South African teams at the time.
After finishing school in 1977, Ernie joined the South African Police Force on a sports bursary. But a serious ankle injury side-lined him for nearly three years, bringing his soccer ambitions to a halt and nudging him toward the world of horseracing.
“My father owned a good horse called Statesman, who won many races, so I always had an interest in racing,” Ernie told. “As a lad, I used to sit on the infield at the 200m mark at what is now Hollywoodbets Greyville and watch the horses thunder by. I remember Yataghan quote well.”
He was trying his hand at computer programming when he landed a part-time
Stipendiary Board in 2000. Ernie on the far left | Credit: Supplied
gig as a photo identifier for Computaform.
The racing magazine’s ‘FotoForm’ section for previous meetings were inserted into each new edition.
Ernie had to label the 400m, 200m and finish photos for all races after each meeting and send them on to Johannesburg on a late flight, for the publication’s deadline purposes.
Racing administrator Basil Jenman noticed Ernie diligently going about his work and offered him a three-month trial as a stipendiary steward, working under Chief Stipe Dudley Feldman, with a strong focus on race reading.
He soon secured a permanent position during an era that featured some of the profession’s most prominent names — Rudi Diener, Barry Patterson, Dave McGillivray, Harold Taylor, Johan Petzer, and Shaun Parker.
Many of them went on to enjoy international success: Taylor and Petzer remain in senior positions within Australian racing, while Parker now serves as the Chief Stipendiary Steward for the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).
Click on the image below to read the full story online…
JUDDMONTE’S CHAMPION MILER STARS AT ROYAL ASCOT
Field Of Gold confirmed himself as the champion miler of his generation with a stunning three-and-a-half length success in the Gr1 St James’s Palace Stakes on Royal Ascot Day 1 on Tuesday.
The son of Kingman, a winner of this race in 2014, lined up after a dominant victory in the Gr1 Irish 2,000 Guineas and was sent off the 8/11 favourite to turn the tables on his Newmarket conqueror Ruling Court.
Always travelling smoothly, John & Thady Gosden’s star cruised into contention and put the race to
bed with a scintillating turn of foot, in what was an armchair ride for Juddmonte’s new retained rider Colin Keane.
Henri Matisse (4/1) emerged from the pack to finished second, without ever looking likely to trouble the winner, with Ruling Court (4/1) staying on to take third.
Colin Keane steers Field Of Gold to a five star performance | Credit: Megan Coggin
John Gosden said: “That was a great performance. Oisin [Murphy] did a nice job doing an even pace [on Windlord]. Colin had a lot of horse and, for a second, I thought, ‘Whoops, this is Ascot – it climbs all the way to the finish line, and we’ve gone a bit soon’. I didn’t watch him, I looked back – you always have to look back for the dangers, and fortunately, none was coming.
“Field Of Gold had always impressed as a twoyear-old, but he was a big boy and slightly outgrew himself. We ran him in France, which was a mistake in the end. It wasn’t the ground. He was too free in front and didn’t finish up. We should have run him in the Dewhurst, I regret that.
“Then this year he has been exemplary in everything he has done. Look, he is a pleasure to train because he’s a pretty laid-back character, which is very useful. It was never the plan to go to Ireland, it became the plan, so he’s had a trial, two Guineas and this. It’s a lot of racing and we’re not even beginning to be halfway through the season.
“Maybe we will freshen and go to the Sussex, something like that. I think if he hadn’t run in Ireland, I would have probably been keen to go to the Eclipse. But when they win like that, they make it look easy, but they are taking a lot out of themselves, so I wouldn’t want to be seen as
someone trying to run him back in the Eclipse quick off this.”
Keane said: “Good horses make it look easy. It was a very good renewal of the race. I don’t know when the last time three Guineas winners clashed, but Field Of Gold was very good at the Curragh and very good again today.
“I was happy enough [with track position]. I was beside the three main rivals. I thought Ryan was always going to be behind us somewhere. If anything, the leaders probably didn’t bring us far enough and we got there plenty soon, but he’s tough and genuine.
“I am fortunate enough to be riding him and, at this moment, he is the best horse I have sat on. I am in a very privileged position. I have been lucky enough to join this team. It is a very new relationship and to get a horse like him so early on is amazing. I’ve had nothing compared to this in recent years, so it’s a very special day.”
His Highness Prince Saud bin Khalid of Juddmonte said: “We are very fortunate to have a horse of this calibre, not only winning but the style by which he won was very impressive, wasn’t it? Being a son of Kingman makes it even more of a value to all of us. It is Prince Khalid’s legacy.
“I am very thankful for the trainer, the jockey and all the Juddmonte staff; we are all very indebted to them. I hope everyone enjoyed it. I hope it has contributed to horseracing at large. He is a wonderful horse.”
Aidan O’Brien said of runner-up Henri Matisse: “We are very happy. You are never happy when you get beat, but he still ran a very good race. I think we will stay at a mile. We had it in our heads that he would go to the Sussex Stakes after, so we’ll see, but that’s what was in our heads.”
Third-placed Ruling Court’s trainer Charlie Appleby said: “William said he was never really travelling comfortably, and obviously at this level you need to be able to get up and travel on the bridle, give your horse a breather, to try to go through those gears at the business end.
“It’s going back to where we felt we were in the spring – we felt we were a mile and a quarter horse. He won the Guineas, and we were then gung-ho to go to the Derby – I still think it was the right decision not to run on the ground.
“It is never ideal to have to regroup and run somewhere else, but I don’t think that was our undoing today. The horse is fine and one thing we’ll be doing from now on is stepping up in trip. I think
it might be a bit soon to say we’ll be jumping on to the Eclipse, but we’ll be working back from the Juddmonte.”
St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1)
1 - Field Of Gold (Juddmonte) John & Thady Gosden 3-9-02 Colin Keane 8/11F
2 - Henri Matisse (S Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith, Merriebelle Irish Farm Ltd) Aidan O’Brien IRE 3-9-02
Ryan Moore 4/1
3 - Ruling Court (Godolphin) Charlie Appleby 3-9-02
William Buick 4/1
7 ran
*John & Thady Gosden – 67th Royal Ascot winner
Colin Keane –3rd Royal Ascot winner
*includes wins in John Gosden’s own right
Sectional times: Royal Ascot 2025
The late Duke Of Marmalade sired Saturday’s Tote Derby winner King Pelles | Credit: Supplied
When King Pelles won Saturday’s Tote Gr3 Derby, he shone the spotlight on his deceased sire Duke Of Marmalade. The latter won five Gr1 races during his illustrious racing career, including the Gr1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.
The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes is one of a smorgasbord of top-class races to be run at Royal Ascot this week, with the Royal meeting one of the most popular race meetings of the year.
First run in 1862, the Prince Of Wales’s has been run in its current format since 1968 and won by such champion as Brigadier Gerard, Ouija Board, Mtoto, Bosra Sham, Dubai Millennium, and the aforementioned Duke Of Marmalade. When run over one mile and five furlongs, notable stallions to win the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes include Hyperion, Heliopolis and Bayardo, to name but three.
Since the race was run in its original format, successful stallions to have captured this race are Ela-Mana-Mou, Azamour, and So You Think, while the 1993 winner Placerville proved one of India’s greatest stallions.
The 2006 winner Ouija Board left her mark as the dam of dual Derby winner Australia (sire of 2025 Betfred Derby winner Lambourn), while the ill-fated Dubai Millennium ensured his lasting legacy through his outstanding sire son Dubawi.
One Royal Ascot feature to have produced more than its share of top-class performers, both on the track and at stud, is the St James’s Palace Stakes.
Currently run over seven furlongs and 213 yards and restricted to three-year-old colts, the race has consistently been won by outstanding gallopers and subsequent top stallions.
Since 1988 (when the race was given Gr1 status), the honour roll of the St James’s Palace Stakes includes Kingmambo, Giant’s Causeway, Shamardal, Frankel, and Kingmanin short some of the best stallions of their generation.
The South African turf benefitted greatly from a St James’s Palace Stakes winner with the 1974 winner Averof siring Horse Of The Year and multiple champion sire Foveros among others.
Canford Cliffs, winner of the 2010 St James’s Palace Stakes has been in the headlines in South Africa this season thanks to the likes of Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Direct Hit and dual graded stakes winner Tenango.
Other outstanding stallions to have won major races at the Royal Meeting include Mill Reef (Gr2 Coventry Stakes), Fair Trial (Queen Anne Stakes), Royal Charger (Queen Anne Stakes), Cape Cross (Gr2 Queen Anne Stakes), and Pivotal (Gr2 King’s Stand Stakes).
However, it is not only Royal Ascot winning colts who have made their mark at stud.
Past winners of the meeting’s Coronation Stakes include such influential mares as Pretty Polly, Udaipur, Flame Of Tara, Chimes Of Freedom, Lillie Langtry and Immortal Verse. The latter is the dam of 2025 Gr1 Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) winner Henri Matisse (Wootton Bassett).
Another Roya Ascot showpiece event to have unleashed numerous top-class broodmares is the Ribblesdale Stakes.
Stud Book cornerstone! Mumtaz Mahal captured the 1923 Queen Mary Stakes by ten lengths | Credit: Supplied
Ribblesdale Stakes winners to have enjoyed successful careers at stud include High Hawk, Ballinderry, Gull Nook, Hellenic, Thawakib, and Windmill Girl.
Arguably the most important filly to win at the Royal Ascot meeting was Mumtaz Mahal. The latter captured the 1923 Queen Mary Stakes by ten lengths, and would go on to become one of the cornerstones of the studbook.
Mumtaz Mahal is the 11th dam of Zarigana (Siyouni), a leading contender for Friday’s Gr1 Coronation Stakes.
You can enjoy Royal Ascot action every afternoon from Tuesday to Saturday on GallopTV.
The iconic Frankel won the St James’s Palace Stakes | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
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A breathtaking victory by Field Of Gold in the St James’s Palace Stakes sets up the rest of week at Royal Ascot with sun-drenched afternoons, top-class horses and huge crowds expected to continue.
The clerk of the course expects little to no rain and will continue to water what is described as ‘fast’ ground.
Thursday is Ladies Day, the highlight of which is the Ascot Gold Cup, run over two and a half miles.
The great Kyprios retired recently due to injury and a new champion will emerge from a field of eight for the coveted Gold Cup (17h20).
With the great depth of middle-distance older horses, it’s interesting that Ballydoyle have only one replacement in the form of four-year-old Illinois.
A classy son of Galileo, he finished a neck behind Los Angeles at York before finding fellow stablemate Jan Brueghel a neck too good in the St Ledger last season. Strong form up to two miles and his seasonal return in a Group 2 at Chester last month has been boosted. Ryan Moore rides.
His biggest threats will come from the Gosden yard in the form of the Godolphin owned Trawlerman and Sweet William. Both bring top-class staying form to the table having placed behind Kyprios over the last couple
of seasons, including in this race last season when they finished second and third, respectively.
A close call, but at the prices and going on his seasonal victory at Sandown, the William Buick ridden Trawlerman gets the nod.
Friday’s highlight is the Coronation Stakes, a Group 1 for three-year-old fillies, run over a mile.
Thirteen contests following the withdrawals of both Bedtime Story and Shes Perfect, and all eyes will be on the French raider Zarigana who won the French 1000 Guineas last month.
Aidan O’Brien’s saddles Exactly, a daughter of Frankel, who finished just over a length behind Zarigana. She cannot be easily dismissed together with the unexposed Shadwell owned Falakeyah who is two from two and definitely on the up.
However, on the ratings, Zarigana looks a standout with the stiff uphill finish sure to suit.
BREVAN SHADES TRENT IN SA CHAMPION APPRENTICE CHASE
Friday 13th may be unlucky for some, but for Cape-based apprentice Brevan Plaatjies it will be remembered as the day that he edged into the lead on the SA National Champion Apprentice log with just seven weeks left of the current season.
The 19-year-old booted the Hat Puntano filly Hat Montera home to shed her maiden in the third at Fairview on Friday, capping a race-to-race double for trainer Kelly Mitchley.
The victory took the Pretoria-born Plaatjies to 21 winners for the season and was his second in consecutive days after Paralegal won the second race for Vaughan Marshall at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Thursday.
Brevan Plaatjies gets Hat Montera home to shed her maiden as the victory takes him to the top of the log
Credit: Pauline Herman
Trent Mayhew held the lead on 20 winners throughout his four-month injury break, but has not ridden a winner since his return a matter of weeks ago.
Looking ahead to the next seven days, Mayhew has 4 rides at Turffontein on Sunday, with a single engagement at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
Just a week ago, Brevan Plaatjies was bemoaning the fact that he was not getting the rides he had anticipated since relocating to the Cape, but his enthusiasm and improved confidence in the saddle sees him with a full book at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Tuesday, and seven rides at Fairview on Friday 20 June.
The Al Khayl Breeders-sponsored Brevan Plaatjies has firmed to 7-10 with Hollywoodbets on the SA Apprentice Jockeys Challenge, with
Trent Mayhew at 12-10 and Kobeli James Lihaba out at 10-1.
While both young riders have said that they are not looking over their shoulder and are more focussed on building their personal winner bank and lifting their own game, they both want it badly and the title does no harm to anybody’s cv – the likes of Lyle Hewitson, Luke Ferraris and Rachel Venniker, amongst others in recent years, will attest to that!
While it’s the first Friday at Fairview since ‘Pa’ fell off the proverbial bus that Richard Fourie did not find the winner’s enclosure, the reigning champion remains at the top of the national log with 229 winners, ahead of Gavin Lerena on 223 and Craig Zackey in third, on 220.
The next Eastern Cape racemeeting is at Fairview on Friday 20 June.
BUT THE RULES ARE RULES TOUGH LESSON
Solid no-nonsense policing, or a tad harsh? 4Kg-claimer Sifisokuhle ‘Ncale’ Bungane found himself on the receiving end of the Cape Stipes on Thursday when he was walloped with a 30-day suspension for failing to ride his mount out and prejudicing his chances of obtaining second place.
The official report after the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth fourth race indicated that Bungane was found guilty in terms of Rule 62.2.3, in that he failed to ride his mount, the 50-1 Queen Regent, out to the end of the fourth race to the satisfaction of the Stipendiary Stewards, thereby prejudicing his chances of obtaining 2nd place.
He was accordingly suspended from riding in races for a period of thirty days from 18 June to 17 July, both days inclusive.
The race was won by Bungane’s mount’s overdue stablemate Clair De Lune, with Thingamabob shading Queen Regent by 0,20 lengths into third.
Month on the sidelines – Sifiso Bungane may have misjudged the winning line | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
While jockeys are obviously required to ride their mounts out to the end of the race, and punters’ hardearned cash is wagered on the outcome, the month holiday will be a tough lesson and serious setback for the young man who, unlike his colleague Brevan Plaatjies, has not yet broken through since the duo arrived at the new Cape SA Jockey Academy satellite in April.
Senior riders canvassed had mixed opinion, some feeling that the 30 days was a bit harsh for a greenhorn 4kg claimer.
Even jockeys who have been riding for 30 years can misjudge the winning line, which appears to have been Sifiso’s error. On the flipside, we are aware that he picked up a R1000 fine for a similar infringement recently, and maybe the Stipes want to make sure he doesn’t do it again.
Sifiso has ridden two winners to date, the first coming on Sunday 29 December 2024 at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, courtesy of the World Sports Betting owned Wings Of Josephine for the Glen Kotzen yard. Coincidentally, his second win came on the very same horse at the same venue on 2 April this year.
he harboured dreams of becoming a Cardiologist, he ended up working as a waiter at Hollywoodbets Greyville through his Chef Mom Phatheka, who worked at the Durban View Room.
Sifiso told the Sporting Post in an earlier interview that he was happy to be earning a living, but constantly had customers and his colleagues encouraging him to take advantage of his slight stature – he weighed only 50kgs.
The pursuit of his dreams was eventually realised through the support of the Hollywood Foundation.
With his mother’s financial constraints, the foundation granted Sifiso a bursary for his first year of training, providing financial relief and making his dream a reality.
His nickname ‘Ncwane’ was given to him as a result of his love for gospel music.
- Ed - congrats to Sifiso on his double on Tuesday 17 June at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth!
His back story is interesting. He grew up with bleak prospects in KwaMashu and Indanda, and while
10 JUNE 2025 EQUUS AWARDS LOG UPDATE:
While the members of the appointed Equus judging panel, comprising Graeme Hawkins, Nico Kritsiotis, Rouvaun Smit, Deez Dayanand and Vicki Minott, have the final say when it comes to deciding the Equus Champions in each category, both the list of nominees and their final decisions are largely informed by the Equus Logs.
Unsurprisingly, this Season’s triple Grade 1-winning Eight On Eighteen holds a commanding lead in both the Three-Year-Old Male category as well as the race for the prestigious Horse Of The Year title.
Eight On Eighteen has accumulated 140 points while his nearest challenger in both these divisions, One Stripe (96 points), has been exported to further his racing career in the USA.
Eight On Eighteen remains in the lead | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Fatal Flaw holds the lead in the Three-YearOld Filly category ahead of Fiery Pegasus and Spumante Dolce, and the forthcoming Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes (Gr1) could be the race that decides the outcome.
In the Champion Older Male category Gimme
A Prince (75 points) enjoys a very slender lead over Oriental Charm (72 points) but there are a number of races, not least of which the Hollywoodbets Durban July (Gr1) and Mercury Sprint (Gr1), that will have a huge impact on what the points tally in this category might finally look like by the end of July.
Mia Moo (56 points) leads Double Grand Slam (46 points) and Asiye Phambili (44 points) in the chase for the Champion Older Female, while Good For You and Direct Hit head the respective Champion Two-Year-Old Male and Champion Two-Year-Old Fillies divisions.
Gimme A Prince currently leads the pack for Champion Sprinter honours, with Cosmic Speed, Eight On Eighteen and Holding Thumbs ahead in the Champion Miler, Champion Middle Distance and Stayers’ categories.
Here’s a look at the Equus Awards’ logs as at 10 June 2025:
HORSE OF THE YEAR
Eight On Eighteen: 140
One Stripe: 96
Fire Attack: 76
Gimme A Prince: 75
Oriental Charm: 72
THREE-YEAR-OLD MALE
Eight On Eighteen: 140 One Stripe: 96 Fire Attack: 76 Cosmic Speed: 70
THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY
Fatal Flaw: 72
Fiery Pegasus: 60
Spumante Dolce: 56
TWO-YEAR-OLD MALE
Good For You: 36
Charming Cheetah: 20
TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY
Direct Hit: 40
Green Diamond: 24
One Fine Winter: 24
Elegantrix: 24
OLDER MALE
Gimme A Prince: 75
Oriental Charm: 72
William Robertson: 50
Dave The King: 48
Atticus Finch: 44
OLDER FEMALE
Mia Moo: 56
Double Grand Slam: 48
Asiye Phambili: 44
Rascova: 40
CHAMPION SPRINTER
Gimme A Prince: 60
Mia Moo: 56
William Robertson: 50
CHAMPION MILER
Cosmic Speed: 64
Oriental Charm: 48
One Stripe: 48
Dave The King: 48
Gladatorian: 44
CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE
Eight On Eighteen: 48
Fire Attack: 48
Atticus Finch: 44
CHAMPION STAYER
Holding Thumbs: 15
Mucho Dinero: 12
Love Is A Rose: 10
King Pelles: 8
My Soul Mate: 8
HEVERSHAM IMPORTS FRANKEL HALF-BROTHER
Morpheus, a half-brother to the legendary Frankel, is the second stallion imported by Heversham Park Farm this year.
He arrived last week at the South Gauteng-based stud alongside Gustav Klimt (Galileo), and together the duo will spearhead Heversham’s bold stallion incentive program over the next two breeding seasons.
Morpheus was bred by Juddmonte and trained by Lady Cecil to win three of his five starts at three, all over 1600m.
Morpheus – a true blue athlete | Credit: Racing Post/Kevin Simmonet/Heversham Park
He is an Oasis Dream brother to the Listed winner and Group 3 second Joyeuse and a half-brother to the outstanding world champion, Frankel, also the three-time Group 1 winner and sire Noble Mission and the Lingfield Derby Trial winner Bullet Train.
Their dam, Kind (Danehill), was a dual Listedwinning sprinter by Danehill and a half-sister to Powerscourt, who beat Kitten’s Joy to win the Arlington Million. Her Dansili three-parts sister Riposte was a poignant first Royal Ascot winner for Lady Cecil following the death of Sir Henry Cecil and Riposte went on to win twice at Grade 2 level in North America.
Morpheus has sired a number of black type performers, including Navratilova and Shimmering Dawn. Heversham’s incentives, announced in April, are incomparable and unparalleled in the South African racing industry. They total a staggering R40-million for each of the two stallions.
The first incentive was launched around the first progeny of Gustav Klimt (Galileo x Massarra by Danehill). The second R40-million incentive, with the same specifications, will apply to Morpheus. As with Gustav Klimt, the Morpheus incentive
applies to the first foal by Morpheus born in 2026 that wins a Grade 1 race in South Africa before 31 July, 2031. He or she will win a bonus of R10 million for the owner, and a further R10-million bonus for its registered breeder.
The same incentive will apply to his first Grade 1 winner until 31 July 2032, that comes from the 2027 foal crop.
There are no entry fees or other qualifying requirements for eligibility, and both Gustav Klimt and Morpheus’ books will be limited to100 mares per season, so it is strongly recommended that breeders book their slots early.
As an added motivation, Heversham has procured subsidised transport for mares from the Cape and Kwazulu-Natal. In addition, an allinclusive fixed boarding rate of R7 500 (excluding veterinary charges) per mare, will apply.
There are also a limited number of lifetime service rights to Gustav Klimt and Morpheus available for purchase. For more information, please contact Kat Riley on info@hevershampark.co.za or send a text message to (+27) (0) 71 133 8133.
CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD! WUNDERBAR BOOSTS SIZE’S
Famed as the only horse to have beaten champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising, Wunderbar catapulted John Size closer to a record-extending 13th Hong Kong trainers’ championship with a devastating return to form at Sha Tin on Saturday.
Twice victorious over Ka Ying Rising in the pair’s three-year-old season, Wunderbar had bone fragments removed from a knee in January 2024 – a day after his second triumph over the horse now acclaimed as the world’s highest-rated sprinter – and has endured a rollercoaster since.
As Ka Ying Rising advanced to a perfect, eightwin 2024/25 season while claiming four Group 1s, Wunderbar has taken a less celebrated path, notching a pair of early-season wins before finishing out of the placings at his past three runs.
Wunderbar makes it seven wins from 12 starts | Credit: HKJC
Ridden conservatively by Hugh Bowman in the HK$2.84 million Class 2 HKU Business School And Faculty Of Engineering Handicap, the chestnut showed his quality after settling midfield in the 11-horse field behind Bottomuptogether before sweeping through a gap in the straight to down stablemate Raging Blizzard and Harmony N Blessed in 1m 08.12s.
The gelding’s seventh victory in 12 starts propelled Size to 63 wins for the season, nine clear of David Hayes (54) with only eight meetings left in the campaign, and presented more evidence of the master horseman’s elite craftmanship.
“He’s been over-racing a little bit and I gave him a break and that didn’t work, so I had to do something else. Then he had a couple of trials and was fine. He didn’t race for four months last time fresh and this time he was perfect – right tempo and everything went well for him,” Size said.
Bowman was also impressed with Wunderbar’s performance.
“He was great. He had a bit in his favour. He had a track bias – the fence was like gold – he had barrier one, he’s obviously got abundant natural pace and he got the conditions to suit today,” Bowman said.
Ellis Wong has ridden 10 winners since the start of May | Credit: HKJC
“He was able to settle mid-race and he was able to provide the finish which he’d been lacking. He won with authority. Full credit to him.”
Ellis Wong’s allowance will be reduced from 7lb to 5lb after the apprentice’s rich form streak continued with a double. Wong, 24, scored with Pierre Ng’s first starter Aerovolanic in the Class 4 HKU Heritage Handicap before delivering a perfect ride on Caspar Fownes-trained Joy Of Sprint in the Class 3 HKU Foundation Handicap.
With 10 wins from the start of May, Wong took his Hong Kong career total past 45 victories, triggering a drop in his allowance.
“It’s good for Ellis – next week he becomes a fivepound claimer so we wish him the best of luck, he’s riding really well. Hopefully my friend trainers will give him some more support,” Fownes said.
The battle for the Tony Cruz Award for leading homegrown jockey narrowed after Matthew Chadwick posted his 32nd win of the season to trail Matthew Poon (36 wins) after scoring aboard Chris So’s Hinokami Kagura in the Class 4 HKU Faculties Of Dentistry And Social Sciences Handicap.
Jamie Richards, making it two wins in a row with success in the HKU Faculties Of Arts And Education Plate (1000m) for Griffins. Ridden by Zac Purton, the Brutal two-year-old clocked a sizzling 55.84s with a strong trailing breeze after starting from barrier two.
“He was good because it’s very hard to win from that side of the track,” Purton said. “He did a really good job to be working the whole way to some extent and then hold them off.”
Brutal completed a double when David Eustacetrained Truly Fluke charged late to clinch the second section of the Class 4 University Hall Handicap (1400m) under Andrea Atzeni.
“He’s a beautiful horse and we took a punt today to go forward from a wide gate (13). I just felt if we went back, he’d probably run well without being a chance of winning. He got a beautiful ride and he’s a nice horse for next season,” Eustace said.
“I’d like to think he’ll work his way through the grades a little bit. Obviously, it’s hard to know how far they get, but he’ll stay a mile no problem and probably doesn’t need to go further than that at this stage. That might just do him for the season, but we’ll see how he comes through it.”
The All Out maintained his unbeaten record for
Atzeni made it a double with a brilliant ride on Mojave Desert, who claimed a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million by winning the Class 3 HKU Jockey Club Student Villages Handicap (1200m, dirt) for Mark Newnham.
Tony Cruz scored a double with Hong Kong International Sale graduates Smart Beauty and Kingly Demeanor. Smart Beauty notched his fifth win by clinching the Class 5 HKU Faculties Of Law And Medicine Handicap (1600m) under Angus Chung before Kingly Demeanor led all the way under Keith Yeung to win the Class 4 HKU Faculties of Architecture And Science Handicap (1800m).
Francis Lui and Jerry Chau combined successfully with Harold Win in the Class 4 Hong Kong University Alumni Association Challenge Cup Handicap (1400m) before Purton bookended the meeting with an easy win on Manfred Man’s Patch Of Stars in the Class 4 Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships Handicap (1400m).
With Royal Ascot on this week from Tuesday, 17 June until Saturday, 21 June, Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday, 22 June.
Andrea Atzeni celebrates a double | Credit: HKJC
A RACING CAREER IN HONG KONG AWAITS!
The Apprentice Jockeys’ School at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Racing Talent Training Centre (RTTC) has been shaping Hong Kong’s top trainers, jockeys, and equestrian professionals for over 50 years.
With its internationally accredited training programme, the RTTC invites aspiring young talents to ‘gallop into the future’ with The Hong Kong Jockey Club as applications for the latest intake of Racing Trainees is open until 4 July 2025, offering a pathway to careers as jockeys, work riders, farriers, equestrian assistants, and veterinary clinical technicians in the horse racing industry.
Racing Trainee applicants must be aged 15 or above and have completed Form 3 or higher education. There are no height limits or prior riding experience required.
The reference weights of apprentice jockeys and work riders are approximately 105lbb (47,6kgs) and 125lb (56,69kgs), respectively.
Candidates who are diligent and possess a positive and proactive attitude, as well as having a passion and aptitude for sports are encouraged to apply.
Riding instructors at the Apprentice Jockeys’ School will conduct riding and fitness tests in July and August to select potential candidates for shortlisting and enrolment in an orientation camp. The top 25 applicants will then be selected to join the programme.
Amy Chan, Head of Racing Talent Training and Headmistress of the Apprentice Jockeys’ School, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “Horse racing is a sport which embodies a rich legacy of history, passion and skill. For over five decades, we have evolved with times while staying committed to nurturing well-rounded professionals to honour Hong Kong’s racing heritage while maintaining our global standing as we continue to drive the sport forward.”
The Apprentice Jockeys’ School adopts a Dual Education System, combining school-based learning with vocational training. This approach equips Racing Trainees with a diverse skill set, preparing them for a range of differing roles within the industry.
Racing Trainees will study a comprehensive curriculum, including riding, stable management, physical training, financial management and traditional academic subjects. Racing Trainees will have the opportunity to train overseas, gaining international exposure and cultural experiences before returning to Hong Kong.
Ellis Wong, current apprentice jockey, joined the Apprentice Jockeys’ School as a Racing Trainee in 2017. He has expressed that “The School has given me more than just a solid foundation in riding and fitness. I’m really encouraged to have been riding more winners recently, which I attribute to the professional mindset and disciplined approach instilled in me through the training. I’ve learned to think about and approach things with focus, preparation, and positivity.”
After completing the training programme, graduates will receive a certificate equivalent to Level 1 to Level 3, accredited by The Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications.
Candidates who wish to obtain further details about the Racing Trainees Programme and applying can visit the RTTC website.
For more than half a century, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has provided top-tier racing training through the Apprentice Jockeys’ School.
Its graduates have gone on to achieve extraordinary success, among them legendary jockey-turned-trainer Tony Cruz, who has excelled in many jurisdictions around the world as well as champion trainers Ricky Yiu and Francis Lui, and standout homegrown jockey Vincent Ho.
DOWN UNDER
ARCHIE THE COOLEST JUVENILE
Martin Harley celebrates his first Gr1 win as Cool Archie shows his class | Credit: Magic Millions
Cool Archie confirmed himself as one of Australia’s best juveniles and assured himself a lucrative stud future with a sensational win in Saturday’s A$1 million Gr1 JJ Atkins Stakes run over a mile at Eagle Farm.
One of the toughest and most talented young gallopers around, Cool Archie made it four straight wins when he scored by a length and a quarter.
The locally prepared juvenile was sent out an easing A$4.80 second favourite and after sitting closer than his previous few runs, he was able to burst clear in the home straight.
Despite being left in front a long way from home the youngster was too tough, easily holding out his southern state rivals.
The colt’s last four wins have come at stakes level – first in a listed over 1000, then a pair of Group Twos at 1200 and 1400 metres and now today’s elite level success over 1600 metres.
He’s won on tracks from a good 4 to a heavy 10. Mr Versatile indeed.
In the summer Cool Archie was second in a Group Three BJ McLachlan Classic before finishing midfield in the A$3 million The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL).
“Oh, what about that? So good, so good,” a proud co-trainer Chris Munce said. “I was
saying before it’s not just about Corey and me, it’s the whole team, the staff, and I don’t think Martin (Harley, jockey) has had enough recognition either, the whole way along. He’s five from five.”
“When you put a rider like Martin on, you’ve got so much confidence. He walked the track yesterday.”
“He told us exactly how he was going to ride the horse. He knew they weren’t making ground, so we had to ride him a little bit out of his comfort zone, but what a win.”
A former champion jockey, Chris Munce shares a training partnership with his son Corey who was beaming from the enclosure.
“I’m a little speechless, as you’d probably expect,” Corey said. “But I’ll try and keep it together.”
“I felt very comfortable throughout the run, actually. I said, during the race, we’re right here, and if he’s good enough he can win.”
“That was a bit of the worry, he’d come from a long way back the other day from an awkward draw and we were just hoping from a slightly better draw he was that touch closer, and it worked out beautifully today.”
The colt also put away any doubts that he was just a wet-tracker following his previous start romp in the A$1 million BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes on a heavy track.
“As we said before the race, people had their doubts on his heavy track form, but he’s as effective,” Corey Munce added.
Cool Archie joined the Munce stable after being purchased by Mick Malone for his good mate and client Max Whitby for A$100,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He was plucked from the Newhaven Park draft. His earnings have now shot to over $1.6 million and his stud value many times that.
The win was the first at Group One level for former star international rider Martin Harley and it was also perfectly timed.
forward each run and that’s what the good ones do.”
“But to transform from a heavy 10 to a good 4 there today, which I knew he would handle, I never had any doubt in that. But what a superstar he is.”
“I just watched the previous races. I trusted my horse to pick up real good, but nothing’s been making up bundles of ground, so I wanted to try and sit that pair or two closer today.”
“Got a lovely spot, good rhythm and I ended up getting there too soon but he’s got a good will to win, and he wanted it.”
“Chris hasn’t given me any instructions any time I’ve ridden this horse. He’s been there, he’s been a good jockey before, and he probably knows that less is the better for us.”
“Big thanks to Chris and Corey and the family and Team Munce. It’s been a fantastic story, and I don’t think it’s finished yet.”
“I think the horse has done most of the talking,” Harley pointed out. “He’s taken a big step
“I’m on a plane tonight going back for Royal Ascot. And I might fly that plane myself tonight after that,” Harley added with a laugh.
Cool Archie the stand out member so far for the first crop of former outstanding New Zealand juvenile Cool Aza Beel.
A son of Savabeel, Cool Aza Beel won the Group One Diamond Stakes and was crowned the Champion Two-Year-Old of New Zealand for Te Akau Racing in 2019-20.
He is now a resident of Newhaven Park, the breeder of Cool Archie. He is standing this spring at a fee of A$16,500 (inc GST).
Cool Archie is from the three-time winner Aware – a daughter of Tale of the Cat and the Group Two winning and Group One placed mare Media.
Aware is the dam of six winners from six to race. Her daughter Mercurial Lady (So You Think) won at Ballarat yesterday for Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman by seven lengths.
Winner: Cool Archie
Breeding: Cool Aza Beel-Aware (Tale of the Cat)
Race: BRC JJ Atkins Stakes Gr1 (1600m)
Sold for: A$100,000
Sale: 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Earnings: A$1,603,900
Breeder: Newhaven Park Stud
Vendor: Newhaven Park
Buyer: Mick Malone Bloodstock
Owners: Whitby Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: MJ Whitby)
Trainers: Chris & Corey Munce (Eagle Farm).
DEFINED AN ERA SNITZEL
Champion Snitzel was humanely euthanised last Wednesday morning at Arrowfield Stud, his home for nearly two decades and the base for one of the most exceptional stallion careers in Australian thoroughbred breeding history.
Known for his soundness and vitality throughout most of his life, Snitzel began to show signs of age-related decline in 2024.
Despite comprehensive veterinary support and the daily dedication of Arrowfield’s experienced
stallion team, his condition deteriorated rapidly over the past week. With no treatment options remaining, the decision was made to allow him a peaceful and dignified farewell.
Snitzel – may his legacy continue to thrive | Credit: Supplied
Arrowfield acknowledged the profound impact of his passing, not only as the loss of a great horse, but as the end of a significant chapter in the stud’s history. Snitzel was more than a commercial success; he was a reliable and stoic presence who shaped the daily rhythm of life at the farm and anchored many careers.
The farm also recognises the many people and partnerships that made Snitzel’s career possible. These include breeder Francois Naude; trainer Gerald Ryan, who managed his racing career; the ownership partners who supported his stud career from the beginning; and the many breeders, buyers, trainers and jockeys who contributed to the success of his progeny across Australia and internationally.
Snitzel, a son of Redoute’s Choice and grandson of Danehill, was a Group 1-winning sprinter on the track and became an eradefining sire at stud.
From the time he joined the Arrowfield roster in 2006, his trajectory was marked by consistent excellence and broad influence. He would go on to sire 160 stakeswinners, including multiple Group 1 champions and leave an indelible mark on the national breeding landscape.
Snitzel’s influence extends well beyond Arrowfield. His dominance of Australian sire rankings, his versatility across sprinters and stayers, and his ability to upgrade his mares made him one of the most valuable and reliable stallions of the modern era. His sons and daughters have carried his qualities forward and are already proving themselves in the breeding shed, ensuring that his legacy will continue.
Like his sire Redoute’s Choice and grandsire Danehill, Snitzel became a cornerstone not only of Arrowfield’s breeding program, but of the broader Australian thoroughbred industry. His contribution to the sport, measured in champions, premierships, and the people he brought together, will not be forgotten.
Last Tuesday at Seymour, a two-year-old colt trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr became Snitzel’s 20th individual juvenile winner for the season, helping to secure his fifth Australian 2YO Sires’ Premiership. The colt’s name, Job Done, could not have been more fitting.
Job done, indeed!
RONNIE NAPIER RACING HAS LOST A TRUE GENTLEMAN
Ronald Stuart Napier – ‘Ronnie’
Born: 23 October 1935, Cape Town, South Africa
Died: 11 June 2025, Johannesburg, South Africa
Parents: Ronald Macdonald Napier & Karin Pavalds Lindstrom
Education: Western Province
Preparatory School, Bishops Diocesan College Trinity College, Oxford, England
Ronnie Napier – a racing man of standing | Credit: NHA
In a media release published on Thursday 12 June 2025, the Naitional Horseracing Authority of South Africa reported with immense sadness that the organisation has learnt of the passing of Mr Ronnie Napier.
Ronnie passed peacefully on Wednesday night at about 21h30, at the Donald Gordon Clinic in Parktown.
Ronnie Napier made an enormous contribution to The Jockey Club (as it was then known) as the Chairman of the Local Executive Board as well as a Head Executive Steward.
He also served as Chairman of The Jockey Club from 1990 to 1995 and up until recently served as a member of the Inquiry Review Board.
Ronnie Napier, the late Peter Kannemeyer, and John Freeman enjoying a racemeeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville some years ago | Credit: Supplied
Over many decades Ronnie served the thoroughbred horseracing industry, and particularly the regulatory authority, with great dedication and integrity.
His valuable guidance and time that he dedicated to the National Horse Trust as its Chairman, demonstrated his great love for equines and the thoroughbred racehorse.
His sound knowledge and understanding of the horseracing industry was formidable.
“I would like, on behalf of the National Board Directors, Management and Staff of The National Horseracing Authority, to convey our sincere condolences to Ronnie’s wife, Bev and the Napier family. Racing has lost a true gentleman. Ronnie Napier was an absolute stalwart of racing, and a true champion of its regulation and its integrity. After all his years of serving in regulation of racing, he remained available with his experience and wisdom to help the NHA team and regularly attended the NHA’s Annual General Meetings. On a personal note, I greatly appreciate his advice and support to me as NHA Chair,” said Susan Rowett.
Ronnie’s father, Ronald Macdonald Napier, was originally from Plumtree in what was then Rhodesia. A Flight Lieutenant, Ronald was assigned to No. 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron of the Royal Airforce in World War 2, flying Hurricanes and Spitfires.
Ronald died on active duty in North Africa March 1944, when Ronnie was just 7 years old.
Ronnie made a poignant journey to visit his father’s grave in Libya in 2009, as Libya had previously been a no-go country for non-Libyans. After his father’s death, he was brought up by his mother, Karin Lindstrom, who was one of the first female students to attend UCT.
Ronnie attended Bishops Diocesan College and then Trinity College Oxford for his university years where he studied law and became both an accomplished cricketer playing one first class match for Oxford, and golfer.
His post education life was spent practising law – a vocation to which he dedicated his entire career. He started his first, and only job at Webber Wentzel in 1958, when he commenced his articles and by 1963, Ronnie became one of
only 8 partners at Webber Wentzel. By 1975, Ronnie was appointed Managing Partner of Webber Wentzel.
He spearheaded the process of the firm’s international expansion, as well as the implementation of pro bono work for the less advantaged in the community.
In the 1990’s Ronnie was part of the management team that led the process of diversification and transformation within the firm. He was also instrumental in the implementation of a compulsory retirement rule, to ensure the emergence of young blood in the firm.
In recognition of his contribution to the firm, Webber Wentzel gave Ronnie a generous consulting agreement, affording him the opportunity to continue doing what he loved and a vocation to which he was committed until the age of 85 years.
Ronnie’s management style was aptly captured by Mike Nicol, in his book ‘The Firm’, when he spoke about Ronnie’s way of sorting out disputes; “Problems are best solved by sensible people doing sensible things.” Together with his lifelong colleagues and
friends – Carwith Geach & Ed Southey, they were the glue that bound the partners together over the six decades he spent at Webber Wentzel.
When he finally retired, the firm had grown to 150 partners and over 600 employees, as well as establishing its pro bono department as the largest of any law firm in Africa, his role & contribution in growing Webber Wentzel was indeed significant.
Apart from spending five years as Senior Partner at Webber Wentzel from 1997-2001, Ronnie was very active on a number of boards as a non-executive director including First National Bank, Norwich Life Holdings, NBS Bank and also various other boards and Industry bodies including as Chairman of Babcock, the Insurance Association of South Africa, The Insurance Crime Bureau of South Africa, the Fire Offices Association of South Africa and a director of Business against Crime.
Ronnie was also the General Representative for Lloyds of London in South Africa for a period of over 16 years.
He played a very active role in horse racing and owned many thoroughbred racehorses and participated in horseracing in all over the world in England, Australia, Dubai and Hong Kong.
Ronnie’s influence in horseracing was particularly as a steward at Turfontein Racecourse and as Chairman of the Jockey Club in Southern Africa from 1990 to 1995, the precursor to the current National Horse Racing Authority of Southern Africa.
Ronnie Napier spent more than 30 years on the Jockey Club board and left an entrenched ethical culture in the organisation.
One of his horses, owned and bred together with his first wife Annabelle, and his brother and sister-in-law Pip and Penny Davies “Charles Fortune” won the Cape Metropolitan Stakes, in Cape Town, in 1985.
Ronnie was an extremely accomplished golfer; he was a scratch handicap for over 25 years and also competed extensively in amateur golf where he made many friends. He represented Southern Transvaal and also notably reached the last 8 of the British Amateur. Ronnie was a member at both
Johannesburg Country Club and Royal Johannesburg, and Men’s Club Champion at both. He was also a founder member of the River Club Golf course in Johannesburg
Ronnie married Gillian Annabelle Henderson in 1959, and they had 3 children together Richard, Katherine and Christopher. Sadly, Katherine (who Ronnie was very close to) died in a motor accident in 1985 and subsequently Annabelle also passed away from a long battle with cancer in 1987.
Ronnie was fortunate to meet and marry his second wife Bev Martin, nee Halstead, in 1988 and together they pursued their love of horse racing and were regular visitors at Ascot.
Ronnie leaves a loving wife, Bev, his sons Richard and Christopher, his stepdaughter Julia, 2 stepsons Lynton & Ward, and five grandchildren, as well as numerous loving family and friends, who will miss him greatly.
NHA CALENDAR
A SNAPSHOT OF THE PAST WEEK
The Sporting Post keeps you in the loop with this week’s National Horseracing Authority Calendar.
The calendar is a summary of the week’s penalties and registrations and is an easy-read snapshot of information.
Click on the image below to read the calendar:
Chase Liebenberg captured the racing action at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth last Thursday
Mr
T R A I NER S
J O CK E YS results up to: 2025-06-18
Mr
Mr
10,328,631 9,285,906 6,189,031 6,303,438 26,564,381 14,070,939 14,023,406 10,639,988 9,690,063
25,843,406 19,370,225 21,460,625 9,903,219 7,936,594 33,052,440 28,336,118 30,624,456 16,948,256 13,185,619
32,012,944 30,005,525 24,249,190 14,995,540 12,007,101 BREEDERS
S I RE S
32,375,459 21,787,275 17,933,895 16,600,484 15,617,629
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