CHANGE, THE NEW CONSTANT?
Matchem Magic No question – the veteran knows how
On the cover
Foulkes on life as a breeder
One of South Africa’s leading lightweight riders, the uber competitive Stone-Stamcor sponsored Muzi Yeni registered the 2500th winner of his career when winning the Settlers Trophy on Landoftherisingsun at Hollywoodbets Durbanville last Saturday. Congratulations Muzi, here’s to reaching the 5000 mark in double quick time! Chase Liebenberg took the photograph.
ROWETT EMAIL
CONCERNED STAKEHOLDERS RESPOND
This communication is being disseminated by the representatives of the majority of the stakeholders in the National Horseracing Authority (NHA), referred to collectively as the Concerned Stakeholders, as laid out:
(i) The South African National Trainers Association (SANTA) – representative of the racehorse trainers nationally, and, for the process outlined below, also the jockeys;
(ii) The Thoroughbred Breeders Association (TBA) – representative of breeders nationally;
(iii) 4Racing – the racing operator staging horseracing in the Gauteng and Eastern Cape provinces;
(iv) The Racehorse Owners’ Association (ROA) – ownership body representing owners nationally, with a predominance in the Gauteng and Eastern Cape provinces;
(v) Race Coast – the racing operator staging horseracing in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, and the operator of the owners club known as the Race Coast Turf Club; and
(vi) Mr Mark Currie - the Owner’s representative currently serving on the Nominations Committee of the NHA
The Concerned Stakeholders are aware of two communications disseminated on Tuesday, September 30th by the NHA, namely; i) a press release noting the resignation of six of the National Board Directors of the NHA, and, ii) a letter addressed to all members by the outgoing Chair, Susan Rowett.
It is the second communication we wish to address. Whatever Mrs Rowett’s intention, the said communication was in the public domain within minutes of its distribution.
Furthermore, the timing of Mrs Rowett’s letter implies (whether inadvertent or deliberate) that the other five resigning
board members share the same views as Mrs Rowett.
Based on conversations held by certain representatives of the Concerned Stakeholders with some of the resigned board members, the Concerned Stakeholders are aware that this is not the case.
Accordingly, this response is absolutely necessary.
The Concerned Stakeholders are horrified at Mrs Rowett’s false and skewed narrative. The reality is almost the 180-degree opposite of the picture painted by Mrs Rowett.
Before delving into the pertinent details, some context and background are necessary.
The NHA is the regulator of the thoroughbred horseracing industry in Southern Africa.
One of its primary purposes is to uphold and ensure integrity in thoroughbred horseracing.
Notwithstanding its regulator status, the NHA is an association made up of members. These members mainly comprise of owners, trainers, jockeys and breeders.
The NHA is governed by its constitution (its laws). The constitution is decided on and determined by the members, and serves to govern the conduct of the National Board of the NHA and the board’s selected executive management.
The NHA’s existing constitution is an outdated document which, in the collective view of the Concerned Stakeholders, is no longer fit for purpose.
It was written in a previous era, references outdated concepts and geographies, and has limited the NHA from functioning at its maximum potential.
For example, the current constitution makes it very difficult to select the best possible candidates for seats on the board – archaic rules pertaining to outdated geographic representation, for example, do not lend themselves to selecting the best.
The sport of horse racing and the integrity thereof have suffered as a result.
Regrettably, the NHA has had a litany of missteps over the recent past. Change is not only needed, but it is needed urgently, for the benefit of the entire racing industry. It is with this ideal in mind that the Concerned Stakeholders commenced the process of engaging with the NHA.
The Concerned Stakeholders have long sought meaningful changes to the Constitution and to the board composition.
Efforts to bring about meaningful change have been frustratingly slow, with the National Board, under Mrs Rowett’s leadership, serving to delay the process. Inexplicably so.
The National Board, under the chair of Mrs Rowett, has sought to control the process at every step, trying to ensure that the National Board “conducted the band” when it came to changes to the constitution and its own composition.
After over a year of stilted progress and considerable frustration, the Concerned Stakeholders took it upon themselves to get together and hold discussions without representatives of the National Board of the NHA being present.
These meetings took place over the last two months.
After many weeks of hard work, rigorous debate, and compromise, the Concerned Stakeholders arrived at a unified view of a draft of a new constitution (the New Constitution) to be presented to the members for consideration and approval at a Special General Meeting (SGM). Each of SANTA, 4Racing and Race Coast was advised by their own experienced outside law firms, to ensure a balanced, comprehensive and rigorous process was followed in arriving at the draft of the New Constitution.
In terms of the current constitution of the NHA, signatures of 100 members of good standing are mandatory to request the board of the NHA to call for an SGM. The Concerned Stakeholders gathered considerably in excess of this amount and are thus in a position to call an SGM.
Mrs Rowett called a meeting of the stakeholders in early September for the purpose of chairing a forum in which the stakeholders could discuss their differences. This meeting took place on September 16th.
Unbeknownst to Mrs Rowett, the Concerned Stakeholders and their legal representatives had already met, conferred and resolved all differences.
The Concerned Stakeholders arrived at the meeting with both a completed draft of the New Constitution and the requisite signatures needed to call an SGM.
Part of the draft of the New Constitution presented requires the board of the NHA to step down immediately upon its approval at the SGM by the members.
Thus, Mrs Rowett became aware that the Concerned Stakeholders had been able to
resolve all their differences, prepared a new constitution for approval, and were requiring the resignation of the entire board at the SGM.
The Concerned Stakeholders were requested by the Chief Executive of the NHA, Mr Vee Moodley, to delay submitting the signatures to the NHA to allow the NHA National Board the opportunity to call the SGM on a “friendly” or “voluntary” basis, and agreed to provide any National Board feedback to the drafted New Constitution by September 30th.
Instead, all that was received was the press release outlining the resignation of six board members and the misleading, inflammatory letter of Mrs Rowett.
To be clear, at the September 16th meeting, the Concerned Stakeholders confirmed that they would willingly receive comments on any clauses that caused the Board concern.
In fact, preliminary discussions took place regarding some of the expressed concerns at the meeting. The door was not shut.
We now turn our attention to some of Mrs Rowett’s libellous and inflammatory statements.
Statement 1 direct quote from Mrs Rowett’s Letter to Members:
“Whilst the operators clearly feel entitled by virtue of the operator levy (which is commensurate with the safeguarding the integrity of the race meetings) to have increased influence over the NHA, it is questionable whether it is appropriate and in the best interests of racing industry, for them to have the concentration of power that they want. It is my opinion that the group’s proposed constitution is a shameless and
monstrous power grab by Race Coast and 4Racing, and to a lessor extent by other entities”.
This statement is false and misleading on numerous fronts:
1.The New Constitution expressly prohibits the racing operators (4Racing and Race Coast) from serving on the National Board of the NHA. That is the opposite of “concentration of power”. It is critical to the racing operators for racing to have integrity, and for the regulator to be independent of the racing operators. It is for this reason that all the bodies overseen by the NHA are excluded from being eligible to sit on the board.
In short, the New Constitution ensures that the racing operators have no power on the board. This is the opposite of Mrs Rowett’s allegations, which state “for them to have the concentration of power they want”. As much as the racing operators would like to have a degree of oversight over the many tens of millions of rands paid to the NHA to support its existence, the racing operators have not done so.
2.The only area of involvement of the racing operators is in serving on the Nominations Committee.
The New Constitution proposes that there are five members of the Nominations Committee:
– a SANTA representative (representing trainers and jockeys)
– a 4Racing representative
– a Race Coast representative – an owner’s representative, to be jointly appointed by SANTA, the ROA and the two racing operators
– a NHA existing National Board member
It is the Nominations Committee that appoints new board members, and the New Constitution requires that at least three out of five members must approve a candidate. This is the opposite of a concentration of power – the racing operators have only two seats on the Nominations Committee and are precluded from sitting on the National Board of the NHA.
Importantly, why would it be assumed that the Operators will always agree? They are separate businesses with no common areas of control.
Statement 2 direct quote from Mrs Rowett’s Letter to Members:
“In my view, the group’s proposed constitution amount to capture and would severely compromise the independence and autonomy necessary for the NHA to fulfil its role as a strong regulator safeguarding the integrity of the racing industry.”
The most obvious point to debunk this false narrative is that the New Constitution is being put forward to members for their consideration and vote at the SGM.
How can anyone be capturing the NHA if the members have the opportunity to vote in favour of or against the New Constitution?
No constituent of the Concerned Stakeholders has the right or ability to impose the New Constitution on anyone.
It is subject to a “one member, one vote” democratic process at the SGM. Mrs Rowett is entitled to vote for or against it, just like all the other members.
Furthermore, members will receive a complete draft of the New Constitution to review, along with a detailed document
summarising all proposed material changes and the rationale behind them.
In short, the members will have an opportunity to consider the proposals and vote as they see fit.
Of course, as described previously, no racing operator, trainer, or jockey can serve on the National Board. So how is it possible for there to be a capture of any sort by the racing operators or SANTA?
The irony here is that the funders of the NHA (the racing operators) are precluded from serving on the board, while other stakeholders are free to do so. This is an extreme distortion of the truth – the exact opposite of Mrs Rowett’s allegations is true.
In closing, it is disappointing that Mrs Rowett would be so disrespectful of those who saved the very sport that the NHA regulates.
Were it not for the funders of the operators, there would be no horseracing to enjoy.
Collectively, their largesse has seen billions of Rands directed to this industry rescue and not a single Rand has been taken out.
Yet Mrs Rowett alleges that the funders are ultimately capturing the sport via 4Racing and Race Coast. For what gain?
Sadly, the good intent of 4Racing, Race Coast, SANTA, the TBA and the ROA has been twisted to create a negative narrative that is self-serving.
The participants of the thoroughbred horse racing industry in South Africa need each other in order to stimulate growth and create a sustainable future in which horse racing thrives. When one considers that the Concerned Stakeholders comprise and represent almost the ENTIRE industry, and are speaking with one voice for the first time in a long time, one can be forgiven for being confused by and disappointed in Mrs Rowett’s outrage.
• Ed – Authorised for distribution by the entities detailed in (i) – (vi) above
• Images are for illustration only
OF NEW SEASON ON SATURDAY FEATURES LB FIRST GR2 FEATURES
Richard Fourie travels to Turffontein on Saturday for a full book of rides, including mounts in the first two Grade 2 events of the new term.
Currently trailing Craig Zackey by two wins, Fourie will be keen to build up a margin on his Highveld counterpart on Saturday.
Both are in action at Fairview on Wednesday, while Zackey is at the Vaal on Thursday before taking a suspension from 3 to 9 October.
Fourie teams up with Sean Tarry’s Lucky Lad in the R550 000 Betway Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge on Saturday.
The son of Gimmethegreenlight has drawn at 6 of 14 starters in the 1450m contest.
While winless last term, the 5yo was clearly in need of it last time when hanging and pulling up with mild post-race distress, when not disgraced and running 1,40 lengths off Elegant Ice in a Vaal Pinnacle 1200m.
Lucky Lad and Richard Fourie will team up for Sean Tarry on Saturday | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Lucky Lad has only ever won under Fourie but has never scored beyond 1200m. But as an older entire with an electrifying turn of foot, he can’t be discounted.
Lucky Lad’s stablemater Quantum Theory has won his last two and steps up in trip under Louis Mxothwa.
An interesting starter from an awkward 11 draw is Erico Verdonese’ Querari gelding Choisaanada who won the 2025 Highveld 3yo Winter Series ‘Triple Crown’ and has his first start as a 4yo.
The fairer sex equivalent has attracted a field of eleven, with Fourie partnering Minogue for Candice Dawson.
The Vercingetroix mare has enjoyed the benefit of a pipe-opener but has work to do in a tricky and open race.
An intriguing runner is the lightly weighted
Robbie Sage-trained Skitt Skizzle filly Valentina Balducci, an undefeated course and distance winner, who steps up in class from a tricky draw.
Recently back from a successful trip to Malaysia where he rode two winners, Kaidan Brewer, who was aboard at her first two wins, looks to make it a perfect treble.
IS FIRING HADLOW STALLION
Stud masters will tell you that they breathe a sigh of relief when a new stallion has his first mares scanned in foal. Happily, for Hadlow Stud newcomer Purple Pitcher the waiting is over, he has passed that vital first test with flying colours.
Successful in two legs of the Triple Crown and the first Gr1 winner sired by ill-fated New Predator.
Purple Pitcher arrived at Hadlow barely two weeks before the covering season was due to open on 1 September.
The young stallion quickly settled down in his new surroundings, according to Hadlow’s Cathy Martin, who remarked: “He is very easy to handle and is covering like a gentleman. The first mare he had was Bold Speed and he stopped her on her foal heat, not bad for a stallion who arrived straight into the season!”
A half-sister to Gr1-placed Ruffian Stakes victress River Queraress, the daughter of Captain Al hails from the family of former Horse of the Year Irish Flame.
At least 20 mares have already been booked to visit Purple Pitcher and it’s heartening to note the number of well-bred names on the list, notably that of the stakes winning Ideal World mare Ululate, who captured the Listed Syringa Handicap in the colours of St John Gray. Significantly, the resultant foal from this mating will be bred on the same lines as New Predator stakes winners Charming Cheetah and New Galaxy, both of which are out of mares by Judpot, who, like Ideal World, is a son of Kingmambo.
St John Gray will also support Purple Pitcher by sending him Devilish Dancer, a winning Silvano daughter of his fabulous champion Dancewiththedevil, who produced just a handful of foals before her untimely death.
Another Silvano mare penciled in for Purple Pitcher is three-time winner Stately Home. Out of the Gr1 winner State Coach, she is an own sister to the Gr1-placed Gr2 Derby winner Silvano’s Jet and stakes-placed Jetano, whilst half-sister TallyHo produced Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes victress VJ’s Angel.
Then there is Nitrogen, a Tiger Ridge mare out of Gr1 winner Zirconeum; Pitzuchim, a winning
Loving life at Hadlow! Purple Pitcher is looking good Credit: Cathy Martin
own sister to Flamboyant Stakes runner-up and seven-time winner Perilla; and champion Jay Peg’s half-sister Sunday Seventh, a grandaughter of Rock Of Gibraltar, who just happens to be the broodmare sire of New Predator’s champion daughter Fatal Flaw.
Hadlow-owned mares destined for Purple Pitcher include Celtic Dancer, a Trippi half-sister to champion Edict Of Nantes; Surfing Belle, a half-sister to Gr1-placed duo Shogunnar and Admiral’s Eye; as well as the Var mares Burmese Tiara and Anatevka. The former is a five-time winning half-sister to multiple Gr3placed Imperial Ruby while the latter’s half-sister Adorable is the dam of Durban July and Met hero Kommetdieding. Interesting to note that New Predator’s Gr2 winner and Gr1 SA Derby Second Pure Predator is out of a Var mare.
To that end, Purple Pitcher’s owner ‘Stinky’ Pooe will be delighted to learn that his Var mare Wings Of Nike has just returned a positive scan after her liaison with the young stallion. A five-time winner, she is a half-sister to Gr3 Byerley Turk
winner Mambo Mime, who also ran third in the Gr1 Daily News 2000.
Another well-related Pooe-owned mare destined for Purple Pitcher’s harem is Silky Jet, a winning Vercingetorix three-part sister to Silvano’s dual Gr3 winner Sunshine Silk.
Considering that the KZN mare population has dwindled since those heady days when champion breeders Summerhill Stud and the Scott Bros held sway, competition is fierce amongst the local stallions. Nevertheless, Cathy is hopeful of Purple Pitcher’s first book increasing to at least 30 mares.
That looks a distinct possibly, as she is still fielding enquiries from owners interested in sending a mare to the young stallion, one of which being the Vercingetorix daughter Pinstripe, a daughter of Gr1 SA Fillies Classic victress Bambina Stripes. That could be another interesting mating, given that Pinstripe’s halfsister Little Sparrow produced Pure Predator to New Predator.
MARSHALL’S MATCHEM ANSWER JUST NO QUESTIONING
It has been twenty-two years since the Glen Puller-trained Sevillano went backto-back in the Matchem Stakes in the days when the early season 1400m feature was still run at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
Milnerton veteran conditioner Vaughan Marshall enjoyed the distinction of saddling the first double in the contest at the Country Course when the Querari gelding Questioning, South Africa’s newest equine millionaire, successfully defended his title in the 2025 R350 000 Race Coast Gr3 Matchem Stakes on Saturday.
Gerrit Schlechter and Karl Neisius were the two jockeys to win the Matchem on the Cordoba gelding for Glen Puller in 2002 and 2003, and on Saturday it was Richard Fourie who followed up on JP van der Merwe’s victory of 2024, when the Ridgemontsponsored rider produced the magic on Questioning, who charged through from last off a slow pace to win a cracker.
Questioning, who started at 7-2, became the Marshall team’s sixth Matchem Stakes winner this century, when he stayed on best of all at 7-2, to beat the accomplished Café Culture
Questioning (Richard Fourie) storms clear to win the headline feature | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
(7-1) by 2,75 lengths in a time of 83,96 secs.
Dean Kannemeyer will be thrilled by the performance of his duo, Outlaw King (11-2), who was 0,30 lengths away in third, and the lightly tried Aristocratic (8-1), who showed he could well have some classic potential, with a gutsy effort in fourth.
“He hurt himself and we were forced to give him ten days off. That seems to have worked out well,” quipped Vaughan Marshall after Questioning’s big win.
A Foster family home-bred, Questioning is out of the twice-winning Captain Al mare
Wheredowego, who raced in the same silks for Vaughan Marshall.
Raced by the high-riding partnership of Greg Bortz, Gina Goldsmith, Mukund Gujadhur and the Wernars Family, Questioning, unbeaten in 5 starts at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, has won 7 of his 20 starts with 8 places for stakes of R1 185 276.
conditioner Vaughan Marshall - an excellent Matchem double | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
SHOWS HER METTLE AMBIANCE STUD-BRED FILLY
After Landoftherisingsun won the Settlers Trophy a half hour earlier, Muzi Yeni and Justin Snaith registered a quick feature double at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday when the Ambiance Stud-bred One World filly She’s My World overcame a tough draw to win the R225 000 Schweppes Gr3 Diana Stakes.
Starting at 40-1 in the first graded stakes feature of the new term, She’s My World benefitted from a text-book ride by Yeni who angled his mount into midfield after breaking cautiously from the 12 gate, as Callan Murray had Sohot Sowhat leading the early charge from Kinda Wonderful and Be Merry.
Into the run for home, She’s My World gradually plugged away down the centre before taking charge late in a finely timed effort.
At the line the challengers were there, but She’s My World had them under control and went on impressively to score by a half-length in a time of 84,49 secs for the 1400m.
Stormwatch (11-2) showed her promise with a flying late effort for second, ahead of the wellsupported Swiatek (33-20). Keukenhof (8-1) ran another honest race in fourth. Running first, second and fourth, 3yo’s dominated the 2025 renewal of the Diana Stakes.
Muzi Yeni didn’t hesitate to mention his undoubted talents as one of the best and most experienced lightweight riders around!
Racing in a partnership of Jonathan Bloch, Robert Bloomberg, Cameron & Etienne Braun, Tony Cotterell, Mark & Beti Jones & Dr J A Warner, She’s My World was bred by Ambiance Stud and is a daughter of One
Muzi Yeni has She’s My World in control as Stormwatch (Athandiwe Mgudlwa, obscured) and third-placed Swiatek (Richard Fourie) do the late chasing | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
World (Captain Al) out of the one-time winning Querari mare, Lana Belle.
A R425 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 graduate, She’s My World cracked her stakes ice and has now won 3 races with 6 places from 9 starts for stakes of R482 838. After looking like a decent speed filly early on, she now looks likely to go a mile – which makes her an exciting prospect.
An Al Of An INFLUENCE!
The late Captain Al continues to exert a considerable influence on both the Gr3 Matchem Stakes and Gr3 Diana Stakes.
Captain Al, winner of the 1999 Matchem Stakes, is broodmare sire of Saturday’s repeat Race Coast Gr3 Matchem Stakes winner Questioning and his Matchem Stakes winning son One World is also responsible for the same day’s Schweppes Gr3 Diana Stakes
heroine She’s My World. Captain Al is also the broodmare sire of Swiatek (Pomodoro), who ran third in the Diana Stakes on Saturday.
Questioning and She’s My World have another similarity in terms of pedigree, with Questioning sired by Querari and She’s My World out of the Querari mare Lana Belle.
The ill-fated Captain’s Ransom (Richard Fourie) wins the second of her Diana Stakes titles | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Questioning is one of three black-type performers produced by Captain Al’s Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery winner Wheredowego, with the latter also responsible for Listed Hollywoodbets Settlers Trophy winner Senso Unico (Twice Over) and the illfated World Sports Betting Gr2 Fillies Guineas third Labyrinth (Oratorio).
Captain Al sired Matchem Stakes winners
Captain America, One World and Kasimir, as well as Matchem Stakes runners-up Zambezi Torrent, Search Party and More Magic.
However much influence Captain Al has exerted on the Matchem Stakes, his influence on the Diana Stakes is, if anything, even greater. His champion daughter Captain’s Ransom
won the Diana Stakes in 2020 and 2021, with Captain Al daughters Townsend and Captain’s Flame successful in the same race in 2010 and 2016, respectively.
When Townsend won the Gr3 Diana Stakes, it marked a clean sweep in the race for her sire. Captain Al daughters ran 1-2-3-4 in the 2010 Diana Stakes, as Townsend vanquished her paternal half-sisters Play Nice, Possible Dream and Tick Tock.
In total, Captain Al has eight daughters who finished 1-2-3 in the Diana Stakes, an impressive record indeed.
The late Cape Guineas winner enjoyed a memorable weekend as a broodmare sire,
MJ Byleveld (blue cap) sends One World for home in the 2019 Gr3 Matchem Stakes as Donovan Dillon brings Search Party from the clouds | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
with Friday night’s impressive debut winner Ascalon Dancer (Vercingetorix). A full-brother to last season’s Gr1 South African Fillies Sprint winner Mia Moo, Ascalon Dancer was produced by Captain Al’s Listed Irridescence Stakes winning daughter, Leeward.
In short, Captain Al featured as the broodmare sire of seven winners in South Africa over the weekend, with this tally including another eyecatching winner in the form of Primal Instinct (Vercingetorix). At the time of writing, the champion is currently second on our Leading Broodmare Sires premiership for 2025-2026.
The current season could be another big one for Captain Al descendants with his
Triple Crown winning son Malmoos set to have his first runners this season. Malmoos’ close relative Erik The Red will be looking to continue the success he enjoyed in 20242025 when he was South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire.
On that note, Captain Al is also the broodmare sire of Vodacom Gr1 Durban July/ World Sports Betting Gr1 Cape Town Met winner Kommetdieding (Elusive Fort), with the charismatic star set to have his first yearlings go through the ring in 2026.
Aldo Domeyer was clearly delighted to win the Diana on Captain’s Flame | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
2500 TH WINNER! MUZI RISES TO HIS
Stone-Stamcor sponsored jockey Muzi
Yeni finally cracked his milestone 2500th career winner after a frustrating week as he steered Justin Snaith’s progressive Landoftherisingsun to a maiden stakes success in the R225 000 Listed Settlers Trophy at a sundrenched and festive Craft & Cork raceday at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday.
A second consecutive winner in the 2000m contest for the Snaith team, Landoftherisingsun (28-10) was produced early in the straight and always looked a
winner as Yeni tested the Stipes’ sense of humour, and played to the crowd, with a salute in a special moment in his career.
At the line, Landoftherisingsun had Congressman (5-1) beaten a length in a time of 119,92 secs.
The courageous mare Time For Love (8-1) stayed on for third a further 1,25 lengths back, with Voorloopertjie (3-1) capping the quartet in fourth.
Runner-up Congressman (Serino Moodley) tries hard as Muzi Yeni and Landoftherisingsun stay on smartly
Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Last year’s winner Call To Unite had every chance but was beaten 7,25 lengths out of the money.
A R900 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, Landoftherisingsun, who is raced by Nancy Hossack, Kalinga and the Estate Late P A Isdell took his stakes tally to R349 557 with his third win and seventh place from 11 starts.
Bred by Drakenstein Stud, the winner is a son of Danon Platina (Deep Impact) out of Trippi’s one-time winning daughter, Dawn Rising.
Muzi Yeni celebrates his 2500th career-win | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
QUICKER THAN HE LOOKED! QUESTIONING
The Hollywoodbets Durbanville Craft & Cork racemeeting held under sunny skies on Saturday was a teaser of bigger things to come in the next few months.
In our Time Is Money insert this week we look at some of the standout performances of the day.
The conditions on the day:
Going: Good
Penetrometer: 21
Rain: Last 7 days Nil
Irrigation: Last 24 hours 5mm –Last 7 days 15mm
False Rail: Out 2m back straight, with a 5m spur at 450m mark
Wind: 3-16km/h Southerly wind Course Variant: 1,10s fast
The Race Coast Gr3 Matchem Stakes run over 1400m topped the bill and in what not surprisingly proved to be the fastest of the afternoon’s four 1400m races, last year’s winner QUESTIONING registered a facile victory.
Confidently ridden by Richard Fourie, the Querari gelding raced detached at the back and was easily eight lengths off the pace at
Vaughan Marshall and Richard Fourie celebrate the Matchem triumph | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
the top of the straight. The always handy Café Culture was the first to make a move and on striking the front 350m out, the 6yo looked to have done everything right.
Once given rein early in the straight though, Vaughan Marshall’s charge showed a very nice turn of foot, and cruised clear to score by two and three quarters after putting his head in front passing the 100m marker. The time of 22,07 seconds recorded by Questioning over the final 400m proved to be the fastest of the afternoon for that segment.
Champion Trainer Justin Snaith had found the winner’s enclosure with unfancied runners at this course earlier in the week and he repeated the dose in the Schweppes Gr3 Diana Stakes when the joint lessor fancied of his four runners SHE’S MY WORLD registered her third career victory. Allowed to drift right out to 40/1 from 16/1 at the track, the daughter of One World was swiftly guided over from the widest draw by Muzi Yeni and raced sixth just four lengths off the pace.
She was unsettled during the early part of the race, but nevertheless quickened well early in the straight. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the low flying STORMWATCH by a half.
Well-supported during the afternoon (10/1 into 11/2), Eric Sands’ charge raced three lengths behind the winner in tenth, and didn’t get the clearest of passages early in the straight. After being switched out at the 200m marker though, the Vercingetorix filly fairly flew and in eye catching fashion she did well to get as close as she did. One to follow.
The first of the afternoon’s three feature events to be run was the Listed Settlers
Trophy over 2000m and here we saw a smart performance from the Danon Platina gelding LANDOFTHERISINGSUN (28/10 favourite).
The Futurist (brush wound right hind) then Call To Unite (abnormal respiratory noise in running) made most of the running and between them they produced a fair pace. Given a confident ride by Musi Yeni meanwhile, the market leader sat fifth just four lengths off the pace. He quickened well early in the straight and after striking the front approaching the 300m marker, he went on to score a little more easily than the official winning margin of a length would suggest. Yeni reached the milestone of 2500 winners with victory in this race.
Marginally the faster of the two 1800m races on the card was the Perfectly Placed Maiden Plate run over 1800m in which the 3yo Fire Away colt COCO’S HERO opened his account at just the third time of asking.
Positioned some four lengths off a fair pace set by Joshua (troublesome loading), James Crawford’s charge was always travelling well and soon began to make headway coming off the false rail. He was ridden to lead 100m from home and won going away by a length and three quarters. Both his trainer and in particular his jockey Craig Zackey, said after the race that Coco’s Hero could prove to be a very useful stayer, a Gold Cup type.
Fastest Times:
1250m (2) Calanque 74,71
1400m (4) Questioning 83,96
1800m (2) Coco’s Hero 110,19
400-finish Questioning 22,07
Moves To 123 MATCHEM WINNER
Questioning’s rating has increased from 122 to 123 after his impressive performance, running on from the back of the field to easily defend his title in the Race Coast Gr3 Matchem Stakes over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday.
The Handicappers determined that Outlaw King, who finished third, was the most suitable line horse for assessing the race, resulting in his rating remaining unchanged at 112.
There were no other rating increases, but two runners received reductions.
The runner-up, Cafe Cultur e, was lowered from 124 to 122, while Let It Be Said dropped from 104 to 103.
Schweppes Gr3 Diana Stakes
She’s My World has had her rating increased from 96 to 104 following her victory in the Schweppes Gr3 Diana Stakes over 1400m.
The Handicappers unanimously agreed to use the third-place finisher, Swiatek , as the line horse for assessing the race, leaving her rating unchanged at 100.
Due to the specific conditions of this race, the winner’s rating increase was capped at a maximum of eight points, and placed runners could not receive more than a four-point adjustment.
As a result, She’s My World was limited to a rating of 104, despite running to a higher mark.
Similarly, the runner-up, Stormwatch , was only raised from 94 to 98, although she performs to her a higher mark.
The following horses received downward adjustments in their ratings:
• Scarlet Macaw was lowered from 110 to 108,
• Sohot Sowhat was reduced from 101 to 98, and
• Trip To Maputo dropped from 99 to 96.
Listed Settlers Trophy
Landoftherisingsun’s rating has been increased from 92 to 99 following his comfortable victory in the Listed Settlers Trophy over 2000m.
The third-place finisher, Time For Love , was deemed the most suitable line horse for assessing the race, resulting in her rating remaining unchanged at 105.
Congressman , the runner-up, received a seven-point rating increase, moving from 86 to 93. This adjustment was because he was four points under sufferance at the weights, given the race benchmark of 52kg equating to a rating of 90, meaning he effectively ran off a rating of 90, and he finished 1.25 lengths ahead of the designated line horse, Time For Love, warranting an additional three-point increase.
Call To Unite was the only runner to receive a ratings drop, decreasing from 98 to 96.
Media release by the NHA on Tuesday, 30 September 2025.
GREEN LIGHT GIVEN PHOTO-FINISH
In a sequel to an uncertain last week following question marks around the Hollywoodbets Durbanville photo-finish facility, the NHA requested that the Racing Operator have the mirror professionally realigned with the finish post before the race meeting on Saturday, 27 September 2025.
After the running of the first race last Saturday, the Stipes and the Judges examined the photo-finish and were satisfied that both the positive and the mirror image were correctly aligned. Further, the Racing Operator confirmed that the equipment had been correctly calibrated and aligned.
A large crowd turned out at Hollywoodbets Durbanville last Saturday | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
REGISTERS 10 TH CAREER VICTORY SON OF VAR
The Varsfontein Stud-bred 6yo Mercantour stamped his claims on the tenth renewal of the Nelson Mandela Bay Racing East Cape Poly Challenge ‘triple crown’ at Fairview on Friday when the Alan Greeff-trained son of Var skated home to seal the second leg and register his tenth career victory in swashbuckling style.
Formerly trained by Stuart Pettigrew on the Highveld under the ownership of Vicky Veeramootoo, the Peter Moor raced Mercantour has maintained consistent form throughout his career, but has blossomed
since arriving in the Eastern Cape earlier this year, winning 4 of his 7 starts, and is now on the brink of following in the hoofprints of the Glen Kotzen-trained King Regent, who won the series and the bonus last term.
While yet to win beyond the 1400m, Richard Fourie confidently suggested that Mercantour would find the mile, with a properly considered ride.
Allowed to relax early, Mercantour (14-10) powered home late to withstand a late challenge from stablemate and bridesmaid
Mercantour charges clear under Richard Fourie with third-placed USA’s Hope (Craig Zackey, yellow cap) and fourthplaced Eyjafjallajokull (Chase Maujean) in the background | Credit: Pauline Herman
Guy Gibson (7-2), who was three quarters of a length short at the line.
Mercantour pushed Richard Fourie to the top of the national log for the first time this season, as he clocked 82,06s for the allweather 1400m, with the Gavin Smith pair of USA’s Hope (10-1) and Eyjafjalllokull (10-1) dead-heating for third, a half-length away.
A son of the deceased speed champion Var (Forest Wildcat), the Varsfontein-bred winner is out of the Western Winter mare, Winter Wood. The latter is a half-sister to Royal Vintage, a stakes winner in both Dubai and South Africa, and Gr2 November Handicap winner Alderry.
A R200 000 National Yearling Sale graduate, Mercantour is a winner of 10 races with 15 places from 38 starts for stakes of R1 181 947.
The third leg of the series is the Nelson Mandela Bay Racing Poly Challenge 1600 to be run at Fairview on Friday 17 October. A R250 000 bonus is payable to the owners of the horse that wins all 3 legs.
The riding honours on the day were shared with a double each by Louis Mxothwa, Kendall Minnie and Richard Fourie, who is our new national log-leader, with Craig Zackey in second.
Alan Greeff saddled a quartet of winners.
Frank Sinatra suggested that love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage. In Tristan Godden’s case, it looks like winners are part of the package.
The Sporting Post-sponsored rider married his long-time partner Bianca on 10 September in Cape Town, and it’s been a flurry of winners ever since his return to the saddle on 17 September, post the Godden’s honeymoon.
On Friday evening at Hollywoodbets Greyville, the Richards Bay native booted
home four winners for four different yards in a professional display that took his season tally to 17 winners, achieved off a strike-rate of 23% – second only to log -leader Richard Fourie on 26,8%.
Tristan’s winning streak commenced with Pink Diamond (Yadav Singh), and continued with Mohandas (Yogas Govender), a finely judged ride on Continentalexpress (Dean Kannemeyer) and topped by Infinity Edge for Michael Miller.
EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE KAIDAN
SA Jockey Academy graduate
Kaidan Brewer took his first rides back on African soil at Turffontein on Sunday after returning from a lightning visit to Malaysia where he rode two winners and gained some invaluable experience. Kaidan booted home Thunderous at his first meeting on Sunday 14 September, and followed up a week later with an end-to-end victory on Pantong – both winners were for his host, local champion trainer, Simon Dunderdale.
An excited Kaidan shared the news on Monday with his sponsors, Sporting Post, that approaches were made, and an invitation extended, for him to ride in Malaysia.
“Truth be told, as soon as I got into the jockey room an hour before races and left half an hour after races my Agent/friend/Dad did all the talking, engaging and negotiating. Without divulging much as talks are still underway., there are options to consider,” he added guardedly, but excitedly. Kaidan’s mentor and Dad Andrew took time out to accompany his son on the groundbreaking trip.
Kaidan Brewer – enjoyed his trip and has some options to consider | Credit: Supplied
We asked Kaidan what some of the discernible differences are with the way they do things in Malaysia, compared to our processes here in SA.
“In principle the processes are generally the same. Morning work is performed by stable employed work riders who are licensed to ride work. In SA all horses being worked in the morning are all taken and ringed , worked, then sent back to the yard as a collective. In Malaysia, based on the number of available work riders, only those horses with riders go to track , work, then return and the next lot are taken. And so it goes.”
Kaidan says that access to morning work outside of registered trainers and work riders
must be pre-arranged as security is tight and vehicles going in and out of the training tracks are searched.
“Barrier trials are done weekly for horses returning from a rest or having their first start in Malaysia. Horses carded for a weekend meeting wear a different coloured saddlecloth (white) for work in that week compared to others who are being worked,” he added.
As to racedays, Kaidan says that races are half an hour apart and jockeys weigh in two races ahead – so for example, for races 1 and 2, the rider will weigh in for both before race 1.
“The weigh-in after a race is done immediately after the race then the jockey
comes back out to the parade ring to remount and to do the photograph and/ or interview. Riding instructions are given by the trainer in a restricted area just outside of the jockey enclosure and not in the parade ring as in SA,” he observes.
At the start, Kaidan tells that the barrier loading is done in numeric sequence. “So 1 first followed by 2 then 3 etc , and only one at a time.The jockey is responsible to remove the blindfold/hood before the jump and not the handlers, like here.”
Asked about the race itself, Kaidan says that the pace is ‘exceptionally fast’ and the draw is critical over the sprint races.
“There is plenty of jostling for positions after the jump. A slow jump or racing three deep on the turn is the proverbial kiss of death to winning a race. The crop usage is encouraged, but not to be abused and should a trainer want to change a horse’s tactics from leading, to say sitting in, then this must be made known and declared to the Stipes in advance, so that the betting public is informed.”
On the quality of horses, Kaidan says that the Malaysian horses, which include a number of Aussie imports, compare favourably to ours, especially in the group races.
“Generally many of their horses are still competitive at the ages of 8,9 and even 10. Your lower end Class 5 horses are however a bit weaker on average than ours and have low MR’s,” he says.
As to the Malaysian hospitality, Kaidan’s face lights up.
“From the time we landed until the time we left, the hospitality from everyone was warm
and welcoming. That include sfrom the Local Committee (the Board as we refer to it in SA) to the officials of the Turf Club , the Stipendiary Stewards, fellow jockeys and apprentices, the trainers and valets. The general public were also accommodating and were wishing me well while circling in the parade ring. Hospitality in the jockey room was also great with warm camaraderie.”
We asked if he made any new friends “Yes! Simon Dunderdale’s family and mainly people and owners within the Dunderdale yard as we interacted more with them. And I must mention the local cuisine and local food and beverages. They are brilliant!”
So he could actually live in Malaysia?
“Oh yes, indeed I can!”
As to polishing his skill set, Kaidan is happy to have learnt from the experience.
“The time was fairly short,but I definitely did learn one or two new things from the senior
riders based there
and
those from Dubai, France and Brazil to make
me a more
rounded rider.
Also the experience of the different techniques and skills required to race on their tight short courses and their long course can only be a sharpener!”
A DAY TO REMEMBER
Veteran horseman and National Hall of Famer Ormond Ferraris (93) has concluded his two-year tenure as an advisor to trainer Weichong Marwing. He will be returning to Plettenberg Bay to enjoy his retirement near his family, though he joked that he couldn’t rule out another return to racing at some point.
Ferraris, who owns a collection of South African Jockey Club Calendars dating back to 1904, said that he’d been packing boxes
in his home in the South of Johannesburg when he came across a Calendar reflecting a significant day in his life – Saturday, 29 September 1951.
He recalled: “This was a race day at Turffontein, exactly 74 years ago today, when I saddled a runner for the very first time, serving as an assistant trainer to George Weale. He was called Hitch Knot (by Slip Knot), and he was also the first horse I ever bought. I liked him at a dispersal sale of
yearlings owned by business mogul, Norbert Erleigh. He cost the equivalent of R50, early in 1951.
“The race that day was run over four furlongs (800m). There were 30 runners in the field, and the starter used a tape start – double bands of webbing, about three inches wide and level with the horses’ chests, stretched across the track.”
Ferraris said that Hitch Knot finished midfield. The race was won by a colt named State Coach (Fair Test), trained by Jack Sparks and ridden by ‘Shorty’ de la Rey. The breeder was Meyer Lewis, who owned a stud farm in the Standerton area and was Chairman of the Johannesburg Turf Club.
Hitch Knot was among the horses that helped launch Ferraris’ own career as a licensed trainer in 1954. He went on to win 10 races for the trainer between 1954 and 1956.
Ferraris said about Shorty de la Rey: “He rode several winners for me, tiny but tough in stature, even shorter than Johnny Geroudis,
& STEELY DETERMINATION FAITH, COURAGE
They call him Yster. Iron Man. And true to the name, Louis Nhlapo has fought his way back into the limelight when most would have given up.
His career was brought to an abrupt halt in 2015 by a personal tragedy that left him and his wife in pieces.
Faith, courage, and steely determination carried him back to the saddle in 2023. Two long years of travel, chasing rides between provinces and across borders, have tested his resolve. But slowly, surely, the veteran jockey is turning heads again, and the rewards are starting to show.
Louis has ridden five winners and 12 places from just 27 rides this season, earning him a spot in the Top 20 on the National log. Early days at Number 19, but with growing support there’s every reason to believe he can push into the Top 15 or even higher if he continues his dedicated progress.
Behind the statistics, however, lies the personal story that shaped him. When interviewed in 2022, before his return, Louis was reluctant to speak about the heartbreak that struck his family.
Now, he has shared the details of what happened on the fateful night of Good Friday, 3 April 2015.
Louis, with two close friends, his 10-year-old daughter Promise, and nine-year-old son
Prince in his car, was heading to an evening church service not far from home when headlights suddenly appeared in his rear-view mirror.
The vehicle surged closer, weaving dangerously across the dark road, its driver seemingly drunk and unpredictable.
Louis tried to stay calm as the threat closed in, edging left to let the other vehicle pass. But the driver was completely out of control,
Louis Nhlapo – they call him Yster | Credit: JC Photos
swerving violently before striking Louis’s car from the side at high speed and flipping it over.
His two children and close friends were fatally injured. Louis miraculously survived, shaken to his core, left to grapple with a grief that no one should have to bear.
He recalled: “The darkness and despair will never be easy to describe. My wife Maria and I were absolutely broken, devastated. To make matters worse, there was never any justice for the driver who harassed us and then killed four people. A case number existed, and charges were laid. I followed up for years, but nothing ever came of it.
Eventually, I discovered that the driver had ‘settled a fine’ – that’s what they called the cruel dishonesty of allowing a case to slip off the radar. The case docket is nowhere to be found, and he walks free to this day.”
Louis grew up on a farm near Eikenhof in South Gauteng, owned by James Maree. This is where the former master jockey, then trainer, built his stables and training tracks, and where he still runs the Thoroughbred Racing Development Centre, dedicated to the training of work riders.
From the age of seven, Louis was entrusted with one horse at a time to care for.
He worked as a groom for 15 years and also completed a course in farriery. “There were many youngsters living on and near the farm, including Mr Maree’s son, Alan. We played a lot of soccer, and I was a defender near the goalposts. They started calling me ‘Yster’ because it was hard for anyone to get the ball past me. I also had some crashing falls from horses, but I was never seriously injured, so the nickname stuck!”
Louis started riding in work riders’ races at the age of 14 and was accepted into the SA Jockey Academy in 2001, despite being in his mid-twenties.
His first winner as a professional came in a handicap over 1700m at Gosforth Park on 20 October 2001, aboard Tanse Leisher’s grey seven-year-old gelding, Hot To Spot, who jumped from draw 15 of 16 and carried 49kg.
The horse had touched 100-1 in the ante-post market before starting at 33/1. He rode just under 300 winners before his setback.
The trainer who gave him the most support, and whom he most admired, was Ormond Ferraris. “He was a very fair man, and we get on well to this day.
He gave rides to those who did the work in the mornings and was not concerned by owners who told him which jockeys to put on their horses.”
Louis rode some of Ferraris’ finest horses of the era, including Overarching, Snowdon, Romanelli, and Night Safari.
He became known for his superb balance and his ability to ride effectively from off the pace.
Following the tragedy, Louis spent several months at home doing absolutely nothing.
Overcome by grief, the complete absence of justice, and the heart-breaking upheaval of his family life, he sometimes couldn’t even get out of bed in the mornings.
There were days when he and Maria simply sat together in their living room, crying in silence.
The National Horseracing Authority (NHA) came to Louis’ aid, offering him a position as a Stipendiary Steward.
“Preparing for this job required a lot of reading and writing, studying the rules and so on. It kept my mind occupied, and my road to healing began. I was respected for my knowledge of horses and race riding and I enjoyed my time as a stipe. The job kept me going and brought me closer to a cure.”
Louis returned to the gym and, through playing soccer, discovered he hadn’t lost his fitness or strength.
He began to miss what he had been doing since the age of seven – race riding. In 2022, approaching 48, he resigned from the NHA and made the decision to pull his boots back on.
Click on the image below to read the full story…
TACKLES KEENELAND RUPERT FILLY
Newmarket-based trainer Marco Botti is looking ahead to a busy weekend with runners in key races across Europe and the USA.
Multiple Gr3 winner Great Generation lines up in the Gr1 First Lady Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday, while 2024 Gr1 Hong Kong Vase winner Giavelloto heads to the Gr1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Sunday.
Botti has an impressive international record with over 20 Stakes wins overseas.
His roll of honour includes the 2014 Gr1 Beverly D. Stakes with Euro Charline (GB) for Team Valor.
The trainer is hoping for more success stateside with Great Generation, who has won three Gr3 races for the stable, including on debut this year in the Gr3 Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield.
Marco Botti spoke to Great British Racing International (GBRI) about the filly’s Keeneland target:
Credit: GBRI
“She’s been training very well at home. She travelled on Wednesday and is settling fine. The race looks strong, as you would expect for a Grade 1, and it is the first time she will run over the mile but with two bends we hope she will go well. She has a good turn of foot and likes fast ground so we are hopeful.
“Those international races are very important for us and for the owners as it gives them the opportunity to travel with their horses and we have been fairly successful. Our owners are usually keen to take those opportunities and so we are always looking for the right horses to go abroad.”
The four-year-old filly was purchased privately by leading South African owner-breeder Mrs Gaynor Rupert in December 2024.
Mrs Rupert, who owns Drakenstein Stud, has also set up a breeding farm in Britain at Cayton Park Stud.
On the filly’s private acquisition, Botti said:
“She was purchased by Mrs Rupert with a long-term view of becoming part of the broodmare band of Cayton Park Stud. She was already a black-type filly and I was delighted to win another Group race with her in the colours of the Ruperts. They kept her in training with me and I was happy to win that race for them. She has all it takes to be a fantastic broodmare in the future.”
Lucie Botti, an integral part of the training operation, is with the filly in Keeneland. She
spoke to GBRI about how Great Generation has settled to life in the USA:
“She settled in beautifully here at Keeneland and has shown her usual professionalism in everything we have asked of her. Over the years we’ve been fortunate to enjoy success in the U.S with Gr1 wins and several consistent black-type performances. To bring a filly of her quality here is very exciting.”
The team is also eagerly awaiting Giavellotto’s run in the Gr1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
The six-year-old has been lightly raced this season but was last seen winning at Group 3 level.
Talking about Giavellotto’s chances, Botti said:
“We made the decision to run Giavellotto in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as the forecast
looks quite dry and he wants good ground. Hopefully the rain will stay away. He is in good form and is lightly raced this year. We have Andrea Atzeni coming to ride him. It is a tough race but he deserves to be there so we take on the challenge and aim to go back to Hong Kong in December.”
Marco Botti | Credit: Tattersalls
HISTORIC APPOINTMENT SA JOCKEY ACADEMY’S
The South African Jockey Academy (SAJA), Africa’s only institution for the education and training of professional jockeys, announced the historic appointment last Friday of UKZN Sports Science graduate Tarryn Mason as its first-ever Chief Operating Officer (COO). This landmark appointment represents a defining moment in the Academy’s history, creating a strengthened executive structure that ensures excellence both on and off the track.
Married to her Farm Manager Hubby Leon, the 35 year old Mom of seven year old Roseway Waldorf pupil Skylar told the
Sporting Post that she was honoured and privileged to get a chance to play a wider role at SAJA, where she has worked since starting out in the Gym and doing a thesis on the impact of diet on jockeys all the way back in 2013.
Fulfilling a host of different roles in the institution through and beyond the dark covid-19 years, Tarryn is eminently qualified to take SAJA to the next level.
In this newly established role, she will provide strategic oversight across operations, finance, marketing, and stakeholder relations, working alongside the Headmaster to drive the
Tarryn Mason is flanked by SAJA graduates Callan Murray and Lyle Hewitson | Credit: Supplied
Academy’s mission of developing world-class jockeys.
Tarryn Mason is no stranger to the Academy. With more than a decade of dedicated service, she has become an integral force behind its growth and modernization.
Her contributions have been wide-ranging and transformative: leading the multidisciplinary support team that underpins apprentice success, spearheading national recruitment efforts to secure the future of the sport, championing health and wellness research tailored to jockey athletes, and significantly elevating the Academy’s presence through communications, fundraising, and industry engagement.
In addition to her professional impact, Tarryn’s appointment is a historic milestone for SAJA, as she becomes the first woman to join the Academy’s executive leadership team, paving the way for greater representation at the highest levels of the institution.
Speaking on her appointment, Tarryn said:
“It is a true honour to step into this pioneering role. The Academy has been at the heart of my professional journey for more than ten years, and I am deeply proud of the role I have been able to play in shaping its path. To now serve as its first Chief Operating Officer is both humbling and inspiring, and I look forward to continuing to build on our proud legacy, together with our staff, apprentices, and partners.”
Speaking on behalf of the SAJA Board, its Chairman, Basil Thomas said that the South African Jockey Academy celebrated this milestone as a testament to Tarryn’s unwavering commitment, expertise, and vision. “This appointment is so deserved, and we look forward to the continued growth and sustainability that her leadership will bring.”
Mr & Mrs Mason! Tarryn and her husband, Leon Credit: Supplied
SHINES ON THE NIGHT IMPOSING BLING
The Hollywoodbets Greyville twilight racemeeting last Friday produced some standout performances, and was a memorable fixture for Tristan Godden, who rode four winners.
In our Time Is Money insert we look at some of the standout performances of the racemeeting.
The conditions on the day/night:
Going: Good to Soft Penetrometer: 26
Rain: Last 24 hours Nil –Last 7 days 21mm
Irrigation: Last 7 days Nil
False Rail: 6m
Wind: 10-20km/h Southerly tail wind
Course Variant: 0,54s slow
The Hollywoodbets Bright Future Class 3 (benchmark 96) was the bill-topping event and was very comfortably the fastest of the three 1400m races on the card and in what proved to be a real thriller, the well supported favourite IMPOSING (33/10 into 33/20) scored a narrow victory.
Smanga Khumalo keeps Imposing at his task to beat 150-1 roughie Amor Fati (Kabelo Matsunyane)
Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Soon two and a half lengths clear, Stars In Heaven made the running, whilst Gareth Van Zyl’s charge sat some six lengths away in ninth. Barely three lengths covered the whole field going through the 200m and despite shifting around under a determined ride from S’manga Khumalo after hitting the front 100m out, the Visionaire gelding got the verdict by a neck.
Trainer Mike Miller saddled four of the eleven runners that went to post for the Form Guide www.gallop.co.za Middle Stakes (f&m) run over 1400m and here we found one to keep tabs on in his Gimmethegreenlight filly INFINITY EDGE.
The fourth winner on the card for jockey Tristan Godden, the 7/2 joint second favourite was soon nicely positioned in fourth.
Her stable companion, and 7/2 joint second favourite, Sovereign Grant took the shortest way home coming off the bend and with Infinity Edge having to switch out for a clear run at that point, she soon found herself with a bit to do.
She ran on strongly over the final 300m and despite racing green, she got up late to win going away. Interestingly, the fastest 400m to finish time in this race was recorded by the running on third place finisher Perilla, and that proved to be the fastest for that segment of the evening. Perilla was also the fastest over the final 400m when a runner up last time out and that proved to be the third fastest for that segment on the day.
Both average merit ratings and class averages suggested that the Class 4 event for fillies & mares would be the fastest of the evening’s three 1600m races , but in reality, it proved to be the slowest.
All three events were false paced affairs, but this class 4 race won by GRAND OCCASION was visibly false to the naked eye. Drawn widest of the ten, Gareth Van Zyl’s charge rushed around runners when the gates opened and after quickly getting to the front, she was slowed right up by her jockey Nicholas Patel. The field became very tightly bunched then and as a result the race developed into a sprint at the top of the straight.
The Danon Platina filly ran on strongly over the final 400m and despite hanging out over the final 200m, she held on to score by just under a length. The rest of the field were separated by just 1,85 lengths at the wire.
The fastest of the three 1600m races was the maiden plate for fillies and here we saw a smart performance from the lightly raced 4yo MISS TWINKLE. Positioned 8th some seven lengths off the pace early on, the daughter of Oratorio ran on best of all at the business end of the race and won going away by four and three quarters after striking the front 220m from home. Jockey Serino Moodley was fined R2500 for making contact with Miss Twinkle’s ear in a celebratory gesture shortly before the line.
Fastest Times: 1400m (3) Imposing 85,29 1600m (3) Miss Twinkle 98,72 400-finish Perilla 22,99
NORDIC BREEZE REMEMBERING
WhatsApp groups can go either way, writes Oscar Foulkes. Let’s just say that I’m a fan of either muting certain groups or leaving them altogether.
One of those that performs a worthwhile function is the Cape Breeders’ Foster Mare group.
This year, requests for foster mares came on the 8 th, 20 th and 29 th of August. September requests started on the 4 th, followed by the 12 th, 15 th and 16 th .
In this time there were offers of just two foster mares.
It’s a reminder that for all the care we put into our broodmares (and their foals), things can go wrong in all kinds of ways.
Over the years, we’ve dealt with our share of orphan foals, including taking one on for someone else last season; life and wellbeing hangs on a knife edge in the first days and weeks after birth.
We got through almost all of the first two months of the 2025 foaling season before having our own brush with such an event. We ended up with neither foster mare nor orphan foal, after spending nearly three hours trying to deliver the foal that wasn’t presenting correctly.
It was a physically brutal morning that involved multiple vets trying to reach the foal’s head to move it into the correct alignment. While awaiting the second vet, I even had a go, in the hope that my slightly longer arms would reach far enough. To no avail.
Nordic Breeze and her Jet Dark foal | Credit: Romi Bettison
When we finally got the foal out, it was dead. Our only hope was to keep the mare, Nordic Breeze, alive, but during recovery, with three vets on standby, she quietly stopped breathing.
The morning was both physically taxing and emotionally draining.
The losses were not simply the filly foal, or Nordic Breeze, a living creature who would have been in our lives for 12 years on 21 November.
Nordic Breeze played a big role in our journey during this time, not just in her achievements, but also the accompanying hopes and dreams. Yes, as well as the disappointments and losses that inevitably accompany us in this pursuit.
In 2015 (goodness, was that really 10 years ago?) our RTR draft included four graded stakes-winners. One of these was Nordic
Breeze, the full-sister to Arctic Breeze who would later produce Rio Querari.
Nordic Breeze was bought by Ken Truter. Afterwards, my mother was having some regrets about not being involved in her racing career, so I suggested that we ask Ken if she could stay in for a share. Ken didn’t hesitate, and at every stage has been the perfect partner.
She won on debut in an open company maiden, following up soon after by winning the Fillies’ Nursery on the same day that Sergeant Hardy (another from the 2015 RTR draft) won his Nursery. Let’s just say it was a dream day at Kenilworth for me.
She won a total of six races, including a second graded win in the Champagne Stakes. From seven pregnancies in as many years, just three foals remain. The four she lost, either during pregnancy or soon after, were all by One World.
The high hopes we had for her at stud have hung on her second foal, the magnificent Nordic Quest, a winner thus far of five races and on the fringes of earning black type. For a long time, she was the highest-priced Querari filly. If any mare can produce a filly like this early in her career, one would usually hope that more excellence will follow. One can only speculate what any one of her One Worlds could have achieved.
Sadly, all that’s left of the Nordic Breeze dream is a Jet Dark yearling filly. She’s been special since birth and we very much hope that nothing gets in the way of her getting to the racecourse. First, we need to get her to the sales in 2026.
Rudyard Kipling’s wisdom for life is that we should “meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those imposters just the same”.
In racing and breeding, we live on the memories of past triumphs as well as hopes for the future. Without these, disasters would be crushing.
But triumphs don’t just involve holding aloft a trophy. A healthy foal slipping effortlessly out of its dam is a little triumph. So, too, an orphan foal and foster mare bonding as if she’d carried it for 11 months. The round black dot of a 14-day pregnancy scan is a moment of mini celebration as well as the beginning of a new cycle.
Breeders are a tribe, having in common these ‘triumph and disaster’ experiences. They may not always be verbalised, because it’s a known that we all go through them.
The peaks and valleys of these experiences etch themselves deeply on our hearts. We know that our colleagues have experienced them; it’s a bond that requires no words.
The Breeders WhatsApp group is simply the functional parallel of this shared experience, a declaration that a mare has died and that a foal needs to be kept alive.
If we can help, we will.
Nordic Breeze wins the Kenilworth Fillies Nursery | Credit: Supplied
IS A WIN! BUICK’S WISE APPROACH
Top weight Boiling Point stayed on resolutely to land the bet365 Cambridgeshire for trainer Karl Burke and jockey Clifford Lee.
The Sheikh Mohammed Obaid owned fouryear-old was given a positive ride by Lee, making the running and just having enough in reserve to hold off the late surge of Indalo in a photo-finish.
Despite a starting price of 14/1, there was no shortage of confidence in Boiling Point from his stable, with Burke highlighting in the build-
up that this was a Group horse running in a handicap.
Credit, as far as Burke was concerned, rested with Lee, who set his own fractions in the lead and was brave enough to kick for home with more than a quarter of a mile to run.
“Cliff is so good from the front,” said Burke. “Even with top weight there was no point pulling him around. It was all about getting him in a nice rhythm and he was either good enough or he wasn’t.”
Wise Approach (William Buick) wins the Gr1 Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes for Godolphin | Credit: Tattersalls
Earlier on the card, Bow Echo extended his unbeaten record to three in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes.
An easy-to-back 85-40 favourite, the son of Night Of Thunder came from well off the pace under Billy Loughnane and kept on well up the hill and defeat a gallant Humidity by a length.
Trainer George Boughey noted: “He travelled well and has got so much pace. Billy gave him a lovely ride. He allowed him to relax early, and I was keen for him to do it the right way around. He has a nice turn of foot, and he showed that.”
Boughey added: “We’re happy at a mile and this was a nice trial for May next year.”
William Buick overcame early scare before getting Wise Approach home for Godolphin in the Gr1 Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes.
A stumble after he clipped heels meant the 11-8 favourite had more to do than was originally planned, even though the intention was always to ride him cold, after he hit the front too soon in the Gr1 Prix Morny on his previous start.
Off a strong pace set by eventual fourth Five Ways, the winner was still last at the Bushes when Buick delivered his challenge.
In a rousing finish over the final furlong, the Mehmas colt found plenty for Buick coming home by three-quarters of a length from Brussels and Coppull.
The stewards determined there was no riding offence shortly after the six furlong start when The Publican’s Son, ridden by Oisin Murphy, ducked left-handed, resulting in
Wise Approach “clipping heels, stumbling and losing ground.”
Trainer Charlie Appleby was a relieved man afterwards. He said: “The plan was for him to miss the break, but we didn’t reckon on the stumble.”
“I did say to William to put him in front on the line today, but it’s never easy to watch when he went past like that. I’m delighted for the horse, for William and to have a Group 1 juvenile winner.”
Ballydoyle’s True Love quickened away from her rivals in taking fashion to win her first Group 1 in the Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes over six furlongs.
She travelled sweetly for Wayne Lordan before unleashing a potent turn of foot coming out of the Dip to beat fellow Irish raider Havana Anna by three-quarters of a length.
Victory gave trainer Aidan O’Brien a recordextending sixth win in the race. A trip to the ‘States’ for the Breeders’ Cup meeting looks on the cards.
“She’s a big powerhouse and Wayne gave her a beautiful ride,” said O’Brien.
17 STAND GROUND FOR ARC
A total of 17 horses remain in contention for Sunday’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with most of the main fancies from 71 eligible entries standing their ground.
The highest-profile absentee is Almaqam, third in the Prix Foy earlier this month and whose trainer Ed Walker warned over the weekend was more likely to be kept fresh for the Qipco Champion Stakes.
France Galop reports that trainer Christophe Ferland will saddle favourite Aventure.
Aventure is owned by Wertheimer & Frère. She finished second in last year’s Arc, and appears even stronger this year. She has scored in both the Gr3 Prix Allez France and the Gr2 Prix Corrida, both against fillies. In the Gr1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at the end of June, only Calandagan managed to beat her.
Most recently, Aventure secured a convincing victory in the Gr1 Qatar Prix Vermeille—a key prep race for the Arc—and run over the same course and distance, defeating even her younger stablemate Gezora, who had won the Gr1 Prix de Diane Longines in June.
Arc favourite Aventure in action – inset is her trainer, Christophe Ferland | Credit: France Galop
Aventure will be ridden by Maxime Guyon, Wertheimer & Frère’s first jockey and a fourtime winner of the Cravache d’Or, the annual title awarded to France’s leading jockey in number of wins.
Her trainer Christophe Ferland has yet to win the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but he has previously found success during this prestigious weekend, notably with Dabirsim, winner of the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère in 2011, and Indonésienne, victorious in the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac in 2013.
Ferland shared his thoughts on Aventure’s chances and the significance of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe during a press conference held Monday morning by France Galop.
“Aventure’s win in the Qatar Prix Vermeille— her first Group 1—was a real relief. We had really been waiting for that victory! Before that, she had raced four times at this level, first in the Prix de Diane Longines, where she finished fourth, then against older horses, which is always a challenging assignment. She was only beaten by horses of the calibre of Bluestocking, the Arc winner, or Calandagan! This win in the Vermeille was a major step in her career—though we naturally have more goals ahead.”
He confirmed that his charge had enjoyed a smooth preparation.
“Aventure recovered very well from her last race. I haven’t encountered any issues in her preparation for the Arc, which allows me to approach the race calmly. I don’t pay attention to the fact that she’s the favourite. I’m going through it all serenely, without the pressure I felt last year. In the ten days leading up to the 2024 Arc, we had many discussions about
whether to run her in the Arc or the Prix de l’Opéra, which seemed like an easier option. I had the green light from her owners to enter the Arc. We have this motto: ‘We win together, we lose together!’ Her second-place last year was deeply emotional for me.”
And it is comforting that the ground conditions won’t be an issue!
“Aventure performs well on soft ground as well as on heavier going. On Monday morning, the track reading was 3.7 on the penetrometer. It might rain a little before the race, but I’m not obsessively checking the weather—it’s something we simply can’t control! Nights are cool and humid now, so the track won’t dry as quickly as it does in summer.Maxime Guyon will ride Aventure. Last year, he rode Sosie in the same silks. He knows the filly very well. Aventure was runner-up last year… It’s up to him to make sure she wins this time!”
The importance of the draw?
“The Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is a true world championship, and every horse at the start deserves respect. Minnie Hauk is a very talented filly; Sosie is in great form; Gezora, winner of the Prix de Diane Longines and runner-up in the Qatar Prix Vermeille, must also be taken seriously; and the Japanese horses won the prep races… Much will depend on the outcome of the post-position draw. It remains a very important factor.”
TEAM UP TIMELESS LEGENDS
Rebel’s Romance secured a ninth Gr1 victory and set himself up for an unprecedented third Breeders’ Cup Turf bid with a commanding display in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct, USA, on Saturday, 27 September.
America’s reigning Champion Male Turf Horse, winner of the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2022 and 2024, was returning to the United States for Charlie Appleby on the back of impressive wins in Qatar, the UK and Germany this year.
Kept wide throughout by Frankie Dettori, Rebel’s Romance tracked Redistributing in a length second before taking up the running after the first half-mile.
Rebel’s Romance soon established a twolength advantage, although the seven-yearold’s lead was reduced slightly when his four rivals took closer order down the back.
Having kicked for home turning in, Rebel’s Romance readily saw off the challenges of Far Bridge and Redistributing early in the straight before storming further clear for an easy three-and-a-half length verdict.
Stablemate El Cordobes, bidding to follow up his win in August’s Gr1 Sword Dancer Stakes, was held up in fourth by John Velazquez for much of the race and finished strongly, missing out on second by a neck.
Rebel’s Romance charges home under Frankie Dettori | Credit: Godolphin
Charlie Appleby said: “I’m delighted with Rebel’s Romance, who keeps putting his rivals to the sword. It was a great ride from Frankie and it’s all systems go now towards the Breeders’ Cup.
“I was very pleased with El Cordobes as well, who is still learning and has done nothing wrong. I am sure there are more races at this level in him.”
Dettori got the call-up with Godolphin’s retained jockey William Buick required at Newmarket, where he was successful in the Gr1 Middle Park Stakes on Wise Approach.
Billy Loughnane had ridden Rebel’s Romance the time before in the Grosser Preis von Berlin, but he was also needed domestically for winning Royal Lodge favourite Bow Echo.
Is All Set For Californ…IA! ‘CUTE’ JOHANNES
If Johannes wasn’t such a talented racehorse, he could trade on his looks in the show ring.
“We love Johannes—he’s such a pretty boy,” said Debby McCloskey, who bred and owns Johannes with her husband, Joe. “He was always a little heartstopper. He was just really cute.”
After Johannes swooped down in the stretch to capture his second consecutive Gr2 City of Hope Mile Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, Joe went up and kissed the horse on the nose. Debby says that Joe has photos of Johannes on his phone from early days and loves to show them off.
The McCloskeys breed and race in the name of Cuyathy LLC, Cuyathy being Johannes’ dam. They came close to Breeders’ Cup glory last year when Johannes finished second in the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Mile. The City of Hope, which is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series event offering an automatic, fees-paid berth to the Mile, should set up Johannes well for another try at it.
Now a 5-year-old, Johannes faced five rivals in the City of Hope, two fewer than last year. Only Almendares, who finished second to Johannes in the 2024 edition, returned this year. Favored at 4-5 in 2024, Johannes this time was bet down to 1-5.
Johannes storms clear under Umberto Rispoli | Credit: Breeders’ Cup Championships
As he did last year, Johannes settled into midpack early for jockey Umberto Rispoli while this time longshot Zio Jo set the pace. Zio Jo and Final Boss led the field, with Zio Jo responsible for the first quarter-mile in :22.70.
Zio Jo slowed it down to a half-mile in :47.47, and Johannes was eager to be let loose. The favorite found himself too close behind Cabo Spirit and jockey Mike Smith, and he had to check, throwing his head. The incident looked worse than it was, however, because Johannes went right back to his job.
“The pace was slow, but I didn’t want to take any chances to go on the inside,” Rispoli said. “The speed map for me today was different. Mike is a smart rider, and I wanted to sit behind Cabo.”
Cabo Spirit took over the lead from Zio Jo, but Johannes was just revving up. He angled out three wide heading into the stretch, giving him a clear path to catch the leaders. Johannes powered home to a 1 1/4-length victory over Cabo Spirit in 1:34.13. Almendares closed from last to finish third, a head behind Cabo Spirit.
“I think he just got a little aggressive with Umberto,” said trainer Tim Yakteen of the incident midrace. “Umberto probably didn’t want to hit the lead too early with him.”
The victory gave Yakteen what he wanted for Johannes.
“You don’t want those exhausting efforts that don’t allow you to come back,” Yakteen said. “Five weeks between races is great timing-wise and sort of sets us up for the same schedule that we had last year. He’s a trainer’s dream—he’s so straightforward.”
Going into last year’s City of Hope, Johannes had won the American Stakes (Gr3), Shoemaker
Mile Stakes (Gr1), and Eddie Read Stakes (Gr2). Second to More Than Looks in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, he won the 2024 San Gabriel Stakes (Gr2), but came out of that race with mild bone bruising. He had only one outing this year prior to the City of Hope, an unplaced effort in the Fourstardave Stakes (Gr1) at Saratoga Race Course after an awful trip that began with being bumped at the start.
Debby McCloskey admitted to being worried during the City of Hope, saying, “You’re watching and you’re thinking, ‘What’s happening? Why is he so far back?’ We were hoping he would be sitting third. But Umberto always surprises us at the end. We couldn’t be more pleased. Now we know what we’re doing—we’re going to Breeders’ Cup and we’re thrilled.”
The McCloskeys bought Cuyathy, their first horse, for $50,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Johannes is the mare’s first foal. Sea Dancer, Cuyathy’s 2021 filly by Mastery, was a multiple winner for the McCloskeys and Yakteen.
Sold for $150,000 at the 2024 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale to SF Bloodstock, Sea Dancer has since won the 2024 Carousel Stakes and 2025 Nellie Morse Stakes for SF Racing and trainer Brittany Russell.
Johannes, Argos, Velocity, Cavalieri, Nysos, Tenma, Crimson Advocate, Randomized, Verity, and Gosger are 2025 graded stakes winners by Nyquist, the champion 2-year-old male of 2015 and winner of the 2016 Kentucky Derby (Gr1). The stallion stood for a 2025 stud fee of $175,000 at Darley near Lexington.
Quick Time 8yo Scores Upset In
Win Carnelian marked an upset victory in the Gr1 Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday to capture his third graded and first Gr1 title and became the second eight-year-old to win the race after Hong Kong-based Ultra Fantasy in 2010.
Win Carnelian scored in a slick 1m 06.9s – the second fastest winning time after the great Lord Kanaloa set a new track record in 2012 (1m 06.7s).
Sired by Screen Hero who was also trained by Yuichi Shikato, the chestnut began his career in 2019 and finished fourth in the 2020 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, Gr1, 2,000m). He registered his first graderace victory in the 2022 Sekiya Kinen (Gr3, 1,600m) and added another in the 2023 Tokyo Shimbun Hai (Gr3, 1,600m).
Win Carnelian was tested over 1200 meters for the first time in last year’s Takamatsunomiya Kinen (Gr1, 1200m; 4th) and marked a runner-up effort in this year’s Al Quoz Sprint (Gr1, 1200m).
Win Carnelian (Kosei Miura) nabs the courageous June Blair on the line | Credit: JRA
Trainer Yuichi Shikato marked his fifth JRAGr1 win following the 2021 Arima Kinen with Efforia while jockey Kosei Miura, who debuted in 2008, scored his 23rd graded victory and much-awaited first Gr1 title in his 127th attempt at the level.
Eight-year-old Win Carnelian burst out from the outermost stall to press the pace in second behind June Blair. As the field rounded the final corner, the chestnut engaged in a fierce duel with the four-year-old filly down the stretch, ultimately winning his first Gr1 title by a head.
“I’ve been riding this horse for a long time, so regardless of the (widest) draw, I was confident in knowing how he could find his best and most comfortable rhythm, which was the top priority for us today. During the deadheat to the wire, the history between us and the strong desire to give one more big victory to my eight-year-old partner ran through my mind. It’s also a big joy for me to mark my first Gr1 win with the horse of my mentor (and trainer), Yuichi Shikato,” commented jockey Kosei Miura after winning the race.
Quick out of the gate, seventh choice June Blair immediately took the lead to set a steady pace. The American Pharoah filly continued to demonstrate incredible speed in the stretch and dueled strongly with the winner but crossed the wire a head short in second.
Second pick Namura Clair broke sharply and eased back to travel wide in mid-division. Although meeting traffic entering the lane, the six-year-old mare found a narrow opening 200 meters out and unleashed a powerful late charge that timed the fastest over the last three furlongs, but was unable to catch the leaders and finished third—marking her third consecutive third-place finish in the Sprinters Stakes.
Race favorite Satono Reve broke smoothly and settled in midfield, around eighth, and turned the last two corners wide to launch his bid. The Takamatsunomiya Kinen champion, although unable to nail the top two finishers, engaged in a fierce rally with four other horses before the wire and finished a nose behind Namura Clair in fourth.
Sent off tenth pick, Hong Kong sprinter Lucky Sweynesse broke well from stall no. 10 and was eased back a bit to settle in mid-field behind the race favorite while cruising down the backstretch.
As the field launched their bids rounding the last corner, the seven-year-old gelding responded mildly, slipping back near to the rear at the top of the straight and found his best stride too late, finishing 11th.
“The race was good, but the winning time and the pace was just too fast for our horse. Losing close to 50 pounds may have also affected his performance,” trainer Ka Leung Man said in a post-race interview.
“He was squeezed between horses in the beginning and was never comfortable. And when they speeded up, my horse couldn’t follow it. After he struggled in a gap, he fired in the last 100 (meters) but was too late,” commented jockey Ka Chun Leung.
Race favourite Satono Reve closed late for fourth.
Gets His Wish! Ferraris
My Wish remains on course for a tilt at the HK$36 million Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile in December after sweeping to an emphatic victory in the HK$4.2 million Gr3 Celebration Cup Handicap at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Held up in the straight as jockey Luke Ferraris searched for clear running, My Wish (130lb) eventually weaved between runner-up Copartner Prance (134lb) and Pray For Mir (128lb) and
powered to a length and a quarter margin in 1m 20.79s. Happy Together (135lb) finished strongly for third, a short head further away.
Winner of the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile and second in the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby last season, My Wish enhanced his overall record to five wins and five minor placings from 12 starts and prizemoney of HK$22.7 million.
Ferraris believes My Wish is untapped.
Luke Ferraris steers Lucky Wish to victory in the Celebration Cup | Credit: HKJC
“The sky is the limit with him and whatever we throw at him, he takes and does better so it’s really exciting going forward,” the South African said.
“Last season he finished a length behind Voyage Bubble and it probably wasn’t his best performance when beaten by Red Lion at the end of last ‘prep’ – which was a tough ‘prep’ –but with a freshen up and now that he’s filled out a bit, I don’t know where the ceiling is.”
Settling fourth behind the leaders, My Wish was poised to strike as the field entered the home straight but initially had nowhere to go.
“It just seemed like nothing was moving and then half a gap opened – and he’s as gutsy as ever – and I put him in it and he did the rest. He got me out of trouble,” Ferraris said.
Newnham said: “He’s a really good, tenacious little horse. He certainly showed today that he’s
made improvement from last season and he’s going to be a force the rest of the season. It was actually one of the last things I said to Luke. I said ‘just trust the horse – you know when you need him, he’ll be there’.
“It did look a little complicated there for a few strides but once he got the gap, he put them away quite well. He’ll have the Group 2 miles – one next month (Gr2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap) and one in November (Gr2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile) – leading into December.”
“It’s a good way to start the season but we’ve still got the A-graders to come yet, so he’s got to improve a little bit more. But I think it’s there.”
Newnham also struck with Lucky Sam Gor (121lb), who was given a patient ride by Jerry Chau in landing the Class 4 Tailorbird Handicap (1400m).
With Sha Tin Double Crawford Breaks Through
Brett Crawford broke through in spectacular fashion for his first Hong Kong wins, slotting a double when Speedy Smartie (129lb) triumphed in the Class 5 Tropicbird (1200m, dirt) and Ninja Derby (123lb) prevailed in the Class 5 Woodpecker Handicap (1600m).
Fittingly, Crawford shared the milestone success with Karis Teetan (Speedy Success) and Lyle Hewitson (Ninja Derby), both of whom had forged strong links with Crawford in South Africa.
“It’s amazing, he’s (Crawford) been a great help to my career. When I was in South Africa, he gave me a chance to put my name
up there when I was back in Cape Town and he trusted me and put me on a lot of good horses,” Teetan said.
“Hong Kong is a different place and I’ve been here for so long now and I just let Brett know that you just have to keep your head up and persist.”
Crawford, 54, saddled more than 1400 winners in South Africa, landing many of the country’s major races.
He said: “Amazing day. I couldn’t be happier. I’m obviously very pleased. We’ve had a few horses run really good races so far. As long as we can keep horses running to their
Brett Crawford gives the thumbs up as his partner Gwen MacGregor and Karis Teetan enjoy the moment | Credit: HKJC
form – it’s nice to see a horse like this first run second and then build on that – that’s the goal for us.
“Obviously, we (Crawford and Teetan) go back a long time and I think it was over 12 years ago when he had a winner for me, so it’s a fantastic feeling. He’s put in a lot of work and he’s helped me a lot, so for me it’s like a milestone to see him back in the saddle and winning for me. A big thanks to him and his family.”
Reflecting on Ninja Derby’s performance, Crawford said: “Obviously from gate 14 it was a bit of a concern, but I must give full credit to Lyle. I thought he rode an absolutely perfect race and gave the horse every chance.”
Just a matter of hours later, Brett’s son James saddled the Futura gelding to shed his maiden under Callan Murray in the third race at Turffontein.
Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup ROMANCING TILT AT
4
th
Romantic Warrior took a significant step towards a high-level return to racing when Hong Kong’s global champion breezed through a 1700m barrier trial at Happy Valley on Saturday.
Ridden by Hugh Bowman in the absence of regular jockey James McDonald, Romantic Warrior pleased trainer Danny Shum ahead of a tilt at a record-extending fourth HK$40 million Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on 14 December and a second attempt at the Gr1 Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt) in Riyadh in February.
Side-lined after undergoing fetlock surgery on his left foreleg in May, the 10-time Group 1 victor settled at the tail of the eight-horse field before closing impressively under little pressure to finish fourth behind Awesome Fluke (Andrea Atzeni) in 1m 48.51s.
Shum plans to start Romantic Warrior in the HK$5.35 million Gr2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on 23 November – a race Romantic Warrior won in 2022 and 2024.
“I’m very happy with him. Hugh said the horse was a little bit (eager) early but from the 1000m, he was very relaxed,” Shum said.
Hugh Bowman took the star through his paces on Saturday | Credit: HKJC
“We want to do another trial or a gallop on the turf (before he races). The plan is on the 2000m (BOCHK Jockey Club Cup), then to December (LONGINES Hong Kong Cup) and then to the Saudi Cup – that’s the plan.
“He had surgery five months ago and he’s okay. He’s been galloping well, trotting well, eating well. I’m very happy with him.”
With world record earnings of HK$214.70 million, Romantic Warrior has not raced since a gallant second to Japan’s Soul Rush in the Gr1 Dubai Turf (1800m), having suffered narrow defeat to Forever Young in the Gr1 Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt) in February.
Bowman was satisfied with Romantic Warrior’s trial performance, having also trialled the Hong Kong International Sale graduate last season for Shum.
“He’s great. He was bubbly prior to the jump. He came out with a fair bit of purpose but I relaxed him at the back,” Bowman said. “He
wanted to get on with it, he was a bit keen the first quarter (400m), but from the 1000 metres, he settled into a really good rhythm and dropped the bridle.
“I just let him work up within himself, the last 400m, and I think it was pretty obvious to see how well he was going.
“Danny was keen not to do too much with him because he’s had a fair time off, so we just relaxed him and let him do his work. He had a good blow afterwards so that will improve him from a fitness perspective.
“He’s in good shape. His action is really good.”
SHAPES AS A THRILLER QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS DAY
QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday 18 October remains on course to showcase the very best equine talent from across Europe as the latest acceptance stage saw Trawlerman, Field Of Gold, Ombudsman, Delacroix, Calandagan and Anmaat stand their ground.
The £1.3m QIPCO Champion Stakes is shaping up to be a truly mouth-watering clash with last year’s winner Anmaat bidding to become the first horse since Cracksman to win back-to-back renewals of the race.
He will face a fierce challenge, though, with Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and Juddmonte International winner Ombudsman and Coral-
Eclipse victor Delacroix also in contention for the £1.3m contest.
Their own rivalry adds another possible dimension to this race with the series currently standing at 1-1 between them. Add in this year’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner, Calandagan, and this looks like being one of the races of the season not only in Great Britain but worldwide. Last year’s Irish Champion Stakes winner Economics and two-time Group 1 victor Goliath are also among the 25 acceptors.
Field Of Gold is still on course to re-appear in the £1.1m Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
Anmaat is bidding to become the first horse since Cracksman to win back-to-back renewals | Credit: Megan Coggin
(sponsored by QIPCO) and heads 27 horses going forward.
The Juddmonte-owned colt was hugely impressive when winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St. James’s Palace Stakes – he will bid to add a third Group 1 victory to his CV having been given a break following a below-par effort in the Sussex Stakes.
Docklands delivered the performance of his career when taking the Queen Anne Stakes in the opening race at Royal Ascot and will look to continue his impressive Ascot record with three wins and three seconds in seven starts. Rosallion has finished runner-up in three Group 1 races over a mile this term including the aforementioned Queen Anne Stakes, whilst Facteur Cheval has finished second in this race for the last two years for
French trainer Jerome Reynier. Delacroix retains the option of dropping back in trip to a mile having raced exclusively over further this season.
The £500,000 QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes sees 30 go forward as the most open division in British racing looks to crown a champion.
Last year’s winner Kind Of Blue is one of three potential runners for Wathnan Racing who will also look to run Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes hero Lazzat and Flora Of Bermuda, third in this contest last year and placed in multiple top-level races this term. Big Mojo retains an entry in this race having won the Sprint Cup at Haydock last time out as well as the Commonwealth Cup Trial over course and distance. No Half Measures
completes the set of British Group 1 winners remaining in the contest after her shock success in the July Cup at Newmarket.
There are plenty of intriguing names still left in the £500,000 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes with more likely to be revealed after this weekend’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
24 fillies and mares remain in at this stage, including last year’s winner Kalpana although she is set to run at Longchamp alongside Estrange and Minnie Hauk later in the week. Aidan O’Brien has seven other potential entries in the race including Ribblesdale Stakes winner Garden Of Eden and Bedtime Story, third in the Prix Vermeille earlier in the month. Owen Burrows’ Waardah has improved with every start this season, most recently beating fellow Fillies & Mares Stakes entry Danielle in the Group 2 Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood.
Trawlerman has proved better than ever this year and will look to assert his dominance over the staying division in the £500,000 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup, which sees 16 go forward.
John & Thady Gosden’s Godolphin-owned seven-year-old broke the track record when winning the Gold Cup at the Royal Meeting and will look to win this race for the
second time having done so in 2023. The Classic generation could be represented by Scandinavia, who has won the Goodwood Cup and St Leger this term. Aidan O’Brien has also confirmed Gold Cup runner-up Illinois and Jan Brueghel, most recently fourth in the King George. Francis Graffard, meanwhile, has left Sibayan in the race – the four-year-old would be stepping up to two miles for the first time but proved his class when winning the Group 1 Preis von Europa on Sunday.
The QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup race will be run as a Group 1 for the first time this year, meaning QIPCO British Champions Day features five Group 1 races, more than any other raceday in Britain.
QIPCO British Champions Day takes place on Saturday 18th October at Ascot Racecourse. It’s the nation’s richest raceday and the grand finale of the British Flat racing season.
For the first time this year the £250,000 QIPCO British Champions Day Two-Year Old Conditions Stakes will open the card, a six-furlong race for juveniles run without penalties. Entries for that race will be made at the usual six-day stage on Monday 13th October. The card is concluded by the £200,000 Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored by QIPCO).
A SNAPSHOT OF THE WEEK NHA CALENDAR
The Sporting Post presents this week’s National Horseracing Authority Calendar.
The calendar is a summary of the past week’s penalties and registrations and is an easyread snapshot of information.
Click on the image below to read the calendar:
Racing took place under the night sky at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Friday 26 September | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
J O CK E YS results up to: 2025-10-01
1,828,750
1,045,000 2,594,419 2,432,950 1,466,919 1,460,513 1,458,369
1,854,281 1,749,188 1,638,156 4,002,856 3,007,011 2,926,771 2,736,488 2,519,691
3,739,694 2,673,769 2,507,189 1,799,117 1,721,234 BREEDERS
3,109,312 2,997,601 2,295,130 1,919,339 1,849,813 S I RE S T R A I NER S Name
