FINALE!
LEFT… ONE MAJOR DAY
04
Season Finale Sunday 27 July
17
Equus Latest
The stars set to shine
37
SA Champ In USA
One Stripe settles in
60
Clocking The Firsts Time is money
82
Hong Kong Heroes
Saluting the stars
On the cover
The World Pool Gold Cup raceday is the season climax and will be held on Sunday 27 July. Candiese Lenferna snapped last year’s trophies and silverware in the Hollywoodbets Greyville parade ring.
Issue: 28/2025
GOLD CUP DAY GIVES EQUUS HOPEFULS A LAST SHOUT
Unsurprisingly, this Season’s triple Grade 1-winning Eight On Eighteen still holds a commanding lead in both the Equus Three-Year-Old Male category as well as the race for the prestigious Horse Of The Year title.
Eight On Eighteen’s nearest challenger in both these divisions, One Stripe, has been exported to further his racing career in the USA and thus has no prospect of making inroads.
Dean Kannemeyer’s Hollywoodbets Durban July champion The Real Prince has emerged as a factor in a number of categories after his big victory on 5 July.
The World Pool Gold Cup day on Sunday 27 July could be a last chance saloon
for prospects in the other categories to put up their hands. There are 4 Grade 1’s, 3 Grade 2’s and a Grade 3 contest on the season finale raceday.
Final fields will be published on Thursday 17 July.
Save the date for the Equus Awards which will be held on Thursday 14 August 2025 in the Silver Ring at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Eight On Eighteen – looks on track for Horse Of The Year | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
JULY DAY GR2 BLING SANCTIONED, MUZI IN CLEAR?
In what was a contentious and widely discussed bumping match in the Omoda Gr2 Golden Horseshoe on Hollywoodbets Durban July day, Muzi Yeni appears to have escaped sanction but his colleague and opponent Smanga Khumalo received a seemingly soft-handed 10 day holiday.
There have been suggestions that South Africa ranks right up there these days amongst the world’s most dangerous jurisdictions to ride in, and the ‘scuffle’ between Khumalo (Tin Pan Alley) and Yeni (Chronicle King) in a Grade 2 race on our biggest raceday of the year, had some observers scratching their heads in dismay. The optics of the sparring between two of our experienced jockeys didn’t make for good TV and this was reflected in the comments to the Sporting Post.
The Stipes reported on Sunday that Khumalo was charged with a contravention of Rule 62.2.7 in that he, as the rider of TIN PAN ALLEY, failed to ensure that he did not cause interference to the horse CHRONICLE KING (M Yeni) on a number of occasions between the 300m and the 200m. Khumalo signed an admission of guilt and a suspension from riding in races for a period of 10 days was imposed. (Dates to be advised).
Chronicle King (Muzi Yeni) wins the Omoda Gr2 Golden Horseshoe on Hollywoodbets Durban July day
Credit: Candiese Lenferna
Given the various opinions that both riders appeared to be complicit, we contacted the NHA for clarity as to the level of the sanction of only 10 days, and whether Yeni was exonerated or would still face an inquiry.
Racing Control Executive Arnold Hyde was out of office on duty at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. Our query was referred to the KZN Stipendiary Board who have failed to respond to our repeated emails.
The matter has now been referred to NHA CEO Vee Moodley and we will publish any response that is received.
THE SEEDS OF TWO SUPERPOWERS
A South African racing and breeding industry without either of Rakeen or Al Mufti is unimaginable. Their most important progeny, Jet Master and Captain Al, never met on the racecourse, but their performances at stud were as closely matched as their sires were in the 1991 Rothmans Durban July.
Oscar Foulkes writes that if you have taken note of the publication dates of the (ultimately six) volumes of the Form Stallion Register, they were not published annually, as is the norm for stallion books elsewhere in the world.
Looking at it from the perspective of doing research in 2025, I’m extremely grateful that they were published at all and that the quality of the research – especially for stallions’ race records – was as good as it was.
Karl Neisius and 1991 Rothmana July winner Flaming Rock (Ballad Rock) | Credit: Supplied
For the purpose of this review exercise, it’s been useful to have those gaps, because it’s given nicely spaced snapshots of the stallions at stud.
Volume 5 of the Form Stallion Register was published in 1992, four years after Volume 4.
Special mention must go to Peaceable Kingdom, then aged 26, who had been in every volume since 1979.
Pedigrees sometimes transcend eras; Peaceable Kingdom’s sire, Native Dancer, was born in 1950, so there were foals born in the early 90’s with a grandsire that linked them to a completely different period in racing (by the way, there are a few Native Dancer videos on YouTube that are worth checking out).
The old guard remained active, headlined by Elliodor, Foveros, Golden Thatch and others. The newly retired, which have formed the basis for these articles, represented slim pickings. At the time there was a 15% import surcharge in place, which must have had an impact on the quality of stallions we could import.
The two most important new stallions in Volume 5 were Al Mufti and Rakeen, the sires of Captain Al and Jet Master. Their influence on South African racing and breeding has been massive.
Al Mufti had a wonderful pedigree, being by Roberto out of the great mare Lassie Dear. Racing in England, he won his only two-yearold start impressively. He had smart three-yearold form, although some lengths off the best of his generation. He contested the Epsom Derby at three and the Coronation Cup at four. While he was unplaced in both, it says something for his ability that he even lined up in races of this ilk. It is believed that he was choking up, which affected his performance.
After standing his first season at Ascot Stud in 1990, Rose Parker put him into training with Terrance Millard. He won his way through the divisions, kicking off with a C Division Handicap over 1600m in February, going off at the most generous odds of 2/1. Just five starts later, he lined up in the 1991 Durban July.
Also in the 1991 Durban July was Rakeen, a similarly regally bred colt. He was by Northern Dancer out of the equally great mare Glorious Song. The prestige of their pedigrees was eerily similar.
However, whereas Al Mufti was in his fifth season of racing, Rakeen was in his second, having made his debut in England a little over eight months’ previous. His final race before export was in November and he made his winning South African debut in April. So much for acclimatizing!
Rakeen’s entire racing career lasted just 18 months, including a move from northern hemisphere to southern.
There was less than half a length separating them at the finish, in 2nd and 3rd, with Flaming Rock getting the honours.
Flaming Rock died after siring just three crops. While the progeny he left behind included a Grade I winner, his percentages were some way behind those of the two colts he bested in the July.
A conclusion one might draw is that sons of Roberto and Northern Dancer will almost always outperform sons of Ballad Rock when it gets to the breeding shed.
Retiring at a similar time was Sportsworld, a son of Alleged with top-class 2000m form in Ireland. His dam was a half-sister to Lassie Dear. Although he sired three Grade I winning fillies (overall stakes-winner percentage
was a creditable 5.5%), that was where similarities to Al Mufti ended. It’s probably relevant that for all his brilliance as a racehorse, not to mention the good racehorses he sired, Alleged couldn’t be regarded as being a sire of sires.
The pedigrees that Al Mufti and Rakeen took to stud were matched by another stallion in Volume 5.
Damascus Gate was by the great Damascus out of a Buckpasser half-sister to Northern Dancer. His half-sister was the dam of Danehill, at that stage not yet the sire sensation he would grow to be.
This pedigree could only be bought at yearling stage because Damascus Gate had ringbone. With a future stud career intended, he had just three starts, winning two of them at long
odds-on. No attempt was made to get him into stakes company, and it could be said that his abbreviated racing career flattered him.
His percentages of winners and stakes-winners were pretty much on breed averages. He had way more opportunity than Elliodor and others that fought their way into the limelight. So, even though he retired to Highlands Stud as secondstring, he had enough opportunity to make it if he was going to.
One can’t draw conclusions for the breed as a whole, but I find it interesting that inbreeding to Natalma (Northern Dancer’s dam) didn’t shift the needle on Damascus Gate’s results. He covered a large number of mares with Northern Dancer in their pedigrees, without any apparent success. This is one case of inbreeding to great mares probably not working.
Rakeen – sire of Jet Master | Credit: Supplied
Rakeen was inbred to Natalma’s dam, Almahmoud, whereas Captain Al was inbred to Buckpasser’s dam, Busanda. *
This series of articles has been all about stallion successes and failures. With the 2025 renewal of the HollywoodBets Durban July run just weeks ago, it could as easily have been framed around the 1991 running of that race.
A South African racing and breeding industry without either of Rakeen or Al Mufti is unimaginable. Their most important progeny, Jet Master and Captain Al, never met on the racecourse, but their performances at stud were as closely matched as their sires were in the 1991 Durban July.
The Durban July has the prestige it does because of the horses that have contested it, as well as
the human and equine stories that surround it. Having two hugely influential stallions being involved in a close finish to the 1991 renewal was a wonderful piece of synchronicity.
*For a look at how inbreeding to a great mare changed the picture on a stallion’s record, take a look at this piece of research I did on Mambo in Seattle (https://www.sportingpost.co.za/gainingthe-breeding-edge-the-breeding-edge-lookingfor-that-edge/). His most recent stakes-winner, Madison Valley, duplicates the Lassie Dear pattern that was highlighted by the research.
Al Mufti – sired Captain Al | Credit: Supplied
HOT CHASE FOR TITLE SA BROODMARES IN
Dynasty’s iconic daughter Beach Beauty was crowned SA Broodmare Of The Year at Equus in 2024 and the current racing season has proved a memorable one, with a number of equine and human athletes putting up some notable performances again.
A number of South Africa’s broodmares have left their mark on our racecourses this season and will be in line for honours.
Below are just a few of SA’s star producers to have excelled in 2024-2025.
Real Princess
The Gr1 South African Fillies Sprint winning daughter of Trippi had a remarkable season and was responsible for three individual stakes winners. Her son The Real Prince won both the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Durban July and Listed City Of Cape Town Jet Master Stakes, while her offspring Gimme A Prince
(Gr1 HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship, Gr2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes) and Gimmie’s Countess (G3 Baker McVeigh Diana Stakes) also picked up graded wins this season. Real Princess is also the dam of promising two-year-old Gimmie Rules, a smart winner on debut back in June.
Grail Maiden
From the same female line as star performers Oasis Dream, New Bay and Kingman, Grail Maiden has certainly lived up to her breeding at stud.
A four-time winner who ran third in the Listed Winter Oaks, Grail Maiden enjoyed a pair of graded stakes winners this season in the form of King Pelles (Gr3
Real Princess (Trippi) at Varsfontein with her champion son Gimme A Prince – Lady Christine Laidlaw and her sister Patricia Woollett are alongside Dean Kannemeyer, with Khaya Racing Manager Jehan Malherbe at the rear | Credit: Supplied
Glorious Goodwood Chairman’s Cup, Gr3 Tote Derby, Gr3 Durban Gold Vase) and Legend Of Arthur (Gr1 TAB SA Derby). Legend Of Arthur is the second son of his dam to win the SA Derby, with Hero’s Honour victorious in the 2018 renewal.
King Pelles could well gild his dam’s record further when he lines up in the Gr3 Gold Cup at the end of this month.
Cosmic Dream
Broodmare daughters of Silvano are building an impressive record as producers, and the winning Cosmic Dream is one of the champion’s best.
She celebrated her first Gr1 winner this season when her son Cosmic Speed won the Wilgerbosdrift Gr1 H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes.
Cosmic Speed, along with Cosmic Light and Cosmic Highway, are three graded stakes winners produced by Cosmic Dream. The latter is also granddam of 2024 Listed Allied Steelrode Golden Loom Handicap winner, Chyavana.
Sylvie
While Sylvie did not come up with a Gr1 winner this season, the daughter of Dupont did prpduce a pair of black type winners in 2024-2025. Already the dam of Listed Swallow Stakes winner Sarah, Sylvie is the dam of this season’s Gr2 Betway Joburg
Spring F and M Challenge winner, Celtic Rumours, and Listed Betway Swallow Stakes queen, Almond Sea. The latter was also victorious in the 2024 Listed Wilgerbosdrift Ruffian Stakes.
Secret Obsession
The Listed Syringa Handicap winning daughter of Captain Al marked her third stakes winner when her daughter My Soul Mate won the 2025 Listed 4Racing Caradoc Gold Cup.
Secret Obsession ranks as the dam of graded stakes winners Bunker Hunt and Salvator Mundi, and she also produced Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas runner up Silver Thursday.
Save the date for the Equus Awards which will be held on Thursday 14 August 2025 in the Silver Ring at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Robbie Fradd keeps Secret Obsession at her task to win the 2013 Syringa Handicap from Saucy Savannah (Donovan Mansour) in a tight call | Credit: Supplied
NO ACTION AGAINST YENI LANGERMAN
An objection in the Gr3 Langerman by runner-up Pay The Palace against the winner Absolutely Yes will see no further action taken against Muzi Yen.
An Inquiry was held in Cape Town on 15 July 2025 into the finishing stages of the 2yo feature run on 21 June.
The Stewards, after hearing all the evidence and thoroughly reviewing the patrol film, were of the opinion that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with laying a charge against Jockey Yeni and will take no further action with regard to this incident.
It was reported on the day that shortly after entering the home straight, PAY THE PALACE (C Orffer) made its run on the inside of the race course close to the inside running rail.
Muzi Yeni drives the grey Absolutely Yes to victory as Pay The Palace (Corne Orffer) threatens down the inside Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Approaching the 150m ABSOLUTELY YES (M Yeni) and PAY THE PALACE (C Orffer) made slight contact when both horses shifted marginally.
Following this incident, leaving the 100m PAY THE PALACE (C Orffer), which in the opinion of the Stewards showed a tendency to hang outwards, was unbalanced and turned inwards when bumped by ABSOLUTELY YES (M Yeni), which shifted in away from the crop.
The Stewards called for a race review regarding this incident which was followed by Jockey C Orffer lodging an objection on behalf of the second placed horse PAY THE PALACE against
the first placed ABSOLUTELY YES (M Yeni) on the grounds of interference and intimidation in the latter stages.
The Objection Board, after carefully considering the evidence put forward, reviewing the patrol films from the various angles and giving consideration to the margin of 0,4 of a length between the two horses concerned, was of the opinion it could not be satisfied that PAY THE PALACE (C Orffer) would have finished ahead of ABSOLUTELY YES (M Yeni) had this incident not occurred and therefore overruled the Objection. Jockey Orffer’s deposit was refunded.
SNAITH PEARL SPARKLES ON A FRIDAY
With the fancied Time For Love running into all sorts of traffic issues, the door was opened for the Drakenstein owned and bred Gimmethatpearl to register a maiden stakes success with a well-taken victory in the R150 000 Listed East Cape Paddock Stakes at Fairview on Friday.
Ridden by Muzi Yeni and saddled by Justin Snaith, Gimmethatpearl (7-1) is a beautifullybred 4yo and she showed her well-being, scything through late in the race to beat fellow Cape raider Fun Zone (8-1) by 1,25 lengths in a time of 97,26 secs for the 1600m.
Luna Halo (7-1) was a further 0,75 lengths back in third, with the luckless Time For Love (14-10) consigned to fourth.
By SA Champion sire Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready), the winner is out of the Horse Chestnut mare Chestnuts N Pearls, who won the 2015 Gr1 Golden Slipper. This is the
illustrious family of top South African racemare and producer Party Time (Filipepi).
Now a winner of 5 races with a place from 14 starts, Gimmethatpearl took her stakes tally to R418 409.
At the time of writing, Drakenstein Stud had equalled their own record of 21 stakes winners in a season.
Gimmethatpearl (Muzi Yeni) registers a maiden stakes success | Credit: Pauline Herman
PADDOCK STAKES NO MR ADJUSTMENTS
Gimmethatpearl’s official merit rating remains unchanged at 98 following her victory in the Listed East Cape Paddock Stakes over 1600m at Fairview Racecourse on Friday.
Due to the untidy nature of the race and the varying degrees of interference suffered by a few runners, the Handicappers elected to use Gimmethatpearl herself as the line horse in assessing this race.
Furthermore, the Handicappers were of the opinion that she would not have performed below her established rating of 98 - earned in the Ladies Mile at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in May - and thus used that rating to rate this race.
There was, however, an upward adjustment to the rating of the runner-up, Fun Zone, whose merit rating was increased from 94 to 96.
No changes were made to the ratings of the other runners in the race.
Media release by the NHA on Tuesday, 15 July 2025.
‘Two recent stakes winners are proof that Party Time continues to make an impact as a taproot mare’
LIFE’S
ONE LONG PARTY!
The legacy of the revered Party Time still lingers. An outstanding racemare of the early seventies, she captured all of the Cape Fillies Guineas, Paddock and Majorca Stakes before carving her name into the South African Stud Book as the ancestress of a dynasty of black type winners, amongst which the champions Trademark, In The Fast Lane, Let’s Rock’N Roll and Gr1 winner Morisco.
In the latest instance of this remarkable damline suddenly coming back into form, two recent stakes winners are proof that Party Time continues to make an impact as a taproot mare.
On Friday, Gimmethatpearl opened her stakes account in the Listed East Cape Paddock Stakes, her victory coming a week after juvenile Chronicle King had captured the Omoda Gr2 Golden Horseshoe on July day.
Chronicle King wins the Omoda Gr2 Golden Horseshoe on July day | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Both descend from Party Time’s stakes-placed daughter Happy Birthday. Sired by that grand racer Over The Air, she was no slouch either, winning eight races and running second in the Champagne Stakes.
She proved to be a prolific broodmare as the dam of no less than 14 foals, of which eleven became winners, most notably the Gr3 Southern Cross victress Popular Girl sired by Dancing Champ.
When mated to Arc winner Saumarez, she foaled Page Girl, a four-time winning sprinter who clearly took after her speedy dam, rather than her stout sire, whose only claim to fame as a stallion in South Africa was as the sire of (then) Gr1 Canon Gold Cup hero Diamond Quest. Without wishing to digress, he too, was out of a speedy mare, the multiple Gr1-placed, Gr2/3 winning sprinter Discover Diamonds.
In time, Page Girl joined the Klawervlei broodmare band and when sent to Western Winter, she foaled the filly Written, who would go on to score three wins for the Sean Tarry stable.
At the end of her racing career, she was acquired by John Finlayson, the owner and breeder of Chronicle King. Written is a boarder at Narrow Creek Stud and foaled to Rafeef last year, according to stud master John Everett, who added: “Written wasn’t covered last year as her first two foals had shown nothing and we were actually thinking of selling her.”
Now that her breeding record has taken a turn for the better with third foal Chronicle King, it is no surprise that she will return to his sire Vercingetorix in the spring. Ironic how a mare’s future can change overnight,
Gimmethatpearl (Muzi Yeni) is led in by Team Snaith’s Zolani Xamle | Credit: Pauline Herman
from being a rather slow burner in danger of being offloaded, to being a stakes producer.
The female line’s sudden vein of form continued a week later at Fairview where Drakenstein homebred Gimmethatpearl scored a fluent first stakes victory in the Listed East Cape Paddock Stakes.
The daughter of Gimmethegreenlight is the first stakes winner out of Gr1 Golden Slipper victress Chestnuts N Pearls, one of two South African-bred Gr1 winners sired by Horse Chestnut after his return from the States. She was trained by Dennis Drier and is out of Pearl Hostess, an Elliodor half-sister to Popular Girl.
As a modest one-time winner, Pearl Hostess may have lacked the racetrack prowess of her half-sister, yet she proved her prowess as a broodmare, for in addition to
Chestnuts N Pearls and her stakes-placed own sister Pearl Jam, she also bred Sweet Chestnut victress Golden Dawn.
Acquired by Drakenstein, Chestnuts N Pearl’s principal appeal was two-fold, she was a Gr1 winner backed up by a fine pedigree.
Chestnut N Pearls has not disappointed in her second career and is the latest stakes producer in Drakenstein’s blue-chip broodmare band.
By the way, she is now the dam of two blacktype performers, given that her three-year-old son Chestnut Bomber finished second in this season’s Listed Wolf Power 1600. She has a soon-to-be yearling colt by champion Jet Dark.
Lane
LANDS THE GOLD! SON OF ERUPT
Sharon Kotzen’s progressive staying sort Home Reef finished with a flourish under his 50kgs to beat top-weighted hard-knocker and favourite Bournemouth in Friday’s R175 000 Port Elizabeth Gold Cup, which was run in testing weather conditions.
The 3200m contest saw the tough-as-teak Bournemouth going for four on the trot in his prep run for a possible tilt at the World Pool
Gr3 Gold Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 27 July.
Home Reef (Malesela Katjedi) finishes with a flourish in testing weather conditions at Fairview | Credit: Pauline Herman
But the 5yo son of Canford Cliffs found the 3yo Home Reef relishing the test.
While Bournemouth made solid ground up from almost last turning for home, Home Reef (33-1) was full of beans and went on smartly under Malesela Katjedi to hold the favourite to 1,50 lengths in a time of 206,15 secs.
Alado’s Pride (125-1) was a further 7,50 lengths back in third.
A R90 000 Cape Yearling Sale graduate, the winner was bred by Newbury Racing & Breeding and is a son of Erupt (Dubawi) out of the Sabiango three-time winner, Placid Sea.
Now a winner of 3 races with 6 places from his 14 starts, Home Reef took his stakes earnings to R247 156.
Full marks to Louis Mxothwa for bouncing back from an ugly fall in the previous race to fulfil his engagement on Zatara Magic, who led for a long way.
Sharon Kotzen and Malesela Katjedi celebrate the Gold Cup victory | Credit: Pauline Herman
SA STAR AIMS AT BC MILE MILNERTON TO MARYLAND
Star SA-bred 3yo One Stripe has settled in at trainer Graham Motion’s Fair Hill Training Centre in Maryland after a journey of over three months from his Milnerton home base in the Cape.
One Stripe won six races here in the care of veteran trainer Vaughan Marshall, with his cv including sensational victories in the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas and the L’Ormarins Gr1 King’s Plate from only nine starts, for career earnings of close on R4,2-million.
One Stripe currently features just below Snaith 3yo Eight On Eighteen on the relevant Equus ’25 tables.
After leaving South Africa en route to Graham Motion in the USA, the son of One World spent two months with Irishman Gavin Hernon, who
A contented One Stripe settles into his new surroundings | Credit: Supplied
is based in Chantilly, France. One Stripe was not quarantined in France and was kept in light work.
One Stripe departed France on Wednesday 9 July, and after a few days in precautionary quarantine, arrived in Maryland on Saturday 12 July.
Trainer Graham Motion told the Sporting Post earlier this week that the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile on 1 November at Del Mar will be One World’s main target.
“We will hopefully get a prep race in to get him there much like we did with Isvunguvungu last
year. The difference though is that One Stripe has been in some training in France since he left SA. This helps! We will keep you posted,” concluded Motion.
The 2024 renewal of the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile was won by Victory Racing Partners’ More Than Looks.
More Than Looks was a 4-year-old Kentuckybred son of More Than Ready out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Ladies’ Privilege. Trained by Cherie DeVaux and ridden by Jose Ortiz, More Than Looks completed the mile over a firm turf course in 1:32.65.
JUST ANOTHER FAIRVIEW MONDAY FOR STIPES
Three-timers for two jock-trainer combinations, flouting of the crop use rule, smoking in the jockey’s quarters, and a no-show by the ambulance. The East Cape Stipes had their hands full again at Fairview on a busy Monday.
Racing does not proceed without the ambulance in attendance and the jockeys had already mounted and were about to proceed to the start of the 12h30 first race when the
Stipendiary Stewards were advised by the Racing Operator that the medics and their vehicle had not arrived on course.
Chad Little and Juan Nel teamed up with three winners – here Pardon Me wins a good race | Credit: Pauline Herman
The Stipes instructed the riders to dismount and trainers were advised to take their horses back to the saddling area.
In the interests of the comfort of the horses, trainers were also advised that they could remove the saddles and tongue ties until such time as the ambulance arrived on course. The race eventually went off 17 minutes late.
Ironically, the ambulance was needed as the fancied Olive Oyl stumbled, fell and dislodged Kendall Minnie at the 400m. It was a shocker visually, but the filly only suffered head trauma
and Minnie walked away – albeit, being stood down for the rest of the day.
Jockey Sandile Khathi was charged with a contravention of Rule 58.10.2 (read with Guideline M on the use of the crop) in that as the rider of Hat Montera he misused his crop by striking his mount more than 14 times in the fourth race, which was deemed to be not warranted when considering the circumstances of the race.
Sandile Khathi – Stipes not happy about his ‘flouting’ of crop rule | Credit: Pauline Herman
The limit is 12. Khathi signed an admission of guilt and was fined R8 000 and suspended for seven days.
In assessing a suitable penalty, it has reportedly become apparent to the Stipes that the experienced Khathi insists on flouting this Rule with regards to crop use.
A stern warning was issued to the jockey that his use of the crop on his mounts has become intolerable to the Stipes. He was advised that should he persist with this ‘nonchalant attitude’ towards the Stewards caution regarding his behaviour, stronger measures will be taken.
The ‘after action satisfaction’ is seemingly not deemed to be acceptable to the Stipes and
championship chasing Gavin Lerena was charged with a contravention of Rule 56.2.6 in that he failed to ensure that he did not smoke in the Jockey’s quarters. Lerena signed an Admission of Guilt and was given a warning.
While some of the jockeys had a rough day, not so for Chad Little and Marco van Rensburg , who grabbed three winners each for Juan Nel and Cliffie Miller , respectively.
And after winning Friday’s Port Elizabeth Gold Cup on Home Reef for Sharon Kotzen, the Winning Form-sponsored Malesela ‘Keratile’ Katjedi booted home Above The Horizon for the same yard.
Gavin Lerena – frowned upon for lighting up in a no-go area | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
The man from Naboomspruit in Limpopo is proudly following in the footsteps of his late father, ‘LJ’ Katjedi who tragically died in a car accident in 2006 at the age of 26, having qualified as a jockey only eight days earlier.
On Friday, Katjedi showed mental courage to bounce back from an incident in the fifth race in which he was involved, where his colleague Louis Mxothwa suffered a heavy fall.
Katjedi signed an Admission of Guilt and was suspended from riding in races for a period of 14 days, from 18 July to 31 July. So, his season is, to all intents and purposes, over.
In the champion jockey title chase, Richard Fourie and Gavin Lerena enjoyed a quiet day, with Fourie pulling 1 back to see Lerena on an 8-winner lead going into today’s Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racemeeting.
Malesele Katjedi – reached his goal and just in time! | Credit: Pauline Herman
BSA ‘25 AUGUST 2YO SALE CATALOGUE VIEW IT ONLINE
Bloodstock South Africa are delighted to announce that an excellent catalogue has been put together for the 2025 August Two-Year-Old Sale.
This stellar offering is now online and can be viewed on the BSA website .
The August Two Year Old Sale is a wellestablished thoroughbred auction, which produces top-class thoroughbreds year in and year out. In recent times, notable graduates of this sale include such graded stakes winners as Elegantrix, Golden Palm, Let’s Go Now, Nourbese, and White Pearl.
This year, the sale, which will be held at the TBA Complex in Germiston, will take place on 21st and 22nd August, with each day’s trading set to commence at 10h30.
The majority of South Africa’s top stud farms will be represented at this year’s August Sale,
while top stallions represented here include Gimmethegreenlight, Master Of My Fate, One World, Querari, Rafeef, Vercingetorix and What A Winter.
Exciting young sires with members of their first crop on offer at the August Sale include Chimichuri Run, Malmoos, and Real Gone Kid.
While the sale has something for every buyer and budget, below are a few potential standout lots:
Lot 3
a Declarationofpeace half-sister to R6 million plus earner Royal Aussie
Lot 9
a Master Of My Fate full-brother to the promising Echo Check
Lot 14
a Rafeef half-sister to the smart Roland Garros
Lot 16
a Rafeef filly out of Gr1 winner Athina
Lot 24
a Hawwaam half-brother to two stakes winners
Lot 39
a Gimmethegreenlight colt out of a stakes winning daughter of Captain Al
Lot 43
a Rafeef filly out of Gr2 winner Caya Coco
Lot 47
a Vercingetorix colt out of dual Gr1 Majorca Stakes winner Clouds Unfold
Lot 58
a Gimmethegreenlight half-sister to Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Nursery winner Golden Palm
Lot 82
a Vercingetorix half-sister to Gr2 World Sports Betting Camellia Stakes winner Schippers
Lot 108
a Malmoos colt out of Gr2 winner Heavens Girl
Lot 113
a Futura half-brother to R3 million plus earner All Out For Six
Lot 121
a Rafeef colt out of a Gr3 winning daughter of Jet Master
Lot 124
a One World filly out of Gr2 Sceptre Stakes winner Joshlin
Lot 134
a Legislate 3/4 brother to Gr3 winner Rollwiththepunches
Lot 138
a Malmoos 1/2 sister to Gr2 winner Celestial Love
Lot 150
a Querari 1/2 brother to Gr2 4Racing SA Fillies Nursery winner Heavens Girl
Lot 154
a One World filly out of a stakes winning daughter of Querari
Lot 165
a Querari 3/4 brother to Gr2 winner Maryah
Lot 169
a Master Of My Fate half-brother to Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship runner up Glittering Girl
Lot 174
a Soqrat half-brother to Highveld star Choisaanada
Lot 186
a Rafeef half-brother to champion Nebraas
Lot 190
a Hawwaam half-brother to Gr2 Mike De Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge winner White Pearl
Lot 193
a Legislate full-sister to Gr3 winner Zimbaba
Lot 202
a Fire Away colt out of a stakes winning daughter of Encosta De Lago
Lot 218
a Gimmethegreenlight colt out of a winning sister to Gr3 winner Black Knap
Lot 223
a Master Of My Fate half-brother to Gr2 winner Cala Muretta
Lot 225
a Querari filly out of a stakes winning own sister to Gr1 winner Elusive Gold
Lot 230
a Gimmethegreenlight colt out of a Gr1 winning daughter of Master Of My Fate
Lot 263
a Chimichuri Run filly out of Gr3 winner Tropic Sun
Lot 268
a Last Winter half-sister to Hong Kong Gr3 winner Chefano and current top-class performer Madison Valley
Lot 275
a Futura half-brother to dual Gr2 winner Outlaw King
Lot 282
a Gimmethegreenlight filly out of Gr3 Acacia Handicap winner Wylie Wench
With such well-bred thoroughbreds on offer, no doubt more stars will be unveiled at this year’s August Two-Year-Old Sale!
Click on the image below to view the catalogue online…
Equus Award-winning photographer Candiese Lenferna captured this photograph of the beautiful Noble Tune mare, Mythical Tune, with the iNhlosane Mountain in the background, on a recent visit to Macrath Farm.
Rathmor Stud, located between Nottingham Road and Dargle, previously Kingswood Stud, was purchased from Dr Allan King in June 1998. Michael McHardy purchased Rathmor to pursue his passion for horses. Generations of knowledge have been passed down from Bernard and Wendy McHardy to Michael and Tanya McHardy, and now onto Bradley &
Caitlyn McHardy who manage the farm under the new name MacRath Farm.
In the words of Paul Fleishack, former Rector, whose unwavering passion for outdoor education left an indelible mark on Michaelhouse, iNhlosane, meaning ‘young maiden’s breast’, is the sentinel reaching up to the setting sun, and has for more than 100 years beckoned the young first-year learners of Michaelhouse to scale her summit by breakfast before dispatching them back to school before Chapel.
SETS UP KZN CHAMPION TITLE VEALE QUADRUPLE
The Hollywood Racing top jockey job has been a career gamechanger for the charismatic talent that is Sean Veale and the Cape Town-born rider looks set to end the season on a high, with a likely regional title, after booting home four winners at the KZN racemeeting on Sunday.
At the age of 39, the Sporting Post-sponsored Veale, who earned the moniker ‘Skinny’ when he joined the SA Jockey Academy as a 24kg hopeful alongside the likes of two subsequent national champions in Smanga Khumalo and Gavin Lerena, has matured both as a jockey and professional sportsman.
Some 23 years after booting home his first winner in August 2002 at Clairwood Park, Veale reached the milestone of his first century of winners in a season at Hollywoodbets Greyville some seven weeks ago.
Sean Veale salutes on Lou Lou The Legend as Blaine Marx-Jacobson chases on One Irish Rover Credit: Candiese Lenferna
On Sunday he took his term tally to 112 winners, with a maiden national top-five finish looking likely.
He also holds a 13 winner lead over Craig Zackey on the KZN Champion jockey log.
Veale’s four-timer included a rare KZN winner for trainer Candice Bass-Robinson in the shape of the classy chestnut 4yo chestnut Future Variety, who made short work of his five rivals in the 1200m Progress Plate and Bipot opener.
Veale then booted home a good maiden winner in Spectacular for Glen Kotzen, and a Hollywood Racing double, El Rey Viene in the seventh, and the popular Lou Lou The Legend to round off the Sunday Pick 6.
Hollywood Racing enjoyed a hat-trick, with Marco van Rensburg capping a straight fourtimer, when punctuating the Veale double, on the revitalized Thisiswhatitmeans, for MJ Odendaal, who saddled three winners on a watershed day for his Summerveld operation.
With three winners, Hollywood Racing broke a brief second-box hoodoo, having registered six runner-up finishes since their previous winner.
On 120, the team are now 5 winners away from eclipsing their all-time winner record of 124, achieved last term.
Hollywood Racing are offering incentives to the winning trainer, jockey, groom and commentator to celebrate the occasion of their 125th victory, should that happen by 31 July.
Sean Veale wins on Spectacular for Glen Kotzen | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
LERENA & FOURIE ONLY 7 IN IT
As the sun set on a cloudy Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Tuesday evening, Gavin Lerena held a lead of 7 winners over reigning champion Richard Fourie in the fight for the SA national champion jockey title.
So will 7 winners be enough, with only 14 local racedays left this term?
We reported on Friday that Hollywoodbets Durban July-winning jockey Craig Zackey, who was in the mix in the three-cornered race for some way, is under suspension and unlikely to be a threat off his 242 total when he returns to action on 26 July.
The Sporting Post can confirm that Lerena’s appeal arising from the findings of the Gimme
A Storm incident at Turffontein on 26 January this year is scheduled to proceed on 18 August, and will thus have no bearing on his quest for the title, which he last won in the 2014/15 season.
Other matters currently believed to be under appeal by Lerena are:
Gavin Lerena – a season of highs and lows | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
A suspension of 7 days for his ride on Buffalo Storm Cody at Turffontein on 3 June, where he was found guilty of failing to ensure he did not cause interference.
A fine of R11 875 for failing to ride Poets Warrior out to the end of a race (prejudicing fifth place) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on WSB Cape Town Met day.
A suspension of 10 days for his ride on So Hot So What at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on 11 February, where he was found guilty of failing to ensure he did not cause interference.
Given the due process, none of the above are likely to impact as the season winds down to 31 July.
The full extent of the magnitude of Richard Fourie’s record-breaking last season, where he rode 378 winners, is put into perspective by the current totals.
Fourie stormed his way into the history books on Saturday 8 June 2024 when Double Grand Slam became his 335th winner, shattering Anthony Delpech’s 25 year record of 334 winners in a season, at the time.
That is 80 winners more than Lerena’s current tally, and was achieved over a month earlier.
We suggested that record would last beyond most of our lifetimes. It looks safe for now.
TIME IS MONEY!
An important scientific complimentary tool of the trade for punters and racing enthusiasts, sectional timing data can enhance both the form study and horseracing viewing experience on both KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape race meetings.
In our weekly Time Is Money column, we look at some of the highlights of the past two KZN racemeetings.
Hollywoodbets Greyville 13 July
Track Condition
Going: Standard
Rain: Last 24 hours 3mm –Last 7 Days 3mm
Wind: 20-50km/h North, North Easterly head wind Course Variant: 0,85s slow
Three 1400m Races
With two of the afternoon’s three1400m events being maiden plates, it was no surprise that the New Turf Carriers Class 3 event was by far the quickest over this distance.
Indeed, run in a time over 2 seconds faster than the aforementioned, the progressive What A Winter gelding THISISWHATITMEANS completed a four timer.
Initially carded as a reserve runner, Matthys Odendaal’s charge broke well from gate eight and confidently ridden by Marco Van Rensburg sat seventh some 3,5 lengths off the pace.
He had barely been asked to race on taking up the running 200m out and with the benefit
of first run, he comfortably accounted for the running on Rosh Kedesh by a length and three quarters.
Three 1200m Races
In terms of total stakes the S F Logistics Line Haul Progress Plate over 1200m jointly topped the bill and in what, on merit ratings was a boat race, the second favourite FUTURE VARIETY scored a facile victory.
Soon just two and a half lengths off the pace in third, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge was perfectly positioned to challenge.
He took up the running under a tight hold when the favourite Winds Of Change surprisingly folded tamely 500m out, and only having to be pushed out on the run to the line he won a lot more easily than the official 2,5 lengths would suggest.
Two 1600m Races
Run in a time almost 1,5 seconds faster than the D Stakes, the Class 4 event won by the friendless RECORD HIGH was by far the faster of the two 1600m races on the card.
Allowed to drift as if a win was out of the question at the track (14/1 out to 40/1), the 3yo Gimmethegreenlight gelding raced in midfield for most of the journey.
The well-drawn favourite NUMZAAN made the running and setting consistent fractions had the field well strung out going through the 700m. The second fastest of the six races beyond sprint distances in the 1000m-600m segment, that effort then begin to take its toll at the top of the straight, and as the field began to concertina there were plenty with chances.
Record High quickened best of all over the final 400m and after striking the front 100m from home, won going away by a length and three quarters.
Quickies
Prior to winning on debut in the opening maiden plate over 1400, the always handy Soqrat colt DEANDRE’S DREAM had already been entered in the Gr1 juvenile feature at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 27th July. He raced green and jumped a patch and is sure to come on plenty.
Another to keep tabs on from this race is the runner up Clintostar. Running on from midfield, Garth Puller’s charge ran on best of all after switching out for a run 250m from home.
Running on from towards the rear, SIMBINE recorded the fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon when runner up in the maiden plate over 1000m.
Fastest Times:
1200m (3) Future Variety 71,12
1400m (3) Thisiswhatitmeans 83,71 1600m
Hollywoodbets Scottsville 9 July
Track Condition
Going: Good (both tracks)
Penetrometer: 23 (both tracks)
Rain: Last 7 days Nil
Irrigation: Last 24 hours Nil –Last 7 days 4mm
False Rail: 7m
Wind: 10-15km/h North Easterly head wind
Course Variant: 0,21s fast (standside) –1,02s fast (inside)
Three 1600m Races
Three of the afternoon’s eight races in Pietermaritzburg last Wednesday were maiden events over 1200m and by far the fastest of these was that in which the lightly raced 2yo WORLD OF ROYALTY opened his account.
Heavily supported on course into even money from 3/1, Nathan Kotzen’s charge raced sixth in a fast run race. Indeed, in a time 1,5 seconds faster than the quicker of the other two, O Space O made the running and quickening further and further clear on the bend had the winner easily eight lengths adrift.
Confidently ridden by the July winning jockey Craig Zackey though, the son of One World soon began to make headway when the front runner went in search of gas early in the straight. He ran on strongly over the final 300m and despite shifting around, won comfortably.
Two 1200m Races
The two 1200m races were also maiden events with the quicker being won by the easy to back CARDINAL CHIEF. Having only his second career outing here, Garth Puller’s
charge raced fifth, in what was a very tightly bunched field going through halfway. He ran on best of all after having to switch out for a run 250m from home and won going away by a length.
Gallop Tv B Stakes 1750m
The afternoon’s feature event was a B Stakes over 1750m and in what proved to be a very false paced affair, the 2/1 favourite LOCK AND KEY made all. Run in a time 0,54 seconds slower than that of the only other race over the distance, a fillies & mares Class 4 event, they went particularly slowly between the 1000m and 600m markers. With five in a line just a length behind the 3yo Master Of My Fate filly halfway through the sprint in the home straight, Glen Kotzen’s charge answered every call in
the closing stages of the race and held on to score by just under half a length.
Quickies
Detached at the back of the field easily eight lengths off the pace early on, IN THE BAG recorded the fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon when running on to fill fourth position in the Hollywoodbets Bright Future C Stakes over 1000m.
Fastest Times:
1200m (2) Cardinal Chief 69,59 1600m (3) World Of Royalty 96,39 1750m (2) Another Dream 106,91 400m-fin In The Bag 22,58
HOPES, HORSES AND JULY HERITAGE
Beneath the winter sun and the roar of a nation in full voice, last Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Durban July once again proved that it is more than just a horse race.
The Real Prince (Craig Zackey) – Hollywoodbets Durban July hero | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
It was a day, fleeting but powerful, that gave racegoers and armchair viewers courage for our future. South Africans from every walk of life stood side by side, not divided by history or politics, but united by the thrill of the turf.
Among the 40,000 spectators soaking it all in was Democratic Alliance leader and Cabinet Minister, John Steenhuisen, who said it best in an on-course interview: “The sport of horseracing represents who we are as a country. It doesn’t matter your race, religion, culture or language. We are all here enjoying this wonderful sport as South Africans. Listening to the stadium reverberate when the
National Anthem was sung, shows that we are South Africans first, before we wear badges. Horseracing brings in so much economic activity into our country. There are people from all over the world here today!”
The crowd itself — vibrant, eclectic, joyful — reminded us that horseracing, in its own imperfect way, offers a glimpse of what’s possible: a South African story told with hope, horsepower, and heart.
Not perfect, not yet arrived, but undeniably moving. The day’s racing results underlined it. Eight of 12 winners were ridden by jockeys of
Jehan Malherbe and Dean Kannemeyer, another legend on the ‘July’ Wall Of Honour | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
colour. Small and big stables found success. Owners and breeders from vastly different backgrounds shared the spotlight.
Beyond the headlines and the thunder of hooves, there were dozens of stories, quiet triumphs and hard-earned milestones that made the day truly special.
Horses and broodmares
Justin Snaith’s exceptional three-year-old, Eight on Eighteen (Lancaster Bomber), and Dean Kannemeyer’s top-class four-year-old, The Real Prince (Gimmethegreenlight), are the two best thoroughbreds in the country.
To see them go head-to-head in the closing strides of the Durban July was nothing short of breath-taking.
The older warrior held sway, but the brave younger star lost nothing in defeat, gaining even more admirers with his gallant, neversay-die performance.
The Real Prince is another superb offspring of the champion broodmare, Real Princess, following his own siblings Gimme A Prince and Gimmie’s Countess.
Form Bloodstock’s Jehan Malherbe vividly recalled her acquisition as a yearling. “Dean Kannemeyer and I went to Klawervlei Stud ahead of the 2013 Cape Premier Sale to look at their draft. We spotted Real Princess immediately. She was, quite frankly, the bestlooking filly I have ever seen on a stud farm. Dean agreed and said, ‘She is the one, we have to buy her on the sale!’ And so, we did.
She looked even more spectacular on the day of the auction, but we were up against strong underbidders including Mike de Kock, who
was putting his hand up for Sheikh Khalifa of Dubai.
“But Christine Laidlaw is a soldier. As always, when we asked her to go all the way for what we thought was a top buy, she did not hesitate. We got Real Princess for R2,7-million. She was the sales-topper that year.”
Real Princess, by Trippi out of Pagan Princess (Fort Wood), has a stout pedigree being a close relation to international Graded stakeswinning champion stayer Victory Moon, and Gold Bowl winner, Kelly.
She excelled at sprinting, however, and Malherbe explained: “We always had her earmarked for the classics, 1600m and further. She won over 1400m and would’ve seen out a mile if it wasn’t for her soundness issues. As it turned out, she won the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint on sheer class and ability.”
The stamina in The Real Prince’s pedigree gave Kannemeyer and Malherbe the confidence for his unorthodox preparation and Malherbe said: “We bypassed the Gold Challenge and went straight from the Drill Hall Stakes into the July so that he couldn’t incur a penalty. If The Real Prince carried just half a kilo more, Eight On Eigtheen would’ve beaten him. But the July is a handicap and we won. The second horse is the true champion, but our plan came off and it was truly satisfying for the whole team.”
Real Princess aborted late in 2024 to Vercingetorix. She was given a break to recover and has nothing at foot and nothing due this year, but will be going back to Gimmethegreenlight in September.
Galileo’s daughter Grail Maiden first hit the headlines when her son Hero’s Honour (Await The Dawn) defeated Surcharge (a.k.a Yulong
Prince – Gimmethegreenlight) in the 2018 Grade 1 SA Derby. Seven years later her son Legend Of Arthur (Lancaster Bomber), won the 2025 renewal of the same race. King Pelles (Duke Of Marmalade) is her third exceptional stayer. He added Saturday’s Grade 3 Gold Vase to his Grade 3 Chairman’s Cup success and is well on target for the Grade 3 Gold Cup, at month end.
All Grail Maiden’s offspring were well-named by Drakenstein Stud. ‘King Pelles’ hails from the Arthurian tales. He was known as the guardian of the Holy Grail at Castle Carbonek and often referred to as the Fisher King or the Maimed King – hence the naming of Grail Maiden.
There was some confusion among on-course presenters about the correct pronunciation of ‘King Pelles’ and they eventually settled on ‘King Pearls’. For the record, it’s actually
pronounced with Pelles sounding like ‘pals,’ as in close friends – ‘King Pals’. Here’s hoping they get it right on Gold Cup Day.
Grail Maiden sadly passed away at Drakenstein Stud last year, but Kevin Sommerville noted that she has one more runner to come — a filly by Master of My Fate who could be an Oaks prospect, if the potent Galileo blood continues to deliver.
Click on the image below to read the full story…
NEIL CALLAN’S
DREAM DAY AT NEWMARKET
No Half Measures caused a 66-1 shock to provide former jockey Richard Hughes with his biggest victory as a trainer in the Group 1 July Cup Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.
The four-year-old filly stayed on strongly under Neil Callan to defeat Big Mojo in second and Run To Freedom in third. Last year’s 2,000 Guineas winner Notable Speech, dropping back in trip to six furlongs for the first time, was fifth while Inisherin was withdrawn just before the off on vets’ advice.
The Racing Post reports that Hughes, who rode Oasis Dream to victory in the July Cup in 2003, has been training since 2015, but No Half Measures’s neck victory provided the Lambourn trainer with his first top-level success.
Speaking to ITV Racing, he said: “It’s a hard game but it’s fabulous. These things take time and I’ve got a great team around me –it’s brilliant. If you don’t have the horses, you can’t train winners. Lately we’ve been buying a little bit better stock, although she only cost us £34,000 at Doncaster. Luckily, we’ve gone up a little notch this year and they’re winning. It’s tough gig. We go to the sales every year and we buy 25 horses on spec, and you have sleepless nights until Christmas trying to sell them. It’ll be nice for some well-bred fillies to come into the yard for a change.”
Callan, who also won the Northumberland Plate for Hughes on Calling The Wind in 2023, said: “The last few years I thought I was a bit
buried. I came back from Hong Kong and I rode two big Group 1 winners at Royal Ascot, but last year and this year has been a struggle. You just wait for that one horse. Hughesy messaged me a few days ago and I actually thought he messaged the wrong person. He asked if I wanted to ride in a Group 1 and I said absolutely. It’s a surreal moment and you just can’t beat Group 1s.”
No Half Measures is the longest-priced winner in the history of the July Cup (first run in 1876), beating the record of Compton Place, who won at 50-1 in 1997.
www.racingpost.com
MURPHY
CRITICAL OF TREATMENT IN MEDIA
Oisin Murphy has broken his silence in a first interview since he appeared in court to plead guilty to driving over the limit for alcohol, with the champion jockey describing his car crash and subsequent police action as “a nightmare for everyone involved”.
Murphy was fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after his case was heard at Reading Magistrates’ Court this month, where details released in the case revealed he
had a single-vehicle accident in April when the car he was driving left the road and collided with a tree.
Oisin Murphy pleaded guilty to driving over the limit for alcohol | Credit: Candiese Lenferna
The BHA announced on Friday “an extremely strict set of conditions” had been attached to Murphy’s riding licence and were effective immediately.
Though licensing matters are often private and confidential, the BHA added the conditions must be adhered to at all times by the fourtime champion jockey and they included “detailed and strict procedures relating to further enhanced testing, both on and off the racecourse”.
Murphy released a statement after pleading guilty when he said there was “no excuse for what I did”, but had not spoken publicly until Monday night’s meeting at Windsor.
Following his winner on the John and Thady Gosden-trained Competizione, Murphy reflected on recent months and said he wanted to repay the BHA for its support.
Speaking to Sky Sports Racing, Murphy said: “It’s very important not to make that error again. It was a nightmare, particularly for everyone involved, not just myself, but the people who had to pick up the pieces and my support network. Time is a great healer but I won’t be forgetting about that mistake.
“They [the BHA] never disclose licence information. I’m not the first jockey to drink and drive or commit offences. It’s obviously more high profile because of the profile I have. Those incidences should never occur, but the BHA has been fantastic to work with and I really appreciate what they’ve done to help me. I want to repay them.”
Murphy, who leads the jockeys’ championship, continued to ride following the accident in April and up until his court date. It was a period that included one of the sport’s biggest meetings
in Royal Ascot, where he had five winners. In his first interview since the case, Murphy discussed the counselling he had been undertaking both before and since the accident and added the female passenger who had been involved in the car crash was “really well”.
He was also critical of his treatment in the media.
“I have been (in counselling] for the last four years,” Murphy said. “I had very good spells due to that support network and I’ve relied on it an awful lot since late April and before. I’ve got to thank those people because they’ve gone above and beyond when that process hasn’t been very easy.
“There was going to be a lot said in the media and it’s important not to allow the media to bully you too much because you can get very down, but I had horses to ride and a job to do. It’s great to be riding every day and hopefully to the same level I was able to do at Royal Ascot and in the weeks previously.
“Not everyone wants one to achieve, there’s a lot of jealousy out there, particularly in the media, but I worked all my life to ride good horses and I’ll continue to do that. The only thing that can inhibit me from not progressing further in my career is myself.”
www.racingpost.com
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HONG KONG RACING HONOURS THE STARS
Ka Ying Rising’s outstanding performance during the 2024/25 racing season saw the record-breaking speedster earn the Horse of the Year title at a special presentation held at the Grand Ballroom of the Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong on Friday evening. In addition, he was also named Champion Sprinter and Champion Four-Year-Old at the ceremony.
Owned by Ka Ying Syndicate and trained by David Hayes, last season’s Champion Griffin improved sharply in his sophomore season, scoring one of his biggest wins of the season in the HK$26 million Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), and completing a record-equalling season with a commanding victory in the HK$22 million Gr1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) in April to secure this
season’s Champion Sprinter mantle. His triumph in the Gr1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize not only left him unbeaten with eight wins from eight starts during the season, but also took his unbeaten streak to 12 consecutive races.
The four-year-old Shamexpress gelding completed a clean sweep of the Hong Kong Speed Series and collected a HK$5 million bonus,
Ka Ying Rising – multiple award winner | Credit: HKJC
emulating the feats of Mr Vitality (1995/96), Grand Delight (2002/03), Silent Witness (2003/04 and 2004/05) and Lucky Sweynesse (2022/23).
Ka Ying Rising broke Sacred Kingdom’s Sha Tin 1200m record with a gallop of 1m 07.43s in the Gr2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m), lowering a mark which had stood since 2007.
He broke his own record just two months later in a time of 1m 07.2s in the Gr1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m). He is currently the world’s highestrated sprinter, with the international rating of 126, sitting joint fourth alongside Romantic Warrior in the latest LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings at 126 behind joint top-rated horses Field Of Gold, Forever Young and Ombudsman (127).
He was also named the Champion Four-Year-Old based on his brilliant performance throughout the season.
The Ricky Yiu-trained Voyage Bubble also enjoyed a stellar season, especially when he rewrote Hong Kong racing history with an impressive victory in the HK$13 million Gr1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) in May to become only the second horse in Hong Kong racing history after River Verdon in 1993/94 to complete the Triple Crown by winning the HK$13 million Gr1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m), HK$13 million Gr1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) and Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup in the same season, snaring a HK$10 million bonus.
Voyage Bubble is named Champion Miler and Champion Stayer | Credit: HKJC
Voyage Bubble has dominated this season’s mile and stayer divisions, winning this term’s HK$36 million Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) and consecutive HK$13 million Gr1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) and, with these outstanding performances, the six-year-old Deep Field gelding was crowned Champion Miler as well. His LONGINES Hong Kong Mile win was further boosted by seven runners, including himself, from that race who subsequently achieved Group one successes.
He also scored in the HK$5.35 million Gr2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m) and in total won five races, including four Group 1’s, from seven starts this term. Based on his outstanding achievements, he was named Champion Miler and Champion Stayer for the 2024/25 racing season.
Romantic Warrior secured a fourth straight title as Champion Middle-Distance Horse, following his outstanding wins in the Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), Gr1
Jebel Hatta (1800m) and Gr2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m).
The Danny Shum-trained globetrotter also finished gallant second in the Gr1 Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt) and Gr1 Dubai Turf (1800m), taking his career earnings to a world record-extending HK$214.7 million.
The seven-year-old Acclamation gelding clocked a sensational record-breaking time of 1m 45.10s to beat a group of global top middledistance runners with more than four lengths to spare in the Gr1 Jebel Hatta and became the first Hong Kong-trained horse to achieve Group 1 successes in four different racing jurisdictions, namely Hong Kong, Japan, Australia and Dubai.
The Mark Newnham-trained My Wish is this season’s Most Improved Horse.
After starting the campaign rated 54, the Flying Artie gelding soared 51 points to 105 after achieving four wins, two seconds, two thirds and a fourth
Romantic Warrior is crowned Champion Middle-Distance Horse | Credit: HKJC
from nine starts in his second season, including his career-best performance when winning the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) in January. My Wish ran well in the other two legs of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, finished second in both the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m).
Zac Purton is now an eight-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey.
The Australian rider enjoyed another remarkable season of dominance, including reaching 1,800 career wins in Hong Kong and breaking Douglas Whyte’s all-time record for Hong Kong win. He also reached 700 and 1,000 career wins on Happy Valley races and Sha Tin turf events respectively in the term.
This season’s Most Popular Jockey and Most Popular Horse will be announced at the conclusion of Sunday’s 87th and final Sha Tin meeting this season.
The presentation ceremony for the 2024/25 Hong Kong Champion Trainer will also be held this Sunday following the races should any trainer gain an unassailable lead ahead of Wednesday night’s (16 July) 88th and final fixture of the racing season, while this season’s Champion Griffin and Tony Cruz Award will be announced at the conclusion of Wednesday 16 July’s 88th and final fixture this season at Happy Valley.
The Champion Awards Judging Panel announced the winners for the 2024/25 season during Friday evening’s presentation ceremony as follows:-
My Wish is this season’s Most Improved Horse | Credit: HKJC
Horse of the Year
Ka Ying Rising Ka Ying Syndicate David Hayes
Champion Jockey Zac Purton - -
Champion Four-Year-Old
Champion Sprinter
Champion Miler
Champion Middle-Distance Horse
Champion Stayer
Most Improved Horse
Ka Ying Rising Ka Ying Syndicate David Hayes
Ka Ying Rising Ka Ying Syndicate David Hayes
Voyage Bubble Sunshine And Moonlight Syndicate Ricky Yiu
Romantic Warrior Peter Lau Pak Fai
Danny Shum
Voyage Bubble Sunshine And Moonlight Syndicate Ricky Yiu
My Wish Ada Che Xiao Hong, Suki Tang Xianfang & Ruby Hui Like Sea
Zac Purton takes top honours for an eighth time | Credit: HKJC
Award
Winner Owner Trainer
Mark Newnham
SIZE SEIZES A LUCKY 13TH!
John Size secured a record-extending 13th Hong Kong trainers’ championship at Sha Tin on Sunday as the master trainer embarked on a familiar coronation march with a treble, further burnishing an extraordinary career.
Size sealed the championship with the wins of Sight Dreamer, Raging Rapids and Bundle Award to leave the Australian with 69 wins for the season – beyond the reach of compatriot David Hayes (60) – with only nine races left to be run at Wednesday Season Finale at Happy Valley.
Nearing the end of his 24th season in Hong Kong, Size added to the previous championships he won in 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2005/06, 2007/08, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2022/23, and took his Hong Kong career
tally to 1,612 wins – second overall to retired Australian John Moore (1,734).
George Moore held the record for the most Hong Kong trainers’ titles with 11 until he was joined in 2018/19 by Size, who has also finished second five times and third three times in the championship.
Characteristically modest, Size, 71, was proud and reflective on securing his latest crown.
John Size celebrates a record 13th Hong Kong trainers’ championship | Credit: HKJC
“There’s a lot of satisfaction in that winning and probably something I’m very grateful to achieve,” Size said. “It’s a very strong and stiff competition and so therefore you have to rise up to it.
“As I’ve said before, I’m surprised that I’ve been so successful in Hong Kong. It’s always been a test of if I can keep performing at that level and, so far, I’ve been able to over 24 years and, God willing, and if my health is still okay, I can do it for a little bit longer.”
Rating Red Lion’s HK$24 million Gr1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) as the highlight of another glorious season, Size said: “That was a really good example of what can happen on a race track and that’s what makes the game go around – the vagaries of racing, the uncertainties and the unpredictability of it.
“Owners, trainers and jockeys should take some encouragement from those sorts of performances. It just proves it can be done if everything is right on the night. That was very satisfying.”
Likening the art of training to other sports and vocations, Size described the need to constantly improve as a “natural progression, it’s evolution.”
“Like every business, every sport’s the same, training racehorses is no different. You have to keep improving to keep up and you certainly have to be improving to stay ahead, so if you’re doing it for a long period of time, I think it’s hard to stay in a good position for a quarter of a century,” he said. “You don’t see it every day.
“So, I get some sort of gratification from that in my innovations and my attempt to keep up and stay ahead of the younger ones is working to some degree. Every now and then, I change small things but my approach in general hasn’t changed in training horses, but I have to adapt to different scenarios in order to keep winning and even in 24 years, a lot of things change, so you have to adapt, and I’ve managed to survive.”
Leading Hayes 66 wins to 60 at the start of the meeting, Size stretched the lead to seven
Bundle Award surges clear to give John Size a treble | Credit: HKJC
when Sight Dreamer prevailed in the Class 5 Miraculous Handicap (1400m) under Andrea Atzeni before Karis Teetan piloted Raging Rapids to victory in the Class 4 Medic Kingdom Handicap (1400m).
Bundle Award shunted Size further clear with a brilliant performance – clocking a searing 21.87s for the final 400m – under Atzeni in the Class 1 The Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association Trophy Handicap (1600m) to ultimately seal the championship.
Zac Purton ended the Sha Tin season as he started with it – with a quartet – after combining with Circuit Mighty, Huge Wave, Bulb General and Tony Cruz’s Beauty Bolt (124lb), who claimed a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million
with victory in the Class 3 All You Wish Handicap (1400m).
“It’s always nice to be starting well and finishing well. Beauty Bolt is a nice horse,” Purton said after taking his seasonal haul to 136 wins. “It’s never easy coming into Hong Kong and adapting like he has with the faster speed and
the faster track but, on what he’s shown, he’s promising.”
The battle for the Tony Cruz Award for the leading homegrown jockey was set for a cliffhanger finish on Wednesday (today) after both Matthew Chadwick and Derek Leung sliced further into Matthew Poon’s lead.
With one meeting to go, Poon (36 wins) leads Chadwick (35) and Leung (34) after Chadwick triumphed on Chris So’s Devas Twelve to land the Class 4 Pingwu Spark Handicap (1400m) and Leung followed suit on Jimmy Ting’s Happy Universe in the Class 4 Solar Hei Hei Handicap (1600m).
Ting scored a double when Huge Wave clinched the Class 3 Sight Winner Handicap (1600m) under before Douglas Whyte’s Celestial Hero claimed a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million with success in the Class 3 Joy And Fun Handicap (1200m) for Hugh Bowman.
Manfred Man reached a career-best 45 wins in a season when Circuit Mighty (135lb) triumphed in the Class 5 Mr Award Handicap
Derek Leung wins on Happy Universe | Credit: HKJC
under Zac Purton. Man’s previous best was 44 victories in 2022/23.
Ben Thompson celebrated the final Sha Tin meeting of his stint before returning to Australia at season’s end with victory on Yip’s promising three-year-old All’s Well in the Class 4 Big Profit Handicap (1200m).
“It felt quite fitting to win this race. My first ride in Hong Kong (Devil And Gold) was for Dennis Yip, so it’s nice to ride a winner for him at my last Sha Tin meeting,” Thompson said.
Jamie Richards hopes Bulb General can continue to improve after the three-year-old posted an impressive win in the Class 4 Victory Marvel Handicap (1200m) after recovering colic surgery in February.
“Good win, nice horse,” Richards said. “He raced very well in February (when third to Crossborderpegasus) and the form out of the race was strong and, unfortunately, he did get held up with a little bout of colic after his first run.
“He’s made a full recovery and it looks like he’s got a few rating points up his sleeve. We’ll let the horse do the talking next season and hopefully he can work his way through the grades.”
All’s Well strikes under Ben Thompson | Credit: HKJC
ZOUSTAR’S OLENTIA
HEADS TO MAGIC VIRTUAL SALE
Outstanding racemare Olentia will provide buyers from around the globe an incredible opportunity when she is offered at next month’s Magic Millions Virtual Sale.
Third at her most recent start in the Group One Tattersall’s Tiara at Eagle Farm, Olentia is a triple Group winner in Sydney and would be a standout breeding prospect on any farm.
The brilliant Zoustar mare has won a Group Two Emancipation Stakes, Group Three Nivison Stakes and Group Three James HB Carr Stakes and earned her Star Thoroughbreds syndicate of owners almost A$1 million.
Olentia will be on offer at the Magic Millions Virtual Sale in August | Credit: Magic Millions
Across her career she has defeated a swag of Group One winners including Amelia’s Jewel, Manaal, Zougotcha, Fireburn and Magic Time.
“She is a good, tough, sound and strong mare,” trainer Chris Waller said. “She is a great type – from conformation through to size and strength. She has a great temperament, great colour and has always been a healthy mare.”
“She was an exciting racehorse who performed on all track surfaces.”
“By a great stallion with a good pedigree –she’s the type of mare we all go to the sales for, regardless of what the progeny is by, and buy the yearlings out of these mares,” Waller added.
While her racetrack career was top shelf Olentia comes with an incredible pedigree.
She is one of 10 winners, from 10 to race, for the twice winning Anabaa blue hen mare Mabkhara.
As well as Olentia, Mabkhara is the dam of Group Three winner Wandabaa, multiple stakes winner Malkovich and the group performed Seewhatshebrings.
“Olentia was a A$310,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase in 2021 and a filly we followed closely during her career,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said.
“Star Thoroughbreds have had a remarkable record with their fillies on the track and Olentia continued this trend during a wonderful career.”
“Olentia is by a champion sire in Zoustar and is from the real blue hen producer in Mabkhara.”
“Few mares with her racetrack record and pedigree come up for sale each year and this mare presents an incredible opportunity.”
“We are grateful to Denise Martin and her Star Thoroughbreds syndicate of owners for providing us with an opportunity to present Olentia at our Virtual Sale,” Bowditch added.
The 2025 Magic Millions August Virtual Sale will take place on Tuesday, August 5. Entries for the sale are closing soon – to enter online click here.
Across her career she has defeated a swag of Group One winners including Amelia’s Jewel,
“She is a good, tough, sound and strong mare,” trainer Chris Waller said. “She is a great type – from conformation through to size and strength. She has a great temperament, great
WITH THE NHA KEEP UP TO DATE
The Sporting Post keeps you in the loop with the latest National Horseracing Authority Calendar, published on 11 July 2025.
The calendar is a summary of the week’s penalties and registrations and is an easy-
read snapshot of information.
Please click on the banner below to read the calendar:
Under the lights – Rollo The Viking wins the lucky last on Hollywoodbets Durban July day | Credit: Chase Liebenberg
Mr
Mr
T R A I NER S
J O CK E YS results up to: 2025-07-16
19,838,188 11,196,100 9,369,031 6,706,188 8,522,656 30,087,898 15,217,423 14,606,231 11,447,519 11,222,119
23,532,813 27,086,719 23,369,475 11,232,031 8,863,438 33,829,041 36,029,929 32,942,560 19,037,515 14,509,713
34,598,089 32,035,873 26,668,040 16,448,708 13,131,593 BREEDERS
S I RE S
35,691,093 26,108,179 19,548,784 17,938,201 17,156,684
