Robin Bruss’s Northfields Stud deservedly received the Outstanding Breeders Award at the Equus Awards having bred the like of Vodacom Durban July winner Do It Again, Mercury Sprint winner Will Pays and overseas Grade 1 runner up Horse Of Fortune.

His achievements with a tiny band of broodmares defies the statistics, which have one in every 1000 foals winning a Grade 1, and should have received more fanfare.

Bruss, who bred his first thoroughbred in 1975, reached a height of keeping eight broodmares but affordability has allowed him to operate with an average of just five. Yet he has now bred eight Grade 1 winners, including winners of all of the big three, The Vodacom Durban July, The Sun Met and the Premier’s Champions Challenge.

In the past season Bruss had 12 runners and seven winners, including: Do It Again, who won the July, the Grade 2 Daisy Guineas, was second in the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby and was Equus Champion Three-year-old colt (season earnings R3,257,500); Will Pays, who won the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint, the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes, the Grade 3 Spring Spree Stakes and was third in the Grade 2 Drill Hall Stakes and was Equus Champion Sprinter (season earnings R1,240,700); Hong Kong-based Horse Of Fortune (originally named Strongman), who was runner up in the Grade 1 S$1 million Kranji Mile (season earnings of HK$1,007,500 plus S$273,500 translates to R4,771,298); Mighty Emperor, who recorded his 7^th win in Singapore (season earnings of S$85,864 translates to R828,335).

Do It Again (Candiese Marnewick)

Bruss said, “I believe the purpose of horseracing is to make your mark in history. With one click you can look at the pedigree of any racehorse to 20 generations, but us humans would battle to know our family trees beyond three generations. Horseracing is probably the world’s most documented sport. Money comes and goes but the winners of the signal races are always remembered. The record book for Grade 1s should be the aim of every breeder.”

Bruss, like most small breeders, is unable to afford the service fees of the proven stallions so owes his success to decades of observation and studying. He is not a great fan of line-breeding and prefers to have pedigrees with “class close up.”

He explained another of his tricks, “It is better to own the daughter of a Group 1 winner than a Group 1 winner herself.” He has used that theory to own Group 1 class mares without having to pay for the Group 1 status.

Of the eight Grade 1 winners he has bred, only one of them was by a proven stallion and that was due to a foal-share agreement he had made with Drakenstein Stud. That horse was Deo Juvente, the son of Trippi, who won the 2017 Grade 1 R4,5 million Champions Challenge and was second in the Summer Cup.

His first Grade 1 winner was Basic Instinct (Comic Blush-Joyfields (Northfields), who won the Grade 1 Golden Spur sprint in 1998. His mare Teclafields gave him three Grade 1 winners, Circle Of Life (Complete Warrior), who won the Garden Province Stakes in 2000, African Lion (Shalford), who won the Champions Cup in 2003 and Zebra Crossing (Jallad), who won the 2006 Met. Circle Of Life is the dam of Deo Juvente. August Rush, a colt by Var out of the Zimbabwean-bred Huntingdale mare Bushgirl, won the 2011 Mercury Sprint.

Will Pays is by Imperial Stride out of the Jallad mare Rattlebag and Do It Again is by Twice Over out of Casey Tibbs mare Sweet Virginia.

Bruss’ beginning point when matching pedigrees is to produce a horse that will stay the July distance. However, he pointed out horses who won the July and Met invariably had the speed to win over sprint trips so finding a combination of speed and stamina was important.

He pointed out one of the anomalies of breeding, “Aiming for the winning post is different to aiming for the sales rings. A horse who is going to win the July is not going to be peaking at the National Yearling Sales and although people want July and Met winners strangely those are not the ones that sell well at the sales.”

The National Yearling Sale (NYS) is always Bruss’s target sale.

Do It Again was also sold through a foal-share deal with Drakenstein Stud and was by far the most expensive yearling Bruss has ever sold, fetching R1,1 million. Of his other Grade 1 winners, Basic Instinct fetched R40,000, Circe of Life and African Lion were not sold, Zebra Crossing went for R600,000 but the buyer reneged so Bruss had to form a syndicate of friends, August Rush was not considered of sufficient standard to make it on to the NYS, Will Pays went for R60,000 and Deo Juvente for R250,000.

Bruss has produced three Grade 1-winning sprinters but this was not by intention and he pointed out that all of them had won their Grade 1s as older horses. Will Pays is in fact by a mile-and-a-half horse out of an Oaks winner.

Bruss bought Sweet Virginia for a bargain R200,000. She beat the boys in the Grade 3 Winter Classic and Grade 3 Winter Derby but was small and Bruss recalled breeders had felt she would produce “weedy” horses. Instead she has produced a number of fine horses for different stallions, the others being Strongman (Stronghold), Mighty Emperor (Kahal) and Graded-placed Vilikazi (Visionaire) who is now doing well in Hong Kong where he is named Sleep Education.

Bruss has sold Sweet Virginia to Lammerskraal Stud, “as I was offered more than what I paid for her.”

He credits the matching of Sweet Virginia and Twice Over to Drakenstein’s racing manager Kevin Sommerville, who worked for Juddmonte on the stallion nominations side and had an intimate knowledge of their horses.

Bruss also acknowledged the team effort in every horse bred. He makes the matches but the farms feed and nurture the horses.

“The Aga Khan called breeding playing chess with nature,” he concluded.

By David Thiselton

The Vaal Classic track is a fair track and offers form studiers the chance of deserved returns so they will be looking forward to tomorrow’s nine race meeting.

However, the card is made tricky by the first three legs of the exotics, which are all over 2400m, as staying events can throw upset results.

The PA starts with a MR 74 handicap over 2400m. The obvious horse is War Legend, an improving four-year-old gelding by Oratorio who has a win and a narrow second at two attempts at staying distances and is only two merit rated points higher than his last win. However, he is drawn widest of all in the seven horse field. Highlander has been running on strongly over 2000m in his last two starts and could be looking for this trip. Zeal And Zest has a chance of staying this trip being by Traffic Guard and this in form horse is only two points higher for his last win, although has a big weight of 60kg to lug.

Santa Vittoria (JC Photographics)

Big Parade ran a close second to Made To Conquer over 2000m at Kenilworth in June and now has his second run after a rest and gelding so could bounce back to form after a string of below par runs on the Highveld. Tapanzee is an enigmatic sort but has ability on his day and is only two points higher for his win last time over 2850m. Miyoshi is drawn in pole and is interesting stepped up to this trip being by the stayer Admire Main. King Of Chaos will need to improve on his Highveld form to date.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is a Maiden for fillies over 2400m. Lalia and Lana Turner are progressive sorts and have the best form so a chance is taken that they are enough to get punters through all of the exotics. One Dollar Massage is the joker in the pack a she might enjoy the step up in trip being by Await The Dawn out of a Jet Master mare who won over 2000m.

The first leg of the Jackpot is a Middle Stakes for fillies and mares over 2400m. Sailor Girl is out of Gold Cup winner Colonial Girl and ran on well to won her first attempt at a staying distance last time. She is drawn in pole and is officially the best weighted horse, although she does have to carry 60kg, which won’t be easy considering she beat the boys last time carrying just 52kg. Just A Jet is a capable sort and has a win and a third in two starts over course and distance and should be involved. Her habit of starting slowly might pan out in her favour in this small field as she will be able to slot in behind them and has a good turn of foot. Glamarous Scandal is 7,5kg better off with Sailor Girl for a 2,9 length beating over 2000m and being by Traffic Guard has a chance of staying this trip. However, she will have to put her last two disappointing starts behind her.

In the fifth race Santa Vittoria caught the eye when winning her maiden over this 2000m trip and she ran well first time out the maidens so can do well here from pole position. Mambo Model won well when stepped up to this trip last time and off a four point higher mark from a good draw can be involved again. Gottalottaluv has some class and her last race was all wrong so from a draw of two she can’t be ignored.

In the sixth race over 1800m Elegancia goes for a hattrick. She is four points higher in the merit ratings after her win last week. The Cape Town horses often have suppressed merit ratings due to the superior strength of the racing there and a succession of victories is feasible. She has gone close over 2000m before so should stay the trip and looks to be a possible banker, although her wide draw is a concern. Beautiful Shay was most disappointing last time and from pole position off an attractive two point lower merit rating this able front-runner warrants consideration. Angelic Appeal went close the last time she had a good draw and she is the other one who can be included.

In the seventh Winter’s Forge is thrown in at the weights and the only question is whether she will stay the trip. She has a lot of speed, but did do well over 1400m in her penultimate start and on pedigree will stay the trip as she is by Western Winter and is a three-parts sister to a horse which won a Listed race over 1900m. If there is to be an upset it could come from Pearl Of Bahrain, who has been disappointing since showing early promise. She is drawn well over an ideal trip and is distance suited.

The last race has a banker consideration in Choir Singer, a scopey sort who will relish the step up to 1600m and she is well drawn. The risk averse can also include Ration My Passion who is well drawn and has her third run after a rest and second run with blinkers over a suitable trip.

By David Thiselton

After making a smart debut, Celebration Rock was tossed in at the deep end by Paul Lafferty when taking on winners and feature company at only his second start. Very little went right in the race, a tardy start and green from an outside draw, but back in maiden company the Australian import can make amends in the first at Scottsville today.

Anton Marcus takes over in the saddle and Lafferty has declared blinkers on his charge. Given his excellent debut over course and distance his host of connections could be celebrating in the winner’s enclosure.

But this may not be plain sailing. Apprentice Khanya Sakayi is riding with supreme confidence at present and although he lost his 4kg claim on Sunday and Louis Goosen’s filly only gets a 2.5kg relief, she looks primed to make a bold bid.

Vi Va Pi Pa did not get the best of passages when pitted against winners at second time of asking, also her first race over ground. It was probably a calculated risk by trainer Sean Tarry, that race being on Super Saturday, the penultimate day of last season.

Roy’s Magic (Candiese Marnewick)

Vi Va Pi Pa could prove a better proposition over today’s 1400m trip.

Goosen saddles the most obvious danger in Linnger Longer. His filly has been building up slowly to a point where she appears cherry-ripe for Sakayi to continue on his winning streak.

The Blinkers Bar Maiden Plate is something of a punter’s mine-field with a number of runners having solid form to back their claims. There appears to be little between Julie Dittmer’s pair of Purple And Gold and Chatty Cathy while Asiana and Queen Makeda both have promising form, the latter having her third run after a break and being fitted with a tongue-tie.

However, The Duncan Howells yard is starting to hit form and Little Audrey looks primed for this race. She was running on strongly from well back behind Shadow Hunter and although Purple And Gold and Queen Makeda both finished ahead of her on that occasion, the step up in trip could see that form reversed. Writing on his website, Howells said there were concerns aver the filly settling in her race but barring that, should run very well.

The Track & Ball Gaming Maiden has attracted a modest field where Belfry and Prince Ardent look the principal contenders. Belfry has battling Highveld form but did finish runner-up at the Vaal last week and the step up in trip could finally see him home. Blinkers have obviously not had the desired effect on Prince Ardent and they come off today. Roberts has kept the gelding to the poly for all of his recent races and the switch to turf could bring out the best in him.

Shane Humby has had a string of runner-up places over the past fortnight but Neala can go one better for the Ashburton trainer in the sixth. The mare was coming off a long break when ‘winning’ her barrier trial and it was an impressive performance as Tristan Godden never let the mare off the bit to get home ahead of Township Melody – the latter franking that showing by winning next time out.

Neala does shoulder a hefty 62.5kg against some quick opposition so is no certainty by a long chalk and the likes of Gratuity, Di Mazzio and Pata Pata all warrant serious consideration.

Roy’s Magic revelled with the sting out of the ground to win comfortably last time out and with some rain forecast for today Kom Naidoo’s gelding can go in again in a competitive handicap where Silver Cent and Edge Of The Sun look lively threats.

High Altar is a highly-strung mare but Howells appears to have got on top of her and she can round off the meeting with her third win on the bounce. High Altar shoulders joint top weight but is down in class. There is a concern that she may over-race from an outside draw but if she settles she can get the better of Cosima and Mark My Card who has tumbled in the ratings.

By Andrew Harrison

Plans to send African Night Sky to Dubai for next year’s World Cup Carnival have been scuppered after the horse damaged a tendon.

African Night Sky (Candiese Marnewick)

The Vodacom Durban July favourite was due to be put into quarantine in Cape Town and would then make his way to Dubai where he would join the Mike de Kock yard.

When he arrived in Cape Town they discovered the injury and it seems to have happened while the horse was in transit from Durban.

Fred Crabbia’s horse is with Dean Kannemeyer in Cape Town while they decide on his future.

“He will definitely be out of action for at least the whole summer,” said Kannemeyer. “He will be sent to the farm for the next few months to give him time to recuperate and then we’ll have to take it from there.”

It was disappointing for De Kock as African Night Sky had the class to do a bit of damage at the Carnival. “The new horses for me will be Marinaresco, who will be coming in from the UK, as well as Yakeen and Royal Crusade,” said De Kock.

African Night Sky had been with Justin Snaith and was one of his five runners in the Durban July. He went off as favourite but Grant van Niekerk was never able to overcome a wide draw and the slow pace did not do him any favours either. In the end he finished fifth behind stable companion Do It Again.

– TABnews

Glen Kotzen expects Cape Derby winner Eyes Wide Open to prove his main hope for the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met.

The four-year-old was the early favourite for the Durban July but was quickly ruled out and he did not reappear until taking sixth in a Listed handicap on July day. He then finished third in the World Sports Betting Champions Cup.

Eyes Wide Open (Candiese Marnewick)

Kotzen explained: “Although he pulled up sound after winning the Derby (beating July winner Do It Again by a length and three-quarters) we saw signs of a chip when we x-rayed his fetlock.

“If we hadn’t done anything about it that chip would have come away on his first gallop in Durban and he would have been out for the season. So we removed it and gave him time off.

“He came back strong and we said then that if we could get him right for just one race that race would be the Champions Cup – and we were delighted with the way he ran. His targets now are the Queen’s Plate and the Met.

“He looks like being our main hope. Gold Standard (fourth in last year’s Met) has been retired and will stand at Drakenstein while Pack Leader (third in the Cape Derby) is going to have a break in the first part of the season and we will send him up to Johannesburg after the Met.”

Kotzen is also hoping for something special to emerge from his 30 still unraced three-year-olds, saying: “With a bit of luck something will pop up out of the woodwork because there are some really nice horses among them and I am excited about their prospects.”

By Michael Clower

Australian legend Winx made history at Randwick on Saturday when breaking Black Caviar’s record of 25 straight victories by winning the race named in her honour, the Group 1 weight for age A$500,000 Winx Stakes over 1400m.

The seven-year-old daughter of Street Cry proved in the process she is deserving of her status as best racehorse in the world as the race didn’t pan out well for her but she still romped home by two lengths under regular pilot Hugh Bowman.

Winx was having her first start since April and started at odds of 1/4. Her chief market rival was the highly regarded Godolphin-trained Group 1 Randwick Guineas winner Kementari. This four-year-old Lonhro colt started at 5/1 and was ridden by ex-pat South African Glyn Schofield.

Winx (Bronwen Healy)

Winx did not break exceptionally well and was in the back half of the field, two lengths behind Kementari. Bowman moved her alongside Kementari at the halfway mark and she was thus trapped wide. Kementari then moved around horses for a run meaning Winx was carried very wide into the 400m straight. The leaders had meanwhile stolen a march down the inside. A lesser horse would have had little chance of making up the five lengths or so she was still required to do and this proved to be the case with Kementari. However, her machine-like stride carried her forward and by the 200m mark she had hit top gear. She was still two lengths down and it was now clear she was going to make up the deficit. By the 100m mark she had hit the front and she won easing up.

An examination of the sectional times is further evidence Winx’s speed and power isn’t diminishing with age.

She ran the final 600m in a stunning 32.33s (wind-assisted), easily the fastest closing sectional of the day despite having to make her run wide out on a track where those on the inside were favoured.

Between the 400m and 200m, Winx was timed to run a blistering 10.48s sectional as she sprinted to the lead and even though Bowman eased up on the great mare 50m out, she still ran her final 200m in 10.79s.

“Her greatest attributes are her will-to-win and her ability to sustain high speed,’’ Bowman said.

Waller indicated Winx won’t race again until the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on September 15. Winx also became the 14th horse to cross the line first 30 or more times in a career. She broke the world record number of Group 1 wins in March and has now won a further two to make it 19 in all.

Winx’s record-breaking achievements will be celebrated with her image on a A$1 postage stamp available from next week. Coincidentally, this 19th Group 1 success came on the foal date of Black Caviar, who was born exactly 12 years earlier. Winx’s connections have avoided an overseas campaign in favour of going for a record-breaking fourth consecutive Cox Plate, which is Australia’s most prestigious weight for age event.

It is run over 2040m at Moonee Valley racecourse in Melbourne in late October and with a stake of A$5million is Australias’s second richest weight for age race. The great Phar Lap won it twice and all of Winx, Kingston Town (1980-1982), Rising Fast (1954-1956) and Chatham (1932-1934) have won it three times in succession.

Monee Valley is a highly unusual track as it is rectangular in shape but one of the short sides is used as the straight. It is only 1805m in circumference and the straight is a mere 173m long, the shortest in Australia. Yet the best horse invariably wins the Cox Plate. An explanation is that the pace is always hot and the best horses manage to get on to the back of the “trains” which are caused by horses going wide towards the end of the back straight in order to get a run.

Winx is trained by New Zealand-born Chris Waller, whose headquarters are at Rosehill in Sydney, but he also has bases in Flemington, Warwick Farm and on the new Gold Coast in Queensland.

She was sold as a yearling for $230,000 at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast sale. She was part of a draft of horses from Coolmore Stud and was selected by Mulcaster Bloodstock to be purchased “to a budget” by a partnership of Magic Bloodstock Racing (owned by Peter Tighe and his wife Patty), Richard Treweeke and Debbie Kepitis. As her dam is named Vegas Showgirl, the partners named the filly for a Las Vegas burlesque show from the 1970s and 1980s. She races in Magic Bloodstock’s silks: dark blue with white epaulettes and a large white “M”.

Her earnings of A$19,290,420 is an Australian record.

By David Thiselton

The Vaal Inside track stages a nine race meeting tomorrow and any draw bias must be noted in the early races, although the low draws are usually favourable on this course.

The first race is interesting as it features the Sean Tarry-trained Perfect Pursuit, who is a full-brother to King’s Temptress, who won the SA Fillies Nursery on debut at odds of over 100-1 a few years ago. He jumps from a nice low draw with Keagan de Melo up. Tycoon is the choice to be the first home of the raced horses as he is a scopey sort who should come on from his fair debut when running out of steam late.

The next race is the first of the Assessment Plates to be run and the improved Strawberry Pavlova looks set to beat Nautic Spirit. The young horses Sally Called and La Lucia look to have promise but have it quite tough at the weights and Free and Easy also showed promise in her first two starts but now returns from a long layoff.

In the first leg of the PA Elusive Coral and Dream On have both shown promise and have scope for improvement, while Bullsade is an older horse with some hard-knocking form who is drawn number one. That trio should get punters through.

Peppermint Tea (JC Photographics)

The first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m sees the promising Operetta going for a hattrick. She looked a picture before her last start and although not an imposing sort at all she romped to a 3,25 length victory. On the downside the form is questionable and she was given a seven point raise. Esploratore looks to be a progressive sort and she was staying on well over 1160m last time from a tricky low draw. Her highish draw here is not ideal but she should be in the mix. Gold Dawn is the type who can stay on well over this trip and she could have come on from her last start which followed a three-and-a-half month layoff. Colombina always catches the eye in the preliminaries and as one with speed who has stayed on over this trip before she will be a threat from a nice draw. Last Girl Standing made a fair comeback from a seven month layoff last time and if recapturing her best form has a chance.

In the next leg over 1200m Peppermint Tea showed last time she is at her best when held up over this sort of trip and producing a late rattle. She looks to be coming into her own too having turned four and can follow up despite being given a five point raise. La Bastide drops in class here and will be a lively contender over a trip she is effective over. These two stand out on form and a chance is taken that they can get punters through the exotics.

In the sixth race over 1000m Copper Jay is taken to win as a progressive distance suited horse who is drawn on the right side. He looked the winner last time so will appreciate the step back from 1200m to 1000m and is a banker consideration. However, Brigtnumberten is a useful sprinter who drops in class and this consistent sort has a nice low draw too. Isphan has speed and class on his day and can never be ignored. Pillaroftheearth has always been well regarded and his last run suggests he is coming into his own. Greasepaint is an evergreen sort who has now dropped back to a competitive mark so he could also be a candidate.

The seventh over 1400m should see In The Game staying on over an ideal distance off a mark just two points higher than his last win. Seventh Rule is interesting as he has a lot of speed and managed to hang on in his maiden over this trip. He will appreciate the step down in trip from the 1600m he tried last time and since his maiden win, in just two more starts, he has been dropped eight points by the handicapper so has a shout. Hideaway could be involved if ridden more conservatively. Sovereign Rein has fine recent form and this is his best trip, but his high draw could be a concern. River Ayre ran well the last time he tried this trip and has the number one draw which is plum by trends.

The eighth over 1400m could be fought out by a trio who stand out on form and distance suitability. They are Monty Python, Private Ruler and the mare Quebec Queen. The risk averse should look for more contenders as it is by no means cut and dried.

The last race over 1700m is a maiden but it is still tough. Wishing Stone is chosen as a PA banker as he was staying on well in a fair field last time over 1450m and will relish the step up in trip. However, Robusto looks to have scope for improvement and has a plum draw as opposed to last time over 1800m when having to be dropped out before running on. Skiminac has the best form and is drawn in pole but returns from a long layoff.

By David Thiselton