The National Horseracing Authority has noted that there have been a number of specimens taken from horses which have tested in excess of the screening limit for caffeine.  Accordingly, the NHA is obligated to notify the relevant trainers of this occurrence and afford them options as envisaged in terms of the rules.

The NHA has undertaken an investigation in order to identify whether any commonality exists between the specimens of the affected horses being above the screening limit for caffeine.  In this regard, the NHA has requested that the affected trainers provide the NHA with information, which would allow for a more complete view of the circumstances surrounding these results, prior to any potential inquiry proceedings.

This year’s Emperors Ready To Run Sale will take place at the School Of Excellence, Summerhill Stud, on Wednesday, 25 October, 10 days before the 12th renewal of the R2.5million Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup.

Some thirty years ago, the southern hemisphere’s first concept of a Ready To Run sale was born of a collaboration between Summerhill Stud and a relic of the auction trade, Chris Smith Bloodstock.

Summerhill Stud (www.summerhill.co.za)

Selling racehorses at the gallop directly off the farm was pioneered by horsemen in Florida, USA, and the Ready To Run sale as we know it today was a collective embellishment by South Africans on the same theme.  The inaugural sale was held at Summerhill in 1987, where its attendees, all twenty of them, included an august audience of Gary Player, famous cricketing all-rounders Mike Proctor and Johnny Watkins and former Miss World, Penny Coelen and her husband Johnny Rey.

While the idea soon took root in various parts of the world, South Africa remained at the forefront of its innovation, and by the late 1990s the local version was already attracting an international audience, with a buying bench especially well populated by Hong Kong, Singapore and the Middle East.  Through the first decade of the new century, it was one of the fastest growing sales in the world, its stature as a producer of champions and millionaires matching the best, pound-for-pound.

The withdrawal recently of Cape Thoroughbred Sales from the Gauteng auction scene left the Ready To Run without a Jo’burg champion, though followers of the Stellenbosch-based sales company’s website will recall a statement earlier in the year to the effect that the Ready To Run would be reverting to its spiritual home, Summerhill.

British three-year-old sprint sensation Harry Angel will head to Ascot next month to attempt an historic sprint treble and this will be vindication for the European Pattern Committee (EPC).

This Irish-bred colt’s success provides a current example of how important national race programming can be in the making of a horse.

The South African program lacks sprint opportunities for three-year-olds, although the Var Syndicate addressed this issue in the 2010/2011 season and the big sales races are also playing a role in filling this gap.

However, the SA programming committee could take heed of the Harry Angel success story.

The Godolphin-owned Harry Angel showed he is something special last Saturday when free-wheeling in front in the Group 1 Sprint Cup Stakes over six furlongs before kicking clear to win full of running by four lengths despite the ground officially being “heavy”.

Rivarine (Nkosi Hlophe)

Last month the Clive Cox-trained Dark Angel colt won the Group 1 Darley July Cup Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket on good to firm ground.

Next month he will go for the Group 1 British Champions Sprint at Ascot and attempt to become the first horse to land this particular treble.

Three years ago in August 2014, the EPC sat down to address the lack of opportunities for high-class three-year-old sprinters and to improve the overall standard of Group sprint races in Europe.

They noted, “For horses performing at every distance other than sprinting, the European Pattern provides a three-year-old only programme until mid-summer, when the Classic generation is considered ready to take on the older horses. The Committee believes it is no coincidence that when it comes to milers and middle distance horses, Europe can genuinely lay claim to having the best in the world, however, there is a definite lack of top class European three-year-old sprinters.”

The EPC firstly introduced a limited number of Pattern races restricted to three-year-olds in the first half of the European season, culminating in a new Group 1 race at Royal Ascot, and secondly, they sought to deliver a more balanced overall sprint programme, providing better opportunities and greater incentives to run high class sprinters in Europe. This included the upgrade of a number of races, including the British Champions Sprint on QIPCO British Champions Day to Group 1, and the Flying Five on Irish Champions Weekend to Group 2.

Harry Angel has thus been able to build his confidence and could well be the best three-year-old sprinter seen in the U.K. and Ireland for some time.

The brilliant colt is able to go in any ground and this season has won on both firm and heavy ground.

As a two-year-old Harry Angel showed his class by winning the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes over six furlongs at Newbury in just his second start.

He was then rested until making his reappearance on May 3 at Ascot in the Pavilion Stakes over six furlongs, where he finished second, and on May 27 he won the Sandy Lane Stakes over six furlongs at Haydock. Both of those races are limited to three-year-olds and both were identified in the European Pattern Committee meeting in 2014 as races which needed upgrading. Hence the former race acquired Group 3 status in 2015 and the latter was upgraded from Listed to Group 2 status in 2015.

Var

Harry Angel then took part in the new three-year-old Group 1 Royal Ascot event, the Commonwealth Cup over six furlongs. The EPC introduced this in 2015 at the expense of the Buckingham Palace Stakes, a seven furlong handicap. The Commonwealth Cup is the only Group 1 limited to three-year-olds in Great Britain in which geldings are allowed to compete and is the first age restricted Group 1 open to geldings in Europe.

Harry Angel was beaten 0,75 lengths by the Aiden O’Brien-trained Caravaggio in the Commonwealth Cup, but exacted revenge next time out in the July Cup.

In South Africa the forward thinking Pippa Mickelburgh of Avontuur Stud attempted to address the lack of opportunity for three-year-old sprinters by introducing the Need For Speed Sprint Series in the 2010/2011 season, sponsored by the Var syndicate. The series included one race in each of the Western Cape, Gauteng and KZN. Mickelburgh said at the time,  “For nearly 20 years, South Africa was without a significant speed sire which slowly eroded the number of races catering for that category. We now sit with an opportunity in the racing calendar for sprint races for three-year-olds. This series hopes to fill that gap.”

Avontuur’s brilliant stallion Var is just one of a number of top class speed stallions currently standing in South Africa.

Currently the chief target for a three-year-old sprinter in South Africa is the Non-Black Type $500,000 CTS 1200 run on Sun Met day. It thus clashes with the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championships and is also limited to horses sold at CTS Sales. There is only one Graded sprint limited to three-year-olds in the country, the R250,000 Grade 3 Man O’ War Sprint over 1100m, run at Turffontein in the first week of April. The three three-year-old sprints introduced by the Var Syndicate remain NBT events for R150,000 each. Besides those there is the Listed R150,000 Sophomore Sprint at Kenilworth in the second week of January, the R135,000 NBT WSB Sophomore 1000 at the Vaal in September, the R150,000 Listed Swallow Stakes for three-year-old fillies at Turffontein in January and the R120,000 NBT Ethekwini Sprint on Vodacom Durban July day.

It is plain to see there are not many confidence building opportunities for three-year-old sprinters in South Africa the like of which Harry Angel has benefitted from.

By David Thiselton

Punters have another competitive eight race meeting to look forward to at Turffontein Standside tomorrow.

They could get off to a good start with Annie The Great, who caught the eye over 1000m on the Inside track when running on powerfully. Lucky Houdalakis-trained horses improve with a run and she stands out among the raced horses in this 1160m event. Flying Falcon showed good gate speed over 1000m last time and was staying on at the finish. However, the form of that race has proved suspect. Therfore, the Sean Tarry-trained first-timer New Zealand could be the biggest threat. She is by former champion sire Trippi out of the Elliodor mare Zeigler, who has produced the Listed winner Red Disa and the Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas runner up Tick Tock. Another well-bred first-timer here is the Mike de Kock-trained Rasheeka. She is by Vodacom Durban July winner Bold Silvano out of the classy Al Mufti mare Gilded Minaret, who won the Grade 1 Golden Slipper, was runner up in both the Cape Fillies Guineas and the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes and she also won the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet. However, Gilded Minaret’s only runner to date, by Kahal, did not manage a place in a few starts. Furthermore, De Kock’s normal first call rider Callan Murray will be aboard Satin Rock, who made a poor debut and now has his first run for the Brian Wiid yard.

Lucky Houdalakis (Nkosi Hlophe)

The second race, a MR 92 three-year-old Handicap over 1400m, Sir David Baird is by Dynasty and went from last to first on debut over 1200m on the Inside track to win impressively by 2,25 lengths. He is given the vote as he will be receiving 4,5kg from Surcharge and also has a better draw. Surhcarge overcame a tricky low draw on the Vaal Outside track last time over 1400m, but drew away with big strides in the closing stages to win the Novice Handicap off a merit rating of 88. Snow Boarding’s 1400m form has worked out well and he showed his class by winning a good race over 1160m yesterday, so he has to be included too. Christofle was transformed by blinkers last time and Darkest Hour won a weak maiden effortlessly when stepped up to 1400m last time, so this pair are upset material.

The third race, the first leg of the Pick6, sees The Puma stepping up to 1400m and this long-striding son of Mogok looks hard to beat, despite it being his second run after a layoff and gelding. He had traffic problems last time over 1160m, but when seeing daylight finished like a train. The first-timer Visigoth by Visionaire is a full-brother to the Grade 1 Allan Robertson third-placed Visuality and comimg from the Sean Tarry yard, who have an incredible strike rate with first-timers, will be dangerous, although he has a tough draw of eight.

The fourth race is a MR 67 Handicap over 2000m for fillies and mares. Noceur is a good looking sort, but this is her first run out the maidens and her first try at 2000m, so could well be an exploratory run. She could still be in the first three, but the preferences to fight out the win are September Bloom and Gold Medal Girl. The former is a progressive sort who goes for middle distance hattrick and is only three points higher than her last win and the latter loved blinkers last time and won easily over this trip.

The fifth is a tricky fillies and mares handicap over 1160m. An outsider who could surprise is Elusive Strike as the form of her last attempt at a sprint, when beaten 7,55 lengths over 1000m by Effortless Reward, has worked out very well and she has dropped a whopping 16 points in the merit ratings since then. Last Girl Standing is holding form and comfortably holds Melinda’s Garden and Burundi Bush on last week’s race over course and distance. Tamany Hall won a workrider’s maiden impressively over 1200m second time out and could be anything, but an 85 merit rating and topweight is never easy for a young horse first time out the maidens. The Port Elizabeth raider Kungfoofighting goes for a hattrick and can’t be ignored.

The sixth could be won by the topweight Shivering Sea who has a fine record over course and distance. Mohalela and Twelve Oaks both have ability and can improve further. Mrs O might well enjoy the step down in trip and has a featherweight, while Outlander has ability but has had a busy campaign.

The seventh over 1000m is the highest rated race and on Grade 1 Computaform Sprint form there is little between Wrecking Ball and Talktothestars with Rivarine not far behind. However, Wrecking Ball did not campaign in KZN, unlike the other pair, and is given the vote.

The last race is a tricky fillies and mares handicap over 1400m and the ones who make most appeal are Shine Bright, Open Road, Nkolo, Ntoma and Wrap It Up.

By David Thiselton

Kingston Passage, so impressive in three straight sprinting wins earlier in the year, is now back in training.

Brett Crawford (Liesl King

Brett Crawford said: “He has had a long break but is now in work once more although I don’t think he will start before November.”

The Western Winter four-year-old showed so much speed that he was able to burn off the opposition until his last outing in June when, starting hot favourite, he missed the kick and came in only fifth of eight behind 14-1 shot Prince Alfred. A subsequent veterinary examination showed him to be short on his left hind.

Crawford said: “He was OK afterwards and it wasn’t the reason why we decided he should have a rest.”

By Michael Clower

NIKLAAS “Ivan” van Wyk saddled his first winner as a licensed trainer when Ashley de Klerk’s six-year-old gelding Putchini won a MR68 Handicap over 1200m at Scottsville on Sunday in the capable hands of Billy Jacobson.

More than 11 years ago Van Wyk (51), who grew up loving horses, found himself a job as a groom with veteran trainer Chris Erasmus at Turrffontein. He handled top filly Ice Lily and handicappers Bo West and Shakeitupbaby and says: “I learnt most of what I know from Mr Erasmus, who still advises me today and is only a phone call away.”

Putchini (Candiese Marnewick)

Van Wyk, who’d worked himself up to the rank of assistant trainer, moved from Johannesburg to Durban in 2011 when Erasmus was put in charge of a string owned by Koos and Lorraine de Klerk of Yellow Star Stud. With a further six years under his belt, Van Wyk was ready to take over when Erasmus departed recently. Van Wyk commented: “I am thankful and privileged to have this opportunity. I’ve had support from the De Klerk family, fellow trainers and the stipes. I am keen to have more winners and things are improving.

I’ve had a frustrating time with places, but having the first winner under the belt changes everything, it brings confidence.”

Yellow Star Stud was formerly owned by Craig Ramsey, who immigrated to New Zealand in the mid-2000s. “We have excellent tracks here, a sand track of about 1400m with an 800m run-in, and two grass tracks, one has an uphill,” Van Wyk noted. Putchini is probably the best older horse in the stable, but Van Wyk has a few two-year-olds that will run in due course. “We have three nice youngsters by Kildonan, they should come to hand soon and will race as two-year-olds,” he said.

Van Wyk only see his Cape Town family a few times a year, but they are in full support of a man who has given heart and soul to the game and is now in a position to go from strength to strength.

– Turf Talk

Bernard Fayd’Herbe can celebrate his 36^th birthday a day early by winning the first two races at Kenilworth tomorrow.

Both Henry Tudor and Bid Before Sunset have losses to recover after starting favourite and finding one too good for them earlier in the month. Indeed it’s a little surprising to see Justin Snaith turning them out again so quickly.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe (Liesl King)

“Fitness,” he replies when quizzed about this. “I want them both to win a maiden and then I can rest them. They are fit and I think they will both be hard to beat.”

Henry Tudor has finished second in all his last three starts but he looked genuine enough ten days ago when the form – dividing Victorious Captain and Photocopy – looked solid. The gelding was yesterday installed 2-1 favourite by World Sports Betting which has Southern Sun the danger at 3-1 after his cracking debut in June.

Ridden by an apprentice, he started at 100-1 and beat all except White River in a big field that included (an admittedly unlucky) Cot Campbell. “He surprised me that day,” recalls Dean Kannemeyer who adds that some of his runners may need the outing after their vaccinations.

Bid Before Sunset was a little disappointing last time considering how promisingly she had run on debut and, although ridden to lead just over 50m from home, she hadn’t shown the pace that many punters expected.

But she is a warm favourite at 12-10 and the early market suggests that Capaill (6-1) is the main threat. However Kannemeyer’s Royal Frost (9-1) is expected to run well – “She ran a nice race last time and she will continue to improve,” says her trainer.

One word of warning, though. Neither of the Snaith hotpots is well drawn – Henry Tudor is eight out of ten and the filly ten out of 15. The penetrometer readings last Saturday showed that those racing on the inside (ie drawn low) had a 5% advantage over those in the middle and a 6% advantage had any jockey been foolish enough to try to come up the stands side.

Fayd’Herbe has a few other good rides and just possibly the draw may swing it for him in race three. Courtisan is favourite at 33-10 after a better first run that Spam Alert but Richard Fourie’s mount will start from pen 15 whereas Spam Alert (9-2) is drawn two.

Whatever his fortunes here, though, Fourie can win the Betting World Maiden on Counting Stars who looks value at 5-1. He was only just behind last Saturday’s easy winner Rommel in a big field last month and has a reasonable draw. Orakal is 18-10 favourite and is the obvious danger.

Our old friend Power Grid is drawn ten out of 14 in race seven but last week’s rain will help and he looks worth a few rand each way at 7-1.

By Michael Clower

Direct exports from South Africa to the European Union could well be back on track as early as December next year or January 2019, according to Adrian Todd, a spokesman from our horseracing industry’s Import-Export Task Team.

Todd was speaking at a recent workshop attended by the most important decision-makers in the South African horseracing industry and was upbeat about the recent progress made by the team chaired by prominent owner and businessman Chris van Niekerk.

“We have been working diligently to fix the issues raised in a 2013 audit by the EU, getting expert advice domestically and internationally, and have verified we are on the right path,” said Todd. “There remains work to be done before the official EU audit in the middle of next year, but we know we’ve made real strides in our record keeping, communication and movement control. We are on path to meet or exceed our commitments to upgrade where necessary.”

Exports of South African horses have historically taken months because of a equine disease endemic to Africa called African Horse Sickness (AHS). Just like malaria is transferred through a mosquito bite, AHS is transferred by a bite from the Culicoides Midge.

All horses north of Cape Town have to be inoculated against AHS but cases have occurred in the AHS-control zones in the Western Cape. It has now been proven that the cases in the controlled areas were vaccine related and new controls regarding the timing of vaccinations are believed to have solved this risk.

There was an enormous breakthrough last year, though, when Prof Alan Guthrie and his colleagues at the University of Pretoria Faculty of Veterinary Science’s Equine Research Centre announced they had developed a diagnostic test, known as a RT-PCR Test (polymerase chain reaction used in molecular biology to amplify a single copy or a few copies of a segment of DNA). The test can determine with absolute certainty a horse’s AHS status within four hours. It previously took a minimum of two weeks to obtain a diagnosis.

The test was officially validated by the OIE last year and since then Van Niekerk, Todd and his team have been working diligently to get the protocols governing exports from South Africa changed.

“The progress we have made shows how far we can go if we work together towards a clear and concise target,” said Todd. “It became evident when the task team was first formed that there were no clear roles and responsibilities assigned. We did not present a united front to the rest of the world. So we put a national plan together with clear actions and responsibilities and we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Horses will still have to stand in a vector-protected (insect-free) quarantine facility, and work is in progress to ultimately reduce the number of days.

In the past SA horses going overseas have had to spend a certain amount of time in quarantine in South Africa, Mauritius and a European country, a journey that took nearly five months.

“Obviously getting exports right will not be a silver bullet for the SA horseracing industry, but our science is solid and has been accepted. We are confident about our position and we’ve got a path to follow. We know exactly where we need to go.

“We working towards a resumption of trade after the official audit next year and expect to be allowed to send horses directly abroad by December 2018-January 2019.”

– tabnews.co.za

Dean Kannemeyer, 25 Grade 1 winners already in the bag including the Durban July three times, goes into battle with 90 horses this season.

He said: “I have 30 two-year-olds coming in and, while 25 of the string will stay in Durban, I am bringing back 20 horses to Cape Town next month. October 2 is the earliest they can come back into the free zone as this will be 40 days after their last shot.

Justin Snaith

“I haven’t had any boom horses in the last year but I particularly like Last Winter. He won his only start at Greyville at two and I thought he would be a classic horse last season but he kicked a wall and suffered a hairline fracture of his pedal bone.

“He came back to win his first two at Scottsville in May and July (both mile handicaps) and I think he has a very bright future. I haven’t exposed him yet – I have tried to do the right thing with him – but he is well bred (by Western Winter out of the 2009 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Field Flower) and he has a lot of potential.”

Andre Nel has the Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes on January 6 as the ultimate objective for Igugu’s half-sister Ngaga who won her first three starts before finishing second in both the Stormsvlei Mile and the Ladies Mile.

Nel said: “She is having a break at the moment but we are going to put a bit more pressure on her this season. She is prone to niggly little problems and so we were easy on her during the winter.”

Saturday week’s Settlers Trophy has attracted 15 entries and Justin Snaith has already accepted with three for the mile and a half Durbanville feature – Arezzo (Bernard Fayd’Herbe) who won the race in 2015, One Direction (Richard Fourie) and Cigar Boy. Snaith is bidding for his fifth Settlers victory.

By Michael Clower

The Brett Crawford-trained Sun Met winner Whisky Baron has “tightened up nicely” and his regular jockey Greg Cheyne will ride him next week on Monday in his first “proper gallop” since the big horse arrived in England on June 21.

Greg Cheyne (Liesl King)

The five-year-old Australian-bred Manhattan Rain gelding will do a hard gallop over 1000m on the Rowley Mile next week. His chief target is the Hong Kong International meeting in December, where he will either run in the HK$20 million Hong Kong Mile or the HK$25 million Hong Kong Cup over 2000m.

Crawford and Cheyne will decide after next week’s gallop whether Whisky Baron will be ready to take his place in the Group 2 Shadwell Joel Stakes over a mile on the Rowley Mile on September 29.

Crawford has been flying back and forth to assess Whisky Baron.

He said, “He is looking very well and has done everything right. We have taken him to a few different tracks, but have tried to keep it simple. Newmarket is a beautiful place and the facilities are fantastic.”

Cheyne has had two stints over there riding Whisky Baron. When arriving for the second stint he could immediately feel the improvement. In the second stint Whisky Baron had workouts for five days in succession and Cheyne said he had “handled the pressure well.”

Cheyne will fly out for a third time in order to ride Whisky Baron in Monday’s gallop.

Cheyne will have his first ride in England if Whisky Baron takes his place in the Joel Stakes.

He said, “Just riding work there is an experience on its own. It’s unbelievable, it’s mind blowing. Just watching the races on TV and seeing the galloping style is going to make the race very interesting. Over here and in Australia we tend to jump, sit and sprint. In the U.K. they gallop from the off and you have to maintain the gallop until the line.”

Whisky Baron (Liesl King)

To date Cheyne has ridden Whisky Baron on the Golden Mile (peat moss), Long Hill (turf) and the Long Hill polytrack. The latter has a stiff uphill finish.

Crawford has tried to familiarise Whisky Baron with his training grounds as far as possible so has made a lot of use of the latter polytrack  as well as a nine furlong polytrack called the Al Bahathri.

A former South Africa-based assistant of Crawford’s, Jevin Awotar, who is a Mauritian, looks after Whisky Baron at Mary Slack’s Abingdon Place stables.

Whisky Baron’s regular workrider is Lisa Moncrieff, who does a lot of workriding for Mike de Kock out of Abingdon Place.

Crawford is concerned about the approach of winter in the U.K, which usually brings with it more rain. He and Cheyne are very much hoping the ground stays “on top” for the Joel Stakes.

Cheyne elaborated, “He won’t appreciate bottomless ground, especially in his first start as it will be his first race for eight months.”

Brett Crawford

South African-connected horses have enjoyed success at Newmarket in recent times. Mike de Kock has won the Joel Stakes twice. In 2008 he won it with Eagle Mountain under Kevin Shea and he set a course record in the process. Bankable was second in that race and went on to be trained by Herman Brown in Dubai before standing at Summerhill Stud. In 2013 De Kock won the Joel Stakes with the South African-bred Soft Falling Rain, ridden by Paul Hanagan. In that same year De Kock finished second in a Listed race on the Rowley Mile with the SA-bred Igugu.

Three South African-bred horses, National Colour, J J The Jet Plane and Shea Shea have finished second, third and fourth respectively in Group 1 sprint races on the Newmarket July course within the last ten years.

The South African-bred De Kock-trained Imbongi won the Group 3 Criterion Stakes over seven furlongs under Shea on the July course in 2009.

Linngari, who had earlier been trained by Herman Brown Jnr and later stood at Summerhill Stud, finished third in a Group 1 on the Rowley Mile in 2008.

The Joel Stakes are named after Solly Joel, who made his fortune as a mining magnate in South Africa and was a prolific thoroughbred owner and breeder. He won the Epsom Derby twice as an owner. However, the likely best ever decision he made was to buy a horse-in-training called Polymelus for £4,200 at the Newmarket October Sale in 1906. Polymelus was a good horse, but a cut below the best. However, he went on to lead the General English/Irish sires list five times and produced at least 50 stakes winners, including Phalaris. The vast majority of thoroughbreds today trace back to Phalaris on their male lines, through the like of legends such as Northern Dancer and Mr Prospector.

Polymelus also had a major impact on South African breeding and his Solly Joel-owned and bred son Polystome was the eleven-times SA Champion sire, a record.

By David Thiselton