Sean Tarry did not believe he had the firepower to win last season’s National Trainers championship so it came as a bonus along with his season’s chief target of “getting Chris (van Niekerk) over the line.”

Loyal owner Van Niekerk will receive the South African Champion Owner award for the second time at the Equus Awards next week, where Tarry will receive the Trainer’s trophy for the fourth time.

Tarry said, “I thought Mike and Justin had the goods last season. It is usually the trainers who win the R4 million races who win it, so maybe it was days like Scottsville which kept us in the race.”

Tarry won three Grade 1s in one day for the first time in his career at Scottsville’s annual Festival Of Speed meeting in May and was unlucky not to clinch a Jackpot of Grade 1s as Cavivar was hampered in the Allan Robertson Championship and lost by a head. Tarry also sent out the trifecta in the main race, the Tsogo Sun Sprint.

Tarry will approach this season like last and said, “I will just tack on and if things look good will start worrying.”

His dual Grade 1 winning sprint-miler Celtic Sea will remain in training although she is not a certainty to go down for the Cape Summer Of Champions season.  

Grade 1-winning sprinter Chimichuri Run is also not a certainty to travel down as there is only one proper race for him, the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship over a five furlong distance which is a touch sharp for him, although it is a tough five furlongs.

Tarry said realistically speaking he did not appear to have a Sun Met horse, unless the three-year-olds put their hands up, as Cirillo, whilst having proven class, was not as good as the like of Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge.

He said a line could be drawn through Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion winner Eden Roc’s run on eLan Gold Cup day in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m as something had worried him on course and he had become uncontrollable in the parade ring.

He labelled Putontheredlight, runner up to Eden Roc in the Grade 2 Durban Holden Horseshoe, as another of his three-year-old classic hopes for the season although added races like the Dingaans and Cape Guineas were the true tests which showed whether a horse was up to it or not.

He mentioned a number of horses as candidates to clinch him a third successive Gauteng Summer Cup. 

He said, “I have a couple of nice horses off decent marks. Lord Silverio had a premature injury last season which put paid to his campaign and he is back in training, there is Al Mutawakel (unbeaten in three starts), Zillzaal has had the gelding he needed badly, although the Summer Cup might come too soon.”

He will also target the defending champion Tilbury Fort at the Summer Cup and will consider running his Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic, Grade 2 SA Oaks and Grade 2 Gerald Rosenberg-winner from last season, Return Flight, although he said it was not the perfect race for her.

Tarry’s chief jockey Lyle Hewitson has departed for a stint in Hong Kong, so will need to be replaced. He said, “I don’t want to force any new relationship but have got a lot of horses and those who put in the hard work will get the opportunities.”

Gold Circle have allowed Tarry to take a “sabattical” from his KZN satellite yard at Summerveld which he will open again for the SA Champions Season.

By David Thiselton

Unless you make a big splash in your apprenticeship, and those riders are few and far between, it can be really tough when you come out of you time. The academy is no longer a safe haven and you have to rely on wits, ability and just plain hard work if you are going to make a decent career as a jockey.

Serino Moodley is not long out of his time and his hard work is starting to pay off as he collected a double at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday.

Ashburton-based trainers generally have to rely on apprentices to ride the majority of their work and fully-fledged jockeys are a rare sight.

Moodley’s efforts to make the trip up from Durban in the mornings are starting to pay dividends as he is picking up some good rides and proving well worth his booking.

Gary Rich has a small string but he has been around the block a time or three and when he gets a good one, he makes the most of it. Connect Me picked up her fifth win as Moodley made all the running and kept her firing all the way to the line to comfortably hold off the attentions of Philae and favourite Stelvio in the fifth.

Earlier, Moodley judged a perfectly timed run for Karen and Greg Anthony on the filly Abbey in the fourth.

Moodley has been on the wrong end of the new 12 strikes and you are out whip rule but hefty fines kept his arm in check yesterday.

Luke Ferraris is one apprentice that has made a splash and although he comes from a family steeped in racing and as a result has been given ample opportunity to prove himself, he has made the most of his good fortune and the started the new season as champion apprentice.

Bay Tibbs was something of an armchair ride for Garth Puller in the third but the favourite was last for most of the race. In the straight, Ferraris was aware that he had plenty of horse under him and instead of ducking for a clear run up the inside, he anticipated an opening and drove Bay Tibbs through to win well. It was not the greatest of opposition but Bay Tibbs won with authority.

By Andrew Harrison

The 2019-20 horseracing season has started and TAB is making changes to its betting menu for the new season.

Betting turnovers highlight that the R1-unit Rolling Double on all consecutive races at South African race meetings holds little appeal for the majority of TAB customers.

Consequently, Rolling Doubles on local races will fall away from Friday, 9 August, and be replaced by a Daily Double with a R6 unit.

The first leg of the Daily Double on South African meetings will always be the race after the first Jackpot leg. Thus, on a nine-race programme the Daily Double will be on Races 6 and 7 with the BiPot starting on Race 2, the Place Accumulator on Race 3 and the Pick 6 and Jackpot on Races 4 and 5 respectively.

The Daily Double should put the spotlight on the big race at most local meetings because it will normally incorporate the main event. That coupled with a R6 unit, which should ensure significant payouts and will hopefully re-energise the bet and renew its appeal to TAB customers.

The Daily Double will also be added to the betting menu for selected international race meetings screened on Tellytrack. When the Daily Double is offered on such international race meetings, it will always be on the last two races with the exception of Dubai, Mauritius, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Those four countries will be treated identically to South African meetings with the race after the first Jackpot leg forming the first leg of the Daily Double.

The Vaal straight course has a nine race card tomorrow which should provide a few opportunities for punters.

The highest rated race is a MR86 Handicap over 2400m and Snorting Bull is made the value bet of the day.

Last time out over this trip he moved up strongly but perhaps went to early and it was also his second run after a layoff, so he could not maintain it. He did still finish a good 1,75 length third and should have come on from the run. He is drawn two and is 1,5kg better off with Top Shot, who beat him by 1,25 lengths in that last start. Top Shot must be respected on that effort although Tirzan is preferred for the runner up spot. Tirzan was beaten three lengths into second by the exciting staying prospect Horace last time he tried this trip and that was no disgrace. It was the second time he had finished runner up over this trip this year.

Bondiblu will be near the top of the boards following her 2,70 length fifth in the Grade 3 Track And Ball Oaks over this trip. However, the handicapper gave her six points for that effort and she will now have a hard task with Top Shot. She beat the latter by three lengths when they last met but even if her apprentice claim is included she is now 4,5kg worse off. Furthermore, for a mare to carry 59,5kg and give come decent males weight is not going to be easy. The other two runners, Earth Sky and Hands Of Man, are 3kg and 6,5kg under sufferance respectively so are up against it. 

The fourth over 1600m is the first of two fillies and mares MR 84 handicaps. I Like It looks the one to beat although with the lightweight jockey Ryan Munger up she is going to be carrying a lot of deadweight with 62kg on her back. Last time out she was just 2,25 lengths behind Vistula when receiving only 2kg and the latter went on to finish fifth in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes. One reason she is chosen is because there are question marks about most of the other runners. Eightfolds Lass won well last time over this trip and is consistent but she was given a seven point raise. Elusive Butterfly could be a threat as she will likely find this trip ideal and is only two points higher than her last win. Both Scent Of Evening and State Star are talented but they have both had breathing issues so are not ones to rely on. Soul Of Wit has been disappointing over sprints lately and tries 1600m again. In her only previous attempt at this trip she finished fifth but she is by Ideal World so should have a chance of getting it. 

The other MR84 for fillies and mares is the fifth over 1000m. Elbi is a pacey and consistent sort who was beaten by a firecracker in What A Red last time. However, if recapturing the form which saw her going close to Ulla in her previous start then she is the one to beat. Nawaasi disappointed in two runs in June but last time out was full of running when winning over this trip. She was given a six point raise and is half-a-kilogram under sufferance here but has the same 1,5kg claimer Nathan Klink aboard and if carrying that form into this race has a chance. The topweight Winter Watch is talented but a touch enigmatic. She has a shout with a 4kg claimer up if having a running day.

In the first leg of the PA the hard knocker Orchid Street is interesting dropped in trip to 1200m as she had some decent earlier form over that distance. She looks likely to fight it out with Pidgeon Rock who has had four seconds in succession from 1000-1200m.

In the sixth race over 1000m Boundless Deep might have chased too hard too early last time as she had no extra in the final 200m. She is now three points lower in the merit ratings and has a 4kg claimer up so can afford to be a bit more patient and is selected to win. Phillydelphia could be in the shake up for the in form Paul Peter yard if reproducing her penultimate start. However, Queen Of War, Claremorris and Moggie Brown also warrant consideration.

The eighth is a difficult 1600m handicap event. Sovereign Reign finished strongly last time over 1500m and is off an attractive mark so is the selection. However, all of Changing Seasons, Winter Crusade, Sammi Moosa, Hidden Agenda, Don Pierro, Movie Magic and In The Game must be included in the Pick 6.

In the last race over 1600m Mr Cuddles has a good opportunity to get off the mark in an uninspiring event as she has two seconds to her name over this trip. She is taken to beat Free Deal, who is improving and should enjoy the step up in trip, and Blanco, who has been disappointing but should go close here.  

The best bet of the day is taken to be Afrostar in the second as he has class and should now be coming into his own.

By David Thiselton

“I will stay in Hong Kong as long as I am doing well but, if I find myself in a position where I have to fight for rides and winners, I will probably come back to South Africa or try somewhere else.”

Grant van Niekerk has found himself in both positions during his first season out there, starting off with a bang and then having to make the best of 20-1 shots for weeks before really motoring in the last couple of months. “I got a few chances and got the winners home. I then started to get more support and better rides and by the end of the season I was doing really well.”

He found it something of a culture shock to begin with, starting with the way the morning work is organised. “There the trainers book you to ride work and they can book you from 4.35am to around 7.30am.” Not the easiest for man who has long since admitted to not being much of a morning person!

And there was more. “Everything there is precise and has to be done according to the clock. The trainer will give you a distance and time for the work and you have to go the speed to do it in that. I found this difficult but you get used to it and it makes you a good judge of pace.”

That’s an important attribute in any country but particularly so there. “The pressure is on from the jump and you need to be quick out of the pens – South African racing is very laid back by comparison – and riding over there has made me a lot sharper.”

But homesickness, never far away, really hit home on the day of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. “I was stable jockey to Drakenstein so I felt I was missing something, and it all looked really good.

“You do get homesick out there – you miss your family and your friends – but you tell yourself you are there to work. Also you are in a racing jurisdiction where it is the best in the world so you want to be out there.

“My family (the couple have two small children, Kiara and Aidan) were with me but Nicole and I are not married so the visa was a bit of an issue and we had to travel (backwards and forwards) all the time which is tricky.”

The money he earns is huge. His 422 rides produced 31 winners and stakes of just over HK$45 million. If you work on the same percentage as jockeys get here (9%), he would have made the equivalent of R7.7 million plus riding fees.

But he is adamant that it’s not money that drives him. “It’s the racing and the environment you race in, the sort of environment you want to be in as a jockey. You get 50,000 people at the course and that makes it all so much more fun. Also I enjoy Hong Kong – it’s vibrant and a great place – but,” he pauses and breaks into a grin, “home will always be best.”

By Michael Clower

Winter Chill made a tardy start to her racing career when sent out a short-priced favourite on debut, blowing the start and finding one better on the day. Ant Mgudlwa is unlikely to let the colt make the same mistake twice and he rates the one to beat in the card opener at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today.

Winter Chill came out of the pens sideways and couldn’t quite get to terms with eventual favourite Candle Cove. Garth Puller’s charge caught the eye in his barrier trial, beating subsequent feature-placed Maiden’s Prayer and he was as short as 11-10 on the books yesterday ahead of the Johan Janse van Vuuren’s debutant Duke Of York.

Puller has strong hands in the first three races where he saddles the ante-post favourites. Miss Charlotte is as short as 17-10 for the Track & Ball Gaming Maiden after her close-up third to Montreal Mist on the Greyville poly. All of her best runs have been on the synthetic track and better value could lie with 5-1 shot Lady Caroline Lamb.

She has her first outing for Gavin van Zyl, after his son Chesney pulled up his stake and moved to Australia, but there was no shortage of support on debut as she started as short as 33-10.

She finished with just one behind her and was the subject of a vet’s examination, but she was just six lengths back to the useful looking Mary O.

The stable is in form as is jockey Warren Kennedy, and Lady Caroline Lamb could be worth a nibble.

Puller saddles even money chance Bay Tibbs in the third and he could be the best bet as a Pick 6 banker for the afternoon. The Bold Silvano colt had his first outing for Ormond Ferraris when friendless in the betting and with Ferraris handing in his trainer’s brief, the colt was moved to Puller He made marked improvement on his debut, coming from well back to finish second to Master Of Fire. With a good draw and an extra furlong, which should suit judged on his pedigree, he could prove more than a match for 2-1 second favourite Al Jazeera.

Kennedy and Van Zyl team up again in the fourth where Zerina has been supported in from an opening call of 1-1 to 7-10 favourite. However, Louis Goosen could have other ideas as he saddles Linnger Longer. The five-year-old has been winless in 22 starts but her last four outings have come against winners, her best recent effort when beaten less than a length by Flaming Desire over course and distance. She could finally get it right today and 7-1 in this line-up looks faire odds.

KZN champion trainer Dennis Drier could help out in the next two heats. He saddles first and second favourites in the fifth, stable rider Sean Veale presumably on the more fancied of the two. Escape Club is a lightly raced five-year-old but has won four of her six starts. She showed up well in her barrier trial, her first trot on a racecourse since November last year, but taking her fitness on trust, she could prove difficult to beat.

Drier goes one better in the sixth where he saddles the first three in the ante-post market, and again Veale appears to be on the ‘right’ one in 16-10 favourite In The Stars. She made a winning return from the Cape, stretching away in the finish to beat Cherry Pop by an extending four lengths and she has beaten stable companion and second favourite Dieci in the past.

The seventh has a wide open look about it with Roy’s Stingray favourite at 28-10 with a further four horses quoted at 5-1 and shorter.

Liquid Irish finally shed her maiden after a string of runner-up berths, and finished second again in her first start in handicap company. Wendy Whitehead’s filly is an 11-10 chance today and was caught late over a mile on the Greyville poly in that outing. Today’s 1400m should be right up her alley.

By Andrew Harrison

Gavin van Zyl clinched his eighth Grade 1 win on eLan Gold Cup day with the Kingsbarns filly Gabor and is now tentatively targeting the Drakenstein Stud homebred at the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas.

Van Zyl earned small black type with Gabor’s mother Se Agabor, who was by Trippi, and Drakenstein’s loyalty in sending Gabor to him has paid off.

Van Zyl said he and jockey Warren Kennedy knew Gabor was decent after her maiden win over 1000m on the Greyville polytrack on May 29 and this was confirmed when she ran third in the Grade 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day.

Kennedy went into the latter race saying he would have definitely predicted a top three finish for her if it had not been for her wide draw and it was indeed the draw which was her undoing. She was caught wide and yet still stayed on for a fine 2,20 length third.

On Gold Cup day she landed a good draw in the Grade 1 Thekwini over 1600m and duly started favourite.

During the race she had her heels clipped which took off a hind shoe and nicked her coronet band and she also twisted a front shoe.

Yet she still managed to dig down deep to catch the leader Mill Queen and win going away.

“It was a win full of courage,” said Van Zyl, who now knows she is better than just “decent.” 

He added, “Se Agabor wasn’t a champion, she was just decent, but the combination with Kingsbarns has worked. I am glad I have another Kingsbarns in the yard too and we are also very excited about him.”

The other Kingsbarns he was referring to was the gelding Walnut, who finished fourth on debut over 1000m on the Greyville poly on May 1.

Unfortunately Kingsbarns, who won the Grade 1 Racing Post Trophy for two-year-olds in England, passed away in May 2018.

Van Zyl said he would likely use the Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship over 1400m at Kenilworth in late October as Gabor’s springboard into the Cape Fillies Guineas.

His yard have started this season where they left off last and have had three winners with just four runners.

They have feature race hopes too.

He said the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion third-placed Wave had not stayed the mile on Gold Cup day and would be kept to shorter.

The Grade 1 SA Derby third-placed Marchingontogether is a scopey sort who should come in to his own this season and they are expecting a decent campaign from the like of Blackball.

They also have a number of promising youngsters to look forward to.

By David Thiselton

The processes pertaining to jockey suspensions came under scrutiny last week at the conclusion of the South African Jockeys championship and there was criticism from various quarters about a rider’s ability to use these processes to delay a pending suspension.

However, a closer look at our National Horseracing Authority’s system compared to others around the world shows it is like comparing apples to pears and, furthermore, it is not unusual in other parts of the world for cases pertaining to riding fouls to be dragged out for a long time.

Anthony Delpech revealed over the weekend a case of his in Hong Kong involving a serious charge was dragged out for three months.

There has been criticism out here for inconsistencies in the time it takes for an appeal board to sit from case to case.

However, Delpech said when he was riding in Hong Kong the date on which an appeal board sat was dependent on the availability of both representative lawyers. i.e. it was subject to the same delays which happen in South Africa and there was no consistency from case to case. 

It should also be pointed out Lyle Hewitson initially pleaded guilty to the charge of a contravention of Rule 62.2.3 in April.

This arose on 12 April 2019 at Fairview Racecourse, he failed to ride Believethisbeauty out to the end of Race 8, thereby prejudicing his chances of obtaining 3rd position.

However, he appealed the severity of the 14 day sentence and it is this process which did not reach its conclusion before the end of the season.

Likewise, S’Manga Khumalo’s pending 60 day suspension in 2014 stretched even beyond the appeal board process when he took it to the high court.

In Hong Kong the initial inquiry is held on the same day as the race, which speeds the process up.

Over here it is usually only done the following week, but it must be remembered that in Hong Kong all jockeys not only live in Hong Kong but also live in the same apartment block compared to here where a number of them fly in from other cities.

In South Africa after an inquiry the jockey may opt for the Inquiry transcript to be considered by the Inquiry Review Board, that meets from “time to time”.

In Britain the “Disciplinary Panel” sits regularly. It holds inquiries under the Rules of Racing and, where appropriate, imposes penalties where breaches of the Rules have been committed and hears appeals from Stewards’ decisions, A number of cases are done in one sitting. However, it should be seen in the light of there being numerous racemeetings every day in Britain, meaning a number of misdemeanours will happen every week.

In South Africa, with just one or two meetings per day, there could be a week where there are no misdemeanours at all, so it would therefore not be economically viable to have such a panel sitting at regular intervals.

Jockeys are entitled to use the system to their advantage and it would seem the ability to delay pending suspensions in South Africa will continue to be part of the riding playing field.

By David Thiselton

The Equus Awards voting panel submitted their final selections following the Greyville meeting on 27 July 2019.

The voting panel comprised of Matthew Lips, Alistair Cohen, Lennon Maharaj, David Thiselton and RA chairman Larry Wainstein as non-voting chairperson.

The panel submitted their first round of nominations after Vodacom Durban July Day and voting for the finalists took place after the Gold Cup race meeting.

The categories and finalists are:

Champion Two-year-old Colt – distance immaterial: Eden Roc, Got The Greenlight

Champion Two-year-old Filly – distance immaterial: Gabor, Miss Florida

Champion Three-year-old Colt – distance immaterial: Chimichuri Run, Hawwaam, Soqrat (AUS)

Champion Three-year-old Filly – distance immaterial: Celtic Sea, Clouds Unfold, Front And Centre, Return Flight, Silvano’s Pride

Champion Older Male – distance immaterial: Do It Again, Kasimir, Pacific Trader, Rainbow Bridge

Champion Older Filly/Mare – distance immaterial: Camphoratus, Oh Susanna (AUS)

Champion Sprinter – (1000 – 1200m; age/gender immaterial): Celtic Sea, Chimichuri Run, Kasimir, Pacific Trader

Champion Miler – (1400 – 1600; age/gender immaterial): Celtic Sea, Do It Again, Soqrat (AUS)

Champion Middle Distance – (1800 – 2200; age/gender immaterial): Do It Again, Hawwaam, Rainbow Bridge

Champion Stayer – (2400 and up; age/gender immaterial): Dynasty’s Blossom, Magnificent Seven, Return Flight, Samurai Warrior, Walter Smoothie

Voting Criteria

The awards are based on graded races and in particular Grade 1 races. As regards the stayer category, the winning horse will be at the discretion of the voting panel. This decision was taken as the only Grade 1 race in SA is the SA Derby, which would mean that this should be the obvious winner based on a single run. This would also have excluded fillies and mares.

Breeder Awards:

Stallion of the Year
Broodmare of the Year
Breeder of the Year

The Thoroughbred Breeders Association may include outstanding and/or international achievement awards.

Individual Awards:

Champion Apprentice
Champion Jockey
Champion Owner (based on stakes earned)
Champion Trainer (based on stakes earned)

Horse of the Year Award

The awards are a glittering black-tie gala event that takes place at the Convention Centre at Emperor’s Palace on Tuesday, 13 August. Clyde Basel will be the master of ceremonies for the evening and guests will be treated to an array of entertainment. There will also be an after party at the same venue.

A limited number of seats are available, the cost is R650 per person, should you wish to book, please contact Penny Morsner on (011) 683-3220.

Rainbow Bridge will have a different early campaign this season as Eric Sands gears the Sun Met and WSB Champions Cup winner towards achieving owner Mike Rattray’ lifetime ambition of winning the Vodacom Durban July.

Sands said: “Last season he wasn’t guaranteed to get a run in some of the big races so I had to put him in things like the Matchem and the Cape Mile. This time I would like to go 1 200, 1 600m and 2 000m although there is no obvious 1 200m race for him – he would have a very big weight in the Cape Merchants.”

Rainbow Bridge’s performance in beating Soqrat just under half a length in the Champions Cup was apparently better than it looked as Sands reported: “Richard Fourie’s saddle slipped over the side of the horse’s withers and as a result he couldn’t ride him out properly.”

Now Rainbow Bridge is back with Julia Pilbeam enjoying a working holiday on the Soetendal Estate near Wellington. “He enjoys three meals a day, trots in the mornings and spends the rest of each day in a paddock where he gallops around giving himself a fair workout. He will be there for at least a month.”

“What am I going to do with him? Maybe the handicappers can help,” was Justin Snaith’s reply when asked when General Franco is going to run.

This is the Frankel colt who looked a potential superstar when winning on debut in mid-April only to finish plumb last when odds-on for his only subsequent start the following month; slightly sore shins was the only plausible reason to emerge.

The root of Snaith’s present quandary is that the handicappers have given the colt a rating of 102 (97 under the old system plus the August 1 all-round five point increase), a mark which he considers far too high.

“Just have a look at what he beat (only two of the ten that finished behind him have won since) – they have handicapped him on reputation and on what appeared in the papers. I can’t run him in a handicap off that mark – it would break his spirit.”

By Michael Clower