David Thiselton

Mickaelle Michel ended a fairy-tale tour to South Africa on a high note at the World Pool Gold Cup meeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday when landing the Gr 2 World Pool Bet With Tote Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m on the James Crawford-trained Fish Tales, who fittingly races in the famous colours of Tony Moodley.

Fish Tales, who was bred by Ascot Stud and is by their underrated stallion Heavenly Blue, is now unbeaten in two starts.

His victory was all the more commendable in that he had to overcome a draw of 11 out of 13 runners.

Mickaelle took the athletic bay colt up to mid division and in expert fashion managed to slot him into a one wide position with cover before he had used up too much energy.

The colt continually found after being switched out in the straight and hit the front at about the 150m mark before going on to win by 1,10 lengths.

Fish Tales’ red and yellow checks, emerald sleeves and cap colours were carried to Summer Cup victory by the Mike de Kock-trained Rudra in 2006 and earlier that same year were carried to Gr 1 Champions Cup glory by Equal Image. Many other good horses have carried the colours.

Tony races in partnership with his son Nishen and the other owners in Fish Tales are Raphael Goolam and Selvan Naidoo. Fish Tales is in fact the first horse Raphael has ever owned.

Nishen said after the win, “My Dad has been involved in horseracing for the longest of time. He has never left the sport. We did go a little bit quiet, I think horseracing is a wheel, you will be at the top one day and be at the bottom again and now we are slowly rising to the top again.”

He said about the purchase of Fish Tales, “When we saw him at the August two-year-old Sale last year we absolutely fell in love with him. He is by Heavenly Blue, who I think is overlooked, he is such an underrated sire, and he is one of the better Heavenly Blues that we’ve seen. Myself and some friends decided to get involved and here we are today.”

Ashley Parker of Ascot Stud was alerted many years back to the fact that Fish Tales’ dam Caviar was for sale and he snapped her up.

The Var mare was trained by the late Colin Scott and won five times over distances from 1000m to 1400m.

The Australian-bred Heavenly Blue, who is by the iconic four-times Australian Champion Sire Snitzel, won the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m and he was third in the Gr 1 SA Derby.

Fish Tales, who has plenty of substance, ran like a horse who would enjoy further.

James Crawford said they would have preferred to have come into the race with one more run under the belt and he added, “He is still green and immature and once the penny drops we’ve got a lot more fun to have.”

Fish Tales is an exciting classic prospect.

He is a half-brother to the useful King Prawn, an Alan Greeff-trained three-year-old gelding whose two wins include the Listed Champion Juvenile Cup over 1400m, although he has had a somewhat disappointing three-year-old season.

Fish Tales was bought for R375,000.

At this year’s National Yearling Sale his full-brother was bought for R200,000 by Jaap van de Vendel and will be trained by Alan Greeff.

Caviar is currently in foal to the Mauritzfontein-based sire Digital Age, a Gr 1-winning son of Invincible Spirit..

Caviar’s third dam is the Champion Broodmare Soho Secret, which means she is from the family of the good racehorse and influential matriarch Secret Pact.

Caviar has had six runners for four winners and Fish Tales is her second stakes winner.

Fish Tales won by 2,30 length on debut over 1160m on June 7 and now that he has confirmed that promise he is definitely one to follow.

Meanwhile, Mickaelle Michel will be back in South Africa in October.

Before departing the racecourse on Sunday she was presented with a framed enlargement of a Sporting Post front page headline commemorating the day she made history on Star Major in the Daily News 2000, becoming only the second woman in South African history to win a Gr 1 event.

Her 47 wins on this tour were achieved at a strike rate of 9.2% and included one Gr 1 and three Gr 2s.

RACE 1

ETERNAL SPIRIT is clearly better than she showed last time. From pole position she should get the run of the race. NOBODY’S PERFECT should like this longer distance and can score. BUMBLE BEE makes her debut and could need the experience. QUEEN’S AWAY needed her last run but has been placed over this distance and can play a minor role. ROSES FOR TREX was a disappointment on the Polytrack. SEATTLE GLOW should like this track and trip and can earn some money. SO WELCOME makes her debut and has a place chance.

RACE 2

An interesting race. MADE TO MEASURE has been unlucky not to win a race so far and get another opportunity. KALEESH CYBORG showed improvement last time out and should be a threat this distance. MATTER OF TRUST and CHAMPAGNE BLAZE both seem better than recent Polytrack performances. PRETTY BOY and GIMMETHEGOLD have both done enough of late to suggest they can also get involved with the finish.

RACE 3

JEWEL MULE makes a local debut and it may well be a winning one. HERE COMES JOHNNY, LOVELY DANCER and AMERICAN GEM are all capable of being competitive. ALESIAN BEAU is unreliable but can earn some money. CHIM CHIM CHEREE and stable companion ROCK UP have scope for improvement and can also make the frame.

RACE 4

It might be worth including all the runners in this opening leg of the Pick 6. JOKER MAN is clearly better than his last run and could bounce back to score. BLACK EGRET has been very good on the Polytrack and can score again. TINTAMARRE is better on the Polytrack and has claims. IMAGINABLE is consistent and clearly not out of it. GALILEO STAR could surprise on best form. RAVILIOUS has been a revelation this season and must be respected. WARRIOR OF ROYALTY could surprise on best form.

RACE 5

ALL SYSTEMS GO returns from a break but is the class horse of the race and can resume his winning ways back on his home track. VENTURA BOULEVARD was a wide margin maiden winner on debut. She did not repeat that when trying a Grade 1 race after that but would not be a surprise winner. CAN YOU DANSE has it all to do at these weights but could improve. RIP WHEELER, FARAWAY GIRL and CLAIRWOOD ROSE are fit but this is a tougher task for them.

RACE 6

NEW DAY showed improvement when scoring last time out and could be better than rated. MOSCOW MISS returns from a break but was in good form and must be respected. MARKETA may have just needed her local debut and could surprise. WILD STAR was a well backed recent maiden winner and could have more to offer. WHIRLYBIRD has only been modest of late but is a threat. GREENLIGHT DANCER fought on gamely last time out but is not reliable. WINTERONTHEGREEN is better than her last run and can contest the finish.

RACE 7

A competitive looking handicap. SHOW OFF was backed to win his local debut but did not fire on the Polytrack. He may well bounce back to score. EL ROMIACHI was touched off last time out and cannot be ruled out. RHYDIAN is clearly better than his last run would suggest and is overdue a winning turn. BOSNAY needed her last run and could surprise. BEL CANTO DREAM has improved of late and should be a threat. HOSPICES DE BEAUNE and AMANATTO are often competitive so must be respected for that.

RACE 8

Another very open race and it may pay to go wide in the Pick 6 in this leg. ONCIDIUM has improved of late but does have to give weight away to nearly all of her rivals. BABETTE’S FEAST needed her last run and could surprise. BACK FOR MORE is unreliable but does have Richard Fourie riding this time. POTENZA has some fair recent form and could be a threat. ROYAL KAILANI makes her local debut and could score. FLOWER FESTIVAL, LANA VIEW and QONDANEKUKHANYENI are all usually competitive and clearly not out of it.

RACE 9

Another very open handicap. SAN QUINTIN has had a bleeding issue but is in good form and could win a race of this nature. WOMAN IN GOLD, SATELLITE WORLD and OSMIUM are all recent maiden winners that could be better than rated. SILVANO’S SONG and DRIELANDENPUNT are hinting at form returns and could score. GLOBAL DRUMBEAT, TERMINAL VELOCITY and GLOBAL SPEAK have all shown they are capable of a second success and should be considered possible victors.

In exciting news for the South African horseracing industry it has been announced the UK have opened a direct equine export route from South Africa, which cements two-way trade for the SA Equine Industry.

SA Equine Health & Protocols NPC (SAEHP) sent out the following press release:

UK Opens Direct Equine Export Route from South Africa, Cementing Two-Way Trade for SA Equine Industry

Cape Town, 15 July 2026 — SA Equine Health & Protocols NPC (SAEHP) is pleased to announce that the British Government has confirmed a decision permitting direct import of live horses from South Africa to Great Britain. Following a positive assessment of South Africa’s disease control measures, imports will be permitted from the approved vector-protected quarantine station in Cape Town, for registered equines complying with UK import conditions.

This milestone reflects sustained collaboration between SAEHP, the South African Department of Agriculture, and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture — a powerful demonstration of this public-private partnership’s success in maintaining South Africa’s equine disease control measures to the highest international standard and translating that credibility into real market access.

The announcement follows closely on South Africa’s opening of imports from Dubai, New Zealand, and Australia earlier this year -making genuine two-way trade a reality for the South African equine industry.

Adrian Todd, Managing Director of SAEHP, thanked the Hong Kong Jockey Club for its funding, technical support, and vision in opening South Africa to the world, noting that the growing number of trade partners now opens a world of opportunity for South Africa across all equestrian disciplines.

About SAEHP:SA Equine Health & Protocols NPC is a South African public-private partnership established to ensure the sustainability and security of the African Horse Sickness control zones through risk mitigation measures and controls, operating under the authority of the South African National Director of Animal Health in partnership with the National Department of Agriculture and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture.