Category Archives: Y-Champions Season

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DATE: Sunday, 10 May 2015

AGE/ CONDITION: Open conditions race over 2400m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Thursday, 30 April 2015 – Fee: R 274

WEIGHTS: For all Horses
Bench mark at 61,5 kg = 100 or more

Bench mark at 60,0 kg = 95 to 99

Bench mark at 58,5 kg = 90 to 94

Bench mark at 57,0 kg = 85 to 89

Bench mark at 55,5 kg = 80 to 84

Bench mark at 54,0 kg = 75 to 79

Bench mark at 52,5 kg = 70 to 74

Bench mark at 50,0 kg = 69 and be low

The winner of this race will not in cur a penalty of more than 6

Rating points.

There will be no rating increase for placed horses.

Sex Allowance of 2,5 kg for Fillies and Mares, subject to a minimum weight of 50 kg.

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Tuesday, 5 May 2015 – Fee Nil

2014 Highland Night Cup

Horse: Alexander

Jockey: Keagan De Melo

Trainer: Glen Kotzen

Owners: Messrs A Basson, J Feddy, N C Smith and Neil Patrick Smith

Breeder: Mrs J A Brannigan

ABOUT: The Highland Night Cup

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

Alexander

2013

River Crossing

2012

Vettel

2011

Knight To Remember

2010

Thanks John

Normanz 2014

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DATE: Saturday, 23 May 2015

AGE/ CONDITION: Open Merit Rated Handicap over 1200m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 8 May 2015 – Fee: R 1710

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 15 May 2015 – Fee R 6840

WEIGHTS: Friday, 8 May 2015

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Monday, 18 May 2015 – Fee R 6840

2014 TSOGO SUN SPRINT (GRADE 1)

Horse: Normanz

Jockey: Athandiwe Mgudlwa

Trainer: Charles Laird

Owners: Mrs I Jooste & Mr MJ Jooste

Breeder: Avontuur Throughbred Farm

ABOUT: Tsogo Sun Sprint (Grade 1)

Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg, the centre of speed in South African racing, hosts the Golden Horse Sprint race day for the 52nd time on May 24 and, as in all the years past, will undoubtedly provide the exciting and highly competitive clashes it is renowned for.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

Trainer Charles Laird pulled off a perfect training feat when the three-year-old Var gelding Normanz powered across the line to win the R1-million, Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint at Scottsville on Saturday.

Owned by Ingrid and Markus Jooste, Normanz won by 1.5 lengths from another Jooste runner Red Ray from the Joey Ramsden stable.

2013

There were some top sprinters in the main feature event but one of the lesser fancied runners was the Charles Laird-trained Contador that had run poorly in his previous race and had been gelded just five weeks before the Scottsville race.

Contador settled early as Barbosa made the running but going through the 300m mark he accelerated and moved with strong finish gaining the lead and winning by a length from Wild Type, Merhee and Desert Sheik.

2012

A day of mixed results that led to a Place Accumulator payout of R6 000 was enjoyed by a large crowd who cheered the three-year-old Australian-bred colt Delago Deluxe when he stormed home under champion jockey Anton Marcus to win the R600 000 Golden Horse Casino Sprint for trainer Charles Laid carrying the famous green, yellow and black silks of owners Ingrid and Markus Jooste.

Delago Deluxe, that was declared the best turned out horse in the race, had returned to Scottsville for the first time after a year where he had won the Tsogo Sun Medallion as a two-year-old giving him a perfect record of two Grade 1 victories in his two races at the Pietermaritzburg track.

2011

The Golden Horse Casino Sprint was won by the Geoff Woodruff-trained three-year-old Shea Shea to give the Gauteng conditioner his second win in the race in three years. He had won with Earl Of Surrey in 2009. The National Emblem colt under Anthony Delpech finished ahead of August Rush and Polar Moon.

2010

JJ The Jet Plane, trained by the Vaal-based Lucky Houdalakis, wrote his name into the record books again at Scottsville yesterday under Pierre Strydom when he became the first horse since Dambuster in 1984 to reclaim the Grade 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint crown.

Houdalakis brought him back slowly after he had come out of quarantine. He only had his first gallop in February and his preparation was also effected by unseasonal rain.

2009

Earl of Surrey, ridden by Johnny Geroudis, posted an emphatic victory in the Grade 1 R600 000 Golden Horse Casino Sprint, shortly after Geroudis had bagged another grade 1 win in the Allan Robertson Fillies Championship earlier in the day at Scottsville.

The Zimbabwean bred Earl Of Surrey won by two and a half length, despite carrying top weight, from Thunder Key, and the Mike Bass trained duo of Gaultier and Blue Tiger filling the balance of the places.

Guiness 2014

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DATE: Saturday, 23 May 2015

AGE/ CONDITION: 2 Year Olds at Level Weights over 1200m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 8 May 2015 – Fee: R 1368

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 15 May 2015 – Fee R 5472

WEIGHTS: Friday, 8 May 2015
Colts & Geldings – 60,0kg
Fillies – 57,5kg

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Monday, 18 May 2015 – Fee R 5472

2014 TSOGO SUN GOLD MEDALLION (GRADE 1)

Horse: Guiness

Jockey: Anton Marcus

Trainer: Dennis Drier

Owners: Mrs I Jooste & Mr M J Jooste

Breeder: Mr G C Jolliffe & Mrs J A Jolliffe

ABOUT Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion (Grade 1):

First run in 1963 as the Smirnoff Plate, this is the top two-year-old sprint in the country and some of the finest speed horses in the land have added their names to the roll of honour. Among them was one of the most magnificent thoroughbred specimens bred in South Africa, National Currency, who went on to beat some of the world’s best in Dubai.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

Drier recorded his third straight win in the R600 000, Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Medallion when the Seventh Rock colt Guiness got the better of favourite Carry On Alice to win by a neck. The pair had joined issue for a titanic battle over the final 100m with Anton Marcus keeping Guineas running strongly under a powerful ride.

 2013

The Tsogo Sun Medallion saw another outstanding performance by the Dennis Drier-trained Captain Of All who won by a length from Willow Magic, Captain’s reserve and Kochka giving Drier his third win in this prestigious juvenile race four years. Captain Of All had come under pressure from Willow Magic in the closing stages and shifted under the pressure but he fought on for the win and the pair put five lengths between themselves and Captain’s Reserve.

Via Africa 2014.

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DATE: Saturday, 23 May 2015

AGE/ CONDITION: Fillies and Mares at Weight – For – Age

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 8 May 2015 – Fee: R 1368

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 15 May 2015 – Fee R 5472

WEIGHTS: Friday, 8 May 2015

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Monday, 18 May 2015 – Fee R 5472

2014 CITY OF PIETERMARTZBURG FILLIES SPRINT (GRADE 1)  

Horse: Via Africa

Jockey: Kevin Shea

Trainer: Duncan Howells

Owners: Messrs A J Boshoff & G A Haiptfleisch

Breeder: Mr G A Hauptfleisch

About CITY OF PIETERMARTZBURG FILLIES SPRINT (GRADE 1):

Initially run as the Natal Fillies Sprint and making its appearance on the programme for the first time in 1971 with a stake of R5 000, this weight-for-age race for fillies and mares is the ultimate test for the ladies on the South African calendar. The status of the race was upgraded in 1984 when it became the South African Fillies Sprint and has carried Grade 1 status for some years.

The top sprinting fillies and mares in South Africa meet in this race and the list of winners includes great speed horses like Mildenhall, Paschal, Marie Galante. Joie De Grise and Lassefaire, the last three having each won the race twice.

In recent years there have been the two Sean Tarry-trained fillies National Colour who set a new race record in 2006 and stable companion Ethereal Lady who broke that record and established the quickest time ever for the race of 67.23 seconds last year.

ROLL OF HONOUR:  

2014

As expected, the four-year-old Var filly Via Africa won the R600 000, Grade 1 The City Of Pietermaritzburg SA Fillies Sprint but it was only by a whisker. Having led throughout under Kevin Shea she looked home and hosed until the Mike Bass-trained Jet Master filly Fly By Night produced a devastating finishing burst under stable jockey Grant van Niekerk to close rapidly on the tiring Via Africa to fail by the shortest of short heads. Via Africa won this race last year and at the weights looked impossible to beat. She led for most of the way and it looked like she would complete the double comfortably but it was not to be and her win was by the narrowest winning margin she had ever had to endure. Jet Aglow from the Dennis Drier yard ran a super race to take third place ahead of another outsider Varikate from the Justin Snaith yard.

2013

In the South African Fillies Sprint the large crowd was treated to a spectacular performance by the fabulous filly Via Africa as she led from the start and accelerated in the final rush to the line to win majestically by a length. She beat the top fillies Festival Of Fire, Princess Victoria and All Is Secret and trainer Duncan Howells commented that she was a brilliant filly and the public didn’t know just how good she was.

2012

1st Ebony Flyer; 2nd Welwitschia; 3rd She’s A Stunner; 4th Chocolicious.

alboran sea nh

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DATE: Saturday, 23 May 2015

AGE/ CONDITION: 2 Year Old Fillies at Level Weights over 1200m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 8 May 2015 – Fee: R 1368

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 8 May 2015 – Fee R 5472

WEIGHTS: Friday, 15 May 2015 Weight to be carried: 60kg

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Monday, 18 May 2015 – Fee R 5472

2014 Allan Robertson Championship (Grade 1)  

Horse: Alboran Sea

Jockey: Muzi Yeni

Trainer: M F De Kock

Owners: Mrs M Slack & Mr M B Javett

Breeder: Rosemont Stud, Vic

ABOUT Allan Robertson Championship (Grade 1):

Following on the success of the then Smirnoff Plate run for the first time the year before, this race was first run in 1964 as the Breeders Champion Fillies Stakes and is the top sprint for juvenile fillies in the country. The name was changed to the Allan Robertson Championship in 1974 in honour of Mr Allan Robertson who founded the Thoroughbred Breeders Association of South Africa.

Great names of horses, jockeys and trainers have been associated with the winners of this race including Charlie Barends, Michael Roberts, Herman Brown senior, Terrance Millard, David Payne, the late Aubrey Roberts and Johnny Dawson who all won the race more than once.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

Alboran Sea

2013

Trainer Vaughan Marshall is a master at preparing sprinters and his filly Happy Valentine gave notice that she was something special when winning the Allan Robertson Championship by 3.5 lengths. She had won by 5.5 lengths on debut and displayed her speed when pacing it with Garibondy in the early stages before being given her head and blasting away from the opposition to win from Along Came Polly, Masked Lady and Sea Cat to give jockey Sean Veale his first Grade 1 victory.

2012

1st All Is Secret; 2nd Franny; 3rd Valdivia; 4th Counter Ridge.

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DATE: Saturday, 25 July 2015

AGE/CONDITION: Open MR Handicap over 1000m

ENTRIES: 11:00 Friday, 3 July 2015 Fee: R342

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00 Friday, 10 July 2015 Fee: R1368

WEIGHTS: Friday, 3 July 2015

DECLARATIONS: Thursday, 16 July 2015 Fee: R1368

 

2014 Umngeni Handicap

Horse: Schiffer

Jockey: Sean Cormack

Trainer: Dennis Drier

Owners: Mesdames G A Rupert, L White and Leigh Taberer

Breeder: Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm

 

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

No Horse Jockey Trainer Al/Bl Kg Dr Fin Dist Time OP SP
5 SCHIFFER Sean Cormack D R Drier A 57.0 2 1 0.00 57.60 7/2 7/2F
1 MR WHATEVER Keagan De Melo P L Lunn A 60.0 1 2 2.00 57.95 8/1 9/1
2 INSEARCHOFTHESUN Keagan Latham S Janse van Rensburg A B 57.5 6 3 2.75 58.09 25/1 45/1
6 VARIKATE Grant Van Niekerk S J Snaith A 57.0 3 4 2.85 58.10 7/2 5/1

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DATE: Saturday, 25 July 2015, Day and Night

AGE/ CONDITION: 2 Year Old Fillies at Level Weights over 1600m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 3 July 2015 – Fee: R 1368

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 10 July 2015 – Fee R 5472

WEIGHTS: Friday, 3 July 2015 Weights to be carried: 60kg

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Thursday, 16 July 2015 – Fee R 5 472

 

2014 Thekwini Stakes

Horse: SAME JURISDICTION

Jockey: Kevin Shea

Trainer: Duncan Howells

Owners: Drakenstein Stud (Nom : Mrs G A Rupert), Messrs D C Howells, L C Vermaak, Dr R H Katzwinkel & Mrs M A M Powell

Breeder: Klawervlei Stud

 

ABOUT: Thekwini Stakes Gr 1

 

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

The Duncan Howells trained, Same Jurisdiction was always perfectly placed in third place on the rail as Banbury set a modest early pace. Once she was asked for an effort by Kevin Shea, the daughter of Mambo In Seatle proved to the crowed on course that she was a star in the making.

*After winning the Thekwini, prominent breeder Mrs. Rupert bought into the glamourous filly for an undisclosed amount.

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DATE: Saturday, 25 July 2015

AGE/CONDITION: Open MR Handicap over 1600m

ENTRIES: 11:00 Friday, 3 July 2015 Fee: R342

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00 Friday, 10 July 2015 Fee: R1368

WEIGHTS: Friday, 3 July 2015

DECLARATIONS: Thursday, 16 July 2015 Fee: R1368


2014 The Darley Arabian

Horse: Night Trip

Jockey: Anton Marcus

Trainer: Mike Bass

Owners: Messrs N M Shirtliff, M J Jooste, Bryn Ressell and Mrs I Jooste.

Breeder: Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert)

 

ABOUT: The Darley Arabian

 

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

No Horse Jockey Trainer Al/Bl Kg Dr Fin Dist Time OP SP
5 NIGHT TRIP Anton Marcus M W Bass A B 55.5 5 1 0.00 94.10 9/2 3/1
11 EXELERO M J Byleveld V H Marshall A 52.0 3 2 3.00 94.64 33/10 7/2
4 DISCO AL Sean Cormack J Ramsden A 56.0 9 3 3.05 94.65 16/1 20/1
2 LAKE ARTHUR Donovan Dillon (0.0) Y Govender A B 59.0 8 4 5.30 95.06 6/1 12/1

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DATE: Saturday, 25 July 2015, Day and Night

AGE/ CONDITION: 2 Year Olds at Level Weights over 1600m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 3 July 2015 – Fee: R 1368

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 10 July 2015 – Fee R 5472

WEIGHTS: Friday, 3 July 2015                                                                                                                                                                                                             Colts and Gelding 60kg, Fillies 57,5kg

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Thursday, 16 July 2015 – Fee R 5 472

2014 Premiers Champion Stakes Gr 1

Horse: HARRY’S SON

Jockey: Piere Strydom

Trainer: Paul Lafferty

Owners: Messrs Roy Moodley, P Georgiou, Mr & Mrs D J Steyn & Mrs M M Bilro & Miss A Bilro

Breeder: Cranton Bloodstock, Vic

 

ABOUT: The Premiers Champion Stakes Gr 1

 

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

Under a superb ride from Piere Strydom, Harry’s Son cut through his field to hit the front close home just ahead of a wall of horses to snatch his first Gr 1 success of his career. The impressive victory was not the only thing that came out of the race as Harry’s Son was named the Equus 2 year old of the year a few weeks later.

*Harry’s Son has since run a credible second in the Cape Guineas and won the Gauteng Guineas, now back in his home town both trainer and horse are gearing up for an explosive Champions Season ahead.

2013

The Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes for two-year-olds saw Alyson Wright win her first South

African Grade 1 when her Black Minnaloushe gelding Kochka made up for the disappointment of his hair-breadth’s defeat in the Grade 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe on Vodacom Durban July day to win under Glen Hatt.

It was also a first Grade 1 win for the yard’s loyal owner John Jones.

Kochka relished the step up to 1 600m. Hatt tucked him in behind the field from his wide draw of 15 and he turned for home with only two behind him, although they had gone a decent pace.

The Golden Horseshoe winner Forest Indigo burst on to the scene on the outside, but Kochka had been running on resolutely down the inside and this time went past the latter to win by 0,75 lengths.

2012

Sean Tarry arrived on course yesterday hoping to complete a rare July-Gold Cup double, as he had the fancied Kolkata and last year’s winner Aslan in the main race.

However, he didn’t go home empty handed as he landed the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes with the two-year-old Jallad gelding The Hangman, who was brought home by July-winning jockey Piere Strydom.

The Hangman ran on well to catch the favourite Black Toga, before going on to win comfortably by 2,25 lengths, denying Marshall and Marcus a Grade 1 two-year-old double.

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DATE: Saturday, 25 July 2015, Day and Night

AGE RANGE: Open Conditions Race over 1800m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 3 July 2015 – Fee R 2280

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 10 July 2015 – Fee R 4560

WEIGHTS: Friday, 3 July 2015
Two-year-olds………………..50,0kg
Three-year-olds………………55,5kg
Four-year-olds and older……57,0kg

ADDITIONAL PENALTIES: In addition, further penalties to accrue as follows for races won in the period 18 months prior to the date of issuing of weight. Winner of a Grade 1 race…………3 kg for each such win Winner of a Grade 2 race…………2kg for each such win Winner of a Grade 3 race…………1kg for each such win Penalties not cumulative Sex Allowance of 2,5kg for Fillies and Mares, subject to a minimum weight of 50 kg

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Tuesday, 14 July 2015 – Fee R 9120

2014 Champions Cup

Horse: FUTURA

Jockey: Glen Hatt

Trainer: B Crawford

Owners: Messrs John T Freeman, I W Longmore & W J C Mitchell

Breeder: Guy Murdoch

ABOUT: The Champions Cup

 

Roll Of Honour:

2014

No one will forget the day Crawford and the now retired jockey Glen Hatt had as they followed up their Gold Cup triumph moments later with Futura winning the Champions Cup (Gr1), a race that Crawford won in 2013 with the now retired Jackson.

*Futura has since gone on to dominate the Cape Town season collecting both the L’Ormorins Queens Plat and the J&B Met, and will be one of the leading protagonists for the 2015 Vodacom Durban July.