Category Archives: Y-Champions Season

All about the race

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DATE: Saturday, 25 July 2015, Day and Night

AGE/CONDITIONS: Open MR Handicap over 3200m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 3 July 2015 – Fee: R 2736

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

WEIGHTS: Friday, 3 July 2015
Weights shall be framed by the handicapper in terms of Racing Operators Conditions 2.1.2.10
Maximum Weight to be carried: 60kg
Minimum Weight to be carried: 52kg

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Tuesday, 14 July 2015 – Fee R 10 944

2014 eLAN Property Group Gold Cup

Horse: WAVIN’ FLAG

Jockey: Glen Hatt

Trainer: Brett Crawford

Owners: Messrs S D Burgess, G S Knowles, J Labuschagne, I W Longmore, Ian Robinson, A Todd & Mrs J Crawford

Breeder: Mr & Mrs J R Slade

ABOUT: The eLAN Property Group Gold Cup

With the building of the new Polytrack at Greyville, the width of the turf track has been reduced. As a result, the size of the field for this famous race has been reduced from 20 to 16 to ensure that every runner is given every chance of winning and to reduce the potential for interference or injury to the runners and riders.

 ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

Champions Season 2014 came to a close with a sensational finishing battle in the R1.25-million, Grade 1 eLAN Property Group Gold Cup at Greyville on Saturday with the Silvano gelding Wavin’ Flag getting the better by half a length of the Mogok gelding Wild One – the pair repeating the result of their personal battle in the Nokia Gold Vase on Vodacom Durban July day.

In that race Wavin’ Flag finished a close second to Hot Ticket with Wild One about a head back in third and it was a tribute to favourite Hot Ticket on Saturday, that after early problems which left him at the back of the field, he managed to come through late for fourth place behind outsider Gold Onyx.

It was a great win for trainer Brett Crawford and jockey Glen Hatt after their close results on July day when, after Wavin’ Flag’s narrow defeat in the Nokia Gold Vase, the three-year-old Dynasty colt Futura finished half a length third in the country’s premier race after experiencing traffic problems in the race.

But the talented young colt made it a red-letter day for the stable when Futura cruised through to an easy win in the R1-million, Grade 1 Beach Beauty Champions Cup to give Crawford and Hatt a Grade 1 double on the day.

In the Gold Cup, the Mike de Kock-trained Canterbury tale, stable companion to Wild One, made the running ahead of Wild One and Crown Of Gold with Ash Cloud moving up to the leaders as they approached the final turn. Canterbury Tale had nothing extra to offer in the straight as Wild One and Ash Cloud kicked off the false rail and headed for the judge.

But Hatt was quick to act and slipped Wavin’ Flag through to the inside rail and went after the leaders. Ash Cloud could not sustain her effort and Wavin’ Flag and Wild One joined issued to fight it to the line as Gold Onyx under Piere Strydom loomed up dangerously on the outside to take third place ahead of the fast-finishing Hot Ticket.

Hatt said after the race that Wavin’ Flag had become a changed horse since arriving in KwaZulu-Natal and really deserved the win after his narrow defeat in the Nokia Gold Vase.

One of the more fancied runners in the race, the Dynasty gelding Alexander, had been well-placed in the race but faded in the home straight to finish down field.

In a tribute to the great race mare Beach Beauty, the Grade 1 Champions Cup bore her name and she led the field out before being symbolically handed over to her new owners Drakenstein Stud where she will go to stud. But it was obvious that she would have loved to be taking part in the race and gave those handling her a difficult time during the hand-over process.

There were no problems with the pace in the Beach Beauty Champions Cup as No Worries set a good gallop from the start and led the field into the home straight where Hatt again slipped his mount, this time Futura, to the inside rail for his run and the three-year-old again produced the fast-finishing burst that nearly took him to victory in the Vodacom Durban July. This time it saw him cruise to an easy win by nearly two lengths over fast-finishing King Of Pain with No Worries staying on for third ahead of Readytogorightnow.

The Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes for fillies saw a thrilling battle to the line between Carry On Alice that had shown her class when beating the colts in the Grade 1 SA Nursery at Turffontein and the much lesser-light Same Jurisdiction from the Duncan Howells stable. Howells had made it very clear in the build-up to the day that his Mambo In Seattle filly was out of the top drawer and she showed it when just pipping Carry On Alice by the narrowest of margins.

Bilateral ran another top race for third ahead of Banbury but favourite Alboran Sea had an off day and finished down the field.

Another favourite to fail was the Trippi colt Afrikaburn. Unbeaten in his first three starts and a comfortable winner of the Golden Horseshoe on Vodacom Durban July day, he just failed to fire on Saturday and finished down the field as the Paul Lafferty-trained Australian-bred colt Harry’s Son just prevailed from the De Kock pair of Jayyed and Anjaal with another strongly-fancied colt, Mljet, taking fourth place.

Lafferty said the win was long overdue as the colt had been unlucky in both the Gold Medallion and the Golden Horseshoe having taken third place in both races.

The meeting was a great success with a crowd of 15 000 at Greyville and was a reflection of the superb racing the public had been treated to throughout the three months of the season.

2013

This looked a very open race and the selections of tipsters around the country were varied with no particular runner being strongly touted. The lightly-weighted runners like Knight To Remember and Patriotic Rebel along with Kolkata that had won the Gold Vase, were at the top of the betting boards with Seal, Blake, Shogunnar and S’Il Vous Plait also drawing support.

It was anyone’s race when they stormed into the home straight towards the end of the 3 200m journey but at the 300m mark Robbie Fradd drove the 25-1 outsider Jeppe’s Reef through with a strong finishing burst to win for Cape trainer Mike Bass with Masai Warrior, Canterbury Tale and Knight To Remember following him home.

Earlier in the day, the final two Grade 1 races for two-year-olds over 1 600m were run, the Thekwini Stakes and the Premier’s Champion Stakes, and both produced exciting contests.

In the Thekwini Stakes Alascan Maiden, Along Came Polly and For The Lads enjoyed the strongest support in the betting with the Judpot maiden Along Came Polly having finished second in her three previous starts including the Grade 1 Allan Robertson at Scottsville and the Grade 1 Golden Slipper at Greyville.

In this race jockey Brandon Lerena wasted no time when they entered the home straight and he sent Along Came Polly past pacemaker Tiger Quest to get first run on For The Lads who had beaten her a length in their previous meeting. She ran on strongly to win by nearly two lengths from For The Lads and Admiral’s Eye.

The Cape colt Excelero was all the rage to win the Premier’s Champion Stakes with Forest Indigo and Heart Of A Lion among the most fancied runners of the rest. Forest Indigo had won the Grade 1 Golden Horseshoe on Vodacom Durban July day and the stable was looking for the Judpot colt to complete the double.

Early in the home straight it looked like Forest Indigo was set to do just that when he took the lead about 300m out but producing a powerful finish under top rider Glen Hatt for trainer Alyson Wright, the Black Minnaloushe gelding Kochka, that had run second to Forest Indigo in the Golden Horseshoe, stormed up the inside rail to win in great style by almost a length. The Australian-bred Willow Magic finished a clear second place while Excelero ran below expectations to fininsh down the field.

It was the first Grade 1 victory for trainer Alyson Wright and owner John Jones.

The Grade 1 Champions Cup saw a welcome return to the number one box in more than a year for the magnificent equine specimen Jackson that had given notice of his return to his old self with an eye-catching fourth place in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1 200m.

Winner of the Cape Derby and seen throughout the country as a real champion of the future, Jackson had found the great miler Variety Club too good for him in the Green Point Stakes and the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and was beaten into fifth place in the J&B Met. His reputation had taken a severe knock but trainer Brett Crawford explained that the colt had suffered severe stomach ulcer problems.

After treatment and a rest he returned with a great run in the Mercury Sprint and started favourite for the Champions Cup.

That favouritism was rightly placed for he won like the champion he was after tracking long-time leader Potala Palace into the home straight. When jockey Sean Cormack pushed the button it was virtually race over and he won comfortably from Silvano’s Jet and Blaze Of Fire.

2012

In Writing wins R1m Gold Cup

A truly grand finale brought Champions Season 2012 to a close at Greyville in Durban on Saturday with the hard-knocking six-year-old gelding In Writing overpowering the gutsy filly Princess Of Light in a hard battle to the line in the R1-million, Grade 1 Ladbrokes Gold Cup.

Carrying veteran jockey Felix Coetzee to his eighth win in this demanding race and into the world record books as possibly the only rider in the world to win the same Grade 1 race eight times, the Argentinean-bred son of Editor’s Note wrote a little paragraph in history of his own kind by returning from a career-threatening tendon injury to win the country’s premier marathon event.

He gave Cape trainer Dean Kannemeyer a well-deserved Grade 1 victory after a winter season that had not gone as well as it might and the popular conditioner came close to saddling the first two past the post with his more fancied runner Blake just failing to overhaul the Geoff Woodruff-trained filly Princess Of Light for second place.

It was also a special occasion for the stable with Dean’s father, the legendary former jockey and trainer Peter “PK” Kannemeyer, being on course to witness his son’s success having made the trip from Cape Town for the meeting for the first time in 10 years.

It was the two Mike De Kock-trained runners Vettel and Gorongosa that topped the betting boards with good support coming for the Irish-bred mare shortly before the race. Blake, Kolkata and Sage Throne had good support with In Writing easy to back at 13-1.

2011

Alsan upset on Super Saturday

There was a major upset in the country’s premier long distance race when outsiders Aslan and Kolkata, trained by Sea Tarry, outran the opposition in the finish to fill the first two places. They were followed home by the Duncan Howells-trained Knight To Remember.

Favourite Ilsanpietro had every chance and ran on well but could only manage fourth place ahead of Jeppe’s Reef and Dolomite.

2010

Rainbow of flags at the Canon Gold CupGreyville racecourse was a field of colour at this years’ Canon Gold Cup as fashionistas and punters alike took full advantage of the ideal Durban weather for the R1.2 million 3.2km horseracing marathon.

This year’s theme “Flag Frenzy” had both established designers and self proclaimed fashionistas put their best foot forward as they tackled the task of creating a raceday ensemble with the immense passion.

2009

The first lady of horse racing, Mrs Bridget Oppenheimer, was on hand at Greyville to lead in her two home-bred horses Mokaro and Noblewood, who finished first and second respectively in the country’s greatest race for stayers, the R1,2 million Canon Gold Cup.

Both were trained by little heralded Cape trainer Stephen Page who was registering the first Grade 1 victory of his career and who only brought these two horses up for the three-month Champions Season.

Ivory Trail takes Champions Cup

The Joey Ramsden-trained Ivory Trail caused a huge upset under Raymond Danielson in the Champions Cup (Gr 1) run over 1 800m at Clairwood on Saturday when producing a blistering finish to narrowly deny Pocket Power what might have been a farewell victory to his many fans.

Pocket Power, whose illustrious record places him among the greats of the South African turf, was overtaken for the first time in his career as Ivory Trail came down the inside of horses to pip a wall of three other horses, including Pocket Power, who was on the very outside.

The Sean Tarry-trained Buy And Sell finished third ahead of Pocket Power’s stable companion from the Mike Bass yard, Blue Tiger.

All about the race

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DATE: Friday, 15 May 2015, Night Racing

AGE/ CONDITION: Open Conditions Race over 1900m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 24 April 2015 – Fee: R 798

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Thursday, 30 April 2015 – Fee R 3192

WEIGHTS: Friday, 24 May 2015
Benchmark at 62,0kg = 115 or more
Benchmark at 60,0kg = 110 to 114
Benchmark at 58,0kg = 105 to 109
Benchmark at 56,0kg = 100 to 104
Benchmark at 54,0kg = 95 to 99
Benchmark at 52,0kg = 94 and less

The winner of this race will not incur a penalty of more than 6 rating points, unless requested.
There will be no rating increase for placed horses, unless requested.
Weight for age allowance will be applied where applicable to a minimum weight of 50,0kg.
Sex Allowance of 2,5kg for Fillies and Mares, subject to a minimum weight of 50kg

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Thursday, 7 May 2015 – Fee R 3192

2014 Betting World 1900    

Horse: Espumanti

Jockey: Anthony Delpech

Trainer: M F De Kock

Owners: Wilgerbosdrift (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mrs M Slack)

Breeder: New England Stud, Myriad and N. Wright

About the Betting World 1900:

The Betting World 1900 is a Grade 2 merit rated handicap run for a stake of R350 000 over 1 900m and this year it will take place on Friday, May 16.

The Betting World 1900 itself is one of the more important races on the Champions Season calendar. It is one of the stepping stones for older horses to secure a place in the final Vodacom Durban July field.

Each year horses from around the country converge on Durban for Champions Season and in many cases they need to show their ability and well-being if they are to be considered as potential big race contenders. Over the years many horses that have won or featured strongly in the result of this race have gone on to win Africa’s greatest race.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

Espumanti claims Betting World 1900 at a canter. The four-year-old British-bred filly Espumanti booked her place in the field for the R3.5-million, Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July when she thrashed a competitive field of colts and geldings to win the R350 000, Grade 2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville on Friday night.

At the same meeting, the three-year-old Dynasty colt Futura threw down a challenge to the July selection panel to dare leave him out of the country’s premier event when he pulverised his opposition in the Betting World Fixed Odds Exotics 1900 Consolation, a race specially carded for runners that did not make the Betting World 1900 field.

2013

This long-standing pointer to the Vodacom Durban July once again drew a competitive field and front-runner Viva Maria set off with gusto to lead the pack from the start and into the home straight.

But moving smoothly and full of running, Jet Explorer was unleashed coming off the false rail and extending his stride moved through smartly to take the lead and race to an easy 2.75 lengths victory from Rock Cocktail, Gold Onyx and Straw Market.

2012

It was the four-year-old Dynasty filly Beach Beauty, trained by Dennis Drier for the Shanks Syndicate that was all the rage to win the race after her great win in the KRA Fillies Guineas. Only two other fillies in recent times, Faralmond and River Jetez, had managed to win this race and Beach Beauty had it all to do.

But she proved that she was something special and after settling as Lion In Winter opened up a large lead, she was set alight in the home straight and accelerated through to win as she liked. Master Plan ran a gallant race to hold off top-weight Chesalon for second place

2011

In a thrilling climax to the R300 000, Grade 2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville on Friday night (May 20), the judges were unable to separate pacemaker Golden Chariot and the Australian-bred gelding Safwan and declared a dead-heat.

The Mike de Kock-trained Safwan, under a powerful ride by Anthony Delpech, stuck his nose down on the line to deny Golden Chariot the outright victory for the Sean Tarry stable after the Caesour gelding had led from the break and looked a certain winner with metres to go.

Young Muzi Yeni had ridden a tactically perfect race on the six-year-old gelding, getting away smartly from his inside draw and dictating the pace ahead of favourite Hammie’s Boy, Fisani, We Three and another fancied runner, In Writing. He drove Golden Chariot clear at the top of the straight with the rest of the field in hot pursuit.

Delpech had settled Safwan midfield and slipped to the inside rail for his challenge as Karl Neisius brought the Dean Kannemeyer-trained In Writing down the middle of the course with a sustained finishing burst.

Golden Chariot looked set to hold on for the win with Yeni driving him as hard as he could but Safwan was closing fast and the pair went to the line almost as one horse with Safwan extending in the final stride to share the winner’s spoils.

2010

There has always been a major buzz about the Betting World 1900 as one of the crucial pointers to the Vodacom Durban July and this year was no different with some top-class contenders among the field including Aslan, winner of the Summer Cup and looking in great condition.

The Sean Tarry-trained Silvano four-year-old opened in the betting at 9-2 along with the three-year-old Bold Silvano from the Mike de Kock stable, also a son of Silvano. But it was Aslan who drew the support and shortened into 75-20 at the off with Bold Silvano easing out to 15-2.

The three-year-old had previously been trained by Gavin Smith in Port Elizabeth and campaigned in the Sizzling Summer Season in the Western Cape where he had finished two lengths behind Noordhoek Flyer in the Bloodstock SA Guineas and five lengths behind Bravura in the Investec Cape Derby.

Mike de Kock had obviously seen his potential and bought Bold Silvano for his leading patron Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum with a campaign in Dubai in mind.

In the race, jockey Anthony Delpech allowed Bold Silvano to settle mid-field while Aslan raced up handier and with 400m to go Aslan looked on course for victory with Bold Silvano still mid-field and some two lengths behind him.

But then the three-year-old exploded into action and ripped through the field to get up and beat Aslan by about a head. He had covered the final 400m in 22.5 secs and gave notice right then that he was a special individual and a force to be reckoned with in future races.

With the magic touch of Mike de Kock, Bold Silvano began his Vodacom Durban July preparation in earnest and finished second to Irish Flame in the Daily News 2000, fourth to Orbison in the Champions Cup at Clairwood before running a sensational race in the Vodacom Durban July to beat his stable companion Irish Flame.

2009

Punters eagerly eyeing the Vodacom Durban July were abuzz with the solid two length victory from Tropical Empire in the R350 000 Betting World 1900 at Greyville racecourse on Friday night.

Ridden by Brandon Lerena and trained by Duncan Howells, Tropical Night proved that his second in the Drill Hall Stakes was no flash-in-the-pan, and the Australian bred bay dived down the inside to race away from Cape Town, Air Combat and Crown of Power.

All about the race

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DATE: Saturday, 2 May 2015

AGE/ CONDITION: 3 Year Olds at Level Weights over 1600m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 17 April 2015 – Fee R 1368        

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 24 April 2015 – Fee R 5472

WEIGHTS: Friday, 17 April 2015

COLTS AND GELDINGS: 60 kg

FILLIES: 57,5kg Northern Hemisphere Allowance Applies.

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Tuesday, 28 April 2015 – Fee R 5472

2014 KRA Guineas

Horse: LEGISLATE

Jockey: Richard Fourie

Trainer: Justin Snaith

Owners: Mr W J C Mitchell, Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) & Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd

(Nom: Mr D E Evans)

Breeder: Cheveley Stud

ABOUT: The KRA (Korea Racing Authority) Guineas

Some great horses have won this race since it was first run in 1932 and many have gone on to win the July under its various titles as the Durban July, the Rothmans July and now the Vodacom Durban July – some in the same year and others as four-year-olds the following year.They include household names like Sea Cottage, Politician, Royal Chalice, Ilustrador, Right Prerogative and Dynasty. Most recently the trend continued as Big City Life landed the KRA Guineas in impressive fashion before going on to Vodacom Durban July glory in 2009. Noordhoek Flyer won the race in 2010 and has been since retired to stud. Will this year see the trend back on track?

ROLL OF HONOUR

2014

It was the Crawford-trained Captain Al gelding Captain America that was favourite to win with Snaith’s Dynasty colt Legislate as the main danger. Legislate had beaten Captain America in the Investec Cape Derby and under Richard Fourie he showed that it was no fluke when scooting three lengths clear of the field on Saturday with the Alec Laird-trained Bezanova running a tremendous race to touch off Captain America for second place.

2013

The dual classic winner Capetown Noir from the Dean Kannemeyer stable was strongly fancied to win this top classic event and really looked the part. In the field was the unraced three-year-old from the powerful Mike de Kock yard, Vercingetorix, that was due to go from zero to hero in one race. The pair raced together off the pace for most of the way until the straight where Capetown Noir dashed to the inside rail and Vercingetorix took a line straight up the course. They came together at about the 200m mark to fight a bitter duel to the line where a bob of the heads gave the decision to Vercingetorix. Corredor ran a top race for third place 2.25 lengths back with Gitiano a further 1.25 lengths back.

2012

The Joey Ramsden-trained Variety Club pulverised the opposition including Vodacom Durban July favourite Jackson who could only manage second place ahead of Golden Chateau. Variety Club stamped himself as the country’s champion miler and has now left the country to embark on an international career. After his lengthy trip to Dubai he made a winning debut in the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes over 1 600m after leading from the start.

In his second race, the Group 3 Burj Nahaar over a mile, the tactics were changed and racing in second place he was unable to quicken and finished second. But he showed his international class on Dubai World Cup night when leading all the way to win the Group 2 Godolphin Mile beating home another South African-bred, Soft Falling Rain.

2011

Solo Traveller from the Justin Snaith stable proved too good and led the field home from Elusive River and Phantom Fighter.

All about the race

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DATE: Saturday, 2 May 2015

AGE/ CONDITION: 3 Year Old Fillies at Level Weights

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 17 April 2015   – Fee: R 684

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 24 April 2015 – Fee R 2736

WEIGHTS: Friday, 17 April 2015

Weight to be carried: 60kg

Northern Hemisphere allowance applies

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Tuesday, 28 April 2015 – Fee R 2736

2014 KRA Fillies Guineas

Horse: MAYBE YES

Jockey: Glen Hatt

Trainer: Brett Crawford

Owners: Messrs G M Grant, C S Haynes, Mr & Mrs F Ladeira & Miss J B Slack

Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift

ABOUT: THE KRA (Korea Racing Authority) FILLIES GUINEAS

First run in 1971 as the South African Fillies Guineas, this great race is famous for the emergence as a star in the making of the sensational Zimbabwean-bred filly Ipi Tombe, a filly that went on to win the Woolavington 2000 nd the Vodacom Durban July before becoming an international star with magnificent wins in the Dubai Racing Carnival and at the Dubai World Cup.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

It was the Snaith-trained Jet Master filly In The Fast Lane that was favourite to win but she and the other 10 fillies had no answer to the powerful finish delivered by the Tiger Ridge filly Maybe Yes from the Crawford yard. The filly gave a scintillating performance to win by nearly two lengths in a time of 95.96 sec.

The Trippi filly from the Geoff Woodruff stable, Not Sulking, ran another genuine race to take second place with In The Fast Lane coming through for third place ahead of Lanner Falcon.

Both jockey Glen Hatt and trained Crawford said it was a good performance from the filly bearing in mind that her preparation had not gone as planned with her having to be withdrawn from her scheduled prep run.

2013

Mike de Kock had pulled off the surprise win in the KRA Guineas with Vercingetorix and completed the Guineas double when his filly Festival Of Fire burnt up the track to win comfortably from Jet Aglow, Jet Supreme and King’s Temptress. The filly had settled in the pack in the early stages but cruised clear in the straight to win by 2.5 lengths.

2012

Having been beaten into second place with Berry Blaze in the previous year, the powerful Mike de Kock stable came to the fore when the Australian-bred Amanee carried the colours of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa al Maktoum to victory from Reason To Believe and Felix The Cat. Amanee had won the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes as a juvenile and her brilliant win in this 1 600m event proved she was a filly of considerable class.

2011

Some very smart fillies went to post for the race but there was no stopping the Dennis Drier-trained Beach Beauty who won convincingly from Berry Blaze and Legal Account. Beach Beauty went on to win the Betting World 1900 and perform strongly in the country’s two top races, the Vodacom Durban July and J&B Met.

Returning to Durban she won the Drill Hall Stakes and ran second to the mighty Variety Club in the Gold Challenge at Clairwood. She then showed her class with another scintillating victory in the Garden Province Stakes on Vodacom Durban July day before making her way back to the Cape for the summer season. She opened her campaign winning a pinnacle stakes race over 1 400m and followed that up with a third place in the Green Point Stakes before thrashing her opposition in the Paddock Stakes for the second year running.

All about the race

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KOREA RACING AUTHORITY FILLIES GUINEAS (GRADE 2) – R 300 000

GREYVILLE RACECOURSE

 

DATE:                                                Saturday, 2 May 2015

AGE/ CONDITION:                        3 Year Old Fillies at Level Weights over 1600m

ENTRIES:                                           11:00am Friday, 17 April 2015   – Fee: R 684

SUPP ENTRIES:                              11:00am Friday, 24 April 2015 – Fee R 2736

WEIGHTS:                                         Friday, 17 April 2015

Weight to be carried: 60kg

Northern Hemisphere allowance applies

DECLARATIONS:                           11am Tue, 28 April 2015
– Fee R2736


2014 KRA Fillies Guineas

Horse: MAYBE YES

Jockey: Glen Hatt

Trainer: Brett Crawford

Owners: Messrs G M Grant, C S Haynes, Mr & Mrs F Ladeira & Miss J B Slack

Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift

 

ABOUT: THE KRA (Korea Racing Authority) FILLIES GUINEAS

First run in 1971 as the South African Fillies Guineas, this great race is famous for the emergence as a star in the making of the sensational Zimbabwean-bred filly Ipi Tombe, a filly that went on to win the Woolavington 2000 nd the Vodacom Durban July before becoming an international star with magnificent wins in the Dubai Racing Carnival and at the Dubai World Cup.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

It was the Snaith-trained Jet Master filly In The Fast Lane that was favourite to win but she and the other 10 fillies had no answer to the powerful finish delivered by the Tiger Ridge filly Maybe Yes from the Crawford yard. The filly gave a scintillating performance to win by nearly two lengths in a time of 95.96 sec.

The Trippi filly from the Geoff Woodruff stable, Not Sulking, ran another genuine race to take second place with In The Fast Lane coming through for third place ahead of Lanner Falcon.

Both jockey Glen Hatt and trained Crawford said it was a good performance from the filly bearing in mind that her preparation had not gone as planned with her having to be withdrawn from her scheduled prep run.

2013

Mike de Kock had pulled off the surprise win in the KRA Guineas with Vercingetorix and completed the Guineas double when his filly Festival Of Fire burnt up the track to win comfortably from Jet Aglow, Jet Supreme and King’s Temptress. The filly had settled in the pack in the early stages but cruised clear in the straight to win by 2.5 lengths.

2012

Having been beaten into second place with Berry Blaze in the previous year, the powerful Mike de Kock stable came to the fore when the Australian-bred Amanee carried the colours of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa al Maktoum to victory from Reason To Believe and Felix The Cat. Amanee had won the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes as a juvenile and her brilliant win in this 1 600m event proved she was a filly of considerable class.

2011

Some very smart fillies went to post for the race but there was no stopping the Dennis Drier-trained Beach Beauty who won convincingly from Berry Blaze and Legal Account. Beach Beauty went on to win the Betting World 1900 and perform strongly in the country’s two top races, the Vodacom Durban July and J&B Met.

Returning to Durban she won the Drill Hall Stakes and ran second to the mighty Variety Club in the Gold Challenge at Clairwood. She then showed her class with another scintillating victory in the Garden Province Stakes on Vodacom Durban July day before making her way back to the Cape for the summer season. She opened her campaign winning a pinnacle stakes race over 1 400m and followed that up with a third place in the Green Point Stakes before thrashing her opposition in the Paddock Stakes for the second year running.

News test – KRA Guineas

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DAILY NEWS 2000 (GRADE 1) – R 2 000 000

GREYVILLE RACECOURSE

 

DATE:                                               Saturday, 30 May 2015

AGE/ CONDITION:                   3 Year Olds at Level Weights

ENTRIES:                                       11:00am Friday, 15 May 2015 – Fee: R 4560

SUPP ENTRIES:                          11:00am Friday, 22 May 2015 – Fee R 18240

WEIGHTS:                                     Friday, 15 May 2015

Colts & Geldings – 60,0kg

Fillies – 57,5kg

Northern Hemisphere allowance applies

DECLARATIONS:                        11:00am Monday, 25 May 2015 – Fee R 18240

 

2014 DAILY NEWS 2000 (Grade 1)

Horse: Legislate

Jockey: Richard Fourie

Trainer: Justin Snaith

Owners: Mr W J C Mitchell, Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert) & Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr D E Evans)

Breeder: Cheveley Stud

ABOUT THE DAILY NEWS 2000:

The final “classic” tests for three-year-olds, the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 Grade 1. Daily News day at Greyville on Saturday, May 31 the country’s premier meeting for the young potential champions and very importantly, give them a final opportunity to secure a place in the country’s greatest event, the R3,5-million Vodacom Durban July.

The quality of the three-year-old crop is the barometer for the international status of a country’s racing industry and with many outstanding young locally-bred horses having proven themselves on the international stage, the South African industry has gained enormous overseas respect and interest.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

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2013

This was one of the best races of the season with a strong field of three-year-olds bidding for the major share of the R1.5-million stake to produce a heart-stopping finish with just a short head and two heads separating the first four past the post.

The Mike de Kock-trained Silvano colt Vercingetorix had narrowly defeated Dean Kannemeyer’s top performer Capetown Noir in the KRA Guineas and the pair were set to do battle again in a star-studded field of three-year-olds from all parts of South Africa.

Vercingetorix had tracked stable companion Rock Cocktail into the home straight where he was quickly sent forward to take the lead. But he soon came under pressure from Capetown Noir and they again fought a tremendous battle for the line. In the last stages the outside No Worries from the Gavin van Zyl stable blasted into the fray and the three went to the line almost as one horse with Vercingetorix just holding off No Worries by a short head with Capetown Noir a head back in third just a further head in front of Wylie Hall.

With this win Vertingetorix retained his unbeaten record which he later carried forward to his first race in Dubai.

2012

The country’s top three-year-old clash, the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 looked a one-horse affair when Jackson was backed to the exclusion of all else in the field and he did not disappoint. His sire Dynasty had won this race nine years previously before going on to score a sensational win from 20 draw in the Vodacom Durban July and, after Jackson’s facile victory in the Daily News 2000, there was strong belief that he could emulate his famous father’s success in the big one.

Jackson had won the prestigious Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby and defeat by Variety Club in the KRA Guineas was of little concern to trainer Brett Crawford who stated that the 1 600m was too short for his charge and this classic 2 000m event had been his mission for the season.

The pace had been set by the Argentinean-bred Vettel from the Mike de Kock stable and he stayed on doggedly in the finish. However, he had no answer to the finishing burst from Jackson and had to settle for second place nearly four lengths back and just half a length ahead of Shogunnar.

2011

Daily News 2000 – In one of the most exciting finishes to this famous race, the Mogok colt The Apache exploded through from the back of the field to snatch victory in the shadow of the post by a short head giving a sensational victory to young trainer Gavin van Zyl.

Under Raymond Danielson, The Apache showed brilliant acceleration and a fighting spirit when joined by favourite Run For It from the Justin Snaith stable as the two fought it out after getting the better of English Garden and Black Wing.

It was a sensational run by The Apache who was last when the field swept into the home straight and over the subway and added to the status of the Scott Bros sire Mogok that had previously produced Gypsy’s Warning that had performed with success in the United States and Orbison that had finished third in the Vodacom Durban July the previous year.

The Apache went on to run fourth in the Vodacom Durban July before winning the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1 800m at Greyville.

2010

The Mike de Kock magic was on display at Greyville yesterday as his horses Irish Flame and Bold Silvano, ridden by Kevin Shea and Anthony Delpech respectively, ran one-two in the Grade 1 R1 million Daily News 2000.

The hotpot favourite Noordhoek Flyer, who went into the race as ruling Vodacom Durban July favourite, lost a shoe in the running, but even then was disappointing in fourth place.

Kevin Shea said about Irish Flame, who went into the race as July second favourite having been a facile winner of the SA Derby in very soft going in his last start,

“This was the test to see whether he would handle Greyville and whether he would like fast ground. He proved he could do both. He showed a very good turn of foot at the top of the straight.”

Karl Neisius, who rode Noordhoek Flyer said, “I was a bit disappointed as he didn’t kick all the way to the line. He might not have seen it out but it’s difficult to tell as he did lose the shoe.”

2009

Big City Life consolidated his position as top three-year-old in the country at Greyville yesterday when winning the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 under a ride that combined both tactical and physical skill from Bernard Fayd’herbe.

With the false rail at just five metres, Big City Life would have found it a lot tougher to come around the field from behind than he had when winning the Grade 2 KRA Guineas at Greyville in his previous start, a day on which the false rail was set wide.

Fayd’herbe consequently sprang the Glen Kotzen-trained even money favourite out from his wide draw of ten and had him right up with the pace in the first few hundred metres, before managing to get him onto the rail in second place behind pacemaker Fenerbahce.