Monte Christo has been something of an under achiever after making a winning debut for Alistair Gordon some four season’s back and two stables later he could finally add a fourth victory to his CV when he lines up in the fifth at Scottsville on Sunday.

Monte Christo started his career with a debut win for Gordon before being moved to Charles Laird where he subsequently collected back-to-back victories but has since been winless for close on two years although continuing to threaten the judges.

Monte Christo (Candiese Marnewick)

Anton Marcus knows the gelding well, having partnered him to his last win and in many subsequent races and it could be significant that he will be aboard in the gelding’s first outing for Brett Crawford. Monte Christo has warmed up in two barrier trials and with a handy galloping weight could prove too strong for the two at the top of the handicap, Macduff and Tribal Fusion.

Shane Humby may well have been reading Damon Runyan, commenting yesterday on two narrow defeats on Wednesday; “That’s racing. Nothing I can do about it now”.

Tribal Fusion boasts some useful form, including a recent victory over subsequent winner and eThekweni Sprint runner-up Woljayrine. However, he does have the small matter of 62.5kg to shoulder.

Macduff is carded with a similar weight but gets 2.5kg relief in the form of apprentice Luke Ferraris. Macduff regained his best form over course and distance with the blinkers removed and will be a threat.

Punters are faced with mainly small fields as many stables locked down for compulsory African Horse Sickness vaccinations after the end of the season but that does not make finding winners any easier.

New Fort and Impact Zone will have their supporters in the White Horse Function Room Handicap but both may have to take a back seat to Louis Goosen’s charge Haddington. With apprentice Ferraris’s claim, the giant Ideal World gelding will feel that he’s running loose and the step up to the 2400m of this race should be right up his street.

White Lightning came within an ace of scoring a major upset on debut as he came from the clouds to go down a piece of paper. On that showing the mile should be well within his compass and with Marcus aboard he can get the Pick 6 off to a favourable start in the third.

In a similar vein, Dunzie came from off the pace when beaten a length at her last start and Duncan Howells has declared blinkers on his charge this time around. If they have the desired effect she could prove difficult to beat in the fourth.

The seventh is a tricky affair in spite of the small field but top weight Warfarer is over his favourite course and distance and Lezeanne Forbes’s gelding can follow up on his recent win. However, with no speed in the race this could turn into a sprint for home unless Forbes is prepared to sacrifice recent maiden winner Truly Wicked as a pacemaker.

Grecian Laurel can round of the meeting for Howells. She was allowed to start at any price on debut, consensus being that the 1200m would be on the sharp side, but she kept on resolutely to win as she liked.

It was not the greatest field in opposition but given the extra 200m and the ease of her victory, she could have the measure of Cause And Effect and Marsala.

By Andrew Harrison

The Justin Snaith-Richard Fourie combination has won ten races at the first four Cape Town meetings of the season and the pair can take three of the first four at Kenilworth tomorrow.

Clouded Hill made a big impression when romping home over three lengths clear on his second start. He led over a furlong out in a field of 15 and drew right away to win easily with Grant van Niekerk singing his praises. He opened favourite at 11-10 and looks the one they all have to beat.

Richard Fourie (Nkosi Hlope)

The two negatives are that the ground that day was soft – softer than it will be tomorrow despite last night’s rain – and that those behind have not advertised the form.

Snaith fields the second and third favourites Clipper Captain (3-1) and Seventh Sea (7-2) who have both finished in front of 11-2 chance Mr Crumford on their most recent starts. The Brett Crawford runner looked as if he might be something special when scoring impressively on his second start but he has not, so far at any rate, quite lived up to that promise.

Juniper Spring, a Captain Al full sister to Snowdance, also has a reputation to justify but she may do so in the TAB Telebet Maiden even though the form of her third to Durty Nelly took a knock when second-placed Vomandla could manage only fifth when favourite six days ago. The selection is 19-10 favourite but the interesting ones in the World Sports Betting market are the Crawford newcomers Almost Captured and Front And Centre who are quoted at 28-10 and 5-1.

Corne Orffer rides the former, a Captain Al filly, while Front And Centre is ridden by Anton Marcus as she carries the Ridgemont colours. Much like Water Spirit who went close last Saturday, this daughter of Dynasty came under the hammer from Highlands (as Hillary’s Wish) at the Cape Premier Sale not long after the stud was sold to Ridgemont, was knocked down to Crawford (for R300 000) and the new owners then changed her name. She is a half-sister to Potala Palace.

Angel’s Trumpet caused a surprise in last Saturday’s Pinnacle but the form reads well and the handicappers have been lenient with her, only raising her by a kilo. Snaith goes for a quick follow-up in the Betting World Handicap and Fourie’s mount should collect.

Run To Denmark was nominated as a Winning Ways horse to follow after running on strongly on debut at Durbanville and may prove best in the Tabonline Maiden. The Andre Nel runner is 19-10 favourite although he is no certainty – Durbanville maiden form is not on a par with that at Kenilworth. Note 33-10 shot Carlas Mambo and Marcus’s mount Northern Spy even though he is as big as 15-2.

By Michael Clower

Turffontein Standside stages a low key nine race card tomorrow which is headlined by a MR104 Handicap over 1400m.

King’s Archer loves this course and distance and should have come on from his last run in which he was running on for third behind Infamous Fox over this course and distance. He was drawn seven of seven that day and is now drawn three. The mare Emily Jay proved her class last season as well as her suitability to this distance. She has a tough draw but has the determined Muzi Yeni up and she will be fit considering she has had a run in each of the last seven months. Shukamisa was only half-a-length behind King’s Archer last time over course and distance and they face each other on the same terms. The good 2,5kg claimer Luke Ferraris remains aboard and he should be involved in the finish. Brazuca is a class act and after losing his form he now returns from a rest and a gelding. He is drawn in pole and if at his best will be right there.

Shukamisa (Candiese Marnewick)

However, he will likely need it and would prefer further. His stablemate Doosra is ideally distance suited but returns from a five month layoff and has a tough draw. Splendid Garden has done quite well since stepped up to this trip and faces King’s Archer on the same terms despite beating him by 0,6 lengths last time. He will be fit but he has a tough draw. Irish Pride is a decent miler who has not run for five months and he will likely need the outing. New Predator is top class on his day and ideally distance suited but he went off form and has to carry 65kg on his comeback from a six month layoff.  Unagi has some class but reserves his best for the Turffontein Inside track. Wrecking Ball runs out of steam over 1000m so there is a doubt she will stay this trip.

The R4 million Frankel filly Frankly is rated the best bet on the card in the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1400m. She has joined the Ormond Ferraris yard after disappointing in the Ruffian Stakes and Pretty Polly Stakes. However, on debut over 1000m she finished just half-a-length behind the useful Mazari so has ability to match her good looks. She has a tough draw to overcome but should relish this step up in trip and has her easiest task to date plus the advantage of the good 2,5kg claimer Luke Ferraris aboard. She is made a banker in an otherwise tough Pick 6.

In the third leg of the Pick 6 Querari Viking gets a good draw for a change and is the selection with Ferraris up but a few others will have to be included.

Nordic rebel flew under the radar last time when winning well but from a good draw this time in race seven over the same 1600m trip will be a much more popular proposition and is selected to follow up off a four point higher mark. However, it is another one to go wide in for the Pick 6.

Jamra is taken to be a PA banker in the eighth over 1600m as she has always truck as one with class and looks to be coming into her own. However, the same can be said about Noceur and Lady Negra and they should be included in the Pick 6.

Donny G has dropped to a competitive mark in the ninth over 1160m but this is another tough race for the exotics.

By David Thiselton

Lammerskraal Stud landed the Broodmare of the Year accolade at the Equus Awards on Tuesday night with the Jallad mare Strawberry Lane, dam of this year’s Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes winner Redberry Lane.

Strawberry Lane is out of the Australian-bred Centaine mare Taineberry. She won one race over 1600m and was placed twice in just six starts. She is a full-sister to Jalberry, whose four wins included a Grade 3 and a Listed event and whose multiple Graded places included a third in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint. Jalberry has also produced three stakes winners at stud including Grade 2 winner Purple Diamond.

Redberry Lane (Candiese Marnewick)

Redberry Lane is Strawberry Lane’s second Grade 1 winner and third stakes performer. She also produced the Grade 1 Cape Guineas winner Solo Traveller, who also won the Grade 2 KRA Guineas and the Grade 3 Cape Classic as well as the Listed Duchess Of York Cup in Mauritius.

The four-year-old Sean Tarry-trained Redberry Lane is by the late great Lammerskraal stallion Western Winter. She also won the Listed Syringa Handicap over 1600m in May this year and her five successive second place finishes which preceded that included finishing just half-a-length back in the Grade 3 Acacia Handicap. She was merit rated only 100 when lining up in the Garden Province, 19 points below the favourite Snowdance, so her short-head victory over the latter under a fine ride by newly crowned national champion jockey Lyle Hewitson was against all the odds.

Strawberry Lane’s other Graded performer was Strawberry Ice, who finished second in the Grade 2 KRA Fillies Guineas and at stud produced the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet winner Flying Ice.

It was the second time this decade Lammerskraal had won the Equus Broodmare award and the fourth time this century. The others to do it were Turf Blazer (Dancing Champ), dam of the Grade 2 winners Citius and Weston Blaze, Fashing (Dancing Champ), dam of the great Yard Arm, and Akinfeet (Fort Wood), dam of the like of three-time Grade 1-winner Capetown Noir.

Strawberry Lane also won the Cape Breeders broodmare of the year award.

She is currently in foal to Visionaire and will be sent to him again this season.

“It is a very good mating,” said Lammerskraal Stud manager Sally Bruss.

Meanwhile, Akinfeet’s daughter, In The Dance by Gimmethegreenlight, made a sensational debut over 1160m at Turffontein on Saturday. The Tarry-trained three-year-old was taken out at the start so lost a couple of lengths and was then green in the running. However, she then showed an exceptional turn of foot and won easing up by 3,5 lengths against a fairly decent field.

Bruss said, ”It was particularly exciting because she is from the first racing crop of Lammerskraal’s new owner Peter Graaff.”

Bruss selects the horses to be kept for racing and has an uncanny knack of choosing good performers.

Lammerskraal have seven lots on the National Two-Year-Old Sales, which start today (Thursday).

They have a colt and filly by their own stallion Go Deputy, a Wylie Hall filly who is out of Enchantress, a Duke Of Marmalade colt, a Gimmethegreenlight filly, a Soft Falling Rain filly and a Marchfield colt.

By David Thiselton

Oh Susanna was a shoo-in for this year’s Equus Horse Of The Year award and her trainer Justin Snaith spoke about his first recollections of this superbly bred daughter of Street Cry.

Gaynor Rupert of Drakenstein Stud bought her USA-bred dam Sharp Susan (Touch Gold (USA)) in Australia and Oh Susanna was foaled down in Australia before being flown to South Africa.

Snaith recalled, “Gaynor sent her to our yard as one of a batch of five young horses and nobody told me anything about her being a foal of Sharp Susan. Two months into training I phoned Kevin Sommerville (the racing manager of Drakenstein) and asked him ‘where did this one come from, because there is something here.’ I also sent a whatsapp to Gaynor telling her I had a feeling about this horse and she replied saying, yes, she had been hoping she would be something special. I then asked Kevin to send me the full pedigree and upon viewing it I could see what the possibilities were. One thing I know about Street Cry fillies is that when they are good they are world class and I had a feeling she would be one of those.”

Sharp Susan won both a Group 2 and a Group 3 over nine furlongs on turf as a three-year-old in the USA and Oh Susanna is her third foal.

Oh Susanna (Liesl King)

Snaith’s hopes soared again after Oh Susanna’s debut at Kenilworth over 1200m. He recalled, “Corne Orffer gave her a beautiful educational ride and she was only just beaten.”

In her next start she was backed into 8/10 and cruised in by 5,5 lengths under Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

Snaith believed she would win her next start in the Listed Kenilworth Fillies Nursery over 1200m and recalled, “There was a big meeting in Durban that day so there weren’t any jockeys available and she was given one of the top three worst rides I’ve had to put up with in my career. She was caught in no man’s land and it was just all bad.”

She still managed to finish a 0,85 length third to the top class speedster Magical Wonderland.

She finished fifth in her reappearance over 1200m in the October of her three-year-old year. However, she then had bad draws in both the Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship and Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas respectively, which were both won by her stable companion Snowdance. Snaith was unimpressed by the ride she was given in the former event too, where she finished fifth running on in eyecatching fashion. In the Cape Guineas she was dropped out from a wide draw and ate up the ground in the straight from an impossible position to finish a 3,25 length second.

Snaith said, “The good thing about those bad draws and some bad rides was she was learning all the time, the potential was always there.”

From then on in she showed her true class. She first won the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m in cosy fashion. She then became the first three-year-old filly in more than 100 years to win the Grade 1 Sun Met and did it easing up. It was five months before she ran again but that did not stop her winning KZN’s leading fillies classic, the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000. Consequently, she not only won the Equus Horse Of The Year award on Tuesday night but also the Champion three-year-old filly and Champion Middle distance horse awards.

She only had that one run in KZN and is the first of the yard’s Durban string to be back in training at her home training track, Phillippi.

Snaith said, “She didn’t like the light tracks in Durban. She enjoys the heavier tracks and has been more relaxed back here in Cape Town. There were about 1000 horses at Summerveld and there are only 300 here at Phillippi, it’s a lot quieter and calmer environment.”

He said Oh Susanna had grown two inches in height since leaving Durban. Thoroughbreds can continue to grow until the age of five but this is an unusually pronounced growth spurt at this age. Snaith admitted, “I could not believe it, but she has definitely grown two inches.”

Snaith will soon be sitting down with Gaynor Rupert and Kevin Somerville to discuss the filly’s plans for the season.

Meanwhile, Oh Susanna’s half-brother by Exceed And Excel, Signore Fox, won his first start as a three-year-old in Australia by 3,3 lengths two weeks ago.

Sharp Susan is currently in the U.K and is in foal to the world’s leading stallion Galileo.

Snaith’s disappointment of the season was Snowdance’s succession of three runner up finishes in KZN. On top of her Cape Fillies Guineas she had also won the Grade 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m on Met day, so her KZN campaign cost her any chance of being a serious competitor to Legal Eagle for the Equus Champion Miler award.

One of Snaith’s chief aims this season is to gain revenge on those horses who beat Snowdance in Durban and the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate is thus high on his agenda. Whether Oh Susanna also lines up for that race remains to be seen.

Snaith concluded, “A lot of negative things are being said about racing at present but I think we are heading for exciting times. Gold Circle have taken the lead in marketing racing and I hope the others follow suit.”

Snaith also collected the national champion trainer award on Tuesday night. Oh Susanna is the third Horse Of The Year he has had in his career, the others being Legislate (2013/2014) and Futura (2014/2015).

By David Thiselton

Candy Galore was backed like there were no seconds in the card opener on the Greyville poly yesterday and she duly obliged for Gareth van Zyl under Warren Kennedy. Apprentice Eric Ngwane, aboard Luneburg, had pinched a healthy lead at the top of the straight but Candy Galore was relentless and reeled her in with something to spare.

Internet Kid had let the side down on a few occasions which was probably the reason why he was relatively easy to back yesterday. He forced replacement rider Mark Khan to extract the best out of both. Gordonstoun set a solid gallop but came under pressure a furlong out as Spume and Internet Kid joined battle. It was a no quarter asked battle but Khan managed to get Internet Kid’s head down when it counted.

Candy Galore (Anneke Akal)

Ngwane, who comes out of his time at the end of the year, scored a double at Scottsville on Sunday, and was on the mark again aboard the Glen Kotzen-trained Majestica. Kinglassie looked to have held off all the opposition until Ngwane produced Majestica with a telling late run to win going away.

Apprentice Ashton Arries rode a confident race aboard outsider Roy’s Pony (12-1) for Alyson Wright and had the mare handy throughout. Probably to the horror of her rivals, Roy’s Pony still had a full tank in the run for the wire and scored rather comfortably for her fourth victory. The ever game Just Rap was second best with favourite Just My Style filling the shallow end of the purse.

Socrates was denied his third straight win on the poly when run out of it by Leslie Shadowliner in the fifth in what was a rough finish. After this exhibition there is no doubting the intestinal fortitude of Donovan Dillon and apprentice Serino Moodley as they came out of a scrum unscathed. Dillon, hunting for space on Socrates, committed to a rapidly closing gap but just too late to catch Moodley and Leslie Shadowliner. Meat in the sandwich was Al Ciberano who was unceremoniously shunted out of the back door.

Supporters of High Green will have had their hearts in their mouths as Lance Pagel changed down into first gear some 50m before the line allowing Samsonite to close to within a rapidly reducing neck. In truth Lowan Denysschen’s gelding had the race sewn up a long way out but punters can do without having to reach for blood pressure pills. However, it may not have fazed Denysschen who watched stony-faced last week as High Green did a grand tour of the Ashburton rings after dropping his work rider. The trials and tribulations of racehorse trainers!

Into The Groove and favourite Roman Courtesan fought out a desperate finish to the seventh. Roman Courtesan looked to have the upper hand after taking the lead early in the straight but Stuart Randolph finished strongly on Ivan and Daryl Moore’s mare. Roman Courtesan rallied under the challenge but the line came just too soon and Shane Humby had to settle for another frustrating runner-up berth.

Gareth van Zyl and Warren Kennedy opened the day and closed the day as Path Of Victory rounded off a successful afternoon for the duo. Path Of Victory, owned by KZN leading owner Mario Ferreira, finished strongly to hold rank outsider Thomas Jefferson at bay.

By Andrew Harrison

The Vaal Classic track stages a low key eight race meeting tomorrow and the exotics look to be the way to approach it.

The Pick 6 will not be easy and a banker will have to be found.

In the first leg over 2000m Mantracker has improved and from a good draw this resolute sort could gallop them into the ground over the course and distance of his best career preformance. On formlines Shadow Man has a shout. He is widely drawn but being by Silvano should be improving. The filly Rubix is starting to come into her own and is another one to include.

Celestina (Nkosi Hlophe)

The second leg over 2000m is a tough race but Highlander has bounced back to form lately and is competitively merit rated over a suitable trip. Kurt’s Approval and Samar have to be included and for wider Ryder, Scotland, Storm Outgoing, King’s Cup and Sucha Charmer warrant consideration.

In the third leg over 1000m All About The Bass is officially the best weighted horse and although he has only run in Kimberley he is an impressive specimen and looks the one to beat. He is taken to be a banker as a banker has to be found somewhere. Miss Khalifa has a big reputation and will likely appreciate the step down to 1000m and also has her third run after a layoff, so is the one the risk averse can consider. The concern is she has disappointed in her last two over 1400m and 1200m when fancied in features at Greyville.

Topmast and Rule The Night have also shown ability.

In the sixth race over 1000m Illegal’s best recent performance was over this course and distance against the girls and back against the girls she has a chance, albeit off a four point higher merit rating. Celestina won well last time and looks to be coming into her own. Distant Call will appreciate the step down in trip. However, it is a tough race and the whole field should be considered.

In the fifth leg over 1000m Dancing Queen returned from a five month layoff to obliterate a maiden field by five lengths. The form is not exceptional but she should come on from the run and is officially the best weighted male horse. The form of Elbi’s maiden win over 1200m was franked on Saturday when The Sash, whom she beat by 6,95 lengths, won over 1600m. Elbi was still green in that race showed good pace so might appreciate the step down to 1000m. The filly Star Flyer is officially the best weighted horse and has a lot of pace so will be a contender. All Of Me was in contention until the last 200m of the Grade 3 Debutante Stakes over 1200m at Greyville despite having had to overcome a wide draw and she will enjoy this trip and is a threat. Cloud Break is held narrowly be Elbi on a line through a horse called Parental Control.

In the last leg over 1600m Elegancia, who had some decent form in Cape Town, has her third run on the Highveld and having been given only three points for her win over this trip she can follow up. Ponchielli has done well in two starts since being stepped up to 1400m with S’Manga Khumalo aboard. She can be strong in the running so needs a good draw and a good pace for this further step up in trip, which on pedigree she should stay being by Tiger Ridge out of a Not For Sale mare. She is drawn in two and could well get a good pace from the widely drawn Silvez. She is four points higher for her win last time, but she won comfortably and has a chance of following up. Silvez won her maiden well when stepped up to this trip but was promptly sold out of the Tarry yard. However, she has a reasonable merit rating and a 2,5kg claimer up, albeit from a tough draw. All I Got was unlucky last time against Ponchielli and can improve.

Angelic disappointed last time but if bouncing back off a lowered merit rating and from a good draw she has a shout. Catch A Thief does not make much appeal at first sight being a nine-year-old mare by Malhub and not only is she 2,5kg under sufferance but she also carries 1,5kg overweight. However, this mare never cracks a draw and she has done so at last, drawing in pole, so is upset material as her penultimate start proves she has ability. Movie Award flew for a close second to Elegancia in her penultimate start and back to this trip she can do well again having failed over 1800m on Saturday. Tortola has a win and a second from two starts over this course and distance and has to be included.  Pin Up Fold is hard to ignore from a good draw with a 4kg claimer up.

David Thiselton

EquineHub, a new trading platform for racehorses developed in Singapore, is set to revolutionise the equine industry as owning a racehorse will become more accessible than it has ever been before with relatively small amounts of money.

EquineHub executive director David Raphael has been touring South Africa presenting the platform to trainers and owners in unison with his South African colleague, James Goodman ahead of the online trading site’s launch date in the fourth.quarter of 2018.

EquineHub leverages on blockchain technology in which a race horses records can be stored immutably. EquineHub’s blockchain Depository safeguards the racehorses’ history and lineage, tracking its journey from conception at the stud farms till the end of life in a transparent, traceable, immutable and secured manner.

James Goodman (Sportingpost)

Horses traded on the website will have up to 100,000 shares issued at the entry stage. Any member of the public will be able to register and begin buying and selling these shares online. The difference between this system and the stock exchange is that it will be up to the owners to decide what price they put on their shares when they wish to make an offer to sell.

The fractional training fees attached to each share are calculated and collected in advance. Owners of the shares must keep this portion of their purchase up to date and failure to do so will give EquineHub the right to trade the shares.

EquineHub automates the distribution of stake monies and trainer fees. On South African race cards EquineHub will usually appear as the owner of the horses who have been sold to shareholders on their automated online platform.

If there is an extraordinary expense, such as a horse being exported to race in Dubai, shareholders will be asked to pay their portion of the expense. However, as Raphael points out, the demand for such a horse would have increased astronomically and a shareholder not willing to pay the travel expense will almost certainly be able to sell at a profit.

South Africans will be able to buy horses from any country. Raphael said one of the dreams of EquineHub was to own horses who run in each of the world’s biggest races, like the Melbourne Cup and the Kentucky Derby.

Raphael and the other two founding members of EquineHub have been holding workshops for the last twelve months to address problems thrown at them by industry men in order to ensure the automated system runs smoothly.

He said the racing industry was not complicated, but rather just different to other industries, so there had not been a single issue which they had not been able to solve and incorporate into the automated system.

Raphael has no doubt the concept will be a success and cited the accessibility of ordinary members of the public to owning racehorses and the security of the transactions through the site’s blockchain databasing as the key points.

He said, “Our experience is that owners and trainers are striving to improve the perception of our industry. Integrity is vital, and we believe that the blockchain system will ensure integrity in areas that have been questionable in the past.”

Goodman added, “There will be rules and guidelines for buyers and sellers to adhere to and trainers will furnish periodical information on horses offered for sale.”

Raphael said an option to include breeding stock on the trading platform was also being explored.
The EquineHub website lists eight propositions to their platform.

The first is the “Exchange”, as described above, and the others are “Marketplace, Blockchain Depository, Social Proof Scoring, Auction, Gamification, Expert Network and Adopt-A-Horse.

The definition provided for the Marketplace is, “A global B2B (business to business) marketplace for service providers such as logistic providers, vets, agents and trainers to connect and conduct commerce.”

Raphael said, as an example of the Blockchain Depositary, EquineHub would have the ability to update the medical history of a horse. The integrity and security of the data would also be as close to perfect as possible due to blockchain databasing.

Social Proof Scoring will allow users to rate and rank Equine service providers. The Auction facility allows owners or horse syndicates to list their horse on a secondary market. Gamification is a plan to run fantasy leagues etc for horseracing. The Expert Network allows Equine experts to share their views as a restricted paid service. Adopt-a-Horse is a platform for adopting a horse after its horseracing career is over.

This certainly looks to be a most exciting development for racing fans. For those who have dreamed of being in a position to trade and own racehorses, as they have had the relevant knowledge but have just never had enough funds, this is a particularly inspiring innovation.

EquineHub will also provide the ideal opportunity for racing folk to introduce outsiders to the joys of racehorse ownership.

By David Thiselton

The Equus Awards took place last night at the Emperor’s Palace in Johannesburg and the only three-time Grade 1 winner of the season, Oh Susanna, was named Horse Of The Year as expected.

The Australian-bred by Street Cry became the first three-year-old filly to win the Sun Met for over 100 years and her owners and breeders Drakenstein Stud have a valuable asset in hand.

Her trainer, Justin Snaith, received the National Champion Trainer’s trophy for the second time in his career.

Oh Susanna (Candiese Marnewick)

Snaith’s charges received three other awards. Oh Susanna also won the Champion Three-year-old filly award and the Champion Middle Distance horse award as her Grade 1 wins in the Cartier Paddock Stakes, Met and Woolavington 2000 were all over middle distances. The Snaith-trained Do It Again won the most keenly contested award, the Champion Three-year-old male. A number of qualifiers had each won one Grade 1 apiece. However, Do It Again’s victory in the Vodacom Durban July was regarded as the Grade 1 three-year-old performance of the season as he had the field stretched out like the washing and it was in open company. He also won the Grade 2 Daisy Guineas and finished a flying second in the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby.

The Champion Sprinter was also competitive with each of the contenders having also won only one Grade 1 each. The Mike Azzie-trained Will Pays got the nod as he won the weight for age (WFA) Grade 1 Mercury Sprint and in so doing beat the Grade 1 weight for age Computaform Sprint winner Attenborough. He also won the Grade 3 Spring Spree Stakes over 1200m.

The Sean Tarry-trained Legal Eagle lost his Horse Of The Year title, which he had won for the previous two years running, but he retained his Champion Miler award. He is unbeaten over this distance and defended his crowns in the WFA Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the WFA Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes. Legal Eagle also retained his Champion Older Male award.

The Tarry-trained Return Flight won the Champion Two-year-old Filly award due to her commanding performance in the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes which was adjudged more meritorious than the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Mighty High’s impressive win in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship.

Mike de Kock-trained horses won two awards. Soqrat was narrowly beaten by his stablemate Barahin in the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m but next time out in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m he won impressively and was given the nod for the Champion Two-year-old Male award. De Kock’s Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes winner and narrow Horse Chestnut Stakes runner up Nother Russia won the Champion Older Female award.

The Dean Kannemeyer-trained It’s My Turn was named Champion Stayer for his feat of winning the Track and Ball Derby, the Gold Vase and the eLan Gold Cup in the space of five weeks.

Lyle Hewitson received the National Champion Jockey trophy. He became the first apprentice to win the championships since Michael Roberts won it in the 1972/73 season, although Roberts became a fully fledged jockey in June 1973 so Hewitson was the first to receive the trophy while still an apprentice since Gerald Turner did so in the 1960s.

Drakenstein Stud were the deserved champion owners as they do a lot for the sport. The perennial champion owners Mayfair Speculators were forced to begin dispersing their stock under a cloud halfway through the season.

Klawervlei Stud retained their national Breeders Championships, although they were just over a R1 million clear of their perennial rivals Summerhill Stud.

Silvano retained his champion stallion trophy. It was the third time he had won the title.

By David Thiselton

Pleasedtomeetyou, who looked so good when winning effortlessly on debut at Kenilworth last Saturday, has made a big impression on the handicappers. They have introduced him into the merit ratings at 92, a far higher figure than trainer Andre Nel envisaged.

Ryan Munger

After winning with Hello Summer at Durbanville yesterday, Nel said: “I think they have punished him unbelievably and I am considering whether to appeal.

“I know that the time was almost half a second faster than the Pinnacle on the same day but they should rate him on what he beat and four of those were unraced.”

The Querari colt appeared a really smart sort in the making at the time but, when viewed again in the cold light of Monday evening’s Winning Ways programme, he seemed considerably better than that – possibly even a Guineas horse. The James Goodman/Paul Lafferty combination had no hesitation in nominating him as one to follow. Punters may not have all that long to wait because Nel has already been looking through the programme.

He said: “Pleasedtomeetyou came out of his race very well, and as if he had hardly raced. We will pick his next race carefully but there could be something for him around September 11.”

Certainly punters could do with something to latch onto after being knocked for six in the first race yesterday as surely as if they had been taking on A.B. de Villiers.

Rock Trip, a horse with about as much form as a blank sheet of paper, led inside the final furlong under Ryan Munger to score by a neck at 55-1 with barely a rand on her. To add insult to financial injury odds-on favourite Happy Girl, who could manage no better than fourth, came from the same stable – that of Candice Bass-Robinson.

She was in Johannesburg to inspect the near 450-horses in the National Two Year Old Sale. Her brother Mark said: “This was a big surprise to us but Rock Trip ran in the wet last time, she didn’t enjoy it at all and finished 16 lengths back seventh of nine. Today the leaders went a hell of a pace and all the fancied horses fell in a hole.”

By Michael Clower