Gary Player’s famous quote; “The harder I practice the luckier I get,” is really all about work ethic and Khumalo’s capacity for the latter is not only illustrated by his full book of rides this week, long after he had the championship sown up, but also by his frequent flyer miles. Willingness to travel is a prerequisite to winning the championship and Khumalo has kept up an exhausting schedule throughout the season. He is based on the Highveld but is virtually as regular a rider as any in all of KZN, Port Elizabeth and Kimberly and has also made the odd foray to Cape Town. The public probably do not appreciate how taxing the travel is, as they are likely unaware that on many days of Khumalo’s season he was riding work early in the morning in one province and race riding the same afternoon in another. His agent Justin Vermaak also deserves credit for making almost all of those journey’s worthwhile. Khumalo’s light weight has also helped as he has been able to ride in close to 1400 races this season.
Another quote that applies to him is the one from General George S Patton, who said; “Success is how high you bounce when you hit the bottom.”
Khumalo has done a lot of bouncing in the past few seasons from injury and in that regard this season was no different.
However, he has never before had to contend with the low of being handed a 60-day suspension by the stipendiary stewards, a ban that threatened to derail his championship bid after an appeal against it failed halfway through the season.
The stipendiary stewards can be commended for the harder line they have taken this season, but appear to have chosen the wrong case to emphasise it as there appeared to be many mitigating factors.
Khumalo was reportedly devastated when the appeal against the suspension was dismissed.
A further appeal to the High Court effectively bought him time to win the championship, but was not made for that reason. Rather, Khumalo is adamant of his innocence and the High Court process will come at an enormous monetary cost if the appeal is once again dismissed.
Despite all of that hanging over his head, Khumalo came back admirably and was soon at his best. He had the support of most of the country behind him.
This season he did not reach the high moments of last, when winning all of the Sansui Summer Cup, the Presidents’ Champions Challenge and the Vodacom Durban July.
His confidence was so sky high after becoming the first black person to ride a July winner that he proceeded to ride the Jackpot in a Turffontein meeting two weeks later and he just needed to win the last race that day to make it the Pick 6 too. That meeting was really the one that set up the championship bid as it showed that he was not just a big race rider but also had the consistency, like an Anton Marcus, to ride winner after winner at any meeting where he had the necessary fire power.
He proved it again early in the new season when riding a four-timer at Turffontein on August 8 and another five-timer just four days later at Flamingo Park. He took an early lead in the title race and has never let go of his grip.
Richard Fourie threatened to catch him at one stage. The latter is not only a jockey of world class ability, but his level of professionalism matches any. His fall in the Rising Sun Gold Challenge effectively ended the exciting tussle with Khumalo that was brewing, but at least had a consolatory side as Fourie’s finely conditioned physique allowed him to pull through without serious long term effects and he went on to land his first Vodacom Durban July, albeit via the boardroom.
Khumalo won two Gr 1s this season, the Laurie Jaffee Empress Club Stakes on the Gavin van Zyl-trained Along Came Polly and the SA Nursery aboard the Sean Tarry-trained filly Carry On Alice. There were also five Gr 3s, one Gr 2 and a Listed event among the 185 winners he had ridden at time of going to press.
Khumalo’s nickname “Bling”, given to him by commentator Alistair Cohen due to the gold jewelry he likes to wear, has stuck and the name will hopefully be heard in the main media news over the next few days or weeks. His winning of the title is a great day for South African racing.

 

However, Dean Kannemeyer knows how to prepare a winner of this race, having done it twice before, and his four-year-old Silvano gelding Hot Ticket could well prove to be just too good, especially as he is in the experienced hands of “Cool Karl” Neisius.

The big chestnut is one of the classiest stayers seen in this country for some time and like a typical son of Silvano is improving all the time.
He quickened superbly in the Gr 2 Gold Vase over 3000m last time out, taking Neisius by surprise, and then showed grit to repel the challengers.
That was his first start over a staying trip at Greyville and Neisius would have learnt a lot from it.

He is better drawn this time, so won’t need to be used early, and as he relaxes so well in the running, he should have even more in reserve for the straight than he did in the Gold Vase.

Neisius won’t make the same mistake of hitting the front too soon.
Hot Ticket has to lug 60kg, but under the compressed handicap conditions is officially the best weighted horse in the race.
The only question mark around him is the pace, but there are one or two who could ensure it is decent.

The Jet Master gelding Master Sabina is out of an Oaks winner and could still be ahead of the handicapper as he has come into his own since gelding. He is a class act with a good draw, although he might prefer a slow paced race.
Alexander is officially badly weighted due to the compressed handicap conditions, but his aim from day one of the season has been to get him into this race with a low weight and trainer Glen Kotzen has timed it to perfection. He relaxes superbly in the running and has a fine turn of foot, so with a nice galloping weight over a trip he should relish, he is a big runner.
Shogunnar has had an uninterrupted preparation, which was not the case before his last race in the tabGold 2200. He is drawn well and is only one point higher in the merit ratings than last year when finishing sixth, despite being brought around the field on the Drill Hall turn.
Mike Azzie went close last year and has a fine contender this year in the mare Magic Smoke, who is tough, will love the trip and has the ability to turn it on. She has improved all the time since being switched to staying trips, so has a chance with bottom weight. Her last race in the Gold Vase was an educational outing and she can improve on that, but on the downside she has a wide draw.
Crown Of Gold is another ever improving son of Silvano and has seemingly limitless stamina. Kevin Shea aboard is a plus and it would be no surprise to see this horse out in front and making it a true test.
Wavin’ Flag has showed more speed on KZN’s lighter tracks, so the blinkers were dispensed with last time out in the Gold Vase. He was a touch unlucky in that race, so is a big runner from a fair draw as he is 0,5kg better off with Hot Ticket for a 0,15 length beating.
Last year’s third placed Canterbury Tale is an out and out stayer and should be staying on strongly, but his wide draw is against him.
The same can be said for Wild One, who has come into his own lately and is proving consistent over staying trips.
Gothic was forced wide in the Gold Vase, but is now drawn in pole and on the form of his previous two starts he would be the winner on paper. He has always struck as being a stayer, but against him is that he is not a robust horse, so will likely need a clear passage throughout.
Run For It has the class, but is unknown over the trip, although his trainer thinks he will stay. He will be fresher than most horses in the race, having not had a taxing big race campaign in the Champions Season.
The SA Oaks winner Ash Cloud looks likely to stay all day. She has a nice light weight and will come in very fit, being from the Weiho Marwing yard, who have a fantastic record in staying races. However, she is widely drawn and it is questionable whether Greyville suits her as a horse needs to be able to turn it on quickly.
Paddy O’Reilly ran on strongly last year but was just too far back and finished fifth. That is his style, but from draw two he might possibly be closer turning for home this time. However, on the downside he is three points higher in the merit ratings.
Jeppe’s Reef got the run of the race when winning from a fair draw last year, but is now four points higher in the merit ratings and widely draw, so it will be tougher.
Gold Onyx is widely drawn, but will likely be ridden cold, so will drop out. There is a question mark over his stamina, but Piere Strydom will ensure that he reserves the petrol as efficiently as possible, so at a track he loves he can’t be written off.
Serissa is a one-paced front-runner, but has a big stamina question mark and can’t be fancied.
The selection is Hot Ticket to win from Master Sabina, with Alexander, Shogunnar and Magic Smoke next best.

MICHAEL CLOWER

Champions Cup winner Futura has been raised 3.5kg to a new merit rating of 113 for last Saturday’s devastating performance and he is now second only to Vodacom Durban July hero Legislate (114) among the three-year-olds.

Next season he will put his claims to the test over a mile in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate as well as going for the J & B Met.

Brett Crawford said: “Those will probably be his two main missions. He is a very versatile horse but the good ones are and he is improving with every start. He was immature when he first arrived in Durban but in the last four months he has strengthened up and last Saturday he looked an absolute picture.”

Futura and Elan Property Group Gold Cup winner Wavin’ Flag return to Cape Town this week and will then be given a break.

Crawford said: “I will be sending them to a farm for a short spell and bring them back after they have had their African Horse Sickness vaccinations. Wavin’ Flag will be aimed at the J & B Jet Stayers on Met day and will have one or two prep runs before that.”

The 42-year-old has now had 15 Grade 1 wins, eight of them since he took that shock decision five years ago to resign as a private trainer to Sabine Plattner and start from scratch at Philippi with more hope than horses. He now he has a yard of 94 boxes and one of the most powerful strings in the country.

He reflected: “In this game you can’t do things on your own. You need the support of everyone around you, especially the owners – and I’ve been blessed.”

 

It was a red letter afternoon for Crawford and Hatt who followed up their Gold Cup triumph in the Gr1 Beach Beauty Champions Cup with favourite Futura in the very next race, a race that Crawford won last year with the now retired Jackson.

Bred by John Slade, stud manager at Maine Chance Farms, Wavin’ Flag was bought as a weanling by the grooms co-op. However, when offered for sale at auction as a yearling, Wavin’ Flag failed to reach his reserve.

“He had a reserve of R200 000 but no one wanted him,” said well-known racing television personality Grant Knowles, one of the many co-owners.  “So I bought him back but we still had trouble putting a syndicate together. There was nothing wrong with him, just that he was a typical Silvano yearling – a bit plain.”

We he didn’t look plain in the winner’s box yesterday.

Pace, or more accurately, the lack of it, has been a worrying feature of this Champions Season and in another rough race where the early gallop had runners jostling for position there were a lot of hard luck stories. One of these was favourite Hot Ticket who was shuffled back early and trailed the field for much of the race.

Canterbury Tale made the early running but was none too keen in front with Wild One and Ash Cloud in behind. Wavin’ Flag was racing mid-field. At the top of the straight Hatt slipped Wavin’ Flag up the inside rail joining issue with Wild One. Gold Onyx, who was none too keen to take part as he ducked down the chute during the pre-raced parade but seems to reserve his best for Greyville, was produced with a telling late run up the outside fence and Piere “Striker” Strydom looked to have lived up to his billing.

However, Wavin’ Flag and Wild One drew the best out of each other and there was only a half-length and a nose in it at the line.

“He’s a horse who really deserves this,” said Hatt. “He’s a changed horse since coming to (KwaZulu) Natal. He had a couple of little mishaps leading up to this race but lucky he’s a horse that doesn’t take a lot of work.”

The brilliant mare Beach Beauty, retired and soon off to stud, led the parade for the Champions Cup, now named in her honour but it was again Crawford and Hatt who stole the show. Futura was a strong fancy for the Vodacom Durban July but was one of the many runners undone by the farcically slow pace. It was a little better this time round as No Worries set a decent gallop for the short-priced favourite, allowing Futura to use his long stride. Hatt employed similar tactics as on Wavin’ Flag, giving Futura a clear run up the inside rail and the colt responded with a telling finish. The grey King Of Pain ran on late for second with No Worries staying on for third.

The Duncan Howells-trained filly Same Jurisdiction threw the Equus Awards judges a curved ball when turning in one of the best performances of the year to win the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes by the shortest of margins that included a thrilling stretch duel with SA Nursery winner Carry On Alice.

Same Jurisdiction was always perfectly placed in third place on the rail as Banbury set a modest early pace with Carry On Alice trapped three wide but also handy.

At the top of the straight Carry On Alice got first run on the field and went a length or so clear with Kevin Shea on Same Jurisdiction having to wait a few precious seconds for the gap to open off the false rail.

With 400 m to go it looked as if Carry On Alice had the race sewn up but Just Jurisdiction was not done.

Stride for stride she cut onto Carry On Alice’s lead and the two were locked together over the final 200m. But Kevin Shea, a veteran of the saddle, coaxed one last effort out of Same Jurisdiction and she snaffled Carry On Alice on the line.

This was trainer Duncan Howell’s sixth Gr1 of his career and the victory virtually cemented his place as KZN Champion trainer for the season.

Harry’s Son gave the Equus judges more food for thought when the Paul Lafferty-trained colt had a change of luck in the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes. 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. One could have thrown a blanket over the first five home with Jayyed snatching second ahead of the dead-heaters Anjaal and MLjet.

Just as on July day, Harry’s Son lost a shoe before the start and was re-shod which will not have done his chances any good. “He didn’t jump that well,” said Strydom post-race. “He dropped to the back of the field and it was stop, go, stop, go but I had Afrikaburn in front of me.”

Once the split opened at the top of the straight Harry’s Son took the gap and fought home to a game win.

Short-priced Afrikaburn had every chance but ran a “flat” race as he failed to pick it up in the straight and was never in the hunt.

Picture: Nkosi Hlophe

The four-year-old Dynasty gelding took 13 runs to win his maiden, but his fortunes have changed since hold up tactics were employed over long distances and he has now won four of his last five starts.

With the Gold Cup in mind, he was deliberately not raced for eight months until his recent comeback on 20 April over 1 900m at Clairwood, where he was a bit keen, showing that he needed it.

Yesterday he switched off as beautifully as usual in his favourite role as the tail maker and then produced his customary strong finish to win at odds of 3-1 by 0,25 lengths.

He was 0,5kg under sufferance, but having carried only 52kg will need further improvement to be a Gold Cup contender. He will also need to get going a bit earlier up the shorter Greyville straight, although it must be pointed out that yesterday’s race was run in very soft going, while he has previously shown a fine turn of foot on fast ground.

The former SA Derby runner up Gothic had dropped to an attractive merit rating of 90 and finished runner up in his second start for the Vaughan Marshall yard.

The Duncan Howells-trained Beewithme goes well for S’Manga Khumalo and ran to form in third as he was 1,5kg under sufferance with the winner.

Three other notable performances on the day were by the Dennis Drier-trained Balkan, the Neil Bruss-trained Red Flame and the Brett Crawford-trained Zacharias.

Balkan by Horse Chestnut added a five length victory over 1 100m in a fillies Juvenile Plate under Sean Cormack to her five length maiden win over 1 000m and stamped herself as a serious Gr 1 Allan Robertson contender for Scottsville’s Festival Of Speed meeting on May 24.

Three-year-old Jet Master filly Red Flame put herself into the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 picture with an impressive display in an 1 800m Graduation Plate event for fillies and mares under Anthony Delpech, cruising to a 1,75 length victory.

Zacharias, a three-year-old filly by Lundy’s Liability, was a cheap purchase, but is all heart, and won her fourth race in succession when winning a MR 89 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1 600m by a comfortable 1,5 lengths under Glen Hatt. Crawford and Hatt also won an earlier handicap over 1 200m with Gulf Storm.

The first race of the day over 1 000m saw apprentice Tristan Godden notch up his first career win aboard the Kumaran Naidoo-trained Secret Traveller.

Meanwhile, S’Manga Khumalo was kicked by a horse before the start of the tenth race at Clairwood today and was later sent for X-rays in order to diagnose whether there was any serious injury.

The current national log topping jockey was attended by medical experts at the start and had to be replaced aboard the Greg and Karen Anthony-trained Bonsai by Jarred Samuel.[/expand]