Gavin van Zyl clinched his eighth Grade 1 win on eLan Gold Cup day with the Kingsbarns filly Gabor and is now tentatively targeting the Drakenstein Stud homebred at the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas.

Van Zyl earned small black type with Gabor’s mother Se Agabor, who was by Trippi, and Drakenstein’s loyalty in sending Gabor to him has paid off.

Van Zyl said he and jockey Warren Kennedy knew Gabor was decent after her maiden win over 1000m on the Greyville polytrack on May 29 and this was confirmed when she ran third in the Grade 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day.

Kennedy went into the latter race saying he would have definitely predicted a top three finish for her if it had not been for her wide draw and it was indeed the draw which was her undoing. She was caught wide and yet still stayed on for a fine 2,20 length third.

On Gold Cup day she landed a good draw in the Grade 1 Thekwini over 1600m and duly started favourite.

During the race she had her heels clipped which took off a hind shoe and nicked her coronet band and she also twisted a front shoe.

Yet she still managed to dig down deep to catch the leader Mill Queen and win going away.

“It was a win full of courage,” said Van Zyl, who now knows she is better than just “decent.” 

He added, “Se Agabor wasn’t a champion, she was just decent, but the combination with Kingsbarns has worked. I am glad I have another Kingsbarns in the yard too and we are also very excited about him.”

The other Kingsbarns he was referring to was the gelding Walnut, who finished fourth on debut over 1000m on the Greyville poly on May 1.

Unfortunately Kingsbarns, who won the Grade 1 Racing Post Trophy for two-year-olds in England, passed away in May 2018.

Van Zyl said he would likely use the Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship over 1400m at Kenilworth in late October as Gabor’s springboard into the Cape Fillies Guineas.

His yard have started this season where they left off last and have had three winners with just four runners.

They have feature race hopes too.

He said the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion third-placed Wave had not stayed the mile on Gold Cup day and would be kept to shorter.

The Grade 1 SA Derby third-placed Marchingontogether is a scopey sort who should come in to his own this season and they are expecting a decent campaign from the like of Blackball.

They also have a number of promising youngsters to look forward to.

By David Thiselton

The processes pertaining to jockey suspensions came under scrutiny last week at the conclusion of the South African Jockeys championship and there was criticism from various quarters about a rider’s ability to use these processes to delay a pending suspension.

However, a closer look at our National Horseracing Authority’s system compared to others around the world shows it is like comparing apples to pears and, furthermore, it is not unusual in other parts of the world for cases pertaining to riding fouls to be dragged out for a long time.

Anthony Delpech revealed over the weekend a case of his in Hong Kong involving a serious charge was dragged out for three months.

There has been criticism out here for inconsistencies in the time it takes for an appeal board to sit from case to case.

However, Delpech said when he was riding in Hong Kong the date on which an appeal board sat was dependent on the availability of both representative lawyers. i.e. it was subject to the same delays which happen in South Africa and there was no consistency from case to case. 

It should also be pointed out Lyle Hewitson initially pleaded guilty to the charge of a contravention of Rule 62.2.3 in April.

This arose on 12 April 2019 at Fairview Racecourse, he failed to ride Believethisbeauty out to the end of Race 8, thereby prejudicing his chances of obtaining 3rd position.

However, he appealed the severity of the 14 day sentence and it is this process which did not reach its conclusion before the end of the season.

Likewise, S’Manga Khumalo’s pending 60 day suspension in 2014 stretched even beyond the appeal board process when he took it to the high court.

In Hong Kong the initial inquiry is held on the same day as the race, which speeds the process up.

Over here it is usually only done the following week, but it must be remembered that in Hong Kong all jockeys not only live in Hong Kong but also live in the same apartment block compared to here where a number of them fly in from other cities.

In South Africa after an inquiry the jockey may opt for the Inquiry transcript to be considered by the Inquiry Review Board, that meets from “time to time”.

In Britain the “Disciplinary Panel” sits regularly. It holds inquiries under the Rules of Racing and, where appropriate, imposes penalties where breaches of the Rules have been committed and hears appeals from Stewards’ decisions, A number of cases are done in one sitting. However, it should be seen in the light of there being numerous racemeetings every day in Britain, meaning a number of misdemeanours will happen every week.

In South Africa, with just one or two meetings per day, there could be a week where there are no misdemeanours at all, so it would therefore not be economically viable to have such a panel sitting at regular intervals.

Jockeys are entitled to use the system to their advantage and it would seem the ability to delay pending suspensions in South Africa will continue to be part of the riding playing field.

By David Thiselton

The Equus Awards voting panel submitted their final selections following the Greyville meeting on 27 July 2019.

The voting panel comprised of Matthew Lips, Alistair Cohen, Lennon Maharaj, David Thiselton and RA chairman Larry Wainstein as non-voting chairperson.

The panel submitted their first round of nominations after Vodacom Durban July Day and voting for the finalists took place after the Gold Cup race meeting.

The categories and finalists are:

Champion Two-year-old Colt – distance immaterial: Eden Roc, Got The Greenlight

Champion Two-year-old Filly – distance immaterial: Gabor, Miss Florida

Champion Three-year-old Colt – distance immaterial: Chimichuri Run, Hawwaam, Soqrat (AUS)

Champion Three-year-old Filly – distance immaterial: Celtic Sea, Clouds Unfold, Front And Centre, Return Flight, Silvano’s Pride

Champion Older Male – distance immaterial: Do It Again, Kasimir, Pacific Trader, Rainbow Bridge

Champion Older Filly/Mare – distance immaterial: Camphoratus, Oh Susanna (AUS)

Champion Sprinter – (1000 – 1200m; age/gender immaterial): Celtic Sea, Chimichuri Run, Kasimir, Pacific Trader

Champion Miler – (1400 – 1600; age/gender immaterial): Celtic Sea, Do It Again, Soqrat (AUS)

Champion Middle Distance – (1800 – 2200; age/gender immaterial): Do It Again, Hawwaam, Rainbow Bridge

Champion Stayer – (2400 and up; age/gender immaterial): Dynasty’s Blossom, Magnificent Seven, Return Flight, Samurai Warrior, Walter Smoothie

Voting Criteria

The awards are based on graded races and in particular Grade 1 races. As regards the stayer category, the winning horse will be at the discretion of the voting panel. This decision was taken as the only Grade 1 race in SA is the SA Derby, which would mean that this should be the obvious winner based on a single run. This would also have excluded fillies and mares.

Breeder Awards:

Stallion of the Year
Broodmare of the Year
Breeder of the Year

The Thoroughbred Breeders Association may include outstanding and/or international achievement awards.

Individual Awards:

Champion Apprentice
Champion Jockey
Champion Owner (based on stakes earned)
Champion Trainer (based on stakes earned)

Horse of the Year Award

The awards are a glittering black-tie gala event that takes place at the Convention Centre at Emperor’s Palace on Tuesday, 13 August. Clyde Basel will be the master of ceremonies for the evening and guests will be treated to an array of entertainment. There will also be an after party at the same venue.

A limited number of seats are available, the cost is R650 per person, should you wish to book, please contact Penny Morsner on (011) 683-3220.

Rainbow Bridge will have a different early campaign this season as Eric Sands gears the Sun Met and WSB Champions Cup winner towards achieving owner Mike Rattray’ lifetime ambition of winning the Vodacom Durban July.

Sands said: “Last season he wasn’t guaranteed to get a run in some of the big races so I had to put him in things like the Matchem and the Cape Mile. This time I would like to go 1 200, 1 600m and 2 000m although there is no obvious 1 200m race for him – he would have a very big weight in the Cape Merchants.”

Rainbow Bridge’s performance in beating Soqrat just under half a length in the Champions Cup was apparently better than it looked as Sands reported: “Richard Fourie’s saddle slipped over the side of the horse’s withers and as a result he couldn’t ride him out properly.”

Now Rainbow Bridge is back with Julia Pilbeam enjoying a working holiday on the Soetendal Estate near Wellington. “He enjoys three meals a day, trots in the mornings and spends the rest of each day in a paddock where he gallops around giving himself a fair workout. He will be there for at least a month.”

“What am I going to do with him? Maybe the handicappers can help,” was Justin Snaith’s reply when asked when General Franco is going to run.

This is the Frankel colt who looked a potential superstar when winning on debut in mid-April only to finish plumb last when odds-on for his only subsequent start the following month; slightly sore shins was the only plausible reason to emerge.

The root of Snaith’s present quandary is that the handicappers have given the colt a rating of 102 (97 under the old system plus the August 1 all-round five point increase), a mark which he considers far too high.

“Just have a look at what he beat (only two of the ten that finished behind him have won since) – they have handicapped him on reputation and on what appeared in the papers. I can’t run him in a handicap off that mark – it would break his spirit.”

By Michael Clower

It is not an easy time of year for punters but there do look to be some opportunities at the Vaal tomorrow.

In the second race over 1600m Greenwood Drive is an effective front-runner who was swamped last time over 1450m in a big field but he should be able to dictate the pace here over a step up in trip he will appreciate in a field of just five runners. He has a big weight to carry but Muzi Yeni knows him well and he has come down one point in the merit ratings. Manitoba finished second in a useful field last week and could be the chief threat.

It usually pays to follow in form trainers in the month of August and Starting Line may provide another winner for Paul Matchett in the third over 1400m. Matchett has already had two winners this season, which is not even a week old, and Starting Line ran on well last time over 1450m after having to come from some way off the pace due to a high draw. He looks to have scope for improvement and should be closer to the pace down the straight. Theatre Of Dreams moved up well from last place over 1200m on debut before her run petered out, but her tongue was found to be over the bit and she now wears a tongue tie. She will appreciate the step up in trip too. Princess Penelope has proved disappointing being a R1,4 million filly by Silvano out of the multiple Grade 1 winner Princess Victoria but she should earn here and Little Sparrow and Princess Nicole have to be respected too.

In the fourth race over 1400m Pink bumped a good one last time but off only a one point higher mark she has a fine chance here as she has always struck as being a touch better than her current lowly rating of 63. Sammi Moosa had a wide draw last week when disappointing over 1450m around the turn but in her last three runs over this straight course and distance she has finished a close second every time, so should be right there. Seattle Tango beat Sammi Moosa by half-a-length on one of those occasions and is only half-a-kilogram worse off so should be right there too. 

In the fifth race over 1800m Seventh Of June from the in form Paul Peter yard just failed last time from the front over this trip and off only a one point higher mark he can go close again. He does have another tricky draw to overcome but Warren Kennedy now climbs aboard which will give his chances a big boost. Powered Beauty will be a big threat despite going four points up in the merit ratings for his win last time over 1600m because he will appreciate the step up in trip. Corrido goes for a hattrick for the Peter yard and the trip is suitable but he has to overcome a five point raise and Kennedy has jumped ship. Master And Man is always thereabouts and jumps from a plum draw over a suitable trip. Kurt’s Approval’s last win was over this trip and he is better drawn this time so he can be involved despite being four points higher in the merit ratings.

In the sixth race over 1200m What A Red disappointed last time having made an impressive debut on the Highveld but it was not a bad run. She was perhaps a touch handy that day in a race run at a blistering pace so with the blinkers now off she can bounce back as she is likely still ahead of the handicapper. Fictitious should go close with the accomplished 1,5kg claimer Jason Gates aboard as she is off a competitive mark over a suitable course and distance. I Ain’t Trippin is in good form and should be considered and Hear The Trumpet and Only To Win could also earn. 

In the seventh race, an apprentice handicap over 1000m, Lithuanian’s Dream was bounced out last time over this trip under this same 4kg claimer and waltzed in start to finish by 4,50 lengths. He has the same number one draw and a maximum eight point raise might not be enough to stop him if the same tactics are employed. Snow In Seattle sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight and has won over this course and distance before. He has accomplished apprentice Ashton Arries aboard. Battle Creek will be thereabouts if maintaining his recent form and Tripod and Alex The Great also warrant consideration.

In the eighth race over 2000m the in form Alec Laird yard could have a winner with Circle Of Latitude. The last time she went over this trip she stayed on and just failed. After one more run she had a year’s layoff. She has recently had two comeback runs over 1400m and now steps back up to her right trip. She also gets blinkers on. The courageous Rabia The Rebel can be relied on to try her hardest over this suitable trip and she has a fair draw. Pilgrim’s Progress beat Rabia The Rebel by 2,25 lengths last time over this trip but is now 2,5kg worse off and has a tough draw.

The last race over 2000m is tricky. African Sunbird is well drawn and is distance suited so is the selection but all of Emerald Bay, Itsmydarlin, Always Red, Jacko Boy and Angelic Appeal warrant consideration for the Pick 6. 

By David Thiselton