There was plenty to celebrate at the KZN Breeder’s Awards held at Forduin in Nottingham Road on Saturday night but the most heartwarming story was of a new breeder, Nothemba Mlonzi, whose first two runners had both recently won on debut. She attempted to keep her 100% record at Scottsville yesterday but it was not to be.

Nothemba owns a farm in the Midlands where she had been growing tomatoes. A Cedara graduate was managing this operation and thoroughbred breeding doyen Anton Procter, who lives nearby, was also regularly helping out. The manager one day recommended she should do something with the section of empty land she had, where the kikuya grass would provide good grazing. He informed her of Procter’s success in breeding racehorses in the area and advised her to chat to him.

Procter recommended she should first travel to watch the Epsom Derby, where the winner represents the pinnacle of breeding achievement, and this would give her a good idea of what the game was all about.

He had soon organised her a Derby ticket with the help of Larry Nestadt.

Nothemba, who works in Johannesburg for the company she herself founded, Econ Oil, had a wonderful time at the Derby, where she was hosted by Bernard Kantor. She came home with no more doubts about starting the new venture. She had soon purchased two mares, On A Wing (a three-time winner over 1200m by Tiger Ridge) and Celestial Cloud (a twice-winner by Toreador and a half-sister to Grade 1-placed Patchit Up Baby). The resulting progeny were the filly Master Keys and the colt Galaxy Tunes. The pair  were sold at the National Yearling Sales and the KZN Yearling Sale for R100,000 and R50,000 respectively through her Mwetwood Stud.

Master Keys gave Nathan Kotzen his first winner as a trainer when scoring on debut and Galaxy Tunes also won on debut for Mark Dixon.

Master Keys had her second start at Scottsville yesterday and finished unplaced.

Procter has advised Nothemba throughout and she could not have asked for a more experienced and passionate mentor.

Procter played cricket for Natal together with his legendary brother Mike. However, he was always destined to be a farmer and horseman. He began following pedigrees in his school days as he was keen to find out why different horses by the same sire kept on winning. Later he became involved in amateur horseracing as an owner and trainer in Donnybrook. He travelled all the way down to Umtata to win his first race, the horse being ridden by a young African who had never ridden in a race before. It felt like winning the July to Procter and his passion grew. His later career in thoroughbreds included being secretary of the Richmond Gymkhana Club; he had a public trainer’s license in Zimbabwe; and he spent nine years working for perennial KZN champion breeders Summerhill Stud. He also had a stint as a bookmaker. He had been unhappy at his place of employ at the time in the late 1960s and when a bookmaker’s license became available in Greytown he purchased it for R1020. On Durban July day in 1970 just about the whole town descended on his premises thinking it was a Tote and he stood to lose a fortune on the favourite Naval Escort. Fortunately the latter ran unplaced and an outsider his wife had dreamed vividly about winning the race, Court Day, duly won. An exhausted Procter arrived home on the Saturday evening and asked his children to count the contents of his satchel. It came to a princely R34,000, which was three times more than it had cost him to buy the property and build the house where they were staying.

Procter’s influence is still felt in SA breeding as he was instrumental in bringing Rakeen over to South Africa. This son of the great Northern Dancer went on to sire the phenomenal champion racehorse and seven-times South African National Champion Sire, Jet Master. It was Nestadt who had given Procter an instruction to find a horse good enough to win a stakes race in South Africa and have a pedigree good enough to stand at stud. The buying team’s first option was on Mark Of Distinction, but the deal fell through. Then, Procter, with the help of pedigree fundi Robin Bruss, identified all of the Northern Dancers left in the world and they found Rakeen, a four-year-old trained by John Gosden who had not yet raced but who had a superb pedigree. They approached Sheik Mohammed’s manager Anthony Stroud and he agreed to sell for £100,000. However, a few days later Rakeen won comfortably on debut over nine furlongs and the deal was off. Three days later he ran over a mile and was beaten as odds on favourite. Stroud did an about turn and said he would sell for £125,000 and the deal was done. Procter went to watch Rakeen’s next race a few days later at Doncaster with Henry Cecil’s assistant and a Sheik Mohammed representative. Under Walter Swinburn he won the ten furlong event by five lengths. Rakeen won four races in South Africa and finished third in the July of 1991, the same year the celebrated import Al Mufti ran second.

Procter was working for Aldora Stud in the KZN Midlands when Rakeen stood there. He recalled the late Hugh Jonsson wanting to send his mare Jet Lightning to him but stalling as he was convinced R5,000 for a live foal was too much. Procter, in a session of bartering which lasted about two hours one morning, eventually convinced Jonsson the fee was worth it for such a well bred stallion and the resulting progeny was Jet Master.

Procter, with the help of veterinarian John McVeigh, also identified the successful stallion Toreador on a visit to Coolmore and he was also instrumental in bringing over Crusade, who was announced as the KZN Stallion of the Year at Saturday night’s awards.

Nothemba currently owns six mares and has also bought a share in the exciting new Maine Chance Farms-based Dubawi stallion, Erupt.

Her enthusiasm will surely rub off on others so her importance to an industry which needs new participants can not be underestimated.

By David Thiselton

Mike Miller is not one to let the grass grow too long when it comes to two-year-olds and his runners made up most of the field in a recent barrier trial for juveniles. Bound By Duty was one of the first contestants and had already had two warm-up trials before yesterday’s first 800m scurry of the season at Scottsville, finishing at the head of affairs both occasions.

At his second trial, Bound By Duty was pressed to the line by the filly Enterthedebutante and yesterday Kom Naidoo was quietly confident that his filly could turn the tables.

It was not to be for both Enterthedebutante and apprentice Xola Jacobs hunting the first winner of his career. The more experienced colt and rider proved too much for their rivals although there was only a half-length in it at the line with the balance left gasping for air.

Naidoo had better luck in the third when the aptly named outsider Innocently Naughty caused a major boil-over in the results and at the start.

Twice Over Satin had her starting stall certificate withdrawn as she played up in the gate after being loaded, injuring Warren Kennedy who was laid off the for the balance of the afternoon with an injured foot. To add to the starter’s problems, Twice Over Satin got away from the starter’s assistants and bolted the course.

All the commotion triggered Innocently Naughty who reared up and came within a degree or two of tipping onto her back.

“I got all unbalanced,” recalled Jarred Samuel, who has had his fair share of bad luck with falls. “I thought to myself that I was not going to be planted at Scottsville and managed to bail.”

Re-loaded, Innocently Naughty held off the attentions of visiting Florence and Dancing Princess, favourite Awayinthewoods fourth after a difficult passage.

Trainer’s Louis Goosen and Duncan Howells were in the boardroom after the race complaining about the ride from Anton Marcus as Awayinthewoods hampered both of their runners at various stages of the race. Howells felt particularly hard done by as Starlight took a knock shortly before the line to finish a short-head back in fifth.

The stipendiary stewards however, were unmoved in their assessment, although both complaints came after the all-clear had been sounded. “We were satisfied with what we saw,” said head stipe Shaun Parker. “If they saw it differently then they should have objected and tried to convince us otherwise.” The official stipes report noted that Awayinthewoods had been hanging out throughout.

It was hard going for punters over the weekend with the Pick 6 and Place Accumulator paying rockets on Friday although Byron Forster, assistant of Cape-based Andre Nel in KZN, had a fine evening saddling three winners and a second but the luck ran out a tad yesterday as Q The Music and Silver Rose had to be content with second.

Approaching the final furlong, Q The Music looked all over a winner in the 1600 KZN Summer Challenge but stand-in rider Serino Moodley signed off on his apprenticeship with a winner. Replacing the indisposed Kennedy, Moodley came from the clouds on the Paul Lafferty-trained The Bayou, threading his way through the traffic to collar Q The Music and win going away. Moodley and Eric Ngwane have completed their five-year apprenticeship and from today are fully fledged jockeys.

National Champion jockey Lyle Hewitson, because of his experience in workrider races, was only indentured for three years and will also lose his apprentice moniker but his superb record may be challenged by second-year apprentice Luke Ferraris, who rode his 60^th winner at Turffontein on Saturday to lose his claim. Ferraris showed yesterday that he was capable, with or without his claim, as he scored on the Sean Tarry-trained Live As One. Tellingly, it was Tarry who was quick to realise the talents of Hewitson and provided him with the bulk of his winners in his national title triumph.

By Andrew Harrison

The R2 million GBets Summer Cup over 2000m is the highlight of the weekend feast of racing and there are plenty of other class races to look forward to at Turffontein tomorrow also.

Coral Fever has a tough task in the Summer Cup giving 5,5kg to the second highest weighted horse but he has earned it. He has the perfect racing temperament being one who can relax well in the running and reserve fuel for his strong and resolute finish. He could mow them down in the shadow of the post as he did with topweight in the Charity Mile.

Cascapedia is a big classy sort who has won six of her nine starts including four of five starts over 1800m. She will be a big threat from a good draw.

Takingthepeace has proved her class and her suitability to this course and distance and she has a plum draw.

Like A Panther struck as being a Derby sort last season but on form he is likely best at this trip and he should be cherry ripe.

Noble Secret will come into his own this season and middle distances have always looked likely to be his game.

Liege comes in off a similar effort in the Victory Moon to last year and with the same weight he carried to victory last year, but he has a tough draw.

Secret Potion is from the Geoff Woodruff yard who have dominated this race this decade and she is a scopey sort with a long stride who loves this galloping track and this distance, although she was beaten 1,15 lengths by Takingthepeace in last year’s SA Fillies Classic and now has to give her 1kg.

Tilbury Fort has done little wrong since gelding and is the dark horse as he should get the trip.

Arctica has proved lately he is up to this class and his middle draw is the best he’s had for a while.

Sabina’s Dynasty was beaten 0,75 lengths by Takingthepeace in the Victory Moon over 1800m and is now 1kg better off and drawn in pole, so has a chance on paper.

Dawn Assault has a tough draw but if he gets a good position he will be staying on strongly.

Social Order is capable of running on too if finding a good position from a tough draw.

Roy Had Enough has a tough task with Noble Secret and Like A Panther who both beat him in the SA Classic last year and now get weight from him, but he was reportedly not at his best that day so has claims.

The Woodruff-trained Deo Juvente has gone close in this race before and has a light weight but he has to put a poor run in the Victory Moon behind him.

Cash Time did well in the Victory Moon from the front and his plum draw will suit his front-running style but he is 2,5kg under sufferance.

Tandava is also 2,5kg under sufferance. He will need to be ridden from further off the pace than he was in the Victory Moon as he is capable of a strong finish but there is a stamina doubt.

Fort Ember finished second last year but has not been in as good from and she is the sort who needs a good draw as she needs to be handy but lacks early pace.

Kilrain officially has a hopeless task at the weights but has to be respected as one of nine-time Summer Cup winner Mike de Kock’s five runners.

They are selected in the order mentioned.

Nafaayes is taken to win the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge despite a slight pedigree doubt over her staying the 1600m as she comes from a strong formline and carries only 51kg.

Captain And Master is full of class and can mow them down in the Grade 2 The Goldrush Derby Run Merchants.

By David Thiselton

Shinnecock can get punters off to a winning start in the opening Morris Vee Sports Bet Maiden Juvenile Plate at the WC Equine Trust charity meeting at Kenilworth tomorrow.

This is the first two-year-old race of the Cape season and Richard Fourie’s mount opened odds-on at 8-10 when World Sports Betting put up the prices on Wednesday. The Var colt is out of a Danehill Dancer mare and went through the ring at R450 000 at the National Yearling Sale in April.

He carries plenty of confidence with Justin Snaith’s brother, Jonathan saying yesterday: “You have to treat first time juveniles with caution because of their inexperience but this one is as quick as they get and he will take a power of beating. Indeed Justin has said that he will be very disappointed if he does get beat.”

Snaith Racing is overdue a win in this opening two-year-old race. At one time theirs was always the one to be on but in the past six runnings the yard has only been successful once and 12 months ago Captainofthesea started a warm favourite only to finish out with the washing.

Indeed the winner hasn’t been that easy to find in recent years and in the last four there has only been one winning favourite. Vaughan Marshall won last season’s race and his Lasata is 22-10 second favourite. By Philanthropist out of a Western Winter mare, the colt was withdrawn from the National Sale but the booking of Aldo Domeyer looks significant.

Putontheredlight (9-2) represents three-time champion trainer Sean Tarry who looks like again being Snaith’s main rival for the title. The only other runner in single figures is 9-1 shot Grey Ferrari who will be out to give Greg Ennion a belated 70^th birthday present.

Grand Silvano has won four of his last six and the Brett Crawford 15-10 favourite probably has Gyre (3-1) to beat in the Drakenstein Stud Handicap. He has gone up a kilo for his last win whereas Gyre has come down a kilo even though that October 30 run was his first for nearly four months.

A good jockey is an essential ingredient for success in work rider races and Contessa’s Glance ticks all the boxes in the Vaughan Marshall-sponsored race three except for proving an expensive failure in her most recent run. Richard Fourie reported that she was not striding out that day although the course vet could find nothing wrong.

“You can ignore that last run because she is completely sound now and she will return to form,” predicts Jonathan Snaith, adding: “She will be one of the horses to beat.”

She looks value at 9-2, particularly as she is best on ratings, and she can prove too strong for 18-10 favourite Secret Path.

There is much less to choose between 13-10 favourite Vikram and 17-2 shot Dubula than the betting might suggest in the Snaith Racing Maiden (race four). But Vikram possibly has more scope for improvement – he has only had three starts – and therefore gets the vote.

By Michael Clower

Royal Frost made an excellent seasonal debut when downing Gr2 Daisy Fillies Guineas winner Fiorella in a Pinnacle Stakes last month and looks set to build on the victory when she contests the Shevanie Gopee Handicap at Greyville tonight.

It is a card seemingly littered with pitfalls and if successfully negotiated in the exotics one should be in for a lucrative pay-out.

It will be Royal Frost’s first venture onto the poly but Dean Kannemeyer has never been shy of running his charges on the synthetic surface. Yet she faces some useful opposition including stable companion Miss Smarty Pants and recent winner Heart Of A Legend who finally hit top gear and is in receipt of 7kg from the current 2-1 favourite.

Miss Smarty Pants has her third outing for Kannemeyer and is the mount of stable jockey Keagan de Melo but I fancy that Anton Marcus has the better ride.

Tony Rivalland sends Wynkelder to try his luck at Turffontein tomorrow but will be looking to Pollard to hit them for six in the opening leg of the PA. Gelded after his barrier trial, he put in a late charge on debut only to go down half-a-length to Ultra Boost.

Biggest threat, in the market and on course, could be Canadian Bolt. Robbie and Shannon Hill’s runner has gone down narrowly in both outings and has the benefit of a god draw and having had a proper race on the poly. Others to consider are Stealth Admiral and Stone Tiger, both recently gelded and showing signs of life.

The fourth holds more potholes than Wally Hayward Drive in Ashburton but Magical Java could successfully navigate them all. Dennis Drier’s filly was all at sea on debut but stayed on in the 1000m dash. She should much prefer the extra two furlongs of this race and one can expect reasonable improvement. The front-running Adorned By Beauty should set a decent pace but will have to work from her outside draw while Fleek is way better than her last effort. Not a race to go light in.

In the sixth, Archilles and Field Marshal Fenix hold entries for Scottsville on Sunday so check for possible scratchings as both have reasonable winning chances this evening. However, Unbelievable Chad can take advantage of a drop in class and rating the land the spoils. A number of fancied runners appeared not to handle the soft going at the recent Scottsville meeting and although Unbelievable Chad took a hike in the market, he is way better than that run would suggest. He was a touch unlucky behind Golden Pheasant after his apprentice rider dropped his stick and he has been replaced by the much more experienced De Melo.

Novice Plates are generally hotly contested affairs and the Jonsson Workwear Depot Durban Plate is no exception. Sigismund finally got the race that he was looking for when romping home in a maiden over course and distance and second-placed Cruz Giovanni paid tribute to that form by winning last Sunday.

However, Tierra Del Fuego slammed the opposition in his maiden win at only his second outing while Michael Roberts has high hopes for Solid Gold although the gelded son of Rock Of Gibraltar has not been out since his narrow maiden win over the Scottsville shortcut back in early September.

A Hill double is a possibility in the eighth with Moon In June at the top of the ante-post boards after two close-up finishes on the Greyville turf. The step up in trip should suit although she may be hard-pressed by My Wish where Roberts has replaced her apprentice rider with title chasing Anton Marcus.

Louis Goosen has been hard at work setting up his Wonder Water franchise but now that it is up and running he is back in business with seven runners on the night, Wendylle and Yaas doing duty in the last. The grey Wendylle has been up against much stronger in his two outings out of the maidens and with Marcus a past master on front runners, the pair could have this field off the bit from a long way out.

By Andrew Harrison