Robin Bruss’s Northfields Stud deservedly received the Outstanding Breeders Award at the Equus Awards having bred the like of Vodacom Durban July winner Do It Again, Mercury Sprint winner Will Pays and overseas Grade 1 runner up Horse Of Fortune.

His achievements with a tiny band of broodmares defies the statistics, which have one in every 1000 foals winning a Grade 1, and should have received more fanfare.

Bruss, who bred his first thoroughbred in 1975, reached a height of keeping eight broodmares but affordability has allowed him to operate with an average of just five. Yet he has now bred eight Grade 1 winners, including winners of all of the big three, The Vodacom Durban July, The Sun Met and the Premier’s Champions Challenge.

In the past season Bruss had 12 runners and seven winners, including: Do It Again, who won the July, the Grade 2 Daisy Guineas, was second in the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby and was Equus Champion Three-year-old colt (season earnings R3,257,500); Will Pays, who won the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint, the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes, the Grade 3 Spring Spree Stakes and was third in the Grade 2 Drill Hall Stakes and was Equus Champion Sprinter (season earnings R1,240,700); Hong Kong-based Horse Of Fortune (originally named Strongman), who was runner up in the Grade 1 S$1 million Kranji Mile (season earnings of HK$1,007,500 plus S$273,500 translates to R4,771,298); Mighty Emperor, who recorded his 7^th win in Singapore (season earnings of S$85,864 translates to R828,335).

Bruss said, “I believe the purpose of horseracing is to make your mark in history. With one click you can look at the pedigree of any racehorse to 20 generations, but us humans would battle to know our family trees beyond three generations. Horseracing is probably the world’s most documented sport. Money comes and goes but the winners of the signal races are always remembered. The record book for Grade 1s should be the aim of every breeder.”

Bruss, like most small breeders, is unable to afford the service fees of the proven stallions so owes his success to decades of observation and studying. He is not a great fan of line-breeding and prefers to have pedigrees with “class close up.”

He explained another of his tricks, “It is better to own the daughter of a Group 1 winner than a Group 1 winner herself.” He has used that theory to own Group 1 class mares without having to pay for the Group 1 status.

Of the eight Grade 1 winners he has bred, only one of them was by a proven stallion and that was due to a foal-share agreement he had made with Drakenstein Stud. That horse was Deo Juvente, the son of Trippi, who won the 2017 Grade 1 R4,5 million Champions Challenge and was second in the Summer Cup.

His first Grade 1 winner was Basic Instinct (Comic Blush-Joyfields (Northfields), who won the Grade 1 Golden Spur sprint in 1998. His mare Teclafields gave him three Grade 1 winners, Circle Of Life (Complete Warrior), who won the Garden Province Stakes in 2000, African Lion (Shalford), who won the Champions Cup in 2003 and Zebra Crossing (Jallad), who won the 2006 Met. Circle Of Life is the dam of Deo Juvente. August Rush, a colt by Var out of the Zimbabwean-bred Huntingdale mare Bushgirl, won the 2011 Mercury Sprint.

Will Pays is by Imperial Stride out of the Jallad mare Rattlebag and Do It Again is by Twice Over out of Casey Tibbs mare Sweet Virginia.

Bruss’ beginning point when matching pedigrees is to produce a horse that will stay the July distance. However, he pointed out horses who won the July and Met invariably had the speed to win over sprint trips so finding a combination of speed and stamina was important.

He pointed out one of the anomalies of breeding, “Aiming for the winning post is different to aiming for the sales rings. A horse who is going to win the July is not going to be peaking at the National Yearling Sales and although people want July and Met winners strangely those are not the ones that sell well at the sales.”

The National Yearling Sale (NYS) is always Bruss’s target sale.

Do It Again was also sold through a foal-share deal with Drakenstein Stud and was by far the most expensive yearling Bruss has ever sold, fetching R1,1 million. Of his other Grade 1 winners, Basic Instinct fetched R40,000, Circe of Life and African Lion were not sold, Zebra Crossing went for R600,000 but the buyer reneged so Bruss had to form a syndicate of friends, August Rush was not considered of sufficient standard to make it on to the NYS, Will Pays went for R60,000 and Deo Juvente for R250,000.

Bruss has produced three Grade 1-winning sprinters but this was not by intention and he pointed out that all of them had won their Grade 1s as older horses. Will Pays is in fact by a mile-and-a-half horse out of an Oaks winner.

Bruss bought Sweet Virginia for a bargain R200,000. She beat the boys in the Grade 3 Winter Classic and Grade 3 Winter Derby but was small and Bruss recalled breeders had felt she would produce “weedy” horses. Instead she has produced a number of fine horses for different stallions, the others being Strongman (Stronghold), Mighty Emperor (Kahal) and Graded-placed Vilikazi (Visionaire) who is now doing well in Hong Kong where he is named Sleep Education.

Bruss has sold Sweet Virginia to Lammerskraal Stud, “as I was offered more than what I paid for her.”

He credits the matching of Sweet Virginia and Twice Over to Drakenstein’s racing manager Kevin Sommerville, who worked for Juddmonte on the stallion nominations side and had an intimate knowledge of their horses.

Bruss also acknowledged the team effort in every horse bred. He makes the matches but the farms feed and nurture the horses.

“The Aga Khan called breeding playing chess with nature,” he concluded.

By David Thiselton

It was a case of more downs than ups for punters at Scottsville yesterday but those that plunged on Celebration Rock in the card opener were rewarded as Anton Marcus made all the running on Paul Lafferty’s Celebration Rock.

The Australian-bred colt was back over the course and distance where he was narrowly beaten on debut after being tossed in at the deep end on Gold Cup day, taking on winners in the Umkomazi Stakes.

Fitted with blinkers for the first time, Marcus had no hesitation making an early move on the colt and hit the front a long way out. It was not an easy win, as Marcus had to work for his fee, but it was convincing. “He will be a much better horse when gelded,” said Lafferty. “I think they (the connections) will have a lot of fun with this horse.”

It was hero to zero for Lafferty as far as punters were concerned as 10-1 chance Generous Lady gave him a quick double at the expense of Cape Bluebell and favourite Vi Va Pi Pa who battled home in third and never dangerous. In spite of a wide drawn, Craig Zackey always had Generous Lady in the vanguard and she kept finding when it mattered.

Purple And Gold and Little Audrey were involved in a rough finish to the third with the stipendiary stewards calling for a race review. However, the stipes, chaired by Rakesh Jeewanlall, decided that it was a case of six of one and half-a-dozen of the other and let the result stand. Muzi Yeni is a feisty customer in any boardroom but after reviewing the finish of the race conceded defeat.

At about 300m out Julie Dittmer-trained Purple And Gold took quite a hefty knock from Little Audrey who had shifted out under pressure.

Both horses then shifted in independently of each other but with Purple And Gold making contact some 50m out. However, Purple And Gold was never headed and most were comfortable with the stipes decision.

The bell was tolling doom for the favourite belfry a long way out in the fourth as Regal River got home under Donovan Dillon for a relieved Doug Cambell. “I needed that. It’s been a long drought,” said a relieved Doug Campbell.

The Ashburton-based pair of Sarabi and Rosie Bubbles fourth out the fifth with Paul Gadsby’s charge Sarabi giving red-hot apprentice Khanya Saki another winner, his sixth in little over a fortnight.

In what developed into a proverbial cavalry charge, Pata Pata went one better for Marcus and Brett Crawford as the pair got the better of top weight Neala inside the last 50m.

Marcus rode a clever tactical race on Roy’s Magic in the seventh when getting the better of Edge Of The Sun in a driving finish. Looking for his third victory of the afternoon, Marcus tracked the early pace set by Phoebus with Edge Of The Sun second in a line of three.

As the race warmed up, Marcus eased out from behind Edge Of The Sun and the two joined battle a furlong out with Roy’s Magic just getting the better of the duel.

After two runners-up berths on the day, the Duncan Howells/Muzi Yeni combination finally went one better in the last as Yeni rode a superb race on the favourite High Altar, the highly-strung filly completing a winning hat-trick.

Towards the rear of a big field, High Altar had a mountain to climb approaching the 400m mark as Yeni hunted for a gap. When it finally came, he was quick to pounce and High Altar responded smartly. However, Hannah’s Answer looked to have pinched a winning lead before Yeni switched his stick to his left and High Altar gave another kick to win going away.

By Andrew Harrison

The Vaal Classic track is a fair track and offers form studiers the chance of deserved returns so they will be looking forward to tomorrow’s nine race meeting.

However, the card is made tricky by the first three legs of the exotics, which are all over 2400m, as staying events can throw upset results.

The PA starts with a MR 74 handicap over 2400m. The obvious horse is War Legend, an improving four-year-old gelding by Oratorio who has a win and a narrow second at two attempts at staying distances and is only two merit rated points higher than his last win. However, he is drawn widest of all in the seven horse field. Highlander has been running on strongly over 2000m in his last two starts and could be looking for this trip. Zeal And Zest has a chance of staying this trip being by Traffic Guard and this in form horse is only two points higher for his last win, although has a big weight of 60kg to lug.

Big Parade ran a close second to Made To Conquer over 2000m at Kenilworth in June and now has his second run after a rest and gelding so could bounce back to form after a string of below par runs on the Highveld. Tapanzee is an enigmatic sort but has ability on his day and is only two points higher for his win last time over 2850m. Miyoshi is drawn in pole and is interesting stepped up to this trip being by the stayer Admire Main. King Of Chaos will need to improve on his Highveld form to date.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is a Maiden for fillies over 2400m. Lalia and Lana Turner are progressive sorts and have the best form so a chance is taken that they are enough to get punters through all of the exotics. One Dollar Massage is the joker in the pack a she might enjoy the step up in trip being by Await The Dawn out of a Jet Master mare who won over 2000m.

The first leg of the Jackpot is a Middle Stakes for fillies and mares over 2400m. Sailor Girl is out of Gold Cup winner Colonial Girl and ran on well to won her first attempt at a staying distance last time. She is drawn in pole and is officially the best weighted horse, although she does have to carry 60kg, which won’t be easy considering she beat the boys last time carrying just 52kg. Just A Jet is a capable sort and has a win and a third in two starts over course and distance and should be involved. Her habit of starting slowly might pan out in her favour in this small field as she will be able to slot in behind them and has a good turn of foot. Glamarous Scandal is 7,5kg better off with Sailor Girl for a 2,9 length beating over 2000m and being by Traffic Guard has a chance of staying this trip. However, she will have to put her last two disappointing starts behind her.

In the fifth race Santa Vittoria caught the eye when winning her maiden over this 2000m trip and she ran well first time out the maidens so can do well here from pole position. Mambo Model won well when stepped up to this trip last time and off a four point higher mark from a good draw can be involved again. Gottalottaluv has some class and her last race was all wrong so from a draw of two she can’t be ignored.

In the sixth race over 1800m Elegancia goes for a hattrick. She is four points higher in the merit ratings after her win last week. The Cape Town horses often have suppressed merit ratings due to the superior strength of the racing there and a succession of victories is feasible. She has gone close over 2000m before so should stay the trip and looks to be a possible banker, although her wide draw is a concern. Beautiful Shay was most disappointing last time and from pole position off an attractive two point lower merit rating this able front-runner warrants consideration. Angelic Appeal went close the last time she had a good draw and she is the other one who can be included.

In the seventh Winter’s Forge is thrown in at the weights and the only question is whether she will stay the trip. She has a lot of speed, but did do well over 1400m in her penultimate start and on pedigree will stay the trip as she is by Western Winter and is a three-parts sister to a horse which won a Listed race over 1900m. If there is to be an upset it could come from Pearl Of Bahrain, who has been disappointing since showing early promise. She is drawn well over an ideal trip and is distance suited.

The last race has a banker consideration in Choir Singer, a scopey sort who will relish the step up to 1600m and she is well drawn. The risk averse can also include Ration My Passion who is well drawn and has her third run after a rest and second run with blinkers over a suitable trip.

By David Thiselton

After making a smart debut, Celebration Rock was tossed in at the deep end by Paul Lafferty when taking on winners and feature company at only his second start. Very little went right in the race, a tardy start and green from an outside draw, but back in maiden company the Australian import can make amends in the first at Scottsville today.

Anton Marcus takes over in the saddle and Lafferty has declared blinkers on his charge. Given his excellent debut over course and distance his host of connections could be celebrating in the winner’s enclosure.

But this may not be plain sailing. Apprentice Khanya Sakayi is riding with supreme confidence at present and although he lost his 4kg claim on Sunday and Louis Goosen’s filly only gets a 2.5kg relief, she looks primed to make a bold bid.

Vi Va Pi Pa did not get the best of passages when pitted against winners at second time of asking, also her first race over ground. It was probably a calculated risk by trainer Sean Tarry, that race being on Super Saturday, the penultimate day of last season.

Vi Va Pi Pa could prove a better proposition over today’s 1400m trip.

Goosen saddles the most obvious danger in Linnger Longer. His filly has been building up slowly to a point where she appears cherry-ripe for Sakayi to continue on his winning streak.

The Blinkers Bar Maiden Plate is something of a punter’s mine-field with a number of runners having solid form to back their claims. There appears to be little between Julie Dittmer’s pair of Purple And Gold and Chatty Cathy while Asiana and Queen Makeda both have promising form, the latter having her third run after a break and being fitted with a tongue-tie.

However, The Duncan Howells yard is starting to hit form and Little Audrey looks primed for this race. She was running on strongly from well back behind Shadow Hunter and although Purple And Gold and Queen Makeda both finished ahead of her on that occasion, the step up in trip could see that form reversed. Writing on his website, Howells said there were concerns aver the filly settling in her race but barring that, should run very well.

The Track & Ball Gaming Maiden has attracted a modest field where Belfry and Prince Ardent look the principal contenders. Belfry has battling Highveld form but did finish runner-up at the Vaal last week and the step up in trip could finally see him home. Blinkers have obviously not had the desired effect on Prince Ardent and they come off today. Roberts has kept the gelding to the poly for all of his recent races and the switch to turf could bring out the best in him.

Shane Humby has had a string of runner-up places over the past fortnight but Neala can go one better for the Ashburton trainer in the sixth. The mare was coming off a long break when ‘winning’ her barrier trial and it was an impressive performance as Tristan Godden never let the mare off the bit to get home ahead of Township Melody – the latter franking that showing by winning next time out.

Neala does shoulder a hefty 62.5kg against some quick opposition so is no certainty by a long chalk and the likes of Gratuity, Di Mazzio and Pata Pata all warrant serious consideration.

Roy’s Magic revelled with the sting out of the ground to win comfortably last time out and with some rain forecast for today Kom Naidoo’s gelding can go in again in a competitive handicap where Silver Cent and Edge Of The Sun look lively threats.

High Altar is a highly-strung mare but Howells appears to have got on top of her and she can round off the meeting with her third win on the bounce. High Altar shoulders joint top weight but is down in class. There is a concern that she may over-race from an outside draw but if she settles she can get the better of Cosima and Mark My Card who has tumbled in the ratings.

By Andrew Harrison

Plans to send African Night Sky to Dubai for next year’s World Cup Carnival have been scuppered after the horse damaged a tendon.

The Vodacom Durban July favourite was due to be put into quarantine in Cape Town and would then make his way to Dubai where he would join the Mike de Kock yard.

When he arrived in Cape Town they discovered the injury and it seems to have happened while the horse was in transit from Durban.

Fred Crabbia’s horse is with Dean Kannemeyer in Cape Town while they decide on his future.

“He will definitely be out of action for at least the whole summer,” said Kannemeyer. “He will be sent to the farm for the next few months to give him time to recuperate and then we’ll have to take it from there.”

It was disappointing for De Kock as African Night Sky had the class to do a bit of damage at the Carnival. “The new horses for me will be Marinaresco, who will be coming in from the UK, as well as Yakeen and Royal Crusade,” said De Kock.

African Night Sky had been with Justin Snaith and was one of his five runners in the Durban July. He went off as favourite but Grant van Niekerk was never able to overcome a wide draw and the slow pace did not do him any favours either. In the end he finished fifth behind stable companion Do It Again.

– TABnews