Gold Cup day on July 28 at Greyville will be the classiest day of the SA Champions Season as it features two weight for age Grade 1s and two level weights two-year-old Grade 1s as well as the Grade 3 Gold Cup, Grade 2 Gold Bracelet and two other Grade 3s and two Listed events.

The Grade 1 WSB Champions Cup over 1800m looks to be a particularly good race to look forward to.

Gimmethegreenlight three-year-old colt Surcharge is an interesting entry considering trainer Stuart Pettigrew had said after his Grade 1 Daily News 2000 win he would not be seen again this season. His Daily News victory was proof of how well he takes his racing as he had an ultra tough Triple Crown campaign, in which he had to overcome a succession of terrible draws yet still finished second in all three legs. The laid back horse has obviously pulled up well again as the connections look to have had a rethink. They might be thinking of the Equus awards as there is yet to be a three-year-old male who has won two Grade 1s this season. Unfortunately, having finally cracked a good draw of four in the Daily News, his luck is out again as he has drawn 13 out of 21.

The one interesting scratching so far is the Vodacom Durban July favourite African Night Sky, who endured a tough Vodacom Durban July when the slow pace of the race went against him and he was sent for home at the 800m mark.

His Justin Snaith-trained July-winning stablemate, three-year-old Do It Again, was not among the entries. This is not surprising when considering the well below par run of July winner Marinaresco in this race last year.

Nevertheless, there is a strong three-year-old presence.

The Captain Al colt Undercover Agent avoided the Daily News 2000 as the Brett Crawford yard had doubts he would stay the trip and he went for the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge against older horses instead. He duly won in impressive fashion. The form took a slight dent when the runner up Snowdance was beaten in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes on July day. However, Undercover Agent is getting better and better and his big action should be able to carry him 1800m. He has cracked another fine draw too.

The Grade 1 Cape Guineas winner Tap O’ Noth, another classy colt by Captain Al, ran a gallant third in the Daily News 2000, beaten only a length by Surcharge. He stayed on gamely despite the race not having panned out perfectly for him. He is a half-brother to Silvano middle-distance to staying type Strathdon and this distance will likely be ideal, although he does have a potentially tricky draw of nine.

The Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby winner Eyes Wide Open was staying on in eyecatching style from last in his Champions Cup preparation run on July day in a 1600m handicap. This race usually suits horses coming in fresh and he will be the freshest of them all. He is drawn ten.

His stablemate, the Cape Derby third-placed Philanthropist colt Pack Leader will likely appreciate the step down in trip from the 2200m of his last race and the 2000m of the Daily News. He will have to be handy as he has not struck as being one who turns it on from off the pace, so his good draw of four will help his cause.

Three-year-old Alado gelding Rocket Countdown is a good looking sort and stayed on well for sixth in the July, considering he over-raced a little bit in the early stages behind the crawl. He will have a tough task with Undercover Agent and Tap O’Noth on Cape Town form but is improving and is drawn seven.

Australian-bred colt Roy Had Enough is the other three-year-old. He is coming off a disappointing effort over 2200m on July day and on Daily News and SA Classic form has a tough task with Surcharge.

The older horses are led by the defending champion Sail South and his stablemate Captain America. They will both come in fresh and Captain America will improve on his Gold Challenge run which he needed.

 

Last year’s third-placed Matador Man did not have the race pan out at all well for him in the July and back to this trip can charge home again from off the pace.

Crowd Pleaser just failed in the Betting World 2200 on July day, despite giving the winner Head Honcho 2kg. He loves this track and will set a good pace but at Grade 1 weight for age level it is going to be tough.

Elusive Silva finished a fine third in the July and is another who loves Greyville, due to his exceptional turn of foot.

Perovskia ran a good race on July day over 1600m considering it didn’t pan out perfectly and having beaten Undercover Agent in the Drill Hall over 1400m he can’t be written off over a trip he should prefer.

It’s My Turn has come into his own but looks more likely to go for the Gold Cup.

Former SA Classic winner Heavenly Blue made a comeback from a six month layoff on Saturday and this race might come too soon.

His Mike de Kock-trained stablemate, the big filly Cascapedia, has class and is progressive but hasn’t been seen out since April.

Gold Standard will be having his last run before going to Stud and he will enjoy the trip, but he has been disappointing this season having returned from injury.

Bulleting Home finished a good fifth in the Gold Challenge and enjoys Greyville but might be stretched by the trip.

Sabina’s Dynasty faces a tough step up in class and Mambo Mime has a tough task on Cup Trial form over course and distance.

By David Thiselton

The betting with the sponsor is:

21   Undercover Agent            9/2-17/20

19   Surcharge                           5/1-19/20

1     African Night Sky             11/2-1/1

7     Eyes Wide Open               15/2-57/40

20   Tap O Noth                       10/1-19/10

3     Captain America              12/1-57/25

18   Sail South                          12/1-57/25

5     Crowd Pleaser                  12/1-57/25

6     Elusive Silva                     14/1-133/50

15   Rocket Countdown          16/1-76/25

13   Pack Leader                      16/1-76/25

12   Matador Man                   18/1-171/50

10   Its My Turn                      18/1-171/50

14   Perovskia                          18/1-171/50

9     Heavenly Blue                 28/1-133/25

4     Cascapedia                       28/1-133/25

17   Sabinas Dynasty              35/1-133/20

11   Mambo Mime                  35/1-133/20

2     Bulleting Home              45/1-171/20

8     Gold Standard                45/1-171/20

16   Roy Had Enough             55/1- 10/1

KZN Midlands breeder Peter Blyth, whose roots in horseracing were founded in the same soil as those of legendary jockey Felix Coetzee, embarks on another chapter in his career as the promising stallion Crusade is set to join his Mooi River-based Clifton Stud.

Crusade has been standing at Scott Brothers and will be paraded at their dispersal sale on Tuesday before being relocated to Clifton.

Crusade, who is by Mr. Greeley, won the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket as a two-year-old for Aiden O’Brien O’Brien and was retired after only one run as a three-year-old.

His dam La Traviata has also produced dual Group 1 winner, Seventh Heaven, as well as Group 1-placed Cristoforo Columbo and Group 2-runner up Coat Of Arms. The O’Brien-trained Seventh Heaven (Galileo) won both the Group 1 Darley Irish Oaks and the Group 1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks and as a four-year-old finished second in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic and won the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes over a mile-and-a-half at Newmarket by five lengths.

La Traviata had only four starts, all as a three-year-old, and won the first three of them from five-and-a-half furlongs to six furlongs by a combined margin of 27,5 lengths. In her last win in the Group 3 Victory Ride Stakes over six furlongs at Saratoga, she stumbled at the start yet still won by 9,25 lengths.

She acquired her speed from her sire Johannesburg, whom Aiden O’Brien sent out seven times as a two-year-old and he finished the season unbeaten. These victories included four Group 1s from six furlongs up to eight-and-a-half furlongs. Johannesburg had an exceptional turn of foot.

Crusade’s best progeny to date is Covered In Snow, who won the Listed Swallow Stakes and the Listed Bauhinia Handicap. Fittingly this Diane Stenger-trained four-time winning filly, who is out of five time-winning Anytime mare Blue Nevada, is owned by Peter White and was bred by Clifton Stud.

White is Clifton Stud’s biggest client. However, he is a racing man through and through so his breeding stock, including Blue Nevada, are registered under Clifton Stud.

White had early success in his thoroughbred ownership career with the Anne Upton-trained New Zealand-bred North Island, who won the Grade 1 Holiday Inns in 1983.

White once worked for the late great owner-breeder Graham Back in the coal mining industry before branching out and becoming one of the foremost coal mining specialists in the country.

Beck made his fortune in coal in the Ermelo-Carolina-Witbank region, the same region in which Clifton Stud was originally located.

Blyth was sad to leave Lothair in the highlands near the Swaziland border as he was the third generation owner of the farm founded there in 1916 by his grandfather Fred. His grandfather was a horseman as it was his main mode of transport. However, it was his father Tim who was bitten by the racing bug and was one of a few well-known racing men who hailed from the region.

In Carolina bush racing was organised by Billy Pearce, whose son Neville later trained out of Clairwood. There was also bush racing in Barberton and in Mbabane in Swaziland.

A farmer in the region, Felix Coetzee, had five sons JF “Coookie”, Hennie, Loekie, Gert and Felix, and all five of them became racing men. Hennie became the father of jockey great Felix Coetzee.

Tim Blyth acquired his racing colours in 1945 and these black and white quartered silks with red sleeves and a cap are still used by Clifton Stud today. He bred his own horses and leased them to Loekie Coetzee, who trained in Johannesburg. Together they had many winners.

Tim also had his own training license and won a few races in Johannesburg. However, his horses were trained chiefly for bush racing. In 1950 he won the Mbabane Gymkhana Club trophy over eight furlongs for the third time, on that occasion with a horse called Black Banjo. He was thus awarded the floating trophy permanently and it is proudly displayed in the Blyth household today.

Loekie Cotezee had also been a jockey and became an outstanding riding teacher. Brilliant jockeys James Maree and Gerald Turner learned underneath him.

With the genes he inherited it is not surprising Felix Coetzee became a jockey legend and also an outstanding riding master. Hennie trained out of Summerveld so Felix had a geographic advantage growing up next to the South African Jockeys Academy.

Another racing man who hailed from the region was the Mbabane born-and-bred Mike Tillet, who rode in bush races despite having lost a leg as a teenager in a car accident. Tillet, who passed away in April this year, was later involved in breeding and training before making his mark as an outstanding and notably courageous chief stipendiary steward in main stream racing in South Africa.

Peter Blyth relocated to Mooi River for financial reasons. However, he said his new farm was a “home from home”, one similarity being the early morning frosts which kill all manner of potentially harmful bugs.

He will be glad to be standing Crusade, who is syndicate-owned by most of the KZN breeders, and whom he said had been “doing a lot” lately.

He has commandeered the career of a good stallion before, Allied Flag, who died prematurely of colic having sired the Durban July winner and Horse Of The Year Classic Flag. Allied Flag was by Danzig and came from one of the best families of the major Kentucky USA breeding farm, Lanes End.

Peter’s wife Jenny shares his passion for horses. The popular couple are sure to give Crusade every opportunity to fulfill the high potential his pedigree suggests he possesses.

By David Thiselton

The most impressive performance in Saturday’s racing around the country was a brilliant win by the Vaughan Marshall-trained One World in the Listed Highlands Stud Langerman over 1500m at Kenilworth under MJ Byleveld.

The Captain Al colt led from pillar to post and obliterated the field by 5,25 lengths.

Marshall won the race last year with Tap O’ Noth. He was the first Captain Al to win it.

Marshall-trained Captain Al himself and has won many Grade 1s with his progeny, including the Met with Hill Fifty Four.

Captain Al was the champion sire in the 2014/2015 season and is in with a shout of landing another title this year. At close of play on Saturday his progeny’s stakes earnings for the season were on R17,396,063, just R1,306,407 behind the reigning champion Silvano.

One World is not entered in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes at Greyville so will likely be put away now and brought back for the same targets Tap O’ Noth had.

Earlier the big Glen Kotzen-trained filly Coral Bay proved herself yet another classy daughter of the star stallion Ideal World. She led from the off in the Highlands Stud Irridescence Stakes over 1500m and held on courageously under Richard Fourie to land her second Listed event in succession. She had won the Kenilworth Fillies Nursery over 1200m last time out. Ideal World is in 12th position on the National Sires log and is the only sire in the top 12 to have had less than 100 individual runners this season.

Later the Adam Marcus-trained Horse Chestnut four-year-old filly Brave Move made it five wins on the trot when easily winning the Listed Highlands Stud Ladies Mile under a fine ride by Aldo Domeyer.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe then made no mistake on the Joey Ramsden-trained Western Winter filly Fresnaye, who started at 9/10 in the Listed Highlands Stud Winter Oaks over 2200m. Fresnaye moved up fluently to challenge the gallant leader Dynasty’s Blossom and always had her measure despite the winning margin being only 0,3 lengths.

Grant van Niekerk later produced the Justin Snaith-trained Twice Over colt Doublemint from midfield with a strong run to easily win the Grade 3 Winter Derby over 2400m and convert 2/1 favouritism. Twice Over is also the sire of Vodacom Durban July winner Do It Again and is currently in 15th place on the National Sires log despite only having had 75 individual runners this season.

In the lower key ten-race Turffontein meeting apprentice Dennis Schwarz rode a treble and national champion jockey elect Lyle Hewitson rode a double.

By David Thiselton

Australian wondermare Winx, ranked by Longines as the best racehorse in the world, avoided a trip to Royal Ascot this year in order to go for an unprecedented fourth successive Cox Plate and she is set to make her comeback in a race named in her honour.

The Street Cry mare will resume in the A$500,000 Group 1 Winx Stakes over 1400 metres at Royal Randwick on August 18, Racing New South Wales reported. Formerly known as the Group 2 Warwick Stakes, Winx was successful in the 2016 and 2017 editions and it was consequently upgraded to Group 1 status and named in her honour. Prior to the Winx Stakes, the six-year-old will run in two barrier trials, the first one being late this month.

“She’ll run over 1400m first up,” trainer Chris Waller told Racing NSW. “The Winx Stakes is where she’ll run. It makes it a little bit easier to prepare her here in Sydney.”

The winner of her last 25 trips to the post, the dark bay has pleased Waller in her recent trackwork with regular rider Hugh Bowman aboard.

Waller said, “Her attitude and body language is great. We’ve been training her long enough to almost be used to it. The first year was just like training any other horse, the second year the pressure was on with the expectation to keep her performing. The third year she went to a whole new level again, getting close to Black Caviar’s records and other records, but now she has reached her fourth year, it’s just like last year but we’ve been there before. I’m actually feeling quite relaxed about her.”

On March 24 this year Winx set a new worldwide mark for Group 1 wins when she hit 17 in Rosehill’s Group 1 George Ryder Stakes over 1500m. Three weeks earlier when winning the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes over 1600m at Randwick she had broken Black Caviar’s Australian Group 1 record, Then in her last start on April 14 in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 2000m at Randwick she equalled Black Caviar’s Australian record of 25 consecutive wins, just five years and one day after the latter had been retired unbeaten. Winx was defeated six times as a three-year-old but her 25 consecutive victories were all in stakes races, including 18 Group 1s, six Group 2s and one Group 3. On 17 May 2017, it was announced that Winx would be inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, becoming only the third horse (after Sunline and Black Caviar) to be so honoured while still in training.

She will now be attempting to join the like of South Africa’s Pocket Power in the history books as the winner of the same major race four times in succession. Pocket Power won four Grade 1 L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plates in succession from 2007 to 2010 and Legal Eagle will attempt to emulate him next year. The only horse in history to have won the same major race five times in succession is the 1957 born USA horse Kelso. He won the Jockey Club Gold Cup, which today carries Grade 1 status, every year from 1960-1964.

The Cox Plate run over 2040m at Moonee Valley in late October is Australia’s most important middle-distance, weight for age race and carries huge prestige as well as an $Aus 5 million stake, which is the equivalent of close to R50 million.

Winx has earned $Aus18,998,420 in stakes to date.

By David Thiselton

A stellar day on Saturday for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore yielded major Group 1 victories on either side of the Channel as they bagged the July Cup with U S Navy Flag and the Grand Prix de Paris with Kew Gardens. The Ballydoyle trainer also saddled the third and the fifth in the English race, a stylish and dramatic improvement from what had been a fruitless week for him at the July meeting.

Kew Gardens has also turned things around, his prospects in the sport having looked modest after last month’s Derby, when he was tailed off after helping set the pace for more fancied stablemates. He impressed in landing the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot but Saturday night’s success, at the expense of the French-trained Neufbosc, was a bigger step forward and puts him in contention for Ascot’s King George in a fortnight.

“You couldn’t be happier with him,” O’Brien said. “Ryan took his time on him and rode him for pace. He quickened up well and was brave at the end.” Kew Gardens’ odds for the King George have tumbled from 25-1 to 10-1, making him O’Brien’s strongest contender for the midsummer prize.

Five hours before raiding Longchamp, O’Brien had been accepting the trophy at Newmarket. His fourth July Cup success was achieved by the gritty U S Navy Flag, who turns out to be a speedball despite having been campaigned as a miler so far this year.

“Probably what threw us was that he was able to win a Dewhurst,” the trainer conceded. “He shouldn’t have been able to do that.”

The Dewhurst is supposed to be the key race for flagging up the next year’s Guineas prospects and so, having won it by daylight in the autumn, U S Navy Flag was stepped up to a mile in the spring and tried his luck in the French Guineas, the Irish Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes. Excuses could be made but the bottom line was, he came up short in three countries.

A loser five times in a row, the colt came here with a diminishing reputation under suspicion of having failed to train on. But all he wanted was a 25% cut in the distance of his races and, faced with six furlongs to cover for the first time since he won the Middle Park in September, he made every yard of the running and won tidily.

U S Navy Flag is best understood as a kind of boxer, if you accept the rhetoric from O’Brien and Moore; in a short fight, he has too much power for his opponents, but a longer one lets him punch himself out. “He is aggressive,” the trainer mused. “He can go forward and he’s very happy to lead.

“If anyone wants to lead him, that’s fine, but you have to go very hard because if you don’t, he’ll go hard himself. He’s so genuine, his head goes to the floor.” Moore said: “U S Navy Flag loves a fight. The second came to him and he found plenty.”

The horse will be given a break before being aimed at Australia’s fantastically valuable Everest Stakes in October. The richest turf race in the world, it will be worth A$13m (£7.3m) this year and is a natural target for a firm as ambitious as Coolmore, the power behind O’Brien, which has significant bloodstock interests in the country.

By The Guardian