Colin Buckham, handicapper, long-time racecourse judge and avid golfer, succumbed to a long battle with cancer on Tuesday at the age of 78.

Buckham was a legend in racing, and one of the true characters of a sport that was his all-consuming passion and if he wasn’t talking racing it was golf.

Colin Buckham

Colin started his working career as a bank clerk before becoming an assistant handicapper at the then Durban Turf Club (DTC) at Greyville Racecourse under Gerald Lee. He had a strong racing pedigree as both his father and grandfather were trainers. His father Jimmy started out as a jockey and was ignominiously dumped at the start of his one and only ride in the July when he got caught up in the starting tapes.

His cousin Cyril Buckham, later head riding master at the South African Jockey Academy, was the first South African jockey to win 100 races in a season and won two Julys with Monesteraven in 1948 and later Spey Bridge in 1956.

Buckham recalled, “I’ve been racing since 1954. When I was 10-years-old I used to sit in my father’s car next to the track and watch the races. Children were not allowed on course in those days.”

Later, Buckham joined Harvey Topham and Warren Eisele in the judge’s box; 1975 to be exact. Colin was still assistant handicapper at the DTC and having to watch every race as a judge was of great benefit when it came to handicapping as in those days there was no Tellytrack or YouTube to watch replays.

After spending 40 years in the Judges Box at the three KwaZulu-Natal race courses, Buckham and Eisele were pushed into retirement at the end of July 2015, both over 65. The two were the longest serving judges in the history of South African racing.

When Gerald Lee retired, Buckham became chief handicapper for the DTC before all handicapping was put under the umbrella of the National Horseracing Authority where he worked until retirement.

He recalled a time when he was assistant handicapper. “There was a race called the Sires Produce Stakes, restricted to two-year-olds who had been sired by stallions that had won over 1900m or more. There were not enough acceptors and it was decided to scrap the race. (Trainer) John Breval had a horse in the race called Free Style who later ran second and third in the Gold Cup. I was looking out of the window the next day when a big car pulled up outside the offices and Bridget Oppenheimer got out. I knew what was coming and like a good coward ducked out of the office leaving Lee to take the ear-bashing while I chuckled, listening from around the corner.”

Buckham had a reputation of being absolutely meticulous and there were no mistakes in the judges box, but he did have his moments as a handicapper. “There were times that I was not very proud off. Once I was forced to re-do the July weights after threats of being taken to court. I was ready to hand in my resignation but three stewards, also members of the Jockey Club, stood by me and said that under no circumstances was I to resign and it would never happen again.”

“There was also a time when we had too many horses entered for a feature race and I had to eliminate. Instead of working through the form I put all the names of the horses on the borderline into a hat and drew a winner. I was then taken to court by one of the owners and the judge ruled against me. I had the last laugh though. Their horse never won another race.”

Colin is survived by his wife Annabel and daughters Leigh-Ann and Anthea. There will be no memorial service but a small gathering for family and close friends at his house at noon tomorrow.

By Andrew Harrison

Whisky Baron is to seek compensation in Hong Kong next month after putting in such a disappointing effort in the Jebel Hatta at Meydan last Saturday. The Sun Met winner managed only eighth of 11, over nine lengths behind the winner Blair House and eight behind dual South African Guineas winner Janoobi who was third.

Janoobi (JC Photographics)

Brett Crawford said yesterday: “His work leading up to the race was exceptional and he had done a lot of it with Janoobi who ran a great race. He did get knocked about a bit but there are no excuses. It was a flat run and we were all very disappointed.

“He won’t now race on World Cup night but he will stay in Dubai and be flown from there to Hong Kong for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in April.”

At Durbanville yesterday Rebel’s Burst brought the memories flooding back for Riaan van Reenen when drawing away from two furlongs out under Robert Khathi in the opening maiden three days after finishing fourth here.

Van Reenen said: “Thirty years ago in the amateur races on this course we would sometimes run horses twice on the same day and I can remember running one over 1 000m and an hour later winning over 2 000m with him. This one has had three days to recover so she can’t complain!”

Van Reenen, who trains in partnership with Carl Burger, has been having a quiet time in recent weeks and, like most small trainers, he is finding things difficult.

He said: “Many of the older horses have gone and others are taking a break. We will start running the young horses in a month’s time but the yard is small and we need support.”

By Michael Clower

Featured Image: Whisky Baron (Liesl King)

The Vaal stages a nine race meeting tomorrow and there look to be a few opportunities for punters in the early races before it gets tougher later on.

In the first over 1600m Dreamsaremadeof should go close. Last time over 1700m she overcame a high draw to get into a nice handy position and then showed a fine turn of foot to join the leader. However, she had gone too soon and she faded near the end. Gavin Lerena would have learnt from that run and is likely to wait for a lot longer. The slight step down in trip will also suit. Quick Glimpse is an Australian-bred by Fastnet Rock and ran on in eyecatching style in her penultimate start over 1400m, although she didn’t quite go through with it. She now has a much better draw and will likely appreciate the step up in trip too.

Muzi Yeni

In the second race over 1600m Agent Kay will relish the step down in trip after over racing last time over 1800m and yet still going close. The only concern is his wide draw, but he is tipped to be the best bet of the day.

In the third race over 1600m Dressed To Impress looks to be a classy sort. She over raced last time over this trip but that was probably due to her being green in her first start around the turn. She still managed to run on well for second but the earlier exertions had taken their toll. She now has a draw of nine, which isn’t going to make it easy and it all depends on whether she settles or not. Gavin Lerena is up so will give her every chance of doing so. If she fluffs her lines then Tigerlace can pick them up. She had some fine maiden form and proved winning at the eleventh time of asking was well overdue by winning first time out the maidens. In that last start she produced a flying finish from a wide draw over 1800m and is equally effective over this 1600m trip. The 1,5kg claimer Dennis Schwarz keeps the ride.

It is a tough Pick 6, so Collegiate is made a banker in the first leg over 2400m just to cut the costs of the perm. In his earlier starts he used to be pushed along at the back before running on, so was in need of blinkers and when they were finally fitted he duly went within a short-head of victory over 1800m. However, he was never in it last time over 1600m as the trip was just too short. The five-year-old Ideal World gelding looks likely to relish the step up to a staying trip and can beat home the hard knocking Discoverer.

In the fifth over 2000m The Rocketman has a lovely big stride and will be progressing continuously. He produced a late run in his first try over this trip and now has a plum draw off a merit rating effectively only three points higher. However, two horses who campaigned in the Cape Summer Of Champions Season, Big Parade and Visigoth will give him a lot to think about as neither of them were disgraced against some strong opposition down there. Walter Smoothie is a progressive course and distance suited sort who can’t be ignored and neither can My Favourite Brown, who runs from the front and has his best draw for a while.

In the sixth over 1500m Dan The Lad has a nice turn of foot and is coming into his own so can take advantage of a pole position draw at the expense of Irish Pride, who has dropped to an attractive mark and is ideally distance suited.

The last three races are tough and going as wide as possible is the advice. Lock Him Up is tipped to win the seventh over 1500m as he goes well for Yeni and can finish strongly after being dropped out or placed from a wide draw.

In the eighth Mardi Gras is a R3,2 million horse who won easily last time and can follow up off a reasonable merit rating.

In the last race over 1000m Rebel Renegade is half-a-kilogram under sufferance but will enjoy the step down in trip and can be thereabouts if reproducing his penultimate start over course and distance last November when runner up to the promising Mawshoof.

By David Thiselton

Paul Gadsby fought a long and hard battle with the handicappers to reduce the merit rating of Miss Varlicious to a more competitive mark and it took over two years to come down from what Gadsby claimed was a ridiculous rating from the outset. From a career high of 103 she needed to drop 31 pounds to a 72 for her to finally win another race – that a narrow neck victory on the Greyville poly earlier this month.

With all ratings increased by six points from the start of the month, and an extra four for her recent victory, Miss Varlicious starts off a rating of 80 today but with apprentice Khanya Sakayi claiming 4kg she can go in again in the fifth at Greyville.

Miss Varlicious has always been honest and game, a trait that makes any reduction in rating a long and arduous process – ask Gadsby and any number of his trainer colleagues – so another win today will probably herald a trip to the greener pastures of a stud farm.

Miss Varlicious

Victory Trip could pose a threat after her three-length romp last time out but the opposition was not much to write home about and she is on the drift in the market. Spring In Seattle has improved in blinkers and can feature while Flamenco Dancer has shown some fair form to stronger and could be the pick of the Bosch runners in spite of current odds of around 7-1.

With the sale of Monks Hood to Hong Kong interests almost finalised, it will be back to bread-and-butter for Alistair Gordon but the show must go on. Hometown Hero lines up in a qualified maiden in the seventh and made a smart comeback after a break when runner-up to Captain Cobalt.

The gelding showed good pace that day and from a tidy draw should feature again although Shantytown and De Lago’s Future could make things difficult.

Shantytown has his third run after a break but after trying 1600m last time out it’s back to a sprint this afternoon. Anthony Delpech’s agent, Dees Dayanand, seldom misses a trick so you leave Garth Puller’s runner out of your bets at your peril.

De Lago’s Future is a bit of a misnomer given that Shane Humby’s charge is a gelding, but the stable is starting to turn after a torrid time with a virus and De Lago’s Future, blinkers back on and Anton Marcus in the irons, could well oblige at decent ante-post odds of 4-1.

This is not a card for the feint-hearted and the fourth is a case in point where Star Of Caesour is a weak 4-1 chance in the ante-post market with Track & Ball although the presences of Delpech in the saddle may have a lot to do with that price in what is really something of a handicap lottery.

Sean Tarry’s filly has not won for close on a year although she has shown signs of life at recent outings, finishing runner-up at her penultimate start behind Lady Li Lay before disappointing when six lengths behind the same filly last time out.

Expresso Martini has shown up well in recent outings for the in-form Gadsby yard but could be hard-pressed to turn the tables on her recent conqueror Burnberry.

Duncan Howells took the brave decision to turn off his taps for a fortnight while he battled a virus in his yard but the wheel appears to have turned with a winner and two second places on Sunday. He sends out Sitia who showed good pace over course and distance last time out before fading late but was reported to be coughing post-race.

There are a host of others in with chances and having a dip on the nose will be a risky bet.

By Andrew Harrison

Featured Image: Paul Gadsby

Gavin van Zyl described his Listed Storm Bird Stakes winner Bold Eagle as having a wonderful temperament and is now aiming him at the Grade 1 SA Nursery over 1160m at Turffontein on May 5 and at the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m at Scottsville on May 26.

“Nothing phases him,” said Van Zyl.

It looked that way on Saturday as Bold Eagle travelled comfortably up with the lead and then showed a fine turn of foot to win easing up by 3,5 lengths under Anthony Delpech.

Gavin Van Zyl

His time for the 1000m of 58,4 seconds was not only 0,84 seconds quicker than the two-year-old fillies in the Listed Ruffian Stakes, but also 0,3 seconds quicker than the older females in the Listed Bauhinia Handicap.

He provided a first South African stakes winner for his sire Bold Silvano, whom he resembles closely.

Gill Thompson bred Bold Eagle and Ashley Parker of Port Elizabeth’s Ascot Stud sold him on her behalf to Van Zyl at the National yearling Sales for R210,000.

The exciting news is he has a yearling full-sister on the ground, the last foal his dam Inflorescence produced.

Thompson owned Bold Silvano outright until selling a share in him to Sheik Mohammend Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum shortly before his famous Vodacom Durban July victory for the Mike de Kock yard in 2010. It was the only July ever run on the last Saturday of July as opposed to the first as it had to fit in with the World Cup football program, so the build-up that year was particularly intriguing as horses had a month extra to qualify.

Parker said Bold Silvano was not getting as much support as he originally did as Ascot Stud’s new sire Global View had been sent 105 and 134 mares respectively in his first two seasons.

However, he said he was still popular.

He said, “They like him as he produces smart horses, and his two-year-olds this year have been especially good. Breeders find out which mares suit stallions so their success rate gets better all the time.”

Bold Silvano’s sire Silvano is known for producing horses who get better and better with age.

However, he himself was quite precocious, winning on debut in the March of his two-year-old year over 1100m and later winning the Grade 3 Champion Juvenile Cup over 1400m. He looks to be imparting speed and some precociousness to his progeny too.

Bold Eagle’s dam Inflorescence is by Western Winter and won second time out as a two-year-old over 1200m and followed up by finishing second in the Listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes over 1400m, so she also had speed and precocity. Her only subsequent place was over 1800m, so Bold Eagle should go further in time and is an exciting prospect. The handsome bay is owned by N. Kokkoris.

By David Thiselton