Glen Kotzen goes into Saturday’s Sun Met bullish about Gold Standard’s chances and added, “I will win the Derby, but I don’t know with which one.”

Kotzen sends a string of 18 to the meeting and has reason to feel optimistic as his yard have gotten over the respiratory virus which now appears to be affecting some yards at Milnerton and also Andre Nel’s yard at Rondeberg.

One of his Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby contenders, Eyes Wide Open, had to miss the Cape Guineas due to the virus but bounced back with an impressive win last time out in the Grade 2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m. Kotzen said, “Against his own age group he is going to be hard to beat.”

Glen Kotzen

The Dynasty colt has already won a Grade 1, the Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at Greyville as a two-year-old, and was beautifully relaxed in the running last time before showing a fine turn of foot and resolute finish. Kotzen said, “Top horses can do that, you can chase them at the start and then switch them off.” Eyes Wide Open has a fine draw of five and Richard Fourie rides.

Kotzen believes stablemate Pack Leader is the biggest danger. He said, “He turned for home two lengths behind the second last horse in the Cape Guineas on a track which was running fast and White River, running green, first hung inward across him and then hung outward across him.”

The Philanthropist colt still ran on well in his third attempt to get a run, but not surprisingly had less left at the finish than White River. Fourie had already committed to Eyes Wide Open, but would otherwise have given Pack Leader some consideration. Anthony Delpech is a top replacement aboard the latter and Kotzen said, “Pack Leader is working the barns out.” On racing style and pedigree he should relish the step up in trip and has a plum draw of two.

Oratorio colt Opera Royal is the third Kotzen horse in the Derby and he said, “He ran a courageous race when chasing Milton in the Premier Trophy and  therefore Richard was not hard on him last time when he ran on in the Politician. He will now be fresh for the Derby. He doesn’t give much away at home but will be in the mix.” Luyolo Mxothwa rides from draw nine.

Some have questioned whether Gold Standard is the same horses since a fetlock chip was removed last year after he had run a fine second in the Cape Guineas and an equally classy fourth in the Met. But Kotzen said, “He doesn’t have to prove anything to me. He has been prepped for this race, will be cherry ripe and the extra 400m will be right down his alley.”

Kotzen pointed out the Queen’s Plate was a preparation run for Gold Standard and he was widely drawn, so the slow pace of the race had not suited him in the fast conditions, yet he still finished on top of them (the field was backed up behind Legal Eagle, who did not chase the front pair).

Kotzen revealed Fourie believes he has a huge chance of giving the short-priced favourite Snowdance a run for her money in the Grade 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m aboard Silvan Star. She missed two weeks of training with a foot injury before her excellent sixth place in The Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes and has been “flying” at home. Unfortunately, she has a tough draw of 14.

Gold Standard (Liesl King)

He also runs Final Judgement in the Majorca from a good draw. She didn’t travel well to Port Elizabeth last time in the only race they could earmark as a preparation but he said, “When she’s good she’s very good and I hope she comes to the party.”

He runs Too Phat To Fly in the US$500,000 CTS 1600 and said, “Her best run was in the Cape Fillies Guineas over this trip when she ran on well, but this is a tough race.” Last time out they found out after the 1400m race she had cracked an incisor on the float and are not sure whether it would have affected her performance.

In the Kuda Sprint over 1200m Kotzen has two runners and said, “Let’s Be Frank had the quickest 400m to finish time on debut but looks to be drawn on the wrong side. It all depends on the conditions on the day which side they go, but they usually stick to the inside. We are running Quick Star because he is a smart colt, but he might be green on debut.”

The yard have three runners in the Listed Tattersalls Summer Juvenile Stakes over 1000m and Kotzen couldn’t separate them. He said, “Lanza was very green on debut and gets no penalty so should go close with Richard Fourie aboard. Twin Falls was green when winning on debut and we expect further improvement. Princess Elsa is very quick and in her debut here she gets a pull at the weights.”

By David Thiselton

In an historic move, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) will be simulcasting South African racing for the first time.

Basil Marcus

Hong Kong will be taking Race 5 to 10 from Kenilworth on Saturday and includes the R5-million Sun Met.

“This is a major achievement for South African racing,” said International Executive Director John Stuart. “The Hong Kong Jockey Club look to simulcast only the major meetings from around the world so one can see how highly they rate South African racing and specifically an event such as the Sun Met.”

In addition the HKJC have sent two of their journalists to cover the build-up to the race meeting and Tellytrack are creating a special production for them where one the presenters will include former jockey Basil Marcus who is well known in Hong Kong. Marcus is a seven-time champion jockey who has settled back in Cape Town after the curtain came down on his riding career.

Legal Eagle remains 4-1 favourite to go one better than his second of the last two years in the Sun Met celebrated with G.H. Mumm at Kenilworth on Saturday but three-time champion trainer Sean Tarry has been more concerned with getting the gelding’s preparation exactly right.

He was initially concerned that the dual Horse of the Year might have had an unduly hard race when winning the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate after having to pull out all the stops to collar Captain America.

“As hard a race as he seemed to have from us watching it, we never saw any indication of that from when he pulled up and there were no telltale signs. He was very fresh – indeed he was full of himself – and he also ate very well afterwards so we have basically handled him as we would normally.”

Tarry has no worries about No 15 draw, particularly with Anton Marcus in the irons and commented: “A good jockey and a good horse – they will find their way.”

All the publicity surrounding Legal Eagle is in marked contrast to his first Met runner, Alastor in 2005. Tarry talked about the build-up to that race in the July 2008 edition of now-defunct South African Bloodstock News magazine.

“Garth Puller, who rode Alastor, helped me with most of the work and I was excited because the horse was going really well,” Tarry related. “A few days before the race I walked into Tattersalls to see what my chances were. When I found out he was a 50-1 shot I was devastated. I suddenly thought that maybe I was missing something. Either that or it was too big a jump in class.”

Tarry, who was at one time a bookie’s clerk, had recovered his composure and his self-belief by the time it came to the sweepstake cocktail party. He bid for his runner and got him for R2,500. He collected 40 times that sum, not quite as good as the odds offered by the bookmakers, but a handsome bonus to add to his percentage and all the kudos that went with it.

Current betting: 4-1 Legal Eagle; 5-1 Marinaresco; 15-2 Oh Susanna, Last Winter; 9-1 Copper Force, Cascapedia, African Night Sky; 14-1 Gold Standard; 16-1 and upwards others.

By Michael Clower

Jaden’s mother Nicola wrote an emotional message on Instagram this morning, saying: “It is with very mixed emotions that I write this post today. Just four days short of his 16th birthday today our son embarks on the pathway towards his chosen career.

“Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think that we would be leaving him in another country, but his ambition and love for the sport was unwavering. Many have questioned our decision and our reasons are many, but with Australia not having an Academy and Jeff a firm believer that the concept that the SAJA adopts, offers an apprentice a world class Jockey grounding in a disciplined, protected environment , we were led to the very hard decision that Jaden would spend a year abroad so he could continue to school while getting the opportunity to ride every day.

“Live, embrace and grow my boy – but please…. always remember that you are NOT Jeffrey Lloyd you are Jaden and as a mother I hope that not only you but everyone else too, never compares you or feels the need to make comparisons.

“A few weeks ago Dad was having a disappointing day at the races and he came out and won the last race – you turned to me and said “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish” – remember your own words always my boy.

“Dad took eight months to ride his first winner and has gone on to be so successful – just remember no matter what anyone ever says, as long as you always do your best and work hard we will be exceptionally proud of you no matter what – stay safe, we will miss you so much, especially when you just appear from nowhere and give us a “Jaden cuddle”. Don’t let anything change that beautiful heart – love you Jay Jay!”

– Turf Talk

It’s about 28%. People often asked themselves how much Markus Jooste’s buying power boosted prices at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale and last weekend’s Convention Centre auction – the first without him – provided the answer with the average plummeting 27.8% and the aggregate by 28.2%.

Jooste also owned a quarter of the company and almost half the sale’s biggest vendor. He may have fallen from grace as heavily – and almost as painfully – as a skydiver with a faulty parachute but his absence has hit the breeding industry hard.

In a business that – uniquely – has two and a half years between covering and recovering, losses take a long time to work their way through.  Thankfully those reports of the Hong Jockey Club switching some of its purchasing from Australia to South Africa have proved correct.

Hopefully it will succeed with its publicly-stated aspiration to find an acceptable solution to the quarantine restrictions. That would be the silver lining that this country’s breeders now need more than ever.

By Michael Clower