KZN Breeders will be celebrating the result of yesterday’s Melbourne Cup as the winner Rekindling is a full-brother to the Summerhill Stud-based sire, Golden Sword.

Twenty-four-year-old Irishman Joseph O’Brien was the winning trainer in his first attempt at the “race which stops a nation” and he and his record-breaking father Aidan clinched the exacta in a finish dominated by overseas trainers.

Rekindling, ridden by 41-year-old Australian jockey Corey Brown, wore down Johannes Vermeer to win by half-a-length. The 2015 runner-up, the Dermot Weld-trained Max Dynamite, made it a one-two-three for Irish raiders.

Rekindling, whose previous race was a strong-finishing two-length fourth in the Gr 1 St. Leger at Doncaster, always looked likely to relish the two-mile trip and was proven on left handed tracks like Flemington.

He was said in some quarters to be the first three-year-old to have won since Skipton in 1941, but in Australia he is listed as a four-year-old as he was Northern Hemisphere born.

He carried a featherweight 8 stone 2 (51,5kg) and returned odds of 14/1.

From a plum draw of four, Brown managed to get the High Chapparral colt on the rail as the barrier three drawn Johannes Vermeer went forward. From then onward Rekindling travelled beautifully and the race could not have panned out better for him. Max Dynamite, who finished runner up two years ago, surged through a gap on the rail approaching the final bend and then switched outward. This allowed Rekindling a perfect tow into the straight and he had Johannes Vermeer, who had  kicked for home, in his sights. The long-striding Max Dynamite’s momentum was effected as he got stuck behind the joint 6/1 favourite Marmelo and Tiberian turning for home. However, when he finally got a split he joined in the battle up front. The Galileo colt Johannes Vermeer, a 12/1 chance, was staying on resolutely, but Rekindling always looked likely to catch him and finally overtook him full of running in the shadow of the post. The first Australian-based horse home was the fourth-placed Irish-bred Big Duke, trained by Darren Weir. In fifth place was the Iain Jardine trained raider from Scotland, Nakeeta, a 40/1 shot ridden by ex-patriot South African Glyn Schofield. The sixth finisher was also a raider form Ireland, the Willie Mullins-trained Thomas Hobson.

The result emphasised the contradiction that despite the Melbourne Cup being Australia’s biggest race their breeders prefer to target races like the $3,5 million Golden Slipper over six furlongs, which is the richest race for two-year-olds in the world and is probably Australia’s biggest sire-producing event.

It was 41-year-old Corey Brown’s second Melbourne Cup winner. He rode the Mark Kavanagh-trained Shocking to victory in 2009. The humble Brown was “lost for words” after the win and was greeted by his wife Kylie and three daughters in the winner’s enclosure.

The race was called for the first time by 36-year-old Matt Hill, who became Australia’s youngest ever commercial racing caller as a nineteen-year-old.

A TAB customer was selected at random to pick a Melbourne Cup winner for $1 million and instead of picking one of the favourites, Almandin or Marmelo, the punter made the genius decision to pick $15 chance Rekindling, the sixth favourite.

“I started the day working so I never could have imagined this,” said punter Dominic, who was still in a state of disbelief.

An entertaining video of the lucky punter watching the race can be viewed on the Gold Circle facebook page.

The British-bred eleven-year-old Golden Sword joined Summerhill in 2012.

He won the Gr 3 Chester Vase over a mile and four-and-half-furlongs for Aidan O’Brien and then finished fifth in the Epsom Derby and second in the Irish Derby.

In his first season with Mike de Kock in Dubai he finished third in the Gr 2 Dubai City Of Gold over 2410m and in his second season won a handicap and a Conditions race, both over 2000m on the All Weather track. He thus qualified for the Group 1 Dubai World Cup, where he finished a well beaten eleventh.

Golden Sword, not surprisingly, has produced staying types and included among them is the Listed Oaks Trial winner Belle Rose, who also finished fourth in the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1800m.

By David Thiselton

Louis Goosen has made a big splash since relocating from the Vaal to Ashburton at the beginning of the season. His 13 winners have come at a strike rate of 20% and not restricted to KZN with Zen Arcade winning the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes at Turffontein last Saturday.

“When I first saw this place (Ashburton) I thought ‘this is for me’, it’s horse heaven,” he revealed when quizzed on the reason for his move.

Goosen saddles three runners at Greyville today, debutante Leisure Lady in the first and two with definite chances, Bravo Zulu in the fourth and Shifting Gears in the sixth.

Shifting Gears is a late starter, this being the four-year-old’s third start in a career that only got going three months ago. After two thirds she was stepped up to 1800m and she ran out a fluent winner of her maiden. Runner-up, Green Fairy did not do that form too many favours when only managing third last Sunday, but Shifting Gears looks capable of shifting up another notch today and she will need to, as she takes on a useful pair in Flichity By Farr and Shirley Valentine.

The latter carries top weight and Anton Marcus but it may be significant that Gunter Wrogemann has kept faith with Shifting Gears rather than Shirley Valentine who he piloted into second last time out.

Flichity By Farr took on a strong field when fifth behind the promising Hashtagyolo but prior to that was running on well behind the useful Fiorella. Alyson Wright has stepped her up to 2000 m today and given her pedigree, the extra could see her land her second win.

Bravo Zulu has been knocking at the door for some time now and can go one better for Goosen in the Track & Ball Maiden over 1400m. He has come on nicely at his last two and now looks fully primed.

The Grey Crusader looks a threat because although he comes off a four-month break, Doug Campbell’s runners are finding form.

If one sets any store by the speed ratings published in the Computaform then there look to be a host of strong contenders for the winner’s enclosure. Turf Conqueror is rates 23 and 24 points clear of The Grey Crusader and Bravo Zulu respectively while Hokanui in the fifth, Lungi in the sixth and Crime Victim in the seventh are all rated lengths clear of their rivals.

One wishes it was that easy. Hokanui has two minor placings to his credit in 10 starts but his best effort did come over course and distance last time out. But both Royal Rustler and Emerald Victory step up to what looks to be a more suitable trip for both and warrant consideration.

Lungi is a long-time battler and may have to bend the knee to Emma’s Oracle and The Matador. Greg Cheyne is the retained rider for the Kieswetter’s and Ridgemont Racing and is up from Cape Town to ride Emma’s Oracle for Duncan Howells while The Matador, formally with Howells, has her first run in blinkers and for Yadav Singh who has taken out his trainer’s brief again.

Crime Victim has been struggling for his next win but takes a further drop in the ratings and it may be worth ignoring his disappointing poly debut. His speed figure is 16 points better than next rated Magesh’s Jet but a more likely challenger could be stable companion Crystal Ball with claiming apprentice Ashton Arries aboard.

Howells has signed off in the last race of the last two meetings and that trend could continue as he has four chances in the ninth this afternoon. Of that quartet Sovereign Master with stable rider Keagan de Melo looks the pick in a field that does not boast a lot of depth.

By Andrew Harrison

The top class Mauritzfontein Stud-based stallion Ideal World scored a one-two in the classic pointer, the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein Standside on Saturday, and it looks just a matter of time before he has his second Grade 1 winner.

Louis Goosen was confident of winning the Graham Beck with Zen Arcade and the gelding finished strongly under Gunther Wrogemann to beat the Mike Azzie-trained colt Ideal Secret by 0,7 lengths with Prince Of Kahal third.

The time of 84,55 seconds was slower than Big Bear’s 84,08 seconds in the earlier Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup.

The latter race looked stronger on paper, considering the next five horses behind Big Bear were rated 106, 90, 107, 96 and 94, while Zen Arcade beat 87, 90, 81, 86 and 88 rated horses.

However, the ratings are still sorting themselves out at this time of the season as is proven by S’Manga Khumalo choosing 85 merit rated Big Bear ahead of 107 merit rated Wonderwall.

It will be interesting to see how the handicapper rates the two respective races.

Zen Arcade franked the form of the unbeaten Alec Laird-trained Trippi colt Broadway Trip.

Zen Arcade was the 2,25 length runner up to Broadway Trip in the BSA August Million over 1400m at Scottsville, although in his defense he had to give Broadway Trip 2kg despite it being his debut because he was a more expensive purchase than Broadway Trip.

Zen Arcade has won all three of his subsequent starts.

The progeny of Ideal World tend to improve continuously with age and this increasingly popular sire tends to impart stamina on top of speed. Zen Arcade’s dam is a three-time winning sprinter by Var, but she is in turn out of champion Older Female Stayer Monyela, who is by Fort Wood.

On running style Zen Arcade looks likely to stay at least a mile and is an exciting prospect.

The three-year-old male crop is shaping up to be a good one at this early stage.

Ideal World’s only Grade 1 winner to date has been the brilliant three-time Grade 1-winning filly Smart Call from his first crop. He was unlucky not to win the Grade 1 Thekwini with Persian Rug two years ago and has also produced the champion stayer Hermoso Mundo.

By David Thiselton

The in-form trainer has booked Piere Strydom for his Cape Derby and Daily News winner Edict Of Nantes who was beaten less than half a length when third in the July. Corne Orffer sticks with Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner Captain America and Greg Cheyne will be on Champions Cup hero Sail South.

The big three will be opposed by Justin Snaith’s Winter Series winner African Night Sky (Bernard Fayd’Herbe) and stable companion Black Arthur (Richard Fourie) who was only a length off the winner when seventh in the July.

Horizon (Aldo Domeyer) finished half a length closer in the July while championship leader Lyle Hewitson has been booked by Joey Ramsden for last season’s Cape Classic winner Table Bay. For good measure, Crawford has thrown Black Cat Back (Sihle Cele) into the mix.

This seven furlong test totally overshadows the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes but the Candice Bass-Robinson CTS $500 000 Sprint winner Live Life heads the weights and will be ridden by Orffer for the first time.

Strdyom has five rides – two for Crawford and three for Snaith – while four of Hewitson’s six mounts are for Ramsden including Silver Coin in the last.

Sean Tarry is on the hunt for more rich Ready To Run pickings to add to the R1.25 million collected by Big Bear last Saturday. The champion trainer has a quarter of the 28 horses yesterday entered for Saturday week’s Kenilworth Lanzerac version including three of the four top-rated. Top, seven points clear, is Wonderwall who was fourth for Tarry at Turffontein. Tarry won last year’s race with Safe Harbour.

Entries for the Kenilworth Cup were held over from last Friday until yesterday because only ten horses were nominated. The postponement has attracted an extra three. Mike de Kock, successful with Smart Mart 12 months ago, has entered Kinaan but at this stage Snaith’s Ovidio and Strathdon stand out.

Oratorio, whose bookings were diverted elsewhere when laminitis struck, is recovering so well that he has returned to stud duties, albeit on a limited scale.

Avontuur general manager Pippa Mickleburgh said: “It’s wonderful to see him back in action. We believe that he will return to top form over time and it’s a huge relief to have the expectation of some of his quality offspring in the 2018 season.”

By Michael Clower

The Sean Tarry-trained Big Bear emphasised what a big loss his ill-fated Summerhill-based sire Await The Dawn has been when romping home in the Emperor’s Palace Ready to Run Cup over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday under S’Manga Khumalo.

Big Bear is a big and strong, resolute galloper with a deceptively good turn of foot.

He was up with the pace on Saturday from a good draw and then kicked away from his stablemate, the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge winner Wonderwall.

Big Bear then repelled the challenge of the Grade 1-winning filly Brave Mary and beat her by 2,5 lengths.

Big Bear has had the field spread out like the washing in his last two starts and this is always a sign of a good horse.

Await The Dawn succumbed to a freak accident while covering a mare in 2014.

He was a stoutly-bred horse being by five-times Group 1-winning miler-to-middle distance horse Giant’s Causeway out of Dixieland Band mare Valentine Band (Shirley Heights) who won over a middle distance and was also Listed placed in two middle distance races.

Big Bear’s dam Gamalakhe is by Northern Guest and was unplaced but is a full-sister to Mercury Rising who won three times from 1200-1400m and is Listed placed. Gamalakhe’s female line is generally quite speedy and her three winners to date have won up to 1450m. However, there is also stamina in the family, including Gold Bowl winner Winning Leap.

Await The Dawn will also impart some staying power and Big Bear’s running style suggests he will get a mile and more.

This big, well-named horse has an exciting three-year-old season ahead of him and is definitely one to follow.

Big Bear was bought at the CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale for R240,000 and is owned by Chris van Niekerk in partnership with the underbidder Bruce Gardner.

At the BSA National Two-year-old Sale this August, Dean Kannemeyer bought the half-brother to Big Bear by Visionaire, named The Solution, for R85,000.

The Solution could prove to be a bargain buy as Visionaire was so popular the owners moved him from Summerhill down to Lammerskraal Stud in the Cape, where he would get better opportunities.

In Saturday’s race the Paul Matchett-trained Brave Mary and the Mike de Kock-trained Takingthepeace made it a one-two-three for horses bred at Summerhill Stud. The Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Brave Mary proved she could be effective over trips further than sprints and moved up smartly. She had no answer to Big Bear’s response, but had some good horses behind her. She is the second Grade 1-winning progeny of Brave Tin Soldier to finish runner up in this race, following the feat of Rabada in 2015.

Takingthepeace by Visionaire was doing her best work late and pipped Querari colt Wonderwall for third. She will be a big player in the fillies classics this season.

Fifth-placed Surcharge, by Gimmethegreenlight, had to overcome a wide draw and as one who has impressed before shouldn’t be written off in forthcoming features.

By David Thiselton