Accomplished horseman Tobie Spies has been appointed stud manager at Ernst Du Preez’s up-and-coming Favour Stud near Stilbaai, Western Cape.

Spies’s appointment follows the departure of Renate and Jannie du Plessis, who have moved to Australia. Du Preez’s 350-hectare farm has 100 stables and presently houses 35 mares and 20-something yearlings born and raised at the farm. Spies said: “Three weeks ago Corne (Spies, son), walked into my office at the Vaal and said, “Dad, how do you feel about going to Stilbaai?” I was taken aback, it was going to be a serious career move, but here I am. My wife and I have moved into the house on the Favour Stud premises and we’re still wide-eyed, but I’m up for the challenge, this is a nice opportunity for us.”

Corne Spies (Supplied)

A former leading Grade 1-winning trainer himself (Yardmaster, Fast Gun, Petros, Mysterious Hal, etc.), Tobie mainly managed Corne’s Vaal stables for the last 10 years while Spies Jr was travelling the country raiding everywhere from Kimberley to Port Elizabeth and even doing a spell in Zimbabwe.

The new arrangement has seen Corne return to his permanent base at the Vaal with former stable jockey Francois Naude joining as stable employee and assistant. There are 60 horses stabled at the Vaal yard and a further 30 in Port Elizabeth. Tobie Spies says: “I will miss racing in Gauteng and elsewhere, I’ve always enjoyed preparing and saddling our runners for races, but I also loved my time as yearling inspector for TBA, working with John Kramer. We travelled around the country several times to rate the yearlings at stud farms. I got to know most of the breeders well and I also know the beautiful areas from Franschoek to Robertson and Ceres, I will be travelling to these areas again with mares from Favour Stud to be covered by a number of stallions.

“Ironically, Kramer is due to visit Favour Stud for sales inspections on 19 October and Tobie says: “Getting the yearlings walking properly and looking the part is our first big challenge. They’re running around here, rough and tough, and we have to get them in shape for inspector Kramer. With just two weeks to go we face a task of proportions!”

Renate du Plessis recently told Sporting Post: “I think I could handle a train running into me now – that would be nothing compared to breeding season!” but Ernst du Preez believes there is nobody more qualified for the position.

“Tobie is a top class horseman. He and his family have been instrumental in our success and enjoyment of racing. Corne’s professionalism and great attitude brought us to Tobie, we are very happy to have him working for us in this important role.” Du Preez added: “It is our mission at Favour Stud to compete at the highest level. We aim to breed top racehorses and we’ve invested over the years in the best mares we could find, like Gr1 performers Limerick (dam of Noah From Goa), Zaitoon, Far De Vie and Supreme Deal. “We have shares in top new stallions including What A Winter, Querari, Quasillo, also Elusive Fort so we have fixed visits booked. We’ll be looking for more high quality mares, they’re not easy to find but we’re in the market, we’ll get them.”

— turf talk

Durbanville Wednesday Tips and Race Previews by Warren Lenferna

Race 1
Preview: GOA (7) is coming along the right way and from an okay draw looks ready to go close. OSTINATO (5) keeps running second but should be able to go one better and get it right soon. Big runner as always. DEAR MONIETTE (3) tries a touch further and should be able to get much closer now. (Warren Lenferna 7-5-3)

Race 2
Preview: SECOND NATURE (4) ran on well to win last time and is in good form. She can follow up. TIFFINDELL (5) returns from a short rest but was in good form before that. If she were to win it would be no shock at all. NORTHERN BALLET (1) might have a tough task at the weights but nevertheless, still has a bright chance. (Warren Lenferna 4-5-1)

Race 3
Preview: MAGIC SAILOR (1) was out run in the shadow of the post last time and tried all the way up the lane. He finished second behind Valbonne whom was making his debut and this afternoon Magic Sailor looks very hard to beat under M J Byleveld. SEVENTH RULE (2) is the exacta choice and LA MER (3) could help boost the quartet dividend. (Warren Lenferna 1-2-3)

Race 4
Preview: HUNDREDS (9) caught the eye on debut when running on well and now with that run under the belt looks very hard to beat here. GREENSTREETTRACTOR (3) went close to winning last time and has a huge chance. COYS (2) the KZN runner from the Paul Lafferty stable has shown ability in KZN and today with the help of blinkers should go close but they will all have to run to beat Hundreds! (Warren Lenferna 9-3-2)

Race 5
Preview: BLUE DOOR (4) ran a good race last time finishing second when putting in a late effort. He can go one better. JUDDERING ANGEL (5) is much better than his last run shows and can bounce back to best. WOODLAND’S FOREST (3) will have a chance if reproducing his penultimate run – definite quartet inclusion. (Warren Lenferna 4-5-3)

Race 6
Preview: STATE BALLET (4) normally races from the front and might hold on to win. Her form is consistent and her draw the best – she might be hard to catch this time. BIG MISTAKE (8) is very fast and won well in his penultimate start – chance. LOVE TO FLY (9) has very consistent form but returns from a short rest – it would be silly to ignore his chances. (Warren Lenferna 4-8-9)

Race 7
Preview: KAMPALA CAMPARI (2) never shaped in Gauteng in a feature last time but his form before that is very strong. He clearly has ability and despite returning from a rest might prove tough to beat. CAPTAIN COURTEOUS (3) is very reliable and should once again be there at the finish. SNIPER SHOT (9) has top KZN juvenile form and should be able to get into the action here. (Warren Lenferna 2-3-9)

Race 8
Preview: The three runners that have recorded one run for one win look set to fight it out. STILL I RISE (6) was very impressive when taking off to win and looks to be above average. She might be the right one and has been selected to win. ONTENDERHOOKS (5) and DOUBLE BLACK (7) should be right there at the finish and both also look to have ability. (Warren Lenferna 6-5-7)

The Trust, a registered Public Benefit Organisation, has been raising funds to help improve the life of equines since 2005. Its Rehoming Program focuses specifically on the safe and secure future of thoroughbred racehorses once they are retired from their racing career. Many of them are retired as young as two or three-years-old.

Ken Truter

The rehoming programme is run by volunteers and most of the horses come directly from racing, having been donated by owners, trainers and breeders who care about the future of their horses. A few have come through “rescue” situations, having been sold on and landed up in dire circumstances.

Last year, the Trust was able to raise R260,000 through a charity auction held shortly before the running of the CTS Southern Cross Stakes as well as from the sale of races and tables on the day.

Chairman Ken Truter said the Trust would love to equal or better that figure on this year’s raceday, but that they face a harder task.

He told Turf Talk: “We only have eight races this year, that’s eight races to sell to sponsors, and they exclude a feature race. But we know that racing’s benefactors always try their best to help with causes like ours, so we’ll work hard to achieve the highest figure we can.

“We will have a special lunch on the day, so we will be selling tables again and like last year we will have an auction. We’re collecting all sorts of special things to auction off, there will be a raffle and a collection of prizes to give away.”

Truter, who is presently in London, added: “I am mailing Bernard Kantor this morning to see if we can secure a few tickets to next year’s Investec Derby. I cannot make this official yet, but let’s hope Mr Kantor can help.”

– Turf Talk

Gold Standard faces nine opponents for his long-awaited reappearance in the World Sports Betting Matchem Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday.

Gold Standard (Liesl King)

The Cape Guineas runner-up has not raced since his fourth to Whisky Baron in the Sun Met with a cautious approach to fetlock problems deciding Glen Kotzen to give the Durban season a miss. Those taking him on include Table Bay who started favourite for the Guineas but was beaten into third.

Anton Marcus’s mount is a kilo better off but has more than three lengths to find. Top weight Always In Charge has to shoulder a 3kg Grade 1 penalty as a result of his Gold Medallion success at two.

Gold Standard is expected to start favourite to give Richard Fourie his second Matchem – he won on Majestic Sun 11 years ago. Favourites have won three of the last four runnings but the eight previous ones were all beaten.

Andre Nel has booked Donovan Dillon for last year’s winner Captain’s Flame in the Diana Stakes but Gimme Six looks like heading the market. Justin Snaith has won three of the last eight runnings and Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount finished a head second in the Woolavington and fourth in the Garden Province after winning the Daisy Fillies Guineas.

By Michael Clower

Second Nature, who has won three of her last four, can go in again in the Play Soccer Conditions Plate at Durbanville tomorrow even though merit ratings say she hasn’t a prayer.

The Mike Robinson five-year-old was raised four points for her win at Kenilworth three weeks ago but still has the lowest rating of anything in the race but she has the advantage of race fitness and being in form. The combination may swing it for her at 3-1.

Tiffindell opened 18-10 favourite with World Sports Betting yesterday and little wonder. On her last run, over a mile and a half at Fairview two months ago, she ran Northern Ballet (3-1) to a short head and she renews rivalry with her stable companion on 6kg better terms.

Dress For Success

But neither has raced since and as a result Justin Snaith is not optimistic, saying: “They are both coming back from a rest and they are only 80% ready.”

The Paul Lafferty-trained Dress For Success actually comes out best on ratings but she has had to travel from Durban in the last month and it’s no surprise to see her as big as 6-1. Adorado (5-1) disappointed here ten days ago but ran well at Greyville previously while O’Keeffe, the outsider of the party at 11-1, has it all to do.

The opening Itsarush.co.za Maiden looks a tough nut to crack but a few trainer comments and explanations may help, in particular why Aldo Domeyer rides newcomer Little Miss Me in preference to Goa who has good recent form. “Grant van Niekerk is retained by Drakenstein and he rode Goa last time,” says Candice Bass-Robinson who adds: “Little Miss Me will need the run.”

Ostinato, joint second favourite at 5-1, drops back from 1 400m. “It makes no difference to her whether it’s 1 200m or 1 400m and they went too slow for her the other day,” says Glen Kotzen who points out that the filly has a bad draw.

Evie’s Light, who had smarter form last season than her 10-1 odds might suggest, also reverts to a shorter trip. “She has become a bit strong and I thought the quicker pace over 1 200m would suit her. She has also become a bit soft in the mouth and so I am using a different bit,” says Greg Ennion.

Bendy Bullet is favourite at 9-2 and is given marginal preference over Goa and Kotzen’s London Spirit (5-1). The sahorseracing computer also says the Eric Sands filly will win with Ostinato and Evie’s Light filling the minor placings.

The TAB Telebet Maiden looks a straight fight between 14-10 favourite Magic Sailor and 16-10 shot Seventh Rule. Magic Sailor ran very well here ten days ago and, as he is rated 3kg higher, he gets the nod.

Hundreds was only three-quarters of a length behind Greenstreettractor on debut and so Richard Fourie’s mount should have come on enough to reverse the form in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden.

By Michael Clower