The National Horseracing Authority has noted that there have been a number of specimens taken from horses which have tested in excess of the screening limit for caffeine.  Accordingly, the NHA is obligated to notify the relevant trainers of this occurrence and afford them options as envisaged in terms of the rules.

The NHA has undertaken an investigation in order to identify whether any commonality exists between the specimens of the affected horses being above the screening limit for caffeine.  In this regard, the NHA has requested that the affected trainers provide the NHA with information, which would allow for a more complete view of the circumstances surrounding these results, prior to any potential inquiry proceedings.

This year’s Emperors Ready To Run Sale will take place at the School Of Excellence, Summerhill Stud, on Wednesday, 25 October, 10 days before the 12th renewal of the R2.5million Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup.

Some thirty years ago, the southern hemisphere’s first concept of a Ready To Run sale was born of a collaboration between Summerhill Stud and a relic of the auction trade, Chris Smith Bloodstock.

Selling racehorses at the gallop directly off the farm was pioneered by horsemen in Florida, USA, and the Ready To Run sale as we know it today was a collective embellishment by South Africans on the same theme.  The inaugural sale was held at Summerhill in 1987, where its attendees, all twenty of them, included an august audience of Gary Player, famous cricketing all-rounders Mike Proctor and Johnny Watkins and former Miss World, Penny Coelen and her husband Johnny Rey.

While the idea soon took root in various parts of the world, South Africa remained at the forefront of its innovation, and by the late 1990s the local version was already attracting an international audience, with a buying bench especially well populated by Hong Kong, Singapore and the Middle East.  Through the first decade of the new century, it was one of the fastest growing sales in the world, its stature as a producer of champions and millionaires matching the best, pound-for-pound.

The withdrawal recently of Cape Thoroughbred Sales from the Gauteng auction scene left the Ready To Run without a Jo’burg champion, though followers of the Stellenbosch-based sales company’s website will recall a statement earlier in the year to the effect that the Ready To Run would be reverting to its spiritual home, Summerhill.

British three-year-old sprint sensation Harry Angel will head to Ascot next month to attempt an historic sprint treble and this will be vindication for the European Pattern Committee (EPC).

This Irish-bred colt’s success provides a current example of how important national race programming can be in the making of a horse.

The South African program lacks sprint opportunities for three-year-olds, although the Var Syndicate addressed this issue in the 2010/2011 season and the big sales races are also playing a role in filling this gap.

However, the SA programming committee could take heed of the Harry Angel success story.

The Godolphin-owned Harry Angel showed he is something special last Saturday when free-wheeling in front in the Group 1 Sprint Cup Stakes over six furlongs before kicking clear to win full of running by four lengths despite the ground officially being “heavy”.

Last month the Clive Cox-trained Dark Angel colt won the Group 1 Darley July Cup Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket on good to firm ground.

Next month he will go for the Group 1 British Champions Sprint at Ascot and attempt to become the first horse to land this particular treble.

Three years ago in August 2014, the EPC sat down to address the lack of opportunities for high-class three-year-old sprinters and to improve the overall standard of Group sprint races in Europe.

They noted, “For horses performing at every distance other than sprinting, the European Pattern provides a three-year-old only programme until mid-summer, when the Classic generation is considered ready to take on the older horses. The Committee believes it is no coincidence that when it comes to milers and middle distance horses, Europe can genuinely lay claim to having the best in the world, however, there is a definite lack of top class European three-year-old sprinters.”

The EPC firstly introduced a limited number of Pattern races restricted to three-year-olds in the first half of the European season, culminating in a new Group 1 race at Royal Ascot, and secondly, they sought to deliver a more balanced overall sprint programme, providing better opportunities and greater incentives to run high class sprinters in Europe. This included the upgrade of a number of races, including the British Champions Sprint on QIPCO British Champions Day to Group 1, and the Flying Five on Irish Champions Weekend to Group 2.

Harry Angel has thus been able to build his confidence and could well be the best three-year-old sprinter seen in the U.K. and Ireland for some time.

The brilliant colt is able to go in any ground and this season has won on both firm and heavy ground.

As a two-year-old Harry Angel showed his class by winning the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes over six furlongs at Newbury in just his second start.

He was then rested until making his reappearance on May 3 at Ascot in the Pavilion Stakes over six furlongs, where he finished second, and on May 27 he won the Sandy Lane Stakes over six furlongs at Haydock. Both of those races are limited to three-year-olds and both were identified in the European Pattern Committee meeting in 2014 as races which needed upgrading. Hence the former race acquired Group 3 status in 2015 and the latter was upgraded from Listed to Group 2 status in 2015.

Harry Angel then took part in the new three-year-old Group 1 Royal Ascot event, the Commonwealth Cup over six furlongs. The EPC introduced this in 2015 at the expense of the Buckingham Palace Stakes, a seven furlong handicap. The Commonwealth Cup is the only Group 1 limited to three-year-olds in Great Britain in which geldings are allowed to compete and is the first age restricted Group 1 open to geldings in Europe.

Harry Angel was beaten 0,75 lengths by the Aiden O’Brien-trained Caravaggio in the Commonwealth Cup, but exacted revenge next time out in the July Cup.

In South Africa the forward thinking Pippa Mickelburgh of Avontuur Stud attempted to address the lack of opportunity for three-year-old sprinters by introducing the Need For Speed Sprint Series in the 2010/2011 season, sponsored by the Var syndicate. The series included one race in each of the Western Cape, Gauteng and KZN. Mickelburgh said at the time,  “For nearly 20 years, South Africa was without a significant speed sire which slowly eroded the number of races catering for that category. We now sit with an opportunity in the racing calendar for sprint races for three-year-olds. This series hopes to fill that gap.”

Avontuur’s brilliant stallion Var is just one of a number of top class speed stallions currently standing in South Africa.

Currently the chief target for a three-year-old sprinter in South Africa is the Non-Black Type $500,000 CTS 1200 run on Sun Met day. It thus clashes with the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championships and is also limited to horses sold at CTS Sales. There is only one Graded sprint limited to three-year-olds in the country, the R250,000 Grade 3 Man O’ War Sprint over 1100m, run at Turffontein in the first week of April. The three three-year-old sprints introduced by the Var Syndicate remain NBT events for R150,000 each. Besides those there is the Listed R150,000 Sophomore Sprint at Kenilworth in the second week of January, the R135,000 NBT WSB Sophomore 1000 at the Vaal in September, the R150,000 Listed Swallow Stakes for three-year-old fillies at Turffontein in January and the R120,000 NBT Ethekwini Sprint on Vodacom Durban July day.

It is plain to see there are not many confidence building opportunities for three-year-old sprinters in South Africa the like of which Harry Angel has benefitted from.

By David Thiselton

Punters have another competitive eight race meeting to look forward to at Turffontein Standside tomorrow.

They could get off to a good start with Annie The Great, who caught the eye over 1000m on the Inside track when running on powerfully. Lucky Houdalakis-trained horses improve with a run and she stands out among the raced horses in this 1160m event. Flying Falcon showed good gate speed over 1000m last time and was staying on at the finish. However, the form of that race has proved suspect. Therfore, the Sean Tarry-trained first-timer New Zealand could be the biggest threat. She is by former champion sire Trippi out of the Elliodor mare Zeigler, who has produced the Listed winner Red Disa and the Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas runner up Tick Tock. Another well-bred first-timer here is the Mike de Kock-trained Rasheeka. She is by Vodacom Durban July winner Bold Silvano out of the classy Al Mufti mare Gilded Minaret, who won the Grade 1 Golden Slipper, was runner up in both the Cape Fillies Guineas and the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes and she also won the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet. However, Gilded Minaret’s only runner to date, by Kahal, did not manage a place in a few starts. Furthermore, De Kock’s normal first call rider Callan Murray will be aboard Satin Rock, who made a poor debut and now has his first run for the Brian Wiid yard.

The second race, a MR 92 three-year-old Handicap over 1400m, Sir David Baird is by Dynasty and went from last to first on debut over 1200m on the Inside track to win impressively by 2,25 lengths. He is given the vote as he will be receiving 4,5kg from Surcharge and also has a better draw. Surhcarge overcame a tricky low draw on the Vaal Outside track last time over 1400m, but drew away with big strides in the closing stages to win the Novice Handicap off a merit rating of 88. Snow Boarding’s 1400m form has worked out well and he showed his class by winning a good race over 1160m yesterday, so he has to be included too. Christofle was transformed by blinkers last time and Darkest Hour won a weak maiden effortlessly when stepped up to 1400m last time, so this pair are upset material.

The third race, the first leg of the Pick6, sees The Puma stepping up to 1400m and this long-striding son of Mogok looks hard to beat, despite it being his second run after a layoff and gelding. He had traffic problems last time over 1160m, but when seeing daylight finished like a train. The first-timer Visigoth by Visionaire is a full-brother to the Grade 1 Allan Robertson third-placed Visuality and comimg from the Sean Tarry yard, who have an incredible strike rate with first-timers, will be dangerous, although he has a tough draw of eight.

The fourth race is a MR 67 Handicap over 2000m for fillies and mares. Noceur is a good looking sort, but this is her first run out the maidens and her first try at 2000m, so could well be an exploratory run. She could still be in the first three, but the preferences to fight out the win are September Bloom and Gold Medal Girl. The former is a progressive sort who goes for middle distance hattrick and is only three points higher than her last win and the latter loved blinkers last time and won easily over this trip.

The fifth is a tricky fillies and mares handicap over 1160m. An outsider who could surprise is Elusive Strike as the form of her last attempt at a sprint, when beaten 7,55 lengths over 1000m by Effortless Reward, has worked out very well and she has dropped a whopping 16 points in the merit ratings since then. Last Girl Standing is holding form and comfortably holds Melinda’s Garden and Burundi Bush on last week’s race over course and distance. Tamany Hall won a workrider’s maiden impressively over 1200m second time out and could be anything, but an 85 merit rating and topweight is never easy for a young horse first time out the maidens. The Port Elizabeth raider Kungfoofighting goes for a hattrick and can’t be ignored.

The sixth could be won by the topweight Shivering Sea who has a fine record over course and distance. Mohalela and Twelve Oaks both have ability and can improve further. Mrs O might well enjoy the step down in trip and has a featherweight, while Outlander has ability but has had a busy campaign.

The seventh over 1000m is the highest rated race and on Grade 1 Computaform Sprint form there is little between Wrecking Ball and Talktothestars with Rivarine not far behind. However, Wrecking Ball did not campaign in KZN, unlike the other pair, and is given the vote.

The last race is a tricky fillies and mares handicap over 1400m and the ones who make most appeal are Shine Bright, Open Road, Nkolo, Ntoma and Wrap It Up.

By David Thiselton

Kingston Passage, so impressive in three straight sprinting wins earlier in the year, is now back in training.

Brett Crawford said: “He has had a long break but is now in work once more although I don’t think he will start before November.”

The Western Winter four-year-old showed so much speed that he was able to burn off the opposition until his last outing in June when, starting hot favourite, he missed the kick and came in only fifth of eight behind 14-1 shot Prince Alfred. A subsequent veterinary examination showed him to be short on his left hind.

Crawford said: “He was OK afterwards and it wasn’t the reason why we decided he should have a rest.”

By Michael Clower