Horse Racing News | Gold Circle Horse Racing And Betting

Domeyer’s perfect but not first

PUBLISHED: January 17, 2017

Despite winning all six of his carded rides, Aldo Domeyer’s achievement is not a record in S.A.

Jockey Aldo Domeyer’s perfect six at Kenilworth last week was not a record for number of winners ridden on a day in South Africa, although he might have been the first to ride a perfect six (six wins from six rides).

Jeff Lloyd (Supplied)

Jeff Lloyd has reportedly ridden seven winners in a day on three occasions in South Africa. He repeated this feat on November 30 last year in Australia, when having 11 rides on a 12 race card at Sunshine Coast racecourse. Lloyd at age 55 became the oldest to win the Brisbane Premiership last season. He is on his way to reclaiming this title having ridden 78 winners this season, 32 clear of second-placed Robbie Fradd. He is chasing Chris Munce’s Queensland metropolitan record of 103. Lloyd is also locked in a struggle with William Pike to be leading jockey in Australia. Both riders are currently on 98 winners in all for the season. Lloyd recovered from a mild stroke in 2013, which makes his recent achievements all the more remarkable.

South African record-breaking jockey Piere Strydom has ridden seven winners in a day twice. On one of these occasions [July 14, 1990] he famously rode the Pick 6 at Gosforth Park, the only rider to have achieved this feat. He also rode the winner of the first race that day. His Pick 6 winners were the Mike Azzie-trained 6/1 shot Boy On The Run, the Mike Azzie-trained 18/10 shot Dandy Man, the Herman Brown Snr-trained 11/10 favourite Mathematic, the Robbie Sage-trained 4/1 chance Haystack, the Spike Lerena-trained 16/10 favourite Highland Gypsy and the Spike Lerena-trained 2/1 favourite Straw Lining. His other winner on the day was the Nic Claassen-trained 6/10 favourite Golden Child. On the same day Strydom rode in a match race on the Azzie-trained Brainteaser, who was beaten by the Cliffie Otto-trained Divine Act, and also rode in two other races.

The first to achieve seven winners in a day in South Africa might well have been the legendary Harold “Tiger” Wright. In a nine race Rand Turf Club meeting held at Newmarket racecourse in Alberton on February 3 1960, Wright had eight rides and won on seven of them. Two of the winners were for George Azzie, the grandfather of current trainer Mike, two were for EJ Sparks and one each for ETC Passmore, DC Littlefield and R Ralphs.

Domeyer’s achievement does not constitute a Western Cape record either as Garth Puller rode seven winners at Kenilworth on 27 September 1980, when having a ride in all nine races. Puller, who was SA champion jockey in the 1978/1979 season and is now a trainer, rode the first five on the card and also race seven and race nine. Four of his winners were for Peter Kannemeyer and three for Bert Abercrombie.

Basil Marcus (HongKongJockeyClub)

Basil Marcus achieved seven winners in a day on 3 December 1986 at Greyville where he rode in all nine races.

His first winner that day was on a top class sort in the Herman Brown-trained Singing Boy, who won a maiden over 1200m at odds off 11/10F. The son of multiple champion sire Foveros went on to win two G1s over 1600m and 2000m respectively, both when raiding Turffontein. Marcus’ other victorious rides were on the Joe Joseph-trained Foreign Attache (2^nd race 16/10F), the Mike Miller-trained Business Liner (4^th race 14/10F), the Ormond Ferraris-trained Bold Candidate (5^th race 6/1), the Terry Ryan-trained Miss Lobkowiez (6^th race 18/10F), the Brown-trained Harry’s Champ (8^th race 13/10) and the Mike Airey-trained Hunting Queen (ninth race 6/1).

Marcus, a seven-time champion jockey in Hong Kong, also once rode six winners in a day in Cape Town while still an apprentice on 21 June 1975 where he had eight rides in an eight race card at Milnerton. Remarkably five of those winning mounts were by the great stallion Persian Wonder, who was duly crowned Champion Sire for the fourth time in succession at the end of the season. Persian Wonder won the sire’s championships two more times, but only after his great rival New South Wales had clinched the title twice.

Domeyer is currently in 15^th place on the SA national log with 41 winners achieved at a strike rate of 17,01% and he duly has seven rides at tomorrow’s Kenilworth meeting.

By David Thiselton

Important gallop for Bela

PUBLISHED: January 17, 2017

Thursday’s Sun Met gallops will be important for Bela-Bela…

Frankie flying in for Sun Met

PUBLISHED: January 16, 2017

Frankie Dettori stole the headlines when the final field for the 2017 Sun Met was announced tonight…

Banking on Aerobatic

PUBLISHED: January 16, 2017

Tomorrows card at Turffontein boasts some possible bankers…

The Turffontein Inside track stages an eight race card on Tuesday and there look to be one or two potential bankers in the exotics.

The first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m yields a banker opportunity in Aerobatic, who showed good pace over 1400m last time and finished just 2,25 lengths back against some promising sorts. She has very little to beat here and jumps from a good draw with Andrew Fortune up.

S’Manga Khumalo (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the second leg over 1200m Prince Of War had his best run over 1000m at this course. He was staying on that day from a handy position, so can do well here from a good draw in his third run after a layoff. The two obvious choices are Brave Nation and Bandanna. The latter is better than his last run and is likely improving being by Silvano. Mr Rambo and Flying Russian are on top of those three on form, so also have to be considered.

The third leg is a typically competitive 1000m handicap, but the three which make most appeal are Kapitan, Magic and Captainofmyheart, who all have speed as well as fair draws and good jockeys. Rafa can’t be ignored, while Tommy Waterdevil is capable of running on from behind from a wide draw, and course and distance-suited Gun Fughter is only two points higher for his good last win. Topweight Fidelio is 1kg better off with Gun Fighter for a 0,5 length beating, but does have a tough draw.

The next leg is an E division handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m. Dancing Wall was well regarded earlier in her career and has dropped to a merit rating of 70. She over raced with blinkers on last time and they have been removed, so she is an interesting contender. Winning Sister goes well for Chase Maujean and if able to settle over a trip which is at the upper limit of her stamina range she could make a bold bid from a handy position. This looks sharper than ideal for Dawn Flight, but the strength of S’Manga Khumalo could give her a chance from pole position. However, to make sure of getting through, the whole field will have to be included.

The fifth leg is competitive, but Arlington impressed in his maiden win and with Piere Strydom up from a good draw could be a banker consideration. However, Bush Pilot, Just Cruised In, Smartifact, My Treasure and Patric could give him a lot to think about.

The last is a competitive fillies and mares handicap. Ribbonofmoonlight looks to be crying out for this trip and could score for Strydom from a good draw. Cosmo Russe Fish River Canyon, Bank The Bill, Spring Indeed, Cool Fantasy and Vogue’s Wood also warrant consideration.

By David Thiselton

Delpech delivers on Mr Winsome

PUBLISHED: January 16, 2017

Anthony Delpech brings home Mr Winsome in the Listed Michael Roberts Handicap at Scottsville yesterday…

The Listed Michael Roberts Handicap over 1750m at Scottsville yesterday fittingly saw a top ride by Anthony Delpech aboard the Dean Kannemeyer-trained gelding Mr Winsome.

Mr Winsome usually starts slowly, but Delpech wasn’t concerned, especially as he found himself sitting behind Anton Marcus’s mount Stormy Eclipse.

Mr Winsome (Nkosi Hlophe)

The horse showed a fine turn of foot in the straight and made up a lot of ground to convert 2/1 favouritism, getting up to beat 18/1 shot Open Heir. Run Rhino Run was third with Caribbean Day, who was 2kg under sufferance, next best and Stormy Eclipse fifth. Gr 3 Christmas Handicap winner Rikitikitana could only manage sixth.

Mr Winsome is yet another son of Silvano who is coming into his own as a four-year-old. He has also benefitted from the layoff he was given during last year’s SA Champions Season, which allowed him to overcome a few issues.

This was Delpech’s third meeting on his return from a broken collarbone and he has already had four winners in just ten rides.

In the first race yesterday, a Juvenile Maiden over 1000m, the Paddy Lunn-trained Sail From Seattle first-timer gelding Autumn Breeze won by 0,25 lengths under Athandiwe Mgudlwa from first-timer Calladdi, who was backed in to 7/20.

The second over 1000m was won by the Tony Rivalland-trained Tiger Ridge gelding La Ferrari under Anton Marcus. The horse is so named because all of his owners drive Ferrari’s and built on his good debut, even though the latter was over three months ago.

The third race over 1200m saw the favourite Danish Cross having to be scratched due to an incident at the start. The Paul Gadsby-trained Rebel King filly Sarabi, having just her second start, remained calm as the horses waited to be reloaded and won comfortably under Lyle Hewitson. Fortunately, the new favourite Fashion Quest came second to help exotic punters.

The fourth over 1200m saw a good win for the big Mark Dixon-trained filly Spiritofadventure, a homebred of Avison and Mary Carlisle’s who was ridden by Marco van Rensburg.

In the fifth over 1200m the course record holder Humidor proved in need of the run and faded late. The Chris Erasmus-trained Yellow Star Stud-homebred Panza, a five-year-old Right Approach gelding, just prevailed from the gallant Albert with Roy’s Airforce flying for third.

The small Dennis Drier-trained Toreador filly Plume del Toro showed the size of her heart to win the next over 1000m under Sean Veale.

The staying race saw the Duncan Howells-trained Golden Sword gelding Sabre Charge repeating his maiden win over this 2400m trip with Keagan de Melo up again.

Howells and De Melo made it a double by winning the last, a fillies 1600m maiden, with Mambo In Seattle filly Pippin.

By David Thiselton