Legal Eagle, Marinaresco, Rabada, Silver Mountain and several others of the best horses in South Africa will leave the country at the end of the Western Cape season to race in America.

If this high class, ground-breaking initiative proves successful it promises to end the long-running near isolation of the country’s bloodstock industry from the world stage and it could pave the way for exports of yearlings and mares on a previously unimaginable scale.

Derek Brugman is the man behind it and he said: “The idea is to fill a plane with 15 of the best horses. We have written to trainers and already the owners of Marinaresco and Silver Mountain have said they want to join us. We are waiting to hear from others while we will probably throw in the July winner The Conglomerate.

“The horses will do whatever South African quarantine is required, probably a fortnight for the various injections and vaccinations to be done. The horses will then fly to New York at the end of February or the beginning of March and do a 60-day lockdown in the quarantine station there.”

This avenue has been open to South African horses for quite some time but previously owners and trainers have shied away from it because of the lockdown but Markus Jooste’s racing manager, unhappy with both the time involved in the Mauritius route and in bringing those horses back to race fitness, has been making arrangements for the US option to be less prison-like.

He said: “It has become too cumbersome to travel via Mauritius and our horses will now be able to use a treadmill when they are in the quarantine station. We can decide about who will train them at a later stage but the idea is that they will take on the turf horses in the States.”

Brugman is already thinking ahead to the next stage when American buyers, impressed with what South African horses can do on the racetrack, start realising how cheaply they can be bought.

He said: “We need to get trading with the US as well as compete there, and that trade will be phenomenal as well as of the utmost importance to our entire bloodstock industry.”

In the meantime Table Bay, so impressive in the Jooste Mayfair Speculators colours in the Cape Classic, heads the 20 nominations for the Selangor Cup and the colt could line-up at Kenilworth on Saturday week after all, so giving Joey Ramsden an outstanding chance of winning the mile test for the fifth time in six years.

Brugman said: “It probably fits in with his planned programme of Guineas and Derby to go for the Selangor although it is not imperative that he has to run. We will make a call nearer the time.”

The decision will be important for Mike de Kock as he has three of the next four highest-rated while the Vaughan Marshall-trained Gold Medallion winner Always In Charge heads the 28 nominations for the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes on the same card.

Dean Kannemeyer will decide this morning whether City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint winner Real Princess reappears under top weight in the Laisserfaire Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday.

He said: “Real Princess enjoyed herself in Durban where she proved herself against the colts. I gave her a break afterwards but now I want to get her going for the season. She is going to go for the fillies sprint races as well as the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes in January.”

William Longsword is to be aimed at the Cape Guineas (Dec 17) and the CTS $500 000 mile race on Sun Met day after chalking up his third consecutive win with a most impressive performance under MJ Byleveld in the Soccer 6 Handicap at Kenilworth last Saturday.

Marshall said: “We have always had a high opinion of him and I was very impressed with this win -it wasn’t the strongest field but it was the way he did it.”

This was the middle leg of a treble for Byleveld and Donovan Dillon also went home with three winners including the day’s good thing, even money shot Lloyd’s Legacy in the last. The Dennis Drier-trained colt romped home over four lengths clear.

By Michael Clower

Title image: Silver Mountain (Liesl King)

Gavin Lerena rode the winners of all four legs of the Jackpot on Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile Day at Turffontein on Saturday.

The former champion jockey’s historic feat included victory in the main race of the day, the Charity Mile itself, aboard 7-2 favourite New Predator.

The four-year-old Australian import was trained by Johan Janse van Vuuren, who also had four winners on the day – including the last three legs of the Jackpot, all in the colours of the Wernars family.

There were multiples and co-incidences wherever one looked.

In the main race, the random draw for celebrity representatives saw Lerena and New Predator coupled with his cousin, the boxer Kevin Lerena. Also, the winning charity linked to New Predator was the sponsors’ own corporate responsibility initiative, the Peermont Educational Trust.

The trust claimed a cheque for R150,000 when the four-year-old cruised to triumph in the popular R1-million Grade 2 Charity Mile.

On a day of generosity and giving, the name New Predator didn’t seem to fit in. But a horse doesn’t know what it’s called and the colt carrying that moniker delivered a bounty of both cash and pleasure to a big crowd at Tuffontein on Saturday.

The general feel-good factor of the event wasn’t dampened by a 70-minute Highveld storm delay.

When the big race finally got under way, New Predator looked a class above in the preliminaries – a towering four-year-old son of 2008 Epsom Derby-winner New Approach, looking as fit as a fiddle.

Appearances didn’t lie. From the No 7 gate, Lerena had his charge right in behind the early sprint. Outsider Captain Aldo (66-1) set the early pace, with Mogok Magic, Romany Prince, Saratoga Dancer, New Predator and Champagne Haze and St Tropez in behind.

As they straightened, Cape Town raider St Tropez made a dash for glory, but it was short-lived as New Predator, Deo Juvente (22-1) and Saratoga Dancer (also 22-1) swept by.

In the final strides, New Predator always had the power to overcome his challengers and he passed the post 0.60 lengths ahead of Durban raider Saratoga Dancer, with Deo Juvente just 0.20 lengths behind that. Irish Pride (8-1) – also trained by Van Vuuren and owned by the Wernars, ran on well from far back into fourth.

Lerena commented: “He’s an amazing horse. He needed his last run; it put him in the zone and he was spot on today.”

After completing his Jackpot with a hair’s-breadth win on Doosra in Race 8, the R250,000 Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes for three-year-olds, Lerena thanked his family profusely for their contribution to his stellar career.

His four winners were Chili Con Carne (15-1) in Race 5, the Ready To Run Cup; She’s A Giver (15-1), in Race 6, the Grade 3 Starling Stakes; New Predator (7-2) in the Charity Mile, and Doosra (13-10, favourite) in Race 8.

TABnews

Another leg of the KZN 3YO Series takes centre stage at Greyville today. Raced over 1600m in the memory of Angelina Paul, the race has attracted a small but quality field where the filly Dawn Calling could put one over the colts.

The race was originally scheduled for the Greyville turf, but as the grass has not fully recovered from its spring treatment the event was switched to the poly track. Duncan Howells then made the decision to send Roy’s Magic to contest the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes instead leaving Dawn Calling to take her chances as she has already shown an affinity for the synthetic surface.

Dawn Calling recently made her seasonal debut in a 1200m sprint against some useful older fillies where she was not well in at the weights and over a trip that already appears to be well short of her optimum. However, she was all over a winner except at the line as Impala Lily got up to deny her victory.

Although taking on some smart males Dawn Calling is nicely in at these weights and will much prefer today’s trip. With the G1 Cape Fillies Guineas on the agenda, just how she fares will give some indication of her chances should she take her place in that race come early December.

Howells will have a line on most of the field with Palladium, Highway Eightyfive, My Pal Al and The King Of Random all behind the Howells-trained Roy’s Magic at Scottsville last month.

It was a desperately close finish but Roy’s Magic came from off them to nail My Pal Al and Palladium on the line. On that showing there should be very little between My Pal Al and Palladium again today but both could find the filly too hot to handle.

Something of an unknown quantity is the Frank Robinson-trained Winter Is Coming. The colt took time to come to hand but once stepped out on the poly his form improved dramatically. His last run was super impressive as he put a maiden field to the sword, winning by eight lengths easing up. The handicappers were also impressed and he earned a 94 rating. Whether that rating is justified, we will know by this evening.

Olympic gold medallist Chad le Clos has been cleaning up at the World Champs and will be hoping that the horse named after him and which he also owns in partnership can do the same. Unbelievable Chad started his career in promising fashion but has since been disappointing. He has his third run after gelding in the seventh and with the stable in good form, Unbelievable Chad could get back on the winning trail.

Andrew Harrison

 

 

 

Mike de Kock’s comments for Chartity Mile race day Nov 5:

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN CUP (1400m)

I think Act Of Loyalty is a very nice horse and I’m expecting him to run well. We have a lot to do at the ratings but I feel he is relatively unexposed. Coyote probably needs gelding. I thought he was a fair sort but he had a disappointing last run. It would be unrealistic to expect a place.

GRAHAM BECK STAKES 1400m 

Heavenly Blue is a smart sort. This is his minimum trip, he definitely wants further. This is a test in a way because I would like to see how he runs against his peers. He has won well, although he beat very little. He’s more of a Classic kind of horse. He’s had plenty work at home and he is a horse with a good attitude – very straightforward – but he needs to rise to the occasion. I would expect him to be in the top three.

HSH PRINCESS CHARLENE OF MONACO STARLING STAKES 1400m

Al Hawraa ran a cracker in a handicap last time and was probably a bit unlucky not to win. I expect her to run very well. If things go her way she should do well. Intriguing Lady ran well last time but she is going to have a tough time from No 16 draw. Red Pomegranate is a nice filly and she won a handicap very well against older fillies. If she was drawn well I would give her a big chance. If Callan (Murray) can get lucky from the draw she can run a big race.

YELLOWWOOD HANDICAP  1800m

Persian Rug has been disappointing. The form suggests she is not any better than she is showing and form doesn’t lie. We will try different tactics with her this time. We’ll sit her at the back and let her run on.

Race 2: HSH PRINCESS CHARLENE OF MONACO MAIDEN PLATE 1600m

Al Hamd is very well but probably wants further. He’s quite a nice little horse who will win his share of races.

RACE 4: JAVA HANDICAP 2450m

Whatever you for say for Kinaan you can say for the other two. He’s had two runs and he’s fairly fit. We’ve taken the blinkers off because he tended to over-race with them on. Kingmambo’s Legacy ran a cracker last time and I’m expecting a similar run. Piere Strydom called for the ride so I’m hoping having a man in the saddle who wants the ride, can make a difference. Smart Mart had a good prep run last time.

RACE 10: MR 91 HANDICAP 1600m

I thought Janoobi ran quite well last time. That 1450m was too short. I think this is more what he wants and even further. I expect him to run well. He’s still learning and will leave it up to Strydom. I won’t be giving him any instructions. Master’s Spirit is a bit of a frustrating horse. He’s definitely better than his form. I’ve been running him in sprints but on breeding he should go further so this is the first time we’re trying him over this distance.

Mikedekockracing.com