There is a feast of racing around the country over the Easter weekend and there will be feature race action at both Turffontein on Saturday and Scottsville on Sunday.

At Turffontein French Navy should make amends for his disappointing last run by winning the Gr 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m, where he is well weighted. He had been freshened up for his last race over 1800m in order to not peak too soon for his ultimate target, the R4 million President’s Champion Challenge. He consequently over raced behind an unexpectedly slow pace, so emptied out quickly in the straight. He will be more forward now and is well drawn so should mow them down in the long straight in his normal resolute style. Judicial and Mac De Lago will also be staying on over a galloping 2000mm they will relish and are the chief dangers.

The Gr 2 Senor Santa Stakes over 1160m could be won by the ever improving Moofeed, who packs a powerful finish and was unlucky in the Gr 3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap over 1000m last time out. He probably found the 1400 of the Hawaii Stakes last time a touch far and this is likely his ideal trip. Trip To Heaven is second best in at the weights and is likely to have come on from his decent effort in the Hawaii, where it didn’t pan out well for him. He will be right there and so will the filly Lazer Star, who is the best in at the weights. She looked the winner of the Hawaii last time, but the photo finish showed otherwise.  In her last two runs over this course and distance saw she was a facile winner of both a Listed and Gr 3 race.

The Listed Derby Trial, a handicap over 2000m, hasn’t attracted a very good field and a pair of Mike de Kock-trained horses, Mooghamir and Jubilee Line, could fight it out. They are both returning from layoffs and have to give weight away, which makes it a tricky betting race. Mooghamir is by Ideal World so is likely to still be improving and he will enjoy the course and distance. He has a tongue tie and blinkers on having made a breathing noise when running disappointingly in the Gr 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m at Kenworth last time out. That run followed a fine win over the same course and distance. Jubilee Line has to carry topweight, but is a classy sort who should enjoy the trip, although he hasn’t run since finishing fifth in the Dingaans last November. Count Tassilo is officially 2kg under sufferance, but could be the main danger as one who will likely relish the step up to this trip.

The Listed Oaks Trial could be won by Inaninstant, who impressed last time out by beating Trophy Wife over 1800m. The latter is a leading representative of a brilliant crop, so Inaninstant could be well handicapped off just a 77 merit rating. If she does not win it is wide open and the ones which make most appeal to pick up the pieces are Intergalactic, Bondiblu, Estimation, Bajan Fantasy, AP’s Lily, Song Of Happiness, American Story and Kelly Firth.

The Gr 3 Sycamore Sprint over 1160m for fillies and mares is a wide open affair. Lumya caught the eye running on well over 1000m in the Listed Bauhinia Handicap last time. She is tipped to beat the pacey and likely improving Spring Wonder. Ha Lucy will be running on strongly over an ideal trip and is tipped for third, but Easy Game, Tiger’s Touch, Silver Star, Perfumed Lady, Silver Class also have to be considered and Drifting Dusk and Swift Sarah are hard to ignore.

The best bet on the card could come in the last race as the up and coming filly Shatoosh looks to have plenty of scope. This long-striding sort should relish the Standside 1400m, having caught the eye running on strongly over 1200m on the Inside Track in just her second career start last time out.

In the third race Count Red could represent some each-way value. He has caught the eye as a likely progressive sort. On the evidence of his last start over 1600m at the Vaal he should relish this galloping 1400m course and distance from a plum draw.

At Scottsville, the Listed Easter Handicap over 1950m could see Way Of Light running on well and only just fending off a flying Solar Star.

The Easter Dash is extra intriguing this year, having been reduced by 100m to 500m. Jade Bay has excellent gatespeed and early pace and is tipped to beat home the speedy Viva La Var. However, Trip Tease will be hard to beat if managing to ping the gates.

By David Thiselton

Both Abashiri and Heaps Of Fun have accepted to run in the R2-million SA Classic and R1-million Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic respectively over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday 2 April.

In doing so Abashiri, winner of the Betting World Gauteng Guineas, will continue in his endeavour to win the R2-million SA Triple Crown while Heaps Of Fun, the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas champion, is being aimed at the R1-million Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara for fillies.

Abashiri will come up against many of the same runners he beat with ease in the Guineas and from a No 4 barrier position many pundits will expect him to dish up much the same sort of fare to his opposition in the Classic. Karl Zechner retains the ride.

Anton Marcus has stayed with Brazuca who failed to overcome a wide draw in the Guineas and could only manage fourth. This time he is drawn at No 9 which, over 1800m, is not that much of a disaster.

Stable companion New Predator did not accept to run in the Classic but is an early declaration for the R1-million HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut on the same day where he will come up against Captain America.

Champagne Haze, who finished a 2.50-length second to Abashiri in the Guineas is well drawn at No 1 and will have champion jockey Gavin Lerena, returning from Hong Kong, in the irons.

One runner who can be expected to improve on his average run in the Guineas is Sean Tarry-trained Liege. He bounced back to form with a facile win at Turffontein last week and should run a lot closer to Abashiri on this occasion.

Heaps Of Fun was aided by a superb ride from S’manga Khumalo to win the Fillies Guineas. She beat Negroamaro by just under a length and it should again be an interesting tussle between the pair.

KwaZulu-Natal visitor Princess Varunya might have failed in the Guineas but trainer Kom Naidoo said prior to that race the Classic and Oaks were her main mission. She has stayed on the Highveld and will have fully acclimatised, so with Anthony Delpech in the irons and a No 2 draw she cannot be ignored.

Frosty Friday ran a 1.70-length third in the Guineas off a wide draw. Sadly for the connections she is drawn No 13 for this race but over this distance Muzi Yeni should be able to get her well positioned.

Lerena will be aboard She’s A Dragon who finished a 3.70-length fourth in the Fillies Guineas.

The final fields for the balance of the races on Classic Day will be announced on Tuesday.

 

Final field for the R2-million SA Classic (Grade 1) over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday 2 April.

1 – 4 ABASHIRI (M G Azzie) K Zechner 60.0 – 111

2 – 9 BRAZUCA (J A Janse van Vuuren) A Marcus 60.0 – 109

3 – 1 CHAMPAGNE HAZE (G M Alexander) G Lerena 60.0 – 106

4 – 14 ROCKETBALL (G H Van Zyl) M Yeni 60.0 – 103

5 – 12 SUYOOF (M F De Kock) S Brown 60.0 – 103

6 – 8 MUWAARY (M F De Kock) C Murray 60.0 – 102

7 – 5 ROMANY PRINCE (O A Ferraris) A Delpech 60.0 – 102

8 – 7 MALAK EL MOOLOOK (S G Tarry) …………… 60.0 – 101

9 – 2 LE CLOS (M G Azzie) C Zackey 60.0 – 97

10 – 13 TRADING PROFIT (M G Azzie) B Fayd’Herbe 60.0 – 96

11 – 11 LUNAR APPROACH (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 – 95

12 – 6 LIEGE (S G Tarry) J P v’d Merwe 60.0 – 93

13 – 10 VAL ET AL (G V Woodruff) C Maujean 60.0 – 90

14 – 3 SAMURAI BLADE (S G Tarry) …………… 60.0 – 88

Same Trainer: (1,9,10) (5,6) (8,11,12,14)

 

Final field for the R1-million Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic (Grade 1) over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday 2 April.

1 – 10 HEAPS OF FUN (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 – 104

2 – 3 NEGROAMARO (J A Janse van Vuuren) A Marcus 60.0 – 104

3 – 13 FROSTY FRIDAY (G H Van Zyl) M Yeni 60.0 – 101

4 – 5 SHE’S A DRAGON (C Mayhew) G Lerena 60.0 – 101

5 – 8 JUXTAPOSE (S M Ferreira) C Maujean 60.0 – 98

6 – 2 PRINCESS VARUNYA (K Naidoo) A Delpech 60.0 – 98

7 – 4 PERSIAN RUG (M F De Kock) B Lerena 60.0 – 94

8 – 7 NOOR (M F De Kock) C Zackey 60.0 – 92

9 – 1 WITCHCRAFT (S G Tarry) J P v’d Merwe 60.0 – 88

10 – 9 ALEXA (G V Woodruff) R Danielson 60.0 – 87

11 – 11 MELLIFLORA (M G Azzie) K Zechner 60.0 – 86

12 – 6 CHRISTMAS CAROL (G V Woodruff) B Fayd’Herbe 60.0 – 83

13 – 12 POLYPHONIC (A G Laird) C Murray 60.0 – 82

Same Trainer: (1,9) (7,8) (10,12)

 

JOCKEY Glyn Schofield has been fined $Aus 50,000 for his role in the sale of the unraced Equita to Hong Kong, an affair that has also seen trainer Brent Stanley disqualified for nine months.

Schofield is the first jockey to be charged under rules that state riders are not permitted to take part in the sale of horses unless the principal racing authority says otherwise.

He pleaded guilty to the charge, saying he had no idea of the rule, having taken a $Aus 20,000 commission when acting as an agent for Hong Kong trainer Danny Shum.

As part of the transaction, Schofield also handed trainer Stanley $Aus 20,000 in cash in the jockeys’ car park at Randwick racecourse in Sydney.

John Bowman, chairman of the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board, described the action as “not a good look” before handing down the fine.

Schofield now has three months to pay the fine after also been hit with a $Aus 20,000 penalty by Racing NSW stewards over the sale of another horse, Lil Caeser.

“I was going to fly back to Sydney on Qantas, but now I’m going to give Tiger a look,” Schofield joked on Twitter.

– Racing Post

The Joshua Dancer mare She’s A Winner is turning out to be a promising broodmare and one of the deserved beneficiaries is her former trainer Corinne Bestel.

On Sunday She’s A Winner’s three-year-old daughter by Fort Wood, the Bestel-trained She’s A Fortress, surprised connections by handling the soft conditions and beating a decent field in a MR 76 handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m by a comfortable two lengths off a merit rating of 68. The 2,5kg claiming apprentice Eric Saziso Ngwane thus made it two wins from two rides for the Bestel yard. She’s A Fortress has now won two starts from five. Her gate speed and natural pace are her chief weapons and she led from start to finish on Sunday.

Meanwhile, in Johannesburg, She’s A Winner’s Leon Erasmus-trained colt by Var, He’s A Var, showed tremendous speed throughout when winning a Juvenile Plate over 1000m on debut by a cosy length, despite ducking out in the closing stages. His runner up Rivarine was touched off in the Listed Storm Bird Stakes next time out; the third-placed horse Janoobi won his maiden next time out by seven lengths; and the fourth-placed Ribovar also won his maiden next time out. The form thus points to He’s A Var being feature race material and this is not surprising considering his impressive looks.

She’s A Winner, under Bestel’s nurturing, won on debut over 1200m at Scottsville back in March 2008. Second time out she won the Gr 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over the same course and distance, thrashing the boys including subsequent twice Gr 1-winner, the Mike de Kock-trained Forest Path. She then started favourite for the Gr 1 Allan Robertson, but nothing went right for her that day. Breathing issues subsequently plagued her and led to her premature retirement.

She’s A Winner is owned by stalwart Durban-based owner and breeder Eric Buhr.

She stands at the Clifton Stud farm of Peter and Jenny Blyth. Her progeny are also bred under the banner of this KZN Midlands stud farm.

Her first foal Star Silvano by Silvano fetched R225,000 at the National yearling Sales, but unfortunately an injury while in training prevented her from ever racing.

Star Silvano is currently in foal to Summerhill’s champion freshman sire Visionaire, a mating which should yield plenty of speed and class.

She’s A Fortress was next in line for She’s A Winner. The filly did not crack the nod for the National Yearling Sales, so Buhr decided to race her and sent her to Bestel, a yard he has had a long association with. One of Bestel’s most loyal patrons, Judy Paterson, also now has a share and as a person who loves her racing is sure to be bubbling with enthusiasm over this horse.

He’s A Var was next up and was sold at the KZN Suncoast Yearling Sales for R340,000 and is owned by Mrs A Snyman.

She’s A Winner currently has a yearling by Var which Buhr plans to keep for racing and breeding.

She also has a filly foal at foot by the Scott Brothers-based Gr 1 Middle Park Stakes-winning sir Crusade.

She’s A Winner is currently in foal to Rathmor Stud-based Noble Tune, whose pedigree just gets better and better due to the continuing success of his relatives in North America.

She’s A Winner’s curtailed racing career certainly caused immense disappointment for her connections, but she is beginning to repay a passionate group of racing owners who have stood by both her and her former trainer Corinne Bestel.

By David Thiselton

Former Triple Tiara victor Cherry On The Top, who was named two weekends ago by legendary trainer Ormond Ferraris as one of the two best horses he had ever trained, has a foal at foot by former national champion sire Silvano and is now in foal to reigning national champion sire Captain Al.

Jessica Slack of Mauritzfontein Stud recalled the joy this filly had brought to her late grandmother, Bridget Oppenheimer, “Grandma was crazy about Cherry On The Top. She also got on really well with Ormond Ferraris.”

Slack also spoke of the fairytale ending to the ownership and breeding career of her late grandfather Harry Oppenheimer and how history later repeated itself.

Harry was in his 90s when the Oppenheimer owned-and-bred Horse Chestnut landed the Triple Crown.

The champion was defeated only once in a ten race career, which included an eight length victory in the J&B Met and a 5,5 length victory in his only start in the USA.

He is now widely regarded as the greatest thoroughbred racehorse to have ever graced the South African turf, although there are a few who still regard Sea Cottage as at least his equal.

Harry died in the year 2000, the same year in which Horse Chestnut had his final start.

Bridget, who was fondly known as “The Queen Mum Of South African racing”, was also in her 90’s when Cherry On The Top landed the Triple Tiara. Few will forget the moment when Bridget, sitting in her wheel chair, instinctively raised her arms in triumph as the great filly accelerated into the lead in the SA Oaks. Jessica and Mauritzfontein stud manager Guy Murdoch were standing beside her and were equally excited.

Cherry On The Top was bred by Bridget’s daughter Mary Slack of Wilgerbosdrift Stud and was by the latter’s resident sire Tiger Ridge. To crown it all Wilgerbosdrift Stud sponsored the Triple Tiara series of races. Cherry On The Top landed a R1 million bonus for Bridget upon pulling off the Triple Tiara.

The South African public were saddened to hear of Bridget’s death in October of that year. Earlier she had accepted four awards at the Highveld Feature Season awards, including Champion Owner and the Champion Breeder Award for her Mauritzfontein Stud. Cherry On The Top was named Champion Three-year-old filly and Horse Of The Season. She was later named Equus Champion three-year-old filly.

Jessica Slack said of her respective grandparents’ fairytale last days of ownership, “It was as if they saved the best for last.”

Cherry On The Top has twice been sent down to the Cape Town region to be covered. However, she returns to foal down at the Kimberley-based Mauritzfontein Stud.

She is described as the friendliest of mares and a “farm favourite”.

Her first foal was a filly and has been named Blossom.

By David Thiselton