Highveld trainer Robbie Sage has nurtured the famous white racehorse, Gran Blanco, to a point whereby he might soon race and in other yard news his smart three-year-old filly Madame Dubois is destined for America and will fly out on the same shipment, via Mauritius, as Smart Call and Noah For Goa.

Meanwhile, the Coastal Horse Care Unit, who have played an important role in Gran Blanco’s life, deservedly won the “Organisation Of The Year Award” at the last KZN Sports awards.

Gran Blanco attracted worldwide interest in 2011 when becoming the first ever white thoroughbred foal born in South Africa.

Most laymen would be surprised to learn this, because there are many thoroughbreds who appear white. However these horses are officially grey. Greys are born with a base colour, usually bay, chestnut or black, but an inherited gene slowly removes pigment from the coat and they might eventually appear to be white.

Actual white colouring in horses is caused by areas of skin that lack pigment cells, but it is usually only found near the feet and on the nose.

The cells are known as “depigmentation phenotypes”, and most of the genetics behind it is still unknown.

The world’s first ever white thoroughbred registered was a filly born in 1963 in Kentucky called White Beauty. She was a genetic mutation. By the end of 2005, only 48 white thoroughbreds had been registered in history, but 28 of these occurred between 2001 and 2005 as a result of the American Paint Horse Association, which specifically breeds unusually coloured thoroughbreds and quarter horses.

The Rathmor Stud-bred Gran Blanco, who is by Kahal out of Rakeen mare Perakeen, was knocked down at the National Yearling Sales in 2013 for R220,000.

However, the purchasers later fell on hard times and the Coastal Horse Care Unit were granted a court order to monitor the situation. Through the help of the latter organisation, aided by a concerned Rathmor Stud, Gran Blanco eventually found himself in the good hands of Sage.

The latter has deliberately allowed Gran Blanco to remain an entire in order to strengthen him up. The process of nurturing him back to full health and then conditioning him into racing shape has required a lot of kindness and horse care skills as well as a lot of patience and understanding from the current owner.

However, Gran Blanco was recently gelded, a sign his first start could be around the corner.

Meanwhile, Madame Dubois flies out to Mauritius on March 27, where she will stay for three months on the first leg of a long quarantine-dictated journey to America.

The Count Dubois filly won three of seven starts in South Africa, including the Gr 3 HSH Princess Charlene Of Monaco Starling Stakes over 1400m and the Gr 3 Three Troikas Stakes over 1450m. She beat the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner and runner up, Heaps Of Fun and Negoroamara, in the latter event. Originally owned solely by Colin Bird, her final start in South Africa in the Three Troikas was for a partnership consisting of Bird, Team Valor International, Valor Ladies LLC and Vanashree and Anant Singh.

Meanwhile, Gill Olmesdahl of the Coastal Horse Care Unit said the prizemoney from the KZN Sports Awards is being used to build more paddocks, a valuable asset in the horse care duties they carry out tirelessly.
– David Thiselton

Alyson Wright’s two-year-old Var filly Diamond In The Sky won in impressive style on debut on the Greyville turf on Sunday and there is a heartwarming story behind this talented sort.

She was quite green in the running in Sunday’s 1000m event, which was run in slightly soft going, and threw hear head up for a stride or two around the turn.  However, she quickened superbly and then ran all the way to the line under Brandon Lerena to win by 1,5 lengths from Fortissimus.

Diamond In The Sky had drifted out from 12/10 to 5/2, while Fortissimus had been backed into 5/2 joint favourite.

Diamond In The Sky, who is a solidly built chestnut with a nice stride, was bred by Rathmor Stud and is out of Dominion Royale mare Sorority, who won one race over 1400m at Greyville in just her third start. Sorority has now produced three winners, including an A. P. Arrow filly who finished runner up in the Listed Zimbabwe Derby.

Kevin Wright liked Diamond In The Sky at the Sale and duly thought he had clinched her for R300,000. Mike McHardy of Rathmor had already presented Kevin with a gift bag, when a commotion broke out.

Unbeknown to Kevin, well-known owner Ray Koedyk had been sitting in front of him during the bidding and the horse had actually been knocked down to him.

Koedyk’s bloodstock agent thus stopped the Sale in order to sort out the confusion. A quick audit revealed Koedyk to indeed be the legitimate buyer. It was a bit of a blow for the Wrights, but they were sporting about it.

There was later to be a happy ending.

They bumped into Koedyk at last year’s Mike Holmes Bloodstock Super Sale, which is always held in the Greyville parade ring on the afternoon of the Vodacom Durban July Gallops.

Koedyk told them the Sales confusion had been weighing on his mind and he had consequently decided to send the horse to them. The horse had in the meantime been at Sue Peters’ spelling farm.

Rathmor were the only possible losers in the end, because there is no telling how long the bidding would have gone on for.

However, McHardy was delighted when informed of the wonderful gesture by Koedyk.

The Wrights have been in the game for long enough to know it is only when facing the best that the true class of a horse can be revealed, so they are keeping their feet on the ground.

However, they were impressed by Diamond In The Sky’s debut effort, especially considering how green she was.

Another asset she possesses is a wonderful temperament, which augurs well considering Var’s possible best ever daughter Val De Ra was also chestnut and was so laid back she was almost asleep.

– David Thiselton

– Picture: Nkosi Hlophe

Cold As ice is being targeted at the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in bid to fly the flag for South Africa.

Ridgemont manager Craig Carey said: “William Haggas’s favoured race for her is the Jubilee but he stresses that everything has to go right in the meantime for her to run in that. It would be great for South African racing and breeding if she were to run.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, who rode her to win the Choice Carriers as well as her first two British starts including the win at Chelmsford, has stood himself down as he does not expect to be able to do the weight in her planned campaign.

Carey said: “We’ve left it in William’s care to find a suitable jockey but we want continuity, someone who can ride her at Lingfield and Ascot as well as the two or three races leading up to the Jubilee.”

Joe Fanning, who rode her last time, rides the majority of Mark Johnson’s big string and so is unlikely to be available. Cold As Ice runs next in the £150 000 (R3.3 million) Fillies & Mares Final at Lingfield on Friday week.

– Michael Clower
– Picture: Liesl King

South Africa will have eight representatives at the Dubai World Cup racemeeting to be held at Maydan on Saturday, March 26.

Participation is by invitation and Paul Lafferty was sweating on Harry’s Son’s entry for the Dubai Turf. However, the Australian-bred colt will be in the line-up.

The other seven runners are all trained by ‘Dubai King’ Mike de Kock who will have another crack at the $10 million World Cup with Mubtaahij. The race is run over 2000m on dirt and former Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome is warm ante-post favourite after his recent smashing win in the Trans Gulf Electromechanical Trophy at Meydan.

The former Dubai Derby winner was deemed good enough by De Kock to try his luck in the U.S. Classics but has yet to win since the Derby.

Other loclly bred runners on the night are Tellina and Star Empire, both entries for the Dubai Gold Cup and Forries Waltz who will start with Harry’s Son in the Dubai Turf.

The full list of runners is:

HARRY’S SON (Dubai Turf)  – Paul Lafferty

MUBTAAHIJ (Dubai World Cup) – Mike de Kock

FORRIES WALTZ (Dubai Turf) – Mike de Kock

PRAYER FOR RELIEF (Godolphin Mile) – Mike de Kock

TELLINA (Dubai Gold Cup) – Mike de Kock

STAR EMPIRE (Dubai Gold Cup) – Mike de Kock

VALE DORI (UAE Derby) – Mike de Kock

Meanwhile, there are no Frankel’s, Black Caviar’s or Variety Clubs around this season and currently the world’s best three racehorses are bracketed on a modest 121 with a host of runners cramped in just behind.

The only two South African horses to feature are J&B Met winner Smart Call (above) in joint sixth place on 119 and runner-up Legal Eagle who shares seventeenth place with a rating of 117.

The LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings is the official listing of the world’s best racehorses (For 3yos and upwards which raced between 1st January and 6th March 2016).

The leading trio come from across the globe and although none of them are based in the United Arab Emirates, all three are being pointed toward the lucrative Dubai World Cup card on March 26.

Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome is the leading dirt horse and is current favourite for the Dubai World Cup. Alongside in joint first is the Japanese galloper Duramente and the Irish-bred Postponed.

California Chrome kicked off his 2016 campaign at home with a victory in the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita before heading to Dubai. He then easily won the Trans Gulf Electromechanical Trophy at Meydan giving his rivals 7.5kg. He finished second in last year’s edition of the world’s richest race but was sidelined for the rest of 2015 and did not race again until the San Pasqual.
Also returning from a lengthy layoff is Japanese champion Duramente who has not raced since last May when he won the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1). He then suffered fractures in both front legs and missed the rest of the year while recovering from surgery.

Postponed, who ended his 2015 season with a victory in the Qatar Prix Foy (G2) at Longchamp, made his first start of 2016 a memorable one during Super Saturday of the Dubai World Cup Carnival. The 5-year-old was an easy winner when he took the Dubai City of Gold Sponsored by Skycargo (G2) by three lengths. Postponed and Duramente are now set to square off in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) on Dubai World Cup night.

– Andrew Harrison

– Pictures: Liesl King (Smart Call) and JC Photos (Harry’s Son)

Mike Miller’s promising Warm White Night gelding Executive Power proved he could go 1400m last Wednesday and now has the Gr 3 Byerley Turk in his sights.

Executive Power led from the off in a small but useful Novice Plate last Wednesday under Anton Marcus. He relaxed well before running all the way to the line and staving off the fair sort Monte Christo to win by 1,25 lengths with the other two runners way back.

Miller does not believe he will go further than 1400m. Therefore, he will an interesting runner in the Byerley Turk, which is to be run on Friday night April 3 on the Greyville turf over 1400m.  He will be going all out, while a lot of the runners will be using it as a springboard into bigger races like the Gr 2 Canon Guineas. Executive Power will also be able to lead, having proved affective with the tactic.

Miller was also pleased with the run of Argonaut colt Rob’s Jewel in the Listed Storm Bird Stakes over 1000m at Turffontein two weekends ago.

The unfashionably bred colt won on debut over 800m at Scottsville on December 20 and was supposed to have had another run before the Storm Bird, but it had to be scrapped due to a lack of entries. He consequently just ran out of steam in the last few yards of the Storm Bird when looking threatening to finish just 1,5 lengths back in fourth.

He would have benefitted from the run and should now be cherry ripe. He is being aimed at the Sentinel Stakes over 1000m at Scottsville on April 3.

By David Thiselton