31/07/2007
Author : Candice Robinson
July Fever
The month of July is maybe the most exciting month on the South African Racing calendar. Not only is it the month of South Africa’s most prestigious race, The Vodacom Durban July but it is also the time Trainers bring out some of their best two year olds to grace the track for the first time. It also culminates the efforts for trainer’s, breeder’s and jockey’s as the final audit is done to determine the year's Champions. This year has produced some exceptional results with records broken all round, from the track to the sales ring and concluded one hell of a race to the trainers championship and we congratulate Geoff Woodruff on taking the National Champions Trainers title.
The Durban July this year produced a cracker of race as expected. Depicted by many as one of the most open July’s in many years and vindicated by such an exhilarating finish with Hunting Tower edging out five runners at the post. Superlatively ridden by Anton Marcus, the son of Fort Wood secured a well deserved win and the first blue sash for trainer Charlie Laird. Congratulations all round to their team and of course, our Lady, Mrs. Bridgette Oppenheimer.
From the Bass runners, Pocket Power ran an absolute blinder of a race to finish in fourth a neck back. A performance we were very proud of considering his hampered preparation and the hefty weight he shouldered. He has now returned back to Cape Town prior to his intended Champions Cup run and will be rested until the Cape Summer season. Sun Classique was a further two and a half lengths back after unfortunately being caught very wide after a bad draw. We would have preferred her to be a bit closer to the paint, but she ran on very well in the straight to finish 7th. Hilgrove was a further length back finishing midfield in 10th spot and Karl reported that he put up valiant effort but the 2200mt possibly a touch too far for him. An enjoyable day overall and it was pleasing news to hear that Vodacom have renewed their sponsorship of this fine event for a further 3 years.
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This weekend concluded the All Star series. Sun Classique clinched the Triple Crown and the SA Triple Tiara series for 3-year-olds. The Incentive for her owners Lionel Cohen and Warne and Wendy Rippon amounted to R100 000 with Mike awarded R20 000 as winning trainer. Sun Classique won the category by 24 points with Emperor Napoleon in second place on 16 points.
Pocket Power won the category for milers and accrued the same monetary bonus as the filly’s series for owners Marsh Shirtliff and Arthur Webber. Pocket Power won this category by 18 points with Bold Ellinore on 16.
Pocket Power also won the SA Champion of Champion Series by 13,5 points which is a mere 1,5 points difference from a tied 2nd place with Pick 6 and Hunting Tower on 12 points. Pocket Power’s connections double their winning stakes with this series taking his tally to R240 000 for the bonus series victory.
Sun Classique will now be leaving our shores to race internationally. She is carded to run in the Gr2 Gold Bracelet on the 4th of August but may be withdrawn depending on the local importation and travel arrangements. At this stage of negotiations she will be joining Mike De Kock’s yard at his training center in Newmarket England. Her racing programme is uncertain at this stage, but owner Lionel Cohen indicated that he has no specific race on the agenda for her in mind at present. He believes there is no need to rush her international career and feels it best for her to be based in Europe which will give them the option to raid various countries from their Newmarket central base. Mike Bass feels she will be even better as a 4 and even 5 year old and should be able to hold her own with the best abroad. After her campaign, Lionel will then be sending her to stud in Australia. We wish her well on her journey and it has certainly been a privilege to train a filly of this calibre and we will miss her dearly.
Shorty Ndzongo, our finest work rider, tied up his third Grooms Championship win at Kenilworth last week by riding Spirit Of Power to victory. Shorty is a very diligent Groomsman and dedicated family man, and we are very proud of his triumphs over the past 16 years he has been with us. Shorty has used his bonus cheque of R17 000 to fund the education of his three children to a school in Fish Hoek.
The five to follow competition culminates on Gold Cup day. It always seems to go right down to the wire and this year was no exception. Here are our current top five contenders who will fight out the money:
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Name: A B C Points
1) Rob Champion Aquatint River Jetez Sun Clasiique (106)
Cymbeline
Naughty Prince
2) Greg Viljoen Blue Tiger Camp David Sun Classique (89)
River Jetez
Sylvan Fields
3) Jonathan Harris Via Della Bill Of Rights African Appeal (88)
Man Ray
Zooming Zellie
4) Marsh Shirtliff Gaultier Key Largo Sun Classique (83)
River Jetez
Man Ray
5) Anthony Baines Blue Tiger Secure Sun Classigue (81)
Potent Potential
Naughty Prince
The Dubai All stars day on Saturday at Clairwood proved to be a great day for us with River Jetez winning the Fillies Oaks (Grade 2). This was her main aim for the Natal Season and she came through with flying colours to win well. We feel she will go on as a 4 year old and we look forward to her season in Cape Town. Being a full sister to Pocket Power and having two graded races under her belt and being group 1 and 2 placed she has now become a very valuable filly for stud purposes.
Owners: Marsh Shirtliff and Barbara Amm. Jockey: Karl Neisius
African Appeal then went on to win the Grade 1 Champions Cup in great style. He finished 2nd in this race last year and went on to do one better this year. He is ideally suited to the course and distance and was prepped specifically for this race. His prep runs were not the easiest of ones as he had a few hefty weights to shoulder and was often drawn very wide and as Jeff stated after the race he is not the easiest of rides from a bad draw as he is very difficult to settle. He was well drawn on Saturday and Jeff had him perfectly placed and settled in the race. He said he came into the straight travelling so well and he was a little worried he might hit the front too soon. He managed to time the race to perfection and he quickened up well to win going away from Kildonan who had stolen a march in the straight. He always had a group one race in him and was very deserving of it on Saturday. Owner, Charlie Mckenzie made the trip out from Portugal just for the day to watch him run as he felt very confident about his chances. It was wonderful to see how absolutely elated he was after winning and to top off the day he also won a considerable amount of money. He stated that it was one of the best days of his life. These are the moments that make racing as great as it is! Congratulations to Sue Mckenzie and Reg and Margaret Mason who are part owners and were unable to make the trip out.
Mike Bass, jockey Jeff Lloyd and owner Charlie Mckenzie
We have a few new horses that have joined our stable of late, the first being Field Event, who will be coming down to Cape Town to continue his 3 year old career before going abroad to race. He is a very promising young horse and we thank Team Valor and Anant Singh very much for entrusting him to us. We look forward to racing him this coming season.
Global One, a 5 year old horse by Nureyev out of Fifth award, owned by Tawny Syndicate has also just joined our yard where he will race before going off to stud. He raced in Australia and has won 4 races over sprint distances. He is a very strong horse that stands over ground and looks to have a lot of speed.
Meteor Shower, a very well bred Danehill colt out of Teslemi (USA) that has had 3 starts in the UK finishing 2nd his last start over 2400mt has also joined our team and is in Durban at present but will come down with our string next week.
The end of the season has come and what a phenomenal season we have had, notching up 7 grade 1 wins plus many more graded race winners and taking the title of Cape Champion trainer for the 5th time. Congratulations to Mike and the team for a superb job well done. It will be a season to remember for a long time to come and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all our loyal patrons for the tremendous support over the past year as without them none of this would be possible.
The new season starts with the big one on Saturday – The Canon Gold Cup and we have two contenders in Dunford and Supreme Gold. We have decided to have a crack with Dunford as he starts heading towards retirement as there was not much else left for him to run in over ground in Natal. He is doing particularly well in Durban and if he stays the trip we think at the weights and from a good draw he has a big chance. It is not the strongest of fields this year and we are fairly confident that he should see out the trip. Supreme Gold is also doing very well, she won her last start on July day very well and although not well drawn and perhaps with a kilo or so too much, she will enjoy the trip and she runs on well from off the pace so she could have an outside place chance. We look forward to the day and who knows what it may bring!
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