Western Cape Equine Trust chairman Ken Truter has persuaded owners of some of the country’s top stallions to part with a service to raise funds for charity when racing resumes at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Those with stud fees up for auction include Duke Of Marmalade and Oratorio who both stand at R100 000, Twice Over (R50 000) and Ideal World (R40 000).

Ken Truter

The busy Truter, who last month added the chairmanship of the National Horseracing Authority to his duties, said: “The auction of the services will take place in the Peninsula Room, half the money will go to the Equine Trust and half to the Horses For Causes charity.”

The Equine Trust will use its share to help fund its programme for the retraining and rehoming of retired racehorses. The other stallion services to be sold are those for What A Winter, Pathfork, Coup De Grace, Captain Of All, Elusive Fort, Pomodoro, Vercingetorix and Go Deputy.

This the first racemeeting at the Cape Town course since the Sun Met 11 days ago but two of the principal players will be sitting on the sidelines.  Corne Orffer is out for ten days for failing to do enough to stop Captain America interfering with fourth-placed Gold Standard when third in the Met and Grant van Niekerk has an identical ban for a similar offence after the fast-finishing Trip To Heaven hampered Tevez (fifth) on the way through when second in the Cape Flying Championship.

Robert Khathi, who recently returned from a stint in Bahrain, is the principal beneficiary of the Van Niekerk suspension. He has rides in all eight races including five for Candice Bass-Robinson. Craig du Plooy, in action for the first time since breaking bones in his hand at the beginning of November, has three mounts for Justin Snaith.

By Michael Clower