Author Archives: Brendan Pather

Grant Van Niekerk (Nkosi Hlophe)

Jockeys up for the challenge

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Scottsville’s racemeeting on Sunday will be full of intrigue as it features the Interprovincial Rider Cup between three teams of four jockeys, the KZN Falcons led by Anthony Delpech, the Highveld Hawks captained by S’Manga Khumalo and the Cape Eagles with Grant van Niekerk at the helm.

In race one of the day the Dennis Drier-trained Indian Tractor improved second time out and, being less exposed, can confirm the course and distance form with the main danger Baron Bellet. Exclusively Trendy is the one to watch among the first-timers.

In the second race Lady Penrhyn, thought good enough by Drier to be taken to Cape Town earlier this season, has come down to a competitive merit rating and has her third run after a layoff.

She’s A Fortress has excellent gatespeed and is capable of kicking on, so should enjoy the current fast conditions. Shezaleader is always a threat over this course and distance. Cosmic Burst should enjoy the step down in trip. Royal Kaitrina is a capable sort and always has to be considered.

The third is a weak maiden over 1600m and Mambo makes most appeal, despite a wide draw, as he moved up well over 1950m last time before losing on objection and might enjoy the step down in trip. Roy’s Dispren ran an improved race over this distance on the poly last time and is drawn well. Reserve runner Captain At Sea will be a big runner if making it into the field, while improvement might be seen from all of Dynasty gelding Filoli, who returns from a seven month layoff, Silvano gelding Viento and Bankable gelding Vested Interest.

The fourth is the first leg of the Rider Cup and in this weak maiden over 1400m Aldo Domeyer could score for the Cape Eagles aboard Gordon’s Cungee, who is improving and is over an ideal trip, although the wide draw is a concern. Liberty Market with Antony Delpech up for the KZN Falcons and Power Horse with Andrew Fortune up for the Highveld Hawks also have tricky draws to overcome too, but have both shown enough to be factors. Dundrum and Shrike are two others to consider.

Aldo-Domeyer

Aldo Domeyer

The fifth is the second leg of the Rider Cup and Escovitch has been knocking on the door so Karl Zechner of the Highveld Hawks could score over a suitable course and distance. Very Vary was caught wide on the poly last time over 1400m and might appreciate both the step down in trip and the straight, so could score some points for Anton Marcus of the KZN Falcons. Chicago Beat was slow away on debut and never showed, but being a R1 million purchase by Silvano is entitled to improve enough to score some points for Domeyer.

The sixth is a MR 82 Handicap over 1600m and Mountain Master can do better than last time, so can score over a suitable trip off a one point lowered merit rating. New Hampshire enjoys Scottsville and is distance suited, so could make it two on the trot with the same 4kg apprentice up from a plum draw. The consistent Cat In Command is course and distance suited and drawn well so should go close despite carrying a welter burden. Saint Marco returns from a seven month layoff but is talented, drawn in pole  and Delpech is an eye-catching booking. Night Shadow was a July entry so is highly thought of and has been effective over this trip before, although the wide draw is a concern and he also has 62kg to shoulder.

The seventh is the third leg of the Rider Cup and in this MR66 Handicap over 1950m topweight Wealthy looks the one to beat as the form of his last two runs over 1800m and 2400m respectively have worked out well and he is well drawn under Marcus. Silver Rose caught the eye when winning his maiden over 1600m and he looks likely to enjoy the step up in trip and should go close from a decent draw under Keagan de Melo of the Falcons. Starrett City caught the eye too when winning his maiden on the poly over this trip and can’t be ignored despite a wide draw.

The eighth is a  the last leg of the Rider Cup, a MR 80 handicap over 1200m, and Fortune could score on the talented Singh Is King, who will relish the step down to this trip and has his third run after gelding off a six point lowered merit rating. Black Tractor has his third run after a rest and gelding and if bouncing back to his best Cape Town form should go close under Marcus. Hip Hop Dancer has won over course and distance before and has come down to an attractive merit rating.

The last is a MR 66 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m and Seventh Moment could be the one to side with as she went close over course and distance last time out with this 4kg claimer up and seems to have come into her own. Kingsview could score with a 4kg claimer up off just a two point higher mark than her win over course and distance two runs ago.  Roy’s Zaire could earn as she was still green when showing pace and staying on to win her maiden over course and distance.

David Thiselton

 

greg ennion

Promise of value

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Justin Snaith and Richard Fourie team up for all eight races at Kenilworth tomorrow.  There is no formal agreement – as there was in the heady Legislate days – but the combination have a number of good chances.

The best is probably Glorious Goodwood in the last but they start off with two forecast favourites and Pride Rock has obvious claims in the opening Maiden Juvenile. However his outside draw is a major negative.

Pure Logic comes into it and Fire In The Belly has an even better chance when his most recent run is best ignored. “Things just didn’t work out for him that day – he is not a 1 200m horse and they went very fast,” says Mike Robinson. “I think he will enjoy this mile.”

Hernando’s Promise is going to start at a decent price – possibly an each way one – and he is suggested as the value bet. He was considered good enough to run in the Langerman and, while he lost valuable ground at the start, he had shown some useful form previously.

Snaith’s Figure Of Grey is forecast odds-on for race two but Sign Your Name has shown more and makes more appeal. Again you have to discount the horse’s last run when she lost a good two lengths after rearing in the pens. “You can put a line through it,” says Greg Ennion (pictured). “It was the day when it rained and she ran green as if she didn’t know what to do.”

Imperial Dancer stands out in race three, he is rated over 4kg clear of the rest and has gone close in his last two. He should win but don’t ignore Stormy City. The Bass horses are in good form and Grant van Niekerk is riding like a man inspired.

Stormy City divided Mega Secret and Hero Quest over this mile at the end of May but blotted his copybook last time, finishing plumb last after being bumped at the off.

“He was then chased up from a seven draw,” recalls Candice Robinson. “He will win soon but he needs things to go his way.”

Prudence Prevails is expected to start favourite to come good at the 13th attempt in the Quinte Plus Maiden but you would expect at least one of the three two-year-olds (all are from top stables) to beat her despite their being 4kg worse than weight-for-age. Colorado Rose is selected even though she has been absent since March and has to overcome a ten draw.

Michael Clower

Punta has more to offer

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Punta Arenas (Nkosi Hlophe)

Punta Arenas (Nkosi Hlophe)

Dennis Drier was thrilled with the win of the “old man” Punta Arenas under Keagan de Melo in Saturday’s Gr 3 Delta Airlines 2200 at the Vodacom Durban July meeting on Saturday and will enter him for both the Gr 1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup and the Gr 2 eLan Property Group Gold Cup.

Drier said the way the seven-year-old Silvano gelding switched off in the running, he should stay the 3200m Gold Cup trip.

Drier said Sail, who ran a fine third in the Gr 2 Gold Circle Golden Slipper on Saturday, was on track for the Gr 1 Thekwini.

Drier’s two-year-old Mauritzfontein-owned Var filly La Revere was impressive over the Scottsville 1000m under Sean Veale two weeks ago.

Drier said he had not discussed her future with Jessica Slack of Mauritzfontein yet, but was eyeing the Gr 2 Debutante over 1200m on Gold Cup day for her.

The Drier-trained Count Dubois filly Anime might also become a candidate for that race considering the good impression she created over 1000m at Scottsville yesterday when wining a maiden by 4,75 lengths. Her owners Mike Fullard and James Drew also own Punta Arenas.

David Thiselton

 

the rider cup app slider

Meet the Rider Cup teams

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The 2016 Rider Cup, an Inter-Provincial contest between leading jockeys from the Highveld; the Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, is set to take place at Scottsville Racecourse this coming Sunday, 10 July 2016.

Gold Circle extended invitations to riders based on their positions on the National Jockeys’ Log as at the end of May and, the following will make up the three teams:-

THE HIGHVELD HAWKS

S’MANGA KHUMALO (Captain)

Champion jockey elect, S’manga has been helped in his cause for his second championship by being attached to the all-powerful Sean Tarry yard. Being able to ride at bottom weight has helped his cause. He was the first Black rider to win the Vodacom Durban July when scoring aboard Heavy Metal for Tarry in 2013. He has ridden over 1000 winners after starting his first year as an apprentice with a blank. He rode 8 winners the following year before blossoming with 50 winners in his third year. With three weeks of the season to run S’manga has the championship sewn up with over 220 winners and is one of the most sought after riders on the circuit.

ANDREW FORTUNE

Former champion Andrew Fortune disappears off the radar every now and then but the enigmatic jockey has been hard at work this term having ridden over 160 winners. Now based on the Highveld he has chased around the country for winners and still boasts one of the finest “pair of hands” in the business. He has ridden in over 1000 races this season with only S’manga Khumalo and Muzi Yeni having more rides.

JP VAN DER MERWE

“JP” as he is fondly known is a natural light weight rider and one of the hardest working riders in the country having ridden over 1000 horses this season. He got his big break back in January when called on to deputise for an injured Weichong Marwing on Smart Call in the J&B Met and promptly won the biggest race of his career. He is rapidly closing in on 100 winners for the season.

KARL ZECHNER

Karl will forever be remembered as the jockey that partnered the peerless Abashiri to victory in the Triple Crown. Currently sixth on the National Jockey’s log, this will be the first time that he has ridden 100 winners in a season. Based on the Highveld he is well supported by leading trainer Michael Azzie.

THE CAPE EAGLES

GRANT VAN NIEKERK (Captain)

One of the country’s most talented young riders, he was snapped up by the powerful Mike Bass yard as stable rider a year out of his apprenticeship. He has ridden over 100 winners for the past three seasons and is the regular rider of multiple Gr1 winning filly Inara.

ALDO DOMEYER

J&B Met winning jockey Aldo Domeyer is rapidly closing in on riding 100 winners in a season for the first time, breaking his record of 96 two years back. One of the Western Cape’s most sought after riders, he was aboard the Yogas Govender-trained Martial Eagle in the 2013 Met. Aldo had a rocky start to his riding career, having left the Jockeys Academy after five months, but four years later he was returned and became champion apprentice.

TEAQUE GOULD

Teaque rides in the competitive cauldron of Port Elizabeth racing where it is difficult for local jockeys to make their mark as the country’s top riders more often than not snaffle the best mounts. He rode 50 winners as an apprentice and in two years out of his time he has ridden another 37. This season he has ridden over 23 winners and is the leading PE-based jockey.

CORNE ORFFER

Scored his first winner as an apprentice aboard World Party in 1998 for Ashburton-based trainer Des Egdes. He then moved to the Highveld where he was apprenticed to Ormond Ferraris and then Michael Azzie. Orffer has had a rollercoaster ride through injury but did well in a recent stint in Mauritius before returning to South Africa as replacement for an injured Glen Hatt who at the time was Brett Crawford’s first call rider. After Hatt was forced to retire Orffer took over permanently. A natural light weight rider he has a great pair of hands.

THE KZN FALCONS

ANTHONY DELPECH (Captain)

A veteran of the saddle, Delpech recently ended a lengthy spell as stable jockey to the powerful Mike de Kock yard and now rides freelance with great success. He has racked up over 2900 winners since starting out in 1986 and in the 1998/99 season set the South African record for number of winner’s in a season with 336. In the 2002/3 season he won 292 races at a strike rate of 22%. He has ridden 50 Grade 1 winners and has won the Vodacom Durban July three times.

KEAGAN DE MELO

A top light weight rider, Keagan’s talents are slowly being recognised by some of the top yards. He finished 13th on the jockey’s table last season, his first as a full-fledged jockey, and is currently two better than that having booted home 72 winners so far this season and over 300 in his short career so far. He was a leading apprentice and won 108 races before coming out of his time.

ANTON MARCUS

Marcus is still one of the hardest working jockeys in spite of his 30 years in the saddle. He has ridden over 3400 winners in his career, more than 80 of them Gr1. He is retained by South Africa’s leading owners Ingrid and Markus Jooste and his services are in great demand when not pencilled in for a Jooste horse. He has an amazing 27% winning strike rate.

MUZI YENI

Yeni’s motto is “have saddle will travel”. Yeni has a riding schedule that would test even the most dedicated as he flits around the country in search of winners. This has paid off in that he has ridden over 100 winners in a season for the past six years. He is currently stable jockey to Duncan Howells. With two weeks of the current season still to run he has ridden 159 winners, 12 better than his previous best.

Zodiac Ruler’s not done

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Justin Snaith’s horses have all pulled up well from Vodacom Durban July day and he said the unbeaten Gr 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe winner Zodiac Ruler would be considered for the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge on eLan Gold Cup day.

He also spoke of his empathy for distraught owner Adriaan van Vuuren, having been in the same boat before, while at the same time coming out in defence of Gold Circle and KZN racetracks.

Snaith said the only reason Zodiac Ruler had ended up being at his Summerveld SA Champions Season yard was because the colt had been at his satellite yard in Johannesburg at the time of the latter’s closure. The two-year-old had not been allowed to return to Cape Town without going through quarantine. Snaith said his Johannesburg satellite yard had been closed because it had not been financially viable. He added it had only been opened in the first place because he had been led to believe restricted races would be included in the National Trainer’s Championships, but the NHRA had later changed their minds.

Zodiac Ruler (Nkosi Hlophe)

Zodiac Ruler (Nkosi Hlophe)

Snaith said about the classy Zodiac Ruler, “I had never thought much of him, because we don’t push our babies. We have done very little with him.”

On debut over 1400m on the Greyville poly Zodiac Ruler was allowed to go off at odds of 14/1. Yet, despite losing four lengths at the start, he had still managed to get up to win under apprentice Lyle Hewitson.

 

On Saturday, just two-and-a-half weeks after that debut and now ridden by Richard Fourie, he was slow away by two lengths in the 1400m turf contest and was green early on the turn before settling beautifully on the rail behind a fast pace. Class usually comes through in a true run race and so it proved. He was last at the 400m mark, but then moved through effortlessly to put himself in contention. He responded well to the whip from the 250m mark and won with what looked to be plenty in hand by 1,5 lengths, converting odds of 8/1. The time of 82,23 seconds was only just outside the class record.

Zoidac Ruler is one of a number of successful horses Paul Lafferty has bought in Australia during his time as South African ambassador to the Magic Millions Sales company. The Summerveld trainer  said he had always believed Zodiac Ruler’s sire Zoffany would make it. He was proven correct immediately as the son of Dansili was the European Champion first crop sire in Europe in 2015. Zoffany won a Gr 1 over six furlongs in Ireland, but his biggest claim to fame was finishing just three-quarters of a length runner-up to the mighty Frankel in the Gr 1 St. James Palace Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot.

Prolific owner Fred Crabbia spotted Zodiac Ruler on Lafferty’s website, liked the look of both him and the pedigree and duly bought him. He was spelled by Jane Thomas at Far End Pre-training in Mooi River and she described him as being “magic”. Crabbia then put him through the CTS Lanzerac Ready To Run Sale and had to go to R450,000 to buy him back, despite Thomas having not gone anything other than slowly with him either at home or at the Ready To Run breeze ups due to him still being too “big and dum”.

Snaith continued, “The Greyville track doesn’t look good, but all of our horses have pulled up well. Our horses have in fact had more injuries in other centres than in KZN this season and I have the statistics to prove it.”

He added, “It is not easy these days and I think Graeme Hawkins and Gill Simpkins and others at Gold Circle did a fine job in making the July a success and the Tote turnovers were up.”

Snaith said the field and draw for the Premier’s Champions Challenge would be “looked at”, before a decision to run Zodiac Ruler was made.

He said of his July runners, “The main thing is they all came back safely.”

He had few excuses, but said Black Arthur had unfortunately been carried outward at the top of the straight and had thus ended up on the outside rail, where they had not wanted him to be. The colt had then been conscious of the crowd, so was reluctant to take the gap. Jockey Douglas Whyte believed he could have otherwise possibly finished third.

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

Richard Fourie lamented not being able to have a horse to offer cover for his mount It’s My Turn, who had to jump from a tricky draw of 12. He said his reasons were more due to “peace of mind” than anything else as the horse had settled nicely throughout. It’s My Turn sat in third on the quarters of Ten Gun Salute. Fourie pointed out the winner had sat behind him, so he believed he had been in the right place. The Crabbia-owned horse stayed on well for fourth. Fourie concluded by saying the Dynasty colt might have even won had he been “more forward (mature).”

Anthony Delpech said yesterday Bela-Bela had lost her position when bumped around early and felt she might otherwise have finished in the top four.

Snaith said none of his July runners were likely to appear again this season.

Snaith said about Triple Crown-winning owner Adriaan van Vuuren’s shock statement he would be pulling out of horseracing, “He is talking from his heart, he loves his horses and I know what it is like to have a horse injured, we had to endure this anxiety with Legislate two years ago. He (Van Vuuren) doesn’t deserve to be taken to pieces like this in the media and it is due to people like him that so many are able to be employed in the industry.”

David Thiselton

Dean Kannemeyer

Kannemeyer prepares for Cape summer

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Dean Kannemeyer will move most of his big guns from Summerveld to Cape Town in September despite his Durban team doing so well there in the past year.

He is the leading trainer at Greyville this season and he went into yesterday’s Scottsville meeting second only to Duncan Howells in the KZN log but he is adamant that his emphasis will be just as strong in Cape Town.

He said: “Having a dual operation has been my business plan for quite some time but Cape Town will always be my base and the better horses will come back there in September. They will stay for the Cape season.

“I am going to continue moving horses up and down between Cape Town and Durban. I have two top class assistants in David Lilley at Milnerton and Barbara Badenhorst in Summerveld while I will fly between the two centres.”

Michael Clower

Harry’s Son on the move

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Harry’s Son is on the move again and he has the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on the day of the Arc de Triomphe as his ultimate objective.

Paul Lafferty said: “He has been in Spain at Laredo near Bilbao. He jarred himself on his last run in Dubai and my French mates recommended  Laredo as that is where they send their horses to recuperate. It’s on the coast so he is able to go into the sea each day.

“He will run in France at the end of the month and his season could culminate in the big seven furlong race on Arc day.”

The Australian-bred, winner of the Premiers Champion and the Gauteng Guineas, was second to Act Of War in the Cape Guineas and ran four times in Dubai. He was placed in a Group 1 and twice in Group 2s before suffering the jarring in the Dubai Turf on World Cup night.

Michael Clower

redcarpet captain

The Captain is back

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The Gareth van Zyl-trained Redcarpet Captain displayed the benefit of gelding at the Vodacom Durban July meeting on Saturday, as well as a drop in trip, when bursting through to win the eleventh race on the card, the Non-Black Type tabGold Sprint over 1200m on the poly under stable jockey Warren Kennedy from a tricky draw of seven.

The Captain Al gelding had drifted out from 8/1 to 33/1.

As a two-year-old he won the Gr 3 Englezakis Protea Stakes over 1100m and then finished second in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m at Scottsville.

This season he has been tried over as far 2000m. The Gr 1 Daily News 2000 was his last run before Saturday’s race.

Van Zyl had brought the Brian Burnard-owned No Worries down from a staying trip to win the Million Mile a week before the July and managed the feat again on Saturday with Redcarpet Captain, who is also owned by Burnard and was bred by Klawervlei Stud.

Van Zyl said about Redcarpet Captain, “We are excited about him again.”

He believed the athletic bay’s future “definitely” lay in sprinting.

David Thiselton

final judgement

Kotzen plans come together

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Glen Kotzen experienced the highs and lows of racing at the Vodacom Durban July meeting on Saturday when first winning the Gr 2 Gold Circle Golden Slipper with Final Judgement, but later seeing his fancied Shizam scratched from the KZN Yearling Sale Million.

A plan came together in the Golden Slipper after Kotzen and jockey Stuart Randolph had analysed the previous run of the Varsfontein-bred Judpot filly Final Judgement.

In the Listed Devon Air Stakes, over the same Greyville turf 1400m course and distance, she had been cramped for galloping room behind a slow pace, so was unable to use her big action. Late in the race, after a challenger had edged ahead of her, she took off and came back to beat the latter for third place.

Kotzen and Randolph thus planned to go to the front from pole position on Saturday, where she would be able to use her action and it would also put the ball in the court of the other jockeys to use up energy and go around her if they wanted to overcome their wider draws.

She bounced out into the front and strode out nicely on the rail, while two of the dangers, Visuality and Al Hawraa, were trapped wide and burnt up some valuable energy. The eventual third-placed Sail, who looks full of promise, initially used up some energy before being reined in.

Final Judgement

Final Judgement (Nkosi Hlophe)

However, Final Judgement’s tactics did appear to have played into the hands of the hot odds-on favourite Maleficent, who had been drawn in barrier two. The latter was able to park in behind her on the rail.

However, the second reason for Kotzen and Randolph’s plan proved spot on. After using that big stride to keep Maleficent at bay, Final Judgement was challenged by Dawn Calling late in the race. However, just as the latter put her nose in front, Final Judgement once again picked up a gear and surged to get up by a neck.

Maleficent did not find the kick she had displayed in the Devon Air Stakes and perhaps ran below par.

Kotzen said about Final Judgement, “The further for her the better. We avoided the Allan Robertson, because we knew she would be better suited to the bend.”

However, the connections are in no rush to run her in the Gr 1 Thekwini on eLan Gold Cup day, as they believe she has a fine three-year-old career ahead of her, and will see how the field and the draws look before committing. Dawn Calling and Sail will likely enjoy the 1600m of the Thekwini too.

Final Judgement is owned by Peter De Beyer and Hugo Hattingh’s Triple H Trust.  At last year’s Bloodstock South Africa Val de Vie Sale, Hattingh had arrived with the resolve of not buying any fillies. However, Kotzen asked him to have a look at just one of them, Final Judgement, whom he believed to be the pick of the Sale. It did not take Hattingh long to agree.

Peter de Beyer later arrived and liked the pedigree. She is out of the Gr 1 Garden Province Stakes-winning Proclaim mare Final Claim, who is a daughter of the 1996 ARCSA Champion Broodmare Ollies Last (Highborn Harry), who also produced Gr 1 Cape Guineas-winner Alpha Omega as well as Gr 3-winner Over Bearing. Hattingh and De Beyer  landed Final Judgement for R500,000, which now looks a bargain.

Kotzen said, “I was very pleased for Hugo on Saturday as he has put his money down to buy some well bred horses and it was lovely to see him rewarded. Being out of a Gr 1-winning mare she is now worth bombs.”

Kotzen was also pleased for Peter de Beyer, although the latter is no stranger to success and judging by his record looks to be one of the most intuitive buyers in the country.

A dampener was later put on Kotzen’s day. Apparently noise from revellers unnerved his strongly fancied Kahal filly Shizam as she was leaving the parade ring for the KZN Yearling Million and her left hind leg became caught over the wooden railing, which is on the left hand side of the chute entrance. She had blood on the leg and was scratched down at the start. The injuries have proved to be superficial. However, the incident was costly to the owners, who could have recouped plenty of costs and more.

Gold Circle will be looking into the structure of the parade ring at the entrance to the chute to see whether any changes could lessen the chances of a repeat of such an incident. The KZN Million was moved this year from the last race on the day to the ninth, due to it being dark by the 12th and the crowd by that stage being rowdy. There might now be renewed requests to bring it forward even further.

David Thiselton

Van Vuuren set to quit

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Abashiri and Adriaan van Vuuren (Liesl King)

Abashiri and Adriaan van Vuuren (Liesl King)

Adriaan van Vuuren, whose orange-and-black silks were carried by Triple Crown winner Abashiri, has written on Facebook that he and wife Rika will be leaving the sport of horseracing.

Van Vuuren says that he and his family have been hurt by the “evil eyes” of the media, following his decision to run Abashiri in the Vodacom Durban July.

He wrote on Facebook on Monday night:

It is with sadness that I have to announce that myself and Misty Meadows will exit Horse Racing as owners in the coming season. The abuse of the media and false and inaccurate reporting has destroyed our love and desire for the sport.

We will not buy or purchase one more horse and will reduce our presence down to 30 horses. Support and involvement to zero in the coming months. It is sad to say but in this game we are not prepared to pay in family time and resources to be abused and victimized like this.

Sporting Post and all other evil eyes – Well done and mission achieved. Sad day for me but I must be the most stupid man alive to continue in a dishonest hi-jacked two-man circus where I am described and labelled as the main clown.

This clown is done and signing out for duty.