Author Archives: Lungile

Owner of the Month – February 2014

Posted on by

BRIAN BURNARD

Although associated for some time in past years with horses and racing through his former wife’s showjumping involvement and through former jockeys, it was not till two years ago that Brian made the decision to own a racehorse.

“I was sitting at home one day and thought I would like to own a racehorse or two. The Summerhill February sale was on at the time and I asked Mick Goss for the names of some good trainers. “He gave me one and when I contacted him he was on his way back from the Cape season and said he would contact me when he got home to Durban.

“That never happened but I had heard about Gavin van Zyl, him being a former jockey, and I contacted him to help me buy a horse at the sale. Well, before the sale he sold me Lady Tatty and we bought some more at the sale.”

Brian has enjoyed considerable success with 28 winners in his first season and 13 so far this season with three during February.

He says racing is a great sport and he and his family love it. “My present wife and my family go to the course when my horses are racing and my wife now owns a couple of horses in her own name.”

Brian now owns a large number of horses – “too many” – he says, and is also involved in a few others horses with partners.

Congratulations Brian and well done.

Owner of the Month – January 2014

Posted on by

DEREK RAMSAY & JODY MARTIN

Gold Circle’s owner of the month for January is Derek Ramsay & Jody Martin
Relatively new to racehorse ownership but interested in the sport and in various ways connected for many years, Derek and Jody enjoyed success with two of the horses in which they are involved during the month, Auction King and Wildcat Rising.

Derek has been a friend of trainer Paul Lafferty since their primary school days and in recent years has been involved on a part-time basis in the administration of the stable. In 2009 he became involved in five horses in the stable.

He then bought into the two above individuals and enjoyed his first winner with Auction King in January. He is now again involved in five horses including a mare at stud.

Jody, the nephew of well-known owner Derek Martin, has “always been interested in racing” but it was only 18 months ago at his sister’s birthday party that he was talked into becoming an owner and bought into Auction King and Wildcat Rising. He is also involved with Stone Reeves which gave him his first winner and which has now been moved to Kimberley and another horse which is racing in Cape Town.

Well done Derek and Jody.

MARY LILEY

Owner of the Month – September 2014

Posted on by

MARY LILEY

The Gold Circle Owner of the Month award for the month has been bestowed on Mary Liley

One of the most successful lady owners in South African racing, Mary was granted her colours way back in 1960 and has owned many top horses that featured prominently in the country’s major races.

Her late husband John Liley, whom she married in 1970, played a major role in her racing ownership which included Bold Monarch that in 1977 ran second in each of South Africa’s three major events, the J&B Met, the Rothmans July and the Holliday Inns. She also owned Sleek Machine that ran second to London News in the July in 1996, as well as top horses like Sun Monarch, Royal Play and Be Noble.

When establishing the Noble Park training centre at Summerveld, she owned about 100 horses but has trimmed her string down to about 20 horses which are trained by Tony Rivalland.

During the month two of her three runners, Kadeze and Lucky Break, won their races and she was voted by Gold Circle as the owner of the month.

For Mary, the beauty of the thoroughbred and the challenge of trying to be successful is her motivation and while she featured prominently in the racing industry for many years, she admits that at the beginning, when her first horse Actus continued to run places and not win, as a somewhat shy individual, “I was happy because if it had won, I would have had to lead it in.”

Well done Mary.

PAUL GADSBY

Trainer of the Month – September 2014

Posted on by

PAUL GADSBY

It was a month where the spoils were spread across the spectrum of training yards with the leading stables continuing to perform while the smaller stables pitched in and made their presence felt on the winner’s board.

Charles Laird, Gavin van Zyl, Dennis Drier and Duncan Howells continued to send out winners while the stables of Robbie Hill and Paul Gadsby threw their hats into the ring along with Frank Robinson and Dennis Bosch.

It was a difficult call to select a trainer of the month but Paul was chosen for having the highest winning percentage of 36.36% and for his general presentation of his horses and himself on course.

Well done Paul.

KEAGAN DE MELO

Jockey of the Month – September 2014

Posted on by

KEAGAN DE MELO

It was a hectic month for all in racing and Anton Marcus continued to dominate with impeccable skill and consistency to drive 16 of his 38 rides straight into the winner’s enclosure with 14 of his other mounts finishing in the placings.

However, the busiest of the riders in the month was Keagan who threw a leg over 52 runners and made the most of the opportunities to get 10 of them across the line first and nine others into the first four with his supporters profiting by R32.30 at the end of the month if they had wagered R1 win bet on all of his rides.

It was an outstanding effort of hard work and dedication and well worth the monthly award.

Well done Keagan.

FRANK ROBINSON

Trainer of the Month – August 2014

Posted on by
FRANK ROBINSON

Vastly experienced through his association with Herman Brown and legendary trainer Herman Brown senior, Frank has developed his yard as a highly efficient operation and his talent and dedication is paying off.

During the month Frank saddled six winners from just 18 runners with another five of his horses finishing in the money. His winning strike rate of 33.33% for the month was exceptional and worthy of the monthly award.

Well done Frank.

BRANDON LERENA

Jockey of the Month – August 2014

Posted on by
BRANDON LERENA

As expected, Anton Marcus, Sean Cormack and Anthony Delpech enjoyed a successful month with 36 winners between them but young Brandon made the most of the opportunities he was given and those that followed him would have had a profitable month.

He managed five winners and 18 places from his 45 rides and a R1 win bet on all his horses would have given punters a R30.50 profit on their investment.

This likeable young rider has plenty of talent and is destined for greater things.

Well done Brandon.

DUNCAN HOWELLS

Owner of the Month – July 2014

Posted on by

DUNCAN HOWELLS

Ashburton based trainer Duncan Howells landed his first KZN Trainer’s Championship this season, a feature of which was his consistent strike-rate.

However, he also had good success as an owner and owned outright or had shares in five of his winners in the final month of the season. Home-bred Chartwell was a winner on the Greyville polytrack while Duncan also had shares in The Helmsman, who won twice during the month of July, as did his Gr1 winning filly Same Jurisdiction who won the KZN Million Mile and the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes.

Duncan praised his co-owners and also the other owners in his yard. Without their support we would be nothing. It’s a touch ironic that a trainer is nominated owner of the month but it’s tough putting horses together in this economic climate and sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and take up the slack.

“Cathy does a great job picking yearlings so we always have faith.”

Well done Duncan and Cathy.

Soft Falling Rain retires

Posted on by

A R350,000 yearling purchase by Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum’s Shadwell, Soft Falling Rain was trained throughout his career by Mike de Kock and was voted the country’s champion juvenile following an undefeated season, the highlight of which a fluent victory in the Gr.1 SA Nursery at Turffontein.

Exported to Dubai, the colt stretched his perfect record to seven from seven, with impressive scores in the Gr.2 Godolphin Mile, Gr.3 UAE 2000 Guineas and Guineas Trial.

Soft Falling Rain finally relinquished his unbeaten record eight months later when runner-up in his English debut, the Gr.2 Hungerford Stakes, only to bounce back in what was for many his finest racetrack performance.

Contesting Newmarket’s Gr.2 Nayef Joel Stakes, the South African-bred displayed a devastating turn of foot to leave his rivals trailing, a spine-tingling performance which set him up perfectly for a crack at the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Sadly, the colt failed to act in the bottomless going and was eased out of the race.

Soft Falling Rain ran just three times this year. Patently in need of the run when unplaced in his Dubai pipe-opener, the Gr.3 Mahab Al Shimal, he was a close-up second to Variety Club in the Gr.2 Godolphin Mile.

Unfortunately, the horse did not travel well and was sick upon arriving back in Britain. Having missed around ten crucial days of training, the interrupted preparation told in the Gr.1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he could finish no closer than sixth, four lengths behind Sussex Stakes hero Toronado. That proved to be the final racetrack appearance for Soft Falling Rain, and he bows out the winner of eight races from 13 starts.

De Kock had high praise for his former stable star: “Soft Falling Rain was a world class sprinter-miler and will bring a valuable pedigree, remarkable versatility and true international quality to our community of breeders.” He added, “Soft Falling Rain has been doing plenty of travelling which is not ideal for a horse of this calibre competing at the highest level. It takes its toll. This is the right time to have retired him. That Sheikh Hamdan has kept a share is most encouraging. He will support Soft Falling Rain with some of his top broodmares. Wilgerbosdrift, too, has a terrific broodmare band.”

A product of the Highlands paddocks, Soft Falling Rain is a member of the penultimate crop of Danzig’s excellent son National Assembly, whose stallion sons National Emblem and Announce, together with grandson Rebel King, have ensured his legacy as a sire of sires.

Cleverly named, Soft Falling Rain is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Gardener’s Delight, while his grandam is by Triple Crown legend Seattle Slew.

Picture: Liesl King