Category Archives: Champions Cup

Jet Belle (Nkosi Hlophe)

Belle eyes another Bracelet

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Glen Kotzen has two outsiders in Gr 1s on Super Saturday at Greyville this weekend, Gone Baby Gone in the eLan property Group Gold Cup over 3200m and Light The Lights in the  Champions Cup over 1800m. However, his classy Jet Master mare Jet Belle looks to have an excellent chance of defending her crown in the Gr 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m.

He said about Jet Belle, who is 2,5kg better off with any other horse in the Gold Bracelet according to official merit ratings: “Her sprint (Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m) was an incredible run, she was awfully unlucky as she couldn’t get a run three times, she should have possibly won. Obviously we were disappointed with her run in the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes (4,6 length 7th over 1600m at Greyville) last time. She ran a bit of a flat race and we pulled a blood, but nothing was untoward. But she is flying at home, so I can’t really explain that below par run. She’s doing exceptionally well and we’ve got Anton Marcus up and I think it’s the right field for her.” She jumps from a plum draw of four.

He said about the four-year-old Greys Inn gelding Gone Baby Gone, who is 4kg under sufferance in the Gold Cup according to official merit ratings, “If you haven’t got a ticket you haven’t got a chance. The winner of the Gold Vase (Heart Of A Lion) is out so that’s one less to beat. At his best he definitely stays the trip, he was beaten three-quarters-of-a-length over this trip in the Chairman’s Cup in Cape Town. We also pulled a blood for him after the SABC Gold Vase (Gr 2 over 3000m at Greyville on July day) as we thought he would run a little closer than he did and we found he was a little bit anaemic. His blood picture showed he could use a little help so we’ve been working on that and hopefully we will see a horse who is going to finish off his race on Saturday.” Gone Baby Gone has a favourable draw of six with Warren Kennedy up.

The three-year-old Western Winter colt Light The Lights is officially 5,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted horse in the Champions Cup, Futura. He has been a touch disappointing during the Champions Season and in his last start in the Gr 2 tabGold 2200 he finished 5,5 lengths back in 6th. Kotzen said, “We do feel he needs gelding. We fitted him with a pair of blinkers last time out and I thought he ran an okay race. That day he went down the inside and the going appeared to be much better on the outside. But in saying that he really needs to find his best form. We’re just going for the lucky last now and are going to geld him afterwards. But he’s very well in himself and anything from a mile upwards is a good trip for him.” He is drawn eleven with Johnny Geroudis up.

Kotzen’s four-year-old Kahal filly Euthalia returns from a four month break to run in a handicap over 1400 on the polytrack. She won her last start over 1600m on the poly and is now five points higher in the merit ratings. He said, “She ran an absolute cracker to win her last start and we had her lined up for her next run, but she threw a temperature, so we had to back off her for two weeks. But she’s fit and well again.” This looks to be a stronger field than she faced last time.

The yard run the three-year-old Fort Wood colt New Fort in a MR 78 handicap over 2400m on the turf ten days after he finished third over 1950m at Scottsville and Kotzen said, “He needs a nice fast pace or further because he takes time to unwind. He couldn’t really go with them last time and started coming back at them again towards the end. He will definitely strip a fitter horse and is going to love the 2400m.” This galloping type is starting to come into his own now and has a chance with Richard Fourie up but he has a tricky draw of eight to overcome in the 13 horse field.

By David Thiselton

Pictures: Jet Belle (Nkosi Hlophe)

captainalfreemanstallions

Captain Al takes the lead

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Klawervlei Stud’s leading sire Captain Al inched ahead in the intriguing race for National Champion sire when his son and daughter, Captain Of All and Carry On Alice respectively, ran one-two in the R750,000 Gr 1 Mercury Sprint at Greyville on Saturday.

The race earned Captain Al R618,750 in total and enabled him to replace Dynasty on top, although the latter stayed in touch on the National log when his son Legislate ran third to earn R75,000.

According to Racegoer’s calculations Captain Al’s earnings for the season after Saturday were R15,769,025 and Dynasty was R357,075 off the pace on R15,411,950. The 2012/2013 season champion sire Silvano was just over R1 million behind the leader on R14,718,512 and Trippi’s expensive purchase into this country is now proving worthwhile as he was next best on R14,098,800.

The seven-times champion sire Jet Master is in fifth place, despite his youngest crop now being three-year-olds, but he is likely too far back on earnings of R11,783,212.

The title is likely to hinge on Super Saturday at Greyville next weekend and Dynasty has a couple of strongly fancied big race runners who could carry him to his first championship.

Captain Al’s chances of winning his first championship could well rest on the shoulders of Disco Al, who is second favourite for the most expensive race of the day, the Gr 1 R1,25 million eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m. Dynasty will be represented in the Gold Cup by Solid Speed, who will likely be a popular pundit’s selection. Silvano has a strong hand in the marathon event too as he will be represented by the reigning Equus Champion stayer Hot Ticket, the ever improving Vino Veritas and the talented three-year-old Balance Sheet. Jet Master has one Gold Cup runner, the Highveld raider Storm Warning.

Justin Snaith said after Saturday’s racing that Legislate would be unlikely to take his place in the Gr 1 R1 million Champions Cup over 1800m, but Dynasty will still have the likely favourite in the race, Futura. Silvano will have a strong hand in this race too with Punta Arenas and Ice Machine. Trippi and Jet Master each have one runner, Afrikaburn and Helderberg Blue respectively. Captain Al on the other hand will be empty-handed.

The Gr 1 R600,000 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m will give Captain Al a chance to bolster his earnings as he will be represented by Captain’s Causeway, who won easily on debut over 1200m but now has a wide draw to overcome. His Trippi stablemate Escape Route is drawn in pole position, but looks quite exposed. Dynasty, Silvano and Jet Master are empty-handed in this race.

Trippi has a fair chance in the Gr 1 R600,000 Thekwini Stakes with Old Em, who has struck as a sort with some ability and who could enjoy this step up in trip despite being out of quite a speedy mare. Silvan Jazz represents Silvano, but looks to have a mountain to climb on the bare form. Dynasty, Captain Al and Jet Master are not represented in this race.

The Gr 2 R350,000 Gold Bracelet sees the classy Jet Master mare Jet Belle defending her crown and he also has Gathering Fame in the race. Silvano is represented by a typically progressive sort, Gallica Rose, and the other three contenders for the National Sires title are all empty-handed.

The topweight for the Listed R150,000 Darley Arabian to be run on the polytrack is the talented Trippi gelding Night Trip, Jet Master has two runner MLJet and Mountain Master, and It Is Written will give Dynasty a good chance of increasing his earnings.

The joint-topweight for the Listed Umgeni Handicap over 1000m on the poly is the Captain Al gelding Barbosa. Trippi will have a fair chance with Tiger Territory, who won over course and distance last time out.

The title looks likely to be fought out by Captain Al and Dynasty, but Silvano also has a shout if his Gold Cup and Champions Cup runners dominate the finish. It could yet go right down to the wire.

By David Thiselton

Picture of Captain Al supplied by Freemanstallions

legislateleftfuturarightjl

Media Release: Champions Cup

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Legislate and Futura, two of the highest-rated horses in the country, are set to clash at level weights in the R1-million Champions Cup over 1 800m at Greyville on Super Saturday.

The stable companions from the Justin Snaith yard could settle the debate once and for all as to which is the better of the two and, as they are drawn alongside one another in the 12-horse field, it eliminates the draw factor as an excuse.

On their ratings, they should be the two to fight out the finish but the six-year-old Vodacom Durban July runner-up, Punta Arenas from the Stan Elley stable, is in such cracking form the Silvano gelding cannot be ignored as a potential winner.

Legislate might be considered a doubtful starter for the Champions Cup if reports quoting Snaith are correct. The colt is set to race in the Mercury Sprint on Saturday and, according to the reported statements by Snaith, if coming through that race without problems, he will run the following week.

Futura finished fourth in the Vodacom Durban July under top weight and he meets Punta Arenas on 3.5kg better weight terms for a 2.25 lengths beating and this will put the champion in a much better chance in this smaller field to turn the tables.

Also down to race twice in eight days is the Sean Tarry-trained Willow Magic. He is in the field for the Mercury Sprint after placing in the Post Merchants and before that the Rising Sun Gold Challenge where he finished less than a length second to Legislate. He meets Legislate on 3kg better terms in the Champions Cup making him a major contender for honours as well.

Helderberg Blue from the Mike Bass stable is another runner that comes into the picture based on his 2.5 lengths beating by Punta Arenas in the Cup Trial. He meets Punta Arenas on 2.5kg better terms and becomes a live contender for a share of the stake.

Picture: Legislate left Futura right (John Lewis)

Willow Magic (Nkosi Hlophe)

Media Releases: Nine Supplementary Entries for Super Saturday

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There were nine supplementary entries among the four Grade 1 races at Greyville on Super Saturday, 25 July 2015, including three from the Mike de Kock stable in the R600 000 Premier’s Champion Stakes for Juveniles.

Having won a good race over 3 000m in a pinnacle stakes event at Turffontein recently, trainer Dominic Zaki has entered Storm Warning for the R1.25-million eLan Property Group Gold Cup adding additional spice to a very competitive field potential for the marathon race over 3 200m.

The R1-million Champion’s Cup over 1 800m has attracted two additional entries with Sean Tarry nominating his versatile performer Willow Magic that finished second in the Rising Sun Gold Challenge and followed it up with a gutsy third in the Post Merchants.

Mike Azzie, who has always had a high record for Deputy Jud and was rewarded when he ran a good second in the SA Derby, believes his charge can do a lot better than his unplaced runs in the Daily News 2000 and the Vodacom Durban July and is looking for a run in this final Grade 1 event of the season.

Alec Laird has scratched Bezanova from the race.

Among the three colts entered by De Kock for the Premier’s Champion Stakes are two that are unraced. Astral Promise is a son of Silvano and Kinaan is the progeny of internationally-famed stallion Galileo. His third supplementary entry is the Silvano colt Kahaylaan that finished unplaced in his only start.

Sean Tarry has supplemented his Captain Al colt Captain’s Causeway into the Premier’s Champion stakes. The colt was an easy winner of his only start on the sand at the Vaal. He has also supplemented his Trippi filly Old Em into the Thekwini Stakes. She has run three times winning second time out and finishing third by less than half a length behind Shivering Sea in her last outing.

Bernard Fayd'Herbe (Nkosi Hlophe)

Fayd’Herbe gets Snaith job

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Bernard Fayd’Herbe will take over as stable jockey to Justin Snaith when Richard Fourie moves to Hong Kong next month and in the meantime Fayd’Herbe will regain the ride on Futura in Saturday week’s Champions Cup.

Fayd’Herbe, 33, has had a long association with Snaith and has won five of the trainer’s 22 Grade 1s. He also won this season’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and J & B Met on Futura when the horse was trained by Brett Crawford.

He said yesterday: “I am very happy to be back on Futura and to ride for Justin again. Riding for Joey Ramsden has been a pleasure but it was a no-brainer when I got the opportunity to join Snaith Racing. I have been a bit restricted in the big races because Joey’s main owner is Markus Jooste who has his own jockey.”

Fayd’Herbe was replaced by Sean Cormack on Futura in the KZN season because he was committed to the Ramsden-trained King Of Pain and even under the new arrangement Wayne Kieswetter’s Ridgemont Stud operation will have first call on him.

Snaith, who paid tribute to both Fourie and Cormack, said: “Bernard has always had close ties to the stable and, although he has big shoes to fill, I am certain he will add enormous value to our stable. I was extremely pleased with Futura’s run in the July with top weight and he has come through it particularly well.”

Legislate (Fourie) will race over 1 200m for the first time since his debut two years ago on Saturday and a week later he is pencilled in for a further showdown with Futura.

Jonathan Snaith said: “Legislate runs in the Mercury Sprint and if he pulls up well he will then run in the 1 800m race.”

At Kenilworth this Saturday Fayd’Herbe partners last year’s winner Jet Supreme in the stable’s bid to win this Grade 3 for the third successive year. Snaith will also run Cat And The Moon.

King Of Pain, winner of last year’s Rising Sun Gold Challenge, was scratched from the Vodacom Durban July a few weeks before the race and has not raced since. “There is nothing wrong with him. He is just having a holiday,” said Ramsden.

Act Of War, the surprise packet among the Mercury Sprint entries, will not be declared this morning – Ramsden had some unprintable comments to make about the horse’s widest-of-all draw – but the Cape Guineas winner just might run in the Champions Cup.

Ramsden said: “It’s a possibility. We will see how we go.”

By Michael Clower

Picture: Bernard Fayd’Herbe

 

Punta Arenas (Nkosi Hlophe)

Elley happy with Punta Arenas

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Vodacom Durban July runner-up Punta Arenas in the Champions Cup looks like being Stan Elley’s final big race runner.

Elley, who relinquishes his licence in the week after the race, said yesterday: “We will probably make a final decision by the end of this week but at this stage I am pretty happy with the way he has come out of last Saturday’s run.  He had a little bit of heat in one joint on Sunday morning but now that is just about gone.”

Elley, who has been training for 41 years and had two thirds in the July with Red Badge in 2003 and 2004, was delighted with Punta Arenas’ performance and said: “He did everything right except win the race.”

By Michael Clower

Picture: Punta Arenas (Nkosi Hlophe)

Media Release: eLan Property Group Gold Cup Raceday Entries

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A galaxy of South African thoroughbred stars will gather at the Theatre Of Champions in Durban on Saturday, July 25, for the final performances of Champions Season’s racing magic.

Super Saturday at Greyville is what brings the curtain down on the three-month feast of top graded racing and just over 180 horses have been nominated for the seven feature events on the card headed by the pinnacle challenge for the country’s stayers, the R1.25-million, Grade 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3 200m.

There is hardly a name among horses that qualify for the carded events that is not among the entries, promising racegoers a tasty platter of mouth-watering excitement.

The eLan Property Group Gold Cup, like the Vodacom Durban July, is one of the iconic events in South African racing and the quality of runners nominated for the event confirms its status as the premier marathon race on the African continent.

Among the 19 entries for the 3 200m marathon are the first four horses past the post in the SABC Gold Vase at Greyville on Vodacom Durban July day, Heart Of A Lion, Wild Ash, Solid Speed and J’s Outsider, the runner-up in the Gold Cup last year Wild One as well as the first four home in the Track & Ball Derby at Scottsville, Disco Al, Hot Ticket and the dead-heaters for third place, Savage Wind and Kingston Mines.

The fillies are ready to take on the colts with Ash Cloud, Gallica Rose and Vino Veritas, the first three past the post in the Gold Circle Oaks, among the entries.

The R1-million, Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1 800m has attracted the cream of South Africa’s thoroughbreds among its 16 nominations including the pair that fought out the finish to the Vodacom Durban July, Power King and Punta Arenas, along with last year’s July winner and the winner of the Rising Sun Gold Challenge Legislate.

Futura, winner of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, the J&B Met and the Champions Cup last year, is also among the entries having finished fourth under top weight in the July.

The two Grade 1 juvenile races over 1 600m, the Premier’s Champion Stakes and the Thekwini Stakes, have been strongly supported with the Premier’s Champion Stakes receiving 27 entries including the exciting unbeaten winner of the Gatecrasher Stakes Rabada while the Grade 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper winner Chestnuts n Pearls heads the list of 23 fillies nominated for the Thekwini Stakes.

Picture: Heart Of A Lion (Nkosi Hlophe)

Legislate (Liesl King)

Decisions to be made for Legislate

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Last year’s Vodacom Durban July hero Legislate will gallop this morning and how he goes will have a big bearing on whether he drops back to 1 200m for the Mercury Sprint at Greyville on Saturday July 18.

Justin Snaith said yesterday: “We are not desperate to run – we have the whole summer ahead of us – but if we think he is in a good place, that everything is spot on and that he would have a chance of running into the money then he will run.

“We are also waiting on the nominations for the Champions Cup with him. At this stage it looks like Futura will run in that race.”

The nominations for the Champions Cup (July 25) were due to close last Friday but will not now be known until 11.00am today.

Legislate returned to his best to make all the running in last month’s Rising Sun Gold Challenge after a virus caused him to disappoint in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and miss the J & B Met. He then had to be scratched from the Drill Hall after hurting himself in the pens.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Legislate (Liesl King)

All about the race

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DATE: Saturday, 25 July 2015, Day and Night

AGE RANGE: Open Conditions Race over 1800m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 3 July 2015 – Fee R 2280

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 10 July 2015 – Fee R 4560

WEIGHTS: Friday, 3 July 2015
Two-year-olds………………..50,0kg
Three-year-olds………………55,5kg
Four-year-olds and older……57,0kg

ADDITIONAL PENALTIES: In addition, further penalties to accrue as follows for races won in the period 18 months prior to the date of issuing of weight. Winner of a Grade 1 race…………3 kg for each such win Winner of a Grade 2 race…………2kg for each such win Winner of a Grade 3 race…………1kg for each such win Penalties not cumulative Sex Allowance of 2,5kg for Fillies and Mares, subject to a minimum weight of 50 kg

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Tuesday, 14 July 2015 – Fee R 9120

2014 Champions Cup

Horse: FUTURA

Jockey: Glen Hatt

Trainer: B Crawford

Owners: Messrs John T Freeman, I W Longmore & W J C Mitchell

Breeder: Guy Murdoch

ABOUT: The Champions Cup

 

Roll Of Honour:

2014

No one will forget the day Crawford and the now retired jockey Glen Hatt had as they followed up their Gold Cup triumph moments later with Futura winning the Champions Cup (Gr1), a race that Crawford won in 2013 with the now retired Jackson.

*Futura has since gone on to dominate the Cape Town season collecting both the L’Ormorins Queens Plat and the J&B Met, and will be one of the leading protagonists for the 2015 Vodacom Durban July.