snaith site

Snaith to train I Want It All

Justin Snaith will train last Thursday’s R3 million Cape Premier Yearling Sale top price, the Silvano colt I Want It All who was purchased by Nic Jonsson and Bjorn Neilsen. Snaith trained the grandam Captain’s Lover and her half-sister Ebony Flyer to win the Cape Fillies Guineas in 2007 and 2010. This is also the family of Vardy.

However the price was R1 million less than last year’s top and only half the R6 million paid for Charles at this sale in 2017 and for the little-remembered Silver Coin the previous year.

snaith site
Justin Snaith

Indeed the figures for last Thursday’s event are frightening, or at least they are at first glance. The R326 531 average was down by 25% – it has fallen in each of the last three years and is less than half what it was in 2017. Turnover has also fallen consistently over the same period and the R56.4 million aggregate was down by almost a third this time.

The fall was accentuated by pre-sale expectation. Sales boss Wehann Smith had said: “I’m quite positive. The news about a pending solution in the export side is firm enough to make an impact.”

That was also a view held by many people and some translated it into a 10% increase. “That was over-optimistic,” said Bryn Ressell’s racing manager Mark van Deventer. “People have heard this [re the exports] so often that they have become a bit cynical. They want to see it become reality.”

Brett Crawford, who trains Charles, said: “Don’t forget, three years ago we had Markus Jooste and he brought some big players with him. It was a buyer’s market last week and there were some nice horses to be had at good value.”

John Freeman listed the economy as well as the Jooste factor but he also mentioned more technical issues. “Three years ago there were yearlings by five top stallions whereas this time the market was out of kilter as far as the new rising stars are concerned. I bought horses well below their value.”

Fellow bloodstock agent Jehan Malherbe added: “The market is struggling. It’s because of the economy and the situation that racing is in with stakes coming down and expenses going up. It’s going to be a tough year for breeders”

Opinions vary about the effect of the loss of the two CTS R5 million sales races (Van Deventer: “Having a big incentive like that does attract buyers”) but Peter de Beyer believes the whole market is shrinking and that people have to adjust.

The owner-breeder is also an actuary, a former deputy managing director of Old Mutual and still on the board. “The number of foals registered each year has gone from 3 000 to 1 600 in recent years,” he said. “I worked out that 75% of horses sold at auction last year were sold at a loss.”

As he says himself: “Sometimes it’s depressing to be good at numbers!”

By Michael Clower

GG's Dynasty (Candiese Lenferna)

G G’s Dynasty unstoppable

The Brett Crawford-trained G G’s Dynasty carried topweight to a cosy victory in yesterday’s Listed Michael Roberts Handicap over 1800m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly in a meeting which was characterised by the thrilling tussle between Paul Lafferty and Garth Puller and Anton Marcus and Warren Kennedy at the top of the respective trainers’ and jockeys’ Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge tables. 

The meeting was moved to the Greyville poly from Scottsville due to heavy rain at the latter venue overnight and a forecast of more rain yesterday and through the rest of this week.  

GG's Dynasty (Candiese Lenferna)
GG’s Dynasty (Candiese Lenferna)

G G’s Dynasty, who started 49/20 favourite, sat on the rail from midfield under Anton Marcus. He moved up smoothly in the straight and repelled the challenge of Tristful to win by half-a-length. Third-placed Born To Perform, who was second favourite at 53/20, lost some ground at the start before running on strongly in the straight. Blackball was next best and was also a touch unlucky as he was squeezed out in the straight before running on well. The Dazzler was next best.

Lafferty started the meeting 18 points clear of Puller on the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge trainer’s table, whilst Marcus and Kennedy were joint-top of the Jockey’s table. 

In the first race Puller gained a point on Lafferty when Sereno Moodley kept Miss Charlotte going after taking her around horses to the front. She held on by a short-head from the Lafferty-trained favourite Lady Of Lutetia.

In the next the Puller and Lafferty pair Explosive Beauty and Blush Of Dawn fought out a thrilling dead-head under Anton Marcus and Ant Mgudlwa respectively.

Louis Goosen sent out the one-two in the next, a MR 89 handicap over 1000m, with Di Mazzio and Winter Blues ridden by Billy Jacobson and Craig Zackey respectively. 

The fourth saw another victory for Anton Marcus on the Kom Naidoo-trained Arizona Sunset.

However in the next Marcus was narrowly beaten on the favourite Baby Shooz by the Gareth van Zyl-trained longshot Skollie, ridden by Zackey.

The sixth saw a treble for Puller as 4kg claimer Thabiso Gumede kept Georgina Rose going from the front to beat the Kennedy-ridden Petra by 0,75 lengths with Marcus next best on Marsanne.

In the last race Wendy Whitehead’s Royal View found a lot of support and never looked in danger of defeat under Zackey, beating the Puller-trained closer Brunilda by 1,75 lengths.

Puller earned 51,5 points in the day to close the gap on Lafferty to five points.

Marcus’ good day would have seen him forging clear in the Jockeys table.

At the top of the horse table Explosive Beauty is now only 5.5 points behind her Lafferty-trained stable companion Bint El Malak. 

By David Thiselton

Keagan De Melo (Candiese Lenferna)

Play Voice Of Reason by ear

Voice Of Reason, having only her second start when beaten a neck over this course and distance on Cape Guineas day, looks the part for the Racing Association Maiden Plate at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The Gavin van Zyl filly is again ridden by Keagan de Melo and has opened favourite at 22-10. She is reasonably drawn and probably has most to fear from 9-2 shot Still Tappin who was two and a quarter lengths behind last time despite coming back with a cut on a hind leg and making an abnormal respiratory noise (not a good sign).

Keagan De Melo (Candiese Lenferna)
Keagan De Melo (Candiese Lenferna)

Foxy Lady (7-1) was three-quarters of a length further back and may again make the frame but one to bear in mind is the Hassen Adams-owned What A Flirt (9-2). She was found to be not striding out when a disappointing favourite on her most recent start but she was only beaten a short head previously and she is the highest rated of the eight who have been given a mark.

All except the first three  of the seven two-year-old races run in Cape Town this season have been won by a horse who has had the advantage of a previous run – but it could be worth taking a chance with 28-10 newcomer Bowie in the opening Maiden Juvenile Plate.

Nothing sensational about the colt’s pedigree – although the R220 000 Cape Yearling Sale purchase is By Twice Over out of a National Assembly mare who won as a two-year-old – but he is trained by Sean Tarry who did not bring him all the way from Johannesburg just to run a place. And it is surely significant that Anton Marcus has taken the mount.

The Dennis Drier-trained Pray For Rain, odds-on when only fourth of six on debut, is again favourite here. He had last Saturday’s runaway scorer Erik The Red a length and a half behind but the filly Musical Glitch (33-10) has perhaps the strongest claims on form.

Mr Fergie (22-10) is rated 1.5kg behind 12-10 favourite Pacific Rim in the 1 400m maiden (race two) but the Eric Sands gelding couldn’t get a clear run at a crucial stage on New Year’s Eve and might have finished in front of Red Rock Canyon had he done so. He gets the vote to make amends although it should be noted that Red Rock Canyon over-raced last time.

In Auro has to give weight all round in the Betting World Maiden Handicap but Marcus’s mount is favourite and looks the one they all have to beat.

By Michael Clower

Born To Perform (Candiese Lenferna)

Beware of horses for courses

Horses for courses is a well-worn phrase but does hold a lot of water and there are a few course specialists lining up for the Michael Roberts Handicap at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday. This could well apply to GG’S Dynasty as Brett Crawford’s runner has won three of his five starts at the track and finished second in another.

More pertinently was his performance last time out as he quickened away from his rivals to win as he liked. Granted, it was not the strongest of fields but it was the manner of victory that impressed and he can take it to another level when he takes on some hard-knocking handicappers. He has the best of the draw, a handy weight and Anton Marcus to help his cause but he will need a lot to go his way in a seriously competitive handicap.

Born To Perform (Candiese Marnewick)
Born To Perform (Candiese Marnewick)

Born To Perform has done very little wrong for Dennis Bosch and finished ahead of GG’S Dynasty when the two met at their penultimate start. The former has a 1kg pull in the weights to add to his appeal, that coupled with the fact that he only has 53.5kg to shoulder.

In their only previous meeting, GG’S Dynasty ran out a narrow winner over Sunday’s course and distance so there should again be very little between the two.

Another course specialist and last year’s winner is Wealthy. Dennis Drier’s charge has recorded five of his six wins on the course and gave notice of a return to form when running the much improved Merin From Berlin to a neck in a Chapter Challenge final, giving his rival 9kg. Merlin From Berlin subsequently won again to bolster Wealthy’s form.

Two other runners with solid credentials are The Dazzler and Blackball.

Few who were at Scottsville when The Dazzler shed his maiden will forget that run.  Making his debut against winners for James Goodman, he motored home from a seemingly hopeless position beating some useful performers in the process. When Goodman handed in his licence The Dazzler went to Mike de Kock where he won another three races.

The gelding has his issues but Gareth Van Zyl appears to have got on top of them and in a performance reminiscent of his maiden win, he cut down Born To Perform like he was standing still to win the Christmas Handicap.

Given his style of running, 14 draw will not be a problem but finding a way through the traffic may be!

Blackball has been in good form and although finishing out of the money in the Christmas Handicap he was little over a length behind The Dazzler and finishing off nicely. The extra furlong will also suit so he is a must inclusion in all exotics.

Punters face a generally tricky card but two that stand out as possible bankers are Baby Shooz in the fifth and Marsanne in the sixth.

Baby Shooz was unlucky last run when close-up from a wide draw and Anton Marcus losing his off-side rein for a couple of strides which may have cost him the race. Baby Shooz looks useful and can make amends. Admiral’s Guest has a tricky draw to contend with but has been close-up in his last three while Galway was a recent maiden winner but has only had two runs back after a lengthy break and looks to be on the up.

Marsanne too was a touch unlucky when touched off by course specialist Celebration Rock in a Chapter Challenge final. She looks the part but if she fails then the list of possible winners is a long one. Naoshima has her third run after a lengthy break and should strip at her peak and turn the tables on Petra who is always dangerous and only got going late last run. She can do better over the extra furlong. Purple Nkanyezi showed up well first run out of the maidens and although she takes on stronger she has a handy weight while Talia Al Ghul and Linear should also be considered although the latter is a difficult customer; more than capable but not always reliable.

By Andrew Harrison

Social Order (Candiese Lenferna)

Captain Hindsight maybe hard to oppose

The Turffontein meeting on Saturday is tricky and the exotics look to be the way to play.

It is difficult to identify a Pick 6 banker and Captain Hindsight is given the accolade without much confidence. He runs in the last race over 1000m. It is never easy to win first time out the maidens but he had decent maiden form and looked to have been reasonably treated by the handicappers when given an 81 merit rating. Furthermore, he has a 2,5kg claimer aboard. His form includes close seconds to the useful pair Donderweer and Battleoftrafalgar and he beat the improving Blow Me Down cosily last time out. Pearl Of Siberia has decent recent form and is better than his last start. Rebel Renegade has fallen to the mark of his last win. Both have favourable high draws and would have been included if the budget had allowed.

Social Order (Candiese Lenferna)
Social Order (Candiese Lenferna)

The earlier legs of the Pick 6 all look to be competitive.

In the first leg Waqaas is proven over this trip and is knocking on the door off his current merit rating. However, as a handy to front-running type his draw of nine makes it tough. Written In Stone has been running on too late over 1400m so is interesting stepped up to this trip, although he has a tough draw. Darkest Hour is distance suited and in good form so has a shout from pole position. The Rocketman is talented and will be dangerous if bouncing back with pacifiers on off a much reduced merit rating. Chipofftheoldblok and Jackman also warrant consideration. Lasair was the hardest to leave out and it was due to his tough draw and three point higher merit rating.

In the next leg Liberado won easily last time and is interesting stepped up in trip off a five point higher mark as he looks to have turned the corner. Western Fort won well second time out and could be going places. So Long Spring improved with blinkers last time. Seeking Gold is three points higher for his course and distance win in his penultimate start and has a fair draw. Pink has dropped to a competitive mark and Rockstar Child and Oyster King could be thereabouts if producing their best.

The next is a small field staying event and the suggestion is to include all seven runners. 

In the seventh over 1400m Saragon, Social Order and Leopold all have a touch of class and should fight it out.

In the eight race over 1400m Pop Icon is coming into his own and from pole position could make it three wins from his last four starts. Category Four has caught the eye on occasion and should be running on strongly over a suitable course and distance. Lazarus Tree is full of ability but needs things to go his way. They might do so from a good draw of three. 

By David Thiselton

National Park (JC Photographics)

National Park eyes SA Champions Season

The Yvette Bremner-trained stalwart National Park has not been seen out this season, but is full of well-being and might well be seen in KZN again this year for the SA Champions Season.

He has had one or two slight niggles but nothing serious.

National Park (JC Photographics)
National Park (JC Photographics)

Bremner said, “He is so naughty and has been causing his own little injuries. If I could geld him again, I would! We want to race him for a long time so I am not rushing him back, but he could well be seen in Durban again this year, he will be ready in time for that season.” 

The Gimmethegreenlight gelding was last seen finishing a three-quarter length second to Twist Of Fate in the Grade 2 KRA Guineas at Greyville on the opening night of the SA Champions Season on May 3 last year. 

His is the only horse to have ever beaten Hawwaam in Johannesburg and achieved that when winning the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas by 2,70 lengths at Turffontein last February.

He also won the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein last season but was beaten 7,40 lengths and 7,25 lengths respectively by Hawwaam in the Dingaans over 1600m and the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1800m. 

His most obvious big race targets in KZN would be the Grade 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m and the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m.  

By David Thiselton

Wealthy (Candiese Lenferna)

Wealthy is in fine form

The Dennis Drier-trained Wealthy is in fine shape ahead of his bid to retain his Listed Michael Roberts Handicap crown at Scottsville on Sunday.

Wealthy has always managed to fly under the radar and won this race last year at whopping odds of 22/1. The bay gelding is now a seven-year-old but is a typically evergreen son of Silvano and after three good comeback runs this season the bookmakers might have been more wary. However, once again he is a long shot and is quoted at 16,67/1 by Hollywoodbets.

Wealthy (Candiese Lenferna)
Wealthy (Candiese Lenferna)

So far this season Wealthy has run third in the Listed Michaelmas Handicap over 1900m at Greyville, fourth in a handicap over 2000m at Greyville and a close second in the KZN Summer Challenge 2000 final at Scottsville. 

His merit rating has come down one point this season from 99 to 98 and he carries a nice galloping weight of 54,5kg. He also has a good draw of five in the 14 horse field.

Last year off an 85 merit rating Wealthy was 1kg under sufferance and won by 0,75 lengths from Dark Moon Rising, who carried 60kg. He faces the latter horse on identical terms. Dark Moon Rising is returning from a layoff, yet he is quoted at 10/1.

Wealthy is effectively only one point higher in the merit ratings for this year’s race compared to last year as the 1kg he was under sufferance and the across the board ten point raise at the beginning of the season must be taken into account.  

Dennis Drier’s assistant trainer Stuart Ferrie said, “He is very well. His last three starts have been very good and he’s honest. He’s well drawn not that it makes that much difference because he comes from off them anyway.”

The race favourite is the Brett Crawford-trained G G’s Dynasty, who has won four of his last six starts from 1400m to 1600m. His dam by Right Approach won twice over 1200m and 1400m respectively, so there is a slight question mark over the trip, although the Vodacom Durban July-winning Dynasty’s influence will help.

The five-year-old Silvano gelding Born To Perform is out of July winner Dancer’s Daughter, so this lightly five-time winner from just nine starts should stay the trip.

The value in the race could be the 14.29/1 shot Marchingontogether as he has won all four of his starts around the turn at Scottsville. Bernard Fayd’Herbe will be riding him as Gavin van Zyl’s stable jockey Warren Kennedy is aboard Michaelmas winner Blackball.

Other eyecatching contenders are Christmas Handicap winner The Dazzler and the talented Tristful.

However, none of the runners can be discounted and it should be a thriller.

By David Thiselton

Sniper Shot (Candiese Lenferna)

Lafferty yard going all out for Challenge

Paul Lafferty’s Summerveld yard are going all out to hang on to their lead in the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge.

Every race in KZN from the beginning of December until the end of February counts towards the competition. The points gathered for each race, whether a Grade 1 or a maiden, is dependent on the number of horses in the field and the finishing position. If there are ten runners in a race the winner will get ten points, the runner up nine points and so on all the way down to the tenth placed finisher who will get one point. If there are seven runners in the race then the winner gets seven points, the runner up six etc. The points are awarded to the relevant trainer, jockey and horse.

At the end of the competition the top six trainers, jockeys and horses will split respective prize money of R250,000 apiece.

Sniper Shot (Candiese Lenferna)
Sniper Shot (Candiese Lenferna)

The top trainer, jockey and horse will each receive R100,000.

Lafferty led the trainers table after yesterday’s Scottsville meeting with 447 points. Breathing down his neck were Garth Puller and Alyson Wright on 429 and 414 points respectively. Dean Kannemeyer, Duncan Howells and Dennis Drier were next best on 337, 324.5 and 314 respectively.

Lafferty’s assistant trainer Roy Waugh revealed that a virus which had plagued the yard for a long time appeared to have been conquered and the horses were currently performing well.

He said, “It was the most insidious virus, I have never see anything like it, and it hit us for about a year. They think it is a herpes virus, but they are not sure. The horses become anaemic overnight and it was very hard to get rid of. We ended up spraying virus-cides everyday, then we started vaccinating with rhinopneumonitis every three to four months. The symptoms were subtle and the horses didn’t look bad or train bad but they would then run twenty lengths below their form. If you could, the right thing to do was to just stop racing. This would allow them to recover and get their immunity back. If you brought them back too quickly they would get it again. So we haven’t seen the virus since October but we have had to build the horses up again and get them fit.”

The yard is thus on an upward curve and, for Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Competition purposes, the horses are coming well at the right time.

The yard had a winner yesterday but so did Puller and the pair joined Kannemeyer on the most winners during the competition, seven.

Dennis Drier would likely have started favourite for the competition but it falls at the wrong time as he has a string down in Cape Town. Drier’s assistant trainer Stuart Ferrie said the yard welcomed any points gathered for the competition but they were taking things as they came and not doing anything out of the norm to try and win it.

Anton Marcus and Warren Kennedy, amazingly enough, were locked together at the top of the jockeys table after yesterday’s meeting on a tally of 657 points apiece. Keagan de Melo is hot on their heels on 653 points.

Marcus increased his lead early in the meeting when winning the first on Heroic Victory, the first leg of a double on the day for Gareth van Zyl. Warren Kennedy fought back by winning the second on the Gavin van Zyl-trained Living Waters but Marcus then won the third on the Glen Kotzen-trained Imperial Rage. However, Kennedy rode in all eight races while Marcus only rode in four and this allowed the former to close the gap.

The Lafferty-trained Bint El Malak won for the second time third time in four runs during the challenge yesterday and she leads the horse table on 55 points, 15 clear of her stablemate Explosive Beauty. The Darryl Moore-trained Forest Jump rose to third place on 38 points courtesy of her runner up finish in the first race.

Meanwhile, the Lafferty yard’s three best horses, Dark Moon Rising, Sniper Shot and Share Holder, are gearing up for the SA Champions Season.

Dark Moon Rising carries topweight of 62,5kg in Sunday’s LIsted Michael Roberts Handicap over 1750m at Scottsville.

He is returning from a three month layoff.

Waugh said, “He is doing alright. He is carrying a lot of weight and the distance is a bit short of his best but he will run a decent race, he will be there or thereabouts. It’s his comeback run but he runs well fresh.”

Share Holder is close to full recovery from a nasty foot injury.

After winning his debut back in February he managed to pull his “whole quarter off.”

He is still running with bar shoes and Waugh reckoned that only with his next shoeing will the foot have fully grown back.

He finished unplaced yesterday over 1200m in a Novice Plate.

However, the strapping Australian-bred colt by Zoffany should be right by the time of SA Champions season features like the Grade 2 Daisy Guineas.

Sniper Shot has been doing well and is due to make his comeback in March.

By David Thiselton

Rowett elected head of NHA

The National Horseracing Authority is proud to announce the appointment of Susan Rowett as its new Chairperson.  Rowett is the first lady Chairperson to be appointed in the 138 years history of The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa (previously known as The Jockey Club of Southern Africa).

Rowett holds a Master of Jurisprudence degree and a Master of Management degree and is a Director of a multinational packaging company.  Rowett is also a Life Member of The National Horseracing Authority and, as a thoroughbred racehorse breeder and owner, Rowett has been actively involved in the horseracing industry in South Africa for forty years.

Rowett has served as Chairperson on various Boards within the horseracing industry and previously served as a National Board Director from November 2012 until April 2016 when the constitution of the NHA was amended, at a Special General Meeting, in order to restructure the National Board.

The NHA and its National Board hereby wishes to thank the previous Chairman, Ken Truter, for successfully leading the organisation through some turbulent times over his three year tenure as Chairman.  Truter will continue to serve as a National Board Director.

Enjoy The View (Candiese Lenferna)

Candy Galore was sweet at the weights

The handicappers made short work of Whizz Of Odds rise to fortune as the diminutive filly proved no match for Candy Galore at Hollywoodbets Scottsville yesterday. There was six lengths between the pair when last they met over course and distance and Gavin van Zyl’s filly was lumped with a seven-pound penalty for that win. The 6kg difference was reduced to 1.5kg yesterday and Candy Galore gave young Gareth van Zyl his second winner of the afternoon after saddling Heroic Deed to a comfortable win in the card opener.

Apprentice Denis Schwarz, out of his time next week and Gauteng-based, is becoming a regular in KZN and his services will be in high demand if he continues to ride as he did yesterday, setting Candy Galore alight when it mattered and leaving Whizz Of Odds battling to hold off third-placed Be Happy.

Enjoy The View (Candiese Lenferna)
Enjoy The View (Candiese Lenferna)

In retrospect Whizz Of Odds had a lot against her and was beaten by an older filly that had looked to be going places earlier in her career.

Anton Marcus’s bid for five consecutive victories came up short in the fourth where favourite Paybackthemoney could only manage third. Marcus had two wins from two rides at Kenilworth on Saturday and had two winners from two under his belt going into the fourth.

Thabiso Gumede is one of the most laid-back apprentices in the Jockey Academy but has plenty of ability as he showed when getting Twice Golden to quicken from last to master Wildlife Safari and Paybackthemoney. Twice Golden was aided by a postage stamp on his back, the two older runners giving him 8.5kg and 12kg respectively.

Marcus kicked off the meeting with an easy victory on Heroic Deed in the first with favourite Forest Jump relegated to second once again with the luckless Khanya Sakayi winless for nearly six months after a stellar start to his career.

It was the turn of Gavin van Zyl and Warren Kennedy in the second as Living Waters built on his promising debut to run out a comfortable winner of the second even though Black Fox under Schwarz and Fade To Black under Keagan de Melo pressed hard at one stage.

Marcus earned every cent of his riding fee on favourite Imperial Rage as he got Glen Kotzen’s runner home in a driving finish.

Given a pedestrian early pace, Marcus took the initiative and went clear before the field turned for home. It proved an inspired move but the three-times champion jockey was forced to pump away for 800m to hold off Rock With Me and Cassius Colt.

Enjoy The View finished tailed off behind Spiritofthegroove with heat fatigue in his last start at Turffontein but his form before that had been patchy hence his 22-1 starting price. Serino Moodley made no mistakes on Michael Roberts’s charge yesterday as he pounced at just the right time to hold off the mare Made In Hollywood and favourite Wave.

By Andrew Harrison