David Thiselton

The familiar yellow and purple silks of the Hollywood Syndicate were not the only colours that flew the South African flag high overseas this weekend, because big Johannesburg-based owner Larry Nestadt’s had Gr 2 success in Australia with an exciting prospect called Royal Patronage, who was making his Australian debut at Randwick.

Nestadt’s all royal blue colours are well known in South Africa and have been associated with a lot of big race success. He has owned at least two horses of the year as he has shares in current Equus Horse Of The Year Dave The King and the 2010 Equus Horse Of The Year Irish Flame ran in his colours. In Australia his colours are also royal blue but with yellow epaulettes.

On Saturday the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Royal Patronage won at Randwick under Tim Clark and it was was described by Racenet.com.au as a “stunning” performance. 

In the Gr 2 Au$300,000 Tramway Stakes over 1400m Royal Patronage sat handy behind a strong pace before quickening in fine style and winning by 1,25 lengths despite coming off a 462 day layoff.

Nestadt is the chief owner in the Wootton Bassett five-year-old French-bred entire, who was purchased at a Tattersalls horses in training sale. 

As a two-year-old Royal Patronage won the Gr 3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes over seven furlongs at York and the Gr 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes over a mile at Newmarket. In the latter race he beat ill-fated Dubawi colt Caroebus. who went on to win the Gr 1 2000 Guineas and the Gr 1 St. James Palace Stakes.  

As a three-year-old Royal Patronage was disappointing with a second place finish in the Gr 2 Dante over a mile-and-two-and-a-half furlongs at York and a fifth place finish in the Gr 1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes over a mile and two furlongs on the turf in the USA being his best finishes.

He stayed in the USA after the latter race, leaving the Mark and Charlie Johnston yard for the yard of Isivunguvungu’s trainer, Graham Motion.

He had four runs for Motion, two as a three-year-old and two as a four-year-old, and his best result was winning an Allowance race at Keeneland over a mile-and-a-half.

However, Gai Waterhouse’s expert eye spotted something in the colt, whose sire Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) commands a fee of 200,000 Euros. Wootton Bassett was a high class racehorse, whose career unfortunately coincided with the same crop as Frankel’s, meaning he was limited to one Gr 1 victory. However, his stud record features 80 stakes performers and from that number 31 of his sons and daughters have won in Group/Graded company, with nine being successful at Gr 1 level. 

Royal Patronage is a Melbourne Cup entry.

He is an excitimg prospect as can be seen from the comments about him after the race.

“We were really confident with what we’d seen from him at home,” Bott said.

“He worked up quite sharply during the week, which was encouraging going into today.

“In fairness, Europeans having their first start in Australia and traditionally showing form over further and also the conditions today, we were just a bit mindful he may find the 1400m a bit too sharp for him.

“But the way the race panned out was excellent. There was good pressure on from the outset. He really put himself in the race from the gates.”

Top jockey Tim Clark said Royal Patronage will only “continue to improve” the deeper he goes into his spring campaign.

“He’s been going well at home, working fantastic, and his trials were good,” Clark said.

“When he was able to bounce and adjust to that 1400m speed so comfortably, I thought he would be hard to beat.

Nestadt has had extraordinary success in Australia recently.

 Last year he had a Gr 1 win as well as multiple other Gr race victories and also a Melbourne Cup tenth place finish.

This year beside Royal Patronage he has three other Melbourne Cup entries, Just Fine, Miliitary Mission and New Endeavour.

The Irish-bred Just Fine (Sea The Stars) won the Gr 1 Metropolitan Handicap over a mile and four furlongs at Randwick last September and was made the ante-post second favourite for the Melbourne Cup, but he was scratched after running flat in his next start as they decided to wait for this year instead. He ran in a Gr 2 over a mile on Saturday at Randwick and was beaten just 1,75 lengths into fifth, so should be peaking at the right time for The Cup.

Military Mission, who ran tenth in last year’s Melbourne Cup, is an Irish-bred by Mastercraftsman. He ran in the same race as Just Fine on Saturday and was beaten 5,75 lengths into ninth.

New Endeavour is also an Irish-bred by New Bay.

He finished second in the Gr 2 Hungerford Stakes over seven furlongs at Newbury last August and in Australia he has had a Gr 3 second and a Gr 1 seccond, both over a mile and two furlongs at Doomben, among other runs.

Nestadt’s Melbourne Cup entries are all trained by Waterhouse and Bott.

Waterhouse has won the Melbourne Cup once, in 2013, but has had 145 Gr 1 wins and has won the Sydney Trainers Premiership seven times.

She has been described as “the first lady of Australian racing” and is in the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame along with her legendary father Tommy J. Smith. 

Graeme Hawkins

Cape Racing stages an 8-race programme at Hollywoodbets Durbanville this afternoon with the main event being a Class 3 Handicap over 1600m. Billed as the sixth event on the card, the race has attracted a small but competitive line-up, and the rejuvenated Holding Thumbs will be looking to round off a hattrick for the Glen Kotzen and Denis Schwarz combination.

The 4yo son of Vercingetorix has won his last two starts over the trip on a soft track in dominant style and has been raised eight points in the handicap after beating Das Gute by more than three lengths 24 days ago. But he takes a steep rise in class here and with the going having firmed up significantly, Holding Thumbs faces a much tougher test this time around.

Preference lies with Future Turn whose last two runner-up berths have been in this division and he should again make a bold bid for top honours. Trained by in-form Justin Snaith, Future Turn is ideally course and distance suited and will be partnered by JP Van Der Merwe. Future Turn has not won for 444 days but that victory drought could come to an end at the country course this afternoon. The gelded son of Futura is certainly deserving of his fifth career victory.

Pas De Nom is interesting. The 5yo son of Rafeef won for trainer Dean Kannemeyer on the Poly track at Hollywoodbets Greyville back in May but Pas De Nom also won his only previous start over the distance at Durbanville and his previous three outings at this circuit have yielded two wins and a second. Now back in the Western Cape and racing at a track he clearly relishes, Pas De Nom is clearly one to respect and must be taken seriously. At around 12/1, he seems over-priced in the ante-post exchanges.

Infrared showed up well in his first start as a gelding two weeks ago and further progress is on the cards. He gives the impression that he would prefer a touch further and his best career effort was when running sixth in the Splashout Cape Derby over 2000m in February. Infrared has always been highly regarded by the Brett Crawford stable and it would come as no surprise if he were to take top honours.

Snaith also saddles Salvator Mundi and Navy Strength, but the riding arrangements would suggest that Future Turn could be the stable elect as Greg Bortz’ retained rider, JP van der Merwe, has opted for the latter. Vaughan Marshall’s pair, Fibonacci and Scalini, complete the 8-horse party and either could surprise on best form. It is not an easy race, but Future Turn gets the nod to score at the expense of Pas De Nom, Holding Thumbs and Infrared.

Richard Fourie drew a rare blank on Saturday, but he could set the record straight by winning the first three races on the card. He looks to have a bright chance on Fencing Captain in the opener, a Maiden Plate over 1000m, and could follow up with the Eric Sands’ trained Mystic Majesty in the second race, an Open Maiden over 1250m. Watch the betting here with regards Honor Of Kings, as the half-brother to Champion Princess Calla won’t need to be too special to make a winning debut.

The nap of the day appears to be I’m So Pritti in the third race, an Open Maiden (F&M) over 1250m. Fourie rides this well-related daughter of Vercingetorix for the Snaith team. She brings solid form into the race and I’m So Pritti will prove a tough nut to crack from a decent draw. But a word of caution as Andre Nel has accepted to run blue-blooded newcomers for Sabine Plattner in each of the first three races and any market support must be respected.

RACE 1

4 FENCING CAPTAIN will be very hard to beat in this race. He was very unlucky last time when finishing second behind Dawn Till Dusk, he is getting better and stronger with more racing and this looks to be a great opportunity for him to exit maiden company. 1 GALACTUS will be having his first run in the Western Cape at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, he gets a good draw in what looks to be a race that is lacking strong form, watch him closely, he could easily improve. 2 PEREGRINE FALCON comes back to the races from a long break, he is clearly much better than his last run, if he doesn’t need the run badly, he could certainly be right there in the finish. 8 SEEKING THE LIFE will need luck from a tricky draw, he might be able to run a place at best. (Brandon Bailey: 4 – 1 – 2 – 8)

RACE 2

6 MYSTIC MAJESTY ran a decent race from a wide draw in testing conditions last time. He gets champion jockey Richard Fourie in the saddle from a decent draw, he should go very close to winning this race. 8 TWENTYTWENTYVISION is much better than his last run over 1600m, he drops right back in trip now which should help him improve tremendously, watch him closely. 10 UNSUNG HERO will need to put his last run behind him to have a small chance in this race, the blinkers have been fitted for the first time, hopefully that will help him improve. 3 KING OF THE SEAS drops in trip, and he gets a good draw, on his best form he would have a quartet chance at a big price. Watch the first timers closely. (Brandon Bailey: 6 – 8 – 10 – 3)

RACE 3

3 I’M SO PRITTI looks to be the best bet on the card. She gets a perfect draw in a race that is lacking strong form, her recent run behind Scarlet Macaw was very good when finishing second, she will take a power of beating here. 8 BRIGHT GOLD will need some luck in the race from a tricky draw, she is still improving, if the race works out for her, she will have a good place chance. 1 WARBIRD is a lovely looking filly that was very green on debut when well beaten, she gets a good draw in this Open Maiden, with natural improvement and further, she could sneak into the places at a decent price. 5 COLD BREEZE comes back to the races from a small break, she is much better than her form suggests, if she doesn’t need the run badly, she will have a quartet chance. (Brandon Bailey: 3 – 8 – 1 – 5)

RACE 4

6 CHAMPAGNE KISSES looks to be a decent filly in the making, she was beaten by the draw last time, from a decent draw in this race and stepping up in trip, she will go very close to winning. 4 TUSCAN ROMANCE has done everything right in her career, she has run two lovely races up the straight at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, now that she steps up in trip from a good draw, she will be a huge danger to Champagne Kisses. 5 GOLDEN ANGEL ran a super race on debut when finishing third at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, with natural improvement and the step up in trip, she must have a good each way chance in a strong race. 2 PLAYFUL JOULES never got into the race last time, the yard think highly of this filly, if she can put that last run behind her, she could sneak into the places. (Brandon Bailey: 6 – 4 – 5 – 2)

RACE 5

8 SPIRIT’S UNITE has really been so consistent through his entire career, he moved up like a winner in his last start when running second behind Cloud Chaser, he will need everything to go right for him from a tricky draw, if the race works out, he will have a solid winning chance. 5 GOLD INDEX had no luck in his last start from a terrible draw, ignore that run completely, he can easily bounce back to his best form in this race. 3 CHAMPAGNE MAC has been disappointing since winning his maiden back in December 2023, he ran a much better race last time, if he can build on that performance, he would have a nice place chance at a decent price. 6 AUGUSTA BLUE races off a very competitive rating, include him into all your bets. (Brandon Bailey: 8 – 5 – 3 – 6)

RACE 6

5 INFRARED ran a cracking race last time behind stable companion Allez Moris. He would have needed that run badly coming back from a lengthy rest, there is no doubt he will improve nicely from that run, he should go very close to winning. 8 HOLDING THUMBS won a cracking race last time, the yard think highly of this gelding, he has matured into a lovely horse and must have a huge winning chance again. 7 FUTURE TURN has become very consistent of late, he was mighty unlucky in his last start when finishing second, from a tricky draw and with some luck in running, he will be on the premises again. 3 SALVATOR MUNDI drops further in trip from his last start, on his best form off this rating he could be the surprise package. (Brandon Bailey: 5 – 8 – 7 – 3)

RACE 7

2 MARITZBURG MEMORY must have a huge winning chance from a great draw. She did not travel one bit in her last start in testing conditions behind Artiste, she has a lovely action and provided the conditions remain on the good side, she will be right there in the finish. 1 GRANDIOSA comes back to the races from a small break, she drops in trip for this Class 4 event, if she doesn’t need the run badly, she could be finishing fast, watch her closely late. 3 POLYNOMIAL is highly rated by the stable, she ran a terrific race last time in a competitive event, from a good draw, she will get the run of the race and must be included into all bet types. 7 ELIZABETH GRACE looks highly progressive, she won her maiden exceptionally well, with some luck in running and further improvement, she could be dangerous. (Brandon Bailey: 2 – 1 – 3 – 7)

RACE 8

5 BENEATH THE MOON got away from the field at the right time in her last start to win a good race. She likes to race up on speed, from a decent draw in a weak looking contest, she must have a good winning chance again. 3 HANG OUT THE STARS had to work hard from a bad draw in her last start, she now drops in trip and gets a decent draw, include her into all your bets. 2 JET GREEN is getting closer and closer, there should be no excuses for her from a good draw, she must have a good each way chance. 7 TRUE HORIZON ran a much better race last time, she would require a career best run to trouble them in the finish, perhaps she can build on that last performance and sneak into the quartets. (Brandon Bailey: 5 – 3 – 2 – 7)

PLEASE NOTE!

Soccer 6 SPORT 4 POOL 1 – 11 SEPTEMBER 2024

Match 6 (M6): QUILMES AC vs SPORT ITALIANO. INCORRECT MATCH DISPLAYED

All results (the field) will qualify for the above match.

In terms of TAB rules, all choices (the field) will apply in determining results and payouts.

David Thiselton

Trainer Graham Motion was impressed by his charge Isivunguvungu’s winning debut at Colonial Downs on Saturday and foresees a good international future for the Narrow Creed Stud-bred six-year-od gelding by What A Winter and also for other South African international campaigners.

He said, ““I can’t say enough about what a good effort this was today. He spent two months in quarantine at the beginning of the year. He is a very special horse. He has a big following in South Africa and I am so happy for those guys. Super happy for the Hollywood Syndicate. Manny gave him a great ride. He’s a lovely horse.”

Motion added, “They’ve just lifted some of those [quarantine] restrictions [on South African horses]. I think we are going to see a lot more [of them], especially after the performance of this horse. South African horses by nature are very tough.”

The Breeders’ Cup is the end-goal for Isivunguvungu, but the conditioner admits he and the owners still need to plan what the route there will look like. “We have to decide if we are going to run him again; we have to decide if he is going to be able to get in the Breeders’ Cup, which is what we’d really like to do. There’s a fine line now with this guy. I think he’s done enough fitness wise to get there without another race, so we’ll just decide.”

South African racing fans were able to watch Saturday’s race live as the big horse’s owners Hollywood Syndicate secured the TV rights for Gallop TV and Isivunguvungu’s victory received rapturous late night accolades on social media platforms.

He looked to be slightly slowly away under Manual Franco in the $150,000 Black Type Da Hoss Stakes over five furlongs and 110 yards on turf at Colonial Downs and took a couple of bumps too.

However, he used his familiar early pace to secure the rail behind the two leaders and looked as monstrous as ever as he stalked the pace.

Franco pounced into the gap that opened on the rail as they turned for home and Isivunguvungu accelerated into the lead.

It looked race over half way down the straight as he opened up a two or three length lead.

However, his lack of a race for eight months then began to tell as he started tiring, while Nothing Better began bearing down on him.

Isivunguvungu showed his courage by finding enough to keep the fast closing horse at bay to win by a neck.

There was 1,5 lengths back to the third horse Maya Prince.

Isivunguvungu was receiving four pounds from the runner up.

However, it was a fine performance coming off a layoff and it earned his connections a cool $90,000 (R1,606,500).

He should come on well for the run.

His ultimate target is the Prevagen $1million Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint over 1000m on Saturday 2 November.