Jockey Karl Zechner had a fine day too, not only driving Judicial to victory, but also winning the Listed Gardenia Handicap over 1000m with the Lucky Houdalakis-trained three-year-old Trippi filly Ha Lucy, who was bred by Wilgerbosdrift Stud and is owned by Heinrich Rix’s Stone Hill Stud.

The going was soft on the day, but Zackey didn’t believe this had anything to do with his respective charges’ wins and said, “The horses were nice and fit, if you have an unfit horse in those conditions you’ve got problems. This is the second time we have won the Victory Moon with a fresh horse (Smanjemanje returned from a five month layoff go win the race in 2011). It can be done if the owners give you the time to plan the race. If owners are always on top of you like a woodpecker it can unsettle your mind. I got permission from the stipes to scratch Judicial recently from a Tuesday meeting. On the other hand I thought he might not get into this race, so was relieved when he did, and it was a plan come together.”

Judicial has always been well regarded by Zackey and his three-year-old year was interrupted by a legal dispute revolving around his gelding, meaning he didn’t run after the Dingaans at the end of November last year until April this year.

The Scott Brothers-bred Miesque’s Approval gelding had always experienced a problem with one of his testicles rising during a gallop and causing pain.

Zackey said, “That’s why he never used to get into the race early and then would finish like an express train.”

Judicial won his last two starts of last season and was then given a break as well as his vaccinations at the height of winter, a time in which Zackey doesn’t like to run his “better horses” due to the prevailing hard going.

Zackey said about the riding arrangements on Saturday, “Karl has been a regular riding work for me in the last six months. Whenever I ask him he is there. I felt I would have to give him some rides, so I put him on Augustinus and he won. I kept him aboard Augustinus and he won again. In the five rides I’ve given him he’s won three, so has been lucky for us.”

Zackey gives a lot of support to his nephew Craig, a promising apprentice. He said, “He has got potential, he just needs experience, and I nearly gave him the ride on Saturday but thought it would be better to hold back a bit from the big races. Karl won the Victory Moon two years ago on the Saeed Mohideen-trained Zambuca and has got a good big race temperament.”

Zackey’s son in law and daughter Kevin and Nadine Backos had a share in the late great racehorse and stallion Victory Moon, so were thrilled to have won the race named after him for the second time.

Judicial, who has also improved since blinkers were applied, had only about three contestants behind him on Saturday after Zechner had expertly eased him in behind horses from a wide draw of ten. He cut through the pack impressively in the straight to hit the front at the 250m mark before staying on resolutely to repel the challenge of Earl Of Derby.

He will be an interesting Sansui Summer Cup runner, although his chances might also depend on the handicapper. He ran off a 96 merit rating and although only winning by 0,75 lengths, there was a further 5,75 lengths back to the third horse.

Earlier the impressive 5,5 lengths victory of the three-year-old Mogok colt Front Rank, who was also bred by Scott Brothers, prompted jockey Piere Strydom to get off and say to Zackey, “Where have you been hiding this horse?!”

He had just pulverised the highly regarded sorts Mutamakkin and Sun On Africa, despite having kicked a tree earlier in the day and then lost a quarter of his shoe during the race.

Zackey said, “There are not many three-year-olds that have won over a mile yet and I just hope he now gets into the Dingaans. This was the first time he had got a draw and he is also drawn three in the Dingaans, so we’re excited. The Dingaans is a race that gives you a good idea of where a horse stands.”

Zackey has always rated Front Rank. He said, “We ran him in the KZN Yearling Sale Million and Grant van Niekerk said he had given him a really good feel, but was just green in front of the big crowd and under the lights. He is a different horse now and will be better the further he goes and the older he gets. The feel he gives you at the races reminds me a lot of two of the better horses I’ve trained Galanthus and Warrior Man.”

Both Judicial and Front Rank pulled up well and Zackey said, “All we need now is some luck in the Summer Cup and Dingaans.”

Zackey, who is highly complementary about Turffontein as a training centre, only has 19 horses at present and concluded, “It is really nice to know we have some good horses to look forward to.”

Picture: Judicial winning the Victory Moon Stakes (JC Photos)

At Greyville’s Friday night meeting, which was jampacked with enthusiastic racegoers, Brandon Lerena rode a treble and trainers Michael Roberts and Craig Eudey both had doubles.

Turffontein provided yesterday’s highlight where the first leg of the Jockey’s International was staged together with two features. Anthony Delpech rode a double for South Africa and Richard Fourie also scored a winner for his country.

The International team’s Andreas Helfenbein of Germany won the first challenge race of the day. The score going into today’s second leg at Kenilworth is South Africa 255 Internationals 152.

Trainer Tyrone Zackey had a fine day at the meeting, sending out the Scott Brothers-bred Miesque’s Approval gelding Judicial to win the Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m under Karl Zechner, having earlier watched his Scotts Brothers-bred Mogok colt Front Rank relishing the soft conditions and easily beating a classy field in a three-year-old handicap over 1600m under Piere Strydom.

The Listed Gardenia Handicap over 1000m was won easily by the Lucky Houdalakis-trained Wilgersbosdrift Stud three-year-old Trippi filly Ha Lucy, kicking off a memorable double for Zechner.

Picture: Cherry Tripper and Alec Forbes winning at Greyville yesterday (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the first tonight over 1200m the promising Varbration will be all the rage, but Bellicosity looks useful and with a 4kg advantage over the former is not going to be easy to catch, so is preferred.

Google Me has been knocking on the door over 1200m and Brandon Lerena retains the ride so she gets the verdict in the second from a good draw over Elusive Lady and You’re The Tops.

Dennis Drier has a trio of runners in the third over 1200m and stable jockey Sean Cornack is aboard the Count Dubois first-timer Count Your Words, who jumps from pole position. However, stablemate Slewsgate, who returns from a 220 day layoff, made a fair debut behind a useful type and is tipped to beat the former with Fantasy Art next best.

Ivanovich has some fair form over further so is interesting with blinkers on in the fourth over 1200m, and is fancied to beat the Dynasty first-timer Supreme Dynasty with Nights On Broadway, who is always thereabouts, next best.

The fifth is a competitive  handicap, but Petite Master has often caught the eye at Greyville, whether on poly or turf, and should be cherry-ripe over an ideal 1600m trip. He runs on well so his wide draw shouldn’t be too much of a disadvantage. Peter Piper has decent poly form and as a handy type his good draw gives him a fine chance over a suitable trip. Seventh Virtue stayed on resolutely over 1200m last time so is interesting over this trip with an in form 2,5kg claimer aboard, although it will be tough for a young filly against males.

Oi Yoi Yoi impressed in her maiden win and over the same 1400m course and distance of the sixth and she can follow up for an in form yard. Umoyana made a good poly debut over course and distance and is ideally drawn. However Brandon Lerena appears to have jumped off in favour of Alina, whom he has won on over course and distance before, so she must be included. Throne must be included too having run a fine race over course and distance last time and Cape Vesta can’t be ignored having run very well when stepped up to this trip for the first time.

Mr Royal is in fine form and strikes as being better than his merit rating of 61 so should win the seventh over a suitable 1900m with a 2,5kg apprentice up from a good draw. Sparkling Wood will likely strip fitter than last time so will be a big threat and Born To Rule is not far behind Mr Royal on formlines.

Royal Colours (pictured) could make it seven in a row in the eighth over a suitable 1900m as he always seems to win cosily but Warcraft will be a tough nut to crack with his light weight having cruised in on his poly debut over 2000m.

Temple Rock made a good poly debut over 2000m and could win the last from The Kings Hand and Danish Wood.

On Sunday The Poet in the first and the impressive Gemini Gold in the second could get punters off to a good start.

Gemini Gold is by Overlord whose progeny appear to love the poly and another of the latter’s pogeny, Burrwood, could make it a hat-trick of wins in the sixth as the merit rating raise he was given for his last win has been more than compensated for by the 2,5kg claim of an in form apprentice.

Resolution has fine poly form and Charles Laird always has them fit when return from layoffs so she makes appeal in the seventh and Royalsecuritybaby beat a decent sort last time so can follow up in the last race.

Picture: Royal Colours (Nkosi Hlophe)

Morgan Dean Smith – CTS ambassador

The Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes presented by CTS will be run over 1400m at Kenilworth on November 22 where a quality field of 16 runners will contest the R2 million race over 1400m. The winning connections will earn R1 million with prize money being paid out all the way to tenth place.

Sponsor Lanzerac Hotel and Spa’s newly opened Cellar Hall, served as the venue for a five star luncheon on Thursday, followed by the barrier draw where the new CTS ambassador, Morgan Deane Smith, wife of former Proteas captain Graeme Smith, ably assisted the connections in the draw for barrier positions.

Joey Ramsden, trainer of last year’s runner-up Red Ray, is out to revenge his defeat with Red Ray’s half-brother, the Western Winter colt, Brutal Force. However, the draw did not go in his favour and jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe will have to box cleverly from gate twelve.  Amanda Carey drew pole position for the unbeaten Sean Tarry-trained Zambezi River for owners Chris van Niekerk and Markus Jooste.

Less lucky in the draw was the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Var colt, Varlo. Owner Lars Kelp was on hand but drew 18, on the extreme outside. Champion Trainer Justin Snaith had to be content with a mix bag for his three runners, with Sunset Tripp fairing best as Jonathan Snaith drew barrier five for the Greg Bortz owned Trippi colt. Sean Cormack and Cat and The Moon will jump midfield from barrier nine, while Snaith’s third runner, Harvard Crimson will occupy gate thirteen.
(Pictures: Liesl King)

Final field

THE team at Avontuur Estate were ecstatic last week when SA champion sprinter Val De Ra  arrived home safely with her super Frankel foal in tow, from the Quarantine Facility at Drakenstein where she spent the last month. Mom and little ‘Miss Frankel’ are now settling in happily with other mares and foals in the paddocks at this Helderberg Stud Farm.

With her maternal instincts proven beyond doubt after giving birth in the UK in 2013 to a strong filly by another of the world’s top sires, Oasis Dream, and after being covered by Frankel she took on the long trip home to SA with her first foal at foot earlier this year.

“She is looking well and the filly is a real character.  We had a fantastic visit by Val de Ra’s trainer during her racing days, Dennis Drier, and his wife Gill earlier this week and we all agreed that this foal has that something special,” says Avontuur GM Pippa Mickleburgh.  “Val de Ra was recently covered by Oratorio and we are now waiting to see if she is with foal again, but in the meantime she’s enjoying a well-deserved routine and is getting lots of pampering by all of us.”

Val de Ra (Var x Minelli) had a blazing career in South Africa and was crowned the Equus Champion Sprinter for the 2010-11 season with her greatest moment arguably when she beat What A Winter in the 2012 Cape Flying Championship.

Released for Avontuur Estate by Cobie van Oort

Caption: Val de Ra and Miss Frankel are enjoying their time together, as they settle in at Avontuur. (Picture: Liesl King)