Drakenstein-based stallion Trippi will be crowned National Champion Sire after holding on to his lead on the final day of the season on Sunday, despite Silvano’s son Marinaresco winning a R1 million race and causing a few anxious moments for the former’s connections.

Trippi entered Sunday’s eLan Property Group Gold Cup meeting about R800,000 ahead of former national champion sire Silvano.

The gap closed slightly when the Alec Laird-trained Silvano filly Arissa earned R60,000 for finishing runner up in the Gr 2 R300,000 Debutante Stakes.

However, two races later the Duncan Howells-trained Trippi filly Dawn Calling earned R120,000 for runner spot in the Gr 1 R600,000 Thekwini Stakes.

Silvano had two chances in the Gr 2 R1,25 million eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m, but Balance Sheet finished just out of the money in 6^th and Zafira was eighth.

However, the Mike Bass-trained Marinaresco gave the Maine Chance Farms-owned Stallion Silvano a sniff of a second title when earning R625,000 for his brilliant win in the Gr 1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup. Trippi’s son Baritone earned R25,000 for fifth in the same race.

The next race was the Gr 2 R400,000 Gold Bracelet, where first prize was R250,000, and the Bass-trained Silvano filly Nightingale made a bold bid but could not catch the runaway winner Flying Ice. Trippi was now assured of the title.

The USA-bred stallion by End Sweep remains the most expensive thoroughbred ever imported to South Africa.

Cape Town-based stallion manager John Freeman has said a stallion of the quality of Trippi would never have been landed had it not been for the financial crisis in the USA.

As a three-year-old Trippi won the Gr 1 Vosburgh Stakes over seven furlongs at Belmont Park as well as two Gr 2s over the same course and distance. He won seven races in his career, five of them major stakes races.

In 2005 he finished eighth on the North American first-crop sires list. The following season he was third on the North American second-crop sires list and in 2007 was third on the third-crop list.

In 2008, the year he landed in South Africa, he finished 41^st on the general North American Sires list and the following year improved to 34^th and then 20^th in 2010. He finished 23^rd in 2011.

Freeman said Trippi’s progeny had initially been viewed out here as “forward” types and he consequently broke the South African record for having the highest number of two-year-old stakes winners with his first crop.

Freeman said, “That was initially his undoing, but trainers now understand not to rush them and give them the time they deserve and the rewards are coming.”

Trippi has produced four Gr 1 winners in South Africa, including five-time Gr 1 winner Inara, and he also produced the winner of the most expensive race ever run in South Africa, the CTS Million Dollar, won by his son Illuminator. A filly from his last USA crop won a Gr 1 in 2010, while a filly from his previous USA crop, Jealous Again, won the Gr 2 Queen Mary Stakes over five furlongs at the Royal Ascot meeting from pillar to post by an impressive five lengths.

David Thiselton

Mike de Kock retained the eLan Gold Cup trophy at Greyville yesterday and this year it was with the Australian-bred High Chaparal gelding Enaad, who provided S’Manga Khumalo with his first win in the country’s premier staying event.

However, the show was stolen in the next race, the Gr 1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup, by the magnificent three-year-old Silvano gelding Marinaresco, who was brought home by Grant Van Niekerk. Marinaresco’s win gave legendary trainer Mike Bass, after whom the race was named, a perfect end to his official training career as he now hands over the reins to his daughter Candice Robinson.

Newly crowned national champion jockey Khumalo rode a confident race in the Gold Cup in testing ground on a horse who was presented in superb condition.

From his good draw of three, Khumalo sat in the back three down the back straight. He made up ground continually under the hands on the outside as they neared the straight. Khumalo revealed later his charge still had plenty of running in him and he soon hit the front on the standside. The Bass-trained Helderberg Blue relished the step up in trip and charged at Enaad, but it was too late as the latter still had plenty in the tank and won by 1,25 lengths.

Enaad’s stablemate Kinaan was third, despite being officially 4,5kg under sufferance, Ovidio was next best and Master Sabina repeated his fifth place finish of two years ago.

It was De Kock’s fourth Gold Cup victory. Enaad is owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s Al Adiyaat South Africa (Pty) Ltd and was also bred by him.

In the Champions Cup over 1800m Marinaresco looked to be in trouble when a gap closed on him on the outside, after being brought from well off the pace. He had to be snatched up and it was testimony to his class that he was still able to pick up again and rocket through to win by 1,25 lengths from Judicial with No Worries, Saratoga Dancer and Baritone next best. Marinaresco fittingly raced in the colours Marsh Shirliff, the Bass ýard’s most prominent owner in recent times. Shirtliff owns Mauritzfontein Stud-bred Marinaresco in partnership with Bass himself as well as F Green and Bryn Ressell.

Mike and Carol spoke of being humbled to have had the race named after them and Shirtliff paid tribute to them and their highly professional staff.

Earlier, Mike Azzie had gone one better than last year in the Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m courtesy of Querari Falcon, who was given a patient ride by Anthony Delpech. Querari Falcon gave Maine Chance Farms’ sire Querari his first Gr 1 winner. Delpech, jumping from a tricky draw of eight, was content to sit about five lengths off the lead where he was covered up and beautifully relaxed. The long-striding horse found plenty in the straight to win by a length from the favourite Dawn Calling , who had been handy from the off. Sail was a neck back in third from Safe Harbour and Fortissimus. Querari Falcon was bred by the late BH Botha, Arne J Botha and ME Botha and is owned by Adriaan and Rika van Vuuren.

In the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes the stallion Gimmethegreenlight landed his first Gr 1 victory with the Paul Gadsby-trained gelding Gunner, who was given a fine ride by Brandon Lerena. It was former jockey Gadsby’s first Gr 1 winner as a trainer since San Carlos won the Star Sprint in 1991. Lerena from a tricky draw of seven was in the last three in the running together with the hot favourite Zodiac Ruler. Gunner had been caught wide in the Gr 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m last time out when beaten 1,75 lengths by Zodiac Ruler. This time, with cover throughout, he moved through smoothly and was able to fight off Zodiac Ruler to win by 0,5 lengths. Misty Birnam also came from well back in the testing conditions for third, just pipping Africa Rising with Lotus Elan fifth.

Duncan Howells won the first race and made it a double on the card when the Avontuur-bred Var filly A Womens Way ran on well to win the Gr 2 Debutante over 1200m on the turf under Ian Sturgeon, just getting up to deny Arissa. La Revere pipped the favourite, The Merry Widow, who was giving 4kg to the field, for third.

Dennis Drier landed the Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m with the big Varsfontein Stud-bred Gimmethegreenlight colt Hack Green,(pictured)  who jumped from a draw of seven and hacked up by three lengths, under a confident ride from Sean Veale, running on strongly from behind. The previously unbeaten Wrecking Ball was second and Hack Green’s stablemate Rocky Valley clinched third ahead of the fading favourite Seattle Singer. This was Gimmethegreenlight’s first stakes winner.

Neil Bruss once again showed his class as a trainer when Flying Ice won the Gr 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m under a fine ride by Anthony Delpech. The race was switched to the polytrack after a jockey’s protest. The Lammerskraal-bred Go Deputy four-year-old filly loved her first outing on this surface, bursting through from a handy position to beat a running on Nightingale by 2,75 lengths with the Bruss-trained Deputy Ryder third. The hot favourite Olma over-raced and faded tamely in the straight. Flying Ice is owned by M Paterson. Bruss now departs for another stint training in Saudi Arabia.

Trainer Garth Puller dedicated the win of Ashaawes gelding Asstar in the Listed Umgeni Handicap over 1000m on the poly to his recently late nephew and talented jockey Christoper Puller. Asstar was ridden by Alec Forbes.

David Thiselton

The jockeys wore black armbands and flags were flown at half-mast at Kenilworth on Saturday as a mark of respect to Chris Puller who was found dead on Thursday. He was 31 and steeped in racing.

His father Glen was a jockey before turning to training and his uncle Garth, also now a trainer, was one of the best jockeys of his generation. Richard Fourie is married to Chris’s sister.

Puller’s big race successes included the 2007 Diana Stakes on 20-1 shot Joshlin and two Chairman’s Cups for Mike Bass – Meteor Shower in 2009 and Golden Parachute two years later.

In recent seasons he was repeatedly forced to cry off riding arrangements, complaining of the after-effects of old injuries, and he had just 80 rides (including seven winners) last season. His death came as a shock, as well as a devastating blow, to his weighing room colleagues.

Aldo Domeyer said: “It’s very sad. We grew up together and we were at the Academy at the same time. He was one guy who had real natural talent and he used to make bad horses look good.

“He always seemed happy and he was the one who uplifted others when they were down or going through a bad patch. I don’t know what demons he had but maybe we should have been more there for him. His death is a sad loss.”
Craig du Plooy added: “It’s tragic. He sat alongside me in the jockeys’ room for 15 years. He was a fun, jokey sort of guy, always revving us up in a nice way.”

Grant van Niekerk said: “I didn’t expect this. He was a bubbly person, always happy and cheerful, and I can only imagine what the family must be going through.”

Puller had a good association with a number of Cape Town trainers including Greg Ennion for whom he won the 2006 Sophomore on Bulldozer and the Milnerton trainer said: “Chris was an unusually talented rider and very good at judging a horse in its work. Indeed he was as good a judge as Garth and that is saying something.

“I was waiting for him to rehabilitate himself and ride for me again. He rang to say he was coming to talk to me – but he never arrived.”
Michael Clower

A resurgent Andrew Fortune is reported to be determined to go all out to win the championship he previously landed eight seasons ago – even though he parried questions on this at Kenilworth on Saturday with typical joking quick-fire repartee.

“I’m coloured and when they start paying coloureds more than R200 000 a month for working hard I will have a go,” he insisted after winning the last on Waning Crescent  for the globe-trotting Neil Bruss who shortly returns to Saudi Arabia.

Fortune also told Tellytrack’s Stan Elley: “I’ve had a phenomenal season for a man who was sitting on a couch a year ago. I’ve ridden 196 winners including Zimbabwe, I’m a bit fitter and a bit lighter these days and if I was a trainer I would probably pick myself!”

Beach Goddess may well have earned herself another season in training after just holding the strong-finishing Come Fly With Me to give Brett Crawford his first Champagne Stakes success.

Crawford said: “She fractured her shin last year and they weren’t sure she was going to race again but she is a very honest filly and she has been a model of consistency.

“I will discuss it with Ian Longmore but there is a possibility that she would be worth keeping in training. On her pedigree she will get further than this.”

The race was a triumph for Corne Orffer who improvised to brilliant effect when he found the door closing, as he explained: “I was always going well but I pulled the trigger slightly early because the gap was closing and Victoria Lavelle was falling back on me. Then the runner-up was coming at me but mine kept going.”

Piet Steyn’s stable tends to make its presence felt when the ground turns soft and, sure enough, he defied the testing conditions to land a double with Mr Lover Boy and Waiting For Rain (Orffer).

He said: “When I started training I had one of the biggest strings in Cape Town but these days I have just 24 horses and when you have a small stable you need to have them as fit as you can to take advantage.“

Aldo Domeyer, who rode Mr Lover Boy, also scored on the Mike Bass pair Scandola and Rocket Master, and said: “It’s an honour to win for Mr Bass on his last Cape Town day as a trainer.”

Domeyer was suspended for seven days for interference on Ashton Park in the Pinnacle and Orffer was given the same penalty for a similar offence on Navasha in the last. His ban starts on Wednesday.

Heavelon van der Hoven’s claim has been reduced to 1.5kg as his win on the Mike Robinson-trained Illdrinktothat was his 40^th and he promptly followed up on all-the-way scorer Auditorium for Glen Puller.

Last year’s Langerman winner Ready To Attack, ante-post favourite for the Pinnacle, was scratched as he has been sold to Mauritius where he will race for Ram Gujadhur.

Michael Clower

Marinaresco overcame a wide draw and a troubled passage to land the Gr1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup at Greyville yesterday. It was a fitting send off for Bass to sign off on a race named in his honour as he retired after yesterday’s race meeting.

There were a few anxious moments for the supporters of the 11-10 favourite as he became the meat in the sandwich at around the 400m mark. However, there was no stopping the diminutive son of champion stallion Silvano as he powered through the tight gap, going on to win comfortably from Judicial, No Worries and Saratoga Dancer.

The early fractions were more suited to a funeral procession than a horserace and it allowed Grant van Niekerk to track wide on the home turn without much effort. Approaching the final two furlongs it was a cavalry charge and there were a number of hard luck stories, most notably Saratoga Dancer who only found daylight when the race was over.

Van Niekerk was lavish in his praise for Bass who recognised a precocious talent and plucked the young jockey out of obscurity, and also for his mount Marinaresco. “You always get nervous before a big race but when you sit on him he does it all for you.”

S’Manga Khumalo, Champion Jockey elect, rounded off a memorable season with a perfectly timed run aboard the Australian-bred Enaad (5-1) to give Mike de Kock back-to-back wins in the Gr2 eLan Gold Cup. He was chased home by Helderberg Blue and Kinaan with Ovidio filling fourth place.

Tucked in towards the back of the field for most of the race as stable companion Kingston Mines set the gallop, Khumalo gradually moved Enaad into contention up the hill and was within striking distance of the lead as the field came off the false rail at the top of the straight.

Along with stable companion Kinaan the pair hit the front with Enaad staying on the better. Helderberg Blue hit a flat spot in the straight but then picked it up smartly and finished strongly for second.

“This was one of my goals,” said Khumalo, already a winner of the Vodacom Durban July aboard Heavy Metal in 2013, “and I’m glad to have achieved it.”

“This horse had so much running in him. At the 800m mark I thought to myself that my horse was full of running and I didn’t want to break his stride.”

However, it is anxious times for Khumalo who faces charges of injudicious riding in a race in Port Elizabeth last month.

De Kock said, “He was a horse that was progressing nicely and he had to win the Gold Vase to get in the race. When he won the Vase I was a bit concerned because they don’t often do the double.”

“I wasn’t worried about the penalty because he was so low in the weights I didn’t think it would make any difference.”

“There is still more to come. I don’t think he’s reached his handicap mark as yet,” concluded the trainer.

Querari Falcon and Gunner gave the Equus Award judges a double headache when rounding off the season with victories in the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes and the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes respectively. Judging for the awards took place immediately after the running of the Gr1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup.

With two-year-old Gr1’s at a premium, all have produced different results. Dawn Calling was in warm order for the Thekwini Stakes but after battling her way through traffic she was unable to match the finishing burst of Querari Falcon and Anthony Delpech who finished with a wet sail on the favourite’s outside.

It was also a red letter day for Champion freshman sire Gimmethegreenlight who rounded off his first season at stud with a Gr2 winner in Umkhomazi Stakes victor Hack Green and two races later Gunner caused a 25-1 upset in the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes for Paul Gadsby with Brandon Lerena aboard.

Ashburton-based Gadsby said he had bought Gunner at the CTS January sale. “I liked the Gimmethegreenlights and this is the one I wanted. Hassen (Adams) was kind enough to let me leave him on the farm for two months. It took me ages to put him together and Hassen kept a quarter. I have a few more Gimmethegreenlights back home so hopefully I’m in the right camp.”

Andrew Harrison