The profitability issues of staging Western Cape racing is again in the spotlight after racing operator Phumelela issued a warning to local owners and trainers that unless field sizes were boosted up to 12 horses and above per race, stakes might be reduced or meetings shelved.

The topic of field sizes evokes a divergence of views. Stats in the Western Cape bear out the virtually universal trend that horses are being run less often and field sizes have come down. Nine is the average field size at Durbanville, with around 10 runners going to post in each race at Kenilworth.

Heavily invested owner Marsh Shirtliff is adamant his horses must run as often as possible and field numbers must increase. He downplays the supposed impact of dodgy draws, a common reason for horses not taking up engagements, and is instead advocating fuller participation to promote a well-supported, sustainable local racing scene.

But, more typically, owners or trainers are reluctant to race horses from bad draws. No owner likes to see their horses fare badly, and draws can be tough to overcome, even if not the insurmountable problem they are sometimes made out to be. Critics may also cite the awkward camber that can see runners at Durbanville become unbalanced. The threat of their valuable bloodstock sustaining a career threatening injury may prompt cautious connections to keep them tucked away safely in the stables.

Mooted improvements to the racing surface at the country course would make a significant difference, meanwhile when racing reverts back to the flatter, sweeping expanses of Kenilworth next month, field sizes ought to bump up.

The racing programme, which currently comprises 84 meetings and 694 races across the season in the Western Cape, is also a continual source of debate. Racing secretaries find that it’s virtually impossible to keep everybody happy. Depending on the shifting composition of their strings, trainers may want more top-level handicaps or lower grade contests, races for stayers not sprinters, or set weight affairs races rather than merit rated handicaps.

For example, Candice Robinson, who is skillfully managing the Mike Bass stable, counts Shirtliff among their most prominent patrons and would love to oblige by running horses more regularly. However, she is currently frustrated by the lack of viable opportunities for their many above- average horses, who are caught out by being just not quite good enough for feature races.

While field sizes are an issue, at the heart of the controversy is the need to boost betting revenues which makes the wheels of this racing game go round. The Western Cape, where close to 1500 individual runners compete each season, is one of the lowest per runner contributors when assessed against betting turnovers. This, despite being home to quality thoroughbreds, outstanding horsemen, a proud tradition of historic stakes races and a sterling breeding industry.

Western Cape racing has much in its favour, and resilient industry players who have risen to multiple challenges over the years are again committed to sorting things out. Recent meetings suggest that, be it dealing creatively with the draw issue, administrators imaginatively tweaking the racing programme or genuine improvements being made to course conditions, a collaborative solution with the operators will be found.

– Mark van Deventer for TAB News

The R1 million Supreme Cup sponsored by SAP will not become defunct due to the discontinuation of the Vaal Sand, but instead will be raced on turf, although the venue is still the subject of discussions.

Clyde Basel, who officially became Phumelela’s Racing Executive on October 1 while still retaining his position as Executive in charge of hospitality and events, said the Vaal Triangle was an “untapped” racing area and the validity of staging the Supreme Cup at The Vaal racecourse had already been proven. This year’s event, held September 26 and sponsored by the enterprise software giant SAP, was said by some to be the best ever.

The Vaal looks likely therefore to be the favourite to retain the Supreme Cup meeting.

The Vaal Sand will be replaced by a turf track. It was a sad day for many to see the end of the Vaal sand, because the surface clearly offered a lifeline to many horses who were going nowhere on the turf.

However, a R1 million turf race over 1450m on the last weekend of September could well offer an exciting springboard for big horses being targeted at such races as the Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile and the Gr 1 SANSUI Summer Cup.

Also under discussion at Phumelela will be the building of a polytrack. Basel said the merit of such a surface had already been proven at Fairview, whose polytrack had to date saved 15 racemeeting since being opened in October 2013.

By David Thiselton

The promising Alistair Gordon-trained three-year-old Dupont gelding Bunker Bill is being targeted at the Gr 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein on October 31 and will certainly not be lacking support as there are a crowd of a passionate racing folk involved in the ownership syndicate behind him.

Gordon said the strikingly handsome bay’s participation in the Graham Beck would depend on the draw he lands and an alternative target would be the Listed KZN Guineas Trial over 1600m on the Greyville Turf on November 8.

He added, “He came out of his last run really well and I think he is looking for the extra distance.”

Bunker Bill was having only his third career start in that last race over 1200m at Scottsville and finished just 2,75 lengths behind the Gr 1-winner Guiness, who is an out and out sprinter. Furthermore, he was receiving only 4,5kg from Guiness, which meant he was 2kg worse off than weight for age, so it was an outstanding performance. He also had the promising newcomer Executive Power beaten by two lengths.

Further evidence of Bunker Bill’s potential is contained in his maiden victory over 1200m at Scottsville, which he won in commanding style by eight lengths on July 15 in his second career start. This race has provided one of the strongest maiden formlines of the season in KZN as the runner up African Ruler is unbeaten in two starts since, third-placed Land Of Legends has won his only start since, and fourth-placed Apollo’s Gift has won and been placed second respectively in his only two starts since.

Bunker Bill looks likely to provide fun for a group of owners who deserve a good horse as they are avid supporters of the sport.

He also has a heart-warming story behind him.

The cousins and close friends Bruce Armstrong and Peter “Pumpy” Lambert raced Bunker Bill’s dam Promise Me together with Alistair Gordon and his wife Jeannet. Under the experienced care of Gordon, Promise Me proved a consistent sort and won one race over 1450m at Clairwood, while also running several places ranging from 1200-1600m. Her career spanned three seasons from June 2008 until September 2010 and she ran 22 times.

The connections then struck a deal with breeder Mark Greene, giving her away on the condition they could in turn have her first foal for racing.

Greene was at that stage boarding his mares at the Sandown Stud farm of James and Joy Armitage in Stellenbosch.

Dupont, a son of Zafonic, has always been a good value sire having produced three stakes winners and nine stakes placed horses from 198 foals, 73% of which raced, while 45% of those runners won.

Among Dupont’s stakes winners was the Gordon-trained Lady Magpie, who won the Gr 3 King’s Cup over 1600m in 2011. Among the boys she beat that night was the subsequent J&B Met winner Martial Eagle.

Promise Me’s twice Gr 1-winning sire Labeeb was a big loss to Sumerhill Stud when passing away in 2006, having produced 12.5% stakes winners to runners, including four stakes winners and seven Black-type performers, in his first crop of just 31 foals.

James Armitage revealed that Bunker Bill was a “fantastically good looking foal from the word go.”

He appeared to be a natural and Armitage added, “When he was sent to Alistair he looked as good as any horse going to the yearling sales but hadn’t even been prepared for the sales.”

Bunker Bill has turned out to be amazingly well named. Most could be excused for believing he was named after Peter Lambert’s ebullient father Bill, who is known as KZN’s “Mr Racing” and sometimes by the nickname “Bunter.” However, the horse was in fact named after Mark Green’s father-in-law.

Peter Lambert decided to lease his share to Greyville’s “Box B”, which is usually the rowdiest box on course being frequented as it is by Peter and his twin brothers Ian and David and their equally festive friends. Gordon’s stepson “JP” Coppez and his wife Bronwyn have also taken a share. Bunker Bill therefore has a huge and passionate support base.

Meanwhile, Mark Greene has set up Ndoro Stud on leased land in Wellington, which was once the residence of the late Godfrey’s Gird’s JSE Listed Stud operation Oaklands.

He will be looking forward to the future progeny of Promise Me, which to date includes an unraced two-year-old colt by Warm White Night and a younger filly by Twice Over. Promise Me is currently in foal to Judpot.

In other Gordon yard news he confirmed that the three-year-old Argonaut gelding Beat The Retreat needed his run on Sunday at Scottsville when third to the two classy sorts Split the Breeze and Executive Power in a Graduation Plate over 1200m and added that he was looking for a lot further. Gordon believes Beat The Retreat, who finished 1,5 lengths at level weights behind the Equus Champion Two-year-old colt Seventh Plain in both a Gr 2 over 1100m and a Gr 1 over 1400m last season, will go a mile or even 2000m and is targeting him at the KZN Guineas Trial.

The yard’s promising three-year-old Trippi colt Monte Christo is being aimed at handicap over 1400m at Scottsville on the 18^th of this month.

Gordon is the longest standing trainer at Summerveld and has been associated with many good horses in his time. His yard, having had an upturn in fortunes last season, look to have good prospects for this season and Bunker Bill could well be leading the charge.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Bunker Bill (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Duncan Howells-trained Mambo In Seattle gelding Saratoga Dancer proved he will be a force to be reckoned with in the Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile when sauntering to his fifth career win over 1600m at Scottsville yesterday in a Pinnacle Stakes event under Muzi Yeni.

Saratoga Dancer sat about five lengths off the pace and it was soon clear in the straight he was going to beat the favourite, the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Gr 1-winner Afrikaburn, who was a little headstrong early. Saratoga Dancer was receiving 4,5kg from Afrikaburn.  He won cosily by 1,5 lengths from the progressive Charles Laird-trained Stormy Eclipse, who proved himself more than just a polytrack horse as he ran at level weights with the winner. Afrikaburn was beaten two lengths into third, but will come on from the run.

Another hot race on the day was a Graduation Plate over 1200m in which the Charles Laird-trained 11/2 shot, the four-year-old Brave Tin Soldier gelding Split The Breeze, returned from a four month layoff to produce a strong finish under Anton Marcus and overtake the second favourite, the Mike Miller-trained Executive Power, who was having only his third start and is full of promise. The Alistair Gordon-trained Gr 3 runner up and Gr 1 fifth placed Beat The Retreat started favourite but proved just in need of the run and was 3,5 lengths behind the winner in third.

Mark Dixon had a 1950m double on the card, winning a maiden with the Mogok gelding Red Red Ruby under Athandiwe Mgudlwa and a MR 70 Handicap for fillies and mares with the Eyeofthetiger filly Timeforatiger, who was ridden by Sean Veale.

Alistair Gordon’s winner of the first over 1000m, the Warm White Night three-year-old colt Sublime Code, caught the eye when winning effortlessly under Alec Forbes and looks to be a fair sort.

Forbes scored a quick double when the consistent Wendy Whitehead-trained A. P. Answer filly Hannah’s Answer won the second over 1200m.

James Goodman’s hard knocking six-year-old gelding Piano Man gave Mogok a quick double when winning the fifth over 1000m under Ian Sturgeon. It was Piano Man’s sixth career victory.

Yogas Govender had his first winner since going on his own when winning the last over 1950m with the Horse Chestnut fill Roy’s Gold and this gave Marcus a double.

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At Longchamp in Paris Frankie Detorri was at his brilliant best when winning his fourth Gr 1 Prix de l’Arc De Triomphe, this time aboard the John Gosden-trained three-year-old Cape Cross colt Golden Horn, who has now won four Gr 1s. Golden Horn’s only blemish in eight career starts was when narrowly losing the Gr 1 Juddmonte International at York. Yesterday, Dettori stayed well wide of the pack in the first straight, probably in superior going, and this could have been the key to the win as the colt found a handy position and won full of running to deny the French filly Treve, who only managed fourth place, a record third successive win in the race.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Saratoga Dancer (Nkosi Hlophe)

TREVE proved unable to rewrite racing history when failing to make it a third win in the Arc as victory went to Golden Horn and a delirious Frankie Dettori. Flintshire finished second, as he was last year, with New Bay third and Treve fourth in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Group 1) at Longchamp yesterday.

In the end, after all the expectation and endless speculation, the outcome was remarkably clear cut.

Golden Horn had shadowed Treve’s pacemaker Shahah more closely than any of the other 15 runners and when kicked on in the straight opened up a clear gap as all eyes looked for Treve among the chasing pack.

There she was, wide and closing, but never with anything like enough momentum to threaten the winner, whose owner Anthony Oppenheimer had said, somewhat controversially, that his horse would beat Treve “easily” on fast ground.

So it turned out, with Dettori basking in the adulation of the crowd on a colt who has now won the Investec Derby, Coral-Eclipse, Qipco Irish Champion Stakes and Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“I really believed in this horse and he put it to bed like a superstar,” said Dettori after his fourth Arc win.

“It was an amazing performance. I scratched my head all week about what to do, but I knew I was on the best horse so I wanted to make use of him and show the world just how good he really is.

“He’s probably the best horse I’ve ridden.”

Dettori caught the eye in the early stages when taking Golden Horn wide on the course, from a draw in stall 14 connections felt beforehand may prove a hindrance.

“When you’re drawn wide like we were,” said Gosden, “we had to stay wide and run our own race before slotting into the field. The plan was to do that to get him in a prominent position and it worked perfectly in the end.

“Frankie has given him a great ride – he rides this track quite beautifully.”

Gosden, winning the €5 million race for the first time, said: “It’s great to win the Arc in France, just as it is great to win the Derby in England.”

What comes next depends on how Golden Horn emerges from his exertions, but Betfred decided to introduce him as 4-5 favourite for the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on October 31.

Flintshire and New Bay both represented owner-breeder Khalid Abdullah, and they may have contrasting futures.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for Abdullah, said: “They have both run fantastic races, we can’t complain. They had good positions, travelled very well, kicked in the straight and did everything right. The best horse won, unfortunately!

“I think we have to think about plans quite carefully. Flintshire could be a Breeders’ Cup possibility. I would have to speak to Andre [Fabre] and the prince about what they wanted to do with New Bay. We would have to see about whether he stays in training.”

Erupt finished fifth a place in front of Free Eagle, whose rider Pat Smullen said: “They didn’t go over-fast but the way he travelled into the race I was very happy.

“When they straightened up I thought he would pick up a little bit better than he did. But he rode a very good race and stayed to the line, so overall I’m happy enough with the run.”

– Racingpost.com

Picture: Golden Horn winning the 2015 Arc (Galop)