David Thiselton

Grant van Niekerk is at the centre of the controversy which saw the hot favourite One Stripe hampered on two separate occasions in the R5 million Big Cap, which was expected to be the superstar One World colt’s glorious swansong before departing for the big stage in the USA.

It is difficult to defend the jockey who has built up a reputation for causing interference and for gathering an above average amount of suspensions.

The interference was a pity on more than one count as it also detracts from the performance of the Van Niekerk-ridden winner All Out For Six, who is a Vaughan Marshall-trained stablemate of One Stripe’s, as he put in such a stirring performance he might have won the race anyway.

All Out For Six was actually weighted to beat One Stripe on the form of their meeting in the Gr 2 Cape Punters Cup over 1600m, although One Stripe put him in his place in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, beating him by 8,45 lengths.

The interesting point was that the Punters Cup was a small field and All Out For Six was able to get an easy lead.

One Stripe had to pull out all the stops to fetch him that day.

Van Niekerk went into the race believing he had a chance on the evidence of the Punters Cup as this race was over 1400m on a track running fast, so if he got an easy lead here there might be a repeat of One Stripe having to work hard to fetch him.

That is likely why Van Niekerk said afterwards on Saturday he believed he would have won easier if he had got to the front.

That plan was effected by All Out For Six not being able to outdo some of the others on the jump.

He was unable to beat a few of the others for gatespeed and early pace and from draw eight of nine ended up behind Coastal Commander, who had drifted outward from draw five and was in third place behind The Grey King and Passchendaele on the inside.

Van Niekerk’s first misdemeanour was at the 1200m mark when directing an overracing Hit For Six inward instead of outward when awkwardly placed on the heels of Coastal Commander.

This caused him to bump One Stripe, who faltered as a result.

However, it was understandable he did this as he was virtually at the turn and One Stripe had been running a couple of horse widths wide of the rail down the back straight, despite no horses being on his inside.

Furthermore, switching All Out For Six outward at the turn would have seen him slungshot way wide.

In the straight All Out For Six switches around Coastal Commander and masters him comfortably.

He now has The Grey King and One Stripe, who is aiming for a gap between the inside rail and Grey King, to deal with.

He reaches the Grey King traveling on a straight line.

The Grey King is traveling straight too and just before All Out For Six reaches him he shifts outward slightly and brushes the latter.

Thereafter, All Out For Six shifts inward continuously forcing The Grey King inward and the latter’s movement shuts the door on One Stripe, forcing Gavin Lerena to snatch him up to avoid being forced over the rail.

 There will be an inquiry into this incident (which will include looking at the incident at the 1200m mark too).

The inquiry board will be looking at whether Van Niekerk made every effort to avoid hampering The Grey King.

The experts will be looking at Van Niekerk’s body and leg positions and his whip and rein actions and looking at head on and side on film to adjudge whether he is attempting to stay straight or whether he is deliberately hanging inward.

His whip remains in his right hand throughout the incident. The horse seems to be pointing outward, but is hanging inward. However, this is just from looking at YouTube replays and not hearing any evidence from jockeys.

All Out For Six, like One Stripe, is by One World and was bred by Drakenstein Stud, and he passed the line 1,75 lengths clear of the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Pomodoro gelding La Pulga, who came from a long way back with a strong finish.

Great Plains comes from second last and has to be eased and switched halfway down the straight due to the inside rail being blocked and he then uses his big stride to fly home when finding clear space on the outside of horses. He is beaten 4,50 lengths into third.

The Grey King plugged on for a 4,70 length fourth.

Empire State stays on well for a five length fifth, a length ahead of the unfortunate One Stripe.

All Out For Six is owned by The One World Syndicate.

All Out For Six ironically carried the Big Cap slot ticket of Hollywood Racing, who part-own One Stripe, with Rikesh Sewgoolam, part-owner of One Stripe,  holding the voucher for One Stripe.

One of the spokesman for the One World Syndicate, Ken Truter, said the victory was “bitter-sweet”.

“I have been a huge fan of One Stripe and I had kind of hoped …”, he said before becoming quite emotional and asking for the mic to be redirected to the next syndicate member.

It was indeed one of those eerie occasions on the racecourse when the winner is greeted with little fanfare, as most around the country had hoped to see the equine hero One Stripe going out with a bang and arriving overseas without a blemish.

However, nothing should be taken away from All Out For Six, who certainly proved himself a top class racehorse.

Nor from Vaughan Marshall, who has had a fine season and when his chief stable star suffered one of those inevitable racing incidents that will happen in any horse’s career, it was his stablemate that was there to pick up the pieces.

Graeme Hawkins

Sadly, One Stripe’s swansong in South Africa turned into a nightmare at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth yesterday as Gavin Lerena found his path down the inside rail blocked by The Grey King who was forced inwards by eventual winner All Out For Six (Grant Van Niekerk) at the 200m pole. Whether One Stripe was going as well as All Out For Six at that stage is open to conjecture, but Champions often find a way of snatching unlikely victories under pressure, and One Stripe, who was severely checked, was denied that opportunity.

The record books will show that All Out For Six, racing in the colours of the One World Syndicate and stable companion to the Vaughan Marshall-trained One Stripe, emerged victorious in the R5-million HSH Princess Charlene Big Cap over 1400m by a comfortable margin over La Pulga who avoided the scrimmaging and ran on nicely from near the back of the field to finish a clear second. Great Plains got up to edge The Grey King out of third spot with One Stripe having to settle for sixth position. Clearly One Stripe was not beaten on merit, and we look forward to seeing him setting the record straight as he jets off to the USA to join the stable of Graham Motion and the company of fellow “locals” Isivunguvungu, Beach Bomb and Gimme A Nother.

Making a rare appearance on the racecourse these days, it was wonderful to see KZN-based Steve Sturlese and his wife, Cheryl, on hand to lead in their 2yo son of Fire Away, Military Command, following a dominant victory in the R1,5-million Cape Racing Sales Slipper over 1200m. Billed as the second race on the 10-race programme, Dreamworld was sent out the 2/1 favourite but, although far from disgraced in finishing runner-up, he was no match for Military Command who led from start to finish on a lightning-quick track to pass the post nearly two lengths ahead of the chasing pack. Bred by James Goodman, Sturlese owns Military Command in partnership with Blaine Hamilton, Gino Da Silva and Tony Zackey and the colt was ridden to victory by Craig Zackey for trainer Peter Muscutt. 

The opening race, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m, was won in equally comfortable fashion by the striking grey North Point who was allowed to drift from 5/1 to 12/1. The 2yo son of William Longsword bounced into an immediate lead and was never headed. Ridden by JP van der Merwe and making his debut for the Brett & James Crawford stable, North Point raced away to score by three lengths with Demanding Dave (100/1) and Follow Your Heart (11/10) making up the frame.

Peace Of Mind, the Crawford/Rix team’s only runner on the card, took full advantage of the speedy conditions under Gavin Lerena to post an easy victory in the third race, a Cape C Stakes over 1000m. Palo Queen and Peace of Mind disputed the early lead but once the former fell away, Peace Of Mind (12/1) assumed control and galloped all the way to the line to score by close on two lengths in the fast time of 56,94 seconds.

Dropping to the minimum trip for the first time in her career, Mai Sensation (11/2) proved too strong for the opposition in the fourth race, a Middle Stakes (F&M) over 1000m, skating home with more than a length to spare over Babelicious (4/1) and First Masterpiece (9/2). Mai Sensation has now won three races from only eight starts and there appears to be more to come from the 3yo daughter of Rafeef who was bred in KZN at Peter Blythe’s Clifton Stud.

The fifth race, a Cape A Stakes over 1100m, produced a thrilling finish with little more than a length covering the first six horses past the post. Andrew Fortune appeared to have timed his final effort on Tenango (14/10) to perfection but no sooner had the son of Canford Cliffs struck the front inside the last 150m when 66/1 chance Gem King came charging through under Corne Orffer to spoil the party.

Richard Fourie opened his account in the sixth race, a Cape C Stakes over 2200m, producing the fast-improving Umfula (2/1) with a sustained run up the stretch to run out a facile winner over Ahead Of The Facts (7/2). Tothemoonandback (10/1) stayed on well to fill the Trifecta position with the consistent Aladdin’s Lamp rounding out the top four.

Holding Thumbs is probably one of the most improved horses in training this season and the 4yo son of Vercingetorix ran them ragged in the seventh race, the R200 000 Monaco Sport Of Kings Kenilworth Cup (Listed) over 2400m. Oozing confidence, Sean Veale, who has struck up a great relationship with Glen Kotzen’s stayer, wasted no time in taking Holding Thumbs to the front and the resolute 17-hand gelding had the opposition floored with 400m left to race. His lesser fancied stable companion Blackberry Malt emerged from the struggling pack to chase Holding Thumbs home but the race as a contest was over a long way out.

David Thiselton

Sean Tarry is in flying form and bagged a treble at Turffontein Standside on Saturday including winning the feature, the Gr 3 4Racing Sycamore Sprint over 1160m for fillies and mares, with Mia Moo who was ridden by Piere Strydom.

Mia Moo carried 59.5kg off a 103 merit rating and beat the 80-rated Komati River by half a length to give the amazing Vercingetorix a double.

Vercingetorix lots averaged a record-breaking R1,707,143 on the select day 1 of the Cape Racing Sales March Yearling Sale such is the demand for this superstar stallion’s progeny.

Chrome Tourmaline and Elegant Ice were third and fourth respectively behind Mia Moo and Komati River on Saturday and the favourite Almond Sea could only manage fifth after another tardy start.

Komati River is in for a big merit rating raise because she was 6,5kg under sufferance.

Mia Moo provided further evidence that the Cape form is strongest because in her three runs in Cape Town she had finished 16th in the Gr 2 De Grendel Cape Merchants over 1200m, beaten 14,40 lengths, and followed that with a 1,45 length fourth in a Listed handicap over 1200m, running off a 103, and then ran an excellent 0,90 length fourth in the Gr 3 Splashout Prix du Cap, a conditions race over 1400m.

She remained off a 103 on Saturday so was surprisingly easy to back, shortening from 7/1 into 6/1.

Mia Moo jumped well from draw five and Strydom managed to slot her in behind Komatii River, who set the pace down the centre after jumping well from draw six. 

Mia Moo travelled within herself and Strydom merely had to switch her outward for a run to get the job done because she passed Komati River with just a shake of the reins and passed the post while just being shown the stick.

She was bred by Klawervlei Stud and is out of a Captain Al mare.

Both of the highest priced lots at the aforementioned Sale last Thursday were by Vercingetorix out of Captain Al mares, one them, a Drakenstein Stud-bred half-brother to Gr 1 WSB Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot, going for a SA record-equalling R9 million purchased by Greg Bortz, and the other, a filly vendored by Klawervlei Stud as agent, going for R4.1 million to Darryl Yutar.

Tarry won the first two races on Saturday with respective odds on favourites One Fine Winter (What A Winter) and Tina Lovelace (Danon Platina), who were both ridden by Ryan Munger.

Gavin Lerena rode a double for Brett and James Crawford, while Kabelo  Matsunyane also rode a double.

The leader of the national jockeys log, Craig Zackey, is on suspension from March 9 to March 26, excluding the Royal Raceday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth yesterday (Sunday), so Lerena has had an opportunity to close the gap.

By close of play on Saturday the situation was Zackey on 167 wins, Richard Fourie on 163 and Lerena on 158.

It has been an intriguing championship, but Fourie could probably win it at will. He had already had 19 wins in March by the end of Friday racing at Fairview and is closing rapidly on Zackey, so if he decides to ride regularly in more than two centres (Cape Town and East Cape) then he should forge clear.

Allan Greeff is in flying form in the East Cape and has had 110 wins for the season, just four behind the national log leader Snaith, although the national championship goes on stakes and Snaith is more than R10 million clear of Greeff, who is in second place.

New race times below: Race 1 – 12h40 Race 2 – 13h15 Race 3 – 13h50 Race 4 – 14h25 Race 5 – 15h00 Race 6 – 15h35 Race 7 – 16h10 Race 8 – 16h45

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