VARIETY CLUB STRIKES GOLD CHALLENGE DOUBLE

Watch Variety Club winning the Rising Sun Gold Challenge
(Image : Gold Circle - Footage : Racing International)

RISING SUN GOLD CHALLENGE (Garde 1)
Clairwood, Turf, 1600m
8 June 2013

Mike Moon
TAB NewsThe script was followed to the letter. Brilliant Variety Club won the R750,000 Rising Sun Gold Challenge easily Saturday at Clairwood, with second favourite Beach Beauty second and third favourite Pomodoro third.

Throughout the preliminaries and the 1600m race itself there didn’t seem to be flicker of doubt that things would go according to plan at Clairwood. Variety Club looked in magnificent nick, as did the big-hearted filly Beach Beauty and the rangy Pomodoro.

For those who enjoy seeing favourites toppled, it might all have seemed a bit boring. But a champion racehorse winning a Grade 1 race in scintillating style could never be boring to true racing fans. A huge crowd on course cheered Variety Club to the heavens as master jockey Anton Marcus steered him home to an eighth win in a row, his 14th in 19 starts, his sixth career Grade 1 and his second Gold Challenge.

Many thousands of people turned up at the Garden Course, with a car giveaway and Bollywood stars as added attractions. But the star of the show was undoubtedly Equus Horse Of The Year Variety Club and the main prize was seeing a phenomenal horse in action.

Ice Machine and Pierre Jourdan were sluggish leaving the gates - but not the Joey Ramsden-trained Variety Club, who shot straight into the lead and dictated a leisurely pace for the 10-strong field. Lake Arthur took up the second spot as they headed down the back stretch, followed by Hill Fifty Four, Beach Beauty, Festival Of Fire, Pomodoro on the inside rail, Whiteline Fever, Ice Machine, Master Plan and Pierre Jourdan. Jockey Sean Cormack eased the diminutive Beach Beauty into second position, ready to strike, as they rounded the left-hand bend. Lake Arthur remained prominent, with Pomodoro also edging forward, some 2.50 lengths of the coasting leader.

As they hit the straight, Beach Beauty made an early challenge, the intention clearly being to put Variety Club under pressure to see if he would buckle. No such luck. Marcus shook up the champ and he shot two lengths clear. About 350m out the contest was over. Variety Club (4-10) looked as cool as a cucumber as he strode to victory by two lengths. The Dennis Drier-trained Beach Beauty (9-2) once again showed what a courageous and consistent horse she is, plugging on to take second from Pomodoro (9-1).

Randjesfontein trainer Sean Tarry will have been very pleased with the form shown by both his charges, Pomodoro and Whiteline Fever (15-1). The latter ran on strongly into fourth place from near the back of the field. For these two, this was primarily a preparation run for next month’s Vodacom Durban July at Greyville and their odds for the big one might now slim down.

Tibouchina Stakes (Grade 2)

If the Gold Challenge lacked surprises, there were plenty in the second feature on the card, the Grade 2 R250,000 Rising Sun Tibouchina Stakes. Hot favourite Princess Victoria failed to make the first four placings as 28-1 chance Louvre won a good race from the front. Louvre has won two in a row since moving down from the Highveld to Duncan Howell’s yard in KwaZulu-Natal. The five-year-old Doowaley mare took up the running soon after the 1450m start, stretching into a two-length lead from Espumanti, Earth’s Orbit, Comtesse Dubois and King’s Temptress.

Princess Victoria travelled some five lengths back around the turn, just ahead of Happy Archer, Negev, Amur Affair and Halfway To Heaven, who was about 10 lengths off the pace. In the straight, Louvre maintained her advantage despite challenges from Espumanti, Earth’s Orbit, Happy Archer and Comtesse Dubois. Halfway To Heaven was starting to unwind a dangerous-looking challenge down the outside. Alec Forbes kept Louvre well balanced and stretching out in the final strides and she claimed it by half a length. Espumanti (11-1) just edged out Earth’s Orbit (16-1) for second, while the fast-finishing Halfway To Heaven (11-2) claimed fourth, just ahead of the disappointing Princess Victoria. Louvre has now won eight times from 31 starts.

Cup Trial (Grade 3)

The Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1800m saw veteran jockey Kevin Shea get the Charles Laird-trained Astro News (16-1) home with a smart ride, ahead of Bulsara, Territorial Waters and Punta Arenas.

VODACOM DURBAN JULY 2013 : FIRST SUPPLEMENTARY ENTRIES

R3.5 MILLION VODACOM DURBAN JULY (Grade 1) Greyville, Turf, 2200m 6 July 2013 First Supplementary Entries as at 14 May 2013
Horse	MR	Trainer
ABERCROMBIE	94	Mike Bass
ALEXANDRA PALACE	92	Mike de Kock
AMERICAN STORM	97	Spike Lerena
ASTRO NEWS	102	Charles Laird
BARACAH	95	Sean Tarry
BEACH BEAUTY	112	Dennis Drier
BIG CITY ANGEL	89	Gavin van Zyl
BRAVURA	108	Joey Ramsden
BULSARA	102	Gavin van Zyl
CAPETOWN NOIR	110	Dean Kannemeyer
CAYMAN ISLAND	98	Yogas Govender
CHERRY ON THE CAKE	94	Gavin van Zyl
CHERRY ON THE TOP	112	Ormond Ferraris
DO YOU REMEMBER	101	Geoff Woodruff
DREAMBYTHEMASTER	76	Charles Laird
E-JET	104	Sean Tarry
ENCHANTED KINGDOM	100	Paul Peter
FOURTH ESTATE	92	Colin Scott
GALILEO’S DESTINY	105	Mike de Kock
GENERAL SHERMAN	93	Sean Tarry
GLORIOUS JET	98	St John Gray
GOLD ONYX (NZ)	104	Sean Tarry
GOLDEN CHATEAU (AUS)	101	Duncan Howells
GOTHIC	97	Kumaran Naidoo
HAMMIE’S DYNASTY	92	Mike Bass
HEAVY METAL	111	Sean Tarry
HILL FIFTY FOUR	112	Vaughan Marshall
ICE MACHINE	109	Garth Puller
ILHA BELA	98	Mike de Kock
IZORA	98	Mike de Kock
JACKSON	113	Brett Crawford
JET AGLOW	101	Glen Kotzen
KING OF PAIN	104	Joey Ramsden
KNOCK ON WOOD	107	Ormond Ferraris
LIANCOURT ROCK (AUS)	102	Dean Kannemeyer
LOCKHEED JETSTAR	95	Geoff Woodruff
LOVE STRUCK	103	Paul Lafferty
MASTER PLAN	110	Alec Laird
MASTER SABINA	88	Geoff Woodruff
MEISSA	89	Gary Alexander
MUJAARIB (AUS)	108	Mike de Kock
PATRIOTIC REBEL	95	Mike de Kock
PENHALIGON	97	Alyson Wright
PESSOA	103	Alec Laird
PIERRE JOURDAN	100	Gary Alexander
POMODORO	113	Sean Tarry
POTALA PALACE	100	Mike Azzie
PRICELESS JEWEL	86	Adam Marcus
PUNTA ARENAS	100	Stan Elley
PUTNEY FLYER	96	Weiho Marwing
RED FORT	98	Geoff Woodruff
RUN FOR IT	106	Justin Snaith
SABADELL	91	Geoff Woodruff
SAFE HOUSE	89	Mike Azzie
SANSHAAWES	99	Mike de Kock
SEAL	108	Gavin van Zyl
SHOGUNNAR	106	Gavin van Zyl
SILENT PARTNER	94	Mike de Kock
SILVER SPRING	77	Gavin van Zyl
SMANJEMANJE	104	Tyrone Zackey
TAIPAN	107	Dean Kannemeyer
TELLINA	103	Geoff Woodruff
TEQUILA SUNRISE	86	Mike de Kock
TERRITORIAL WATERS	90	Tony Rivalland
THUNDER DANCE	106	Brett Crawford
TIME OF SONG	80	Deon Visser
TRIBAL DANCE	107	Vaughan Marshall
TRUE MASTER	95	Justin Snaith
VERCINGETORIX	107	Mike de Kock
VERTICAL TAKEOFF	101	Sean Tarry
VIVA MARIA	102	Mike de Kock
WAGNER	99	Joe Soma
WAR HORSE	98	Corne Spies
WHITELINE FEVER	109	Sean Tarry
WILD ONE	95	Jeff Freedman
WYLIE HALL (AUS)	98	Weiho Marwing
YER-MAAN	95	St John Gray
YORKER	102	Geoff Woodruff
ZAMBUCCA	107	Saeed Mohideen
Final Supplementary Entries : Monday 10 June 2013 Weights : Tuesday 11 June 2013 Declarations : Monday 24 June 2013 Final Field and Barrier Draw : Tuesday 25 June 2013 Gallops : Thursday 25 June 2013 Vodacom Durban July : Saturday 6 July 2013 www.vodacomdurbanjuly.co.za

VODACOM DURBAN JULY 2013 : ENTRIES

R3.5 MILLION VODACOM DURBAN JULY (Grade 1) Greyville, Turf, 2200m 6 July 2013 Entries as at 18 April 2013
#	Horse	Age	Sex	MR	Trainer
1	JACKSON	4	Colt	113	Brett Crawford
2	POMODORO	4	Colt	113	Sean Tarry
3	BEACH BEAUTY	5	Mare	112	Dennis Drier
4	HILL FIFTY FOUR	4	Gelding	112	Vaughan Marshall
5	MASTER PLAN	4	Gelding	111	Alec Laird
6	CAPETOWN NOIR	3	Colt	110	Dean Kannemeyer
7	WHITELINE FEVER	4	Gelding	109	Sean Tarry
8	BRAVURA	6	Gelding	108	Joey Ramsden
9	MUJAARIB (AUS)	4	Colt	108	Mike de Kock
10	SEAL	5	Gelding	108	Gavin van Zyl
11	GALILEO’S DESTINY	5	Gelding	107	Mike de Kock
12	TAIPAN	4	Gelding	107	Dean Kannemeyer
13	ZAMBUCCA	4	Colt	107	Saeed Mohideen
14	KING OF PAIN	3	Colt	106	Joey Ramsden
15	RUN FOR IT	5	Gelding	106	Justin Snaith
16	THUNDER DANCE	4	Filly	106	Brett Crawford
17	ICE MACHINE	4	Gelding	105	Garth Puller
18	TRIBAL DANCE	4	Colt	105	Vaughan Marshall
19	GOLD ONYX (NZ)	5	Gelding	104	Sean Tarry
20	SMANJEMANJE	6	Gelding	104	Tyrone Zackey
21	LOVE STRUCK	3	Gelding	103	Paul Lafferty
22	PESSOA	4	Gelding	103	Alec Laird
23	PIERRE JOURDAN	6	Gelding	103	Gary Alexander
24	TELLINA	3	Colt	103	Geoff Woodruff
25	VIVA MARIA	4	Filly	103	Mike de Kock
26	ASTRO NEWS	4	Gelding	102	Charles Laird
27	BULSARA	6	Gelding	102	Gavin van Zyl
28	E-JET	4	Gelding	102	Sean Tarry
29	JET AGLOW	3	Filly	102	Glen Kotzen
30	LIANCOURT ROCK (AUS)	4	Gelding	102	Dean Kannemeyer
31	GOLDEN CHATEAU (AUS)	4	Colt	101	Duncan Howells
32	DO YOU REMEMBER	3	Filly	100	Geoff Woodruff
33	ENCHANTED KINGDOM	5	Mare	100	Paul Peter
34	HEAVY METAL	4	Gelding	100	Sean Tarry
35	POTALA PALACE	4	Colt	100	Mike Azzie
36	PUNTA ARENAS	4	Gelding	100	Stan Elley
37	GLORIUS JET	4	Gelding	99	St John Gray
38	SANSHAAWES	3	Gelding	99	Mike de Kock
39	SHOGUNNAR	4	Gelding	99	Gavin van Zyl
40	WAGNER	4	Gelding	99	Joe Soma
41	CAYMAN ISLAND	7	Gelding	98	Yogas Govender
42	ILHA BELA	4	Filly	98	Mike de Kock
43	RED FORT	4	Gelding	98	Geoff Woodruff
44	WAR HORSE	3	Colt	98	Corne Spies
45	AMERICAN STORM	3	Gelding	97	Spike Lerena
46	PENHALIGON	4	Colt	97	Alyson Wright
47	PUTNEY FLYER	4	Gelding	97	Weiho Marwing
48	BARACAH	4	Gelding	96	Sean Tarry
49	LOCKHEED JETSTAR	4	Colt	95	Geoff Woodruff
50	PATRIOTIC REBEL	3	Gelding	95	Mike de Kock
51	YER-MAAN	4	Gelding	95	St John Gray
52	ABERCROMBIE	3	Colt	94	Mike Bass
53	CHERRY ON THE CAKE	5	Mare	94	Gavin van Zyl
54	SABADELL	3	Gelding	94	Geoff Woodruff
55	SILENT PARTNER	5	Gelding	94	Mike de Kock
56	YORKER	3	Colt	94	Geoff Woodruff
57	GENERAL SHERMAN	4	Gelding	93	Sean Tarry
58	ALEXANDRA PALACE	3	Colt	92	Mike de Kock
59	FOURTH ESTATE	5	Gelding	92	Colin Scott
60	HAMMIE’S DYNASTY	4	Gelding	92	Mike Bass
61	MEISSA	4	Gelding	91	Gary Alexander
62	SAFE HOUSE	3	Gelding	91	Mike Azzie
63	TERRITORIAL WATERS	4	Gelding	90	Tony Rivalland
64	TRUE MASTER	3	Colt	90	Justin Snaith
65	BIG CITY ANGEL	5	Gelding	89	Gavin van Zyl
66	IZORA	3	Filly	89	Mike de Kock
67	WILD ONE	3	Gelding	88	Jeff Freedman
68	PRICELESS JEWEL	3	Filly	86	Adam Marcus
69	TEQUILA SUNRISE	3	Gelding	86	Mike de Kock
70	WYLIE HALL (AUS)	3	Colt	86	Weiho Marwing
71	TIME OF SONG	3	Gelding	80	Deon Visser
72	SILVER SPRING	4	Colt	77	Gavin van Zyl
73	DREAMBYTHEMASTER	3	Gelding	76	Charles Laird
74	VERTICAL TAKEOFF	7	Gelding	101	Sean Tarry
Summerhill runners denoted by yellow First Supplementary Entries : Tuesday 14 May 2013 Final Supplementary Entries : Monday 10 June 2013 Weights : Tuesday 11 June 2013 Final Field and Barrier Draw : Tuesday 25 June 2013 Gallops : Thursday 25 June 2013 Vodacom Durban July : Saturday 6 July 2013 www.vodacomdurbanjuly.co.za

MARTIAL EAGLE SWOOPS IN J&B MET 2013

Click above to watch Martial Eagle winning the J&B Met (Grade 1)
(Image : Gold Circle - Footage : SABC 3)

J&B MET (Grade 1)
Kenilworth, Turf, 2000m
2 February 2013

Martial Eagle scored a hard-fought victory in the R2.5-million J&B Met (Grade 1) over 2000m at Kenilworth on Saturday.

The early pace was not overly quick and Piere Strydom aboard Pomodoro decided to speed up the tempo after about 800m and sent his mount to the front from Hill Fifty Four and Martial Eagle. Jackson and Slumdogmillionaire were well placed while stablemates Bravura and King of Pain were at the rear.

Pomodoro led into the straight but was soon challenged by Hill Fifty Four with Martial Eagle, Beach Beauty and Jackson in pursuit as Slumdogmillionaire quickly faded from contention.

Hill Fifth Four soon took Pomodoro’s measure but Martial Eagle now ranged alongside and the two went head to head for the line. Martial Eagle had the edge and kept going under jockey Aldo Domeyer to ward off a gallant Hill Fifty Four by a long neck. Beach Beauty edged Pomodoro out of third place, while Jackson finished fifth, 4.35 lengths behind the winner, with Tribal Dance sixth.

Martial Eagle, owned by prominent Cape owner Sabine Plattner, gave trainer Yogas Govender his first win from his first runner in the J&B Met.

FINAL RESULT

#	LBH	Horse	Kg	MR	Dr	Jockey	Trainer
1	0.00	MARTIAL EAGLE	58.0	112	14	A Domeyer	Yogas Govender
2	0.30	HILL FIFTY FOUR	58.0	107	13	M Byleveld	Vaughan Marshall
3	1.80	BEACH BEAUTY	57.5	112	10	S Cormack	Dennis Drier
4	2.10	POMODORO	60.0	113	7	P Strydom	Sean Tarry
5	4.35	JACKSON	60.0	114	4	K Teetan	Brett Crawford
6	5.10	TRIBAL DANCE	58.0	107	11	R Khathi	Vaughan Marshall
7	6.10	FABIANI	58.0	106	2	G van Niekerk	Glen Kotzen
8	6.40	KING OF PAIN	53.0	107	12	G Hatt	Joey Ramsden
9	6.60	BRAVURA	58.0	111	5	A Marcus	Joey Ramsden
10	7.00	ICE MACHINE	58.0	106	9	K Neisius	Garth Puller
11	7.10	SLUMDOGMILLIONAIRE	60.0	112	1	B Lerena	Gavin van Zyl
12	7.20	BLACK WING	58.0	106	8	F Coetzee	Brett Crawford
13	7.60	BULSARA	58.0	102	6	M Odendaal	Gavin van Zyl
14	8.10	MASTER PLAN	60.0	111	3	R Fradd	Greg Ennion
15	8.85	RUN FOR IT	58.0	109	15	B Fayd’Herbe	Justin Snaith

Extract from Tab News

www.jbmet.co.za

J&B MET 130

J&B MET (Grade 1)
Kenilworth, Turf, 2000m
2 February 2013

Mike Moon
The TimesThe J&B Met is much more than a horse race. Raced in the dreamy Cape just as summer comes off its peak, it has come to symbolise the glamour of the racing game in South Africa.

If the Vodacom Durban July is all about power and glory - with the prestige of the country’s premier race, alcohol-fuelled corporate show-offs and big money wagering - the Met provides a more elegant, romantic interlude.

Met Day is like a huge garden party with equine entertainments. At Cape Town’s foremost social bash, being seen in the exclusive enclosures in eye-catching finery is, for many, at least as important as what passes the winning post first.

As such, the poshest do in racing is rather more than just the second-biggest race day in the land. A party with cavorting celebrities, outré outfits, sunshine and wine will always attract that extra bit of attention.

It’s small wonder whisky maker J&B has continued to pump money into staging the event since 1978, becoming horse racing’s longest-standing sponsor. J&B might already be an upmarket brand, but it still picks up priceless cache and glitzy publicity from the Met.

This is not to say the racing itself ain’t important. For racing folk, it’s right up there in quality, and for those of us who cannot be at glorious Kenilworth tomorrow, it is racing form rather than haute couture and haute cuisine that must be our focus.

Speaking of which, tomorrow’s 130th renewal looks a competitive affair - at least among the well-backed horses.

Handicap conditions for the Met are intended to ensure that the most talented horses do well. They’re not heavily penalised with weight in the saddle for their past successes and can show their true worth, all else being equal. This year the classiest contenders are also the ones with the most compelling recent form, theoretically narrowing down our choice of most likely winner. Top jockey Anthony Delpech, who hasn’t landed a choice booking for the Met, says he can see the winner coming from only “four or five” horses and hasn’t bothered to scratch around for a mount on an apparent no-hoper.

That seems a fair assessment.

Topping the betting boards at 18/10 is four-year-old colt Jackson, who is obviously a top racehorse and does well on this course. But many pundits and punters haven’t shaken off the bruising they took when he failed to meet a previous big challenge, in the 2012 Vodacom Durban July.

July winner Pomodoro has had a brilliant lead-up to the Met, with little having been in his favour. He has a good barrier draw, has had time to acclimatise to Cape Town and has the peerless services of Piere Strydom in the irons. Feisty mare Beach Beauty is consistent and is almost guaranteed to have a say in the finish.

J&B MET BETTING:

18/10 Jackson, 7/2 Pomodoro, 11/2 Beach Beauty, 10/1 Slumdogmillionaire, 12/1 King Of Pain, 14/1 Master Plan, 15/1 Bravura, 20/1 Run For It, 22/1 Hill Fifty Four, 40/1 Martial Eagle, 50/1 Tribal Dance, 66/1 Bulsara, Black Wing, 80/1 Ice Machine, In Writing, 100/1 Fabiani.

J&B MET SELECTION:

J&B MET (KENILWORTH RACE 8): 2 Pomodoro, 15 Beach Beauty, 4 Master Plan, 1 Jackson

For more information, please visit :

www.jbmet.co.za

Extract from The Times