ARABIAN MIST STEALS HERTZ MERCHANTS FROM LINK MAN

Click above to watch Arabian Mist in the Hertz Merchants (Grade 2)
(Photo : JC Photographics / Footage : Tellytrack)

R450,000 HERTZ MERCHANTS (Grade 2)
Turffontein, Turf, 1160m
27 November 2010 

ARABIAN MIST (Muhtafal (USA) - Valley Mist by Mount Hagen (FR))
6 Year Old Bay Gelding

Trainer : Gary Alexander
Jockey : Derreck David
Owners : Mrs Jo Gardner and Messrs Myron Berzack, Bruce Gardner, Chris Gerber, Greg Sadie and Leon van Rooyen
Breeder : Summerhill Stud
Win Time : 66.67
Career Record : 8 Wins, 9 Place, 26 Starts
Career Earnings : R962,255

FINAL RESULTS

#	LBH	Horse	Kg	MR	Dr	Jockey	Trainer
1	0.00	ARABIAN MIST	54.0	99	12	D David	Gary Alexander
2	0.25	LINK MAN	53.5	108	1	A Delpech	Mike de Kock
3	1.00	COUNT EXPRESS	52.0	101	11	M Yeni	Ormond Ferraris
4	1.75	BLUE VOYAGER	55.5	102	8	G Lerena	Charles Laird
5	2.00	SWORDSMITH	52.0	79	10	G Figueroa	Brian Wiid
6	2.50	EXCLAIM ‘N EXCLUDE (AUS)	56.5	104	9	A Marcus	Charles Laird
7	3.00	JET COMMAND	52.0	94	4	R Simons	Alyson Wright
8	3.75	MANA MOU	54.5	100	14	P Strydom	Sean Tarry
9	4.75	LIGHTNING LECTURE	53.5	98	7	S Khumalo	David Niewenhuizen
10	8.00	CRUSO	56.5	104	2	M Mienie	Paul Matchett
11	8.50	ACROSS THE ICE	52.0	95	6	D Daniels	Sean Tarry
12	10.00	DON’T TELL TITCH	52.5	96	13	*D Mansour	Geoff Woodruff
13	11.00	IMPERIAL GESTURE	60.0	111	3	G Wrogemann	Charles Laird
14	13.00	HURRICANE FORCE	55.0	101	5	J Sampson	Louis Goosen
		Late Scratchings
15	0.00	STRIKE PARADISE	56.0	103	11	S Brown	Dominic Zaki
16	0.00	TUSCAN SKY	52.5	106	13		Alistair Gordon
17	0.00	IMALI	52.0	94	16	*JP v’d Merwe	Mike Azzie

For more information please visit :
www.summerhill.co.za

ARABIAN MIST BLOWS THEM AWAY IN DEFY MERCHANTS

Click above to watch Arabian Mist in the Defy Merchants (Gr2)
(Footage : Tellytrack)

ARABIAN MIST

Whilst the name Arabian Mist may not be synonymous with “Sprint Sensation” quite yet, those with memories will recall the exploits of his half-brother, six-time Equus Awards finalist and three-time Champion, Nhlavini, who was still contesting (and winning) at Group One level well into his ninth season.

Racingweb reports that Arabian Mist, the five-year-old son of Muhtafal out of Valley Mist, is not nearly as famous as his illustrious half-brother Nhlavini, who retired as South Africa’s grand sprinting star in 2006, but he’s one cracking sprinter himself. The Gary Alexander-trained gelding was reminiscent of Nhlavini in the way he quickly put daylight between himself and his rivals when taking a decisive victory in Saturday’s R450,000 Grade 2 Defy Merchants over 1200m at Turffontein.

Arabian Mist tracked Red Flyer and Carbon Leader in the early stages of the race with Cool Spender and Opening Night in hot pursuit. But the outcome was decided when apprentice Karis Teetan switched Arabian Mist to the inside in the final 200m. He got right up the leaders and the drew away without much fuss to win by over two lengths going away.

“I kept him covered for as long as possible as Mr Alexander told me,” said Karis Teetan.

Gary Alexander Racing Stables say that what makes the performance that much more impressive is that Arabian Mist had the better of the likes of Red Flyer, winner of the Umgeni Handicap, and Sharks Bay, runner-up in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint and winner of the Grade 2 Post Merchants, over six lengths behind him.

With Arabian Mist now notching up his seventh victory, and with a good season or two ahead, he may well also get on the Grade 1 Roll before he retires… remember Champion Nhlavini won 15 races including several Grade 1 sprints.

Congratulations to owners Mrs Jo Gardner and Messrs Myron Berzack, Bruce Gardner, Chris Gerber, Greg Sadie and Leon van Rooyen.

SUPERFEDERATION : A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME

Click above to watch Superfederation in action
(Footage : Tellytrack)

“RUN OF THE WEEKEND”

Superfederation (Kahal x Maroof’s Grace by Maroof) displayed an impressive charge for the line in Saturday’s Mr N Marks MR 84 Handicap over 1800m at Turffontein.

The R50,000 graduate of the 2007 Emperors Palace Ready To Run, who has been allowed time to mature naturally by the Alexander stable, took his tally to two wins and three places from seven starts… showing ample potential in the process.

Superfederation was bred by Summerhill Stud and is owned by Julie Alexander, Bruce Gardner, Kirk Michael, Len Smart and Charl Pretorius’ Freeracer Syndicate. This Kahal gelding is trained by Gary Alexander and was piloted by last season’s South African Champion Apprentice, Dereck David, who has recently joined the Gary Alexander Racing Team as stable rider.

FRANCOIS PIENAAR... the return of a World Cup Rugby Captain

Greig Muir, Nerine Pienaar, Francois Pienaar and Bruce Gardner
(Grant Norval)

Summerhill is blessed in its visitations by famous names, and as celebrated as any among our friends is Francois Pienaar, captain of the 1995 World Cup winning Springbok rugby team who famously donated his No.6 rugby jersey to Nelson Mandela on that historic occasion. Francois first came to Summerhill courtesy of a friendship with one of our oldest customers, Bruce Gardner, and his lovely wife Jo, and they were back at the farm on a nostalgic visit on Friday. It used to be that the party included the coach of that great team, Kitch Christie, who has sadly passed on since then. But it is evident from the picture above, that Francois has lost none of his zest nor love of the competitve nature of the horseracing business.

At the height of his Springbok’s seventeen consecutive victories, Summerhill introduced Francois to racing courtesy of a filly whose name was appropriately changed to Amabokoboko, as an acknowledgement to the achievements of his side. It was in his association with this filly that Francois rediscovered the meaning of humility, on an evening that he, his lovely wife Nerine and the Gosses were invited to join Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for supper on her gracious boat, Britannia. As we mounted the gangplank, he lamented the fact that Amabokoboko had finished 2nd on five consecutive occasions, only to be reminded by the Summerhill contingent that after 17 consecutive victories, it was time he learnt to lose!!

During the course of the evening, much of which Her Majesty spent talking horses with our party, which included cricketer Jonty Rhodes, Bafana Bafana captain Neil Tovey and former Natal and Western Province sportsman and erstwhile “Star” editor Richard Steyn, the Queen enquired of Francois what the secret was to his and his fellow forwards great size.

In typical diplomatic Francois Pienaar fashion, the retort was short and to the point:

“Mielies, M’am!”.

Our horses keep the flag flying high... and another Ready to Run Graduate shines

Confirming his status as one of the Eastern Cape’s most promising four year olds, Paris Perfect (by Muhtafal) out of Candle Princess, bred by our long-time friends Peter and Gail Fabricius, ran away with the laurels in the Merit Rated 75 Handicap over 2000m at Arlington on Friday. Recording his 10^th career win, Paris Perfect again disproved the view that progeny of Muhtafal are not suited to distances over 1900m. Biding his time near the front for most of the race, he got down to busines in the home straight, breezing past race leader Moscow Circus to go away and win by what would’ve been a larger margin had jockey Gerrit Schlechter not eased him down at the finish.

With most people’s attention focused on the main races at Clairwood on Saturday, the Gold Challenge and Tibouchina Stakes, the final race on the card, the 1600m KZN Chapter Challenge Final (Merit Rated), produced a storming performance. El Padrino, a  son of Summerhill super sire Muhtafal, and out of a Desert Team mare Dot Dot Dash, owned by Summerhill stalwart and long standing Muhtafal supporter, Steve Sturlese, showed the rest of the field a clean pair of heels. Hanging back near the middle of the field, El Padrino accelerated with about 300 metres to go, and effortlessly passed the ever game race leader, Day Of The Piper, to win going away by over four lengths. In the post-race interview, his trainer, an elated David Goss revealed that he’d thought so highly of his chances in this race, that he placed a huge bet on him to win. When asked to reveal the exact amount, David Goss was rather coy, joking that he didn’t want the taxman to get his hands on it!

Meanwhile, on Monday at Turffontein, another Ready To Run graduate from 2006, Lisa Anne, by the late Summerhill sire, Rambo Dancer, and out of Forest Edge, owned by old friends and great Summerhill supporters Bruce and Jo Gardner, put in an impressive showing to win her first race, the Maiden Plate for Fillies and Mares over 1200m. Cutting through the field with effortless ease, she hit the front with 200m to go and went away to win, giving long-time friend and trainer Gary Alexander the first of his two wins at the track.