THERE'S A BLACK SHADOW OVER THE DURBAN JULY

Black Wing
(Image : Gold Circle / Vodacom Durban July)

“BLACK WING”

VODACOM DURBAN JULY
Greyville, Turf, 2200m
2 July 2011

The fun of owning horses with partners, is as often as not, in the mutual pleasure you get when they’re good. For many years, we’ve bred horses with our English pal, Alec Foster, and our successes include the top performers Steamy Window (Natal Oaks Gr1,) Cereus (the Gold Cup Gr1,) and the tough-as-teak multiple Group winner, Redcarpet Style.

The latest to emerge from a relatively tiny bunch of mares is Black Wing, of whom you’ve heard a bit in these columns of late. If he wins the Vodacom Durban July, it’s another case of bringing home the bacon (remember Imbongi and Pierre Jourdan, among the current stars). Alec recalls trying to sell Redcarpet Style three times, and then looking him in the eye and saying “If it’s not to be, let’s do it together”. The good Lord was kind.

The world is full of exports who more often than not, have a misconception of their superiority. Animals on the other hand, know more than we do. Dogs bark at night, when we are asleep.

Paul Gadsby says Black Wing is in excellent fettle. He believes he may have come on a length for his Daily News 2000 exertions, having left him a little underdone by missing the Guineas. With a pull of a kilo on those ahead of him in the Daily News, who knows? He might also be barking by 16:45 on Saturday!

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A BOYS CONSPIRACY : The Value of Mates

So one old customer at Summerhill, whose time goes back almost to the opening of the gates, reminds us periodically of the value of good friends. We had a mutual pal pass away two weeks ago in the form of Sir Clement Freud, and Alec Foster, remembered for his association with Summerhill with his horses Steamy Window (Natal Oaks Gr.1), Cereus (Canon Gold Cup Gr.1) and Red Carpet Style (countless Grades Stakes races), has never been too far from his laptop when things of interest pop up, and he was quick to pounce on the reporting in England’s racingpost.com.

We shall charm you with a couple of extracts over the next few weeks starting with “Ruin stared me in the face. £10,000 was 15 years’ salary, a 200 acre farm in Suffolk, 20 times the average reason for jumping off Beachy Head”.

Quoting from Alec’s postcard to us (the face of which is depicted in this Highland Cow and calf) “I remember when he came to Summerhill to interview you for the Sporting Life. He was not easy either, but he was known for that. I do recall you asking him where he was staying, and he gave the name of a non descript hotel in Pietermaritzburg, to which you, rather mystified, asked why he should be there, rather than at Hartford House. He replied “It’s the nearest hotel to the betting office”. That was Sir Clement Freud.