JJ JET'S HOME

 

J J The Jet Plane - Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (Gr1)
(Photos : Hong Kong Jockey Club)

J J THE JET PLANE
CATHAY PACIFIC HONG KONG SPRINT (Gr1)

It was good to be South African on Sunday, particularly if you’re into racehorses. Twice a champion back home, J J The Jet Plane took the form of his most recent domestic Gr1 victories in the Golden Horse Casino Sprint and the Mercury Sprint to Hong Kong for the HK$14million Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint Gr1 yesterday, where his adversaries included numerous international Gr1 winners, as well as the Hong Kong and Singapore champions, Sacred Kingdom and Rocket Man. Displaying the characteristic guts of Jet Master’s progeny, “JJ” lived up to his name as he took off and swamped the appropriately named Rocket Man in literally the last stride of a desperate contest, becoming the second South African-bred Gr1 winner in a week, following Gypsey’s Warning’s surge in America’s Milady Handicap. Just ¾ of a length separated the three champions, and this victory catapults “JJ” right into the reckoning for the title of the world’s best sprinter. A great piece of training by an underestimated force, Lucky Houdalakis, and a fairytale for a grand team of owners, who paid only R70,000 for JJ as a yearling.

Our hero’s pedigree is littered with Summerhill connections, but before you jump to any hasty conclusions, let me explain. His sire Jet Master is one of, if not the greatest stallion we’ve known, dominating the local championship at a time of formidable opposition. Both his grandmother and his great grandmother were bred and raised at Summerhill, while “JJ’s” mother, bred at Summerhill by the late Gordon Ball, is a Stakes-winning daughter of our own champion, Northern Guest. Both his next two dams were bred at the old Hartford, now part of Summerhill.

Spare a thought here for Jet Master’s breeder Hugh Jonsson, whose little stud, which never comprised more than two or three mares at a time, produced Jet Master and sold him for a meagre R15,000 as a weanling. Hugh, whose family were one-time owners of Hartford, parted the next year with his mother at the old broodmare sale on Summerhill for a paltry R10,000, the beneficiary of this transaction being another “poor” man, Chris Saunders, chairman at the time of Tongaat Huletts! It’s these stories that keep us interested, as it’s the best proof, if ever it was needed, that there’s room for everyone in this game.

Fortunately, the family is in great hands, as Chris’ magnificent Invermooi Stud has an enviable history of association with fine thoroughbreds.

BELATED CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR DENNIS DRIER YARD

Dance At Daylight
(Photo : Gold Circle)

DANCE AT DAYLIGHT
CHRISTMAS HANDICAP (GR3) 2009

The Dennis Drier yard received a belated Christmas gift at Clairwood on Boxing Day when Dance At Daylight took victory in the Christmas Handicap (Grade 3) over 1600m.

Jumping from gate 15, jockey Alec Forbes positioned the son of Rambo Dancer a few lengths off the pace in sixth. Forced to race three-wide thoughout, and without cover for most of the trip, Forbes held off for as long as possible before asking Dance At Daylight for his best effort in the straight. The response came in abundance with the gelding quickening clear to win comfortably by two from Select The Star, Lion’s Blood and Dynamite Mike.

Assistant trainer Stuart Ferry was complimentary of the ride and acknowledged that Alec Forbes had built a good relationship with Dance At Daylight, knowing exactly what to do in the straight.

This victory takes Dance At Daylight’s race tally to 5 wins and 6 places from 17 starts and his earning to R424,880.

The five-year-old is one of 19 South African stakes winners sired by the Northern Dancer stallion Rambo Dancer, who commenced his stallion career in Britain before taking up stud duties here at Summerhill in 1996. Best known as the sire of Gr.1 hero Pick Six, Rambo Dancer died in 2005.

Dance At Daylight is the first foal of Norse Woman (Northern Guest), a winning half-sister to Warning Zone (Elliodor), the Equus champion juvenile filly of 2002, who subsequently became a stakes winner in the US. The mare’s last foal is a yearling filly by Kahal.

Grandam, War Women, who produced six winners from eight runners, is a half-sister to triple Gr.1 hero Record Edge (Sunny North) and to Gr.1 Gold Bowl victor Golden Peak (Peacetime). This is a branch of the Birch Brothers’ famed Drohsky family, from which descend the tough Cape Guineas hero Ocean City, Two Cities (Gr.2 Bull Brand International) and Tammany Hall (Gr.3 Republic Day Handicap).

Congratulations must go to Dance At Daylight’s breeder, Chris Saunders from Invermooi Stud, as well as to owners Miles Dally and Gary Harris. Credit must also be paid to War Woman’s breeders, retired High Court Judge Alan Magid and Benji Jonsson.

The Erica Bennet Goss Foalcare Yard

Mick and Erica GossOne of Summerhill’s great inspirations since the gates opened for business almost 30 years ago, turned 80 this past week. Erica Goss, mother and matriarch to Pat and Mick, celebrated in style with 80 of some of the nicest people in creation, which says something about her life.

She’s always been known for her toughness, having returned to the Antarctic and undertaken a balloon safari in Namibia this year, so it’s not surprising only two of the 40 that gathered at Hartford for her 70^th birthday a decade ago, were not here to share the day with her on Saturday. The most recent of the two casualties was Springbok cricketing icon Roy McLean, as well as Umgazi River Bungalows founder, Basil Leach. Little doubt they’d have lifted their glasses alongside the old boy, Bryan “Dudu” Goss, from on high.

To mark the occasion, Erica unveiled a commemorative plaque in her honour at the old Summerhill “B” Block, which has just undergone extensive renovations for the occasion. That the renovations met most guests’ approval is apparent  from Chris Saunders’ stud manager’s call early Monday, to find out how it was all done.

You’d have to visit if you want to know what all the fuss is about.

Slowly but surely....

Slew The RedA Freshman Sire who is quietly carving out a name for himself is SLEW THE RED, about whose first progeny we’re hearing the odd whispers in hallowed corridors. Sundays renewal of the Grade 3 Strelitzia Stakes produced his first Feature race performer, when TWO MOCCASINS (bred by the Hallmark Stud) ran on well for third against the best Two Year Old fillies KZN has to offer. Given that SLEW THE RED was at his best at ten furlongs and beyond, and the way this one was doing her best at the death, you’d be forgiven thinking her best days are ahead.

Hats off to Chris Saunders and Fili Bowles of Invermooi Stud, who spotted the gap and took this accomplished son of Red Ransom on lease from the late Sheikh Maktoum’s Gainsborough Stud last season. If the whispers should amount to even half of what we’re hearing, we could just be facing a crescendo come next season.