READY AND RAVISHING

Ravishing
(Photo : Greig Muir)

RAVISHING (SAF)
JET MASTER (SAF) - CRIMSON LILY (SAF)

If you’d been an insider at the 2005 National Yearling Sale, you’d have been gobsmacked at the gulf between what Geoff Woodruff had to pay to secure a son of Jet Master, and the next most expensive offspring from that stallion’s first offering. Chestnut and flaxen-maned in the manner of Roy Rogers’ Trigger, Ravishing was the point of perfection the thoroughbred has reached after more than 300 years of meticulous selection. For that, he had to shell out R1,1 million, a tidy sum in those days.

Beautifully proportioned, regally bred with the presence of a prince, the money Robert Muir outlayed to get his man seemed at the time, a light year away from reality. When you look back at what the Jet Masters from that crop did, you wonder what distinguished this fellow from the herd, yet it wasn’t terribly long before the question was answered. In no uncertain terms.

Whatever the credentials of the rest, when Ravishing sliced a sizeable chunk off the class record on debut, when he first flashed the long elegant stride of a future Classic winner at the shortest of trips, Robert Muir and Geoff Woodruff knew that they had the goods.

Woodruff will tell you that Ravishing was as gifted a thoroughbred as he’s had through his hands, but he’ll also tell you he expected it of him. We know now, because his father’s done it, that he was the son of the greatest South African-bred stallion of all-time. We knew then, that he was a brother to the Durban July contender, Red Badge, that he descended from the family of Run For Lily, Fort Defiance and Prince of War. Yes, Woodruff believed in him, empathetically. But he also knew that he was as frustrating a horse as he’d ever trained, plagued as he was with every ailment imaginable. In the end, his was a distinguished career, in which he hit the boards as a three-year-old in the Gauteng Guineas and romped away with the South African Derby (Gr.1). There are not too many with the speed to set class records at 1000 metres, and to show such class at 2450 metres.

When his first two runners came home with cheques, the team at Summerhill was suitably impressed. They’ll tell you they expected them to come later, to take time to find their feet, and like their sire, to be at their best at three. That Little Chikikita spun home on debut at 1100 metres at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, was just a belated Christmas bonus. We now know they can run, it’s just a matter of how soon, and how far.

Enquiries :
Linda Norval 27 (0) 33 263 1081
or email linda@summerhill.co.za
www.summerhill.co.za

MELBOURNE PREMIER YEARLING SALE : THE SA CONNECTION

Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale - Oaklands Parade Ring
(Photo : Inglis)

MELBOURNE PREMIER YEARLING SALE
27 February - 1 March 2012

One of the early features of the 2012 Melbourne Premier Sale was the large contingent of South African owners, trainers and agents in attendance. Simon Vivian has had some sleepless nights in organising travel arrangements but is delighted with the results already.

“Mike de Kock and his agent Jehan Malherbe have flown in from Dubai with their vet Dr John McVeigh. Dean Kannemeyer and Geoff Woodruff are also here and all have been active at varying levels today so it is satisfying,” Vivian said. “Markus Jooste bought three lots under his Mayfair Speculators banner, including colts by Encosta de Lago and Danehill Dancer, so it has been a good start on day one.”

The logistics of getting everyone to Melbourne has been daunting. “The government bodies overseas have been very helpful, the Austrade office in Dubai was fantastic and we’re obviously delighted to have got them here. They are enjoying their accommodation at Crown and enjoying Melbourne and all it has to offer.”

Vivian feels that there will be more purchases to come from the South African visitors. “There’s a lot of horses over the next two days that suit them, they have come to buy, they have indicated to me that they are very happy with the quality of horse on site, they have specific things they look for, they very much like to buy proven sires and they are all shopping at different levels so there is something for everyone. Mick Goss who is a great supporter of the sale has not bought yet but I’m sure he will at some point over the rest of the week.”

“Given the fact that the Australian dollar is so strong right now, considering that the South Africans are here and spending is a very serious thing, not just for us but for the Australian industry,” Vivian said. “The South African buyers have not made a significant impact at the major sales so far this year so the fact that they are here in Melbourne and spending can only be a good things for us all.”

The impact of multiple Group One winner Igugu (Galileo) in South Africa, sold by Mick Goss’ Summerhill Stud on the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale, has had a positive impact in promoting the Melbourne Sale within South Africa and, along with Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), the results out of the Melbourne Sale have definitely worked in the auction house’s favour. “We at Inglis have been building to this for four or five years. Mike de Kock has a client base now that allows him to buy at any sale around the world and the impact that Igugu and Black Caviar have had certainly cannot be underestimated.” Vivian was also at pains to point out the help of Victorian-based agent Paul Guy in helping establish the South African connection. “Paul works tremendously hard. He and I share the workload, we make two dedicated trips a year there to get them here and it is a real team effort to make this happen.”

Extract from ANZ Bloodstock News

GEOFF WOODRUFF : "THE MOST FRUSTRATINGLY TALENTED HORSE..."

FRUSTRATING? YES.
BRILLIANT? CERTAINLY.
RAVISHING.

“He was the most frustratingly talented horse I’ve trained.”
That’s some statement. By some professional.
GEOFF WOODRUFF. As good as they get.

THE RACEHORSE

Grade One Classic winner from 1000 metres to 2450 metres;
mixed it in all the Big Ones.

THE PEDIGREE

From one of the best families in the stud book,
out of one of the few mares in history to have two runners
in the same “July.”

THE LOOKS

Jet Master’s highest priced first crop yearling at R1,1 million.
By a distance.

Look for his first progeny at :

The Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale
Sunday 6th November

*Six cheque payment scheme for qualifying buyers.

Enquiries :
Linda Norval 27 (0) 33 263 1081
or email linda@summerhill.co.za
www.summerhill.co.za

SHEA SHEA WINS GOLDEN HORSE CASINO SPRINT

Click above to watch Shea Shea winning the Golden Horse Casino Sprint (Gr1)
(Image : Gold Circle - Footage : Tellytrack)

GOLDEN HORSE CASINO SPRINT (Grade 1)
Scottsville, Turf, 1200m
28 May 2011

David Thiselton
Gold CircleThe Golden Horse Casino Sprint day at Scottsville was held in fine weather Saturday and was enjoyed by a festive crowd, while punters had a good day with fancied horses winning all four of the Grade 1 1200m features on the card. The penetrometer reading for the day was a good 22, but the inside draws appeared to hold an advantage.

The Geoff Woodruff-trained three-year-old National Emblem colt, Shea Shea, won the feature race, the Golden Horse Casino Sprint, a handicap race, under jockey Anthony Delpech, who, wary of horses diving for the inside, kept Shea Shea away from the rail and rode a patient race, delivering him late. He responded superbly and went past August Rush who had found the inside rail and finished a fine 0,75 length second. The bottom weight Polar Moon, drawn three, finished just 0,25 lengths further back in third. Winking Jack set the pace alone on the outside, hanging on for fourth ahead of Gaultier. The 13-20 favourite What A Winter took a bump early and from a draw of 11 was always going to battle to make up the ground.

Woodruff said the team had been left a bit deflated after the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint in which they were always chasing the lightning fast Val De Ra, before finishing third, but he revealed that Delpech believed Shea Shea would win the Golden Horse. Shea Shea is owned by Brian Joffe and Myron Berzack and was bred by Klawervlei Stud. The horse is named after Joffe’s grandson, Shea. Woodruff also won the Golden Horse two years ago with Earl Of Surrey.

GOLDEN HORSE CASINO SPRINT (Gr1)
Final Results

#	LBH	Horse	Kg	MR	Dr	Jockey	Trainer
1	0.00	SHEA SHEA	58.0	110	4	A Delpech	Geoff Woodruff
2	0.75	AUGUST RUSH	57.0	105	6	B Fayd’Herbe	Neil Bruss
3	1.00	POLAR MOON	53.5	98	2	M V’Rensburg	Sean Tarry
4	1.10	WINKING JACK	56.0	103	13	G Lerena	Lance Wiid
5	2.35	GAULTIER	57.5	106	7	S Randolph	Mike Bass
6	2.85	WHAT A WINTER	59.5	113	10	K Neisius	Mike Bass
7	3.60	SPLASH GOLD	57.5	109	12	A Fortune	Dean Kannemeyer
8	4.10	BUSH PIRATE	57.5	106	9	G Hatt	Joey Ramsden
9	4.85	ELUSIVE RIVER (AUS)	54.0	102	5	A Marcus	Charles Laird
10	5.35	ARABIAN MIST	58.5	108	8	D David	Gary Alexander
11	5.60	RUSHING WIND	58.5	108	15	A Domeyer	Mike Bass
12	6.35	DANCE WITH AL	55.5	102	11	F Coetzee	Justin Snaith
13	7.10	RABATTACHE	60.0	111	3	I Sturgeon	Glen Puller
14	8.10	TWO TONE	58.0	107	1	* JP v’d Merwe	Mike Azzie
15	8.60	KAVANAGH	56.0	106	14	K Shea	Mike de Kock
16	14.85	GOOD THING	59.5	110	16	M Mienie	Wendy Whitehead

Extract from Gold Circle

SATURDAY IS DERBY DAY

Turffontein - The Golden Days are back
(Photos : Life/Racingweb/Summerhill Stud)

THE SOUTH AFRICAN DERBY
“THE CRUCIBLE OF OLD”

These are big days on most international racing calendars. At Epsom, in Kentucky, down in Sydney, it’s Derby time, and it’s no different at Turffontein. There was a time in the 1980’s and 90’s, when the obsession of local breeders was all about speed, that the South African Derby despite its great tradition, was beginning to resemble a folk festival staged around plodding young stayers with more courage than class. Not anymore. Certainly not this Saturday. It is the crucible of old.

Enter the new generation stallions, Fort Wood, Jet Master, Western Winter and if you’ll forgive us mentioning a young imposter, Kahal, and the Derby has regained its lustre, the last awesome rite of Autumn. Just this afternoon, Geoff Woodruff labelled this one of the better three year old crops in some time, and he’s got no axe to grind. It’s arguable that, in terms of depth, we could be looking at one of the best Derby fields in decades, and they’re probably better trained, given the depth of our professionals, than any field in history.

For obvious reasons, we’re penning this note for one reason, and one reason alone. Of more than 500 starters since the inauguration of the Triple Crown, only 5 horses (1%) stood a chance of challenging for the pot of gold. Only two, the spectacular Horse Chestnut, and our new hero, Pierre Jourdan stood a chance of winning. Is it possible Pierre Jourdan is in the same league? “He’s getting closer” proffers his trainer, “he’s getting closer”. Gary Alexander is not about to swap a memory for a possibility, but he is beginning to taste the possibility.

When “PJ” left the mounting yard on Classic Day, Alexander was quick to say “No excuses today”. He didn’t need any. Destiny came rushing up to embrace his horse. The banter is always in the mounting yard. Other side the stand, the bookies behave like the cold accountants they are. Forget comparisons with Horse Chestnut and all that sentimental guff. Just shorten the odds before some bunny gets on.

So dust off your spats, whip the crinolene down to the cleaners, and head for Turffontein in all its Autumnal finery. Saturday the golden days are back. The likes of Pierre Jourdan, Irish Flame, Iwannadance, Service Ace, Flying Tristam, Smanjemanje, Nyakatho, Fort Petersburg, Conquered Dreams, Happy Valley and Mirage Drive, have guaranteed that.

All can play, all can win. The difference this time is simply that if a “pleb” scores, he will have to beat a half dozen patricians to get there. But if “PJ” takes the “Crown”, the carousing could be riotous. The Alexanders are known for the quality of their cellar.

Best dust off the silver-tipped cane as well as the spats!