NOT CALLED THE GOLD CUP FOR NOTHING

1945 Owners Gold Cup Trophy
(Photo : Summerhill Stud Archives) 

THE CANON GOLD CUP (Gr 1)
Greyville, 3200m, 26 June 2010

KZN racing authorities can say what they like about the big three of their “Championship Season”, but there’s no doubt that after the “July”, the Canon Gold Cup is a clear second. In fact, if you’re speaking of betting turnover, its one of the nation’s big three. Judged purely by prize money, it’s eclipsed by the July, the Met and the Summer Cup, but as an attractor of people and a generator of turnover, it gives best only to the first two.

As a crowd-pleaser, you might well argue that the glamour events are also those sponsored by Vodacom and J&B, but for sheer elegance and a sense of occasion, you’d probably give first prize to the Gold Cup, though it now faces stern competition from the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup.

One thing you can’t take away from the Gold Cup is tradition. Its being run for the 90^th occasion this Saturday, and there was a time when every self respecting trainer took the compelling leap from the Durban July to the Gold Cup. That was then of course, and this is now, and the difference between those days and these, lies mainly in the trophy.

Some years ago, Sotheby’s auctioned the 1945 Owner’s Gold Cup trophy won by Hartford’s Salmon, and since its rightful home was here at Summerhill (which incorporates Hartford these days), we felt we had to buy it. So prized were these pure gold trophies and so magnificent the craftsmanship, we had to venture a king’s ransom in order to bring it home.

That’s what people were racing for in those days, and it was the knowledge that there were just a handful of these left in the vaults of the Durban Turf Club, which led us to propose to our old friend Alec Foster back in the 90’s, that we try to breed a Gold Cup winner. Being the sportsman that he is, Alec proceeded to do just that, the fruits of his endeavours being Cereus’ cruise in the 2002 renewal.

In all, we bred four horses with that in mind, one of them a nine time winner at distances up to a mile (we obviously read his pedigree wrong), one a Champion Three Year Old filly of her year and a dual Oaks winner, Icy Air (the recipe was right there,) and the other one damn near did it again. He was Amphitheatre, whose stirring victory in the Gold Vase (Gr.2) on the eve of the race cost him a 2kg penalty, which in the end cost him the Gold Cup as well, as he went down a neck in the dying strides to Highland Night.

The honour roll of previous Gold Cups is replete with great names of South African racing, not the least of whom is Charlie Barends, who won just one July with Extinguisher, but who made the Gold Cup his own with seven exceptional victories, the first of which was aboard Chez Monty, the first horse (and the only one) to win two consecutive renewals.

Summerhill and Hartford have a distinguished record in the race. No property has produced more than three winners outside of ours, which has strung together a total of five all told, commencing with Salmon, Cosmonaut, and Alhambra, and in modern times Cereus and the Champion Stayer of two seasons ago, Desert Links.

So, we have the pedigree to produce another one, and going with Winning Leap is a little like picking Brazil to win the World Cup. That means he’s a fair bet, and at 5-1 a fairly generous one. The bookmakers would be wise to think again if their reasoning has to do with history. No three-year-old has ever been to the winner’s podium before, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be done now.

There are enough examples in Australian racing to suggest that a properly programmed horse can do it. The one thing we do have to remember though, with a marathon like this, is that while good horses can sometimes pick up Group One races on the way to their objectives, it doesn’t often happen in a gruelling competition like the Gold Cup. You need to fix your sights firmly on your target, and get your horse there at the top of his game, because the “A” game is the only one that will do.

THE R60K CLUB

Pierre Jourdan - SA Classic (Gr1)
(Photo : JC Photographics / Summerhill Stud)

GO TO WWW.SUMMERHILL.CO.ZA AND CLICK ON SALES

Much has been made of the almost R3million harvest the owners of Pierre Jourdan are sitting on after only seven starts, and the fact he cost just R60,000 at the 2008 Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale. Yet in the space of just one week, we’ve been reminded by their victories, of several other stars who graduated from these paddocks for even less money at the Ready To Run. 

At R42,000, Hear The Drums’ R1,8million haul, tells us there’s still gold in these seams, while Jay Peg’s vanquisher, Dynamite Mike, in the KZN Guineas two seasons back, made a mockery of his R45,000 knockdown.

Some you win, some you lose, and that was apparent from Gary Alexander’s remarks from the winner’s podium after the R2million SA Classic (Gr1) on Saturday. He reminded us of the value of athleticism in a racehorse, and that Pierre Jourdan’s sixty grand price tag was not an exception. Pierre Jourdan lines up next for the SASCOC Triple Crown, and those with memories will recall how close a previous 60K gamble came to winning a Triple Tiara. That year, Gary Alexander’s Icy Air was second in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, and took out the SA Fillies Classic and then the SA Oaks. She followed up in the Woolavington and the Natal Oaks, on her way to a narrow loss in the J&B Met. Of course, she also nabbed two national titles for her exertions.

In case you’re wondering if there are any more of these pearls on the farm, go to www.summerhill.co.za and click on SALES.

SOME OF RACING'S SUPERSTARS

Paris Perfect
(Photo : Robin Bruss)

REMEMBER IMBONGI, PARIS PERFECT, BOLD ELLINORE,
EMPEROR NAPOLEON AND ICY AIR?

Anyone who tells you he wouldn’t want one of these, is not being frank.
Our stars sold off the farm include some of racing’s superstars,
at home and abroad.

JOIN THE CONSTELLATION. CALL THE CHAMPIONS.

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

or contact

Kerry Jack +27 (0) 82 782 7297

Tarryn Liebenberg +27 (0) 83 787 1982

BEFORE GOD WE'RE ALL EQUAL

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE

You may not be able to beat Bill Gates in the boardroom, but on Saturdays at Turffontein, you can level the playing fields.

Yes, it’s true that the more you’ve got, the wider you can cast your net. But at Summerhill, we’ve always had a horse for everyone.

In the past few seasons alone, we’ve seen more than a couple of “Giant Killers” emerge from the shadows of the Summerhill Ready To Run, knocking down some of the biggest names in racing.

All costing less than R100,000.

HEAR THE DRUMS (R40,000), ICY AIR (R60,000), DYNAMITE MIKE (R50,000), FORK LIGHTENING (R70,000), PHUNYUKA (R90,000), MAJESTIC SUN (R70,000), BHEKINKOSI (R65,000), and DESERT LINKS (R80,000).

Once modest in the salesring; now colossi of the turf.

What it boils down to, is this. Excellent quality, great dependability and outstanding value. All the virtues South Africans respect most.

And remember, when you’re dealing with Summerhill, you’re not just buying a racehorse. You’re investing in history.

 

R1,5 MILLION EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN CUP
7 NOVEMBER 2009

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE
8 NOVEMBER 2009

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

MULLINS BAY and STRONGHOLD : SUPER STUDS

Mullins Bay
(John Lewis)

To the delight of all the connections as well as the insurers, Lloyds of London, MULLINS BAY and STRONGHOLD have had their first mares tested in foal. Both of the new “boys” on the block have settled into their new role as “superstud” exceptionally well and Greig Muir and his stallion team report that they are doing a sterling job!

MULLINS BAY has impressed all who have laid eyes on him and has been very well supported. Amongst his visitors are Garden Verse (dam of IMBONGI and SPRING GARLAND), Nordic Air (dam of ICY AIR), BRIDAL PATHS (Thekweni Fillies Stakes winner and sister to PICK SIX) and DIGNIFY (Golden Slipper winner and sister to J&B Met winner, ANGUS) to name just a few. He has had support from around the country with mare’s being sent not only by the local Natal studs, but also from the Eastern and Western Cape.

STRONGHOLD is proving exceptionally fertile as he has had a 100% strike rate to date with all of his mares tested in foal. The first of his ‘harem’ confirmed in foal was Deceptive Charm, a royally bred filly by KINGMAMBO out of a stakes winning SADLER’S WELLS mare. STRONGHOLD will be visited by a number of ‘foreigners’ this season as Modraj, a MACHIAVELLIAN mare out of a sister to Urban Sea (dam of non other than the great GALILEO), has been booked to him as well as Nadira (a NASHWAN mare out of a full sister to KAHAL) Also heading his way in the not too distant future will be Choice Field, the dam of G1 Gomma Gomma winner PICK SIX.

These exciting new editions to the Summerhill stallion barn are booking up fast so to avoid disappointment give Linda Norval a call on +27 33 2631314.