BETTING WORLD 1900 : Pointer to Vodacom Durban July

Thandolwami
(Photo : Gold Circle)

Tonight’s Grade 2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville sees a highly competitive field lining up for this traditional pointer to the Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July.

With four Summerhill graduates prepped for battle; Thandolwami, Catmandu, Dynamite Mike and Let’s Get Started (Reserve), it is sure to be a cracker.

Jack Milner writes for Tab Online that the on-fire Thandolwami must be every owner’s dream. Purchased for just R80,000, Thandolwami (Woodborough x My Sweet Love) has amassed R820,150 in stake-money and can become another “Equine Millionaire” if victorious in tonight’s R350,000 feature.

Summerveld-based trainer, Craig Eudey, has done a great job with this talented four-year-old, who seems to be getting better with every run. A useful three-year-old, he has now come of age and following some high-class recent efforts, is overdue to record a big win.

Thandolwami’s recent form is most consistent. He finished second to Likeithot in the Charity Mile November Handicap, fifth behind Rudra in the Steinhoff Summer Cup, a fast finishing second to Pirate’s Gold in the King’s Cup and a one-length third behind Smart Banker in last month’s Champions Challenge at Turffontein.

He has saved some of his best performances for Greyville racecourse though, having won three of his six starts at the track and placing on three other occasions. A strange phenomenon if one considers how he loves to challenge from well off the pace.

Thandolwami will once again be partnered by jockey Raymond Danielson, who has established a fine understanding with the gelding. He has piloted Thandolwami in his last seven starts for two wins, three places and two close-up fifths.

Catmandu (Makaarem x Gypsey Spirit) is in superb form and is another fighter who loves the Greyville track. In last year’s running of this very race he was denied by a nostril at the hands of Jet Master’s full sister, River Jetez. After a couple of mediocre performances, Gauteng trainer Andre Kirsten’s charge seems to have regained his touch and last time out in the Grade 1 Champions Challenge, Catmandu ran just 0.75 lengths adrift of Thandolwami, despite having to switch for a clear run.

Other big names in the race include Charles Laird’s Crown Of Power; Mike Bass’ Thundering Jet, Air Combat and Judged Excellent; Gavin van Zyl’s Cape Town and Duncan Howells’ Tropical Empire.

The big race kicks off at 20:40.

R350,000 Betting World 1900 Grade 2
Final Field

No	Horse	Kg	MR	Dr	Jockey	Trainer
1	Singing Sword	60.0	104	7	D Masour	Tyrone Zackey
2	Thundering Jet	59.5	103	17	B Fayd’Herbe	Mike Bass
3	Catmandu	59.0	102	9	G Wrogemann	Andre Kirsten
4	Thandolwami	59.0	102	10	R Danielson	Craig Eudey
5	Vision Of Grandeur (Ire)	58	100	2	F Coetzee	Justin Snaith
6	Tropical Empire (Aus)	57.5	99	11	B Lerena	Duncan Howells
7	Wonder Lawn	57.5	99	8	S Randolph	Dean Kannemeyer
8	Air Combat	56.5	97	1	G Lerena	Mike Bass
9	Crown Of Power	56.5	97	6	A Marcus	Charles Laird
10	Pirate’s Gold	56	96	18	S Cormack	Glen Kotzen
11	Cape Town	55	94	14	K Shea	Gavin van Zyl
12	Dynamite Mike	55	94	5	K Jupp	Kumaran Naidoo
13	Full Power (Arg)	54.5	93	13	D L Habib	Geoff Woodruff
14	Judged Excellent	54.5	93	12	A Delpech	Mike Bass
15	Al Pasha	53.5	91	16	M Byleveld	Dean Kannemeyer
16	Kiribati	52	92	15	D Daniels	Sean Tarry
17	Mr. Esplendid (Arg) (Reserve)	52	88	4	Reserve 2	Joey Ramsden
18	Let’s Get Started (Reserve)	52	81	3	Reserve 1	Alyson Wright

Ashley McNabb and Milli Miliotis : A Case of Generosity Rewarded

Milli Miliotis and Ashley McNabb
(Heather Morkel)

The first foal of the new season arrived this weekend in the form of a typically robust, scopey daughter of Kahal weighing in at 60,7kgs. This tale however has a bit of “fairy” to it, and it’s a case of overwhelming generosity being rewarded. At last year’s Summerhill Stallion Day, Ashley McNabb and Milli Miliotis bid a record R90 000 to secure a service to the most popular stallion in the country last season, Kahal, as part of our annual fund-raising for the Al Maktoum School Of Management Excellence, which is due to open at Summerhill next year. This filly was the result, and she’s the daughter of a mare by the name of Climbing Rose, whose story is less extraordinary.

These two guys have been big-hearted supporters of racing for some years now, and Milli Miliotis has a pedigree in the game which goes back generations. However, as business partners, they ventured into racehorse ownership about a decade ago. One of Ashley’s first acquisitions was Climbing Rose, who was a winner of one of the events at the first Steinhoff Family Fun Day at Turffontein, in the days when the prizes were a weekend away at some resort, a lounge suite from Gomma Gomma or a stallion service from Summerhill. A far cry from the hundreds and thousands on offer these days!

In Climbing Rose’s case, the prize came courtesy of Sheikh Hamdan’s open-handed kindness in the form of a cover to Fahal. In the event, the boys swapped that one for another of Sheikh Hamdan’s stallions, Makaarem, and the outcome was a plucky fellow by the name of Makmymate, winner of a couple of races for the pair. In the event, Climbing Rose was sent to  Summerhill for her tryst with Makaarem and she, together with others in the merry band of mares these fellows have since accumulated, has made Summerhill her home.

For the record, Ashley and Milli were the winners of this year’s SA Fillies with Urabamba, a beautifully bred filly by Fort Wood.

ASTRAPAK 1900 : CATMANDU leads charge for ANDRE KIRSTEN

Andre Kirsten and Catmandu
(Gold Circle)

The R300 000 Astrapak 1900 (Gr 2) to be run at Greyville this Friday evening is a key race on the Champions Season programme. This race is a vital stepping stone to the 112^th running of the Vodacom Durban July with the winner being almost guaranteed a place in the starting line-up.

From a Summerhill perspective Catmandu (Makaarem x Gypsey Spirit) from the yard of Andre Kirsten, has gotten better with each run this season. The four-year-old has an excellent record of five wins and nine places from eighteen starts including placings in the Wolf Power Handicap, the Drumstar Handicap and the Horse Chestnut. A repeat of his recent Gomma Gomma Challenge effort would see him going close here despite having to lug 58kg and concede up to 5,5kg to his rivals.

However, the 3-year-olds have been faring well against their older rivals - witness Eddington and Imbongi - and the latter’s stablemate Rudra, from the yard of Mike de Kock, must also be a strong fancy as he has form over this course and distance and races from the bottom of the weights. Mike Bass’ Floatyourboat, Charles Laird’s Hunting Tower and Dean Kannemeyer’s Jagged Ice are all sufficiently classy to win here if they can turn up at the top of their games, whilst Dean Kannemeyer’s Wonder Lawn and Mike Bass’ River Jetez, have shown enough to warrant respect.

Look out too for Michael Millar-trained Outcome (Muhtafal x Culminate) who is a decent filly and having seven career victories to date, is yet to let her connections down. Also Sean Tarry’s Run Angel Run (Makaarem x Foxy Angel) is yet to run a really bad race, however this is the first time she is taking on this level of male competition.

Watch Catmandu’s run in the Gomma Gomma Challenge 2008

EDDINGTON caps memorable Gomma Gomma for Piere Strydom

Eddington (freeracer)Eddington was runner-up to Lion’s Blood (SAf) in the G2 Dingaans here at Turffontein November 24 before winning the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes back at this track January 6. Seventh in the March 1 G2 Gauteng Guineas on his third visit, he returned for a fourth time to run third behind Kings Gambit (SAf) in the April 5 G1 SA Classic and earned his own stripes in the absence of that rival here. Breaking well and taking up the early advantage, the bay capped a memorable day for Piere Strydom by making every yard of the running and registering an ultimately comfortable score.

Saturday, Turffontein, South Africa
GOMMAGOMMA CHALLENGE-G1 , R3,500,000, Turffontein, 5-3, 3yo/up, 1 1/4mT, 2:08.35, gd/sf. 1—EDDINGTON (SAF), 117, g, 3, by Model Man (SAf)  
    1st Dam: Sit Alkul, by Mr. Prospector
    2nd Dam: Lypatia (Fr), by Lyphard
    3rd Dam: Hypatia (GB), by High Hat (GB)
O-G L O’Brien, A R Burke & W Oakley; B-D Cohen & Sons (Pty) Ltd; T-Dominic Zaki; J Piere Strydom; R2,187,500. Lifetime Record: 9 starts, 5 wins, 3 places.
2—She’s On Fire (SAf), 119, m, 5, Jet Master (SAf)— Cream of the Crop (SAf), by Concertino (Fr). O-Team Valor (Nom: B Irwin); B-Scott Bros; T-OrmondFerraris.
3—Catmandu (SAf), 117, g, 4, Makaarem—Gypsey Spirit (SAf), by Coastal. O-Hendrik L van der Westhuizen; B-Summerhill Stud (Pty) Ltd; T-Andre Kirsten.

Click for the Eddington eNicks report and 5-cross pedigree.

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News 

The future's so bright.

Summerhill Ready to Run GallopsIt’s been so quiet recently you could hear a pin drop, so it’s nice to see some Summerhill Ready To Run and National Sales graduates stepping up to the plate and giving us something to smile about.

On Friday at Durbanville, Amaphupho, A 2006 National Sales graduate, and son of National Emblem out of Roman Dream, put on an impressive performance in the Graduation Plate over 2000m to grab a very creditable second. Trailing at the end of the field by a good seven lengths, he moved through the field, and hit the front with 400m to go. He was however overtaken by Jarvik at the 200m mark, who kept going to win from a game Amaphupho.

Saturday’s racing saw Summerhill 2005 Ready To Run graduate Catmandu, by the late Makaarem out of Gypsey Spirit did not disgrace himself in the listed Wolf Power Handicap over 1660 m at Turrffontein on Saturday. Although he had to eventually settle for second place ahead of Buscador, son of champion sire, Western Winter, he still turned in a good enough performance to warrant some serious attention from trainers and punters alike. He has 5 wins from 15 starts and looks to be turning into a force to be reckoned with

After a solid start Catmandu hovered in the middle of the field, until the final straight when he decided to strike along with Aussie Captain, and make the dash for the finish line. However he was to be denied by a determined Buscador who was roaring up through the field, and went away to win by 2, 5 lengths. Catmandu ran an outstanding race making up lots of ground in the home straight. This was all the more impressive, considering he had to concede 4, 5 kgs to winner Buscador.