GOING RIGHT ALL THE TIME

National Yearling Sale Top Priced Filly - Lot 330 Purely Atomic
(Photo : Lisl King)

“Everything keeps going right, Toyota”

In the world of motoring, you get the Rolls Royces and you get the Toyotas. It’s no different in the horse breeding world, where some produce the “Rollers”, while we’ve always claimed to breed Toyotas, where great quality, outstanding dependability and excellent value are the watchwords.

However, that’s not to say that they’re all Yarises. Occasionally, to pay the wages and fund our capital projects, we need to sell the odd Prado for the sort of money that makes that kind of difference. You might be forgiven for thinking that Summerhill is predominantly associated with stallions, given the fuss we make with our stallion brochures and DVDs, and the dent they make on the nation’s sire logs, but we’re not bad when it comes to fillies either. When Checcetti trotted up in the Gerald Rosenberg Stakes (Gr.2) on Saturday, she became our third winner of that prized event in the past four seasons, and since the “Rosenberg” is run on the weekend of the National Yearling Sale each year, it makes for good advertising. It’s no coincidence then, that in each of those years when Spring Garland, Fisani and now Checcetti got their hooves on that trophy, we’ve also claimed the top priced filly at the big sale. When Spring Garland came home, her half-sister, Victory Garden made R1.5million; when Fisani took her turn, Blueridge Mountain reciprocated with a R2million haul; and now Purely Atomic scooped the pool with a R1.6 million bid from Mary Slack’s Wilgerbosdrift Stud. When it’s all over, she’ll be going back to Mary’s to produce the “Rollers”, while here at Summerhill, like our motor car namesakes, “everything keeps going right, Toyota”.

Enquiries :
Tarryn Liebenberg +27 (0) 83 787 1982
or email tarryn@summerhill.co.za
www.summerhill.co.za

CHERRY ON THE TOP TRIUMPHS IN SA OAKS AND TRIPLE TIARA

Watch Cherry On The Top winning the SA Oaks and Triple Tiara
(Image and Footage : Racing International)

WILGERBOSDRIFT SA OAKS (Grade 2)
Final leg of the Triple Tiara
Turffontein, Turf, 2450m
27 April 2013

Mike Moon
TAB NewsCherry On The Top became only the second filly after the mighty Igugu to claim the coveted Wilgerbosdrift Stud Triple Tiara with her scintillating victory in the Grade 2 SA Oaks at Turffontein on Saturday.

Having doddled the first two legs of the Tiara series - the Gauteng Fillies Guineas and the SA Fillies Classic - Cherry On The Top was quoted at odds of 1-6 to complete the hat-trick.

She proved worthy of every bit of that respect, cruising to a two-length triumph to claim the R1million Tiara bonus for her owner Bridget Oppenheimer.

It was a real family affair with Mrs O - as she’s affectionately known - accepting the bonus cheque from her daughter Mary Slack, owner of sponsor Wilgerbosdrift Stud. Also, Mrs O’s Mauritzfontein Stud bred the winner from her top broodmare Carolina Cherry from a service by Wilgerbosdrift’s stallion Tiger Ridge.

The 2450m was taken at a slow pace, with the favourite’s rivals clearly plotting to ambush her with a sprint run-in. But the dark bay from the yard of wily veteran trainer Ormond Ferraris was just far too good in the end.

Cherry On The Top jumped away on terms from the rails draw and jockey Nooresh Juglall eased her into position behind the eager Moikavano, Rue De Rivoli, Secret Obsession and Princess Line. Second favourite Do You Remember was tucked in a few lengths behind.

The bunched field approached the final turn at little more than a canter, with Cherry On The Top just two lengths off the pace. In the Fillies Classic last month Juglall felt compelled to go early, getting plenty of criticism for his trouble, despite winning by six lengths. This time Juglall was all patience, waiting and watching as the front runners tired and a bunch of backmarkers moved up to challenge. With 250m to go, the young Mauritian rider shook the reins, the filly picked up her feet and the big crowd roared.

Do You Remember must be tired of watching Cherry On The Top’s rump disappearing into the distance. Geoff Woodruff’s filly was second for the third time in the Tiara races - some kind of record in itself, surely. Jet Bell (14-1), who trailed the field for most of the trip, ran on very well for third and Sky Pirate (15-1) was fourth.

Cherry On The Top has now won eight of 11 starts and many racing fans will be wondering why she hasn’t been nominated for the upcoming Vodacom Durban July. It’s possible the connections feel the three-year-old needs a rest after the extreme rigours of the eight weeks of the Tiara and will be a better winter season prospect as a four-year-old.

Mrs O isn’t keen to race her overseas.

Extract from TAB News

FILLIES AND LUCKY RED RODS

Cherry On The Top
(Photo : The Times)

CHAMPIONS DAY
Turffontein, 27 April 2013

Mike Moon
The TimesSuperstition abounds in racing. Fans have “lucky” hats they wear on the racecourse. Many refuse to wear anything green. Even the great Terrance Millard, trainer of six Durban July winners, had a pair of lucky socks.

I met a trainer who wore the same pair of red underpants whenever his horses competed. It paid off as he won the Summer Cup, though by then those rods were in tatters.

A partner owner of mine believed his mere presence was a jinx on winning and, at race time, would walk resolutely off the course into the nearby café for a few puffs on a fag as our horse galloped. The nag won just twice from dozens of starts but, for my mate, that was evidence enough of the efficacy of his strategy.

Such mysterious forces don’t usually bother me. But I am a little concerned that lately when I’ve written about horses or connections ahead of a race, they’ve failed to meet expectations.

The highlight of today’s Champions Day meeting at Turffontein is the bid by Cherry On The Top to claim the Triple Tiara by winning the Wilgerbosdrift Stud SA Oaks - completing three victories in the daunting series.

Ormond Ferraris, trainer of Cherry On The Top, recently chased a TV camera crew from his yard, apparently because he didn’t want to be jinxed by media hype.

So, given my record and Ferraris’ sensitivities, I’m loath to write about the big moment.

I won’t dwell on how bookmakers are offering prohibitive odds of 1/6 on Mary Slack, Wilgerbosdrift’s owner and sponsor of the Oaks and Triple Tiara, handing the R1million series bonus cheque to her very own mum - Cherry On The Top’s owner Bridget Oppenheimer.

I won’t witter about keeping it in the family. Anyway, I’m sure Mary won’t appreciate jokes about her mother not needing the extra few bob. After all, Mary has said the sponsorship is to encourage the breeding of quality fillies in an industry she cares fervently about - and she clearly never had mater in mind when she got out her purse.

I’ll also not drone on about Mrs O’s record of a dozen or so wins in the Oaks, dating back 50 years.

Instead, I’ll focus on the host of other big races. In the President’s Champions Challenge, where anything could win, I’m going for Master Plan (16/1) and Shogunnar (6/1). Sorry for that.

Red Ray (5/10), in the SA Nursery, is rumoured to be dynamite and watching a potential superstar in action might be worth the visit to Turfies on its own.

In the SA Derby, bookies reckon Tellina (16/10) is a shoo-in, though I caution that any of the maturing three-year-olds might relish the gruelling 2450m they’re trying for the first time. Wylie Hall at 8/1?

Then there’s the Computaform Sprint. But, go on, you place your own curses.

Extract from The Times

FLYING HIGH

Golden Sword (GB)
(Photo : Greig Muir)

“He was booked choco-a-bloc within weeks of his arrival…”

One global stallion who’s cookin’ right now is High Chaparral. The dual Derby and Breeder’s Cup hero is yet another breed-shaping son of the almighty Sadler’s Wells, whose other celebrities at stud include Galileo, Montjeu, El Prado, and South Africa’s Fort Wood. Galileo is widely regarded as the world’s best stallion, to the degree that many pundits believe he is already a better stallion than Sadler’s Wells himself. The latter notched up an unprecedented fourteen European sire’s championships, while Montjeu has produced four of the last eight winners of England’s most famous horserace, the Investec Derby (Gr.1). Yet none of his paternal siblings could emulate High Chaparral’s feat of six individual Group One winners from his first year at stud, an achievement which ranks alongside only his illustrious father’s, though it has to be said, Sadler’s Wells got all of his from a single Northern Hemisphere covering season, whilst High Chaparral produced two in the Northern Hemisphere and an astonishing four in Australasia. We use the word “astonishing” advisedly, as the Sadler’s Wells tribe has been largely shunned Down Under, though that’s not the case with High Chaparral, where his progeny continue to be difficult to buy by dint of their popularity.

A fortnight ago, his New Zealand-bred first crop progeny, Shoot Out, took out his second consecutive edition of the Chipping Norton Stakes (Gr.1), taking his tally at the highest level to four, whilst this past weekend, at a distance considered on the short side, It’s A Dundeel skated home in the Royal Randwick Guineas (Gr.1) over the traditional 1600m trip in Sydney.

Despite the modern tendency of breeders to avoid the use of stallions after their first season at stud for purely commercial reasons, it seems the High Chaparral legacy has maintained its momentum through to the third generation, where his unbeaten Group-winning two-year-old of last season, Toronado, is a hot contender for line honours on the first Saturday in June at England’s Epsom racecourse. His seasonal high point was an impressive cruise in Doncaster’s Champagne Stakes (Gr.2).

High Chaparral’s highest-rated Northern Hemisphere runner is a barnmate in the Summerhill Stallion complex, where he’s held in the joint ownership of the farm, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifah Al Maktoum, Mary Slack’s Wilgersbosdrift Stud, Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud and Moutonshoek. Clearly, South African breeders know the value of the strain, as he was booked choco-a-bloc within weeks of his arrival at the property.

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

MARY SLACK'S WILGERBOSDRIFT TO SPONSOR SA TRIPLE TIARA

Mary Slack
(Photo : Sporting Post)

WILGERBOSDRIFT
SA TRIPLE TIARA

Doyenne of South African racing and breeding, Mary Slack’s Wilgerbosdrift Stud is to sponsor the 2013 SA Triple Tiara for three-year-old fillies.

The Triple Tiara comprises three races:

The R500,000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas (Grade 2)
Turffontein, 1600m, Saturday 2 March

The R1million Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic (Grade 1)
Turffontein, 1800m, Saturday 30 March

The R750,000 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks (Grade 2)
Turffontein, 2450m, Saturday 27 April

The Triple Tiara is the ultimate test for a filly and carries a R1million bonus for winning all three legs. Summerhill’s Igugu (2011) is the only filly to have won the Triple Tiara since its inception in 1999.

Mary Slack said: “Wilgerbosdrift is delighted to be associated with the Triple Tiara, three top-class races that cater for the country’s best fillies. It is essential for the breeding industry that fillies race for excellence in South Africa and are rewarded accordingly. Superior fillies produce champion racehorses and they are the flag bearers of our industry in generations to come. Igugu is the only filly in South Africa to have won all three legs and let’s hope that there is another champion in the wings,” she added.

Phumelela Sales Executive Clyde Basel said: “We are privileged to have Wilgerbosdrift as the sponsor of the Triple Tiara. They have bred multiple graded winners and are having a super season. To have a top breeder’s brand associated with the Triple Tiara series is fantastic for the event. Many thanks to Mary Slack for making this sponsorship possible.”

Extract from Tab News