STREET CRY’S STAR HAS NEVER BEEN BRIGHTER

Click above to watch the 2009 Melbourne Cup
(Footage : YouTube)

OF SHOCKING, ZENYATTA AND THE EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN

As South Africans rejoiced Herman Brown’s ground breaking third in the “race that stops the Australian nation”, with the much publicized Chechen President’s Mourilyan, horsemen around the world were left to reflect on what other heights Street Cry can still scale.

Besides having the favourite for Saturday’s Breeders Cup Classic in the United States (the unbeaten Zenyatta), his son Shocking prevailed this morning over one of the better line-ups in recent years in the Melbourne Cup. For some time now, we’ve been tipping Street Cry as the natural heir to the present emperor of American Stallions, A.P.Indy, and with Group One winners in the northern, the southern and the western hemispheres, it seems his ascendancy is now secure.

They run on every surface, he has champions from six furlongs to two miles, and it seems they’re as durable as old boots.

Anyone attending the panel session following the Emperors Palace Ready To Run gallops at Summerhill on the 16^th October (or for that matter tuned into Tellytrack last night) will have noticed that at least four of the panellists tipped the Street Cry entry in Sunday’s sale as the standout female in the catalogue (lot 89). For what its worth, this is the last of the southern hemisphere bred Street Cry’s for the time being. He stopped shuttling three years ago, and while he resumed again this season, you have to wonder whether, as one of the most valuable properties in the world, he’s is likely to repeat it again.

 

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE
8 NOVEMBER 2009

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

AUSSIES GETTING INTO A BROWN STEW

Herman Brown Jnr
(Photo : Summerhill Stud)

TRAINER HERMAN BROWN JNR

One of the most affable families in South African racing is that of the trainers Brown, now in its third generation. One of the stars of this family, is Herman Jnr, most recently renowned for his connectivity with Dubai and Singapore Group 1 hero, Jay Peg.

You couldn’t find a more mild-mannered bloke than Herman whose stamp is all decency. Somehow though, he’s found himself embroiled in a political mudslinging of some proportions in Australia, where he has the Melbourne Cup firmly in his sights and the man bankrolling his raid is making headlines there for all the wrong reasons.

Jeff Zerbst reports that Australia’s Sun-Herald paper led this past weekend with the story of how Chechnyan president, Ramzan Kadyrov, is aiming to win “the race that stops a nation” with the gelding Mourilyan (30-1).

This is seen by some as a very bad thing - the man is accused of being a dictator and a human rights monster. He was even described as the “new Stalin” by a female journalist who only lived for a few weeks after making the comment.

Now the local bleeding hearts are asking for the Prime Minister to step in and block the horse, and another stable runner Bankable (aimed at the Mackinnon Stakes), from racing here. Senator Bob Brown of the Greens doesn’t want Kadyrov coming here either.

“If this nasty character were to get his hands on the Melbourne Cup, it would be the lowest point in Australia’s sporting history,” said Senator Brown.

The other “Brown” in this intriguing sage is Herman, whose dad won countless Gr.1’s in a stellar career in Durban. Brown junior isn’t Mourilyan’s regular trainer - that job falls to England’s Gary Moore - but he is reportedly the handler of these horses when they go overseas.

So here we have the oddest spring prospect in ages - Herman Brown saddling the Melbourne Cup winner for the latterday “Stalin” while local lefties froth at the mouth as they quote dastardly sayings from the winning owner. Like this reported one - “I will be killing as long as I live.”

Bookies, not known to be an ideological species, will be more worried about Kadyrov making a financial killing. His horse has a second placing in the Goodwood Cup to his name and last time out won over 2816m at that track. 30-1 will be a lip-smacking price for the guv’nor.

HERMAN BROWN ready for Singapore Airlines Cup

 

Record-breaking Gr.1 Dubai Duty Free hero Jay Peg heads a maximum field of 16 for Sunday’s Gr.1 Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji.

The son of Camden Park arrived from Dubai in fine fettle and will be reunited with jockey Anton Marcus, who rode a masterful race in the Duty Free despite suffering a saddle slip during the race. Herman Brown mounts a two-pronged assault on the S$3 million race, with recent acquisition Mourilyan (Desert Prince) making his debut for the stable under Weichong Marwing.

Formely trained by John Oxx, the Aga Khan-bred colt scored successive victories in Dubai this year before a runner-up effort in the Gr.3 Dubai City of Gold . The four-year-old most recently finished unplaced in the Sheema Classic.

Sunday’s opponents include Japan’s Cosmo Bulk, who finished first and second in the last two runnings of the 2000m race and New Zealand’s multiple Gr.1 winner, Sir Slick.

HOT RECEPTION too hot for visitors

Hot Reception
(Gold Circle)

The Herman Brown-trained Muhtafal filly Hot Reception caused an upset in the Gr.3 Poinsettia Stakes for fillies and mares over 1 200 m at Scottsville yesterday and it was a one two for the Paul Lafferty-trained Oracle News putting her last disappointing run behind her to finish second.

Hot Reception, a four year by Muhtafal, further enhanced a fine weekend for champion breeders, Summerhill Stud, their progeny from the Mike de Kock yard, Imbongi and Bold Ellinore, having finished first and second in the Gr.2 Drill Hall Stakes over 1 400m on Friday night.

Hot Reception, ridden by Brandon Lerena, led from start to finish and displayed good cruising speed. She stayed on well when Lerena began working her just before the 300m mark and won by 0.75 lengths. Oracle News got a nice tow from Hot Reception and, had the gap between the winner and a hard-ridden Soft Landing not kept on closing in the final 400m, she might have got closer.

She showed some resolve when finally getting out and just pipped Soft Landing for second, with Ethereal Lady next best. The 15-10 favourite was the Mike de Kock-trained Rat Burana, who won the Gr1. Allan Robertson for juvenile fillies over this course and distance last season.

Rat Burana took two bumps from Royal Vision on her outside after they had jumped and after that, whether beaten for early speed or a decision made by Kevin Shea, she dropped out to last before being bought around the horses. As she began to make up ground she had to momentarily veer away from Dash Of Dynamite but even at that early 700m stage she had a mountain to climb and did well to finish sixth, about two lengths back.

Hot Reception was saddled by assistant trainer Frank Robinson and he reported that Herman Brown’s charges Jay Peg and Mourilyan, travelled well to Singapore last Friday for their big assignment in the S$3 million (R16,936 million) Gr.1 Singapore Airlines Cup on Saturday.

Extract by David Thiselton  from The Mercury 

NAD AL SHEBA - The South African Flavour

Racing returns to Nad Al Sheba tonight (Thursday 31 December 2008). There is always a heavy South African involvement in racing in Dubai. Here is a run down of South African trained horses and jockeys participating at the meeting:

RACE 1:
Trainer Mike De Kock trains the Irish bred Drayton who is a game front runner and may place. The odds on the four year old is 6/1.

SELECTION: 1st - Canadian Danehill (8) 2nd - Drayton (1) 3rd - Sarissa (4)

RACE 2:
In this race Jet Express (25/1) formerly from the KZN trained Paul Denysschen yard is currently trained by A Al Raihe. Mike De Kock sends out Limehouse (16/1) and the Horse Chestnut colt Valiance (12/1). Limehouse looks to be the pick from the yard. Herman Brown has the Brazilian bred Yorokobi (33/1) in the race.

SELECTION: 1st - EA (6) 2nd - Limehouse (7) 3rd - Dijeerr (4)

RACE 3:
Mike De Kock has two South African bred and raced horses in this race. Bennie Blue (10/1) finished second in the Grade 1 SA Derby at Turffontein in 2006 and will be ridden by top KZN jockey Kevin Shea. His other horse is Kayak (7/1). Kayak was trained in South Africa by Paddy Kruyer.

SELECTION: 1st - Kayak (4) 2nd - Igor Protti (2) 3rd - Chinkara (10)

RACE 4:
The only South African connection in this race is the Herman Brown trained Hard Top (14/1).

SELECTION: 1st - L’Amico Steve (2) 2nd - Doubnov (10) 3rd - Mourilyan (16)

RACE 5:
There is no South African connection in this race.

SELECTION: 1st - Skywards (11) 2nd - Blackat Blackitten (8) 3rd - Gongidas (9)

RACE 6:
Top South African four year old horse Jay Peg (2/1) is aimed at the Dubai Duty Free was formerly trained by top Cape Town conditioner and former top South African jockey Basil Marcus. Jay Peg won the Grade 1 Cape Derby and Grade 1 Cape Guineas. He will be ridden by top jockey Richard Moore.

SELECTION: 1st - Jay Peg (6) 2nd - Davidoff (10) 3rd - Lord Admiral (1)

RACE 7:

Money Bags (8/1) is now with the Mike De Kock stable. He hails from Cape Town where he came second in the Grade 1 Cape Derby behind Floatyourboat. Whilst in Cape Town he was trained by Eric Sands. Kevin Shea rides. Herman Brown has Starpix in this race. Starpix was bred in France.

SELECTION: 1st - Dark Islander (1) 2nd - The Illies (9) 3rd - Money Bags (4)

Extract from SAHorseracing.com