Quality Juveniles at Breeze-up Gallops

Ready To Run Breeze-up Gallops
(Summerhill Stud)

David Thiselton Top turf writer David Thiselton reported in the Sunday Tribune this morning that everybody present at the breeze-up gallops at Summerhill on Friday were in agreement that this was the strongest catalogue ever presented for the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale that takes place on November 2 at Gosforth Park’s TBA Complex.

“The day was overcast and chilly but the rain held.

The track was in perfect condition and there was not a single incident during the 120 gallops which were carried out very efficiently and in record time.

The Summerhill work rider’s skills improve every year and they clearly relish their valuable input on the day.

This year saw not only the usual gallops Opinion Panel but also two “Gallops Judges” Dianne Stenger and Tobie Spies, whose task it was to scratch any performer considered not good or ready enough to take its place on the sale.

Mick Goss of Summerhill announced afterwards that not a single horse was scratched and congratulated the stud farms and pre-trainers on their superb presentation of the juvenile lots.

Accolades

Yesterday’s breeze-ups held at James Maree’s farm on the Highveld drew similar accolades and Stenger and Spies also gave the 42 lots there a 100% pass rate.

At Summerhill the opinion panel consisted of Sean Tarry, Dean Kannemeyer, Graeme Hawkins, Mike Azzie, Michael Roberts and Irishman Eamonn Cullen, who each selected their best three fillies and best three colts.

The most popular selection was Lot 63, a National Emblem half-brother to GommaGomma winner, Pick Six, consigned by Summerhill.

Lot 121, an Australian-bred Rock of Gibraltar colt consigned by Summerhill, Lot 39, a Hawk Wing filly consigned by an agent, Jane Thomas’ Far End Pre-training, and Lot 36, a Malhub filly consigned by Summerhill were the others to appear on more than one list.

Jane Trotter from Ambleway Pre-training centre in Pietermaritzburg prepared three lots for Highlands Farm Stud and two Brazilian-breds for Marlon Aronstram’s Anfield Sports and of the Highlands consignment, Lot 23, a bay Spectrum colt, wowed the spectators, while Lot 12 had many fans too.

In 2006, the year in which the opinion panel was introduced, the experts had the likes of Umngazi (winner of the inaugural Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup and Grade 3 Byerley Turk winner), Art Of War (stakes placed and now Dubai bound), Galant Gagnant (Grade 1 Daily News 2000 runner up), Mzwilili (Grade 3 Pretty Polly Stakes winner) and Thekkady (Grade 3 Strelitzia Stakes winner) on their list.

Quality

Mark Dixon, trainer of Umngazi, commented on the quality of this year’s catalogue and said that in the current economic climate it could be a buyer’s market.

In fact, one of the wisest people present on Friday could well have been Jim Whitcher, a racing fan who hails from the south of London.

Whitcher was only able to afford Greyhounds to race in his native England, but, initially by the internet, has begun taking advantage of the strong British Pound and good value bloodstock to buy racehorses from places like Turkey and now South Africa.

Whitcher has a share in Requiem filly Foxy Blonde, a R70 000 purchase from last year’s Ready To Run, making her debut for the Gary Alexander yard tomorrow at Turffontein.

This year’s 1400m Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup to be run on November 1 at Turffontein sees the stake raised from R500 000 to R1,25 million while there are hopes that next year’s event will be run for R1,5 million.

Debut

Dixon has another hopeful for this year’s event in Kahal filly, Bellagio, who won a 1000m event at Scottsville on her debut.

Paul Matchett has one of the favourites for the race in Fakazi, an Albarahin filly, who has come into her own as a three year old and won the Listed Goldfields Sprint over 1200m last weekend.

Matchett said she would have no problem with the 1400m trip but added that it would be tough to win against the colts. He suggested the idea of a separate fillies race to Mick Goss.”

Summerhill Ready To Run Breeze-Up Gallops

Horse and rider prepare to GALLOP.
(Kayleigh Leisegang)

Charl Pretorius FreeracerFriday’s Summerhill Breeze-up Gallops, two weeks before the Ready To Run Sale, gives prospective buyers an opportunity to see their fancies gallop on track.

Besides the fact that this week is Summerhill Stud’s Breeze-Up week – Friday 17 October is the date on which a number of potential champions will be put through their paces at the Mooi River farm – big news is that the Emperors Ready to Run Cup will be contested with a full field of 16 runners.

With the permission of Phumelela there will now be two additional runners in what promises to be a cracking line-up of R2R Graduates on 1 November at Turffontein, a race which, as noted, set the standard for three-year-olds classics last season.

Summerhill will be laying it on this Friday, providing a very smart venue in the form of a fully draped, glass-fronted marquee overlooking the track, with a top-class meal and some fine wines.

This sale is being recognized as the premier source of major race performers , pound-for-pound,  in the land, and the gallops are a great opportunity for horsemen not only to see how their picks walk, canter and gallop, but to entertain their guests at the expense of Summerhill and its sponsors.

Moreover prospective buyers have a chance to talk to the grooms who have prepared the 2008 Summerhill contingent. Go to www.summerhill.co.za and make a note of those grooms who have been consistently successful in picking the “good ones” at recent sales. They could hold a few aces for you this year.

Of additional help will be the popular Summerhill panel, this year comprising of Dean Kannemeyer, Jehan Malherbe, Michael Roberts, Eamon Cullen, Sean Tarry, Graeme Hawkins and Mike Azzie. They will present their handful of individual choices and comments for the notebook after the gallops.

Mike Azzie, who bought former champion IMPERIAL DESPATCH for R52 000 off the Ready To Run Sale after seeing him move at Gosforth Park, has had several other decent buys off the sale and says: “Summerhill are South Africa’s premier breeders and we have to support them, they are the best.”

“I’ve had good fortunes at the sale, IMPERIAL DESPATCH aside there was DIGNIFY, she was a R100 000 purchase and a Group winner, and of course THEKKADY, who has already won the Strelitizia Stakes. She was my choice on last year’s sale. She moved well and covered a lot of ground.’’

Mike Azzie says he watches the gallops of every horse at the breeze-ups, without looking at the pedigrees. “My wife Sharon assists me, I give each one a mark out of five and then, when the physical sale takes place at the TBA, I give them a conformation mark on the ground and look at their bloodlines.’’

His advice: “There are many good movers at the breeze-ups and one must distinguish between the very speedy, precocious sorts and ones who move well but may take more time. A lot of the guys will be looking carefully, you need to pay attention here or you will lose out.’’

We discussed trainer Paul Matchett’s FAKAZI in last week’s column and the words weren’t cold when the daughter of Albarahin won Saturday’s Listed Goldfields Sprint at Turffontein, beating a strong field and staking an early claim for the big race on 1 November. A R140 000 purchase, she’s already returned R230 000 for her owners, with more to come!

Mike Miller’s SMANGALISO (Kahal) and Glen Kotzen’s UNYAZI (Fantastic Light) also won at the weekend, the latter making sure that he will be in the final line-up on 1 November.

Looking down the list of  “cheap’’ buys (under R100 000) at the Ready To Run Sale, one can be forgiven for thinking that the dream of getting a champion for next to nothing is not as impossible as it may sound.  

The likes of ICY AIR (R60 000, earnings R1,26 million) HEAR THE DRUMS (R40 000, R976 000), FORK LIGHTENING (R75 000: R965 000), CATMANDU (R60 000: R810 000), BRIGADIER PARKER (R47 000: R682 000); DYNAMITE MIKE (R50 000, earnings R570 000); ALEJATE (R80 000: R513 000); FANYANA (R95 000: R613 000) and BHEKINKOSI (R65 000: R429 000), keep the dream alive and well with reach.

Perhaps, as Mike de Kock likes to say, “good horses find you!’’ – there is a special one waiting to “find you’’ this week.

Dates to remember:

17 October: Summerhill R2R Gallops
Phone +27 (33) 263 1081 to book your spot

1 November: Emperors Ready To Run Cup and Charity Mile.
Turffontein

2 November: Ready To Run Sale, TBA Sales Complex
www.tba.co.za

NENEKAZI : Ready To Run Rider's Picks

 
“FAVOURITE FILLIES”

Thembinkosi Nxumalo is an experienced rider and has a way with young horses. He has worked with horses such as ICY AIR – Equus Champion Classic Female (9 wins including 2^nd in the J&B Met G1) and Galant Gagnant, who put up an amazing finish in the 2007 Daily News 2000 G1, running 2^nd to RUSSIAN SAGE.

Thembinkosi is very excited about this years draft and says there is definitely a champion or two lurking in this string.

The first of Thembinkosi’s “top 2 fillies” for this year’s draft is NENEKAZI.

NENEKAZI (meaning Lady) is by Slew the Red, out of a West Man mare, My Lady Furness.

My Lady Furness is a sister to Wings of Time (3 wins including 3^rd Saldanha Stakes G1) and is from the family of APPELATE COURT (9 wins including Cup Trial G3 and Victory Moon Handicap G3) and PARTY TIME (9 wins including Cape Paddock Stakes G1 and B&H Fillies Guineas G1).

Alexander Runners Strut Their Stuff.

Gary Alexander
(Summerhill Stud)

On Sunday at Turffontein the Alexander stable’s hopefuls for the R1 250 000 Emperors Palace Ready to Run Cup were out in force.

In the first race of the day Burn Up (Russian Revival/Passionate Love) had a promising debut run to finish 4^th under Mark Khan at a distance short of his best and Mark Khan feels that this is a Derby horse in the making. Burn Up has a sister by Requiem on the Ready to Run sale who is working exceptionally well and is worth taking note of.

In the next race Fenerbahce (Kahal/Shoe Dance), also piloted by Mark Kahn, cruised home lengths clear of his field on just his second start. He was a worthy favourite and won in a fashion that suggested we will be seeing a lot more of this imposing son of Kahal in the future. He has a full sister on this year’s sale who is a lovely big scopey individual with a good action.

The General (Muhtafal/Roman Dream) was an eye catching winner on his first start last month. Yesterday, he started favourite and took up the running soon after turning for home, but was caught by the older more experienced Sandown Bay. A good effort from this speedy son of Muhtafal and I’m sure the stable will have him fine tuned for the Emperors Palace Ready to Run Cup come 1^st November. The General has a sister by Malhub on the sale.

Click here to view the full Summerhill R2R 2008 Draft

STANN CREEK : Ready To Run Rider's Picks

“FAVOURITE FILLIES”

Fanos Sibisi comes from an old bushman family and is a natural with animals. He is an optimistic, happy rider who is always smiling and keeping his fellow riders cheerful. He has lovely hands and is extremely well balanced. His positive attitude brings out the best in these young racehorses.

The second of Fanos’ “top 2 fillies” for this year’s draft is STANN CREEK.

STANN CREEK is by Strike Smartly, out of a Freeland Land mare, Dangriga.

Dangriga (3 wins including 4^th Diana Stakes G3), is is the own sister to Detroit City (2 wins including 2^nd Cape Breeder Stakes L) and is from the family of Philips Kid (9 wins including 4^th John Skeaping Trophy G2).

Click here to view the full Summerhill R2R 2008 Draft

BROADWAY STAR : Ready To Run Rider's Picks

“FAVOURITE FILLIES”

Thabane Nzimande is a new member to our team. He is a natural horseman and shows great talent in riding and working with the young stock. Thabane has an eye for potential and encouraged us to continue with up and coming champion, VANGELIS.

The second of Thabane’s “top 2 fillies” for this year’s draft is BROADWAY STAR.

BROADWAY STAR is by Victory Moon, out of New York Folly.

New York Folly is from the international Argentinean family of PRINTEMP (3 wins including 2nd Post Natal Golden Slipper Gr1) and PIER SEVENTEEN (6 wins including GP International De Las Americas G1).

Click here to view the full Summerhill R2R 2008 Draft

It’s War Out There: The “Cats’’ are lining up.

Gary Alexander with Fedai Kahraman and Berdan Yerlikaya
2007 Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup
(Heather Morkel/Summerhill Stud)

Charl Pretorius FreeracerFrom a Ready To Run perspective recent events have been instructive. We’ve seen a few “bombers” emerge, and news filtering back is that trainers are beginning to take positions on their horses. The big race takes a bit of planning, more so because we’re dealing with relatively inexperienced horses. All of Gary Alexander, Lucky Houdalakis and Mark Dixon took the veils off some serious prospects in the last fortnight, while the established likes of Charles Laird’s Hurricane Force, Alexander’s The General, Tyrone Zackey’s Mpumelelo, Gavin Van Zyl’s Sishebo, and Paul Matchett’s Fakazi are in waiting. There’s been a lot of talk of late about the fistful of talent that Alexander’s sitting on from last year’s sale, and he chose last weekend to take the covers off Fenerbahce, a Turkish-owned son of Kahal. He was left behind as the curtains came up on Saturday, but he literally took off in the last 200m for an excellent second, and Johnny Geroudis speaks highly of him. Alec Laird’s R80 000 purchase, Tap Tap, friendless in an active market after a lay-off, came home lonely after being swamped coming off the Turffontein’s bend, making him a proper prospect for the big features during Gauteng’s spring season.

Ready To Run watchers preparing themselves for the 17 October Gallops at Summerhill, have begun to surf the Summerhill site for clues, and others like the two Hermans, Snr and Jnr, Wally Brits, Mark Struwig and Ian Keating were inmates at Hartford House this past weekend, sniffing the ground like bloodhounds. If you can’t get there in advance of the gallops, you might like to visit the website at www.summerhill.co.za, where the farm are releasing the “picks” of those closest to the horses, namely their jockeys.

A couple of horses that seem to be cropping up with regularity among their selections are Catmandu’s sister by Kahal, Imbongi’s brother by National Emblem, Pick Six’s brother by National Emblem, the Darley bred Cape Cross colt, a brace of youngsters by Royal Academy, two of the three Galileos and a Muhtafal colt described by the farm as arguably as good as they’ve seen. There will be a handful of these selections uploaded to the website every day, all part of the process of making it a uniquely different sale. Where else in the world do you get the benefit of seeing the horses run, the picks of the jockeys, and the selections of the best equipped panel in racing, to tell you where to dig for gold. Important dates:

17 October: Summerhill Gallops
1 November: Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup and Charity Mile
2 November: Ready To Run Sale 

SMANYO : Ready To Run Rider's Picks

“FAVOURITE FILLIES”

Prince Mdunjane is a very talented rider and has been schooling Ready To Run horses at Summerhill Stud for the past 5 years.

His pick of all the graduates from the 2005 Ready To Run sale was DESERT LINKS. Somehow Prince knew that this horse was something special. Then by winning the R1,2million Canon Gold Cup G1 for trainer Basil Marcus, DESERT LINKS proved to the rest of the world just how special he is.

Prince is one of our candidates for the Derrinstown Stud exchange program in Ireland for 2009.

The first of Prince’s “top 2 fillies” for this year’s draft is SMANYO.

SMANYO (meaning Vanishing Ointment) is by Second Empire, out of Radiant Lass.

Second Empire was Champion 2yo and 3yo of Ireland and has already produced 12 stakes winners abroad. Radiant Lass is a Northern Guest mare that has won 3 races and placed 9 times. SMANYO is her first foal.

Click here to view the full Summerhill R2R 2008 Draft

ROYAL CANTATA : Ready To Run Rider's Picks

“FAVOURITE FILLIES”

John Motaung has just returned from riding for Sequel Bloodstock in the USA and is very impressed with this year’s draft for the Ready To Run sale on 2 November.

John selected THEKKADY as his number 1 filly in the build up to the 2007 Ready To Run sale. THEKKADY confirmed his selection by winning the Sunday Tribune Strelitzia Stakes G3 in April this year for Michael Azzie.

John has been with us for many years and has an eye for an athlete; he also picked and rode one of the top sprinters of 2006, FANYANA.

The second of John’s “top 2 fillies” for this year’s draft is ROYAL CANTATA.

ROYAL CANTATA is by Requiem, out of Valkyrie Queen.

Valkyrie Queen is the dam of 4 time winner Green Africa and impressive winner on her first start, Bellagio, a graduate of last year’s Ready To Run sale.

Click here to view the full Summerhill R2R 2008 Draft

FISANI : Ready To Run Rider's Picks

“FAVOURITE FILLIES”

John Motaung has just returned from riding for Sequel Bloodstock in the USA and is very impressed with this year’s draft for the Ready To Run sale on 2 November.

John selected THEKKADY as his number 1 filly in the build up to the 2007 Ready To Run sale. THEKKADY confirmed his selection by winning the Sunday Tribune Strelitzia Stakes G3 in April this year for Michael Azzie.

John has been with us for many years and has an eye for an athlete; he also picked and rode one of the top sprinters of 2006, FANYANA.

The first of John’s “top 2 fillies” for this year’s draft is FISANI (meaning ‘Make a Wish’). FISANI, by Kahal out of Gypsey Spirit, is an athletic individual with loads of class. 

Gypsey Spirit is the dam of Catmandu and Ecole Militaire.

Click here to view the full Summerhill R2R 2008 Draft