The Western Cape makes Kimberley and Arlington look like Royal Ascot or even a hint of Las Vegas on some days. The light drizzle of rain that fell intermittently at Kenilworth today was hardly an excuse either for a plethora of strange results. They say that it takes only a millimeter of rain to cause
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They obviously don’t need the money! So suggested outspoken leading Cape trainer Joey Ramsden in a reference to his colleagues’ lack of patronization of Cape racing as evidenced by the anorexic fields again on Sunday 19 February. And maybe Joey has a point. Other than the nice field that turned out for the afternoon’s unsponsored
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This is one for those who don’t think I can – and anyone can train winners. That was the tongue-in-cheek dig by colourful KwaZulu-Natal trainer James Goodman after he had saddled the winner of the fourth race at Scottsville on Valentine’s Day. And the day of love was a memorable one for the larger than
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Justin Snaith may have unwittingly thrown punters a curved ball on Tellytrack recently. He suggested in a routine interview that Port Elizabeth is the perfect base for the less capable sorts in his yard to earn their way. This may well have made backers a trifle nervous of taking the prices about his fancied runners
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Cape racing is facing change and many challenges in the months ahead. But the biggest singular hurdle that crops up every now and again is the lack of pace in races around the turn. We saw a few examples of it once again at Kenilworth on Saturday 11 February. Fair enough, this problem probably has
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It has been a nightmare of a freaky fortnight for South African horseracing. Why is it that the corporate cancer of bad publicity so quickly outweighs the dizzy memories of champions? Val De Ra, Gimmethegreenlight, Igugu, Variety Club and Jackson, are but a few of the stars that made the Sizzling Summer Season boiling hot.
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Despite the incompetence of Tellytrack and some shocking antics from the Greyville starting stalls, it only takes one smart horse to save a racemeeting from pure ignominy. The meeting was Greyville night on 31 January. The horse was the son of Holy Roman Emperor. Charles Laird’s Northern Emperor looks really very talented on what we
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Plenty will be written about J&B Met and Derby winners Igugu and Jackson in the weeks and months ahead. But spare a thought for the trainer of the two horses that ran second to these two stars. Despite doing just about everything right with Bravura and Variety Club, there is no champagne served in the
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Winning isn’t everything – it is the only thing. This applies most especially on the festival occasions like J&B Met day. The Sporting Post salutes all the winners on the afternoon. And to those who didn’t find their way to the winners’ enclosure, we thank you for making it a special and memorable day. The
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If you are considering raising your hand and writing a cheque at the Sales in Cape Town this afternoon, maybe think again. Some serious wake-up action is urgently required in this industry. The debacle of the abandoned Clairwood meeting today is something that should just never have happened.
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Cape Town is the only place to be at the moment if you love thoroughbred racing.
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Communication, or the dire lack of it, was in the spotlight again this afternoon. Jockey Felix Coetzee was a drawcard on a rare visit to Kimberley, but after a fighting second in the fourth race, he disappeared.
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