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22 February 2012
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 (more)
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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 (more)
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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 (more)
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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 (more)
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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 (more)
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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. (more)
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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 (more)
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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 (more)
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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 (more)
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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. (more)
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Cape Town is the only place to be at the moment if you love thoroughbred racing. (more)
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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. (more)
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Zanzamar’s smart win in Thursday's Range Rover Cup at Meydan reminded the world of the capabilities of South African bred horses. And of the extraordinary talents of Mike De Kock as the Dubai World Cup Carnival heads to a peak with Super Saturday on 10 March and then a grand climax with the Dubai World Cup on 31 March. (more)
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The South African racing public has warmed to the achievements of Australian equine heroine Black Caviar. And ironically it was a South African jockey that came perilously close to bursting the fairytale bubble. The freakishly brilliant mare streaked to her nineteenth career win on the trot in the $750 000 Gr 1 Lightning Stakes run (more)
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Jockey MJ Byleveld rode a welcome double at Kenilworth on 15 February, but he is unlikely to be receiving any late Valentine’s Day cards from punters. His unpopular win on Polo Lounge at long odds in the jackpot opener being the reason. And where on earth were the Stipendiary Stewards? There are those that will (more)
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Pietermaritzburg may well feel like a million miles from Melbourne Down Under. But two top sprinters retained their respective unbeaten records in a great weekend for horseracing in the Southern Hemisphere. Black Caviar and Unannounced. Both Australian breds. Both top-class. Both courageous. The interesting common aspect of both undefeated horses wins over the weekend is (more)
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How does a seemingly dumb ride become a clever ride in less than two minutes? Ask top heavyweight rider Bernard Fayd’herbe. Tiger Wright’s talented grandson rode four winners for three different stables at a sundrenched Kenilworth on 8 February. It was Fayd’herbe’s winning ride on the Yogas Govender-trained Razzle Dazzle Rose from the worst of (more)
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Crashing back down to mama earth. That’s the simplest way of describing the swing from Saturday’s Met party down to the country freshness and simplicity of Durbanville in midweek. There were only 77 horses competing in the eight races, with two fields of 12 leaving the scraps for the balance of the card. What it (more)
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Horseracing pays scant attention to the undeniable value of high quality sponsors and the potential supporting role of the arts. That is demonstrated in no uncertain terms by the puzzling lack of media exposure for the fascinating L’Ormarins Moment photography completion. This unique initiative by the prestigious mile’s sponsors was designed to align the prestigious (more)
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When we reflect back on the outstanding J&B Met raceday, we note the inevitable roll of the victors and the vanquished. The results also showed again that it is far easier and much safer to be dogmatic and an expert when watching the replays in the evening. The tipsters had warned us about Jackson. He (more)
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The big day looms. With less than twenty four hours to go to the 35th running of the Met under the J&B banner, the fascinating ten-race programme promises plenty of action and posers for punters. Three Group 1 races, a Group 2 and a Listed race make up the afternoon’s entertainment for those focussed on (more)
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The track record of the fairer sex in the Met over the past half century is not particularly impressive on paper. Only five ladies have managed to win the prestigious race in all that time but this year could be another big one for the gender that we love so much and just know that (more)
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We are only human and our personal experience and existing views sometimes dictate that unbiased opinion does not always come easily to those of us who work the daily grind of the politics, problems, but mostly pleasures of horseracing. (more)
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