With the Marshalls World Of Sport Gold Cup raceday just under three weeks away, Turffontein trainer Paul Peter holds an approximate R2,7 million stakes lead over defending champion Justin Snaith in the race for the 2021/22 SA champion trainer title.
Paul Peter is on 214 winners (18,58% win strike-rate) after Saturday’s Turffontein racemeeting.
Paul Peter with leading owner Mary Slack (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The Gauteng maestro, who has over 200 horses under his control, is ready to establish a new benchmark in his maiden championship title chase and looks ready to beat Sean Tarry’s record of 215 winners set in the Randjesfontein resident’s halcyon days of the 2016/17 season, when earning over R33 million in stakes.
While there are 21 racemeetings left locally, the major gamechanger is likely to be the big Hollywoodbets Greyville day on Saturday 30 July, where the R750 000 Gold Cup, together with 4 Gr1 races (total stakes of R3 million), and three Gr2 contests (total stakes R650 000) will be run.
Despite the decision to rest stable kingpin Captain’s Ransom, Hollywoodbets Durban July runner-up Jet Dark will defend his Gr1 Champions Cup title, and the Snaith yard are always competitive on the East Coast.
See the latest Equus standings here.
The entries for these events will be published after 11h00 on Monday morning.
Justin Snaith is chasing hard (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
On the minor feature front, the follow races remain:
- 15 July Fairview: L Port Elizabeth Gold Cup R 175 000
- 17 July HWB Greyville: Ethekwini Sprint (Poly) R 120 000
- 23 July Kenilworth: Gr3 Champagne Stakes R 200 000
- 23 July Kenilworth: Gr3 Final Fling Stakes R 200 000
- 29 July Fairview: L Champion Juvenile Cup R 200 000
- 30 July HWB Greyville:L MWOS Umngeni Hcap R150 000
- 30 July HWB Greyville:L MWOS Darley Arabian R150 000
It was ratified by the National Board of the NHA in May 2015 that stakes earned by horses competing in restricted races are excluded from the national statistics.
As a result, this ruling applies when determining the national champion breeder, champion sire and champion trainer title.
The decision to exclude the stakes of restricted races from the national statistics was motivated by the view that these races may potentially influence the log positions based on their ‘closed’ nature.
This does not apply to owners and jockeys, as all owners have the right to buy and compete where they want to and jockeys are at liberty to accept engagements as and where they wish.
As a result, restricted race stakes are included for owners and jockeys log stats.
Last season’s champion owner Suzette Viljoen (R7,9 million) is currently third behind the rampant Drakenstein Stud (R11,3 million) and the Hollywood Syndicate (R8,4 million), who have attained record levels of success this term.
The Equus awards function is scheduled for Wednesday 24 August.
