Gauteng trainers have won the first two runnings of the innovative R1 million KZN Breeders Million Mile which is to be run at Clairwood on Sunday. The locals will no doubt be keen to grab a slice of the action this year in what is a truly unique afternoon of racing hosted by the provincial breeding club.
The feature race is restricted to KwaZulu-Natal bred 3-year-olds and older, registered as KwaZulu-Natal bred in terms of the Gold Circle Racing and Gaming Group Thoroughbred Breeder, Stallion and Owner Premium scheme.
And while we all have our own view of the restricted race scenario and its role in the bigger scheme of things, the purists will be very hard pressed to deny the incentive factor of the massive carrot. Hard cash holds massive appeal today to most owners and prospective purchasers.
Gitiano powers home underStuart Randolph to win last year’s race
Keep Knocking
Just ask the connections of the first two editions of the race.
Ormond Ferraris-trained Knock On Wood won the inaugural race in 2012 and Alec Laird’s Gitiano followed up last year. The Valjub CC-bred son of Mullins Bay is back to defend his crow this year.
There are naturally some who are favoured at the weights on paper and look to have been well placed.
On the flipside of the coin, based on the stake treasure it is worth taking a chance with just about anything with the ratings ranging from 105 right down to the 81 of the former Dean Kannemeyer-trained Noble Star, who has come good in Gauteng.
Weights
The weights are framed as follows:
Two time winners or less: 3yo’s carry 52,5kg and older 54,0kg
Thereafter 2kg penalty for each additional win.
Further penalties to accrue as follows for races won 18 months prior to the date of the issuing of weights for this race. The winner of a Gr1 is 2,0kg, of a Gr2 1kg and Gr3 0,5kgs.
Winners of graded races restricted to 2-year-olds will not incur a penalty. Additional penalties will not be cumulative for graded race wins and multiple graded race winners will be penalized for their highest Graded race win only.
Stressed Out
The Kahal gelding, No Worries is our top-rated selection
The Sporting Post top-rated selection is Gavin Van Zyl’s Kahal gelding No Worries who is frustratingly only a two time winner for mostly lucky owner, Brian Burnard. That said, he has been campaigned against the very best and has some terrific efforts to his credit.
Currently running off an MR of 103, No Worries looks particularly nicely weighted on 54kgs and it is worth noting that he has achieved a highest rating of 113. He may have found the 2400m of the Lonsdale a touch far when finishing just 2,85 lengths off Wild One. He has not drawn too well at 14 but could also prove more effective if given a chance.
Laird Coupling
Alec Laird boasts a strong coupling of last year’s winner Gitiano and the capable 3yo Bezanova, who has pulled a lovely draw.
Glen Hatt rides Bezanova for the first time and the youngster would only have to produce some of his great recent form behind July favourites Legislate and Louis The King to be a big runner.
The year older Gitiano was coughing and hanging last time when six lengths behind Speed Rocket and looks capable of improving again.
Bezanova is well weighted and should go very close on Sunday
Power Pair
Anton Marcus and Charles Laird team up with the Summerhill Stud-bred Kahal geldng Distinguished who jumps from a favourable draw at 3.
A course and distance winner, he is a strong front-running sort who will capitalise on any margin given him from that draw and the younger Bezanova is the joint highest rated runner in the race.
Jeff Freedman saddles the lightly raced Silver Age who was outclassed in a slow-run Gold Challenge last time and now reverts to company where he should prove a lot more competitive.
Frontrunner
Duncan Howells’ Mogok geldng King Of Torts should finish on a par with Silver Age on his penultimate run with a 1,5kg turnaround at the weights.
Dennis Drier-trained King Neptune is another strong front-running gelding who faded after running handily in the Lonsdale.
He will be a far more viable proposition here where he runs with 58kgs with Sean Cormack in the saddle.
Mike De Kock Kahal filly Festival Of Fire has not won in over a year and appears to have lost the zest and enthusiasm of her 3yo year.
Sean Tarry’s lightly weighted duo of Extra Zero and Silva Hawk are fit but look held at their best.
Laird For Double
Trainer Alec Laird looks to have found the right race (at the right price) for the Clifton Stud-bred Bezanova.
The 3yo carries a galloping weight and from a good draw he only needs to find his better form to run them off their feet.
There is plenty of pace in the race and Kevin Shea will hoping that a door is opened for King Of Torts if the pacers cut each other’s throats.
Knock On Wood – an easy winner of the inaugural running
A Note on the KZN Breeders Flagship Day
The KZN Breeders Race Day, held for the first time in 2012, was a watershed in many respects.
Traditionally run a week before the Durban July, the historic KZN Breeders 1600 underwent a name change and was baptised the KZN Breeders Million Mile in 2012, with the stake rocketing four-fold.
The inaugural running was won by the Muhtafal gelding Knock On Wood, for father and son owners, Ormond(also the trainer) and David Ferraris
A race day of this magnitude, an initiative of this well-run provincial breeding club and run for stakes in excess of R2,6 million had never been held previously.
The KZN Breeders Club is a non profit organisation that was set up to represent all KZN based breeders on breeding related issues.
The present board is: Koos de Klerk (Chairman), Keith Russon (Vice Chairman), Peter Blyth, Nicola Coppez, Stuart Crawford, Wayne Kobusch, Bruce Le Roux, Roy Moodley, Linda Norval, Anton Proctor and Lee Scribante.
The day is dedicated to horses registered with the KZN Breeders Premium Scheme and is headed by the KZN Breeders Million Mile – as well as the KZN Breeders Series of eight races for stakes of R200 000 each.
The concept was initiated to revive interest and reward participation in the grand scheme of purchasing horses bred in KwaZulu Natal.
The KZN Breeder Premium Scheme stands alone in South Africa as a singular inducement to breeders to invest in the quality production of racehorses in this region, and is the only breeders premium scheme
This Sunday’s racemeeting is once again strategically placed in the weekend prior to the Suncoast KZN Yearling Sale and will once again hopefully provide added incentive to prospective buyers to invest in KZN-bred stock.
