Dubai hosted the World Cup meeting at Meydan featuring some awesome performances called with aplomb by SA commentator, Alistair Cohen. Frankie Dettori got Country Grammar to swoop late in the World Cup as odds on fave Life is Good caved in the final 80 yards; Shahryar staved off deep closer, Yibir in the Sheema
Big Burn proved just how accomplished a filly she is when romping in the Grade 3 Sycamore Sprint on Saturday at Turffontein. She was excellent from the get-go winning four of her first five starts including a defeat of Under Your Spell in the Spring Fillies and Mares Challenge (a G2.) Towards the end
Two features at Turffontein on Saturday illustrated opposite situations - emerging youngster, Smorgasbord showed that he is on a swift upward trend when leaping from a previous best speed figure of 99 up to 105 in the Grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes whilst older Grade 1 campaigner, Zillzaal eventually regained his mojo in the
Red Saxon (speed score 104) sprung a big upset in the G1 SA Classic at odds of 33/1 when denying heavily punted favorite Safe Passage (s/s 104) in a rousing finish. The winner (by Red Ray and trained by Joe Soma) reversed a three-length deficit in the Gauteng Guineas to exact revenge over Safe
Pomp and Power was an emphatic winner of the Cape Derby, proving that not only is he a very smart horse up to a mile but is even more effective over middle distances, as one would expect based on his pedigree. He came through down the inside rail to out-finish Universal (speed score 105),
Reunion won a good race at Turffontein on Saturday, worthy of a speed figure of 106. He was followed in two lengths back by Second Base (s/s 103) from whom he was receiving 6 kg’s. The victor, (trained by Paul Peter) is by Flower Alley out of the fabulous grey race mare, Ilha Bela.
Whilst we usually focus on weekend highlights, more noteworthy action took place during the past week. The postponed Gauteng Guineas meeting threw up some strong performances on the clock and, down in Cape Town, an unheralded juvenile made a startling debut. At Turffontein, Safe Passage and Rain in Holland took out their respective Grade
The TRC Global Rankings (thoroughbredracing.com) provide food for thought in assessing thoroughbred merit around the world. This is how their Top 20 looks as of end January 2022: LIFE IS GOOD USA ST MARK’S BASILLICA IRELAND KNICKS GO USA GRAN ALLEGRIA JAPAN
The betting market proved an accurate guide to the outcome of the Cape Town Met on Saturday. The four horses that had dominated the betting duly fought out the finish with eventual favourite, Kommetdieding (speed score 115) prevailing over Jet Dark (s/s 114), Linebacker (s/s 114) and Double Superlative (s/s 113). Gavin Lerena rode
Mike de Kock saddled a stable exacta in the Grade 3 Sea Cottage Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday. Richard Fourie judged the pace perfectly to bring Aragosta from the back of a strung-out field and get up in the final jump to deny Clafoutis who had stalked the early speed. The winner is by