They come from racing centres around the country for the unique annual gathering staged by the KwaZulu-Natal Breeders Club in conjunction with Gold Circle for nine exciting races topped by the R1-million KZN Breeders Million Mile, a very popular race confined to horses that are three-year-olds and older that are registered as KwaZulu-Natal bred in terms of the KZN Breeders Premium Scheme.
The race has attracted a very competitive field with the runners having performed well in races from 1 200m sprints to marathon tests of 3 200m setting a stage for an interesting and exciting contest where ability and tactics will play a major part and an outcome that may never have been expected.
Sean Tarry is fielding African Rising that finished a close-up third to stable companion Chimichuri Run in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1 200m at Scottsville recently and Matador Man, winner of the race two year’s back. Tony Rivalland is asking Post Merchants runner-up Wynkelder to compete against classy milers and middle distance runners like Dean Kannemeyer’s The Sultans Bazaar that won the KZN Winter Challenge final over 2 000m and the Dennis Drier-trained Forthelastime that was just touched off by Bon Bon in the 1600m KZN Winter Challenge final.
Taking things to the other extreme for punters to consider, Gavin van Zyl feels his five-year-old Just As Well gelding Just Cruised In, second in the top Highveld stayers contest, the Gold Bowl over 3 200m, could prove that he has the ability and pace to take on the opposition. It will be an exciting race indeed.
It is a day that the KZN breeders give back to the supporters of the breeding industry in the province that for many decades was considered second class to the major breeding areas in the Cape but which, in recent years, has seen KwaZulu-Natal’s Summerhill Stud in the Midlands area of Mooi River topping the National Breeders Championship for 10 consecutive seasons.
As part of the Club’s “thank you” package, the eight other races on the card will each carry the handsome stake of R200 000 and the connections of the first three horses past the post in each race will receive a voucher toward the purchase of a KZN-bred yearling at the KZN Yearling Sale that takes place next week.
KZN Breeders Race Day will see the Greyville racecourse sporting the black and white dress theme in line with the “Proudly KZN” brand and racegoers stand to win any of the spot prizes on offer. An Instagram competition will be held on the day and 20 pairs of Vodacom Durban July tickets will be up for grabs in the Win-If-You-Lose Competition.
With the day being dedicated exclusively to the racehorse’s proudly bed in the province of the Kingdom of The Zulu and with more than R2,6-million in stakes on offer, it is a great day for the public to join in sporting the colours of the province and enjoy a day at the races where the BraaiZone and the KidZone will be operating.
GREYVILLE FINAL FIELDS – KZN BREEDERS MILLION MILE
Saturday 29 June 2019
Race-7 (Turf) R 1,000,000 1600m
KZN BREEDERS MILLION MILE (Non-Black Type)
For KZN bred 3-year-olds and older
Sc# Horse Mass MR Draw B A T E Jockey Trainer
1 AFRICA RISING 60.0 107 (107) 2 A *L J Ferraris Sean Tarry
2 JUST CRUISED IN 59.0 90 ( 90) 12 B A C Zackey Gavin van Zyl
3 MATADOR MAN 58.5 112 (112) 7 B A L Hewitson Sean Tarry
4 CAMPHORATUS 58.5 105 (105) 8 A G Wright R A Hill/S R Hill
5 UNAGI 58.0 106 (106) 10 A A Marcus Gary Alexander
6 WYNKELDER 58.0 101 (101) 3 B A G Lerena Tony Rivalland
7 THE DAZZLER 58.0 99 ( 99) 11 A M Yeni Mike de Kock
8 D’ ARRIVEE 58.0 90 ( 90) 13 A W Kennedy Candice Dawson
9 MORNING CATCH 58.0 89 ( 89) 5 A …………… Joey Ramsden
10 THE BAYOU 58.0 83 ( 83) 9 A M Khan Paul Lafferty
11 THE SULTANS BAZAAR 56.5 90 ( 87) 1 A K de Melo Dean Kannemeyer
12 FORTHELASTIME 56.5 84 ( 81) 4 A S Veale Dennis Drier
13 SILENT CRUSADE 54.0 98 ( 95) 6 A R Simons Mark Dixon
Couplings: (1,3)