Clifton Stud-bred Bezanova, the 2014 Charity Mile and 2015 KZN Breeders Million Mile winner and his connections had the last laugh when the gelding got the better of the younger Liege in the final strides of the rain delayed Gr2 Victory Moon Stakes, to register his first win in close on seventeen months of knocking about between KZN and Gauteng.

His win brought back memories of that lovely story dating back to the National 2yo Sale of 2012 where, after buying him for R150 000, owner Chris Gerber was told by a sales official that things were ‘going so well – there were even clowns paying R150 000 for the Bezrins!’

Close to R2 million in stakes earned later, Gerber doesn’t have any issues with the clown tag, and he and trainer Alec Laird must have been motivated by the maxim that horses only lose form – they don’t lose ability.

Between that and the fact that the soldier owes them nothing, they have persevered with Bezanova racing off an MR of 96 on Sunday, having achieved a career high of 107 once.

In the run for home the gutsy chestnut gelding was angled out for a run as Liege challenged Arctica, with Amsterdam and Bankable Teddy also looking dangerous.

Despite all the action down the centre, the 9-1 shot Bezanova was the one finishing best as he came home on the wide outside to grab Liege and win by 0,50 lengths in a time of 112,06 secs.

Simons celebrated a feature double on the afternoon and had time to do a quiet ‘pump salute’ two strides before the line.

A R150 000 National Two Year Old Sale graduate, Bezanova has won six races with 10 places from 34 starts and took his career bank to R1 966 775.

The winner was bred by Clifton Stud and is by the recently relocated Bezrin out of the thrice winning London News mare, Ananova. Peter Blyth of Clifton Stud has always been a fan of Danzig (the sire of his previous Durban July producer, Allied Flag), the sire of Bezrin.

Bezrin, the versatile and consistent sire of a multitude of Graded Stakes winner from sprinters to stayers is now standing at Hadlow Stud in KZN.

Ananova’s last recorded foal is a 2014 Toreador filly named Anador, again from the paternal line of Danzig through Danehill. This is the damline of the brilliant Wendywood and Vodacom Durban July winner, Power King.

The final field for the exclusively KZN-bred field galloping for the stake of R1million has been announced, and includes recent Gr1 Daily News 2000 winner, Rabada. The KZN Breeders Million Mile is now in its fourth year, previously known as the KZN Breeders 1600 Listed.

The Mike Azzie-trained Brave Tin Soldier colt is also among the entries for the country’s premier event on July 2, takes on some top horses in this annual event sponsored by the KZN Breeders Club and on his form is likely to start favourite for the
1600m clash. Owned by Markus and Ingrid Jooste, the Summerhill-bred son of Brave Tin Soldier will be seeking his sixth career victory. He carries 59,5kgs and will jump from stall five.

Two previous winners will also be contenders, with No Worries and Bezanova entered and draws of ten and two respectively.

No Worries, a son of Kahal has found good recent form and he is reported to be back to his best. The six year old gelding recently finished just a length off in second place behind Balance Sheet in the Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m and carries 58kgs under Warren Kennedy on the day.

The consistent son of King’s Chapel, Malak El Moolook, will represent the Sean Tarry stable along with Intergalactic, a daughter of Kahal out of a Galileo mare who enjoys a mile. Intergalactic was only beaten 1.4 lengths by top Cape filly Inara at Turffontein.
Malak El Moolook placed third behind Abashiri, only two lengths off in the Gr2 Gauteng Guineas and has been knocking on the door for a big win. He carries 52,5kg under S’manga Khumalo from a fourth draw.

Garth Puller’s consistent son of Mogok, Way Of Light, shoulders the heaviest weight of the field with 60.5kgs. The winner of the Listed Sledgehammer where he defeated the likes of It Is Written and Balance Sheet, the six time winner jumping from a draw of six has to be a major contender under Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

Backworth Stud’s big and powerful son of Miesque’s Approval, Humidor, will be attempting the mile for the first time at Greyville. He has had a previous run only once over 1400m on debut and placed fourth, being out of a Jallad mare Lewinsky’s Lover, seeing out the 1600m distance should not be an issue.

The fast gelding set a hot record at Scottsville earlier this year when he blazed to victory at Scottsville over 1200m in a time of 66.98 in an MR 86 Handicap, defeating Kildonan’s record set when running the Gr1 Gold Medallion. The lightly raced four year old has won four times from six starts, and placed once.

Three year old gelding Just Like Magic, trained by Robbie Hill and by Just As Well, defeated Vodacom Durban July contender Ten Gun Salute by a length to win at Scottsville over 1600m, has placed six times to date from his 10 starts – three of them close seconds. Over the course and distance, he has finished three lengths off to Abashiri previously on the turf. Just Like Magic carries 52,5kgs and comes off a draw of eight.

All the races at the meeting on Sunday are restricted to horses registered as being KZN-Bred and the eight other events on the card over distances from 1 200m to 1 900m will each carry a stake of R200 000.

Bookings are available in the Durban View Room at R325 per person, with 25 pairs of Vodacom Durban July tickets and other goodies to be won by racegoers. We look forward to seeing everyone there dressed in their black and white!

The Final Field below:

Sc# Horse Mass MR Draw B A T Jockey Trainer Breeder

1 WAY OF LIGHT 60.5 99 ( 99) 6 B A B Fayd’Herbe Garth Puller Estate Late Mr LG Werner (by Mogok)

2 RABADA 59.5 106 (103) 5 A A Marcus Mike Azzie Summerhill Stud (by Brave Tin Soldier)

3 NO WORRIES 58.0 101 (101) 10 B A T W Kennedy Gavin van Zyl Summerhill Stud (by Kahal)

4 BEZANOVA 58.0 99 ( 99) 2 B A W Marwing Alec Laird Clifton Stud (by Bezrin)

5 HUMIDOR 56.0 82 ( 82) 3 A P Strydom Tony Rivalland Backworth Stud (by Miesque’s Approval)

6 ROY’S WINTER PATCH 56.0 78 ( 78) 7 A S Veale Dennis Drier Roy Moodley (by Western Winter)

7 MALAK EL MOOLOOK 52.5 97 ( 94) 4 A T S Khumalo Sean Tarry Bush Hill Stud (by King’s Chapel)

8 JUST LIKE MAGIC 52.5 78 ( 75) 8 B A F Herholdt Robbie Hill Anton Procter (by Just As Well)

9 SON OF SILVER 52.5 75 ( 72) 9 A M Yeni Frank Robinson Scott Bros (by Mogok)

10 INTERGALACTIC 50.0 94 ( 91) 1 A T J P v’d Merwe Sean Tarry Summerhill Stud (by Kahal)