The Adam Marcus trained Mississippi Burning arrived in KZN last week, and has settled in beautifully.

The Rathmor-bred Captain Al filly, born and raised in Nottingham Road sold for R380 000 at the National Yearling Sale to Mario Ferreira. She is out of a Husonnet mare Spitfire Lady, who was sourced in Australia for Rathmor Stud with the purpose of sending her to their then resident sire Noble Tune.

Spitfire Lady arrived from quarantine in the Cape and the decision was made to cover her to a Cape sire and then send her up to KZN. Mike McHardy described Spitfire Lady as not the biggest but a quality mare at the time. Her first foal was Mississippi Burning – herself not the tallest but beautifully conformed and standing over ground – and she’s a daughter of the mighty Captain Al.

The next successful covering to Noble Tune produced Fire And Ice – a lovely colt, who was knocked down for R50 000 to Willson Coates and sent to Barend Botes to train.

Juvnile Fire And Ice has won his last two starts at the Vaal from six runs and placed 4 times.

Mississippi Burning gave young Adam Marcus his first Gr1 win when she took the Fillies Guineas, ridden by Craig Zackey.

Pending the outcome of the lockdown time to eradicate the Coronavirus that has hit South Africa, Mississippi Burning will be a feature of the KZN Champions Season.

The Robbie and Shannon Hill-trained Camphoratus could well defend her crown in the weight for age Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein on April 18 but it will depend on the draw she lands.

The Byword mare went on last year to finish a fine 2,60 length sixth in the Vodacom Durban July and that race might once again be on her program too, although the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes on the same day is another possibility.

The Hills will give her one more run, or a gallop, before the Empress Club.

That run might be in the Listed Kings Cup over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on March 22, depending on the draw.

Robbie did not feel the athletic five-year-old’s performance had declined this season.

He said in her chief target for the first half of the season, the Grade 1 Gauteng Summer Cup over 2000m at Turffontein, she had been left “way out of her ground” from a wide draw and had only finished 3,10 lengths back.

He said she is a filly who needs to be left alone and added, “If you use her she doesn’t finish off.”

Camphoratus ran pleasingly at Hollywoodbets Greyville last Sunday.

In the 1400m Pinnacle event she ran on well from last to finish second to the exciting prospect True To Life.

Gareth Wright rode her in both the Empress Club and July last year and was back aboard on Sunday. 

Robbie said Wright would stay aboard as he clearly gets on well with her.

-goldcircle.co.za  

Bloodstock South Africa graduate Missisippi Burning showed her class, when romping home to a facile and hugely impressive win in the G1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Bred by Rathmor Stud, the three-year-old daughter of Captain Al was given a superb ride by Craig Zackey, who bought his mount with a strong late challenge down the inside of the track before the pair bounded clear to post a facile three length win.

The Mario Ferreira owned Missisippi Burning provided trainer Adam Marcus with his first G1 success, and with a second graded race triumph on Saturday.

Now a winner of four of only seven races (she has won her last three in a row), the diminutive Missisippi Burning was a R380 000 buy (pictured above) from the 2018 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale, and Saturday’s triumph took the filly’s earnings to R794 052.

A third Cape Fillies Guineas winner for deceased champion sire Captain Al, Missisippi Burning is out of the stakes placed Hussonet mare Spitfire Lady who was purchased by Kerry Jack on behalf of Rathmor in Australia – who won four times up to 1600 metres and who ran second in the Listed Flying Handicap.

Congratulations to all concerned!

In doing so she underlined just what the whole of Chantilly had seen for themselves three-quarters of an hour earlier: namely the towering task facing any horse going up against Enable, her conqueror in the Oaks in June, when Rhododendron started odds-on.

Seamie Heffernan was the beneficiary of Ryan Moore’s decision to ride Hydrangea and summed up what many had thought before that coming out party for John Gosden’s filly at Epsom.

“I rode her a bit in the spring and I had her down as nearly being our number one,” said Heffernan, who drove Rhododendron out to win by a head, with two further necks back to Lady Frankel and Wuheida in third and fourth.

“She ran really well in an English Guineas and in an Oaks. We know why we got beaten now because the winner won again today. She just felt good throughout the race today so I always felt in the last furlong I had a little bit to get to the winning post.”

While Rhododendron’s success paid obvious homage to Enable, the Ballydoyle team deserve every bit of credit going for getting Rhododendron back to the top of her game.

Sixteen days after her Oaks defeat she was well fancied to gain Classic compensation here in the Prix de Diane but, on a red-hot June day was pulled up just after halfway by Ryan Moore after suffering a serious burst blood vessel.

O’Brien, for whom this was a 22nd top-level success of the year, with Bobby Frankel’s record 25 firmly in his sights, said: “She is a special filly. She had a bad day the last day she was here and was stopped for a long time after that, six weeks or so.

“Padraig [Beggy] rode her at Leopardstown and gave her an absolute peach, a loverly ride. It was her first run back after a bad experience.”

Rhododendron could be on her travels to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Paddy Power made the winner 7-2 (from 8) for that contest next month, while Hydrangea may also make the trip to Del Mar.

“We thought that Rhododendron couldn’t get beat in the Oaks and she ran into Enable,” said O’Brien. “Probably a mile and a quarter would be more her trip than a mile and a half.

O’Brien frequently name-checks his staff after a major victory, and in these circumstances it was particularly merited. He said: “The lads did a great job to get her back – Jamie, who looks after her, and Michael, who rides her every day, so credit to them really.”

Flying The Flag, whose juvenile Gr2 winning sister Magical didnt disgrace herself in a Gr1 on the same race card after encountering plenty of traffic problems, finished in a closely contested race just noses apart for fourth place.

The family that includes American Gr1 winning daughter of Galileo, Photo Call, is on fire at the moment for the team at Bush Hill Stud who stand the handsome Flying The Flag.

Warwick Render comments that he is pleased that the breeders who sent mares in the first year for Flying The Flag have all rebooked for the season.

“All the breeders who supported him previously are booking mares back on the strength of the quality of his foals and the continued exciting activity in the family.”

His service fee is R20 000 this season and his foals impressive with plenty of bone, quality and substance.

– extract racingpost.com

The Scott Bros’ liver chestnut Gr1 producing mare and KZN Breeders Broodmare Of The Year for 2016, Tellittothestars has produced a Mogok filly at Highdown Stud the night before last.

The dam of Gr1 and Gr2 winner Talktothestars produced a big filly – and a full sibling to a colt in training with Garth Puller, named Tellittothegods.

The mating of Tellittothestars to Mogok has been successful three times previously – producing three winners with seven wins amongst them all, including Lucky Houdalakis trained Twinkle Town.

Talktothestars after placing second in the Gr2 Merchants in June this season, to Search Party, ran unplaced in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint but made the well bred Var filly, Sommerlied, work hard for her record producing win against two sprinting giants – Brutal Force and the son of Overlord – as they all crossed the line within a head of each other in an incredible race at Scottsville.

Coenie De Beer, the owner and trainer of Talktothestars, brought along the 7 year old gelding’s younger full sister on the day.

Lady Starlett was victorious for the fifth occasion a race later under Anton Marcus, flying home in the familiar orange and white checked silks.

Winning filly Twinkle Town out of Tellittothestars, has retired to Scott Bros for the breeding season but it hasnt yet been determined as to who she will visit for the season.

Mogok as a broodmare sire has already produced the likes of Matador Man, Secretariat Stakes Listed winner and third in the Gr1 Champions Cup, as well as the winner of the KZN Breeders Million Mile.

Watch this space for more to come from this dam!

The stable of Paul Peter stunned with a winning double from his raiders, including the Arc-En-Ciel bred Fort Ember – a grand-daughter of Kahal who took home the Gr2 Gold Bracelet from favourite Nightingale by two lengths. Other KZN horses to impress was Scott Bros’ Matador Man who ran a phenomenal third in the Gr1 Champions Cup, after not jumping out the stalls on terms and trailing by four or five lengths. His Crusade half-brother Subtropical also caused a stir when the handsome colt won the second race of the day – giving Crusade his seventh winner of the season (six in South Africa).

The day started off with Subtropical in Race 2 winning in the Burnard colours of the famous red, white and blue “V” silks, in partnership with breeder Robin Scott of Scott Bros. It is the first Crusade to have won that is raced by his breeder.

The half-brother to Gr1 placed Matador Man flew up to the finish over 1600m, with a Middlefield-bred Byword finishing third and First Crusade, under star jockey Anthony Delpech, finishing fourth.

This is the seventh winner for Gr1 Middle Park Stakes winner Crusade (sixth in South Africa with Black Type Butchie Boy winning in Zimbabwe) for the season.

Subtropical’s dam Sahara (by Mogok) is proving herself to be a broodmare of note – producing three runners and three winners – Desert Fighter, his full brother Matador Man and Subtropical.

A smashing full sister by Crusade to Subtropical sold to the Tawny Syndicate in May at the National Yearling Sale for R200 000 – who have links to Matador Man (by Toreador).

Sahara herself raced for Dennis Drier, a speedy four-time winner who placed second in multiple Gr2 and Gr3 races. Robin Scott has always been adamant that the impeccably bred Mogok, who has produced four Gr1 winners – two of those in America – will be a broodmare sire in future to be reckoned with. Sahara’s four yearlings that have sold at sales have averaged an impressive R202 500 each.

After the running of the Darley Arabian (Listed), where AP Answer’s Cutting Edge finished third behind Maximizer for owner Alesh Naidoo and KZN stalwart No Worries in fourth for the Burnards, the Sean Tarry-trained Matador Man impressed with a third in a very strong Gr1 winning field of the Champions Cup.

Slow out of the stalls when the gates crashed open, Secretariat Listed and Million Mile winner Matador Man lost approximately five lengths at the start, under a clever ride from S’manga Khumalo the Toreador gelding quickly caught up to the pack.

Matador Man flew up to finish in third in front of multiple Gr1 winner Bela-Bela and just two lengths off the winner Sail South and Gr1 Gold Challenge winner Captain America, leaving the likes of Gr1 Vodacom Durban July winner Marinaresco and Gr2 winner Ten Gun Salute in his wake.

We can look forward to much more to come from the son of Toreador in the future – partly owned by breeder Robin Scott, along with the owners of dual Gr1 winner Bull Valley (by Toreador).

Bush Hill resident sire Toreador has had a sparkling season indeed, with two Gr1 wins from son Bull Valley.

The Gr2 Gold Bracelet was won by a grand daughter of Kahal, Fort Ember, in a double for the raiding Paul Peter stable.

Going off at 16/1, Fort Ember beat Nightingale by almost two lengths with KZN-bred Gr3 winner, the beautifully-bred Summerhill-bred Witchcraft by Kahal, finishing in third for the Sean Tarry stable just two lengths off.

Witchcraft carries an impeccable pedigree; out of a Kingmambo mare Deceptive Charm – in turn out of a Sadlers Wells / Mill Reef mare.

Her third dam, Gr2 winner Fleur Royale, was the 4th Top Rated 3-y-o filly in Ireland in 1986. The female line has produced sires Levmoss, Ascot Gold Cup winner Le Moss and South African champions Mosszao and Autumn Lodge.

Day two of the Gold Cup festival continues today, with a number of Graded Stakes races on the cards. Congratulations to all concerned above.

See you at Greyville!

Another KZN-bred filly, Gr1 Allan Robertson winner Brave Mary has been purchased by Team Valor. The speedy Brave Tin Soldier filly who showed the Allan Robertson field a clean pair of heels, is in training with Paul Matchett.

Brave Mary is out of a Rich Man’s Gold mare Mary Lou, bred by Rupert Plersch and has recorded two wins and two places from five starts. She won the Gr1 at Scottsville by almost two lengths from Green Plains.

She is the second Gr1 winner and the third Gr1 win for sire Brave Tin Soldier, who stands at Summerhill Stud.

The other KZN-bred filly to have been purchased last year is the Gr3 winning daughter of St Petersburg, Anna Pavlova, now a four-time winner for trainer Roy Magner. The filly is owned in partnership by Team Valor International (Nom: Mr B Irwin) & Mrs Vanashree & Mr Anant Singh & Mesdames C Soal & M Soal.

Team Valor have purchased the likes of Gypsy’s Warning amongst many other champions in the past and were responsible for bringing Visionaire to stand at stud in South Africa.

Geoff Woodruff’s Grade 1 Daily News 2000 entry Pagoda arrived at Summerveld on Wednesday night looked to have travelled well. The five-times champion trainer lamented his bad luck with draws in Durban this season and his pair of horses he brought down were the latest to be “drawn out in the bush”.

Mogok gelding Pagoda is currently in 15^th place on the Vodacom Durban July log and Woodruff aims to “pop him into the July” with a low weight. He clarified, “The Daily News is always a tough race for the Johannesburg horses because they have just come off a long, hard season and it is more a race to keep the horses going for the July and also to show them the course.”

He reckoned Pagoda was a July type of a horse and the big race had always been his target. He said, “He is small and neat and has a nice turn of foot. If you have a three-year-old coming into the July with 53kg or 54kg you know you are in the hunt.”

Pagoda would, as things currently stand, have to carry 53kg. However, off his 101 merit rating he would be 2kg under sufferance. Last time out in the Grade 1 SA Derby over 2450m on the tough Turffontein Standside track, Pagoda was running close up to the eventual winner Al Sahem midway through the race when an incident caused him to be shuffled right to the back.

Woodruff said, “That was not the plan at all, but Gavin (Lerena) had him on the rail and he became caught in a box behind a slowing horse.” Pagoda then ran on strongly from last to finish a 1,75 length second. Woodruff said realistically Pagoda might have finished closer, but doubted he could have won the race. He also felt realistically Pagoda would not be able to reverse form on Saturday with Al Sahem facing him at level weights again.

As things stand, Pagoda will receive 0,5kg from Al Sahem in the July. However, if the latter converts favouritism on Saturday the weight differential might change significantly.

In his penultimate start Pagoda was reminiscent of one of the best Mogok’s, The Apache, in that he crept up steadily in the straight until the 300m mark and then when Lerena pressed the button he kicked impressively and went away from the field to win by 3,3 lengths. Chase Maujean replaces the now England-based Lerena and will have to negotiate a number ten draw in a twelve horse field.

Mogok has produced Gr1 winners The Apache, Gypsy’s Warning, Wild One and Orbison to date. Look out for more of his progeny at the upcoming KZN Yearling Sale.

Tyrone Zackey has an interesting runner in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 in the Summerhill-bred A P Arrow gelding Glider Pilot, who is a half-brother to last year’s winner of this race Rabada.

Zackey bought the rangy gelding for owners Kevin and Nadine Backos, his son-in-law and daughter respectively, and Sheddy Habib at a dispersal sale of the late Adriaan van Vuuren.

He said, “That’s why we could not nominate him for a while (red tape relating to Van Vuuren’s frozen assets). The horse did not show me much in the beginning, I think he was a bit out of work, but he then started running equal with his companions and then he started putting some distance between himself and them. He wasn’t working with champions, but then I put him up against a horse who had won a race and after that gallop decided to nominate him.”

It was unusual to see a horse making its debut over 2000m and the race was also run at just after seven o’ clock in the evening. Nevertheless, Glider Pilot was backed from 40/1 into 10/1. The wild cheering from the nearby Zackey box could be heard during the commentary as Glider Pilot got the better of the 16/10 favourite Starpath to win by 0,8 lengths.

Zackey continued, “The rest of the field were more than ten lengths back and I thought well he can’t be bad. And then Starpath came out and won too. So I nominated him for a handicap over the same distance at the Vaal.”

On this occasion he was beaten 1,9 lengths into third. However, Zackey was impressed by two facets of the race.

Firstly, the winner of the race was the five-year-old Amsterdam and the runner up was Jubilee Line. Amsterdam had finished second in the Gr 1 SA Classic as a three-year-old and had consequently been bought out of the Paul Peter yard, ironically by Adriaan van Vuuren, while Jubilee Line has always been highly regarded and was a Vodacom Durban July entry this year. Secondly, Glider Pilot had produced a late surge.

Zackey said, “He wasn’t balanced and he couldn’t get on to the other foot, that comes with inexperience, but when he did he caught the eye.” Zackey now believed he had a horse of some potential.

He said, “Greyville is a tricky course for an inexperienced horse. But we have got a ticket and are going to come down to Durban and have some fun. He can run a little, but whether he can compete with all of those horses who clearly have Gr 1 potential I don’t know, so if he runs a place I will be very happy.”

An interesting form-line for Glider Pilot comes through Hamaan. He received 2kg from the current Daily News third-favourite Pagoda in the Derby Trial over 2000m and was beaten 5,3 lengths. In Glider Pilot’s last start he gave Hamaan 2,5kg and a short-head beating.

Glider Pilot thus has close to five lengths to find with Pagoda on paper, but it should be born in mind that last start on May 11 was only the second of his career, so he is not just there to make up the numbers. He has been priced up a 50/1 shot by the bookmakers and will be ridden by Zackey’s high-flying nephew, Craig Zackey, who is lying in sixth place on the National Jockey’s log.

Glider Pilot and Rabada’s dam recently sold for R800 000 off Summerhill’s Mare and Weanling sale, in foal to Capetown Noir.

Africa Rising is the last of the three KZN-breds represented in the Gr1 Daily News 2000, which was won last year by Summerhill-bred son of Brave Tin Soldier, Rabada.

The Sean Tarry-trained son of Visionaire is a winner of the Gr3 Byerley Turk at Greyville over 1400m. He has won three times from nine starts and placed three times, including in a Gr1 just a length off Gunner, and four lengths off William Longsword in the Cape Guineas.

Out of Braashee mare Sucha Looka, he is a half-brother to three other winners.

-extract goldcircle.co.za

The KZN-bred fillies racing on Saturday’s big Gr1 sprint day at Scottsville include several entries into the Gr1 Allan Robertson, whilst Paul and Beth Gadsby-trained Vision To Kill will contest the Gr1 South African Fillies Sprint.

The daughter of Kildonan, bred and owned by ex Chairman of Gold Circle Robert Mauvis in partnership with Sam Osman, born and raised at Yellow Star Stud.

Koos De Klerk of Yellow Star Stud recently said as he stood looking at the foaling barn (whilst Paddy Kruyer inspected their yearlings for the upcoming KZN Yearling Sale at Sibaya Casino), that produced Futura and Dancewiththedevil (the latter in a stallion share scenario with Craig Ramsay and St John Gray) that he wished to have a bronze plaque made remembering these great Gr1 winning horses that were born in the modern red brick barn – “but we are waiting for Vision To Kill to capture a Grade 1 first(!),” he says with a chuckle.

Vision To Kill will be ridden by Muzi Yeni, the recent winner of the Gr2 Betting World 1900 aboard Ten Gun Salute. Racing over 1200m and remembering that her own sire blitzed the course record at Scottsville in the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint over the likes of previous winners JJ The Jetplane, the filly has won three and placed twice, unlucky to finish half a length behind The Secret Is Out in the Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes over 1200m at Scottsville.

Ashburton trainer Paul Gadsby was concerned the three-and-a-half metre strip on the inside which was protected at the last meeting would now “be like gold” and everybody would be trying to dive on to it.

Gadsby confirmed the Kildonan three-year-old Vision To Kill would be the elect of his two runners in the race. Gadsby felt Vision To Kill was a touch unlucky last time over course and distance in the Gr 3 Poinsettia Stakes when flying late and being beaten 0,5 lengths by The Secret Is Out. “I felt the winner had a clear run the whole way and we did not,” he said.

However, Vision To Kill will now be 3kg worse off, as The Secret Is Out was carrying a Gr1 penalty in that race. Vision To Kill will also be 2kg worse off with Live Life, whom she beat by a short-head. One factor favouring Vision To Kill is she clearly loved the step up to 1200m and jockey Muzi Yeni will now know that, whilst he went into the last race unclear whether she would enjoy the step up from 1000m.

Vision To Kill has a low draw of two. However, Gadsby said if the going on the inside does prove on the day “to be gold” he was not sure whether this would work for or against Vision To Kill as she might in that case have to be used up early to hold her position.

The Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship is represented with several KZN fillies including Brave Mary (Brave Tin Soldier), 4-time on the trot winner Daring Diva (King Of Kings), Twelve Oaks (Pathfork – Graystone Stud) and Victory Trip (Trippi – Rathmor Stud).

The Gr1 Allan Robertson has been won in the past with the likes of KZN-bred Chocolicious. Brave Mary is trained by Paul Matchett and bred by Rupert Plersch, the filly out of exceptional broodmare sire, Rich Man’s Gold. The filly has four times at the Vaal and Turffontein to win and place in three of her starts, over 1000m – 1160m.

Daring Diva is an exciting entry; the Gerald Kalil-bred and owned filly by King Of Kings out of Delightful Diva is by the speed king of his day, The Sheik. Trained by Barend Botes, the filly has been no slouch winning her first four starts on the trot including the Ruffian Stakes Listed. She has approximately a winning length of almost 10 lengths from her first four starts, and her last start saw her finish third to Green Plains just two lengths off. This will be her first KZN start.

Twelve Oaks is bred by St John Gray of Graystone Stud, who has bred, owned and trained several champions including five-time Gr1 winner, Dancewiththedevil. The Pathfork filly was born and raised on St John’s behalf at Cathy and Jonathan Martin’s Hadlow Stud.

St John should never be ignored when raiding and is a shrewd conditioner of prepping horses for feature races, hardly ever going home empty handed. His smart filly has won twice from three starts and finished just four lengths off Green Plains in the Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery. Out of Land Of Wilkes by Diesis, she is a half-sister to three other winners.

Victory Trip will be flying the flag for breeder Rathmor Stud, who recently had a stunning National Yearling Sale and achieved a staggering average of over R525 000 for eight yearlings sold.

The Dennis Bosch-trained filly owned by Mario Ferreira will likely find herself a future match for their outstanding sire Noble Tune; the cross of [his sire] Unbridled’s Song and Trippi mares already Gr1 successful with dual Gr1 winning grey stallion Liam’s Map at Lane’s End (who stands alongside Noble Tune’s own dual Gr1 winning half-brother, Honor Code).

Victory Trip’s Noble Tune half-brother sold for R220 000 at the National Yearling Sale to Team G Racing – out of the very well-bred Solskjaer mare, Victory Garden, from one of Summerhill’s leading families that produced Imbongi, Spring Garland and American winner, Mahubo amongst others.

Victory Trip shed her maiden tag in her last start, after three close places from her first four starts. She maintains Eric Ngwane as her jockey and he will have the advantage of knowing her well after riding her in four of her previous five starts, including her win – the first over 1200m which she relished.

Saturday is one of the highlights on the Champions Season’s calendar and we look forward to the results!

For the fourth year running Andrea Atzeni was aboard the winner as Rivet made every yard to take victory for William Haggas.

The two-year-old was up with the pace the moment the stalls opened and as the race entered its final stages, he held off the challenge of Yucatan to win by one and three-quarters of a length.

Bred by Des Scott (of Scott Bros), Rivet is the seventh foal out of the winning Galileo mare Starship and is a brother to several winners including 7f scorer Out And About.

Beaten in Group 1 company last time out in the Dewhurst, Rivet appreciated the extra furlong at Doncaster and did things the hard way, repelling a host of challengers, with favourite Yucatan runner-up.

Atzeni said: “The further he went the better he was and he hit the line strong. He’s definitely going the right way and will be a stronger horse next year.

“It is my lucky track and I’ve ridden a lot of nice horses here. I’ve been very lucky, I ride some good horses for good trainers.”

Atzeni also made a slice of racing history by winning the race, becoming the first jockey to win a British Group 1 four times in a row.

The final Group 1 of the season in Britain and Ireland, the Racing Post Trophy has a rich history of quality winners that go on to achieve Classic glory, and Rivet shaped as though he could make an impact in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas.

Maureen Haggas, wife of trainer William, said: “The Guineas is an obvious target but we will wait and see how he comes through the winter, what the weather is like and all that sort of thing and Dad will talk it over with the owners before anything is decided.

“He clearly stays the mile well, and as he is out of a Galileo mare he’ll probably stay a mile and quarter but you can’t tell from his work at home how far he will stay.”

“He’s got the right way about him. All the horses we’ve had out of the mare (Starship) have had very good minds and he’s the same, very laid back,” Haggas added.

“He never overdoes it at home so you can run them. He’s taking his racing well, looks well and the ground wasn’t bottomless.”