Jockey Morne Winnaar will take a slender one point lead over Billy Jacobson into the final of “Levelling The Playing Fields Series” on Sunday, 25 June 2017. After winning rounds 1 and 2, Jacobson did not fare too well in the draw for Round 3 and his charge Roy’s Power could only finish 5^th. Winnaar’s fourth placing on Royal Agree on Sunday was enough to reverse a one-point deficit into a one-point lead in their chase for the R50 000 bonus for the leading jockey of the Series.

Marco van Rensburg is six points off the leader in third spot with Craig Zackey a further point back in fourth. With mounts in the 1400m final to be drawn for the outcome is far from certain!

Tony Rivalland-trained Reactive’s facile win in the third round over 1600m last Sunday catapulted him to the top of the “horse” leader board on 52 points.

Early pace-setters, Brave And Bold and Putchini, are joint second on 47 with the ever consistent Royal Agree in fourth on 46 points. The King of Random and Kahula follow next on 42 & 41 points respectively. The Owner, breeder and trainer of the leading horse at the conclusion of the Series will each receive a bonus of R50 000.

The final will be staged over 1400m on the turf track at Greyville on Sunday 25 June as part of the annual KZN Breeders Raceday which also features the Million Mile.

The top fourteen point scorers amongst the jockeys and the horses qualify for the final and the full table following the Rounds 1, 2 and 3 is as follows:-

The often shoeless champion Talktothestars (pictured winning last year’s Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint) will have a fine chance of defending his crown in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday.

The current KZN-bred Equus Champion Sprinter’s last run in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m where he flew home for second in much the same manner as he had when runner up last year, should see him on song for the Gr1 double. The strapping son of Overlord who didnt attract a single bid at the National 2YO Sale and left the ring unsold, went on to win the Tsogo Sun last year off a merit rating of 116, so has a fine chance this year off a 113 merit rating. Chase Maujean retains the ride for owner and trainer Coenie De Beer.

Spring Valley’s London Call, unbeaten in four starts this season, was beautifully relaxed in the running when winning a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1100m at Scottsville last time out and he then showed an effortless turn of foot in a quality field of horses consisting of several Gr1 winners.

This lightly raced six-year-old Kahal gelding out of Fancy Fantasy has improved and has a chance for trainer Mark Dixon and his connections (pictured above), despite having to run off a 111. London Call is certainly deserving of a Gr1 win and relishes the course and distance with an outstanding turn of foot.

Toreador’s Bull Valley will be a massive runner at his best as he has class as well as a good cruising speed and a fine turn of foot. Last November he finished just 0,3 lengths behind Trip To Heaven in the Merchants over 1160m at Turffontein when receiving 3,5 kg a and he was 2,1 lengths clear of Talktothestars, but will now be 4kg worse off.  He is a previous winner of the Gr3 Man O’ War Sprint over 1100m at Turffontein.

Jane Trotter’s consistent son of Captain Al, seven-year-old Barbosa loves the Scottsville straight. The 10-time winner trained by Dennis Drier and owned in partnership by his breeder, RE Alexander, Bruce Campbell and The Apache Syndicate (Nom: Mr JW Trotter)  has been four lengths off the likes of Red Ray and Carry On Alice previously and could be up there with them at the finish.

Keep  a look out for the 3rd leg (of four) of the KZN Breeders “Level The Playing Fields” Series, with the penultimate pools to be run on Saturday in the 2nd and 3rd race of the big Gr1 sprinting card. The recently engaged Billy Jacobson will be seeking a third win to secure his already dominant lead towards the jockey prize of the R50 000 (each for the winning trainer, jockey, owner and breeder).

Billy is aboard Paul Gadsby’s Roy’s Power in the second pool of the day (3rd race) – a winner who has placed nine times and finished just two lengths off over the last two starts of 1200m. Roy’s Power has yet to attempt the distance of 1600m and it will be a brilliant race to follow on the day. Previous winner Putchini who is on the leaderboard of the series will be in the same pool (3rd race), ridden by Jarred Samuel.

The second race (1st pool of two on the day) will see the three previous winners contesting each other – The Poet, Brave And Bold and Royal Agree. Sean Veale has been drawn to ride Wendy Whitehead’s filly Brave And Bold, previous winning jockey Morne Winnaar will be on Glen Kotzen’s Mogok filly Royal Agree whilst The Poet will be ridden by Craig Zackey – who finished second a very close second aboard Putchini in an exciting dual between The Poet (Billy Jacobson) and Putchini last time out.

The previous winning jockey aboard Royal Agree, Athandiwe Magudlwa will be aboard Charles Laird’s entry of Storm Outgoing. A stable Athandiwe is familiar with riding for, the son of Visionaire has won at Grevyille over 1600m previously in February and finished four lengths off over the coming course and distance in May.

This third leg will be thrilling to follow, as the outcome of both races will indicate the final field for the final leg of a stake of R200 000 on KZN Breeders Race Day (R1-million overall for the series), to be run over 1400m on the turf. Thereafter, the prizegiving for the overall winning jockey, trainer, breeder and winner will take place.

Be there on Saturday at Scottsville to select your winners for the KZN Breeders “Level The Playing Fields” Series and see who will be through to the final!

The current log below of the Level The Playing Fields Series.

– extract goldcircle.co.za

Points table after the two heats comprising Round 1 at Scottsville last Sunday:-

JOCKEYS:-

Athandiwe Mgudlwa – 20

Billy Jacobson – 20

Morne Winnaar – 17

Warren Kennedy – 17

Alec Forbes – 15

Benny Dean – 15

Divan Neethling – 13

Keagan de Melo – 13

Jarred Samuel – 11

Sean Veale – 11

Ian Sturgeon – 10

Marco van Rensburg – 10

Craig Zackey – 9

Tshwaro Appie – 9

Derryl Daniels – 8

Gareth Wright – 8

Doctor Lembethe – 7

Mandla Ntuli – 7

Tristan Godden – 7

Eric Ngwane – 6

Muzi Yeni – 6

Anthony Delpech – 5

Anton Marcus – 1

HORSES:- (Owner; Trainer; Breeder in brackets):-

Putchini -20 – (Miss A de Klerk; Chris Erasmus; Yellow Star Stud)

Royal Agree – 20 – (Mr P G de Beyer; Glen Kotzen; Scott Bros)

Reactive – 17 – (Mrs M Liley; Tony Rivalland; Summerhill Stud)

Brave and Bold – 17 – (Messrs G S Perkins, D A Gafney, I D Howard; Wendy Whitehead; Pizazz Racing)

Cipher – 15 – (Messrs Ian Robinson & partners; Garth Puller; Yellow Star Stud)

Fire The Rocket – 15 – (Sir George Albu, D Campbell, M Pillay; Doug Campbell; Yellow Star Stud)

Poivre – 13 – (Mr B D van Laun; Greg & Karen Anthony; Mr B D van Laun)

Tropical’s Son – 13 – (Mr A L Williams; Paul Lafferty; Riverlea Stud)

Roy’s Power – 11 – (Mr R Moodley; Paul Gadsby; Mr R Moodley)

Kahula – 11 – (Mr B Riley; Sean Tarry; Mr Bruce le Roux)

Son of Silver – 10 – (Messrs M G Frost & M R Parrott; Frank Robinson; Scott Bros)

The King of Random – 10 – (Messrs B Jonsson & N Jonsson; Michael Roberts; Clifton Stud)

Constantine – 9 – (Messrs W Wu, H Guo & Ms K P Ha; Dennis Drier; Mr & Mrs G E Lees)

Roy is Second – 9 – (Mr R Moodley; Alyson Wright; Mr R Moodley)

Roy’s Taxi – 8 – (Mr R Moodley; Kom Naidoo; Mr Bruce Le Roux)

Storm Outgoing – 8 – (Mr & Mrs P C Diedericks; Charles Laird; Summerhill Stud)

Mark My Card – 7 – (Mr R Calder; Wayne Badenhorst; Scott Bros)

Bubka – 7 – (Miss Jessica Lunn, Messrs L P & P L Lunn; Pat Lunn; Graystone Stud)

Three Kingdoms – 7 – (Messrs Allan Peters, D L Chapman, C J Mayhew; Craig Mayhew; Bush Hill Stud)

Missibaba – 6 – (Fire Racing Trust; Dennis Bosch; Summerhill Stud)

Earhart – 6 – (Mr K M Smith; Julie Dittmer; Summerhill Stud)

Beckedorf – 5 – (Mr E W Buhr; Corinne Bestell; Clifton Stud0

The Poet – 1 – (Mr Trevor & Mrs Robin Denman; Mark Dixon; Bush Hill Stud)

Fields, with balloted riders, for Round 2 will be finalised on Tuesday 25 April 2017.

The second leg takes place at Scottsville on Sunday, 30 April 2017.

The first Leg of four of the inaugural KZN Breeders “Level The Playing Field Series” saw 21 horses line up at Scottsville yesterday over two pools, with Yellow Star-bred Putchini taking the first pool of the day from a strong field for owner Ashley De Klerk and stakes money of R100 000.

With the jockeys drawn out of a hat for the rides in each of the pools and accumulating points according to finish order, Billy Jacobson brought the chestnut Bezrin gelding home over 1200m by a nose from Bankable gelding, Reactive. Cipher (Overlord) and Poivre (Silvano) placed third and fourth respectively.

Putchini has won five times and placed 15, earning over R350 000 in stakes. The son of Bezrin is out of Suki Tortri by Centenary and the damline belongs to the incredibly speedy Golden Loom, as well as Majestic Light and Byblos.

The second pool of the day saw Glen Kotzen’s Mogok filly Royal Agree, bred by Scott Bros, brought home swiftly under Athandiwe Mgudlwa. Owned by Mr PG De Beyer, the filly out of Royal Promise by Royal Academy secured her second career win under the care of Lunga Gila, who is managing the Kotzen yard in KZN.

Royal Agree is a 2015 KZN Yearling Sale graduate, who sold for R160 000. She is a full sister to Mogok’s Desire, a 4-time winner and Gr3 placed. This is the damline of British-born former South African sire Icelandic, as well as New Zealand champion 2yo and 3yo colt and sire – Our Maizcay. A Crusade half-sister is on offer as Lot 144 at the upcoming National Yearling Sale, consigned by Scott Bros.

Royal Agree beat home multiple winners Brave And Bold and Fire The Rocket clear by over a length, over the 1200m turf trip. The “Level The Playing Fields” Series takes place over turf with trainers only able to enter one horse for all four legs and jockey for each race drawn out of a hat.

The horse must have the ability to win from 1200m – 1600m. The Final for a stake of R200 000 will run on 25 June at Greyville on turf over 1400m, with the winning jockey, owner, breeder and trainer each taking home R50 000. The second leg of the series takes place on 30 April over 1400m at Scottsville.

Keep an eye out for the logs to come of the leading horses and jockeys of the series – and exciting series indeed!

A Gallery below from both pools of the “Level The Playing Fields” Series.