And in an appropriate result, it was Roberts’ Summerveld neighbour Mark Dixon who saddled the winner of the R85 000 Listed Michael Roberts Handicap.

Being sentimental, celebratory and hospitable in the ghostly environment of a mostly deserted racecourse in Pietermaritzburg is no easy task.  Full marks to the on-course team for keeping the ‘Muis memories’ ticking over through a nine race card.

“I frankly wasn’t sure if he was good enough to win this but he is consistent and it’s a pleasant surprise,” said Mark Dixon after Ashton Arries maintained his own good form, when producing News Stream from three lengths off the gallop.

After Trip To Africa and the Met entry and favourite Baby Shooz had cried enough, New Stream got the better of the equally consistent Mr Fitz to win by 0,75 lengths in a time of 106,61 secs.

News Stream’s big win was an emotional success for the Carlisle family’s Kinmount Syndicate after the passing of patriarch Avison Carlisle in August last year.

A R15 000 Bloodstock South Africa 2017 KZN Yearling Sale graduate, News Stream has won 5 races with 9 places from 19 starts for stakes earnings of in excess of R380 000.

Bred by Kinmount Stud, the winner is a son of Peintre Celebre stallion Byword, out of the one-time winning Grey Eminence mare, Pricilla Grey.

The Juddmonte-bred Byword is out of Britain’s Broodmare Of The Year in 2010, Binche (USA), a daughter of Woodman, and was a winner at age 4 of the Gr1 Prince Of Wales’ Stakes, the Gr 2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud and the Gr 2 Prix Jacques Laffitte.

He is also the sire of #kznbred previous Horse Of The Year, Camphoratus.

Bush Hill’s smart sire Flying The Flag, a full brother to sensational multiple Gr1 winning fillies at the highest international levels – Rhododendron and Magical – had an impressive winner at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday afternoon.

The imposing Flying The Flag gelding bred by Bruce Le Roux, a very high scorer for the National Yearling Sale and towering individual very much in the stamp of his sire, all looked just about lost over the 1400m and he showed immense grit to push through and win going away by a length under Serino Moodley.

An elated Michael Roberts and his daughter Carolyn were on course to lead him in. Hey Bill was unsold at the 2019 National Yearling Sale and sold for R60 000 to Michael Roberts at the 2019 Ready To Run Sale, consigned by Far End Pretraining as agent. The gelding, out of an Alami mare, is owned in partnership by Messrs W R Dobeyn, C T Crowe, R G Hampson & Mrs V L Roberts.

He has now had three runs for a place and a win. Michael Roberts also trains the chestnut gelding’s Crusade half sister – a lovely flashy filly, she won twice and placed on the balance of her first six starts, named Hey Delilah. They are both siblings to Black Type Just As I Said, a stakes placed 6-time winner.

Look for the full brother to Hey Delilah on the upcoming Emperors Palace National 2YO Sale, consigned as Lot 142. The dam has now produced all winners from all runners – with 15 wins between the four winners.

Flying The Flag is represented by seven 2yo’s on the sale, including a half sibling to Gr3 winner Neptunes Rain and another from the family of The Mouseketeer.

Spring Valley have 6 horses consigned to the sale by the likes of Futura, Judpot, Crusade and Mogok.

Watch Hey Bill’s amazing effort to win this race below:

The entries for the Michael Roberts Handicap (Listed) are in and include seven KZN-breds including Crusade entry, Slightly Scottish from the yard of Dean Kannemeyer.

Doug Campbell has entered two of his ‘stalwarts’ – chestnut mare Lala and Kingston Boy – the latter a son of Mogok, who is just under R30 000 short of earnings of R1-million in stakes with 8 wins and 21 places from 54 starts.

Amongst Mark Dixon’s entries are Fantasy Lady – very closely related to the brilliant London Call and owned by the same syndicate consisting of Messrs G N Cumming, C N Larsson & R D Samuelson. Bred by Bruce Le Roux of Spring Valley Stud, she is a four time winning daughter of Kahal who has placed seven times from 15 starts.

A mare that enjoys Scottsville and won over this course and distance last time out for owner Rodney Calder and trainer Craig Eudey, Mark My Card, a half-sister to Markofdistinction and closely related to the brilliant Toccata, will also throw her hat into the ring. The daughter of Miesque’s Approval has won six and earned over R500 000 in stakes – not to shabby for a mare that was sold directly off Highdown Stud as an unraced three year old and won on debut!

The beautifully-named Slightly Scottish, a three year old son of Crusade bred and owned in partnership by the Scottish Stewart MacGregor and Ronnie Rowley, has been the picture of consistence, winning and placing from all five starts. The Crusades enjoy a mile on turf, and this should suit Slightly Scottish who has won over the distance.

21 Length marathon winner Run Rhino Run has once again changed trainers, and this time Frank Robinson has dropped the difficult but talented Silvano gelding to 1750m.

1st ENTRIES SCOTTSVILLE – Sunday 28 January 2018

R 150,000 1750m
MICHAEL ROBERTS HANDICAP (Listed)
Merit Rated Handicap
WFA: 3yrs-6.0kgs 4yrs-0.5kgs

*Horses In Bold Denote KZN-BREDS

11 CELTIC CAPTAIN (5G) 61.0 106 Mark Dixon
18 MR O’NEILL (4G) 56.0 97 Dean Kannemeyer
8 RED CHESNUT ROAD (4G) 56.0 97 Robbie Hill
19 SUN ON AFRICA (6G) 56.0 96 B Dennis Bosch
12 LALA (5M) 55.0 94 B Doug Campbell
10 CARIBBEAN DAY (8G) 54.0 92 P Mark Dixon
16 WILD WICKET (4G) 53.5 92 Duncan Howells
7 LAST TIGER (7G) 53.0 90 B Dean Kannemeyer
13 KINGSTON BOY (8G) 51.5 87 B Doug Campbell
5 RUN RHINO RUN (6G) 51.5 87 Frank Robinson
2 FANTASY LADY (5M) 51.0 86 Mark Dixon
17 CHICAGO BEAT (5G) 50.0 84 B Duncan Howells
14 GINGERBREAD MAN (4G) 49.5 84 Duncan Howells
9 SYLVESTER THE CAT (5G) 49.5 83 Glen Kotzen
3 LEGEND (4G) 49.0 83 Duncan Howells
15 SAINT MARCO (5G) 48.0 80 Garth Puller
6 DARK MOON RISING (4G) 46.5 78 Paul Lafferty
4 MARK MY CARD (6M) 45.0 74 Craig Eudey
1 SLIGHTLY SCOTTISH (3G) 41.0 78 Dean Kannemeyer
(19)

Please Note:
Supplementary Entries Closes @ 11:00 Friday 19th January 2018
Declarations Closes @ 11:00 Tuesday 23rd January 2018

-goldcircle.co.za