The winning KZN-bred (registered with the KZN Breeders Premium Scheme) stands to take home an added stakes bonus of R200 000 over and above the million on offer. Previous KZN-bred winners include Gr2 winner Virgo’s Babe and Cutting Edge.

Dont forget to “tick the box” in order to qualify.

The 2017 KZN Yearling Sale graduates also qualify for the above mentioned race in 2018.

For more information, visit www.tba.co.za or to enquire if your horse qualifies as a KZN-bred, contact Candiese.

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.

“Levelling The Playing Fields” – New R1-Million Series Announced By KZN Breeders

KZN Breeders in partnership with Gold Circle have announced the “Levelling The Playing Fields” R1-million rand Series for KZN-bred horses, in the interests of KZN Racing and Breeding.

The competition is for a sound and versatile KZN-bred horse that can race over distances of 1200m – 1600m, is registered in accordance to the rules of the KZN Breeders Premium Scheme, possesses a gross Merit Rating of 78 or less at the time of entry – and has had a minimum of five runs under their belt.

Each trainer is invited to enter one horse for the series, which will see every leg raced on turf.

A maximum of 30 Horses will compete in each of Rounds 1, 2 & 3 with each Round split into two groups with a maximum of 15 Horses in every group (This will be by ballot).

Riders will be drawn for, by ballot which will add to the excitement of the concept. It must be noted that an Apprentice allowance may be claimed, including the final race at Greyville.

The first round with two competing pools will take place at Scottsville on 2 April 2017, over 1200m on the turf for a stake of R100 000 each.

The second round with two competing pools will take place at Scottsville on 30 April 2017 over 1400m, on the turf for a stake of R100 000 each.

The third round over 1600m will also be Scottsville on the turf, to be held on 27 May 2017 and again for a stake of R100 000 each.

The final (single) leg will be run on KZN Breeders Race Day over 1400m on the turf for a stake of R200 000. The horses competing in this final leg will be the top 14  point earners from the previous three rounds.

The weight range for each race is from 63kgs down to 57kgs, dependant on the Merit Rating – for instance horses with a rating of 76, 77 and 78 will carry 63kgs, a merit rating of 73, 74 and 75 will carry 62kgs etc. A merit rating of 60 and below will carry 57kgs.

Points will be accrued to each horse and jockey in all the races as follows;

First place will be 20 points, second place 17 points, third place 15 – and points then going down by one point dependant on their finishing order, with the 15th place getting only 1 point. As a result this will encourage the  jockeys to ride their horses out to accumulate the maximum amount of points throughout the field.

A horse scratched prior to Race day will accrue 1 point. If the horse has been scratched at the time of the race he will get 7 points.
The top 14 point scorers after rounds 1,2 & 3 will qualify for the Final on 25 June 2017, KZN Breeders Race Day.

Points will be allocated in the Final on the same basis as rounds 1, 2 & 3.

The Trainer, Owner, and Breeder of the horse which has accumulated the most points, including the final, will each win R50 000.

The Jockey who has accumulated the most points through rounds 1,2 & 3 as well as the Final, will also receive R50 000.

A few additional rules:
1. Should a rider become indisposed, a substitute rider will be drawn for but points accrued will be allocated to the original rider.
2. In the event that more than 30 horses are entered, elimination will be from lowest MR upwards. In the event of two or more horses having the same MR, elimination will be by means of ballot.
3. If a horse’s MR is raised above 78 after the series has begun, that horse will continue to be eligible for the entire series and will carry top weight of 63kgs.
4. Should any unforeseen circumstances arise, the Series Committee’s decision shall be binding.
5. Entry into the “Series” and all the individual races making up the series is FREE.

This “Levelling The Playing Fields”series will be run in conjunction with the KZN Breeders Series of seven races for a stake of R200 000 each (two races each for juveniles – and 3y0’s and up over 1200m, 1400m and a single combined race of colts and fillies over 1900m, as well as the exclusive Million Mile taking place – all in all, a very exciting and innovative KZN Breeders Race Day ahead.

The series is aimed to reward;

• Trainers and owners who do not have the financial means to buy the top horses;
• Breeders who cannot necessarily afford to go to the top Stallions a chance to compete on level playing fields;
• Jockeys will be afforded the chance to compete on a fair basis.

A Tapit  colt that is a half brother to champion and Lane’s End stallion Honor Code and Rathmor’s Noble Tune sold to Chris Baccari for $1.05 million during the 9 November session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, the highest-priced weanling at the time of his selling.

Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales, the dark bay colt is out of the top-producing Storm Cat mare, Serena’s Cat, whose offspring have been extemely popular in recent years.

A half sibling to the Tapit colt sold for $2.6 million at last year’s Keeneland November sale with a full sibling bringing a then-North American record weanling price of $3 million at the 2014 exercise.

Given those prior levels, Baccari felt he got one of the steals of the sales in the colt he purchased in the name of his Baccari Bloodstock on behalf of a partnership.

“That’s a very very hard pedigree to get into,” said Baccari, who said the partnership could race the colt or resell him. “I happened to see the colt on the farm ahead of time so I had the ability to see what I was going to get into. He’s just a very special horse. Very hard to find that kind of pedigree with that kind of sire power.

“I just felt like he could have brought a lot of money here,” Baccari continued. “But it’s like anything, he’s a younger foal and he’s been here for several days. When I first saw him he was very sharp and the last two days he was probably a little sluggish for some people. But I remembered what he looked like. That’s why I thought if I have the ability to get him, I’m going to try.”

In addition to Honor Code, the Tapit colt is also a half brother to multiple Graded Stakes winner and Gr1 Breeders Cup placed Noble Tune.

“I think the horse was a great value to the buyer,” said Hill ‘n’ Dale’s John Sikura.

Mares due to foal this year include Gypsy Queen, the dam of American and South African Gr1 winner, Gypsy’s Warning.

– extract bloodhorse.com