Matador Man, who won last year’s KZN Breeders Million Mile over 1600m at Greyville from Dawn Calling, is coming along the right way for a defence of his title.

Trainer Sean Tarry will be aiming the son of Toreador at the same race this year and following the four-year-old’s convincing win under top weight in a Progress Plate over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday, his owners will have a good degree of confidence.

Tarry told Turf Talk: “He wasn’t too far back in the race and won well in what looked like quite a solid field. The addition of blinkers also seems to have made a difference.”

Matador Man, by Toreador, was bred by the Scott Brothers from the mare Sahara, by Mogok.

-Turf Talk Newsletter, 16 April 2018

* Note – No Worries was the first horse to make it a double in the KZN Breeders Million Mile, winning the race in 2015 and 2017. The Million Mile will take place on 30 June at Greyville.

NATIONAL YEARLING SALE UPDATE

**Matador Man, who is also a Stakes Winner, Gr3 2nd placed and finished 3rd in the Gr1 Champions Cup, has a Crusade half-sister on offer at the National Yearling Sale from breeders Scott Bros. Named Dune Dance, her full brother Subtropical is a 2-time winner. View the catalogue page at the following link. 

here are few people in the sport of horseracing these days who don’t know Brian Burnard, better known as “Buffalo Bill”, who was christened that way after his buying debut at the inaugural Emperors Palace Summer Ready To Run at Summerhill.

There was no mucking about that day for “Buff” though, green as he was when he took on the lofty likes of Alesh Naidoo and the late, intrepid Glanville Gardner for the right to own a burly chestnut son of Kahal out of the East Cape Horse of the Year, Coastal Waltz.

To explain the background, Glanville Gardner was the former owner of Coastal Waltz and he wanted a horse good enough to turn up at Greyville on the first Saturday in July. Alesh Naidoo’s interest had been sparked by glowing reports of the colt’s work on the Summerhill gallops, and none of this daring trio was willing to give quarter. That notwithstanding, this was just a “farm” sale, the first of its kind in the land and one aimed at finding homes for whatever was left on the property at the end of the sales season.

Of course, we’ve since learnt that there are two kinds of “leftovers”, particularly on a property that’s earned itself ten championships and a reputation for keeping some of its best advertisements for last, but this was a baptism for the event, and buyers at best were plunging into the great unknown.

The plot thickens, with Alesh Naidoo concealing himself on a coach in the venue’s foyer, Buffalo Bill as large as life at a ringside table, and Alec Laird positioned alongside the rostrum with instructions from a man he’d never met to buy the horse whatever the cost. In their wildest dreams though, nobody expected the big chestnut to set a record that stands to this day, and since this was an initiation of the relationship between the trainer and ”Mr Gardiner”, the former conditioner of London News was spotted fumbling for his phone in an attempt to get hold of his client as the bidding raced past the R300 000 mark.

At R420k, Mr Gardiner emerged from his boardroom meeting in Johannesburg, and promptly gave best to Buffalo’s final bid of R440 000, when the gavel fell. He needn’t have worried: as they say in Oz, “No Worries mate”, and that’s just about the size of the colt’s story.

For the record, No Worries cobbled together more than R3 million in stakes during an illustrious career defined not only by some massive victories in the best of company, but especially by his bob-of-a-head defeat by Vercingetorix in the Daily News 2000 (Gr.1); the latter who would wind up rated among the top 50 racehorses in the world.

No Worries arrived home at the place of his birth yesterday to take up his place as a “babysitter” at Summerhill alongside fellow millionaires, Hear The Drums and Amphitheatre. He’s in the shape of his life, complete with the offset knees that left him out of the conventional sales a horse of his class would otherwise have been consigned to. Long live the new king!

Young assistant trainer Gareth Van Zyl would have been thrilled with the manner in which his soldier No Worries came through his Gold Vase ‘prep’ at Greyville on Sunday. The 6yo son of Kahal blew Mike Azzie’s July hope Rabada away in a matter of strides to win the KZN Breeders Million Mile in fine style.

Although it came as no surprise to hear later that No Worries will probably be scratched from his July day commitment and aimed at the Champions Cup on Super Saturday rather, it was a great plan come together with jockey Warren Kennedy proving again that he has the nerve to carry the big days.

And for an owner there can’t be many better preps than a mile stretch for a cheque of R625 000 – but that is what Brian Burnard was banking after Kennedy produced No Worries late to beat the highly vaunted Daily News 2000 winner going away.

It was No Worries’ second victory in the generously endowed restricted race after he had won it during Clairwood’s dying throes in 2014, and then ran fourth behind Bezanova last year.

The KZN Breeders big stakes day was a massive success again with Summerhill breeding the winners of five of the nine races, including a top two finish in the feature.

Despite Rabada being out at the weights, Mike Azzie’s classy son of Brave Tin Soldier Rabada was backed into 18-10 favourite and the promising 3yo ranged up looking a winner inside the 350m.

With Rabada looking a winner in the closing stages, Warren Kennedy didn’t panic and switched No Worries as the big chestnut found his stride and grabbed the youngster just inside the 200m to win going away by 1,50 lengths in a time of 98,47 secs.

Rabada ran his heart out and was full value for his runner-up berth. With the Million Dollar target into the July having gone awry, it will be interesting to see whether Rabada makes the final July line-up at all

The ever conistent Malak El Moolook, by King’s Chapel and born and raised at Bush Hill Stud, stayed on for third.

No Worries was bred by Summerhill Stud and is a 4yo gelded son of Kahal out of the eleven-time winning Rambo Dancer mare, Coastal Waltz.

He has won 6 races with 15 places from his 40 starts and stakes of R2 877 075.

Alesh Naidoo’s Kingston Boy, a son of Mogok, also took home the same race twice in a row whilst recent Gr3 winner Witchcraft ran to an easy victory in a 1-2-3 for Sean Tarry.

The honours roll on KZN Breeders Day:

Last Chirp (Announce-Wise Wren)

Bred by Graystone Stud

Trained by St John D Gray

Count Von Count (Visionaire – Dream Starling)

Bred by Summerhill Stud

Trained by Tony Rivalland

Strategic Move (Strategic News – Giant’s Jewel)

Bred by JJ Snyman

Trained by Sean Tarry

Kingston Boy (Mogok – Star Of Calypso)

Bred by Sugar Hill Stud

Trained by Doug Campbell

Hyaku (Admire Main – Halfaa)

Bred by Summerhill Stud

Trained by Sean Tarry

Lala (Visionaire – Hlabelela)

Bred by Summerhill Stud

Trained by Doug Campbell

No Worries (Kahal – Coastal Waltz)

Bred by Summerhill Stud

Trained by Gavin Van Zyl

Penhaligon (Daylami – Victoria Bay)

Bred by Yellow Star Stud

Trained by Alyson Wright

Witchcraft (Kahal – Deceptive Charm)

Bred by Summerhill Stud

Trained by Sean Tarry

Extract: Sportingpost.co.za

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)

Visionaire’s beautiful grey daughter, a half-sister to No Worries, has won her fourth start for the Joey Ramsden racing stable at Kenilworth yesterday over 1600m, going away to win impressively by almost three lengths and earning from all four of her starts.

The filly named Malher De Branco (formerly Yoruba) is owned by Mr B P Finch, Mrs K Finch & Ridgemont Stud (Nom: Mr Craig Carey), and is Visionaire’s most expensive yearling to date – she sold for R1,4million at the 2014 National Yearling Sale, bred and consigned by Summerhill Stud.

She jumped from a fourth draw to win under Bernard Fayd’Herbe to win from Playboy Buddy and Lets Go Get It.

Her big chestnut Gr1 King’s Bishop Stakes winning sire Visionaire was crowned national Champion Freshman Sire for the last racing season and has already earned a double at Turffontein today with Redaire in the first and Heaps Of Fun in the fifth race.

No Worries, by Kahal and bred by Summerhill Stud, is owned by Brian Burnard and a winner of the Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge, as well as the KZN Breeders Million Mile. He notably placed second by a nose to Vercingetorix in the Gr1 Daily News 2000, with Capetown Noir and Wylie Hall chasing him down.

He went on to place fourth behind Heavy Metal in the Vodacom Durban July, and finished two lengths off Futura in the Gr1 Beach Beauty Champions Cup, amongst his many Group places.

The dam Coastal Waltz by Rambo Dancer is out of Coastal mare Coastal Relative, a half-sister to Royal Tours.

Well done to all concerned.