A Gr1 winner at 2, the four year old #kznbred Under Your Spell was given a patient ride by Louis Mxothwa, and despite running three wide, she finished with plenty in reserve to beat Joey Soma’s free-striding 2022 SA Classic winner Red Saxon by 1,50 lengths lengths in a time of 88,11 secs.

Under Your Spell comes home strongly under Louis Mxothwa (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)

After having seen a planned European and Australian export fall through, her happy owners, including Aussie-based OTI Management, will be positive about her prospects.

Sean Tarry originally bought Under Your Spell as part of a parcel of horses online and unseen.

A Summerhill bred daughter of Capetown Noir (Western Winter) out of the unraced Irish-bred Deceptive Charm (Kingmambo), Under Your Spell is from the same family as the accomplished Witchcraft who Tarry trained to win over a trip.

Under Your Spell made it eight wins with with seven places from nineteen starts and took her stakes earnings to R1 482 000.

Capetown Noir is on an incredible 46.2% winners to runners and an AEPR of R57,308.

Watch the replay:

-extract sportingpost.co.za

MIKE and Adam Azzie’s smart weekend winner Bohica’s merit rating has been adjusted from MR99 to MR105, incurring the maximum penalty for a Pinnacle Plate.

Azzie has nominated Bohica for the Gr1 Mercury Sprint and said: “His merit rating may be too low. The handicapper offered us a rating of 107, since S’Manga Khumalo rode him 1.5kg overweight on Saturday, or even a MR112, since that is the figure he ran to. But we’ll take the 105.

“If Bohica gets into the Mercury off a 105 we’ll be happy and take our chances from a 16 draw, if not, we’ll still be at 105 and go into the summer season racing off a handy figure.” 

Bohica, a very handsome horse by Capetown Noir out of Wysiwyg by Mullins Bay, his dam is a half-sister to Model K from the family of Mannequin and Kalami. His dam has produced two foals and two winners, bred by Summerhill Stud.

Bohica, owned by Messrs B G Gardner, G Morris & B Riley, sold for R300 000 at the BSA 2018 Ready To Run Sale. He is now a 4-time winner, with 5 places from 13 starts and over R240 000 in stakes earned.

Several #kznbreds have been entered for the Gr1 Mercury Sprint, including recent back to back winner Good Rhythm (Eightfold Path), Silent Crusade (Crusade) and Wynkelder (Kahal).

Sire Capetown Noir has relocated to Piemonte Stud in Summerveld.

-extract Turf Talk Newsletter

Randjesfontein trainer Paul Matchett was stunned to see the price bookmakers were offering for his Brave Tin Soldier filly Running Brave at Turffontein Standside on Saturday.

She later converted odds of 15/1 in the Pinnacle Stakes event over 1400m, beating the 15/20 favourite Celtic Sea by 1,50 lengths. 

Matchett now wants to run the gallant filly in the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes, in which she finished a narrow second last year to #kznbred Camphoratus, although he is still waiting to hear whether the restrictions placed on personnel during the national lockdown will have an affect on his horses’ training programs. 

Running Brave will later go down to KZN for the SA Champions Season where the defense of her Grade 2 Gold Bracelet crown will be among her targets.

Pundits had made Celtic Sea a virtual certainty on Saturday as she was in form and according to official merit ratings was 6kg well in with Running Brave, who was the second best weighted horse and appeared to be off form.

Furthermore, Celtic Sea is a twice Grade 1-winner and was named Equus Champion Three-year-old filly last season.

However, the pundits failed to take into account a number of factors.

The first was the head to head count between these two horses. Incredibly, that statistic now stands at Running Brave five, Celtic Sea two.

The second point, which Matchett pointed out was there for the public to see via replays and in the stipendiary report, was that Running Brave had over-raced badly in her previous start in the Grade 3 Acacia Handicap over 1600m and this had explained her 13,80 length beating.

He said, “She was being ridden by a jockey who didn’t know her and he tried to tuck her in. She hates that, if you try and restrain her she fights.”

Running Brave had used up all her fuel by the time they reached the business end of that race and began hanging from the 400m mark.

Meanwhile, Celtic Sea was having her first run back from a tough Cape Town campaign and it was likely a preparation run for the Empress Club Stakes.

This filly has a beautiful action and the alarm bells were ringing some way out on Saturday as she was apparently not enjoying the rain affected ground and was never travelling as well as she can.

Running Brave, on the other hand, was loving her favourite front-running role and was enjoying the conditions.

Celtic Sea ranged up to her and headed her but Running Brave, who was receiving 2kg, readily found extra to win cosily. 

Running Brave’s odds will be shorter in the Empress Club and pundits should this time take note she beat Celtic Sea by 4,05 lengths in that weight for age event last year when finishing a neck runner up to Camphoratus in good to soft conditions. 

-Gold Circle

He produced his first winner from his first runner at Fairview on Friday when his Piemonte Stud-bred son Daichi made a winning debut over 1000m for Gavin Smith in impressive fashion.

Act Of War – top notch racehorse

Under jockey Marco Van Rensburg, the Act Of War colt kept going gamely to record a half length win in a time of 57,42 secs.

A R70 000 buy from the 2019 Emperors Palace National 2YO Sale, Daichi is out of the two time winning Captain Al mare Darrie. His connections picked up a R60 000 Bloodstock SA Value Added Bonus for the victor.

His sire Act Of War won eight of only 12 starts for Joey Ramsden, with his six graded victories including a triumph in the 2014 G1 Cape Guineas, as well as scores in all of the Gr2 Selangor Cup, Gr3 Kuda Matchem Stakes, Gr3 Langerman and Gr3 Cape Classic.

Unplaced just once from 12 starts, Act Of War earned R1 820 500.

Act Of War, who won graded races at two, three and four, is one of seven winners produced by the stakes placed Cordoba mare Si Senorita.

The latter, also dam of Gr3 Langerman winner Subastador and Listed Off To Stud Handicap winner Luna De Victoria, was South Africa’s Broodmare Of The Year in 2014-2015.

Act Of War stands at Summerhill – his fee is available on application.

Enjoying a 61.1% winners to runners percentage with 13 wins from 18 runners, is no small feat, and their Average Earnings Per Runner (AEPR) is almost R65 000 each – and their runners have earned over R1,1-million this season.

Roski Stud have reaped the rewards significantly from a strict policy of only breeding with mares who have achieved Black Type on the track themselves and pedigrees to back up their performances.

Amongst their most exciting horses racing is Horoscope Harry – a son of Oratorio out of 10-time winner Kahal mare, Pisces Star.

He has had 4 runs for 2 wins and a place for Ross and Juli Santini’s syndicate, consisting of Messrs J F Bromilow, EJ L Linington, K E Vickers & Gareth van Zyl Racing Stables (Pty) Ltd. Another is Flaming Lass, a half-sister to Cassey O’ Malley who won second time out after placing 2nd on debut.

The next to follow up is KZN Breeders Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Bruce Le Roux – he is boasting over 40% from Spring Valley Farm, with 16 wins from 32 runners. Bruce consistently breeds a good horse – producing a handsome and well bred draft at each sale and continuing their good form on the tracks.

Bruce has reported that their special Dynasty mare owned in partnership with Tinus Gericke under the flag Blue Sky Thoroughbreds, Gr3 winner and at one time unbeaten from three Hashtagyolo, has been confirmed in foal to Gimmethegreenlight for the 2020 foaling season.

The recently sold Summerhill Stud, continuing a partnership of sorts with Capital Warmblood Stud who have purchased the land of legends, have produced 67 winners for the season to date with earnings of over R6,1-million and 363 places.

The Willow Magic’s are off to a confident start with 2 runners and 2 places, and we look forward to seeing more from sire line of Dubawi.

That said, I’ve often said in the past that if Summerhill is ever to be sold, I would prefer it to be in my lifetime. The reason is these are heritage properties in the true sense of the word, and they are populated by some of the best people in the world. It has been paramount in our thinking that if ever we were to part with this legacy, it would be to someone who appreciates its value and who might polish it for all it’s worth. Besides, all these businesses need is a dash of new energy and a modicum of fresh investment.

Remarkably, just as we were making our plans for the year ahead, that very person appeared across our bows. Henning Pretorius is a devoted South African, a self-made, highly successful farmer and a horseman of considerable renown. In the equine sense, his Capital Stud is arguably the premier source of excellence in the production of sport horses on the African continent. We can think of no better combination of investor and driver of the future of the businesses and the brands which Summerhill and Hartford represent, than Henning Pretorius.

Thankfully, the sale of Summerhill and Hartford foresees the continuation of their former activities in conjunction with Capital Stud going forward, in what has the potential of becoming a significant attraction for horse lovers and visitors from across the globe.

For our part, the Goss family is going nowhere. Henning has generously accommodated our mutual wish to remain involved in the day-to-day activities of the business and to maintain our ties with our great friends and patrons of the farm and the hotel, as well as the one institution capable of preparing young South Africans for their futures in the horse industry, the Al Maktoum School of Management Excellence. Having devoted a good deal of our working lives towards the reopening of the country’s export lanes, we look forward to participating in the largesse that will generate for the game’s players. 

And with that, a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to all the great friends and acquaintances we have made in our 41 years at Summerhill and Hartford.”

-Mick Goss, Summerhill Stud

Bringing two siblings to Gr1 winners to the sale, its no surprise that the Willow Magic sister to Gr1 winner Hero’s Honour and Gr1 2nd placed Railtrip topped the #kznbreds on sale – knocked down to Pizzaz Racing for R325 000, Lot 54 named Toocoolforschool.

Her dam Grail Maiden, a daughter of Galileo, has produced 4 runners and 4 winners – her now three year old by Capetown Noir, named Enoble, is now an unbeaten 2yo in Kenya. He was bought by a close relative to the Late Princess Diana, Mr Spencer at this sale last year.

Jane Thomas’ Far End Farm sold the second highest Lot of the sale, a Dynasty colt purchased off Book 1 at the beginning of the year. Beautifully named Steeplechase, he was sold to Dean Kannemeyer for R600 000.

In more KZN associated news, the top seller overall came from Ndoro Stud, with a flashy son of #kznbred Futura (born at Yellow Star Stud for breeder Guy Murdoch) knocked down to international firm Eibloodstock for R1,3-million. The colt will enter training with Brett Crawford, who trained also trained Futura.

Futura by Dynasty, who stands at Drakenstein Stud, topped the sale as a stallion, selling 3 lots for an average of over R530 000 each.

Congratulations to all concerned.

Murray Makepeace, one of the co-owners of star #kznbred mare Takingthepeace, has confirmed on social media that the Summerhill-bred daughter of Visionaire is in foal at Ridgemont Highlands to European Time Form Rated 133, Canford Cliffs.

Takingthepeace, out of Lisa-Anne by Rambo Dancer, won the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic and Gr2 Gauteng Guineas, as well as the Gr3 Victory Moon Stakes. She took 2 legs of the renowned Triple Tiara, and placed in one of the legs.

Canford Cliffs was a Champion 3yo miler and Champion Older Male, winning 5 Gr1’s in a row amongst his 7 wins.

#kznbred Racemares that have retired to stud have produced enormous success at some of the South Africa’s leading nurseries.

Amongst them recently is Spiced Gold, a Gr1 winning daughter of Kahal bred by the Crawfords of Greenhill Farm, the dam of Drakenstein-bred Gr1 winner, Chimichuri Run, whilst Beach Beauty recently produced her first winner. Captain Of All, last years 2yo national Champion sire, is out of a #kznbred Fard mare Serious Side, bred by Robert Smith, whilst one of SA’s super star exports Variety Club is also out of a #kznbred mare.

Takingthepeace has a Willow Magic half-brother on offer as Lot 79 at the upcoming Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale from Summerhill Stud, named Thamsamqa. This is the female line of Brave Mary and African Appeal, amongst others.

Congratulations to the connections of Takingthepeace!

Capetown Noir is off to a flying start at stud and he had a double on Sunday at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

The handsome multiple Gr1 winner, trained by Dean Kannemeyer, throws a very specific type of Thoroughbred that is easy to pick in the parade ring, and he throws them oozing quality and good looks. These were his 4th winners for the early season and 10 places to date from limited numbers to race.

In his first season he had 28 runners, with 8 wins and 48 places – that included the very smart and talented Piemonte Stud bred Brandina – twice Stakes Placed, at both Fairview and Kenilworth.

Straight Up, owned by Jimmy Sarkis and bred by Summerhill Stud won third time out for trainer Duncan Howells, after placing previously and relished the 1600m distance.

Soiree, a half-sister to a winner last week (Mystic Dreamer) who set a new track record (both bred by Clifton Stud) was equally impressive, the 3yo coming out to win on race debut for trainer Corinne Bestel and jockey Gareth Wright.

Capetown Noir is represented by 9 horses at the upcoming Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale on 3 November at the TBA Complex.

His fee is available on application.