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SA racing has crowned its new group of champions of the 2022/2023 season. The curtain came down on an exciting term for all concerned on Gold Cup Day last Sunday.
After Race 8, 4Racing TV noted that Sean Tarry, who had started the meeting R2m behind log-leader Justin Snaith, had drawn within reach of pinching the title away from the prodigious Western Cape trainer after a super run of graded wins earlier in the day.
Tarry needed to win the grade 1 Douglas Whyte Stakes (Race 9) to record what would have been a sensational last-gasp title success, but his runner finished unplaced and Snaith hung on to secure his fourth SA championship.
He finished the season with 143 wins and R19.8m in gross stake earnings, just R200,000 clear of Tarry.
Keagan De Melo had the Jockeys Title in the bag two months ago. He booted home 277 winners, with Richard Fourie in second on 258 winners. With De Melo on his way to Hong Kong, Fourie will be all out to win his first championship in the 2023/2024 season but won’t have it all his own way.
Hollywoodbets have dangled a big carrot, offering a R1m reward to the jockey who can better Anthony Delpech’s 1998/1999 record of 334 wins in a season. There will be a lot of scrumming for the best rides, and the jockey who travels most will have an advantage.
Rachel Venniker, the only female jockey in the land, won Champion Apprentice for the second season running. Her 107 wins secured a brilliant 7th position on the National Log. Sam Mosia, another successive winner, clinched Champion Work Rider.
Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud became the first in many years, if ever, to be both Champion Owners and Champion Breeders. As breeders, Drakenstein finished the season with their runners having earned R33.113m in stakes, compared to the R26.069m of the runners up and previous season’s champions, Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein.
Varsfontein Stud’s formidable Gimmethegreenlight made a clean sweep on the stallion’s log, his progeny coming out on top on the general, two-year-old and three-year-old logs, another rare achievement.
Cape Racing gets an unusual Thursday slot for a return to Durbanville on Thursday, following the loss of a few rain-abandoned meetings. The first five races on the seven-race programme look punter-friendly, with promising newly turned three-year-olds Nordic Quest, the aptly named Winter Rainfall and Gimmethelimelight expected to win.
There were four victories by three-year-olds in older company at the Vaal on Tuesday, an indication that they’re an above average crop worth including, even in handicaps where they are out, at weight-for-age, at this time of year.
André Nel’s Boogiefied (Race 1) is a smashing son of 2018 US Triple Crown winner Justify. He made an eye-catching debut recently and should get proceedings off to a good start for favourite backers. He will be a popular early banker in doubles and trebles.
SELECTIONS
1st Race: (7) Boogiefied (2) King Viserys (3) Magic Verse (4) In The Bag
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Snaith clocks 143 wins and R19.8m this season
SA racing has crowned its new group of champions of the 2022/2023 season. The curtain came down on an exciting term for all concerned on Gold Cup Day last Sunday.
After Race 8, 4Racing TV noted that Sean Tarry, who had started the meeting R2m behind log-leader Justin Snaith, had drawn within reach of pinching the title away from the prodigious Western Cape trainer after a super run of graded wins earlier in the day.
Tarry needed to win the grade 1 Douglas Whyte Stakes (Race 9) to record what would have been a sensational last-gasp title success, but his runner finished unplaced and Snaith hung on to secure his fourth SA championship.
He finished the season with 143 wins and R19.8m in gross stake earnings, just R200,000 clear of Tarry.
Keagan De Melo had the Jockeys Title in the bag two months ago. He booted home 277 winners, with Richard Fourie in second on 258 winners. With De Melo on his way to Hong Kong, Fourie will be all out to win his first championship in the 2023/2024 season but won’t have it all his own way.
Hollywoodbets have dangled a big carrot, offering a R1m reward to the jockey who can better Anthony Delpech’s 1998/1999 record of 334 wins in a season. There will be a lot of scrumming for the best rides, and the jockey who travels most will have an advantage.
Rachel Venniker, the only female jockey in the land, won Champion Apprentice for the second season running. Her 107 wins secured a brilliant 7th position on the National Log. Sam Mosia, another successive winner, clinched Champion Work Rider.
Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud became the first in many years, if ever, to be both Champion Owners and Champion Breeders. As breeders, Drakenstein finished the season with their runners having earned R33.113m in stakes, compared to the R26.069m of the runners up and previous season’s champions, Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein.
Varsfontein Stud’s formidable Gimmethegreenlight made a clean sweep on the stallion’s log, his progeny coming out on top on the general, two-year-old and three-year-old logs, another rare achievement.
Cape Racing gets an unusual Thursday slot for a return to Durbanville on Thursday, following the loss of a few rain-abandoned meetings. The first five races on the seven-race programme look punter-friendly, with promising newly turned three-year-olds Nordic Quest, the aptly named Winter Rainfall and Gimmethelimelight expected to win.
There were four victories by three-year-olds in older company at the Vaal on Tuesday, an indication that they’re an above average crop worth including, even in handicaps where they are out, at weight-for-age, at this time of year.
André Nel’s Boogiefied (Race 1) is a smashing son of 2018 US Triple Crown winner Justify. He made an eye-catching debut recently and should get proceedings off to a good start for favourite backers. He will be a popular early banker in doubles and trebles.
SELECTIONS
1st Race: (7) Boogiefied (2) King Viserys (3) Magic Verse (4) In The Bag
2nd Race: (6) Nordic Quest (7) Sun Spectacular (4) Cabaret (1) Tequila Sky
3rd Race: (4) Ticket To Vegas (5) Candy Town (9) Witblits (3) Look Forward
4th Race: (3) Winter Rainfall (1) Porque Te Vas (7) Where’s The Party (6) Musical Arts
5th Race: (8) Gimmethelimelight (10) Go Like Flo (2) Windrunner (5) Charlene
6th Race: (2) Cattaleya (7) Kamakazi (1) The Agent’s Muse (4) Fly To Rio
7th Race: (6) Winter Pearl (5) Mr Frostie (2) Kimball O’Hara (1) Bullitt
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