JULY HANDICAP CULMINATES CHAMPION SEASON IN KWAZULU-NATAL!

The Champion season in KwaZulu-Natal is now drawing to a close with the biggest prize yet to run - the Vodacom July Handicap, South Africa's premier race. We are delighted at Ambleway to be represented by one of our graduates competing for the big prize. LOVE IS IN THE AIR (pictured) is in the final field and although she may not be high in the betting stakes as there are questions regarding her stamina, she has won The Winter Oaks over the 2200 metres at Kenilworth, a more testing course, and her pedigree has plenty of stoutness present.

Leading trainer Mike De Kock has a very strong hand in the race especially with his top 3 year-olds Irish Flame and Bold Silvano amongst other contenders. Champion stallion Jet Master has several progeny with a big shout as our current champion Pocket Power and his full sister River Jetez compete for Mike bass and are in with a big chance.

The build up to this big race has been very exciting as all the races have been changed to suit the World Cup Soccer and now that this exciting time is over one can get back to racing business and follow the horses' progress over the season. The younger horses have now had a bit of extra time to mature and they have had a different preparation to the past races.

As the season draws to a close Ambleway graduates have faired well during the season and the following need commenting on:

" LOVE IS IN THE AIR won the Majorca Stakes Grade 1 over 1600 metres

" LINK MAN won the Gold Medallion Grade 1 over 1200 metres

" TROPICAL EMPIRE won the Drill Hall Stakes Grade 2 over 1400 metres

" PREDESTINATION ran third in the Gold Cup Grade 1 over 3200 metres

" WOLF ON THE FOLD ran third in the Winter Juvenile Stakes (listed) over 1600 metres

" HARBOUR LIGHT ran third in the Queen Palm Handicap (listed) over 1800 metres

" BULSARA ran second in the SA Classic Grade 1 over 1800 metres " AIR POCKET ran third in the Umkomazi Stakes Grade 3 over 1400 metres

" CHARMING LADY ran third in the Poinsettia Stakes Grade 3 over 1200 metres

" THANDOLWANI ran second in the Kings Cup Grade 3 over 1600 metres " SPEED FOR GOLD ran third in the Kings Cup Grade 3 over 1600 metres

" BOLD WONDER ran third in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup grade 3 over 2400 metres

" CLEARLY SILVER ran third in the Byerely Turk Grade 3 over 1400 metres " ILIAD ran fourth in the KZN Guineas Grade 2 over 1600 metres

" DRAW BRIDGE ran third in the South African Derby Trial (listed) over 2000 metres

Congratulations to all the connections of these successful horses!

On the international scene we have been very excited to watch the rise to fame of LIZARD'S DESIRE. He was pipped in the Dubai World Cup, and again ran second in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a Group 1, then won the Singapore Airlines International Cup, a Group 1!

We schooled a very well bred son of Red Ransom - RED TIDE that won his debut as a juvenile in fine fashion! This colt was side-lined for a while and came out in need of the run and still had plenty of pace to put daylight between himself and the field to win by 2 lengths over 1000 metres. He is out of an Australian mare Prospect Fever that is a half sister to local stallion Way West! Larry Nestadt races this colt with Greg blank and Mr Bott. This colt is definitely one with a bright future and will give his conditioner Paul Matchett plenty to think about!

Other juveniles that have been placed and need watching are SNAPPY, CHILL MANTA RIDGE GRAMMATICA and STAGE DIVA.

Craig Eudey has had a purple patch with horses winning from Mauritzfontein Stud. Apart from the juveniles SNAPPY and CHILL being close to winners' box he has trained FORECASTLE and TAMARILLO to win races for Mrs Oppenheimer. FORECASTLE triumphed over 1600 metres to notch up a treble of wins and TAMARILLO also won over the same distance. Congratulations to you all!

Dennis Drier had a great win with STAR EMPIRE over 1950 metres. Having just won the Chapter Challenge with this colt over a mile he tried him over further and he improved his winning margin to a great 5 1/2 length victory. Gill Drier and Michael Grammanie must be thrilled with this horse! Dennis was also lucky for Hans Wagenaar and Owen Jones when IPSE DIXIT won over 1600 metres showing that he is becoming a very honest performer.

Michael Roberts won with his namesake - MIKES CHOICE! This horse won again over 1200 metres for Fieldspring Racing, Dr Sarembrock and breeders Cheverly Stud. Well done to you all.

SOLO FLIGHT has been knocking on the door over ground in Cape Town and duly obliged his conditioner Mike Bass in his last start where he won well over 2000 metres. This son of Jet Master is yet another progeny of the current champion stallion that was bred and is currently raced by Pat and Henry Devine.

We have spelled quite a few horses for Mike De Kock and our most recent success was with MR PREMIER a son of Numerous that has always run in the money but ducks at the finish. Young jockey Botha rode him well against the fence and he won over 2000 metres in fine fashion for Sheik Mahomed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum

ROYAL UNION who has now moved to the yard of Sean Tarry won again for his connections over 1400 metres. Congratulations to Greg, Darryl, Marlon and Messrs Wilensky and Fisher.

Horses that need to be followed are: RAHKEE, ST FRANCIS COURT, HOT EMBER, IDLER, MEDICIAN WOOD, LEOPARD TREE, NEVER FOREVER, ALIMONY, VLADIMIR, BET ON BLUE, STARS IN MY EYES, STREET CRED, THE GIANT, CHRYSTAL BAY, JO PIPER, DRAW BRIDGE, NATIONAL NITE MARE, JET TYCOON, JARATHON, SACARED SARUCEN, VILAYET, MONT D'OR and JUST JETTIN ALONG.

We are currently very busy at Ambleway schooling babies that have come in to be prepared for training. Since last month we are delighted to have a new draft for the Moodley Racing team who purchased horses for Garth Puller including a strong daughter of Bezrin and a full brother to the useful sprinter Noble Heir. St John Gray has also sent the next group of two year old horses from Hadlow Stud to school. Among them are well grown fillies out of familiar names to Ambleway including KEEP THE FAITH, BE MY GEM, CATCH A DREAM and EASTERN HONOUR to name a few. These babies have been very well prepared and handled at the farm and are a pleasure to work with!

The next sale is the National Two Year Old Sale at Germiston 13-14 August. We will be there and will be available to assist selecting two year olds and to prepare the horses for training that are purchased there. I look forward to seeing you at the sale!

Enjoy your racing and see you soon!

JANE TROTTER