EXCITING CAPE SIZZLING SUMMER SEASON

Ambleway has had a really exciting time with our runners in the Cape doing particularly well over the Festive season! Thanks largely to the Drier yard we have had a shout in nearly all the big races of the season there.

BEACH BEAUTY, aptly named, has been ever so "beautiful" to all this year, winning both the Premier Trophy Grade2 and the Paddock Stakes Grade 1. She travelled to the Cape last year, and was not as lucky then, as this year, where she has reeled off both wins easily against good fields. There was no Cape crawl this year and particularly in the Paddock stakes she raced handy under a good ride from Sean Cormack she hit the front half way down the straight to go away from the field and win easily by over 3 lengths! She did the same in the Premier Trophy beating a useful field of colts (Run For It, Bravura etc.) as well! This filly has done so well for the Shanks Syndicate, having now won 10 races and being rated the top filly in the country. It was so appropriate that John and Janet Bescoby were at the races to receive the Grade 1 Trophy…theirs and BEACH BEAUTY's! Well done to the ecstatic team of owners, the Drier yard and her breeder Trevor Armitage. She now goes for the big one…..The Met!

LOVE STRUCK travelled to the Cape to compete in longer races and certainly showed his connections that he can stay if given a chance! He won the Politician Stakes, a listed race, in good fashion for his KZN trainer Paul Laffery and owners Alesh Naidoo, Jason Moodley and L. Salsone. He is being aimed at the Derby next and I think on this showing over this 1800 meters he will give a good account of himself.

The Queens Plate Grade 1 was expected to be a doddle for the champion miler Variety Club. After a false start he did win the race showing his normal toe with JACKSON running on at the business end to finish 2nd ahead of the last years July handicap winner Pommodoro. JACKSON ran a different style from normal, having to track the winner and race handier. He certainly showed all that he is well and will be force to be reckoned with over further in the Met his next mission. Well done to his connections Brett, Ian and Jack!

The big son of Jet master, CHAVO DE OURA, ran a great race in the Cape Guineas Grade 1! He ran on at the finish to come 2nd to the useful Capetown Noir over a distance that may be too far for him! He is now being aimed at shorter races as he shows so much speed and the Cape Flying Championship is his next mission. Well done Knut Haug, it looks like you have another goodie in the Drier yard

In The Peninsular Handicap, a Grade 2 event, JET EXPLORER started favourite and ran on into 4th spot at the death. He may be suited to slightly further than the 1800 meters he competed in here. This horse is also by the ill-fated Jet Master and is giving his owner - breeders Pat and Henry Devine and Justin Snaith, plenty to shout about!

Although not a black type yet, The Need For Speed race over 1000 meters was introduced by Avontuur Stud. Our colt BARBOSA started favourite to win the race and he came up the outside to all but catch the speedy PE visitor Muscatt. He ran a very creditable 2nd and was rated a little unlucky being cramped for space by the winner! Thank you again Sean Cormack and the Drier team who have worked so well with him.

Ambleway has also featured in PE where THE SHARK ran on for 3rd spot in the Memorial Mile (Listed) for his new connections Mark and Dorrie Sham! In KZN BULSARA ran a good 2nd in The Xmas Handicap a Grade 3 over a mile for his connections Gavin van Zyl and Mrs Bridget Oppenheimer! Well done keep the flag flying!

We do spell horses here between racing and it was so super for us to see some of our horses rested here bounce back on the track. Apart from JACKSON having a short break before returning to the Cape last year, THUNDER DANCE also spent some time resting in the paddock before returning there. It was great to see her come back and win for Ian Longmore and John Koster of Klawervlei Stud - also her breeders. She competed in the Jet Master Stakes, over a mile, and when it looked like she had lost the race, she rattled back to win very gamely to show her previous ability she had when winning the Paddock Stakes as a 3 year old. Her win was very appropriate as she is also by Jet Master!

Another horse that came out in her debut to win after a long rest was HLATIKULU. This daughter of Var showed plenty of ability to trainer Alec Laird and started at prohibitive odds to win well for her connections over a 1000 meter dash. Well done to her patient owners Tim Keating, David Abery, Ferdi Dippenaar and Jimmy Shiganga. They had waited a whole year for her to see the track as she had surgery before going into the training, so it was awesome for all that it was worth the wait! She then competed in a small feature but did not enjoy the going in the Swallow Stakes.

Plenty of our graduates that have changed environments have thrived and won races including IRON GRAY who has notched up two wins in a row for trainer Wiese, NEVER FOREVER seems to have found his winning formula in PE as well winning 5 sprints including his last 3 in a row, for Gavin Smith there and PSALTERY has won there for her connections and Justin Snaith. AIR PATROL was gelded and won over a longer distance for Garth Puller, and ESTIVATION broke his maiden for the Bass team in the Cape. Congratulations to all involved.

Dennis Drier has done well with his small string in the Cape and locally Stuart Ferry has been bringing home the winners for the yard! PUT THE KETTLE ON has notched up 2 wins for James Drew and Mike Fullard. She won over a mile then came back and won a gutsy 1400 meter race for the team. She has now won 3 in a row for them and boots her winning tally to 5! Another good daughter of Dynasty, bred at Highlands Stud Farm! The owners James and Mike have hit a purple patch as they are also the lucky owners of NEVER FOREVER who has also scored a hat trick of wins for them! Well done you guys!!!

Stuart Ferry has also scored with NORDIC LASS over a sprint of 1000 meters for a similar team of owners as HLATIKULU as well as Gill Drier, Miles Dally and Gary Harris. Soon after he scored with the useful speed filly - BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS. She got up on the line to dead heat first place for Knut Haug and owner-breeder Greg Blank. This daughter of Toreodor has now won 3 sprints for them!

Michael Roberts has been training at Summerveld for a while now, and over the last month had 3 winners from his graduates that were schooled here at Ambleway….CUCUMBER ALLEY, WYNNHOLMES STAR and INDIAN CONNECTION all won for their respective owners. Congratulations to you and Fieldspring Racing, the Flanagans and Messrs Wainstein, Kahan and Naidoo.

Mike Bass has a string of horses in KZN and he was rewarded with a double this week when GOLDEN PARCHUTE and SHIMMERING JET won at Scottsville. GOLDEN PARCHUTE ran over a staying distance of 2400 meters and won for Messrs Marsh Shirtliff, Des Scott and McKenzie. This son of Montjeu showed his mettle by hitting the front early in the race. The filly SHIMMERING JET also hit the front early and won again for her new connections over 2000 meters.

Apart from the Cape and KZN racing we have had a few runners hit the winning trail in Gauteng. COSMOGENIC won for Stan Ferreira and Roland Bouwer over 1200 meters and CARIBBEAN CRUISE, a daughter of ANNOUNCE, won for owner-breeder and trainer St John Gray. She also won over a sprint distance at the Vaal giving Ambleway a quick double on the day!

TWO TONE, now trained by Mike Azzie won for him and his owner-breeder Mrs Bridget Oppenheimer over a sprint. This son of Strike Smartly has been ever so consistent for them and he often runs into the money too.

We have a list of placed horses that deserve following as they may win soon…..COLOURFUL JET, GRASP YOUR DESTINY, COME WITH ME, WEST VIRGINIA, THE RIVER, GREEN LINE, PENNY FARE, POLE DANCE, WILD TYPE,TORNADO MAN, TARGET FIVE, BIG RED, SOUTH RANGER, MURMERING SKY, VIDEO GAMES, YER MAAN, BULL RING, SO YOU THINK, GOLDEN SLIPPER, CE GODDESS, MR PATMAN, TYLERS TALENT, ROLL CALL, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, ARIEKATE, and juvenile PLATINUM RULER

We are going to the Cape for the Premier Yearling Sales Book 1 next week over 24th and 25th January. A lot of these babies still need time to develop, grow out and mature, so please let me know if you buy any and need to send them to Ambleway to spend time in the paddock. I will be at the sale so you can speak to me or phone me on my cell 082 800 40 48.

Enjoy your racing …..it is very exciting!

Jane Trotter