GOLD CUP DAY was very special having had so many graduates running on the day was one thing, but featuring and even winning ,was even better!

SAME JURISDICTION and IMPERIAL FABERGE both won and VARIKATE, TARGET FIVE and ETHYLENE ran places in their respective races!

The day started off well when IMPERIAL FABERGE got up on the line, under a hands and heels ride by Sean Cormack, to win the second race by a head for the Drier team. She won her 3rd victory for Messrs Scribante and Stephenson over 1000 meters on the polytrack.

In the Thekweni Stakes Grade 1, SAME JURISDICTION, got up under Kevin Shea to win for the Howells yard. She beat home a useful field of graded race fillies-Carry On Alice, Pine Princess and Alborahn Sea amongst them! She proved again to her connections that she is well above average having notched up a hat trick of races and was placed first time out.....well done Ian Van Schalkwyk, Duncan Howells, Larry Vermaak, Ralph Katzwinkel and Mam Powell, her owners! What a filly you have and her win puts a seal on the KZN Champion Trainer Award which is going to trainer Duncan Howells! Her win also gives the Equus Award judges something to ponder over as she is an improving filly!

We were placed fourth in the listed sprint over 1000meters with VARIKATE, where the daughter of Var ran a cracking race but could not catch the Drier trained Schiffer , another fast daughter of Var! TARGET FIVE tried to catch the cleverly ridden(by M Odendaal) winner of the stayers race over 2400 meters for Glen Puller but had to settle for 4th place , and ETHYLENE ran over 1600 meters and was beaten under a length for 2nd place.

What a day racing it was for our graduates ,as apart from our runners that were successful on the day, we also saw BEACH BEAUTY as she paraded for the crowds before the Champions Cup . She was to be seen for the last time at the track, both leading the field and the race being named after her was part of the honour bestowed on this brilliant mare who had graced the turf for many seasons before!
The race was won by another progeny of, Dynasty, Futura for Brett Crawford who was having the day of his life having already won the Gold Cup with Wavin Flag in the previous race! Two Grade 1’s on the same day is every trainers dream!

The Championship winners for the 2014 season are:

Champion Trainer of SA................................ Justin Snaith
Champion Breeders of SA by Stakes............ Klawervlei Stud
Champion Sire by Stakes .............................. Jet Master
Champion Sire of 3 Year olds by Stakes....... Dynasty
Champion Sire of Two year olds by Stakes... Captain Al
Champion Jockey .......................................... S Khumalo

We have a number of Graduates that have been nominated at the forthcoming Equus Awards including......

SAME JURISDICTION for TWO YEAR OLD FILLY
ALONG CAME POLLY for THREE YEAR OLD FILLY
BEACH BEAUTY for OLDER FILLY \MARE, MILER and MIDDLE DISTANCE HORSE (HORSE OF THE YEAR is a special category)

It is amazing to see but they are all fillies.......and the latter two have won Awards at Equus last year ALONG CAME POLLY was crowned the Champion Two Year Old and BEACH BEAUTY was crowned Champion Older Mare.

Duncan Howells conditioned ALONG CAME POLLY before she was bought by Buffalo Bill and she was very successful for trainer Gavin Van Zyl before going to stud in the USA. Duncan also trains SAME JURISDICTION the nominee for this years Two Year Old Fillies Award .
Dennis Drier trained BEACH BEAUTY and she bows out at the same time as a number of his top horses that have already gone to stud.

Ambleway graduates have been successful on the track around the country;
In KZN, apart from the success on Gold Cup day we have had winners at Scottsville and the last race meeting at Clairwood.

The latter was a sad day for many as Clairwood is no more ........
Craig Eudey scored a double at that meeting with Keith Young’s horse Fly First Class, then he won again with TRESHOLD for Charles Touzel over the sprint distance of 1200 meters. This son of Right Approach really looks like a stayer- and he sprints! Really confusing!

The Drier yard were rewarded at Scottsville when GENERALISSIMO scored an impressive victory for Nic Jonsson. He was fancied in his first start but got caught close to home and this time he showed a clean pair of heels to his opposition by jumping well and winning by over 6 lengths! This son of Var is an impressive individual and deserves to be followed as he is well thought of by the yard.

The Sean Tarry yard were successful with the mare SHE’S A STUNNER at the same track. She had raced in the meeting before and was placed, and this time she also gave her rivals a galloping lesson. She had been placed in a Grade1 as a 3 year old and now as a 6 year old had run places in much stonger fields than this one! She is owned by Tawny Syndicate members Messrs Schill, Kantor, Nestadt and Nathan. She is by their useful stallion Toreodor!

A lot of the same owners appeared in the frame again when the filly TIGER QUEST won again! This time there was less confidence in her, as they ran on the sand, and she had won a few times on the grass, but she obliged at the Vaal winning the sprint by over 2 lengths! She won again for her owners who bred her in Australia-Larry Nestadt, Bernard Kantor and the Bott family who also stood her sire Wheres That Tiger before he came to stand at The Alchemy in the Cape. She is conditioned by Dom Zaki.

In Gauteng we had some success with SAMMY SILVER and YER MAAN who scored a double for our graduates! They both won good races over ground- 2000 meters, and are not spring chickens anymore! The former won for his connections and is trained by Chris Erasmus and the latter won for the St John Gray team –his owner, breeder and trainer! The latter also beat home another graduate of ours-NORGAY. PENNY FARE won again for the same yard over sprint distances -well done!

In the Cape we were delighted with the success of the 2 year –old CAPTAINS ORDERS. He won easily his maiden race for Ingrid and Markus Jooste having been placed before 3 times including a Two Year Old Feature . Joey Ramsden, his conditioner, had bought him at the Ready To Run Sale in Joburg last year, and he had lots of admirers at the sale as he was such a good mover! He is by last seasons Two Year old Champion Sire Captain Al!

Placed horses that deserve following are:
TELL MY STAR, BREATHLESS, INSPECTOR CASEY, TYCOON TOUCH ,BEEZ BROTHER, POLE POSITION, CODE RED, WILD LORD, SEA FAN, CHESTNUT CHARGER and COSMOGENIC
Follow them as they should be in the winners box soon.....

We are going up to the Two Year Old Sale and to the Equus Awards this week ..... more news next time.

Enjoy your racing........

Jane Trotter