AUGUST 2002 NEWSLETTER

Well, sadly the Natal Winter racing season has come to an end and what a season it has been!  We really have seen some top horses come through.  The July winner IPI  TOMBI who has shown herself to be a top three year old filly unfortunately is now going to be racing in Dubai with Mike de Kock.  Another top three year old to come through is the colt KEY OF DESTINY who was very successful at the Kwazulu-Natal Breeders awards where he won Champion Three Year Old colt and Champion Horse bred in Kwazulu-Natal.  Well done to all of his connections and best of luck for the Equus Awards.  Another top horse to emerge was the sprinter HINTERLAND who had shown signs of being a very good horse as a two year old and has really turned out to be a top class sprinter.

At the end of season awards for the Champion horses we were delighted at the Kwazulu-Natal Breeders dinner to see that one of our graduates, a two year old filly by National Emblem, SUMMER FROLIC, won the Kwazulu-Natal two year old filly award.  She was raised at Avalon Stud by Sue Winter and bred by her owner Malcolm Phillips who was very proud to have one of his first homebred horses win such an award, congratulations to both of you.  We also had a filly FIRE WATER  who was nominated for the champion older Kwazulu-Natal bred filly and it must have been a very close toss up between her and the final winner Sleek Brashee.  Congratulations to the connections of all these horses, they have all done their owners very proud over the last few months and particularly Fire Water our graduate who has been placed in a number of feature races, her last being a good third in the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000 meters, last month.

The Equus Awards are on Monday the 19^th August 2002, at the time of the two year old sale, and we wish all the nominees the best of luck and particularly our evergreen gelding, YOUNG RAKE, who has proved to be such a consistent gelding.  He was nominated for the Equus champion older middle distance horse from (1600 meters to 2000) and we wish all his connections the best of luck. 

The end of the season always has the good and bad news and of course we have seen some super horses come through and we are also seeing some old greats, EL PICHA retire and FREE MY HEART go to Dubai.  We wish them the best for their future lives and we hope they enjoy the years ahead.

Kwazulu-Natal has apparently had a great season financially, we are on the up and the vibe of racing in Kwazulu-Natal has definitely improved.  Unfortunately with the positive comes the negative and we have had to say good bye to some well known names.  One of our champion sires, NORTHERN GUEST died in the last year as did and one of the most beautiful and well mannered horses I have come across, AMONG MEN: our sympathies go to all who worked with the horse and who tried so hard to save him.  We will miss him and we hope that the fact that Alami was voted the Stallion Prospect of the Year in Kwazulu-Natal is some compensation for that loss.

On the 1^st of August, the horses turn a year older but I still wish to talk about my two year olds!  We had two two year olds win for Colin Lee from Kwazulu-Natal.  With both of these we have a very close connection and I was very excited to see them both win.   The first was AFRICAN DRUMBEAT the son of Damascus Gate which I purchased for owner, Mark Perrings at the Cape Vintage Sale.  We had previously schooled  his half sister Ocean Traveller and half brother Mount Stewart.  It was very exciting to see him come out and win his second start for Colin.  The other is a Shalford filly called Jennikym.  She is bred and owned by Richard Cushion and we were delighted for her after having run so many places that she won.  We had schooled her mother Chat A Bit several years ago.  Well done to Colin and all your team, may they train on to be super horses for you all � it has been a great association!

The stallion that is also a loss for Kwazulu-Natal is KEEFAH.  We have two horses that have just turned four, and that have been running over the last few months very consistently.  JORDAN, is  bred and owned by Mr. Eugene Sanan out of the mare Ambre Rose has just notched up a hat-trick.  Well done to you, Eugene and to new trainer, John Fox.  This horse has been very consistent having had three wins and two places from nine races;  I think he is going to train on to be a very useful stayer.  The other is the filly TOOFAH.  She is bred by Jo and Anita Jackson and raced in partnership with Marco Baglione  and Trevor Tordius.  She was raised at Avalon Stud by Sue Winter.  Well done to all of you, this filly has been a model of consistency.  She has had eleven runs, three wins and four places.  She won very well over Scottsville over 1700 meters, coming with a flying finish to catch the leader on the line to win and then followed up this great run with another good run at Greyville to be second over 1600 meters.

Another owner-breeder who must be delighted with the win of his horse is Peter Blythe from Clifton Stud who bred the lovely looking Allied Flag gelding FORTUNE TELLER.  This horse has been knocking on the door for some time and won very nicely over 1600 metres for Peter and Corinne Bestel.  Well done both of you.  I hope he trains on to do  more things now as a four year old.

We have had a few wins in other centres.  In Port Elizabeth, VICTORIA ERA and COUNT DANZIG won for Fred Crabbia.  In Bloemfontein, NATIONAL LOVER, and SPARKLING NYMPH won, and in Mauritius we have had our "weanling" TABASHEER, which I purchased and eventually sold over there, has now won his third start. Also the useful son of Desert Team, STUD MASTER has now won again an `A` Division race over 1800 meters.  This horse has now won three out of five starts in Mauritius.  Really what a bargain buy. 

St. John Gray has had another run of luck with three of our horses winning.  One that I am delighted with is the filly BELLE BRISE a half sister to La Deportista.  She was giving problems with going down to the start and bolting and we had her for six months rest and re-schooled her.  She came out third first time and the next time hacked in by four and a half lengths.  Well done St. John, your patience has paid off and I am delighted to see her winning for you before she goes to stud.  Another useful horse is COMPLETE ACTION, a son of Counter Action who won his second race in a row for St. John, over 1600 meters.  He is out of a Model Man mare and he is certainly training on very well.  He beat his stable companion, Royal Prince (another of our graduates) by half a length.

KNOW THE SCORE , the son of Danehill, won very well for St. John over 1400 meters.  He is a very well bred horse and I hope that he continues to be successful.

We have a long list of placed horses to watch.

Two year olds that have now turned three.  PREACHER MAN, CYBER DREAM, GLORY BE and JEZEBEL`S WINGS.  All of these need watching.  Older horses, JADED GREY, second after a six month rest, SIR WINSTON. EUROMANIA, RIVER RAIN, FRUIT OF LOVE, VICTORY TICKET (twice), STREAKING, WINTER PALACE, STAR MAN, ARPEGGIO, KEEY DANZA and NINO`S MINSTREL, who is now racing in Port Elizabeth and ran a very close second.  Watch him now he has returned to form after his rehabilitation last year. 

In Mauritius we have had a few knocking on the door, WHO`S PRETENDING, CATS EYE, ST. NICHOLAS and COUNT PUSHKIN.  Good luck to all of these.

Enjoy the Two Year Old Sale and the Highveld Season.

Jane Trotter

PS � I have pleasure in announcing my association with the internet website www.sahorseracing.com.  This newsletter has been and will continue to appear on this site along with other articles from myself.  This site offers its viewers information about horse racing and is updated daily � a first for South African horse racing as no other website offers daily updates of our racing affairs.  Jimmy Lithgow is a regular columnist.  The site offers trainers, stud farms and jockeys the opportunity to develop web pages for their businesses.  A horse database is currently being developed, so if you want your horse online of if you need any other information then contact Ash via email on [email protected].