Ambleway graduates have been successful in three features during the Highveld Season. OVER ARCHING ran a brilliant race in the November handicap, a Grade 2 to stay on bravely over 1600 metres to run second to Swartland, beating in the process a top field of colts! JUMPING JOSHUA showed guts and plenty of speed in the Sentinal Sprint a Grade 3, to run a good third to Nhlavini. FAR UNDER PAR travelled from Kwazulu-Natal to compete in the CT Brand Handicap where he ran on strongly to finish second to Trance. Congratulations to all the connections of these horses - they have really showed top class ability

I am delighted for Mr. Graham Beck who having invested heavily in imported fillies, is reaping the rewards. Two of the second crop of fillies won impressively first time of asking. ROYAL POLLY (Royal Academy) won her debut over 1200 metres for Ormond Ferraris in the Transvaal and FAR OFF THUNDER (Thunder Gulch) won her debut over 1200 metres for Dean Kannemeyer in the Cape! Well done to you all! I will watch with interest as the other fillies grace the turf, including RAP CLASSIQUE and WINNING ARCHER who have already been placed.

In Kwazulu-Natal it was great to see Alistair Gordon`s return to form with three Ambleway graduates winning - WESTON FAIR, the daughter of Western Winter won again over 1500 metres for the Haynes family and Gary Grant. MISS ANDREA broke her maiden over 1450 after a good few places for Messrs. A and I Israel and Andrea Naidoo (hence purchasing Miss Andrea with the same name!)

PERFECT ARC a well bred daughter of Al Mufti won well over 1400 metres for her owner/breeders Ashley and Rose Parker. Alistair had his fourth winner with DISCO QUEEN a very nice daughter of Goldkeeper bred and owned by Mick Marfy from Zimbabwe. She won her debut over 1200 metres. Well done to you and I hope the stable keeps firing as strong as it has been.

Theuns Botha had a win with a Silvino filly he bought for his daughter, MAJESTIC COLLECTION and won over 2000 metres for Tony Rivalland. BRIGHT UMBEL won again for Robin Watkinson over 1400 metres and WINTER JEWEL won her fifth race for trainer Steve Benton and owner, Steve Fuhri. This filly has really done well as she beat a small but capable field.

LAURELS, the son of Modern Day also notched up his fifth career win, he came back from a rest and won very well beating two other graduates from Ambleway, WINTERS FLAME and GRIM TOURS (the Ambleway Trifecta!) Well done to Pauline and Keith Young, this horse has really shown a lot of ability as a youngster and looks like he is returning to form for trainer, Neil Bruss.

Vanessa Williams moved PEWTER, to Colin Lee after one win and he has done very well with this Rakeen filly having won again and now notched up four wins over 2000 metres. Well done!

HEADLAND the half brother to Big Brass, ran and won in Kwazulu-Natal for Transvaal owner, breeder and trainer, St. John Gray beating his fancied stable companion, LUCKY ACTION at Scottsville over 2400 metres. Congratulations to all of these.

In the Transvaal ZEBRAWOOD a well bred son of Fort Wood won again for Alec Laird. This gelding won over 2000 metres for the Tawny Syndicate and he has done very well for this group of race goers. ROLLICKING ROMP, daughter of Qui Danzig won her third start for Pat and Henry Devine, her owners and breeders. She ran on very well over 1200 metres under Pierre Strydom to win again for Geoff Woodruff. She will add, one day to the nice brood mare band that they have as she is the daughter of the Oaks winner, Rootin` Tootin`. ALHAMBRE, the son of Alami, won for Eugene Sanan, the owner / breeder over 1000 metres. This well bred colt is out of a French mare and has now been rewarded after many placed runs for trainer, Buddy Maroon.

In Kimberley, BOTANICAL WIZARD won for his new owner, Ian van Skalkwyk. Congratulations to all these people who have been successful over the last month.

We have a never ending list of placed horses, over 30 in all, HURRICANE AL, ECSTATIC, BRASS BULLET, AMAZED WORLD, RAP CLASSIQUE, WINTERS FLAME, RIVIERSONDEREND, JESTING, ENCHANTED DAWN, DANCING GIFT, PERSONIFY, ARCTIC GEM, TRAMWAY STRIKE, SNUGGLER, SUMMIT SEEKER, JENNIKUM, MISSOURI BEAU, JAY JAY, BRECKENRIDGE, MISSION COMMAND, TOUGH SHOT, FORTUNE TELLER, MIST OF GOLD, TO THE MOON, LET IT ROLL, INTO THE BLUE, AFTER BURN, SILVER SECRET, BOWDER. Watch these over the next month - I am sure some of these will hit the winners box soon.

Last month we looked at several of the Australian imports. I would like to mention a few more pedigrees that may be worth following when they hit the track over the next few months.

RICHFULL is a robust strong filly with plenty of good bone. She is strong in the shoulder and has a powerful gaskin. She is developing into a super sprinter type and has a pedigree to back her in Australia. Her half sister, Magic Pass has been feature placed and won several times. She is by Zedrich who was a precocious horse winning at 2 including the VRC Criterian Handicap. Her dam Full Pass also showed early speed winning at 2 and being placed in stake races.

MOI PARK is a neat balanced filly who is well made with a good shoulder and hindquarter. She looks a typical sprinter and may also run onto middle distance. She is by Bletchley Park (Caerleon) who also won at 2 and has proven to be a top stallion. He has sired over 134 winners of which 16 are stakes winners, including Hot Jewels the winner of the West Australian Derby a grade 1. Her dam Oui C`est Moi won over 1400 metres and has produced two winners from 2 runners over sprint distances.

JOHNSON ENCORE - this filly contrasts with the previously mentioned two as she is a tall, scopy and has length of good rein. She is a well grown filly with good shoulder and hind quarter and looks to be a classic material. Her sire, Dr. Johnson is by Woodman and won 4 races over 1� to 1� miles, including the Curragh Silver Stakes and second in the Irish Derby Grade 1. He is a well bred horse as his dam is a � sister to Try My Best. He has sired winners who are now 3 years old in Australia.

The dam Jev Encore was unraced, but has produced 2 black type progeny already. Calophylla (7 wins) including the WATC champion Filly Stakes a grade 3 and Robusta (6 wins).

It is very exciting for Chips Pennells who purchased these horses (9 in all) in Perth early this year. They had a long wait in quarantine and have now been at Ambleway 3 months. They have all progressed well and there are some super horses here for Michael Roberts to begin his racing career with. We wish you both the best of luck in the future months. Chips has just brought out some important Australian Breeders and he is hoping to promote two way transactions in the racing industry. Well done, Chips as I believe they were very impressed with what they saw in Kwazulu-Natal at the training centres and in the Midlands.

Unfortunately after all the exciting news in the racing, we have the very sad news that one of my close friends and partners in racing has left us. Ian Veltman was very passionate about and very invested in South African racing and we are going to miss him. I am pleased that he is no longer suffering and I would like to extend my sincere sympathies to Jodie, Paul and the rest of his family. I will miss guessing what is Veltie going to wear at the next major race meeting! Our regular discussions about the horses over a cup of tea are going to be sadly missed. Good bye, Ian.

It is that crazy time of year again and I would like to wish everyone the best for Christmas. Enjoy the forthcoming festivities and please drive carefully.

Jane Trotter