Search for star performers
ANDREW Fortune has come out of the starting blocks like Wade van Niekerk at the Olympics and at his current strike rate he could well lead all the way to his second jockey’s championship albeit only two weeks into the season.
Enigmatic Fortune signalled before the start of the current season that he had his eye on the championship and his name has been pencilled in at meetings around the country.
It was Kimberley on Monday - where one winner took his total to 13 - Kenilworth yesterday and back to the Vaal today where he teams up with Vaal-based ‘Lucky’Houdalakis in five races.
Best of those rides could come in the sixth, a Novice Plate over 1400m, where he partners the lightly raced Nephrite.
The four-year-old has only had six outings in two seasons but his form has tailed off of late after making a promising start to his career.
He has had his problems much to Houdalakis’s frustration but he showed a glimpse of his better form when fading late in a tough handicap last time out. The handicappers gave him a generous nine-pound relief in the handicap and although this is a conditions race, had he run off his previous mark he would be on a par with Jubilee Line who is weighted to win.
Mike de Kock’s runner is more at home over ten furlongs and further and although he does like to race handy, this 1400m trip could find him out while Nephrite is over his optimum trip.
The year younger Sky High Flyer shed his maiden comfortably at second time of asking but has a tough task at the weights as he is 11kg under sufferance with Jubilee Line. But he does look progressive and cannot be written off lightly. Fortune is aboard the Houdalakis runner Counterstroke in the second. The gelding is dropping in class and running off a reduced merit rating over an ideal trip so he should be competitive.
However, the lightly raced Apple Crumble has
OWNERS and trainers will be searching for a star performer like Bela-Bela at this week’s BSA National Two-Year-Old Sale to be held at the TBA complex in Germiston.
The sale takes place tomorrow and Friday with a 6pm start tomorrow and 11am kick-off on the Friday.
New Zealander Steve Davis, along with Andrew Miller and Graeme Hawkins, will be on the rostrum.
Justin Snaith’s Grade 1 winner Bela-Bela is a graduate of the 2014 sale and other big names bought at a sale regarded by many as “the best for bargains” include J JThe Jet Plane, River Jetez, The Apache and new sire Jackson.
All of the top stallions are represented with progeny by new champion sire Trippi, Dynasty, Captain Al, Silvano and Var, as well as up-and-coming new name in the ranks, Gimmethegreenlight.
One of the big incentives for buyers is the prospect of capturing one of the two R1-million Bloodstock SA races scheduled for August next year. The winner’s purse in each race is R625,000. There’s a total of 269 lots due to be offered over the two days and Maine Chance Farms - third behind Summerhill and Klawervlei in last season’s breeders championship - will send six two-yearolds through the ring in the opening session.
The sextet includes a Silvano colt who is a full-brother to Hot Ticket, who captured the Equus champion stayer award in 2014.
Querari Falcon won the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes on the final day of the 2015/16 season and there are four offspring by her sire, Querari, in the Maine Chance draft.
Gary Player’s Stud could be set for a successful sale as their 18strong draft includes a wide range of stallions, including Ideal World, Go Deputy, Judpot, Twice Over, Philanthropist, Jay Peg, Russian Sage, Seventh Rock, Noordhoek Flyer, Pathfork, Russian Sage and What A Winter.
The colt likely to get the catalogues waving on the Friday is a three-part brother to Triple Crown winner Abashiri.
The youngster’s dam, Bavaria, is a full-sister to Dubai victor Drift Ice.
Moutonshoek is another stud with the progeny of top stallions on offer and they include two-year-olds by Dynasty, Trippi and Silvano and one by Oratorio.
They have the sole Dynasty colt on the sale, named Ransom My Heart, who is the third produce of the British mare Cinna’s Ransom.
Over the years, many Scott Bros horses bought at this sale have proved bargain buys (The Apache, bought for R80,000, is the most famous) and it will be no surprise if the 12 progeny of Mogok prove popular.
On the Friday, two of Mogok’s progeny who are well related include City Of Stars, a filly out of the five-time winner Star Watch, and another filly, Ascot Fever, who is a half-sister to Winter Fever and Jet Fever.
The latter ran third behind Royal Honour at Turffontein last Saturday.
Bringing Home Gold is a topical name during the Rio Olympics and a filly called that from Highlands should sell well on the first day.
The filly is by Dynasty and is a half-sister to Olympic Owen, Fly Philippa and recent winner Speedy Suzy.
Mauritzfontein’s draft includes two-year-olds by Ideal World and Fort Wood and the first-named has a filly towards the end of the sale who is a full-sister to the four-time winner Fah Fee.
Among the Klipdrif Stud draft is a well-related Dynasty filly and a daughter of Captain Al who is a full-sister to the Java Handicap winner Fulcrum. TAB News