Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint (Group 1)

PETER Muscutt, father of UK-based jockey Danny Muscutt, saddled his first Group 1 winner when Isivunguvungu landed the Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint at Turffontein last Saturday.

Richard Fourie, something of a big race specialist these days, sent his mount to the front a furlong out and the 5/1 shot beat William Robertson by two lengths with 9/4 favourite Princess Calla a short-head away third.

“It was a plan well executed,” reported Fourie. “My horse came out running, travelled well and, when I asked him to quicken, he was ready.”

So was the trainer! “I’ve had numerous sojourns training, starting in 1982 when I was only 21,” Muscutt reported. “I was in Zimbabwe for a while, and I started again in 1991 and continued to 2004, the last four years being in Singapore. I also spent seven years in Australia with Chris Waller.”

Isivunguvungu (meaning thunderstorm in Zulu) is by the South African-bred What A Winter (whose dam Waseela was bred in Ireland) out of a Tiger Ridge mare.

The Argentinian-bred Puerto Manzano, winner of the Summer Cup last November, completed a notable Group 1 double when short-heading 33/1 shot Second Base in the World Sports Betting Premier’s Champions Challenge.

The winner, although officially the best horse in the race, got it on the nod and owed a fair bit to the inspired jockeyship of the in-form Keagan de Melo who reported: “He didn’t make it easy for me and halfway up the straight he was looking to hang in behind other horses. But he pulled it out of the fire when I needed him to.”

The five-year-old is trained by Johan Janse van Vuuren who modestly played down his part in the success, saying: “This horse is so easy. He just does what he has to do – and he loves attention.”

Interestingly Billy Bowlegs, given too much to do when favourite for the South African Derby, again headed the market but fourth was the best he could manage despite being ridden closer to the pace.

National Yearling Sale topper

KOMMETJIE Storm, an Elusive Fort full-sister to the Durban July and Met hero Kommetdieding, topped the recent National Yearling Sale with the Oldlands Stud-bred making R3.2 million (€160,000) to the bid of Kestorm Investments.

The average for the 348 horses sold was 34% up on last year at R442,672 (€22,13) while the R154 million (€7.7 million) aggregate showed a 12.5% rise. The sales total, though, was still below the figure of 13 years ago.