TAB SA Derby (Grade 1)

THE loss to the South African bloodstock industry from the early death of Lancaster Bomber was rammed home at Grade 1 level yet again, when Legend Of Arthur (out of a Galileo mare) got up close home to beat Wild Intent and Solar Sail in the TAB SA Derby at Turffontein last Saturday.

Bred and part-owned by Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Sud (where Lancaster Bomber stood), Legend Of Arthur was the fourth SA Derby winner trained by Sean Tarry, who said: “He is not an easy horse to contend with and I had to make some changes that I wasn’t sure about. But I think the Durban July will be on his radar.” Lancaster Bomber’s daughter Beach Bomb has also won her first two starts at graded level in the US this spring.

Champion Richard Fourie, this season engaged in a three-way title battle with Craig Zackey and Gavin Lerena, also won the Grade 1 HKJC World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge on Fire Attack, but the 13/10 favourite only just got the better of last year’s winner Royal Victory.

The first and second bumped twice close home, there was only a quarter of a length in it at the line and both Fourie and Muzi Yeni had their whips in their wrong (outside) hands. Yeni, somewhat understandably, lodged an objection, but the stipes ruled that the result should stand.

The winner, by the American stallion Fire Away out of a Mambo In Seattle mare, was bred by the Ndoro Stud, cost R450,000 and is trained by Alec Laird.

Empress Club Stakes

The mile Grade 1 TAB Empress Club Stakes went to all-the-way scorer Fatal Flaw (by the Australian-bred New Predator out of a Rock Of Gibraltar mare) and was well-handled by former champion Gavin Lerena. The filly is yet another big race winner trained by James Crawford.

Ryan Munger, now based in Canada, had to draw on his considerable talents to get the odds-on William Robertson (by Rafeef out of a Trippi mare) home by a neck and the same in the Grade 1 TAB Computaform Sprint. Bred by Ridgemont, the winner is trained by Corne Spies.

FOR sheer news value, not even four Grade 1 races at Turffontein could rival the sensation emanating from Durbanville three days earlier.

Grant van Niekerk, interviewed on TV after winning the second race on the appropriately-named Wehaveasituation, used the occasion to complain about the 21-day interference ban and R50,000 fine had been given at Kenilworth last month.

The stipes promptly had him in and imposed a further suspension.

The apparent unfairness of this action upset not only Van Niekerk but all the other jockeys at Durbanville.

They promptly downed tools for the rest of the day, despite a plea to continue by Cape Racing chairman Greg Bortz. He subsequently berated the jockeys in a lengthy letter on the Sporting Post website, saying: “You have not helped yourselves with those who pay for the sport, and who do so in order that you and other stakeholders can earn a living.”

Bortz subsequently announced that the race meeting at Kenilworth last Wednesday would be cancelled as would the one there tomorrow.

The Jockeys’ Association subsequently issued an apology, but the meetings were not reinstated.