WITH the recent death of the great Horse Chestnut, there will be an element of sadness to this year’s R1-million HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday 28 March, reports tabonline.co.za.
Champion trainer Justin Snaith, Mike Bass, Brett Crawford, Joey Ramsden and Vaughan Marshall have all entered runners while Geoff Woodruff has nominated the only other horse who was able to emulate Horse Chestnut’s SA Triple Crown feat, Louis The King.
Majmu, entered for the SA Fillies Classic and the Horse Chestnut Stakes. (JC Photos)
The HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes is one of three Grade 1 races to be run on the day. The others are the SA Classic and the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, both over 1800m. Also run on the day will be five Grade 3 races.
Snaith has entered Readytogorightnow, Bass has put in Ashton Park, Crawford has nominated Captain America, Ramsden has King Of Pain and Exelero is the entrant from the Marshall yard.
It is also interesting to note that Mike de Kock has entered three-year-old filly Majmu. The Australian-bred daughter of Redoute’s Choice has also been nominated for the R1-million SA Fillies Classic and a win in that event would see her in line to claim the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara bonus of R1-million – if she can also win the SA Oaks (Grade 1).
If De Kock opts to race her in the Horse Chestnut Stakes, with a merit rating of 114 and a weight advantage of 5.5kg, Majmu will be one of the best-weighted runners. Louis The King has a merit rating of 116 and is the highest-rated runner in the race.
Sean Tarry has entered 2013 President’s Champion Challenge and Vodacom Durban July winner Heavy Metal who ran well when finishing a 1.75-length fourth in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1160m on 7 March in his first run since returning from overseas. Tarry has also entered Halve The Deficit and Whiteline Fever.
A number of these runners – Louis The King, King Of Pain and Heavy Metal in particular – will be using this event as a preparation race for the upcoming R2-milllion President’s Champions Challenge over 2000m on Saturday 25 April.
Supplementary entries close at 9am on Friday with declarations by 10am Tuesday 24 March.
Entries, draws and weights for the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes (Grade 1) over 1600m
| 2 | Louis The King | Geoff Woodruff | (4C) | 60 | 116 | |
| 12 | King Of Pain | Joey Ramsden | (5G) | 60 | 114 | |
| 3 | Captain America | Brett Crawford | (4G) | 60 | 113 | |
| 6 | Heavy Metal | Sean Tarry | (6G) | 60 | 112 | |
| 8 | Halve The Deficit | Sean Tarry | (6G) | 60 | 111 | |
| 1 | No Worries | Gavin van Zyl | (5G) | 60 | 111 | |
| 11 | Killua Castle (AUS) | Geoff Woodruff | (5G) | 60 | 109 | |
| 17 | Tellina | Geoff Woodruff | (5G) | 60 | 109 | |
| 4 | Ashton Park | Mike Bass | (5G) | 60 | 108 | |
| 15 | ReadyToGoRightNow (AUS) | Justin Snaith | (5G) | 60 | 108 | |
| 13 | Bezanova | Alec Laird | (4G) | 60 | 107 | |
| 14 | Whiteline Fever | Sean Tarry | (6G) | 60 | 107 | |
| 9 | Deliver The Power | Dominic Zaki | (6G) | 60 | 105 | |
| 7 | Sovereign Mint | Robbie Sage | (4G) | 60 | 99 | |
| 16 | Bouclette Top (ARG) | Alec Laird | (4G) | 60 | 96 | |
| 10 | Exelero | Vaughan Marshall | (4G) | 60 | 90 | |
| 5 | Majmu (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 54.5 | 114 | |
| (17) |
Entries, draws and weights for the SA Classic (Grade 1) over 1800m:
| 17 | Harry’s Son (AUS) | Paul Lafferty | (3C) | 58 | 114 | |
| 4 | Unparalleled | Johan Janse van Vuuren | (3G) | 58 | 112 | |
| 16 | Ertijaal (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3C) | 58 | 107 | |
| 2 | French Navy | Sean Tarry | (3G) | 58 | 105 | |
| 1 | Mljet | Vaughan Marshall | (3G) | 58 | 105 | |
| 6 | Forest Fox | Paul Peter | (3G) | 58 | 102 | |
| 13 | Illuminati | Weiho Marwing | (3G) | 58 | 100 | |
| 11 | Prince Of Orange | Roy Magner | (3C) | 58 | 99 | |
| 10 | Mutamakkin (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3C) | 58 | 97 | |
| 3 | Arniston | Joe Soma | (3G) | 58 | 94 | |
| 15 | Deputy Jud | Mike Azzie | (3C) | 58 | 94 | |
| 14 | Greek Legend | Mike Azzie | (3C) | 58 | 94 | |
| 9 | Amsterdam | Paul Peter | (3G) | 58 | 88 | |
| 5 | Diesel Jet | Erico Verdonese | (3C) | 58 | 88 | |
| 8 | Mac De Lago (AUS) | Weiho Marwing | (3C) | 58 | 86 | |
| 7 | Rampant Ice | Weiho Marwing | (3G) | 58 | 86 | |
| 12 | Finchatton | Sean Tarry | (3C) | 58 | 83 | |
| (17) |
Entries, draws and weights for the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic (Grade 1) over 1800m:
| 9 | Majmu (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 58 | 114 | |
| 4 | Same Jurisdiction | Duncan Howells | (3F) | 58 | 110 | |
| 14 | Siren’s Call | Sean Tarry | (3F) | 58 | 105 | |
| 12 | Banbury | Gavin van Zyl | (3F) | 58 | 104 | |
| 17 | Pine Princess | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 58 | 103 | |
| 6 | Trophy Wife | Sean Tarry | (3F) | 58 | 103 | |
| 11 | Smart Call | Alec Laird | (3F) | 58 | 101 | |
| 8 | Sensible Lover (AUS) | Weiho Marwing | (3F) | 58 | 99 | |
| 18 | Tamaanee (AUS) | Sean Tarry | (3F) | 58 | 99 | |
| 19 | Bilateral | Weiho Marwing | (3F) | 58 | 98 | |
| 13 | Ataab (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 58 | 97 | |
| 3 | Kileigh | Gavin van Zyl | (3F) | 58 | 94 | |
| 1 | Estidraaj (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 58 | 93 | |
| 16 | Silver Class | Johan Janse van Vuuren | (3F) | 58 | 92 | |
| 10 | Withbatedbreath | Gavin van Zyl | (3F) | 58 | 87 | |
| 15 | Kissimmee | Mike Azzie | (3F) | 58 | 85 | |
| 20 | Zrinski | Robbie Sage | (3F) | 58 | 84 | |
| 5 | Maayaat (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 58 | 83 | |
| 7 | Modern Muse (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 58 | 83 | |
| 2 | Fire Dancing | Corne Spies | (3F) | 58 | 78 | |
| (20) |
Entries, draws and weights for the Man O’ War Sprint (Grade 3) over 1100m:
| 0 | Doing It For Dan | Louis Goosen | (3G) | 0 | 93 | |
| 17 | Belong To Me | Johan Janse van Vuuren | (3C) | 60 | 102 | |
| 22 | Zambezi River | Sean Tarry | (3C) | 60 | 101 | |
| 14 | Anjaal (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3C) | 60 | 100 | |
| 13 | Precursor | Dominic Zaki | (3C) | 60 | 100 | |
| 9 | Varbration | Dennis Bosch | (3G) | 60 | 100 | |
| 19 | Kiss Me Hardy | Corne Spies | (3G) | 58 | 98 | |
| 8 | Amazing Strike | Alec Laird | (3G) | 58 | 96 | |
| 1 | Carry On Alice | Sean Tarry | (3F) | 57.5 | 107 | |
| 11 | One Fine Day | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 57.5 | 100 | |
| 7 | Captured Wind | Corne Spies | (3C) | 56 | 93 | |
| 15 | Punk Rocker | Mike de Kock | (3G) | 54 | 87 | |
| 4 | Green Rock | Wallace Tolmay | (3G) | 54 | 85 | |
| 3 | Party Peg | Corne Spies | (3F) | 53.5 | 94 | |
| 16 | Sarve | Corne Spies | (3F) | 53.5 | 92 | |
| 21 | Big King | Greg & Karen Anthony | (3C) | 52 | 81 | |
| 5 | Carter | Paul Peter | (3G) | 52 | 80 | |
| 2 | Manx Park | Clinton Binda | (3G) | 52 | 80 | |
| 18 | Seattle Lady | Johan Janse van Vuuren | (3F) | 51.5 | 85 | |
| 20 | Red Guard | Joe Soma | (3G) | 51 | 79 | |
| 12 | Atso Time | Corne Spies | (3G) | 51 | 77 | |
| 6 | Special Announce | Grant Maroun | (3G) | 50 | 73 | |
| 23 | Golden Man | Grant Maroun | (3G) | 50 | 68 | |
| 10 | Fire Dancing | Corne Spies | (3F) | 48.5 | 78 | |
| (24) |
Entries, draws and weights for the Caradoc Gold Cup (Grade 3) over 2850m:
| 10 | Desert Swirl | Vaughan Marshall | (4G) | 57.5 | 95 | |
| 9 | Kingston Mines (GB) | Mike de Kock | (4G) | 57.5 | 94 | |
| 8 | Shimmering Gem | Dominic Zaki | (5G) | 57.5 | 92 | |
| 11 | Heart Of A Lion | Gavin van Zyl | (4G) | 57 | 95 | |
| 14 | S’il Vous Plait | Ormond Ferraris | (7G) | 57 | 93 | |
| 2 | Storm Warning | Dominic Zaki | (5G) | 57 | 91 | |
| 13 | Raaees (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (4G) | 55.5 | 87 | |
| 1 | Baracah | Sean Tarry | (6G) | 55.5 | 85 | |
| 12 | Sky Rise | Weiho Marwing | (5G) | 54.5 | 82 | |
| 3 | Savage Wind | Joe Soma | (5G) | 54 | 80 | |
| 5 | Wild Ash (AUS) | Geoff Woodruff | (4F) | 53 | 89 | |
| 6 | Rodeo Sioux | Joe Soma | (5M) | 53 | 88 | |
| 4 | J’s Outsider | Stuart Pettigrew | (5G) | 52.5 | 78 | |
| 7 | Lions Emblem | Erico Verdonese | (4G) | 52.5 | 78 | |
| 15 | Supertube (AUS) | Sean Tarry | (4G) | 52.5 | 78 | |
| 0 | The Barbadian | Weiho Marwing | (5G) | N/E | 73 | |
| 0 | Sabre Tooth | Sean Tarry | (4G) | N/E | 67 | |
| (17) |
Entries, draws and weights for the Jacaranda Handicap (Grade 3) over 1800m:
| 22 | Whatalady | Stanley Ferreira | (4F) | 60.5 | 99 | |
| 7 | Vino Veritas | Gavin van Zyl | (4F) | 60 | 98 | |
| 28 | Mohave Princess (AUS) | Gavin van Zyl | (4F) | 57.5 | 93 | |
| 27 | Coby | Gary Alexander | (4F) | 57 | 92 | |
| 25 | Erin | Ormond Ferraris | (5M) | 57 | 92 | |
| 26 | Break Of Dawn | Stuart Pettigrew | (5M) | 56.5 | 91 | |
| 29 | Enchanted Silk | Sean Tarry | (4F) | 56.5 | 91 | |
| 24 | Touch The Sky | Geoff Woodruff | (4F) | 56 | 90 | |
| 17 | Bilateral | Weiho Marwing | (3F) | 55.5 | 98 | |
| 10 | Classic Illusion | Gary Alexander | (6M) | 55.5 | 89 | |
| 16 | Santa Carolina | Mike de Kock | (4F) | 55.5 | 89 | |
| 1 | Ataab (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 55 | 97 | |
| 21 | Estidraaj (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 53 | 93 | |
| 19 | Elusive Spirit | Sean Tarry | (4F) | 53 | 84 | |
| 23 | Square Dance (GB) | Mike de Kock | (4F) | 52.5 | 84 | |
| 5 | Amber Orchid (AUS) | Sean Tarry | (5M) | 52.5 | 83 | |
| 11 | Roc ‘n Rose | Duncan Howells | (5M) | 52.5 | 83 | |
| 13 | Fortitude | Lucky Houdalakis | (5M) | 52 | 82 | |
| 6 | Lertasha (AUS) | Weiho Marwing | (4F) | 52 | 82 | |
| 15 | Maria Theresa | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 51 | 89 | |
| 8 | Casha | Johan Janse van Vuuren | (4F) | 51 | 80 | |
| 20 | Sprinting Queen (AUS) | Geoff Woodruff | (4F) | 50.5 | 79 | |
| 2 | Zrinski | Robbie Sage | (3F) | 48.5 | 84 | |
| 18 | Sisters Of Mercy | Geoff Woodruff | (4F) | 48.5 | 75 | |
| 14 | Alice Springs (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 48 | 83 | |
| 3 | Maayaat (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 48 | 83 | |
| 9 | Modern Muse (AUS) | Mike de Kock | (3F) | 48 | 83 | |
| 12 | Mystic Tigress | Gary Alexander | (6M) | 46 | 70 | |
| 4 | Olympic Goal | Corne Spies | (4F) | 38.5 | 55 | |
| (29) |
