African Lion" roars into the lead at the halfway stage of the Charity Turf Challenge!

Forwarded on behalf of Racing South Africa



MEDIA RELEASE – 16 JUNE 2008

Stalwart of the racing game for many years, Graeme Beck, enjoyed another Gr.1 success when his imported grey daughter of Act One, Dancer's Daughter, caused something of an upset in the Gold Challenge at Clairwood Park Racecourse yesterday afternoon. In the process Dancer’s Daughter earned the 25 bonus points on offer in the Charity Turf Challenge whilst fourth placed, Pocket Power, still remains without a point in the Challenge! The Vodacom Durban July run on Saturday 5 July is the last of the bonus point races and could determine the eventual winner of the grand prize worth R50 000.

Dancer’s Daughter’s young trainer, Justin Snaith, enjoyed his second consecutive Gr.1 winner after Russian Sage won last weekend’s Daily News 2000 and his Durban July hand is looking particularly strong with three weeks to go. Runner-up, Imbongi lost nothing in defeat and kept his followers in the hunt with 10 points.

Third in race was Sean Tarry's National Emblem gelding, Buy And Sell. A staying type, he ran a cracking July trial when staying on resolutely and scored 5 Challenge points.

The Gr. 2 Tibouchina Stakes was eventually decided in the National Horseracing Authority’s Board Room when Mike de Kock's Bold Ellinore, a daughter of Kahal, was denied a repeat of last year’s victory when demoted to second place after being found guilty of carrying in Ethereal Lady in the closing stages of the race. Ethereal Lady, a former winner of the Gr.1 SA Fillies Sprint, was given a great ride by jockey Andrew Fortune and The Alchemy-bred daughter of Model Man now looks destined for the Garden Province Stakes run on Vodacom Durban July day. Ethereal Lady earned 10 points and Bold Ellinore 5.


The third feature of the day, the Gr. 3 Cup Trial was won by the Kahal gelding, Desert Links. Former multiple Hong Kong Champion Jockey-turned trainer, Basil Marcus, secured the well made bay at the 2005 Bloodstock South Africa Ready To Run Sale for R110 000 where he was consigned by Summerhill Stud as agent for the late Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum’s Gainsborough Stud. Connections must be quietly confident that their charge will have done enough to make the final July field, but the Canon Gold Cup is also very much on the agenda. Desert Links earned 5 points for his followers in the Challenge.


Last week’s leader, Mark Aboud, was relying on Pocket Power or Imbongi to keep him in the hunt and their failure to secure the bonus points allowed “African Lion” to roar into the lead with 157 points! “Honey” is back in contention on 155 points and shares second spot with Jacques Strydom. The top three leaders at this, the halfway stage of the Charity Turf Challenge, have each won spot prizes kindly donated by Canon’s Durban Business Centre.


The next leg of the Charity Turf Challenge takes place this Friday evening at Greyville Racecourse where the Gr. 2 Post Merchants will be run over 1200m. Mentor, Relinyane and Oracle News are the only eligible runners in what appears to be a wide open race.

The top 20 Leader Board of the Charity Turf Challenge is:

“African Lion” 157
“Honey” 155
J Strydom 155
M Seligmann 150

“Tejalisa” 150
R van der Haer 150
“JMFJ” 147
S M Koster 147
N Andrews 145
O Brits 145
R Dhipnarain 145
M Martin 145

“African Lion” 142
A Bon 140
J Campbell 140

C Deetlifs 140
R Dhipnarain 140
K M Lacey 140
M Seligmann 140
D van Niekerk 140

Ends

Where can i get a list of remaining races and fields making up the challenge ?

Hi Russell,

If you click on the link below you will see their a few options carrying info for the Charity Turf Challenge and you should come right there.

www.racingsouthafrica.com/Expo2008.htm