Guys I found the bloodline million post, its a bit long but worth the read considering Karel's contribution
enjoyed again!
1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Sylvester ()
Date: March 04, 2009 03:20PM
1990 ???
Colts race Won by ???
Favorite was???
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: shrek (
Date: March 04, 2009 03:24PM
I could be mistaken but I think it was won by Leopard Strike, can't remember who was the tote favorite. Remeber Robbie Hill giving the starter a mouthful for loading him too early and his horse bolted.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: magiclips ()
Date: March 04, 2009 03:50PM
Spot on, Shrek. Leopard Strike ridden by Stephen Jupp for I think it was Roy Magner. Can't remember the fav but vividly recall Hill's Maradona impersonation. Spook and Diesel I think ran 2nd and might have been fav.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Dylan ()
Date: March 04, 2009 03:59PM
Leapord Strike won and Robbie Hill burst out at the starter for Henriatte Affair loading early and getting loose, I think a good filly of Willie Pieters called Heat And Dust ran 4th. Tobie Van Booma was on the second horse with purple and red colours...chestnut cant remember his name!
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: scotia (
Date: March 04, 2009 03:59PM
I am sure the trainer was Terry Louw? He certainly had it as a stallion as I made use of it.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Dylan Date: March 04, 2009 04:02PM
Roy Magner was def the trainer
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: magiclips ()
Date: March 04, 2009 04:34PM
I think Lowe started to train for that owner soon afterwards and did stand Leopard Strike as a sire. Selwyn Lipschitz was the owner I think?
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Justanotherpunter ()
Date: March 04, 2009 04:36PM
Clearly too many brandy and cokes for me over the years,my memory is fading.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2009 06:46PM by Justanotherpunter.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Dylan (3)
Date: March 04, 2009 05:42PM
fearless lad or fearless streaker or fearless something was the 2nd horse i think... maybe someone can ask Roy Magner?
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Justanotherpunter ()
Date: March 04, 2009 05:48PM
confused too.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2009 05:51PM by Justanotherpunter.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: magiclips ()
Date: March 04, 2009 05:50PM
You could be on the right track Dylan. That rings a bell. I think I was confusing races, didn't Spook and Diesel beat Leopard Strike in the Smirnoff at Pmb? Or am I totally confused now?
e: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Gajima (t)
Date: March 04, 2009 06:05PM
I think the horse you are looking for was Fierce Lad.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Anonymous User (
Date: March 04, 2009 06:13PM
leopard strike, rebels reward, henrietta fair
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Dylan ()
Date: March 04, 2009 06:14PM
Fierce Lad sounds good Gajima. Magic... Spook and Diesel ridden by Robbie Sham won the Smirnoff at PMB beating Leopard Strike., you right. They then went on as decent 3 year olds to Cape Town where that top filly of Woodruff, Star Effort, beat the colts in the Guineas at Milnerton ridden by Muis Roberts, King Kama second for A Fortune, Supersonic Surprise 3rd for R Watkinson and L Saunders and Spook and Diesel 4th for D Drier and A Marcus. Top horses like Phantom Robber were also behind that great filly. I still have that race on tape and the tv coverage in those days was 10x better than today. They had intense coverage of horses in work, parade ring, canter down and even interviewed the jocks at the start of the fancied horses of how thier mounts cantered down. They interviewed bookies on how much and where money was coming from etc... Great 2 watch.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Dylan ()
Date: March 04, 2009 06:15PM
Admin could be right
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Karel Miedema ()
Date: March 04, 2009 06:23PM
Although it is my full intention not to get involved in discussions on this list any more, I can't resist contributing to this post with a bit of nostalgia.
Below is an essay penned on Leopard Strike for the Racing Record Annual 1990.
It may give some background to the events surrounding the inaugural Bloodline Million.
LEOPARD STRIKE
Most of us know racing people who could play tag with a fox and never be ‘it’. Others are naïve enough to believe that you can find the telephone number of the military wing of the ANC in the Yellow pages under T, for Terrorists. In still another category there are a few chaps so dubious that they could probably give you that number from memory. But in the midst of this diversity there is one unifying characteristic: a racing man is not a racing man unless he likes to argue. Opinion is the game’s oxygen, although some of the views offered on the inaugural running of the Bloodline Million had an effect more readily associated with poison gas. Last year the fraternity were given the opportunity to raise their thoughts above the bleak struggle for survival, and on to a more philosophical plane.
The question that that seemed to pose itself in some minds was this: has the TBA made a balls-up of it again? Or alternatively, are they insufferably impertinent by putting up a million Rand in prizemoney for a horserace whose conditions do not fit precisely with the dearest traditions of the South African turf? When they decided to launch the Bloodline Million concept, the TBA council members might have fancied their biggest problem would be to protect their eardrums from the applause. Instead, it turned out to be the criticism that was deafening.
The idea behind the Bloodline Million wasn’t new. Sales companies, both in the Southern and Northern hemisphere, had successfully experimented with the concept whereby both sellers and buyers contribute to the stake of a race exclusively for graduates of a specific sale. In some countries, notably the UK, the Jockey Club put a spoke in the wheels by declaring the concept of restricted, valuable races a non-starter. In other countries, notably Australia and Ireland, very happy results were achieved. The South African TBA, which is also South Africa’s major sales company, recognized the opportunity to promote its major sale. The Bloodline Million would be the country’s first Million Rand race, exclusively for yearlings sold at the National Sales in April 1989. The race was to be run on the eve of the 1990 National Sales, over 1200m at Turffontein, to give the sale major impetus.
The first opposition to the idea came, surprisingly, from within the own ranks of the TBA. Breeder members, especially those in the Cape, were opposed to the timing of the race, fearing it came too early in the season. Our youngsters, they said, will break down and do us a disservice. Others opposed it because they professed to breed ‘classic type’ horses that don’t come early and need more ground, and for that reason felt that entering their charges for the Million Sale would be a futile exercise.
Both arguments count for little. In England, the Coventry Stakes has for centuries been a mjor race for juveniles. Run at Royal Ascot in the middle of June, the timing of that race is six months after the juveniles turn two – in other words, comparable to January on the South African calendar. The Bloodline Million was planned for early April, in comparison a good two months later. Hardly a case of ‘too early’. The rest of the arguments fall by the wayside when the list of winners of the Coventry Stakes is considered: The Tetrarch, Lady Josephine, Colorado, Fairway, Panorama, Turkhan, Big Game, Nasrullah, Dante, Khaled, Tudor Minstrel, Palestine, King’s Bench, Whistler, Crocket, Silly Season – and believe it or not, even our own champion staying sire Noble Chieftain won the Coventry. In more recent years, the winners included French 2000 Guineas winner Recitation, St James Palace Stakes winners Horage and Sure Blade, and Chief Singer.
TBA members in the end settled on a Bloodline Series of races, beginning with the Bloodline Million for juveniles, followed by a new Triple Crown for 3yo’s to be run in 1991, each leg of the crown also worth a Million.
The next hurdle was put up by the Jockey Club, which opposed the idea of restricted races and insisted on a buy-in clause for horses not sold at the National Sales. Ater prolonged and heated debate, arguments were finally settled on the eve of the 1989 sale, the buy-in figure set at R25.000. Furthermore, the Bloodline Million wasn’t awarded Graded status (even though it replaced a race previously run as Gr1). It was rather ironical that the same Jockey Club later in the season had no qualms in sanctioning the running of a R100.000 sponsored race exclusively for white (grey) horses, which to the thinking of the Club apparently did not represent a restricted race.
The first Million sale took place with great success, buyers clearly liking the idea, and the average for Bloodline Million candidates soaring an incredible 79% above the previous year’s figure.
The TBA even secured a major sponsor for the first running of the Million with the South African Broadcast Corporation, under whose ‘Topsport’ banner both the race itself and the following yearling sale would take place. The SABC broadcasted all the races run on the day of Bloodline Million, which was a first for South Africa.
But even here not all was a bed of roses. A Stellenbosch University theology professor warned that serious tension could arise between the church and the SABC over the sponsorship of the Bloodline Million in subsequent years. In a letter to the SABC, the NG Church states that ‘the striving towards a Christian lifestyle is not promoted by (the sponsorship)’. Someone once defined racing as ‘an organized racket whereby the Lebanese and Jews rob the Christians of their money’, so perhaps the church was merely acting out of self-defense. Be that as it may, it seems likely that in 1991 the TBA will have to look for a new sponsor for the running of Bloodline Million.
Despite continuous rumblings in the press that the best juveniles do not necessarily have the opportunity to run in the Million, there is little reason to believe that this wasn’t the case first time round, in 1990. Our year-end ratings indicate that the best rated horses, with exception of the home-bred filly Star Effort, were all Bloodline Million candidates.
The race itself provided plenty of drama. The filly Swan Ballet, somewhat fancied by the connections, burst through the pens and was withdrawn. The part-owner of the third horse lodged an objection against the second horse, which was overruled. And the winner won by a mere short-head in the dying strides, the third horse half a length in arrears.
The early pace in the Million was set by the blinkered Rebel’s Reward, who’d shown to be well suited by such tactics, winning his two previous starts in just that way. The Turffontein 1200m is not nearly as stiff as its equivalent at Clairwood or Kenilworth, and a front runner like Rebel’s Reward proved a hard nut to crack. At the 400m mark he was a few lengths ahead of the fillies Henrietta Fair and Heat And Dust, with Spook And Diesel in fourth and the field fairly strung out. Two hundred metres further Rebel’s Reward still led by over a length from Henrietta Fair, but Heat And Dust had started to crack. The first two were now slightly ahead of Leopard Strike, who had come from midfield and whose gathering momentum carried him through to catch the leaders on the post. Spook And Diesel kept going in fourth, two and a half lengths back, ahead of Northern Traveller and Dunbarton who has raced much too far off the pace in the early stages. The 14/1 starting price of the winner belied his ability, which was highlighted at his next start in the Gr1 Smirnoff over 1200m at Scottsville.
Leopard Strike had made his debut towards the end of February, when less than a length in third over 1000m at Newmarket, starting at 8/1. He was 12/10 favourite at his second start in March, 3 weeks before the Million, over the course and distance. Leopard Strike won that comfortably on a track that had give in it.
The Smirnoff, run at a fast pace throughout, saw Leopard Strike and Spook And Diesel separating themselves from a closely bunched field some 300m from home. At the line there wasn’t more than a nose in it, the verdict going in favour of Spook And Diesel. Leopard Strike lost no credibility in defeat, with the placed horses three lengths back.
The rematch was scheduled six weeks hence, early in July, in the Gr1 Administrator’s Futurity over 1600m at Greyville, a race arguably South Africa’s major pointer to the future. Neither Leopard Strike nor Spook And Diesel had raced since the Smirnoff. Leopard Strike opened favourite at 18/10, to finally settle at 22/10 on the off. Spook And Diesel, with rumours abounding about him putting up an atrocious gallop prior to the race, drifted from 9/2 to 7/1. Leopard Strike missed the break, raced midfield, but still had some chance coming to the 400m. He faded shortly afterwards, though, and his jockey put the hands down well before the finish, when his chance had gone. Leopard Strike finished one from last in the field of fifteen, nine lengths behind winner World Over, in what turned out to be his final start of the season.
Leopard Strike, secured for R250.000 as a yearling, is the fourth foal of his dam Let Kiss, a very fast Millard-trained filly that barely stayed 1000m. Let Kiss won six races including the 1981 WP Fillies Nursery, then still run over 1000m. Her first foal Let’s Hope So was by the middle distance stayer African Hope; she won five races up to 1400m. The second foal Let’s Wish, a filly by sprint/miler Who Duzzit, won over 1200m. The third foal was a colt named Life’s Power, full brother to Leopard Strike and a useful sprinter.
The second dam, US-bred Cornish Prince-mare Leucothea, was a Gr3 placed winner in France. Apart from Let Kiss she bred useful Cape sprinter Another Tune, a winner of 6 races, by middle distance stayer Black Melody.
Given that background, Leopard Strike had a 50/50 chance of being a sprinter. On his (only) below par effort over a mile, the evidence clearly points in that direction. His rating shows that he’s a very useful sprinter indeed, and with such as Senor Santa and Goldmark around in the coming season we should be in for more than a few treats.
Leopard Strike usually raced from off the pace in his first season, tactics which suit him well as he has a fine turn of foot. He acts on soft going. Although his connections may not be able to resist trying him over a mile again at 3, we’re reasonably convinced that distances from 1200m to 1400m will be his forte. He looks sure to add considerably to his tally of two wins so far. (Magner)
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Sylvester ()
Date: March 04, 2009 06:31PM
Rebel Reward was the one i was looking for. I worked for a bookie at the time 1990 before going off to serve the country.
Had money on Rebel Reward so i think was the fav. Was owned by bookies in VTOWN if i rememeber
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: scotia ()
Date: March 04, 2009 06:32PM
Karel, thank you very much for your excellent contribution.
Dave
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: oscar ()
Date: March 04, 2009 07:24PM
R ju sure it wasnt Terry training the horse..I was at the races that day and seem to nb it was him.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Barry Irwin ()
Date: March 04, 2009 07:33PM
Karel, you crack me up!
Of course you couldn't resist!
You love it too much.
Don't let the negativity bother you. People can recognize what the truth is.
Keep the faith, brother.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: magiclips (
Date: March 04, 2009 07:39PM
Terry Lowe won it in 1994 with the filly Jamaican Justice, when I think the race was split into separate colts' and fillies' races for the first and last time. Colts' race was won by Special Preview, by the way.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: classicl (
Date: March 04, 2009 07:42PM
Roy Magner trained Leopard Strike. It then moved on to Terry and became his great pal. Sadly Leopard Strike died peacefully last November. I have a yearling out of Winter Bird by Leopard Strike hope it can gallop like he did
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: harry hotspur (
Date: March 04, 2009 08:16PM
Tobie Spies won the next two runnings of the race with Mysterious Hal and Fast Gun .I remember them very well as I was studying with Corne at the time.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: zoro ()
Date: March 04, 2009 11:13PM
Shit i thought it was CREATOR trained by Robert Maroun,shows how bad the memories getting.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: scotia (
Date: March 05, 2009 06:02AM
Morning guys, does SA not have a data base of results where you can request e.g. Bloodline million winners? It would appear we are all stretching our old minds, but good fun.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: bubby (
Date: March 05, 2009 07:28AM
Magic, doesnt OBH super computer used 4 the formguides have that info so far back which dave is refering to?
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Doyen (
Date: March 05, 2009 08:22AM
what fascinating races they were.Fields of about 15/16 runners and any1 could have won!
I also rem Leopard Strike being trained bt T L then.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Frodo ()
Date: March 05, 2009 08:58AM
Karel,
That was a great trip down memory lane; I am surprised that you found the time and energy to post; I thought you would be too busy counting all your money from selling Biarritz - lol
Doyen,
I believe the photo of Leopard Strike winning that race is proudly being displayed on the wall in Roy's stables (right next to Asylum Seeker's winning the Golden Slipper in Dbn)
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: ElvisisKing ()
Date: March 05, 2009 09:17AM
harry hot, I heard Corne say on TV from Kimberley a few weeks back that his 1st horse given to him by his father was one of those two you mentioned.
it went on to win a Gr. 1 or million bucks I think...... not too shabby for your 1st horse.
Tobie Spies sure has an eye for the babies & knows how to pick them.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: magiclips ()
Date: March 05, 2009 09:29AM
No, Bubby, it was too long ago. We have to dump old records from time to time otherwise the hard drive starts to creak
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Doyen (
Date: March 05, 2009 10:06AM
oops ,apologies to the Magner stable.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: harry hotspur ()
Date: March 05, 2009 10:07AM
Elvis the horse given to him was Fun To Fly as his 21st birthday present and the horse that won first time out in kimberly he also named Fun To Fly which he has given to his kids to race.The two bloodline million winners were owned by the Makins.
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: Frodo (
Date: March 05, 2009 10:09AM
HH, I think the first one was actually called Fun Fly....
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: oscar (
Date: March 05, 2009 10:10AM
Karel and Magic its great to have you guys posting on this site..really and truly enjoy your knowladge of this game!
Thank you!
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: harry hotspur ()
Date: March 05, 2009 10:16AM
Frodo you 100 per cent correct
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: scotia ()
Date: March 09, 2009 07:17PM
Hi Dave
I noticed on the website you were looking for the info on the Bloodline Million races. Managed to source this info for you which may or may not be of assistance.
Regards
Debbie
1990Leopard Strike
1991Mysterious Hal
1992Fast Gun
1993Royal Thunder
From 1994 it was split into two races - fillies and coltsJamaican Justice & Special Preview
Re: 1ST MILLION RAND RACE 2yr olds
Posted by: magiclips (
Date: March 09, 2009 07:54PM
Interesting to note that every male winner finished up standing at stud, mostly without much success it could be said
