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By Earl Coetzee

Digital Editor


First entries for Grand Heritage

There are 56 nominations for the WSB Grand Heritage (Non-Black Type), one of the more unusual events on the Highveld horse racing calendar.


The WSB Grand Heritage (Non-Black Type) has proven popular with the betting public since it was introduced a few years ago – as an opportunity for owners of horses below the top grade to win a largish stake, as well as to stimulate punting interest with an oversized field of 28 runners.

The regular maximum field size in South Africa is 20. This year, the stake has been reduced in line with prize money cuts across the board since the implosion of operator Phumelela.

The Grand Heritage will be contested down the Vaal straight over the unusual distance of 1 475m on Saturday, 5 December.

The sight of so many horses fanned out across the track, galloping at full pace, has become something for racing fans to look forward to each year.

The race is open to all horses with a net merit rating of 106 and below.

In order to be considered for inclusion in the final field, every horse nominated must have had at least a minimum of one run from time of first entry up to and including the time of final supplementary entry.

Base weights will be determined by the sole discretion of the handicapper.

There are additional penalties for highest Graded/Listed win in the last 18 months to date of first entries on the following basis: Grade 1 – 3kg, Grade 2 – 2kg, Grade 3 – 1kg, Listed – 0.5kg.

Thereafter, where applicable, amended weights for runs between first and final supplementary entries will be published on a weekly basis until final weights are published.

Horses who are eligible and weighted at first entry stage shall retain their eligibility status regardless of any subsequent ratings or weight adjustments.

First weights will be published on Thursday.

Supplementary entries close at 11am on Monday, 23 November and final weights will be published on Tuesday, 24 November. Declarations must be made by 11am on Wednesday, 25 November.

It is an express condition of this race that operator Phumelela reserves the right to determine the final field by way of invitation and to exclude any horse as its sole discretion.

There is no sex allowance and no apprentice allowance.

First entries for the R100 000 WSB Grand Heritage (Non-Black Type) over 1 475m at the Vaal on 5 December (draw, name, trainer):

41 AFTER HOURS (S J Gray)

35 ARAPAHO (P A Peter)

49 AUGUST RAIN (A G Laird)

5 AVENIR (A B Fortune)

10 BACK TO BLACK (D Sham)

38 BENJI (P A Peter)

11 CATCH TWENTYTWO (P A Peter)

52 CERTIFIABLE (S J Gray)

7 CITY BY THE SEA (P A Peter)

24 CLEVER GUY (S Moffatt)

31 CONTRAIL (A G Laird)

45 COPPER MOUNTAIN (J J van Vuuren)

15 CRANK IT UP (J J van Vuuren)

30 DAN THE LAD (P F Matchett)

26 DARK TIDE (M N Houdalakis)

39 DONDERWEER (P F Matchett)

12 DOWN TO ZERO (M/A Azzie)

9 ELUSIVE SWANN (P F Matchett)

33 EMPRESS JOSEPHINE (P A Peter)

8 ENRIQUE (C Dawson)

27 ETCHED IN BLUE (A B Fortune)

28 EURO CENT (P A Peter)

21 EXPRESSFROMTHEUS (S T Pettigrew)

23 FINCHATTON (G Terzi)

22 FITZWILLIAM (D Sham)

55 FOLLOW MY PATH (C E Erasmus)

34 FULL MAST (M/A Azzie)

1 FUNKY MUSIC (A B Fortune)

51 GANG LEADER (P A Peter)

44 GILBOA (P A Peter)

16 GOLDEN DUKE (P A Peter)

46 GOLDEN PHEASANT (C Spies)

50 GREEK FIRE (M/A Azzie)

47 INDY GO (C Dawson)

6 IRREVOCABLE DREAM (A G Laird)

32 LETS TALK (S J Gray)

54 LONE SURVIVOR (S W Kenny)

17 MONEY FIGHTER (M N Houdalakis)

53 ODEN (G Terzi)

18 OWLINTHETREE (M N Houdalakis)

29 PORTICO (P A Peter)

13 PUERTO MANZANO (J J van Vuuren)

36 PUTINS PROMISE (S J Gray)

43 ROOI TOM (P F Matchett)

48 ROUGE ALLURE (S Moffatt)

20 RUSSIAN PRINCE (M/A Azzie)

42 SAMURAI JACK (A G Laird)

25 SECRETS OF MAYA (A B Fortune)

4 SET THE STANDARD (M N Houdalakis)

3 SPANISH BOY (M N Houdalakis)

56 STOP FOR NOTHING (S Moffatt)

19 STORM COMMANDER (C Dawson)

14 STREET FLYER (P F Matchett)

37 TREND MASTER (M N Houdalakis)

40 TRUE WORDS (C Spies)

2 WHAT YOU ARE (C Spies)

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