The late commentator Shaheen Shaw made racing fun. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images
The death on Wednesday of colourful racing pundit and commentator Shaheen Shaw cast a sad shadow over the industry – including announcement of the final field for the Grade 2 Allied Steelrode-Onamission Charity Mile to be contested at Turffontein next Saturday, 2 November.
Shaw’s love of the game shone through all his ups and downs in life. His jovial personality and eccentricities endeared him to all. Even humble punters who’d never met him felt a kindred spirit, especially when he uttered his rallying cry “Hit them hard, Sunshine!” – a call to arms against the eternal common bookmaking enemy.
His best friend, commentator Rouvaun Smit, summed it up well: “Horseracing has lost a part of its soul. He loved the game. He loved punters. He wanted everybody to be a winner.”
It was legend that Shaw’s infectious enthusiasm saw betting turnovers kick up whenever he was presenting on live TV.
The devoted husband, father and grandfather, died suddenly at home in Cape Town at the age of 55. He will be missed.
Racing gallops relentlessly on with the unveiling of the R1-million Charity Mile line-up, which has 13 Betway Summer Cup entries among the 16 horses – underlining the race’s traditional position as a key preparation race for Joburg’s premier turf event, which will be run in late November.
Commenting on his star Dave The King being allocated topweight of 63kg for the Mile, trainer Mike de Kock said the race would be “a million-rand gallop” for the colt.
However, bookmakers are taking no chances on the Equus Horse of the Year not being adequately wound up, or of finding the impost too hefty, and have installed him as a 28-10 favourite. The booking of champion jockey Richard Fourie bolsters the case.
De Kock hinted that, for Dave The King, the exercise “gallop” might in fact be a preparation for the L’Ormarins King’s Plate in Cape Town in early January rather than for the Summer Cup.
De Kock has four other runners in the Charity Mile, three of whom are also among early entries for the Cup – siblings Silver Sanctuary (8-1) and Safe Passage (22-1), along with Shoemaker (28-1).
De Kock’s Randjesfontein neighbour Sean Tarry will saddle three Charity Mile runners, the most fancied being bottom-weight Celtic Rumours (7-1), a five-year-old mare who won a feature race at Turffontein three weeks ago.
One of the more interesting runners is Joe Soma-trained Back In Business (8-1), who has progressive credentials after two recent Grade 2 wins. Unfortunately for his connections, he is drawn very wide and it will take all jockey Muzi Yeni’s skill to get him well positioned.
Yeni takes over Back In Business from Rachel Venniker, who did the business in the recent Joburg Spring Challenge. Venniker swaps affiliation to Tony Peter’s Meridius (22-1).
Another notable Charity Mile jockey booking is in-form Gavin Lerena aboard the talented grey Barbaresco. Lerena’s stable job for trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren and the Wernars family ownership was terminated a few months ago but appears to be back on track.
[number, (draw), name, kgs, MR, (jockey), trainer]
1 (8) Dave The King 63 128 (Richard Fourie) Mike de Kock
2 (6) Winchester Mansion 61 124 (Marco van Rensburg) Brett Crawford
3 (12) Barbaresco 60 122 (Gavin Lerena) JA Janse van Vuuren
4 (15) Gladatorian 59 120 (Tristan Godden) Stuart Ferrie
5 (2) Frances Ethel 58 118 (Kabelo Matsunyane) Brett Crawford
6 (16) Melech 57.5 117 (Serino Moodley) Roy Magner
7 (19) Gimmeanotherchance 57 116 (Craig Zackey) Mike de Kock
8 (13) Quasiforsure 57 116 (Athandiwe Mgudlwa) Peter Muscutt
9 (3) Silver Sanctuary 57 116 (Raymond Danielson) Mike de Kock
10 (9) Hotarubi 56.5 115 (Calvin Habib) Sean Tarry
11 1 Litigation 56.5 115 (Denis Schwarz) Sean Tarry
12 4 Meridius 56.5 115 (Rachel Venniker) Tony Peter
13 17 Back In Business 56 114 (Muzi Yeni) Joe Soma
14 (10) Shoemaker 54.5 111 (Diego de Gouveia) Mike de Kock
15 (5) Safe Passage 53.5 109 (Malesela Katjedi) Mike de Kock
16 (11) Celtic Rumours 52.5 107 (Philasande Mxoli) Sean Tarry
17 (18) Zinovi 55.5 113 (Reserve 1) Mike de Kock
18 (14) Let’s Go Now 56 114 (Reserve 2) Sean Tarry
19 (7) Formagear 53 108 (Reserve 3) Peter Muscutt
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