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News & Events
Glory on the Turf
El Gloriousa (AUS), the first Standardbred trotting horse to set foot in South Africa was paraded and worked in harness to race-bike on the hallowed home-straight of Greyville Racecourse this morning – a first ever.
The primary reason for the exercise was for Gold Circle track specialist Ralph Smoute to evaluate the effects, if any, of sulky and trotter on turf. In New Zealand and Holland 16% of all harness racing is conducted on turf.
Driven at speed by Garth Puller, multiple South African champion jockey and veteran winner of 3 Durban Julys and 3 Cape Metropolitan Handicaps, and under the gaze of amazed onlookers, Gold Circle staff and Department of Sport and Recreation Officials, “Glory” raised a cheer as well as eyebrows as he slid effortlessly past the winning post at close to 60kph.
Said Garth Puller after pulling up “Driving a trotter at full tilt is certainly an exhilarating experience. This little horse can certainly move”.
The 15.1hh bay gelding was recently imported from Australia and is now happily resident at the verdant South African Jockeys Academy at Summerveld. He started 17 times for 2 wins and 5 places, all at the Western Australian Perth Raceway.
The first live harness races are scheduled to commence in KZN in the third quarter of 2007.
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