Hindsight is a wonderful thing.by Leon Setaro

Hindsight is a wonderful thing..

..and you don't need 20/20 vision to spot the hidden message that lurked
across my two recent columns - 'The Kotzen concoction' and 'The 6's and
the8's'. The signs were there for none to see, all pointing to yesterday at
Scottsville when Kotzen pounced on the 8th race with No.8, Lune De Miele
at 25/1, tonking punters for the proverbial cricket 6!

At Summerveld on Wednesday morning I had been preaching to all that would
listen - the impressive looking Lune De Miele had to be watched following
the stable move. Time and time again we see how a change of environment
can re-ignite the spark and turn things around for disappointing race horses.
Despite keeping a constant eye out for Derryl Daniels or Frikkie Greyling
during my rounds that morning, both proved eerily elusive, leaving me
unsure whether to make public mention to punters or not.
In the end I didn't, so bad call yet again.. that's hindsight!


A misty morning at the Summerveld clubhouse on Wednesday. This
scene lingered a mere minute or two before the veil was burnt away by the
rising sun.

Interbet is pleased to announce that their mobile betting site is
officially operational and open for business.
Up until now the bookies' trading interface on Interbet had only been available
to punters with computer and internet access; a very small percentage of the betting market.
Now with the mobile site up and running, all that's needed is a GPRS cellphone (any brick will do, no smartphone required)
to access the Bookies' wholesale trade prices via a simple and easy-to-use mobi version of the Interbet trading
platform. Check it out right now and put it to good use - www.interbetsa.mobi

During the launch phase bets are limited to fixed odds over the bookies'
exchange with full Tote betting facilities to follow within a week or two.

It's going to be interesting to see how this mobi-move contributes to
trade volumes now that everyman punter has access. More turnover means better
prices and this is the reason why Interbet consistently provides the best
odds in the business - their online trading platform is where the major SA
bookies layoff and trade amongst each other. Now throw in the punting
masses and their cellphones into the mix, turnover must go up and prices will
come down even further - everyone's a winner so tell your friends about
www.interbetsa.mobi

The famous James Goodman has won Intebet's latest ROI competition and
receives R2000 as his prize. With Goodman needing no introduction, I
decided to dig a little deeper than what recent history provides and unearthed
some heyday shots of the playboy himself.


A flip down memory lane back to the 12th July 1975 when James
Goodman as a fledgling trainer, saddled his first winner at Benoni Turf
club. Pictured is James and his mom Georgina, leading in the winner
Prof-Hewmo. The jockey is H. Lasker.

The Goodman connection goes back further.. James' father Alan
(left), with his twin brother Derrick (right), were reputedly the men
about town of their time. Here they lead in Peralta, winner of the TRC sprint
handicap in 1973, trained by Geo Azzie and ridden by R.E. Thompson.


Almost 31 years to the day, 19 August 1978 and another winner
for the Goodmans; Pippa's birthday is lead in by James and his sister
Phillipa.Aboard is familiar face in KZN, Robbie Hill


Suavo! 1986 - Goodman with his trademark cigar in one hand -
horse in the other, swaggers through with Duke of Marmalad after winning the
Lonsdale Handicap at Milnerton over 2400m

This Goodman is a shrewdy, he dabbles in everything from race horse
training, TV presenting and punting on sports & racing, through to
sharking golfers of their grands on the 9 hole play. James lays claim to having
pioneered racing television in South Africa and it is a great pleasure to
honour him as an Interbet return on investment competition winner. So much
so in fact that I'm beginning to think he's earned himself the right to
challenge me to a tipping contest!

Jockeys to watch at the moment are Anthony Delpech and Brandon Lerena,
both are on winning streaks and between them have won 50% of all KZN races over
the last 3 meetings. That's 12 wins out of 24 races (Delpech 7, Lerena 5)
and if you add in Anton Marcus' 4 and Derryl Daniels' 3 wins, you've got
4 jockeys winning 80% of the races.

More reason to follow the hard working Brandon Lerena then who seems to be
riding work everywhere and all-at-once in the mornings.. and it's paying
dividends because he's getting a steady stream of engagements from
Ashburton, Clairwood and Summerveld. Last weekend he rode a double for
trainer Duncan Howells and looks lined up to do the same again this Sunday
in the 2nd and 3rd races. His chances don't stop there either, in the 7th
he rides the filly Another Shadow who ran 2nd to Mana Mou in the maiden race
that has everyone talking at the moment. There's been 7 subsequent winners
from that formline and all have been in runaway style. If the trend
continues then Another Shadow may well come home lonely and score her 2nd
successive win. In the 6th race another Brandon Lerena mount worth
mentioning is Bold Pigeon, he goes over 1600m for only the 2nd time in his
career and came from the clouds last time with a storming finish to grab
3rd over 1450m.

When at Summerveld in the mornings I always visit my connection Craig
Eudey,and over the last few weeks Maritime Mist has been my first and often only
stop for horsie-comms back at the yard. This of course puts me in a biased
position to preview the 7th race on Sunday where she takes on Sheik's
Jewel,another filly that I've followed very closely and have written about a few
times before. These two look to have the race to themselves in what Craig
is calling a rematch of their earlier encounter when Maritime Mist lost to
Sheik's Jewel by a shorthead at Scottsville. Clearly they've both been on
the upgrade since then having put in excellent efforts competing in the
winter features and it's a tough call to split them on Sunday. Comments
from the opposing yards are positive, Stuart (assistant trainer) reports that
Sheik's Jewel is spot on and Craig is right back at him with Maritime
Mist's condition.
No betting out at the time of writing so will have to wait for
the bookies to lay out the percentages before going any further.


For more weekend info and action visit Interbet's PR site on Facebook -




Sheik's Jewel runs on Sunday (file pic)

Thanks again Leon and well done James, loved the photos have a few golden oldies myself, if anyone else would like to share some golden oldies would be magic to see them.

thanks Leon, great old photos there, looking at that 1978 photo - Robbie Hill hasn't changed much in 30 years!

Great stuff leon,whats with the guy in the hood over Goodmans left shoulder?

journalist from noseweek

Leon how many times has Kotzen brought a horse from the dead to win...I've lost count?? His team needs to be commended on the great job they do.

gregbucks Wrote:

---

> Leon how many times has Kotzen brought a horse
> from the dead to win...I've lost count?? His team
> needs to be commended on the great job they do.


Any chance that he can bring back Sea Cottage?

CNC he's a good trainer, not a prophet!!!

Doesn`t look cold