South Africans Doing It Abroad

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‘I’m Over The Moon’: The Hands Behind Sequel Bloodstock’s Record-Setting Colt At Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale
by Joe Nevills|05.24.2022|5:59pm





John Motaung, Humberto Garcia-Olivera, and Marcel Pillay of Sequel Bloodstock.


From the moment he crossed the Maryland State Fairgrounds finish line and the timer blinked “:9.4” during the under-tack show, the focus of this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale had been the future of Hip 385, the Bernardini colt that set the blazing time.

That future became much clearer on Tuesday, when the colt hammered to Zedan Racing for $3.55 million, almost twice as much as anyone ever paid for a horse in the auction's history. It was a crowning moment for the Sequel Bloodstock team, the consignment responsible for the colt's past and present, on behalf of breeders and longtime clients Chester and Mary Broman.

“I can't even explain it,” said John Motaung, co-manager and rider at Sequel's training base at Winding Oaks Farm in Ocala, Fla. “This is my first time doing this kind of sale for such a nice horse like him. I'm over the moon.”


The colt, named Berning Remarks, arrived at Winding Oaks as a yearling in August 2021 to begin his under-saddle training after growing up in New York.

Marcel Pillay, a rider with Sequel, was tasked with getting the colt started under tack, and he said it took some time for him to zero in on his new job.

“It wasn't easy at the start,” he said. “He wasn't good to break in, but he learned quick, and from there, it was easy.

“He was straightforward, but also very fresh,” Pillay continued. “He was a very happy horse. You just have to relax when you're on them, and they come back to you.”

Pillay brought with him a deep well of global experience to get Berning Remarks acclimated to his new job. A native of South Africa, Pillay started out as an apprentice jockey in his home country before moving his tack to Australia for a year. He returned to South Africa to enroll in Summerhill Stud's School of Equine Management Excellence and work as an assistant trainer before being recruited by Sequel to move stateside.

The South African connection with Berning Remarks continued with Motaung, who started working with horses at 18 as a groom at Summerhill Stud, where the horses with his fingerprints included South African Horse of the Year Igugu.

That led him to a stint at Godolphin's Gainsborough Farm in Kentucky which later, between trips home, led him to first work with Becky Thomas of Sequel Bloodstock for five months in 2008. He took courses at Summerhill's School of Equine Management Excellence and the English National Stud – the latter of which he graduated as the top practical student – and he served as riding master of the South African Jockey Academy.

Motaung said the colt started showing flashes of his potential in January, when he put together the physical and mental aspects of his job.

“The babies sometimes don't tell you exactly what they're going to be like,” he said. “Sometimes, they can surprise you. He was one of those horses that was sometimes a little bit fresh, but once you put him on the track, he straightened out. Through all the pre-training on him, he was a lovely horse to work with. I can't find any fault with what he did ahead of the sale.”

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Neither rider was in the saddle when Berning Remarks set the track ablaze over an eighth of a mile in :9 4/5 seconds during the under-tack show. They knew they had a fast horse, but having one fast enough to clock the sale's fastest time at the distance was a surprise, even to them.

“It just looked like wind was passing,” Pillay said. “We felt the breeze on the other side.”

After the breeze show, the attention of every buyer with a serious bankroll snapped their attention to Sequel's consignment in Barns G and H. That's when Sequel's sales and yearling prep manager Humberto Garcia-Olivera got busy.

Garcia-Olivera was on the end of the shank every time Berning Remarks came out of the barn, which by his count was over 100 times. For a horse with that many potential dollars riding on him, he was the full-time showman.

“Always,” Motaung said with a laugh.

A native of Mexico, Garcia-Olivera got his start in the industry in 2005, working in Kentucky with WinStar Farm and Castleton Lyons before turning his focus to the sales. He's worked under the Sequel banner for five years.

Garcia-Olivera praised the colt for his mind from the first times they started working together last year. For any “it” horse at a sale, though, the task of keeping them fresh and focused on their task through show after show requires a steady, patient hand on the shank leather.

“The horse is quick, and if you're loose with the shank, he's going [to move], so we try to make him relax,” he said. “You talk to the horses. If you settle down, the horse will settle down.”

Garcia-Olivera's smile was infectious after the colt hammered for a record total. When the Sequel team gathered around the Berning Remarks for a group picture in the aftermath, Garcia-Olivera's arm was wrapped around the colt's neck, and his head was tucked between the horse's cheek and his neck, his grin still beaming as much as it did when the horse left the ring.



“I've worked with many consignors, but never sold a horse for that much, so it's very exciting for me,” he said.

The expectations are going to be sky-high for Berning Remarks when he hits the racetrack, between the ability he showed on the track and the historic price he commanded in the ring. After nine months together, the Sequel team was confident he could live up to it.

“I just wish him to do well in the future,” Motaung said. “I want to see him doing well on the racetrack. I know he's going to do well, because he 's a nice, quiet horse. It's nice to work with him, so I'm not scared to say that.”

I notice that BERNARD FAYD'HERBE is due to ride 4 in Maurities TOMORROW.

Last i read he was BANNED FROM THERE - he must have appealed.

plenty plus.

Luke Ferraris 20 years old.
In the near future he will be a CHAMPION.
Follow him.

In response to the shortage of senior jockeys in New Zealand, Byerley Park founder and Director Daniel Nakhle has engaged the services and expertise of current South African Champion Jockey Warren Kennedy and former South African Champion Apprentice Craig Zackey.

Kennedy comes with an impressive CV, having won the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 championships by a staggering 63 winners. In addition, he has had seven Group One winners, 19 Group Two winners and 16 Group Three winners.

Arriving this week, the charismatic 42-year-old is excited to make the move to New Zealand along with wife Barbara and daughters Jamie Lee (3) and Ryleigh (1) and looks forward to the wholesome family lifestyle that New Zealand has to offer.

Joining Warren in early November is compatriot and former South African Champion Apprentice Craig Zackey.

At just 27, talented jockey Zackey has already notched up an impressive 10 Group One winners, nine Group Two winners and 11 Group Three winners and finished eighth on the South African Jockey Championship.

He will be accompanied by fiancée Sasha and daughter Sierra (2).

Nakhle believes that the loss of some of New Zealand’s senior riders is being felt throughout the industry.

“New Zealand racing will benefit greatly from the quality and calibre of two Champion South African riders,” Nakhle said.

The arrival of the South African jockeys is also being enthusiastically received by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.

“It is exciting to be able to welcome two jockeys of the calibre of Warren Kennedy and Craig Zackey and we lookg forward to both of them making their mark on the New Zealand scene,” NZTR chief executive Bruce Sharrock said.

“Having lost a number of senior riders due to retirement and relocation over recent months, being able to insert two jockeys who have achieved so much in their home country into our riding ranks can only be of benefit to New Zealand racing.

“I would also like to acknowledge the proactive approach taken by Byerley Park to secure Warren and Craig, and their ongoing efforts to support the industry in training and development as a whole.


South African apprentice Craig Zackey will join the New Zealand jockey ranks. Photo: Supplied
Kennedy and Zackey will be managed by Donavan Mansour who can be contacted directly to engage their services.

Further boosting the ranks will be South African apprentice jockeys Triston Moodley and Donovan Cooper, the first two internationals to join the newly formed New Zealand Jockey Academy.

Created by Nakhle and Mansour, the Apprentice Academy is based at Byerley Park and boasts a bespoke complex, housing a purpose-built gymnasium, two classrooms and a world-leading MK10 racehorse Simulator, the first of its kind in Australasia.

Congratulations to Mpumelelo Mjoka who just won a race at Dundalk, Ireland

Wow. It was a winner on his first ride in Ireland.

www.sportingpost.co.za/horse-racing/mjokas-100-in-ireland/

The Kevin Coleman-trained Fleetfootsoldier stuck his head out gamely to prevail in a tight finish to the mile handicap for three-year-olds at Dundalk.
It was a first ride in Ireland for South African jockey Mpumelelo Mjoka and he produced his mount to dispute passing the two pole.

Mpumelelo Mjoka wins 2017 Longines Future Racing Stars (photo: supplied)
Mpumelelo Mjoka – great start in Ireland (photo: supplied)

The Footstepsinthesand gelding had narrow lead over a furlong from home and was soon strongly pressed. Knockmore Prince was the biggest danger in the closing stages as he came to join the eventual winner, who rallied late on for a neck success.

The 12/1 winner had finished mid-division on his handicap debut when last seen at the track just before Christmas.

Coleman said of the winning rider: “This lad is good, he’s had 80 something winners. He’s a good rider.

“I got two good jockeys from South Africa – Calvin Ngcobo has ridden plenty of winners as well. They work for me. I sourced them, I watched them. The standard in South Africa is quite good.

“I approached plenty of guys and these two guys were on the list. Calvin rode Red Vermillion here about a month ago. They are only here about a month.

“We will try and get them a few outside rides, but it is tough in Ireland.”

canadianthoroughbred.com/horse-news/sout...cited-ride-woodbine/