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Time flies... against so many measures. I don't detail too much personal these days as I have had some crank e-mails over the past year from females, which in itself is unsul for the generally more balanced sex, but even against the non-private aspects of my life such as my beloved Sabina Park. Once rated rated higher than Greys Inn who came 2nd in the QEII cup in Hong Kong, she retired earlier this year and is not waiting to see sire National Emblem. She is apparently enjoying retirmement now, but it does take them time to settle down from racing. Leigh may have other opinions but I am someone who has always believed in exercising animals and used to run time trials with my dogs - who went ballistic if I forgot about them or even put on running shoes without calling them. Race horses, or certainly the ones with my trainers, are treated like they are top of the food chain - and you get bills to match - we are talking R5000 plus per horse per month. So its cheaper to feed your dogs steak and bacon every meal than keep a horse in training! Incidentally many of those involved in racing are involved in various fields with animals - including owning major game farms as with Mike Rattray of Mala Mala who owns South Africa's No.1 stallion, Western Winter, who at R200 000 a baby is doing quite well for himself...
This too is a year that has flown by - and what odds would you have given that the RAF Act would not be in place by this time? Latest rumours are that a certain senior Advocate is involved in drawing up the regulations. True? I have no idea. Right now I am wondering about whether my latest equine star, Festive Occassion, will be running on Thursday after she demolished the field in her last race...
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