OFF THE RECORD #49

Model Man
South Africa’s First Equine Millionaire Remembered in Sunday’s Mile

Above:  Model Man in full cry (photo: Ken Wilkins)

Sunday's Model Man Mile at HWB Greyville pays tribute to one of South Africa's greatest turf legends of the 20th century. Between August 1985 and November 1987, Model Man won 14 races, including five prestigious Grade 1s, and earned the distinction of becoming South Africa’s first equine millionaire. He was crowned Horse Of The Year in 1987.

Above: The accomplished Elliodor (FR) by Lyphard (photo: Form Organisation)

Model Man came from humble beginnings. He was sired by Elliodor, at the time a first-season stallion who had received minimal support. His dam, Top Model (Filipepi) was sent to Elliodor as a favour to a fellow-breeder. Despite this, Model Man would go on to prove that remarkable talent can emerge from unexpected and modest circumstances.

Elliodor's own background initially gave little indication that he would become an influential sire. He was born from a mating recommended in 1976 by veteran horseman John Kramer, consulting to breeder Artur Pfaff.

Kramer, who was based in Germany at the time, recalled that the great Northern Dancer was the talk of Europe, and that his sons were in demand at stud. “I was keen on Lyphard, who was just at the start of his career. He was a physically small stallion and I felt that he would suit Ellida, one of a handful of mares standing at Pfaff’s property near Chantilly in France.”

Elida was a full-sister to 1967 UK Horse Of The Year, Busted, but she was moderate on the racetrack, winning just a single heat before being retired. Pfaff had acquired her on a mare sale, and while her race record was moderate, Kramer liked the fact that she was big, strong and robust, the opposite in size to Lyphard.

Elliodor won a 1600m race in France before he was retired due to injury. He was shipped to South Africa to stand as a sire at Daytona Stud, a farm near Ceres acquired by Pfaff on Kramer’s recommendation. Kramer told: “Daytona stood stallions Brandy, African Hope and Black Melody. There were only 12 mares on the farm, most of them imported. When Elliodor arrived, they had almost more stallions than mares!”

Elliodor was afforded eight mares from Daytona’s broodmare band for his first season. Kramer and Pfaff had to scramble and plead for support from fellow breeders and managed to get him six more. Still, he enjoyed more success than the stallions who had covered double that number of mares.

Kramer said: “Colin Cohen of Odessa Stud sent us one mare as a favour. She was Top Model, a five-time winner about whom Colin had a bit of a hunch about, I guess. These are the kind of inexplicable things that happen in breeding sometimes. Elliodor covered just six mares from outside breeders that year and sired a star, as well as a number of other top division horses. The chances of something like this happening are remote. But it happened!”

Amazingly, Elliodor’s 14 foals produced 10 individual winners including Model Man, Lyphard’s Dream (6 wins) and Eli’s Star (8 wins). When he retired, Elliodor had an excellent strike rate of 10% stakes winners to foals. He left behind 43 individual Grade 1 horses, including Model Man, three Gr1 Paddock Stakes winners, and fellow Gr1 winners Eldoriza (Gold Challenge), Forest Trogon (SA Nursery), Kale (SA Derby), Lord Shirldor (SA Classic, FNB 1600), Promisefrommyheart (Equus Champion) and July winner, Super Quality.

EP Derby hero Eli’s Star’s own first diminutive crop created shock waves when, from just four foals, he produced Gr1 Cape Guineas/Derby hero Eli’s Truth, who amassed over R1.06 million in stakes. Eli’s Star’s initial crop produced 100% winners to runners. He went on to sire a top sprinter in the form of Gr1 Cape Flying Championship hero, Eli’s Game.

Sarah Whitelaw reported in The Sporting Post: “Between them, Elliodor and Model Man’s daughters produced the winners of the Gr1 Mercury Sprint, Gr1 Empress Club Stakes, Gr2 Dingaans, Gr2 KRA Fillies Guineas, Gr2 Merchants, Gr2 Peninsula Handicap and the Gr2 Premier’s Trophy.

“The Elliodor legacy is made all the more remarkable when taking into consideration that his biggest crop of foals numbered just 54, and he averaged just 33 foals per year during his 24 seasons at stud – a far cry from what today’s leading stallions would number.”

Elliodor also left his mark internationally. His daughter Crimson Palace won in Dubai and landed the Gr1 Beverly D Stakes in North America, and Gr3 Middleton Stakes in Britain, while Warning Zone was a stakes winner in North America. He was also the broodmare sire of the world class sprinter, Tiza, who won four group races in France.

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Patrick Lunn retired from racing for a second time in 2022, following a brief comeback. Model Man was the notable great horse from Lunn’s training career. He regrets not having a few others even half as good as Model Man later in his career when the industry was in decline and the training ranks had been depleted.

Lunn reflected: “In my best days we were competing and holding our own against some of the great trainers in South African history, Terrance Millard, David Payne, Jean Heming, Ormond Ferraris, to name but a few. The horses and jockeys were of exceptional calibre, the fields were big and the competition was fierce. I didn’t have the support needed in my later career, but that’s racing. To have trained a star like Model Man makes it all worthwhile.”

Model Man was purchased for R38,000 at the 1984 National Yearling Sale by a partnership consisting of Pat, John, and Tony Lunn, along with Alec Thompson. Lunn recalled, “He was an impressive yearling—strong, correct, and with plenty of scope. We liked him from the start. The decision to buy him was sealed when Laurence O'Donoghue, who was riding for me at the time, mentioned that he'd ridden Model Man's dam, Top Model, in a race for trainer Willie Kleb and that she was a good, solid galloper. That was the catalyst for our bidding.”

Model Man was precocious enough to have a start at two years of age. He was showing true ability in work under Robbie Thompson and Garth Puller. Pat recalled: “One day Garth worked him on sand over 800m. He said, ‘Pat, this horse will win you the Guineas!’

Garth was given the ride on Model Man’s debut on 24 July 1985. They doddled a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m by three lengths, then went straight via a Novice Plate win into a handicap and won again. After that, Puller’s prediction was realised when Model Man captured the Grade 3 Natal Guineas under jockey Basil Marcus.

Lunn said: “Garth was stable jockey to Peter Kannemeyer and Basil stepped in when he’d returned to Cape Town. Basil would be his preferred rider after that, though Rhys van Wyk was drawn to partner him in the 1985 Grade 1 SA Invitation Stakes. His class showed that day as he put a powerful three-year-old field to bed. Six of 11 runners behind him became accomplished Grade 1 winners themselves, including Jungle Rock, Sea Warrior and Potomac.”

Model Man’s programme into the 1986 Rothmans Durban July took him via the Grade 1 Richelieu Guineas in Cape Town, where he was beaten five lengths by Sea Warrior, who turned around six lengths on their Invitation Stakes encounter. “Model Man had to endure a long road trip to the Cape, and he just wasn’t himself that day,” said Lunn.

On his return to Greyville, Model Man was beaten by two other, formerly defeated rivals in Another Treat (1 length, Grade 1 SA Guineas) and Potomac (short-head, Grade 1 SA 2000), a margin short of his best.

Model Man was in winning shape for the July, and he was backed to second-favourite, starting at 7-2. Lunn said: “He ran a big race from a 16 draw, doing his best work late to run fourth under Paddy Wynne. We were up against the mighty Milllard brigade. He was almost unbeatable at the time. Bartie Leisher dictated and won the race on Occult, Fool’s Holme finished second and Enchanted Garden third, 1-2-3 ahead of us. We came within two lengths of success.”

A month later, Lunn decided to stand his ground with Model Man in the Grade 1 Mainstay 1800. The colt wasn’t as wound up as he was for the July, but the field was weaker and his decision paid off. Model Man (Basil Marcus) beat the Millard runner Ecurie, ridden by Leisher, to gain some compensation for his July defeat.

Model Man came to the peak of his powers after a short break into the 1986/7 season, reeling off six successive top-level wins in devastating fashion. He beat the cracking sprinting filly Bold West in a sprint over 1100m before being trucked to Turffontein for a once-off career visit. He contested the then Grade 1 Hawaii Stakes on the toughest mile in the land and whipped Enchanted Garden by five lengths, giving her 2.5kgs.

There was even sweeter to come on 18 April 1987, when the J&B Met was run three months later than normal due to the outbreak of Equine Flu, in December 1986. Lunn told: “Considering his arduous previous trip to Kenilworth, we put our heads, and our pennies, together and flew him to Cape Town. Getting horses on a plane was not as common or easy as it is today. It cost us R40,000, which was a good deal of money back then.”

Again, this was a decision that paid off handsomely and Lunn remembered: “Everything just fell into place. Model Man travelled well, worked like a train, raced handy from a good draw and won the race. It was a close finish, Enchanted Garden delivered a good challenge this time, but he held her off gamely. It was a joyous and unforgettable moment for all of us.”

Above:  Model Man after winning the 1987 J&B Met

Model Man’s second attempt at the Durban July came via a preparation run in the Grade 1 Clairwood Champion Stakes. He cruised in by six lengths from the Highveld star, Jungle Rock, and was installed a strong ante-post favourite for the flagship contest on 4 July, 1987.

This was one of the most talked about Durban July’s in the race’s colourful history, because Model Man, the established superstar, faced a big challenge from three-year-old Bush Telegraph, the up-and-coming three-year-old champion. Jockey Garth Puller had put himself on a well-publicised diet of brown rice and apples to get down to 49kg to ride Bush Telegraph, which showed the intent and confidence with which trainer Bert Abercrombie and his connections went into the race.

Model Man was carded to race with 57kg and that, in the end, made the telling difference. “I am still not sure what happened, but Model Man lost his position early and then got going too late. Bush Telegraph got away under that light weight and beat us into second by 1,25-lengths. That was a day to forget as much as it was one to remember. We got so close to realising a dream, but it wasn’t to be,” Lunn reminisced.

Above: Model Man with Pat Lunn and Basil Marcus

Marcus reflected in a 2015 interview: “To think the top three-year-old of that 1987 year, Bush Telegraph, who was unbeaten in eight previous starts, including the South African 2000 (Daily News 2000), only had to carry 49kg. Compared to Model Man’s 57kg, this shows just how great a run it was. Then, in the race he was hampered at the start and ended up a long way off the pace. I had to build him up gently to make up the ground. Two strides past the line he was in front.”

David Thiselton wrote in an article for Gold Circle: “Model Man would be a strong contender for the title ‘The greatest July run to have not earned the winner’s sash’. Lunn’s colt’s was also involved at what was described as ‘the race of the decade’ – a titanic 400m-long duel with Jean Heming’s Main Man in the 1987 Mainstay 1800 which went to the latter by the bob of a nose under a vintage ride from Jeff Lloyd.

“Model Man gave Main Man 9kg that day, both ran their hearts out. Bush Telegraph was third. Interestingly Main Man only won a single handicap from nine starts after that and Bush Telegraph never won again. It was a race that took its toll,” said Lunn.

Model Man, however, was his sprightly self in the aftermath. He entered the 1987/8 season just two weeks later with a win in the Grade 1 Champions Stakes over 2000m at Greyville and then, in preparation for his title defense in the 1988 J&B Met, sprinted away from an A Division field over 1100m at Greyville.

Sadly, however, Model Man strained a tendon and had to be rested for six months, missing the Met. He returned in May 1987 in two preparation runs for the 1988 Durban July, but was not the horse he was. He failed in the Schweppes Challenge and then ran downfield in the July, both races won by Royal Chalice.

“Model Man was in no physical strain, but obviously he’d come to the end of his career and wasn’t enjoying his racing anymore. We retired him to stud at Odessa, and retained shares in his career as a stallion. He was an adventure in itself, a once-in-a-lifetime horse.”

Model Man was a success at stud. His best son was the Champion two-year old, Special Preview, who also became a stallion. His outstanding daughter was Private Reserve, who won the Gr 1 Allan Robertson at Scottsville and was champion two-year- old of her year. Others who represented him with honour were Graded winners League Title, Fallon, Easyjadeeasy, Glamour Boy, Pacific Blue, Kiribati, Eddington and Ethereal Lady.

Model Man was euthanised at age 23, following an injury in October 2005. He was still covering mares at his ripe old age.