Erasmus, above, acting as “waterboy”
against Scotland in the autumn, and,
below, Frank, his English bulldog, is
given a vest of his own. Right, the
South Africa director of rugby
dancing to the Nightcrawlers during
his 60-day ban from rugbySport
Erasmus nears end of his
epic two-fingered protest
Chelmsford
Rob Wright
4.30 Teemlucky 6.30 Bella Colorossa (nap)
5.00 Oasis Irlandes 7.00 Porfin
5.30 Kaahira 7.30 Million Reasons
6.00 Hathlool
Going: standard Racing TV
Draw: 5f-1m, low numbers best
4.30 Classified Stakes (£3,078: 1m 5f) (7)
1 (6)0065-CINZENTO 27 (H,P,CD) R Teal 6-9-5 G Rooke
2 (1)323-0HANNALITE 9 A Stronge 5-9-5 T Heard (3)
3 (5)464-6MISS POLLYANNA 9 (H) R Ingram 6-9-5 M Crehan
4 (3)0504-TEEMLUCKY 24 (P,T) I Williams 6-9-5 R Clutterbuck
5 (7)064-0TILSWORTH LUKEY 9 (V,C) J R Jenkins 9-9-5L Browne (7)
6 (2)0P00-BLUE GALAXY 34 (P) M Usher 4-9-2Ellie Mackenzie (3)
7 (4)00-46SMART QIBILI 6 (H) P McEntee 4-9-2 Grace McEntee
9-4 Hannalite, 10-3 Teemlucky, 7-2 Miss Pollyanna, 4-1 Cinzento, 10-1 Smart
Qibili, 16-1 Tilsworth Lukey, 25-1 Blue Galaxy.5.00 Maiden Stakes (£4,860: 6f) (12)
1 (11) SILVER DOLLAR R Eddery 4-10-0 Rossa Ryan
2 (1) HEMSBY PINE C Wallis 3-8-12 J Hart
3 (4) 4 OASIS IRLANDES 8 A Murphy 3-8-12 D Probert
4 (9) 00-SONNY BROWN 37 C Dunnett 3-8-12 K O'Neill
5 (7) ALICE TINKER D M Simcock 3-8-7 H Turner
6 (2)035-5DEBIT CARD 12 (V) D O'Meara 3-8-7 J Watson
7 (10) 00-ILONA TAMARA 63 J R Jenkins 3-8-7 A Beech (5)
8 (12)335-6JUDY'S PARK 8 G Boughey 3-8-7 Laura Pearson (3)
9 (5) 0-LADY SPIRITUS 17 C Wallis 3-8-7 C Bennett
10 (3) 05-ROSEQUIANO 25 S C Williams 3-8-7 M Dwyer
11 (6) 0-6ROSIE BOBBIE 12 P Evans 3-8-7 G Rooke (3)
12 (8) SHIN SAW GYI A Watson 3-8-7 H Doyle
11-4 Oasis Irlandes, 7-2 Shin Saw Gyi, 4-1 Judy's Park, 5-1 Rosequiano, 6-1
Alice Tinker, 12-1 Debit Card, 16-1 Rosie Bobbie, 20-1 Silver Dollar.
5.30 Novice Stakes (£4,860: 1m 2f) (7)
1 (6) 00-INDURO DE FONTAINE 14 L Allan 5-9-5 D Muscutt
2 (7)4500-CERULEAN 49 (T) I Furtado 4-9-4 K O'Neill
3 (2)5235-ELTHAM PALACE 73 D M Simcock 5-9-0 H Turner
4 (4) KAAHIRA D Loughnane 4-8-13 Rossa Ryan
5 (5) 44-OPTICALITY 36 Mitchell Hunt 4-8-13 R Hornby
6 (1) 03-SHE GOT THE LOOK 14 C & M Johnston 4-8-13 J Hart
7 (3) 62-TYPEWRITTEN 31 A Balding 4-8-13 D Probert
2-1 She Got The Look, 3-1 Cerulean, 4-1 Typewritten, 6-1 Kaahira, 7-1
Opticality, 12-1 Eltham Palace, 66-1 Induro De Fontaine.2.30 Maiden Hurdle (£4,466: 2m 4f) (5)
1 1-2BARROWDALE 34 (BF) D McCain 7-11-8 T Gillard (5)
2 33-34CONTEMPLATEMYFAITH 35 (BF) O Murphy 6-11-8A Coleman
3 KAYLEN'S MISCHIEF F577 D J Jeffreys 9-11-8 T Bellamy
4 2-22REILLY 46 (BF) D Skelton 6-11-8 H Skelton
5 343FRACHEL LOUISE 50 Dave Roberts 7-11-1 L Edwards
6-4 Reilly, 15-8 Contemplatemyfaith, 7-2 Barrowdale, 12-1 Rachel Louise, 14-
1 Kaylen's Mischief.3.00 Handicap Hurdle (£2,941: 2m 7f) (8)
1 -2031GREEN VAULT 4 (T) L Russell 6-11-12 A Doyle (7)
2 -4005SUTTON MANOR 36 (P) L Russell 11-11-8P W Wadge (10)
3 404-0QUICK PICK 24 (T,V) J Candlish 11-11-5 H Brooke
4 3P-04CALL SIMON 42 Nicky Martin 7-11-4 D Prichard (5)
5 006-0DIAKOSAINT 112 (P) P Kirby 7-10-1 S Coltherd
6 30553 MOIDORE 17 (CD) C & A Pogson 13-10-0 P Armson (7)
7 002U5AFRICAN GLORY 11 M Todhunter 8-10-0 D McMenamin
8 P-00PDEFINATELY VINNIE 192 (P,T) Miss J Mathias 12-10-0
C Ring (3)
1-2 Green Vault, 8-1 Moidore, 10-1 Sutton Manor, 12-1 African Glory,
Diakosaint, 14-1 Quick Pick, Call Simon, 100-1 Definately Vinnie.3.30 Handicap Hurdle (£3,758: 2m 4f) (5)
1 -U135HART OF STEEL 26 (D) D McCain 7-11-12 T Gillard (5)
2 230-3EATON COLLINA 248 Kerry Lee 7-10-13 R Patrick
3 30-34STAMINA CHOPE 106 Dave Roberts 6-10-11 L Edwards
4 412-4OXWICH BAY 79 (P,D) E Williams 10-10-10 A Wedge
5 6-P30GEROLAMO CARDANO 182 D J Jeffreys 6-10-6A Bellamy (7)
15-8 Hart Of Steel, 11-4 Eaton Collina, 3-1 Oxwich Bay, 13-2 Gerolamo
Cardano, 8-1 Stamina Chope.4.00 Novices' Hurdle (£4,466: 2m 1f) (10)
1 120-4BILLAMS LEGACY 18 (T) F O'Brien 7-11-0 P Brennan
2 6-0BONNIE BRESIL 57 H Daly 5-11-0 T J O'Brien
3 00-PCELESTIAL LIGHT 22 S-J Davies 6-11-0 C Ring (3)
4 1-COREY'S COURAGE 287 O Murphy 6-11-0 A Coleman
5 00P0PLUCKY MONARCH 54 (P) M Mullineaux 6-11-0C Ward (5)
6 6-3MAID ON THE MOON 253 A King 5-11-0 T Cannon
7 4-330PRIME TIME LADY 61 (H) M Rowley 5-11-0A Edwards (3)
8 3 ROCK OF FAME 49 V Williams 5-11-0 C Deutsch
9 6-06SHANTOU BOUDICCA 18 T Collier 6-11-0 R McLernon
10 3F056TARAGRACE 18 D McCain 6-11-0 T Gillard (5)
13-8 Corey's Courage, 3-1 Billams Legacy, 100-30 Rock Of Fame, 5-1 Maid On
The Moon, 14-1 Prime Time Lady, 20-1 others.Blinkered first time: Catterick 1.10 World Trip.Bangor-on-Dee
Rob Wright
1.30 Ring The Moon 3.00 Green Vault
2.00 Ballycross 3.30 Oxwich Bay
2.30 Contemplatemyfaith 4.00 Corey’s Courage
Going: chase: heavy; hurdle: soft, heavy in places
Sky Sports Racing
1.30 Handicap Chase (£2,723: 2m 1f) (7)
1 /0-44FAZAYTE 18 T Symonds 7-11-12 B Poste
2 1P-0FRING THE MOON 8 (T) E Williams 9-11-8 A Wedge
324310 KINGSTON KING 8 (T,CD) D Rees 8-10-7 P Armson (7)
4 4P-02WILDKATZE 12 (T) T R Gretton 6-10-0 L Harrison (3)
5 -4PP2ALTUMANINA 34 S Allwood 7-10-0 A Johns
6 62-4PROYAL ACT 13 (B) S-J Davies 10-10-0 W T Kennedy
7 -P565YOURHOLIDAYISOVER 8 (P,D) Georgie Howell 15-10-0
Tabitha Worsley (5)
3-1 Fazayte, 100-30 Ring The Moon, Altumanina, 4-1 Kingston King, 13-2
Wildkatze, 16-1 Royal Act, 25-1 Yourholidayisover.
2.00 Handicap Chase (£4,084: 3m) (10)
1 /10-0JOUEUR BRESILIEN 40 R Curtis 10-12-0 S Bowen
2 41-00SNUFF BOX 41 (CD) V Williams 11-11-13 C Deutsch
336211 CLONDAW PROMISE 37 (P) Jonjo O'Neill 8-11-12 K Brogan (3)
4 344-3BALLYCROSS 248 (D) N Henderson 11-11-12N De Boinville
5 53-4FPOTTERS VENTURE 40 P Hobbs 8-11-8 T J O'Brien
6 PP-56GOOD AND HARDY 40 (P) F O'Brien 9-11-5 P Brennan
7 42/60FLEMINPORT 14 Jonjo O'Neill 9-11-4 R McLernon
8 -0231ONE FER MAMMA 13 (P,D) M Sheppard 6-11-0S Sheppard
9 1210/CADEAU DU BRESIL 797 (W,D) J G Cann 10-10-13 N Scholfield
10 PF-2PASKING FOR ANSWERS 39 (V,D) M Todhunter 9-10-3
D McMenamin
9-4 Clondaw Promise, 3-1 One Fer Mamma, 7-1 Potters Venture, Ballycross,
10-1 Snuff Box, 12-1 Asking For Answers, 14-1 Good And Hardy, Fleminport.3.40 Handicap Hurdle (£4,030: 2m) (9)
1 /5F-6CURIOUS TIMES 12 (T) S Crawford (Ire) 9-11-12J J Slevin
222402 THATSY 12 (T,D) B Butterworth 8-11-12 Sean Quinlan
3 -2465PAWPAW 87 (T,D) P Webber 5-11-9 C Gethings
4 6-263SAYAR 18 (P,D) N Kent 9-11-7 C Hammond
5 1-422ANYHARMINASKING 37 Jonjo O'Neill 5-11-6 Jonjo O'Neill Jr
654126 KENSINGTON ART 16 (B,D) D McCain 6-11-4 B Hughes
7 432 PEARL WARRIOR 42 (P,T) I Jardine 6-11-0 C O'Farrell
8 -2F50KHANMURJAN 56 (T) S Crawford (Ire) 6-11-0 J Bowen
905140 ZAMOND 18 (B) D McCain 6-10-11 Miss A McCain (5)
11-4 Anyharminasking, 4-1 Pearl Warrior, Thatsy, 6-1 Curious Times, 10-1
Sayar, Kensington Art, 12-1 Khanmurjan, Pawpaw, 20-1 Zamond.
Wright choice: Pearl Warrior ran well at Market Rasen and
is unexposed Dangers Anyharminasking, Curious TimesCatterick
Rob Wright
12.40 Guerlain De Vaux 2.40 Mance Rayder
1.10 Tanora 3.10 Art Of Diplomacy
1.40 Melanamix 3.40 Pearl Warrior (nb)
2.10 A Different Kind
Going: soft, good to soft in places Racing TV
12.40 Novices' Hurdle
(£4,738: 3m 1f) (6 runners)
1 32U1PSTARSKY 15 (P) D Skelton 8-11-10 Mr T Durrell (7)
2 P2-15GREDIN 33 D McCain 6-11-5 B Hughes
3 51 GUERLAIN DE VAUX 42 O Sherwood 6-11-5 J J Burke
4 32-22BEST TRITION 32 (P,T) O Murphy 7-10-12
Gearoid Harney (10)
5 06-SIR JIM 382 (W) Ruth Jefferson 7-10-12 J Hamilton
6 0255PISLA DIAMONDS 32 M Sowersby 7-10-5 C Bewley
15-8 Best Trition, 5-2 Guerlain De Vaux, 3-1 Starsky, 4-1 Gredin, 25-1 Sir Jim,
66-1 Isla Diamonds.
Rob Wright’s choice: Guerlain De Vaux steps up in trip
after an easy win at Market Rasen Danger Starsky
1.10 Handicap Hurdle
(£3,976: 3m 1f) (11)
1 1-12AAZZA 36 (BF) R Dobbin 6-11-12 Craig Nichol
2 0-P65JESSIEMAC 40 (T,D) I Duncan 8-11-11 T Willmott (5)
3 1-26PWORLD TRIP 28 (B,T) O Murphy 7-11-5 F Gregory
4 -UP14WINTER HOLIDAY 25 Charlotte Fuller 8-10-12 Page Fuller
5 0P05-VELKERA 297 A Nicol 8-10-11 B Hughes
600442 TANORA 12 (T) S England 7-10-8 J England
7 /6-0PTHAT'S MY DUBAI 104 (CD) J K Hunter 9-10-7C O'Farrell
8 4-526BABY JANE 217 G Boanas 7-10-7 Miss Becky Smith (3)
9 -340PSEAPOINT 42 (B) J E Foster 8-10-6Emma Smith-Chaston (7)
10 60-46YORGUNNABEAMUNKY 36 (P) R Ross 6-10-0Sean Quinlan
11 60-05MADAM SCULLY 16 (T) Miss T Jackson 9-10-0S Mulqueen
15-8 Aazza, 5-2 Tanora, 8-1 World Trip, Jessiemac, 10-1 Velkera, 12-1 Winter
Holiday, 14-1 Baby Jane, 16-1 Yorgunnabeamunky.
Wright choice: Tanora had a breathing operation before a
good second here last time Dangers Seapoint, World Trip
1.40 Handicap Chase
(£3,594: 3m 1f) (9)
1 P4UP5SPIDER'S BITE 24 (T,V) A Nicol 10-11-12 B Hughes
2 -4632MELANAMIX 30 R M Smith 7-11-8 R Mania
3 6PF12NO CRUISE YET 16 (P,T) S England 7-11-7 J England
4 61F55SUPREME STEEL 63 (B) M Sowersby 11-10-5 C Bewley
5 -0026FAME AND HOPE 12 G Boanas 7-10-4 Sean Quinlan
6 5-056HIDDEN GLEN 32 (P) M Sowersby 9-10-1 Jack Hogan (7)
7 -0531TUMBLING DICE 12 (P,CD) Sue Smith 7-10-0 C O'Farrell
8 50P53HIDDEN CARGO 12 J Haynes 10-10-0 T Willmott (5)
9 0545PTHE VERY THING 12 (V) M Hammond 8-10-0
Miss Becky Smith (3)
11-4 Tumbling Dice, 10-3 Melanamix, 4-1 No Cruise Yet, 6-1 Fame And Hope,
8-1 Spider's Bite, 10-1 Hidden Cargo, 14-1 Supreme Steel, 25-1 others.
Wright choice: Melanamix was second here last time and
should stay this trip Dangers Spider’s Bite, Tumbling Dice2.10 NH Novices' Hurdle
(£4,738: 2m 3f) (4)
1 -1111A DIFFERENT KIND 43 D McCain 5-11-12 B Hughes
2 40-15ANY GIVIN SUNDAY 31 Jonjo O'Neill 6-11-8 Jonjo O'Neill Jr
3 JOHNSON'S BLUE M Walford 5-11-2 J Hamilton
4 -22PPLALOCHEZIA 10 Justin Landy 7-11-2 A Cawley
4-9 A Different Kind, 4-1 Lalochezia, 6-1 Any Givin Sunday, 16-1 Johnson's Blue.
Wright choice: A Different Kind won a better race at
Haydock and is hard to oppose Danger Any Givin Sunday
2.40 Handicap Chase (£15,609: 3m 6f) (8)
1 -6620ALMAZHAR GARDE 39 (P,T,C) C Longsdon 7-11-12
Luca Morgan (5)
2 -4111SIDI ISMAEL 18 (P,T) D Pipe 8-11-10 T Scudamore
3 12PPPWILLIAM OF ORANGE 34 (P,T,C) M Walford 11-10-11T Midgley (7)
4 1P-00SUPREME ESCAPE 40 (V) E Williams 8-10-9 J Bowen
5 0-P3PCHEF D'OEUVRE 14 (B,T) S England 11-10-9 J England
6 34U26MANCE RAYDER 33 (B) H Hogarth 9-10-9 J Hamilton
7 F-045CLASSIC ESCAPE 37 (B) P Kirby 9-10-4 B Hughes
8 2-0P5WHO'S IN THE BOX 18 (P) N Kent 8-10-1 C Hammond
11-10 Sidi Ismael, 6-1 Chef D'Oeuvre, 8-1 Who's In The Box, Classic Escape, Mance
Rayder, 10-1 Almazhar Garde, 14-1 Supreme Escape, 16-1 William Of Orange.
Wright choice: Mance Rayder was a fair sixth at Doncaster;
goes well here Dangers Sidi Ismael, Almazhar Garde3.10 Handicap Hurdle
(£4,030: 3m 1f) (6)
1 F3-20DALYOTIN 43 (P) R Menzies 6-11-11 N Moscrop (3)
2 4-215BILL BAXTER 23 (BF) W Greatrex 6-11-11 G Sheehan
3 4/4F6SERMANDO 36 (T) Jonjo O'Neill 8-11-6 Jonjo O'Neill Jr
406606 PERFECT MAN 18 M Hammond 11-11-4 A Cawley
5 F-612ART OF DIPLOMACY 9 Dr R Newland 6-11-2
S Twiston-Davies
662113 BE THE DIFFERENCE 28 (BF) P Kirby 6-11-0
J Williamson (5)
2-1 Art Of Diplomacy, 9-4 Bill Baxter, Be The Difference, 10-1 Sermando, 14-1
Dalyotin, 33-1 Perfect Man.
Wright choice: Art Of Diplomacy has improved since
stepped up in trip on his past two runs Danger Bill BaxterThe hours are counting down on one of
sport’s most epic two-fingered affronts
to authority. Officially, Rassie Eras-
mus’s 60-day ban will end on Saturday;
no one can be completely sure, though,
if his Twitter feed will then return to a
semblance of normality.
Even if he is brought back to heel,
though, we can be grateful for his bull-
dog Frank and the broken zip on his
Springbok coat which will remain for-
ever a part of his legacy.
Erasmus, the South Africa director of
rugby, was banned by World Rugby in
mid-November as a punishment for six
offences, most of which were contained
in the 62-minute video rant that
became a dominant influence in the
Springboks’ series win against the
British & Irish Lions last summer.
He was shut out from all match-day
activities until September but, more
immediately, was banned from any
rugby activities for 60 days. That meant
that he couldn’t go to work. That, in
turn, meant that he could stay at home,
launch a relentless attack on his wine
cellar and demonstrate that the chosen
fruits of his suspension were neither
remorse nor contrition but the grape,
white and red. Well, lager and Guinness
too, actually, and a load more besides.
As he said on Twitter on December
15, while his camera phone scans across
wine crates and beer fridges: “We’ll
handle every day as a Friday. We’ll
enjoy it, work hard on our discipline
and get it right. It’s a terrible ban, eh?”
When World Rugby handed down
the sentence, it was delivered with a ban
on speaking to the media. The error,
here, was to overlook social media.
Therein was a loophole that Erasmus
exploited with distilled abandon.
Almost daily, Erasmus has reminded
his Twitter following that his spirit has
not been quenched. There is a glass in
the foreground of numerous posts, just
as a reminder. The joke, it seems, is on
World Rugby; whether it is more on
himself is a matter for interpretation.
This is the revered man who led his
nation to their World Cup triumph in
2019, a point he reminds us of frequent-
ly, particularly in the post where he
pours a bottle of red into the Webb Ellis
Cup and then nearly drinks the con-
tents dry. Two years on, he is less states-
man, more bon viveur.
His most famous posts were of his
dancing. On December 17, he dad-
dances (wine bottle in the foreground)to the Nightcrawlers’ Push The Feeling
On, the high point of which is at the very
start, where he breaks the zip on his
coat, but pulls it up nevertheless and
continues with the performance.
That single post begat a new Twitter
account, @RassieDancing, in which his
moves were set to different songs. The
Smiths’ What Difference Does It Make is
one of the best and probably the
message he is aiming to send.
His co-star in all this is Frank The
Tank, his English bulldog, with whom
he wrestles when he is in his bed, teasing
him for his nationality. “You’re not
South African,” he says (December 5).
“You play for England, you’re a bully.
We’ll make a video of you cheating.”
On December 9, still dog-wrestling
in his bed, he gives Frank hope by tell-
ing him that he can eventually qualify
for the Springboks through the residen-
cy rule. Finally, on December 11, he tells
Frank that he will indeed play for the
Springboks and will replace the (out-
standing) prop, Trevor Nyakane.
There is no shortage of gloating. On
New Year’s Eve, he shares a clip of his
Springboks’ World Cup final celebra-
tions, “probably get into trouble for this
one,” he writes, adding: “Let’s park 2019
and only talk 2023 (we can mention the
BIL every now and then).” The BIL, of
course, are the British and Irish Lions.
On January 5, joining in the spirit of
it all, The Rugby Pod (from the UK)
tweets that he is the winner of their
Alternative Award for Top Social
Media. In reply, Erasmus says that “I am
not sure if you are pulling my chain” but
goes on to say that “It is lekker [Afri-
kaans for nice] when people understand
that a coach or a player or anybody is
full of mistakes.” Delivered in his trade-
mark ironic tone, the conclusion is that
he still doesn’t acknowledge that he
ever made a mistake in the first place.Owen Slot
Chief Sports
WriterFrank with a South African “identity
card” and a 2019 World Cup final ball64 Thursday January 13 2022 | the times