David Thiselton
Summerveld trainer Gareth van Zyl was very excited by the third place finish of King Pelles in Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Durban July and added that the Equus Champion Stayer had come out of the race well, so will be defending his crown in the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup on the 25th.
The result showed that the older horses were out at the weights with the three-year-olds and Gareth mentioned that before adding, “To have split the three-year-olds showed that he has improved, so it is very exciting.”
King Pelles was actually a touch unlucky as he was sitting in what was in retrospect the perfect position behind Wish List approaching the straight, but lost that position when Gladatorian switched outward off the rail.
Nevertheless, after being shuffled backwards and having to come around the horses in front he showed a fine turn of foot and became a threat to the three-year-olds Note To Self and Wish List.
He clung on to third place, beaten 1,55 lengths, just ahead of another three-year-old Viva’s Liberte.
Australian-based Chad Schofield, the son of former top Durban-born jockey Glyn Schofield, said afterwards he felt he had a chance of winning and added that he could feel that had the race been over a touch further he would have had a very good chance.
It was another heady day for chief owner Ravi Padayachee, with this being the passionate Durbanite’s first July runner, and in the last few hundred metres he and his fellow owners would likely have just about lifted the roof off the grandstand from his private box. To win the Hollywoodbets Durban July is every owner’s dream and would be an especially auspicious achievement for a hometown owner.
Ravi’s Lucky Vest 12 CC owns King Pelles in partnership with Dave MacLean, Gary Player and N V Parmanand.
King Pelles put all of them in the spotlight last season by landing four Gr 3 staying events including the KZN Derby, the Gold Vase and the Gold Cup and walking away with the Equus Champion Stayer award.
He has taken them on another exhilarating journey this Champions Season and will put the cherry on the top if successfully defending his Gold Cup crown, although he is going to have stiff opposition from this year’s Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers and Gr 3 Durban Gold Vase winner, the Justin Snaith-trained Ahead Of The Facts.
