WORLD POOL GOLD CUP (Grade 3) – 3200m – R 1 000 000
KING PELLES
Trainer: Gareth van Zyl
Jockey: S’Manga Khumalo
BRED: Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert)
OWNED BY: Lucky Vest 12 CC (Nom: Mr Ravi Padayachee), Messrs D D MacLean, G J Player & N V Parmanand
HKJC CHAMPIONS CUP (Grade 1) – 1800m – R 1500 000
GLADATORIAN
Trainer: Stuart Ferrie
Jockey: Sean Veale
BRED BY: Erasmus Thoroughbreds CC
OWNED: Messrs Late Agasthamuni Gujadhur, E G Hart de Keating, M L Jean Hardy & M J L Nairac
MERCURY SPRINT (Grade 1) – 1200m – R 1000 000
Buffalo Storm Cody
Trainer: Tony Peter
Jockey: Gavin Lerena
BRED BY: Narrow Creek Stud
OWNED: Kestorm Investments (Nom: Mr Kenneth Pillay)
Gladatorian puts The Real Prince to the sword
Sean Veale salutes as Gladatorian gets the betting of favourite The Real Prince in the finish of the Gr1 HKJC Champions Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday. It was the first Gr1 for trainer Stuart Ferrie. Picture: Race Coast/Candiese Lenferna
Gr1 HKJC Champions Cup
Stuart Ferrie recorded the biggest win of his career as Gladatorian scored a memorably victory in the Gr1 HKJC Champions Cup, final Gr1 of the current season. Ridden by Sean Veale, Gladatorian put in a tremendous finish to catch Hollywoodbets Durban July winner The Real Prince while See It Again, second two years back and third last year, had once again to be content with third. Dave The King, out to defend his crown after winning last year, took up the running as expected and was going great guns at the top of the home straight. However, the tank was empty as The Real Prince moved up on his inside after shaking off the attentions of See It Again. The Real Prince looked to have the race in the bag before Gladatorian arrived with a wet sail to snaffle him close home.
The race was not without incident as Royal Victory stuck up on the way to the start and was eventually scratched by the stipendiary stewards. The gelding refused to move in spite of the urgings of Piere Strydom who was having his final ride in a Gr1 before retiring at the end of the season this week.
The race was also a fitting send-off for co-owner Michel Nairac who retires at the end of the month after steering Gold Circle through troubled waters and securing KZN racing future in a venture with Hollywood Sports Holdings.
Gr3 World Pool Gold Cup
Gareth van Zyl saddled his second winner of the Gr3 World Pool Gold Cup after Paths Of Victory in 2020 as King Pelles justified favouritism with a superb victory under S’Manga Khumalo who was winning the race for the third time. Coming off wins in the Gr3 Tote Derby and the Gr3 Gold Vase, King Pelles was looking for a hat-trick of staying-race wins and will surely be crowned this season’s Equus Champion Stayer. It was an excellent training feat by Van Zyl who had this race earmarked for his charge long in advance. Previous winner Future Swing tried to make all under Keagan de Melo but stayed on gamely for third ahead of the luckless Holding Thumbs who has finished runner-up to King Pelles in their last four meetings that included the Gr3 Chairmans Cup at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
Grade 1 Douglas Whyte Stakes
Alan Greeff rounded off an exceptional season training the three best two-year-old fillies in the country. Direct Hit won the Gr1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship, Anotherdanceforme won the Gr2 Golden Slipper and Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery winner Golden Palm rounded it all off by winning the Gr1 Douglas Whyte Stakes to enhance her chances of being named Equus Two-year-old Filly of the Year at next month’s awards. All three fillies were ridden by reigning champion Richard Fourie who rode a confident race on Golden Palm. Sitting midfield in the early exchanges, he asked his filly for maximum coming off the false rail and she responded smartly, reeling in the opposition to win rather comfortably, with Tina Lovelace edging stable companion One Fine Winter for second.
Grade 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes
Henk Leyenaar was part of the syndicate involved in the ownership of star Mike de Kock-trained mare Ipi Tombe and the two were back in the winner’s enclosure 23 years later as Jan Van Goyen turned in a super impressive performance in the Gr1 World Pool Moment of the Day Champion Stakes. Leyenaar was on course to lead in the colt and jockey Callan Murray along with Mike and Mathew de Kock. Count Of Rouen went to the front at a modest gallop tracked by Tin Pan Alley and Jan Van Goyen. Count Of Rouen tried gamely to hold onto his lead pressed by Tin Pan Alley, but neither were able to hold off the challenge from Jan Van Goyen who motored past to win as he liked.
Gr1 Mercury Sprint
Champion jockey Gavin Lerena took no prisoners in winning his first Grade 1 race in KZN as he took Buffalo Storm Cody forward early and was not for the catching in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint. Kenneth Pillay is a staunch supporter of the Tony Peter yard and was rewarded as Buffalo Storm Cody scored his fifth win from his last five starts after being gelded. He finished fourth in the recent Gr3 Post Merchants but Lerena revealed that his mount had ducked from the lights and he was confident of a better performance yesterday. Favourite Tenango had it all to do from his wide draw but Aldo Domeyer did a fine job of getting him across and although finishing strongly he was left with too much to do with the mare Asiye Phambili winning a tight battle with Cats Pajamas for third.
