Paul Barrett and Paul Reeves believe they just might have found the good horse they have been looking for all these years. Certainly Helen’s Ideal could hardly have been more impressive on debut at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Despite losing valuable ground at the start of the TAB Telebet Maiden Juvenile Fillies, she was three lengths clear two furlongs out and came away in the closing stages to win by almost five with Donovan Dillon declaring: “She went down like a winner and she came back even better.”
Reeves, who has an increased hand of 14 two-year-olds this term, added: “It’s wonderful to have a filly like this in my yard. She is pure quality and very special.”
Donovan Dillon
Barrett bought a half share in the Ideal World filly from breeder Peter de Beyer in a sponsor’s marquee after having a few drinks – not always the wisest preliminary – before the enormity of his mistake suddenly hit him. “I was under the impression I was buying a yearling but I then realised she was only a little foal. I thought ‘What have I done?’”
De Beyer softened the blow by insisting on naming her after Barrett’s amazing wife Helen who has bravely and repeatedly defied both cancer and medical opinion. “I’m due a good horse – I’ve had enough bad ones,” said her husband. “Now it looks as if I’ve got a real racehorse.”
What was billed, by this scribe and others, as Aldo Domeyer’s day proved expensive. He rode six favourites and was beaten on four of them including supposed certainty More Magic in the first. The 2-7 shot was one of only three to come up the stands side – according to penetrometer readings three per cent faster than the inside – and after that the jockeys avoided this part of the course as religiously as if it was infected by a plague.
Over 100mm of rain during the week made the course much softer than usual but Domeyer said: “I don’t think it made much difference to More Magic. She probably wants further but I know the winner was fancied a bit.”
That was Mr Green Street who made all at 10-1 under Craig Zackey to give Green Street Bloodstock its 50th success in three years.
“This one was led through the ring unsold at the Emperors Palace Select in April last year,” Justin Vermaak recalled. “Chris Snaith came to me and asked if I would like him to buy the horse for us. He cost R100 000 which is just below our average.”
Andre Nel declared six, scratched three (including Vase who broke through the pens and bolted) and won with the other three to add to winners at Fairview and Greyville and underline that his soul-destroying virus is finally history.
The final leg of the Kenilworth treble was East Lynne, ridden by the talented Sandile Mbhele who also scored on the well-backed Victorious Captain for Vaughan Marshall and now has only four winners to go before losing his 4kg claim.
BLOB Sadly Ronnie Sheehan’s wife Jackie died on Friday night. She had not been well for quite some time.
By Michael Clower
