CTS Million Dollar-winning part-owner Francis Carruthers admitted “disbelief” had been one of the emotions he had felt when leading 16/1 shot Illuminator into the winner’s enclosure at Kenilworth on Saturday.
It was perhaps the same emotion a direct ancestor of his, Johnstone Douglas, had felt 130 years ago after his horse Old Joe had won the 1886 Grand National at odds of 25/1.
Carruthers is neither horseman nor pedigree fundi, so leaves the Sales selection process to his trainer Glen Puller. However, he had always wanted to buy a racehorse sired by the much admired stallion, Trippi.
Of the handful of Trippi’s available at the CTS March Yearling Sale of 2014, he had ended up with a shortlist of two. Puller had then selected “the better of the two”, the Klawervlei Stud-bred colt Illuminator.
Illuminator (Liesl King)
Carruthers reiterated, “I haven’t got a clue what a good horse looks like at the Sales and rely entirely on the advice of others, including Glen, who is an exceptional horseman and probably his best quality is his knowledge of which horses can be bought.”
Carruthers has shares in a number of horses, but had also always wanted to take the risk of owning one by himself. Fortuitously, Illuminator became the chosen one to fulfil this dream.
Carruthers was “very impressed” when Puller managed to secure the Trippi colt for what, even at the time, looked a bargain R180,000.
After the Sales, friend and regular racing partner Ian Robinson approached him and a deal was made whereby Robinson would get 20% of Illuminator in exchange for shares in some other horses.
“It was a very shrewd deal on Ian’s part,” laughed Carruthers.
Carruthers is clearly fond of the colt and said, “He is the naughtiest horse you can imagine. When he is being shoe-ed he has been known to pick up the farrier’s leg and drag him across the yard. He has a playful nature and often has to be put in the naughty box at the races where he can get out of hand.”
Carruthers was not as confident as Robinson when arriving at the course on Saturday. Firstly, the experienced and world class jockey Weichong Marwing had been replaced by apprentice Heavelon van der Hoven, who was going to be unable to claim his normal 2,5kg allowance. He added, “Ian thought we had a chance, but I questioned whether our horse was absolutely up to it and I didn’t think we could possibly win it – the like of Silver Mountain and Hard Day’s Night are super horses.”
He was also concerned about the saddling procedure knowing how “coltish” Illuminator can be. The colt duly played up in the parade ring, but arrived at the start safe and sound.
Carruthers admitted to being nervous as the off time approached and therefore decided to watch on his own, choosing a spot in front of a TV monitor.
Illuminator had a lot of ground to make up in the straight and Carruthers said, “You never know whether they can make it up or not.”
However, it became apparent in the closing stages he was going to win. Carruthers added, “He won well and in another twenty or thirty yards he would likely have been further ahead.”
His immediate emotion was “shell shock”. He made his way down to greet his horse and lead him into the winner’s enclosure and recalled, “To have won the country’s richest ever race – I was extremely happy and amazed!” The winning stake cheque to be shared by connections was worth US$500,000 and at the exchange rate this translated into R8,39 million.
Illuminator did not race as a two-year-old but Carruthers had spoken to Puller at the beginning of this season and the CTS Million Dollar had always been the colt’s chief target.
The Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas had been another target and Carruthers would really have liked to have won that race. Considering the way the colt ran on Saturday, Carruthers now believes “the trigger” was pulled too early in the Guineas, although Illuminator had still managed a respectable 3,65 length eighth to the subsequent Gr 1 L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate runner up Noah From Goa.
Van Der Hoven has in fact ridden Illuminator three times and on all three occasions they have won. Those have been Illuminator’s only three wins in a six start-career to date, so it was an inspired decision by Puller to give the apprentice the ride. Van der Hoven had phoned Puller after learning of Marwing’s decision to stand down (due to reported back trouble).
Illuminator’s future will likely be discussed later this week. However, having downed the brilliant Gr 1-winning filly Silver Mountain on Saturday by 0,75 lengths, his prospects look bright.
The colt is out of the five-times winning Listed-placed Al Mufti mare Pacific Lights, who is a half-sister to the Gr 1 Allan Robertson-winning Silvino mare Silver Arc.
Carruthers has a good racing pedigree himself. Besides a grandfather on his father’s side having owned a Grand National winner, his grandfather on his mother’s side was the famous racing correspondent of the Daily and Sunday Express, Geoffrey Gilbey.
Carruthers was able to speak to Lester Piggot at Saturday’s races and the legendary jockey remembered Gilbey, who actually has a race in England named in his honour, the Geoffrey Gilbey Handicap Chase, which is run at Newbury racecourse in late February or early March.
Carruthers’ first introduction to horseracing was through his father, who worked for the keen racehorse owner the Earl Of Rosebery.
His father and he used to attend the races at Musselburgh racecourse in Scotland together.
Carruthers’ first foray into racehorse ownership was many years ago when he had a horse with veteran Cape Town trainer Greg Ennion, which won one race. He later had a horse with Joey Ramsden and in unison they decided to retire this horse after just one start.
“It wasn’t a brilliant start to ownership,” he reflected.
About three years ago he became involved in the game again through friends Ken Martin and Ian Robinson and together the trio decided to support former jockey and now trainer Glen Puller. Carruthers has shares in about 20 horses today.
The CTS Cape Premier Yearling Sale of last week was “out of his price bracket” and he was also away holidaying in Namibia.
However, Illuminator looks sure to “brighten up” a few more race days for the partnership of Carruthers and Robinson, whose loyalty to a relatively small yard has paid handsome dividends.
By David Thiselton
