Lafferty’s words during the week that having Piere Strydom was always “a big plus” were proved accurate in more ways than one.
Before reaching the start the colt pulled a shoe so awkwardly that it spread outwards and the nails were exposed.
However, the danger of injuring himself was averted by  Strydom’s quick thinking.
Upon looking down and seeing the potential calamity, Strydom immediately jumped off his mount and stood on the shoe, which caused it be pulled off completely.
Before that hiccup the Australian-bred colt had been the outstanding individual in the canter past, as he was unmistakeably in the mint of condition and strode out beautifully with his gliding like action.
Harry’s Son had been most unlucky in both of his previous two starts in the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Medallion over 1200m and the Gr1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m and his connections might have been excused for thinking history was about to repeat itself.
Horses often don’t return as well after being reshod, but this horse clearly has a superb temperament and he took it in his stride.
Part-owner Phil Georgiou quipped later, “Even Hussain Bolt needs re-spiking!”
KZN’s on course farrier Sean Leslie has a high pressure job, as the re-shodding needs to be done as quickly as possible and he obviously did a fine job in this case.
Harry’s Son settled beautifully in the running in midfield and then showed his usual fantastic turn of foot in the straight.
He kept going strongly after hitting the front and kept challengers on the inside and outside at bay.
The Mike de Kock-trained Jayyed was widely drawn and came from last to run a fine second, beaten just a neck, while his stablemate Anjaal and an unlucky Vaughan Marshall-trained MLJet finished a head further back in joint third. The Glen Kotzen-trained Light The Lights ran a cracker to be just a length back in fifth.
Harry’s Son’s will compete with the other Gr1 male winners, the Dennis Drier-trained Guiness and the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Afrikaburn, for the Equus Champion two-year-old colt/gelding award.
Guiness and Afrikaburn both beat Harry’s Son when winning their respective Gr1s in the Medallion and Golden Horseshoe, but they were both unplaced in their only subsequent Gr1 outings, with Harry’s Son ahead of them. Therefore, Harry’s Son’s two Gr1 thirds will likely swing the scale in his favour.
Afrikaburn went into Saturday’s race unbeaten in three starts, but ran below par and could only manage eighth.
Harry’s Son’s sire Haradasun was a three-time Gr1 winner and among them was a victory in the Queen Anne Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot.
Bloodstock agent James Bester chose him at a Magic Millions Sale in Australia and Lafferty put the syndicate together.
The owners are Roy Moodley, Phil Georgiou, Mr and Mrs Doug Steyn, DA Maisenbacher, MM Bilro and A Bilro.
Harry’s Son is improving continuously as he strengthens and apparently went into Saturday’s race 15kg heavier than his previous outing.
He looks unlikely to just end up as a precocious two-year-old so a lot more will be heard of him.
Picture: Nkosi Hlophe