Leading South African jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe is set to have his first ride in Britain at Wolverhampton on Friday when he partners Cold As Ice in the £19,000 32Red Fillies Conditions Stakes.
The seven-furlong (1400m) Tapeta contest is a Fast-Track Qualifier for the £150,000 32Red.com All-Weather Fillies’ & Mares’ Championships Conditions Stakes over the same distance on Polytrack at Lingfield Park on Good Friday, March 25.
Bernard Fayd’Herbe (Nkosi Hlophe)
Fayd’Herbe has partnered some of South Africa’s best horses since he started riding in 1996, including three-time champion Pocket Power and J J The Jet Plane, on whom he won the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan, Dubai, in 2011.
He heads to Wolverhampton to ride South African import Cold As Ice, who also makes her UK debut for Newmarket trainer William Haggas.
The four-year-old filly has won five of her seven starts, which have all been at Kenilworth, including a pair of impressive Gr2 victories. She was beaten a short-head on her latest appearance in the Gr1 Majorca Stakes over a mile in January.
Haggas said: “Bernard has a contract with the owners (Kathy Finch and Bridget Kieswetter) in South Africa and they asked if he could come over. He rode Cold As Ice on Tuesday morning and seemed very happy with her.
“I think it is his first ride in the UK and it will be an interesting experience for him. He has ridden all over the world and is a top-class jockey.
“Cold As Ice came to us in July and I didn’t want to spend the winter doing nothing with her, so the owners and I decided to give her a go on the All-Weather and this seemed the obvious route to go.
“She should be fit enough to run a good race. Obviously, it is a Fast-Track Qualifier so we are hoping to get qualification out of the way but she might keep running on the All-Weather. We will see how we go on Friday first and then decide.”
A field of nine for the 32Red Fillies Conditions Stakes also features Lamar, who has already qualified for All-Weather Championships Finals Day following a game victory in the Listed 32Red/ebfstallions.com Fleur de Lys Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield Park on October 29.
Marco Botti has declared Italian Listed winner Kyllachy Queen and Fleur de Lys Fillies’ Stakes sixth Alfajer, while Invoke who was seventh behind Lamar at Lingfield Park, is also set to line up.
The third All-Weather Championships run from Thursday, October 29, 2015 and culminate with All-Weather Championships Finals Day on Good Friday, March 25, 2016, at Lingfield Park. The seven races on All-Weather Championships Finals Day are worth a total of £1.1 million.
– racenews.co.uk
