Woodruff didn’t do quite as well as last year when sending out the trifecta but his remarks that Louis The King’s preparation had gone perfectly and that Killua Castle’s last run from a wide draw in the “bog” could be ignored proved to be spot on. 

Louis The King was placed perfectly about six lengths off the pace that was set reluctantly by Bold Inspiration and was not a strong one. The mare Jet Belle struck the front quite early in the straight and took about a two length lead but challengers began coming from all sides in the drying ground, which was officially posted as “good”.

The crowd roared as Louis The King, backed in to 18/10, began closing in on the outside but in the meantime his 66/1 shot stablemate Killua Castle had burst through in the centre. Louis The King then showed the courage that is the hallmark of all great champions. Both protagonists drifted towards the inside but it was the four-year-old Alchemy-bred Black Minnaloushe colt that responded to the crowd’s urging and managed to extract the necessary extra, despite carrying 59kg and giving Killua Castle 2,5kg.

The winning margin was 0,25 lengths and there was then a further 2,75 lengths back to the Tyrone Zackey-trained Gr 2 Victory Moon winner  Judicial. The Gr 1 Gold Cup winner the Brett Crawford-trained Wavin’ Flag was next best ahead of the Victory Moon runner up, the Alec Laird-trained Earl Of Derby. The Gavin van Zyl-trained No Worries filled the all important 6th place, as the Tote paid out that number of places.

Up and coming trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren took a chance entering Unparalleled in the Gr 2 Investec Dingaans over 1600m considering the gelding had taken five runs to win his maiden and was rated only 86. However, his belief in the Alchemy-bred by Lateral proved spot on as he came from a handy position off a strong pace and galloped on strongly to win by a facile 4,25 lengths under Gavin Lerena, defying his 55/1 odds. The favourite Harry’s Son took a bump early but was well positioned to strike and appeared to be cruising at the 300m. However, he could only plug on gamely and although he put 1,25 lengths between himself and the rest of the  field, the impression given was that he might prefer an easier mile. French Navy finished third ahead of the winner’s fancied female stablemate Siren’s Call and Illuminati was fifth.

Gavin van Zyl had a strong hand in the Gr 3 Fillies Mile and in the end it was the most fancied of his quintet, the Mauritzfontein-owned and bed Horse Chestnut filly Banbury, that was given a superbly judged ride by Piere Strydom to catch the Tote favourite Smart Call late and win by 1,25 lengths. The fancied Ataab was a further two lengths back in third.

The Gr 2 Stonach Group Racing Merchants over 1160m was won by the Highlands Farms Stud-bred three-year-old Trippi colt Trip To Heaven, who is trained by Sean Tarry and was ridden by birthday boy S’manga Khumalo. The classy 2/1 favourite crept closer from some way off the pace before showing a fantastic turn of foot and winning by 1,5 lengths from One Man’s Dream and the winner’s stablemate Blazing Al.

The Gr 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge over 1600m saw the Woodruff-trained Arcetri Pink proving her liking for course and distance and bursting out of the pack to win comfortably under Gavin Lerena at odds of 6/1. She is an Australian-bred by Rock Of Gibraltar and won the Gr Gauteng Guineas over course and distance last season. Pine Princess ran on well to just pip the favourite Carry On Alice for second. The latter is a top class three-year-old and didn’t have an ideal preparation as her seasonal reappearance was just nine days earlier and she should bounce back from this defeat.

The Ormond Ferraris-trained three-year-old Toreador filly Lazer Star remained unbeaten when showing pace throughout to win the Gr 3 Hardware Magnolia Handicap easily over 1160m under Weichong Marwing from Winter Star and Pej. The Tawny Syndicate bred horse is owned by Marwing’s wife Anneline and started 4/1 favourite.

The Dominic Zaki-trained five-year-old Highlands Farm Stud-bred Dynasty gelding Shimmering Gem showed amazing guts and staying power to win the Gr 3 Racing Association Handicap over 3200m by a comfortable margin under Khumalo.

Picture: Hack Media