The Paul Peter yard will discuss whether to send Lebelo Sprint winner Rebel’s Champ down for the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship this week.

Meanwhile, Duncan Howells has nominated his crack three-year-old Thanksgiving for the Grade 1 Cape Derby and Fiorella for the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes on Sun Met day.

Peter said Rebel’s Champ prefers a little sting out of the ground, whereas the going at this time in Cape Town is firm so the decision to send him down will not be taken lightly.

The Rebel King four-year-old gelding, owned by the Hyperpaint Syndicate, cost just R10,000 at the sales where he was selected by Peter.

He recalled, “He looked like a little teddy bear with a long winter coat. But I looked through the coat and he was very immature. He has a lovely action and a lovely temperament and gets better all the time. He is very strong, he is stocky and thick set with a strong hindquarter and lovely shoulder, he has the perfect build for a sprinter. He has had his quirks which we have worked on.”

Indeed, as one stage he appeared to prefer running in isolation.
Peter confirmed, “Yes he was a bit claustrophobic but as he gets older it does not worry him so much and the blinkers have helped a lot.”

Howells’ Dynsaty colt Thanksgiving impressed when second in the Grade 2 Dingaans and followed up with a classy win over 1600m at Greyville last week.

He said, “He won’t have a problem with the distance. He and Fiorella will travel down ten days before to give me time to work on them down there. He is not difficult to train and is pretty fit.”

Howells had intended to run Fiorella in the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes this Saturday but had to shelve that plan.

He said, “She ran a bit of a flat race in Johannesburg last time and took the race hard.”

By David Thiselton