David Thiselton
Chad Little is joint top of the national jockeys log at present and he will have a chance of maintaining his lofty position, because the powerful Tony Peter yard have confirmed his partnership with them on Saturday was not just a temporary arrangement.
The Peter yard gave Warren Kennedy a high percentage of his winners for his two national championships and the arrangement with Little will be similar in that he will not be based on the Highveld but will travel for rides.
Paul Peter said, “It will be more less the same as it was with Warren, but we do also have Gavin (Lerena) up here and it must be remembered Chad can’t ride most weights, whereas Warren could ride anything from 50kg upwards, so it’s a bit tricky with Chad but we are going to give him a chance.”
On Saturday he had five rides for the yard for a win, a second, a third, a fourth and an unplaced run.
The yard obviously rate Chad and Paul Peter confirmed, “Chad is different class, he is a top, top jockey. He rode for me in the past for a long time and he is very close to our hearts, he is close to the family, he is a very good man and is a proper horseman. He has got great hands, he gives great feedback, good out the gates, very strong in a finish, he is an all rounder and we are very blessed to have him, it is just a pity he can’t ride lightweights.”
Chad’s official restricted weight in 56,5kg.
He has also formed a good association with Juan Nel in Gqeberha and, on top of his association with Glen Kotzen, he delivered five winners in his last five rides for the Lucinda Woodruff yard in KZN. The latter will likely be keen to use him in Cape Town.
His chief loyalty will always be with Glen Kotzen, who set Chad on the path to unleashing the potential he was always known to possess.
The winner Chad rode for Tony Peter on Saturday was a Suzette and Basie Viljoen-owned Hawwaam filly called Perfect Miracle, who waltzed in by 6,25 lengths at 33/10 odds and never looked threatened by the 5/10 favourite Quiet Winter, who could only manage third place in the end.
The Klawervlei Stud-bred filly might turn out to be a bargain buy for the Viljoens. At the Cape Racing Sales Winter Mixed Sale of 2023 they purchased Perfect Miracle’s dam, the Tiger Ridge mare Freddy’s Sister, who won four times from 1200m to 1400m, for R25,000 and at the same time bought the weanling Perfect Miracle for R90,000.
Their Hopes And Dreams stud then put Perfect Miracle on the BSA National Yearling Sale and she seems to have been a buy back as she was purchased by Peter Racing for R425,000.
Hawwaam’s progeny were quiet in his freshman season, but the impressive win by Perfect Miracle suggests the Silvano stallion could reach the heights expected of him.
Paul Peter said, “We’ve got a few Hawwaams and they are all showing ability. They take a little bit of time and we don’t push them too quick, because remember Hawwaam had a bit of a temperament. So especially as she is a filly we took our time with Perfect Miracle. It is paying dividends now and she will reward us. She showed us decent work, but we never thought she was that good. Chad was very impressed with her.”
The yard are also looking forward to the campaigns of some other top horses this season.
Their Gr 1 Mercury Sprint winner Buffalo Bill Cody is in fine fettle and Paul said, “He has taken his campaign to Durban very well. He just wants to get on with it, we were trying to give him a break but after one week we had to bring him back to track, he was just getting out of hand. Tony plans the campaigns with the owners so I’m not sure what his program will be. He is a better horse around the turn at this stage, but with a bit more experience he will produce it down the straight, because he has won down the straight. He is a very young horse mentally-wise, he is very immature, and he will just keep on improving. That is why I think he is so special.”
The yard’s imported Galileo entire The Equator’s stallion credentials for owners Willem Ackerman and advocate Nigel Riley of Heversham Park have been bolstered by his three-parts sister, the Frankel filly Lake Victoria, who added to her three Gr 1 wins as a two-year-old (Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Moyglare Stakes, Cheveley Park Stakes) by winning this year’s Gr 1 Irish 2000 Guineas.
The Equator also bolstered his sire potential by winning his second start in South Africa, a Pinnacle event over 1800m, by two lengths at Turffontein Standside under Gavin Lerena and he is being targeted at the Betway Summer Cup.
Paul said, “He won well and took the race very well. I think it is just onwards and upwards with him. He might be a five-year-old (by Southern Hemisphere measures) but he didn’t have much racing in Ireland and the U.K. and he was still a little bit green and spooky and the first-time blinkers last time out just settled him down. In Durban he was very green and running away from the grandstand. I think there is a lot of improvement to come. His pedigree will come out, he is so well bred, and he has got a huge action. He is just a natural.”
Paul also mentioned The Ultimate King, who was a Hollywoodbets Durban July entry last season.
He said, “He is also very decent. He is also a bit immature and we will see the best of him this season. He is running on Saturday if the field stands up.”
