Whisky Baron’s Hong Kong plans abandoned
BRETT CRAWFORD and the owners of Whisky Baron have abandoned rich Hong Kong ambitions for last year’s Sun Met winner and the five-year-old may now join William Haggas at Newmarket.
Crawford said yesterday: “Whisky Baron wasn’t doing well so I didn’t see much point in sending him to Hong Kong (for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup on April 29).
“He is now in quarantine in Dubai – he has to do three weeks there – and then he goes back to Newmarket where he may join William Haggas to race there.
“I’m obviously disappointed but it’s not easy for him travelling all the time and we want to do what is best for the horse.”
Haggas, whose wife is a daughter of the legendary Lester Piggott, has become one of the most fashionable and sought-after trainers in England in recent years.
He is also a regular visitor to South Africa during the Cape season.
Fayd’Herbe
Bernard Fayd’Herbe, who won the Fillies Guineas on Snowdance at Kenilworth in December but was replaced by Grant van Nierkerk when he couldn’t do the weight in the Klawervlei Majorca, will be back on her in the Daisy Fillies Guineas at Greyville on May 4.
Snaith Racing has also declared Sun Met winner Oh Susanna for the Daisy Fillies as well as for the Daisy Guineas on the same card but apparently she is far from certain to run.
Jonathan Snaith said yesterday: “If she does run that day it will be against the colts but we might not run her at all.”
The stable would like to give her an outing before the Woolavington on June 2 but there is no suitable preliminary (Jonathan: “That’s the problem”). Callan Murray has been booked for the Clinton Binda-trained Premier Show in the Daisy Guineas and Raymond Danielson for Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Mardi Gras while Fayd’Herbe rides Cape Derby runner-up Do It Again for the Snaiths.
Van Niekerk will partner stable companion Copper Force – beaten less than half a length by Legal Eagle in the Queen’s Plate – in the Independent on Saturday Drill Hall Stakes.
Brave Move
Brave Move will step up to feature-race company after making it four in a row with a gutsy performance in the TAB Telebet Handicap at Durbanville yesterday despite some spirited opposition.
First Sandile Mbhele tried to slip the field on lightweight Philae and then Van Niekerk launched second favourite Intothelimelight with a determined final furlong bid.
Brave Move’s response was simply to quicken again.
Aldo Domeyer was understandably impressed, saying: “She had every opportunity to get beat but when the other filly came at me she found more.”
Adam Marcus was even more thrilled and said: “This horse has the X factor. Giving away the weight she did to all except Epona and then being able to kick away was special.
“She will only have two more runs during the winter – the Ladies Mile and the Final Fling.”
Mike Stewart – “It’s not easy with a small string and I only have 35 horses” – doubled up with Silver Streamer and all-the-way scorer Count Rosberg who earned more than enough to have an apparently badly-needed wind operation.