Ricky Maingard aims to parachute into Met
RED TAPE: TRAINER MAY HAVE TO OVERCOME QUARANTINE ISSUES ʂ Coenie de Beer shows the way.
Apart from training one of SA’s legends of the turf, he’s a qualified engineer and about to throw a spanner in the works of the newly-sponsored R5million Sun Met.
Ricky Maingard, a top trainer in Mauritius since moving there in 2007, has a plan to bring his best horse, Parachute Man, to contest the big Kenilworth race on 28 January.
If he can overcome quarantine problems he believes Parachute Man will be competitive.
“If we get in (the final field), it would be a 100% challenge from Mauritius as Karis Teetan would ride the horse,” said Ricky.
“Whether he’ll make the final cut I’m not sure as it depends on how they rate the top 20 runners. But looking at the initial 27 entries, I think we have a fair chance of making the top 20.”
“The problem we face is the SA Directorate of Animal Health in Pretoria are not happy for Parachute Man, and his travelling companion, Blaze Of Noon, to be quarantined at Kenilworth which is only an export approved facility and not an import one.”
“It is of course essential that the horse be stabled where he can work and exercise and that temporary permission be granted.”
“If Kenilworth quarantine is permitted and an import permit granted, we will probably take the flight from Mauritius to Cape Town around 21 January.”
Since being granted a trainers licence in 1975, Ricky has sent out a steady stream of winners on the holiday island.
Ricky left Mauritius for England when 19-years-old and arrived in South Africa in 1969. Over the years he trained a number of top performers including Run For Lily, Rhapsody’s Footsteps and Fairy Ring. However, it was Wolf Power who put him on the map.
The grey won back-to-back Queen’s Plates in 1983 and 1984 and was voted “Horse-Of-TheYear” in 1984.
Wolf Power stood at stud in America in 1985 He died in 2011 at the age of 24.
When Ricky watches the replay of Saturday’s World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes dominated by Legal Eagle and Marinaresco, he’ll know Parachute Man has a mountain to climb if these two horses are in the Sun Met field. ***
At Turffontein on Saturday, Vaal trainer, Coenie de Beer, crowned a memorable year when landing a double with Gold Shades and Lady Starlett.
A guy who keeps very much to himself and rarely gives post-race interviews, Coenie lets his champion sprinter, Talktothestars, do the talking for him against the best speedsters in the land.
Although it’s rare for a small stable to have much success against the big Gauteng operations, Coenie has proved he can win with a horse if it’s good enough.
He’s also not afraid to put on a rider who gets few opportunities so it’s a feather in his cap that he booked Lucas Bester for Talktothestars in Kimberley and Lady Starlett at Turffontein on Saturday.