Tiger burns bright in Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge
COURAGE: PRINCE OF KAHAL, VISTULA SHOW TRUE GRIT IN WINNING RESPECTIVE RACES
Fillies complete 1450m in 1.74secs faster than the colts.
Poet William Blake could well have been writing about Prince Of Kahal when he penned “Tyger, Tyger”. “And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?”
Showing all the courage of the “tyger” of Blake’s verse, Prince Of Kahal fought all the way to the line to win the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track on Saturday.
In a race filled with drama, beginning with 11-10 favourite Buffalo Bill Cody losing many lengths at the start, this Roy Magner-trained five-year-old gelding got his head down on the line to beat Zouaves with long-time leader Chijmes the same distance back in third and Infamous Fox another head back in fourth.
Immediately after the race the siren sounded, indicating an inquiry. In fact, there were two, one into the start and a second, which resulted in an objection by the stipendiary stewards, was for interference by Zouaves against Infamous Fox.
The start was declared okay but the objection was upheld, making the official result 1-Prince Of Kahal, 2-Chijmes, 3-Infamous Fox, 4-Zouaves.
“We call him Tiger in the stable,” said Magner. “We love him but he’s very arrogant. He doesn’t like being told what to do.
“It’s his way or no way, but then again, he is always doing his best anyway so you can’t complain”.
Prince Of Kahal, who went off 15-1, was ridden by apprentice Dennis Schwarz who now has four wins from four rides on this son of Kahal.
The gelding’s record on the course is now six runs for five wins and a fourth place.
Less than 0.50 lengths separated the first five runners past the post, while Buffalo Bill Cody, who ended up in 10th place, was beaten just 3.50 lengths, less than the distance he gave away at the start.
The most excited person on the course when Prince Of Kahal won was undoubtedly his groom, Phumlani. He kept shouting: “Tiger, Tiger” and rolled on the turf with delight.
“He loves this horse,” said Magner, “but then, we all do.”
The fillies’ race was equally as tight as Paul Peter-trained Vistula (3-1) fought hard to get the better of Gin Fizz, edging ahead two strides before the post to win by a neck. Perfect Tigress ran a cracker under Piere Strydom to run third with Sean Tarry-trained Spiritofthegroove in fourth.
Vistula, who had been the ante-post favourite, did not get the best of breaks from No 11 draw but fought gallantly all the way to the line.
Jockey Warren Kennedy, who is have another great season, said his mount did not get away that well. “Fortunately, they went at a good gallop and that allowed her to run on. I don’t see her getting further than 1600m but she is very good, and I was encouraged by the way she fought.”
He added that although she was not fully would up last time, she actually felt better in her last start on the Standside track. “It was probably because this was her second run after a layoff.”
Muzi Yeni, who rode secondplaced Gin Fizz, believes his mount will easily stay 1400m if she is able to settle in a race. “Unfortunately, Sidonie didn’t do me any favours because she went flat out and Gin Fizz wanted to chase her.”
It is worth noting the fillies’ race was run in 1.74secs faster than the open event and all but last-placed Carioca finished in a faster time than Prince Of Kahal – and only by 0.05secs!