Woodruff dominates Summer Cup day
GEOFF Woodruff made Saturday's Sansui Summer Cup day at Turffontein his own again by winning four races and landing no fewer than three yard exactas, while his stable star Louis The King stamped himself as a people's hero with another courageous winning performance in the big one.
The exciting news is that Louis The King might well now have another crack at toppling his nemesis Legislate by running in the Gr 1 L’Ormarins Queen's Plate and J&B Met.
Piere Strydom showed once again why he has ridden more than 5000 winners in his career with a couple of marvellously judged feature race rides on the day. Woodruff was full of praise for Strydom’s ride on Louis The King.
The five-times champion trainer pointed out that these big races are all about the pace and strydom had not been caught unawares by the slow fractions that were being set out in front by the reluctant leader Bold Inspiration.
He had consequently pulled Louis The King to the outside quite early in the straight for a clear run fully aware that a horse could quite easily steal a march. Indeed, that exact scenario panned out, although happily for Woodruff it was stablemate Killua Castle that had burst through to hit the front at about the 300m mark.
Woodruff admitted he had a moment of doubt that Louis The King would get there but a combination of the colt's courage and Strydom's renowned judgement as well as his equally famous rhythm and strength in a finish ensured that he did.
The roar of the crowd might have helped him too. The way he strutted after the race in front of his cheering fans would lend itself to the theory that a champion thoroughbred knows when he or she is an idol.
Louis The King, an Alchemy Studbred four-year-old colt by Black Minnaloushe, was famously purchased for a mere R60,000 in a deal that was sealed in a sales car park and might one day be considered unfortunate to have had a career that coincided with the potential great Legislate.
He looked a certainty to be named Equus Horse Of The Year earlier this year after becoming the first horse since the great Horse Chestnut to win the Triple Crown. However, Legislate spoilt the party by proving his upset Investec Cape Derby was no fluke by following up with the Gr 2 KRA Guineas, the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and the country's premier race the Vodacom Durban July. Louis met him in the latter two events and after being beaten only 1,3 lengths in the Daily News when needing the run, he suffered a terrible passage in the July. Is he good enough to gain revenge on the brilliant son of Dynasty, who smashed the Kenilworth course record in his ultra impressive reappearance in the Gr 2 Green Point Stakes over 1600m last weekend? Woodruff pointed to the slow pace as well as the class of the third and fourth-placed horses in the Summer Cup, Gr 2 Victory Moon winner Judicial and Gr 1 Gold Cup winner Wavin’ Flag, to boost Louis The King's chances of doing so.
“It was a good field and he is a good horse,’’ said Woodruff. “We’re going to gave a crack at it.’’
He still has to discuss the Cape plan with owner Louis van der Vyfer and his father Tiaan, who bought Louis The King for his son before naming the horse after him. However, the chances look bright, considering he has pulled up superbly from Saturday’s race.
Louis The King is adored by the public not only for his ability, but also the rags to riches story behind him and his wonderful nature. Woodruff has often said that this laid back horse appears to love life and does everything asked of him with zest.
Killua Castle's rank outsider status on Saturday was not a reflection of Woodruff's opinion of the gallant fiveyear-old Australian-bred gelding and he had said in the build up that his last race in the Victory Moon could be ignored as he was widely drawn in ground that resembled a bog and had then suffered some interference. He agreed that Killua Castle preferred fast ground and added, “He has placed so often in big races. He is a good horse in his own right. He was given a fantastic ride by Akash Aucharuz on Saturday.’’
He said Killua Castle was unlikely to go to Cape Town, “It is not the travel he doesn’t enjoy, rather he just appears to love the Turffontein Standside course and always bounces back to his best on that course.’’
Woodruff was stunned that Arcetri Pink, his Australian-bred four-yearold filly by Rock Of Gibraltar, had largely been ignored by the pundits before the Gr 2 Ipi Tombe Stakes over 1 600m, in which she showed a blistering turn of foot and won by four lengths. He said, “She won the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, was second in the Gr 1 Empress Club, was third in the Gr 1 Garden Province and this was her third run after two good comeback runs.’’ Some pundits were put off by the amount of racing this filly has had as this was her 12th start in the eleventh month of the year, but Woodruff pointed out that she was a tough and very sound sort. He said, “She is small and we just have to feed her and keep her happy and know she will deliver.’’
He is considering aiming her at the Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca over 1 600m on J&B Met day.
Saturday was the first time Woodruff had landed three one-two finishes at one meeting.
He is renowned for getting his charges fit and added that not only the big races but also the smaller ones were targeted from a long way out by the yard with the aim of having the horses peaking at the meeting.