The early money is for Thomas Henry
THE early money has been for Thomas Henry in the first twoyear-old race of the Cape season at Kenilworth on Saturday. Glen Kotzen has booked Aldo Domeyer (who called off his rides yesterday) for the R580 000 purchase, a Querari half-brother to the good sprinter Dutch Philip, and this colt was quickly supported from 16-10 to 13-10 favourite
The Justin Snaith-trained Stuck On You originally headed the market but has drifted from 12-10 to 16-10.
Richard Fourie’s mount is one of three fillies taking on the colts and the daughter of What A Winter is out of a half-sister to Champions Cup winner African Appeal.
Lady Catherine
Greg Ennion’s Lady Catherine (Corne Orffer) has been nibbled at from 6-1 to 11-2 while stable companion Star Captain (Sean Veale) has come in from 11-1 to 8-1.
You can get 12-1 and upwards about the other three runners.
Saturday’s fixture is the Western Cape Equine Trust meeting that raises funds for the rehoming of ex-racehorses.
According to NHA statistics there are nearly 5 000 horses in training in South Africa at any one time.
Some 1 200-plus are retired each year and, except for all but a select and ultra-talented few, the male 50% of the leavers have to be found a new life outside racing.
There have been some horrific stories of well known names reduced to little more than skin and bone, and in some cases abandoned altogether, but under the recently-introduced Rule 41.10 the owner remains responsible for the care and welfare of his or her horse for the rest of its life unless it is transferred to an approved rehoming facility like that of the WCET’s retraining operation at Polkadraai between Stellenbosch and the N2.
It takes two months to turn a racehorse into a riding horse and, even though some of the input comes from voluntary help, it costs money so sponsors have come forward to back Saturday’s races and raise further funds from the sale of stallion nominations (Captain Of All, Pomodoro and Coup De Grace are among those coming under the hammer in the Peninsula Room on Saturday), lunch and raffle tickets.
MIKE DE KOCK has won the Summer Cup nine times. But his last winner was Flirtation in 2010. However, on Saturday he goes into the R2-million Gauteng Chris Gerber Summer Cup, proudly brought to you by Bidvest, over 2 000m at Turffontein with an extraordinarily strong hand.
His five runners dominate the betting and the quintet are led by Soqrat, who at 133 is the highest rated horse in the land.
“The conditions are very much in his favour,” said De Kock of the four-year-old Australian-bred colt yesterday. “Of the 20 runners, 12 are under sufferance.
“Soqrat shouldn’t stay on breeding. He’s by Epaulette, who is a sprinting sire. He’s just one of those freakish horses - he works, runs, eats and is sound as a bell. He just does the job.”
He does jump from No 14 draw but that is also of no concern to De Kock. “The draw doesn’t really worry me. He’s a horse we’ll place. There’s not a lot of pace in the race and that’s fine, the slower they go the better.
“One thing about Turffontein, even if they go slowly you still have to get home, so I’m not too fazed by the pace.”
Barahin gets 1kg from Soqrat and at No 8, has a better draw. “He likes to be given a chance. He’s had a good prep and is well but I think he and Soqrat are too close in the weights. If one looks at all their three-year-old form the weights don’t suggest Barahin can turn the table on Soqrat. “But one thing is for sure – he will get the trip and the softer the ground, the more it will suit him but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t go on good ground.”
Next on the list is Cascapedia, who finished third in this race last year, beaten just 0.80 lengths. She carries 2kg less than last year. “This is her third run after throat surgery.
“She’s a filly who just does enough at home - she doesn’t overimpress but she’s well weighted. She’s had the wind operation which helps her to breathe and I hope that will help her get the 2000m with comfort.”
Atyaab
Cape Derby winner Atyaab had a great comeback after having been gelded but he is probably looking for further. “I said after the Derby in Cape Town he is just below a proper Group 1 horse. He’s not a Soqrat, he’s not a Barahin.
“He is well weighted and he’s very fit and he’s got the stamina. If he’s going to find himself in the front and they’re going to canter and sprint, he might just stay there, you never know. With a light weight you don’t want to be hanging around at the back of the field. He needs to make his stamina count.”
The only runner of De Kock’s who is under sufferance is Queen Supreme, but the trainer is not concerned. “She’s not a filly whose merit rating I need to protect any longer. We’ve got full Black Type with her and I need Group 1 form for her now.
“I think she is still underrated, so whatever she’s under sufferance, I believe she’s got in hand already. She’s unexposed, she steps up all the time.
“But she also has to show she gets the trip. She won the 1800m well last time but against much weaker opposition. She is by
Exceed and Excel who is not known for producing 2000m runners. I think she will need to be ridden very patiently but she can turn it on quickly.
“There are a lot of horses under sufferance but almost all of them are completely exposed. She is relatively unexposed, especially at this level, and I believe she has this level in her.
“Being Irish-bred, she is six months younger but as she’s got older, she’s stepped it up. Again, if they go slowly it will benefit her.”
De Kock is also very happy with the state of the course right now. “The ground is very good at the moment. We’ve had good rains and if we don’t get rain, they will water.”