Majestic Mambo keeps it tidy
PAUL PETER regards his unbeaten three-year-old colt Majestic Mambo as probably the best horse he has ever trained and is still “mind-boggled” that he secured him for a mere R40,000 at the CTS Ready to Run Sale presented by Lanzerac.
Mike de Kock also looks to have a top filly on his hands in the Irish-bred Cascapedia. On Sunday Majestic Mambo made it three from three when winning the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes over 1 800m on
Turffontein Standside by a comfortable 2,35 lengths under Anthony Delpech.
He sat near the back before showing a fine turn of foot and putting the race to bed some way out beating two well regarded Mike de Kock-trained horses in Royal Crusade and Alshibaa at level weights Peter said the beauty about this horse was his magnificent acceleration as he could be dropped out to the back and was always going to make up the ground.
He will now go straight into the Gauteng Triple Crown classics without have any more preparation outings.The first of these races is the Grade 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas on March 3. His wins to date have all been over 1800m.
Delpech
Peter, asked whether he would find the 1 600m Guineas trip to sharp said, “We initially thought it would be but Anthony Delpech said it would not be a problem as he has such good acceleration.” Peter added, “He is a very easy horse to train as he shows so much ability.
He takes a lot of work, but has a good appetite and eats up well and he has been nice and sound.”
Regarding his temperament, Peter said, “He is massive and knows his strength, so he does bully us a little bit … but he is entitled to!”
The Moutonshoek-bred Mambo In Seattle colt went through the ring unsold at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale and a “buyer’s levy” was not paid against him, so he does not qualify for the lucrative US$500,000 CTS Mile on Sun Met day.
Peter also goes into the Triple Tiara with a fine chance of success as he trains the crack Tiger Ridge filly Folk Dance.
Folk Dance
He was impressed by her “athletic” looks at the National Yearling Sale and also has a high regard for her breeders, Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Studs. He secured her for R100,000.
Mike de Kock is the only trainer who has a higher strike rate than Peter out of the top ten trainers on the log.
De Kock
De Kock has been turning out wellbred horses in conveyor belt-like fashion this season.
On Sunday his Irish-bred daughter of High Chaparral slammed the boys in the Grade 3 London News Stakes over 1800m on Turffontein Standside. She is six months younger than her four-yearold contemporaries, being Northern Hemisphere-bred, yet beat the Triple Crown hero Abashiri by 1,4 lengths under Delpech. She has won five from six starts to date and is improving all the time, so has a promising career ahead of her.