International plan for Last Winter
Following an impressive performance in the Sun Met celebrated with G.H. Mumm, trainer Dean Kannemeyer believes his charge is ready to take on the word, specifically aiming him at a possible run in the Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth Cup (Group 1) on 29 April.
I’ve always wanted to train and race horses in Hong Kong. Khaya Stables (who own Last Winter) are doing a proposal on logistics and quarantine. We’re all eager to take him overseas. I will be training him should we succeed, but I will speak to Mike de Kock for assistance,” said Kannemeyer.
Last Winter was 15th at the 400m marker in the Met, producing devastating turn of foot in the dying stages – he only got into race mode over the last 100m.
“I honestly believe
Piere Strydom rode him well. The penny hadn’t dropped for the colt, but Piere helped him with the hands until he found his feet. – That’s experience on the jockey’s part,” said the trainer.
“He’s still improving, the only thing that could beat him was the wide No 20 draw,” continued the trainer “But then again there’s no better jockey for that sort of draw than Piere!”
Talking about the pressures of not running the colt in the Queen’s Plate following his second place finish in the Premier Trophy (Grade 2) Kannemeyer said, “Certain horses just do enough, you don’t worry about their gallops because they bring their best on the day, Last Winter is one of them.“
Kannemeyer did, however, confirm that he deemed Last Winter above average and that he pulled up extremely well following his Met run. – He could be flying the South Africa flag internationally, in the not so distance future.
*An interesting fact is that Last Winter was beaten 0.50 lengths into second my Oh Susanna, however, his merit rating has been bumped up 12 points from 107 to 119, yet the winner only seven points, from 108 to 115.