Youngsters lead Hotspur challenge
TOMMY Hotspur was not only one of the most talented sprinters in South Africa but also one of the most popular.
People flocked to the course to watch him run and he very rarely left them disappointed.
However, much like his brilliant father, Harry Hotspur, Tommy Hotspur was not the soundest of horses and trainer Gary Alexander always battled to get him fully fit. However, like all champions, Tommy knew how to win.
He was unbeaten in his first eight starts and by the end of his career he won 10 races.
Even in his 27th year, Tommy Hotspur still looks remarkable.
He was honoured with a race named after him and on Saturday 16 runners will line up over 1
000m at Turffontein for the Grade 3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap.
Top weight for the R250 000 is another horse trained by Alexander, Champagne Haze, but there are a whole group of the three-yearolds who will be challenging for top honours.
Best of these looks to be Mujallad from the Mike de Kock yard, who is a threetime winner from 11 starts. He looks to have plenty of scope for improvement.
Mujallad is likely to be near the top of the boards for Saturday’s big sprint and assistant Mathew de Kock said yesterday the colt has to be a serious runner.
“He is the form horse, and very honest. It’s the right place, right time and right rating, and he should be right there.”
The Mike and Adam Azzie yard have three acceptors: Rivarine, Angel’s Power and Splendid Garden.