While a lot will depend on his draw for the Gr2 Dingaans on Summer Cup day, Saturday’s eyecatching Allied Steelrode Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes winner Anfields Rocket may travel to the Cape for the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas and the Gr1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate.
The gelding is currently at 50-1 in the Hollywoodbets ante-post market for the classic on 17 December. His delighted owner has already turned down approaches to buy his stable flagbearer.
Randjesfontein owner-trainer Grant Maroun only trains 20 odd horses but is in the game for love and not the money. He also knows what it takes to win the Cape Guineas – he was a member of the MAD Racing Syndicate who raced the Riverton-bred Domino Man who caused the upset of the century when he won the 2003 Cape Guineas beating the 1-5 favourite Dynasty.
Kevin Shea and Domino Man charge home ahead of Karl Neisius and the red hot favourite Dynasty
“One can’t compare the stakes or the prestige of the Cape Grade 1 races. And, naturally I’d love to test Anfields Rocket against the local stars, Charles Dickens and Cousin Casey. One doesn’t get a decent sort like this very often and the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas only comes around once in a horse’s life. But let’s see how he draws for the Dingaans. If we stay at home, then we will go the Gauteng Guineas route,” he added of the Klawervlei-bred gelding that cost him just R11 000 off the 2020 BSA July Online Auction!
The handicappers might think the astute Mr Maroun is still a member of the ‘MAD’ syndicate! They have given Anfields Rocket a rating of 96 versus Charles Dickens on 115 and Cousin Casey, who makes his seasonal debut in the Selangor Cup, off a 113.
But the long-time racing man knows he has a really decent horse on his hands and we take our hat off to him for even considering the long trek to the Cape to take on the local hotshots in their own backyard. Cape Racing and the new sponsors should be making the call to make sure he does!
Kaidin Brewer’s proud sister Kiara and Ryan Maroun lead Anfields Rocket in, followed by her fiance Michael Ebrahim,Aron McDonald, Amber McDonald and Grant Maroun (Pic – JC Photos)
We asked him how he had made such an astute purchase.
“I actually bought two progeny of Coup de Grace off that sale – Anfields Rocket set me back R11k and then I also bought a filly for R5k. She has run two places in five starts – she’s a big girl so will need time. My son Ryan deserves plenty of the credit – he liked the dam line. And my rationale was that Coup de Grace was too well bred a stallion not to throw something decent at some stage. I find we can be in a hurry with a stallion – if there are no big things in his first few crops, we desert them. I realise that make sense commercially for breeders – but as a buyer, I got lucky!” he laughs.
Tapit’s son Coup De Grace – now retired
Anfields Rocket made it 4 wins on the trot on Saturday.
Some said he got lucky as Mike de Kock’s formerly unbeaten and progressive Gimmethegreenlight colt Shoemaker encountered traffic problems and ran on well late for second.
“One needs some luck in this game – maybe we got a bit lucky. But watch the replay. He hit the front and pricked his ears. He does that when he thinks he has done his job. And maybe in the heat of the big moment, young Kaidan Brewer, who has really clicked with him, went a bit early. But it worked out well and we are very pleased!”
Runner-up behind Cousin Casey in the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes last term, KZN raider Royal Victory ran a good race after a break to hold on for third a further 1,25 lengths back.
How did the Maroun champion get his name?
“My son Ryan names them. We are big Liverpool fans. I thought of Merseyside Rocket – then he said – ‘Anfield Rocket’. It’s a great name, I think.”
Now a winner of 4 races with 1 place from 5 starts for stakes of R310 000, the winner was bred by Klawervlei from their retired stallion Coup De Grace (Tapit) out of the Galileo mare Milla’s Rocket, who won twice up to 1800m in the UK.
Entries for the R400 000 Gr2 Dingaans to be run at Turffontein on Betway Summer Cup day close at 11h00 on Monday 14 November. Supplementary entries close at 09h00 on Friday 18 November. Declarations are due by 11h00 on Monday 21 November.
Entries for the R2 million Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas close at 11h00 on Monday 5 December, with supplementary entries due by 11h00 on Friday 9 December. Declarations are due by 11h00 on Monday 12 December.
