That history has an uncanny way of repeating itself was quite evident at Turffontein this past weekend.
Horse of the Year Summer Pudding registered her fourth Gr1 success in the race honouring Empress Club, the brilliant filly who entered racing’s pantheon all of thirty years ago.
Summer Pudding (Warren Kennedy) powers home to beat Running Brave. (Pic- Candiese Lenferna)
Raced by former doyens of the turf Laurie and Jean Jaffee and named after an exclusive club in London’s Berkeley Square, the Argentinian-bred started her career with the legendary Terrance Millard, who had previously brought out the best in her half-sisters, champion Ecurie and dual Gr1 winner Epoque.
She would reach the pinnacle of her stellar career in the capable hands of his son Tony, and became known as the ‘Galloping Goldmine’.
To a certain degree, the careers of Summer Pudding and Empress Club bear striking similarities.
Both won eleven of their first twelve career starts, both have shown up their male rivals with disdain and became the nation’s darlings.
A product of the famed Mauritzfontein paddocks, Summer Pudding ripped through her first nine starts unbeaten. Successful in her only start at two, she became the country’s third Triple Tiara winner and capped an undefeated sophomore season in the Gr1 Woolavington 2000, achievements which earned her the titles of Champion three-year-old and Horse of the Year.
Empress Club was voted the country’s Champion juvenile after an unbeaten juvenile campaign sealed by a storming victory in the Gr1 Smirnoff Sprint (now the Gold Medallion). Beaten in her three-year-old debut, she then put together a seven-win streak which included five sublime Gr1 wins comprising the Cape Guineas, Topsport Bloodline Classic, Administrator’s Cup, SA Guineas and SA Fillies Guineas.
Empress Club – 1993 Gr1 Queen’s Plate
Although she was beaten a shorthead in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 and was a shock withdrawal on the Thursday before the Durban July, Empress Club’s dominance during the season was such that she too, lifted both the Champion three-year-old title and the ultimate accolade of Horse of the Year.
Both champions started their four-year-old seasons in winning form.
Empress Club broke Durbanville’s 1000m course record by defeating the Western Cape’s top sprinters, including subsequent Sprinter of the Year Taban, in a warm-up sprint before drubbing her male rivals – including Horse of the Year Flaming Rock – in both the Queen’s Plate and the J&B Met.
A return to the Highveld saw her cruise to a majestic victory in the Gr1 First National 1600, which proved to be her final success on local soil. Having sealed her place in history, the country’s Champion Older Female was sent to the States where she added the Gr3 Hillsborough Handicap at Tampa Bay Downs to her tally of 16 South African wins.
Empress Club
Summer Pudding won her mile pipe-opener before defying a big weight and a deep draw in the Gr1 Gauteng Summer Cup. She then suffered a shock first defeat when unplaced in the Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth, a loss attributed to a respiratory infection. The champion has since bounced back with two smart wins, the latest and eleventh of her career being her Empress Club success over a distance now short of her best.
Like so many great racemares, Empress Club was not the cuddling type and her tough and aggressive attitude enabled her to successfully take on the boys. The complete racing machine, her major asset was without a doubt her devastating acceleration, the hallmark of class.
Summer Pudding’s career has yet to run its course, and while it is unlikely that she will eventually match the Empress’s tally of nine Gr1 wins, she too possesses an indomitable will to win.
For now, we can look forward to her ultimate season target – the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July.
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