Senior heavyweight jockey Bernard Fayd’herbe looks likely to face action by the Cape Stipendiary Stewards after Saturday’s Durbanville feature.
Trainer Andre Nel and Bernard Fayd’herbe (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
This was the sentiment expressed by some seasoned observers and disappointed horse lovers after an animated ride from the vastly experienced 38 times Gr1 winning jockey, who turned 37 on Friday.
Andre Nel’s highly vaunted classic prospect produced the goods and maintained his unbeaten record under a, let’s call it, ‘vigorous’ ride from Fayd’herbe to win the R150 000 Listed Sophomore Sprint at Durbanville on Saturday.
The Sabine Plattner owned bay colt has been in the news since winning his maiden in impressive fashion in early August, with a failed formal appeal against his debut rating of 92.
And after Saturday’s victory, he is likely to attract some public attention again with his jockey’s high-handed whip action likely to be the subject of much debate.
To be fair, the winner probably didn’t enjoy the Durbanville 1250m.
Plaeasedtomeetyou looked a bit flat-footed late, but wasn’t allowed to dither. His rider had only shown him the whip up to the 250m.
But after the colt started drifting out and came under pressure from Elusive Trader, there was no doubt about Fayd’herbe’s determination.
And he duly responded, like the quality horse he is, to beat the two-time winner from the Greg Ennion yard – who gave him 2kgs – by a decisive neck in a time of 77.07 secs.
Bernard Fayd’herbe gets Pleasedtomeetyou going to beat Corne Orffer and Elusive Trader (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The top two were 1,50 lengths ahead of pacemaker Top Of The Class in third, who shaded Lanza into fourth.
The Snaith’s well fancied Clouded Hill failed to get into the race and ran a disappointing 3,30 lengths off the winner at his first start at the country course. This wasn’t his form.
A La Plaisance Stud home-bred, Pleasedtomeetyou is a son of Querari out of the twice-winning Fort Wood mare, Plaisir De Fete, who won up to 2000m.
He has won two from two and took his stakes earnings to R143 750.
