Louis Is King Of Guineas

Ruling Monarch! Louis The King storms clear under Robbie Fradd to win the Gr2 Gauteng Guineas (JC Photos)

Trainer Geoff Woodruff and his Australia bound jockey Robbie  Fradd grabbed the Gauteng Guineas Day limelight by winning both the colts and fillies races on the Turffontein afternoon. Nothing was more impressive than the bargain buy Louis The King who spreadeagled his field to win the R1 million Gr2 Gauteng Guineas.  

This race was the first leg of the R7 million SASCOC Triple Crown for 3-year-olds, the richest series of races in Africa.

The meeting was held in cloudy and rainy conditions and the mile test developed into a gruelling one as the going came up soft. A fact that would not have suited some of the runners but played into the hands of the recent Sea Cottage Stakes winner Louis The King, who appeared to relish the underfoot carpet.

The field of fourteen jumped well and Anton Marcus took the undbeaten 22 to 10 favourite Mr Cricket off to lead from As You Like, Shadow Ofhis Smile and Mr Mulliner, with Lance and Tee Jay Ar further back.

Louis The King was well back in the early stages after having jumped from an 11 draw.

Mister Cricket continued to gallop strongly into the home run with the field spread across the track in a cavalry charge at the 400m.

With Forest Indigo looming up dangerously and Bouclette Top unwinding from way back, Fradd gave Louis The King his head and he swept forward with an electrifying burst as many of his opponents floundered.

Robbie Fradd. Rode the Guineas double

Fradd produced Louis The King down the outside and the son of Black Minnaloushe went on strongly to beat the consistent Forest Indigo by 5,25 lengths in a time of 98,20 secs.

Alec Laird landed up grabbing second, third and fourth places with As You Like staying on for third and Bouclette Top finishing best of the balance for fourth. He should be a major player in the second leg and looks a very good sort.

The fancied Lance and Mister Cricket ran poor races at their first Group outings and the going aside, their connections will be going back to the drawing board to reconsider their status.

The R700 000 purchase Shadow Ofhis Smile was tailed off after running very prominently throughout.

Louis The King was bred by The Alchemy and is by Black Minnaloushe out of the Rich Man’s Gold mare, Pamushana.

His dam was bought by The Alchemy at the 2010 Vintage mare sale for R20 000 in foal to Black Minnaloushe.

The Alchemy sold that foal (Louis The King)  for R55 000 at the KZN yearling sale to Limestone Thoroughbreds.

Louis The King is the only foal of the mare registered so far.

He has now won 4 of his 5 starts with 1 place. In fact his sole career defeat was his 3,25 length second to Lance in the recent Secretariat Stakes. He certainly turned the tables on that one today.

He took his stake earnings with this win to R842 500 and now heads into the second leg , the Gr1 R2 million SA Classic  which will be run over  1800m on the Turffontein Standside  on Saturday 29 March 2014.

Phumelela Marketing Executive Clyde Basel thrilled with a great day

1100kg of queen prawns were sold at the Joburg Prawn Festival held during the meeting. This was despite the poor weather. Amongst the variety of activity on course, race goers were thrilled by the spectacular VW Polo Vivo giveaways.

“The combination of top South African racing, the Johannesburg Prawn Festival and the car promotion is a definite winner” commented Phumelela Marketing Executive, Clyde Basel, “We are aware that a day at the races needs to thrill a variety of ages and today’s combination worked, obviously wet weather is not in the favour of an outdoor event such as this but overall we were most satisfied with the day”