Classic! A poor draw may stand between SA Classic winner Slumdogmillionaire and victory in Saturday’s Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes
The battle for the prestige and honour of winning the R1 million Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes to be run over a mile at Turffontein on Saturday looks likely to go right down to the wire. Gavin Van Zyl’s Slumdogmillionaire is well in and ready to realise his early promise.
The Oppenheimer family influence on the day is illustrated by the fact that Slumdogmillionaire is a son of Strike Smartly, and the quality field also includes two sons of Right Approach in Whiteline Fever and Approachable, as well as a daughter of Tiger Ridge, in Mike De Kock’s smart Amur Affair.
Best Ever
Once described by veteran jockey Marthinus Mienie as the best horse he has ever ridden, Slumdogmillionaire has had his issues and is lightly raced having won 4 of just 8 starts.
He returned recently from an abortive trip to the Cape where he ran a disappointing 7,10 lengths behind shock winner Martial Eagle. We should probably not overlook the fact that he ran a very good fifth and just 3,10 lengths off SA champion miler Variety Club in the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate in January!
The son of Silvano bounced back six weeks later with an eyecatching pacy win over Heavy Metal in a 1400m Conditions Plate at Turffontein. Admittedly he only carried 48kgs there, but there is nothing like confidence and well being, and the colt displayed both in abundance. The trip was also short of his optimum range and he can only improve further on Saturday in the masterful hands of Piere Strydom.
Fever Pitch
Touchdown! Recent Hawaii Stakes winner Whiteline Fever faces the second run after a rest test on Saturday
Sean Tarry won’t be showing any courtesy or leeway to the Team G boys and he sends out the recent Hawaii Stakes winner, Whiteline Fever. Tarry declared after that scintillating win that Whiteline Fever had the Horse Chestnut as his main target. Well this is it, and he looks ready.
Whiteline Fever won the Hawaii Stakes with a sensational late burst and while he was lauded as a horse who loves running fresh, there is no reason why he cannot continue his winning streak here.
He beat Approachable and Galileo’s Destiny there by 1 and 1,1 length respectively, and this race is bound to provide a spectacle as all three were motoring late and will enjoy the extra 200m on Saturday.
The Right Way
The Geoff Woodruff trained Approachable has been brought along quietly and slowly, and rose to the occasion in his first serious test in the Hawaii Stakes. Glen Hatt travels from Cape Town to ride him again.
Galileo’s Destiny appeared to be going nowhere fast in the Hawaii Stakes, before kicking into overdrive in the final 100m. Marcus rides him again, and he is a revelation since his gelding.
He is one of five De Kock runners in the race. Silver Flyer and Mujaarib are both in with serious chances, but may find things tough at level weights with Slumdogmillionaire.
Summer Slumber
Silver Flyer has had only one start since a shocking effort in the Summer Cup. He finished 4,2 lengths off Slumdogmillionaire in that pipe opener 1400m. Mujaarib also showed some sparkle in that same race, when finishing marginally in front of Silver Flyer.
The Australian bred will need further to show his true ability, but did win his first four races in succession, culminating in a win in the November Handicap. Knock On Wood won the London News Stakes in mid January, and if not needing the run, could spring a surprise.
Swimming
Mike Azzie’s Emperor Augustus is well drawn, but after a disappointing run in the Drum Star Handicap two weeks ago, gets thrown into the shark infested waters.
He looks to have a very tough task on his hands, but the shrewd and talented Robbie Fradd rides him again, and he appears a good few lengths better over the mile than the 1800m of his previous run. Karl Neisius partners the only filly in the race in the De Kock trained Amur Affair.
The runaway winner of the Acacia Handicap has a tough task against this level of males, but it is well worth noting that the Horse Chestnut has been won by a member of the fairer sex in the last two runnings. Dancewiththedevil won in 2011 and 2012.
Hopeful
The rest look under a measure of pressure, but cannot be discounted entirely. The enigmatic (and that’s kind!) Link Man has drawn perfectly at 1 and will be ridden again by Kevin Shea. The grey son of Toreador finished like a rocket in the Hawaii Stakes when ghosting through late, before petering out in the final 100m to finish 4,75 lengths behind Whiteline Fever.
Link Man is a kilo worse off with the Tarry horse, and remains a puzzling and troubled talent. Justin Snaith’s Changingoftheguard ran stone last in the Hawaii Stakes and while better off with Whiteline Fever, has a mountain to climb here.
Saeed Mohideen’s Victory Moon Stakes winner Zambucca is lightly raced, and was not disgraced in his two races since his last big win. He ran a 2,50 length fifth behind Wagner in the Summer Cup, and then ran handily before finishing a 2 length fourth behind Knock On Wood in the London News Stakes. Lucky Houdalakis’ Kings Entourage looks in the deep end here from his 12 draw.
Sensible
Slumdogmillionaire is well handicapped and has all the hallmark and quality of a worth likely winner of this race. He looks to be fit and well, and as we suggested, could be starting to show some of his true potential.
He has the worst of the draw to overcome, but with Piere Strydom in the saddle, that is not too much of a concern. Whiteline Fever, Approachable and Galileo’s Destiny look the three most likely to give him something to stress about.
It should be a terrific race. This race is named in honour of one of the greatest horses to race in this country. Horse Chestnut was a son of Fort Wood and was bred by the Oppenheimer family at Mauritzfontein Stud in Kimberley.
The colt won the South African Triple Crown and was awarded both the Equus Award for Horse of the Year and Champion 3-year-old Colt at three. He ran 10 times, winning 9 races.
Some notable wins include the J&B Met by 8¼ lengths, the Gr I SA Derby over 2450m by 10 lengths and the Gr I SA Classic over 1800m by 4 lengths.
He was trained by champion trainer Mike De Kock and was the subject of a book entitled Horse Chestnut: The Story Of A Legend, authored by the legendary trainer. Exported to the USA, he won the Grade III Broward Handicap at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida over 1700m by five-and-a-half lengths.
During his preparation for the Gr I Donn Handicap, Horse Chestnut fractured a bone on his near-foreleg, resulting in his early retirement from racing.
The Oppenheimers sub-sequently sold the majority of shares in Horse Chestnut to Seth Hancock’s Claiborne Farm in Kentucky where he went to stud. He returned to SA in 2009 and stands at Drakensetein Stud in the Cape for a fee of R15 000.
