South African owner and breeder Bernard Kantor enjoys the rare privilege of a runner in the Investec Derby today.
Bernard Kantor
Wiilliam Haggas, less famously known as Lester Piggott’s son-in-law, trains Young Rascal for Mr Kantor.
Haggas celebrated success in the 1996 Derby with Shaamit, his first runner, and on Saturday he hopes to fulfil a dream for the Managing Director of the race sponsor, before he retires in November.
In a fascination interview with Chris McGrath on www.throughbreddailynews.com, Kantor tells his story.
“It’s just luck, honestly, just luck. It wasn’t planned, it just worked this way. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have a horse with a chance in the Derby. And in our 10th year of sponsorship. I just love looking for that grain of sand that’s going to make that little bit of gold you’re going to find somewhere. And yet when it arrives… Of course I loved Young Rascal’s page. But come on, how many times have I looked at a page and made all the right arguments? ”
“There are 12,000 yearlings every year,” he notes. “How many get to the Derby: 12? So anyone who tells me it’s their genius, no sir. He was certainly a legitimate trial winner but I don’t even go there, I can’t even think that far. Every day, getting there, is like a year. If he just runs and gets through the race, I’ll be delighted.”
