Geoff Woodruff’s Louis The King bids for Triple Crown glory when he contests the Gr1 SA Derby
It seems rather simple really. If Louis The King stays the 2450m of the R2 million Gr1 SA Derby at Turffontein on Saturday then he will make history and win the R7-million SASCOC Triple Crown. If he doesn’t, the race is really very wide open.
This will be the first time that the fifteen participants will be racing over a genuine stamina trip and by virtue of that fact alone, it would be foolhardy to suggest that Louis The King is an outright good thing. There are a few well bred sorts who are crying out for the ground, and top of the list is the Giant’s Causeway colt, Bouclette Top.
Favourite
But Geoff Woodruff’s lightly raced Louis The King has made a name for himself rather quickly recently and will start a worthy favourite. The charismatic 3yo son of Black Minnaloushe has ignited the public imagination and makes a mockery of the telephone number type six figure sales figures that we see from time to time.
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 for R55 000 at the KZN yearling sale to Limestone Thoroughbreds. Named after his owner Louis van der Vyver, he has turned out to be a terrific galloper and the rest is almost history.
A winner of 5 of 6 starts, he has already chalked up wins in the R1-million Betting World Gauteng Guineas run over 1600m on 1 March and followed up with a less flashy performance in the R2-million Gr1 SA Classic run over 200m further on 29 March.
Big Bucks
Robbie Fradd flies in from Down Under
Besides the base stake for the win on Saturday , a bonus of R2 million will be paid. That means a potential astronomical return on investment. Robbie Fradd has been aboard the first two legs and he flies out from his new work base on the Australian Gold Coast.
His win in the Classic was pure guts and courage and he didn’t look like he was going to get to the leaders for much of the home straight. But get there he did, and Fradd jumped off and said he felt he would stay.
Louis The King ‘s sire Black Minnaloushe was effective from a mile to 2000m. His dam showed nothing, and she’s daughter of a sprinter, by Rich Man’s Gold, who has winners over all sorts of distances.
Party Crashers
Is there anything capable of spoiling the party? Alec Laird’s coupling of As You Like, Bouclette Top and Earl Of Derby are closest to Louis and may be the biggest possible dangers.
Bouclette Top is drawn wide but the son of Giant’s Causeway has run on well at both his last two starts under S’manga Khumalo. He is just screaming for ground and appears to have both the class and ability to win this race.
Tactical
As You Like finished a length ahead of Bouclette Top in the SA Classic and also beat him in the Gauteng Guineas. The trip may trouble the free striding son of Tiger Ridge, although there is word that he will be ridden differently this time round. Earl Of Derby has won two races but ran a poor race in the Derby Trial. He is out of a dam who won up to 2400m.
De Kock Trio
Mike De Kock has a strong hand
Mike De Kock saddles three runners with Anton Marcus’ mount Ilitshe looks to be the strongest. The son of Fastnet Rock has won 3 races and beat subsequent impressive winner Everest in the Derby Trial three weeks back. His dam produced a few Derby winners and he will definitely andle te extra ground.
The Greys Inn gelding Gone Baby Gone has won 3 of his 9 starts and is another who looks capable of enjoying the extra ground. He is yet to be tested at classic level. The third of the De Kock trio is the Encosta De Lago gelding Taarish. He has one backwards recently in terms of his form.
Tarry Trio
Sean Tarry saddles Mercado, Fort Bellini and Supertube. Piere Strydom rides the grey Mercado, who has failed dismally in the first two legs of this series. He is out of a Model Man mare who won up to a mile and there is no guarantees as regards his stamina.
Fort Bellini also came out of the first two legs penniless, but on breeding he looks the sort who could appreciate the stamina test. A winner of two races, he can only be given an outside chance.
Supertube failed behind Ilitshe in the Derby Trial last time out and should struggle to assert himself in this company. Leeuloop Jet is only a one time winner but ran a cracker with a storming late run for third in the Derby Trial. This may be a tougher proposition at level weights, but he may be a nice quartet kicker inclusion.
Crowd Puller
Louis The King is likely to draw the crowds and he is a natural and very popular first choice. That is, if he stays the trip. If he doesn’t have the legs, then Bouclette Top could swoop for his first Gr1. After them Ilitshe and Gone Baby Gone could be best.
