Jockey Warren Kennedy capped a terrific few months, crowned by the birth of his daughter Jamie, when he celebrated the first Gr1 victory of his career as the Kingsbarns filly Gabor stormed home to win the R750 000 Gr1 Thekwini Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
The talented Kennedy has been in a rich vein of form, seemingly inspired by the enormous responsibilities of fatherhood, and his fine judgement of Gabor’s ability after some poor luck from a wide draw in the Golden Slipper last time, was vindicated.
A thrilled Warren Kennedy shows his delight as Gabor storms to victory (Pic – Candiese Marnewick)
The word was out that Gabor would be exacting revenge for her defeat by Cockney Rebel last time, and the timing could not have been sweeter as trainer Gavin van Zyl was celebrating his 60th birthday on the day.
Richard Fourie is a master judge of pace and he had the David Nieuwenhuizen-trained Mill Creek up front and dictating matters at a relaxed gallop.
Kennedy wasn’t letting the leader out his sight as he had Gabor (22-10) relaxed in fourth.
At the 250m marker an upset looked on the cards as Mill Queen (8-1) kicked again, but Kennedy gave Gabor a reminder and she responded like a decent sort to beat the pacemaker going away by 0,80 lengths in a time of 99,30 secs.
Tobie Spies’ recent maiden winner Snow Palace ran a cracker in third, ahead of the Tarry charge Victoria Paige.
Golden Slipper winner Cockney Pride was left with some work to do and she ran out of the money.
Bred and raced by Drakenstein Stud, the winner is a first graded stakes winner for the impeccably bred Kingsbarns (Galileo) who died in 2018.
She is out of the twice winning Trippi mare, Se Agabor.
Gabor has won R594 375 in stakes with her two wins and a place from three starts.
_________
Gr1 Thekwini Stakes (SAf-Gr1)
Greyville, South Africa, July 27, R750k, 1600m, turf, good, 1.39.03
1 – GABOR (SAF), 60.0, b f 2, Kingsbarns (IRE) – Se Agabor (SAF) by Trippi (USA). Owner Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert); Breeder Drakenstein Stud; trainer G v Zyl; jockey W Kennedy
2 – Mill Queen (SAF), 60.0, b f 2, Querari (GER) – Moulin Grise (SAF) by Grey Eminence (FR)
3 – Snow Palace (SAF), 60.0, gr f 2, Potala Palace (SAF) – White Oleander (SAF) by Lecture (USA)
Margins: 0.80, 1.00, 0.45
