Determined. Karl Zechner drives Masai Warrior through to win the Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup
A shrewd step up in distance by a wily trainer produced an unlikely victory in the Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup run over 2850m at Turffontein on Saturday. Mike Azzie’s 5yo Masai Warrior took full advantage of the conditions to beat the fancied Seal.
After his recent courageous Aquanaut Handicap win, the Gavin Van Zyl trained Seal was expected to follow up and he jumped a 9 to 10 favourite.
The race was eventually run in very slow time with the muddling and stuttering pace no doubt contributing to the upset result.
Canterbury Tale led early from Seal and Masai Warrior and Avenue Of Gold.
At the 1700m marker MJ Odendaal had had enough of the dawdle and he took Avenue Of Gold around her field to take the lead and go on a bit with Canterbury Tale in second, just ahead of Seal and Masai Warrior.
Into the home straight Avenue Of Gold continued to gallop as Strydom angled Seal to the centre for his run, whil S’Il Vous Plait went with him. At this stage Masai Warrior and the mare Sunningdale were charging down the inside.
Into the final 300m Seal looked to be under pressure as S’Il Vous Plait and Masai Warrior continued to go for gold.
In a rousing finish Masai Warrior went on to win by 0,75 lengths in a time of 188.31 secs, which was seven seconds outside the course record.
Seal ran his usual gallant race in second, while S’Il Vous Plait ran third.
An elated Mike Azzie said that he was ‘chuffed for owner Thinus Gericke and the breeder Guy Murdoch’ and confirmed that Masai Warrior’s name at the yard was ‘the tractor’.
“He is a no nonsense horse to train, easy to manage and there are just no vet bills,” he said with pride.
Azzie added that the day was going pear shaped until the win, but conceded that was in the nature of racing.
“I am so proud to have won this as my Grandad trained Caradoc and I recall feeding the great horse ice cream. I have learnt that one has to soldier on in this game and Granddad often used to say ‘one day a chicken the next day feathers,’ and Mr Ferraris also once told me that one had to be like a tough old shoe to survive. Those are good lessons to remember,” he laughed.
Winning jockey Karl Zechner suggested that the weight and draw may have made a difference, while the pace had suited him.
“This win means so much to me as Mr Azzie supported me as an apprentice when I was trying to break through,” he said.
Masai Warrior was bred by Gary Player Stud and is by Wolfhound out of the Jallad mare Serengetti
Has now won 8 races with 18 places from 37 starts and took his earnings to R754 750.
Result:
Caradoc Gold Cup (SAf-G3) (3/30)
Turffontein, South Africa, March 30, R200.000, 2850m, turf, good, 3.08.31
MASAI WARRIOR (SAF), 57.0, ch g 5, Wolfhound (USA) – Serengetti (SAF) by
Jallad (USA) . Owner T Gericke; breeder Gary Player Stud; trainer MG Azzie;
jockey K Zechner (R125.000)
Seal (SAF), 60.5, b g 5, Silvano (GER) – Prestine Performer (SAF) by Rambo
Dancer (USA)
S’il Vous Plait (SAF), 58.5, b g 5, Silvano (GER) – Shaan Madary (FRA) by
Darshaan (GB)
Margins: ¾, nose, 2½
