While his formline hasn’t exactly matched his bloodline, the Ideal World gelding Hermoso Mundo made it a winning debut for trainer Weiho Marwing when he stormed to his first stakes success in the Champions Day opener, the R500 000 Gr3 Gold Bowl.
The former Alec Laird-trained gelding, a son of Equus champion Escoleta Fitz, hasn’t exactly set the world on fire so far but took to the 3200m like a fish to water to score a good win to open the Highveld Season curtain-raiser feature menu.
Last weekend’s’ Zimbabwe Derby winning jockey Karl Zechner, who enjoyed such a terrific Champions Day in 2016 when he rounded off a sensational Triple Crown success, showed his penchant for the big day with a well-judged ride.
Hermoso Mundo was relaxed in midfield as first Coby and then Savage Wind led the charge, in a race of fluctuating pace sectors.
Into the 400m, Savage Wind continued to lead as Ilitshe, who had not enjoyed the tardy fractions early, moved up to challenge.
Zechner was sitting with a double handful though and he slipped the Ideal World gelding through the inside to take up the running and charge clear to a smart win.
Hermoso Mundo scored by 5,25 lengths in a time of 207,85 secs.
Lions Emblem came through late to lift the Bipot dividend, and shade the gallant mare Coby into third.
The winner’s more fancied stablemate Let It Rain was left with a mountain to climb from last into the home run and could only manage a modest fourth.
Hermoso Mundo has won 3 races with 9 places from 18 starts for stakes of R492 950.
A R200 000 Suncoast KZN Yearling Sale purchase, the winner was bred by Mauritzfontein from Ideal World out of the ten time winner Escoleta Fitz (Fitzcaraldo) – an Equus champion who hails from the famous ‘E’ family.
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Gr3 Gold Bowl (SAf-Gr3)
Turffontein, South Africa, May 6, R500k, 3200m, turf, good, 3.27.85
1 – HERMOSO MUNDO (SAF), 53.0, b g 4, Ideal World (USA) – Escoleta Fitz (ARG) by Fitzcarraldo (ANY). Owner Messrs N C Smith, G D Cahn, G Morris, Neil Patrick Smith, S Singleton & W Volschenk; Breeder Mauritzfontein Stud; trainer WH Marwing; jockey K Zechner
2 – Lions Emblem (SAF), 55.5, b g 6, Lion Tamer (SAF) – Model Emblem (SAF) by National Emblem (SAF)
3 – Coby (SAF), 55.5, b m 6, A P Arrow (USA) – Dignify (SAF) by Rambo Dancer (USA)
Margins: 5.25, 0.25, 0.25