Majmu is too good in the Gr3 Starling Stakes (JC Photos)
Mike De Kock’s outstanding Redoute’s Choice filly Majmu hacked up in the R250 000 Gr3 Starling Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday and in the process suggested that her ‘controversial’ selection as Equus champion 2yo filly of last season was actually not as far off the mark as many so-called experts had imagined.
Unbeaten in three starts last term as a really smashing 2yo, on Saturday Majmu underlined the sentiment that she was a desperately unlucky loser courtesy of a poor ride by S’manga Khumalo in the Gr2 Joburg Spring F&M Challenge a month ago.
She had run a one length fourth behind shock winner Supreme Sunset there, but she doddled in on Saturday to show that she is going to be a force to be reckoned with as a 3yo over slightly further.
She started at 13 to 20 over the 1400m from a draw of 10 to buck the trend of losing favourites in this race over the past few years.
After settling and racing relaxed throughout, Anthony Delpech pressed go at the 300m marker and she drew off to win well in a time of 82,90 secs.
Peter De Beyer’s Elusive Fort filly Siren’s Call showed excellent promise after her opening two wins and ran on strongly without threatening to get within 1,75 lengths of the champion.
The Ideal World filly Smart Call was always thereabouts and hung on for third. She will be better over further.
The opinion that the Equus selection panel had not applied their minds to last season’s performances had come from various quarters, but is probably summed up best by a former Equus winning journalist:
‘Equus Awards are particularly important as they have a marked effect on the stud book and after this year’s controversial edition a review of the panel that decides the country’s champions might be required.
Mike and Diane De Kock receive Majmu’s Equus Award
The announcement that had virtually all and sundry bewildered was of the champion two-year-old filly award, which went to the facile Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery winner Majmu.
Nobody would doubt that Majmu could well be the best of her crop as she has oozed class in her unbeaten three race career and has also been awarded the highest ever rating of 114 for a two-year-old filly in South Africa.
It should also be remembered that when a virus put her out for the rest of the season there was widespread disappointment among the racing public.
However, champion awards have always been about performance at the highest level, namely Gr 1s, and she is yet to run in one.’
Majmu gave them a starter of eating their own words on Saturday and she looks likely to do it again and again.
Smooth sailing for Anthony Delpech
She was bred in Australia by Arrowfield Stud and sold by them at the 2013 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $300,000 to Shadwell Stud.
She is the second foal of South American Group 1 winner Spontaneous.
Majmu has won 4 of 5 starts for 1 place and R645 000 in stakes.
She can only get better as she goes further and dare we suggest a Gr1 win is inevitable.
As Karel Miedema wrote last season:
‘A mile should be the minimum distance for Majmu, who looks set for greater heights during the winter, and will no doubt make her presence felt in Dubai early in 2015 – and beyond.’
