Trainer Corne Spies is quietly confident that Rafeef’s smart son William Robertson will acquit himself well in Saturday’s R400 000 WSB Gr2 Hawaii Stakes at Turffontein.
With a carryover of R1 million likely to boost the six winner exotic to a pool of R6 million, there is plenty to look forward to on Classic Day, and William Robertson looks set for a good showing over the 1400m after breaking the 1160m class record at the same track on Sunday, when stepping out from a break post the Gr1 Summer Cup.
Rafeef son William Robertson looks set for a big run in the WSB Hawaii Stakes on Classic Day (Pic – JC Photos)
“I would have preferred to have had an extra week between the prep and the Hawaii on Saturday, but that’s the way Mother Nature dealt the cards and we will have to hope and trust it works,” Spies told the Sporting Post earlier this week.
In his prep for Saturday’s feature, William Robertson showed scintillating pace in a 1160m Pinnacle Stakes.
The Ridgemont Highlands-bred gelding duly notched up his seventh career victory, in the process setting a new class record and running, despite ring-rusty and all of his 60kgs, within 0,16 secs of Big Sky Country’s course record, set under 54kgs in 2020.
Jockey Marco van Rensburg labelled William Robertson ‘the best sprinter in South Africa’.
“He wasn’t disgraced in the Summer Cup but he is at his optimum around 1200m to a mile. I believe he is a Gr1 horse and we will look towards the Computaform Sprint and, or, the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes. He is just such a lovely horse. His Dad Rafeef is a proper stallion. I would love a stable full of them – I just can’t always afford them as the market loves the Rafeefs and we all know they are versatile and can run like hell!” enthused trainer Corne Spies.
1st R250000, 2nd R80000, 3rd R40000, 4th R20000, 5th R10000
WORLD SPORTS BETTING HAWAII STAKES (Grade 2)
Open
WFA: 3yrs-3kgs 4yrs-0kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | 10 | Puerto Manzano (ARG) | 60 | 123 | BA | Keagan de Melo | J A Janse van Vuuren | |
| 2 | 11 | Mk’s Pride | 60 | 122 | A | Ryan Munger | Robbie Sage | |
| 3 | 5 | Red Saxon | 60 | 116 | A | S’manga Khumalo | Joe Soma | |
| 4 | 3 | William Robertson | 59 | 125 | HA | Marco V’Rensburg | Corne Spies | |
| 5 | 7 | Bingwa | 59 | 123 | BA | Gavin Lerena | J A Janse van Vuuren | |
| 6 | 12 | Forever Mine | 58 | 107 | A | Craig Zackey | Mike de Kock | |
| 7 | 2 | Irish Tractor | 58 | 102 | BA | Kabelo Matsunyane | Brett Crawford | |
| 8 | 13 | Team Gold | 58 | 102 | A | Raymond Danielson | Roy Magner | |
| 9 | 8 | Under Your Spell | 56.5 | 114 | THA | Luyolo Mxothwa | Sean Tarry | |
| 10 | 9 | Humdinger | 56.5 | 103 | A | Richard Fourie | Mike de Kock | |
| 11 | 6 | Sound Of Warning | 55.5 | 110 | A | Juan Paul v’d Merwe | Sean Tarry | |
| 12 | 4 | Unzen | 55 | 108 | A | *Kaidan Brewer | Robbie Sage | |
| 13 | 1 | Captain Peg | 52.5 | 106 | A | *Philasande Mxoli | Stuart Pettigrew | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (1,5) (2,12) (6,10) (9,11) | ||||||||
A Highveld Champion, Rafeef made a flying start to his stud career when his first crop yielded the Gr1 WSB SA Derby winner Aragosta and Gr1 Computaform Sprint winner Master Archie.
The son of Redoute’s Choice has enjoyed a great run and one of the standout winners on SplashOut Cape Derby day at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth last Saturday was his unbeaten son, Outlaw King.
Outlaw King won the BSA Yearling Sale Cup (C&G) and followed in the footsteps of Rafeef’s daughter Mounia who won the 2021 BSA Cape Yearling Sale Cup.
Keagan de Melo wonders where the opposition are as Outlaw King storms home (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
A handsome and well-performed racehorse with the rare distinction of first crop Gr1 winners at 1000m and 2450m, Rafeef has produced a purple patch of winners to reinforce a scintillating start to what is developing into a top-class career at stud.
Trainer Dean Kannemeyer saddled Outlaw King for his second straight victory, and said in typically conservative fashion that ‘we always keep our feet on the ground, but he sure looks very smart.’
Kannemeyer confirmed that he had enjoyed previous success with the progeny of Rafeef, including Pas De Nom, who reeled off three on the trot, and the very well-bred Ready Or Not.
“Rafeef is extremely well-bred and had the track performance to match. He throws a beautiful specimen and my experience is only positive. As evidenced by his elite winners over a wide spectrum of distances, he injects an interesting mix of natural speed and appears to throw back to the mare, whether it be stamina or speed. Outlaw King is out of a Greys Inn mare, so with his two decisive victories over 1200m under the belt, the DK Racing Syndicate could have some exciting times ahead.”
The veteran said that he had not expected Outlaw King to win on debut.
“He put his hand up that he was ready for a race. He duly won. I ran him on Saturday expecting a place and then he improves and steps up and slams the field. That’s exciting and I have four unraced Rafeefs in the wings!” said Kannemeyer.
Outlaw King is one of three 2yo winners for Rafeef this season, with the Ridgemont Highlands resident also siring debut winner Midnight Fusion and facile recent winner Troppo Veloce.
