A bold move with a change of tactics to overcome a wide draw paid handsome dividends for Cape heavyweight Bernard Fayd’herbe when he steered the 17-10 favourite Helen’s Ideal to a well-deserved victory in the Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday.
The Paul Reeves filly had the form and the rating to suggest she would be a difficult customer to stop at the weights – that is ignoring her wide draw of 11.
Trainer Paul Reeves with his special filly (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
“I thought she would be an odds-on favourite with a better draw,” said Bernard Fayd’herbe in the post-race interview.
“The way the race was to be run I decided to stick to my game plan – I thought I’d either win or run unplaced. She showed plenty of heart to stay on and fight them off,” said the top jockey who admitted that the departure of Aldo Domeyer to Hong Kong would create a few opportunities for him.
Fayd’herbe’s plan worked to perfection. Helen’s Ideal jumped smartly and she was taken round her field to lead early. Despite going quickly early, she showed her class and went on all the way to the line as a popular winner to beat Shamrock Wind a length.
No time was published.
Helen’s Ideal strides clear to win easily (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Milnerton trainer Paul Reeves, who saddled a double after Photocopy won earlier, has done a sterling job with the 3yo who should get the 2200m on breeding – her courageous fifth behind Atyaab in the 2000m Cape Derby suggesting she could go all the way in the series.
Reeves conceded that he thought Fayd’herbe was ‘going a bit hard’ early.
“But he balanced her nicely into the straight. She’s a good filly and that was a gutsy showing,” he said.
Proud connections at the lead-in (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Bred by co-owner Peter de Beyer, who marked his 251st winner as an owner when Grey Princess won earlier in the day, Helen’s Ideal is by Ideal World (Kngmambo) out of the once winning Fort Wood mare, Tequila Blush.
Helen’s Ideal runs in the turquoise, blue, purple and white of longstanding Cape owner Paul Barrett.
She has won 4 races with 2 places from 9 starts for stakes of R316 225.
The second leg of the R600 000 Winter Series will be the R150 000 Listed Stormsvlei Mile to be run on the Kenilworth Winter Course on Saturday 25 May.
The third and final leg is the R150 000 Listed Winter Oaks carded to be run over 2200m on the Kenilworth Winter Course on Saturday 29 June. A bonus of R150 000 will be paid to the owners of the filly that wins all three legs.
THE STIPENDIARY STEWARDS REPORTED:
- a) Jockey A Marcus (NASTERGAL) reported that this filly did not stride out freely in running. The Veterinary Surgeon was requested to examine the filly on her return to the unsaddling enclosure and submit a report.
- b) STAR FIGHTER (R Simons) was hanging in from the 300m.
- c) CHARGE D’ AFFAIRES (M J Byleveld) over raced in the early and middle stages and proved difficult to settle.
- d) Approaching the 1000m STAR OF SILVER (R Khathi) became awkwardly placed on the inside of MISS PLUMCAKE (G Cheyne), when MISS PLUMCAKE (G Cheyne) and HELEN’S IDEAL (B Fayd’Herbe) raced tightly entering the bend. Jockey G Cheyne and Jockey B Fayd’Herbe appeared before the Board and were interviewed with regard to this incident. In view of the evidence put forward from the two Jockeys and the video evidence, the Board was satisfied that no individual rider could be held responsible and took no further action.
- e) HELEN’S IDEAL (B Fayd’Herbe), the winner, was selected for the taking of specimens for analysis. Trainer P D Reeves was advised. (BM)
