For the second meeting in succession, the Vincent Allet yard and their stable jockey, Imran Chisty, grabbed the limelight with a hat-trick of winners. Chisty boasts a remarkable winning strike-rate of 35%, from only 26 rides. It could well have been four winners for the red hot partnership if Lord Of The Dance’s saddle didn’t slip in the final stages of his race.
Trainer Ricky Maingard and jockey Cedric Ségéon grabbed the honours in the feature event when the hot favourite and very smart Capitaine won a very good race. The chestnut gelding had a dream run throughout as he loped along in third position behind Always A Pleasure and Revolution. The pace was moderate and the order did not change until the 600 metres mark when Glen Hatt took the former Dean Kannemeyer-trained Irish Coffee up on the outside to challenge. The Perdrau charge travelled just behind Capitaine as Always A Pleasure kept going rolling well. As they entered the home straight, Imran Chisty got to work on Revolution, who sparked briefly but then became one-paced. At this point, Capitaine kicked on nicely from the inside rail and he was two lengths clear inside the final 100m to go on and beat Always A Pleasure and Modern Monet. This victory took Cédric Ségéon to his 22nd winner of the season and second spot on the jockey table. .
CHISTY AGAIN
Jockey Imran Chisty won his first of the day on Prince Paseo in the second race. Although drawn wide, the Indian rider did well to grab an early lead and make every post a winning one. He won easily by two lengths from the game Summer Exposure. In the fourth race Chisty enjoyed an armchair ride on the well supported; Waves Of Winter. He was another to lead all the way and won going away from Gymnast. Chisty followed the same front-running tactics to win his third race of the day on King’s Shilling, who showed plenty of courage to beat Dealers Choice.
COCKTAILS
Newly-wed Johnny Geroudis won a good race on impressive winner and hot favorite, Cocktail Parade in the fifth race. The South African had the former Duncan Howells-trained horse in fifth position throughout and waited until the final 400 metres to make his run. Entering the final straight, he produced a nice turn of foot to win going away from the outsider, Saziwayo and the grey Woodi Allain. This was Geroudis’ thirteenth win since he returned to the island. Corne Orffer broke his four week winner drought with Palm Of Peace in the third race. Palm Of Peace travelled in third position throughout the race and he showed strength to win from the outsider, Match The Market. Richard Fourie was the other South African jockey to have a winner on Saturday. He showed nice judgement to win the eighth race on Happy Al- you guessed it, leading all the way!
OUTSIDER
Robbie Burke won the first race on the outsider Mc Naught. He travelled in second position behind Lord Of The Dance and was a fortunate winner as the Vincent Allet charge slowed dramatically near the post as a result of a slipped saddle. Following the running of this race, the Stewards viewed the videos of the start and took evidence from jockey Chisty. It was established that shortly after the start the saddle on Lord Of The Dance moved backwards slightly and at the150 metres Lord Of The Dance started hanging in with Chisty shifting his body weight to the left to control his mount, resulting in his saddle shifting badly to the left and backwards. Jockey Chisty had to stop riding close to the winning post.
PEOPLE NEWS
French jockey, Edouard Lacaille, who rode his last race for the Ramdour stable last Saturday on Place On The Bay, has asked for a release from his contract. Lacaille, who has won only 7 races from his 108 rides, is apparently ‘unhappy’..
Mauritian apprentice, Jeannot Bardottier, who was suspended for a period of 12 weeks after having used his mobile phone to place a bet in the Jockey’s Room, has requested a review of the length of his suspension on ‘ humanitarian’ grounds. In a letter addressed to the MTC, his legal counsel asks for ‘some compassion and leniency towards one of your future champions.’ Let’s wait and see.
With almost a month to go before the next International Jockeys’ Weekend, last year’s champion, the Frenchman, Stephane Pasquier as well as Italian jockey, Frankie Dettori have confirmed that they will be in Mauritius in the first week of December. Pasquier won the title in 2009 with four winners while Dettori won the championship in 2001 with three winners. In 2007 Dettori won a race but in last year’s edition, he had an uncharacteristic blank weekend. In the ‘Upcoming Stars’ category, Frenchmen Flavien Prat and Pierre Charles Boudot should be present at the weekend that brings the curtain down on our 2010 season. The year has flown by!
THIS WEEKEND IN MAURITIUS
DISA LEADER GOES FOR GOLD
Popularly known as the Gold Cup, The Grade 1 The Banque des Mascareignes Duke Of York Cup to be run over 1600m is the feature event at our 31st race meeting and is the last classic of the season. Our Horse Of The Year contender Disa Leader looks the one to beat on paper and probably only has Gliding High to beat.
Disa Leader has an impressive record of five wins from just six starts on the island and the Gilbert Rousset-trained gelding has already clinched the four year old championship this season. As the mile record holder , he could be very hard to beat at the weight- for- age terms of this race. He has also been kept in very good shape since his last race and impressed at track work last Friday. He looks like a popular favorite!
Gliding High is another very classy sort. The Maigrot charge has won three races from his five starts. Disa Leader beat him in his last start in record time but Gliding High was returning from a three months rest and with that run under the belt, he should be a lot more competitive. He is another who put in good track work recently and jockey Robbie Burke is confident that he will produce a very good performance on Saturday.
Golden Dice was unlucky in last year’s Gold Cup when he missed the start badly. He won at the beginning of the season and was then rested after encountering health problems. He has been out for a full five months but has been prepared specifically for this race. He looks fit and satisfied his trainer at track work in the past week He may just need the run but has the class to create a surprise here.
Our 2009 Horse of The Year, The Cardinal, has only won one race out of his nine starts this season. But he has maintained his consistency and has been very game against the best this year. He can match strides with Disa Leader in terms of pure class, and at weight- for- age terms, he stands an outside chance. He is fit and could be a factor. Profit Report ran below expectations in his last start when beaten by Disa Leader. The Serge Henry – trained chestnut gelding looks much fitter now and was also quite impressive at track work. His stable companion, Seattle Ice showed good improvement over the 2050 metres in his last start when he finished a close-up third. He was unlucky in running then when suffering interference in the last 100 metres. He is back over his best distance here and as a horse that keeps improving, warrants consideration. He has interestingly previously beaten Disa Leader in South Africa.
Senor Versace is a middle distance performer who has finished in the money in each of his five starts here. He is a good sort but against our best milers , his chances of creating an upset appear limited at weight- for- age.
Nominations: Disa Leader, Gliding High, Golden Dice, The Cardinal, Profit Report, Seattle Ice, Senor Versace, Hold My Jacket, Alvaro, Autumn Frost, Silverware, Solar Symbol.
