Dennis Drier

‘Uncle Den’ has become the doyen of the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion with a total of 6 wins in the race’s history. His magnificent run started in 1990 with Spook And Diesel, then the grey Link Man in 2010, followed by a 4 race whitewash in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 with Potent Power, Captain Of All, Guiness and Seventh Plain. He tilts at a 7th title this Saturday, saddling the exciting looking Horse Chestnut colt, Horse Guards. We caught up with him about his thoughts for Saturday.

Happy to be back in Durban

The last time we chatted to Dennis Drier was in the parade ring at Kenilworth at the end of the Cape Summer of Champions. Despite best laid plans, it had been a disappointing season for the yard and he was understandably a bit down in the dumps. “I can’t WAIT to leave Cape Town – and you can quote me on that!” he’d sighed ruefully under the oak trees and then wandered off to see to his horses. If there’s anything that you can be sure of in racing, it’s that the wheel always turns and a few months down the line and with a clutch of exciting young stock coming through, we found Dennis restored to his trademark good humour.

Horse Guards

Fortune has smiled generously on Mr Drier at the Scottsville track over the years and with his record in the Gold Medallion in particular, there will be a lot of eyes on Horse Guards on Saturday. Consigned by Avontuur Stud and led through the ring as lot 239 on the 2015 CTS March Yearling Sale, the colt was knocked down to Dennis for R240k. “He’s the third one I found at the Durbanville CTS –I found Guiness and Seventh Plain there as well. Unbelievable!” he says, marvelling at his good fortune. “Shows you can find them at any sale, you just need a bit of luck.”

Asked what made him choose the horse, he says, “He just caught my eye and I thought he was smart. He wasn’t a big chap and he’s not a big horse, but he’s a proper racehorse. I didn’t have a buyer for him, I just liked him. One of these chaps phoned me and said ‘have you found something?’ and I said yes, I’ve seen a nice Horse Chestnut colt, and he said ‘well, I’ll take him!’ That was Kaf Naiken and he put him together with some friends in my yard.”

Dennis has had a lot of success with Avontuur-breds over the years and Horse Chestnut is another graduate from the Stellenbosch nursery. “I can’t complain about that association!” he chuckles.

About Horse Guards

“He’s a lovely colt with a nature to die for. You can’t fault him. Let’s hope he can do it for us on Saturday. He’s very well. He had his final workout this morning (Tuesday, 31 May) and it was out of the top drawer. We’re hoping for a big run. He’s above average.”

The colt has only had 2 starts to date, but has an unblemished record. He debuted over 1000m on the Greyville poly track on 29 April, coming home lonely a staggering 5 lengths to the good of Manouche. Mr Drier observes, “We fancied him very strongly and he duly obliged. Back then already we aimed him for this race. His next start was in that Juvenile Plate three weeks ago and he duly did what he had to for us.” From the outside draw, Horse Guards beat a field of 9 over 1200m at Scottsville and won by an easy 2.25 lengths. “Now we’re hoping he can pull off the hattrick,” says Dennis hopefully.

Top jock

Asked about the jockey choice, Dennis comments, “Sean Veal will be riding him on Saturday. He’s ridden him twice so far and it seems to be a winning combination.”

Horse Guards will be facing a fairly classy field of juveniles including the Var colt Rivarine from the Mike Azzie stable, but Mr Drier is unperturbed. “It’s a strong field, but I think he’ll hold his own, I really do.”

The ‘Goat Track’

“It’s interesting, a lot of people don’t enjoy Scottsville, but it’s been very good to me all these years, so I’ve got no complaints. It’s been a good hunting ground for me.” There are often grumbles about the Scottsville track as well as the draw bias, to which Dennis comments, “That last 100m slight incline does get to some of the horses occasionally. They say the middle to inside draw is supposed to be the best, but you get the odd one popping up on the outside. It’s very much the same as Kenilworth. In the old days, you only won down the outside. Now you win on the inside, the outside, any bloody side.” Horse Guards has drawn mid-field and will jump from starting gate 6 and Dennis says, “I’m very happy with the draw.”

Ownership

Horse Guards is owned in partnership by Messrs Kaf Naiken, Nanda and Sunny Naidoo and Naughty Govender, some of who are new owners and some who are old friends. “Naughty Govender has been in racing all his life. He had What A Prospect standing with Chris Saunders at Invermooi Stud. Him and Kaf are best of friends. The other two chaps, Sunny and Nanda are relatively new in the yard. It’s a super little syndicate that they got together for him. They’re very excited for the weekend – we all are.”

Other runners

As always, the Tsogo Sun day promises a good day’s racing and Mr Drier holds a strong hand. Quizzed on his chances for the rest of the card he says simply, “We’re hoping, we’re hoping.”