Wylie Hall and Bernard Fayd’herbe race clear to an impressive win (JC Photos)
The top-class entire Wylie Hall made it four feature winners at Turffontein on Saturday for the Australian bred gallopers when he powered home to win the R2 million Gr1 President’s Champions Challenge. The 5yo demonstrated his well-being and dethroned Mike De Kock’s highly vaunted Majmu, who was handicapped to win this race.
The impressive Wylie Hall had recently returned to racing after an eight month break from action. He won the Gr2 Colorado King Stakes and he proved that to be no fresh fluke when taking the next step on Saturday towards a possible July rematch with Legislate, with a convincing victory.
Both of the top two finishers were Aussie-breds by leading sire Redoute’s Choice, on a day that would have served as a great advertisement for bloodstock from Down Under.
Henry Higgins and No Worries kept them honest as they showed the way for much of the trip with the primary contenders settled nicely in running – Majmu in fourth and Wylie Hall alongside her.
Henry Higgins slowed things down turning for home, as Fayd;herbe angled Wylie Hall to the outside with Majmu appearing to labour and being caught flat-footed by the variance in pace.
At the 200m Wylie Hall was in control as Delpech changed whip hands and Majmu kicked again to come back at the leader.
But her efforts were in vain as Wylie Hall swept home down the outside under a confident steer by Bernard Fayd’herbe to beat Majmu by 1,25 lengths in a time of 124,76 secs.
Bernard Fayd’herbe – has formed a winning partnership with Wylie Hall
Handicapped to win, or not, the 8-10 Majmu was hardly disgraced and kept running all the way to the line.
The Gavin Val Zyl yard would have been thrilled with the spark shown by No Worries, who was always thereabouts and stayed on well for third, ahead of Halve The Deficit, who looked dangerous halfway down the straight.
Former Triple Crown champion Louis The King flattered briefly but fell away to run last of the eleven runners. He is a shadow of his former self-how fortunes can turn in a year.
Wylie Hall has won 6 races (two Gr1’s) with 9 places from 20 starts and R3 649 825 in stakes.
The half-brother to Gr I winning sprinter Absolute Champion was a $205,000 Magic Millions purchase by Andy Williams Worldwide Bloodstock from the draft of Newhaven Park.
He is a son of Redoute’s Choice out of the five time winning Double First mare, Beauty Belle.
Full marks to Weiho Marwing for his efforts in bringing Wylie Hall back to top level competitiveness.
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Gr1 President’s Champions Challenge (SAf-Gr1)
Turffontein, South Africa, April 25, R2 million, 2000m, turf, soft, 2.04.76
1 – WYLIE HALL (AUS), 58.5, b h 5, Redoute’s Choice (AUS) – Beauty Belle (AUS) by Ideal Planet (AUS). Owner Mr M E Leaf; Breeder bred in Australia; trainer WH Marwing; jockey B Fayd’herbe
2 – Majmu (AUS), 54.0, gr f 3, Redoute’s Choice (AUS) – Spontaneous (CHI) by Hussonet (USA)
3 – No Worries (SAF), 58.5, ch g 5, Kahal (GB) – Coastal Waltz (SAF) by Rambo Dancer (USA)
Margins: 1.25, 1.00, 1.00
