The Ridgemont-bred Rafeef gelding William Robertson’s milestone victory in the R1 million TAB Gr1 Computaform Sprint at Turffontein on Saturday will go down as the fairytale moment of 4Racing’s 2025 Champions Day as the soldier found reserves of strength and overcame an objection to register a deserved maiden Grade 1 success.
Crowd favourite William Robertson (Ryan Munger) keeps at it as Golden Sickle (Gavin Lerena, pink/blue cap) chases hard (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
We have said it before – Corne Spies’ evergreen 6yo equine ATM William Robertson is every owner’s dream horse and he has become a crowd favourite.
Chasing his overdue first Grade 1 trophy after running second in the same race in 2023, the 2025 TAB Gr1 Computaform Sprint looked his race to lose – and he kept us entertained on the edge of our seats, as he always does!
Tucked in early as Mover And Shaker and Gqeberha visitor Cruise Control showed the way, William Robertson (7-10) moved forward to a roar from the crowd and then found reserves to hold off a big challenge from the game filly Golden Sickle (8-1) in a time of 57,85 secs.
The Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Winds Of Change (25-1) moved forward strongly,and his connections felt he was interfered with – lodging an objection, which was overruled in relatively short time.
Cruise Control (20-1) showed his blistering speed to keep Lucky Lad out of the quartet.
4Racing’s Gabriel Soma and Ryan Munger on the winner’s podium (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Enjoying a seasonal break from his new home in Canada, SAJA graduate Ryan Munger, who was aboard when William Robertson beat subsequent Grade 1 hero Dyce when shedding his maiden at the Vaal in June 2021, enjoyed an armchair ride as he prepares to pack his bags after a memorable time under the African sun.
“This was an emotional win and it was written in the stars. This was all the horse. What a training achievement! Well done to the owners. What a pleasure to ride a horse with a heart of a lion. Good luck to my colleagues who ride him in the future,” said Munger.
Raced in a partnership by Rob Macnab, Keegan Govender, Xander Spies, Corne Spies Racing (Pty) Ltd & Jannie de Lange’s Waste Glass Recovery (Pty) Ltd, the Ridgemont Highlands-bred William Robertson is the third Computaform Sprint winner by the champion farm’s in-form sire Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice), who won the elite sprint himself. William Robertson is out of the thrice winning Trippi mare, Massachusetts.
The 6yo gelding cost R500 000 on the BSA National 2yo Sale and is a winner of 15 of his 42 starts with 16 places – he has earned R3 032 375.
Well done to the Stipes on what we feel was the correct call on the objection.
