1-2 Finish for Sire Redoute's Choice in SAf

 

Wylie Hall bested Majmu in the President's Champion Challenge (SAf-I) April 25 at Turffontein, marking a one-two finish for Australian-bred offspring by Redoute's Choice. 

 

The win was redemption for Wylie Hall, who finished first in last year's Vodacom Durban July (SAf-I) only to be disqualified and demoted to second place. In a driving finish Saturday, he bested trainer Mike de Kock's gallant filly Majmu, the 4-5 favorite, by 1 1/4 lengths. Outsider No Worries finished another length away in third ahead of Halve The Deficit and Unparalled.

 

Wylie Hall, who won the Colorado King Stakes (SAf-II) in his previous outing, was dispatched a well-fancied 11-2 shot for trainer Weiho Marwing.

 

Winning time for the Champion Challenge was 2:24.76, after the race was run a rather muddling pace early on.

 

Wylie Hall, whose previous victories include a score in the SA Derby (SAf-I), has won six of his 19 outings and earned over R3.6 million for owner Michael Leaf. He is one of 27 group I winners for three-time Australian leading sire Redoute's Choice, who stands at Arrowfield Stud. The winner is out of the Ideal Planet daughter Beauty Belle. He is a half brother to ill-fated Hong Kong champion sprinter Absolute Champion.

 

De Kock, whose Mubtaahij is a hopeful for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), also enjoyed a fine day at Turffontein. De Kock saddled no fewer than three winners on the day, with successes, including two at the top level: the Computaform Sprint (SAf-I) winner Alboran Sea and the Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks (SAf-I) winner Pine Princess.

 

Alboran Sea, an Australian-bred by Rock of Gibraltar, fought out a thrilling duel with fellow Carry On Alice to lift the spoils in the R1 million 1,000-meter (about five-furlong) dash. In the process, the Australian-bred filly, who is owned by Mary Slack and Michael Javett, picked up the third group I win of her career.

 

Pine Princess caused an upset in landing the SA Oaks over 2,450 meters (about 1 1/2 miles). The favorite was Siren's Call, who had won the first two legs of the Wilgerbosdrift sponsored Triple Tiara, and was bidding to become just the third filly ever to complete the treble. However, losing a shoe at the start coupled with a rough passage, meant victory would always be tough for Siren's Call, who nonetheless was extremely game in defeat, going down by just a short head to Pine Princess, a South African-bred by Captain Al. 

 

Pine Princess is owned by Maine Chance Farms in partnership with Coolmore's Susan Magnier and Mrs. Paul Shanahan.

 

Second of the day's two classics came in the form of the SA Derby, which is the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. It was won in impressive fashion by the lightly raced South African-bred gelding Legal Eagle, one of three graded race winners on the day for leading trainer Sean Tarry. The son of former SA Derby winner Greys Inn showed an impressive turn of foot to secure the victory. Now a winner of three of his five outings, the Markus and Ingrid Jooste owned Legal Eagle could be aimed at the Vodacom Durban July, a race Tarry had won previously with Pomodoro and Heavy Metal.

 

The other group I race on the day was the SA Nursery, a contest for juveniles over 1,160 meters (about 5 1/2 furlongs). In a large field of well-bred runners, Black Minnaloushe's South African-bred son Arabian Beat caused a 16-1 upset by defeating the well-related Redoute's Choice filly Shaama into second. In the process, the Dominic Zaki trained colt provided promising apprentice jockey Craig Zackey with the first group I win of his career.