Derby Day pieces start falling into place

The picture of Derby Day at Turffontein racecourse on 6 April became somewhat clearer when final declarations were made this week.

Connections in two or three minds about the races in which to run their horses had to make decisions – and some fateful ones were made in the Randjesfontein yards of Mike de Kock and Sean Tarry.

Multi-champion trainer De Kock opted to saddle unbeaten filly Gimme A Nother for the Grade 1 1600m Empress Club Stakes and not the Grade 2 SA Oaks – thereby forfeiting an odds-on chance of clinching the 2024 Triple Crown and its R1-million bonus prize.

Also, De Kock committed his fast-improving colt Marauding Horde to the 2450m SA Derby, despite expressing misgivings about the official handicappers’ tendency to punish three-year-old Grade 1 outperformers for their precocity. The son of Vercingetorix is quoted at 4-1 by bookmakers, below 22-10 favourite Purple Pitcher.

Tarry had his brilliant filly Mrs Geriatrix entered in three races on Derby Day, but in the end picked the Empress Club – showing some chutzpah in taking on 1-4 hotshot Gimme A Nother.

The much-discussed Sandringham Summit goes in the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes rather than the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Challenge. Factors in trainer David Nieuwenhuizen’s decision would have been the race distance of 1400m – as compared to the less-suitable 2000m at this stage of the colt’s career – and the need to dodge a handicapping heavy hand in a lesser status race.

GRADE 1 FIELDS (number, draw, name, weight, MR, jockey, trainer)

World Pool Premier’s Champion Challenge, Grade 1, R2m, 2000m, WFA

1 1 Dave The King 60 126 Piere Strydom Mike de Kock

2 5 Puerto Manzano (ARG) 60 125 Gavin Lerena JA Janse van Vuuren

3 13 Cousin Casey 60 123 Richard Fourie Sean Tarry

4 6 Zeus 60 122 Denis Schwarz Fabian Habib

5 10 Winchester Mansion 60 121 Kabelo Matsunyane Brett Crawford

6 9 Without Question 60 120 Rachel Venniker Justin Snaith

7 3 Royal Victory 60 119 Muzi Yeni Nathan Kotzen

8 7 Son Of Raj 60 119 S’manga Khumalo Weiho Marwing

9 2 Aragosta 60 118 Marco van Rensburg Mike de Kock

10 4 Future Pearl 60 116 Serino Moodley Sean Tarry

11 11 Safe Passage 60 116 JP van der Merwe Mike de Kock

12 14 Litigation 60 115 Craig Zackey Sean Tarry

13 8 Meridius 60 110 Calvin Habib Tony Peter

14 12 Street Art 60 109 Tristan Godden Tony Peter

TAB Empress Club Stakes, Grade 1, R1m, 1600m, F&M at WFA

1 5 Humdinger 60 116 Piere Strydom Mike de Kock

2 6 Gilded Butterfly 60 109 Kabelo Matsunyane Stuart Pettigrew

3 3 Emirate Gina 60 105 S’manga Khumalo Roy Magner

4 4 Perfect Witness 60 105 Diego De Gouveia Candice Dawson

5 1 Lady Of Power 60 104 Muzi Yeni MG Azzie/AA Azzie

6 8 Gimme A Nother 57.5 125 JP van der Merwe Mike de Kock

7 7 Mrs Geriatrix 57.5 115 Richard Fourie Sean Tarry

8 2 Bavarian Beauty 57.5 113 Calvin Habib Tony Peter

TAB SA Derby, Grade 1, R1.25m, 2450m, 3YO

1 6 Purple Pitcher 60 120 Kabelo Matsunyane Robyn Klaasen

2 4 Hotarubi 60 116 S’manga Khumalo Sean Tarry

3 9 Pure Predator 60 116 Richard Fourie Fanie Bronkhorst

4 5 Mondial 60 105 Muzi Yeni MG Azzie/AA Azzie

5 8 Presley 60 98 Gavin Lerena JA Janse van Vuuren

6 2 Marauding Horde 60 96 Marco van Rensburg Mike de Kock

7 7 Viva Brazil 60 94 Craig Zackey Lucky Houdalakis

8 13 George Handel 60 93 Piere Strydom Fanie Bronkhorst

9 11 Twenty Drachma’s 60 92 Philasande Mxoli Stuart Pettigrew

10 12 Shoot The Rapids 60 89 Calvin Habib Frank Robinson

11 3 Atarime 60 83 Rachel Venniker Paul Matchett

12 1 Thunee Playa 60 80 Denis Schwarz Lorenzo Karriem

13 10 Taxhaven 60 78 Malesela Katjedi Paul Matchett

Jonsson Workwear Computerform Sprint, Grade 1, R1m, 1000m, WFA

1 12 Dyce 60 130 Craig Zackey Lucky Houdalakis

2 4 William Robertson 60 125 S’manga Khumalo Corne Spies

3 11 Thunderstruck 60 124 Richard Fourie Sean Tarry

4 5 Mover And Shaker 60 118 Denis Schwarz Fabian Habib

5 3 Sheldon 60 116 Hennie Greyling JA Janse van Vuuren

6 9 Rulership 60 115 Kabelo Matsunyane Tony Peter

7 7 Pray For Rain 60 114 Serino Moodley Carl Hewitson

8 10 Ziyasha 58 114 Muzi Yeni Clinton Binda

9 1 Ready To Charge 58 108 JP van der Merwe MG Azzie/AA Azzie

10 6 Kiss Me Captain 57.5 110 Rachel Venniker MG Azzie/AA Azzie

11 8 Iphiko 57.5 108 Marco van Rensburg Mike de Kock

12 2 Golden Sickle 55.5 122 Calvin Habib Tony Peter