Fayd’Herbe Reveals Reason Behind Met Riding Switch
He Chats about All Of His Rides On The Big Day
Bernard Fayd’Herbe would have liked to have stayed aboard Al Muthana after partnering him to victory in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, but circumstances did not allow it, and he is also happy to be aboard the superstar Do It Again in Saturday’s WSB Met.
Bernard explained, “I told Mr Maingard before the King’s Plate that I had been pre-engaged to ride one of the Snaith horses for the Met. After the King’s Plate the Snaiths allowed me the option to stay with Al Muthana if I wished but when I spoke to Mr Maingard he told me he had already gone ahead and booked Piere Strydom.”
He continued, “It is always nice to stay with a horse you have just won a weight for age Grade 1 on. Al Muthana is rated the best horse in the country at present, but I am happy to be on Do It Again too, although I think it is going to be hard for either of them to beat Jet Dark. Whoever beats Jet Dark is going to win the Met and I hope it will be Do It Again.”
Fayd’Herbe rode Do It Again in the first seven starts of his career, which included a second place finish in the Grade 1 Cape Derby over the Met course and distance and a win in the Grade 2 Daisy Guineas at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
He also rode the big Twice Over gelding to fifth place in last year’s Met.
“I am going to Try It Again,” quipped Bernard.
Asked whether the evergreen eight-year-old was as good as he once was he replied, “Yes … definitely. He is doing very well at the moment too.”
In that case Do It Again is outstanding value at 33/1, considering he finished a 0,75 length second to Rainbow Bridge in the Met in 2019, which was the best finish of his four runs in the big race. That is not to mention he is also a former Equus Horse Of The Year.
Bernard has won the Met three times, twice on Pocket Power in 2008 and 2009, and on Futura in 2015.
Do It Again is drawn eight.
Bernard is hoping for a good pace and he believes the one who might set it is Pomp And Power.
Bernard is the King Of Kenilworth at present, having won the inaugural running of the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, and perhaps he will also be given the freedom of the metropolitan area of Cape Town if able to land the Met as well.
He has in fact done that prestigious double three times before, because all three of his Met wins were preceded by victories on the same horse in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.
He is bullish about one of his other Grade 1 rides on the day.
He revealed, “Adam Azzie told me Supreme Warrior has been doing extremely well and he said I should not be surprised if I win the race (The wfa Pongracz Cape Flying Championship over 1000m).”
Supreme Warrior tended to take a strong hold over a mile, a trip over which he has a second place finish to Zapatillas in the Grade 2 WSB Guineas at Hollywoodbets Greyville to his name, so it is not surprising they have brought him back to 1000m.
Last time out, his first run for six months, he gave the promising Taikonaut 8,5kg and failed by a shorthead to beat him over the Turffontein Standside 1000m.
Bernard revealed the Azzies had sought him for the ride because the horse needed a strong rider to settle him.
Supreme Warrior jumps from draw 6 and should relish the tough Kenilworth 1000m course and distance.
“Big Race Bernard” also rides in the other Grade 1 on the day, the wfa Schweppes Majorca stakes for fillies and mares over 1600, where he is aboard the Snaith-trained Silver Darling.
He said it would be slightly on the sharp side for her and he believed it would be hard to beat both Captain’s Ransom and Desert Miracle. However, he said on the plus side Kevin Sommerville, the racing manager of Drakenstein Stud, had allowed him free rein to ride Silver Darling the way he wanted to.
So it will be interesting to see what tactics the experienced stalwart employs.
Bernard also has a ride in the WSB R7,5 million Gold Rush over 1600m.
He is aboard the Snaith-trained Triple Time, who has shown some promise, so could surprise from draw two.
However, Fayd’herbe reckons this Twice Over colt needs gelding.
He said, “Royal Aussie will be hard to beat, he has real class. Dave The King is also one to watch, Christophe Soumillon is the perfect rider for him.”
Bernard has two other rides on the day Tothemoonandback and Kitchakal in race 5 and race 11 respectively and he reckoned those two races were wide open.
He said it would be tough and competitive throughout the day and he was looking forward to a fantastic day’s racing.
He is awaiting news from Mauritius regarding his long term plans.
There is a lot of political turmoil in racing over there at present but he himself believed the worst was over and said there were some very good plans for racing going forward.
Striker Talks About The Met And Retirement
Piere Strydom will not be hanging up his riding boots after the last race on WSB Met day.
He said he was still associated with the Gareth van Zyl-trained Money Heist ahead of the Grade 2 WSB Gauteng Guineas on February 4.
He added, “Also, Joe Soma and I have just started chapter 34!”
He revealed he had been hired and fired so often by Joe Soma they always joked between them about the next chapter.
Their latest partnership has already been fruitful as Piere rode a winner for Joe both on Tuesday and today, aboard Lady Of Power and Brave Viking respectively.
Chapter 34 so far includes just three rides for two wins and a 0,60 length second on Positive Attitude.
Piere said he might well get the ride on Lady Of Power, who is highly regarded by Soma, in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas.
Piere has been staying in Johannesburg, but has been in constant communication with the Ricky Maingard yard, who have kept him in the loop about the well-being of his Met ride Al Muthana.
He said, “They say he is as good as he was before the King’s Plate.”
He summed up his prospects, “He has beaten some of the most fancied horses in the race and has the highest merit rating, so it is just a question of whether he stays.”
Some say the Met is one 2000m wfa race that can be won by a miler, but Piere responded to that point by saying, “To me 2000m is still 2000m.”
Riding the horse conservatively would have its problems.
He said, “It is going to be tough for the backmarkers. In these big races with big fields you can get shuffled back when not wanting to be. Jockeys are pushing and you are sometimes forced to give up a spot. Coming from the back in an eight horse field is different to coming from the back in a big, top quality field. If you turn for home last in the latter you could have 15, 16 or 17 lengths to make up.”
However, he said Ricky Maingard had been devising a plan.
“Ricky has a plan and I am awaiting instructions from him,” he said.
Piere said he had been swinging towards Kommetdieding as the horse to beat.
He elaborated, “I think he is just more effective over 2000m than Jet Dark.”
He added, “The filly (Make It Snappy) has a light weight and can go to the front. The way she keeps on rolling and pulls away from them shows that she is obviously a proper galloper.”
Piere has had a Grade 1 win for Maingard before, scoring on Young Harvest (Hard Up) in the Golden Spur (Golden Horse Sprint) in 1995.
Piere rides Itsrainingwilliam in the R7.5 million WSB Gold Rush.
It augurs well that this William Longsword gelding steps up in trip because he is a half-brother to Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara heroine Rain In Holland. However, he said he was apparently a difficult ride, which, he added, was a bit concerning.
He has three other rides on the day and should have a fair chance on Gimme More Time in the fifth as this horse was a touch unlucky last time over this 1400m course and distance and is drawn well off just a two point higher mark.
On just how long he is still going to ride for “The Blonde Bomber” quipped, “Maybe when I find a grey hair I will retire!”
Admission, hospitality packages: WSB Met
Pongracz Cape Flying Championship Analysis
Cape Racing
A cross-country array of sprinting talent will load up for the Pongracz Cape Flying Championships (WFA) (Grade 1) with six trucking down from the Highveld, two from KZN, plus one from the Eastern Cape taking on seven locals in a fascinating 1000m dash.
Based on official merit ratings, the Jozi invaders comprising magnificent mare Princess Calla; last year’s Cape Flying victor Bohica; Computaform winner, Master Archie and Golden Horseshoe hero, Alesian Chief come out on top.
Yet such is the spread of recent, quality form from around the country that simply homing in on the “best weighted” category might not solve the puzzle and P6 players may need to cast an even wider net to advance.
Isivunguvungu is a credit to Peter Muscutt’s conditioning skills (he also saddles Battle Force) and this progressive gelding is a contender after unluckily just missing at his first Cape Town dip. Cruise Control has been flashing raw speed in a succession of Fairview blitz jobs, but now confronts far stronger oppo.
What to make of the seven Cape-based entries? Gimme a Prince shapes up as a potentially high-class speedball, having narrowly lost a tune-up run to re-opposing Resonate (himself formidable over these shortcuts) in the Southeaster Sprint, and then breezily winning the Merchants.
Cosmic Highway has battled through a stop-start schedule over the past year yet his win 336 days ago in the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes, marked him as one of SA’s finest sprinters.
Rio Querari’s last win was a spectacular display in the ’21 Computaform Sprint but an arthritic joint has since reduced the athletic ex-champ to portly- pensioner status.
Stiptelik has twice been out-finished by Princess Calla; Surjay faces a tough task on these terms whilst Hithemhardsunshine is a three-year-old lurker with plenty of scope (he was practically the equal of Charles Dickens at 2).
M/A Azzie upset here with Bohica in ’22 and, together with Master Archie, also sends out Bartholdi (an excellent 2nd to Alesian Chief in the Horseshoe) plus Supreme Warrior, pipped by Zapatillas in the KZN Guineas but who may turn out best over sprints.
Bonete is an entry in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas (JC Photos).
Lushozi Shoop wins by a comfortable two lengths to convert odds of 91/100 on debut at Turffontein Standside today. (JC Photos).
Giga Kick’s trainer Clayton Douglas and jockey Craig Williams with The Everest trophy. CREDIT:GETTY
Today’s Question
Saturday’s WSB R7.5 million Gold Rush race is based on the Australian race The Everest, which is billed as “the world’s richest race on turf.”
How much did the owners of Giga Kick (Scissors Kick), i.e Pinecliff Racing (Mgr: J B Munz), take home after he had won The Everest at Randwick on October 15 last year?
See answer at the bottom of the newsletter
Fairview Turf Fields, Friday, CLICK HERE
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Giga Kick wins the latest renewal of The Everest (Sydney Morning Herald).
