Master Redoute winning the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers (Picture: Wayne Marks)
The Andre Nel-trained Master Redoute was one of the chief victims in the Hollywoodbets Durban July when Shoemaker bled and dropped back suddenly, but he has fortunately come out of the race well and is on track for a race which will likely suit him better, the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup.
The five-year-old Querari gelding was forced way wide for a number of strides after a chain reaction caused by the incident halfway through the July.
However, Summerveld assistant trainer to Nel, Byron Forster, said, “It was one of of those wrong place at the wrong time scenarios. We were pretty happy with where he was and the interference didn’t help him, but also the pace was never going to suit him when they went that slow and turned it into a sprint. But he has come out of the race a hundred percent.”
Master Redoute has landed a plum draw of four out of the 21 entries for the World Pool Gold Cup over 3200m, South Africa’s premier staying event.
Byron said, “It is more of his trip now, I would think. You have to respect Future Pearl on his July run. But in a clean run race I think he will run well. He is drawn inside the first six (as opposed to 14 in the July), so hopefully he can be in a better position this time around. Hopefully it’s a cleaner sort of race too. He does actually like to run through horses a little bit, but you don’t want something like what happened in the July.”
Master Redoute won the Gr 2 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m, despite being way under sufferance carrying 59kg off a 102 merit rating. He was consequently raised to 113 and then proved he was up to that mark by running a 1,70 length third in the Gr 2 WSB 1900, despite giving 4kg to the winner Future Swing. That saw him being raised to 115 and in the Gold Cup he will have to give the progressive Future Swing 2kg.
Byron sounded bullish about the chances of Dynasty filly Saartjie in the Gr 2 Riding High Together Gold Bracelet over 2000m.
He said, “She’s doing very well, she’s as well as she was at this time last year and she’s got to just have a good next ten days. She’s got a grass gallop coming up. She had some time off after har last run. We just gave her a week off, because she had those three races close together. We bypassed the Garden Province and this race is tailor made for her. Last year she finished second. It will be interesting how the field cuts up and she’s not drawn too well (15 out of 16 initial entries with three supplementary entries still to be drawn). But she’s well and a good gallop this week and then hopefully smooth sailing after that. She will be ready for the race.”
Saartjie won the Listed KRA East Coast Cup over course and distance on May 11, before running a disappointing 3,90 length ninth in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000.
However, she bounced back with a fine second, beaten a neck, in the Gr 2 Tabgold Oaks over 2400m.
Like most of Dynasty’s progeny she loves Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Last season she finished a close second in the Gr 2 WSB Fillies Guineas despite being squeezed out at a crucial stage.
She then had no luck in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000, before finding one better, i.e. the classy Bless My Stars, in the Gold Bracelet, although she was drawn in pole in the latter race last year.
Master Redoute is a Sabine Plattner homebred and she bought the Shadwell Stud-bred Saartjie for R700,000 at the 2021 BSA Nastional Yearling Sale.
