Valley Ofthe Kings pictured before the Race Coast Sales Premier Yearling Sale of 2023 (Race Coast Sales)
Former Summerveld-based trainer Dylan Cunha, who has had meteoric success training out of racing headquarters (Newmarket) in the UK, had a fine day for South African connections today (Monday), including winning with the Maine Chance Farms-bred Race Coast Sales-topping Gimmethegreenlight gelding Valley Ofthe Kings at Wolverhampton.
Earlier in the day Cunha had sent out the Irish-bred Galileo Gold gelding Gorgeous Mr George, who also has a couple of South African owners, for another decent cheque at his favourite course, Yarmouth.
Valley Ofthe Kingshas has qute a story behind him.
He is out of the Captain Al mare Victoria Lavelle, who Sold for R3,8 million at the 2023 Race Coast Sales Cape Premier Yearling Sale, Valley Ofthe Kings is a son of champion sire Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) out of Captain Al’s stakes winning daughter, Victoria Lavelle.
Maine Chance Farms supremo Andreas Jacobs pointed out prior to the January 2023 sale that beyond the potency of Captain Al as his broodmare sire, Valley OftheKings had Western Winter as sire of his grandam, his fourth dam is by Surumo, who is to Germany what Northern Dancer was to the United States, and his seventh dam, Crape Band, was bought by Jacobs’ grandfather. She produced Caracol the first Gr1 winner for the internationally famous racing dynasty in 1972. “He was a very tough horse who won two G1s in one week and later became a stallion,” commented Dr Jacobs at the time.
Valley Ofthe Kings was signed for by Justin Vermaak, who was bidding on the line with the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s International Sale Manager Danny Rolston and was exported to the UK for preparation in advance of the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s International Sale.
He reportedly had one or two little issues and the HKJC weren’t comfortable with placing him on their big Sale.
Danny Rolston subsequently offered him to Justin Vermaak, who kept a small share and placed him with Cunha.
He races for The Kings Men Syndicate today.
Valley Ofthe Kings ran off a 73 Official Rating today having had three, seconds, a third and a fourth in six starts.
He pressed the leader early before taking it up after one furlong under Sean Levey. He then ran on from two furlongs out and although he drifted right over one furlong out he kept on inside the final furlong to win by a length.
He should win more races.
Meanwhile, Gorgeous Mr George gave his “The Gorgeous Gang” syndicate members more to cheer about and among them is the well known South African industry couple Marius and Gill Mostert.
The Mosterts have been able to enjoy three wins with Gorgeous Mr George, all at Yarmouth this year.
He has finished second in his last three starts, two of them at Yarmouth.
He is in fact the most successful horse at Yarmouth this season.
The Mosterts pay a visit to Newmarket every year and Gill explained the only reason they took a share in this one is because her father was nicknamed “Gorgeous Mr George.”
Those two horses were Dylan’s only two runners today.
He is nearing a milestone of 100 wins in the UK.
Valley Ofthe Kings gave him a 92nd win on the UK flat and he has had two wins over jumps.
This is an incredible feat considering how tough it is to breakthrough in the UK and that he started at Newmarket with just one horse only three years ago (his first first runner being on 28 April 2022)!
