The Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Buddy Boy is one of a number of Hollywood Racing-owned horses who will be having preparation races on Sunday at Hollywoodbets Greyville ahead of probable feature race campaigns (Picture: Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Champion owners Hollywood Racing had a possible new string added to their bow of potential stakes winners when Ovation Star won the first race in impressive style on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly today (Tuesday).
In the meantime they are looking forward to feature race campaigns for some of their best horses, who include Cognac, I Am Giant, Asiye Phambili, Busstopinhounslow, Buddy Boy, Miami Mountain, Mamlambo and others.
In overseas news they are still not sure who will be riding One Stripe in the Breeders Cup Mile after Gavin Lerena was forced to pull out as he won’t be race-riding fit, while Isivunguvungu is being rested as he needed to be freshened up after a tough campaign which included traveling to Dubai.
The Stuart Ferrie-trained pair Cognac and I am Giant will soon be on their way to Cape Town.
Both of them run on Sunday at Hollywoodbets Greyville in separate 1200m events and so does another promising Hollywood Racing three-year-old, the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Buddy Boy, who could also be eyeing Cape Town.
Cognac, who won impressively on debut over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, is by Rafeef out of a Silvano mare who won twice over 1400m and 2200m respectively, so it would seem at first glance that he would stay the mile trip of the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, which could be a possible target.
However, Hollywood Racing’s racing manager Anthony Delpech said, “Blood tests show him to be a sprinter.”
Hollywood do the “Speed Gene” blood test on all of their horses.
This test identifies a genetic variation in the horse’s myostatin gene (MSTN), which regulates muscle development, to determine its optimal racing distance and precocity potential. A C:C genetic type is suited for sprints and early performance, a C:T type for versatile middle-distance racing, and a T:T type for stamina and late-maturing horses.
Anthony continued, “Cognac’s test came out as C:C, which means he is a sprinter. That doesn’t mean he can’t get a mile, we’ve had C:C’s who have won over 2000m before, so it just gives you a bit of a line to what the horse’s distance is. Cognac’s mother’s stamina side is strong, so I think the most important thing is that Sean (Veale) says he switches off and in that case he should be able to get the trip. We’ll try further and if he doesn’t get it then we’ll stick to sprints for now until he’s matured and might go a little further. But we think he’s going to get a mile. Stuart is pretty convinced he’ll get a mile.”
Buddy Boy, who is by What A Winter out of a Trippi mare, won’t have to face a stamina-proving test because he won full of running second time out over 1600m by six lengths at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. He runs over 1600m on Sunday in a class 4 event off a 90 merit rating and a route will then likely be planned for him depending on how well he does.
I Am Giant, who won the Gr 2 Post Merchants over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Hollywoodbets Durban July day, was a touch disappointing in the Gr 2 Mercury Sprint. Having found a handy position from draw four he did not find as much as expected in the straight and could only manage a 3,90 length eighth.
However, he is likely better than that. He was possibly too handy, as he came from off the pace in the Merchants and was only produced late in that race. He might also enjoy going down the straight again. The obvious races for him in Cape Town are the Gr 2 Cape Merchants over 1200m on December 13, the Gr 1 Cape Flying Championship over 1000m on WSB Met day and the Gr 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes over 1200m on Cape Derby day.
Asiye Phambili, who is already in Cape Town with Lucinda Woodruff, can defend her titles in the Gr 3 WSB Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m on December 6 and the Gr 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes over 1200m on L’Ormarins King’s Plate day and can then have another go at the Gr 1 Cape Flying Championship. This is likely her last season of racing before going to stud.
The Grant Maroun-trained Busstopinhounslow will be running in the Gr 2 Allied Steelrode-Onamission Mile over 1600m at Turffontein Standside on November 1. He ran a cracker on Saturday in the Gr 2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m when staying on from the rear and being pipped for second by Betway Summer Cup winner Atticus Finch. He ran off a 109 merit rating and was carrying 56kg, which made him 2kg under sufferance with Atticus Finch. He was beaten by the three-year-old winner Tin Pan Alley, to whom he gave 6kg, by 0,80 lengths.
Anthony said, “In that company I thought it was a top, top run.”
He also believes the New Predator gelding will prefer the Standside track for the Charity Mile and mentioned him as having “a helluva turn of foot.”
Delpech was also impressed with Miami Mountain on Saturday. The Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Canford Cliffs colt is out of the Gr 1 Allan Robertson winner Miss Florida (Captain Al) and he beat some good horses in a Graduation Plate over 1200m, including the Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes winner Zalatoris, from whom he received just 1,5kg and he beat him by 1,50 lengths, although he did have pole position draw compared to Zalatoris’s draw ten.
Anthony said, “That was a group level race and for the weight he carried to be able to beat them that was a very good win, so we have hopes for him too. He will be going for the Graham Beck (Gr 3 over 1400m on Charity Mile day), that will be his prep run and we will then take it from there.”
Hollywood Racing are also excited about the Heather Adamson-trained Canford Cliffs three-year-old filly Mamlambo, who was second on debut over 1160m and then won her next two over 1400m in comfortable style.
Anthony said, ” I think she’s very, very good. I think after a long break coming back and winning in that fashion, she looks above average, and with a bit of luck she could be a Cape Fillies Guineas horse. She will go for the Gr 3 Starling Stakes over 1400m on Charity Mile day and if she wins that we may go for the Cape Fillies Guineas and then come back for the Triple Tiara races.”
Meanwhile, it is not known yet who will be riding One Stripe in the Breeders Cup Mile at Del Mar on November 1. Gavin Lerena made the professional decision to pull out as he was not going to be fit enough after a long suspension. The team would like to keep Hall Of Famer John Velazquez, who rode him on his USA debut, but he is a top rider so will likely have a pick of rides.
Anthony was very pleased with One Stripe’s run in the Gr 1 Woodbine Mile and said, “Things went all wrong and from where he came from on a tight track like that, I think he ran a very good race, especially after being off for six months. I think he would have finished second had things gone according to plan.”
Meanwhile, the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Rafeef filly Ovation Star, who is out of twice-winning Var mare Targaryan, drifted out from 8/10 to 33/10 in an Open Maiden over 1200m on the poly today (Tuesday) and this was likely due to her having to carry topweight, despite being a young three-year-old who had never run before. However, she spreadeagled the field after coming from midfield to win by six lengths under Callan Murray. Mike de Kock pointed out it was a weak field and he hoped the handicapper wouldn’t be too harsh on her considering whom she beat. However, the manner of her win suggests she has a bright future. She is tall and immature, but has nice length of rein, and has plenty of scope for improvement.
Other Hollywood Racing horses to look out for are the Vaughan Marshall-trained speedster Inside Voice (Pathfork) together with the Gareth van Zyl-trained pair Luhamba Phambili and Lion Rampart. All three look to be useful sprinters.
Imilenzeyokududuma is a useful 1400m to miler type and he runs in the same race as I Am Giant at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
