Foudre was not hard pressed to earn a comfortable victory (Picture: Wayne Marks)
The Eric Sands-trained Khaya Stables-owned Foudre returned from a layoff of more than 21 months to win a Maiden Plate over 1200m by 1,25 lengths under Craig Zackey at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday.
It was the Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein-bred Fire Away gelding’s first run for Sands.
He is a half-brother to multiple Gr 1-winning equine celebrities Rainbow Bridge (Ideal World), Hawwaam (Silvano) and Golden Ducat (Philanthropist), being out of the Equus Champion Broodmare Halfway To Heaven (Jet Master) and he fetched R1,6 million at the 2022 National Yearling Sale.
He had run three seconds, a third and a fourth in five starts between August 2023 and January 2024 over distances from 1250m to 2000m.
Foudre broke well and was in the leading line from the off on Wednesday, although just off the leader Gale Warning.
He assumed the lead 400m out when the latter began fading, but was still under the hands and it was only at the 200m mark that Zackey produced the stick.
Foudre then drew clear of the challenger Give It Laldy, a Lucinda Woodruff Hollywood Racing-owned One World who had been backed into 9/2 second favourite.
The 3/1 favourite Pritti United had travelled well and seemed to be moving up well, but was no match for Foudre and others and could only manage a 3,65 length sixth.
Sands also trained Rainbow Bridge, whose five Gr 1 wins included two Mets, and he trained twice Gr 1 winner Golden Ducat too.
He had also trained their mother Halfway To Heaven, so he was obviously a good choice of trainer when Khaya Stables were looking for somebody to take over the reins in the training of Foudre.
Sands said in the interview after Foudre’s win, “It’s really great to have my first runner for Lady Christine Laidlaw and thank you to Mary (Slack) for being so patient with this horse … that’s just Mary and I’m really honoured.”
Mary Slack’s Wilgerbosdrift Stud team had looked after Foudre for more than a year when he was recovering from a tendon injury.
Asked about the plan with Foudre, Sands said, “He had a tendon so we’ve got to keep him sound. 1200m is not his game. Rainbow Bridge won over 1200m, and I’m not saying he is in that quality yet and I’m not going to blow up his case, but it will be lovely one day if he carried on to get to the top.”
Zackey reminded that the members of this equine family were actually at their best as four and five-year-olds, so there is still hope for Foudre. Zackey said there had always been high expectations.
He said, “On the way to the post I was smirking, because even though he was big he was light on his feet. I would have liked to have followed one or two but he came out running. I liked the way he stayed on. He is looking for further and winning is a bonus. Great training feat by Mr Sands.”
It was the first leg of a double for Zackey.
Vaughan Marshall was the only other double scorer on the day.
