Rich Man’s World looked to have a good test ahead of him when arriving at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today (Wednesday) as his chief market rival Master Magician had similarly impeccable form, but the opposition proved no match for him as he sauntered to a 7,50 length victory without coming out of second gear (Picture: Julia Marnewick)
Just a dozen days after Gaynor Rupert’s homebred filly I’m The One galloped her way to Epsom Oaks favouritism, a Vaughan Marshall-trained One World colt who traces back to the same German-bred matriarch announced himself as South Africa’s new potential superstar.
Two-year-old Rich Man’s World had won his first two starts, both over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, by two lengths and 5,25 lengths respectively and made his KZN debut in the Gr 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1100m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville today (Wednesday).
He started favourite but only just because there was plenty of support for the local hope, the Mike Miller-trained Master Magician, a Querari colt who had won his first two starts, both over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville by 5,40 and 4,20 lengths respectively.
Rich Man’s Gold drifted out from an opening call of 56/100 to even money as Master Magician’s price remained steady on 14/10 in the seven horse field.
Masgter Magician went to the front from the highest draw of seven and Richard Fourie on Rich Man’s World, who jumped from draw six, was happy to let the latter drift inward in front of him.
Tristan Godden gave Master Magician more rein at the 400m but Rich Man’s World loped alongside moving effortlessly.
When Fourie asked him he changed legs and accelerated before stretching away to win by 7,50 lengths.
It was a highly impressive performance run in a time of 61.95 seconds, 1.59 seconds faster than the fillies event.
Rich Man’s Gold was bred by Boland Stud and is out of the German-bred Silvano mare Sommersonne, who won her 9th start over 1600m after placing five times in the maidens and she was then retired.
Ironically, it was Mike Miller who trained Somersonne’s previous best runner, the Gimmthegreenlight filly Just Reckless, who won the equivalent race for fillies that Rich Man’s Gold won today, the Gr 3 Strelitzia Stakes over 1100m, and she went on to win the Gr 2 World Pool With Gold Circle Debutante over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville over 1200m on Gold Cup day.
Just Reckless only had one start as a three-year-old, finishing a good second.
Hopefully, Rich Man’s Gold will train on as well as his Marshall-trained paternal half-brother One Stripe, who had three wins from four starts as a two-year-old, including two Gr 3s, before becoming a dual Gr 1-winning superstar as a three-year-old and he is now one of the best turf horses in America.
Richard Fourie said after the race, “Beautiful horse, good attitude, sleeps, a phenomenal turn of foot and he just behaves like a six-year-old, his attitude is everything and he’s going to win a lot of races.”
He continued, “I thought we would go nice and fast and I would get cover in behind Tristan, but this horse’s action is just so big I kept having to pull him back and even when I got to him at the 400m mark I was just trying to sit as long as I could, he was just doing everything naturally. Eventually I had to move …”
Fourie said he had never really come out of first gear or second gear.
He concluded, “He is special and we’ll keep the good stuff for the big races.”
Vaughan Marshall has been in the game for decades and and that is one reason he never gets ahead of himself.
He said, “He’s done what we have asked him to do, but let’s just keep our feet on the ground.”
Rich Man’s World traces back to a bottom line female called Schwarzgold, a legendary German-bred thoroughbred matriarch, and this is the same bottom line female that Gaynor Rupert’s sensational homebred in the UK, I’m The One, traces back to.
Schwarzgold is still regarded as one of the best racing fillies ever bred in Germany.
Unfortunately she had to be put down at a relatively young age, because she was suffering from an incurable disease. At stud she only produced two foals and yet founded one of the strongest German and European families, which includes Stuyvesant, Schonbrunn, Sagace, Slip Anchor, etc.
Turf Talk have often highlighted the seemingly underestimated influence of a 1930-born German-bred stallion Alchimist, who was also a German Derby winner.
He was the sire of Schwarzgold and he appears three times in Rich Man’s World’s pedigree, twice via his dam and once via Silvano.
Rich Man’s World is owned by Messrs R L Gabler & K P Truter & Mesdames C L Gabler & Jane Truter.
He was purchased for R450,000 at the BSA National Yearling Sale.
His Rafeef half-brother Continental King has also shown promise. The 84-rated Dianne Stenger-trained gelding has had four runs, including a 3,75 length victory over 1160m at Turffontein Standside in his penultimate start in the maidens.
