THe Maine Chance Farms-bred Gimmthegreenlight colt Valley Ofthe Kings was the sales topper at the CRS Cape Premier Yearling Sale of 2023, fetching R3.8 million (Cape Racing Sales)
The Gimmethegreenlight Sales Topper from the CRS Cape Premier Yearling Sale of 2023, Valley OfThe Kings, ran an improved race second time out for Dylan Cunha in the U.K.
Valley Of The King was bought by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for R3.8 million at that January 2023 Sale.
However, he apparently failed a veterinary test in Europe before the final leg of his journey to Hong Kong and was sold on.
On debut over six furlongs at Doncaster in a Novice event he ran fourth out of eight, beaten five lengths.
On Saturday over the same course and distance in another Novice event he was prominent before being outpaced two furlongs out.
He kept on, but had no chance with the winner inside the final furlong and finished a four length second.
Kyle Strydom has ridden him in both starts.
Valleyofthekings was bred by Barry Irwin’s Team Valor Internatonal and is out of the Captain Al mare Victoria Lavelle, who won four races from 1000m to 1200m, including the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes over 1100m.
He is speedily bred but might get a mile and should continue to improve.
His Vercingetorix half-sister, the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Tulip Fields, won in fine style second time out over 1100m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville recently, romping home by 2,40 lengths.
Meanwhile, Dylan Cunha’s remarkable rise in the U.K continues and he has now had 86 wins in all, at a strike rate of 13%, since arriving in Newmarket and starting with one horse called Mr Fayez. who gave him his first UK runner in April 2022.
Kyle Strydom has been riding in the UK since April 2023 and has had 20 wins at a strike rate of 11%.
