Harry Nyquist poweres home on debut. (JC Photos)
Possibly the most interesting winner over the weekend was the Mike de Kock-trained Harry Nyquist, who is a strongly built chestnut with a fascinating pedigree and he could develop into an exciting sprinter.
Harry Nyquist clocked 67,93s in his debut win over 1160m at Turffontein on Saturday – 0,61s faster than the class average, and made a good impression.
Harry Nyquist is by 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist out of Go On Mary (Broken Vow), and was bred by Jessica Slack, who said: “Go On Mary is in the USA now and is due next to Game Winner (Candy Ride).”
Go On Mary ran 25 times in the USA for four wins, three seconds and five thirds for stakes earnings of US$225,03 and one of her wins was in a back type race over five furlongs at Del Mar on the turf in March 2018.
Jessica purchased her at the Keeneland Association November Breeding Stock Sale in 2019 for US$110,000.
Broken Vow was the last son of Unbridled standing in Kentucky and this ultra consistent horse’s best win was in the Gr 2 Philip H Iselen Handicap at Monmouth Park (today the Gr 1 Haskell Stakes) over one mile and half-a-furlong on the dirt.
As a stallion Broken Vow sired 80 (6%) black-type winners and another 79 that were stakes placed. His elite runners include 27 graded/group winners of which six were grade/group 1 winners.
The Mike de Kock website wrote the below report about Harry Nyquist:
Harry Nyquist jumped like a pro on Saturday, cruised into the lead, came across from the inside to the standside and won by just over four lengths.
This was one of those rare races where, after 400m, one kind of got the feeling that it was over as a contest. Watch the replay at the end of this review to see how Harry Nyquist has them all off the bit at the 600m. He quickened away, using his beautiful action. “He won a smart race,” said jockey Chase Maujean.
“I didn’t see that one coming,” said a suitably impressed Mike de Kock after the race. Mike said in his preview that he felt this was a beatable field, but the ease of his win came unexpected. Mike also noted that Harry Nyquist had been problematic to train. He and Mathew will be crossing fingers that it’s plain sailing from here, so that he can develop into a decent prospect.
Assistant David Dlamini commented: “Harry Nyquist had niggles and it was a good idea to geld him. (What we saw today) is the type of work he’d showed us in the beginning.”
Harry Nyquist runs in the silks of stalwart owner Henk Leyenaar, in partnership with Chris Haynes, Mike de Kock, George Ragunan and Noeline Malherbe. Leyenaar, who became well-known in SA racing circles as one of the original owners of Ipi Tombe, said from his Harare home: “It’s a pity he had to be gelded, he has a wonderful American pedigree. But we, the ‘mushrooms’, are very pleased and thankful to the De Kock Racing Team”. ‘Mushrooms’, said Henk, was a name suggested by Chris and Jehan Malherbe, because ‘Mike always keeps us in the dark!’
Henk will be celebrating his 79th birthday next Saturday and said: “I still ride my own horse around Borrowdale Park every day of the week!”
