Main Man (far side) holds on by a whisker from Model Man in the 1987 Mainstay International at Clairwood with Bush Telegraph third 

There was literally no parking space left on course at Clairwood on July 25, 1987, and cars had to park on the roads surounding the course or perhaps even on the highway.

The occasion was at the time called “The Race Of The Century” as it saw the rematch of the Durban July one-two, Bush Telegraph and Model Man, and crack Johannesburg Gr 1-winning three-year-old Main Man was also involved.

Bush Telegraph was bidding to remain unbeaten after ten starts, which would have been one short of Home Guard’s record of eleven.

Other Gr 1 winners or subsequent Gr 1 winners in the eleven horse field were Uncle Percy, Sloop, Heir To Riches, Yamani, Enchanted Garden and Jungle Rock.

The Paddy Lunn-trained Model Man put up possibly the best ever July peformance in defeat when going down by 1,25 lengths to the Bert Abercrombie-trained Bush Telegraph, as he was left out of his ground and his thrilling charge was only just not enough, despite having to concede 8kg to the three-year-old,.

Nevertheless, he was going for a fourth Gr 1 in the season in the Mainstay and despite having to carry 57kg again, he was now giving just 4kg to Bush Telegraph.

The four-year-old duly started 8/10 with Bush Telegraph 18/10.

However, the 10/1 shot Main Man was given a brilliant ride by Jeff Lloyd and carrying just 49kg he stole a march and stole the race.

Model Man, ridden again by Basil Marcus, failed by just a short-head to catch him and Bush Telegraph, with July-winning jockey Garth Puller aboard, was beaten 1,30 lengths in third.

It is interesting to note Main Man is still represented on the track today through his daughter Roman Miss.

Emannuel Kaknis trains his homebred Mafiabagsthemoney, who is by Eviction out of Roman Miss, and this six-year-od gelding runs on the Fairview turf on Monday.

Profile of the top class Main Man:

MAIN MAN (1983c Trocadero – Madam Magic by Adamastor).

Bred at Len Starke’s Koeberg Stud in the Western Cape, Main Man went under the hammer at the select portion of the 1985 National Yearling Sales and was purchased by Jean Heming for client JP “Zwi” Heroldt for R36.000.

The colt raced in the interests of Heroldt, Jaap van de Vendel and Jean Heming. Conditioner Jean Heming pronounced him “the best two-year-old I have ever had” and Main Man enjoyed an exemplary 2yo career, getting first past the post in all of his juvenile starts, including the Gr1 SA Nursery Plate.

Following a short head victory over Bush Telegraph in the last race of his 2yo career, the Gr1 Smirnoff Plate, Main Man was relegated to 2nd after an objection. He opened his 3yo career with an easy B Division victory and then cruised home in the SA Invitation Stakes. Two below-par runs in B Division company led to allegations of nobbling by conditioner Heming, but Main Man returned to form for the 1987 Natal season. Although going down a neck to Sloop, Main Man set such breakneck fractions in the SA Guineas, that the winning time broke both the race and track record. He finished 3rd behind Model Man in the Champion Stakes, but a superb ride by Jeff Lloyd in the Mainstay got them home fractionally ahead of the same adversary.

The race was so exciting, it was dubbed “The Race of the Century”. Main Man was subsequently catalogued on a horse-in-training sale at Gosforth Park and sold for R1 million to dissolve the partnership. Heming and van de Vendel retained their shares with Joe Stravino buying out Zwi Heroldt. A shock 9 length defeat in the November Handicap had the connections scratching their heads, but worse was to come in the Barclays National 200 000. After a strong start, the colt hit a brick wall and stopped so abruptly that jockey Muis Roberts was prompted to predict ‘ticker trouble.’

Veterinary examination shed no light and the colt rallied to win an A Division handicap. The 1988 Met and Computaform Sprint were disappointing. Main Man managed to pick up place money in the Administrator’s Stakes Trial and Drill Hall Stakes before retiring to stud at Stoneleigh Farm. In 19 seasons at stud, Main Man proved a didsappointment, his best progeny being Gr2 winners Golden Man and Sovereign Seas. His daughter Special Day (a full sister to Golden Man) got Gr1 placed Gr2 winner Rememberance.

(Raceform)

*Model Man still has plenty of runners representing him through his daughters today, but Bush Telegraph has none.