Photo of The Equator supplied by Tony Peter Racing.
Coolmore-bred and former Aidan O’Brien-trained The Equator (IRE), makes his South African debut in Sunday’s Grade 3 Jubilee Handicap at Turffontein.
The four-year-old son of Galileo is a three-parts brother to the recent O’Brien-trained Gr 1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner, the Frankel filly Lake Victoria.
Equator holds a 2025 Hollywoodbets Durban July nomination and, interestingly, champion jockey Richard Fourie is a notable booking on Sunday for trainer Tony Peter.
Heversham Park Farm’s Advocate Nigel Riley, who owns The Equator in partnership with Willem Ackerman, issued a media release on Wednesday.
He said, “We have been inundated with enquiries about the well-being of The Equator and have decided to appraise the racing public of the situation, so that they can make their own decisions.
“The Equator was purchased in the UK in late October and went into quarantine. After being released from quarantine, he arrived at Heversham in mid-February, where he was acclimatised and did some light trotting on our tracks. He went into to Tony Peter’s yard on 28 March, where he has made excellent progress and has put up some eye-catching work.
“Last Sunday, The Equator had a 1600m gallop on the inside track at Turffontein against a couple of horses, including a Grade 1 winner. He won the gallop by three lengths, going away from them, and his work rider was as impressed as onlookers. We look forward to the race. We hope this will assist punters.”
Paul Peter went over to a Tattersalls Sale with Advocate Nigel Riley and Willem Ackerman last October and the latter pair bought the Galileo colt for 55,000 Gns.
His value increased significantly a month later when his three-parts sister by Frankel, Lake Victoria, won the Gr 1 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf.
Lake Victoria started 9/4 for the 1000 Guineas this year and finished a 2,50 length sixth.
She started 10/11 favourite for the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh on May 25 and won by 2,25 lengths.
The Equator himself has only won one race in six starts but has two seconds to his name and has performed well against some good oposition.
He seems to need plenty of ground, despite being out of the European champion three-year-old sprinter Quiet Reflection (Showcasing), who won two Gr 1s.
The South African handicappers accorded The Equator a merit rating of 109, which means he will need to run a big race on Saturday to qualify for the July.
