Tristan Godden salutes as Narina Trogon wins the Listed Compendium Brokers Thukela Handicap (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
There are some results which look obvious in hindsight and one of them was the Mike Miller-trained Narina Trogon’s win in the Listed Compendium Brokers Thukela Handicap over 1600m on Hollywoodbets Durban July day.
It was perhaps the Silvano gelding’s wide draw of 13 that saw him start at odds of 10/1, although he was backed in from 14/1.
Narina Trogon had finished just 1,60 lengths behind Oriental Charm in his last start in the Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial, the latter had just won the iconic Hollywoodbets Durban July and Narina Trogon was running off the same mark as he had in the Cup Trial.
Furthermore, he is probably more comfortable over a mile than he is over the 1800m of the Cup Trial.
Lastly, he is out of the legendary Beach Beauty, who was known for her ability to convert meeting banker status time and time again.
Since joining the Miller yard and having his first run for them in January this year, Narina Trogon had already reeled off wins in the Listed Kings Cup over the course and distance of the Thukela and in the Listed WSB Sledgehammer over 1750m.
When winning the Kings Cup he became Beach Beauty’s fourth stakes winner.
The great Dynasty mare, a five-times Gr 1 winner herself, has only had five runners and the only one who isn’t a stakes winner is multiple stakes- placed.
This season Beach Beauty had her first Gr 1 winner, the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Lancaster Bomber filly Beach Bomb. She won both the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes and would likely have won more Gr 1s had she not been sent overseas.
So on Saturday when Narina Trogon crossed the line in front, that made it a fifth stakes race this season won by progeny of Beach Beauty.
The former darling of the South African turf must have a fine chance of being named Equus Champion broodmare, which will be another feather in the cap for Gaynor Rupert of Drakenstein Stud, who identified her as a wise purchase towards the end of her racing career.
Tristan Godden must also be in line for an Emperor’s Palace Ride Of The Month nomination too after skilfully slotting Narina Trogon into a midfield position with cover from that wide draw.
He was later able to get on to the rail and Narina Trogon displayed his fine turn of foot and powers of resolve to get up alongside the inside rail by 0,90 lengths from Money Heist.
Breeders Drakenstein Stud dispersed Narina Trogon on the BSA September 2023 online sale, where she was purchased by Pound Bloodstock on behalf of Morgan Govender for R390 000.
It has been money well spent by Govender.
Narina Trogon holds entries in both the Gr 1 wfa HKJC Champions Cup and the Listed Darley Arabian Handicap over 1600m on World Pool Gold Cup day.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that Beach Beauty’s Gr 2 WSB Guineas winner Wild Coast is off to stud. He will be standing at Oom Schalkie Van der Walt’s Gelykfontein Stud in the Karoo, near Colesberg.
