A message from Yogas Govender

Hi Neil.

I was hoping you could post this on africanbettingclan for me.

I as a fairly new trainer am extremely blessed and fortunate to have a horse who at 7 years old and in the space of just 7 months and 9 runs for me went from winning a merit rated Mr 90 divided handicapp to running 4th in the WFA Queens Plate and then on to winning the prestigious J&B Met. Trust me guys, this was no fluke, if you read all my comments prior to the race, you would have sensed my confidence in him running the race of his life and apart from the draw nothing else worried me. I stated that he might in fact be looking for the trip.This is a good horse.The Queens plate confirmed my belief that this is the best horse I had trained.The race that told me he was different division was the Green Point stakes, you cant run wide against the best miler in the country and horse of the year and still run 6th 5.85 lenghts . Bravura ran wide and ran 15 lenghts off them in the same race. In his next start Bravura ran 4th behind Beach Beauty in the Premiers. He ran 4th in that now famous Pinnacle stakes beaten 2.40 lenghts behind Variety Club with Jackson 3rd. He ran 0 .20 lenghts behind Thunder Dance giving her 2.5kgs. If you study his form you will see for a 7yr old how consistent his form is against the best in the country. How could this be a fluke. The debate about the pace suiting him can go on for ever but what abt the draw, maybe I got lucky in life that God blessed me with a horse who was almost retired and found me and who gave me my greatest moment in my racing career. A feeling that I can say is up there with the other special moments in my life the birth of my two beautiful daughters.
I needed a big horse, he came to me. He did not need luck, I needed it. This horse is a very good horse and and I would appreciate it if everyone gave credit and respect to an absoulute honest and gutzy horse called Martial Eagle. He deserves that and much more.The only way I can repay him my eternal gratitude is that he retires and go on to a life of leisure on Mrs Plattner’s farm in George.I really think and believe that he can win the Durban July but am I prepared to put him through that at 7 yrs old, no, that would be wrong and make make me just a greedy old swine. I said win lose or draw he retires.
(got carried away after the Met saying I might go for the July.It was not me talking but my ego thanks to testosterone)
He gave me his most at lease I can keep my word to him.

Regards
Yogas Govender and a true champion.
Martial Eagle

Best Regards
Yogas Govender

Fantastic story and congrats Yogas!
Well deserved!!!

(tu)

-D

That's a trainer with his feet on the ground; and candid!

If God blessed you, let's also pray that He blesses more trainers to come on site and share in our daily dreams!

God bless you, your yard, Mrs Plattner, wife.... and your two daughters!

Hanif Manjoo

I'll drink soft porridge to that!

-D

Well done Yogas you are an asset to racing!!

I hope you go for the July he looks like he loves his racing....!

Hi Yogas, one of the best postings I have seen on this site. Well done to you and your team on your great achievement and obviously also to Mrs Plattner. (tu)

Well done Yogas and thank you for sharing a story that will no doubt keep all of us interested & dreaming for a long time to come. I know that Martial Eagle will always have a special place in your heart & yours in his, what a great connection, the result, the J&B Met being the cherry on the top.

Sincere best best whishes for a long & successful career training horses.

Congratulations and well done to you and your team ! You thoroughly deserve this accolade - to Mrs S.Plattner you also deserve this win as well. You could not have chosen a true trainer who always tries his best with all your horses. We hope you grow from strength to strength - and may you win more Gr1 races, may just be the beginning of greater things to come for your yard. At the same time your entire staff needs to be complimented for a job well done. I must also mention that you are the first Indian trainer to have saddled a J & B winner - great feat, we are all proud of you.Keep up the great work and may you enjoy more winners.

GO YOGAS YOUR BEAUTY
MAKE THE CIRCLE BIGGER
WELL SAID

Well done to the both of you, Martial & Yogas

Very well done again yogas'if I never spoke to you on Saturday morning I would have never had backed your horse,as I told you I would put my R50 on ,I know you for many years and you are all ways the same gentleman you are, well done to you and your family,

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Congrats Yogi! I saw you after the race walking towards the parade ring and i shook your hand in congratulating you. I'm sure you will never remember me, as you were genuinely still "pumped"! What an awesome moment. It kicked me right out of my Pick6 and Jpt, but hey, who cares! I much prefer the underdog story!

Just to add, i loved the reaction of Andrew Fortune! What an icon of the game...........and to have his son on top, i could see made him a very proud dad. Awesome moment and one to go down in my memory bank FOREVER!

Thanks Mr Govender

Thank you for the post and all the best for the future