Brilliant days racing and entertainment

Champions Day at Turffontein saw some top class racing and entertainment as the Intercontinental Village came to life with various countries, charities and media partners enjoying a great day out!
It turned into a red letter day for legendary trainer Mike de Kock and his chief jockey Anthony Delpech, who combined to have two Gr 1 victories, two Gr 1 runner up finishes and a Gr 2 win.

It was also a day to remember for trainer Weiho Marwing and jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe as well as for trainer Dominic Zaki and young apprentice jockey Craig Zackey, while Sean Tarry put one hand on his first National Champion Trainer’s trophy thanks to top rider Anton Marcus.
The two fillies on everybody’s lips before the big day, Majmu and Siren’s Call, both had to be content with runner up finishes, but they lost little in defeat.
The Tarry-trained Siren’s Call was bidding to become the third filly in history to land the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara, but her chances were dented when she lost a shoe before yesterday’s final leg, the R1 million Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m. She expended valuable energy by not co-operating with the farrier, so it was an indication of her class and courage that she still looked the winner going into the final 50m of the race. She had managed to produce her usual strong finish to pass the De Kock-trained and Delpech-ridden Pine Princess, only for the latter to fight back courageously and beat her on the line.
Later, in the Gr 1 R2 million President’s Champions Challenge over 2000m the Weiho Marwing-trained five-year-old Australian-bred entire Wylie Hall proved that his unlucky objection defeat in in last year’s Vodacom Durban July was no fluke by powering to victory under a fine ride by Bernard Fayd’Herbe. Majmu was the hot favourite and this amazing three-year-old filly showed how big her heart was in her first race against older male horses by fighting all the way to the line to finish second, despite appearing to be struggling half way down the straight.

Sean Tarry had a fantastic consolation for Siren’s Call’s defeat in the Gr 1 R2 million SA Derby brought to you by Gordon's Gin, as his unexposed gelding Legal Eagle, superbly ridden by Anton Marcus, produced a strong finish to beat the Mike Azzie-trained Deputy Jud and the Tarry-trained Gr 1 SA Classic winner French Navy. Mike de Kock had earlier made inroads into Tarry’s big lead in the National Trainer’s Championships, but this big money result will now make Tarry virtually impossible to catch, considering the fire power he has for the rest of the season. Legal Eagle’s De Kock-trained sire Greys Inn won the SA Derby eleven years ago. As a result of Legal Eagle's victory, SOJO earned R45000. SOJO partnered with WITS University radio station VOWfm. Phumelela Gaming paid a total of R150000 to all the participating charities on the day!




The Gr 1 R1 million Computaform Sprint turned into a thrilling tussle of two high class three-year-old filies, but it was the De Kock-trained and Delpech-ridden Australian-bred Alboran Sea who got the better of the gallant Tarry-trained Carry On Alice. The Dennis Drier-trained favourite Captain Of All finished third. The time of 55,59 seconds was only 0,63 seconds outside the course record, a phenomenal performance considering the soft going.
The R1 million SA Nursery over 1160m was won by the Dominic Zaki-trained Black Minnaloushe colt Arabian Beat and provided a first Gr 1 win for apprentice jockey Craig Zackey. He beat home the fancied De Kock-trained Australian-bred filly Shaama and the rank outsider, the Mike Azzie-trained Mystical Twilight.
De Kock and Delpech had earlier won the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery with the Australian-bred filly Entisaar. Delpech rode four winners in all on the day.