PRESS RELEASE
Exactly a year after South African-bred, Lizard's Desire, had come within a nostril of winning the world's richest race - the country's bloodstock again received a major boost at last Saturday's rich Dubai World Cup meeting.
River Jetez, winner of the 2010 J&B Met, and bargain buy, J J The Jet Plane, performed with credit in the Dubai Duty Free and Al Quoz Sprint respectively. Former Mike Bass inmate, River Jetez looked set to further bolster her bankroll when leading in the final 200m, but she was collared close home by Luca Cumani's runner, Presvis.
However, J J The Jet Plane, a R70000 buy as a yearling, emerged out of a sandstorm to win his $1 million race much to the delight of his owners and trainer Lucky Houdalakis, (His full brother “Jet Guggernaut” Lot 268 on the National Sales 2011). The six year-old now heads for Singapore for the $1 million Krisflyer Sprint on May 22.
These performances couldn't have come at a more opportune time for
Bloodstock SA which will be hosting the country's premier sale - the
Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale - from April 15-17.
Both River Jetez and J J The Jet Plane are offspring of Jet Master and his progeny are sure to be hugely popular once again.
The disappointment for many racing fans last weekend was that injury ruled last year's Vodacom July winner, Silvano, out of the World Cup. A son of Bold Silvano who stands at Maine Chance Farms, Bold Silvano was expected to run a big race and was generally quoted as the 4-1 second favourite by UK bookies at the time of his withdrawal.
Trainer Mike de Kock, who will be casting his expert eye over this year's yearling crop over the next fortnight, was sweet on Bold Silvano's prospects so it was a cruel blow for the champion trainer when the four year-old was ruled out of the race. Aussie-bred, Musir, then became De Kock's major hope of going one better in the $10 million race, but he had to settle for seventh place - a disappointment on a par with Australian cricketers at the cricket World Cup!
What all these results prove is something that some astute buyers have known for a few years - there is every chance of a horse purchased at the National Yearling Sales ending up contesting some of the world's most important races.
There is a possibility that last year's Equus "Horse-of-the-Year", Irish
Flame, will be sent to the UK to contest the Investec Coronation Stakes at Epsom in June and River Jetez might accompany him on that journey. Although Irish Flame took his chance in last Saturday's Sheema Classic won by Rewilding, the five year-old hasn't shown his best form in Dubai and will be seen too much better advantage on the possible soft ground in the UK.
Irish Flame has proved a magnificent advertisement for his sire, Dynasty, and the reasonably new edition to the stallion ranks should also prove popular at the forthcoming sales.
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