By David Thiselton
Pierre Jourdan, otherwise known as the “People’s Horse”, will have his biggest date with destiny in the Vodacom Durban July on Saturday and the Alexander family will be hoping to go one step up from previous places in the big race.
The four-year-old Summerhill-bred Parade Leader gelding was bought for a mere R60 000 at the November 2008 Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Sale and is owned by Emilio Baisero in partnership with trainer Gary Alexander.
The tall bay’s fame reached it’s zenith after he had won both the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and the Grade 1 SA Classic as a three-year-old and the South African racing fraternity was gripped by “Triple Crown fever” as he bid for a repeat of Horse Chestnut’s famous feat.
Even non-racing people spoke about the rags to riches Pierre Jourdan in the build up to the SA Derby and he quickly became known as “The People’s Horse”.
On the day of the SA Derby the ground was muddy and he stayed on gallantly, but was no match for the Mike de Kock-trained Irish Flame, who relished the conditions and went on to win the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and finish runner up in the July.
Yesterday, Gary’s brother and assistant trainer Dean used the SA Derby runner up finish as one bit of proof that Pierre Jourdan would have no problem staying the 2200m trip of the July.
“He won the SA Classic over the tough Turffontein 1800m,” said Dean. “The heavy ground in the SA Derby day made it like a normal 3000m race and if you take Irish Flame out he beat some good horses, including Service Ace (who went on to finish fourth in the July). So we are not worried about him staying.”
Pierre Jourdan injured a hock when running a six lengths back in the Grade 1 Sansui Summer Cup last November but after a six month layoff has had two excellent comeback runs at Turffontein over 1600m and 1800m respectively, running on strongly for second in both.
The last of those runs was in the Grade 3 Jubilee Handicap in which he had to lug topweight of 62kg and finished just 0,75 lengths behind Candy Singer, who carried 52,5kg.
Dean said, “He has had a very good preparation. His whole mission has been the July and he has come on lengths since the Jubilee.”
The Alexanders are also not worried about him having to run on a new track.
Dean said, “He’s a very laid back horse and won his first start on the Turffontein Inside track and his first start on the Turffontein Standside track. He’s not a stupid horse.”
Pierre Jourdan will be aided by an excellent draw of four and will be ridden by one of the world’s best jockeys, the South African Douglas Whyte, who has been the Hong Kong Champion jockey for the last ten seasons, a record.
Whyte was an apprentice with the Alexanders at a time when they were one of the country’s leading yards.
Duncan Alexander, the father of Gary and Dean, is a former top jockey and rode Coast Guard to third place and Chichester to second place in the 1969 and 1970 Julys respectively.
Gary’s best July finish as a trainer has been fifth with James Jaguar in 2004.
Pierre Jourdan will travel to Durban on Friday and is sure to have plenty of supports on the big day as one of the country’s most popular thoroughbreds.
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