READY TO RUN GALLOPS 2011 : THE JUDGES HAVE SPOKEN

The judges have spoken…
(Photo : Gareth du Plessis)

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE
TBA Sales Complex, Gosforth Park, South Africa
6 November 2011

Nico KritsiotisThey have an impossible task really, especially when the draft for this year’s Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale is as deep as it is. It was the universal view at Friday’s gallops at Summerhill, that this was by some stretch the best catalogue the Ready To Run had assembled, so having to pick a handful of horses from those on display is at best, unenviable, at worst, downright outrageous. Nonetheless, the judging panel they’ve convened, is not only drawn from the country’s most astute and experienced horseman, but the bulk of them have had five years “practice” now, and the results tell us, they’re getting smarter at it with every passing year.

Given the size of the foreign-bred entry this year, at 25 the biggest of its kind at any sale in South African history, and our penchant as a nation for the Colonial belief that all things foreign are better (witness the Hollywoodboulevard / Igugu exacta in last year’s Ready To Run Cup), it was inevitable that a number of the judges’ choices would include the imports. It’s a tribute then, to the local breds that the “hardy annuals”, Kahal and Muhtafal, as well as Silvano, Tiger Ridge and Victory Moon, stood their ground in the vanguard of selections.

But it was the performances of the two first crop sires, Mullins Bay and the ill-fated European champion, Stronghold, that took the numerical honours. There were five Strongholds among the elect, while Mullins Bay was the outright victor ludorum, with no fewer than eight first choices. Before the judges delivered their verdicts, the man who’s regularly referred to these days as the world’s best trainer, Mike de Kock, labelled the Mullins Bays and the Strongholds as standouts. When he speaks, we’d do well to listen.

Horsemen the world over are forever looking for a new edge in life, and these two young stallions, former racehorses of the highest calibre, look like the goods. “Hot” stallions are the prime currency of the horse trade. They triumph over Wall Street crashes and lift rough mares, and their very names tempt buyers into abandoning price limits arrived at so carefully in the calm of the hotel room the night before. So how do you pick them before the rest of the world? There are some who gave up long ago, who believe that Lord Byron had hot stallions in mind when he penned “Luck’s All”.

Difficult, you might say, particularly when you have to guess whether or not the youngster being paraded before you at a conventional sale, will turn his good “walk” into a good “run”, when that time comes. The beauty of the Ready To Run, is that you can actually see them in their quicker paces, (as against what you think you can see), you can judge their actions, their turn of foot, and in many respects, their demeanours and their “tick of the heart”. That’s what I’d call a leg-up!

Here’s how the panel voted :

MIKE DE KOCK	Fillies
	17 NANDI (AUS) Danehill Dancer (IRE) - Celtic Queen (IRE)
	97 DYLAN’S PROMISE (AUS) Dylan Thomas (IRE) - Madonna (AUS)
	45 EXCEPTIONAL (ARG) El Prado (IRE) - Exact (USA)
	Colts
	35 UNNAMED (AUS) Royal Academy (USA) - Dubai’s Fairy (GB)
	136 ROCKY AFFAIR Mullins Bay (GB) - Rock Anthem
	180 DUKE OF MEDINA (AUS) Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE) - Amah Dramas (AUS)
	111 GOTHIC Silvano (GER) - Mysterious Land

MICHAEL ROBERTS	Fillies
	71 HOPE FOREVER (ARG) El Prado (IRE) - Hopeitsadiamond (USA)
	89 ILHA DA ROCK (AUS) Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE) - Les Ry Leigh (USA)
	51 DUKUDUKU Muhtafal (USA) - Fragrant Forest
	Colts
	35 UNNAMED (AUS) Royal Academy (USA) - Dubai’s Fairy (GB)
	143 KITE SURFER Tiger Ridge (USA) - Seeking The Wind
	135 WHITE TIGER Tiger Ridge (USA) - Refined Gold

SEAN TARRY	Fillies
	19 GOLDEN DYNASTY Mullins Bay (GB) - Class Will Sell
	107 TINCHY STRYDER Mullins Bay (GB) - Model K
	162 CRITICAL MIND (ARG) Johannesburg (USA) - Tough City (ARG)
	Colts
	135 WHITE TIGER Tiger Ridge (USA) - Refined Gold
	143 KITE SURFER Tiger Ridge (USA) - Seeking The Wind
	176 THE ITALIAN JOB (AUS) Street Sense (USA) - Albanella (GER)

GRAEME HAWKINS	Fillies
Allowed a bit of latitude to cater for the ‘value’ choices	43 ORLANDO MAGIC Mullins Bay (GB) - Entice The Gold
	51 DUKUDUKU Muhtafal (USA) - Fragrant Forest
	109 MY ARGENTINE LADY (ARG) El Prado (IRE) - My American Lady (USA)
	65 NEGEV Stronghold (GB) - Haifaa (IRE)
	45 EXCEPTIONAL (ARG) El Prado (IRE) - Exact (USA)
	Colts
	184 NOBLE STAR Kahal (GB) - Arabian Magic
	34 COOKIE MONSTER Kahal (GB) - Dream Starling
	135 WHITE TIGER Tiger Ridge (USA) - Refined Gold
	116 GALLIPOLI Daylami (IRE) - Northern Duel
	118 UNNAMED Windrush (USA) - Ode To Joy
	62 BINGELELA Cataloochee - Greet The Greek (SNL)
	176 THE ITALIAN JOB (AUS) Street Sense (USA) - Albanella (GER)

KIP ELSER	Fillies
Allowed a couple of ‘discretionary’ choices on account of his ‘special guest’ status	109 MY ARGENTINE LADY (ARG) El Prado (IRE) - My American Lady (USA)
	144 ROARING WATER Mullins Bay (GB) - Shirley Singer
	104 FORTITUDE Stronghold (GB) - Mininski (SNL)
	Colts
	180 DUKE OF MEDINA (AUS) Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE) - Amah Dramas (AUS)
	139 RED ROVER Victory Moon - Rosella
	79 BRIGHT AND BLUE Mullins Bay (GB) - Jibe
	116 GALLIPOLI Daylami (IRE) - Northern Duel
	176 THE ITALIAN JOB (AUS) Street Sense (USA) - Albanella (GER)

JEHAN MALHERBE	Fillies
	17 NANDI (AUS) Danehill Dancer (IRE) - Celtic Queen (IRE)
	109 MY ARGENTINE LADY (ARG) El Prado (IRE) - My American Lady (USA)
	125 QUE BONITA Stronghold (GB) - Perfect Lady
	Colts
	35 UNNAMED (AUS) Royal Academy (USA) - Dubai’s Fairy (GB)
	143 KITE SURFER Tiger Ridge (USA) - Seeking The Wind
	169 THE MUTINEER Mullins Bay (GB) - Wanted

DEAN KANNEMEYER	Fillies
	109 MY ARGENTINE LADY (ARG) El Prado (IRE) - My American Lady (USA)
	37 STONE TOWN Stronghold (GB) - East Africa (ARG)
	65 NEGEV Stronghold (GB) - Haifaa (IRE)
	Colts
	184 NOBLE STAR Kahal (GB) - Arabian Magic
	111 GOTHIC Silvano (GER) - Mysterious Land
	35 UNNAMED (AUS) Royal Academy (USA) - Dubai’s Fairy (GB)

JOEY RAMSDEN	Fillies
	107 TINCHY STRYDER Mullins Bay (GB) - Model K
	55 KHANYA Kahal (GB) - Glitz
	17 NANDI (AUS) Danehill Dancer (IRE) - Celtic Queen (IRE)
	Colts
	111 GOTHIC Silvano (GER) - Mysterious Land
	35 UNNAMED (AUS) Royal Academy (USA) - Dubai’s Fairy (GB)
	170 WENDY’S MAN Black Minnaloushe (USA) - Wendys (ARG)

Extract from www.sportingpost.co.za

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www.tba.co.za
and
www.summerhill.co.za