DOUGIE WHYTE : THE DEMON IS BACK IN TOWN

Douglas Whyte - Hong Kong Jockeys Championship
(Photo : Life HK)

“PIERRE JOURDAN”

VODACOM DURBAN JULY
Greyville, Turf, 2200m
2 July 2011

The most sought-after Jockey’s title in the world, is the crown in Hong Kong, which has been in South African hands for eighteen of the last nineteen years. Only one man has ever won it on ten consecutive occasions, and he is Durban-born, Cape Town-trained and Hong Kong-celebrated Dougie Whyte, otherwise known in Far East realms as “The Demon”. This is no single-dimensional horse rider though, he’s a man with a mind, great athletic attributes, the determination that goes with champions, and, in a little known cameo to his career, he was once South Africa’s leading Young Winemaker with his Demonvale range.

Dougie’s also a man who doesn’t deal in trifles, and if he’s coming to South Africa to take a mount in a race, it’s going to be for the Vodacom Durban July, and it’s going to be a serious horse. He’s aboard the Summerhill wonder, Pierre Jourdan, the pride of the Gary Alexander Racing stable and a little owner, Emilio Baisero, who reminds us all that in racing, you don’t have to be the biggest businessman in the world to own the best horse.

Pierre Jourdan has had a perfect preparation, culminating in a gallant second under 60kgs in the Jubilee Handicap (Gr2), and according to Dean Alexander, he’s ready to go, though nobody really knows how far he’ll travel. Spare a thought for young Derreck David, his regular pilot and now on standby, though it seems that issue is taken care of, too. He has great respect for Dougie Whyte, who’s in touch with the stable several times a day, instructing Derreck as to what he wants him to do with “PJ” in work, and sharing insights on the video material he’s watched, not only of PJ’s previous efforts, but of the opposition.

There won’t be a stone unturned, come Saturday afternoon, and all the connections have to worry about now is Dougie’s plane arriving on time. If all else fails, Derreck will be there to fill the breach.

For more information please visit :
www.summerhill.co.za

PIERRE JOURDAN TO REST AFTER TRIPLE CROWN CHALLENGE

Pierre Jourdan and Derreck David
(Photo : JC Photos / Summerhill Stud)

NO VODACOM DURBAN JULY FOR PIERRE JOURDAN

David ThiseltonPierre Jourdan will be given a break after the Grade 1 SA Derby over 2400m on April 24 at Turffontein and will not come down to Durban for the Vodacom Durban July.

The magnificent Summerhill-bred gelding by Parade Leader will earn a R2million bonus if he wins the SA Derby and thereby become the first horse since the great Horse Chestnut to complete the Triple Crown.

Trained by Turffontein trainer Gary Alexander, he was an easy winner of the first two legs, the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas over 1600m and the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1800m. The racing public are waiting with bated breath for the final hurdle.

Alexander realises the magnitude of the possible SASCOC Triple Crown achievement and said magnanimously after his last win, “He no longer belongs to us. From now on he belongs to the racing public. He is the people’s horse.”

Dean Alexander, assistant to Gary, said that there had been offers for Pierre Jourdan and there would no doubt be more if he won the SA Derby, but added that if he stayed in the Alexander yard he would be giving the KZN Champions Season a miss. “He is still immature and has had a tough season,” said Dean. “He deserves a break.”

The Alexander siblings, Gary, Dean and Julie, sat around a table together at Summerhill Stud on a November day in 2008, as ardent supporters of the Breeze Up Gallops and the subsequent Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale.

Late in the afternoon the always high-spirited Dean led the table banter and it was obvious that the trio had no inkling that they had just seen a horse they would later regard as the best the yard had trained. “He had all the right lines,” said Dean, referring to his conformation. “He didn’t put up a specially good gallop, but was an athletic sort and had everything we look for in a horse.”

Pierre Jourdan was knocked down to the Alexanders for a mere R60 000 and Gary took a share along with one of the yard’s loyal patrons, Emilio Baisero.

Dean has little doubt that Pierre Jourdan will stay the 2450m trip of the Derby. “He did it the hard way in the SA Classic. He came from a wide draw and hit the front early in the straight. “He always relaxes in the running and there seems no reason why he shouldn’t stay.”

He described Pierre Jourdan as a very laid back sort when back at home, although added that like most top horses he knew he was good.

The Alexanders are steeped in racing and are all too aware that horses like this don’t come around often. They are subsequently enjoying every moment of Pierre Jourdan’s career as is their father, the former top jockey, Duncan Alexander. 

DEAN ALEXANDER DISCUSSES PLAN FOR PIERRE JOURDAN

Please click the play button above to listen
to Charl Pretorius’ interview with Dean Alexander

GAUTENG GUINEAS NEXT FOR PIERRE JOURDAN

Charl Pretorius RacingwebSpeaking Thursday morning on a Racingweb podcast, Dean Alexander said that the Gary Alexander Racing stable believe their smart three-year-old, Pierre Jourdan, will stay over more ground as he matures. There have been a few debates in the online forums about Pierre Jourdan’s future, as he franked his form very well with a good win in Tuesday night’s Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Handicap at Turffontein, among some topsy-turvy three-year-old performances of late.

The win proved that while Pierre Jourdan is perhaps a narrow leader of the Gauteng three-year-old pack, they’re all more or less on a par. Curved Ball, considered by some unbeatable after his excellent Dingaans win, and his stablemate Galileo’s Galaxy, were both beaten in the Tony Ruffel Stakes. Galileo’s Galaxy’s form points to Cape-based star Noordhoek Flyer and by implication to Cape Derby winner Bravura, arguably the best of the bunch at this early stage.

This has the further implication that all this seaon’s three-year-old classics are up for the taking, no clear-cut champions have emerged and much will depend on preparation and well-being on the classic race days.

But Pierre Jourdan, interestingly only beaten once (by last week’s disappointing Havasha who now comes unexpectedly back into the picture), will stand his ground in the classics. Alexander said: “Pierre Jourdan is really decent, he’s a good horse with a beautiful action and we’ll go for the Guineas next. He gets going late in his races and on the way he moves, we have little doubt that he will see out more ground as he matures.”

Certainly on his pedigree, he’s a son of recently top–performing sire Parade Leader, Pierre Jourdan looks a leading early contender for the Highveld classics and the winter classics in Durban.

Extract from www.racingweb.co.za

READY TO RUN SALE A "DREAMMAKER"

Click above to watch the Cup Presentation Ceremony
(Footage : Tellytrack)

PIERRE JOURDAN
2009 EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN CUP CHAMPION

Charl Pretorius www.racingweb.co.zaPierre Jourdan, within three runs, has returned his purchase price more than 12 times for the Gary Alexander stable and owner Emilio Baisero. The colt by Parade Leader quickened away from his rivals in Saturday’s Peermont Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup over 1400m and won impressively from the Mike de Kock stablemates Fisani and Havasha. The connections banked R750,000 between them.

Pierre Jourdan, described as “nothing really special to look at and with a bit of a Roman head”, fetched only R60,000 at the 2008 Ready To Run Sale and Dean Alexander said on Sunday: “This just shows again how unpredictable this game is. We liked Pierre Jourdan and bought him, he was one of several buys at the sale and we didn’t have an owner so Emilio stepped in for a share. He is just over the moon!”

The Ready To Run Sale, which gets underway at 2pm today at the TBA Sales Complex, continues to be a “dreammaker” and Pierre Jourdan, unbeaten and on the upgrade, is likely to earn lots more cool cash. “We’ll give the Dingaans a miss and go perhaps for the Cape Guineas. Next year’s Gauteng Guineas will also be a target,” Alexander said.

The only sad thing, Alexander notes, was that apprentice Derreck David missed the ride due to injury. KwaZulu-Natal’s Sean Cormack deputized with his usual polished riding performance. The young apprentice was on course, however, to lend his support to the connections.

Pierre Jourdan is by Parade Leader from Vin Fizz, a mare who is interestingly owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum from Dubai:

“We bought Vin Fizz in foal to Parade Leader,” said Summerhill Stud’s Mick Goss, who can again be very proud of the energetic buzz around this year’s race which was evident to everyone at Turffontein.

Goss added: “So in essence Sheikh Mohammed sold the winner for R60,000 and bought the second-placed filly Fisani for R400 000. And he also owns the mare Amusing who produced last year’s winner Smangaliso. That’s two in a row for our partner from the UAE!”

Summerhill’s boss congratulated the Alexander stable and said: “They have been big supporters of our establishment over many years and this was a well-deserved win!”

 

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE
8 NOVEMBER 2009

For more information please visit :
www.tba.co.za and www.summerhill.co.za

Kahal colt tops day one at Sibaya Yearling Sale

Backworth Stud led the vendors on day one of the 2009 Sibaya Yearling Sale when the hammer dropped for an impressive looking colt by Kahal, recording the highest priced lot for the day.

In a Bloodstock South Africa media release it is reported that Chad Cooke’s Intercontinental Bloodstock paid the top price of R240,000 for this son of Kahal.

The grey colt, named Frappe, is the first produce of the Salaadim mare Absolut Star and his new owner, John Finlayson, plans to rename him “Shaken Not Stirred”.

The Johannesburg-based businessman was excited to secure this lot and said: “Dean Alexander picked him, I really liked him and Dr John McVeigh also gave us the thumbs up, so we’re happy all round. There is a connection to Vodka in the name of his dam and I like mine shaken, hence the name change!”
Dean Alexander commented: “This colt has classic features, he has presence and quality and I believe this was a good price.”

There were indeed plenty of value buys scattered across the first 180 lots with several sold at the floor price of R10,000. “In the present economic climate it was good to see that many breeders were willing to let their stock go instead of hanging on,” said BloodStock South Africa’s CEO, Jan Naudè.

There were 18 more lots unsold than in 2008 which contributed to the 22% drop in aggregate from R9.435-million to R7.355-million. The average price of R57,913 was down only 10% from R64,623 recorded last year and Naudè commented: “The decline in turnover was in line with the one recorded at the Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale so it’s fair to say we’re holding our own.”

Day two was the turn of two fillies by Red Ransom and Fusaichi Pegasus to nudge into top spots with the hammer falling at R260,000 and R400,000 respectively.

The Sibaya Yearling Sale takes place annually at the Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Kingdom just North of Umhlanga Rocks.

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