"PJ" NO GIVEAWAY

Click above to watch Pierre Jourdan winning the Charity Mile in November 2011
(Image : JC Photos - Footage : Tellytrack)

PIERRE JOURDAN
“The People’s Horse”

There’s little dignity in a great racehorse being put through an auction ring at the end of a race meeting, particularly for a champion. Pierre Jourdan grabbed the imagination of racing fans countrywide with some spectacular performances commencing in the spring of 2009 through the summer of 2011, yet such are the attachments and emotions of racehorse ownership, that even a horse of his stature had to face the auctioneers’ hammer at Turffontein Sunday evening.

He’d come out of last month’s Horse Chestnut (Gr.1) with a bit of a jar and some filling in his joints, and there must’ve been a few misgivings as to whether or not he’d come back to his former self. Let’s not forget, it was just a few months back that he made mincemeat of a high quality field in the Peermont Charity Mile (one of South Africa’s best endowed 1600m events), and he did so giving chunks of weight away to some of the nation’s best talents. Pierre Jourdan made his mark in the vintage of some of the best three-year-old colts we’ve seen in decades, and besides his sparkling performances in his classic year, he very nearly upset Igugu’s party in last year’s Vodacom Durban July (Gr.1). He was South Africa’s biggest earner in 2010, and he impressed his July rider, Dougie Whyte, to the degree that the multiple Hong Kong champion suggested he would more than hold his own in the best company out East.

Emilio Baserio is nothing if not a passionate racing man, and his lifetime obsession to own a champion, eventually manifested itself in the R60,000 purchase of “PJ” at the Emperors Palace Ready To Run. He’s been on the greatest ride of his life, thanks to some grand handling by Team Alexander, who’ve managed his career like it belonged to their own child. It happens in racing, because we’re all emotional about our horses, but in the end the partners decided that what was best for the horse, was they should dissolve their venture, hence Sunday’s sale. In the end, we’re told Emilio gave it a good old crack, courtesy of Alec Laird, who’s long been in the saddle for him, while the Alexanders put together a bit of a team themselves. We believe Weiho Mawing had a big punter in the fray at one point, and while it’s nothing compared with what he might’ve fetched after he’d whipped the cream in the R2million Premiers Classic (Gr.1) in 2010, the R1,6million winning bid was probably a respectable price for a five-year-old gelding who’d come out of his last start feeling a few things. Emilio’s got the cash, and he’ll be back investing a bit of it in his favourite sport, while Gary Alexander and his team have walked away with the spoils.

For their sakes, and ours, we hope PJ will be back soon, thrilling the crowds as only he could, this winter.

FAY FAY SHOWS WHYTE STUFF TO WIN HONG KONG DERBY

Click above to watch Fay Fay winning the Hong Kong Derby (G1)…
(Image : RacingB : Footage : HKJC)

MERCEDES-BENZ HONG KONG DERBY (Group 1)
Sha Tin, Turf, 2000m
18 March 2012

In the end, it was Fay Fay (NZ) (Falkirk) who had the “Whyte Stuff” to win the Mercedez-Benz Hong Kong Derby in front of a 53,000-strong Sha Tin crowd Sunday.

Hong Kong’s perennial leading jockey Dougie Whyte, trainer John Size and owner Alexander Wong were handed a near death sentence with the 14 hole at Thursday’s barrier draw, but the ‘Durban Demon’ pulled a rabbit out of the hat to land the Derby for the second year in a row (Ambitious Dragon in 2011).

Fay Fay was a handy winner of Class 2 handicaps December 11 and January 1, earning him a quote of 1-2 for the Hong Kong Classic Mile January 25. He came to win that race following a three-wide trip, but was run down late by the upstart Sweet Orange (USA) (War Front). The bay had some traffic trouble in the middle stages of the Hong Kong Classic Cup Febraury 19, but was essentially excuse-free from there and settled for fourth, two lengths adrift of Zaidan (USA) (Street Cry). That somewhat subpar effort sprinkled with a wide alley, left Fay Fay without a friend in the overnight betting for the Derby, but he firmed to be the third choice at post time.

Away well enough, Whyte pushed the button early and allowed his mount to go up to be a forward factor as Bullish Champion (Ire) (Exceed and Excel) tried to put them to sleep up front. With his chief rivals further behind and with the race being run at a moderate tempo, Fay Fay was always going to get first crack and did so while three wide at the head of the lane. Zaidan, also fairly handy in the running, edged to the front with about a furlong to race, but Fay Fay engaged him soon after and stayed on, as Same World (GB) (Hawk Wing) lunged late. Sweet Orange found himself with plenty of work to do on the turn, was in very tight in the stretch and may have won the race had the wire come a few strides later.

“It’s always nice to win a big race and in Hong Kong the big race to win is the Derby,” said Size, winning the event for the first time. “Fay Fay won a race very early as a 2-year-old, which is probably a bit unusual for a Derby winner. Through injury, he had more than 12 months off the track through his 3-year-old year, but that has probably stood him in good stead as I’ve been able to step him up at his leisure and he made steady progress to the point that he got into the Group 1 races.”

The winner could go next in the G1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup over this track and distance April 29.

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

BRICS AND THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL RACES

Dougie Whyte, Julie Alexander, Mick Goss, Dougie’s Mum and Derreck David
Summerhill Box, Greyville, Vodacom Durban July 2011
(Photo : Summerhill Stud)

CATHAY PACIFIC
HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL RACES
Sha Tin Racecourse, Hong Kong
11 December 2011

Just under a year ago, South Africa was admitted to the prestigious conglomerate of nations known as Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), and the 2011 staging of their international meeting by the local Jockey Club in the Chinese enclave of Hong Kong, is the first since our admission.

It is, of course, the season for international events, and especially jockey’s internationals, and these always invoke a measure of parochial interest. South African jockeys have dominated the Hong Kong championship (one of the most sought after titles in racing) for 18 of the last 19 years. The most successful of these is a man who might legitimately lay claim to the title of “Best Jockey in the World”. He is the Durban-bred and raised Dougie Whyte, who just happens also to be the most successful rider in the history of the jockey’s challenge. Local fans will remember it was Dougie who piloted London News to his epic victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Gr1), heralding the return to the international fold of South African horses, and that it was he, aboard the Summerhill-bred Pierre Jourdan, who ran Igugu to three quarters of a length in this year’s Vodacom Durban July. You can bet your bottom dollar Dougie will be at the action end of things come Sunday’s Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races.

Rocket Man’s South African connection

Summerhill clients, Ronnie and Bev Napier, Jean Marc and Clothilde Ulcoq, are all in Hong Kong for this annual jamboree, as they have been for some years as guests of the Hong Kong Jockey Club following the initiation of their attendance in the days when Major General Guy Watkins was still the CEO. It is a sign of their loyalty and affection for racing in that jurisdiction, that they haven’t missed a meeting in close to twenty years, and you’d have to forgive them a measure of patriotic sentiment when it comes to the chances of the South African-connected Rocket Man in the Hong Kong Sprint (Gr1).

A victim of an irrepressible late surge from the South African-bred, JJ The Jet Plane (by Jet Master) in last year’s renewal, Rocket Man’s owned by local doyen, Fred Crabbia, trained by Pat Shaw and his regular rider is Felix Coetzee. He’s reported to have worked up a storm on Tuesday morning on the Sha Tin all-weather track.

“He’d have done more if we’d let him, but he’ll do a piece of work on the grass tomorrow over about 800 metres”, Trainer Shaw explained.

The six-year-old brings top credentials into the 1200 metre event, having won the Gr1 Dubai Golden Shaheen over the Meydan Tapeta in March and the Gr1 Krisflyer International Sprint on the turf at Kranji racecourse in May.

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

AFRICA'S BIGGEST HORSE RACE : THE REAL THING

Past Master - J&B Met 2011
(Photo : Gold Circle)

VODACOM DURBAN JULY
2 July 2011

We’re just ten days away from Africa’s biggest horse race, the Vodacom Durban July and the comments are flying thick and fast. Everyone fancies their chances, and the betting is beginning to reflect the positions of the bigger and more enterprising punters, who’ve already begun to show their hands. Jockeys have been declared, the draw is out, and those on whom you could get 25-1 and 30-1 a week ago, are now commanding as little as 12’s and 14’s.

Interviewed yesterday by The Mercury, Gavin van Zyl proclaimed The Apache in great shape, having improved from his win in the Daily News 2000. Gavin, it seems, is high on the three year olds, as he sees among his major threats, Run For It, English Garden and the Summerhill lurker, Black Wing, who finished in the next three spots behind The Apache in the Daily News. The one horse they’re not discounting among the older brigade though, is Past Master; he seems to be on everyone’s lips when the assessments come out, as does Igugu, by the proverbial country mile, the leader of the three year old fillies. Her odds have been trimmed from 7-2 to 28-10 in a week, in a telephone call with the boss yesterday, Michael DeMaine of SABC TV, mentioned that she had gone “walkabout” in the betting. We’re not seeing that in these numbers, but we’ll enquire, and if its material, we’ll post the outcome.

The one horse the pundits have been a little silent about in the last few days, is Pierre Jourdan, a R60,000 graduate of the Summerhill draft at the Emperors Palace Ready To Run, and South Africa’s biggest earner at R3,8 million last season. Ten-times champion jockey, Dougie Whyte, is enduring the jet lag from Hong Kong to be here for him, and with his draw at No.5, the Alexanders are quietly confident of a big run. There’ll be plenty to talk about in the days ahead, and a visit to this site will keep you abreast of developments.

Vodacom Durban July
LATEST BETTING

Horse	Odds
IGUGU	28-10
BRAVURA	9-2
RUN FOR IT	7-1
THE APACHE	10-1
ENGLISH GARDEN	10-1
PIERRE JOURDAN	12-1
GALILEO’S GALAXY	12-1
SUPER STORM	12-1
PAST MASTER	18-1
BLACK WING	25-1
BULSARA	25-1
CASTLETHORPE	25-1
FLIRTATION	28-1
BIG CITY LIFE	33-1
EMERALD COVE	40-1
CAPTAIN’S WILD	66-1
LION IN WINTER	66-1
HAPPY LANDING	66-1
SAFWAN	100-1

Bold denotes Summerhill runners - correct as at 22 June 2011