Long-serving Dean Kannemeyer Groom Morris Mg Cube is the first winner in 2023 of the HK$1 Million World Pool Moment Of The Day incentive and the delighted horseman receives a cash award of the equivalent of close on R95 000.
Milnerton-based Morris looks after the top-class Gimme A Prince who won the R1 250 000 Pongracz Gr1 Cape Flying Championship on WSB Cape Town Met Day in January. The gelding is raced by international owner Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables.
A proud Morris Mg Cube leads Gimme A Prince (Keagan de Melo) in after his Pongracz Gr1 Cape Flying Championship win (Credit – Chase Liebenberg)
Following the successful introduction of World Pool Moment of the Year in 2022 in Great Britain and Ireland, this has now been extended to all global World Pool meetings and will reward stable staff with a total of over HK$1 million (approx. £103,000) in prizes, as well as a VIP trip to Hong Kong, thanks to additional funding from the HKJC, UK Tote Group, Racecourse Media Group (RMG) and Ascot Racecourse.
The initiative commenced on Met Day at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. This was the first 2023 racemeeting where racing fans from over 20 countries were able to bet into the enormous World Pool.
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The concept is that one World Pool Moment of the Day will be selected at each World Pool meeting to win a generous cash prize and each winning Groom from the season’s 25 World Pool days will also enter the chance to be named World Pool Moment of the Year and win a VIP trip for four to Hong Kong for either the 2024 Hong Kong Derby or 2024 FWD Champions Day.
The 25 individual World Pool Moment of the Day winners will be narrowed down to a final four by a panel of global racing experts, before being voted on by the public for World Pool Moment of the Year, which will be revealed at the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin in December.
Speaking to the Sporting Post on Wednesday, the 65 year old Morris Mg Cube, who joined the Kannemeyer team under Dean’s late Dad Peter in 1997, and has tended to some top gallopers, including the likes of stable champion Free My Heart, said that he was thrilled and proud to have been acknowledged.
“I am so happy, thank you to Mr Kannemeyer and Lady Laidlaw and the World Pool organisation. Gimme A Prince is a champion and I could not have done it without them”, added Morris.
Born in the small village of Tsolo in the Eastern Cape, Morris started working for the legendary horseman Johnny Cawcutt in 1977, and also did stints with David Coleman and Paddy Kruyer, before he signed up with the Kannemeyers in 1997.
The father of three lives with his wife and three adult children in the sprawling Dunoon township near the Milnerton Training Complex. Two of his three children work, while his wife has a three day-a-week job as a domestic.
“This cash reward is a lifechanger for us. I am becoming a Grandfather again soon, and our house is very small. But I can now buy a fridge and a nice television set to watch the horseracing. And some baby clothes for my new Grandchild. My family are all very happy. Thank you World Pool,” he added.
Last year’s World Pool Moment of the Year winner was Alpinista (pictured above) and winning groom Annabel Willis, who lit up the Knavesmire at York Racecourse when landing the Gr1 Yorkshire Oaks before going on to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Dubai World Cup Day on 25 March is the next World Pool occasion!
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