Kalamain strides clear under Greg Cheyne to win the Guineas Plate (Coastal Photos)
Trainer Alan Greeff and jockey Greg Cheyne dominated the Fairview meeting on Friday with a smartly taken hat-trick of winners. The most impressive of the lot was the victory of the Admire Main gelding Kalamain, who scored a decisive win in the R75 000 Guineas Plate for the Scribante family, who also bred him.
Greeff enjoyed a red-letter day with grand total of 4 winners (Dancinginthedesert under Charles Ndlovu dead-heated with Redsailinthesunset to win the seventh race), while Richard Fourie and Justin Snaith enjoyed a double. Grant Van Niekerk also rode two winners.
Kalamain was having his fifth run and his first try on the turf and he was allowed to jump at a generous 6 to 1 in the non black-type feature on support for Justin Snaith’s Mogok geldng The Beat, who has looked a promising sort so far over shorter.
After moving like a winner 400m out, The Beat had no extra to come and he faded as Rushing Lark and then Kalamain made their bids for glory.
Despite being switched out late for a clear dash, Kalamain hardly looked like getting beaten and he went on to win by 0,25 lengths in a time of 99,85 secs.
Greg Cheyne – vastly matured as a top-class jockey
Greg Cheyne has matured as a rider with his extensive overseas experience, and he hardly raised a sweat as he kept his mount balanced to score a promising post-maiden victory.
The winner is out of the two-time winning Silvino mare Kalajana and it is a well-known fact that his sire is the first son of the breed-shaping Sunday Silence to stand on African soil.
He stands at a fee of R15 000.
The Japanese bred and raced Admire Main was no ordinary son of Sunday Silence.
Pitched into open company on his first visit to the races, he came home by seven under a restrained ride. Promoted to Graded Stakes level for his second start, he justified his prohibitive odds with an exhibition canter, and then, for good measure, he extended his unbeaten record to three with a “daylight” victory by four lengths at Group Two level in the principal Derby Trial, the Aoba Sho.
By now one of the “talking” horses of his generation, Admire Main lined up for his biggest challenge yet, the Japanese Derby itself, with sights firmly fixed on an autumn campaign around the Japan Cup. His “neck” second in the Derby was a sign that this wasn’t just a supreme racehorse, but he had the courage of a Samurai, too.
Sadly, the Derby saw the manifestation of a career-threatening injury which compromised his future, yet nothing could be taken away from what he achieved.
Magnificent specimen – Admire Main at Summerhill
He earned in excess of US$2million (R14million) in an injury-curtailed career and had a timeform rating of 120. He was the 3rd highest rated 3yo in Japan
He stood a season in 2009 in Japan and was then transferred to perennial SA Champion breeders, Summerhill.
It was said rthen that Admire Main’s arrival signalled a new era at Summerhill.
“Twenty years ago in similar circumstances, we went out and courted the patronage of Dubai’s Rulers. That changed our lives and heralded a new dawn for South African breeding. This is a unique racehorse, by a unique stallion from a unique farm; a defining moment in the life of any stud. At times like these, we owe this vote of confidence not only to our customers, but we owe it to the country and to our staff, too. It reminds us again who we are, and especially what we stand for”.
“In our association with the Yoshida family, one of the world’s greatest breeding dynasties, we take special pleasure. The Japanese reshaped the South African motor landscape with Toyota, and the Yoshidas have already made a sizeable difference in the world of the racehorse”.
That’s what Summerhill’s Mick Goss had to say.
Admire Main has had 43 runners for 23 winners.
His sole stakes performer to date is the Charles Laird trained five time winning filly, Admiral’s Eye, who is Gr1 and Gr3 placed.
Kalamain didn’t beat much of note on Friday – but his win spoke of scope and ability. He is one for the black book
