On a testing day for the Mike de Kock team, their very smart miler Soqrat was far too good for his ten rivals when winning the R1,25 million HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.
With a Cape Guineas victory and an outstanding second behind Snaith star Do It Again in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, Soqrat justified his heady position at the top of the boards, despite the ominous presence of star miler Legal Eagle, who was bidding for his fourth straight win in the event.
Randall Simons steers Soqrat to yet another Gr1 win (Pic – JC Photos)
After tracking the gutsy Cirillo – who confirmed he really does go a mile – all the way round, Soqrat asserted his authority late to win by 0,80 lengths in a time of 98.24 secs.
It was Mike de Kock’s 120th Gr1 victory.
The 75-1 Unagi boosted the quartet when he hung on well for third, just ahead of Tilbury Fort who was finishing like an express train to register a 3,20 length fourth.
Legal Eagle, said to have been 90% ready by trainer Sean Tarry, was given every chance by Lyle Hewitson. He moved forward late to challenge, but had none of the fire of the past and faded to run a 3,80 length seventh.
But the moment belonged to the Australian-bred Soqrat.
Randall Simons – knows his partner well (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
“I was happy with any position we found ourselves in– just as long as he was travelling in my hands. I could feel he was just playing with Cirillo. When I asked him he really did it easily,” said regular pilot Randall Simons.
“He is the easiest horse to train in the yard. He does all we ask. He is a special horse. And It’s an honour to win this race,”said assistant trainer Matthew de Kock, who recalled having sat on the back of Horse Chestnut as a youngster.
He also had to frustratingly watch his charges earn three consecutive second cheques earlier in the day!
Bred by Shadwell Australasia, Soqrat who races for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, is by Epaulette (Commands), a multiple Gr1 winning sprinter, who stands for a fee of A$27 500.
Soqrat is out of the two-time winner Elzeeza (Hussonet), who won up to 1200m.
He has won 5 races (three Gr1’s) from his 9 starts with 4 places and took his stakes tally to R2 506 250.
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Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes (SAf-Gr1)
Turffontein, South Africa, March 30, R1.25 million, 1600m, turf, good, 1.38.24
1 – SOQRAT (AUS), 57.0, b c 3, Epaulette (AUS) – Elzeeza (AUS) by Hussonet (USA). Owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum; Breeder bred in Australia; trainer MF de Kock; jockey R Simons
2 – Cirillo (SAF), 57.0, b c 3, Pomodoro (SAF) – Miss Wordsworth (SAF) by Lake Coniston (IRE)
3 – Unagi (SAF), 60.0, ch g 5, Admire Main (JPN) – Cariad (SAF) by Northern Guest (USA)
Margins: 0.80, 2.20, 0.20
