Star colt Hawwaam, who missed the recent Gr1 SA Derby after he got a fright and bolted from the parade ring, is on target to race in the R4-million Premiers Champion Challenge over 2000m on 4 May at Turffontein.
Twenty-two entries have been received for the race, including Hawwaam’s Mike de Kock-trained stablemates Soqrat, Cascapedia, Barahin and Noble Secret – with other established names like Legal Eagle, Made To Conquer and Tilbury Fort also among the nominations.
Assistant trainer Mathew de Kock commented on Wednesday:
“Hawwaam is being pointed at the Champions Challenge and then we’ll make a decision on his next race, which could possibly be the Daily News. We’ll be entering him for the Durban July, but he is not certain to run there.
“Our July horse at this point is Barahin, who may go into the big race via the Jubilee Handicap, he may not be ready for the Daily News. But we’ll play it by ear, we’ll see how things go.”
Third entries for the Champions Challenge close at 09h00 on Friday 26 April.
Weights will be published that same day.
Final declarations on Monday 29 April.
CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE (Grade 1)
| 3 | Al Danza | Geoff Woodruff | 106 | |
| 13 | Alyaasaat (AUS) | Mike de Kock | 105 | |
| 7 | Barahin | Mike de Kock | 108 | |
| 9 | Cascapedia (IRE) | Mike de Kock | 110 | |
| 15 | Cash Time | Ashley Fortune | 96 | |
| 17 | Dark Moon Rising | Paul Lafferty | 105 | |
| 10 | Dawn Assault | St John Gray | 106 | |
| 1 | Fort Ember | Paul Peter | 99 | |
| 14 | Hawwaam | Mike de Kock | 121 | |
| 2 | Hero’s Honour | Gary Alexander | 107 | |
| 20 | Legal Eagle | Sean Tarry | 120 | |
| 18 | Made To Conquer | Justin Snaith | 108 | |
| 8 | Noble Secret | Mike de Kock | 105 | |
| 5 | Odd Rob | Gary Alexander | 86 | |
| 6 | Owlinthetree | Geoff Woodruff | 99 | |
| 19 | Red Chesnut Road | R A Hill/S R Hill | 101 | |
| 11 | Return Flight | Sean Tarry | 105 | |
| 21 | Secret Potion | Geoff Woodruff | 107 | |
| 12 | Soqrat (AUS) | Mike de Kock | 124 | |
| 22 | Tilbury Fort | Sean Tarry | 110 | |
| 4 | Unagi | Gary Alexander | 92 | |
| 16 | Zillzaal | Sean Tarry | 106 | |
| (22) | ||||
www.mikedekockracing.com
