Brilliant! Bernard Fayd’herbe is a study in confidence as he guides What A Winter to a facile win in the Gr2 Diadem Stakes (pic: hamishniven photography)
No race! South Africa’s highest rated thoroughbred and Equus Champion Sprinter What A Winter made short work of his seven rivals to win Saturday’s R300 000 Gr2 Diadem Stakes run at weight for age over the 1200m straight.
The weight-for-age conditions of this prestigious sprint feature always meant that What A Winter was going to be well nigh impossible to beat. And so it was.
But we couldn’t have dreamed up a more fitting and breathtaking performance to bring the curtain down on Western Cape Racing in an, at times, topsy-turvy year of living uncertainly.
The race itself panned out quite predictably and routinely as the loyal Snaith steam-train Cap Alright chugged out front ahead of the magnificent What A Winter, with Magico and the grey Shades Of Indigo further back.
At the 400m marker What A Winter could wait no more and he glided ahead to win as he pleased.
The 9-20 chance went on to win by 2,75 lengths in a time of 70,11 secs..
Mike Bass made it a clean sweep when the 33-1 Castlethorpe charged out of the pack to run second and pip the game Cap Alright.
We won’t even review the disappointments. They had no chance in the first place!
The Boss! Carol Bass looks her champion in the eye during the lead-in
Trainer Bass said afterwards that his charge was back to his brilliant best after a bout of respiratory lung diseases had affected many horses at Milnerton at the beginning of the season
“He is a really good sort and made some good horses look ordinary today. I will see how he draws but I’m happy to have a go at the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. We can ride him from off them and let him run at them late,” he said with a quiver of excitement and confidence that spoke of his years of tempered experience.
Bass confirmed that What A Winter would go to stud next season and said that as a well performed son of Western Winter he would have a ‘big chance.’ That’s fair comment as Mike Rattray’s champion producer Western Winter is not getting any younger – just like the rest of us!
Winning jockey and regular pilot Bernard Fayd’Herbe said that What A Winter was ‘a helluva horse and back to his best.’
“I was happy to track Cap Alright, but I was so confident that I would have let him run out front if that is where we had found ourselves,” he said.
Smartly attired and an example to every shabbily clad owner in the country, winning part-owner Marsh Shirtliff said that the entire had ‘shown his true colours.’
“It is always a sweat no matter the race, but the weather didn’t help either,” he laughed.
The Daytona Stud-bred What A Winter is a winner of 11 races and 5 places from 20 starts. He took his stake earnings to an impressive R2 120 213 with this victory.
He is by Western Winter out of the Irish-bred miler Waseela. She also produced the top-class ill-fated What A Question (by Qui Danzig), who was trained by Alastair Gordon a few years back.
The Summer is far from over. The L’ Ormarins Queen’s Plate beckons in a fortnight hence.
What A Winter could yet add some variety to that little club.
Result:
Diadem S. (SAf-G2) (12/29)
Kenilworth, South Africa, December 29, R300.000, 1200m, turf, good, 1.10.11
WHAT A WINTER (SAF), 60.0, b h 5, Western Winter (USA) – Waseela (IRE) by
Ahonoora (IRE). Owner MW Bass, B Ressell, GN & NM Shirtliff; breeder Daytona
Stud; trainer MW Bass; jockey B Fayd’herbe (R187.500)
Castlethorpe (AUS), 60.0, b g 5, Not A Single Doubt (AUS) – Park Heiress
(IRE) by Sadler’s Wells (USA)
Cap Alright (SAF), 60.0, b g 5, Captain Al (SAF) – Second Chance (SAF) by
Centenary (USA)
Margins: 2¾, ½, 1
