Dark Horse. Geoff Woodruff’s Killua Castle is overdue to win a big one
The Daytona Stud bred Right Approach gelding Whiteline Fever ran a terrific race in the J&B Met recently and sets out to make it a double when contesting the R 400 000 Gr2 Hawaii Stakes run over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday. He won the 2013 renewal under Raymond Danielson beating Approachable and looks well in this year.
Whiteline Fever ran a great fourth just 2,70 lengths behind Hill Fifty Four in the J&B Met a month ago and if he has travelled well back to his home base, he must be a serious challenger on Saturday.
Distance
The fascinating aspect of Whiteline Fever is that the jury is probably still out as to what distance he is best suited to. He could also just be one of those above average horses who runs on powerfully over no matter what distance he is tried.
The classy gelding had a terrific Gauteng Season last year and after winning the Hawaii Stakes when on to register a second in the Horse Chestnut Stakes and a fourth in the President’s Champions Challenge in the best company. He is ridden by Piere Strydom on Saturday, while his stablemate Pomodoro will be ridden by Gavin Lerena.
Fresh Start
The 2012 Vodacom Durban July winner has not been seen in action since running unplaced when defending his title unsuccessfully last year. Pomodoro has run well when coming out fresh in the past but looks likely to need the run.
Laird’s Day
Trainer Alec Laird looks set for a major day and he sends out a coupling of the Go Deputy gelding Pessoa and his 3yo stablemate Chekilli. The latter appears to be the pick of the duo and he sidesteps the Gauteng Guineas in favour of this race.
Besides the fact that his astute trainer has four horses in the Guineas, Chekilli appeared to hesitate in the final stages of the Gr3 Tony Ruffel Stakes when running out of puff behind Bouclette Top. The 1400m here should suit this smart son of Greys Inn who enjoys running handily.
As a winner of 4 of his 5 starts, he is no slouch and is a serious consideration for the first cheque. The grey Pessoa has only his second outing since an unplaced effort behind Master Plan on July Day last year. He is well drawn and a good sort, but needs to show his fitness and is no doubt being prepped for longer contests in the next two months.
Festive
Mike De Kock’s good Kahal filly Festival Of Fire switches from her KZN base from where she won the KRA Fillies Guineas last season. She is proven over the course and distance and could challenge the males for honours.
Robbie Fradd and Geoff Woodruff have teamed up with the Australian bred Killua Castle who comes back down in distance again after some excellent efforts over further on the turf. He won over 1450m on the sand twice in September last year by a collective ten lengths and is the kind of horse that has long looked overdue for a big win in his 4yo season.
In Or Out?
Charles Laird’s Rio Carnival won well on his return to racing after an absence of longer than a year. The lightly raced son of Hussonet is accepted to run in the Fever Tree Handicap at Greyville on Friday evening and his participation in both events is bound to be the subject of interest.
If he runs here ( will he be suspended if withdrawn on Friday evening and thus could he even turn up?) he must have some sort of chance and will prefer the extra 200m after his last easy win.
St John Gray’s Glorious Jet is a frustratingly talented individual who has drawn well. He is another to drop in trip and if this race is not simply a prep run for bigger fish later on, he could be right there. He has shown improved form recently.
Marwing’s Two
Weiho Marwing sends out a coupling of Isobar and Uncle Tommy. Isobar is a lightly raced son of Tiger Ridge who looks eminently distance suited to this trip. Whether he has the class to match strides on these terms with the likes of Whiteline Fever and even Chekilli remains to be seen.
Hassen Adams’ old warrior Uncle Tommy is consistency personified and will be ridden by the masterful Weichong Marwing. The son of Kahal seldom runs a bad race but may be outgunned against this field.
Double Glory
The Hawaii Stakes double looks there for the taking by Whiteline Fever with the champion jockey in the saddle. Strydom will obviously have to keep his eye on the free running Chekilli, while Killua Castle could be the surprise package. The participation of Rio Carnival remains in the balance. More on that next week.
A Champion Racehorse
Hawaii (1964–1990) was a South African bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was a Champion at age two and three in South Africa after which he was sent to race in the United States by owner Charles W. Engelhard, Jr. where he was voted the 1969 American Champion Turf Horse honours. Among his wins in the United States was a track record setting performance in the mile-and-a-half Man O’ War Stakes on turf at Belmont Park.
Hawaii retired from racing after the 1969 racing season having won a remarkable 21 of 28 career starts with earnings of US$371,292 (equivalent). Sent to stand at stud at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, Hawaii’s most successful runner was Henbit, who raced in England where he won the 1980 Epsom Derby.
Hawaii died at Claiborne Farm in 1990 at age twenty-six and was buried in their Marchmont division equine cemetery. In 1977, Hawaii was elected to the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame.
