Khaya Winner Is One For Notebook

Put him in the notebook

Every so often, a horse comes along that delights fans with a surge of adrenaline.

Three-year-old Heather’s Boy, an athletic runner with a sharp turn of foot and an elastic stride, delivered on his home gallops promise with a thrilling debut victory over 1450m at Turffontein on Saturday, hinting at good things to come.

Heather’s Boy bounds home under Kabelo Matsunyane (Pic – JC Photos)

The Mike de Kock website reports that Heather’s Boy, a son of Rafeef and stakes winner Folk Dance, made his first racetrack appearance in a competitive field.

All the trainers were interviewed before the race and six of his seven rivals were considered to have winning chances. He came from off the pace, picked them off one by one and then drew away to win, hitting the line strongly.

Mike de Kock commented: “There was merit in this win and it starts with the comments from our rival trainers, who all fancied their runners. So it looks as if this was a quality Maiden Plate from which we’ll see the form well franked. We expected him to have enough pace in the early part to actually go out and lead them from his good draw. I told jockey Kabelo Matsunyane to ride him confidently. He was a bit slow out of the pens and green and it’s not easy from a slow start on this tight track. But despite his inexperience he won very well. He’s a good prospect, we look forward to his progress this season.”

Assistant trainer David Hlamine, groom David Blaai and jockey Kabelo Matsunyane. Blaai also recently handled Humdinger and Iphiko (Pic – JC Photos)

Matsunyane said: “He was slow away, we had ground to make up. But when I shook him up he showed a nice turn of foot and lots of class. This was impressive.”

Heather’s Boy races for Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables and Mike said: “Lady Laidlaw is a pleasure to to train for and we are pleased that this looks like a horse with a future.”

Have Your Say - *Please Use Your Name & Surname

Comments Policy
The Sporting Post encourages readers to comment in the spirit of enlightening the topic being discussed, to add opinions or correct errors. All posts are accepted on the condition that the Sporting Post can at any time alter, correct or remove comments, either partially or entirely.

All posters are required to post under their actual name and surname – no anonymous posts or use of pseudonyms will be accepted. You can adjust your display name on your account page or to send corrections privately to the EditorThe Sporting Post will not publish comments submitted anonymously or under pseudonyms.

Please note that the views that are published are not necessarily those of the Sporting Post.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
7 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Share:

Facebook
WhatsApp
Twitter

Popular Posts

The Enchanting Currency Of Fate

It is eerie to think that there would have been no Siren’s Call, Sound Of Warning, or for that matter Call To Unite, had fate not decreed that Enchanted Cove follow her dam to South Africa, and that Peter de Beyer had the foresight to return Elusive Fort back home from the States as well!

Read More »