Last season’s Equus champion two-year-old colt Mustaaqeem failed at heavy odds-on at the Vaal on Thursday and could only manage fourth – in the process dropping thousands of exotic bet tickets into the waste basket.
Lyle Hewitson gets Africa Rising up in the centre as Pera Palace (Keagan De Melo) stays on well. Mustaaqeem is down the inside (Pic – JC Photos)
Coming off a break of nine months since winning his only two starts – including a Gr1 – by a combined 11,50 lengths, the son of champion Redoute’s Choice obviously needed the outing.
Although reported by trainer Mike de Kock to be striding as well as ever after a knee chip operation, the 3yo was always in touch in the R112 000 Progress Plate, but seemingly under pressure at the same time, and had nothing to come late in the race.
That said, he finished just under a length back in fourth. Not a disgraceful effort after 39 weeks off. The run confirmed the caution expressed by his champion trainer that he could not predict with ‘utmost confidence’ how his charge would go.
“I think Mustaaqeem will see out 1400m like his brother Rafeef. The Vaal race will show us if he still prefers sprinting and if he does we will probably aim him at a race like the Merchants in March and keep him down the straight. We’re looking forward to his return!” said De Kock earlier this week.
But the 1200m Progress Plate belonged to the Sean Tarry and Lyle Hewitson combination as the year older Visionaire gelding Africa Rising took off late to edge out the pacy Pera Palace by a quarter length.
The Avontuur-sponsored Lyle Hewitson has formed a nice association with Africa Rising and he rode a patient well-judged race to get the Summerhill Stud gelding up to win.
Africa Rising had shown classic promise as a 3yo and was having only his second run as a 4yo, after things had gone wrong in the Daily News 2000 in June.
Mustaaqeem should make amends soon.
