Two years after finishing runner-up behind Hawwaam in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville, the Master Of My Fate gelding Twist Of Fate won the first classic of the Mauritius racing season at the Champ de Mars on Saturday.
Bernard Fayd’herbe registered his first winner of the term on the Indian Ocean Island as he guided a horse he knows very well to victory in the Gr2 Duchess Of York Cup.
Twist Of Fate banked the first cheque of MUR300 000 – approximately R102 000.
Bernard Fayd’herbe guides Twist Of Fate to a thrilling victory on Saturday (Pic – Mauritius Turf Club)
Fayd’herbe was aboard when the then Joey Ramsden-trained Twist Of Fate won the 2018 Listed Somerset 1200, the Gr2 Cape Classic and the 2019 Gr3 Politician Stakes.
The former Cape-based heavyweight rider rode a patient race on Saturday and came for home last in the ten horse field. Watch the replay at the end of this ed!
When asked for an effort, the Vincent Allet charge stormed forward in dazzling fashion down the outside to catch former Dennis Bosch resident Padre Pio, to win going away. Padre Pio , interestingly, was runner-up behind Got The Greenlight in the 2020 Gr1 Daily News 2000.
Bag Of Tricks and Master Of Illusion were third and fourth, respectively.
In a sad irony, Twist Of Fate was ridden by the late Nooresh Juglall when he ran third behind Do It Again in the 2019 Vodacom Durban July.
A R20 000 CTS March Yearling Sale moneyspinner, Twist Of Fate moved to the Adam Marcus yard in November 2020 after Joey Ramsden called it a day.
Owned by the Mauritius-based River Palace Syndicate, the Favour Stud-bred Twist Of Fate is out of the twice winning Counter Action mare, Crescent Lily.
Flashback – Bernard Fayd’herbe and Twist Of Fate win the 2019 Gr3 Politician Stakes at Kenilworth (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Twist Of Fate left South African shores rated a 126. He won 6 races with 13 places from 24 starts here and earned over R3,4 million.
Based on Saturday’s effort, he should certainly pay to follow in Mauritius.
The Duchess Of York Cup was run for the first time on 1 June 1927, on the occasion of the visit to Mauritius of the Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess Of York, who would later become King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
On that day, the race was won by Zinovieff, owned by Mr Adrien Dalais.
Since 1981 it has been run over 1400m.
Watch the replay here:(regret French commentary only)
