Mr Lightning. Leon Erasmus’ Storm Bird Stakes winner Jimmi Choo goes for a third career win in the Gr3 Protea Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday
From relatively humble beginnings, there is no question that the lightning fast Storm Bird Stakes winner Jimmi Choo is building a following amongst punters for his lionhearted reliability. The son of Bezrin takes on his first serious challenge in Saturday’s R200 000 Gr3 Protea Stakes and looks about equal to the challenge.
We seldom condone the pompous use of frivolous adjectives to describe any horse’s standing on the pecking order, but we are sure that very lucky owner Johan Botha and his trainer Leon Erasmus won’t have any objection to our use of the words ‘relatively unfashionable’ to describe their very quick chestnut gelding.
Legend
Jimmi Choo cost just R50 000 at the 2012 KZN Yearling Sale. He is by Danzig stallion Bezrin out of the Northfields mare Ambleside, who raced just twice in Zimbabwe and never won a race.Legend has it that the astute judge of horses, Barbara Sanne of Oldlands Stud, had given the mare away at some stage.
Described by regular rider Sherman Brown as probably ‘too fast for his own good’ after winning two of his first three starts, he looks a cut above his thirteen opponents here , unless there is a market springer amongst the two first timers. Leon Erasmus has a quartet of runners in the race.
Jimmi Choo won the Storm Bird Stakes last time beating Kimberley debut winner Olympic Owen by 1,25 lengths, with his stablemate King’s Soldier a further 2,50 lengths back in third.
Athlete
Corne Spies’ Olympic Owen was a career first winner for our new sire Jay Peg, and flew home by 10,75 lengths on debut at Kimberley on the sand, and then ran a good second to the Erasmus flyer. Olympic Owen is 2kgs better off here, but whether he is quick enough to make that count, is difficult to guage.
King’s Soldier is also 2kgs better off with Jimmi Choo on their Storm Bird clash, and has had the benefit of a run in interim, when going down a half length over the Vaal 1000m to yet another Erasmus runner in Lord Dubois. The latter is now 3kgs worse off with King’s Soldier.
Dreamer
Dream Leader is the fourth of the Erasmus quartet, and the son of Kahal has shown good pace at all his three starts. He went down 1,50 lengths in that Erasmus trifecta won by Lord Dubois, and with the apprentice allowance is now 5,50 kgs better off Lord Dubois and 2,5kgs better off with King’s Soldier for a length beating.
Sean Tarry and Piere Strydom team up with yet another debut winner, in the National Emblem gelding Arabian National, who won over the Vaal 1000m on a fancied debut at the end of last year. He had subsequent winner American Pie comprehensively beaten in third position.
Revered
Anton Marcus rides Duly Ordained for Mike De Kock. The Australian bred son of Encosta De Lago ran handily and also won his debut as a weak 3 to 1 favourite over the Vaal 1200m beating Willow Magic by 0,75 lengths. He may find this too quick, but had Estancia beaten over 12 lengths.
Estancia improved markedly on the sand at his very next start to win at 50 to 1, and Roy Magner’s charge looks difficult to measure.
Ormond Ferraris and Nooresh Juglall are a powerful combination, and they take their chances with the Antonius Pius gelding Arkansas, who ran fourth on debut when tiring late after showing pace. The second of the Tarry string is the Dubawi colt, Willow Magic, who is 3kgs better off with Duly Ordained for a 0,75 length defeat on debut.
Our Choice
While carrying a little more pudding and going 100m further, Jimmi Choo looks the right choice to carry the day. Piere Strydom and Anton Marcus both ride debut winners with scope, and they will be waiting to pounce if the quick kid goes too fast and runs out of puff in the final 100m.
