By Alan Carasso
In the space of a bit more than two hours at Johannesburg's Turffontein Racecourse, the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum-owned Redoute's Choice (Aus) full-brothers Mustaaqeem (Aus) and Rafeef (Aus) became Grade 1 winners for the first time, taking out the S A Nursery S. and the Computaform Sprint, respectively. The pair are the 31st and 32nd top-level winners for Redoute's Choice.
Mustaaqeem, the third highest-priced horse at the 2016 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale on a bid of A$1.75 million, turned in a smashing racecourse debut over the course and distance Mar. 25, bolting up by 7 1/2 lengths as the 4-5 favorite and backed that effort up Saturday. Held together by Callan Murray entering the final quarter-mile, Mustaaqeem found extra gears from there and scampered home to defeat stablemate and A$560,000 Easter graduate Naafer (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) by four decisive lengths. The final time for the 1160 metres over turf rated 'good' was a smart 1:05.80.
“He's one of the better horses I've sat on,” Murray commented. “We were bumped at the start so I rode him like a maiden. At the 400m-mark it was no race. He has a lovely nature too, thanks to Sheikh Hamdan, Mike, Mathew and the team. It's a privilege to be able to ride horses like these.”
Four-year-old Rafeef (Aus) took his turn in the spotlight in the Computaform Sprint four races later on the program. The two-back winner of a soft-turf renewal of the G2 Hawaii S. (1400m) Mar. 4, the A$800,000 Inglis Easter grad was not disgraced when a last-out fourth to Horse of the Year Legal Eagle (SAf) (Greys Inn) in the G1 Horse Chestnut S. (1600m) Apr. 1. Locked away in a pocket entering the final quarter-mile, Rafeef accelerated sharply to hit the front inside the final furlong and came away to a 1 1/4-length success. Also ridden by Murray, Rafeef stopped the timer in :55.95 for the 1000m trip.
Mike de Kock trains both runners, who were bred in partnership by Arrowfield Stud; Mustaaqeem with Cloros Bloodstock and Rafeef with Klawervlei Stud.
“This would have made Sheikh Hamdan proud and we are happy with him, he deserves the success for his big and continued support of South African racing,” de Kock said on his website. “Mustaaqeem is a professional, he knew what to do today. Breeding the best to the best doesn't always work out but in this case it has. National Colour was an unbelievably good mare, I got to know her quite well through my association with Sean Tarry and Chris van Niekerk.”
Arrowfield sold the siblings' Snitzel (Aus) half-sister to Paul Messara for A$675,000 at this year's Easter sale. National Colour, South Africa's champion 3-year-old filly and Horse of the Year in 2006, produced a full-brother to Rafeef and Mustaaqeem in 2016 and was most recently covered by Redoute's Choice Nov. 2.
Saturday, Turffontein, South Africa
S A NURSERY-G1, R1,000,000, TRF, 5-6, 2yo, 5f 176yT, 1:05.80, gd.
1–MUSTAAQEEM (AUS), 132, c, 2, by Redoute's Choice (Aus)
1st Dam: National Colour (SAf) (Horse of the Year & MG1SW-SAf, Hwt. Older Mare-Eng at 5-6.5f, G1SP-Eng, $296,559), by National Assembly
2nd Dam: Rainbow Cake (SAf), by Mr Eats (Ire)
3rd Dam: St Blazey (SAf), by Marazion (GB)
(A$1,750,000 Ylg '16 INGEAS). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al
Maktoum; B-Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd & Klawervlei Stud
(NSW); T-Mike de Kock; J-Callan Murray. R625,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Lifetime
Record: 2-2-0-0, R684,375. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Naafer (Aus), 132, c, 2, Lonhro (Aus)–Very Discreet (Aus), by
Exceed and Excel (Aus). (A$560,000 Ylg '16 INGEAS). O-Sheikh
Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-D Peacock (SA); T-Mike de
Kock. R200,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–Wonderwall (SAf), 132, c, 2, Querari (Ger)–Westwardly (SAf),
by Silvano (Ger). (R100,000 Ylg '16 BSACAP; R320,000 2yo '16
CTSRTR). O-C J H van Niekerk; B-Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd
(SAF); T-Sean Tarry. R100,000.
Margins: 4, 2, 3/4. Odds: 1.00, 7.00, 3.20.
Also Ran: Whorly Whorly (SAf), Boatswain (Aus), Barrack Street (SAf), Quinlan (SAf), Laurent du Var (SAf), Coastal Torrent (SAf), Alex the Great (SAf).
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Saturday, Turffontein, South Africa
COMPUTAFORM SPRINT-G1, R1,000,000, TRF, 5-6, 2yo/up, 5fT, :55.95, gd.
1–&RAFEEF (AUS), 132, c, 4, by Redoute's Choice (Aus)
1st Dam: National Colour (SAf) (Horse of the Year & MG1SW-SAf, Hwt. Older Mare-Eng at 5-6.5f, G1SP-Eng, $296,559), by National Assembly
2nd Dam: Rainbow Cake (SAf), by Mr Eats (Ire)
3rd Dam: St Blazey (SAf), by Marazion (GB)
(A$800,000 Ylg '14 INGEAS). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al
Maktoum; B-Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd & Klawervlei Stud
(NSW); T-Mike de Kock; J-Callan Murphy. R625,000. Lifetime
Record: 10-6-2-0, R1,193,325.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]*Full to Mustaaqeem (Aus),
G1SW-SAf. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: C.
2–Talktothestars (SAf), 132, g, 5, Overlord (Aus)–
Tellittothestars (SAf), by Spaceship (Arg). (R30,000 2yo '13
BSANAT). O-F C de Beer; B-Scott Bros (SAF); T-Coenie de Beer.
R200,000.
3–Carry On Alice (SAf), 127, m, 5, Captain Al (SAf)–Carry On
Katie (SAf), by Western Winter. (R475,000 Ylg '14 CTSPRE).
O-C J H van Niekerk, Dr J A Warner & Klawervlei Stud (Pty) Ltd
(Nom: Mr J P Koster); B-Klawervlei Stud (SAF); T-Sean Tarry.
R100,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, SHD. Odds: 7.20, 50.00, 2.20.
Also Ran: Brutal Force (SAf), Wrecking Ball (SAf), Isca (SAf), Trip to Heaven (SAf), Rivarine (SAf), Doing It For Dan (SAf), Jo's Bond (SAf), Splendid Garden (SAf), Pillar of Hercules (SAf), Dollar Dazzler (SAf), Elusivenchantment (SAf), Pivotal Pursuit (SAf), Moofeed (Aus). Scratched: Ronnie Rocket (SAf).
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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