The Black Minnaloushe colt was described as “docile” by his breeder Phillip Kahan of the Alechemy Stud and as “uncomplicated” by trainer Geoff Woodruff. He would not be the first great racehorse to have a relaxed demeanour. This temperament trait allows a horse to reserve its energy for the race itself and Louis The King certainly needed every ounce of the latter on Saturday as the Alec Laird-trained As You Like threatened to spoil the party.

However, Louis The King proved he has another important asset, courage, as he repelled the latter’s determined challenge. Jockey Robbie Fradd looked relieved after he had finally passed the line as he had made his move quite early in the straight.

However, his journey from Australia, where he has just started a new career, proved worthwhile as he became the second jockey to have completed a triple crown alongside Weichong Marwing, who partnered the great Horse Chestnut to all three of his Johannesburg classic wins in 1999.

Black Minnaloushe was quickly written off by the buyer’s market, but there is likely to be a reassessment now. On Saturday the Weiho Marwing-trained filly Ash Cloud became the third of his current crop to win a GR 1 when she landed the Gr 1 SA Oaks under Weichong Marwing. The other Black Minnaloushe Gr 1 winner from this crop is Premier’s Champion Stakes winner Kochka, who is currently sidelined with an injury.

As You Like’s sire Tiger Ridge might have to be reassessed in terms of stamina capacity. His son Kavanagh was probably responsible for the notion that he is all about speed, but his daughter Cherry On The Top completed the Triple Tiara last year, while

As You Like made a bold bid over the arduous Turffontein 2 450m on Saturday to complete a trio of top three Triple Crown finishes. Earlier, Cherry On The Top bounced back to her best by winning the Gr 2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes over 2 000m in ominous style. Weichong Marwing rode her for his old guv’nor Ormond Ferraris.

Meanwhile, the late great Jet Master should reclaim the National Sire’s crown that he lost to Silvano last season, mainly due to the Woodruff-trained Yorker, who won his third Gr 1 of the season on Saturday. The big gelding gets better and better and was mightily impressive when dispatching the field in the Gr 1 President’s Champion Challenge with contempt under Anton Marcus, beating them by over three lengths, despite carrying topweight. He and Louis The King are likely the best male racehorses in the land at present.

Another top sire, Captain Al, looks to have produced yet another high class filly in the form of the Sean Tarry-trained Carry On Alice. This long striding sort showed impressive cruising speed in the Gr 1 SA Nursery under S’Manga Khumalo before surging past the odds-on favourite Banaadeer. One of the most interesting clashes in the forthcoming weeks, if it happens, will be when she meets the brilliant Mike de Kock-trained Majmu, whose power was evident as she went further and further clear in Saturday’s SA Fillies Nursery under Marcus, leaving the opposition looking a bit like greyhounds behind her.

Louis The King might have stolen the fairytale story of the season title, having not received a single bid at the sales and then being purchased for a mere R60,000 by Tiaan van der Vyver, who then named him after his son Louis, in whose name he races.

However, not far behind will be the story of Copper Parade, a six-year-old Lecture gelding, who gave Port Elizabeth trainer Yvette Bremner her first Gr 1 victory on Saturday when producing a blistering finish from the clouds in the Computaform Sprint under Piere Strydom to down Via Africa. Copper Parade is now unbeaten in two starts over the course and distance and proved once again that Port Elizabeth racing is currently in a healthy state.[/expand]