David Thiselton
At this time ten years ago The Geoff Woodruff-trained sales reject Louis The King had become only the second horse in history after the great Horse Chestnut to land the SA Triple Crown and he was being prepared for the Summer Cup, which he also went on to win.
He won the Triple Crown races under Robbie Fradd and the Summer Cup under Piere Strydom.
Louis The King failed to elicit a single bid at the sales and was then purchased for a mere R60,000 in a deal that was done and dusted in the car park.
He went on to win seven races in all, including three Gr 1s, and earned in excess of R5 million.
The story behind the smart colt began on May 12, 2010 at Durbanville, when George Kahan of The Alchemy Stud bought the unraced Rich Man’s Gold mare Pamushana, consigned by Drakenstein Stud and in foal to Black Minnaloushe, for R20,000. The colt was born on 28 August 2010.
George’s son Phillip Kahan said about ten years ago, “He was an early foal, so we thought we would have a big strong colt that could be sold at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 or Book 2, but he just wasn’t ready in time. We have always sent quality stock to the Durban (KZN Yearling) Sale as it is one of our ambitions to win the R1 million breeders race.
“I always rated him and he was our nicest horse on that sale. I thought he would easily get between R120,000 and R180,000. However, he didn’t get a single bid and we had to buy him back for R55,000. The buyers just didn’t fancy the mating.
He continued, “The mare was unraced and the only thing he had going for him was that he was by Black Minnaloushe. But, the market at that stage had gone off Black Minnaloushe. They wrote him off too early.”
Kahan was obviously disappointed, but fate then played its hand.
He continued, “I later bumped into Geoff Woodruff walking in with his son and daughter.
“He told me that he had just moved from the Vaal to Randjesfontein, so joked that the best he could do was buy me a drink. He was actually just there to drop off some tickets for the July.”
The deal that could become part of racing folklore was then made in the car park.
“I told Geoff that I had been unable to sell our best lot. He asked about the colt and how much I wanted for him. I said a minimum of R60,000. He agreed there and then to the price and said ‘send him up’. I insisted that he come and have a look at him first, but he said ‘Phillip, I’ve known you for 20 years, you say it’s your best lot, I trust you.’
“The price was in fact less than the service fee of Black Minnaloushe (The first season fee set by Maine Chance Farms in the 2007/2008 season for the Irish 2000 Guineas winner and leading first crop sire in New Zealand was R90,000).
“I insisted again that he have a look at him and he went over and had a look over the stable door. Geoff is an absolute gentleman and deserves every success he has.”
Woodruff recounted, “I hadn’t even got back to Johannesburg yet when Tiaan van der Vyver (a racehorse owner) phoned. He had gone over to have a look at another horse at my pre-trainer Sharon Patterson’s Bayshore Barn centre. I asked him to have look at the Black Minnaloushe colt too.”
Van der Vyver liked what he saw and bought him. He then named the colt after his son Louis, in whose name he also raced.
The colt was the first racehorse that Louis had ever owned.
It turned into one of SA racing’s all time fairytale stories.
Louis The King stood at Sorrento Stud and produced the Gr 3 winner Montien and the Listed winner Pamushana’s Pride.
