The Ideal World filly, Persian Rug, who races in the silks of Mike de Kock’s assistant trainers Stephen Jell and Natie Kotzen, seemed to have the Thekwini Stakes (Grade 1) over 1600m sewn up. However, as Kotzen relates it, “when S’manga Khumalo starts going after her, she pricks her ears, ducks to the left and then digs her toes in” approaching the line made by the grandstand’s shadow.
Khumalo, obviously feeling the crop was doing nothing for her chances, hid it away against his body and rode her hands and heels to the wire. Persian Rug took off in the final 50m and finished third, a rapidly closing 0.50 lengths behind winner Lauderdale.
Said Kotzen: “Anton Marcus, who won on her first time out, said she did the same thing to him. She’s just green and doesn’t know what’s going on yet.”
Even though she didn’t win the race, Kotzen was pleased with the filly, leased to the partnership by Jessica Slack’s Mauritzfontein Stud. “It was a great run. At least we know she’s got ability.
“She’s a big horse who is still immature and is going to strengthen up. She’ll come into her own as a late three-year-old,” he said.
De Kock has already sent the horses he is taking to Dubai for next year’s Carnival to Mauritius, so Persian Rug, who won her first two starts, is staying in South Africa for at least her three-year-old career, according to Kotzen. “I’d love to see her race in Dubai, but that decision has to be Jessica’s.”
Initial plans, he said, were the Triple Tiara in Johannesburg next year, so the filly, who he has had in his care since she first came into training, will be leaving his Durban stable bound for Randjesfontein.
* According to Charl Pretorius, editor of De Kock’s website www.mikedekockracing.com, the stable’s Dubai-bound horses currently in quarantine in Mauritius are: Australian-breds Ertijaal, winner of the Cape Derby; Almashooqa, runner-up in the 1400m Golden Slipper, and two-time winner Mutamakkin, as well as an ex-Joey Ramsden-trained Trippi four-year-old Liquid Mercury, winner of the Winter Derby, and former Geoff Woodruff-trained Tellina. Highly regarded grey filly Majmu, who at this point is retiring to stud in the UK, is also in Mauritius.
– TABNews
Picture: Persian Rug finishing third to Laurderdale in the Thekwini (Nkosi Hlophe)
