This newsletter usually focusses on the best of the weekend’s racing action, but a digression is in order given the return to races on Thursday of two of SA’s elite thoroughbred’s, Hawwaam and Celtic Sea.
Hawwaam (speed score 108) resumed over 1200m at the Vaal and had no trouble defeating G1 sprinter, Chimichuri Run in an impressive performance. In the past he’s been beset by temperament issues which the top de Kock team are working on remedying. Hawwaam ran as high as 113- 116 at three and has only been beaten once in his career when drawn out wide and high- class miler National Park got first run on him in the Gauteng Guineas.
Celtic Sea (s/s 100) also had no trouble winning her seasonal opener. The classy grey filly ran between 107 and 109 during a stellar Winter campaign and looks on track for further success.
De Kock has his string primed at the moment, and cleverly placed Battleoftrafalgar came out firing after 160 days off track to win the lucrative Monaco Million Maiden Sprint. He’d ran a couple of lengths off very talented stable mate Frosted Gold in the Nursery back in May, followed by a few decent efforts scoring in the range between 87 and 90. The 92 he managed on Saturday at Turffontein was comfortably sufficient to beat the aptly named, Captain Hindsight from the Fortune stable.
Constable (s/s 97) is a progressive and smart three year- old sprinter in the Cape. Trained by Candice Bass Robinson, this son of Trippi showed good speed into a South East gale to record a second victory from five starts. He looks capable of multiple wins and is worth following.