Contador (SAF) provided his sire Var (USA) with his second Gr 1 winner of the meeting as he ran on stoutly to annex the Golden Horse Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday. Wild Type (SAF) was a length adrift in second, with Merhee (AUS) and Desert Sheik (SAF) in the minor placings.

Brilliantly handled by Piere Strydom, Contador slotted in neatly behind the leading trio of Barbosa, Royal Zulu Warrior and Coffee Sheik, with Northern Emperor, Wild Type and Snowdon just behind, the latter never traveling particularly well. All of these runners raced towards the inside of the track while Cap Alright showed pace up the centre, just ahead of Desert Sheik, Captain’s Secret and Merhee.

Royal Zulu Warrior was the first of the leaders to back-pedal, coming under pressure past the 400m mark. Coffee Sheik and Barbosa were still battling it out for the lead by Comtador slipped through between them and went a couple of lengths clear. Desert Sheik and Merhee started to threaten wider out, the latter looking particularly dangerous, but Contador was in determined mood and kept finding more under pressure. Wild Type provided a belated challenge, but the bird had flown and Contador kept on well to register the biggest win of his career.

There was a sense of deja vu in the winner’s circle as trainer Charles Laird and owners Markus and Ingrid Jooste were once again able to celebrate a big race success at this meeting, having dominated it in recent years. The same combination had teamed up to send out last year’s winner of this very race, Delago Deluxe. 

“Ï think it’s our eighth grade one success at this meeting,”said Laird, responding to a question about their affinity for Scottsville’s biggest day of the year. Referring to Contador’s disappointing last effort, when downfield in the Man O’War Stakes, he revealed that his jockey on that occasion, Anton Marcus, had reported the horse refusing to put in an effort, whereafter they had decided to geld him – with immediate results.

The Joostes had already bagged a Gr 1 earlier in the day when Captain Of All, saddled by Dennis Drier, had scored a clear-cut victory in the Tsogo Sun Medallion. So, too, had stallion Var, his brilliant daughter Via Africa providing the performance of the day in the SA Fillies Sprint.

Wild Type came in for betting support despite some uninspiring recent form and he responded with his best effort in some time, running on well from slightly off the pace.

Merhee put a disappointing previous run behind him with a stout effort, while his stablemate, the inexperienced Desert Sheik, also emerged with credit and looks the sort who will land a big prize of his own sooner rather than later.

Coffee Sheik deserves a mention for staying on into fifth after having done the hard work early on.

3 ch g Var (USA) – Fine Wood by Fort Wood (USA)
Owners: Mrs I Jooste & Mr M J Jooste 
Bred by Miss Pippa Mickleburgh
Winning trainer: Charles Laird