The Robbie and Shannon Hill-trained #kznbred Camphoratus was the only horse to win two awards at the KZN Racing Awards on Friday night and she is now being prepared for a tilt at the Grade 1 Gauteng Summer Cup.
The five-year-old Byword mare was named KZN Champion Older filly/mare and KZN Champion Middle Distance horse.
There is not a Champion Miler award at the KZN Racing Awards, so the Middle Distance award incorporates distances from 1600m to 2200m.
Of the four nominees, which also included Head Honcho, Eyes Wide Open and Lady In Black, she was the only one to win a Grade 1 last season.
She won the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein Standside.
She had earlier won the Grade 3 Flamboyant over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
She later finished a fine sixth place in the Vodacom Durban July and she ended a memorable season for her owners L J Muir, S Manicom, G R Sadleir and Mr & Mrs Rob Pickering of Middlefield Stud by finishing second in the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m. The Pickerings of Middlefield Stud also bred her.
The Empress Club was the first Grade 1 win for the yard, although as a jockey Robbie won many Grade 1s.
The chestnut is capable of a strong finish and proved when winning the Empress Club Stakes and earlier finishing second in the Listed Jacaranda Handicap, where she gave the winner Insignis 4,5kg, that she loves the Turffontein Standside track.
Her regular pilot Gareth Wright knows her well now. She runs best when left alone in the early stages and patience is also required in the straight as this maximizes the effect of her excellent turn of foot.
Her current merit rating, after the across the board ten point raise, is 118.
Robbie said she would be given two preparation runs before the Summer Cup, one in Durban and one in Gauteng.
-goldcircle.co.za