MK’s Pride Adds To Group Winning CV
A fairytale that brightened the gloom of 2020, a year that all of us would rather forget, looks set to continue.
Koos Nkale’s tough-as-teak Willow Magic colt MK’S Pride took his earnings over the R1 million mark as he clinched his seventh victory with a typically gutsy showing to win Sunday’s R300 000 Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge at Turffontein.
A thrilled Warren Kennedy salutes as MK’S Pride storms to victory (Pic – JC Photos)
Carrying Koos Nkale’s favourite soccer team’s black and gold finery, MK’s Pride powered home in the Kaizer Chief strip under regular pilot Warren Kennedy to win his second start of the new season, in the process securing his second Gr2 title and looking set for a profitable term.
With Joey Soma’s champion Got The Greenlight back after a nine week absence and taking his time to unwind down the inside rail, MK’s Pride put his head down and fought on to beat the improved again Bingwa by 0,60 lengths in a time of 89,88 secs. The victory meant a feature double on the afternoon for the Peter-Kennedy combination.
It is the second time that MK’s Pride has got the better of Got The Greenlight, and has previously beaten the likes of War Of Athena – the aforementioned two each Equus Champions.
MK’S Pride shows his blanket off (Pic – JC Photos)
Bred by Summerhill, the winner is a son of Willow Magic (Dubawi) out of the modest one-time winning Admire Main mare, Ikimasu.
He has now won 7 races with 6 places from 14 starts for stakes of R1 183 600.
So a horse nobody wanted at sale has earned over a R1 million in these austere times and looks set for plenty more. But we need more of these happy stories!
Willow Magic finished off last season with 40% winners to runners, and Average Earnings Per Runner of R67,358 and over R2,3-million earned from 35 runners. He stands at Bush Hill Stud for a live foal fee of R12 000.
KZN’s Gr1 winner Under Your Spell made her return in the female equivalent race and finished second to Big Burn.
The daughter of Capetown Noir was having her 2nd run after a break, and Merit Rated at 121 gave the winner 2kgs in weight.
The 3yo half-sister to Witchcraft looks to have much more to come in the tank for the Gauteng season head.
This was Alistair Cohen’s last feature race call on SA soil for the next seven months at least. Best of luck to the young man as he moves on to Dubai to pursue his career.
-extract sportingpost.co.za
