MALMOOS LIFTS SA CLASSIC

With talented filly War Of Athena having claimed the first two legs of South Africa’sTriple Tiara, her male counterpart Malmoos stamped himself a potential contender for this year’s Triple Crown when he added Saturday’s G1 World Sports Betting SA Classic (1800m) to his previous success in the G2 World Sports Betting Gauteng Guineas -the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Trained by Mike de Kock, the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum owned Malmoos was fancied to claim his first G1 win when he lined up as tote favourite in Saturday’s SA Classic at Turffontein.

Under a well timed ride from Luke Ferraris (the only rider to have partnered Malmoos in a race), Malmoos settled down midfield as rank outsider Shah Akbar (Querari) went out to make the running.

Ferraris asked his mount the question 200m from home, and Malmoos hit the front in menacing style.

Despite being challenged from Second Base (Gimmethegreenlight), Malmoos shrugged off his rival and went away to score by two lengths.

Second Base reversed Gauteng Guineas form with Catch Twentytwo, by staying on for second, with the Paul Peter trained Catch Twentytwo (Elusive Fort) taking third -a neck behind Second Base.

Now a winner of six of just seven starts, Malmoos picked up the SA Classic in a time of 110.18 seconds.

The Varsfontein Stud bred colt, who now rates as a valuable stud prospect, took his earnings to R1 307 100 with his SA Classic score.

Malmoos, a R4 400 000 buy from the 2019 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale is the 25th G1 winner for multiple champion sire Captain Al and is a full-brother to G3 East Cape Derby/Lonsdale Stirrup Cup winner Captain Splendid.

His Spook Express Handicap winning dam Justthewayyouare is a Fort Wood half-sister to Varsfontein Stud’s successful sire, and dual G2 winner, Master Of My Fate and this is also the family of Captain Al’s high-class son Erik The Red.