It Always Pays To Follow Good Council!
A smart initiative to skip the Derby trial and take the older horses past 2400m at the Listed Aquanaut Handicap in Turffontein on Saturday has Vaal trainer Ashley Fortune primed for a serious SA Derby bid, courtesy of the posh Oratorio gelding Good Council, a well bred horse with an interesting history when he was denied catalog space at his year’s National Yearling Sale.
The only 3-year-old in a field of hard-hitting long-distance handicappers, the Avontuur-bred Good Council went from gun to belt under red-hot, Bryanston Auctioneers-sponsored Ryan Munger to record their first success and his prospects as a serious SA- Candidate to mark Derby.
Ryan Munger has a moment to salute as Good Council pulls in (Image – JC Photos)
In the second leg of a feature double that day for the Fortune-Munger combination (Ryan landing with a triple after Apache Fighter won the Sun Chariot) benefited a clearly happier and fitter Good Council (9-2). of a considered drive to beat consistent 5-year-old Raiseahallelujah (11-2) by 2.25 lengths in a time of 154.41 seconds.
Evergreen 7-year-old Marchingontogether, something of an old river guy, is always a quartet rover, and while he doesn’t run all that often, he’s cashed another check for his loyal third-place connections.
However, the plucky Good Council never looked like stopping and they should be cherry-ripe on April 1st for the R1.5m classic where they are asked to find 50m more.
Advice from the winners! The lucky team leads their winner (Image – JC Photos)
While he is listed as a R150 000 CTS Ready To Run graduate, the Sporting contribution remembers the time he was rejected by a selection committee for the National Sales Yearling Sale.
One accepts that the latter sale is the blue ribbon platform, and limited space means the panel has to make tough decisions at times.
Although we were unable to reach Avontuur’s GM Pippa Mickleburgh on Saturday, we know that she will be delighted with her boy’s progress and stated some time ago that this was “a Derby horse that will prove a lot of people wrong”. . So he – well done, Pippa!
Bred from the famous home of fine wines and fast horses on the fabulous foothills of the majestic Helderberg, the winner is a son of the internationally proven Danehill stallion Oratorio out of the full sister Madame Justice (Dynasty) of the former SA Horse Of The Year Legislate. Mum raced for Charles Laird but only won once and had some problems. She was a smart purchase for the Avontuur broodmare gang.
The winner will be driven by the River Palace Racing Syndicate and Messrs. D. Chinsammy, C. Narayanasami & Waste Glass Recovery (Pty) Ltd (Nom: JH de Lange).
Now a winner of 4 races from 1700m to 2000m, with 3 places to boot for R328,000 stakes, this lad can only improve as he matures.
Watch the replay here:
Good Council’s name will be there when first entries close for the WSB Gr1 SA Derby on Monday 20th March at 11am.