FOURWAYS – One of the country’s most respected horse racing commentators, Fourways resident, Alistair Cohen, is looking forward to Champions Day on 30 April at Turffontein, a race day which is by far his favourite one on the country’s racing calendar.
“It is my favourite day of the year simply because of the fact, as the name suggests, it is the best of the best South African horses that are carded to run, and the day covers all disciplines,” he said.
“The Computaform Sprint attracts the best sprinters in the country. The Premier’s Champions Challenge is for a stake of R4 million. The SA Derby and the SA Oaks are the last stepping stones to Triple Crown or Triple Tiara glory.”
Cohen added that the best two-year-old horses would be in action on the day, and that would give racing followers a hint of who the next South African superstar could be. He thinks that the horse, Abashiri, who is strongly anticipated to win the SA Derby on 30 April and take the 2016 Triple Crown, is probably the best horse South African racing has seen since Pocket Power.
“It looks like the SA Derby over 2 450m will be the race and distance [Abashiri] is looking for,” said Cohen.
“He has a cracking acceleration and it would take a world beater to deny him an achievement that only two before him have done, Horse Chestnut and Louis The King.
The 25-year-old’s love of horse racing started when he was very young, thanks to living less than a kilometre from Greyville Racecourse in Durban.
Cohen added that there was nothing better than listening to the thunder of hooves run past the grandstand. “The rush of adrenaline is indescribable. That is what got me into the game. To shout home a winner that you have backed is also amazing.”
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