Hewitson returns to Greyville

Lyle Hewitson, who is just two short of reaching 50 wins for the season in Hong Kong, will partner the Sean Tarry-trained Nebraas (Vercingetorix) in the Gr 3 World Pool Gold Cup on July 30 at Hollywoodbets Greyville and among his other rides is the Mike de Kock-trained Safe Passage (Silvano) in the HKJC World Pool Champions Cup.

He has also booked rides on the Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Francine (Silvano) in the Grade 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premier’s Champion Stakes, where she has drawn in pole position compared to 12 in the Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes, the Glen Kotzen-trained Rascova (Lancaster Bomber) in the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes, the Mike And Adam Azzie-trained Sheela (The United States) in the Mercury Sprint, the Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Ready To Charge (Gimmethegreenlight) in the Grade 2 @Worldpool Twitter Umkhomazi Stakes and the Glen Kotzen-trained Hold My Hand (Gold Standard) in the Grade 2 Riding High Together Gold Bracelet.

He added, “I’m waiting on Sean Tarry still for the fillies 2yo Grade 2 1200. The two Listed races I may or may not ride in, depending.”

Tarry has three entries in the Grade 2 World Pool with Gold Circle Debutante, That’s My Baby (Master Of My Fate), American Graffiti (Silvano) and Kingdom Of Gold (Pomodoro). 

If Hewitson does ride in The Debutante it will mean he will have a ride in all eight Graded events on the day and if he rides in the two Listed events he will have a full book of ten rides.

Looking at his mounts, he should have a few winning chances. 

He said: “I head hunted the horses myself as best I could. Of course the top 1 and 2 in each race had regular pilots so I had to look where there could be some value for myself!” 

Hewitson won the Gold Cup two years ago on a then four-year-old Nebraas, but the Vercingetorix gelding does look to be the stable second choice runner this year as Future Pearl will be going for the unofficial Stayers Trip Crown.

Richard Fourie partners the latter, a three-year-old gelding by Futura who has won both the Grade 3 WSB Gold Bowl and Grade 3 DSTV Gold Vase, meaning if he lands the third “Gold” staying race he would have matched the 2017 feat of the Weiho Marwing-trained Hermoso Mundo.

Safe Passage was one of the unluckiest runners in the Hollywoodbets Durban July and was staying on late in eyecatching fashion. He is enigmatic but capable and will be a contender in the Champions Cup.

Hewitson said about the milestone of 50 wins in the Hong Kong season: “My outset goal this season was to broaden my support base and relationships with more trainers and owners which in turn naturally would lead to more winners. As the season progresses from there I think it’s more realistic to start making goal posts.  Of course we want to better our previous season, so I will be pushing for more winners and hopefully some feature success next season.”

Log-leading Keagan de Melo will be joining the South African jockey contingent of Hewitson and Luke Ferraris next season in Hong Kong.

That will make it four South African Jockey Academy (SAJA) graduates riding there because there is also the high-flying Mauritian Karis Teetan.  - Turf Talk