Master Sabina’s win for me in the Summer Cup was a dream come true.  Nothing to do with the R1,2 million stake for first prize or the betting money won, but for me it was a dream that started many years ago.  My first horse Sabina Park was a superstar who had the bad luck to race not only with injuries and then a heart problem, but also a race season that was cut short due to a horse flu that saw all horse racing stop in Gauteng for 4 months when she was at the peak of her career.  She had faster finishing times in her last big win than the subsequent winner of the July Handicap, Greys Inn, recorded on the same day at the same track and distance.  A truly talented horse whose brilliance was never truly acknowledged other than in the R3 million I was offered to sell her to Australia.

Unfortunately, in South Africa unless you win one of the big one’s people never really understand how good your horse is and Sabina Park may well have been the best horse I ever owned, but also the unluckiest.  A documentary was made at the time and aired on Tellytrack which featured me and her over 3 episodes and ended with me saying I would breed with her and I would one day be very proud of her children.  Master Sabina is that child and he like his mother has been somewhat unlucky.  Unlucky in losing the Summer Cup 2 years ago to a horse who at level weights was probably the best of the year, Yorker, when having far more bad luck in the running of the race than he did.  He ran three wide and battled his way through the field while almost catching Yorker, who had a clear run with the gaps all opening at the right time for him.  Unlucky to not take part last year when we fancied him to beat the first Triple Crown winner in 20 years, Louis the King.  Just knowing he was in the class of those two was enough for me to know he was a superstar, but friends and others don’t seem to “know it” unless you win one of those big three races – somewhat ironic given they are handicaps and not necessarily about who is “best”.

One year later and not at his very best he was still good enough to win the 2015 Summer Cup.  His first Grade 1 victory, the biggest race any of my horses has ever won and the first Grade 1 for his mother also.  So for me Saturday had nothing to do with money at all – it was all about the dream coming full circle for me and Sabina.  Master Sabina may never win another race in his already amazing career but he truly made me happy and proud on Saturday to not only own him, but have bred him also.  Thanks to Geoff Woodruff and his family for an amazing training feat in bringing him break after a one year break and only one warm up run, to Gavin Lerena who missed out on the ride last year when Master could not run due to his ligament injury and produced him at the right time in a big field, to Carl de Vos and his team at Varsfontein Stud and the Kalmanson’s who own the stud, to my friends who have had to endure years of me telling them this horse was truly a champion and would win a big one - and to Sabina Park and Jet Master for being the best of the best and producing a magnificent foal back in 2009.