KNYSNA NEWS - Natasha Sturdy's racehorse Royal Victory "didn't have his usual sparkle" in the season-ending Champions Cup at the Greyville Racecourse in Durban on Sunday 28 July.
The racehorse finished in 6th place, just over three lengths behind the winner Dave The King, but despite the race money going only to the first five finishers, Royal Victory remains the highest earning horse in the country this season, with its winnings totalling R4.625 million, and its lifetime earnings at R5.330m.
"She's incredibly proud," Natasha's husband Chris, who bought her a share in Royal Victory after a national yearling sale in 2021, said.
"He (Royal Victory) wasn't himself, he didn't have his usual sparkle, and just did not fire at 100%. Still, it was quite a feat (coming 6th)."
Chris, who is in the sports betting industry, said the racehorse's trainer, Nathan Kotzen, based in Durban, would probably take his charge "to a beautiful farm, where he has his own paddock and a big stable. It's like a five-star hotel for horses - it's as good as it gets".
Peak fitness
Kotzen's plan "will be to give him a well-deserved holiday and then bring him back to peak fitness to defend his titles earned on the Highveld (Premier's Champions Challenge and the Summer Cup), and hopefully have another crack at the Durban July in 2025".
The racehorse would run in the Summer Cup in Johannesburg, usually held on the last Saturday of November, but Natasha, who works at Absolute Pets in Knysna, would be unable to attend the race as the "last weekend in November coincides with Black Sunday, the retail event".
National awards
However, she would travel to Cape Town in August to attend the national Equus Awards.
"His (Royal Victory's) exploits have also led to nominations in the Champion Older Male and Champion Middle Distance categories at the South Africa Equus Awards, to be hosted at Kenilworth Racing in Cape Town on 15 August, where Natasha will be in attendance with all of the ownership partners and his trainer," Chris said.
"They will be hoping he can land another trophy, to go with the two (Champions Middle Distance Horse and Champions Older Horse trophies) he picked up at the regional awards in Johannesburg earlier this year."
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