RECENTLY imported Wings Of Desire (GB) may have a crack at the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July before he takes up stud duties at Heversham Park Farm in South Gauteng.
The connections of Wings of Desire are considering a Winter campaign in Kwazulu-Natal for the son of Pivotal who entered the country only a few weeks ago.
Heversham Park’s Fred Brons stated: “Although we bought the horse for stallion duties in 2018, he is only a lightly-raced five-year old, and he came out of quarantine in such good condition that we are considering sending him into training with Ormond Ferraris for a tilt at this year’s July Handicap.
Brons added: “As the runner-up to the world champion, Highland Reel, in the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth stakes, we believe that his form is far superior to any horse currently racing in South Africa. The only difficulty that we envisage is that as the horse only came out of quarantine on Valentine’s Day, this might not afford Mr. Ferraris sufficient time to prepare him for the July. He will, however, be entered for the race, and thereafter we will make a decision whether to run him or not. “Wings of Desire will be commencing stud duties in 2018, regardless of whether he races in this country or not”.
Wings Of Desire was trained in the UK by John Gosden and his other notable feats included a fourth place in the 2016 Investec Epsom Derby to Harzand, himself also now retired to stud. – Turf Talk.