Coolmore-bred and former Aidan O’Brien-trained The Equator (IRE), makes his South African debut in Sunday’s Grade 3 Jubilee Handicap at Turffontein. The four-year-old son of Galileo holds a 2025 Hollywoodbets Durban July nomination and, interestingly, champion jockey Richard Fourie is a notable booking on Saturday for trainer Tony Peter.
Heversham Park Farm’s Advocate Nigel Riley, who owns The Equator in partnership with Willem Ackerman, issued a media release on Wednesday, saying: “We have been inundated with enquiries about the well-being of The Equator and have decided to appraise the racing public of the situation, so that they can make their own decisions.
“The Equator was purchased in the UK in late October and went into quarantine. After being released from quarantine, he arrived at Heversham in mid-February, where he was acclimatised and did some light trotting on our tracks. He went into to Tony Peter’s yard on 28 March, where he has made excellent progress and has put up some eye-catching work.
“Last Sunday, The Equator had a 1600m gallop on the inside track at Turffontein against a couple of horses, including a Grade 1 winner. He won the gallop by three lengths, going away from them, and his work rider was as impressed as onlookers. We look forward to the race. We hope this will assist punters.”
Photo supplied by Tony Peter Racing.