THE highly-anticipated 28th edition of the OK Grand Challenge Grade Two horse race is set for Saturday June 4 at Borrowdale Race Course, but defending champion Yer-Maan will not be part of the cast, as he was not on the final acceptances list released by the organisers at the venue yesterday.
BY HENRY MHARA
The South African-bred Yer-Maan won the event last year to complete a remarkable double after he had won the Castle Tankard Grade One race.
Together with the OK Grand Challenge race, the Castle Tankard is one of the two biggest races locally.
Yer-Maan would go on to claim second position in the Republic Cup behind winner Equina, thereby, missing out on the treble. But the seven-year-old, who did not do well in the Tankard, was a notable omission on the list released yesterday, paving way for other horses to make an impression.
One horse that could make a mark is this year’s Castle Tankard winner, Rock the Country, who will be looking to emulate Yer-Maan and Equina in winning the Tankard and OK Grand Challenge double.
After finishing fifth in the Tankard despite starting as the overwhelming favourite, bookmakers have once again put their faith on Flax and have placed 3/1 odds on the South African thoroughbred to win the race.
Flax is one of the five horses races trained by Bridget Stido taking to the field next week.
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But it is trainer, Gokhan Terzi who will be fancying his chances, with his four horses including Rock the Country after winning last year’s race with Yer-Maan before clinching the Castle Tankard with the former. He is gunning for the second Grand Challenge title
Only one local horse, Call Me Earl, will be carrying the nation’s hopes and after another sole local participant Tally Two disappointed at the Tankard. The weight of expectations on Call Me Earl will be heavy.
But just like Rock the Country, who was not given a chance in the Tankard and went on to send bookmakers into hiding with a surprise win, it would be folly for the punters to rule out other horses among them Mathematician and Windigo, who will line up for the $24 000 winners’ prize.
