Haute Couture Blows Them Away On Debut

Haute Couture’s debut victory over 1000m at Turffontein on Saturday was one of those races where the result appeared all but settled before halfway.

He pinged the gates and was two lengths clear of his rivals before race caller Nico Kritsiotis had caught his breath. “Haute Couture got a flyer!” enthused Kritsiotis, who later called the colt “skipping clear” at the 300m mark as he powered home to score by 10.50 lengths.

Interviewer Clyde Basel was similarly impressed: “How did that horse come out of the gates so quickly, my goodness!?”, to which jockey Callan Murray replied: “Haute Couture was really impressive from day one, he was one of the earlier ones that were ready. He had a few niggles so we had to back off him a bit, well done to the team for getting him ready.”

Callan said that Haute Couture was a “natural” who did everything under a very easy ride. While the strength of his competition is not known, he couldn’t have won more impressively. “I am chuffed for the Murugasa family to have a nice horse like this,” added.

Mat said: “That was super impressive. I have to thank my team who has been around him from day one, the breaking in staff, and staff at home. Haute Couture is an utter professional with a great temperament.  We hope he pulls up nice and sound so we can enter him for the big juvenile sprint at Scottsville.”

Mat thanked Jayson and Preshalin Murugasa and their family and said: “Last year they got behind us at the National Yearling Sale and Haute Couture was one of our picks. He is from a great farm and really stood out. They put their money down and it’s nice to see them rewarded with a super talented horse like this, so long may it continue.”

Haute Couture is by Rafeef out of Isle De France (Var), and was bred by National log-leading breeders, Wilgerbosdrift and Maurititzfontein.