Stand up for the champion, the three-year-old National Currency who dealt his opposition a humiliating blow in the R300 000, Grade 1 Mercury Sprint at Clairwood Racecourse in Durban on Sunday.

Leading from start to finish and getting just 0,5kg from some of the best speed horses in the country, Michael Azzie’s National Assembly colt squashed once and for all any doubts that he is South Africa’s champion sprinter and one of the best speed horses to race in the country.

He took the 1 200 metre race into a headwind at the testing Clairwood track and shook it by the throat, chewing up the opposition and spitting them out with contempt as he strode clear to win by lengths.

Looking the star of the show in the parade, his immaculate appearance was a true tribute to his conditioner who was hard-pressed to contain his emotions when the colt lengthened his stride and drew clear of the pack to win impressively.

Azzie said after the race that he was thrilled with the performance and a conference would now be held to decide on his future with Hong Kong a potential alternative to Dubai

"This horse is very special to me and I want to make sure that we only do the best for him," he said.

Jockey Weichong Mawing made no bones about the fact that National Currency is one of the best horses he had ridden.

He said the colt had been hard ridden when he won over 1 000 metres at Turffontein in his previous race and he felt he might have been just over the top. He had been given light work before the Mercury Sprint and had come on up to eight lengths.

"I just let him run along and when I shook him up it was all over. He is a really good horse."

National Currency led virtually from the start and as he pulled away in the finish, Dean Kannemeyer’s Honour The Guest ran on for second ahead of Herman Brown’s Black Skimmer and Charles Laird’s Hinterland. 

Issued by:  Gill Simpkins
Communications Officer
Gold Circle (Pty) Ltd