Grade One winner Variety Club will stay in South Africa until after next year's G1 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate before a planned overseas campaign that will include racing in Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Photo by Gold Circle
His next intended target is the G1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge at Clairwood on June 9 as his last outing of the current season.
The dual Guineas winning colt will be brought back for Cape Sizzling Summer Season with the Queen's Plate as his target as his connections have decided against setting him for this year's December International meeting in Hong Kong.
They are hoping that Dubai's import protocol relating to South African horses will have changed by next season, allowing him to be flown there directly after fulfilling his quarantine requirements next February.
Derek Brugman, racing manager for Variety Club's owner Markus Jooste, said: “Markus gets so much pleasure out of watching this horse race. He loves racing locally and loves supporting South African racing.
"He said the money was not important, so his decision wasn't determined by economics.”
New guidelines are being considered at this year's World Organisation for Animal Health's General Assembly at the end of May that may improve the way in which countries infected with African Horse Sickness, such as South Africa, are able to regain their free status following an outbreak.
Currently the relevant export protocols require a horse to spend 21 days in vector protected isolation at the Kenilworth Quarantine Station, 90 days residency in Mauritius and then 30 days in Europe before being allowed to enter Dubai. Horses going to Hong Kong must spend 60 days in Europe.
Brugman said Variety Club would still race for trainer Joey Ramsden overseas. An agreement is likely to be struck with Mike de Kock that will allow Ramsden to use his training infrastructure in Dubai.
Variety Club's target in Dubai would be either the Godolphin Mile or the Dubai Duty Free.
Meanwhile Gimmethegreenlight's season and overseas future will be decided after he gallops this week.
Trainer Justin Snaith will assess the Queen's Plate winner's gallop and then sit down with owner Hassan Adams and decide the best route for the horse.
Horse of The Year Igugu is set to be accompanied by 11 other Mike de Kock-trained horses on her journey via Mauritius and Europe to reach Dubai this year.
Among them are The Apache, Amanee, Soft Falling Rain and the recent debut winner El Estruenosa.
