Chefano, originally named Varquero when he was sold by Maine Chance Farms at 2016 Cape Johannesburg Premier Yearling Sale for R300,000, won Sunday’s Gr3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (HK$3,25-million) over 2400m at Sha-Tin and will now be aimed at the Gr1 Champions & Chater Cup.
Chefano was resolute in fighting off his rivals from the front. He set the clip and kept going strongly after being briefly headed, drawing away nicely for a 2,75-length success over Savvy Nine.
Jockey Matthew Chadwick commented: “He travelled early, got an easy time in front and he was always going to outstay them,” Chadwick said.
“I said he’d stay all day,” trainer John Moore said. “He’s by a sire, Silvano, who went over a mile and a half and he was off a light weight, so from that point of view I had no worries about getting the distance.
Moore added: “He’ll go to the Gr1 Champions & Chater Cup but that’s set-weights so it’s going to be much more difficult. I will consider the Champions & Chater Cup for my other runners,” Moore said.
Chefano, as Varquero, won or placed in four of his SA starts which included a third place to Monks Hood in the Gr 2 Dingaans.
He was born from the five-time winning Al Mufti mare Valdovino, who is also dam of Vacquero’s useful own sister Vino Veritas, a Gr2-placed filly.
Chefano boasts career earnings of HK$5,16-million (app ZAR12,4-million).