Good Council had threatened to produce a performance like this ever since landing in Mauritius, and on his fifth attempt he finally put it all together — and did it on the biggest stage of all. With Raymond Danielson dictating every beat of the rhythm and the Arveen Nagadoo yard rolling out a meticulous game plan, the gelding delivered a polished, career-shaping victory in the Phoenix Maiden Cup (Gr1), one of the island’s cornerstone contests.

Breaking cleanly from gate 5, Good Council immediately slid into his comfort zone at the head of affairs. Danielson didn’t rush him; instead, he let the horse breathe, nudging him into a smooth cadence that stacked the field behind in orderly fashion. For much of the race, he traveled like the one they all had to reel in.

But the real measure of his character came late. The moment they straightened, The Gatekeeper — under Rye Joorawon — swept up with purpose, cutting into the margin with every stride. Zeus, piloted by Manoel Nunes, began to unwind behind them, threatening to turn it into a three-way dogfight. For a brief second, the momentum shifted and suspense hung over the Champ de Mars.

Good Council was having none of it. Danielson asked, and the gelding found. He lengthened again in the final 150m, digging in with a resolve that separated him from the challengers and stamped his authority on the race. The Gatekeeper chased bravely into second, while Zeus maintained his honest, grinding effort to secure third.

For Nagadoo and Danielson, this wasn’t just another win — it was a signature moment in a season where their partnership continues to rise. And for Good Council, it was the performance that finally showed Mauritian racegoers exactly what he had brought with him from South Africa: staying power, maturity, and a touch of class when it counts most.

Results
1st — Good Council
2nd — The Gatekeeper
3rd — Zeus

Image MTCJC