The Dynasty gelding Made To Conquer registered his first stakes win at Greyville on Saturday and in the process booked his Vodacom Durban July supplementary ticket with a fluent fourth victory on the trot when taking top honours in the R300 000 Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup.
Snaith stars head to head as Richard Fourie and Made To Conquer hold off Grant van Niekerk on Strathdon (Pic – Candiese Marnewick/ Gold Circle)
Made To Conquer, a relatively lightly raced 4yo, has flown below the radar so far but stamped himself a serious feature athlete and won a courageous race – despite the overbearing attentions of Grant van Niekerk and stablemate Strathdon.
After Highland Night Cup winner Hero Quest had shown the way, the Snaith pair took off together at the 350m and owned the race from there.
With Made To Conquer and Richard Fourie looking to be going the better of the leading duo, Van Niekerk and Strathdon carried them all the way to the inside rail, seemingly headed for a sundowner at the Royal Durban clubhouse.
Richard Fourie – kept a cool head
The Chrigor Stud-sponsored Fourie kept his cool though and continued to point Made To Conquer in the right direction.
It is a bit puzzling -other than obviously coaxing more than directing – as to why Van Niekerk had his crop in his left hand for some of the action. While the talented young jockey is something of a repeat offender, and just this week picked up ten days for the same offence, Justin Snaith was quick in his defence – suggesting that the track was tight and vulnerable to interference.
In the previous race, Snaith had objected on behalf of his runner-up One Direction on the same grounds. The objection was overruled.
It all ended well with the Snaiths adding another string to their July bow and hailing a possible Gold Cup candidate too.
The 18-10 favourite Made To Conquer got the verdict to win a touch cosily by a neck in a time of 148,89 secs.
Mr Winsome returned to form and ran on steadily for third, a further 6,75 lengths back.
The pacemaker Hero Quest faded badly to run last.
Made To Conquer was purchased second hand as a maiden off the Kenilworth August Sale in 2017, when he sold for R180 000. He earned more than that – R187 500 – on Saturday to take his stakes earnings total to R447 250, with his sixth win from 9 starts.
Bred by Mike De Broglio, he is by July winner Dynasty (Fort Wood) out of the Gr2 SA Oaks winner Festive Occasion, a daughter of Casey Tibbs who produced the smart Silvano filly, Do You Remember, a daughter of Silvano. She also raced for De Broglio and was exported to Australia some years ago.
The Vodacom Durban July here we come!
_________
Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup (SAf-Gr3)
Greyville, South Africa, June 2, R300k, 2400m, turf, soft, 2.28.89
1 – MADE TO CONQUER (SAF), 56.5, b g 4, Dynasty (SAF) – Festive Occasion (SAF) by Casey Tibbs (IRE). Owner Messrs E A Braun, C T Crowe & N Jonsson; Breeder M De Broglio; trainer J Snaith; jockey R Fourie
2 – Strathdon (SAF), 58.0, ch g 4, Silvano (GER) – Wintersweet (SAF) by Western Winter (USA)
3 – Mr Winsome (SAF), 59.5, b g 5, Silvano (GER) – Al Shama (SAF) by Al Mufti (USA)
Margins: 0.15, 6.75, 2.75
