Top Cape jockey Aldo Domeyer rode the first leg of a feature double as he and trainer Robbie Sage delivered a knockout blow in the Champions Day Pick 6 opener.
The Var colt William The Silent got the better of the more fancied Cirillo to win a prolonged duel and grab the silverware in the R1 million Gr2 SA Nursery.
Aldo Domeyer keeps William The Silent (outside) going to head Cirillo (S’manga Khumalo) in a thriller (Pic – JC Photos)
William The Silent and the Sean Tarry-trained Cirillo were quickest out and they led the charge down the outside of the track.
At the 400m, Domeyer asked William The Silent for an effort and he started a gradual drift towards the inside, carrying Cirillo with him.
The two went hammer and tongs with Khumalo throwing the left–handed whip at his mount, but the 45-1 William The Silent always had his measure and went on to win by a short head in a time of 67.3 secs.
Chimichuri Run came out of the pack late to keep the 16-10 favourite Bold Eagle out of the top three.
Chesney van Zyl’s unbeaten Bold Eagle never got into the race and may be looking for further.
Jockey Aldo Domeyer confirmed that he had not ridden to instructions.
“The idea was to give him a chance but he came out the gates so nicely. He found something every time S’manga Khumalo challenged us. He should go on to be a lovely horse as he matures,” he added.
Robbie Sage – lovely day at the office
Trainer Robbie Sage thanked his longstanding owner Colin Bird for the support and complimented his team on a good job. “We weren’t sure we were going to run him today as he has been a bit shin sore. But it all worked out well,” he said.
The Drakenstein Stud-bred William The Silent is a son of Var (Forest Wildcat) out of the five-time winner Tick Tock (Captain Al).
A R600 000 National Yearling Sale purchase, William The Silent has won two of his three starts for stakes of R693 750.
His win here was a demonstration of just how the 2yo’s improve. William The Silent had run 10 lengths behind Bold Eagle in the Storm Bird Stales last time out after winning well on debut.
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Gr2 SA Nursery (SAf-Gr2)
Turffontein, South Africa, May 5, R1 million, 1160m, turf, good, 1.07.03
1 – WILLIAM THE SILENT (SAF), 60.0, b c 2, Var (USA) – Tick Tock (SAF) by Captain Al (SAF). Owner Mr Colin Bird; Breeder Drakenstein Stud; trainer RR Sage; jockey A Domeyer
2 – Cirillo (SAF), 60.0, b c 2, Pomodoro (SAF) – Miss Wordsworth (SAF) by Lake Coniston (IRE)
3 – Chimichuri Run (SAF), 60.0, ch c 2, Trippi (USA) – Spiced Gold (SAF) by Kahal (GB)
Margins: 0.10, 1.50, 0.10
