Justin Snaith stepped up the 3yo Cape Flyaway beyond the sprints for the first time at Fairview on Friday and the move produced immediate results. Barend Vlooh steered the Windrush filly home to an impressive victory in the 1300m R100 000 non black-type Aloe Handicap.
Cape Flyaway (Barend Vlooh) gets up to beat the game Silvan Jazz (Robert Khathi) in the Aloe Handicap (Pic-Coastal Photos)
Cape Flyaway has been a mostly permanent resident of the Snaith PE satellite yard and her biggest recent news was her win in the International Jockeys Challenge first leg, when booted home by top UK rider, Pat Cosgrave.
The move to change her game plan and switch her to poly over further was an inspired one. Not that she had suggested she wouldn’t be very competitive – having run on well when tried over either surface.
With Cape raider Just Felicity going off a 7-2 favourite at her Fairview debut, the race looked particularly wide open.
Martita Ridge and High Fashion were slow away as Just Felicity went out quickly to lead Silvan Jazz and Cape Flyaway.
Into the home run, Silvan Jazz continued to gallop powerfully as Cape Flyaway snuck up on her inside to deliver her challenge.
In the final 200m, the race was a straight match between the top two and it was Cape Flyaway who got the better of a tight duel with Silvan Jazz to win by a half length in a time of 75,49 secs.
The winner’s stablemate, a daughter of Oratorio named Bella’s Empire, came on strongly after a two month break to shade Kanara for fourth. She can be watched over slightly further next time at the races.
The Cape raiding favourite Just Felicity had nothing to come and fell away to run 10,45 lengths off the winner.
Brida was reported to be changing legs in running, while Thembisa returned coughing.
Winning jockey Barend Vlooh confirmed that he had sprinted Cape Flyaway up on Wednesday and that he was confident of going close.
The win gave the in-form Snaith team a double after the Fred Crabbia-owned Razed In Black had survived an objection from the rider of Memphis Mafia in the previous race.
Cape Flyaway was bred by CW and CR Tyler and is by Windrush out of the Badger Land mare, Cape Silver.
Cape Flyaway was purchased by John Freeman for what looks like a bargain R65 000 off the 2014 Emperors Palace National 2yo Sale.
She has now earned a total of R186 375 in stakes with 3 wins and 5 places from 11 starts.
S’manga Khumalo was the leading jockey on the afternoon, with a hat-trick of winners.
