Dead Heat! Arrow Heart gets up on the outside to force a share of the spoils with Winter Fantasy (Coastal Photos)
On an afternoon of thrilling finishes on the Fairview Polytrack on Friday, the R100 000 Aloe Handicap produced a thrilling tied finish with two smart fillies under two top riders duelling all the way to the wire over the 1300m. Winter Fantasy ad Arrow Heart shared the honours in a race where either would have been an unlucky loser.
Dead heats are rare in this age of advanced technology, but the Fairview judge twice failed to separate horses on a great afternoon in the Eastern Cape.
Pindan Blue and Endless Joy had earlier shared the spoils in the second race to register a Bipot first leg blow and the feature was a replay, with plenty of excitement.
A field of ten 3yo fillies lined up for the non black type feature, with plenty of interest in Mitch Wiese’s Titlee and the Cape visitor Princess Creo. But neither showed in a race that was dominated by the top two finishers.
Greg Cheyne is riding with terrific confidence since he returned from a successful stint in the East and he did not hesitate to take the pacy East Cape Nursery winner Winter Fantasy out to lead.
The Ascot Stud bred daughter of Western Winter continued to bowl and led Arrow Heart down the short straight. Winter Fantasy looked to be going on strongly with Arrow Heart beaten and under a hard ride.
But the picture changed dramatically inside the final stages as Cheyne kept Winter Fantasy balanced with Agrella riding like a man possessed.
Winter Star kept on gamely and Arrow Heart finished well as they went past the post as one.
The winning time was 78,54 secs, with King’s Summit in third 3,25 lengths back. Judbury put in a fair post maiden run in fourth.
It was a good day at the office for Ascot Stud, who made it three winners on the day, when Tribal Party skated home to win the last, under replacement rider, Kendall Minnie. Greg Cheyne stood down to catch a flight to Cape Town.
Apprentice Nicholas Patel was also in top mettle riding a hat trick of winners, to take his career total to ten wins.
Trained by Alan Greeff, and superbly well ridden by Greg Cheyne, Winter Fantasy was bred by Ascot Stud and is by Western Winter out of the thrice winning Al Mufti Mare, Royal Fantasy.
Winter Fantasy has won 4 of her 8 starts with 1 place and stakes of R225 625.
Trained by Anelle Wilmot and the subject of a typically powerful ride by Wayne Agrella, Arrow Heart was bred by Highlands and is by Albert Hall out of the three time winning Arch mare, Winning Archer.
Arrow Heart has won 2 of her 7 starts with 2 places and stakes of R119 225.
We should hear plenty still from both the winners.
