A recordbreaker at his penultimate start at the Vaal, former KZN galloper Rulership made it three straight victories since relocating North when registering his maiden graded stakes success at Turffontein on Saturday in the R250 000 Betway Gr3 Lebelo Sprint.
The Tony Peter yard was in fine form with four winners on the afternoon, and owner-breeder Cecil Baitz will be thrilled with the emergence of his progressive sprinter.
Calvin Habib punches Rulership to a hat-trick victory over Smanga Khumalo and Magic Tattoo (Pic – JC Photos)
Confidently ridden by Calvin Habib, the 5-10 favourite got the better of a brief duel with Sean Tarry longshot Magic Tattoo (25-2) by a half length in a zippy 56,56 secs.
Alula’s Star (10-1) was a further 1,40 lengths back in third.
Formerly with Mike Miller at Summerveld, Rulership, a 4yo gelded son of Klawervlei sire William Longsword (Captain Al), is out of the nine-time winning Argonaut mare, Clear Sailing, who was purchased by Cecil Baitz and his Aussie based Veterinarian son Gary out of the Dennis Drier yard some six years ago.
The stakes winner’s original owners, Robyn and Robin Muir, had decided to put her on the market as a three-time winner, as her sire Argonaut was not firing and Clear Sailing had also later developed a breathing issue. That was on top of the fact that she had cracked a pelvis as a weanling.
Bred by Geoff Armitage, Clear Sailing is out of the five-time winning daughter of Goldkeeper, Clear Up and was originally purchased for R350 000 on the Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1.
Now a winner of 6 races with 7 places from his 18 starts, Rulership took his stakes earnings to R584 375 on Saturday and looks a sprinter worth watching.
Enjoy the replay:
