Summerveld trainer Lezeanne Forbes was rewarded for her initiative to keep Sunday’s Hollywoodbets Greyville feature alive, when her stable elect Mary O went all the way to score a deserved victory.
It’s an ongoing puzzle as to why the programmers put on races that obviously don’t suit the needs of the market. Are trainers even consulted?
Seems not, as there was nominal interest and the 3yo fillies non black-type feature, the Beach Beauty Mile, came close to being scrapped before Lezeanne used her initiative and included two first-timers to keep the numbers.
Calvin Habib gets down low to keep Mary O in front (Pic – Candiese Marnewick)
The seven horse field stood up and after the withdrawal of Michael Roberts’ Winter Sun, six fillies went to post.
While she looked to have a little to do at the weights, Mary O was taken to lead by jockey Calvin Habib who backed her superior fitness.
Controlling the pace all the way in a slow-run affair, Mary O clinched the honours by a head from the gutsy Electric Surge in a time of 97,48 secs.
Jack’s Bird was never in the hunt and can only improve. She ran third and 1,80 lengths off the winner.
Bred by Lindi and Paul Garlicki’s beautiful Connemara Stud in Paarl, Mary O is by the in-form Oratorio (Danehill) out of the bravely named four-time winner, Mary Hinge (Second Empire). The latter won up to 2400m for Glen Kotzen.
Avontuur-based Oratorio has enjoyed a top season so far and is vying for a top of the sires log position.
Mary O has won 2 races with 1 place from 4 starts for stakes of R158 225.
She should pay to follow and looks like she will go 2000m plus in time.
Ed – just have a look at the win photo by Candiese Marnewick on Sunday as shown above and our cover pic of this past weekend’s issue below – quite uncanny!
