The Peter de Beyer bred Vercingetorix mare Celtic Rumours scored a well deserved maiden stakes success when she benefitted from a finely judged ride by Gavin Lerena to hold off Joey Soma’s 3yo Fiery Pegasus to win the R450 000 Betway Gr2 Joburg Spring F&M Challenge at Turffontein on Saturday.
Celtic Rumours (Gavin Lerena) holds off Fiery Pegasus (Malesela K Katjedi) to win the Betway Gr2 Joburg Spring F&M Challenge (Pic – JC Photos)
Out of a one-time winning Dupont mare who raced in the Peter de Beyer silks and has served the top breeder with distinction, the Sean Tarry-trained winner is a half-sister to the speedy Almond Sea (Canford Cliffs) and despite a bit of hesitancy at the start was always going well and in touch under Lerena.
Timing it perfectly, Gavin Lerena got Celtic Rumours (7-2) home by a quarter length in a time of 87,52 secs.
Fiery Pegasus (7-1) has consistent form and ran a gallant race in defeat, with last year’s runner-up Captain Peg (16-1) staying on for third a further 0,90 lengths.
Piere Strydom had White Pearl relaxed back of midfield after an 18 week break and the daughter of Danon Platina stayed on for fourth. She has surely got something decent in her this season over a mile plus?
The tote favourite VJ’s Angel was never in it and ran downfield.
Bred by Peter de Beyer, the winner is by Vercingetorix (Silvano) out of Sylvie (Dupont).
A R700 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate, Celtic Rumours boosted her paddock value and was registering her fifth victory from 15 starts with 8 places for stakes of R659 750.
The R1 million carryover injected Turffontein Pick 6 pool was projected to reach R5 million but sadly fell short of the target, hitting a net R3 517 527. That beat the Hollywoodbets Durbanville pool of R483 918 for the same bet.
