Keep Loving! Anton Marcus drives Love Struck through to win the Listed Breeders’ Cup Politician Stakes
The KZN visitor Love Struck won the informal Cape Derby trial, The Listed Breeders’ Cup Politician Stakes run for a stake of R125 000 at Kenilworth on Saturday. It appears quite unlikely though that we will see the son of Kahal line up for the Derby on Met day.
There is no question that things went Love Struck’s way on Saturday.
A good draw, a lukewarm gallop and the enormous influence of Anton Marcus conspired to produce a victory where one probably didn’t really exist in the 1800m event.
The 3yo had obviously had enough going into the final 50m of the race, and any lesser jockey would have handed the race to Karl Neisius on a platter as the flying grey Ze Kaiser arrived a stride too late.
The Team. Love Struck (Anton Marcus) is led in by Alesh Naidoo and Shane Humby
While the winner eventually went off totalisator favourite, the Vaughan Marshall-trained Act Fast was posted up a weak 4-1 favourite after being touted as a big runner by jockey MJ Byleveld earlier on the blue and white afternoon.
Piere Strydom took the Justin Snaith-trained Parker up to lead the pack from stablemate Dynamic with Love Struck and Unenumbered further back.
Parker led all the way around and into the home run where Strydom tried to steal a margin on the pack. That ploy failed though as he faded with the field fanning out and charging. Love Struck and Dynamic went for broke with Silvano’s Jet and Ze Kaiser powering home just behind them
In typical Marcus fashion, Love Struck’s run was timed sweetly and he held on to win by a head in a thrilling finish from Silver Mist’s half -brother, Ze Kaiser, in a time of 110,93 secs.
The second horse made up many lengths in the final 200m and looks a sitter in a Novice Plate next time.
Silvano’s Jet improved smartly again for third just a length away, with Patriotic Rebel maintaining his form in fourth.
With trainer Paul Lafferty away at sales in Australia, local trainer Shane Humby saddled the gelding for Alesh Naidoo and his partners
The vastly experienced Humby, who is based in Milnerton, said that Love Struck had been down in the Cape since three weeks prior to the Cape Guineas. He added that the horse had not travelled particularly well and had run a fair race in the Guineas. He said that he felt that he had turned the corner though, and produced a good effort here.
Humby shot straight from the hip when he said that he did not feel that Love Struck was a Derby horse: “ With Capetown Noir in the race, we are all racing for place money anyway. I am sure Paul (Lafferty) would rather go for something he could win. But that’s my personal opinion,” he said.
Winning jockey Anton Marcus conceded that the good draw and the sedate gallop had counted in his favour and he had always had reservations about the gelding seeing out the trip.
He added that he was ‘not convinced’ that Love Struck would stay the Derby distance
Love Struck is a Summerhill Stud product and is by the ever reliable Kahal. He is out of the five-time winning Rambo Dancer mare, Particular Passion.
A R260 000 National Sale graduate, Love Struck took his winning tally to 4 from 11 starts with 3 places. His earnings grew to R311 540 with his second Listed victory.
Wherever he goes from here, Love Struck should continue to pay his way through the ranks up to a mile.
