The Shawe-Houdalakis-Zackey partnership were in fine form at Turffontein on the Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile day on Saturday when they took the honours in the first two of the five features on the big day.
After Dyce spreadeagled his opposition in the Listed Golden Loom, it was the consistent multiple graded stakes placed filly Egyptian Mau who returned from a 12 week break to register a career first stakes success in the R250 000 HWH Princess Charlene Gr3 Starling Stakes.
Egyptian Mau (Craig Zackey) stays on strongly to resist the challenge of White Pearl and JP van der Merwe (Pic – JC Photos)
Allowed to relax early, Egyptian Mau, who had placed against the likes of Lucky Lad, Mrs Geriatrix and Bavarian Beauty in her 2yo season, accelerated smartly and took on the grey 8-10 shot White Pearl going into the final 200m of the 1400m contest.
Despite the Mike de Kock charge coming right back at her, Egyptian Mau (4-1) always appeared to have the upper hand and held off the BSA Sales Cup runner-up by 0,40 lengths in a time of 85,55 secs.
Sean Tarry’s Let’s Go Now (20-1) had to overcome her draw and stayed on encouragingly for third, a further 1,75 lengths back.
A R425 000 National Yearling Sale graduate, Egyptian Mau has won 2 races with 3 places from 5 starts for stakes of R436 875.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, the winner is a daughter of War Front stallion Fire Away (USA) out of the Fort Wood mare, Savannah Cat.
Fire Away won seven times, and earned more than $600 000, during his career with his trio of stakes wins headed by a triumph in the 2018 G3 Dixie Stakes.
The latter race has been won by a plethora of equine stars previously, with past stars to have won the Dixie Stakes including such Breeders’ Cup winners as World Approval, Better Talk Now and Lure, as well as highly successful sire Nassipour, and champions Bowl Game and Fort Marcy.
The impeccably bred Fire Away is a half-brother to graded stakes winners Vigilantes Way (Gr3 Eatontown Stakes) and Mr Speaker (Gr1 Belmont Derby). The latter has also enjoyed success at stud, with Mr Speaker having sired the Gr1 winners Speech (Ashland Stakes) and Speaking Scout (Hollywood Derby).
Fire Away’s dam Salute, a daughter of Kentucky Derby winner and outstanding sire Unbridled, won at two when she also finished runner up in the Gr2 Demoiselle Stakes and third in the Gr3 Tempted Stakes.
Enjoy the replay:
