A dual change of surface due to substantial rainfall in the region led to a multitude of scratchings that took much of the momentum out of the KZN midweek racemeeting on Wednesday.
A switch of venue from Hollywoodbets Scottsville to the Hollywoopdbets Greyville turf was followed by a change to the polytrack on the morning of the meeting that saw 40 withdrawals listed.
But race they did, and there will be at least nine sets of happy connections that left with a winner’s cheque as the sun sets on Durban.
Double agents! Feature stars Wendy Whitehead and Calvin Habib celebrated doubles on the afternoon (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The headliner, the R90 000 non black-type River Indigo Handicap was run over 1400m and reduced to just five runners.
Not unpredictably, there was no helter skelter gallop and Calvin Habib duly rode a clever race from the front as he dictated on the Wendy Whitehead-trained mare Mvulazana (6-1), who kept going all the way to hold a late challenge from Petit Verdot (5-1) by 1,50 lengths in a time of 82,81 secs.
Morgan La Fay was always thereabouts, and finished a further 0,70 lengths back in third.
The 9-10 favourite Foreshore was never in the hunt and finished a well-beaten last of the quintet.
Mfulazana enjoyed dictating under Calvin Habib (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Bred and raced by Nothemba Mlonzi of Mwetwood Stud, the winner is a daughter of the deceased National Assembly stallion Soft Falling Rainout of the five-time winning Tapit mare, Grey Light.
Now a winner of 5 races with 7 places from 21 starts, Mvulazana took her stakes earnings to R350 000 in the process.
Summerveld trainer Wendy Whitehead saddled a double on the day, while Calvin Habib, Muzi Yeni and Smanga Khumalo each banked a double.
The Hollywood Syndicate celebrated a double on the day, courtesy of the Peter Muscutt-trained The Shepherd and Gareth van Zyl charge, Hope Is Power.
The next KZN racemeeting is at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday 18 December.
Enjoy the feature replay:
