Drier & Forbes Earn Their Stripes

Sharks Rule! Bambina Stripes and Alec Forbes get up to win the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic.

We salute Dennis Drier and Alec Forbes!  The coastal coupling overcame all the odds to clinch top honours in the  R1 million Gr1 SA Fillies Classic run over the Turffontein 1800m this afternoon with the  emerging talent of the Argentinian-bred Bambina Stripes.

Nothing in moderation in racing. It is either brilliant or bad! The embarrassment of riches that was the eight race feature programme presented by Phumelela provided something for everybody. The honours were also evenly spread with Mike De Kock and Gavin Van Zyl sharing the Group race scalps at two apiece.

The R1 million Gr1 SA Fillies Classic was a slow run affair with Mike De Kock’s Bluroute setting the fractions. Gavin Lerena produced Control Freak at the 400m marker and the Lisa Harris Tamburlaine filly moved smoothly into a brief lead.

Kalami and Katy’s Lane flattered briefly while Anton Marcus was turning the Ilha Bela engines on. All the while Bambina Stripes was making ground wide out and in a desperate finish, she got the better of the improved Kalami.

Besides overcoming the travelling bogey, a poor draw, running green and having no luck in running, Knut Haug’s Equal Stripes filly changed legs at the 200m marker and produced a powerful finish to dent the Joburg egos!

This was a great win after a tough Cape campaign and it was nothing less than a remarkable training feat by Dennis Drier and a welcome big win for the hardworking Alec Forbes. Drier has in fact displayed great judgement with his stable jockeys – from Glyn Schofield, to Robbie Hill, to Stuart Randolph , Sean Cormack and now the quietly spoken Forbes.

Drier described himself as ‘bloody fortunate’ to train some decent horses.

Top Dog! Slumdogmillionaire wins the SA Classic under Marthinus Mienie.

The R2 million Gr1 SA Classic run over 1800m was a triumph of showbiz proportions for former jockey turned trainer Gavin Van Zyl’s Team G Racing. South Africa’s richest three year old race produced a cracker of a finish with Slumdogmillionaire going from start to finish, save for a brief burst from the favourite Gimmethegreenlight in the home straight. At the line a short head separated Sean Tarry from a much needed Gr1 boost with his Jet Master colt.

Unlucky when slow away at his last start in the Gauteng  Guineas, the colourfully named son of Strike Smartly Slumdogmillionaire, did things the hard way out front from his 13 draw. This was the third win from four starts for the Gavin Schaeffer bred R550 000 National Sale graduate.

Winning jockey Marthinus Mienie is on record as saying that this is the ‘best horse I’ve ridden.’ On this run, and assuming Gimmethegreenlight had no phantom issues, he must rank as one of the best of his age.

The second placed Pomodoro ran a cracker in second and  showed that 1800m plus is his A-game. He should be a factor down on the East Coast in the next few months.

The favourite Gimmethegreenlight was given every chance by master jockey Piere Strydom from his poor draw, but after moving forward smoothly at the 400m he fell in a hole without any apparent excuses. While travelling and altitude considerations may spring to mind, his connections may be going back to the drawing board with their tails between their legs.

Trip The Light! Franny wins the Pretty Polly easing up.

The first lady of South African horseracing Mrs Bridget Oppenheimer was on course to watch her super fast Trippi  filly Franny  register the first leg of a feature double for Gavin Van Zyl. The R165 000 Gr3 Pretty Polly Stakes run over 1100m proved a procession for the Highlands bred who is now unbeaten in her two career starts- both feature races! She looks terrific value for her R275 000 price tag and Anthony Delpech was highly complimentary of her talents in the post-race formalities.

The R200 000 Gr3 Protea Stakes run over 1100m produced a smooth win for the Victory Moon colt War Horse. The Corne Spies trained colt was ridden with confidence as Valberg cut out a good pace. Recent sand winner Mogok’s Desire looked dangerous late but had no answer to War Horse – who had given the brilliant Soft Falling Rain a fright in the Stormberg Stakes last time out.

The R165 000 Gr3 Jacaranda Handicap run over 1800m was run at a slow pace set by the George Scott-trained Without Malice. The dawdle resulted in a cavalry charge in the final 350m with every runner in with a chance. Tswaro

No Disguise! Dancewiththedevil wins her third Gr1 under Gavin Lerena.

The R1 million Gr 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes run over 1600m presented a tactical puzzle on paper, with very little pace in evidence. St John Grey sent out Super Trouper as a likely pacemaker for his brilliant mare Dancewiththedevil. But Piere Strydom stepped into the breach and sent the old soldier Buy And Sell into a huge lead. The Tarry gelding was tracked by Bravura all the way around. In the final 400m none of the boys had an answer for the blistering finish of Dancewiththedevil who sliced through wide out.

The disappointments here were many with the fancied Kavanagh, the out of sorts Pierre Jourdan and the consistent Bravura all falling by the wayside.

In the end it was left to Rudra and Solo Traveller to chase the smart mare home. It was Gavin Lerena’s third Gr1 win on the Modus Vivendi mare, and her nine wins from nineteen have yielded close to R4 million in earnings.

Deliver The Power is turning out to be the very best son of Toreador ever and he ran away with the honours in the R200 000 Gr3 Man O’War Sprint run over 1100m. The Dominic  Zaki trained three year old has won seven of his nine starts for over a half million in earnings. He started at 4-10 and the result was never in doubt.

The R200 000 Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup run over 2850m closed off the feature menu and the finish produced another De Kock exacta. Piere Strydom had Membrado bowling along out front at a slow pace. Turning for home, Weichong Marwing gave  the favourite Ilsanpietro his head but a wide awake Anthony Delpech put stable loyalties to one side as he powered the long-striding Atyeb up.

In an entertaining  duel to the line Atyeb got the upper hand – something we suspect Delpech always had under control. Atybe has won four of eleven starts and has probable stallion prospects as a five year old entire. His long-term goal must be the Canon Gold Cup.