There was nothing particularly festive about the running of the R100 000 weather delayed Listed Christmas Handicap at a wet Hollywoodbets Greyville on New Year’s day.
The two fancied runners were well beaten in SA racing’s first feature of the year, and the rain came down throughout the running of the mile contest in bleak conditions.
But Formagear’s trainer Peter Muscutt and owner Koos Pieterse were all smiles as 2024 started well as they put the disappointment of certain incidents in 2023 well behind them.
Formagear 9Smanga Khumalo) surges ahead in the wet to beat Imilenzeyokududuma (Mgudlwa) and Cape Eagle (Fourie) in an exciting finish (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The 4yo Formagear (6-1) powered home under Smanga Khumalo, his long action taking him 0,80 lengths clear of the improved again Imilenzeyokududuma (10-1) to win in a time of 97,31 secs.
Cape Eagle (33-20) tracked fellow fancy Addabar (15-4) all the way around and looked a winner at the 300m as the Odendaal champion started coming up for air. But the son of Vercingetorix was cosigned to third, with Addabar running a disappointing race well downfield.
Raced by Koos Pieterse’s EVN Legal Practitioners Inc, this was Formagear’s maiden stakes success.
He was bred by Avontuur and is a son of Querari (Oasis Dream) out of the five-time winning Ideal World mare Peep Show by Ideal World.
A R250 000 National Yearling Sale buy, Formagear has now won 4 races with 5 places from his 17 starts for stakes of R298 250.
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