After a few nervous weeks of concerns of a virus, the Milnerton combination of Vaughan Marshall and MJ Byleveld celebrated an early success on Sun Met day when first-timer Agent Of Fortune got the better of a duel with the favourite Cirillo to win the R350 000 Kuda Sprint.
Vaughan Marshall – promising sort on his hands
The 1200m non black-type feature is restricted to eligible graduates of the 2017 Lanzerac CTS Ready To Run Sale.
Vaughan Marshall indicated to the media that Agent Of Fortune was a ‘nice horse who had been in work only since November and was expected to need the run.’
The colt’s ability outshone his lack of fitness and experience though, and when MJ Byleveld brought him alongside Anthony Delpech on the more experience Cirillo at the 300m marker, we had a spectacle on our hands – that ended unexpectedly!
Delpech’s body language exuded confidence on the favourite, but his mount ran very green and shifted out under pressure, iin the process carrying the Marshall runner out. A change of whip to the left by Anthony Delpech didn’t help matters and it was Agent Of Fortune who dug deep and got his nose down when it counted. Had he not won, an objection would probably have followed.
Avontuur’s MJ Byleveld – confident ride
The winner’s time was 74,05 secs.
There was 5 lengths back to the third horse, Rivonia Boulevard, a handsome grey son of Count Dubois, who is looking for more ground.
The fancied Lucky Dancer failed to produce any kind of finish and finished just out of the money.
Bred by V Kritzinger, the winner is a first second crop stakes winner for What A Winter (Western Winter) and is out of six-time winner, Sofala (Jet Master). He is thus a half-brother to the well-performed six-time Western Force( Western Winter.
A triple Equus Champion and four time Gr1 winner, Agent Of Fortune’s sire What A Winter ended his first season last term with his 10 juvenile winners having earned R1 472 750 – which placed him narrowly atop the first crop sires list, ahead of European stars Oratorio and Twice Over.
Agent Of Fortune is his fourth stakes winner and originally sold for R240 000 on the 2017 CTS March Yearling Sale.
He banked R218 750 on Saturday for owners Bryn Ressell and Marsh Shirtliff.
