Vaal trainers Barend Botes and Ashley Fortune provided two smart fillies and a grandstand finish to the Ormond Ferraris Listed Oaks Trial at Turffontein on Saturday.
In a race of hard-luck stories and run at a decent clip, it was Muzi Yeni on the Botes-Vosloo trained Light Of The Moon who withstood a courageous challenge from Ryan Munger on the Ash Fortune charge Princess Kesh late in the 2000m contest.
Light On The Moon (Muzi Yeni) down the inside holds off Princess Kesh (Ryan Munger) in a thriller (Pic – JC Photos)
While Light Of The Moon was full value for her victory off a rating of 70, Princess Kesh was probably the unlucky horse of the race – standing and losing lengths at the jump from her wide barrier gate.
Trainer Barend Botes saddled his first feature winner for Drakenstein and credited the Cape farm’s Racing Manager Kevin Sommerville for the original idea to run the daughter of Futura in the stakes race.
“You know me – I would have been looking for an MR 68 handicap for her. Kevin must take all the credit,” added Botes.
After a tussle over the final 100m, only a neck separated the pair with Light Of The Moon (20-1) gaining the verdict in a time of 126,42 secs.
They was 4,90 lengths seperating the top two from the third placed Defender Of Rights (8-1), with Cape visitor Greengrowthelilacs (4-1) left with lots to do but finding fourth cheque.
Bred and raced by Drakenstein, the winner is by the four-time Gr1 winning stallion Futura out of the versatile stakes winning Black Minnaloushe mare Cat And The Moon.
While Light Of The Moon’s former SA Horse Of The Year sire’s first crop yielded three graded stakes winners, her victory here boosts Futura’s very smart looking 3yo crop, which includes Gr3 Cape Classic third place-getter Xavion and Future Prince, a winner of three of just four starts.
Light Of The Moon has won 2 races with a place from 6 starts for stakes of R136 500.
There is no decision at this stage as to whether she will go the SA Oaks route.
