Milnerton-based veteran conditioner Greg Ennion made history at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday when he became the first trainer to saddle a winner under Cape Racing’s exciting new syndication incentive programme.
The celebration came courtesy of the Genuine Ennion Syndicate’s All Is Green who finished strongly to win the second race, a R150 000 Maiden Juvenile Plate (Fillies), at the penultimate local racemeeting of 2023.
All Is Green (Corne Orffer) finishes best of all to win a cracker (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The initiative, run through Cape Racing’s recently unveiled Cape Turf Club membership body, is based on promoting ownership within the region and on expanding and transforming the ownership ranks.
A typically astute R50 000 purchase by trainer Greg Ennion off the Cape Racing Sales 2023 Cape Racing Winter Mixed Sale, the Nadeson Park Stud-bred All Is Green stepped up from a quiet first run after coming in on the morning of the race as a reserve runner.
Relaxed early by Corne Orffer, she finished with a sustained effort at 25-1 and showed the benefit of race experience to beat the more fancied debutante Sheets And Goggles (7-2) by a half length in a time of 61 secs.
In The Green Zone (20-1) caught the eye in third, while Duchess Of Paloma (50-1), who was full of herself in the preliminaries, was right up there in fourth.
The 28-10 favourite Dafnes Daughter ran out of the money and 7,65 lengths off the winner.
The Genuine Ennion Syndicate picked up the R100 000 Cape Racing Sales Juvenile bonus, as well as a R20 000 Syndicate bonus, while Greg Ennion banked the R5 000 Syndicator’s bonus.
Corne Orffer is congratulated by Danie Toerien as a delighted Greg Ennion looks on (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The syndicate’s thrilled owners includes 4Racing’s Danie Toerien, Richard Cross-Forrest, who assisted with some of the décor at the newly revamped Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, as well as Martin and Monique Clark, Laetitia Pretorius, Sarah Robertson, Nolan van Vuuren, Steve Chatfield, and longstanding SA racing supporter Andre van Schaik.
When asked to account for the ‘improvement’ by his filly, a typically straightshooting Greg Ennion said, ‘ it wasn’t improvement!’
“First time out she dropped the bit and never picked it up. Thanks to Corne Orffer. This win was an indication of the work she has shown us. And I believe she will be even better over a mile,” he added.
Ennion has been a shrewdie at finding the value buys, and All Is Green looks serious value at R50 000. Beating a field of quality well-bred contemporaries in the height of the competitive Cape summer season is encouraging!
Enjoy the replay:
