The Stipes were kept busy at Fairview on Friday, but paid particular interest and attention to the previously unbeaten Cherry Ano in the fifth
Cherry Ano was stepping up in class and beaten 2,15 lengths into second place by 16-1 shot Bush Tracker.
It’s not often that we get insight into such a detailed interrogation!
Cherry Ano (blue cap) seen making it 3 out of 3 at his last outing (Pic – Pauline Herman)
When questioned regarding his riding of Cherry Ano in the home straight Jockey JP van der Merwe told the Stewards that as he had established a forward position before straightening, he was mindful that with the wind blowing across the racecourse, he could be impeded if he maintained his position on the inside running rail behind other runners.
For this reason he asked Cherry Ano for an effort approaching the 600m as he was concerned that the risk of being in restricted galloping room would not favour this free-striding colt and he felt that it had the class to sustain an effort for the majority of the home straight.
When it was put to him that he had expected too much from this colt to sustain an effort from the 600m, he disagreed with this assessment and told the Stewards that the colt showed some greenness but that he was comfortable that it would be able to close its race off strongly while using these tactics.
He added that this colt would furnish into a stronger specimen in future and would be able to comfortably sustain front-running tactics.
The Stewards noted that the colt had changed stride in the concluding stages and asked Jockey JP van der Merwe if this was because Cherry Ano was tiring, to which he responded that, in his opinion, the change of stride was due to greenness rather than the colt coming to the end of its run. Jockey JP van der Merwe’s explanation was noted.
We don’t think JP did anything wrong. To the contrary, he appears to have applied his mind.
Both runner-up Cherry Ano and the winner Bush Tracker were selected for the taking of specimens for analysis.
Watch the replay here from the 900m – Cherry Ano is in third in the dark blue cap:
