Anton Marcus salutes as Same Jurisdiction strides powerfully to beat a strong field
Top jockey Anton Marcus completed his Vodacom Durban July day Gr1 double when the top-class Mambo In Seattle filly Same Jurisdiction slammed a field of quality Gr1 performers to win the R750 000 Garden Province Stakes. She also gave KZN champion trainer Duncan Howells a well deserved feature two-timer on the festive Greyville afternoon.
Marcus had won the Gr1 Golden Horseshoe earlier on for Dennis Drier and showed just why he is one of the masters of his art, with some deft manouvering to overcome a wide draw.
The mile contest is one of the most significant fillies and mares races on the SA racing calendar and the class in terms of pure depth this year, was one of the highest seen for many a year.
Anton Marcus had two previous rides aboard Same Jurisdiction before Saturday and has gotten to know the 2014 KZN Yearling Sale Million winner well – and from that wide draw he had her beautifully settled on the rail early in proceedings.
She was positioned some ten lengths back towards the rear of the field turning for home but powered up the inside rail and quickened away to crush her opposition and beat the gallant Smart Call.
Same Jurisdiction simply glided clear to hold the very talented recent Gr1 Woolavington 2000 winner Smart Call to a length in a time of 98,12 secs. Alec Laird’s runner-up ran a real cracker from a wide draw over a distance probably short of her best.
Maybe Yes was always thereabouts and outstripped her more fancied stablemate Alexis, to run third.
Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes winner Hammie’s Hooker finished strongly in a well beaten fourth. She had beaten Same Jurisdiction last time by a half length. But over the extra 200m on Saturday, it was a different story.
KZN champion trainer Duncan Howells
The win was a plan come together for Duncan Howells who had programmed this race from the day the daughter of Mambo In Seattle arrived back at her Ashburton base after a luckless Highveld campaign.
Howells, who had won the previous race, a Listed feature was elated.
“After her gallop on Tuesday I knew we would win. Donovan Dillon galloped her. I phoned Anton (Marcus) afterwards but he said don’t worry, Donovan had already phoned.”
Same Jurisdiction has now won 5 races (including two Gr1’s) with 1 place from her 9 starts and has earned stakes of R1 879 675.
Klawervlei Stud, who also bred the earlier Gr1 winner Seventh Plain, bred the winner, who cost R270 000 on the KZN Yearling Sale.
She is a daughter of Mambo In Seattle out of the lightly raced one-time winning Captain Al mare, Diana De Carlo.
The Greyville mile seems her optimum platform and she looks set for a bright future.
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Gr1 Garden Province Stakes (SAf-Gr1)
Greyville, South Africa, July 4, R750k, 1600m, turf, good, 1.38.12
1 – SAME JURISDICTION (SAF), 59.0, b f 3, Mambo In Seattle (USA) – Diana De Carlo (SAF) by Captain Al (SAF). Owner Drakenstein Stud (Nom : Mrs G A Rupert), Messrs D C Howells, L C Vermaak, Dr R H Katzwinkel & Mrs M A M Powell; Breeder Klawervlei Stud; trainer DC Howells; jockey A Marcus
2 – Smart Call (SAF), 59.0, b f 3, Ideal World (USA) – Good Judgement (USA) by Horse Chestnut (SAF)
3 – Maybe Yes (SAF), 60.0, b f 4, Tiger Ridge (USA) – Fair Enough (SAF) by Model Man (SAF)
Margins: 1.00, 1.75, 1.50
