Trainer Sean Tarry and jockey Lyle Hewitson made it a double in the R1 million Gr1 Garden Province Stakes and rounded off a dazzling Vodacom Durban July day.
The recent Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint winner Celtic Sea finally proved conclusively that she stays a mile and Hewitson-Tarry again proved the nemesis for the Snaith yard – Redberry Lane beat Snowdance in this race in 2018 – when he slipped through with a sustained effort down the inside rail.
Lyle Hewitson drives Celtic Sea to another Gr1 success (Pic – Candiese Marnewick)
While SA Horse Of The Year Oh Susanna put it all together late and finished with a rattle, it was too little too late and Celtic Sea was 0,90 lengths to the good. She clocked 96,38 secs for the mile.
Snowdance ran another courageous race for third, with Kotzen’s Temple Grafin staying on late for a fourth cheque – beaten another 2,10 lengths.
Pacesetter Vistula faded out to run fifth (4,15 lengths off the winner).
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, Celtic Sea is by the evergreen Captain Al (Al Mufti) out of the two-time winner Ireland (Mark Of Esteem).
A R325 000 National Yearling Sale graduate, she made it a second consecutive Gr1 success and took her stakes total to R2 037 937 with 6 wins and 5 places from her 15 starts.
This was Tarry and Hewitson’s third feature success of the day.
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Gr1 Garden Province Stakes (SAf-Gr1)
Greyville, South Africa, July 6, R1 million, 1600m, turf, good, 1.36.38
1 – CELTIC SEA (SAF), 59.0, b f 3, Captain Al (SAF) – Ireland (BRZ) by Mark Of Esteem (IRE). Owner Mr A R & Mrs A B L Beck; Breeder Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein; trainer SG Tarry; jockey L Hewitson
2 – Oh Susanna (SAF), 60.0, bl/br f 4, Street Cry (USA) – Sharp Susan (USA) by Touch Gold (USA)
3 – Snowdance (SAF), 60.0, b f 4, Captain Al (SAF) – Spring Lilac (SAF) by Joshua Dancer (USA)
Margins: 0.90, 0.25, 2.10
