The Riverton-bred Pearl Of Asia produced the Marshalls World Of Sport Festival Of Racing knockout blow as he defied the odds to produce a career peak performance and win the R500 000 Gr1 Mercury Sprint at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
Looking an unlikely winner at the weights and on form – his last win was six month ago at Hollywoodbets Scottsville – Pearl Of Asia raised his game and came from last turning for home.
Serino Moodley is all smiles as Pearl Of Asia blows them away (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Taking different paths to the line, he and fellow backmarker Al Sakeet took off together, but it frankly looked like the pace birds had already flown.
Finding reserves of strength and fire, Pearl Of Asia scythed through late to give Winning Form jockey Serino Moodley a maiden Gr1 success, at the same time knocking multiple tickets out of the exotics.
He stormed away for owner Gerald Kalil to hold off Al Sakeet by 0,30 lengths in a time of 71,06 secs.
Watch the replay here:
There was some consternation at Pearl Of Asia’s undervalue tote dividend of R18,10. He was trading at around 66-1 on the books.
Jockey Moodley is on record as stating that his biggest memory in racing – prior to Saturday – was winning aboard the Kumaran Naidoo trained Run Rhino Run by 21.25 lengths at the same track in October 2017.
The Robbie and Shannon Hill-trained gelding had breeder Duncan Barry of Riverton Stud shouting the roof down.
It’s been an indifferent and trying season for many, and Duncan, who bred champion Captain Of All to win the same race – that year by 4,50 lengths – was thrilled to finally bag a Gr1, even if it had to wait until the last day of the term!
Pearl Of Asia is a second Gr1 winner for Ridgemont’s Sandown-based Distorted Humor stallion Pathfork, out of the one-time winning (and placed 16 times) Tiger Ridge mare, Asiatic Pearl.
The mare is a half-sister to the Dennis Drier-trained Cape Merchants winner, Triptique.
This family hails back to Arcsa Champion Broodmare, First Lisa.
Pearl Of Asia was bought for R35 000 by Hill Racing off the 2018 BSA KZN Yearling Sale.
The 4yo gelding took his earnings to R597 125 with his sixth win and 2 places from 18 starts.
Pathfork has two colts (#38 / #155) on offer at the upcoming August Two Year Old Sale.
