Veteran Gauteng trainer Joey Soma showed that he hasn’t lost the Gr1 knack when he produced the Gimmethegreenlight colt Got The Greenlight in fighting fettle to upstage the more fancied runners in the R750 000 Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
While the memories of his first Gr1 with Special Preview back in 1994 and the long wait to Happy Landing in the 2011 Premier’s Champions and Wagner’s Summer Cup score in 2012 are distant, Soma produced Lobo’s Legend to win the Gr1 SA Classic last year.
Anton Marcus poses as Got The Greenlight cruises to victory (Pic – Candiese Marnewick)
He was one of the many collateral damage victims of the Mayfair Speculators implosion, but has built his string up to less than forty horses, and has a really serious sort on his hands in the Nadeson Park Stud-bred Got The Greenlight.
Easy to back at 10-1 from his wide draw and taking on the undefeated Eden Roc, Anton Marcus had the Got The Greenlight settled well back as Fools Gold led loosen Your Tie and Master Of Illusion.
Into the home run, Lyle Hewitson asked Eden Roc to run from a good position but the favourite had nothing to offer as a in a different race up the outside, Got The Greenlight had the track all to himself and ran away from his opposition to win by 3 lengths in a time of 97,96 secs.
Dean Kannemeyer’s Liberty Hall (14-1) stayed on strongly for second ahead of the least fancied of the Tarry trio in Rock The Globe.
The Gatecrasher Stakes winner Kaydens Pride never threatened to run a 4,75 length fourth.
Jockey Anton Marcus said that it was like riding a Gr1 for his ‘best friends’. He appeared taken aback at the acceleration shown by his mount, suggesting that the winner’s turn of foot was that of a sprinter.
The winner was purchased by Joey Soma for R110 000 off the 2018 CTS April Yearling Sale.
He took his earnings to R773 000 with his fourth win with three places from seven starts.
The winner races in a partnership of Dayalan Chinsammy, Hassen Adams and Joey Soma.
He is by Varsfontein sire Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) out of the one-time winner Command Chi (Commands).
_________
Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes (SAf-Gr1)
Greyville, South Africa, July 27, R750k, 1600m, turf, good, 1.37.96
1 – GOT THE GREENLIGHT (SAF), 60.0, b c 2, Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Command Chi (AUS) by Commands (AUS). Owner Messrs D Chinsammy, H Adams & J A Soma; Breeder Nadeson Park Stud; trainer JA Soma; jockey A Marcus
2 – Liberty Hall (SAF), 60.0, b c 2, Querari (GER) – Liberty Star (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA)
3 – Rock The Globe (SAF), 60.0, b c 2, Seventh Rock (AUS) – Pacific Lights (SAF) by Al Mufti (USA)
Margins: 3.00, 0.75, 1.00
