Drama and more drama as Siren’s Call goes down to Pine Princess on the inside (JC Photos)
There was high drama aplenty in a sensational final leg of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara at Turffontein on Saturday when the hot favourite Siren’s Call was dramatically beaten in a heartbreaking final stride by the Mike De Kock-trained Pine Princess. The R1 million Gr1 SA Oaks will be long remembered as one of the races of the season.
The talking horse of South African horseracing in the past few months, and one of the fairytale stories of a sensational first season stallion and a R60 000 buy-back by her passionate owner-breeder, Siren’s Call went into the final leg of the Triple Tiara with her tail up after dramatic victories in the Gauteng Guineas and SA Fillies Classic.
The only question, so everybody thought, was, would she stay? But that was to prove to be an oversimplifying of matters and things went pear-shaped – starting with rain in the preceding 24 hours that changed the going from good to soft.
It didn’t end there. The daughter of Elusive Fort also spread a shoe and had to be reshod at the start.
She naturally didn’t enjoy this unsettling experience and we know in racing that horses seldom come back from this unforeseen eventuality.
In the end, it all combined and told – possibly on the top of the rigours of a glorious, but tough season.
The race got away to a delayed start as The Centenary led Withbatedbreath.
Into the home run Pine Princess was a length ahead of Siren’s Call and about eight lengths off the leader as Delpech made his move, with an alert Piere Strydom following them.
At the 150m marker Siren’s Call went past Pine Princess and was being hailed a winner. But in a dramatic comeback, Peter De Beyer’s champion was passed by the game Pine Princess.
In an extraordinary finish, Pine Princess rallied to win by a short head in a time of 154,50 secs.
KZN raider Patchit Up Baby was a further 6,50 lengths in third in what was really another race.
Pine Princess earned herself a giantkiller tag and scored a career peak win here.
She made it 5 victories from 12 starts and 5 places with stakes of R1 225 125. She is a really decent sort and has won from 1000m to 2450m.
Pine Princess, was bred by Highlands and is by Captain Al, out of the four-time winning Badger Land mare, Scent Of Pine.
She was a R400 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 graduate.
Siren’s Call was not disgraced and will be back.
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Gr1 SA Oaks (SAf-Gr1)
Turffontein, South Africa, April 25, R1 million, 2450m, turf, soft, 2.34.05
1 – PINE PRINCESS (SAF), 58.0, b f 3, Captain Al (SAF) – Scent Of Pine (SAF) by Badger Land (USA). Owner Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd (Nom : Dr W A & Mrs N Jacobs), Mrs John Magnier & Mrs Paul Shanahan; Breeder Highlands; trainer MF de Kock; jockey A Delpech
2 – Siren’s Call (SAF), 58.0, b f 3, Elusive Fort (SAF) – Siren’s Cove (SAF) by West Man (USA)
3 – Patchit Up Baby (SAF), 58.0, b f 3, Ideal World (USA) – Qui Liz (USA) by Benny The Dip
Margins: 0.10, 6.50, 1.20
