Highway To Heaven

Richard Fourie salutes as In The Fast Lane storms clear to win the Woolavington

The Jet Master filly In The Fast Lane booked her spot in the final field for the Vodacom Durban July when she slammed a high quality field of the very best of her contemporaries to win the R1 million Gr1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville on Saturday. Richard Fourie rode a superb tactical race on the Cape Fillies Guineas winner.

The win here would have also further cemented the Snaith claims to a first national trainer championship title, and they are looking close to unstoppable with eight weeks of racing left.

In The Fast Lane was ranked 16 on the first July log and it will be a pity not to give her the opportunity to line up there, although we hear that there are also whispers of a possible international campaign for her.

The Woolavington was the first leg of a glorious Gr1 double on the afternoon for the Snaith team and it probably allayed any doubts and speculation that In The Fast Lane does not stay the 2000m.

It was her first attempt at this type of ground and she was ridden more aggressively and closer to the action than she usually is to win a cracker, albeit off a snail pace dictated by Anton Marcus for the first half of the race.

Snaith had warned in the build up that In The Fast Lane was not relishing her stay in KZN. In two runs she has run third in the Gr2 KRA Fillies Guineas and now won a Gr1, so that theory may well be one for file 13, and in much loved racing parlance, she appears to have ‘turned the proverbial corner.’

Marcus took Admiral’s Eye up to lead In The Fast Lane and Red Flame and they went into the turn at a modest gallop.

Weichong Marwng saw the writing on the wall and he took Ash Cloud around her field to challenge and get them to up the ante and as they turned for home the race developed into a sprint with In The Fast Lane looking very strong

Ash Cloud’s challenge petered as Admiral’s Eye also faded with Athina and Along Came Polly unwounding goodlooking runs down the outside.

Richard Fourie rode another great race

But the race was in the bag for the Cape challenger with Fourie having taken the initiative at the right time on In The Fast Lane and she strode out well to beat the game Athina, who overcame a poor draw to run a lovely race and flash up for second 1,25 lengths behind.

Geoff  Woodruff’s beautiful grey Touch The Sky got going late and ran on well for third, just shading the multiple Gr1 winner Along Came Polly.

In The Fast Lane won in a time of 125,14 secs which was considerably slower than that achieved by Legislate (in what we thought was a slow run race) and this may be cause for some sober reconsideration of future plans for the connections.  

The July is likely to be  a true run 2200m.

In The Fast Lane was bred by Hallmark Thoroughbreds and is by Jet Master, out of the prolific winner producing six time winner, First Arrival (by Northern Guest).

She has now won 5 races with 4 places from her 10 starts.

Her stake earnings soared to R1 685 275 and her Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 purchase price of R650 000 is looking well bought.

Now let’s wait and see where they opt to go from here.

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