Weichong Marwing drives Cherry On The Top through on the rail to win the Gerald Rosenberg (JC Photos)
South Africa’s 2013 Triple Tiara Queen Cherry On The Top came right back to best at Turffontein on Saturday when she squeezed through a gap on the rail to win the R400 000 Gr2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes run over 2000m. Weichong Marwing rode a confident race after Espumanti threatened an upset in the final 200m.
The class horse in yet another rather disappointingly sized field of just seven runners, Ormond Ferraris had Cherry On The Top looking stripped and ready as she floated to post as the 11 to 10 favourite.
Cherry On The Top had returned to action after a four month break in the Empress Club Stakes a fortnight ago and looked more of an athlete on Saturday on her obviousll improved levels of fitness
Anton Marcus took Orator’s Daughter up to lead and she showed the way from Sky Pirate. The order remained unchanged with Cherry On The Top relaxed some seven lengths off.
But with Espumanti getting first run and Cherry On The Top finding things tight on the rail, Marwing appeared to have a fight on his hands and a serious duel appeared to be on the cards.
In a matter of strides though Cheryy On The Top had found her stride and daylight and she drew off to win very well.
Cherry On The Top went on best of all to win by 0,75 lengths in a time of 124,77 secs. It was a great race for the Slack family with two future stars of the breeding paddock fighting it out.
The Dansili filly Espumanti improved over the extra ground and she appears to have lost some of her initial pace with maturity.
Cherry On The Top is now a winner of 9 races with 4 places from 17 starts for stakes of R2 128 675.
Cherry On The Top was bred by Mauritzfontein and is by the recently deceased Tiger Ridge out of the 5 time winning Fort Wood mare Carolina Cherry.
A wonderful family!
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Gr2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes (SAf-Gr2) Turffontein, South Africa, April 26, R400k, 2000m, turf, good, 2.04.77 1-CHERRY ON THE TOP (SAF), 60.0, b f 4, Tiger Ridge (USA) – Carolina Cherry (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA). Owner Mauritzfontein (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Miss J B Slack); breeder Mauritzfontein Stud; trainer OA Ferraris; jockey Wei Marwing 2-Espumanti (GB), 59.5, br f 4, Dansili (GB) – Jouet (GB) by Reprimand (USA) 3-Orator’s Daughter (AUS), 60.0, gr f 4, Oratorio (IRE) – Irish Edition (NZ) by O’reilly (NZ) Margins: ¾, 5¾, 5¾
