Last season’s Equus Champion Two Year Old Filly Return Flight continues to make giant strides and set herself up for a likely bid on the Woolavington 2000 at Greyville next month, when running out an easy winner of Saturday’s R500 000 Gr2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes.
Return Flight (Anton Marcus) holds off Insignis in an impressive victory (Pic – JC Photos)
Sean Tarry and Anton Marcus teamed up again after Piere Strydom deputised in Marcus’ absence at the Dubai World Cup for her courageous victory in last month’s SA Oaks.
Marcus rode a typically brave and confident race from the front and obviously knowing what he had under him, never panicked as he pushed the bargain buy out ahead of the chasing bunch up the long Turffontein home straight.
Return Flight stayed on relentlessly under a well judged ride to beat Insignis by 1,25 lengths in a time of 126,33 secs.
A R20 000 CTS 2017 March Yearling Sale buy by Chris Van Niekerk’s Rainbow Beach Trading, Return Flight was bred by Mike Sharkey and is out of the four-time winner Heading Home (Special Preview).
She has won 6 races with 4 places from 11 starts for impressive stakes earnings of R2 210 975.
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Gr2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes (SAf-Gr2)
Turffontein, South Africa, May 4, R500k, 2000m, turf, good, 2.06.33
1 – RETURN FLIGHT (SAF), 58.5, b f 3, Pomodoro (SAF) – Heading Home (SAF) by Special Preview (SAF). Owner Mr C J H Van Niekerk; Breeder M Sharkey; trainer SG Tarry; jockey A Marcus
2 – Insignis (SAF), 59.0, ch f 4, Go Deputy (USA) – Alula (SAF) by Western Winter (USA)
3 – Secret Potion (SAF), 60.0, b f 4, Elusive Fort (SAF) – Lemon Drop Girl (SAF) by Parade Leader (USA)
Margins: 1.25, 1.50, 0.15
