Geoff Woodruff drew first blood on Champions Day when the consistent and dour stayer Arch Rival outgunned his eight rivals to win the R500 000 Gr2 Gold Bowl. Raymond Danielson was registering his third win in the event and rode a finely judged race.
Ray Danielson has Arch Rival out front as Cool Chardonnay (Richard Fourie) and Storm Warning (Anton Marcus) have little to offer (Pic – JC Photos)
In a wide open Bipot first leg, every one of the nine runners had their supporters with Arch Rival going off a generous 5-1, with Cool Chardonnay jumping favourite at 33-10.
The race was run at a fair gallop with Savage Wind carting Caradoc Gold Cup winner Fortune Fella and Frikkie along, as Anton Marcus had Storm Warning relaxed further back.
Into the run for home Storm Warning went through down the rail as Richard Fourie got to work on Cool Chardonnay who hit the front running at the 300m.
With Fourie riding hard and Storm Warning not really quickening on the rail, Danielson brought Arch Rival who had been on idle near the rear through the middle and carrying the orange and black theme colours of the big day, the 5yo went on past Cool Chardonnay and despite tiring, held his lead to the line to win by 0,80 lengths in a time of 206,86 secs.
Storm Warning appeared to falter a few meters from the line but held third ahead of the decent finishing Smart Mart.
Geoff Woodruff – pleasing feature winner
Trainer Geoff Woodruff was over the moon at the plan come together and said the race had been targetted six months earlier.
“He was a bit under done last time when second in the Caradoc Gold Cup and I knew he would strip fitter here. It worked and I’m thrilled for the owners,” he said.
The winner is owned in partnership by Neil Smith, Dean Hayman and the gelding;s former trainer, KZN based Robbie Hill.
It is fair to say that Arch Rival has improved dramatically with age and since relocating to the Woodruff yard and could be a Gold Cup prospect on this decent showing in a division not cluttered with genius material.
The Summerhill bred gelding is a son of AP Arrow out of the once winning National Emblem mare, Competitive Edge. He is the first graded stakes winner for his sire.
Arch Rival has won 5 races with 13 places from 26 starts and took his stakes earnings to R693 475.
He was signed for by Hill Racing for R320 000 on the 2012 Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale.
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Gr2 Gold Bowl (SAf-Gr2)
Turffontein, South Africa, April 30, R500k, 3200m, turf, good, 3.26.86
1 – ARCH RIVAL (SAF), 56.0, ch h 5, A P Arrow (USA) – Competitive Edge (SAF) by National Emblem (SAF). Owner Messrs N C Smith, D D Hayman & R A Hill; Breeder Summerhill Stud; trainer GV Woodruff; jockey R Danielson
2 – Cool Chardonnay (SAF), 60.5, b g 4, Antonius Pius (USA) – Wine Dark Sea (USA) by Touch Gold (SAF)
3 – Storm Warning (SAF), 58.0, b g 6, Jet Master (SAF) – Olympic Storm (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA)
Margins: 0.80, 1.60, 2.00
