Trainer Alec Laird took his next step towards a bid for Paddock Stakes glory when the Ideal World filly Smart Call came home strongly to win the R400 000 Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge at Turffontein on Saturday.
Smart Call (Weichong Marwing) is too strong for Bichette (obscured down inside) (Pic- JC Photos)
The Gr1 Woolavington winner had not seen action since going second behind Same Jurisdiction in the Garden Province on July Day, when she had run unplaced in her season debut three weeks earlier.
She was beaten there by the Gr2 Camellia Stakes winner Bichette, who appeared to be her major opponent in the seven strong Ipi Tombe Challenge field.
And the form unfolded accordingly with the two dominating matters and largely having the race to themselves.
Bichette, unproven over the mile, was a reluctant leader with Smart Call tracking her all the way.
At the 300m marker, Weichong Marwing got serious on Smart Call as Bichette was showing no signs of stopping.
It was only in the final 150m that Smart Call asserted her superiority and the popular Pick 6 banker was home.
Smart Call stayed on powerfully to win by 0,75 lengths in a time of 98,31 secs and gave the in-form Weichong Marwing the second leg of a feature double on the afternoon.
The 18-10 second favourite Bichette showed genuine heart and courage with a superb display and we can only wonder how much closer she may have gone had she had a pacemaker to do the donkey work.
Smart Call has now won 4 of her 13 starts with 6 places and stakes of R1 303 625
Smart Call was a groundbreaking first Gr1 winner for her sire, Ideal World last season.
She is out of Horse Chestnut’s unraced daughter, Good Judgement – a half sister to Vodacom Durban July winner, Greys Inn.
A stakes winning son of Kingmambo and champion racemare Banks Hill, Ideal World is closely related to successful sires Dansili, Cacique and Champs Elysees, and this is also the family of recent G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas Gr1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas winner Gleneagles.
The Laird ‘three-race’ plan for the prestigious Gr1 Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth in January now looks to be coming together.
Ipi Tombe – 2002 Vodacom Durban July
This feature is named in honour of the brilliant racemare, Ipi Tombe.
Trained by Mike De Kock after her arrival in South Africa, the Zimbabwean bred overcame an ordinary pedigree to become a champion both locally and internationally.
She was sired by Manshood out of the Dance In Time (CAN) mare, Carnet de Danse (GB).
During her career, Ipi Tombe had 14 starts, and won 12 of them.
She was unbeaten in her overseas campaign, winning feature races in both USA and Dubai – where her wins included a facile triumph in the Dubai Duty Free (where she thrashed subsequent Duty Free dead heater, Paolini).
Ipi Tombe won South Africa’s most famous race, the Vodacom Durban July, as a 3yo when piloted to a dramatic late burst victory in the hands of Kevin Shea.
She won four of her five starts in South Africa
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Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge (SAf-Gr2)
Turffontein, South Africa, November 28, R400k, 1600m, turf, good, 1.38.31
1 – SMART CALL (SAF), 60.0, b f 4, Ideal World (USA) – Good Judgement (USA) by Horse Chestnut (SAF). Owner Mauritzfontein (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Miss J B Slack); Breeder Mauritzfontein Stud; trainer AG Laird; jockey Wei Marwing
2 – Bichette (SAF), 59.0, b f 4, Western Winter (USA) – Bardot (SAF) by Badger Land (USA)
3 – London (SAF), 58.0, b f 4, Rebel King (SAF) – Winter Kill (SAF) by Western Winter (USA)
Margins: 0.75, 1.40, 0.50
