Mike de Kock pulled an ace out of the hat at Turffontein on Saturday when the Irish-bred Cascapedia bounced back fresh after a six month rest when she stormed to victory under the in-form Gavin Lerena to win the R400 000 Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge.
Gavin Lerena steers Cacapedia to a scintillating win (Pic – JC Photos)
The one-time Vodacom Durban July fancy was rested after an indifferent effort in the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes in April and was having her first outing as a 5yo – technically six months younger than her Southern Hemisphere bred counterparts.
Allowed to relax early and expected to need a bit further to show her brilliant best, Cacapedia came hurtling through her opposition from near last with the speed merchant pacesetter Wrecking Ball coming up for air at the 200m.
With Al Danza and Ghaalla finishing strongly, Cascapedia sliced down the middle to win by 0,30 lengths in a time of 87.23 secs.
Al Danza moved up menacingly down the outside to shade the winner’s more fancied stablemate into third.
Desert Rhythm was left with plenty to do by S’manga Khumalo and ran on from last to grab fourth.
A €170 000 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale purchase by Form Bloodstock, Cascapedia has won 6 of her 8 starts for 1 place and stakes of R711 850.
A daughter of High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells), Cascapedia was bred by Tipperary-based Camas Park Stud and is out of the unraced Dansili mare Janoubi. The latter is a half-sister to dams and grandams of graded stakes performers in the UK & France, and hails from the female line of champion Al Bahathri.
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Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge (SAf-Gr2)
Turffontein, South Africa, October 6, R400k, 1450m, turf, good, 1.27.23
1 – CASCAPEDIA (IRE), 58.5, b m 5, High Chaparral (IRE) – Janoubi (GB) by Dansili (GB). Owner Mauritzfontein (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Miss J B Slack); Breeder bred in Ireland; trainer MF de Kock; jockey G Lerena
2 – Al Danza (SAF), 58.5, b m 5, Captain Al (SAF) – Jet Danza (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF)
3 – Ghaalla (SAF), 50.5, b f 3, Var (USA) – Fidelity (SAF) by Captain Al (SAF)
Margins: 0.30, 0.30, 1.10
