Lazer Star (Weichong Marwing) storms home to a good win (Pic: JC Photos)
The top-class Toreador filly Lazer Star enhanced her five-star reputation at Turffontein on Saturday when she disposed of her eight opponents to win the R400 000 Gr2 Joburg Spring F&M Challenge. Her assertive victory suggested she could be competitive at a mile, which opens the scope of her horizons.
Lazer Star stood out head and shoulders on the weight for age terms of the 1450m Spring Challenge feature, and concluded her seventh and biggest victory to date in convincing fashion – and her first beyond the sprints.
Beaten a nose when giving lumps of weight away, and not quite ready in the Gr3 Three Troikas over the course and distance in February, there were many who felt that Lazer Star was stoppable. And her rather generous 14 to 10 price on the Bookies’ boards illustrated this in no uncertain terms.
Lazer Star jumped well from her 7 draw and was taken outside of her field as Piere Strydom took Sarve out to lead Featherfoot.
Weichong Marwing settled Lazer Star into third as the field spun for home, with Strydom giving Sarve some rein as she grabbed two lengths on her opposition.
At the 400m, Lazer Star looked to have a race on her hands as the fit-as-a-fiddle Sarve galloped strongly.
But Marwing was kidding and at the 250m marker it was race over as the favourite drew clear.
Lazer Star went on powerfully to hold Sarve to 1,25 lengths in a time of 88,90 secs.
Madame Dubois maintained her consistent form profile to run back in third.
Jockey Weichong Marwing rode the winner for his wife Anneli, who was not on course.
When questioned on how he had felt about the filly getting the trip, the internationally experienced rider said that they had to take their chances to find out. It certainly worked!
Trainer Ormond Ferraris was all smiles as he was surrounded by the sponsor’s pretty citrus bedecked representatives at the presentation.
Confirming the pre-race nerves expressed by Dave Mollett, about how his filly went to start, he said:
“She hasn’t got the greatest action. But she is sound. And lots of sprinters don’t stride out to start. But she kicked on well when asked.”
Lazer Star was bred by the Tawny Syndicate and is by Toreador out of the three-time winning Sri Pekan mare, Empress Of Ozz.
She is a R350 000 National Yearling Sale purchase and took her stakes earnings to R784 375 at her seventh win with 1 place from her 9 starts.
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Gr2 Spring Challenge (SAf-Gr2)
Turffontein, South Africa, October 3, R400k, 1450m, turf, good, 1.28.09
1 – LAZER STAR (SAF), 59.5, b f 4, Toreador (IRE) – Empress Of Ozz (AUS) by Sri Pekan (IRE). Owner Mrs A Marwing; Breeder Tawny Syndicate; trainer OA Ferraris; jockey Wei Marwing
2 – Sarve (SAF), 59.5, b f 4, Sarge (SAF) – First Wave (SAF) by Waldoboro (USA)
3 – Madame Dubois (SAF), 52.0, ch f 3, Count Dubois (GB) – Miss Jet Set (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF)
Margins: 1.25, 0.50, 2.25
