Brett Crawford’s giantkiller Alexis sure can gallop when in the mood. The 4yo daughter of Dynasty produced a scintillating turn of foot to win the R400 000 Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes at Greyville on Saturday – and looks to have a Gr1 in her at any time,with the Garden Province on July day as her next target.
Alexis (Corne Orffer) flies up to shatter Silver Mountain’s (Bernard Fayd’herbe) dream late run
Crawford had two runners in the fairer sex feature and may have felt that Mike Bass’ multiple Gr1 winner Inara had his pair’s measure at the weights – and would probably have happily settled for some place money.
But the 2015 KRA Guineas winner showed the benefit of a top-class prep and her liking for the Greyville track as she burst through at 20-1 from lengths off to cut down the Cape Fillies Guineas winner Silver Mountain, who had looked a winner inside the distance.
After Littleblacknumber had set the fractions ahead of Entisaar, with Inara beautifully placed two lengths off them, the race heated up at the top of the straight as Piere Strydom brouught Olma around her field to challenge.
Entisaar started shortening her stride as Inara came forward in the centre, with Silver Mountain flying down the outside under a vigorous Fayd’herbe urge.
Corne Orffer
At the 200m Silver Mountain was being hailed a winner, but Alexis emerged from the shadows and came home shunting.
She got up to beat Silver Mountain by a neck in a time of 83,61 secs.
The luckless Sensible Lover had nowhere to go late in proceedings and was not disgraced as she sailed past the one-paced Inara to secure third, a further half length back.
Inara was really given every chance by jockey Grant van Niekerk, but her Gauteng raid exertions may have taken the wind out of her sails.
Winning jockey, SMG Cape Town sponsored Corne Orffer modestly played down his fine timing.
“I didn’t really have a choice to have her that far back as there was a bit of scrimmaging. But into the straight I balanced her and found a gap and she picked it up beautifully. She has done so well at this track,” he said
Trainer Brett Crawford, who unbelievably only has twelve horses in his raiding string said that it often was a matter of luck that things panned out so smoothly.
“She loves Greyville – I think it is four runs for three wins here and she has also had a fantastic prep and been working up a storm. I just want to thank Delma and Lance Sherrell, who have been major supporters of my yard. Then to Corne for a great ride and to my assistant Barry Donnely who has been doing a lot of the work with me travelling backwards and forwards,” he said.
The Connemara Stud-bred Alexis is a daughter of Dynasty out of the Parade Leader mare Rydethecreek.
Alexis was purchased by TM Bloodstock for R200 000 at the 2013 CTS Ready To Run Sale and took her stakes tally to R744 560 with her sixth win (3 places) from her 17 starts to date.
The Garden Province is always a classy competitive race to win, but Alexis looks overdue for a Gr1 victory and her presence there will add value.
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Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes (SAf-Gr2)
Greyville, South Africa, June 11, R400k, 1400m, turf, good, 1.23.61
1 – ALEXIS (SAF), 59.0, b f 4, Dynasty (SAF) – Rydethecreek (SAF) by Parade Leader (USA). Owner Mrs D J Sherrell; Breeder Connemara Stud; trainer BJ Crawford; jockey C Orffer
2 – Silver Mountain (SAF), 58.5, b f 3, Silvano (GER) – Our Table Mountain (USA) by Fusaichi Pegasus (USA)
3 – Sensible Lover (AUS), 58.0, b f 4, Good Journey (USA) – Almah (SAF) by Al Mufti (USA)
Margins: 0.15, 0.50, 0.25
