Easy! Amur Affair (Anton Marcus) storms clear to win the Acacia Handicap
The Tiger Ridge filly Amur Affair ran away with the first cheque in the R175 000 Gr3 Acacia Handicap run over the mile at Turffontein on Saturday. The 4yo registered a long overdue first stakes win, and she could well pay to follow.
Ridden by Anton Marcus for Mike De Kock, the Wilgerbosdrift Stud bred filly started at a generous 9 to 2, and it is quite astonishing to note that this was her first win of any note.
After running a solid fifth in the Ipi Tombe in December, her form had shown a positive trend in her last four starts and Marcus got lucky at his first try on her.
De Kock’s son and assistant Matthew, probably summed it up best, when he suggested in the post race interview that Amur Affair was ‘one of the most stiffest fillies around.’
The free striding Without Malice carted the field along at a brisk gallop as expected, Louvre tracking her, just ahead of Formation and Amur Affair.
Into the straight Without Malice continued to lead, but was tackled by Louvre who took over at the 500m as Formation looked threatening.
At the 400m marker Amur Affair could be seen making her forward move and pausing for a gap as Formation galloped powerfully.
But in a matter of strides, Amur Affair hit the front inside the final 200m and ran right away from the game mare Formation, with Demanding Lady maintaining her outstandingly consistent record in third. The consistent Kalami stayed on for a distant fourth.
Starting at 9 to 2, Amur Affair won by 5,75 lengths in a time of 97,21 secs.
Her stablemate Bluroute in her second run after a rest, never showed, while Leon Erasmus’ Fillies Guineas winner Go Indigo ran a slightly improved race and could be edging back to her best.
Jockey Anton Marcus said that the race had worked out well, but added that AmurAffair had not gone down to post very well.
“She came back a lot better that she went down, and Anthony had cautioned me about her short run,so I had her within firing range when it counted,” he said.
The winner is a 4yo daughter of Tiger Ridge out of the twice winning Western Winter mare, Weston Fair.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift, Amur Affair changed hands for R700 000 on the National Sale and this win took her stake earnings to R353 075.
She has won 3 races and registered 9 places from her 18 starts.
Result:
Acacia Hcp (SAf-G3) (3/2)
Turffontein, South Africa, March 2, R175.000, 1600m, turf, good, 1.37.21
AMUR AFFAIR (SAF), 56.5, ch f 4, Tiger Ridge (USA) – Weston Fair (SAF) by
Western Winter (USA). Owner P Boulard et al; breeder Wilgerbosdrift; trainer
MF de Kock; jockey A Marcus (R109.375)
Formation (SAF), 53.5, b m 5, Sarge (SAF) – Polonaise (SAF) by Centenary
(USA)
Demanding Lady (SAF), 58.5, b f 4, Dynasty (SAF) – Demanding Damsel (USA) by
Deputy Commander (USA)
Margins: 5¾, ¾, nk
