Jockey Craig Zackey has formed a special bond with the beautiful chestnut filly Nother Russia and his performance in the saddle to get the De Kock runner up to win the R250 000 Gr3 Acacia Handicap at Turffontein on Saturday could well qualify for a ride-of-the-season shortlist.
Craig Zackey guides Nother Russia to a thrilling win ahead of a luckless Warren Kennedy and Bella Sonata (Pic – JC Photos)
They say that all’s well that ends well, but even at the 50m mark of the mile contest, one felt that a tough luck runner-up berth was all that Nother Russia supporters could possibly be hoping for.
She jumped from the widest gate in the 14 horse field, and was last by 15 lengths coming into the home straight.
But the way she lifted her game when asked to make up ground on the leaders, was something out of the movies.
A difficult ride – Zackey modestly labelled her a ‘handful’- Nother Russia was lugging in badly all the way up the straight and looked to have switched herself in at the 350m for a run down the centre.
With Maine Chance Farms’ Bella Sonata well away on her bicycle and looking a winner, Zackey straightened Nother Russia with both hands on her neck and pushed her out – she finished best of the lot to hold Bella Sonata to a neck at the line in a time of 99,62 secs.
Craig Zackey – special affinity with the filly
What a thrilling win to take Mike de Kock to 2999 in the famous Oppenheimer silks.
Kilauea was prominent for a long way, but finished a well beaten third ahead of Polyphonic, who will be a different proposition in the second and third legs.
Favourite and the winner’s stablemate Shaama failed to kick and finished well downfield.
Young Zackey, a prodigious talent, has been aboard at every one of Nother Russia’s eight track appearances and it is difficult to have imagined any other jock having performed the feat of getting her home.
With daughter Jessica away on a fishing trip, owner Mary Slack was on course to receive her trophy – wearing the same hat that she had worn when Mother Russia won the Queen’s Plate!
Mary Slack – thrilled
Scoring her first – and we very much doubt her last – stakes success, Nother Russia has now won 4 races with 4 places from her 8 starts for stakes of R396 625.
She was acquired by Jessica Slack (without Mum’s knowledge) for R550 000 off the National Yearling Sale and was bred by Wilgerbosdrift by Tiger Ridge and from the champion Windrush racemare, Mother Russia.
The latter, who raced in the Klawervlei silks when trained by Joey Ramsden, won 13 of her 27 starts.
Mother Russia was bought in training by Mary Slack as a broodmare prospect and transferred to Mike de Kock – whereafter she added 3 further Gr1’s to her sparkling total of 4 Gr1 successes – which included a rare fairer sex score in the prestigious 2011 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate – when Mrs Slack wore that lucky hat!
Mother Russia had one more run – a second in the J&B Met behind Past Master – before retiring to stud.
Pencil in her beautiful daughter’s name for bigger things to come.
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Gr3 Acacia Handicap (SAf-Gr3)
Turffontein, South Africa, March 4, R250k, 1600m, turf, soft, 1.39.62
1 – NOTHER RUSSIA (SAF), 54.0, ch f 4, Tiger Ridge (USA) – Mother Russia (SAF) by Windrush (USA). Owner Mauritzfontein (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Miss J B Slack); Breeder Wilgerbosdrift; trainer MF de Kock; jockey C Zackey
2 – Bella Sonata (SAF), 58.0, ch f 4, Silvano (GER) – Bella Cantata (GB) by Singspiel (IRE)
3 – Kilauea (SAF), 57.5, b f 4, Trippi (USA) – Kyllachy (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA)
Margins: 0.20, 3.80, 0.75
