Good Sort. The Captain Al gelding Hill Fifty Four won the Gr3 Betting World Algoa Cup
The green, yellow and black silks of the Ingrid and Markus Jooste partnership dominated the weekend features with three winning cheques totalling close on a half million rand. The Captain Al gelding Hill Fifty Four capped a memorable forty-eight hours for the top owners when he streaked clear to win the R350 000 Gr3 Betting World Algoa Cup run over 2000m at Fairview on Sunday.
South Africa’s leading owners, in terms of numbers and probably pure buying power too, the Joostes won the Listed Durbanville Cup (in a minority partner’s silks) as well as the Gr2 Green Point Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday with the star Variety Club. And then on Sunday came to the Windy City to conquer, courtesy of the Vaughan Marshall yard.
The field broke on terms except for Makzoos who ruined his chances by dawdling .
S’manga Khumalo took the Mitch Wiese gelding Shujaa off to lead from Mystic Moon, while Strydom had Jet Explorer at their heels in third.
Movember Man. Jockey MJ Byleveld sports a ‘lip-lapa’ and is riding with great confidence
MJ Byleveld, who is riding with great confidence at the moment, had bounced Hill Fifty Four quickly from his wide draw and secured a great position just behind the favourite. At this point Indian Hawk was position near the rear, together with the filly Beloved Betty and the slow-starter Makzoos.
Into the home straight Shujaa continued to roll as Strydom brought Jet Explorer menacingly into contention , with Hill Fifty Four also looking dangerous with plenty of juice in the tank.
At the 350m marker Hill Fifty Four shot clear as Punta Arenas and Beloved Betty unwound their runs. But they had no chance with the Cape challenger and he went on to win easily by two lengths in a time of 123,67 secs.
The race produced a clean-sweep for Cape trainers.
Stan Elley went second with the smart stayer Punta Arenas who stayed on very nicely. Glen Kotzen took third cheque with the trojan Fabiani, as well as a fifth prize thanks to the game Beloved Betty. As already observed, the only filly in the line-up ran a great race to finish fifth and collect a gross R8780 – which will cover some of her travelling expenses
Why Worry grabbed fourth for Justin Snaith.
Winning jockey MJ Byleveld punched the air as he passed the post and the Var –sponsored rider , sporting a ‘Movember’ or ‘lip –lapa’ as it is known locally, was gushing in his praise of the 4yo:
“ We had doubts about him staying the trip, so I rode him quietly and let him use his big galloping action. At the 500m marker I knew there would have to be something really good to stop us,” he said.
Marshall assistant Adele Alsop travelled to Port Elizabeth to saddle their two runners (Northern Conquest ran fourth in a minor race on Friday.)
Experienced. Assistant trainer Adele Alsop saddled the Marshall winner
The disappointments included the two Snaith runners, the favourite Jet Explorer(sixth and 6,35 lengths behind), who had every chance, as well as Indian Hawk who finished downfield. Strydom, who rode Jet Explorer, made up for this by riding four minor race winners for the powerful Snaith operation.
Dean Kannemeyer’s Group-winning stayer Blake was never going well from his poor draw and ran a dismal twelfth and 8,75 lengths off the winner. But don’t discount him yet as he stays well and needs 2400m to get into top gear.
The Klawervlei Stud – bred Hill Fifty Four is by Captain Al out of the two-time winning Sportsworld mare, Sports Dance.
A winner of 5 of his 10 starts and for 3 places, Hill Fifty Four doubled his stake earnings here to R 436 810.
Ms Alsop suggested a possible tilt at the J&B Met.
Hill Fifty Four has done little wrong since winning his maiden, and that Met inclusion does not seem as far-fetched as we may have thought before Sunday.
Result:
Algoa Cup (SAf-G3) (11/25)
Fairview, South Africa, November 25, R350.000, 2000m, turf, good, 2.03.67
(CR 2.02.72).
HILL FIFTY FOUR (SAF), 55.0, b g 4, Captain Al (SAF) – Sports Dance (SAF) by
Sportsworld (USA). Owner I & MJ Jooste; breeder Klawervlei Stud (SAF);
trainer VH Marshall; jockey M Byleveld (R218.750)
Punta Arenas (SAF), 55.0, b g 4, Silvano (GER) – Peru (SAF) by Candy Stripes
(USA).
Fabiani (SAF), 60.0, ch g 7, Model Man (SAF) – Lady Maroof (NZ) by Maroof
(USA)
Margins: 2, sh d, 2¾
Also ran: Why Worry (SAF) 53.5, Beloved Betty (SAF) 55.5, Jet Explorer (SAF)
54.5, Parceval (SAF) 53.5, October Club (SAF) 55.0, Blaze Of Fire (SAF)
57.0, Indian Hawk (SAF) 57.5, Mystic Moon (SAF) 56.0, Blake (SAF) 60.0,
Shujaa (AUS) 53.5, Key Castle (SAF) 54.5, Makzoos (SAF) 58.5
