Heartland (Pic:Liesl King(
Justin Snaith enjoyed a start of mixed success to his 2015 KZN campaign at Greyville on Friday evening. Champion Jackson’s full-brother Heartland was an impressive winner of the R200 000 Gr3 Byerley Turf, although his stablemate Jet Explorer was well beaten at odds-on earlier in the evening.
Jet Explorer ran in a 1600m Pinnacle Stakes and was expected to win. But after battling to get into the race, he failed to find a cheque and was well beaten.
It was a different story with Heartland though.
The handsome son of Dynasty had been brought along slowly after the virus in the Snaith yard and made a promising return to action after a three month break, when runner up to Mitsre Matchett in a sprint at Kenilworth.
Justin Snaith – reasonable start to KZN 2015
He stepped back into the feature fray on Friday evening and showed that his Cape Classic placing behind Act Of Warn was spot on as he comfortably beat the odds-on Kingvoldt.
Sean Cormack had Heartland relaxed early in the seven horse field and at a generous 11-2, the bay colt came through strongly to beat Kingvoldt by 0,75 lengths in a time of 85,12 secs.
Recently returned from a Gauteng campaign, Duncan Howells’ Easy Lover stayed on for third.
Only 3,30 lengths covered the field.
Heartland has now won 3 races with 3 places from his 6 starts and R257 975 in stakes.
A full brother to champion racer now Highlands Stallion Jackson, Heartland hails from the same farm and is by Dynasty out of the Cozzene mare, Moonlit Prairie
He was knocked down to John Freeman for R2,2 million at the Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale, when still named Soft Eclipse.
While he is yet to go a mile, he looks a KRA Guineas prospect at this point.
_________
Gr3 Byerley Turk (SAf-Gr3)
Greyville, South Africa, April 10, R200k, 1400m, turf, good, 1.25.12
1 – HEARTLAND (SAF), 56.0, b c 3, Dynasty (SAF) – Moonlit Prairie (USA) by Cozzene (USA). Owner Miss N Mitchell & Mr W J C Mitchell; Breeder Highlands; trainer J Snaith; jockey S Cormack
2 – Kingvoldt (SAF), 59.0, b c 3, Western Winter (USA) – Red Parade (SAF) by Parade Leader (USA)
3 – Easy Lover (SAF), 58.0, ch c 3, Right Approach (GB) – Miss Gold Digger (SAF) by Rich Man’s Gold (USA)
Margins: 0.75, 1.00, 0.05
