Top O’Noth seen winning Langerman – he looks very decent
Vaughan Marshall labelled Tap O’Noth a Cape Guineas prospect after the son of Captain Al won the Langerman last term and the lovely colt took his next step in the right direction with a smooth win in Saturday’s R250 000 Gr3 Cape Classic.
Marshall’s phenomenal success with champion sire Captain Al, a horse he trained, is well documented and Tap O’Noth looks way above average after overcoming his own youthful awkwardness to register his biggest career success to date.
MJ Byleveld had the Foster owned and bred galloper out of the gates quickly and was eased back two lengths into fourth as the boom KZN visitor Billy Silver led Undercover Agent and Cot Campbell into the run for home.
Tap O’Noth charges clear of Undercover Agent (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
At the 300m Billy Silver came under pressure with Undercover Agent getting first run as Cot Campbell and Tap O’Noth challenged.
At the 250m Tap O’Noth appeared to make contact with the tiring Billy Silver as Byleveld changed whip hands and chased Undercover Agent.
Once straightened out, Tap O’ Noth was clearly the superior on the day but Undercover Agent ran a great race in second to make it a Captain Al exacta.
The winning margin was 0,75 lengths with a time of 85,18 secs recorded.
Cot Campbell ran a cracker to hold third ahead of the improved Sir Frenchie (3,55 lengths).
Champion Cape 2yo of last season Dutch Philip carried topweight but had no answers as he finished late to run a 4 length seventh.
Sean Tarry’s well-weighted filly Rockin Russian never showed and finished second last.
Excerpt from Stipes Report:
THE STARTER REPORTED:
- TAP O’ NOTH (M J Byleveld) began awkwardly outwards and made contact with BILLY SILVER (A Delpech).
- TOWER OF WISDOM (S Veale) jumped awkwardly losing one length and thereafter was slow into stride.
THE STIPENDIARY STEWARDS REPORTED: (NS)
- a) BILLY SILVER (A Delpech) over raced and proved difficult to settle in the early stages.
- b) ROCKIN RUSSIAN (*L Hewitson) was cramped for galloping room shortly before the finish.
- c) Jockey C Zackey (SNIPER SHOT) reported that this colt made an abnormal respiratory noise in running. The Veterinary Surgeon was requested to examine the colt on its return to the unsaddling enclosure and submit a report.
- d) TAP O’ NOTH (M J Byleveld), the winner, was selected for the taking of specimens for analysis. Trainer V H Marshall was advised. (SJCH)
JOCKEY AND/OR EQUIPMENT CHANGES:
- SIR FRENCHIE (AUS) (R Fourie) raced without blinkers. (declared 24 October 2017 / 15h05)
THE VETERINARY SURGEON REPORTED:
- SNIPER SHOT (C Zackey) was inspected post race and no obvious abnormalities were detected.
Tap O’ Noth was bred by Alec Foster and is a son of Captain Al (Al Mufti) out of the one-time winning Wintersweet (Western Winter). The latter produced two-time winner Strathdon (Silvano) and the filly Tonya (Dynasty) who has won three times up to 1950m for Vaughan Marshall.
Tap O’Noth has won 3 races with 2 places from 4 starts for stakes of R340 250.
_________
Gr3 Cape Classic (SAf-Gr3)
Kenilworth, South Africa, October 28, R250k, 1400m, turf, good, 1.25.18
1 – TAP O’ NOTH (SAF), 55.0, b c 3, Captain Al (SAF) – Wintersweet (SAF) by Western Winter (USA). Owner Mr A N & The Hon Mrs G R Foster; Breeder AN Foster; trainer VH Marshall; jockey M Byleveld
2 – Undercover Agent (SAF), 55.0, b c 3, Captain Al (SAF) – Secret Risk by London News (SAF)
3 – Cot Campbell (SAF), 53.0, b c 3, Trippi (USA) – Ebony Flyer (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF)
Margins: 0.75, 2.50, 0.30
