Phillipi trainer Mike Robinson has hit a golden vein of winning form and he was rewarded with a well-deserved feature success when the lion-hearted 5yo Goodtime Gal followed up on her 2016 runner-up finish with a facile win in Saturday’s R250 000 World Sports Betting Gr3 Diana Stakes at Durbanville.
Mike Robinson gives Goodtime Gal a warm welcome (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photograpy)
Something of a feature race bridesmaid, the 2016 Victress Stakes winner is by far and away Royal Air Force’s best-performed daughter and she confirmed her versatility and class with an easy victory in a small but quality field.
Partnered by KZN-based Anton Marcus, who flew in for just the two feature race rides on the day, Goodtime Gal atoned for her defeat by Captain’s Flame last year with a fluent win.
She was never under any pressure and drew away to win by 2,25 lengths in a time of 84,73 secs.
Goodtime Gal’s win gave Marcus some compensation for having to play second fiddle on Table Bay in the Matchem Stakes a half hour earlier.
Anton Marcus brings Goodtime Gal home for an easy win (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The well performed Gimme Six came on late for second, with the versatile trier Whose That Girl a further 0,75 lengths back in third.
Last year’s winner Captain’s Flame ran a non-threatening fourth.
The only ‘disappointment’ of the race was the Glen Kotzen-trained Gr2 winner Final Judgement. who faded right out of contention to 16 lengths off the winner.
Goodtime Gal, who races in the silks of Juan Van Heerden, has won 6 races with 11 places from her 21 starts for stakes of R825 825.
Bred by Stan Davis, Goodtime Gal is from the third crop of Royal Air Force (Jet Master). She is out of Tirza (Silvano), who never won.
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Gr3 Diana Stakes (SAf-Gr3)
Durbanville, South Africa, October 7, R250k, 1400m, turf, good, 1.24.73
1 – GOODTIME GAL (SAF), 59.5, b m 5, Royal Air Force (SAF) – Tirza (SAF) by Silvano (GER). Owner Mr J H Van Heerden; Breeder SC Davis; trainer M Robinson; jockey A Marcus
2 – Gimme Six (SAF), 60.0, b f 4, Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – District Six (IRE) by Mujadil (USA)
3 – Whose That Girl (SAF), 58.0, b f 4, Gitano Hernando (GB) – Casual Gal (SAF) by All Fired Up (USA)
Margins: 2.25, 0.75, 0.40
