Gold Strike! Piere Strydom gets Banbury to run straight (JC Photos)m
The ice cool confidence of Piere Strydom against a dramatic theatrical backdrop of peals of thunder and soft falling rain characterised a memorable R275 000 Gr3 Fillies Mile for South African horseracing’s first family at Turffontein on Saturday. Mauritzfontein bred and owned the first two fillies home, but the result was in the balance until the final 100m.
The Oppenheimer dynasty has walked a long and proud road in the sport of kings in this country since the late Harry Oppenheimer bought two fillies at the 1949 Yearling Sale – one was to be the most expensive lot of that year – and while both proved useless, the black and yellow silks have been on more winners in top races than any other owner.
They were rampant again on Saturday in the Gr3 Fillies Mile where two promising 3yo’s fought out the finish of a race that carried some seriously trumped up names.
Trainer Gavin Van Zyl – ‘form is form’
With five horses in the field, it was hardly surprising to see trainer Gavin Van Zyl ensuring a true-run race as Muzi Yeni followed his instructions to keep them honest on Brian Burnard’s Go Deputy filly Kileigh.
She led stablemate Brown Sugar with Ataab in the box seat a length away.
Into the home run Ataab looked to have been given a perfect ride as she moved forward while Marwing picked up Smart Call and they went with her down the inside.
Smart Call was going very well inside the 300m as Ataab appeared to go one-paced but just as Alec Laird looked like he would be accompanying Guy Murdoch up to the winner’s podium, Piere Strydom had other ideas and produced the genius.
The champion jockey switched Banbury around her field and despite proving a difficult ride and running green, he managed to coax an effort out of her and she ran on best to beat Smart Call by 1,25 lengths in a time of 100,45 secs.
She started at 10 to 1 – a bonus for Striker fans!
Ataab stayed on fairly well for third after failing to go on with her effort.
Bred by Mauritzfontein, the winning daughter of Horse Chestnut is out of the thrice winning Stage Colony mare, Lady Helen.
Banbury has now won 2 of 5 starts with 3 places and R276 625 in stakes money.
Both she and the runner-up should be in the Triple Tiara equation come 2015.
