KZN trainer Robbie Hill enjoyed a good weekend. On Saturday he was part-owner of the Gr2 Gold Bowl winner Arch Rival and on Sunday he saddled what looks to be probably the best horse he has trained to win the R200 000 Gr3 Godolphin Barb Stakes at Scottsville.
Red Chesnut Road (Brandon Lerena) comes home against the steel to maintain his unbeaten record
Red Chesnut Road enjoyed the distinction of being his sire’s first stakes winner and looks to be a colt headed in the right direction.
His annihilation of his eight rivals was impressive – even if we don’t really know the extent of the strength of the rest of them. The good winner received 2kgs from the two-time winning topweight Rob’s Jewel but beat him a solid eight lengths.
But here is one KZN horse that looks like he can genuinely hold his own into the peak of the SA Champions Season and his next outing looks likely to be the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion on 4 June – at the same venue.
After Gunner and Gio Ponti’s Legacy had jumped slowly, the pace was on from the jump.
But it was over just as quickly as Brandon Lerena sent the colt for home at the 400m as his rivals floundered.
Robbie Hill – has a good one here
Red Chesnut Road drew clear to win by 6,25 lengths in a time of 62.50 seconds.
He went off a red hot order 13-20 favourite after his impressive debut win.
Kum Naidoo’s Over Sure came out of the pack and while he failed to make any impression, finished best of the rest to run second, just ahead of Timedtoperfection – who just happens to be yet another maiden from the Spies yard who is featuring at stakes level.
The topweight Rob’s Jewel flattered only to deceive and finished 8 lengths back. A disappointing run.
Red Chesnut Road was bred by Highlands and is a first stakes winner for the exciting and classy Distorted Humor stallion Pathfork – an undefeated Irish champion 2yo on the track.
The winner is out of the three-time winning Fort Wood Mare Scarlet Sky who won up to a mile.
The manner of Red Chesnut Road’s win, and the fact that he ran for almost another 200m after the winning post, certainly suggests a horse that may well be effective up to a mile.
He was purchased for R250 000 on the 2015 Suncoast KZN Yearling Sale and unbeaten in two starts he has taken his stake earnings to R175 000.
He also received the BSA Added Value Stakes bonus of R87 500.
Pencil this name in!
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Gr3 Godolphin Barb Stakes (SAf-Gr3)
Scottsville, South Africa, May 1, R200k, 1100m, turf, soft, 1.02.05
1 – RED CHESNUT ROAD (SAF), 58.0, ch c 2, Pathfork (USA) – Scarlet Sky (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA). Owner Messrs Z J Buitendag, G C Kalil, D D Hayman, R A Hill, G R Sadleir & S Sewraj; Breeder Highlands; trainer R Hill; jockey B Lerena
2 – Over Sure (SAF), 58.0, b c 2, Mogok (USA) – Little Jet (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF)
3 – Timedtoperfection (SAF), 53.5, b f 2, Judpot (USA) – Gold Class (SAF) by Lecture (USA)
Margins: 6.25, 0.25, 1.50
