Top Gun! Piere Strydom drives Cherry On The Cake out to beat Enchanted Kingdom in Saturday’s Gr3 Jacaranda Handicap
A masterful ride by Piere Strydom sealed a first stakes win for the gallant Gavin Van Zyl trained Cherry On The Cake in the R175 000 Gr3 Jacaranda Handicap run over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday.
Cherry On The Cake led all the way to withstand a late charge from Paul Peter’s Enchanted Kingdom, who was all over the place in the final stages, and cost herself valuable ground.
Piere Strydom is the master of judgement of pace and he had no hesitation in taking the mare up to lea d Atlantic Oak and Classic Illusion, with Checcetti further back.
Into the home straight Cherry On The Cake continued to lead as Atlantic Oak slipped down the rail with Classic Illusion running on strongly and Enchanted Kingdom unwinding a strong looking challenge.
In a run to the line, Strydom had them all bluffed as he extricated more from Cherry On The Cake as she won at 13 to 10 by 0,25 lengths in a time of 112,05 secs.
Enchanted Kingdom ducked inwards and was playing silly games which gave her rider Glen Hatt a nightmare final 100m, when she looked to be going by to win the race.
Gary Alexander’s Classic Illusion ran a solid third, just ahead of Sacred Temple.
The Mike De Kock trio disappointed with Bluroute finishing best for fifth place.
Leon Erasmus’ Fillies Guineas winner Go Indigo appears to have her issues, and ran stone last.
Cherry On The Cake was bred by Mauritzfontein Stud and is by the ill fated Strike Smartly out of the five time winning Fort Wood mare, Carolina Cherry. She is the dam of Cherry On The Top, who won the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic, and looks on track for a serious swipe at the Triple Tiara.
Owner Mrs Bridget Oppenheimer was on course to enjoy the exciting win.
Cherry On The Cake has now won 5 races with 17 places from 33 starts for stakes of R516 225.
She will make a lovely broodmare and looks to have plenty of racing left in her.
Result:
Jacaranda Hcp (SAf-G3) (3/30)
Turffontein, South Africa, March 30, R175.000, 1800m, turf, good, 1.52.05
CHERRY ON THE CAKE (SAF), 55.5, b m 5, Strike Smartly (CAN) – Carolina
Cherry (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA) . Owner Mrs BD Oppenheimer; breeder
Mauritzfontein Stud; trainer G v Zyl; jockey P Strydom (R109.375)
Enchanted Kingdom (SAF), 59.5, b m 5, Kahal (GB) – Aerial Dancer (SAF) by
Dancing Champ (USA)
Classic Illusion (SAF), 58.5, ch f 4, Kahal (GB) – Class Will Sell (SAF) by
Jallad (USA)
Margins: nk, 3½, nose
