Act Of War storms clear under Anton Marcus to beat Heartland (Bernard Fayd’herbe) (Pic: Wayne Marks)
Super sire Dynasty and his half-brother Thomas Crown dominated the finish of the R250 000 G3 Matchem Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday. The event also marked the seasonal debut of 2014 Cape Guineas winner Act Of War, who stamped his authority in style.
Dynasty’s sons finished first, second and fourth, while his older half-brother Thomas Crown (Rich Man’s Gold) sired the third placed Charles Lytton, in a cracking family affair.
The behind-the-scenes scramble to get Act Of War onto the first rung of the ladder in his climb to the 155th L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, to be run on 9 January 2016, was marked by a typically professional training feat by the ice cool Joey Ramsden – who turned the big fellow around in a matter of two weeks.
Regular pilot Anton Marcus had apparently not been happy with what he had felt when galloping Act Of War in KZN two weeks earlier.
Joey Ramsden and Anton Marcus – winning team
The colt was sent to Durban after his Gr3 Winter Guineas victory in early May to get the sun on his back, and while kept in full work, he never raced in that province due to dicey barrier draws.
“We said beforehand that we were not going to run our good horses from bad draws and we stuck to that policy. Now he will be aimed at the Queen’s Plate,” said Jooste Racing Manager Derek Brugman recently.
Act Of War was brought back to Cape Town on Friday 25 September and was put through his paces at Durbanville by Donavan Mansour the Sunday thereafter.
Less than a week later he turned out looking a million dollars and put in a workmanlike performance on Saturday to slam the Gr3 Matchem field.
Jumping at a prohibitive 3 to 10, Anton Marcus had Act Of War settled in midfield as Justin Snaith dominated the early stages of the feature. His charges Arniston and Charles Lytton showed the way, with stable elect Heartland hugging the rail.
Act Of War was relaxed in midfield as they went for home- but at the 300m was making up the ground quickly and he demolished them as he stormed clear to win rather easily by 1,50 lengths in a time of 83,11 secs.
Heartland tried hard and grabbed second, ahead of his stablemate Charles Lytton, with the Bass’ Line Break improving again to run fourth.
A R550 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 graduate, Act Of War has won 8 of his 10 starts with 2 places and R1 800 500 in stakes.
He was bred by Arc En Ciel Stud and is by Dynasty out of the four time winning Cordoba mare, Si Senorita.
It was a big day for winning owners Ingrid and Markus Jooste, as their daughter Andrea was married a few hours later.
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Gr3 Matchem Stakes (SAf-Gr3)
Durbanville, South Africa, October 3, R250k, 1400m, turf, good, 1.23.11
1 – ACT OF WAR (SAF), 60.0, b c 4, Dynasty (SAF) – Si Senorita (SAF) by Cordoba (USA). Owner Mrs I Jooste & Mr M J Jooste; Breeder Arc-en-Ciel; trainer J Ramsden; jockey A Marcus
2 – Heartland (SAF), 58.5, b c 4, Dynasty (SAF) – Moonlit Prairie (USA) by Cozzene (USA)
3 – Charles Lytton (SAF), 57.0, b g 4, Thomas Crown (SAF) – Love Of Grace (SAF) by Shaamit (ANY)
Margins: 1.50, 0.75, 0.40
