Arcetri Pink
The Australian bred Arcetri Pink produced the goods in great style to retain her unbeaten record when winning the R175 000 Gr3 Pretty Polly Stakes over 1100m at Turffontein on Saturday.
Backed to the exclusion of the balance following an impressive maiden win six weeks earlier, and confidently trumped by her trainer Geoff Woodruff as ‘very good’, she hardly broke into a sweat as she stormed clear to win easily.
The early pace in this juvenile fillies feature was down the inside as Crown Bearer, Calypso Girl, Sioux She and Miss Seattle showed good toe.
At this stage Arcetri Pink and For The Lads were tucked in a few lengths off the speed.
Into the final 300m Sioux She contined to roll as Marcus produced the favourite Arcetri Pink to dash clear down the outside to win convincingly at 11 to 10 by 2,50 lengths in a time of 64,81 secs.
For The Lads flew late under Piere Strydom for second, to pip Sioux She who was prominent the whole way.
The third, fourth and fifth horses are all maidens, and they should prove tough to beat in lesser company next time out.
Winning jockey Anton Marcus called it a ‘pick up ride’ after his colleague Robbie Fradd had ridden Arcetri Pink first time out and said that Geoff Woodruff was ‘very confident.’ He also confirmed that Arcetri Pink would ‘definitely get further.’
Trainer Geoff Woodruff, who has hit great form, said that Arcetri Pink was a ‘super filly’.
“She is very good and is going to be a top filly. She will also stay a mile,” he said excitedly.
Woodruff confirmed that he had bought her half sister by Bel Esprit a month ago, and said that he would probably have to ‘pay double the price now.’
The disappointments included Mike De Kock’s Maynoona and Saeed Mohideen’s Lady Morgana, who ran last and second last respectively.
Arcetri Pink was bred in Australia by Hill Holme Lodge and is by Rock Of Gibraltar out of the Galileo mare Arcetri. She cost Aus$ 45 000, which in today’s rand terms is in the region R400 000.
Arcetri Pink has now won two from two and took her stake earnings to R165 625.
Follow her until beaten!
Result:
Pretty Polly S. (SAf-G3) (3/30)
Turffontein, South Africa, March 30, R175.000, 1100m, turf, good, 1.04.81
ARCETRI PINK (AUS), 58.0, b f 2, Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE) – Arcetri (AUS) by
Galileo (IRE) . Owner R Bisnath and A Pillay; bred in Australia; trainer GV
Woodruff; jockey A Marcus (R109.375)
For The Lads (SAF), 58.0, ch f 2, Trippi (USA) – Skin Tight (SAF) by Winter
Romance (GB)
Sioux She (SAF), 55.0, b f 2, Ashaawes (USA) – Sioux Qui (SAF) by Qui Danzig
(USA)
Margins: 2½, ¾, 1½
