Piere Strydom made it a winning feature double at Turffontein on Saturday and was at his best in getting that little bit extra out of the promising Madame Dubois to register an impressive victory in the R250 000 Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes.
Madame Dubois (Piere Strydom) gets the better of Negroamaro (Anton Marcus) and Juxtapose (Chase Maujean) to win a cracker (Pic: JC Photos)
Top jockeys are a bonus on top horses and despite Striker’s services, Starling Stakes winner Madame Dubois had it all to do coming off a 14 week break – and was easy to back at 8 to 1.
But in his inimitable laconic style, Strydom casually credited the 2 draw and her fitness, and riding a great race and said that he was happy to take the win.
The bottom line is that Strydom is the consummate professional, and just as he had done on Captain Aldo in the Listed Wolf Power a few races earlier, he did everything right on Madame Dubois.
The Robbie Sage galloper had jumped keenly and was eased back and covered up a few lengths off as Joan Ranger led Noor for home.
Holding his mount up to the 400m, Strydom let Madame Dubois slip through between horses and she hit the front running strongly as Juxtapose found her feet, with Negroamaro looming up wide out after overcoming her wide draw.
Showing an encouraging competitive streak, Madame Dubois changed legs and kicked again inside the 150m to hold off the late attention of a flying Negroamaro down the outside – and notch up her second stakes win.
Robbie Sage trained the winner
The official win margin was a head (which rather flattered the runner-up), with a time clocked of 88,89 secs.
Stan Ferreira’s Juxtapose stayed on best a further 0,60 lengths away in third and this little low-key daughter of Judpot is bound to stay on in time.
Madame Dubois was bred by Messrs McNabb and Miliotis and is by the Zafonic stallion Count Dubois, whose 14th graded winner she is.
She is out of the three-time winning Jet Master mare, Miss Jet Set, who won her races from 1400m to a mile.
She was originally purchased for R220 000 on the National Yearling Sale and changed hands some time after the Starling Stakes for an undisclosed sum. What a great start for Megan M Jones and the Valor Ladies LLC.
The supremely consistent Madame Dubois took her tally to 3 wins and 4 places from 7 starts, with stakes of R508 625. She was also the recipient of the Bloodstock SA Added Value Stakes Bonus of R87 500.
And there must be plenty more to come – particularly if she gets the mile of the Gauteng Fillies Guineas – and Striker rides her again!
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Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes (SAf-Gr3)
Turffontein, South Africa, February 6, R250k, 1450m, turf, good, 1.28.89
1 – MADAME DUBOIS (SAF), 59.0, ch f 3, Count Dubois (GB) – Miss Jet Set (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF). Owner Valor Ladies LLC (Nom: Megan M Jones), Mr Colin Bird, Mrs Vanashree & Mr Anant Singh, Team Valor International (Nom: Mr B Irwin) & Ms Sylvia Vrska; Breeder AJ McNabb & E Miliotis; trainer RR Sage; jockey P Strydom
2 – Negroamaro (SAF), 59.0, gr f 3, Fort Wood (USA) – Touch Of Tuscan (SAF) by Al Mufti (USA)
3 – Juxtapose (SAF), 58.0, b f 3, Judpot (USA) – Sunsational (SAF) by Windrush (USA)
Margins: 0.20, 0.60, 1.40
