The R200 000 Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes produced a three-cornered grandstand finish at Turffontein on Saturday with a half length separating the quartet.
Craig Zackey kept a cool head to register a 23rd stakes winner for Mauritzfontein’s Kingmambo sire Ideal World.
Many would argue that the 3yo fillies feature produced the finish of the day and it was the Gary Alexander stable who popped the champagne as the progressive Mount Laurel – a R50 000 bargain buy – stamped herself an emerging classic prospect to register her fourth victory in five starts.
Craig Zackey gets Mount Laurel to power home down the inside as Denis Schwarz throws the kitchen sink at Magic School (Pic – C Photos)
After Wisteria Walk had shown the way to Frosted Steel, Zackey slipped the relaxed Mount Laurel through down the inside rail at the 350m mark and the Mauritzfontein &Wilgerbosdrift bred galloper got the better of Magic School, who looked dangerous late in the race.
Mount Laurel outstayed them with a perfectly timed effort and held off the flying Victoria Paige (8-1) and Magic School (23-4) to record a gutsy and hard earned short head verdict in a time of 84,99 secs.
The more fancied pacesetter Wisteria Walk (21-4) and Mike de Kock’s rather enigmatic Gin Fizz (7-2) finished out of the money.
Signed for at a thrifty R50 000 by the shrewd equine heads of Gary Alexander Racing at the 2018 BSA National 2yo Sale, Mount Laurel has earned R305 375 with 4 wins from 5 starts.
She is bred to go 2400m plus – being by Ideal World (Kingmambo) out of the one-time winning Fort Wood mare, Far Hills.
It’s a stout pedigree from South Africa’s champion breeders. Ideal World carries a leading international pedigree – his dam Banks Hill is a Juddmonte-bred full sister to sire Dansili – a Champion sire in his own right, along with Intercontinental, Cacique and Canadian Horse Of The Year, Champs Elysee as well as Heat Haze.
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Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes (SAf-Gr3)
Turffontein, South Africa, January 4, R200k, 1400m, turf, good, 1.24.99
1 – MOUNT LAUREL (SAF), 60.0, ch f 3, Ideal World (USA) – Far Hills (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA). Owner Gary Alexander Racing Stables CC (N D Atherton, Jimmy Cook, C R Tavener), Mrs S E M Louw & Mr B Yearham; Breeder Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein; trainer GM Alexander; jockey C Zackey
2 – Victoria Paige (SAF), 58.0, b f 3, Captain Al (SAF) – Miss Respect (GB) by Mark Of Esteem (IRE)
3 – Magic School (SAF), 58.0, ch f 3, Philanthropist (USA) – Magic Approach (SAF) by Right Approach (GB)
Margins: 0.10, 0.05, 0.35
