Summerveld trainer Frank Robinson’s bold bid to secure a Vodacom Durban July berth looks to have paid dividends for the Australian bred 4yo Roy Had Enough, who came out of the pack late to win the R250 000 Gr3 Track And Ball Derby under Anton Marcus at Scottsville on Saturday.
Besides serving to draw the selection panel’s attention to his claims as one of the second VDJ log ‘dirty dozen’, Roy Had Enough enjoyed the benefit of a fitness tweaking third run this year – with the July just a fortnight away.
Anton Marcus steers Roy Had Enough to a smooth win (Pic – Candiese Marnewick)
The risk of running them at this juncture is that a decent effort will stand out –and for the rest, it may not be quite the fairytale.
Best of those will be Brett Crawford’s Cape Derby runner-up Charles, who, after being outpointed in the recent Daily News, gained a measure of respectability by staying on for a 1,20 length second.
Seventh placed Top Classman (7,40 lengths) and eighth finisher Secret Potion (10,20 lengths) are likely to be looking elsewhere on 6 July.
After Silver Rose and Ballad Of The Sea had shown the way, Charles and Roy Had Enough took off from the rear almost simultaneously at the top of the straight.
Despite Charles grabbing a length, Marcus had plenty in reserve and he steered the classy Roy Had Enough past Charles to win by 1,20 lengths in a time of 147,26 secs.
Now scratched from the July, St John Gray’s Dawn Assault burst through under top weight for third.
“That was a bit of pressure. He was last turning for home. But he quickened well and it wasn’t an overly tough race,” said a relieved Frank Robinson.
Owner Roy Moodley has no doubt made the call and booked his July lunch table – even though things didn’t work out quite as well with Roy’s Riviera failing to find a place in the Oaks a half hour earlier.
A winner 6 races with 8 places from 24 starts, Roy Had Enough has banked stakes of R792 375.
By Coolmore sire Pierro (Lonhro), the colt was a A$95,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Element Hill draft for World Wide Bloodstock and is out of Queens Plaza (Elusive Quality), an unraced daughter of dual Gr1 winner and Australian Oaks queen Danendri.
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Gr3 Track And Ball Derby (SAf-Gr3)
Scottsville, South Africa, June 22, R250k, 2400m, turf, good, 2.27.26
1 – ROY HAD ENOUGH (AUS), 59.0, b c 4, Pierro (AUS) – Queens Plaza (AUS) by Elusive Quality (USA). Owner Mr Roy Moodley; Breeder bred in Australia; trainer F Robinson; jockey A Marcus
2 – Charles (SAF), 56.0, b c 3, Trippi (USA) – Demanding Lady (SAF) by Dynasty (SAF)
3 – Dawn Assault (SAF), 60.0, b h 5, Call To Combat (SAF) – Cayman Ridge (SAF) by Al Mufti (USA)
Margins: 1.20, 0.50, 0.40
