Mike de Kock saddled present day Ascot stallion Heavenly Blue to win the Gr1 SA Classic in 2017. Since then the multiple champion has alternated top honours in the 1800m contest with his senior colleague, Joey Soma, who enjoyed the honour of opening the champagne this time round.
Under leaden grey skies at Turffontein on Saturday the two top conditioners appropriately fought out the 2022 renewal of the second leg of the WSB SA Triple Crown, with Joey Soma’s longshot Red Saxon getting the better of the De Kock favourite Safe Passage in the last few strides to take the honours in the R1,5 million WSB Gr1 SA Classic.
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Red Saxon (Julius Mariba) storms home down the inside to beat Safe Passage (Smanga Khumalo) in a thriller (Pic – JC Photos)
While few may have seen the pattern unfolding, history shows that Joey Soma saddled the subsequently exported Lobo’s Legend to win the SA Classic in 2018; De Kock was on top with Hawwaam in 2019; Joey bounced back with Got The Greenlight in 2020; De Kock’s Malmoos took the honours in 2021 – and today it was Mr Soma’s time to celebrate.
And celebrate he sure did, as Kimberley-born journeyman Julius Mariba, celebrating a career first Gr1 success, produced Red Saxon (25-1) with a powerful run down the inside rail after Smanga Khumalo really looked to have done it all right on the Gauteng Guineas winner, Safe Passage (12-10).
While the outcome was in the balance until the final strides, Red Saxon stayed on the better down the inside in the sticky underfoot conditions to win by a quarter length in a time of 112,66 secs.
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Gr1 joy for Julius Mariba (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Ashley Fortune’s pacemaking Captain Lannister (33-1), having his first try beyond 1450m, ran the race of his life after doing all the donkey work, to secure third.
The son of Captain Of All was still running powerfully into the final 250m and was only swallowed up by the top two late in the race.
“My instructions to Ryan (Munger) were to make sure they both come back in one piece. At the end of the day he rode the right race and let him stride out front. He is not a horse that enjoys kickback, so he was in the right place. We have schooled him to settle and are thrilled with today’s effort. We will now give him a break and possibly consider the KZN Guineas down at Hollywoodbets Greyville ,” said trainer Ashley Fortune.
The previously unbeaten Zeus did not seem to enjoy the conditions and finished seventh and 7,80 lengths off the winner.
While there was little betting support for Red Saxon, Turffontein-based Joey Soma was genuinely surprised that there was not more interest in his horse.
“We got enough work in to him and based on his Dingaans and Guineas runs, he didn’t have many lengths to make up on Safe Passage. But when I listened to the panel discussion on Friday I had to double check that my horse hadn’t been scratched!” laughed Soma.
The veteran continued and said the win was in honour of his former Equus and multiple Gr1 winning champion Got The Greenlight.
Red Saxon is now a two-time with 3 places from 7 starts for stakes of R1 091 250.
Bred by Narrow Creek Stud, Red Saxon is a first Gr1 winner for Birch Brothers sire Red Ray (Western Winter) out of the Casey Tibbs three-time winner Rodeo Sioux, who, like the Granddam Dancing Sioux, was also trained by Soma and won to 2600m.
A son of triple SA Champion Sire Western Winter, winning sire Red Ray is a three-parts brother to triple Gr1 winner Set Afire and won or placed in 13 of 16 outings while racing in South Africa and Dubai.
He scored his biggest win when running out an easy winner of the 2016 Gr1 Mercury Sprint.
While the SA Triple Crown won’t be won in 2022, the third leg of the series, the R1,5 million Gr1 WSB SA Derby run over 2450m at Turffontein on Saturday 2 April, should be a fascinating return match.