Like most of his colleagues at some time in their professional lives, Gavin Lerena has yo’yo’d from hero to zero in some quarters. Hopefully those dishing out the brickbats in the recent past will cut the former SA champion some slack and hand him a small bouquet after a sterling ride aboard the talented 3yo Litigation at Turffontein on Saturday.
Clearly brimming with confidence, Lerena drove his 66th winner of the term home when the promising 3yo Litigation cracked his maiden feature success in the Wernars’ family silks with a brave performance from the front to win the non black-type R175 000 Egoli Mile for multiple past SA champion conditioner Sean Tarry.
Gavin Lerena drives Litigation to victory (Pic – JC Photos)
Lerena, riding off an 18% win strike-rate, took the initiative from the break and the fight to his six opponents, as he rode Litigation like the promising 3yo he clearly is.
Without faltering, Litigation (5-1) stayed on and never looked like getting beaten to withstand a late shot from 20-1 shot Whafeef.
The Avontuur-bred colt’s time was 99,98 secs and the winning margin of 0,40 lengths frankly flattered the runner-up.
Litigation, who races in a partnership of Laurence and Jarryd Wernars, with stalwart Harry Willson and Avontuur GM Pippa Mickleburgh, has now won 3 races with 3 places from 8 starts for stakes of R241 875.
Avontuur have bred the likes of dual Horse of the Year and champion Legal Eagle, and the very well-performed Canterbury Tale from Durban July winner Grey’s Inn (Zabeel) and Litigation looks to have plenty of scope.
Litigation is out of the three-time winning Jeter, a stakes winning daughter of Jet Master.
Avontuur have a trio on Sunday’s BSA Cape Yearling Sale. Please see the catalogue here.
