The newly introduced ‘Levelling the Playing Fields’ series kicked off at Scottsville on Sunday.
Billy Jacobson keeps Putchini going down the inside to off Reactive (Warren Kennedy)
In a rather disappointing turnout, only 23 horses were entered for the 1200m leg.
They were ballotted into two heats, and the jockeys were also balloted.
The KZN Breeders Club came up with the concept, which has the full support of Gold Circle, in terms of which each trainer was invited to nominate one KZN Bred horse with a rating of 78 and below to compete in three rounds over 1200m, 1400m and a mile, with four weeks between each round.
Apart from the stake money on offer for each race (R100 000) and the R200 000 final on Sunday 25 June, a prize of R50 000 each is on the table for the Owner, Trainer, Jockey and Breeder who accumulates the most points over the Series, including the final.
Points will be earned as follows:- 1st – 20; 2nd 17; 3rd – 15 ; 4th – 13; 5th 11 and then reducing by one point for each following position.
On Sunday, the first leg opened the Pick 6 and produced a shock after the fancied Beckedorf lost many lengths at the start.
The Chris Erasmus trained Putchini led most of the way and stayed on well under an inspired ride from Billy Jacobson to beat Reactive by a short head. Cipher held on for third – although many punters though that Poivre had gotten up into the PA on the outside,
Bred by Yellow Star Stud, Putchini is a son of Bezrin out of the Centenary mare Suki Tortri.
The 5yo Putchini, who races in the silks of young Ashley De Klerk, has won 5 races with 15 places from 49 starts for stakes of R371 100.
Glen Kotzen – nice winner
The second leg was run a half hour later and it was Cape trainer Glen Kotzen’s Mogok filly Royal Agree who hit the front to win well by 1,25 lengths in a time of 69,08 s.
Ridden by Athandiwe Mgudlwa, Royal Agree has won 2 races with 2 places from 8 starts and took her stakes to R127 700.
A R160 000 Suncoast KZN Yearling Sale purchase, Royal Agree races for Peter de Beyer and was bred by Scott Bros.
She is out of the one-time winning Royal Academy mare, Royal Promise.
It was a top-class win by the 3yo filly in mixed company.
