The Cape raiders were forced to play second fiddle for a change as the East Cape champion combination of Alan Greeff and Ridgemont Highlands jockey Greg Cheyne produced the gem with an impressive victory by the progressive Flower Alley filly Santa Therese in the R85 000 Listed Breeders Guineas at Fairview on Friday.
While West Coast visitor Andre Nel bagged two winners, Greeff and Cheyne dominated the sunny afternoon with a four-timer that included the 27th stakes winner for Wilgerbosdrift’s Gr1 winning Travers Stakes sire Flower Alley (Distorted Humor).
Santa Therese wins well under Ridgemont’s Greg Cheyne (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Santa Therese was the first local winner in the event since Andrew Fortune steered Beataboutthebush to victory in March 2017 in the same silks for the Greeff team.
After Santa Therese’ good last victory in the Breeders Guineas Plate, she went off a well backed 17-10 choice on Friday, although there was interest in Snaith’s Getrude Bell (9-2).
Greg Cheyne had Santa Therese within spitting distance of leader Upper Ten and made his move early in the straight.
“I always knew the race was devoid of pace, so I wanted to be thereabouts and not be caught flat-footed,” added the Melkbosstrand resident.
Despite late challenges from Glen Kotzen’s Musical Glitch (12-1) and the Plattner flagged So Flawless (9-2), Santa Therese had too much in the tank and held off her challengers to win by 1,25 lengths in a time of 100, 19 secs.
Getrude Bell pulled hard during the mid stages and was unsurprisingly empty when asked for her effort by Richard Fourie – she plodded to a well beaten fourth and five lengths off the winner.
Greg Cheyne was pleased as punch and said that it was a ‘plan come together’.
“I have been looking forward to this race for three months. I told Alan she is good enough to race in Cape Town. Logistics prevented us raiding there – but as Alan said, ‘Cape Town came to us today’ and she showed them she’s very good!” Five of the eight starters were Cape-based raiders.
Racing in a partnership of Celso and Lee Scribante with Steven and Jessica Jell, Santa Therese was a R160 000 National Yearling Sale buy. She has now won four of six starts with two places for stakes of R145 250
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Santa Therese is out of the twice winning Tiger Ridge mare, Santa Clarita.
Flower Alley (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Her sire has produced 50 black type horses internationally, including Kentucky Derby winning champion I’ll Have Another and Gr1 Ashland Stakes victress Lilacs And Lace, and has two lots on the upcoming Cape Premier Yearling Sale on Sunday 14 March.
