Mauritzfontein stallion Ideal World maintained his stakes-winning run when his son Kimberley Star stamped himself as a leading Eastern Cape 2yo, dominating the R200 000 Listed Champion Juvenile Cup at Fairview on Friday.
Charles Ndlovu has Kimberley Star in command as Lyle Hewitson chases on third placed Coyote Flame (Pic – Pauline Herman Photography)
Trainer Alan Greeff, who won the race when it was ranked a Gr3 last year for the Scribante family with O’Tamara, was spot on again as the instantly recognisable white and orange silks were carried to victory by the progressive colt.
Greeff saddled a hat-trick on the afternoon, with Greg Cheyne riding a double. But it was Charles Ndlovu who made the right choice in the feature – as he had done for the Scribantes on 9 June, when again booting home the lesser fancied stablemate Queen Forever in the Listed Lady’s Slipper.
Being by Ideal World out of a Strike Smartly mare, Kimberley Star was reasonably expected to find the 1400m on the sharp side, but after relaxing in midfield, he came home powerfully to reverse the form of his last run with Sacred Oration.
The 10-1 Kimberley Star finished best of the ten runners under Charles Ndlovu to hold off a resurgent Sacred Oration by 1,25 lengths in a time of 84,77 secs.
Sacred Oration caught the eye after playing a reluctant pacesetter, and had frankly looked dead and gone at the 200m. After being straightened at the 100m marker by Luyola Mxothwa, he came right back from nowhere to grab a very deserved second cheque.
Alan Greeff – hat trick on the afternoon
Coyote Creek looked dangerous late as he came from last, and was a quarter length back in third.
The Cape-based favourite Big Pleasure, Anton Marcus’ only ride of the day, was under a driving push a long way out and failed to ignite – eventually running a disappointing fifth and 3,50 lengths off the winner.
The Winning Form-sponsored Charles Ndlovu said that he was ‘very fortunate to work with Mr Alan Greeff’.
“I don’t have enough words to say how fortunate I am to work for a man who is so good at what he does. I decided to give Kimberley Star a chance today but as the race was run untidily, I ended up in midfield. But turning for home I had so much horse underneath me!” he said excitedly.
After an early disappointment with the enigmatic Colonel Bluff, Alan Greeff was pleased as his yard’s general high standard of good form continued. “Very well done to Lee and Celso Scribante – I have always had faith in this horse. Greg (Cheyne) would have probably picked him had the race been over a mile. My other horse (Seattle Flame in fourth) had some bad luck in running.”
With the Bloodstock SA Added Value Stakes incentive of R77 500 to add further cheer, Kimberley Star took his win tally to 2 victories and 3 places from 5 starts. He has earned normal stakes of R201 450.
Ideal World (Kingmambo – Banks Hill)
The winner, a R120 000 graduate of the 2016 BSA National 2yo Sale, was bred by Wilgerbodsrift & Mauritzfontein and is a son of Ideal World (Kingmambo), who has enjoyed a great run – his son Hermoso Mundo signalling his Gold Cup intentions with victory in the Gr3 Gold Vase on July day. Ideal World’s daughter Zante won the Track & Ball Oaks at Scottsville earlier in June.
Kimberley Star is out of the once-winning Advance Warning (Strike Smartly) – the latter an own sister to the five-time winning stakes winner, Prestic.
