Gallic Rose (Berbard Fayd’herbe) beats Bilateral (S’manga Khumalo) to win the Listed East Coast Cup
The Cape onslaught and Joey Ramsden’s associated feature run continued unabated when his Silvano filly Gallica Rose scored her first stakes victory in good style at Greyville on Sunday. The 4yo staved off a threatening challenge from the year younger Gr1 winner Bilateral to win the R135 000 Listed East Coast Cup run over the turf 2000m.
The Sunday stakes feature was a memorable one for leading Cape stud, Maine Chance, whose black and yellow silks were worn by the first two home. They also bred the runner-up, a smart daughter of Lateral, while the winner was bred by another Cape breeder in Digteby Stud.
Maine Chance Racing Manager Justin Vermaak must have also taken particular pleasure out of this race as he manages both jockeys Bernard Fayd’herbe and S’manga Khumalo, who fought out the finish.
Going off at 20-1 in an open looking sixteen horse field of mostly proven stakes performing fillies and mares, Gallica Rose put her best foot forward at her second run in the holiday province and appears to be improving with age.
Roc ‘N Rose led Shingwedzi and Euphoria into the home straight with Bilateral in midfield and Gallica Rose near last after a characteristic tardy start.
Bernard Fayd’herbe – confident ride
Bernard Fayd’herbe produced the 4yo Gallica Rose with a powerful late burst from the rear and she ran on strongly up the outside to win by 0,75 lengths in a time of 124,23 secs.
The winner was saddled by Ramsden KZN assistant trainer Alson Ndzilana, who has graduated through the ranks and making a name for himself.
Bilateral showed a timeous return to form in second and the Weiho Marwing filly shouldn’t be long in winning again.
Pat Lunn-trained Supercede caught the eye as she came on late from some way back to secure third ahead of the weak favourite Gathering Fame, who was a touch one-paced late and ran fourth after looking dangerous.
The top three finishers were drawn 11,12 and 13.
Gallica Rose had been demoted in the boardroom after winning the Listed Sun Classique Handicap beating Saint Sophia at Kenilworth in January. This win would have served as plenty of vindication for her trainer, who has always been a sporting loser – but thought that verdict to be quite strange.
As fate would have it, Saint Sophia finished unplaced..
A R200 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 graduate, Gallica Rose has won 4 races with 3 places from 13 starts. She took her stake earnings to R221 425.
She was bred by Digteby Stud and is by Silvano out of the five time winning Al Mufti mare, Al Jestic.
Gallica Rose is likely to aimed at the Listed Queen Palm and the KZN Oaks.
