On The Rise. Rivulet (Akash Aucharuz in green and white) stays on powerfully
The Fahal filly Rivulet took full advantage of her light weight, to register her first credit of black type when winning the R150 000 Listed Queen Of The Sand run over a sand mile at the Vaal on Tuesday.
The Diane Stenger trained MR 72 rated 4yo actually defied her apparent sufferance at the weights to register her first serious win of a career that is dotted with promising shows on the sand surface. She also won the middle of her three wins on the Turffontein 1800m.
Rivulet was predictably at the rear as Magic Smoke led Follow The Piper and Formation, with Rebel Queen and Bluroute further back.
Halfway down the home straight Formation and Magic Smoke challenged and went at each other and looked set to fight it out as Aucharuz got to work on Rivulet on the wide outside.
With Magic Smoke staying on strongly and Formation looking tired, Rivulet swept up and went by the leaders full of running to win going away. She started at a rather generous 25 to 1.
Rivulet won in promising style by 1,25 lengths in a time of 101,09 secs.
Mike Azzie’s Magic Smoke had looked dangerous under Robbie Fradd most of the way up the straight, and ran a nicely improved race giving away over 10kgs to the winner, to hold on for second.
The favourite Formation plodded on into third place, while Mike De Kock’s Bluroute disappointed again and finished in seventh position and 6,75 lengths behind the winner.
A thrilled trainer Diane Stenger said afterwards that Rivulet had been freshened up a bit after her last start and was a laidback lazy sort who took forever to get going.
Apprentice Akash Aucharuz, who rode a confident race, said he realised at the 200m marker that he had plenty of horse under him and was confident that he would get past the leaders.
Bred by PP van der Merwe, Rivulet is by Fahal out of the once winning Kahal mare, Soloist.
She has now won 3 races with 6 places from 15 starts. She took her earnings to R275 500.
She is leased by her present owners, who were on course to enjoy the moment.
