Summer Cup day Pick 6 punters suffered an early knockout blow when apprentice Luke Ferraris rode the 60th winner of his career as the Skitt Skizzle filly Cordillera, starting at double digit odds, fought on doggedly to win the R150 000 Listed Secretariat Stakes.
Luke Ferraris rides a determined finish to get Cordillera home ahead of Viking Trail and Blonde Vision (Pic – JC Photos)
After Mike de Kock’s handily weighted Blonde Vision had set the fractions and led into the final 350m, it was Ferraris who rode out his claim as he kept a cool head in front of the animated crowd.
Cordillera had raced handy throughout, but it was only in the closing stages that she got the better of the game frontrunner, and then had to hold off the late attentions of another de Kock entry Viking Trail who came from further back.
Cordillera fought on gamely under a balanced ride to get the verdict by a quarter length in a time of 83,87 secs to hold off the late challenge of another De Kock challenger in Viking Trail.
Blonde Vision stayed on gamely for third a further 0,40 lengths adrift with the well-supported Gimme A Wave finding a good finish after losing many lengths at the jump to get within 1,40 lengths of the winner.
The once promising stakes winner Bold Eagle, who won his first three starts on the trot, carried top weight and was beaten 7 lengths to run last.
Jet Master sire Skitt Skizzle in action
Bred by Bosworth Farm Stud, the winner was the second winner, when scoring on debut, for Jet Master sire Skitt Skizzle, who has just four registered foals in his first crop.
Skitt Skizzle, who is bred on the same Jet Master/Northern Guest cross as Pomodoro, won three times up to 1450m for Sean Tarry, with his placed efforts including a fourth in the 2014 Gr2 Senor Santa Handicap and he also finished fourth to another exciting sire son of Jet Master – Master Of My Fate.
Cordillera, who is out of the one-time winner Quinoa (Right Approach), has won 2 of her 3 starts with 1 place for stakes of R148 300.
