Anton Marcus and Night Trip storm clear to win the Listed Darley Arabian
Mike Bass’ Trippi gelding Night Trip can run when he is in the mood. He showed a fancy for the polytrack when flying up late to win the R150 000 Listed The Darley Arabian run over a mile at Greyville on Super Saturday.
Punters may not have been too sure what to expect from Night Trip in his first start on the polytrack but he put aside all doubts inside the final 200m with a powerful late finish. Blinkers and Anton Marcus no doubt did the trick and put the finishing touches to a well deserved first stakes victory for the rather enigmatic 4yo gelding.
Replacement rider Piere Strydom took Always Al up to lead early with Night Trip relaxed some way downfield.
Exelero and Ottimo threatened in the short home run as Always Al gave up the ghost.
But Night Trip was winding up and he ran on stoutly to win by 3 lengths in a time of 94,10 secs and give Marcus his second winner on a day that may have promised more when he left home that morning for Greyville.
The disappointing Exelero is still battling to put it all together and he clung on to second spot as Joey Ramsden’s staying sort Disco Al flew late for third.
Glen Kotzen’s Gone Baby Gone threatened halfway down the straight but was run off his feet and ended up running fifth and 6,55 lengths behind. He could still develop into a decent 4yo.
Night Trip was bred by Drakenstein Stud and is by Trippi out of the twice winning Irish bred Machiavellian mare, Pleine Nuit.
A R400 000 National Yearling Sale graduate, he took his stake earnings to R377 680 with his 5 wins and 7 places from 22 starts.
He could yet get his act together as a 5yo and might still have something decent in the pipeline in the Cape summer.
