Conquering! Europe To Africa and Anton Marcus are on their own
The well travelled Europe to Africa registered her first stakes victory and threw yet another punch in a good weekend for Australian breds, when she scored a runaway win in the R135 000 Listed The Scarlet Lady run over 1800m at Scottsville on Sunday.
Europe To Africa has always looked a fair racer in the making, but had yet to put it all together as she did on Sunday, when given a perfect ride by Anton Marcus.
She has also had her share of trainers. Europe To Africa started her career with Glen Kotzen, spent the intermediate phase with Greg Ennion and was having her second outing here for Vaughan Marshall, who appears to have found the winning recipe. She had run an excellent second in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1500m at Clairwood three weeks ago, and came into The Scarlet Lady well fancied by punters.
The Scarlet Lady was run at a good clip with the Visser runner Awesome Beauty striding clear to lead by six lengths. Marcus had Europe To Africa loping along between third and fourth position, with the rest well spread behind him.
Into the home straight Awesome Beauty came under pressure as Chris Taylor sent Las Ramblas for her run down the rail, with Glen Kotzen’s Golden Dawn unwinding smartly. The rest were battling and failing to make any impression.
Marcus had the race sewn up at the favourite went into the final 300m and she increased her lead to win by 7,25 lengths in a time of 109,09 secs.
Golden Dawn ran on doggedly for second in her KZN debut, while the omnipresent Las Ramblas stayed on for third, a half length back. The Goodman galloper certainly loves Scottsville. The De Kock representative Al Kindi grabbed fourth, in a difficult to find quartet.
Evidence of the impact of the result, despite the 18 to 10 tote favourite winning, was the R16636 quartet dividend on the race.
Bred by Austramore Pty Ltd, NSW, Mr Peter O’Brien and Burke Bloodstock, the winner is by Rock Of Gibraltar out of the British bred Gold Bridge mare, Golden Bridge.
Europe To Africa has now won 4 races from 20 starts for 8 places.
She took her stakes earnings to R281 700 and looks set for her biggest season yet.
