Justin Snaith opened his 2019 SA Champion Season feature account on testing underfoot conditions at Scottsville on Sunday as Gr2 winner and Vodacom Durban July entry Miyabi Gold won the R150 000 Listed The Scarlet Lady with authority.
This resulted in the scheduled The Sledgehammer being carried over to Sunday 28 April. The meeting was completed with the final race being run down the straight.
The jockeys decided to stay off the decimated going against the running rail and it was replacement rider Serino Moodley who belted off as if he had a bus to catch on the Hills grey Kilmokea.
Richard Fourie has Miyabi Gold in charge as Sabina’s Dynasty (Greg Cheyne) chase out of the pack (Pic – Taryn Crawford / Gold Circle)
The daughter of Kildonan was many lengths in front but started buckling at the 350.
Richard Fourie had been biding his time on Miyabi Gld in fourth position and the daughter of Silvano picked it up and stretched clear to beat Sabina’s Dynasty by a length in a time of 108,30 secs.
It was a good effort by the top two given their ring rustiness – Miyabi Gold had not run since Met Day, while Sabina’s Dynasty, who races under a restructured owner partnership, had last seen action in the 2018 Summer Cup.
Paul Peter’s Folk Dance may not have enjoyed the going but ran a decent race a further 1,60 lengths back in third.
The pacesetting Kilmokea faded out to finish over 11 lengths back.
Justin Snaith, who had won with the promising 2yo debutante Miss Florida in the same silks earlier in the day, had expressed some confidence about the 7-2 favourite and pointed out her excellent Gr1 Majorca Stakes effort. He said that he was thrilled that Miyabi Gold had gotten this victory under the belt in the testing conditions.
A daughter of champion sire Silvano (Lomitas), Miyabi Gold is out of the four-time winner Mkushi Gold (Western Winter) and is thus a half sister to 2015 Consolation July winner Ultimate Dollar (Jet Master) who also ran in the familiar Jonsson silks out of the Snaith stable.
Miyabi Gold has won 4 races with 2 places from 10 starts and stakes of R563 750.
Check her price in the Hollywood Vodacom Durban July ante-post here
