Third generation trainer Lucinda Woodruff celebrated her maiden feature success on the biggest day on the SA racing calendar, when the Ridgemont bred 4yo Café Culture beat a high-quality field to win the R500 000 Gr2 Post Merchants.
There can’t be a bigger platform than the Hollywoodbets Durban July day for any up-and -coming young trainer to celebrate the milestone of a first feature success and the Milnerton-based daughter of champion Geoff Woodruff, and granddaughter of late legend Terrance Millard, Lucinda has stepped up to show she has both the genes and the oomph that it takes to break through in one of the world’s toughest professions.
Lucinda Woodruff and her team welcome Cafe Culture and Richard Fourie after a milestone moment (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The aptly named Worlds Your Oyster, who coincidentally raced in the same famous silks as Café Culture, was Lucinda’s first winner when the handsome grey won at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in the dark days of covid stricken September 2021.
And Saturday 6 July 2024 will go down as another milestone, with the 4yo Café Culture storming home under Richard Fourie at 11-2 to beat the low-flying At My Comand (16-1) by 1,70 lengths in a time of 70,4 secs.
Richard Fourie steers Cafe Culture to an easy victory (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
On a quiet day for the Kannemeyer yard, Teflon Man (8-1) weaved his way through late for third, with Melech (8-1) in fourth.
A R50 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale purchase, Café Culture was the second leg of a feature double on the big day for Ridgemont and is by deceased champion Var (Forest Wildcat) out of the five-time winning Dynasty mare, Put The Kettle On.
Raced by Mike Fullard, and James and Lee-Ann Drew, the winner made it 7 wins from 18 starts and 6 places for stakes of R881 652 – a nice return on his relative cheap purchase price.
“His liking for the Hollywoodbets Durbanville circuit prompted us to take our chances here in Durban. I’m glad we did,” Lucinda told the Sporting Post.
When asked if the Gr1 Mercury Sprint, a weight-for-age contest, would be next, Lucinda said that no decision had been made yet.
First entries for the R1 million Mercury Sprint, which is run on Sunday 28 July, are due by Monday.
