Milnerton veteran Vaughan Marshall saddled champion Captain Al to win the Matchem Stakes under Jeff Lloyd in 1999 and saddled his fifth winner of the race in the 21st century when the consistent Questioning romped home at a cloudy Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday.
Questioning (JP van der Merwe) beats the gutsy Montien under Anthony Andrews (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Mr Marshall saddled Play Catch (2004), Tales Of Bravery (2010), One World (2019) and Seeking The Stars (2021) prior to Saturday to lift the Matchem trophy and time will tell where the 2023 Gr3 Cape Classic winner Questioning fits into the pecking order of the top stable’s honours boards.
Other than the beautiful carpets of flowers alongside the road en route to the chilly country course, there was little evidence of spring as isolated drops of rain fell from the steel grey skies as the start of the 2024th renewal of the R300 000 Kuda Gr3 Matchem Stakes was effected.
Montien set the early gallop with stablemates Coastal Commander and Questioning next best. The run for home was a stampede, but the Winx-sponsored JP van der Merwe made no mistakes as he showed the benefit of the experience of a winning ride last time on the 4yo gelding.
Questioning (9-4) ran on well to beat the gutsy Montien (16-1) by a half length in a time of 84,11 secs – slower than the 83,98 secs clocked by Gimme’s Countess carrying 10kgs less in the fairer sex feature a half hour earlier.
At My Command (5-2) ran on well for third, while Dean Kannemeyer will be thrilled with the excellent effort of the year-rested Gimme A Prince (9-2) who flashed up late for fourth. Both third and fourth raced in the Khaya flag.
A Foster family home-bred, Questioning is out of the twice winning Captain Al mare Wheredowego, who raced in the same silks for Vaughan Marshall.
Raced by a partnership of Greg Bortz, Mukund Gujadhur (who was on course from Mauritius and enjoyed two winners on the afternoon), Jarryd and Laurence Wernars & Gina Goldsmith, Questioning is a half-brother to the accomplished stakes winning stayer Senso Unico, who also races out of the top Milnerton yard.
Questioning has won 6 of his 12 starts with 5 places for stakes of R798 125.
