Just a week after his smart son Cirillo banked the lion’s share of the big cash on offer in the CTS Ready To Run Stakes at Kenilworth, SA first crop champion sire of 2017/18 Pomodoro produced another smart winner at Scottsville on Sunday in the form of the Mike Miller first-timer, Bound By Duty.
Anton Marcus has the exciting Bound By Duty under a tight rein to win well (Pic – Candiese Marnewick)
Unlike what happened in the first Cape juvenile scurry of the season 24 hours earlier, where odds-on favourite Shinnecock was surprisingly rolled by a smart filly, things went according to plan for the Mike Miller trained Waterford Stud product in the KZN equivalent.
After two Barrier Trials, both of which he won, Anton Marcus had the colt in touch all the way in the 800m scurry and he drew off impressively to win in a time of 46,10 secs at odds of 8-10.
One of the best judges around – Anton Marcus
Bound By Duty really caught the eye, considering he was giving the runner-up 6,5kg’s – which is a lot of pudding, especially as weight plays a major role with juveniles.
Ridgemont Highlands jockey Anton Marcus, an astute judge, has done all the work on the colt and is reportedly ‘very fond of him’. That would make any trainer happy!
Trainer Mike Miller is a noted specialist when it comes to prepping the smart juveniles to win early and he deserves plenty of credit for a plan come together. Interestingly, he also trained the winner’s dam, the three-time winning Assaal mare Saddle Me Up.
The winner is owned in partnership by two local businessman, Ronnie Naidoo & Henry Jaynarayan.
Stable spokesman Sterling Miller said that future plans were fluid but depending on how the KZN programme is structured, Bound By Duty could be aimed at the Listed Storm Bird Stakes at Turffontein in March 2019.
Watch Sunday’s race here:
