Commanding! Brandon Lerena drives Queen's Command up to win the Flamboyant.
A rather modestly endowed Group 3 race headed up a generally lacklustre New Year’s Day card at Greyville. While favourites won the first three races on the card, the fare would probably not have had punters smiling after the previous evening’s revelries with the favourite Happy Archer coming unstuck from a wide draw.
The R138 000 Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes run over a mile headed the programme and put simply, the race was a victory for the Glen Kotzen yard and a tactical nightmare for the Sean Tarry team.
Tarry and Robbie Fradd had a secret plan to overcome their Dubawi filly’s wide draw, and as the best filly in the race she warranted her position at the top of the betting boards and was sent out a 16-10 favourite. Whatever the plan, things did not work out as she ran wide most of the way to flatter briefly and stay on to finish a not embarrassing 0,7 length fifth.
In contrast, the Kotzen’s Assistant Trainer Frikkie Greyling instructed Billy Jacobson to stretch the field on the Jet Master mare Wings Over Skye and this plan came together as Queen’s Command moved up smoothly under a top Brandon Lerena ride to hold off the late attentions of Jessica Goslett on Salsabeel.The winner and the sixth placed Las Ramblas finished with only 0,7 lengths separating them.
Branching Out! Michael Leaf(in white) flanked by his family and Frikkie Greyling.
It was yet another feature success for an Australian-bred horse. Part owner Michael Leaf was on course with his large family to enjoy his daughter of Commands recording her fifth win from 16 starts and to see her break the R350 000 career earnings barrier. She is out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Judicial Queen, and looks set for a rewarding 2012 Champions Season campaign.
The straight-shooting Greyling commented in the post-race interview that he had been told ‘off the record’ to minimise the winning distances in order to avoid penalties by the handicappers. He said he awaited the revised merit rating dished out to the Commands filly for this win with interest. Full marks to Greyling for voicing his dissent with this negative undercurrent and reality facing jockeys and trainers. The system is intrinsically flawed, but let’s wait and see what the National Horseracing Authority are going to do about it.
Colin Scott and Muzi Yeni picked up their second winner of the afternoon when the smart Dynasty four year old Sage Throne showed that he had come on nicely since his last win at this venue two weeks ago, when he beat an admittedly weak mixed bag in the Pick Six opener, an Allowance Plate run over 2200m. The smart staying gelding recorded his fourth win from 10 starts here at prohibitive odds of 1-3 and won easing up by three lengths. He looks to have plenty of wins to come and should easily recoup and grow his R375 000 purchase price.
Materialistic! Robbie Fradd rode a clever race to win on Material Girl.
Robbie Fradd rode his six colleagues to sleep in the MR80 Handicap over 2400m. In a race where they played right into his shrewd hands, the veteran rider had the Visser-trained Material Girl loping along in the front as the chasing pack played musical chairs amongst themselves. Nicky Roebuck and Muzi Yeni were two jockeys who seemed to detect Fradd’s cat-and-mouse game, but after chasing their mounts Sunningdale and Lorne Cottage into better positions, neither had any answers late. It was left to Anthony Delpech on Miss Maddie to get withing a tame two lengths of the Spectrum mare – whose winning time was over 8 seconds outside the track record.
Delpech had to play second fiddle for the second race in a row, when he tried to steal the MR70 Handicap over 1600m from the front. He allowed recent maiden winner Arctic Hooligan to stride in front and then drifted the De Kock horse wide out in the straight as challenges came at him from all sides. In a tight finish, where Delpech appeared to carry out the challenging Mighty Oak, Stuart Randolph got the latter home under a hands ride. Mighty Oak appeared to have earned his perennial bridesmaid tag after a frustrating placed run, but followed up here on his maiden win two weeks ago under lights at the same venue. Doug Campbell owns and bred the Spaceship gelding, who looks like he could go on and win more.
No Hassle!Dauntless Delance(Brandon Lerena) is led in by the Cassel family.
Brandon Lerena rode another great finish on an Australian-bred, after winning the feature race, when he got Michael Roberts’ Dauntless Delance to rally late down the outside and win a blanket finish in the MR78 Handicap over 1000m. The seven year old gelding appears to have found his niche over the sprint trips and won a great race from his wide draw in this fast field. Owner Sid Cassel was also on course with his family to enjoy the win, and it is great to see soldiers like the mass market cosmetic tycoon reap some rewards for his extensive investment in the sport.
Anthony Delpech rode his second winner to close the day on the much talked about Infinite Wisdom, who won easily from a good draw despite drifting in the betting. Alyson Wright trains the Black Minnaloushe for owner John Jones, and she won her third start after placing at her first two outings.
Just a thought to close. It is a pity that Saftote harm their credibility by thumbsucking the projected eighth race carryover Quartet pool to the ridiculously optimistic R800 000 level when only R500 000 odd was achieved in the end. How do they get it so far wrong?
