Avontuur’s triple Gr1 winning Danehill stallion Oratorio again showed his versatility and value when he produced a double at a sunny but rather nippy Durbanville on Saturday.
Already well on his way to establishing himself as a broomare sire internationally, the globally proven sire enjoyed his opening success when Mauritius-bound Corne Orffer booted home the Drakenstein home-bred Opera Swing to win the second, a 1250m Maiden Plate.
Corne Orffer steers Opera Swing to victory over Aldo Domeyer and Queen Niyabah (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
She was the opener in Brett Crawford’s treble on the afternoon, and the daughter of Trippi two-time winner Carousel Swing won well at her fourth start.
Glen Kotzen and Aldo Domeyer teamed up for the next Oratorio winner when the Nutfield Stud-bred Northern Song, a colt out of the accomplished Fort Wood daughter Nordic Spring, won the Maiden mile at his fourth start. He was well fancied, having run two good seconds.
The R220 000 Cape Ready To Run graduate is bred to go 2400m and he looks very progressive.
Oratorio has sired five stakes winners in South Africa, with his Gr2 Western Cape Stayers winner Snapscan a favourite in the informal SA Champion Stayer poll.
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Brett Crawford was the most successful trainer on the afternoon with three winners.
Glen Puller – good double on the day (pic: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Glen Puller and apprentice Jabu Jacobs enjoyed a double, while Sandile Mbhele, Greg Cheyne and Corne Orffer, who is off to ride in Mauritius for the rest of the season, rode two winners each.
Apprentice Joshwin Solomons, who rode a career first three-timer last Monday at the same venue, picked up a seven day suspension for his ride on Heartbreak Hotel in the fourth. Approaching the 300m, Wolfe Guard (G Behr) was forced to check when crossed by Solomons’ mount, which was directed outwards to continue its run.
Robert Khathi was probably lucky to escape with a warning in the seventh when he failed to weigh out at the correct carded weight on the horse Wadi Rum, or at the higher weight confirmed in his engagement with the trainer. He was replaced by Anthony Andrews.
In the same race Grant van Niekerk was fined R1500 when he rode Al Wahed. He used his crop more than 12 times in the race and more than 3 times on consecutive strides in the latter stages.
The next Cape meeting is at Durbanville on Saturday 26 September, when the Listed Settlers Trophy heads the programme.
