One of the best non stakes-winning 5yo’s around, the Moutonshoek-bred Sugar Mountain bounced back to winning form when staying on powerfully in the kind underfoot conditions to win the R200 000 non black-type Winter Mile at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
Sugar Mountain (Corne Orffer) stays on powerfully to beat stablemate Gold Poker Game (Anthony Andrews) in a 1-2 for the Candice Bass-Robinson yard (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
After a fifth in the WSB Cape Town Met earlier this year, and an abortive trip to the Highveld where everything apparently went wrong, and he ran over 20 lengths off Main Defender in the Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes, one prep run was all Sugar Mountain needed to find his feet with a fluent effort on Saturday.
Relaxed in midfield by replacement rider Corne Orffer as Coastal Commander and Zapatillas led the charge, Sugar Mountain (11-2), who races in the now familiar white and blue of the ASSM Racing Syndicate, made up ground down the middle in the home straight.
After a brief battle with fairer sex stablemate Gold Poker Game (16-1), he stayed on powerfully to put 0,30 lengths between himself and the filly, in a 1-2 for the Candice Bass-Robinson yard.
Well supported in the build-up, Future Prince (6-1) finished with a flourish a length back in third, with Vaughan Marshall’s gallant 7yo Silver Operator (25-1) staying on doggedly for fourth, and showing his distinct appreciation for the conditions.
A R425 000 CTS Ready To Run Sale graduate in 2020, Sugar Mountain has won 8 races with 11 places from 25 starts for stakes of R740 776.
Bred at Dr Bennie van der Merwe’s Moutonshoek Stud, the winner is a son of deceased multiple champion sire Silvano (Lomitas)out of the Var mare, Gettna.
