South Africa’s joint highest rated galloper, Main Defender (131) will make his season debut as he steps out to defend his title in Saturday’s R550 000 Betway Gr3 Joburg Spring Challenge at Turffontein.
Popular Highveld champion Main Defender could double up on Saturday (Pic – JC Photos)
The Tony Peter-trained Main Defender beat the subsequent Equus Champion Sprinter Thunderstruck by over 6 lengths in a dazzling victory last year and bang in-form Highveld rider Gavin Lerena takes the reins for the first time in the fourteen horse line-up.
Main Defender comes in here off a break of approximately nine weeks since beaten by Unzen in a Pinnacle Stakes at Turffontein on 27 July, but runs well fresh as he showed when winning this feature off a similar rest last term.
1st R343750, 2nd R110000, 3rd R55000, 4th R27500, 5th R13750
BETWAY JOBURG SPRING CHALLENGE (Grade 2)
For all horses at Weight for age + Penalties
WFA: 3yrs-8kgs 4yrs-0.5kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | 8 | Main Defender | 60 | 131 | A | Gavin Lerena | Tony Peter | |
| 2 | 4 | Purple Pitcher | 60 | 123 | A | Kabelo Matsunyane | Robyn Klaasen | |
| 3 | 10 | William Robertson | 58.5 | 125 | HA | Marco V’Rensburg | Corne Spies | |
| 4 | 6 | Gladatorian | 58.5 | 120 | T A | Sean Veale | Stuart Ferrie | |
| 5 | 9 | Melech | 58.5 | 118 | T A | Serino Moodley | Roy Magner | |
| 6 | 14 | Unzen | 58.5 | 116 | A | Denis Schwarz | Robbie Sage | |
| 7 | 2 | Back In Business | 58.5 | 106 | A | #Rachel Venniker | Joe Soma | |
| 8 | 3 | Barbaresco | 58 | 120 | Ae | Raymond Danielson | J A Janse van Vuuren | |
| 9 | 12 | Gimmeanotherchance | 58 | 119 | A | Craig Zackey | Mike de Kock | |
| 10 | 5 | Zinovi | 58 | 114 | A | Piere Strydom | Mike de Kock | |
| 11 | 7 | Joker Man | 58 | 106 | A | …………… | J A Janse van Vuuren | |
| 12 | 11 | Grand Crescendo | 50.5 | 114 | A | Kaidan Brewer | Candice Dawson | |
| 13 | 13 | Dantonfromsandton | 50.5 | 108 | TBA | Malesela Katjedi | Sean Tarry | |
| 14 | 1 | Wild At War | 50.5 | 100 | A | Philasande Mxoli | Candice Dawson | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (8,11) (9,10) (12,14) | ||||||||
In the fairer sex equivalent, a capacity field of fourteen and one reserve was declared on Tuesday.
The R450 000 Betway Gr2 Joburg Spring F&M Challenge was won last year by Stuart Pettigrew’s Feather Boa who made such an eyecatching USA debut recently.
Captain Peg – back to her preferred trip on Saturday (Pic – JC Photos)
Feather Boa’s stablemate and 2023 runner-up Captain Peg (104) runs from a decent draw on Saturday,and she should strip fit after a smart pipe-opener third in the Betway The Lady’s Stakes recently.
1st R281250, 2nd R90000, 3rd R45000, 4th R22500, 5th R11250
BETWAY JOBURG SPRING F & M CHALLENGE (Grade 2)
For Fillies and Mares at Weight for age + Penalties
WFA: 3yrs-8kgs 4yrs-0.5kgs
No Apprentice / Female Sex Allowance
| 1 | 8 | Gimme A Shot | 60 | 110 | A | Craig Zackey | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | |
| 2 | 7 | Celtic Rumours | 60 | 106 | A | Gavin Lerena | Sean Tarry | |
| 3 | 3 | Captain Peg | 60 | 104 | BA | Calvin Habib | Stuart Pettigrew | |
| 4 | 13 | Let’s Go Now | 59.5 | 114 | BA | Sean Veale | Sean Tarry | |
| 5 | 4 | My Soul Mate | 59.5 | 111 | BA | Raymond Danielson | Candice Dawson | |
| 6 | 5 | White Pearl | 59.5 | 109 | A | Piere Strydom | Mike de Kock | |
| 7 | 10 | Key Element | 59.5 | 101 | A | Philasande Mxoli | Paul Matchett | |
| 8 | 1 | Miss Hannigan | 59.5 | 97 | A | Denis Schwarz | Fabian Habib | |
| 9 | 14 | Soldier’s Eye | 59.5 | 97 | BA | Kaidan Brewer | Weiho Marwing | |
| 10 | 2 | Blue Horizon | 59.5 | 89 | A | *Kobeli Lihaba | Weiho Marwing | |
| 11 | 15 | Vj’s Angel | 54 | 111 | A | Kabelo Matsunyane | Tony Peter | |
| 12 | 12 | Little Ballerina | 53 | 104 | A | Serino Moodley | Candice Dawson | |
| 13 | 11 | Fiery Pegasus | 52 | 104 | T A | Malesela Katjedi | Joe Soma | |
| 14 | 9 | Frozen Fantasy | 52 | 102 | A | #Rachel Venniker | Robyn Klaasen | |
| 15 | 6 | Sea Anemone | 60 | 89 | BA | Reserve 1 | Mike de Kock | |
| Same Trainer | ||||||||
| (2,4) (5,12) (6,15) (9,10) | ||||||||
The highest rated in the fillies and mares contest is Sean Tarry’s Let’s Go Now (114), whose form tapered negatively last term when tried over further.,
She comes in off a four month’s rest and is likely to need it. Her wide draw won’t be an asset either.
It is interesting to see that Sean Veale, who rides Stuart Ferrie’s KZN raider Gladatorian in the boys’ race, gets the chance here. How his prospects have improved this term!
