An alarming drift before the off signalled trouble for backers of the odds-on SA Horse Of The Year Oh Susanna and the daughter of Street Cry came up for air late – again proving the maxim that there is no such thing as a racing certainty.
The seven horse field for the R120 000 Pinnacle Stakes at a sunny Kenilworth on Thursday saw the historic Met winning treble Gr1 star slung in at the weights.
Lady In Back and Sean Veale storm clear to beat Oh Susanna (Richard Fourie) at Kenilworth (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
But after cautions from her SA Champion trainer Justin Snaith that his charge was running over a trip short of her optimum, and that she had been on the grass only once since her Woolavington success 23 weeks ago, it was the superior fitness of Gr1 winner Lady In Black, from the yard of the bang in-form KZN raiding combination of Dennis Drier and Sean Veale, who finished best.
Drier and Veale opened their 2018/19 summer account at the same venue on Sunday with Anime winning the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes and also won the first today with the exciting 3yo Mastagambit.
Trumped as the race of the month, the Pinnacle mile contest attracted interest all week as it hailed the seasonal debut of all of Oh Susanna, 2017 Gr1 Thekwini winner Lady In Black, rising Cape star Brave Move – a winner of her last six starts – and Dean Kannemeyer’s undefeated stakes winner, Hashtagyolo.
After Oh Susanna’s stablemate Red Ginger had led the charge, Sean Veale produced Lady In Black at the 300m and getting the better of Goodtime Gal in a matter of strides, the daughter of Dynasty drew clear to beat Oh Susanna by 0,75 lengths in a time of 97,29 secs.
John Freeman leads Lady In Black and Sean Veale in after their smart victory (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Recent Diana Stakes winner Love To Boogie stayed on best of the rest for third a further length back, with Brave Move in fourth.
Hashtagyolo was flat-footed in the straight and could not pace it in the sprint for home. She was beaten 3,90 lengths.
Racing in the interests of Jack Mitchell and his daughter Nancy Hossack, the R1,1 million National Yearling Sale purchase winner made it 5 victories from 9 starts with 3 places, and took her stakes to R1 171 875.
Bred by Willempie Engelbrecht Jnr, Lady In Black is by Dynasty (Fort Wood) out of the five time winner Mystery Dame (Jet Master).
Oh Susanna can only come on from this run and will be aimed at a double on the Sun Met on 26 January 2019.
A rematch with Lady In Black before then could make for some interesting needle!
