Summerveld trainer Garth Puller’s reference in Sunday’s Hollywoodbets Scottsville feature winner’s box to the wisdom of Willie Kleb, who apparently said that ‘if your horse is well, then let them worry about you’, took us back to the days of the man who trained the champion half-brother to Hawaii, William Penn.
Much like the evergreen William Penn, who would have turned 63 this year, the ageless Garth Puller just keeps rolling on and is sending out winners with regularity.
Just for a quick reminisce, William Penn, pictured above, raced from two to eleven years of age, winning 16 races.
He was at it for 9 seasons against some of the best including, Sea Cottage, Renounce, Java Head, his half-brother Hawaii, Peter Beware, Home Guard, and In Full Flight.
William Penn would prove infertile as a stallion and would return to racing after a brief stint at stud in 1969.
On Sunday the Hollywoodbets-sponsored Puller (and the handicappers) didn’t think he could beat the well-weighted Gauteng soldier William Robertson in the R90 000 Marula Sprint, but he adopted the Willie Kleb pearl with his own Captain Bombshell in a good space.
Spare has Captain Bombshell in front where it counts as Gavin Lerena chases on William Robertson (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
And he gave his Mauritius-based owner Ramraj Chintalloo the confidence to have a ‘fun bet’ – whatever that is.
Given a perfect ride by Heversham Park-sponsored apprentice Siphesihle ‘Spare’ Hlengwa, the 66-1 Captain Bombshell showed his wellbeing as he led for most of the 1200m trip before staying on best to derail the hopes of the supporters of the popular 7-10 banker William Robertson, who was given every chance by the bang in-form Gavin Lerena.
At the line, there was 0,90 lengths separating the banker from the bomb, in a time of 67,99 secs.
For those who played to beat the favourite, the exacta paid a generous R205,90.
Sun Blushed (25-2) finished well to grab third a further 0,70 lengths back.
The Haras del Carmo-bred Captain Bombshell was registering his first victory for Ramraj Chintalloo and is a son of Captain Of All (Captain Al) out of the two-time winning Elusive Fort mare, Bombshell Girl.
The 4yo has now won 4 races with 4 places from 15 starts for stakes of R333 125.
The Pick 6 paid R827 831,50 to 1,05 lucky tickets.
The next KZN racemeeting is at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday 7 February.
Enjoy the replay!
