South Africa’s infamously onerous export protocols are a drag on any average day but may well have worked fortuitously for owners Tony Jelinski and Sterling Miller.
The partnership were at the Theatre of Champions on Sunday to lead in their grey flyer Strawberry Bear, who inflicted a first Hollywoodbets Greyville defeat on Cape star Cousin Casey, when winning the R200 000 Gr3 Byerley Turk.
Sold to Hong Kong interests and all packed and ready to wing his way East, the Mike Miller-trained Strawberry Bear only landed up starting in Sunday’s 1400m contest after the parties to the transaction mutually decided that eight months of red-tape and travel was a silly slice to take out of the career of a promising 3yo.
The three bears! Sporting Post jockey Tristan Godden is flanked by thrilled owners Sterling Miller and Tony Jelinski (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
All’s well that ends well though, and Sterling Miller, who astutely found the attractive grey for just R80 000 as a weanling at Bush Hill Stud, told the Sporting Post that he and passionate co-owner Tony Jelinski would take the Grade 3 success with both hands.
“Naturally there was disappointment when the sale to Hong Kong was cancelled, but it was the right decision for this lovely galloper and we are thrilled,” said veteran trainer Mike Miller’s son, who concedes at the same time that things will only get tougher into the season.
“We love our horses but are also realists. Cousin Casey had every chance but needed the outing and wasn’t at his peak for the season. On top of that we received 6kgs from the Gr1 winner. But Strawberry Bear made all, fought on and showed terrific heart and ability. And it was another great ride by Tristan Godden. Tony (Jelinski) loves his horses like pets and is a regular visitor in the grey’s box,” explained Sterling Miller.
According to Mike Miller, the 1400m looks to be Strawberry Bear’ top end.
“That means we will pick his races. Maybe the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint (1200m) at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and then the KZN Breeders Mile are two races that could be on his radar. He could get away with his stamina limitations in the company he is likely to encounter in the latter race,” added the thrilled Sterling.
Strawberry Bear digs deep under Tristan Godden as Cousin Casey chases (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Making all the fractions on Sunday, the flashy grey galloped relentlessly and staved off the challenge of the popular favourite to win at 16-1 by 0,60 lengths in a time of 85 secs flat.
Drifting to even money before the off, Cousin Casey was not disgraced in second with Erico Verdonese’ Gauteng raider Jimmy Don (9-4) a short head back in third, with Gavin Lerena declaring a half kilo over.
It was a memorable first graded stakes success for Sporting Post-sponsored rider Tristan Godden, in his best season to date!
While born, loved and raised at the Render family’s beautiful Bush Hill Stud, Strawberry Bear was bred by Gauteng-based Bea Giddy, and enjoys the distinction of being the maiden stakes winner for his now Riethuiskraal Stud-based Galileo sire, Flying The Flag.
Flying The Flag (Pic- Candiese Lenferna)
“We wish Advocate Joubert well with Flying The Flag. He has had a regular flow of winners and knew it was only a matter of time before he came up with something really smart,” said Bush Hill’s Karin Render, who recalled that Sterling Miller had picked the good-looking youngster out and loved him the moment he had set eyes on him.
Strawberry Bear is out of the unraced Captain Al mare, Now You See Her, who hails from the family of the top-class Nhlavini.
He is now a winner of 3 races with 2 places from 7 starts for stakes of R311 000.
Two of the three Hollywoodbets Greyville Sunday features were saddled by KZN trainers. It’s early days with the Champions Season only starting next month, but it’s encouraging and good news!
Watch the feature replay here:
